Supernatural or Scientific Stick ? by Dr. Chaim Gershon
Shemos Beshalach Chapter 15 25. So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord instructed him concerning a piece of wood, which he cast in into the water, and the water became sweet. There He gave them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them. Read More »
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Ethrog in Hezekiah’s palace
For many years it has been scholarly dogma that Esrog did not grow in Eretz Yisrael in Bilbical times and, therefore, the identification of “goodly fruit” with Ethrog was post-biblical. Now comes evidence that Esrog was grown in Judea during the First Temple period, here . See here on Ethrog in Josephus. This reminds me of the “camel” controversy. Read More »
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He and His Name 3: Is Keser one of the ten sefiros.
We started this series by asking how could R. Eliezer say that before the world was created there was only Hashem and His Great Name? Isn’t it again the principle of total unity of God? Some thinkers who considered this question responded that it is not; all depends on what is Unity and how you understand it. Read More »
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Kosher Jesus
The World of Lubavitch is astir. You hear it in shul; it is the staff of mikva conversation and of heated discussion between friends. Vos is di neias? It is Rabbi Boteach’s new book, “Kosher Jesus”, which is slated for publication on February 18. Read More »
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Misplaced Grammatical Plague By Chaim Gershon
Vaera 8: 17 17. For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will incite against you and against your servants and against your people and in your houses a mixture of noxious creatures, and the houses of Egypt will be filled with the mixture of noxious creatures, as well as the land upon which they are. יז. Read More »
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Pharoah’s Potty by Chaim Gershon
Pharaoh made himself out to be a god. As a proof of his own divinity, Pharaoh maintained that he did not need to go to the bathroom. For this reason, he would steal away to the banks of the Nile to relieve himself before people got up. Vaera 7: 15 15. Read More » -
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Pharoah’s Pin-up by Chaim Gershon
as interpreted by Avakesh Zohar Vaera 2: 30a ” The first Pharaoh, when Sarah was taken to him, hinted to his artists and they drew her picture in his room on the wall over his bed. He had no peace until they made a picture of Sarah on a panel and when he entered his bed, he brought the panel with him. Read More »
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Hasidology
An interesting new blog, “Hasidology “, that focuses on academic treatments of Chabad theology. By locating its exploration of Chabad thought within the academic discourse, this blog has the potential of building the bridge to other currents of Read More »
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The First Yahrtzeit by Chaim Gershon
Hevel was the first person to die, “According to the view that the world was created in Tishrei, Hevel lived from Sukkot to Chanuka; according to the view that the world was created in Nisan, Hevel lived from Pesach to Atzeret [Shavuot].” According to either opinion, he lived no more than fifty days” (Bereshit Rabba on Bereshit 4: 3). Read More »
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Hashem and His name 2: Rambam
We had discussed think the statement of Rabbi Eliezer that before the world was created there was only Hashem and his Great Name. Rambam in Moreh Nevukhim 1: 61 correctly identifies this as a problem to the central teaching that undergirds his entire philosophy – that God’s attributes are simply names that humans give to the effects of His actions. Read More »
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Tenth of Teves, by Chiam Gershon
The Tenth of Teves is a fast partly because it is the beginning of the siege that led to the walls of Jerusalem being breached. While this is a negative event, there are positive aspects to this tragedy as well, for it signifies an opening in the walls. Read More »
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Kozak dance.
A custom that is conducted in some chassidic sectors call the “Kozak” dance, where children dressed as Cossacks preform a special dance before the Mitzvah tanz Read More » -
The emergence of Chareidi-lite
The recent events in Beit Shemesh are noteworthy for several reasons. First of all, they showed emergent faultiness between the religious and nonreligious and the movement of the national religious public into the chiloni community. Read More »
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Avos 2: 14: Learh all the Toras
Rabbi Yossi said: Let your fellow’s property be as dear to you as your own, prepare yourself to study Torah which is not an inheritance to you, and let all of your deeds be for the sake of heaven. Read More »
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He and His Name: Problematic passage
This is a first post on a remarkable Pirke D’Rabbi Eliezer. This passage is important because it discusses the very nature of divine unity. I will begin with briefly reviewing the nature of the problem and how to other religious traditions have dealt with it. Read More »
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Dreaming
I had a dream within a dream before the dream began Of bright read poppies, verdant fields and blue expansive skies Walkways of stone and fragrant steps of spice and marjoram A vison flickered and passed on, shot by before my eyes Humanity was Read More »
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Did God command Chanukkah?
From the Rabbis Advocate 93. The Khazar said: That good and fine. But what would you say when we say in the blessing that “Blessed be Though, Hashem, Ruler of the Universe who sanctified us with his commandments and commanded” - to read the Megilah, to complete the Hallel, to light Chanukah candles, and God did not command these things. Read More »
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