Rabbi Azriel Schreiber
855 answers
Whenever possible, JewishAnswers.org tries to include the name of the author on every post. However, at certain times, we make significant changes to the answers posted. In that case, we will often sign the post with our generic “pen name” – Rabbi Azriel Schreiber. This “pen name” may also be used when a writer declines to have his name published.
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An Aliyah
What is an "aliyah"? When the Torah is read, three or more people are called up to the bimah to recite the blessings over portions of the reading. The "going up" to the bimah is called an "aliyah".
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Elijah's Ravens
Why did G-d choose ravens, which are unclean birds, to feed Elijah? The raven has a reputation for harshness and cruelty. By choosing ravens to bring food to Elijah, G-d was demonstrating that even unkind creatures can perform kind acts,…
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Hardening Pharaoh's Heart
Why did G-d harden Pharaoh's heart? Pharaoh hardened his own heart in spite of the first few plagues, but the last few plagues were more severe, and he might have let the Hebrews go if G-d hadn't assisted with the…
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Jeremiah's Daughter
Did Jeremiah's daughter become pregnant from her father's semen in a bath? That story is told in a medieval collection of legends called the "Alphabet of Ben Sira", where it also says that the son born to Jeremiah's daughter was…
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Terumah and Maaser Nowadays
What is done with terumah and maaser nowadays? Nowadays the Levites' tithe is separated and kept (since anyone can eat it); the kohanim's 1% (plus a token amount for terumah) is separated and destroyed (because it can only be eaten…
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The Name Oren
What is the source of the name "Oren"? It's a Biblical name (Isaiah 44:14) which means "pine tree".
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Yiddish
What is Yiddish, and how is it related to Hebrew? Yiddish is a dialect of German that has been spoken by most (northern and Eastern) European Jews for about 1000 years; it uses occasional Hebrew words.
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Joshua's Shoes
Why was Joshua asked (5:15) to take off only one shoe when he met the angel? Ibn Kaspi points out that in Yehoshua 1:3 it says "Everywhere that the sole of your foot steps will be yours". There too it…
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Rabbis' Qualifications
Why do your halacha emails say "a qualified Rabbi must be consulted? If the word "qualified" weren't included in the statement, it could be interpreted as including consultation with non-Orthodox clergy.