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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Slavery in the Bible
Why does the Bible recognize slavery? Slavery was a universal thing until a few hundred years ago. The Bible assumes it because it existed when the Bible was written, but slaves were always very well-treated in Jewish society, and in…
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A Bais Din
What is a Bais Din? A Bais Din ("House of Law"; also transliterated "Bet Din" or "Beth Din") is a Rabbinical court that deals with cases involving Jewish law.
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Kohanim
Who are the Jewish priests (kohanim)? The Kohanim (Hebrew plural of Kohen) are the male descendants of Aaron. Most of the service in the Temple could be conducted only by Kohanim.
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The Age of the Torah
How old is the Torah? The Torah existed before the creation of the world (Proverbs 8:22-31). It was given to us through Moses, on Mount Sinai, about 3500 years ago.
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The Purpose of the Torah
What is the purpose of the Torah? The Torah tells us how the world was created, how the Jewish people originated, and how they should behave.
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The Status of Angels
Why were angels created? Apparently G-d wanted to populate both the heavens and the earth with thinking beings; and in both cases the beings weren't perfect – they had free will, and were capable of sin.
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Psalm 91
Is Psalm 91 effective against evil? The curative or protective power of Psalm 91 is mentioned several times in the Talmud (Shevuous 15b; Yerushalmi Shabbos 6:2, Eiruvin 10:11).
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The Shema
What is the Shema? The Shema consists of three Biblical passages (Deut.6:4-9, Deut.11:13-21, and Num.15:37-41) that contain basic principles of Judaism. The first verse, Deut. 6:4, which begins with the Hebrew word "Shema" (Hear!), affirms the unity of G-d.
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L'chah Dodi
What is the origin of the poem "L'chah Dodi"? L'chah Dodi was written by the kabbalist R.Sh'lomoh ha-Levi Alkabetz of Safed in the mid-1500s. Its stanzas begin with the letters of the author's name: SH-L-M-H H-L-V-Y. It was praised by…