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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Israel
Why was Jacob called "Israel"? After Jacob struggled with the angel (Gen.32:25-31), the angel told him that he would be renamed "Israel" (literally: he will overcome G-d") because he had overcome a heavenly opponent (Esau's guardian angel). Jacob accepted that…
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Aaron's Name
What is the meaning of Aaron's name? There's no standard explanation of the name "Aharon". "On" may be a suffix (as in "Gershon", "Nachshon", etc). The Midrash (Shemos Rabbah sec.26) relates the name to the word "herayon" (conception), suggesting that…
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The Egyptian First Born
Did G-d Himself kill the Egyptian first born? As we read in the Hagadah, Ex. 12:12 clearly implies that G-d Himself would smite the Egyptian firstborn; the verse uses the first person three times, and ends with "ani ha-Shem". But…
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The Sefer ha-Yashar
Is there a book called the "Sefer ha-Yashar" (Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18)? A book called the Sefer ha-Yashar that expands on the Biblical narratives, attributed to Josephus, was published in Venice in 1625, and many times since. It…
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Rahab
What happened to Rahab after Jericho was conquered? According to the Talmud (Megillah 14b), Rahab converted to Judaism and married Joshua, and eight prophets (including Jeremiah) were descended from her.
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Devorah
What is known about the ancestry of Devorah? Devorah's parents' names aren't given anywhere. We know only that she was from the tribe of Naftali (Yalkut ha-Machiri on Tehillim 22:1).
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Yiftach's Daughter's Name
What was Yiftach's daughter's name? Her name isn't mentioned in any of the standard sources, but according to the Chronicles of Yerahmeel, written around 11-1200 and translated by Gaster in 1899 from an Oxford manuscript, her name was Sh'eilah. The…
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The Lachish Letters
What are the Lachish letters? About 20 ostraca (written on potsherds) were discovered in Lachish (modern Tel ed-Duweir) in the 1930's. Most were letters, though a few were lists. They date from the 580's B.C.E. The letters don't refer to…
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The Yereim
Who was the author of the Sefer Yereim? R.Eliezer b.Shmuel of Metz, a student of Rabbeinu Tam, lived in the mid to late 1100's. The Yereim is his only known work; it was published in part in Venice in 1566,…