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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Rabbeinu Yonah
Who was Rabbeinu Yonah? R. Yonah b.Avraham lived in Gerona, Spain in the 1200's (he died in 1263). A relative of the Ramban, he studied under R.Avraham of Montpellier in Provence, and sided with him in his opposition to the…
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The Kol Bo
Who wrote the Kol Bo? The name of the author of the Kol Bo isn't known. The Kol Bo has a close affinity to the Orchos Chayim, whose author is known (R.Aharon ha-Kohen of Lunel), but the authors are at…
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The Vavei ha-Amudim
What is the "Vavei ha-Amudim"? The best known "Vavei ha-Amudim" is by R.Shabsai Sheftel, son of R.Yeshaiah ha-Levi Horovitz, author of the Sh'nei Luchos ha-B'ris (SH'LAH). It was published together with the SH'LAH in Amsterdam 1648-9 (and many times afterwards);…
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The Chareidim
Who wrote the Sefer Charedim? R.Eleazar b.Moshe Azkari lived in Tzfas in the 1500's. He was a popular preacher. His Sefer Charedim was published in Venice in 1601, a year after his death. Not much is recorded about his career,…
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R. Yehonasan Eybeschutz
Who was R.Yehonasan Eybeschutz? R.Yehonasan (b.Noson Nota) Eybeschutz was born in Cracow about 1690. He was learned in many areas, including halacha, kabbalah, philosophy and science. He founded a Yeshiva in Hamburg, and afterwards headed a Yeshiva in Prague. In…
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R. Shlomo Ganzfried
Who was R.Shlomo Ganzfried? R.Shlomo b.Yosef Ganzfried was born in Ungvar, Hungary in 1804 and died there in 1886. From 1830 to 1849 he was Rabbi of Brezewicz, and afterwards was head of the Beis Din of Ungvar. His Kitzur…
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The Kaf ha-Chayim
What can you tell me about the author of the Kaf ha-Chayim? The Kaf ha-Chayim, by R.Yaakov Chayim b.Yitzchak Baruch Sofer of Bagdad, was published in Jerusalem between 1905 and 1933. (R.Chayim Palagi published a book with the same title…
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Cannibalism
Does the Torah forbid cannibalism? The prohibition of cannibalism is implied by Deut.14:4-5. We can conclude from Gen.9:3 (see Gen.7:21) that cannibalism is also forbidden to Noahides. The Talmud (Chulin 92b) says that non-Jews accepted on themselves not to sell…
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Pork
Does the Torah regard pork as unhealthy? The Torah says nothing about pork being unhealthy, but the Talmud regards pigs as unusually dirty and diseased. "A pig is like a moving latrine" and "A pig's mouth is like moving excrement"…