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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The Size of a Torah Scroll
How small and how big can a Torah scroll be? The physical size of a Torah scroll can, in theory, vary greatly. The writing must be large enough to be readable by the naked eye, but a Torah could be…
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Netilas Yadaim
What does "netilas yadayim" mean? It means "washing the hands", but the etymology of the "netilas" is obscure; it normally means "taking", not "washing". It has been suggested that it comes from the name of the vessel, "antal" (see Talmud…
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The Reason for Circumcision
Why is circumcision of men required? We can only speculate about the reasons for the Commandments, but it has been suggested that male circumcision reduces sexual desire, which is often hard to control.
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The Laws of Defective Children
What are the laws regarding the care of defective children? There are lengthy discussions about the institutionalization of children who have severe physical or mental defects in Nishmas Avraham, vol.5, pp.57-60 and 79-82. Regarding life-and-death decisions, such children (or defective…
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Yibum and Chalitzah
What are Yibbum ("levirate marriage" to a brother’s widow) and Chalitzah ("pulling off the shoe")? According to Torah law, if a married man dies childless, one of his brothers must marry his widow. Any of the brothers can do this,…
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The Intermarriage Threat
Why are Jews so opposed to marrying non-Jews? The rate of intermarriage in Jewish communities outside Israel is very high, and intermarriage usually leads to loss of Jewish identity — if not immediately, then after a generation or two. These…
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The Child of an Unmarried Jewish Woman
If an unmarried Jewish woman has a child, is the child illegitimate (a MAMZER)? A child born out of wedlock to a single Jewish woman is not usually a MAMZER. A child is not a MAMZER unless it is born…
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An Embryo as a Person
Is an embryo legally a person? The Jewish view (Talmud, Sanhedrin 91b) is that the soul enters the body at conception.
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Halachic Sources on Abortion
What are the Biblical, Talmudic, and halachic sources about abortion? Answer: The Torah speaks in one place (Ex. 21:22-23) about accidental abortion. The Talmud discusses abortion in a few places: Mishnah Arachin 7:1 and Ohalos 7:6; Tosefta Gitin 3:13 and…