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 Prohibition of Intermarriage
Why does the Torah forbid intermarriage? The Torah forbids intermarriage between Jews and non-Jews (Deut. 7:3ff: “You shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to his son, nor take his daughter for your son”) because it…
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The Divinity of Jesus in Christianity
Why is it so widely believed by Christians that Jesus is divine? Not all Christian denominations accept the divinity of Jesus. Only an expert on the history of Christianity could explain what factors led to this doctrine being so widely…
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Cross-Dressing
Why is cross-dressing forbidden? Maimonides, in his law code Mishneh Torah, lists the cross-dressing prohibition of Deut. 22:5 (which forbids women wearing clothes that are ordinarily worn only by men and vice versa) under the category of laws relating to…
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Decorating a Torah Cover with Bells
Is it permissible to decorate a Torah cover with metal bells? A discussion in Talmud Shabbos 58b about when a metal bell is subject to impurity mentions “bells made for book covers” as an example of bells used for decoration;…
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Origin of the Word “Yarmulka”
What is the origin of the word “Yarmulka”? It is widely believed that the word is derived from the Aramaic phrase “yerei malka” (one who fears the King); this derivation is based on the fact that covering the head is…
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Different Nuschaos
How did the different versions (nuschaos) of the prayers originate? If one has a choice, which nusach should he adopt? The different versions of the prayers resulted from natural divergences over the years. One who can choose a nusach should…
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Swaying During Prayer
Why do we sway when we pray? The Talmud Bavli (Berachos 28b) says that when a person prays, he must bow until all the segments of his spine are separated; the Talmud Yerushalmi says that a person who stands and…
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Le-chayim
What does the blessing "le-chayim" mean? n "Fiddler on the Roof" it is translated as "to life", but depending on the context, "to" may not be the right preposition; "for life" might be more accurate.
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The Blessing on the Sun
When will we next recite the blessing on the sun (birchas ha-chamah)? Birchas ha-chamah is recited every 28 years, after sunrise on the first Wednesday of spring. It was last recited on April 8, 1981, and will next be recited…