Jewish History
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Pharisees and Sadducees
What is the basic difference between a Pharisee & a Sadducee in regards to Torah & the Oral Law The Sadducees, like the Karaites who came after them, did not accept the Oral Law while the Pharisees did. Would it…
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Adam, a Hermaphrodite?
This is a strange question, but I’ve been curious about the syntax of the sentence in Genesis (1:27) where it states that “God created man, in His image he created them; male and female he created them.” Is the Hebrew…
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Accuracy of Jewish Lineage
The Jewish people have been around a few thousand years, and were slaves, and lived in other countries throughout the world. How do I know with confidence that my ancestry is really Jewish? There must have been some intermarriage, &…
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Rabbi Avraham Gombiner, the “Magen Avraham”
I am interested in learning biographical information about the Magen Avraham as well as which works he commented on as my father was from the town in Poland that he lived in. Rav Avraham Gombiner, born in 1634, left his…
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What is a Rabbi?
What is a rabbi? My father told me a rabbi is a person that brings people together, sits in the middle. Why I asked this is, because, I have seen different kinds of rabbis, some who think of the people…
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Modern Descendants of Esau
I would like to know who you feel are the descendants of Esau in today’s world? Could they be the Edomites who became the Catholic peoples? The verse in Genesis (25:30) informs us that Esau himself was called Edom: “And…
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Poland and the Holocaust
What is the Jewish point of view on the the antisemitism of the Polish and the way they treated the Jews in the Holocaust? That is an excellent question. I believe that there are two perspectives, and although they may…
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Archaeology and the Exodus
I have been asked by a friend about the historicity of the Exodus event (ie: archaelogical evidence) Is there evidence for this event in Egypt or within Israel? I am asking as someone with a sincere interest in this portion…
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The Chofetz Chaim
Can I have some Information about the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Israel Meir Ha-Cohen, 1837-1933? Here is a short summary of his life taken from Rabbi Berel Wein’s historical work called Triumph of Survival: 1848 – Leaves home to study in…