Jewish History
-
The Name Solomon
What does the name "Solomon" mean? In 1 Chron. 22:9 David tells his son Solomon (Heb: Shelomoh) that G-d had said to him "A son will be born to you… and Shelomoh will be his name; and I will give…
-
Jeremiah
What can you tell me about the prophet Jeremiah? Jeremiah is identified (in the first verse of the Book of Jeremiah) as a Kohen from the city of Anasos in the territory of Benjamin. He is said (Talmud, Megillah 14b)…
-
The Royal Horse
What was the name of the horse on which Haman led Mordechai around? It was the horse that the king had ridden on the day he became king. The name of the horse is given in the Targum Sheni to…
-
History of the Haftarah
When and in what country did the practice of reading the Haftarah begin? The halachic work Abudraham (on the liturgy) seems to have been the first to suggest that the practice of reading the Haftarah originated at the time of…
-
The Sacrifice of Isaac
Is there any commentary that suggests that Abraham actually DID sacrifice Isaac? In the story of the sacrifice, Abraham seems to come down from the mount and return to his land alone. There is in fact one view that Isaac…
-
The Tabernacle in Shiloh
Why did Joshua establish a religious center at Shiloh? The Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh in Joshua’s time; see Joshua 18:1. That verse speaks only of the "Tent" (Ohel Moed), but the Tabernacle (Mishkan) is surely also meant (see…
-
Shiloh
What does the name Shiloh mean? The name might be related to the word “Shalvah”, which means peace; or it might be from the root Sha-al (to ask), suggesting that it was a place where an oracle was consulted.
-
The Sifsei Chachamim
What is the book Sifsei Chachamim? It was written by Rabbi Shabsai Bass in Amsterdam in 1680. It is a clear, concise commentary on Rashi’s commentary on the Torah, containing explanations collected from many sources, and also giving the sources…
-
The Times of the Prophets
When did the prophets live? The Talmud (Megillah 14a) lists 48 prophets and seven prophetesses, but the exact dates of most of them are not known. The three major prophets who authored books, and the approximate B.C.E. dates of their…