The Great Rabbis
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Avshalom and Amnon
Was the murder of David’s son Amnon by his brother Avshalom comparable to the murder of Abel by his brother Cain? There are many differences between the cases of Cain/Abel and Avshalom/Amnon. Avshalom was angry at his half-brother Amnon for…
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Hagar
Who was Hagar? According to the Midrash, Hagar was Pharaoh’s daughter.
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Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa
When did Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa live? He was one of the later Tannaim (sages of the Mishnah). In one place in the Talmud (Bava Metzia 94a, where he is called “Abba Chalafta”) he is quoted as transmitting a tradition…
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Rabbi Akiva
When did Rabbi Akiva live? According to tradition, Rabbi Akiva lived for 120 years. If he died shortly after the Bar Kokhva rebellion, he lived to about 135 C.E., so if he was 120 at that time he would have…
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Maimonides
Why is Maimonides so highly regarded? Moses ben Maimon was born in Cordova, Spain in 1135, into an old Rabbinical family. Because of religious persecution, the family moved several times, finally settling in Egypt, where Maimonides became head of the…
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Abarbanel
Who was Abarbanel? Rabbi Yitzchak Abarbanel was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1437. As a young man he became minister of the Treasury to Alfonso, King of Portugal. On Alfonso’s death in 1481 he moved to Spain and was given…
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Ramban
Who was the Ramban? Rabbi Mosheh ben Nachman (Ramban) was born in Gerona, Catalonia in 1194. In 1263 he was ordered to participate in a debate with the convert Pablo Christiani in Barcelona. Because of his success in this debate…
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Rashbam
Who was the Rashbam? Rabbi Shemuel ben Meir (Rashbam), a grandson of Rashi, was born in France in the early 1080’s and died around 1160(?). He wrote commentaries and novellae (tosafos) on the Talmud as well as commentaries on most…
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Ben-Zion Halberstam
Who was Rav Ben-Zion Halberstam? Rav Bn-Zion Halberstam, the "Bobover Rebbe," was a great-grandson of Rav Chaim Halberstam, the "Sanzer Rav." Rav Ben-Zion was one of the major leaders in Galicia (southern Poland), and was at once a chassidic rebbe,…