Jewish Texts
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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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The Two Talmuds
Why is Babylonian Talmud (Bavli) studied more than Jerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi)? It almost seems as if Jerusalem Talmud is neglected. What is the difference between the two, are the laws different and why are there 2 versions? There are three…
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Biblical Reference to the Afterlife
What specifically does the Torah say about the afterlife? Thank you very much for your question. Interestingly, there are no explicit references to the afterlife in the Written Torah. Many commentaries offer various reasons why this is so. However, the…
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Worshipping Luminaries
In Deuteronomy 4:19 what does Moses really mean when he says that G-d alloted the sun, moon, and the stars to the non-Jews? I know He is the only true G-d, but does this mean that He tolerated that kind…
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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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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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No Death Sentence for Cain
Since God required from the beginning that life be taken for life why wasn’t Cain given the same sentence? He was merely exiled – a punishment totally inconsistent with the rest of the Torah. Why? Thank you very much for…
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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…
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The Book of Ben Sira
I noticed a reference on your website to the Alphabet of Ben-Sira. What is the Torah view of that work? While I have never in fact read it, it is known to contain some pretty interesting statements.. I took a…