Birth
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Reason for Circumcision
Why is the rite of circumcision performed on Jewish males? The original reason that is? When one asks ‘why’, there are always a number of different levels of answers that could be given. On the simplest level, the right of…
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Searching for the Hebrew Name
My mother passed away in 1991. I have been trying to find out her Hebrew name but I’m not having any luck. I called the funeral home but they don’t have it on record. How would I find out what…
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Who’s a Levi and Who’s a Cohain
The Torah tells us that Aaron and his sons (The descendants of Levi) are the priests. Then, why are the Cohains known as priests? Only Aaron and his sons were chosen to be priests from among all of the tribe…
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Artificial Insemination
Is there a Talmudic reference to the topic of Artificial Insemination? Thank you very much for your question. Although I am not familiar with any explicit Talmudic reference to artificial insemination, there are a number of early Talmudic commentaries (11th…
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Baby Naming
Aside from tradition and custom, is there any written laws proscribing the manner of how a newborn child should be named? Must the child be named after a deceased relative, or can the name be chosen and used as the…
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Marriage and Circumcision
Is it true that a Jewish woman may not marry a man who did not have a Bris (Circumcision)? It is not proper for a Jewish man to be uncircumcised, and he is supposed to have a Bris as soon…
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King David’s First Son
What was the name given to the first son of King David that died as punishment for David’s actions surrounding Bath Sheba? Didn’t see anywhere what the name was. Traditionally, names are given at the child’s circumcision. It seems from…
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Circumcision Complication
I was wondering about circumcision. For some unknown medical reason the Dr. at the hospital told me when my son was born that my son could not be circumcised yet (personally I think he tried to talk me out of…
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Moses and Circumcision
Was moses circumcised? If yes, by whom? The Talmud in Tractate Sotah tells us that Moses was born circumcised, which is rare but not without precedence.