Land of Our Heritage
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Jewish Presence in the Land of Israel
How can it be that the Torah states that we have to live in exile until the coming of the Messiah, yet still we are living in Israel today? Is it now a sin to live there or not? Answer:…
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The Land Flowing With Milk and Honey
Why is the land of Israel called a “land flowing with milk and honey”? Answer: The phrase was used to describe the Promised Land when the Jews were still in Egypt (Exodus 3:8,17;13:5), and many times when they were in…
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The Preservation of the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin
What were the merits of Benjamin, so that his tribe, in addition to Judah’s, was preserved into modern times? Answer: Thank you for your interesting question! I think it’s important to point out that all the tribes were preserved. The…
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The Red Sea
Is the "Red Sea" red? The name "Red Sea" may be a mispronunciation for "Reed sea". In the Torah it's always called "yam suf", never "yam adom", and "suf" means "reeds" (Ex. 2:3).
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The Division of the Land among the Tribes
How was the land divided among the twelve tribes? The Talmud (Bava Basra 122a) says that the division of the land was done by lot, using the Urim ve-Tumim. This was a Divinely controlled mechanism, so there was no doubt…
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Horeb and Sinai
Was Mount Horeb the same as Mount Sinai? The Talmud (Shabbos 89) quotes different views about whether Sinai or Horeb was the principal name of the mountain. It has been suggested that since “Horeb” is mentioned many times, and “Mount…
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Selling or Giving Away the Land
Is it permitted to give or sell land in Eretz Yisroel to a non-Jew? The verse “The land shall not be permanently sold” (Lev.25:23) is understood (in the Midrash Tanchuma) as meaning that it is forbidden to sell any part…
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Men Ruling over Women
Does Gen. 3:16 mean that men are entitled to rule over women? A possible basis for understanding Gen.3:16 is suggested by the very parallel wording addressed to Cain in Gen.4:7: "Sin crouches at the door; his desire is for you,…
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The Name of Ethiopia
What is the meaning of the name Kush (Ethiopia)? The word “Kush” doesn’t seem to have an etymological explanation; Ethiopia was called by that name in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, some people believe that…