According to Deuteronomy 17:6 judges in a Jewish court must hear the testimony of two or three witnesses. If two witnesses are enough, then why mention three? If three are required, then why mention two?
Rabbi Hirsch
Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch lived in Germany in the 19th Century. He fought vigorously against the reform movement of his time.
Will There be Any More Prophets?
From the beginning of creation, God has communicated with people. One of those forms of communication is prophecy.
There have been many prophets in the past. Are there any prophets alive today? Will there be any more prophets in the future?
Types of Prophets in the Bible
It is a basic tenet of Judaism that God wants people to understand the purpose of creation. One of the ways that God has chosen to communicate His will is by revealing it to different types of prophets.
What is Prophecy? A Jewish Perspective
Throughout the Bible God speaks to individuals and groups. God also gave to some individuals, called prophets, the role of conveying His message to other people.
Since so many books of the Bible contain prophecies, let’s try to understand the Jewish concept of prophecy.
Queens in the Bible
The dictionary I keep near my desk offers several definitions for the word “queen.”
Not all of them are relevant to our topic, but let’s look at those that are.
Levirate Marriages
Most people are not familiar with the topic of levirate marriage. Therefore, the command of levirate marriage seems very strange.
This article will look at examples of levirate marriage in the Bible and the Talmud.
Levirate Marriage, Yibum, and Chalitzah
One of the main purposes of marriage is to have children that can be raised to become productive members of the community. Sometimes a husband dies before his marriage has produced children.
It is at sad times like these that yibum or Jewish levirate marriage plays a role.
Almonds in the Bible
The Land of Israel is praised for the seven species mentioned in Deuteronomy / Devarim chapter 8. Recently, a friend asked me why almonds aren’t included in the seven species.
That leads to the issue of what almonds represent in the Bible.
This article attempts to answer that “simple” question.
Parshat Chukat Summary
Parshat Chukat is the 6th parsha in Sefer Bamidbar (also known as Numbers).
This parsha is verses Numbers 19:1 – 22:1, or a total of 87 verses.
Here is a brief summary for each aliyah.
Parshat Tazria Summary
Parshat Tazria is the 4th parsha in Sefer Vayikra (also known as Leviticus).
This parsha is verses Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59, or a total of 67 verses.
Here is a brief summary for each aliyah.