Introduction The Talmud records a dispute between Rabbi Yishmael who permits emancipating a Canaanite slave and Rabbi Akiva who forbids emancipation, unless involving a mitzvah. The dispute revolves around the interpretation of the phrase in Leviticus 25:46 תעבדו בהם לעלם, you shall work them (the Canaanite slave) forever. The Talmud invokes a number of verses …
Sotah Procedure Before a woman becomes a sotah (wife suspected of adultery) and liable to drink the bitter waters, her husband must warn her not to seclude with a specific man (קינוי). In addition there must be testimony stating that she secluded with this man (סתירה). The rabbis disagree about the number of witnesses to …
Introduction Many are perplexed by the brutal death of Rabbi Akiva at the murderous hands of the Romans. How could Hashem allow his precious servants to suffer such a fate without divine intervention? Admittedly this question has been raised over the generations, especially in the view of Jewish suffering during the long exile of Edom. …
Introduction The Torah records that Isaac went blind before he gave his blessing to Jacob (Genesis 27:1). The Talmud (Megillah 17a) establishes that Isaac was 123 years old at the time of the blessing. By contrast Abraham and Moses lived out their lives with all of their faculties (Genesis 25:8 and Deuteronomy 34:7, respectively). Even …
Introduction The Tanach (Bible) differentiates between great progenitors in a subtle but discernible manner. The subtlety prevents insulting or denigrating important personalities by avoiding a direct comparison. On the other hand the Torah must distinguish between great people to create a hierarchy within Torah nobility and avoid creating the impression that all are equal in …
