Rabbi Joshua Waxman
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A response to "A Warning Against Playing Ball Games"

Started this discussion. Last reply by Rabbi Joshua Waxman Nov 2, 2008. 37 Replies

 

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Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
""that the Chasam Sofer said..."   right.   "Can you please answer my other questions though, on the the Gemara?" i'll try to get to it soon.   kol tuv, josh"
Jun 29, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
"As a belated followup to this discussion, here is the Chasam Sofer, calling the Zohar a forgery: http://parsha.blogspot.com/2011/06/chasam-sofers-position-that-zohar-is.html   kol tuv, josh"
Jun 29, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
"While I'm here commenting anyway, I might as well bolster my response to your earlier query. Besides Nechama Leibowitz citing Shadal often, the Rav also quoted him in the YU Chag Hasmicha, 1953. See…"
Jan 19, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
"This has happened to me on occasion. One thing I sometimes do is, when writing a lengthy comment, where saving doesn't happen immediately, or can get lost on submit, is to first write it in a word processor or in notepad.   kol…"
Jan 19, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Tuviah Sussman's discussion Slanderers and Hereetics
"A few suggestions, though I'll state at the outside that I see where you are coming from. First, the Ashkenazi nusach is to start velamalshinim, a specific type of Jewish person who would betray other Jews to the unfriendly gentile…"
Jan 5, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
"i) From what I can gather, a member of an (Orthodox) group that unduly pays too much respect to the Rambam. ii) I would guess from studying language, and texts in various dialects. Spanish derived from an Iberian dialect of Latin. And Esnoga, as far…"
Jan 3, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
"Just a bit of responding to some earlier points brought up on this thread... I don't know if this would bolster his image for you, but Nechama Leibowitz often discussed the opinion of Shadal on the parsha. See here for just one…"
Jan 3, 2011
Rabbi Joshua Waxman replied to Yaacov Haber's discussion History of Kabbalah
"Yes, I've seen many of these answers from other people, and don't find them convincing. (Some of these I've seen advanced…"
Jan 3, 2011

Profile Information

Religion:
Jewish
Location
New York
About Me:
I received semicha (rabbinic ordination) from YU (RIETS).
I post most frequently on my blog, at http://parsha.blogspot.com ,
but also on my Rif Yomi blog at http://alfasi.blogspot.com

My interests include halacha, midrashic method, and mechkar (academic Talmud study).

Note: This has sometimes tripped people up, so let me clarify that there is another Rabbi Joshua Waxman, who is a Reconstructionist rabbi. He is an entirely different person.

Rabbi Joshua Waxman's Blog

Introducing the Absolut Haggadah, 2010 Edition

Posted on March 29, 2010 at 4:00am 0 Comments

Once again, …

Continue

To all the beardless response -- and the unfortunate practice of closing discussion threads

Posted on November 10, 2008 at 1:47pm 3 Comments

Recently, the thread "to all the beardless" was closed. This is not the first thread closed by the author. Another example is "a warning about playing ball games." Unfortunately, this gives the impression to readers of the thread that, in contentious topics, the author had such a compelling argument and that the disputant was unable to respond. It is one thing to grow tired of a contentious discussion and therefore close it. It is quite another to first respond, and then close… Continue

My Reaction to Rav Elyashiv's Latest Statement on Wigs

Posted on November 5, 2008 at 1:30pm 0 Comments

I posted the following on parshablog, but because of its relevance here, I am copying it to my oft-neglected blog here at GlobalYeshiva.



The Yeshiva World reports that Rav Eliashiv recently had some harsh words against sheitels. To… Continue

The Rif on Sefiras HaOmer

Posted on May 1, 2008 at 1:29pm 7 Comments

In honor of Sefiras HaOmer, here is the entirety of Rif on Sefiras HaOmer, which I translated a while back as part of my ongoing Rif translation project. This is from Rif Pesachim 27b and Rif Pesachim 28a though the Rif is drawing his material from the gemara Menachos.



{Menachot 65b}

And we are obligated to count… Continue

Yitro: The meaning of the trup and nikkud of Shemot 20:19

Posted on January 24, 2008 at 8:25pm 0 Comments

In response to an anonymous questioner on my blog: What is the meaning of לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּן אִתִּ֑י אֱלֹ֤הֵי כֶ֨סֶף֙ וֵֽאלֹהֵ֣י זָהָ֔ב לֹ֥א תַֽעֲשׂ֖וּ לָכֶֽם׃?



After all, the etnachta is on the word itti, giving us two apparent separate instructions:

You shall not make [images of anything that is] with Me.

and

Gods of… Continue

Comment Wall (9 comments)

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At 5:55pm on December 2, 2008, David Ben-Abraham said…
Thank-you, Rebbe Joshua.

Only, I would say that Resh Lakish was contemporary with R. Yochanan, and R. Yochanan studied under Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi. So , then, he would still fit into the time-frame of R. Oshaya, the son of Rebbe (if, indeed, he compiled the Midrash Rabba). I will look into your links. Thanks, again.

David
At 1:18pm on December 2, 2008, David Ben-Abraham said…
Rebbe Joshua, Shalom!

This is a private message.

The Rabbi has said consistently that only the section of Midrash Rabba known as Genesis Rabba (Breishis Rabba) was written at the time of or prior to the Talmud, and has equal status with that of the Talmud, etc. However, no source was cited to verify this fact. Moreover, the Rabbi said that the other books of the Midrash Rabba were compiled long after the other, during the Middle Ages, and that they do not enjoy the same status. I do not refute this, but only wish to know whence it is that you base your information. Therefore, I will now ask you for the source, since I am somewhat skeptical to accept it as fact – although not refuting it either. These are my reasons.

In the edition of Bahag (Halachos Gedolos), vol. III published by Ezriel Hildesheimer and his son Naftali Zevi Hildesheimer for "Chevras Mekitzei Nirdamim," 1987, pp. 376-377, under the sub-heading of "Hilchos Mishmaros," we find this interesting statement by the Gaon:

חמשה חומשי תורה: בראשית, ואלה שמות, ותורת כהנים, וחומש הפיקודים ומשנה תורה. שמונה נביאים הם: יהושע, שופטים, שמואל, מלכים, וישעיה ירמיה יחזקאל ותרי עשר. אחד עשר כתובים הם: דברי הימים וספר תילים, משלי ואיוב ודניאל, עזרא, רות ושיר השירים, קינות וקהלת ומגילת אסתר. ששה סדרי משנה: סדר זרעים, סדר מועד, סדר נשים, סדר נזיקין, סדר קדשים, סדר טהרות – סימנהון זמ"ן נק"ט. ששה סדרי תוספות, ותשעה [דבורים] שלתורת כהנים. וארבעה מדרש סופרים חיצונות וקטנות אין מספר: סִיפְרָא וְסִיפְרֵי שהן ארבעה ספרים ואילו הן: 1) בראשית רבה; 2) ומכילתא דואלה שמות; 3) וספר וידבר; 4) ואלה הדברים. וכולהו פירושין בתורת כהנים וחיצונות וקטנות לעֵל הלכות ואגדות ודיקדוקי תורה ודיקדוקי סופרים וקלין וחמורין וגזירות שוות ותקופות וגימטריות ודבר גדול ודבר קטן

R. Hildesheimer wrote as a footnote in that chapter of Bahag:

"רק בראשית רבה נזכר כאן, כי יתר חלקי המדרש רבה לתורה חוברו אחרי הספר הלכות גדולות."
(Translation)
"Only 'Breishis Rabba' is mentioned here, for the other parts of the Midrash Rabba concerning the Torah were compiled after the book Halachos Gedolos."

My question to you is: "Where does he know this?"

For just as the book of Numbers was formerly called "Chomash Pequdim," named after its first section which deals with the numbering of the children of Israel, although there are many other sections in the book dealing with a range of other topics, could it also be that the entire collection of Midrash Rabba was called "Breishis Rabba," or what is called in other texts, "Breishis deRebbe Oshayah," seeing that the Midrash begins with the words of Rebbe Oshayah,רבי הושעיא רבה פתח ואהיה אצלו אמון וכו' , but never meant to exclude the other books?

What lends credence to this theory is that in Seder Hakabbalah le'Ravad it says that Rabbi Oshaya, the son of Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi, along with R. Hiyya and R. Shimon, the son Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi, all wrote the Boraitta collections and Mekhilta.

What lends further credence to this is a statement found in Taanis 21a:
"Ilfa balanced himself at the top of the ship's mast and declared: 'If anyone asks me a question regarding a statement of R. Hiyya and R. Oshayah and I am unable to answer it from our Mishnah, I will throw myself from the mast and drown."

Thus we see that any teaching of R. Hiyya and R. Oshaya can be derived from the Mishnah. It would seem that we're talking about a very large collection of sayings that could only be found if we include the entire Midrash Rabba.

Also, we find in "Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon," pg. 43, this statement:
"Unlike the braissa [collection] of R. Chiyya and R. Oshaya, these [other] braissos were not established so as to be studied by everyone. Nor do we refer to them with the [introductory] expression, 'Tannu Rabbanan,' etc."

Again, it would seem that the works left to us by R. Oshaya were of a broader scope, and not just some small book with little reference to halacha. Only if we take into account the other books do we have a relatively large corpus to draw from, such as the teachings in Numbers Rabba 15:13, or ibid. 18:17, ibid. 19:3, and in many other places which speak about halacha.

I am only asking because I do not know the answer to this question.

For your information:

Approximate order of their compilation:
1) Seder Olam (R. Yose b. R. Halpetha)
2) Mekhilta of R. Shimon bar Yochai – now obsolete, while only excerpts of that ancient work have been preserved in the Yemenite "Midrash Hagadol."
3) Mishnah (Rebbe) 189 C.E. / 500 year of Alexander
4) Mekhilta (R. Ishmael b. R. Yose)
5) Tosefta (R. Hiyya the Great)
6) Sifra & Sifrei (Rab – Abba Aricha collected them)
7) Mishnath R. Nathan (Avoth deRebbe Nathan)
8) Midrash Rabba (R. Oshaya, the son of Rebbe Yehudah Hanasi)
9) The Jerusalem Talmud (R. Yohanan)
10) The Babylonian Talmud (In the days of Ravina and Rav Ashi)
(The oldest and most complete manuscript of the Babylonian Talmud is the Munich Ms., copied in 1334 C.E., available only in facsimile edition. Today, almost all benei Yeshivos make use of the Romm edition, first printed in Wilna, Poland).


David
At 12:06am on October 8, 2008, Hadassah said…
Thankyou, Rav Waxman-- this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Very helpful.
At 8:51pm on October 7, 2008, Hadassah said…
Rav Waxman said: "2) In terms of hair covering, lehalacha, there are two different levels, as the gemara in Ketubot 72 makes clear. There is the Biblical level and the level of Dat Yehudit. The Mishna is not talking about the hair entirely uncovered, but rather with a basket-hat, a kalta. This is not "erva" in the Biblical sense, but if a woman violates Dat Yehudit, her husband is able to divorce her without paying her ketuba. Meanwhile, going out with her hair entirely uncovered is derived from a derasha from Sotah as an azharah, and thus it is a derasha and so rises to a Biblical level. But an important point is that not every minhag rises to a Biblical level. Specifically, the ones that we have derashot for rise to the Biblical level."

When I was married, my hair was always covered in a snood. When I got divorced, I kept it covered. A friend of mine asked me why my hair was covered. I told her I didn't want everyone trying to fix me up. She said it was wrong, because it was like lying to the community. I haven't worn it covered (in a snood) since. Is there truth to this? If you like, we can start a discussion about this. Kol Tov,
Hadassah
At 11:46am on October 4, 2008, Hadassah said…
OK. "THE" or not "THE" That is the question! I am painfully amateurish at Hebrew, as my girls were raised in an Orthodox school and I was raised in the sticks as it were, of New Mexico, in the only Orthodox family anywhere around. So I need a little help here. I started reading (again) Bereshis (don't know how anyone ever got past it) and it says, (as best I can tell) "In beginning..." not In "THE" beginning... as there is no "Ha". Does that mean--In the process of beginning, as in "during"... or does it mean in A beginning, as in... there were other worlds, and/or creations (which seem to be supported by dinosaurs, etc.) or does it simply imply the "the" in a way I haven't learned yet?? HELP!
At 11:48am on September 19, 2008, David Ben-Abraham said…
Rabbi Joshua,

Send me an e-mail, and I will continue to respond privately to your remarks - that is, if you're interested.

My e-mail is: Davidbena2@walla.com

I'd still like to clarify some points of yours.

Be well,
David
At 1:47am on July 24, 2008, Benyomin Hoffman said…
Thanks for your comments on the Parsha Math. I appreciate the info and especially like the feedback that someone is viewing my posts. I do read parsha.blogspot. Thanks for the write ups. Benyomin Hoffman
At 2:21pm on October 19, 2007, Rabbi Joshua Waxman said…
thanks.
At 6:21am on October 19, 2007, Sam- said…
Nice youtube "Al Hamichya" video that's on your blog. Well done.
 
 
 

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