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First, I would like to make short shrift of the anti-Thanksgiving argument heard from certain Christian groups, particularly "Hebrew Roots", that the Torah forbids any new holidays. They base this upon the verse "These are the Festivals of the...
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I was asked yesterday by one of our members for a recommendation for a good "Sefarad" siddur (prayer book) with English translation. As I use few things with translations, I asked in synagogue this morning (I attend a Sepharadic synagogue, of...
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One of the most disturbing things to me is that most people think that a rabbi is a rabbi is a rabbi. How does one become a rabbi? What, if anything, are his power and authority? Do they all study the same things? Is there a central organization...
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The introduction of the new smichha in the 14th century meant that for Ashkenazi communities, rabbinical candidates could no longer be self-styled scholars, or of questionable integrity. How was a layman supposed to decide who was and wasn't a...
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I have written previously (in my series about Kabbalah) about the rise and development of Hassidism. Here, I wish to concentrate on the new form of leadership which that it gave birth to; the Hassidic Rebbe. The founder of Hassidism, Rabbi Israel...
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As Hassidism spread through Eastern Europe, it developed into many different shapes, both in form and substance. I have described elsewhere many of these differences. But one thing that stands out is the divergent approach to rabbinic leadership....
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I have already discussed the ideologies of the various non-halachic forms of Judaism in my series "Orthodox and non-Orthodox Judaism". These differing ideologies produced many new concepts of what is a rabbi, as well as great differences in their...
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The original formula for ordination consisted of the phrase "Yoreh Yoreh, Yadin Yadin" (shall he rule in cases of permissibility and non-permissibility? He shall rule. Shall he judge Jewish criminal and civil law? He shall judge." This formula was...
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Like in the Jewish community in general, the "online rabbis" are a mixed bag. The difference is that whereas in the general community, especially in a large city, charlatans will be quickly identified, with warnings put out for the public, an...
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The next group of online rabbis I wish to deal with is those who have "discovered" a hitherto unnoticed statement of RAMBAM. RAMBAM writes in a clear and concise manner. His Hebrew is nearly flawless (with the exception of a few Arabisms), but...
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