Sample Sources
The sources below are those contained in our three curated collections—covering themes of Passover, Gender Roles, and Holocaust Resistance. They represent a fraction of the thousands of sources that will be available when the full site launches in 2024.
Discorso circa il stato de gl’Hebrei et in particolar dimoranti nell’inclita Citta di Venetia (Discourse on the Condition of the Jews, and in Particular Those Living in the Illustrious City of Venice): On the Jewish Population
As for the number of the Jews, one cannot precisely determine it, not even having firm knowledge of the places in which they dwell. Regarding the ten tribes that were captured by…
Minḥat Yehudah (The Offering of Judah): Commentary on Ma‘arekhet ha-elohut (The Divine Hierarchy)
When I Judah, the son of my master, the wise and righteous R. Jacob ḥayyat, peace be upon him, was in Spain, I tasted a little honey, and my eyes were enlightened. And I took it upon myself to seek…
Bylaws
The Parnassim of the Kehillat Kodesh dei Tedeschi (Ashkenaz), Moise di Tardiola and . . . . [blank] give full authority to Rabbi Azriel to make taqqanot (ordinances or statutes):
- All members must pray…
Me’amets koaḥ (Strengthener of Power)
Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to praise the One who created us in His honor, for the great goodness that He bestowed upon us. For from this day forward we will not fear the multitudes of people…
Though one God created us: For Lag b’Omer
This poem says that wellbeing [shalom] is ours, since we have God as our king, and we have the Torah, whose paths are wellbeing, even though we have acted wrongly and have been trapped by bad hatred…
Ḥemdat yamim (Choicest of Days): On Rosh Ḥodesh
[ . . . ] Based on the above reasoning, you can see how wrong those people are who fast on the day of the birth of the new moon, as the whole reason for…
Begging Letter
For Joseph Kohen Balarin of blessed memory, to his brother, in Prague.
Wisdom brings strength to the wise, dear brother from a city of strength, elevated leader and rabbi, my brother and head, may…