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The reason for this is that if they see Torah scholars, and those who repair the breaches in Jewish religious practice, voiding the Torah in accordance with the exigencies of time and place, they will…
And likewise I say: Whoever mingles teachings of Kabbalah with rulings of halakhah is liable for kilayim—sowing a forbidden mixture of seeds, “Lest the fullness of the seed you have sown be forfeited”…
David Oppenheim (1664–1736) was the chief rabbi of Prague. Born in Worms, he was the son of a communal leader and nephew of Samuel Oppenheim (1630–1703), financier and war contractor to the Habsburg…
Question: The following incident occurred in Rhodes: Reuben purchased 530 okes of wax from Simeon via a third party. Reuben did not take this wax into his possession; rather, as soon as he bought it…
To the city of London, to the complete sage R. Solomon Ayalon, in the year 1697.
Behold, we have before us the head of the rationalists [or “rational theologians”], Maimonides, may his memory be for a blessing. In chapter three of Hilkhot teshuvah [Mishneh Torah, Laws of…
Lo! I, the insignificant Joshua Falk, son of my Master, my father, the honorable R. Alexander ha-Kohen of blessed memory, was once young and am now aged (Psalms 37:25), and all my life I grew up among…
So that the truth may not be lacking, the honorable small committee, may God preserve it, considered it their duty to inscribe in a book that which was not written regarding the ordination of his…
Hear, ye mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and ye strong foundations of the earth [see Micah 6:2] the lament of my beloved for his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill…
Question: The holy community of Rhodes (may their Rock protect and sustain them) agreed and accepted upon themselves, under the threat of very severe penalties, that no member of Israel—not Sargons n…