by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Haber | Nov 11, 2012
Although Simchas Torah is one of the highlights of the Jewish calendar, its origins are shrouded in mystery. Not mentioned at all in the Talmud or in any of the works of the Rishonim. The first mention in a Halachic work is in the glosses of the Rema (OC 669). What...
by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Haber | Jul 20, 2010
This Kinah was written by the Maharam Miruttenberg, one of the last of the Baalei Tosfos. It describes a tragic event in Jewish history, made even more tragic due to the fact that the entire event was instigated by one of our own, an apostate Jew. In 1240 in Paris an...
by Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Haber | Oct 13, 2009
The Writing of Torah Shebal Peh (the Oral Law) Based on Halichos Olam Torah Shebal Peh is not allowed to be written down (Gittin 60b) The reason for this is that this ensures an accurate transmission from generation to generation because one will have to study from a...
