Encyclopedia - Farhud: Encyclopedia Ii - Farhud - Historical Background
The Jews lived in the land of Babylon for more than 2,500 years that followed the Babylonian captivity (see History of the Jews in Iraq)....   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jerusalem Talmud: Encyclopedia Ii - Jerusalem Talmud - Historical Context
Like the Babylonian Talmud, the purpose of the Jerusalem Talmud was to elaborate on the Jewish Oral tradition as detailed in the 2nd-cent...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Torah Database: Encyclopedia Ii - Torah Database - Digital Text Software Packages
Torah database - The Bar-Ilan Responsa Project. The very first such database was the Bar-Ilan Responsa Project, which began in 1963 at ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - History Of The Jews
Jew - Jews and migrations. Throughout Jewish history, Jews have repeatedly been directly or indirectly expelled from both their origina...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia - Judaism
Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths and one of the oldest religious traditi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ascension Of Isaiah: Encyclopedia - Ascension Of Isaiah
The Ascension of Isaiah is an apocryphal pseudepigraphal book dating from the 2nd century and compiled by an unknown Christian scholar. T...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Zeraim: Encyclopedia - Zeraim
Zeraim (זרעים) is the first Order of the Mishnah (and Tosefta and Talmud). Of the six orders of the Mishnah, Zeraim is the shortest....   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Aggadah: Encyclopedia - Aggadah
Aggadah ( Aramaic אגדה: tales, lore; pl. Aggadot ) refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic texts in classical rabbinic literature ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia - Jew
Jew - Usage note. Some uses of the term "Jew" are tainted by historic anti-Jewish bigotry. The correct adjectival form is "Jewish"; the...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Star Of David: Encyclopedia - Star Of David
The Star of David (Hebrew Magen David or Mogen Dovid מגן דוד, Arabic Najmat Dawuud نجمة داوود). It is also known as Solomo...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Halakha: Encyclopedia - Halakha
Halakha (Hebrew: הלכה; also transliterated as Halakhah, Halacha, Halachah) is the collective corpus of Jewish rabbinic law, custom an...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity: Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity
The article Judaism and Christianity compares and contrasts two closely related Abrahamic religions that are in some ways parallel to eac...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Vilna Gaon: Encyclopedia - Vilna Gaon
The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. His real name was Elijah...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Artscroll: Encyclopedia - Artscroll
ArtScroll is an imprint of translations, books and commentaries from an Orthodox Jewish perspective published by Mesorah Publications, Lt...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Cultural And Historical Background Of Jesus: Encyclopedia - Cultural And Historical Background Of Jesus
As historian E. P. Sanders has observed, of all the religions that existed within the Roman Empire, only two have widespread followings t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Farhud: Encyclopedia Ii - Farhud - June 1-2 1941
A delegation of Iraqi Jews, sent to meet the Regent Abdul Illah arriving at Baghdad airport, was attacked by the mob as they crossed Al K...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jerusalem Talmud: Encyclopedia Ii - Jerusalem Talmud - Comparison To Babylonian Talmud
Without the time and freedom given to the production of the Babylonian Talmud, the Jerusalem Talmud exhibits less coherence in its discus...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Elisha Ben Abuyah: Encyclopedia - Elisha Ben Abuyah
Elisha Ben Abuyah (spelled variously, including Elisha ben Avuya) was a Jewish heretic born in Jerusalem sometime before 70. At one time ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mishnah: Encyclopedia - Mishnah
The Mishnah (Hebrew משנה, "repetition") is a major source of rabbinic Judaism's religious texts. It is the first recording of the ora...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Parchment: Encyclopedia - Parchment
Parchment is a material for the pages of a book or codex, made from fine calf skin, sheep skin or goat skin. Cooking parchment paper (see...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Boaz: Encyclopedia - Boaz
Boaz (בועז) is a major figure in The Book of Ruth in the Old Testament of the Bible. He was a rich landowner who noticed Ruth the wid...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Sandalphon: Encyclopedia - Sandalphon
Sandalphon (in Greek: Σανδαλφών) is an archangel in some Jewish (especially rabbinic) and Christian writings. Sandalphon - Meani...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Timeline Of Jewish History: Encyclopedia - Timeline Of Jewish History
This entry contains a timeline of the development of Judaism and the Jewish people. Note that all dates are given according to the Common...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Rabbinic Literature: Encyclopedia - Rabbinic Literature
Rabbinic literature, in the broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of Judaism's rabbinic writing/s throughout history. However, the...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Aggadah: Encyclopedia Ii - Aggadah - As Part Of The Jewish Oral Law
The Aggadah is part of Judaism's Oral law (תורה שבעל פה) - the traditions providing the authoritative interpretation of the Wri...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Artscroll: Encyclopedia Ii - Artscroll - Popular Acceptance
Mesorah Publications received widespread acclaim in response to their ArtScroll line of prayerbooks, starting with The Complete ArtScroll...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Cultural And Historical Background Of Jesus: Encyclopedia Ii - Cultural And Historical Background Of Jesus - The Second Temple Era
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - The Persian Period. In 539 BCE the Persians conquered Babylon and in 537 BCE, inaugurated...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jews As A Chosen People: Encyclopedia Ii - Jews As A Chosen People - Views Of Chosenness By The Modern Jewish Denominations
The three largest Jewish denominations -- Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism -- maintain the belief that the Jews ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Ketuvim: Encyclopedia Ii - Ketuvim - Special Groups Of Books In Ketuvim
Ketuvim - The three poetic books Sifrei Emet. Psalms, Proverbs, and Job employ a special system of cantillation notes appropriate to th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Hillel The Elder: Encyclopedia Ii - Hillel The Elder - The Golden Rule
The saying of Hillel which introduces the collection of his maxims in the Mishnaic treatise Abot mentions Aaron as the great model to be ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of Responsa: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of Responsa - Rishonim
With the decline of the gaonate in the first half of the eleventh century, the Jews of various countries lost the central spiritual autho...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of The Jews In Iraq: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of The Jews In Iraq - Arab Period 634-1258
The first legal expression of Islam toward the Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians after the conquests of the 630s were the poll-tax ("jiz...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Eye Of A Needle: Encyclopedia Ii - Eye Of A Needle - Christianity
"The eye of a needle" is part of a phrase attributed to Jesus by the synoptic gospels: ...I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich ma...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Elisha Ben Abuyah: Encyclopedia Ii - Elisha Ben Abuyah - The Four Who Entered Paradise
The oldest and most striking reference to the views of Elisha is found in the following baraita (Hagigah 14b; Jerusalem Talmud 2:1): "Fou...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Minyan: Encyclopedia Ii - Minyan - Laws
According to halakha (Jewish law), a minyan is required for many parts (D'varim She Ba Kodesh "Holy utterances") of the communal prayer s...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism And Christianity - Love
Love is a central value in both Judaism and Christianity. In Jesus and Yahweh: The Names Divine, literary critic Harold Bloom argues that...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Halakha: Encyclopedia Ii - Halakha - The Sources And Process Of Halakha
The boundaries of Jewish law are determined through the halakhic process, a religious-ethical system of legal reasoning. Rabbis generally...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Vilna Gaon: Encyclopedia Ii - Vilna Gaon - Youth And Education
Born in Vilna (now Vilnius), Lithuania, he gave evidence of the possession of extraordinary talents while still a child. As young as thre...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Shulkhan Arukh: Encyclopedia Ii - Shulkhan Arukh - Beth Yosef
Shulkhan Arukh - Its premise and style. The Shulkhan Arukh is an abridgement of a much larger work by Rabbi Karo, titled Beth Yosef (He...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Abba Arika: Encyclopedia Ii - Abba Arika - Overview
His surname, Arika (English, "Long"— that is, "Tall"; it occurs only once—Ḥul. 137b), he owed to his height, which, according to a ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Mishnah: Encyclopedia Ii - Mishnah - Historical Study
Both the Mishnah and Talmud contain little serious biographical studies of the people discussed therein, and the same tractate will confl...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Jewish Denominations
Over the past two centuries the Jewish community has divided into a number of Jewish denominations; each has a different understanding of...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - History Of The Jews
Jew - Jews and migrations. Throughout Jewish history, Jews have repeatedly been directly or indirectly expelled from both their origina...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Timeline Of Jewish History: Encyclopedia Ii - Timeline Of Jewish History - Post Biblical-history
Timeline of Jewish history - 200 BCE to 700 CE. 200 BCE–100 CE Throughout this era the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) is gradually canonized. ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Timeline Of Jewish History: Encyclopedia Ii - Timeline Of Jewish History - Post Biblical-history
Timeline of Jewish history - 200 BCE to 700 CE. 200 BCE–100 CE Throughout this era the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) is gradually canonized. ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Parchment: Encyclopedia Ii - Parchment - History
According to the Roman historian Varro, Pliny's Natural History records (xiii.21), it was invented under the patronage of Eumenes of Perg...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Rabbinic Literature: Encyclopedia Ii - Rabbinic Literature - Later Works By Historical Period
Rabbinic literature - Works of the Geonim. The Geonim are the rabbis of Sura and Pumbeditha, in Babylon (650 - 1250) : She'iltoth...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Romaniotes: Encyclopedia Ii - Romaniotes - History
The earliest reference to a Greek Jew is in an inscription, dated c. 300-250 BCE found in Oropos, a small coastal town between Athens and...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Sandalphon: Encyclopedia Ii - Sandalphon - Sandalphon The Angel
Sandalphon - Origin. Some of the earliest sources on Sandalphon refer to him as the prophet Elijah transfigured and elevated to angelic...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Star Of David: Encyclopedia Ii - Star Of David - Origin
Star of David - Shape. The shape of the star is an example of the hexagram, a symbol which has significance for other belief systems. T...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jews As A Chosen People: Encyclopedia Ii - Jews As A Chosen People - Rabbinic Jewish Views Of Chosenness
The idea of chosenness has traditionally been interpreted by Jews in two ways: one way is that God chose the Israelites, while the other ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jews As A Chosen People: Encyclopedia Ii - Jews As A Chosen People - Chosenness As Superiority
In early medieval Europe, during a time of intense persecution of Jews, the idea developed that chosenness meant that God loves Jews more...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of The Jews In Iraq: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of The Jews In Iraq - Sassanid Period 225-634
The Persian people were now again to make their influence felt in the history of the world. Ardashir I destroyed the rule of the Arsacids...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jews As A Chosen People: Encyclopedia Ii - Jews As A Chosen People - Charges Of Racism
Many books and websites promote the idea that Judaism is inherently racist. Hundreds of websites exist run by neo-Nazis, White supremacy ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of The Jews In Iraq: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of The Jews In Iraq - Modern Times 1922-
In the early 20th century, Iraqi Jews generally viewed themselves as Arabs of the Jewish faith, with the distinction between Iraqis being...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Who Is A Jew?
Judaism shares some of the characteristics of a nation, an ethnicity, a religion, and a culture, making the definition of who is a Jew va...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Etymology
There are different views as to the origin of the English language word Jew. The most common view is that the Middle English word Jew is ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism And Christianity - Sin And Original Sin
In both religions, one's offenses against the will of God are called sin (in Christianity the full name is "actual sin"). These sins can ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Ethnic Divisions
The most commonly used terms to describe ethnic divisions among Jews currently are: Ashkenazi (meaning "German" in Hebrew, denoting the C...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jews As A Chosen People: Encyclopedia Ii - Jews As A Chosen People - Chosenness In The Hebrew Bible
According to the Hebrew Bible, Israel's character as the chosen people is conditioned by obedience to God's commandments. "Now therefore,...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of The Jews In Iraq: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of The Jews In Iraq - Turkish Rule 1534-1922
After various changes of fortune, Mesopotamia and Iraq came into the hands of the Ottoman Turks, when Sultan Sulaiman II in 1534 took Teb...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Traditional View Of The Development Of Judaism
The subject of the Hebrew Bible is an account of the Israelites' (also called Hebrews) relationship with God as reflected in their histor...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Abba Arika: Encyclopedia Ii - Abba Arika - Rab Reproves Extreme Asceticism
Rab loved the Book of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), and warned his disciple Hamnuna against unjustifiable asceticism by quoting advice contain...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Romaniotes: Encyclopedia Ii - Romaniotes - Present Day
Today a small number of Romaniotes live in Greece, mainly in Yannena (Ioannina), in Israel and the U.S.A. (mainly New York). Greek Jews h...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of The Jews In Iraq: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of The Jews In Iraq - Modern Times 1922-
Sociologist Philip Mendes asserts that before the anti-Jewish actions of the 1930s and 1940s, overall Iraqi Jews "viewed themselves as Ar...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Historical Background
At least for three thousand years, the Jewish people have lived in the Land of Israel, where they developed a monotheistic religion and e...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Usage Note
Some uses of the term "Jew" are tainted by historic anti-Jewish bigotry. The correct adjectival form is "Jewish"; the use of "Jew" as an ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Romaniotes: Encyclopedia Ii - Romaniotes - World War Ii And The Jewish Holocaust
During World War II, when Greece was occupied by the Axis, 86% of the Greek Jews, especially those in the areas occupied by Nazi Germany ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Torah Database: Encyclopedia Ii - Torah Database - Page-image Software Packages
Torah database - Otzar HaHochma. This ambitious new project is based on page-images of close to 20,000 printed books (and even a few ma...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Shulkhan Arukh: Encyclopedia Ii - Shulkhan Arukh - Page Layout
Since the 17th century, the Shulkhan Arukh has been printed with Isserles' annotations in small print interspersed with Karo's text. As t...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Shulkhan Arukh: Encyclopedia Ii - Shulkhan Arukh - Isserles And Other Criticism
Immediately upon the appearance of Karo's Beth Yosef, Rabbi Moses Isserles (the Rema) wrote his Darkei Mosheh, a moderately expressed but...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Shulkhan Arukh: Encyclopedia Ii - Shulkhan Arukh - Shulkhan Arukh
Karo wrote the Shulkhan Arukh in his old age, for the benefit of those who did not possess the education necessary to understand the Beth...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - History Of The Jews In Iraq: Encyclopedia Ii - History Of The Jews In Iraq - Babylonia As The Center Of Judaism 219 Ce - ~1050 Ce
After the fall of Jerusalem, Babylon would become the focus of Judaism for more than a thousand years. The rabbi Abba Arika, afterward ca...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Etymology
There are many different views as to the origin of the English language word Jew. The most common view is that the Middle English word Je...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Who Is A Jew?
Judaism shares some of the characteristics of a nation, an ethnicity, a religion, and a culture, making the definition of who is a Jew va...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Judaism And Other Religions
Judaism - Christianity and Judaism. Main articles: Judaism and Christianity, and [[{{{2}}}]], and [[{{{3}}}]], and [[{{{4}}}]]   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Jewish Prayer And Practice
Judaism - Prayers. Main articles: Jewish services, and [[{{{2}}}]], and [[{{{3}}}]], and [[{{{4}}}]]   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Jewish Law And Interpretation
The basis of Jewish law and tradition ("halakha") is the Torah (the five books of Moses). According to rabbinic tradition there are 613 c...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Jewish Denominations
Over the past two centuries the Jewish community has divided into a number of Jewish denominations; each has a different understanding of...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Shulkhan Arukh: Encyclopedia Ii - Shulkhan Arukh - Commentaries
A large body of commentaries has appeared on the Shulkhan Arukh. The first, Sefer Me'irath Enayim (on Choshen Mishpat, abbreviated as Sem...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Minyan: Encyclopedia Ii - Minyan - Origin
A common misconception is that the requirement of ten to constitute a quorum comes from the fact that Abraham stopped decreasing his requ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Ethnic Divisions
The most commonly used terms to describe ethnic divisions among Jews currently are: Ashkenazi (meaning "German" in Hebrew, denoting the C...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Population
Prior to World War II the world population of Jews was approximately 18 million. The Holocaust reduced this number to approximately 12 mi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Population
Prior to World War II the world population of Jews was approximately 18 million. The Holocaust reduced this number to approximately 12 mi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Jew: Encyclopedia Ii - Jew - Usage Note
Some uses of the term "Jew" are tainted by historic anti-Jewish bigotry. The correct adjectival form is "Jewish"; the use of "Jew" as an ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism - Judaism And Other Religions
Judaism - Christianity and Judaism. Main article: Judaism and Christianity See also: Judeo-Christian, Christianity and anti-Sem...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Vilna Gaon: Encyclopedia Ii - Vilna Gaon - Antagonism To Hasidism
When Hasidic Judaism became influential in his native town Elijah, joining the rabbis and heads of the Polish communities, took steps to ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Elisha Ben Abuyah: Encyclopedia Ii - Elisha Ben Abuyah - Elisha An Epicurean
The harsh treatment he received from the Pharisees was due to his having deserted their ranks at such a critical time. Quite in harmony w...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Elisha Ben Abuyah: Encyclopedia Ii - Elisha Ben Abuyah - Jacob Gordin Play
Jacob Gordin wrote a Yiddish play, Elisha Ben Abuyah; it was played unsuccessfully in New York City during Gordin's lifetime, and more su...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Aggadah: Encyclopedia Ii - Aggadah - Development Of The Aggadah
The Aggadah has been preserved in a series of different works, which, like all works of traditional literature, have come to their presen...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Elisha Ben Abuyah: Encyclopedia Ii - Elisha Ben Abuyah - The Talmudic Explanation
The dualism with which the Talmud charges him has led some scholars to see here Persian, Gnostic, or even Philonian dualism. The Jewish E...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Star Of David: Encyclopedia Ii - Star Of David - Other Uses
Star of David - Heraldry. In heraldry and to a lesser extent vexillology a "star" is assumed to be a six-pointed figure, like a Star of...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Star Of David: Encyclopedia Ii - Star Of David - Used By Arabs And Muslims
Professor Gershom Sholem theorizes that the "Star of David" originates in the writings of Aristotle, who used triangles in different posi...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Star Of David: Encyclopedia Ii - Star Of David - Used By The Nazis
A Star of David, often yellow-colored, was used by the Nazis, during the Holocaust, as a method of identifying Jews, as it was seen as th...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Artscroll: Encyclopedia Ii - Artscroll - Primary Publications
ArtScroll publishes books on a variety of Jewish subjects. The best known is probably an annotated Hebrew-English siddur ("prayerbook") (...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Artscroll: Encyclopedia Ii - Artscroll - Editorial Policy
Works published by Mesorah under this imprint adhere to a perspective appealing to most Orthodox Jews, but especially to Orthodox Jews wh...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism And Christianity - The Nature Of Religion: National Versus Universal
Judaism does not characterize itself as a religion so much as a way of life (although one can speak of the Jewish religion and religious ...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism And Christianity - Concepts Of God
Both Jews and Christians believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for Jews the God of the Tanakh, for Christians the God of the Ol...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Judaism And Christianity: Encyclopedia Ii - Judaism And Christianity - Raison D'être Of The Religion
Each religion has a mythos, that is, an internal description of its raison d'être, its reason for being. Christianity's raison d'être i...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Cultural And Historical Background Of Jesus: Encyclopedia Ii - Cultural And Historical Background Of Jesus - Jesus In This Context
Cultural and historical background of Jesus - Overview. According to the Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, although he grew up in N...   » Read the article

Encyclopedia - Artscroll: Encyclopedia Ii - Artscroll - Criticism
This line of books has come under extensive criticism from many scholars (both Orthodox and non-Orthodox) on a number of points: Midrash...   » Read the article