Vilna Gaon

Yitzchok (Isaac) Hutner (1906 - 1980) was an Orthodox Judaism rabbi born in Warsaw, Poland, to a family with both Ger hasidim and mitnagdim in their origins. He received private instruction in Torah and Talmud. As a young teenager, he was enrolled in the famous mussar Slabodka yeshiva in Lithuania, headed by the famous Rabbi Nosson Zvi Finkel. Yitzchok Hutner - Early years. Having obtained a deep grounding in Talmud, Hutner was sent to join an extension of the Slabodka yeshiva in Hebron. He studied t ...

Including:

• Yitzchok Hutner - Early years
• Yitzchok Hutner - Travels and marriage
• Yitzchok Hutner - In the United States
• Yitzchok Hutner - Methodology
• Yitzchok Hutner - Publications
• Yitzchok Hutner - Mentor to others
• Yitzchok Hutner - Final years

Read more here: » Yitzchok Hutner: Encyclopedia - Yitzchok Hutner

1797 in topic: Arts Architecture - Literature - Music Other topics Canada - Mexico - Science Lists of leaders: Colonial governors - State leaders From Categories: births - deaths 1797 (MDCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). < ...

Including:

• 1797 - Events
• 1797 - Ongoing events
• 1797 - Births
• 1797 - Deaths

Read more here: » 1797: Encyclopedia - 1797

Jewish services are the communal prayer recitations which form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book. Jewish men are required to pray three times daily and four times daily on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays (five times on Yom Kippur). While prayer alone is valid, praying with a minyan (quorum of ten adult males) is considered ideal. Many synagogues (particularly Reform and Conservative, and large Orthodox ones ...

Including:

• Jewish services - The prayers and their origins
• Jewish services - Backgrounds
• Jewish services - Text and language
• Jewish services - Quorum
• Jewish services - Concentration
• Jewish services - Weekday prayer services
• Jewish services - Shacharit: morning prayers
• Jewish services - Mincha: afternoon prayers
• Jewish services - Ma'ariv or Arvit: evening prayers
• Jewish services - Shabbat services
• Jewish services - Friday night services
• Jewish services - Saturday morning: Shacharit
• Jewish services - Saturday morning additional service: Musaf
• Jewish services - Saturday afternoon: Mincha
• Jewish services - Saturday evening: Maariv
• Jewish services - Services on Passover Shavuot and Sukkot
• Jewish services - Related customs
• Jewish services - Guide on etiquette for visitors

Read more here: » Jewish services: Encyclopedia - Jewish services

The Mishnah (Hebrew משנה, "repetition") is a major source of rabbinic Judaism's religious texts. It is the first recording of the oral law of the Jewish people, as championed by the Pharisees and is considered the first work of Rabbinic Judaism. The Mishnah was redacted around the year 200 CE by Judah haNasi ("Judah the Prince"). He is usually simply referred to as Rebbi ("Rabbi"). Nearly all of the Mishnah is written in Mishnaic Hebrew, except for a few verses, which are written in Aramaic. Rabbinic commentaries on ...

Including:

• Mishnah - Relation between the Hebrew Bible and the Mishnah
• Mishnah - The writing of the Mishnah
• Mishnah - The structure of the Mishnah
• Mishnah - The generations of the Mishnah sages
• Mishnah - Oral traditions and pronunciation
• Mishnah - Commentaries
• Mishnah - Historical study

Read more here: » Mishnah: Encyclopedia - Mishnah

Photographic memory, eidetic memory, or total recall, is the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with great accuracy and in seemingly unlimited volume. It is said that many famous artists and composers, like Claude Monet and Mozart, possibly had eidetic memory. Eidetic memory - Controversy. Dr. Marvin Minsky, in his book The Society of Mind, claims to have been unable to verify claims of eidetic memory (see sections 15.3 & 15.6) and considers reports of eid ...

Including:

• Eidetic memory - Controversy
• Eidetic memory - Real People With Possible Eidetic Memory
• Eidetic memory - Eidetic memory in fiction

Read more here: » Eidetic memory: Encyclopedia - Eidetic memory

Posek (Hebrew פוסק; /poseq/ pl. Poskim) is the term in Jewish law for "legal decisor" - a rabbi who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive. This decision is known as a psak din or psak halakha (ruling of law; pl. piskei din, piskei halakha) or simply a "psak". In Hebrew, פסק is the root implying to stop or cease - here the posek brings the process of legal debate to finality. Piskei Din are ge ...

Including:

• Posek - List of recent Orthodox poskim

Read more here: » Posek: Encyclopedia - Posek

Two months of the year were denoted as kallah months, the Hebrew months of Adar and Elul. During this time foreign students assembled in the academy for common study. During the first three weeks of the kallah month the scholars seated in the first row reported on the Talmud treatise assigned for study during the preceding months; in the fourth week the other scholars and also some of the pupils were called upon. Discussions followed, and difficult passages were laid before the gaon, who also took a prominent part in the debate ...

See also:

Geonim, Geonim - Role in Jewish life, Geonim - The title Geon, Geonim - Responsa, Geonim - Works of the Geonim, Geonim - The Kallah, Geonim - Individual geonim

Read more here: » Geonim: Encyclopedia II - Geonim - The Kallah

1720 in topic: Arts Architecture - Literature - Music Other topics Canada - Mexico - Science Lists of leaders: Colonial governors - State leaders From Categories: births - deaths 1720 - Events. January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Sto ...

Including:

• 1720 - Events
• 1720 - Ongoing events
• 1720 - Births
• 1720 - Deaths

Read more here: » 1720: Encyclopedia - 1720

Hasidic Judaism (from the Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות, meaning "pious", from the Hebrew root word chesed חסד meaning "loving kindness") is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. Some refer to Hasidic Judaism as Hasidism, and the adjective Chasidic/Hasidic (or in Yiddish Chasidish חסידיש) applies. The movement originated in Eastern Europe (Belarus and Ukraine) in the 18th century. Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer (1700–1760), also known as the Ba'al Shem Tov Including:

• Hasidic Judaism - History
• Hasidic Judaism - Prelude
• Hasidic Judaism - Israel ben Eliezer
• Hasidic Judaism - The spread of Hasidism
• Hasidic Judaism - Opposition
• Hasidic Judaism - Since the Holocaust
• Hasidic Judaism - Religious practice and culture
• Hasidic Judaism - Fundamental conceptions
• Hasidic Judaism - Liturgy and prayer
• Hasidic Judaism - Dress
• Hasidic Judaism - Ritual Bathing
• Hasidic Judaism - Families
• Hasidic Judaism - Languages
• Hasidic Judaism - Footnotes

Read more here: » Hasidic Judaism: Encyclopedia - Hasidic Judaism

Early in the Geonic era, the majority of the questions asked them were sent from Babylonia and the neighboring lands. Jewish communities in these regions had religious leaders who were somewhat acquainted with the Talmud, and who could on occasion visit the Jewish academies in Babylon. A literature of questions and answers developed, known as the responsa literature. The questions were usually limited to one or more specific cases, while the responsum to such a query gave a ruling, a concise reason for it, together with supporting citations from the Talmud, and often a re ...

See also:

Geonim, Geonim - Role in Jewish life, Geonim - The title Geon, Geonim - Responsa, Geonim - Works of the Geonim, Geonim - The Kallah, Geonim - Individual geonim

Read more here: » Geonim: Encyclopedia II - Geonim - Responsa

Studying is usually done together with a study-partner called a chavrusa (Aramaic: "friend"), or in a shiur ("lecture"). Yeshiva - Talmud study. Main articles: Talmud, and [[{{{2}}}]], and [[{{{3}}}]]See also:

Yeshiva, Yeshiva - History, Yeshiva - Pre-1800s, Yeshiva - Chaim Volozhin, Yeshiva - Types of yeshivot, Yeshiva - Prominent yeshivot, Yeshiva - In the United States, Yeshiva - In Israel, Yeshiva - Academic year, Yeshiva - Typical schedule, Yeshiva - Method of study, Yeshiva - Talmud study, Yeshiva - Jewish law, Yeshiva - Ethics, Yeshiva - Weekly Torah portion

Read more here: » Yeshiva: Encyclopedia II - Yeshiva - Method of study

Yehuda Ashlag - Poland. Yehuda Leib Halevi Ashlag was born on the fifth day of the month Tishrey, in 1884, in Warsaw, Poland. Ashlag reputedly studied Kabbalah from the age of seven, hiding pages from the ARI’s book Etz Chaim (The Tree of Life) in the Talmudic tractate he was meant to be learning. From an early age he devoted himself to a search for truth, displayed by his ceaseless studying and ...

See also:

Yehuda Ashlag, Yehuda Ashlag - Biography, Yehuda Ashlag - Poland, Yehuda Ashlag - Israel, Yehuda Ashlag - Books, Yehuda Ashlag - Teachings, Yehuda Ashlag - Music, Yehuda Ashlag - Philip Berg, Yehuda Ashlag - Baruch Ashlag, Yehuda Ashlag - Michael Laitman, Yehuda Ashlag - Ashlag's sons, Yehuda Ashlag - Ashlag's students direct and indirect, Yehuda Ashlag - Ashlag's books, Yehuda Ashlag - Ashlag's articles, Yehuda Ashlag - Ashlag's followers today

Read more here: » Yehuda Ashlag: Encyclopedia II - Yehuda Ashlag - Biography

Jewish leadership - Biblical leadership Before 70 CE. See related List of Jewish Biblical figures. During the era of the Tanakh, leadership of the Jewish people was governed by Torah principles. There were the heads of the original Hebrew tribes, and then also prophets such as Moses, Jeremiah and Samuel and whose words still as reference points for the believers, judges such as Samson, kings such as David and Solomon, priests of the Temple ...

See also:

Jewish leadership, Jewish leadership - Historic leadership, Jewish leadership - Biblical leadership Before 70 CE, Jewish leadership - Mishnaic Talmudic Middle Ages leadership 70 - 1600s, Jewish leadership - Early modern leadership 1700s-1800s, Jewish leadership - Modern religious leadership after 1800s, Jewish leadership - Decline of rabbinical influence, Jewish leadership - Modern Synagogue leadership, Jewish leadership - Orthodox and Haredi rabbinic leadership, Jewish leadership - Reform Conservative and Reconstructionist leadership, Jewish leadership - Secular leadership, Jewish leadership - Karaite leadership

Read more here: » Jewish leadership: Encyclopedia II - Jewish leadership - Historic leadership

Shulkhan Arukh - Its premise and style. The Shulkhan Arukh is an abridgement of a much larger work by Rabbi Karo, titled Beth Yosef (Hebrew: "House of Joseph"). In form it is a commentary upon Jacob ben Asher's Arba'ah Turim ("Tur"); but it is really much more comprehensive, going back to the Talmud and the Midrash compilations relating to Jewish law. This work discusses the pros and cons of the authorities cited by the "Tur", and examines the opinions of the authorities not men ...

See also:

Shulkhan Arukh, Shulkhan Arukh - Structure, Shulkhan Arukh - Beth Yosef, Shulkhan Arukh - Its premise and style, Shulkhan Arukh - The standard authorities, Shulkhan Arukh - Shulkhan Arukh, Shulkhan Arukh - Isserles and other criticism, Shulkhan Arukh - Page layout, Shulkhan Arukh - Commentaries, Shulkhan Arukh - Later collations

Read more here: » Shulkhan Arukh: Encyclopedia II - Shulkhan Arukh - Beth Yosef

Religious conversion - Procedure. Jewish law guidelines for accepting new converts to Judaism are called "giur". Potential converts should desire conversion to Judaism for its own sake, and for no ulterior motives. A male convert needs to undergo a ritual circumcision, and there has to be a commitment to observe the 613 commandments and Jewish law. A convert must accept Jewish principles of faith, and reject the previous theology he or she had prior to the conversion. Ritual immersion in a small pool of wa ...

See also:

Religious conversion, Religious conversion - Religious conversion in international law, Religious conversion - The convert/proselyte, Religious conversion - Conversion to Judaism, Religious conversion - Procedure, Religious conversion - Conversion to Judaism in history, Religious conversion - Relationship with converts, Religious conversion - Differences between Jewish and Christian views, Religious conversion - Conversion to Christianity, Religious conversion - Reception of baptized persons into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, Religious conversion - Conversion of Catholics to Protestantism, Religious conversion - Conversion to Islam, Religious conversion - Conversion to religions of Indic origin, Religious conversion - Conversion to new religious movements and cults, Religious conversion - Conversion to Scientology, Religious conversion - Prohibition of conversion, Religious conversion - Proselytism, Religious conversion - History, Religious conversion - Issues involving proselytism

Read more here: » Religious conversion: Encyclopedia II - Religious conversion - Conversion to Judaism

Dr. Marvin Minsky, in his book The Society of Mind, claims to have been unable to verify claims of eidetic memory (see sections 15.3 & 15.6) and considers reports of eidetic memory to be an "unfounded myth". Support for the belief that eidetic memory could be a myth was supplied by the psychologist Adriaan de Groot, who conducted an experiment into the ability of chess Grandmasters to memorise complex positions of chess pieces on a chess board. Initially it was found that these experts could recall surprising amounts of inf ...

See also:

Eidetic memory, Eidetic memory - Controversy, Eidetic memory - Real People With Possible Eidetic Memory, Eidetic memory - Eidetic memory in fiction

Read more here: » Eidetic memory: Encyclopedia II - Eidetic memory - Controversy

Hasidic Judaism - Fundamental conceptions. The teachings of Hasidism are founded on two theoretical conceptions: (1) religious panentheism, or the omnipresence of God, and (2) the idea of Devekut, communion between God and man. "Man," says the Besht, "must always bear in mind that God is omnipresent and is always with him; that God is, so to speak, the most subtle matter everywhere diffused... Let man realize that when he is looking at material things he is in reality gazing at the image of the Deity which is present in all things. W ...

See also:

Hasidic Judaism, Hasidic Judaism - History, Hasidic Judaism - Prelude, Hasidic Judaism - Israel ben Eliezer, Hasidic Judaism - The spread of Hasidism, Hasidic Judaism - Opposition, Hasidic Judaism - Since the Holocaust, Hasidic Judaism - Religious practice and culture, Hasidic Judaism - Fundamental conceptions, Hasidic Judaism - Liturgy and prayer, Hasidic Judaism - Dress, Hasidic Judaism - Ritual Bathing, Hasidic Judaism - Families, Hasidic Judaism - Languages, Hasidic Judaism - Footnotes

Read more here: » Hasidic Judaism: Encyclopedia II - Hasidic Judaism - Religious practice and culture

The aim of the work is the perfection of character. Rather than innovating a new system, Luzzato builds his work on a Beraita in the name of the sage Pinchas ben-Yair as mentioned in the Talmud: Torah (study) leads to watchfulness (zehirut) Watchfulness leads to alacrity (zerizut) Alacrity leads to cleanliness (of sin, nekiyut) Cleanliness leads to abstention (of improper practices, perishut) Abstention leads to purity (tahara) Purity leads to holine ...

See also:

Mesillat Yesharim, Mesillat Yesharim - Aim of the work, Mesillat Yesharim - Influence, Mesillat Yesharim - Resources

Read more here: » Mesillat Yesharim: Encyclopedia II - Mesillat Yesharim - Aim of the work

Yeshiva - Pre-1800s. Traditionally, every town rabbi had the right to maintain a number of full-time or part-time pupils in the town's study hall (beis midrash, usually adjacent to the synagogue). Their cost of living was covered by community taxation. After a number of years, these young people would either take up a vacant rabbinical position elsewhere (after obtaining semicha, rabbinical ordination) or join the workforce. The Mishna (tractate Megilla) mentions the law that a town can only be call ...

See also:

Yeshiva, Yeshiva - History, Yeshiva - Pre-1800s, Yeshiva - Chaim Volozhin, Yeshiva - Types of yeshivot, Yeshiva - Prominent yeshivot, Yeshiva - In the United States, Yeshiva - In Israel, Yeshiva - Academic year, Yeshiva - Typical schedule, Yeshiva - Method of study, Yeshiva - Talmud study, Yeshiva - Jewish law, Yeshiva - Ethics, Yeshiva - Weekly Torah portion

Read more here: » Yeshiva: Encyclopedia II - Yeshiva - History

Life in the shtetls (villages) of the Pale of Settlement was hard and stricken by poverty. A sophisticated system of volunteer Jewish social welfare organizations developed to meet the needs of the population, following the time-honored Jewish tradition of tzedakah. Various organizations supplied clothes to poor students, provided kosher food to Jewish soldiers conscripted into the Czar's army, dispensed free medical treatment for the poor, offered dowries and household gifts to destitute brides, and arranged for technical education for orph ...

See also:

Pale of Settlement, Pale of Settlement - History, Pale of Settlement - Life in the Pale, Pale of Settlement - Territories of the Pale, Pale of Settlement - 1791, Pale of Settlement - 1794, Pale of Settlement - 1795, Pale of Settlement - 1805-1835, Pale of Settlement - Final

Read more here: » Pale of Settlement: Encyclopedia II - Pale of Settlement - Life in the Pale

All five of these megillot ("scrolls") are traditionally read publicly in the synagogue over the course of the year in many Jewish communities. In common printed editions of the Tanakh they appear in the order that they are read in the synagogue on holidays (beginning with Passover), thus: The Song of Songs (Hebrew: Shir ha-Shirim; שיר השירים) is read publicly in some communities, especially by Ashkenazim, on the Sabbath of Passover. In most Eastern Jewish communities it is read publicly each week at the o ...

See also:

The Five Scrolls, The Five Scrolls - History, The Five Scrolls - Liturgical use, The Five Scrolls - Cantillation, The Five Scrolls - In the Mishnah

Read more here: » The Five Scrolls: Encyclopedia II - The Five Scrolls - Liturgical use