Category: history
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Ralbag (Gersonides)
Rabbi Levi ben Gershom is not only the most studied Rishon in academia (after Rambam) but is also one of the most unique and interesting Rishonim (in a world when many were very interesting and unique). His views on science and Torah are both relevant (and speak to me) and dated (and only of historical… Read more
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Shem Tov ibn Falaquera
This shiur is about Shem Tov ibn Falaquera (though there are many different ways of spelling his last name). Here is what Jewish Virtual Library says about ibn Falaquera: Shem Tov b. Joseph ibn Falaquera (c. 1225–c. 1295), translator and author of many works devoted largely to ethics and psychology, also wrote Moreh ha-Moreh, a… Read more
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Rabbi Yitzchak Yisraeli
I gave a shiur last night about Rabbi Yitzchak (ben Shlomo) Yisraeli. He is possibly the first Rishon (because he was a contemporary of Rav Saadiah Gaon, so he is really before the era of the Rishonim. He also lived to the age of 100, so he really spanned the transition from Gaonim to Rishonim… Read more
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The Sages
(This post is kind of a follow on from my previous post) The only way to really understand Gemara is to understand the people and places in it. There are several books on the Sages. In Hebrew you have Shem HaGedolim of the Chida and Seder HaDorot in 3 volumes (vol 1; vol 2; vol… Read more
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Yaakov Bei Rav and Semicha
Today, 1st Iyar, is the yarzheit of a very interesting person in Jewish history. Rav Yaakov Bei Rav passed away on this day in 1546. His main contribution to history was that in 1538 R’ Yaakov Bei Rav reintroduced semicha in Eretz Yisrael for the first time in several hundred years. The background to the… Read more
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17th Sivan – end of Noah’s flood
According to the Talmud in Rosh Hashana (11b) based on the verses in Bereishit (and according to the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer) today is the day that the Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. The flood is one of those issues that bible critics love to use as proof that the Torah cannot be… Read more