Posts so far for parshat Kedoshim

2013

1. YU Torah on Kedoshim.

2. If you shave with scissors (or an electric shaver), cow-shaped demons will trample on the corners of your beard. A story involving R' Yehuda HaChassid.

3. Kedoshim Tihyu: Is the holiness asceticism or mitzvah fulfillment? And the many roles of Ani Hashem Elokeichem .Does Kedoshim Tihyu refer backwards (to Arayos) or forwards (to the Aseres HaDibros)? Also, dual parsings of Ki Kadosh Ani | Hashem Elokeichem, helping establish the idea that each instance of Ani Hashem Elokeichem can function in a unique manner.

2012

1. YUTorah on parshat Kedoshim

2. Kedoshim sources -- even further expanded.

3. Who was the Shifcha Charufa? Is she only not fully redeemed? Or is she actually completely a maidservant? What is bothering Ibn Caspi? We can look to Shadal, I think

4. Review of a new translation of Shadal's perush on Chumash. By analyzing the translation / supercommentary on parashat Kedoshim. Not a very favorable review.


2011

1. Kedoshim sources -- further expanded. For example, many more meforshei Rashi.
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2. YUTorah on parashat Kedoshim
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3. The meaning of שנאמרה פרשה זו בהקהל --  Somewhat obstinately, I insist on a strange yet straightforward meaning of this phrase. How can we square this with contrary halacha and with the text of the pesukim?
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4. Et zachar vs. Ve'et zachar --  Another analysis of the absence or presence of a leading vav. In this instance, our Masoretic text is supported by the Samaritan text.
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5. Why does Onkelos translate Yid'oni as Zechuru?  Though it might be obvious for those who like Hebrew puns, why the zayin? And why the mismatch, against the famous derasha of Chazal?

2010

1. Kedoshim sources -- revamped, with more than 100 meforshim on the parasha and haftara.
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2. Do Chazal darshen the Samaritan version of Vayikra 20:7? In parashat Kedoshim, yet another instance in which a derashat Chazal matches the Samaritan text of the Chumash instead of our Masoretic text. In this instance, however, it is somewhat plausible that Chazal are merely darshening the union of two similar pesukim; and that the Samaritans, as is their wont, harmonized the two similar pesukim. Still, after considering Minchas Shai, Gra, a few suggestions of my own, and considering Talmudic variants, I conclude that Chazal were once again darshening a non-Masoretic text.

2009

1. Kedoshim sources -- links by aliyah and perek to an online Mikraos Gedolos, plus a slew of commentary on parsha and haftara.
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2. Shaving as specifically for a meis, as peshat in the pesukim in Kedoshim and Emor. And some backup to this idea in Yeshaya and in Herodotus.
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3. And even more evidence to this, from Iyov and Yirmeyahu.
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4. Dechuru or Zechuru in Onkelos, and why I think that despite Ohev Ger about the daled/zayin alternation, Zechuru with a daled in Aramaic is correct.

2008

1. Do not curse the deaf, as literal vs. idiomatic, and a comparison to lifnei iver.
2. Rabbenu Bachya, Sefirot, and Elim: distinguishing between worshipping Sefirot and worshipping other forces, where the power does not come from themselves.

2005

1. Anachronism In Midrash
• in which there are various opinions as to how Avraham knew a certain detail of milah (namely, what to circumcise). And one midrashic opinion which questions whether Avraham would be cognizant of midrashic methods such as gezeira shava.
2. Loving your neighbor as yourself, and how it is not just a nice platitude, but rather has halachic effect. A beautiful Yerushalami on it. Also, the difference between Hillel's statement and Rabbi Akiva's statement, and other sources and manifestations of this idea.