Category Archives: Al reguel ajat

Like Europeans in general, Jews were deeply affected by the spread of printing. Especially in the 16th and 17th, centuries this phenomenon had a democratizing effect. With printed books cheaper than manuscripts, more sections of the population, besides the scholars … Seguir leyendo →

In 11th century Germany, Jewish merchants would travel for their profession to Muslim Spain, North Africa or the East and would be away for years, leaving their wives and children without support and sometimes with only the support of the … Seguir leyendo →

Rabbi David Hartman, in his book “From Defender to Critic,” comments that from a religious point of view, the creation of the Universe and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai are undoubtedly the two most significant moments described … Seguir leyendo →

In the 7th and 8th centuries, the Arabs conquered the Persian Empire, the territories in Asia and North Africa that were part of the Byzantine Empire, and finally the rest of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Most of these … Seguir leyendo →

It is proven that synagogues already existed in the time of the Second Temple, both in Israel and in the Diaspora, and were intended for public prayers. We know this from the writings of Philo of Alexandria and Josephus Flavius, … Seguir leyendo →

Initially, the role of the Shaliach Tzibur (the one who leads the prayer) was created out of a practical need that arose when praying in public. Since the prayers were not written down, and many people did not know them … Seguir leyendo →

The evidence that there have been variations in the format of prayers is very old. At the beginning, in the time of the Mishnah, the text of the prayers was not particularly taken care of. No written version of the … Seguir leyendo →

There are countless examples throughout the rabbinic texts where religious leaders took bold stances against what they perceived as morally or socially problematic halachic commandments. One of them was Hillel, one of the most prominent figures of the Mishnah and … Seguir leyendo →

Theologians use different terms to understand the status of the human representation of God. They call them analogies, symbols or more commonly metaphors, in the literal sense of the word that comes from Greek and means to transfer or move. … Seguir leyendo →

Judaism considers the “full” life to be more in the dimension of ethical conduct among men than in that of religious worship. The “hasid” (the man who does “hesed,” mercy) is one who has a generous and altruistic character in … Seguir leyendo →