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Curated Torah sources across every topic, from classical texts to contemporary responsa.
Receiving an Aliyah After Personal Prayer
Sources address the eligibility and qualifications of those called to the Torah for an aliyah, including requirements related to blessings and the status of the oleh. The classical and later halakhic sources establish the framework for who may receive an aliyah within a minyan.
הַכֹּל עוֹלִין לַמִּנְיָן שִׁבְעָה, וַאֲפִילּוּ קָטָן וַאֲפִילּוּ אִשָּׁה
Calling Previously-Prayed Individuals for Torah Honors
Jewish law requires a quorum of ten for communal Torah reading. These sources address the rules governing who may be called to the Torah and under what circumstances, including the status of individuals who have already participated in the service.
ובנשתיירו רובן דהיינו ששה סגי
Demons in Jewish Thought and Tradition
Jewish sources offer competing perspectives on the reality and nature of demons. Biblical and rabbinic texts reference שדים (shedim) in contexts of pagan worship and supernatural encounters, while medieval Jewish philosophers—particularly Rambam—reject demons as operative spiritual entities, treating belief in them as superstition. Later sources address the legal and practical implications of demonological claims without settling the underlying metaphysical question.
דברים הללו כלן דברי שקר וכזב הן
Authorship and Bibliography of Kinat Setarim
The sources do not directly address the user's question about who wrote Kinat Setarim on Megillat Eicha or in which bibliography it is listed. However, Shem HaGedolim, Maarekhet Sefarim includes a bibliographic entry on this work, identifying it as a commentary on Megillat Eicha by Rabbi Avraham Galanti, a student of the Ramak.
קינת סתרים - ביאור נפלא להרב הקדוש מה׳ אברהם גאלאנטי
Who Authored Mesillat Yesharim?
The sources found do not identify the author of Mesillat Yesharim or provide biographical information about its composition. They present passages from the work itself, including the author's introduction and a discussion of piety and spiritual separation.
הַחִבּוּר הַזֶּה לֹא חִבַּרְתִּיו לְלַמֵּד לִבְנֵי הָאָדָם אֶת אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ
Who Wrote Kehillas Yaakov?
The sources found do not address the question of who authored Kehillas Yaakov. The passages discuss Jacob in rabbinic and Kabbalistic sources, priestly practices, and morning prayer, but do not identify or discuss the authorship of this work.
The Transmission of Cain's Good Portion Through Jacob
The Ariz״al describes how the good aspect of Cain's heel, which was separated from the evil mixed within it, was transmitted through reincarnations beginning when Jacob grasped Esau's heel at birth, and subsequently passed through various biblical and rabbinic figures across generations.
חלק קין הטוב הוא דבר גדול במאד מאד
Using an Automatic Elevator on Shabbat
Jewish law addresses whether one may use an automatic elevator on Shabbat, examining principles of pre-arranged mechanisms, indirect action, and modern applications. Halakhic authorities evaluate the permissibility based on the nature of the elevator's operation and individual circumstances.
מעלית אוטומטית מותר להשתמש בה בשבת
Moral Integrity and Survival in Parashat Noach
Parashat Noach presents the tension between individual righteousness and collective corruption, exploring how moral integrity persists amid a failing world and how survival carries existential and spiritual weight. The sources examine Noah's character, the Flood as judgment and mercy, and the post-Flood covenant as a framework for human responsibility and the limits of redemption.
נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹרֹתָיו
Life Lessons from Parashat Vayera
Parashat Vayera presents figures—Abraham, Sarah, and Lot—facing moments of hospitality, faith, prayer, and moral courage. The sources draw practical guidance for a young woman entering adulthood: showing initiative in kindness, embracing unexpected possibilities, advocating for others, patience in waiting, and leading through example rather than mere words.
אֱמֹר מְעַט וַעֲשֵׂה הַרְבֵּה, וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת
Wisdom and Character for a Young Woman
Sources from Tanakh and rabbinic literature offer guidance on cultivating virtue, personal responsibility, integrity, and balance in character. These teachings emphasize kindness, truth-speaking, learning from others, and translating study into ethical action.
חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֗ת אַֽל־יַ֫עַזְבֻ֥ךָ
The Dispute Over Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam
Sources examine the halakhic disagreement between Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam regarding the order of the Torah portions in tefillin, and discuss the custom of wearing two pairs of tefillin to satisfy both opinions. The sources also explore the theological significance and inner meaning of the tefillin commandment.
שְׁמַע וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ מִשְּׂמֹאל