Brit-Am Research Sources (13 February, 28 Shevet, 5778)
Contents:
1. N. Shreiber: Meaning of Jewish Names Explained and as an Indication of Geographical Provenance (Slightly Adapted)
2. Henry-8th of England Considered Converting to Judaism!
3. Rabbi Shlomo Goren: Temple to be Rebuilt before the Coming of the Messiah
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1. N. Shreiber: Meaning of Jewish Names Explained and as an Indication of Geographical Provenance (Slightly Adapted)
You mentioned that names of people is a sub science.
It is interesting that Eastern European Jewish men may have first names that are a hebrew/ Yiddish combination originating from Germany.
(Chasidim, being diehards of tradition, name their children these exact names, although unlike thirty years ago, if it is not
Hershy or Mendy,or Leiby, or Mechel, the child is called by the Hebrew name. The complete name is used when called to the Torah etc.
Shouldn't this indicate significant immigration from German provinces towards Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Poland etc., even if some of the Eastern European Jews did come from further eastward?
Here is a bit of history of the Eastern European Boys' Yiddish names:
There was a German minhag (custom) to give a baby boy a Shem Kodesh (Holy Name) at the bris.[circumcision] (To be used when called to the Torah.)
On the Shabos the new mother went to shul [synagogue], a gathering took place at the baby's home. The shem
chol [secular name] which was German/Yiddish was given for daily use. More often than not, the shem chol was symbolic of the Lashon Kodesh [Holy Tongue i.e. Hebrew] name.
Examples:
Naftali Hersh/ Hertz/ Hertzka/ Hershel for deer, the symbol of Shevet [Tribe of] Naftali)
A generation and a country later a descendant might be called Naftali Zvi or Zvi Hersh, or Zvi by itself.
Binyamin Volf/Velvel/Volvi (wolf, the symbol for Binyamin which later turned into Zev. (Zev originated from Volf and not the other way around.)
Shlomo Zalman (Zalma is a Yiddish version of Shlomo [Solomon])
Yitzchok Isaac,
Avraham Abish or Aba, (father Avraham was a father of many)
Yehuda Leib which in Eastern Europe turned into Yehuda Arye [Lion] or Arye Leib, or Arye by itself.
Eklyokim Getzel [Getzel means "In the Shadow of God"],
Yakov Kopel,
Efraim Fishel (Efraim and Menashe should multiply as fish).
Yisrael Isser, ["Isser" is short for "Israel"]
Eliezer Zusman,
Asher Anshel (Anshel means happy),
Asher Zelig/ Zeligman (happiness)
Yom Tov Lipa or Lipman
Shraga (candle) Feivel (Brilliant one)
Menachem Mendel (man)
Yisacher Ber or Berman;
[The name Yisacher Ber is a compound of Ysachar (Issachar) and Ber meaning Berry representing the Dudayim. Issachar was born after Leah by virtue of the Dudayim that Reuben found and gave to his mother Leah who then gave them to Rachel and in return received the right to be with Yaacov, Genesis 30:18]. The term "Beeren" meant berries in Deutsch (German). With time, people assumed Ber/ Berman meant bear and the name Dov [Bear in Hebrew] or Dov Ber came into existence. This is probably why the name Yisacher is not heard much. Berl [a nickname for "Ber"] went well with the pre-war European Yiddish dialect. Today, Dovi goes well with American chasidish Yiddish, and that is what is commonly heard when a child is named Yisacher Dov.
Interestingly enough, there are Chasidish families that use Yisacher Berish as a mesorah [received by tradition] name. They will not deviate, maintaining the name is Berish, having nothing to do with Dov. My friend's son and nephews Yisacher Berish are known as Berish.
Jewish families who moved to Hungary and Eastern Europe named children at their bris with a combination of the shem kodesh [Holy Name] and shem chol [Secular Name]. The shem kodesh always came before the shem chol.
Sometimes the shem chol was translated into Lashon Kodesh and became a name in of itself, like Arye, Dov, Tzvi.
The Belzer Rebbe Shlita [May he live a long life] tells his chasidim to add an additional Hebrew name to Dov, if the grandfather being named after was named "Dov" by itself.
At some point, people started using Yiddish names in combination with a Hebrew name that was not symbolically connected. A child could be named Shlomo Ber or Yosef Hersh or Shmuel Feivel.
Sorry, for going all over the place, but that is just me.
For more info on the German shem chol/kodesh: Sefer Shorshei Minhag Ashkenaz.
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2. Henry-8th of England Considered Converting to Judaism!
Note.
King Henry-viii (1491-1547, reigned from 1509) is popularly known for having had 6 wives, two of whom he executed. In addition tot hat, he was also a scholar in his own right, helped making England Protestant, and did much to lay the foundations of England as a world power. Henry was friendly to the Jews whom in effect in his early days he allowed into England despite opposition from the Pope. He also attempted to help Jews in the Netherlands (which was then a Spanish possession) who were being persecuted. See the works of David S. Katz.
What would happen if the queen/king of England converted to Judaism?
by Joseph Kolakowski,
https://www.quora.com/What-would-happen-if-the-queen-king-of-England-converted-to-Judaism
Extract:
Most likely, today, he or she would probably have to abdicate the throne. However, before Henry VIII founded the Church of England, he considered conversion to Judaism, because Judaism allows divorce, and because ancient Biblical kings were allowed to practice polygamy and concubinage openly. He commissioned a copy of Tractate Gittin, a volume of the Talmud discussing the laws of divorce, to be translated into Latin by rabbis in Rome and to be sent to England, as well as more volumes of the Talmud, so the king would consider whether or not he wanted to choose Judaism as his new religion. However, it took too long for the books to arrive, and by time they did arrive, he had already begun the Church of England. The books remained in the library of Westminster Abbey for centuries, and a few decades ago were purchased by a Jewish collector of antique books.
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3. Rabbi Shlomo Goren: Temple to be Rebuilt before the Coming of the Messiah
Quote:
I have proven from the Jerusalem Talmud in Tractate Ma'aser II, chapter 5 , against this method of Maimonides, where it is explicitly stated that the Temple will be built before the coming of the Messiah.