BASIC INSTRUCTIONS
1. Search queries are not case-sensitive.
2. For broadest results, use partial words or word stems followed and/or preceded immediately by an asterisk. E.g., *sist* finds sister, consistent, subsist, etc. Abort* finds abort, aborts, aborted, and abortion.
3. To limit search results to exact word(s) or phrase(s), enclose within quotation marks.
4. Multiple word searches function as a hybrid "and" and "or". If these words are included in a query, they will be searched as any other word.
5. To require a word (or stem) to be in search results, insert a + symbol immediately before it. To exclude a word or stem from search results, insert a - symbol immediately before it. If the initial word or phrase to be searched is within quotation marks, do not also place the +/- word or phrase within a second set of quotation marks.
6. To search a Torah verse by number, separate the chapter and verse with a colon and enclose within quotation marks, e.g. "Leviticus 19:18" or "19:18". Alternatively, use the “Torah Book & Portion” pull-down menu to locate within Torah portion. Other numbers, both ordinal and cardinal, are usually spelled out, e.g., seven, seventh.
7. To locate/highlight searched words within a result, use your browser's "find" function.
8. For words (including titles of Talmud tractates) transliterated from Hebrew and/or Aramaic, include alternative English spellings. For suggestions and related techniques, see "Additional Search Notes," below.
9. To easily return to one or more excerpts in a future session, or to create a list of excerpts, we recommend using your browser's BOOKMARK features. You can also export any full-text excerpts by using the Share features appearing below it.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS AND SEARCH TIPS
1. When searching for a specific word of Torah in English, keep in mind that every English word was chosen by an author/translator from among alternatives, including various transliteration options. As these are verbatim excerpts, the transcriber has respected the author's (or translator's) choice and not substituted a single transliteration. The word for which you are searching may not be the word used by any, most, or all excerpt authors, or the one to which you are accustomed. If you are searching for a common transliterated word and obtain few or no results, it's very likely that alternative spellings are used in other excerpts. Best search results will be obtained by searching various transliteration synonyms (see below for examples). . Checking various translations at websites such as https://biblehub.net/search.php?q= for alternative English translations may be helpful.
2. Similarly, for other Hebrew (or Aramaic) words and phrases, including titles of Talmud tractates, authors will have chosen from among transliterated/phonetic alternatives and/or used common abbreviations. Examples (This is not a comprehensive list) include:
Abel/Hevel; Abodah/avodah; Akeidas/adeidat/akedat/akedas;Akiba/Akiva; Aruch/Arukh; Avos/Avot/Avoth; Abraham/Avraham; Azai/Azzai/Assai;
Baba/Bava; Bamidbar/Bemidbar/B'midbar/Numbers/Nu.; Basra/Batra; Bereishis/B'reishis/Bereishit/B'reishit/Braishis/Genesis/Gen.; Birkas/Birkat; Brochos/Berachos/Berachot/Berachoth;
Cain/Kayin; Chasidim/Chassidim; Chinuch/Chinnuch/Khinnuch; Channukah/Hanukah/Hanukkah;chayim/hayyim;
Devarim/D'varim/Deuteronomy/Deut.;
Elazar/Eleazar/Eliezer; Esau/Esav;
Gen. Rabbah/Genesis Rabbah; God/Adonai/Hashem;
Halakah/Halacha/Halachah; Hilchos/Hilchot;
Isaac/Yitzhak/Yitzchak; Israel/Yaakov;
Jacob/Yisrael/Yaakov/Ya'akov; Jethro/Yitro/Yisro;
kares/karet; kashrut/kashruth; Kama/Kamma; Kidushin/Kiddushin; kiddushim/kedoshim/k'doshim/kodshim/kodashim; Korah/Korach; Ksubos/Ksubot/Ketubot/Ketubos;
Loshon Hora/Loshon Hara/Lashon Hara (Harah);
Maishorim;Mesharim; Megilah/Megillah; Mesilat/Mesillat/Mesilas; Metzia/M'tzia/Met'zia; mincha/minchah; Mishlei/Mishle/Mishley/Proverbs; Mishna/Mishnah; Mishpat/Mishpot; Commandment/Mitzvah/Mitzvos/Mitzvot/Mitzvoth; Moshe/Moses;
Nedorim/Nedarim;
Passover/Pesach; Pirkei/Perkei;
Rab/Rav; Rebecca/Rivka; Rechilus/Rechilus;
semicha/semichah; Shabbat/Shabbos; Shavuot/Shavuos/Shavuos; Shema/Sh'ma; Shemot/Sh'mot/Shemos/Exodus/ Ex./Exod.; Shumel/Samuel; Shlomo/Solomon; Sukkos/Sukkot;
tacheles/tachelet; Tehillim/T'hillim/Psalms; Tshuvah/Teshuvah; tzaar/tza'ar; tzitsis/tzitzit/tzitsith;
Vayikra/Va-yikra/Leviticus/Lev.; Yetzer Hara/Yetzer Harah; Yershorim/Yesharim; Yevomos/Yevemot.
-- Some authors also place an apostrophe where others do not, or insert a vowel. E.g., k'dushah rather than kidushah or kedushah; tz'dakah rather than tsedakah or tzedakah; r'chilus(t) rather than rechilus/rechilut; Ya'akov rather than Yaakov. The last letters "t" and "s" and "b" and "v" in transliterated word are often interchangeable, reflecting the variant pronunciations of the letters ת and ב.
-- "B." for Babylonian Talmud; "Isa." for Isaiah; "M." for Mishnah; "M.T." for Mishneh Torah; "Ps." or "Pss." for Psalms; "Meg." for Megillah, "J." or "Jer." for Jerusalem; "S.A." for Shulchan Arukh (and variant transliterated spellings thereof); and "Yer." for Yerushalmi (meaning "of Jerusalem" -- same as "J."); "T." for Tosefta. "s.v." is a literary abbreviation for the latin, "sub verso," meaning "under the word."
To improve search results, include the specific page reference (such as a Talmud page) or code section (such as in Shulchan Aruch or Mishneh Torah), in the search query and/or try searching the page or section reference without the title.
3. The compiler transcribed most excerpts from the original source by dictating into voice recognition software. While all results were proof-read, mistakes inevitably remain. If a word or phrase appears incorrect, consider similar-sounding words which the transcriber may have mispronounced or the dictation software may have substituted. In any case, please use the Contact page to report all suspected transcription and other errors and question.
4. In most cases, the author’s discussion of a topic extends well beyond the excerpted text. Accordingly, especially if the issue addressed in the excerpt is clearly amenable to exceptions and refinement, it is suggested that the source be purchased or borrowed from a library for access to its likely fuller discussion. Many sources are available inexpensively from a book reseller's website, including Amazon, Abebooks, or Bookfinder. Many of the source books, or extensive portions thereof, are also accessible at https://books.google.com.