On the left Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, he was condemned as a heretic by Orthodox Judaism. On the right the Mystic -Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira, known as the Baba Sali
Heretics, Mystics and Abraham’s Mother
Published: October 3, 2013
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Last Updated: September 7, 2026
Rabbi Shmuel Eidels (1555 – 1631; known as Maharsha) points out in his commentary on the Talmud (ad loc., section on aggadah) that a reading of the text in Judges implies that Samson had no sister.
Since Pirke De-Rabbi Eliezer often copied from a version of Jubilees without attribution, this could be a corrupted text reflecting the same tradition; alternatively, it could be an independent suggestion.
Switching the slave’s baby for the master’s baby to save the latter’s life is a common literary trope, although one which, in our post slavery world, is rather distasteful to the modern reader.
See the Jewish Encyclopedia article for more information.
