texts: Responses to Dr. Chaim S. Heifetz's timeline of Persian History

texts:
Dr. Chaim S. Heifetz has been quoted in a few places as revising the history timeline which if correct would greatly impact Jewish history from the Persian empire and on.

See here

And in this download

In note #15 of that pdf: (the link is not working)
  "A critique of Heifetz can be
found here. Aaronson concedes
that Heifetz admits that “his is a work in progress” and “more work needs to be done.” To our knowledge, in the intervening 15 years since
these articles were published, there has been no further evidence forthcoming to support Heifetz’s work."

Has Heifetz's theory been discussed  by any noted Rabbis or religious leaders?


texts: Homebrewer then converts; are there leniencies that allow him to drink the beer he made?

texts:
Suppose a gentile is a homebrewer who later converts to Judaism.  Fermentation and aging can be long-running processes, so even if he knew to anticipate the problem and ceased homebrewing activities when he began the conversion process, he might have product remaining when he becomes a Jew.  Per halacha, is he allowed to drink what he made?  Sources please.

Assumptions:

The equipment used for brewing is not used for anything else.  Typically such equipment includes a plain metal pot (for boiling water and grain), a wort chiller (copper tubing placed in the pot through which cold water is run), glass carboys (for fermenting), glass bottles (eventually, for bottling the finished product), and various dedicated plastic or rubber items like siphon hoses and fermentation locks.  Only the pot and the wort-chiller are in contact with hot liquid.  The equipment, naturally, hadn't been toiveled.
Assume the homebrewer, like many, is fastidious about cleanliness, boiling and sterilizing everything that can be before each use.
The ingredients for beer are all pareve and (AFAIK -- correct me if I'm wrong) do not require a hechsher: malted barley, hops, yeast.  Ingredients in mead are honey, yeast, and possibly spices or fruit (assume not grapes).
If it makes a difference because of terumah, ma'aser, shmita, etc., assume this person does not live in Eretz Yisrael.
The then-gentile was present for all stages of production.

I've limited this question to beer and mead because I know wine has special considerations.

On the one hand it seems like he can't drink it because he wasn't mindful of kashrut considerations at the time -- by happy coincidence he might not have done anything problematic, but he wasn't paying attention to that at the time.  On the other hand, there might be leniencies bedieved, just as the rabbis instituted the sale of chametz rather than destroying it, for reasons of economics or waste.

I know a convert who was in this situation and was told no, but no reasoning was given and I think the equipment had been used for wine too, not just beer and mead.  So I'm curious about what the answer, with reasoning, would be in the case that doesn't involve wine.


texts:
If one's spouse wants to move (or moves) to Israel the other spouse halachically responsible for not going  (see Mishne Torah 19-20 here)

I heard that this is might not be the practical/contemporary Halacha.

What are specific sources in contemporary Halacha regarding this?

I heard Rav Schachter of YU said it is not - where can I find this written or recorded?


texts:
The Gemara (Shevuos 39a) says

כל ישראל ערבים
All of Israel are Arabs.

Is this true?  I always thought that my family came from Eastern Europe.  If it is true that all Jews are actually Arabs, what is the best way to leverage this fact to help promote peace on earth?

This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: Attending a Bar Mitzvah at a Reform Synagogue

texts: Do any contemporary Orthodox poskim discuss the matter? What potential problems could arise from attending, or from not attending, if the Bar Mitzvah boy is a close relative?


texts: Is one allowed to eat foods that were grown from non-kosher materials?

texts:
There is a known story of how one time a person brought a giant carrot on Erev Pesach to the Belzer Rebbe (back in Europe) for Karpas. After the donor left, he said "burn it with the Chometz". As the donor came home, his non-Jewish maid told him that she saw that he wanted this carrot to be a special carrot for his Rebbe. To help, she decided to water it with beer.

The farmer ran back and told the Rebbe what happened. The Chassidim were amazed at this miraculous occurrence, but the Rebbe answered "It was no miracle. It's just that we don't use carrots for karpas".

I have two questions:

Is there a halacha prohibiting one from eating a food on pesach whose entire growth was from Chometz? (Or was it a Chumra?)
Does this rule apply throughout the year (is one permitted to eat a carrot that grew on blood, for example)?


texts: Common language and the language of the Scripture used in 1st century BCE?

texts:
I read from the internet where most articles say:
A. The common language used by the Jews around 1st century BCE to (at least) the beginning of 1st century CE was Greek and the Scripture they use is in Greek too.
Example of source-A:

The Septuagint (also known as the LXX) is a translation of the Hebrew Bible into the Greek language.
By the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C., most people in Israel  spoke Greek as their primary language.

But some other articles say:
B. The common language used by the Jews around 1st century BCE to (at least) the beginning of 1st century CE was Hebrew & Aramaic while the Scripture they use is in Hebrew language.
Example of source-B:

None of the Dead Sea Scrolls mention anything about the Septuagint.
All of the Dead Sea Scrolls are in Hebrew or Aramaic.
The Dead Sea Scrolls do prove that the "sacred language" (the language
used in sermons, rituals and commentaries) of the Jews in Palestine
around the time of [Jesus] was Hebrew – not Greek.

My question:
Is there any reference text from the Rabbis who live around 1st century BCE to (at least) the beginning of 1st century CE from which can be concluded that the answer is A or B ?

I would like to add another reference link:

When the Hebrews returned to the land of Israel, around 500 BC, it was
believed that the Hebrews had abandoned the Hebrew language and
instead spoke the Aramaic language, the language of their captors in
Babylon. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, in its first
edition in 1958, stated; "[Hebrew] ceased to be a spoken language
around the fourth century B.C." However, much textual and
archeological evidence has been discovered over recent years, which
has revised this long established theory.
One of the most compelling evidences for the continued use of Hebrew
into the 2nd Century A.D. is a letter from the Jewish General Simon
Bar Kockba (Shimon ben Kosva, as the first line of the letter states
in the above picture), which is dated at 135 A.D., which he wrote
during the second Jewish revolt against Rome. This letter, along with
many others, was written in Hebrew, establishing the fact that
Hebrew was still the language of the Jewish people, even into the
second century AD.


texts: Why isn't imitating Hashem's traits a constant mitzvah?

texts:
In the introduction to Sefer HaChinuch, the author delineates what he feels are six constant mitzvos from the 613.

  מששה מצות מהן שחיובן תמידי לא יפסק מעל האדם אפי' רגע בכל ימיו. ואלו הם. א' להאמין בשם. ב' שלא להאמין לזולתו. ג' ליחדו. ד' לאהבה אותו. ה' ליראה אותו. ו' שלא לתור אחר מחשבת הלב וראיית העינים.

  From them are six mitzvos that their obligation is constant; a person shouldn't desist from them for even a moment their entire life. And they are: 1) to believe in Hashem 2) to not believe in another deity 3) to unify Him 4)  to love Him 5) to fear Him 6) not to stray after the thoughts of our hearts or the sight of our eyes.

I suppose there are others one could ask from, but the mitzvah of והלכת בדרכיו, that we should imitate Hashem's traits, seems to me to be a constant mitzvah. The Chinuch himself in Mitzvah 611 writes:

  מצוה ללכת ולהדמות בדרכי השם יתברך - שנצטוינו לעשות כל מעשינו בדרך הישר והטוב בכל כחנו, ולהטות כל דברינו אשר בינינו ובין זולתנו, על דרך החסד והרחמים

  It is a Mitzvah to walk and resemble the ways of the Holy Blessed one - as we are commanded to perform all actions in a manner of goodness and integrity with all our strength. To turn aside all our words that are between us and beside us, towards of kindness and compassion

It sounds like everything a person does has to be acting like the traits of Hashem. Now I admit most of his list seem to be "deos", mindsets, yet the last one can be related to actions just like Mitzvah 611. In Mitzvah 387 the Chinuch writes:

  שלא לתור אחר מחשבת הלב וראית העינים...שלא ירדף האדם אחר מראה עיניו, ובכלל זה שלא נרדף אחר תאוות העולם הזה, ...וזהו שאמרו זכרונם לברכה (ברכות יב, ב) ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם זו מינות, ואחרי עיניכם זו זנות

  We are not to follow the whims of our heart and the lusts of our eyes...Similarly, a person should not pursue the things that one sees, principally meaning earthly desires, ...The Sages expressed this in their statement (Berachot 12b), "'Do not stray after your hearts' refers to apostasy. 'After your eyes' refers to licentiousness.

To me, "pursuing" includes actions, not just thoughts. (Note the gemarra we have mentions only thoughts of licentiousness, but the Rambam quotes the Sifrei that has the girsa the Chinuch quotes, just licentiousness, and it could be what the Chinuch really quoting). One could maybe argue that who says a person has to do anything at all? But I feel like people are constantly thinking, and it's possible to think in ways that aren't in line with this mitzvah. I don't know if it's mentioned that the mitzvah applies to thoughts, but it would make sense to me.

Bottom line: Why didn't the Chinuch include this?


texts: What to do when visiting Kivrei Tzaddikim?

texts:
When visiting Kevarim of Tzaddikim, when are proper procedures to follow?

I would hope an answer would cover:

What and how to daven
If there's any specific Tehillim to say
If one should (or must) light a candle, place a stone on the grave, or the like


texts: There is a list of people who discovered God on their own somewhere in chazal. Does anyone know where it is? I saw it a long time ago and cannot reacall where.


texts:
Many times Rabbonim will not take the time to speak to someone in learning or answer a question unless it is a "practical" question. This to me seems to be a new phenomenon but in Eretz Yisrael it is quite common (from experience.)

My question is is it muter to pose a question to a Rav as a "real" question even though it's not and the only reason I'm asking is to solicit a response for the sake of my learning. Is this a problem of genivas das? Perhaps the Rav will think since he has Siyata Dishmaya by every psak that he also has in this case and use again the same psak in an actual case (even though this case wasn't real.)

An additional question. If one is concerned (based on previous cases and that other Talmidei Chachamim feel this to be the situation) that perhaps a Rav is not paskening correctly and is being "machshil" the rabim with his psakim is one allowed to "test" the Rav by a asking a fake question to ascertain if he is paskening properly?

Please provide any sources in the above mentioned cases either way.


texts:
shemot 6:6-7 reads the famous quote for the Pesach cups.
But what's the actual difference between deliver (natzal) and redeem (ga'al)?

take away from a problem? and remove the problem?

Please help me out here ?


texts:
Rashi (Bereishis 16:13) notes that Hagar wasn't frightened to see angels because she normally saw angels frequenting Avraham's household:

  לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ; וְכִי סְבוּרָה הָיִיתִי שֶׁאַף הֲלוֹם בַּמִּדְבָּרוֹת
  רָאִיתִי שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם אַחֲרֵי רֹאִי אוֹתָם בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל
  אַבְרָהָם שֶׁשָּׁם הָיִיתִי רְגִילָה לִרְאות מַלְאָכִים? וְתֵדַע
  שֶׁהָיְתָה רְגִילָה לִרְאוֹתָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי מָנוֹחַ רָאָה אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ
  פַּעַם אַחַת וְאָמַר מוֹת נָמוּת (שופ' י"ג), וְזוֹ רָאֲתָה ד' זֶה
  אַחַר זֶה וְלֹא חָרְדָה:

  הגם הלום HAVE I ALSO [SEEN] HERE — This is an exclamation of surprise:
  “could I have ever imagined that here also — in the wilderness — I
  would see the messengers of the Omnipresent after I have seen them in
  Abraham’s house, where I saw them regularly!” You may know that she
  used to see them there regularly from this: That Manoah saw the angel
  only once and exclaimed, (Judges 13:22) “We shall surely die”, and she
  saw angels four times, one after the other, and she showed no fear

What were all those angels doing that they were around Avraham's home?


texts:
In the spirit of Talmud Bavli Chullin 139b.
The Talmud assumes that great future events are hinted to in the Torah. Well in that case... Mi Yodeya min HaTorah minayin (where is Mi Yodeya hinted at in the Torah)?

This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: Different names for the same person in Tanach

texts:
The Tanach frequently tells us that somebody's name was changed, by God or people (Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Jethro, etc.), for a stated reason.  But the Sages added that some latter-day biblical characters were the same as earlier ones: Keturah was Hagar, Melchizedek was Shem, Ethan haEzrachi was Abraham, etc.). If this is intended as factual, why wasn't it stated in Tanach?  If these are intended as parables, what is the lesson?
Is this matter discussed anywhere?


texts: Do any Ashkenazim restrict making hamotzi on dry matzah to meals?

texts:
i was reading this article that posited something i had never heard before. The article claimed that according to Sephardic opinions, hard cracker like matzah wasn't considered bread and therefore one should shouldn't make hamotzi with it, but should make mezonot. This was surprising enough, but then the article claimed that even Ashkenazi Rabbis agree that dry matzah isn't technically bread. Is it true that even Ashkenazi Rabbis say you say hamotzi over it because of its place in the meal, rather than the matzah itself having the status as always-hamotzi? The relevant text is as follows:

  The assumption is that matzah is the normal bread for Pesach and
  therefore, like all bread, should require the bracha of “hamotzi”. The
  Gemara (Brachot 41-42) discusses the rules of Pat Haba’a Bekisnin – a
  type of pseudo-bread (Shulchan Aruch OC 168:6) that if eaten in small
  quantities gets a blessing of mezonot. There is a major three-way
  machloket (conflict) of how to define Pat Haba’a Bekisnin , with one
  opinion being that it means thin, hard crackers. This would seem to
  exactly describe modern matzah. Based on this, many authorities ruled
  that one says mezonot on hard matzah. The Shiurei Knesset Hagdola (OC
  158, Hagahot Beit Yosef 1) says that matzah gets hamotzi because it is
  not so hard, implying that his matzah was neither soft like bread nor
  hard like crackers and therefore he ruled to say hamotzi. It seems
  that he would rule to say mezonot on modern, very hard matzah. Rav
  Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Da’at 3:12) cites a laundry list of
  similar-minded authorities, and that is standard practice among most
  Sephardim. Nonetheless, there are significant Ashkenazi authorities
  (e.g. Minchat Yitzchak 1:71 and Tzitz Eliezar 11:19) who labor to
  defend the Ashkenazi practice of saying hamotzi. The primary
  explanation for why it receives hamotzi is that, when eaten, it forms
  the basis of the meal (kviat seudah), implying that it is not
  inherently “real bread”. An indication of this is that on real bread
  there is no minimum shiur (amount); even the smallest piece gets
  hamotzi (Shulchan Aruch OC 168:10; MB 168:47, 60). However small pieces of maztah, i.e.
  matzah crackers, even if they are identical to matzah, get the
  blessing mezonot because they are eaten as a snack. This is a
  strong argument against modern matzah being considered
  “lechem”, and raises a concern about using it for the seder.
  In addition, the Mishnah Berurah (168:37) writes that for very,
  very thin (dak min ha’dak) crackers that are baked (see Sha’ar
  haTziyun 168:36) by putting the batter between two metal
  plates and baking instantly, the bracha is mezonot even if one
  makes a meal out of it. These crackers are halachically less
  significant as bread than Pat Haba’a Bekisnin. Rav Moshe
  Sternbuch (Tshuvot v’Hanhagot 3:73) raises the possibility that
  hard machine matzah falls within that category and therefore
  should not be hamotzi and not be acceptable for the mitzvah
  (see Rambam, Hilchot Chametz u’Matzah 6:7). He justifies using
  them because they are not baked instantly and are thus dak
  (thin) and not dak min ha’dak (ultra-thin). He concludes that
  they may be Pat Haba’a Bekisnin and one who wants to be
  machmir (strict) should only eat them as part of a bread meal. It
  seems to us that while machine matzah does not bake
  instantly, there are hand matzah factories that take pride in the
  paper-thinness of their matzah and the fact that the oven is so
  hot that the matzah bakes in mere seconds. According to Rav
  Sternbuch, those matzot may indeed be truly problematic.


texts: Why does the 5th verse of "Yigdal", not mention prayer as does the 5th principle of faith of the Rambam?

texts:
The piyyut, “Yigdal”, seems to put the 13 principles of faith of the Rambam in poetic form.

With number 5, the author of Yigdal seems to have made a slightly different point to the Rambam by leaving out all reference to prayer.

Question 1: Why?

Rambam: אני מאמין באמונה שלימה שהבורא יתברך שמו לו לבדו ראוי להתפלל ואין  ראוי להתפלל לזולתו

Yigdal: הינו אדון עולם לכל נוצר יורה גדלותו ומלכותו

There is a different version of the text in Yigdal, הִנּוֹ אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם וְכָל נוֹצָר
יוֹרֶה גְּדֻלָּתוֹ וּמַלְכוּתוֹ where changing one letter transforms the sense of the verse.

Question 2: Is this related to the Rambam's article?


texts: According to Chazal, does Beged Kefet matter?

texts: The Hebrew alphabet has 22 written characters (plus 5 specialized characters for the ends of words - ם, ן, ץ ,ף, ך) generally assumed to be each originally associated with distinct sounds. The Masoretes have a tradition (which to our [traditional] ability, we also attempt to follow) regarding a dual pronunciation of six letters in the Alephbet, namely, ב, ג, ד, כ, פ, ת (typically indicated visually by the presence/absence of a dot in the middle of the character) However, the Masoretes were predominantly from a Karaite-heretical sect. Is there any independent basis in traditional halacha, especially in Chazal, for distinct, contextual pronunciations of these letters? What is the view of linguistic scholars regarding the origin and development of Beged Kefet (and how might this be relevant to halacha)?


texts: Is Leviticus 19:16 a negative commandment?

texts:
I heard that the posuk "You shall not stand over the blood of your friend – I am Hashem" (Vayikra 19:16) is a לאו (negative commandment). Is that true?

  לא תעמד על דם רעך אני יקוק


texts: Figuring out where Torah scrolls come from

texts: Lets say a synagogue has inherited a lot of Torah scrolls, but doesn't know where many of them come from. How would they go about determining from which countries these scrolls hail from? Are there any websites or other resources available that talk about writing styles, parchment colors, types of letters used, etc, that one could use to determine some of the scrolls' pasts?


texts: Why does God need to enslave the Jews before giving them the Torah?

texts:
We see in Sefer Bereishit that God prophesied to Avraham that his descendants will be slaves for 400 years. Then, as God has predicted we learn that the Jews are enslaved in Egypt. Finally God sends Moshe to redeem them. Instead of making redemption of the jews easy, he continues to harden Paro's heart and punishes the Egyptians with sever plagues--each more horrible than the previous one. And for what? So that the jews can serve him ("כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי וְיַעַבְדֻנִי", Shemot chapter 7, verse 26).

God was the one who decreed slavery; God was the one who hardened Paro's heart.

Is God a bully?


texts: How does the law treat euthanasia for palliative patients? Is it ok to ask for it and how would the act be treated (as a murder or ?)


texts: Does any Sefer / posek state clearly that the cooking of a Mechalel Shabbos is not considered bishul akum even lechatchila?

texts:
I know that there are a number of poskim who say that food cooked by a mechalel Shabbos befarhesia (one who desecrates Shabbos publicly)[who is not a tinok shenishba] is forbidden to eat like food cooked by a non-Jew [Bishul Akum]. Others say that [lechatchila]  it should not be done, but B'dieved, after the fact, the food is permissible.

Does any Sefer / posek  state clearly that the cooking by a Mechalel Shabbos [who is not a tinok shenishba] is permissible  lechatchila?


texts: What implications might there be for a personal air purifier on Shabbath?  Would it be the same as wearing a watch, even a self-winding watch, which according to most is Mutar on Shabbath?  Or is it a problem because its primary function is to do Melachah for you wherever you go?


texts:
What issues may be at play when adjusting the temperature of an urn on Shabbat, e.g. from 200° F to 80° F, specifically on an urn pictured below*? (Assuming the water is already pre-boiled before Shabbat and no lights will turn on when temperature is adjusted. Would also appreciate technical input; it greatly helps in determining halachic outcome.)

*One company I am aware of that makes this model is Magic Mill.


texts: Why are there only 8 Martyrs in the Tisha b'av kinnos

texts:
The kinna on Tisha b'av says there are 10 Martyrs, but only 8 are named.
In the Yom Kippur version, however, all 10 are mentioned. Why are 2 missing from Tisha b'av?


texts: Could the world be destroyed due to environmental causes?

texts:
Some Environmentalists claim that our irresponsibility may/will result in, eventually, the destruction of life as we know it, due to global flooding and superstorms, or any other number of doomsday scenario theories.

Does Judaism have anything to say about this?


texts: What should be done if the shel rosh first is taken out first?

texts:
Let's assume that one puts on the shel yad (hand-tefillin) before the shel rosh, and based on that, should be careful to take out the shel yad first (because of "אין מעבירין על המצוות").

What should one do if one accidentally removed the shel rosh (head-tefillin) from the tefillin bag first? Should he put it on (אין מעבירין על מצוות), or put it down and put on the shel yad?


texts:
MichaelS wrote:

  The case: Ben Noah in the process of giyur. Stood before the Beis Din and was asked question 'Will you follow the mitzvot as fully as a goy can up until the end of the process of giyur and completely after the process is done?'.

Do bate din (Jewish courts) in fact demand that a potential ger do mitzvos to the extent possible before giyur? If so, I assume it's so the ger knows what he's getting into and/or so he gets practice, but is that demand codified in halacha  or only a practical measure taken by bate din?


texts: We recently had a married couple as seder guests and found out that they are in the process of a reconstructionist (non halachic ) conversion. They seemed interested in coming to a future shabbat meal. May they be invited? I don't want to give the impression that an orthodox person would normalize non halachic conversion and they seem unaware of the difference in conversion status by denominations.  It also seems inappropriate to suggest an orthodox conversion, as that is prosyletizing. Should non halachic conversion candidates be regularly welcomed to future Jewish events in an orthodox home ?


texts: Total number of Simanim In Shulchan Aruch

texts: How many Simanim (Not Seifim) are there in all of Shulchan Aruch?


texts: Looking for sources that explain why monotheism is true (as opposed to paganism) and how to attain that knowledge

texts:
Shalom.
I am looking for sources (a list if possible) that explain why monotheism, as opposed to paganism, is true. I would also like to know how to attain that knowledge.
I am aware that Chovos Halevavos is an authoritative source on the subject, but wish to know whether this question has been addressed by others (and if so, by whom and where).
Many thanks for your time.


texts: How was Saul a Tzadik if he wiped out Nov?

texts:
I've read many commentaries that argue that despite losing the kingdom, Saul is a righteous guy.

But how, after he mass murdered priests (Samuel 1 21-22)? To be more exact, he ordered priests to be mass murdered for giving aid to David. He didn't do it himself, but he ordered it. Isn't that a major capital crime?


texts: Unusual format of plural fem. 2nd person pronoun in Gen. 31:6

texts:
The beginning of Breishit 31:6 uses the word ואתנה for the 2nd person Hebrew plural pronoun instead of the more common form אתן. This is the only time I have seen this form used in the Torah (I haven't checked the rest of Tanac"h for a similar occurrence.)

Is there a specific reason for using the extra ה at the end of this word, in this place?


texts:
Kizayis, Kebeitzah, Toich Kedai Achilas Pras, Zman Kriyas Shemah

Why is god so into details what are their significance(e.x why does god care if I daven after Zman Kriyas Shemah)?


texts: A rabbi asked me to light candles before weekday Mincha/Ma'ariv. Is this customary? Is there a bracha?

texts:
Last night, I was pulled in off the street to help an unfamiliar shul make a minyan for Mincha/Ma'ariv. The rabbi greeted me, and when he learned I do not speak Hebrew, he gave me a very nice blessing about my future with Hashem. Then he said, "We're going to light the candles. Please, …" and he ushered me toward a table covered with candlesticks. Then he went to start davening, and I was left to figure out what to do.

I'm a Conservative Jew, though I feel pretty comfortable in an Orthodox environment, however this was probably only my second or third time davening with a mostly Hasidic minyan. I have never heard of lighting candles on a weekday night when there is no holiday, and I didn't know whether to say a bracha, and if so, which one. I just lit the candles without a bracha, and then we went on to daven. Does anyone know more about this practice?


texts: Why does a person need to be connected to the ground to perform kishuf (magic)?

texts:
The gemarah (Yerushlmi Hagigah 2:2, Sanhedrin 6:6) recounts a story of Shimon ben Shetach who captured 80 witches. In the story he instructs those assisting him to lift the witches off the ground to prevent them from being able to use their magic. Similarly according to the Daas Zekeinim (Shemos 8:14) the reason Pharaoh's sorcerers couldn't replicate the plague of lice was because they were not on the ground.

I would like to know why it is that a person needs to be directly connected to the ground in order to perform kishuf (magic).


texts: No Dagesh for Yud, Lamed, Mem with Shva after Hei HaYdiah

texts:
In general, when a word is prefixed by Hei HaYdiah (the definite article), the following consonant receives a Dagesh Hazak (gemination). Clear exceptions are when that consonant is a guttural and cannot receive a Dagesh. However, in the Bible in some cases, it seems like omission of the Dagesh occurs even in non-gutturals, specifically the letters Yud, Lamed, Mem, when these are pointed with a Shva. I'm wondering what the rationale for that could be? What is particular about those letters? It doesn't seem like it would be difficult to pronounce them geminated.

(Inspired by this question.)


texts: Is it allright to use/wave the Argentinian flag?

texts:
The Sun of May in the flag is inspired by an ancient Inca god. It is used by the Argentinian flag and the Uruguayan flag.

It is a representation used as a homage to the ancient empire, inspired by the Inca sun deity, as there isn't an official symbol to represent it, just like we don't have a symbol to represent Hashem.

It is not like the Turkey flag. Muslims adopted the crescent, a secular symbol, to represent their faith, contrariwise, the Sun of May was never adopted by Incan faith, neither it was made to symbolize it.

Is it idolatry to use/wave these flags, but without adoring the symbol?


texts: Can a village / shtetl rabbi require the merchants to close their shops for a funeral?

texts:
I'm trying to help a co-worker decipher some history about his great grandfather.

He showed me a picture of a poster - notice written in Hebrew that announced the funeral of his great grandfather. In Hebrew, it said that all merchants are required to close their stores in order to honor the deceased.

My co-worker didn't have much more info about his great grandfather. The announcement doesn't list the town / village or the date. He assumes that since the announcement was in Hebrew, this occurred in Israel and he estimates this to be about 70 years ago. We both assume that his great grandfather must have been an extremely prominent rav, in order to make this type of request.

We're both curious if halachically a town / village Va'ad Harabanim or even a single rabbi can require merchants to close their store to honor a prominent rav's funeral.


texts: Shisha Veshishim Ushesh Meot (666) - mi yodeya?

texts:
Who knows six hundred sixty-six?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible.
At some point between twenty-four hours and a few days from now, I will:

Vote up all interesting, relevant answers.

Accept what I consider the "best" answer.

Related.
https://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/277/Q1/
And.    My current reputation is 666. Am I over on Machashefah Lo tichayah?


texts: Is it permissible for a convert to care for a sick parental figure at home?

texts: Suppose someone wishing to convert to Judaism was caring in her home for a chronically-ill adoptive parent who practiced another religion. Would this be an impediment to the conversion process? Would it continue to be permissible even after conversion?


texts:
Can one give Mushrooms for Mishloach Manos? Since you have to give real food and with mushrooms:

1 - You can't make an Erev Tnachmin with it.

2 - You buy it with money of Ma'aser Sheini.

3 - You make a Bracha Shehakol on it.

So it must be not a real kind of food.


texts: Tephilin during krias hatorah on the third day of Pesach

texts:
Background: There seems to be a popular movement amongst those who wear tephilin on Chol Hamoed to leave them on until after krias hatora on the second (first, in the Diaspora) day of Chol Hamoed Pesach.

The reasoning given is since we mention tephilin in the Torah reading, one who holds they are to be worn that day shouldn't be found without them as this constitutes a tartei disasri, a contradiction in practice.

Question: What is the history of this practice? I.e. how new or old is it, is it mentioned in any works from more than a few decades ago?


texts: Not passing up a mitzvah: putting away laundry at a parent's behest: closest pile first?

texts:
My kid asked:

  I know there's a general rule of en maavirin al hamtizvos, we don't pass over a mitzva. For example, in mishnayos Yoma, the kohanim don't pass over the nearest blood basin to put blood in a farther basin. Let's say I'm putting away piles of folded laundry because my parent told me to [thereby fulfilling the mitzva of mora av vaem]. Do I have to put away the nearest pile first [since putting each pile away is a mitzva and passing up the nearest pile is passing over a mitzva]?

(It seems reasonable to me that the answer is "Yes", but I don't know the parameters of en maavirin.)


texts: Reuben, Simeon, Levi...But what about the other tribes?

texts:
Exodus 6:14 - 26 lists the genealogy of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Levi. However, after listing the family tree of Levi, the Torah does not continue listing the other tribes - Judah, Joseph, etc.

I understand the reason for listing Levi's family tree, because Moses and Aaron's great-grandfather is Levi son of Jacob, but why  list Reuben and Simeon before Levi, when the Torah does not mention any of the other tribes? What does Reuben and Simeon in particular have anything to do with Moses and Aaron more than the other tribes?

Edit:
I have accepted one of the answers, but I am still interested in hearing other opinions from different commentaries.


texts:
The 3rd principle of faith of Maimonides states:

"ג] אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהַבּורֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו אֵינו גוּף, וְלא יַשּיגוּהוּ מַשּיגֵי הַגּוּף, וְאֵין לו שׁוּם דִּמְיון כְּלָל."
"I believe with perfect faith that the Creator, Blessed be His Name, has no body, and that He is free from all the properties of matter, and that there can be no (physical) comparison to Him whatsoever."

On one hand, the parallel sources in Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah Chapter 1 seem to reflect such a conclusion, but the Moreh 3:28 seems to suggest otherwise.
Is attributing emotions to God a violation of the 3rd principle of faith of Maimonides?


texts:
What is Neitz and why is it important?
My inspiration:
http://mekubal.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/at-long-last/#comments


texts: Hamapil immediately before sleep, but what about undressing?

texts: Generally, we are supposed to say hamapil beracha immediately before going to bed, with no interruption. How do we reconcile this with the idea that we should be dressed appropriately to make a beracha, and some people do not sleep in such dress.


texts:
I recently purchased a suit, and with Hashem's help it will be ready sometime this week. When I was at the suiting shop, I began thinking about whether or not my new suit would be obligated in tzitzis or not.

Normal suit jackets are single breasted, meaning there is one row of buttons. the corners there are almost always rounded, so there is no concern of the front two "corners" and the vents on the back of the jacket forming four corners and the garment being obligated in tzitzis. (Picture)

My jacket, however, is double breasted, and so there really are four corners, when you count the front two and the vents. (Picture)

I was wondering whether my new jacket would be obligated in tzitzis. After all, there are four corners, but then again the vents do not go up the majority of the jacket and so there could actually be no concern at all.

Additionally, what about the lapels? Do they count as corners? Also, how long must the slit be in the jacket to make it obligated in tzitzis?


texts: Did women and Levites survive the 40 years in the wilderness?

texts:
In Bamidbar 14:29-30 God decrees the consequences of the people believing a bad report from the spies:

בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה יִפְּלוּ פִגְרֵיכֶם וְכָל-פְּקֻדֵיכֶם, לְכָל-מִסְפַּרְכֶם, מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, וָמָעְלָה:  אֲשֶׁר הֲלִינֹתֶם, עָלָי.
אִם-אַתֶּם, תָּבֹאוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתִי אֶת-יָדִי, לְשַׁכֵּן אֶתְכֶם בָּהּ--כִּי אִם-כָּלֵב בֶּן-יְפֻנֶּה, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן-נוּן.
your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, ye that have murmured against Me;
surely ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I lifted up My hand that I would make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

We know that this doesn't include those under twenty; it's right there in the text.  But the text also says "all that were numbered of you".  When the census was taken in parshat B'midbar it only included men and it also excluded the Levi'im, because this was a census of those who could go to war.
Rashi's comment is a little confusing (I can't tell if he's including or excluding the Levi'im):

your entire number, all those…who were counted: All those counted in any census which was numbered, for example going to or returning from war, contributing shekels; all those listed in those tallies will die. They are: All those from the age of twenty and up, excluding the tribe of Levi, who were not counted from the age of twenty [but from the age of one month].

Rashi refers to the half-shekel collection.  This is described in Shemot 30:12-14 and it's not clear to me who it includes.  It says "when you take a census" and the censuses that are described are of soldiers; on the other hand, it also says "that there be no plague among them", and that seems like it would apply to everybody.  Rashi does not clarify this.
Did women over 20 and/or Levi'im get to go into Eretz Yisrael 40 years later (those who hadn't died for other reasons by then)?


texts: What does the act of cursing one's parents entail?

texts:
The Torah (Leviticus 20:9) tells us:

  "for any man who curses his father or his mother, shall be put to death..."

What exactly would be considered "cursing" here?


texts: How can I determine if someone is Shomer Negiah?

texts:
I am not Shomer Negiah. However, I have been in mixed social situations where I was unsure if the person I was meeting was Shomer Negiah. I don't want to offend anyone, so I'm wondering if there is a polite way to ask if someone would prefer not to shake my hand. I don't want to automatically assume either way.

Perhaps in a social situation, I could simply refrain from offering my hand, but in a business situation, it might benefit the person if I were to raise the potential. (Saving them from the requirement to Tell Someone About Shomer Negiah or help them Tactfully Circumvent Opposite-Gender Handshakes.)


texts: Shalom Aleichem in Kiddush Levana to an Aveil

texts: We do not say Shalom Aleichem to a Aveil. What about saying Shalom Aleichem to an Aveil (after the Shiva, during the year of Aveilus) during Kiddush Levana - do you or do you not? (sources please)


texts:
Is there a comprehensive explanation of Avos 2:6?

  אַף הוּא רָאָה גֻלְגֹּלֶת אַחַת שֶׁצָּפָה עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. אָמַר (לָהּ), עַל דַּאֲטֵפְתְּ, אַטְפוּךְ. וְסוֹף מְטַיְּפַיִךְ יְטוּפוּן

Why is it in Aramaic?
Why is this lesson included in Avos (seems out of place)?
Who is this skull and how does Hillel know it was drowned due to drowning others? (I have seen many citations that say it was the skull of Pharaoh and source the Arizal, which I have been unable to locate)
Why was only a skull found (is there some symbolism specific to the skull)?
Why add the word "v'sof" - וְסוֹף?


texts: Why don't kashrut agencies mark on certain cheeses that one must wait 6 hours?

texts:
While shopping for Shavu'ot, I noticed that the caterer had marked on their eggplant rollatini "made with 6-hour cheese". I was pleased that they did this, as I had never seen this marking, previously. It helps me plan my menus better knowing this.

I've never seen this type of marking on any kosher cheese. With the confusion of what defines "hard cheese", I can see that having this marking on kosher cheeses being very useful. As far as I know, except for 1 or 2 items from Cabot that have a hecher, all the commercial brands are obviously soft cheese (cottage and cream cheese is easy to determine that it's soft.) Why haven't the kashrut agencies placed this notice on their labels?


texts:
In the Mishna, Miqvaos 7:1, Rabbi Akiva quotes Rabbi Ishmael as having declared that snow does not count towards the completion of a mikva, but the people of Meibeba then testify that Rabbi Ishmael thinks that it does - in fact, that he even once had a mikva filled with snow from the outset:

  אמר רבי עקיבא, היה רבי ישמעאל דן כנגדי לומר: השלג אינו מעלה את המקוה.
  והעידו אנשי מידבא משמו שאמר להם: צאו והביאו שלג ועשו מקוה בתחלה

According to both Tosfos Yom-Tov and Tiferes Yisrael (Yakhin), Rabbi Ishmael really did believe that snow counts towards the completion of a mikvah, and was advancing a contrary opinion for the sake of arguing only. In the words of the Tosfos Yom-Tov:

  ואמנם מה שהיה חולק על ר"ע הוא במשא ומתן של הדין על צד הויכוח, לא שהוא
  יסבור כך

  Concerning his disagreement with Rabbi Akiva, this was only in the
  give and take of the law and for the sake of an argument, and not
  because he actually thought this.

Tiferes Yisrael suggests the same thing (דרך פלפול בעלמא), but as the second of two possibilities - the first being that Rabbi Ishmael believed that snow doesn't count towards the completion of a mikvah and that he subsequently changed his mind. I prefer that suggestion myself, since it has Rabbi Ishmael arguing with sincerity, but am intrigued by the other.

Normally, I would have thought, if a person chooses to "play devil's advocate" they indicate to their opponent that this is what they're doing, but Rabbi Ishmael allowed Rabbi Akiva to walk away believing that this was actually his opinion. Are there any sources (obviously, aside from this one) that this is a respectable thing to do? That we can pretend to an opinion that we don't really have, purely for the sake of an argument?


texts:
I'm relatively new to making cholent. Before Shabbat starts I turn the temp down to around the warm area on the slow cooker. What I hadn't considered is whether it would boil or not. What happens is that most of the time it's still, but from time to time starts bubbling for a bit and stops.

My question is what counts as boiling on Shabbat? How do I stop this from happening if it counts as boiling?


texts: What school of thought did the Jews of Khazaria (or Kuzari) follow?

texts:
Inspired by Kuzari studies, I came to wonder about the Jewish community in Khazaria (Kuzari) in the time of the Khazaria empire.

What "school of thought" did the Jews of Khazaria (or Kuzari) follow that time?
Did that school of thought have any major differences with other schools of thoughts (that time or today)? Provide some if possible.
If this is impossible to answer, what about trying to speculate:
If one collects the information about (some) Jewish "beliefs" which exists in the Kuzari and other reports, and then analyses it (it has to be interpreted correctly too though), one might draw a conclusion or pin point that the result given in the analyse is similar to sect X understanding or some schools of thought have inclined to similar understandings.


texts: Why are challenges to respected rabbis not treated seriously?

texts:
Say someone disagrees with the Chazon Ish or has a problem with the Aruch HaShulchan in a particular halachic area. Sure, they're no gadol, and they might have not even learned an extensive volume of halacha, but the way their challenge is treated is odd.

Instead of explaining why the reasoning is wrong for disagreeing with this gadol, often a learned frum individual will just say, "Who are you to disagree with a gadol?" In nearly any discipline, study, or area of thought, this is never an appropriate response to a challenge. Nobody is told that they cannot disagree with Keynes on economics, or with Newton in physics, or Herbert Spencer in sociology, et cetera. Challenges are welcomed, and if they're novice challenges, then they're rejected with logic and explanation quite quickly. However, I've seen this poor attitude in the frum community where legitimate challenges towards poskim are met with, "You haven't studied halacha your entire life, so how can you possibly challenge a great posek?" Why is this acceptable? Is this not just an argument from authority? I'm confused here. It just seems rude and often it avoids the actual question.


texts: Are you Yotzei Mikrah Megillah if you're spacing out?

texts:
The Mishnah in Megillah (2:2) says that one who reads the megillah while semi-asleep ('מתנמנם') is yotzei. The gemara comments (18b):

מתנמנם יצא וכו':  היכי דמי מתנמנם אמר רב אשי נים ולא נים תיר ולא תיר דקרו ליה ועני ולא ידע לאהדורי סברא וכי מדכרו ליה מידכר׃
What's מתנמנם? Sleeping, but not sleeping, awake, but not awake. If you call him, he'll answer; he can't do a sevara, but if you remind him, he'll remember.

This may imply that one does not need to be focusing very well to be yotzei. Where is the cut-off where one is no longer yotzei? If a person is daydreaming, but he hears the words in the background, is he yotzei? What if he's looking at something else, e.g. his cellphone? This is also relevant for other areas where you need to listen to be yotzei, such as Kiddush on Friday night.


texts:
My pizza has some ants in it. I thought, who cares. Just eat them alive.

Does that break Noahide laws?

Must all of our food must be really sterile (i.e., dead)?


texts: If no one else was available, could a mohel ride a bicycle on shabbos to perform a circumcision?

texts:
If a healthy baby boy's eighth day of life is on a Saturday, that's the day his bris milah / circumcision should be performed if at all possible. While elective surgeries are prohibited on Shabbos, circumcision in its proper time overrides Shabbos. However, only the act of circumcision itself overrides Shabbos: if there was no boiling water available to disinfect the scalpel, the bris would just have to wait till Sunday.

If no mohel is available within walking distance, could he ride a bicycle to get there?

Disclaimer as usual -- for theory's sake only. Ask a rabbi first. (And please be sure your scalpel is securely stowed before flying off on your bike.)


texts: Are there recordings of Rav Elyashiv ztz'l learning with his unique melody?

texts: Rav Elyashiv apparently utilized a distinctive melody when learning.  Are there any extant recordings, either audio or video, of this melody?


texts: Are Abraham Ibn Ezra and Moshe Ibn Ezra related?

texts: Are these two figures of Jew tradition related, and if so, can anyone point me to any encyclopedia articles which deal with this question?


texts:
I know that Jews are supposed to give 10% of their income to charity, but what constitutes a charity? I know that Shuls, Jewish schools and poor people in your community count, but what about secular organizations? There are some that save lives, such as the Red Cross. How about organizations that help children, perhaps a secular orphanage or Make a Wish foundation? Then there are the cultural arts, museums and zoos.

I'm sure the jewish definition of charities can's be as simple as the IRS' definition.


texts: Why does G-d reward reshaim in this world to punish them in the next, if He is good?

texts:
The question of "Why do some reshaim people live a good life, while some good people suffer" is often answered that G-d rewards the rasha in this world, in order to punish him in the world to come for all his sins.

How can we reconcile this with the concept that G-d is essentially good and that everything He does is for the good [of every individual] (as it says, for instance, "Tov Hashem lakol vrachamov al kol maasov"). Now, being rewarded in this world in order to be punished in the world to come surely seems like not a good thing for the rasha (in an absolute good sense). So why would G-d do that?


texts:
When chanting Birkat Hamazon, I always thought it started Chaverai n'varech, but I have recently attended a Conservadox Bar Mitzvah, where they used Rabotai n'varech. Here are some images; I found the top one on a Reform website, the bottom on an Orthodox one.

What is the difference between these two words, and why is it different between denominations?


texts:
What are all the dates mentioned in Tanakh?

This question seeks all dates that are explicitly mentioned in the verses. No chronological extrapolation or exposition allowed here.

The date could be the date of a historical event, a religious injunction, or a prophecy. We may or may not have all the parts of the date available. Please list the verse, date, and if you can a one sentence summary of its significance.

There will be one wiki answer for dates by book, and when that is done we can rearrange the information into a second wiki answer in calendrical order.

This could be a useful resource for people looking for historical significance of various dates.

(If such a collection already exists please post it as an answer, but the amount of data involved should be manageable enough for us to maintain explicitly here as well. Please help out!)


texts: Under what circumstances may one eat or drink on a fast day?

texts: When and for what health reasons should we break our fasts?  (assume the person is not elderly or pregnant.)


texts: Meals that start with dairy and end with meat?

texts: We may eat meat shortly after eating dairy.  But meals are never served that way.  That is, serving dairy hors d'oeuvre followed by a meat meal.  Why not?  Is there a rabbinical prohibition against doing that?  (It's quite possible to be careful about not mixing, especially with disposable plates and silverware.)


texts: How do we know prophecy ceased in Israel?

texts:
The Talmud says that after the fall of the first Temple prophecy ceased in Israel (Yoma 9b, Sanhedrin 11a, Sotah 48b.).

But things improved after the return and the rebuilding of the Temple, not least of which is the disappearance of idolatry from Israel. So on what basis does the Talmud say that?  Why can't there be more prophets even before the Messianic age?  The sages have no control over this matter.


texts:
Who knows three hundred fifty?
חמישים ושלוש מאות - מי יודע?
The traditional Passover song "Echad - mi yodeya" implies a possible presupposition that there is a Jewish significance to be found for each natural number. Accordingly, there is an ongoing series on Mi Yodeya that is attempting to unearth significant Judaism facts about each number, in sequence.
What significant Judaism facts are there about the number 350? The more significant within Judaism and the more intrinsically dependent on the value 350, the stronger the answer. Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.
Skip lazy gematria answers; give us something to sink our teeth into.


texts: May one disassemble a Sukkah during Chol Hamoed?

texts: I know from 134:11 in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch that one may assemble a Sukkah during Chol Hamoed. May one disassemble a Sukkah during Chol Hamoed in order to prevent the Sukkah from being damaged by, say, a hurricane?


texts: How do we know that the Judaic calendar should be primarily lunar based?

texts:
There is nowhere in the Torah that specifically mentions that the calendar cycle is to be based mainly on a lunar cycle. (I'm intentionally omitting the notion of the solar / seasonal influence of adding an extra month, occasionally, as I understand why this is done.)

The Gregorian calendar and many other calendars are primarily solar based. The Gregorian uses the solar orbit as its base for defining a year and divides it into 12 segments with each segment called a "month".

In contrast, the Judaic calendar is based on the molad which is based on the actual calculation of the lunar orbit. (I'm not talking about the additional requirement to visibly see the 1st crescent, witnesses, Sanhedrin, etc. That's derived separately. But the basis is still the molad which is based on the lunar orbit.)

How is this requirement derived or is this halacha Lemoshe Misinai? (part of Masorah)


texts:
What makes a wine kosher?
Why are some wines kosher and some not?


texts: What do other Chassidic groups say about the Baal Shem Tov's meeting with Moshiach?

texts:
There is a story where the Baal Shem Tov had a meditative experience and he "entered the chambers of Moshiach", and asked him "אימיתי קאתי מר" (When will the Master (you, Moshiach) come?), to which he answers "לכשיפצו מעיינותיך חוצה" (When your wellsprings spread forth (or outwards)).

This is the classic story which is told by many Chabad Chassidim, which underpins the belief that the spreading of the teachings of Chassidut will bring Moshiach, as the Baal Shem Tov's wellsprings are understood to be his teachings.

I have only heard this story from Chabad Chassidim, and it plays an integral role for them in their spiritual lives as well as outreach efforts.

So, my question is: What do other Chassidic groups say of this story? Is this story found in non-Chabad Chassidic works?


texts: Jewish names commonly used in a different form than found in Tanach

texts:
Some names are popularly used in a different form than the way they're spelled or pronounced in Tanach. A few that I can think of are:

Nochum (נָחוּם) - is written in Tanach (Nah. 1:1) as נַחוּם (with a patach under the nun).
Yerachmiel (יְרַחְמִיאֵל) - is written in Tanach (Jer. 36:26; I Chron. 2:9 passim, and 24:29) as יְרַחְמְאֵל (with a sheva under the mem, and no second yud).
Yeruchom (יְרֻחָם) - is written in Tanach (I Sam. 1:1; Neh. 11:12; I Chron. 6:12,19, 8:27, 9:8,12, 12:8, 27:22; II Chron. 23:1) as יְרֹחָם (with a cholam following the reish).

Where do these variants come from? And in the case of Yerachmiel, where the spelling (not just the pronunciation) is different, does halachah recognize the popular spelling as valid for use in official documents like kesubos and gittin, or is the Biblical form supposed to be used?

(There are others, such as Yeshayah/u and Yirmiyah/u, where both forms are found in Tanach. My question is about ones such as those listed above, where all usages of each name are spelled and pronounced the same way each time.)

Some others mentioned in comments (thanks all):

Daniel (דָּנִיאֵל) - is written in Tanach (in the book of that name, as well as in Ez. 8:2, Neh. 10:7 and I Chron. 3:1) as דָּנִיֵּאל (with the tzeirei under the yud, which also has a dagesh).
Basyah (בַּתְיָה) - is written in Tanach (I Chron. 4:18) as בִּתְיָה (with a chirik under the beis). (That may have been influenced by the Midrash, Vayikra Rabbah 1:3, in which Hashem, so to speak, adopts her as His daughter - בַּת יָ-הּ - in recognition of her having done the same for Moshe.)
Shamshon (שַׁמְשׁוֹן) - is written in Tanach (Judg. 13:25 passim) as שִׁמְשׁוֹן (with a chirik under the first shin). (That may have been influenced by the non-Jewish form, originally from the Septuagint.)
Tuviah (טוּבְיָה) - is written in Tanach (Zech. 6:10,14; Ez. 2:60; Neh. 3:35 passim; II Chron. 17:8) as טוֹבִיָּה (with a cholam after the tes, a chirik under the veis and a dagesh in the yud). That one might actually imply a difference in meaning: Tuviah - "the goodness of G-d"; Toviah - "G-d is good."


texts: What is the order of tefillot for Yom Ha’atzma’ut?

texts:
For those communities that mark Yom Ha’atzma’ut (in any way) what changes (if any) are made to the order of all three tefillot of the day?

I am aware of various changes made in various communities (e.g. reciting certain psalms before arvit, reciting an expanded pesukei dezimra before shacharit, reciting hallel (with or without a blessing, during or after shacharit), omitting tachanun, reciting selichot, reading a pseudo-haftarah.)

I’m seeking as comprehensive (and sourced) an answer as possible.


texts: Estate of a convert whose only possible heir is just that: only a possible heir

texts: The last mishna in chapter 11 of Y'vamos says that if a woman didn't wait long between two marriages and therefore we don't know whether her son, say Samuel, is from the first husband, Aaron, or the second, Baruch, then Samuel doesn't inherit either of the possible fathers. Rav and Tif'eres Yisrael explain that this because the definite heirs can prevent him from doing so, claiming he's not an heir. What if there are no definite heirs: specifically, what if Aaron is a convert who has no relatives besides Samuel? Do we say that his estate is ownerless like that of a convert who died with no relatives, or that Samuel inherits him? From the language of the mishna, "he doesn't inherit them", it sounds like the estate is ownerless; but from the reason given by the aforementioned commentaries, it sounds like this would be an exception. Does anyone deal with the question explicitly?


texts:
[This is not a request for a psak, as I did say Mussaf on time today, B"H.]

If it is now after Mincha Gedola, but before Mincha Ketana, and there is no Minyan, what should an individual say first, Mussaf or Mincha?

While chabad.org says

  If one is praying before Minchah Ketanah, but needs to pray both
  Minchah and Musaf at once (...) one should pray Mincha first, and then
  Musaf. If one is praying before Minchah Ketanah and one does not need
  to pray Minchah right away, one should pray Musaf first, take a break,
  and then pray Minchah later.

yeshiva.co omits the clause about Mincha Ketanah and says unconditionally that

  if it is already Mincha time, then one should say Mincha before Musaf.

and ou.org seems to agree that regardless of the current hour,

  he should recite Mincha first, followed by Musaf.

So, what is it? A machlokes?


texts: Why did the son of the Egyptian and Jew have to convert?

texts:
Rashi on Vayikra 24:10 says that the son of the Egyptian man (that Moshe killed) and Shlomit bat Divri converted:

  בתוך בני ישראל: מלמד שנתגייר:

However, since his mother was a Jew, why did he convert? After all, anyone born to a Jewish mother is themselves Jewish (see "Am I Jewish?").

(Note: The proper term is "Israelite", not "Jew", but i'll use the more common term in this question [and answer] anyways. FYI.)


texts: What if someone accidentally gave an Aliya to a non-Jew?

texts:
A gabbai called someone up for an Aliya. Yaamod, Reuven ben Shimon Shlishi.

Then, it turns out that Reuven isn't Jewish (he thought he was, his mother had a reform conversion and he thought that was enough). Now what?

If he was caught right away, do you have to re-read it, calling up another as Shlishi?
Do you have to go back if caught later?
If not, do you still have to break up the next aliya into two to have a full seven Aliyas?


texts: 'Removal of the evil inclination is like removal of the soul'

texts: I saw recently (here) in the name of the Chazon Ish that 'removal of the evil inclination removes the soul'. Is there a written source for this (either in the writings of the Chazon Ish or elsewhere)?


texts: The Rambam's "Complete Repentence" + halachical logistics

texts:
In Chapter 2 of the Mishnah Torah on Repentance, the Rambam presents an achingly romantic view of "Complete Repentance" (doubly romantic as it involves love between both a man and a woman and a man and Hashem):

  אֵי זוֹ הִיא תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה. זֶה שֶׁבָּא לְיָדוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁעָבַר
  בּוֹ וְאֶפְשָׁר בְּיָדוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וּפֵרַשׁ וְלֹא עָשָׂה מִפְּנֵי
  הַתְּשׁוּבָה. לֹא מִיִּרְאָה וְלֹא מִכִּשְׁלוֹן כֹּחַ. כֵּיצַד. הֲרֵי
  שֶׁבָּא עַל אִשָּׁה בַּעֲבֵרָה וּלְאַחַר זְמַן נִתְיַחֵד עִמָּהּ
  וְהוּא עוֹמֵד בְּאַהֲבָתוֹ בָּהּ וּבְכֹחַ גּוּפוֹ וּבַמְּדִינָה
  שֶׁעָבַר בָּהּ וּפָרַשׁ וְלֹא עָבַר זֶהוּ בַּעַל תְּשׁוּבָה גְּמוּרָה.
  הוּא שֶׁשְּׁלֹמֹה אָמַר (קהלת יב א) וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶיךָ בִּימֵי
  בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ

  What is complete repentance? He who once more had in it in his power
  to repeat a violation, but separated himself therefrom, and did not do
  it because of repentance, not out of fear or lack of strength. For
  example? One who knew a woman sinfully, and after a process of time he
  met her again privately, and he still loving her as theretofore, and
  he being in a state of potency, and the meeting is in the same land
  where the sin was first committed, if he parted without sinning, he
  has attained complete repentance. Of such Solomon said: "Remember then
  thy Creator in the days of thy youth" (Ecc. 12.1)"
  (Translation from Sefaria)

What, however, would be the logistics of such a demonstration of complete repentance? Would yichud be required? If so, would one get a "pass" for committing this transgression in order to seek complete repentance? If one or both parties had divorced in the meantime, would the repentance be any less complete?

If yichud is required, would that not be a serious transgression of the following principle set forth in Avodah Zarah 17a (as well as elsewhere):

  עולא כי הוה אתי מבי רב הוה מנשק להו לאחתיה אבי ידייהו ואמרי לה אבי
  חדייהו ופליגא דידיה אדידיה דאמר עולא קריבה בעלמא אסור משום לך לך אמרין
  נזירא סחור סחור לכרמא לא תקרב

  The Gemara relates: When Ulla would come from the study hall, he would
  kiss his sisters on their hands. And some say: On their chests. And
  the Gemara points out that this action of his disagrees with another
  ruling that Ulla himself issued, as Ulla says: Mere intimacy with a
  woman with whom one is prohibited from engaging in sexual intercourse
  is prohibited, due to the maxim: Go, go, we say to a nazirite, go
  around, go around but do not come near to the vineyard. Just as a
  nazirite is warned not even to come into close proximity of a vineyard
  lest he consume a product of the vine, so too one is obligated to
  distance himself from anyone with whom intercourse is forbidden." (Translation from Sefaria)


texts:
Both the pious pre-Talmudic Book of Jubilees1 and the Talmudic Gemara2 agree that Angels kept the Torah in Heaven long before it was finally revealed through Moses to the people of Israel.3 My question would be whether traditional Judaism believes that this observance is still going on today. (The concept of not in Heaven seems unrelated, but I am not sure).

1 From the Jewish Encyclopedia article on the Book of Jubilees:
Note to a footnote: In the above-linked text of Jubilees, from the beautiful Sefaria site, the verse numbering differs from the one provided below by the Jewish Encyclopedia; nevertheless, all one has to do is scroll a few verses below the ones referenced to obtain the intended passage.

As a sign of its [ Israel's ] union with God, both the Sabbath and circumcision have been given to it, privileges which it shares with the angels (ch. ii. 18-21, xv. 26-27).
[T]he Hasidæan author represents circumcision as ordained in heaven from the beginning of Creation (ch. xv. 25-27).
The Sabbath that comes at the close of the twenty-two generations (ch. ii. 23) was also ordained in heaven, and was, therefore, given to no other nation but Israel, to celebrate as it is celebrated by the angels in heaven (ch. ii. 30-31; comp. Sanh. 58b).
It [ the Feast of Weeks ] was celebrated in heaven from the days of Creation until God ordained it to Noah.

2 A small passage from the much larger context of Shabbat 88b-89a:

[ The angels ] said before Him: [ The Torah is a ] hidden treasure that was concealed by you 974 generations before the creation of the world, [ and ] you seek to give it to flesh and blood?

A scholarly footnote, paraphrasing Rashi's commentary, adds the following:

As it is stated: “The word which He commanded to a thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8). Since the Torah, the word of God, was given to the twenty-sixth generation after Adam, the first man, the remaining 974 generations must have preceded the creation of the world.

Another plausible explanation for the presence of the mysterious number 974 would be Deuteronomy 7:9, ultimately amounting to the same conclusion.

3 From Chabad.org :

A question is asked: which is greater? Eino metzuvah ve’oseh — One who is not commanded and who observes Torah on his own volition or metzuvah ve’oseh — one who is commanded and fulfills what he has been commanded?
While at first thought one may reason that the former is greater, the Gemara (Kiddushin 31a) says “one who performs a precept having been commanded to do so, is greater than one who performs a precept without having been commanded to do so.”
Though Hashem had not specifically given the Torah to the angels they were content since they held that observing Torah voluntarily is more commendable and receives greater reward. However, when they saw that Moshe had come up because Hashem was going to give him Torah (though the Jews too observed Torah voluntarily for many years) so that they would be a metzuvah ve’oseh — one who is commanded and performs — they suddenly realized that they were in error all these years, and in reality one who is commanded and performs is greater.

In the comments below, a user has suggested the possibility that I might have misrepresented or misunderstood the Rabbi's words, and proposed that I get in touch with him, so as to clarify any possible misapprehensions, which I eventually obliged. Emailing him, I asked:

Is it only a mere academic or intellectual pursuit for them, or do they actually perform (some of) its Commandments ?

To which he rather promptly replied:

This is based on what is related in tractate Shabbat. Th[at] there was opposition from Angels to Moshes taking the Torah down to earth

which sentence is as clear as it is also cryptic. (Feels weird emailing him a second time to ask for yet further clarifications, though; I don't want to seem too pushy). Just thought it commonsense to mention it here, in the spirit of total transparency.


texts: Is there a connection between Rav Yehuda loving Israel and forbidding the ascent from Babylon to Israel?

texts:
The Talmud in Barachot 43a states the following:

אמר ליה רב חסדא לרב יצחק האי משחא דאפרסמון מאי מברכין עלויה א"ל הכי אמר רב יהודה בורא שמן ארצנו א"ל בר מיניה דר' יהודה דחביבא ליה ארץ ישראל לכולי עלמא מאי א"ל הכי אמר רבי יוחנן בורא שמן ערב
R. Hisda said to R. Isaac: What blessing is said over this balsam-oil? — He replied: Thus said Rab Judah: 'Who createst the oil of our land', He then said to him: Leaving out Rab Judah, who dotes on the Land of Israel, what do ordinary people say? — He replied: Thus said R. Johanan: 'Who createst pleasant oil'.
(Soncino translation)

Apparently Rav Yehuda loved the Land of Israel so much that it caused him to change the text of a blessing, and we therefore cannot cite him as evidence. Yet some twenty pages earlier (Berachot 24b) we find the following about Rav Yehuda:

רבי אבא הוה קא משתמיט מיניה דרב יהודה דהוה קא בעי למיסק לארעא דישראל דאמר רב יהודה כל העולה מבבל לא"י עובר בעשה שנאמר בבלה יובאו ושמה יהיו עד יום פקדי אותם נאם ה
R. Abba kept away from Rab Judah because he wanted to go up to Eretz Israel; for Rab Judah said, Whoever goes up from Babylon to Eretz Israel transgresses a positive precept, since it says, They shall be carried to Babylon and there shall they be, until the day that I remember them, saith the Lord.
(Soncino translation)

Is it meant to be ironic that the very amora who loved Israel so much is the one who holds that it is forbidden to go up to Israel?
Is this a mere coincidence?
Was one of these in some way the cause the other?


texts: Should one say "Shehechiyanu" on eating raw corn for the first time in the season?

texts:
This question mentions that a fruit or vegetable which is normally not eaten raw in one's area gets a bracha of Shehakol rather than ha'etz / ha'adama.

There is a rule that when one eats a new seasonal fruit, one should say "Shehechiyanu".

Does this rule of saying Shehchiyanu apply only when one makes the fruit's regular bracha? Or would it also apply if one says shehakol on it such as eating raw corn on the cob?


texts:
The Rambam famously believed that sacrifices were given to ween people off idolatry.

Therefore, it can be assumed that when Mashiach comes, there won't be a need for sacrifices. Yet, the Rambam doesn't mention that in the Mishnah Torah.

There are many other places where "rationalistic" Taamei Torah (reasons behind Mitzvos) contradict Halacha.

How are these resolved?


texts: Eisov not wearing his best clothes for Yitzhak's blessing?

texts:
Eisov wore his best suit (the "royal robe" he took from Nimrod, who took it from Adam etc) whenever he served his father Itzhok (Bereishis Rabboh 65, 16). He kept it by his mother Rivkah's:

"וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל הַחֲמֻדֹת אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבָּיִת" (בראשית כז טו) – שבהם היה משמש את אביו. אמר ר' שמעון בן גמליאל: כל ימי הייתי משמש את אבא ולא שמשתי אותו אחד ממאה ששמש עשו את אביו. אני בשעה שהייתי משמש את אבא, הייתי משמשו בבגדים מלוכלכים; ובשעה שהייתי יוצא לדרך, הייתי יוצא בבגדים נקיים. אבל עשו, בשעה שהיה משמש את אביו, לא היה משמשו אלא בבגדי מלכות. אמר: אין כבודו של אבא להיות משמשו, אלא בבגדי מלכות."
my translation in short: R' Shimon Ben Gamliel says ... [we learn from this Pasuk that] Eisov served his father with his best and special clothes.

To disguise Yaakov, Rivka made him wear this robe. Later, Yitzhok smelled it to be convinced he's Eisov.

When Eisov comes back from hunting he prepares the food and enters Yitzhok's room, with "revolving doors", as Yaakov leaves ("יצוא יצא" ibid).

Now, freeze and rewind, For his most important ceremony, Eisov forgets to wear his best suit, he does not question his mother where it is.
Do the interpreters address this inconsistency?


texts:
Tehilim 49:17-18

  אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּב֣וֹד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃
  כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מוֹתוֹ יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃

  Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when his household goods
  increase; for when he dies he can take none of it along; his goods
  cannot follow him down.

What does it mean 'Do not be afraid'? Why should you be afraid when a man becomes rich?


texts: Why do we have the Bakasha, request, of Shema Koleinu, hear our voices in the Shemoneh Esreh?

texts:
שְׁמַע קולֵנוּ. ה' אֱלהֵינוּ חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ. וְקַבֵּל בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצון אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ. כִּי אֵל שׁומֵעַ תְּפִלּות וְתַחֲנוּנִים אָתָּה. וּמִלְּפָנֶיךָ מַלְכֵּנוּ. רֵיקָם אַל תְּשִׁיבֵנוּ כִּי אַתָּה שׁומֵעַ תְּפִלַּת עַמְּךָ יִשרָאֵל בְּרַחֲמִים. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', שׁומֵעַ תְּפִלָּה

Why do we have this seperate Beracha in the Shemoneh Esreh asking Hashem to answer our prayers? What new thing are we asking for that is not included in the previous requests in the Shemoneh Esreh? Isn't it implicit in our previous requests that we want our prayers answered?

Furthermore, if we are on the level for Hashem to respond to our previous prayers then why do I need to request him to answer our prayers and if we are not on the level for Hashem to answer our prayers, then what good is asking for it?

Additionaly:

1)  Why use the term קולנו in the beginning of the paragraph?  Why not listen to our prayers?  Why our voices?

2)  What is the difference between “hearing” and “accepting”?  If he will hear us, doesn’t that mean accept our prayer, if not then why ask for hearing, and if acceptance is what we want, then why ask for hearing?


texts: Why is the Torah not written in chronological order?

texts: Many parts of the Torah skip ahead or revert back several chapters or verses thereby rendering it NOT written in chronological order. What is the reason for this?


texts:
I know there is a deadline for brochois after a meal (until hungry again, 72 min). But if one did not say Asher yatzar, for how much time can one say it?

What are the sources on this subject?


texts: I heard that Bava Basra is the longest masechta in blatt but Brochos is the longest mesechta in words. Did anyone else hear anything about that?


texts: If someone is keeping a vegetarian/milk household, and then they acquire a dog that eats meat based dog food products, what potential Kashruth issues might arise? Would there be difference in Kashruth between wet or dry dog food?


texts:
I have heard it said before that Chazal (חז"ל = חכמינו זכרונם לברכה; "our sages of blessed memory") refers to sages of the Mishna and Gemara, while Razal (רז"ל = רבנים/נו זכרונם לברכה; "our/the rabbonim of blessed memory") refers to Rishonim exclusively. I can't see that I have necessarily seen this distinction borne out by the literature, and suspect, though might be wrong, that the two are more-or-less interchangeable.

Can anybody clarify whether or not there is actually a distinction between these two terms, or whether or not anybody holds that there should be a distinction between them, and what that distinction might be?


texts: Why does one have to see the moon to do Kiddush Levana?

texts:
I had a debate regarding Kiddush Levana with a yeshiva bachur.

From my recollection, Kiddush Levana is not meant to compensate or "simulate" Kiddush Hachodesh where witnesses had to see the moon and testify to the Sanhedrin what they saw. Therefore, one shouldn't have to see the moon.  The yeshiva bachur claims that Kiddush levana IS to commemorate Kiddush Hachodesh.

I think the yeshiva bochur's reasoning is wrong. There is some other reason why you have to physically see the moon to do Kiddush Hachodesh, but I don't know what it is.


texts: For things that can be said in any language, how fully must you understand the language?

texts:
Sotah 7:1 gives a list of things that are said in any language, including the Sh'ma and the t'filah.  Several commentaries I've seen explain that these texts are so important that you need to understand what you're saying.  Yet I know many people who are not fully fluent in Hebrew who, nonetheless, say these in Hebrew, either in deference to tradition or because they are trying to learn the Hebrew and expect to one day understand it.  (This latter group includes baalei t'shuva, converts, and children.)

Are we required to 100% understand the words we're saying in these cases, and some should pray in their local languages rather than Hebrew?  Or is it enough if we understand the gist of what we're saying -- this paragraph is about X, this paragraph is about Y, and so on, even if we don't understand the words exactly?


texts: Are you allowed to borrow money from another Jew with interest?

texts:
So ... I understand you're not allowed to lend money to another Jew with interest, I won't get into the question of why.

Does this mean you're also not allowed to accept money from another Jew, where the contract dictates you need to pay an interest on this loan? E.g. a standard bank loan in Israel?

I assume that whether that other Jew is an atheist or not has no bearing on the matter, correct?


texts:
Devarim 28:34 says:

והיית משגע
You shall be crazy

Frequently, when one is unsure of the meaning of a word or phrase, we use the technique of גזירה שוה. This is a technique that looks for usage of the same word or phrase elsewhere. If the meaning is clear in another place, then we apply that same meaning in the verse we were studying.
So using the גזירה שוה technique, I found the use of והיית in Devarim 16:15 where regarding Succot it says:

והיית אך שמח
You should be exceedingly happy

The rabbis learned that there is a specific mitzvah to be happy on Yom Tov. So, apparently, the term והיית implies a mitzvah.
Would it be fair to use the גזירה שוה technique to learn that it is also a mitzvah to be crazy at all times, or is the Torah referring to a specific occasion or circumstance when there might be a mitzvah? Or, perhaps, this is not a mitzvah but, just a suggestion?

This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts:
The word "komemiyyut" (קוֹמְמִיּוּת) appears only once in the Torah:

אֲנִ֞י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֤אתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִֽהְיֹ֥ת לָהֶ֖ם עֲבָדִ֑ים וָאֶשְׁבֹּר֙ מֹטֹ֣ת עֻלְּכֶ֔ם וָאוֹלֵ֥ךְ אֶתְכֶ֖ם קֽוֹמְמִיּֽוּת׃
I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of the Egyptians to be their slaves no longer, who broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk "komemiyyut". [Leviticus 26:13]

It also appears in the siddur, in Ahava Rabbah, before the Shema in Shacharit:

Vehavienu leshalom me-arbah kanfot ha’aretz vetolichenu komemiyyut l’artzenu.
May You bring us together from the four corners of the earth, leading us "komemiyyut" to our land.

We find it also in Birkat Hamazon, the Grace After Meals:

Harachaman Hu yishbor alenu me'al tzavarenu v’Hu yolikhenu komemiyyut le-artzenu.
The compassionate One! May He break the yoke of oppression from our necks and guide us "komemiyyut" to our land.

What does the word mean?  Sifra on Bechukkotai 3:7 says it means "erect", and is quoted as such by Rashi, who made that interpretation near-universal.
But the Talmud [Kiddushin 31a]prohibits walking in an upright and haughty manner:

אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אסור לאדם שיהלך ארבע אמות בקומה זקופה
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: It is prohibited for a person to walk even four cubits with an upright posture, [considered arrogant], as it says in Isaiah:
מְלֹ֥א כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃
The entire earth is full of [God's] glory [Isaiah 6:3].

Presumably, he means that walking erect (read: haughtily) insults the honor of God, who is everywhere.
On the other hand, the Talmud [Bava Batra 75a] also says:

Rabbi Meir says [in talking about "komemiyyut" specifically]: [In the future, the Jewish people will be] 200 cubits [tall], equivalent to two [times the] height [komot] of Adam, the first man.

(From koma (height) and me’at (hundreds)?)
I personally don't think Rabbi Meir is talking about physical height, but rather about importance, achievement, influence. (Also, it is impossible for a man to be 200 cubits tall and present the same characteristics as a man, because the universe is not invariant under a change of scale, but ask me separately.)  So:
(1) Does "komemiyyut" mean erect or tall?  They are different.  You can be one but not the other.
(2) Or does it really mean important, prominent, influential, highly productive?


texts: Why are the daily tehilim divided as they are?

texts: How were the daily starting and ending points for weekly and monthly readings of all of tehilim chosen? Are they just chosen to make them all approximately the same length, or are there specific reasons why certain points are chosen?


texts:
Medrash Rabah Parshas Chayai Sara 59:9 says that Eliezer had a daughter and was hoping that she would marry Yitzchak. Avraham told him you are cursed (come from a cursed family) and my son is blessed. A cursed person does not connect to a blessed one.

Are there any sources that discuss who Eliezer's daughter married in the end and who her descendants are?


texts:
The gemara Megilla 26b quotes Rava that when you sell a synagogue(even not in front of the 7 city trustees) the kedusha transfers onto the money and the buyer is free to use the former shul however he wants. However, Rashi's comment on 26a (Lo shanu etc.) seems to say explicitly that when one sells a synagogue, it retains its holiness(unless it is in front of the 7 city trustees). How does Rashi understand that gemara?
(IIRC Hagahos R' Akiva Eiger there seems to ask something similar, but I think it is a different question.)


texts: Is one obligated to continue to pay tuition to a Jewish day school when it closes due to an unforeseen/unforeseeable situation, such as the current coronavirus pandemic? (Assume a standard school contract that doesn't mention such a scenario, and that payments are in installments throughout the year.)


texts: Hebrew Ben Chayyim Second Rabbinic Bible is missing Joshua 6:9 to 7:1

texts:
I have a copy of the Hebrew Ben Chayyim Second Rabbinic Bible which was scanned and in the book of Joshua it is missing Joshua 6:9 to 7:1.
It is obviously a mistake and not intentional because the chapter numbers carry on as normal. The text should be between pages number 18 and 19.
Is there another edition/copy available online of the Ben Chayyim 2nd Rabbinic Bible where this was printed correctly?


texts:
There is a prohibition of eating even a crumb of chametz on Pesach. After cleaning a surface with bleach (or the like), any remnant of chametz is not considered fitting for a dog to eat and certainly not subject to the prohibition of 'bal yiraeh' and 'bal yimatzei'.

If you are not going to place any hot/sharp tasting food item on surface (where there may be transference of 'taste') is there a need to cover (and if so, double cover) such a surface on Pesach?

(For general principles on this topic see Mishneh Berura on taarovet chametz)


texts: Where is it written in the Zohar that the Yishmaelites must have Eretz Israel until Mashiah comes?

texts: I remember reading a paper where it was written that the Yishmaelites should have Eretz Israel until the coming of Mashiah according to the Zohar. Is it true ? If it is the case, where is it written in the Zohar ?


texts: What do the commentators say is the message/meaning behind the miracles?

texts: What do the commentators say is the message/meaning behind the miracles in Egypt?For example, i heard an explanation that the reason God turned the River into blood was to show that God had power over the Nile. So i'm looking for more explanations on what the miracles are supposed to say/represent. Please cite your sources, and if you could have them in Hebrew and English it would be the most helpful. To be more specific, i'm looking for broad treatises about the miracles as a whole.


texts: Why does the Haftara of Mishpatim end before it starts?

texts:
The Haftara of Mishpatim starts at Yirmiyahu Ch. 34:8 and continues to the end of the chapter. It then jumps to Ch. 33 verses 25-26, some 8 verses before it started.

Obviously we do not want to end at 34:22 "... and I shall make the cities of Yehuda desolate without an inhabitant".

We occasionally jump forward, like the week before - Yisro - where we go from 7:8 to 9:4.

The question is: Isn't there an issue jumping backwards? (I seem to have this in mind, but cannot find any reference to it.)


texts:
Is the Shehechiyanu bracha recited when eating an esrog fruit?
Is seasonal needed?


texts: Paintings and Sculptures of Rabbis Throughout the Ages

texts:
There are many paintings or sculptures of Rabbis from throughout history, like the Vilna Gaon (paintings), Maharal (statue), and Rambam (statue).

Are they accurate (or at least somewhat accurate) depictions of this people?

(The same may be asked about non-Jewish philosophers and other figures who have been made into statues).


texts: Required to check the Arba Minim before the mitzvah?

texts:
In Hilchos Tzitzis (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim) Siman 8 Sif 9 the Machaber writes that one must check the tzitzis before making a bracha in order to be sure they are kosher so his bracha shouldn't be "l'vatala" (said in vein.)

Why isn't this same halacha said by the Arba Minim of Sukkos. Seemingly similar reasons could be applied since a person is handling them every day and could have become pasul (invalid for the mitzvah) either from his use or simply a p'sul could appear over night.

I heard this question was asked to Rav Chaim Kanevsky and he said that the Arba Minim should indeed be checked just like tzitzis. However the Shulchan Aruch doesn't say this, the question is why did he say it by tzitzis and not by arba minim?


texts: Has the Sefer Ha-Musar (by Zechariah Dhahiri) been translated into English?

texts: I am looking for an English translation of Sefer Ha-Musar, by Zechariah Dhahiri. Does it exist? If so where could I find it? Thank you in advance!


texts: Is it halachically permissible for a Jewish barber to use a razor to shave a gentile customer's face?


texts: I am programming a Twitter post to post once a day pre-written tweets.  I currently don't know how to prevent it from posting on Shabbat.  Is a twitter bot posting on Shabbat permitted?


texts: Why aren't we Mahmir (stringent) with just Mikvah when ruling leniently on a technicality in Niddah cases?

texts:
I know from experience and some introductory study of the laws of Niddah that rabbis typically try to find leniencies wherever possible in issues of family purity. In many instances, a Posek will rely on a technicality to permit a husband and wife to be together even though common sense might dictate that the likelihood is extremely low that a particular stain, or even series of stains, came from any source other than uteran blood.

I appreciate the delicate nature of these questions, as well as the importance of finding ways to be lenient in these matters. I also understand that in many communities, women must trek far distances, even today, to get to a Mikvah, and that even when a Mikvah is easily accessible and clean some women find it difficult to go.

But in instances when the rabbi knows that a woman can easily access a clean, warm, Mikvah with friendly attendants, and the particular woman asking the question enjoys the experience and has no emotional or personal difficulty getting ready or accessing the Mikvah, why isn't she encouraged to be stringent and go "just in case", when the leniency being applied is based on a technicality and the woman wouldn't need to separate from her husband for any extra time (she could go that night)?

I understand that we don't. But why not?


texts: Is a Cohen allowed to be called up for a Maftir even not on Shabbat?

texts: Is it only on Shabbat that a Cohen can be called up for an Aliyah for maftir or even on other days (such as festivals)?


texts:
Are donations to Torah institutions from non-Jews acceptable?

Does it make a difference if they donate money or objects (e.g. a sefer Torah)? Does it make a difference who the donor is and what their intentions are? Are there cases where donations from non-Jews are accepted?


texts: Is ta'am (flavor) physical or metaphysical?

texts:
The Talmud and Geonim seem to speak about ta'am and it's ability to transfer as being a very physical process. The literature reads as if one would be able to taste the transfer of flavor from one vessel to another. The Rambam flat out says that if one isn't sure if taste transferred, one should taste the mixture and see if taste transferred.

Mishneh Torah: Ma'achalot Assurot - Chapter 15:2

  What is implied? When the fat of the kidneys3 falls into beans and
  becomes dissolved, the beans should be tasted. If the taste of fat
  cannot be detected, they are permitted. If [not only] the taste, [but
  also] the substance of the fat is present, they are forbidden
  according to Scriptural Law. If the flavor could be detected, but
  there is no substance, they are forbidden by Rabbinic Law.

  ב כיצד חלב הכליות שנפל לתוך הגריסין ונמוח הכל טועמין את הגריסין אם לא
  נמצא בהן טעם חלב הרי אלו מותרין ואם נמצא בהם טעם חלב והיה בהן ממשו הרי
  אלו אסורין מן התורה נמצא בהן טעמו ולא היה בהן ממשו הרי אלו אסורין
  מדברי סופרים:

However, many modern discussions do not seem to speak about ta'am in this way, rather they speak about it in more of a metaphysical sense. Their words don't seem to be discussing a real physical entity, rather it sounds more like speaking about the transfer of purity or impurity, which can only be measured in the metaphysical/spiritual realm. An example of this would be speaking about flavor transfer without asking the question whether the material absorbed flavor to begin with, or checking to see if any flavor actually transferred.

So which is it? Is ta'am a physical entity that can be measured by our tongues, or it it a metaphysical entity that we can't quantify or interact with in a physical way?


texts: Machloket about the goal of the creation

texts:
The book Mishnat Chasidim from Rabbi Emanuel Chy Ricchi, begins by a presentation of the project of creation.

He gives two reasons, for Ish Yare (man who fears God):

To make known His perfection,
To do him good.

The commentary Taam Etso from the mechaber of sefer habrit writes that the Ramchal in klach Pitche Chochma and in Mesilat Yesharim states that the project is to do him good alone, one goal. And the Taam Etso sees this opinion of Ramchal as a great error, which he proves through citations.

I read in a Chabad periodical (pp. 16-20) that there is a difference between Ramchal and Baal Hatanya views regarding the goal of creation, this world for the first and future world for the last. This is obviously the same Machloket. The future world is the place where G-d does good to man, this world is the place where we need to try to discover, to unfold the perfection of G-d.

This topic interests me very much because I think that, if true, this difference has many consequences. I am looking for a philosophical paper, or better, a maamar that develops this dialectic, what is the goal of the world,  how do the different opinions influence our avodat hashem?


texts: Divrei Talmud (Rav Avrohom Eliyahu ben Avrohom Eliyahu Kaplan)

texts:
I read (in the book of collected writings of Rav Avrohom Eliyahu ben Avrohom Eliyahu Kaplan entitled B'ikvos Hayirah) that an additional publication was underway at the time of publication (~1960) to include original insights into the Talmud that Rabbi Kaplan discussed during his short life.
Is this publication now available in print, and if so where ?(It is available online here)


texts: Chumash that is numbered according to Petuchot and Setumot?

texts:
Traditionally, the Torah is divided into paragraphs and sub-paragraphs graphically and is seen as being meaningfully categorized as such. As the Rambam codifies, the validity of a Torah scroll is dependent upon the correct graphical structure of the text.

In virtually all modern Chumashim, commentaries and Jewish publications, the reference numbers used are what we called Perakim, which were introduced by the Christians. This numbering system gained usage for a number of reasons, but much more with the advent of mass printing, especially since many early printers were Christians. The numbering of verses according to chapters wasn't done until 1551.

Sorry for the lengthy introduction. I believe that using a Chumash which follows the structure of Torah through the correct breakdown and organization is useful for a Jew to gain an understanding of how the Torah is meant to be laid out.

Are there any Chumashim in publication today which number the graphical paragraphs and sub-paragraphs as the main method of navigation for the Chumash? For example, a verse in the third Setuma of the second Petucha of a Sedra might be ז(ג):יד, or what have you?


texts: What is the religious significance of the existence of many denominations and sects?

texts:
For much of the past 2000 years, when most of contemporary Halacha was being formulated, there was only a single denomination\sect of Judaism.  (Leaving aside Ashkenzi vs Sephardi, which is mostly a matter of minhag.)  However, in recent years there has been an explosion of division among Jewry, and now we've got almost a dozen, not even including all the different Hassidic groups.  This appears to be a return to the situation at the end of Bayit Sheini, and that situation is reflected in the halakha and hashkafa from that time.  (For example, please see https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/34509/880)

What are the contemporary halakhic and hashkafic implications of this trend?

(Related: What is the orthodox view towards the existence of a progressive denomination?)


texts:
Would anybody happen to have audio records of the Romaniote (Greek, say from Janina) Torah readings?

How similar is it to nearby traditions? Say Italian, or Turkish?


texts: Promised to name son Shimon - now husband is Shimon?

texts:
A woman who desperately wanted to get married traveled to Meron, the burial place of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai, and vowed that if she found her match, she would name her first son Shimon in his merit. She indeed got married shortly thereafter, but her new husband’s name was Shimon! What should she do about her vow?

I saw an answer to this question in Parsha Potpourri, quoting Toras’cha Sha’ashuai, which had been quoting Rav Shach. I do not have access to that sefer. If you have another answer that is fine too, but I would like to see the answer of Rav Shach.


texts:
I would like to get a list of all online radio stations that only play Jewish music. Absolutely no Kol Isha, please (or better yet, specify which one's do have Kol Isha so that women will know).

I'll start off with a few I know of... Please feel free to chip in.


texts:
This is a somewhat silly question, but I'm sure it has a good answer and I'd like to know what it is.

Unfortunately, I was hospitalized recently and I ended up being in hospital over Yom Kippur. (Everything ended up perfectly well in the end.) At that time, they were mostly just doing tests and keeping me under observation, but I did have an IV drip so they could give me some medicine and rebalance my electrolytes. Anyway, since I wasn't that sick at that point I asked the doctors whether it would endanger my health to fast and I was told 'we need to keep the IV drip in anyway, and there's no medical obstruction to you fasting if the drip is in place'. So I fasted.

As you might expect given the physiology of dehydration, fasting with an IV drip in made for the easiest fast of my life!

Now, obviously in this case there was a genuine medical reason why I needed to have the IV drip, but it got me thinking: would it be allowed for a completely healthy person to put themselves on an IV drip (before the start of Yom Kippur) and then keep the drip in throughout the holiday. (Just so as to make the fast easier.) To focus on the core of the question, let's suppose that the person in question holds a medical license (so can put a drip in completely safely), has all the equipment in hand to put the drip in themselves, and lives in a country where there are no medical licensing laws so wouldn't be breaking the secular law by doing this.

It feels like the answer to this question must be 'no', but I couldn't work out what the reasoning would be. Could anyone enlighten me?

(I was constantly thinking that if Dr House was Jewish, he probably would do this every year!)


texts: If eggs have a hechsher, must you still check them for blood spots?

texts: In general, one checks the yolks of raw eggs for blood spots before using them. However, is it strictly necessary to do this with eggs that have a hechsher on the box? Please provide an authoritative source.


texts: Can one use a gas grill for both meat and dairy (with lots of other caveats)

texts:
The basic question is, can the same grill be used for meat and milk. But this question has a few sub-questions/caveats and cases that I'm curious about.

1- I'll assume that the same grill grates cannot be used for both meat and dairy. However, if one were to remove the grates (and any drip-pans etc), and clean the grill thoroughly, could one then use that grill for dairy (pizza for example)? Would one have to wait between the meat and dairy cooking?

2- I'll assume that cooking fish on the same grate as meat, even not at the same time, is not allowed. However, can one cook fish on a separate grate? Would you even need to clean the grill? Would you have to wait in between? Is there a difference if the grill is covered or uncovered?

3- I'll assume that vegetables cooked on the same grate as meat can never be eaten with dairy, even if they were not on the grill at the same moment. However, if one uses separate grates, can one eat the vegetables with dairy?

4- Is there a way of kashering a grill to the point where even the grates do not need to be replaced? For example, could one conceivably leave the grill on for a while, and then immediately use the grill for dairy/fish/food expected to be eaten with dairy?

5- Reverse the questions. Once someone used a grill for pizza, what must be done before using it for meat? Once someone used a grill for fish, what must be done before using it for dairy?

(If relevant, assume all questions are asked relative to generally accepted practice of Orthodox Judaism, please source all answers and note differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic opinions)


texts: Do the Sources anywhere specifically stress the importance of family in general?  Maintaining ties with family members, even though they may live far away, seeking long-lost cousins, having reunions, cultivating and prioritizing these relationships, and the like?


texts:
The Kaf Hahayyim in Yoreh Deah often cites a sefer whose name he abbreviates with the rashei teivot הל''פ. I can't find this acronym in his luach rashei teivot at the beginning of Yoreh Deah volume 1, nor at the beginning of Orach Chayim volume 1.

What halacha sefer is he referring to? What seforim could be identified by the rashei teivot הל''פ?

(Note: the Kaf HaHayyim in Yoreh Deah often cites the Lechem HaPanim, using the rashei teivot לה''פ, and he will often cite הל''פ right after citing the Lechem HaPanim, so הל''פ can't be the Lechem HaPanim)


texts: As the מזמן, should I say "ברשות אבי מורי" before "סבי מורי" or the other way around?

texts: When eating with my parents at my my grandparents' (father's parents) house, if I am asked to be מזמן, should I say “ברשות אבי מורי וסבי מורי„ or “ברושת סבי מורי ואבי מורי„?


texts: If one is poor, should he buy an Etrog for Sukkot or food for his family? I am researching the halacha with regard to this as a response to the story by Agnon.


texts: Does anyone know where to get the sefer ohr hatzfon, containing mussar of the Alter of Slabadka, either online for free or by buying an actual copy?


texts: Why did he bring wine Yitzchok did not ask for?

texts:
In order to give the Brachos Yitzchok requested food from his son:

  וַיָּבֵא לוֹ יַיִן וַיֵּשְׁתְּ

If he asked for food why did Yaakov bring wine?


texts: Is there a minimum amount of dough to separate challah without a bracha?

texts: I saw on this website http://www.secretofchallah.com/50708/When-to-separate-challah#opinions that one should not separate challah if using less than 8.5 cups or about 2 lbs.  I know there are various opinions on how much it takes to separate with a bracha, but I've never heard of a minimum for separating without a bracha.  Any ideas of why this would be?


texts: If I have a Muktzeh item in a drawer, can I still get my shirts out of that drawer on Shabbat?


texts: Why were women doing Brit Milah to their sons?

texts:
Unintentionally bumped into this verse (Macabbees A) that appears to be historically authentic:

  והנשים אשר מלו את בניהן הומתו על פי המלך.
  (And women who circumcised their sons were executed)

Do we have a similar statement in our official sources, and why would women (not men that are obligated) did the circumcision in the times of Maccabees?


texts: Reference for alleged quote in Avot D'Rabbi Natan

texts:
Yohanan ben Zakkai allegedly said the following:

“If you are holding a sapling in your hand and someone tells you, 'Come quickly, the Messiah is here!', first finish planting the tree and then go to greet the Messiah.”

Apparently the quote above appears in Avot D'Rabbi Natan 31. However, I was unable to find such a quote. I'm guessing the quote is found in variant B of Avot D'Rabbi Natan. Where may I find/read this variant and this quote?


texts: Why do we say pesukim from Hoshea after donning tefillin?

texts:
In the standard Artscroll Ashkenazik siddur, after wrapping the tefillin around one's fingers it says to say the following pesukim from Hoshea 2:21-22

  וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי, לְעוֹלָם; וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בְּצֶדֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּט, וּבְחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים.
  'וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי, בֶּאֱמוּנָה; וְיָדַעַתְּ, אֶת-ה.

The siddur haShelah says this comes from the Arizal. I did not find mention of it in the shulchan aruch, mishna berurah, nor in the writings of the Arizal (not in shaar hakavanot, olat tamid, pri eitz chaim, nor in his pirushim on nach). No source for this is mentioned in the siddur of R' Yaakov Emden, the Koren siddur, or Rav Kook's siddur though it is listed in all of them. These pesukim are not listed in the tehilat Hashem (Lubavitch) siddur.

My question is what is the source, halachic or otherwise, for saying these pesukim after putting on tefillin?