texts: Do mourners change their seats in shul today?

texts: The g'mara on Moed Katan 23a says that after shiva, when the mourner stays at home, he can return to shul but does not sit in his usual seat.  (According to this g'mara, he returns to his usual seat a week later, or R' Yehudah says two weeks.)  I haven't paid close attention, and anyway people in my community are not particularly attached to specific seats.  Is this the custom today, that a mourner makes a point of sitting elsewhere after shiva?  If it is not the custom today, when did it change?  If it is the custom in some communities but not others, in which ones is it the custom?


texts: Why are there so many made-up stories about rebbes?

texts:
There is a popular chasidish saying that goes something like, “One who believes all the stories told about the Ba'al Shem Tov is a fool; one who does not believe they could have occurred is an apikoros." My personal observation is that this is true of a large number of big rebbes, both chasidish and not.

Why are there so many made-up stories about famous rabbis? Who makes them up?


texts: Who is the author of the Simchas Torah song Yom Simcha l'Yisrael?


texts: If Yom Kippur seals our fate, why do we pray the rest of the year?

texts: If on Yom Kippur on fate is sealed, why do we continue to be mispalleil for the rest of the year?


texts: How did the Kerashim / Beams of the Mishkan remain upright?

texts:
The beams that constituted the walls of the Mishkan seem to be free standing. They did have rings at the top to hold them to each other and there was the 2 outer bars and one inner bar that also acted to strengthen the walls, however, with the weight of the roof coverings (or maybe even without them) it seems hard to imagine how all those beams remained upright and didn't lean in or collapse onto each other. If one imagines that there may have been ropes on the edges of the coverings holding them in place that would put even more stress on the top of the beams encouraging them to lean or collapse inward.

The same questions applies to the five beams at the front entrance on the east side (in particular the three inner ones) as they were free standing and held a curtain on them. Also the four beams separating the Kodesh from the Kodesh Hakodoshim (in particular the two inner ones). How did those remain balanced when supporting the weight of the curtain on one side?

There are two suggestions that I can make (aside from saying that it was miraculous) although neither are mentioned in the Torah.

The beams were held up both on the outside and inside of the Mishkan with ropes. However, there doesn't seem to be any mention of this in the Torah.
There were beams running along the top of the Mishkan from north/south. Also not mentioned in the Torah.

(There were ropes to hold up the outer wall of the courtyard of the Mishkan and I think there were ropes on the outside of the coverings of the Mishkan itself.)

Does anyone have any other solutions to this problem?


texts: Is maaser calculated pre-tax or after-tax?

texts:
I have heard different opinions concerning whether taxes can be deducted before calculating maaser.  It is logical to me that if you cannot deduct your expense to live in your house, you shouldn't be able to deduct your expense to live in the governing area.  (The practice of withholding does not make the money unearned).

What are these opinions based on: Are there sources?  On what point are they arguing?

Bonus:  Would all agree that you cannot deduct FICA, which is insurance?  According to those who deduct, what about other taxes like sales tax and real estate tax?  What about hidden taxes like gasoline taxes?  (Should we even go to higher consumer prices caused by taxes?)


texts: Are you allowed to move a picture or clock on the wall on Shabbos if it is or it is not of great value?


texts: May one read from a Torah that has uneven parchment?

texts:
This morning, while I was reading from the Torah, someone in my shul noticed that the parchment was not cut evenly (in a straight line). I.e., the bottom piece of parchment seemed to have torn away. This did not affect any of the written portion, it was far below it.

Is one allowed to read from such a Torah? Is there a minimum height of parchment that must exist between the top and bottom margins of a column?


texts: What is the earliest known reference to a Torah portion by name?

texts:
What is the earliest known reference to one of the 54 Torah portions by name?  (Is it ever done in the Talmud, for instance?)

For reference, the 54 Torah portions are:

Bereshit
Noach
Lech Lecha
Vayera
Chayye Sarah
Toldot
Vayetze
Vayishlach
Vayeshev
Miketz
Vayigash
Vayechi

Shemot
Va'era
Bo
Beshallach
Yitro
Mishpatim
Terumah
Tetzaveh
Ki Tisa
Vayakhel
Pekudei

Vayikra
Tzav
Shemini
Tazria
Metzora
Acharei Mot
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukkotai

Bamidbar
Naso
Behaalotecha
Shlach Lecha
Korach
Chukat
Balak
Pinchas
Matot
Massei

Devarim
Va'etchanan
Ekev
Re'eh
Shoftim
Ki Tetze
Ki Tavo
Nitzavim
Vayelech
Haazinu
V'Zot HaBerachah


texts:
If a marriage is based off the exchange of something edible, it would seem that the marriage would work as the edible item, if שוה פרוטה, would facilitate the marriage. But the problem arises when the edible food either becomes stale, and might no longer be שוה פרוטה, or when it is eaten, and is then definitely not worth שוה פרוטה.

Does the marriage not work at all? Is the marriage annulled after the fact, once the price of the food drops? (There are cases in גמרא כתובות where marriage is annulled in retrospect. I’m not sure where though).


texts:
So I have this product in my hand. I'm assuming that I can't always rely on the Kosher certification to indicate dairy status. I look over at the ingredients panel...

What are the ingredients I should be looking out for that would indicate dairy status?

In other words: If it had milk listed -- well yeah, that's obvious. But there are, I'm sure, lots of other funny-sounding (hard-to-pronounce) stuff that are listed that are truly dairy.

What are they?


texts: Referring to a rav with multiple sefarim

texts:
I've noticed that some rabbanim are referred to by the titles of multiple books. For example, R' Jair Bacharach (Wermeiser Rov between 1699-1702) is referred to both by the name of his shu"t, Chavot Ya'ir, and by the title of his commentary on Shulchan 'Aruch, Mekor Chaim.

What is the rationale for using different works to refer to one rav with?


texts: Why do people start going mad a week before Purim?

texts:
Last Thursday, a week before Purim, many of my Jewish friends and Jewish co-workers began going mad.
They were frantically writing names of colleges on a grid marked on paper. It looked like there were 64 college names in boxes, and they had to write 32 of these names into other boxes, then 16 more name, then 8, 4 2 and finally 1 name in a giant box in the middle of this grid.
I asked one guy what he was doing, and he was frantic and said that he had to "bracket" something or other. Another person I asked was also in a frenzy and said he was also "bracketing".
OK, so they fill these boxes exactly a week before Purim. They do this early in the morning. Then from late morning to late at night, they watch college basketball games on TV. For 3 weeks afterwards, they go mad while watching these games. Someone told me that this madness continues on Purim itself and Shushan Purim. (well, maybe getting drunk makes people mad.) The madness occurs on Shabbat and Sunday, as well. The madness lasts about 3 weeks, which means that it lasts from a week before Purim to a bit over a week after Purim.
Is there something about Purim or Adar Sheni that makes people mad to the point that they have to "bracket"?
Note - this madness seems to happen only in USA, for some reason.
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts:
The song "Al Hanisim" is popularly sung on Hanukkah by many Jews everywhere. However, I've noticed a discrepancy:

On this website it states that the lyrics are:

  עַל הַנִּסִּים, וְעַל הַפֻּרְקָן, וְעַל הַגְּבוּרוֹת, וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת, וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת, שֶׁעָשִֽׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֽינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

However, on Chabad's website, it states that the text is:

  עַל הַנִּסִּים, וְעַל הַפֻּרְקָן, וְעַל הַגְּבוּרוֹת, וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת, וְעַל נפלאות, שֶׁעָשִֽׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֽינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

Why the change? Is this just how the song is arranged? Is this a difference with the source text itself (I know that Chabad has a nusah different from other Ashkenazi communities, making changes so some prayers are grammatically correct). Or what?


texts: How has toilets that flush changed halacha?

texts:
I was learning סימן מג in the שולחן ערוך and the משנה ברורה about wearing Tefilin in indoor and outdoor bathrooms. It mentioned that in a בית כיסא you would have the remnants of human waste, which would cause problems bringing something so holy as Tefilin.

If we have flushing toilets, do the same prohibitions apply?


texts:
The Shulchan Arukh describes the measurement of the three steps back taken after amidah in OC 122:3 (translation my own):

  וְשִׁעוּר פְּסִיעוֹת אֵלּוּ, לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת, הוּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתֵּן
  גּוּדָל בְּצַד עָקֵב

  And the size for each of these steps is at least enough so that the
  big toe is placed alongside the heel.

I have noticed that in the vast majority of shuls there is not sufficient space in the pews to take three steps back with the measurements described. What should one do if he finds himself in such a pew? I can think of three possible options but do not have sources to support option 2 or 3.

Step out to a space where there is sufficient room
Take steps directly back with smaller measurements
Take steps on a diagonal so that the measurements are correct


texts: Wearing the star of David and wanting to learn more about Judaism

texts: I was wondering if it would be considered rude or disrespectful to wear the star of David considering I was baptized into the catholic church and attend a catholic high school. I am very interested by the jewish religion, and I am wanting to learn more. I have many questions about my faith. To me the star of david is also a symbol of my father's love for Israel. My father spent close to a year in Israel and fell in love with the country, he is not Jewish by any means and was baptized Anglican but does not practice or celebrate the religion. It is a symbol of him for me because of his love and respect for the country.


texts: Looking for info about the issur to marry chassidim

texts: In the early days of the "war" between the misnagdim and the chassidim, some of the leading Rabbis of the misnagdim made some sort of public cherem forbidding marriage to chassidim. Are there any public records in existence of this cherem? Is it followed by any groups of Jews?


texts: What are respectful ways to depict a vision involving Hashem in fiction?

texts:
I'm Jewish writing a story that at least Modern Orthodox I hope will consider fit to read, even if not necessarily to be consider frum by some to the right.

I'm at the point where the heroine needs a direct audience with Hashem for advice.

Now, I fully understand that in Torah that Hashem is supposed to be completely invisible and at most represented by an angel in the real and normal world.

That's a given.  But the heroine is near death and semiconscious, certainly not
in a realm of her own, and is not fully lucid.  May Hashem appear to her in a form
she is comfortable with, such as a person who only indirectly refers to Himself
as Hashem, the better for her to understand His instructions?

Do observant writers have some choices regarding respectful depiction in literature?


texts:
I'm having trouble finding the halachos around the kibud of pesicha. I found the Shulchan Aruch contains a section for hagbahah and gelilah, but I don't see any description of pesicha.

L'maaseh, here are some of my questions I really want answers to:

Do I open the ark immediately after kaddish? Or do I do it immediately before/after the chazzan starts vayehi bensoa ha'aron...?
Do I have to close the aron immediately after I give it to him? Can he not continue until I do so?
Do I have to "take the long route home" (as we do with an aliyah) or does that not apply by pesicha? Do I have to leave the aron walking backwards and facing the aron after the kibud so as not to turn my back to it?

Even a simple answer of where to look to find this information would suffice!


texts: Why must one recite any scripture while donning Rabbe'inu Tam tephillin?

texts:
The Mishnah Berurah (Oraḥ Ḥayim 25:4, s.q. 14) clarifies that the reason one must be careful while reciting Shema' Yisra'el (and the 'Amidah) to also don tephillin is so as not to appear as a false witness (since Shema' Yisra'el mentions wearing tephillin and one who recites it without tephillin appears to be saying one thing and doing another).

The Mishnah Berurah (Oraḥ Ḥayim 34:2, s.q. 15) cites this same reasoning to explain why one must also recite (the first two paragraphs) of Shema' Yisra'el while donning Rabbe'inu Tam tephillin.

I'm having difficulty understanding the Mishnah Berurah's logic in Siman 34. The concern about donning (any) tephillin while reciting Shema' Yisra'el is that in doing so one appears to be a false witness. But, that's only true when one is required to recite Shema'. In the case of Rabbe'inu Tam tephillin being donned after one already recited Shema' Yisra'el (and the 'Amidah) while donning RaSh"I tephillin, why one must one recite anything?

In summary, my understanding of the Mishnah Berurah in Siman 25 is "if Shema' then tephillin" whereas in Siman 34 it appears that the logic is reversed (i.e. "if tephillin then Shema'"). Can someone please help me explain what appears IMHO to be reverse logic?


texts: Ambiguity in the Rambam: Who Is Pursuing Whom?

texts:
The following has already been translated, but upon closer examination, something seems amiss:

אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּא עַל הַכּוּתִית ... כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא עַל הַכּוּתִית בְּזָדוֹן הֲרֵי זוֹ נֶהֱרֶגֶת מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּקָּלָה עַל יָדֶיהָ כִּבְהֵמָה

At first, the Israelite seems to be the one willfully or even maliciously (בְּזָדוֹן) coming at / entering at / following / pursuing the Gentile woman (הַבָּא עַל הַכּוּתִית and שֶׁבָּא עַל הַכּוּתִית : this is repeated twice); but, at the end, it is the Gentile woman that's being depicted as a wild beast (כִּבְהֵמָה) on the prowl, preying upon, ensnaring (תַּקָּלָה, meaning also hurdle or stumbling block), or coming at the Israelite (שֶׁבָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל) with her own hands (עַל יָדֶיהָ) acting as the paws of an attacking animal; in other words, it would appear as she's the one in pursuit of the prey here, in the latter part of the text, if my understanding is correct.
Then again, the text could be simply saying that by her hands (עַל יָדֶיהָ) a calamity (תַּקָּלָה) came upon the Israelite[s] (שֶׁבָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל תַּקָּלָה); but, in that case, the word beast (כִּבְהֵמָה) would be left hanging in midair, as it were, forcing the translator to conclude that either Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 20:15, or Deuteronomy 27:21 might be referenced; however, the only passages explicitly mentioned here are Numbers 31:16-17, which have very little, if anything, to do with the topic of bestiality.
Could anyone with working knowledge of Hebrew help me out here ?


texts: Are there any segulos or tefillos that one can say before a big test?

texts: I am wondering if there are any special segulos or tefillos that one can say if he wants to have success - this example, a big test. The segulah/tefillah could be related to knowledge, but a segulah for success in general works too, i.e., if someone were to daven for success in an upcoming interview.


texts: Did Rambam explain why and how he got so influenced by Aristotle?

texts:
It is widely known that Rambam was greatly influenced by Aristotle, and his Guide and Hilchot Yesodey Hatorah practically repeat Aristotle's view and adopt them into Judaism (see also WIKI):

Moses Maimonides adopted Aristotelianism from the Islamic scholars and based his Guide for the Perplexed on it and that became the basis of Jewish scholastic philosophy.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the background of the Talmudic prohibition of studying Greek wisdom/philosophy:

"שלא ילמד אדם את בנו חכמה יוונית" (Sotah 9.14)
"ארור אדם, שילמד לבנו חכמה יוונית" (Sotah 49b)

Did Rambam himself explain this fact - how he got to study Greek philosophers so thoroughly, and how he got influenced by that?


texts: Circular reasoning in deriving the time that kohanim can eat terumah and the time that the evening Shema can be recited

texts:
The very first Mishnah (Berachot 1:1) states that the earliest time for the recitation of the evening Shema is the time that kohanim can eat terumah:

מאימתי קורין את שמע בערבין משעה שהכהנים נכנסים לאכול בתרומתן
MISHNAH. FROM WHAT TIME MAY ONE RECITE THE SHEMA' IN THE EVENING? FROM THE TIME THAT THE PRIESTS ENTER [THEIR HOUSES] IN ORDER TO EAT THEIR TERUMAH (Soncino translation; capitals in original)

The Talmud (Berachot 2a) attempts to figure out what time this refers to:

אמר מר משעה שהכהנים נכנסים לאכול בתרומתן מכדי כהנים אימת קא אכלי תרומה משעת צאת הכוכבים לתני משעת צאת הכוכבים מלתא אגב אורחיה קמשמע לן כהנים אימת קא אכלי בתרומה משעת צאת הכוכבים והא קמשמע לן דכפרה לא מעכבא כדתניא ובא השמש וטהר ביאת שמשו מעכבתו מלאכול בתרומה ואין כפרתו מעכבתו מלאכול בתרומה
The Master said: FROM THE TIME THAT THE PRIESTS ENTER TO EAT THEIR 'TERUMAH'. When do the priests eat terumah? From the time of the appearance of the stars. Let him then say: 'From the time of the appearance of the stars'? — This very thing he wants to teach us, in passing, that the priests may eat terumah from the time of the appearance of the stars. And he also wants to teach us that the expiatory offering is not indispensable,  as it has been taught:  And when the sun sets we-taher,  the setting of the sun is indispensable [as a condition of his fitness] to eat terumah, but the expiatory offering is not indispensable to enable him to eat terumah. (Soncino tranlation)

This reasoning seems a bit circular to me. We only know that the time for Shema is tzeit hakochavim because that is the time for kohanim to eat terumah, but we only know that that is the time for kohanim to eat terumah because that is the time for Shema. So how do we know either one in the first place? According to the Talmud it appears that this Mishnah is the source for both the time for kohanim eating terumah being tzeit hakochavim and the time for Shema being tzeit hakochavim (from the fact that the two events are equated), yet the Mishnah doesn't mention tzeit hakochavim at all! It seems like we're going in a circle — we derive the time for Shema from the time for eating terumah but we then derive the time for eating terumah from the time for Shema. Thus, we seem to have no original source for either one stating that the time is tzeit hakochavim.
If the above wasn't so clear, we can rephrase it as follows:
The whole point of this Mishnah is to tell us the time for Shema. That means that prior to this Mishnah we don't know the time for Shema. The Mishnah tells us the time for Shema as a function of the time for eating terumah in order to also teach us the time for eating terumah (by informing us that it's the same as the time for Shema), which means that prior to this Mishnah we are not supposed to know the time for eating terumah either. The problem is that if prior to this Mishnah we don't know either time, then telling us that the two times are the same doesn't actually tell us what the time is. All we should know after reading this Mishnah is that Shema can be recited when terumah can be eaten and terumah can be eaten when Shema can be recited. But we should have no way of knowing that that time is tzeit hakochavim.
How can we understand how we derive the times for eating terumah and reciting Shema from this Mishnah?


texts:
The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 20:2) notes that Hashem asked Adam why he ate the fruit, and he answered it was because Chavah told him it was good, and he succumbed. He then asked Chavah why she ate, and she said it's because she listened to the snake. Without letting the snake defend itself, Hashem cursed the snake. Why? Because the snake could have gotten off the hook by claiming "divrei haRav v'divrei hatalmid, divrei mi shom'in" - you, Chavah, should have listened to Hashem, not me. I had no role in your sin; you succumbed to your own Yetzer Hara. It's all your fault.

Now, the snake's not wrong. Divrei HaRav is a valid claim. So why didn't Hashem let the snake defend itself?

  עם אדם נשא ונתן, עם חוה נשא ונתן, ועם נחש לא נשא ונתן?! אלא, אמר הקב"ה: נחש זה רשע בעל תשובות, ואם אומר אני לו, עכשיו הוא אומר לי: אתה צוית אותם ואני צויתי אותם, מפני מה הניחו צוייך והלכו להם אחר צוויי?! אלא, קפץ עליו ופסקו ויאמר ה׳ אל הנחש וגו

  With Adam He discussed, and with Chavah He discussed, but with the snake He did not discuss?! Rather, Hashem said, "This snake is wicked and is a master of responses. If I talk to him, he'll answer, "You commanded them and I commanded them. Why should they put aside your commandment and go after mine?!" Rather, Hashem cut Him off and said...

As Fred pointed out, the Gemara in Sanhedrin 29a, when discussing this point, says that the reason Hashem didnt talk with the snake isn't because he didn't let the snake talk, but because the snake didn't feel like it. The Midrash, however, clearly says that the reason Hashem didn't let the snake talk is because of the above reason. So, problem #2: Why didn't the Midrash and Gemara give the same explanation?


texts: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan has 3 (in my opinion excellent) books on the history, importance, and benefit of Jewish meditation. Yet meditation does not seem to be an integral component for much (though, certainly not all) of orthodox Judaism. It is not taught in schools, not discussed by most rabbanim from the pulpit, and is generally absent from the lives of many Jews. Why is that?


texts: Should I say "amen" to a malformed bracha?

texts:
If I hear somebody substantially mispronounce a bracha, should I say amen anyway (recognizing the intent) or remain silent?  I'm not talking about nuances like pronouncing 'ayin or distinguishing tzere from segol; I mean errors like reading a reish as a dalet (like a vision-challenged person might do) or transposing letters (like a dyslexic might do).  I can not necessarily tell whether the resulting words are nonsense or different words, and, if the latter, what they mean.

If I should not respond, does that change if my non-response will be obvious (e.g. I'm the only other person there and I clearly heard)?


texts:
Why is it forbidden to return lost property to a non-Jew?

Its been a while since I learnt the discussion about hashovas aveido (returning lost property) in Baba Metzia; but I just learnt Sanhedrin 76b where it says it is a sin, and cites a verse (Deuteronomy 29:19) to say "Lo Havei Hashem Sloach Lo" (God won't forgive him), and the Rashi there ("hamachzir aveido l'kuti/goy")  which tries to explain it - make no sense to me.

Zogt Rashi: It's a bizui (degradation) to return a lost item to a non-Jew because there's no mitzvo (command; the verses is: "avedas ohicho", the lost property of your brother). But how is this different from Loshon Horo (gossip) which is forbidden to speak about a goy? Isn't it general middos (character traits), chessed (kindness), Kiddush Hashem (for God's greater glory)?

Not required I hear, but forbidden?!

Also see Rambam in Hilkhos G'zelo Va'aveido 11:3, where he makes some allowances where it would cause a big Kiddush Hashem, but base case is still forbidden.


texts: Is a non-Jew executed in Beit Din hung? Is his body Promptly Removed?

texts:
Do the laws in Devarim 21:22-23  referring to the commandment to hang as well as the prohibition of leaving the body apply to a gentile who is executed by Beit Din in Eretz Yisroel?

22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree;
23 his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is a reproach unto God; that thou defile not thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.


texts:
How do I add nekudot (vowel points) to Hebrew text in Word 2010 on Windows 8?

With older versions of Windows I would follow these instructions: place the cursor after the letter I wanted to add to, enter caps-lock mode, and press shift + the key code for the particular nikkud.  This doesn't work in Word 2010, however.  What do I do instead?


texts: English translation of etz chayim (arizal)

texts: Does anyone know of a good English translation of Etz Chayim by the Arizal?


texts: What factors were used for determining leap years while the Israelites were in the desert?

texts:
I am trying to "co-ordinate" Rambam"s explanation of how to determine Judaic leap years with a key verse in the Torah.

Ranbam states in Mishneh Torah, Sanctification of the New Month 4:2:

Mishneh Torah, Sanctification of the New Month 4:2-3:

  על שלשה סימנין מעברין את השנה. על התקופה ועל האביב ועל פירות האילן.
  כיצד בית דין מחשבין ויודעין אם תהיה תקופת ניסן בששה עשר בניסן או אחר
  זמן זה מעברין אותה השנה. ויעשו אותו ניסן אדר שני כדי שיהיה הפסח בזמן
  האביב. ועל סימן זה סומכין ומעברין ואין חוששין לסימן אחר. וכן אם ראו
  בית דין שעדיין לא הגיע האביב אלא עדיין אפל הוא. ולא צמחו פירות האילן
  שדרכן לצמוח בזמן הפסח. סומכין על שני סימנין אלו ומעברין את השנה. ואף
  על פי שהתקופה קודם לששה עשר בניסן הרי הן מעברין. כדי שיהיה האביב מצוי
  להקריב ממנו עומר התנופה בששה עשר בניסן. וכדי שיהיו הפירות צומחין כדרך
  כל זמן האביב.

Sefaria.org translation (except for italics, my corrections based on DoubleAA's & user6591 help in comments):

  For three indicators we make the year a leap [year]. For the epoch and
  for the spring and for the fruit of the trees. How? The court
  calculates and knows; if the epoch of Nissan (when the sun enters
  Aries) will be on the 16th of Nissan or after this time, they make the
  year into a leap [year]. And they make that Nissan an Adar Sheini in
  order that the Passover will be in the spring time. And on this
  indicator, we rely and make leap [years] and we are not concerned
  about another indicator.  And similarly, if the court saw that the
  spring has yet to arrive, rather the fruit is still "hiding". And the fruit of
  the trees that tend to sprout around Passover have not sprouted. We
  rely on these two indicators and make the year a leap [year]. So that
  the spring will be present to offer up from it the waved omer (an
  offering of grain) on the 16th of Nissan. And in order that the fruit
  will sprout normally throughout the spring time.

Deuteronomy 16:1:

  שָׁמוֹר֙ אֶת־חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָאָבִ֔יב וְעָשִׂ֣יתָ פֶּ֔סַח לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ
  כִּ֞י בְּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽאָבִ֗יב הוֹצִ֨יאֲךָ֜ יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ
  מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם
  לָֽיְלָה׃

  Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy
  God; for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out
  of Egypt by night.

Most translations of the word "Aviv" that I have seen translate this as "Spring", which would tie this to the Solar equinox, only.

However, Rashi on Deuteronomy 16:1:1: (excerpt)

  שמור את חדש האביב. , שיהא ראוי לאביב להקריב בו את מנחת העמר,
  ואם לאו, עבר את השנה:

That the month should be one that is appropriate for the (barley) ripening in order to sacrifice the Omer sacrifice. If it is not this way, then, make a leap year.

My question - Rash"i seems to translate "Aviv" as "ripening" and tie this to an agricultural event. Also, the Omer offering was done only in the land of Israel (See Vayikra 23:10.)

Also, in the desert there were no trees, and there was no rainy season either.

So, when the Torah refers to "The Month of Aviv", does that mean "Spring" based on the equinox? If so, can we safely assume that this was the only reason to have a leap year while they were in the desert for 40 years? How was this calculated (I.e. - who knew "Sod Ha'ibur" ("Secrets of intercalation") and who made this decision?


texts: English Translation Error in Psalm 118:26 on Chabad.org?

texts:
If we go online to chabad.org and read the English translation of Psalm 118:26, we currently read:

"Blessed be he who has come in the name of the Lord; we have blessed you in the name of the Lord."
However the Hebrew words in Tehillim 118:26 state מִבֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה which traditionally means in English:

from-[the] House of [the LORD]

Why would chabad.org use "Name of the Lord" (twice) when translating Psalm 118:26 in English?


texts: One is not allowed to take God's name in vain, and certainly not allowed to curse the name of God (chas v'shalom). I'd like to understand conceptually why these things are considered such grievous sins. Why is misusing God's name so bad?


texts:
When/where did the idea of Hamantashen come from?

I have heard:

Haman's hat
Haman's Ears

But neither of those make any sense...


texts: Knowing all of Torah a prerequisite for getting married according to Halacha?

texts:
This article (http://www.torahmusings.com/2014/04/when-to-get-married/) states that two things are necessary before getting married: knowing Torah and a livelihood. It cites sources, but I'm not sure if they are really just suggestions or Halacha.

Must one know the entire Torah? What does knowing the entire Torah mean? Can one get married even if he does not know the entire Torah, if he is about to be 20?


texts: Error in Old "Ktav" Edition of "Tikkun LaKor'im"

texts:
I have an old copy of the old Ktav edition of "Tikkun LaKor'im, which was published in 1946.
It was printed using an copy of a hand-written Torah, of unknown provenance.
The problem with it, is that there is an ERROR [in the hand-written part] in Parshat Vayakhel (Shemot 35:11), where instead of "את קרסיו", it erroneously reads: "ואת קרסיו":

It seems that this edition is still available for purchase.
Does anyone know if the error was repaired in subsequent printings?
ADDENDA:
In the same edition (1946) I have found another ERROR [in the hand-written part] in Parshat Noach (Bereishis 8:4), where instead of "ותנח התבה", it erroneously reads: "ותנח תתבה".
Note: In the edition which is found on HebrewBooks.org, the error seems to have been corrected.


texts: Why the 7 laws for Bnei Noach do not include Shabbat or the separation between clean/unclean animals

texts:
I would like to ask why the Bnei Noah are not required to keep shabbat whereas the Shabbat has been holy since the first week of creation and has been given to humanity not only to AM Ysrael?
In fact even in Mt Sinai : Hashem said "Zachor et Yom Hashabbat" (Remember the day of Shabbat) which means that it was not something new.
And the second question is that the TORAH clearly stated that Noah knew the difference between clean and unclean animals. So why the Bnei Noah are not required to "eat" only the clean animals?
Thanks a lot


texts: What is the Jewish attitude towards heretics and other religions?

texts:
In Christianity, the general atmosphere is "Heretics and members of other religions are all completely wrong, and they are all going to Hell unless they repent and accept the Truth as we define it". As such I find that Christians are very hostile and antagonistic towards other faiths. (Lest anyone think that I'm blasting Christianity, I am Christian myself and am engaging in self-criticism). Eg if you mention Hinduism to a Christian, they'll likely respond with something like "They are polytheists! Polytheism is strongly condemned in the bible! Have nothing to do with Hindus or Hinduism unless you are trying to evangelise them."

Once I went on a short-term Christian mission trip to China, and most of the members of the team were very pessimistic about the native Chinese religion. Again, polytheism was a prominent feature of the local religion and the attitude of the team towards this was total condemnation, disapproval and even sadness because "those people are probably going to Hell unless they accept Christ and renounce their polytheistic ways".

I'm curious what the Jewish attitude is in this respect? I get the impression that Jews sorta just take the attitude "This is what we believe, that is what they believe. We aren't concerned with what other groups believe. They can believe whatever they want as long as they leave us alone to practice our Judaism in peace. If they follow the 7 Noahide laws then that's great! But in general we don't concern ourselves with gentile religions."

I feel like this is the case because I've heard that there are really good relations between Israel and India, and that there is a very old community of Jews living in India who have been there for ages, and that they have never been persecuted. I suspect that none of this would be possible if Jews were constantly picking fights with the Hindus on account of their polytheism.

It seems that Jews just keep to themselves and try to live devout lives without going out of their way to condemn other religions.

So for my actual question: What is the Jewish attitude towards other religions? For a concrete example, how do Jews react to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity? Do Jews generally find Christianity and the Trinity deeply offensive? Or do you just laugh it off and go "those poor Christians get it so so wrong".


texts: Are there any traditional tunes for Yishaya 26:20

texts:
During the Corona virus pandemic a verse which comes to mind is Yishaya 26:20:

לֵךְ עַמִּי בֹּא בַחֲדָרֶיךָ, וּסְגֹר דלתיך בַּעֲדֶךָ; חֲבִי כִמְעַט-רֶגַע, עַד יעבור זָעַם.
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for just a while until the wrath passes.

Does someone know any uplifting tunes to which this has been sung?


texts: When did the custom of using 2 people for hagbah and gelilah begin?

texts:
Megillah 32a says:

  עשרה שקראו בתורה הגולל ספר תורה קיבל שכר כולן

  If ten have read from the Torah (meaning that at least ten verses have been read; not that there was a minyan of at least 10 people or that there were 10 aliyot. See Rash"i, there), the one who rolls it up receives the
  reward of all of them.

(Edited with thanks to DoubleAA & YehudaW providing me some historical context)

As there were no "poles" (atzei chayim) during the time of the Gemarah, it makes sens that one person did both lifting and rolling. This was called just gollel.

At what point and for what reason was what we now call hagba - "lifting" added? Was it added at the time that the poles were attached, and was it mainly for that reason? Related - when / why were the poles used? Even after their attachment, initially, did one person do both or were the jobs separated?


texts: How do we know how to pronounce God's name?

texts:
Surprisingly, I have only just realized that we pronounce the letters Yud-Hey-Vuv-Hey completely differently then how the spelling could possibly sound. I mean the pronunciation used during laning that sounds like "my master/lord" but slightly different.
Is this pronunciation simple mesorah or is there a source for how to pronounce the name of God?


texts: I want to name my new born baby girl as Nessa which means miracle but want to know Which verse in the Hebrew bible mentions the word Nessa


texts: Why does Rambam list mitzvot before listing mitzvot?

texts:
In the Rambam's introduction to Mishneh Torah or just thereafter (depending where you consider the introduction to end) he lists his count of the 613 mitzvot twice.  First he lists all the positive mitzvot, then all the negative mitzvot.  After this he lays out the organization of Mishneh Torah into 14 books (sefer Maddah, Sefer Ahavah, ....) with subcategories (Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, Hilchot Deot, ....).  He lists the mitzvot that will be covered in each of these subcategories.  So from this list, we have a full list of the mitzvot the Rambam is including in all of Mishneh Torah.
If he is going to list all the mitzvot in the order he will address them in the balance of his work, what does listing them before that add?


texts: Is one required to move the fridge and clean out all the chametz that has gotten stuck underneath? This question assumes that the fridge will not be moved at all during Pesach.


texts: Why is it called Zman Cheiruseinu (Time of Our Freedom), if we are still slaves of Hashem?

texts:
Pesach is called Zman Cheiruseinu (Time of our Freedom) presumably because we were freed from being slaves of Pharaoh. But, the Jewish nation is NOT halachically free to do whatever it pleases. We are still slaves of Hashem, as we say in Shacharis during Berich Shmei, "Anno Avda DeKudsha Brich Hu" (I am the slave of The Holy One Blessed be He).

I heard in a shiur that Pesach is the Yom Tov celebrating our transfer of being slaves of Paraoh to being slaves of HaShem.

Primarily looking for answers/solutions from Rishonim and earlier (e.g. Chazal).

Thanks!


texts: I'm a gentile and my name is Christian. Would I face more aversion if I wanted to covert to Judaism than someone whose name is, say, Abraham? Would I be encouraged to legally change my name? Also, there is no real significance to the name, my parents are not religious - my mom just liked the way it sounds.


texts: Is there a standard for what type of casing a mezuzah needs to be made from?

texts:
I very recently came across a mezuzah made from recycled material. The product is referred to as a Tikun Olam mezuzah case and they are apparently all made from reclaimed plastic from the ocean. (the idea is you're cleaning the oceans while performing the mitzvah which they claim as a form of Tikun Olam)

As much as I thought the idea was cool, it brought up a question I never really considered.

Is there a rabbinical standard for the type of housing/case you should use for a mezuzah? I've obviously seen mezuzah cases in a variety of materials.

Wood
Metal
Stone
Tile
Etc.

That being said, would there be a concern of disrespecting the scroll if you place it inside of a mezuzah recycled from what is essentially trash?


texts: If a Kohen donates a kidney is he considered a Bal Moom for purposes of doing an Avodah?

texts: If a Kohen donates a kidney, is he considered a Bal Moom for purposes of doing an Avodah in the future Bais hamikdash? On the one hand, the missing organ is not visible. On the other hand, a cataract is also not visible and I think it would make a Kohen a baal moom.


texts:
On a day when we take out 2 Sifrei Torah do the Sephardim put both on the bima and open one and read from it leaving the other closed? Or do they put only one on the bima and leave the other in a different place before it's time to bring up to be read from.

(Please provide any sources and if there are different minhagim among different kehillas of Sephardim.)

I'm specifically looking to see if they in fact do put both Sifrei Torah on the bima at the same time.


texts: Who is considered “respected by everyone” in regard to being Chazzan for Ne’ilah?

texts:
ArtScroll (Yom Kippur Machzor, p. 708) lists several minhagim widespread during Ne’ilah, one of which is that “the rabbi, rosh yeshivah, or some member of the community whose seniority, scholarship, and piety have won him everyone’s respect serves as chazzan.”

First question: What is the original source for this minhag?

Second question: Assuming that the above quote portrays the minhag accurately, how respected is someone who has “won...everyone’s respect”? Everyone present, everyone in the community, not quite but basically everyone...?

Put another way: Let’s say that a person were chutzpadik enough to get up in front of everyone and declare that he has no respect for the person appointed as Chazzan. Would that require the Chazzan to step down and a different, well-respected person to step up, assuming that they want to follow this minhag precisely?


texts: Are Jews allowed to listen to music that is performed by non-Jew?

texts: I am machmir on only listening to music that was performed by a Jew, but i don't really understand it. Does anyone know what is the source for this? Does Matisyahu perform with only Jews?


texts: Putting a suffering animal out of its misery - Mitzvah, Reshut or prohibition?

texts:
How does the concept of Tza’ar Ba’alei Chaim deal with putting an animal out of its misery by killing it in order to prevent unnecessary pain (of the animal)?

For instance, when one sees an animal with a broken spine lying on the side of the road and he cannot take it to the vet without hurting it, and one cannot, for whatever reason, bring a vet to the animal, or else assume that one is a vet and can determine that there is no way to nurse the animal back to health.


texts: Does 'atah chonantanu' replace the first line of 'atah chonein,' or is it said in addition?

texts:
In my Koren Sacks siddur, the reader is instructed to substitute the first line of the usual אתה חונן with the אתה חוננתנו paragraph on Motzaei Shabbos and Motzaei Yom Tov.  In my Artscroll siddur, the reader is instructed to add the paragraph at those times, not substitute it.

Is one of these in error?  If both are valid, what are the sources or reasons for addition vs. substitution?


texts: Is there an etymological connection between the Yiddish word "shtiebel" and the English word "steeple"? They seem to overlap a lot in usage and pronunciation. A cursory search reveals that "shtiebel" may be a diminutive of the Yiddish word for "house", but perhaps the two derivations converged at some point?


texts: What are the minimum required sections of the Hagadah that must be said?

texts:
I am leading the Seder for my family, many whom are older people and young children who must be on a strict schedule. I.e., they have to eat by a certain time and must be asleep by a certain time, etc.

What are the minimal required parts of the Hagadah that must be said / done for halachic purposes / requirements? Here's what I assume:

4 cups of wine
saying something about the yetzi'at mitzrayim - could be from the Hagadah or could this be even a d'var Torah?
Eating matzah (motzi matzah)
Eating maror
the meal / se'udah
bentching

In compiling the list, I am looking at the bare minimum required to fulfill sipur yetzi'at mitzrayim - telling the story of the Exodus, and the other "tangible" items / mitzvoth such as matzah & maror.

Note that I have eliminated intentionally a few items:

Karpas and washing hands beforehand (I think these are minhagim)
Rav Gamliel's statement of Pesach Matzah Maror. It is unclear to me how he derives that it is an absolute requirement to say these.
Afikoman & Yachatz (I don't know the source stating that afikoman is required. If no afikoman, then why would you need yachatz?)
Korech (even the phrasing in the hagadah seems to indicate that this is a minhag)
Hallel (is this required to fulfill the mitzvah of sippur yetzi'at mitzrayim?)


texts: Would anybody be able to point me in the direction of legitimate Jewish meditation practices?

texts:
I have been looking for a meditative exercise which would complement my worship practices.

either something to use before Worship to be put into the appropriate mindset or something which can be used outside of Shul as a personal development aid.

The problem I have is I cannot get a straight answer from anybody regarding what that might be.

I'm a Jew. (shocking, I know)

I'm not a Buddhist or a Hindu or whatever else you might lump in with "meditation" faiths. I'm worried that I might be tricked into adopting a practice which is really a remixed form of a non-Jewish practice. It's important that the practice is rooted in Judaism.

I spoke with one person who directed me to a "Rabbi" who "Studied Jewish meditation" for many years. It turned out he traveled to India and lived on a Ashram (Hindu monastery) where he learned from Hindu teachers. I simply couldn't accept that guidance.

I don't want to adopt a spiritual practice which would run counter to Judaism. I want something which is meditative but I know wouldn't be a form of idolatry being lumped into Jewish practice. That is my worry.

I've heard that there are Chasidic practices of meditation but I've never been given a clear answer as to what that might be.

I've also heard about meditation ideas related to the Kabbalah but I don't know if that's legitimate or not. (legitimate meaning hearsay from Kabbalah interpretations VS Rabbinically endorsed practices) I'm basically left digging through a haystack of BS hoping to find my needle of truth.

Is there a specific practice which someone could point me in the direction of?


texts: Where did the practice of not counting people come from? People count not-one, not-two, not-three etc. What is wrong with counting one, two, three etc? This is often found when counting to see if there is a minyan in shul.


texts: Why do people outside Eretz Yisroel keep 2 days Yom Tov for Shavuos?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Second day of Shavous

Shavuos is one Yom Tov that has nothing to do with the day of the month. It is 50 days after the first day of Pesach. Even in the times of making Rosh Chodesh via the sight of the new moon, by the time Shavuos rolled around everyone knew definatively when Pesach started. Why then do we keep 2 days Yom Tov on Shavuos?


texts: What was the name of the rav/teacher of HoRav Ya'akov Yehoshua ben Tzvi, author of the Pnei Yehoshua?


texts: What are Israel's oldest known cultivated plants?

texts:
I was thinking about this question, this news, and the general fact that plants can live for a very, very long time.

What are the oldest known cultivated plants in Israel?  Are there, say, olive or date trees that we can point to and say "(Biblical or Talmudic or post-Talmudic personality) used these "?

(Of course, the Romans trashing everything doesn't make this easy.)

If it's the best we can do, I'll settle for even a few hundred years ago.


texts:
Is it stealing, or in any way unethical, to sit in on lectures at university that you aren't enrolled in (therefore aren't paying fees)? A lot of people do this and it's considered normal even for lecturers to allow it, which is true of some classes I would like to attend. I can't enroll formally because I have casual work at the moment, so I don't know what days I'm free. The lecturers and the department are fine with the idea, but I believe the university does have an auditing option, which is very expensive (aimed at retirees, I think, and I can't afford it). I just wonder whether sitting in on the classes is fine, since I wouldn't enroll anyway at this time, or whether it should be considered taking something without paying for it.

How about lecture recordings, if I don't attend the class but a friend records it and I listen? Do the recordings belong to the lecturers, who would give permission, or to their employer the university, who technically would probably ask me to enroll to audit if I asked?

Don't take into account the fact that I want to go to the classes :) Just whether objectively it's acceptable.


texts: How come there are skinny Mikvah attendants?

texts:
The Halacha is quite clear:

צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲמִיד עַל גַּבָּהּ יְהוּדִית גְּדוֹלָה יוֹתֵר מִי''ב שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִיא טוֹבֶלֶת, שֶׁתִּרְאֶה שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר מִשְּׂעַר רֹאשָׁהּ צָף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם
A large Jewish woman, more than 12 years of age, must stand on her back while she immerses, to see to it that none of her hair floats above the water

I suppose that to make sure she goes deep enough under water, we must have a heavy woman weigh her down.
My wife has occasionally pointed out some of the "Mikvah Lady" volunteers, and none of them seem overly obese. And she has never mentioned anything about them climbing on her back!
What is the justification for such flagrant flaunting of Halacha?!?!?!?!?!

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


texts: Why does Yaakov mention the two camps to Hashem?

texts:
When Yaakov was praying to Hashem in chapter 32, he points out in verse 11 how much Hashem has done for him by saying כי במקלי עברתי את הירדן הזה ועתה הייתי לשני מחנות,
'for with my stick I crossed this Jordan, and now I am two camps.'

Whether you learn like Targum that takes this as pointing out his growth from one person to many, or like Rashi that he is pointing to his growth monetarily, why would he mention the fact that he was now two camps? This was simply an escape plan as the Torah records in verses eight and nine. Had he been compelled to split his camp in order to accommodate his growth, akin to Avraham and Lot splitting in chapter 13, or Esav leaving the area because of Yaakov, chapter 36, than I would understand, but as it is presented, I do not.


texts: Meforashim and Poskim on Mas. 'Avodah Zarah and forming a curriculum

texts:
A friend and I have decided to start learning Mas. 'Avodah Zarah.  Our goal, however, is not to just pick a random Masechta of Gemara and learn it with the commentaries on the Daf.  Our actual goal is to learn a Masechta that neither of us has studied in all our years of Yeshivah, and learn it Be'Iyun - we want to come out at the end with a strong understanding of not only the Shakla VeTarya, but the underlying themes and the applicable laws.

Besides Rashi/Tosafoth and presumably RaMBa"M Hil. 'Avodah Zarah, what other Meforashim and Poskim should we study?  Someone suggested 'Ein Ya'akov to us.

If we wanted to create a curriculum for ourselves, how should we go about it?


texts: What was the first product to receive Kosher certification?


texts: Why is the Mizbe'ach specifically mentioned in Me'en Shalosh blessing yet not particularly mentioned in benching which instead discusses the entirety of the Beis HaMikdash?


texts:
If people wait until the end of Yom Kippur to say kiddush levana for the month of Tishrei, which I understand to be a prevalent custom, do they keep their talleisim on? Since the tallis is not supposed to be worn at night except for maariv on Yom Kippur (see, for example, here), does that mean that people should remove them before going outside? Or is it purely a matter of personal choice?

I ask because, for various reasons, I never get to say kiddush levana b'tzibbur (even motzaei yom kippur), so I actually cannot remember what I used to see happen way back in the days when this was how I said it. And then I saw this beautiful painting:

Seems to me that everybody in this painting is wearing a tallis, which leads me to suppose that it must (?) be the end of Yom Kippur.

The painting is entitled "Powrót z synagogi; Kiddusz Lewana - Poświęcenie księżyca", which (according to Google Translate) means something like "Exterior of the Synagogue. Kiddush Levana: Blessing of the Moon". It appears on Wikipedia's Kiddush Levana page.

The artist's name was Wacław Koniuszko (1854-1900). He was a Polish artist whose artworks are today exhibited in the National Museum in Warsaw. Amongst other things, he was famous for painting the Jews of Kazimierz. I do not know whether or not he, himself, was Jewish, but even if not one might assume that he painted from what he saw.

(1) Is there a custom to don a tallis for kiddush levana on any night of the year other than motzaei yom kippur?

(2) Is there a custom to keep the tallis on after davening maariv on motzaei yom kippur for the sake of kiddush levana?

(3) Or, is it all really just a matter of personal preference, and it makes no difference whether or not a person is wearing a tallis at such a time?

[Source for the idea that, normally, a person shouldn't wear a tallis by night.]


texts: Shabbat Erev Pesach - Piyyutim for Shabbat HaGadol

texts:
Ashkenazi custom is (was?) to recite piyyutim during shacharit of shabbat hagadol (the shabbat before pesach).
As part of the kerovot, the piyyut elo-hei haruchot lechol basar is recited, containing a digest of the laws of bedikat chametz, hagalat kelim and afiyyat hamatzot (followed by the laws of the seder).
What is the custom in a year when shabbat hagadol is on erev pesach, meaning that one should have already carried out these activities before shabbat hagadol started?
Do we simply recite this piyyut as normal, notwithstanding its inapplicability? Or maybe we should recite it on the shabbat a week earlier, to allow people to put it into practice? Or maybe just skip it altogether in such a year?
If the answer is either of the latter two options, what about the rest of the piyyutim for shabbat hagadol? Would they follow the same practice as that of elo-hei haruchot lechol basar (either being recited a week early or just skipped), or would they be recited in their usual spot, simply omitting elo-hei haruchot lechol basar?


texts:
The question of renting a hall in a Church to use for a simcha (bar mitzvah) has been discussed. I have a similar question, however a little different.

There is a Christian church that owns a large building. Part of it is used for their worship and other activities. However, another part of the building (which is essentially separate) is rented or given out to other organizations/people to use. For a while a Jewish school was using one of the rooms for a play group of young children. They were given this room for free and had no problem going into this part of the building since it was separate from the Church and used for many other things. However, now the Church wants to charge rent, and seemingly the money would be going to the Church.

Is there anything wrong with this?

Is this perhaps the same exact case as the one above? The reason it might be different is that, although connected to the church, the room's not literally part of the Church's building, to the extent that to walk into it was no problem. Perhaps the money being paid for the rent can be looked at as if it's going for the building up-keep (and what the Church ultimately decides to do with it wouldn't matter). Many times people might do business with gentiles and the money could go to their causes. Perhaps could rely on the Poskim that Christianity is not Avodah Zarah and therefore not a problem at all (there is much from the Meiri in what he wrote on Shas and in Teshuvas about this topic -- he is quite makil).


texts: Beit Kneset and Torah study - desecration?

texts:
By late antiquity, the "beth midrash" had developed along with the
  synagogue into a distinct though somewhat related institution. The
  main difference between the "beth midrash" and "beth hakeneset"
  (synagogue) is that the "beth hakeneset" is sanctified for prayer only
  and that even the study of Torah would violate its sanctity while in
  the "beth midrash" both Torah study and prayer are allowed. For this
  reason most synagogues designate their sanctaury as a "beth midrash"
  so that in addition to prayer the study of the Torah would also be
  permitted.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beth_midrash

Why does Torah study violate Beit Kneset sanctity unless otherwise specified (i.e. when Beit Kneset is a Beit Midrash) and which Halakhic rule applies to this situation?

In times of Yavneh, Torah study was the ultimate form of worship, so is it not so anymore? Of course, it is - Torah is read during the services, also Torah is usually available in printed form for every attendant of the service so reading from this printed Torah (and thus hypothetically not paying respect to the Sefer Torah) must not be a violation then. I know in old shtetls in Europe there was always a table to study and explain Torah in a Beit Kneset - it was so 100 years ago, but not anymore. And it is written learned prayers and rituals if executed without analysis, without giving one's heart to it, are wrong and without effect.


texts: Can a Noachide believing they are obligated make themselves obligated?

texts:
I am a Noachide, who came out of so-called "Messianic Judaism" after about 20 years. During those years, I believed I was part of Israel and the mitzvot were incumbent on me. I gave up jobs, sought a wife of like mind, and began to raise my children that way.

Now, I "understand" that's not true. But it is hard to tell myself that since I conducted myself as if obligated (though incorrectly) that HaShem wouldn't somehow treat it as such. I wanted to be obligated and I obeyed even when it cost me. Does that confer some obligation?


texts:
Can I repent (sincerely) after performing ANY active sin and avoid its punishment? Would this be different at a time when there was a religious court which might still apply certain punishments/sacrifices to go along with the repentance? This question talks about the consequences without repentance, even if the other stuff is done, but I am curious about the power of the repentance, itself.

So if I kill someone in this day and age, and then do sincere repentance (not that I was planning to "sin and repent" but that I really changed after the act), would there be any other consequence to the murder? Is there a "second chance" afforded by sincere repentance for EVERY sin?


texts:
Why specifically by Sukkah is there a concept of מצטער פטור מן הסוכה הוא (Shulchan Aruch OC 640:4) someone who is in pain in by being in the Sukkah is exempt? We don't have such a low threshold for most other mitzvos.

Note: I understand the gemara Sukka (28b) makes a drasha - תשבו כעין תדורו מכאן אמרו כל שבעת הימים עושה אדם סוכתו קבע וביתו עראי - for the threshold, but why is this mitzva different?


texts: Being forgiven for all of your sins for going to a Bris

texts:
I heard somewhere that going to a Bris will have all of your sins forgiven because of the following story:

Hashem told Eliyahu HaNavi that he'd have to go to every Bris. Eliyahu responded, "what if the father of the baby is a sinner?"

"I'll forgive him for his sins," said Hashem.

"What if the Mohel or Sandek is a sinner?"

"I'll forgive them for their sins."

"What if the people attending are sinners?"

"I'll forgive them for there sins as well," answered Hashem.

I'm looking for a source for this story.


texts: Electronic communication immediately before wedding

texts:
Is it permissible to chat with your future spouse during the week before the wedding when you are not supposed to see each other face to face? Are any, all, or none of the following permissible:

Text messages
Phone calls
Communication through a messenger
Facebook chat (what about even looking at their facebook page?)
Skype
Anything else of that sort you might think of?


texts:
While there are plenty of websites that are offering audio recordings on "what the halacha is," i haven't found any that help teach you how you as an individual can learn about the halachic process to determine which opinions you should accept, and which you should ignore.

For example, there is a local community that follows the Shulchan Arukh....unless Ovadia Yosef disagrees with it, then they follow Ovadia Yosef, unless of course the Ben Ish Chai AND the the Radvaz disagree with Ovadia. And they believe that the Rambam's 13 principals of faith are binding, but absolutely nothing else that the Rambam said is binding in any way (they may not say that out loud, but it's certainly their practice).

In light of such contradictory practices, in which there seems to be little consistency and even less instruction on how these contradictory practices work, many find themselves not knowing how one should determine halacha, what things are more important, and which ones are less, or how to determine how much weight to give x authority over another. Is anyone aware of any shiurim that can equip someone with the tools to navigate the halachic world, rather than just being told what the halacha is?


texts: What was so good about Naamah the Ammonite?

texts:
In Bava Kamma 38b we are told that one reason God spared Lot was because of the two good birds who would issue from his daughters. Rus from Moav and Naamah from Ammon. Rus is well known, the only information I could find on Naamah is from Kings 14:21 where she is mentioned as the mother of Rechavam. The classical commentaries on that verse (including: Metzudos Dovid, Radak, Ralbag, Malbim) indicate that she was a bad influence on her son teaching him to worship idols in Shlomo's old age. Now it is possible that she was a huge tzaddakis before hand and then 'went off the derech' but there is no indication in the pesukim as such.

Which begs the question, what was so good about Naamah the Ammonite?


texts: As I recall from some passages, there were times when a priest had to anoint a war-leader... not necessarily a king, but sometimes a dedicated warrior to handle an emergency.   Can an expert in sword (either broadsword where sitting vigil is a Christian dedication ritual, or even such as katana where an expert not answering to a master is considered by the culture of that training to be 'ronin', masterless or undedicated) choose to dedicate him or herself to the defence of the Jewish People, and does a Kohen still have the power as a descendant of priests to perform that dedication?


texts: I once heard there is a Chazzon Ish that speaks about a possible prohibition about carrying (without any need for it) on Chol HaMoed? Is there any such Chazzon Ish or perhaps other poskim that speak about this (either way?)


texts: Is there a discussion in the Talmud about why the Mitzvah of shooing away a mother bird before taking her chicks only applies to wild birds rather than all birds, including domesticated ones?


texts: differences of phrasing in Al hanisim: Chanuka vs. Purim

texts:
We add paragraphs to the liturgy of Chanuka and Purim, recounting the respective miracles that those holidays commemorate. We start the paragraphs as follows. Chanuka's starts:

  In the days of Matisyahu… and his sons, when the evil Greek monarchy rose against Your people Israel to cause them to forget your Torah and to draw them from the laws of Your will…

Purim's starts:

  In the days of Mord'chay and Ester in the capital Shushan, when the evil Haman rose against them, he sought to destroy, kill, and get rid of all the Jews…

I note two differences between these:

Chanuka's says "rose against Your people Israel"; Purim's says "rose against them", presumably the aforementioned Mord'chay and Ester.
Chanuka's says "rose against [whomever] to…"; Purim's says "rose against [whomever], he sought to…".

Why these differences?


texts: What has the Holocaust taught us as a people?

texts:
The Holocaust was one of the most horrific and important events in our history. What have rabbis said are lessons we should take from it?

I am looking for lessons that should apply to all Jews, particularly those that should apply to our lives and outlook. References to notable speeches or documents addressing this topic would be a welcome addition to any answers, as I'm looking more for consensus or "generally notable" answers (such as from rabbis of major influence), rather than individual opinions.


texts: Why does the Mishneh Torah detail how to free a slave if it is forbidden?

texts:
Mishneh Torah Hilkhot Avadim 5:1-3 details how a Canaanite slave is freed (with money or a document). However, 9:6 states that one may not free a Canaanite slave (though if one does, the slave is free). It seems strange to me to go into such detail on how to free a slave if it is forbidden.

Is it common for the Mishneh Torah to outline how to do something incorrectly?

Is it common for the Mishneh Torah to describe an action as assur, when it is violating a positive commandment, not a negative one?


texts: Is there a midrash that says all of the water in the world split at the time of the splitting of the reed sea?

texts: Is there a midrash that states that all the bodies of water split during the splitting of the reed sea? If yes, I would think that such an event would be recorded in some secular history book? Are there opinions that said midrash should not be taken literally?


texts:
In Yedid Nefesh, some versions of the lyrics have the phrase "ki zeh kama nichsof nichsafti" (some have nichsof nichsaf)

because it is so very long that I have yearned intensely
כִּי זֶה כַּמֶּה נִכְסוֹף נִכְסַפְתִּי

While the word נִכְסַפְתָּה appears once in tanach (Bereishit 31:30) as part of nichsof nichsafta, nichsafti does not appear at all [all text from here on out is lifted from Bar Ilan Responsa searches]. From what I can see, the first use is in the Abarbenel on Shemot 4:18

וילך משה וישב אל יתר חותנו וגומר עד ויאמר ה' אל אהרן לך לקראת וגומר אחרי שגמר משה בלבו ללכת בשליחותו במאמר השם הלך מהר סיני אל מדין ודבר עם יתר חותנו ליטול ממנו רשות לשוב למצרים ואין ספק שלא אמר לו דבר מענין שליחותו ומה שדבר אתו האלהים אבל אמר לו בלבד אלכה נא ואשובה אל אחי אשר במצרים כלומר אלכה נא אל אחי אשר במצרים ואשובה מיד כי לא אתישב שמה ימים רבים אלא כדי לראו' בלבד העודם חיים כי נכסוף נכספתי לבית אבי ואחי ולכן ארדה נא שמה ואראה אותם ואשובה ארעה צאנך אשמור

After this, there are other commentators which quote the phrase like the Torah Temimah on Devarim

יש מפרשים כסופים מלשון נכסוף נכספתי

The Alei Tamar on Sotah 5:1 seems to cite the phrase as if it were from the Torah itself

התורה דברה כדרכה הלך הלכתי כי נכסף נכספתי, גנב גנבתי, והיינו מפני שכן דרך המקרא להוסיף המקור על הפעל לחיזוק הדבר

which seems to be a misquote of the Yerushalmi Yevamot 45a

כרבי ישמעאל דו אמר לשונות כפולין הן התורה דיברה כדרכה. [בראשית לא ל] הלוך הלכת כי נכסף נכספתה  [שם מ טו] גנב גנבתי

The Imrei Emet connects this even more explicitly (on Re'eh) citing the Bereishit passage for nichsafti:

הוא לשון נכסוף נכספתי (עי' בראשית לא ל)

and the S'ft Emet on Lech Lecha also refers to it as if it is a known and written source:

כסף הוא בחי' חמדה ותאוה כמ"ש נכסף נכספתי

Is there another source for the Abarbenel's midrash-esque explanation of Moshe's thought process which would provide an origin for this phrase?


texts: What's the significance of putting a firstborn animal's hair in the window?

texts:
Bechorot 3:4 (≈Eduyot 5:6) discusses the case in which the hair of a wounded firstborn animal fell off, then a person put the hair in the  window, and then slaughtered the firstborn (or in another version, the firstborn died). Akavya ben Mahalal'el permits using the hair, and the rabbis forbid it.

What's the significance of mentioning putting the hair in the window? I can think of two possibilities:

The reason to put the hair in the window is so as not to accidentally use the forbidden hair of the firstborn along with other permitted hair on the floor. If this is true, the Mishna could just be mentioning putting the hair in the window as an ordinary case. Maybe it even mentions this detail to teach incidentally that it's required to keep the hair separate.
The fact that a person put the hair in the window changes the status of the hair, as it shows that he cares about it. Therefore, there's more of a reason for the sages to declare it forbidden. If he didn't put it in the window, maybe the sages would permit it, or maybe the Mishna is just mentioning this detail to teach that even in such a case Akavya permits it.

Which of these explanations is correct? Or is there another possibility?


texts: What does family have to do with the bad dog?

texts:
I often here people mention Canine Hara, the bad dog. However, it seems especially common to refer to it when discussing family.
For example:

I have ten children, Canine Hara.

or

My grandmother just turned ninety, Canine Hara.

What is the reason for this?

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


texts: Did Yonathan, King Shaul's son, have children?

texts: Yonathan died young, during the war with the Pelishtim. Did he leave children?


texts: Can I carry a shofar to shul on Yom Kippur?

texts: In a place that has an eruv, can one carry a shofar to shul on Yom Kippur (e.g. during the break between Musaf and Mincha)  so that it can be used at the end of neilah? or is there an issue of muktzeh, preparation for the next day (since the shofar blowing is at the end of the holiday), or any other issue?


texts: What's the difference between Sanhedrin and Kenesset Hagedola?

texts: What is the difference between Sanhedrin and Kenesset Hagedola?


texts:
Can someone help me with this? The structure of the brocha is that we are thanking Hashem:

(1) who creates numerous living things with their deficiencies;
(2) for all that Hashem has created (al kol shebarasa).

My problem is that it seems that (1) and (2) should be reversed. Surely Hashem created the world for the use in the appropriate way of all living things.


texts: How does a giyur lchumra differ from a regular conversion?

texts: I may be Jewish by matrilineal descent - my great, great, great grandmother was Jewish and was buried in a Jewish cemetery. Subsequent generations of my family were Catholic. I understand that if the evidence presented to the Rabbis is doubted, I may have to undergo a giyur l'chumra. Is the same level of study, etc. of a regular conversion expected when one undergoes giyur l'chumra?


texts: Pesach Sheni when Moshiach has just come

texts: Suppose Moshiach arrives between Pesach and Pesach Sheni - would we bring a Korban Pesach on Pesach Sheni as we did not bring one for Pesach or was there no Chiyuv in the first place and we would not bring one for Pesach Sheni? (sources please)


texts: What is the Noahide sin of cursing God and is it the same as taking God's Name in vain? Like, would saying "oh my god" count?


texts: Can a woman daven shacharit after chatzot (midday) has passed?

texts: Because tefilla is a time bound mitzvah, if a woman has accidentally not davened by the time 6 hours into the day has passed (chatzot), should she still daven shacharit?


texts: Do we use a fixed clock interval or the Sun to define the concept of "day"?

texts:
Follow up on the Earth stopping rotation question.

What if instead of stopping, the Earth simply slowed down or sped up its rotation rate (as it has, historically)?

Do we halachically count a single calendar day as passing using A) a fixed length of time, e.g. 24 hours  or B) using the Sun's apparent position in a certain location [e.g. Jerusalem] to make a full cycle. or C) some other possibility.

To illustrate, let's say the Earth starts rotating 2x as fast. If A is true, then we'd still be counting seven 24-hour periods between one Shabbos and the next, but we'd have 14 sunsets during that time. If B is true, then from one Shabbos to the next would be seven 12-hour periods.


texts: Division of Mishnayos in Pirkei Avos / Meseches Avos

texts: In the Siddur, Pirkei Avos has a different division (in each Perek the amount of Mishnayos) than in the Mishnayos Avos. Who determined the division of the Mishnayos in the Siddur?


texts: Why Ruth is called Ruth, the Moabite, when Balak, her direct male-line ancestor, was actually a midianite?

texts:
Rashi (Bamidbar 22.4.) says, that Balak was a midianite and Gemara (Sanhedrin 105:) says that he was a direct male-line ancestor of Ruth.

Why then Ruth is called Ruth, the Moabite?


texts: May one memorize large swaths of Tanach?

texts: It feels like a waste to memorize Keats or Cavafy when I can memorize Torah; however, I learned in yeshiva that one may not memorize psukim. What are the sources for this?


texts: Can a Jew sell a sefer Torah to a non-Jew? Why or why not?

texts: A question was raised whether a non-Jew can run a Judaica store.  My thought on that was it depended on what types of judaica he sold.  I doubted that a sofer would sell him mezuzah parchments, tefillin or sefer Torahs.  Also, I saw a video of a church using a sefer Torah in its services (opening it up from end to end and wrapping it around congregants; oy!) Is there a halachic prohibition to selling a sefer Torah to a non-Jew?


texts: Do any halachot change if a man becomes (or is born) a eunuch? For example is he rabbinically allowed to listen to a woman's singing voice or be exposed to other sexually stimulating things if he is physically incapable of wasting seed?


texts: What physical/health factors disqualify an otherwise qualified bechor from pidyon haben?

texts: If a first-born son meets the qualifications for pidyon ha'ben (first born of his mother, born naturally, parents are both Yisroel), what physical health issues would "disqualify" the bechor from needing a pidyon haben. For example, if Chas v'shalom he has a disease or is ch'v blind or ch'v missing an arm would these override the need for a pidyon haben?


texts:
The hataras nedarim of Erev Rosh Hashanah starts with "Listen now my masters, expert judges" ("שמעו נא רבותי, דיינים מומחים").1 In practice, at least as far as I've seen, these judges are usually ordinary people.2 So why do we make a point of calling them "expert judges"?

1. For example, as printed in the ubiquitous ArtScroll Machzor.
2. The instructions in the ArtScroll Machzor hint at this practice by putting scare quotes around the word "judges."


texts:
B'ezrat Hashem I plan on going to Israel next month, however, this presents a small problem. As a Kohen, I will be duchaning every day, while wearing my tefillin. Due to the placement of the tefillah shel rosh, this presents a minor problem, inasmuch as the rubbing of the tallit over the ketzitza (box of the tefillin bayit) will invariably cause my tefillin to lose their ribuah (squareness). As a result, most Jews wear a cover over the tefillah shel yad, however, I have not seen such a thing for a shel rosh.

Does anyone know where to get/how to make a cover for the tefillah shel rosh?


texts: Third blessing on the second night of Channukah

texts: If someone didn't light Channukah lights on the first night, does he/she then say the third blessing (Sh'hecheyunu) on the next night?


texts:
It is often said that Moshiach will be a person at the level of the greatest people in Jewish history (i.e., Moshe/Moses, Dovid/David, etc.), since it says in Yeshayahu (הִנֵּה יַשְׂכִּיל עַבְדִּי יָרוּם וְנִשָּׂא וְגָבַהּ מְאֹד).

Now, considering the concept of Yeridas Hadoros (the continuous spiritual decline of the generations), how is it possible to have a person today that is on the level of these people?

One possible answer I thought of is that it may mean that only once Hashem decides that he chooses this person, he will then exalt him, etc, but not that the person himself could reach that spiritual level himself (in other words, not that this person could be that sin-free, righteous, etc., as were the Avos, etc.).

Any thoughts?


texts: Why is the concluding supplication after kidush levana formulated as a personal prayer?

texts:
In many Ashkenazi sidurim (e.g. Artscroll and the Sidur Vilna), kidush l'vana concludes with a supplication that the greatness of the moon be restored, and that the Jewish people merit the restoration of Davidic reign. In modern sidurim that I've seen, the formulation is as follows:

  ויהי רצון מלפניך ה' א-להי וא-להי אבותי למלאות פגימת הלבנה... ויתקים בנו מקרא שכתוב ובקשו את ה' א-להיהם ואת דויד מלכם (הושע ג:ה) אמן

Rough translation:

  And may it be Your will, HaShem my G-d and the G-d of my forefathers, to replenish the moon from its deficiency… and may the verse be fulfilled through us (Hoshe'a' 3:5): "And they shall seek HaShem their G-d and David their king." Amen.

This formulation can be traced back at least to R' Meir ibn Gabai (Tola'as Ya'akov, ברכת הלבנה, c. 1506), though he does not use precisely the same nusach and he does not specify mentioning either א-להי ("my G-d", which would seem to connote a personal aspect to the prayer) or א-להינו ("our G-d", which would seem to suggest a communal aspect).

However, the modern formulation specifically mentions א-להי וא-להי אבותי ("my G-d and the G-d of my forefathers"), thus apparently connoting a personal aspect to the prayer.1 However, the context of the prayer seems communal or universal rather than personal.2

My questions are:

How did the current formulation (including "א-להי וא-להי אבותי") develop and become the standard nusach for Ashkenazim?
Is there a particular reason why this formulation includes the words "א-להי וא-להי אבותי" rather than "א-להינו וא-להי אבותינו"?

1  See Y'rushalmi (B'rachos 33a) for examples of supplications by individual sages, some of which seem to be supplications for the community and still use singular language (also some use plural language). In contrast, see the Bavli (B'rachos 16b-17a) where only the plural is used for communal supplications (the two instances of the singular form are unarguably prayers on behalf of individuals). Per B'rachos 29b-30a, " אמר אביי לעולם לישתף איניש נפשיה בהדי צבורא", one might speculate that some of the supplications mentioned in plural form in the Y'rushalmi (though nevertheless using "א-להי") are primarily meant as personal prayers. Note, though, that this principle of Abaye's is the basis for his ruling that even a lone traveler should recite T'filas HaDerech in the plural, with א-להי specifically changed to א-להינו, among other changes (Shulchan 'Aruch OC 110:4, see also Mishna B'rura 110:20 that this extends to any prayer that was instituted with a plural/communal formulation, though note the dispute over the appropriate form for 'Aneinu during an individual's fast Mishna B'rura 565:5). See also Shulchan 'Aruch OC 119:1.

2
The Chasam Sofer (Chulin 60a) mentions that, although HaShem will repair the deficiency of the moon in the future, He made that restoration dependent on our deeds. Since our sins delay the messianic era and the restoration of the moon, HaShem commanded us to offer the chatas sacrifice of Rosh Chodesh (see Sh'vu'os 9a, דאמר ר"ל... אמר הקב"ה שעיר זה יהא כפרה על שמיעטתי את הירח). Perhaps, then, the prayer after kidush l'vana may be a disguised request for HaShem to help each individual repent from our sins and seek out HaShem and the Davidic kingdom (as in the above mentioned verse from Hoshe'a'). Even so, the se'ir of Rosh Chodesh is a communal offering, and Hoshe'a' 3:5 is written in the plural, suggesting that, even as a supplication for repentance, this prayer appears to have more of a communal aspect than a personal one.


texts: What is known about Asaph son of Berechiah?

texts:
Is Asaph ben Berechiah the person mentioned in 1 Chronicles 16?

What else do we know about him?


texts: A friend of mine asked me from when a Non-Jew was allowed to make giyur (conversion); and on which Biblical verses it was based upon. I guess he wanted to know more about it's origin. So that's why I'm posting this question: From where in the Scriptures (and commentaries) can one trace back the origin for making giyur?


texts: Shir Hashirim - when there is no Shabbos Chol HaMoed Pesach

texts: Usually Shir HaShirim is said on Shabbos Chol Hamoed Pesach. This year where there is no Shabbos Chol Hamoed the Minhag in Chutz L'Aretz is to read it on Shabbos Achron Shel Pesach. In Eretz Yisroel where there is no Shabbos Chol Hamoed Pesach and no Shabbos Achron Shel Pesach, when is it read? Is it read on the first day of Pesach or some other time?


texts:
Targum Onklus Will either use the word אתא or על for the word בא. What is the logic behind his choice?

Of interest is the times where a variant text is brought,  for instance in parshas Vayeishev 30 16 where אתא is used and an older version of על is brought in the parenthesis.


texts: Is one allowed to go out watching the fireworks in the new year of the common era, is there any reason, why it could be forbidden?!


texts: Why is the Haftorah of Acharei Mos Kedoshim Halo Bnei Kushiim?

texts:
Most of the time when we read two Parshas, the Haftorah is that of the second Parsha, except on Acharei Mos-Kedoshim (the source of the custom is from the Mordechai, Rama, Bach and Magen Avraham against the Levush) . Then we read the Haftorah for Acharei Mos.

Why is that?


texts:
In the Brocho after eating grains which are not bread we say:

  על ארץ חמדה טובה ורחבה

Translated very loosely as: On the Land (ISRAEL) that is desirable good and WIDE.

Now, anyone with a knowledge of Israel knows that it is smaller than most states, and even if you go according to the largest borders that are in the Torah, the land of Israel is not by any stretch of the imagination "WIDE", so what are we saying when reciting this Brocho?


texts: What did women have to do with the moon's shrinking?

texts:
In the Mishna Berurah (426:1) it says (with loose translation):

ונשים פטורות מלקדש הלבנה דהוי מ"ע שהזמן גרמא ואף דכל מ"ע שהזמן גרמא נוהגות הנשים שמקיימות ומברכות עליהן מ"מ מצוה זו אין צריכין לקיימה משום דהם גרמו פגם הלבנה
Women are exempt from "sanctifying" the moon as it is a Positive Commandment which is "caused" by time. And even though women are accustomed to do all such Mitzvos either way, and say a Bracha when doing them, they do not need to do this Mitzvah because they caused the "defect" of the moon.

I assume that when the Mishnah Berurah says "defect" of the moon, he's referring to the story of the moon originally being the same "size" as the sun and shrinking (see How did the moon shrink?). Please correct me if this premise is wrong, and there was a different incident with the moon.
If so, what did women have to do with that story?  Women weren't even created yet...

Note: I see that the משנה ברורה and מגן אברהם that mention this are quoting a של״ה. However, I have no idea where to look for it, so I would appreciate if anyone would point me in the right direction…


texts: What does anger have to do with the nose?

texts:
Two expressions, among many, ארך אפים - "long (slow) to anger" when describing one of G-d's qualities, and  חרון אף - "anger" contain the word אף - nose.

Usually, when people get angry, they yell (voice) and the heart beats faster, and the face gets red. Other than in bulls shown in Looney Toons, I don't think I've seen anger affect the nose.

Why does Tana"ch use a term related to the nose when describing anger?


texts:
I have been considering Adam and what G-d said about Adam pertaining to the tree of life directly after the fall. After Adam had transgressed, G-d commanded that the tree of life be withheld from him that he may not partake of its fruit and become immortal.

Bereshis 3:22 (Genesis 3:22):

  And Hashem Elohim said, See, HaAdam is become like one of Us, knowing
  tov v’rah; and now, lest he put forth his yad, and take also of HaEtz
  HaChayyim, and eat, and chai l’olam (live forever);

What would have happened if Adam would have eaten from the tree of life after he had already "fallen", would he have lived forever as a physical immortal in his "fallen" state?


texts: When making a berachah must one have certain kavanos on certain words in the berachah that he is saying in order to be יוצא it?


texts: What is the meaning of Eth Eyd'yam אֶת-עֶדְיָם in Shmoth (Exodus) 33.6?

texts:
how would you translate Shmoth 33.6 אֶת-עֶדְיָם
ayd is witness so I'm guessing the literal is "witnesses" in the plural - some translate it as "ornaments" others as "finery" and others as "crowns" but I'm connecting it to "totafoth" - "in order that the Teaching of the L-RD may be in your mouth" Shmoth 13.9


texts: Where do we first see Cheshvan (as opposed to Marcheshvan)?

texts:
The correct name for the eighth month of the Hebrew calendar is Marcheshvan. (See here and here.) This is how the name of the month appears throughout the Talmud (to the best of my knowledge) see e.g. Rosh Hashana 7a.

Colloquially, it is often shortened to just Cheshvan (to the extent that many think this is the correct name of the month).

Where is the first place we see the name written as Cheshvan?

Pri Chadash to Even HaEzer 126:7 writing in the latter half of the seventeenth century seems to assume that the "real" name is Cheshvan, so I imagine we would see sources before his time using the name Cheshvan for the month.


texts: Why do we avoid inviting people to a b'rit milah specifically, and not other celebrations too?

texts:
I have learned, and seen in practice, that we don't invite people to a b'rit milah directly but rather just announce a date and place.  The reason, according to this answer citing Rema Yoreh Deah 265:12, is that it would be bad to decline an invitation but if you weren't invited, you can choose to not attend.

I understand that b'rit milah is an important mitzvah and worthy of celebration, but why, more specifically, is it bad to decline an invitation to one?  We don't seem to have this problem with other s'machot, like weddings.  (Or, at least, I couldn't find any "not really an invitation" wordings for weddings via Google.)


texts: Early maariv prayer and Kiddush on the night of Shavuot - what are the halachic considerations?

texts:
I always remembered communities waiting for nightfall before praying Maariv on Shavuot night (to fulfill "seven complete weeks"). I recently learned this was not the case in every community, some wait only for Kiddush, others don't wait at all.
What are the halachic considerations behind these three views?


texts: Can a sinner preach to other people to stop sinning?

texts: Can somebody who has committed a particular sin nonetheless rebuke other people for doing it?  Or does he have to first stop doing the sin himself?


texts: Did Beruriah add to, "Women are light-headed," to say, "...except Beruriah"?

texts:
I'm seeing a couple of secondary sources which suggest, without citing a primary source, that Beruriah may have supplemented her husband's teaching "Women are light-headed", either orally or in writing, with, "...except Beruriah" or "...but not Beruriah"

Is there any primary source that this is based on?

Thanks!


texts: Genesis 18:3 Adonai, My Lord or lords and why?

texts:
Rabbeinu Bahya (13th Century) wrote that in non-sacred usage the Nun of adonai has a Patah, and only with an Etnahta or Sof pasuk a Qamatz when the word stands on its own. ‘And for this reason in the vocalization of the sacred Name you will not find a Patah but only a Qamatz for the high and great level which indicates His being above all, and that He does not rest on another, as is the case with creatures. For this reason when the name Aleph Dalet is sacred, it has a Qamatz and when it is not it has a Patah.’ In the opinion of Rabbeinu Bahya the Qamatz of the Nun of the sacred Name is the same as the Qamatz of the pausal form.
(See more here)

Looking at Bereshit 18:3 does this mean the word Adonai is refering to G-d, cause it's written with a qamats? Cause Adonai in Bereshit 19:2 is referring to two angels and is written with a patach.

I've once read somewhere this is indeed the case and that Avraham asks G-d to stay with him while he'll help the passengers (the three men).

So to whom is the word Adonai refering in Bereshit 18:3?


texts: Are Jews below age 20 judged the same as those above 20 on Rosh Hashanah?

texts: Are Jews below 20 judged differently then Jews above age 20? I know there is a question posted on this site whether or not punishment starts in shamayim below age 20, but I want to know specifically about the  Rosh Hashanah trial. Cite sources please. Thanks!


texts: Why is a "leper" allowed to sit with other "lepers"?

texts:
In Parshat Tazria (Vayikra 13:46) we are told:

  All the days the lesion is upon him, he shall remain unclean. He is unclean; he shall dwell isolated; his dwelling shall be outside the camp

As Rashi explains:

  He shall dwell isolated: [meaning] that other unclean people [not stricken with tzara’ath] shall not abide with him.

The source for the Judaica Press translation's parenthetical explanation of Rashi "people [not stricken with tzara’ath]" (implying that the leper may sit with other lepers) appears to be a Braitah brought in Pesachim 67A and Rashi's commentary there.

The Talmud (according to Rashi) there explains that when the verse says "he shall dwell isolated" it means that other forms of impurity (Zav or one impure by a dead body) do not have to go outside all three camps, while the "leper" must.

This seems to indicate that "lepers" may sit together, outside the camp. We see this in the story in Melachim II 7:3 as well, where there were 4 lepers sitting together at the gates of the city.

However Rashi on Vayikra 13:46 continues.

  Our Sages said: “Why is he different from other unclean people, that he must remain isolated? Since, with his slander, he caused a separation [i.e., a rift] between man and wife or between man and his fellow, he too, shall be separated [from society].”- [Arachin 16b] [This rationale is based on the premise that a person is stricken with tzara’ath as a result of his talking לְשׁוֹן הָרַע, i.e., speaking derogatorily of others, although he may be telling the truth.]

If the "leper" must be isolated and separated from society due to the rifts he has caused, shouldn't he also be separated from other "lepers"? Why is he still allowed to sit with other "lepers"? Especially since the rifts Rashi (and the Talmud) mention are personal rifts, not societal rifts. Why don't we say that just like he caused people to be separated, he too should be separated and alone?


texts: Eliyahu HaNavi's role in Moshiach's arrival according to the Rambam

texts:
The Rambam says in Hilchos Malachim 12:2:

  There are some Sages who say that Elijah's coming will precede the coming of the Mashiach. All these and similar matters cannot be definitely known by man until they occur for these matters are undefined in the prophets' words and even the wise men have no established tradition regarding these matters except their own interpretation of the verses. Therefore, there is a controversy among them regarding these matters.

  Translation from Chabad.org

Two related questions:

1) Where is Eliyahu's arrival debated that you could describe it as "some Sages" and "controversy"? Presumably the Rambam learns from the Bar Kochba events, where Eliyahu Hanavi didn't make an appearance that it is, in fact, uncertain when in the process he will arrive, but is this actually explicitly argued anywhere?

2) In Hilchos Nazir 4:11 the Rambam says that someone who vows that he will be a Nazir on the day "The son of Dovid comes on" is a Nazir from that day forward, unless he makes the vow on Shabbos or Yom Tov. Because there is a Safek if Moshiach can come on those days, his vow only starts the day after (but is effective even on Shabbos and Yom Tov subsequently). What is the doubt about Shabbos and Yom Tov? The Kesef Mishna, the Midgal Oz, the Radbaz, etc. all point to the doubt about whether or not there is "Techumin" above. If there is, then Eliyahu HaNavi can't come on Shabbos and Yom Tov, so Moshiach can't come that day.

So from this we see clearly that Eliyahu HaNavi is an integral part of Moshaich's arrival and not subject a matter for which there is no clear tradition.

So which is it? How exactly does the Rambam understand Eliyahu HaNavi's timing in the arrival of Moshiach?


texts:
I remember a while back when the State of Israel was evacuating the Gush Katif, there was some talk about this, but i don't remember what was said. All I remember is that there was a question whether Gush Katif was part of biblical israel. Is this true?

Are there any sources which discuss this?


texts: Does kri'at shmaʿ on its own require handwashing?

texts: If one is going to recite kri'at shmaʿ on its own (in order to recite it in its proper time), do you need to wash your hands first specially for the purpose? I.e., you're going to be davvening shaharit with a minyan that will miss the latest time, so you're reciting it on your own beforehand. Or, you davvenned ma'ariv with a minyan that prays before nightfall, so later you're reciting kri'at shmaʿ on your own.


texts:
One of the things I'm missing in the US is lack of easy access to spoken modern Hebrew. Can anyone recommend a good podcast featuring news (as well as possibly other subjects) in Hebrew for offline listening? So far, I've only found a handful of podcasts on Hebrew learning and on religious studies, whereas I'm really looking for something beyond that.

Thanks in advance.


texts: Why does Megilas Esther describe Achashveirosh's sleepless night as "on that night"?

texts:
What was so special about the night that Achashveirosh couldn't sleep that it was referred to in the Megila (6:1) as "that night", i.e.

בלילה ההוא נדדה שנת המלך

It could have said something more typical like

ויהי בלילה אחד

The language of "on that night" seems to be unusual. Was there really anything special about that night or the day that preceded it that we must know they are connected?


texts: Why Does the Torah Cycle start/end on Simchat Torah?

texts:
If the Torah was given on Shavu'ot, wouldn't it be logical to make that day the time to start the reading cycle (or, at least, line up the yearly cycle so I am up to the narrative of matan torah naturally at that time) at that point? Instead, we start and end the cycle on Shmini Atzeret which is not a time which is, as far as I can tell, inherently related to the Torah. This answer quotes a source which posits a possible explanation but nothing definite. This website presents an explanation of sorts but with no sources, and its point is that we should be starting the cycle on Yom Kippur but to avoid some sort of religious confusion, we push off the celebration to what ends up being an arbitrary date.

This explanation, though, devalues Shavu'ot then (or turns it into "Shavuot is therefore more about a relationship with G-d than the Torah itself"). If it isn't about Matan Torah, then why do we celebrate it as "zman matan torateinu"?

When did this cycle timing start and why, and why would we then retain Shavu'ot in its current form, instead of turning it into a spiritual day which ignores the giving of the Torah aspect?


texts: I understand that each animal slaughtered needs to be done with a special kind of knife and by a shochet. How might an industrial kosher farm operate without the need for an exorbitant amount of employees? Could there be a contraption that holds each animal, and a shochet pulls a level which controls several kosher knives?


texts: Why was the use of the tallit instituted as halacha?

texts:
This article implies that the mitzvah of wearing tzitzit is required only when one wears a four-cornered garment. If one never wore such a garment, one need not wear tzitzit at all.

Citation:

  The style of dress in those olden times was for people to wrap
  themselves in rectangular garments, but over the centuries styles
  changed, and in many parts of the Jewish world, this commandment and
  ritual was faced with extinction.

  The Rabbis decided, therefore, to make it a special duty for us to go
  out of our way to continue wearing four-cornered garments in order to
  obligate ourselves in this time-honored and deeply significant
  mitzvah. They instituted two different garments for this purpose.

Why was this mitzvah considered so important that the rabbis had to introduce the wearing of a special garment? This is a "situational" mitzvah - i.e., if one doesn't encounter the situation, he doesn't need to perform the mitzvah.

We have many similar "situational" mitzvot, such as Shiluach Hakan (sending away the mother bird before taking the chicks or eggs.) Its reward is long life - So, it seems important, in some way. Yet, we do not require people to plant a tree and coax a female bird to come there to build a nest.

Why was the mitzvah of tziztzit considered that important?


texts: What does Judaism think about homosexuality?

texts: Is being gay a sin? Can one be a Jew and a gay person at the same time? How does the Jewish community think about gays?


texts: Every time I've read the name of Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai in the Gemara, it says Rabbi Shimon BEN Yochai. But, whenever I hear someone talking about him, they say BAR Yochai. Why is that?


texts: Can tea made without cli shlishi be drunk bdieved?

texts:
When making tea/instant coffee/hot chocolate etc. on Shabbat, it is supposed to be done in three vessels, so that the boiling water cools off and doesn't cook the powder. The urn is the first, then there's an intermediate cup for pouring, and then it gets poured into your cup (teabag goes in after). (See Shmirat Shabbat C'hilchatah 1:57)

If someone forgot to do the cli shlishi, instead adding the tea to the second cup after the water was put in it, can the tea or whatever still be drunk?


texts: What is the definition of "She'at Hadchak" regarding mincha and ma'ariv?

texts:
This M.Y. answer discusses the various opinions of whether one can daven Mincha and follow it with Ma'ariv immediately afterwards when one began mincha after plag. (Note that this wasn't the subject of my question, itself, there.)

Part of the answer cites O.C. 233:1

  הגה: וּלְדִידָן בִּמְדִינוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל
  עַרְבִית מִפְּלַג הַמִּנְחָה, אֵין לוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל מִנְחָה אַחַר
  כָּךְ; וּבְדִיעֲבַד אוֹ בִּשְׁעַת הַדַּחַק, יָצָא אִם מִתְפַּלֵּל
  מִנְחָה עַד הַלַּיְלָה, דְּהַיְנוּ צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִים (בֵּית יוֹסֵף
  בְּשֵׁם אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְרַשְׁבָּ''א).

It says that in "emergency situations" if one davened Mincha after plag, and followed it immediately with Ma'ariv before tzet hokachavim, this is fine.

Would this scenario be considered "She'at Hadhcak"?

In my shul, we have trouble getting a minyan (sound all too familiar?) We prefer to daven Mincha before plag and follow it with Ma'ariv (an opinion expressed as "common practice" in O.C. paragraph mentioned). But often, we have 7 people, and the Gabbai calls or "what's-apps" (is that really a valid verb??) people to come to shul to help form the minyan. By the time we get the minyan, it is after plag, so we're following the other opinion that allows davening mincha after plag is over until night time.

Generally, in such cases, according to O.C., when one davens mincha after plag, he must wait until the stars emerge before davening Ma'ariv. However, those that came early will defect and leave the shul because the late-comers made them wait, unnecessarily.

In short, would not having a minyan for Ma'ariv qualify under the condition of She'at Hadchak, or would everyone be forced to wait until the stars emerge?


texts:
There are sewer tanks where, when full, an electric sewer pump automatically turns on.

Is it a problem to pour water down the drain (washing hands, flushing the toilet) into such a sewer system?

One is not directly causing the pump to turn on -- it only kicks in if the tank becomes full.


texts: Source that drinking on Purim is like fasting for two weeks

texts:
I have seen references (1, 2) to a saying from the holy Rebbe of Zitoshev that

  "If a person drinks wine on Purim the way he is commanded it is the same as if he fasted twice from Shabbos to Shabbos!"

I would like to know the source of this idea and/or its location in writings of the Zitshover's works.


texts: If a person is deciding whether to do something and says "I'll flip a coin, heads I do it, tails I don't" does that fall under the prohibition of "don't divine with signs" in Vayikra 19?