texts: What is the basis to allow heart transplatation?

texts:
If someone needs a heart transplantation, we first need to take off his old heart. At this very moment, the person is halakhically dead since he/she has no heart. A heart transplantation is therefore a kind of resurrection.

What is therefore the halakhic basis to allow the doctors to resurrect the person by heart transplantation?


texts: Why the person switches in Shemos 14:2-4?

texts:
Shemos 14:2-4:

דבר, אל-בני ישראל, וישובו ויחנו לפני פי החירות, בין מגדול ובין הים:  לפני בעל צפון, נכחו תחנו על-הים.
ואמר פרעה לבני ישראל, נבוכים הם בארץ; סגר עליהם, המדבר.
וחיזקתי את-לב-פרעה, ורדף אחריהם, ואיכבדה בפרעה ובכל-חילו, וידעו מצריים כי-אני יהוה; ויעשו-כן.

The first verse switches from third person to second person mid-verse (ויחנו is third person, תחנו is second person). The second and third verse revert to third person.  (The second verse is not so bothersome, as it is paraphrasing what Pharaoh will say.)
Why the switches?


texts: Does a school need to do Bedikas Chametz?

texts:
Does a School need to do Bedikas Chametz?

What do Schools generally do?

I would think that it would be the responsibility of the Head of School to ensure that Bedikah is done.  Even if they were to sell the chametz, Bedikah should be done.
However, in my limited experience I have not heard of schools doing Bedikah.  What is the solution that would allow them to not do it?


texts: What is the sin of the pious man in Bava Kamma 80a?

texts:
In http://halakhah.com/babakamma/babakamma_80.html

  Our Rabbis taught:  There was once a certain pious person  who
  suffered with his heart, and the doctors on being consulted said that
  there was no remedy for him unless he sucked warm milk every morning.
  A goat was therefore brought to him and fastened to the legs of the
  bed, and he sucked from it every morning. After some days his
  colleagues came to visit him, but as soon as they noticed the goat
  fastened to the legs of the bed they turned back and said: 'An armed
  robber (footnote) is in the house of this man, how can we come in to [see] him?'
  They thereupon sat down and inquired into his conduct, but they did
  not find any fault in him except this sin about the goat. He also at
  the time of his death proclaimed: 'I know that no sin can be imputed
  to me save that of the goat, when I transgressed against the words of
  my colleagues.'

The explanation provided by the footnote is puzzling to me

  As a goat is prone to pasture anywhere and thus spoil the crops of the
  public.

Wouldn't this reasoning hold for many animals, also, how is it warranted to suspect a pious man at the time of his sickness that he is a robber w/o any proof or witnesses (he seems to confess the sin at the time of death, but that still does not resolve it for me suspecting him at the prior time)


texts: According to Halacha, may we endanger many Jewish lives in order to definitely save one Jew?

texts:
For example, what does Halacha say about the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange?

"Save" means "free from captivity," although in many cases it's the same thing as saving his\her life (e.g. if we didn't save him\her, (s)he'd die because of the bad prison conditions.)

"Endanger" means "theoretically kill and injure other Jews at some point in the future."

List of sources with quick summaries of the opinions, or links to articles containing such,  would be most appreciated.


texts: Source Midrash - why the first letter of the Tenach is a Bet

texts: What's the source of the Midrash that talks about the reason why the letter Bet was chosen as the first letter of the Tenach and not the Alef? The reason being given in this Midrash is that it is because the letter Bet is the first letter of Bracha (blessing) and the letter Alef is the first letter of Arur (curse).


texts: Can an item toveled by someone non-religious be used?

texts:
If a cooking pot was expressly intentionally toveled in a kosher mikva by someone who is not religious (intentionally does not keep shabbat, kosher etc.) and did not make a blessing, but followed all other requirements (eg. removed labels) is the pot considered toveled? The fact that the item was toveled can be independently corroborated (3rd party or video camera etc.)

Possibly related: Can someone [be] tovel accidentally? (Does tovelling need kavanah?)


texts: Why is the weekday reading for Devarim different than for Shabbos?

texts:
Generally, the short Torah reading used on Shabbos afternoon, Monday and Thursday morning is the ~10--15 verses that will constitute the first Aliya the coming Shabbos morning.

But for Devarim, the short reading is Deuteronomy 1:1-11, but on Shabbos, the first Aliya is just 1:1-10.  What happened to verse 11?


texts: Selling Hametz on Amazon FBA during Passover

texts:
A man sells Hametz products on Amazon.com. The goods are physically located in Amazon's warehouses - fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), shipped and sold throughout Passover. The weekly sales are significant enough that he does not want to lose the profit or halt sales for the week of Passover.

How would an agreement with a non-Jew be structured, to allow everything to stay as is, yet still not lose the profit from sales during this time?

I was thinking to make an "all-or-nothing" package deal. Sell the goods to the non-Jew at a small percent above the actual final costs after fees (say $11,000), using a small deposit. The sale is immediate with the final amount due after Passover. When the non-Jew refuses to pay the balance, he "reverts" ownership back to the Jew. Even though the goods were in possession of the non-Jew over Passover, he loses his profit, since he refused to pay for the all the goods.

I know this is a loophole and I have serious Hashkafic concerns with it, but the question is a technical Halacha issue regardless. There are Jewish franchise groceries that operate as usual during Passover and have valid certificates that they did not own their Hametz over Passover. I don't know how the technical aspects are handled. This case seems similar, with the added bonus of the goods being physically off the Jew's property.


texts: Translation of an inscription on a Kiddush cup

texts: I've had it for months now and its from the 40s.


texts: There is an idea (which I initially became familiar with in my misspent youth from tamei sources but subsequently have seen it mentioned in tahor one's) that Shavuos is, as it were, a marriage between Am Yisroel and Hashem. Does anybody have the source for this idea and able to elaborate?


texts: How can verses from the Torah be written on paper without the paper becoming sheimos?

texts: I often find myself mindlessly doodling psukim from Tanach on paper (especially Tehillim). Is there any way I can do this without making the paper sheimos?


texts: If I must eat on Yom Kippur is there a Chiyuv To make Kiddush? If there is not Is there a situation where you do?


texts: Re-tying Arizal tefillin with Ashkenazi knots

texts: If my tefillin are Nusach Ari, and I'm Ashkenazi, can I re-tie the knots and make the tefillin look Ashkenazi? (Such as re-tying the Shel Yad knot to have the loop closer to you, and re-tying the Shel Rosh knot into a Double-Daled.) Would this prove to be troublesome since Arizal letters on the parchments differ from Ashkenazi style of lettering?


texts: If a Cohen couple gets an embryo donation do they perform pidyon?

texts: If a Cohen couple gets an embryo donation and their first born is a boy, do they have to do pidyon or is the baby a Cohen?


texts: Why is the prayer on leaving the Sukkah unique?

texts: Many have a custom to recite a short prayer upon leaving the sukkah - the yehi ratzon found in many machzorim/soddurim. Why don’t other mitzvot have a similar phenomenon? Why don’t we find similar prayers by shofar or matzah etc?


texts: I just came across this article about improvising around instant ramen. Assuming that the flavour pack is independent of noodles, does one need a hechsher on ramen?


texts:
On the door of the Heichal Shlomo in Jerusalem are several square plates which appear to symbolize the twelve tribes.

I'm having trouble figuring out which tribe each of these plates corresponds to.  Perhaps I would have an easier time if I understood the Hebrew titles on the images.  Several (but not all) of the images appear to be based on the imagery from the blessings Jacob gives his sons in Genesis 49.

Here are the ones I believe I have identified...

Levi (ephod)

Genesis 49 doesn't mention ephods or the priestly nature of Levi, but I think this one is clear, regardless.

Judah (lion)

Zebulun (ship)

Issachar (donkey)

Dan (serpent)

Asher (rich food)

Left-most plate in the below image:

Naphtali (deer)

Benjamin (wolf)

Have I misidentified any of the above images?

Unidentified tribes & plates

So, that leaves Reuben, Simeon, Gad, and Joseph, and the following plates which don't seem to line up with the imagery in Genesis 49:

Which plate goes with which tribe, and why?

Thanks to zeevveez for the great CC BY 2.0 pictures!


texts: Why does Yaakov say, "ראיתי אלוקים פנים אל פנים"?

texts: In Bereishit 32:31, Yaakov says, "ראיתי אלוקים פנים אל–פנים" after his encounter with the angel.  Most commentators, such as Rashi, interpret that when Yaakov says this, he really meant "I have seen [an angel of] Hashem face to face", but why does the Torah (in which everything is significant) show Yaakov saying he saw Elokim as opposed to a malach of Elokim?


texts: Why does Nusach Sefard omit Tachanun during Mincha?

texts:
In many, if not all, of the Nusach Sefard synagogues I've prayed at, the synagogue does not say Tachanun during Mincha during regular weekdays.

What is the source for this practice?


texts:
If I used a shamir to cut through over-baked colov yisroel NY pizza and also to penetrate my mother-in-law's dry meatloaf, would I need one shamir worm for meat and the other for dairy, or can I use the same worm for both?
And if I need to keep separate shamir worms, can I still wrap them in wool and keep them in the same lead container?

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


texts: Were the "maidens" of Rebekah "schifchot" to Isaac or "pileg'shim" to Isaac?

texts:
Were all or one of the "maidens" of Rebekah "schifchot" to Isaac or "pileg'shim" to Isaac (regardless whether he consummated with them or not)? Why or why not?
The "maiden" of Sarah was a shifcha or pilegesh to Abraham.
Likewise both the maidens of Rachel and Leah were shifchot or pilegshim to Israel.
Rebekah's maidens are found in Bereishit 24:61
What do our authorities say?


texts:
In many places in the Tanach Hashem uses a name twice (ie Avraham, Avraham in Breshit 22:11; Jacob Jacob in Breshit 46:2; Shmuel shmuel in Shmuel Aleph 3:10 and more).

Rashi says that this is an expression of affection.

With all due respect to Rashi I am not entirely happy with that answer.  If it is an expression of affection why isn't it used more?  If it is an expression of affection why at these times specifically?

As well, on a related note the call is often answered with Hinneni (commonly translated as Here I am).

Rashi explains that Hinneni is an expression of modesty and eagerness.

Again with all due respect to Rashi, why does this follow the expression of affection?  How do the double name calling and the Hinneni relate?


texts:
We are directly ordered to kill Amalek (once the chance presents itself) so that 'the name of Amalek not be mentioned even with reference to an animal by saying "This animal belonged to Amalek" '.
What about Amalek's accomplices? About Amaleks friends? People who unbeknowingly take Amaleks side, not knowing the true nature of things?

To clarify the question: The accomplices of Amalek are NOT descendants from Amalek, in fact they are from an entirely different nation.


texts: Why is וַיְהִי בִּנְסעַ the minimum Sefer Torah size?

texts:
The gemara in shabbos with regards to saving scrolls says that the scrolls has to 85 letters, the gemara says it has to be the same as וַיְהִי בִּנְסעַ if it has 85 letter you can save it. Why specifically this section of the Torah?

What does the number 85 represent that it is used to say that this is how many letters you need for it to be a Torah Scroll?


texts: Is calling The LORD as "Father" common during Jesus time?

texts:
Most of the time I hear from some Christian friends that the "Father" name for to The LORD was founded by Jesus.

Because I find it odd (if Jesus was the first person to start calling The LORD "Father"), so I looked into the Old Testament and found that there are several verses which call The LORD "Father".

I would like to know whether this form of address (for example maybe in a prayer) was commonly used during Jesus' time (or at least a few years before Jesus was born).

To be honest, I want to make a conclusion that if it was already common during Jesus' time - then I think Jesus was just following the tradition of calling The LORD "Father". Not as the Trinitarians think that Jesus is praying to the First Person of The Trinitarian Godhead, not to himself (as the Trinitarians say that Jesus is the 2nd Person), not to the Holy Spirit (as the Trinitarians say that The Holy Spirit is the 3rd Person).


texts: sitting on a table with sifrei kodesh on it

texts: Is there a halachik problem with sitting on a table or surface that has siddurim/chumashim on it? What about other sefarim? What about putting one's feet on a table that has such books on it?


texts:
If yes, I am interested to know who can be a slave and is there a specific way to enter into this arrangement.

If the answer is no, why and how did this come into effect.


texts: If musical instruments are forbidden on shabbat why do we adorn the crown of a (ashkenazik) sefer torah with bells?


texts: Why is moisture a chatzizah for netilas yadayim? I guess you can say that the hands must be completely clean, but then why don't you have to wipe your hands in middle? For example, one who washes his hands twice right and twice left, he should wipe his hands in between the first right and the second right.


texts: Measuring the time of eating (c'dei achilas pras)

texts:
I once saw written in a "alon" (given out in shuls before Shabbos) that in regards to eating matzah that it has to be done in the amount of time that is "c'dei achilas pras" -- that this time begins to be counted not from when the food (matzah) enters ones mouth, but rather from the time the person begins to swallow the matzah. The author who wrote this did not mention any source and simply stating that that is the halacha.

What is the source for this? Is it accepted by all poskim or are there those that argue on this? If so, who? Sources?


texts:
Many people in the world celebrate and play pranks on each other on April 1.

Is it halachically permissible to play pranks on people or in any kind celebrate April fools day?


texts: How did Shlomo Hamelech figure out which way to build the Beit Hamikdash?

texts:
The Torah tells us how to build the Mishkan, but not the Temple. And the dimensions of many of the objects in the Temple were not the same as in the Mishkan (the Copper Altar was bigger, for instance) as well as having many duplicates (10 Menorahs, for instance).

How did Solomon have permission to make these changes? Was it in the Oral Torah? Even though he was a Navi, surely he couldn't use that to change the instructions in the Torah itself.

Edit: It doesn't help to transfer the instructions from David. He, too, could not go against the Torah.


texts: Should a Christian church as a whole be seen as an Idol Halachically

texts: Churches here have a highly visible protruding cross (which is an Idol) on the roof and at many places all over the structure, does that mean the church itself becomes an Idol, i.e a large Idol, also passerby Christians make gestures of worship showing a gesture of kissing the church in air, paying reverence and devotion to the church, so does such a church as a whole be seen as an Idol?


texts:
What if someone make a Neder or a Shavu'a in the name of Hashem, and intentionally broke it?

What would someone's punishment be for that? Kares, Malkus etc.?

How can someone do Teshuva for something like that?


texts: Order of punishments/responsibilities in viduy

texts:
In the viduy (confession) of Yom Kipur, we confess, and beg for forgiveness for, sins for which we're liable for

a sacrificial offering:

ola,
chatas,
ole v'yored, and
asham;

lashes prescribed by rabbinic decree;
lashes prescribed by God;
death imposed by God;
kares-death imposed by God; and
death imposed by court:

by stoning,
by burning,
by sword, and
by throttling

— in that order. Why that order?

The ArtScroll machzor (prayer book) explains that the order is that of severity, so sacrifices are listed before capital punishment. Which makes sense to me, but

how does that explain the order of the sacrifices? And, also,
then various things are out of order:

Lashes prescribed by the rabbis should then come after those prescribed by God, as the former are harsher. (They're identical AFAIK except that they have no flat-rate maximum of 39.)
The court-imposed deaths are out of order: the first two are harsher than the others.


texts: I faintly recall some Rishon saying that גרמא means something that doesn't happen right away but takes at least a few seconds to happen. Does anyone know the source for that, or anyone that disagrees?


texts: How does the moon cause harm? Tehillim 121:6

texts:
Psalms 121:6:

  יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃

  The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.

I understand that the sun "smiting" you can cause sunburn and heat stroke. But what harm can the moon cause?

Metzudat David commentary says the moisture of the moon can cause sicknesses (kudos to DoubleAA for explaining). What does this mean? AFAIK, the moon has no moisture. Do they mean dew at night? That doesn't come from the moon, and dew is not damaging from what I know.


texts: If a father does not arrange pidyon haben for his firstborn son, what happens? Is the son by default given to service of the Kohanim? Is it the duty of the son to become a rabbi?


texts:
According to Ariz"l and his followers, the sequence of Yaacov's marriages (Rachel first and then Leah) was of a great importance, dealing with the Seider of the Geulah, Moshiachs etc. Lavan planned to undermine that and harm the Jewish nation for generations (hence the everlasting fights between the Tribes, for example).

Rachel and Leah are presented throughout all interpretors and Midrashim  as Zadkaniot and having Ruach haKoydesh. However in fact, they helped Lavan with his wicked plan, and, therefore, deeply betrayed Yaacov.

How could they switch sides?


texts:
After reading Is a covered sukkah wall counted as a wall? i had a followup question on the answer there. (I was actually going to ask that, and had even drawn up diagrams, only to find that it was already asked. :()

How far can the wall be from the schach for dofen akuma to apply?


texts: Should one make a bracha on seeing geological arches, hoodoos or balanced rocks?

texts:
I am considering visiting Arches National Park in Utah. This park has several "arch" rock formations and a few hoodoos and a balanced rock.

Shulchan Aruch O.C. 228:1 states that one should make a bracha Oseh Ma'aseh Breishit upon seeing moutains. However, 228:3 specifies that this should not be done for all mountains, but only those which it is apparent that they are unusual and that the Creators work affected them.

If I see these arches, hoodos or balanced rocks, they are not specifically mountains. However, it is clear that G-d's work has shaped them. Should I be saying a bracha on seeing any of these?

I assume that if the answer is "yes", that one bracha suffices for all of them. If so, I have mentioned 3 types of rock formations. Is there any preference as to which of these 3 I should make the bracha upon first?


texts:
Our shul's practice (which I imagine is very common) is for members of the community to appoint the rabbi as their agent for selling chametz. The rabbi then sells everything to a local priest, along with storage space where the chametz is located. The sale is also witnessed by two Jewish men of good standing in the community.

A question came up as to whether someone who has appointed the rabbi as his agent can be a valid witness to the sale. I know that in other situations there are sometimes restrictions on who can be a witness (e.g., relatives are not valid witnesses for a ketubah). It seems suspicious to me that one who has an interest in the contract would also be a witness.

How would this work in a small community, where essentially everyone appoints the rabbi and it would be difficult to find two independent witnesses? Would the witnesses need to make their own sales separately?


texts:
Nehemia 8:10 records that the people in Jerusalem were told to, among other things, provide food for Rosh Hashana for those who are lacking:

  ויאמר להם לכו אכלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים ושלחו מנות לאין נכון לו כי־קדוש
  היום לאדנינו ואל־תעצבו כי־חדות יהוה היא מעזכם

  He further said to them, “Go, eat choice foods and drink sweet drinks
  and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy
  to our Lord. Do not be sad, for your rejoicing in the LORD is the
  source of your strength.”

Is there anywhere in halachic practice or minhag that codify providing food for the poor specifically for Rosh Hashana? The idea of communal charity prior to Pesach, kimcha de'pischa, has a long history, but I am not familiar with such a practice for Rosh Hashana. (Modern Israel features many charity drives to provide food before Rosh Hashana, but I have never seen this practice anchored in halachic sources specific to Rosh Hashana).


texts: Jewish Person Selling Non-Kosher Product

texts:
At a local convenience store near my work, they stock all sorts of non-Kosher products.  However at the cashier's desk is a guy obviously orthodox Jewish (Curls down from the side, Black Clothing primarily, etc.).  Is he breaking any Jewish Law?

My thinking is he might be ok since he's not likely doing the cooking himself (everything is pre-packaged).

(Disclaimer: I'm a non-Jew myself, but have been around Judaism enough to survive)


texts: Using fabric refresher spray during the Nine Days

texts:
The entire duration of the Nine Days, one is forbidden to wear freshly-laundered clothes, as it  is part of the process of mourning for the Churban Beit HaMikdash.

However, are you permitted to use a fabric refresher spray, like this one, to fresh-up your clothes and make them smell nicer?


texts: Must Mashiach have Jewish ancestry, or just Davidic?

texts: So I recently found out that the rulers of Ethiopia claim descent from Shlomo. Since Mashiach needs to come from David, if this is true they fulfill that requirement. However, it is unlikely (or at least unconfirmable) whether or not they are Jewish due to the matrilineal nature of transmitting Jewishness. Would they qualify for being the descendent of David without having a line of Jewish ancestors? What about if they convert?


texts:
The Gemara says you have to tie no fewer than 7 chulyos and no more than 13. According to most shitas, 13 is the ideal. My question is, according to the Rambam, can you do whatever you want - 7 or 13?

Do Teimani (Yemenite) Jews who follow the Rambam have a certain custom? From what I've observed, some tie 7, while others tie 13. Is this just personal preference or is it based on varying customs for different parts of Yemen? Is there any difference between the custom for a tallis katan versus a tallis gadol?

BTW, when it comes to techeles, I have seen Ptil Tekhelet tying guides bring both 7 and 13.


texts: Is a Child Born to Jewish Mother and Father Outside of Marriage a Mamzer?

texts:
I was reading that a child born to a married Jewish mother to a father who is not her husband is a Mamzer (bastard). But what if the parents are both Jewish, neither of them are married but they have a child together?

What is the child considered in that case? Still a mamzer?


texts: does a date of birth have any specific meaning or importance?

texts:
Does any one know if a date of birth has any meaning for us?

I would like to find out wheter the Torah or Talmud or any other Jewish writings has anything to say about this topic.


texts: Why should Bochurim learn Gemara in Aramaic?

texts:
Why is there so much emphasis in the Yeshivish world to learn Gemara in Aramaic? Why can't you find an English artscroll shas in most charedi yeshiva?

It is not Lashon Hakodesh and it was written in Aramaic as that was the language spoken at the time but nowadays where English is the vernacular why should Yeshiva students be pushed to learn Gemara in an extinct language.


texts: Das Torah regarding taking notes during Shiurim

texts:
I wanted to know what the Seforim for Bnei Torah say about writing notes during a shiur.
Should one listen without writing anything and only later listen to a recorder while writing notes?


texts: Fasting, what and when a Daniel fast is appropriate

texts:
I would like to know, what is exactly a Daniel fast? when it is appropriate to do and how to do it?

Thank you for your reply

Justine


texts: Time for t'filah and you don't have a siddur: better to daven from memory or wait (and possibly miss the time)?

texts:
If the set time comes to daven (on a weekday, let's say) and you unexpectedly don't have a suitable (or any) siddur,1 does halacha call for you to wait (and possibly miss that amidah entirely), or should you do your best without a siddur but at the proper time?  Assume that you are not 100% confident that you will do a word-for-word correct t'filah without the siddur, but you think you can get pretty close and are confident that you won't say anything inappropriate.

Is the answer different for men and women, and is there anything else on which it depends?

I wonder if it's ok to daven sans siddur for three reasons. First, if you daven regularly you may find that you've memorized a regular weekday mincha or ma'ariv anyway.  Second, the fixed siddur text is only about a thousand years old and before that (as I understand it) only the outline and the chatimot were fixed; if it was at one time permitted to have that level of textual variation, maybe it still is under some conditions.  Third, two or three times I have seen an Orthodox Jewish man do this.

1 Say you don't normally carry a siddur to work because you go to a mincha/ma'ariv minyan on your way home, but something came up and you will miss that minyan on a particular day.


texts: The newer edition of Shmiras Shabbos K'Hilchasa seems to contain both volumes of the older edition. However, it says Chelek Aleph on it. Is there a Chelek Beis and/or whats meant to be in it?


texts:
As recorded in Yevamos 10b and Yevamos 32a, a yavam (brother of a man who died married, but childless) cannot marry his sister-in-law (yevamah) after performing chalitzah (the ritual in which he decides not to perform levirate marriage with her), based on Devarim 25:9.

  מ''ט דר''ל אמר קרא אשר לא יבנה כיון שלא בנה שוב לא יבנה

  What is the reason of Resh Lakish? — Scripture stated, That doth not
  build, since he has not built he must never again build.

(Soncino translation)

So I know the source of the prohibition of marrying one's chalutzah; I'd like to know why it's forbidden -- what's the טעמא דקרא, if you will.


texts: Shelosha Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?

texts:
Who knows three hundred thirteen?
?שלושה עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 313.
Lazy gematria doesn't come close to real achievment.
Check out mi-yodeya-series for the previous three hundred twelve entries in this ongoing series.
Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.


texts:
I was posed a hypothetical question about medical ethics today. I am not looking for a psak as much as for sources on the discussion about halachic responsibility.

Case 1:

You are personally told by person A, that person A has received a medical diagnosis that if left untreated, is most likely fatal.  Person A also informs you that he has no intention of pursuing treatment.  With treatment, the  condition would be treatable. You try to convince said person to rethink and make a different decision but to no avail.  What is your halachic obligation? Would you be obligated to intervene further? An intervention? Or is Person A completely responsible for his own choices?

Case 2:
Same facts except person A is the legal caregiver/decision maker for person B and has received the diagnosis for person B but has chosen not to direct medical staff to pursue treatment for person B. [Would it matter if person B had a living will that said either to or not to pursue treatment?]

This isn't about a person's obligation to help himself, but about another person's potential obligation to step in and intervene.


texts: Why do tefillin cases have the פעיה"ק and תובב"א acronyms on them?

texts:
This M.Y. question explains the meaning of 2 common acronyms that appear on tefillin cases (the storage boxes that the tefillin are put into.) (see pictures below)

When did this minhag begin? Why are these abbreviations placed on the tefillin boxes, in particular?


texts: I had heard that one should not go on a boat during the 9 Days because going on the water is dangerous and one should not go on a dangerous trip during the 9 Days. Is there any truth to any prohibition of riding on a boat during the 9 Days? If so, is there a difference in the prohibition if one goes on a cruise, a fishing trip, or a local ferry?


texts: If Mordechai knew he would endanger the whole nation would he bow to Haman?

texts:
If I understand the plot correctly, the story of Haman's hatred to Mordechai and the whole Jewish people started with Mordechai disobeying the king's laws.

First, did Mordechai (as a prophet) know he endangers the whole nation?

Second, If Mordechai knew he would endanger the whole nation would he still not bow to Haman?

Third, what does the Halacha says about such behavior - is one really forbidden to pretend to bow to an official even if he puts his whole nation in a life-threatening situation?


texts:
Our Sources give the impression that Shabbat is the holiest of the yamim tovim.  On Shabbat, we rest, eat and drink of the best, sleep, rejoice, have sex with the spouse, wear nice clothes, etc.  It trumps many other things, such as mourning.

But Shabbat does not trump Yom Kippur.  Yom Kippur frequently falls on Shabbat, and does not allow most things mentioned above.

I know the Mishna [Taanit 26b] says that the two most joyous days are Yom Kippur and Tu b'Av, but I have the impression many Jews do not feel that way.  (Maybe they haven't learned enough.)

Why was the calendar not arranged so that Yom Kippur never falls on Shabbat?


texts: The difference between terms for mitzvot

texts:
Before certain parts, my siddur (Tefillah Hashalem, Ashkenaz) has "Yehi Ratzon" sections to help one prepare. These paragraphs (found AFTER the bracha for Tzitzit, but before the others) outline the mitzvah and end with the hope that through the fulfilling of these, it will be as if we have fulfilled all other mitzvot. I have found them before putting on Tzitzit, Tallit, and Tefillin, before taking the Arba Minim, sitting in the Sukkah. There might be others but I haven't found them yet.

The listings of what would be fulfilled isn't the same for all the mitzvot. What is the difference between the following terms that would make some of them appropriate for one mitzvah and a different selection for another mitzvah?

prateha

dikdukeha

chavanoteha (these 3 used for Tzitzit, tallit and tefillin)

Shorasheha (with prateha, for lulav)

t'na'eha (with prateha and dikdukeha for sitting in a sukkah)


texts: Should we wear multiple pairs of tzitzit?

texts:
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 8:12 says we should make one bracha on all our pairs of tzitzit, and if we did not have all the pairs in mind, then we need to make a new bracha on each one. Seemingly, it is a mitzvah to wear each and every pair. Accordingly, why do Jews not wear more than one pair (besides for any reasons relating to inconvenience or weather). From a hashkafa standpoint, it would seem like a more proper act to wear more than one pair of tzitzit if one is able to - so why is this practice not popular?
Edit: Rabbi Sheinberg did it, so I assumed it had value. However, I have no basis for that assumption. I am looking for sources on either end of the spectrum- whether there is, or there is not, value on wearing multiple pairs.


texts: Ramban’s interpretation of the expression "leshem zenut" in Mishneh Torah-Hilchot Ishut 1: 4

texts:
We read in
Mishneh Torah-Hilchot Ishut 1:4

“Before the Torah was given, when a man would meet a woman in the
marketplace, and he and she desired, he could give her payment, engage
in relations with her wherever they desired, and then depart. Such a
woman is referred to as a kedeshah. When the Torah was given,
(relations with) a kedeshah became forbidden, as (Devarim 23:18
states): "There shall not be a kedeshah among the children of Israel."
Therefore, a person who has relations with a woman “leshem zenut”,
without kiddushin, receives lashes as prescribed by the Torah, because
he had relations with a kedeshah”.

The expression "leshem zenut" used here by Rambam is usually translated into English as "for the sake of lust" or "for the purpose of fornication"; however, it is not clear whether the text should be read "leshem zenut, that is without kiddushin", or "leshem zenut and without kiddushin". The difference between the two hypotheses of interpretation is very large, since in the first case the textual incision "leshem zenut" would be a mere explanatory note relating to the absence of kiddushin; in the second hypothesis, however, it should be concluded that,according to Rambam,the commission of such violation requires the coexistence of two different conditions: the absence of kiddushin and the presence of "leshem zenut".
Ramban's interpretation is oriented in this second direction, as explained in
Teshuvot haRashba Meyuchas LehaRamban No. 284

“And also in regard to the words of the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben
Maimon), of Blessed Memory, they are not intended to forbid the
Pilegesh relationship to a commoner and permit it to a king. Rather,
this is what he said: “a person who has relations with a woman “leshem
zenut”, without kiddushin, receives lashes as prescribed by the Torah,
because he had relations with a kedeshah”. “Leshem zenut” means he
contacted and engaged in sex with her and did not render the
relationship exclusive to him for the purpose of establishing a
Pilegesh form of relationship, which thus rendered her a
kedeshah.Therefore, Rabbi Moshe of Blessed Memory did not say that
anyone who has sex (simply) without kiddushin is flogged”.

How shared is this interpretation of Ramban in the Jewish tradition?


texts: If a poor person asks for charity and I give some money to that person, but he then returns it to me, (because he doesn't feel it is enough, or any other reason) have I accomplished the mitzvah of tzedakah or not? Meaning, does it technically count as tzedakah and then, by him returning it, is that second act a gift on his part, or has he annulled my mitzvah as if it didn't happen?


texts:
It is known that we remove a sha"tz for omitting Birkat Minim. However, there are multiple texts that I know of, including: Vilmalshinim, Laminim, and Vilam'shumadim. There are also small variants in wording within these major forms (t'oveid, yoveidu, et c.).

Considering this, would/should a sha"tz be removed for using a different nusach for the beracha?


texts:
We see many fascinating works of Hashem around the world and one of which is Aurora Borealis.

Do our midrashim or books on mysticism have anything to say about its origin or anything related to it?


texts: Had read some midrash or zohar that some apes were human beings who were banished and became apes. Don't remember the source. Does anyone know this?


texts: If one is behind in his reading of Shnayim Mikrah , but isn't in the middle of a Parsha , may he skip to the current week's to be with the Tzibbur? ( sources are appreciated )


texts: How attached can one be to a Makom Kavua'?

texts:
tl;dr
When I first joined my Shul, I floated between different Minyanim and didn't feel as though I truly had a set place where I belonged.  After a couple of years, I picked the "main" Minyan in the Shul's main sanctuary, and I picked one spot there to Daven.  It's a large Shul with several Minyanim, so I was a little surprised, though not entirely shocked, when a friend told me after a few weeks sitting there that I'd displaced an entire family that had been sitting there for three generations.  I guess they were just being nice and didn't want to make me feel awkward, but by my sitting in that one spot, this rather large family that typically took up an entire row so that they could sit together, from grandfather through grandson, moved and scattered throughout that section of the Shul.  I immediately moved over one row, and I soon noticed that they returned.  I was pretty embarrassed, but glad that I was able to rectify the situation.

I then sat in this new seat for about six  years without incident.  I grew attached to this seat, and I even managed to get it assigned as my High Holy Days seat (usually, seats are reassigned from year to year or chosen through lottery if the seat isn't held by someone the previous year).  I was very proud that I had what I could definitively say was my Makom Kavua'.

One day, though, I arrived late, and I discovered someone in my seat.  I recognized him as a regular in a different Minyan that I'd previously tried out.  I didn't say anything, since I'd been late, and since he probably just didn't know it was my seat, and I just moved over one row.  The next week the same thing happened.  And the next.  And the next.  I finally got up the courage to ask him if, like the family I'd inadvertently displaced for a month or so, perhaps I'd been displacing him all this time.  He gave me a vague answer suggesting that he preferred that seat when he comes, but he didn't really state outright that it was his, nor for how long he'd had that seat in mind. I had so many questions that I just couldn't get him to answer directly.  Did it predate my arrival? How often did he Daven there anyway?  He just wouldn't give me a straight answer.

I made a point of trying to get there on time.  I noticed that he started arriving early.  Eventually he stopped coming (for the most part) and went back to his other Minyan.  But every once in a while, he shows up early and takes my seat!

I once asked the rabbi what to do, and he did not support any action that might cause a conflict and advised me to just be on time or let him have it.

Meanwhile, a couple of years ago, someone else showed up in my seat.  I recognized him as well, only he didn't even go to my Shul.  He was a longtime member of a different Shul, and was even a past president there.  I didn't want to say anything, but then he showed up again the next week.  I thought, "Here we go again!"  I asked him if he had a particular attachment to this seat that I'd been sitting in for going on 8 years.  He said it had been his seat for well over a decade, once upon a time.  I said that I know he goes to a different Shul, and that I'd appreciate it if he'd let me have it, since I'd been sitting there for so long.  He emphasized that he is a member of both Shuls, and that he still considered it to be his seat.
/tl;dr

So now I have two people vying for the same seat I've sat in for about a decade.  I can't seem to shake either one of them other than by coming extra early and never leaving for a bathroom break.  They just seem to go out of their way to snag this seat whenever they are in that Minyan (and they come more frequently than they used to).  I wonder: Is there anything in Halachah or common practice that I can bring to their attention (or the rabbi's), or am I just being too attached to my seat?


texts: My understanding is that there are 3 kinds of nedavos-Olah, Mincha, and shelamim. Do olos and shelamim need nesachim?


texts: Tracing the Tradition of HaRav Shimshon Rafa'el Hirsch

texts:
I'm not sure if this is the proper forum for such an investigation; but, I'll pose the question and find out. I'm trying to trace the tradition received by HaRav Shimshon Rafa'el Hirsch through the ages (i.e. who were his teachers and their teachers, etc.).

So far, Googling has led me back as far as HaRav Ya'aqov Yehoshua' ben Tzevi Hirsch Falk (author of Pene'i Yehoshua'). But, I'm having difficulty tracing the tradition further back from Pene'i Yehoshua'. Does anyone know who Pene'i Yehoshua' received his tradition from or, more generally, how to go about such research?

For completeness' sake, here is the trail I've uncovered thus far:

Rav Shimshon Rafa'el Hirsch learned from Rav Isaac Bernays
Rav Isaac Bernays, in turn, learned from Rav Avraham Bing
Rav Avraham Bing, in turn, learned from Rav Nathan Adler
Rav Nathan Adler, in turn, learned from Rav David Tevele Schiff
Rav David Tevele Schiff, in turn, learned from Rav Ya'aqov Yehoshua' ben Tzevi Hirsch Falk


texts: Among not yet frum people the traiditional blessing of haMakom is not used but rather people wish each other ' a long life or chayim aruchim' whilst this term is reserved for avelimg. Is there any issur in wishing 'long life' to other family members of the deceased but not the close members sitting shiva? Does one have to distinguish between what he wishes an avel and someone just close


texts: Can an unmarried niddah go into a cemetery?

texts:
The Pitchei Teshuva YD 195:19 cites the Chamudei Daniel as saying that a niddah shouldn't go to a cemetery to daven. The Mishna Brurah 88:7 writes that a niddah shouldn't go to a cemetery. Shiurei Shevet Halevi 195 writes that a niddah shouldn't go to the cemetery because of a concern of mystical reason of tumah. However, it is permitted for her to go and stand 4 amot from the grave.

Does this all apply to a single girl?


texts: If you've missed Zeman Kriyas Shema, what should you do?

texts: Suppose a fellow realizes at 9:16AM that the Gra Zeman Kriyas Shema was at 9:14 and he never said Kriyas Shema yet. Is there any gain by saying it immediately even though it is past the later Zeman already or should he just say it in his Davening whenever he gets there. (sources)


texts: What type of baked goods require challah to be taken?

texts:
I've only seen people taking challah from the dough if they are baking bread or matzah. I noticed this question that addresses fried dough (e.g. some types of donuts.)

Would one need to take challah if he is making wafers, cookies or cakes?


texts: Can one sell his BAR-METZRA rights to a non-neighbor?

texts: Can one sell his BAR_METZRA rights to a non-neighbor?


texts: "U'l'Kaparat Pesha" said during a leap year

texts:
During yesterday's Ben Hashmashot shiur, our Rav read a section from Otzar Hadinim (Eisenstein) (B"N, I'll insert the excerpt later, when I have access, or perhaps someone can edit it in.) that explained why "וּלְכַפָּרַת פֶּשַׁע" is said during a leap year. He says that it is to atone for the possibility that we made have made a mistake in making this year a leap year and that would mean that we may have been eating chametz during Pesach.

I have two difficulties with this reasoning, that I hope someone can answer:

1) If this is true, why are we beginning to worry about this during Tishrei and asking for forgiveness before we even did anything wrong - if, we even did anything wrong in the first place? Shouldn't we be asking for forgiveness in Sivan after Pesach?

2) G-d gave us the commandment to decide how the calendar works which includes how to place leap years. As it is, with the fixed calendar, the placement of the leap years are correct, with the exception of the 8th year in the 19 year cycle - currently. (This is based on the current dates and is due to the "seasonal drift" problem - discussed in a few M.Y. questions.) So, why is this statement said at all? Why should we ask for any type of "forgiveness" for adding a leap year if G-d allowed us to do so, and it turns out that a year, such as this year, needs to be a leap year.


texts: I come to Shul and on the Table is an Mp3 player. Can I sit at the table or is it a problem because the Table is now A  Bosis Ldovir Hamutzah?


texts:
In the first pasuk of Parshat Chayai Sarah (Genesis 23:1), the Torah says:

א. וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה
שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע
שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה:
And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.

Rashi (Quoting the Midrash [Ber. Rab. 58:1]) says:

ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים: לכך נכתב שנה בכל כלל וכלל, לומר לך שכל אחד נדרש לעצמו, בת מאה כבת עשרים לחטא, מה בת עשרים לא חטאה, שהרי אינה בת עונשין, אף בת מאה בלא חטא, ובת עשרים כבת שבע ליופי:
The lifetime of Sarah consisted of one hundred years, twenty years and seven years.
The reason the word year is written at every digit is to tell you that every digit is to be explained by itself. [When she was] 100 years old she was like a 20 year old, regarding sin. Just as when she was 20 she was not considered as having sinned since she was not yet subject to punishment, so, too, at 100 she had not sinned. And when she was 20 she was like a seven-year-old, regarding [her] beauty.

Shouldn't it be the other way around? Shouldn't it be like 7 years for Sin and like 20 years for beauty?


texts: A sefer that states the reasons behind the Halachos

texts:
Is there a sefer that states the Halachos L'maseah  and gives the reasoning as to why the Halacha is the way it is.
I'm looking for a Halacha sefer that states the Halacha as we pasken, but also traces the Halacha back to its sources in the Gemarra.


texts: Is there a connection between truth and good?

texts:
we find that God is associated with truth and also good and that we are exhorted to pursue both,

ex. "Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth" Psalm 86:11

"Turn from evil and do good" Ps.37:3

Are these two independent concepts or are they related. i.e. two sides of the same coin somehow.


texts:
Need answer fast!

I'm looking for an audio file of the Rosh Hashanah Kiddush, in the RH melody.  So far everything I've found uses the Hagim melody.  My usual go-to site, virtualcantor.org, doesn't have RH Kiddush at all.


texts: What punitive powers, if any, does a modern day Beit Din posses?

texts: If a person is summoned to a Beit Din today for a legal or monetary dispute and refuses to come to the Beit Din or participate in the process in any way, what punitive powers does a Beit Din in America posses to either compel participation or punish someone who refuses to come to their court?


texts: What is the status of the Yad we use to read from the Torah?

texts:
Does the Yad for reading Torah has the status of tashmish mitzvah or tashmish kedusha?
Background to the question:
Our shul has a BIG yad in extremely bad shape. Impossible to fix anymore. It is sterling silver. Can the shul give it as a gift to the gentleman who has done all sorts of Torah accoutrements (yad, crown, breastplate) fixings for us for free in the past ten years? Gentleman is not Jewish, would probably melt the silver.


texts: For someone wearing tzitzis outside his clothes, should he have the strings and / or the knots visible?

texts:
Assuming one wears his Tzitzis out , is there a preference to leaving only the strings out but the knots in, or is it better to leave out the knots as well?

I teach in a Yeshiva for Baalei Teshuva and I have noticed that a significant amount of them wear the strings out, but among "FFB"'s-frum from birth, including myself seem to leave the strings out and tuck in the knots.

Are there any sources that would suggest there is a preference?


texts: Can a man fulfill his mitzvah of Talmud Torah through his sons?

texts:
A Jewish man has an obligation to learn Torah.

However, not every Jewish man is capable of learning well.  Even if he would quit his job and go to a full time kollel, he wouldn't accomplish that much, and most of the time would be wasted.

For such a man , can he fulfill his obligation of Talmud Torah through his sons?

If he sends his sons to a good yeshiva from a young age, they will have the skills and understanding necessary to learn Torah "day and night".

Since the sons would not exist, nor have that early education, except for the father's decision to have children and pay for their early yeshiva education, would the father fulfill his obligation of Talmud Torah via his sons' learning?

EDIT:  If someone answers no:  how is enabling ones own son to learn Torah, different than the "Yissachar / Zevulun" partnership, where one enables another man, perhaps not even a relative, to learn Torah?


texts:
I recently came across the following quote of the Malbim on the topic of אלו ואלו דברי אלוקים חיים:

רק עד חתימת התלמוד
(:מלבי"ם על הש"ס עירובין יג)

That seems to be a pretty unique perspective on the topic, but I could be wrong. Is this what is generally accepted amongst other authorities? Or are there those that take serious, specific issue with this comment of the Malbim?


texts: When a seudat mitzvah and minor fast both fall on Shabbat

texts:
The 31st day of a bechor's life falls on 17 Tammuz, which this year falls on Shabbat. The ta'anit for 17 Tammuz is observed the following day, on 18 Tammuz.

Should the Pidyon HaBen be postponed to the same day, and the Seudat Pidyon HaBen interrupts the fast, or is the Seudah postponed until 19 Tammuz?


texts: How are all 613 mitzvot dependent on one mitzvah?

texts:
There is a line said before donning the tzitzit, talit and the tefillin, and the shaking of the lulav which reads (text adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_prayers_and_blessings and I don't know if there are variants and translation from the Artscroll siddur)

יהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ א‑להי וא‑להי אבותי, שתהא חשובה מצות _____ לפניך כאלו קימתיה בכל פרטיה ודקדוקי וכונותיה ותריג מצות התלוים בה, אמן סלה.
May it be Your will, Hashem, my God and he God of my forefathers, the commandment of ______ be as worthy before You as if I had fulfilled it in all details, implications, and intentions, as well as the six hundred thirteen commandments that are dependent upon it. Amen, Selah!

In what sense are the taryag mitzvot dependent on the putting on of tallit, tzitzit and tefillin or shaking the lulav?
Note -- I don't know if the same formulation is said before the performance of other mitzvot but maybe knowing "why" there is dependence might help me anticipate other situations in which it is said or why it isn't.


texts:
There's a popular tune used for kidush on the nights of the shalosh r'galim. (It's available on YouTube (but ignore the "shehechiyanu" part of that recording).)

What's its origin?
Does it have the minhag-status or immutability ascribed to some of the tunes that we use for prayers?


texts: Do any poskim equate Christmas trees with the Ashera tree mentioned in the Gemara?


texts:
Roughly speaking, how old was the Shunammite's son when he died (2 Kings 4:18-37)? Since the account of his death directly succeeds the story of his conception (v. 8-17), I was under the assumption that he was still fairly young. He is also described as sitting in his mother's lap, which, at least to my modern sensibilities, sounds more like something a small child would do.

However, I became doubtful after reading a secular literary interpretation of the passage in which it makes slightly more sense for the child to at least be a pubescent boy. Rereading the Biblical passage, I also noticed that the child has grown up and is at least old enough to go out to his father, who was among the reapers.

Which is the correct interpretation? I realize that this is rather speculative, so if the answer is, "We don't really know," so be it.


texts: Non-Jewish altars and sacrifices through the history

texts:
Before Avraham, we see that many Non-[officially]-Jews [Kain, Abel,Noah, Shem] built stages/altars for offerings to G-d.

From then, through the periods of the Temples and nowadays, when were the Non-Jews allowed to build stages/altars (במות/מזבחות) to offer their sacrifices to [one, our] G-d? And are they allowed to do that today?


texts: What was so bad about stealing the carpenter's wife?

texts:
The gemarah in gittin (58a) describes a story wherein a carpenter's apprentice manipulates a series of unfortunate events (for the carpenter) which end up with the carpenter's wife now married to the apprentice and the carpenter, who is stuck paying off her huge kesuba, is forced to work off the money he owes his former apprentice by being a servant to the new happy couple. The gemarah describes how his tears mix with the drink he is serving and because of that the decree of the destruction of the temple is sealed.

It's a sad story. But what was so significant about this particular story that this one incident sealed the decree? Why would the entire Jewish people be punished for millennia for what was, at worst, an isolated case of adultery?


texts: Is boyfriend/girlfriend status between non-Jews relevant to adultery laws?

texts: Is having intimate relations by a Non-Jewish man with a Non-Jewish woman who is not married but lives with a boyfriend a form of adultery?


texts:
I was reading about the life of Rabbi Zera, and it said he was originally a Rav.  The Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael offered to confer on him the title of Rabbi and at first he refused, until they told of some special spirtual attributes he would gain and then he accepted.

So what was the difference in Talmudic times between a Rav and a Rabbi and what beneficial about the later?

Edit

Here is where I originally read about it in Wikipedia:

  Ze'era was highly esteemed by Abbahu, the rector at Cæsarea, of whom he considered himself a pupil. He was ordained rabbi, a distinction usually denied to members of the Babylonian school, and though in the beginning he refused this honor (Yer. Bik. 65c), he later accepted it on learning of the atoning powers connected with the dignity (Sanh. 14a). Upon receiving Semicha, his title changed from Rav to Rabbi.


texts: Should all white wine be avoided in accordance with the Talmudic suggestion to avoid "white tilia wine"?

texts:
The Gemara in Gittin 70a says:

Mar 'Ukba said: If a man drinks white tilia, he will be subject to debility.

R`Hisda said: There are sixty kinds of wine; the best of all is red fragrant wine, the worst is white tilia.

I assumed we don't know precisely which kind of white wine is being referred to, because I could not find any reference to it anywhere apart from the Gemara. As such, should we avoid white wine altogether?


texts: Has any rav / gadol answered Maharal's question on why we pray?

texts:
I located this in beurei hatefilah

מהרל נתיבות עולם א עמוד פא נתיב העבודה פרק ה

  And there are those who ask about tefila: if a person is worthy that
  G-d should grant him what he is requesting in his tefila, then why
  would not G-d grant this person’s request even without tefila and if
  he is not worthy, then even if he were to pray and make his request,
  will G-d really grant his request simply because this man prayed. And
  they asked further: Why do we have to pray by mouthing words, is it
  not so that G-d knows all our thoughts and should it not be enough
  that we think those thoughts?

These are great questions, and I can't quite begin to answer any of them, myself. Has anyone rav or gadol answered any of them?


texts: Was biblical Shmita observed during the time of the second temple?

texts: Was biblical shmita observed during the second beit hamikdash? Is there a source for this?


texts:
I want to start a restaurant. I would like to cater to both non-kosher and kosher populations.

If the restaurant kitchen has a separate fridge, kosher ingredients, separate stove, separate countertop, separate utensils etc. used for the kosher food prep will this suffice? Would the chef need to wear gloves?


texts: Where did the popular Chanuka brachos niggun develop?

texts: What is the source for the popular niggun that is generally sung in America (and maybe elsewhere) for the brachos on lighting the Chanuka lights? How far back does this tune go? Is it an American "invention" or did it come over from Europe? Or is it the niggun that the Chashmona'im used when they lit the Menorah?


texts: PTIJ: Should we say "nes gadol haya po" in the synagogue?

texts:
The Talmud says:

It is taught in a baraita: Rabbi Elazar HaKappar says: In the future, the synagogues and the study halls in Babylonia will be transported and reestablished in Eretz Yisrael. [Megillah 29a]

From this passage the Maharsha concludes that synagogues are considered parts of Eretz Yisrael (and so benefit from the blessings in Deut 11:18-21).  Just as embassies throughout the world are considered part of the represented country.
So, on Hanukkah, should we say "nes gadol haya po" in the synagogue?  (A great miracle happened here -- not there (sham).)

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


texts: Where did the concept of wearing a red string come from? I have heard different opinions ranging from "you should definitely wear it" to "its forbidden like idol worship" - who is right?


texts: Looking for a text by Yosef Perl (a parodist of Rebbe Nachman)

texts:
Yosef Perl was a satirist, and is often described as a maskil. A vigorous opponent of hasidim in particular, he was active in the middle of the 19th century when the stories of Rebbe Nachman and Shivchei haBesht were first published. His most famous work is Megaleh Temirin (1819), which he published under a pseudonym.

His first satirical work was not published during his lifetime, and I've been unable to even find what it was called. It was a parody of Rebbe Nachman's stories, written in the same style (in a combination of Hebrew and Yiddish), providing a comic conclusion to one story that ended suddenly in the original, and inventing another story from whole cloth. Perl's style in all of his writings was to ridicule hasidim by way of imitation, and I would very much like to see an example of this.

If anybody here is familiar with maskilic literature and could recommend to me where I might find more information about Yosef Perl, that would be great. Ideally, I would love to see a copy of this particular text (his parody of Rebbe Nachman's stories). I understand that it's almost certainly not for sale, but if there is a published version in a library somewhere, I should be able to get it through an interlibrary loan. (And, if not, maybe one day take a vacation...)

From what I understand, Perl had a negligible impact upon the subsequent history of maskilic literature. He was a frum Jew, and is probably better classed together with misnagdim than maskilim, but for the fact that he also published in German and availed himself of the writings of other wordly, cosmopolitan Jews (like Menachem Mendel Lefin, for example).


texts: If shemittah passed, is it still honorable to repay a debt?

texts: If Reuven owes Shimon $10, and shemittah passed, and Reuven remembered he never paid Shimon, yet he still wants to, should he? Is it honorable?


texts: בא במחתרת, לפקח עליו את הגל and חזקה שהורעה

texts:
A בא במחתרת (one who tunnels into someone else's domain) assuming he is not the father of the homeowner has a חזקה (status) of אין לו דמים ("has no blood" = can be killed by anyone).

What happens though when during his breach into the homeowner's house (while still in the tunnel) rubble falls onto the tunneler (בא במחתרת) and now he is pinned down under the rubble? The Gemara lets us know the answer to this if the tunneler was יש לו דמים ("has blood" = can't be killed). The Gemara says we must save this tunneler's life even on Shabbat. The Gemara doesn't mention though what happens in a case of אין לו דמים.

Regarding the case of אין לו דמים I have the following question.

The tunneler came into the tunnel with 2 חזקות.

He is alive (physically).
אין לו דמים.

My question is as follows:

When it comes to a חזקה most of the time the ruling is as so: If the חזקה is in question, we maintain the original חזקה until we are sure of his new status.
But there is also an idea of חזקה שהורעה: this is a weakened חזקה about which we hold (מדרבנן) that we are strict and we do not maintain the previous חזקה.

Example: I threw a marriage document and we aren't sure whether it fell close enough to the woman to have her married. The rabbis say she cannot maintain her previous status of single since they hold it's a חזקה שהורעה.

Final question: Once the rubble fell we aren't sure if the tunneler is alive (in this case), if he's alive we will hold that he's not a threat to us since he's pinned down by the rocks.
He had 2 original חזקות (mentioned above) but now those חזקות are in question for if he's alive then we hold he's no longer a threat and would be liable to be saved, on the other hand maybe he died אין לו דמים.
Are these חזקות under the category of חזקה שהורעה or are they a regular חזקה for which we would hold its original status during this time of ספק? And why?


texts: Washing feet before coming inside: Avraham vs. Lot

texts:
When the angels came to visit Avraham, he asked them (Bereishis 18:4) to "Bathe your feet, and recline under the tree". Rashi explains:

  He thought that they were Arabs, who prostrate themselves to the dust
  of their feet, and he was strict not to allow any idolatry into his
  house. But Lot, who was not strict, mentioned lodging before washing,
  as it is said (below 19:2): “and lodge and bathe your feet.”

However, when explaining the discrepancy in the story by Lot, Rashi (19:2) provides an alternative explanation:

  Now is it customary for people to first stay overnight and afterwards
  to wash? Moreover, Abraham said to them first, “and wash your feet!”
  But so did Lot say (i.e., he reasoned), “If, when the people of Sodom
  come, they will see that they have already washed their feet, they
  will invent false accusations against me and say, ‘Two or three days
  have already passed since they came to your house, and you did not let
  us know!’” Therefore, he said, “It is better that they remain here
  with the dust on their feet, so that they should appear as though they
  had just arrived now.” Therefore he said, “Stay overnight” first and
  afterwards, “wash.”

From the second explanation it seems Lot might have been concerned about idolator but there was an overriding concern that he would be incriminated for having guests. Why does Rashi switch explanations which seem even to contradict each other?

[Furthermore, from Rashi by Lot it seems like the regular manner is to wash first, so why does he even question/explain Avraham's behavior? And why by Avraham does he question the discrepancy between him and Lot; a question we would not yet have until we learn what happened by Lot?]


texts: Fitting for an animal to eat besides a dog

texts:
In many halachos about food (Kashrus, owning Chametz on Pesach, etc.), a standard for determining if something retains its status as food is if it is "fitting for a dog to eat."

What about other animals? If a pig or chicken would eat it, does it count? Is a dog just the archetype of a non-picky eater, or is there something specific about the dog that gives it that status?


texts: Are the strangers in Deuteronomy 14:21 converts?

texts:
Deuteronomy 14:21 states:

  You shall not eat any carcass. You may give it to the stranger who
  is in your cities, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a
  foreigner; for you are a holy people to the Lord, your God. You shall
  not cook a kid in its mother's milk.

If the stranger being referred to is a convert, then s/he is a Jew. If so, why would you sell a carcass to him/her? If s/he is not a convert, then why has it been stated that s/he is? There is a verse saying that strangers also need to obey the Sabbath and, in the context of that verse, the word strangers is used to refer to converts.

In either case, we have an issue.

So we've compiled the following groups of people:

Jews
Converts
Strangers (= converts?)
Goyim

Now, which one can eat a carcass and which one should stop working on the Sabbath? And which verses support each?


texts: Halachically, is one person ever bound by the intent of another?

texts:
In masechet shevuot, 41b, the gemara discusses a case of a loan as follows (h/t dafyomi.co.il)

  Levi lent Yehudah, and told him 'repay me in front of two witnesses
  who learn Halachah. Yehudah paid without witnesses, and the money was
  lost through Ones. They came in front of Rav Nachman.

  Levi: I stipulated that the repayment must be in front of witnesses who learn Halachah. I took the money for a deposit until we would find
  such witnesses.
  Rav Nachman: He gave the money for payment, and you accepted it without objection (this shows that you pardoned your stipulation);

  i.    If you want, fulfill your stipulation now in front of Rav Sheshes
  and myself. We learn Halachah! (This was a joke.)

According to Rashi, when Levi accepted money from Yehudah and there were no witnesses present, he had the intent that the money was NOT a repayment, but a separate loan from Yehudah for which he was now a shomer chinam. When it gets lost, Levi is not responsible and, because the original loan was not paid back, Levi is still owed the original sum.

Rashi points out that "devarim shehayu belibecha einam devarim" [things that were in your (Levi's) heart are not things].

Isn't that obvious? Yehudah never specified this payment as a loan. Levi never said he was accepting it as a loan and not repayment. Levi never said to Yehudah that he would guard the money.

All of this was only going on in the mind of Levi. What was his hava amina that this is a valid way to think and bind Yehudah to his understanding? The gemara's flip answer (and Rashi's dismissal of the question through a clear tenet) indicate to me that this was a non-starter question, so why does the gemara even list it? Shouldn't a question presented in the text have an presumption of reasonableness?

Or is there a potential for Levi's thought process to be binding on Yehudah? Is there halachic precedent for the intent of one party to impose itself on the reality of another? In terms of shevuot, the rabbis prevent this by saying explicitly that the conditions of an oath taking are not the internal ones the oath taker might have (as in the case of Rava's cane and others, on 29a) but had they not made this explicit, is there a halachic construct allowing Yehudah's action of repayment to be considered something else by Levi and have Levi's thinking be determinant?


texts: Does a Ger have a Chiyuv to get an Aliya?

texts:
Inspired by the comments to my answer about (pseudo) 2nd Bar Mitzvahs.

Both the Magen Avraham in 282:18 and the Biur Halocho in 136:1:1 mention that the reason a Bar Mitzva boy has a high priority to get an Aliya laTorah is because he's being inaugurated into Mitzvoth.

  ונער בר מצוה באותו שבת אם  יש לו עירנית דוחה לכל החיובים כיון שהוא יום חינוכו

From that I understand that since it's his first chance to get an Aliya, he should be given precedence over (almost) all other people.

Following that logic it would seem that a Ger Tzedek should also be given precedence for an Aliya laTorah immediately after his conversion.

However, I cannot find a source to back up that claim.

Anybody know of a source, or else, a reason why the Ger doesn't deserve preferential treatment?


texts: Why is it considered respectful to capitalize G-d and its derivatives/pronouns?

texts:
I recognize that in English proper nouns are supposed to be capitalized, especially in the case where a proper noun is also a common noun (e.g. the mall vs. the Mall), but only when referring to G-d do people capitalize pronouns.  I have been told that this is out of respect.

In Hebrew, however, there are no capital letters at all (or all caps if you prefer); so how did this practice get started in other languages?


texts: וְהִתְקִין לוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּנְיַן עֲדֵי עַד Is the translation of מִמֶּנּוּ **His** very self or his very self?

texts:
The Koren Sacks siddur translates the 4th of the 7 wedding blessings as:

  אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, בְּצֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ,
  וְהִתְקִין לוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ בִּנְיַן עֲדֵי עַד:

  who fashioned humanity in His image, the image of His likeness and out
  of His very self formed a building for eternity. (emphasis added)

Note the capital H in the bolded “His”. It implies that Hashem made the “building for eternity” out of His self and not, as I imagined, out of Adam. Is this a misprint or is there an interpretation I need to learn?


texts: What is the meaning and origin of the term "in the parsha" with regard to someone who is looking for a shidduch?

texts: Recently, I spoke to a neighbor who had a 20 year old daughter. I asked the mother if she was dating anyone and she responded that she was "in the parsha". This is a new term to me. I assume the term means that she is shidduch "eligible" or does it mean something else? When did this term originate? Is this becomoing a universally accepted term these days? I must be "out of it" (the terminology AND the parsha, that is...)


texts: Why did Moshe have the voice of a grown up boy?

texts:
Shemos 2:6 states:

  וַתִּפְתַּח֙ וַתִּרְאֵ֣הוּ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד וְהִנֵּה־נַ֖עַר בֹּכֶ֑ה וַתַּחְמֹ֣ל עָלָ֔יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִיַּלְדֵ֥י הָֽעִבְרִ֖ים זֶֽה׃

  When she opened it, she saw that it was a child, a boy crying. She took pity on it and said, “This must be a Hebrew child.”

Rashi there explains:

  והנה נער בכה. קוֹלוֹ כְּנַעַר :

  והנה נער בכה lit., AND BEHOLD A BOY WEEPING — Although he was a ילד, “a child”, his voice was like that of a נער, a grown up boy.

Rashi on the Gemara in Sotah which makes the same point makes it very clear that it is an older boy:

  נער - גדול משמע:

What on Earth is the point of Moshe's voice sounding like a grown up boy? There must be some very serious significance which necessitated this miracle but I don't have the faintest idea what it could be.

(It would have been very clear to everyone that he wasn't actually an older boy since there is no indication that he looked like an older boy so this could not possibly have been to trick Bas Pharaoh into thinking he was born before the decree.)


texts: Could this passage have any relevance to artificial intelligence?

texts:
I've seen numerous different discussions online about how to handle artificial intelligence with regards to moral laws. How should we, as orthodox Jews, dispatch of these problems? I turn to this law for guidance,

  Exodus 21:28 "When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable."

The way I read that needn't be specific to an ox. An ox is just one being with agency. Here the law calls for immunity for the owner of the ox, and the stoning of the ox (the subject of the crime). No punishment is dealt to the parental oxens or the species. In the case where a machine injures another, should we turn to Exodus 21:28? If we did, we would grant immunity to the owners and creators of the machine and stone the machine? This may be more difficult to contend with if we have to punish The Cloud, but given enough time and stones I don't believe it's impossible.

The full context of this can be found here,

  28 “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. 29 But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. 30 If a ransom is imposed on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is imposed on him. 31 If it gores a man’s son or daughter, he shall be dealt with according to this same rule. 32 If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekelse of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Another fellow Jew commented on the relevance of Exodus 21:29. I believe it is also applicable however to a much lesser degree. Exodus 21:29 requires

A pattern of goring in the past. For our analogy, this would mean a habitually malicious AI.
Its owner has been warned. This seems totally reasonable. I imagine a lot of AI owners will be warned, and have this criteria satisfied.
The failure of the ox to be kept in. I read this to mean the owner having reacted to the warning to mitigate future harm. It seems unlikely that an owner of a malicious AI will be so negligent as to ignore warnings.


texts: If you get a psak, then hear that it is wrong, what must you do?

texts:
If I get a personal psak from "my" rabbi, then hear something--let's say from a dayan who is advising me on a different, but related matter--to indicate that "my" rabbi's psak was somehow flawed, what am I obligated to do? Must I return to "my" rabbi with the information I heard from the dayan? Must I seek a new psak from someone else? (Whom?) Or may I be willfully ignorant of the additional information because it was not offered in the context of a formal teshuva to the original shaylo I asked my rabbi?

Would the answer differ depending on whether the dayan's information made things stricter or more lenient?


texts: Source for an ideal Shidduch based on proximity

texts:
A Rebbi of mine in yeshiva said in the name of Rav Ruderman z"tl who referred to a Chazal that a person should ideally try to marry someone from the "same מבוי (street), if not then the same שכונה (neighbourhood), and if not then the same עיר (city)," explaining that the fewer differences there are, the easier the adjustment which is required for marriage.

My question is where this Chazal is located? (My Rebbi wasn't sure, although I was wondering if it's Yalkut Shimoni 391:14)


texts: How do we know that non-commandments in the Torah still apply today?

texts:
It has been stated elsewhere on here that the laws of the Torah are eternally binding on all Jews (e.g no chametz on Passover, shake the 4 species etc.), is there anywhere that discusses whether other material in the Torah that is more "hashkafah" based (e.g "Ain od Milvado") is also eternally binding to be accepted/believed?

Another example although it's from a Talmudic teaching based on Tehillim, in Chulin 7b it says: "a person does not stub his toe unless it was decreed upon him on high."

This basically falls under the first principle of faith of the Rambam (i.e G-d's hashgacha), such that according to him one that does not believe in it has no share in the world to come.

How is it known that this is still applicable today?


texts: New fruit for second-night Shehecheyanu on holidays other than Rosh Hashanah

texts:
I know that we are supposed to eat a new fruit after saying the Shehechyanu on the second evening of Rosh Hashanah, because there is some doubt about whether that blessing needs to be made for the second "day" of the holiday.

However, since we also keep 2 days of Yom Tov in the diaspora because of a case of doubt (arguably), shouldn't the same principle apply to the Shehecheyanu on the second night of the other holidays, too (with the possible exception of Pesach, since then the Shehecheyanu is also said in light of the mitzvot at the seder)?


texts: Do I need to wear a different tallit katan when I sleep?

texts:
If I wear a tallit katan during the day and also to bed, can I wear the same one during the day and also to bed? Or must the one I wear to bed be a different one than the one I wore during the day?

Also, if this changes anything, I'm Sephardic.


texts:
I used to see people in a few places have a custom to paint (decorate) their faces on Purim. They explain it as because Hashem hid himself in the whole occasion of the story of purim and the meggilah itself, it is a custom to decorate faces and hide oneself as Hashem did. I heard from a shiur by a person who said that it is not a custom for sephardim.

Is there any sephardic posek that goes against the minhag?


texts: Are you permitted to weigh Maror on Pesach night?

texts: Are you permitted to use a mechanical scale to weigh the correct Shiur of Maror on Seder night?


texts: What is the traditional interpretation of Dt. 18:18?

texts:
The Torah contains a prophecy of a future Prophet who will be like Moses:

  I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  (Deuteronomy 18:18)

Has this prophecy already been fulfilled? and what are the commentaries on this verse?

I would be more glad to know interpretations which are as old/ancient as possible (old here could mean older than 1000 years).


texts: Should a Va'ad revoke kosher certification of caterers that allow catering a gay marraige affair?

texts:
Related and a follow up to this M.Y. question:

The U.S. Supreme Court has legalized gay marriages in al states. There have been several publicized law suits in a few states where a gay couple sued a caterer that refused to cater a gay couple marriage because the caterer stood on religious principles. In all these publicized cases, the caterer lost the suit and in at least one case, had to pay damages. As far as I know, all these gay marriages were Gentiles.

My question is focused on these aspects:

In viewing the answers to the linked question, it seems that halachically, Noahides have accepted the prohibition of gay marriage. It is unclear how Jews should should enforce these rules.
Va'adei Rabanim have had a practice of using the owner's adherence to mitzvoth as criteria for certifying a place. (E.g., many Va'adim will not certify a kosher establishment if the owner is not Shomer Shabbat, even if the food is 100% kosher.) I am uncertain as to why this plays a factor as it doesn't seem to have anything that directly affects the kashrut of the food. This is another aspect of my question. I.e. - IF a caterer decides to cater a gay marriage affair, halachically, MUST or should the Va'ad revoke the kashrut?
Din Demalchut may play a role in these cases, eventually at the point that a gay couple files suit against a kosher caterer. If there is no direct halachic basis for a Va'ad to revoke kashrut based on #2, would the Va'ad have to halachically allow caterers to cater to gay couples and furthermore require that they do so to obey Din Demalchut to keep their certification (in a sense, the opposite effect of #2.)
Is there any difference in the criteria if the caterer performs a Gentile gay couple affair or a Jewish gay couple affair?


texts: Why don't we say "Ashrei" for Mincha of Yom Kippur?

texts: Why don't we recite "Ashrei" during the afternoon prayer of Yom Kippur like we do for every other Mincha of the year?


texts: Asking/Answering non-Chag-related questions on Mi.Yodeya during Chol Hamoed

texts:
I don't know the Chol Hamoed laws at all well, but my impression is that practical/avoda- and melacha-type stuff that is not either related to the holiday, nor done to prevent loss, is generally forbidden.

Would asking and answering questions on StackExchange (Mi.Yodeya or elsewhere) that are not related to the holiday be a violation of this prohibition? Might the idea that using Mi.Yodeya, at least, is, in some sense, Torah learning, be a competing factor?

Related: answering questions on mi.yodeya on Chol Hamoed


texts: Recently I began davening mincha with a minyan that meets in college. When it comes to Tachanun, what is the correct procedure if there's no Sefer Torah in the room [and building]?


texts:
There are many websites that provide the user with the text of Tanach (as well as various other Jewish sources). When printing sources, I like to avoid printing "Sheimos", or actual names of Hashem, such as יהוה, אלהים, שדי,  etc.

Are there any versions of the text free online that automatically remove God's name  from the text by replacing them with יקוק, אלקים, שקי or other alternatives? I have seen that a couple of websites replace some names of God with י"י, but they still leave others intact. I am looking for a site that has a version without names  such as אל, צבאות, which often times remain even on those sites.


texts: Is it true that Arizal said even Jesus’s neshama will receive a tikkun but that it will take 50,000 yovels for that to happen?

texts: I’ve heard this claim from Rav Moshe Weinberger but I wonder whether or not it’s true (that the Arizal said this). Please provide sources.


texts:
The sefer Yere'im of R. Eliezer of Metz which lists the 613 mitzvos seems to count several identical mitzvos. E.g. mitzvos 25-30 (according to the newer editions). Although I could creatively distinguish between his various descriptions, they seem to overlap. Is there any discussion of this repetition in particular, or of his general approach to counting mitzvos in general?

The following is a summary of the mitzvos in question:
25) Studying Torah
26) Teaching Torah
27) Learning Torah constantly
28) Learning Torah constantly
29) Teaching Torah
30) Learning Torah


texts: Mazinka dance (dance with a broom) source?

texts: Some have a custom that, when their last child or last daughter (mazinka means youngest daughter) get married, they do a dance with a broom. Where did this come from and is it in any seforim?


texts:
(This question might be a prerequisite to be able to answer this question.)

Does praying at the wrong time count for anything? What does it accomplish? Sources, please.


texts: Is it forbidden to publish misleading advertising?

texts: May a Jew publish, in print, online, or elsewhere, advertising which they have reason to suspect is not accurate? Not to get bogged down in an example; but let's say the publisher of a Jewish newspaper has reason to believe that an ad promising that God will answer your prayers if you send money to a certain organization may not be completely accurate. Does the publisher sin, possibly transgressing lifnei eiver, m'dvar sheker tirchak, or perhaps other issurim, by publishing the ad?


texts: Why didn't the brothers try to find Yosef?

texts:
Rashi on Bereishis 38:1 says

  [Judah’s] brothers demoted him from his high position when they saw their father’s distress. They said, “You told [us] to sell him. Had you told [us] to return him, we would have obeyed you."

If the brothers were pained by Yaakov's distress, why didn't they try to fix that by finding Yosef and returning him to his father? [Simply telling Yaakov that Yosef was sold to slavery would not be enough, since it would be unknown if he was still alive].


texts: A child's tendency to skip words corrected/prompted by an instructor

texts:
When I am helping my young child say Birkat Hamazon or other prayers, I sometimes correct her pronunciation of a word or prompt her when she forgets what the next word is. In these situations, she frequently continues from the next word after the one I said, without repeating or saying the word I supplied, as if my saying it was part of her recitation.

As a matter of effective training for correct observance in the future (which I understand the purpose of her prayer and of my helping to be):

Is it problematic that she skips the word I say in this manner?
If so, do you know of any good, preferably non-disruptive, ways to prevent such skipping while providing the correction or prompt required?


texts: Is T'zaar Ba'alei Chaim a Mitzvah Bein Adam L'makom, L'chaveiro, or L'atzmo?

texts: Building upon the concept that Mitzvos can be between a person and Hashem, or a person and their friend (Source for "Ben Adam Lemakom" and "Ben Adam Lechavero"), where would T'zaar Ba'alei Chaim lie?


texts:
I have heard much about Boris Karshina, but cannot find any biographical information for him on the Internet (other than here, where his name is misspelled).  Please help me!
Edit: Never mind, I found him here on Facebook.  (Apparently my jokes are not original...)

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


texts: Does one have to feed his dog, parrot, or goldfish before eating according to this Gemara?

texts:
The Gemara (Berachos 40a) expounds from Devarim 11:15 that one may not eat before feeding his animals:

  אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אסור לאדם שיאכל קודם שיתן מאכל לבהמתו שנאמר ונתתי עשב בשדך לבהמתך והדר ואכלת ושבעת:

  Rav Yehudah said that Rav said: A man is forbidden to eat before he gives food to his animals, as it says, “And I will place grass in your field for your animals,” and then “you will eat and be satisfied.”

However, both the Gemara and the Passuk use the term בהמתך, which refers to domesticated animals. Does this extend to a pet dog (considered a wild animal as per Kilayim 8:6), parrot, or goldfish? Is בהמה used here specifically, to the exclusion of these other categories? Or is it saying a general case, as it’s more common for people to have בהמות than other types of animals, but it would indeed apply to all types of animals if someone had them?


texts:
I've noticed that the lists of aged (reposado and añejo) tequila approved for Pessach went from a fairly sizeable number in 5780 down to two in 5781. Someone I know, who is an executive in a nationally-recognised hechsher, only found these two after looking through at least five lists.
Neither of us had any idea what changed lema'aseh, so what factors would explain this drastic a change over the last year in Pessach-approved products ?


texts: Why does the Torah treat forbidden relationships, even when consensual, more seriously, from our perspective, than it treats rape?


texts:
Is one allowed to kill an insect on Yom Tov that is "bothering" them (causing some sort of tzar)?
(I'm inclined to think, based on the Halachic concept of "m'toch", that since we are allowed to shecht (slaughter) an animal in order to eat, so too the action of killing something would be mutar for other reasons as well. Is this correct?)


texts: Halacha LeMoshe MiSinais which are taught together were originally said together

texts:
I seem to remember seeing somewhere, maybe Tosafos somewhere, saying that when the gemarra groups certain halacha lemoshe misinai's together, like Sukkah 5b with שיעורין חציצין ומחיצין, it's telling you that these laws were taught together at Sinai. This is why they're grouped together in this fashion in the gemarra (since sometimes we find halacha lemoshe misinai's on their own, or in a listing).

Where is this idea stated? I'd appreciate a source.


texts: Does Ma'aser count if you have an ulterior motive?

texts:
Leaving aside, for purposes of this question, any issues of monetary benefit associated with giving charity (tax deductions, supporting school fundraisers by purchasing items at a discount, etc.), which, in most cases, at least, it's possible to track how much monetary savings are associated with the donation, and in which case one may be required to deduct that amount of benefit from one's accounting of their Ma'aser (tithe).

Can one count towards their Ma'aser money that is donated for ulterior motives, intangible gains, or other immeasurable benefits?

One example of intangible benefit might be a donation in which one's name is prominently displayed on a plaque or commemorative item indicating appreciation for the donation. First, can the donation be used for the cost of the plaque, and second, does the donation (in its entirety, including the cost of the plaque) count towards the donor's Ma'aser?

Another example might be if influence is gained by being a regular, large donor to a given organization.


texts: If I eat less than a k’zayis of cake; and less than a k’zayis of grapes; do I make a brocha Achrona? And if I do; is it Borei Nefushois, or Ahl Hamichya V’ahl hu’aitz?


texts: Is there a minhag of giving tzedakah during the torah service?

texts:
My weekday morning minyan recently merged into another one, so we're seeing some minor changes in customs.  One that is new to me is: at the end of the torah service, as the torah is being carried through the congregation, somebody follows with a tzedakah box and most people contribute something.  By the sound, most people drop in coins.

I haven't seen this before and asked somebody why we do it, and that person shrugged and said "it seems like an auspicious time".  I agree with that assessment, but I still wonder about the custom.  Is this one local community's innovation, or is it more widespread (and just not in my pre-merger minyan)?  Is it based on anything specific?

I'm particularly curious about collecting tzedakah during any part of the torah service (not during the actual reading, of course).  I wondered this morning if it was somehow tied to us just having said mi sheberach for healing.  A comment suggests that it's the first opportunity so that might be why.


texts: Why do some Rabbis wear a black frock coat?

texts:
How did the black frock coat come to be garb of some roshei yeshivos and other senior rabbis?

Related Did "Litvish" frock coats button left-on-right?
and Haredi clothing


texts:
I am referring to public reading - Nusach Ashkenaz. (Other nuscha'ot, perhaps, may vary).

Megillot Shir Hashirim (Song of Songs), Ruth, and Kohelet (Eclessiastes) are read in the morning only.

Megillat Esther is also read in the morning.

4 of the 5 Megillot are read in the morning.

Why is Esther also read at night?

Why is Eicha read only at night?


texts: Is one allowed to wear a medical emergency bracelet or necklace on Shabbat?

texts:
Let's say a person has allergies (such as penicillin). He is in good health, currently. However, if he were unconscious, EMT technicians would want to know about such info as this would affect the type of treatment he receives both during transport as well as while in E.R. until someone who knew him could supply necessary medical history.

Could he wear a med. emergency bracelet that contains this info on Shabbat? My understanding of the rules of tachshit (jewelry) is that it must be something that is used to "adorn" someone such as a gold bracelet or earings. This bracelet is not for "adornment", so I'm uncertain if this is permitted. Also, the person doesn't have even a safek piku'ach nefesh - at least not currently. He is in good health.

For that matter, I would apply this question to anyone, as the bracelet has emergency contact info, even if it has no personal med. info. This would be useful for an EMT as the relative can supply vital medical history, quickly.

In all this, I am assuming that there is no eruv.


texts:
There are 13 holy days per year on which we must not work (outside of Israel): 2 Rosh Hashanah, 1 Yom Kippur, 4 Sukkot, 4 Pessah, 2 Shavuot. What are the minimum and maximum numbers of these days that fall on the weekend?

I know variations were asked before, but if you can just give me these two numbers I'll be happy.


texts:
Which nations were the Cherethites and Pelethites?

Divrei Hayamim I - I Chronicles - Chapter 18:17 And Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and the sons of
David were first at the king's hand.

https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16538/showrashi/true
Rashi calls "the Cherethites and the Pelethites" "nations".
Which nations, therefore (on a pshat level), were the Cherethites and Pelethites?


texts:
Bereishis 41:51

כי נשני אלהים את כל עמלי ואת כל בית אבי
God has caused me to forget all my toil and all my father's house

Devarim 25:19

תמחה את זכר עמלק מתחת השמים לא תשכח
Erase the memory of Amalek... do not forget

There seem to be two words that mean "forget" - is there a difference in nuance between the two?  What does each mean?


texts: I am curious if such thing is possible, e.g. if some new evidence is found (archeological or other scientific or other). So the next generation will have more accurate interpretation, because we all know that all things are subject of interpretation. E.g. if I say now that "the car is red" after 2000 years of word to mouth the result would probably be like "apples taste very good". So, is something like, "update" or "revision" possible or not? If not now, do you see the possibility of doing so in 50 or 100 years from now?


texts: Was there any limit to the number of consecutive "full" (30 day) or normal (29 day) months during the time of the Sanhedrin?

texts:
When Sanhedrin existed, each month had to be sanctified by Sanhedrin after testimony of 2 witnesses (or automatically by Sanhedrin if no one appeared by the end of the 30th day.) Refer to Maimonedes Hilchot Kiddush Hachodesh for details.

Since each month was individually sanctified, I assume that it was possible to have several months each with 30 days or several with 29 days, unlike the alternating lengths that we have for most of the months in our current fixed calendar.

Was there any limit to the number of consecutive months having the same length? For example, in a leap year having 13 months, would it be possible to have a year that was 390 days long if all the months had 30 days? If not, what was the maximum number of months that had the same length?

A long run of one type or the other would eventually become obvious to anybody who witnessed the new moon, but if nobody witnesses and comes to Jerusalem to testify, the Sanhedrin could conceivably have a long run of default-30-day months.  Is there a halachic limit?


texts: Why did many people make the onyx stones but only Betzalel placed them on the ephod?

texts:
Exodus 39:6-7:

וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֙ אֶת־אַבְנֵ֣י הַשֹּׁ֔הַם
וַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹתָ֗ם עַ֚ל כִּתְפֹ֣ת הָאֵפֹ֔ד

And they wrought the onyx stones,  And he (Betzalel according to Netziv here) put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod.

This seems like a split job. Multiple people were involved in making it. Why didn't they finish the job and setting it in its proper place? Why did only Betzalel do that?


texts: Will the real vertical bars (in Sh'ma) please stand up?

texts: I use the ArtScroll sidurim (prayer books), which include a great many vertical bars between adjacent words of the three paragraphs of "Sh'ma", wherever the editors felt people may come to slur adjacent words together. Unfortunately, these vertical bars look exactly like the vertical bars used as cantillation marks. Thus, although the sidurim include cantillation marks, any p'sik (or pasek) or munach l'garmeh is lost among the plethora of vertical bars thrown in by the ArtScroll editors. Is there any such p'sik or munach l'garmeh in "Sh'ma", and, if so, where?


texts: Does anyone have a proof text that animals *don't* have spirits?

texts:
I've heard it said that animals don't possess a רוח

However, Ecclesiastes 3:21 uses the phrase רוּחַ הַבְּהֵמָה.

Is there any text that indicates that animals don't possess a spirit?

Edit:  Upon accepting an answer, I don't intend to signify agreement with anyone's position.  The purpose of the question is to find out how people who do believe that animals don't have spirits support their beliefs.


texts: Would it be considered disrespectful to wear an Islamic styled cap as a Kippah?

texts:
I came into Judaism in college. I come from a Jewish family (my mother's side) but I was raised in a secular household after my mother married out of the religion. She was raised in a Jewish household and we are still connected to her whole side of the family. We just never were brought up within the religion nor did I receive a traditional Yeshiva education.

Please excuse me if anything I say or write sounds confusing or strange or even unintentionally disrespectful to tradition. I don't mean to be and I apologize in advance. I'm still finding my flow in things.

**

My question is concerning Kippahs and the rules surrounding them:

**

I'm a big-headed individual who happens to wear his hair short. Because of this I have been struggling to find a functional solution to my Kippah problem. If I don't move or bend or walk too quickly, I can easily place a Kippah on my head without a problem.

The issue I have arises from daily use. Wearing a Kippah in Shul isn't a problem. Wearing a Kippah in life has become a challenge I am actively seeking a solution for. The wind, running to quickly, bending down, etc. etc. etc.

I can't find a Kippah which I can keep to my head. The obvious solution to this problem would be "Just clip it" but the issue I have with that is my hair is too short. I buzz my head so I can't actually clip a Kippah to my head with a bobby pin.

I have a hat which I have been using as a Kippah while I attempt to find something that fits my head. It's a driver's cap which I wear everywhere. It obviously doesn't follow the "big black hat" style which many Jews are accustomed to but it works for me for now and it doesn't stand out as rude or overly immodest during certain events.

Cut to last week:

I have a Muslim friend who knows I've been having this issue. He suggested that I wear something called a Kufi which is a traditional Islamic cap but that covers the head and holds to you like a cotton winter cap. It looks like this.

Keep in mind this isn't a Muslim friend's attempt to try and lure me into the religion. Me and him have known each other for many years and he knows and respects my move into Judaism. I'm hyper-aware of people attempting to convert me after a previous issue with some former Christian friends. He's just trying to help me find a solution to my issue.

So my question basically comes down to this.

Could an Islamic Kufi hat function as a Kippah? Would I be being disrespectful if I decided to take this route? I want the feedback from people in the community and with experience with things like this.