texts: Are the words of the prophets such as Yeshayahu the literal words of God?

texts:
This is a "2-part question" (hope it's OK to do that.)

The language used by most of the prophets is metaphoric, for the most part. Are they conveying the literal words of God, or are they interpreting, paraphrasing or adding some of their own, personal flourishes? Often I see the term "Thus said Hashem". So, I guess that at least those sections are the literal words of Hashem - maybe not?

2nd question is why are they using metaphors that both peole, then and now, have to translate? (Rashi wasn't alive at the time, after all.) Why not use a "direct" approach?


texts:
1: Setting aside the issues of Halachically defined time in space, and ignoring the physical constraints limiting a spacecraft from having Schach mounted properly, how should Schach be oriented to fulfill the Mitzvah of Succah? Would one simply need Schach on the side that faces the sun (so long as it always faces the sun), or would one need Schach on all 6 sides of one's spacecraft since the sky is everywhere?
2: From a purely theoretical perspective, if a device existed in real life that enabled the creation of space portals such that both portals led to one another like from the game "Portal", and a person created a portal connecting the floor of a Succah to the ceiling of a room from a house, could one fulfill the Mitzvah of Succah from being underneath the portal, and hence underneath the Succah? If it rains, the rain falls through the Schach, falls into the portal, and then teleports to the room's ceiling. The room's ceiling is almost completely replaced with a large gaping hole, connected to the Succah.

3: Again, theoretically, if there was no sun, would one still need Schach to shade anything (ignoring the imminent ice age to follow)?


texts: A few Rabbonim mentioned in shiurim on TorahAnytime the concept that being constantly afraid of something tragic happening to oneself can bring about its fulfillment. Where do we find such a concept of Hashem eventually sending people whatever negative events they are afraid of occuring?


texts: When concluding the writing of a Sefer Torah at the start of a Hachnassas Sefer Torah, do the last letters need to be filled in before shkiah (sunset) or can that be done also after shkiah? I wonder because I've only ever seen a Hachnassas Sefer Torah by day.


texts: What is the source for "the custom of our forefathers is in our hands"?

texts: Where does "minhag avoseinu byadeinu" as a halachik concept, which is commonly cited as the source for keeping two days of yom tov outside of Israel, originate from?


texts:
I heard that one who washed for bread would needs to wash again for if he:
a) touched the hand of one who did not wash,
b) touch a normally covered part of your body,
c) touched excrement (i.e. changing a baby’s diaper)

Where is the source for this found in halachah?


texts:
When was this written: "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel." (Genesis 36:31)?

Are there any traditional commentators that say that this verse was written once a king reigned in Israel (hundreds of years after Moshe died)? I know the Ibn Ezra mentions numerous verses that were later additions, but is this one of them?


texts: Did Aharon Hakohen have a higher level of prophecy?

texts:
The Rambam Yesodei Hatorah (7:2) writes

הַנְּבִיאִים מַעֲלוֹת מַעֲלוֹת הֵן. כְּמוֹ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּחָכְמָה חָכָם
גָּדוֹל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ כָּךְ בַּנְּבוּאָה נָבִיא גָּדוֹל מִנָּבִיא.
וְכֻלָּן אֵין רוֹאִין מַרְאֵה הַנְּבוּאָה אֶלָּא בַּחֲלוֹם בְּחֶזְיוֹן
לַיְלָה. אוֹ בַּיּוֹם אַחַר שֶׁתִּפּל עֲלֵיהֶן תַּרְדֵּמָה כְּמוֹ
שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יב ו) "בַּמַּרְאָה אֵלָיו אֶתְוַדָּע בַּחֲלוֹם
אֲדַבֶּר בּוֹ". וְכֻלָּן כְּשֶׁמִּתְנַבְּאִים אֵיבְרֵיהֶן
מִזְדַּעְזְעִין וְכֹחַ הַגּוּף כָּשֵׁל וְעֶשְׁתּוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם
מִתְטָרְפוֹת וְתִשָּׁאֵר הַדַּעַת פְּנוּיָה לְהָבִין מַה שֶּׁתִּרְאֶה.
כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּאַבְרָהָם (בראשית טו יב) "וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה
חֲשֵׁכָה גְדלָה נֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו". וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּדָנִיֵּאל
(דניאל י ח) "וְהוֹדִי נֶהְפַּךְ עָלַי לְמַשְׁחִית וְלֹא עָצַרְתִּי
כֹּחַ" - Prophets are of various degrees. Even as there is in wisdom,
one wise man greater than his fellow, so it is in prophecy, one
prophet is greater than another prophet. But all of them do not see
the vision of prophecy save in a dream, in a vision by night, or
during the day when a deep slumber falls upon them, as it is said: "I
become known to him in vision; I speak to him in a dream" (Num. 12.6).
And they all, when they prophesy, tremble in all their limbs, the
strength of their bodies gives way, their thinking power becomes
unbalanced, the sense of understanding alone remains open to grasp
what it will see, as it is said of Abraham: "And behold, a great
trembling and darkness befell upon him" (Gen. 15.12); and as it is
said of Daniel: "For my comeliness was turned into corruption, and I
retained no strength" (Dan. 10.8).

On the other hand, the Rambam (7:6) writes regarding Moshe Rabbeinu

כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ הֵם דֶּרֶךְ נְבוּאָה לְכָל הַנְּבִיאִים
הָרִאשׁוֹנִים וְהָאַחֲרוֹנִים חוּץ מִמּשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ רַבָּן שֶׁל כָּל
הַנְּבִיאִים. וּמַה הֶפְרֵשׁ יֵשׁ בֵּין נְבוּאַת משֶׁה לִשְׁאָר כָּל
הַנְּבִיאִים. שֶׁכָּל הַנְּבִיאִים בַּחֲלוֹם אוֹ בְּמַרְאֶה וּמשֶׁה
רַבֵּנוּ מִתְנַבֵּא וְהוּא עֵר וְעוֹמֵד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ז פט)
"וּבְבֹא משֶׁה אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ וַיִּשְׁמַע אֶת
הַקּוֹל מִדַּבֵּר אֵלָיו" - All the things hereinof spoken is the path
of prophecy for all prophets, First and Last, save Moses our Master,
the Master of all prophets. And what division is there between the
prophecy of Moses and that of all the other prophets? All the other
prophets prophesied while in a dream, or in a vision, but Moses our
Master prophesied while awake and standing up, as it is said: "And
when Moses went into the tent of meeting that He might speak with Him,
then he heard the Voice speaking unto him" (Num. 7.89); all other
prophets received it through an Angel, they therefore saw what they
did see in the form of allegory and riddles, but Moses our Master did
not receive it through an angel, for it is said: "With him do I speak
mouth to mouth" (Ibid. 12.8), and it is also said: "and the Lord spoke
unto Moses face to face" (Ex. 33.11);

Seemingly, when Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon Hakohen stood side-by-side and received a prophecy from Hashem, Moshe heard the prophecy as if speaking with another person while Aharon was unconsciously rolling on the ground. Was this what actually happened on each occasion or do commentators explain that Aharon HaKohen had a higher form of prophecy than others as well?


texts: Why the Torah is not read in public every day?

texts:
Following my previous question, the Prophets (Moses) commanded the Jewish nation to read the Torah in public three days a week (B"K 82a):

עמדו נביאים שביניהם ותיקנו להם שיהו קורין בשבת ומפסיקין באחד בשבת וקורין בשני ומפסיקין שלישי ורביעי וקורין בחמישי ומפסיקין ערב שבת כדי שלא ילינו ג’ ימים בלא תורה
The prophets among them thereupon rose and enacted that they should publicly read the law on Sabbath, make a break on Sunday, read again on Monday, make a break again on Tuesday and Wednesday, read again on Thursday and then make a break on Friday so that they should not be kept for three days without Torah.’

Why reading Torah is not a part of everyday service? I could think of a lot of reasons why it really should.


texts:
I just realized that there is a split vav in Parshas Pinchas,

Are their other cases of split letters in the Torah?
Do all Torah's have it?
When did Jews start to do it?
Are there commentaries explaining it?

The only thing online I found was http://www.sofer.co.uk/html/broken_vav.html


texts: I am looking for the Torat Emet program to list verses for names

texts: I am looking for a direct link to the Torat Emet program that helps you find verses for your hebrew name. I am looking for more verses for my name to use during the shmona esrei. I saw a mention of this program from Torat Emet under "shonot." I would like a set of verses that represent good health prosperity. grandchildren.


texts: Were women learning Torah before Sarah Schenirer?

texts:
As many know, Sarah Schenirer started a movement that influenced learning for women, and the Bais Yaakov system we all know of today.
Even though learning Torah Shel Ba'al Peh was heavily discouraged until recently (see here for a wonderful introduction on the topic), doesn't the Rama write in Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 246:6:
ומ״מ חייבת האשה ללמוד דיניס השייכים לאשה
Which would seem to imply that women were very much instructed to learn Halachot and Mitzvot relevant to them (all halachot and mitzvot that women are bound to abide in).
If so, why was Sarah Schenirer's contribution such a monumental shift? Were women learning relevant Halacha (presumably in schools) prior to the movement? If not, where did they learn Halachot and Mitzvot that they needed to know?


texts: What kind of physical damage affects a contracts validity (if any)?

texts:
This question had a picture of a Ketuba with some damage to the paper.

In Jewish Law, what kind of damage would invalidate a contract? In that Ketuba, for example, the standard text is ripped, but none of the specific handwritten information.

What happens if someone tries to collect on a contract or loan agreement that is damaged?


texts:
What is the connection between "sword and ... bow" (Genesis 48:22) with "prayer and ... supplication" (as rendered by Onkelos)?

Verse:

  וַאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׁכֶם אַחַד עַל אַחֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר לָקַחְתִּי מִיַּד הָאֱמֹרִי בְּחַרְבִּי וּבְקַשְׁתִּי

Onkelos:

  וַאֲנָא יְהָבִית לָךְ חוּלַק חַד יַתִּיר עַל אַחָיךְ דִּי נְסֵיבִית מִידָא דֶאֱמוֹרָאָה בִּצְלוֹתִי וּבְבָעוּתִי

I came across this while googling about kaddish and this "connection" is from this article from ou.org which did not explain or answer the above question.


texts: Why tell the wise son "like the Pesach rules"?

texts:
From the hagada:

חָכָם מָה הוּא אוֹמֵר מָה הָעֵדֹת וְהַחֻקִּים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה׳ א׳ אֶתְכֶם.
וְאַף אַתָּה אֱמָר לוֹ כְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח אֵין מַפְטִירִין אַחַר הַפֶּסַח אֲפִיקוֹמָן.
The wise one, what does he say? "What are the testaments and decrees and rules that God, our god, has commanded you?"
And also you tell tell him like the Pesach rules: we do not tack on dessert after the Pesach.

Why "כְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח", "like the Pesach rules"? Aren't we telling him the Pesach rules?


texts: Why don't most American orthodox Jews send their kids to public school?

texts: Given the benefits of a public school education over private day school education, such as $0 tuition and technology and extra curriculars which many schools do not have, why don't most orthodox American Jews send their kids to public school for their secular education and then hire tutors for Jewish studies? Is this an entirely socio-cultural phenomenon or are there halachic reasons as well?


texts: Who is "the author of the Shulchan Aruch" in this teshuvah of Rashbash?

texts:
The Rashbash (R' Shlomo Duran, the son of the Rashbatz, d. 1467) has a teshuvah (#360) written during an epidemic (unfortunately all too relevant now). At the time when he wrote this teshuvah, the epidemic had affected only non-Jews, so the question was whether it was likely to spread to Jews as well (which would then warrant declaring days of fasting and prayer). In this connection he quotes a passage from tomorrow's Daf Yomi (Shabbos 32a), שטנא בתרי אומי לא שליט (the Satan has no power over two nations at the same time), which would suggest that it might remain limited to the non-Jewish population. (Although he then cites other statements of Chazal that imply the contrary, and concludes that indeed a fast should be declared because of the likelihood of it spreading to the Jews too.)
He then writes:

...מ"מ הרמב"ם ובעל הטורים ז"ל ובעל השלחן ערוך לא חלקו בין גוים לישראל
Nonetheless, the Rambam, the author of the Turim, and the author of Shulchan Aruch made no distinction between [an epidemic affecting] non-Jews or Jews...

The question, then: who is this "author of Shulchan Aruch" that he's quoting? The standard Shulchan Aruch was written by R' Yosef Caro, who was born in 1488, some 20 years after the Rashbash passed away. Or is this teshuvah perhaps an interpolation from some later author?


texts: What is the mother's obligation to raise children (if she is not obligated to educate (chinuch) them)

texts:
Igres Moshe 4.49

כי סתם נשים בעולם אינם עשירות ועליהן מוטל גידול הילדים והילדות

translation from link

the average woman is not wealthy and has responsibility to raise sons and daughters.

but
Shulchan Aruch Harav 343.4

ד אבל אמו אין מצווה עליו כלל בין במצות עשה בין בלא תעשה

my translation

But the mother is not commanded (to educate her son) at all not positive commandment and not negative

What (specifically) is the responsibility to raise sons and daughters (how is it fulfilled by the letter of the law? and above the letter of the law)? (since from Shulchan Aruch Harav above it seems that it is not chinuch)

What are earlier (original) sources that they have this responsibility?


texts:
Who knows three hundred twelve?
?שנים עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 312.
Don't dwell on lazy gematria; it's bad to get caught up in something so dry.
Check out mi-yodeya-series for the previous three hundred eleven entries in this ongoing series.
Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.


texts: Why the split between Sefardim and Ashkenzim?

texts: Why is there a much bigger split between Sefardim and Ashkenzim and not, say, between Sefardim and people who lived in Bavel? The distance between Spain, and say, Israel should have been big enough to make it hard to come to a consensus among their poskim as to a common psak.


texts:
I find it awkward to constantly say "Rabbi" instead of "you" while in a conversation.

For example:

  "Hello Rabbi. I once spoke with the Rabbi regarding X. The Rabbi said
  Y. I think that the Rabbi was correct..."

Is it enough to simply say "rabbi" once in the onset of the conversation and then switch to "you"?

As in:

  "Hello Rabbi. I once spoke with the Rabbi regarding X. You said
  Y. I think that the you were correct..."


texts: What bracha rishona and bracha acharona should be said on date honey?


texts: Why do some textbooks say that there are 10 tribes of Israel?

texts: My current boring, older-than-me textbook says that there are 10 tribes. My much more often updated teacher say that there are 12. And my friend who reads encyclopedias for fun says 13.


texts: Why does Judaism require more orthodoxy than other religions?

texts:
Why is Judaism comprised of so many precise stringencies in comparison to other religions?

Why is conversion to Judaism so strict and difficult?


texts: What does the word "Shem" mean in Genesis 11:4?

texts:
I know that "Shem" literally means "name" in Hebrew. But what did the people of the earth mean by "let us make ourselves a name/shem, lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth" (Genesis 11:4)?

Since making themselves a name would prevent them from scattering, there must be something more than just reputation?


texts: Yossef's brothers - not learning from previous experience?

texts:
My boy asked me a tricky question I was unable to answer - please help. He just returned from a trip to Rome and went through the airport security checking the bags reading the Parashat Shavua (Miketz 42) about checking the bags.

The brothers were frightened by the fact that their own money was secretly returned to their luggage:

  "וַיִּפְתַּח הָאֶחָד אֶת־שַׂקּוֹ לָתֵת מִסְפּוֹא לַחֲמֹרוֹ בַּמָּלוֹן וַיַּרְא אֶת־כַּסְפּוֹ וְהִנֵּה־הוּא בְּפִי אַמְתַּחְתּוֹ׃
  וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־אֶחָיו הוּשַׁב כַּסְפִּי וְגַם הִנֵּה בְאַמְתַּחְתִּי וַיֵּצֵא לִבָּם וַיֶּחֶרְדוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו לֵאמֹר מַה־זֹּאת עָשָׂה אֱלֹקים לָנוּ

How come they didn't learn from that and didn't check the bags the second time they left Yossef and let Binyomin keep the cup?


texts: Why does Tanach specifically describe these women as "beautiful"?

texts:
Companion question to Why does Tanac"h specifically describe these males as "beautiul"?

Off the top of my head, the pesukim describe the following women as being beautiful:

Sarah (Bereishis 12:11)
Rivkah (Bereishis 24:16)
Rachel (Bereishis 29:17)
Tamar bas David (Shmuel II:14:27)
Esther (Esther 2:7)

Additionally, Chazal identify several other beautiful women (Megillah 15a):

Avigayil
Rachav
Vashti
Ya'el
Michal bas Sha'ul

(There may be others, but I can't think of them, so feel free to edit, if needed.)

What is special about these people that Tana"ch and Chazal felt the specific need to describe how beautiful they were? Is there something, in particular, perhaps some hidden or important message as to why we need to know this information? What made these people especially "beautiful," more than other female personalities throughout Tana"ch that are not described this way?


texts: Who instituted the Nusach of the Mi SheBerachs that we say?

texts: Who instituted the Nusach of the Mi SheBerachs that we say for a newborn, for a sick person, after an Aliyah, etc.?


texts: Does a mourner tear one garment, or every garment he wears for a period of time?

texts:
I belong to a liberal community and what I have seen, when somebody is in mourning for a parent, is that they wear a "kriah ribbon" instead of tearing an actual garment, and they wear it at least through the period of shiva (I can't remember if they wear it through sh'loshim).  I am fortunate to not yet have direct experience in this area, nor have I learned the relevant laws, but a recent question here about that "ribbon" practice made me wonder what the traditional practice really is.  (I am aware of the problems with the ribbon practice, which is why I want to know what's correct.)

I know that upon learning of the death one tears his shirt.  Does the mourner do it that one time -- the commandment is to tear -- or does he wear a torn garment for some period of time to show that he is in mourning?  If the latter, how long?  Does he keep wearing the same shirt, or if he changes clothes (as we are more wont to do in modern times) does he tear the other ones too?


texts: What is learned from the story in Succah 2.7?

texts:
מִי שֶׁהָיָה רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ בַסֻּכָּה, וְשֻׁלְחָנוֹ בְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, בֵּית שַׁמַּאי פּוֹסְלִין, וּבֵית הִלֵּל מַכְשִׁירִין.
  אָמְרוּ לָהֶן בֵּית הִלֵּל לְבֵית שַׁמַּאי, לֹא כָךְ הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁהָלְכוּ זִקְנֵי בֵית שַׁמַּאי וְזִקְנֵי בֵית הִלֵּל לְבַקֵּר אֶת רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן הַחוֹרָנִי, וּמְצָאוּהוּ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁוֹ וְרֻבּוֹ בַסֻּכָּה, וְשֻׁלְחָנוֹ בְתוֹךְ הַבַּיִת, וְלֹא אָמְרוּ לוֹ דָבָר. אָמְרוּ לָהֶן בֵּית שַׁמַּאי, מִשָּׁם רְאָיָה, אַף הֵם אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אִם כֵּן הָיִיתָ נוֹהֵג, לֹא קִיַּמְתָּ מִצְוַת סֻכָּה מִיָּמֶיךָ:

  One whose head and the greater part of his body were within the sukkah and his table within the house: Bet Shammai say: it is invalid and Bet Hillel say it valid.
  Bet Hillel said to Bet Shammai: Did it not in fact happen that the elders of Bet Shammai and the elders of Bet Hillel went to visit Rabbi Yohanan ben HaHoroni and found him sitting with his head and the greater part of his body within the sukkah and his table within the house, and they didn’t say anything to him? Bet Shammai said to them: From there [you bring] proof? They indeed said to him, “If this is your custom, then you have never in your whole life fulfilled the commandment of the sukkah.

I don't understand the importance of the Maase here: There were two schools, they went to meet another Rabbi to [probably] seek a confirmation. [turned out] He followed B"H. Then B"S told him that he never fulfilled the Mitzvah according to their approach.

What's the point of this long story?


texts: How can one maintain Kavanah reciting Keriath Shema' while walking along the way? Or is the requirement waived in this case?


texts: Are there any hard and fast rules as to how to assign relative importance of one authority over another in formulating a psak halacha? For example if the Rambam and the Rashba argue over a specific halacha to whom would a posek give more credence and on what basis? Are there blanket generalities or would we, for example favor the Rambam in hilchos Shabbos and the Rashba in shechita?


texts: Change from Kail Erech to Kail Melech in Selichos

texts: Nusach Ashkenaz and Ashkenazi Nusach Sefard both start Selichos with Kail Erech Apayim prior to the first Hashem Hashem, and then for the rest of Selichos say Kail Melech Yoshaiv prior to Hashem Hashem. Why do we only say Kail Erech the first time? Why the change after the first time? Why not Kail Melech all the time?


texts:
Wikipedia notes that R' Mordochai Benet, the Mähren Landesrabbiner (Chief Rabbi of Moravia) notes that was temporarily interred in Lichtenberg prior to being re-interred in Nikolsburg, according to his will.

Growing up, I had always been told that re-interment of a person's remains should only be done when they are being brought to Israel or when they would come to be desecrated otherwise. A friend of mine who is a rav with the United Synagogue chevra kedisha is opposed to re-interment in Israel, as he finds that invariably there is some form of ignominy to the body.

What was the reasoning brought in the wake of R' Benet's death to justify moving his remains, especially after their initial interment ?


texts:
When do people who live in places where it is dark for days Daven Shachris and put on Tefillin?

Please provide a source (Mareh Makom).


texts:
I occasionally schmooze with a Bucharian guy at work. He tells me that in his shul, certain aliyot are considered "more important" or "prized aliyot" than others. All the aliyot are sold each week (he says that they hold an auction each Shabbat) and certain aliyot are more "coveted" or "important" than others. For example:

Maftir of Parah and Zachor (presumably, b/c these are De'Oraita)
10 Commandments
Az Yashir

With my coming from an Ashkenazi background, I'm a bit puzzled by the concept of "importance" regarding Torah reading. In yeshiva, I was told that every part of the Torah is "equally important". Can someone explain to me this entire concept of "prioritizing" certain aliyot? When and why did this originate? And isn't there some prohibition against stating that some part of the Torah is "more important" than something else?


texts:
The Torah explicitly says that we may not eat blood because the blood is an essential element in effecting Kaparah (as explained in Vayikra 17:11 among other places):

כִּי נֶפֶשׁ הַבָּשָׂר בַּדָּם הִוא וַאֲנִי נְתַתִּיו לָכֶם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לְכַפֵּר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כִּי־הַדָּם הוּא בַּנֶּפֶשׁ יְכַפֵּר׃  For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have assigned it to you for making expiation for your lives upon the altar; it is the blood, as life, that effects expiation.

But Vayikra 5:11 mentions that, for those who are too poor to afford even birds, one may bring a flour offering which will effect kaparah using parallel language in terms of the presentation and efficacy of the flour.
If that's the case, why isn't the same forbidding of consumption extended to flour, as it serves the same role as the blood in the sacrifice (or some part of it does). In the same way that the blood is the means by which an animal sacrifice is effective, something IN the flour, (not the action of sacrificing something of value) should be that same essence for kaparah and should be forbidden.
How are they different? Is there another reason for forbidding blood related to its being the seat of some life-force (נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַבָּשָׂר֮ בַּדָּ֣ם הִוא֒) which makes it distinct, and the utility of it in terms of sacrifice is not the reason? Is it a special rule for an unstated reason which we don't expand to similar cases because the specific rule does not include other things?


texts: Does the prohibition against consuming new grain ("Chodosh") before the second day of Passover (Leveticus 23:14) apply only in the Land of Israel or in the Diaspora as well? (Sources appreciated)


texts: If one launches a new website, can he recite Shehecheyanu? Or perhaps Hatov Ve-Hametiv, if others derive benefit from it?


texts:
The tribes of Reuven and Gad ask Moshe for permission to settle on the east side of the Jordan river. They are granted permission and half of Menashe is placed there as well.

Is there any way to know where the two tribes would have been situated had they not asked to be placed elsewhere?
Certain places were off limits (since Benjamin and Joseph cried because they foresaw the destruction of sanctuaries that were going to be in their territories, it must have been ordained that certain territories would be theirs) but the sizes of allocated land must have accommodated the sizes of the tribes - where could the 2.5 tribes have fit?
Which other tribes would have been disadvantaged to make space for these 2.5 tribes?


texts: Did Adam celebrate the first Shabbat in Gan Eden?

texts: I'm aware of the midrash regarding Psalm 92 (mizmor shir l'yom hashabat) and Adam's repentance. Was the first Shabbat spent in Gan Eden, then, as only then was Adam expelled?


texts: I am a converted Jew (mother is not Jewish, father is) who has recently began keeping Kosher. My mother is an excellent cook, and I greatly enjoyed eating what she made growing up. I still would like to be able to go eat at my parent's for dinner, but I know they do not keep Kosher, be it keeping separate dishes/sinks or even checking labels. Can I eat at their house if my mother promises to cook a vegetarian, kosher-style meal?


texts:
Are there any Ask-a-Rabbi websites that are geared specifically towards questions regarding Taharas Hamishpachah (i.e. marriage, sexuality, and men's health), parallel to yoatzot.org, from which I quote:

  Yoatzot Halacha are women certified by a panel of Orthodox rabbis to
  be a resource for women with questions regarding Taharat Hamishpachah
  (an area of Jewish Law that relates to marriage, sexuality and women's
  health). This role was devised to assist women who are more
  comfortable discussing very personal issues with another woman.


texts: Should one say a bracha when observing extraterrestrial lightning?

texts:
Follow up to my related question on whether one can make a bracha on lightning observed through a telescope.

Assuming that one can do this, should he make a bracha when observing lightning occurring on Jupiter, Saturn or Venus.


texts: Why is Jerusalem holy to the Jews? Can you justify this by Torah or Tanakh relevant verses?


texts: Babies born in Generation of Spies not entering the Land

texts:
Hashem says: “All who anger me shall not see [the land]” (Bamidbar 14:33)

According to the Midrash (see חידושי מרן הגרי"ז who brings this medrash), this means that everyone, even the young children, would die before entering the land.

From this we can ask a seemingly obvious question: why did everyone need to be punished? The infants did not take part in the sin; what did they do wrong that they should not be allowed to go into Eretz Yisrael?


texts: Why was Shimshon allowed to marry a wife from Philistine?

texts: In the Family Midrash Says it is written that Shimshon (Samson) asked his parents to convert the Philistine woman so he can marry her. How can we explain this when in our days we don't convert anyone for marriage?


texts: How did they establish in the USA, post-WW II, that a Rav had smicha prior to the Holocaust?

texts:
This is probably something that happened many times after World War II, when documentation was lost.

Here's the scenario:

A rabbi, who had led a kehila (congregation) in a small town in Slovakia, emigrates post-World-War-II to the USA, but when he arrives in New York, he has no proof of his smicha (rabbinical ordination).

A few people in New York knew him before, in Europe, and are willing to testify that they know him to have had smicha, and that he was the rav of their kehilla.

Questions:

To what board/court/Bet Din would they have gone?
Is there anywhere now to go back and find out who the witnesses were?
Did the court/Bet Din issue him another sort of document in lieu of the original?


texts:
About a month ago, a sofer corrected a mistake in one of our shul's Torah scrolls.

I found the mistake while reading the end of parshat Masei. There was an incorrect letter that changed the meaning of the word. The letter should have been a taf but was actually written as a heh. To make the correction, a sofer just needs to draw a line between the top of the heh and the bottom and it becomes a taf.

When the sofer came, he corrected it using a marker. (Yes, it had sta"m ink.) I didn't have time to ask the sofer about the halachot of using a marker. I understoof that Torah scrolls need to be written using a quill / reed.

Is the halacha more lenient when making a correction in that one may use a marker for corrections? Are there certain types of corrections that allow using a marker? For example, can it be used only when correcting a wrong letter such as I described above, or can one use a marker even if he has to erase a letter and write a new one? What if he has to add a missing letter?


texts: There are people that always stand by Laining and people that always sit. Among those that sit there are those that stand at certain points, such as the Aseres HaDibros or the Shira, etc. Is it proper to accord special honor to specific parts of the Torah over others?


texts: וַיהוָה נָתַן אֶת־חֵן הָעָם בְּעֵינֵי מִצְרַיִם (Exo. 12:36): How did Adonai give "favor" (חֵן)?

texts: It says that Adonai gave the people of Israel "favor" in the eyes of the Egyptians. How is it that God caused the Egyptians to look upon the Israelites favorably? It seems to me that He had to work upon their heart or something. You know...the text implies a change of disposition. How did God affect that change?


texts: How long does a Bracha last for if I'm moving around in a building?

texts: I work in a school with quite a large building. I have my own office, but I spend a lot of time out of it, checking the building, going into classrooms etc. If I make a Bracha on food and then leave my office for a short while, do I have to make another Bracha when I come back in order to continue eating?


texts: Websites or books about the Torah and history of the world

texts: I am looking for recommendations of good websites and books that talk about various ways of understanding the 'conflicts' between the Torah and a modern understanding of the age of the universe, the history of mankind, and events like the Flood.


texts: Can I get some info on meaning or purpose of attending a levayah of someone you knew? Like what's the idea behind it?


texts:
At seudah shlishis at shul, this week, the person leading the bentching (grace after meals) neglected to say the word "Elokeinu" (our God), in the invitation to bentch ("zimmun"), as is required when ten men bentch together.

What happened was that everyone else responded with "Elokeinu," and the mezamen (person leading the bentching) was waved on, told to continue from that point on.

What should have happened? Should the other people have responded, or should they have waited for him to correct himself? Once the others answered, should the mezamen have continued from that point on, or should he have gone back to the line in which he skipped "Elokeinu"?


texts: Can a shaliach assemble your mishloach manot for you?

texts:
I know that a shaliach (messenger) can deliver your mishloach manot. But can the shaliach also assemble it for you (under instruction for what to put in), and you'll still fulfill the mitzvah?

Here, you aren't handling it at all, so i'm not sure if it counts as coming from you.

If it does count, what if you just say, "make some mishloach manot for this person in my name", without specifying anything that goes in it?

Question was inspired by the fact that someone did ask us to do this over Purim. However, i'm pretty sure they fulfilled the mitzvah even without the one we made.


texts:
Why was the first Temple destroyed?  The Talmud says it's because the people engaged in idolatry, adultery and murder. Yoma 9b
But after the 55 disastrous years of King Menashe, during which he all but stamped out the Torah and encouraged all manner of idolatry, came King Josiah, who restored the Torah and led public repentance, massive reform, and a return to observance.
But God told Josiah, through the prophetess Hulda, that He will bring disaster on their heads anyway. Why? If God did not punish them during Menashe's reign, it must have been to give them opportunities to repent. And they did. So why did God resolve to punish them anyway? Isn't repentance what God really wants?  Sure, not every single individual repented, but still, it was a huge step in the right direction.


texts: Does Passover occur on the first full moon after the equinox?

texts:
Christians claim that Jesus was put to death on Passover eve Nisan 14 they make the date for easter based on the first full moon after the spring equinox(paschal full moon)

This year (2016) Passover is not until April 22 but that is not on paschal full moon. Spring equinox is March 20 and first full moon after is March 23.

Is it important that Passover be held on first full moon following the vernal equinox?


texts: Erev Rosh Hashana 5781 - mikvah via 'tes kavin'

texts:
Given the nature of the pandemic Rav Hershel Schachter amongst many others have advised against going to the mikvah (see here) in letter dalet:

Instead people are being advise to 'dip' via a shower using the principle of ''Tes Kavin'. Can anyone explain more about this principle - and how long in the shower does one need to spend to be considered like dipping in a mikvah? Presumably there would be a difference if one has a power-shower (i.e. since it comes out more powerfully and quicker one could spend less time) vs an older shower which is nowhere near as strong and thus would require longer time under the shower?


texts:
In Shmuel II 8:18 it says David's sons were "kohanim".

The Chabad translation describes them as "chief officers", but even the Rashi to it says the text literally says "priests".

How can this be?

Is there anywhere else in Tanach where "kohanim" does NOT mean priests?  I was originally thinking that "kohanim" might have several meanings in the Text, like "elokim" can indicate a Divine name, or a judge, or some other human authority, but I couldn't find it used otherwise anywhere.

The author of Divrei HaYamim/Chronicles, writing later in time, "toned it down" a bit in I 18:17, saying the sons were "first at David's hand", a much more clear description of chief officers.  This made me think the word used in the earlier text bothered him/her, also.

Are there any explanations/clarifications in the ancient or later literature that explain why the earlier, most likely more accurate author would use the term "kohanim" there?


texts:
Who knows three hundred eleven?
?אחד עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 311.
Give up on lazy gematria; this man can't bear it.
Check out mi-yodeya-series for the previous three hundred ten entries in this ongoing series.
Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.


texts: Is anyone aware of a Sefer which traces the psokim of the Rambam to their source in the Gemoro together with providing the necessary background and other varying halachic opinions? In other words a Sefer which presents the halacha of the Rambam in context with the general Talmudic and Halachic picture of the particular sugya.


texts: I heard recently that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky Shlita said that one should not name their children with modern hebrew names such as Shira and one should only give names from Tanach. I was also told that this is brought down in a sefer called "V'korey Shmoi B'yisroel". Does anyone have a copy of this part of the sefer or insight into this psak? If only Tanach names should be used what about Yiddish names, or Aramaic names in the Gemara?


texts: A choshuv Rav (head of a kashrus organization) said the source for the chosson aufruf is that there was a gate in the Beis Hamikdash designated for chassanim. Is there any source which connects this gate of the Beis Hamikdash to the aufruf?


texts: Can someone, who has not yet taken on Shabbos, recite the Friday night kiddush (before sunset) for someone else who has already taken on Shabbos?

texts: Can someone, who has not yet taken on Shabbos, recite the Friday night kiddush (before sunset) for someone else who has already taken on Shabbos, [without the former intending to take on Shabbos with the kiddush]?


texts: Must converts to Judaism inform their families?

texts: A candidate for conversion to Judaism appears to be very sincere, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, dedicated, and is not suspected of having ulterior motives.  But he states that he does not intend to inform his family of his conversion.  Is there anything in halacha that would prevent his acceptance?


texts: What's the source that יונתן בן עוזיאל passed away 26 sivan?

texts:
The tomb of ben Uzziel is located in Amuka, Galilee near Safed,
  Israel. It is customary to visit ben Uzziel's tomb on Rosh Chodesh,
  the first day of the lunar month, and on 26 Sivan (the day on which he
  died,

Here and here it states that his יום פטירתו is the 26 of sivan, I would like to know if there's a solid source for this.

A old man told me he remembers when he was young they used to travel north to someone else's tomb, they wanted to make it more attractive so they figured they might as well go to יונתן בן עוזיאל, and mysteriously it turned into the official יום פטירתו.


texts: What is special about praying Shacharis and Mariv (as opposed to Mincha)?

texts: Praying Shacharis and Mariv (morning and evening prayers) is listed as one of the things "sheodom oychel peiroisehem..." (A person eats of the fruit in this world but principle is left to be enjoyed in the next world). Yet it's Shacharis and Mincha (afternoon prayers) that are obligated in the Torah. So why not mention Mincha but Mariv instead?


texts: What is the status of professional video game players?

texts:
A friend remarked to me that playing video games professionally today is the equivalent of professional gamblers in the times of the talmud, specifically in that both are not involved in "Yishuvo shel Olam" (loosely: the substantive betterment of the world).

Do any modern day halachic authorities discuss the occupation of playing video games professionally?


texts: Does Rav Sa`adya Gaon hold that t'philin require one b'rakha or two?

texts:
I see in the Sidur HaRasa"g that he makes a seemingly strange comment about the b'rakha(oth) of t'philin. He states:

  התפילין כשמהדקים של היד על היד ושל ראש על הראש צריך לברך אקבמ"ו להניח תפילין

  ha-t'philin k'sh'm'hadhqim shel yadh al ha-yadh w'shel rosh al ha-rosh ssarikh l'varekh "asher qidshanu b'misswothaw w'ssiwanu l'haniah t'philin"

  Translation: "T'philin: When we fasten the Shel Yadh to the arm and the Shel Rosh to the head it is necessary to make the b'rakha 'Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to set t'philin [in place].' "

The note at the bottom of the page in the sidur says that he essentially holds like Rav Amram Gaon (i.e. the standard shitta of the Sepharadim) that a b'rakha is made on the shel yadh only, but it seems to me that a simple diyuq in his wording yields the possibility that he held like the shitta of making two b'rakhoth on t'philin, but the same b'rakha each time (i.e. l'haniah t'philin).

My question is: How does the Rasa"g truly hold in this reagrd? Do we know from anywhere else in Geonic literature? Is the language in his sidur clear on this fact?


texts:
The gemorah in Moed Katan Daf 8a says,

אמר רב כהנא אמר רב יהודה אמר רב מעשה באדם אחד שכינס מעות לעלות לרגל
ובא ספדן ועמד על פתח ביתו ונטלתן אשתו ונתנתן לו ונמנע ולא עלה
Rav Kahana said in the name of Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav: It once happened that a certain person had saved up money to go up [to Jerusalem] for the holiday (Pesach, Shavuos, or Sukos); and a eulogizer came and stood by the entrance to his house, and [the certain person]'s wife took [the money] and gave it to [the eulogizer], and [the certain person] was prevented from going up [to Jerusalem].

Although perhaps this is only a "kasha on a maaseh," how could his wife take the money from her husband and give it? It's technically not her money to give. Do we have to assume she gave it with his reshus (authority)? Why does the gemorah davka (specifically) describe his wife giving the money?


texts:
I heard in the name of the Chasam Sofer that the first mitzvah of a bar mitzvah boy is that of simcha (happiness). Does anyone know where I could find the original source of this?

I searched Google and found the following quote here:

  The Chasam Sofer (1762-1839) writes “the very first mitzvah one should be fulfilled by a bar mitzvah boy upon his reaching his 13th year is to rejoice and be happy to accept the mitzvahs of Hashem; for being b’simcha is a positive mitzvah in the Torah, i.e., to serve with joyousness and good-heartedness emanating from all the goodness which has been bestowed upon you.”


texts:
R' Menachem Mendel Schneerson, z"l would write to people that a segula for healthy teeth is connected to kiddush Levana

Does anyone know the source of such a concept?

Side point: many times by kiddush Levana he would touch his teath.


texts: Why do women wave their hands in front of the Shabbos candles before making the bracha?

texts: There seems to be a widespread custom among women to wave their hands in front of Shabbos candles before making a bracha on them. I have never seen men do this when lighting the Shabbos candles. Why do women do this?


texts: Why was Balak afraid that Israel would overcome him?

texts:
Despite the fact that Moav knew that Israel was not allowed to conquer Moav (See Ramba"n on B'midbar 22:3), why was Balak afraid that they would "lick out" his land?

I may have trouble understanding Ramban's distinction between Israel waging war and "licking" the land. Ramba"n says that Israel sent them messengers requesting passage through the land in the same way that they sent messengers to Sichon. If we view the language they said to Sichon, they stated that they will walk only on the King's highway, and will not drink their water. It seems that those statements should clarify all intents that Israel didn't have any desire to do anything to Moav's land.


texts: Is "Zatzal" applied to women? If not, why not?

texts:
I have never seen the term Zatzal, which stands for zecher tzadik l'bracha, and is often applied as a sign of respect to deceased righteous men, applied to a deceased righteous woman. I would like to know

Are there in fact any recorded examples of this term being applied to a woman?
If not, is there a reason?


texts: Should I wait for the prayer leader to say “Yishtabach” after “Pesukei dezimrah”?

texts:
“Yishtabach” is the closing blessing of the “Pesukei dezimrah”.

If a worshipper has concluded the pesukei dezimrah, should he wait to say Yishtabach with the prayer leader or should he say it directly he finishes? I have observed people choosing the former, but I don't know why.


texts: Why are we allowed to lean at the Passover Seder?

texts:
This M.Y. question shows a picture taken from a Roman feast where people lean during their meal. The question states that the way people should lean during the Passover Seder should be similar to what is in the picture.

If much of halacha suggest that we avoid imitating what Gentiles do, then how is it that during the Seder it is actually a halacha that we MUST imitate them by leaning? (See O.C. 472:7) Why are we not concerned about chukot hagoyim?


texts: Is there a purchasable copy of the Shulchan Aruch in Hebrew and English?

texts: I'm looking to buy an actual Shulchan Aruch, not a Kitzur. I already own the Artscroll Kitzur and, while it is an amazing work, doesn't help very much when I want to research the actual halacha, where it comes from, and how it applies to a Sefard like myself. Is there an edition out there which is the whole original Shulchan Aruch by Yosef Karo in Hebrew and English?


texts: Is there a Halacha that sons may not be present at the burial of their parents?

texts: Is there a Halacha that sons may not be present at their parents' burial? I've heard that if the sons wasted seed (G-d forbid) negative forces are created which would be detrimental at the burial site so the Rabbis said that sons should never come for the actual burial. Anyone hear of something like this? (sources please)


texts: Violating Shabbat in order to perform a mitzvah

texts: If a person lives too far away from shul to walk and feels compelled to drive in order to attend services on Shabbat, is this permissible according to halacha?


texts: What is the benefit of humroth (stringencies)?

texts: If we are meant to understand from the Nazir that forbidding things which are really mutar in order to be "extra holy" is really not a positive thing (cf. y.Nedarim 9:1), then of what benefit are humroth (if any)? Or are we simply misunderstanding what a humra actually is as spoken of by Hazal (the same rabbanim who told us the lesson of the Nazir)?


texts:
Before the Ark is opened on Shabbat, we don't just say "veyahi b'n'so'a ha'aron" as we would on a weekday. We begin with Ein Kamocha. The Artscroll siddur (I don't have the page number handy) explains that we do this on Shabbat because we have more time for davening than we do on a weekday.

If this is the case, then why don't we also do it at mincha on Shabbat?

Is there a different reason to explain the addition in Shacharit that would explain excluding it during mincha?


texts: What was the purpose of the tree of life if Adam was created immortal?

texts:
What's the point of creating the tree of life if Adam was already immortal when created?

I can understand the tree of knowledge of good and evil, since Adam was lacking in this knowledge and if he eats from it, he acquires knowledge of good and evil. But what is the symbolism of the tree of life?


texts:
Partially inspired by this question I would like to know exactly how ona'a (over/underchanging by more than 1/6th) is determined. For example tap water is free and in many parts of the united states is 100% safe to drink. Yet people pay more than $1 for bottled water. Why? I would chalk it up to marketing. Does that mean that I as an orthodox Jew cannot sell or buy a bottle of water since I would be duping the consumer?

What are the parameters for determining if one person is violating Ona'a?

Note: please don't get bogged down on the example; feel free to provide a better one that demonstrates the question.


texts: Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter?

texts:
Rashi on Bereishis 24:39 says that

  Abraham said to [Eliezer] “My son is blessed, and you are cursed [Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan who had been cursed by Noah], and an accursed one cannot unite with a blessed one.”

And Rashi on Bereishis 24:8 says that if Eliezer does not find a suitable match from Avraham's father's house then

  take him a wife from the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre

We know Aner, Eshkol and Mamre are canaanites from Bereishis 14:13 where it writes "Mamre the Amorite", and the Amorites come from Canaan as written in Bereishis 10:16

So since Aner, Eshkol and Mamre are also descendents from Canaan who was cursed, why did Avraham prefer their daughter's over Eliezer's?


texts: What is the source for not using the proper name of an avodah zara? How far does this halacha extend? For instance if thousands of years ago people worshipped an avodah zara named "XYZ" but no longer do so, may I use that proper name when referring to it? What about if only a select few people nowadays actually worship something as avodah zara, may I not use its proper name (let's say 7 people decide to worship, for example Bill Cosby, would I no longer be able to use his proper name even though the amount of people that worship him is miniscule)?


texts:
In the tradition of gematria, are there any methods for taking binary values and generating words out of them?

I'm working on a story that involves a character obsessing over a particular chunk of binary numbers, and if there's an opportunity to have a character do this, it would serve the story quite well.

If this is possible, what are the options for interpretation? Is this something that someone could obsess over for years, arguing with others over? What are the restrictions on this kind of methodology? Does this sort of interpretation relate to Kabbalah, or is that an ancillary discipline?


texts:
מגילה דף יב (Megillah 12b) gives two reasons as to why Vashti did not go to Achashveirosh when he requested her to the party:

a) Vashti had Tzarat (a metaphysical skin affliction)
b) גבריאל (the angel Gavriel) made her have a tail.

A few questions:

1) What is the difference between these two answers?  They appear to be some physical affliction that prevented her from going.  If I have one, I don't need the other.

2) How does a person grow a tail? Why would the Angel Gavriel choose to make her have a tail?  Is there some significance?

3) Is this to be taken literally?

4) Why in the second answer is גבריאל (Gavriel) mentioned?  Why didn't he bring about the Tzarat?

Here is the text of the גמרא:

  תלמוד בבלי מסכת מגילה דף יב/ב

  מאי טעמא לא אתאי אמר רבי יוסי בר חנינא מלמד שפרחה בה צרעת
  במתניתא תנא בא גבריאל ועשה לה זנב


texts:
Are there sources discussing what the role of a navi (prophet) is in Judaism?

For example, is he/she a historian, a bearer of God's word, a bringer to repent?

Obviously different prophets do different jobs, but I'm looking for sources that bring a theory about the general role of a navi


texts: Witnesses of Kiddushin no need to know the couple?

texts:
The Jewish Halacha does not require the witnesses to familiarize themselves with the couple prior to Kiddushin:

they are not required to know the couple in person before the wedding or have any relations with them
they are not required to know their names or check their IDs (keep in mind that the Ketubah (bearing the names) is NOT required for the wedding)
same for personal or family background (whether they are Arayos to each other, for example, or if they are Jewish at all)
neither they are required to [be able to] distinguish them from their twin siblings
they are not required to even see their faces, they can see them both from behind, they only need to see the transfer and hear the words!

All those conditions render the witnessing pretty much useless, as you don't even know who you witnessed, so you can never be called to testify.

If I'm wrong - please prove me wrong, if not - what's the logic of having such witnesses that have no idea who's getting married, what did the Torah want not specifying additional obligating conditions for witnesses?


texts: What if someone does know a lot of halachah and wanted to earn semichah and become a posek? Are there any good semichah programs which will award semichah with just a test (as opposed to a additional time requirement for example)?


texts: Rambam placement of Hilchos Megilla vaChanukah

texts: Why does the Rambam in Mishneh Torah in the Sefer Zmanim place Hilchos Chanukah and Hilchos Purim together in Megillah vaChanukah instead of just placing them separately and why in the title is Megilah first?


texts: Can a genetically modified pig be kosher, if gestated in a kosher animal?

texts: This answer says that a pig that was genetically modified to chew it's cud would not be kosher if gestated in a pig. For clarification, would it be kosher if it was gestated in a cow or other kosher animal?


texts: Why was Joseph allowed to imprison Shimon? That seems to transgress theft (both the Ten Commandments and/or the Noahide laws)?


texts: How can Australia celebrate Pesach at the same time of year as other countries?

texts:
The Torah commands that we celebrate Pesach in the spring time so how can Australia celebrate Pesach at the same time of year as other countries?

While I suspect the answer is that they celebrate at the time it is spring in Israel how does this fulfill the idea of celebrating during the spring time if in fact for a person living in Australia it isn't spring time?


texts: Are there any brands of mustard powder (flour) that are kosher for Passover for Sephardim?

texts:
Prepared mustard (containing vinegar and the like) is certainly not kosher for Passover.  According to Ashkenazic practice, the mustard plant itself is included in "kitniot" and prohibited on Passover.

For Sephardic Jews, however, is there a brand of plain mustard powder that can be assumed to be free of wheat/barley/spelt/oat/rye and therefore kosher for Passover?


texts: When do sefardim begin reciting selihot?

texts: Since rosh hodesh Elul is a mini-holiday do you need to wait till the day after rosh hodesh or do sefardim begin saying selihot on the first of Elul?


texts:
In Mishlei 5:9, there is an entity called אַכְזָרִי that somehow takes years from people who are rebellious:

  פֶּן־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים הוֹדֶ֑ךָ וּ֝שְׁנֹתֶ֗יךָ לְאַכְזָרִֽי:

Rashi explains that this refers to "שר של גיהנם":

  ושנותיך לאכזרי - לשר של גיהנם

Who and what is this guy? What other works reference him?


texts:
I have been reading a lot of questions concerning kosher foods, to get a better understanding of what it means for something to be kosher. To an atheist, this site is very helpful.

But as a chemistry student, I find some of the concepts related to kashrut quite surprising, particularly the ones relating to taste transferral.

This led me to wonder how - if - kashrut has been affected by Science?


texts: Was a double dream necessary to convince people that the interpretation was true?

texts:
I'm working "backwards" in my assumption.

Pharaoh had a double dream. When Yosef interprets it, he says, in Breishit 41:32

  As for Pharaoh having had the same dream twice, it means that the
  matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it
  (Sefaria translation)

It seems that Yosef implies that it may have taken two dreams to make his interpretation convincing.

When Yosef has dreams, it seems that it also took two dreams before Ya'akov seems to interpret it as a sign that Yosef may actually rise to leadership and his brothers will come to bow down to him.

However, while Yosef was in jail, the wine steward and the baker have each one dream, and each of them seem to believe Yosef's interpretation after just a single dream.

I realize that I'm making some assumptions here...

Yosef's suggestion to Pharaoh when he says to him the fact that you had two dreams proves that G-d showed you what was about to happen and it is true. In a way, he's saying to Pharaoh, "you should believe my interpretation, because you had a double dream."

Is there a precedent that at least two dreams confirms that the interpretation is believable? Or, were there some special circumstance (perhaps, when the wine steward heard good news that he would leave jail, he was thrilled enough that he didn't need a second dream to believe Yosef's interpretation?)

Regarding Ya'akov's reaction, we see that he reacts and interprets only after the 2nd dream. Perhaps, he didn't think much after the first one?


texts: Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel and wearing tzitzios out

texts:
Does someone know anything about Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel shlita hamekubal stating that tzitzios should be worn outside the clothes? I read it once but without any sources on a web forum.
It would be quite surprising as one of the argument to tuck them is based on kabbalah and the Arizal.


texts: Did Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi learn the Angel of Death's personal name?

texts:
I recently heard that when Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was in Paradise he learned the personal name of the Angel of Death/Satan. Can anyone provide a source for this claim?
In Ketubot 77b it is written:

"When Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was on the verge of dying, they said to the Angel of Death: Go and perform his bidding, as he is a righteous man and deserves to die in the manner he sees fit. The Angel of Death went and appeared to him. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: Show me my place in paradise. He said to him: Very well. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: Give me your knife that you use to kill mortals, lest you frighten me on the way. He gave it to him. When he arrived there, in paradise, he lifted Rabbi Yehoshua so he could see his place, and he showed it to him. Rabbi Yehoshua jumped and fell into that other side, thereby escaping into paradise.
The Angel of Death grabbed him by the corner of his cloak. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said to him: I swear that I will not come with you. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If he ever in his life requested dissolution concerning an oath he had taken, he must return to this world with the Angel of Death, as he can have his oath dissolved this time also. If he did not ever request dissolution of an oath, he need not return. Since Rabbi Yehoshua had in fact never requested dissolution of an oath, he was allowed to stay in paradise. The Angel of Death said to him: At least give me my knife back. However, he did not give it to him, as he did not want any more people to die. A Divine Voice emerged and said to him: Give it to him, as it is necessary to kill the created beings; death is the way of the world. Eliyahu the Prophet announced before him: Make way for the son of Levi, make way for the son of Levi."

Now as I heard, when Rabbi Yehoshua held the Angel of Death's knife, he carved his name into his arm. The name was said to be "T-r....o-k-e". Upon returning the knife, it is said that it faded and he immediately forgot it.
If anyone knows where this information is from, I would be greatly appreciative to find out. I have never heard of this name, and have only ever known the Angel of Death/Satan by his name "S-a....m-a-e-l". Perhaps I'm just ignorant of the source, but I'd rather not accept such claims without knowing where they came from.
Many thanks in advance!
(Edit: I refined the question and slightly edited some names, in case I caused any offense or misdeed by them. The names are only written for the sake of discussion, despite their darker nature.)


texts:
In Bamidbar 15, the text speaks of someone who commits an intentional sin (mentioning idolatry and blasphemy) and says that kareit is the punishment (if there was no warning) etc. Then the story of the man who was found gathering stick on Shabbat is related and his punishment is a death penalty.

The Stone chumash notes that in the first cases, one cannot atone through an offering (and no other method of atonement is discussed) but in pasuk 31, the phrase "עֲו‍ֹנָה בָהּ" is understood by Rashi to mean that excision from the community lasts until the person does teshuva - so there must be an atonement process (also cited in Sanhedrin 90b). So it seems that doing teshuva can stop kareit which has already started.

But is repentance an effect of having received a punishment or is it separate from that? Can I repent sincerely and avoid punishment in the first place? If the man gathering wood on Shabbat, after having been warned and in the presence of witnesses, hears his death sentence and then truly repents (not out of fear but maybe out of a realization that he did wrong on a grand scale and a wish to be a better person), must the death penalty be carried out because it is a required consequence or is the penalty eliminated because of teshuva? Can the intentional idolater change the divine decree of kareit before it takes place (if, for example,one understands Kareit to be "dying young")?

[One cannot repent after having been killed but if one does repent before his execution then he can still have his share in olam haba (as per the Sifre on pasuk 31, cited in the Stone).]


texts: The Mishna Berura, to the best of my knowledge, is, for the most part, the accepted psak for the Litvish/yeshivish community. Is there a Halachic work that Chassidim generally turn to for piskei Halacha and especially minhagim? In other words, if one wanted to get a general overview of piskei and minhagei Chassidus, what sefer would he look into?


texts: Mandatory evacuation on Shabbat: what can and can't you do?

texts:
A major storm hit New England starting this past Friday.  While people knew this was coming and precautions were already in place, apparently (according to a news article I read tonight) some areas were declared for mandatory evacuation on Saturday morning.  This led me to wonder what one must, may, and must not do in such a situation (assuming no immediate threat to life/health, just a "get out of here" decree):

Should (may? must?) you use a vehicle if it will get you out more quickly, or do you leave on foot?
What may you take with you?  Is it the same as what you may take from a burning house on Shabbat, or different?  (The talmudic discussion of the burning house seems to be about removing things a short distance, which is not this case.  In an evacuation, even if there's a still-intact eiruv you're almost certainly going to go past the boundary.)
If you don't know a matter of halacha you should of course CYLR.  When you're in the midst of the situation on Shabbat, is it better to phone your rabbi (guaranteed melacha) in order to minimize further violations, or to use your best judgment and risk more, unintended violations?  (Assume you don't have time to walk to your rabbi and back.)

An informative article by R. Kenneth Brander (h/t DoubleAA and Ze'ev Felsen) addresses some halachic issues of severe weather on Shabbat, but doesn't specifically address (non-medical) evacuation issues.


texts:
Does Psalm 145:16 teach that G-d ensures the well being of every living animal?

"You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing"


texts: What is judaism's view on the purpose of illness?

texts: What is Judaism's view on illnesses? Is the point to punish the person who gets sick, as found with Chizkiyahu, who didn't listen to God about getting married (and I think Yeshayahu rebuked him and said - bhadai kivshei rachmana, lama lach?) and therefore was punished? Or are there other reasons why God would make someone sick? If anyone has sources on this, that would be much appreciated.


texts:
Shalom,

I'm a baal teshuva who recently began reciting daily prayers. I own several Koren siddurim and I notice in all of them, occasional small arrows pointing at the text. Does anyone know what these arrows indicate? I know downward pointing arrows indicate when we're supposed to bow, but I'm not sure about the ones pointing inward at the text.


texts:
When Korach was rebelling against Moshe Rabbeinu, was he in fact stricken with Tzaraat? If he was stricken, then couldn't that serve as an indication that he was in the wrong?

Korach rebelled not too far away from the episode of Miriam receiving Tzaraat.

A rebellion from Korach, no matter how small or big, should have incurred Tzaraat. At the very first instance of negative speech, Korach should've been excommunicated.

Additionally, Moshe Rabbeinu himself felt there was a chance to save Korach and the 250 men, by pushing off the challenge to the succeeding day, giving the rebels time to think about what they're getting themselves into. Moshe Rabbeinu personally went over to Dasan and Aviram to make Shalom, exemplifying that there was SOMETHING SALVAGEABLE! Moshe Rabbeinu saw a sliver of hope. He was willing, just if only they were willing as well.

Wouldn't Tzaraat have helped saved these men from Gehennom? Surely Hashem would rather a person do Teshuva than to punish someone. The arrogance and jealousy perhaps may have been exterminated by performing the rites of the Metzorah, bringing 2 birds, shaving the entire body, etc.


texts: Challah roll and a matzah board for lechem mishnah - any preference?

texts:
If one has one challah roll and one matzah board for lechem mishna on Shabbat, is there any halacha stating which one should be used to eat from (sliced / broken)?

Offhand, I'm thinking the challah is preferable for these reasons:

"tadir" - I put this in quotes, as this rule applies when there are two conflicting mitzvoth. But, my point is that challah is eaten more often during the year than matzah which is generally reserved for Pesach. At least, that's with most people.
If there are many people at the meal, I don't think that one matzah would be enough to give everyone a kezayit (IIRC, a kezayit is about 3/4 of a matzah board), whereas this would be much easier with challah.


texts: Is Judaism really based on matrilinial descent?

texts:
Sarah is NOT the mother of Rebecca; Rebecca is NOT the mother of Leah or Rachel; Leah is Not the mother of Judah's Canaanite wife and Rachel is NOT the mother of Joseph's Egyptian wife.

There is Not a single list genealogical based on mother and daughters in the Torah and, while everyone likes to argue whether or nor Ruth was really Jewish, there is absolutely no proof that the mother of Boaz was Jewish.

Finally, Jezebel never converted to Judaism, so how could a gentile be the mother of two kings of Israel if Judaism passes thru the mother?


texts: How do you get non-Jews to treat you with some kind of tznius?

texts: I am an older unmarried frum Jewish woman.  I work among non-Jews. I am sure other Jewish people work with non-Jews also. How do you make them respect that you do not follow their social behavior and conditioning as far as personal space and dating/relationshiop habits go? And public comportment.


texts: why do we mourn the 24k students of Rabbi Akivah?

texts: until lag b'omer we mourn the 24k students of Rabbi Akiva who were wiped out in a plague (Yevamot 62b). Why do we mourn this and not many other tragic events in our history (ex.pinchas affair, korach, quail, the various tragic wars in tanach)? also why is this mourned longer than any other event?


texts: Shisha Ve'esrim Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?

texts:
Who knows three hundred twenty-six?
?שישה ועשרים ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
The traditional Passover song "Echad - mi yodeya" implies a possible presupposition that there is a Jewish significance to be found for each natural number. Accordingly, there is an ongoing series on Mi Yodeya that is attempting to unearth significant Judaism facts about each number, in sequence.
What significant Judaism facts are there about the number 326? The more significant within Judaism and the more intrinsically dependent on the value 326, the stronger the answer. Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.
... and when you're thinking that lazy gematria will produce an answer that's good, or even funny or invigorating? Just remember, you ain't Rabbi Akiva, and this isn't #127.


texts:
We know that Amram and Yocheved (Moshe and Miriam's parents) divorced so as not to give birth to baby boys and Miriam explained to them that they should get remarried because not only are they killing the boys they are also killing girls.

The question is, was Moshe conceived before or after the divorce and remarrying?  The time line seems unclear.


texts:
Who knows eighty-five?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. At some point in the next few days, I will:

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts:
I would like to find the Russian original of one of the presumably very few chasidic works written in that language. The work in question is בד קדש, addressed by the Miteler Rebbe, Rav Dovber of Chabad, to Governor-General Chavansky, of Vitebsk, in 5586-5587.

It appears here in English translation by Eliyahu Touger and Shalom Ber Wineberg as part of a sefer about the Miteler Rebbe's liberation from prison. The letter, which reworks an older discussion by the Alter Rebbe of the sefira of Malchus, including some very interesting comments on the definition of beauty, was a main catalyst for that liberation.

I do not know the Russian title of this work, but one possible transliteration is "Бад кодеш." Any help finding the original either in print or online would be appreciated. Thanks!


texts:
I noticed in translation different words are being used to describe 'curse'
1. מארה - m'erah, curse
2. קללה - klalah, curse
3. ארר - arar, curse
4. אלה - alah, curse
5. קבב - kavav, curse... maybe there are even more similar words?

This way I can't figure out their differences and thats why I'm looking for their definitions, anyone in here who can help me define them? Please leave your answer.


texts: What does the shaliach tzibbur do if he is stuck by someone behind him still davening?

texts:
One is not supposed to take 3 steps back at the end of Tefillah if there is someone davening behind them within 4 amos.  (See here for more.)

What if the Shaliach Tzibbur is finished davening, and the congregation is ready to begin the repetition of the Amidah, but there is someone immediately behind the Shaliach Tzibbur who is still davening?  Does he take three steps back anyways?  Does the whole tzibbur have to wait?  Something else?


texts: Source of Gentiles given sports to distract them from harming Jews

texts: I heard a long time ago from a high-school rebbe of mine that G-d gave Gentiles sports / athletics to distract them from attacking Jews. What is the source of this concept?


texts:
In Bereshit (Genesis) 12:2 HaShem tells Avraham that he should be a blessing:
V'heyeh Bracha: וֶהְיֵה, בְּרָכָה

But what does it mean that someone is a blessing? Isn't all blessing from HaShem, the source of all blessing.

So i'm not asking how we can bless HaShem, I'm asking how one can be a blessing; aren't blessings (brachot?) coming from HaShem?


texts: What does R. Meir hold about the case in Nega'im 6:2?

texts:
Nega'im 6:3:

  בַּהֶרֶת כַּגְּרִיס וּבָהּ מִחְיָה פְחוּתָה מִכָּעֲדָשָׁה ... רָבְתָה הַמִּחְיָה, טְמֵאָה. נִתְמַעֲטָה, רַבִּי מֵאִיר מְטַמֵּא, וַחֲכָמִים מְטַהֲרִים, שֶׁאֵין הַנֶּגַע פּוֹשֶׂה לְתוֹכָהּ:

  A bright spot the size of a split bean and in it there was quick flesh less than the size of a lentil ... If the quick flesh grew larger it is unclean, but if it grew smaller, Rabbi Meir rules that it is unclean; But the sages rule that it is clean, since a nega cannot spread within itself.

It appears from this Mishnah that R. Meir (as opposed to the Sages) believes that a nega' can expand inwards and thereby become impure.

Now, consider the very similar case in 6:2:

  בַּהֶרֶת כַּגְּרִיס וּבָהּ מִחְיָה כָעֲדָשָׁה ... רָבְתָה הַמִּחְיָה, טְמֵאָה. נִתְמַעֲטָה, טְהוֹרָה:

  If a bright spot was of the size of a split bean and in it there was quick flesh of the size of a lentil ... If the quick flesh grew larger it is unclean, and if it grew smaller it is clean.

Since R. Meir is not mentioned in this mishnah, the implication is that he agrees with the ruling in the final clause, i.e. that where the michyah is the size of a lentil and shrinks, the nega' is pure.

Why is this so? Would R. Meir not rule that in such a case it should be impure because the nega' is expanding inwards?


texts: There is a minhag by some kehillas in chutz L'aretz and by almost all kehillas in Israel to say the complete version of Hallel in the shul during maariv on the first night of Pesach (and second in chutz L'aretz). Where does this minhag come from?  Why is this done in those places that do say?


texts: Is doctrinal unity enforced in Judaism and if so, How?

texts:
In Catholicism we have the concept of the Magisterium. The Magisterium is the official teaching office of the Church and consists of all the bishops who are united to the Pope. The Magisterium is believed to have the divine authority to declare dogmas and teach doctrine. Once a dogma has been defined it becomes an essential teaching of the faith such that if you don't believe in it and agree with it you cease to be Catholic.

This system works wonders for maintaining doctrinal unity across the entire Catholic church, as it ensures that all Catholics are teaching the same thing, and believing the same thing no matter where they are in the world. (It should be noted that anything which is not dogma is still open for debate, and so there are many areas where a difference of opinion is permitted, however when it comes to essentials everyone is on the same page)

In contrast to Catholicism you have the Protestant system, which is where every individual Christian takes the bible and decides what it means for themselves. The results of this system are complete doctrinal chaos, with Protestant Christians arguing and setting up factions and splitting again and again and again. No two protestant Christians agree with each other completely, even when it comes to essentials of the faith - they can't even agree what the essentials of the faith are in the first place. There is absolutely no unity in this system.

It seems obvious to me that the Catholic system is superior to the Protestant system when it comes to ensuring doctrinal unity. The truth cannot contradict the truth, so doctrinal unity is essential.

I'm wondering how Judaism deals with this situation? When it comes to deciding doctrine/what to believe, how does Judaism do it? Does each congregation listen to their local Rabbi and submit to whatever he proposes for belief? Is there a council of senior Jewish clergy who come together to decide doctrine which all Jews worldwide must believe? Is it considered the responsibility of each individual Jew to study the scriptures for themselves and come to their own conclusions, like in the protestant system I described above?

The reason I ask is because I get the impression that Jews all more or less believe the same thing and agree when it comes to doctrine, but I'm curious how that is possible because you don't seem to have a Magisterium like Catholics do. I understand that back in the day you had the Sanhedrin, and they were sort of like our Magisterium, with the High Priest being kinda similar to our Pope (although without claiming infallibility). Does the Sanhedrin still exist and does it ensure doctrinal unity?


texts: People will sometimes mark their papers with the phrase בס"ד or ב"ה, I know what they mean but where does the idea of putting them on comes from. Is there and basis in the Torah or do any Rabbis have any insights onto this phrase.


texts: Can Yizkor obligations be paid from Maaser money?

texts: When a person goes to Shul to say Yizkor they obligate themselves to give Tzedaka in memory of the deceased. Can this obligation be paid from Maaser or does it have to be paid from the persons personal funds? (sources please)


texts: Who made up the name shtender, and who started using the term?


texts: What precisely is meant by "G-d can do anything"?

texts:
There's a general concept in Judaism that G-d can do "anything". I've seen How does Judaism deal with God and paradoxes?
 and this answer, so I understand that it is limited to the possible.

However, I'm unclear what it means to attribute free will to G-d. Since, G-d does not, in fact, do everything, what could it mean for Him to be "able" to do so? Saying something like "It means that there's nothing He can't do" won't help, because there are, in fact, things He does not do.

I don't find this a problem for human's free will, and maybe if I explain why my question will be clearer. After considering the question of what exactly free will is, I ended up defining it in terms of predictability. That is, human Ploni has free will on a decision X, if it cannot be predicted in advance what decision will be made. So if it is known that someone won't do something, it's viewed as if they don't have free will. (Example, Lev Melachim B'yad Hashem, so Pharaoh didn't have free will at certain times).

That cannot apply to G-d, because there are things that we know He won't do (according to some Rishonim, anything that breaks the "teva", or not fulfilling promises that He made, etc.) So what precisely do we mean when we say that he can do anything. What does "He can do something" mean, if He does not do that thing? How can free will be defined so that it applies to G-d?

Edit: A source for the statement "G-d can do anything" is Iyov 42:2:

  I know that Thou canst do every thing, and that no purpose can be withholden from Thee.

Some sources for "there are some things we know G-d won't do":

Baraishis 9:11:

  And I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Yirmiyahu 31:34-35:

  Thus saith the LORD, Who giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirreth up the sea, that the waves thereof roar, the LORD of hosts is His name.
  If these ordinances depart from before Me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me for ever.

The first says that G-d won't destroy the earth with a flood, and the second says that G-d won't destroy Israel until the sun, moon and stars go out.

Edit: Another source can be found in Derech Hashem: (from translation)

  No bounds or limits can be placed on God's Omnipotence, [and therefore, there is nothing preventing Him from creating even evil if He so desires].

So it implies that a limit on creating evil would be a "bound or limit". This seems to contradict the verses quoted earlier, which put restrictions on what Gd will do.


texts:
I've heard that there are people who say the Yiddish phrase נישט אום שבת גערעדט ("Nisht um Shabbos Geredt" before discussing business topics on Shabbos. The phrase literally means "not on [the] Sabbath [to be] spoken".

Why would people say that something is forbidden just before doing it? I've never heard of anyone saying "not kosher" before eating pork!

(I'm not asking if a person should or shouldn't say it. I'm asking why those who say it do.)


texts: The (female) name Freeda amongst Sefardim

texts: I am under the impression that the name Freeda is a female Yiddish name. For some reason it seems to be very popular amongst the Sephardim. How did this happen?


texts: Does Orthodox Judaism endorse or prescribe exercises and acts to help counteract negative influences or inner spiritual issues and conflicts?

texts:
I know this question sounds kind of "New Age" in terms of theme but I was genuinely curious if Orthodox Judaism has any figures who endorsed such topics or books which discussed the topic (either in an historical or contemporary standard)

Basically, religious/spiritual exercises or practices which act to remove negative influences from one's environment or body or psyche. Things of that nature.

I'm speaking to ideas outside of the mainstream exercises of Kashrut, Mikvah washing, and things of that nature.


texts: Why does Ezekiel describe the maneh as 20 + 25 + 10 + 5 shekels instead of just saying 60?

texts:
Ezekiel 45:12, in discussing just weights and measures, says:

וְהַשֶּׁקֶל, עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה; עֶשְׂרִים שְׁקָלִים חֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים שְׁקָלִים, עֲשָׂרָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה שֶׁקֶל--הַמָּנֶה, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם.
And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, ten, and five shekels, shall be your maneh.

That seems like a pretty roundabout way of saying sixty shekels.  Why is it expressed this way?  Is there symbolism in the numbers chosen?  Were, 20, 25, etc shekels common units of value already in use?
(Somebody asked this question over on Biblical Hermeneutics but as of this writing it has not received a credible answer, so I thought I'd ask here.)


texts: We bought from eBay glass fish-shaped plates, manufactured by Arocroc (France) in 1970 or so.  The listing had "unused" in the description but that is not certified.  How does one kasher glass plates?


texts:
Most things that can't be moved on Shabas (or yom tov) can be moved if the following two criteria hold:

One is moving them by means of another object.
The purpose of moving them is not for their own sake but for the sake of some permitted object.

An example frequently given is leftover crumbs on a table. If they can't permissibly be moved by hand (as is sometimes the case) then they can nonetheless be swept up with a squeegee or knife, so long as the purpose is a clean table rather than collecting the crumbs. (Note, though, that the rules are more complicated than I can include here and, in particular, not everyone agrees that the case of crumbs on a table falls under this exemption. As always, consult your rabbi with any practical questions.)

The term for this type of permitted moving, dating back to the g'mara, is "טלטול מן הצד", literally "moving from the side".

Why is it called that? Moving something via another object doesn't make the motion more "from the side". Does it mean you're moving the object from your side? But you always move things from your side, as your hands are on your sides. Or does it perhaps mean you're moving the object from its side? But using another object instead of your hand doesn't mean you're approaching the forbidden object from any particular side. Or what does it mean? What's the understanding of this phrase as applied to this permitted action?


texts: Is Yeast Extract OK to eat during Passover?

texts: The status of eating yeast on Passover has me confused. Yeast is used in wine production which is ok to eat, but I've talked to people that won't eat yeast extract, which is not a leavener. Is there a correct answer or is this a gray area?


texts: Before we are born, do we pick who our parents, guides, and rebbaim in life will be?


texts: I am presently working on a siddur for personal use. However, one of my pet-peeves is when I am looking at a large block of text (let's say Hodu after Baruch She'amar in N"A) and I can't see any sources for the pesukim. Is there an application (Internet or Mac) which can be used to track down the origin of a group of pesukim in a passage?


texts: Why are none of the Pharaohs in the Torah identified by name?

texts:
Throughout the Torah, the various Egyptian Pharaohs are always referred to as simply "Pharaoh" or "the king of Egypt" (or both), but never with any other parts of their official titulary.

By contrast, in Nach, some of them are also left otherwise unidentified (such as the one whose daughter Shlomo married), but for others a name is given:

Shishak (Melachim I 11:40 and 14:25, II Chron. 12:2-9)
So (Melachim II 17:4)
Necho (Melachim II 23:29,33-35; Yirmiyahu 46:2; Divrei Hayamim II 35:20-22, 36:4)
Chofra (Yirmiyahu 44:30)

And to top it off, some of the ones who are named in some places are unnamed in others. For example, Yechezkel, even though fully four chapters of his book are devoted to prophecies of the downfall of Egypt and its king, never names him as anything other than "Pharaoh" or "king of Egypt" (though we know from the events as described by Yirmiyahu that they refer to Chofra).

Does anyone address the reason for these differences? [If it's because the Torah didn't want to use any of their names, all of which refer to various Egyptian deities, then the same should be true in Nach. But, after all, the Torah seemingly has no problem mentioning other idolatrous personal names of non-Jewish figures, such as the Edomite kings Hadad (Gen. 36:35) and Baal-Chanan (ibid. v. 38).]

(In a comment, DoubleAA pointed out that the same thing can be asked regarding the Avimelechs of Philistia: they are referred to only by that title in Chumash, and mostly also in Nach; but the one of David's times is usually identified by his personal name, Achish (except in Ps. 34:1).)


texts: What would a fitting colloquially accepted  translation of the word takana be? Assuming we are dealing of course with a rabbinic decree and so as to convey the intent as apposed to 'gzeira', 'syag', 'mishmeres' and such.


texts: Were there any Sadducees on the Sanhedrin?

texts: Various Jewish sources indicate the presence of Sadducees among the priesthood, including the position of Kohen Gadol. However, are there any Jewish sources that discuss Sadducees on the Great Sanhedrin? (I am wondering because of the Christian account in Acts 23:6-8. The description of the beliefs of the Sadducees matches with what we know about their beliefs from Jewish sources.)


texts:
Disclaimer: I am a Christian gentile and respect those of the Jewish faith.

I am wondering how the Jewish community honors those who are considered to be martyred for their Jewish faith?

Do you have any local or traditional ways of honoring your martyrs, either in public or in private (as in the family)?

What I mean by martyr is someone having died in defense of their Jewish faith, doctrine or heritage. For the sake of this question would it be possible not to include those martyred during World War II. I am more interested in individual martyrdoms or a small group of individuals, say 2 or 3 people (may be increased for a family, etc.).


texts: Who is responsible for accidental theft caused by a false claim?

texts:
There's a public pantry in one's office that has a shared refrigerator. Someone opens the fridge and sees a container of milk that is usually not there. He asks a co-worker if he can use it and he says, "I saw someone in HR put it there, yesterday and he said it's leftover, anyone can use it." So, the other person helps himself to some milk.

Later in the day, the 2nd person discovers that no one from HR had allowed anyone to take that milk. You discover that the person accidentally lied to you because he misunderstood what the HR person had told him, which was "You can use it" and that meant, just him. But he understood it to mean "anyone can use it."

Now that the milk was taken, who is responsible to pay for it - the person who accidentally "lied", the 2nd person, both, no one because it was accidental?


texts:
Moshiach must definitionally descend from David, and according to this answer he must also descend from Shlomo. However, Moshiach cannot descend from Yehoaichin because of Yirmiyahu's curse.

Are there any other kings of Judah from which Moshiach must descend?


texts: Source for dying upon reaching a set number of words spoken

texts:
If I recall correctly, it says somewhere that we each have a predefined number of words to speak, after which we die. (The idea being that one should be careful not to speak unnecessarily.)

Assuming my memory is correct, what is the source?


texts:
According to this article by Tzomet, it is forbidden for Jewish males to shave their beards with a razor; however, most electric shavers (with the possible exception of "lift and cut" shavers) are allowed to be used.

What about a manual hair clipper?

This came up in an answer over at Lifehacks, about alternative shavers for when an electric shaver breaks or otherwise ceases to function.


texts: In Brachos 44a there is a brief discussion of an apparently extraordinary type of fruit they call the peiros Genosar. The sages seemed to love it even though there were consequences after eating too much. For example, Reish Lakish ate so much that he became confused and needed assistance getting home. Others suffered hair loss and other issues from eating large quantities of the fruit. What kind of fruit was this? Why did the sages love it so much? What else do we know about it?


texts:
What happens in the case of a bride menstruating on her wedding day or her menstruation ending a few days before her wedding day and cannot go to the mikvah?

Does the rabbi refuse to perform the chuppah? What are the options?


texts: Hebrew being Lashon HaKodesh, is the inclusion and exclusion of certain phonemes and sounds in the language significant?

texts:
For instance, the English sounds of "J", "W","Th", and "Ch" are for the most part unused in Hebrew. Although as an exception, I've seen a Yemenite Chazan use some of these sounds while reading the Torah.

Does the particular makeup of the language mean that only the included sounds are capable of being holy? Is there some other significance to it?


texts: Why don't we say Tachanun at Mincha on Erev Shabbat or Erev Yom Tov?

texts: It says in the Rambam that there is a custom not to say Tachanun at Mincha on Erev Shabbos and Yom Tov. What is the reason for this custom?


texts: Is there no such sin as a wayward daughter? If so, why not?

texts:
The mitzvot and sins are not equal in their distribution. Some are only applicable to men, some to women, some to Kohanim, to Kings, etc.

In the case of a wayward (or rebellious) son who is described as "a glutton and a drunkard", is only a son capable of committing this sin? Is a daughter who is a glutton and drunkard not deserving of the capital punishment as he is? If so then why? Is she deserving of any form of punishment?


texts:
This question is inspired by the extremely large mezuzot at Ben-Gurion airport (original image, rehost).

If one attached a complete, kosher sefer Torah to a sufficiently large doorpost, would it fulfill the mitzvah of mezuzah?


texts: Is one allowed to conditionally make Aliyah?

texts:
The Rambam (Melachim 5:9 - English here) lists the conditions whereby one is allowed to leave the Land of Israel. (Also discussed here).

Once one moves to the Land of Israel, it would appear that he is only allowed to leave if those conditions are met.

If someone moves to the Land of Israel with the intention of only living there for a limited amount of time (i.e. intending to move back to Diaspera after some time), is he halachicaly allowed to leave when that time comes if none of the conditions listed in the Rambam are met?

Or do we say that the condition he made when moving to Eretz Yisroel is null and void, since it goes against Halacha (and he is no longer halachically permitted to move back to Diaspera)?


texts: Are followers of other Abrahamic faiths considered Noachide?

texts:
Are Christians, Muslims, Samaritans, Bahais, etc considered Noachide, and do they have a part in the world to come?

What about Karaite and Falasha Jews?


texts: Can a secular Jew drink non mevushal wine that he touched?

texts:
If a secular (non-observant) Jew touches wine that isn't mevushal does that render it not kosher for him to drink?

Nafka Mina: gifting non-mevushal wine to a secular friend.


texts:
My previous question "walls for Mezuza" didn't receive many responses, so I'd break it into small ones:

Our forefathers lived in big fixed tents (like nomads) and so did the Israelites in the wilderness.

If it stays in place for more than 30 days and certainly has an opening, is it obligated in Mezuza?


texts: How is the week referred when there is no parsha read that Shabbat?

texts:
Frequently, I have seen on wedding invitations and other correspondences that refer to a date using the parsha name for that week. E.g. an invitation to a wedding may say יום שני בשבת פרשת בא - The second day of the week of parshat Bo.

How do they refer to a week when no parsha is read because of Yom Tov of Hol Hamo'ed? Do they refer to it using the name of the Yom Tov such as יום שני בשבת שבועות - The 2nd day of the week of Shabbat Shavu'ot? Or do they use the name of the parsha to be read the following week? I can see that using that 2nd option would be confusing.

I am seeking an answer that addresses the situation when an event is not on Yom Tov or Hol Hamo'ed itself, but, rather before a Yom Tov occurring later in the week and part of that Yom Tov extends in to Shabbat thus deferring the weekly parsha.


texts:
Inspired by Matzah eruvin on erev Pesach

Can egg Matzo be used to make an Eruv Chatzeiros on Pesach? On Pesach, Ashkenazim do not eat egg Matzo; however, it is not Chometz. In certain instances it may be eaten. Would there be a problem using it for an Eruv on a Shabbos that falls on Pesach, such as Shabbos Chol HaMoed?


texts:
**Looking for answers as to what happened in Jewish history on this date. It can include both positive and negative occurrences. It can also include birthdays or Yarzheits of well known personalities that happened on this date.

Please cite / link your sources, if possible.

All interesting answers will be up voted.

Best answer will be accepted.**


texts:
B"H, most of us have not witnessed a famine. So, I hope you will excuse my lack of understanding what actually occurred during the famine mentioned in parshat Miketz. I understand a famine to mean that people are starving or they have an insufficient amount of food.

However, there are two aspects that seem to contradict the idea that people would have nothing to eat:

1) The Nile was abundant with fish. And, the Egyptians could have used their animals (somewhat) for food. Would that have been insufficient?

2) Ya'akov and his children had an abundance of cattle and flock. Also, Ya'akov was an expert in sheep and goat mating, as we see in parshat Vayetze. Would using their animals not have sufficed?

3) Ya'akov tells his children to bring down to Egypt some produce such as nuts and almonds. Perhaps, Israel was producing other types of produce as well. Could they not have survived on these items?

In short, in what way was it a famine in the sense that people were hungry or starving?


texts:
Yoghurt can be made by holding a small quantity of live yoghurt mixed with fresh milk and stirred and kept at a constant temperature (38C or 100F) for up to 12 hours.

Can the mixture be put in an electric machine (already turned on) to keep it at temperature on Shabbos?

It would seem that there is no problem of “cooking (bishul)” because the temperature is below “yad soledes bo”. (Is it the same for “insulating (hatmonoh)”?).

One problem might be the element of “building (boneh)” involved in cheese-making but the yoghurt has very little structure.


texts:
Each year, the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the legendary groundhog with a festive atmosphere of music and food. During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil (the groundhog) emerges from his temporary home.... According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an "early spring (source)

Aside from the question of if Phil, who at certain times cannot see his shadow, is a demon (see Gittin 61), my question is is this a form of divination and therefore forbidden?

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


texts: Can a female be a Shochet? (slaughter animals)

texts: Can a female slaughter animals according to Halacha? (sources)


texts: Can someone post a concise list of the mitzvot that are applicable on in or to eretz yisrael today?  Or a link to such a list?  Wikipedia and others discuss all the ones that have ever existed, then half-heartedly mention that many don't apply now, but I can't find a clear list of currently applicable ones.


texts:
The other day I read that during the exodus the Jews were commanded to take the blood of the Pesach and schmear it "on the two doorposts and the lentils, upon the houses wherein they shall eat it." (Ex. 12:7)
This seems to present a multitude of questions:

Aren't lentils technically kitniyot, making their use on Pesach forbidden according to "Minhag Yisroel KiHalacha?"
Why would Hashem command them to mix blood in their food and eat it - isn't eating blood forbidden?
If they were required to throw out the spoiled food, wouldn't this constitute a violation of bal tashchis (wanton destruction of food)?
What is the connection between the lentils and the doorposts - were the lentils supposed to be mixed with the blood and THEN schmeared on the doorposts?
How is this supposed to protect them from the final plague?

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


texts: What did the Or Sameach do for Rabbi Yaakov Ruderman?

texts: I have heard that Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman of Ner Israel quoted Rabbi Meir Simcha (the Or Sameach or Meshech Chochma) in almost every, or possibly even in every, Torah address to the school. I have heard, further, that he did so as an act of hakaras hatov (recognizing beneficence) to Rabbi Meir Simcha for something the latter did for him when he was young. Does anyone know the story?


texts: Can online smicha programs theoretically be valid?

texts:
I have no intention of doing an online smicha, but am more interested in the topic from a theoretical perspective. There are several online smicha programs supposedly accredited by orthodox rabbis, like onlinesmicha.com.

Are such programs theoretically valid in regards to accrediting someone, if they be conducted by proper rabbis via video? Or is there some kind of physical presence requirement (implicit or explicit) to be legitimate?


texts: Korbanos and Ketores: Only Biblical passages for the former

texts:
When we recite psukim in the morning that pertain to the korbanos and then, afterwards, to the burning of ketores, why do we limit ourselves to passages from the Torah when it comes to the former, but then include passages from the Talmud when it comes to the latter?

(Granted, we do recite Eyzehu Mekoman from the Mishna, but that's already after we've recited a number of texts that relate to korbanos and ketores in general. The core texts for korbanos are exclusively psukim; by ketores, a number of baraisos are also read.)

Why don't we also read baraisos for korbanos as well?


texts: When do the brachos mein shalosh exempt other brachos acharonos?

texts:
After eating the 5 grains or the 7 species or wine one recites a variant of the Mein Shalosh as the after blessing. On everything else one recites boreh nefashot.

Say you just ate an apple and a grape, what should you do?
What about if you had a grape with water?

Is there ever a case where reciting one of the mein shalosh variants exempts the person from reciting another bracha acharonah (such as borei nefashot)?


texts: Do you need to say hamapil right after saying the other parts of kriat shema?

texts:
My siddur has hamapil as the last thing said before sleeping (I know some of them have Hamapil before the end) , but I was wondering if it would still count if one were to say the other parts of Kriat Shema a few hours before one goes to sleep, then leaving hamapil until right before one slept?

Or does one have to do it all at the same time straight before going to sleep?
(I use tehillat hashem, the chabad siddur)