texts: When and why did we stop to receive lashes on Yom Kippur as Shu"A prescribes?

texts:
Shu"A Orach Hayim 607.6

  כל הקהל לוקים מלקות ארבעים אחר תפלת המנחה
  שמתוך כך יתן אל לבו לשוב מעבירות שבידו:
  הגה ונהגו שהנלקה אומר וידוים בשעה שנלקה וכו'

  All of the congregation receives 40 lashes after minchah, for from this one places on his heart to repent for his sins.
  RAMA: The custom is for the recipient of lashes to say confessions at the time he is lashed and the one who lashes says "and He who is merciful atones for sin", etc.

EDIT: while many Rabbis and even certain groups turned it into a Minhag, it clearly appears that it is not the Halacha that obligates all, as it was once (as Rem"A agrees), and I never saw it performed in [most] Israeli Haredi communities.

When and why did we stop following this Halachah?


texts: Where did the manuscript for Shoreshei HaMitzvot l’Ramchal come from?

texts:
There is a newly printed book entitled שורשי המצות לרמח׳ל claiming to be from a never before published manuscript from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato.
Does anyone know more about the discovery of this lost manuscript and where it turned up?


texts:
If Reuben's sister, Hanna, is a slave and she and Reuben have sexual intercourse, are their children slaves or mamzeirim?

  Acc. to the Mishna in Yevamot 4:12-13, the offspring of a forbidden
  union, the penalty for which is karet, is a mamzer. That is the
  opinion of Rabbi Shimon haTeimani in mishna 13 - contra the opinions
  of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yehoshua - and is understood to be the
  opinion of the sages (contra Akiva) in mishna 12.

  Acc. to the Mishna in Ketubot 3:12, the offspring of such a forbidden
  union - one in which the woman would have been permitted to another -
  is a mamzer. The offspring, however, of another forbidden union - one
  in which the woman could not have been permitted to another -
  follows the woman in status. The practical upshot of this mishna is
  that the child of a gentile woman or a slave girl (neither of whom can
  contract kiddushin with anybody) is either a gentile or a slave.

  If there is a brother and a sister (Reuben and Hanna in my example)
  and she is a slave, they now belong to two of the different types of
  relationships delineated from one another in Ketubot. They are
  siblings, and the penalty for sexual intercourse is karet
  (Mishna, Keritot 1:1; cf: Leviticus 18:9, 29). That means, based on
  both Ketubot and Yevamot, their offspring are mamzeirim. And yet,
  being a slave, she cannot contract kiddushin with any man, which means
  that their offspring (based on Ketubot) are slaves.


texts: Is it ok to listen to music written by someone who's anti-semitic?

texts: Wagner was anti-semitic but made some great music; is it wrong to listen to it? Could one still say the music is great?


texts:
In Yevamot 49b the Sefaria translation adds the following words:

He was punished for referring to the Jewish people in a derogatory manner.

(As far as I can see, this isn't mentioned in the original text)
Where did they get this sentence from? From my very limited understanding of Hebrew (I'm still learning) the Sefaria translation seems to have come from Rashi's commentary:

נסרוה לפומיה ונח נפשיה - ומשום הכי איענש לנסורי פומיה משום דקרינהו לישראל עם טמא שפתים מדעתו שלא צוה לו הקב"ה ולא מחמת תוכחה דכתיב ואומר אוי לי כי נדמיתי

Could someone translate Rashi's commentary and confirm?


texts: Mourners' Kaddish, when Everybody is a Mourner

texts:
In the circumstance that a minyan is comprised of people who all share an obligation to recite the kaddish, how is it said? Do they recite it in unison, skipping the amen at the conclusion of the first line but otherwise keeping in unchanged? Or is it integral to the kaddish that there be at least two people who are responding to it, rather than reciting it?

I say "at least two people" since subsequent amens are preceded by the plural ואמרו, and since the text uses plural suffixes on בחייכון וביומיכון.


texts:
When the spies come back, all of them (aside from Yehoshua Bin Nun and Calev Ben Yefuneh) return with negative reports of the land. Among these reports is a reference to Amalek: “Amalek dwell in the south land.” Rashi brings the Midrash Tanchuma to explain their mentioning of Amalek: “Since they had already been ‘burned’ by Amalek, [i.e. previously having had a war with them] the spies mentioned it in order to strike fear in them.”

This Medrash is hard to understand. Where do we see in the mentioning of Amalek that the spies had ulterior motives? Is it not logical that spies sent to scout out the land would mention that the nation’s sworn enemy is in the vicinity? Is this not a very pertinent piece of intelligence for the nation before entering the land in order to conquer it?

The very fact that Klal Yisrael “got burned” and had past issues with Amalek makes it so much more important to mention this! It seems that the spies are simply fulfilling their mission to provide the necessary information to conquer the land.


texts: What is considered a picture for not davening in front of it

texts:
I heard that you can't daven in front of a picture

What does this included?

A mogen Dovid?
A flag of israel?
A lion?
What if it is part of the paroiches or Aron kodesh
....

Similar Davening in front of a picture of 'Avodah Zarah


texts: Is one allowed to have a Thanksgiving Meal?

texts: Is celebrating Thanksgiving with a formal sit down meal against Halacha?


texts: Teffilin at night after having been sick

texts: If I was sick all day and was unable to put on Teffilin during the day, may I put it on at night to make up for the day I missed?  If I remember correctly, the Mishna Berurah says that if one will not be able to put them on during the day he may put them on before Alos hashachar. Is there any basis to allow putting them on at night? What if I slept all day thus mitigating the concern of Falling asleep with them on and coming to flatulence, would it permitted then?


texts: I am wondering if the Samaritans observe the Sabbatical year differently than most the "Masoretic" Jews. If so, how?


texts: מֶה, מָה, מַה - mɛ, mʌ, ma - What's the difference?

texts:
What causes the difference in vowelization of the Hebrew word for "what" in the Bible and classical Jewish texts? In some contexts it is מֶה, in others - מָה, and in yet others - מַה. The hypothesis that an acquaintance and I converged on was that only when preceding a guttural (or lower) consonant is it מֶה, but this was falsified by "במה מדליקין".

What is the rule governing this change?


texts: Why did Yosef think the Sar HaMashkim could help?

texts:
There is criticism of Yosef for asking the Sar Hamashkim to mention him to Paroh, instead of trusting in Hashem, but what was Yosef even expecting from the Sar Hamashkim?

The poor man was just granted pardon and given the chance to return to his old job, after "sinning" to his master.
Can he really assume the role of Paroh's strategic advisor for prisoners, and suggest that the poor Ivri boy should be released because he is really innocent?!

It seems that everything worked out in Yosef's favor - the Sar may have forgotten about him, but on the other hand it was only realistic for Paroh to listen to him after his troubling dream! This doesn't seem like a punishment, but another part of the Hashgacha Pratit that Yosef merited.

Can anyone explain -

What Yosef really expected, how he thought the Sar would help him.
Why the two year gap is viewed as a punishment, and not as necessary for the proper circumstances to bring about his release.


texts: I have heard people saying not to scatter nails and to throw it inside the restroom or to bury it. What is the source for it?


texts: I am looking to delve into the teachings of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik (1903-1993). Any recommendations on a good starting point?


texts: I'm designing a menorah to build for next Channukah.  Are there anything about the Law on how a menorah should look, other than that it holds 9 candles?  Must it exactly resemble the traditional candleabrum, or may it also be abstract or even still-life art?


texts: Does the Torah command three different ma'aser?

texts:
Devarim 14:28
כח. מִקְצֵה | שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים תּוֹצִיא אֶת כָּל מַעְשַׂר תְּבוּאָתְךָ בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא וְהִנַּחְתָּ בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ׃
 "At the end of three years, you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year and place it in your cities."

Devarim 12:17-18
לֹא תוּכַל לֶאֱכֹל בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ מַעְשַׂר דְּגָנְךָ וְתִירשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ וּבְכֹרֹת בְּקָרְךָ וְצֹאנֶךָ וְכָל נְדָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר תִּדֹּר וְנִדְבֹתֶיךָ וּתְרוּמַת יָדֶךָ׃
י אִם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בּוֹ אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ וְעַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ וְהַלֵּוִי אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ וְשָׂמַחְתָּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכֹל מִשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ׃
You may not eat within your cities the tithe of your grain, or of your wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your cattle or of your sheep, or any of your vows that you will vow, or your donations, or the separation by your hand.  But you shall eat them before the Lord, your God, in the place the Lord, your God, will choose you, your son, your daughter, your manservant, your maidservant, and the Levite who is in your cities, and you shall rejoice before the Lord, your God, in all your endeavors.

Rashi says, [You may not eat within your gates…] the firstborn of your cattle: This prohibition is addressed to the kohanim [in contrast to “the tithe of your grain,” since Israelites were never permitted to eat the firstborn, even within the walls of Jerusalem]. - however (and I may be mistaken), the context seems to have laws applying to everyone equally.

Bamidbar 18:26
 וְאֶל הַלְוִיִּם תְּדַבֵּר וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תִקְחוּ מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַמַּעֲשֵׂר אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם מֵאִתָּם בְּנַחֲלַתְכֶם וַהֲרֵמֹתֶם מִמֶּנּוּ תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה מַעֲשֵׂר מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר׃
 Speak to the Levites and tell them, "When you take the tithe from the children of Israel which I have given you from them as your inheritance, you shall set aside from it a gift for the Lord, a tithe of the tithe.

Question: Three different passages seem to be speaking of three different "kinds" of ma'aser with three different purposes.  Does the Torah command to give 20% yearly and 30% every third year, or are some of these these laws the same, or have I misunderstood completely?


texts:
It says in SA YD Siman 152 Sif 1 that it's ossur to go to a wedding (seudah) that a gentile is making for his son. The Shach and Taz both discuss over there if for reasons of "aiveh" if one is allowed to go (meaning that the gentile would get upset with you if you didn't come.) The Shach has a tzrich iyun in this. The Taz however is seemingly more machmir.

While it seems from Shulchan Aruch that it would be a problem to go to the seudah (assuming as well it's in a hall and there is no other problem of entering a church, etc.) Are there any heterim for this? Are there poskim that rely on the Shach in this matter? Would it help if along with having their own food would sit at a separate table?

(The person making the wedding let's say is a business partner or neighbor that one is friendly with.)

While I realize in a practical situation one should ask their Rabbi what to do, I'm asking here for sources on the issue and if there are any makilim in the poskim.


texts: very different Pesach cleaning practices

texts:
I have always been perplexed by the vast variation of Pesach cleaning practices.  On the one hand I have seen notes of shiurim by respected rabbis who say that virtually the only real work to be done is to prepare the kitchen / pantry for Pesach... and even in the kitchen, only what you are going to actually use for food during Pesach (e.g. if the oven will not be used, it need not be cleaned at all).  As for the rest of the house, if you want to close off a room for Pesach, you don't need to clean it at all and if you do want to use the room, you just need to make sure there are no large pieces of chometz in there and sweep the floor.

On the other hand there are people that spend the whole day scrubbing an oven they are not going to use for Pesach, spend multiple hours cleaning each bedroom, paint the walls in the kitchen and dining room, spend hours scrubbing chairs and tables, etc.

To me, these seem like almost different religions.  How do I reconcile this?

Related question:  Is it true that the first (i.e. easy) scenario is based on what is written in the halacha, and the second (i.e. very hard) is based on custom?

And if so (that the second is custom), couldn't it be considered a sin, since you are thereby taking away so much time that could be used for doing things that are really mitzvos and also the fact that you are implying to others (including your children) that this is the halacha, when in fact it is not?


texts: When can a sfek sfeka be used? For instance, if I am not sure if there is zera on something and then I touch it, can I say that I don't know if there was zera on it, and even if there was, I don't know if any got on me. Is this a valid sfek sfeka?


texts: Is there a chart available displaying all Hebrew letters and vowels?

texts:
I'm looking for a nice chart that will give me the following things, so I can print it out and keep it handy:

Picture of each letter in traditional "book" font =
Picture of each letter in handwritten block font =
Picture of each letter in handwritten cursive font =
Name of each letter in transliterated english = Aleph
Numerical value of each letter = 1

Also, it would be wonderful if the chart featured the names and values for the nikudot (nikudot do have gematria, right?).

I can very readily read Hebrew, but I have problems remembering the names of the vowels as well as the order of the aleph-bet and each letter's numerical value. Is there something out there to help with this? I don't really need the pronunciation as much, as I can already read.


texts: תְּחִלָה vs. בְּרֵאשִׁית

texts: Why is בְּרֵאשִׁית used in Bereshit 1:1 but תְּחִלָה used in Shoftim 1:1?   Both words mean beginning/first as far as I can tell.   I am just wondering why one is used in one location and the other one in the other location.


texts: Is there a set of "foundational" midrashic/symbolic numbers and what are they?

texts:
I've always wanted to do an analyses of the Torah based on the numbers given and their midrashic meanings. Specifically, I'm looking for symbolic, midrashic numbers: that is, which are symbolically meaningful.  The list of numbers I'm looking for, would then be found to be combined to create other symbolic numbers.

To explain by example consider the following numbers: 12, 40, and 480.

480 is the number given for the number of years since Israel left Egypt, until the First Beit Hamikdash was built.  480 is a combination of 12 ( the twelve tribes) and 40 (great change, or coming out through trials.. . i.e. weeks of pregnancy) The number 480 comes to tell us something about the building of the first beit hamikdash, but the number itself is not symbolically meaningful.

The number 12 is a product of 3x4, or the addition of 6+6, or 2x6.  However, in the Torah and midrash, it very clearly is its own symbolic number, and is not meant to be interpreted as a combination of numbers.

Is there a known list of these numbers, to be able to tell when a number is meant to be understood on its own as being symbolic, and when a number is intended to be seen as a composite of other symbolic numbers?

Through the years, the numbers I have become aware of are as follows, to further illustrate my point, and to perhaps help one locate a book which covers them.

1 Hashem or Unity
2 Pairs which have a negative connotation, or opposites
3 Chazakas, stability
4 Not something I fully understand, but something about humility, the elements and winds of the earth, and something very "natural" but which has a divine cause or basis.
6 work
7 The entire natural cycle or cycles in general.
8 Spirituality or one beyond the cycle, a restart.
10 Total completeness
12 The nation of Israel
13 Mercy
26 The loving relationship between Gd and the Jewish people. (possibly a combination of opposites and Mercy)
40 A complete growth (possibly the complete outcome of the natural world with a divine basis?)
60 A very large number of something.
70 Diversity of the world (Possibly the complete set of natural cycles??)
248 the bones and sinews in the body
365 the days of the year
other numbers I might be missing.

Be aware that most google search results are christian based, and not what I'm looking for.


texts: How these malachim became involved with the origins of idolatry?

texts:
Parsha Shelach 13:33 says the following:

And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the
Nephilim; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were
in their sight.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe ellaborate on this (see Likkutei Sichos vol. 28, p. 89) and says that these Nephilim were the fallen ones, i.e. malachim that fell in the days of Enosh and they were also involved with the origins of idolatry.
My question is: How did this happen? Did they originated the idea of idolatry and gave it to the people or, being only malachim, did they were only affected by the evil of that generation?


texts: Is there a source for the custom of a Baal Teshuva not to sit in shul but rather to stand?

texts:
I have observed a number of people who have completely changed their lifestyle from irreligious to  observant (whom we now call “baalei teshuvah”) standing for all the davenning and even for the drosho.

Does this observance have a source?


texts: Are "Luck" and "Personal Providence" the same thing?

texts:
First, I need to set a "reference frame" for this comparison, to eliminate unneeded quarrels:

I follow the approach (presented here as "The idea commonly espoused in the Jewish world today" thanks to DoubleAA) that accepts the fact that G-d constant "controls" every single detail of His Creation** (and not a "slimmed-down" version of Him that occasionally forgets it or neglects it or disconnects from it).

In this approach, is there any difference between what we call plain "מזל" (Luck - good one or bad one) and what we call "השגחה פרטית" (G-d's personal guidance, please correct me if I'm wrong with translation)?


texts: if there are narrative contradictions in the 5 books of moses,why is it so?

texts:
there are many narrative contradictions in the 5 books of moses.does this prove the Torah is manmade or is there a deeper layer?Rabbi ishmael said the torah was written in the language of men etc
example:
After the men are defeated at Hormah, do they turn back into the wilderness OR do they return to Kadesh? (Deut 1:40, 2:1 ; Num 14:25  vs Deut 1:46 ; Num 20:14 )
there is a clear contradiction here.there are many such contradictions in the Torah.
why is this so?have jewish commentaters dealt with these narrative contradictions?


texts: Talmud Yerushalmi: comparing paginations

texts:
As far as I'm aware, there are three different popular paginations of the Talmud Yerushalmi: the Venice edition (four volumes, two columns per amud), the Vilna edition (one column per amud), and the more recent Oz VeHadar edition (used in Artscroll's edition). Additionally, sections of the Yerushalmi are often cited by chapter and halacha.

Luckily, the Oz VeHadar (and hence Artscroll) edition lists the corresponding page in the Vilna edition, making the transition between the two relatively painless. I haven't found anything similar for the other schemes.

Are there conversion charts between references to the Venice edition and those to the Vilna edition? Are there charts that list which pages in the Venice/Vilna edition contain which halachot?


texts: Translating Maggid Mishneh (Issurei Biah 12:10)

texts:
My previous three questions on this topic dealt with the Rambam's original text, touching upon matters of both translation and interpretation, the two being inexorably linked; in this follow-up, however, we will inquire about one of its earliest commentaries, contained in the Maggid Mishneh:

זה לא מצאתי מבואר והפסוק הזה אינו מוכרח דהתם אפילו לא נבעלה כיון שהיו ראויות לביאה היו נהרגות כמו שמפורש ביבמות בפרק הבא על יבמתו ויהיה הטעם מפני שעל ידיהן עבדו ישראל לפעור ומתו מהם רבים. ומ״ש בסנהדרין פרק ד' מיתות (סנהדרין דף נ"ה) גבי בהמה שהיא נסקלת משום שבאת תקלה לישראל על ידה ושקיל וטרי התם אי נסקלת בקלון בלא תקלה היינו בבהמה אבל בכותית לא אשכחן ואיכא למימר שדעת רבינו דכיון דבנשי מדין אשכחן דאפילו ראויות לביאה נהרגו משום שבאת תקלה על ידן איכא למילף מינייהו בעלמא בנבעלה במזיד

whose untranslated Hebrew text an online acquaintance rendered into English as follows:

I did not find this explained, and this verse is not necessarily from there (Numbers 31:16-17): even if she had no sexual intercourse, nevertheless, because they were worthy (cap)able ? of sexual intercourse, they were still killed, as explained in Yevamot, in the (sixth) chapter, entitled "Haba Al Yevamato"; and the reason for this will be that, because of them (the Yevamatot), Israel worshiped Peor, and many (Israelites) died because of them. And what is said in Sanhedrin, Chapter 4, Deaths (Sanhedrin, page 25) about an animal that is stoned because it brought an obstacle.
ארמית

יֵשׁ כַּאן ללמוד מֵהֶם בעוֹלָם בנבעלה במזיד

Aramaic:

We need here to learn from them that are ? in the world (?) if she had sexual intercourse intentionally.

My request to the community would be to ascertain whether, or to what extent, the English translation above represents a complete and/or accurate rendition of the original Hebrew text:

If incomplete, which phrases were left out, primarily due to the linguistic difficulties encountered, relating to the discrepancies between the modern Israeli standard versus historical variants and/or regional dialects of Hebrew?

If (partly) inaccurate, what corrective suggestions would one propose to improve it?


texts: How can we not say an after bracha on Kiddush wine during the seder

texts:
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 473:2) rules that after the first cup at the seder, one doesn't make an after bracha. The Mishnah Berurah (s.k. 11) explains that we rely on benching after the meal to cover it, or the bracha achronah after the last cup.

I've heard that the poskim ask how can we rely on this, when (usually speaking) Maggid can take over an hour to complete, usually meaning that the shiur ikkul has passed (a person is as thirsty now as they were before they drank), making them lose their after bracha.

What are the answers to this question? I'm looking for as many as possible.


texts: What is the punishment for Patur Aval Issur?

texts: If one does something on Shabbos, say, that is patur aval issur (like an act of destruction) what is the punishment? I know that Beis Din (court) does nothing, but are there any sources for what the punishment from heaven would be, if any?


texts: Converts, kibbud av v'eim, and non-Jewish holidays

texts:
A convert is required to honor his parents.  This does not apply when fulfilling their requests violates halacha.  I suspect that many parents of converts, who are not knowledgable in halacha and probably don't care to be, would not really understand or accept a halachic response.

In the case of Christian or nominally-Christian parents, there can be tensions in late December.  Whether Christianity is avodah zarah is controversial.  One seemingly-non-religious aspect of their holiday is giving gifts, which is typically done at family gatherings (not privately).  Leniencies appear to exist in the workplace, so one might say "if so, how much the moreso for parents?".  While we are not supposed to give gentiles gifts before their holiday, it has been argued that we aren't necessarily concerned about prompting their worship by giving gifts (they don't tend to see the gifts as religious).  On the other hand, and as noted there, there is also the consideration of imitating the ways of non-Jews.

Most of the converts I know are stumped at this time of year.  Strict halacha seems to say they shouldn't participate in these family gift exchanges, but refusing to do so can cause upset (concerns of shalom bayit).  In some families deferring to a different time of year (e.g. Purim, or emphasizing birthdays instead) is not acceptable to the parents.

So my question is: beyond consulting his rabbi (which he should of course do, though the rabbi probably doesn't know the family members), how should a convert weigh these various factors?  How should he decide when to say "sorry it upsets you Mom, but no" versus going along with it?  I am looking for practical answers moreso than halachic explanations.


texts:
Somewhat distressingly, Chasidim whose traditions include their own seforim seem often to prioritize them, when push comes to shove, over works of nigleh (="revealed," non-mystical knowledge, such as the written and oral Torah, and non-Chasidic machshava, mussar, and halacha). For example, Chassidus is studied in the morning in many Chasidic yeshivas, with nigleh study deferred to the afternoon; according to some, nigleh may not even be studied on Shabbos.

So I am wondering how these Chasidim stack seforim in perceived order of holiness. Do works of Chassidus go to the top of their piles? And since prayer is so important to Chasidim, is a siddur promoted from the bottom?


texts: What is the status (both mid'oraita [on the biblical level] and mid'rabanan [on the rabbinic level]) of a person who ate food that is tamei [ritually impure] as a rishon le'tumah [first level of tumah e.g. touched someone/thing that had touched a corpse]? Would that change if the food was a sheni [second level]?


texts: Could the gathering of the Jews in Israel be metaphorical?

texts:
I have heard that a person is born every generation that has the potential to be the Mashiach, and Rambam said that the Mashiach will gather the dispersed of Israel. However, it is possible that not every Jew in the world would be willing or able to move to Israel. This would seem to contradict the idea that there is a potential Mashiach born every generation.

Is it possible that the Rambam meant the gathering in a non-literal sense, such as the saying that all Jews were at Sinai?


texts: Not sitting shiva when the baby passes away after 30 days

texts:
Recently, a 2-month-old baby passed away ל"ע, and the family indicated that there would be no shiva.

Under what circumstances is there no shiva for a baby that lives passed 30 days?


texts:
We add in the special prayer עננו on fast days. It is added in two different locations. (1) as a separate brocho between גואל and רופא and (2) as an addition into the brocho of שמע קולנו.

In (1) the closing phrase which begins כי אתה is needed before the closing brocho.

In (2) it seems to me that that closing phrase is in a sense duplicated by the closing phrase of שמע קולנו which also begins כי אתה.

Are there any nuschaos which drop one of the closing phrases when עננו is said in שמע קולנו?


texts:
Rama (695:2) quotes from the Maharil (though I don't see it there):

  וחייב במשתה ושמחה קצת בב׳ ימים י״ד וט״ו
  and one must have a drinking party and joy, a little, on two days: the fourteenth and the fifteenth [of Adar]

(We also don't say tachanun or, I'm pretty sure, eulogies.)

Why?

Recall that the celebration of Purim is to commemorate a day of respite after battle. Jews in Shushan fought the 13h and 14th and had respite the 15th. Jews elsewhere fought the 13th alone and had respite the 14th. So for Jews in Shushan to celebrate on the 14th seems incongruous (though perhaps they should fast that day, as they do the 13th). And for Jews in New York (for example) to celebrate on the 15th seems irrelevant: the 15th is just another day on the calendar, no more celebratory than the 16th or the 17th.

The only reason I can think of to celebrate on both days is that Jews elsewhere are doing so, and we like to share one another's joy.[1] But that's conjecture, and seems IMO weak as an obligatory reason. I seek a source for a reason we celebrate both the 14th and the 15th of Adar.

[1] Indeed, I've heard that given, with no source AFAIR, as the reason we do hakafos in chutz laaretz on lel Sh'mini Atzeres, and in Israel on motzae Sh'mini Atzeres.


texts:
The shulchan aruch apparently writes (by hilchos tzitzis) that one should stand while reciting birchas hamitzvah. Tefillin are a mitzvah. So why is the Sfardic minhag to sit while putting them on and making the brachos?

I have done a little light reading and know the different minhagim which might include sitting for the putting on but standing for the bracha, but it seems that the normative Sfardic minhag (which is sourced in http://www.thehalacha.com/attach/Volume3/Issue4.pdf as the Eishel Avraham Butchatch 25 and 5 sources from kabbalah) has one saying a bracha while seated. The same article actually cites sources which say that an Ashkenazi davening in a Sfardic minyan should sit!

Is this a contradiction or am I missing some nafka mina in the nature of the bracha or the law of standing while making a bracha? I'm looking at this as a dabbler so I apologize if I am asking something obvious.


texts: Why the specific commandments in the Aseret haDibrot

texts: What is HKBH trying to teach us by his choice of commandments that make up the Aseret haDibrot


texts:
I have heard that there are people who keep Shabbos till Tuesday. I would like to understand how that works practically. A few examples of puzzling situations:

What shmoneh esrei does such a person daven Sunday morning
Does this person include retezei in bentching? Assuming he does, would this person have to repeat bentching if it was omitted?
How does this not violate the prohibition of adding to a mitzvah?
Which day of the omer would he count Sunday evening?


texts:
Who knows one hundred seventy-seven?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. At some point at least twenty-four hours from now, I will:

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts:
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 61:3) brings from the Zohar that there are 245 words in the three paragraphs of the Shema that we say. Since there are 248 limbs in a person's body, the SA and the Rema provide various ways to "add" recitation of three words in order to reach 248. This is to "heal" all of the 248 limbs (see Mishnah Berurah ad. loc. s.k. 6).

I just discovered that there are 252 (or 253?) limbs in a woman's body. As such, is there no point in women following this halacha? For example, according to the Rema that one should add קל מלך נאמן before saying Shema, could women omit that? Should they? I'm looking for halachic and maybe even Kabbalistic sources which discuss this. I'm assuming that the fact that women are exempt from saying Shema doesn't necessarily imply that if they do end up saying it that they can ignore this halacha. But I could be wrong.


texts:
Sometimes during an exam, the Rabbi  or professor leaves the room. This provides an opportunity (which some students take) to openly and publicly cheat. (These students are not wearing kipot nor are Jewish.)

Is there any halachic prohibition or recommendation to report this behavior?

Students aren't officially ranked against one another, and the professor probably won't curve the exam.

What should the halachic onlooker do?


texts: The Natural Numbers 1-9 and the part they may play in Ma'aseh Bereishis

texts:
I am fascinated with mathematics and the part that mathematics may play in Ma'aseh Bereishis . I strongly feel that Mathematics is part of Hashem's wisdom  put to use in the creation of everything.
There are plenty of references in the Zohar and Sefer Yetzirah and other mystical texts to the Otiot (letters) and sefirot and their place in the creative process . But there is little about number per se . In particular the natural digits 1-9. Without a doubt these are inferred, through the ten sefirot and the  numbers associated with the identity of the specific letters. But i have not found any specific seforim that speak about natural numbers in this regard and their contributions mystically.
Do any books like this exist?


texts: Why are there only a finite number of people?

texts:
If the purpose that we ascribe as the reason for creation (as stated in the Ramchal's Derech Hashem, Klach Pischei Chochma and other works) is for God to bestow his goodness unto creation (bearing in mind that this does not refer to the actual will of God, but rather an approximation based on our limited understanding) why are there so few human beings around for him to do this to?

Shouldn't an infinite God want to bestow as much good as possible and thus require as many people (or living things - if we assume they also experience that goodness) as possible?


texts: Is there an approach that cuts the Teffilot on Rosh Hashanah in favor of Torah study?

texts:
It is clear from the Sugiyot Gemmorah (Brochos and Shabbos 10, here) that the lengthening the Teffilah at the expense of Torah learning was perceived negatively through many generations till late Amorayim (c300AD):

רבא חזייה לרב המנונא דקא מאריך בצלותיה. אמר מניחין חיי עולם ועוסקים בחיי שעה. והוא סבר זמן תפלה לחוד וזמן תורה לחוד רבי ירמיה הוה יתיב קמיה דרבי זירא והוו עסקי בשמעתא נגה לצלויי והוה קא מסרהב רבי ירמיה קרי עליה רבי זירא מסיר אזנו משמוע תורה גם תפלתו תועבה
Speaking of prayer, the Gemara relates that Rava saw Rav Hamnuna, who was prolonging his prayer. He said about him: They abandon eternal life, the study of Torah, and engage in temporal life, prayer, which includes requests for mundane needs. The Gemara explains: And Rav Hamnuna held that the time for prayer is distinct and the time for Torah is distinct. The time that one devotes to prayer is not at the expense of the time devoted to Torah study. Similarly, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Yirmeya was sitting before Rabbi Zeira and they were engaged in the study of halakha. The time for prayer was approaching and it was getting late and Rabbi Yirmeya was hurrying to conclude the subject that they were studying in order to pray. Rabbi Zeira read this verse as applying to Rabbi Yirmeya: “One who turns his ear from hearing Torah, his prayer is also an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9).

Since the majority of the davening at Rosh-Hashanah is dedicated to prayers for our personal wellbeing (even מלכויות וזכרונות), it can surely be considered חיי שעה.
Did this approach make a way to the later generations? Were there Gdoylim that followed it? Is there currently a Rabbi/movement that prefers Torah learning to the long hours of davening?


texts: Will no one come to the batmizva on sfirat haomer

texts:
I have my daughter's batmitzva scheduled on Sunday, May 22. Many of her friends are religious (e.g. Chabad).  And the party will be attended by kids mostly.

My ex-wife says that those kids will not be able to come and listen to music on that day because of Sfirat Haomer.

Can someone shed some light on whether what my ex-wife is saying is true?

P.S. For reference, the music I was planning was just a DJ playing mostly Jewish songs that you would hear at any Jewish event.

P.P.S.  Update.  So the batmitzva happened.  The DJ played mostly acapella music like this that is indistinguishable from non-acapella, but I don't think anyone knew.  No one complained - the party went off well.


texts: Is it permissible to live in California (or similar places) that have an earthquake risk?

texts:
I'm from a place that usually never gets an earthquake, I want to move to California but it sounds dangerous because of the earthquake possibility (soil turning to liquid, no warning, etc)...

Is moving there considered putting yourself in danger?


texts: What is the pesicha of Omnon Ken on Kol Nidre night? When does it occur, and on what page of the Artscrol Siddur can it be found?


texts: Did Ramban teach guilt offering is more important and serious than sin offering?

texts:
To quote from an answer:

  One incorrect assumption is that a guilt offering (korban asham) is
  less serious than a sin offering (korban chatas). The Ramban 5:15
  indicates that the opposite is true, and the Rama (O.C. 603:1)
  actually quotes as accepted halakha: one must expend greater effort in
  repenting from a sin that he might have committed than for one that he
  know for certain that he has committed.

Can you expound or elaborate on the quotes given here. What is Rama? It'd  be great if you provide full quote and online reference link.


texts:
Minhagei Yeshurun (119) writes

  היה אסור לכהני מצרים עפ"י דתם לאכול מלח לזה צוו חז"ל לאכלו בפסח בסעודה
  זו למען עשות נגד חקיהם  טעם אכילת תחלה בצים מבושלות הוא גם כן למען
  עשות נגד חוקי המצרים כי המצרים לא אכלו ביצה ובשר (אבן עזרא וארא) ואין
  הטעם מפני אבילות על החורבן כי למה דוקא בפסח וכן איתא בשערי רחמים
  מהגר"א שח"ו להזכיר אבילות ט'ב בפסח ונתן שם טעם אחר

saying the reason for dipping eggs in saltwater at the Pesach Seder is because the Egyptians would eat neither salt nor eat eggs/meat. Why would the Egyptians avoid salt and eggs/meat?

(If possible, where is the quoted Ibn Ezra?)


texts: Does the rule of "zealots may strike him" also apply to a Kohen zealot?

texts:
If a Jewish man and non Jewish woman have relations they are not chayav misa, but if caught while in the act, a 'zealot' (kanoi) may kill them.

A kohen is not allowed to become tomai, so since this law is only a voluntary one, does it also apply to a kohen. Being voluntary it may be more important that he should not become tomai. It is not the same as seeing someone being killed where one has to 'mix' and help even if he will become tomai doing it.

See here that there is some  argument in the gemoro if Pinchas was already a kohen. If he was, then it ought to prove that he can. On the other hand since there were others there to do it, it would be unlikely that a kohen should be allowed to and make himself tomai. Maybe that is the reason he told Moshe rabainu to do it.

So it must be that when moshe rabainu told him to do it he already knew that some type of nes (miracle) would happen (like it did in the end) and he would not become tomai.

The site I have now seen and quoted seems to say from rishonim that Pinchas if he was a kohen, he would not have been allowed to kill Zimri. But does not give my answer that he did it on Moshe rabainu's orders. But that he knew somehow a 'nes' would happen but doesnt say how he knew. But there again maybe the only reason was because there were others to do it.

See also this site


texts: How many days did Esther fast? Avraham ibn Ezra said it was two days and two nights. And Maharal said it was 70 hours of fasting. How do you reconcile these arguments (opinions)? Is it possible to fast for three days, day and night? Was it intermittent? Thank you.


texts: Shaul's genealogy compared to David's genealogy

texts:
David's full genealogy is outlined in both in Ruth 4:18-24 (although without Yehudah here) and in Divrei Hayamim 1:2:3-15:

Yehudah-Peretz-Chetzron-Ram-Aminadav-Nachshon-Salma-Boaz-Oved-Yishai-David.

Shaul's genealogy is outlined in Shmuel 1:9:1, in Divrei Hayamim 1:8:29-33 and in Divrei Hayamim 1:9:35-39. There are some differences in the genealogies in the three locations, and there are different explanations, but ultimately Shaul's genealogy doesn't go all the way to Binyamin, but starts from his ancestor Afiach or possibly even a bit further back with Matar/Matri.
Why is this so?
Edit: So far I've seen that multiple Bible academics believe that this ties into the general description of Shaul in DH, much of which is negative, and this is evidence that the author of DH was a pro-Davidic, anti-Shaulic scribe. This doesn't sit well with me, because according to tradition, the author of DH is believed to have been Ezra (and perhaps also Nechemiah adding the later generations, after Ezra's death). Such a downright political bias seems uncharacteristic, to say the least.


texts: If a Niddah spits on you are you Impure?

texts: In ויקרא טו it discusses Zav for a man, Niddah and Zavah.  There are some methods in which ritual impurity are transmitted which are listed for a Zav, but not for the other two, such as spitting.  According to Ramban, we learn that a Niddah and a Zavah must immerse from the case of the Zav, since it is not explicitly mentioned.  The underlying reason seems to be due to the similarity in transmission of impurity, so I'm wondering if all the methods for transmission of impurity listed for a Zav apply also to a Zavah and Niddah even though they're not listed, and why would some be listed and not others if they do apply?


texts: How do we operationally define kitniyos?

texts: I've heard/read much debate on whether certain plants qualify as kitniyos, such as snow peas and quinoa. What exactly halachically defines "kitniyos?" is it based on what was popular in 13th century Germany, the biological definition of a legume, or something else?


texts: Are the calculations of the Molad mentioned by Ramba"m based on constant or variable (seasonal) figures?

texts:
Rambam KidushHachodesh 6:3  states:

  [the interval] between one conjunction of the moon and the sun and the
  subsequent conjunction according to their mean movement is twenty-nine
  full days, twelve hours of the thirtieth day, and 793 units of the
  thirteenth hour. This is the interval between one conjunction and the
  next, [and thus,] the length of a lunar month.

When referring to these terms - "day", "hours" and "chalkim" (here, translated as "units") is Ramba"m referring to 24 hour days and 60 minute hours, or sha'ot z'mani'ot - "seasonal hours" meaning that the length of the day and, thus the length of the hour varies according to the time of the year. (E.g. - during the winter the daylight hour may be < 60 minutes and in the summer, it may be > 60 minutes)?


texts: What does לְפִי כְּבוֹדוֹ (according to his honor) mean? how is it calculated?

texts:
In shulchan aruch even ezer a few times (64.4, 89.1, 94.5) the amount of financial responsibility/obligation is based on the husband's/groom's or wife's/bride's level of "respect", and in yorah daiya 250.2, 250.4 it also brings this as a measurement of the obligation

What does it mean?
How is/was it calculated?

Sources please, is possible.
(This question has been bothering me for a long time)


texts: What is the underlying argument between the Chazon Ish and Rabbi Chaim Naaeh and Reb Moshe Feinstein? I know they argue in amounts, but what is the underlying argument? How did each get the Measurement he got, why do they argue, and what about?


texts: To what extent does the Torah make allowances for people in severe physical pain?

texts:
I have a severe progressive neurological disease and it's exceptionally painful. Current medical technology unfortunately is not able to provide much in the way of treatment or relief. Everyday things like eating, drinking, walking up the stairs, and doing lot of things varies from mildly to severely painful in addition to extremely fatiguing. And this often gets to the point that regular every day life is exceptionally depressing.

This has meant that things like dovening, putting on teffilin, going to shul, and lots of other mitsvos are extremely hard and painful. A long time ago I asked my Rebbe in yeshiva about this and he told me basically "tough luck". He wasn't empathetic at all.

However recently I was perusing Stack Exchange and I came upon a radical idea (from Alex) that sometimes there may be peturim / heterim for various things. The suggestion there varied from just minhogim to even some derebonons. See here: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/95530/17540

Additionally, is there a mokor to be excessively makel? I'm not talking about eating treif. But I am wondering if one can one look for the most makel shitoh among the poskim in a situation where doing something is very painful and/or exhausting. For example, if there is a single yaish omrim in the Taz, could I just rely on that even in a d'oriaso l'hokel when there is a huge amount of pain involved.

And more radically, are they times when for a d'rabonnon one can be potur l'gamrei? Perhaps the mitzvoh of arbah minnim could be done super quickly because the mitsvoh d'oraiso (IIRC) according to most rishonim is to just quickly hold the minim together for a short period of time.


texts:
There appears to be an uproar in "right leaning" circles caused by a bride and groom reciting the last 2 of the 7 blessings traditionally recited under a chuppah together.  I have two questions about this:

1 – Assuming for the moment the issue is not one of gender, in my experience these blessing are recited by others and not the bride/groom.  Is there a reason why this is so?  Could these last 2 blessing, or in fact all 7 be recited solely by the bride/groom?

2 – Assuming the issue is one of gender would the issue be “kol isha”, “Kevod ha’tzibur” or something else that would prohibit a woman from reciting these blessings in public?

See this link ( http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/427105/controversy-in-israel-rabbi-piron-allows-chosson-and-kallah-to-recite-the-6th-and-7th-brochos-together-under-the-chupah.html ).  The article does not provide an explanation of the violation of halacha other than it not being the accepted norm.


texts:
Does anyone know if there is going to be a kashrus problem with maple syrup next year?

A rather large amount of maple syrup was stolen last year. The thieves did not keep it in the original casks, but transfered it into their own containers. Now the syrup has been recovered, and presumably the owner will transfer it back to the normal storage area (although I don't actually know that).

Is this going to be a kashrus problem? We have no way to know what the thieves did with the product while they had it. And the Canadian cartel keeps the product in storage for several years.

Can you make a product batel if some containers are treif, other are not, but they are not actually mixed together, just stored together?

More than the halachic question, I'm curious if Kashrus agencies are/will check into this.


texts: How many days was B'nei Yisra'el given to prepare for receiving the Torah?

texts:
I am trying to resolve what appears to be a conflict in several sources.

Avot D'rav Natan 2:3 (excerpt)

  איזו סייג שעשה משה לדבריו?

  הרי הוא אומר: (שמות יט) "ויאמר ה' אל משה, לך אל העם וקדשתם היום
  ומחר".  לא רצה משה הצדיק לומר להם לישראל כדרך שאמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא,
  אלא כך אמר להם: "היו נכונים לשלשת ימים אל תגשו אל אישה", והוסיף להם
  משה יום אחד מעצמו

My translation:

What type of "fence" (precaution to prevent a violation of a mitzvah) did Moses do for G-d's commandment?

Behold it says (Exodus 19:10) "G-d said to Moses, go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow." But Moses did not want to tell B'nai Yisra'el exactly what G-d told them, but instead, he said to them (Ex. 19:15) "Be ready for three days; Don't touch a woman," and he added an extra day on his own.

In summary, the commandment G-d told Moses was to be ready for the 3rd day, meaning that they were to prepare for 2 days, and the Torah would be given on the 3rd day.

Moses says, to be ready (prepare yourself) for 3 days, meaning that the Torah would be given on the 4th day.

Yet, we see then when the "sound and light show" occurred, Exodus 19:16 (Sefaria) says:

  וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיֹ֣ת הַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיְהִי֩ קֹלֹ֨ת
  וּבְרָקִ֜ים וְעָנָ֤ן כָּבֵד֙ עַל־הָהָ֔ר וְקֹ֥ל שֹׁפָ֖ר חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֑ד
  וַיֶּחֱרַ֥ד כָּל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

  And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there
  were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the
  voice of a horn exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the
  camp trembled.

It says that this happened on the 3rd day, itself! So, how does Avot D'Rav Natan deduce that Moses added an extra day, since it seems that the event should have occurred on the 4th day, not the 3rd.


texts: Why during davening do we ask Hashem to answer us on the day we call, don't we always call?

texts:
In davening we say numerous times ה' הושִׁיעָה. הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲנֵנוּ בְיום קָרְאֵנוּ, which translates as "Hashem deliver us, the king will answer us on the day we call".

Why does it say we request from God to answer us on the day we call - aren't we always calling for Hashem to answer us? Why doesn't it say we ask God to answer us while we call him?

Can anyone explain this to me, bring sources or just provide reason.


texts: Why didn’t Yehuda (or Shelah) perform Chaliza for Tamar?

texts:
In (פרשת וישב (פרק לח we have the story of Yehuda marrying off Er to Tamar and then perform a pre-מתן תורה version of יבום with Onan, who also subsequently dies.

Which left Yehuda’s third son,Shelah, to perform יבום, but Rashi in פסוק י׳א says Yehuda wasn’t planning on letting him marry her.

If he wasn’t going to allow his son to marry Tamar, then why didn’t he perform חליצה and allow her to marry someone else?


texts: I've heard of these people who wear chasidic garments, pray nusach sfard, and learn chassidus but don't follow one chassidus exclusively or have one rebbe they follow. Does this fit in with a normal chasidic system? Is this a new thing? I just want clarification because I am a chussid, have a rebbe and I follow one chassidus or I learn from other chassidusen (whatever my rebbe thinks is appropriate for me).


texts: Why is there a parsha break in the middle of a verse?

texts:
In this week's parsha, we see a parsha (stumah) "break" in the middle of Devarim 2:8.

There are several other places where there is a parsha break in the middle of the verse. Another example occurs in Bamidbar 26:1. Aseret Hadibrot (10 commandments) also has this. I am not referring to Az Yashir or Ha'azinu as these are written in a special style, and are not considered "parshi'ot" according to the usual rules.

Is there a general reason why there is a parsha break in the middle of a verse, or does each verse have its own unique reason? If it's the 2nd reason, can you explain why there is a break in Devarim 2:8?


texts: During kaballat shabbat we sang lekha dodi and in the last stanza we bow and say the following: "bo i kala". Here, we bow to left and right. Some bow right to left and other left to right. Now I'm confused: which is the right way? And please elucidate the source of this.


texts:
One often encounters statements quoted from Rabbinical personalities or written in Seforim that they should have no apparent way of knowing. Thousands of examples could likely be given if one were to compile such a list, but one that I remember clearly having caused me to ask this question was hearing in the name of Rabbi Meir of Rottenberg that one who dies to sanctify Hashem's Name doesn't feel pain. Who told him so, and why he, not anyone else? We don't have prophets, and when looking at some of these statements, they are far more than inspired guidance or the like - they are concise detailed knowledge about things that humans generally have no knowledge aside from through direct prophecy. The only conceivable answer I can think of is that it comes via tradition (i.e., it was passed down from teacher to student until reaching that particular Rabbi who made a it more public).
Does anyone have a better explanation for this phenomenon?


texts: Tele-kovod?/ How do halochos of kovod and hidur (honor/ respect) apply virtually?

texts: Must one stand for a Rabbi present by video conference?


texts: Torah was taken out for reading, when you discover you had no minyan. What now?

texts:
This is a follow-up on this question.

Let's say that the 10th person who came into the shul turned out to be a Gentile. No one asked him anything when he came in.

You took out the Torah on a Monday, put in on the table. The gabbai approaches the stranger and asks him, "Are you a Cohen?" The man says, "No, I'm a goy. What's a Cohen?"

Oops! You had no minyan to start, and public Torah reading requires a minyan. You can't find another Jew for the 10th person, and since most of the men have to get to work, they won't wait around. The Torah is now out on the table and you're not supposed to "embarrass" the Torah by not using it once it's out of the ark.

Should you read from it without a bracha? How much should you read - the regular Monday parsha reading? Is just doing hagbah good enough? Or should you just return the Torah to the ark?


texts: If chicken eggs are parve, is caviar considered "fish"?

texts:
Chicken is classified as "meat" and cannot be eaten with dairy. Chicken eggs are considered parve and can be eaten with meat or dairy.

Fish and meat cannot be eaten together either. Does the same logic apply to fish eggs/roe/caviar, allowing them to be eaten with meat, or are they still considered "fish"?


texts:
Throughout the Talmud* there are launch-pad stories of sages being asked by their students and even their peers to teach them something they've never been taught before or else something that was taught to them by an even greater sage.

My question is, was this a (relatively) short-lived trend during the period of the Talmud; were these stories made up to serve as launch-pads for the series of Halachoth that follow; or has this been a tradition throughout history (or at least periods of history)?

In short, are there writings of rabbis throughout history responding to similar questions?

*(For an example of the latter: Bab. Shab. 138b)


texts:
Is Daniel 8:14 incorrect concerning the re dedication of the Temple?

  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י עַ֚ד עֶ֣רֶב בֹּ֔קֶר אַלְפַּ֖יִם וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֑וֹת
  וְנִצְדַּ֖ק קֹֽדֶשׁ

  He answered me, “For twenty-three hundred evenings and mornings; then
  the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

Chris Sandoval in The Failure of Bible Prophecy: A Skeptic's Review of the Evidence (2010), pp 134-135  states:

  Here he [Micah] successfully predicted the rededication of the Temple, but got the date wrong. Now the Temple was desecrated on 15 Chislev in the year 145 of the Seleucid Era (1 Maccabees 1:54), or 6 December 167 BC, and the Jewish rebels rededicated it to Jewish worship on 25 Chislev in the year 148 of the Seleucid Era (1 Maccabees 4:52), or 14 December 164 BC [or 1087 days later]. In chapter 8, our author predicted that the Temple would miss 2,300 evening and morning continual burnt offerings between its desecration and its rededication (Daniel 8:11-14). This amounts to 1,150 days, or three years plus 55 days. In the Julian calendar, the rededication should have taken place on 30 January 163 BC, almost two months too late to fit actual history.


texts: Should you say a new Bracha on coffee when leaving the coffee shop?

texts:
If I drink a coffee in a coffee shop, do I need to make another blessing when continuing outside if that's common for me to do?

http://berachot.org/halacha/10_location.html says:

"Additionally, you don’t need express intent – as long as you habitually would do it then it would work.For example, if you’re eating in the dining room, but you always make trips into the kitchen or to the garage to get more food or whatever – then that would be sufficient. Additionally you don’t need explicit intent to go to the bathroom during a meal."

Does the above apply to inside->outside shinui makkom?


texts: Why was it necessary for Moshe to show gratitude to things that did not intend to help him?

texts:
The חובות הלבבות (in the beginning of the פתיחה to שער עבודת אלקים) writes, that one does not need to show gratitude to someone who did him a favor, if the favor was not intended.

ואם תגיע לנו שום טובה על ידי מי שלא כיון בה אלינו, יסתלקו מעלינו חיובי ההודאה לו ואין אנו חייבין בה

"should we obtain any benefit through one who had no such intention, the duties of gratitude to that person would cease, and we are under no such obligation."

How would the חובות הלבבות explain the well known מדרש (Quoted in רש"י שמות ח/יב and ז/יט) that Moshe could not hit the water or the earth by the first three plagues, as an expression of gratitude that they saved him when he was born, and when he killed the מצרי.

Why was it necessary to show gratitude to the water and the earth if they had no intention to save Moshe?


texts: Why do Jews believe the entire Torah, as opposed to parts or most, was given by God to Moses?

texts:
It is the Rambam's 8th Principle of Faith that the entire Torah (possibly except the last several verses) was dictated by God to Moses. Why do we believe that? Why, for example, can't we say that the book of Genesis was written by Jacob, for example, and has the level of holiness and authenticity as a book of the Prophets? Perhaps the forefathers had those scriptures before Moses, and they were canonized with the rest of the Torah as a prequel? Not that they are not holy writings, but why do we have to say that Genesis was written by Moses?

Or, for example, in the last few chapters of Deuteronomy, there are discussions of Moses concluding the writing of the Torah and putting it for safekeeping among other events that would make more sense as an addendum but not as part of the Torah discussed there. Why can't we say it's included with the Torah as an addendum but not that God told that part to Moses?

Is it simply because by the time of the Gemara it was a relatively central and widespread belief, and, in the absence of any major compelling reason to say otherwise, that became recognized as a core belief?

Edit: I know that the Torah includes phrasing like "this entire book of the Torah," which the Torah says was given to the Jewish people by God through Moses. I am not asking how we know that is true. I am asking why we have to say that what we currently consider the Torah doesn't include prophetic prequels or addenda beyond what was given at Sinai.


texts: As a Cohen is prohibited from deliberately defiling himself through contact with a dead body, may he enter a hospital where there is a high probability that someone might die and render the Cohen tamei through ohel? I could never get a straight answer for this one. Cited sources with the answer would be much appreciated.


texts: What are the connections between Sukkos and Yom Kippur?


texts: How is the story of the Torah being given told in the Torah itself?

texts:
How was the Torah (aka the Five Books of Moses) given if the story of the Torah being given is contained in these books?

In other words, the Torah tells the story - close to halfway through it - of itself being given. This means that as the Jews of the time were studying the Torah, they were learning about themselves in the present and reading about their future (including mistakes and sins they should have then avoided).

How does this all make sense?


texts:
I have read an Islamic quote that I like very much: "All praise is due to Allah; all the mistakes have been mine."

Can anyone think of a Jewish source that expresses a similar concept?


texts: Does marrying the woman one got pregnant before the baby is born make a difference?

texts:
The non-Jewish world considers any child born out of wedlock a bastard. As such, there is often a rush to get married before the baby is born, once the child is conceived out of wedlock.

In Jewish Law, a Mamzer is only someone who was conceived through certain forbidden relationships. Even if the baby was born out of wedlock, it is not a Mamzer.

In Judaism, is anything accomplished by, before the baby is born, marrying someone impregnated by him when they were not married? Does the status of the baby change in any way?

I'm looking for any difference that might arise. Examples might include inheritance law (e.g. firstborn rights) or Yichud (e.g. perhaps this boy may not be secluded together with his sister who was born after the parents married).


texts: 5 or 6 - Written vs Oral Torah (Z"A vs Malchus)

texts:
This question is intended only for those familiar with some basic Kabbalistic concepts.

As we know (from יהו"ה), that ו (Vav, number 6) stands for Z"A (masculine) and ה (He, number 5) stands for Malchus (feminine).

However, the Written Torah - that is Z"A - has 5 books, where the Oral Torah - that's Malchus - has 6 Sdarim.

How come?

Related: "why-is-the-torah-divided-into-five-books"

Related: "why-masculine-nouns-agree-with-feminine-numbers"


texts: How do Rishonim ignore R Yehuda's opinion on not making aliyah in Ketubot 111a?

texts:
As an amateur in the workings of Gemara, and as a Jew who has just made Aliyah, this is a problem that is really biting at me.
R Yehuda's statement is obviously Aggadeta, and is seemingly refuted by R Zeira, but my issue comes from the fact that R Yehuda's opinion is never rejected outright by the Gemara, nor does he ever change it. Is this a silly thing to be bothered by? Probably. But I can't get it off my mind. How do the Rishonim completely ignore R Yehuda's statement, even if it was never rejected?


texts: Weakened punishment if done for the nation

texts:
I'm looking for sources where we see someone had a lesser punishment or no punishment at all because the act the did although punishable, was done for the nation (klal yisroal).
I heard a shiur where the rebbi mentioned a source or two life this but I don't remember where to find it.


texts: Prayer for the Government if the President or VP is female

texts:
The prayer Hanosen Teshuah as recited in the US has the line את הנשיא ואת משנהו. To me, these terms sound masculine. If the President and/or Vice President of the United States were female, would this line need to be modified, or are these terms considered gender neutral? If they should be modified, then how exactly?

(If I were to guess, it seems like a woman who is president should be called a nesiah, and the VP might be referred to as mishneha, mishnaso, or mishnasah as the case might be.

The rest of the pronouns in some siddurim are plural, so that seems OK for any case. If they are singular I assume they would be switched to feminine like the version used in the UK for the Queen, but it would be good to know for sure.)


texts: Significance of the numbers 3 and 7 in the story of Lavan

texts:
What is the significance of the numbers 3 times 7 in the story of Lavan other than that Yaakov worked for Lavan for (almost) 3 times 7 years?  Do these numbers have significance elsewhere that can be applied to here?
See further: Why did Ya'akov work for Lavan for so long?


texts:
The Gemara states:

One who presents a dinar to a money changer [to assess its authenticity] and it is found to be bad, it is taught in one baraita that if the money changer is an expert, he is exempt from liability, but if he is an ordinary person he is liable. [Bava Kamma 99b]

Why is that so?  Shouldn’t it be the opposite?  If you go a known expert and he tells you wrong, he should be liable; but if you go to someone who tells you up front he is an amateur, and he tells you wrong, well, you knew the risks, so he should not be liable.


texts: How does "shabbat speech-reinforcement" work?

texts: How does the technology for shabas-compliant voice amplification referred to on this architecture firm's website work? Is it different technically from a regular microphone setup or is the distinction an aesthetic one (although I guess when it comes to acoustics the line between the two is quite blurred)?


texts: Is a Kohen Allowed to Receive an Organ Donation?

texts:
A Kohen is forbidden from becoming Tamei Meis (coming in contact with a dead body) (Vayikra-21)

Aside from being allowed for Pikuach Nefesh reasons (life threatening situation). What other reasons can be found to allow a Kohen to receive an organ donation from a deceased person?


texts: In Numbers 23:19, what is the significance of God being compared to a "MAN that lies" and a "SON OF man that relents?"

texts: I am looking for a meaningful explanation to Numbers 23:19. What is the significance of God being compared to a "(ish) MAN that lies" and a "(ben adam) SON OF man that relents?"


texts: Which groups of people read the 10 Commandments using the "lower" trope?

texts:
See this M.Y. question for a brief description of "upper" vs. "lower" trope for the 10 Commandments.

Most Nusach Ashkenaz shuls that I have attended use the upper trope while reading the 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments are read 3 times during the year:

Shabbat weekly reading of Yitro
1st day of Shavu'ot
Shabbat weekly reading of Va'etchanan

On all 3 occasions, I have heard it read using the "upper" trope.

Are there any communities / nuscha'ot exiting today, that read it using the "lower" trope version, as part of one of the above readings? Do they do this throughout the year or switch it for one of the 3 above occasions? If you know why they do this, (i.e. - lower always or switching), please add this info to your answer.

Are there any halachic opinions that state a preference and / or time to use one version vs. the other?


texts:
In Parshas Bo 10:1 it states  למען שתי the yud here indicates that Hashem is doing the placing.

I was wondering that generally, the yud indicates possessiveness on nouns, however over here it is qualifying a verb, not a noun. There is a similar instance in Parshas "ויצא כט יט "טוב תתי .

I was wondering if there is any rule for when we find a yud suffix indication possessiveness (or more precisely explaining who is doing the action) on verbs.


texts:
My friend who is just getting into judaism asked me a question while learning some gemara:
Why should I learn gemara? Obviously it is interesting and etc, but halacha-wise,  it is just these people's opinions.  I can also learn torah and mishnah and come to my own conclusions.
How would you answer him?

Thanks!

Edit: thank you for the really interesting discussion. I love this site.


texts: Contradiction if forbidden relations are logical or beyond human reasoning

texts:
The Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim, end of Chapter 6) deals with different types of mitzvos. He says one type are logical, and thus a perfected person shouldn't want to transgress them. He says some call these mitzvos sichliyos, logical mitzvos. He lists murder, theft, robbery, overcharging, and damaging others as examples. The Rambam writes that these are mitzvos that Chazal describe as שאילו לא נכתבו ראוים הם ליכתב, if they weren't written in the Torah (as prohibitions), they would have deserved to have been written. Meaning, they would have been forbidden because of logic.

He then describes mitzvos that are beyond human logic. These mitzvos a perfected person can desire to transgress, yet won't because G-d dictated not to. If the Torah hadn't forbidden them, they wouldn't have been considered evil. These are commonly referred to as chukim. He lists milk and meat, shaatnez, and forbidden relations as examples of this latter type.

My edition of Shemoneh Perakim has a note (from הגהות בד"ו, my guess is that stands for a marginal note in the Venice printing) that the Rambam's source for his first category is Yoma 67b. It points out that we find a contradiction there to the Rambam's words. There, the gemarra teaches:

  ת"ר (ויקרא יח, ד) את משפטי תעשו דברים שאלמלא (לא) נכתבו דין הוא שיכתבו ואלו הן עבודת כוכבים וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים וגזל וברכת השם

  The Sages taught with regard to the verse: “You shall do My ordinances, and you shall keep My statutes to follow them, I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 18:4), that the phrase: My ordinances, is a reference to matters that, even had they not been written, it would have been logical that they be written. They are the prohibitions against idol worship, prohibited sexual relations, bloodshed, theft, and blessing God, a euphemism for cursing the Name of God.

We see that the Rambam's source for logical mitzvos includes forbidden relations, but he included those in his list of mitzvos that are beyond human reasoning. This is a glaring contradiction.

The note suggests a partial answer from the Maharsha there. He understands the  gemarra differently than I explained above. The gemarra doesn't mean that if they weren't written, they would have been self evident. Rather, it means if they hadn't been written, they would have been forbidden anyways, since they are forbidden to benei Noach. The Rambam could mean that even before forbidden relations were forbidden to benei Noach, they would have been considered permitted. The problem is, seemingly the Rambam's source for his first category of mitzvos is this very gemarra, and he doesn't seem to be understanding it like the Maharsha.

Edit: I just saw that in Rav Kafih's edition of the Rambam's commentary on Avos (fn. 14) that he writes it is clear that the Rambam didn't have the words גילוי עריות in his gemarra. His suggestion is hard to accept, as eight manuscripts/versions of the Talmud we have list it, as well as many geonim and rishonim.

Are there any other resolutions to this contradiction?


texts:
My family has a Minhag (practice) to make Kiddush Hoshanah Raba morning before the meal.
does anyone know if there's a source to this Minhag and what it is?


texts:
The Sefer Yereim by Rav Eliezer MiMitz is an important work on halacha. It's also a list of the 613 mitzvos, as that is how he organized this halachic work. What many do not know is he based his list on the one of the Bahag, with some differences (parenthetically, I noticed he lived at the same time as the Rambam. Maybe he didn't have the latter's Sefer HaMitzvos, and the Bahag's list was all he had to work with, rather than making his own).
If one were to look at the work, they'll notice that there are only 464 sections, not 613. The author himself addresses this in his introduction and says that  sometimes he grouped together mitzvos that were related.

כי כל מצוות הנכללות בדמיון אחד אייחד לבד בכלל אחד.

He's more explicit at the end of his work:

וסיימתי מצות ותולדותיהן כאשר השגתי בעצת דעתי והשבתים כאשר מצאתים בספר רב יהודאי גאון ז"ל וכללתים בארבע מאות ששים וארבעה כי בכמה מקומות כללתי שתים כאחת.

I was wondering if anyone took the time to go through his sefer and indicate how many mitzvos are covered in each section. It would be nice to know if it actually came to 613, and to know how.


texts: Lashon hara l'toeles, with ulterior motives

texts:
The chafetz Chaim writes in Hilchos Lashon Hara (10:2) that one of the conditions of being allowed to relate lashon hara l'toeles, (for example to save someone from getting hurt), is that the person relating it must have intention only for the purpose of the toeles and nothing else. It would seem from this that if he has other intentions he is forbidden to relate the lashon hara even for the purpose of saving someone from getting hurt.

In Hilchos Issurei Rechilus (9:2), the Chofetz Chaim also lists this condition, regarding rechilus letoeles, but in the Be'er Mayim Chaim he writes that even if one has other (non-toeles) intentions, he must still relate the rechilus. because of the mitzvah of Lo sa'amod al dam re'acha, (not standing by to save someone), but he should try as hard as possible to relate it for the positive toeles purpose.

Does this apply only to recilus? If yes why? What's the difference? If it applies to lashon hara too, why does the Chafetz chaim say it only in hilchos rechilus, and not by lashon hara??


texts: Where is the source for God reaching under His throne to give us the wonderful gift of teshuva, repentance?


texts:
In an epic Rash"i, the 1st one on Breishit 1:1, he says that technically, the entire book of Breishit would be unnecessary if we assume that the purpose of the Torah was to be a mitzvah guide and not a history book. The few mitzvot that are included in the book of Breishit could have been included in one of the other books together with the other mitzvot.

It seems that one could make a similar argument regarding the book of Devarim. It is referred to as Mishneh Torah which means "a review of the Torah". In fact, the book begins with Moshe speaking and reviewing the past events. We do see some mitzvot mentioned in Devarim that hadn't been mentioned previously like Shiluach Hakan and many mitzvot esp. in parshiot Shoftim and Ki Tetze. But, if the book is termed Mishneh Torah, it doesn't seem needed as all if the mitzvot in Devarim could have been included in the other books. At the least, it seems that until we arrive near the beginning of parshat R'eh Moshe discusses past events and offers a list of "warnings" and concepts of reward & punishments for obeying or not following all of the mitzvot. Perhaps, at least, that section could have been eliminated?


texts: Nullification of non-kosher utensils or dishes

texts:
If an unidentifiable non kosher utensil or vessel gets mixed up with kosher vessels, if the majority of vessels are kosher, it is nullified. [1] If someone makes this mistake a million times, are all the utensils or vessels still kosher?

[1]http://halachayomit.co.il/en/default.aspx?HalachaID=4622


texts: How does deep snow affect carrying on Shabbos?

texts:
Thinking about the snow in Boston and the discussion at Shabbos 5a, if there was more than 10 tefakim (handbreadths) of snow on the ground, would a reshus hayachad (private domain) extend from the soil or the top of the snow?

If the streets were plowed, could one drag a sled along the top of the snow 10 tefakim plus higher than the street without violating Shabbos, or throw a snowball that would land on the top of the snow?


texts: Why are sins and hatred mentioned in Avinu Malkeinu?

texts:
At the end of Chazaras HaShatz on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we say a brief prayer that (in Nusach Ashkenaz) appears as follows:

  אבינו מלכנו זכר רחמיך וכבוש כעסך וכלה דבר וחרב ורעב ושבי ומשחית ועון ומגפה ופגע רע וכל מחלה וכל תקלה וכל קטטה וכל מיני פרעניות וכל גזרה רעה ושנאת חנם מעלינו ומעל כל בני בריתך

  Our Father, our King, remember Your compassion and suppress Your anger, bring an end to pestilence, bloodshed, famine, captivity, destruction, iniquity, plague, evil mishap, every illness, every obstacle, every strife, every sort of punishment, every evil decree, and baseless hatred from upon us and from upon all members of Your covenant.

The main theme of the passage seems to be that G-d should have mercy on us and withhold these terrible things from
us. Under that reading, the two boldfaced terms seem out of place: sins are dependent on the sinner (“everything is in the hands of Heaven except for fear of Heaven” - Berachos 33b), and baseless hatred is dependent on the hater (one of his sins). So how can we say that HaShem should withhold these from us when it’s not up to Him?

I know some of you are pointing to “everything is in the hands of Heaven except for [diseases caused by] cold [and] hot” - Kesuvos 30a - which seems to indicate that I should ask on pestilence, plague, and sickness, but that Gemara is seemingly a narrow case; most diseases are, in fact, caused by things besides temperature, as that very Gemara proceeds to discuss. However, this question can be asked on the similar line in the standard Avinu Malkeinu prayer, כלה דבר וחרב ורעב ושבי ומשחית ועון ושמש מבני בריתך, but for the same reason cannot be asked on the following line, מנע מגפה מנחלתיך.


texts: How does the earliest written siddur compare w siddurim of today?

texts:
How does the davening in the siddurim of Rav Amram Gaon (who gave us the earliest written siddur, Is there a free copy of this early (earliest?) siddur online?) compare with siddurim of today?

Alternatively, is there a publication (preferably in English) that compares their content with respect to the prayers included.


texts: Assume that someone wakes up after chatzot; which tefilot are said?


texts: Which tehillim are best to say for the welfare of soldiers at war?

texts: At least one Israel Defense Forces soldier fighting in Gaza is the son of dear friends of my family.  I want to focus my tefilla on his welfare, by name, although I certainly pray for the well-being of every Israeli soldier and civilian.  Which tehillim are traditionally read for this purpose, and why were those psalms selected?


texts: Can you say the Birkas Hagomel on Shabbos or Pesach?

texts:
We do not say “Mizmor LeSodoh”  on those days when a Korban Todah could not be brought.

So we do not say it on Shabbos or Yom Tov because you could not bring individual offerings on those days and we do not say it on Erev Pesach or Chol HaMoed Pesach because it contains Chometz. Nor do we say it on Yom Kippur and Erev Yom Kippur.

The blessing for deliverance from danger (Birkas Hagomel) was instituted, according to many authorities instead of the  Korban Todah
ברכת הגומל במקום קרבן תודה איתקן

and see related birkas hagomel: based on the toda?

Can the  Birkas Hagomel be said when the  Korban Todah could not be brought? I have certainly heard it on Shabbos!


texts: (Psalms 69 (14)) How do we understand אלקים ברב חסדך, rather than ה׳ ברב חסדך

texts:
I am used to the idea that the name אלקים connotes judgement and ה׳ mercy.
So how is it in Psalms 69 (14) , the Psalmist says “אלקים ברב חסדך”?


texts: Proof that Hashem recreates the world every day

texts:
It says in the first blessing before the morning Shema that Hashem

  renews, in His goodness, every day, the work of Creation, as it says: "To the One Who creates great luminaries, for eternal is His kindness." (Tehillim 136:7)

The proof seems to be that "Who creates" (לְעֹשֵׂה) is in the present tense, thus implying that Hashem continually recreates the world.

The problem is that many other verses in this chapter are also written in the present tense. Do we need to assume that every day Hashem "strikes Egypt through their firstborns" (v 10), splits the Sea of Reeds (v 13), and leads His people through the desert (v 16)? Presumably, for these verses the author used poetic license to use a non-standard tense. Why not assume the same for the verse about creating the world?


texts: The posuk says Shimon and Levi took swords and killed all the male inhabitants : so why in the next posuk a) does it repeat that they killed Chamor and Schem and  b)  that they used swords ? Both these facts are already told to us in the previous posuk ??


texts: What berachos should be made when Moshiach comes?

texts: I supose shehecheyanu or hatov vehameitiv, but I'm not sure about this. Are there something more specific than that? What are the mekorot dealing with berachos to be made when Moshiach comes?


texts:
At the end of Parshas Bo, we see the concept of "BeChozek Yad Hotzianu"  4 times, twice in connection with mitzvas t'fillin.

What does "Bechozek Yad Hotzianu" really mean and what is trying to tell us?
Actually one of the 4 times it says "BeYad Chazaka" and not "BeChozek Yad". What is the difference and why?
How and why is " Ki Bechozek Yad" connected with t'fillin?

Thank you


texts: What actually happened to a prophet that got eaten by lion for sleeping

texts:
In I Kings 13

  And behold a man of God came from Judah, at the command of the Lord,
  to Beth El, and Jeroboam was standing on the altar offering
  sacrifices.

We got a story of a prophet that comes to the king Jeroboam.

Hashem told that prophet to come back without resting.

I Kings 13:9

  For so has he commanded me by the words of the Lord saying, 'You shall
  not eat bread nor drink water, neither shall you return by the road by
  which you have come.'

Yet, another "prophet" claim that the prophet should come and eat.

The prophet ate and later got eaten by a lion.

We have a bunch of scenario here.

The second prophet is not a prophet. He just claim he is. The first prophet told the second prophet too much. So the first prophet can lie. If someone come to me and say, helo, I know you're a programmer and hashem told you to come back home quickly. I would think, how the hell did he know? But if I tell everyone I am a programmer in rush, and someone told me yea I know that. Well, that's not exactly a miracle right?
The second prophet is a real prophet. After all, he can prophecy that the first prophet will get eaten by lion. That's kind of true. Being able to predict something unlikely and have that prophecy true is a miracle. This lead to another question. Why would a prophet lie?
Hashem himself lie. So He told one prophet don't rest. Then he told another prophet tell that original prophet to rest. Why would Hashem do that?
Hashem doesn't lie. An old prophet lied. That's the literal reading. Perhaps for some other motives that's not explained. That is still a problem. Why would Hashem pick such liars to prophets? Why would Hashem even speak to liars? (I am not muslims, but muslims believe, for example, that prophets cannot lie).

So there are so many things that may actually have happened. Most of which don't make sense to me.

There have to be something.

In fact, why would the old prophet lie? What's his motive?

What?


texts:
Why do people say (I have no source that they do, but they do...) 'good kvitel' and 'gmar tov' after yom Kippur?

Good kvitel - not really sure what that is about at all.

Gmar tov - as far as I can tell, it is all over at the end of yom Kippur..?


texts: Were Menashe and Ephraim, sons of Yosef Hatzadik, twins?


texts: Shiv'a Ushloshim Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?

texts:
Who knows three hundred thirty seven?
שבעה ושלושים 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 337? The more significant within Judaism and the more intrinsically dependent on the value 337, the stronger the answer. Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.
Answers that are cheap like lazy gematria are not preferred.


texts: Speaking lashon hara about someone who does not mind

texts: Is it permitted to say negative things about someone when the person spoken about says that he does not mind and does not care if people speak negatively about him?


texts:
The first couple of mishnayos in chapter nine of Y'vamos list classes of women, each of whom is permitted to marry her first husband but forbidden to marry his brother on his childless death, or vice versa, or forbidden to marry either, or permitted to marry both. The lists contain the following classes of woman:

האלמנה, the widow
כשרה, (in this context, roughly) someone allowed to marry a kohen
חללה, (roughly) someone not allowed to marry a kohen
בת ישראל, (in this context, roughly) someone who is not a mamzeres or convert
ממזרת, a mamzeres

Why is the first of those definite ("the") and the rest not?


texts: Where Can One Buy a Griz (Brisker Rav) on the Rambam?

texts:
Does anyone know if the Griz al Harambam is available anywhere nowadays?
Thank you so much for any and all help.
I have tried ordering from many online and in-person seforim stores but to no avail.


texts:
If I were to travel to Barrow, Alaska in the summer, when there is no sunset, when should I light the Shabbat candles?

(This is not a hypothetical question; I work remotely for an Alaskan corporation so it is possible that I end up having to go there some day)

What are the customs of other extreme-latitude communities?


texts: Whats the difference between kasah (covering) and labash (covering)? And when we look to clothes then what's the difference between kesut and lebush? And what about beged (cloths) ? Please show me some examples from the Torah, and define them for me.


texts: Lighting Sabbath Candles as "Pharisee Propaganda"

texts: Does anyone know of any sources that say that the reason that we light the Shabbos candles is to show that we do use light for Shabbos, as opposed to the Karaites that do not?


texts:
There is a difference of opinion among sefardi and ashkenazi poskim regarding bishul akum.

For ashkenazim it is enough if a Jew lights the oven and a non-Jew cooks the meat.

For sefardim, a Jew must also cook the meat.

If a kosher restaurant uses the ashkenazi leniency, is it forbidden for a sefardi to eat there or is there some kind of leniency since most kosher restaurants in the USA follow the ashkenazi leniency.

Likewise, for the products with a hechsher one buys at a supermarket such as tuna cans with Star-k. I assume most of the hechsherim follow the ashkenazi leniency and do not require a Jew to cook the food. What is the halacha for sefardim in these cases?


texts:
Is it written anywhere in Halacha that one is not allowed to swim alone? I recall once seeing it in the Rambam but can't seem to find it.
Thank you


texts: Was there space in the Aron for two sets of Luchot?

texts:
The Holy Ark was 2 1/2 Cubits, by 1 1/2 Cubits, by 1 1/2 Cubits (Shemot 25:10).

The Talmud discusses (Baba Basra 14A-B) how much space the Luchot occupied in the Ark. The Talmud says that each tablet was 6 handbreadths, by 6 handbreadths, by 3 handbreadths. The Talmud goes on to discuss exactly how much room the Luchot occupied in the Ark, depending on whether the Cubits used to measure the Ark were made of 5 or 6 handbreadths.

The Talmud goes say there was some empty space left over and discusses what was in the empty space.

My Question:

According to the opinion that the Whole Luchot and Broken Luchot were placed in the Ark (Baba Basra 14B), how did they both fit?

I'm assuming that both sets of Luchot were the same size, since G-d tells Moshe to hew a new set of Luchot like the first set (Shemot 34:1). No matter how you calculate the Handbreadths/Cubit ratio used in the Ark, there isn't enough room for a second set of Luchos.

There are opinions that Moshe made a second Ark which were eventually used for the broken Tablets (see for example Rashi to Devarim 10:1), but:

Others (such as the Ramban 10:5) Disagree with this.
The opinion in the Talmud that says both sets of Tablets were placed in the Ark seems to be saying that they were both placed in the same Ark.
Tosafot (Eruvin 63B) is of the opinion that there were two Arks, but says that when King Shlomo built the Beit Hamikdash both Luchot were placed in one Ark (according to the opinion that the broken Luchot were also in the Ark).


texts: The "New Covenant" in Jeremiah's Prophesy

texts:
I am certain there must be a great answer to this question. Please inform me, as my learning is not so great and I have only started on the study of the Scriptures.

Many Christians use the text of Jeremiah 31.31-34 to support their perspective of the "New Covenant" that Jesus supposedly brought. Here is the text:

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."

My own conflicts with this are as follows:

1a) If G-d's Law was truly G-d's Law, then the possibility of a "New Covenant" that replaces the Law of Moses would be impossible, since it would undercut the entire reality of the Law to begin with. If G-d is unchanging, immutable, then His Law would be both unchanging and unalterable.

1b) The Christian reading of this passage takes it out of the greater context of the Tanakh as a whole. It must be interpreted in light of all the Tanakh teaches. If G-d said certain institutions and ordinances were forever, then they cannot be changed or altered, forever (as the daily prayers clearly attest to; see yig'dal).

2) Reading this within a Jewish context we can see the Messianic overtones. However, these do not point to the "spiritual ministry" of Jesus, but to the Messianic Age, when a true and actual peace will reign on the Earth, when all will truly know and understand Torah knowledge.

The bottom line, the question, is whether or not my interpretive reading of the text is or is not in line with Jewish exegesis. Am I understanding this text properly, from the appropriate Jewish point of view, and are my arguments against the Christian misinterpretation useful?


texts: Halachic law about inviting a Jew for dinner by a Gentile

texts: I know that Observant Jews are commanded by law to eat Kashrut or kosher, so can I as a Gentile invite my Jewish friend for dinner, for example at a marriage or engagement party? What food items should I offer him to eat? I know most of the things on our table may not be considered kosher as per halachik law, so my question is which food items I can offer him for eating, or is it better just not to invite at all?


texts:
I know this has been covered by many commentators in the past, and here also,  but I am still looking for a clear resolution of the ambiguities.
Who wrote the Book of Deuteronomy?  Does Tradition really answer “God”?  The Talmud says: Bava Batra 14b

Umi ch’tavan?  -- And who are the writers [of the Scriptures]?
Moshe katav sifro, uparshat Bilaam, v’Iyyov. Yehoshua katav sifro ve-shmona f’sukim she-baTorah -- Moses wrote his book, and the portion dealing with Bilaam [in the Book of Numbers] [Num. 23-24] and the Book of Job. Joshua wrote his book and [the last] eight verses of the Torah [which deal with the death of Moses].

(1) It says, “Moses wrote his book”.  What is the book that “Moses wrote”, if not Deuteronomy?
(2) Tradition says “The Torah”.  But he did not write “the Torah” himself – God dictated it to him.  The Talmud goes on to name the authors of all the books in the Tanach.  These authors may have been "inspired", but the books were not "dictated" to them.
(3) And if it does mean that Moses wrote the Torah, why does the Talmud add “and the parts dealing with Bilaam”, since those parts are included in the Torah?  The phrasing implies that "Moses' book" and "the parts dealing with Bilaam" are two different things.


texts: Halachically, why are men allowed to use urinals?

texts:
Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayyim 3:13:

  לא ישתין מעומד, מפני ניצוצות הניתזין על רגליו, אם לא שיעמוד במקום
  גבוה, או שישתין לתוך עפר תחוח פירוש, קרקע שאינה בתולה, אלא כגון של
  ארץ חרושה).

  One should not urinate from a standing position lest it sprinkle down
  upon his legs, if he is not on a high place, or relieving himself upon
  loose earth (meaning, soil that is not virgin, but rather like
  plowed earth).

If one is not allowed to urinate in a standing position, then how are men allowed to use urinals?

Second question related to urinals:

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayyim 3:2:

  יהא צנוע בבית הכסא, ולא יגלה עצמו עד שישב

  One should be modest in the bathroom stall, and not reveal oneself
  until sitting.

The above law seems to focus on sitting (defecating), but, it does imply a general rule of modesty in the bathroom, whether you reveal yourself standing or sitting. If so, isn't using a urinal a lack of modesty, esp. in those places where there is one large urinal (like a "trough") against the wall, and multiple men urinate in it (i.e. - there is no partition. These large urinals seem to be common at baseball stadiums.) Are you allowed to use such a urinal, if this may be a lack of modesty?


texts: Is there such a thing as Kaddish Talmidim?

texts: Has anyone heard of a Kaddish said for teachers and students? I have heard it called "Kaddish Talmidim" but find nothing online at all.


texts: Saying Baruch Sheim out loud on a bracha

texts:
Inspired by this question.

We know (Pesachim 56b) that Baruch Sheim, at least according to one explanation, is a tefillah Moshe heard from the Malachim. Thus, we only say it out loud when we're on the level of Malachim.

Yet, we (by that I mean the minhag in my community* - not sure whether this is true everywhere) say Baruch Sheim out loud after messing up a bracha beyond the point of "lamdeini chukecha." If we're not on the level of malachim, why should we be allowed to do so?

*Note that my community is primarily formed of talmidim of R' Weinberg of Ner Yisrael fame.


texts: Why can men wear pants if pants are immodest?

texts:
I have a question from another post here.

If pants are considered to be immodest garments in general, aside from the issue of them being a male garment, why are they permissible for men to wear? Are they considered immodest just for women? Why? "Pissuk Raglayim" (spreading the legs) has been mentioned as a reason, but why is it less modest for a woman to spread her legs than for a man? After all, men have things that women don't and vice versa.


texts: This is hypothetical, and it shouldn't happen to anyone... In the middle of observing shiva for one's mother, that person's father dies. Do the two shivas overlap, or does one wait for the first to end before starting the second?


texts: Why not list the 7 Minim in order with no second "Eretz"?

texts:
Devarim 8:8 ארץ חיטה ושעורה, וגפן ותאנה ורימון; ארץ-זית שמן, ודבש. The Gemara in Berachos 41: says in the name of either Rabbi Yosef or Rabbi Yitzchok that the order of the Brachos would depend on what is written closer to Eretz.

Based on this if one would have Grapes, Figs, Pomegranates, Olives and Dates one would make the Bracha on the Olive since Olives are closer to the word Eretz.

Why is there a need for the second Eretz in this verse? Why could the verse not be set up as follows? ארץ חיטה וזית שמן ושעורה ודבש וגפן ותאנה ורימון and leave out the seemingly extra Eretz?


texts: In Modim in the Shmoneh Esre we say המרחם כי לא תמו חסדך the question is whether the מ in המרחם should have a daggesh or not, and thus what sort of Shva should be under said מ?


texts: If I eat a pastry and grapes at one sitting, do i make two brachos achronot al hamichya and an al haetz? or may I combine the words into one bracha acharona by saying "al haetz V'al hamichya" ?


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

texts:
Who knows three hundred twenty-seven?
?שבעה 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 327? The more significant within Judaism and the more intrinsically dependent on the value 327, the stronger the answer. Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.
I hereby recommend not using lazy gematriyas for answers... and this line does NOT have any puns on it!


texts: Why did HaShem allow Yeshayahu to serve naked?

texts: Maybe I misunderstood the verse, but Yeshayahu 20:3 teach us that Yeshayahu was a servant and walked naked and barefoot for three years. Why would HaShem allow him to do so? While Adam and Eve had to be clothed because of their nakedness, the nakedness of Noah shouldn’t been seen, and other verses who teach us to dress well before HaShem.


texts: Should one eat matzah balls for seudah shelishit on Shabbat Erev Pesach?

texts:
When Erev Pesach falls on shabbat, one cannot eat chametz or matzah in the afternoon. What should one eat for seudah shelishit? (I am aware that Magen Avraham 444:1 suggests also eating seudah shelishit in the morning in this case; leave that to one side.)
For Ashkenazim (who are not accustomed to eat matzah ashirah) Rema to Orach Chaim 444:1 recommends eating fruit, meat or fish.
Magen Avraham 444:2 quotes Maharil who wrote that in theory it would be right to use cooked matzah for this meal, but he has not seen that this is customary practice. Mishnah Berurah 444:8 writes that one can use cooked matzah products for this meal.
Inasmuch as Shulchan Aruch 291:5 sounds like using mezonot products for seudah shelishit is preferable to using meat, fish or fruit, is it better to use cooked matzah for this meal? If that is the case, does anyone explain why Rema omitted it? Or Maharil's observation that this is not the custom? Or why Mishnah Berurah presents it as an option, without seeming to endorse it?
Alternatively, are there any reasons not to use cooked matzah for this meal?


texts: Sources for educational Methods used to train kids for Mitzvos

texts:
In the previous question "which-mitzvot-require-early-training" I asked about WHAT are kids are trained for

In this question, I'd like to know what educational methods are prescribed by the Sages, i.g. HOW should we educate the kids. For example, how do I cause my kid to wear Kipah or Tzitzis, how do I educate them to daven, or to love Torah study?

Possible examples are:

"חֲנֹךְ לַנַּעַר עַל־פִּי דַרְכּוֹ גַּם כִּי־יַזְקִין לֹא־יָסוּר מִמֶּנָּה׃" (Train a lad in the way he ought to go; He will not swerve from it even in old age. Mish 22,6) - not really sure what it means, probably to fit the way to kid's character traits.
"חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ וְאֹהֲבוֹ שִׁחֲרוֹ מוּסָר׃" (He who spares the rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him early. Mish 13, 24) - the use of force.


texts: Can a born-Jew who converted out of Judaism be buried in an Orthodox Jewish cemetery?

texts: We've discussed previously that halacha prohibits the burial of non-Jews in the same cemetery as Jews.  But what about born-Jews who converted out?  What about Jews who were simply atheists?


texts: What is the meaning and history behind the velvet signs decorating Abraham's tomb?

texts:
I was recently reading up on Wikipedia regarding the Tomb of the Patriarchs, and was particularly interested in this picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Cenotaph_of_Abraham_-_northwestern_view.JPG

I'd like to learn about the signs with Hebrew writing (on what seems to be black velvet?) and the history behind them. Relevant meta discussion: Is it appropriate to ask what the signs near the tomb of Abraham have written upon them, and some of the history behind those signs?


texts: Why does the authorship of the Zohar matter?

texts:
I've seen and heard a lot of controversy about the authorship of the Zohar, but it isn't quite clear to me that it matters. The nearest theory I can come up with is that if the Zohar is by Rashbi, then it's Tannaic, but if it's by de Leon, then it's Rishonic, which would obviously affect the way of poskining. Yet, I cannot think of a single example of halakha that would be affected by this: but this is of no consequence, since I'm not exactly the most learned person. Therefore, my question is twofold:

What hilchos would be affected by the authorship question?
Is there some other angle I'm missing here about authorship and why it matters?