texts:
There is a common practice of selling one's Chometz for Pesach. Some even sell a room or a specific area of their apartment for Pesach.

Let's say I was living in a rented apartment. Am I allowed to sell the entire apartment for Pesach to the Goy? Or is it better to limit the sale to a couple rooms?

Is this allowed? And if yes, are there more preferably Halachic scenarios that one should pursue?


texts: Can one remove and return an oatmeal pot at a hotel free breakfast on Shabbat?

texts:
I understand that there is a rule that one should not remove a pot from a crockpot unit on Shabbat and return it to the unit, for he will be recooking the food.

Let's say someone is staying at a non-Jewish hotel that serves the public a free breakfast. The food is not cooked specifically for the Jewish crowd ; it's for all hotel guests. There is a pot of oatmeal in an electric crock pot (verified that the oatmeal and the pot are both kosher.)

Since the oatmeal is for the general public - Jews and Gentiles, is there any problem with a Jew removing the inner pot from the heater taking some oatmeal and then returning it, as the cooking is not specifically for the Jew?


texts: What is the text of Kiddush Levana (?) during a blue moon?

texts:
Kiddush Levana is the sanctification of the "white one", i.e. the moon. Now of course, the moon is usually white, but every so often (7 times in 19 years, as a matter of fact) we end up with a blue moon.
The text, indeed the very name of Kiddush Levana makes reference to the moon's normal white color. What should be said when it is blue?
Sources please.

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


texts: what’s better to have Unkashered or Trief liver

texts:
A “moral” dilema in the community has occurred which I would like advice on.  A shop once sold nonkashered liver then went to sell only kashered liver now the Rabbi of the city has done a u turn to allow non kashered liver. His reasoning is that if the shop only sells kashered liver people won’t buy it because it is not cooked to the “customer standards” and that they will go to a non kosher shop and buy trief liver. However my understanding is that if one bought non kashered liver and cooked it then then according to the Rama everything is assur( I think Hilchos melicha Siman 73).

Link about Kashering liver https://www.star-k.org/articles/articles/1133/kashering-liver/

What the best situation buy kosher but unkashered and assur everything or buy trief?


texts: Shutting lights off during Chol Ha'moed, to save electricity

texts:
Preface

During Shabbat, Orthodox Jewish practice is to avoid turning lights on or off. Perhaps turning lights on or off is a form of melacha. On Chol Ha'moed, melacha is sometimes, but not always, permitted.

Background

During Chol Ha'moed, it's definitely allowed to shut a light off if it'll help you sleep.  And I assume it's also allowed to shut lights off in the evening, since a gradually-darkening environment may help the body to prepare for sleep.  Finally, I assume it's probably also fine to shut off a shul's lights, since many shuls have huge expensive banks of bright fluorescent lights.

But I wonder if you can shut off your house's indoor lights during the daytime, to save electricity.

Maybe, if you left all your house's incandescent lights on all day during all of Chol Ha'moed, it would cause a significant financial loss. Or maybe not. I dunno.

Perhaps instantaneous melachot might be treated differently than long, laborious melachot.  (See this source, which may be citing this book.  Also see this source; I thank mbloch for finding it.)

A friend of mine in Israel suggests that, if it's okay to do a melacha on Ḥol Ha'moed (e.g. turning a light on), perhaps it's implicitly allowed to do the reverse (e.g. shutting the light off).

My questions

In the end:

A)  Is it allowed to shut off your house's indoor lights during the daytime of Chol Ha'moed, to save electricity?

B)  [Edit:]  And, if so, why is it allowed?


texts: Ben Sorer U'moreh - is anyones future doomed?

texts:
the Gemara (Sanhedrin 71a) writes that a Ben Sorer U'moreh never took place. I would like to suggest that the Gemoro is teaching us that it never happened that a Jewish child - however bad he may be - is doomed.

I'd be grateful if anyone can recall a source for such an idea.


texts: Is there any Talmudic sources that claim the origin of the Hebrew word “dati” (דָּתִי) comes from the Avestan word daena?


texts: Is getting married a Mitzva in its own right or a necessary precondition for another Mitzva?

texts: Is getting married a Mitzva in its own right or a Hechsher Mitzvah (i.e. necessary precondition) for another Mitzva?


texts: an adult's responding to a child's sneeze with a blessing, or vice versa

texts: The halacha states (Mishnah Brurah 230: 7) that one should respond to a sneeze with a blessing and the person who sneezed and was blessed should return with a blessing in kind. this is not done if you are engaged in torah study. does this halacha apply to equally between an adult and a child, meaning if an adult hears a child sneeze does he need to give a blessing and vise versa?


texts:
We have a rule that everything found in the Navi (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings) are sourced in the Torah (see opinion of Rabbi Yochanan in Taanit 9a, see also Talmud Yerushalmi Megilla Chapter 1 Halacha 5 and accompanying commentaries).

In the story of Pilegesh BaGivah (Shoftim Chapter 19), the tribe of Binyamin seemingly sin in a big way. What is the root of this tribe's sin in the Torah itself, as affiliated with Binyamin.

This is especially hard to understand bearing in mind that the Torah has very little bad to say about Binyamin, and the Talmud (Bava Batra 17a) describes him as one of the four people who never sinned?


texts: Business with Christians during their holiday periods

texts:
According to those who hold that Christianity is avodah zarah, may Jews do business with Christians within three days of Sunday (or if you want, within 3 days of Dec. 25 or Easter) in light of the prohibition (Rambam Avodah Kochavim 9:1).
If so, why?


texts: Intermarried couple - Can the Jewish spouse sell chametz to the Gentile spouse?

texts:
I think the title of the question pretty much says it all. Furthermore, since they are living together, in the same home, can the Gentile spouse eat the chametz in presence of the the other spouse, or only when (s)he is not there and / or in another room?

While I don't see a problem with selling to the Gentile, per se, I am wondering if there may be a problem in this case, since the two live together, share the same kitchen, and it is fairly easy for the Jewish spouse to see his / her chametz during the week, esp. if his spouse is eating in front of him / her.


texts: If you realize you're carrying on Shabbat, what's the best thing to do?

texts:
I've heard that you should put it down on a makom patur while still walking. However, a true makom patur is tall and skinny, like a post, and therefore possibly difficult to find.

I've also heard that you walk into a reshus hayachid - private property - and, again, while still walking, hand it to another person who is also inside the same reshus hayachid. The rationale here is that "carrying" requires both an akira (uprooting) and hanacha (setting). In this case, then, since you're still walking it's not considered a true hanacha.

Are either of these correct? If not, what should be done?


texts: Why when tisha bav falls out on motzaei shabbat is vihi noam not recited? Why should tisha bav cause us to not recite vihi noam?


texts:
Even thought Chanukah is one of the Yom Toivim where we say

"Af Hen Hayu B'oso Hanes" (women were included in the miracle)

women still do not light their own candles even according to the way of Mehadrin.

Whats stranger is that if a husband will be late to come home, many Poskim say to tell your wife to light. If so, why don't they light their own?


texts: What is significant about nakedness in Bereishit?

texts:
In the story of Adam and Eve we see that "they were both naked, the man and his wife, but they were not ashamed." Bereishit 2:25 Then after they eat the fruit they become aware of their nakedness and are ashamed:

  And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles. And they heard the voice of the Lord God going in the garden to the direction of the sun, and the man and his wife hid from before the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden.
  And the Lord God called to man, and He said to him, "Where are you?"
  And he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked; so I hid." And He said, "Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
  Bereishit 3:7-10

Nakedness specifically seems to be the focal point of them hiding and their sin. God even takes it upon himself later to make them clothing. But is it just plain and simple nakedness (that being naked in itself is a sin, something shameful) or is there more meaning we are supposed to glean from this?

On a bit of a tangent, what exactly is nakedness in this context? What parts of the body must be covered to be not naked (eg. genitals, buttocks, breasts, etc.).


texts:
A keffiyeh is a rectangular piece of fabric traditionally worn by members of the Edot haMizrach and Arabs. However, none of the photos I've seen of B'nei Edot haMizrach and Teimanim wearing these garments (often in a turban rather than the styles associated with B'nei Yishmael) seem to have tzitzit attached to them, despite the fact that they are significantly larger than scarves.

This leads me to wonder: is a keffiyeh chayav [obligated in] tzitzit?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Davening for a non-Jew

When praying for someone who isn't Jewish, what is the proper method? Is there a special formulation for their name, if any?


texts: In schul we light candles before starting davening. If someone is praying at home, can they light candles as well (without a minian)? Does it have to be two? Or one is sufficient to remember the Ner HaTamid?


texts: Extending the Leg of a Letter to Remove Sheimos

texts:
May one extend the letter Hey in God's name to turn it into a Kuf as a way of removing sheimos? My question is twofold:

1) Is there a problem of erasing God's name here, by taking a holy name of God and making it unholy?

2) Will this actually change the status of the document, or will it retain the status of sheimos?


texts: What to do regarding postponed havdalah on a plane?

texts: If one is on a plane on Sunday night when the Tisha b'Av fast ends, is it possible to make havdalah on the plane in order to be able to break the fast?  Airport security might not allow passengers to carry wine onto the plane, and in the US, even if wine is permitted, security might not allow a sufficient quantity.


texts: Why do we start off saying Pirkei Avos by first saying the Mishna from Sanhedrin "Kol Yisroel"?


texts: Why only on the first Saturday night of Selichot is the minhag to start at midnight?

texts: Pretty self explanatory. Some say at chatzot all week and some in the morning. Why davka on the first night does everyone say at night? This minhag does not seem apply on the second Saturday night (when there is one) or on Motzaei Shabbat Shuva. Sources always appreciated. Thanks


texts:
In this Moroccan recording of L'chah Dodi, sung by Sami Elmaghribi, there is an interesting passage directly following it, containing four verses from Shir Hashirim:

Yishakeni min'shikot pihu, ki tovim dodeicha miyayin. (1:2)

Uri tzafon uvoi teiman, hafichi gani yizlu v'samav; yavo dodi l'gano, v'yochal pri m'gadav. (4:16)

Kol dodi, hineh zeh ba; m'daleg, al heharim -- m'kapetz, al hag'vaot. (2:8)

Bati l'gani, achoti chalah -- ariti mori im b'sami, achalti ya'ri im divshi shatiti yeini im chalavi; ichlu reim, sh'tu v'shichru dodim. (5:1)

Why are those verses sung there?  Is this a particular tradition regarding Kabbalat Shabbat in some communities?  Is it just a separate text that happened to be in the same recording?  Is there some online siddur that contains this passage?


texts:
In Mishpatim 23:4-5, why is there a makaf in כי-תראה but not in כי תפגע?

The words are very similar.  As far as I can tell the only difference is that the patach at the end of תפגע ends in an ע, while the segol in תראה is open.

My thoughts are along the lines that normally, a תנועה קטנה that has the trop on it is open.  Since in תפגע the patach is closed, it becomes stronger, the same way that a תנועה גדולה that has the trop is usually closed.  This pulls some of the stress away from כי, and so the makaf "snaps" (I imagine a rubber band, I don't know the technical language) and כי becomes its own word.


texts: During the Shemone Esre, we bend our knees and then bow.  I have observed two ways of doing this.  One is to bend the knees, then to straighten the knees, and then to bow at the waist.  The other is to keep the knees bent while bowing, and straighten them while coming out of the bow.  Is one of these methods more correct than the other?  Is there a source for the exact manner in which to bow?


texts:
At the brit bein habetarim (Bereshit 15:12) it is stated:

וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָֽפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו׃
And it came to pass, that, when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, a dread, even a great darkness, fell upon him.

What was this fearfull/dreadfull great darkness that came upon Avraham?
And why was it fearfull/dreadfull?
What caused Avram to be struck by it, overwhelmed by it, caught up by it or to get hit by it; in the sense it comes over him.
Was it the message or prophecy that made Avram get caught up with fear and great horror?


texts: Do "blind" and "housebound" define death?

texts:
In Rashi on Bereishit 28:13, there is an explanation as to why the text speaks of "the God of Isaac" even though Isaac is still alive. {text and translation from Chabad] }

  ואלהי יצחק: אף על פי שלא מצינו במקרא שייחד הקב"ה שמו על הצדיקים בחייהם לכתוב אלהי פלוני, משום שנאמר (איוב טו טו) הן בקדושיו לא יאמין, כאן ייחד שמו על יצחק לפי שכהו עיניו וכלוא היה בבית, והרי הוא כמת, ויצר הרע פסק ממנו:

  and the God of Isaac: Although we do not find in Scripture that the Holy One, blessed be He, associates His name with that of the righteous during their lifetimes by writing “the God of so-and-so,” for it is said (Job 15:15):“Lo! He does not believe in His holy ones,” [i.e., God does not consider even His holy ones as righteous until after their deaths, when they are no longer subject to the evil inclination,] nevertheless, here He associated His name with Isaac because his eyes had become dim, and he was confined in the house, and he was like a dead person, the evil inclination having ceased from him (Tanchuma Toledoth 7).

This seems to explain that being blind and housebound either causes the evil inclination to be removed, or that those 2 qualities, along with the removal of the evil inclination creates a status of "like a dead person."

Is there any halachic implication to that? Would someone visiting Isaac be tamei met? Would someone today who is blind and housebound (especially a tzaddik) be considered "dead" for any practical purposes?


texts: Why did they stop packing the gizard, neck and liver inside the chicken cavity? I think this practice stopped about 25 years ago. When I was a novice cook, I didn't know that I had to first take out the liver and roast it separately, until I had a messy non-kosher chicken, and someone informed me about that. Mind you, they did put a warning on the packaging. I can understand that they stopped including the liver (though, I think they could have just left it outside the cavity. But what about the other parts?


texts: What should I think of when reciting Birkot HaShachar?

texts:
Many of the prayers of the Birkot HaShachar are in third person. Such as: "...who opens the eyes of the blind." Or "...who frees the captive." I've always thought about personally thanking G-d (for example) for giving me sight or giving me freedom, respectively. But maybe I should take it more literal, and thank G-d for giving people sight, freeing the captives, etc.

Should I take a more personal or literal approach to the meaning of these prayers?


texts:
A man can't be alone (yichud) with a woman who is forbidden to him, or even two women, since nashim daatan kalos (see Kiddushin 80b to 82a). There is a concept known as a shomer/es, who if you are allowed to have yichud with them, you can have yichud with a different woman who you normally can't. For example, a man's wife and an unrelated woman can have yichud together with the man (see MT Issurei Biah 22:4).

Now, can a man have yichud with an unrelated woman, and her daughter? I have two sevaras for this case and was wondering if there are any poskim which rule either way.

On the one hand, the Torah forbids marrying both of these women together (Vayikra 18:17), so maybe yichud would be forbidden. My reason to think it might be okay is the mother would not let her daughter commit immoral relations, so yichud with the daughter becomes permissible, thus permitting it with the mother. Or the other way around with the daughter not letting the mother commit adultery.

I'm asking without any other heterim like baalah ba'ir or pesach pasuach lereshus harabim.


texts: Is there an English translation online of the Ramban on Chumash?

texts: The title pretty much says it- I'm looking for an English translation of the Ramban on Chumash online (preferably for free).


texts:
In Parashat Va-eira, Pharaoh, plagued with frogs, asks Moshe and Aharon to "entreat" God to remove the plague and says that he'll respond by releasing the Israelites. Moshe agrees, and then we have (Exodus 8:8):

וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן מֵעִם פַּרְעֹה וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל ה' עַל דְּבַר הַצְפַרְדְּעִים אֲשֶׁר שָׂם לְפַרְעֹה
And Moses and Aaron went away from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to the Lord concerning the frogs that He had brought upon Pharaoh.

(emphasis mine)
I've always had a problem with the verb "cried out" here. It seems to me that people "cry out" about things that are really, really bothering them. In fact, this would seem to be the pattern the other times we have "וַיִּצְעַק" in the Torah:

Esav, upon learning that Ya'akov had taken their father's blessing. (Genesis 27:34)
Starving Egyptians, begging Pharaoh for food. (Genesis 41:55)
The Israelites, when a wrathful fire from God was burning them for being whiners. (Numbers 11:2)
Moshe, when his sister was afflicted with Tzara'at. (Numbers 12:13)

So, what was bothering Moshe so much here that he "cried out"? The frogs weren't plaguing him, and I assume that he didn't love Pharaoh like a sister. Why not just say to God "Pharaoh said he'd let us go if You take away the frogs. Could You please do that?" Why did Moshe have to get so emotional about his oppressors' frog problem?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Should one ask a non-Jew attending synagogue to wear a yarmulke?

When a non jew visits the kotel he has to put on a yarmulka is there a halachic basis for this? Also when a non jew teaches at a yeshiva or goes to a wedding they put one on, is this coming from halacha or from a respect point of view?


texts:
I am interested in knowing how and why this office came about. Was it initiated by the Jewish community or was it necessary in order to have a representative to contact the ruling government? Wikipedia gives the name of the first Rishon Letzion but not the circumstances of how it came about.
What was the selection process? Was the next one appointed by the previous one or was it decided by the Rabbanim after the previous one died?
What were his duties and authority?

I'm referring to the earlier times of the office - pre-state of Israel.


texts:
If multiplying two negatives equals a positve then shouldn't two Bedieveds equal a Lechatehila?
E.G. I heard from a HaRav Mansour Shelit"a that if one washes one's self with Tisha Kabin, then it counts for Mikwe Bediavad + HaRav Musafi Shelit"a writes in his book Shivat Sion that if one washes their hands with a Natlan 40 times (20 each) it counts as if one has Toveled in a Mikwe.
Do two Bediavads equal a Lechatehila?
(Please provide a complicated mathematical equation)

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


texts: Why separate verses for the camel, hare, and hyrax?

texts:
In vayikra 11, we're given an overview of the kosher and non kosher animals. Among mammals, it singles out four as explicitly non kosher: the pig for only having split hooves, and the camel, hare, and hyrax for only chewing their cud.
I can conceive of different reasons for having three separate examples in the later category (different types of cud chewing or inappropriate hoof splits ...), but what I can't conceive is why we need three separate verses (4–6) for these examples. Can anyone shed some light on this?
Edit to clarify:
Why doesn't the Torah condense it to a single prohibition attached to a list: "et hagamal v'et hashafan v'et ha'arnevet (which are three discrete examples of the following properties), ki shosa'as shesa hem uparsam aynenah mafreses, tameyim hem lachem."


texts: Is a person allowed to wear tefillin during Tish'a B'Av Shacaharit if he won't be able to daven mincha that day?

texts:
Let's say a person needs surgery on Tish'a B'Av in the afternoon. He knows that he will not be able to daven Mincha.

Should he wear tefillin during Shacharit instead? What if he attends shul for Shacahrit where no one else will be wearing tefillin? Would that cause problems such as mar'it ayin? If that's not OK, should he daven in shul without the tefillin, then when he returns home, put them on?


texts: We are Christian but have been invited to celebrate with friends tonight

texts:
We are invited to dinner tonight with some Jewish friends.  I am excited that my six year old has such an opportunity to learn about another holiday, and the traditions that accompany it.  We've read a few children's books that outline what Hanukkah is about, but what kinds of things should I alert my six year old to about tonight to help best prepare her for what to expect?

Happy Hanukkah btw!


texts: Does "vertical" distance require saying Tefillat Haderech?

texts:
Does "vertical" travel require saying Tefillat haderech? Examples:

Bungee jumping
Hang gliding
Ski lift / cable car
Mountain climbing / rapelling (using rope to scale the mountain.)
Sky Diving / parachuting
"Blue Devil" (air show / air force) demo

In all these cases, let's assume that the vertical distance is about 12,000 feet - close to 2 miles. (I don't know if there is a minimum horizontal distance requirement for this bracha, so I'm assuming an equivalent requirement for verticals.)


texts: Explanation of obscure Rashi (שבת דף יד)

texts:
The Bavli, Shabas 13 amud 2, quotes a mishna in Zavin that lists some people and things that, by touching t'ruma, invalidate it so that it cannot be eaten. The Bavli says that these restrictions were rabbinic enactments. On 14 amud 2 it protests the inclusion of one item on that list:

  "And one who immersed that day"?? One who immersed that day [invalidates t'ruma by touching it not by rabbinic enactment but] by [a directive in] the Tora [itself], as is written "ובא השמש וטהר [=and the sun sets and he is tahor]"!

Rashi says:

  ובא השמש וטהר. ומקמי הכא לא ואוקמינן להאי קרא בתרומה ביבמות בפ׳ הערל (ד׳ עד:) ואפי׳ לנגיעה אשכחן קרא התם כל כלי אשר יעשה מלאכה בהם במים וגו׳ והאי נגיעה היא ובעינן הערב שמש אלמא פסיל בנגיעה דאי לא פסיל למאי קרי ליה וטהר השתא מכלל דמעיקרא לא הוי טהור גמור והאי כלי לאו בר אכילה הוא ומיהו טמויי לא מטמינן דהא לאו טמא איקרי׃

In loose translation:

  "'ובא השמש וטהר'/'and the sun sets and he is tahor'" — but until then not.… Even for touching [t'ruma] we find a verse there, "כל כלי אשר יעשה מלאכה בהם במים וגו׳", which is touching and requires sunset. Thus, t'ruma is invalidated by touching, as, otherwise, why is it saying "וטהר", implying until then not completely tahor? And this keli is not subject to eating. But we do not say it has tum'a, for it is not called "טמא".

This explanation is very opaque. Specifically, the end (the last two sentences as translated) is completely obscure. What does he mean?


texts:
As I mentioned in another question, I was reading the Book of Maccabees over Shabbat (I and II).
In the book of Maccabees, it mentions that early on in the struggle, there were a group of Jews hiding out in caves. The Greeks found them and were going to attack them on Shabbat.  The Jewish people in the caves, said they would not desecrate Shabbat no matter what, and all got killed.
In response to this, Judah aka Macabeaus, makes a proclamation that it is ok to fight on Shabbat so that they do not all get killed in this manner.  Very reasonable.
Centuries later, in the books by Josephus*, Josephus mentions that the Romans were building siege engines, and the Jews would throw down stones to stop the construction.  This foiled the Romans, until they started building the siege engines on Shabbat, and noticed that no stones came down on them.  Eventually, the Romans only built the siege engines on Shabbat, and the people in Jeruselem got sacked and killed and all sorts of bad things happened.  (This was years before the destruction of the temple btw.)  Again, a proclamation is made, and the Jews are allowed to fight the Romans on Shabbat.
Later in the Gemorah (Shabbat 19a) (Right before talking about chanukah ironically enough) it is stated that you may not siege a city 3 days before Shabbat.  Shamai however states, based on the passuk "Until it is conqureed" that you may siege a city even on Shabbat, until the city is completely taken. (Based on that verse in the Chumash).
Does anyone know what is going on here?  Why did the people think they could not fight on Shabbat? Why, 300 years later, did they think so again, and why in the Gemora do they also make the assumption until Shamai says it's ok?  Also, why today is it so universally agreed upon that you can break Shabbat when serving in the Army even not during wartime. (If it's ordered/required by the Army to do so)?

Quote from Josephus:

"The Jewish War" page 40 (I, 156) (Herod's Predecessors)
Pompey himself on the north side was busy filling in the trench and the
entire ravine with material collected by the troops. This was a
formidable task, as the depth was immense and the Jews interfered from
above in every possible way. The Romans would never have reached the
end of their labors if Pompey had not availed himself of the seventh
day, on which for religious reasons the Jews will not set their hand
to any work, raising the level of his earthworks while keeping his men
out of all armed clashes; for only in self-defense will Jews fight on
the Sabbath. When at last the ravine was filled in he erected high
towers on his artificial platform, brought up the engines he had
fetched from Tyre, and began to batter teh walls while the stone
throwers prevented any interference from above."


texts: Different aspects of married relationship described in the last of the Sheva Brachos?

texts:
In the 6th (at a meal) or 7th (under the Chuppah) of Sheva Brachos, we read the line of גילה רינה, דיצה וחדווה, אהבה ואחווה, ושלום ורעות. I have heard that the first four words are referring to the relationship between a couple when the woman is Tahor and that the last four are referring to the relationship between a couple when the woman is a Niddah.

Does anyone have a source for this? I have heard that the Maharal may have said this but have come up empty locating a source.


texts: Why is it the halocho (law) that persuading others to give is greater than giving?

texts:
Chazal say, "Gadol hame’aseh yosair min ha’oseh," "the one causing others to give tzedakah is greater than the person giving the tzedakah" (Bava Basra 9a).

The Shulchan Oruch YD 249 (5) brings this down as Halocho “If a person can persuade other people to give, his reward is greater than that of the giver”.

Why is this codified as halocho (law) – it sounds more like mussar (ethical teaching)?


texts:
What's the meaning of the yiddish girls name "Charnah" (most likely spelled,  טשרנא)?

(There was a girl who is not frum that said this is her name and feels it's important to her to know the meaning of the name. I'm mentioning this so the question shouldn't be closed. She is on a Birthright trip and there will be some sort of "ceremony" for those that never had a Bar Mitzvah or a Bat Mitzvah. The names will be used or mentioned as part of the ceremony.)


texts:
In light of this article what are the possible problems with burying the deceased in underground crypts?
The article mentions:

The head of the Jerusalem burial society told Haaretz that there is no Jewish legal restriction barring burial in such tunnels, making it permissible to Orthodox groups that question the validity of burial in Israel’s multi-story tombs.

Another article  mentions that our current practice was actually adopted from the surrounding countries:

This was the customary way for Jews in the Land of Israel to bury their dead during Talmudic times, some 1,500 years ago.
The idea is being floated by Rabbi Rafael Ostroff, Chairman of the Etzion Bloc Religious Council.
He told IDF Radio Monday: "At this time, burials are being conducted in ways that were not practiced in the Land of Israel during the time of the Mishna and Talmud. Rather, it seems that we learned this from the countries we were in during the period of exile.
"Now that we have returned to the Land, one of the burial options is something called 'likud atzamot' (literally – 'the collecting of bones'). A person is buried, as is done today, in a regular grave, and a year later, the bones that remain are collected and placed in an ossuary."

What are the halachic issues concerning such burial practices in this day and age?


texts:
The Gemara in Menachos 39a brings that the minimum requirement from a Torah level for tzitzis is one double knot (as explained by Tosfos). Is this the absolute minimum requirement in order to wear it out in the reshus harabim?

This may seem like a clear cut gemara and the question isnt a question. However, the mefarshim do not spell out exactly what is the minimum requirement. Is there a source which says straight out what is the minimum?


texts: Erev Tavshilin for married children in their parents' home

texts: Do married children in their parents' home need to make a separate Eruv Tavshilin if they are staying in their parents' home and their parents are making an Eruv Tavshilin already?


texts: Are there any explanations and / or halachot gleaned from "Do not insult the deaf?"

texts:
Leviticus 19:14:

  לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל
  וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּאֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

  Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the
  blind, but thou shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Rash"i, among other commentaries, explain the 2nd part of this verse, "do not put a tsumbling block before the blind" to mean that this is not just to be explained literarily, nbut it applies to not misleading others. Numerous halachot are gleaned from this explanation, among them (forgot the Gemarah this is in) that a father is not allowed to hit a teen-age son, because of this rule.

I haven't seen any commentary glean a similar non-literal explanation regarding the beginning of the verse, "Do not insult the deaf."

For example, there are many people whom I've tried to offer advice that would help them improve their behavior or get themselves out of a difficult situation. They don't listen and they are still in the same situation and keep asking me for help. After a while, I don't really want to be near them, and I have to tell them, politely, but diplomatically, that I really don't want to hear them complain to me anymore and they have to get out of their situation and / or get help. Then, I avoid them, and they get offended when I do.

In a sense, they are "deaf", and, perhaps, I have "insulted" them. But, I haven't seen any commentary explain things this way or any other way that applies the term "deaf" except to someone who is physically "deaf". (Separate issue if this applies to deaf who wear cochlear implants, but feel free to address this in an answer, if you wish.) Rash"i just explains that you shouldn't insult anyone and then explains just why the Torah specified a cheresh, but he doesn't give the term cheresh a separate meaning as he does with iver.

Does anyone "redefine" the term cheresh beyond a physically deaf person?


texts:
What attitudes toward Jesus are acceptable for a Jew? I understand that idolatry, or embracing the mainstream Christian perception of Jesus as divine, is absolutely out of the question. Furthermore, there are strong textual and cultural reasons that Jews should not consider Jesus to be Moshiach. However, is it acceptable to revere or even love Jesus? To appreciate his teachings to any degree? To consider him righteous, a tzaddik, or a good person?

(Please note: I am not asking "Was Jesus actually righteous/a tzaddik/worthy of reverence by a Jew?" But since that question will inevitably encroach on mine, I would like to mention that the "New Testament" contains wildly disparate reports of what Jesus actually taught during his lifetime. Whereas some gospelists portray Jesus as rejecting halacha, other accounts, including his most famous sermon, quote him as insisting categorically that halachic observance must be maintained in its entirety. What Christians actually did with that information is, I think, irrelevant to this question.)


texts: Must one give maaser from virtual money?

texts:
If a person achieves a gain or a payment of a currency that that is purely virtual and does not have any physical counterpart (ie it is not associated with a financial institution) must one give ma'aser from that currency?

For example if my salary was paid entirely through bitcoin or if I engaged in virtual gold farming would I then have to pay real, physical maaser from my earnings?


texts: Israeli travelling in chutz la'aretz on second day Yom Tov (Hawaii)

texts:
Is an Israeli allowed to leave Israel motzei chag and arrive in America on what is second day chag in America?

The flight would have a stopover in LAX (which I've read isn't an issue), but arriving in Honolulu and leaving the airport on second day chag may be an issue. The question seems to boil down to whether Honolulu is a yishuv with Jews. Seeing as almost no Jews live in Honolulu, is one permitted to leave the airport that day?


texts:
In the tachanun of Monday and Thursday, we say "ותראה לפניך עקידת יחיד למען ישראל". The binding is referred to as the akeidat yachid (which refers to Yitzchak via Bereishit 22:2 "מה שנעקב יצחק שכתי' קח נא את בנך את יחידך" (taken from פירושי סידור התפילה לרוקח [סט] אנא מלך חנון ורחום) . A quick look in the Bar Ilan responsa and google shows that the phrase never appears in the tanach text, talmud or medrash.

Is there any discussed significance to this construction as distinct from naming Yitzchak (the phrase Akeidat Yitzchak appears once in the Talmud -- Bavli, Rosh Hashana, perek 1 and often in the Medrash). Is it stylistic or does it import meaning that would otherwise be missing from the prayer?


texts:
Chazal give the following list of names for books of Tanach (Bava Basra 14b):

  סידרן של כתובים רות וספר תהלים ואיוב ומשלי קהלת שיר השירים וקינות דניאל ומגילת אסתר עזרא ודברי הימים

  The order of the Writings is Rus, Book of Tehillim, Iyov, Mishlei, Koheles, Shir HaShirim, Kinnos, Daniel, Megillas Esther, Ezra, Divrei HaYamim.

I've bolded two titles of books - Sefer Tehillim and Megillas Esther. All of them are Sefarim, and five (four?) of them are Megillos, so why are these singled out?


texts:
M"B 25:42 makes it clear that we always follow Gemara over Zohar. And we similarly follow Bavli over Yerushalmi (as is clear from the Hirhurim article quoted in this related discussion).

However, do we follow Zohar or Yerushalmi?


texts: What is a 'potential convert' called in hebrew/yiddish?

texts:
I know that a convert is called a ger tzedek. While a righteous non-Jew/goy is called a goy tzedek. From what I have found so far online, most just say/use "potential convert" when referring to someone who is on the path to conversion.

I did not think Ba'al Teshuva was appropriate but I can see it being argued.


texts:
I know that wasting seed is the worst sin in Judaism and a Jew who committed it is considered very wicked. Yet, I am not sure about wasting seed ? is it a sin or not?

I am a gentile wanting to convert to Judaism seriously, and I used to have this addiction, and I stopped committing it since almost between 3-4 weeks but sadly today I fell for it again, especially that I drank beer and I felt slightly intoxicated-not drunk though. But I didn't had the intention to get intoxicated. I know there is no excuse for sin no matter what.

Anyway, since I heard that the ones who desire to convert to Judaism may have a Jewish soul already, that means it might be a heavy sin if I committed it no matter whether it's a sin or not for a normal gentile.

Anyone knows?

P.S: I searched for similar questions in this website yet I couldn't find any.


texts: Why is there a switch from Sin to Samech?

texts:
related Relationship between Samekh and Sin
(referencing the Schottenstein edition of Masechet Ketubot -- I haven't checked other printings)
In the mishna on 46b, the text reads נשאת יתר עליו הבעל -- As for a married woman, the husband has more entitlements than the father. The word for the married woman is נשאת .
But in the gemara on 47a, the text I have reads ניסת יתר עליו הבעל (text confirmed on Sefaria and on e-daf).
I know that the two letters are often interchanged (discussion in the related question and a mention here) but I don't know WHY, within one particular text, there would be a switch. Does it change meaning, or indicate anything about the textual composition? Are there versions of the gemara that don't have this change?


texts:
Someone lives on a busy street and often people park in a way that makes his mailbox inaccessible. Parking on that street is not illegal. However there is a clear sign at the mailbox that they ignore. The sign says "Do not block mailbox". Notes put on the cars telling them to please not block the mailbox are ignored.
Moving the mailbox is not an option. The city is unwilling to put an enforceable No Parking sign at the location.
By American law it is illegal to block a mailbox. However it is not enforced to my knowledge.

Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs or retards the passage of
the mail, or any carrier or conveyance carrying the mail, shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or
both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 778; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII,
§ 330016(1)(B), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)

Is there anything a person can do to a repeat offender, Halachically, in such a situation?


texts: What makes something "worthy of being honored"?

texts: When a piece of meat is in a mixture that should nullify it, we don't consider it nullified if it is ראוי להתכבד, or "worthy of being honored", something you would serve to a guest. Is there some kind of objective measure for this, or is it dependent on the time and place, or even the dish or the guest?


texts: Can I use a firearm to protect my home on Shabbos?

texts: Do the laws of Shabbos preempt my choice of methods to protect my family in the case of a break-in or attack on my home on Shabbos? Also is the the use of a biometric safe to access the weapon something to consider. it it more favorable to use the key(which is a backup)?


texts: Is a man allowed to waste his seed for medical reasons?

texts: Is a man allowed to waste his seed for medical reasons, for example if a couple is having difficulty conceiving and the fertility specialists are requesting a sample.


texts:
Who knows one hundred eighteen?
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: Why the use of the plural form in describing the mincha for the 7th day of Succot?

texts:
In the description of the Succot sacrifices in B'midbar 29:12-39, when describing the mincha for days 2-6 the phrasing is in singular at the end of the verse as in:

וּמִנְחָתָ֣ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֡ם לַ֠פָּרִים לָאֵילִ֧ם וְלַכְּבָשִׂ֛ים בְּמִסְפָּרָ֖ם כַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

However, for the 7th day (verse 33) it is phrased in plural:

וּמִנְחָתָ֣ם וְנִסְכֵּהֶ֡ם לַ֠פָּרִים לָאֵילִ֧ם וְלַכְּבָשִׂ֛ים בְּמִסְפָּרָ֖ם כְּמִשְׁפָּטָֽם׃

Why the difference for the 7th day?


texts: Does it make logical sense to "not hold by OU kashrus"?

texts: Apparently there are some people who do not rely on the OU for kashrus.  I have seen a few online references (i.e. this Matzav post) that claim this makes no logical sense, since virtually every other hechsher relies on the OU for ingredients.  Is this true?


texts: By what time should I be completely finished cleaning my home and searching for chametz?

texts:
My community's calendar says to eat Chametz until 11:06AM, and to burn Chametz by 12:12PM, and to light candles at 7:36PM. Does this mean that I need to be completely finished with kashering my home, and have all chametz out by 12:12PM? If I were to encounter chametz that was not seen prior to 12:12PM, could I still remove it after 12:12PM?

Also, if the kashering of an oven or dishes hadn't quite reached the 24-hour mark since the physical kashering, would the appliance or dishes be considered treif and chametz by 12:12PM?


texts: Devarim 17:18 What was included in the king's “copy of this law”?

texts:
And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites.

What exactly was the king suppose to copy? Was it the whole Torah, the Written Law (600+ laws, rules, regulations, judicial decisions, etc. minus the history), or only the book of Devarim?


texts: Rav Ari Bensoussan quotes the Alter of Navardok who says that when someone doesn't utilize their talents to accomplish a particular mission Hashem designed for them, then anyone can take the unfulfilled mission and receive tremendous siyata d'shmaya to accomplish the task even though it is beyond that individual's abilities. What is the earliest source for such a concept?


texts:
The Torah says mipnei seiva takum, that one must stand for one elders.

I was wondering, it is common practice on public transportation such as buses (very common in eretz yisroel) to offer ones seat to an older (over the age of 70) person. Is there an halachic obligation to give ones seat to the elder, or although not thoughtful, is it enough to stand for them but not to give them the seat. Are there any sources that discuss this.


texts: Examples of Destruction of Idolatry in a Pagan Land

texts:
Idolatry is a great abomination which G-d wants abolished or nullified, hence I want to know whether the believing people of the past took an action against it even if they were in the minority.

Are there examples, in Tanach or other traditional Jewish sources, of a  prophet or his followers destroying idolatry in a majority pagan land?


texts: Looking for some sources as to the connection (if any) between husband and wife in the afterlife, at least in the simple case where neither remarried.


texts: Why doesn't the Torah use more efficient ways to say "both" or "each" when describing the Mishkan utensils?

texts:
In Parshas Terumah, in the description of many of the utensils of the Temple, the Torah seems to be very repetitive in its description of parts that are meant to be the same.  For example, chapter 25 verses 33 and 35, among other places.

33:

  three cups made like almond-blossoms in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three cups made like almond-blossoms in the one branch, a knop and a flower

35:

  And a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it, and a knop under two branches of one piece with it

The Torah has a more efficient way to say both or each- שניהם as in Numbers 7:13 (applying the same operation to two things) or אחת לכל as in Exodus 26:2 (applying the same measurement to several things).  Why does the Torah not do so here?


texts: Are plants that exhibit rapid plant movement considered non-Kosher animals?

texts:
There is a question here asking if sea sponges are Kosher. The answers seem to center around the idea that regardless of if they have animal cells, a halachic classification might depend on how it appears (and coral, for example, vaguely look like some sort of plant).

As a followup, are plants that exhibit rapid plant movement such as the venus flytrap, which have moving parts to eat insects considered to be animals in that they wouldn't be Kosher due to this characteristic?


texts:
In the texts that I have seen, Rashi commenting on the Gemoro in Nozir 45a says in part:

והכי משמע אימתי ובא לפני ה' דהיינו במחנה לוייה בזמן שהוא ראוי לבא אל
אהל מועד דהביא כפרתו הא אם לא הביא כפרתו לא וא"ת והא מצורעין נכנסין
בשערי ניקנור ששם מזין על הבהמות הא לא קשיא דביאה במקצת לאו שמה ביאה:
And here it means when can he come “before Hashem” that is in the
Levite camp, when he is fit to go into the Tent of Meeting because he
has brought his atonement offering. If he has not  brought his
atonement offering, he cannot enter. And if you will say, but don't
metzoroim enter through Nikanor Gate which is where they sprinkle on
the animals, that's not a question because partial entry is not
considered full entry.

I do not know what is meant by “ מזין על הבהמות"  “they sprinkle on the animals”. It seems to me that it should say “ מזין על הבהונות" (sprinkle on the thumb and big toe) and הבהמות is a misprint.
Am I right or can the existing text be explained?


texts: Woman's hair covering in the home or in private

texts:
Trying to sort out my question, I came across this one, which is closely related, but it is not an exact duplicate.

According to those who say a woman must cover her hair, not just her head (those who hold Se'ar Ishah 'Ervah is Dath Moshe, in other words, MiDeOraitha the exposed hair of a married woman is considered nudity - this is very distinct from those who hold it is "proper" for a woman to cover her head to show she is married and the like), does this requirement hold in the home when other people are around, does it hold in the home when the window blinds are raised, and does it hold outside the home in a secluded, private place where no people are around?

In other words, is it treated as true 'Ervah, in which case so long as she can be sure that nobody can see, she can uncover her hair, but if someone could see, even in her own private home, she must not uncover her hair?


texts: Why is the Paroches inside the Aron Kodesh in Ponevezh Yeshiva

texts:
This is a picture of the Aron Kodesh in Ponevezh.

I have heard from a former Talmid of Ponevezh that the Paroches is inside the Aron. Does anyone have a source/reason for why the minhag in Ponevezh is to have the Paroches inside?

Please cite your sources.
Inspired by this question


texts: How do Rabbonim know where graves are located?

texts:
There is an (or more than one) organization whose job is to ensure that Jewish graves aren't desecrated when construction companies do digs.

How do they know that there are graves there? Archeologists?

Moreover, how do they know that the cemetery is Jewish?


texts: There are many classic and modern haggadot. Any recommendations? If so, why? And if available online (such as at HebrewBooks), please provide a link.


texts: How does one make In-depth Torah Publications Understandable for People with Less Experience or Skill in Jewish Learning

texts:
I'm iy"H making some chiddushim I wrote into an attractive and user friendly booklet to give people in the Jewish community where I live a chance to learn in-depth Torah; especially for people who don't have the time, headspace, learning skills or previous exposure to do it themselves, despite the fact that many of these people easily have the innate intelligence to understand the concepts, should they be presented well.
Currently the booklet is in the form of English essays which give all the necessary topical background and try to tease out everything lucidly. But what else can help connect in-depth Torah to those who might find it hard to understand - so far thoughts have been to include a sidebar glossary on each page, and an accompanying booklet with the source texts (in Hebrew) for each piece. So I'm interested to know if anyone has thoughts on any other features or style aspects people could use to make in-depth Torah in publications more accessible and understandable to everyone on varying levels in Jewish learning


texts:
This is probably a bit pedantic and beside-the-point, but here goes: in Exodus 12 (I am reading the Jewish Publication Society translation), we have:

  12 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Later:

  29 And it came to pass at midnight, that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

I was wondering about what is meant to be considered "the firstborn" in this context, beyond possibly referring to male children - this detail is something I'm not sure of, since I have absolutely no idea where I picked it up. (My guess - from reading Wikipedia - is that this should be correct.) Moreover, from the second passage, this would suggest that this applies to the firstborn of each intra-family generation to me. However:

I'm merely making an educated guess here. Am I correct on the above points? It strikes me as slightly weird for, for instance, a firstborn elderly man to die, but this is something that I can "live" with.
Is there any indication (whether textual, or through some sort of tradition) if this applies to the firstborn of a father, or to that of a mother? Naturally in many cases, this shouldn't matter, but in others (e.g. remarriage of widowed individuals) it does.

These aren't really issues that affect the meaning of the text for me, from a "moral" angle, but I'm curious about whether or not some specifics are ever actually addressed.


texts: Would Harry Potter be killed as a sorcerer?

texts:
Before asking my question, I'd like to make it clear that this is being asked in all seriousness, and not as some form of satire or "Purim Torah". I think there is a precedent for asking halachic questions based on fictional works – as Dave pointed out elsewhere, R' Zevin has a classic article on the halachic judgement of the character Shylock from Shakespeare's The Merchent of Venice. That being said...

The wildly popular Harry Potter series of novels details the adventures of a group of magically gifted students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. These students, including the eponymous hero Harry Potter, must cultivate their magical abilities in order to defeat the evil wizard Voldemort. The magic that is used in the series is mainly of the wand-waving variety, but is quite diverse and described in great detail. For more information, see the Wikipedia article "Magic in Harry Potter".

The Torah states (Shmot 22:17) "מְכַשֵּׁפָה לֹא תְחַיֶּה" "Do not allow a sorceress to live." Rashi points out that this applies to males as well; the verse only used the feminine term "sorceress" because in reality they are more common than sorcerers. Hypothetically, would Harry Potter receive this punishment, assuming he had been warned and proper judicial procedure was followed? Why or why not?


texts:
I was having a discussion with someone about whether we have an actual obligation in the 7 Mitzvot Derabanan. The conclusion we came to was that we are obligated in them because in the past, the entire Jewish community accepted them as a Minhagim which then made it binding for us, even today.

Are there any problems with saying that the 7 Mitzvot Derabanan are Minhagim?


texts: PTIJ: Are superheroes obligated to pay for the damage they caused while fighting the bad guy?

texts:
We've all seen superhero movies where said the hero gets into huge fights with the villain and leaves a trail of wreckage along the way.
It also can be an ABSURD amount of damage caused. For example, the amount of damage caused in The Avengers (2012) was estimated to be $160 Billion!
So while it's great that the superhero is saving the town, can we obligate the superhero to pay for the damage he caused?

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


texts: Why does the Torah end before fulfilling the promise of entering the Promised land?

texts:
Most mundane facts are the most fascinating to question.
The Torah ends with Moses dying in the wilderness and the Israelites still camping on the other bank of the Jordan River. This plot sounds plausible except for one major intricacy - God does not fulfill his promise to bring his people to the coveted land, the pinnacle of the whole grand plan of Exodus was about. A naive reader is left puzzled - will God keep his promise or some unforeseeable conditions will jeopardize it (again).
But why, actually: the last lines cover the beginning of the post-Mosaic era anyway, Moses already knew the future, entering the Land was not a secret, and a nice closure would definitely contribute to the credibility of the book?


texts:
The Gemara in Succah 29a says that solar eclipses are bad omens for the nations, while lunar eclipses are bad omens for the Jews. The Gemara compares an eclipse to a king who leaves his guests sitting in the dark: not everyone can be left in the dark during an eclipse, as the eclipse cannot cover the entire Earth at once.

Does this apply to all eclipses? Perhaps a total eclipse is a worse sign than a partial, like a king turning off the lights versus dimming them?

What about the location? For instance, this August's solar eclipse crosses the continental US. Does that mean Americans should be worried, while Europeans are okay? In fact, it's impossible for the King to leave everyone in darkness if He abides by the laws of astrophysics: the moon has to be directly between the viewer and the sun, and the necessary angle changes based on where one stands.


texts: looking for resources on making a group siyum of talmud bavli

texts: I would like to organize a group siyum of talmud bavli (for a refuah shelema). Does anyone know of downloadable signup sheets, or the like, that I can use, that split up the talmud, say, 25 dapim at a time or whatever (for about 100 people)?


texts: A Jew is born in space. What time rules does he follow?

texts:
I know that the title sounds like a sequel to a TV show (Lost in space). But based on a statement in this article :

  The Rabbis therefore rule that a person should continue to follow the
  time from the place from which he departed. Based on this, it is
  possible that different people in a space station or on the moon who
  came from different places will be observing different times.

If a Jew was born in space (station), he has never "departed" from Earth. What times does he follow, or does he follow his Mom's minhag? Let's assume that Dad is still on Earth and Mom travelled to the space station while she was pregnant (If any of these factors would matter in answering the question?)


texts: After a טמא מת gets הזאות and is still טמא until טבילה והערב שמש, is this a new טומאה or the remains of the original טומאה?

texts:
Are the הזאות really מטהר him completely, only now is חל a completely new טומאה? Or is this טומאה that he still has the remainder of the old טומאה; the הזאות aren't מטהר him completely and leave over this remaining טומאה until טבילה והערב שמש.
I have some ראיות and נ"מ on this, was wondering if anyone had any more for me.
A possible nafka mina in this chakira is if someone who touches this person who was tamei mes and then had hazah done to him, is it considered tamei mes for the din of tumah hutra btzibur where the halacha is that only tamei mes is hutra btzibur (see gvuras ari Yuma 14a d”h lmaze umazin alav tahor vnogeah tamei). If the old tumah of tumas mes is still there, then we would say tumah hutra btzibur, but if it’s a new tumah, maybe not.
With this chakira perhaps we can also answer the question of the Chavatzeles Hasharon on Tosfos in chulin 11a (d”h מנא). Tosfos says that the chezkas tumah of the gavra is misnaged to the tahara of the mei chatas (and therefore says that the parah is a treifa). The Chavatzeles Hasharon asks, why is it misnaged to the hechsher of the mei chatas, the hazah isn’t metaher the gavra until tvila, so the chezkas tumah shouldn’t be soser that.
According to the tzad in our chakira that the hazah is metaher him legamri it’s possible that this kasha is answered, the tahara of the hazah is indeed misnaged to the tumah of the gavra.


texts: Does Judaism have a concept of "positive speech"?

texts:
Inspired by this question I am curious to know if Judaism has a concept of positive speech, i.e., turning a negative statement into a positive one.

The original example given above is, using a car with a flat tire as an example, to go from "the car has a flat tire" to "the tire is going to be fixed".

Is there a Jewish source for this?


texts: Is the prayer shawl talked about in kabbalah?

texts:
Does the kabblah talk about the Tallit?

And maybe give us a deeper meaning behind  wearing it?

Is there a sermon on this topic someone would recommend?
Or Book?

In english(not hebrew,since I can't speak hebrew or read hebrew)


texts: Source about a king like Haman if Israel doesn't repent

texts: I'm writing an article about the holocaust and I want to find a source that says if Israel does not repent, Hashem will raise up a king like Haman.


texts: What's the difference between chozeh (seer) and navi (prophet)?

texts:
Just curious.
I read about Nathan Hanavi and Gad Hachozeh here.
Are those the same job?


texts:
Avraham Avinu is often called "the first Jew".

When did he become Jewish. Was it when:

He recognized G-d?
G-d spoke to him for the first time?
Covenant Between The Parts?
When G-d changed his name?
When he had a circumcision?
When Yitzchok was born?
When he passed the 10th and final test?
Some other event in his life?

Or perhaps he was never Jewish and we just mean that he was the first in what would eventually become the Jewish nation.


texts: implicit intent of blessing for unintended items

texts: What are the main positions and/or halachic consensus regarding the applicability of the appropriate bracha rishona (other than "hamotzi") originally made on a food item / drink without conscious intent for other food items / drinks that require the same blessing, that are in the same house (though not necessarily the same room), and that he likely might eat / drink afterward, but that are not in front of him at the time he made the blessing?  For example, do authorities say, e.g., a "shehakol" over a bowl of soup at a dining room table, with only "stam daas" (no explicit intent) exempts even a subsequent drink  of water from a kitchen sink?  Does it make a difference if the eater himself goes to the adjacent room vs. a server brings it to the table - assuming we are avoiding the problems of outright hesech hadaath / shinui maqom (distraction / changing of place, that would terminate the effect of a blessing) e.g. by staying within eyeshot of the  place of blessing?


texts: Are computer-generated vocals permissible during Sefirah and the Three Weeks?

texts:
According to those traditions which prohibit music during the Three Weeks and parts of Sefirah, but permit a capella, would listening to computer-generated vocals be permissible during Sefirah? Is the custom to permit vocals, however that’s defined, and would include anything which sounds like vocals? Or is there something unique about actual vocals which wouldn't extend to computer-generated?

I'd assume that computer-generated vocals couldn't be any worse than a recording of human vocals, regarding which many are lenient, but perhaps there's a distinction between something which was at some point an actual human voice and something which was never a human voice (though I can't imagine why).

Yes, this question extends to any other such situation of an instrument which sounds like a human. I only ask in this type of situation because in my experience it’s the most common such example.


texts: Shem Cham and Yafes - were they triplets?

texts: I heard a Dvar Torah regarding the 3 sons of Noach, according to which it would indicate that they were triplets. Are there any commentaries that indicate that Shem Cham and Yafes were triplets?


texts: Source that learning something about parsha is siman for lishmah

texts: I once heard that if someone incidentally comes across something relating to the parshah during his regular learning, it is a sign that his learning is lishmah. Does anyone have a source for this?


texts:
Shalom.
I am uneasy about bringing this up, but you may remember the tragic case of James Bulger, a two year-old boy who was murdered by two ten year-olds in the U.K. in 1993 CE. May James rest in peace and may his family have peace.
How, I ask, would such a case have been handled under Jewish law? Would these ten year-olds have been put to death, exonerated, or something else? What is the punishment for capital crimes committed before bar-mitzvah age?
Many thanks, and apologies if I have not phrased this question sensitively enough. Please edit if necessary.


texts: What is the source for requiring constant supervision in a meat restaurant?

texts:
Looking to help out Prof. David Bernstein, in this comment.

I've heard that kashrut certification organizations require meat restaurants to have a mashgiach supervising operations at all times. What is the source for this requirement? (I find it unlikely that the early Halachic sources address the case of a restaurant under rabbinic supervision, as this is a fairly recent invention.)


texts: Has any commentary explained why the Torah reading for fast days doesn't begin at a parsha?

texts:
Every public Torah reading, except for two, begins at a parsha (the start of a new "paragraph" as written in a Torah scroll.)

The two exceptions are:

Vayechi which has a space of just one letter between the end of Vayigash and the start of Vayechi. Rash"i among others, explains why there is just one space rather than being a normal "parsha" space (possibly a setumah / closed parsha.)
The public Torah reading for public fast days (except Yom Kippur and 9 Av morning) begins at Shemot 32:11 with the word "Vayechal".

Is there any commentary or rabbi, etc. that explains why Vayechal begins in the middle of a parsha, and why it is the only reading that does so?


texts: If a baseball glove has definite shatnez, is one allowed to wear it to play baseball? Is it considered a beged and included in what the Torah meant by beged or "ya'aleh alecha"? Does the fact that the shatnez stuffing is meant to protect the hand from feeling the impact of the ball put it into a category of clothing? And even if not,what if the stuffing provides even a tiny bit more warmth than if it was not stuffed?


texts: Pirkei Avos- how does a sieve retain the fine flour?

texts:
Regarding the following mishna in Pirkei Avos:

  משנה אבות ה׳:ט״ו   ארבע מדות ביושבים לפני חכמים: ספוג , ומשפך, משמרת,
  ונפה.

  ספוג, שהוא סופג את הכל. משפך, שמכניס בזו ומוציא בזו. משמרת, שמוציאה את
  היין וקולטת את השמרים. ונפה, שמוציאה את הקמח וקולטת את הסלת.

  Pirkei Avot 5:15
  There are four types who sit before the sages: the
  sponge, the funnel, the strainer, and the sieve. The sponge - because
  it absorbs everything; the funnel - because it let's in at one end and
  out the other; the strainer - because it lets the wine out and retains
  the sediment; the sieve - because it lets out the bran and retains the
  fine flour.

How does a sieve retain the fine flour and let out the bran? Isn't it the other way around, that sieves have small holes and they let smaller things out, not bigger ones?


texts: References to resurrection and the afterlife in the Jewish Bible?

texts:
I am a Christian and have been studying what we call the Old Testament, and been surprised to have difficulty to find a reference to afterlife in the Jewish books of the Christian Canon. I know that canon constitutes only a portion of Jewish books but for example in the book of Kings, we read the kings to be "sleeping" with their fathers. Also psalms refer to restitution of the person in this world and not a promise for the future.

So can you please bring references (ideally from the Jewish Bible, alternatively other books of your faith) which refers to the resurrection of the dead and afterlife. Obviously there is Ezekiel and resurrection of the bones but I feel the context is different.


texts:
What was the law before a drasha (a law derived from the 13 middos) was made?
Were all the laws given at Sinai, and only their sources derived from the Torah by Chazal, or did Chazal learn new laws from the Torah using the system of the 13 middos, and before they made those drashos the law was, in fact, different?
I have been told that there is a dispute about this; I would like to know all sources from Chazal, Rishonim, and Acharonim which discuss this.


texts: When we are davening we are speaking to Hashem, Malchei Hamlachim. How is it appropriate to shuckel and/or swing ones hands? One is executed for motioning in front of the King.


texts: Cleaning before bedikas during clean days

texts:
Can a woman clean herself internally [a sufficiently long time, not immediately] prior to doing a bedika during the seven clean days?

This page seems to say on the one hand

  [...] you may not clean yourself in this fashion after the hefsek
  taharah, prior to performing the bedikot of the seven clean days. These bedikot are intended to confirm that you have remained clean
  after the hefsek taharah and moch dachuk.

but on the other hand

  Cleaning oneself internally is permitted during the clean days, but should not be done immediately prior to a bedikah.

Is the first quote is referring to doing it immediately, while the second to some time [a few hours?] before?


texts: Shabbat Belt - is 2 belts acceptable under the following circumstances

texts: A Chabad rabbi told me that even though I wear a normal belt, I can wear a secondary shabbos belt in the following way. I grab the back 2 tzitzit and bring them around and over the front 2 tzitzit and then use the secondary shabbos belt to hold them in place. I was under the impression the function of the shabbos belt had to perform what would be considered a normal everyday function. I don't normally wear my back tzitzit over my front and thats why I am confused as to why he said it was acceptable. Anyone have an opinion on such a ruling?


texts: Why did they need such an elaborate plan after Pilegesh Begiv'ah?

texts:
I've been thinking about this for a while, but this question reminded me.

After the incident of Pilegesh Begiv'ah, the tribe of Binyamin had been almost wiped out and was down to 600 men.  Everyone had sworn not to marry off their daughters to them, but now they regretted their oath because they didn't want the tribe to be permanently destroyed.  They came up with a way to get wives for them without violating the oath - first they destroyed Yaveish Gil'ad, who had disobeyed the community, and left 400 girls alive.  Then they asked the other 200 men to kidnap their wives from Shilo.

From the Shilo story, it appears that the oath only applied to the parents, not the girls.  So instead of the complicated plan, why didn't they just let their daughters marry whomever they wanted, without their parents' involvement?


texts:
From this question I learned that "many" people don't make Kiddush between 6-7pm.

Who does this? Is this primarily a Lubavitch Minhag? If so, among Lubavitchers, how prevalent is it?


texts: I’m a Cohen and I wanted to know if it’s required of me to ask a girl which I know that she had sexual relationships in the past if she had a relationship with a nine Jew and is the fact that most probably if she had it was with a condom makes a difference. Thank you.


texts:
Who knows two hundred twenty-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:
Genesis 3:1 a. Now THE serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made
  b. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You can't eat from any tree in the garden?'"

From the English translation above, my English understanding are :
1. the word "serpent" is not an animal kind which we know today ---> snake
2. the definite article "the" from "the serpent" is telling something which the reader/listener already know to "what/whom" is the writer referring to.
3. the "was" from "the serpent was" show that it's a definite singular.
4. The writer is not telling a science knowledge that there is ONE MALE serpent which is the most cunning of all the wild animals, even from within other serpents kind animal.
In other words, the writer didn't mean to tell that (as the writer know that his readers/listeners already know) there are Cobra, Python, Water snake, Rice field snake, etc. These kind of snakes are all cunning and can talk, but one male snake from (for example) the Cobra kind is the most cunning of all those snakes kind and other animal kind).

Since my English is limited, I'm not so sure if my understanding is correct or not. Anyway, since I don't know at all about Hebrew language, that's why I ask the question as in my title: How do Jews view the word "han·nā·ḥāš" in Genesis 3:1?


texts: Davar charif cut with meat knife -- why not ossur?

texts:
The SA in YD Siman 97 Sif 1 (the makor is a braisa in Pesachim Daf 30) says that one should not knead together a dough with milk, lest someone come to eat it together with meat. If one did knead them together, then one may not eat the bread, even by itself.

The question was asked: Why wasn't a similar gezerah (prohibition) made in regards to a "davar charif" (something spicy; see beginning of SA YD Siman 96) that is cut with a "meaty knife", which would make that davar charif ossur to eat together with milk? Why wasn't a gezera made that one shouldn't cut the davar charif with a "meaty knife", lest they come to eat it with milk, and that after the fact we would say the davar charif would be ossur to eat by itself?


texts: Is it permitted to make kiddush before Torah reading on Shabbat?

texts:
I know it's acceptable to have kiddush before Mussaf. Is it acceptable to have kiddush after the kaddish shalem of Shacharit but before the sefer Torah is taken out to be read?

(I believe I've heard the answer is "no" but I can't find a source right now.)

Thanks!


texts: Attending a relative's non-Jewish wedding in a non-Jewish place of worship?

texts: Could somebody attend his non-Jewish relatives' wedding ceremony if they are held, let's say, in a church or a Buddhist temple?


texts: To what קולות does "אדם חשוב שאני" apply (שבת נא ע״א)?

texts:
Bavli, Shabas 51 amud 1, in my own loose translation:

  R. Nachman said to his servant Daru: "Insulate some cold water for me, and bring me water that a non-Jewish cook has heated."

  R. Ami heard and got upset.

  R. Yosef asked why he had gotten upset. [After all, R. Nachman] had acted in accordance with his teachers: one [statement] like Rav and one like Sh'muel. Like Sh'muel, as R. Y'huda said Sh'muel had said one may insulate cold water; and like Rav, as R. Sh'muel b. R. Yitzchak said Rav had said anything eaten as-is, raw, has no issue of gentile's-cooking.

  [The answer is: R. Ami] holds an important person is different.

Rashi explains the last line:

  An important person is different: for someone who sees him being lenient will proceed to be even more lenient.

To what leniencies or types of leniencies does this latter concern apply? Just as one example, one is allowed to set up a site outside his city on Shabas to serve as his "base" for Shabas (eruv t'chumin). Would R. Ami say an important person cannot? But that's just an example: I seek to know what R. Ami's statement's parameters are in general.


texts: Source for shuls flying in yemos hamoshiach?

texts: My son mentioned to me that he learned in school that when Moshiach comes all the shuls (and schools?) will miraculously fly to Eretz Yisroel. What is the source of this idea?


texts: PTIJ: Why do we shake four heretics on Sukkot?

texts:
On Sukkot, we shake the Arba Minim. But
ארבע = four
מינים = heretics
Why do we shake four heretics on Sukkot? And furthermore, what heretics are you supposed to shake? Sadducees and Cuthites? This has really been on my mind recently.
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: Hol Hamo'ed Pesach Torah reading procedure

texts:
On weekdays of Hol Hamo'ed Pesach we take out 2 Sifrei Torah.

After the 3rd aliyah, the 2nd Torah is placed next to the 1st and hagbah is done on the 1st. We then read from the 2nd.

Q - Before saying Half Kaddish, does the 1st Torah need to be returned to the table to say Kaddish on both of them?

Note: This coming Shabbat (Vayikra/Rosh Chodesh/Hachodesh) with 3 Sifrei Torah has a similar situation. Perhaps, the fact that there is a maftir, and Kaddish separates the 7th aliyah from maftir, maybe there are different rules than Hol Hamo'ed which doesn't have maftir?


texts:
Does anyone know where I can find an authoritative Yekkish siddur? I found a siddur Sefas Yisroel on open siddur, but I am unsure it's accurate — meaning one that accurately reflects the nusach of the Western Ashkenazi Mesorah as was practiced in Frankfurt and other German cities. I would also like a physical siddur.

Any tips?


texts: One who says maariv at shul surely says maariv before the seder.  If one davens at home, must maariv be said before the seder? (This question came up in a comment to Why is counting the omer not in all haggadot?.)


texts:
Wikipedia defines "clickbait" as follows:

  Clickbait is a pejorative term describing web content that is aimed at generating online advertising revenue, especially at the expense of quality or accuracy, relying on sensationalist headlines to attract click-throughs and to encourage forwarding of the material over online social networks. Clickbait headlines typically aim to exploit the "curiosity gap", providing just enough information to make the reader curious, but not enough to satisfy their curiosity without clicking through to the linked content.

Is it permissible to use this sort of technique in ads, social media posts, etc., to drive traffic to one's content?

I expect that the main issue would be, to the degree that it's present, tricking people through false representation of what's on the other side of the link. If that's the case, are there guidelines about how to determine what's too dishonest that could apply here?


texts: Backlash from ownership of all the land/people?

texts: The simple reading of the Torah text implies that, through Joseph's leadership, in exchange for the grain, Egypt/Pharoah came to own all the land all over the world and the people were indentured to him (except the Jews). Therefore, was our eventual enslavement somehow connected as a backlash to this situation? During the 7 years of famine, Bnei Israel were free when the rest of the population was indentured.  Then the situation flipped when a new Pharaoh came to power. We became enslaved and the Egyptians were free. I'm not exactly sure what my question is, I'm just bothered by the implication that indirectly through Joseph's leadership in saving the world from hunger, Egyptians lost their land and their freedom. Might this have sown resentment toward Bnei Israel, laying the seeds of our eventual slavery in Egypt?


texts:
There is a controversial analogy attributed to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in which the Shoah is looked upon as a surgical procedure, with God being likened to a surgeon who removes a limb in the best interests of his patient. I refer to it as "controversial" only because it has inspired argument and debate, and not as a value judgment. I would like to see it, however, in print.

My research into this question has so far yielded the following results:

The initial publication, either by the Rebbe or quoting the Rebbe, was in an issue of Mada' veEmunah (Kfar Chabad: Makhon Lubavitch, 1980).
MK Haika Grossman (who took part in the Białystok Ghetto Uprising of 1943) was offended by the Rebbe's analogy and published a response on August 22nd the same year in a left-wing paper called Al haMishmar.
The Rebbe saw Mrs Grossman's response to him and replied, both defending his analogy and attempting to explain it, on August 28th (16th Elul). His response has been published in Liqqutei Sikhot XXI (פרשת יתרו - הוספות), pp397-400.

My sources for the foregoing include a very strongly-worded article by Prof. Yehuda Bauer (here), Prof. Bauer's subsequent article in Haaretz (translated here), and two responses to that article: one by R' Eliezer Shemtov (translated here) and the other published at chabad.info.

Let me be very clear what I am asking for and what I am not asking for.

I want to see the original article, which was published in Mada' veEmunah, to which Mrs Grossman responded in August of that year and to which the Rebbe subsequently made reference one week later.

I am not asking for people's opinions on the validity or the cogency of this analogy, on the Lubavitcher Rebbe or on Prof. Yehuda Bauer.


texts:
Parashat Toldot starts with the words

ואלה תולדת יצחק בן אברהם; אברהם הוליד את יצחק
These are the generations of Yitzhak the son of Avraham; Avraham gave birth to Yitzhak.

Normally when the Torah says eileh toldot XYZ it then proceeds to give a list the descendants of XYZ. In this case, though, the Torah does something completely different. First it mentions Yitzhak's father, and then it switches back to story-telling mode to tell about the births of Yitzhak's sons instead of giving a long list of descendants.
Why does the Torah stray from it's normal MO of listing a long chain of descendants?


texts:
Are there rabbinical sources on what qualifies someone as a choleh she'yesh bo sakanah - a sick person whose life is in danger?

Is it strictly a medical decision?  Are there circumstances in which our tradition may consider someone sakanah where the medical community doesn't?  Does extreme youth factor into it so that someone's drawn a line (e.g., sick children under one year old are always she'yesh bahem sakanah)?


texts: Is there a way to find out where a Pidyon Peter Chamor will be performed?

texts:
I am planning on being in Israel later this summer, IY"H. I'd like to do a few "unusual" things (call it my "mitzvah bucket list") that I may not do otherwise.

I've never been to a pidyon peter chamor (redemption of a first born donkey.) Is there some way that I can find out who. when and where this may be done in Israel? Does anyone publish this online or in an Israeli newspaper or similar?


texts: I got fired, is there a mitzvah I should do?

texts: I got fired from my job. The reason given was it was not working out. Besides seeking out a new job, is there anything I should do from a mitzvot standpoint?


texts: Why do we say "Mah Tovu" in the morning only?

texts:
Many say the paragraph “Mah Tovu” when entering the synagogue in the morning. See, for example, here  and here.

  מַה טּבוּ אהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקב מִשְׁכְּנתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל.  וַאֲנִי בְּרב
  חַסְדְּךָ אָבא בֵיתֶךָ  אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אֶל הֵיכַל קָדְשְׁךָ
  בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ.  ה' אָהַבְתִּי מְעון בֵּיתֶךָ וּמְקום מִשְׁכַּן
  כְּבודֶךָ.  וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְאֶכְרָעָה אֶבְרְכָה לִפְנֵי ה'
  עשִׂי.  וַאֲנִי תְפִלָתִי לְךָ ה' עֵת רָצון  אֱלהִים בְּרָב חַסְדֶּךָ
  עֲנֵנִי בֶּאֱמֶת יִשְׁעֶךָ.

  How great are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! As
  for me, through Your abundant grace, I enter your house to worship
  with awe in Your sacred place. O Lord, I love the House where you
  dwell, and the place where your glory tabernacles. I shall prostrate
  myself and bow; I shall kneel before the Lord my Maker. To You,
  Eternal One, goes my prayer: may this be a time of your favor. In Your
  abundant love, O God, answer me with the Truth of Your salvation.

The words do not seem to specify prayer just in the morning. They seem appropriate for mincha and maariv too. Why then are they not suggested for every time one enters a synagogue (or a different synagogue to the one where I prayed in the morning?)


texts:
A popular yiddishe song incorporates the following refrain:
"Domo Rigato, Mister Roboto!"
Now, the correct pronunciation of the second word is actually "arigato." This means the famous refrain translates as follows:
"His likeness is as his weaving, Mister Roboto."
What aspect of his likeness is being compared to woven cloth, and how does this affect our treatment of the aforementioned Rav Roboto?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts:
I'm looking for the right daf yomi shiur that I can download online. I know there's a lot to choose from, so hopefully my criteria are specific enough to lead you in the right direction. I'm looking for something where:

The objective is for each listener to do chazara from the knowledge shared in the shiur. An emphasis on what uncommon words mean and a clear, very phsat explanation of the shakle v'taria. I'm not looking for a Rabbi who gives explanations "outside" of the text, or is discussion heavy.
No commentaries. The purpose is to cover ground. The pshat given should be in light of what the commentaries say, but I don't want the machlokes between Rashi and Tosefos to be explained - just give me the one that makes the most sense, or just give me either.
about an hour long, covers a whole daf

Just for context, I'm deeply engaged with Rabbi Pogrow's bekius mishna shiur - it's a perfect example of these requirements! I tried his gemara shiur and found it too slow and a little more in depth than I want. I have a background in gemara learning, so I'm not looking for a shiur that teaches you skills to learn or keywords.

Thank you!


texts: Prayer beads are commonly found in various religions as a tool for meditation and prayer.  Did Judaism ever have any religious use of prayer beads, perhaps among the Jewish Sages?  Or would this be considered halachically forbidden as a form of idolatry?


texts: Is it right for the Baal Koreh to greet the oleh before the reading

texts:
Why I am asking: I was called up to read from the Torah. The Baal Koreh when I came there, said “Good Morning”. It felt wrong to answer him, just before opening the sefer to make the brocho.

The question: What do the sources say about whether it is allowed for the baal koreh to greet a person having the aliyah with a 'Good Morning' before the oleh makes his brocho and is it allowed for the oleh to respond?

My Question is not dependent on whether the oleh is wearing tefillin, see this question.


texts: Where is the Chasam Sofer cited as saying that if one "chances upon" connections across various sugyas he is learning, it is a sign of special siyata dshmaya?


texts: How can we strengthen belief in the coming of Moshiach and the end of our exile?

texts:
We believe that Moshiach will come and our exile will end soon.

How can we strengthen this belief?

Answers supported by sources are preferred.


texts: Source for Rav Simcha of P'shischa insight

texts:
Many articles quote a beautiful insight from Rav Simcha Bunim of P'shischa on the posuk (Bereishis 37:14)

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֶךְ־נָא רְאֵה אֶת־שְׁלוֹם אַחֶיךָ וְאֶת־שְׁלוֹם הַצֹּאן
וַהֲשִׁבֵנִי דָּבָר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵהוּ מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרוֹן וַיָּבֹא
שְׁכֶמָה׃ - And he said to him, “Go and see how your brothers are and
how the flocks are faring, and bring me back word.” So he sent him
from the valley of Hebron, and he reached Shechem.

saying that Yaakov sent Yosef to look for his brothers’ “wholesome" qualities in order for them to have peace with one another. Where can the source of this original insight found? (Honestly, where are any of Rav Simcha Bunim's insights found other than others quoting him?)


texts: Did the prophets deal with another divine being?

texts:
Hosea 1:7

וְאֶת־בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ אֲרַחֵ֔ם וְהֽוֹשַׁעְתִּ֖ים בַּיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹ֣א אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֗ם בְּקֶ֤שֶׁת וּבְחֶ֙רֶב֙ וּבְמִלְחָמָ֔ה בְּסוּסִ֖ים וּבְפָרָשִֽׁים׃

But I will accept the House of Judah. And I will give them victory through the LORD their God; I will not give them victory with bow and sword and battle, by horses and riders.”

Genesis 19:24

וַֽיהוָ֗ה הִמְטִ֧יר עַל־סְדֹ֛ם וְעַל־עֲמֹרָ֖ה גָּפְרִ֣ית וָאֵ֑שׁ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

the LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from the LORD out of heaven.

Genesis 35:1

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֔ב ק֛וּם עֲלֵ֥ה בֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וְשֶׁב־שָׁ֑ם וַעֲשֵׂה־שָׁ֣ם מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לָאֵל֙ הַנִּרְאֶ֣ה אֵלֶ֔יךָ בְּבָרְחֲךָ֔ מִפְּנֵ֖י עֵשָׂ֥ו אָחִֽיךָ׃

God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and remain there; and build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.”

Christians use these verses to proof that Tanach recognizes another divine distinct being "they claim it is Jesus".
I'm confused, how to understand those verses?


texts: Although Rashi follows Chazal in identifying the angel which wrestled with Yaakov as the Sar (archangel) Shel Esav, the Yalkut Shimoni (132), Zohar Bo (51b), and the Pirkei D'Rav Elazar all identify the angel as Michoel or Gavriel. Why would he wrestle with Michoel or Gavriel!?


texts: Difference between the spoils in Yericho and Ai

texts:
Why by the plunder of Yericho (Yehoshua chapter 6) the Jews were forbidden to take anything, but by Ai they were commanded to take the spoils (Yehoshua 8:6)?

Any insight would be appreciated.


texts:
Who knows one hundred sixty-nine?
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: Is it better to answer kaddish or use that time to catch up?

texts:
You've fallen behind because you can't keep up with congregation's prayer speed and the chazzan begins to say kaddish. Which option is preferable?

A. Pause your own prayer, answer kaddish completely, and fall further behind.

B. Don't answer Amen and continue your own prayer in the hopes of catching up to the congregation by the end of the kaddish.

C. Continue your own prayer and simultaneously answer Amen to the kaddish in between words of your own prayer.


texts: Being that the Medrash Rabba (Vayikra 11:7) explains every mention of the word "v'haya" refers to simcha, how can we understand Bereshis (12:12) where the pasuk begins with v'haya yet continues with a discussion of the dangerous fate of Avraham and Sara entering Mitzrayim?


texts:
Are there any rabbinical opinions that understand Avodah Zara to be more as it translates(foreign service), rather than just "idol worship".
i.e. Does Avodah Zara really just refer to idolatry, or does it actually refer to foreign service regardless of whether that foreign service is idolatrous?
I understand that rabbis seem to view Avoda Zara as meaning idolatry. And for example some consider islam to be idol worship https://www.jerusalem-herald.com/single-post/2017/12/13/Is-Islam-Idolatry  and some consider it to not be, particularly post RAMBAM.
But let's suppose we accept that islam is not idol worship, as the RAMBAM said.
Isn't it still foreign service.
The service is foreign. e.g. pilgrimage to saudi arabia to visit the black stone. (even if we accept that it's not idolatry)
Similarly with Sikhism.
These are services to God that are extremely foreign.. I'm wondering if any rabbinical opinions view avodah zara that way?


texts:
One of the letters of the hebrew alphabet is the letter 'צ'.
When I was taught the hebrew alphabet, this letter was introduced as 'צד"י'. I believe this to be the generally accepted name of the letter, and the way it is referred to in the Gemara (Shabbos 103b).
I have seen and heard reference to this letter as 'צדיק'. Is this an accurate variation, and where did it originate?
Edit: According to wikipedia, 'צדיק' is the Yiddish name of the letter. Is there any source for this? And do any other letters have a Yiddish alternative?


texts: Why is "any promise I will promise" where it is in N'darim chapter 3?

texts: The start of the third chapter of N'darim lists four categories of promise that are always null and void: promises meant to urge, promises of exaggeration, promises with an accident, and promises of force. The text following that list provides details of each category. But between the details of the first category and the details of the second, there's what appears to be a completely separate point: that someone can stipulate nullity for his future promises. What is that doing right in the middle of the list of types of promise that always null and void?


texts: Eruv around towns for the purpose of carrying

texts:
I was learning the first few chapters of Eyruvin, and I wondering which of the mishnas are the source (or inspiration more likely) for the idea of a string around an area that allows one to  carry inside that area.

I would have thought that case of the caravan where they create a "wall" of three strings (1:10) would be the most analogous case, with the issue that as mentioned in the footnotes (it mentioned Eruvin 17b, but don't see where, but I see where it is in the Rambam Hilchot Shabbat 16:12 if I am reading it right) that one cannot enclose an area that has an empty area of size beit satyam (5000 sq amot).

It would seem to me that parks, and many other places probably (parking lots?) would fall under this category.

So in essence I have three questions:

Is Eruvin 1:10 the source/inspiration for the eruv around towns that exist today?
If so and if the issue of the beit satyam of "utensil-less space" is in the gemara, then how is this issue dealt with?
If the issue is not brought up in the Gemara, then where does the Rambam get this idea?


texts:
Yaakov spends 20 years in the house of Lavan, after which he starts heading home.  He sends messengers ahead to check on his brother Eisav (Bereishis 32:4).  The messengers return and inform Yaakov that Eisav is approaching with an army of sorts (Bereishis 32:7).

After 20+ years, why was Eisav just now coming, at exactly the moment when Yaakov was leaving?  Did Eisav depart towards Yaakov as a result of the messengers that Yaakov sent to him?


texts: Would you make a Shehechiyanu when you lease a new car?

texts: When you purchase a new car you would make a Shehechiyanu. Would you also make a Shehechiyanu if you leased a new car?


texts: Sefer Torah Lishma **not** from the Ben Ish Hai?

texts:
Yabia Omer vol. 9 Orah Haim sim. 96:

  גם ראיתי בקובץ "משנת חכמים", (תשרי תש"ס), במאמר מאת הרה"ג עזריאל מנצור (עמוד לה) שכתב, ששאל על זה מאת הרה"ג יעקב מוצפי זצ"ל, ואמר לו, שספר "תורה לשמה" אינו לרבי יוסף חיים.

HaRav Yaakov Muztafi זצ"ל was quoted saying that Sefer "Torah Lishma" is not from the Ben Ish Hai! I am misunderstanding this? Can someone please explain what exactly is going on? This book is known to be from the BI"H.


texts: Can a man say a brachah with just boxer shorts on, or does he need to be fully dressed, for example with a "double covering" like pants, and/or wearing a shirt, when I wake up and want to wash netilat yadayim? (Assume he is wearing a Kippah.)


texts: Why was King Shaul commanded to kill all the animals of Amalek?

texts: In the Haftorah for parshas Zochor we read that Hashem commanded King Shaul not only to destroy all the Amalekites, but also all their animals. Why was there a need to destroy also the animals?


texts: What are the sources for women to wear/ not wear pants?

texts:
I have heard that the argument is beged ish / kli gever, and I have heard people say that even if that was once a real reason for it it doesn't apply today for various reasons.

I understand that the social expectation/norm in many communities today is that woman refrain from wearing pants in public, but in Israel for instance, one can find many women who take halacha very seriously in all areas including tzniut (sleeves, hair covering, knees, neckline, ...) but wear pants.

I would like to know what the halacha actually is and have been having a hard time finding reading material and answers on the matter.


texts: If one attends a Siyum virtually, whether by phone, Skype, or some other means of mass communication, can one partake of the Se'udath Mitzvah (relevant to allow eating meat during the 9 Days for Ashkenazim and to exempt a first-born from fasting on 'Erev Pesah)?


texts: Why does the Talmud record the Rabbis' thoughts and theories about the science of natural phenomenon?

texts: There are various areas in the Gemara where there is discussion about natural events, often appearing like a tangential discussion. Some examples are in Bechoros 7-8 or Pesachim 94. I understand that many halachic or historical topics are arranged in this tangential manner, but what is the reason for including hypotheses about science? If someone thought thunder is caused by lightning breaking apart balls of hail and another thought shooting stars were rips in the firmament that let the light from behind it through or another argued that the Greeks were wrong about the duration of a viper's gestation or another suggested the sun travels West to East behind the firmament at night, why include their suggestions on such subjects? (Note that I'm not asking about areas where there is actual halachic implications to the topics as with discussing if Tamei fish lay eggs or what time of day a chicken can lay an egg.) It appears that including such discussion risks opening it up for criticism about the Rabbis' knowledge, so there should be some positive purpose for including it.


texts: Will the day of the final salvation be celebrated every year in the days of the Moshiach?

texts:
Following "what-berachos-should-be-made-when-moshiach-comes", I wondered, for all the great events that G-d did to us we set (in the Torah or Rabbinically) a yearly festive - celebrating the date - Pesach, Purim Chanukkah.

We hold that all those festivals will be canceled in the days of the Moshiach (besides Purim, not clear when and how). So when the Moshiach comes and fights and wins and gathers all the Jews and builds the Temple B"H, will that day (some day, any day) be set as a yearly celebration from that point on or we will have no memory of that day and the great final salvation to celebrate?


texts: List of halakhos that are only relevant in the era of Moshiach

texts: In Zevachim 45a (s.v. הלכתא למשיחא), Tosfos provides a list of instances in Shas where the gemara rules in favour of a particular halakhic position that will only be practically relevant in the era of Moshiach. Adding the passage to which this Tosfos is responding (on Zevachim 44b-45a), is this an exhaustive list? Are there places in gemara where we have a point of practical Moshiach-era law that is not mentioned in this Tosfos?


texts:
I was recently told:

When your phone is dead, disguise yourself and visit a witch.

So I started wondering- where can I find a witch? I looked around and nobody could help me. My phone is about to die- please help! I’m looking for a witch who practices somewhere around Israel.
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: During the Second Temple period, Torah scroll was considered to be a source of ritual impurity? Today this is not the case. When did this halakha change?


texts: Reconciling Nature with Continuous Creation

texts:
I have always understood that when God created the universe, he subjected it to a natural order and process under which the universe can function. The laws of nature are those that govern the universe, with the exception of the occasional supernatural intervention in times of necessity.

In view of this, how does one understand that which we say every morning "
המחדש בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית", which implies that God is continuously renewing the natural order instead of "leaving it" to its natural course?


texts: Prior to the Men of the Great Assembly (and after Moses, our teacher), could halacha be decided by prophecy?

texts:
I think that I remember hearing that during the times of the Men of the Great Assembly, it was decided that prophecy would no longer be used to determine halachic rulings, i.e that before then it was acceptable.

Does anyone have a source for that?

This link (without a source) says that " The Great Assembly included the last of the prophets. One couldn’t “feel for” the right answer as reliably, and halachic reasoning came to the fore."

Update: It seems like the Rambam spoke on this in Yesodei HaTorah 9:4, namely that a prophet cannot change the oral law or decide based upon his prophecy. It seems as though he is including the period before the Great Assembly. This link also discusses similar ideas. I'm leaving the question open in case someone can provide specific information.


texts: How do I build a cheap metal pole sukkah?

texts:
Trying to build a metal pole sukkah... I was wondering if anyone had experience building one from scratch using stuff from a local Lowes or Home Depot. I was going to use PVC piping but that sways and isn't so steady with winds we sometimes get.
I basically want to make a sukkah that looks like the ones from a kit but without spending hundreds of dollars.

I can get tarps for the walls, zip ties to attach the poles to the tarps... I just need to figure out how to get the poles and have them stick together.