texts:
Posting for another friend.

When does Lashon Hakodesh (throughout Tanach) use "ויחלם" (and he dreamed") by itself and when is "ויחלם חלום" ("and he dreamed a dream") used?
It seems that most of the time in Tanach, the double usage is found, and if so, why? (This is essentially part of the above question.)

Some examples of the first case:
 - Bereishis 28:12
 - Bereishis 41:5

Some examples of the second case:
 - Bereishis 40:5
 - Devarim 13:2
 - Shoftim 7:13
 - Daniel 2:1


texts: What should a Jew do at a funeral with an open casket?

texts: If a Jew is invited to a non-Jewish funeral at which there will be an open coffin with a body inside, should a Jew not attend the funeral? Should he avoid looking at the corpse inside the coffin? (all assuming the deceased is not Jewish)


texts: Are all hiriqs the same or is there a distinction if a yud or other silent letter follows?

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For example, what would be the difference in pronunciation of the hiriq in these two words: נִקּוּד and תִּינוֹק?

What about רִאשׁוֹן? Is it "Rishon" similar to "pit" or "Reeshon" similar to "pizza"?

Preferably I would like to receive answers for both ashkenazi and sefardi pronunciations which would aid in the recitation of the daily prayers.


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I am trying to make sense of Eliezer's beginnings / yichus. When I started writing this, a related question popped up here but perhaps we can develop it.
On the one hand we are told in Bereishis Rabbah 60:7:

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן רַבִּי דוֹסָא כְּנַעַן הוּא אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁשֵּׁרַת אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק בֶּאֱמוּנָה יָצָא מִכְּלַל אָרוּר לִכְלַל בָּרוּךְ.
Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Dosa said that Canaan (the son of Cham) was Eliezer and through serving the righteous man (Avraham) with faith, he went from being cursed to being blessed.

On the other hand, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 16 says quite clearly that upon Avraham surviving being thrown into the furnace Nimrod gifted his own son, Eliezer to Avraham as a servant.
Thirdly, the Yalkut Shimoni 765 says expressly that Og (the giant) is Eliezer.
So the question is - is there a way to reconcile these differing views. Does anywhere provide a chronology of events that helps to frame his development.
There is the beginnings of a possible mehalach which I will suggest now but there are several potential flaws for it to work completely thus making me more confused.
The Targum Yonasan, Bereishis 14:13 notes:

And Og came, who had been spared from the giants that died in the deluge, and had ridden protected upon the top of the ark, and sustained with food by Noah; not being spared through high righteousness, but that the inhabitants of the world might see the power of the Lord, and say, Were there not giants who in the first times rebelled against the Lord of the world, and perished from the earth? But when these kings made war, behold, Og, who was with them, said in his heart, I will go and show Abram concerning Lot, who is led captive, that he may come and deliver him from the hands of the kings into whose hands he has been delivered. And he arose and came, upon the eve of the day of the Pascha, and found him making the unleavened cakes. Then showed he to Abram the Hebrew, who dwelt in the valleys of Mamre Amoraah, brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner, who were men of covenant with Abram.

So stage 1: Og, aka the grandson of Noach (i.e. Canaan), survives the flood and meets Avraham. The flaw with this though, is firstly, do we know if Cham had a child when the mabul started, and if so, wouldn't he have made it on to the teiva. Now admittedly, one could argue that if his child happened to be a giant(!) that would make sense why Noach let him hitch a ride on the Ark and gave him food, but this would mean that he grew up away from Nimrod, so did Nimrod adopt him later? And how do we rectify this interaction with Avraham, the implication is that they haven't met yet which clashes with the Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer which says that Nimrod gave him over to Avraham. Did they have dealings before he was given over into Avraham's service.
Meanwhile in the following Targum Yonasan 14:14 it says:

And when Abram heard that his brother was made captive, he armed his young men who were trained for war, grown up in his house; but they willed not to go with him. And he chose from them Eliezer the son of Nimrod, who was equal in strength to all the three hundred and eighteen; and he pursued unto Dan.

So here, he is clearly identified as the son of Nimrod, and if we say he is equal in strength to so many people that would make sense as he was a giant, but again the implication is that he was not in Avraham's service yet.
So in short, are we to conclude that he started as grandson of Noach, grabbed a ride on the Ark and was fed by Noach, some how ended up with a relationship of sorts with Nimrod that warranted the classification of 'father' and was then given over into Avraham's service although had had several interactions prior?
Any sources that help make sense of this would be very much appreciated!


texts: How did 'House of Israel' come to refer to Judah & Jews, not only the former northern kingdom?

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At some point the phrase 'House of Israel' came to refer to all Jews, but much earlier it referred only to the northern kingdom of Israel, and not Judah.  How long after the fall of Israel (c.722 BCE) did people of the southern kingdom of Judah come to understand the phrase as referring to themselves, and how?

Reviewing the occurrences of the phrase 'House of Israel' suggests to me that the early northern prophets, Amos and Hosea, used the phrase in the old sense as we'd expect, meaning the northern kingdom, same as it did in the early Deuteronomistic history.  Even a century after Israel's fall Jeremiah very often still used it parallel to 'House of Judah', so still distinct (Micah and Zechariah also only used it as a parallel to Jacob or Judah).  But it seems Ezekiel (c.580) -- and only Ezekiel -- used the phrase (a lot!) when he clearly meant Judah.

Was it a consequence of the consolidation of the religion in Exile that Judahites took on the 'House of Israel' mantle for themselves?  And at what point was Ezekiel's apparent comfort with the phrase assumed by Jews more generally?


texts: Structure and relevance of Sefer Yeshaya

texts: Was Yeshaya included in Tenach as all of it is relevant for all time?  If so, what is the relevance of chapter 13-22 for example. Is there any evidence that his prophecies to the other nations actually reached them?


texts: Is there a minimum amount of urine that is considered "Going to the bathroom" for the purpose of making a blessing?

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After eating food or drinking beverage, we say a blessing; however, this is only the case if some minimum amount of food or beverage has been consumed.

Likewise, after going to the bathroom, we say a blessing. Is this blessing also dependent on the quantity of the waste released?


texts: How Many vav Hahipuchs in each of the 24 books of Tenach

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How Many vav Hahipuchs (Conversive vav) are in each of the 24 books of Tenach compared with the number of letters / verses in that book.  As far as I know they are only in Tenach rather than Mishna or any subsequent work.
It would be interesting to see if the number of conversive vavs declines as prophecy declined in the 2nd Temple period.
I'd like to compare the ratio of conversive vavs in each book with the number of letters and verses in that book.


texts: According to traditional Jewish thought, who authored the twenty-four books of the Tanach?


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At Har Sinai the Jews became converts, for we learn Hilchos Geirus from Kabalas Hatorah as the Gemara in Krisos 9a says that all the male Jews who exited Egypt circumcised themselves at Mount Sinai as part of their conversion process. Being that the Jews re-accepted the Torah in Shushan-Kimu Mah Shekiblu Kvar, seemingly we can learn something about conversion in the Megillah.
The Gemara Kiddushin 70b  says קשים גרים לישראל כספחת- Converts are difficult to the Jewish people like vinegar.
Rashi explains this: שאינם זהירים במצות והרגילים אצלם נמשכים אצלם ולומדים מן מעשיהם
Rashi understood the statement as a critique of Converts, "for they are not zealous in their Mitzvah Observance, and other Jews are attracted to them and learn from their ways"
However, famously Tosfos 70b-71a quotes Rav Avraham the Convert who interprets the Gemara differently:
That on the contrary! Because converts are so learned and zealous in their mitzvah observance, they are detrimental to the Jewish people for G-d is reminded of the iniquities of the Jewish People when they do not do his will.
Presumably, in direct contrast to Rav Avraham the Convert quoted in Tosfos, Rashi assumes their lack of 'zehirus' in mitzvah observance comes from a lack of background and knowledge.
Are there any sources to support Rashi's interpretation?

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


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Inspired by this answer about being Mi Yodeya cookies being ראוי לאכילת כלב, which got me wondering:
Does the concept of something being Chametz on Pesach depend on just whether or not Kalev wold eat it, or would any of the Meraglim have the same din?  I'm not sure about this because Kalev and Yehoshua were the good spies, so maybe it's just Yehoshua too? Please enlighten me.

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


texts: Can grape juice be used for kiddush levana?

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I understand that ideally red wine should generally be used for kiddush. On Pesach, I have heard that one should go to great lengths to drink wine (rather than grape juice) for the four cups at the seder. On the other hand, many families use grape juice lechatchila for regular shabbos kiddush throughout the year.
Of course, for kiddush levana we obviously prefer white wine. But what about grape juice? Is it permitted to use white grape juice for kiddush levana? Could we possibly even be yotzei with red grape juice?

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


texts: Is the commandment 'You shall not murder' the most important commandment in Judaism?

texts: Does the rule  'You shall not murder'  stand above all other rules in Judaism?


texts: Can a non Jew pray at the temple mount western wall?

texts: Can a non-Jew pray and take part at temple mount western wall prayers in Jerusalem?


texts:
Related to this discussion on semicha (issur v'heter), what is the syllabus usually used for Dayanut? This used to be available on the Montefiore yeshiva website, but I can't find it any longer.

Any particular review books, as per discussion on semikha?


texts: Comprehensive treatments of the prohibition of bribery

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I would like to educate myself about the nature and scope of the Biblical prohibition of "bribery" ("Shochad") and any associated Rabbinic prohibitions, as well as any derived ethical principles. I am interested in the basic application to judges as well as any applications (if they exist) that extend beyond the one to judges.

Are there any books that provide a comprehensive treatment of this prohibition and associated ethical principles?

Alternatively, what collection of sources should one study to get an overview of all the types of situations in which this prohibition and any derived ethical principles apply?


texts: One of the most famous examples I have heard is that one should not even tie one's shoes like the non-Jews do in times of persecution. That seems rather excessive. What if the Jews started doing some custom, and it gets co-opted by the non-Jews. Can we still do it? If not, that could wipe out a lot of Passover seder traditions, since a large fraction of Christian (in particular Catholic) ritual is based on the last supper, which of course was a seder.


texts: How should a modern non-Jew interpret commandments in the Torah that they perceive to command individual violence?

texts: If a non-Jew is interested in Judaism, how should they approach commands in the Torah like Exodus 21:17, Exodus 31:14, Leviticus 20:13? Should these passages be seen not just as command not to do the prohibited things but also a command to carry out the punishment of death? After all, these commands are not "do not do this" but "if a person does this, he must be put to death." How can a non-Jew who is considering conversion justify committing themselves to a law that they consider themselves breaking if they don't, for example, stone an adulterer and adulteress?


texts: What is the meaning of the phrase לצאת ולבוא?

texts: What is the meaning of the oft-repeated phrase לצאת ולבוא as in Deuteronomy 31:2 ?  I realize it means "to conduct business" or "to lead", but I was hoping for more of a deep dive (does it come from a shepherding metaphor?)


texts: Why are the names of the Hebrew calendar months named after the Babylonian deities?

texts: Why are the names of the Hebrew calendar months named after the BABYLONIAN DEITIES. Why was it allowed for the Jews during the Babylonian exile to name the Hebrew calendar months after the Babylonian deities, when it clearly states in the Torah not to worship other G-ds besides Hashem.


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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts: I've heard that the acronym in a sefer usually appears in the sefer in its full form somewhere before the acronym does, and in many cases I find this, but sometimes I do not, and cannot figure out the acronym, and others fail to know also. How do you know what it means? Is there a dictionary or way to figure out from the text?


texts:
The root עבד is often used as a verb in context of doing work, of service (doing work for someone), worship (doing work for a god). The noun  (avodah) is used likewise. The related word עבד (eved) is often translated as slave and sometimes as (bond)servant.

I always thought the connection and similarity between al the contexts and translation of this root had to do with work (with fysical or outwards deeds) - regards the circumstances under which these were done. But then I looked at Bereshit 2:5 which talks about the fact that there was no adam 'to avod' the earth. And tought maybe it could be about a principle in which man had to serve the earth, like all work serves something or someone, and a slave and servant serve another human - regards the reason why they serve.

That made me wonder again about the root עבד and it's essence:
Could this be described into one word or a definition; which shows the similarity and connection between all different meanings (serve, worship, work etc...) without changing the different meanings on there own.


texts: Anyone know where I can find Rambam's commentary on Mishnah online?  I am especially looking for his commentary to Avos.


texts: Praying based on national merit - Early examples

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It seems to be a common theme in the prayer service that we ask for our needs basing our requests on the mercy of G-d, and, occasionally, on the merit of our forefathers.  Nonetheless, we find some examples where we seem to base our requests on the merit of our actions.  For example, in the Ashkenazi Shacharith Tachanun service of the second and fifth days of the week, we have the supplications:

וְחון אם הַמְיַחֲדִים שִׁמְךָ פַּעֲמַיִם בְּכָל יום תָּמִיד בְּאַהֲבָה וְאומְרִים שְׁמַע יִשרָאֵל. ה' אֱלהֵינוּ. ה' אֶחָד:
...and show favor on the nation that unifies Your name twice daily continuously with love saying: "Hear Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is one."

as well as:

וּבְכָל זאת שִׁמְךָ לא שָׁכָחְנוּ. נָא אַל תִּשְׁכָּחֵנוּ:
...and with all this we [still] have not forgotten Your name, please don't forget us.

Other than the seemingly personal request of David in Psalms 86:2, do we have other, preferably earlier examples of models of prayer seemingly formulated as dependent on the merit of our actions?
(Related: Should I pray to God based on my own merit? )


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Rambam in Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 7:9 speaking about idolatrous objects says that "everything it mingled with and its identity lost" is forbidden property.

Is Rambam saying that everything which an object of idolatry touches becomes contaminated and forbidden property, and must be cast into the Dead Sea?

I assume he means that since we do not know what the objects it is found with are used for, it is possible that they are all used for idolatry as well, and so we must cast them all off due to this suspicion?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Does a pot that cooked food with a bug in it need to be kashered afterward?

Fly lands on hot oily pan and duly dies. Kashrut implications? (Of the pan, not the fly :p )


texts: What is the issue with Rabbi Tarfon's redeeming of first-borns in Bechoros 51?

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Bechoros 51b:

וכך היה מנהגו של רבי טרפון שהיה נוטל ומחזיר וכששמעו חכמים בדבר אמרו קיים זה הלכה זו הלכה זו ותו לא אלא קיים זה אף הלכה זו
This was how Rabbi Tarfon [the Kohen] used to deal with his Kohen responsibilities regarding redeeming the first born: He would accept the firstborn redemption payment, and then subsequently return that sum to the father of the baby after the redemption.
When the Talmudical Sages received word of his practices, they said "he has nonetheless fulfilled this properly to the extent of the law (commandment)."
"Aside from this law, has he not fulfilled any others?"
"They meant that he has additionally fulfilled this law!"

What was the reason the Gemara considers the possibility that the seemingly positive statement meant that Rabbi Tarfon had never observed any other commandment?

For reference, there is a similar construct found in Baba Kama 50a.


texts: Why there are no anti-altering failsafe measures in the Written Torah?

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(The original question asked if there are any, but there aren't, hence the update).
The famous ו דגחון Sugiah in Kiddushin 30a:

"א"ל: ניתי ס"ת ואימנינהו, מי לא אמר רבה בר בר חנה לא זזו משם עד שהביאו ספר תורה ומנאום? א"ל: אינהו בקיאי בחסירות ויתרות, אנן לא בקיאינן"
Said the scholars to him, Let a Scroll of the Torah be brought and we will count the letters! Did not Rabbah b. Bar Hanah say They did not stir from there until a Scroll of the Torah was brought and they counted them? [and the letters did not match, so they said] — They [the Sofrim] were thoroughly versed in the defective and full readings but we are not.

Clearly, the Sefer Torah they possessed was different from one of the Sofrim (some 400 years earlier), and they attributed the difference to יתרות וחסרות (writing Hebrew words in short or in full) in other words to actually altering the letters of the Torah scroll in some way. But this fact didn't surprise the Sages, they attributed it openly to their insufficient knowledge of spelling the Hebrew words according to the tradition.

It seems, that the divine Torah given by Hashem could easily contain means of foolproofing/anti-altering codes, for example, start every line with the same letter line, have fixed skip-length words for the whole Torah (like ת-ו-ר-ה every 50 letters) and more.

Considering the importance of every letter in the Torah and the most stringent Halachah about invalidity of a scroll that lacks a letter, I would expect the Torah to include those marks (which would also make it very different from a regular book).

Why, after all, those measures are absent in the Written Torah?


texts:
R' Acha Sar HaBirah is mentioned in a few places in shas. Rashi tells us that 'Sar HaBirah' was his nickname. However, in some places his title is רב, while in other places he is mentioned as רבי. This post states that רבי means the person received semicha and thus lived in Eretz Yisroel, and רב meant someone from Bavel. However, when I was looking through the sources, I found R' Acha Sar HaBirah brought up as both.

Kesubos 88a

  אמר רב אחא שר הבירה מעשה בא לפני רבי יצחק באנטוכיא ואמר לא שנו אלא לכתובת אשה משום חינא אבל בעל חוב לא

Kesubos 22a

  וזו הלכה העלה רב אחא שר הבירה לפני חכמי' באושא ואמרו אם נתנה אמתל' לדבריה נאמנת

Bava Basra 146a

  וזו הלכה העלה רבי אחא שר הבירה לפני חכמים לאושא ואמרו סבלונות העשוין ליבלות אין נגבין ושאין עשוין ליבלות נגבין

Yevamos 45a

  רבי אחא שר הבירה ור' תנחום בריה דרבי חייא איש כפר עכו פרוק הנהו שבוייתא דאתו מארמון לטבריא

So why is he referred to as both? Did he live in Eretz Yisroel, Bavel, or maybe both? I'd appreciate sources on the matter.


texts: If one brought Korban pesach and didn’t put on tefillin would he put it on after since it’s still midday or do we say since it’s chag hapesach biblically then it’s like chol hamoed? And would the same apply today even tho there is no Korban pesach? (What we refer to as pesach nowadays is really chag hamatzot.)


texts: What is the proper way to reproach a rav?

texts:
Unfortunately, there are many shuls where the majority of people talk during the service. Even more unfortunate, is that some of the people who do the most talking are primary synagogue officers with the power to hire and fire the rav. I've seen it happen a few too many times when the rav has asked these people to keep quiet, and they get offended because they don't want anyone telling them what to do. Eventually, they had the rabbi fired.

In some cases, the rav, himself, also talks during parts of the davening, about matters unrelated to the needs of the service.

Someone in my neighborhood left the shul where the rav was in both positions - i.e., he talked, and because he was afraid to lose his job, he let the people talk as well. One day, when the rav saw this person on the street, he asked him why he left the shul. The person was embarrassed to reproach the rav, because he respected him. So, he avoided the question, altogether. He asked me for suggestions, and I'm not sure about what to do.

What's the best way to reproach the rav? Tell him the blatant truth including the fact that he is part of the problem - namely that he talks? Encourage the rav to tell the main people that they cannot talk when doing so may risk his job, there? Or, continue avoiding the question and mind one's own business?


texts: Explain different word used regarding sending away the metzorah bird

texts:
I received an email relay, this Sunday, from several rabbis passed onwards to me, eventually. (Proof that even your local rabbi has to ask a question on Mi Yodeya.)

After the metzorah (Leper) has been declared tahor, among the items he must bring to the Cohen are two birds. One is killed, and the live one is sent free to the field.

In Vayikra 14:7 the phrasing is:

  ושלח את הצפור החיה על פני השדה

(Ibn Ezra explains that על means "toward")

In Vayikra 14:53, the phrasing is:

  אל פני השדה

Why the difference in the word used in these two verses?


texts: Washing for bread at work: how to avoid interruptions

texts:
I occasionally bring a sandwich to eat for lunch at work. The company has a small kitchen where I go to wash my hands, and then I generally eat at my desk. Whenever I have bread, I always try to wait for a time when nobody is in the kitchen who will try to talk to me, wash my hands, and then run quickly back to my desk and make hamotzi because I am worried that somebody will try to strike up a conversation with me after I have washed.

My question is twofold:

1) If somebody ever does talk to me after I have washed my hands, would it be considered an interruption for me to explain that I cannot talk between washing and eating some bread? If not, how much detail can I go into before it is considered an interruption? For example, if the person asks, "So how are you talking to tell me this?" can I go on to explain that as well?

2) What are some practical steps that can be taken to avoid falling into this awkward situation.

For the purposes of this question, assume that the company has enough employees and people walking around who might talk to you that it is impractical to warn all of them ahead of time.


texts: Is Shenayim Mikra dependent on there being a public Torah-reading?

texts:
The Talmud (Berachot 8a) states:

אמר רב הונא בר יהודה אמר רבי אמי לעולם ישלים אדם פרשיותיו עם הצבור שנים מקרא ואחד תרגום ואפילו ואפילו עטרות ודיבון שכל המשלים פרשיותיו עם הצבור מאריכין לו ימיו ושנותיו רב ביבי בר אביי סבר לאשלומינהו לפרשייתא דכולא שתא במעלי יומא דכפורי תנא ליה חייא בר רב מדפתי כתיב ועניתם את נפשתיכם בתשעה לחדש בערב וכי בתשעה מתענין והלא בעשרה מתענין אלא לומר לך כל האוכל ושותה בתשיעי מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו מתענה תשיעי ועשירי סבר לאקדומינהו אמר ליה ההוא סבא תנינא ובלבד שלא יקדים ושלא יאחר כדאמר להו ר' יהושע בן לוי לבניה אשלימו פרשיותייכו עם הצבור שנים מקרא ואחד תרגום
R. Huna b. Judah says in the name of R. Ammi: A man should always complete his Parashoth together with the congregation,  [reading] twice the Hebrew text and once the [Aramaic] Targum, and even [such verses as] Ataroth and Dibon, for if one completes his Parashoth together with the congregation, his days and years are prolonged. R. Bibi b. Abaye wanted to finish all the Parashoth of the whole year on the eve of the Day of Atonement. But Hiyya b. Rab of Difti  recited to him [the following Baraitha]: It is written: And ye shall afflict your souls, in the ninth day of the month at even. Now, do we fast on the ninth? Why, we fast on the tenth! But this teaches you that if one eats and drinks on the ninth, Scripture accounts it to him as if he fasted on the ninth and tenth.  Thereupon he wanted to finish them in advance. But a certain Elder recited to him a Baraitha teaching: However, he should not read them in advance of nor later [than the congregation]. Even so did R. Joshua b. Levi say to his children: Complete your Parashoth together with the congregation, twice the Hebrew text and once Targum;
(Soncino translation)

The Talmud here seems to link the practice of shenayim mikra to the communal Torah-reading. So what happens if there is no communal Torah-reading? Does shenayim mikra get suspended? Does it continue as usual with whatever would have been read in the congregation had there been a public reading? Does it depend on how long the public reading is suspended for? Or whether the public reading will be made up once communal services resume?
Does it make a difference if public reading is suspended throughout the entire world, or if it is just suspended in a particular locale? Has something like this been documented in rabbinic literature as having ever occurred (prior to March 2020 when many synagogues closed for several weeks due to a Coronavirus outbreak)?


texts: Can the Gemara be used as scriptural basis to prove a point?

texts: In a discussion to my answer on Mordechai - Religious Leader or Political figure? I was told that the Gemara can not be used as scriptural basis to prove a point. Being that the Gemara clarifies scripture is that true?


texts:
Were the Avos in particular and other biblical protagonists (e.g. the Imahos) regular people?
That is to say, do we generally ascribe deep holy explanations for their behaviors or just say they erred?
Looking for views of the G'onim and Rishonim in particular and to a lesser degree the views of Chazal.


texts:
If someone made an oath "I'm not going to eat bread for thirty days" and wants to "cancel" it, he goes to three people and tells them "I didn't know that it would be so hard". They say "OK, it's retroactively permitted".

What happens if he didn't go to those judges, violates the oath, is about to get the punishment, then goes to three people and says "I never would have taken the oath if I would have known that I was going to break it and get punished".

They say "Mutar Lach".

Does he still get punished?


texts:
In Teimani and Kurdish batei knesset, the minhag is, as far as I'm aware, to read a targum after each pasuk. Assuming that a schul wishes to adopt the kriat hatargum, would it be acceptable to adopt a targum in the vernacular of the community? What issues would be involved?

As always, for a practical ruling, CYLOR.


texts: What is the function of covering the stove top on Pesach?

texts:
It appears to be a universal Ashkenazi custom to cover the area of the stove top between the burners, underneath the grates with aluminum foil.   (The grates and burners and cleaned and kashered.)

As your Pesach pots or food served do not come in contact with the underlying porcelain surface, what difference does it make if it's covered?  i.e. If you would never take food that splattered out of the pot, and eat it or return it to the pot, then is covering the area with foil really needed?


texts:
Why do the spies compare themselves to grasshoppers Bamidbor 13 (33)

  we saw the Nephilim there—the Anakites are part of the Nephilim—and we
  looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to
  them.”

and why does Isaiah compare humans to grasshoppers 40(22)?

  It is He who is enthroned above the vault of the earth, So that its
  inhabitants seem as grasshoppers; Who spread out the skies like gauze,
  Stretched them out like a tent to dwell in.

Proverbs 6 (6) certainly knew about ants which are smaller.

  Lazybones, go to the ant; Study its ways and learn.

What's special about grasshoppers?


texts: According to Bamidbar Rabba, why was Caleb so adamant about the fruit?

texts:
Bamidbar Rabba 16:14 has an interesting back-story for the giant fruits that Numbers 13:23 tells us the twelve spies retrieved from Canaan:

ויבאו עד נחל אשכול - לא רצו ליטול מפירות א"י, אילולי כלב ששלף את הזיין וירץ לפניהם ואמר להם:  אם אין אתם נוטלים, או אתם הורגים אותי, או אני  הורג אתכם, לא היו נוטלים
"And they came to the Valley of Eshkol": They did not want to take from the fruits of the Land of Israel. If not for Caleb, who unsheathed his sword and ran before them, saying, "If you don't take, either you kill me, or I kill you," they would not have taken.

my translation
Why was Caleb so adamant, to the point of being ready to kill or be killed, over the retrieval of the fruits, in particular?
In fact, did retrieving the fruits result in any silver lining to the tragedy of the spies?


texts: Why 40 minus 1 - why not just say 39 Melachot?

texts:
In describing the Melachos of Shabbos, the Mishna in Shabbos 73a says that there are "40-1" Melachos. Why not say 39?

Side note: There are some answers as to why Malkus is also described that way, but the answers I know of are Malkus specific, so they would not apply.


texts: Does Devarim 17:12 refer to a recalcitrant litigant or a rebellious local judge?

texts:
In an answer to this other question, someone asserted that rather than referring to a recalcitrant litigant, Devarim 17:12 refers, according to Jewish tradition, to a rebellious local judge. That pasuk reads:

וְהָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה בְזָדוֹן לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמֹעַ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן הָעֹמֵד לְשָׁרֶת שָׁם אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אוֹ אֶל הַשֹּׁפֵט וּמֵת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:
And the man who acts intentionally, not obeying the kohen who stands there to serve the Lord, your God, or to the judge that man shall die, and you shall abolish evil from Israel.

This interpretation struck someone else as strange? What is the simple meaning of this pasuk? And why and how does the interpretation as the rebellious local judge work out with the words of the section?


texts: Should one refrain from fun activities during sefirah?

texts:
During sefirah there is a custom to mourn the dying of R Akiva's disciples.

Is the mourning restricted to the well known restrictions of not shaving and listening to music - or should one refrain from joyous activities such as bowling, swimming and rollerblading?


texts: PTIJ: Why do I need a mole for my grandson to be circumcised?

texts:
Mazal Tov! My daughter gave birth to a healthy boy a few days ago. She has asked me to find a mole to circumcise my grandson.
I don't understand that at all. The baby has such beautiful soft baby skin. Why does he need a mole before he can be circumcised? Did my daughter mean that I need a mole? I don't have any moles, and I wouldn't even know how to make one within the next week.
--
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: Was it right for David to hang Saul's descendants for their father's sin?

texts:
In II Samuel chapter 21,  David orders the hanging of seven males from Saul's issue (at the request of the Gibeonites) for Saul's wiping out of Nob. When I read this chapter, I was confused.

We know from the Torah that sons cannot be put to death on account of their father's sins (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:20), so why were Saul's descendants killed for the sin Saul committed in wiping out Nob?

Rashi says that each descendant of Saul passed before the Ark of the Covenant, and whoever the Ark clutched was selected to be killed. Does this mean that this act was approved by Heaven?


texts: The Maharal (Gevuros Hashem, ch. 48) proves that matzah ashirah is considered matzah from the fact that the korban minchah is called matzah even though it is made with oil. But in the continuation of his discussion, he says that obviously if there is no water in the matzah, it is not matzah at all, (because it cannot become chametz). Does a korban minchah have any water in it?


texts: Ethics of survey studies with a false premise

texts:
This morning I received a blast email in a group of which I'm a member, offering for free to the first taker a set of items I have never had, nor do I think I will ever have, interest in owning.  I thought, "Now, why don't they just throw away those things? Nobody is going to want that set!"  I was surprised, then, at just how quickly the "seller" emailed the group back and declared in ALLCAPS that the items were TAKEN!!!!! (with many exclamation marks), clearly seeking to stem the flow of some email bombardment of interested recipients.

For half a moment, I thought of posting a similar offer, just to see how much interest there would be, and then just telling all interested parties that the items had been claimed by someone else.  It immediately struck me, however, that this would certainly be unethical, but perhaps could be done as part of a study*.  Now, though, I'm curious: Is it ethical, that is, in accordance with Jewish law and philosophy, to conduct a psychological survey of this sort? There is no tangible harm, but it is false and misleading, though it would satisfy some curious (and potentially psychologically valuable) need to know how people react to certain stimuli.  But it's a lie.  But we can learn from it.  But it's misleading.

I can think of a handful of issues, but I'm curious to know what recognized Posekim and traditional Jewish sources have to say about such matters.

*Please note: I am not a psychologist, nor do I have the wherewithal (or time) to conduct such a study. I just want to know if these things are deemed ethical in Judaism.


texts: Why does the Chazzan Wear a Tallit on Friday Night?

texts: Generally, the Chazzan \ Shaliach Tzibbur for Maariv does not wear a Tallit.  However, on Friday Nights, he does.  Why is this night different than all other nights?


texts: I have recently asked a question about taking God's name in vain. And I have been told that swearing is taking his name in vain. So in teachings I see it mentioned G-d or Gcd. Showing to me a resistance of even saying the word "God". Why is this necessary? For when I say "God" I most likely am not swearing an oath. Do Jews believe that God's name is "God"?


texts:
Capital cases go to a court of 23 judges. A majority is required to convict, except that if all 23 vote to convict, the defendent goes scot-free.

If 22 judges have already voted to convict, and the 23rd believes the defendent is guilty, what is the ethical way for him to vote?


texts: Why does God appear to Avraham about Sarah’s laughter?

texts:
In Bereshis (Perek 18) why would God appear to Avraham regarding Sarah’s laughter and not appear to Sarah herself? Isn’t one’s relationship with God personal, not necessarily involving one’s spouse?
Please source any answers!


texts:
The Mishnah Berurah was composed with the minhagim of the Eastern Ashkenazi kehillot in mind. Is there an equivalent for the communities of Western Europe*?

*The Ashkenazi communities of the Rheinland, the rest of Germany and France, England, the Netherlands, and Italy.


texts: Is there really no problem with paying non-Jewish employees less than Jewish employees?

texts:
The Times of Israel has a feature on B&H, the Satmar owned camera store.  B&H has been successfully sued several times for discriminating against non-Jewish employees, including for paying them less than Jewish employees, and blocking them from management positions.  In the article, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, who is an Orthodox rabbi and an author of several Jewish business books is quoted in the article as saying:

Lapin maintains that none of the aforementioned allegations undermine B&H’s integrity. “Where in the Torah does it say that you have to pay all employees the same rate? Where in the Torah is equality depicted as a virtue? The answer is nowhere at all.” The company’s business model, according to Lapin, adheres to God’s plan insofar as it’s described in, “His book.”
“The notion that there’s a moral flaw in people who, because they don’t pay all their employees the same — I’m not sure I see the basis for that in morality. It may not be fair, it may not be legal, those are not my areas. But to say that there is a clash with Jewish values simply would not be true,” said Lapin.

Is Lapin's view correct? Excluding dina d'malchuta issues, is it correct that there is no moral problem in Judaism with workplace discrimination?  If so, what sources support this claim?


texts: Was the honey that Samson ate from the lion kosher?

texts:
Was the honey that Samson ate from the inside of the lion (Judges 14:8-9) kosher?

There are two premises to my question: 1) The derivation that bee's honey os kosher is from the Talmud, which, obviously, did not exist in Samson's time. Any place the Torah refers to "honey" as in the listing of the 7 sepcies, it means date honey.

Next - the honey was inside the gut of a lion, which is a non-kosher animal. Or, can we assume that since the lion was already dead, and the bees built the hive after it was dead, then the hive is not considered inside the lion, which would otherwise make it kosher?


texts: What are the 7 Noachide Laws? And where do we know them from?


texts: How to kiss tzitzit while wearing a mask

texts:
An offshoot of this question.
It is some people's practice to kiss their tzitzit during davening. When one wears a mask, one is really kissing the interior of the mask. Should one still bring the tzitzit to his lips or is there no value if he does not pull down the mask?
BTW, I spoke to my LOR who said he doesn't know the answer and so he holds his tzitzit and gives a squeeze in his hand to remind himself, so that the holding performs the same function as kissing, but he has no idea if this is right.


texts: In Psalm 27, David appears to request more than one thing. Why does he say the word "One"?

texts:
Psalms 27:4:

  אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ שִׁבְתִּ֣י
  בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה
  וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃

Modified Sefria.com translation:

  One thing have I asked of the LORD, it will I seek after: a) That I may
  dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, b) To behold the
  pleasantness of the LORD, and c) to visit early in His temple.

It seems that he is requesting 3 things (which I marked a, b, c) above. Why does David use the term "one thing" and "it"?


texts: A metzorah has to sit outside the city (Mishna Keilim 1:7). Does this mean that he is exempt from the commandment to be oleh l'regel in yerushalayim?


texts: What is the minimum number of lines on a klaf?

texts: I remember hearing once that sifrey Tanach had to have a required minimum number of lines when written on a klaf and that this requirement is often not followed by those writing "parshas ketores" and Megillas Ester. Is there a source that discusses the minimum number of lines required for a Megilla or any other sefer Tanach when written on a klaf?


texts:
In a number of places online, I've seen reference made to a teaching from Menachem Azariah of Fano, or Rama MiPano, about seven female "guests" which visit the Sukkah over Sukkot, in paralel to the seven male "guests" mentioned in the Zohar.

  According to the tradition of Medieval Italian kabbalist Menachem
  Azariah of Fano, the ushpizot are: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Chana, Avigail, Chulda, and Esther.

Where can I find this teaching in Menachem Azariah of Fano's writings, and is he the originator of this idea?


texts:
I once heard that Moshe's stick was used as the middle pole that held the beams together in the Mishkan that miraculously bent twice (Rashi, Shabbos 98b).

Does anyone know a source for this?


texts: Source for starting one limmud after finishing another

texts: What is the source for starting a new limmud (learning) immediately after finishing the previous one? For example After finishing one mesechta I have seen people immediately start the next one, even if it means only reading the first few words.


texts: Is requesting early payment on a loan considered a (prohibited) form of interest?

texts: Can a Jewish-owned business that extends interest-free house account/credit, billable on a monthly basis (as per signed agreement), demand early payment? Would this be considered taking interest, as the borrower will lose two weeks of using their money (say investing the cash), while the store could themselves place the early payment into an investment that earns them money? The consumer loses two weeks' worth of investment, while the store gains the same. Is this considered a prohibited form of interest?


texts: Why are the sun and moon not named during creation?

texts:
During the 6 days of creation, many things are made and named (sky, grass, seeds, water, land, stars) but the sun and moon are referred to only as the lights/luminaries (Ber 1:16)

וַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים

The terms for these two objects appear elsewhere in the chumash (Ber 15:12 and 37:9) but not during the creation account.
Is there a reason that they are not named at this point?


texts:
From what I understand, there are three times when one should wash their hands in the method used for negel vasser that occur every day

in the morning (negel vasser)
between going to the bathroom and saying asher yatzar
before davening

Are you supposed to do all three of these every morning or can one washing count for two or all of these?


texts: Please explain the idea of the Chair of Elijah in synagogue

texts: What is the purpose and meaning of the Chair of Elijah?  I understand that (some?) synagogues have a chair called the Chair of Elijah.  Does this mean that it is a special chair that is set aside for Elijah?  Will the Messiah sit there when he comes?  Are other people allowed to sit in it?  Is this practiced in every Jewish synagogue?


texts: Story about "simple Teshuva" via never telling a lie

texts:
I read a story over shabbas from Tales of Tzaddikim, Bamidbar pg 251-252, Published by Mesorah Publications, and it quoted it from Sefer Chassidim, Siman 6407. I opened up my Sefer Chassidim and the last entry in it is 1172 (like this one, for example).

The basics to the story is of a man wanting to do teshuva and goes before a Tzaddik to ask how. The Rebbe tells him it is simple, all he has to do is never tell a lie. As a result, every time he wanted to do something wrong, he would say to himself, what will i say to someone who asks me about what I have done, thus, stopping himself from doing something wrong.

Is there another Sefer Chassidim or another way that it was organized? Is there another source for this story?


texts: my cellphone is off on Shabbat but the voicemail still takes a message

texts: I don't use my cell on Shabbat, it is turned off but calls still go to my Voicemail. Is this permissible? I don't have the option of turning voicemail off only for Shabbat. It seems it is either set up or not at all.


texts: Thinking behind an unusual translation of the last word of Ashamnu?

texts:
There is a strikingly unusual translation in The Artscroll Selichos Siddur1.

In several translations I have seen over the years, the last words of "Ashamnu", "תָּעִינוּ, תִּיעְתָּעְנוּ" are translated as2:

  ... we have gone astray, we have led others astray.

But the Artscroll Selichot siddur translates them as:

  ... we have strayed; You have let us go astray.

(Images of these translations in their original respective volumes are provided in
this PDF.)

What might be the grammatical rationale or the theological philosophy behind the Artscroll translation? How do they differ from those of behind the more typical choice?

Update:  Artscroll replied to the above question (that I sent them) as follows:

"There are different ways to translate the word, and it is simply inaccurate to characterize our translation as "so far from the plain meaning," especially since our translation follows numerous commentators and poskim.

Offhand, I would cite the Chayei Adam (end of 243:1) who explains the meaning of תעתענו as: תעתענו ר"ל שהנחת אותנו על בחירתנו להיות תועים.

Again we appreciate your giving us the opportunity to clarify this and wish you and yours a kesivah vachasimah tovah."

Any thoughts?

1. Translated by Yaakov Lavon, Mesorah Publications, 1992.

2. As exemplified here by The Authorised Selichot for the Whole Year, translated by Rev. Abraham Rosenfeld, Judaica Press, 1984.


texts: Where can I buy a Yeshivish fedora online?

texts:
In most [Yeshivish][1] circles (and Chabad Hasidim), a black snap-brim fedora is worn. Usually it is a Borsalino, but not always. Could someone recommend a place online where I could get one or one like it for a relatively cheap price? Preferably under $200 or so.

Update:
I ended up purchasing from [Yeshivish Hats][2], and I must say that I am extremely impressed with the quality of the product. It is literally identical to the Borsolinos, except they're made by a Ben Torah instead of some Italian company.
I received the hat this past Shabbos (it was so hard to wait!) and opened it after Havdalah and I was immediately impressed. The hat was packed very nicely, to ensure that it would not become damaged during transit from Greece, NY to my humble home in West Texas. Included with the hat was a plastic cup and fridge magnet, both with their logo on it (so you're drinks and fridge can be Yeshivish too). I was expecting to have to take the hat to a local hat shop to get the brim shaped, but actually it snapped straight into the famous down-turn when I pulled on the brim!


texts:
Did Adam and Chava have a child before they sinned? Was childbirth not painful before they sinned?

In Bereshit 3:16, it says,
To the woman He said, "I shall surely increase your sorrow and your pregnancy; in pain you shall bear children. And to your husband will be your desire, and he will rule over you."
https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8167/showrashi/true#v=16

Does this verse imply that before Adam and Chava sinned, childbirth was not painful? What do our rabbis of blessed memory say? (Update: if it is allowed to edit the question, then I would say, that I would also accept pre-rabbinic authoritative sources; if not, my question stands as it is/was.)


texts: In my limited experiences in Baltimore and Lakewood, it seems hosts often ask guests if they would like to "make their own kiddush" with a separate cup of wine. Is there a reason why guests wouldn't want to be yotzei with Kiddush made by the host?


texts:
What does Shalom Aleichem mean?

Is it a question (peace unto you) or a blessing or both?

  מסכת ברכות פרק ב
  ב,א  היה קורא בתורה, והגיע זמן המקרא--אם כיוון את ליבו, יצא; ואם לאו, לא יצא.  ובפרקים שואל מפני הכבוד ומשיב, ובאמצע שואל מפני היראה ומשיב, דברי רבי מאיר.  רבי יהודה אומר, באמצע שואל מפני היראה ומשיב מפני הכבוד, ובפרקים שואל מפני הכבוד ומשיב שלום לכל אדם.

  מסכת ברכות פרק ה
  א
  ...אפילו המלך שואל בשלומו, לא ישיבנו....

  ט,ז
  ...התקינו שיהא אדם שואל את שלום חברו בשם...

Sholom alecha rebbi is also referred to as a question.

Where can i find a pilpul on this topic?

Related:

Why is "Shalom Aleichem" always plural?
Shalom Alaichem and vice versa

Edit.
Be the first to Shalom anybody.
How can I fulfill this in America?
By saying how are you?

Forbidden to ask Sholom of a woman.
What does this mean?


texts:
In the first posuk (Numbers 22:2) it says:

  וירא בלק בן ציפור  (And Balak the son of Tzippor Saw)

no mention of his Royal status, later on in the parsha (22:4) it says:

  "ובלק בן ציפור מלך למואב  (Balak the son of Tzippor was a King of Maov)

What happened that only later the torah tells us that he was king?


texts: Sharpening Shechita Knife on Chol HaMoaed

texts: May one that is learning Hilchos Shechita sharpen the knife that he uses for shechitah on chol hamoed for the purpose of practicing how to sharpen it and make sure it's kosher for shechitah (and not to use to shecht on chol hamoed)?


texts:
Who is the Demon Ketav Meriri?
What is the Ketav Meriri?


texts: What is the difference between a Jewish marriage and a Noahide marriage?

texts: Someone said that a Jewish marriage and a Noahide marriage are 2 different things. Could you give some Halakhic support? Ethical differences? I suppose the 2 have different missions, obviously, but could you elaborate please?


texts: Why couldn't the men's Man taste like watermelon?

texts:
The verse says in Parshas Beahaloscha (Numbers 11:5):

זָכַ֙רְנוּ֙ אֶת־הַדָּגָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נֹאכַ֥ל בְּמִצְרַ֖יִם חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים וְאֶת־הֶחָצִ֥יר וְאֶת־הַבְּצָלִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַשּׁוּמִֽים׃
We remember the fish that we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

And Rashi comments (based on the Midrash and the Gemara in Yoma):

"את הקשאים" - אמר ר' שמעון מפני מה המן משתנה לכל דבר חוץ מאלו מפני שהן קשים למניקות אומרים לאשה אל תאכלי שום ובצל מפני התינוק משל למלך וכו' כדאיתא בספרי
את הקשאים THE CUCUMBERS — R. Simeon said, “Why did the manna change its flavor into that of anything one wished (as the Midrash states) except into these vegetables here mentioned, the taste of which it appears not to have assumed since the people lusted for them? Because they are injurious to nursing mothers. So indeed people say to a woman: Do not eat garlic and onions on account of the baby. A parable! This may be compared to a king, etc. as it is related in the Sifrei Bamidbar 87.

So this explains why pregnant women's Man didn't taste like watermelon. But what about the rest of the Jewish people? Why coudn't their Man taste like watermelon?


texts: The history of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi's outfit

texts:
The role of Rishon LeZion, otherwise known as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, seems to include wearing a traditional robe and turban. Related to this question, this outfit is distinct from the typical black-and-white clothing/black-hat attire that many contemporary Israeli Sephardic rabbis assume. Where did this custom come from? The distinctive flowery design sewn on the robe seems to have started with R. Ovadia Yosef, as I have not seen any picture of an earlier Sephardic chief rabbi with that design, but it has been continued to this day.

Is there any significance to the design? How and why did it become the Rishon LeZion's official outfit? Is there any documentation on this outfit?


texts: Is there a surviving Jewish translation of the entire Masoretic Text in Greek?

texts:
Please don't say "the Septuagint" because I know that this has fallen out of favor among most modern Jews (the only exception being Beta Israel, which I believe still uses it - correct me if I am mistaken on that.)

I know that the Torah was translated into Yevanic Greek in 1547 by Romaniote Jews for the "Constantinople Pentateuch," but this is just the first 5 books. Has the remainder of the Masoretic Text been translated into Greek specifically by Jews and specifically for Jewish use?

I also know about the Greek translation by Aquila/Onkelos but this has not survived apart from a few fragments.


texts: Was the G-d's cloud in the wilderness war-proof?

texts:
I recall that the cloud protected the people from all possible harms - weather, wild animals etc.

Was it effective against human attacks - arrows, cannonballs(kidding), etc? Could non-Jews penetrate it, like the Trojan horse?

Because throughout the Torah, no story mentioned it and the people always behave so fearfully as they are not protected at all.


texts: Laundry during the Nine Days for Medicinal Purposes

texts:
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 551:3) rules that one may not do laundry during the Nine Days, because it's taking one's mind away from the mourning.

Does this apply to doing laundry for medicinal purposes? Say that a person has dust allergies and needs to wash his pillowcase to get the dust off of it. Is that permissible? On the one hand, he's not doing it for pleasure; he's doing it out of necessity. On the other hand, so is washing your only set of clothes, which the Shulchan Aruch (same se'if) prohibits.
If yes, is one allowed to wash other linens while he's at it? On the one hand, he's removing his mind from the mourning by washing it. On the other hand, the real reason he's doing the laundry is for medicinal purposes.


texts: When exactly do we start saying l'david for Elul?

texts: Rosh Chodesh Elul is two days, and in Elul we say Psalm 27 in both morning and evening.  When exactly do we start?


texts: What is the Sod HaIbbur and what is so secret about it?

texts:
What is the Sod HaIbbur (secret of impregnation)? I have seen it discussed in many places including the Pirkeu D'Rebbi Eliezer (8th chapter?) in reference to the intercalation for the lunar months of the year and applying a leap month (which creates an "impregnated" year) so that the lunar calendar doesn't continually fall behind the solar one.

If all this is, is the mathematics behind the lunar calendar, why is it a secret? Does this secret continue to exist now that we have a set calendar? Is there another interpretation of Sod HaIbbur?


texts: Let's say person A finds a chicken that its owner lost. He takes the chicken in and tries to find the owner. While he is attempting to find the owner he pays for the food of the chicken and is aware that the owner will pay him back for the food. Eventually, he finds the owner and hands him the chicken with the bill for all the food the chicken ate. The owner sees the bill is higher than the cost of the chicken. Who is liable for the bill for the chicken's food?


texts: Saying ברכת המזון with על הנסים after praying ערבית following Purim

texts:
The סעודה I was partaking in on Purim day continued well into the evening of the next day (Shushan Purim here in the US). Teffilah with a minyan was only available immediately after צאת הכוכבים, so a number of us decided to say ברכת המזון - with על הנסים - and then pray ערבית (without על הנסים). However, we were left wondering: would it have been permissible to say ערבית without על הנסים, continue the meal and then say ברכת המזון with על הנסים? Or, would this be considered תרי דסתרי - since saying ערבית without על הנסים would seem to declare that Purim is over and would preclude going back and saying על הנסים afterwards.

During some initial discussion it was suggested that this case is different from a situation where Shabbat falls out on Erev Rosh Hodesh, since saying both רצה and יעלה ויבוא during ברכת המזון after having eaten on both Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh in the same  meal is not self contradictory in the same manner.

Can anyone point to sources of the הלכה for the scenario I have described?


texts: Can one fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer by counting in a language that only he/she understands? What if a few people understand? An entire goup?


texts: Would a daughter be permitted to cohabitate with her father (after מתן תורה) in order to "save the world"?

texts:
Beraishis 19:31  --  בראשית יט:לא

ותאמר הבכירה אל־הצעירה אבינו זקן ואיש אין בארץ לבוא עלינו כדרך כל־הארץ

And the older one said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to consort with us in the way of all the world.

Rashi explains:
( ואיש אין בארץ סְבוּרוֹת הָיוּ, שֶׁכָּל הָעוֹלָם נֶחֱרַב כְּמוֹ בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל: (בראשית רבה:

ואיש אין בארץ AND THERE IS NOT A MAN IN THE EARTH — They thought that the whole world had been destroyed as in the time of the generation of the Flood. (Beraishes Rabbah 51:8).

Theoretical question: If indeed the whole human race was destroyed, except for a father and his daughter, would they be permitted (after מתן תורה) to cohabitate in order to "save the world"?


texts: Kid with Expensive Muktzeh Item in his Hand on Shabbos

texts: If I have a little child with an Ipod (which is muktzeh) in its hand can I grab the hand and shake it out of its hand into a safe place to prevent the child from breaking it?


texts:
Who put together the Pesach Hagadah and the seder we have today?

The Mishneh provides some order, but who put together the Hagadah?


texts: בְּצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע or בְצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע

texts: in some siddurim the line in Tehillim 150 is written הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי שָׁמַע. הַלְלוּהוּ בְּצִלְצְלֵי תְרוּעָה while in others it is written with a veis in the first "b'tziltzilei" and a beis in the second one.  Which version is more correct/authoritative?


texts: Is there a problem with eating food on Shabbat cooked by someone who doesn't keep it?

texts:
To what degree is this a problem if: 1) your level of kashrut is the same as this person who's cooking and 2) They do not cook on Shabbat?

Edit: To clarify, this didn't seem like a problem to me until someone told me it's not allowed. Now I'm looking for sources on that.


texts: Why are Oats Chametz if oats cannot rise

texts: Oats do not have gluten so they cannot rise - like rice and other such grains. I could understand why they would be kitniot but why are they chametz? I know in arvei psachim there is an opinion that even rice is chametz and rice flour can be used for matzah but we do not paskin that way. Is there a separate specific Talmud source for why oats are chametz?


texts:
Is there any place to download the Tanach, or at least the Torah, in plain text format, including nekudos and trop?  From Mechon Mamre I can download the HTML, but aside from the html tags the text is in a weird format (that I can't directly read in a text editor).

I'd like to be able to search for trop or sequences of trop, which is easiest in text format (with grep).


texts: What can a shul do with unusable Torah scrolls?

texts:
Our shul has about 15 unusable Torah scrolls. (To place it in a positive light, we have 6 that are usable. The shul has been in existence for 90 years, and we retrieved a number of "Holocaust" scrolls that were donated by some former members.) A sofer evaluated all of them and said that either they are completely unrepairable, or the cost to repair them exceeds the cost of buying a new one. Our shul cannot afford to buy a new one. So, all these scrolls sit in the ark, unused for years, or lay in closets or on tables covered by tallitot.

I'm curious if shuls, in general have sold these unusable scrolls to sofrim. Isn't there some need where sofrim can take some of the usable portions from these scrolls and create a new one, or cut out sections or perhaps, even certain words to patch other Torah scrolls? I understand that a Torah cannot be "downgraded"- i.e., one can't excerpt the sections of the "Shema" and use it for a mezuzah or tefillin.

Would anyone know or have some idea what can be done with such unusable scrolls other than just leaving them around or burying them? I gather that our shul is not unique in facing this situation.


texts: I've always noticed people that make sure their hands are perfectly dry before washing (i.e. washing for eating bread). Why do people do so? Where does this apparent stringency come from?


texts:
If the Mezuza were placed on the doorpost unrolled (in a suitable protective wrapping) one would be able to see the words and be inspired.

Why don't we do this?

Maybe it was because of the state of cleanliness in earlier times.

Is there anything to suggest that there is a deeper reason for the Mezuza to be rolled as opposed to unrolled?


texts: How is the Sefer Ha'Aruch supposed to be used?

texts:
The Sefer Ha'Aruch is a type of dictionary that is quoted by Rashi and Tosfos.

I took a look at the sefer the other day and couldn't figure out how it's supposed to be used. All I saw was a list of Gemara's that have in them the word under discussion.

My question is: How is this book supposed to be used?


texts: Is there a specific type of myrtle/hadass for sukkot?

texts: It is well known that one can't just use any citrus for sukkot, but rather, one has to use an etrog/citron. But what about for the hadass? I know the branches used should have "3 leaves that surround." But is there actually a specific variety that does that? Or do most myrtle trees grow leaves in 3s and therefore you can use any local variety of myrtle?


texts: Israel in Egypt after being freed but before the Exodus?

texts: One of Artscroll's "Daily Dose of Torah" books, on parshat Vaera, says that the Israelites stayed in Egypt for a significant period of time after being freed from  slavery but before the Exodus.  I never heard that before.  Is there a source for it?


texts:
In Parshas Bo G-d says to Moses to sanctify a new Moon, but Moses "had trouble understanding" and G-d showed him exactly the picture of a new Moon, saying "כזה ראה וקדש".

Obviously, Moses knew the idea and the calculation of new moon either by the tradition his tribe kept, or simply by being educated in Egypt, he probably knew astronomy very well.

The Mishna (Bavli R"H 23b) says:

  "How do they examine the witnesses who come to testify about the new moon? ... Say how you saw the moon: Was it in front of the sun or behind the sun? To its north or to its south? How high was the moon over the horizon, and in which direction did it tilt? And how wide was it?*"

Rashi explains it is about its "measure" to be suitable for Kidush, but I don't recall a discussion about Moon's width, except for Yerushalmi (12) says it should be a barley wide (Bavli omits it) with no discussion in place. We also hold that the minimum time the Moon can be seen from the time of Molad is 6 hours but not its width.

So what exactly was G-d's Chidush to Moses about New Moon?


texts: How should one dispose of Jewish newspapers, newsletters, children's parsha sheets, etc. that contain Divrei Torah? I believe some poskim require/allow it to be double wrapped and then left outside to be picked up -- what is the reasoning behind that view? And is the halachah more stringent if parts of actual pesukim are quoted?


texts: Let's say a historian had a collection of Bar Kochba coins or even replicas of those coins. Since these coins serve zero purpose as money today, can they be handled on Shabbat?


texts:
A young man, brought up in a religious home, Yeshiva day and high schools, 2 years in Yeshiva in Israel, decides to work on Shabbos, not observe Kashrut etc.
Is there one book you would recommend for him to read? This is in addition to finding someone he can learn with. He is willing to learning the issues he has.


texts: Why for certain months of the year do we celebrate the festival of Rosh Chodesh for two days while on other Roshei Chadashim we have one day of Rosh Chodesh?


texts: What is the point of a hechsher on Cholov Stam?

texts:
I assume that the widespread custom of eating/drinking Cholov Stam products (products using milk in which the milking was not observed by a Jew) is relying on the leniency of R' Moshe Feinstein that the government supervision and FDA oversight is enough to assume the kosher status of the milk.  If so, why are there some brands of milk that have a hechsher, which is not a Cholov Yisroel hechsher?  If you aren't being stringent for Cholov Yisroel and the hechsher is not accomplishing that, what is the purpose of the hechsher?

If the answer is that there is no purpose, is it dishonest of Kashrus agencies to take money for a useless hechsher?


texts: Why did Moshe keep his name if it was given by an Egyptian?

texts:
In this weeks parsha it says (Shemos 2:10):

"וַיִגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַתְּבִאֵהוּ לְבַת־פַּרְעֹה וַיְהִי־לָהּ לְבֵן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מֹשֶׁה וַתֹּאמֶר כִּי מִן־הַמַּיִם מְשִׁיתִהוּ׃"
“When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who made him her son. She named him Moses, explaining, I drew him out of the water.”

Later on and for the rest of history, everyone calls him by the name Moshe, even G-d! Why would Moshe keep this name if it was given to him by an Egyptian, not his mother nor was it given by G-d?


texts:
I am really no expert in Hebrew grammar and I know there are many variants of same word. In particular I think there is no tradition for the puntuaction of the Mishnah.

However in my siddur (Panzieri, Italian rite) I noticed that  שירי הדם, in the Mishnah of "Eizehu meqoman shel zevachim" is spelled שִׁיְּירֵי, while in all the other siddurim I have seen so far it is שְׁיָרֵי. What puzzles me in the version of the Panzieri is the "sheva + yud" form that I have not thought to be possible. Can I assume that the form Panzieri is incorrect or is it an admissible variant?

In order to prevent rendering issues I write here the two forms in full:
Panzieri = shin with hirik - yud with dagesh and sheva - yud without puntuaction - resh with tzere - yud without puntuaction
Regular = shin with sheva - yud with qamatz - resh with tzere - yud without puntuaction


texts: What does the talmud/rabbinic writing have to say about Yeshu ha-Notzri (Jesus)?

texts: I understand that the name Jesus was not uncommon 2000 years ago, and Jewish writings about the person of historical interest to the Christian Church call him "Yeshu ha-Notzri" = "Jesus the Nazarene". I understand the Talmud talks about him. Where and what does it say?"


texts: Is there a Halachic problem with cursing?

texts:
Our tradition mentions the serious transgression of "nivul peh" and the punishments that Hashem brings down on the world due to this sin (Shabbos 33a, Vayikra Rabba 24-7).

What I want to know is if this applies to the regular American curse words such as the F-word, the S-word and similar words. It would seem from some of the sources that it only applies to discussing private sexual matters in a non-respectful way. Would this mean that the F-word is more problematic than the S-word because the former has a sexual connotation, while the latter doesn't? Or maybe these words are not included at all if not used in a sexual connotation in the wrong way? What about words like the B-word? I understand that we shouldn't be using these words at all. I'm just wondering if it's included in the severe sin of "nivul peh" that Chazal discuss.


texts:
The era commonly known as the period of the Shoftim, Judges of the Jewish nation, spanned from the leadership of Osniel Ben K'naz through Shimshon Hagibor.

Prior to these judges, The Seder olam also notes that Yehoshuah Bin Nun also served as a Shofet for 28 years.

At the end of this period, Shmuel Hanavi, and later his 2 sons Yoel and Aviyah also served as Shoftim.

This ended the Shoftim era, and the era of Melachim, kings, began with the appointment of Shaul as the first king.

Question: Among these leaders who led the Bnai Yisrael between Osniel Ben K'naz through Shmuel and his sons all are titled in the psukim as Judges, except for 3 of them:

1- Ehud Ben Gera - See Shoftim 3:15  " וַיָּקֶם ה' לָהֶם מוֹשִׁיעַ, אֶת אֵהוּד בֶּן גֵּרָא בֶּן הַיְמִינִי, ". Ehud was called a "Helper" or "savior" rather than a Shofet.

2- Gidon ben Yoash - See Shoftim 6:14  "וַיִּפֶן אֵלָיו ה', וַיֹּאמֶר 'לֵךְ בְּכֹחֲךָ זֶה וְהוֹשַׁעְתָּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכַּף מִדְיָן, הֲלֹא שְׁלַחְתִּיךָ" - Gedon was also appointed as a "helper" / "savior"rather than as a Shofet.

3- Shamgar ben Anas - "וְאַחֲרָיו הָיָה שַׁמְגַּר בֶּן-עֲנָת, וַיַּךְ אֶת-פְּלִשְׁתִּים שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אִישׁ בְּמַלְמַד הַבָּקָר; וַיּוֹשַׁע גַּם-הוּא אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל" - a "Helper" or "savior" of Yisarel rather than a Shofet.

Why the difference between these 3 and the rest?


texts:
In yeshiva, guys who learned Ramban al HaTorah used to use this list that contained the "must-see" Ramban's on that week's parsha.

Is there an equivalent list of Ohr HaChaim's?


texts: Can one rely on a gentile's uncertain food description regarding brachot?

texts:
Let's say you have a dish in front of you but you're not certain what its ingredients are. You ask a Gentile who is familiar, and he says, "I've seen something like this before and it's usually made from X (which requires bracha A). But your dish looks a bit different and it might be made from Y (which requires bracha B). So, I'm not 100% sure."

Even after tasting it, the Gentile isn't sure. You have no way of finding out otherwise what the food really is. The Gentile knows nothing about brachot. If you ask another Jew, he would know less about it, and would probably shrug his shoulders and say, "make shehakol".

An example of the above - you order a Chinese dish, and it is some type of dim sum (dumplings). The inner ingredient, which is the majority, has chunks and you have no idea what it is. The Chinese Gentile says, "it could be made either from wheat gluten (mezonot) or taro (adamah). I don't recognize what you have, it's probably taro."

For purposes of this question, you don't have access to eat other "definite" foods of either category to cover both doubts.

Can you rely on the Gentile's opinion that since it's most likely X, and you should say bracha A. Or, because he's not 100% sure, and you know a lot less than he, you should just say shehakol in all cases of doubt?


texts: What is typically done regarding mourning practices for those who have no relatives?

texts:
Simple question - who mourns or says Kaddish for those that die leaving no relatives to sit shiva or say Kaddish for them?

I've seen a number of people in various shuls who say Kaddish for non-relatives. But, as I have never asked them, I assume that these are for friends or others whom they personally know, and, the deceased has living relatives who are not shul attenders.

Does the shul that they attend typically accept responsibility and the rabbi assigns a congregant? What if the deceased is unaffiliated with a shul? Does the funeral home or chevra kaddisha, etc. accept this responsibility? Or are such people just completely forgotten?


texts: The Tekhelet Institute acknowledges that murex trunculus indigo is molecularly equivalent to plant-based indigo that was available in the ancient world for far cheaper (kala ilan). They reason that the gemara's test that failed kela ilan was not due to an inherent weakness to the fastness of the dye. If that is the case, do they (or anyone else) present an argument as to why ancient aristocrats (including outside the Jewish world) would not have just had quality batches of plant-based dye made rather than rely on the pointlessly (for non-halachik purposes) expensive murex dye? Isn't this a rather damning argument against the species being the chilazon? Or was this the ancient world's equivalent of DeBeer's getting everyone to buy worthless chips of carbon when they get married?


texts: If somebody is over 60 and does an aveirah for which the punishment is misah biyedei shamayim, what happens?

texts:
I was learning today's Tanya (יג תמוז, beginning of אגרת התשובה פרק ד)
I have a question based on the following part:

כשעבר עבירה שחייבים עליה כרת, הי׳ מת ממש קודם חמשים שנה
A violator of a sin punishable by excision would actually die before his fiftieth year.
ובמיתה בידי שמים, מת ממש קודם ששים שנה
In the case of death by divine agency he would actually die before sixty,
כחנניה בן עזור הנביא, בירמיהו
like the prophet Chananiah ben Azur in Jeremiah.

From here we see that כרת is dying before one turns fifty and that  מיתה בידי שמים is dying before one turns sixty.
So, my question is what happens if someone does an aveirah for which the punishment is one of these after 50 or 60 (for כרת or מיתה בידי שמים respectively)? Do they die instantaneously?


texts: Coffee Urns left out throughout the week?

texts:
Many people still keep to the halacha that one isn't allowed to drink from water kept in metal overnight.

How would one be allowed to drink from a Coffee Urn on Shabbos?
How could one drink from a can of soda?


texts: Marat Ayin to improve appearance of action

texts:
If one is doing something in public which is normally forbidden, but is permitted because of special circumstances, is he obligated to make it appear not forbidden?

EG: A lunatic threatens to kill your family unless you go into the schul and drink a glass of blood. If you tell people why you are doing it, he will kill them anyway. He is obviously not doing this out of antisemitism because he asks a non-Jew to do a similar task. Should you put some fish scales around so people think you are drinking fish blood?


texts: Are there any good resources that give a general overview of each day's daf?

texts: That's not meant to be a substitute for learning it in depth, but rather for review purposes it would be nice to read a brief synopsis. Any tips would be appreciated.


texts: Is the number of Jews killed during the Babylonian exile according to Gittin literally true?

texts:
Since the only authoritative sources of information, in this case, seem to be the Jewish Scriptures, can you help understand them?

  ... in this valley Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard killed two
  hundred and eleven myriads, and in Jerusalem he killed ninety-four
  myriads on one stone ... / Babylonian Talmud, Gittin 57a

The word 'myriad', among other, has its original meaning, of 'ten thousand', derived from Greek ...

Is this portion of the text, from the Talmud, to be understood literally? I.e. 'he killed two million one hundred and ten thousand and nine hundred and forty thousand' (2.110.000 & 940.000) respectively, or should it not be taken literally? ... Are there any other Jewish Scripture sources that inform on the subject? Thank you


texts:
Let's assume that there is a lechatchila to not use metal object that are mekabel tumah (susceptible to tumah) for something that supports the s'chach ("maamid"), which can be avoided by using something that supports something that supports s'chach ("maamid d'maamid"); but if it was used there is no issue b'dieved with using a maamid that is mekabel tumah. See this Halachipedia article for more information.

What about a notched 2x4 board? Many people use long beams across their sukkos to support their schach -- are these mekabel tumah?

Here's a picture:


texts: Let's say your account on Facebook or Wikipedia has been blocked by site administration. Is it a sin, according to Judaism, to create new account in order to evade the block?


texts: Why was it wrong for David to number Israel?

texts:
(This is not a duplicate of halacha - Why was King David Punished for Sending Others to Conduct a Census? - Mi Yodeya.)

1 Chronicles 21, and 2 Samuel 24 relate how King David took it upon himself to number the people of Israel.

  .י הָאֱלֹהִים, עַל-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה; וַיַּךְ, אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל.

  And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He smote Israel.

This was obviously not a good thing, but why?

Taking a census can be a preparation for war and/or taxation.
I've heard that David's sin was in this demonstration that Israel wasn't relying on the Lord for peace and prosperity, but I heard the explanation from a Christian source.

Is that an appropriate interpretation?


texts: Sephardic Chakhamim mentioning Modeh Ani

texts: Do the Ben Ish Chai, or other Sephardic Chakhamim speak on the recitation of "Modeh Ani" upon rising in the morning? One so-called Rabbi of the West African Jews of the Galut says that "Modeh Ani" is not obligatory or required to say, because it was not stated in the Talmud or the Rambam and other Sephardic Chakhamim.


texts: Parnassah and Marriage: Rambam vs. The Lubavitcher Rebbe

texts:
Reading Rambam's Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions 5:11, we stumble upon the following opinion:

The way of sensible people: A man should first select a permanent vocation out of which to derive a livelihood, then buy a home, and after that take unto himself a wife;

This opinion comes from Sotah 44a:6:

The Sages taught (Tosefta 7:20-21): The Torah states: “What man is there that has built” (Deuteronomy 20:5), and then “that has planted” (Deuteronomy 20:6), and finally “that has betrothed” (Deuteronomy 20:7). The Torah has taught a person the desired mode of behavior: A person should build a house, then plant a vineyard, and afterward marry a woman.

Furthermore, in the same paragraph, Rambam calls those who do otherwise fools:

But fools reverse it by taking a wife first, and after that, if he be able, purchase a home, and after that, in his declining years, he will turn about looking for a vocation, or be supported on charity.

From a practical standpoint this seems a very sound opinion, however, the Lubavitcher Rebbe in his talk on family planning expresses a contradictory view on the subject:
The Rebbe states that a man should not delay the mitzva "to be fruitful and multiply" and must not wait until he has enough parnasa to get married and bring children into this world as every child comes with its own parnasa and Hashem provides sustenance for every child.
Therefore, according to the Rebbe, a man must not wait till he has a house and "vineyard" to get married, but must get married as soon as possible regardless of whether he is financially able to have children and support them.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the Rebbe's opinion seems to contradict Rambam. If so, then who is right? Should we wait till we have a house built and a "vineyard planted" to get married as Rambam and Gemara suggest or follow the Rebbe's view?


texts:
I understand that animals shouldn't be eaten until after death occured. Although an oyster is a shell fish and not kosher, could a Ben Noach eat live oysters?
I understand it is the custom of non jews to eat some fish and sea food raw. This second sentence may be another question entirely, or it duplicates another answer if it has been answered that eating any living thing, including seafood and fish that has not been killed is not allowed for Ben Noach's. For example: a question about shushi. I didn't find an answer for raw fish or shell fish.


texts: Why didn't Yaakov go to Egypt with his sons to get food?

texts: Rashi 42:36 says that Yaakov suspected the brothers of killing or selling Yosef and Shimon. Wouldn't he suspect them doing the same with Binyomin? If so, why didn't Yaakov go with his sons to Egypt to get food knowing the brothers wouldn't harm Binyomin if their father was with them?


texts: Was Noah or his wife the direct victim in Genesis 9?

texts:
Genesis 9:

כא  וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן-הַיַּיִן, וַיִּשְׁכָּר; וַיִּתְגַּל, בְּתוֹךְ אָהֳלֹה.
וַיַּרְא, חָם אֲבִי כְנַעַן, אֵת, עֶרְוַת אָבִיו; וַיַּגֵּד לִשְׁנֵי-אֶחָיו, בַּחוּץ.
וַיִּקַּח שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת אֶת-הַשּׂמְלָה, וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל-שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם, וַיֵּלְכוּ אֲחֹרַנִּית, וַיְכַסּוּ אֵת עֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם; וּפְנֵיהֶם, אֲחֹרַנִּית, וְעֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם, לֹא רָאוּ.
וַיִּיקֶץ נֹחַ, מִיֵּינוֹ; וַיֵּדַע, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-עָשָׂה לוֹ בְּנוֹ הַקָּטָן.
כה  וַיֹּאמֶר, אָרוּר כְּנָעַן:  עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים, יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו.

21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his youngest son had done unto him. And he said: Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

From non-Jewish sources, I've seen two quite different interpretations of this event:

Ham did something nasty to Noah while he was unconscious.
Ham raped Noah's wife (his mother) while Noah was unconscious.

The second interpretation is based on Leviticus 18:8, with "the nakedness of his father" being interpreted as Noah's wife:

ח  עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת-אָבִיךָ, לֹא תְגַלֵּה:  עֶרְוַת אָבִיךָ, הִוא.
8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

The first interpretation fits better with verse 21 ("he was uncovered").
But the second interpretation explains why in verse 25 it is Canaan and not Ham that is cursed (Canaan was the result of this incident).
Is there a consensus within Judaism as to which interpretation, if either, is correct?


texts: What are the major regions relevant to Ashkenazi minhagim?

texts:
Motivating this question are the instructions in the ArtScroll Siddur for the two versions of kel erekh apayim, said on weekdays before taking out the sefer torah: one is identified as “נוסח אשכנז, פיהם, ופולין קטן”, the other as “נוסח פולין גדל וליטא”. Similarly, selichos are listed as “מנהג פולין” or “מנהג ליטא”.

My question is in two parts:

What do “פיהם”, “פולין גדל”, “פולין קטן”, “ליטא”, etc. specifically refer to? and (more importantly)
When classifying Ashkenazi minhagim, which regions of Europe are significant?

(By “significant” I might [for example] include Frankfurt am Main [ק״ק פפד״מ] since its minhagim were historically important and distinct from elsewhere in the Germanies, but the simple fact that the one-horse town of Magyaslozckin had some unique minhagim of its own would not rate it a mention.)


texts: Do non jews really have 8 Mitzvot and not just 7?

texts: According to this thread http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/13447/is-it-a-discouraged-or-an-unacceptable-practice-for-a-gentile-to-keep-the-sabbat?lq=1 It seems that non jews aren't allowed to keep shabbos. Doesn't that make this an eighth mitzvah (in addition to the 7 Mitzvot being Noah) ?


texts: Shiluach HaKan and Megillah Character Sources

texts:
The Gemara in Chullin (137b) asks where several characters of the Megillah are found in the Torah: Esther (Devarim 31:18), Mordechai (Shemos 30:23), and Haman (Bereishis 3:11), as well as Moshe (Bereishis 6:3).

This passage appears in the middle of a discussion of the mitzvah of Shiluach HaKan. Why does it appear here?


texts:
What can maaaser money be used for? Can you use maaser to buy sefarim?
Thanks


texts: If someone has a perfectly kosher oven which is designated only for dairy and parve meals. He accidentaly put there a non-kosher pan with some dairy food. What now, is his oven still kosher after that?


texts: Why do they offer food and drink to the one leading the goat for Azazel, instead of replacing the person if he can't complete the task?

texts:
We know from the torah that eating or drinking on Yom Kippur is forbidden.  Yoma (in chapter 8) lists some exceptions that all have to do with extreme need (health).  But, aside from pikuach nefesh, we don't eat or drink on Yom Kippur.

I was therefore surprised to learn, in Yoma 6:5, that when the one leading the goat for Azazel stopped at each of the booths along the way, they offered him food and drink.  (The g'mara explains that this is if he needs it.)  Earlier in the chapter (6:3) we learn that all are fit for this duty; it's not a super-restricted job where there are only a few people who could do it and thus we're worried about one of them weakening and being able to continue.

If the person leading the goat is to tired, hungry, or thirsty to continue, why not have someone else take over?  Even though the kohanim made a rule that it has to be a Levi and not a Yisrael, there are lots of Levi'im.  Were they all at the temple except the one leading the goat, and that's why they couldn't make a substitution?  But, if that's the reason, wouldn't substituting a Yisrael be a lesser transgression (it only violates a human rule) than having somebody eat and drink (which violates a torah law)?  Does it say somewhere that one person needs to complete the full journey and substitution isn't possible?


texts: Is there any mention by our sages of blessed memory of great centers of Jewish learning in Central Asia?

texts: Is there any mention by our sages of blessed memory of great centers of Jewish learning in Central Asia: Iran Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Xinjiang, Caucasus area, Armenia, Georgia.


texts: PTIJ : Why did Obi-Wan Kenobi think Jedi of HaForce strengthen after מָוֶת?

texts:
PTIJ: Why did Obi-Wan Kenobi think Jedi of HaForce strengthen after מָוֶת?
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
Similar to אֱלִישָׁ֔ע Elisha in 2 Kings 13:21
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Chullin 1:3 (Fol. 7):
“If the righteous are so great while alive how much the more are they great after their death; for R. Chama b. Chanina said: 'The righteous are great after their death even more so than during their lives, as it is said (II Kings 13, 21) And it came to pass as they were burying a man, that, behold, they saw the band; and they cast down the man into the sepulchre of Elisha; and as the man came and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and rose up on his feet.' " R. Papa then said to Abaye: "Perhaps this happened in order to fulfill the blessing of Elijah, as it is written (Ib. 2, 9) I pray the, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me?"
[https://www.sefaria.org/II_Kings.13.21?lang=bi&with=Ein%20Yaakov%20(Glick%20Edition)&lang2=en]
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. [See the Purim Torah policy: https://judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/797/purim-torah-policy-allowed-but-regulated].


texts:
When we put on tefillin, we (I am Ashkenazi) say 2 brachot -- l'haniach tefillin and al mitzvat tefillin.
The second makes sense -- I am making a bracha on fulfilling the mitzvah of tefillin. But what is the definition of "l'haniach"? Is it "to place" or something more?
I ask because I wonder what the action is that is required -- I do not "tie" my tefillin when I put them on so "ukshartam" must mean something besides tying like a knot. Is the mitzvah in the wearing of them or in the wrapping, neither of which is either "placing" or "tying."
Could I buy "pre-wrapped" tefillin and fit my arm in like a sleeve so the various parts end up in the right spot? Or is there something about the process which is required?
[if you look up the phrase "pre-wrapped tefillin" you will come up with something my dad thought up a bunch of years ago as a gag. Now I wonder if it could be halachically feasible]

Five and a half years later, a new subtlety --
What about someone who is a righty with only a useful left arm? I saw someone have the arm/hand tefillin wrapped on him by someone else. If the verb is "to place" then who makes that bracha? The one who is actively wrapping? Or the one on whom it is wrapped?


texts: Does anyone know of a Hebrew/Arabic online or in print?


texts: Why is the laining identical on the first 2 days of Sukkot?

texts:
The laining is chosen (on many holidays) to deal with the holiday, itself. As the Rambam explains,

  וקוראין בעניין המועד, לא בסדר השבת.  ומשה רבנו תיקן להן לישראל, שיהיו קוראין בכל מועד, עניינו; ושואלין ודורשין בעניינו של יום, בכל מועד ומועד

On the first day of Sukkot, we read a lengthy passage which closes with the mention of  Sukkot. Then (outside of Israel) on the second day, we read the same thing. On the 2 yom tov days of Pesach (beginning and end) and Shavu'ot, we read different things. And it isn't like we have nothing else to read that mentions Sukkot -- we could read from Devarim 16 which mentions it as well.

So why repeat the laining on Sukkot instead of reading from Devarim?


texts: Od (Ovadyia) Yosef Chai - what is the idea behind the movement

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I saw in Tzfat a car adorned with signs saying עוד יוסף חי - with a big picture of Rav Ovadia Yosef. I was informed by someone going to Yeshiva there that this is some kind of nascent Jewish (not political) movement, perhaps something extreme.

Is this a movement, or just someone with a sign on his car? If it is a movement, what is the philosophy and agenda of this movement?


texts: MiSheBerach for someone who doesn't like his/her own name

texts:
Another question asked about a case in which someone does not want to use his/her mother's name in a MiSheBerach.

What if someone dislikes his/her own given name and goes by a different name? What name is used for a MiSheBerach?


texts: What is the bracha for Etrog marmalade that has visible chunks of etrog pieces and / or rind?

texts:
My understanding and intention on asking this:

Fruit products that have visible fruit pieces, such as applesauce, I have read in a number of Brachot booklets, state to say ha'etz, since the fruit is still noticeable.

However, I have also learned that if you eat fruit or vegetable that people usually don't eat, you say shehakol. Usually, I have seen that rule applied to, say eating raw potato, where you would say shehakol, but when the potato is baked, you say ha'adma, as that's how people usually eat potatoes.

Regarding the etrog, I know of no one that eats it raw. However, most people don't eat the etrog when cooked, either. Few people, at least in U.S. eat etrog jelly, or even bother to make it. Since, an etrog is rarely eaten at all, if someone makes the jelly, should you still say shehakol even if it has noticeable bits of fruit and / or rind?


texts: Omission from Koteret to Hil. Talmud Torah

texts:
The Rambam wrote small introductions to sections of Mishna Torah called a Koteret. In the introduction to Hilchos Talmud Torah he writes:

יש בכללן שתי מצוות עשה--(א) ללמוד תורה; (ב) לכבד מלמדיה ויודעיה.  וביאור שתי מצוות אלו בפרקים אלו.

A Mitzvah to learn Torah and a Mitzvah to honor those who learn it and know it.
In the Minyan Hamitzvot Hakatzar , however, he lists, as the 11th positive commandment:

(לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה וּלְלַמְּדָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמָר: "וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ" (דברים ו, ז.
To learn Torah and teach it, as is said: "And you shall teach your children" (Deut. 6:7)

Why does Rambam omit the obligation to teach Torah from the Koteret to Hilchos Talmud Torah, when he includes it in the associated Mitzvah listing? He could have easily included "וּלְלַמְּדָהּ" in the Koteret as well.


texts: Question on Mordechai -- Chiyuv m'drabbanan being motzei chiyuv m'doraisa

texts:
The Mordechai in Megillah Siman 798 has a case if a blind person can make kiddush for his family since (according to Rebbe Yehuda) a blind person is patur from mitzvas, then his obligation in making Kiddush is only m'drabbanan. Howe can the D'rabbanan be motzei (or help the others fufill) their obligation that is d'oraisa. The Mordechai writes that we find a similar case in someone who makes Kiddush before it becomes night. That after plag hamincha (before the night but after a time someone can be makabel Shabbos) his obligation to make Kiddush would only be d'rabbanan (Tosesfes Shabbos is only d'rabbanan.) However when it becomes night there would be now a new obligation of kiddush m'doraisa. Still we say his kiddush made earlier takes care of the obligation that would be d'oraisa when it becomes night. This is the Mordechai's proof for the case of a blind person.

The Minchas Chinnuch brings this in regards to the question of how a katan that becomes a bar mitzvah during sefira could continue counting with a bracha, his chiyuv before was only m'drabbanan and now is d'oraisa. However we see from the cases of the Mordechai that this question is answered.

However there is a question that one could ask on the Mordechai. The Gemorah in Brachos (Daf 20) says that a katan who ate and now has to say bircas hamazon (m'drabbanan) cannot be motzei a Gadol that also ate a seudaha and is full that has to say bircas hamazon d'oraisa. Seemingly this is a kasha (question/difficulty) on the psak of the Mordechai. What achronim speak about this? What answers are given?


texts:
Moshe discusses in Devarim how the people were supposed to approach the Mountain of the Amorite and conquer the land. Then, after
Where is this mountain geographically? Does it have any special significance halachically or in aggada?


texts: Why is there no havdallah when going from Yom Tov into Shabbat?

texts:
When Yom Tov begins on Motza'ei Shabbat, havdallah is included in the Yom Tov Kiddush. However, when Shabbat follows a Friday Yom Tov, there is no Havdallah included in the Friday night Kiddush.

Why is there this difference? The bracha in the Havdallah ends "Hamavdil ben Kodesh L'Kodesh" - "Who separates holy from holy". There certainly are two levels of holiness, here - Shabbat and Yom Tov. So, why not say the Havdallah?

I'm surmising that when "rising" in holiness, gong from Yom Tov to Shabbat, there is no need to mention havdallah. However, that rule is not evident. If that is the reason, please provide a source for that rule.


texts:
Are the roots צור (to form, shape, fashion) יצר (to create) and צר (to shape, form, model)  related or do they just share similar meanings?

Are there any commentaries, scriptures, that connect these roots?


texts: First steps for someone considering conversion

texts:
I am 25 years old and I am truly interested in converting.  I too also only believe in G-d.  I live my life to certain rules that others I see aren't strong enough to live by.  I want to know what I can do be part of this great religion.  I know I wasn't born chosen but I feel such a connection to Judaism that I feel I need to try and keep trying for Judaism.  There are "converting classes" but I feel that's just a way for someone to make money.  I'm truly interested and do whatever it may be to be considered a friend.

What are the first steps for someone like me, who is considering conversion to Judaism?


texts: When does trash become muktsa on Shabbos?

texts: My granddaughters will go the candy-man in shul on Shabbos, unwrap their lolly-pops, and hand me their wrappers.  If I understand muktsa to mean something which has no purpose for me on Shabbos, then I assume those wrappers must be muktsa.  But I just can't leave them on the shul floor. So, must I take them immediately to the garbage can, or can I keep them in my pocket for some time?


texts: Riddle: Which Yom Tov can come out on different Hebrew dates?

texts: In the times of Kiddush HaChodesh Shavuos which is 50 days after the start of Sefiras HaOmer could come out either 5, 6, or 7 Sivan depending on how many days Nisan and Iyar had. There is still one Yom Tov that can come out on 2 different days even with the current calendar. Which Yom Tov is that?


texts: Rashi's proof of the timing of Yisro's conversation with Moshe about judges

texts:
Rashi (to Ex. 18:13) cites Mechilta that "the next day," when Yisro saw Moshe judging the people and offered his advice about appointing inferior judges, was the day after Yom Kippur. Part of his proof of this point is:

'שהרי קודם מתן תורה אי אפשר לומר (פסוק טז) והודעתי את חקי וגו
Before the giving of the Torah it was impossible to say (verse 16), “and I make known the statutes, etc.,” [since the statutes had not yet been given].

How so? Previously (commentary to 15:25), Rashi has informed us that Hashem already gave the Jews some mitzvos at Marah: Shabbos, the Red Heifer, and civil laws. (In the commentary to Deut. 5:16, he also adds the mitzvah of honoring parents.) In the weeks before that they had been taught the twenty mitzvos (according to Rambam's enumeration) in Parashas Bo, including the topics of Rosh Chodesh, the Pesach offering, Yom Tov, and sanctifying firstborn sons and animals. Going back even further, they had the seven Noachide laws and all of their corollaries, plus the various mitzvos and customary practices that they had received from the Avos and from Amram (see Rambam, Hil. Melachim 9:1).
So they had quite a respectable amount of Torah law to cover already by the time they arrived at Mount Sinai. Why, then, does Rashi consider it impossible that Yisro could have seen Moshe judging and instructing the people before the Torah was given?


texts: Is water included in the mitzvah of fasting?

texts:
Generally speaking, when the Torah is discussing the concept of fasting, whether on individual fasts or public fasts, it mentions the prohibition of neither eating, nor drinking.

But water has a special status in terms of being considered in the category of a  drink.

Water has no taste or scent which appears to be the physical distinction delineated in Torah (halacha) as found for example in Shulchan Aruch HaRav,volume 1, 202:15 (citing the Turay Zahav to Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 205:2:5).

And in fact, like is mentioned in Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Birchot HaNehanin, Chapter 1, halacha 1 that according to the Sofrim all eating and drinking requires a blessing beforehand if one benefits/takes pleasure in it.

And yet, water does not receive a blessing before it or after it because it has no taste or scent, unless one is drinking from being parched. If one is not parched, water is not considered to be a drink in the halachic sense. Like is mentioned in Shulchan Aruch HaRav, Birchot HaNehanin, Chapter 10:7. If one is not parched, then no blessing is made. This is in spite of the fact that one swallows it.

And this leads to the question.

If one is properly hydrated prior to the commencement of a fast, private or public, so that they are not parched, is it permitted to drink water intermittently throughout the fast? Is it still considered to be fulfilling the mitzvah?

This is assuming that one abstains from all eating and drinking of all other beverages.

If not, why not. Please provide clear sources.


texts: If a person is impure because of his nocturnal emission. Is he allowed to do mitzvot?  Should he still strive to do them or should he keep low key and try to avoid them because of his impure state?


texts:
I'm looking for a translation or commentary on Targum Onkelos, especially for the non-literal parts (such as on Birkas Yaakov and Shiras Hayam).

It can be in either Hebrew or English.


texts: Is it ok to pray for a non-religious friend that he become religious?

texts: Is it ok to pray for a non-religious friend that he should become religious? In the end, he has to make  the decision for himself, so can the prayer influence somehow his free will?


texts: Can a prophet add to or change the Torah?

texts: Is it possible for a prophet to add to the Torah, or change any of it?  Can a prophet say that God has told him that certain parts no longer apply or are wrong? How do we know?