texts: Must the first day of Nisan follow spring equinox

texts:
Looking for clarification on how ancient timekeepers set the day of Passover. I understand that it would begin on the 14th of first month of new year.  I’m not clear if the new moon that starts the month had to occur after the equinox. Wikipedia says:

  Technically, its New Years Day is the day after the New Moon closest to (within fifteen days before or after) the Vernal Equinox (Spring Equinox, when the day and the night is of equal length, set at March 21 in the Gregorian Calendar). It begins the first month, named Nisanu/Nisan/Abib. The month of Nisan is important since it begins the Spring Feasts of Israel.

What was the official rule in the days of Sanhedrin?


texts: Are there any Synagogues or Rabbis available in Pakistan?

texts:
There was once a very thriving Jewish community available in Pakistan. There was a Synagogue in the port city of Karachi as well till 1985.

What is the current situation now? What if someone would like to meet a Rabbi to learn about Judaism in Pakistan?


texts: Does the Kohen really get to the raise a baby that a father refuses to redeem?

texts:
This summary of the beginning of the Pidyon Haben (redeeming the first born son) is on wikipedia

  In the traditional ceremony, the father brings the child to the Kohen
  and recites a formula, or responds to ritual questions, indicating
  that this is the Israelite mother's firstborn son and he has come to
  redeem him as commanded in the Torah. The Kohen asks the father which
  he would rather have, the child or the five silver shekels which he
  must pay.

When I went to my friend's sons pidyon, the father hesitated when the Kohen asked him the question. After the Kohen proded him for an answer, my friend said, "Wait a minute. I'm thinking it over!"

At the end, he redeemed his son, of course. My friend has a strange sense of humor...

But I'm curious... If he were serious and said to the Kohen, I'm giving my son to you. What happens? Does the Kohen now bear the responsibility of raising the boy? If it is assumed that every father will redeem his son, as the text of the ceremony indicates, then why ask the question in the first place if the Kohen knows the answer?


texts: Are marriages on yom tov recognized if all other halacha is observed?

texts: I attended a reform Jewish wedding on Shavuot and was wondering if the marriage is acknowledged and what the status of the children of that union are?


texts: Respecting People because of their Money

texts:
A friend told me that his Rabbi told him that we have to respect people with a lot of money because God has blessed them.

Is this written anywhere?


texts:
Several websites that I have researched say that a mezuzah parchment must be protected from dampness and at least should be have a plastic film on the outside, i.e. it can not be completely inserted into a plastic bag. (See this.)

Most places recommend placing the mezuzah into a case (made of ceramic, wood, etc.). I assume that the case makes it easier to secure and also provides extra protection.

The only place I can recall having seen a mezuzah on the wall without a case was in my friend's work place. My friend is Orthodox, and I assume that he knew this was OK. But then, again, I have also read opinions that since one's office is not a permanent residence, one is not required to have any mezuzah in is office. So, it's possible that he may have just had it there to be "decorative", and it wouldn't really matter halachically in his case (no pun of the word, here) if he used a case.

Halachically, is the case absolutely required? Can one roll the parchment, and just secure the parchment to the wall using tape or any other method that would make it secure?


texts: Are women allowed to see another woman's private area?

texts: I always was curious if a woman has to guard her eyes, like men, in tznious. I've seen a lot of bikini pics. I just wanted to know if it's an aveira to see this type of stuff.


texts: Who was in charge of l'viyim and their jobs?

texts: L'viyim (Levites) in the bes hamikdash (Temple in Jerusalem) had various roles: some sang, some had overnight guard positions, etc. The kohanim ("priests", if you will) had a rosh bes av (family head) who was officially in charge of them and had a m'mune (appointed one) who assigned positions each day. (If I recall correctly — which I might not — some say that the m'mune and the rosh bes av were the same person. But that's neither here nor there.) Who was in charge of the group of l'viyim that served in the bes hamikdash each week (or whatever their shift was)? Who assigned their jobs?


texts: The "practicality" of the protection when wearing tefillin

texts:
חתם סופר על התורה, כי תבוא מ״א

  וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עליך ויראו ממך אחז"ל אלו תפילין שבראש

Devarim 28:10 says that people will see that God's name is called upon you, and they shall fear you. Chaza"l says that the way the other nations will visibly see this is when you wear the head tefillin.

Practically speaking, what type of protection and fear actually occurs? An example (as crazy as this may sound):

I went to yeshiva elementary school in Washington Heights, a high-crime area in upper Manhattan in New York City. When I learned this verse in yeshiva many years ago, I figured, maybe there's something to this. I guess I was naive, but I was also scared and desparate for anything that would work. So, I wore my tefillin on the street. Well, guess what? That identified me as a Jew and, inevitably, I was mugged five times. Fortunately, they only took my money and not my tefillin, which are more precious to me than any money.

Seeing that this didn't work, I became skeptical of this concept that others would run away when they see you wearing tefillin.

So, practically, why doesn't this idea work? Why wouldn't others be scared of wearing the tefillin on my head?


texts: Why can't Israel rebuild the Mishkan today in the original site at Tel Shilo?

texts:
There is a semi significant effort to rebuild the third Beit Hamikdash, but several obvious problems are: One, we don't know the exact location and probably won't confirm it for some time due to the prevention of archaeological work and destruction of artifacts by the Arabs there. Second, most probably it is under the dome, so then that's off limits at least for now.

However, it says in the Torah that G-d commended Israel to worship and sacrifice in the "place that G-d will choose" for His name to be honored. Shilo was such a place and still is the place that for 369 years the kodosh kodoshim was present. There is strong evidence we know the exact spot there. The mishkan was always a temporary spot till the Temple was built. Why not rebuild the mishkan and wait for the building of the third temple later as a final resting place?


texts: May an employer dismiss an employee to pressure him in a non–work-related matter

texts:
Without discussing whether the particular case currently in the news actually qualifies as the situation I’m describing, consider the following case:

In his private life, an employee of mine is engaged in behavior I believe to be wrong. There is nothing in this matter that relates to me or my business. (Ignore public pressure put on me; or assume the public knows nothing about this case. Assume also this is not legally-protected wrongful behavior, vehameivin yovin.)

Am I permitted under halachah to suspend or fire this employee as a coercive strategy? (He will not easily find work elsewhere.)

Somewhat related: Must one give notice?


texts: Is there someone who can explain a rare ketubah written for the deaf?

texts:
I recently located a copy of my parents' ketubah. My parents were both deaf. I noticed some phrasing in the ketubah that is significantly differnt from the standard. For example, it uses the term "remizah" (signed - hinted) instead of "amirah" (said). The ketubah is also signed by 3 witnesses, which I assume are the signatures of Bet Din authorities. The ketuvah is about 65 - 70 years old and none of the witnesses nor any of the wedding attendants that I can think of are alive, so there is no one I can ask, personally.

I need someone who can offer me some reliable insight to translate the text for me, and, more imporrtantly, explain why this type of ketuvah was used considering that both my parents were able to speak, and, thus, may not have been considered true "chershim" to require this type of ketuvah. Also, since my son is deaf, I want to get some idea as to whether he will require this type of ketuvah when he marries.

I showed a copy of the ketuvah to 3 local rabbis. As this is such an unusual area, none of them is familiar with this subject. I'd greatly appreciate the suggestions of anyone - name and phone and / or email - who can advise me in this area.


texts:
Near the beginning of the Torah, in parshat Breishit we see that G-d exiled Adam from the Garden of Eden because he was worried that Adam would eat from עץ החיים - the tree of life (Ber 3,23).

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה"א הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם׃
And the LORD God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever!”

Yet, Proverbs 3:18 refers to the Torah as an עץ חיים.
So, it seems that the Torah forbade man to use it or learn from it. Essentially, the Torah forbade itself. Why?

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


texts: Is Sabellianism avodah zarah (idolatry)?

texts:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabellianism

They do not believe that God is three in one. They believes that God, being omnipotent, can appear to humans in many forms, including becoming human like Jesus.

Is that avodah zarah too?

On another edge, Christianity also have Unitarianism which I think have the same concept of God with judaism. In this question, I am asking for Sabellianism, which is somewhere between Unitarianism and trinity "flavor" of Christianity.


texts: Practicality of following the Torah's advice about a false prophet

texts:
Devarim 18:21-22 says that the way to determine that a prophet is a false prophet is if the prophet speaks in the name of G-d and says that something will happen but it doesn't occur.

I'm curious how practical this is. Let's say a prophet comes and says, "I came with a message from G-d that says that you need to sell your home in the next week, or you will lose everything you own."

Chances are that I wouldn't want to really take a gamble and think he's lying, but would I be cautious and just sell my home.

As a matter of fact, this is somewhat "predicament" of Jonah. According to Midrash, the very reason that Jonah fled on a boat rather than immediately deliver the message to Nineveh is that he feared that the people of Nineveh would consider him a false prophet because he predicted disaster yet it didn't happen.

Is there an additional condition that I missed from what the Torah is stating that would make the average person wait around and not listen to the prophet? (The Torah does explicitly state in an earlier verse NOT to listen to him.)


texts: When women daven (pray), even by ourselves, it is convention to daven with male-gendered words  ("modeh" vs "moda" as one of many examples).  Why is this; are there sources that say we should be doing otherwise?  If so, when did this tradition get started?


texts: Chazal tells us (Midrash Rabbah Bereishis 64:4 and 95:3; Yoma 28b, based on. Gen. 26:5; Kiddushin 82a) that the Patriarchs observed the mitzvahs before they were given.  But Avraham did not circumcize himself or his male household members until specifically commanded.  Why did he wait?


texts: Benefiting from work done by a non-observant Jew after Shabbat

texts: Observant Jews do not resume doing melacha after Shabbat until after Havdalah. But not all Jews do this. So may you benefit from work done by a non-observant Jew after Shabbat ends, even if he did not "end" Shabbat with Havdalah? Let's say, should you not call them on the phone on Saturday Night?


texts: Why did I receive email from this site on a holiday such as Succoth when we are not allowed to use any electronics?


texts: Making a mistake in davening: when should one find out what to do?

texts:
There are lots of sections in the tefillah that either needed to be added at certain parts of the year or that one should cease saying at certain times of the year, as well as additions for Hanukkah, for Purim, for shabbes and for yontef. It's not unheard of that somebody who is used to davening a certain way might make a mistake, and s/he might not realise that they had done so until a paragraph or two has elapsed.

Accordingly, the rules that concern what a person should do in these situations are correspondingly varied, and many siddurim see fit to include them. Some print them, for example, at the back of the book, while some print them closer to the beginning. It's not too hard for a person to familiarise themselves with some of these rules, but there are a good few of them.

My question relates to a person who has made a mistake but does not yet know how that particular error is supposed to be fixed. As a general rule should they pause their tefillah, flick to the appropriate page and find out how to rectify their error? Is it better that they just keep davening and then learn afterwards what it is that they should have done? Or should they simply go back to the place where they had made the mistake (or even to the very beginning) and continue from there?

In my own experience, there is often a temptation to find out there and then how that particular error should be fixed, yet interrupting the davening to learn something (even though it doesn't necessitate movement or speech) seems improper.


texts: What rules did Hamechaber set to himself before compiling the Shulchan Aruch?

texts:
Following Doniel's question, did R' Yosef Karo accept himself a set of fixed rules/guidelines by which he is going to compile the Shulchan Aruch?

For example, the order of Halochos, what he brings and what he omits from Tur, what authorities does he mention and what he doesn't, where he brings a Machlokes and where he Paskens.


texts:
Charbonah is the person who reminded Ahashverosh about the tree that Haman made to hang Mordechai on.

I realize that the names of most of the people mentioned in the Megillah are Persian. However, some of the names seem similar to Hebrew words, and IIRC, Rash"i explains the name "Memuchan". Is the name "Charbonah" related to the word "churban" meaning "destruction"? Does anyone explain the reason for his name?


texts: Covering dough for the blessing on the dough offering

texts:
Before reciting the blessing "להפריש חלה..."  (or whatever other version) I've seen women remove the mandated size of dough and then cover the rest of the dough prior to reciting the blessing.

Is there any source for covering the main portion of the dough?


texts:
If one is working part time and his / her parents whose financial state is really not great (their balance is negative), is s/he allowed to give his / her maaser money to them even though they support him / her with food, clothing, etc?

Even if they are needy, If the child is benefiting from the maser s/he gives (ie, the parents are using that money for food, clothing, shelter, etc), is it still allowed to be given to those people? Because it will ultimately end up back to her....?


texts:
Is there a list anywhere of all the places standard orthodox Jews don't rule like Zohar?
Ideally where nobody does like wait time between milk and meat. But if there are places where Chassidim and Yeshivish people don't rule like Zohar and Morden Orthodox do, that would also fulfill this inquiry.

Whenever discussions about Teffilin on chol hamoed come up, invariably someone will say 'well the Zohar was a Tanna and you can't argue on him".

Ignoring the silly nature of that statement for the moment, I would much rather present a list of places we don't rule like Zohar as response.

Does this exist?


texts: watching a live video being taken on shabbos

texts: can I watch a live video from a place that its still shabbos (its not shabbos for me but it is for where the live video is), for example USA and eretz yisroel?


texts: Can a "brain controlled" prosthetic be used on Shabbat?

texts:
New prosthetics are controlled by brain waves which seem to make the prosthetic an extension of the body in an "organic" way, in that we control all of our own limbs through the same brain waves and impulses. [scientists -- sorry, my understanding is rudimentary -- if I am misrepresenting anything, please let me know]

This bit of Purim Torah (with actual sources) seems to point to the idea that telekinesis (movement of an object using the brain) would be allowed on Shabbat, but the question is about moving something external to the body and one opinion questions if using brain waves is k'lachar Yad. Moving a body part is not exactly the same, as brain impulses are the normal way of moving body parts.

This question asks about prothetic limbs in halacha but doesn't address this aspect of controlling their electronics when the electronics are integrated into the body (I learned that attached body parts are not muktza but I don't know when a limb is or is not "attached" enough to become a halachic body part, unlike a car).

So would the electronic body part be able to be controlled on Shabbat by the brain of the "wearer"?


texts:
Why did the Israelites build a golden calf in the desert? The question is, why a calf?

Why not a golden cat, a golden eagle, a golden lion, golden parachutes or a gold bar?

Of all the images they could build, why a calf?

Note:

One of the theories at http://ancienthebrewpoetry.typepad.com/ancient_hebrew_poetry/2008/04/elyon-bull-el-a.html is that the original word for "sons of Israel" is "bull el". Bull and calf are kind of related.


texts:
Who knows three hundred forty?
ארבעים ושלוש מאות - מי יודע?
The traditional Passover song "Echad - mi yodeya" implies a possible presupposition that there is a Jewish significance to be found for each natural number. Accordingly, there is an ongoing series on Mi Yodeya that is attempting to unearth significant Judaism facts about each number, in sequence.
What significant Judaism facts are there about the number 340? The more significant within Judaism and the more intrinsically dependent on the value 340, the stronger the answer. Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.
Please don't put anything named "lazy gematria" there in the answer box.


texts: What are the essential books which every religious Jew should own?

texts: What Jewish religious books should one consider when starting a Jewish Library in their home? A set of Shas (Talmud) and the Shulchan Orech (Code of Jewish Law) are the obvious ones, What else should be considered essential for the Jewish home?


texts: Is it forbidden to use the Internet on Shabbat?

texts: Is it forbidden to use the Internet during Shabbat? How can you interpret the Melachos to apply to the 21st century? Is there a difference between looking at the internet for purely information purposes for example this website vs. directly communicating with another person? One way I have been trying to look at the question is read-only use of the internet vs. read-write usage. For example, if someone sends me an email during Shabat, I do not reply to it, but I know that it has been received. After the sun sets, now I finally reply to the email.


texts: Why was the Israelite section in the Beis Hamikdash so small?

texts:
The size of the Ezras Israel (where male Israelites are allowed) is 11 Ammos (cubits) long while the Ezras Nashim is so big (135x135 cubits).

Yet, it was the men who had to be Oleh Regel (when the "big crunch" was expected). Even if one says that there was a miracle, it's not so clear that we rely Lechatchila on such miracles.

Why (when they sanctified the Temple Mount) couldn't they have made the Ezras Yisrael larger (at the expense of the Ezras Nashim)?

Beis Hamikdash floorplan:


texts:
I'm looking for the complete movie related to the trailer that is in this video: https://youtu.be/qnWAQdxDS-k . Do you know where I can buy a copy of this full movie?
Warning: I have already emailed Laadan International to two different addresses of this company and received no response.


texts: Do we answer אָמֵן after the leader says וְאִמְרוּ or after he says וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן?

texts:
Our prayers often end with the phrase וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. Kaddish also ends with it, as follows:

  עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם  בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:

Am I to understand that the prayer leader is saying (1) וְאִמְרוּ - (now respond)
and we are to respond together with him אָמֵן, or is the prayer leader saying (2) וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן - (now respond  אָמֵן) to which we respond after him  אָמֵן.

I have heard different synagogues do different versions.

Oruch Hashulchan (OC 56:6) quite clearly goes for (2), as he says:

  "ואחר "ואמרו אמן" עונין "אמן

Does anyone differ with the Oruch Hashulchan?

(related Why demand Amen via V'Imru Amen (ואמרוּ אָמֵן) at end of kaddish versus just amen elsewhere?)


texts:
I assume most have heard about the 5 famous rules of Elia Levita regarding the vocal sheva. His rules tend to work well in practice, even the third, much debated rule about the concept of long vowels (taken from R' Yoseif Kimchi) – except for a few cases.
This week we read (Bereishit 46:28–29):

וְאֶת־יְהוּדָ֞ה שָׁלַ֤ח לְפָנָיו֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף לְהוֹרֹ֥ת לְפָנָ֖יו גֹּ֑שְׁנָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה גֹּֽשֶׁן׃
וַיֶּאְסֹ֤ר יוֹסֵף֙ מֶרְכַּבְתּ֔וֹ וַיַּ֛עַל לִקְרַֽאת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אָבִ֖יו גֹּ֑שְׁנָה וַיֵּרָ֣א אֵלָ֗יו וַיִּפֹּל֙ עַל־צַוָּארָ֔יו וַיֵּ֥בְךְּ עַל־צַוָּארָ֖יו עֽוֹד׃

I checked multiple editions, and all say that גֹשְׁנָה should be pronounced as Goshnah. I found in Mikeitz similar words, where the sheva is after the accented syllable, yet no vocal sheva is marked (Bereishit 41:3 and 41:11 – vataamodnah and chalamnu):

וְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶׁ֧בַע פָּר֣וֹת אֲחֵר֗וֹת עֹל֤וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶן֙ מִן־הַיְאֹ֔ר רָע֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וְדַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֛דְנָה אֵ֥צֶל הַפָּר֖וֹת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃
וַנַּֽחַלְמָ֥ה חֲל֛וֹם בְּלַ֥יְלָה אֶחָ֖ד אֲנִ֣י וָה֑וּא אִ֛ישׁ כְּפִתְר֥וֹן חֲלֹמ֖וֹ חָלָֽמְנוּ׃

I started to think about that these examples are not after a secondary stress (meteg), but then I looked up Levita's example (Bereishit 11:2):

וַיְהִ֖י בְּנָסְעָ֣ם מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַֽיִּמְצְא֥וּ בִקְעָ֛ה בְּאֶ֥רֶץ שִׁנְעָ֖ר וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם׃

Here there is still a vocal sheva (i.e. vayeishevu) despite the shift of the accent due to the following accented syllable.
What is the logic behind these exceptions to the third rule? What sources discuss these cases? Preferably, I would like to understand them without the use of the meteg, as they are prone to be added as mistaken corrections (e.g. הַלְוִיִּם and הַמְעַט).


texts: What's the point of this editorial note on Keth. 43b?

texts:
At the top of Keth. 43b the Gemara cites a ruling of Rav's, passed down by Rav Mathneh, as taught in the name of either Rav Zeira or Rabi Zeira:

  אמר רב זירא אמר רב מתנה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רבי זירא א"ר מתנה אמר רב

Presumably, this is an effort to give proper citation, but if there's no ambiguity as to Rav Mathneh's tradition in the name of Rav, why go to the trouble an ambiguous citation of either Rav Zeira or Rabi Zeira?


texts: Making a neder without specifying verbally

texts: If someone wants to make a prohibition on himself from eating apples and has some apples in front of him and uses a language of "konem" in his neder and says "these apples" then they become forbidden (Shulchan Aruch YD 216:1). What about if the person says something along the lines of "konem alei" (it should be forbidden to me) the "thing that I know" and has in his mind at that moment apples (even though he doesn't speak this out specifically in the language of the neder.) Are the apples still forbidden?


texts: Why aren't non-Jews commonly called "Ivrim"?

texts:
This article claims that one opinion is that the word "Ivri" is related to "Ever", one of Noah's descendants.

The Bible uses the term "Ivri" in many places. Avram was called an "Ivri" (Breishit (Gen.) 14:13). Considering that Ever had many non-Jewish (i.e. non-Abraham) desendants, or for that matter, descendants of Ishma'el or Esav, etc. why aren't these descendants also called "Ivrim" or "Hebrews" based on this definition?


texts: What did people know about Moshiach in the times of the Beis Hamikdash?

texts:
When did the 'coming of Moshiach' become a thing in Judaism? When was it first discussed in Jewish literature?

Did people in the times of the first or second Beis Hamikdash think that life as they know it and live it everyday is the ultimate purpose of creation? That the world would continue forever as it was going then?


texts: Mashiv HaRuach - V'Sain (veten) Tal Umatar

texts: Why do we start saying Mashiv HaRuach on Shemini Atzeres yet we do not say V'Sain Tal Umatar until Dec 4 / Dec 5 (In Chutz L'Aretz)? Why should they not be on the same day when they are similar Tefilos?


texts: NFL and Rosh Hashanah. Ravens and Orioles scheduling debacle

texts:
As of now the National Football League is trying to bully the Baltimore Orioles (a baseball team) into moving their long scheduled Sept. 5th game so the NFL Baltimore Ravens can play their opening day game on this night.

The obvious solution is for the Ravens to play on Wednesday night when the Orioles have an away game.

The NFL has cited Rosh Hashanah as its reason for not playing on Wednesday. It is my understanding that the holiday runs through Thursday.

Is playing on Thursday any better for the Jewish community?


texts: Does "die" in Bereishit 2:17 imply the *beginning* of a process death, or simply *death*?

texts:
It is true that Adam and Eve didn’t die the exact day they ate, as some seem to think Genesis 2:17 implies. The Hebrew is die-die (muwth-muwth), which is often translated as “surely die” or literally as “dying you shall die,” which indicates the beginning of dying (i.e. an ingressive sense). At that point, Adam and Eve began to die and would return to dust. If they were meant to have died right then, the text should have used muwth only once, as is used in the Hebrew meaning “dead, died, or die” and not “beginning to die” or “surely die.”

Is such an interpretation of בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת valid in the context of this verse?


texts: Kiddush where no one person drinks a cheekful?

texts: Suppose someone makes kiddush and distributes all the wine evenly to everyone at the table, including himself, in small cups; but there were enough people that no one person received/drank a cheekful. Would someone fulfill their mitzvah of kiddush after-the-fact (yotzei bedieved) this way?


texts: I have been told that there are good books for helping understand how to improve the respect I can give my significant other. I have found a few online stores, but was wondering what sort of books I should be looking for?


texts: Is there any problem with wearing a nicotine patch on Yom Kippur or any other fast day? (sources please)


texts: Is Shmitat Ksafim practiced after a Yovel?

texts:
Many link between the Yovel and Shmitat Ksafim, like in Shu"A H"M 67:

  "דין שמיטה ופרוזבול ובו ל"ח סעיפים:
  אין שמיטת כספים נוהגת מן התורה אלא בזמן שהיובל נוהג"

Is Shmitat Kasafim actually practiced after the 50th year, in other words after the 49th (regular Shmita) AND 50th (Yovel) year?


texts: Why would Ashkenazim read a "double" haftarah for Parshat Pekudei in Israel?

texts:
All printed chumashim that I've seen list the following consecutive selections as the Ashkenazi hafatarot for Vayakhel and Pekudei:

Vayakhel: Melachim I 7:40-50
Pekudei: Melachim I 7:51-8:21

(And see this list on Hebrew Wikipedia which says the same.)
However, this (leap) year on Parshat Pekudei I witnessed an Ashkenazi synagogue in Israel read both of these haftarot consecutively i.e. the haftarah for Parshat Pekudei consisted of Melachim I 7:40-8:21.
I subsequently saw this page on Hebrew Wikipedia, which notes that such is the Ashkenazi practice in Israel (except for in a year with two shabbatot chanukah, when Melachim I 7:40-50 was already read as the haftarah for the second shabbat chanukah).
What is the history of and the reason for this practice? (Why) is it unique to communities in Israel?

Some (possibly helpful) background
In most non-leap years Vayakhel and Pekudei are joined and are read together with either Parshat Parah or Parshat HaChodesh. In a non-leap year when they are separate, Vayakhel coincides with Parshat Parah and Pekudei with Parshat HaChodesh.
Thus in a non-leap year the haftarot of neither Vayakhel nor Pekudei are read.
In a leap year, Vayakhel and Pekudei are read separately, but one of the two weeks always coincides with Parshat Shekalim.
Thus, in a leap year, one and only one of the haftarot of Vaykahel and Pekudei are read.
The printed Ashkenazi haftarah for Vayakhel is the same as that of the second shabbat chanukah.
The printed Ashkenazi haftarah for Pekudei consists of the same selection as that of the second day of Sukkot (in the Diaspora) with two extra verses at the beginning.


texts: Shelosha Ushloshim Umatayim - mi yodeya?

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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts: What is the logic behind the Maharil's explanation of why we don't say שעשה ניסים on Pesach?

texts:
My Haggadah cites the Maharil in Minhagim, Hilchos Hahagadah as having asked why we don't say שעשה ניסים on Pesach. He rejects the explanation brought by others that it's because we say לפיכך חייבים  להודות...למי שעשה ניסים לאבותינו, "Therefore we are obligated to thank...the One Who performed miracles for our forefathers," toward the end of Maggid, as that's not a blessing. Similarly, he rejects those who explain that it's because we say אשר גאלנו at the end of Maggid, since it makes no direct reference to the miracle. Rather, he explains, the Bracha was only instituted on Rabbinic mitzvos, i.e. Purim and Chanukah, but not Biblical ones, i.e. Pesach.

What's the logic behind this opinion? Why should whether a mitzvah is Biblical or Rabbinic have any bearing on whether the blessing thanking Hashem for a miracle be said?


texts: May a person order food from a vegan restaurant? — assuming you aren't ordering cooked food, to avoid the problem of bishul akum. If your ordering let's say a salad, what could be the problem? There's no problem of bliya (absorption) with the utensils because they only serve vegan food which doesn't contain meat, fish, or milk. And it's raw so it's not bishul akum. Assume it's the diaspora, too.


texts: How much time passes before we understand that the drought hasn’t ended?

texts:
In ta’anis (1:5-7) the Mishnayos discuss how and when to fast for rain in a drought, for example:

  הִגִּיעַ רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו וְלֹא יָרְדוּ גְשָׁמִים, בֵּית דִּין גּוֹזְרִין שָׁלשׁ תַּעֲנִיוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר.:
   עָבְרוּ אֵלּוּ וְלֹא נַעֲנוּ, בֵּית דִּין גּוֹזְרִין שָׁלשׁ תַּעֲנִיּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עַל הַצִּבּוּר.

  If kislev comes, and rain hasn’t fallen, beis din declares 3 fasts (Monday, Thursday, Monday) on the nation...
   If those pass and weren’t answered (with rain) beis din declares another 3 fasts on the nation...

How did beis din know when enough time had passed for it to be considered unanswered? Was there a set amount of time that they waited, or did each beis din decide for itself when enough time had passed?


texts: Finding out the gender of the baby your expecting

texts: I know that in some Jewish circles there is a big taboo regarding finding out the gender of the baby your expecting? What is the reason for this taboo, and does it have any Halachic basis?


texts: Moment of application of Nissuin for Chuppah case studies

texts:
While Kiddushin is a necessary step in a Jewish wedding, all marital obligations only apply after Kosher Nissuin (Rambam Ishut 10).

Nowadays we make Chuppah with some variations for Ashkenazis and Sefardis. I'd like to focus on the standard Ashkenazi tradition:

Signing the Kettubah
Walking the couple into under the Chuppah
7 rounds for the bride around the groom
Kiddushin ceremony
7 Brochos and breaking the glass
Cheder Yichud (staying in a secluded locked room usable for marital relations).

Let's take the husband's monetary obligations to heal his wife (I think it's better than burying or paying a ransom). I imagine that at any stage the bride can have, say, an asthma attack (or break a leg or worse).

After what stage exactly would the husband be obligated to pay his wife's medical expenses?


texts: When the kree and ksiv sound identical, does intending the ksiv invalidate the reading?

texts:
We always read the k’ree.

If one read the k’siv instead of the k’ree the reading is invalid and has to be repeated.  O Ch 142(8) MB[27]

In B’har (25:30)  the k’ree and the k’siv are phonetically the same (lo) but diametrically different in translation (Has/Has not).

If the baal koreh read the word with the intention of the k’siv (i.e. he read it as “…not have a wall) instead of the k’ree (it has a wall) is his reading valid?

I heard from Rav Chaim Kanievsky that there is no requirement to repeat.

Is there any further discussion about this type of reading error?

(This occurrence is mentioned in this article on the subject.)


texts: Per Sepharadim, is Almond Breeze permissible immediately after meat?

texts:
Almond Breeze is described by its manufacturer (Blue Diamond) as being "dairy free [and] made on heated equipment also used for dairy products". The manufacturer also "uses stringent equipment cleaning and testing procedures to ensure that products made on dairy equipment are dairy-free". (source)

Per Sephardi halakhah, would this product description categorize "Almond Breeze" as being "Noten Ta'am bar Noten Ta'am" and therefore permissible immediately after eating meat?


texts: Why was Judah/Yehuda the tribe that endured?

texts:
My basic question is:

Are there any reasons or hints in the Torah that explain or hint that Judah/Yehudah would be the tribe that was not lost?

Yes, I know that parts of Benjamin survived as well, as did - obviously - some of the tribe of Levi, and that there are opinions that some parts of the other tribes were absorbed into Judah.  But fundamentally, of all the Israelites, the tribe that survived is Judah which is obviously why we are called Jews today.

Why, of all the tribes, did Judah make it?
Is it "just" because they chose to remain loyal, or did they do something to "deserve" it?
Are there any commentaries discussing this?
Did Judah himself do something that, in that merit, caused his tribe to endure?
Is there anything in Torah specifically that has been used to explain this success?


texts:
In shemoneh esrei, if adding in names of cholim in the bracha of r'fayeinu, is there a preferred ordering when mentioning multiple cholim by name?

Some possibilities I thought of:

doesn't matter
men first, then women (as some shuls do by the misheberach for cholim in krias haTorah)
kerovim (relatives) first, then doesn't matter, such as parents, siblings, then others
most recent addition to the list first
least recent addition to the list first
in degree of presumed sakana the choleh is in ("deathbed" vs ongoing but serious illness)


texts:
The Rambam in Mishneh Torah (Brachot, 1:15) write :

כָּל הַמְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה הֲרֵי זֶה נוֹשֵׂא שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם לַשָּׁוְא וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּנִשְׁבָּע לַשָּׁוְא וְאָסוּר לַעֲנוֹת אַחֲרָיו אָמֵן

That is  :

Whoever recites a blessing unnecessarily takes the name of God in vain and is like one who swears in vain.

And it's seems that it been understood by Poskim as a real Deoraïta, torah-interdiction. However, I don't understand this idea as :

"The forms of all the blessings were established by Ezra and his Court" (1:5), so how can we say that the Torah would make a difference between "simple" pronouncing the name of God and in a bracha, if this concept was not existing ?
Why would it be allowed to say the name of God in a Zmira/Kina/etc but not in a bracha ? A bracha could be considered as a "gratitude" (shvach') for Hashem, even if I don't eat/drink anything !


texts: How would intercourse be verified as a form of marriage?

texts:
The first Mishnah in Talmud Kiddushin says that a woman can be bought (betrothed) via intercourse. As I understand, there must always be 2 witnesses to verify that one of the 3 methods mentioned in Kiddushin actually occurred.

How do the witnesses verify that intercourse occurred? Do two people stand in the room and watch the action happen? (I doubt that - it's a lack of privacy.) How would a couple verify that they did this as a means of marriage? How do the witnesses confirm that intercourse actually occurred?


texts: Why has God made so many poor people on earth?

texts:
What's the point of most people being born poor? Just think about the African countries for example.

How would Judaism address why more people are born poor than rich?


texts: Meaning of II Kings 14:28 - "to Judah in/through Israel."

texts:
II Kings 14:28(Chabad translation) says:

"And the rest of the events of Jeroboam and all that he did and his mighty deeds, how he fought, and how he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah through Israel, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel."

The part that always confused me is "he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah through Israel." There is a Bet prefix to "Yisrael", which appears translated as "in" lots of places elsewhere, but "he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah in Israel" doesn't make it any clearer to me.

Both Damascus and Hamath bordered Israel, not Judah --- so what does this phrase mean? Israel was almost constantly fighting with the Arameans until the Assyrians put an end to it by overrunning the area, but Damascus and Hamath are never tributary to Judah(both only to David's United Kingdom, and Damascus intermittently only to Israel) in Tanack. The only possible meaning I can think of is that by Jeroboam II's fighting and regaining control of the trade routes to them, commerce with Hamath and Damascus was restored to Judah through Israel.

Are there any explanations or commentary on this verse in later literature?


texts: Are there any communities in which the oleh still leins his own aliyah?

texts:
It used to be that when someone got an aliyah, they would read their own Torah portion, and not have it read for them by the ba'al kriyah. This practice seems to have fallen by the wayside, as every synagogue I've been in has had a ba'al kriyah -- (almost) no one will read their own aliyah, except for certain minyanim where the kriyah is split up, and the gabbai will give each ba'al kriyah an aliyah...which is still not the same as "having each oleh read their own aliyah."

Are there any modern-day communities where the custom is still to have each oleh read their own aliyah?


texts: Where did Rav Menashe Me'Iliah argue on Rashi?

texts:
On the Wikipedia page of מנשה מאיליה it says:

  לפעמים סבל מקנאים שלא ירדו לסוף דעתו. היו שהסתייגו ממנו בגלוי כגון הרב יעקב'קע לנדא (בנו של הרב יחזקאל לנדא, בעל הנודע ביהודה), שעורר קפידא בגלל שהשיג על פירוש רש"י. ואף ביקשו להחרים אותו, אך קרוביו וידידיו (בהם הרב יהושע צייטלין מחכמי שקלוב) הגנו עליו והחרמות לא הוטלו. גם הגר"א הגן עליו כמה פעמים מפני רבנים שביקשו להצר לו

Roughly:

  Sometimes he suffered from zealots who did not fully understand him. Some explicitly expressed their reservations, like Rabbi Jakey Landau (the son of Rabbi Ezekiel Landau, author of Noda Bihuda), who protested because he had dissented from Rashi's commentary. They even sought to excommunicate him, but his relatives and friends (among them Rabbi Joshua Zeitlin, among the wise men of Shkloŭ) shielded him, and the bans were not set. The Vilna Gaon also shielded him, several times, from the rabbis who had sought to constrict him.

Where is this disagreement with Rashi that the son of the Nodah BeYehudah tried to put him into cherem for?


texts:
It appears that you can use live fish for kapparos. How is this done?

Holding the fish in hand (really quickly)?
Holding the fish in a towel?
Holding the fish in a bowl?

Answers sourced both in rabbinic literature and practical experience are welcome.


texts: Why isn't borrowing from non-Jews forbidden because of Devarim 15:6?

texts:
Devarim 15:6 says "For the Lord, your God, has blessed you, as He spoke to you, and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you."
(Judaica Press translation)

Why isn't borrowing from non-Jews forbidden because of this verse?


texts: The gemarah (megillah 13b, sanhedrin 93a) states that tzadikim are compared to haddasim. We also know that of the four species the haddas is described as only having a pleasant fragrance but not a pleasant taste (as opposed to the esrog which has both). Why then are tzaddikim compared to this deficient plant and what lessons can be learned from their comparison to the myrtle?


texts: How could Yosef order the Egyptians to embalm Yaakov, (Bereishis 50:2) וַיְצַו יוֹסֵף אֶת-עֲבָדָיו אֶת-הָרֹפְאִים, לַחֲנֹט אֶת-אָבִיו; וַיַּחַנְטוּ הָרֹפְאִים, אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל) especially in light of this which seems to say embalming is a lack of כבוד המת.


texts: Are you allowed to drink wine that non-Jews touched? Why?


texts: Rabbi's contract with non Jew purchasing Chometz

texts: I am interested in studying the contract Rabbi's use to sell the Chometz to a non Jew prior to Pesach. Is there a link where I can see such a contract?


texts: Does Bleeding on the 11th Day Join Bleeding on the 12th Day of the Zav Days?

texts:
According to Rambam in Hilchot Isurai Biyah:

רָאָת דָּם בָּעֲשִׂירִי מִיְּמֵי זִיבָתָהּ, וּבָאַחַד עָשָׂר, וּבִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר--אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאָת בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים זֶה אַחַר זֶה--אֵינָהּ זָבָה גְּדוֹלָה, אֵלָא יָצַאת מִזִּיבוּת קְטַנָּה לְנִדָּה:  שֶׁיּוֹם שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, מִתְּחִלַּת יְמֵי נִדָּה; וְהָרוֹאָה בִּימֵי נִדָּתָהּ--אֵינָהּ זָבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
[ If the woman ] Saw blood on the 10th day of the zivah days, and on the 11th day, and on the 12th -- even though she saw three continuous days -- she is not a major zavah, instead she has went out from being a minor zavah to niddah: because the 12th day is the beginning of niddah; and one who sees [ blood ] during niddah days -- she is not a zavah, as we explained.

Since many of Rambam's opinions in the area of niddah are contested, I was wondering what other Rishonim hold on this issue and if there is a general consensus or majority opinion among Rishonim.


texts: Midrash About God Repeating Words of Torah

texts:
I am drawing a blank as to the source of this midrash, that when a person learns Torah, at the same time God is learning that same section, or that He repeats what the person said?

(Hopefully I am not mistaken and this is a real midrash!)

Any help in locating the source would be appreciated!


texts: Which 20th century rabbi said "G-d normally doesn't stop the ill-intentioned"?

texts:
I recall hearing the following story:

There was a non-observant Israeli Jew who kept having visions of his deceased father telling him he should do more religiously. Finally he was about to turn on the radio on Yom Kippur when he had a vision of his father telling him to shape up or else. The fellow went to Rabbi X, who asked if he had done anything especially meritorious; the fellow thought, then mentioned that in his youth, he and his father had been in a Nazi Ghetto and risked a great deal to give someone a proper Jewish burial. Rabbi X explained that generally if someone has decided to do something wrong, G-d doesn't interfere; only if the person is particularly meritorious.

If you've heard this story, can you remind me please who Rabbi X was? It would have been someone living in the second half of the 20th Century.


texts: Are there any specific minhagim to celebrate Purim as a family?

texts:
וְהַיָּמִ֣ים הָאֵ֠לֶּה נִזְכָּרִ֨ים וְנַֽעֲשִׂ֝ים בְּכָל־דּ֣וֹר וָד֗וֹר מִשְׁפָּחָה֙ וּמִשְׁפָּחָ֔ה מְדִינָ֥ה וּמְדִינָ֭ה וְעִיר וָעִיר וִימֵ֞י הַפּוּרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה לֹ֤א יַֽעַבְרוּ֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים וְזִכְרָ֭ם לֹא־יָס֥וּף מִזַּרְעָם:
And these days are remembered and fulfilled in every generation, family by family, country by country and city by city.  These days of Purim won't pass away from among the Jews and their remembrance won't vanish from their descendants.
Megillas Esther 9:28

The Gemara derives from משפחה ומשפחה that even Kohanim and Leviyim stop their avodah to hear the megillah, but the pshat of the pasuk would seem to refer to individual families.  Rashi takes this approach:

מִשְׁפָּחָה וּמִשְׁפָּחָה. מִתְאַסְּפִין יַחַד וְאוֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים יָחַד. וְכַךְ קִבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁיְּמֵי הַפּוּרִים לֹא יַעַבְרוּ:
Families gather together and eat and drink together.  And in this way (?) they accepted upon themselves that Purim will never disappear.

It seems that Rashi is saying that the family nature of Purim helps to keep it going.  This is something I more associate with other holidays, especially Pesach and Sukkos (and it's particularly clear that celebrating Pesach as a family has kept Judaism alive for many less religious people in America).
My family has always celebrated Purim together, but I've never heard a specific halacha or minhag to this effect.  Is there one?


texts: Have to repeat shmoneh esrei on motze'i Shabbat. Say "ata chonantanu" again?

texts: Suppose on a Saturday night, someone says shmoneh esrei with "ata chonantanu" but forgets another part that requires repeating shmoneh esrei (like ya'aleh v'yavo on chol hamoed). When he repeats shmoneh esrei, should he say "ata chonantanu" again?


texts: I saw somewhere that "Gog" mentioned in the Torah is Greece. Does anyone know a source for this?


texts:
Are "minor" fasts such as Taanit Esther ("Fast of Esther"; i.e. the day before Purim) or Tzom Gedaliyah ("Fast of Gedaliyah"; i.e. the day after Rosh Hashanah) optional or obligatory?

Under what conditions is one permitted to skip a minor fast?


texts: baby crying at the time of mila is an עת רצון

texts:
Someone once told me that when the baby cries at the time of mila it's an עת רצון, a time of will.
Does anyone know the source for this?


texts: Why is the torah reading for minor fast days different by just one verse from when that reading occurs in the regular cycle?

texts: On minor fast days we read Sh'mot 32:11-14 and 34:1-10.  The latter is almost the fifth aliyah of Ki Tisa, which is Sh'mot 34:1-9.  I've been taught that aliyah boundaries are thoughtful (not arbitrary), and are governed by rules about spacing in the sefer torah and mood.  A break between 9 and 10 seems to make sense to me; 10 is the beginning of a multi-verse speech by God.  Why is this verse included for the fast-day reading?  If v9 is a logical end in Ki Tisa, why isn't it here as well?


texts:
The Gemara in Kesubos 62b - 63a, "Rebbe Akiva was a shepherd for Ben Kalba Savua. His daughter saw that he was modest and of fine character. She asked him, ‘If I marry you, will you go to the Beis Medrash to study Torah?’ He said to her, ‘Yes!’ He then married her in secret and she sent him away to the beis medrash...”

Avot D'Rav Nattan ch 6, mishnah 2. (summarized by DanF) says:

"... Once he passed by a well and noticed a carved stone. He asked who carved this stone, and they told him that it was the water that constantly dripped on it. From this, he said that if water was able to carve a hole in the hard rock, surely the words of Torah could carve his heart."

When did he encounter this stone? Was it after she sent him off to the beis medrash?


texts: Why is Aharon ignored in parshas Vayikra?

texts:
Sefer Vayikra deals mostly with the various activities that were done in the Mishkan, so it is not surprising that Aharon, the Kohen Gadol, is the one who is primarily mentioned in connection with these activities. Yet in the first parsha, parshas Vayikra, Aharon is ignored and instead all the activities are attributed to his sons - בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן .

What’s the reason for this anomaly?


texts:
This past Shabbos I was at a house and the saltshaker was empty. I went to refill the saltshaker and a fellow told me I can not reseal the cover as it is considered a Toldah of Boneh. Is this accurate or are there sources that allow one to do so on Shabbos?

Image of saltshaker


texts: Can a soul be redeemed, based on Psalm 49?

texts:
Psalm 49:8:

  "אָח לֹא־פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרוֹ׃
  וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֹן נַפְשָׁם וְחָדַל לְעוֹלָם׃
  וִיחִי־עוֹד לָנֶצַח לֹא יִרְאֶה הַשָּׁחַת׃ "

teaches that (all the) wealth and riches (from this world) cannot redeem a man, nor pay his ransom to G-d.  This is because the redemption of the soul is too costly/expensive; the price for life is too high... [and so one would cease to be, forever].

A couple of verses later David makes the claim (verse 16) that G-d will redeem his life:

  "אַךְ־אֱלֹהִים יִפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד־שְׁאוֹל כִּי יִקָּחֵנִי סֶלָה׃ "

So how does G-d pay this ransom and redeem his soul? Or does He just write-off/cancel the debt ?


texts: When you fast, how do you pray ? Is there a certain prayer "culture" while fasting. Not talking about Yom Kippur or any public fast. Just fasting in general to ask Hashem for help, healing, work, support, protection, wisdom and so on.


texts:
1) What are the halachic applications for shaking hands with a woman?

2) Does this apply to only non-Jewish women or Jewish women?


texts: Can a shul give an aliyah to an openly gay Jewish man when it gives aliyah to people who violate Shabbos?

texts:
In a Young Israel shul I've attended, the rabbi would not allow the gabbaim to give Jewish men an aliyah if there is reason to believe that the person is openly gay (and acts on his inclination), because the shul does not want to appear to approve of his open violation of the Torah.

Is there a halachic basis for this policy?

If so, does the same basis apply to Jews who openly eat non-kosher food or violate Shabbos, or are some halachic violations treated differently from others?


texts: Article of R. Dr. Twersky on Mishne Torah

texts: Is R. Dr. Yitzchak Twersky's article: "Some Non-Halakhic Aspects of the Mishneh Torah," published in: Jewish Medieval and Renaissance Studies, ed. A. Altmann (Cambridge, 1967), pp. 95-118, available for free online?


texts: Is treating others decently more important than keeping Shabbos?

texts:
Two questions:

According to Jewish philosophy which is more important in Judaism,
keeping Shabbos, or treating others decently?
According to Jewish practical law, which is more important?


texts: Why cannot a convert make certain statements? I feel they are being pushed away at the same time respect is being given to them

texts:
It is stated that a convert is in the same regard considered a Jew as a native born. Rashi on Dvarim 26:11 states that a convert cannot recite the declaration כי באתי אל הארץ נשמע ה׳ לאבתינו לתת לנו. Why is that? At conversion a convert receives a Jewish neshama, thus making him part of the Jewish nation, a Jew in every respect. Rabbi Manis Friedman said in a shiur that the reason a converts needs to convert is exactly for the reason of becoming a Jew in every regard. When he receives a Jewish neshama now he is 100% a Jew, and he can say "our fathers" etc.
Here is part of the shiur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZMX7Y7ava0


texts: Is "You Shall Choose Life" ever interpreted literally?

texts:
Inspired by Did people ever place actual physical stumbling blocks before the blind?

In Devarim 30:19, we are told by G-d to "choose life":

  This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses [that I have warned] you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live;

The meaning, which is clear from the context, is to choose Mitzvot and walk in G-d's ways, over the alternative.

My question: Is there anyone who interprets this literally, that Man has an obligation to choose to live?

Suppose someone is diagnosed with a highly treatable, but fatal (if untreated) illness. Is he obligated to choose the treatment, or can he choose to forgo the treatment, even though his life-span will be shortened? Do we tell him "The Torah says to Choose Life"?


texts: Does Torah reading need to be repeated if you said it with an "assumed" minyan?

texts:
I'm not good with the title for this scenario:

Suppose that there where 10 men in the shul - 9 everyone knew, and the 10th no one knew. He wore a yarmulka, so everyone assumed that he was Jewish.

They read the Torah on a Thursday morning. After davening was over, the rabbi welcomed the unknown man to the shul, and asked him his name. He says, "Avigdor McDonald. I am thinking of converting, so I am exploring various synagogues."

Oops! It turns out that they read the Torah without a valid minyan. Since Torah reading is a mitzvah for the congregation, let's say that the shul finds another Jew - a "real" one - who walked in after davening. Should they repeat the Torah reading?

Let's say, they discover this info about the not-yet convert in the middle of Torah reading. For example, they call him up for Shlishi and that's when he says he's not Jewish. Should they finish the Torah reading, anyway, or what?


texts: Im learning with a new te'amim teacher. He mentioned that one cant rely on the atnah / etnahta symbol to show syllabic emphasis. He also said that the symbol never shows up on the end of a word. Can anyone confirm or deny this?


texts: Did the priest ever cast out evil spirits?

texts:
I see in scripture (see citations below) some instances of evil spirits. How did the priests (I'm guessing it was the priests as they also dealt with instances of leprosy) deal with people that were possessed or tormented by evil spirits?

Deut 32:17, Psa 106:37, Lev 17:7, Isa 13:21, 2 Chron 11:15, 2 chron 18.22
"an evil spirit from the Lord terrified [Saul]" (1 Samuel 16:14–23).


texts: Speaking Yiddish vs. the host language at home

texts:
I understand that, before World War Ⅱ, the Jews of Hungary and Germany mostly spoke Hungarian and German, respectively, amongst themselves (at home), whereas the Jews of Poland mostly spoke Yiddish amongst themselves, not Polish.

Why?


texts: Is repeating the chorus in Lecha Dodi problematic?

texts:
Some tunes for Lecha Dodi are conducive to repeating the chorus ("Lecha dodi ...") twice each time. I've noticed that some people, when using one of these tunes, repeat, while others avoid repeating either by truncating the chorus tune or replacing some of it with wordless syllables (e.g. "nai-nai"s).

Is there a Halachic problem with repeating this chorus?
If one begins Lecha Dodi with one repetition convention (i.e. either repeating or not), is it preferable not to switch before the end of the song even if a tune change suggests it?


texts: What is the religious significance to an unveiling of the deceased's stone? (Assuming there is)


texts:
Bodies have genders (physical anatomy and genetics) and the brain has a gender (gender identity), but do the spirits/souls or our heavenly bodies have genders as well?

Similar:

Do we retain our gender in Heaven? at Christianity


texts: Where can I obtain the sefer “Titen Emes L'Yaakov”?

texts: Rabbi D Neustadt referenced a sefer “Titen Emes L'Yaakov” in his “Weekly Halacha Discussion” titled “The Halachic Definition of a Lie”. Can someone tell me where I can obtain this sefer please? (I sent an email to Rav Neustadt without success.)


texts: Why does smashing an earthenware vessel resolve the problem of the absorbed material of a cooked offering which has gone beyond its time limit?

texts:
Vayikro 6:21

  An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked shall be broken, but if it
  is cooked in a copper vessel, it shall be purged and rinsed with
  water.

Rashi explains,

  “[An earthenware vessel in which it is cooked,] shall be broken:
  Because the absorption that had been absorbed in the vessel becomes
  נוֹתָר [literally, “left over.” I.e., the food remains within the
  vessel’s wall (see next Rashi), and subsequently, when the time limit
  for eating the sacrifice has expired, the absorption in the vessel
  wall is “left over.” Since נוֹתָר, “left over,” must be destroyed by
  burning, the food in the wall of this earthenware vessel must be
  destroyed by breaking the vessel].

  purged and rinsed: to expel its absorption. [This is in the case of a metal vessel.] But an earthenware vessel, Scripture teaches you
  here [by requiring that it be broken,] that it never rids itself of
  its defect. - [Pes. 30b]

In the case of the metal vessel, I can understand that the absorbed material is removed by cleaning and nullified by the volume of cleaning materials. But in the case of the earthenware vessel, the absorbed material is still there!


texts: Who officially authorizes a prophet and how?

texts:
Following "test-a-true-prophet",

After reading Rambam (Yesodey Hatora) that describes the idea of prophecy and prophethood, I understood, that at some point of time a "prophecizing" person must become an official prophet, so everyone must listen to him and fulfil his commands, etc.

In the times of prophets (from Moses to the beginning of the Second Temple), what institute authorized newly emerging prophets? Was it Sanhedrin, was it the King, was it another authorized prophet?


texts: Please help a new giyoret kasher her kitchen

texts:
Okay so I've done quite a bit of reading on how to kasher, on what items can and can't be kashered, and how to maintain a kosher kitchen. I have an appointment with my rabbi to come over and help with the actual kashering part of it.

My question, however, is with the preparation. I know you need to clean everything really well first and then let it sit for 24 hours, but I'm having a ton of trouble figuring out the basic logistics of the cleaning process because everything I've found assumes I already know this piece of it.

Mostly what I'm trying to figure out is:

What are the rules for things touching each other after the cleaning? Can I, for instance, empty the cupboards, clean the cupboards, clean the items I emptied out, and then put them back in?
Is it fine if I put down fresh shelf paper?
If not, what am I supposed to do with the displaced (but clean) items in the meantime? I have cats and they are likely to try and play with items that are just sitting out.
Can I use an un-koshered dishwasher to do the washing, or do I need to do the washing all by hand?
When does the 24-hour wait time begin? Once I'm done with all of it? Or do I need to remember the exact order I did things in?
During the 24-hour wait period, what should I do for food? Eat out? Use disposable dishes? Can I bring food into the kitchen?
Also, during the actual kashering process, where do I put all of the newly kashered dishes until the surfaces they need to sit on are also kashered? Or, should I do the surfaces first and then the items?

I really don't want to waste my rabbi's time and want to get this right! Thanks in advance!!

(Possibly important note: my kitchen is very small and I'm aiming for dairy-only.)


texts: Why did Rambam order Mishnah Torah in this particular structure?

texts:
The 14 books and contained chapters and Halachos of the Rambam's Mishneh Torah don't seem to have any particular order based on the Mitzvos, Mishnah or Gemara.

Why did the Rambam order his books and sections in this particular order?


texts: What was the Rabbinic position toward the armed revolts against the Romans?

texts:
"...Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina said: Why are these three oaths needed? One, so that the Jews should not ascend to Eretz Yisrael as a wall. And another one, that the Holy One, Blessed be He, adjured the Jews that they should not rebel against the rule of the nations of the world. ... Ketubot.111a

Regarding this interpretation: was it the official Rabbinic approach to the Great Revolt of 66CE and Bar-Kochbah Revolt in 132CE or was it instituted aposteriori? Do our sources discuss different approaches to the conflict, as I remember R' Akiva described as serving Bar Kochbah?


texts: PTIJ: How do I write a bill of divorce for chulent?

texts:
One of the commandments of Purim is משלוח מנות איש לרעהו - divorcing portions one from another. (I am aware that there is an opinion that this means "sending," but I'm trying to fulfill the obligation lechol habinyanim.)
A few problems have come up with this. Do the foods have to literally hand the bill of divorce to each other? This is very difficult to accomplish with inanimate objects.
Also, some of the names are tricky and don't appear in the Shulchan Aruch's list of names. For example, I'm sending chulent in mishloach manot this year. How am I supposed to write "chulent" in a bill of divorce? Is it טשולנט or צ'ולנט, or perhaps טשולענט or צ'ולענט? And what if I write a get divorcing chulent from chips: Is the spelling טשולענט alongside צ'יפס considered תרתי דסתרי (self-contradictory)?
Someone suggested adding the line וכל שום שיש לה in order to avoid the doubt regarding the spelling. However, this solution is invalid, because there is no garlic in the chulent.
So how can I spell the name correctly to prevent my food from becoming an aguna? Do any of our sources give us guidelines when writing bills of divorce for our food?
For practical advice, as always, CYLOR (Consult Your Local O-Cmon Rabbi).

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


texts: How could the numerals יה and יו be used irreverently?

texts:
I was told that in the sequence of numerals with Hebrew letters, the numbers 15 and 16 are rendered with טו and  טז instead of יה and יו to prevent the tetragrammaton from being formed irreverently.

I'm not sure how this is possible: יו is not a substring of the tetragrammaton, and יה would have to be connected somehow with a וה, but וה isn't used numerically.

What am I missing?


texts:
Is there a yekkish minhog regarding peyos?
Please cite sources.


texts: What is the oldest work to incorporate an acrostic of shem Havaya in the opening?

texts: I have seen many books where the first letters of the first 4 works in the first sentence of the work spell out the shem Havaya (the Tetragrammaton, yud-kay and vav kay). What was the first Jewish book that made use of this?


texts:
related to Bentching Ha-Gommel after a Birth
Do women bentch gomel less often?
According to some opinions, a woman can say the thanksgiving blessing ("bentch gomel")
The text that one says is

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַגּוֹמֵל לְחַיָּבִים טוֹבוֹת שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוֹב

and what I see listed for the response is

מִי שֶׁגְמַלְךָ כֹּל טוֹב הוּא יִגְמַלְךָ כֹּל טוֹב סֶלָה

That is written in the masculine, I believe. But if the only one saying the blessing is a woman, would the response be refigured to be in the feminine? I have not found any texts that provide the female construction – if one knows of one, please pass it along.


texts: Is a shaliach tzibbur allowed to daven from the bimah instead of the amud?

texts:
Terminology: The amud is a lectern located at the front of the shul. The bimah is a raised "platform" from where the Torah is read. It is usually located in the center of the shul. Some Sefardim and Yemenite shuls only have a bimah and no amud, and the bimah is in the back of the shul.

One reason I have heard for using the amud is that the chazzan should not daven from a high place in keeping with the phrase from Psalms (130:1) "Out of the depths have I called you, G-d".

My question, thus, relates only to Ashkenazic shuls. I've seen several shuls where the Chazzan davens from the bimah, regularly, and many do not have an amud. Is this permissible?


texts: I am looking for a translation of the Tur's Yoreh Deah, specifically siman 335. I have not been able to find a translation online anywhere. Sefaria has some of it, but not that siman. Thank you for your help.


texts: Could video be considered as a valid halachic witness in court?

texts:
My understanding is that court cases require a minimum of two witnesses to testify against someone.

Could one of these witnesses be a video, or does it need to be specifically a live human? Would there be any difference if the case was monetary or criminal such as a murder trial?


texts:
Was Moshe Rabbeinu obligated in mitzvos during the two periods of 40 days that he spent on Mount Sinai? Did he keep mitzvos (whether obligated to or not) during that time?

I ask because the Torah says (Devarim 9:9):

  "I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water;"

And the Gemara says (Bava Metzia 86b):

  R. Tanhum b. Hanilai said: One should never break away from [the] custom [of the place he is in]. For behold, Moses ascended on High and ate no bread, whereas the Ministering Angels descended below and ate bread.

This got me thinking: angels are also not (obligated in|capable of) mitzvos. So perhaps Moshe was not obligated to, and didn't, keep mitzvos then, either. Also, there are many mitzvos/halachos involved with eating, e.g. Kiddush, me'ah brachos, seudas Yom Tov (he was up there on Rosh Hashana, so apple in honey too, right? =)). If Moshe didn't eat, does that mean he wasn't fulfilling those mitzvos?

Edit:

As has been pointed out in the comments and answers, much of the Torah and many of the mitzvos had not yet been given at the time Moshe was on the mountain.

So, to clarify my question: I'm not discussing which mitzvos Moshe was obligated in at that period of time (while not on the mountain).

I wish to know if Moshe kept those mitzvos he was obligated in, as well as if he kept mitzvos that he wasn't (yet) obligated in, as did the Patriarchs.

Even more specifically, I'm not  looking for "svaros", but rather for sources in Rabbinic literature that mention or discuss this.


texts: The Names of Yehudis, Antiyochus or Yochanan Kohein Godol in the Torah

texts:
The Gemara in Chullin 139b says the following:

  From where in the Torah can one find an
  allusion to the hanging of Haman? He replied: The verse states after
  Adam ate from the tree of knowledge: “Have you eaten of [hamin] the
  tree, about which I commanded you that you should not eat?” (Genesis
  3:11). Hamin is spelled in the same manner as Haman: Heh, mem, nun.

Yet, when it comes to Chanukah, why doesn't the Gemara ask: From where in the Torah can one find an allusion to Yehudis, Antiyochus or Yochanan Kohein Godol etc.?

[This question was asked by my rebbi Rabbi M. Fishberg]


texts: Is the child of a mamzer and a convert mamzer?

texts: If a mamzer or mamzeret marries a convert, do the children born to them acquire the status of mamzer?


texts:
Does anyone know the halacha regarding if one is allowed to talk in shul (divrei chulin)

I'm not referring to times of prayer, but general even after prayer.

Seems that mundane speech is forbidden according to halacha, but I see almost everyone doing it, even Rabbis answer their phones and shmooze in the synagogue.

Is there a clear cut halacha on this?


texts: Cheating on tests, when all students are doing it

texts:
This seems to be a common issue in the Corona era when tests are administered remotely. The teachers have no way of enforcing the students not to discuss the questions among themselves or to look up answers.
It seems that many students are "cheating"(or at least for purposes of this question let's make that assumption). The honest ones end up losing because they can no longer benefit from a curve and their class standing is hurt. If cheating is rampant, does that make it permissible for all students? Would it make a difference if the teachers are aware of what is happening?
(Looking for a halachic answer)


texts: Why does the Mishna say "שְׂנָא אֶת הָרַבָּנוּת"?

texts:
The Mishna says: Avot 1:10

וּשְׂנָא אֶת הָרַבָּנוּת

I have been struggling with that one for a while.  It has been translated variously as "despise lordliness", "despise positions of power", "hate acting the superior", "hate the holding of high office", "hate authority over others", etc. The Gemara even tells us that Joseph died before his brothers because he occupied a position of power. [Sotah 13b]

What bothers me is not the meaning, which is plainly that, while we need leaders, such leaders should not take pleasure in their exercise of authority.  It's the word used.  Doesn't "Ha-rabbanut הָרַבָּנוּת" mean "the rabbinate"?  Why is that particular word used?  Why bring rabbis (teachers) in particular into this, when there are so many other positions of power?


texts:
It says in the halakha that a married woman may not go out into the public market place with "p'ruath rosh."

I have heard that this means "with uncovered head," but this does not seem to match up with the other uses of the term "p'rua" in the Gemara where it clearly means "disheveled/loosed."

In Masekheth Kethuboth (cf. Mishna, pereq 2, Gemara 15b-16b, 28a) it mentions a bethula coming out of the wedding canopy with her hair "p'rua" and goes on to explain that it means "loosed" and upon her shoulders and not simply "uncovered."

Additionally, the literal meaning of the word "p'rua" is "loosed/disheveled." So it seems that it begs the question that if Hazal meant to discuss hair which is either covered or uncovered why did they not simply employ the readily available terms of kisui and gilui, etc. Why did they choose a different word and give it an obscure meaning?


texts: Why is halitzah mandatory and is subsequent marriage allowed?

texts:
Some batei din make halitzah mandatory and do not allow levirate marriage, even threatening jail if the surviving brother refuses halitzah and wants a levirate marriage.

What is the law if the couple marries anyway?
What is the law if the couple marries AFTER halitzah?


texts:
The prophet Malachi in Ch 1:2,3 says “...Was not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau...,
Here a selection is made by G-d, between two brothers. What do Rashi and other commentators say about the reason behind that choice?
I would deeply appreciate any response that would throw light on this.
Thanks in advance :)


texts: Reason why pressing on an animal throat is forbidden during shechitah

texts:
The Rambam writes (MT Shechita 3:1) about five factors that disqualify ritual slaughter (shechitah). One of them (3:11) is dirasah, pressing on animal throat (based on the gemara in Chulin 30b)

  For example, one struck the neck with a knife as one strikes with a
  sword, cutting the signs [trachea and
  oesophagus] at one time, without passing [the knife] back
  and forth or one placed the knife on the neck and pressed, cutting
  downward like one cuts radishes or squash until he cuts the signs,
  [the slaughter] is unacceptable.

So one has to draw the knife back and forth instead of pressing to cut the animal throat.

I am looking to understand why this is the case? Is it to minimize pain to the animal? Intuitively this is not so simple to understand. Cutting oneself with a paper (similar to "passing the knife") is quite painful while one often doesn't feel a small knife cut (similar to "pressing").

Or is it to avoid damages that would make the animal taref (unacceptable)? Or something else?

I am not asking about the subjective feelings of pain but rather for halachic reasons that were proposed (taam hamitzvot). I didn't find it in the Sefer Hakhinukh (451).


texts: Does anyone happen to know where I can find online the text of the Maharal’s commentary on Shas that’s not copyright?


texts: Can a natural hollow become an Ohel for Tum'ah through human use?

texts:
In Mas. Sukkah 20b, R' Yehudah states his opinion that for something to be an ohel enough to shelter Tumah (and create a situation where that Tumah is transmitted within) the shelter has to be man made. So he rules that a series of natural occurrences of shelters (as quoted from Mishna Ohalot 3:7) are not "Ohel."

But could they become an ohel if used as such even without any change in their structure? His proof for his position requires human participation in the creation, but the note in the Artscroll (#4 on 21a1) says "with the intent that it should serve as a shelter."

Does that mean that even without human construction, human intent can turn the natural hollow (smaller than Ben Avitach's fist) into an ohel? Can human involvement in creation be mental and not just physical?


texts: Where does Rabbeinu Tam discuss the "aspaklaria ha-meira"?

texts: In Bernard-Henri Levy's book, "The Genius of Judaism", on p222-3, the author describes what appears to be the discussion in the gemara in Yevamot 49b about Moshe's level of prophecy. He says that Rabbeinu Tam raises a fundamental question about the meaning of the phrase "aspaklaria ha-meira". The relevant section of Levy's book is pasted below, from Google Books. I am searching for the original source of Rabbeinu Tam's comment -- where does Rabbeinu Tam say this?


texts: I understand that fruit isn't kosher if it is picked in the first 3 years of growth. However, what about grafting trees? If two branches come from trees that each more that 3 years old, but the grafted tree itself isn't 3 years old, is it Kosher? Then, what if one branch is more than 3 years old, but another is less than 3 years old? If a tree has grown for one, and then a branch is taken and grafted to anther tree, does the grower have to wait 3 years, or just 2?


texts: Where should the stone left on a grave come from?

texts:
I will be traveling for an unveiling soon and intend to leave a stone at the grave. Since I will be traveling I have the ability to bring the stone from where I live or to find a stone near the cemetery (there is a rocky river across the street from the cemetry.)

Are there halachic or minhagic opinions about which is the preferred option, to bring a stone from my home or to use a stone local to the cemetery?


texts:
According to recent scientific studies, it has been found that regular meditation has various benefits such as better focus, reduced levels of stress, etc.

Knowing that the roots of contemporary meditative practices comes from the buddist-like religions, is it problematic for a Jew to practice meditation? Assuming that all the religious aspects are taken out from the meditation sessions, would that make it fine?

Does Judaism have its own versions of meditation? And are there any sources within the Jewish texts (tanach/gemara/rishonim/acharonim/etc) that discuss meditation?

Just to clarify, when I say "meditation" I am not referring to having kavanah during davening but to actually sit alone in a quiet room for an allotted period time and just focus on breathing and clearing the mind from thinking.


texts: Source that Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge because they desired autonomy

texts:
I remember hearing once that Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge because they found G-d's presence in the Garden of Eden to be overbearing and they desired autonomy, so they rejected his sole commandment, that they are not to eat from the Eitz Hadas. This would fit with their punishment, which, while obviously a punishment, grants them a much greater sense of control over their life.
Does anyone know where it says that they ate for that reason? Thanks.


texts: Beracha upon seeing a friend on a webcam

texts:
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 225:1) rules:

  שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות ברכת הפירות סימן רכה

  הרואה את חבירו
  לאחר שלשים יום, אומר: שהחיינו, ואחר י"ב חדש מברך:  מחיה
  מתים, והוא שחביב עליו הרבה ושמח בראייתו

My translation: "If one sees his friend after thirty days, he recites 'Shehechiyanu'; after twelve months, he recites 'Mechaye Metim'. This is if he is very beloved to him and becomes happy upon seeing him."

What if the two friends interacted over a webcam?

Does that break the streak of not seeing each other?
Can one make the beracha over webcam (i.e. if the webcam meeting was after 30 days of no contact)?


texts: Tvilas keilim in winter - better in river or lake? (if no mikva around)

texts:
In a situation where it's winter and two options are available, is it better to toivel in a river or in a lake? Which option is more preferable? Both the river and lake are "medium big".

When I asked the shaila to a renowned posek in the UK about my visit to East Europe where there is no mikva and toiveling stuff there, I was shortly told that "it's ok to toivel in a river in the summer", but when I asked "but it's winter now", I was answered something like "then rather use the lake".

Recently one of my friends, (who btw works in kashrus as mashgiach) told me that a river would be preferable even in winter. So i am asking.


texts:
From the fourth point of this letter igros kodesh 26 pg 222 (additional sources brought there 1 and 2) I understand that the groom should not take care of the wedding but should be learning...

What I see that the Rebbe brings as proofs "asmachtas" 1. the law that a chason is forbidden to work and 2. that he needs to fast on the day of his wedding

But I see from shulchan aruch even ezer 64 that only after the wedding he needs to not work, and from even ezer 56 end of Bais Shmuel 3  that before the wedding he needs to prepare the meal (IMHO make money to prepare the meal).

How am I supposed to understand the Rebbe?
(The Rebbe brings that a chason is forbidden from work before the wedding (what is the source of this?))

Is it just good advice, and lifnim mishuras hadin (since he is already called a choson so he should not work (but I understand that he is not really called a choson yet (I heard that even in the kesuba he is not called a chossen the first time we mention his name))).


texts:
Should one lain the trop while reciting Shiras Hayam during Pesukei D'zimra?

My siddur includes the trop for the Shiras Hayam, just as it does for the Shema.

With regards to the Shema I know of a source which discusses laining it during davening (see Orach Chaim 61:24).

If one should lain it, should one use the special tune we use on Shabbos Shira?


texts: Does accepting Shabbos early absolve a woman from keeping Hilchos Vestos until sunset?

texts:
One may accept Shabbos early based on the concept of Tosafos Shabbos. See Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim, 267:2. If a woman has a Hilchos Niddah vest on Friday such as Yom Hachodesh & accepts Shabbos early, does she still need to keep the Halachos of her vest until sunset or does early Shabbos make it the next day in regards to her vest?

I know there are several questions on MY regarding early Shabbos and other Halachos (such as putting on Tefilin) but I don't know whether all cases would have the same answers. Hence the reason for my question.


texts: Meaning of the phrase "Tzur Chevli B'eit Tzarah" near the end of Adon Olam

texts: Near the end of Adon Olam, there is the phrase "Tzur Chevli B'eit Tzarah". What exactly is the meaning of this phrase, and specifically the term "Tzur Chevli"? I have seen it translated rather literally as "Rock of my pain in my time of distress" (Artscroll), which does not seem particularly intelligible, at least to me. I have also seen it more or less glossed over like "The Rock on whom I rely" (Koren), which, while it makes sense in context, kind of ignores the meaning of the words. (I'm only picking on Artscroll and Koren since I happen to have both siddurim with translation at home). It is entirely possible that I am over-thinking this, and it means something like "He is a Rock for me when I am in pain, or am in a time of distress"; however, it seems like the term "Tzur Chevli" means something more specific. Any thoughts?


texts: Learning the entire night of one's 20th Birthday?

texts:
What is the source for this?
Is there an inyan to do this?

I'm quite new and as you can probably tell, I'm turning 20 in little under a week from now. Not sure what I should really do...


texts: Why does a "hung jury" have to go through the motions of persuading someone to change his vote, instead of just acquitting?

texts:
In a capital case, a verdict to condemn must be by a majority of at least two.  If the sanhedrin votes 12-11 to condemn they add a pair of judges and vote again, and keep doing this until they reach the full size of 71.  This is all explained in chapter 5 of Sanhedrin.

We also learn in chapter 4 that, in a capital case, a judge who votes to convict can change his mind, but one who votes to acquit cannot -- once you acquit, your vote is locked in.

Against this backdrop we have the end of Sanhedrin 5:5:

  If thirty-six acquit and thirty-five condemn, he is acquitted. But if thirty-six condemn and thirty-five acquit, the two sides debate the case together until one of those who condemn agrees with the view of those who are for acquittal.

Why do they continue debating at this point?  The court cannot increase beyond 71, 35 votes are locked in, and the other 36 are not enough to convict.  The case cannot end in conviction at this point.  But instead of acquitting on the spot they continue debate until one of those who voted to convict changes his mind and the accused is acquitted.

The conclusion is foregone; why drag it out?  Is there some extra benefit, spiritual or societal, to a "full" acquittal over this "not a big-enough majority" acquittal?


texts: Rav Yaakov Emden's attitude towards the Zohar

texts:
Rav Yaakov Emden infamously wrote a scathing polemic against the Zohar called Mitpachas Soferim. My impression is his conclusion is that it is neither ancient nor authoritative, and is a forgery by Rav Moshe de Leon.

Yet, from what I've seen and heard, he heavily refers to and quotes from the Zohar in his siddur Beis Yaakov. This surprises me, as why would he reference something he felt was a forgery? How can this inconsistency be reconciled?

(Perhaps my premises are wrong, which would be a good answer. However, I don't want answers that understand like the Chida in Shem HaGedolim, who suggests that Rav Yaakov Emden didn't really mean what he wrote in Mitpachas Seforim).


texts: I have been trying to find biographical information about Eldad and Medad but cannot seem to find a source which states which tribe they are from. The Baale Tosfot - Daat Zekeinim says they were related to Moshe but does not cite a source for this.


texts: Is Yishmael a nabi (prophet) or tzaddik of some sort? The reason why I ask this is because when I read the midrash version of the Torah I found out that it said that Yishmael near the end of Avraham's life did teshuva and worshipped only HaShem. So I was wondering if he became kind of a tzaddik of some sort or even a nabi (prophet).


texts:
The prophet Micah said: Micah 6:8

  It has been told you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you:
  Only to act justly [‘asot mishpat], to love mercy [ahavat chesed], and to walk humbly with your God [latzneah lechet ‘im elokecha].’

A long time ago, I heard a rabbi say: "Walk humbly with your God" means "follow halacha" -- Jewish law.  This was based on the fact that the word lechet, to walk, comes from the same root as halacha.  So: Justice, mercy, and halacha, in that order.

(1) Is this a correct interpretation?

(2) If so, in what sense do justice and mercy come before halacha and are different from it?

Edit added:  I am still puzzled by what I heard that Rav, z"tl, say, which is not gaining traction here.  Perhaps he was looking for ways to counter non-traditional voices to the effect that "only ethical commandments count"?  Is he not entitled to a novel idea, even if it's an expansion (not a contradiction) of what's in the Talmud?  And has any other commentator noticed that the same root is used as the root for the word "halacha"?


texts: I don't have the money right now to equip all of my talitot katan with techelet, but I'd like to put it on my Talit Gadol (Please, no discussion of Techelet itself - I've made up my mind on that one).  Is is permissible to "mix and match" as it were?


texts: Answering amen to Hallel on Yom Haatzma'ut

texts:
There is a debate as to whether one can recite Hallel with a beracha on Yom Haaztmaut (related).

I have been to a synagogue where they had invited someone who is of the opinion that one should say a beracha and asked the community to answer amen. This is so that the congregation do not say the beracha itself, but are answering to someone who does hold by saying the beracha.

Is this contradictory? Or is it desirable, since you don't say the beracha yourself, but merely answer? Or is answering akin to saying the beracha itself and one shouldn't even answer amen if you hold by not saying the beracha?


texts:
Here is one of my mezuzas:

The mezuzah, I was told, is of the highest quality, purchased from a wholesaler in Jerusalem. The scan I did did not come out very good however (click it to see it larger).
What I note anyhow is that the shin of Shma Yisrael has "extra" taggin beyond the standard, although it's hard to see in this image. Same for the shin of "ukshartem".
Also the ches of "elohim acherim" has 5 taggin, whereas the others don't have those.
Can anyhow shed any light on these differences?


texts: What does Halacha bring down about nosebleed during a fast? Can one flush out their nose with water? On fasts in which washing the hands and/or body is prohibited, would one be permitted to wash resultant blood off their hands/arms?


texts: Moving things around "opposite the gap" in an enclosure on Shabbat

texts:
On Shabbat there are mitigating structures whose presence can enclose an area physically, constituting a necessary ingredient in allowing movement of objects within that area.

There are several shapes and sizes of gaps in the enclosure that do not invalidate it. (See some details here.) In discussing the parameters of the permissible gaps, many writers on the topic state that moving things around is allowed "[even] opposite the gaps", and not only "opposite the solid part".

Ra'av on Eruvin 1:8

  פרוץ כעומד, הוי מחיצה ואף כנגד הפרוץ מותר

Mishna B'rura 362:48

  ואפילו כנגד הפרוץ מותר לטלטל דיש ע"ז דין מחיצה שלמה

These word choices are presumably based on the same phrasing that appears in the discussion of barriers that allow the planting of crops whose proximity would otherwise be forbidden. The two bodies of law are explicitly used to inform one another, and some of the qualifications for barriers are carried over to enclosures.

E.g. Y'rushalmi Eruvin 1:8

  ,לענין כלאים כל הפחות מג' כסתום. מג' ועד ארבעה אם העומד רבה על הפרוץ מותר ואם הפרוץ רבה על העומד אסור. מארבע ועד עשר אם העומד רבה על הפרוץ מותר, אם הפרוץ רבה על העומד כנגד העומד מותר, כנגד הפרוץ אסור. יותר מעשר אע"פ שהעומד רבה על הפרוץ כנגד העומד מותר. כנגד הפרוץ אסור

It is clear what "opposite the gap" means when dealing with where one may not put seeds in the ground because the whole purpose of the barrier is to separate/delineate between two nearby groups of plants.

When the phrase is applied to moving things around the campsite on shabas what does "opposite the gap" mean? Some hypotheses that come to mind are

just inside the gap and up close to it, exactly like in the plants case (which would be strange as conceptually none of these laws have to do with things happening up close to the enclosing structure),
anywhere in the airspace bounded by the ends of the gap and projected inward perpendicular to the wall that the gap is in (which just seems odd),
in the airspace between two gaps that are across from one another (along a line parallel to the closest edge between them? The existence of such a space is significant in nearby discussions, so maybe it's relevant.).

None of these is obvious and they are all a bit more of a stretch than I would expect for nobody to say anything, which is what I've found.

The question has no practical application, as it only comes up as a consideration to be excluded (a hava amina?). It is a methodological one.


texts: Is it true one shouldn't listen to music whilst falling asleep?

texts: Does it have a source in Halacha, is it a Minhag or is it just made up?


texts:
Does Judaism Regard Muslims as B'nai Noah (Righteous Gentiles)?

https://youtu.be/udYM4FuYdiA


texts: Why is Akaidas Yitzchak considered a good thing?

texts: I'm having some difficulty understanding the incident of the Akaida. God tested Avraham by commanding him to take his son as a human sacrifice to see if he would obey even this (Genesis 22). However, I am confused by this. Isn't it considered objectively very bad to kill one's son, no matter how much they believe that God wants them to do that? It seems one should expect that objective morals always overrule what someone believes to be commands from God since it could be that they are wrong or mistaken, and in Avraham's case, shouldn't he have been tipped off the the possibility that God wouldn't want him to do that by virtue of the fact that it was a human sacrifice?


texts: If I made a bracha and immersed two vessels, and then someone came over and asked me to immerse their vessel as well, since I did not have their vessel in mind, do I say a new bracha?


texts: Is one allowed to carry an object through an opposite force on Shabbos?

texts:
Say one had a strong magnetic force attached to his shoe in a way that was not considered carrying.

Would he be able to point his shoe in a Reshus Harabim and move something with opposite magnetic force so long as he didn't touch the moving object?


texts: Yirmiyahu 8:14 - Why havayah instead of Elokim?

texts:
In the verse Yirmiyahu 8:14, the prophet describes a strong judgement:
"For the Lord Our G-d has doomed us".

However, when I study the hebrew text, i see the havayah name is used instead of Elokim. I would have expected Elokim to appear here due to the apperant judgement in the text, and not the "compassionate" havayah.

Can anyone explain?


texts: Which side of the sefirotic columns does daat lean towards?

texts:
I found in the gloss on Tanya, Iggeret HaKodesh, Epistle 12:

"When Chesed does not insist (so to speak) on an unlimited revelation
of kindness (but is satisfied to reveal the G‑dly illumination in a
finite manner), and Gevurah insists only on witholding the revelation
from those who are unworthy of receiving it (but does not insist on
blocking the revelation altogether, even from the worthy — then the
mediating attribute of mercy, which leans toward kindness, declares
that while a particular recipient may not be strictly worthy of the
kindness to be shown, he is at least worthy of being granted it out of
compassion."

As is known, all the sefirot in the yosher structure manifest on three columns. The right kav is chesed, the left is din, and the middle is rachamim.
I did some research and found in Tomer Deborah,  p. 9 I believe, that rachamim leans toward chesed.
Some more research yielded that keter also inclines towards the right with yesod and malchut to the left or din. Reishit Chochmah, based on the five chassadim and gevurot.
However, I can't find any source which side daat leans toward. Does the two sides lean equally both ways like the two sides of tiferet for the  Kohen and the Levi?


texts:
In a comment on this question that is now deleted, DoubleAA said something to the effect of

Yes you become impure by sitting on the seat, but anyone who needs to care about the consequences of becoming impure knows about them and acts accordingly.
(someone feel free to edit if you have access to deleted comments)

What are the consequences nowadays of becoming tamei from midras (see Zavim 4,1)?  We don't eat terumah or kodshim or go into the Azarah because we're all assumed to be tamei from dead people anyway.


texts: Should I donate money to non-jewish organizations that I've benefited from, or is it better to give that money to Jewish institutions?

texts:
I was thinking that on the one hand there may be an ענין to give to a non-Jewish organization that you've benefitted from (e.g. Wikipedia) as a way to train yourself in the middah of הכרת הטוב (hakarat hatov, gratefulness); on the other hand, maybe it's still better to only give to Jewish institutions.
Are there any halachic/hashkafic sources that deal with this question that you are aware of?


texts: If the בעל קורא had in mind a specific person while reading the תוכחה (curses) is that considered מקלל חבירו?

texts:
The Ohr Zarua writes:

  האור זרוע (שו"ת ח"א סי' קיד) כתב, ומורי הר"ר יהודה חסיד אמר לי שצריך הש"ץ [הקורא בתורה בפרשת הקללות בפ' בחוקתי ובפ' כי תבוא] להיות אהוב לציבור, שאם לא כן, כשקוראים התוכחה, סכנה הוא למי שאינו אוהבו. ואמר לי שאם אדם יודע שהחזן  -אינו אוהבו, אם יקרא אותו בתוכחה, יזהר ואל יעמוד, - עכ"ל
   My Rebbi R' Yehudah Chasid told me that the shliach tzibur (Torah reader) [of the curses in Parshas Bechukosai and Parshs Ki-Savo] must be liked by the congregation. Because if not, when he reads the curses, there is a danger to someone whom he doesn't like. He also told me that if someone knows that the chazzan (Torah reader) is not fond of him, if he will call him up for [the aliya of] the curses he should be careful and not go up.

The explanation to this is because the Baal-Koreh might have in his mind during the reading of the curses that they should fall upon the person whom he does not like.

Question: If the בעל קורא did indeed have in mind that the curse which he reads should befall a specific person, and he read a pasuk with Hashem's name in it (eg. 'יככה ה), would he be over (transgress) the aveira of מקלל חבירו בשם השם - cursing another person using Hashem's name?

[Would בית דין give him מלקות if there was התראה?]


texts: First it says everyone had their own language; but then it says all spoke one before being split

texts:
First, in Noach, pasuk Chof perek Yud, it says:

  אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־חָ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לִלְשֹֽׁנֹתָ֑ם בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖ם בְּגֽוֹיֵהֶֽם׃

Then again a few pasukim later, pasuk Lamed Aleph:

  אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־שֵׁ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לִלְשֹֽׁנֹתָ֑ם בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖ם לְגֽוֹיֵהֶֽם׃

So everyone is split according to their own language.
But in the next perek it says one language:

  וַיְהִ֥י כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שָׂפָ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וּדְבָרִ֖ים אֲחָדִֽים׃

So which one is it?


texts: When is it halachically prohibited to count Jews?

texts:
Half Shekalim were used to take a census of Jews in the desert. When counting Jews to form a minyan, people use a verse or some other method to count rather than using direct numbers.

Under what criteria is it prohibited to count Jews directly? Is it at all times or only for davar mitzvah? E.g., at a party, can I count Jews for table seating or for attendance?


texts: Is Ber. 26 in the proper chronological place?

texts:
In Bereishit 25 twins are born and they grow up.  Though I don't know how old they are by the end of the perek, they are at least 13. Then in perek 26, there is a famine and Yitzchak must go to Gerar. Though he goes with his wife, no mention is made of his taking his twins with him. The next mention of the children is with Eisav's getting married at the age of 40.

If the famine was severe how did Ya'akov and Eisav survive? Did they go down to Gerar with their parents and it wasn't mentioned (which would make the artifice of "She is my sister" unbelievable) or were they not born yet and this chapter actually precedes the events of the previous chapter?

I know that there is no authoritative list of examples of "ein mukdam" but are there any commentaries which claim that this is out of order, or otherwise explain the omission of the two sons from the events (even if they were approaching 40, they would still need to eat).


texts:
The Tanach says [referring to God]:

עִם־נָבָ֖ר תִּתָּבָ֑ר וְעִם־עִקֵּ֖שׁ תִּתַּפָּֽל׃ -- With the pure You act in purity, and with the perverse You are wily. [2 Samuel 22:27 and Ps. 18:27]”

Does this apply only to God or to us as well?  Are we allowed to deceive someone who habitually deceives?  Halacha does not allow lying, except to save a life, to keep the peace, to make people feel good, to appear humble and modest, and to protect yourself from loss or harm.  Should facing a liar be added to that list?
(Note:  When Rachel asks Jacob: “But is it really permitted for the righteous to be involved in deception?”, Jacob says yes and quotes that line. [Megillah 13b; also Bava Batra 123a; Ein Yaakov (Glick) on Bava Batra 8:18])


texts:
Is it permitted for an Israeli to use Mi Yodeya on motzei shabbat? Would this be lifnei iver (placing an obstacle in front of a fellow Jew) in encouraging non-shabbat observant Jews to click/vote/respond to a question/answer?

The question assumes that many (a  majority of?) MY users are based in the US where it is still shabbat for 5-8  hours while already motzei shabbat in Israel. I wonder if the fact it is shabbat for a majority would make a halachic difference vs. a situation where there might possibly be someone on the Internet using MY on their shabbat but the majority wouldn't be mechalel Shabbat.

Would the answer be different for the second day of yom tov which is chol/chol hamoed in Israel?


texts: If God has no body, then how does He act in the world?

texts:
The Rambam in beginning of Hilchos Deos asserts that God has no body - physical or otherwise.

Hence, God is totally intangible. If so, how can the untangible affect anything in this world?

If He has no corporeality at all, then how does He effect a physical
 event? In our understanding, every time light comes in to being or
 clouds move, some physical source must cause it, but God isn't
 physical. Is saying "Let there be light" a physical act? If so, that
 contradicts the Rambam; if not, how does it effect the creation of
 light?

I'm not asking that physical effects imply a physical
 being. I'm asking how, assuming He has no physical being, He effects
 things. Not that He can't: yes, that'd limit Him. But how does He?
 Familiar physical events require a physical thing to effect them: by
 what medium does a non-physical God effect physical things?


texts: PTIJ: Seeking info about Chazzan R. Neves

texts:
This year's JAK Rettelswen mentions a recording of Kiddush Yaknha"z (Jag 'n Has) sung by Chazzan R. Neves. Does anoyone know about Mr. Neves and if he did any other recordings ?

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


texts: I looked up the term "פירוד הלבבות" and it comes out literally as "separation of hearts".  What is the interpretation of this term in Yiddishkeit generally?  Thanks in advance.