texts: How many times does the law follow Samuel in ritual practice?

texts:
The Talmud (Shabbat 22a) records the following:

  איתמר רב אמר אין מדליקין מנר לנר ושמואל אמר מדליקין רב אמר אין מתירין ציצית מבגד לבגד ושמואל אמר מתירין מבגד לבגד רב אמר אין הלכה כרבי שמעון בגרירה ושמואל אמר הלכה כרבי שמעון בגרירה אמר אביי כל מילי דמר עביד כרב לבר מהני תלת דעביד כשמואל מדליקין מנר לנר ומתירין מבגד לבגד והלכה כרבי שמעון בגרירה דתניא רבי שמעון אומר גורר אדם מטה כסא וספסל ובלבד שלא יתכוין לעשות חריץ

  It was stated: Rab said: One must not light from lamp to lamp;  but Samuel maintained, You may light from lamp to lamp. Rab said: Fringes  may not be detached from one garment for [insertion in] another, but Samuel ruled, Fringes may be detached from garment to garment. Rab said, The halachah is not as R. Simeon in respect to dragging; but Samuel maintained, The halachah is as R. Simeon in respect to dragging. Abaye said: In all matters the Master [Rabbah] acted in accordance with Rab, except in these three, where he did as Samuel: [viz.,] one may light from lamp to lamp; one can detach [the fringes] from one garment for [insertion in] another; and the halachah is as R. Simeon in respect to dragging. For it was taught: R. Simeon said: One may drag a bed, seat, or bench,  provided that he does not intend to make a rut.

  (Soncino translation)

Rashi there adds in the following explanation:

  ומשום דהילכתא כרב באיסורי בכוליה הש"ס בר מהני תלת נקטינהו גבי הדדי

  And because the law accords with Rav in ritual matters in the entire Talmud except for these three cases, [the Talmud] took them together.

However, the Talmud elsewhere (Bechorot 49a) states a different exception to this rule:

  ואע"ג דקיימא לן דכל היכא דפליגי רב ושמואל הלכתא כרב באיסורי וכשמואל בדיני הכא הלכתא כוותיה דשמואל

  And although we have an established rule that wherever Rab and
  Samuel differ in ritual law the ruling adopted is that of Rab and in civil cases the ruling adopted is
  that of Samuel, here, however, the ruling adopted is that of Samuel.

  (Soncino translation)

  תנא קמיה דרב יהודה הפודה את בנו בתוך שלשים יום בנו פדוי אמר ליה שמואל אמר אין בנו פדוי ואת אמרת בנו פדוי ואע"ג דקיימא לן כרב באיסורי וכשמואל בדיני הכא הלכתא כותיה דשמואל

  A Tanna recited in the presence of Rab Judah: If one redeems his son within thirty days [of its
  birth] the son is considered redeemed. He said to him: But did not Samuel rule that the son is not
  redeemed, and you say that the son is considered redeemed? — Read: ‘The son is not redeemed’.
  And although we have an established rule that the ruling adopted is that of Rab in ritual matters and
  is like Samuel, in civil matters, here, however, the decision is in accordance with the ruling of
  Samuel.

  (Soncino translation)

Here, in a span of just a few lines the, the stama d'gemara explicitly states twice that the law accords with Rav in ritual matters except in the case of redeeming a firstborn son within 30 days, where the law accords with Samuel.1

How can this be reconciled? Are we forced to say that these passages are imprecise (i.e. they may both agree that there might be four exceptions to the rule)? Are they in fact disputing each other? Has this question been addressed anywhere?

1. I am aware that Rambam (Hilchot Bikurim 11:18), followed by Tur (Y.D. 305) and Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 305:13), actually rules in accordance with Rav in the case in Bechorot. The principle commentaries there by R. Joseph Karo and R. David Ibn Zimra both express astonishment at this clear flouting of the Talmudic ruling, and they are forced to posit different textual variants that Rambam may have had in that Talmudic passage. An answer to my question here might argue that Rashi too had a variant text.


texts: Can a Woman be a Shul President? How about a member of Knesset?

texts:
Several years ago the National Council of Young Israel made news when a story came out that they banned women from being the president of a shul. (see here and here for details.)

My question is what are the halakhic reasons why a woman could\could not be a president or member of parliament?

(dealt with in part here: Can a convert become a synagogue president? Why or why not? )


texts: Yoga with a Buddha idol in the same room?

texts: Is it allowed to participate a yoga class while a Buddha idol is placed in the room owned by the yoga studio? Even if one has no intention of praying to the idol?


texts: What is considered carrying שלא לצורך on Yom-Tov?

texts:
Carrying outside (where there is no eiruv) on Yom Tov is only permitted if the carrying is לצורך יום-טוב - (for a purpose needed on Yom Tov), but carrying when one does not need it on Yom-Tov is forbidden, [שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תקיח:א]

Is carrying a garment/hat etc., which can just as well be worn on his person, (which would then not be considered "carrying"), considered carrying שלא לצורך יום-טוב, since he does not need the "carrying" itself, or as long as the transfer from one place to the other is for צורך יום טוב it is permitted even though he  could do it without carrying?

Another example of this may be, If one carried something on YT from point A to point B via an area which had no eiruv, and he could just as well get it to point B without going outside of the eiruv, would this be considered הוצאה שלא לצורך יום טוב since he does not need the "carrying" outside of the eiruv?

Are these 2 the same or different?


texts: Why do Ashkenazim in Israel tend to use Nusach Sefard?

texts:
Generally, the original non-Chassidic Ashkenazi community in Israel were followers of the Vilna Gaon. Since they were practically the only Ashkenaz presence in Israel, they were able to institute many of the Vilna Gaon's rulings in their new communities. So why is the general non-Chassidic custom in Israel to use the Nusach Sefard (not the Nusach Eidut HaMizrach, but Sefard which is a mix of Nusach Ashkenaz and Eidut HaMizrach)?

Outside of Israel, this Nusach is traditionally used by (non-Chabad) Chassidim, while non-Chassidim use the traditional Nusach Ashkenaz. Did the Vilna Gaon support using Nusach Sefard?


texts: How was Shmuel Hanavi, who was a nazir (Nazir 66a, Rambam Nezirus 3:16) allowed to kill Agag if in doing so he became tamei l'mais? I am looking for answers other than Shmuel using a wooden sword or him only terminally wounding (but not outright killing) Agag.


texts: Source for the act of completing Shas if every daf is distributed and completed individually by a group of people?

texts: There is an unsourced claim I am seeking to verify. There is a claim that, if every daf of a masechet (and, by extension, Shas) is learned by a group of people - through the means of every person being assigned a daf (or as many are needed for the entire volume to be finished in aggregate), it is equivalent to each person in that group who learned their assigned daf finishing that particular masechet (and, by extension, Shas, if all masechtot have been learned). I am unable to find a source for this claim.


texts: Inserting a prayer for someone with a mental illness in refueinu

texts: The Mishna Brurah 116 s.k. 3 rules like the opinion that one may insert a prayer for the recovery of a sick person in the bracha of refaeinu during the Amidah (as opposed to the opinion that one must rather include such prayer in shema koleinu). Are there any sources that discuss if this includes praying for someone who has a mental illness? Would it depend on the severity or type of mental illness?


texts: Proof of one side or question on the other, talmud

texts:
A boy asked me today:
How does the gemora choose if to use something as a proof to one side or as a question on the other?

The example he brought was:

Of a question:    Kiddushin 63b

  תנן רצו אחד נותן גט ואחד כונס תיובתא דרב אמר לך רב שאני התם דכיון דאיכא אחר בהדיה אירתותי מירתת

Of a proof: Ibid

  תניא כוותיה דרב אסי

Please help me find the answer


texts: When did the bar mitzvah ceremony originate, and when did it take on its current form?

texts:
In the extract of David Rosenberg's book An Educated Man that I've looked at out of curiosity, he makes mention of Jesus of Nazareth presumably undertaking bar mitzvah studies and chanting the haftarah on the day of the ceremony.

This struck me as somewhat odd, since the impression I've gotten from other sources (for instance, a popular Christian Bible site, at least upon a quick Google search) has indicated that the current bar mitzvah practice wasn't in place during the first century CE. Other sources suggest some form of the bar mitzvah was already in practice at the time, although they seem very vague on the details. Finally, Wikipedia isn't entirely clear to me.

As such: when did the bar mitzvah in its current form arise, and before that, were there any similar ceremonies with a religious component?


texts: Why were Leah and Bilhah's tribes larger than Rachel and Zilpah's?

texts:
I plotted the census results given in Bamidbar, and it struck me that the tribes descended from Rachel are very small. In contrast, those descended from Leah have population counts between average and very large. (Levites are an exception, being a very small tribe descended from Leah, but they are explicitly set apart as not to be counted with the other tribes.)

Initially I thought it was simply a matter of timing: Ephraim and Manasseh are from a generation later, and Benjamin was born late. So their tribes have had less time to grow. But this doesn't work: if it were true, Leah's younger sons Issachar and Zevulun would have smaller tribes than Reuven, but that's not the case.

Then I thought it might have to do with Leah's merit. But then I'd expect the same pattern for the handmaids. Instead, it's reversed: tribes descended from Bilhah are larger than those descended from Zilpah.

Plotting the average tribe count for each matriarch shows that the gap between the smaller and larger groups is more than the standard error. If the tribe of Levi is included, the standard deviation for Leah increases and the two groups barely overlap.

Total counts of descendants are mostly driven by the number of children: 48% of everyone descends from Leah. (50% if the tribe of Levi is included.) The other groups have similar populations, which makes sense since each is descended from two sons. (Joseph has many descendants split between the two tribes, but Benjamin has few.)

Overall, these plots suggest there's a specific pattern and not simply random variance. Is there a reason for this?


texts: Should observant Jews travel to areas that are centres for Avodah Zarah (Idol worship)?

texts: In the light of the recent tragic event in Nepal, the question arose in my mind whether observant Jews ought specifically to travel to the far east where avodah zarah is intrinsic to the society?


texts: Halachic status of Sikhism as Avoda Zara

texts: Are there any sources that explicitly discuss the halachic status of Sikhism regarding to what extent it follows the Noahide laws, and if it is considered avoda zara or shittuf?


texts:
there are many religions out there, each with its own framework of beliefs/premises about God (or something else.)

How do you know the Jewish perspective is the correct one?


texts:
When I went to purchase my arba' minim for Sukkot this year, I realised that I was ignorant of most of the halachot. I told myself that I would learn these halachot before next Sukkot בלי נדר but I was unsure where to learn. My first thought was Shulchan 'Aruch. Although I would love to learn the halachot with more attention to detail, I thought realistically to myself that a pamphlet/small book would likely be better to study for this.

With that in mind, I was wondering if there is a sefer which is effectively a קצור הלחות ד׳ מינים, either in Hebrew or Hebrew and English translations.(The only thing I saw which fit the קצור qualification was an English-only Eider pamphlet. This was exactly what I was looking for, except for the fact that I want to learn the halachot in Hebrew). Ideally, it should have illustrations, considering that the form of the species relates to its kashrut. It should contain base-line requirements as well as hiddurim.

Is such a volume available? If so, if it is only available digitally, is there a print-on-demand option?


texts: In RAMBAM hilchot avoda zara 9:4 What publisher or translator first changed notzrim to canaanites?

texts:
In this censored version online at chabad.org, Hilchot Avoda Zara 9:4 says:

  "The Canaanites are idol worshipers [sic], and Sunday is their
  festival..."

(And it says Canaanites in both the hebrew and english, so, censored in both)

Whereas in the uncensored version, nicely provided by mechon mamre - index here, it says  Notzrim.

And I see in Hilchot Melachim 10:9, the uncensored hebrew version has Goy, and the censored hebrew version has  Akum i.e. idolators - (עובדי כוכבים ומזלות, (עכו״ם (though funnily enough the english in the censored edition has gentile).

Who was it that put together the censored version and changed notzrim to canaanites and goy to akum?


texts: Why is the Miracle of Oil mentioned so much later than records of Chanukah celebrations?

texts:
The miracle of oil isn't really mentioned until the Talmud, and is absent from all earlier sources for Chanukah like the Books of Maccabees, Josephus, and others.  I have seen historians claim that this shows that the miracle was created by the rabbinic class to counteract celebration of the Hasmoneans' victory.

What is the traditional/Rabbinic explanation for why the miracle of oil isn't mentioned until hundreds of years after the first sources for Chanukah?

Highly Related:Why doesn't Al Hanisim Mention the Miracle of the Oil?


texts:
Rabbeinu Bechaya (Bereishis 34:1) writes

ועוד ידוע שכל האילנות יש להן לב כשתחתוך אותו אבל אילן זית אין לו לב,
ואולי מפני זה טבע הפרי משכח התלמוד ומטמטם הלב, כמו שהזכירו רבותינו ז"ל
בזית. Furthermore, it is a well known fact that all trees have a
“heart” which becomes exposed when you cut down the trunk. The only
exception to this rule is the olive tree. Perhaps this is the reason
why eating olives led to the person who has consumed them forgetting
the Torah he has studied, his heart becoming dull and unresponsive to
learning. Our sages have distinguished between the effect of eating
olives and consuming olive oil. The former has a negative effect even
on matters one has studied for seventy years whereas the latter has a
beneficial effect, restoring to one’s memory what one had forgotten
for a long time. (Horiot 13)

What does the "heart" of a tree refer to in the sense that the olive tree lacks one? (Extra credit: Why does not having that heart make one forget their learning?)


texts: Historically, German Jews used a lamp like the one shown below for neirot Shabbat. Does anyone still make it? If so, where could it be found?


texts: What is the exact siddur used at most Breslover kehillos? Does it vary? How about the one used at the Chut Shel Chessed Yeshiva in Jerusalem? I know it's probably Nusach Sefard, but which one?


texts: The word גר is commonly translated convert. However, we are commanded to love the גר as we were גרים  in Egypt. Exodus 22:21, ibid 23:9, Deuteronomy 10:18-19. How can the Jewish people be said to have converted to the Egyptian religion or way of life?


texts:
 והמשתכר אל ישתכר יותר משתות (בבא בתרא 90A)
"One who gets drunk may not get drunk past a sixth."

I have seen four shittos to explain this ruling which is brought l'halacha in O"C Siman 683.

Panim Chalashos (OC 883:2) says that one who reaches ad d'lo yada and wishes to continue drinking must make each drink 1/6 the size of the previous one until he asymptotically approaches either zero or the inability to say asymptotically whichever comes first.
Ta"m (Turei mashke) ad loc points out that Ta'us sofrim records שתות as a copyist error and that the correct girsa is שטות i.e. one should not drink past the point when he begins to act like an idiot. If he does, then chazrah hamekach and the owner of the liquor store is permitted to take back his wine.
Magen Avraham challenges the Ta"M and asks how he can pasken based on this obscure rishon and completely dismiss the longstanding minhag yisroel to drink far past that point. The original girsa stands but shtus does not mean 1/6 of the previous drink but 1/6 more so that if you start with a 6 ounce glass, your second drink should be 7 ounces and so on.
משנה בירה paskens like Magen Avraham but adds that a baal nefesh should add a sixth mil'bar.

How are we machriah l'mayseh?

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


texts:
I want to give over a drasha I heard, but I cannot recall who said it originally. The drasha goes:

  The Midrash says that one of the reasons there is no "ki tov" on
  the second day of Creation is because machloket was created when
  the upper and lower waters were separated.

  To this, the question can be asked about the division between light
  and darkness on the first day. There is definitely a "ki tov" then.

  The answer is that things of the same type (bodies of water) should
  not be separated, but it is appropriate to separate things of
  different types (light and darkness). Thus it is a tragedy if Jews
  fight among themselves, but a Jew does not have to seek out the
  friendship of non-Jews.

I am looking for the name of the Rabbi who said this or the book where it was stated.


texts:
Is there a teaching that states, those who work deserve to be paid?
The longer version is:
Where in the Torah, as according to the rabbis, is there a concept or a mitzvah that states, something like, those who work, either as an employee or as a business person, deserve their pay?
The other side of the coin: I am also interested in a rabbinical ruling or a halacha that bases its ruling on the Torah.


texts: PTIJ: How were the Na'vi able to defy the Torah?

texts:
As documented by Cameron (2009) the Na'vi rose up against their foreign oppressors, expelling them from the land.
Yet it is written (D'varim 34): "לֹא-קָם נָבִיא עוֹד", "never again did/would the Na'vi arise."
So how were the Na'vi able to defy the promise written in the Torah?  I ask because I'm concerned that one breach may lead to others.

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


texts: How did the fish live through the flood?

texts: If the waters were boiling as the flood continued, how did the fish survive throughout the Mabul?


texts:
In Sefer HaIkkarim, the follwoing quote appears:

Similarly the expression, “a statute forever,” is used in relation to the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles, and yet our Rabbis say in “Vayyikra Rabbah” that all festivals will be abolished except Purim and the Day of Atonement.

Where in Vayyikra Rabbah is this mentioned? Due to my own deficiency, I was unable to locate this quote.


texts: How do we know that the God we encountered at Sinai is the single, infinite God?

texts: How do we know that the God of the Sinai Revelation is the single God of All other God's? Is it not possible that whatever we encountered was simply a messenger of a greater force? I understand that there was a single infinite force from which the universe came forth, but how do we know that it is that force we entered into a covenant with?


texts: Why is the word Shofar somtimes spelled with a Vav and somtimes without a Vav?

texts:
There are times that the word Shofar is spelled without a Vav - for example

שמות: יט. טז.
ויהי ביום השלישי בהית הבקר ויהי קלת וברקים וענן כבד על ההר וקל שפר חזק מאד ויחרד כל העם אשר במחנה

or שמות: יט. יט.
ויהי קול השפר הולך וחזק מאד משה ידבר והאלהים יעננו בקול

and there are times it is spelled with a Vav - for example

ויקרא: כה. ט.
והעברת שופר תרועה בחדש השבעי בעשור לחדש ביום הכפרים תעבירו שופר בכל ארצכם

or יהושע: ו. ה.
והיה במשך בקרן היובל בשמעכם את קול השופר יריעו כל העם תרועה גדולה ונפלה חומת העיר תחתיה ועלו העם איש נגדו

Why?


texts: Shelosha Veshiv'im Umatayim - mi yodeya?

texts:
Who knows two hundred seventy-three?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible.
At some undetermined point in the future, at least a day from now, I will:

Vote up all interesting, relevant answers.

Accept what I consider the "best" answer.

Move on to the next number.

Gemar chatima tova, everybody!


texts: Is instigating a crime through careless choices of words a violation of Lifnei 'Iver?

texts:
I would like to look at the scope of Lifnei 'Iver -- the commandment to not put a stumbling block before the blind (Lev. 19:14). Specifically, I would like to know how one is punished for the sin -- does someone who causes another person to sin liable for that sin as if he did it himself?  Must the violator of Lifnei 'Iver have intended that a person sinned as a result of his suggestions?  And would a person be in violation of Lifnei 'Iver if he was causing somone to sin without being warned that his actions constituted the sin of Lifnei 'Iver for which he could be punished under Jewish law (e.g. restitution, fines, lashes, etc.)?  Is that answer different if the person is an expert in Jewish law?  If the words that sent the events in motion constituted loshon hara (gossip) or motzei shem ra (slanderous lies), does the speaker have any liability for the damage caused to the ones whom he influenced with his words?

To give these questions context, lets use a very possible hypothetical.  Rabbi tells his students that smart phones are a sin and no one should have one, and that it would be best for the world if all were destroyed.  Student 1 sees that his roommate owns a smart phone and destroys it on his own, thinking that this is what his rabbi would want.  Did the rabbi unintentionally violate Lifnei 'Iver? To what extent is the rabbi liable for his student's theft and destruction of his roommate's property?

Second hypothetical:  Rabbi tells congregation that Ploni-al-moni is an "evil man" and should be "taught a lesson."  Congregant hearing this takes it upon himself to beat up Ploni-al-moni and put him in the hospital.  Might the rabbi be liable for Lifnei 'Iver because he didn't also tell his congregants that he meant G-d should punish the sinner, and not them?


texts: Path of the Just - what does שיתברר ויתאמת mean?

texts:
The Mesilat Yesharim starts off:

  יסוד החסידות ושרש העבודה התמימה הוא שיתברר ויתאמת אצל האדם מה חובתו

  (Translation: The foundation of saintliness and the root of perfection
  in the service of God lies in a man's coming to see clearly and to
  recognize as a truth the nature of his duty in the world and the end
  towards which he should direct his vision and his aspiration in all of
  his labors all the days of his life.)

the words שיתברר ויתאמת are translated here as "coming to see clearly and to recognize as a truth".

what does it mean to come to "recognize as a truth"?

does this mean to go into chakira (rational inquiry/logical proofs) to try to arrive at the truth as to the existence of God and the divine origin of the torah?

if no, how else can something be recognized as a truth?

you can't say he means belief because it would not be accurate to say "recognize as a truth", and we assume that each word of this book was carefully chosen (as is the way of the torah sages).


texts:
The Gemara in Rosh HaShanah 17b states that HaShem told Moshe Rabbeinu that whenever the Jews sin, they should recite the 13 Middos and they will be forgiven.

Why do we say the 13 Middos so often during the Selichos before Rosh Hashanah, during the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and on Yom Kippur itself? If HaShem promised us that we just need to say it and we’ll be forgiven, we should just say it once and we’ll be good to go.


texts:
Might there be some relationship between the words "tekhelet" (תְּכֵלֶת ; the Biblical blue dye) and "shechelet" (שחֵלֶת ; one of the four named ingredients of the holy incense, listed in Exodus 30:34)?

My question is based upon the concept of root words in Hebrew, although I'm not sure that "tekhelet" and "shechelet" actually share a root...?

http://www.jewfaq.org/root.htm


texts: why is sim shalom/shalom rav at the end of the amidah?

texts: The order of tefilla is that there should be praise, request, and thanks. It seems like this bracha returns to the idea of requesting so why is it at the end of the amidah where one would think brachas only relating to thanks should be?


texts: Can you benefit from a lost animal while waiting to find the owner?

texts:
If we find a lost animal we must return it to its owner (seen most recently on Bava Metzia 30, but I know this is codified elsewhere and said directly in D'varim).  I also understand that we must care for it until that happens (I've heard this in the name of the Rambam, for one).  While waiting, is one allowed to derive benefit from the animal, if doing so doesn't decrease the animal's value?

For example, a cow that is not milked when it needs to be suffers some pain.  Therefore, it seems that you would be required to milk the cow as part of caring for it.  Having done so, is the milk yours?

A different example: after a hen lays eggs the bird is not further affected if you do or don't take the eggs.  Are the eggs yours?

I'm not asking about working the animal (for example using a found ox to plow your field), which could lead to the animal being injured so might be a different case.


texts:
Over Pesach and Sukkos, it is common to find segregated minyanim in which those who wear tefilin sit in one section while those who do not sit in another, or completely separate services for both. Where does this practice originate, and why would segregation trump other seating concerns like makom kavuah?

Additionally, in discussing this issue with someone, he brought up an instance in which there were 9 people of one minhag who disbanded the minyan rather than count someone as the tenth since they were of the opposite minhag. This seems... problematic. For one, they seem to be deliberately precluding people from being in the tzibbur, potentially violating inyanim of poreish  tzibbur and lo tisgodedu (this is less of a halacha and more of a drash...) Secondly they are potentially abandoning the opportunity for tefilah betzibbur for a minhag (to be clear, I'm referring to separation between practitioners and discounting those of different practice). Thirdly, they wouldn't discriminate in this way if the tenth was someone who just didn't have tefilin with him, so why is this different?

To summarize:

Why is the issue of tefilin on chol hamoed taken so seriously as to require segregation, discrimination, and apparent violation of other minhagim and halachos?


texts: What gives a person the physical drive to look at forbidden images, and for that matter men's drive to look at women?


texts: The Great Sanhedrin was too large (71 judges) to simply know how everyone voted.  There must gave been a way to count votes, in a legal fashion.  (Just counting people is prohibited.)  So, by what mechanism did the Sanhedrin count votes?


texts: How does one have Seudah Shlishit when Erev Yom Tov occurs on Shabbat?

texts:
This site says:

  one may not eat a meal on the eve of a Festival starting from the time
  of the afternoon prayers, just like on Fridays before Shabbos.

Does this mean that when Erev Yom Tov occurs on Shabbat, as it does this year for Shavuot, one may not have Se'udah Shlishit in shul after a "late" mincha (around the Friday candle lighting time?) Or, is there an exception made for Seudah Shlishit?

If not, what is the recommended method of when to have Seudah Shlishit?


texts: What's the "ORegon 7-1222" on R' Moshe Feinstein's letterhead?

texts:
The English part of of R' Moshe Feinstein's letterhead reads as follows:

  RABBI MOSES FEINSTEIN
  455 F.D.R. DRIVE
  New York, N.Y. 10002
  __
  ORegon 7-1222

See for instance this letter, this letter, and this one.

What does "ORegon 7-1222" mean?

I assume the same thing it means here:


texts: Can an induction hob be kashered on Pesach?

texts:
Induction cooking involves an alternating magnetic field in a coil underneath a smooth glass/pyrex surface. This alternating field induces eddy currents in an iron pot placed on the hob. In turn, these currents (due to Joule heating) cause the pot to directly heat up and the contents within them.

The actual glass/pyrex surface heats up as a result of contact with the hot pot. Often, induction hobs have a fail-safe whereby you can only turn on a heating ring when a pot is placed onto it (unlike a typical electric/gas hob). In this sense, it cannot be heated/kashered at full temperature in the same way that an electric/gas hob can be - the glass surface of an induction hob is indirectly heated by the pot.

Is there a procedure to kasher such a surface for Pesach bearing in mind the Ashkenazi stringency not to kasher glass on Pesach?


texts: One Gemara cites another -- evidence of the order in which Shas was compiled?

texts:
Gemara Tamid notes (on daf 27b) that a certain Braisa appears in Yoma, in Perek Ba Lo Kohen Gadol. This citation is correct; Artscroll notes (Tamid 27b3 #27) that more specifically the Braisa appears in Yoma 69a.

Now I have often noticed the Gemara use our names of the tractates and Perakim in ways that are arguably intended as the names of topics or areas of inquiry, rather than the titles of books. It’s as if someone referred to studying metaphysics, and you were unsure whether he intended Metaphysics, the book by Aristotle, or to the general field of study. For example, at Berachos 28a, a Braisa refers to the day on which “Eduyos” was taught. Apparently the mainstream understanding is that this is the title of a book, although I’m not sure why it cannot equally be understood as the name of a topic. When the gemara uses the term Shmona Sheratzim (as at Sotah 47a) it could be taken this way, as the name of a topic of study.

Where the reference is more clearly to a particular book, the references can often be understood as references to the Mishnah. For example, at the beginning of Gemara Nazir, and at many other places, the rabbis discuss the order of the Mishna. At Avodah Zarah 14b, the Gemara mentions that there are 5 Perakim, which is of course true of both the Mishnah and the Gemara. If we take the reference to Eduyos (which I mentioned in the previous paragraph) as a book title, it refers apparently to the tractate of Mishnah. This might also be the case for references to the Bavas, which would be meaningless as the names of topics if not already familiar as the titles of tractates. (As another party with my own user name Chaim observes, two of the Bava's are referred to by name in Bava Kamma itself (Bava Kamma 102a) as well as a parallel sugya in Avodah Zara 7a.)

But the Tamid example seems unambiguously to refer to a place in another tractate of Gemara.

MY QUESTIONS:

How did the Tamid editor know where Yoma cites the Braisa? Is this citation a strong sign that Tamid was compiled after Yoma?
Can you direct me to other places like this one, where one Gemara cites another? Can you direct me to other internal evidence of the order in which tractates were complied?


texts: Fast days for a person with an eating disorder

texts:
Does anyone know of a posek who has written about people with eating disorders (I know there are many types of eating disorders) or people who have recovered from an eating disorder regarding whether or not they should fast on fast-days? I would like to find some material addressing this question.

I ask because being mandated to not eat for an entire day can be physically/emotionally/psychologically dangerous or harmful to people who are sick with an eating disorder.


texts: Assuming smoking is permitted at all (thank you, Rav Moshe Feinstein) and that smoking on Yom Tov / Chol Ha'omed is also permitted in our times, could an Ashkenazi Jew holding by the kitniyot prohibition smoke a corncob pipe during Pesach? Smoking is clearly differentiated halachically from eating or drinking, and no corn flavor should make its way through the tobacco smoke....


texts: Wondering if anyone knows the halacha regarding purchasing mp3 files from ebay which may be potential copyright violations?


texts:
Tractate Sofrim (14:14) records two opinions that concern the wearing of a head covering during the Shema: there are those who say that it is not necessary, and there are those who say that it is necessary, since one whose head is uncovered may not pronounce the name of God. According to the Bet Yosef (Tur, OC 91:3), the halakha is in accordance with the latter opinion (that a head covering must be worn), since that was the opinion codified by Rabbeinu Yerucham (Sefer Toldot 16:7, 148d).

Interestingly, the Darkhei Moshe (Tur, OC 282:1) records the fact that there was a French custom to follow the other opinion, and not to wear a head covering when reading Torah. His source for this is the Or Zarua, which notes ([II:43]) that this was not merely a local custom, but something that the Rabbonim in France were doing.

The gradual stabilisation of the custom of wearing a head covering all day long was at times a controversial subject (with yarmulkes occasionally being drawn onto the heads of rabbis in drawings), but the image of bareheaded men reading Torah or reciting Shema is striking.

To which rabbonim in France was the Or Zarua referring? Did Rashi wear a yarmulke? Did he ever discuss the obligation to do so in his responsa?


texts: Does one who has no intention of sleeping say the blessing of Hashkivaynu after the evening Shema?

texts: Does one who has no intention of sleeping during the night say the blessing of Hashkivaynu after the evening Shema?


texts:
When Samson returned to check on the carcass of the lion he had slain (Judges 14:8), did he ceremonially defile himself? (especially considering that he took honey from out of the carcass)
Would even the jawbone of a donkey have made him unclean?

Secondly, would his killing of the Philistines have been contrary to his Nazarite vow, if he came into contact with their bodies after he had killed them?
Just trying to understand how this would have worked.


texts: Ein Sof - Name or describes the Atzmuth?

texts: I have read conflicting views on whether Ein Sof (אין סוף) is a name of G-d, like for instance Havaya, or it describes, so to say, the Atzmuth. For the Gra and the Ram'hal, it seems that Ein Sof is a name. Ramhal is explicit about this in Adir Bamarom (and maybe also in Kala'h Pit'hei 'Hokhmah). The Gra suggests this view as well in the Likutim at the end of his commentary on Sifra DeTsni'uta. However, for the Ramak, and for the Arizal, I'm not sure it is true. I would like to have a clear picture of the different opinions, and the reasons for the divergence of opinions.


texts: The number 8 does not appear in the numbering of the tribes in Bamidbar except for the census of Kehos and the total of Leviim. Why not?

texts:
Is there any significance in the absence of the number 8 in the individual census of the 12 tribes taken in Chapter 1 of Bamidbar?

Reuben: 46,500

Simeon: 59,300

Gad: 45,650

Judah: 74,600

Issachar: 54,400

Zebulun: 57,400

Ephraim: 40,500

Manasseh: 32,200

Benjamin: 35,400

Dan: 62,700

Asher: 41,500

Naphtali: 53,400

The 8 only appears in the separate census of K’hos (8,600 - Chap. 3:28) and the total of Levi’im aged 30-50 years old where the number 8 appears twice (4:48) namely 8,580.

Do the esoteric properties of the number 8 have any significance here, especially relating to the special and privileged role of the  Family of K’hos.


texts: Current Chicken Controversy in Jerusalem

texts:
The original questioner asked the following: What is the kashrus problem with Eida Chareidis Chickens, and why does the Eida think its not a problem? (kikar.co.il/194374.html – @kouty)

However this is unfortunately quite vague. I will therefore explain the situation as I understand it (not based on the article but based on discussions with Rabbonim.)

All chickens receive some sort vaccination when they are born (a few shots actually.) Different hechsherim administer the shots in different places. Some give it in the chest, some in the neck, and some in the leg. The focus of the question is not the location of the shot as that is a different dicussion. The Eidah Charedis gives it always in the leg. This has been common practice by the Eidah Charedis for many years. Recently (in the past month or so) it was discovered by "someone", that a number of chickens (in the 1000s it seems) starting showing signs of illness in the place where the vaccination is given. This caused concerned as it's where the "tzomet hagidim" are and if the tzomet hagidim are torn the chicken is rendered treif (not kosher.) This is a very broad statement as the actual place on the leg of where the tzomet hagidim are found is a maklokes. However simply put if the gidim (which need to be defined as well) are torn, then the animal would be treif. The supposed illness caused by the vaccination (apparently) was cause for concern and made a "ra'uso" (can someone please translate this for me, I can't find the english word best to use?) in the status of the tzomes hagidim and that was the whole cause for concern. The illness didn't cause the gidim to tear (at least I dont' think so) but did cause a change in color or perhaps dis-formation (which I do believe the poskim speak about as raising a cause for concern in the gidim -- in there is a blood clot, etc.)

What came after was a lot of hysteria as it was suspected by some that as many as 90% of the chickens shechted by the Eidah in the last month or so were effected by this. Gatherings of Rabbonim were made to discuss the issue and the Eidah Charedis came out that everything was okay, perhaps even lichatchila, perhaps even mahadrin.

I believe the intention of the questioner was to ask: If the gidim are infected with an illness in some way and have lost their normal look (and are not torn) is this a problem? Is the chicken treif? Is it real cause for concern? Must one be machmir? Why should this be accepted as "kosher lichatchila" or even "mahadrin" as the Eidah seems to be saying. If it's assumed that this illness effected 1000s of chickens then how can we be sure even after inspecting some and discovering no tearing in the tzomes hagidim that others are also not torn? What if some were found to be torn from this disease, would that effect the status of all of them?

(I'll leave it up to the original questioner to decide if this is right or wrong and to then edit the question appropiately, but at least this is a starting put to have the question be taken off hold. I wanted to ask it myself but had to do more research first, however after seeing this I decided to edit it in one shot based on my conversations with Rabbonim in Jerusalem.)


texts:
I haven't seen it in a few years, but esrogim used to come wrapped in flax. Or, at least, a yellowish, brownish, hairy substance people called "flax", which leads us to my first question:

Was it really flax?

This stuff would get everywhere. In particular, it would get on one's clothes, which leads us to my main question:

If it was really flax, and it got on one's woolen clothes, was that a problem of shaatnez?


texts: Are there sources that discuss whether or not "Purim Torah" is halachically appropriate? I know of at least one contemporary author who insists that it's מגלה פנים שלא כהלכה and a זלזול התורה, but many more Rabbis seem to be ok with it. Are these issues discussed anywhere in halachic literature?


texts: Is there מעילה on the para aduma and mei chatas? Was the para aduma hekdesh?

texts:
Is there meila on the para aduma and mei chatas and is it debatable if the entire avoda and tahara of the para aduma was a function of hekdesh? Is it possible that it's simply a communal process that was performed by a kohein but really wasn't part of kodshim?
I know about the gemara that says that it's kdushas bedek habayis but I have a way to deflect that rayah. Any other rayos one way or the other?


texts:
In Bavli Megilla 13b, we are told that Bigtan and Teresh were two טרסיים, translated by R. Steinsaltz as Tarsians. We are told that they spoke in the Tarsian language.

In what modern country or region was Tarsia located, and are there any surviving writings of this Tarsian language which are available today?


texts:
Kitzur Siman 49:14 (Mishnah Berurah on SA OC  175 sk 15) discusses the Halachot of Hatov VeHaMeitiv in regards to wine.

  If the host places the bottle of wine on the table so that whoever
  wishes May drink as is done at large feast, if so, it is as if the
  wine is jointly owned and they recite the blessing. However,  if the
  host serves each guest a cup for himself they do not recite the
  blessing.

My question: You have a scenario where you do have plenty of wine or other alcoholic beverages, but the guests might have a record of getting too rowdy for comfort. The host sets a limit for how much wine can be served. Are the guests (and consequently the host) still permitted to say Hatov VeHaMeitiv? Or does the limit set by the host nullify that bracha?


texts: Would there be any maaser derabbanan on hydroponically grown plants?

texts:
Related: What bracha should be made on hydroponics/aeroponics?

This question was originally mentioned by Rabbi Eliyahu Fink in his Daf Yomi shiur (Shabbat 128).

He was talking about tevel d'rabanan -- food that requires tithing, but only rabbinically.

  It's a pot that's just self-sustaining. It could be suspended. Hydroponically, even. Maybe, i don't know, it's a little different. It's liquid, not dirt. Who knows. (approximately 47 seconds into the video)

So, indeed, who knows? Or in Hebrew, mi yodeya? ;)

Would hydroponically grown plants require trumah and maaser derabbanan?


texts: Sources about learning to defend oneself

texts: Does the Torah require one to know how to defend one's self if attacked?


texts: Prediction from the Vilna Gaon that America would be the last exile . I am looking for the source?

texts:
I have heard from numerous people this prediction of the Vilna Gaon that America would be the last exile/galus but I have no idea where this actually comes from. I just wanted to know if anyone could validate this for me or provide the source of this.

Thanks


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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts: Are there any sources that say it's a mitzvah to exercise- i.e., to walk around the block to keep up your health?


texts: Are there any Sefardi Posekim that permit the consumption of Chodosh in Chutz LaAretz?

texts:
Are there are any Sefardic Posekim that permit the consumption of Chodosh in Chutz LaAretz just like the Ashkenazim's Heterim?
Preferably Aharonim or contemporaries.


texts:
The prevalent Ashkenazi custom, with regards to nefilat apayim during shacharit is to lean on the arm that one does not wear his tefilin on.  However at mincha the custom is to lean on the left arm.  Since most men are right handed and wear tefilin on their left arm, from a practical standpoint in shacharit one would lean on the right arm and at mincha on the left.

My question is what is the nature of this custom to avoid the arm which is wearing the tefilin and where does it come form?  During the times of the gemarah we know that men would wear tefilin all day long, so it does not seem that that this is something that would be forbidden or disrespectful.

Does anyone know?


texts: Does halakhah permit a woman to affix a mezuzah?


texts: Is one allowed to eat food that was prepared by someone else being mechalel Shabbos?

texts: For example, if someone's mother makes egg salad for the whole family on Shabbos but peels the eggs  a few hours before the meal when it's supposed to be peeled immediately before the meal. If the person told their mother what they are doing is wrong however the mother refuses to listen is the child allowed to continue eating the egg salad every Shabbos?


texts:
To the best of my knowledge there is a principle that if a woman knows with reasonable certainty ( or even reasonable suspicion ) that an emission of blood is from a wound and not from the uterus then she is not rendered niddah.  This comes up often for instance in the case of gynaecological exams that can cause non-uterine bleeding.

If this is the case, then why would a woman be rendered niddah ( or safeq zavah or whatever you want to call it ) after defloration considering that we know with certainty that the blood is from the broken hymen.


texts:
Who knows two hundred eighty-five?
?חמישה ושמונים ומאתים - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 285.
The best lazy gematria I can come up with for this one is weak, but that's no reason to be cowed.
Check out mi-yodeya-series for the previous two hundred eighty-four entries in this ongoing series.
Please include sources for your information wherever possible, as with all other answers on this site.


texts:
In Soviet Union, is there heter for man and woman to seclude in same room if there is chazaka that KGB is watching?

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


texts: Siddur & chumash -- which gets stacked on top?

texts:
I've seen this one asked over and over again, and always heard different things.

Do you stack a chumash on top of a siddur, or the other way around?


texts: Is playing with Legos© permissible on Shabbat?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Lego on Shabbos

I have wondered this for a while. It would seem that it would be forbidden under creative building. Is there a difference regarding whether one tears apart whatever he creates before the end of Shabbat? I would also assume that the ruling would extend to Yom Tov as well, since there isn't much of a difference when it comes to building on Yom Tov. Is playing with Legos© or Duplos© or Lincoln Logs© (etc.) forbidden under building on Shabbat and Chag?


texts: Why will sacrifices resume if prayer and repentence suffice?

texts: When the Beis Hamikdash is restored, sacrifices are supposed to resume. But why? For centuries now we have been taught that the offerings of our lips replace bullocks. For what reason does korbonot need to resume?


texts: Adding Piyutim to between Shma and Shmoneh Esreh

texts:
I had always been taught that there should be no gap between Shema and Shmoneh Esreh, to the point where we don't even answer Amen. Yet on Pesach we add Brach Dodi.

Why is this permissible, and would it have made a difference to have it included either before Shma or the beginning of the repetition (as other piyutim are), as those placements do not create a gap in the proximity of Shema and Shmoneh Esrehe?


texts:
We read in pirkei avos (4:18) the following:

  רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר, אַל תְּרַצֶּה אֶת חֲבֵרְךָ בִשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ, וְאַל תְּנַחֲמֶנּוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמֵּתוֹ מֻטָּל לְפָנָיו, וְאַל תִּשְׁאַל לוֹ בִשְׁעַת נִדְרוֹ, וְאַל תִּשְׁתַּדֵּל לִרְאוֹתוֹ בִשְׁעַת קַלְקָלָתוֹ

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Do not try to appease your friend during his hour of anger; Nor comfort him at the hour while his dead still lies before him; Nor question him at the hour of his vow; Nor strive to see him in the hour of his disgrace.

The meforshim explain the obvious reason why - for example:

Rabeinu Yona:

  כי בשעת העצבון הנחמה מוספת עליו כעס - יבוא לומר דבירים לא טובים - "As at the time of sadness, consolation [brings] anger to him, and he will come to say things that are not good"

Likewise:

Rashi:

  שמתוך צרתו עומדת בפניו אינו מקבל תנחומין - "Since his pain is (lit.) standing before him. he will not accept the consolation."

While this may sound like all consolation is permitted after the burial, the Tosafos Yom Tov writes:

  "WHILE THE BODY LIES BEFORE HIM. Midrash Shmuel writes in the name of Rashbatz that the mishna should read “do not comfort him while he is in mourning,” and that the versions that read “while the body lies before him” are the result of a deliberate alteration of the text to account for fact that after burial, people would make rows and comfort the mourner, as is mentioned in Avel Rabbasi and in the Talmud in Berachos 16b. He says that there is no reason to change the text, however, because it doesn’t say “during his days of mourning” or “during his mourning process.” The text says “while he is mourning,” i.e. while he is in mournful grief. [I still feel that this is difficult to reconcile with the practice of making rows. According to this, if the bereaved is indeed in a state of mournful grief they shouldn’t comfort him, and we do not find the Sages making this distinction.]"

Indeed if one looks at the Lechem Shamayim's commentary here it implies that sometimes it is better not console them until after the shiva or shloshim.

In my experience, we generally make a point of doing the Levayo at the earliest opportunity at which point the shiva begins soon after. At almost the first opportunity the ovel is confronted by a constant stream of consolation and people seeking to comfort them.

Every mourner is in a state of intense grief, and yet in my experience we give constant consolation shiva and shloshim? How can we ever know if someone is more in pain than any other mourner and resultantly shouldn't hear consolation?

Sources for answers are preferred please.


texts:
Besides the dancing maidens of Jerusalem, many other significant events occurred on Tu B'Av for it to be considered one of the holiest days of the year. As mentioned in a previous question, many institutions host singles meetings on Tu B'Av.

Aside from matchmaking, is there any precedence for other ways of celebrating the holiday, such as a particular study program or engaging in particular mitzvot? What do married people do?


texts:
In Sanhedrin 100b: Rabbi Akivah says "Even one who reads foreign Seforim (has no chelek in Olam Haba)". Beraitha there: "He refers to Sifrei Tzedukim" (or "Sifrei Minim" according to all of the old, uncensored manuscripts) src (Likewise, this Girsa of Sifrei Minim is brought in Shaarei Kedusha gate 2).
What would constitute Sifrei Minim today according to halacha? Looking for a clear guideline. would this also include things like books championing atheism such as Dawkins' books?


texts: It says in sefer vayikra in perek יט posuk כז, "You shall not round off the corner of your head, and you shall not destroy the edge of your beard." Now I shave my face because many poskim have made shaving mutar, but how can they do that? This posuk seems to be pretty explicit. I know you can interpret it differently,but wouldn't it be better that we be machmir just in case we are misinterpreting the posuk?


texts: Are they Neshamot or are they something else? Because if they are Neshamot they would be like us, so what forms a angel are they like Only Yetzer Hatov so they only have the desire to do God's will?


texts: In 1 Samuel 11:8  Judah and Israel are mentioned. Please can you tell me what made up Judah?  Was it the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.  What then made up Israel?  Was it the remainder of the tribes who inherited land both sides of the Jordan?


texts: Precaution of shining shoes before traveling

texts:
Rav Yehuda HaChassid (circa 1200) writes in his will (39):

לא ימשח אדם מנעליו ביום שדעתו לילך לדרך
you shouldn't shine your shoes on the day you go on a trip.

What is the idea behind this?


texts: Can I say the prayers of Birkot HaShachar and Tikkun Chatzot after Chatzot (Midnight), even if I don't sleep yet?

texts:
Can I say the prayers of Birkot HaShachar and Tikkun Chatzot after Chatzot (Midnight), even if I had not gone to sleep yet?
How should I proceed with the Kriat Shema Al Hamitá if I will remain awake after midnight?


texts: Whose opinion / custom for tying tzitzit is this?

texts:
I recently saw a hassidic gentleman in shul, with tzitzit tied in a way I had never seen before. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to speak to him, and I was wondering which opinion / custom he was following.

The tzitzit were all white (no techelet), and were tied with the regular ashkenazi five double knots.

However, in between the double knots there were individual groups of 3 wraps. There were two groups between the first two knots, three between knots 2 and 3, and then 4 between knots 3 and 4 and between knots 4 and 5, for a grand total of 13 groups.

So it looked something like:

--XX--lll--lll--XX--lll--lll--lll--XX--lll--lll--lll--lll--XX--lll--lll--lll--lll--XX-------

where XX is a double knot, lll is a group of three wraps, and -- are the strings without the wraps.

It seems similar to the Breslov method (described here) but without ensuring the 7-8-11-13 configuration as the Breslov method does.

Please provide sources for where this tying arrangement is described.


texts: Difference between Shacharis and Mincha re:Tachanun if Sandek/Mohel/father is present

texts:
If a Sandek, or Mohel or father-of-the-baby are present during Shacharis, then the entire congregation skip Tachanun.
If, however, they are present at Mincha, then these individuals do not say Tachanun, but the congregation does. (Unless Mincha is being prayed before or during the Seudath Miztva of the Bris - according to the Kitzur.)
What is the difference between Shacharis and Mincha?
Sources: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 22:6

אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מִילָה, אוֹ שֶׁהַבַּעַל בְּרִית אוֹ הַסַּנְדָּק, אוֹ הַמּוֹהֵל מִתְפַּלְּלִים שָׁם, אַף שֶׁהַמִּילָה תְּהֵא בְּבַיִת אַחֵר. וְאִם מִתְפַּלְּלִין מִנְחָה, בְּבֵית הַתִּינוֹק קוֹדֵם סְעֻדַּת הַבְּרִית, אוֹ בְּאֶמְצַע הַסְּעֻדָּה, גַּם כֵּן אֵין אוֹמְרִים. אֲבָל אִם מִתְפַּלְּלִים לְאַחַר בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, אוֹמְרִים. אַךְ הַבַּעַל בְּרִית וְהַסַּנְדָּק וְהַמּוֹהֵל לֹא יֹאמְרוּ אַף לְאַחַר בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, מִשּׁוּם דְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁלָּהֶם הוּא
Tachanun is omitted in a synagogue where a circumcision will take place, or if the father of the child to be circumcised, or the sandik who holds the child at the circumcision; or the mohel5 is praying there, even if the circumcision will take place at another location. If the minchah prayer is said, in the child's home, before the bris feast or during the feast [there,] too, [tachanun] is omitted. But, if [the mincha] prayer is said after birkas hamazon [tachanun] is said. However, the father of the child, the one holding the child and the mohel do not say [tachanun] even after birkas hamazon because it is their holiday.

Shulchan Aruch - Orach Chaim 131:4

נהגו שלא ליפול על פניהם לא בבית האבל ולא בבית החתן ולא בב"ה ביום מילה ולא כשיש שם חתן:
הגה ודוקא שהמילה או החתן באותו ב"ה אבל אם אין המילה בב"ה אע"פ שהיא בב"ה האחרת אומרים תחנון (פסקי מהרי"א סימן פ"א) וביום המילה שאין אומרים תחנון דוקא שחרית שמלין אז התינוק אבל במנחה אף על פי שמתפללין אצל התינוק הנימול אומרים תחנון מה שאין כן בחתן שאין אומרים תחנון כל היום כשמתפללין אצל החתן (הגהות מיי' פ"ה מה"ת) ולא מקרי חתן אלא ביום שנכנס לחופה:


texts: Operating a business on Shabbat with a non-Jewish partner

texts:
Let's say me and John the non-Jew are partners in a business owning 50 percent each. Can I...

tell John that as far as I'm concerned we'll close on Shabbos but if he wants to keep the business open (since after all, HE loses money as well if we close then) then he can do that.
collect the money made on that day?

I base this on the fact that Amira La'akum does not apply if I did not tell the non-Jew to do the work and if he does the Melacha for himself - in such a case it's not Assur to benefit from it (source 39 Melochos book).

Are there any discussions of this kind of deal?

Does it matter which one is the CEO?


texts: Can a store owner avoid hashavas avaidah?

texts: If a Jewish person owns a store where the majority of patrons are Jewish (let's say a pizza store) can he post a sign which says all lost items will be discarded after 30 days, or something similar, in order to avoid the obligation of hashavas aviadah?


texts: Can one go from being an Aveil to being an Onein?

texts:
A person is an onein while taking care of arrangements for a burial, and, from what I have learned, if that person's work is finished and that person leaves the body or the body leaves the person for the last time, the status of Aveilut begins (even when the body has not been buried).
However, what if that Aveilut began and then the person was needed for a problem that arose unexpectedly. Does the person, now saddled with a new and unexpected preoccupying concern, resume status as an onein and what impact would this have on the computation of the days of shiva?


texts: Can Jews standing naval watches take their shabbat in shifts?

texts:
Suppose you have an major naval ship (aircraft carrier or nuclear sub)
with a small complement of Jews on
board.  They're divided by the executive officer to stand watches, same
as the rest of the crew, 6 hours each.  Some of the Jews will stand
different watches than others.

So Friday night happens aboard the ship.  Assume sundown occurs
during watch A.   You're on duty, so you can't say the prayers.
During this time watches B and C are awake but not yet on duty,
so they probably can. Watch D is most likely asleep.

Do the Jews on the different watches have to rotate their individual
clocks so they can observe when they go off-shift, as an extension
of observing Shabbat in the desert, where each have to create their
own individual time reference out of necessity?

The necessity is this:  The Jew on A watch when the three stars
normally appear cannot perform the observance because that would
be dereliction of duty.   So there's a necessity to rotate his
clock to another time zone 6 hours hence where the three stars would appear as
soon as he went off shift.  Watches B and C have no necessity.
However, the poor Jew on watch D needs rack time after a full day
of work.  He would need a 12 hour time zone difference!  At least
that's how I understand it?   Maybe someone understands better.


texts: Why were birds considered to be flieishig (meat) but not fish?

texts:
I am basing this on what I had heard in yeshiva a while ago, so I don't know the exact source of the reasoning.

My understanding is that according to the Torah, birds (poultry) were considered parve and could be eaten with dairy. However, the rabbis placed a restriction (gezera) on birds making them fleishig (meat) as they were worried that people would get confused and think that other animals would be parve as well.

I'm uncertain as to why there would be any confusion. Birds have wings, so they are easily recognized as being different in appearance than sheep or cows. What was the concern?

If the concern was regarding all living creatures / animals, then, why wasn't the concern extended to fish and place the same gezera on fish making that fleishig as well so that people wouldn't be confused?


texts: Unusual number of males among the 70 who went to Egypt

texts:
B'reshis chapter 46 lists the seventy descendants of Yaakov who went to Egypt. It actually lists sixty-nine: let's assume Yocheved was the seventieth, as Rashi explains. It also lists (in pasuk 12) two who died before the trip down, so there are a total of 72 descendants of Yaakov listed. Of these, three are female: Yocheved, Serach, and Dina. Assuming a 50% chance of having a boy at each birth, the probability of such a disproportionate number of babies of one sex is about 0.000000000000003%. What's going on?

(And if you want to say there were females not listed (besides Yocheved), then you have to explain why the Torah says there were seventy (do the females not count?) and why it lists some females and not others. That's even if, as suggested in an answer, there are dead females not listed: the Torah lists dead males, after all.)


texts: Rishonim/Achronim time period differentiation

texts: When was the end of the Rishonim time period and the start of the achronim time period? Who, what, why, and how did this come about? What caused this abrupt change in deemed mental and halachot significance/intelligence?


texts: Where can I find art that features the Midrash?

texts: Many have the custom of keeping photos of tzadikim in their home for inspiration and focus. I have a love for the Midradsh. I'm looking for artist/art that has a generous focus on various midrashim throughout Tanakh in their art pieces. Musical or physical (sculptures, etc.) recommendations welcomed.


texts:
In the Exodus, G-d hears the suffering of Israel as follows:

“The Israelites were groaning under the bonding and cried out, and their cry for help from the bondage rose to G-d” (Exod 2:23); “I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched hand” (Exod 6:6).
“I established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. I now heard the moaning of the Israelites because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant” (Exod 6:4-5).

What seems to bother G-d is not the institution of slavery itself, but that the divine plan that Abraham’s descendants are being forestalled by Egypt. This is an affront to G-d and not an affront to human justice. Thus, it appears that the freedom of Israel is a pre-request for true service to G-d.
The notion of debt slavery for a Hebrew is permitted. Actually, the slaves of Jews were more akin to an indentured servant. The principles are explained clearly in Leviticus:

“If your kinsmen under you continues in straits and must give himself over to you, do not subject him to the treatment of a slave”(Lev 25:39). “For they are my slaves, whom I  freed from the land of Egypt; they may not give themselves over into slavery” (25:42).

It appears that the treatment of a Hebrew slave stands in stark contrast to that of a non-Israelite:

“It is from the nations round about you that you may acquire male and female slaves. . . . These shall become your property: you may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property for all time. Such you may treat as slaves. But as for your Israelites kinsmen, no one shall rule ruthlessly over the other” (Lev 25:44-46).

This implies that the non-Israelite slave may be dealt with "ruthlessly" and even be inherited over multiple generations. Abraham’s covenant seems to be the only thing that concerns G-d.
QUESTIONS

Shouldn't Israel, who narrowly escaped bondage be sick of slavery? Why is the enslavement of an Israelite, a fellow Jew permanent? Shouldn't the institution of slavery (as condoned in the Bible) be abolished altogether? Doesn't G-d take a strong stance on the issue, and if so, why didn’t G-d freed African slaves in America? Does it seem that G-d’s special favor is only for the Jews? Or does the Torah only ban one form of slavery?

George Washington, a slaveholder, was a part of the “new Israel” movement of Christianity. Did the Leviticus quote give him the right to treat his non-Christian black slaves "ruthlessly"?

Summary:
It is true that the Torah most certainly allows slavery, but the  legislation of a slaves' life is made more comfortable than that of other cultures, so much so that rabbis later said, "he who acquires a slave secures a master over himself." If so, why does the Torah seem to say that we can deal "ruthlessly" with non-Israelite slaves? A contradiction?
Sources, please.


texts: What IKEA furniture or tools is permitted to be assembled on Shabbat?

texts:
IKEA offers lots of furniture and utensils for self-assembly, some of which are pretty sophisticated, requiring screws and fasteners and some are pretty easy to assemble without tools or connecting parts.

I take IKEA as they are known for modularity, especially for efficiency in storage. While big furniture is clearly out of question, small or simple items like utensils are tricky, maybe a snap-on handle for a plastic glass or, say, two-piece fork.

In general, what types of those tools/furniture can be constructed on Shabbos?


texts: At a Chassidishe Wedding, there is a special dance done, known as the Mitzvah Tanz. Where is the source for this dance and what is the meaning behind it? Also, why is it not done at Litvish Weddings? Here is a video of the dance for reference.


texts: This may be a bit off the wall and it is only a hypothetical question. If a Jewish man marries a non-Jewish woman and then he dies before they have any children, would she be expected, assuming she was willing, to marry one of his brothers, or agree to chalitzah? I would assume the answer is no in regard to a Levirate marriage as this would create a second intermarriage and the children would not be Jewish. This assumes that the duty to continue the deceased brother's line genetically is not as important as the prohibition against intermarriage. With regard to chalitzah I assume also no, as it only applies to Jews. However, I have no responsas, or halachah to back up my opinions. Any ideas?


texts:
If I have a picture of Jerusalem on my wall, do I celebrate Shushan Purim because I can see Yerushalayim all the time?

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


texts: Is using hair removal cream on one's face a violation of "rounding one's beard?"

texts:
Would using a hair removal cream on one's face (such as Nair) be in violation of rounding the corners of one's beard? (Vayikra 19:27)

Namely, would it be akin to use a razor (assur) OR more akin to using a scissor (likely mutar)?


texts: Why are the Jewish concepts - of what often is translated as - 'Hell' and which is often seen as a place for cleansing, purification, refining and correcting the soul (purgatory), related and connected to such a horrible place where some people used to sacrifice children)? How does the latter reflect what has become the first?


texts: With Harvey and Irma and the Mexican earthquakes and the recent solar eclipse, it’s often been quoted recently that there will be weird weather before Mashiach comes. This is nothing new for me - I’ve grown up hearing about this Midrash, which has invariably been applied when there’s weird weather. However, when I actually go look for it, I can’t seem to find it. Has anyone heard of this before, and can they refer me to it? Thanks!


texts:
Although I know how many letters there are in the five books of the Torah, 304,805, I do not know how many letters there are in Neviim and Kesuvim.

So, my question is, "How many letters are there in Tanach?"


texts: History of Shabbat: how (or) did they count to align with 7th day of creation?

texts:
The Torah (Exodus 20:8-11) commands:

  ח: זָכוֹר אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לְקַדְּשׁוֹ: ט: שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד וְעָשִׂיתָ כָּל מְלַאכְתֶּךָ: י: וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לַה' אֱלֹקיךָ לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה כָל מְלָאכָה...: יא: כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה' אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֶת הַיָּם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּם וַיָּנַח בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל כֵּן בֵּרַךְ ה' אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וַיְקַדְּשֵׁהוּ

  (8) Remember the Sabbath day and sanctify it.  (9) Work for six days and perform all of your labor. (10) And the seventh day will be sabbath for God your Lord. Do not perform any labor... (11) For in six days God made the heaven and the Earth-the sea, and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day.  Therefore he blessed the Sabbath and sanctified it.

Evidently, the cycle of 6 days of work and 1 day of rest commemorates God's activities.  I have assumed that 6 work days are the six days that God worked, and the seventh is the day that he rested.

Accordingly, upon receiving the command to keep Shabbat, the Jews either began resting on Saturday which had been preserved as the seventh day of the week-cycle since the creation of the world. Or, they were informed of which day had been the seventh and began resting on it.

My question is: is this assumption correct (and if so did they continue the existing week cycle, or had it strayed necessitating a realignment of the seventh day to the historical Shabbat), or perhaps was the Jewish halakhic week-cycle independent of the historical week.

An alternative possibility, if the halakhic week were independent of the historical week, would be that the Jewish people were commanded to work for 6 days starting at some point (perhaps the Sinaic revelation) and rest on the seventh. Accordingly, the seventh day would not necessarily be the same day of the day of God's rest.

related: this question which assumes that the Sabbath is aligned with the original day 7.


texts: Cutting hair for donation on Chol Hammoed

texts: Is one allowed to cut their hair on chol hammoed for a mitzvah, more specifically to donate their hair, not for the purpose of a haircut but just making a braid and cutting that braid off the head not an actual haircut?


texts: May one be mafsik during hallel at the seder?

texts:
The Gemarah (Rosh Hashanah 34b) says that pausing during Hallel might invalidate one's recitation. Presumably (though maybe not) talking during Hallel is also problematic.

May one speak during the part of Hallel recited after Birchas Hamazon at the seder?


texts: Why is a difference between קדשי מזבח and קדשי בדק הבית listed among their similarities?

texts:
The Mishna, at the start of chapter 7 of T'mura, in my own, loose translation:

Things that are sanctified [i.e., pledged, donated] for the altar have [rules] that do not apply to things that are sanctified for [the expenses of] temple upkeep, and vice versa:

Things sanctified for the altar … [have a bunch of rules].

And things sanctified for temple upkeep have, which things sanctified for the altar do not: … [a bunch of rules].

Both things sanctified for the altar and things sanctified for temple upkeep: You cannot change them from one holiness to another. And you can sanctify them a high sanctity and cherem. And if they die, they're buried.

The commentaries explain what those last three rules are, and I won't go into them. But they note that the "you can sanctify them a high sanctity and cherem" applies only to things that had been sanctified for the altar and not to things that had been sanctified for temple upkeep.
So why's it on this list and not on one of the first two lists?


texts: On Tisha B'Av, the custom is to refrain from greeting people. Even a brief "hello" is to be avoided if possible. Does the same restriction apply to saying "good-bye"? Or is that not considered a greeting for this purpose?


texts: Is lying about the blessings of Hashem considered a sin?

texts:
Say that a Jew is speaking with another Jew and trying to convince them they should be more observant. During his argument, he states that his life has improved tremendously since he became more observant and he cites this as evidence of how being an observant Jew benefits one's life.

Two questions regarding this scenario:

If the Jew's life actually didn't improve in an obvious way after he became observant, is that considered a lie? (This specific Jew never actually did see his life change in an obvious way. He simply became observant. So is he lying by saying this?)
If you were honest and stated that you didn't actually notice any difference in your life after you became observant, is that doing a disservice to Hashem while being truthful? (In this case, being honest means saying that being observant didn't come with an obvious perk that convinces the non-observant Jew otherwise)

We aren't supposed to lie. That being said, is lying for the sake of Hashem and to promote a positive life change for a fellow Jew considered a positive act? Or does it tarnish the act by establishing it on a foundation of lies?


texts: Why do we use a tight heuristic for fish egg kashrut and not trust supervision?

texts:
I recently listened to this podcast from the OU Kashrut Division on the kashrut of Bowfin eggs in particular and of fish eggs in general, and I learned something interesting about the kashrut of fish eggs:

Eggs from a kosher fish are not considered kosher if they are black-colored, perhaps even if they are dyed black.

The reason for this, if I understand correctly, is that it was determined by Talmudic or post-Talmudic authorities that all red fish eggs come from kosher fish, so if we only allow red fish eggs, we can prevent anyone from eating eggs that they think come from a kosher fish, but don't.

I'm wondering why we employ such a restrictive heuristic, entirely excluding the eggs of various kosher fish species just because the eggs aren't obviously kosher by visual inspection, instead of allowing some other reliable demonstration (e.g. the testimony of a God-fearing Jew) of their provenance. Why don't we treat fish eggs similarly to how we treat:

Fish fillets, whose fish of origin is difficult to determine once they've been butchered, so we just make sure to buy them from a kosher fish butcher?
Kosher beef, which is physically indistinguishable from non-kosher beef (before the former is salted, or if the latter happens to have been salted for some reason), so we require that it came from a reputable slaughterer and that it was guarded along the way?
Milk, whose animal of origin can (in theory) be difficult to determine, so we require that its provenance is verified all the way from the source, either by Jewish supervision or, at least according to many, certain governments' supervision?


texts:
(All Pesukim cited are in Shemos.)

7:4: "Paroh will not listen to you."
7:13 (after the staffs turning into snakes): "He did not listen to them."
7:22 (Dam): "He did not listen to them."
8:11 (Tzefardeia): "He did not listen to them."
8:15 (Kinnim): "He did not listen to them."
8:28 (Arov): "He did not send the people."
9:7 (Dever): "He did not send the people."
9:12 (Shechin): "He did not listen to them."
9:35 (Barad): "He did not send forth Bnei Yisrael."
10:20 (Arbeh): "He did not send forth Bnei Yisrael."
10:27 (Choshech): "He did not want to send them."
11:10 (Bechoros, Krias Yam Suf - see Rashi): "He did not send Bnei Yisrael from his land."

Why does the passuk use different terminology - "listen," "send the people," "send Bnei Yisrael," "want to send," or say nothing?


texts: Is there a justification for the practice not to whip on Erev Yom Kipur?

texts: The Shulchan Aruch (607:6) writes that on erev Yom Kipur, everyone gets whipped 39 lashes. However, I have not seen this done in practice. Is there any source who justifies the practice not to do this? (The Be'er Heitev notes that the Arizal would lash only four times, but I still haven't seen anyone do this either.)


texts:
Many Chabad Chassidim firmly believe that the Rebbe [obv] was a prophet, as seen from this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJApCLU5HRM&app=desktop

I know not everyone believes this, but to those who do:

How can this be reconciled with these two statements (found on another question on this site):

  The Tosefta (Sotah 13:4) writes:

    משמתו נביאים האחרונים חגי זכריה ומלאכי פסקה רוח הקודש מישראל
    Once the last prophets -- Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi -- died, the prophetic spirit ceased in Israel.

  Additionally, the Talmud (Bava Batra 14b) writes:

    וחגי זכריה ומלאכי סוף נביאים הוו
    Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi were the end of the prophets.

Any insights / ways to reconcile?


texts: Alcohol sales despite government monopoly

texts:
Many places have government imposed alcohol monopolies and private retailers of alcoholic beverages are forbidden.

As alcohol, especially (red) wine, has a central place in Jewish practice and as such regulations therefore would prevent Jewish practice1, one may be tempted to say that dina d'malchusa dina ("the law of the land is the law") does not apply.

I have observed2 orthodox kehillos (congregations) that have their own alcohol stores, thus circumventing the governmental restrictions.

But here is the catch: Besides the multitude of alcoholic drinks that do not require certification, many of the monopolies do in fact carry impressive lines of kosher products with easy ways to find them. Examples:
British Columbia: 21 products; 21000 Jews
Manitoba: 23 products; 13000 Jews
Ontario: 77 products; 212000 Jews
Pennsylvania: 135 products; 293000 Jews
Quebec: 78 products; 95000 Jews
Sweden: 16 products, 20000 Jews

Even areas with very few Jews have at least something to offer:
The Faroe Islands: at least3 1 product; no known Jews
Finland: 7 products, 1500 Jews
Norway: 3 products; 1700 Jews
Novo Scotia: 2 products; 3700 Jews

My questions

I have lived in Sweden, Minnesota, and Quebec a total of 10 years, but never heard of any religious exemptions there.

In a place that does not grant religious exemption, what hetter (halachic permission) is there to sell restricted alcohol?

If there is no such hetter, is it then permitted for an observant Jew4 to buy from such outlets?

1. Well, at least according to those that do not accept grape juice as an allowable substitute.
2. To avoid legal and halachic implications, I will not be more specific.
3. No kosher label or keyword to search for.
4. This is not a request for a p'sak (ruling), as I do not drink alcohol.


texts: What does מיללעליכט mean in this Responsa?

texts:
In Shu"t HaElef Lecha Shlomo 1:116 it mentions a type of light called מיללעליכט and I am having a hard time deciphering what type of light it is. Only thing that came up was a light bulb called the light mill, but the year it came out doesnt seem to correspond with Rav Shlomo Kluger's age. It also seems that it is in the candle family, but something different. Anyone have an idea?

Text of responsum:

  שאלה בדין אם מותר ללמוד בליל ש"ק נגד מיללעליכט נראה דמותר דלא שייך לומר לא פלוג במה דהוי לו שם מיוחד בפ"ע דודאי בנר שאין לו שם מיוחד רק בסתם נראה בזה שייך לומר לא פלוג אף דלא שייך בי' הגזרה שמא יטה אבל בנר דיש לו שם מיוחד כגון נר שעוה או נר מיללעליכט כוין דיש לו שם לוי בפ"ע לא שייך בזה לא פלוג ומותר ללמוד אצלו בלי חשש ופקפוק כלל:


texts:
When discussing what permission Yaakov had for rolling the rock off the well,  Orangesandlemons quoted a Shadal (R' Samuel David Luzzatto זצ"ל) that said that Yaakov was under no obligation to adhere to the deal the locals had made about guarding access to the well.

הנה הוא לא היה מחוייב לשמור התנאי שהתנו ביניהם
(...even if he didn't ask for their permission), Yaakov was under no obligation to adhere to the conditions the shepherds had made between themselves.

(Full quote below)
We have rules such as  Dina D'Malchusa - the law of the land is binding, and the concept of Minhag Hamakom - deferring to local custom. This explanation of Shadal seems to contradict these common-sense rules; they prevent strangers from causing strife and upsetting the locals.
My question is:
Can a stranger enter a town and decide some local bylaws aren't applicable to him?
E.g.: Could a person claim that the laws of alternate parking don't apply to him as a visitor; in his hometown there's no such a thing (or it's on a different day)?

לא נוכל: נ"ל לא מחסרון כח כי היו שם שלשה עדרי צאן, והוא רחוק שיעשה יעקב לבדו מה שלא יכלו שלשה אנשים, אבל אמרו לא נוכל מפני התנאי שהתנו ביניהם, שלא יהיה רשות לאחד מן העדרים להשתמש ממימי הבאר בהיותו לבדו. והנה יעקב אולי שאל אם נשארו עדרים אחרים לבא ואמרו לו שלא נשאר אלא עדר רחל, וכשראה אותה מהר וגלל את האבן והשקה את צאנה. ואף אם לא שאל אם נשארו עדרים אחרים שלא באו, הנה הוא לא היה מחוייב לשמור התנאי שהתנו ביניהם, ומצד אחר דבר הגון עשה (אף אם לא היתה קרובתו) למהר לפטור את רחל, שהיתה נערה אחת בין כמה אנשים.


texts: PTIJ: Are there any situations historically, where people are named after names of Tefillot?

texts:
I know some people who were named after various tefillot:

Asher Yatzar
Annie Zemiros
Roz Sodecha
Billy Reishis
Billy Tachlis
Moe Dim
Al Coulomb (He's an electrician)

Does the Talmud or any other Rabbinical writings mention anyone else who has named their children after tefillot?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: Why is resurection of the dead a fundamental of faith according to the Rambam?

texts:
The Rambam defines the resurrection of the dead as a fundamental of Judaism. However, unlike the Ramban, the Rambam holds that first there is Moshiach, then resurrection, and then the final result of souls' return to Olam Habah.

According to the Ramban, I can understand resurrection being a fundamental of faith - it is the end game of the whole creation and its purpose, according to the Ramban.

However, the Rambam doesn't count a belief in Olam Habah as fundamental, rather the intermediary stage of the resurrection.

If it is just a reward and punishment thing (that this is the way the ultimate reward and punishment will be melted out, and don't think punishment will only be spiritual or exists in this world, or something like that), it would seem to be subsumed into the fundamental of believing in reward and punishment. Why does it get its own fundamental, and not even as a continuation of the one of reward and punishment?


texts:
Is there a nusach hat'fila in which the 16th b'racha of the amida begins with "אב הרחמן" at shacharis only and skips those words at other t'filos?

I heard recently that this is in fact printed in some version of the Artscroll Siddur but I have not seen it inside.

Why would this be so? Isn't one consistent with nusach S'farad and the other with nusach Ashkenaz?


texts: What do you do first - light the Chanukia or read the Migillah?

texts:
Let's say you do Tosefet Yom Tov on Chanukah.
Some people just add a couple hours, but some people are really-extra-super-Machmir and light till Purim.
What do you do first - light your Chanukah candles and then go hear megillah, or hear megillah and then go light?

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


texts:
If one paid someone with a check, and the recipient lost the check, does the giver have to write up a new check?

One can say its like cash and if he lost then its not my problem, or one can say if I didn't receive cash from the bank then he would have to write a new one.


texts: Could Jesus the Nazarene have been buried near the Galilean city of Safed?

texts:
I am an Italian noahide.

I read that the famous Rabbi Isaac Luria, in his "Book of the Reincarnations", writes in chapter 37, within the long list of Jewish Tzadiks:

"On your way from Safed toward the North to the village of Ein al-Zeitun, passing a carob tree, Yeshu Ha-Notzri is buried there".

The news particularly interested me, as it attests to a Jewish tradition according to which the burial of Jesus in Jerusalem after his crucifixion, if ever occurred, would have been provisional, as the corpse would have been definitively buried in Galilee.

Is there any other Jewish source on this news reported by Rabbi Luria?


texts: Are There Any Good Sources for How "Ancient" (Pre-Talmudic) Prayer Was Done?

texts:
While reading this answer to another question about the development of the Siddur (here, look specifically at the question about "Modern Laws Vs. Shulcan Aruch"), I came upon this question. Here is the selection that spurred the question:

  The Rambam in hilchot tefila (Chap. 1) gives a brief history of Tefila. The beginning of structured Tefila began with Anshei Knesset Hagedola, who formulated the Shmoneh Esreh (Berachot 23a) which is the focal point of the Tefila... The first written siddur was edited in the 9th century , by one of the Ge'onim, Cohen Tzedek. <

Now, the question is not about the Siddur part of the quote, but about the Shemoneh Esrei.

What were the "ancient" Pre-Talmudic prayers like?

Are there any great sources for this research?


texts:
Sefaria paginates the Jerusalem Talmud thus: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b etc. This isn't the standard system for paginating Yerushalmi that I'm familiar with, which which is by tur rather than by amud. Can anyone help me with where Sefaria is getting their system from?

If it helps, it seems to be the same system that the Responsa Project has for various Yerushalmi commentaries (P'nei Moshe, Korban haEidah etc) so it must be from some standard edition but I don't know which one...


texts:
In a comment elsewhere on the site, Curiouser writes:

  the heter for gevinas akum (based on Tosfos) was paskened l'masseh by R. Solovetichik, among others

or, in other words, Rabbi Soloveitchik, among others, ruled as a practical matter leniently regarding g'vinas akum (otherwise kosher cheese that was produced by non-Jews), and this ruling was based on Tosafos.

What was the leniency? I mean, the prohibition of g'vinas akum is a well-established one, and I'm sure Rabbi Soloveitchik (and the others) didn't do away with it altogether based on a Tosafos: I assume that, rather, they said it doesn't apply in some circumstances. What circumstances?
What's their support (from Tosafos and/or elsewhere)?
Which Rabbi Soloveitchik is this?
Who are the "others" and what, if any, authorities have argued against this leniency or indicated one should not rely on it (at all, or to the extent Rabbi Soloveitchik and the others do)?


texts:
The Wikipedia article on Sheol is very unclear as to what it is and combined with the Christian understanding: quoting the New Testament in several places.

Who goes to Sheol once they die (Jews and/or Gentiles and/or Idolaters/Heathen)?
Is there consciousness, if so is it an uncomfortable place to be in or neutral?
What comes after this place (for the groups mentioned above)?


texts:
This question is inspired by recent news of events in Beit Shemesh.

What happens halachically when 2 customs collide and each custom affects the other side?  In the case of modesty, for example, requiring one side to dress more modestly may be a physical burden on that community.  Maintaining their present dress may spiritually affect the other community.

There are many opinions flying around about the present situation but I have heard little about the way such disputes should be handled or were handled historically.  I am looking for halachic sources and precedents only, but can be from any matter not just modesty.


texts: PTIJ: What kind of hat does Hashem wear?

texts:
What kind of hat does the Almighty wear? I'm not sure which brand He wears for the 'victory hat' mentioned in  אַנְעִים זְמִירות

חָבַשׁ כּובַע יְשׁוּעָה בְּראשׁו - He dons a hat of salvation on His
head

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


texts: Praying in "multifaith spaces" in airports and other institutions

texts: In airports and hospitals and such, you can often find "multifaith spaces". Is it permitted to pray in them? These "interfaith prayer chapels" are not churches: they're completely neutral rooms and are described as welcoming all religions. Is there a problem praying in the same room as a non-Jew, even if we are not praying together?


texts:
Throughout Rav Hirsch's commentary on the Torah we find a deeper connection between related words. (i.e. Vayikra (5:15) "מַעַל is related to the me’il – robe of the Kohen gadol – as begged “garment” is related to bagad “faithless”.) Therefore, do Torah sources discuss an inherent connection between the number five in relation to being armed Shemos (13:18) seen below?

Mechon Mamre translates (Shemos 13:18):

  וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָעָם דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר, יַם-סוּף;
  וַחֲמֻשִׁים עָלוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. "But God led the people about, by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt."

Note: I'm not looking for the Rashi quoted here that "'chamushim' is from the root 'chamaish'- 5 showing only 1/ 5 of the Jews came out of Egypt. Or the Targum Yonasan ben Uziel who writes "Chamushim stems from the root 'chamaish'- that each family left Egypt with 5 kids!" What is the inherent connection between 5 and being armed?


texts: Keeping up with "local" standards of modesty and dress - of religious Jews, or of society at large

texts: In dealing with issues relating to Tzeni'uth (modesty) and clothing, a lot depends on "local" standards of dress. For example, the RaMBa"M (here) explains that in places where women do not normally go out with just their hair covered, but with veils as well, they should be sure to wear veils as a matter of Halachah.  However, since any deviation in the local standard would be a violation of this principle, it would stand to reason that we ought never to have changed our standard of dress from the time of Sinai. Since that is observably not the case, does this mean that, both in practice and in Halachah, we recognize societal standards in determining how we ought to dress in terms of modesty?


texts: Why are Torah study and trips, specifically, banned on the 8th of Av?

texts:
The Rama, Orach Chayim 553, says:

  The practice is that we do not study [Torah] the day before the ninth of Av from midday on, except such matters as are permitted [study material] on the ninth…. Also, one should not go on a pleasure trip on the day before the ninth of Av.

(Mishna B'rura comments that others condemn the practice of avoiding Torah study on the eighth, but my question is about the practice to forbid it.) Many practices are forbidden or frowned upon on the ninth: five main abstentions (eating, washing oneself, anointing oneself, marital relations, and wearing leather shoes), sitting on a chair, Torah study, greeting people with a blessing, conducting business, going on a pleasure trip. Why are Torah study and trips singled out as the two things extended to the eighth? I understand that a ban on eating is not extended: that's too difficult, even dangerous. But sitting on a chair? marital relations? greeting people? Why not? What's special about Torah study and trips?


texts: Tearing kriyah at the Kotel ha-Maaravi after visiting on Shabbat

texts:
Assume the following:

We should tear kriyah at the Kotel ha-Maaravi (Western Wall) if we haven't been there in 30 days.
We don't tear kriyah on shabbat.

Now, answer this question: If I go to the Kotel ha-Maaravi on Shabbat, am I exempt from tearing kriyah if I go back on Sunday?


texts: How do we understand the thought that we should worship G-d and follow his will because we are his servants?

texts: Why are we G-d's "servants/ slaves"? He doesn't need any servants/slaves. How do we understand, "Go and do mitzvos, because we are his slaves!" (Ana avda dikudsha brich hu.)


texts: Does a storage room require a mezuzah? For example, if someone has a storage unit detached from their house where they store tools and/or Passover utensils, would it require a mezuzah? And furthermore, should one make a beracha? Want to know what it depends on to present my questions to a Rav.


texts: What is the source in Jewish writings (Pre-Rambam) that there is a concept of a Moshiach, and his nature?


texts: What's the source for the מעשה בר' אליעזר... שהיו מסובין of the הגדה?

texts:
I'm making a דרשה related to פסח and I want to look up the source of מעשה בר' אליעזר, I don't know where it's located, is it in גמרא, does it even have a source besides of the הגדה?

מעשה בר' אליעזר ור' יהושע ור' אלעזר בן עזריה ור' עקיבא ור' טרפון, שהיו מסובן בבני ברק והיו מספרים ביציאת מצרים כל אותו הלילה, עד שבאו תלמידיהם ואמרו להם: רבותינו הגיע זמן קריאת שמע של שחרית


texts: Is lighting a new flame on Yom Tov a Biblical or Rabbinic prohibition?

texts:
Is lighting a completely new fire on Yom Tov a Biblical or a Rabbinic prohibition?

Please cite your sources.


texts: I've heard before that one should make a bracha when passing by a bakery that has a pleasant smell of what's being baked. What is the source for this halacha? What is the custom in this, do we yes make a bracha or not? If not (and the halacha says yes to) then why not?


texts: PTIJ: Why is crooked milk considered non-kosher?

texts:
One of my friends returned from a vacation in Norway. I asked him if he was able to drink the milk there, and he said, no because all the milk there is חלב עקום - crooked milk, and the Gemarah prohibits Jews from drinking crooked milk.
I'm puzzled about this. It's the first time I have heard about this prohibition. I've been buying milk in cardboard cartons and when I pour it, the milk comes out at an angle. Is that what's considered "crooked" milk? Or maybe, it's a reference to milk that spoiled? Perhaps, I've been drinking traif milk all these years?
What exactly is considered crooked milk and why is it prohibited?

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


texts: After the first plague, where did Paro's magicians get water to turn to blood?

texts:
Sh'mot chapter 7 describes the first plague, with the Nile and all other water turning to blood (except the Israelites' water).  Paro's magicians then turn water into blood, which convinces Paro that it's just a trick so he hardens his heart.  The text seems to describe a pretty rapid set of events: Paro was immersing in the Nile, Moshe and Aharon turned it to blood, the magicians did the same, and then Paro went to his house.  It doesn't sound like Paro's magicians had time to send to Goshen for water for their trick.

The text does tell us that the Egyptians dug around the Nile looking for water for seven days, which seems to be later than these events.  Did the magicians figure that out right away?

How did the magicians have water?


texts: Why was a king necessary in the first place?

texts:
When Moshe led the Jewish people, there came a time where he spoke with Hashem and asked for him to relieve his burden. He needed help with the responsibility that had been placed upon him.

This led to the 70 elders being gathered who would all share in the burden so Moshe wouldn't have to carry it alone.

Where did a king fit into any of this and wouldn't a king have been problematic from the Jewish perspective?

The Sanhedrin existed as a series of councils which dealt with everyday matters and deeper religious matters.

In theory, we could have existed entirely independent from kings/royalty and Jewish society would have functioned through the guidance of the Rabbis.

Here is where the question ultimately comes from.

Kings can be inherently problematic. If you look at the history of monarchies in Europe, you see that kings place themselves as being equal to the authority of god in a certain respect. The idea being that god made them king so gods authority is his authority.

We saw this go down with King James and the church of England.

We even saw how the politics of the situation could damage the structure of society. Specifically, the divide that occurred between Judah and the Northern Kingdom.

My question is why was a king necessary? Didn't the Jewish people have structures in place which could have met the everyday functions of Jewish society?


texts: What if, when the Kohanim washing their hands, less than ten remain?

texts:
Before Birkas Kohanim, the Levi'im wash the Kohanim's hands. In many communities, this occurs during the chazzan's repitition of Shemoneh Esrei, and in a room outside the main shul.

Normally, there need to be nine people paying attention to the chazzan's repetition. What if, during the hand-washing, less than ten people remain in the shul? Should the chazzan pause until they come back?


texts: HaGra about Rambam's position concerning the status of pilagshim taken by Jewish commoners

texts:
I am an Italian noahide.

My question expresses a purely intellectual curiosity, concerning the Jews and not the Gentiles.

As we know Rambam states in Hilchot Melachim 4: 4:

  “A commoner is forbidden to have a pilegesh; but  he  may have an
  “amah ivriyah”, after she was  designated (by her master)”

This is how HaGra expresses himself in his commentary on Shulchan Aruch, Even HaEzer 26: 1: 6-7

  “So writes Rambam in chapter 4 of Laws of Kings [halakha 4], that she
  (the pilegesh) is not permitted except to a king, but not to a
  commoner. Ramban criticized this, [in the Responsa of Rashba
  attributed to Ramban, #284] based on the fact that Caleb, Gideon and
  other great men of Israel all took pilagshim; and if the pilegesh of
  Giv'ah [Judges 20] was forbidden, he would not have said publically
  before all Israel "My pilegesh" [ibid. verse 4], and would not have
  gone publically to her father. But Rambam implicitly replied to this
  by writing, that a person who is not a king is permitted only to take
  an “amah ivriyah”, and would explain that such was the case re all the
  above [commoners who took pilagshim]”

According to HaGra, therefore, if I have not misunderstood, for Rambam the pilagshim mentioned in the Tanakh as partners of Jewish commoners would all be examples of amah ivriyah designated by her master (see Smemot 21: 7-11). However, I did not understand if this interpretation is the result of HaGra's brilliant solution aimed at reconciling Rambam's position with the references in the Tanakh to the pilagshim taken by Jewish commoners, or if we actually have textual evidences, in Jewish sources, about the fact that an "amah ivriyah" designated by  her master was called a pilegesh, and especially if the pilagshim taken by Jewish commoners, which are spoken of in the Tanakh, were all cases of amah ivriyah designated by his master (it does not seem to me that the Tanakh and the Talmud express themselves in this sense, but obviously I am ignorant of the Jewish tradition as a whole)


texts: Was it a non-Jew who first discovered the principles governing the ta'ame ha-miqra?

texts:
I wrote to a very well respected and knowledgeable Rav regarding grammatical functions of the te'amim and the discrepancies that exist between the Sephardic and Ashkenazic systems. His response surprised me. He said the following:

"For better or worse, it was a non-Jew who first discovered the principles governing the ta'ame ha-miqra. His name was William Wickes. Here is a link to his book:

"https://books.google.com/books?id=dQEomb49VWgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=wickes+Two+Treatises+on+the+Accentuation+of+the+Old+Testament&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiVzuCxxJbNAhWBkywKHUQVAqUQ6AEIHDAA#v=onepage&q=wickes%20Two%20Treatises%20on%20the%20Accentuation%20of%20the%20Old%20Testament&f=false

Since Wickes wrote his book in the 19th century, there has been some progress in the field. The best recent, comprehensive book on the subject is by Mordechai Breuer in Hebrew: טעמי המקרא. The second edition of this book is still in print.

Since Wickes is in English, you might find it easier to deal with. The amount of additional material in Breuer is small."

As someone who often has an academic approach to Judaism, the answer isn't problematic for me. But I was still surprised by it. Can anyone shed light on whether Jews were really ignorant of the principles governing the te'amim until Wickes?


texts: Does God benefit from our keeping of the Mitzvos?

texts: Does Hashem benefit from mankind doing the commandments of the Torah?