texts:
As far as I'm aware, the historical practice of Ashkenazim was to have only one person recite each Kaddish. This is derived from the Gemara in Megillah (~21b) where it is said that תרי קלי לא משתמעי, "two voices are not heard [together]." This also fits with a midrashic statement that saying יהא שמה is a comfort to the neshamah of the deceased (citation needed).

While German-influenced kehillot still often oppose the group Kaddish, it has become fairly common in most circles. In some non-Orthodox communities, everyone will say each Kaddish together, so that there is no one to say אמן or יהא שמה!

What sources are provided for the practice of group Kaddishin among Ashkenazim, especially with regards to תרי קלי and saying/responding יהא שמה?


texts: How to refer to a Kohain with suspended privileges in prayer

texts:
When a Kohain chas v'Shalom marries a divorcée or convert, halacha requires us to suspend his privileges - he may not receive the first aliyah during the Torah reading, duchen, etc, until such time as he divorces.

While the disqualifying situation persists, how do we refer to such a Kohain in prayer for his health? Should he be referred to as "Yonathan Ben Leah HaKohain" as would normally befit a Kohain, or just "Yonathan Ben Leah"?


texts: Why does the haggadah say to lean specifically to the left?

texts:
The haggadah (several copies that I've looked at, so I'm assuming this is universal?) tells us when eating certain foods at the seder to recline or lean to the left.  I understand why we lean (the haggadah tells us that), but why the left in particular?  Is this because of historical practice (maybe couches were asymmetrical)?  Is there a symbolic reason?  Some other explanation?

I'm asking why the haggadah has this instruction; while later interpretations of what it means may be interesting, that's not my question.


texts: A computer file that I emailed you has a virus. Am I responsible?

texts:
My rav frequently discusses contemporary halachic questions. He quotes a general rule from the Gemarrah (I assume it's from Baba Kama or one of the "Baba's") that a person who causes damages is always responsible, even if accidental (Excuse me if I may not be paraphrasing this rule, correctly.)

With this context, the rav claims that if I email you a file that has a virus, you open it, and the file damages your computer, (e.g. - destroys the hard disk or O.S.), I am responsible. My argument is that the sender is probably NOT responsible because:

1 - All computers, these days, are expected to have virus and security protection, and it is the receivers responsibility to scan all potential email viruses.

2 - There is no way to verify that the sender DIDN'T scan the file before uploading it. If we assume that he did, and there was no virus, a virus could have still been picked up during web trasnfer. It's quite posible...


texts:
I have asked many people this question, and not yet got a comprehensive answer: What is psak?

Like, let's say I have a certain piece of food of uncertain status.  If I ask my 6 year old kid if it's kosher, and she says yes, and I eat it based on that, obviously I'm an idiot and liable to whatever Heavenly punishment is in order if the food is really not kosher.

On the other hand, if I ask my Rav, and he paskens that it's kosher, I am presumably allowed (perhaps even obligated?) to rely on his psak.  But what if he made a mistake, and it's really not kosher?  Did I sin in G-d's eyes?  Is it considered shogeig (careless) or oneis (accidental)?  Do I get timtum halev (spiritual blemish from eating non-kosher)?  If he applied the best of his knowledge of Torah, does the Rav get an aveira against his name?

Is there something special about having "semicha" in our times?  (I deliberately put it in quotes, since it's not the real semicha.)  In other words, if I took the same shaala to a yeshiva student, who's been learning in the Mir for 10 years but never got semicha, and he tells me it's kosher, can I rely on him?  Same questions as above for if he's wrong - sin / shogeig / oneis?

Or is it all a matter of personal responsibility: when I have a health problem I consult the expert: my doctor.  When I want financial advice, I go to a financial consultant.  And when I need spiritual advice, I go to my Rabbi or local talmid chacham for expert opinion.  The "semicha" that my Rebbe has is then kind of like the Med School certificate on the doctor's wall: accreditation from a recognized 3rd party that this person knows what he's doing, and I can rely on him, if I trust the certifying authority.  It's helpful to have semicha, but if I have personal knowledge that my friend from the Mir knows his halacha, I can rely on him as much as a Rabbi with "semicha".

So, what is the correct explanation?


texts: Why does the Gemara sometimes use the word Ben and sometimes use the word Bar?

texts:
Why does the Talmud sometimes refer to someone as Ploni ben Ploni, and other times as Ploni bar Ploni?

Classic example:

In Bava Batra 14b the gemara says Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai

In Bar Ilan's edition of Yoma 26b the gemara says Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai


texts: What is the difference between study of מחשבה and השקפה? They both seem to mean perspective on the world...


texts: Is it permitted for a minyan to daven outdoors?

texts:
The weather in New York is beautiful recently. It crossed my mind to daven outside in the glory of HaShem's beautiful Creation.

Is it permissible to daven outdoors?


texts: Should you not rejoice with your spouse also?

texts:
"וְשָׂמַחְתָּ בְּחַגֶּךָ אַתָּה וּבִנְךָ וּבִתֶּךָ וְעַבְדְּךָ וַאֲמָתֶךָ וְהַלֵּוִי וְהַגֵּר וְהַיָּתוֹם וְהָאַלְמָנָה אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ׃ "
You shall rejoice in your festival, with your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are inside your gates.

Deut. 16:13-15
Not with your spouse?  Why not?


texts: Kever of a Tzaddik "bechinas" Eretz Yisrael

texts: I've heard many say before (usually in connection to Reb Nachman Breslover) that the kever (burial spot) of a tzaddik found outside of Eretz Yisrael is "bechinas" (or the likeness) of Eretz Yisrael. What is the source for this? Who said it?


texts: When exactly in history did the Sages adopt the 24 hour day?

texts:
When exactly in history did the Chachamim adopt the 24 hour day?

Our calendar goes by chalakim (which are sections of the amount of daylight), but when it comes to waiting a certain amount of hours it goes by hours based on the 24 hour cycle. Offhand, the only halacha we could think of that requires hours based on the 24 hour cycle is waiting from meat to milk. In that case you need to wait a certain amount of hours based on the 24 hours, rather than halachic shaos/chalakim.

Was it always like this? Wasn't the 24 hour day a relatively recent invention introduced with the Gregorian calendar? I've seen that it might go back to Egyptian times but I'm looking for good sources. Could it have been that waiting x number of hours between meals was at one point based on chalakim rather than hours from the 24 hour cycle?

Additionally, can anyone think of other halachic cases that use the hours from the 24 hour cycle to wait for something?


texts: In Sifra, what's the difference between a 'perek' and a 'parshata'

texts:
Sifra, or Torat Kohanim, has an unusual layout.  Within each Parasha, the book is divided into sections called 'Perek' and 'Parshata'.  Neither one appears to contain the other, they appear one after the other, in sequence.  What's the difference between them?  How are they related?

The Malbim's Sifra on Wikisource shows the phenomenon.


texts: Can you use Masser for matanos l’evyonim?


texts: Rashi's logic in understanding animal mating patterns

texts:
מָאתַיִם עִזִּים צְרִיכוֹת עֶשְׂרִים תְּיָשִׁים, וְכֵן כֻּלָּם, הַזְּכָרִים כְּדֵי צֹרֶךְ הַנְּקֵבוֹת;
  ...  לְפִי שֶׁהֵם פְּנוּיִים מִמְּלָאכָה דַּרְכָּם לְהַרְבּוֹת תַּשְׁמִישׁ וּלְעַבֵּר עֶשֶׂר נְקֵבוֹת, וּבְהֵמָה מִשֶּׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה אֵינָהּ מְקַבֶּלֶת זָכָר, וּפָרִים שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בִּמְלָאכָה, לֹא מָסַר לְזָכָר אֶלָּא אַרְבַּע נְקֵבוֹת, וְלַחֲמוֹר שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ רְחוֹקָה שְׁתֵּי נְקֵבוֹת לְזָכָר, וְלַגְּמַלִּים שֶׁהוֹלְכִים דֶּרֶךְ יוֹתֵר רְחוֹקָה נְקֵבָה אַחַת לְזָכָר:

  Two hundred she-goats have need of twenty he-goats, and so too in the case of all the various species, the males were in number according to the need of the females. ... ten she-goats were given to each he-goat, and so [too] to each ram; [as] since they are free from work, their way is to be frequently involved in sexual relations and to impregnate ten females - and once an animal becomes pregnant, it does not accept a male. And [concerning] the bulls that engage in work, it only gave four females to the male; and to the donkey who goes on long journeys, [it gave] two females to the male, and to the camels that go on [even] longer journeys, [it gave] one female to the male. (Gen 32.15)

IMHO, if only one mating is needed to impregnate a female, one male is sufficient for any number of females, given enough time, but nobody mentions the עונה requirement for the animals (like once every x days). Also, I don't know of any empirical support that working animals (bulls) have lesser mating patterns than non-working (rams).

What is Rashi's logic here?


texts: Is it said anywhere in the Jewish scriptures that 'Amalek' means "wrung, twisted neck"?

texts:
I have read somewhere that the meaning of the word Amalek is "wrung, twisted neck" which symbolizes his difficulty to make correct judgements, as for that both the head and the heart and the interaction between them are important. And having a "wrung neck" Amalek cannot balance the two different impulses (of emotions and mind's critical thinking) which makes him see the Jews as his enemy.

Is it mentioned anywhere in the Jewish scriptures or commentaries that 'Amalek' primarily has the meaning of "wrung, twisted neck"?

Thank you. All contributions are welcome.


texts:
In Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 117 Sif 3 it says that if someone said "v'sain tal u'matir l'vracha" in the bracha of Bircas Hashanim during the summer months then he must pray again (this is because rain in the summer is considered a curse.)

There in Sif 4 it says that if one didn't say it in the winter months (when it should be said and when rain is needed) then one must pray again.

What if someone during the summer months didn't say "v'sain bracha" (which for many nuschos (1) is said in place of v'sain tal u'matir" in the bracha of bircas hashanim during the summer.) Would they need to pray again?

My sofek is this...Perhaps they need to pray again because unlike brachos where the middle doesn't necessarily need to be exact (as long as the beginning and end of the bracha are correct) over here it's different since chazal established a special request and since they didn't say it, therefore they'd need to pray again.
(In fact in the "Dirshu Mishnah Brurah" it's brought in the name of Rav Chaim Kanevsky that if someone forgot v'sain bracha they would need to pray again. I had a hard time believing this and someone who was on the "side" of Rav Chaim offered the above reasoning. In Dirshu nothing is brought down in regards to the reasoning. However I'm trying to find a "proof" for either this reasoning or the other side of the argument.)

The reason why they wouldn't need to pray again is because even though chazal required a special request in this bracha, that's only during the winter where we need rain and for the rest of the year we only ask for "bracha" which was really already said at the beginning of the bracha.

Is there a proof for this question either way?

(1) I realize that not everyone says "v'sain bracha". However having looked at many nuschos (including the famous "Nusach Eretz Yisrael") I see that in this bracha there is a special nusach for the summer months and special nusach for the winter months.


texts:
My breakfast regularly presents me with a beracha conundrum.  It usually consists of a bowl of bran flakes (mezonos), often sprinkled with raisins (etz) and/or sunflower seeds (adama), and occasionally some cornflakes (shehakol, since they are processed beyond recognition as corn).  And of course, all mixed in with milk (more shehakol).

I heard that the correct thing to do when you have a mixture like this is to go after the majority of the mixture, and say the beracha of that food to cover the entire dish.  I also heard that if there's mezonos involved, even a minority, the whole dish automatically becomes mezonos.  Does anyone have a source for either of these halachos - or different opinions?

Then, after finishing up my bowl - or even midway through it - what if I get an urge to munch a handful of raisins?  Or drink a glass of milk?  Assuming I made the beracha of mezonos on the bowl of cereal, which included the raisins and milk therein, must I make a new beracha on the glass of milk or plain raisins?

And what about the beracha acharona?  When I say al hamichya, should I also include al haetz for the raisins?  If there was a kezayis of cornflakes, or a revi'is of milk in the bowl, must I also make a borei nefashos?

Arrrggh!  Maybe it would just be easier to make hamotzi and be done with it...!

(P.S. Sorry about the untranslated jargon.  I know Judaism.SE is supposed to be user-friendly to beginners, but this question is just too complicated to dejargonify...)


texts: English Translation of Rabbi Chaim Volozhin's Nefesh ha-Chaim?

texts: I need to find an English translation of Nefesh Hachaim.  Preferably one that is gratis on the World Wide Web.  Thanks!


texts: The Noam Elimelech: "G-d is refereed to as a Kohen"- What's the source?

texts:
The Noam Elimelech in his first piece in Parshas Metzora writes:
(Source from Sefaria.org)

"ביום טהרתו והובא אל הכהן", פירוש ביום שיטוהר מעוונו יפעול להעלות השכינה ליחדה עם קב"ה, וזהו "והובא אל הכהן", הקב"ה נקרא כהן,
"And on the day of his [the Metzora's] purification he shall be brought to the Kohen" (Lev.14:2), meaning on the day which he is purified from his sin and he will act to elevating the Shechina and unite it with the Holy One, blessed be He; This is "And he shall be brought to the Kohen"- G-d is called "[a] Kohen" 1

My Question:
Where is this idea of G-d being reffered to as "a Kohen" appear originally? Is this the Noam Elimelech's own novel idea or is this idea based in Tanach, Chazal or Zohar?

1 Additionally see the Noam Elimelech in Parshas Tazria where he refers to this idea as well


texts: Exact text from Rav Eliyahu Lopian's "Lev Eliyahu" citing a story about the Chofetz Chaim

texts:
I read some time ago in Rav Eliyahu Lopian's "Lev Eliyahu" an amazing idea. However, I don't have the book; I'm looking for it online but cannot find it.

He brought a story about the Chofetz Chaim: that he once stopped when singing "נודע בשערים בעלה" in the Eshet Chail and commented that the passuk was an example of men who study Torah but when they will go to the Olam Habba they will be asked "What did you come up with?" instead of just reading the plain mefarshim without trying to come up with his own questions.

It was something like that, but I don't remember perfectly.

Would anyone have the exact text and share it?


texts: Can anyone help decipher the bottom two lines of this inscription?

texts:
I've recently been fortunate to find a photo of the gravestone of one of my ancestors, R' Nosson (ben Meir) Maas, Shochet of Frankfurt-am-Main (d. 1836). The inscription is quite laudatory:

פ"ט
הזקן תורני ורבני שוחט דמתא דקהלתינו יע"א
כ"ה נתן בן כ"ה מאיר מאאס ז"ל
נפטר יום ה' עי"ט אחר[ו]ן דפסח
ונקבר למחרתו ביום עש"ק שביעי של פסח תקצ"ו לפ"ק
רב בתורה במידות ובמעלות
נתן ה' חנו בעיני הבריות
מאז אהוב נחמד ונכבד להיות
שם טוב ביראה ובדרך ארץ קנה
ובכל כוחו לתורת א-ל ולמצותיו פנה
חלקו בגמר' ומאה פעמים סיים כל סדרי המשנה
...טרם מותו חדלו ממנו (?) כל כבוד

and that's as far as I can understand. Can anyone help me with the last line and a half of it?


texts:
Assuming the reason for two days Yom Tov is because messengers could not reach those places in time to tell them the days of Rosh Chodesh, why is it that if someone visits Israel, but doesn't plan on staying there, they are required to keep two days Yom Tov? Following the logic above, once they are in the new location (e.g. Israel), they will surely know the correct dates for Yom Tov.

[my question also applies to the reverse case of someone from Israel visitng Chutz La'aretz]


texts: Using Eiruv Tavshilin to Cook for a Gentile Shabbos Guest

texts:
When cooking on Yomtov for Shabbos (allowed with the eiruv tavshilin) may one also cook for a gentile guest that he will be having at the Shabbos meal?

Even though one cannot cook on Yomtov for a gentile, if the halacha is according to the opinion that the needs of Shabbos are permitted to be done on Yomtov, but the Chachomim required an eiruv tavshilin to do so, should the gentile guest be considered included in the category of "needs of Shabbos" by using the heter of ribui bishiurim or not?

And if the reason for being able to cook on Yomtov for Shabbos is in accordance with the opinion that we say since you may get guests on Yomtov and it is permissible to cook for them to eat on Yomtov, you may cook for Shabbos based on that possibility that the food may be needed for Yomtov, and the Chachomim required an eiruv tavshilin for this, do we say that this reasoning only applies to cooking for Jews, since it is only permissible to cook for Jews on Yomtov, or could we say that this reasoning, combined with using the heter of ribui bishiurim allows any act of cooking, no matter that you intend for some of it to be for your gentile Shabbos guest?

For clarity's sake, let me add what I already wrote as a comment:

My question is about actually increasing quantity on yomtov for a gentile who will be eating at your house that shabbos, based on eruv tavshilin. Increasing quantity is allowed on Yomtov for one day to the next as long as not specifically stated since it involves the same action as the one you would have done had you not increased the quantity. Could one do so for the sake of his gentile Shabbos guest?


texts: Hot pareve pot on fleishig (or milkhig surface)

texts:
If one's intention is to keep food pareve, is it permissible to put a hot pot (above yad soledes), full of pareve liquid onto a meat or dairy surface?

Does the pareve liquid become fleishig/milkhig? What if the hot pot is placed into meat or milk, mamash, like into a frying pan that was just used to fry meat and not cleaned?

Is there a bedieved opinion that it remains pareve?


texts: When were the weekly sidrot (Torah readings) organized?

texts:
I understand that originally there was a triennial Torah reading common in Israel and an annual one common in Babylon. Most people now use the annual custom. (Note that the triennial reading that is common in Reform and many Conservative shuls is actually the same as the annual reading but divided into "thirds". It does not resemble the original sequential triennial reading of old.)

When where these organized and who did them? Are the sidrot (weekly readings) that we have currently the same as the original ones (i.e. their starting & ending locations? I'm not concerned about which sidrot were decided for doubling - there's a different reasoning for that. I am also aware that the names of the sidrot changed.) If not, what was changed and why?


texts: looking for recording of shacharit prayer - nusach chabad

texts: I have a blind relative who can no longer see properly and needs a clear and reasonably slow recording of the chabad shacharit prayer. Does anyone know where I can find this?


texts: Can one read by electric lights, in a room where their is channuakh lights light, since inevitably his gettting some benift from the channukah lights although his main benift is from the electric.


texts: Why "lest another man take her" and not betroth?

texts:
Deuteronomy 20:5–7 (with the Judaica Press translation), describing the lead-up to a battle:

  And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, What man is there who has built a new house and has not [yet] inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man inaugurate it.

The soldier may die without finishing the job, and someone else will do so, inaugurating the house that's already built.

  And what man is there who has planted a vineyard, and has not [yet] redeemed it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man redeem it.

The soldier may die without finishing the job, and someone else will do so, redeeming the vineyard that's already planted.

  And what man is there who has betrothed a woman and has not [yet] taken her? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man take her.

The soldier may die without finishing the job, and someone else will do so, taking the woman that's already betrothed. Wait, no.

Why does that last verse say "another man take her" as if that's all the other man needs to do? He has to betroth her also; why does the verse elide that part?


texts:
Anodized metal is metal with an increase in the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. Is there any issue kashering it, or is it basically like metal with a layer of rust which in general is a problem only if food particles can get stuck inside the rust (Mishne Berurah 451,22), which is not the case with anodized metal?

Sourced answers only, please.


texts: Must chewing gum be removed before saying a bracha?

texts: Given that it's preferable to have an empty mouth when saying a bracha must I remove chewing gum from my mouth before saying a bracha - for example, for a glass of water, or anything else for that matter - and if so does it make a difference if taking it out would mean I wouldn't want to continue chewing it after (which would result in wasting food)?


texts:
Follow up to this.

The obligation on Purim is "mishlo'ach manot, ish l'rey'eyhu", the sending of food, a man to his neighbor. Do relatives counts towards the concept of "neighbor"?

Can a man hand his wife lunch from the fridge before she goes to work and say, "Here, honey" and have it count? Can food that they both own count, or what if he stops by the store on the way home and buys some extra food? What about a father making breakfast or lunch for his child -- does that qualify for giving food to a neighbor?


texts: Worcestershire sauce: OU Fish? Can it be used on steak/fleish?

texts:
Recently noticed "OU Fish" on Worcestershire sauce.

Can it be used on fleish/steak?


texts: Is it ever a Chillul Hashem to discuss Torah principles?

texts:
The Rambam explains one type of Chillul Hashem as follows (מיי' הל' יסודי התורה פ"ה הי"ד):

ויש דברים אחרים שהם בכלל חילול השם, והוא שיעשה אדם גדול בתורה ומפורסם בחסידות, דברים שהברייות מרננים אחריו בשבילן, ואף על פי שאינם עבירות--הרי זה מחלל את השם:  כגון שלוקח ואינו נותן דמי הלקח לאלתר, והוא שיש לו, ונמצאו המוכרין תובעין אותו, והוא מקיפן; או שירבה בשחוק, או באכילה ושתייה אצל עמי הארץ וביניהן; או שאין דיבורו בנחת עם הברייות, ואינו מקבילן בסבר פנים יפות, אלא בעל קטטה וכעס; וכיוצא בדברים האלו.  הכול לפי גודלו של חכם--צריך שידקדק על עצמו, ויעשה לפנים משורת הדין.
There are some other things included in Chillul Hashem [besides those involving overtly breaking mitzvos]. This is when a person who is learned in Torah and famous for his piety performs actions that cause others to denigrate him; despite the fact that they are not technically aveiros, this is Chillul Hashem. For example, if a person buys an item and does not pay immediately despite the fact that he has money on him, and the seller demands it from him and he takes the item on credit. Or, if he is excessively merry, or eats or drinks excessively among simpletons. Or, if he does not speak gently to others, and does not receive them kindly, but is often angry and argumentative. All of these sort of things are Chillul Hashem. A wise man must be scrupulous in his behavior and go beyond the letter of the law, according to his greatness.

When I was in yeshiva an incident occured where a student in the IDF refused to attend a military concert where women were singing and lost his position. Our shiur was discussing the halacha of the situation afterwards, and our Rebbe vehemtly disagreed with the suggestion that the student's action might have been a Chillul Hashem. This Rebbe said that when one is doing a mitzvah, it is not considered a Chillul Hashem if other people are offended by that mitzvah itself. What I took from this was that the Rambam means that in regards to non-mitzvah-related actions, one must act in a way that will not garner disapproval from others, but if one is doing an actual mitzvah, then if others disapprove it is their own fault that they don't appreciate the mitzvah, and therefore it is not considered Chillul Hashem. I don't know exactly what our Rebbe's source for this was, but I think the Chinuch agrees with him (see מצווה תכא: להניח תפלין על היד from "והמחמירים בקדושת המצוה" on, where he brings an opinion that it is a Chillul Hashem to wear tefillin when one's actions are not befitting, and argues on it).
Now here is my question: I was wondering whether this applies in the case where one is discussing or explaining Torah principles. There are certain halachos and hashkafic principles that are not "politically correct," and kiruv Rabbis and other Orthodox Jews who regularly interact with non-Orthodox Jews often avoid talking about them or whitewash them. (Examples: the issur to teach gentiles Torah, the laws of apikorsus, many gemaras discussing women, etc.) Now I understand that pragmatically it may be a bad idea to tell the non-Orthodox and gentiles about these details, since it might make it less likely that they will reach a higher level of avodas Hashem1. The question, though, is whether it is a Chillul Hashem to tell them about these things. Perhaps it is similar to the case of the incident I mentioned above, but this case is a little different since one is not actually performing a mitzvah. Would the Rambam say that one must "speak gently" and not reveal these things –slash– frame them in an overly positive way, or would he say that in the case of talking about Torah principles this law doesn't apply?
1(For example, the Rambam says on Avos 2:14 that דע מה להשיב לאפיקורס doesn't apply if the heretic is a Jew, since he may become more entrenched in his ways if you try to argue with him.)


texts: Why is 'shiloh' read as if it were transcribed 'shelloh' by Onkelos in Genesis 49:10 when the Masoretes transcribed it differently?

texts:
B'reshit 49:10 was the first text discussed in the Disputation of Barcelona (July 20-24, 1263),  a formal debate ordered by the king between representatives of Christianity and Judaism regarding whether the Moshiach had come.  This indicates how important this passage was.

B'réshit 49:10

  לֹא-יָסוּר שֵׁבֶט מִיהוּדָה, וּמְחֹקֵק מִבֵּין רַגְלָיו, עַד כִּי-יָבֹא שִׁילֹה, וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים.

Here occurs the puzzling term shiloh (שִׁילֹה), which the Leeser Bible (1853), agreeing with the 1611 King James Bible of Christians, read as a name of Moshiach (but the New Jewish Publication Bible says: 'Meaning of Heb[rew] uncertain').  Onkelos in his Aramaic translation read this word as shelloh (so Rashi), the archaic form for his, 1 understanding a segol in the first syllable and no yod: '. . . until Meshicha comes, whose (דְּדִילֵיהּ הִיא) is the kingdom':

  לָא יִעְדֵּי עָבֵיד שׁוּלְטָן מִדְּבֵית יְהוּדָה וְסָפְרָא מִבְּנֵי בְנוֹהִי עַד עָלְמָא עַד דְּיֵיתֵי מְשִׁיחָא דְּדִילֵיהּ הִיא מַלְכוּתָא וְלֵיהּ יִשְׁתַּמְעוּן עַמְמַיָּא׃

The Masoretes, on the other hand, transcribed this word with a chireq and yod in the first syllable.

Why is 'shiloh' read as if it were transcribed 'shelloh' by Onkelos in Genesis 49:10 when the Masoretes, who give the traditional reading, transcribed it differently?

In order to avoid merely personal opinion, I am asking for medieval and modern commentators.  The question does not concern the Hebrew, but rather the way the text was allowed to be treated.

See my recently written answer to a related question for more on the term: What's the Meaning of Shiloh in the Last Blessing of Yaakov on his Children?

1 R' J. H. Hertz, The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, p. 202: 'It is a strange circumstance that the older Jewish versions and commentators (Septuagint, Targums, Saadyah and Rashi) read this word without a 'yod,' as if written 'shelloh' the archaic form for 'his'; or as if it were a poetic form for 'peace.'


texts: What's the difference between קסת הסופר and מנחת שי?

texts:
I am a Torah reader. I am always interested in learning about the nuances of how trope is used as well as the rules about how the Torah scroll is written, and the relationship between the writing activity and reading / chanting.

In various questions here, as well as speaking to a few people, two books have been mentioned קסת הסופר and מנחת שי. I forgot what each book delves into and what the differences are with these two works. Please describe / summarize.


texts: Is there a custom in which a man approaches his Rav to act as a liaison between himself and a lady he is interested in in order to start the dating/courting process? Someone recently recounted to me how she and her husband met. She stated that after someone in the community suggested the match to her now husband, their dating was initiated through the Rabbis. I am trying to ascertain if this is an established custom.


texts: So I've heard that we Jews (when waking up) used to first wash their feet and then their hands. But what happen today, don't we wash our feet anymore? Or is that an optional thing? Do some still do it today?


texts: How do you find out about your Jewish lineage if you only have very limited information (ex a place of birth, grandfather’s name?)


texts: It is well known that people lighto shabbas candles before(many are careful to light 18-20 minutes before) shikya and no later. However, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 75:1 holds one has until 30 minutes before the emergence of 3 medium stars. So in a pressing situation why cant one hold like the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch? I have seen poskim who write that after shekiya it is forbidden  (Mishna Brurah) and discuss if a non-Jew can light in their stead (Biur Halacha).


texts: Is it possible to get a copy of the Dead Sea Scrolls texts?

texts: I'm interested in getting a copy of the Dead Sea Scrolls texts (preferably digital.)  I'm basically looking for this, except the text of the Dead Sea Scrolls instead of the Masoretic.  Pictures of the text wouldn't suffice for my purposes.  Where might this be available?


texts: "דָּם נָקִי" vs. "דַּם־נָקִי"

texts:
Parashas Shof'tim, 19:10:

  וְלֹא יִשָּׁפֵךְ דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב אַרְצְךָ

And 21:8:

  וְאַל־תִּתֵּן דָּם נָקִי בְּקֶרֶב עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל

And then Ki Savo 27:25:

  לְהַכּוֹת נֶפֶשׁ דָּם נָקִי

However, back in Shof'tim, 19:13:

  וּבִעַרְתָּ דַם־הַנָּקִי מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל

… which uses the definite variant of "דַּם־נָקִי", not of "דָּם נָקִי".

Why is "דָּם נָקִי" (literally "innocent blood") used in most places and (a form of) "דַּם־נָקִי" (literally "blood of an innocent") used in 19:13?
Is there a difference in meaning between "דָּם נָקִי" and "דַּם־נָקִי"?

(I'm asking about "דָּם נָקִי" vs. "דַּם־נָקִי", not about definite vs. indefinite.)


texts: Refuting claims that everything before Shmuel was made up?

texts:
There is a recent movement amongst Bible Scholars suggesting, almost as undeniable fact, that everything we have from Tanach pre-Shmuel times was made up, and not recorded as it was actually happening. But that it was instead written down over the years, and perhaps compiled finally sometime when Shmuel was alive.

How do we refute these claims? How would we go about advancing the argument that the Torah is Divine from Sinai? And that Moshe existed, etc.?

I have a few ideas and theories of my own, but I was wondering what you all can come up with...


texts:
If one prays specifically after performing a Mitzvah, in the hopes that G-d will be more likely to answer their prayer:

Is that considered improper, as it is using the Mitzvah for his/her own benefit? Or is it an acceptable and valid way to get prayers answered?


texts: Is a man permitted to petition for permitted sexual relations during the Amidah?

texts: Would a man be permitted to ask Hashem to bring about permitted sexual acts with his current or future wife as part of the requests he makes during the Amidah, given that we are generally highly discouraged from allowing sexual thoughts to enter tefillah? Would it make a difference if he was wearing tefillin while doing so, given that the prohibition of "impure thoughts" while wearing tefillin is generally held to be still more stringent?


texts: What should a person think when hearing the shofar?

texts:
What should a person think when hearing the shofar during the month of Elul. is there some kind of basic intent one should have in mind?

What about during Rosh Hashana?


texts: וּרמִיננְהוּ or וּרמִיננְהִי?

texts: Was starting tractate b'rakhoth in a Talmud that has nekudot. i came across the word  וּרמִיננְהוּ and looked it up in an Aramaic dictionary to find it meaning. The Aramaic dictionary gave me the meaning, but also said the correct vowelization is וּרמִיננְהִי, as it is vowelized as וּרמִיננְהִי in earlier editions of the Talmud before the Vilna Shas. Can anyone verify this? And if so, which editions or manuscripts have this vowelization?


texts: Is it true that Yerushalmi Briskers pronounce Ayin as a velar nasal when they daven?

texts: I read a post in a forum that Briskers, apart from following the conventional Yeshivish pronunciation of Hebrew including oy for cholam, pronounce Ayin as a velar nasal. I just want to get this verified if it's right or wrong because I thought that only in the Dutch pronunciation of Hebrew was this found. Also I thought that all haredi misnagdim had the same Yeshivish pronunciation and didn't expect one group to have a variant of the standard Yeshivish pronunciation.


texts: Should one say amen to an unnecessary bracha made by a child on the autism spectrum?

texts: If a very verbal (often too verbal) 12 year old child on the autism spectrum has trouble speaking appropriately and particularly likes to say a bracha when he wants to and not necessarily when it's needed (e.g., he very clearly knows that you don't generally say a bracha on food eaten in the course of a meal where you've said hamotzi on bread, yet he often insists on saying a bracha anyway) and then gets very upset when others don't say amen because is was an unnecessary bracha, should those who hear the bracha say amen anyway?  Is it correct that you don't say amen if a bracha wasn't supposed to be said?


texts:
In minyan this morning, the gabbai said that money given to the shul as matanot l'evyonim would be donated to a charity which will "distribute it to evyonim in Yerushalayim, on Purim."

I live in the US. If the money isn't distributed until Shushan Purim, which for me is not Purim (for the most part), am I actually giving the money on Purim? If they give it out in Jerusalem on "regular" Purim, then it will be Purim for me, but not for the organization which is distributing it, and anyone who lives in Jerusalem and donated to them might have a problem.

Additionally, if someone in Jerusalem donates to an American cause that will distribute in the US (or to an Israeli charity which distributes in an unwalled Israeli city, or in a walled city but on the "regular" Purim day) then the money will not be distributed on the day which the person who donated considers Purim.

Can I fulfill my obligation to donate ON Purim if my money is distributed to the poor on the Purim which isn't the one I observe?


texts:
Does the Talmud talk about a food fight (i.e. throwing food at one another)?

In general, what would the Talmud have to say about a food fight in terms of wasting food, or otherwise? Is it okay? Not okay?


texts:
I know some people who would like to start keeping shabbos but they don't know all the laws and they don't know where to start. already they do kabbolas shabbos and the friday night seudah with kiddush and birkas hamozon, but they want to start keeping the 39 melochos.

where should they begin? are there any melochos that are more important to keep than others? maybe someone on here could form a list or something for them.

thank you


texts: Do you have to eat bread meal(s) on every day of Chol HaMoed?

texts:
Many say there is an obligation to eat meals with bread as part of simchas Yom Tov.

Is there a similar obligation to eat bread during Chol HaMoed? If so, how often? For example, during Chol HaMoed Pesach, must one eat matzah daily?


texts:
Growing up, we had a separate home phone line that was listed in the phonebook and had a distinctive ring.  So we knew when someone was calling us who had gotten our number out of the phonebook.  This was most often telemarketers.  So we would answer the phone and try to order a pizza from them, or pretend we only spoke pig-latin.

Is there anything inappropriate (Halachically/ethically) about doing that?


texts:
What do these phrases mean, "come as one" and "teach a precedent"?

I think "come as one" means, they "are both the same" (?), but I am not sure this is the meaning of this in the phrase quoted below.

I think "teach a precedent" means "create a precedent"(?), but I am not sure this is the meaning of this in the phrase  quoted below.

https://www.sefaria.org/Kiddushin.35a.1

  The reason this is not a difficulty is because Torah study and the
  redemption of the firstborn son,  from which women are also exempt,
  are two verses that come as one, and any two verses that  come as one
  do not teach a precedent.

If somebody can point me to a webpage of halachic phrases, then perhaps I can find my answer there.


texts: Is it permitted to bring bottled water from an outside source into a kosher dining hall?

texts:
I was eating in the kosher dining hall (because it often has better food than the goy hall) and, after I finished drinking from the water bottle I had brought with me, a Jew walked up to me and told me that I wasn't allowed to have my water bottle out in there and instead I had to drink water from their pitcher.

I tried to Google an explanation, but as far as I can tell, water is kosher. Is this some sort of Passover thing or have I been being anti-Semitic since I have been going there?


texts: Hours for אהבה רבה on Shavuos; true or exaggeration?

texts:
In two recent shiurim I  heard a story about a certain (don't remember the name) Yeshiva in pre-war Europe where they took (three?) hours to say אהבה רבה (the blessing before Shema) on the morning of Shovuos.

Is there any truth in this and if yes, how did it fit in with the available time for davenning Shacharis?

I searched online using a number of search terms in English and Hebrew with no success.


texts: Sitting shiva for a parent who married a gentile

texts:
Someone told me that if your parent marries a gentile, you are halachically not supposed to sit shiva for them when they pass away. This doesn't sound like it could be true.

Can you please clarify?


texts: יהי רצון שיהיה לרפואה on optional pills

texts:
Many say יהי רצון שיהיה לרפואה before taking pills and other forms of medicine:

Flavorless medicine, such as pills that you swallow, do not require a blessing—but we do say a prayer that the medicine should be efficacious:
יהי רצון שיהיה לרפואה
"May it be Your will that this medicine shall bring healing."3
(link)

Would this Yehi Ratzon apply to optional pills that do help the body, but are not required (by any means)? This would include growth medications, pain relievers, vitamin supplements, etc.


texts:
In the context of p'sukei d'zimra, the Shulchan Aruch in Orach Chaim 51:9 rules that "The Psalm of Thanksgiving [i.e. Psalm 100] should be recited with a melody, for all songs are destined to fall into disuse, except for the Psalm of Thanksgiving."

Does anyone know of any communities -- historical or current -- where this ruling is actually followed and people are careful to sing Psalm 100?


texts: Aside from Sedra Miketz, is there another place in Chumash where a dargah is not followed by a tvir within 3 words?


texts:
In OC 3, the Shulchan Aruch discusses many halachos regarding using the bathroom. Many of these seem to be disregarded with the relatively modern invent of the urinal; this is particularly concerning in public restrooms, since most of these halachos are because of tzni'us. Specifically:

Rema, §2:

  ויסגור הדלת בעדו משום צניעות

  He should close the door for himself because of tzni'us.

Urinals usually aren't enclosed behind doors.

SA, §13:

  לא ישתין מעומד מפני ניצוצות הניתזין על רגליו אם לא שיעמוד במקום גבוה או שישתין לתוך עפר תחוח

  One should not urinate while standing because of sprinkles that fall on his legs, if he doesn't stand in a high place or urinate on loose dirt.

The problem here should be obvious.

Is it actually forbidden to use a urinal for these reasons?
If the answer to #1 is "yes," then why do so many shuls and other frum institutions have them?
If the answer to #1 is "no," then why?


texts: Obligation to subscribe to Jewish Newspapers?

texts:
While listening to a recorded shiur from a long time ago, the Rav mentioned a Peleh Yoetz who says every Jewish home should subscribe to a Jewish newspaper in order to know the news of the Jewish people to daven for anyone who needs help.

Where is this Peleh Yoetz?


texts: Short selling stock involves borrowing the shares for a fee. Would doing so contravene Devarim 23:20 which prohibits borrowing with interest (assume the Jewishness of all parties involved is such to warrant problems of interest)? What is the halacha on this?


texts: In religious tradition, is there a common matrilineal ancestor of the 12 tribes of Israel?

texts:
Does religious tradition hold that the 12 tribes of Israel share a common matrilineal ancestor, and if so who was she?

The tradition is that each tribe was descended from one of the 12 sons of Jacob, who fathered six by his wife Leah and two each by his wife Rachel, who was Leah's sister, and the handmaidens Bilhah and Zilpah.

Another question asks for the name of Leah and Rachel's mother. It seems that the Book of Jasher (chapter 28, verse 28) names their mother as Adinah, whereas the sefer Tiferes Shlomo al HaTorah in Parshas Vayetze describes the two women as having different mothers, whose names I do not know.

As for Bilhah and Zilpah, they too are described as either sharing a mother or having two different mothers. According to the Testament of Naftali, their father was Rotheus and their mother was Euna. According to sources including the Midrash Raba they were fathered by Laban, who was also father to Leah and Rachel, by two different mothers. If that is so then we get all 12 tribes descended from Laban as well as from Jacob, but this does not tell us of a shared matrilineal ancestor.


texts:
I'm 47 and I've spent my whole adult life far from Jewish practice. But now I'm engaged in tshuva (i.e. returning to Judaism; lit. repentance) and I want to come back to Hashem and live my Jewish life happily, fully and completely.

Is the Bar Mitzvah a mandatory step in practicing prayers, tefillin, brakhot, and all aspects of daily spiritual life? What does it mean for an adult who did not celebrate his Bar Mitzvah? Should one be considered incomplete in some way?

Thanks in advance for your help and support!


texts: Qualifications for a man Reading the Torah in public

texts:
I have been told that there are conditions that a man must fulfill before he is allowed to read the Torah in public.

If so, what is the halacha? What are the disqualifications?

[EDITED] Example: I have been told that someone who is not "Shomer Shabbat", or a "Kohan" who has married a Giur may not read from the Torah. These are the sort of disqualifications I mean. I am sorry that I am bad at expressing myself.


texts: Are non-Orthodox marriages recognized by Orthodox rabbis?

texts:
Let's suppose a couple was married by a Reform rabbi in a standard reform ceremony (with egalitarian ketubah, and many other modifications to traditional kiddushin).  If the couple later become baalei teshuvah, are they required to perform kiddushin again (or, I suppose, if the first wedding didn't count, for the first time)?

Is the case any different if the couple was married in a Conservative ceremony?

Related: Are civil divorces not recognized by Orthodox rabbis?


texts: How can G-d Halachically trust in Himself?

texts:
We know that one of G-d's names is Baruch, from sources such as:

...ברוך א-ל עליון
Baruch is G-d on High...

and

...ברוך הוא א-לוהינו שבראנו לכבודו
Baruch is our G-d, who created us for his honor...

and

ברוך הוא וברוך שמו
He  is Baruch, and Baruch is His name

Finally, every blessing you will ever make starts:

...'ברוך אתה ה
Baruch are you, Hashem...

Now, we know that Hillel says,

ואל תאמן בעצמך עד יום מותך
And do not trust in yourself until the day you die.

And we know that Hashem follows Hillel's opinion:

שלוש שנים נחלקו בית שמאי ובית הלל. הללו אומרים הלכה כמותינו, והללו אומרים הלכה כמותינו. יצאה בת קול ואמרה: אלו ואלו דברי אלוהים חיים הן, והלכה כבית הלל.
For three years, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel argued. These said, the Halacha is like us; and these said, the halacha is like us. A heavenly voice went out and said: These and those are the words of the Living G-d, but the Halacha follows Beit Hillel.

And since Hashem will never die, He can never trust Himself.
However, we read in the navi Yirmiyahu:

ברוך הגבר אשר יבטח ביהוה והיה יהוה מבטחו
Baruch is the 'man'* who will trust in Hashem, and Hashem shall be his stronghold.

*an anthropomorphism
The obvious kashya is, when will this be possible? If Hashem can never trust in Himself, than how can Hashem trust in Himself?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts:
I recently did a tahara and I was curious about where a lot of the practices came from and what the meaning behind them is.

One thing we did was that when we tied any knots, we twist-wrapped the two ends four times, and then tied slipknots.  All knots were tied this way.

Why the four twists, and why the slipknots?


texts: Is there a Jewish tradition of God reviving Israel at Sinai?

texts: I once heard that according to "Jewish tradition", though it could be mere hearsay, that there was a story or legend that when the Israelites saw God's presence upon Mt. Sinai (or heard His audible voice) that they all died and God had to revive them to continue speaking to them and give them the Torah, I assume since no one may see God and live (Exodus 33:20) or some similar reason. Is there anything in the Mishnah or Talmud (Gemara) that says anything remotely like this, or if not there then in later Jewish writings concerning that? I am trying to track down the source of this story.


texts: Would a non-Israeli Jewish king need to write a sefer Torah?

texts:
In Deuteronomy/Devorim 17:14, and 17:18-20 we see that a king of Israel is required to write a copy of the Torah to read and keep with him always.

Would a convert to Judaism, who is a king of another nation (i.e. not Israel/Judah), be required to follow this mitzvah? Would it make a difference if the majority of the citizens of his nation were Jewish, and/or if he felt the land he ruled was given to him by G-d (Devorim 17:14)? (I'm asking specifically about a situation with a convert because I'm unaware of royal families with Jewish lineage in the modern day.)

I am assuming this is a separate issue from the other similar mitzvah (Deut/Devorim 31:19), as several people seem to comment that a Jewish king of Israel would need two Torahs, and thus a convert King would at least need one copy. For example, see below.

"The Gemorah (Sanhedrin 21b) relates that the king, in fact, maintained two Sifrei Torah. One was carried with him at all times, and the other was stored in his treasure room. The Rambam notes that if the king inherited one Sefer, he would write the second one on his own. If, however, he did not own a Sefer Torah, he would be obligated to write two sefarim." http://www.torah.org/advanced/torah-thoughts/5767/shoftim.html

Would it be acceptable/preferable for the king in the example above to keep his personal (Deut/Devorim 31:19) copy of the Torah in a synagogue, rather than a treasure room?

Please note that I can't read Hebrew or Yiddish.


texts: Best Sites for Reading/Listening to Great Divrei Torah

texts: What are some good sites for Divrei Torah, and what are the strengths of each?


texts: Are there any halachot governing who can and who can not get a kibbud (i.e. opening the Aron , not an aliyah) on Shabbat, Yom Tov, Rosh Hashannah or Yom Kippur? I ask because in our shul we have two men who I was not allowed to have open the Aron in the past. If we were talkng about an Aliyah, I would understand, but isn't a kibbud, just an honor with no relighous significance?


texts: Words for ‘a teaching’; d’var Torah, shiur, drash etc

texts:
Could someone explain me the differences or nuances between a shiur, d’var Torah, drash (and drashah) as they all seem to refer to ‘a teaching’.

P.s. is there something in their roots which defines the differences between them?


texts: What is the midrash about Nadav and Avihu being burned from within?

texts:
In a recent study of the part of Sh'mini about Nadav and Avihu bringing aish zarah (alien fire), somebody vaguely recalled a midrash that the fire that killed them entered through their nostrils and burned them inside rather than them being engulfed in flames from outside as I'd always imagined the event.  I found an article on the Chabad site that mentions this midrash and cites Tanchuma (nothing more specific).  I tried searching Tanchuma (in English) on Sefaria but did not find this midrash.  (I can work with a result in Hebrew but searching in Hebrew hasn't worked so well for me yet.)

Where can I find this midrash?  I'd like to know what it says about what happened and also any conclusion it reaches about why it happened that way.  (I have guesses about the latter but nothing I can support.)


texts: Could relocation, the passage of time make a psak need to be re-evaluated?

texts:
After living in one place, then relocated to another place where it is difficult to fulfill a mitzva, could a different psak from a new rav be adopted?

Would it mean the older psak is dissolved and that the new rav's interpretation is just as ok because the situation has changed?

What would be the best internal motivation for asking for the new psak?


texts: What is the source for checking one's tzitzis while the talis is over one's right shoulder: isn't the halacha just to check the knots and strings? Can't the checking be done on a table?


texts: Should you tell Jews they are breaking a commandment?

texts:
The Talmud says:

  It is better to transgress unintentionally than intentionally. Betzah 30a

The Midrash adds:

  Rabbi Shim'on ben Halafta said: One who studies the commandments of the Torah, but does not fulfill them, is punished more severely than one who never studied at all. Deuteronomy R. 7:4

I remember reading, in commentaries on the above, that Jewish law says that, in minor cases, if a rabbi determines that the people are going to do a certain wrong thing no matter what he says, it is better not to inform them that they are breaking a commandment, because by teaching them that, they would then break the commandment deliberately. Is this correct and what is the reference?


texts: Is Reform conversion recognized by the Conservative movement?

texts: Are people who have converted to Reform Judaism recognized as Jews by the Conservative movement?


texts:
If one somehow consumed meat of a non-kosher species such as camel or pork (e.g. life-threatening illness, or by accident), does s/he become Fleishig?

Why or why not?


texts: Is there a specifically "Chabad" way of learning Gemara?  Is there a Chabad commentary on the Gemara?


texts: Did the Levi'im who sang in the Temple have choir practice?

texts:
I understand that the Levi'im sang in the Bet Hamikdash. Considering that both of them lasted several hundred years, they undoubtedly went through numerous rounds of Levi Singers (sounds like a rock band, almost ;-).

In Tehillim, the word Lamenatze'ach - "For the choir master" is frequently used. This implies that there was a choir and a "conductor". I surmise that the Levi'im sounded quite nice and sang harmoniously. Did they have any rehearsals prior to their singing?

Related - Did every Levi have a turn singing? Didn't some Levi'im have bad voices and were immediately eliminated from being in the choir? (I was in several choirs, but they weren't all Levi'im ;-)

Note: This is not meant as Purim Torah.


texts: Is there a problem with "Mar'it ayin" by attending a company picnic?

texts:
Theoretical:

Let's say that a company plans a picnic in a "semi-park" area. I.e. - it is a tree-lined public thoroughfare that many people including Jews, walk through. (I added this fact b/c I have seen some discussions regarding "mar'it ayin" that there is leniency if the location is in a non-Jewish area. Someone, feel free to edit and provide link to Mi Yodeya questions on this, if there are any. Have trouble locating these links, now.)

The company serves non-kosher food at the picnic. The employee is required to attend the picnic as the company takes "attendance" and considers it a "work day".

Is there a problem of "mar'it ayin" if a Jewish employee attends the picnic, but doesn't eat any of the food?


texts: Is there a prohibition to eat produce before bikkurim (first fruits) have been separated?

texts:
Rambam Sefer Hamitzvos negative command 153 says

  We are forbidden from eating tevel, i.e. produce from which the
  terumos1 and ma'asros have not yet been separated.

Is there a comparable prohibition of eating produce before bikkurim (first fruits) have been separated? Would such produce be “tevel”?


texts:
The concept of "Lo Tisgodedu" is homiletically interpreted to "lo ta'asu agudos agudos" - do not make distinct groups. This is used in a variety of places, most notably in the principal that one does not publicly deviate from minhag hamakom.

As discussed elsewhere, this doesn't seem to impede the creation of local/regional minhagim. What is the "upper bound" to the implementation of this concept, and how do we resolve conflicting minhagim within a pluralistic group with no minhag hamakom (Rav Moshe, IIRC, claims that the US is such a situation)?


texts:
Is there a definition[1] of "Modern Orthodox(y)" that either

has wide acceptability[2] or
has the support of an expert (say, a renowned rabbi some consider Modern Orthodox, or an anthropologist who's studied the Orthodox, or …)?

You may assume "Orthodox(y)" is defined. That is, I'll very gladly accept definitions like "Modern Orthodox(y) is Orthodox(y) which …" without further elaboration on the definition of "Orthodox(y)".

I expect there will be more than one good answer.

[1] Note that I am asking not for an ostensive definition (such as a list of characteristics) of (the) Modern Orthodox(y), but for an intensional definition of "Modern Orthodox(y)". That is, for example, if "Modern Orthodox(y)" is defined without reference to a certain characteristic, then, even if 100% of the Modern Orthodox have that characteristic as opposed to 0% in other groups, that wouldn't be part of an answer post below.
[2] Such acceptability would itself need to be demonstrated, of course. A weak but valid answer might be "I've asked twenty people, and they all agree that the following definition is widely accepted among Group X. …". A stronger one might be "This study indicates that the following definition is widely accepted among Group X. …".


texts: Does "reputation scoring" make "the Torah a crown to magnify yourself with"?

texts: Is "reputation scoring"  against the spirit of Pirkei Ovos 4 (5) "Rabbi Tzaddok would say: Do not make the Torah a crown to magnify yourself with, ...."


texts: Forgot to say Yaaleh V'Yavo by Shacharis Rosh Chodesh - before the Molad

texts: Orach Chaim 422:1 mentions that one who forgets Yaale V'Yavo at Maariv does not have to Daven again since we do not do Kiddush HaChodesh at night. However if one forgot at Shacharis or Mincha he does have to Daven again. This coming month Sivan 5773 the Molad is at 7:49 AM and 16 Chalakim on the actual day of Rosh Chodesh. If one Davens Shacharis at 6 AM prior to the Molad and forgot Yaale V'Yavo would they be required to Daven again since it is during the day or perhaps not since it would not have been Rosh Chodesh yet since it is prior to the Molad?


texts: I once came across a website with an audio recording of someone singing mishnayot in Ashkenazi pronunciation with a tune for memorization. Where can I find an audio with mishnayos sung in Ashkenazi pronunciation?


texts: Does a synagogue have the right to dispose of objects abandoned there?

texts:
A particular synagogue has large numbers of abandoned tallesim and tefilin in the drawers in the chapel.

Does the synagogue have the right to dispose of objects abandoned there?

Does the law change where these objects were designed to be used for mitzvos, and are no longer fit because of their decay?


texts:
This is a two-part question:

What do you do if while you are at home during Shabbos, someone knocks at your door, and when you open it a delivery person (UPS/FedEx/USPS/DHL etc.) hands you a package that you ordered?  Is the package muktzah?  Should you take it?  If the deliverer says "Should I sign for this for you?" what do you say?
What if you do not answer the door and the deliverer leaves the package at your door (not in anyone's way, though)?  Are you allowed to bring the package inside to protect it from possible theft?  Does the crime rate in your neighborhood affect this decision?


texts: Why are the ends of Tefilin Retzuos cut on a slant?

texts: I noticed than the end of my Tefillin Retzuos are cut on a slant. In the comments to this answer various reasons are postulated. What is the true reason?


texts: Can a Cohen marry a bat niddah? Are Cohens generally restricted from marrying baalot teshuva because of the possibility that they may be b'not niddah?


texts: If a plant was uprooted, is it considered a Melachah of planting to re-soil it on Shabbath?  The simplest example would probably be that a child pulled a plant out of its pot on, or immediately before, Shabbath, and you want to save it.


texts: Does flavored yogurt get its own blessing during a meal?

texts:
Does flavored yogurt qualify as "dessert" or is it considered part of the meal?

If it's dessert, would it require its own blessing?

What about plain yogurt?


texts: Minhag not to view moon through a window?

texts: I have a vague memory of being told not to gaze at the moon through the glass of a window. I think it had something to do with kabbalah. I know it's permitted to say kiddush levanah by looking at the moon through the glass of a window if one has no other option, but I am wondering if anyone knows anything about a kabbalah-based minhag against gazing at the moon through a window?


texts: Do you attach tzitzit on a borrowed garment? If so, do you later remove them?

texts:
I have a poncho that is a four-cornered outer garment with a neck hole.  I'm a woman so I've never had to worry about tzitzit.  The garment is unisex, not specifically feminine.  If a man were to borrow it, would he be required to attach tzitzit?  If so, what would happen when he returns it -- would he remove them, would I remove them, or would they remain?

I understand that the practical answer is to not get into that situation.  I'm asking what the halacha is.


texts: What is the source of the custom to keep the Lulav untill Erev Pesach and burn it with the Chometz?


texts: Sages that questioned the existence of Hashem

texts: While I'm sure there are individuals that perhaps struggled with their belief in Hashem and His "existence" were there ever any great chachamim (sages) from the throughout the generations that perhaps expressed their own doubt publicly (in writing, etc. -- whether they came to one conclusion or the other?)


texts: Megilas Esther by day - why is it done after Kriyas HaTorah?

texts: We read Koheles on Succos, Shir HaShirim on Pesach, and Rus on Shavuos, and we always read it prior to Kriyas HaTorah. Then why do we read Megilas Esther on Purim day after Kriyas HaTorah?


texts: Is one permitted to watch tv or movies with immodest women?

texts:
Is a man permitted to watch tv or movies that feature immodestly dressed women?
Assuming one will not have improper thoughts, is it prohibited to look at an immodestly dressed woman on a screen?
Are images on a screen included in the prohibition of ervah?
Is there any limmud zechus for the common practice of watching tv or movies?


texts: Does God love every Jew unconditionally?

texts:
If a Jew spent his entire life doing terrible sins, would God still love him? For example, does God love Jesus or Jews who have caused similarly terrible damage?
Please provide sources.


texts: When was Birkat haTorah composed and added to the liturgy?

texts: Do we know when Birkat haTorah was composed and added as an obligatory blessing to be said before learning Torah? Is it just something done by Anshei Knesset haGedolah or do we have any other information relating to its authorship, the period in time when it was adopted, etc?


texts: Chazan's Recitation of Shmona Esrei - Nusach Ashkenaz

texts:
In nusach Ashkenaz, the chazzan's repetition of Shmona Esrei skips the paragraph beginning with "אתה קדוש ושמך קדוש", and connects the qedusha with the following brakha ("אתה חונן לאדם דעת") by means of a paragraph that commences, "לדור ודור נגיד גדלך".

I am given to understand (but have no source) that if the congregation is pressed for time, the chazzan can skip the repetition by starting the Shmona Esrei out loud, continuing until qedusha, reciting qedusha and then letting everybody daven the rest of Shmona Esrei silently, to themselves. In the event that this happens, should he say "לדור ודור", or let them all say "אתה קדוש"?


texts:
On Eruvin 65A, the daughter of Rav Chisda is quoted, talking to her father.

I am seeking a compilation or list of places in the Talmud that a woman is quoted.


texts: Berachot 35a - If a before-beracha is more compelling than an after-beracha how do we know that an after-beracha is required?

texts:
The Talmud in the beginning of the sixth chapter of Masechet Berachot seeks to find the source that blessings are required for food. At one point in this adventure, the Talmud concludes that there is one available exposition to teach us the requirement of blessings, but if that is the case then we would only know the requirement of an after-blessing but not a before-blessing. The Talmud then explains that we would be able to derive the requirement for a before-blessing using a kal vachomer from the requirement for an after-blessing:

אי נמי יליף גזרה שוה אשכחן לאחריו לפניו מנין הא לא קשיא דאתיא בקל וחומר כשהוא שבע מברך כשהוא רעב לא כל שכן
And even if he does avail himself of a gezerah shawah, while we are satisfied that a blessing is required after it, whence do we learn that it is required [before partaking]? — This is no difficulty. We derive it by argument a fortiori: If he says a blessing when he is full, how much more so ought he to do so when he is hungry?
(Soncino translation)

This seems to be assuming that it is more likely for there to be a requirement for a before-blessing than for there to be a requirement for an after-blessing. Thus if there is a requirement for an after-blessing (based on the one available exposition) then there would certainly be a requirement for a before-blessing.
But if that is the case, then perhaps there is only a requirement for a before-blessing and not an after-blessing. How can we assign the one available exposition to be a source for an after-blessing? That exposition should be applied to require a before-blessing, since if we have a choice between which should be required it would be a before-blessing. Once that is true there should be no source left to tell us that an after-blessing is required (except by bread which has an explicit verse)!


texts:
The Bavli (Taanit 29a) teaches that the Temple was set aflame on the ninth of Av in the afternoon and it burnt until sundown on the tenth of Av. The Yerushalmi (Taanit 4:6) records that because of this certain Amoraim would fast supererogatorily on the tenth of Av as well as the ninth, while others would fast only for the night of the tenth. (This is the source for the common custom of extending some of the customs of mourning from the Nine Days onto the tenth of Av (OC 558).) The Magen Avraham (ibid. sk 3) records an additional practice of fasting only until noon on the tenth of Av. This fasting is Halakhicly connected to Tisha bAv (and not just a conveniently-timed ordinary vow of asceticism) as seen from the ruling of Magen Avraham (OC 557:0) and Arukh HaShuchan (ibid. :3) that one fasting on the tenth of Av recites Nacheim in his prayers.

I have the following questions about these supererogatory fasts:

Do they require acceptance at Mincha beforehand like regular personal fasts (OC 562:5)? If so, must the acceptance be made at Mincha on Erev Tisha bAv or on Tisha bAv itself?
What time intervals may they occupy? The Talmud recorded ~12 and ~24 hour additions, and the Magen Avraham recorded an ~18 hour addition. Can one accept to fast until midnight on the 10 Av (a ~6 hour addition)? Can one accept to fast for only the first hour of 10 Av?
At which prayers would Aneinu be said?

Ashkenazim generally recite Aneinu only at the last prayer on a fast day (generally Mincha) (OC 565:3). When fasting multiple consecutive days, Aneinu is said at the last prayer of each day (Terumat HaDeshen 180, Rama OC 562:7) since we take each day as a unit. How does this rule apply in our case: is Aneinu recited only at Mincha on 9 Av? At Mincha on 9 Av and the last prayer during the fast of 10 Av (whichever prayer that may be)? At Mincha on 9 Av and all subsequent prayers of the fast? At no prayer other than the last prayer during the fast of 10 Av (whichever prayer that may be)?
Sefardim generally follow the Ashkenazi position only on personal fasts, but on public fasts they recite Aneinu whenever fasting (OC 565:3). How does that play out in this case? Do these fasts have the status of decreed fasts as an extension of Tisha bAv, or are they separate unique personal fasts?


texts: Boruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Voed - why do we whisper it?

texts: Why do we say Boruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Voed in Kriyas Shema in a whisper?


texts: Does a brit milah require the se'udah to be on the same day?

texts:
Suppose that an infant is healthy enough to have his brit (circumcision) on the eight day, but the doctor recommends that infant should not be exposed to a large crowd. So, they have the brit in the infant's home.

Can they make the se'udah on a different day or on the same day but at a different place and would that be considered a se'udat brit / se'udat mitzvah?

If they can make it on a different day, is there any time limit? (e.g. mom is still hospitalized and it may take 3 months for recovery, and she wants to be part of her own son's simcha.)

Or does that occur only when the se'udah is in the same place as the brit and immediately following it?


texts: What are the different [para-]rabbinic roles in the UK?

texts:
If you look at the "Our Rabbis" page on the website of the United Kingdom's United Synagogue, you'll find people with the personal titles "Rabbi" or "Reverend," and with the organizational roles "Rabbi" or "Minister." (I'm leaving out Dayanim on the London Beth Din.)

What are the differences between a rabbi and a reverend, and what are the differences between a congregation's Rabbi and its Minister? Am I dividing these concepts up correctly?


texts: When The King Of Assyria Sent a Priest to The New "Inhabitants" of Israel Did the Priest Teach Them Correctly?

texts:
in Melachim II - II Kings - Chapter 17 Paragraph 24. it speaks about the King of Assyria sending foreign people into the land of Israel after exiling the Israelites to Assyria.

The new "inhabitants" of the land were then attacked by Lions. and the people of Israel told the King of Assyria that this is in consequence to the new "Inhabitants" not following the law of the land.

King of Assyria then sends over a priest to teach them the laws..

Now my questions are as follows:
1. Was this a genuine priest from the tribe of Levi?
2. Did this priest teach the new "inhabitants" the correct laws

the reason why I ask is because the new "inhabitants" did exactly what the Israelites did to anger g-d, (passing through fire, idol worshipping etc.) How did they learn about this? did the priest teach them to do so?


texts:
Since we are entering the winter (in the northern hemisphere) many people try to daven mincha at mincha gedolah. I have been told that waiting for a half hour after mid-day is a way of ensuring that one does not accidentally daven before mid-day and there are those who state that someone who makes a mistake and davens within that time period does not have to repeat Mincha.

Note that "a half hour" is actually shaos zmaniyos rather than 30 clock minutes and mid-day (chatzos) is calculated based on sunrise and sunset.

Times for Mincha

  If one prayed prior to six and a half hours, according to many one has
  not fulfilled one’s obligation, however, some say that one has
  fulfilled one's obligation after the fact. [30]

note 30

  [30] Mishna Brurah 233:2 writes that this is implied from Shulchan
  Aruch 233:1 (and is agreed upon by many achronim), however there are
  some achronim who say that after the fact one has fulfilled one’s
  obligation. Kaf HaChaim 233:2 quotes the dispute of the achronim but
  concludes that because Tefillah is derabbanan one does not have to
  pray again.

Does the time specification start at the very beginning of Mincha or as of Shmone Esrai. The difference would be starting Ashrei. While this is not really a time difference during the week, Shabbos Mincha could be as much as 10 minutes earlier. Similarly this could apply to a Ta'anis Tzibur since we must read the Torah.

The answer to this question could also make a difference according to those who say one is not Yotzei bed'avad.


texts:
What is the optimal time for reading the Meggilah

By day?
By night?

When is the first and last halachicly acceptable time for each?


texts:
I visited the Rare Books section of the JTS in New York in Dec. 2009, to view an old manuscript from Kezmarok, Slovakia.  I selected certain pages that I was interested in translating, on behalf of descendents who once lived there.  These manuscripts are large books about the Jewish community, its synagogue, rabbis, and "important people."

One page has a spreadsheet with the list of shul officers, for each New Year, starting in  year תרי״ט (1858/1859) and it would be nice to know just what their functions were.  Some we can already guess.  The column headings are as follows:

ראש הקהל Rosh Hakal
טובי הקהל א Tovei Hakal Rishon (or Aleph)
טובי הקהל ב Tovei Hakal Sheni (or Bet)
גובה Goveh
גבאי א Gabay Rishon (or Aleph)
גבאי ב Gabay Sheni (or Bet)
מזכיר (Mazkir) — apparently, like today, no one likes to be the secretary and no name appears in this column!
אנשי שם  קרואי מועד Anshei Shem Kruei Moed (reputable men who read for the holidays? announce the New Moon?)

Does anyone know if there were any real guidelines to the functions of these men?
Can anyone explain the title and function of a Parnas (פרנס)?


texts: Is there a lookup table that links Mishnayos with Gemara page

texts:
For example, משנה עירובין פרק ט משנה ד is in תלמוד בבלי on דף צה עמוד א.
Is there a comprehensive table that links all the (relevant) משניות to where they are in תלמוד בבלי?


texts: Why isn't there a single, centralized Sanhedrin today?

texts:
It seems that many mitzvot in the Torah are opened to interpretation in some way, potentially subject to ruling by the Sanhedrin. And some mitzvot (examples below) seem to require the presence of the Sanhedrin.

In Maimonides' 613 mitzvot list, the presence of a Sanhedrin is required for carrying out some of the mitzvot. Examples:

The Sanhedrin must count seven groups of seven years Lev. 25:8
The Sanhedrin must sanctify the fiftieth year Lev. 25:10
The Sanhedrin must bring an offering when it rules in error Lev 4:13
Israel must act according to the ruling of the Sanhedrin Deut. 17:11

Here's my question: why isn't there a centralized Sandhedrin today? Now that the exile has ended, is it a matter of broad support in unifying the factions? Do some Jews believe there is no need? Are we waiting for the Beit HaMikdash to be built?

Wikipedia says there has been one significant attempt in recent times (2004) to reinstitute the Sanhedrin, but it doesn't comment much on the ongoing success of said attempt, and website it links to is dead.


texts:
Yosef was taken by his brothers and thrown into habor [הַבּוֹר] (Bereishit 37:22), the pit:

  22And Reuben said to them, "Do not shed blood! Cast him into this pit, which is in the desert, but do not lay a hand upon him," in order to save him from their hand[s], to return him to his father.

The same word is then used in 25, 28, and 30. Later, when Yosef gets in trouble because of the accusations of Potifar's wife, he is put into the Beit hasohar [בֵּית הַסֹּהַר ] 39:20, the jail. This term for jail repeats in 21, 22, and 23.

In perek 40, beit hasohar is used in pasuk 3, and 5. Then, when Yosef is explaining his plight and asking for help from the cupbearer, he asks to be taken out of "habayit hazeh" this house [הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה] (40:14).

  But remember me when things go well with you, and please do me a favor and mention me to Pharaoh, and you will get me out of this house.

He explains that he was stolen from the land of the Ivrim, and he insists that also here (Egypt) he did nothing wrong

"כִּי שָׂמוּ אֹתִי בַּבּוֹר"

this is translated as "for them to have put me in the dungeon" (Artscroll), "for which they have put me into the dungeon." (Judaica Press, on the Chabad site).

Both of these translations follow Onkelos and T"Y and translate "habor" as "the dungeon" but if Yosef knows the term beit hasohar and that is the term the text consistently uses, and he is relating that everything happened because he was stolen from his original land, wouldn't it make as much sense to explain it as "all because they [the brothers] put me in the pit" or something to that effect? Textually, Yosef was never placed in a dungeon! Just a jail.

In 41:14, in order to get Yosef to interpret Paroh's dreams, he is taken "min habor" which is translated as "from the dungeon" even though he was never in a dungeon and this moment is a symbolic rising from the pit (physically or emotionally) which leads to his reuniting with his family.

Why would the translations choose to have "bor" suddenly refer to the prison/dungeon and not the pit, the way it had been used?

Do any meforshim explain "bor" as referring to the pit and not the prison/dungeon?

A thought -- going to Far'oh was the ultimate reversal of what had happened via his brothers. Bor always means "pit" not dungeon (apologies to Rashi) and refers to the state created by the initial action. They threw him into a pit, now he is taken out of THAT pit. They removed his cloak, now he is given new clothing. They caused mourning, now he is shaved. So the text is not speaking literally of his being taken from jail but of his rise to power.


texts: Why Aharon, Itamar and Elazar were not part of the 70 elders?

texts:
Rambam Sanhedrin 2:2 says that the Kohanim are the first to sit in the Sanhedrin:

"וּמִצְוָה לִהְיוֹת בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין גְּדוֹלָה כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז ט) "וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם"."

BT Eruvin 54b presents the method of Moses' Torah study:

תנו רבנן: כיצד סדר משנה? משה למד מפי הגבורה. נכנס אהרן ושנה לו משה פירקו נסתלק אהרן וישב לשמאל משה נכנסו בניו ושנה להן משה פירקן ... נכנסו זקנים ושנה להן משה פירקן נסתלקו זקנים נכנסו כל העם ושנה להן משה פירקן...
What was the order of teaching the Oral Law? Moses learned directly from the mouth of the Almighty. Aaron entered ...and Moses taught him his lesson ... Aaron’s sons entered, and Moses taught them their lesson ... The elders entered and Moses taught them their lesson ... the entire nation entered and Moses taught them their lesson.

According to this Gemmorah, neither Aharon nor his two remaining sons were part of the 70 elders. Pinchas is not mentioned at all. This contradicts the Rambam's conclusion. BTW Rambam himself brings this Gemmorah in his Introduction to Mishnah.
How come?
PS: I think it is needless to say that the Sanhedrin is "thought to be" the 70 elders.


texts: Was there a Pesach Sheni after the very first Pesach?

texts:
Bamidbar (Num.) 9:1, which begins the section related to Pesach Sheni says that the event occurred in the second year from leaving Egypt. Beginning in verse 9, we learn about the laws of Pesach Sheni.

As Pesach Sheni applies to those who are tamei, does this mean that during the 1st year no one was tamei, so there was no need for Pesach Sheni, then?


texts: Are there any sources (if any) for there being limitations to being dan lkaf zechut? When is one required to do so, and when is one exempt?


texts:
Is it permissible to tovel dishes in a bucket which I've left outside to gather rainwater?

Is there an issue, for instance, if there hasn't been rain for a period of time?


texts: On Friday, my grandmother made a comment about kashering a knife by sticking it in a potted plant (with very loose soil), something which will not kasher anything. What is the origin of this bubbe-meiße (old-wives' tale)?


texts: Censored letters of the book Peri Haarets

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I am looking for an uncensored version of the letters, from which we have a censored version in the standard versions of the Peri Haarets. I would appreciate some links.

Note.
Peri Haarets is the book of Rav Menachem Mendel Mivitebsk, the main talmid of the Magid Mimezritsh, who migrated to Erets Israel with rabbi Avraham Mikalitsk, The book begins with drashot on Parahiot and the end is a compilation of letters from them from Erats Israel to their scholars who remained in Russia.I think that one of the reasons of the suppression of some letters is a controversy against the Baal Hatanya.


texts: In Genesis 6:3, How Should the Context Affect Interpretation of "To Contend/Plead"?

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Disclaimer: There are A LOT of pieces to this I don't understand, which is making it very difficult to ask: I would appreciate your suggestions!

1. Question :

  Genesis 6:3 -... My Spirit will not Verb Phrase?? for / among Man forever.

  אמֶר יְהֹוָה לֹא יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעֹלָם.

In Genesis 6:3, What will the "Spirit of the Lord" not do? A.) Plead FOR Man, forever; B.) Remain WITH man forever; C.) Fight AGAINST Man forever; D.) etc ...

2. Hebrew Questions:

Note: It would help to either affirm or correct these assumptions in order to correctly understand the verse:

"לָנֶ֥צַח" may differ from "לְעוֹלָ֣ם" in the sense that A.) "לְעוֹלָ֣ם" sometimes seems to carry a sense of "timelessness, always"; where B.) "לָנֶ֥צַח" may carry a sense of "without: limit, boundary, or border", (Job 34:36); - "Have you rejected us, unconditionally, without exception, forever(לָנֶ֑צַח)? (Psalms 74:1);
The Hebrew Verbs, "לֹֽא־ יָד֨וֹן"  and "אַל תָּרִוב" both seem to have positive meanings too, either: A.) To Contend; B.) Or Plead;

  Prov. 3:30 - Do not quarrel [תָּרִ֣יב] with anyone without cause, if he did you no harm.

  Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the robbed, perform justice for the orphan, plead [רִיבוּ] the case of the widow.

  Isaiah 57:16 - For I will not contend [אָרִ֔יב] forever, neither will I be wroth to eternity ....

  Jeremiah 22:16 - He judged [דִּין] the cause of the poor and needy, then it was good. Is not that the knowledge of Me? says the Lord, (also Gen. 30:6, Jer. 30:13).

For the Hebrew, "יָד֨וֹן", the Septuagint uses, "καταμείνῃ" - which means to "Remain With".
בָֽאָדָם֙ could mean "For Man", Gen. 6:3, Qoh. 2:24, Psalms 68:18, etc).

3. Re-Statement:

If בָֽאָדָם֙ in Gen. 6:3 could mean "For Man", why couldn't Gen 6:3 be rendered:

My Spirit will not always plead for Man?
My Spirit will not always contend for Man?
... There are limits to how much My Spirit will plead for man?
Remain with man ....

How does Gen. 6:3 fit into its context, to know how to properly interpret it?


texts: Can later scholars make an issue of something that earlier scholars were not concerned about?

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I know that this is a potentially broad subject but there seems to be a phenomenon where later generations of scholars (i.e. after the close of the Gemara; the Amoraim) come up with new halakhoth or restrictions based on either questions or safeqoth that were never considered or taken into account before.

For instance, the berakhah of shelo ^asani goy was said by all Jews - native-born and convert alike - until some scholars among the Rishonim began to be medayeq on the literal wording of the berakhah and decided that converts should not say it - and even began inventing alternate berakhoth! These forms of the blessing had never been heard of before, or even seen as necessary, by any scholar of any previous generation; not the Tannaim, not the Amoraim, not the Geonim.

This type of thing arises in numerous instances and no one seems to ask in response why, if the halakhah was 'good enough' for the earlier scholars/authorities, it needs to be changed or altered.

My question is:
Is this type of innovation warranted, necessary, or even possible? Shouldn't the halakhah remain unless changed by either reality or an authorized beth din [ha-gadhol]?


texts: Where were sacrifices offered if not in the Temple?

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When a woman has to offer sacrifices after being impure (due, for example, to childbirth), where does she bring that offering?

In Masechet K'ritut, the discussion on 8a centers on a woman who has to bring multiple offerings. The Schottenstein notes read, "Like a woman after childbirth, a woman who was a zavah is permitted to cohabit with her husband immediately after her immersion, but may not eat kodashim or enter the temple until she has brought her offerings."

But if she has to bring offerings into the Temple then she can never enter the Temple to bring the offerings because until she does, she is impure and cannot enter the Temple.

Does she bring the (first) offering somewhere else so that she can then enter the "Temple confines" (8a7, note 60)? (were there different areas of the Temple, with different requirements regarding purity?)

Is the bringing of the live bird enough to effect a purity status (so she becomes tahor enough simultaneously with her entrance), regardless of whether the bird ends up being properly sacrificed?


texts:
In this article discussing how Rav Eliezer Berland came to Breslov Chassidus, there is a photo of young Berland prior to his bar mitzvah, wrapped in tallis and tefillin.

I immediately noticed the minhag in which he has wrapped the tefillin, and it struck me as a bit odd. It is not the usual Ashkenazi method around the hand.

I'm not an expert on minhagim, but it seems that the "normal" Ashkenazi way of wrapping the tefillin is the Lithuanian minhag. I read a post on A Simple Jew about his minhag from Sudiklov and the hand wrapping looks just like the one in the photo of Berland. (Of course, Berland's tefillin are clearly wrapped inwards per Ashkenazi custom whereas A Simple Jew's are Chassidic and therefore wrap outwards.)

What is the origin of this tefillin wrapping? I have added a photo for convenience. I suspect the minhag might be from Ukraine since Sudiklov (as mentioned in the A Simple Jew blog) is a Ukranian village. Plus, maybe I'm making an assumption that the way R' Moshe Feinstein ztz''l wraps his tefillin is the way all Ashkenazim do.


texts: What will the future be like in respect to populating the world?

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Let’s say that we believe in the literal meaning of Midrashim. Let’s also say that we aren’t learning like the Rambam (Hil. Melachim 12:1) that, for the most part, the Messianic future will be the same as this world.

Given these assumptions, we can follow the various sources about cool things happening in the future literally.

One such source is Avodah Zarah 5a:

  וא"ר יוסי אין בן דוד בא עד שיכלו נשמות שבגוף שנאמר (ישעיהו נז, טז) [כי לא לעולם אריב ולא לנצח אקצוף] כי רוח מלפני יעטוף ונשמות אני עשיתי

  And R’ Yose said: The son of David will not come until all Neshamos are completed in the flesh, as it says (Yeshaya 57:16), “For not forever will I fight, nor until eternity will I be angry, for the spirit before Me will delay, and the souls I have made.” (Translation follows Rashi here and Yefeh Anaf to Koheles Rabbah 1:13.)

So all souls are created. Great. Now what? The good and cleansed come back to life, the bad gets “judged” by the sun (Koheles Rabbah 1:11). What about future generations? There can’t be any more generations, as they have already all been born. But the Torah also commands us to procreate (Bereishis 1:28), and the Torah is eternal, never to become nullified. So what will be with the mitzvah of priah u’reviah, if bearing children is impossible?

(Granted, people in this world are also exempt because they’re unable to have children. My question is if in the future that will be the case, worldwide.)


texts: Washing oneself on Erev Shabbos with hot water

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The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 260) writes that there is a mitzvah to wash one's body on Erev Shabbos with hot water, as seen in Tractate Shabbos 25b. The Biur Halacha writes that one can argue about using warm water, but cold water is definitely no good, and one will not have fulfilled the mitzvah.

Why is this so? Shouldn't it depend on the situation? If it's hot outside, perhaps I don't want to take a hot shower, and by taking a hot shower, I will feel uncomfortable on Shabbos!
What is considered hot, for this purpose? Surely, it cannot mean that the water has to be so hot that one gets burned because of it.


texts: Why don't we read from 2 torahs on every shabbat?

texts: The maftir for many holidays, from the second sefer, has to do with the korban musaf of that day. But shabbat is a "holiday" and there is definitely a korban hayom as evidenced by its inclusion in our musaf davening. Why don't we take out 2 sifrei torah on each shabbat and have a maftir each week from "uvayom hashabbat"? [I was told that somewhere there might be a tosafot about this but I don't know where to look.]


texts: When a Bris is being done for a baby at the same time as his Pidyon HaBen

texts: If a baby who is a Bechor had his Bris delayed to the 31st day, and now on the 31st day he is ready to have his Bris and it is also the day of his Pidyon HaBen - which Mitzva should be done first? Do you do the Mitzva of Pidyon HaBen first as it is its proper time or do you do the Mitzva of Milah first as it is the foundation of the Jewish people and without this covenant between Hashem and Klal Yisroel there would be no Mitzva of Pidyon Haben?


texts: 2.4 million killed according to Rashi in B'shalach. Why does no one talk about it?

texts: In the begining of Parshat B'shalach, Rashi says that one p'shat for "Vachamushim" means one fifth, because during Makas Choshech, 4 out of 5 were killed out, and it happened during the time it was dark so that the Egyptians shouldn't see (although, I'm sure once that darkness went away,they would have noticed a HUGE difference in the Jewish population). If you do the math, 600,000 went out of Mitzrayim, which means that four fifths = 2,400,000. My question basically is, why is there no mention of this anywhere? Why were these people killed out? Why are we celebrating the g'ulah of 600,000 while 2.4 million were killed out? This has always bothered me.....


texts: Purim fighting in Adar - why wait for 8 months?

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According to the Purim timeline:

the 13th of Adar (of the next year) was set as the target day for wiping the Jews.
Mordechai became the vice in Nissan and the new decrees to fight Amolekites ware ruled and distributed on Sivan 23 of the current year.

Mordechai could command to exterminate all the supporters of Haman (or Amalekites or enemies in general) effective immediately, and not waiting for 8 months to see how the events would unfold.

He was still under the obligation of "הקם להרגך השכם להרגו" - to make a preventive fight.

Such an order would not contradict the first decrees that proposed that day for the extermination of the Jews. After all, whoever survives might fight the Jews on that day.

Why the commands to fights the Amalekites was postponed for Adar instead of immediately?


texts: Why to stop gentiles to learn Judaism? Is this a rabbinical law or Torah Law?

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Judaism doesn't preach, nor encourage gentiles to convert, moreover, here I saw many discussions : It is not allowed to teach gentiles the Torah.

Judaism believes in reincarnation, any gentiles could be Jews in past life, or vice versa, current Jews could be gentiles in past or future life.

Based on this logic, why to stop gentiles to learn Judaism or Torah?
Any scriptures from Torah to stop gentiles to learn or to convert to Judaism?
Is this a rabbinical law or Torah Law?


texts: The grammatical nature of וָאִמָּלְטָה in the context of Job 1:15. How exactly did the only surviving servant "slip away"?

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In Job 1:15, we read that the Sabeans fell upon and took Job's cattle and she-asses. Then they killed the young men, or servants, of Job, by the sword. Only one of these servants got away, and it is he who is telling Job these things.

וָאִמָּלְטָה רַק-אֲנִי לְבַדִּי לְהַגִּיד לָךְ

Apparently, וָאִמָּלְטָה is cohortative. In Joüon & Muraoka's A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew (2nd Ed.), pg. 127 it says that the cohortative is the "volitive mood of the first person. It has a direct use (e.g. May I kill!, I wish/want to kill!) and an indirect or subordinated use (with ו), (e.g. in order that I may kill)".
The grammar indicates that one discerns the difference b/t the direct/indirect depending on how the prefixed ו is used, which seems somewhat subjective.
On pg. 346 it says about the indirect volitive, “the volitive nuance is often very weak and does not always need to be translated." It goes on to say that it can indicate purpose under certain circumstances. It seems to me, however, that this is not an indirect volitive, from the context.
It seems quite unclear generally how וָאִמָּלְטָה should be understood and translated.
"And they struck the servants by the sword, and I wanted to escape, only I alone, to tell you."?
This doesn't seem right, given that we have a Niphal for the verb. Another alternative is "...and [they] wanted me to escape, only I alone, to tell you." So the idea is that the Sabeans wanted to kill everyone but leave one to relate what happened to Job.
Both of these seem quite different from standard translations I have seen, which render the verb as a simple past "I, only I, escaped to tell you."


texts: When is shabbos observed in the heavenly spheres? Israel time?

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It says in the Zohar, volume 2, 135a-b that during shabbos "...Malchut is united within the mystery of Oneness so that the supernal mystery of Oneness may rest upon her. [This takes place during] the maariv prayer of shabbat eve, for then the holy throne of glory merges into the mystery of Oneness..."
But which time zone does the heavenly sphere follow? Or does it happen as soon as the first minyan of shabbos prayers begin and lasts till the last Jewish community finishes maariv on motzei shabbos?


texts: What is the significance and/or purpose to the different ways the Commandment on covetousness is given?

texts:
The last of the Ten Commandments spoken from Mount Sinai is about covetousness:

  “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” (Exodus 20:14) [ESV]

When this command is recited by Moses there are changes:

  “‘And you shall not covet your neighbor's wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.’ (Deuteronomy 5:18)

"Covet" חָמַד is changed to "desire" אָוָה when applied to the neighbor's house. In addition, by reversing the order of house and wife, "covet" now applies only to wife and "desire" to everything else. What is the significance and/or purpose of these changes?


texts: Why didn't Moses argue to spare lives of Midianites?

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IIRC Avraham was praised for arguing with G-d about the fate of pious Sodomites asking G-d to spare their fate. G-d spared Lot and his family but the two cities were destroyed. Some speculate whether this was a metaphor for Lot's decision. Whether or not this is the case, the question remains.

I was thinking about a more general question about Moses wars, but decided to focus on the war on Midianites. What would happen if he [Moshe] were to follow Avraham's example [tradition]? He ought to at least ask G-d why not - Even though the Moabites were the main reason for this war G-d spared them all because of the potential that will come from them. Mosh Rabbeinu could have asked whether there is no such potential in Midianite.

Why didn't he?


texts: Tosafos - Not a mitzvah to live in Israel since can't keep the land mitzvos

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Tosafos in Kesubos 110b writes:

  הוא אומר לעלות כו' - ...והיה אומר רבינו חיים דעכשיו אינו מצוה לדור בא"י כי יש כמה מצות התלויות בארץ וכמה עונשין דאין אנו יכולין ליזהר בהם ולעמוד עליהם:

  He says to go up [to the Land of Israel], etc.: ...And Rabbenu Chaim says that today, it is not a commandment to live in the Land of Israel, as there are several commandments that are dependent upon the land - and several punishments - that we are not able to be careful about and to be cognizant of.

I don't understand this svara. Why should one be dependent on the other? Maybe there is a mitzvah to live there today, just it's difficult to keep practically due to the mitzvos that depend on the Land which can't be practically followed. Does Tosafos simply mean it's not recommended? Also why does he say there are mitzvos that depend on the Land which have a punishment for being neglected. To me this sounds like they're obligatory on a biblical level. I assume the mitzvos don't apply today midoraisa, so why would there be a punishment.

If someone could explain this Tosafos I'd appreciate it.


texts: It is same species if offspring can have offspring (source)

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I heard that if we do not have a messora on a certain bird but we do have one on a similar species then we can check by checking if their offspring can have offspring

What is this idea based on?
I remember hearing something similar in a day yomi shiur but can not find it now.


texts: If three men pre-arranged to sit down and eat together over a video-chat, is there any reason they shouldn't have a zimun?

texts: I learned that if two groups were eating in two different rooms but even one person could see someone in the other room, then they could have one zimun (I thought this was in Masechet Brachot, but I can't find it). Could this extend to video-chat?


texts:
More than 200 years passed from the time the sons of Yaakov went to Egypt to the time the Hebrews arrived in Israel. When they arrived, the land was divided for the 12 tribes. This would suggest that they didn't intermarry when they were slaves in Egypt, when they were in the desert and when they lived in the Land of Israel. Maybe I'm wrong, and what determined your Tribe was your father's/mother's tribe.

Were inter-tribe marriages allowed? If yes, what determined your tribe?


texts: A sidur I used this morning had the introductory line of the shir shel yom as "hayom yom sheni b'shabas". When I checked the two sidurim I trust the most for excatitude in these matters, one had "bashabas" and the other omitted the line completely. Which is the correct version?


texts: Location for medrash cited by the Chizkuni

texts: The Chizkuni in Parshas Achrei Mos 16:22 writes that the ish iti (the person who would take the goat to har azazel) would not live through the year. He cites from a medrash that the person knew he was going to die that year. Where can this medrash be found that the Chizkuni brings?


texts:
Rav Avrohom Schorr in his Sefer HaLekach V'HaLevuv al HaTorah (5763) for on Parshas Noach the following:

(Took a picture because there is no online copy available)

(Rough Translation by myself)

  We already discussed that the measurements of the ark certainly have something hinted (about them). It is brought in the name of the holy Maggid of Kozhnitz that the holy name Gedashenel has the ability to guard a person from improper thoughts. Additionally I heard from the Tosher Rebbe Shlit"a (now zt"l) that Tzaddikim say when a person has a challenge with an improper thought he should say gey dir sheygitz nir ant loif! (roughly meaning: "get out you Sheygitz (i.e. the Yetzer Hara) just get out!) whose acrostic of the first letters hint to the name above to drive away improper thoughts which come to a person

What is interesting to note (As quoted by the Tosher Rebbe zt"l) is the seeming connection between this Kabbalistic name and its use as a Yiddish acronym.

Is there anything written about the Yiddish language and its (possible) sanctity? I heard the Chasam Sofer has a Teshuva on it but I'm not sure where to find it. Is there anything additionally written about this topic?


texts: Does a father's rebuke cause seven days of humiliation in his child?

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In Bamidbor 12:14, Rashi explains the verse to mean that if Miriam's father had turned to her with an angry face, she would have been humiliated for seven days.

Are there other examples where we find that the attitude of a father can cause so long a humiliation in his child?


texts: Some have the custom of adding "יתברך" to the end of their "יהא שמה" response to Kaddish. What is the source of and explanation for this practice? Which minhagim would practice it?