texts: Why should one have marital relations as if forced by a demon?

texts:
The gemarah (nedarim 20b) mentions that one of the reasons for having beautiful children is due to having relations "as if forced by a demon". Rashi there explains the term as either indicating that the act is performed forcefully or in a completely covered way as if hiding from a demon. This is codified in the halacha (shulchan aruch, orach chaim 240:9) where it is explained differently as either performing the act in fear or under duress.

I would like to understand this concept

How did this go from being a 'segulah' (charm) for having beautiful children to a compulsory halacha?
What is this business with demons? If the intent is to perform the act in any of the ways described above, why not just say so? What relevance do demons have over here?
Why does the Shulchan Aruch explain the implications of 'being forced by a demon' differently than Rashi? Where does he get this explanation from?
Why, in fact, must one perform this mitzvah in a way that would seem like it is against his will? Usually, we are encouraged to be happy in our performance of mitzvot. Why not here?
What is the woman's role here? Should she also feel compelled by a demon?
This does not seem to conform with the behavior of Rav when he slept with his wife (brachos 62a).


texts: Inserting a paper with one's request in between the stones of the western wall

texts:
I once heard a rabbi say that there is an ancient custom (i.e. minhag) to insert a paper with ones bakashos (requests) in between the stones of the western wall.

Where is the source of this minhag?
Is it a minhag or halachah?


texts: Does the Torah speak about mental illness?

texts: I was wondering where does the Torah speak about mental illness, our reaction to mental illness and what is a person who has mental illness obligated to be accounted for?


texts: Can a person decide the Halacha (pasken) for him\herself?

texts:
Request for sources: Assuming one does not have semicha, (ordination) but is learned: Can one decide the Halacha for him\herself (after analyzing the issue and investigating the sources), or is one required to ask a Rabbi (or consult a halacha l'maaseh sefer)?

Examples:

If one is unsure of the beracha to make on a food, and investigates and determines it is a fruit, can s\he decide that the proper beracha is העץ?  (I'm assuming one is allowed to figure it out by looking it up in a "brachot book."  But that isn't "deciding a Halacha.")
If one mixes meat with his\her dairy dishes, can s\he decide for him\herself what the proper Halachic course of action is?

Related: Am I allowed to answer my friend's Halacha question?  Note: None of the answers there provide adequate sources.


texts: May I eat some of the stores food before I purchase it?

texts:
There are times when I'm at the supermarket and I would like to drink one of the store's drinks before I purchase the drink. Or maybe I want to give my kids something in the store so that they stay calm while I do my shopping. I fully plan on purchasing whatever I eat/drink and I see that it's normal for other people to do this.

The question is: Is this permissible? And if not, is there any way I can do this? (e.g. ask an employee if I may start drinking the drink before I buy it? Maybe an individual employee does not have the right to grant me that right?)


texts:
Is there any source which specifically discourages or prohibits drawing the face of Avraham, Moshe, or any other biblical/rabbinic figure (besides for any issue of drawing people in general)?

Picture books published by religious organizations meant for young children often leave out the faces of these specific people, and I vaguely remember hearing about a midrash or something which discourages drawing the face of Avraham.


texts: A kuntres is, generally speaking, known to be a pamphlet or a booklet in the spirit and style of traditional ethical Torah teachings. But how is this different to a small sefer? How many pages it contains (or should contain)? Is there some kind of guidelines about what a kuntres is or a clear definition to it?


texts: Seeking easy-Hebrew, high-interest books on Jewish topics for 8 year old boy

texts: Seeking titles of books and names of authors of high-interest children's books on Jewish topics in easy Hebrew with nikudot.  (Indications of reading grade level would be helpful.)


texts: Four cups of wine by the Pesach Seder -- From the Torah?

texts:
I've heard there is an opinion that the daled cosos by the Pesach Seder are m'doraisa. What is the source for this (if there is one? I vaguely remember a source being in the Yerushalmi?)

What Seforim speak about this? Are there any nafkei minah that are brought or discussed?


texts: Sources for minhag not saying tachnun on fridays and sundays

texts:
I prayed in a chasidic shul in europe. They did not say tachnun in sharis of friday and sunday.

I asked them what the reason is and they answered me that in the days close to shabbes tachnun should not be recited.

Is there a halachic source (makor) for this?

The closest answer i could find was this: Special occasions where various Chassidim don't say Tachanun

It just speaks on friday and there is a source of a siddur but not a halachic sefer.


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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts: Are you allowed to invent your own method for wrapping the tefillin shel yad?

texts:
Generally speaking, one receives his method for wrapping the tefillin around the arm and hand from his father (or for a ger, usually the custom of the community/rabbi is the one he follows).

Is one allowed the invent one's own way of wrapping the tefillin around the arm and hand, as long as it does not defy anything per halacha (such as making sure the yud kesher touches the bayis)? Would it make a difference if they did not receive a minhag from their family?

Note: Follow up question to come.


texts: Rabbi Abraham of Viterbo challenged Maimonides?

texts:
Apparently Rabbi Abraham of Viterbo in the third essay of Sefer Emunat Chachamim challenged Maimonides regarding his claim that the Torah cannot be changed.
Could someone post an excerpt of what he said?


texts: Online classes on Moreh Nevuchim in English?

texts: Does anyone know of English classes online for the Rambam's Moreh Nevuchim?


texts: Is an oath (neder or shevua) valid if made while drunk?  What if a person had a bad experience while under the influence of alcohol and while drunk swore never to drink again, but after becoming sober regretted the oath?  What are the relevant sources useful in evaluating this subject?


texts: Women had to sacrifice for purification each month?

texts:
In parashat Metzorah it says that after a woman's flow has ended, part of the purification process is bringing two doves as a sacrifice.

Weren't sacrifices only allowed to be done at the Tabernacle or Temple in Jerusalem? Does that mean women had to travel every month to Jerusalem? Or was there some sort of alternative not mentioned in this parasha?


texts: What 12 tribes are meant in many places while there really were 13?

texts:
There are many mentions of the "12 tribes" (e.g., the tag of this question). But there really were 13: Ya'akov had 12 sons, of which each was the ancestor of one tribe except Yosef that was the ancestor of 2.

I know that there were 12 tribal territories because Levi had no land of its own. But on the other hand, Levi had its own symbol while Yosef only had one symbol (see question and picture). But AFAIK nobody ever mentions a "Yosef tribe".

So what 12 tribes are usually meant?


texts: Are Chasidei Umot haOlam a mixture of pure and impure, or just pure?

texts: It's stated in Lessons in Tanya Ch.1 that Chasidei Umot haOlam emanate from klipat nogah. Klipat nogah contains purity and impurity. Do Chasidei Umot haOlam retain the purity and impurity, or do they just retain the purity?


texts: What is the purpose of the laws of mourning?

texts:
There are generally accepted laws and customs regarding a mourner, whether mourning for a relative  or for the tragedy of the destruction of the bais hamikdash.  Examples include restriction from bathing and hair cutting.  What is the purpose of these halachos?  Is there a theme?  Some ideas might be:

We are required to actualize our grief.
Doing these actions give us a "geshmak" which makes us forget about our grief.

Are there any sources that address this?  Any ideas?


texts: What verses in Na"ch describe the details of Jewish calendar like Kidush HaChodesh and Ibbur Hashanah?

texts:
The Gemmorah in Jerusalem Rosh Hashana 6a explains the process of adopting the Babylonian names instead of Biblical ones.

  דא"ר חנינה שמות חדשים עלו בידם מבבל
  R'Hanina said: the names of the Months were brought with them from Babylon

WIKI on Metonic_cycle claims that the 19 years 12/13 month cycle was used by Babylonians [at least] from the times of the First Temple:

  "According to Livy, the king of Rome Numa Pompilius (753-673 BC, [mid first Temple]) inserted intercalary months in such a way that in the twentieth year the days should fall in with the same position of the sun from which they had started."

I'm looking for counterexamples in our sources, that the Jewish calendar as we know it was practiced prior to the Babylonian exile.

Are there verses that Bney Israel kept Kiddush HaChodesh and Ibbur Hashana from Yehoshua till the destruction of the First Temple?


texts: Suppose someone keeps a plant that must be watered daily in order for it to survive. May that person water the plant on Shabbat?  Note that this is definitely allowed and even required for pet animals who must be fed daily; however, plants seem to me as though they might be different in this regard.


texts: Is there a bracha achrona called "Al Ha'Adama"?

texts:
This Web page alludes (at Footnote 2) to a discussion of the possibility that the correct bracha after raw grain is "Al HaAdama":

  Tosfot 37a D"H HaKoses has a doubt that perhaps the Bracha Achrona for raw grain is Al HaAdama.

I had never heard of such a bracha achrona. Does it/did it exist? What is/was it? Do we need to say it for anything?


texts: The apocryphal text dubbed "Eccleasiaticus" (also known as The Book of Sirach) is purported to be written by a man by the name of Ben Sira or Shimon ben Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira.  I was looking into the meaning of the name of Sirach but could not find anything.  Does anyone know what Sirach means?  (Bonus: Could you explain what Sira means as well if able?)


texts: When were the current Sidra breaks established?

texts:
The Gemara (Megillah 29b) relates that in Eretz Yisrael, they would finish the Torah every three years, while in Bavel, they would do so every year. In practice, it seems universally accepted to follow the Bavli practice, finishing the Torah every year on Simchas Torah, and in order to do so, the Torah is divided up into 54 (53?) sidros, which are sometimes merged or split as necessary to accommodate more or less Shabbasos in a given year. According to this minhag, there are twelve sidros in Sefer Bereishis, at most eleven in Sefer Shemos, at most ten in Sefer Vayikra, at most ten in Sefer Bamidbar, and at most  eleven in Sefer Devarim.

Where did these particular divisions originate from? Some of them (ex. Bereishis, Noach, Lech Lecha) go as far back as the Rambam (Hil. Tefillah 13:1ff), and some of the ones he mentions in later Halachos there go back as far as the Gemara (Megillah 31b, et. al.), if not further; others, such as Mishpatim, were very different at least as recently as the Sefer HaChinuch (who counts Parshas Im Kesef among the Parshios).

What was the earliest Sefer that mentions the current division of Sidros, with exactly 54 (?) Sidros beginning and ending exactly where the current widespread minhag places them?


texts: How long does one stay tamei for after seminal emission?

texts: If a person had a seminal emission from masturbation and did not go to the mikveh how long does this person remain considered impure for. Is the only way to become pure again through going to the mikveh.


texts: Must the Lechem Mishna be cut with a knife?

texts:
I've been told by a few people that Lechem Mishnah must be cut with a knife (as opposed to breaking off a piece with one's hand). I asked them to source it, and they're still looking.

Is there any source that Lechem Mishnah must be cut with a knife? Alternatively, do any sources say one may break the Lechem Mishnah with his hand?

This related question asks why people are insistent to cut the bread with a knife, whereas I'm looking specifically for sources discussing it.


texts: Testification on the rabbinic law if the witness is interested

texts:
What is if the witness is interested in the case in which he is called to testify?

Can it be a reason to consider his testament much weaker (or even ignore it)? As I know, in the Torah is mainly the number of the witnesses are prescribed. What is the case with their interests, affecting their beliavibility?


texts: Returning found item to house of idolatry

texts:
If one finds an item which belongs to a house of idolatry, should or could they return it to the institution?

Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 266 and commentaries discuss the idolators and returning the list item to them. But I didn't see anyone discussing this case.

There are a couple of somewhat relevant questions on this site seen here and here for instance, but none seem to address this specific case.


texts: Is there a deeper significance of squares and cubes?

texts:
I've noticed that many of the structures in the Mishkan as well as elsewhere in Judaism are cubes and squares, or multiples of cubes and squares.

The luchot are two half-cubes which combine to make a full cube (1x1 ama)
The Gold Mizbeach is 2x1 ama (or two 1 ama cubes [5tefach/ama]) with four cube corners
The Copper Mizbeach is 5x10 amot (or two 5 ama cubes*) with 5x5 tefach cubes on its' four corners. *The actual measurements are a mix of 5 and six tefach amas, which changes it's actual size (Eruvin 4a & Menachos 98a), but it's rough description is 5x10 amot, 250 times the size of the luchot & 216 times the size of the Gold Mizbeach, and a quarter of the size of the Kodesh Kedashim.
The Kodesh-Kedashim is a 10x10 ama cube
The Holies is 20 ama x 10 ama (or two 10 ama cubes)
The courtyard is 100x50 ama (or two  50 ama squared)
Tefilin are 2 individual cubes.
Tzizit have four-squares on their corners.
The Shulchan is 6x12x9 ama (or 648 tefachim cubed, which is three times the volume luchot)
The Lechem Panim were 5x10 tefachim and folded into 5x5 tefach squares.
The choshen was 1x1 ama squared
There were 50 letters on the Choshen's stones, 25 on each shoulder stone.
The Parochet was 10x10 ama squared

Was it just an easy shape or ratio to make?

Edit:
I've been thinking it has to do with the "pattern" that Hashem instructs Moshe to build the mishkan after, which He showed Moshe on Har sinai.

"According to all that I show you, the pattern of the Mishkan and the pattern of all its vessels; and so shall you do." (Terumah 25:9)

"And you shall erect the Mishkan according to its proper manner, as you will have been shown on the mountain." (Terumah 26:30)


texts: Can one invest in a Jewish-controlled company which performs work on Shabbas?

texts: Is a Jew permitted to invest in shares of a company if the company performs work on shabbas and a non-orthodox Jew started the company and is a major shareholder yet owns less than 50% of the shares of the company but still has more than 50% of the voting rights to override/block any takeover of that company?


texts: Best way to explain to my boss that I cannot attend a team summit because it is on Rosh Hashana or any other Jewish Holiday

texts:
I have a team summit which unfortunately falls on Rosh Hashanah and I will not be able to attend.

It is not mission critical that I be there - it is more for team building but still the team spent a lot of time organizing it. It is at a very nice hotel and everyone is expected to be there.

My manager and I think 99% percent of my team are gentiles.

I have already taken vacation for these days which have been approved by my manager but I'd like to notify my manager that I won't be attending the summit, explaining the significance of Rosh Hashanah, in a way that he would understand why I cannot attend the summit.

I imagine other people have faced similar issues before. How would you recommend I go about saying I can't attend, explaining the significance of the holiday, and also explaining that I cannot do work on those days?


texts: How to understand: All found on land is found also in the sea

texts: It says in Chullin 127a that all found on land is found also in the sea, except  a "chuldah".  Is there is a larger list of such fish (other than the Gemara mentions)?  Any insights would be appreciated as to what is being taught here.


texts: Why is an aufruf (Askenazim) before and a shabbat chatan (sefardim) after the wedding? I know there is an idea of a chaasan going to shul from the Pirkei d'Reb Eliezer 17 but how did it get split betweeen the Askenazim and Sefardim.


texts: How can I keep the cover on my tefillin shel yad from falling off?

texts: My tefillin shel yad came with a cover on it that I think is for protecting its squareness. The problem is, the cover isn't tight against the bayit, so it ends up falling off. Any simple tips to prevent that?


texts: What is the source that an accused criminal must have been warned?

texts: What are the Biblical and rabbinic sources that say that someone accused of a crime, especially a capital crime, must be proved to have had a prior warning or instruction that the activity was a sin punishable in this world by X, before being so punished?  Is there also a source that says that Torah scholars are presumed to know the law, and what is that source?


texts: Why is hallel at the seder different from hallel during the year?

texts:
I know there are many differences between hallel at the seder and regular hallel.

At the seder, hallel:

Has no starting bracha (Orech Chaim Hilchot Pesach Siman 473)
Is said sitting down (Sefer Shibulei Haleket Inyan Rosh Chodesh Siman 373)
Is said at night (Hallel is supposed to be said during the day normally) (Bavli Megillah 20:2)
Hallel at seder is not part of the list of 18 times when a full hallel is said. (Bavli, Archin 10:1)

What is the reasons for these disparities/on what basis were they made in the haggada?


texts: Having pictures in a room that is prayed in

texts: Is it assure to have pictures of people in a room where someone is praying, specifically on the eastern wall?


texts: Non-Jewish court imposing payments until a Jewish divorce is given

texts:
This recent news article discusses a Jewish man who was ordered by a non-Jewish court to pay maintenance to his wife until he grants her a get (Jewish divorce document).

The man claimed in court that if he were to grant a get under the terms of this ruling, the get would in fact be invalid, as it would have been given under compulsion.

The judge rejected this argument. But what do halachic sources say?

If a non-Jewish court imposes payments until a get is given, would that invalidate a subsequently granted get? Under what circumstances is a 'compelled get' valid or invalid? What exactly are the parameters that define a 'compelled get'?

Ideally, I would like as comprehensive an answer as possible, but answers discussing specific scenarios are of course welcome. I would be particularly interested in answers addressing the case described in the linked article, where there does not seem to have been any involvement of a Beit Din (Jewish court) in the process.


texts: Saying Baruch Dayan HaEmeth when you don't know the person

texts:
Is it appropriate to say "Baruch Dayan HaEmeth" when you hear of sad news about a person you don't know, or a person you have corresponded with but haven't met?

Does it make a difference if you've heard a great deal about the person or if the first time you're hearing of them is the report of the news?

Does it make a difference if you've gained from the person (knowledge, business, entertainment, etc.) despite not knowing them or corresponding with them (read their book, seen their work, studied their expertise, etc.)?


texts:
The Mishna says:

A hundred-year-old is as if he were dead, passed away and ceased connection with the world. [Avot 5:25]

At first blush this seems callous and disrespectful.  What is the teaching here?

The Lubavitcher Rebbe said:  When God said "No man will see Me and live", it implies "While alive one does not see, but when dead one sees." "A 100-year-old is as if he were dead," means that he can have insights into Godliness.  Also, "passed away and ceased connection with the world" means "has risen above all worldly matters". His focus and concern are solely spiritual.

I like it, but am not fully satisfied.  Other explanations?


texts: Will everyone get to live during the times of Moshiach?

texts: Will everyone get to live during the times of Moshiach or only those that are considered worthy? If not everyone gets to see it what can one do to make themselves worthy or c"v unworthy (are there certain mitzvos/averios)?


texts:
Is playing with a water gun for fun allowed or is it a problem of baal tashchis (wasting resources)?
(assuming for adult playing with kids or with other adults)

This is really a general question of where do you draw the line between recreation and baal tashchit.


texts: How did the knowledge of the pronunciation of the Divine Name get lost?

texts: I have heard that there are, in theory, 22 different ways to pronounce the Divine four-letter Name (Yud Key Vav Key) of Hashem and that the one correct way to say the Name has been lost.  How did that happen?


texts:
The Gemara discusses something of the following question:
How can the Almighty purify himself, His Presence can never be contained in any body of water, so how can He ever properly emerge Himself?


texts: How did the word Yetzer begot it's meaning of inclination?

texts:
Looking for the connection of Yetzer and the translation as inclanation, I was surprised that almost every Hebrew word derived from the same root had to do with creating.

So how did a word (from a root with a common denominator of creating) begot the meaning of inclination?

Information I found based on etymology:

The word yetzer יצר is related to the verb yatzar יצר which means something like 'to create, fashion, produce or form'.

But within the Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew by S.R.Hirsch I found a nice reference to the Aramaic word yitzra יצרא which according to Hirsch means inclination.

But other translations of what seems to be the same word (איצרא) in phrases like yitzra d'ervah and yitzra d'avodah zarah translate it as tempter, urge, intent, drive.

Are there any commentaries that show the connection?


texts: Why did the Davidic dynasty need to come from questionable relations?

texts:
On the one side of the family, we have the union between Tamar and Yehudah, which, while technically a fulfillment of Yibum, Yehudah thought she was a harlot. From this union came Peretz (Bereishis 38:15-29), the forebear of David HaMelech (Rus 4:18-22).

On the other side of the family, we have Rus, a descendant of Moav. He was born from the union of Lot with his eldest daughter (Bereishis 19:36-37).

Continuing down the line, David himself married Bas Sheva, after seeing her beauty and sending her husband Uriah to the front lines of the war to be killed in battle such that she would be single (Shmuel 2:11:2-27). From this union came Shlomo HaMelech (ibid. 12:24).

David’s lineage was called into question by Doeg HaEdomi, until it was confirmed that a female Moavite convert is not prohibited (Yevamos 76b-77a).

David himself was thought to have been born from the union between Yishai and his maidservant, rather than his actual wife (Me’am Loez to Shmuel 1:16:11; cf. here).

Shlomo himself married Ne’amah, a descendant of Ben-Ami, the son of Lot with his other daughter (Bereishis 19:36,38). Ne’amah went on to be the mother of Rechavam (Melachim 1:14:21).

All of these incidents were either technically permitted or at least done for noble causes, yet smack of something illicit. David married a single woman, after her husband was killed as rebelling against the king (Kiddushin 43a), yet was reprimanded for it (Shmuel 2 ch. 12). Yehudah, even if he didn’t know it, was fulfilling the mitzvah of Yibum, yet thought that he was being intimate with a harlot. And Lot’s daughters are praised for their actions, as they thought that the world had been destroyed and it was up to them to continue the human race, but at the same time, their actions are termed “sins” for Heaven’s sake (Horayos 10b-11a). While Rus was allowed to marry into the congregation, it wasn’t without controversy. And David’s mother wasn’t confirmed to even be permitted to his father until the truth came out that she wasn’t a maidservant.

Why must the Davidic dynasty come from such a background? Why couldn’t it be a normal family with normal marriages?


texts: How does one know his balance between Hishtadlus and Bitachon?

texts:
In every major decision there seems to be a constant struggle between Hishtadlus, doing what is in one’s own power, and Bitachon, leaving it up to Hashem. For example: does one go chase after shadchanim to help find a spouse, or does he put it in Hashem’s hands to help him or her? Does one go to the doctor for medication, or does he daven that Hashem save him?

At what point should one say that he’s done enough, and it’s up to Hashem from there on out? I imagine that this would be very different depending on the person and circumstance, but are there any general guidelines brought down in Chazal, or even Rishonim and Achronim?


texts: "What shall become of his dreams?" - Q on Rash"i on Breishit 37:20

texts:
I'm having trouble understanding Rashi on Genesis 37:20
When Joseph came towards his brothers, they plotted to kill him. They said, (Gen. 37:20):

וְעַתָּה | לְכוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בְּאַחַד הַבֹּרוֹת וְאָמַרְנוּ חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ וְנִרְאֶה מַה יִּהְיוּ חֲלֹמֹתָיו:
So now, let us kill him, and we will cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'A wild beast devoured him,' and we will see what will become of his dreams."

Rashi comments:

ונראה מה יהיו חלומותיו: אמר ר' יצחק מקרא זה אומר דרשני, רוח הקודש אומרת כן. הם אומרים נהרגהו, והכתוב מסיים ונראה מה יהיו חלומותיו, נראה דבר מי יקום או שלכם או שלי. ואי אפשר שיאמרו הם ונראה מה יהיו חלומותיו מכיון שיהרגוהו בטלו חלומותיו:
and we will see what will become of his dreams: Rabbi Isaac said, This verse says: “Expound on me.” [I.e., this verse demands a midrashic interpretation.] The Holy Spirit says thus: They (the brothers) say, “Let us kill him,” but the verse concludes: “and we will see what will become of his dreams.” Let us see whose word will stand up, yours or Mine. It is impossible that they (the brothers) are saying,“and we will see what will become of his dreams,” because, since they will kill him, his dreams will come to nought. [From Tan. Buber, Vayeshev 13]

Text and translations from Chabad.org
I have trouble with Rav Yitzhak's general assumption, here. Why couldn't the brothers have been the one's making that statement? It would just be stating the result of their actions. It's as if the brothers said, "Joseph dreamt that he would rule over us. So, if we kill him, we'll see what happens to all those dreams he had. Nothing will become of them, because he won't rule over us."


texts: Why do we still say sections of davening in aramaic?

texts:
I am pretty sure the aramaic sections of davening were written in aramaic because it was considered necessary for people to understand what they were saying. If this is true, why don't we say those sections in languages that more people understand today, like English or Hebrew?

EDIT: The Metzudah siddur says that Uva Letzion has Aramaic in it so people could understand it and the Koren siddur says, similarly, that it is there because the kaddish section is an "act of study" and says that "Aramaic was for a long time the language of study" (the bold is mine). I did not find anything related to this issue in the Artscroll.


texts: What happened to the prophets of Asherah in 1 Melachim 18?

texts:
Shalom.
In 1 Melachim 18:19, Eliyahu gives Achab an order to summon ‘All Israel... together with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba’al and the four hundred prophets of Asherah’. However, when the story reaches Mt. Carmel, Eliyahu makes reference only to the prophets of Ba’al when addressing the people (v.22) and only the prophets of Ba’al are said to partake in the trial / test. Furthermore, once Eliyahu has proven that Hashem is G-d, he asks only that the prophets of Ba’al be seized (v.40).
What therefore happened to those prophets of Asherah? Have the commentators commented on this apparent problem?


texts: Why don't people ever get married via a shtar kiddushin?

texts:
The Mishnah on Kiddushin 2a lists 3 ways a woman can be mekudeshet (betrothed): via money, via the act of intercourse, via a shtar (document).

Now I understand 2 of the acquisition methods:

✅ money- the method universally used today
❌  intercourse-  it's licentious, Chazal were against it (Yevamos 52a) so much so that one would get makkas mardus if they attempted to mekadesh this way (Rambam Hilchos Issurei Biah 21:14)

But why don't people ever get married via a shtar kiddushin?


texts: It seems to be common knowledge that the Ramchal did not wear a beard (see here for instance). What sources are there, if any, that say the Ramchal, in fact, did not wear a beard?


texts: I know that Hashem is not physical but is He spiritual? Also does He exist in time?


texts:
What is the "benefit," if any, of having one's spleen removed?

Melachim I - I Kings - Chapter 1:5 "And Adoniahu the son of Haggith
exalted himself saying: 'I will be king,' and he made for himself
chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him."
And fifty men: had their spleens removed and the soles of their feet
were scraped.

https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15885/showrashi/true
This is a two-part question on Rashi's commentary:
What is the (medical/logical or any) purpose of having "their spleens removed and the soles of their feet ... scraped"?


texts: Can you attend a sporting event on a minor fast day?

texts: This year the tenth of Teves falls on a Sunday, which happens to also be an NFL game day. Is it permissible or discouraged to attend such a sporting event during the fast?


texts: If one skips parts of Pesukei DiZimrah may he say them after Davening or once he skips that is it ? Also if he could , does he have to ?


texts: Source for Adam being made with the letter Hey

texts:
I know of this gemarah teaching (see also Midrash Rabah 12:2) about Bereshit 2:4 which teaches that the phrase: 'Eileh toldot hashamayim v'ha'aretz b'hibaram' could be read as 'b'Hey baram', that HaShem created this world with the letter Hey.

R. Yitzchak Hutner (in Pachad Yitzchak to Sukkos) writes that the reason a "hei" was added was because Avraham was becoming a new creation, so to speak - being fashioned from new.

From these teachings it seems to me that the letter Hey represent 'creative power'.

Well I can't remember from where but I remembered comming across this teaching about Adam HaRishon being created with the letter Hey as well, that HaShem breathed with the Hey - the divine breath - into his nostrils the breath of life. That HaShem formed man of the dust of the ground and with this breath he became a new creation; a nefesh chayah. Anyone familiar with this teaching and knows it's source?


texts:
In many siddurim, particularly those printed for the Ashkenazi or Spanish-Portuguese communities, there is a tefillah for the government, Hanotein Teshuah (the title is based on a passuk in Ps. 144) printed after the Mi Shebeirach for the community

However, in the current Chabad siddur, there is no such prayer (it goes right from the above-mentioned Mi Shebeirach to Birchat Hachodesh [pg. 232]). Why is this?

None of the Chabads I have davened at say a prayer for the government, whereas every other schul I have been to on Shabbat does.


texts:
Orach Chayim 61:3 (based on Berakhot 60b) says that the chazan should repeat ה' אלהיכם אמת after the 245 words of the Shema, in order to have 248 words in total, which corresponds to the traditional number of the human body's parts. Rema comments that we add at the beginning אל מלך נאמן instead if we are praying without minyan (even though this practice is not followed in Frankfurt and at Chabad). One should also say the whole Shema before going to bed if he didn't do so after tzeit (Mishnah Berurah to Orach Chayim 239:1).

In almost all books at the bedtime Shema just the first part is present, although אל מלך נאמן is still there, and I've seen old manuscripts, where it is even with big and/or fancy fonts. What is the point for saying these three words if one is going to say only the first paragraph?


texts:
I understand that the main reason for taking out 2 Torah scrolls on a Shabbat when the Maftir portion is not the last few verses of the weekly reading, is to avoid Tircha Detzibbur ("burdening the congregation" by waiting for the reader to roll the Torah to the next location.)

What if the maftir portion is so close to the weekly reading that it would actually take longer to perform hagbah and gelila than rolling the Torah and dressing it?

For example, this year, on Shabbat Sheqalim, the weekly reading is from Vayakhel. The maftir of Shekalim is in Ki Tissa, about 10 or so columns prior.

It seems that calling two people up, having them lift and roll / dress the Torah takes longer then giving the Torah about 2 rolls to the right place.

In such situations, wouldn't it be better to just use 1 Torah to avoid Tircha Detzibbur, if that's the concern?


texts: I was once reading the ingredients on a pack of Bissli (with a Pesach hashgacha) and saw that it contained yeast. How can this be?


texts: Why are there no Tanaaim or Amoraaim with the names Avraham or Moshe?

texts:
I heard this question posed a few days ago, and I've been wondering about it ever since. Why are there no Tanaaim or Amoraaim in the Mishnah or Gemara with the names Avraham or Moshe (or David, for that matter, although there might be just one or two very minor ones with the name David in particular).

Anyone have any insight into this?


texts:
Converts are not "מקרב אחיך" and thus are not allowed to be dayanim, in my understanding. Why then are they not מקרב אחיך?
Thanks in advance.


texts: What to do in a case of no siddur available and additions to the Shemoneh Esrei?

texts:
(Feel free to write a better title.)

Today i ended up getting to shul too late for mincha, and having to daven outside (still within the proper time). Now, i know shemoneh esrei by heart, and even yaaleh v'yavo, but not al hanisim. Luckily, i had a siddur in my pocket (no, not a smartphone), and was able to read from it. But that made me wonder: What if i didn't have the text?

If i would not have been able to say al hanisim due to not knowing it by heart, would it be better to say shemoneh esrei in the proper time without al hanisim, or miss mincha, and daven tashlumin at maariv, with the proper additions?

What about yaaleh v'yavo? The difference is that if yaaleh v'yavo is forgotten, the shemoneh esrei must be repeated, while that is not the case with al hanisim.

To avoid working around the question: There's no mincha minyan available, no siddur or any text available, and no time to go look it up.


texts: Why did Yakov ask for a favor from Yosef instead of commanding him?

texts:
Gen 47, 29:

  "וַיִּקְרְבוּ יְמֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לָמוּת וַיִּקְרָא לִבְנוֹ לְיוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ
  אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ שִׂים־נָא יָדְךָ תַּחַת יְרֵכִי
  וְעָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אַל־נָא תִקְבְּרֵנִי בְּמִצְרָיִם׃

  And when the time approached for Israel to die, he summoned his son Joseph and said to him, “Do me this favor, please, place your hand under my thigh as a pledge of your steadfast loyalty: please do not bury me in Egypt."

Seemingly, Yaakov should have commanded Yosef to bury him in Israel, but instead, he begged him.

Why?


texts: The exact current Halachic status of Bar Mitzvah celebratory meal?

texts:
This answer brings sources for celebrating Bar Mitzvah by arranging a Seuda.

However I'd like to know what's its current Halachic status - is it mentioned in Poskim, Shu"A, Shu"a Harav etc and how serious it is.


texts: Can you handle a battery-powered handheld clock on Shabbos?

texts: This battery-powered handheld clock that has alarm clock and stopwatch features, would such a clock be muktzeh on Shabbos, even if one turned off the alarm clock feature before Shabbos?


texts:
This is NOT Purim Torah.

  Dolfinim can give birth from humans. What are dolfinim? Says Rav Yehudah, mermaids.1

  Bechoros 8a. Translation follows Rashi.

Whether there are actually mermaids is not for this discussion. Let's assume that there are.

Are mermaids considered animals that such a union would be a violation of bestiality, or would it be permissible?
Let's say that a human went ahead and did it anyway, and the mermaid gave birth to some weird mermaid-human crossbreed. Is the offspring considered human, mermaid, both, or neither?

In other words: is a mermaid human? Is the offspring of a human and a mermaid human?2

1Rashi describes a half-human half-fish creature called "sereine" in the French of his day. Sounds like a mermaid to me.

2Possibly relevant is the argument in Chullin 79a between R' Meir and the Chachamim regarding mating a mule with a mule. Granted that no viable offspring will be produced, will there be an issue of kelayim?

According to R' Meir, we go after the mothers: if both of them had a horse for a mother, for instance, it is permissible, while if one had a horse as a mother, and the other had a donkey as a mother, it is forbidden. According to the Chachamim, it is an independent species; we don't care about the mothers - it will always be permissible.


texts: Is the Moshiach in Judaism a “returning” type figure?

texts:
I am wondering if the Moshiach in Judaism is supposed to be returning in the sense that it is a soul from another figure, specifically King David.

I ask because I see this pattern everywhere including Christianity and current Jewish offshoots. I was wondering if the “returning” element of the Moshiach that I see outside (and even sometimes inside) of Judaism is happening because the concept is already cooked into the true rabbinical Judaism. Does anyone know the answer or where I could get one?


texts: Forgot chonantanu after already making havdalah over wine

texts: If one made havdalah over wine before praying maariv, and then in maariv he forgot to say chonantanu and has already completed shemoneh esrei, would he have to repeat shemoneh esrei?


texts: Seeing the moon or its light for Kiddush Levanah

texts: When you say Kiddush Levanah, how much of the moon do you have to see? Is seeing its light ok?


texts: Printing a once-off siddur that would require genizah

texts:
I have been asked to compile a booklet containing the Shacharit service for a special occasion. The printed booklets (currently 60 pages long, double-sided 2-per-page, so 15 pieces of paper each) will probably never be used after the occasion and would have to be put in sheimos. I would like to modify the relevant names and words in the text to avoid this.

Is printing single-use siddurim that would need to be put in sheimos a bad idea, possibly because it is disrespectful to the holiness of the siddur, or maybe just wasteful?
Is removing the holy names an inappropriate / disrespectful thing to do to a siddur?
After modification, would the booklet possibly still be required to be put in sheimos simply because of its nature as a siddur?

Please supply your sources or reasoning for your answers.


texts: Are there prohibitions of work on chol hamoed at the biblical level?

texts: Some categories of  melacha are permitted on chol hamoed. Are there any categories of  melacha that are prohibited on  chol hamoed at the  biblical level (d'oraissa)?


texts: In the Talmud is there a way to distinguish when a verse is brought as מקור or אסמכתא?

texts:
The Talmud is full of the standard procedure of the Sages interpreting Tanakh verses to learn various laws and behaviors.

Is there a way to tell when a Rabbi cites a Pasuk as a traditionally known מקור for a law (Torah law from Moses, like "כבד את אביך ואת אמך" as the source for honoring parents Mitzvah) or as a mere אסמכתא (rabbinic law using verse as a bassis) for his own opinion?


texts: Can there be a guide to what interruptions and skips can be made during parts of davening? I'd like to see such a guide and think it would be extremely helpful to the users of Mi Yodeya.


texts: Where do the different traditions for hours of waiting between meat and milk come from?

texts:
As far as I can tell, there are 5 different traditions for how long one has to wait between eating meat and milk:

wait 6 full hours
wait into the 6th hour (thus, 5 hours and 5 minutes would suffice)
wait 5 full hours
wait 3 hours
wait 1 hour

I know that waiting 3 hours is a German tradition, and waiting 1 hour is a Dutch tradition. I'm wondering if:

A) There are any other traditions that I don't know about; and
B) If anyone can tell me who came up with these hours, and why?


texts: Who are the Attributists Rambam speaks of

texts:
in the 'Guide for the Perplexed' by Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, who are the 'attributists' he speaks of?  Are they other Jews with a different view, a different sect within Judaism, the Mohammedans, the Christians, or another group?
He speaks of them several times but this is an example:

"The Scriptures unquestionably ascribe to God Existence, Life, Power, Wisdom, Unity, Eternity, and Will. The Attributists regard these as properties distinct from, but co-existing with, the Essence of God. "


texts: I'm reading a book called "Publications of The American Jewish Historical Society, no. 21" (which can be found for free on archive.com). The first part is a collection of records of Congregation Shearith Israel in NY from the years 1728-1760. In it, it's mentioned that different members filled different functions in the running of the shul - there was a chazan, parnasim, chatanim (Beresheet and Torah), and so forth. Then there's a group of people called "the Yechidim" (referred to as "the Yechidimz" in 18th-century Hebrew-to-English transliteration) who would assemble from time to time. Does anyone know what role these people filled in a congregation?


texts:
I understand that it is preferable to support schach with materials that would themselves constitute schach.

I cannot find any information on whether it is permissible to use metal screws/nails to, for example, join two timber roof supports in the middle of the sukkah, under the schach. The schach would not be in contact with the metal screws, but it would be supported by timber which requires the screws to stay up.


texts: Blessing children together or individually?

texts:
When I was a child, my parents would bless my siblings and me on Erev Shabbos. The formulation that they used was "Yesimcha Elokim kEphraim v'ch'Menashe" for each son and "Yesimech Elokim kSarah, Rivka, Rachel, V'Leah" for each daughter, and then they would say the kohen's blessing "yevarechicha..." once for everyone together.

Usually when I have seen other families blessing their children, they do it quietly so it is difficult for others to hear, but I believe that they say the kohen blessing separately for each child. Is this the typical practice?


texts: Sources that Avraham Avinu personified Gemilas Chasodim

texts:
See this thread which discusses that Avraham Avinu used to make his guests pay exorbitant prices if they did not wish to bless Hashem for the food.

I am struggling to differentiate between a missionary from a different religion who would set up a food kitchen in order to persuade people to convert to their religion, and Avraham's hospitality.

To me, it appears that if the goal of the generosity is to convert people to a religion, then the deed is not Gemilas Chassodim, but rather some sort of avoidah, an act between a person and his God.

In fact, one can go as far as to say the food was not free at all, but rather had a payment of blessing a god you do not wish to bless.

Wouldn't someone who is a ba'al chessed give food to anyone who is hungry, and not make it dependent on recognizing their God?

(PS. On a similar vein, Avrohom sent Yishmoel away without gold and silver according to Rashi, as he hated him because he went on a bad way. Wouldn't someone who is a ba'al chessed be generous to someone who had stayed in his home for years, regardless of his religious activities?)

In summary, I am seeking to understand where Chazal saw that Avrohom Avinu did chessed from these accounts, or are there other stories that were purely chessed from which Chazal learned from?


texts:
Gideon was famously called "a Mighty Man of Valor" by the Malach/Messenger and the word is most famously utilized in Proverbs 31 in the description of the Virtuous Woman.
Doing research into the word Chayil, I came across Maimonides's commentary on Exodus 18:21 in which he highlights alertness, wisdom, and fairness associated with the term.  My question is what does "חַיִל" mean?  Does the denotation only have to only do with courage, bravery, might as pertaining to some sort of battle?  Is there a connotation of substance (spiritual, mental, physical, wealth, prosperity, health, etc)?  For example, would somebody who has a joyous life and a loving family but is dirt poor be considered to have or be of Chayil? Does having the word "חַיִ" within the word give it a deeper meaning or add unto the definition as well? Todah Rabbah.


texts: Phrasing of refuah prayer when praying for a non-Jew

texts:
How would you phrase a refuah (recovery from illness) tefillah (prayer) for a sick gentile?

"Thomas ben [=son of] Mary"?

"Thomas Smith"?

Is it appropriate to include the name during the misheberachs (public prayer for sick people) in the synagogue? I have occasionally heard misheberachs for English-sounding names, but had assumed that was because the Hebrew name was not known.


texts:
According to my understanding of Shulchan Aruch OC 647:1, the edges of the leaves of the aravos should not have serrated edges, but should rather be smooth:

  עַרְבֵי נַחַל הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה [...] וּפִיו חָלָק

(See also Mishna Berura there, note 1, which seems to support my reading of the Mechaber)

When I went to the daled minim shuk tonight, all the aravos I saw appeared to have serrated edges, unlike the ones I'm used to from America (from my own backyard). The ones pictured below claim to be under the supervision of the Badatz Edah HaChareidis (you can see part of the logo, in reverse, in the picture). I also noticed some sets with the name of Rav Nissim Karelitz on them. (I don't have a picture of American aravos with me, at the moment)

Is this a problem with the aravos? If they are, indeed, kosher for use, how should the above-cited portion of Shulchan Aruch be understood?


texts: I am studying to convert to Judaism and one of the questions I was asked was about the Ten Commandments.  I remember reading at that time that there was debate about the division of the statements Moses brought down on tablets and that they are, in Hebrew, more commonly called the "Ten Statements" than the "Ten Commandments."  I am particularly interested in the "first" and whether or not it is considered a commandment to believe in G-d.  After all, how can a person be commanded to have a particular belief?


texts:
God planted a garden in Eden (Genesis 2:8). Why is it called Eden?

I don't see that any of the commentaries in my mikraos g'dolos discuss this.


texts:
1 - The Sephardic Kaddish has this extra line near the beginning:

  וְיַצְמַח פֻּרְקָנֵהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ --
  May His salvation blossom and His Messiah be near.

The Ashkenazic Kaddish omits that line.  Why?  (I understand Chabad keeps it.)

2 - In the Ashkenazic Kaddish, we ask God for two things:

  יְהֵא שְׁלָמָה רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא, וְחַיִּים --
  May peace abundant descend from heaven, and life.

In the Sephardic Kaddish, we ask God for twelve things:

  יְהֵא שְׁלָמָה רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא,[וְ]חַיִּים [טוֹבִים]וְשָֹבָע וִישׁוּעָה וְנֶחָמָה וְשֵׁיזָבָהוּרְפוּאָה וּגְאֻלָּה וּסְלִיחָה וְכַפָּרָה,וְרֵוַח וְהַצָּלָה --
  May peace abundant descend from heaven, and life, plenty, healing, solace, liberation, rescue, deliverance, atonement, forgiveness, redemption and salvation.

(We figure: As long as we have God on the phone, might as well! :-)  )

Is there a specific reason behind this difference?


texts: Why do we read that part of the Hagada on Shabbat Hagadol?

texts: On Shabbat Hagadol, the Sabbath preceding Pesach, it's customary to review the region of the Hagada starting from "We were slaves" (after The Four Questions) and ending with "to atone for all of our sins" (at the end of the Dayeinu wrap-up). Why that section, and not the parts before and after?


texts: Changing from Base-10 to Base-7 in sefiras haomer

texts:
I saw years ago a fascinating idea regarding the counting of sefiras haomer.

The source was discussing the change in counting between the days and the weeks.

We first start counting in base-10:
"Today is 15 days"

and then, by counting in relation to the weeks, we effectively switch to base-7:
"...which is 2 weeks and one day of the omer."
(Sefardim mention the omer between the days and the weeks, but the concept is still the same.)

I remember the book (it was an English sefer) was discussing the concept of going from 10 to 7; I think it had something to do with the sefiros, which we sometimes count as 7 and sometimes as 10 (depending if you count chochma bina and daas/keser or not).

Does anyone know:

1) the English sefer which discusses this?

2) an earlier source for this concept, presumably from where the sefer was coming? (maharal, rav tzadok, etc.)

3) What is the concept of this transition from 10 to 7, and why is it significant specifically when discussing sefiras haomer? I've tried working it out but I don't have any clear explanation.

While searching for this topic I came across some works discussing the difference between counting days and weeks (see here and here)

but I didn't find any discussion specifically about the sefiros transitioning between base-10 and base-7.


texts: Why did God select Abraham, when it also mentions that Abraham didn't even know God's name

texts: The bit where Abraham asks for God's name sounds like they are still strangers to each other having spent little time discussing things, and yet God selects him. Why is that?


texts: Law regarding mixing harsh and mild wines?

texts: In the Rambam's Introduction to the Mishnah, he mentions a Halacha L'Moshe Mesinai regarding mixing different sorts of wine. The quoted text is ביין התירו לערב קשה ברך הלכה למשה מסיני. Does anybody know what this law is?


texts: Noachides are not commanded to keep Kosher but we do know the sixth commandment given us is "The prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive" can someone clarify (Not give an official word or ruling) how we can best observe this commandment? My wife and I rarely eat meat due to the inhumane way the animals are treated and obvious other reasons like horomones and the like. In a community where we have no shochet to teach us to kill our own meat righteously and no place to buy meats like this is it best to be vegetarian? Also are we supposed to observer the law of not mixing meats and dairy or are we allowed?


texts: Is one halachicly allowed to set up two non-Jews for marriage? I don't see why it should be an issue,but not sure.  I wondered if anyone discusses this.


texts: How many Pesukim in the Tora warn against Idolatry?

texts:
A fellow teacher wishes to present to their class the severity of Idol Worship.  They thought it may be impactful if they presented to the class how many Pesukim warn against Idol Worship.  Perhaps someone here may know.

How many verses in the Torah warn against Idolatry?

Do any Mefarshim use this to demonstrate the severity of Idol Worship according to the Torah?


texts: A popular restaraunt here in Yerushalayim has a small idol on its cash register.  Every paying customer will see it.  The staff will answer your questions about it, and recommend reading.  Its' certified kosher.  Is this a mistake?  Or is a restaraunt allowed to have an idol, but not work on shabbat?


texts:
At the end of מוסף לשבת in דרכי אבות השלם (p. 375), a quotation is written in the name of רבי יהודה:

  אמר רבי יהודה: אשרי מי שעמלו בתורה ועושה נחת רוח ליוצרו

Rabbi Yoḥanan makes a similar statement in Berakhot 17a:

  ר' יוחנן כי הוה מסיים ספרא דאיוב אמר הכי סוף אדם למות וסוף בהמה לשחיטה והכל למיתה הם עומדים אשרי מי שגדל בתורה ועמלו בתורה ועושה נחת רוח ליוצרו

In the words of Shraga (link),

  "Can anyone explain [this saying]? How can one give ["naḥat ruaḥ"] to the perfect, non-lacking G-d who feels no emotions?"


texts: Those who observe "Ben Zachar" at night and "Shalom Zachar" by day

texts:
There's a pretty common custom to observe what's commonly called a "Shalom Zachar" on the Friday night after a baby boy is born. People go to where the baby's father is, eat snacks, sing and share divrei Torah. This seems to be based on what the Rema (Yoreh Deah 265:12, see the Taz ad. loc. § 13) brings.

The Aruch HaShulchan (ad. loc. § 37) says in his day the custom was to do the above mentioned custom on Friday night and call it "Ben Zachar". Whereas, the next day they visit the mother and wish her mazal tov, and don't eat anything. They call this a "Shalom Zachar".

  נהגו לעשות סעודה ומשתה בליל שבת לאחר שנולד זכר, נכנסים אצל התינוק לטעום שם, והוא גם כן סעודת מצוה...ובאמת אין המנהג בסעודה, רק בטעימת פירות, וקורין זה "בן זכר". ולמחרת בשבת אחר התפילה נכנסים אצל היולדת ליתן "מזל טוב", וקורין לזה "שלום זכר". ונוהגין שלא לטעום כלום, ואומרים שזהו מתקנת המדינה לבלי להכביד על הבעל ברית.

I've never heard of this version of the custom. Are there any communities today that observe it/refer to it as the Aruch HaShulchan describes?


texts:
Masechet Megilah says that Haman's daughter threw the garbage on him. Does the gemoro mention her name anywhere?

I looked in Gemora Megilla 16a where the story is but it does not mention a name. Does anyone know where to find it?


texts:
During the Seder, near the end of the maggid, we learn about the manner in which the Korban Pesach, the matzah, and the maror were consumed. In reference to the latter two, the haggadah reads:

?זוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹכְלִים, עַל שׁוּם מָה…

Roughly translated:

…This we eat, with garlic?

Why were the matzah and maror consumed with garlic, and why is garlic not specified also for the Pesach?

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


texts:
Are there any written recordings in any branch of Torah where we find a comment proving someone actually died from Kares/Ariri?

Now, of course being a heavenly decree it would be hard to know for sure, but do we find a statement even assuming that this was the case?

Cases where Hashem is said to have been upset and punished someone for a given action, such as Er and Onan, is not what I am looking for, being pre-Har Sinai, and also seemingly not working within the broader, generalized rules.

What I am looking for is a statement along the lines of this person did this forbidden act for which the Torah says one receives kares, and this person actually died from kares.

Midrash and Aggad'ta welcome.


texts: Fasting on yarhzeit of parent -- must be "m'kabel" the fast from the day before?

texts: When someone is fasting a "taanis yachid" (individual fast) he must be "m'kabel" (accept upon himself) the fast from the day before in the Tefillah of Mincha. Is the same true for the fast that one makes on the day his Mother or Father past away (See the Rema in Yoreh Deah Siman 402 Sif 12 that says it's a mitzvah to fast on this day.)


texts:
The Rem"a notes that קדיש יתום should be recited after 'Aleinu (O"Ch 132:[סע׳ ?]), however it appears that most authorities require at least three pesukim to precede ק"י (per a comment Double AA once directed at me). According to Nusach Ashkenaz, 'Aleinu ends with only two pesukim: ה׳ ימלך וכי׳ and והי׳ ה׳ למלך וכי׳, one short of the three pesukim minimum, unless we assume that the Rem"a recited אל תירא וכי׳ or added שמע, as in Sephardi siddurim.

Further, the Gr"a notes that 'Aleinu should conclude with the verse of ה׳ ימלך, both since והי׳ ה׳ does not follow the prior passuk in Mussaf for R"H and because he opposes the addition of unnecessary kaddishim (notes to סדור אזור ﭏיהו ad loc.) and Minhag Ashkenaz note that neither passuk should be recited, as they belong to מנין פסוקים for Zichronot, rather than 'Al Kein (ספר דברי קהלת et al.).

As such, why is the common practice (based in the Rem"a, above) to recite Kaddish after 'Aleinu ?


texts: Geese were extremely popular among European Jews for various reasons, and their liver was particularly appreciated. However, there is a debate, whether force feeding may render the animals non-kosher, since the inserted metal tube can hurt the animal's throat. This Wikipedia article claims that the Chatam Sofer was not against this practice, and recently a factory producing fattened geese products was inaugurated in the presence of Rav Lau. Does anyone know this particular decision of the Chatam Sofer? Do you know any recent decisions about force feeding of animals from relevant authorities?


texts: Making a private siyum before mass siyum hashas

texts:
If one joined a group to finsh shas,and chose a mashechta to finish and he finished the mashechta before the shas event. Can he make a private siyum before the event and still it will be counted towards the siyum hashas,Or is that double dipping?

Is the siyum hashas now considered chaser since that one person made a siyum already,and when they say the hadran on shas it really isnt true.


texts:
I have always thought that as a general rule, the vav conjunctive prefix is usually a "וְ". But, when the word being "prefixed" either starts with a shva or starts with a "lip-letter" (בומ"פ), the vav changes to a "וּ" (kubutz).

However, I have come across a few of exceptions to the above rule, only one of which I actually remember at the moment. (Other examples are welcome as comments or as part of an answer.)

The exception I can think of right now is Exod. 10:8: "מִי וָמִי הַהֹלְכִים", in which I would think it should be "מִי וּמִי הַהֹלְכִים".

Why is it not "מִי וּמִי"? Is my above rule wrong or missing something, or is this just a particular exception, and if so, why?


texts: Did the people of Israel know they would get the Torah?

texts:
When we think about the desert of Sinai our mind thinks straight away to "Kabalat Torah". This looks like the biggest thing that our people had when they left Egypt. It is almost as if the people of Israel left Egypt to get the Torah.

On the other hand when reading the Bible there is no acknowledgement prior to the occasion of "Kabalat Ha-Torah" that our people knew that we were going to get the Torah. It looks like the only reason that they left is because they were tired of slavery and G-d promised us a land to build our nation on.

So was the exodus only on a national basis (on G-d will)? Or is there any evidence that the people of Israel knew they were going to get the Torah prior to Kabalat HaTorah?


texts: How much time should be spent on deriving own's one novel ideas in torah?

texts:
Given that there are many commentaries on the torah, should one spend all his time allocated for this study on understanding them or should he spend some of it deriving his own chidushim (novel insights)?
Is there a different in this between the different types of torah study? (chumash, nach, talmud, hashkafa, etc.)


texts: If a child is born in Adar of a non-leap year, and he/she reaches the age of 13/12 in a leap year, when is it appropriate to celebrate the child becoming bar/bat mitzvah?  Would that be Adar I or Adar II?


texts: Why do Shuls put up notices saying משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה?

texts:
Why do Shuls put up notices saying משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה ?

Do we think that a notice will change our mood? And if so, why not put up a notice in Elul saying that the Yom HaDin is coming?


texts: Suppose someone is making a huge 50-gallon vat of cholent. Accidentally, an entire bag of milk breaks and spills into the cholent. There is more than 60x as much meat cholent as there is milk, so the milk should theoretically be batel b'shisim. But does the fact that a non-negligible amount of milk fell into the pot (as opposed to a couple of drops into a smaller pot) change anything?


texts:
What does a bracha do?
It isn't a spell, some magical utterance, or words with power that realise everything one tells. Is it something to changes G-ds mind, will or emotions in order to gain or beget something in our favour? This doesn't seem right to me ether.

So what is a bracha, what does it do?


texts: Striking the chest in the last few lines of Vidui

texts: Towards the end of Vidui (על חטא section) there is a list of sins that are mentioned by punishment, instead of by type. Some people strike their chests while mentioning these sins, and some do not. Should one strike one's chest here, and if so, at what word - חטא, חייבים, שאנו, the mention of the punishment (in which case, does that mean that some lines get more than one strike?), etc.?


texts: The Litvish/Russian pronunciation of the Cholam sound is an /ay/ sound, similar (I think actually exactly the same) as a tzeirei. Are there any sources saying that it is a Halachic problem pronouncing the cholam like a tzeirei?


texts: Do Hashgachos endorse non-proximate halachic claims on label?

texts:
Sometimes I find products (under Hashgacha) with halachic information written on the wrapper (away from the hechsher).

For example:

Some products claim "Pas Yisrael", "Chalav Yisrael" or "Yashan".
Some products write the Brocha to say on the product.

Does the Hashgacha organization approve these statements, or do they just claim to certify claims written in proximity to the symbol of their supervision?


texts:
In parshat Noach, Hashem (according to Rashi) delays the rain so that Metushelach's shiv'a period could be honored,

These are the seven days of mourning for the righteous man Methuselah for whose honour the Holy One, blessed be He. had regard, and therefore postponed punishment. Go and calculate the years of Methuselah and you will find that they came to an end (i. e. he died) in the six hundredth year of Noah’s life (which coincided with the date of the Flood) (Sanhedrin 108b).

Rashi calls him a Tzaddik. This answer cites (without real source) the statement that there were

seven long-lived saints whose successive lives extend over the whole history of mankind; each having transmitted the sacred lore from his predecessor to the one succeeding him, while shielding the generations of his time by means of his piety. These saints are: (1) Adam; (2) Methuselah;

(bolding mine)
This answer discusses sainted individuals in the context of belief in God and lists him.
Whereas this Q/A lists him (according to some opinions) as a "shepherd".
If he was such a tzaddik/saint/shepherd/believer, so much so that Hashem delayed His actions to respect his mourning period, why was he not saved with Noach (or why was he not the one who was spoken to 120 years earlier and warned about the flood)?


texts: Can a minyan of children under Bar Mitzvah say Kaddish and Kedusha?

texts:
If a minyan of children (no adults) are praying, can they recite Kaddish and Kedusha?

At first glance, each child "pretends" to be an adult (well, any praying they do is in preparation of adulthood), so they can make a minyan. Or perhaps not.


texts:
Can a Jew work in non-kosher food warehouse? I mean to lift boxes from one place to another, to load pallets filled with boxes of non-kosher stuff.

My question is about specific warehouse where there is no meat or milk, but where both kosher and non-kosher ready-to-eat seafood are packed, possibly in sauces with meat and/or milk ingredients.

And when lifting those boxes, it is clear what's inside them due to labeling.


texts: In the olden times, before electricity, did religious Jews have lamps that could hold large amounts of oil so that they could use light on Shabbas, similar to how we use Shabbas lamps and have lights that run on timers ?


texts: Which pasuk in Tanach has the most letters?

texts: I'm attempting to build a database with every pasuk in Tanach, I'm trying to determine the size of the varchar needed for this. Which pasuk is this and how many letters does it have?


texts: PTIJ: Is it permitted to time travel on Shabbos?

texts:
The Torah specifies (Shemos 16:29) “Let everyone remain where he is: let no one leave his place on the seventh day”; one may not exit one’s premises on Shabbos. Does this include traveling through time, or is one free to roam the annals of history ?

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


texts: According to those opinions that say that Parshas Parah is a Torah obligation, do women have an obligation to attend, or would they be exempt for other reasons?


texts: Rabbi Avigdor Miller's quote about one's face and soul

texts:
Rabbi Avigdor Miller zt"l, says, “Your face is like a screen and your soul like a projector which projects on your face the glory of the human soul, which has in it the greatness of Hashem." (10 steps to Greatness, tape #706)

Are there any sefarim or gemaras that speak about the connection between one's soul anyone and his face?


texts: Is there a practical difference between different types of Berachos?

texts:
Berachos tend to be grouped into different categories, as Berachos on pleasure (ברכות הנהנין), on Mitzvos (ברכות המצות), on events (ברכות ראיה ושמיעה), etc.

As far as I’m aware, the general halachos of these types of Berachos are the same across all categories; for instance, they all are said in response to certain triggers, whether that trigger is eating something, hearing some type of news, discharging an obligation, or something else.

Are there any halachos unique to one type of Beracha which don’t apply to the others?


texts:
Is free will 50/50 balanced or is it more towards the side of evil.

it seems to me that it's much easier to do evil than to do good. the situation in the world also seems to suport this, as it looks like moral decay is everywhere, and the general tendency is more towards evil, especially since 99.9% of the world is walking around aimlessly.


texts:
Maybe I need to read the psalms over again.
But the most psalms I can remember Talks about protection,blessing your animals,and so one.

But blessing your friends,  is there a psalm for blessing your friends?


texts:
For those who are careful to only support their sechach on sechach-eligible materials, how much does it matter if a small amount of the sechach inadvertently rests on non-sechach-eligible materials?

For example, before I put my bamboo-strip sechach mat on top of my sukkah frame, which is made of metal tubes, I put wooden boards on top of the frame to support the sechach. If the metal uprights poking up above the top of the frame at the corners happen to reach above the level of the boards, they may end up poking up a corner of the sechach. Would such a sukkah be totally non-compliant with the sechach-eligible-support rule, totally compliant, or non-compliant just near (how near?) the poking metal?


texts: Why not recite Havdalah without wine on Saturday Night Tishah BeAv?

texts:
When Tishah BeAv falls on Shabbat and the fast is postponed to the next day, or when Tishah BeAv falls on Sunday, the problem arises how to deal with the requirement of making havdalah over a cup of wine (or another drink). The positions generally discussed are: (1) to perform havdalah immediately after Shabbat but to give the wine to a minor; (2) to omit havdalah; (3) to perform havdalah the following night.
The actual halachah has been determined by the Sages according to opinion (3).

I expected a fourth opinion to be part of this discussion, which is reciting the havdalah formula immediately after Shabbat but without a cup of wine (or another drink). According to this option only the blessing over the flame would be recited, followed by the havdalah formula (the blessings over wine and flagrances being omitted). In my opinion the reason for this fourth possibility lies in the fact that the havdalah formula doesn’t itself mention a cup of wine or in any way refer to it. Thus there seems to be no inherent necessity to recite this formula exclusively over a filled cup. So why can it not be recited “dry”?


texts: Does a cholent bag/aluminum foil take away the need to tovel the pot?

texts: If no food touches it, does it need to be toveled (immersed in mikvah)?


texts: What is the Halacha in regard to whether or not a person can go hunting? What have Poskim said on this issue?


texts: will the Messiah be the greatest torah scholar of the generation?

texts: Besides that the Messiah must be of Davidic lineage, must he also be the greatest torah scholar of the generation (of Davidic lineage)?


texts:
More than one Israeli has told me that women in Israel don't fast. More specifically, that a large percentage of otherwise observant (healthy, non-pregnant, non-nursing) Jewish women in Israel do not fast on the Jewish public fasts (with the exception of 9 Av and Yom Kipur, when they do fast). Note that this was said about women only: observant men do fast.

To the extent to which it's true, why is it true? Why don't the women fast?
What excuse do they have? I mean, halacha seems to require fasting. What limud z'chus is there?


texts:
I found a very old book written in the Hebrew language. At the bottom of the title page it is written " Machsor Tom. I". It was printed in Austria by Jos. Schlesinger Librairie.
I searched on line but could not find any reference to Machsor Tom. I; I have found II and VII. I presume it is a prayer book for special occasions. Does anyone know for what festival it is/was used?


texts: Can a male rabbi teach Torah lessons to a woman?

texts:
Assuming all laws of yichud are complied with, are there additional concerns arising from a male rabbi teaching Torah classes to a female student?
Does the answer to 1 differ if they are both married, one married one not, or both single?
How does one apply the mishneh in Pirkei Avos of not to engage in too much conversation with women to this situation?


texts: Does anyone know any books or articles I can read to learn more about Bar Kohkba?


texts:
Someone told me that according to Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer, Satan has 12 wings.

Is it true?

The tanakh doesn't say anything about Satan's look then where does it come from?


texts:
The verse mentions one of the materials in the Mishkan was עצי שטים. Artscroll and others translate it as acacia wood.

Rashi on the pasuk quotes Midrash Tanchumah (#9) that Yaakov planted ארזים in Egypt and commanded his children to bring them with them to the wilderness. Usually ארזים is translated as cedar wood.

Which is it? Acacia or cedar?


texts: In this video:  Can someone explain what he says about the splitting of the sea was really a splitting of spiritual "words" Where exactly are these words and how can they "split"?


texts: Temple mount: wall around court of the gentiles?

texts:
In looking of these two models of the temple mount,
Alec Garrad model and Israel Museum model, they differ on one major point. In the Garrad model there is another wall on the temple mount that I suppose surrounds the court of the gentiles.

I want to know more about the difference. Could we be sure if the wall was there or not? Or is it simply that, that the models that lacks that wall is a "snapshot" before the wall was built? If so, do we know when the wall was built?

And am I correct in my assumption that, if that wall existed, it surrounded the "court of the gentiles"?


texts:
In Bereishit ch 50 v 2 we read of Joseph embalming Yaakov:

  "וַיְצַו יוֹסֵף אֶת־עֲבָדָיו אֶת־הָרֹפְאִים לַחֲנֹט אֶת־אָבִיו וַיַּחַנְטוּ הָרֹפְאִים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

  Then Joseph ordered the physicians in his service to embalm his father, and the physicians embalmed Israel. "

Embalming is not practiced today. Is there an approach to embalming that Joseph could have used that would be Halachically permissible? This site talks about Halachically acceptable forms of embalming, but does not go into much detail:

  As time goes on, and our knowledge of chemistry advances, other methods may be developed which Jewish law may consider legitimate.

Perhaps there was a Halachically acceptable approach to embalming that was used by Joseph. If so, what might it have entailed?

Addendum: When searching the web using some of the information in the answer below, I ran across this site which asks, "Was Joseph Punished for Embalming Yakov's Body?"


texts: I am a Catholic interested in converting  to Judaism. I was told online  by a Rabbi that Orthodox is the only true way to convert. Is that true? I am looking for advice and guidance. Thank you


texts:
I have been trying to research why kosher lamps/shabbat lamps aren't considered muktzeh. I've read the rabbinic approval that comes with the lamp as well as any teshuvot I can find on the topic, but I can't find any specific details as to why halachically the cover is considered a separate piece from the body of the lamp. Can anyone explain this or point me towards relevant sources?
Also, if the cover of the lamp is not muktzeh, why would moving the lamp be muktzeh at all? Wouldn't the lamp become a basis, making it ok to move the body of the lamp?


texts: Can one make a bracha on shaking an esrog left under a bed which a person sleeps on? (Yoreh Deah 116:5 says liquids and cooked foods placed under beds get ruach ra attached to them.)


texts: Why are the words Kiddushin, Erusin, Nissuin plural?

texts: The Mishnah says "האיש מקדש", just like on Shabbos. Nevertheless, on Shabbos we call it a Kiddush (single) but on wedding we call it either Kiddushin, Erusin, Nissuin which are all plural.


texts: Does Judaism use darkness and light as a metaphor for good and evil?

texts:
Many religions contrast dark and light with good and evil.  Namely Christianity as a off shoot religion does exactly this in the new testament.

Does Judaism use these metaphors directly in any verses or are interpreted that way?


texts: Making bedikas chometz early -- ossur in malacha, eating, learning?

texts: When someone leaves their home within 30 days of Pesach without someone to be bodek it from chometz, they themselves have to be bodek it early (See Siman 436.) In the normal case of bedikas chometz one may not do malacha, eat or learn before making the bedika once the time as come (and even a half hour before) to make the bedika (See Siman 431.) Do these same dinim apply to someone who will be making a bedika early before leaving their house?


texts: I need people from the Tanakh who represent "curiosity", "impatience", and "resignation"

texts:
Long story short, my not-quite-seven-year-old son has terminal brain cancer and I never gave him a Hebrew name.  I have been searching the texts for the right combination of curiosity (before his speech was taken from him, his favorite word was "why"), impatience (any amount of time spent waiting was "too long") and resignation (a trait that this cruel illness has forced on him).  I'm running out of time to find him the right name.

So far I have found

Gideon from Judges for curiosity (he needs test after test before he trusts God's predictions, 6:17, 6:36-40) with the added bonus that his line is nearly cut off (all but one of his 70 sons are killed a few chapters later 9:5, 9:53).
Eli from I Samuel for resignation (3:18)

I'll keep reading, but I put it to the community of folks much more familiar with the text than I: are there characters in whom I can find most or all of these traits together?  Or perhaps a single trait, but more obviously exemplified/represented?


texts: Precautions to avoid adulterated handful of meal offering

texts:
According to the Mishna (Menachot 1:2), when the Kohen extracts the representative kometz-handful from a mincha (meal offering), any foreign objects, such as a pebble, a chunk of salt, or a bit of frankincense, are included in the handful, the offering is invalidated.

It seems like it would be a big shame to waste an offering, especially if it was a special communal one like the Omer, over an errant bit of spice.

Did the kohanim have any standard practices to prevent such an invalidation from happening? Did they do any sifting or inspections of the whole offering or of the material they'd take the handful from?


texts: Returning after driving someone to the hospital on Shabbat

texts: If a man needs to be brought to the hospital on Shabbat due to a life threatening situation, another man may bring him there even by violating biblical Shabbat prohibitions (e.g. driving a car). Which prohibitions (such as driving or Techum Shabbos) can the second man violate to return home on Shabbat, if any?


texts: Who was  יוסף גר צדק and who was his famous son and even more infamous Ancestor?


texts: How literally are we supposed to read the book of Bereshit/Genesis?

texts: Especially with regard to the family of Abraham.  Is there any extra-Biblical historical evidence of a paternal link between the Ishmaelite, Edomite and Keturan tribes and the 12 tribes of Israel?  Is it even possible that the 12 tribes aren't even descended from one common ancestor (which would explain several major discrepancies in Jewish Y chromosome DNA) but are, in truth, a number of unrelated tribes who banded together around the idea of a singular creator G-d?


texts:
Up to (and including) the period of the Rishonim, are there multiple documented instances of Jewish women wearing tefillin?

Edit: As discovered by another user on this website, there is another question similar in nature to the question above.  In contrast to the other post, I would like a comprehensive answer with multiple sources and within a more specific time range.


texts: Traditional Approaches to B'midbar Rabba

texts: What do traditional Jewish sources say about B'midbar Rabba regarding its date of redaction and authority vis-à-vis works of Chazal (such as other Midrashim).


texts: May you use an electric baby swing in Shabbos?

texts:
Is it allowed on Shabbos to place a baby in and out from a battery operated swing that is designed to swing itself.
Of course the switch is turned on before Shabbas.
Maybe it’s the same as going in and off from an escalator/elevator , or is there any difference and sources to allow for a baby?


texts: Clarify the rules for "E-l Erech" and "Lamenatze'ach' (Psalm 20) on non-Tachanun days

texts:
I am confused regarding the rules of when to omit E-l Erech Apayim (the paragraph before taking out the Torah) and when to omit Psalm 20 (said after the Torah is returned (Nusach Ashkenaz).

My understanding:

E-l Erech is said on Mon. & Thurs. only. But, I'm not sure if it is omitted on all days when Tachanun is omitted, such as today, Lag B'Omer, or not. My shul said it this morning. But, when Rosh Hodesh or Chanukah is on Mon. or Thurs. they don't. Are there different minhagim, here, or did my shul err, this morning?

Lamentze'ach (Psalm 20) - I know there is a list of omitted days in the siddur. But, it doesn't seem dependent on when Tachanun is omitted. We said it today. I don't think days like Tu B'Shevat or Pesach Sheni (Some omit Tachanun on Pesach Sheni) are omitted. But it's omitted on Rosh Hodesh, Purim and Chanukah and Tisha B'Av. What rules govern its omission?


texts: Were the prophets and holy people who lived before Judah (Yehudah) also Jews?

texts: The word "Jew" originates from the name of the eldest son of Jacob. The term "Jew" was introduced many generations and decades after him. I wonder whether Adam, Noah, Lot, Abraham and Moses were all Jews?


texts: Is it allowed to repeat psukim or to pray (uttering the words with your mouth) After you have finished your kiriat shma al hamita and said birkat hamapil? Would  be Happy to See sources.


texts: Differences in Tznius between Sefaradim and Ashkenazim?

texts:
I've noticed that many of my Sefaradi friends seem to practice Tzenius (laws of Modesty) different than Ashkenazim.

Is there actually a difference in halakhot about this? And if there are can someone please provide a full list of the differences?


texts: Questions about Conversion to Reform Judaism

texts:
I have seen some articles on here about conversion but it seems to me like most of it has to do with the Orthodox movement, whereas I am concerned more with Reform as it seems to hold the same values/ideals I see as valid as important to them.

I am a Noahide who does pray daily and observes certain aspects of Judaism (such as refraining from pork and taking some time out of each day for "religious reading"). I am going through a lot in life right now, however, I am considering conversion once things settle down a bit. I want to convert because Judaism holds many values such as ethical monotheism, charity, consistency, and community and is culturally similar in some ways to my own background (North Indian/Kashmiri).

I do have some reason to believe that it is possible that I have some distant Jewish roots from the Iraqi or Persian Jews or possibly other tribes that came into the areas my known ancestors are from, however, my basis for conversion to Judaism would lie in the fact that it is the religion that speaks to me the most and that being a Noahide leaves you a little bit lost and without identity/spiritual guidance. My parents are really supportive and despite everything happening I think they would definitely encourage me to do this if it is what I want.

I would like some opinions/answers on the following questions if anyone has the time:

Would this limit me to only marrying someone who is also Jewish (I don't have any issues with it at all but I am only 18 and still have college so it's just a lot to think about now)?

Would people question or look at me differently because I am a convert (I could pass off as Persian mixed with some European)?

Does it make sense to convert if many of the prayers have to do with ancestry, when it is currently understood that I do not have any Jewish ancestry?

Would I still be able to live life like I usually do and have religion be something I can adhere to and devote time to daily, without having to isolate or limit myself to the Jewish community (I want to be balanced and still be able to go out and do things with friends and family and have a somewhat flexible schedule much like the average American Christian barring Shabbat restrictions)?

I would like to spend time/live/or possibly study in Israel, will being a Reform convert affect any of that (From what I understand the Orthodox movement would not consider me to be properly Jewish)?

Thank you for reading and hopefully giving your honest opinions/answers on this important aspect of my life, I wish you the best!


texts: What is the source of the additions before תתקבל צלותהון, יהא שלמא, עושה שלום in Kaddish Tiskabel?

texts:
In Kaddish Tiskabel, there are parts to be said (see page 131) by the congregation just before the three phrases that begin: תתקבל  צלותהון, יהא שלמא, עושה שלום.

These do not appear in all siddurim and I have not observed many who say them.

What is their source?

Which traditions say them? (The link above is to a German Rite Siddur.)


texts: Safrut in practice - Calculating Ma Tovu at the top of the column

texts:
I think this question might be best answered by a professional sofer or someone who has written a Torah even once.

There is a fairly "strong" minhag to place the verse of Ma Tovu at the top of the column. Actually, there are 6 verses that start at the top of the column, though the 1st one, is the first verse of the Torah, so that's easy to do. I learned last week that a Torah need not be written in sequential order.

I'm curious what sofrim do to assure that verses like these happen this way. Do they begin writing each of the 6 verses first at the top of a column, perhaps at the start of a new piece of parchment, and then write the rest of the Torah to "fit in" to these verses? How do they accomplish this "feat"?


texts: Many times I notice people taking extra bags in stores once they are done shopping. If these bags are not used to carry the items they bought but will be used for other reasons (to carry other items) is this considered gezel? Can one assume that the owner won't be makpid because it's cheap & because it may bring in more customers due to the advertising on the bag?


texts: Could "Panim Chadashot" be fulfilled by FaceTime/ Skype?

texts:
In Maseches Kesuvos 7b we learn about the requirement of "panim chadashot" (lit: new faces) for every day of sheva brachos (codified in Even Ha'Ezer 62:7).

Could the requirement of panim chadashot be fulfilled if a previously nonpresent person were to FaceTime/ Skype etc into the couple's sheva brachos?


texts: What are some good sources of a cappella music for Sefiras HaOmer?

texts:
I keep the whole Sefira, and I've been having a most difficult time this year (already!) because for the first time, I am trying only to listen to Jewish music.

The first goal of this question is to collect recommendations for good, anti-depressing, preferably upbeat and catchy, Torah-themed music that is suitable for Omer listening: that is, it shouldn't involve instruments (except for the human voice and body). (Music with female singers is welcome, but it should be identified by you as such -- thanks!)

And since others might profit from non-Torah-themed a cappella, too -- preferably, but not necessarily, by Jewish songwriters and performers -- I'd invite recommendations for that sort of music, too. I'll kick that effort off with two lists: this one (kol isha) and this one (female voices in some songs).

What are your recommendations? Thanks guys!


texts: Why has Judaism traditionally discussed intimacy only privately?

texts:
To quote msh210's formulation of this site's rule on intimate topics:

  Please respect that in the Jewish tradition certain questions, especially certain questions relating to sexuality, are discussed only in private. Such questions will be closed or deleted at the discretion of the moderators or community.

This formulation has since become site policy, and it has been added to the help pages and the sexuality's tag wiki.

First, what sources record this idea?

Furthermore, why is it our tradition that these topics be kept private? What reasons have our sages given for doing so? Is this tradition halachic or minhagic in nature?

(Sources please!)

(The original meta question on this site policy has recently seen some new activity, which prompted this question, to be used as a resource for any further discussion that might occur.)


texts: Can saying Sh'ma once satisfy two different Sh'ma obligations?

texts:
In an extenuating circumstance, one can say the night time K'riyat Sh'ma until Netz, as per this statement:

  If one didn’t say it then, make sure to complete it by Chatzot (midnight) and after the fact, one can still say it until Olot HaShachar. If one was in extenuating circumstances one may say it until HaNetz HaChama. (S”A 235:4-5, Mishna Brurah 235:27, 30)

I found in M"B 239:29

  אבל בנאנס אפילו אחר שעלה השחר רק שהוא קודם הנץ נמי קורא ויוצא

The earliest time one may say Sh'ma in the morning is (under extenuating circumstances), is discussed here.

  The earliest time for shema or Brachot shema is when one can recognize an acquaintance from 4 amot away called Mesheyakir, which is one hour (in Shaot Zmaniot) before HaNetz HaChama.

If the case could be established with such extreme circumstances that someone could only say Sh'ma before Netz, and he would not be able to say it later, and was not able to say it beforehand, could that one recitation count as both his night time and his morning saying of the Sh'ma?

I know that (according to the same Halachipedia site) Sh'ma said before bed can, in limited cases, count as both the Sh'ma al hamita and the evening Sh'ma so there is some (not strictly parallel) precedent for one recitation to fulfill 2 obligations.


texts:
When studying the Kabbalah it is clear that the tradition of its wisdom did not start at Mount Sinai but dates back to the creation of the world (a hint here):

  וכתוב בשער הספר כי המלאך רזיאל מסר את הספר הזה לאדם הראשון אחר ק״ל שנה לתשובתו, והוא מסרו לנח ולשם ולאברהם וכו׳, עד שעמד שלמה המלך ונגלו לו ספר הרזים והרבה ספרים נמסרו בידו, וזה נמצא יקר ונכבד מכולם (דפוס אמשטרדם דף ל״ד ע״א).

As I understand, the Karaites did not accept ONLY the Rabbinical decrees, not "the whole oral Torah", after all, they do observe all the Mitzvos.

Do Karaite Jews have [some] the tradition of the Kabbalah?

This is a factual question, not speculational, please don't answer if you don't really KNOW.


texts:
I started reading Aryeh Kaplan's "Meditation and Kabbalah". Got to Chapter three (Rabbi Abraham Abulafia) so far and apart from being scared of the Hekhalot texts, I enjoyed the read. It resonated with me and my imaginary brain got at work.

The meditative technique that truly sounds most easy to accomplish is the meditation on a Divine name: focusing only on the name and repeating it a 112 times (why exactly this amount of repitions doesn't get explained) and (hopefully) forgetting about everything else except the name is the aim.

How can I meditate on the Divine name if I am not familiar with the Divine name? Would 'haShem' or 'yud-hey-vav-hey' work?

A bit of background which probably gets deleted but I'd like to include it anyways:
The book clearly warns from practicing the meditation from the sages of the east (buddhist-hindu meditation if I got it right) albeit mentioning that the systems are quite similiar in what our Torah teaches and expaining this with the fact that Avraham Avinu fathered the eastern nations with a concubine of his.
I personally tried buddhist meditation a couple of times (using the 'oom' chant while listening to binaural frequencies on youtube) but it feels like it did nothing to me.


texts: When Moses decides to act on his own and when he decides to consult Hashem?

texts:
Please feel free to edit the question to clarify and elaborate it.

In numerous occasions, from the story of the Plagues of Exodus through wandering in the wilderness to his last gathering of Bnei Israel, Moses demonstrated two distinct types of leadership:

A Leader - Independent and decisive: (sort of "לא בשמים היא") taking responsibility to decide alone on acting or ruling a Halacha. For example, Moses appointing 77'000 Sarim after Yitro's advice.
A Prophet of Hashem's word - dependent and indecisive: (sort of "בשמים היא") Moses turns to Hashem to seek advice or Halachah, like in Bnot Zlofechad case.

I could not spot a pattern when he chooses a certain way over another, it looks inconsistent to me. Hence the question:

In what cases does Moses decide to act or rule Halacha on his own and when he decides to consult Hashem?


texts: Why does the sixth Perek of Avos begin ברוך שבחר בהם ובמשנתם

texts:
שנו חכמים בלשון המשנה, ברוך שבחר בהם ובמשנתם

  Our Sages taught in the words of the Mishnah; blessed is He Who chose them and their Mishnayos

In all standard Siddurim that I’ve seen, this phrase is used to introduce the “sixth Perek” of Avos. This is also the phraseology used here. The only variation I’ve seen is that occasionally רבותינו is used instead of חכמים.

Why is this phrase included? The first half I understand: as תנו in Aramaic is the same as שנו in Hebrew, the more verbose שנו חכמים בלשון המשנה would seem to be equivalent to the Gemara’s תנו רבנן, as both introduce Braisos.

What I don’t understand is the second half of the phrase. Why do we mention here, specifically, “Blessed is He Who chose them and their Mishnayos”? What relevance does that have to here, especially as the first half establishes that this isn’t actually a Mishnah?


texts: Besides mishkav zachar, what is sexually forbidden between consenting non-Jewish males?

texts: Vayikra 20:13 forbids anal intercourse according to Rashi who describes the offense as "inserting a paint stick in a tube."  Since non-Jews are not generally subject to laws asur mi'd'rabbanin, no fence should forbid them from approaching this prohibition as long as they don't commit the offence itself. True? So shouldn't non-Jewish males be allowed to show affection to one another and even to have sexual contact together as long as they don't commit sodomy? I know the idea may be repulsive to many Jews, yet isn't this halachikly correct?


texts:
This is the flip side of this question. Related to this.

If someone has an obligation to say kaddish yatom (in this hypothetical, he is not davening for the amud and he is saying ma'ariv) should he speed up his own shmoneh esrei to be able to say kaddish or daven at his personal, slower speed
which allows for better concentration, but miss the chance to say kaddish?

Is there a way to "weigh" the relative obligations or importance when choosing between the two? Does the ability to daven faster but the preference to slow down factor in?

If the answer is simply (as per the comments on the linked question) that saying kaddish at some point not tied to davening is what matters, a source for that would be useful. [I am not creating the hypothetical wrinkle that "he won't be able to get a minyan together at any other time.]


texts: Why is there a dagesh in the כּ in מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ

texts:
Rashi tells us in Devarim 11:30 by the words הֲלֹא־הֵ֜מָּה בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן אַֽחֲרֵי֙ דֶּ֚רֶךְ מְב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ that

  "אַחֲרֵי" נָקוּד בְּפַשְׁטָא, וְ"דֶרֶךְ" נָקוּד בְּמַשְׁפֵּל, וְהוּא דָּגֵשׁ, וְאִם הָיָה "אַחֲרֵי דֶרֶךְ" דִּבּוּר אֶחָד, הָיָה נָקוּד "אַחֲרֵי" בִּמְשָׁרֵת, בְּשׁוֹפָר הָפוּךְ, וְ"דֶרֶךְ" בְּפַשְׁטָא וְרָפָה

There Rashi teaches us that if a word ends in a yud, the first letter of the next word does not have a dagesh. The only reason that there is a dagesh in the  דּ in דֶּרֶךְ is because the words אַֽחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ are not connected.

However, in Shemot 15:11, the pasuk tells us that מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ, who is like you, majestic in holiness. Despite that fact that the word מִי ends in a yud, the כָּ in כָּמֹ֖כָה still has a dagesh in it. You could say that this is like אַֽחֲרֵי and דֶּרֶךְ in Devarim, however, the words מִי and כָּמֹכָה are related and would not make sense without each other. So, why is there a dagesh in the כּ in מִ֥י כָּמֹ֖כָה נֶאְדָּ֣ר בַּקֹּ֑דֶשׁ?


texts: Rational approaches to superstitious ideas

texts:
Can one assume that there is a perfectly rational approach to superstitious ideas?  May one go out of one's way to come up with rational approaches if these ideas bother him?  My thinking is, LeHavdil, along the lines of being Dan LeChaf Zechuth - judging someone favorably - when you are pretty sure someone is doing something wrong.

Instead of assuming the sages meant exactly what it sounds like they said, even if it offends my rational consciousness, and facing the painful choice of A) The sages got it totally right or B)The sages got it totally wrong, can there be a C)I've got a really good explanation that perhaps nobody's ever thought of before?

Inspired by the following questions (and many others):

What can a pregnant woman do if she already stepped on nails?

Good and Bad Omen - on something that can be calculated in advance


texts: Are shoes with Velcro straps like shoes with laces or without?

texts:
In SA OC 2:4, it says that the right shoe should be put on and not tied, then the left one put on and tied, and then tie the right shoe. Rama says that if the shoe has no laces, they are put on right, then left. Mishnah Berurah says that the left one is tied first because of tefillin which are put on the left arm.

But what about shoes that are closed by Velcro? Granted, i haven't seen these for people older than 8, but i'm still holding out...


texts: Is there a prohibition of paying interest misafek (doubt)?

texts: Reuvain borrowed money from Shimon, and both are unsure if it was ever payed back. Now, of course Shimon can't claim any money from Reuvain, but if Reuvain wants to pay him back out of doubt, should he be worried about paying interest?


texts:
As per Wikipedia:

In Riggs, a probate suit, the plaintiffs, Mrs. Riggs and Mrs. Preston, sought to invalidate the will of their father Francis B. Palmer; testated on August 13, 1880. The defendant in the case was Elmer E. Palmer, grandson to the testator. The will gave small legacies to two of the daughters, Mrs. Preston and Mrs. Riggs, and the bulk of the estate to Elmer Palmer to be cared for by his mother, Susan Palmer, the widow of a dead son of the testator, until he became of legal age.
Knowing that he was to be the recipient of his grandfather's large estate, Elmer, fearing that his grandfather might change the will, murdered his grandfather by poisoning him. The plaintiffs argued that by allowing the will to be executed Elmer would be profiting from his crime. While a criminal law existed to punish Elmer for the murder, there was no statute under either probate or criminal law that invalidated his claim to the estate based on his role in the murder.

The court eventually decided that the principle that one should not be able to benefit from one's own wrongdoing prevailed and Elmer did not inherit his grandfather's will.
Does Halacha recognize such a principle? Would a will be mevatel in a case like this?


texts: Most of Tehillim was written by David about himself. Are there any psalms that are considered prophecy or even messianic prophecy?