texts: Why can the 1st day of Pesach never occur on Sunday in 2 consecutive years?

texts: I am doing a lecture on the math of the Jewish calendar. I understand the concepts of the 3 types of year lengths - maleh, chaser and kesidrah - "full", "regular" and "deficient" years. I also understand the 4 postponement rules for Rosh Hashannah. (I say this, to avoid answers or comments that attempt to just state the rules.) My question is specifically why if Pesach falls on Tues., Thurs., or Shabbat, these days can be repeated the following year (when the following year is a leap year - maleh), but Sunday is never repeated (i.e it is never followed by a leap year - maleh)?


texts: How does Yosef's giving grain help things?

texts:
Near the end of Breishit (Gen.) 47, the people sell themselves and their land to Yosef because of the famine. In Breishit 23-24, Yosef gives them seed and tells them to plant the seed and when there is harvest they should give 1/5 to Pharaoh and use the remaining 4/5 for food.

If this occurred during the 2nd year of the famine and there were still to be 5 years left, how would planting seed help if there was no harvest yield to come from this planting? In Breishit 45:6, Yosef says:

  כִּי־זֶ֛ה שְׁנָתַ֥יִם הָרָעָ֖ב בְּקֶ֣רֶב הָאָ֑רֶץ וְעוֹד֙ חָמֵ֣שׁ
  שָׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־חָרִ֖ישׁ וְקָצִּֽיר׃ It is now two years that
  there has been famine in the land, and there are still five years to
  come in which there shall be no yield from tilling. (From Sefaria)

This implies that even if one were to plant new grain, which Yosef supplied them, it would still not yield anything. So, the famine went beyond the notion that they didn't have any grain currently.


texts: Non-Israeli pulpit rabbis who actively promote moving to Israel

texts:
Are there any rabbis who have pulpits outside of Israel and who have no plans to move to Israel themselves, but who actively and sincerely try to get their congregants to move to Israel?

I don't believe I've ever run into one, and I suspect that they're not too common, because:

The fact that they choose not to move to Israel themselves could make it difficult for them to recommend that course of action to others, even if their own choice is driven by completely justified reasons that apply to them and not [many of] their congregants.
There's a natural disincentive to any rabbi to recommend that his congregants leave his congregation.

However, given that moving to Israel is the right thing to do for at least some significant subset of diaspora Jews, some diaspora rabbis may see it as their responsibility to promote it, despite the above considerations, just as they promote other virtuous activities (e.g. minyan attendance, in-depth learning, or procreation) that may be available only to some congregants.

I'm wondering if anyone can produce any examples thereof.


texts: My Orthodox Jewish co-worker invited me to his wedding. Anything I should know about?

texts: My Orthodox Jewish co-worker invited me to his wedding, but I've never been to a Jewish wedding before. Is there anything I should be aware about if I plan to attend?


texts:
Every once in a while the Judaica Press English translations (such as this one) will quote R' Jacob Pidanki in their commentary anthology.

Who was R' Jacob Pidanki? Where did he live? What books/commentaries did he write?

This search lead me to this sefer on Hebrewbooks.org, which includes his commentary together with the Abarbanel.


texts: Why should G-d correct His Creation as He goes?

texts:
THe Torah and the commentaries clearly suggest in several places that G-d corrected His Creation while still in the process:

  וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ׃
  God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

  וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַמְּאֹרֹת הַגְּדֹלִים אֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַגָּדֹל לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים׃
  God made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars.

  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂהּ־לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ׃
  The LORD God said, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him.”

How this phenomenon can be explained?


texts:
At the end of the Chiddushei HaRamban on maseches Niddah, there is a small concise summary of the Ramban's halachic conclusions in hilchos niddah. Topics are grouped together in chapters, but there is no apparent order which follows the order of the masechta or anything else I can discern.

Is there any published index of the Ramban's Hilchos Niddah, or anyone who has mapped how to find where the halacha of the Ramban is from either the Mishneh Torah of the Rambam or the Shulchan Aruch?


texts: What are the different opinions of heights (in American or metric units) that requires a railing for the side of a porch?


texts: Previously I had a question about desecrating Jewish gravestones, but now I would have one in the opposite direction. In Christian cemeteries it's fairly common to dismantle graves after a few decades and put the remains in ossuaries. Often being constructed of expensive materials, these tombstones are frequently sold and re-used. I'm also aware of an ancient Roman stele that was eventually re-used by Jews. What does Jewish sources say about this practice? Can Jews use such materials? Should we be concerned with possible idol worship?


texts: Tefillin - Are there any others who wear 4 x 4 battim besides Chabad?

texts:
Lubavitch minhag calls for the tefillin battim to be 4 x 4 cm based on the Baal HaTanya's ruling in the Shulchan Aruch HaRav, 32:63. Are there any other communities who have the minhag to use Chabad-sized battim or is this exclusive in Lubavitch?

Normal-sized battim are 3.5 x 3.5 cm or sometimes smaller, and I believe this is based on the Shulchan Aruch of Rabbi Yosef Karo, but I'm not sure.

Obviously, I don't expect there to be any non-Chasidic communities who use these "oversize" battim but surely there must be some Chasidic dynasties which use them as well.

I am specifically looking for a community's custom, not "there's a guy at my shul who wears Beis Yosef tefillin with Chabad battim" or anything like that.


texts: Why only ten? Why not all of Haman's children?

texts: According to the Gemara Megila 15b Haman had 208 children. Why did they only hang 10 of them?


texts: Can one give a professional lecture on Sabbath?

texts: Would it be okay to give a professional conference lecture on Sabbath? Someone told me it would be okay as long as the speaker doesn't touch the microphone or the slides computer, but that doesn't seem right. Wouldn't there be a problem with the lecture itself?


texts: Should you bow and take steps back during a prayer you are not reciting?

texts:
For prayers where you are only listening, or responding "Amen" (for example, for Kaddish, or the chazzan's repetition of the Amidah) should you do the traditional bows and steps backward for that prayer? Or are those only for the people who are actually reciting?

(I am referring, for example, to the bows indicated by small circles in the siddur during Kaddish; to the three-part bow during "Oseh shalom bimromov"; and to the 3 steps back/forward before and after "Oseh shalom bimromov" in both the Amidah and Kaddish.)

I ask this question because I frequently see non-reciters bowing throughout kaddish (at the same points as the chazzan/reciters do).

Bonus question: Should we strike our chest again during the chazzan's repetition of the Amidah?


texts: When saying Kriyas Shema many have the custom of covering their eyes when saying Shema Yisrael. What is the reason this is done?


texts: What are the halachik issues involved in drawing from a nude model?

texts: Aside from seeming obviously inappropriate for a good Jewish boy/girl, what are the halachik issues involved in drawing from a nude model?  Are there any distinctions with regard to men/women?


texts:
As far as I understand from the discussion here, a "neder" is a vow forbidding or consecrating objects, whereas a "shevua" governs personal actions. For example, one would make a neder to declare wine forbidden to himself, but a shevua to go to work the next day.

1) Why is "bli neder" the common expression for self-exemption from promises when it is almost used in conjunction with shevuot (i.e. "I'll go to the store for you") rather than nedarim? Does this affect its halachic validity as an expression of intent to self-exempt from shevuot?

2) Is there some alternative phrase that might be better used for shevuot per se?

Related: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/14889/1516


texts: What's the difference between sim shalom and shalom rav? Why replace sim shalom at mincha and maariv?


texts: Why the double language of "all his creations that he created"

texts: The first blessing of birkat hamazon concludes with the statement that God prepares sustenance for "all of his creations that he created". What is the explanation for this double, redundant sounding language?


texts: ציורים ממתנות כהונה לא, יא Page in Midrash Rabbah

texts: I found a page at the back of Midrash Rabbah with that title and rows of boxes. Does anyone know what it is?


texts: Do hotel rooms and cruise ship cabins require a mezuzah?

texts:
I understand that a mezuzah is required on the doors of rooms that are permanent dwellings.

Hotel rooms and cruise ship cabins are rented to different people. Does the passenger or hotel guest need to place a mezuzah on the door?

Is there a minimal amount of time that defines "permanent dwelling" halachically? What if a person is on business for 6 months and stays in the same hotel room or ship cabin?


texts: I once heard about Jewish aggada telling about big bird throwing huge eggs made of steel which were destroying towns. Does anyone knows if there such aggada exists and what the source for it is?


texts: Notwithstanding anti discrimination laws which may disallow a seller to only sell to other Jews exclusively. Suppose a Jewish fellow - living outside of Eretz Yisroel - lives on a block which is mostly Jewish and wants to sell his house. The highest offer he has received from a non Jew is more than the highest offer he has received from a Jew. Is there any basis in Halacha which compels him to sell it only to the Jew? Is there a difference depending on the price differential? (sources)


texts:
Since Trump's daughter is Jewish, I'm sure that he would want to do everything according to Halacha. (Ha.) Can he actually make Mexico pay for the wall? I don't mean tax their goods - I mean actually drag Mexico to Beis Din and make them pay.

I won't quote the sources because it would take too much space, but here is a summary of some relevant points from Bava Basra 2a-4b:

If you hold hezik re'i'ah is a form of damage, partners may force each other to split a courtyard at least 4x8 amos. If it is not a form of damage, they may not split it without each others' consent. However, this is by hezik d'yachid - hezik d'Rabbim everyone holds is considered damage. The type of wall goes after the norm in that part of the world.
In a garden, you can force where it's normal to build a wall between the two properties no matter the size of the garden.
Farmland can only be divided with both parties' consent.
Once consent has been given and both parties make a form of acquisition to that effect, they cannot retract their consent.

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


texts:
I am looking to understand the theology behind a negative commandment being repeated in the Torah in order to make whomever transgresses it punishable for 2 sins.

See for example Rashi on Vayikra 25:36 (from the Gemarah)
נשך ותרבית. חַד שַׁוִּינְהוּ רַבָּנָן, וְלַעֲבֹר עָלָיו בִּשְׁנֵי לָאוִין (בבא מציעא ס'):

Conceptually, what is the significance of having a particular sin be counted twice?


texts: How does one perform a Hatafas Dam Bris?  What are all the steps in the process?  Additionally, what Brachos (if any) are made at a Hatafas Dam Bris?


texts: Birkat Haminim, order of requests in Nusach Sfard

texts:
In the Birkat Haminim following the Nusach Sfard, the prayer is to exterminate, humiliate and submit the Apikorsim.

  תעקר ותשבר ומגר ותכלם ותשפילם ותכניעם

My question is the order of the requests. After extermination, why is it a need to humiliate and submit?


texts:
A decade ago, I visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem with Nosson Tzvi Finkel, a widely respected rabbi in Israel. As we approached one of the holiest sites in Judaism, the rabbi halted about 10 yards away as a crowd of admirers gathered nearby. I beckoned him further.

  "I’ve never been closer than this," the rabbi told me. Astounded, I asked why.

  "You go," he said. "I’m not worthy."

— Web edition of "America Deserves a Servant Leader", a The New York Times op-ed by Howard Schultz, August 6, 2015.

Of course anyone can feel unworthy to approach the Wall, and of course anyone can be too much in of awe of it to approach it — which is much the same thing when it comes down to it. But I wonder what precedent there is for such a thing. Do we know of people who would not approach within some distance of the Temple Mount (which the Wall is the wall of) when the Temple was standing? Do we know of people in earlier generations who would not approach within some distance of the Wall? How prevalent has this been? What is its earliest known instance? (I mean to ask about the practice of avoiding approaching within some distance, whether for the reason quoted above or for any other Judaism-based reason.)


texts: In Mishlei (Proverbs) 28:17, the letter dalet is small in the word "adam". Why is this?


texts: Obligation of community to support those who study Torah?

texts: Is the community obligated to support financially those who study Torah all day long? Is one allowed to request such support from the community based on his choice to study full-day and not make a living by an 'ordinary' job?


texts: Examples of the sages in the Talmud going above and beyond in kindness

texts:
What are some examples in the Talmud where it tells a story of one of the sages from the time of the Mishna or Gemara showing exceptional kindness that could be a good example to other people?

For this question, "exceptional" refers to behavior beyond that which the average person would do. For example, while an average person might give a homeless person some money, exceptional behavior would be to go out of one's way to provide extra goods for them or invite them into their house. And "good example" just means "good role model" here. For example, "This sage only slept 4 hours so he could make sure that he could cut enough firewood for the orphanage, let's learn from him to try harder to help orphans."


texts: May one wear a jacket or coat over a tallit gadol during shacharit?

texts:
May one wear a jacket or coat over a tallit gadol during shacharit - assuming one wears a tallit gadol daily?

The reason I ask is because usually the tallit gadol is the outer most garment. I don't seem to recall any laws regarding tallitim or tzitzit that require them to be worn as the outer most garment.


texts: Is the brand Chef's Quality pas yisroel?

texts: Are the products under the brand, Chef’s Quality, pas yisroel? All of them, some of them, or none of them? If not all of them are then specifically are their bread crumbs and tortillas pas yisroel?


texts:
A scientific paper in Nature in 1960 entitled "Lepidoteuthis grimaldii—a Squid with Scales" describes a squid that was found in the contents of a whale and (at the time) was the fourth specimen of its kind. Even now specimens are hard to come by.

A more recent photo of a specimen can be found on the Lepidoteuthis grimaldii wikipedia page, and i copy it in here:

Regarding the scales the 1960 paper states: "The 'scales' of these specimens are rather softer than those usually forming the external protection of fish, although... they resemble ganoid scales in general appearance". He then goes on to write that during preservation of the specimen in formalin the scales had softened and that he remembered the fresh condition as being a more 'horny' structure and concludes that they fit with a dictionary definition of scales.

The upper part of the squid are fins that help propel the squid through the water. For those opinions who would permit non-fish species so long as they have fins and scales, what would qualify as 'fins'?

Would this species be halachically considered as having 'fins and scales'?


texts: Is it possible to pray to Hashem for a specific person as your prospective spouse?

texts: I understand in the first Amud of Masechet Sotah, an individual’s future [first] spouse is predestined. Is there a possibility of praying to Hashem, such that one may change the decree and designate a particular person for marriage?


texts: Must one inform the owner if you damaged and repaired the property?

texts: If you, say, damage the fence of a house, and you repair the damage, are you obligated to inform the owner of the fence of what occurred? Or must you inform your landlord for damages you caused and fixed?


texts: Can unmarried men wear the Tallis over his head?

texts: I go to Chabad but don't observe every Minhag. I'm 13 and wear a Tallis Gadol to begin with but when I tried putting it over my head I felt so connected to Hashem and I concentrated better. But would people look at me funny if I did this in a minyan? Is it halachically permitted?


texts: Burying sheimos is a segula for a pandemic?

texts: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, rav of the Agudah of Park Heights in Baltimore, gave a eulogy last week for the last two years of sheimos which they were burying, and mentioned that it is a segulah for a pandemic to end to bury sheimos. What is the idea behind this?


texts:
I'm trying to find the status of making sushi on shabbos.

I will ask LoR, but would also like to get info here as well as sources, and use as a guide for others.

Issues I'm aware of / heard of:

Mevashel - Obvious, let the rice cool first (also pretty painful).
Boneh - Not really
sure why it would be, but heard some people throwing it around.
Memachaik/Memareach - while spreading the rice. Don't think it applied to ready-to-eat food though.
Tochen - Cutting some veggies very thinly could pose an issue (such as cucumber) can be avoided by preparing from before.
Uvda D'chol  - So is making a sandwich, or using the toilet. Not sure why this is more than anything else.
Measuring - simply; don't.

Any ideas/sources would be appreciated.


texts: How much water could the tub Shlomo made hold?

texts: In 1 Kings 7:26 it says the tub King Shlomo made for the Beit HaMikdash could hold 2,000 "בַּ֖ת" which various commentaries explain differently. However, whatever the proper translation in 2 Divrei HaYamim 4:5 it says the same tub could hold 3,000 בַּ֖ת. How is this contradiction resolved?


texts: Can one wear new clothes during Three Weeks? Do pajamas and undergarments have the same rule?


texts:
Are there any sources in Seforim or other (reliable) sources that explain how Ruach Hakodesh works?
There are a few questions on the forum here discussing how even regular people sometimes have these gifts of divine perception. My question is specifically if there's any place that describes how people gifted with devine perception are able to determine that a thought or intuition is specifically Divine as opposed to just a regular thought.


texts: What is the origin of this classic melody for the popular Purim song "Chayav Inish Lebasumei"?


texts: Is wearing unisex clothes considered beged ishah?

texts: There are many examples of cases where t-shirts or hats are given out to a group of people consisting of men and women. Since they are worn by women, are these, and any other unisex clothes like this, considered beged ishah?


texts:
Rabbi Zitron quotes that there are twentyfour different types of ways to protect the jews from escaping.

(It may be a bit irritating seeing my questions always quoting from lectures from youtube. I apologize but i guess this may be the only way for me to learn)

What are those 24 ways?


texts: The term mitqaddešet mean "sexual intercourse"? Apart from the Bible, it seems to have this meaning in rabbinic literature. According to Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Sefer Nashim, Ishut 3,11 indicates "sexual relations", at least from what Rabbi Eliyahu Touger translates into English "she can be consecrated through sexual relations with her father's consent". Confirm the translation of the term? Does it also have this meaning in the Bible? Shalom.


texts: Seeking (a) web site(s) that discuss(es) Judaic calendar statistics

texts:
I am compiling a short shiur for my shul on Rosh Hashanna. I plan on discussing some items related to the Judaic calendar, with a focus on some statistics that I can eventually put into Excel and / or chart.

Here are some stats that I'm seeking:

Frequency of the day of week that Pesach begins (I can determine the weekday for Rosh Hashanna from that)
Weekday pairs - I.e., if Rosh Hashanna is on Mon. this year, what possible weekdays could it be the following year? List or table should be for both regular & leap years
Frequency of 1st day Chanukah being on Friday
Frequency of 10 Tevet being on Friday
Frequency of each kevi'ah - If a table or chart for all of them (I think there are about 10 in total?) then something stating which is most and which is least common
Notable recent or upcoming (25 - 30 years before or after now) Judaic / Gregorian rare U.S. holiday coincidences. E.g. 1st day Hanuka 5774 coincided with Thanksgiving 2013. (I'm looking for "rare", here. Don't include Chanukah / XMas, Succot / Columbus Day or Shavu'ot / Memorial Day. These occur every few years. I realize that this list may not be easily available, so this is not a primary concern for me, but would be nice to have.)

If you can find one or more websites having this info, I appreciate it, greatly.


texts: Chronological order of stories involving Rabban Gamliel

texts:
There’s several stories (that I know of) which deal with Rabban Gamliel acting in a less-than-ideal way in regard to his contemporaries:

Rosh HaShanah 25a-b, where Rabban Gamliel insisted that R’ Yehoshua violate Yom Kippur according to his own calculations and defer to that of the court
Bechoros 36a, where Rabban Gamliel publicly humiliated R’ Yehoshua in response to his contradictory ruling regarding R’ Tzadok’s firstborn animal
Berachos 27b-28a, where Rabban Gamliel publicly humiliated R’ Yehoshua in response to his contradictory ruling regarding Maariv being obligatory or not, and which also deals with the aftermath of this and the above two incidents, in which Rabban Gamliel was temporarily deposed from his office
Bava Metzi’a 59b, where Rabban Gamliel has his brother-in-law R’ Eliezer excommunicated for arguing against the majority; ultimately R’ Eliezer’s tefillos inadvertently led to Rabban Gamliel’s early death

Is there any indication as to the chronological order of these stories? (Obviously Rabban Gamliel’s death in Bava Metzi’a happened last, but it’s possible that the excommunication happened before any of the other incidents cited here.)

As I’ve said previously, it seems to me that the first three incidents cited took place before the other two, as Berachos only records those two incidents as prompting Rabban Gamliel’s being deposed, leaving out the latter incident. Given that both deal with R’ Yehoshua, and the conclusion of the story in Bechoros is repeated in the story in Berachos, it’s possible that all three of these happened simultaneously.

Perhaps Berachos only cites Rosh HaShanah and Bechoros (and itself) as those were the immediate triggers, but there had been a history of perceived abuse of the position by Rabban Gamliel before then?

(Feel free to edit in other stories that I missed, but I think these are all of them.)


texts: Why no אמן after "קונה שמים וארץ"?

texts:
In the Friday night davening, I have noticed that after the chazan says the bracha "קונה שמים וארץ", the congregation always goes immediately on to saying "מגן אבות" without responding אמן to the bracha. This seems to be the case in shuls of all nusachim (as far as I can remember).

What is the reason for this? The only explanation that I can think of is that this is a "long bracha" (matbe'a arokh) which ends with "מקדש השבת". Is this the case? If not, why is Amen not said after the first bracha?


texts: There is a not-uncommon minhag, primarily in chassidic circles called 'gebrokts' where matza is not allowed to come into contact with water during Pesach.  What is the earliest source for this custom and it's meaning?


texts: Why are specifically the land of Israel and the Torah called a "Morasha"?

texts:
If I have this correct, the Torah calls only two items מורשה - the Torah, itself as in Devarim 33:4 and the land of Israel (Cana'an) as in Shemot 6:8. I read, I think in both Art Scroll as well as Book of Our Heritage, that מורשה means "heritage" and ירושה means "inheritance".

Questions:

Why are these two specific items called a מורשה rather than ירושה ? What makes these two items special?

What, if there is any, relationship of these two items to each other that they are both called מורשה.


texts: Can ground coffee beans or instant coffee be used for b'samim during Havdalah?

texts: Can instant coffee and fresh ground coffee be used for b'samim (spices) during Havdalah?


texts: Under what circumstances may one ask a Kohen to do a task for a non-Kohen?

texts:
I understand that a non-Kohen should not ask a Kohen to do a task for him. It is quoted in  hewikipedia

  האיסור להשתמש בכהן הוא איסור להשתמש בכהן כפועל או בעבודה כל שהיא,
  אפילו עבודה קלה. סיבת האיסור הוא כיוון שהכהן נחשב כקודש ההשתמשות בו
  לעבודה של חול נחשבת כמעילה

At  שאל את הרב  at moreshet.co.il I found a question about whether a Kohen could be asked to pass a person's bag to him. The response was

  האם כהנים פטורים ממצות גמילות חסדים ? אין כאן איסור ולא נדנוד כל שהוא.

  Are Kohanim exempt from the mitzvah of kindness? There is nothing
  forbidden here at all.

So under what circumstances may one ask a Kohen to do a task for a non-Kohen?


texts:
Bob is an observant Jew.  Jim is completely secular Jew, who has never been observant.

Jim is poor, and has trouble making ends meet most of the time.

Is Bob allowed to give Jim tzedakah, knowing with near certainty that Jim will use the money to purchase treif food , to drive on shabbat, and violate other Torah prohibitions?

If so, would there any distinction regarding the use of maaser money?

(Assume that Jim is not literally starving, to avoid any concern of pikuach nefesh)


texts: Formulation of name(s) when praying for non-Jews

texts: When praying for non-Jews, how should one formulate the name of the sick individual if he or she has a Hebrew-derived (vernacular) name?  Eg., Jack ben Rebecca vs. Ya'akov ben Rivkah?


texts: Why do chasidim of Hungary and Poland use a sefardi tefilin knot?

texts: Why do the chasidim originating from Galicia, Silesia, Poland (with the exception of Gur and a few others) use a sefardi knot with the loop outside the bayis instead of the inside as per ashkenazi minhag? Was there a concerted effort to change this or is there another explanation, such as these areas were populated by many sefardi refugees from spain or people who settled there to trade from Turkey?


texts: General Halachic approach to smartphones

texts:
There seem to be so many dangers to owning "smartphones," for both children and adults.

Access to violent, explicit, manipulative images, video, text, etc.
The technology itself is designed to be compelling and perhaps "addictive"
It can "steal" our waking time and even our sleep

So I have some questions in this area:

is this technology permitted in the first place? Under what circumstances?
When can or should children be able to "go online"?
On what grounds did various poskim try to outlaw movies, TV, personal computers, internet at home, etc.?

All guiding responses, links, resources are welcomed. (This Letter Prohibiting Television post has already been very helpful in my thinking.)


texts: Does schach have to lie completely flat on top of the succah?

texts:
During Succot, we were discussing what materials may be used to secure the schach. Most people that I know, including I, use a bamboo mat and lay some planks of wood on top to secure it down.

Someone in my shul asked if the mat may be laid down in a "wavy" fashion. For example, let's say one lays bamboo poles on top of the succah in a fashion such that some poles are under the schach mat supporting the weight of the mat underneath, while other poles are on top of the schach mat securing it down against the wind. Thus, when viewing the mat from the top of the succah, it is not completely flat but you would see parts over a pole and parts under it like a "wave" pattern. Is this OK?

The answer below does seem to address that as long as there are distinguishable walls, this arrangement is fine. However, I am curious if there's any concern for using a "mixed schach arrangement" like this. I.e., some bamboo poles are used for "support" (the ones under the mat) and some used on top of the mat (which, I guess, would be considered the "roof" or actual "schach". So, one possible concern is - if the supporting poles are considered halachically "schach". Why does this matter? Let's say a wind blew off the mat with the poles on top of it but the poles that were underneath that had supported the mat stayed there.


texts: What food product was the Birkei Yosef discussing when he said Bishul Akum didn't apply?

texts:
If my non-Jewish neighbor cooks some rice and brings it to my house, I'm not allowed to eat it because of Bishul Akum (even if I know his ingredients and equipment are 100% vegan and grape-free).  Too much socializing could lead to intermarriage.

I've heard that the Birkei Yosef (a.k.a. "Chida", R' Chaim Yosef David Azulai, Jerusalem, late 1700s) argued that for cooked food product made halfway around the world by some anonymous producer, one could be more lenient.  This factors into discussions today such as bishul akum vis-a-vis canned tuna.

My question is a historical one -- what kinds of food products was Chida talking about in the 1700s that were cooked and shipped all over the place?


texts: Is one allowed to request a refuah sheleimah (a speedy recovery) for oneself, while saying Shemona Esreh? If so, does one need to say one’s Hebrew name, or just say אותי ("me")?


texts: Source for statement of the Rabbis to abolish Shabbat?

texts:
In Sefer HaIkkarim the following quote appears:

וזהו שאמרו שהנביא האומר לעבוד עבודה זרה אפילו לשעה אין שומעין לו. אבל אם יאמר שנחלל שבת או שנעבור על אחת מן המצות בהוראת שעה או בענין שלא יהרוס שרשי הדת, ראוי שנשמע לו משום שנאמר אליו תשמעון,

But that which is told to a person by God without the mediation of a prophet, no prophet has the power to abolish even temporarily. Hence the statement of the Rabbis, “If a prophet tells the people to worship idols, even temporarily, he must not be obeyed; but if he says that we should violate the Sabbath or transgress some one of the commandments as a temporary measure, or even permanently, provided he does not subvert the foundations of the religion, we must listen to him, because it says, “Unto him ye shall hearken.” (translation from Sefaria)

Where is this "statement of the Rabbis" found? The traditional sources allowing for a prophet to annul a command (besides idol worship) stress that it be temporary, not permanent (Yevamos 90b; Sifrei Devarim 175; Mishneh Torah Yesodei HaTorah 9:3).


texts: Couples sleeping in a bed in public view

texts:
This question / answer discusses the issue of Couple's showing affection in public.

In regard to that, I was wondering whether it would be permitted / appropriate for a couple to sleep in a bed together, in a place which is view-able to others. For example if there was a double couch/bed in a large living room of a family home, could they host a couple to sleep on that? (No physical endearment will take place, only sleeping).


texts: Does a parent carry a child's sins beyond the age of Bar/Bat Mitzvah if they were irresponsible in how they raised their child?

texts:
Parents own the responsibility of the sins of their children until the child has reached their age of Bar/Bat mitzvah. There is even a blessing Baruch Shepetarani the father makes which thanks Hashem for releasing them of the burdens of their child's sin.
My question is about parental responsibility and whether that burden truly gets lifted if the parents did not do their job as required. Making a baby and raising a child to be a respectable member of the community are two different things.
Is a parent truly free from the sins of their children if they were irresponsible (beyond reasonable common sense) in the way they raised them?
Is this line of adulthood (where parents lose responsibility) a hard line or does it slide depending on how poorly a person raised their child?
Can it be argued a person raised in an absurd situation, where immorality was taught as morality and vice versa, that a child cannot retain the full responsibility of the sins they were raised to believe were normal behaviors?


texts: How far from the correct pronunciations and spellings must one differ to avoid saying God's names?

texts: It's my understanding that there are halachic reasons to avoid saying or writing some of God's Names for no reason. How far from the correct spelling or pronunciations must one deviate to avoid these complications? For example, many people with Ashkenazi pronunciation will say or write E-lokeinu, replacing the ה with a ק or a כּ. Does this "work" in terms of rendering the sacred name profane enough for common usage? Doesn't the new spelling/pronunciation still contain a related, and similarly holy, theonym within the first two letters? Also, there is another Name, the one that starts with a י and ends with a הּ. If one spells or pronounces it ה, without the aspiration associated with the mappiq הּ, is this sufficiently different for everyday use?


texts: הרחמן הוא יברך את בעל הבית הזה... Why the extra אותם?

texts:
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְאֶת בַּעֲלַת הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה. אוֹתָם וְאֶת בֵּיתָם וְאֶת זַרְעָם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם.

The word otam in this harachaman seems superfluous. Does it have a meaning separate from "et ba'al habayit hazeh ve'et ba'alat habayit hazeh" or is it just there because it sounds nice?


texts: It often happens to me that after learning the whole day and reading lots of text especially with small letters I feel my eyes very tired. Who knows good set of exercises that don't takes lot of time, that helps to prevent eyes tiring.


texts:
The Wikipedia page titled Jewish views on evolution states the following about the Netziv.

  When scientists first developed the theory of evolution, this idea was seized upon by rabbis such as Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, known as the Netziv, who saw Kabbalah as a way to resolve the differences between traditional readings of the Bible and modern day scientific findings. He proposed that the ancient fossils of dinosaurs were the remains of beings that perished in the previous "worlds" described in midrash and in some Kabbalistic texts. This was the view held by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan (1934–1983).

Does anyone know where the Netziv wrote this?


texts:
My family sings a song on Purim that I am trying to track down. It is mostly Yiddish, with a little bit of Hebrew. The song starts with

פֿאַרוואָס זאָגט די תורה האָב נישט קיין מורא

and ends with

מחה תמחה את זכר עמלק

The song is obviously (from those lyrics) Jewish in content. Does anyone know what the title of the song is, and what the full lyrics are?


texts: How is davening affected by the observance of י"ט שבט (for those who observe it)?

texts:
For those who observe י"ט שבט, how is davening affected?

I am aware that Tachanun is omitted, but is it also omitted at mincha on erev Yod-Teth Shevat?

Is Psalm 20 recited at shacharit?

Is hallel recited? If so, is it said with or without a berakha?

Is there an al hanisim or ya'aleh v'yavo addition to shmoneh esrei and/or birkat hamazon?  If so, does accidentally omitting it require shmoneh esrei and/or birkat hamazon to be repeated?

I am not planning on confirming what I learn here with my rabbi, so please make sure that your answer is correct.

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


texts: Is it permissible for a non Kohen such as an Israelite or a Levi to give any type of blessing to a Kohen?


texts: Semichath ge'ulah l'tfilah by Maariv with a minyan

texts:
The gemara in Brachoth emphasizes the importance of semichat ge'ulah l'tefilla (adjoining redemption to prayer):

דאמר ר' יוחנן איזהו בן העולם הבא זה הסומך גאולה לתפלה של ערבית...
... For R' Yochanan said: Who will inherit the world to come? He who joins the Ge'ulah to the evening Tefillah.

The Gemara then asks how R' Yochanan can say it is a requirement if we say "Hashkiveinu..." between Ge'ulah and Shemoneh Esrei and answers:

כיון דתקינו רבנן למימר השכיבנו כגאולה אריכתא דמיא
Since the Rabbis instituted the prayer "Hashkiveynu..." it is to be considered part of Ge'ulah.

The Maharal (Nethiv HaAvodah chapter 7 [p. 96 in old version]) explains that ge'ulah is the blessing instituted with reference to redemption (connected to the words [Exodus 6:7] "ולקחתי אתכם לי לעם" - "and I will take you to Me as a people", whereas "hashkiveynu relates to the maintenance of the redeemed state (i.e. protection, connected to the continuing words "והייתי לכם לאלקים" - "and I will be to you as G-d").
The implication from the gemara is pretty clear that there were no other interruptions allowed between geulah and tefilla. Nonetheless, there is a controversial custom dating to the time of the Geonim  (or earlier) to recite verses at this point (argued to be a relic of when it replaced the Shemoneh Esrei in the tefillah betzibbur). I believe many authorities do not say these verses for the reason of the gemara, and that that is the custom of eretz yisrael following the GR"A. Nonetheless, I have never personally witnessed a minyan that omitted the kaddish between hashkiveinu and shemoneh esrei.
I was wondering if such a custom does exist in any community of not saying anything at all between hashkiveinu and shemoneh esrei.
Also, I believe certain halachik authorities (e.g. Rav Herschel Schachter of YU, if memory serves) do not say these verses (or the verses added on Shabbath and Yom Tov) even when the congregation does. Is there a point in this omission if one then answers the kaddish? Do these authorities also refrain from answering the kaddish?
Finally, mefarshim grapple with defending the continuing custom of saying these verses and suggest that perhaps they too can be considered a geulah arichta (Tosafoth cited in Mishna Berura 236:6). Is this assumed to be the only argument for saying kaddish as well? Is there any explanation then for the customs of omitting the former but not the latter?


texts: Why does Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer only connect certain berachos of Shemoneh Esrei to events in Tanach?

texts:
According to Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer:

The first beracha of Shemoneh Esrei, "Blessed are You, Hashem, Protector of Avraham," refers to Hashem's protecting Avraham during the war with the four kings (ch. 27)
The second beracha, "Who causes the dead to live," refers to Akeidas Yitzchak (ch. 31)
The third beracha, "The holy G-d," refers to the night of Yaakov's dream on Har HaMoriah (ch. 35)
The fourth beracha, "Who bestows knowledge," refers to when Hashem told Moshe His Name by the Sneh (ch. 40)
The fifth beracha, "Who desires repentance," refers to Hashem's desire that we repent before the coming of Mashiach (ch. 43)

And there the pattern ends. The Midrash doesn't connect any of the other berachos to events in Tanach.

On several occasions it seems to set itself up for that punchline. For instance, ch. 46 is full of discussions of Hashem's forgiving of sin, specifically in connection to the Eigel. I was fully expecting the Midrash to conclude with a reference to the sixth beracha of Shemoneh Esrei, which deals with forgiveness, but no, the Midrash simply ends with Hashem's statement of forgiveness. Similarly I expected ch. 29 to connect the beracha of healing to Hashem's healing of Avraham's Bris Milah (compare Megillah 17b that this beracha was placed as the eighth beracha because Bris Milah is done on the eighth day).

Why does the Midrash only discuss the first five berachos of Shemoneh Esrei and not the remaining thirteen (fourteen)?


texts: Where are we commanded to wrap ourselves in Tzitzit?

texts:
When we put on a tallit, we say a blessing (copied from here)

Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam

Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe

asher kidishanu b'mitz'votav v'tzivanu l'hit'ateif ba-tzitzit

Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to wrap ourselves in the Tzitzit.

I know that there is a commandment to attach the fringes to the proper garment (as the jewfaq site lists in its enumeration of the 613 mitzvot according to the Rambam, "To put tzitzit on the corners of clothing (Num. 15:38)") but what is the source for the idea that there is a specific commandment to wrap ourselves in the tzitzit? The text of the bracha seems to reflect an explicit command -- but what command?

This answer indicates "In Ashkenazic practice, the optimal blessing for a tallit -- to wrap oneself in tzitzit -- is said only on a talit gadol. For a *tallit katan", we're not sure it's quite up to that level, so it gets a lesser blessing, regarding the mitzva of tzitzit. " I'm not sure what any of this really means -- is there an extant commandment to wrap that is on a higher level than simply "asu lahem tzitzit"?

Additional notes -- the Shulchan Aruch (O"C 8:1) says, "One should wrap himself in the ציצית and make a blessing on them while standing" -- " יתעטף בציצית ויברך מעומד". But (8:3) "the טלית קטן (small Talit) garments that we have the custom to wear, even though there is no concept of wrapping (היתעטף) by them, one is יוצא his obligation of ציצית." So we fulfill the obligation without wrapping.

So, if so, where is there any additional textual obligation to wrap that would be reflected in the bracha?


texts: Why does the Tetragrammaton sometimes include the cholam vowel?

texts:
Why does the Tetragrammaton sometimes include the cholam vowel ?

The question isn't a duplicate of What are the reasons or rules for the different variations in vowels on the Tetragrammaton?

Because that question was very general. This question is far more specific.

I understand (from the answer to the previous question), that and when, YHVH is written with vowels like Adonai, and when it is written with vowels like Elohim.

What I would like to know is why is it sometimes written with the cholam, and sometimes without?

Is there any kind of rule that governs when it is written with a cholam and when not, rather like there is a rule for when it is written with vowels like adonai vs vowels like elohim?

Funnily enough, I just noticed that while my copy of the text which is the WLC(Westminster leningrad codex), which now is essentially meant to be a copy of the leningrad codex, has mostly without (like thousands without), and some with (like between 50-80 with).   Mechon Mamre don't have a cholam on any of their YHVH instances.  Whereas bible.ort seems to have the cholam on every single YHVH instance!


texts:
A co-worker posted this as her "Quote of the Day" in an e-mail message. It's attributed to Shlomo ibn Gabirol:

  The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others.

A Google search revealed that this quote is indeed passed around. But, does Shlomo ibn Gabirol actually say this (in his native tongue), and if so, in what work? I'm familiar with his work, Mibchar ha-Peninim (מבחר הפנינים), but none of his others. I also know that he wrote the majority of his works in Arabic.

Does anyone have the original quote and the source of the quote?


texts:
If an open bottle of wine is on the shelf in the door of a refrigerator, and a non-Jew opens the door of the refrigerator, thereby moving the wine, does the wine become yayin nesech?

Let's assume that the non-Jew does not notice that the wine is there in the door at any point.


texts: What does the comment say after the end of Esther?

texts: I see that after the text, there is a short note at the end of each book, what do these notes say?


texts: Why so much genealogical detail in Bereshit?

texts: I'm looking for reasons (Pshat, but not only) in giving so much detail in Bereshit regarding the sons of Adam, Kain, and so on. Some of the characters born and die, and have no clear role, at least in Pshat.


texts: Ramifications of eating (or forcing to eat) food one doesn’t like

texts:
Avos D’Rebbi Nassan 26:5 says (translation is from Artscroll, and brackets are from their footnotes):

  הוא היה אומר האוכל אוכלין שאינם עולים על גופו עובר משום ג' לאוין שביזה את עצמו וביזה את האוכלין ומברך ברבה שאינה כתיקונה

  He used to say: One who eats foods that do not agree with his body [that is, he eats food that is repulsive to him] commits three transgressions: (1) He has demeaned himself [i.e. he has caused himself to become disgusted, and thereby transgressed the prohibition (Leviticus 11:43), Do not make yourselves abominable], (2) he has degraded the foods that he ate [and thereby violated the prohibition (Deuteronomy 20:19), Do not destroy... This applies to any destructive or wasteful act. Since a different person who is not repulsed by the foods could have benefited from them, this person is considered to have wasted food], and (3) he has recited a blessing improperly.

I’d never heard of this before, and as such, was wondering if this Braisa is ruled in Halacha.

Is one really not supposed to make a Beracha on food one doesn’t like? If so, if one eats a particular food for the first time and therefore isn’t sure if he will like it or not, should he make a Beracha, since we’re lenient on a doubt by Berachos (or, perhaps, eat another food he does like that would have the same Beracha)?
Are parents in violation of לפני עור for feeding their kids food they don’t like (read: vegetables)?

Particularly for the second question above leaves me wondering whether we don’t pasken like this Braisa. Looking for actual sources in the Poskim.


texts: Does one need to fast if a pasul Torah is dropped?

texts:
There is a minhag to fast when a Sefer Torah is dropped. Does this apply if the dropped Torah was pasul (not "kosher")?

My thinking - a pasul Torah is not a "true" Torah in the sense that it can be used for congregational reading. However, it still maintains its holiness and it needs to be buried if one wants to "dispose" it. But, despite that, perhaps, the minhag applies only to usable Sifrei Torah?


texts:
What do poskim say the bracha is for dark chocolate that has more than 50% cacao in it as the package claims (being that the majority ingredient is cacao)?

(I've seen an opinion who says (Vzot Habracha p. 103 in the name of R' Elyashiv) that we make a shehakol on chocolate even though it warrants a ha'eitz, because there are other ingredients mixed in (they add in parenthesis that there were other reasons for the psak but do not mention the factors). My case would seem to be an exception to that because it is rov cacao.)


texts: Source and reason of the Minhag to end Cohen aliyah of parshat Devarim 1 pasuk early

texts:
In some shuls that I have attended, they end the Cohen aliyah of Shabbat parshat Devarim one pasuk before the one where "Sheni" is marked (i.e. - they end it before pasuk 11 instead of 12).

I'm not sure what the reason for doing this is. I heard from someone that it's a "bad omen" to begin the aliyah with the word "Eicha" (at the start of pasuk 13) close to Tish'a B'Av.

I don't know if that reason is the real reason. It sounds a bit strange. The whole week we know we are within the 9 Days and we are aware of what 9 Av is about, and this is what we're concerned about so much to end an aliyah early?

Where did this minhag originate?


texts: I'm flying westward in the morning. I don't think I'll have enough time to pray shacharit before I take off, and don't wish to do so en route. I should land with enough time to pray shacharit before zman kriat shma: is there any problem with my doing so? What would other issues of tefillah be in this case?


texts: Is it ok to open Mi Yodeya in the bathroom and skim through the questions trying to find ones that aren't really included in limud ha'torah in order to read them? Or is the opening of the app and the skimming the questions in the bathroom  already included in degradation of words of Torah?


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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts:
The earliest source I found for the four cups in the Seder is the first Mishna in Pesachim 10:

  On the eve of Pesah close to minhah one may not eat until nightfall. Even the poorest person in Israel must not eat [on the night of Pesah] until he reclines. And they should give him not less than four cups [of wine], and even from the charity plate.

The four cups were set up by the sages. Is there any source that this din was pre-Second Temple-destruction or was it only set up during the late-Tannaim period?


texts: Whose minhag does a Kalla follow in neiros shabbos and mikvah?

texts:
I was told by my mother-in-law that my wife should follow all of my minhagim except for shabbat candle lighting and mikveh, for which she will follow her mother's.
Is there any halachic authority who rules like that?


texts: Could somebody identify this, and for what occasion it's used?

texts:
Firstly, I must apologise if this is not the right place to ask, and for the mediocre image quality.

It appears to be a purple crown on a light box with Hebrew text, and is present at a number of synagogues in the Stoke Newington area of North London.

Google was of no help, so I was hoping someone here might be able to shed some light on it!


texts: Was serious consideration ever given to building another Tabernacle?

texts:
I have been reading in Exodus, specifically about the construction of the Tabernacle. The question occurred to me, whether following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., anyone considered building another (mobile) Tabernacle to replace the Temple, i.e., in order to carry on the sacrifices and so forth. Was this ever given serious consideration? What were the arguments for or against?
(I don't read Mishnaic Hebrew or Aramaic, so English translations, or links to English translations, would be greatly appreciated.)


texts: Practical guide to the Brisker method in English?

texts: Is there a book that serves as a practical guide in English to applying the Brisker method of learning Gemara?


texts: Which stone of the Kotel is directly opposite the Kodesh hakodashim?

texts:
"The Belzer Rebbe, Rebbe Ahazon, zatsal, when visiting the wall would search for a certain protruding stone. He would pray at that spot, explaining that his father, Reb Yissachar Dov, zatzal, had told him that this stone was directly opposite the Kodesh Hakodashim (Holy of Holies)." (page 7: http://ohr.edu/ohrnet/5759/bereishi/noach.pdf)

Which stone is it ? Do you have a picture of it or way to find it ?


texts: Question on discrepancy between Rambam and Gemara

texts: If someone separated the first shearings of wool from his sheep to give to a Kohen, and he loses it, he is responsible to replace it (Rambam, Bikkurim 10,8).  Doesn't that contradict the Gemara in Hullin (130b) that someone who damages or eats gifts for the Kohen is exempt from paying because it's money that no one can demand?


texts: Megilla: 2nd runners overtake first set that left 70 days earlier (Rashi). How?

texts:
In Esther 3:12 it records that Homon sent out his runners with the decree on 13th Nissan. Mordechai sent out his runners on 23rd Sivan to mitigate the decree. Rashi in  8:14 tells us that these second set of runners were to overtake the first runners. This is problematic as the first runners had started 70 days earlier – how could they be overtaken!?
Surely in the 70 days, they will have reached most if not all of the king’s 127 countries of his realm before the second set of runners had yet left Shushan!!!
Can you please offer an answer to Rashi’s "overtaking” problem?


texts: This answer mentions says that the stripes on the tallis are reminiscent of techeilet. Now, we have a few different dyes that claim to be techeilet, which many people wear. Usually, talises with techeilet also have the stripes. Do they need to have them?  If so, should the stripes on the talis match the color of the techeilet string?


texts:
Mesechtas Shabbos 133b gives a list of items that one should do with nice things in order to beautify the Mitzva. Conspicuously absent is Tefilin. Is there a source to get nice Tefilin? If not, why is Tefilin excluded?

  דתניא זה אלי ואנוהו התנאה לפניו במצות עשה לפניו סוכה נאה ולולב נאה
  ושופר נאה ציצית נאה ספר תורה נאה וכתוב בו לשמו בדיו נאה בקולמוס נאה
  בלבלר אומן וכורכו בשיראין נאין


texts: Overwhelming individualism in Jewish Halachah

texts:
(Please follow the idea before finding counterarguments).

The dawn of Judaism - Abraham, Itzhok, Yaakov, the Tribes - most fateful decisions were made almost exclusively on personal basis, without consulting other living authorities. Abraham and Itzhok did not consult Shem and Ever (and Noah), even though they lived in the same time in Eretz Isroel. The Brothers did not consult neither the family (father and grandfather) nor the Shem's Beis Din.

Tanakh: Moses, Joshuah, Judges, Kings - all issued their rulings without, seemingly, consulting the Zkeynim (or any Beis Din). Phrases like "Let me ask the Beis Din!" or "Let the Sanhedrin decide!" are very rare in the Tanakh.

Talmudic times: from Hillel and Shammay and to Amorayim - the great Sanhedrin was fully functioning through the whole epoch, but nevertheless  every Rabbi  kept his own Braysos and ruled for himself. The situation was so severe, that the next generation Tanoyim or Amoroyim had no idea what the previous generation had in mind. 90% of uncertainties in the Talmud could be avoided if the discussions were brought to the Sanhedrin.

Ever since: Geoynim, Rishoynim, Akhroynim and to the present days Gdoylim , all Halokhos were ruled individually by single persons (with a few exceptions), with no attempts to gather the leading Rabbis of every era and rule Halochos together either to resemble the Torah's idea of the "70 Elders" or simply to seek agreement and acceptance.

As such, they all suffer from extreme lack of systematization, lack of accepted terminology, personal cultural biases, duplicates (hence waste of time), mutual disregard and accusations and more.

How come the original Torah idea of bringing every Makhloykes to a Beis Din was kept overridden in all times? Is this how Judaism is planned to work?


texts:
I heard someone quote Rav Shlomo Wolbe from his sefer זריעה ובניין בחינוך saying, “We have blood on our hands for forcing children to daven so much way before bar or bas mitzvah..."

Does anyone know the hebrew text of what Rav Wolbe said in his sefer and what page number it's on?


texts:
The penultimate Lubavitch rebbe writes in his principles of education (Chapter 10, starting here),
that to feel down is not good but to feel secure and have a healthy self esteem is not good either.
Right after that he writes that to have a healthy self-esteem is good but not all the time and in certain ways and to feel low is good all the time very enigmatic piece

can someone please explain what does it mean when is it good to feel low why does it say self-esteem is bad what's the correct way that he is telling us to do?


texts:
The custom in the United States is that, whenever feasible, an at-will employee is given two weeks' notice when fired (except when fired for cause) and gives two weeks' notice when quitting a job. (Many jobs have longer or shorter customary notice periods, but two weeks is the general standard.)

Does halacha have anything to say about giving notice? Specifically, is there any requirement for an employer or employee to give advance notice? Under what circumstances, and how much notice?

Please exclude/ignore any considerations that arise as corollaries of, for example, "one must follow one's host country's laws" or "all contracts are entered into with local custom implicitly stipulated" or "it'd cause a chilul Hashem". I'm looking for original-to-halacha considerations specifically about giving notice, not considerations that are only because of secondary concerns.


texts: What is the halacha regarding the fast if a firstborn is sick on erev Pesach and can't attend a siyum?


texts:
Is this the most complete list of Batei Dinim outside the land of Israel?
https://kosherdelight.com/International_Directory_of_Rabbinical_Courts.shtml#1
Also, does anyone have a complete list of Batei Dinim in Israel? Thank you.


texts: What happens when you have conflicting conditions?

texts:
Eruvin 3:8:

  מַתְנֶה אָדָם עַל עֵרוּבוֹ וְאוֹמֵר, אִם בָּאוּ גוֹיִים מִן הַמִּזְרָח, עֵרוּבִי לַמַּעֲרָב. מִן הַמַּעֲרָב, עֵרוּבִי לַמִּזְרָח. ... אִם בָּא חָכָם מִן הַמִּזְרָח, עֵרוּבִי לַמִּזְרָח. מִן הַמַּעֲרָב, עֵרוּבִי לַמַּעֲרָב. ...

  A person can make a condition on his eruv [techumin] and say that if non-Jews [tax collectors - Bartenura] come from the east, my eruv is [the one I set up] to the west. [If they come] from the west, my eruv is to the east. ... If the Chacham comes from the east, my eruv is to the east. If he comes from the west, my eruv is to the west. ...

Let’s say that a person makes both of these conditions - if the Chacham comes from the east my eruv is on the east, and if a tax collector comes from the east, my eruv is on the west. Then over Shabbos the Chacham and the tax collector both came from the east. What now? His two conditions contradict each other. Do we say he gets to choose (as per the later clause - “if he/they come from both sides, my Eruv is whichever I wish”)? Do we say neither is valid, since they contradict? Do we say that whichever one he used first/last is the one we go like, similar to the terms of a business deal (BM 102b)? Something else?

This question isn’t particularly limited to Eruvin; this could theoretically be made with any context where we say Yesh Bereirah and thus can make conditions which are later clarified to contradict each other.


texts: What is the origin of the song Echad Mi Yodeya?

texts: Who is the author or what is the origin of the song commonly found in the haggadah called Echad Mi Yodeya?


texts:
Was Rabbi Yossei a member of Beth Shammai?

I am talking about the Rabbi Yossei of Berakhot Perek 2 Mishna 3. He is opposed in this Mishna to Rabbi Yehuda, a member of Beth Hillel.


texts: Is the bracha שככה לו בעולמו still said on natural wonders? It is in my siddur but I have never heard it said, rather, people often opt to say עושה מעשה בראשית. Which bracha would be said on a natural wonder such as the Grand Canyon or the Himelayas?


texts: Why does the שליח ציבור say עננו in a different place than the ציבור does?

texts: On a fast day, the שליח ציבור says עננו during חזרת הש׳׳ץ right before the ברכה of רפאנו. However, in their private שמונה עשרה, the ציבור says עננו during שמע קולנו. Why do they say עננו in different places? Why not have them both say it either before רפאנו or in שמע קולנו?


texts: Are there forms of Jewish mysticism outside of kabbalah?

texts: Is kabbalah the one and only form (source?) of Jewish mysticism?


texts: If my maternal grandmother's maternal grandmother was Jewish, does that mean I'm technically Jewish?

texts: My family is from the Netherlands and my grandmother was always aware that her grandmother was Jewish but she did not mention it to the family until recently, mainly because of hangover trauma from World War Two and the stress/fear the family suffered from worrying that it would be discovered that her (then deceased) grandmother had been Jewish. I'm not too knowledgeable about Judaism but I know that I've read somewhere before that a person is considered a Jew if their mother was a Jew, and I was wondering if technically I would be considered Jewish? Since I'm directly descended from my Jewish ancestor through my matrilineal line.


texts:
It says in OC Siman 339 Sif 4 that judgements are not made on Shabbos. As well the Rema writes there that we therefore don't put someone into jail on Shabbos. As well we don't hit them since this is considered to be part of making "judgements" on Shabbos. The M"B there in note 12 says that as well one could come to make a mark on the person which would be a problem on Shabbos.

What about in regards to dealing with a misbehaving child on Shabbos. May one "punish" the child by hitting them (putting aside any discussion of whether it's right or wrong to hit a child -- asking only in regards to Shabbos.) Obviously not hard enough to make some sort of mark (as stated above -- which anyway a person would want to avoid hitting a child so hard.) However in a case where it's a light "poch" if this would be muter on Shabbos (in light of what it says here in Shulchan Aruch.) Are there any achronim that perhaps spoke about this?

(I suppose that one could ask not only in regards to hitting but other "punishments" as well, but I decided to use hitting as the main example since it's discussed here as well in Shulchan Aruch and is ossur because it's in the category of making a judgement which is ossur on Shabbos.)


texts: "Uvesorascha kasuv lemor shema Yisrael..." before Yishtabach

texts:
Some siddurim have the following phrase in between "ושמו אחד" and "ישתבח":

ובתורתך כתוב לאמר
שמע ישראל ה׳ אלקינו ה׳ אחד

"And in Your Torah it is written to say
Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad"

What is the origin of this phrase's insertion, and what is the purpose of its insertion at this point?


texts: Where can one purchase Rabbi Wolbe's Hadracha Mussar book for Kallos. I see the Chassan one floating around but can't seem to find the one for Kallos.


texts:
(I'm not referring here to Tenokim Shenishbu.)

Devarim 7: "And he repays his enemies in his lifetime to make him perish, he shall noy delay for his enemy, in his lifetime shall he pay him".

Who are these enemies? Is one who doesn't keep Shabbat an enemy of God as it is such a terrible sin?


texts: Ice for mikva now that mikvaot are closed

texts:
Since now there is a difficulty with mikvaot. Can one make ice in a freezer put it into an empty mikva and then warm it up. Would that be kosher.
https://www.koltorah.org/halachah/creating-a-mikveh-with-snow-natural-and-artificial-ice-by-rabbi-chaim-jachter
This is now being done in many private garden mikvaot.


texts: Can I omit ברוך השם לעולם אמן ואמן to catch up in Maariv?

texts:
If the Shaliach Tzibbur for maariv (outside of Israel) goes too quickly for me to start the Amidah with him, is there a source which would allow me to omit the section
 ברוך השם לעולם אמן ואמן?
This assumes that I could not have started maariv before the shaliach tzibbur and catch up that way.


texts: How can Gentile that kept Shabbat repent?

texts: I have kept Shabbat for two and a half years. I stopped doing this almost half a year ago. I know that Gentile who does this deserves death according to Talmud. Any sources that can give me a little encouragement?


texts: Do we know of any niggunim that date back to the Beit Hamikdash?

texts:
I have heard that some niggunim date back to the times of the Beit Hamikdash and I cant remember which ones! What I do remember is that they used (what we would call) a 4/4 time signature and major/minor keys.

Any references would be much appreciated.


texts: Why do people go by the Gra for the zman of kriat shema?

texts:
The Shema is a mitzvah d'oraita. So how is it that we can go by the later time of the Gra for sof zman kriat shema rather than the earlier time of the Magen Avraham?
It seems to me that this is a real Safek on a d'oraita which should be l'chumra, and no one should go by the zman of the Gra.
Can anyone explain why people are lenient?


texts:
Why is the ger toshav only accepted during the times of the Jubilee?

"A person who accepts these seven mitzvot is a ger toshav. A ger toshav may be accepted only in the era when the [laws of the] Jubilee Year are observed. In an era when the [laws of the] Jubilee Year are not observed, however, we may accept only full converts [to Judaism" - Mishneh Torah, Avodah Kochavim 10:6


texts:
How can I find the mur incense?

From
Harav 297.3

  ...
  ומכל מקום טוב להניח חתיכת מור בתוך מיני ריחות שמברכים עליהם בורא מיני בשמים כדי שיברך ברכת בורא מיני בשמים כהלכתה:

I see that there is a plus in using mur for the besomim after shabos

How can I find what it is
The newest description of it that I found is

Sidur of the Rav 11.5

  וכל שאינו לא מין עץ ולא מין עשב כגון המור והוא מוסק (שקורין פיזו"ם בל"א) היוצא מחטוטרות שבצואר חיה ידוע שמתקבץ שם תחלה כמין דם ואחר כך מתיבש ונעשה ממנו המור מברך על ריחו בורא מיני בשמים ואסור לאכלו וליתנו בתבשיל משום חשש דם ויש מתירין ובעל נפש יחמיר לעצמו בספק של תורה:

But I do not understand what it is saying
I only understand that it is called pizom, and it is somthing that grows in the neck of a known animal but I do not know which one (I heard it is a not kosher animal)

If someone knows what animal it is it will help me try to find the mur

Thank you in advance


texts: Why doesn't Yaakov ( תתן אמת ליעקב) object to his mother's plan on the grounds that it does not reflect truth?

texts:
Yaakov is the prototypical man of truth
"תתן אמת ליעקב" (מיכה ז, כ)

When his mother proposes a deception so that Yaakov can get Yitzchok's blessings, Yaakov's objection is strictly practical (Beraishis 27 (12)
“If my father touches me, I shall appear to him as a trickster and bring upon myself a curse, not a blessing.” and not an objection in principle that the plan does not reflect truth. Why?


texts: Source that we don't know how God judges people

texts:
I wrote in this answer, "We can't possibly know how God judges people after they die." I was making the point that the way we live our lives should be according to halacha but we can't possibly know what God does based on our halacha observance (e.g. I never spoke lashon hara even once in my life, so I know that I will get 35 olam haba points). This concept of uncertainty is something that I have taken for granted as long as I can remember, but in the comments, I am rightly asked to source my claim.

I don't know the source of this claim, or even if such a source exists. I think the claim itself is true, but I have no evidence of this besides svarah (how could we know how God judges people after we die? Nobody has ever come back to tell us all of the details). I feel like I must have learned this at some point in my childhood, but perhaps it was just the svarah of whoever taught it to me. So is there a source for this idea in traditional Jewish thought?


texts:
According to the Torah, melacha isn't permitted on Yom Tov days except for what is needed for food. I read that certain laws, like carrying, don't apply on these days because they are loosened for food preparation... and if for food, then also for anything else that is needed for the holiday.

How is this leap derived, from 'food' to 'things needed for celebrating the day'?

What makes the question more interesting is that I think one couldn't take a different perspective of the halachic process for him or herself as an individual (and treat the day like Shabbos, except for preparing food) because it would interfere with lighting candles as the community is obliged to.


texts: I think I read somewhere that the Mishna Berura permits this following idea. Taking two different strings (e.g. extra short ones) and tying them together to make one big string to be used for making Tzitzit? Would this be Mutar? Sources appreciated more than logic.


texts: I'm trying to edit a version of the Tanakh, and I was wondering if formatting the text with justification (so that it spreads out evenly across the page) is permitted.


texts:
The Arizal states that we are here to accomplish the 613 mitzvots, until we do, we keep coming back..

from this can we assume that all our reincarnations since the time of our forefathers have been Jewish? And all goyim are goyim since forever as well?


texts: Are there meforshim on perek shira? I'm looking for anything besides artscroll. If there are many, which would you recommend to start?


texts: How did the Boethusians linked the morrow after the Shabat with the Shabat Chol HaMoed Pesach?

texts:
In Menachot 65a-66a (according to the Sefaria translation): The Boethusians say, Shavuot falls on a Sunday [because they hold that "the day after the Shabbat" refers to the Sunday after Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach].

What I would like to know specifically is why this group linked the 'day after the Shabat' with the Shabat Chol HaMoed Pesach. Upon which arguments did they build this view?

I know how their view was refuted, but I can't find any background on how they came to the conclusion - that by their view that the usage of the word Shabat refers to the seventh day  - the word Shabat had to mean the Shabat Chol HaMoed Pesach.

Anyone who could help me with that?


texts: Do the words "Omer" (as in counting the Omer) and "Amar" (to speak or to say) have a connection to each other?

texts:
Do the words "Omer" (as in counting the Omer, starts with Ayin) and "Amar" (to speak or to say, starts with Alef) have a connection to each other?
If so, what were the interpretation of the sages about this?
This question is inspired from In the Tanakh, what are the Hebrew verbs and/or nouns associated with the word "Sinai" (which starts with the letter SAMECH)? where the seemingly unconnected word "Sinai" (starts with the letter Samech) is connected to the word "Hatred" (starts with the letter Sin), because the letters are interchangeable.
This post explains why it is possible that Ayin and Alef interchange:
Interchangeable usage of Hebrew letters (such as Beis and Vav, etc.)


texts: Looking for a good introduction to Medieval Jewish Philosophy

texts:
I'm interested in learning more about the different philosophical opinions amongst the early Rishonim, such as Maimonides, R' Yehuda Halevi, etc.

I was hoping someone could recommend a good resource. I'd prefer as many of the following conditions:

Written from an Orthodox point of view
Easy to read
Geared towards the layman
No knowledge of greek philosophy required (bonus if the greek philosophical ideas are explained as well)
comprehensive
I'd prefer english, but an easy to read hebrew would also be acceptable.

I've found some books on Amazon, but don't know anything about them. If you've read them, please let me know if you recommend them, or if there are others that are not listed which you'd recommend.

Dogma in Mediaeval Jewish Thought: From Maimonides to Abravanel by Menachem Kellner
An Introduction to Medieval Jewish Philosophy (Introductions to Religion) by Daniel Rynhold
Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages by Raphael Jospe


texts: How much is one obligated to hold a will?

texts:
This is a completely uncharted area for me.

For example, a father requests his sons to continue a business, or to stay in the same town, or not to leave the country, or to wear white socks, or to call a grandson in his name etc. Something that does not relate straight to father's good, unlike learning Torah in his memory.

To what extent is father's will (non-monetary requests) obligatory for his sons? Is it Halachicly equal to requesting while alive? Do the same Halachic principles apply?

The Gemmarah (Gittin 14b) vaguely mentions that fulfillment of a will is a Mitzvah but in some specific monetary context (thank yO):

  "ר' יהודה הנשיא אמר משום ר' יעקב שאמר משום ר"מ מצוה לקיים דברי המת"

What the parent can and cannot obligate the kids to do after their passing away?


texts: Which plants are not subject to peah, leket, and shichecha?

texts:
I'm learning mesecet Peah and we're having trouble keeping track of which fruits and crops are not subject to peah, leket, and shichecha.  I believe that all fields are subject to peah, but that there are exceptions for leket and shichecha (herbs for example).

Is there a general rule to determine what is and is not chayav in this case?


texts:
I have heard in various discussions that we have an idea that mashiach will come at the latest by year 6000.

Is this a normative belief? Furthermore, is this a belief that is understood literally by any sections of Judaism? If so, what sources view it literally?

Because if it is, then it being 5776, plus the ~164 missing years, we are really getting quite close...


texts: Where can one get the Pri Yitzchak, a text discussing the 613 Mitzvot

texts:
Regarding the Chassidic text written in 1840 entiled Pri Yitzchak that details all 613 Mitzvot and the corresponding 248 limbs for positive mitzvot and 365 sinews for negative commandments.

My Rabbi (Rebbe Douglas) is searching for this rare book and I am also searching to help find it for him. I found your comments relating to this book and would like to ask if anyone determined  where the book can be purchased or borrowed from - is it online anywhere? I would deeply appreciate help in locating this for him.


texts: Throughout my life I've heard that the Talmud is sealed and rabbinic enactment can't be repealed. But from where do we know this? Why was it done? HOW was it done? A gzeirah? A minhag?


texts:
Is there a description of the world to come?
How do we know about it, what is it?


texts: Why did Hashem bury Moshe in an unknown place, and did not do so with other great Tzadikim like Avraham, Yitchak and Yaakov?


texts:
Many invitations come with return card envelopes that are already affixed with proper postage. Suppose, the recipient of such a card has no intention of replying (or decides to reply by some other means). Is s/he then allowed to use that unused postage for other purposes?

Why or why not?


texts: Can a donation request be added to a death notice?

texts:
When a member or loved one dies, a congregation sends its members a death notice. Without asking the survivors, they add at the end: "Click here to make a donation to the congregation in memory of the deceased".

Is this Jewishly and halachically ethical or is it akin to lawyers chasing ambulances?

(What I believe is unethical is to ASK for a donation right at the time of a death, and while announcing it, as if one were trying to benefit from someone else's demise. Obviously, there is nothing wrong (and plenty right) with a spontaneous and unsolicited donation.)


texts: Why does the language in the 13 Midot of Drasha shift?

texts:
In shacharit, we recite the 13 middot (already a strange word) through which a piece of Torah text is explained (explicated?) This comes from Braita d'Rav Yishma'el and, admittedly, I haven't look at this in the original; I am basing myself on the text in the Artscroll siddur.

The opening statement introduces the middot and the first item picks up on the language of the introduction saying "mikal vachomer" -- FROM a kal vachomer. The second says "umi'gezeirah shava" -- and FROM a gezeirah shava.

This makes syntactical sense because the intro said "these are the ways:" (paraphrase mine) so he list says "from x..."

But at item 6, the list omits the mem (from) so the item is not connected to the introduction. Number 7 resumes the mem but 8-13 do not begin with it. Aside from inconsistency, does this affect the way in which the item is understood or applied to a Torah text? Is it an arbitrary linguistic quirk or does it mean that the middah is used differently or understood as categorically different from the other items?


texts: Why does the Rambam require repentance, and not just more good deeds, before Yom Kippur?

texts:
The Rambam says if someone's virtues-vs-sins balance is even as of Rosh Hashanah, their verdict happens on yom kippur.  If they did teshuva in those ten days, they get a pass; if not, they don't.

Question is, why teshuva necessarily?  Just do lots more good deeds in that period!


texts: Suppose one learned a complete Mesechta and is just about ready to make a Siyum. Is there a time limit as to when he should make the Siyum? Can he wait 3 months to complete the last few lines?


texts: Why did Hashem not tell Avraham to have a Bris earlier?

texts: Avraham Avinu was told to have a Bris at 99 years of age. Why didn't Hashem have him do a Bris earlier?


texts: What is the meaning of the first beracha of shema?

texts:
In shacharit we say:

  לְאֵל בָּרוּךְ נְעִימוֹת יִתֵּנוּ. לְמֶלֶךְ אֵל חַי וְקַיָּם זְמִירוֹת יֹאמֵרוּ וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת יַשְׁמִיעוּ. כִּי הוּא לְבַדּוֹ פּוֹעֵל גְּבוּרוֹת. עוֹשֶׂה חֲדָשׁוֹת. בַּעַל מִלְחָמוֹת. זוֹרֵעַ צְדָקוֹת. מַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעוֹת. בּוֹרֵא רְפוּאוֹת. נוֹרָא תְהִלּוֹת. אֲדוֹן הַנִּפְלָאוֹת׃
  הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית. כָּאָמוּר לְעֹשֵׂה אוֹרִים גְּדֹלִים. כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ׃
  אוֹר חָדָשׁ עַל צִיּוֹן תָּאִיר וְנִזְכֶּה כֻלָּנוּ מְהֵרָה לְאוֹרוֹ.
  בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳, יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת׃

Translation:

  They offer sweet melodies to the blessed God; to the Almighty King, Who is living and abiding, they recite songs and pronounce praise. For He alone is exalted and holy, performing mighty deeds, bringing about new developments, the Master of wars; He sows righteousness, causes deliverance to sprout forth, and creates cures; He is awesome in praise, the Master of wonders, Who in His goodness renews every day, continuously, the work of creation, as it is said: “[Give thanks to] the One Who makes the great luminaries, for His kindness is everlasting. Blessed are You, God, Creator of the luminaries.

This paragraph seems to contain many disparate elements and ends with the fact that God renews creation every day. It then proves this from the fact that we give praise to God who makes (present tense?) the luminaries (sun, moon etc.) which is taken from Tehillim 136:7. And we conclude with a blessing of God for the same.

My questions are:

What is the theme of this paragraph?
Why do the מְאורות play such an important part here (as opposed to the other things listed [earlier] in that chapter of Tehillim)
Why does this paragraph appear at this stage in davening?


texts: How do I calculate the latest time to start the third Shabbos meal on erev Yom Tov?

texts:
From myzemanim.com for where I live, for this Shabbos, erev Shovuos, the “sho’o zemanis” (Proportional Hour)  Gra & Baal Tanya is 1hr:22mins.
Nightfall - 3 Stars is around 10:30 pm.
Shkia is around 9:20 pm.

How do I calculate the latest time to start Sholosh seudas “sho’o asiris”?

Are there any leniencies bearing in mind the length of the sho’o zemanis?


texts: Why is Reish Lakish sometimes called in the Gemara "Reish Lakish" and sometimes "Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish"? Why not just use one title?


texts: What is the trope for Ezra/Nehemiah and Daniel

texts: I have been studying these seforim and noticed the text is marked with trope. However, since these seforim are not read publically, what is the proper cantillation? Like neviim?


texts: Did Devorah get a tombstone / pillar, as Rachel did?

texts:
Genesis 35:20:

  וַיַּצֵּ֧ב יַעֲקֹ֛ב מַצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־קְבֻרָתָ֑הּ הִ֛וא מַצֶּ֥בֶת
  קְבֻֽרַת־רָחֵ֖ל עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃

  And Jacob set up a pillar upon her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s
  grave unto this day.

Rachel's grave got a "tombstone".

Yet, Genesis 35:8:

  וַתָּ֤מָת דְּבֹרָה֙ מֵינֶ֣קֶת רִבְקָ֔ה וַתִּקָּבֵ֛ר מִתַּ֥חַת
  לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל תַּ֣חַת הָֽאַלּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ אַלּ֥וֹן
  בָּכֽוּת׃

  And Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried below Beth-el
  under the oak; and the name of it was called Allon-bacuth.

The Torah does not indicate if a pillar was placed for Devorah.

Did Devorah get a pillar / tombstone as Rachel did? If not, why not?


texts: Non-kosher wine and Rabbi Natan Shapiro's Sefer Yayin Ha-Meshumar

texts:
In this shiur on Stam Yayin and Yayin Nesech (standard wine of gentiles and idol-worshipper's wine, respectively), the Ben Ish Chai is cited as referring to Rav Natan Shapiro's work "Yayin Ha-Meshumar", as well as another work, "Ayuma Ka’nidgalot” concerning the seriousness of the prohibition on non-Jewish wine and the "hair raising" (presumably Kaballistic) consequences of breaking such prohibition.

Has anyone here read either Sefer? Could you perhaps enlighten the rest of us as to what these two works have to say on this matter?


texts: Why does it say (negatively) in אום נצורה “She sits and waits for Shabbos to go out"?

texts:
The Hoshano for Shabbos which starts אום נצורה contains the phrase
יושבת וממתנת עד כלות שבת
Which I translate as “She (Khilas Yisroel) sits and waits for Shabbos to go out.”

I don’t find this very complimentary. We instituted asking in our family, “How long is Shabbos in till?” rather than “When is Shabbos out?”

Why did the paytan choose this formulation?


texts: Is highlighting text and writing in the siddur OK?

texts: I want to highlight parts of the prayers where the congregation responds and where the chazzan speaks so I can better follow the service, as well as write in some notes about the prayer order, etc. Can I write in the siddur or will my rabbi have a meltdown? =)


texts: Did Adam and Chava have a house in Eden?

texts:
I remember Adam was put in Eden and Chavah was created and they hid in bushes, but I don't recall them building a house or a shelter.

I also remember a Midrash saying G-d made a Chupah for them and then ... Adam knew his wife. As it happened still in Eden I presume they had shelter or something else.

Do the sources mention anything about a house in Eden?


texts: Why does the chazzan for slichot a week before rosh hashana wear a talis?  Isn't it clearly night time?


texts:
This morning we read Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21:1 - 24:18) and the special reading of Parashat Shekalim (Exodus 30:11-16). The custom everywhere I have ever seen is to remove two Sifrei Torah from the ark for the two readings and to wrap up the first before reading from the second. This custom is very appropriate for other special second readings which are often far apart, as this saves time for the congregation instead of waiting while the scroll is rolled.

However, the readings this morning were only about 8 columns apart from each other! In my mind it is certain that rolling the scroll forward eight columns takes much less time than wrapping up the first Torah and opening the second. This is in fact our practice for the reading on a fast day, which skips from Exodus 32:14 to 34:1, a gap of approximately 2 columns, yet we only use one scroll.

Does anyone suggest using just one scroll when the second reading is this close?

I note that the same question applies to Rosh Chodesh on Parashat Chukat when the gap is from Numbers 22:1 to 28:9, also a gap of about 8 columns.


texts: What is the source for not using honorifics like "rav" or "hacohen" when reciting names for mishaberachs?

texts: I understand that when praying for a sick person, whether privately or in a mishaberach following the Torah reading, one should omit honorifics; e.g. not to use "HaRav" when praying for a rabbi, or not inserting "haKohen" or "haLevi" in the name for a kohen or levi.  For example, just last night, our rav had us pray for an ill levi without mentioning his tribal status when giving us his name. Many people I know, however, don't know this.  What is the source and reasoning for excluding the honorific, and are there any contrary opinions?  Is including honorifics wrong?


texts: Seeking a recommendation of a version of Pirkei Avot accessible to a novice

texts:
One of my non-Jewish co-workers has been fascinated with Jewish ethics, and I assume that while searching on the web, he discovered "Ethics of the Fathers". He's read a few adages and has discussed them with me. He's indicated an interest in knowing more about this book.

I'd like to get him a copy of Pirkei Avot, in English, of course (it could have Hebrew on a facing page, if "needed"). He needs something "simple" that he can understand as someone unfamiliar with Jewish life or laws.

I think that an explanation that not only accurately translates the Hebrew but also provides some brief historical context to both Pirkei Avot, in general, as well as some bio / history on each Rabbi's saying (so he can get a sense of when the rabbi lived; who he was and what important events may have caused him to state what he did) would be useful.

There are numerous versions of Pirkei Avot around, and I am uncertain of which version would be the best option for a "novice". I'd appreciate any recommendation with a short explanation of why you recommend this version over any others.

Note: - I'm interested in a physical book form only; not Kindle or just a web resource.


texts: Why did the people have to respond twice "It is sanctified" when Sanhedrin declared Rosh Hodesh?

texts:
Ramba"m (Maimonedes) Hilchot Kid. Hachodesh 2:8 says:

  Afterwards - i.e., after [the witnesses'] testimony is substantiated -
  the head of the court declares, "It has been sanctified." And all the
  people respond, "It has been sanctified. It has been sanctified."

Why was it necessary for the people to respond twice "It has been sanctified". Would once not have sufficed? What's the meaning behind the double declaration?


texts: Displaying the Star of David with a cross inside of it

texts: I belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.  Would it be appropriate for our congregation to display a cross surrounded by the Star of David?  What does this mean?


texts: I'm a little confused about the chronology of the Biblical giants Caleb and Pinchas.  Caleb appears to have been part of the Exodus generation, and with Joshua, their defense of the Land of Israel merited them to be exempted from the ban upon all other members of that generation from entering into the Land (Numbers 14:38).  I read the fascinating discussion about whether the Pinchus in the Book of Numbers is the same as in the Book of Judges (in response to this question), but I'm not clear on whether Pinchas merited entering the Land with Joshua and Caleb because of his zealousness (described in Numbers 25:7-9) or because he was born after the Exodus. Are there sources that explain this?


texts:
Wikipedia says both that the groom puts on the veil, and in a separate paragraph says he uncovers it.  Which is it?

Does he put it on, lift it, and then drop it again?

Can he just lift it and then drop it, but not put it on?


texts:
The meraglim (scouts) and their shevet (tribe) are listed in a strange order in Bemidbar 13:

Reuven
Shimon
Yehuda
Yissachar
Ephraim
Binyamin
Zevulun
(Of Yosef): Menashe
Dan
Asher
Naftali
Gad

As Ramban notes,

מנה הכתוב השבטים לא לדגליהם ולא לצבאותם ולא כתולדותם.
"Scriptures enumerates the tribes not according to their banners, nor their hosts, nor their order of birth."

Can we account for this order, other than with what Ramban suggests, that this was done based on their relative worth?

ונראה שראה למנותם הנה לפי מעלת השלוחים, כי היו ראשים ונשיאים בעם כאשר ספר, ואין מעלתם שווה אבל יש בהם גדול מחברו בחכמה (ובמניין): ובכבוד, והקדים הנכבד הקודם במעלה כי ממעלת עצמם מנאם לא למעלת השבט. וכן בנשיאים החולקים להם את ארץ כנען (להלן לד יז - כט): הזכירם כפי המעלה לא לתולדותם:


texts: Does "burning" water fall under the Av Melachah of "bishul" on Shabbos?

texts: If water that falls onto a hot plate on Shabbos immediately "burns" up and evaporates, does this fall under the Av Melachah of bishul? (The pracitical application of this I want to leave aside. Especially since there are points involved of malacha shaino tzricha l'gufu, davar shaino miscavain, etc.) My question in particular is if this is considered to be a "maseh bishul" or do we look at the water being burnt up and evaporated in a different way in terms of Meleches Shabbos.


texts: Often times in the course of halachic discussions it will be related that a certain Rav did such and such. When do such accounts have halachic significance? How do we safeguard against inaccurate/urban legend stories detrimentally?


texts: May one park in a Church across the road which charges a daily parking fee?

texts:
Is it permitted to park in a church which charges a daily fee for use of its parking lot?

Possible concerns might be:

Someone who knows the owner's car may think he has gone in to worship.
The money paid for parking may be used to support evangelism against Jews.
If the religion is classified as Avodah Zarah, the money may be supporting Avodah Zarah.


texts:
We recite, before p'suke d'zimra, a list from R. Yishmael of thirteen midos by which the Torah is nidreshes, taken from Sifra. What determined their order?

You can stop reading now; the rest is just an explanation of why I'm asking, though the above question is (I think) of interest independent of my reason for asking.

The introduction to העמק דבר reads, in part:

  וכמו שיש כללים להוציא הלכות לאור ע״פ שבע המדות שדרש הלל… ואח״כ הוסיפו עליהן תנא דבי ר׳ ישמעאל ושנה י״ג מדות וכל זה הוציאו מן ההלכות המקובלות שהיו בידם מכבר לדון במקום אחר שלא היה הלכה ידוע כך יש להוציא כללים בפי׳ המקרא כמו ל״ב כללים של ר׳ אליעזר בנו של ר׳ יוסי הגלילי באגדה שהוציא מדיוק המקראות שמצא מקרא שאי אפשר לפרש באופן אחר אלא על פי זה הכלל ומזה אנו למדים במקום אחר לעמוד על פירוש המקרא שאינו מדויק כל כך אם לא בפירוש דוחק אבל אחר שעמדנו על אותו הכלל נוח לפרש על פי זה הכלל גם אותו המקרא

Thus, the thirteen midos were compiled as follows: The compilers examined known halachos, figured out how those halachos must be derived, deduced that they are derived by that method, and added the method to the list.

One exception, though, I think. Each g'zera shava was handed down, teacher to student, from Moses. (Citation needed.) So when the midos compilers examined those halachos, they didn't need to work too hard to reverse-engineer and figure out where they come from: they knew immediately the halachos come from g'zera shava, and added it to the list.

So g'zera shava was the easiest item to add to the list. Why, then, isn't it first?


texts:
Some people say that God wrote the Torah.  That is clear and I understand it.  Others say that people wrote the Torah.  That is also clear and I understand it.  Then there are people who say that people wrote the Torah, but with "inspiration" from God.  And that I do not understand at all.
Within normative Judaism, of course, God wrote the Torah.  But even within normative Judaism, the rest of the Tanach was written by people [list in Bava Batra 14b-15a], but under "divine inspiration".  And that I don't understand.
Does "inspired" by God mean:
(1) the same as written by God?
(2) a collaboration between people and God, each providing input, both authoritative?  But why would God want a collaboration when it comes to laying down His instructions?
(3) that God said one thing but the scrivener wasn't always paying attention and may have written something else?  Honest mistakes?
(4) that scribal errors may have crept in over the centuries and we must find them and remove them?
(5) that some teachings have eternal value (that's God's part) and other teachings are transitional (that's the human part), and our task is to find which is which and, at the right time, remove the second according to the political correctness of the day?


texts: Is Bitul Chameitz effective on unknown chameitz?

texts:
When one is mevateil chameitz, does he have to have in mind the chameitz he intends to be mevatel? If not, how could there be anything found on Pesach that he would have to burn?

According to this text, it would appear not, as this text of Bitul Chameitz covers chameitz he doesn't even know about [I recognize that one answer could be that one might use a text which doesn't explicitly mention unknown chameitz, but I'm working within the consequences of using this text]:
כל חמירא וחמיעא דאכא ברשותי דלא חמתה ודלא בערתה ודלא ידענא לה לבטל ולהוי הפקר כעפרא דארעא

(Translation included here.)

But the Dirshu Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email - 21 Cheshvan/Nov 19 that I received today makes the following statement:

"According to many Rishonim, chometz found on Yom Tov which a person had not been mevatel, should be disposed of without burning (i.e. flushed down the toilet, or crumbled and thrown to the wind). "

(bolding and italics, mine)

It would seem that anything someone found would either be in someone else's reshut (sold to a non-Jew or originally belonging to someone else) or would have continued to belong to the Jew but would have been nullified had it not been sold (or known about).

Does bitul require knowledge and intention? Can one retain something in his reshut and not have nullified it?


texts: Anim Zemiros is highly anthropomorphic; how come we sing it in public?

texts: Shir HaKovod - Anim Zemiros. This is amazingly anthropomorphic and all that without even once the word כביכול  (= as if such a thing could be true). Admittedly the references come from texts such as Shir HaShirim but to make a poem from it, how come it’s allowed?


texts: Why is there no bracha of shehecheyanu recited when performing bedikat chametz, unlike other seasonal mitzvot (e.g. shofar, lulav, Chanukah lights, megillah)?


texts: What is better to do on Shabbos HaGodol?

texts: Is it better to eat egg Matza at the Seuda or is it better to eat Challa at the Seuda? What are the pros and cons of either choice?


texts:
Sefer HaYashar to VaYeishev says that Zevulun went towards Midian and married Merishah daughter Molad son of Abida son of Midian and brought her to Canaan where she begot Sered, Elon and Yachleel.
Back in Chayei Sarah, Sefer HaYashar names the sons of Midian: Epha, Epher, Chanoch, Abida and Elda'ah and then lists all of their sons. It says that Chur, Molar, Kerury and Molchi were the sons of Abida.

Why is Molad not mentioned there, surely he is the most relevant of Abida's sons since his son-in-law was Zevulun?


texts: Origins of the standard Ketubah text we use today

texts:
Maseches Ketubot deals all about the laws related to the Ketubah, and these laws (ex: the amount of money, obligations) are codified in the  Shulchan Aruch Even Haezer simanim 66-118.

However, while all the halachot are dealt with here I didn't see a "sample" writeup of what the Ketubah text should look like.

Nowadays-- although there may be minor differences-- pretty much all Orthodox ketubot follow the same standard structure and language (see RCA, and Chabad etc).

What's the earliest source of this structured Ketubah text that we (almost universally) still follow to this day?


texts: How should non-Jews observe Rosh HaShanah?

texts: The second mishnah in Rosh HaShanah says that "all the people of the world" are judged on Rosh HaShanah. How should non-Jews observe the Day of Judgment?


texts:
The Talmud in Gittin 88a says that Israel was only destroyed once it had seven courts that worshipped idols: Jeroboam son of Nebat's... Pekah son of Remalia's, Menahem son of Gadi's, and Hosea son of Elah's.

The list follows chronological order, except that in Kings II 15:25, it is evident that Pekah reigned after Menahem, as he killed Menahem's successor Pekahiah, who came to power after his father died at the end of his 10 year reign, and ruled for two years.

Mhrs"a edits the Talmud's text, switching the order.

Does anyone defend the Talmud's text that we have in front of us? What reasons do they give for listing the kings in this way?

Another switch happens in Midrash Aggadat Breishit in ch.48, when wicked kings of Judah are listed: Jehoram, Ahaz, Jehoash, Menashe... Jehoash is Ahaz's great grandfather!


texts: What sources treat the subject of Investing or profiting from a Jewish company that works on Shabat?