texts: No kissing one's young children. What about kissing others?

texts:
The Rama (Mapa to Orach Chayim 98:1):

ואסור לאדם לנשק בניו הקטנים בב״ה כדי לקבוע בלבו שאין אהבה כאהבת המקום ברוך הוא
and one is prohibited from kissing his young children in a synagogue, in order to set in his heart that there is no love like the love of God

By that logic, one wouldn't be permitted to kiss anyone in a synagogue. Nonetheless, I see many people do so. Many a chasid kisses the hand of his rabbi; many a S'pharadi kisses his own hand after shaking another's, seemingly as a sign of affection for the other.
Does anyone explicitly extend the Rama from one's young children to other people? Or does anyone explicitly restrict the Rama to one's young children? I'm especially interested in any source that says that the Rama does or does not apply to either of the two examples I mentioned.


texts: Being a fan of a Non-Jewish sports figure?

texts:
Is it a problem for a Jewish person to be a fan of a non-Jewish sports figure?
Since there is an issur of "lo sechonem" -- not to praise a gentile for his prowess or other attributes?

(I suppose being a "fan" would certainly bring someone to praise this particular sports figure.)


texts: If one started a meal right before shkiah or during bein hashmoshis what should they do? My question is prompted from the halacha that one may not eat before praying Maariv. However with that said I do know of a caveat where one says Shema and appoints a shomer to pray Maariv later. But in this scenario does he have to stop his meal at Tzeis HaKochavim (which is presumably when the time for saying Shema begins) and appoint a shomer? Of course all of this applies where one has prayed mincha already.


texts: Does a (printed) Tanach have more Kedusha than a (printed) Torah?

texts:
Does the amount of Kedusha that a sefer has add up, or is it capped?
Is Tanach equal to Torah plus Nach, or is it limited to just Torah?
My intention when I first posted this was for which one should be put higher on a stack (if we assume that there are different levels of Kedusha for printed books), but now I see that there may be other Nafkot Mina!
Thanks so much in advance!


texts: Is there a good Jewish discussion forum whose members are respectful of Halacha?

texts: I posted a question that a moderator seemed to feel was not worthy of this forum. So, are there any Jewish discussion forums that anyone knows of that are well-run and respectful of halacha?


texts:
I have been reviewing some discussions of a married woman's obligation to light Channukah candles. It appears that according to some, a married woman, whose husband is lighting at home does not light. I read that

  when a husband sees that he will only arrive home late, he should appoint his wife to light on his behalf and he will consequently fulfill his obligation. However, if this was the situation on the first night of Chanukah, the husband will not have recited the “Shehecheyanu” blessing customarily recited on the first night. Thus, if the individual is home on the second night and will be lighting the Chanukah candles himself, he must consequently recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing since this is his first actual lighting of the Chanukah candles.

The same article states

  Nevertheless, according to the Ashkenazi custom that each member of the household lights for himself, even if the husband has traveled abroad, if he finds himself in a place where he can light, it is preferable that he light in his current location without a blessing and his wife should light at home with a blessing. If at all possible though, the husband should try to hear the blessings on the lighting from another person.

So if a man does not light on the first night, when he does light on a subsequent night, he says a shehechyanu. It seems that a woman's lighting fulfills some household obligation, but does not fully remove from him the "newness" of actual lighting.

But what about the reverse?

If a woman relies on her husband's lighting (ner ish ubeiso or ishto k'gufo as the logic) on the first night and then has cause to light on a later night, does she then say a shehechyanu? While it is her "first" lighting, she has already been included in the mitzvah through her husband's lighting and unlike the case of her husband, she need not even try to light on her own – her obligation seems more fully fulfilled.


texts: Why don't we light the Menorah outside in Chutz Laaretz?

texts:
In Eretz Yisroel, many people light outdoors. Why in Chutz Laretz don't we not do the same, which is ideal? (besides of course if your Menorah will get stolen But I dont believe thats the reason) And why is it certain Chassidm light completely indoors by their door?

Update:It seems the Or Zaruah(Hilchos CHanukah Ois Shin Chuf Gimmel) asks the question and doesn't answer.


texts: Where do matza bakers find flour that's definitely never gotten wet?

texts:
Matzah sold as Shmurah means that Jews were present from the time of harvesting, making sure that the grain stayed dry and didn't become chametz, and intending for the purpose of the mitzva of matzah.

"Regular" machine matza, if I understand correctly, is only "guarded" starting at the time of kneading. But I assume they'd only use flour they have 99% (99.999%?) certainty has not come into contact with water. How/where do they find such flour?


texts: Is carrying permitted on Rosh Hashana without an eruv?

texts:
I think I read somewhere recently that Rosh Hashanah is different than other Yom Tovs in that one may carry for certain mitzvah needs.

For example: A shofar or tallis or a siddur may be carried if I'm not mistaken.

But does mean it is permitted to carry from one domain to another without an eruv? And is that what they mean by allowed to carry since I thought an eruv always enables one to carry things within the eruv.

What makes Rosh Hashanah different or am I wrong about this...Do any other Yom Tov's allow this?


texts: Why do we ask for judges to be restored after Moshiach comes?

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In the blessing of Hashiva Shofteinu in the amida, we ask Hashem to restore the judges - referring to the times of Moshiach.

Why would there be a need for judges (and Sanhedrin) in the times of Moshiach, when G-d's presence will be revealed, and presumably there would be no more sin or wrongdoing?


texts: What does Rashi mean by the words "לחבר ולפטרון"?

texts:
In Parshas Vayigash (פרק מה פסוק ח), Yosef tells his brothers to tell Yaakov Avinu that

  וישימני לאב לפרעה

"[G-d] made me a father to Pharaoh". Rashi comments and says that this means

  לחבר ולפטרון

What does Rashi mean by these words?


texts: How do you do bedikat chametz when you live alone?

texts: I live alone and need to do bedikat chametz. Should I hide 10 pieces of chametz myself? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?


texts: Can one destroy a bird's nest if the noise bothers him?

texts:
If there is a bird's nest next to one's study and he finds the endless chirping to be annoying, is he allowed to destroy it or should he try to bear the annoyance.

This is not a question of halacha, but more of what should one strive to do regarding the Torah's intent of cultivating good character traits (mercy, forbearance) from one side vs. the problem of being distracted by the chirping.


texts: Will Moshiach identify Jews currently thought to be non-Jews?

texts:
The Rambam writes in Malachim 10:2:

ואינו בא לא לטמא הטהור. ולא לטהר הטמא. ולא לפסול אנשים שהם בחזקת כשרות. ולא להכשיר מי שהוחזקו פסולין. אלא לשום שלום בעולם.
[Eliyahu] is not coming to make impure the pure nor purify the impure, nor disqualify those who are presumed valid, nor validate those who are presumed invalid, only to make peace in the world.

He then goes on to say in 10:3:

ובני לוי מטהר תחילה ואומר זה מיוחס כהן וזה מיוחס לוי. ודוחה את שאינן מיוחסין לישראל. הרי הוא אומר ויאמר התרשתא להם וגו' עד עמוד כהן לאורים ולתומים. הנה למדת שברוח הקודש מייחסין המוחזקין ומודיעין המיוחס. ואינו מייחס ישראל אלא לשבטיהם. שמודיע שזה משבט פלוני וזה משבט פלוני. אבל אינו אומר על שהן בחזקת כשרות זה ממזר וזה עבד שהדין הוא שמשפחה שנטמעה נטמעה
Levites will be purified [by Moshiach] first and he will say this one is a Kohen, this one is a Levi and the remainder will be Israelites ... And he will identify Israelites only according to their tribes to inform that this one is from this tribe and this is from this tribe, but he will not say about those that are presumed Kosher that this one is a Mamzer and this one is a slave, because the law is that family that was buried remains buried.

Putting those two together, it would seem there is no point at which any Jews that have completely assimilated will be brought back, even if they have a direct line of Jewish mothers.
Does the rule of משפחה שנטמעה נטמעה apply there as well? Any decedents are treated as non-Jews in perpetuity?


texts: If a Jewish person passes away intestate. Do the most probable heirs have an obligation to put up mezuzahs while the home is in probate?


texts: Is עליו השלום inappropriate to say about a living person?

texts:
The phrase "olov hashalom" is often appended to names of the deceased.  I don't know very much about it's history or any deeper implications, but at face value it just means "peace be upon him."

I once heard someone say "olov hashalom" about a living person, and then vociferously correct themselves with all kinds of blessings for the person to have a long life.  Is there any reason, other than the implication based on its common usage, not to say this about a living person?


texts:
Slightly related.
Rashi on Divrei Hayamim 1:8:29 writes:

"...This is what is explained at the end of Megillath Yerushalmi. Ezra found scrolls: the scroll of מְעוֹנִים (Me'onim), the scroll of זַאַטוּטֵי (Za'atutei) and the scrolls of הָאַחִים (Ha'achim), and they rejected the words of the one and accepted the words of the two..."

This is a different version to what we have in Sofrim 6:4:

"R. Simeon b. Laḳish said: Three scrolls of the Torah were found in the Temple court: the Ma‘on scroll, the Za’aṭuṭë scroll, and the Hu’ scroll. In one of these they found the expression of ma‘on, and in the other two it was written, The eternal God is me‘onah (a dwelling place), so they adopted the reading of the two scrolls and discarded that of the one scroll. In another of the scrolls they found it written, And he sent the za‘aṭuṭë (nobles) of the children of Israel, and in the other two they found written And he sent na‘arë (the young men of) the children of Israel, so they retained the reading of the two and abandoned that of the one. In one of the scrolls hu’ was written eleven times, but in the other two hi’ was written eleven times, so they adopted the reading of the two and discarded that of the one."

and Yerushalmi Taanit 20b:

"שלשה ספרים מצאו בעזרה ספר מעוני וספר זעטוטי וספר היא באחד מצאו כתוב מעון אלהי קדש ובשנים כתיב (דברים ל״ג:כ״ז) מענה אלהי קדם וקיימו שנים וביטלו אחד. באחד מצאו כתוב וישלח את זעטוטי בני ישראל ובשנים כתוב (שמות כ״ד:ה׳) וישלח את נערי בני ישראל וקיימו שנים וביטלו אחד. באחד מצאו כתוב תשע היא ובשנים כתיב אחד עשר היא וקיימו שנים ובטלו אחד."

Translation: "Three scrolls were found in the Temple court: The Me'onei scroll and the Za'atutei scroll and the Hi' scroll. In one they found written "the eternal God is Me'on" and in two it was written "the eternal God is Me'onah (a dwelling place)", so they adopted the reading of the two scrolls and discarded that of the one scroll. In one they found written "And he sent the za‘atutei (nobles) of the children of Israel", and in the other two they found written And he sent na‘arei (the young men of) the children of Israel", so they retained the reading of the two and abandoned that of the one. In one of the scrolls hi’ was written eleven times, but in the other two hi’ was written eleven times, so they adopted the reading of the two and discarded that of the one."
My question is on Rashi's version of the story: In what way was the Ha'achim scroll different from the other two scrolls?

Note: Per @DoubleAA's suggestion, I'm going through whatever manuscripts of Rashi's commentary on Divrei Hayamim I can find, that are discernible enough.
The NLF's MS 164 reads ספר האחייא or ספר המחייא:

This is dated to 5010 (1250 CE).
The Vatican's MS 94 (pg. 283r) reads ספר האחיה:

This is dated to the 14th century.
Menachem Zahari in his book "Mekorot Rashi - Divrei Hayamim" used a version - which he doesn't appear to name, as far as I can tell - which reads ספר האהים.


texts: Custom of groom stepping on bride's foot?

texts: I have seen some Orthodox weddings in which the groom steps on the bride's foot. What is the source for this strange custom?


texts: Hebrew Grammar: How did Nif'al end up as the passive/reflexive of pa'al?

texts:
I have been trying to figure this out by comparing Hebrew binyanim to Arabic and Akkadian conjuations. But I cannot figure it out.

Is Nif'al a natural part of the G-stem (like pa'al) or has it "wandered" there over the millenia when the original passive and reflexive G-stem conjugations died out? Where did it come from?

Nif'al just doesn't seem very equivalent to Hitpa'el even though as a reflexive of pa'al it should be.


texts: I've always thought that the Mashiach is one. But I recently heard from a friend that there is Mashiach ben David and Mashiach Ben Yoseph. And that one will bring the jews from the diaspora and the other will reconstruct the Temple or something like that. I don't know the sources of this and I've never heard anything like this, but is this true in some way?


texts: How did the word Shiur acquire its meaning of lesson?

texts:
I found out that the word שִׁעוּר/שיעור means measure or amount, and from here it derives it's meaning of rate, frequency and occurance. But how come this word also carries the meaning of lesson/teaching?

Or as the balashon website puts it: "a set measure of learning"


texts: Is it ok to place the sefer that you're learning from slanted on top of another sefer/sforim - sort of like a shtender or is is this considered to be a zilzul (disrespectful) to the sforim?


texts: Whats up with Ascending Har Sinai: prohibition

texts:
What is the significance of the ascent onto Har Sinai and its prohibition?
Why is the prohibition introduced in Exodus (19:12) not with the more traditional expression of "don't" but with the less common expression of "hishamru"; guard yourselves? Does this imply that there was some great urge to ascend? Is this related to Exodus (19:21) which speaks of of the possibility of the Jews "breaking forth to see"?

Why the prohibition to ascend in the first place?
Why the usage of "hishamru"?


texts: PTIJ - טו טו - Comparing Succos to Pesach

texts:
In regards to the gezeiras shaveh from succos to pesach, what other dinim do we learn? Is one required to be יושב בסוכה on his left side? How much does it have to rain on pesach to make you patur from eating matzah - just a drop, as that would make it gebruchts, and ruin it? Or is it just a מנהג לחומרה?

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


texts:
In Kiddush levana, ashkenazim say a set of pesukim three times each. One of the pesukim that we say three times is:

  תפל עליהם אימתה ופחד בגדל זרועך ידמו כאבן:

Right after this passuk, we say:

  כאבן ידמו זרועך בגדל ופחד אימתה עליהם תפל:

Which is the same passuk, just backwards. In the siddur it is listed as the same passuk (sh’mot 15:16). Why is this passuk here thrice, and why is it backwards?


texts: How can a man who already fulfilled his obligation of meggilla be yoetze a woman who has not?

texts: According to the Noda Biyehuda a there is no areivus for women, meaning if a man fulfilled his obligation he won't be able to be yoetza her. I heard the minhag is for men who have already listened to the megilla to recite it for women. According to Rabbi Akiva Eiger women are included in areivus, however it should at least be a safek. For women meggilla is rabbinic. Are we relying on safek dirabanana likula? Or perhaps the obligation is to listen to the meggilla for women and no need for areivus?


texts: Why is the flour option available in only one case?

texts:
Vayikra 5 describes the offering required as a Chatat. This subcategory allows offerings of varying value, depending on what the guilty person can afford. Vayikra 5:11 reads

וְאִם־לֹא֩ תַשִּׂ֨יג יָד֜וֹ לִשְׁתֵּ֣י תֹרִ֗ים אוֹ֮ לִשְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵי־יוֹנָה֒ וְהֵבִ֨יא אֶת־קָרְבָּנ֜וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֗א עֲשִׂירִ֧ת הָאֵפָ֛ה סֹ֖לֶת לְחַטָּ֑את

And if his means do not suffice for two turtledoves or two pigeons, he shall bring as his offering for that of which he is guilty a tenth of an ephah of choice flour for a sin offering

It seems to be the case that some people cannot afford mammals or birds, so the text allows them to achieve atonement using a flour offering instead. This option, though, is not given for other offerings, and yet those same people would have the same financial limitation. Would they then not be allowed to atone for other sins or satisfy other sacrificial obligations?
In Vayikra 14:21, the text again discusses someone of limited means. One who can't afford 2 lambs (as per pasuk 10) can bring one lamb and 2 birds. But while the text acknowledges that someone might not have money, and includes the variable notion when making the offering, there is no option for "only flour" (at least to replace the animal part of the offering).
How does the poor person satisfy his various obligations if there is no "flour only" option and why doesn't the text offer the same option for the poor man as it does in those limited cases in perek 5 in other situations?


texts: How does this Rashi solve the problem (Shmot 40:35)

texts:
In Shmot 40:35, the text reads (via the Chabad site):

  Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud rested upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Mishkan.
   לה.וְלֹא יָכֹל משֶׁה לָבוֹא אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד כִּי שָׁכַן עָלָיו
  הֶעָנָן וּכְבוֹד יְהֹוָה מָלֵא אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן

Rashi recognizes that this contradicts another pasuk and writes:

  Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting: But one [other] passage says: “And when Moses would enter the Tent of Meeting” (Num. 7:89), [which is an apparent contradiction]. The third passage [verse 35] came and reconciled them: “because the cloud rested upon it.” You may henceforth say that as long as the cloud was upon it, he could not enter, [but when] the cloud withdrew, he would enter and [God] would speak with him. -[from Torath Kohanim, Shalosh Esrei Middoth, Thirteen methods, Section 8]

But the next pasuk reads

  36.When the cloud rose up from over the Mishkan, the children of Israel set out in all their journeys.

So when there was no cloud, Moshe could NOT have gone in to the tent because that was when the people traveled.

How exactly is Rashi reconciling the two statements (Moshe could not go in, and Moshe did go in) if what he cites flies in the face of another pasuk?


texts: Shochtim who learned from translated materials

texts:
The Maharil in his Tshusvos Chadashos ("New Responsa," mentioned here), writes (Siman 93) that the custom is not to give kabblah to shochtim who learned the laws shechita in German (translated materials).

Is this idea still practiced? Has a shochet been refused kabbalah because they learned the halachos in a different language, e.g. English?


texts: Chabad custom not to have bar mitzva aliya shabbat morning

texts:
According to this question, the Annotated Tehillat Hashem Siddur (a Chabad siddur) encourages the Bar mitzvah boy to get his first aliya on Monday, Thursday, or Shabbat Mincha or Rosh Chodesh.  This seems to be pointing to Torah reading occaisions other than Shabbat morning.

So why not Shabbat morning?  I suspect the answer is a Chabad custom.  What is the source of this custom?


texts: Shlomo Hamelech says in Koheles Chapter 7 pasuk 16 "Do not be overly righteous...why be left desolate?" -(artscroll translation) Does anyone know the meaning of this? Are we not supposed to be as much of a Tzadik as we can? When is there a need for limitation on this?


texts: Seeking Original Aramaic for Talmudic Phrase

texts:
What is the original Aramaic of this phrase:

  May the words of the Torah be burned rather than handed over to women.

I think it is in Sotah in the Jerusalem Talmud.


texts: Is there an online database of early manuscripts of the Tanakh?

texts:
As a student of textual and historical criticism of the Christian scriptures, I am interested in seeing the earliest extant copies of the texts.  There are a number of sites devoted to providing access to some of these papyri, such as this one and this one (don't worry, no theology on these links, and the texts are written in Koine Greek).  I would like to find something similar to this, but related to papyri of the Tanakh.

I know that Judaism is a bit different from Christianity in this regard - as far as I have heard and read, Jews treat the actual documents with reverence, whereas Christians don't really care about the document, only the ideas represented by the words on the documents.  This might make it unacceptable to post images of the texts online, but I really don't know.

Is there an online database of images of the earliest extant manuscripts of the books of the Tanakh?


texts:
Before the morning reading of Megillat Esther, the reader says 3 brachot including Shehechyanu (according to Ashkenazic practice). This applies, to some degree, and in some way to that morning's reading -- see here for discussion. Therefore, as long as I hear the entire megillah, that bracha is not in vain. But I am supposed to have in mind the mitzvot of the day-time (Se'udah, Matanot l'Evyonim and Mishlo'ach Manot).

First, and of lesser importance is whether that bracha can "cover" acts I already did in the morning (if I gave someone Manot on my way IN to shul).

Second, and more importantly, what if, after having that intention, I never do those three mitzvot? The bracha is not in vain because I "used" it to cover the Megillah reading, but my intention was to "use" it for a mitzvah that I never fulfill. Is the bracha, in any sense therefore, levatala?

Bonus follow up -- if there is a possibility that I won't end up fulfilling the Mitzvah, should I NOT have it in mind at the Megillah reading, and, if the opportunity ends up arising for fulfilling it, say another Shehechyanu later in the day when the situation comes up? (IOW, in order to avoid the problem, shouldn't I just make separate brachot as each Mitzvah is done?)


texts: How long does it take to become a kofer?

texts: If a person for whatever reason momentarily has a thought which denies God, but then afterwards reaffirms his belief in Hashem, is that an act of kefira? Does a momentary lapse in belief constitute a sin?


texts: What Rabbis originally supported and opposed Rambam's 13 principles and why?

texts:
I heard the when Rambam presented his 13 principles the opinions divided pretty sharply between the Sefardic Rabbis that openly supported it and the Ashkenazi (Rabaney Tzarfat) that opposed it for different reasons.

I'd like to know more and have sources for who are the Rabbis that supported and opposed Rambam's 13 principles and what were their arguments.


texts: Is there a chashash of sheidim with liquids other than water?

texts:
There are many people who spill out water (at least in chassidic circles) before drinking it based off of a statement in Gemoro Brochos if I remember correctly that says water left uncovered gains a sakono from shaidim or snakes squirting venom. I've never seen anyone pour out beer, but the Sefer Zochur L'Avrohom about the previous Toldos Aharon rebbe zy"a states that one should be concerned on fluids on the whole, because even though there may not be snakes spitting venom in our water sources anymore, there are still ta'amim al pi sod.

So, my question for the Mi Yodeya kehilla is if there are any mekoros for us to worry about fluids such as wine, beer, seltzer, or anything other than water in traditional sources in regards to shaidim?


texts: Is there a difference between a חֵטְא (cheit) and an עֲבֵרָה (aveira)?  I translate both of those words as "sin."  Maybe they signify a different level of magnitude? Or maybe one word is simply applied to one type of sin while the other is applied to another type? Maybe there is no difference at all?


texts: Judaism and successful life - which details in jewish culture determines success?

texts: Statistics show 30% of Nobel Prizes in science and twenty percent of Forbes 400 are Jewish achievements. I don't believe genetic explanation is accurate, there must be some parts of upbringing and environmental factors. Which one?


texts: Is there any sefer that collects the various arguments of each zug (study pair)? Such as all the arguments of R yochanan and reish lukish, or abye and rava. It would be nice if it also proposed some sort of theory as to each amoras general theories which explains the individual arguments (like a לשיטתן, i.e. where seemingly disparate discussions revolve around a single idea).


texts: Why wear tallis on head at different times of davening?

texts: Different people have different customs about covering their heads with their tallis during davening.  For example, some cover their heads for shmoneh esrei, others cover their heads for all of davening, and others cover their heads for more than just shmoneh esrei but not all of davening.  What are the reasons for each of these customs and any other customs that might exist?


texts: How much aged cheese is needed in a cheese mix to require waiting 6 hours?

texts:
According to Remo in Shulchan Aruch Yorah De'ah a9:2 as referred in this OU article, people should wait 6 hours after eating hard cheese.

Let's say someone eats a type of cheese that is partially hard cheese & partially non hard cheese. (The mix was intentionally done, incidentally, for explicit purpose of selling it this way. Let's say the cheese is called "Parmerican" - parmesan (aged) + processed "American") Does the person need to wait 6 hours because he ate some hard cheese? How much hard cheese would require waiting 6 hours - does it follow the same concept of "batul beshishim" (less than 1/60) as with milk accidentally mixed into a meat dish (i.e., less than 1/60 is nullified)? Is the amount based on majority (more than 50% hard cheese in the mix means 6 hours) or is there some other measurement in this mix that requires a 6-hour wait?


texts: Teshuva that halachot don't apply off of earth

texts: Around the time of the ill-fated shuttle mission STS-107 (the space shuttle mission that Ilan Ramon was on), I heard a shiur about the laws of space travel. One of the sources presented was from a rabbi who penned a teshuva wherein he argued that halacha does not apply off of planet earth. I remember it being from a 20th century source (I suppose the question was really purely theoretical until then anyway). This decision was not accepted by anyone else and several people wrote in opposition, but I really would like to know who the author of the original teshuva was. Does anyone know?


texts:
In Yoreh Deah (Hilchos Issur V'Heter) we learn about the laws of relying on a chef ("kefelah") that is a goy to help determine if there is the taste of food that might be prohibited inside of a certain dish. The poskim also discuss relying on a Jewish chef in regards to knowing if a certain food might be found in a particular dish (for example someone who made a neder not to have haneh from a certain food, or in the case of Trumah and giving to a cohen to taste, etc.)

Are there poskim that discuss if we are accustomed to rely on this in practice (to give to a Jewish chef to taste at a time when one might assume there is a prohibited food in the mixture?) Now a days I understand that the poskim (at least Ashkanazim, Sephardim might be different in this -- perhaps someone could source this) don't rely on the non-Jewish chef, that's why I am asking about relying on a Jewish one.


texts: Is braiding challah the melacha of weaving?

texts: Oreig (weaving) does not appear to be a permitted melacha on Yom Tov.  Braiding is oreig - may one braid challos on Yom Tov?  If so, would it follow that one may braid anything on Yom Tov so long as it is for Yom Tov?


texts:
In Esther (4:11), we find that anyone, "man or woman, [who] enters the king’s presence in the inner court without having been summoned" is to be put to death -- with only two exceptions:

לְבַד מֵאֲשֶׁר יוֹשִׁיט־לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִיט הַזָּהָב, וְחָיָה
Excepting [the person] to whom the the king extends the golden
scepter, and Chaya.

Who is Chaya, and what is so special about her?

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


texts:
The Rambam's 13 Articles of Faith begin with the statement:  "אני מאמין באמונה שלמה" - "I believe with complete faith...", words that then go on to express our faith that God "creates and guides" all creatures, that "all of the words of the prophets are true," that God rewards good people and punishes those who are evil, and that the Messiah will come.  But what does "complete faith" mean? Does it have to be 100%? What about 99% or 60% for that matter belief in those things?  How do we reconcile "complete faith" when even the rabbis commentaries are less than unequivocal.  For example:  the concept that God "creates and guides" all creatures seemingly contradicts the notion of free will.  The fact that in this world bad people come out on top and the innocent suffer contradicts the first article of faith -- if our behavior is guided, then how can there be guilt?  And when we say we believe that the Messiah will come, in which context are we saying that -- do we assume that the Messiah might come only through a catastrophic war and not through mass repentance?  And does complete faith mean that we have to accept the entire Torah and works of the prophets in completely literal terms, or does "complete faith" allow for some verses to be understood as parable?

Moreover, are we required to have a leap of faith, accepting each of Rambam's articles of faith to be true without study, or can we come to our own conclusions after first learning the Torah?

And if someone thinks these things are true but doesn't have complete enough faith, what are the practical implications?


texts: Talmid that is an Avel going to a wedding of his Rebbe

texts:
I had heard once that there is a Teshuvas Ranach that says it's muter for a student that is an avel (in the year of mourning) to go to a wedding that his Rebbe is making for one his children. I haven't located the teshuva. Perhaps someone knows where this is, or knows other poskim who discuss (and do in fact permit) this?

(I believe the reasoning was is that a student is like a son. All of this I simply once heard and never saw anything inside so it's all speculation. However this is why I'm asking.)


texts:
If there is a situation in which you aren't sure whether you are required to give up your life, do you give up your life or not?

The most simple example would be if someone doesn't know whether murder is yehareg v'al yaavor, but that situation would probably never come up. I am thinking more about the things that are debated, or if you are unsure about them. For example, the Chafetz Chaim (Nidchei Yisrael ch. 1) lists a few things that are yehareg v'al yaavor that you wouldn't have thought of (e.g. to say you are an idol worshiper even without worshiping idols). In such a case, do you take the stringent or lenient position?


texts: Are these passages really found in the Jewish prayers? If so, where can I find the original Hebrew text?

texts:
In this book, a Christian writer by the name of John Hutchinson alleges that the following passages are found in the Jewish prayers, and that when collected together, compose a form similar to the Christian "Lord's Prayer"

Our Father which art in heaven. Thy Name be sanctified. Thy kingdom reign. Do Thy will in heaven. Forgive us our sins. Lead us not into the hand of temptation, and deliver us from Satan. For Thine is the kingdom, and Thou shalt reign gloriously for ever and ever.

I have been unable to confirm that these passages are, in fact, all found in the Jewish prayers. So are they? If so, where can I find the original Hebrew text?
To be clear: I am NOT asking for a Hebrew translation of a Christian prayer. Rather, I am looking to fact check a claim made by a non-Jewish source about the Jewish prayers.
Also, I am looking for the phrases listed above specifically, not vaguely similar sounding ones (like this)


texts:
Who knows one hundred fifty-six?
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: a girl marrying against her parents wishes

texts:
i understand that a man can marry a girl against his parents wishes

Shulchan_Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 240 25

  הַגָּה: וְכֵן אִם הָאָב מוֹחֶה בַּבֵּן לִשָּׂא אֵיזוֹ אִשָּׁה שֶׁיַּחְפֹּץ בָּהּ הַבֵּן, אֵין צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הָאָב

but since a girl is not obligated to get married (even if you say she is, it is not close to the obligation of a man) maybe she should be forbidden from marrying against her parents wishes

And she will be meshubedet to her husband and will not be able to respect her parents, (but a man will), they are loosing the service of their daughter so they should have the power to say no.

sources please


texts: What is the practical application or message in the expression המבין יבין והמשכיל ידום?

texts:
Follow up to this M.Y. question.

I think that I have seen Rash"i or perhaps the Gemarah use this expression, occasionally, Loosely the phrase translates as:

"The one that understands will, and the one that has insight will be silent."

I might be mistranslating some nuance, here in one of the words. However, I am curious as to why someone says this and what message their trying to convey. Usually, when I see this phrase, it has followed to rather complex explanation of something, and I still have trouble getting the gist of the explanation. It's as if the commentator is saying, "Well, most people won't really understand the point here, anyway."


texts:
Does anyone explain the meaning of the karnei para on Bemidbar 35:5 and Yehoshua 19:51.  I believe there are 16 of these in Tenach.  There are also meircha kefulahs in  Bereishis 27:25 and Bemidbar 32:42.
How do these notes help us understand the text?  No one I’ve spoken to can relate what Rav Kook writes on page 4 of the attachment with any of the examples above or the 4 shalshelets in Chumash.  If you can shed any light, that would be great.


texts: Do you say shehechiyanu on a new flavor of tea?

texts:
There are a ton of different flavors of teas out there.
Usually these teas are made from leaves - and they actually contain the leaves.

Does one say shehechiyanu on a new type of tea if he hasn't tasted it in the past 6 months?

Some chamomile tea you can toss into a cup of hot water:

And some loose leaf green tea:


texts:
Many people, especially in previous generations, have names which contain a vernacular component (eg. Yiddish names et c.).

According to some shittot (see references to the Chattam Sofer here) one should not use a vernacular name as part of one's shem kodesh (the name by which one is called to the Torah).

According to these opinions, is one permitted/required to remove one's vernacular name, and does this require a formal process of some sort, or merely a cessation of the name's use?

My name is completely Hebrew, so this question is unable to apply to me personally.


texts: Can salami mold make dry-aged salami un-kosher?

texts:
I am making beef salami, using kosher meat, and I would like to know if the mold that is introduced to form on the outside can make it non-kosher.

Background info

Dry aged meats take advantage of a 'good mold', which is related to penicillin, to protect against mad molds which can ruin the meat.  In order to dry age salami, you must utilize this mold. (For example, here is the product I used.) The mold grows on the outside of the casing, and the entire casing is removed before eating.

YOU DO NOT EAT THE MOLD

My question:
Assuming that everything else is kosher, can the addition of the mold make it unkosher?

My setup:


texts: Is everyone who dies in his 50s Chayav Kares?

texts:
I've come across a bunch of great Rabbanim: Poskim, Mekubalim and Tzadikim who passed away within their 50s.

The Gemara in Moed Katan 28a says:

  אמר רבה: [מיתה] מחמשים ועד ששים שנה זו היא מיתת כרת.
  מת בחמשים שנה זו היא מיתת כרת חמשים ושתים שנה זו היא מיתתו של שמואל הרמתי ששים זו היא מיתה בידי שמים

  If one dies when he is fifty years old, this is death through karet [the divine punishment of excision, meted out for the most serious transgressions]

Rashi says: "מחמשים שנה - ולמעלה" it includes all 50s.

Does it make sense to say that these "holy men" were Chayav Kares?


texts: Malachim of Nations constantly fighting?

texts: I think recall learning about how the Malachim of different nations fight each other very often, like raging Bulls, and this causes wars in the Earthly realm between nations. What is the source for this?


texts: Is a Jew allowed to collect royalties on a song that glorifies Jesus?

texts:
You may not, offhand recognize the name Norman Greenbaum until you realize that he composed the One-Hit wonder song "Spirit in the Sky" first released in 1969, and played often on radio and other media.

  "Spirit in the Sky" contains lyrics about the afterlife, making
  several references to Jesus, although Greenbaum is Jewish. (Wikipedia)

Is Greenbaum or any Jew allowed to compose as well as make money on the sales of songs that contain reference to other gods?


texts: Why is Parsha Naso (and Bamidbor) all mixed up?

texts:
Seemingly unrelated topics are all intertwined:
First it's the counting of the Jews and then Levites. But then comes Nazir, Sotah, additional laws of stealing...

And the Levites themselves are not counted in any order, not starting from the oldest son, with one of the three sons beings counted separately in Naso instead of Bamidbor...?

Is there any explanation for the ordering here?


texts: Dageish at the beginning of a word - pronunciation?

texts: For those who pronounce a דגש חזק as a double letter (e.g. הַמֶּלֶךְ as הַמְמֶלֶךְ but with a שוא נח on the first מ''ם), how should a דגש חזק at the beginning of a word be pronounced (e.g. הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא; לְמַעְלָה רֹּאשׁ; etc.)?


texts: What we colloquially call an "eruv" is actually intended to be a halachic doorway (tzurath hapethach) to count as a partition delineating a reshuth hayachid (private domain). As such, every post should really be obligated in a "mezuza" (see Chazon Ish Hilchos Mezuza 172; see also, however, Sefer Chovas haDar 5:1, both cited here). Leniencies are suggested where there is a threat that the mezuza scroll might be defaced by the public. Are there any Rabbis, communities (or private eruvim, for that matter) that do indeed put mezuzoth in the posts?


texts: Parents mix in to marriage until 24 years old

texts:
I was once told that parents have a bigger say regarding who you (maybe only male) marry before you are 24 years old

Is this true? if yes sources please

(The only thing I saw that changes after the age 24/25 is that the parent needs to stop hitting his child since he is putting a stumbling block(his son will hit him back))


texts: Source of the name Achira - What did עינן have against his brother?

texts: The nasi of Shevet Naftali's name was Achira (אחירע), which translates to "my brother is evil." What did Enan (his father) have against his brother, that he should give his son such a name?


texts: Threatening to sue with no intention to do so

texts: Let's say that a person is rightfully owed a sum of money, and the debtor refuses to pay them.  Can they threaten to take the person to Beis Din or a secular court, even if they have no intention of actually following through, if this is the only way they have to get their money?


texts:
The first chapter on the laws of b'rachos in Aruch Hashulchan ends with a summary of several of the forgoing paragraphs that reads thusly (202:45):

וכללו של דבר: כל הפירות שיודע בהם שהם עיקר הפירא - מברך עליהם 'בורא פרי העץ', ושאינם עיקר הפירא - מברך 'בורא פרי האדמה'. ואם הוא מסופק אם היא עיקר הפירא אם לאו - גם כן מברך 'האדמה'. ואם אינו יודע כלל מה הוא - מברך 'שהכל'. ומי שלא למד ילך אצל חכם וילמדנו דיני ברכות (גמרא ל"ה.).
The rule is: Any fruit items that one knows are the primary part of that [type of] produce - one recites "bore p'ri ha'etz", and those that are not the primary part of that product - he recites "bore p'ri ha'adama". And if one is in doubt as to whether it is or is not - he also recites "ha'adama". And if he has no idea what it is - he recites "shehakol". And one who is not learned should go to a rabbi and have him teach him the laws of b'rachos.*

This rule can be divided into two statements - the first which delineates a hierarchy of b'rachos to recite when the nature of the fruit is in question and the second which instructs the reader to learn the laws first so that no doubt will arise. The g'mara from which this last line is a quote states it even more strongly - that an unlearned person should not eat until after consultation with a scholar. The two statements seem almost contradictory as the latter suggests removing all doubts by learning the laws and the former instructs what to do assuming a doubt has arisen.
Which is the Aruch Hashulchan recommending to do first in a case of serious existential doubt - recite shehakol or consult someone knowledgeable?

*Liberties taken with this translation include: transliterating rather than translating the "b'rachos"; translating חכם as rabbi because I assume both are being used colloquially rather than strictly; indiscriminate switching between "one" and "he" for the arbitrary pronoun.


texts: Can we really estimate halachic distances?

texts:
A mishna on Eiruvin 41b tells of a ship that was coming into harbor at dusk coming into Shabbat.  Since Shabbat had already begun when the ship docked, those on board asked R. Gamaliel if they could disembark.  He said yes, because he had observed that the ship was close enough before Shabbat started.

Obviously R. Gamaliel wasn't in a position to actually measure the ship's distance from the dock; he estimated.  This leads me to wonder on what basis R. Gamaliel could make that ruling:

Perhaps the ship was obviously close enough.  In that case I would have expected the answer he gave to say something about "yes you can move from a vessel to land", rather than bringing up the distance.
Perhaps R. Gamaliel, being a sage, had an ability to make these kinds of judgments that we can't assume anybody else has -- he could make this determination, but a regular person could not.
Perhaps R. Gamaliel had some relevant background that increased his ability to measure distances, sort of like how archers become good at estimating ranges.  Under this reasoning someone with relevant skills could make this judgement but a regular person couldn't.

I'm curious about both R. Gamaliel's ruling and whether there is application beyond him (can people in general rely on estimation?).

Here is the passage:

  פעם אחת לא נכנסו לנמל עד שחשיכה אמרו לו לרבן גמליאל מה אנו לירד אמר להם מותרים אתם שכבר הייתי מסתכל והיינו בתוך התחום עד שלא חשיכה

And from the Soncino English translation:

  Once [on a Sabbath eve] they did not enter the harbour until dusk.  "May we disembark?" they asked R. gamaliel.  "You may", he told them, "for I have carefully observed [the distance from the shore and have ascertained] that before dusk we were already within the Sabbath limit".


texts:
There is a locale referenced in a few places in stories or other materials relating to R' Y'chi'el Tz'vi Margaliyos called טאקאלא, on which extremely little information seems to be available online. (For example, see the last paragraph here.)

Is it a city, a province, a region, etc.? Where is it and what modern location does it correspond to? Is there a specific paper source I could look to for information like this?


texts: What is the origin for the names of the various trope/cantillation signs?

texts:
I would like to know the origin of the names for the various cantillation marks, understanding that there are different names for different notes

related 1, 2


texts: Does one mourn during the days following Shavuot?

texts: We say the four verses starting "Yehi Shem" (instead of Tachanun) after Shavuot because of the bringing of the Korbanot. Does this have any impact on mourning after Shavuot?


texts: Primary sources that high culture are valid, or necessary, forms of service of God

texts:
Are there any primary sources* that speak about art, literature, music, and so forth as being valid, or even necessary, forms of service and appreciation of God? Is there anywhere that explicitly states that appreciation for good music, say, is part of understanding and appreciating God's world? Are there any sources that expressly state that there is religious merit in "High Culture"?

*When I say primary, I ideally mean pre-1500's. That being said, anything, at any point in time, that is otherwise a widely accepted source would be fine for our purposes here. Nonetheless, I would ideally like Medieval or earlier.


texts: Why is Sha'ar Ha'Yichud of Chovos Ha'Levavos so "controversial"?

texts: I have heard that Sha'ar Ha'Yichud of Chovos Ha'Levavos is controversial, and that one needs a rebbe in order to learn it.  What does the author say that is so difficult to understand?


texts: Chassidic Rebbes don't use Hebrew Grammar?

texts:
I have not witnessed enough test cases to statistically verify anything, but I have heard various Chassidic Rebbes make b'rachos and daven out loud, and without fail, they mispronounce a majority of the words. I'm not talking about using a different pronunciation scheme (havara) for the vowels and letters (which is of course not mispronunciation), but mil'eil / mil'ra mistakes. This is in contrast to the many other non-Chassidic rabbis whom I've heard who do not make nearly as many such mistakes.

I can think of the following options to explain this:

Chassidic Rebbes are ignorant of grammar, and simply don't know the correct pronunciation.
They are purposely mispronouncing a majority of the words they say, even though they know how they really should be pronounced.
I'm wrong. Chassidic Rebbes use normal pronunciation, and the ones that I've seen happen to have been the exception.

Now, here are the respective problems with those options:

Why would they be ignorant of grammar? These Rebbes are, for the most part, known to be great Talmidei Chachamim, proficient in Torah knowledge. What kind of talmidei chachamim don't know basic Hebrew grammar? (Most siddurim even show which words are mil'ra and mil'eil, and even which sh'va's are na or nach.) And even if they are, for some reason, ignorant of grammar, why should they be any more so than the non-Chassidic rabbis?
Why? I can't think of any reasonable explanation for this.
This is in my opinion unlikely, but possible.

Does anyone know which of the options above (or another that I overlooked) is the correct explanation for this phenomenon? Please explain.


texts: Ruth (or Rus, depending on pronunciation and transliteration) is very common for converts, which makes sense. For non-converts (i.e., for naming a girl born to a Jewish mother) it looks like many times the English first name is Ruth but the Hebrew first name is Rachel or something else. Is there any rule (Halacha or Minhag or just a "tradition" among some groups) regarding using Ruth as a first name for someone born Jewish?


texts: Is Smuggling Candy and Snacks Into a Movie Theater Forbidden?

texts:
Ever since I was a kid, we have routinely brought our own pre-packaged snacks into movies in order to avoid the exorbitant prices of those sold in the theaters.

Is it permitted to bring such snacks into a theater according to halakhah or is one obligated to buy snacks and drinks there?


texts: What's the halachic problems if any to rollerblade on shabbas? Do we compare it to biking (Kaf Hachaim assurs it)? Are there any contemporary tshuvos which discuss this? I have heard two problems if they break one might come to fix the wheel, and that it is not bederch kavod shabbas.


texts: On a related question Jeremy noted that the punishment for failing to observe the positive command of bringing a Korban Pesach is Karet, spiritual excision. If one did not bring the Korban Pesach on Pesach for reasons beyond one's control, and subsequently failed to do so on Pesach Sheini for no good reason, is one chayiv karet? Is the punishment of spiritual excision applicable to Pesach Sheini?


texts: Providing wine for Christian ceremonial purposes: in the 8th century, what did the rabbis write?

texts:
Under Charlemagne in the 8th century and the Carolingian emperors, Jews were official importers of exotic foods from the Holy Land;[1] they also provided wine for Christian mass.

At the time, what did the rabbis write about the following matters?:

What were the halachic issues involved? Food issues? Basar b'chalav? Providing wine for use in a Christian religious ceremony?
And, in the end, did they allow or forbid the Jews to provide the wine?

[1] Source.

(Related:  a question which is not about historical responsa, but is about the practical halacha today regarding the wine question.)


texts: Rabbinic writings (e.g. * Rabbah and other midrash) use the words "mashal" (noun) and "nimshal" (verb).  What do these terms mean in English?  I've heard "parable" or "allegory" for the noun but I am very uncertain about "nimshal".  How should I understand these words when I encounter them in this context?


texts: Who was the author of the Sefer Matamim?

texts: The Sefer Matamim is written by Rav Yitzchak Lipetz of Shedlitz. His work provides fascinating reasons for various customs throughout the Jewish calendar, and is occasionally quoted in various sources. However, this site seems to note there was a well-known maskil named "Yitzchak Lipetz" from Siedlce. Was the author of the Sefer Matamim among the maskilim, and if so is it better not to publicly teach the sefer?


texts:
From my comment here

If a Levi illegally marries an Egyptian or Edomi convert, what's the status of their children?

They're second generation Egyptians, so they can't marry most Jews.  (But their kids will be allowed to.)
Can they receive maaser?
Can the boys serve as Leviyim?

Note that these people are not mamzeirim because the marriage doesn't carry kareis.  The case of a Levi marrying a mamzer is similar to this question and addressed by some aspects of the answers and comments there.


texts: For how many years was Aliya L'Regel kept?

texts:
The Torah states that, during Temple times, all Jewish males are to go to Jerusalem to celebrate each festival (i.e. Pesahh, Shavu'ot, Sukkot). G-d promises to protect the land from invaders during this time.

For how many years was this mitzva kept during the First Temple era? And were there occasions when the enemies of Israel tried to take advantage of the festivals' celebration by attempting to invade the land?

UPDATE: My question also pertains to after the breakup of the Ten Tribes (i.e. for the remaining Jews in Israel loyal to the kingdom of David's descendant).


texts: Do any of the differences between the various printings of Shas (Mishnah and Gemara) have halachic significance?

texts:
I recently watched a video by Rabbi David bar Hayim about the "18 minute matzah fallacy." While I don't think I know nearly enough to weigh into this debate in particular, he brings an odd proof. He brings out another manuscript of the Talmud, and claims that the difference in the phrasing of the same section makes a difference in the halacha. (He also claims that the manuscript he brings out is better, for some reason.)

I am having difficulty finding detailed info about the differing manuscripts.

Does anyone know about research with regards to the different sources for the mishnah and gemara? As far as I know, different manuscripts have been found, but I couldn't find a list of all known manuscripts.
Do different editions (ones copied from differing manuscripts, presumably) have significant enough differences to impact halacha? If this is the case, how do poskim deal with this/have dealt with this?
I read that the Vilna edition is widely accepted today, but could not find a sourced answer about why that edition is accepted, and what manuscript it's based off of.

I'm sure that for my level of study, it does not matter so much which particular edition I go with, but it'd be good to know more about the history of how the text got from chazal to the books available to me. Answers to any of the questions above or recommended reading/sources about this topic would be appreciated!


texts: are you allowed get music lessons during sefirah?

texts: are you allowed to start getting music lessons which he has not had beforehand during sefirah?


texts: Subsequent burial of residual cremation remains

texts:
My grandmother's ashes were scattered at an unknown location by an in law that does not observe Jewish custom.

I would like to retrieve the cremation urn as it may possibly contain a residue of her ashes. I am not ready to abandon her remains.

Is it allowed for me to inter the urn with the residue at a family burial location? How can I do this and comply with Talmudic law?


texts: Is one allowed to use electricity on Shabbos in Israel?

texts:
I have heard that some don't use electricity made by the Israeli Electric company on Shabbos and only use generators.

However, I have seen people who do use public electricity on Shabbos.

What are the reasons to permit it and forbid it?


texts: Prohibition on paskening halacha when one is drunk

texts:
The Gemorah in Beitzah 4a says that Rav wouldn't give a drasha on Yom Tov after eating the seudah because when he would give a drasha he would be moreh halacha (give over halachic rulings) and this is ossur to do when one is drunk.

(This is based on the Gemorah there at the bottom of the page and what Rashi says.)

Is this idea (or "issur" of not paskening halachos when one is drunk -- and not only this story like someone has already pointed out) brought anywhere in Shulchan Aruch? What about in the Rambam? More importantly though I'm curious to know if this is brought anywhere in Shulchan Aruch. And if it's not, then why?


texts: Action of decimation of the city of Shechem admonished in Vayehi?

texts:
In Parashat Vayeshlach (34:30) Yaakov admonishes Shimon and Levi, not for their destruction of Shechem, rather for the degradation of the hitherto tenuous relationship between he and the inhabitants of Eretz Cannan.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶל־שִׁמְע֣וֹן וְאֶל־לֵוִי֮ עֲכַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִי֒ לְהַבְאִישֵׁ֙נִי֙ בְּיֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֔רֶץ בַּֽכְּנַעֲנִ֖י וּבַפְּרִזִּ֑י וַאֲנִי֙ מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֔ר וְנֶאֶסְפ֤וּ עָלַי֙ וְהִכּ֔וּנִי וְנִשְׁמַדְתִּ֖י אֲנִ֥י וּבֵיתִֽי׃
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi: ‘Ye have troubled me, to make me odious unto the inhabitants of the land, even unto the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and, I being few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and smite me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.’

However, in Parashat Vayechi (49:6-7), as Yaakov addresses the future and likenesses of the brothers, he proceeds to rebuke them for their act of murder against the city of Shechem.

בְּסֹדָם֙ אַל־תָּבֹ֣א נַפְשִׁ֔י בִּקְהָלָ֖ם אַל־תֵּחַ֣ד כְּבֹדִ֑י כִּ֤י בְאַפָּם֙ הָ֣רְגוּ אִ֔ישׁ וּבִרְצֹנָ֖ם עִקְּרוּ־שֽׁוֹר׃
Let my soul not come into their council; Unto their assembly let my glory not be not united; For in their anger they slew men, And in their self-will they houghed oxen.

Why there did Yaakov choose to explicitly rebuke them for their actions?

(Translations from Sefaria)


texts: Are there any Jewish groups that check for a newly married woman's virginity?

texts:
This question follows from: What are “the tokens of virginity”?

Are there any Jewish groups then and now that check for a woman's virginity say by laying out a garment when marriage is first consummated? [cf. Deut 22:17].


texts:
At my shul, the first maariv minyan on Chanukah is after teitz hachocavim (5:15, in Eretz Yisroel). It takes a couple minutes until there are ten people, and when ten people arrived some members wanted to daven first and light in shul after the minyan. (Everyone at this minyan lights first at home.) Is there any precedent for this?
The Rama 671:7 seems to say that even if people are in a hurry that the chazzan should light before maariv:

אם רוצים למהר להתפלל לאחר שבירך הש" ץ והדליק אחד מהן יוכל השמש להדליק הנשארים והשליח צבור יתפלל. [מהרי"ל]:
If [the prayer leader] wants to quickly pray right away after [he] has recited the benedictions and kindled one of them, the synagogue attendant may kindle the rest, and the prayer leader may pray. (Jacob ben Moses Moelin)

However, the reasons for lighting before maariv brought by the Mishnah Brura (seif koton 46) don't seem to apply here, so maybe this is different.


texts:
Does anyone know if there is someplace where a small start-up minyan can get schul sefarim,* preferably the Koren Sacks editions? We're putting together a yomim-noraim set-up and we are all fans of the Koren, at least as far as translated editions go.

*Siddurim, Chumashim, Machzorim, et c.


texts: Origin for different styles in splitting up El Adon and Lecha Dodi

texts:
In most Nusach Ashkenaz shuls that I have attended, the congregation and chazzan sing Lecha Dodi and Kel Adon together.

In most Hassidic minyanim (they are Nusach Sefard. I say "Hassidic" since the majority of Nusach Seafrd shuls I have attended are Hassidic shtieblach) they do not sing together, but, rather, the chazzan sings a verse, then the congregation repeats it (a.k.a. sung responsively, which is specifically not the topic of To sing or not to sing - Piyutim on Shabbath).

How did these different minhagim originate?

Also, is there a halachically preferred method?

(I think that this is a general rule for all cong. "songs" but these are the only two that I can think of where I see differences.)


texts:
I recently began my freshman year at a major US university. While in the university's Hillel for a meeting (I.e. not for davening), I saw the Aron Kodesh had engraved on it , fully spelled out, the Tetragrammaton (I don't even want to write the Hebrew letters).

While the Hillel does serve more Reform than traditional Jews, I was SHOCKED that any Jew would so callously write up The Name, without bothering to even change one of the letters. I've been in many shuls and I've never seen the Tetragrammaton written out as decoration, much less so publicly on the aron kodesh.

Am I correct that Halacha forbids such use of The Name? And may I daven in the Hillel with such an ark there?


texts: Can noisy fans and humidifiers be run on Shabbat in a home that has had a flood?

texts:
Talmud Shabbat 18a states that

  “It is forbidden to place grain in a water mill [on Erev Shabbat]
  unless it will be ground before nightfall. Why? Rabba said: Because it
  creates noise.”[10] Rashi explains: “Because it makes noise and
  becomes known (avsha milta) on Shabbat, causing denigration [of
  Shabbat].”

Suppose that a home had a flood on Thursday. The insurance company evaluated the home Friday morning, opened the ceiling and placed giant noisy industrial blowers and fans to dry out the walls and ceiling and prevent mold. The assessor said that these loud units must remain on continuously through Shabbat, and beyond for several days, otherwise mold will build up quickly, and the home will not be insured.

In this situation, may the home owner leave these loud units on during Shabbat?


texts:
What does "Ribbono Shel Olam At" mean?
What does "Ribbono Shel Olam At" mean?


texts: If Christianity is avodah zarah and Islam is not, why has the Christian world triumphed over the non-Christian, and why do Jews prefer to live among Christians and not Muslims?

texts:
The Rambam quite clearly considered Christianity to be avodah zarah. He did not feel the same way about Islam, however, going so far as to condone praying within a mosque, and many Orthodox Jewish Rabbis take the same position on the subject, but with some adding a "shittuf" exception for gentiles.

If Christians are idolaters and thus violate the Noahide laws against idolatry and the commandment to worship the one G-d, why has the Christian West come to dominate the entire world? Why was it Christians who explored and colonized the globe, went into space and then later to the moon, and not Muslims? It really does seem that G-d has favored and blessed the West and the United States in particular, which seems to be completely at odds with the designation of their faith as avodah zarah, when G-d could have just as easily elevated the Muslim world instead. Why would G-d prefer idolaters to non-idolaters?

Second, why are Jews still living among Christians if they are idolaters and not with each other in Israel or, following the Rambam's lead, living among Muslims? Isn't it hypocritical to denounce the faith of the majority of those around you as idolatry when you could choose to live, as Maimonides did, in a Muslim country without those idolaters or without as many of them (particularly without them in positions of power)?


texts: How can one who contradicted witnesses use those witnesses later?

texts:
Case 1

Plaintiff Reuvein made a claim against Shimon that Shimon owes $100 to Reuvein through a loan.

Shimon said: "I never borrowed anything from you".

Reuvein brought two witnesses (Pair A) that the loan happened. Shimon brought two witnesses (Pair B) that the loan never happened (the defendant was with them somewhere else at the time the loan was supposed to have been made). The witnesses cancel each other, and Shimon keeps his money.

The Halacha is that all witnesses are kosher because we have no evidence that either pair isn't kosher. However, one witness of pair A cannot testify with one witness of pair B because one of them is definitely lying.

Case 2

Plaintiff Reuven made a claim against Shimon that Shimon owes $100 to Reuven through a loan.

Shimon said: "I never borrowed anything from you".

Reuven brings two witnesses who say they saw the loan. Shimon loses the case and must pay.

Yet, Shimon can use those witnesses of Reuven, even though according to him they are lying.

Question:

Why don't we say, in Case 2, "Meshave Lei Chaticha D'isurah" (One could forbid something to himself)?


texts:
Vayishlach, perek 32, describes Yaakov's struggle with a "man" who many, including targum Yonasan (:25, :27, :29), explain is actually an angel. In pasuk 27 (as explained by Yonasan), Yaakov seeks a blessing from the angel. Pasuk 30 then reads:

  וישאל יעקב ויאמר הגידה נא שמך ויאמר למה זה תשאל לשמי ויברך אתו שם
  Yaakov asked, said "tell, please, your name". He said "why will you ask for my name?" and he blessed him there.

Some copies of Yonasan translate the last part as:

  ובריך יתה תמן
  and he blessed him there

But most of the few copies I've seen (example) have:

  ובריך יתה יעקב תמן
  and Yaakov blessed him there

Is one (or both) of these clearly an error, or do both have good sources? And if the second one has good sources (or if commentaries explain it, anyway), then how do we understand it?: Why would Yaakov bless this angel, and what did he bless him with?


texts: Why did Dan attack and kill the people of Laish?

texts:
In Judges 18-19, Dan searches for a piece of land to inhabit. They send out spies to Laish. It says that the inhabitants of Laish were prosperous. It seems that the inhabitants of Laish were peaceful, so why did the tribe of Dan attack and kill them to inhabit the land?
I spoke to someone about this and he told me that Dan was having a lot of trouble with the Philistines in their land so they had to leave and find elsewhere to reside, but that doesn’t answer my question.
Also, if Shimshon (Samsun, from the tribe of Dan) hadn’t followed his eyes and gotten himself killed, would he have been around at that time to protect the tribe of Dan and fight against the Philistines, to inhabit their original land?


texts: Is there a minhag NOT to say "Mi Sheberach" for the ill on a weekday Yom Tov?

texts:
My shul has some "strange" minhagim that I haven't seen elsewhere. They reserve reciting the prayer for the ill for Shabbat and "regular" weekdays but will specifically not recite it if a Yom Tov occurs on a weekday. When I asked the rabbi why they have this minhag, he said he didn't know but this is a shul minhag dating back many years, and he has no idea why.

This could be a unique minhag to our shul. But, I'm curious if any group of people , nusach or otherwise does likewise or if there may be a source for this minhag. Obviously, I'm not including those places that have a minhag not to say this prayer in the shul ever or if they only reserve it for regular weekdays. I'm curious as to why there might be a difference between saying it on Shabbat but specifically not on Yom Tov.


texts: What are the halachot of identity theft or misrepresentation online?

texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  False portrayal on an anonymous Q&A site

Is using a misleading name or avatar online halachically permissible?


texts: Composing religious songs and melodies on Shabbos

texts:
"Shiru laHashem shir chadash..."
"Mizmor shir leYom haShabbat"
Recently on Shabbat I put together some notes in a pleasing order, and used it as a zemer at our table. A guest was concerned that I was transgressing an issur of nolad. My understanding is that nolad involves physical creation. We may be inspired with chiddushim / novel Torah thoughts, make up stories to teach our children, and create new songs of praise to Hashem. Does anyone have sources to support or deny this?

Addendum: I am not asking for creative speculation or opinion based on similar sounding halachot, I'm asking for textual sources that address this question directly.


texts: Is it okay to sing Zemirot for Shabbas day on Shabbas night?

texts:
I know there are zemirot that are generally for Shabbas night, and others that are for Shabbas day, but is it okay to sing them whenever on shabbas?

Is there any significance to why they are traditionally sung on Friday night or Shabbas day?


texts:
I am not knowledgeable about masechtot ketanot. Wikipedia writes they are essays from the Tannaitic period or later dealing with topics about which no formal tractate exists in the Mishnah. I understand from this question they have been translated in English but not in recent times.

I'd like to better understand the centrality and relevance of these masechtot. Does the gemara make reference to them? Do later halachic codes rely on them? Would some of these tractates be considered important required reading for an educated Jew?


texts:
The Rambam and those who follow suit divide the 613 mitzvos into two groups, 248 positive mitzvos and 365 negative mitzvos. This is sourced from Makkos 23b.
However, many of the Geonim (for example: Bahag, Rav Saadiah Gaon) divide the 613 mitzvos differently:

200 Positive mitzvos for the individual
277 Negative mitzvos for the individual
71 Punishments (counted towards negative mitzvos)
65 "Parshiyos" (in general, for the tzibbur (community) and Jewish court, 48 positive and 17 negative)

The Rishonim didn't have any source for this division, so they (for example, the
Rambam (Shorash 14, see also Shorash 7 and Shorash 10)) outright rejected it.
Rav Yerucham Fishel Perla (mid 19th to mid 20th century) suggests that there must have been some baraisa or source that the Geonim had, to explain why they shared this common (and seemingly unusual) division. He couldn't find one, but suggested a couple of sources (Midrash Tehillim 119, Midrash Rus § 1) that hint to a different division than just positive and negative mitzvos, but no explicit source, nor a source that provides these numbers.
His sefer was published over a hundred years ago. Has anyone since found a source to vindicate the Geonim's division? In some manuscript or something.


texts: “As many as the stars in the sky”- literally or allegorically?

texts:
In Bereishis 15:5 HaShem promises Avraham that his descendants will be as many as the stars in the sky:

וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃
He took him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He added, “So shall your offspring be.”

Yet according to science, the light of many stars hasn’t gotten to us yet, because of the far distance. So it seems safe to guess, that about 3000 years ago, there weren’t many stars that could be seen. So is this passuk meant to be taken literally, that HaShem promises Avraham that he will have as many descendants as the stars he could see, or is it meant to be taken analogically, that HaShem promises that Avraham will have infinite descendants, just like the (seemingly) infinite stars? Do any of our sources talk about this? Answers based on science (how many stars there were then, how good ancients’ eyesight was etc.) are accepted as well


texts: What is the source not to eat the endpiece of the challah?

texts: At the shabbos meal, why do some people (such as Yodeyan NBZ) not eat the end piece of the challah? Some people don't even just start at the middle, they avoid the end-piece altogether.


texts: Halachik issues with SodaStream and similar sodamakers on Shabbos (e.g. molid, hashmaas kol)

texts:
It is disputed whether soda/seltzer makers are a problem on Shabbos (see Making seltzer/soda water on Shabbat or Yom Tov ) with e.g. the Shemiras Shabbos K'hilchasa ruling leniently (as cited in Rabbi Dovid Ribiat's "The 39 Melochos").

The focus in these works seems to be primarily m'leches makeh b'patish (completing) (and/or uvda d'chol [weekday activities]).  Is there an explicit discussion in the poskim, with regard to soda-makers, of the issue of molid (creating something new; a la, e.g., the Rabbinic ban on infusing clothing with incense smoke)?

Also, the instructions (at least on the SodaStream sodamaker) make explicit use of the sounds created by the device to determine when the seltzer is ready (e.g. "press the carbonating button several times until you hear the LOUD BUZZ that indicates carbonation"). Do poskim address whether this is a problem of the Rabbinic ban on hashmaas kol (making a noise)?


texts: Cashier error - is it my responsibility to go back?

texts: If a non- Jewish cashier forgot to scan an item, do I have to go back and make sure they charge me for it?


texts: What are all the ramifications of "Lo BaShamayim Hi"?


texts: Lechem Mishneh : holding challos procedure

texts:
What's the exact procedure for holding the challos in lechem mishneh.
I'm not asking about the number of challos used or which one to cut (top / bottom) but how do we hold them :

do we hold them with the mat or do we take it off before the beracha ?
do we hold the challos bottom on bottom or bottom on top ?
how exactly must we hold them to have the bottom one nearer on friday night ? by leaning them ?
does both hands must touch both challos or the right hand grab one and the left the other ?
after the beracha do we move apart on the table the one we don't cut and only grasp the one we're cutting ?

Thanks for your help


texts: Is it wrong to hang a Mezuzah diagonally?

texts:
I heard we're supposed to hang a mezuzah the same way as the door bolts.

The door bolt is either horizontal or vertical. I know that the strong debate over whether it should be vertically or horizontally hung has resulted in the diagonal position I see in most of the Jewish homes I've visited.

If you hung it either vertically or horizontally there would be a 50/50 chance that you're doing it right/wrong. If it is done diagonally isn't it 100% wrong ?


texts: Why does R’ Akiva not just tell his students why he doesn’t hold like R’ Eliezer?

texts:
In Sheviis 8:9:

  עוֹר שֶׁסָּכוֹ בְּשֶׁמֶן שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יִדָּלֵק. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יֹאכַל כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. אָמְרוּ לִפְנֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אוֹמֵר הָיָה רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, עוֹר שֶׁסָּכוֹ בְשֶׁמֶן שֶׁל שְׁבִיעִית, יִדָּלֵק. אָמַר לָהֶם, שְׁתֹקוּ, לֹא אוֹמַר לָכֶם מַה שֶּׁרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר בּוֹ:

  Animal hide which is anointed in Shemitah oil, Rabbi Eliezer says: it must be lit on fire. And the Sages say: he must eat a corresponding amount [of other food as if it were Sabbatical produce]. They said in front of Rabbi Akiva: Rabbi Eliezer would say, "Animal hide which is anointed in oil [produced during] the Sabbatical year must be burned." He responded to them: “Quiet! I will not tell you what Rabbi Eliezer says about this.”

Says the Yachin there:

  דמיקל בה טפי ולא רצה לגלות

  [R’ Akiva] was much more lenient and did not want to tell them.

We have a principle that we go according to the majority opinion (see, for instance, Bava Metzi’a 59b). So why didn’t R’ Akiva just tell them that he doesn’t hold like R’ Eliezer because the majority of Rabbis disagree with him?


texts: Why does a gayr make the blessing "who has not made me a goy"?

texts: If a gayr was originally a goy, the way Hashem literally made him, when he was born, then how is he able to say in the morning blessings every day, "blessed are you, Hashem, our power, king of the universe, who has not made me a goy", if he was in fact made a goy?


texts: Starting a bracha in the middle of Bircas Krias Shema, what to do?

texts:
One is not allowed to say certain brachas in the middle of bircas krias shema (even "between perakim" -- between certain parts of Bircas Krias Shema.) For example Asher Yatzer, or the bracha on a tallis (according to the Ashakanazim) for one that didn't have a tallis from before. If a person by mistake would begin to say either one of these brachas (or any bracha that can't be said in the middle of bircas krias shema) what should they do (in any of the following scenarios)?

They said:

"Baruch Atah HaShem" and then remembered

"Baruch Atan HaShem Elokeinu Melech Ha'Olam..."

"Baruch Atan HaShem Elokeinu Melech Ha'Olam asher..."
(or even continued and said more of the bracha on a tallis or asher yatzer.)

Should they end off the bracha? Should they stop completely (no matter where they are?) Should they stop and say "Baruch Shem Kavod Malchuso"? Should they end off with something else (for example "lamedene chukecha")


texts: According to Conservative Judaism, is one permitted to use an umbrella on Shabbat?

texts:
According to Conservative Judaism, may one use - unfold, carry, and refold - an umbrella in an eruv-enclosed area on Shabbat? What if it is not raining?

I would appreciate a link or quote from an official responsa or statement by a Conservative rabbinical body.

Related:  Is it permissible to use an umbrella on Shabbat?


texts: Why does G-d tell Yitchak to remain in Cana'an?

texts:
Breishit 26:1 mentions that there was a famine, so Yitzhak and Rivka go to Gerar. From verse 2, it seems apparent that Yitzhak's intent was to eventually go to Egypt, but G-d tells him to stay in Cana'an.

Why does G-d tell him to remain even when there is a famine? Did Yitzhak's presence make the famine suddenly disappear?


texts: For those who say the b'racha before lighting Yom Tov candles, when do they say shehechiyanu?

texts:
I was taught to say the b'racha on lighting yom-tov candles after lighting, just like for Shabbat, but I understand that some say the b'racha first on yom tov.  For those who do and say shehechiyanu at candle lighting, is the sequence: b'racha, light, shehechiyanu, or b'racha, shehechiyanu, light?

An argument for the first would be that we don't make an interruption between a mitzvah and its b'racha.  An argument for the latter would be that we want to tie the b'racha that ushers in the day to the one that gives thanks for reaching it, so maybe there shouldn't be an interruption there.


texts:
We all know that fruits of a new tree are prohibited to enjoy from, during first 3 years. Is enjoying the fruits must be physical like: eating or burning (as "השורף קליפי עורלה") or also not physical like looking?

I'm asking because in Israel sometimes Kumquats (small decorative citrus trees with fruits) are placed near entrances to building or other places, for beauty. And enjoyment from such a thing is by looking at the tree, and also by looking at its fruits. The fruits are not intended to be eaten from such a tree. However, in case looking itself is prohibited, one should avoid looking at them (or at least avoid enjoying from looking at them) until the tree would be old enough.

P.S. Once, I've heard from someone this is prohibited, but that was a speculation. So I'm searching for some sources about this issue. Thanks is advance.


texts: What was the ultimate fate of Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah (Acher)?

texts:
Unsong is a work of online serial fiction by Scott Alexander which is based heavily on Judaism.  (I highly recommend it to Jews and Gentiles alike.)  In this chapter of Unsong, the archangel Uriel tells the Talmudic story of the heretic Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah, commonly referred to as Acher or the other one:

Elisha ben Abuyah was a great Rabbi of ancient Israel. A brilliant kabbalist. A mighty miracle worker. A true saint. One day he was walking along a path when he saw a little boy climb a tree. The boy found a bird’s nest. He took the eggs to eat, and he also killed the mother bird. But this is in defiance of Deuteronomy 22:6, which says ‘He who shall hurt the little wren, will never be beloved by men.’  ... The little boy killed the mother bird, then climbed back down the tree and wandered off. ... A few months later, he was walking along the same path when he saw another little boy climb a tree looking for eggs to eat. This boy found a nest, took the eggs, but left the mother bird in peace, in accordance with the Law. On his way back down the tree, he stumbled, fell, broke his neck, and died. So Elisha ben Abuyah swore eternal vengeance against God.... The one boy did a wicked deed and was not punished. The other boy did a virtuous deed and was punished with death. Elisha ben Abuyah saw this and declared that whatever power in the Universe meted out judgment, he was in rebellion against it....
Elisha was very angry. One by one, he broke all of the laws. He was a great Rabbi, so he knew every law and which ones most offended God when broken, and he devoted himself to the task with fearsome dedication. He lit fires on the Sabbath. He ate pork. He even boiled a goat in its mother’s milk. Which by the way is why there is no longer a city of Pompeii. But these were not enough for him. He swore to break the most important law of all....  The unity of God. Elisha ascended to Heaven, as one does, and he pointed at the archangel Metatron, the regent of the Divine in the finite world. And he declared ‘That guy there, he is also a God. There are two Gods. T-W-O G-O-D-S. Deal with it.’ The Rabbis decreed that his name must never be spoken. And all who heard of it said ‘Surely the great Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah would never do such a thing. It must be some other one.’ and so from that day on, he was called ‘the other one’....
God refused to forgive him.... It is said that each year on the day of atonement, a great voice would ring forth from the holy places, saying ‘Repent, O children of Israel, for the Lord your God is merciful and shall forgive you. Except you, Elisha ben Abuyah.' ... The Babylonian Talmud says that he was too great a Rabbi to go to Hell, but too evil to go to Heaven.

I'm interested in the part in bold.  My question is, what was the ultimate fate of Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah?
Is it true that the Babylonian Talmud says that "he was too great a rabbi to go to Hell, but too evil to go to Heaven"?  And if so, what happened to him?  Was his soul cursed to eternally wander the Earth, or what?


texts: How do you do teshuva for saying lashon hara about someone that already passed away?

texts: If someone might have said lashon hara by mistake unintentionally and quickly said something good, and the subject passed away. How can one do teshuvah?


texts: Is it permissible to post photos of pages of a siddur (containing YHVH) online?

texts: I am planning to write a detailed blog post about the weekday Shacharit service, and I want to illustrate it with photos of pages from my ArtScroll siddur. Is this permissible, given that the pages contain the Tetragrammaton and other names for Hashem?


texts:
According to this rather amusing blog post, there is apparently a common clause in rental contracts in Jerusalem, called the Messiah clause, in which, when a landlord outside of Israel rents out a property in Jerusalem, should משיח arrive while the renter is living in the property, either the lease is canceled and the renter must move out (to allow the landlord to return to Zion and have a place to live), or the renter must move into a spare room to allow the landlord to move in.

In one such case as told in the blog post, a prospective renter did not want to sign the contract with the clause in it, so his lawyer suggested taking out an insurance policy to pay out enough money to provide the renter the ability to find a new home should משיח come while he was under the lease.

My question is, would such an insurance policy violate the principle of believing in the coming of the Messiah?  Would it be acceptable for the purchaser of the policy (because they are not assuming it won't happen, and they are, in fact, literally preparing for his arrival) but not for the seller of the policy (because the seller is essentially betting that משיח won't come, or else he will have to pay out the policy coverage amount and stop collecting the premiums)?


texts:
It is common (at least as far as I have seen) for people to sway while praying. However, while saying the first verse of Shema, one musn't do anything else, even walking is forbidden (Shulchan Aruch OC 63:3).

Is it permitted to sway while saying the  first verse of Shema, or is it an "activity" which is forbidden?


texts:
Possible Duplicate:
  Where is there a good online source to check how often a word appears in Tanach?

I'm looking to find instances where music, and musical instruments, is mentioned in Tanakh.

Oftentimes, more generally, I search for particular words in Tanakh, and it takes me a lot of time.

Is there a website where I can input words and receive results of instances of those words in Tanakh?


texts: Why did God make all plants, but only some animals, kosher? Sources, please.


texts: Help with Tosfot "v'HaAmar R. Yochanan" on Brachot 5b

texts:
The Gmara on Brachot 5b quotes R. Yochanon:

  R. Yochanan says: Leprosy and children are not chastisements of
  love.

The Gmara later questions this statement:

  But is children not a
  chastisement of love? How is this to
  be understood? Shall I say that he had
  children and they died? Did not R.
  Yochanan himself say: This is the bone
  of my tenth son?

Rashi offers an explanation to the Gmara's question, i.e. to show how R. Yochanan is contradicting himself:

  ... and a great man like R. Yochanan
  did not receive chastisements NOT
  of love

According to Rashi, R. Yochanan was showing a bone of his tenth dead son. If he, the great R. Yochanon, suffered the loss of children then the loss of children, r"l, although a chastisement, IS of love. This is because suffering of great men is only out of love. Well if R. Yochanon said above that the loss of children is NOT a chastisement of love we then have a contradiction.

The Tosfot are not comfortable with Rashi's explanation of the Gmara. This is because the Gmara goes on to solve the contradicting statements by differentiating between two situations:

Never having any sons -- not of love.
The loss of sons -- of love.

The one which R. Yochanon suffered from, the loss of sons, IS of love. The other, which R. Yochanon did not suffer from, never having sons, is NOT of love.

If Rashi is correct that any category of suffering that was experienced by a great man like R. Yochanon is automatically labeled "chastisements of love" how then could "never having sons" NOT be a chastisement of love, since we have seen many great great men who had not children at all.

The Tosfot's question is clear to me. So is the answer given at the end. What is not clear is the following quick intermediate question and answer:

  And if because of daughters? R. Yochanon
  also had daughters.

If some one could help me understand this part of the Tosfot I would be very grateful. (small hint: the Haghot HaBach doesn't seem to help much).

I don't know if mi.yodeya.com has been used for this kind of learning in the past, I thought I'd give it a try ...

EDIT:

Thanks so much to Alex for pointing me to the Tzalach. This helped sharpen my difficulty with the Tosfot. If I understand the Tzlach the mahalach is like this:

Rashi:

No sons - yisurin not of love
Sons r"l died - yisurin of love <-- There are tzadikim whose sons have died

Tosfot:
    - We have seen tzadkim with no sons
Rashi's answer to Tosfot (by the Tzlach):
 These tzadkim were not punished with yisurin, this was their nature.
Tsofot (by the Tzlach):
There are tzadkim without the nature (they had daughters) and without sons (ironically Rashi himself). Were these not yisurin of love?!

My question now is:
The Tosfot should be answering with an example of a tzadik who never had sons but did daughters (like Rashi), but instead bring an example of R. Yochanan
who had sons who died and also daughters. What am I missing in Tosfot or the Tzlach?


texts: Does a tallis have to be of a certain color?

texts: Are there any halachos which require a tallis to be of a certain color? I've seen talleisim of many different colors, but are there any actual rules with regard to the color as opposed to the material?


texts: Where does Flavius Josephus get his description of historical events about the Patriarchs

texts:
Josephus lived in the 1st century and would accurately report the history in that time period. However he does report about the activities of the Patriarchs. These stories are found in the Jewish Bible, however not with many of the descriptions found in Josephus' work.
For example, Josephus says of Abraham in Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, chap. 8 sec. 2:

He communicated to them arithmetic, and delivered to them the science of astronomy; for before Abram came into Egypt they were unacquainted with those parts of learning; for that science came from the Chaldeans into Egypt, and from thence to the Greeks also.

How did he know this?


texts:
I hope this is not a stupid question. But, I've seen countless Hebrew works that have yet to be translated into English (I don't know about other languages, like German, French, etc. because I'm not consistently exposed to those languages). These works could be grammars, philosophy, midrashim, etc.

Why are there so many Hebrew works that have yet to be translated into English?


texts: Did the Rambam or the Ramban correspond with Tosafists?

texts: The Rambam and the Ramban lived 1 to 2 hundred years after Rashi, so they must have been contemporaries of at least some of the Baalei Tosfos. Is there any record of written correspondence between them and the Baalei Tosfos?


texts: Can external criteria be considered when setting the Halacha?

texts:
וכי מאחר שאלו ואלו דברי אלהים חיים מפני מה זכו בית הלל לקבוע הלכה כמותן? מפני שנוחין ועלובין היו ושונין דבריהן ודברי בית שמאי ולא עוד אלא שמקדימין דברי בית שמאי לדבריהן
The Gemara asks: Since both these and those are the words of the living God, why were Beit Hillel privileged to have the halakha established in accordance with their opinion? The reason is that they were agreeable and forbearing, showing restraint when affronted, and when they taught the halakha they would teach both their own statements and the statements of Beit Shammai. Moreover, when they formulated their teachings and cited a dispute, they prioritized the statements of Beit Shammai to their own statements, in deference to Beit Shammai.  (Eruvin 13)

If I understand right, Beyt Shammai were better scholars (and as R' Eliezer's case showed, probably knew better), but because B"H were more polite and pleasant Heaven "rewarded" (במה זכו) them with setting the Halachah their way.
Now, the Gemmorah could say simply that B"H were more numerous, but it links their triumph to something completely irrelevant to the truth, IMHO.
Where in our Halachah relying on factors other than intrinsic truth is allowed for setting the Halacha for generations?


texts: Is it Asur to watch violent sports like boxing or UFC, or some of the horrific videos of war footage that can be found online (which were pointed out to me, and to which I won't link here) for entertainment?


texts: Why did the Rambam leave out Beis Din's obligation to enforce mitzvos

texts:
The Gemarra in Kesubos 86a and Chullin 132b teaches the following:

  במצות עשה כגון שאומרין לו עשה סוכה ואינו עושה לולב ואינו עושה מכין אותו עד שתצא נפשו

  With regard to positive mitzvot, for example, if the court says to someone: Perform the mitzva of the sukka, and he does not do so, or: Perform the mitzva of the palm branch, and he does not do so, the court strikes him an unlimited number of times, even until his soul departs, in order to force him to perform the mitzva.

The Rambam brings this idea in his commentary to Kesubos 4:6

  ומן הידוע שיש לו לדיין לכפות בני אדם על נתינת הצדקה לפי שהיא מכלל מצות עשה שהיה מן החיוב להלקות האדם עד שיעשה מצוה זאת שיש לו לעשותה באותו זמן או ימות וזה היה עיקר בכל מצות עשה

He also brings this in his introduction to Sefer HaMitzvos.

  אמנם מצות עשה בכללם כל מצוה מהם כשתתחייב עשייתה יש לנו שנלקה הנמנע מלעשותה עד שימות או יעשה אותה

However, I've seen quoted that he doesn't bring this anywhere in his Mishneh Torah. Why is this so? One answer I saw is from Even HaEzel (Kriyas Shema 4:10), but I was wondering if there are any other explanations given.


texts:
In pirkei avot chapter 6 Rebbi Meir lists various benefits that will happen to one who learns "torah lishma" such as "it is revealed to him the secrets of the Torah. He becomes like an increasingly powerful river...It makes him great and exalted above all of creation.."

What is this torah lishma that Rebbi Meir is referring to?

Is it some kind of intent to have?


texts: I am looking for good quotes about Ahavas Yisroeil because of a story I am writing. Can anyone provide some nice sayings from Jewish sources?


texts: Why was Joshua allowed to break Shabbat in attacking Yericho?

texts:
In Joshua 6 the Jews marched around Jericho, thereby attacking it.

Why was Joshua allowed to break the Shabbat e.g carrying their weapons in a public domain when attacking Yericho?
Surely this march around Yericho began on Rosh Chodesh and lasted for 7 consecutive days- how was this allowed on Shabbat?


texts:
Who knows twenty-six?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After about one business day, I will:

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts:
I live in a remote area of Canada and don't have access to a kosher market to buy cheese. There are many European imports in the local super, and I was wondering if there is a list of cheeses which are kosher without a printed hechsher from EU or elsewhere (the UK, Australia, etc). From my time in Europe, I found that many communities had lists of kosher products one could buy in the super without a printed hechsher.

Thanks.


texts: God's decision vs being written in the book of life

texts: Why do we ask god to inscribe us in he book of life? If whatever god does is for the best including when god removes someone from this world. We even have a custom when we hear that someone passed away we say, "Baruch Dayan ha'emet". If we believe that god does everything for the best then who are we to ask him to give us life? The same way he felt it was necessary to give us life he may feel it is necessary to take it away. Even great people and pious people receive "premature" death or even a form of  seemingly kareit! If someone can bring a quote from a source of any Jewish text that could answer this question that  would be awesome.


texts: What is the symbolism of Choni Ha'Magel's circle?

texts: In Taanis 3:8 we learn that Choni Ha'Magel drew a circle which he stood in while praying for rain. I would like to know if there is any symbolism to his use of this shape as opposed to any other.


texts: If Torah's exactness is crucial, why doesn't the Mishnah contain Halachot of writting a Kosher Torah scroll?

texts:
In my research of Torah inerrancy, and following my other question "why-there's-no-deoraytah-prohibition-of-altering-torah-scroll", I notice that the Mishnah does not mention any Halachot of writing a Kosher Torah scroll. If I understand correctly, the first systematized approach to writing Torah is Masechet Sofrim, dated to Geonim time (8th century CE and on).
It seems absolutely fundamental to me that one of the primary concerns of the Jewish Halachah should be the importance of letter-exact copying of our Torah scrolls, as the Gemmorah in Eruvin 13:

בְּנִי, הֱוֵי זָהִיר בִּמְלַאכְתֶּךָ, שֶׁמְּלַאכְתְּךָ מְלֶאכֶת שָׁמַיִם הִיא, שֶׁמָּא אַתָּה מְחַסֵּר אוֹת אַחַת אוֹ מְיַיתֵּר אוֹת אַחַת — נִמְצֵאתָ מַחֲרִיב אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.

He said to me: My son, be careful in your vocation, as your vocation is heavenly service, and care must be taken lest you omit a single letter or add a single letter out of place, and you will end up destroying the whole world in its entirety. [Addition or omission of a single letter can change the meaning from truth [emet] to death [met].

See also Maharal in Tiferet Israel.
Given the importance of the subject, why didn't Rebbi mention any Halachot of writing a Kosher Torah scroll in the Mishnah?


texts:
For those that watched the TV miniseries "Unorthodox", is it considered a Kosher Halachic marriage?

Two irreligious Jews (don't keep kosher or Shabbos in public) who get married (the ring and the saying) in front of Jewish witnesses (irreligious as well)...


texts: What should someone do, who has the urge to use the bathroom right after saying the brachah on putting on the tefillin? Shall he put the tefillin shel yad and tefillin shel rosh and remove them? Or can he just remove the tefillin shel yad?


texts: Is it ok for spouses to touch in public?

texts: Are spouses allowed to touch one another in public (when the wife is not a niddah) or is this a violation of tzniut? I am asking specifically regarding touch that is not in any way sexual or even affectionate.


texts: Belief before 30 CE, that a prophet other than the Messiah or Elijah would appear?

texts:
Was there a Jewish belief prior to 30CE that a prophet other than Elijah would appear along with the Messiah?

If so, what evidence is there for it, what were the details of this belief, what documents is/was it in, and who believed it?

The question seeks evidence from 30CE or earlier and not later.


texts: How much salt should I put in the water for salt water at the Seder?

texts:
We use salt water two times during the Seder. This is once for the hard boiled eggs, and once for the parsley.

I have two questions that relate to the salt water.

The first is how salty should it be? Are there any official guidelines as to how much salt I should add per (say) cup of water?

I am also wondering whether it is okay to use the same salt water for both the eggs and the parsley dipping.


texts: PTIJ: How many Jews does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

texts:
It is well known that it takes three to be obligated in zimmun and that ten are required for a minyan, but how many are required to screw in a lightbulb?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: The dor hamidbar was cursed to die before entering the land.  Children under 20 were not included in the curse. Was there an upper limit to the age of those who died in the desert?


texts: Application of the baraita about "Don't profane daughter for Zenut" Leviticus 19:29 reported in Sanhredin 76a?

texts:
I'm an Italian Noahide.

The topic in question manifests my purely intellectual interest, concerning the Jews and not the Gentiles.

We read in Talmud Bavli-Sanhredrin 76a (English translation from “The William Davidson Talmud”):

  Rabbi Ya’akov, brother of Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov (…):Is taught in a
  baraita: With regard to the verse (Leviticus 19:29): “Do not profane
  your daughter by causing her to act licentiously(lehaznotah),” one
  might have thought that it is with regard to a priest who marries his
  daughter to a Levite or Israelite that the verse is speaking, since
  marrying an Israelite disqualifies her from partaking of teruma. To
  counter this, the verse states “by causing her to act
  licentiously,”indicating that it is with regard to profaning that
  involves licentiousness that the verse is speaking. The reference is
  to one who gives his daughter to a man for the purpose of intercourse
  that is not for the sake of marriage.”

If the English translation is accurate (I am unable to consult the original text) it would seem, if I am not mistaken, that the expression in this baraita  "intercourse that is not for the sake of marriage" refers to any intercourse consumed outside the marriage relationship.

I would like to know if there are more limited  interpretations in the Jewish tradition about such specific  expression, referring only  to the hypothesis of casual/promiscuous sex (paid or not), or sexual intercourse consumed between an unmarried woman and a man she can’t halachically  marry (therefore with reference to a woman "zonah" in the strictly legal  sense, also considering that " lehaznotah " has the same linguistic root, if I am not mistaken, of "zonah").


texts: Why were Er and Onan punished if they were under 20?

texts:
As seen from this question, the Heavenly Court does not punish an individual (at least in this life) if he or she is under 20.

However, according to Seder Hadoros (Year 2217) Er and Onan were 7 or 8 years old when G-d slew them for wasting seed.

So, if the Heavenly Court does not punish individuals under 20 why were Er and Onan punished when they were only 7 or 8 years old?


texts: Are Jews allowed to use the expression "fingers crossed"?

texts:
Not to worship idols is one of the 10 commandments; according to a quick Google search "finger crossed" originates from either the Christian cross or other superstitious beliefs.

Does this mean that using the term "fingers crossed" is forbidden for Jews?