texts: Tracing the Tradition of HaRaM"A (Moshe Isserles)

texts:
In tracing the tradition of HaRav Shimshon Rafa'el Hirsch, I arrived at the famed RaM"A (Rav Moshe Isserles) with help from the beloved MY community. As Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen mentions having done in one of his shi'urim, I'd like to try to trace HaRaM"A's tradition back as far as possible.

Here is the trail I've uncovered thus far:

Rav Moshe Isserles (and Rav Shelomo Luria, HaMaHarSha"L) learned from Rav Shalom Shakhna of Lublin
Rav Shalom Shakhna of Lublin learned from Rav Ya'aqov Pollaq (Hebrew Wikipedia)
Rav Ya'aqov Pollaq learned from Rav Ya'aqov Margolioth of Nuremberg1

1. Note that the Jewish Encyclopedia is not fully convinced of this link. However, the Jewish Encyclopedia at Daat.co.il and a footnote in "Kereti U'Peleti" (Rav Yehonatan Eibeshitz) do support the link.


texts: Were women allowed to offer korbanot on private altars?

texts: When private altars were permitted (heter bamot) were women allowed to offer sacrifices on them or was it similar to the temple where only men were allowed to offer the sacrifices?


texts: Tachanun during the mincha before a bris

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According to this answer (and a number of other discussions on the web) one does not say tachanun during the mincha on the day before the relevant simcha-day.

Would this include a case where a baby is scheduled to have a bris the next morning?

[this then begs a question regarding the "simcha" vs. "kedusha" of the day of a bris so I can consider whether a month with 15 bris days would obviate tachanun on the rest of the days]


texts: PTIJ: Have we been davening for Shalom to reach 100 K?

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At the end of every Amidah and Kaddish (except the "half" Kaddish) we say:
...

יעשה שלום עלינו
Shalom should be over us.

Well, it seems that Shalom has passed the 100K reputation mark. He's #2 on the all-time reputation list. But, he exceeds #3 by about 21K points - a large enough number that I don't think anyone will knock him out of the #2 spot.
I think that we davened to G-d that he gets to this point; perhaps not? Is there any support to this idea? And, now that he has achieved this goal, I think G-d has assured his blessing, already upon him. Do we need to daven for him, still?

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


texts: Kaddish DeRabonon after Pirkei Oveis in minyan

texts: In our shul after Mincha on Shabbos we usually read Pirkei Oveis while there is minyan. But we do not read Kaddish DeRabonon after it, even if someone recited last line("Rabbi Chananya Ben Akashya...") loudly. So, maybe someone else also have this minhag of reading Pirkei Oveis while there is minyan and can answer me, why do not we read Kaddish after it?


texts: Definition of the term "Talmud" in the phrase "Talmud Torah"

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What is the definition of the word "Talmud" used by Chazal in the expression talmud Torah?

Does it mean learning Torah, or teaching Torah?

I seem to remember this discussed in an article (perhaps on the Seforim Blog) which presented various views of the Rishonim on the topic.

Accepted answer to anyone who can either find the article, or clear proof from Rishonim on the matter.


texts:
The gemara in Sanhedrin 7a brings a bunch of statements from ההוא דהוה(there was a man) who we learn many lessons from . One can learn that this is one person in all instances,or it is a different person in all cases. I suspect it's one person since its Shmuel who is always interpreting the saying of this person,it just seems like it's one person. Does anyone discuss who this person was ,or its just some random person who had some good sayings?

The reason I ask this is question is because I am aware of mefarshim who discuss who is hahu saba,and who is hahu tayah.So I figured there is a strong possibility that this random person is not so random.


texts: Source for adjusting the calendar for Lo Ad'u Rosh rule

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There are 4 rules that would cause the postponement of the 1st day of Rosh Hashanna from being on the day of the molad. One of the most commonly implemented rules is called Lo Ad'u Rosh, meaning that Rosh Hashanna cannot occur on the 1st, 4th or 6th day of the week.

The reason for not allowing it to occur on Wednesday or Friday is to prevent Yom Kippur from occurring on Friday or Sunday. I've been able to locate the Talmudic discussion on this.

I understand that the reason to prevent it from occurring on Sunday is to prevent Hoshannah Rabba from occurring on Shabbat so that we could beat the aravot. I haven't been able to locate the Talmudic discussion on this. I found a web site that referred me to Bavli Talmud Succah 43b and 44a. To me it seems to focus on whether and why using the aravot were forbidden on Shabbat in the 1st place. But, I don't see any mention of adjusting the calendar to make sure it doesn't happen. Did I miss it, or is this discussed elsewhere?


texts: Who wrote the kinnah that contrasts leaving Egypt and leaving Jerusalem?

texts:
In most collections of kinnot that are read on Tisha b'Av, there is one titled אש תוקד בקרבי (text, text, and English translation) that poetically contrasts the joy we felt when being liberated from Egypt with the misery we felt when being exiled from Jerusalem.

Does anyone know who authored this particular kinnah?  If it is not certain, are there any scholarly conjectures?


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Does G-d regret making or creating something? Of course not! I've always believed this question to be silly and somewhat inappropriate, knowing that G-d is perfect, knows everything, has infinite wisdom and can't make errors. But I was shocked when I recently read this answer in Mi Yodeya quoting from the Gemara that indeed G-d does regret creating not just one, but four things:

  Sukkah 52b:

  ארבעה מתחרט עליהן הקדוש ברוך הוא שבראם ואלו הם: גלות, כשדים, וישמעאלים ויצר הרע - There are four that the Holy One, Blessed is He, regrets having created. And these are they: The exile, the Chaldeans, the Ishmaelites, and the evil inclination.

How can G-d regret anything if He doesn't make errors? And if He regrets creating the Ishmaelites, why doesn't He destroy them? I also recalled that the Torah literally says G-d regretted having created man in Bereshit 6:6, why isn't man on the list?


texts: In most states, certain food items are taxable. For example, in NY, sales tax is charged on soda, wine and beer. If this is included in the sale of my chametz, and I don't charge the buyer tax, I may be breaking the law. Would that invalidate the sale?


texts:
The Mishnah in Oholos 1:8 gives a list of 248 bones in the human body:

  30 in the feet1
  6 in each toe2
  10 in the ankle3
  2 in the shin3
  5 in the knee3
  1 in the thigh3
  3 in the hip3
  11 ribs4
  30 in the palms1
  6 in the fingers2
  2 in the forearms3
  2 in the elbows3
  1 in the upper arms3
  4 in the shoulder3

  Thus far totals 101 on each side, or a total of 202. In addition, there are 18 vertebrae:6

  9 in the head5
  8 in the neck5
  6 by the "openings of the heart"5
  5 around its cavities5

If you couldn't tell by the little numbers, this list is very difficult for me to understand:

How are these 30 counted? Is it 15 on each side, or 30 in each foot and hand? See also #2. Note that in a human adult there are 13 carpal bones and 12 tarsal bones in each hand and foot in an adult.
How are these 6 counted? Is it 6 in each individual toe, and would perforce be counting tarsals along with metatarsals, or carpals along with metacarpals? Or perhaps it means there are 6 in each type of toe, i.e., 3 in each toe and finger? In the former case, we are forced to use the feet and hands as a part of the respective fingers they branch into. Where does that leave us with the 30 mentioned earlier? Is the Mishnah to be read "30 in the foot, which are part of the six in each toe"? In the latter case, perhaps one should read the Mishnah "30 in the foot which are six in each toe"?
The first question from #1 still stands for all of these - are they counted on one side of the body, or both? Some of these numbers aren't even, which leads me to believe it's referring to each side individually, but see #6 below.
The above question gets slightly tweaked regarding the ribs. Are they considered one all the way around, or two? Which ultimately still comes down to, "are there 13 ribs or 26"?
What are these vertebrae referring to? In an adult, there are 26 vertebrae, not 18. Further, 9+8+6+5 is much more than either 18 or even 26. Perhaps these are not meant to be a sublist, but rather a list unto themselves? That is, 18 vertebrae plus nine bones in the neck plus eight in the head, etc. With this reading, Chazal probably saw the 12 thoracic vertebrae, the 5 lumbar vertebrae, and the sacrum/coccyx as the 18 vertebrae, but that doesn't leave enough vertebrae for the other numbers: there are only 7 cervical vertebrae, yet the Mishnah lists 8 in the neck. Maybe it counts the base of the skull as a cervical vertebra? Further, what are the other three items? Calling the skull 9 bones for 9 in the head is doable, but where are the 6 and 5?
The biggest problem of all in the Mishnah: What I see as the straightforward reading - 101 on each side plus 18 in the middle - makes only 220 bones. As far as I'm aware, 220 is less than 248. So what happened to the other 28? Further, still keeping with the way I have presented the Mishnah above, just the fingers and toes, at 6 apiece, gives 120, much more than 101 off the bat. Yet if you count them to both sides, you're left with half-bones to each side (see #3)!

Before this gets closed as too broad, I would just like to point out that for the purposes of this question, you don't need to address all of my points as above, though it would greatly improve the answer if it did. All I am asking is: Given that the list, as presented, does not seem to make intuitive, anatomical, or mathematical sense, how, indeed, are the 248 bones counted?

If the final list comes out to be incompatible with modern anatomy to a degree that Chazal are making up bones, that will warrant an additional question at that time.

I hope I've made my objections to the Mishnah clear. If I haven't, just let me know so I can clarify.


texts: Is a blind person required to cover their eyes during Shema?

texts:
During the Shema we cover our eyes. The act implies that one is shielding their sight during the prayer.

If an individual happens to be blind, are they still required to do this as a symbolic action or is it canceled out since the blindness they suffer from is shielding their sight during the Shema?

Is there a difference if the individual is blind (still possesses eyes that don't function) vs an individual who has lost their actual eyes to either an accident or disease?

I only ask because if the gesture implies one is covering their eyes and the person doesn't actually possess eyes, would that somehow change how they say Shema?


texts: Rebuking someone for something that is not an aveira

texts:
Many sources suggest we rebuke so as not to bear a grudge (lo titor). But the Midrash and several meforshim (discussed here) suggest that the main purpose of rebuke is to keep one's fellow, and oneself by proxy--as one shares responsibility for the sin--from sinning.

Which of these interpretations is correct as it concerns the question of whether we should rebuke someone for doing something that is offensive to us, but not necessarily a sin? For example, asking for very trivial favors or berating us for trivial oversights when we have just told them we are going through something terrible, ch"v. In this case, or similar:

1) May we rebuke them? (There is always some risk of embarrassing the addressee, which I see as a potentially competing halacha in such cases)

2) Must we rebuke them?

3) What is the best way to rebuke them?

Assume we are at risk of bearing a grudge if we do not rebuke.


texts: Can a grandparent name a child differently than the parents?

texts:
We all know that Moshe Rabeinu had 7 names and was called Moshe which was the name Basya gave him. Recently I was in a Shul and there was a fellow there that had a grandaughter the previous week. The child was named by the parents however the grandfather was unhappy with the name they gave. (I do not recommend that anyone should do this.) The grandfather wanted an Aliyah and wanted to give a different name. The Gabbai smartly forgot to give the grandfather an Aliyah and avoided the unhealthy consequences of doing this.

My question is - does it work? Suppose the grandparent gave a different name than the parents or anyone else for that matter does this child now have additional names?


texts:
Is it allowed on Shabbat to make shapes with food or liquids for dish decoration purposes?

For example: dipping a fork into a sauce and then placing the fork on the plate to make a fork shaped decoration, as if it was a stamp.

Thanks


texts: A year with eight Sh'minis is plenteous?

texts:
I've heard an idea that a year (like 5772) in which parashas Sh'mini is read eight times[1] is a particularly auspicious one: the wording of the maxim is something like "sh'mona Sh'mini sh'mena" ([a year with] eight Sh'minis is fat [=plenteous]). Does anyone know the provenance, wording, or meaning of this maxim/idea?

[1] This occurs in chutz laaretz (only) in a year in which Pesach starts on the Shabas after Shabas parashas Tzav. In that case, Sh'mini is read the afternoon of Shabas hagadol, the following Monday and Thursday, the afternoons of the first and eighth days of Pesach, the following Monday and Thursday, and the Shabas morning after Pesach.


texts: Is it halachically permissible for Jews to celebrate Kwanzaa?

texts:
Unlike Christmas, Kwanzaa does not seem to be associated with any particular non-Jewish religion.
As such, I am curious: is it still considered an idolatrous holiday? Does it fall under the category of copying heathen customs? Is it completely forbidden? Partially forbidden? Partially permitted? Completely permitted?
What would the Jewish approach to Kwanzaa be?


texts: Is "Kosher salt" supposed to be understood as certain salts that adhere to the Jewish religions dietary restrictions? I'm curious if this is so what about salt can make it kosher or non kosher?


texts:
There is an obligation to visit ones Rebbe on holidays (see here for details)

However the mitzvah or obligation that we know of, what does this mean exactly? Is it enough if I "see" my Rebbe even if he doesn't see me? What about if he sees me as well? Do I need to speak to him specifically? Say 'shalom', speak in learning? What's the definition of kabbalos pnei rabo?


texts: If a person ate meat and after 6 hours (or whatever that person's custom is) she then flosses and finds minute traces of food on the floss is she considered to once again to 'be fleishig' ie need to start the waiting period between meat and milk over?


texts: Best way to destroy (maaser sheni) coins

texts: This year (5772) is the fourth year of the Shemitta cycle, and as such, this Pesach is the time of Biur Maaserot. Does anyone have suggestions (from experience or sources) regarding how to best dispose of one's Maaser Sheni coin?


texts: Was it a sin for the Jews to rebel against the British and take control of the Land of Israel?

texts:
Based on the Gemara in Kesubos (110b-111a).

There are three verses in Shir HaShirim (2:7, 3:5, 8:4) that refer to an oath placed upon the Jewish people not to "wake or rouse the love until it pleases." According to Rav Yehuda, in these verses are several oaths placed on the Jewish people:

Not to immigrate to Israel from Bavel;
Not to go up to the Land of Israel en masse;
Not to rebel against the nations;
Plus one on the nations that they shouldn't subjugate the Jews excessively.

According to Rebbi Zeira, only the latter three of the above are in these verses, but there are three more oaths as well:

Not to reveal the end of days;
Not to distance the end (by sinning);
Not to reveal the secret (of Sod HaIbbur, or of the reasons of the mitzvos) to the nations

The important part for our discussion is that everyone agrees it's forbidden for the Jewish people to go to the Land of Israel en masse and not to rebel against the nations, and that according to Rav Yehuda, even immigration from Bavel is against the oath.

Now, the Rambam does pasken that you're not allowed to leave Bavel, just like you can't leave Eretz Yisrael (Hil. Melachim 5:12). Otherwise, though, this Gemara is left untouched by the major poskim (Tur, Shulchan Aruch, Rambam), assuming Ein Mishpat can be trusted.

In respect to seizing control of Israel (then-Palestine) from Britain in the late 40's, do any modern halachic authorities cite the above Gemara to state that there were any issues with that, or else cite the Gemara and then explain why it's not an issue?


texts: Source for not singing Yamim Nora'im tunes during the year

texts:
I was told that one should not sing the tunes used for davening on the Yamim Nora'im during the year (the exception being during the month of Elul, in order to prepare for the High Holidays), because when one does sing them, the Books of Judgement are opened "upstairs".

Is there any source for this?


texts: Why does Ramban claim that Rambam does not prohibit the pilegesh for a commoner?

texts:
We read in Teshuvot haRashba Meyuchas LehaRamban No. 284:

  (….) “And also in regard to the words of the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe ben
  Maimon), of Blessed Memory, they are not intended to forbid the
  pilegesh to a commoner and permit it to a king. Rather, this is what
  he said: “And anyone who has relations with a woman “leshem zenut”,
  without Kiddushin, is whipped, because he has had sex with a kedesha ;
  and “leshem zenut” means he contacted and engaged in sex with her and
  did not render the relationship exclusive to him for the purpose of
  establishing a pilashut form of relationship, which thus rendered her
  a  kedesha. And Rabbi Moshe of Blessed Memory did not say that anyone
  who has sex (simply) without Kiddushin is flogged.

  And likewise, in his Laws of Kings, when he mentions the issue of pilegesh as it pertains to a king, he does not at all mention that its
  acceptability applies solely to a king.”

Now, in Laws of Kings 4: 4, Rambam clearly states that pilegesh is forbidden to a commoner: on what grounds then does Ramban say it isn't? I can't understand why.
Yaavetz, in his famous response on pilegesh, confines himself to speculating that Ramban was in possession of a different text of the Mishneh Torah, in which the aforementioned prohibition was not there.

Has this topic been investigated by Jewish scholars?


texts: What defines a country to be a legitimate country?

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There are a few  Halachas that apply to a Jew's relationship with his country. For example, Dina Dmalchusa, another is not to rebel (although its Halachic strength is disputed, all agree that under normal conditions, one should keep those three oaths.)

What defines a country vis-a-vis these laws?

For example, if there were religious Jews in the United States before the revolution, at what point would the Jews be permitted (or more accurately, obligated) to support the United States? Would Jews be allowed to support the Confederacy? On the other hand, were Jews permitted to join the Union if they came from the south?

On one hand, maybe the Confederacy is considered an independent country invaded by the Union (as they viewed themselves). On the other, maybe the South were rebels, so it would be forbidden to help them.

At which point would Jews be obligated to obey their laws? At which point did "United States law" trump "British law" vis-a-vis Dina Dmalchusa?

EDIT

A further question (similar to this one):

At which point does a group of people become a country. For example, if one lived in a neighborhood which was run by a Mafia, would he be obligated to obey the laws of that Mafia (for example, if he got away with not paying "protection money", would he still be violating "Dina Dmalchusa")?


texts:
Who knows one hundred forty-nine?
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: Where in Tanach is Shavuot associated with Matan Torah?

texts:
There is nowhere I can see in the tanach that associates Shavuot with Matan Torah.

However, we say in the prayers on Shavuot: "Z'man Matan Toratainu" (the time of the giving of the Torah).

Whenever Shavuot is mentioned in the Torah is it associated with Bikuri'im or the Omer sacrifice.

Why is it that nowadays we have this association of Shavuot to Matan Torah, where is this association mentioned anywhere in Tanach?


texts: If pirates demand you turn someone over, why can't you choose the person already subject to the death penalty?

texts:
I'm learning Ketuvot in my shiur, and we brought in Yerushalmi Terumah 8:4 on 47a. It states that a boat was traveling and robbers / murderers boarded and said: "Give us one of you and we'll let the rest live!" You can't give anybody over, because who says your life is better than the one you were going to give over.

Then in another case it was said that the robbers / murderers chose somebody and it becomes an argument. Rabbi Yochanan says you can give him over if he was chosen, even if he's not like Sheva ben Bichri, but the other rabbi says you can't give him over, only if he is like Sheva ben Bichri. (Sheva ben Bichri was subject to the death penalty when he was killed.)

Then he says if there is a guy, who is due for death in the crowd, and he wasn't chosen by the murderers, you can't give him over. My question is why can't we give him over if he wasn't chosen? If his life is worth less (because he's already subject to the death penalty), then we should be able to give him over. And if we say that his life is worth at least as much as everybody else's, then why can we give him over if they chose him?


texts: What minhag is this tefillin wrapping in this video?

texts:
This video on YouTube shows  man showing a particular minhag for wrapping tefillin which he says is Nusach Arizal. It looks a lot like the Chabad method (such as making the shin on the bicep), but I noticed he uses regular Chasidic tefillin (with the Sephardi kesher on the shel yad).

Is he just showing you how to do the Chabad method with regular Sfard tefillin, or what? Additionally, what's the minhag he wraps on his hand?


texts:
Avraham leaves Hashem to deal with guests in Vayera - because welcoming guests is greater than Kabolas Pnei HaSh'china.

Does that mean we can interrupt our Shmoneh Esrei to do mitzvahs? At least to do hachnosas orchim?


texts: Listening to Recorded Music *Privately* During the 3 Weeks

texts: Do any of the poskim who rule that recorded music is assur during Sefirah/3 weeks distinguish between listening to recorded music in a public setting and listening to recorded music by oneself in private?


texts: What is the exact difference between a chazakah and a rov?

texts: I was asked this question by a friend of mine and at first I thought it was so simple (and maybe it is, maybe I just don’t have enough Torah knowledge to know the answer) but when I tried to explain the difference, I kept getting caught by my friend saying, that’s the same thing as a rov/chazakah. They are both halachically accepted forms of assumptions based on the probability that a certain outcome will repeat itself.


texts: Blessing on Immersing Vessels to Purify Them

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A Mikvah can be used to purify humans or certain vessels which have contracted ritual impurity (Rambam Mikvaot 1 (English)).

When humans use the Mikvah to purify themselves they recite a blessing (Rambam Berachot 11:6 (English)).

Is there any recorded blessing to be said when immersing vessels to purify* them? What authorities support saying such a blessing and what authorities oppose saying such a blessing? What are their respective reasons? What is the text of the blessing?

Let's assume the vessels are being immersed in order to be used in a purified state, such as for eating sacrificial meat in the Temple.

* Note I am not referring to immersing food vessels purchased from a non-Jew as that immersion is not a purity-related concern (Rambam Maachalot Asurot 17:5 (English)).


texts: Source for this Remez expansion of יד שחט דם

texts:
There is an acronym for the liquids that make things able to be made ritually impure. The Halacha is in order for fruit and the like to be made ritually impure it has to be made wet with these particular liquids. They are represented in the acronym יד שחט דם which stands for:

יין = Wine
דם = Blood
שמן = Oil
חלב = Milk
טל = Dew
דבש = Honey
מים = water

Now there is a remez that each of these liquids represents a Holiday on the Jewish calender. Most are quite simple:

יין = Wine = Purim because we drink until we get drunk
דם = Blood = Yom Kippur when fasting we lose fat and blood and we spray it in the Temple
שמן = Oil = Chanukah as we light and cook with it
חלב = Milk = Shavous as we eat Dairy
טל = Dew = We ask for it on Pesach
דבש = Honey = Rosh Hashanah dip the apple in the Honey (you know the rest of the song)
מים = water = Succos as we celebrate the drawing of the water

What I would like to know is where is the source for the expansion on this Remez?


texts: It seems that, since mourning is prohibited during the month of Nisan, one could not observe the restrictions of sefirah until the end of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, since one is also not permitted to mourn on Rosh Chodesh. Yet, we can see that many communities have the kosher custom to observe the mourning of sefirah during the second half of Nissan, even ones that do not say tachnun at any point during the month! How can this be?


texts: Do the Jews believe in the divine decree?

texts: Many religions such as Islam, sikhism, etc... believe in the divine decree i.e. everything we: do, say, think, feel and everything that happens around us like the weather, earth quakes, etc... is already predetermined. Is this also the case for judaism?  I tried to seach the internet but got nothing.


texts:
1)There are two authentic ways to tie the Sisit (Tzitzis) that have sources. Maran writes to make 7-9-11-13. First question: why does he write this is he then says Gimtarya Hashem is One, when in fact it is not- Hashem is One in Hebrew is 39 and Maran wrote 40 which is not Hashem is One?

2) Why don't at least the Ashkenazim follow the Mehaber's minhag of 7-9-11-13?

3) There is a custom that stems back from Rav Shelomo Molecho who used to make Sisit 10-5-6-5 by individual wraps and the Hida brings that down as Halacha (and see Yalkut Yosef, Sheerit Yosef vol. 1, siman 11) to make it 10-5-6-5. However, for some reason some people took that way and mixed it with the way of the Arizal (see Shaar HaKawanot vol. 1, Tzitzit Derush 6 if I remember correctly) to make 3 Huliot and make 7-8-11-13, as brought down by Kaf HaHaim (siman 11) and the Shulhan Aruch HaRav (see Halacha Berura 11). My question is, some people took the way of the Ari and mixed it with the way of Hida. The Ari clearly states to make 7-8-11-13 with Huliot of 3, and when the Hachamim were talking about the Hida's method it means one by one in the 10-5-6-5 method. However, the popular Sephardic custom to me seems to be made up, and not have any source. Can someone give a source for this method of the 7-8-11-13 with the knots through them without the Huliot of 3?


texts:
My son asked me if a mobile home needs a mezuza. I did not know if any of the following factors make a difference towards its requirement of a mezuza:

It is mobile.
In some circumstances, it is a recreational home only lived in when going on trips.

Do these (or any other factors) affect its requirement for having a mezuza?


texts: Getting a Jew fired from a job that forces them to work on Shabbos?

texts:
I have a Jewish friend who wants to become religious, but is currently holding a job that forces her to work on Shabbos morning, and more recently Friday evening as well. She does not have the strength to tell the manager that she is unable to do so, or to offer to work any other days. These actions also lead her to many other things that jeopardize her emunah (faith). This job is for non-Jews (religious Christian) that are unable to understand her religious faith, and she gets harassed often for it. If I have the ability to get her fired from this job, is it permissible according to Halacha to go through with this, in order to teach her not to work on Shabbos? Or is that a chillul Hashem?

I just want to note that this is a minimum wage job, not a career.


texts: How are we to understand the first Rashi in the Torah?

texts:
How can we understand the first Rashi in the Torah?

בראשית. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק לֹֹֹֹֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא מֵהַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בָּהּ יִשׂרָאֵל, וּמַה טַּעַם פָּתַח בִּבְרֵאשִׁית? מִשׁוּם כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָהֶם נַחֲלַת גּוֹיִם (תהילים קי"א), שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְיִשְׁרָאֵל לִסְטִים אַתֶּם, שֶׁכְּבַשְׁתֶּם אַרְצוֹת שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם, הֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם כָּל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה הִיא, הוּא בְרָאָהּ וּנְתָנָהּ לַאֲשֶׁר יָשַׁר בְּעֵינָיו, בִּרְצוֹנוֹ נְתָנָהּ לָהֶם, וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ נְטָלָהּ מֵהֶם וּנְתָנָהּ לָנו:
That if the nations of the world state "You are thieves! You conquered the land of the 7 nations!" [the Jews] can respond, "All of this land belongs to Hashem. He created it, and He can give it to the one who is just in His eyes. By His will he gave it to [the 7 nations], and by His will He took it from [the 7 nations] and gave it to us.'

Practically speaking, imagine if a Jew were to take out a chumash and show this to a Gentile, do you think said Gentile would say, "Oh, you're right. I am wrong. Thanks for showing me that passuk & Rashi. Please take the land. I am sorry for troubling you."
If you want to say that this is really for us, and that it's not literally meant to be shown as a proof to a Gentile-- why wouldn't Rashi just say that instead?


texts: What date was the crossing of the Red Sea?

texts:
Some dates relating to Exodus are in the Book of Exodus, others are in other Books of Torah, or elsewhere in the Bible.  And some are speculative, with evidence from a variety of sources.

Note: I'm only asking about Hebrew day/month and not the year.

Nissan 14 (Exodus 12), Jews prepped their houses for the Passover.
Nissan 15 eve, they ate the Passover.
Nissan 15 midnight, 10th plague.
Nissan 15 overnight and/or morning, they left.

Went to Succoth (unknown how long the journey was but they had told Pharaoh they'd be gone 3 days, so it couldn't be far...stayed unknown period of time but probably very brief since they wanted to put some distance between them and the Egyptians when they figured out the deception).

Went to Etham (unclear how long it took but pillars of cloud and fire allowed them to travel day and night, so must have been at least a couple of days), camped for unknown period of time (likely 1 night).

Turned back, camped at Pi hahiroth (one more night?).

Unknown: Crossed Red Sea (stayed one night before crossing).

After crossing the Red Sea they walked 3 days in the Wilderness of Shur.

Then they came to Marah, Moses made the water potable.  Stayed unknown period of time (no mention of camping).

Then they came to Elim and camped there for an unknown period of time.

Iyyar 15 (Exodus 16), entered Wilderness of Sin, (per Rashi) ran out of food.
Iyyar 16, first appearance of manna.
Sivan 1 (per Rashi), they arrive at Mt. Sinai.

So we have 4 weeks & 2 days between leaving Egypt and arriving in Sin.  The timelines indicate both relatively short journeys before the arrival at the Red Sea and after crossing it.  But there is a month to fill.

Rashi claims the entire journey from leaving Egypt to crossing the Red Sea took a week but I am assuming there are other interpretations of the timeline.

I would like to hear possibilities.  Also, if you spot an error or have a different interpretation for the rest of my timeline, please speak up.

Thanks!


texts: Are there examples in Tanach of 3 or more parties having an ongoing conversation?

texts:
From what I have seen in reading Tanach every conversation is between two parties and two parties only. Sometimes those parties consist of 1 person and other times of several people for example "And his brothers said..." but in all of those latter instances the group of people are speaking as one unified voice.

Even when there are multiple people present the conversations seem to be recorded as a two party conversation. For example with Iyov there is never a time where all of his friends speak together in a single conversation taking turns - ie you don't have Iyov says X, Bildad responds with Y then Eliphaz interjects Z. Instead you have each person sequentially delivering a soliloquy.

I would like to know if there are any examples of dialogue in Tanach where all 3 or more parties are actively engaged in a conversation together at the same time.


texts:
A lone observant Jew is stranded on a small pacific island. Under what circumstances may he take one of the island women as a wife and procreate from her?

The elements: Must the Jew remain celibate? Can he perform a conversion of any standing?


texts: Chuppa and Kedushin Course by Chabad/Rabbanut

texts:
I have read and heard that the Central Committee of Chabad offers a course in the laws of Chuppa and Kedushin, with tests from the Rabbanut.

Does anyone know anything about this course as I would love to learn this material.


texts:
In many countries, street performers juggle, perform tricks, or dance at stop lights. Would giving them change count as tzedakah? Or is this, halachically speaking, simply a business transaction? Does whether or not one enjoyed the performance have any bearing on this?

It should be noted that in those countries where street performers perform the abovementioned actions, there are also street vendors selling chewing gum, sunglasses, snacks and the like at stop lights and that purchasing something they had for sale would clearly be a business transaction.


texts: Where in ש״ס who one find the adage, “He who suggests the idea should carry it out”?

texts: If I can recall it would be found in Kedushin (besides others)


texts: Smicha from R' Zalman Nechemia Goldberg?

texts:
One often sees that individuals' have smicha from R' Zalman Nechemia Goldberg. The smicha exams are typically considered more theoretical than that of the Israeli rabbinate, which requires more memorization. Nonetheless, it would appear from this discussion that individuals from the States can take and pass his exam on issur v'heter by paper exam alone.

Is this the case? Is a formal learning program (e.g., in yeshiva) required for this smicha? Also, does that discussion list his correct exam? It's the only such source I could find online of the exam... it appears from this prep book advertisement that R' Goldberg also gives smicha for Niddah as well as Issur v'Heter? How about Shabbat? Are there available exams for these?


texts:
I'm sitting down to eat some fruit and vegetables. On my plate is a tomato (ha'adamah), an apple and a date (both ha'etz). I want to eat them all now. In terms of my taste preferences, I rank them apple (most favourite) > tomato > date (least favourite).

Which bracha do I make first: ha'etz or ha'adamah? And if ha'etz, on which item, the apple or the date?

Some background

I have always been taught, and this is also my understanding based on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 211:1, with Mishnah Berurah, that for any two out of the three items listed above, the priority rules would be as follows:

Date > Apple (because both are ha'etz, and dates are of the shivat haminim where apples are not; in such a case personal preference is not taken into consideration)
Apple > Tomato (because I prefer the apple)
Tomato > Date (because one is ha'etz and one is ha'adamah, and I prefer the tomato; in such a case shivat haminim is not taken into consideration)

So I can prioritise between any two, but when I need to prioritise between all three I just go round in a circle: date takes priority over apple, which has priority over tomato, which has priority over date etc. etc.

What do I do to break this loop, and why?


texts: 'Converting' or switching from Ashkenaz to Sepharadic traditions

texts:
My immediate family is Asheknaz.
Can I 'switch' traditions / halacha to Sepharadi entirely? Obviously that brings both leniencies as well as more restrictions in other areas.


texts: Why don’t we skip pesukim of comfort in Eichah?

texts:
The Shulchan Aruch rules (OC 554:1) that one may learn the sad parts of Yirmiya, provided that he skip the comforting parts.

Yet, there are several pesukim in Eichah that discuss comfort (ex. 4:22 - “Your sin has been expiated, daughter of Zion; you will not be exiled again”). Why, when we read Eichah publicly on Tishah B’Av, are we not enjoined to skip these verses as well, the same way we are enjoined to skip such verses in Yirmiya?


texts:
Who knows thirty-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: Why do people who come to Israel for the shalosh regalim keep two days if there is no mention of people who were Oleh regel keeping two days during the first/second temple?


texts: How often is it neccessary to check the strings of an Eruv?

texts: If you have an Eruv Chatzeros for carrying, how often is it necessary to check it to make sure that it is properly strung and you can still carry on Shabbos?


texts: Is there any prohibition against giving a birthday card, (no present) written out before Shabbat to a person on Shabbat?


texts:
A Jewish woman had an affair before her marriage. She later married another man. At her wedding she was pregnant from the previous liaison but it was not noticeable. When the baby was born, the husband assumed it was his own child. A few years later, he found out through a DNA test that the child was not his.

Can he now divorce his wife on the grounds of what happened before the marriage?


texts: Can eilu veilu apply to historical/factual reality or not?

texts:
This answer by @Alex says

  Rashi (כתובות נז. ד"ה הא) already notes that "eilu v'eilu" is only applicable in a machlokes in sevarah, where sometimes one sevarah can be correct while at other times the other sevarah can be correct. But in a machlokes about factual reality, such as when two amoraim are debating what an earlier amora had said, one position is actually false.

And yet, Gittin 6b brings a machlokes about the actual historical facts of the story of Pilegesh of Giva, but yet it still says eilu veilu! This seems to conflict with the above Rashi.

[The Gemara continues by explaining that both versions are not mutually exclusive, but then perhaps this can always be done, and so we're still left with a question on why Rashi says only one position about historical facts can be true].


texts:
Are there any discussions in the Posekim about learning or owning kosher, non-manuscript books/Sefarim that were printed by "non-Kosher" people?

I know Harav Yaakov Hillel forbade them while Harav Mazuz permitted them as long as you remove the first pages (which had the name of the "non-Kosher" person asked about in particular case he was asked about) (also my old Rosh Yeshiva I heard permitted); I am looking for what others have said.


texts: Why are we allowed to refer to "Yisra'el" as "Ya'akov"?

texts: The Torah states (Bereshis 35:10) that when G-d blessed Ya'akov, he says, "Your name shall no longer be called Ya'akov, but Yisra'el shall be your name". If so, why does God, and we are allowed to call him Ya'akov, whereas, we are not allowed to use the names "Avram" and "Sarai"?


texts: Can a husband and wife recite the Grace After Meals?

texts:
I was taught that Jews do Grace After Meals (birchas/birkat hamazon) and that it is only done if there are three or more men.

But what if it’s just the husband and wife, in public or at home? Are we obligated to do the Grace After Meals as a couple (no kids, just the two of us)?

Do we recite the blessings over the different foods included in the meal and that’s it?

Or can we do an abridged version of the Grace After Meals ?

Finally, if we don’t do the Grace After Meals what can we do instead?


texts: Affect of Manna on Jew's Physical Bodies

texts:
According to tradition, Israelities were sustained for forty years on the manna God provided. It is also believed that there was no need to relieve themselves during that period of time. I have been told by Orthodox Jews that comsumption of non-kosher food not only affects the Jews' soul, but his body as well. Would not consuming "regular" food for such length of time not also affect the body?

This makes me wonder. Have there ever been discussion of the affects of manna on the Jewish physical body? How about the affects of non-kosher? For certain not consuming "regular" food or drink or going to the bathroom for forty years HAD to have an affect on the body, miracle or no miracle. For example, could this be the reason for the high incidence of lactose intolerance amongst Ashkenazi's? Is it possible that diseases mostly limited to Ashkenazi Jews (such as Tay Sacs) can be attributable to lack consumption of regular food?  Did the experience of the forty years wandering influence Jewish diet preferences?

I really can't imagine my general question has never been explored by rabbinical authorities. Am I right? Who discussed this and what was their response and sources?

Shana Tova to All


texts:
When I was growing up in the 1980s, I heard a tune to "ברוך קל עליון" that I've now reproduced to the best of my recollection, except that I sang it a bit faster than I recall it having been sung. Does anyone know its provenance?

(The tune is not on the piyut.org.il list. For those who can't or won't hear the audio file linked to above, I'll try to describe the tune, though as I've no musical training the description may seem odd to those with it and I'd appreciate edits from those who've heard the audio file. The first stanza is a march. The second is, too, I suppose, but with a different tune. The third stanza has the same tune as the first; no other two stanzas share a tune. The fourth and fifth stanzas are in waltz time; the fourth and sixth are the least lively of the seven stanzas. The sixth stanza starts off almost tuneless though it certainly has a tune by its end; I don't know what time it's in. The seventh (last) stanza is I think no longer in waltz time.)


texts: Saying Yekum Purkan after the Minyan is already up to Av HaRachamim or Ashrei

texts: The Halacha is that a individual not Davening with a Minyan does not say Yekum Purkan. Suppose you are in Shul and for some reason the Chazan finished Yekum Purkan and is already up to Av HaRachamim or Ashrei can you as an individual say it now or you are too late?


texts: Tankless Water Heaters on Shabbos and Yom Tov

texts:
I have been trying to understand the issues with tankless water heaters on Shabbos and Yom Tov. (The simple description of how this works can be found here and here).

I found this answer on Mi Yodeya and the related teshuva from Star-K (which has moved to a new address recently).

I would like to confirm that I understand things correctly. What I understand right now is as follows:

Cold Water is not problematic on Shabbos or Yom Tov
Hot Water is a problem of heating directly on both Yom Tov and Shabbos (as opposed to a water heater with a tank, where the heating is a gramah and therefore permitted on Yom Tov but prohibited on Shabbos)

So, if someone has such a water heater installed in their house, there is no problem going there, for example, and using the cold water from a faucet?

In addition, the hybrid system including both tankless and with-tank units, which could be thought of as problematic for hot water on Yom Tov, would be an issue (from the linked Star-K teshuva) only if the sensor is extremely responsive and there is no delay between turning on the faucet and pouring the cold water through the tankless component, thereby heating it without a gramah. But even in this case, turning on cold water is not going to be a problem.

Please confirm or correct this, if possible. I would appreciate any sources dealing directly with the issue, if you know where to find them. Thank you very much.


texts: Why don't we bow "correctly" during tefillah anymore?

texts:
According to the Gemara (Megillah 22b), and according to the RaMBa"M (Hil. Tefillah 5:13) (and apparently R' Avraham ben HaRaMBa"M was adamant), when we pray we are supposed to bow down ON our knees (not merely bending our knees) and in certain places, particularly Tahanun, we are supposed to lie prostrate on the floor with our arms and legs outstretched and our faces flat on the ground (so long as the ground is not a stone floor; prostrating on stone is explicitly prohibited).

Rather than go into depth with descriptions and all the sources for the different movements and when to do them, for simplicity, see the following videos:
http://youtu.be/xJYvBJFb8CQ
http://youtu.be/0aHWASyMjwg

Why don't we do this?


texts:
In a hypothetical case, I have chosen to observe the restrictions of the Omer during the "first half."

But then, I am placed in a situation at which happy live music is being played. Does my presence there "stop" my Omer and force me to shift to the "second half"? Is "breaking the Omer" an all-or-nothing or can I continue after the breaking?


texts: Were the Mitzvos given because of counting of Bnei Yisrael in Bamidbar?

texts:
I was reading a Dvar Torah by a prominent Rosh Yeshiva where he stated that Chazal say that the connection between the end of Sefer Vayikra:

אלה המצות אשר צוה יהוה את־משה אל־בני ישראל בהר סיני
These are the commandments that the LORD gave Moses for the Israelite people on Mount Sinai.

and the beginning of Sefer Bamidbar where Bnei Yisrael are being counted is that Hashem gave us the Mitzvos because we are counted. The Vort then goes on to explain why this is true with the basic idea being that its because its clear that every member of the Jewish nation is important and valuable. It's a beautiful Vort but I would like to find the source of this Chazal.
So far the best I've found is that the Yalkut Shimoni (in Bamidbar and Pinchas) connects the two by saying that we got the Torah because we were able to demonstrate that our lineage was pure. This obviously is not the Chazal that the Rav was referring to as it doesn't fit at all. Can anyone find the original source? Thanks.


texts: Why do we insert “Karban” on this line of Al Cheit?

texts:
In the lengthy “Al Cheit” section of Yom Kippur Vidui, there is a section that reads as follows:

  ועל חטאים שאנו חייבים עליהם עולה

  ועל חטאים שאנו חייבים עליהם חטאת

  ועל חטאים שאנו חייבים עליהם קרבן עולה ויורד

  ועל חטאים שאנו חייבים אשם ודאי ותלוי

This list gives four Karbanos, but only the Oleh v’yored is prefixed by the word “Karban.” Why? Why not just say שאנו חייבים עליהם עולה ויורד?

The following places are among several where it’s not referred to with the title Karban. It should be noted, though, that often it takes the title; my question is why, since we see that it often doesn’t, is it singled out here.

Shevuos 6b-7a:

  אימא ה"מ קרבן קבוע אבל עולה ויורד ניתי מידי דהוה אשמיעת קול ואביטוי שפתים

Shevuos 8a:

  אימא יולדת דחלק דמייתא עולה ויורד

Kerisos 22b:

  מה להלן בקבועה אף כאן בקבועה לאפוקי עולה ויורד דלא

Toras Kohanim, Acharei Mos 4:4:

  ומנין לשיש בה ידיעה בתחלה ואין בה ידיעה בסוף שתולה לו עד שיתודע לו ויביא עולה ויורד

Yerushalmi Shevuos 4a:

  אמר לו ע"ז בקבוע וטומאת מקדש וקדשיו בעולה ויורד ואין למידין קבוע מעולה ויורד ולא עולה ויורד מקבוע


texts: Does the nascent Sanhedrin in Israel sanctify the new moon with witnesses?

texts:
In 2004, a group of rabbis in Israel attempted to begin the process of re-establishing the Sanhedrin using the Rambam's method of universal consensus to re-establish the line of semikha. Rabbi Moshe Halberstam was selected as the first musmakh and he proceeded to confer semikha on others until enough rabbis had been granted semikha to establish a Sanhedrin, which R' Adin Steinsaltz, as Nasi, referred to as the "Nascent Sanhedrin".

As far as I can tell, this new Nascent Sanhedrin is still active; albeit quietly. Rambam, whose opinion was relied upon to re-establish semikha, also holds that whenever a Sanhedrin exists, new months must be established through testimony (Hilkhos Kiddush HaChodesh 5:2). Does this new Sanhedrin sanctify the new month through witnesses? Is there any record of this happening?


texts: Why are certain melachot permitted on Shabbat for food purposes and others not?

texts:
I'm relaying this question from my son...

Tearing is a melacha. But, as far as I understand, one may tear open a food bag (like a bag of chips) on Shabbat. Yet, one may not cut between the letters that are on a cake on Shabbat, because that's considered erasing.

Why is tearing allowed but "erasing" not allowed?

I'm not limiting my question to these two comparisons. There are probably others, but I can't think of them.


texts:
The Magen Avraham in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 50 Sif-Katan 2 writes that learning (Torah) is only called "learning" if one understands what they learn (see there for the context in which he says this. However clearly speaking about Torah She'bal Peh, the "Oral Torah" -- Mishnah, Gemorah, etc.)

The Maharal in Gavuros HaShem Perek 63 (see beginning of top left column) writes that we make the bracha on learning Torah of "l'asok b'divrei Torah" since any of our "asek" (toil) in Talmud Torah is a Mitzvah even if one does not understand. Does the Maharal mean to say this by both the Written Torah (Tanach) and the Oral Torah (Mishnah, Gemorah, etc.) Or perhaps only the Written Torah or only the Oral Torah. Is there a maklokes (disagreement) here between the Maharal and Magen Avraham. What other seforim or mefarshim discuss this?


texts: Inadvertant Sin of Prohibited Food or Relations

texts:
What is the explanation of the talmudic dictum (Sanhedrin 62b, Kreisos 19b) that one who inadvertently sins in the areas of forbidden foods or sexual relations (e.g. reaches for kosher food, misses it and instead puts non-kosher in his mouth) must bring a korban chatas because "he received pleasure" even though other sins would be exempt from a korban in this case? What characteristic do these sins share that gives them a this unique legal status? How are these sins different from e.g. shatnez which seems to also dependent on pleasure (see Yevamos 4b)?

Some Acharonim (e.g. R. Elchonon Wasserman in Kovetz Shiurim) explain that the prohibition is actually the pleasure itself, not the act, so the disconnect from the act through lack of intent doesn't exempt them. I wondered if Rishonim hold of this or perhaps have some chiddush about korban chatas, or perhaps a different explanation.


texts: Source of a quote about the value of mitzvot involving pain

texts:
This quote is attributed to the Yerushalmi:

  One mitzvah involving pain is worth a hundred mitzvot that do not.

Do you have the exact reference?  Is this the only place this thought is expressed?


texts: Minhagim pertaining to the consumption of locust with other foods?

texts:
BS"D

So based on the concept that locust are the only other "meat" that is parve besides fish, do the same or similar Halakhic or even minhag based restrictions apply to it?
For instance its some peoples minhag not to eat fish and dairy together for the same reasoning as why people don't eat fowl and dairy.
And what about the custom of some to use differing cutlery for meat then that of fish, same apply to locust?
ect.

I know that the general reasoning behind all the minhagim of fish being separate then other parve foods, in relation to meat, is from the odd Halakha that it makes for easy digestion and to not arouse medical concerns (Pesahhim 76b)

Obviously this question does not have a Halakhic source since Hhazal never ruled on it, but are there any minhagim or post authoritative rabbinic sources that speak on this matter?

I have asked a few members of various communities (mainly Eritreans, Temani, Syrians and Egyptians) who still eat locust and the only response i got was towards whether they eat the meat with dairy and its a mix between those that do and those that don't.
Any help to feed my curiosity would be appreciated.


texts: Do we know anything else about the calculus problem solved by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein?

texts:
The biographical sketch of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein that appears in Igrot Moshe volume 8 describes the following (my translation):

The Communist takeover meant the schools taught against religion. Some of the older Jewish students would argue back, citing teachings of their rabbi [Moshe Feinstein]. One infuriated teacher (herself Jewish) finally replied, "What does that rabbi of yours know, if he can't solve this calculus problem?!"
Eventually the problem was brought to Rabbi Feinstein; who requested a calculus textbook, read it, and then solved it.

Have any details about this story (other than the ones printed there) survived to this day?


texts: How come delicatessen offer meat sandwiches AND cheesecakes as deserts? Were people mixing meat & dairy in eastern european communities ? Or were they not really part of traditional ashkenazi food ?


texts: From what materials can a mikveh be made?

texts: Reading sources on constructing a mikveh, it seems that the walls and floor should be made of brick or ceramic.  Is any other material possible, such as aluminum, wood, Lexan (plexiglass), or fiberglass?  Reason I ask is that I want to retrofit my existing fiberglass bathtub/shower as part of the structure, since it can't be ripped out of the bathroom wall.


texts:
How high was Migdal (the tower of) Bavel?

From the Chumash we know that the tower was built in a valley which suggests that its purpose was more symbolic than pragmatic. To that effect I am wondering if anything else would stick out as being purely symbolic and more specifically what the height of the tower was. (If the tower was not tall then that would be another suggestion of symbolism.)


texts: What is the difference between HaSatan, Luficer and the Serpent

texts:
I am working on a paper for one my classes and I routinely run into the question of whether or not jewish individuals believe in view Satan in the same way Christians do.  More specifically, are the Serpent, Lucifer, and Ha-Satan the same Satan as seen in Christianity.  Several questions have addressed these individually but I have yet to find a comprehensive answer on this.

Also, if anyone could indicate a book going over this issue in greater depth, please let me know the title and author of the book.

Many of the comments in this forum have asked for clarification regarding terms so I will elaborate on the terms I am using to make sure we are using the same vocabulary.

I have been told that jewish and christian individuals have fundamentally different conceptions of Satan.  These views change depending upon whom one is talking to.  Some college professors, religious and non-religious have different views.  Some rabbis differ with other rabbis.  I am looking for the answer that 51% of Jewish individuals will agree with.

When describing Lucifer,
Lucifer was referenced in the Nevi'im specifically in the Prophet Isaiah.  Depending upon which jewish person one talks to this could refer to one of three different being: Satan (as the christains understand him), the king of Babylon, or HaSatan.  Some individuals say this refers to the King of Babylon only.  The word Lucifer appeared as a mistranslation and/or a christian reinterpretation of the text.  These views are not mutually exclusive.  Some individuals say that this text explicitly refers to the King of Babylon but is also a metaphor for Lucifer.

Which is the correct interpretation?  Who is Lucifer?

In regards to the serpet, the serpet was referenced in the Torah, specifically in Genesis.  Depending upon which jewish person you talk to this could refer to: a talking snake, HaSatan, or Satan (as Christians understand him).  I had a professor who studied in Israel.  This professor insisted that the serpent was a talking snake and nothing more.  The serpent was no HaSatan, and the serpent was not Satan.  There are others who argue that the serpent is HaSatan.  In this context, the serpent is an accuser.  This may or may not be the same accuser spoken of in Job.  Some professor says that there are multiple Ha-Satans, whereas other suggest that there is only one accuser, that being Satan as the Christians understand him.

Which interpretation is correct?  Who is the serpent?


texts: Help with finding a Pirkei Avot Citation

texts:
Hebrew Wikipedia writes, commenting on the well known quote "אבות אכלו בוסר, ושיני בנים תקהינה:"

  אבות אכלו בוסר ושיני בנים תקהינה הינה סוגיה דתית-פילוסופית מרכזית ביהדות ובדתות אחרות.

  פסוק זה, המוזכר בספר ירמיהו, פרק ל"א, פסוק כ"ח ובספר יחזקאל, פרק י"ח, פסוק ב', משמעותו היא שבנים נושאים את העוונות של אבותיהם. הפסוק מובא כתיאור מצב קיים ובתקוו לעתיד בו המציאות הזאת תשתנה וכל אחד יהיה אחראי לעוונותיו הוא, ולא ישא באחריות לעוונות אבותיו.

  במסכת אבות ניתן לפסוק זה פירוש המבהיר שעוון אבות יוטל על הבנים רק אם ימשיכו במעשי אבותיהם, כי עוון של דורות חמור יותר מעוון של פרט אחד.

Does anyone know where the aforementioned quote from Pirkei Avot comes from?
And if not Pirkei Avot, where?


texts: I was trying to give a practical example of a grama the other day, and couldn't think of one. While there are plenty of devices which employ gramas deliberately (grama switches, shabbat electric wheelchairs, etc.), I couldn't think of a simple example people actually encounter in normal life that would be considered a grama. Can anyone help me out?


texts:
We know there is an Isur to play instruments on Shabbat (S"A 338 IIRC), to clap or dance.
A few questions:

1) Is it is permissible to drum on tables with one's hands?

2) What about with forks or the like?

The Sefer Shabbat KaHalacha brings two opinons:

  אין לתופף על שולחנות וסכו"ם משום שנחשב ככלי נגינה ויש נוהגים להקל בזה .

I remember seeing both ways for the practice of drumming with hands but I think with forks it's universal to prohibit.

Please CYLOR


texts: If humans build the third temple, would the builders be required to be cleared of "purity standards" for the project?

texts:
We are taught that when we came to Israel, King David could not build the temple because he had blood on his hands. Though he was acting under divine command and in the interest of the nation, he still was not allowed to undertake this task. Solomon was given that responsibility and he ultimately completed it.
My question relates to the reasoning for David's inability to build the temple.
In the event that we did decide to build the third temple, would the issue of bloodshed or other impurities come up in the vetting of those who would build the temple?
My assumption is that some level of ritual purity "standard" would need to exist. What that standard is and how we would come to a determination for who does or doesn't qualify is beyond my knowledge. I simply relate this to how there are certain areas of the Beit Hamikdash which only the priests could enter. This makes me think the entire process would need to be overseen by authorities to maintain a baseline "purity" for the entire location during the building process.
Is there any sort of standard we know of regarding what qualifies or disqualifies the would-be builders of the third temple?
Has such a standard or process even been theorized in Jewish sources? Or is it so oddly specific that no one ever considered how we might begin such a process?


texts:
It says in some seforim, that Klipa "leeches" off the "right" side (since Gevura is about limitation, it can only give to one who is worthy, while Chesed, kindness, can give to everyone).

On the other hand, I've seen many places where Klipa is said to come from the left side.

How does this work out?


texts:
When the people of Israel left Egypt they did not leave alone. They left with a mixed multitude of many people (Exodus 12:38). What happened to the mixed multitude in the desert and, specifically, after the giving of the Torah?  We hear of all the tribes, where they camped in the wilderness, etc., but I do not recall hearing again about the mixed multitude.  What might have become of them?  Do we have a tradition on this?  Beyond a place in the camp layout, should they not have raised the issue of conversion or intermarriage - for the first time after receiving the Torah?

(This question is different from a similar question, What happened to the Eirev Rav?, which discusses what happened to the mixed multitude after the people entered Canaan.)


texts: What if one is served a shmita product that is not shmita kosher? Eat it or throw it?

texts: If one is served a product from which Shmita was not kept- (fruit, or other) is it permissible or even recommended to eat it since the product will otherwise be thrown to the trash? The products have inherent holiness but a lav was done with it.


texts: Where can I get the free Hebrew text of the Siddur or Benching?

texts:
Where can I get the text of the siddur/prayer book (or at least benching/grace, mincha/afternoon prayer, and/or ma'ariv/evening prayer) in a free computer friendly format? I'd like to be able to make materials that include commonly needed teffilos(prayers) (e.g. a bencher card) on my computer.

I'd like the text to ideally be:

In different nusachos (versions, like Nusach Sefared or Ashkenaz)
Free (copyright free and free of charge)
In a computer format that can be copied or pasted (not an image)
In Unicode
In Hebrew
With Nikkudos (Vowels)

even if only some of the prayers are available and have only some of the features listed above, I'd be interested.


texts: How to arrive at total Devekut HaMachshava

texts: The Sefarim (first Rama in Orah Haim) discuss "Shiviti Hashem Lenegdi Tamid" in other words Devekut Hamachshava. Does anyone have an Etza to reach this amazing Maala?


texts: Can a kohen serve as chazzan for mussaf on days when there is birchas kohanim? If so, what is the proper procedure for him to follow?


texts: The Gemarah in Yoma 75a explains that the manna imparted all flavors except five flavors. Based on this idea, can one have in mind the taste of pork while eating the manna, or do we say that anything that comes from shamayim cannot produce issur (Sanhedrin 59b)?


texts: When I am a Shliach Tzibur, and there are no mourners, should I say Kadish at the end of davening? I know there is an opinion in the Shulchan Aruch that says that davening ends with Kadish. Does anyone know where in the Shulchan Aruch that is? Thanks.


texts: Origin of custom to switch Shli'ach Tzibur in Shacharit

texts:
In a number of shuls, it has become a minhag to switch Shat"z during the weekday Shacharit at these locations. I am assuming Nusach Ashkenaz in my examples:

One person says only Birkot Hashachar -> end of Rabbi Yishma'el
A new Shat"z from Mizmor shir Chanukat Habayit -> end of Shira (Az Yashir)
A new shat"z from Yishtabach -> end of Tachanun (see Hallel, below). On Torah reading days, he takes out the Torah and returns it
A new shat"z from Ashrei -> end of Shacharit
On Hallel days, another shat"z says Hallel only, and the previous one (oen that did Amidah returns to say Kaddish

What is the origin of this minhag (not everyone does every item mentioned above; I am listing the full range that I have seen in a some places), and why where these specific places chosen?

Among the list, an additional question. I would think that the one that begins Psukei Dezimra should end it. I.e. - it seems to start with a bracha, Baruch She'emar and end with a bracha - Yishtabach. Why do they call a new shat"z before Yishtabach? Isn't that still part of P'sukei D'Zimra ?


texts: How far must one be able to trace one's Jewish lineage?

texts:
I have heard some talk to the effect that as long as an American Jew can trace his/her maternal lineage back to prewar Europe, he/she can be assumed to be Jewish.

Is this true? I assume there must be a point at which one can stop tracing one's maternal lineage -- but where is it?

Is there a time before which [we consider that] people simply didn't lie about being Jewish? When?

I ask for the purposes of:

Aliyah
Marriage, burial, and other lifecycle rites
Counting in a minyan
Touching wine

...And the many, many other purposes for which it matters whether someone is halachically Jewish.


texts: How to find if a particular pasuk is used in davening

texts:
My father is trying to find out if a pasuk is ever quoted in any davening and I don't know of a specific resource which would help in a search. Other than using ctrl-f after downloading each siddur/machzor, or running a Bar Ilan search while including the siddurim they have in the database, is there any place that catalogues every pasuk and where it is quoted?

And for the record, I am trying to avoid sending others on my own wild goose chase, but if you are interested, or happen to have an answer, here is my dad's question:

"I'm looking for Isaiah 62:1.  The only reference I can find is in one of the Selichot between RH and YK, but even there only part of the verse is quoted.  The part cited is the first part and I'm looking for one that contains the second half or the whole verse."


texts: Targum's use during second temple period

texts:
I'm curious about how the Targum was used.

I've been told that Hebrew Scriptures were the holy writ but also see that the Targum was also used.  Was the Targums' use isolated to a certain region, a particular class of people, or would the Targum have been used widely throughout this period?

Also, how does it compare to the Hebrew manuscripts and would it have been used in within Jerusalem among the Kohen?.


texts:
If someone was putting on his tallit and instead of saying the brocho on the talit he said the brocho on teffilin.
Then 10 seconds pass
What should he do (theoretically)?
Possible answers:

Take off his talis and put on his teffilin, then put on his talit with a brocho
Say baruch shaim kvod makchuso lolam vaed, and then say the brocho on the talit and teffilin as usual

Sources please


texts:
Someone has had his voice box removed and therefore cannot talk.
Should his wife be making kiddush (havdala perhaps not) or lighting Chanukah lights for him rather than him doing it himself and only mouthing the words?
Is it better or equal for him to be just mouthing the blessing or is it better to hear it from someone else, in this case his wife?


texts:
Is tachanun said at a bar mitzvah boy's aliyah latorah that takes place on a day when tachanun is normally said (basically Monday and Thursday)?

I've been to a few of these, and seen different cases. Once, tachanun was skipped because of a brit that day. Another time tachanun was said, but then someone said afterwards that maybe it shouldn't have been.
I think it might depend on when the actual birthday (bo bayom) is. (I've heard as much.)

So, what's the law, and what is the source/reasoning behind it?


texts: How is strict doctrine motivated as being the product of God's will?

texts:
I'm not Jewish by any interpretation of the term, but curiosity frequently leads me to click on Stackexchange's Hot Network Questions. Questions on judaism.stackexchange.com often stand out because of its rich and --to me as an outsider-- exotic vocabulary, as well as the almost surreal --to me at least-- problems that seem to arise in day-to-day Jewish life.

For example, the question I viewed a few minutes earlier titled What defines “hard cheese”, which seemed to have arisen from the minhag that after "hard cheese", one must wait for 15 minutes before one may eat meat.

Let me be clear that I have no intention whatsoever of questioning anyone's faith, in God or otherwise, or making any related value judgments. Rather, I can't help but wishing to understand, at least on a rudimentary level, what thought-processes tend to drive the faithful followers of the doctrine/customs/tradition of a religion such as yours.

Specifically, I wonder about the answers to such questions as "Why does God care if the cheese I consumed was hard or soft? Why does it matter to Him whether there was 14 or 15 minutes in-between hard cheese eating and meat eating? Why is this so important to Him?"

Moreover, is there any form of consensus in the Jewish community on how such questions should be resolved?


texts: Certain Sushi require the searing of the fish on the outside. Does this process require a Jew light the torch used to do the searing or is it not required? I have seen that some stores do and some do not. what is the opinion of the Big national Hecsherim or any modern day Poskim you are aware of and why sources would be appreciated?


texts: If there were people before/during Avraham's life that recognised Hashem, why was Avraham chosen specifically?

texts:
We know that Shem lived during the life of Avraham Avinu, described as Malki Tzedek.

Why is Avraham considered the first to spread ethical monotheism (concluding in G-d choosing him) if it's known that such great men as Shem and Ever lived before/during Avraham's life?


texts: R' Yehoshua and the Athenian Elders: The floating Rav

texts:
This is part of a series of questions on the Gemara in Bechoros 8b-9a. Below is a summary of the relevant parts of the Gemara. After being challenged by Caesar, R' Yehoshua went to Athens to defeat the Athenian Elders in a battle of wits.

In the process of their debate, the Elders challenged R' Yehoshua to build a house in midair. R' Yehoshua said the Shem of Hashem and began levitating. "Bring me some bricks and mortar," he said, "and I'll do it."

Why was R' Yehoshua permitted to say the Name of Hashem just for the sake of proving to the Elders that it's possible to build something in midair?


texts: Are you permitted to listen to Christian music which forms songs directly from the text of the Psalms?

texts:
There is a band called Sons of Korah who make music with lyrics taken directly from the English text of Psalms, without any additional lines.
(They obviously took their band name from the Biblical Sons of Korach, who wrote a selection of psalms in Sefer Tehillim.)

Is one permitted to listen to such a band or would it still count as music made to praise their god?

Here is an example of one of their songs: Psalm 91

Note: I don't know what to put into the title. :)


texts:
I have seen many people bow slightly when striking their chests in recitation of the sixth b'racha of sh'moneh esrei. Is this a custom? Is there a source for it?

Anyone whom I've witnessed doing this has only given me anecdotal information as the source of the practice.


texts: I was wondering if anyone would be able to recommend to me books from a Jewish perspective on the existence of G-d. Something along the lines of proving G-d's existence. I would prefer an evidentiary book, perhaps drawing on Jewish History, archeology, or science. I have already read Rabbi Meir Simcha Sokolovsky's "Prophecy and Providence" (which I would highly recommend), but I was left wanting more examples.


texts:
On Sukkos, Jews are commanded to take the four species, among them the "ערבי נחל" or "willow branches," commonly referred to as ערבות aravos.

How might one go about growing them himself, at home?

(I don't ask about the other three, because אתרוג and לולב, AFAIK, can not be grown out of tropical environments without a lot of special equipment, and הדסים are difficult to care for. If you would like to see these discussed you can always ask.)


texts: Is there some way to turn the electric stove on and off on Yomtov?

texts:
We use an electric stove to cook in our house, not fire or gas (aside from the occasional barbecue). To cook on first day Yomtov and more so on second day we would have to leave the stove on from the start.

What can one do al pi halacha to avoid leaving electrical appliances on for so long? (time switches, hinting to a non-Jew, etc.)


texts: Debate about what degree of Tzedakah this is

texts:
Was having a debate with another Jewish friend of mine (I'm not Jewish, but an interested party) about something I recently did/have been known to do on occasion.

If a person I regularly do business with (Babysitter, Handyman, etc.) says they're falling on hard times, I've been known to give them a lift by pre-purchasing services from them ahead, they pay me back in service credits later.

I've argued before that this is at the highest level, since I'm offering a job, often up to what they need, but sometimes (including recently) I can't do that either with falling short, so usually what I'm comfy with.

My friend disagrees, says I need to  make sure they're no longer needy at  whatever cost...

Can someone settle this debate on where I stand Tzedakah wise?


texts: If two rabbis tell you opposite things which do you listen to?

texts: If you ask two rabbis the same question and they give you opposite answers (one says mutar the other says assur). Which do you listen to?


texts:
An eruv allows Jews to carry within a semi-public space on Shabbat.  The space must be bounded by walls and must meet several detailed requirements.  The eruv must consist of food for a meal for the community that shares that semi-public space.

Most cities or towns that have an eruv use matzah for their eruvs - it's cheap, it never goes bad (well, it never goes worse) and you can eat it all year (just make sure to replace it on Passover).  But there is one time you cannot eat matzah - erev Pesach.

If erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, how can a community sustain its eruv with matzah (even matzah for that year)?

I once asked a very knowledgeable rabbi this, but I found the answer unsatisfying.  He said this:

If you made an eruv of a meal for Friday night and it is eaten fully, the eruv remains valid.  If you made an eruv of a meal for Friday night and it is not eaten but spoils, the eruv remains valid since it was edible at some point.
You can technically eat matzah during bein hashmashot - after Shabbos starts, and before the d'oraita ban on matzah starts.
You can therefore make a meal of matzah during bein hashmashot
Since the matzah is edible for that meal (you know - the one we intend to eat when we start shabbos so early that we're home from shul, make kiddush, wash, and eat fully by twilight?), it's fine.

I am dissatisfied by this because that meal does not actually exist. I am also dissatisfied because it relies on two definitions of "night" in order to work.  It feels strategic rather than genuine.

Is there a better answer as to why using matzah for an eruv on erev Pesach is valid?


texts: Why wake up for tikkun chatzot instead of staying up for it

texts:
Tikkun chatzot is recited almost by definition in the middle of the night.  I know far more people who are still awake at that time (generally somewhere between 12 AM & 1 AM) than who sleep before it and wake up for it.  So why do texts that discuss saying tikkun chatzot talk about waking up for it, rather than staying awake until chatzot, reciting tikkun and then going to bed until shacharit?
EDIT:  Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 1:2:

ב הַמַּשְׁכִּים לְהִתְחַנֵּן לִפְנֵי בּוֹרְאוֹ, יְכַוֵּן לַשָּׁעוֹת שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּנּוֹת הַמִּשְׁמָרוֹת שֶׁהֵן בִּשְׁלִישׁ הַלַּיְלָה וּלְסוֹף שְׁנֵי שְׁלִישֵׁי הַלַּיְלָה וּלְסוֹף הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁהַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּאוֹתָן הַשָּׁעוֹת עַל הַחֻרְבָּן וְעַל הַגָּלוּת, רְצוּיָה.
One who rises to pray before his Creator should aim for the watches of seasonal hours, which are at 1/3 through the night, 2/3 through the night and the end of the night, because the prayer one prays at those times over destruction and exile are more accepted.


texts: The Gemara in Chulin  (58b) days that any creature that doesn't have bones can not live for more than a year. This fact has alot of ramifications for the halachos of bugs in foods and it is relied on as if it is a non disputed fact. Does anybody know if this idea is accepted by the scientists of today or if there is a different understanding of the Gemara that would make it fit with what we know today?


texts: Making a bracha on the fruit with kedushas shvi'is before another fruit

texts: In halacha we find that various foods come first in the order of the brachos we make on them. So to for fruit (for example if one is the fruit is from the 7 minim or not.) What about if I would have a fruit (a peach for example) that has on it kedushas shvi'is and a peach that doesn't have keduashs shvi'is (is from outside of Israel.) Is there any reason to make the bracha on the fruit that has kedushas shvi'is before the fruit that doesn't?


texts: The gemarah (eiruvin 19a) states that Avraham Avinu sits at the entrance to gehinom and doesn't allowed anyone circumcised to enter there. The Ariz'l (Sefer Likkutim, Parsha Vayera) states that the first one that Avraham saved from there was his father Terach. How can this be the case if Terach was never circumcised?


texts: What are good quality sites for Shidduchim

texts:
All:

Boruch Hashem I am all set with my significant half but it becomes more and more revealed that we are living in "Shidduchim crisis".

I wonder if there are good sites for Shidduchim - if so - why do we still have ton of problems in such area?  If we do not have good sites - why it is so hard to build one for profit or not.

Appreciate for all your help.


texts: Who wrote the Amidah, and if it was Anshei Knesset Hagedolah in the time of the second temple period, why are there blessings for Rebuilding Jerusalem, Redemption, etc.?


texts: Is it better not to wear a watch on Shabbat?

texts:
I know it is permissible to wear a watch on Shabbat, and I have already perused this question about the particulars of what kinds of watch features are and are not permitted (ignoring the issue of carrying a watch outside an eruv). There’s also interesting halacha about how a watch’s battery is charged. But it seems to me that there’s a more subtle question: If one has the option, are there spiritual reasons it is preferable not to wear a watch on Shabbat?

Shabbat is “a palace in time”, as Rav Heschel said. It’s holy time that’s separated from the rest of the week, and we are meant to linger in it, not to rush it, not to think about what we need to do when it’s over. Of course, there are plenty of good reasons to care about time on Shabbat — timing of services, of gatherings with friends and family, etc. But what if one is blessed with a Shabbat where one is free of all such concerns and can just rely on the sun and stars to tell the appointed times? In that case, doesn’t it seem like one’s Shabbat consciousness would be “higher” without a watch on to remind one of “chol time”?


texts: What connections does Chanuka have with Succos?


texts: Seeking a M'tzudos-like commentary on Echa

texts: I'm (b'li neder) learning K'suvim for the first time, and am doing so with the commentary of the M'tzudos (that is, M'tzudas Tziyon and M'tzudas David). I chose the M'tzudos because theyare written in simple, easy to understand language;explain every part of every verse (or almost);translate any difficult words that appear in the scripture; andgive (usually) merely an explanation of the scripture, without complex analysis and without midrashim.I'm up to Echa, on which there's no commentary of the M'tzudos. Can anyone recommend a commentary on Echa, please, that meets some or all of the above criteria? (Please state which it meets and to what extent.)


texts: Within the laws of Halacha, are there any Halachot which state that a Jewish person may or may not be allowed to be hypnotized for any reason, whether it is because of a fear or phobia or whether other reasons.


texts: Does the blessing on the karpas cover the pineapple eaten as dessert at the Pesach meal?

texts:
At the Pesach Seder, there is a custom to make a blessing “borei pri hoadomoh” on the karpas and have in mind that this will cover the moror when it is eaten later.

There is a custom to make a blessing over the dessert of the meal. If the blessing on the dessert would be “borei pri hoadomoh” (eg over pineapple), it seems right to assume that the blessing on the karpas would cover that too. Is this issue dealt with anywhere in the sources?


texts: Gebrocht: how does an old person eat matza on seder night

texts:
If someone (e.g old people) can't eat a kzais (about 20 grams according to volume) of matza on seder night (within the required amount of time of about 4-9 min) because its too dry, then one usually wets it to make it softer so that he can eat it and fulfill the mitzva of achilas matza (eating Matza).

This is a problem for people who don't eat gebrocht how can they loose out a mitzva?

If they think its ok to miss out, Kesubos 86a says the Beis din smite someone constantly refraining from mitzvos asei  until he agrees or dies.                     ואם יזהירו את האיש לעשות סוכה או לולב ואינו עושה, מכים אותו עד שתצא נפשו,

Rosh hashana 17a says constant refraining from a Mitzva can amount to more iniquity then someone who transgresses Chayvei krisus (sins which one dies under 60) and misos beis din (sins which one gets killedfor)
האנשים אשר לא הניחו על ראשם תפילין מעולם הם הנקראים פושעי ישראל בגופם, ועונשם חמור מן העובר פעם אחת על חייבי כריתות ומיתות בית דין

And if they soak Matza in grapejuice or mei peiros which might not be gebrocht because it can't cause leaven (mei peirot einom machmitzim),then there is no lechem oni which is required for seder night as part of the Mitzva(Shulchan Aruch O.C 462,1)

So what do old/unwell Chasidim/Chabad do on Seder night eating matza?


texts:
1)  Is there a concrete halachic (Biblical?Rabbinic?) basis for women not being permitted to become Rabbis?

2)  After 2000+ years, what changed so the JTS's Commission in 1979 decided that they can?
A sub-question: are they recognized by the State of Israel, or only in America?

I was searching for a while, figuring this was already on here somewhere.
the questions about maharat were close but not what I was looking for.


texts: Avraham: Two different groups of people blessed on two different pieces of ground? Or maybe not

texts:
In Bereshit 12:3 HaShem tells Avram:

וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

While in Bereshit 18:18 it says:

וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.

At first sight I thought they meant the same thing, but then the differences between these two verses stood out: One talks about Mishpechot, while the other talks about Goyey, one talks about Ha'Adamah while the other talks about Ha'Aretz.
Whats the difference for, what does it imply and what is the nuance between these two verses. For they don't seem to refer to the same thing.


texts: Are You Obligated to Vote a Question You Answer?

texts:
If a question provokes your answer, it's at least Derekh Eretz (good manners) and Hakarat HaTov (gratitude) to vote on the original question.  Does any halachic reason obligate you to upvote (or downvote) the question you answer?

The background and site policy discussion is redirected to The Derekh Eretz badge on meta.


texts: Normally in Chumash, when a three-letter word with a segol on each of the first two letters appears at the end of a pasuk (or half-pasuk, with an esnachta), the first segol changes to a kamatz. Thus, for example, in Sh'mos chapter 5 a couple of times: "בֶחָרֶב" in verse 3, "שָׁקֶר" in verse 9. Yet "תֶּבֶן" appears unmodified at the end of several p'sukim  (7, 10, 12, 13) in that chapter: why is "תֶּבֶן" different? (Ibn Ezra ad loc. asks this and says he doesn't know the answer; I'm hoping someone else does. It is worth noting, though, that he says this is a property of the word, not of its appearance in these p'sukim.)


texts: Are there any g'dolim (or rabbis of major influence) - past or present - who are known to have owned pets/kept animals for non-agricultural purposes?


texts: Washing for bread with bandages covering the hands

texts:
If someone has bandages completely covering both hands, what does he do before eating bread?

Normally with a bandage covering part of the hard, I've heard that you wash the rest, but in this case they completely cover both hands.

What about making the bracha of Al-Netilat-Yadayim?


texts: Where is a free online copy of the Torah with the "correct" number of letters in it?

texts:
First off, my intention is to create a pretty decent replica of the Hebrew text close to the formatting of the Sefer Torah or a Tikkun, for personal documentation purposes. My question though is 2-parts.

First, about the number of characters/letters, second about where I can find a "good" copy of the Torah with this number of characters online in text format (i.e. not PDF or image).

To start, the copy of the Torah I found online is roughly 305,172 characters. I calculated this from the original source on Sefaria.org by only counting the Hebrew alphabet characters in this set:

א ב ג ד ה ו ז ח ט י ך כ ל ם מ ן נ ס ע ף פ ץ צ ק ר ש ת

That is, I ignored diacritics and spaces.

This site says it should be 304,805 letters. So it's off by +367 characters. I assume that is because I took the merged.json data from i.e. here. Maybe it is an algorithmically merged copy of one of these?

Tanach with Nikkud.json
Tanach with Ta'amei Hamikra.json
Tanach with Text Only.json (this has 316,792 letters!)
Yehoyesh's Yiddish Tanakh Translation [yi].json

Would one of those be better? Or is there an official Torah online which has the correct number of characters? Or is there even a thing as the "correct number of characters"?


texts:
What shape were the branches on the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash? I have seen the diagram by the Rambam where he depicts it with angular branches.
I am looking for sources in halacha (i.e. sources other than the Arch of Titus) for the rounded-branch version of the menorah.


texts: Do rice noodles have the same bracha as rice?

texts:
I gather that there was a doubt regarding the beginning bracha of rice whether it should be Shehakol or Mezonot ( I will try to add in source later.)

Would the same rules apply to rice noodles? Or would it be different because it doesn't look like rice?


texts: Gap zip up sweatshirt Kesivah on Shabbos?

texts:
Does zippering up a sweatshirt like this one, which when zippering causes the letter A to become a letter create a problem of Kesivah on Shabbos? It is an Old Navy sweatshirt where the word Old is on one side and Navy on the other better?

Please give sources and not your feelings with sources.


texts: Are separate glasses required for milk and meat?

texts:
It seems to me that there are some interesting things which are done in virtually every kosher Jewish home that may have no basis in halachah. I think that having separate glasses for meat and dairy are unnecessary.

Is there a halachic requirement to have separate glasses?


texts: What is the absolute minimum length for peyos?

texts:
I have often heard that 1/4th of an inch is the minimum length of the hairs in the peyos area. For example, that is mentioned in an answer to a previous question:

How to advise your barber

My question is, "Are there authorities who hold that shorter peyos (that is, hairs in the peyos area shorter than 1/4th of an inch) are still acceptable? What is the absolute shortest length according to the most lenient Orthodox opinion?"

The only more lenient opinion I know of is that of R' Shlomo Aviner, who holds that 5 millimeters is the minimum. That's barely shorter than 1/4th of an inch (which is just over 6 millimeters.) But I think I've seen several Orthodox Jews with peyos shorter than 1/4th, potentially as short as a #1 guard or even no guard at all, so I'm hoping there are more lenient opinions out there to justify this practice. Thanks in advance!


texts: What does it mean "vus iz de nafke meene"

texts: What is the exact definition of "Vus iz di nafke meene"?


texts: Is there a Chiuv to eat fish at all three meals on Shabbos?


texts: Where does this Havdala-oriented prayer come from?

texts:
My father found the following apparently-Havdala-oriented prayer on an otherwise-blank page among my mother A"H's papers, handwritten by her. We don't know if it's something she composed or (more likely, I think) something she either transcribed or translated from an existing source.

I tried googling for some of the more distinctive phrases and came up with no direct hits.

Is this a published prayer, either in English or Hebrew?

  God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob,
  Protect in love Your dear people Israel.
  The holy Sabbath is departing.
  Send us a new week marked by
  No lack of food,
  Deepened faith,
  Love for our fellowmen,
  And strength to do Your will.
  Master of the World,
  You Who gives strength to the weak,
  Give strength to Your dear Jewish children,
  That they may praise You
  And serve You alone.
  May the days of the oncoming week bring
  Strength, health, and blessing,
  Children, life, and food
  For us and for all Israel.
  And let us say, Amen.


texts: The tallit forever falls off your shoulders because of gravity and has to be raised again and again.  Why is it not sewn together so it always stays perfectly on your shoulders?  (Sure, if you do, wrapping it over your head becomes less majestic, but it can still be done.)  At least, why aren't snaps provided so you can fix its position in different ways for different prayers?


texts: Are there prayers or blessings for craftspeople to recite before making objects?

texts:
I'm interested in any relevant information/rites on this subject that reflect

intentions for success
gratitude for skill or aptitude or having an able body (ESPECIALLY
interested in this)
blessings over completed works
rituals for making general daily items
rituals for making specific liturgical objects (mezuzah, tefillot,
etc)


texts: Mezuzah scroll upside-down on the door. Is the mitzva being fulfilled?

texts:
I observe that a mezuzah is attached to the door with the top of the mezuzah directed to the top of the door.

I am looking for sources to answer this question:

If a  mezuzah were (accidentally) attached with the top of the mezuzah facing down, has the mitzvah been fulfilled? Would a new brocho be required when putting it back the right way up?

Related: Is there any restriction on what constitutes a mezuzah case?


texts:
When I was a child, I saw that all people had the same knot on their Tefillin Shel Rosh - a Double Daled (Ashkenazi community).

Recently I saw a comment that even those who grew up with a Double Daled, and even if their Father's minhag was a Double Daled, that they should all switch to a Single Daled.

My questions are:

What are the sources for this, if any?
Why is the Single Daled supposed to be "better"?  Is this only for Kabbalistic reasons, or is there a real Halachic reason for this?
Are these poskim who require this change in minhag correct to do so?
Are there any Ashkenazi Poskim and/or Groups today that specifically say that a Double Daled is preferable?


texts:
We know that Sadducees served on the Sanhedrin and even became high priests.  [Yoma 19b]  They did not believe in the afterlife or the resurrection of the dead, but this does not mean their understanding in other areas was deficient.  Are there any halachot that were accepted and attributed to rabbis known to be Sadducees?  Specifics?

Edit:  The suggested duplicate: Did the Sadducees get anything right?
asked what the Sadducees agreed with the Pharisees on.  I asked what novelty did the Sadducees contribute that became part of halacha.


texts: What was the position of Av Beis Din vs Nassi in Rabbinic Pairs?

texts:
Traditionally, from Moses and on there was always only one head of the Sanhedrin, the president, the prince, the king, the Supreme Judge, Av Beis Din, etc. No other members or titles or names are ever mentioned IIRC, (to prove the point that all courts are equally authoritative).
After the Hasmonean revolt, the age of the Rabbinic Pair (Zugot) commenced and presented a sudden change in the pattern: two heads of the Sanhedrin functioning alongside each other - Nassi AND Av Beis Din.
What exactly happened here - was it the position of Nassi invented or of Av Beis Din? And what were their duties and responsibilities?


texts: What is the kashrut status of synthetic/in vitro meat?

texts:
It was reported in the news today (at least in the UK) that another step forward has been made towards the creation of "synthetic meat". From BBC News:

  The world's first lab-grown burger was cooked and eaten at a news conference in London on Monday.

  Scientists took cells from a cow and, at an institute in the Netherlands, turned them into strips of muscle which they combined to make a patty.

  Researchers say the technology could be a sustainable way of meeting what they say is a growing demand for meat.

  Critics say that eating less meat would be an easier way to tackle predicted food shortages.

What would be the kashrut status of this meat? Firstly I assume there would be the issue of shechita, but if we bypass that, then would this product be considered "meat" at all?

(I mean this in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek way, as I suspect the real answer is that no synthetic meat will ever be considered kosher by the Orthodox authorities, but I do find the question philosophically interesting.)


texts: Are you yotzei yedei chovah if you forgot to bow during shemoneh esrei?

texts:
The sages instituted that we bow 5 times during the shemoneh esrei (four times throughout and once at the end).

If one forgot to bow during one of these 5 times, has he still fulfilled his obligation?


texts: What blessing does a midget say on seeing himself?

texts:
Following "reciting-the-blessing-of-meshaneh-habriyos-who-makes-creatures-different":

what does a man that falls into that category, e.g. a midget, says upon himself?
Does he have to see himself (like in a mirror) or just look at his body?
How often does he say the blessing (if any)?


texts: Why did the Kohen Gadol have to do everything on Yom Kippur?

texts:
It's clear to me why he had to carry out the special Avodah of the day described in Parashat Acharei Mot.

But why did he have to do everything else, such as the Tamid and the "ordinary" Musaf similar to that offered on other festival days?

We find that significant changes were made to the Kelim used on Yom Kippur to make things easier for the Kohen Gadol. Why not make it really easy by not requiring him to do all of the ordinary daily and festival Avodah?


texts: Why G-d didn't give Adam time/chance to repent?

texts:
If I understand the Midrash and the verses correctly, G-d judged Adam straight away after he sinned and expelled them from Eden (see Avos dR"N 1,8):

  ...תשיעית הכניסו לגן עדן.
  עשירית צוהו.
  אחד עשר סרח.
  שתים עשר נטרד והלך לו

Why Adam wasn't given a chance/time to repent and spare the rest of the history maybe till the end of the day or a week or a month?


texts: PTIJ: Where will all the Israeli chicken coops go?

texts:
Tehillim (Psalms) 124:2 says:

לולי ה' שהיה לנו יאמר נא ישראל

Israel will say (something) about the chicken coops that G-d gave them. What will eventually happen to them? Where will they go? Why will they disappear?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: What are acceptable communities for a noachide to integrate himself into?

texts:
This is more of a personal question, but undoubtedly applicable for anyone in my situation.

I am a Noachide, and I will not convert to Judaism any time soon because the obligation upon men is way too burdensome for me to handle, to the point where I could not honestly convert with a clean conscious, knowing full well that I would have every intention to skip every morning prayer. (They drive me insane and make me extremely depressed and bored, while subsequently being angry at myself that I hate and despise them.)

Trouble is, there is no community of Noachides that I can find, and I am getting up there in age, and without a community, there are no mates. The first law in the Torah is given to all mankind, to be fruitful and multiply, and so I am getting really angry at myself for not fulfilling this commandment.

And the problem with the Jewish Community is that I obviously can not be marrying Jewish girls, because again; I could never be an honest convert, and I would assume that is a prohibition for Jewish Women, so I would not want to be leading them into sin.

Growing up Protestant, I have not set foot in Churches since I found out that it is considered idolatry (although I think most Christians today would detest the idea of using a cross as an idol, but that is neither here nor there). As a result, I have no community to speak of, and it is kind of killing me inside. I left behind my Protestant community a long time ago, and the odds of running into a good woman on the streets is virtually nil.

So I was thinking to myself: I am a Noachide, how about starting to attend an Orthodox Christian Church, so maybe I could actually find a good G-d-fearing woman?

And if that is prohibited, what other choices do I have in an increasingly secular society?


texts:
I was reading the Book of Maccabees (I and II) over Shabbat and in it there is a letter written to Sparta to ask for peace, goodwill and friendship.

In the reply letter back from Sparta, they affirm everlasting peace and friendship, and say that the Jewish people are Kin of Sparta for they are the children of Abraham.

Does anyone know what this means, or how Sparta knows this, or what they mean by it?

Chapter 12 verse 20-23 of the Book of Maccabees I

  "Arius, king of the Spartans, sends greetings to Onias, the chief
  priest. It has been found in a writing concerning the Spartans and
  Jews, that they are a kinsmen, and that they are descended from
  Abraham. Now since we have learned this, please write us about your
  welfare. We for our part write you that your cattle and property are
  ours and ours are yours. So we command them to report to you to this
  effect."

According to one reading of Josephus, Josephus makes the same claim:

  "Areus, King of the Lacedemonians, to Onias, sendeth greeting ... we
  have discovered that both the Jews and the Lacedemonians (Spartans)
  are of one stock, and are derived from the kindred of Abraham ... This
  letter is four-square; and the seal is an eagle, with a dragon in his
  claws"(Ant.12:4:10).