texts: Are these two urban legends about perceptions of God's help for Jews true?

texts:
The following story is told as an urban legend:

  I don't know if the following story is true, but I'll let you decide. Kenya's star soccer player used to offer a prayer for victory before every game. When facing Israel in the World Cup elimination matches, however, he didn't offer his usual prayer. When asked why not, he replied, "Well, I don't suppose it would help much seeing as He's on their team."

There's another famous story about a Jewish West Point student who was taking a course on international military victories, in which a focus was on the weaker force overcoming the more powerful force and emerging victorious. The student was shocked, at the end of the course, that his instructor had not made any mention of Israel's Six Day War. When he asked his instructor to explain why that war did not come up in the course, the instructor replied that the course was focused on military strategy, not miracles.

Does anyone know if either of the above is a true story (or based on a true story)?


texts: General prohibition of cutting down fruit trees?

texts:
Does the restriction on cutting down fruit trees apply generally outside of Israel? For some reason I thought it was only:
1. Within Israel
2. When conquering land of an enemy (outside of Israel, but an extraordinary case).

Was I mistaken?


texts: Why can you put the Chagiga on the table with the Pesach?

texts:
The end of Pesachim 9:8 says:

נִתְעָרֵב בִּבְכוֹרוֹת, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, אִם חֲבוּרַת כֹּהֲנִים, יֹאכֵלוּ:
If the Pesach got mixed up with Bechoros, Rabbi Shimon says, if it's a group of Kohanim they should eat it.

All of the procedures for bringing a Pesach and a Bechor are identical.  However, a Bechor can be eaten for two days and a Pesach can only be eaten for one night.  Rabbi Shimon allows bringing the unknown korbanos, even though the result is that the Bechoros can only be eaten for less time than ordinarily allowed.  Although it's not explicit here, the Chachamim disagree with Rabbi Shimon (אין מביאין קדשים לבית הפסול), and the Rambam follows them.
However, the Rambam also rules, following the Tosefta, that

בְּשַׂר חֲגִיגָה שֶׁעָלָה עִם הַפֶּסַח עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן וְכָל הַתַּבְשִׁילִין הָעוֹלִים עִמּוֹ עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן מִתְבַּעֲרִין עִמּוֹ. וְאֵינָן נֶאֱכָלִים אֶלָּא עַד חֲצוֹת כַּפֶּסַח עַצְמוֹ גְּזֵרָה מִפְּנֵי הַתַּעֲרֹבֶת:
Chagigah meat and other cooked foods that were on the table with the Pesach are burned with it.  And they can only be eaten until midnight, like the Pesach.  This is a decree because they might get mixed up.

Why are you allowed to put the Chagigah on the table with the Pesach when this limits the time it's allowed to be eaten?


texts: What kind of publicity was required for Smicha?

texts:
There's a story in Sanhedrin 14a:

שפעם אחת גזרה מלכות הרשעה גזירה על ישראל שכל הסומך יהרג וכל הנסמך יהרג ועיר שסומכין בה תיחרב ותחומין שסומכין בהן יעקרו מה עשה יהודה בן בבא הלך וישב לו בין שני הרים גדולים ובין שתי עיירות גדולות ובין שני תחומי שבת בין אושא לשפרעם וסמך שם חמשה זקנים ואלו הן ר"מ ור' יהודה ור' שמעון ור' יוסי ור' אלעזר בן שמוע רב אויא מוסיף אף ר' נחמיה כיון שהכירו אויביהם בהן אמר להן בניי רוצו אמרו לו רבי מה תהא עליך אמר להן הריני מוטל לפניהם כאבן שאין לה הופכים אמרו לא זזו משם עד שנעצו בו שלש מאות לונביאות של ברזל ועשאוהו ככברה

(and Translated by Chabad.org):

The emperor decreed that whoever performed or received ordination should be put to death. In addition, the city in which the ordination took place was to be demolished, and all within 2000 amah uprooted. The tradition of semicha would indeed have been completely lost at that time were it not for the self-sacrifice of the great sage Rabbi Yehuda Ben Bava.
Hearing the decree, Rabbi Yehuda took five students of Rabbi Akiva, the great sage who had just been martyred by the Romans, and sat between two mountains that served as the ”Shabbat boundary” between two large cities, Usha and Shifarum.
When the Romans discovered them, Rabbi Yehuda cried out to the students, “My children, flee!” The students replied “Our teacher, what will become of you?” He responded, “I am placed before them like a rock that cannot be overturned.” It is said that the Romans did not leave the spot where they had found Rabbi Yehuda Ben Bava until they had pierced him with three hundred spears, rendering him like a sieve. But by then, the newly-ordained rabbis were out of reach.
The names of the five students were Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda (bar Ilay), Rabbi Shimoen, Rabbi Yossi, and Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua. According to some, Rabbi Nechemiah was ordained there as well.

If his whole point was to save the institution of Smicha, why didn't he just give them Smicha privately?


texts: Are the words ציפור (bird) and ציפורן (finger nail OR a spice [found in k'tores]) etymologically related? I heard that both were connected to the root צ.פ.ר (arise) or to anatomical protuberance but I don't understand either of these suggestions.


texts: Did Rabbi Joseph Albo say the mitzvoth will be abolished?

texts:
According to Rabbi Israel Drazin, the Babylonian Talmud, Nidah 61b, expresses the opinion of Rabbi Joseph: “The mitzvot [commandments] will be abolished in the time to come.”
What does this mean? G-d says the Law is eternal. Hashem does not change His mind. The medieval scholar Rabbi Joseph Albo (fourteenth century, in his Sefer Ha-ikkarim) writes that a future prophet can abolish all of the biblical commands except for the Decalogue (Ten utterances (the Ten Commandments)).

Certainly a prophet cannot abolish the commandments? Moshe himself said that one way we can tell a true prophet from an imposter is if he says we may abolish the mitzvahs.

Question is, did Rabbi Joseph Albo really say the mitzvot may be abolished?


texts:
Where did Rambam say he wrote a book about prophecy?
Sources, please.

I heard Rabbi Manis Friedman talk about this in a lecture.


texts: There are places where it mentions a seven month full term pregnancy such as the Mishna Yevamos 100a. In modern day science is there such a concept as a seven month pregnancy that is considered full term? Is this a case of Nishtanu HaTeva?


texts: Why did the Mitzryim turn water into blood rather than vice versa?

texts: Why didn't the Mitzryim magic makers just take away the blood from the first makkah to prove to Moshe that he was just doing magic and Hashem had nothing to do with it: why did they add blood (Exodus 7:22)?


texts: Are males with older sisters "firstborn" for the purposes of the Fast of the Firstborn?

texts:
Assuming you follow the tradition that only first-born males are obligated to fast the day before Passover, do the males who have an older sister count as first-born or not?

Wikipedia doesn't seem to address that specific question, nor does Chabad as far as I can tell.

Please note that the question is about general rules, e.g. does not involve any edge cases that might obligate someone to fast even if they would not fast in general, e.g. father fasting on behalf of young child etc....

To clarify, the gist of the question is, does "Bechor" mean "a first child of parents, who also happens to be male", or "a first male child (even if there are older female children)". In other words, if a family has a girl who was born first (bekirah), does it make her younger brother NOT "bechor"?


texts:
Inspired by this answer:

As far as I can tell, there is no mention of Noach bringing plants into the ark. Moreover, it appears Noach had nothing to do with the survival of the plants, given that the dove brought back the olive tree leaf after the flood, before anyone had a chance to plant anything.

So, how did plants survive the Mabul?


texts: What is the Gemara referring to when it speaks about the davening portion of 'Korbanos'?

texts:
The Gemara in both Taanit (27b) and Megilla (31b) say that Avraham asked HaShem how the Jews would repent without a temple. HaShem answers that He already enacted a portion of korbanos to say and it would be as if we gave the korbanos. I will post the Gemarafrom Megilla below.
My question is this: people refer to korbanos as the entire davening between birchos hashachar and pesukei de'zimra. However, my siddur breaks it down into three sections: akeida, korbanos, and ketores. Korbanos is pretty short. So, when the Gemara refers to us saying Korbanos, is it all three, sections, just the one section, or something else overall?
Source: Megilla 31b
אמר לפניו רבש"ע במה אדע אמר לו קחה לי עגלה משולשת וגו' אמר לפניו רבש"ע תינח בזמן שבית המקדש קיים בזמן שאין בית המקדש קיים מה תהא עליהם אמר לו כבר תקנתי להם סדר קרבנות כל זמן שקוראין בהן מעלה אני עליהן כאילו מקריבין לפני קרבן ומוחל אני על כל עונותיהם:
Abraham then said before Him: Master of the Universe: “By what shall I know this?” God said to him: “Take Me a heifer of three years old” (Genesis 15:9). With this, God intimated to Abraham that even if his descendants will sin, they will be able to achieve atonement through sacrificing offerings. Abraham said before Him: Master of the Universe, this works out well when the Temple is standing and offerings can be brought to achieve atonement, but when the Temple will no longer be standing, what will become of them? God said to him: I have already established for them the order of offerings, i.e., the verses of the Torah pertaining to the halakhot of the offerings. Whenever they read those portions, I will deem it as if they sacrificed an offering before Me, and I will pardon them for all of their iniquities.


texts: Seeking additional information about the "seasonal drift" problem of the Judaic calendar

texts:
During my shul's annual *Tikun Leil Shavuot", I plan to give a short lecture about the "seasonal drift" affect of the Judaic calendar. See this Mi Yodeya answer for additional info.

I could use some additional help. The Wikipedia article gives an overview. Other articles that I have found delve into too much math for me to digest the full concept of what is really occurring. I need some balance between these two extremes, by seeing visibly, how this works. Ideally, I'd like one of these options, if they exist:

The exact year that the current Hebrew (fixed) calendar occurred
An online interface where I can enter a Hebrew year and it would display the corresponding Gregorian dates of the Hebrew holidays, particularly the Gregorian date of Passover. What I'm trying to discover is at what points Passover becomes too early to necessitate a Judaic leap year. Recall, that currently, years 8 and 19 in the cycle push Passover to be "later" than needed (i.e, w/o the leap year that year Passover would still be after the equinox.)
In lieu of an online interface, if there is computer code that I can easily compile (preferably Visual Basic), this may work for me as well.


texts: What to do if bar mitzvah is on a fast day

texts:
Just out of curiosity, what does one do if his bar mitzvah falls on a fast day such as Yom Kippur or Tisha BeAv or any other of the 6 fast days?
Is the seudah passed on to the next day? The previous day? Or is it done anyway on the day on lesser fasts?


texts: Why didn't the Heavenly Voice testify for Elu Ve'Elu in Tanuro Shel Achnai argument?

texts:
There are a couple of iconic arguments in our Gemmorah and Tanuro Shel Achnai (BM 59)is surely one of them. Here's a short recap:

  R' Eliezer had an argument with some Chachamim, and R' Yehoshua was the greatest of them regarding ritual purity of a special sort of an oven... eventually...
  ... A Divine Voice emerged from Heaven and said: Why are you differing with Rabbi Eliezer, as the Halakha is in accordance with his opinion in every place that he expresses an opinion!

  Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and [disagreed with the Voice and] said: It is written: “It is not in heaven”, etc.

In continuation of my question "does eilu-veilu-apply-to-every-rabbi", why didn't the Heavenly Voice admit that R"Y and all Chachamim's opinion is also a legitimate one?


texts: What does the word Ribboh (רִבּוֹא) mean?

texts:
I came across this word in the Gemara, Berakhot 32b.16. I was just wondering if someone could give an English translation for it. The translation I see in most books is "myriad," but I heard some Rabbis say it also may have a numerical meaning. If anyone has come across this I would greatly appreciate the clarification. Thank you.
Here it is again: רִבּוֹא


texts: Tribe of the son of a Kohen and a convert

texts:
Kohanim are not allowed to marry a convert. However, if such a case happens (where there is a fully valid conversion), what is the status of the child? On one hand, they would be chalal, but would that offspring be able to inherit the Levite tribe of their father?

Related: Children of Converts and Specific halachos


texts: If I'm concerned about sheidim hanging out in my bedroom is there a procedure for checking to see if there are actually sheidim my vicinity or if it's just my imagination?


texts: Why does the king need to extend the scepter to Esther a second time?

texts:
In Esther 8:4 it says

וַיּ֤וֹשֶׁט הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְאֶסְתֵּ֔ר אֵ֖ת שַׁרְבִ֣ט הַזָּהָ֑ב וַתָּ֣קָם אֶסְתֵּ֔ר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
The king extended the golden scepter to Esther, and Esther arose and stood before the king.

Earlier (4:11) we are told that extending the scepter showed that a person who had not been called to the king would be allowed to live. Does this imply that after the incident with Haman the king again did not call for Esther for some period of time and that she had to again risk her life to speak to him unbidden? If not, what is the reason for this second episode where the king extends his scepter to Esther?


texts: Does any one know of any good biographies of Rashbam and/or Ibn Ezra?


texts: Why does Joshua's command to appoint representatives in the Jordan Crossing seem out of sequence?

texts:
In Joshua 3:12, in preparation for bringing the Children of Israel across the Jordan River, Joshua commands the people to select one representative from each tribe. There's no immediate indication of what these representatives are for or what they're to do.

Then, in Joshua 4, after the people had crossed the river, God, thru Joshua, commands the people to gather 12 representatives, apparently anew, and Joshua proceeds to task them with collecting and installing memorial stones.

Are these the same twelve representatives? If so, why does it seem that Joshua's initial appointment of these representatives precedes God's command to do so? Either way, why does Joshua's initial command to appoint representatives show up apparently isolated from context or purpose?

Commentaries checked:

Rashi on 3:12 indicates that these are, indeed, the same representatives, but doesn't offer any clear help on the other issues.


texts: Can the shaliah tsibbur intend the hazarah to be his own tashlumin?

texts:
If someone was unable for some reason to daven shaharith and is thereby eligible to pray a make-up prayer (tashlumin) at Minhah, but then ends up being asked to be shaliah ssibbur when he gets to shul, can that person intend his silent/prayer to be his Minhah and the hazarah to count for his tashlumin?

Is this possible? Why or why not?

Please cite your sources.


texts:
As is known, many sefarim use a pasuk to correspond to the current year. Is there a list or program that makes a list?

I am referring to when a part (or whole) of a pasuk is equal in gematria to the current year.


texts: Although there are brachot that we say before and after reciting the Shema, they are not blessings on the recitation of the Shema.  First, none uses the typical formula, "asher kidshanu bmitzvosov" -  who has sanctified us with his commandments. Second, the siddur has the Shema early in the morning prayers without any bracha at all, indicating we may recite the Shema and discharge our obligation with no bracha. So, why do we not have a kidshanu bmitzvosov bracha before we do this Torah mitzva?


texts: If a man wears a toupee, must he remove it to put on the head tefilin?


texts:
In Shulchan Aruch OC 334:21 it is established that holy scripture written by a pagan should be burnt,

  האפיקורסים דהיינו האדוקים בעבודת כוכבים וכן מומרים לעבודת כוכבים
  שכתבו להם
  כתבי הקודש אין מצילים אותם ואף בחול שורפן עם האזכרות שבהן

According to those who maintain that Christianity is considered idol worship (AZ), must one burn nowadays a bible that was written by a christian since it was written by a pagan? Is there any reason why this law would not apply nowadays?

Update: In YD 281:1 the same Halacha is repeated but there we find a distinction between an אפיקורוס and a גוי; wherein the books of the former must be burned but the books of the latter only need to be hidden (גניזה). If we can clarify the difference between the two terms then we could easily determine in which category Christians--nowadays--fall into and whether their books need to be burnt at all! This will definitely shed some light on this complex law.


texts:
If a woman is due to go to the mikvah on yom tov, is there any heter to remove/add makeup on yom tov?   This is a very serious question because if a woman doesn't wear any makeup an entire yom tov, it looks suspicious among family and friends and she will be embarrassed because its obvious shes going to the mikvah. Is there any solution?

Please help. Thank you


texts: Inheritance laws and dina d'malchuta dina

texts: If someone dies and halacha says you get to inherit, but civil law says I do, who does?  If we both agree to let a bet din decide the matter, then you inherit and the matter is closed.  But if I take you to secular court and the court (after all appeals are exhausted) says I inherit, we have a clear question for dina d'malchuta dina.  Does the latter ALWAYS apply in financial matters?


texts: What happened to the blessing "Who raises the fallen"?

texts:
In both the siddur of Rav Saadia Gaon and the seder of Rav Amram Gaon, there is a blessing in the morning, magbiah shefalim, for sitting up in bed.

Yet, it is conspicuously absent from the Rambam (Hilkhoth Tefillah 8-9), and commentators and rabbinic authorities claim that both Rav Amram and Rav Saadia later omitted it.

How can this be? Why would they do this? What happened to this blessing that seemingly was said by religious Jews for centuries?


texts: What was The Syrians communities Rabbis motivation For disallowing conversions and when did it happen and did any other Sephardi communities join in this decision later on?


texts:
After reading some questions posted on here I found my self reviewing  Hilkhoth Tefilah, mainly the halakha of the amidah. While reading i noticed something that I have read countless times yet never popped out at me. After one prays the amidah we are instructed  to preform hishtahhawayah (full body prostration) while saying tehhinoth (private supplications).
In this part the halakha states that ones face must be flat on the ground and only turned to the side if one “is as righteous as Joshua”:

“ וְאֵין אָדָם חָשׁוּב רַשָּׁאי לִפֹּל עַל פָּנָיו, אֵלָא אִם כֵּן הוּא יוֹדֵעַ בְּעַצְמוֹ שְׁהוּא צַדִּיק כִּיהוֹשׁוּעַ; אֲבָל מַטֶּה הוּא פָּנָיו מְעַט, וְאֵינוּ כּוֹבֵשׁ אוֹתוֹ בַּקַּרְקָע." M"T Hilkoth Tefilah 5:14

“An important person is not permitted to fall on his face unless he is certain that he is as righteous as Yehoshua. Rather, he should tilt his face slightly, but not press it to the ground.” M"T Hilkoth Tefilah 5:14

So what exactly does this mean? Why Yehoshua Ben-Nun and why is his righteousness used for this particular halakha as a bench mark? Is there something in our mesora that links these two concepts?

EDIT:
It was brought to my attention that most contributing members to Mi Yodeya hold by the S”A (of various editions) and most likely do not perform our more ancient practices of tefilah. So here are some pictures to help clarify my question.

Face flat on the ground (as the majority of yehudhim are supposed to do)

Face off to the side ( I couldn’t find an exact picture of this, since no one does this now a days, but you can see how the mans head is tilted in compared to the boys. Just imagine his body fully stretched out)

** They are on ceramic tiles NOT stone **


texts: Should one have separate reusable water bottles for meat and dairy meals?

texts: If I were to use a reusable water bottle should I be concerned about using one when I eat dairy and another when I have meat, or can I just wash it out?


texts:
We are told in Bereshit 13:5-6 (Sefaria translation) :

"Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents..."
"..so that the land could not support them staying together; for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together."

How did Lot get so wealthy? Do we know what happened to him in Egypt, assuming he went down there with Abram and Sarai?


texts: Halachic Restrictions not in the Torah, and "shall not add"

texts: How can halachic restrictions that are not in the Torah be reconciled with the Deuteronomy 4:2 passage, which says, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it"?


texts: Justifying housework / keeping one’s home clean and tidy

texts:
Shalom.
I was wondering if someone could provide me with sources in support of regular housework / keeping one’s home clean and tidy / beautifying one’s home.
A source / warrant from G-d would make encouraging one’s children or the lazy to tidy up messy / dirty places much easier.
Many thanks.


texts: Could we drive an Ebola patient to quarantine on Shabbos?

texts:
I don't think anybody would argue that Ebola is a חולי שיש בו סכנה (an illness that involves danger to life)1, which means that we not only may but must violate Shabbos in order to provide care for an Ebola patient.

That being the case, here are some Shabbos questions pertaining to Ebola:

Would one be allowed to drive an Ebola patient to a quarantine on
Shabbos, so that he would not infect others?
Would it make a difference if he is still in danger from the Ebola, himself?
Would it make a difference if the patient drives himself, or if
others drive him?

1 "The disease has a high risk of death, killing between 25 percent and 90 percent of those infected with the virus, with an average risk of 50 percent."
~ Wikipedia


texts: Why would becoming king or kohein gadol exempt one from atoning for past sins?

texts:
To atone for certain transgressions, the torah (Vayikra 4) mandates different offerings depending on the status of the person who transgressed.  Horayot 3:3, talking about the king or the kohein gadol, says:

  If they transgressed before they were appointed, and afterwards they were appointed, they are regarded as regular people [with respect to the transgression]. Rabbi Shimon said: if their sin came to their knowledge before they were appointed they are liable, but if after they were appointed they are exempt.

The first sentence, presumably the position of the rabbis, makes sense to me: when they transgressed they were laymen, so they bring the offering of a layman.  (On the other end, though, once a kohein gadol, always a kohein gadol -- even if he steps down and then transgresses, he brings the larger offering.)

Rabbi Shimon's position, however, confuses me.  He doesn't say that, in contrast to the first statement, they bring the offering that matches their current position; rather, he says they're exempt entirely.  Why is that?  It seems counter to pretty much everything the torah says about how we atone for transgressions.

I reviewed the g'mara on this passage but don't understand the argument.  It starts by reasoning from the "after" case and talks about different kinds of errors for the ruler, and also talks about heavenly plagues (punishments), but I'm having trouble following it.

What is Rabbi Shimon's reasoning (or anyone else's who holds like him) for exempting someone entirely from atoning for a transgression?


texts: Where can I find a "guide" to shidduch resume etiquette and protocol?

texts: It seems that all my local shadchanim require a shiduch "resume". I am really new to this concept, and so are my kids. I looked at some samples, and I don't understand some of the abbreviations, technical terms, etiquette and protocol involved in designing a shidduch resume. Has someone written a book or article that can guide me through this process?


texts: I have seen somewhere that Kislev and the letter Samech are connected to each other. The sefer I saw it in, quoted the Likkutei Shas of the Arizal. Does anyone know what it says? And is there any other reason why there is a connection?


texts: If the whole vessel's volume counts in 1/60, why don't we wait?

texts:
Although this is a really basic quesiton, the topic is way beyond my education, so please excuse the lack of sources, background knowledge and proper terms, and please help me improve.

I understand that items cooked in a vessel take on, to some extent, the status of that vessel. In general, we must count the whole volume of the vessel in a bitul b'60 calculation -- and usually the vessel's volume is more than 1/60 of the whole, so the vessel is not batul.

Why, then, do we not, strictly speaking, have to wait after eating something that was made with meat keilim?
(It may be that we do have to wait after eating meat to eat something made on dairy keilim?)


texts: Do Jewish people keep a Bible or other scripture in their homes?

texts:
Are there religious laws against it, or can Jewish people also keep a copy of the Bible (scriptures) in their home?

What word is the most common term used to refer to the Hebrew Bible?


texts:
"Ordinary murderers are allowed to achieve atonement for their souls in their execution. Only especially vile murderers - such as a false witness whose lies are discovered after the person who was framed has been executed, or a man who sacrifices both his son and his daughter to the pagan god Molokh - are denied execution because they are regarded as beyond redemption through capital punishment."

Which Jewish sources support this statement?

The quote from above is an excerpt from an article written by Steven Plaut(2004) for the Jewish press: http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=13290


texts: Telling your pet to do melacha on shabbas

texts: If I own a dog and I train it to turn on and off lights is that considered like amirah l'nochri which is assur,or telling an animal is different and would be permitted?


texts: Shemini Atzeret - a "Regel Bifney Atzmo" dispute

texts:
There seems to be some disagreement about the nature of Shemini Atzeret and the implications of its being called a "Regel Bifnei Atzmo" (a stand-alone festival).

But I assume that, because there are different practical implications (like sitting in the sukkah or ending shiva, both mentioned in the above link), at some point it must have been known exactly what to do. As the article indicates, "The Rishonim disagree as to the implication of “regel bifnei atzmo.”" so what was known became unknown (possibly like the order of parshiyot in tefillin).

Is there any discussion about exactly how and when the nature of Shemini Atzeret became in question?


texts: How to understand the lack of archaeological evidence of Jews in Egypt in the story of Exodus

texts: Over the past few years, attending various Seders on Passover, I have heard some secular people say that  there is no archaeological evidence of Jews in Egypt during the bronze age when the story of the Exodus occurred.  Similarly, no archaeological evidence of Jews in the wilderness for 40 years.  As I will be conducting the Seder this year for many friends and family, I'd like to have an answer for this when the question comes up.  It is vitally important to have an answer, as our entire religion is based on the Exodus story and receiving the Torah.


texts: What constitutes communicating with the dead?

texts:
Let no one be found among you who consigns his son or daughter to the
  fire, or who is an augur, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer, one who
  casts spells, or one who consults ghosts or familiar spirits, or one
  who inquires of the dead.  - Devarim (Deuteronomy) 18:10-11

Speaking to the dead is forbidden. You're not allowed to attempt such things.

This being said, is there a Rabbinically defined line as to what constitutes a sinful exercise in the dark arts vs innocent grief?

Example:

Some people speak to their dead relatives. They don't literally light candles, draw a pentagram, and conduct some exercise in the dark arts. They may just speak out loud or speak in their minds during moments of grief or hardship.

"Mom, I really hope you think I'm doing the right thing. I wish you were here to help me right now."

Does that count as communicating with the dead or is there a specific definition for what constitutes this sort of activity?


texts: What does "give a blessing on the face of the earth" mean?

texts:
The ninth blessing of the weekday Amida as recited between Pesach and the rainy season contains, in some traditions, the phrase:

  ותן ברכה על פני האדמה
  and give a blessing on the face of the earth

(text and translation from ArtScroll Nusach Ashkenaz Siddur, 2nd ed.)

What does it mean to give a "blessing" on the face of the earth? What is being  put on the earth?

Someone suggested to me that it is a request for dew which falls in the summer in addition to the winter, though he wasn't sure why it wouldn't just explicitly say "ותן טל לברכה and give dew for a blessing".

Others suggested to me that it is a request for the produce that is in the earth to grow bountifully, though this isn't exactly giving some thing "on the face of the earth" (especially considering how that phrase is used quite literally in the rainy season version), most produce isn't really growing for much of the summer (but rather being harvested), and this seems to have been already covered by the earlier line "ברך [את] כל מיני תבואתה לטובה bless all types of [the year's] crops for good". And why "give a blessing" instead of the verb "bless" if not giving a specific object?

Do any commentators on the Siddur discuss this particular line and what it requests? How do they understand it? If the answer is one of the above suggestions, how do they deal with the issues mentioned above?


texts:
I remember reading an interesting article about the mitzvah of teffilin. They had a fascinating picture of what the front of the brain looks like . In the picture it shows that their appears to be two ע that are formed in the brain. Then they show that the teffilin happen to have to be placed betweem these ע(literally bein einecha)since it is the same place as the halacha requires.

I understand this question seems strange,but after seeing the picture it will make sense. Does someone happen to know where this picture is,or knows enough about the brain that they can show any picture with these ע?


texts: Are Rabbi Akiva's opinions disproportionately followed?

texts:
I understand that Rabbi Akiva was the foremost rabbinic leader of his time, and after the Bar Kochba revolt his students were the primary Tanaaim, and they also were responsible for organizing the early Talmudic literature which is regarded as being in accord with Rabbi Akiva (Sanhedrin 86a).
But in cases where the Tanaaim disagreed, are his opinions accepted more than the opinions of the other Tanaaim of Rabbi Akiva’s generation, or do we often follow different opinions?
Secondarily, if his opinions are typically the opinions we follow, do we have any basis to say whether or not the historical contingency of his position was responsible for his opinions being what we follow? For example, can we tell whether those opinions already happened to be the predominant ones, or he just happened to be among the majority of Tanaaim? Or if not, is there any basis for speculating on whether the position of his students just practically meant Rabbi Akiva's opinions would be the ones we follow?


texts: What is the bracha for candied raw Etrog?

texts:
On Sunday, I saw a box of candied Etrog in my local store. I'm assuming that they made this available in honor of Tu B'Shevat. The etrog pieces are clearly recognizable other than the coating of loads of sugar on the outside. Assume that the etrog pieces are raw, not cooked, for purposes of making this concoction.

Is the bracha ha'etz or shehakol? I'm assuming it's shehakol based on the idea that if one eats a fruit or vegetable (e.g. raw potatoes) that is normally not eaten raw in his community, one says shehakol In the U.S., raw etrog is not eaten, commonly. Does the sugar coating change the bracha status?


texts: Plants before the Sun in the Order of Creation

texts: Why does plant life precede the Sun in the order of creation given that plants need the Sun to do photosynthesis?


texts: What did the Nazir's death add to the story?

texts:
Nazir 1:7 states:

הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר כְּמִנְיַן יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה, מוֹנֶה נְזִירוּת כְּמִנְיַן יְמוֹת הַחַמָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַעֲשֶׂה הָיָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁלִים מֵת:
[If one says], “Behold I am a nazirite, as the number of days in a solar year” he must count as many naziriteships as there are days in the solar year. Rabbi Judah said: such a case once occurred, and when the man had completed [his naziriteships], he died.

R' Ovadia MiBartenura explains that R' Yehuda is telling this story to prove R' Yehuda Hanasi wrong about one  of his opinions in a previous Mishna, Nazir 1:4.

הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר כִּשְׂעַר רֹאשִׁי, וְכַעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ, וּכְחוֹל הַיָּם, הֲרֵי זֶה נְזִיר עוֹלָם וּמְגַלֵּחַ אַחַת לִשְׁלשִׁים יוֹם. רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, אֵין זֶה מְגַלֵּחַ אַחַת לִשְׁלשִׁים יוֹם. וְאֵיזֶהוּ שֶׁמְּגַלֵּחַ אַחַת לִשְׁלשִׁים יוֹם, הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵי עָלַי נְזִירוּת כִּשְׂעַר רֹאשִׁי, וְכַעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ, וּכְחוֹל הַיָּם:
[If one says,] “Behold, I am a nazirite as the hairs of my head”, or “As the dust of the earth”, or “As the sands of the sea,” he becomes a life-nazirite, and shaves his head every thirty days. Rabbi (R' Yehuda Hanasi) says: this one does not shave his head every thirty days. The one who shave his head every thirty days is the one who says, “Behold, upon me are naziriteships as the hair on my head”, or “As the dust of the earth”, or “As the sands of the sea.”

R' Yehuda Hanasi is saying that when one says that he will be a nazir forever, it is one long naziriteship, and he will only be allowed to shave once every twelve months. The Tanna Kama says that when one says that he will be a nazir forever, it is an infinite number of consecutive standard naziriteships. Because a standard naziriteship lasts for thirty days, the nazir may shave once a month.
In Nazir 1:7, the Tanna Kama says that one who says he will be a nazir like the days of the year will have consecutive standard naziriteships equal to the number of days in a solar year, or 365, and can shave once a month. R' Yehuda Hanasi would argue that it is one long naziriteship, and therefore he will be a nazir for life, and can shave once a year. R' Yehuda disproves this by telling of a man who had made such a promise, spent 365 months as a nazir, completed his naziriteship, and died.
The Mishna doesn't waste words. The nazir completing his naziriteship is enough to disprove R' Yehuda Hanasi, who would say that the nazir never completes his naziriteship. Why does R' Yehuda need to mention that the nazir died?


texts: What is teshuva for non-Jews? I'm Christian and have broken some laws of Noah, so does praying for forgiveness as a Christian and not doing the sin constitute teshuva for me? Or is just feeling regret and not doing the sin again considered teshuva?


texts: Is national-brand mozzarella under constant supervision?

texts: Shulchan Aruch and Rama, Yore Dea 115:2, indicate that cheese made by a non-Jew can't be eaten unless a Jew saw it being made. Kraft, a national brand, now has some Ⓤ-certified reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Is a Jew present constantly, or is there some reason he doesn't have to be?


texts: Chazzon Ish and Parshas Parah being D'Oraisa

texts:
I heard today that the Chazzon Ish says that the reason Parshas Parah is m'doraisa (See here) is because of the pasuk:

והזהרתם את בני ישראל מטמאותם
"And you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness"

That through the reading of Parshas Parah b'tzibbur Klal Yisrael will know how to stay away from tumah. The fact that reading it b'tzibbur will be the best way to spread the news (a car with a microphone can't be sent around.)
This person had claimed to have seen this inside from the Chazzon Ish (in one of his seforim or perhaps brought down in his name.) Does anyone have a source for this?


texts: Bones for Dogs Difference When they were Separated from Meat

texts:
MB on OC 308:110 says that if bones were separated from their meat on Shabbos they can be carried (are not muktze), and then certainly if they were separated before Shabbos.

MB on OC 308:121, on Rm"a saying that bones that were separated before Shabbos can be carried, adds that then certainly if they were separated on Shabbos.

OK, what's the lenient case and what's the strict? Sort of mixed me up... looks like a contradiction.


texts:
A shul in my city made an early maariv for the 2nd day of yom tov.  Knowing who the Rabbi is, he did not do this out of ignorance.  There are 2 issues I am unclear about:

Are there contemporary sources that allow switching your mincha-maariv cutoff even in the absence of adding kedusha (Tosefes).  (This would be less of an issu if the 2nd day were shabbos or early maariv on the first day if you hold there is a mitzva of tosefes for yom tom)
How does this circumvent the hachana issue.  Granted you accepted the 2nd day, but that shouldn't negate the first day in terms of melacha, especially since they are 2 kedushas.

Any insight?


texts:
Would a person be allowed to give/take bribes to a person responsible for purchasing in a company? Would it be forbidden directly as "shochad" (bribery) or under a general prohibition of Gnevas Daas, etc.
What about paying off politicians?

Examples:

For example, if company A wants to buy a widget, and there are two companies that can provide it. One ("B") will sell it for $100,000, and another ("C") will sell it for $110,000. Your responsibility is to choose which company will supply you with parts. Being that both parts are equal, you will choose company B. However, Company C gives you $500 as a "gift" and you choose company C.

You work as a bureaucrat in country A. Your job is to check if a company is obeying some law. You could bust them and fine them for $1,000,000, but they pay you off and you overlook it.
What Torah violations (if any) did you just violate in these two cases?


texts: Why did the Bnei Yisroel deviate from God's command to ask for gold and silver?

texts:
Hashem told The Bnei Yisroel to ask the Egyptians for "silver and gold" in Shemos, Chapter 11, Verse 2:

  Please, speak into the ears of the people, and let them borrow, each man from his friend and each woman from her friend, silver vessels and golden vessels."
       דַּבֶּר נָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ אִישׁ | מֵאֵת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִשָּׁה מֵאֵת רְעוּתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב

In Shemos Chapter 12, Verse 35 it says that in addition to asking for "silver and gold" they asked for "garments":

  And the children of Israel did according to Moses' order, and they asked the Egyptians silver objects, golden objects, and garments.
       וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עָשׂוּ כִּדְבַר משֶׁה וַיִּשְׁאֲלוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת

Why did the Bnei Yisrael deviate from what Hashem told them?

What can we learn from the discrepancy?

Furthermore, in Shemos Chapter 3, Verse 22 Hashem tells Moshe that in the future the Bnei Yisroel will ask for gold, silver and garments.  He reports what will happen. Yet he did not include the "garments" in his command to Moshe for the Bnei Yisroel.

As it says:

  Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and from the dweller in her house silver and gold objects and garments, and you shall put [them] on your sons and on your daughters, and you shall empty out Egypt."

  וְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת וְשַׂמְתֶּם עַל בְּנֵיכֶם וְעַל בְּנֹתֵיכֶם וְנִצַּלְתֶּם אֶת מִצְרָיִם


texts: Why does the Torah repeat that the nation believed in Moshe?

texts:
In Yisro it says:

  וְגַם בְּךָ יַאֲמִינוּ לְעוֹלָם

Earlier it says:

  ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו

Why Both?


texts: Are royalties as investment considered ribis (interest)?

texts:
Reuven offers Shimon 1 million dollars and in return REuven gets a 15% royalty and 10% ownership in the company.

Situation a: Reuven receives the royalty until he has earned 2 million dollars then the royalty goes away.

Situation b: Reuven gets the royalty until Shimon has repaid the 1 million then the royalty goes away.

Are either of these situations considered ribis and are they permissible?


texts: When does kaddish for a parent end in a leap year?

texts: A parent died on the second of Cheshvan 5776 which is a leap year.  When does kaddish end, 11 months later or one month before a full year?


texts:
I was under the impression that, in contrast to Maimonides' distinction between techiyath hameithim (resurrection of the dead) and olam haba (the world to come), those Medieval/Renaissance period scholars more closely associated with kabbalistic leanings, such as the Maharal MiPrague, do not distinguish between the two concepts.  I was therefore somewhat surprised to come across the following quote in the Maharal's Nethiv HaShalom Chapter 2:

הזריז צריך שיהיה גובר על גופו, כי גופו יש בו העצלות מאוד, וכאשר גובר על גופו בזריזות, שדבר זה סלוק הגוף, לכך ראוי לו עוה"ב ששם סלוק הגוף לגמרי
...therefore he is worthy of the world to come for there is the removal [or absence] of the [physical] body entirely

I was curious if anyone has any sources relevant to interpreting this passage, such as regarding whether or not the Maharal does indeed agree with Maimonides' distinction.


texts:
A convert is suppoed to accept the ol mitzvot, the burden of halacha but does this mean an explicit intent to follow the mitzvot or simply the acceptance that there is a punishment if the mitzvot are not kept properly?

If a covert goes out to a treif restaurant after the conversion (as per the situation inm minute 17 of http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/736032/Rabbi_Dani_Rapp/Topics_in_Geirus:_Kabalas_Ol_Mitzvos) the judges have the right to say that the acceptance of the mitzvot is lacking and the geirut is null. But what if the convert says "I now intend to go and commit an aveirah and I accept that hashem will punish me as per the halachot of Judaism to which I am bound"?

The ol mitzvot is explicitly accepted. Does the action or the mindset control the status of the conversion? Is it kabbalat OL mitzvot or kabbalat KIYUM hamitzvot?

Note -- I am not talking about a case where a woman on the verge of conversion knows she has to work on one more yom tov but generally intends to keep mitzvot (I was told there is a tshuva on that), but a case where someone, with full malice aforethought, accepts and agrees with mitzvot but does not intend to keep mitzvot (either all, or one particular one); he sincerely accepts that there will be divine punishment for his decision.


texts: I learnt that some people don't open bottles on shabbos because it breaks the perforated seal...what are the details of this halacha? Is it allowed or not? Because I've noticed that some people open bottles while others do not. Also, if the opinion is that we shouldn't open bottles, what if one needs to open the grape juice for kiddush, does the fact that its needed for the mitzvah make it allowed?


texts: What was the nature of the apparition of Yaakov that appeared to Yosef?

texts:
Sotah 36b writes that an apparition of Yaakov visited Yosef when he was about to sin with Potiphar's wife.

(בראשית לט, יב) ותתפשהו בבגדו לאמר וגו' באותה שעה באתה דיוקנו של אביו ונראתה לו בחלון אמר לו יוסף עתידין אחיך שיכתבו על אבני אפוד ואתה ביניהם רצונך שימחה שמך מביניהם ותקרא רועה זונות דכתיב (משלי כט, ג) ורועה זונות יאבד הון
The verse states: “And she caught him by his garment, saying: Lie with me” (Genesis 39:12). At that moment his father’s image [deyokeno] came and appeared to him in the window. The image said to him: Joseph, the names of your brothers are destined to be written on the stones of the ephod, and you are to be included among them. Do you desire your name to be erased from among them, and to be called an associate [ro’eh] of promiscuous women? As it is written: “But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his riches” (Proverbs 29:3), as he loses his honor, which is more valuable than wealth.

Tosfos there (quoting Rebbi Moshe Hadarshan) is pretty clear that this was not merely something he envisioned but there seemed to have been some sort of realness to it:

באותה שעה באתה דיוקנו של אביו - כתב רבינו משה הדרשן ואין איש מאנשי הבית [שם בבית דמשמע דוקא מאנשי הבית] לא היה שם מכלל דאיש אחר שלא מאנשי הבית כלומר חלוק ומופלג מתורת אנשי הבית היה שם וזהו דמות דיוקנו של אביו ותימה קצת מנלן דנראית לו בחלון ושמא מדכתיב בבית דמשמע בבית לא:

What exactly was this apparition? It couldn't have had too much to do with Yaakov himself as Yaakov didn't even know that Yosef was alive. It also doesn't appear to have been imaginary as the Gemara refers to it as being in the window and Tosfos refers to it as another person in the house. So what was it?


texts:
Did Adam and Eve have moral culpability in the Garden before they ate from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil? It would seem that they were like small children in that sense, they were amoral--not because they did not care for morality, but because they had no concept of it.

If Adam and Eve had no concept of morality, of right and wrong, how is it fair to punish them for their behavior? Prior to eating the apple, Adam could not have said: "Eve, do not ask me to do that, it would be wrong." He had no idea it would be wrong to eat the apple.

It seems pretty central to morality that the agent must be aware of what he/she is doing for moral blame to fall upon them. If they were morally blame-less for eating the apple, then why the painful punishments?


texts: Is there a prayer for the prosperity of those keeping the shmitta year and if not – why not?

texts:
Is there an accepted* form of prayer for the prosperity of those keeping the shmitta year and if not – why not? My idea for a prayer would be along these lines which could be added into ברך עלינו:

"You have commanded us to keep the laws of the seventh year as it says in your Torah (Vayikro 25:4): ‘But in the seventh year, the land shall have a complete rest a Sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field, nor shall you prune your vineyard.’

"and we are observing the laws of the seventh year that come from Your Torah both written and oral.

"Therefore we come before You to ask for Your blessing on all our life for You are the source of all blessing, …."

* (by halachic authority, use or printing in siddur or other)


texts: What degree of confidence must a Jew have in the Kosher status of a given meal before eating it?

texts:
Let's say a Jew travels on a long transatlantic flight. There are no food options except the on-board menu and non of them are kosher-certified. In this situation is it okay to choose a safer option (e.g. vegan or vegetarian)? Or should a Jew then abstain from eating for the duration of the flight?

A similar situation could occur with purchasing food in a country where no kosher options are available - would it be okay to buy milk and vegetables from a non-Jewish supermarket?

Basically, when is it possible to make an exception and when should one avoid eating at all costs? Since many locales around the world don't have any sources of kosher food, how can compliant Jews travel there? What degree of certainty is needed in the fact that a certain food is okay before it is permissible to eat it?


texts: Are there cases where you are allowed to swear to G-d?

texts:
Is it always forbidden to swear to G-d, or does it depend on truth?
I read somewhere that "in vain" means for something false or obvious.
If someone doesn't believe me about something very important and asks me to swear to G-d, am I allowed?


texts: What is the Reform view of the origin of the Torah?

texts:
I recently attended a community Torah study hosted by a Reform rabbi. As we were discussing the weekly Torah portion, many of those in attendance (Reform Jews) kept referring to "the men" who wrote the Torah.

As someone who believes in the concept of Torah mi-Sinai, I am at a loss as to how Reform faith works. If the Torah was written by men, even if inspired by G_d, then it is still a man-made document. For  many, including myself, Maamad Har Sinai is a historically central event in Jewish history and the basis of Orthodox emunah. What then is the Reform concept of emunah based upon? In other words, is a human authored document the basis of their faith?


texts: Destruction of the world after 1000 years of Moshiach?

texts: I have read somewhere that after the 1000 year reign of Moshiach, there will be a destruction of this Olam Hazeh (pls. help me out, there's a word for it starting with a chet), before we go to Olam Habah. Does this destruction mean the annihilation of the material world (b/c we will no longer have need for physical bodies in the world to come)?


texts: Any suggestions for documentaries/videos related to the stories of the sages?

texts:
I was curious if anyone would know of some good video resources related to learning about the various Jewish sages of our history. They can be biographical or they can be related to the philosophies of each sage and their Talmudic styles.

I'm open to all categories.


texts:
The wikipedia entry of gematria starts by stating the following:

  Gematria [...] is an Assyro-Babylonian-Greek system of code and numerology later adopted into Jewish culture that assigns numerical value to a word or phrase[...]

This statement was somewhat shocking to me, given the fact that I always believed this practice was of completely jewish origin.

Wikipedia supports this claims with the following information:

  Although the term is Hebrew, it most likely derives from Greek geōmetriā, "geometry", which was used as a translation of gēmaṭriyā, though some scholars believe it to derive from Greek grammateia.

and

  The first attested use of gematria occurs in an inscription of Assyrian ruler Sargon II (727–705 BC) stating that the king built the wall of Khorsabad 16,283 cubits long to correspond with the numerical value of his name. Gematria or isopsephy was borrowed into the Greek probably soon after their adoption of the Semitic writing system.

Maybe at first it doesn't seem like a big issue that we use this, possibly Hellenistic, method in Torah study. Until you find out there are multiple Halachot learned from gematria. Is there an opposing opinion about the origins of gematria? If not, how can we trust this method?


texts:
In doing genealogical research I found records for family members from Lithuania whose profession was listed as "Rabbi Elector".

What was this profession?

Was it a legitimate part of Judaism, or just "made up" to satisfy the authorities at the time?


texts: Besides eating matzah, what do we do on Pesach Sheini today?

texts:
I had been under the impression that Pesach Sheini was only a historical and future observance -- that is, when the temple stood/stands.  I didn't make the connection that it might also be special now until somebody wished me an early Pesach Sheini samayach today.

I know that some have the custom to eat matzah on this day and some omit tachanun, and that Chabad says it is a day of "second chances" and has some talks and essays on that theme, but I'm still at a loss for what one should be doing to mark the day.  It's not chag, but is there a custom to make a festive meal?  Are there any family/home-based observances (other than the matzah)?  What do those who do anything special on this day actually do?


texts: Why do all women deserve to suffer for the sin of one woman, Chava?

texts: In the Torah, Bereshit 3:16, all women receive the curse of a painful childbirth and their subservience to men. This is all because Chava made the choice to make Adam eat from the tree. Why should all women suffer for the choice of one woman?


texts: Is there an obligation to ask for forgiveness?

texts:
Though it is part of the t'shuva process, I wonder if asking mechila from people exists as a separate and distinct obligation. Must I either seek out individuals and ask for forgiveness for both things I know about and things I may not know about, or even just make a blanket and public request for forgiveness, or can I rely on others' forgiving me without my having to do anything?
If someone makes a public statement of giving a blanket forgiveness without having to be asked, has he done my work for me or even stopped me from being mekayem an independent obligation? If I am stuck in my house with no phone service so I cannot ask have a missed out on an obligation, or just an opportunity?


texts: If for whatever reason it was decided that a couple would get married then right away get divorced after the week of Sheva Brachos (believe it or not this happens!) Can they indeed still make Sheva Brachos during the week after the Chassanah? Is there any reason why if they have decided to get divorce and terminate the marriage after these days that the actual "Sheva Brachos" can't be made?


texts: Can you use plastic cable-ties to hold down your schach in your sukkah?

texts: I've seen people use plastic cable-ties to hold down the schach in their sukkah (as they're not "makabel tuma"), but others who don't like it, I think because they're not plant matter?  Can anyone clarify who holds what, and why?


texts: Did Chava tell Adam she was giving him fruit from the etz ha'das?

texts: When Chava gave Adam fruit from the etz ha'das to eat did she tell him where the fruit was coming from or not?


texts: What is the Punishment for talking in Shul?

texts: I have heard that a Shul has burned down as a cause for talking during Shul ( not talking during davening and Torah reading). I know that there are rewards for not talking in Shul, but I am wondering if anyone can provide a source(s) for a punishment for talking in Shul.


texts: Is one allowed to pump air into an inflatable mattress on Shabbos? Is this a problem of tikkun cli, makeh b'patish, etc? (Or any other problem.) What about if the mattress was inflated Erev Shabbos and some air came out and now one wants to add some more air to make it "harder/stronger" on Shabbos. Would this be any different (if the first case is ossur.)


texts: Why no simanim for Rus, Shir HaShirim, and Eicha?

texts: In the Koren Tanakh, besides for the church-invented chapter system, it also puts the Jewish simanim divisions at the side of the page. Why does it not do this for Rus, Shir HaShirim, and Eicha?


texts: Grace after meals - mentioning one parents/spouse if no longer alive

texts:
In the bensching (grace after meals/birkat hamazon) we have the following verse among the הרחמן's:

הרחמן הוא יברך את אבי מורי בעל הבית הזה ואת אמי מורתי בעלת הבית הזה אותם ואת ביתם ואת זרעם ואת כל אשר להם אותנו ואת כל אשר לנו
May the Merciful One bless my father, my teacher, the master of this house, and my mother, my teacher, the mistress of this house; them, their household, their children, and all that is theirs; us, and all that is ours.

Moreover, for those who are married and may have children one adds the appropriate addition of אשתי (my wife), בעלי (my husband) and זרעי  (my children)
What happens though if ר"ל anyone of these people die? Do you no longer add them to the verse? And by extension is there a difference between a spouse and parents in as much as a parent can still be regarded a child's teacher even after death?
I am conscious of the thread here - which mentions that nusach Chabad is stil to mention parents that are no longer alive, but what is the prevalent nusach ashkenaz custom?


texts:
On one TaNaKH passage, it seems both David (1 Samuel 30) and Shaul (1 Samuel 28) had access to an Urim VeTumim, suggesting there was more than one set of Urim VeTumim.

Hence my question: How many sets of Urim VeTumim were there?


texts:
Who is the author of Targum Sheini on Megillas Esther? When did he live?
I've checked several Megillas that have Targum Sheini printed in it and none of them have any details. If anyone can find me who the author is, I would greatly appreciate it.


texts:
Does anyone know where to get a scan of R' Seligman Baer's tikkun korim, or other older Western European tikkunei-korim? A complete scan of a Western Ashkenazi sefer Torah would also work.

Edit:
I believe I once saw someone mention there being one on Otzar haChochma, but I couldn't navigate their site at all.


texts: Where in the Gemara do you find the concept of meat being "glatt"? Or where do you even find the concept of "kosher lmehadrin."


texts:
Is there a Table of Contents, or perhaps an index, of the 'Aruch HaShulhan?  I have an old set, and there really is no easy way to look anything up*. I'm wondering if maybe newer sets have something, or if, perhaps, someone has independently published something.

*Edit: There is a short toc/index to O"C only, in the back of the first volume.


texts:
The zemer "Shalom Aleichem" is obviously addressed to angels. The Tur (OC Siman 3) gives a short text to says before entering the bathroom: התכבדו מכובדים משרתי עליון, etc. (also obviously addressed to angels).

The Shulchan Aruch (OC 3:1) rules not to say it nowadays. The Mishnah Brurah (3:1) explains that this is because we don't assume we have angels following us around nowadays.

If so, why do we say Shalom Aleichem if angels don't follow us around nowadays? The answer is not that it's different on Shabbos, because if so, we should say התכבדו מכובדים on Shabbos!


texts:
From organ donation discussions I learned that some don't view brain death as death and only view the cessation of the heart's beating to be death.

According to that, if someone's heart was stopped and then resumed, must he remarry his wife and must his brother do halitzah?


texts: Any Rules for Qamets Chatuph When Khaf Follows Chet?

texts:
In my slow but constant pursuit of Hebrew knowledge, I have not yet resolved the rules for the Qamets Chatuph (the Qamets that produces an "o" sound as opposed to an "a" sound). Fortunately, some resources (like the Koren Siddur) make this obvious by enlargening the Qamets. To that end, I have noted that there are a good many occurrences of this sound when Khaf (כ) follows Chet (ח), such as in the word chokh'mah (חכמה), when pronounced with the "o" sound instead of the "a" sound.

Naturally, I want to be able to delineate these different forms so that I can read the Tanakh with certainty regarding my pronunciation.

What is a good rule of thumb for this combination?


texts: Is it required to read the Ketubah under the Chuppah?

texts: Is it Halachicly required to read the ketubah aloud under the chuppah? Or, provided that it has been properly witnessed, is it sufficient to simply give the bride the text. I am thinking of a situation where the bride is not comfortable with the traditional Aramaic wording, but has agreed to the same but does not want the ketubah read aloud. Thank you


texts: Why the Ten Plagues (blood, frogs, lice, etc.) specifically?

texts: Why did G-d specifically choose to punish the Egyptians with the plagues of blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, locusts, hail, darkness, and the death of all firstborns?


texts: Why don't we care if the Pesach pilgrims get rained on?

texts:
After Sukkos, we immediately begin saying mashiv haruach, as it is the rainy season.  However, we delay saying v'sein tal umattar, the request for rain, until we have given the pilgrims who came to Jerusalem for the festival time to get home (Taanis 10a).  We don't want them to get rained on on the way.

We continue saying v'sein tal umattar until erev Pesach (Shulchan Aruch O.C. 117:1).

How come we don't stop a few days early, to give the pilgrims a dry journey to Jerusalem?  How come we only want to facilitate a dry journey home?  If anything, I would have thought the opposite - we should want to ensure a dry journey to Jerusalem, lest someone refrain from coming due to the treacherous journey.


texts: What do we do when chalitza is impossible?

texts:
The Mishna at the end of the 14th perek of יבמות gives a few examples where יבום is required and חליצה cannot be done. For example, if there are two brothers, one a חירש (deaf-mute) and one a פיקח (not a חירש) and the פיקח dies, then the חירש must perform יבום and cannot perform חליצה.

Nowadays, however, we (Ashkenazim, at least) normally always do חליצה and never יבום. So what would we do now if this case or another such case were to arise? In particular, I am interested in what would happen if the brother the חירש were married considering the modern obligation (on Ashkenazim, at least) to remain monogamous? חליצה seems to be out of the question. So does he do יבום? A חירש is unable to divorce his יבמה after the fact, so does he have to divorce his wife and then do יבום? Perhaps the יבמה simply remains unmarried for the rest of her life like an aguna (this is what I suspect is the case). If that is the case, is there room to allow יבום either in the case where the brother is married or unmarried in order to prevent that situation?


texts: Why is the Biblical Second Temple Pesach not mentioned in Seder Korban Pesach?

texts:
Some have the custom to recite Seder Korban Pesach (a description of the Korban Pesach service in the Temple) on the afternoon of Erev Pesach. Some include before this recitation a selection of biblical passages dealing with the Korban Pesach. See eg here.

However, there is a conspicuous absence from this list of references: The Pesach celebrated by the returnees at the start of the Second Temple Era, described in Ezra 6:19-22.

Why is this account not included?


texts: Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld quotes his grandfather who brings a Midrash saying that the world before the Flood didn't feature decay, therefore Noah didn't realize his grape juice was going to turn into wine since there was no bacteria fermentation before then. Where is this Midrash about the antediluvian atmospheric conditions?


texts: Rabbi Shimon without any other qualifiers

texts: When there is a "Rabbi Shimon" without giving his father's name or his town, who is it assumed to be? The specific example I'm looking at is in Yerushalmi Brachot Daf 25.-25:.


texts: What is the Teshuvah for a gentile marrying a Jew

texts:
Firstly, is it a sin for a gentile to marry a Jew?
Second, if so, what Noahide law does it break?
Lastly, what is the Teshuvah for that?


texts:
I read in a post on mi yodeya here that this Chacham, Rav Moshe Ben Chasday Mitaku wrote that G-d has a body. I am sure that the text is very interesting and I am curious to understand what he means. Is it possible to read the original text online?
If someone can help me I will be very grateful.
 This is very hard to read.


texts: Why is so much importance attached to Mevarchim haChodesh (the blessing of the coming month)?

texts: For example, in many shuls, there is a "Shabbos Mevarchim" kiddush, and I know of many people who try extra hard to be in shul that week (like it's parshas zachor or something).  Is there any reason behind this?


texts: How did B'nai Yisra'el differentiate what the departure of the cloud meant?

texts:
I'm curious about various functions of the cloud that rested on Ohel Mo'ed. For example:

In Bemidbar 9:17 - 18 its says that B'nai Yisra'el would camp while the cloud was resting on the Ohel Mo'ed, and when it lifted, they would travel.

In Bemidbar 12:10 after G-d speaks to Aharon and Miriam, the cloud departs from the Ohel.

I assume that the conversation that G-d had with Aharon and Miriam was private. If B'nei Yisra'el saw the cloud depart from the Ohel, wouldn't that be a sign that they had to travel?

How would they know what the departure of the cloud meant? Was this a different cloud form? Was it located in a different area of the Ohel? What was happening?

Note: I am not asking specifically about how they knew when they should travel. I assume that the blowing of the trumpets was the main call to get ready, and if they didn't hear anything, then they knew not to travel. My question, here, is specifically if the placement or form of the cloud was different.


texts: Where can I find how many roots the author needs to compose for each book of the Tenach

texts: For example:  I am reading now the book of Joshua in Hebrew. It looks to me quite simple language. The author uses often the same terms.   Poetry and wisdom-litterature is much more complex. My question is: Where can I explore, how many roots the authors of the different books of Tanakh are using to compose their books.


texts: If I am teaching myself a foreign language as a leisure activity, may I write in a workbook on  chol hamoed, for the purpose of retaining my knowledge? If I haven't begun, may I start the new language if it involves writing?


texts: What sort of challenges can one expect to see after choosing to become a full time learner if starting out later in life?

texts:
If one started out his life pursuing a career how difficult would it be for him to switch gears and enroll in a kollel or yeshivah to become a full time torah learner?

What sort of options are available in regards to making a living?

How can one know if it's right for him?

Does it make a difference if his level is not as advanced as someone who went to kollel straight after yeshivah without any breaks?

What can he expect to experience after beginning such a transition?


texts: vegetables, water, tomato juice and vegetable soup

texts:
Someone told me that when vegetables are cooked in water, the water even without the vegetables takes on the berachah of the vegetables. Where is the halachic source for this?

It would entail that tomato juice is borei pri ha’adamah and so is vegetable broth. This does not apply to fruits except for prune juice, which is a borei pri ha’eitz.


texts:
Follow up to this question.

Moshe shows up with his brother and makes a demand of Paroh -- give up a chunk of your labor, or else. Then time and time again, Hashem, through Moshe, effects a major attack on the well being of Egypt: the water supply, the food, the trees, the animals etc.

Why doesn't Paroh just kill Moshe as someone threatening the wellbeing of the nation? He sought to kill Moshe after the killing of a single Egyptian but he doesn't seem to lay a hand against Moshe during (at least) the first 7 plagues.

Are there midrashim or meforshim which deal with this?


texts: Why doesn't a ben niddah acquire the status of a mamzer?

texts:
One who commits incest is punished with Kares (spiritual separation from the divine source), and any product of incest has the status of a Mamzer.

One who has relations with a Niddah is also punished with Kares, yet the product of such a union does not acquire the status of a Mamzer.

Shouldn't the product of both unions have the same status?


texts: What's wrong with pastrami on white bread with mayonnaise?

texts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1zktTCVrDs#t=108s

I usually understand most of Weird Al's references, but this one baffles me.

What's wrong with eating pastrami on white bread with mayonnaise?

(For background, I am Christian and I've read the Old Testament.  I understand the idea that certain foods are kosher and certain ones aren't, but that's where my knowledge of Judaism ends.  Please assume that I have little to no background knowledge.)


texts: May a shofar be blown for recreational purposes?

texts: I know the shofar is not to be blown on rosh hashana except when performing it for a mitzva, but is a shofer permitted to be blown when it is not shabbos or a chag for recreational (not mitzva or mitzva preparation) purposes?


texts:
In Kol Nidrei, one says

  All vows, and prohibitions, and oaths, and consecrations, and konams and konasi and any synonymous terms, that we may vow, or swear, or consecrate, or prohibit upon ourselves, from the previous Day of Atonement until this Day of Atonement and ... from this Day of Atonement until the Day of Atonement that will come for our benefit. Regarding all of them, we repudiate them. All of them are undone, abandoned, cancelled, null and void, not in force, and not in effect. Our vows are no longer vows, and our prohibitions are no longer prohibitions, and our oaths are no longer oaths."

[Emphasis mine].

Does this mean that I am allowed to make a false (future, and not-interpersonal) oath nowadays?

The Wikipedia article says that many were opposed to this prayer for this reason. Yet, now that we do say it, why does one have to keep any not-interpersonal vow nowadays?


texts: Burying on shelves, one on top of the other

texts: Recently I read an article regarding burial in Israel. There seems to be a shortage of graves and therefore there are those that are using this method of burying 4 deep underground in order to alleviate the shortage of space. Are there any Halachic issues with this? Is this an area of dispute amongst Halachic authorities?


texts:
Do Gedolim in Israel not learn on Nittel Nacht? The Nitei Gavriel (3:1) writes

בארץ ישראל יש אומרים שאין לחוש לניטל אכן רוב הגדולים חשו לזה גם בא"י
-- Some say it doesn't apply in Israel, but most Gedolim are still concerned for Nittel Nacht.

It just doesn't seem like Rav Chaim Kanievsky and most other Gedolei Yisroel don't learn then...


texts: Getting back together with a girlfriend after she has dated other guys?

texts:
Suppose a young Jewish couple, Bob and Jane dated, and had sex. (Yes, I realize premarital sex isn't ideal under orthodox Judaism, but I am interested in the halachic and spiritual implications given that this is going on between people.) Then, they did not get married but split up and began seeing other people. The girl then got into a relationship with another guy, where they had sex. Eventually the Bob and Jane realized they actually made a mistake and really wanted to spend the rest of their lives with one another. Can they get married?

Halachically, I know that a man who has divorced his wife cannot go and re-marry her if she went and became the wife of another man in the meantime. Since so many relationships today involve sex but not marriage, I want to ask what the situation is when there was no marriage.

I understand that, in the past, sex (in fact "yihud") was one way to acquire a wife, but I don't think any rabbi today would consider a couple married because they had sex. If that would have been the case then a Jewish man would have to give his girlfriend a get when she leaves. So I do not think that particular law applies. But what does Judaism say about the situation spiritually as well as whether the couple can get married after all that?


texts: Why do some prayers require you to stand?

texts:
Is there a significance of standing or sitting while reciting a prayer?

The following prayers require one to stand: baruch sheamar, yishtabakh, shemoneh esrei and aleinu (according to some minhagim).

This is more prevalent during the prayers of Rosh Hoshana and Yom Kippur where you are required to get up every 5 minutes when the ark is opened during hazaras hashatz.


texts: Is there a way to tell if a Pitom of an Etrog has been broken, or was grown that way?

texts:
Is there a way to tell whether the Pitum of an Etrog has been broken off
or whether the Etrog had just grown that way (without a pitum)?

(I just seem to be a little worried about mine, so any advice based on experience and knowledge would be appreciated!)


texts: Different customs for Ashkenazic and Sephardic weddings

texts: What are the major differences that one would notice between a Sephardic and an Ashkenazic wedding?


texts:
I saw this recently:

  "If one, G-d forbid, [is not careful to place the tefillin above his hairline and instead] puts the tefillin on his forehead, he is following a custom of the Karites, and has not fulfilled the mitzvah at all….and has said a bracha in vain." {Mishna Berura 27:33}

I had thought that the Karaites did not wear tefillin and interpreted the verse in the Torah as "figurative"?


texts:
I will bring a few sources to make the point…

On the one hand, supporting ugly, we have the Gemara (Nedarim 50b)

  The Emperor's daughter said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya: ‘Such beautiful wisdom in an ugly vessel!’ [referring to his appearance]. He replied ‘Learn from your father's palace. In what is the wine stored?’ ‘In earthenware jars.’ she answered. ‘The whole world uses earthenware vessels! And you – the Royal family – also use earthenware vessels!? You should store it in vessels of silver and gold’ So she went and had the wine replaced in vessels of gold and silver, and it turned sour. He said “the Torah is just the same. It is best preserved in me because I am ugly." "But there are handsome men who are learned!" she protested. "If they were ugly," Rabbi Yehoshua replied, "they would be even more learned."

and Mishlei 31:30

  beauty is vain (hevel hayofi)

On the other hand, supporting beautiful, we have Bereishit 10:11, Bereishit 29:17, Bereishit 39:6 stating the beauty of Sarai, Rachel, and Yosef respectively.

Also the Talmud (Brachot 20a, Bava Metzia 84a) describes the beauty of Rabbi Yochanan in a good light.

Which is better for ones spiritual development and/or connection with Hashem?


texts: Forgot Atta Chonantanu and haven't said Havdalla yet before davening Shacharis

texts:
In the event that one forgot to say atta chonantanu in Maariv, they do not repeat Shemoneh Esrei (S.A. O.C. 294:1).  The reason for this is because it is not necessary to repeat, as one can say Havdallah on wine.

If one comes to Shacharis, and has not yet said Havdallah, and they have not eaten anything or done any melacha yet, should they say atta chonantanu in Shacharis?

My reasoning why perhaps you should is because perhaps it is not necessary to repeat Shemoneh Esrei to say atta chonantanu, but if I am not repeating, but saying a Shemoneh Esrei which I am obligated to say in its proper time, and have not yet discharged my Havdallah with wine, perhaps it should be said.

On the other hand, perhaps Havdalla in Shemoneh Esrei is only a Maariv establishment, and is not given to be added into any other Shemoneh Esrei.


texts: What melachah is transgressed by folding a tallis? Is there some way to fold it which is permitted?


texts: Why is there a common custom to place white coverings in shul for the High Holidays?

texts:
I understand the reason why people wear a kittel (a white "coat") or white clothing on Yom Kippur, and why some people wear it on Rosh Hashanna as well. The common two reasons I have seen are that such clothes represents either angles or it is the shroud used to clothe the dead.

But, why do many shuls dress the Torah covers, parochet (ark curtain) and the Torah and chazzan "tables" in white as well? These are objects, so I can't see how this would be related to the same reasoning of angel or dead's clothes?


texts:
I recently asked someone knowledgeable why those who are makpid to remove even the tiniest, halachically-unimportant pieces of ~chometz from their homes before Pesach do not seem to care at all about the potential chometz in their lawns.* According to the little I know about the topic as it relates to eiruvs, etc., privately-owned lawns and backyards seem to be part of the home domain. The person responded with an explanation I didn't understand that had something to do with birds eating the chometz.

What was his explanation?
What, if any, are other answers to the question of why "the backyard doesn't matter" for Pesach cleaning?
How can an explanation involving birds be reconciled with the idea that we must not have chometz in our birdfeeders during Pesach?

*(That said, my Chabad Pesach-preparation book includes "yard" and--get this--"sidewalk" on the list of things to clean before Pesach, so evidently some people think you should care. CYLOR!)


texts: How seriously do we take the finger-inspection in Havdala?

texts:
After saying the blessing over fire during Havdala, we do something (customs vary) involving looking at our fingers by the light of the Havdala candle. I'm wondering how seriously we take this part of the ritual. In particular:

If the person making Havdala doesn't do this, is the fire blessing or the Havdala invalidated?
If the people discharging their obligation by observing the Havdala don't do this, do they lose credit for this blessing of for the Havdala?
How certain must the finger-looker be that the light involved is from the Havdala candle? If most of the light cast on the fingers is from electric lights, does that invalidate the finger-looking?


texts: Eating for strength to bury on Tisha B' Av

texts:
Can one (halachically) eat to have the strength to dig a grave for a recently passed away Jew?

Assume you can't pay a gentile to do it for you.


texts:
How does the Torah view someone who's belching or burping while he's eating a meal? Is a human instinct or animal behavior?
Is better that he passes gas then burps?


texts:
"ויהי אחרי מות משה עבד ה..."

And it was after Moshe the servant of Hashem died...

Rashi explains why the following Pasuk says "משה עבדי מת...," Moshe My servant haso died. Here's a link to the Rashi. http://m.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15785#showrashi=true

Summary: "If Moshe were still alive, I [Hashem] would prefer him." It's referring to Moshe as the law-giver, not the leader. Moshe gave 3,000 laws that people forgot. Yehoshua` want to know them, so he asks Hashem. Hashem says, "Moshe my servant has died. The Torah is called by his name, implying that you cannot possibly understand it. Go out and occupy them with martial activities."

My question is: Why is the beginning of 1:1 necessary?


texts: Torah reading for foreigners in Israel on Chol HaMoed Sukkot

texts:
The Torah reading on Chol HaMoed Sukkot is different in Israel (each day’s mussaf sacrifice is read four times) and the Diaspora (more than one day’s portion is read to take account of sfeika d’yoma (the doubt as to which day the festival actually started)).

If there is a minyan located in Israel but composed entirely of foreign tourists, what should they read? What if the majority are foreigners, but there is a minority of locals?


texts: What bracha would the fruit of a parasitic plant be? (Or the plant itself.)

texts:
Parasitic plants do not grow in the ground, instead they grow on other plants. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasitic_plant

List of examples: http://www.parasiticplants.siu.edu/ParasiteFood.html

So would it be like a mushroom which does not grow from the ground? Or would it be like a plant because A: It uses photosynthesis, and B: It grows on a living plant, which in turn grows on the ground?

Not all parasitic plants use photosynthesis, but they do grow on a plant that uses it, does that change the answer?

Also, what bracha is the plant itself, not just the fruit?


texts: Animal Suffering and The Cruelty of Nature

texts:
Whilst the world's ecosystem and natural phenomena are magnificently complex and awe-inspiring, it is undoubtedly a system that is brutal - 'red in tooth and claw'. The laws of nature we can observe involve spectacular intricacies but also immense animal suffering. Why would an omnipotent God create a vicious foodchain and unforgiving evolutionary process when a "kinder" perfectly-functioning model could have been implemented?

Based on Isaiah 11:6; "[In the Messianic age] The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together", implies that the current ecosystem of our planet is not ideal or utopian. The prophet therefore seems to acknowledge there is an evil in nature.

The classical theodicies attempting to explain human suffering, and many answers suggested as a solution to the problem of evil do not seem to apply to the suffering endured by animals who have no free will. Are there any sources that address natural evil that is not caused by man, and to a very large degree do no directly impact mankind? What approaches can be taken to this question?


texts:
Good morning to all,
Would you know if Tériel or Tariel has any meaning in Hebrew/Ancient Hebrew/Aramaic/Akkadian? And if there is any mythology attached to it? Maybe from the Zohar or Kabbalah as someone suggested to me but I'm not familiar with the Zohar so not sure where to start or look for the Tériel/Tariel.
Would you know any Giant/Nephilim legends? Because the Torah does not say much about those.


texts: Why does the verb PaGA (פגע) mean both to intercede and to arrive?

texts:
What is the explanation why the Hebrew verb PaGA ( = פגע ) means both to intercede and to arrive?

We see this, for example, in the Chabad Rashi translation and commentary of both Genesis 28:11 "And he arrived at the place" ( = וַיִּפְגַּ֨ע בַּמָּק֜וֹם ) and Isaiah 53:12 "and [he] interceded for the transgressors" ( = וְלַפֹּֽשְׁעִ֖ים יַפְגִּֽיעַ ) .

I heard these passages today at my shul, but there was no explanation given as to why it has these meanings. Is there a mystical meaning why both "arrival" and "intercession" emanate from the same Hebrew word?


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When is a Yartzeit observed, the day of death or the day of burial? I ask this question in response to the news of the terrible death of the three boys in Eretz Yisrael who died weeks before their burial.

As always, please provide a source


texts: Does the Zodiac really have influence on our lives?

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Ancient thought, even among the rabbis of the Talmud, was that the Zodiac controlled certain Earthly events. In Hebrew, the signs of the Zodiac are מזלות, now known as "luck".

For example, in Shabbat 129b:

  בתלתא בשבתא מאי טעמא לא? משום דקיימא ליה מאדים בזווי

Basically, don't let blood on Tuesday because Mars is in power then.

In modern Jewish thought, does the Zodiac control/influence anything? Or is it merely superstition?


texts: Not eating chametz in Eretz Yisrael on "Achron shel Pesach"

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I heard that there is a letter from the Rebbe Rashab (Chabad) that one shouldn't eat chametz on Achron Shel Pesach when they are in Eretz Yisrael (even if they are keeping only one-day Yom Tov.) I understood perhaps it was directed specifically towards someone that was really from Chutz L'Aretz and was keeping one-day Yom Tov for whatever reason.

Has anyone seen or heard of such a letter? What's the source for this?

(I heard this originally b'shem a big Talmud Chacham that has a connection to Chabad, however I was never able to ask him where the makor is.)


texts: Someone who keeps one day Yom Tov Cooking on Chol HaMoed for someone else's Yom Tov Sheini

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It says in SA OC Siman 539 Sif 11 (in the Rema) that one may buy things on Chol HaMoed that are needed for the Yom Tov Sheini (of the last days of Yom Tov), which is rabbinic in nature for those living outside of Israel, and is not Yom Tov at all for those living in Israel. Rebbe Akiva Eager there writes that the Tur says one is permitted to "prepare". Rebbe Akiva Eager then says that the Tur is implies that even something that is a malacha, like cooking, may be done on Chol HaMoed for Yom Tov Sheini.

In M"B Sif-Katan 38, the author writes that we don't say "yom tov sheini might really be a weekday and therefore it is ossur to do something chol hamoed for its needs". Rather, it is muter to do something on Chol HaMoed for the purpose of Yom Tov Sheini.

My question is: Is an Israeli keeping only 7 days of the Chag allowed to cook on Chol HaMoed for someone else's Yom Tov Sheini (which is Isru Chag for the one cooking)? Even though the Yom Tov Sheini will be a weekday for the one cooking, for the other person it's Yom Tov and would have the heter of the Rema and Rebbe Akiva Eager (with the explanation of the M"B). What sources are there on this? What savarah (logic) could be said (in favor of one way or the other)?


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What is the source of Perek Shira. That is; when was it composed, and by whom?

According to Wikipedia it is mentioned as early as the tenth century. is there any evidence that it is older than this.

(Note I am not looking for unsubstantiated claims, but rather, rigorous assertions based on evidence such as earliest references, literary analysis, etc.)


texts: Looking for a Halachic/Hashkafic Sefer about Shirah

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Music seems to play a predominant role in Jewish life, looking at the common practice of Shabbos zemiros or the wide variety of tunes during davening as some examples. Some of this bleeds over into the realm of Halacha, looking at Sotah 49a and Gittin 7a and the Poskim to each one regarding music nowadays (post-Churban). As such, I was wondering if anyone came across a Sefer that went through the various sources and discusses the different Hashkafos on what music does and what its role should be in one’s life.

I did come across such a Sefer a while ago, called Through Music and Song by Rabbi Elysha Sandler (a Sefer I’ve quoted before on this site). However, I felt this Sefer was a bit too Chassidish and Kabbalistic for me. What I’m looking for in an answer here is a Sefer in the same vein as that one, but geared more toward a Litvak crowd.


texts: According to Jewish law, if my only witness in a trial is deceased, what happens?

texts: In the case that someone makes a certain claim before a court but requires a witness(es), however, the witnesses are deceased. Does that mean the person's claim has no bearing?


texts:
There are two women that made a similar act. Esther went to Achashverosh to save Jews and Yael tempted Sisra to kill him and save Jews.

I want to compare among these acts.

Does Yael was forbidden to her husband as Esther (כאשר אבדתי אבדתי in Megila 15a)?
According to Yael we say "גדולה עבירה לשמה ממצוה שלא לשמה" (Nazir 23b,Horayot 10b) "Better a transgression for the sake [of heaven] than a mitzvah that is not for the sake [of heaven]". Does not the same apply to Esther?


texts: What happens if Hebrew Slave goes on strike?

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@Joel's answer to my previous question "whats-so-slave-ish-in-the-hebrew-slave" showed a possible difference between a slave and an employee - the later can simply walk away.

That made me think: what if a Hebrew slave decide to end his slavery (is it parallel to a woman wanting a divorce?), both if he sold himself or the court sold him?

Hebrew Slave is a Jew and all laws of נזקים apply to him so his master is forbidden to raise his hand upon him. As their relations are exclusively monetary, his master is very limited. Just like my boss at work.

What would happen if he goes on strike and refuses to serve? As his body does not belong to his master the later can't harm him physically. Can a Beis Din?
Is there a condition (similar to אישה מורדת) that would obligate the master to release him? What happens to the debt?

(Should I break it into multiple questions?)


texts: What is the origin of the minhag to bake challah for the ill?

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Yesterday, I noticed on my Jewish community email group that someone was sponsoring a group challah "bake off" for refu'ah shleima (speedy recovery) for a group of ill people.

I have seen these announcements frequently. I am unfamiliar with this custom. How does baking challah provide a blessing for the ill? When did this custom originate? Is this effective only in a group setting, or can an individual baking challah have the same effect?


texts: Differences in Tochacha (rebuke) between Ki Tavo and Behukotai

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As I understand, one of the main differences between the rebuke in parshat Bekhukotai and parshat Ki Tavo is that the earlier one is spoken by G-d and the later one is spoken by Moshe, as is the majority of Devarim.

A reading of the one in Ki Tavo reveals far more punishments and calamities than those mentioned in Behukotai. Where does Moshe know that these things will happen? Are these a form of nevu'ah meaning that G-d told him these things and now he is relaying it?

Additionally, in the Behukotai tochacha, we find interspersed a few verses of hope and encouragement such as Vayikra 26:42. (Related that this is "encouragement is Kitzur S.A.'s halacha that the Torah reader should raise his voice for this verse.) Ki Tavo has no words of encouragement in the middle. Why does Moshe not offer any?


texts:
Why is it ok to use tap water/toilets on Shabbos? Considering the source of the water pressure.

The water pressure that enables the water to flow out of the tap has to come from somewhere.  It is almost always mechanically enhanced.

New York City in some cases might be an exception, since almost all the water pressure is entirely due to gravity.  The water from the reservoirs in the mountains north of the city, literally goes downhill to the city, and is still benefiting from a gradient as it hits the city.  This is apparently sufficient for even reasonably tall buildings!  10 stories or so before mechanical assistance is needed. In which case it is pumped to a tank on the roof, which then uses gravity again when needed.

So whenever you turn on the tap, flush the toilet, use the water, you deplete the current source, and if it is mechanically assisted, that needs to be replaced.  Be that into a water tower, or via a pumping station.


texts: Why do we still even try to do Sheluach HaKan?

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If we don't need the birds' eggs, as they used to, why do we send a mother bird away from her own eggs just to fulfill the mitzvah of Sheluach HaKan? Would the mitzvah even apply if we are doing it just for the sake of the mitzvah and not actually for the eggs? Or would it be more along the lines of "if you need the eggs, then send the mother bird away"?

On that note, if we are going to do the mitzvah still these days, should/do we put the eggs back after we send the bird away and remove the eggs for a little while? Or does that somehow nullify the mitzvah?


texts:
The beginning of the Jewish year is referred to as Rosh Hashanah.
The beginning of the Jewish month is called Rosh Chodesh.
How come Rosh Hashanah has a "hey" (ה) in it, while Rosh Chodesh does not?


texts: Why the story of a kohen gadol marrying a widow (יבמות ו:ד)?

texts:
Y'vamos, chapter 6, mishna 4, reads, in part:

אירס את האלמנה ונתמנה להיות כהן גדול יכנוס. ומעשה ביהושע בן גמלא שקידש את מרתא בת ביתוס ומינהו המלך להיות כהן גדול וכנסה.
If someone kidushin-betrothed a widow and was appointed kohen gadol, he may marry her [even though a kohen gadol may not marry a widow, since there was already kidushin in place]. Indeed, it happened that Y'hoshua b. Gamla kidushin-betrothed Marsa b. Baysos, the king appointed him kohen gadol, and he married her.

What does the story add?
I've seen a mishna cite a story to prove a point (though I can't find any examples at the moment). But, as far as I recall, such stories either (a) end with "and the rabbis approved" or (b) are about authorities (like rabbis) and thus are authoritative. Here, (a) is certainly not true. (b) seems to be false also: the mishna gives no indication that the actors in this story are people to be emulated and indeed the commentaries on the mishna say that "the king appointed him" implies that Y'hoshua b. Gamla was unworthy of the post. So there doesn't seem to be any authority supplied by the story; what does it add?


texts: Halachic restrictions on Sefarim shelves

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If memory serves me correctly, I believe Jonathan Rosenblum cites in his biography of Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky a story where Rav Yaakov complained that someone had placed a sefer on an arm of a bench rather than stand it up on the seat, to avoid the halachic prohibitions of Yoreh Deah 282 of sitting on the same surface as a Torah.

Accordingly, what are the halachically required minimum dimensions of shelves upon which printed Torah sefarim may be placed (i.e. minimum elevation from ground, width and depth)?

Does it matter if the sefarim are standing vs. lying down?


texts:
In 1 Shmuel 7:1 we learn that the Aron came to the house of Aminadav and to Elazar his son. Then in 2 Shmuel 6:3 we read that the is transported on a wagon guided by Uzzah and Achiyo the sons of Aminadav. I would like to know if there is any explanation for why Elazar did not participate in the return of the Aron as well.

I understand that the Aron was in the house of Aminadav for many years so it is possible that Elazar died a natural death in that time; I'm looking for any sort of commentary which explains either his fate or his absence from the procession that returned the Ark.


texts: Do the Jews believe that prophet Muhamned is their prophet?

texts: Shalom friends do the Jews believe that prophet Muhamned is their prophet do the Jews follow his teachings also what do the Jews think of prophet Muhamned. Thank you Shalom.


texts: It says in Sota 11b that the houses which were given to Yocheved and Miriam are interpreted as kingship, and the gemarah says that Dovid comes from Miriam. I'd like to know how that is possible given that Miriam married Calev and Dovid's ancestry is pretty clearly not from that line on either side. In Divrei haYamim I chapters 2 and 4 it shows unequivocally that Dovid comes from Ram, Calev's brother.


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This is something I've been wondering for a while, so hopefully I can get a good answer.

Why do we eat gefiltefish during passover, and where did this tradition come from? Is there a story, similar to the story of matzah?

NOTE: This is not a duplicate. This question is asking about passover specifically.


texts: Why isn't the book of the Maccabees part of the Jewish canon?

texts: I believe they are in the Christian canon... why not Jewish?


texts: How long does the bracha "lashev b'sukka" last?

texts:
On Succos, how many times a day does one say "lashev b'sukka"?
- Once a day at the onset of daylight?
- Once at day and once at night"?
- Every time one enters the succa to eat?
- Other?
And why?


texts: With Tu B'Shevat in 2 weeks, and the Inyan of eating fruits many people eat dried fruit. What are the concerns regarding worms in specific fruits? How do you check to make sure that there are no unwelcome critters?


texts: Ephraim and Menashe were supposed to make great nations of themselves, as it is written. But since the first diaspora, their existence is either unknown or they have all died out. What can we say about this? What can we expect to see in the world to come?


texts: Should someone say Tefillat Haderech if he is riding the NY City subway even less than 1 parsa?

texts:
I am excerpting part of an answer to this question

  the Aruch HaShulachan (as well as the B'er Heitev) in סימן קי - דיני
  תפילת ''הביננו'', ותפילת הדרך והפועלים says:

  טו: אין לאמר תפילת הדרך אלא אם כן יש לו לילך פרסה, דפחות מפרסה לא נקרא
  ''דרך''. אלא אם כן הוא מקום סכנה, דאז גם בפחות מזה יש לאומרה.

  "If one is in a dangerous area, then one says it even for less than a
  Parsa."

The NYC subway has some dangerous stations, especially late at night. Some subway lines themselves can be considered dangerous because of the neighborhoods they pass through and the people that board the train. I used NYC as an example, but I gather that similar evaluations may be made about many transit systems in the world.

The same source (Aruch Hashulchan) specifies that travel must be to another city. My daily commute on the subway is 1 hr. each way but is within the same city. Normally the distance would qualify, but since it's in the same city, I infer, no. However, the majority of my commute is through several dangerous neighborhoods. Based on this Aruch Hashulchan, should I say Tefillat Haderech? If so, should I say it twice daily, since I make 2 commutes?


texts: What is the source for men covering their heads?

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I remember learning (but don't remember where) that men are required d'rabbanan to cover their heads at least when saying b'rachot, but practically speaking people just cover them all the time.  (That makes sense; you never know when you're going to experience something that calls for an unplanned b'racha.)  I was talking tonight with somebody who thought wearing a head-covering is strong minhag but not halacha, and he asked me for a source.  I said I didn't know but I know a place to find out.

What is the actual halacha for when men have to cover their heads, is it d'rabbanan as I remember learning, and what is its source?

(The topic came up because he's shopping for a school for his oldest child and he's found schools with different policies about kippot.)


texts: Situations where your own opinions define Jewish law

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I am asking this question to evoke a list of situations in which one's personal feelings, intuitions, beliefs, and/or tastes have a role in creating the halacha.

I can think of a few on my own. With food, it is quite frequent; according to some opinions, one makes a bracha first on the food one likes most. One may arguably omit meat or fish or other traditional foods Shabbos if (and only if) one doesn't like them. And it seems there are many issues connected with subjectivity in hilchos Shabbos v'Tom Tov, in general: איסטניס; ochel nefesh; whether, based on your personal standard of acceptability, you are allowed to improve something further; etc., etc.

Apart from food and Shabbos, it is a bit harder to find examples. Shidduchim--and the necessity of seeing a potential bride, and choosing her based at least somewhat on one's own tastes--come to mind. In this arena, one's personal יש--that which makes him himself rather than another Yid with the same status--is ascribed some sort of religious legitimacy.

There were also nedoves, freewill offerings, which we also have in tefilla today. And finally, I once read an opinion that the decision of whether to say hamapil before or after other bedtime prayers should be based on one's personal sense of what to do.

Can anyone point out other significant or interesting points of halacha where the individual judgment of a layperson determines the law? (I ask about personal rather than communal or interpersonal preference/identity. And I am asking mostly about halachos--but opinions of the greats on the importance of individuality would also be very interesting to hear.)

Bli neder, sources later


texts: Is it appropriate to use the term "guru" to refer to an expert in matters of Judaism or Jewish law on the assumption that it will be understood as the second definition here, or is it inappropriate no matter what because of the vestigial influence of the first (Hindu) definition?