texts: Are the names of the zugot disclosed to us in other masechtot?

texts:
Am I correct in saying that the identities of the zugot are only revealed to us within masechet Pirkei Avot?
Or are the names of the zugot also disclosed to us in other masechtot of the Mishnah? If so, which masechtot of the Mishnah?


texts: When two opinions differ how the Halachah is made?

texts:
Lets supose that in talmud sage A say that something is permitted and sage B say that something is not permitted, what opinion should we follow?

Have seen some places that the difference is absurd, like:

sage A say that someone is exempt for a severe sin in THAT situation ///
sage B say that someone is liable for TWO severe sin in THAT situation.

Well, in position of sage A, there isn't a sin, in position of sage B it is double severe sin.


texts: PTIJ: Why can't I sing about soda on certain days?

texts:
Part of the weekday Shachrit includes Psalm 100, which is מזמור לתודה - a song for soda.
We don't sing about soda on Shabbat, Yom Tov, Erev Pesach, Hol Hamo'ed Pesach and Erev Yom Kippur.
Many people like soda. Some people sing whenever they eat or drink, and bubbly water is refreshing and gladdens the spirit and the esophagus. It's something to sing about. And, I know we're allowed to drink soda on all these days except Yom Kippur. (OK, I can understand, then, why it's eliminated then.)
So what's special about all the other days when we can't sing about soda?

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


texts: Why does the use of horse manure as fertilizer not make produce non-kosher?

texts: Horses are non-kosher and its manure is also non-kosher. If you use the manure as fertilizer on, say, potatoes, isn't there some concern that the potatoes may absorb some part of the manure? If so, wouldn't that make the potatoes non-kosher?


texts:
What is a min (heretic)? And how does one become a min?

And what are the Halachic Ramification about a min?
Some Examples:
Can't talk to a min.
No matter what reject min's teshuva.
etc.

Thank You.

(Some help tagging)


texts: Avelut: Bereavement in Judaism - Where does the word come from

texts:
Bereavement in Judaism is often called "Avelut" or in singular form: "Avel". (Hebrew: אֲבֵלוּת).

What does this word literally mean?  WHere does it come from?


texts:
The third-person feminine pronoun in Hebrew is היא, "hee." But in most instances in the Torah, the word is spelled הוא, with a vav rather than a yud as the middle letter. How does this make sense grammatically? The vav is apparently unpronounced, as otherwise the word would be something like "hiw." But then all we're left with is the chirik-hei, which on its own (without a trailing yud) is just "hih," not "hee." The only thing I can imagine is that it's like a kri / kesiv, where the vav is meant to be pronounced like a yud.

Can anyone offer some enlightenment about this unique word?


texts: Earliest reference to women making the bracha of Shechayanu by candle lighting on yom tov

texts:
There is a minhag that I think is prevalent in most of klal yisrael that when a woman lights candles in honor of yom tov she at that point recites the bracha of shechayanu (rather than being "yotzee" with the bracha that her husband will make by kiddush.)

When did this Minhag begin as it doesn't seem to be mentioned anywhere in traditional poskim (Shulchan Aruch, nosei kelim, etc.) The Yavetz in Siman 107 already points out that this is mentioned in the sefer "Kitzur HaShelah" which is says is not a sefer to be relied upon. He doesn't seem to like the minhag however ends off that it's not a bracha l'vatelah and seemingly not so "bad".

In any case, what is the earliest source for the minhag? Is there anything "earlier" than what the Yavetz writes and brings from the sefer Kitzur HaShelah. How did the minhag come about?


texts: What kind of flute was used in the temple, according to the mishna?

texts:
In Mishna there are several mentions of the use of flute, there were used at the time of the Bet Mikdash, see below a few examples. I am interested to know if we have some knowledge about the type of flute. I know that flute is a very old instrument, see history in wikipedia.

From the Mishna of Bikurim and Arachim, it seems that this was an high pitched flute as the fife, according to the Bartenura in mishna Succa 5, 1*. But I am interested to know what type of flute it was, type kena, or transverse or recorder.

Bikurim 3,4;

  והחליל מכה לפניהם, עד שהן מגיעין קרוב לירושלים.

Kinim 3, 6 (made in bone of sheep):

  שני שוקיו, שני חלילין

Arachin 2, 3 (made in reed):

  ולא היה מכה באבוב של נחושת; אלא באבוב של קנה, מפני שקולו ערב.

I am interested by Hazal, archeologic or musical knowledge.

*

  החליל - הרבה מיני זמר היו שם, ועל שם שחליל קולו נשמע יותר מן האחרים נקראו כולם על שמו:


texts:
It has been said that the Torah is not a history book and her words are succinct. In addition to the "obvious" people and stories/events discussed in scripture, there are many others mentioned if only by name. Has Judaism ever considered the possibility that there were other great, G-d fearing people (or important events) who/which were not mentioned, even in passing, in the Torah and for what reason?

For example, is it possible that Abraham's neighbor, "Tzvi", three tents down, approached, equaled or excelled Abraham's greatness but was not mentioned, for whatever was G-d's reason, in the Torah?  Obviously the Torah considers Moshe to be the greatest prophet ever. Is there, however, any evidence for or against the possibility that there existed during biblical times Torah-true prophets or leaders (or events) that Hashem did not elaborate upon in His torah? Put into another  context, which Torah giants of the 19th and 20th centuries will be venerated 100 years from now? It is unlikely that they all will be remembered to the same degree. Some might be mentioned only in passing. Many will be forgotten. To sum up, Did the same thing happen in the Torah?

For purposes of this question, I am limiting reference only to the Tenakh, not "rejected" works such as pseudepigraphic, apocryphic and Dead Sea scrolls.


texts: How do we count the 7 arm tefillin windings?

texts:
This article gives several reasons why we wrap the tefillin around our arm 7 times.

Do the 7 windings start from the "half" intial wind that begins from the bottom of the "loop" that the strap comes from, (See the 1st wind in the picture, below) or is that one excluded and does it have to be complete "full circle" windings around the arm?

(In the picture, below, it looks like that 1st one is excluded, as there are another 7. But, I'm not sure if there are different minhagim regrading this.


texts: Why is the skin burned in chatas but not olah?

texts: I read in the artscroll Chumash that the skin of the korban was given to the Kohen in an olah after everything else had gone on the mizbeach, but that for a chatat the skin was burnt outside of the camp with the rest of the animal that wasnt brought on the mizbeach. Does anyone have a good explanation for the difference in procedure?


texts: Minimum number of people to start the Chazara

texts: In a minian, what is the minimum number of people that are able to answer required to start the chazara with the chazan?


texts: If something is marked Badatz Chatam Sofer or mehadrin, would it be considered Chalav Yisroel and Pas Yisroel?


texts: Order of names in a meshabarach after an aliyah

texts: Is there any specific order in the list of names in a meshabarach after an aliyah? For instance, does my wife get listed first,or my parents? Do Grandkids get listed after their parents or only after all my children?


texts: Al Cheit has a chorus line ועל כולם, אלוה סליחות, סלח לנו, מחל לנו, כפר לנו after the first 20 Al Cheits, then after the next 12, then after the next 12. Who made this division? Why was it not divided more evenly?


texts: Is white wine permitted between 6 and 7 o'clock?

texts: This answer references the possibility that there is a distinction between red and white wine for those that are careful not to make kiddush between 6 and 7 o'clock. Are there any sources that mention such a distinction?


texts: Substitutes for "Today" in the omer count

texts:
Shulchan Aruch, OC 489:4 (in my own translation):

  Someone whose friend asks him during twilight "How many days of the [omer] count tonight?" should tell him "Yesterday was such-and-such". For if he tells him "Today is such-and-such", he can't go back and count with a [preceding] benediction.

Mishna B'rura :20 (in my own translation):

  "'Today is such-and-such'" — and even in a foreign language. But if he didn't say "Today", we have no [concern] about it [i.e. he has certainly not fulfilled his counting obligation and can therefore say a benediction and count], because the main command of counting is that he say "Today is such-and-such".

Does "Tonight is three days of the omer" (or the equivalent in Hebrew) count as "Today is three days of the omer"?
Does "Tonight is three nights of the omer" (or the equivalent in Hebrew) count?
Does "Now is three days of the omer" (or the equivalent in Hebrew) count?

In English, "It's Tuesday." is used to indicate unambiguously (if context doesn't provide another meaning) that today is Tuesday. (Saying "Tuesday" alone is not.) Most likely, though, the "It" in that sentence does not refer to some hidden antecedent "Today".

Does "It's three days of the omer" count?


texts: Torah view on conservation and recycling

texts: It may seem obvious that we should 'look after' the world that Hashem gives us but is it considered a mitzvah to involve oneself in nature conservation and/or recycling?


texts: Why does the description of Yitzchak change?

texts:
When Avraham is told to take Yitzchak to the akeida, Yitzchak is specified with a series of 3 descriptions (Bereishit 22:2):
אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙
your singular son whom you love
but when the angel stops Avraham, he describes Yitzchak only as אֶת־בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־יְחִידְךָ֖, omitting "love" (pasuk 12 and 16).
Why is the descriptor of love removed after the fact? Was something lost in the relationship because of the Akeida? Does Avraham no longer love Yitzchak? The attribute is no more or less specific and necessary than the others but is missing here.


texts:
The Ben Ish Hai Parshat Bamidbar Din 2 holds it is permissible (and even recommended in Bagdhad), to bring in the second day of Shavuot early -- to daven and to make kiddush while it is still daytime of the first day. I've never seen anybody actually do this, and I'd like to find out whether this is a psak that's unique to the Ben Ish Hai, or whether it's universally accepted, or whether it's a machloket.

Can anyone share sources that corroborate or refute this Ben Ish Hai?


texts: Is killing a gentile also forbidden with the לאו of לא תרצח?

texts: Is killing a gentile also forbidden with the לאו of לא תרצח just in terms of this commandment ? And if so, how can it be permissible to go to war against a nation (מלחמת רשות / discretionary war) which involves killing human beings ? As opposed to a מלחמת מצווה, "War by commandment" where G-d explicitly commanded to conquer the nation.


texts: Can Havdalah spices be eaten afterwards?

texts:
Can someone partake of the havdalah spices for "secular" purposes (i.e. eating, etc.) after the service is concluded?

I know that one should not intentionally 'smell' his esrog on Sukkos (machlokes). Can one eat of the spices after being used for havdalah? Furthermore, if one did eat of them, could he use the remainder for the next havdalah?


texts:
The commentary of Ramba"n on Vayikra 26:16 explains a large swath of parashas B'chukosai as an allegory to the two batei Mikdash and the corresponding exiles. Included therein, he elaborates on the warring and exiling protocols of the Roman Empire, citing as corroborative proof "The Romans' book".

  וכן כתוב בספר הרומיים...

Is there a specific book to which he is referring or is it simply pointing the skeptical reader to check the original documentation of the Romans' own if he needs more proof to Ramba"n's contention?


texts: IF many poor people ask at once, must one give tzedaka to each one

texts:
The Sefer Hamitzvot (chafetz chaim) writes:

  "whoever sees a poor person asking [for tzedaka] and ignores him and
  does not give him tzedaka - he transgresses this biblical
  commandment..."

what happens in a case when many poor people are coming to ask.

for example, sometimes on the street in a religious neighborhood, or in a synagogue, etc. one is approached by many poor people. must one give something to each one?


texts: Someone told me today that they thought it was permitted to mix milk and meat if the milk was extracted from a dead cow (ie by cooking its udder). However I was unable to confirm in my googling. Has anyone heard of this?


texts: Who accepts the "chazaka" method of checking vegetables?

texts:
Several sources endorse a method of checking produce in which the batch of produce is washed, three random samples from the batch are inspected for bugs, and, if these samples are entirely clear of bugs, the rest of the batch may be used without checking.

However, in all my learning with rebbetzins and my observation of (frum) kosher kitchens, I have never seen a balebuste actually rely on this method for her checking. Instead, she checks every leaf individually for bugs.

Is this simply a chumra/hiddur/neurosis, or are there significant numbers of people who reject the chazaka check as sufficient, either halachically or by minhag? Or is "full" checking a stringency which frum women have agreed to take upon themselves in spite of the halacha?

Which groups do and do not practice/accept the chazaka method of checking?


texts: What's the common method for taking turns reading during a chavrusa learning session?

texts:
When a couple of men learn together as chavrusas, who reads? Does one always read while the other always listen? Does one read on day 1 while the other reads on day 2? Do they split the reading in half within the same session?

What are the advantages of each method? What is commonly done in today's study halls?


texts:
Rashi's explanation for what Moshe's sin was in Numbers 20 when he hit the rock is

  להקדישני. שֶׁאִלּוּ דִּבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע וְהוֹצִיא, הָיִיתִי מְקֻדָּשׁ לְעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה, וְאוֹמְרִים מַה סֶּלַע זֶה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְפַרְנָסָה, מְקַיֵּם דִּבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, קַל וָחוׂמֶר אָנוּ:

  If you had spoken to the rock and brought out [the water], I would have been sanctified in the eyes of the congregation. They would have said "just like this rock, which doesn't speak and doesn't hear and doesn't need sustenance, listens to the word of the Omnipresent, all the more so should we!"

The problem with this kal vachomar is it has a פירכה, refutation. To use talmudic language: מה לסלע, שאין לה בחירה חפשית, תאמר בבני אדם שיש להם בחירה חפשית. How can we learn from a rock, which doesn't have free will, we have free will! Obviously the rock listens to Hashem, it has no choice. Why should that mean I have to?


texts: What is the original halachic source for a woman covering her collarbones out of modesty (tznius)?

texts:
Many contemporary instructions on women's modesty (tznius) say that necklines have to be high enough to cover the collarbones.

I can certainly accept that if this is the communal standard, it should be upheld; or that it makes a good guideline to avoid problems of "well exactly where below the collarbone is too low."

But other than that, is there an original halachic source for it?  Do we know what the first source was to have stated "collarbones?"  (Is it called   עצם הבריח or עצם הצוואר)


texts: Distance when Davening around the other Gender

texts:
If I am in a public setting where there is no mechitzah, and there are women around, how far away need I be from them in order to daven?

I guess I'm wondering about the exact nature of the mechitzah -- is it to prevent seeing or to create separation? If there is a mechitzah, I can, effectively, be very close to a woman on the other side of the divider. If there is none, how far do I have to be?

I know that there is some discussion which mentions facing away from someone else while saying Sh'ma but I don't know if that is applicable to davening in public or in a shul. If the solution is simply to face away (and distance is not important then) then what about a situation where there are women all around so turning doesn't solve the problem of "seeng"? Does distance mitigate things? What if I put a bag over my head (not being facetious) -- I can resolve the "seeing" part that way and ignore the distance question.


texts: What is the halachic source for objection to sex before marriage?

texts:
As far as im aware the prohibition of Shomer Negiah comes from two pesukim in ויקרא:

  אִישׁ אִישׁ אֶל-כָּל-שְׁאֵר בְּשָׂרוֹ, לֹא תִקְרְבוּ לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָה:  אֲנִי יְהוָה
  "None of you shall come near anyone of his own flesh to uncover
  nakedness: I am the Lord". (18:6)

and

  וְאֶל-אִשָּׁה בְּנִדַּת טֻמְאָתָהּ--לֹא תִקְרַב לְגַלּוֹת עֶרְוָתָהּ
  "Do not come near a woman during her period of uncleanness (niddah) to
  uncover her nakedness". (18:19)

The second verse, which prohibits sex with a niddah (menstruating woman) applies not only to one's wife, but to all women, married or otherwise, because unmarried women are considered to be in a constant state of niddah because they do not go to mikvah (ritual immersion). The rabbis extended this prohibition beyond sex to include any type of touching, whether a handshake or a hug.

Is it possible to have sex with an unmarried woman if she went to mikvah?


texts: Question about Polygamy and Marriage Ceremonies

texts:
This is a follow up to my previous question on Polygamy

In Jewish marriages, was it ever common for a man to marry more than one wife in the same ceremony?

The context: I've been looking into polygamy in general, and there's a parable where Jesus talks about 10 virgins (linked to H.SE Question), and some argue that this means that all of them are being married at the same time to one person.

I'm hoping some of you can shed some light on this. Thank you!


texts: Did Moshe have a name before pharaoh's daughter named him?

texts: I asked myself if Moshe had a name before they called him Moshe when he was three months old.


texts: Does repentance remove effects of prior sexual assault?

texts: Within the Laws of marriage in the Religious world, if someone was to be sexually abused or assaulted, however has done and experience properly the 5 stages of appropriate and acceptable Teshuvah does this mean that Hashem sees it as it has never happened? And does this mean that one does not need to write this on this Ketubah?


texts: If a sofer takes money for a Sefer Torah and does not supply it, are the STA"M he writes after that considered kosher?


texts:
I am standing on the shoulders of the many related "ad d'lo yada" questions but am particularly inspired by this question and a particular comment.

"If I'm drunk I'm patur from davening. So what's the problem? I'm patur! – Double AA♦ Feb 15 '13 at 20:13"

I assume that this refers to the notion that one who is busy with a mitzvah is exempted from the obligation to fulfill other mitzvot (which, I know, has many subtleties).

I am currently under a doctor's care and have some pills to take (full disclosure -- I just took one) and the side effects include

  The most frequently observed adverse reactions include drowsiness lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and constipation

most of which would make me feel incapable of speaking in front of a distinguished person, as per the citation in this answer (and, as it is not Purim, I cannot use the exception which that citation allows).

But I take it because I am told to by my doctor, and guarding my well being is an obligation on its own, as written here:

  Q: Is it a Mitzvah to take medicine which a doctor prescribed me?
  A: Yes. The Torah commands "And he shall surely heal him." It is a Mitzvah to be healed by a doctor (Baba Kama 85a).

Not asking for a psak, but just for insight into the potential for a contradiction. I understand that all these side effects don't always happen and if one is not remotely incapacitated, there is less concern regarding prayer but I wonder -- do these two notions come into conflict? Is one who consistently feels a side effect then possibly patur from the obligation to daven for the duration of a medical treatment?

If my assumptions are incorrect, please correct me. TIA.


texts: What is the halachic source requiring us to ritually slaughter chicken specifically, and was there ever a time in history that Halachic Jews ate chicken without first performing ritual slaughter?


texts:
Given that voyeurism by Jewish figures has been in the news, I'm curious.  How does Jewish law traditionally treat voyeurism (if it does at all)? What is the punishment for voyeurism?

Note: I am not referring to punishments or prohibitions against looking at immodestly dressed people or images in general. I refer to punishments or prohibitions against voyeurism as a form of damage or attack on the target.


texts: how much is required to make something tamei?

texts: Do all things that are tamei have to be more than an adasha or just a sheretz? for example is less than an adasha of zera tamei?


texts: Can you use fabric made from plant fibre for s'chach?

texts:
Can you use fabric made from plant fibre (eg. hemp, jute, burlap, hessian etc) for s'chach?

As far as I understand, it grows from the ground, it isn't made into a keli so shouldn't be mekabel tumah and it isn't still connected to the ground, but I know that paper and cardboard aren't ok because they have been processed so much, so not sure if that falls into the same problem?

If it is allowable, would it be considered not ideal and are there any restrictions on it - obviously it would need to be more shade than sun, but is there anything else?


texts: Contradiction between Shulchan Aruch Harav and his siddur

texts: When there is a contradiction between the Shulchan Aruch Harav and his siddur,which one does the poskim use?


texts: What are the origins of the תושלב"ע prayer at the end of holy books?

texts:
When I finished the Book of Bereishit this Shabbos, the Tanakh I was reading concluded with this prayer:

תם ונשלם תהילה לאל בורא עולם
(Finished and completed. Praise to G!d, Creator of the Universe.)

I guess I've never noticed this inscription before, but apparently it is typically inscribed at the end of religious books. However, the little information I can find on it says it's usually abbreviated תושלב"ע, and that it uses the word שבח, not תהילה, for the word translated as "praise."

What are the origins of this prayer, where is it usually inscribed, and what accounts for these differences in the wording about praise? (And why אל instead of a more direct name for G!d typically used in prayer?)


texts:
There has been a siddur around for many years called קול יעקב. I assume that the name of the Siddur was inspired by Breishit 27:22:

הקול קול יעקב והידים ידי עשיו

I also understand that the Siddur is used for prayer or, in a sense, speaking to G-d, so this seems like a good name for a Siddur.
However, we really pray with our entire bodies, including our hands. Our hands have to hold the Siddur, carry the Torah, wear tefillin, and do other things involved with prayer. I haven't seen a Siddur called Y'dei Esav. It seems like this would be a decent name, as long as we have alluded to this verse, already to name a siddur. Is there such a Siddur around, and if so, where can I buy one? If not, why isn't there one?
For those who insist that Esav was an evil man, I counter that there is nothing stated directly in the Torah that says this. Additionally, even a number of rabbis have commended his loyalty and commitment to honoring his father. To me, that feature alone should let him have a Siddur named after him. Wouldn't we want to pray for children honoring their parents? There are, sadly, many kids that don't do this.

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


texts:
I am translating the "Thirteen Foundations of the Torah" (י"ג יסודות תורתנו) from the Qafih ("Kapach") edition of the Rambam's Pirush HaMishnayot. As usual, I run into philosophical difficulties with foundation #8 regarding the text of the Torah as we possess it. However, I noticed something that I possibly have been taking for granted: the Rambam says that "all of it is from the mouth of HaGevurah" (שהיא כולה מפי הגבורה), and then he explains himself by saying "That is to say, 'all of it came to him from HaShem Yitborakh.'" (כלומר: שהגיעה אליו כולה מאת ה' יתברך). It seems to me that if "ha-gevurah" was simply a designation for God himself, then it would be unecessary for him to explain. Now, I understand that [at least] part of his explanation has to do with what he says immediately afterward, i.e. that the entire concept of "speech" or "speaking" when applied to God is merely metaphorical, but there appears to be more here beside this. [NOTE: I am also aware that "ha-gevurah" comes from b.Makkot 23b, and similar passages.]

So, my questions are:

Is "ha-gevurah" simply an appelation for God, or does it imply something else in rabbinic usage?
Why does Rambam specifically use it here in this context? Does it have a technical meaning that fits the context of the Torah's origins/transmission?

Please cite your sources! Thanks.


texts: Is a traditional Yekke Sargenes similar to the Skver style, all-linen, non-embroidered Kittel? I think so; I'm not sure about the "hood", though

texts:
Below is a link where one can view a
Skver/New Square Style Kittel for sale


texts: Can a bully be forced to pay for psychologist visits?

texts:
When Reuven physically damages Shimon, he must pay for, among other things, the physical pain caused by his actions (tza’ar), the embarrassment caused by his actions (boshes), and reimbursement for the doctors’ treating him for his wounds (ripui). However, all of these payments are triggered by physical pain.

Theoretical scenario #1: Reuven verbally bullies Shimon terribly throughout school. Shimon suffers severe psychological trauma as a result. He then goes to a psychologist to help him recover. Can Shimon force Reuven to pay for the psychologist visits? One might be inclined to say yes, since this was caused as a result of Reuven’s actions; however, perhaps, as noted above, only physical pain triggers payment.

Theoretical scenario #2: Reuven physically bullies Shimon. Obviously Reuven has to pay for the physical damage, but does he have to pay for the psychologist visits in this scenario? Unlike before, there is now physical damage triggering the payments. On the other hand, it’s not the physical pain that’s being treated. Even with boshes payment, that is for embarrassment caused by the physical attack, whereas here it’s still a purely psychological “wound.”

Theoretical scenario #3: Reuven kills Shimon’s pet. It is well-known that Shimon was very attached to this pet. Obviously Reuven must pay for the physical damage to the pet; must Reuven pay for the psychologist visit in this scenario, which is even more removed (possibly) than scenario #2?

In other words: Can one be forced to pay for psychological treatment required by his actions, and if so, how direct must it be?

Assume for simplicity’s sake that all parties are legally competent (i.e. adult, sane, etc.) Jews, and that there are witnesses, etc., which would force Reuven to pay if payment is called for.

PLEASE CYLOR IF THIS IS RELEVANT TO YOU.


texts: Does God continually (re)create the physical world?

texts:
1) Does God continually renew the physical world in the sense that if he didn't give direct input at any given moment it would disappear?

2) If the answer to #1 is that God does continually (re)create the physical world, does he do so for the parts of the world that are not being observed by a human?


texts:
It seems that it has become a universal Jewish custom to ask for blessings from tzadikim/talmidei chachamim. So I'm assuming this practice is allowed.

There seems to be levels in how people treat these blessings

1) Asking another person or persons to pray for you. As per mblochs answer this sounds great.

2) Asking that someone "give a blessing" which sounds like he has the ability decide and give people whatever he wants.

Why is asking for a bracha allowed, isn't it "praying" to someone other than hashem?


texts:
In what manner / How, did Hashem appear to Avraham at Mamre? (Gen 18:1)

We read in Gen 18:1  וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה, בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא; וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח-הָאֹהֶל, כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם.

And Hashem/The LORD, appeared to him by the oaks/terebrinths of mamre, and he sat by the opening of the tent during the heat of the day.

We see then three men (Shlosha Anashim), approach Avraham(18:2). In v22 The  men leave, Avraham continued standing before Hashem.

Hashem says he will go down (To sodom). Also(v23) Avraham drew near(to the LORD/Hashem), and he spoke to him.

So I don't think anybody can claim based on the text, that God appeared in any human form, and judaism doesn't make that claim so that's fine. Furthermore, while Avraham does bow to the ground to greet the men(vayishtechu artzah v2), so too David bows like that to Jonathan(artzah vayishechu) 1 Sam 20:41. So one can't read too much into a bow or such a bow. i.e. the bow doesn't indicate that the men are God in any way, though they are perhaps messengers from God.

And afterwards, (v33) Hashem went.. ..וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוָה

But it does leave open the question -  in what manner did God appear to Avraham?

So Hashem had not yet come down to Sodom. And assuming he hadn't come down, then it seems he appeared to Avraham in a vision. If so, do we have any traditions about what that vision was?

Or just generally any traditions or opinions on the nature of this appearance that Hashem made to Avraham?

Note- There is something else that I had not noticed before.  And it may also explain why some rabbinical commentators consider this to be a vision rather than a literal event. (note, Gen 18 and Gen 19 have a good selection of variations of Adonai to look at), When there is a kamatz on the nun of ADNY, it's a name, a proper noun, for Hashem. (Putting ADNY aside for a moment), many translations distinguish things well with the word Lord/LORD/lord(s), by writing LORD for the tetragrammaton, (back to ADNY),  Lord for Adonai with a kamatz. There is ADNY with a patach, adonay (lords), which is rare. And adonee for  my lord. So the English distiguishes very clearly with the capital l, LORD, and Lord and lowercase 'l', lord(s). (And of course God and gods for elohim).  Given that, there are two things here..

The main thing I recently noticed in Gen 18, is the kamatz on Adonai, so a man(or what was referred to as a man), is addressed with Adonai(with kamatz).

The other thing, which I don't think is that significant  I couldn't find a Jewish link listing all the tikkunei sofrim(emendations of the scribes), but these links https://levendwater.org/companion/append32.html      http://www.oocities.org/hebrew_roots/html/hr-2-1-02.html  mention 134 compiled by Ginsberg, and Gen 18:3 is one, where according to those links, the tetragrammaton was changed to Adonai(i.e. Adonai with kamatz)  it's not that significant in terms of meaning because it still means the same thing, Lord with a capital L, be it LORD(the tetragrammaton) or Lord(the name, Adonai with a kamatz).

Another thing I hadn't noticed is in Gen 19:1,  it says 2 messengers came to sodom. That suggests that in the earlier Gen 18:22  when it said the men left to sodom, it was only two that left, and one remained.


texts: Understanding lack of accountability for statements made while suffering

texts:
In Bava Batra 16b Rava two verses for Iyov are compared

(איוב לד, לה) [איוב] לא בדעת ידבר ודבריו לא בהשכל (וכתיב (איוב מב, ז) כי לא דברתם אלי נכונה כעבדי איוב)
On the one hand, the text states: “Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom” (Job 34:35). But on the other hand, it is written with regard to Job’s friends: “You have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, like my servant Job” (Job 42:8).

To resolve the seeming contradiction Rava explains:

אמר רבא מכאן שאין אדם נתפס בשעת צערו
Rava said: From here it may be inferred that a person is not held responsible for what he says when he is in distress

Meaning that Elihu's statement that Iyov's words are without knowledge is technically correct, but Iyov is not held responsible for his mistaken speech because he spoke while he was suffering.
I would like to understand this statement in light of the premise of the book of Iyov overall. In the first two chapters the Satan has a conversation with God where he posits that the reason Iyov serves God is because Iyov is protected and essentially everything is well with him and his possessions. Remove that, argues the Satan, and Iyov will curse (written euphemistically as 'bless' in the pasuk) God to his face. To test this theory the Satan is given permission by God to cause the loss of all of Iyov's possessions and to physically afflict Iyov. But, given Rava's statement that a person is not held responsible for statements made while suffering, I cannot understand how Satan's test makes sense. If Iyov were to curse God as Satan suggests he would, wouldn't that curse be considered words said while in pain and therefore not be held against Iyov?

I am aware that some commentators explain "אין אדם נתפס בשעת צערו" to mean that a person is not punished for antinomian statements as opposed to those statements being considered as if they were not said at all. I do not find this reading compelling from the context of the Gemarah and the pesukim and will not accept this explanation as the correct answer


texts: On the halachic level, what are the requirements for a Gentiles couple to be considered married?

texts:
My question may seem bizarre, since in our age marriage is a juridical institution widely regulated in every nation, with the presence of witnesses and a precise registration in public registers; however I am interested in the exquisitely halachic aspect.

My doubts arise from the following passages of  Rambam’s Mishneh Torah:

Hilchot Ishut 1:1

Before the Torah was given, when a man would meet a woman in the marketplace and he and she decided to marry, he would bring her home, conduct relations in private and thus make her his wife. Once the Torah was given, the Jews were commanded that when a man desires to marry a woman, he must acquire her as a wife in the presence of witnesses. [Only] after this, does she become his wife. This is [alluded to in Deuteronomy 22:13]: "When a man takes a wife and has relations with her...."

Hilchot Melachim 9:8

When is a Gentile woman considered divorced? When her husband removes her from his home and sends her on her own or when she leaves his domain and goes her own way. They have no written divorce proceedings.

From what Rambam says it would seem that, from a halachic point of view, the requirement for marriage between Gentiles is simple cohabitation, and that Halakhah considers the presence of a written legal act irrelevant to the Gentiles to ascertain the constitution and / or the dissolution of the marriage bond (I do not understand however, at this point, how were legally distinguished the wives and the pilagshim mentioned in the Pentateuch before  Matan Torah: perhaps the pilagshim were all slaves, as about some pilagshim it is explicitly said in the book of Genesis?)

The issue has considerable relevance, as among the Noahide Laws there is a ban on sexual intercourse with a married woman (adultery), and therefore it is essential to know when a Gentile woman is to be considered married or not on the halachic level. According to what Rambam says, even the cohabitation between Gentiles so-called "more uxorio", that is, without the celebration of a marriage according to the state's binding laws, would still qualify as a marriage for the Halakhah, but perhaps I misunderstood.


texts:
Although there are varying opinions among the acharonim, the common practice is that only one b'racha rishona is said before eating a mixture of two items that normally require different b'rachos, where the mixture is such that each spoonful or forkful will include both items. (Sources: Rabbi Yisroel Pinchos Bodner, The Halachos of Brochos, chapter 4, section C; Rabbi Binyomin Forst, The Laws of B'rachos, chapter 7, section Ⅰ.A.)

Suppose one's about to eat such a mixture, takes a spoonful, is about to say the b'racha required, and notices that his spoonful happens to contain only food items whose normal b'racha is not the mixture's. What should he do?

To clarify, I'll pick a specific example, though my question is about the general case. Suppose someone's about to eat a mixture of very small pieces of pineapple (haadama) and apple (haetz). He takes a spoonful and is about to say the haetz required (because, for whatever reason, the apple is considered primary in this case), but realizes his spoon has only pineapple on it. What should he do?

Say haetz on the spoonful even though it's pineapple? (Seems odd, but I seem to recall hearing that when a primary food's b'racha covers a secondary food, the latter is deemed by some to become a food that actually requires the former's b'racha. In that case, perhaps here one says haetz on the pineapple even if eaten alone first.)
Say haadama on the spoonful and haetz on the next spoonful (if it contains apple)? (Seems odd also, but it would seem the ideal according to the acharonim, alluded to above, who don't hold only one b'racha is made on the mixture. Note that my question includes the case in which the primary ingredient requires haadama and the other requires haetz (the reverse of the example I gave), which may affect the appropriateness of this option.)
Put the spoonful back and take another that contains apple so he can say haetz? (Seems like it should be valid, but I wonder whether it's required.)
Something else?


texts: Why did the people want a king? Why couldn't they just find another shofet ("judge"-ruler, as in the book of Judges)? Can't also shofets lead in battle (Joshua, et al.)?


texts: Paro enslaved Yisrael but they kept the good land -- was that normal?

texts:
When Yisrael come to Mitzrayim Paro gives them "the choice land of Goshen" Bereishis 47,6 which is also called "Raamses" Bereishis 47,11. Later a new king Paro who doesn't recognize Yosef (who saves Egypt from famine) rises and enslaves them Shemos 1,7, but apparently lets them keep the good land, because they're still there during the plagues until they finally leave Raamses Shemos 12,37 on their way out of Egypt.

I would expect someone who enslaves a people, and who makes their job deliberately difficult as this one did by taking away the straw, to also deprive them of the best land (and perhaps of their flocks and other property as well). But that didn't happen.

Should we expect Paro to take away their land and flocks, or was that not how slaves were treated in that time and place? I'm wondering if I misunderstand  how these things work or if we're seeing the divine hand in protecting them.

None of the chumashim I have access to comment on this. The question came up in my congregation's torah study recently.


texts: According to interpreters, Is Mt Hermon located within the biblical boundaries of the Holy Land?


texts: is it ever appropriate to wear a gold lamé kittel?

texts: Is it ever appropriate to wear a gold lamé kittel?  As far as I know, there were no holidays this weekend (Sept. 9 - 10), but I spotted someone in a pale gold lamé kittel that would have looked more appropriate in Las Vegas than Forest Hills, but what do I know?  is there some kind of minhag for when it's appropriate and when not?


texts: Traditional review of Heschel's "Torah min HaShamayim"

texts:
"Torah min Hashamayim B'aspaklariya shel Hadorot" (תורה מן השמים באספקלריה של הדורות) was written by R' Abraham Joshua Heschel and published by Soncino Press and JTS Press in 1962. It was translated into English by R' Gordon Tucker in "Heavenly Torah as Refracted through the Generations" in 2006.

The book is based on the thesis that there were two main schools in the times of the Tanaim which differed on a wide range of fundamental issues, halachic and aggadic (although the book deals mainly with the aggadic topics). These were the school of R' Akiva and the school of R' Yishmael. R' Akiva was representative of a more mystical approach to things, while R' Yishmael typified a more rational approach. The book moves through the many topics on which they differed chapter by chapter and not a page goes by without several quotes or references to Talmudic or midrashic literature to support this thesis. (I am aware that Heschel was not the first to state this observation; however, he is possibly the first to elaborate on it at such great length and with so many sources, certainly with respect to the aggadic issues.)

I'm specifically looking for a review of this book by a more traditional figure within Orthodox Judaism. (I say this because although it is unclear to me just from online information the state of R' Heschel's religious affiliation, it is at least clear that he is not what we would call a "traditional" source.) [Also, I am familiar with R' Gil Student's review posted when the translation was published. I am looking for the review of a more prominent and authoritative figure, if it exists, and preferably more in-depth.] However, I would also be satisfied with a (in-depth) discussion of this topic (R' Akiva vs. R' Yishmael) offered by a more traditional source.


texts: A Jew hired a worker to work for him on Shabbat, forgetting that he’d be working on Shabbat. What should he do?

texts: Suppose someone hires a worker through an online intermediary such as Fiverr to do a discrete project, such as building a website, and inadvertently sets the deadline for project completion to Shabbat, such that the worker will likely actually do the work on Shabbat. Must the hire-er try to stop the worker from working on Shabbat? What is the proper thing to do, according to halachic sources? Does it make a difference if the worker is likely to be a Jew or a non-Jew?


texts: Will the third Temple be eternal? And if so, what does that mean?

texts:
There is a concept mentioned in connection with the third Temple that it is going to be completely (or permanently) eternal (for example: Pesachim 88a following Chiddushei Aggadot Maharsha and Rashi to Chullin 91b and Zohar to parshat Pinchas 221a, section 148-149), Zohar 1:28a, Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 8 and Sefer HaMa'amarim Meluket, vol. 4, parshat Mattot-Masei. This is often associated with the phrase You bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, the place, HaShem, which You have made for  You to dwell in, the Mikdash, HaShem, which Your hands have established. (Shemot 15:17)

This quality distinguishes the third Temple from both the first Temple, whose sanctity (קדושה) was eternal by most opinions, which means that its sanctity remains to this day and the second Temple, which is on a lower level than even the first Temple.

What is this quality of the third Temple and how is it acquired according to the plain sense of things?


texts:
What does this abbreviation stand for? It is part of the greeting section of a letter written in Hebrew from the late 19th century. The phrase in which it appears is:

  שפעת חיו"ש וכט"ס לכבוד הרב וכו

I am guessing something like ("חיים ושלום וכל טוב סלה").


texts: MaYin Hachsima in Kedushas Hayom of Rosh Hashuna

texts:
Kedushas Hayom (אתה בחרתנו מכל העמים) of Rosh Hashuna ends off

  ... וטהר לבנו לעבדך באמת, כי אתה אלהים אמת ודברך אמת וקים לעד. ברוך
  אתה ד' מלך על כל הארץ מקדש מקדש ישראל ויום הזכרון

How does "For You are the true G-d, and Your word is true and endures forever" pair with "King over all the world. Who sanctifies Israel and the Day of Remembrance." (Artscroll-Ashkenaz)?


texts: If a convert converted without knowing that their conversion would be permanent

texts: Hypothetically, if a convert converted without knowing that their conversion would be permanent (i.e., cannot convert out), does that make the conversion invalid?


texts: How much should a person eat on Chol Hamoed, Shabbos and Yom Tov?

texts:
The Tanya said food eaten on Shabbos is automatically elevated. I hear from a chossid that people should not do hiskafia on shabbos. However, the local Rosh Yeshiva said that eating more is not a mitzvah on Shabbos, that a person should eat normally. I find that the amount of food eaten is always in inverse proportion to the amount of Torah and productive work I am able to accomplish.
There also appears to be injunctions to eat more on Chol Hamoed with the caveat that we shouldn't neglect the ruchnius either. Is there a mitzvah on Chol Hamoed to eat beyond the two seudahs per day? If so, how much? Is it as much as pleasurable?


texts: We repeat the amida in shul for the sake of those who do not know the amida. We read the birkat hamzaon aloud for the sake of those who do not know the blessings.  In both cases, we assume that many people do not have a siddur or cannot read, and that they have not memorized the words.  So, why do we not repeat the Shema in shul (and the blessings before and after), for the same reasons?


texts: To what extent did Jewish tradition of debate influence the development of Classical Liberalism in Europe?

texts:
Judaism has a long tradition of valuing debate. My sense is that it is somewhat singular in this regard. Certainly there is debate within Islam or Christianity, but if I understand correctly, Judaism more explicitly values and encourages debate itself as a way of converging on wisdom and truth.
I am interested in the extent to which this value influenced Classical Liberal ideology, which similarly values debate. Most of the big names I associate with Classical Liberalism (JS Mill, Adam Smith, John Locke, Jeremy Bentham) were either Christian or agnostic. Are there important Jewish thinkers in this tradition who seem to have derived their pro-debate leanings from Judaism?


texts: Different Washing for Eating Bread and Going to the Bathroom

texts: Why is there a different style of hand washing for after going to the bathroom (alternating between hands) and before eating bread (consecutively on each hand)?


texts: Why were different pronunciations allowed in the first place?

texts:
The following question might be a duplicate of How could different pronunciations arise when we are obligated to pronounce the Shema precisely?

Why did our Rabbonim however many hundreds of years ago allow changes in orening pronunciation in the first place? I presume if someone one day orened at the Omud and started pronouncing his ghimels and gimels the same or ayins and alephss the same way, he would have been told off afterwards by the Rabbi and that would have been it. Am I missing something here?


texts: Which four people’s names from the Chumash also come up as names in Megillas Esther?


texts: Intent to include foods in bracha that exist only as ingredients

texts: Given that one has a shehakol food as well as water and coffee beans, if one makes a shehakol on the other food intending to include the prepared coffee, and only then realizes that the coffee has not yet been prepared brewed, is the coffee covered?


texts: Why no Torah or wisdom or knowledge is mentioned presented by G-d to Adam?

texts:
IIRC, the passing of the Tora/wisdom/divine knowledge in our tradition didn't start with Moses or even Abraham. Allegedly, the 19 generations of Tzadikim from Adam to Abraham studied/dealt with it passing the tradition over.

It appears, according to Judaism, that studying the Torah (whatever it is) and keeping the laws is the goal of the whole creation, and I'd expect the main sourcebook to focus on the existence and cultivation of that knowledge.

However, what we see in the plain text is that the only piece of the divine knowledge/Torah in the form of a Mitzvah/blessing explicitly passed on Adam is "be fruitful and multiply". (*I'm aware that the Gemmorah tries to find hints on Adam receiving the 7 Laws but the associations are very distant.*)

But instead, all G-d's interactions with Adam that are mentioned are very "Earthy" - "rule the animal kingdom", "take care of the garden", "multiply and don't eat fruits", "who told you you're naked", etc. Even when he's expelled G-d outlines his future physical suffering but no mentioning of studying, knowing or the like.

While I don't refute the existence of the Oral tradition, I see a need to justify the fact of omitting such important detail from the story.

So, assuming that studying Torah by men is the goal of the Creation, why the Torah does not mention any wisdom passed to Adam from Heaven?


texts: May Conversative man "up-convert" to marry Orthodox girl?

texts:
I'm writing a story where a young man raised in a devout Conservative family risks suicidal odds to rescue an Orthodox girl who fell onto the subway tracks hurting her ankle, who is about to be crushed within the minute by a subway train.  Heaven grants them both the luck they need.  The girl is persuaded by this young man's action that he is 'righteous', of superior innate moral character, so she consents to meet with him further and eventually introduces him to how much more beautiful Orthodoxy can be.

Does Orthodoxy allow for "up-conversion"?

Are the mamzerut issues on the boy's side cancelled out by his new birth as an Orthodox regardless of any prior ancestry that he has?

Since the boy has existing training does he still need to study for a year, or is some of the training abbreviated by what he already knows?


texts: Any mention of Hakhel in Neviim or Ktuvim?

texts:
It appears that Hakhel is only mentioned in Dvarim 31:10-12 and Talmud.

Is it ever mentioned in Tanakh outside of the Torah (i.e., Prophets or Writings)?

E.g., "such and such king observed/failed to observe the Mitzvah".


texts: Can I stitch a label with my personal info in my shabbes clothes?

texts: I live far from my shul and there is no eruv in my city. Since I cannot carry my ID, can I stitch a label with my personal data in my clothes or this is considered carrying ?


texts: Rules for Selichot when the minyan isn't complete at start time

texts: If the shul doesn't have a full minyan at the time when Selichot is supposed to start, and waiting for a minyan to gather before starting is not an option, what are the rules for what you say or don't say before the minyan is complete, and once the tenth man arrives?


texts: When we light the Menora we say Haneiros Halolu. Who composed these words?


texts:
Could anyone inform me about the scriptural/biblical foundation for the concept of mashiach? From which verse(s) came the conclusion that the 'idea of' mashiach exist?
How was it determined that there is a mashiach?


texts: Tophet, Gehinom and Sheol related to Hell

texts:
Looking at the Jewish view of what 'Hell' is (something spiritual), how are physical places like Sheol, Tophet and Gehinom connected/related to it?

What do their names mean, and how do those meanings reflect what 'Hell' is?


texts: What did Bnei Yisrael experience at Matan Torah?

texts:
I'm having trouble understanding what the Israelites actually experienced at the Revelation at Mt Sinai. Did they all see God? Did they all hear Him? Did they all understand Him? Did they hear all of the '10 Commandments,' some of them, or none of them? Or did only Moshe and/or a few select people experience God directly?

Please source your answers, preferably from the relevant verses.


texts: Does anyone know if the Artscroll translation of Maharal's Be'er Hagolah is an unabridged one of the entire sefer by the Maharal?


texts: “Pray at the same time as the community”- refers to the Amidah. Source please

texts:
Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 90 prescribes that someone davenning alone should  synchronise his prayers with the community:

ישתדל אדם להתפלל בב"ה עם הציבור ואם הוא אנוס שאינו יכול לבא לב"ה יכוין
להתפלל בשעה שהציבו' מתפללין

Two cases:

there is a minyan davenning. In this case, I intuit that the individual should try to daven the Amidah at the same time as the community. This would mean that he would start the morning blessings slightly later than them because they will have to say several kaddishim etc. that he will not be able to say.

there is no minyan (eg in lock down) – everyone is davenning alone. Then practically everyone can start at the same time.

Is there a source for my intuition that the individual should try to daven the Amidah at the same time as the community?
related: Praying at the same time


texts: What is the proper way to hold one's hands while praying?

texts:
Similar to Not interlacing fingers in prayer

What is the proper way that one should hold his hands while praying, if there is such a way?  What is the level of obligation to hold one's hands in that way? Is it required at all?


texts: PTIJ: Whose rabbinical supervision would Achashverush have used?

texts:
This is a "theoretical" question, in a sense...
In Esther 8:5, it says:
וַ֠תֹּאמֶר אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ ט֜וֹב וְאִם־מָצָ֧אתִי חֵ֣ן לְפָנָ֗יו וְכָשֵׁ֤ר הַדָּבָר֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְטוֹבָ֥ה אֲנִ֖י בְּעֵינָ֑יו יִכָּתֵ֞ב לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֗ים מַחֲשֶׁ֜בֶת הָמָ֤ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֙תָא֙ הָאֲגָגִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּתַ֗ב לְאַבֵּד֙ אֶת־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּכָל־מְדִינ֥וֹת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
Summarizing the above - Esther requests that King Ahashverush issue a decree to have Haman's written decree returned. In that requests she says, "...And if the thing is kosher before the king".
At the end, the king did not issue the decree that Esther requested. So, this raises some questions.
Which kashrut agency would the king have used to certify this process? Was the reason that the king refused the new decree because he didn't trust that agencies kashrut, and if so, why? What was wrong with the kashrut?

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


texts:
I'm sorry if the question is too general, but I was just wondering about Berachot Kriat Shema. What exactly are they? What kind of relationship do they have with the Shema? We need to make a Beracha to make a prayer? What are we saying in the Berchot Kriat Shema? And finally, who composed them?

I don't mind being pointed in the direction of a book. But I don't believe I'll ever find the time to read it. Maybe if somebody can give some quick simpler answers I'd really appreciate it.


texts:
When bentching (saying the prayer after meals), one is to insert a blessing for one's host. I have four scenarios, in which I wonder about whether it is appropriate to say the blessing for the host or for oneself.

I go to a restaurant. Do I say baal habayis, indicating the owner of the restaurant, or myself, the one who paid for the food?
Someone else takes me to a restaurant. Now there are three potential blessing recipients involved (me, the person paying, and the owner of the restaurant). If someone thinks it makes no difference between the latter two with regard to the actual wording, let's make the person who took me to the restaurant my parent (for whom one would say "avi mori/imi morasi baal/baalas habayis...").
In a similar vein, what if my parent (or a friend) makes me a sandwich and I eat in a public park?
What about in an office building?

I guess a fundamental question here would involve whether the insertion hinges on the one providing the food or the space.


texts:
Does one need to give maaser on cash back earned, as a percentage of the sum spent, through extensions such as Rakuten or Honey, or via debit/credit card offers?
Is it considered new income, and therefore qualifies for maaser, or do we consider it a discount on the original purchase and therefore (as far as I know) not obligated in maaser?


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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts: Is it ok for a Jew to wear tzitzit with a blue string (techeiles)?

texts:
I was told by someone today that some mo religious zionists will wear tzitzit with a blue string? That it is becoming more popular. I have never heard this before.

Edit- I know what techeiles are I just have not ever seen anyone wear  them or heard of an observant Jew wearing them.


texts: Which authorities approve/disapprove of mixed events for singles?

texts:
Some weddings have mixed seating at the reception; some have separate seating.

Some organizations and communities encourage or at least allow mixed events for singles; some discourage or forbid them.

It seems to me that these differences stem from a basic tension between religious advantages and disadvantages of gender-mixed events. On one hand, mixed events provide a way for singles to meet, which could lead to marriages. On the other hand, mixed events bring opposite-gender people near each other, which could lead to improper interactions or relationships. (I'm setting aside any advantages and disadvantages for married people.)

Of the various prominent rabbinic authorities who address these issues, which ones advocate or permit mixed events, and which discourage or forbid them?
Do any of those who rule one way or the other specify that their rulings apply to a particular communal context?

I'm interested in results from authorities in any generation or community, especially if they come with information about the communal context they're meant to apply to.


texts: Is there an Android Tikkun App that has sound?

texts:
During the "pre smart phone days" (Yes, that DID exist), I used Trope trainer to practice some of my laining and to train my kids and some Bar Mitzvah boys.

I recently downloaded the "Tikkun Korim" app on my Droid Maxx (Offhand, I don't know the manufacturer.) It is fine for most of what I need.

However, I'd like an app like this that links to sound files with someone singing all or part of the verses. Is there an app that does this?

Also, the Tikkun app that I have, doesn't show the parsha breaks (petuchot and stumot). I guess they wanted to save screen space?, but I'm not sure why. Is there a Tikun app that shows the parsha breaks in both "regular" and "Ktav Ashurit"?

I'd prefer a free app, but if it's low cost, I'd consider that, too.


texts: I have noticed a Kosher shop selling turkeys only at this time of the year (...late December). Without getting into a discussion about the Kashrut status of turkeys, is this considered in the spirit of a Kosher shop to sell such an item and, could it be considered (at worst) 'chukat hagoi'?


texts: "I was waiting for my flight and a concert broke out."

texts:
We've all heard that joke, right?

In all seriousness, though, a friend posted this video of an impromptu concert at Toronto Pearson International Airport yesterday as all flights were either delayed or canceled due to the massive flooding throughout the city.

Of course, it's the Nine Days, when attending a live concert would be prohibited.  Is it permissible to remain and observe the concert?  Could one who hears about it by word of mouth, or who hears music coming from that direction, go to where it is taking place to observe it?

Sources, please.


texts: Sending emails to people who will read/answer them on shabbat

texts:
Is it permissible to send an e-mail on Friday afternoon, knowing it will be answered or at least read on shabbat by a Jew?
I am inclined to think that, since the alternative to someone reading/answering my e-mail on shabbat is other internet browsing at least and deorita melachot at worst, it would be ok (assuming they don't go and do melachot deorita as a consequence of the senders e-mail).

Sources would be well appreciated.

I know there is a similar question, but it is about sending the e-mail while it's already shabbat for the recipient.


texts: "Kofin al midas Sedom" - what are the parameters of this concept?

texts:
The gemara in Bava Basra 12 discusses the splitting of a field in an equitable manner such that one of the individuals receives an additional personal benefit due to some external circumstance (having a field adjacent to the property being split, in this case). They then go on to discuss the parameters of "zeh neheneh vizeh lo chaser" (one party benefitting in a non-zero sum manner) as part of the principal of "kofin all midas sedom" (we can legally force people to take an action where their refusal is solely to deny the other party a benefit).

Of the three opinions, Rabah applies it broadly (looking at strictly the market value of the field), Rav Yosef applies it to conceptual future benefits (that a specific part of the field may by chance get more or less water), and Rav Yehudah applies it to ancillary outcomes (that the hiring of additional workers for the separate fields brings a benefit to the other partners). We declare Rav Yosef the psak.

This would seem to inform the parameters of the principal of "Kofin al midas sedom" - we only consider direct outcomes and not secondary benefits resulting from denying the first party their "surplus."

I have heard of this concept being used to justify borrowing personal items (tallis, shtender, etc.) left in shul as long as they are treated properly.

Do we see this principal being applied outside of the realm of property law? For instance, does anyone apply this as a generic moral?


texts: Odd choice of language in Keilim 19:4 and 28:6

texts:
In Keilim 19:4 and 28:6, we see an unusual (to me) way of describing av hatumah and rishon l'tumah:

נִשָּׂא הַזָּב עַל הַמִּטָּה וְעַל הַמִּזְרָן, מְטַמֵּא שְׁנַיִם וּפוֹסֵל אֶחָד, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, נִשָּׂא הַזָּב עַל הַמִּטָּה וְעַל הַמִּזְרָן, עֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים, מְטַמֵּא שְׁנַיִם וּפוֹסֵל אֶחָד. מֵעֲשָׂרָה וְלַחוּץ, מְטַמֵּא אֶחָד וּפוֹסֵל אֶחָד. נִשָּׂא עַל הַמִּזְרָן, מֵעֲשָׂרָה וְלִפְנִים, טָמֵא. מֵעֲשָׂרָה וְלַחוּץ, טָהוֹר.
If a zav was carried on a bed and on its mattress, the latter causes an uncleanness of two grades and an unfitness of one grade, the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: if a zav was carried on a bed and on its mattress the part that is shorter than ten handbreadths causes an uncleanness of two grades and an unfitness of one grade, but that which is over the ten handbreadths causes only an uncleanness of one grade and an unfitness of one grade. If he was carried on the mattress, [on the overhanging part] that was shorter than ten handbreadths, it becomes unclean, but if on the part that was longer than ten handbreadths it remains clean. [from Sefaria]

We see similar language to the bolded text in 28:6 as well (as well as in Tosefta Keilim B"K 4:10). Why use this roundabout language of describing an av hatumah and rishon l'tumah?
Oftentimes, weird turns of phrases are helpful as a memory aide, but here, one is likely to misremember the numbers, whereas av hatumah and rishon l'tumah are hard to mix up. Thus it would appear that "a memory aide" is not the answer here.


texts: We read of his fate but we are not told if he was buried or who may have buried him. We can presume Adam and Chava grieved and gave his body a resting place but that is speculation. Is there drash about this? Sources?


texts: What is the spiritual root of the the desire for "news"

texts:
There are many people that have desire (ta'ava) for news - whether it's world, local, tech, social (facebook, twitter), etc.  I'm trying to understand where that comes from.

Note: It's not specifically news, it could be email, etc.  Just something that is not critical that I check but I keep going back to it. Also, I'm not talking about forbidden news (lashon hara, immoral subject, etc), just the desire to keep what might otherwise be reasonable for me to read, but the need to check it more often than is reasonable.

Is it just a yetzer ha'ra for bitul zman/Torah or something else?


texts: What is the source for a woman's voice as ervah?

texts: What is the source that a woman's (singing) voice is considered ervah?


texts: Is the line for which Peyos begin different for each individual?

texts:
There have been debates concerning Peyos and where the proper line should exist for one's beard. The debate has resulted in different communities having different customs for how they handle the commandment.
My question refers to individuals where the distinction is more obvious.
Certain people have different color facial hair from their heads. You will sometimes see a man with a reddish beard but dark hair and a line which separates their beard from their head hair. Where the line between hair and beard can be debated in the average person, individuals like this seem to have a clear line of separation.
Can the argument be made that individuals like this have an obvious line of separation and therefore should be using this line for measuring their payos?


texts: Can a Ashkenazi do hatarat nedarim on kitnyot? According to Halachipedia the Rosh holds that one can do hatarat nedarim (annuling of a Neder) on a meritorious personal minhag. The pri chadash says that a minhag of your parents isn't binding upon you until you've observed it once. Therefore it sounds like it's considered a personal minhag since you're the one hiding it upon yourself. Additionally in America there aren't really any communal minhagim as we're basically a mishmash of everyone. Therefore aren't all ashkenazi minhagim (like kitnyot) now personal minhagim and subject to hatarat nedarim? Am I missing any information? Any one know any discussions about this?


texts: Is it wrong to wear a necklace of a magen david?

texts: Is it wrong to wear a necklace of a magen david (star of David)? Would that be idolatry? And what if I kiss it? Will it then be idolatry?


texts: Shimon and Levi and Killing for Immorality?

texts: Shimon and Levi single-handedly Killed out an entire city because of immorality against Dinah their sister illustrating their character of anger, later Pinchas a descendant of Levi followed in his fathers footsteps and killed Zimri who was also engaged in an act of immorality using his anger in a postive way, the problem is the person he killed was  Shimon's descendant. How did this happen they where both cursed by Yackov for their anger yet Levi developed  positively and therfore Pinchas took revenge on the Sin and the other took part in the Sin. What caused this extreme parting of ways?


texts: What happened to the jars of oil without a seal?

texts:
Are there any sources that say what happened to the jars of olive oil without the seal in the temple? Did they throw it out,sell it, eat it,etc...?
If not then would there be a reason why they couldn't use(sell,eat,burn the oil at home,etc) the oil?


texts: When does the Yom Kippur fast actually start?

texts:
Does the fast start after candle lighting (i.e., 18 mins before sunset) or does it start strictly at sunset?

I suppose that if it starts immediately after candle lighting, one can light candles closer to sunset to start it as late as possible.


texts: Halachic Approaches to Utilitarianism vs. Deontology

texts: Are there halachic sources that are relevant to the philosophical debate between utilitarianism (ends justify means) and deontology (ends DON'T justify means)? Al regel achas, the principle of Mitzvah Habah Ba'Aveirah being a bad thing might be a rayah to halachah preferring deontology. What do you think?


texts: May the repetition of the Amida be said with only 6 people answering Omein but a Minyan is present?

texts: My shul would often only have 10 people present but some would daven Shemono Esrei longer and so Chazoras Hashatz would be started  once there were 6 people to answer Omein. Is this correct and if so what is the source, please?


texts: Why does the shva in Bereishit 1:2 express "vav" as an adverb (Now) in JPS 1917 translation?

texts:
Why does the shva cause the "vav" to be expressed in English as an adverb Now : "Ve" (וְ) instead of the conjunction And : "Va" (וַ), "Ve" (וְ), "U" (וּ) used to initiate each verse of Bereishit 1:3-31?
Genesis / Bereishit 1:2
Now-The-Earth was empty and-void, and-darkness was on the face [of] the deep, and-[the] Spirit [of] Elohim was hovering over the face [of] The-Water. ( וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָֽיְתָ֥ה תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְח֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם )
Max Lansberg's translation of Bereishit 1:2 [JPS 1917] states "Now-The-Earth", but Isaac Leeser's [1853 Pentateuch] English translation of Bereishit 1:2 states "and-The-Earth". | Curious to find why Max Lansberg (senior rabbi of the B'rith Kodesh Congregation, Rochester, New York) & Dr. Marcus Jastrow (JPS Editor-in-Chief) interpreted the "Ve" with shva as the adverb 'Now' instead of the Leeser "and". < mechon-mamre.org/e/et/jps1917.htm


texts: Why did Pharaoh's officers wait for three whole days before returning to inform him? Rashi Shemos 14 (5)

texts:
The Torah tells us Shemos 14 (5)

  It was reported to Pharaoh that the people had fled; and Pharaoh and
  his servants had a change of heart toward the people, and they said,
  What is this that we have done, that we have released Israel from
  serving us?

And Rashi comments

  It was reported to Pharaoh: He [Pharaoh] sent officers with them, and
  as soon as the three days they [the Israelites] had set to go [into
  the desert] and return had elapsed, and they [the officers] saw that
  they were not returning to Egypt, they came and informed Pharaoh on
  the fourth day.

Why did the officers wait for the whole three days to elapse? It would take the Bnei Yisroel some time to return to Egypt if that had been their intention. The officers could have returned once it was clear that  Bnei Yisroel would not arrive back before the three days had elapsed.


texts: What is the significance of the shtreimel?

texts:
What is the esoteric or hashkafic significance of the shtreimel?  Some things I have seen but without details or sources are that it is like a crown, that the number of pelts involved have numerical significance, and so on.

Sources are appreciated, and I am specifically not looking for answers that are limited to a practical basis, such as "Polish nobleman garb" or "decree that Jews should wear a tail on their heads".  This question presupposes that there is in fact a deeper significance to it.


texts:
The point of wearing Tzitzit is for us to remember all of the Mitzvot, (Numbers 15:39) and there are several explanations given for how the Tzitzit remind us of the Mitzvot. However, the explanations given don't seem to account for its required attachment exclusively to a four* cornered garment.

Why do Tzitzit need to be attached specifically to a four cornered garment? What is the four cornered garment's significance?

*
Note: Halachically, any garment with four or more corners requires Tzitzit, but the strings are attached to the four corners that are furthest from each other.


texts:
Last year (5775) was a shemitah year, as such, etrogim produced in Israel end up becoming sh'vi'it (produce of the seventh year). One of the boxes I saw mentioned that the etrog should be disposed of differently than in other years (it should be eaten by 15 Shevat or returned to Eretz Yisrael).

This brought up a few questions for me, namely:

How are Israeli-grown etrogim even able to be sold?
How does heter mechira affect things grown for the purpose of fulfilling mitzvot? (That is, do they need to be grown by Jews and does heter mechira affect that?)
What is the source for the things mentioned on this etrog box?


texts: Book on changing habits and middot (character traits) improvement?

texts:
There is now an increasing body of secular literature on how changing habits can help change character (e.g., The Power of Habit, Atomic Habits) but this is not new to us (see Rambam's Hilchot Deot 1:2 and 1:7). Is there a Jewish codified version of such an approach?

I am specifically asking for books (ideally in English) focused on middot (character traits) improvements, e.g., recording of lectures or some form of handbook? I'm thinking of a system to perfect oneself, one habit or midda at a time.

I know that R Avigdor Miller was running musar vaadim in that direction and at least one book on him describes some of its basic ideas.

Orchot Tzadikim would be an example of a very early book of that type but I am looking for something more contemporary. I know of a number of similar works on prayer and am asking more broadly.


texts: If one needs to daven mincha and the only minyan that is close by is davening an early maariv can one daven their mincha shmoneh esri with their maariv shmoneh esri and then daven maariv with a different minyan later? I remember seeing  this idea somewhere (sources please).


texts: Source for the practice of not blowing out candles/flames?

texts: It seems that a custom exists not to blow out candles/flames, but rather extinguish them another way, such as waving in the air. (Snuffer anyone?) What is the source for this custom? I am including two answers given at ohr.edu, but I am curious if others are available; I'd love to see a textual source for this.


texts: Is there a modern printing of the book Doros Rishonim?

texts: Rabbi Yitzchak Issac HaLevi wrote a 6 volume set of books entitled Doros Rishonim. The only version I found is on Hebrewbooks.org from the 60's. Is there a more recent printing of these books (printed by a publisher) or a new edition?


texts:
Some have the custom that pregnant women do not go to zoos. (See here)

Does this custom extend to aquariums too?


texts: Rabbinic Responses to Landline Telephones

texts: Recently the use of cellphones and smartphones has met with a lot of criticism in some communities. I'd be interested to see if landline telephones encountered any similar opposition when they were first introduced. Can anyone point me to rabbinic responses to landlines?


texts:
Some people wrap the bottom of the lulav (with the hadasim and aravot) with a moist towel, rag, or paper towel to keep the hadasim and aravot looking good.

Is this allowed to be done on yom tov? If the towel is dry can I wet it?

Some possible problems may include: planting, preparing for after yomtov, washing (libun) the towel, separating the water from the towel (sichita).


texts:
Is there a problem of watering synthetic grass on Shabbat-

If the synthetic grass has gaps or "holes" whereby the water can leak through to the earth underneath it?
What if the earth underneath has been covered with some sort of "protective" spray preventing it from growing?
If it were permissible to water synthetic grass, would there be any issue of maarit ayin? Or is it considered obvious to all that the grass is not real?


texts: Why did God not accept the people's repentance in the days of King Yoshiyahu?

texts:
After a disastrous 57 years (the reigns of Menashe and his son Amon), during which idolatry was rampant in Judah and Judaism was threatened with extinction, the good king Yoshiyahu comes on the scene and engineers a broad revival of the faith.  But the prophetess Huldah tells him:

Thus said the Lord God of Israel…  “Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon its inhabitants ... Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, … my anger is kindled against this place…”
And they brought back the reply to the king. And the king… gathered… all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem and… went up to the house of the Lord… and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord. And [they]… made a covenant…to keep [God’s] commandments… with all their heart and all their soul…  [2 Kings 22:11~17, 23:1-3]

The people clearly repent and resolve to reform under Yoshiyahu's leadership.  But God says He will bring disaster on their heads anyway.  Why?  If God did not punish them during Menashe's reign, it must have been to give them opportunities to repent.  And they did.  So why did God resolve to punish them anyway?  Isn't repentance what God really wants?


texts: According to the opinions that Iyov did not live in the days of Moshe, who wrote his Sefer?

texts:
Bava Basra 15a-b lists a number of opinions as to when Iyov lived:

R' Levi bar Chama: In the days of Moshe
Rava: In the days of the Meraglim
Unnamed student of R' Shmuel bar Nachmani: Iyov never lived; it's entirely a mashal
R' Yochanan and Rav Elazar: Beginning of Bayis Sheini
Simple understanding of an unattributed Braisa: During Galus Mitzraim
R' Eliezer: In the days of Sefer Rus
R' Yehoshua ben Karchah: In the days of Achashveirosh
R' Nassan: In the days of the kingdom of Sheva
Chachamim: In the days of the Kasdim (i.e. Nevuchadnetzar - Rashi)
Yeish Omrim: In the days of Yaakov

The Gemara ibid. quotes a Braisa that Sefer Iyov was written by Moshe Rabbeinu; this opinion can only hold according to R' Levi bar Chama, Rava, the student of R' Shmuel bar Nachmani, the unattributed Braisa, and Yeish Omrim. According to the remaining six opinions, Iyov lived after Moshe.

According to these opinions, who wrote Sefer Iyov?


texts: How האב\הרב שמחל על כבדו is done practically?

texts:
This is a follow up to "The meaning of “האב שמחל על כבדו כבדו מחול”?. We learned that (acc. to Rashb"a) the father's מחילה על כבודו totally invalidates the Mitzvah of Kibud Av so the son is not obligated in it (if I understood him right).

For the father's honor to be forgiven, what exactly should he do:

should he declare his intentions publicly in the shul or privately before his sons?
is there a formula of wording so it can be clearly understood he Mochel?
How is the מחילה limited in time if he does not explicitly states that - a day, a month, till the next statement?

The same questions apply to forgiving Rabbi's honor.


texts:
I don't know much about tehillim and I don't say them regularly. But lately I've started to say Shir Lamaalot for Israel and I've wondered a few things.

For example, today somebody asked for people to say tehillim for the refua shlema if his grandmother. I only knew Shir Lamaalot (psalm 121) from memory and I didn't know if I could use it for any reason, because I know there were special tehillim for refua shlema.

Can I say the same tehillim for many different situations? Or do I need to say the special tehillim for each occasion?


texts: Can a non-Jew visit a Jewish cemetery to see how it looks?

texts: I want to know whether a non-Jew can, according to Jewish law, enter and visit a Jewish cemetery, to know what it looks like and what symbols and images are used in the cemetery, for personal knowledge.


texts: Why does Yirmiya use the word ראה to mean “approve”?

texts:
Eichah 3:34-36 reads as follows:

  לדכא תחת רגליו כל אסירי ארץ. להטות משפט גבר נגד פני עליון. לעות אדם בריבו ה׳ לא ראה.

  To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth; to tip justice of a man against the presence of the Most High; to wrong a man in his conflict Hashem does not “ra’ah.”

The word ראה typically means “see.” However, given that the word doesn’t seem to fit in context, Rashi interprets it differently. He understands it to mean “condone,” “approve”:

  לֹא רָאָה. לֹא הֻכְשַׁר בְּעֵינָיו שֶׁיְּעַוְּתוּ בֵית דִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה אָדָם בְּרִיבוֹ, כְּמוֹ "מָה רָאִיתָ כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וְגוֹ'":

  It’s not approved in His eyes that the upper courts distort a man’s dispute; similarly, “What did you see that you did [this to me, etc.]”

Why did Yirmiya use such an unusual word in this context? While Rashi brings a prooftext, at least over there the word “see” makes sense in context; here, the word “see” sounds very out of place. Why doesn’t the passuk say לא הצדיק, as in Shemos 23:7: כי לא אצדיק רשע, I will not approve of the wicked?


texts:
This is a two fold question

1)The plaque of darkness has considerable commentary, however I have yet to find a rabbi who speaks about what created the darkness.  Therefore, What created the darkness keeping in mind that it did not effect the Jews?

2)A continuation of that question.  When looking at science most of the plaques (except 10) can be explained.  How is darkness explained in this science? (This does not take away from the miraculous nature of the plagues, this can be another question if someone desires).


texts:
Haman had a wife and friends. When a misfortune happened to him, the Megila doesn't speak anymore about his friends but about "chachsmav", which we can perhaps translate as his experts.

Are they the same people? If yes why change their name?


texts: Honor parents who want you to violate halacha?

texts: Suppose a parent feels very strongly against a certain aspect of halacha, for whatever reason. What would be an appropriate way to follow halacha while maintaining kibbud av v'eim?


texts:
According to the Talmud (sanhedrin 65b), the Rabbis of the Talmud used the system of the sefer yetzira to miraculously create a calf every friday and eat it on the Sabbath.

Rabbi Avraham Azoulai writes that the Biblical patriarch Abraham used the same method to create the calf prepared for the three angels who foretold Sarah's pregnancy in the Biblical account at Genesis 18:7 (Chesed L'Avraham Mein Chamishi) So according to him, it is literal.

Is the recipe for this procedure documented anywhere? couldnt see it in the sefer yetzira


texts:
Does the Tanach ever use letters for numbers?

For example it says אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים   i.e. 4/four kings.. but it doesn't say it as
ד מְלָכִים   it uses the word for four (arba/arbaah), but not the letter dalet.


texts: What does "Baruch shem k'vod malchuso l'olam vaed" mean?

texts:
A sentence commonly said during prayer is "בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד". How do we interpret it? What does it mean?

It sounds like it means:

  Blessed is/be the name of the glory/honor of His kingdom forever and ever.

(Note: "מַלְכוּת" can mean "the area under the control of a king", in this case the universe etc., or "the status or quality of being king". I'm translating it ambiguously as "kingdom", but ideally an answer explaining what the sentence means will clarify which meaning "מַלְכוּת" has.)

However, that doesn't make much sense to me. That would mean God's kingdom has glory. And the glory has a name. And we're blessing the name of the glory, or saying it's blessed. That seems very… odd.

So what does the sentence really mean?

The above is my question. More details follow, but you can skip it.

Thanks to Isaac Moses and Monica Cellio (in chat), I have a few other translations handy:

A slightly more palatable (to me) translation makes "כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ" into "His glorious kingdom", as follows:

Rabbi N. Scherman (ArtScroll):

  Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity.

Rabbi J. Sacks (Koren):

  Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.

It's more palatable, I say, because at least we're not claiming His kingdom's glory has a name — just that the kingdom itself does. It's still odd to me (that God's kingdom has a name), though, and that we're saying the name is blessed, or blessing it. Plus, we have the grammatical objection that "כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ" shouldn't mean "His glorious kingdom": that'd be "מַלְכוּת כְּבוֹדוֹ".

There is an even more palatable translation:

Rabbi J. Hertz:

  Blessed be His Name, Whose Glorious Kingdom is for ever and ever.

Rabbi A. Davis (Metsudah):

  Blessed [is His] Name, Whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.

That makes the entire end of the sentence, "כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד", into a description of God; "Him whose glorious kingdom is forever" (or, one could even say, "Him whose kingdom's glory is forever", to avoid the "מַלְכוּת כְּבוֹדוֹ" issue). This, as I say, is the most palatable of the bunch: we're not saying a name is or should be blessed, nor glory, nor a kingdom, but God. But if this is the correct interpretation of the sentence, I seek a source for it (besides Rabbis Hertz and Davis).


texts:
I heard a shiur where someone quoted Rambam as saying something to the effect of:

"We trust two witnesses not because we think what they are saying is truth, but rather because the Torah says we trust two witnesses".

I could not locate this quote. It is possible I misheard or the person was paraphrasing.

Does anyone know the source?


texts:
Were Tefillin worn in the Midbar (40 years of wandering) before the Jews entered Israel?

If so what Parshiot were in those Tefillin?

According to those who say Moses wrote Deuteronomy at the end of his life,
how were the 2 Parshiot from Deuteronomy in the Tefillin?


texts: Why is the beracha Me'ein Sheva omitted on the first night of Pesach?

texts: My Artscroll siddur says that the beracha Me'ein Sheva is omitted when the first night of Pesach falls on Shabbat. I have seen this in other siddurim as well. What is the reason for not saying the beracha Me'ein Sheva on the first night of Pesach?


texts:
where in sefer akeidas yitzchak (with the exact wording) does it mention that because the unity of those during dor haflaga (the generation of dispersion/ tower of bavel) had led them to this course of action and made its success possible, Hashem said that He would destroy their unity.

artscroll interlinear chumash [noach 11:7-8] writes "since their unity had led them to this course of action and made its success possible, Hashem said that He would destroy their unity (Akeidas Yitzchak)."


texts: Hashem is here and there and everywhere?

texts: Is Hashem really in front of us, behind us, next to us, etc?


texts: Kol Nidre: Is it lawful to pray along with sinners?

texts:
I was reading about Yom Kippur, and I came across this in a translation of the traditional recitation of the Kol Nidre:

  "By the authority of the Court on High and by authority of the court down here, by the permission of One Who Is Everywhere and by the permission of this congregation, we hold it lawful to pray with sinners."

Isn't everyone a sinner?  If so, doesn't this mean that whenever you pray with other people, you are praying with sinners?  Is it not lawful to pray with sinners at other times?


texts: The blossoming of Ahron's staff a miracle not a trick?

texts:
For years I have read the pesukim of Korach 17:20 -25 which describes the episode of the blossoming of Ahron's staff amongnst the other tribe leader's staffs. However, if you notice Moshe Rabbeinu himself went in and placed the staffs and the following day retrieved the staffs by himself.

Rashi notes on passuk 21 that he placed Ahron's staff in the middle so people shouldn't think that he placed his near the Divine Presence.  We see from Rashi that Moshe anticipated skepticism from some, therefore he preempted their argument and placed it in the middle. However, I would think that their greatest argument would be to say that Moshe Rabbeinu went in himself and maybe he performed a trick and made the middle staff blossomed before he showed the nation of Israel. My question is why didn't Moshe preempt that suspicion and why didn't anyone who was looking for trouble make such a claim?


texts: Is it there an halachic opinion about whether or not it's ok for a person to take psychedelic mushrooms?

texts:
Assuming we're in portugal where drugs are decriminalized or in a Torah law society (So not taking into account Dina D'malchusa), what are the halakhic considerations regarding consuming psychedelic mushrooms? The reason I ask my question is because I saw this question about smoking marijuana and I believe that many of the factors that motivated Rav Moshe's teshuva cited in the answer prohibiting marijuana are not relevant to mushrooms.

Could they be permitted for medicinal purposes? Psychedelic mushrooms been used in many psychological treatments, as well as a known cure for cluster headaches.
See www.clusterbusters.org

Could they be permitted for recreational use, considering the facts that they are non-addictive and nearly impossible to overdose on.

Mushrooms release chemicals in your brain, mainly serotonin. A typical trip lasts 4 hours. After the trip is done you can continue to take mushrooms but they have no effect as all of the available serotonin has been released. It takes 5-7 day to replenish your serotonin so you could only trip about once a week. You could take them every day if you wanted to but you would have no psychotropic effect from them until you gave it a rest for about a week. Most of this is anecdotal as the government has made this a schedule 1 drug. But if you search the web you'll find a zillion sites that state this. Most of them say only about once a month or twice a month works. But it's really about a week. Here's a site but there are many more.
http://www.psychonaut.com/mushrooms/26445-waiting-period-between-2-trips.html

After a certain amount the drug psilocybin which is the active ingredient doesn't do anything to you because you've released all of your serotonin. The mechanism is more complicated then what I'm describing but this should suffice. LD50 is the amount of a drug that is required to cause death. The LD50 of Psilocybin is about a pound, but that's the active ingredient and there's only a small amount of the drug in a mushroom. They estimate to achieve the LD50 you'd have to eat from 6 pounds to more than your bodyweight in mushrooms(depends on potency, but I'd bet it's a lot more than 6 pounds), which is impossible to do. Again there are many sites that discuss the LD50 of mushrooms. Here's one.
http://www.psychonaut.com/mushrooms/26445-waiting-period-between-2-trips.html

Also please don't respond that all intoxicants are not permissible, as alcohol is an intoxicant and is permissible to drink. It's even suggested to get drunk on holidays such as Purim and I've seen a few Rabbis shikered on Simchas Torah as well!


texts: Why is Betzalel (the constructor of the mishkan), only mentioned after the entire building process of the mishkan?

texts: Being that in Parashat Terumah and a portion of Tezaveh discusses the building of the Mishkan with all its vessels, the Torah hadn't told us who the constructor of the Mishkan was until Parashat Ki Tisa. In Parshat Ki Tisa 31:2 it says, "רְאֵ֖ה קָרָ֣אתִֽי בְשֵׁ֑ם בְּצַלְאֵ֛ל בֶּן־אוּרִ֥י בֶן־ח֖וּר לְמַטֵּ֥ה יְהוּדָֽה׃", "See, I have singled out by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah." My question is, why does the Torah wait until now to mention who the constructor of the Mishkan was? It would make more sense for it to be mentioned before the building, just like knowing who the builder is before building a house?


texts: Is Julia Donaldson's "a squash and a squeeze" based on a Jewish source?

texts:
The children's book 'A Squash and a Squeeze' by Julia Donaldson is about a woman who feels that her house is not big enough. She meets a 'wise old man' (who looks uncannily like an old chassidish fellow!), who tells her to bring animals into her home one by one (essentially to teach her a lesson in appreciation). After each animal enters her house the situation becomes more and more unbearably - all at the council of the wise old man. He eventually tells her to take animals out one by one and she begins to be grateful for the space she had in the first place.

A number of people have mentioned to me that this is based on a midrash or chassidic story (or other?). Is there indeed an early source for this in Jewish literature?

Excerpt:


texts: Is there a special status awarded to the plants (shrubs?) growing out of the Kotel? Why don't they get rid of them, as their roots obviously have deleterious effects on the wall?


texts: Why did Herod spare Bava ben Buta specifically?

texts: When Herod killed out all the sages (Bava Batra 3b) he spares Bava ben Buta. I would like to know if any commentaries explain why Herod chose to spare this sage in particular.


texts: What is the minimum shiur for Shulchan Orekh?

texts:
It has been mentioned that abbreviating shulchan orekh at the seder can be a practical way of keeping the seder from going too late. I have also heard rabbis--when asked for leniencies in the amount of matzah and maror that must be eaten--exclaim, "you don't have room for a kezayit of matzah but you can eat three bowls of chicken soup?!" The obvious intention being, limit your consumption at the meal in order to fulfill your obligations for eating matzah and maror.

But is there a minimum for shulchan orekh? Since it's part of the seder, I imagine that it's not proper to skip it entirely. Is that true?  If so, what is the minimum shiur for shulchan orekh?  Is it measured in time, food consumed, or something else?


texts: A minor (?) issue with spelling in Nusach Ari

texts:
Last Shabbes, I noticed that in two different nusach Ari siddurim (Torah Or and Tehillas Hashem), Modim in the Shemoneh Esrei either possesses or lacks a waw depending on whether it is a Shabbes or a weekday davening.
In the weekday davening, Modim ends with the phrase, "הטוב כי לא כלו רחמיך המרחם כי לא תמו חסדיך".
In the Shabbes davening, Modim ends with the phrase, "הטוב כי לא כלו רחמיך והמרחם כי לא תמו חסדיך".
In other words, the difference between Shabbes and weekday davening hinges on whether המרחם has a waw attached to it or not. I at first assumed that this might be a typo, but since I have seen it now in two different siddurim, I can only assume that it is deliberate.
What is the reason for the waw on Shabbes?


texts: Is participating on a Teacher rating site a violation of Lashon Hara?

texts:
There are websites out there (e.g. RateMyProfessors) where students can post information about teachers they had.

Is reading the "reviews" on the site, or writing such a "review", a violation of Lashon Hara?


texts:
Is it necessary to check hard or soft boiled eggs for blood spots?
I've never seen anyone do it, so perhaps it is not, but if so, why?


texts: PTIJ: Why do Ipods come in only 3 colors?

texts:
Shemot 28:6 says:
ועשו את האפוד זהב תכלת וארגמן
You shall make the Ipod gold, blue and scarlet
Why does the Torah limit making the Ipod only in these 3 colors? What's so special about these 3 specifc colors for Ipods?

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


texts: Can somebody please help me translate this Metzudat David commentary on Yirmiyahu?

texts:
I'm studying Yirmiyahu and having some trouble translating this passage of the commentary on 12:4. I'm bolding the parts that I can't understand, but including the paragraph for context. Can somebody please help me translate? (I also can't figure out what נ״נ stands for for the life of me). Thank you.

  עד מתי. זהו תשובת המקום כאומר הלא הועמד להיות רצועת מרדות על ישראל להיות שבט אפי כי עד מתי תהיה ארצי נשחתה ועשבה יבשה בסבת רשעת יושבי בה וכלתה בהמות ועוף כי לא תרבינה בארצם גמול פשעם באומרם שאני איני רואה אחריתם לדעת מה יהיה בסופם וכאומר וכי כן תהיה ארצי נשחתה עד עולם לכן יבא נ״נ ויגלה אותם מארצם וימורק עוונם וישובו אל ארצם ותהיה אז ארץ חמדה כמאז


texts: What do people mean when they say "Kaballah"?

texts:
I recently spoke to someone who said she was interested in learning Kabbala but could not find any classes.  I mentioned to her she may want to try learning Tanya because there is a lot of Kabbala in it.  She said "no, that would be too religious".

So what was she really wanting to learn exactly?


texts: Does the status "mal v'lo taval" apply to women?

texts:
In a number of circumstances, the halachic status of מל ולא טבל ("circumcized but not immersed in a mikveh") takes on significance.

For instance, regarding a nochri touching wine, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 124:2) notes that the touch of a מל ולא טבל does not render the wine unfit for benefit, and according to the Ramo (as read by the Shach) even drinking such wine is allowed.

How does this status apply to a potential female convert? Is there some intermediate state where a female convert is considered 'partially converted' such that wine touched by her can still be used?

Is the status of מל ולא טבל just a general description of being "in the process of conversion" and not to be taken literally, in which case it applies equally to men and women?


texts: Missing part of a bracha - yotzee b'dieved?

texts:
If one made a bracha (for example an woman by tevillah) "Baruch Atah HaShem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam al ha-tevillah" (and forgot to say "asher kidashanu b'mitzvosav vitzaivanu…") are they yotzee bedieved?
(Have they fulfilled their obligation of reciting the bracha.)


texts: Leaving the room during a kabbalistic dvar Torah

texts:
We learn from Maran HaRav Ovadia Yosef Z"l, as well as R' Hamburger Shlit"a, and the rest of the non-Chassidic, non-Lurianic world that it is improper for one unlearned in sha"s and halachah to learn kabbalah. If the rabbi at a shul brings kabbalah in his dvar Torah, is it proper to leave the shul for the duration of the drash?

Thank-you to Hacham Gabriel, whose blog inspired my question.


texts: Do the items a Baal Keri touch become impure?

texts:
So I understand it is said that Ezra's decree no longer applies today. However if one was still Baal Keri would he transfer his tumah to any object (literally any) that he touched?
Say someone had a seminal emission throughout the night. In the morning they wake up and realised what had happened. They have not washed their body, nor immersed in a Mikvah yet.
However, they wash their hands upon awaking. But of course would have to touch things before and after washing such as clean clothes, towel etc... Before that he had to open doors also for example.
So would the Baal Keri have to cleanse everything he came into contact with (not his seed but simply his hands) to achieve a state of taharah for himself and his home? Does anything he touch become tumah or only that which had contact with semen?
Perhaps I am simply over thinking it, any clarity regarding the matter would be greatly appreciated though.
Thank you!


texts:
Are there sources for the etymology of the surname Katz being an acronym for Kohen Tzedek?

Is that simply a backronym?


texts: Walking in front of a person Davening Shemoneh Esrei

texts:
I heard somewhere that you're not allowed to walk, stand, or sit, anywhere within 4 Amos of a person Davening Shemoneh Esrei because you're walking through the Shechinah.

Does this have a source? Are there any exceptions to the rule? Say there's a table in between you and the person? What if you're in a rush, and there's no way to get by unless you pass through their 4 Amos?