texts: Why did Avraham ask Eliezer to swear in the way he did?

texts:
Avraham asks his servant Eliezer to place his hand under his thigh to swear an oath regarding finding a daughter for his son. Chazal explain that he asked him to hold his (Avraham's) milah (male member) while swearing because it was a mitzvah item (similar to how in a rabbinic court one would need to hold a sefer torah) and that mitzvah was beloved to Avraham.

But was this really appropriate from a tzniut perspective? Moreover couldn't Eliezer have held the stone which Avraham used to perform the bris milah instead? Furthermore there is no indication in the text that the mitzvah of milah was more beloved to Avraham than, say, the mitzvah of welcoming guest. Why not instead have Eliezer swear while holding onto the entrance to the tent?

In short, please explain the necessity of the unusual process of this oath beyond the basic explanation given by the commentators.


texts: Are there any Torah sections dealing with frustration and anger management?

texts: I'm often frustrated throughout the day by people who either have no regard for anybody except for themself or who are simply too negligent or incompetent to act in a reasonable fashion. I'm in a management position and this is not just me. Every manager I work with comments they thought there was an enlightened way of managing, but once they actually had to supervise a bunch of people they become very frustrated and snappy. I feel like there is infinite, perfect wisdom in the Torah to deal with every issue, but I'm not so much of a Torah scholar. Per chance does anybody have advice from Torah or Talmud-based sources?


texts: How to understand the use of גֹאֵל in Rus

texts:
I'm really perplexed by what is going on in megillas Rus. In chapter 3 Rus and Boaz keep talking about Boaz being a גֹאֵל, but גֹאֵל of what? Boaz is the uncle of Machlon and Kilyon and as such he doesn't have an obligation to do yibum (Yevamos 17b). So why the use of גֹאֵל in that conversation, why not just talk about plain old marriage?

Then, in chapter 4 גֹאֵל is used to describe redeeming an ancestral field. That makes sense to me, but then suddenly in pasuk 5 we read:

  וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז בְּיוֹם קְנוֹתְךָ הַשָּׂדֶה מִיַּד נָעֳמִי וּמֵאֵת רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה אֵשֶׁת הַמֵּת קָנִיתָ לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ:
  And Boaz said, "On the day that you buy the field from the hand of Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the deceased, you have bought [it], to preserve the name of the deceased on his heritage."

This doesn't sound like any field-redeeming גֹאֵל transaction I've ever heard of. How is Rus involved in this land sale? And how is Boaz able to add in these conditions? If Naomi is really selling the field why isn't she having a conversation directly with Mr. גֹאֵל (Ploni Almoni)?

Then it gets even more difficult. The pasuk (7) sounds like it is talking about chalitzah, but also about monetary transactions

  וְזֹאת לְפָנִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַגְּאוּלָּה וְעַל הַ תְּמוּרָה לְקַיֵּם כָּל דָּבָר שָׁלַף אִישׁ נַעֲלוֹ וְנָתַן לְרֵעֵה וּ וְזֹאת הַתְּעוּדָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל:
  Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redemption and exchange, to confirm anything, one would remove his shoe and give [it] to his fellow, and this was the attestation in Israel.

So does גֹאֵל mean marry, redeem a field or both, and how and why does it seem to be used in these confusing ways in the narrative?


texts: Meaning of dreams with some kinds of animals

texts:
The gemara in berachot says: "All kinds of beasts are a good sign in a dream, except the elephant, the monkey and the long-tailed ape" (57b).
Why is a dream with an elephant, a monkey or a long-tailed ape not a good sign? Does this sentence of the gemara mean that a dream with one of those animals is a bad sign?


texts: Is an Onein Patur from EVERY positive mitzvah?

texts:
After the death of a close relative, a person enters the state of aninut, during which he is exempt from a variety of mitzvot. It seems (from the limited write ups which I have read) that this exemption applies to positive mitzvot ("An onen is exempt from positive mitzvot but can't violate any negative mitzvot.")

According to the Rambam's list of mitzvot, honoring parents is a positive mitzvah. Here, see #59 and 62.

Without looking at specific actions/cases, theoretically, is a person exempt from having to honor a parent when he is an onein?


texts: Questions about the fence dividing a subdivided field

texts:
Mishna Bava Basra 7:4 says:

  האומר לחברו חצי שדי אני מוכר לך--משמין ביניהם, ונוטל חצי שדהו.  חצייה בדרום אני מוכר לך--משמין ביניהם, ונוטל חצייה בדרום.  ומקבל עליו מקום גדר, וחריץ ובן חריץ.  וכמה הוא חריץ, שישה טפחים; ובן חריץ, שלושה.

Q1: There's an ambiguity in the mishna, which simply states that "he" has to provide the place for the fence and the two (or 1.5) trenches.  Who is "he"?  Kehati says it's the buyer, but I'm not sure where he gets that from, because Rashi in the Gemara (107b) says it's the seller.  And Rashi himself is stated without proof; the gemara does not make this point clear.  So who has to provide the land for the fence?

Q2: The mishna says that one person (whoever that is) has to provide the place for the fence.  Does that imply that the fence itself should be a shared cost?  If my diyuk is correct, how does that square with the mishnayos in the first perek, where it's pretty consistent that a shared wall is built with joint funds and straddles the border, whereas a wall put up by only one of the neighbors has to be built entirely on his property, and he puts a siman on the outside to show that the materials and the land are his?


texts: Jewish family members and ritual impurity

texts: If one's family is Jewish but does not wash ritually in the morning and you are the only one who washes, would this make other things in the house ritually impure, like water for example? What do rabbinic sources say about this?


texts: Parameters of לא תעשון כן לה' אלקיכם

texts:
There is a prohibition to destroy a synagogue based on the verse (Deut. 12:4) לא תעשון כן לה' אלקיכם, "you shall not do so unto the Lord your God." Rambam, in the minyan hamitzvot at the beginning of Sefer Ha-Madda (negative commandment 65), records this prohibition as follows:

  שלא לאבד בית המקדש, או בתי כנסייות, ובתי מדרשות; וכן אין מוחקין את
  השמות המקודשין, ואין מאבדין את כתבי הקודש, שנאמר אבד תאבדון . . .
  ואשריהם תשרפון, לא תעשון כן לה' אלוהיכם

My question is whether this prohibition applies to monotheistic places of worship that are not Jewish--for example, would it apply to a Unitarian church, a Baha'i temple, or an Islamic mosque? What about a Noahide synagogue? To be clear, my question is about the parameters of this specific prohibition, not about other reasons why one shouldn't destroy non-Jewish places of worship.


texts: Midrash about hitting thumb with hammer to show that we should not take vengeance on another Jew

texts:
Rav Zamir Cohen recounted a Midrash for parashat Vi-Yi’hi, which talks about how we need to have אהבת חינם since כל יהודי ערב זה בזה

To buttress the point he says there is a midrash, which says that if you bang your thumb with a hammer, the hurt hand won’t attack the other (likewise, we should not get angry at a fellow Jew).

However, I can’t find the source of this midrash. Any help?


texts: What is to be done with food illegally harvested in shmita year?

texts: If some food was harvested and sold and this was done on shmita year, and this harvest is later found or left in ones possetion,without having purchased it, is it permissible or desirable to be eaten since it has the kedusjat shviit?


texts: Can non-biological matter cause your sink, dishes, or food to become non-kosher?

texts: For instance, if something non-edible such as a chemical or eraser shavings are drained down the sink, would that cause any kashrut problems?


texts: Do we stand up for a man or the Torah he learned?

texts:
The halacha (SA YD  244:1) is that one should stand up out of respect for a talmid chacham.

I remember hearing a comment (possibly in the name of the Brisker Rov) that one is really standing up for the Torah of the talmid chacham, not for him.

One practical implication is that a father talmid chacham wouldn't be able to refuse that his son stands for him since the son is standing for his father's Torah, not only for his father.

Is there such a source?

Update: I found the relevant pages here and here.


texts: Do we have the complete Torah from the Dead Sea Scrolls? If not, how can we know for sure that the Torah we have today is the same from the time of the Second Temple Period, for example?


texts: Why can a convert say mikra bikkurim but not viduy maaser?

texts:
Maaser Sheini 5:14 says that a convert can't say viduy maaser because he doesn't inherit a portion of the Land and can't say ואת האדמה אשר נתת לנו.  We follow this mishnah.

Bikkurim 1:4 says that a convert can't say mikra bikkurim because he can't say אשר נשבע ה' לאבתינו לתת לנו.  We pasken like R' Yehuda, that the Avos are considered ancestors of converts as well, and therefore this is not an issue and a convert can say mikra bikkurim.

Mikra bikkurim also says ויתן לנו את הארץ הזאת.  This never enters the discussion, and we seem to assume that it's not a problem.

Why the difference?

(The reverse question, why כאשר נשבעת לאבתינו doesn't disqualify a convert from viduy maaser according to the tanna of the mishnah in Bikkurim, can be answered by just saying that he's already disqualified by ואת האדמה אשר נתת לנו so we don't need to explicitly list another disqualification.)


texts: Reciting the parshiyyot of the tefillin on Tish'ah BeAv

texts:
Some have the custom to read all four parshiyyot contained in the tefillin while wearing them. (See e.g. Mishnah Berurah 25:16.)
It is forbidden to learn Torah on Tish'ah BeAv, but one may recite Torah passages that fall under the rubric of daily prayers (seder hayom). (Shulchan Aruch 554:4)
Is reciting the the parshiyyot of the tefillin while wearing them (at mincha) included in this category?
I'm aware that Mishnah Berurah 555:5 rules not to say these paragraphs. Are there dissenting opinions?


texts:
I am an 18 year old male interested in converting to Judaism, I have been reading the Tanakh amongst other things and have been learning more about the religion. My question pertains as to whether or not it is acceptable for me to recite certain psalms and say some personal prayers of thanks and desires inside of a synagogue. The synagogue that I plan on visiting is more of a historic site (The one in Heritage Park San Diego) so I wont be disrupting any kind of a service. I just want to make sure that I am not doing something that could offend people or be theologically incorrect, I believe in G-d (In the Abrahamic sense) but am unavailable for conversion at this point in my life.

I am aware that there are certain blessings such as the shabbat one which Gentiles cannot recite

Also should I wear a Kippah?

Thank you for your time


texts: Two groups split into 2 cars and eat bread while travelling. What type of zimun do they make after rejoining?

texts:
This article delves into some details on what constitutes "eating together" for the requirement of zimun. I see that there is a dispute regarding what happens when some people leave in the middle or others join at the end.

Let's say you have a group of 10 people travelling in 2 cars that follow each other constantly - 5 in each car. All 10 people stop at a rest stop, wash hands, and are about to sit together at a picnic table when they see a funnel cloud in the distance. They jump in their cars, and since they made the bracha for washing hands, they eat bread in the cars.

About an hour later, they meet again at another rest stop. They don't eat anything, there.

Can they make a joint 10 zimun saying Elokenu? (They washed together and had intent to begin together and they are one "group") Or, should each group of 5 make their own "3-person" zimun while riding in the car?


texts: why does the ma nishtana say we dip 2 times when we actually dip 3 times?

texts: In the current standard text of the ma nishtana it states that at the seder we dip twice. But according to my count we dip three times, Karpas, Marror and Korech (either the whole sandwhich or just the marror part). How can we explain this discrepancy?


texts: Is one allowed to carry a gun for self-defense if local secular law prohibits it?

texts:
There is a rule of Dina D'Malchuta Dina - the law of the land is valid, providing that it does not conflict directly with Torah laws.

There is a Torah law of Venishmartem lenafshotechem (Devarim 4:15), that one must do what he can to guard his own life. Certainly, when one knows that someone is about to kill him, he is allowed to defend himself and use his gun to kill the other.

Gun control laws vary widely around the world. Supposing someone is unable to obtain a gun legally in his location, would he be permitted to carry a gun illegally for self-defense purposes if he is in a Pikuach Nefesh situation (ex. he needs to travel through Pikuach-Nefesh-dangerous locations)?


texts:
How does one kasher enamelware like Le Creuset (if it is at all possible)?

Note: enamelware cooking implements are typically cast-iron with a glazed enamel covering most of the of the surface, except for the base, which contacts the burner. The enamel is smooth and can withstand high temperatures (but not direct heat); furthermore, it changes the thermal properties of the implement, making it particularly good for use in slow cooking (think brisket).


texts: Do Sephardim have their own style of learning that differs from the styles of other sects of Judaism?

texts:
For Litvish it's depth, predominantly in the Talmud.

For Chasidim it's breadth of the Talmud and other sources.

Do sephardim have their own unique style of Torah study?


texts:
We have many names for God.  Elokim to emphasize God's justice, HaShem to emphasize God's mercy, and many other self-explanatory names, such as Adon Olam, HaKadosh Barukh Hu, Matir Assurim, Tzur Yisrael, etc., to emphasize other attributes of God.

The most mysterious to me is Ha-Makom, "The Place".  Some say it refers to the fact that God is everywhere.  (One could ask: "How so, since a "place" has boundaries, and God doesn't?", but let it pass for now.)

What I am asking is: When is it appropriate to call God "Ha-Makom"?  To emphasize what?  For example, we comfort a mourner with המקום ינחם אתכם -- May Ha-Makom comfort you...  Why "Ha-Makom"?  Sins committed against God are referred to as sins "ben adam la-Makom" -- "Between a man and Ha-Makom".  Why "Ha-Makom"?  Is it arbitrary?  Would any other name of God fit just as well?


texts: Is it permissible to listen to something while tying tzitzit?

texts: Let's be real: Tying tzitzit on a beged takes a long time. It's also a big mitzvah that enables an even bigger mitzvah every day. So is it appropriate to listen to something for entertainment — a shiur? a non-Torah talk show? religious music? non-religious music? — while you're tying? Or does that prevent proper kavanah?


texts: Is the fall of Babylon considered to be Israel's "darkest day"?

texts:
Jeremiah seems to be predicting Israel's "darkest day" or perhaps the most significant for other reasons:

  Jeremiah 30:7 Ho! For that day is great, with none like it, and it
  is a time of distress for Jacob, through which he shall be saved.

Rashi suggests:

  that day: The day of the assassination of Belshazzar and the downfall
  of Babylon. Another explanation: the day of the downfall of Gog.

    http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16027#v=7&showrashi=true&lt=primary

Given the subsequent history including 70 CE, Purim and the Shoah, what do scholars today say Jeremiah was predicting in 30:7? Which day? And "none like it" in what way?


texts: Anomalous root word frequency in Scripture

texts:
Is there a program available online that can detect statistically significant higher incidence of a specific root (שרש), and/or of a specific sequence of letters, in a specific portion of Tanach. For example, one might input the root שוב, or, alternatively, the sequence of letters שב,  to determine if their incidence in Parshath Miketz is abnormally high.
(Related question: Where is there a good online source to check how often a word appears in Tanach?
though I'm looking for something that would provide, as well, some statistical information - if only to show that a higher incidence in a specific portion is somewhat anomalous.)


texts:
Tzaraas (discussed in Vayikra 13-14) is a human skin disease that renders its victim impure and subjects him to many laws. In a different form,
tzaraas can also affect clothing and houses. It is generally understood to be punishment for certain sins, such as talebearing.

As far as I'm aware, tzaraas doesn't occur nowadays. But during the era that it did happen, how common was it? Was it a once-in-a-century type thing? Or was it more like if you had a nasty neighbor, you could be pretty sure he'd soon get tzaraas? Were some of the three types more common than others?


texts:
The Torah teaches the law of retaliation:

A fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  Just as he inflicted an injury upon a person, so shall it be given to him. [Lev. 24:20, also Ex. 21:23-5 and Deut. 19:21]

The Talmud [Baba Kamma 83b-84a] makes a convincing argument that it should be interpreted only as financial compensation.  Indeed, there is no record that Jews ever applied the injunction literally.
But the Talmud also says that the plain meaning (pshat) of the Torah never loses its value, and that other interpretations (remez, drash, sod) only add new dimensions to its meaning:

אֵין מִקְרָא יוֹצֵא מִידֵי פְּשׁוּטוֹ -- A verse does not depart from its literal meaning. [Shabbat 63a]

How do we reconcile the two?  By saying that financial compensation is the pshat and that the popular understanding is not an interpretation at all?  Sources?


texts: Is it forbidden to try to give a specific description of HaShem?

texts: Is it forbidden to try to give a definition of G-d as (i.e. a person/entity/consciousness who is unlimited without a physical shape not limited to space and time) ?


texts: Who is the LaHem ("them") in Mussaf Rosh Chodesh?

texts:
In Musaf of Rosh Chodesh we say אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם תָּבִיא לָהֶם - bring them eternal love.

Who is this phrase referring to? Who is the them in this supplication?

If it referes to the renewed temple  service, then why doesn't it say "us" - bring us eternal love.

The chapter starts with the Rosh Chodesh atonement, asking for the altar to be rebuilt, so we can bring the sacrifices, rejoice with the service in the temple and David's songs (Psalms, presumably) and then states bring them eternal love - and recall the covenant of the fathers for their sons.

Here's the entire piece in Nusach Ashkenaz. The Rambam and Edot Hamizrach have almost identical wording.

  רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים לְעַמְּךָ נָתַתָּ, זְמַן כַּפָּרָה לְכָל תּוֹלְדוֹתָם, בִּהְיוֹתָם מַקְרִיבִים לְפָנֶיךָ זִבְחֵי רָצוֹן, וּשְׂעִירֵי חַטָּאת לְכַפֵּר בַּעֲדָם, זִכָּרוֹן לְכֻלָּם יִהְיוּ, וּתְּשׁוּעַת נַפְשָׁם מִיַּד שׂוֹנֵא. מִזְבֵּחַ חָדָשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן תָּכִין, וְעוֹלַת רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ נַעֲלֶה עָלָיו, וּשְׂעִירֵי עִזִּים נַעֲשֶׂה בְרָצוֹן, וּבַעֲבוֹדַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ נִשְׂמַח כֻּלָּנוּ, וּבְשִׁירֵי דָּוִד עַבְדְּךָ הַנִשְׁמָעִים בְּעִירֶךָ הָאֲמוּרִים לִפְנֵי מִזְבְּחֶךָ. אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם תָּבִיא לָהֶם, וּבְרִית אָבוֹת לַבָּנִים תִּזְכּוֹר.


texts: For what prayer responses (e.g. amen, baruch Hu uvaruch Sh'mo, y'he Sh'me...) may one interrupt his own recital of birkas hamazon?


texts:
According to Rashi, Avraham began his prayers by reasoning let the tzadikim save the entire cities, and if the tzadikim can't save the whole city, at least don't kill the tzadikim themselves.

אולי יש חמשים צדיקים. עֲשָׂרָה צַדִּיקִים לְכָל כְּרַךְ וּכְרַךְ, כִּי ה' מְקוֹמוֹת יֵשׁ. וְאִם תֹּאמַר: לֹא יַצִּילוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים, לָמָּה תָּמִית הַצַּדִּיקִים?
PERADVENTURE THERE BE FIFTY RIGHTEOUS — ten righteous men for each city for there were five localities concerned. Should You, however, say that the righteous cannot save the wicked—but why should You kill the righteous at all?

Later, at the end of Avraham's prayer in pasuk 32, Rashi explains Avraham doesn't ask about less than ten because Noach's family which numbered eight couldn't save their generation.

אולי ימצאון שם עשרה. עַל הַפָּחוּת לֹא בִקֵּשׁ, אָמַר דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל הָיוּ ח', נֹחַ וּבָנָיו וּנְשֵׁיהֶם, וְלֹא הִצִּילוּ עַל דּוֹרָם; וְעַל ט' עַל יְדֵי צֵרוּף כְּבָר בִּקֵּשׁ וְלֹא מָצָא:
PERADVENTURE THERE SHALL TEN BE FOUND THERE — For a smaller number he did not plead because he knew already of two instances where less than ten had failed to save the wicked. He said to himself: In the generation of the Flood there were eight righteous people, viz., Noah, his sons and their wives, and they could not save their generation (Genesis Rabbah 49:13), and for nine in association with God he had already pleaded but had found no acceptance.

Question: What happened to the second intention of his teffila, at least don't kill the tzadikim themselves?
There was no confirmation from Hashem to agree to not kill the tzadikim themselves, nor was there a confirmation that they did not exist, so why did Avraham stop at a number which couldn't save their generation, he should have continued praying to save the tzadikim as individuals.
all quotes and translations from sefaria


texts: "Biur Sheimot Kodesh ve-Chol leha-Rambam" Authentic?

texts: I just came across a work called ביאור שמות קדש וחול which is attributed to the Rambam--see, e.g., here. Is this an authentic work of the Rambam? What is known about it?  I found the work on hebrewbooks.org here.


texts:
While reading Tehillim 119:164 commentary on " שֶׁ֣בַע בַּ֖יּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּ֑יךָ ", the interlinear Schottenstein Edition stated :
Midrashically this also refers to seven mitzvos with which God surrounds the Jewish man every day - tefillin on his head, tefillin on his arm, four tzitzis on his garment, and a mezuzah on his doorpost (Menachos 43b). These gifts are truly a cause to praise God because they serve as constant reminders to remain loyal to Him, and are thus the 'angels' which God has assigned to protect those who fear him. (ibid.; Rambam, Hil. Mezuzah 6:13).

Is a Mezuzah really considered an Angel?


texts:
I for a long time have had the question what is the proper way to learn Chumash in order to get to a good understanding al pi pshat.

Many times I hear people saying over vertlach on the Parsha and it seems to be not a genuine derech ha'limud in the Parsha rather a way for someone to say over their own chiddushim or interesting drush they have based on the Parsha. But not that it's coming to explain or help anything in the realm of "p'shat".

How can a person begin to find a derech ha'limud in learning Chumash, a way to go through the mafarshim and come out with "p'shat" and a good picture of what's going on. Ignoring the drush and remezim that many people seem to focus on. Are there any seforim to davka look at? Just learning through Rashi is in fact very hard (we see from the generations 100s of seforim written on Rashi's pirush on Chumash alone, aside from all of the new seforim now a days.) Are there any seforim or maforshim that could be recommend? New or old? Something to go through the parsha and come out knowing p'shat, not an interesting Sfas Emes to say over?


texts:
An interesting thought crossed my mind: does shomer negiah specifically only relate to direct, physical contact, or does it additionally extend to cover cases where there is no direct touch?

Though I'd never use this in real life, is poking someone's covered shoulder with a gloved hand in any way violate shomer negiah, as there's no physical skin-on-skin contact involved?

It would seem that this would be assur, but would it be?


texts: What is the difference between Shushan and Shushan Habirah  or is there one, and when does the Meggilah use each one? (Please quote sources)


texts: Discovered my Jewish heritage at 61 yrs old; now what?

texts:
For my entire life I believed I was of 100% Italian heritage; typical Neopolitan roots from grandparents who came in the 'big wave' of Italian immigrants in 1900-1910.  I've traveled to Italy and am a member of a geneology group that unites descendants of one tiny mountain town in southern Italy.  OK, so then I send away for the Ancestry DNA kit, and I get my results.
49% European Jewish - Northern (Ashkenazi)
36% Italian, 12% misc other (Caucasus, E. Europe)
After a few seconds of catching my breath, it all became so perfectly clear.  I was the love child of my mother and her boss in the 1950's -- a man she revered and loyally worked for until his sudden death.  I always suspected...now I know.  He was a German Jew.  I know this doesn't technically make me Jewish, but I still want to honor and learn more about this whole new half of my identity.  Suggestions?  Readings?  Online resources?  So many things make sense now....I am very very glad that I finally found this out.


texts: Why does a Torah have 2 poles and a Megillah have 1?

texts:
A Torah scroll is a very long piece of parchement with two poles ("atzei chayim") at either end, while a Megillat Esther is a not-as-long piece of parchment with one pole at the end of the book.

Why the difference? Two poles seems the most convienient, as it allows you to save your place when you close it. Why not do that for the Megillah as well?


texts: How many people are needed in order to start chazaras hashatz?


texts:
ભારતમાં ક્યાં હું એક સભાસ્થાનમાં શોધી શકો છો
Where in India can I find a synagogue

શાંતિ


texts: Is it permissible to earn money on Shabbos if paid at another time?

texts:
For example if a shul had a children's program, a chazan who was only there on Shabbos, or a catering company who set up kiddush for the shul...

The fact that all these examples only take place during Shabbos, is it a problem that they be paid at another time since the earning of that money took place on Shabbos?


texts: Why do we prepend Shanu Raboseinu to the sixth Perek of Avos and not other Perakim appended from Braisos?

texts:
The sixth Perek of Avos begins

  שנו רבותינו בלשון המשנה ברוך שבחר בהם ובמשנותם

  The Rabbis taught in the language of the Mishnah. Blessed is He Who chose them and their teachings.

Here I ask why this particular formulation is used, but the idea is that it makes the point that this Perek is not actually from Mishnayos Avos, but rather a Braisa (in this case, Kallah and Seder Eliyahu Zuta).

Why is it only here? Take the fourth Perek of Bikkurim as an example, Perek Adreigonus. It’s not actually from Mishnayos Bikkurim, but rather added from the second Perek of Tosefta Bikkurim. I don’t see that Perek beginning with this notation. For a single-Mishnah example, take Pesachim 4:9; the Gemara on 56a only quotes 4:8 and brings down 4:9 as ”Tanu Rabbanan” (which introduces a Braisa). So why is Avos 6 the only one that gets this notation?

While one could argue that it’s because it’s recited publicly, the words of Rashi on the Mishnah would seem to indicate otherwise:

  שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים בִּלְשׁוֹן הַמִּשְׁנָה. כְּלוֹמַר בְּרַיְתָא הִיא וּבִלְשׁוֹן הַמִּשְׁנָה הִיא שְׁנוּיָה, אֲבָל אֵינָהּ מִשְׁנָה. וּמַה שָּׁנוּ, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר וְכוּ'. וּלְפִי שֶׁעַד עַכְשָׁיו כָּל הַפְּרָקִים מִשְׁנָה, לְפִיכָךְ הֻצְרַךְ לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁמִּכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ בְּרַיְתָא הִיא. וּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהַלָּלוּ דִּבְרֵי הַגָּדָה הֵן וּמְסַפְּרוֹת בְּעֵסֶק תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה נָהֲגוּ לְאָמְרָן בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת עִם שְׁאָר פְּרָקִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל מַסֶּכֶת אָבוֹת:

  That is to say, this is a Braisa, taught in the language of the Mishnah, but it’s not a Mishnah. What was taught? “R’ Meir said, etc.” Since up until now all these Perakim were Mishnah, therefore it’s needed to inform that from here on is Braisa. Since these are words of Aggadah and discuss learning Torah, the Minhag is to say them in shul with the other perakim of Avos.

To me the wording implies “These are Braisos, therefore it needs to specify that these are not Mishnayos. Why was this included? Because we learn it in shul.” Not “We include this because we learn it in shul, therefore we need to tell people that these are Braisos” - seemingly anyone reading this would need to know they’re Braisos, independent of the reason this Perek is included.


texts:
From a purely Torah perspective.
What was the disagreement between Rav Shach and the Lubavitcher Rebbe? Like, from a halachic point of view what were their opinions and why?

I know they disagreed about Shabbos candles for young girls and tefilin campaign and moshiach.  I don't know sources it is just spoken about often.

I don't think there is a sefer on it yet.


texts: An Ashkenaz-Sefaradi couple is getting married, can they reuse their mezuzot?

texts:
An Ashkenazi and Sefaradi (Edot Hamizrach) are getting married. They each have available mezuzot from previous houses they lived in, written in Ashkenazi (Beit Yosef) or Sefaradi (Vellish) script.
Are there halachic sources commenting on whether they can hang these mezuzot in their new dwelling independently of the script of the mezuza? Do they have to follow the husband's custom or can they also reuse the wife's mezuzot?
Does it matter if they are moving into a new apartment (without mezuzot) vs. the apartment of one of them which already has mezuzot? In the latter case, does it matter if it is the husband's or wife's apartment?
PS. This question is related but appears to be asking bdieved and without the (potential) attenuating fact of different customs for husband and wife.


texts: Can one buy lettuce and cabbages, etc. from a non-Jewish produce store?

texts:
I have noticed that some non-Jewish owned produce stores in U.S. have someone trimming the rotten or ugly leaves off the edge of lettuce, cabbage and other similar leafy vegetables. The knife used is cold but it comes from an unknown source. The same knife may have been used to cut unkosher meat, fish, onions, etc. There is no knowing where the knife has been used.

Can someone buy such produce? Would it be sufficient to manually remove an extra layer of leaves from these vegetables after buying them?


texts:
When speaking to the rav of a community, what title should one use? "Hello, Rabbi X" would surely be acceptable for someone with regular semicha, but perhaps not for a person who is referred to as "Harav X" in the third person. I am pretty sure "Hello, Rav X" is wrong, although I do hear some people say it that way. What, then, is correct?

Related: Okay to address a rabbi with "you"?


texts: Why does the Megillah tell us Mordechai was a Jew?

texts:
Why are we specifically told that Mordechai was an Ish Yehudi as it says in the pasuk (Ester 2:5):

  אִישׁ יְהוּדִי, הָיָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה; וּשְׁמוֹ מָרְדֳּכַי

Would we assume he wasn't a Jew if we weren't told this? If we would know he was a Jew without the Pasuk specifically mentioning it, what is the reason for mentioning it?

As always, please cite your sources.


texts: Good inclination or evil inclination in the womb?

texts:
The Posuk says:

  ויתרוצצו הבנים בקרבה (בראשית כה, כב)

To which Rashi comments:

  כשהיתה עוברת על פתחי תורה של שם ועבר יעקב רץ ומפרכס לצאת, וכשהיתה עוברת על פתחי עבודה זרה עשיו מפרכס לצאת

Abridged and translated (by me)  as: in front of a Yeshiva Yackov wanted to come out and in front of a House of Idol Worship Eisav wanted to come out

The question stems from a Gemara in Sanhedrin (צא ב)There it says:

  שאלתו של אנטונינוס לרבי מאימתי יצר הרע שולט באדם, אמר רבי משעת יציאה

Translated: Antininos asked when does the Evil Inclination enter a person? From when he goes out of his mother.

If so, why was Eisav struggling to get out to the house of Idol Worship? According to this Gemara he had no Evil Inclination yet?


texts: I wondered if there is a difference between the words שֵׁבֶט (rod, stick, staff) and מַטֶּה (rod, stick, staff) in matter of function, symbolism, and 'spiritual meaning'? A mateh seems almost like a magical wand, for Moshe used it to perform miracles and fight off Amalek, so I figured out that there must be some symbolism or deeper meaning to it.


texts:
What's the deal with swordfish? Is it Kosher? Which sources say yes, and which sources say no?

EDIT: I know that R' Dr. Moshe D. Tendler is well known for having consulted with scientists (in 1951) and deciding that they are not, based on the way their scales look, cling to the body and disappear later in life. However, according to this article the Chief Rabbinate in Israel rejects that theory. Also, the Conservative movement considers them to be Kosher, based on a Gemara that supposedly says they are. I am not Conservative, and I don't follow Conservative rulings. However, I mention that ruling because it seems that, according to the above linked article, Jews along the Mediterranean have eaten swordfish for some 350 years, and that the Gemara in question is translated as swordfish, but it may not be what we today call swordfish.

So, with all that background, are there any Gedolim today who hold that it is Kosher, and how do they support their position vis a vis R' Tendler and the problem with the scales?


texts:
Star anise is technically the fruit of the evergreen tree Illicium verum. However, this fruit is not used as an edible fruit, only as a spice.

What blessing do the authorities determine is the right one to recite before smelling it?

I would think hanosein reiach tov bapeiros because it is a fruit.

I would think borei atzei vesamim because it is an inedible tree part.

I would think borei minei vesamim because it is indeterminable.


texts: Loshon Hora: Believing that circumstances permit slander

texts:
When the Chofetz Chaim (Klal 2, §3) codifies the allowance to relate slander heard b'apei t'lasa (a statement made in front of three people, which is considered avidi l'geluei and therefore already public), he adds a clause (§4):

ואפלו מה שהתרנו... דוקא השומע הראשון, ששמע
בעצמו מה שראובן ספר על שמעון באפי תלתא {בפני שלשה}, אבל מי ששמע ממנו,
אסור לילך אחר כך על סמך הזה, שאמר לו המספר לו ששמע דבר זה באפי תלתא,
ולספר לאחר מהגנות ששמע על שמעון, אף אם לא יזכיר מי הוא המוציא והמביא
הלעז הזה על שמעון, אם לא שכבר נתפרסם הדבר ונודע לכל

Simply put, this hetter applies only to one of the three original listeners. However, although any of the three is permitted to pass it on to others, one who hears it from them may not continue to relate the story - because although if it was said b'apei t'lasa it becomes permitted, the 'second-generation' listener has no firsthand knowledge that it was actually said b'apei t'lasa, and is not permitted to believe his friend that it was so (because he is עד אחד נגד איתחזק איסורא).
My question is:
There is an apparent contradiction: The Chofetz Chaim writes (Klal 4:11) that one is permitted to say lashon hora when it is l'toeles (justified motives), provided one was told from his questioner that it was relevant l'toieles.
Both l'toieles and b'apei t'lasa are allowances to say something which would otherwise be forbidden. Why regarding b'apei t'lasa am I not allowed to believe someone that these are the circumstances and therefore permitted speech, but in regards to l'toieles I am allowed (or even obligated) to believe that circumstances permit the lashon hora?


texts: Many Jews died in Plague of Darkness, why not Dathan and Abiram?

texts:
Some say only 1/5, others say 1/50 and others say 1/500 of the Israelites left Egypt. This means between 80-99.8% of Jews (the reshaim who did not merit or want the Redemption from Egypt) died, presumably in in the ninth plague (darkness).

Why did the prototypical

  And he retorted, "Who made you a man, a prince, and a judge over us?
  Do you plan to slay me as you have slain the Egyptian?" Moses became
  frightened and said, "Indeed, the matter has become known!"

  Moses became frightened: [To be explained] according to its simple
  meaning [that Moses was afraid Pharaoh would kill him]. Midrashically,
  it is interpreted to mean that he was worried because he saw in Israel
  wicked men [i.e.,] informers. He said, Since this is so, perhaps they
  [the Israelites] do not deserve to be redeemed [from slavery]. [From
  Tanchuma, Shemoth 10]

and recidivist (complainers during the Wilderness, Korach affair etc) reshaim Dathan and Abiram not die?


texts: How was Hashem able to speak with Moshe from the Tent of Meeting?

texts: In Shemot 40:35, Moshe was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting, only Aharon and his sons were anointed to enter. In Vayikra 1:1 Hashem spoke to Moshe from the Tent of Meeting. How was this possible since Moshe was not allowed to enter the Mishkan when the cloud rested above it, indicating Hashem's presence?


texts: How do you pronounce Hashem's name when there is a prefix?

texts: When you have a prefix, such as a lamed, before the name YKVK people pronounce it la | donai instead of la | a | donai. Why?


texts: What specifically was the ancient Jewish practice of rubbing an infant's throat?

texts:
The Jewish Encyclopedia article on "Consecration" says that the later "rubbing on" of oil aka "anointing" has roots in the practice of rubbing an infant's throat in preparation for receiving a mother's milk:

  CONSECRATION or DEDICATION:

  By: Emil G. Hirsch, Kaufmann Kohler

  The solemn setting apart of a person or thing to a special use or purpose. According to Fleischer (Levy, "Neuhebr. Wörterb." ii. 206), the word "ḥanak" (to initiate) is derived from the "rubbing of the throat" of an infant for the purpose of cleansing it and enabling it to take the mother's milk, and is therefore applied to every form of initiation. It appears, moreover, that the "rubbing" remained for a long time an essential feature of the rite of initiation, for "every consecration in Biblical times was accompanied by rubbing or anointing with oil the object to be consecrated. Thus the pillar at Bethel was anointed (Gen. xxviii. 18; compare the "dedication" of Nebuchadnezzar's image, Dan. iii. 2 et seq.). The priests and the vessels of the Tabernacle were anointed with oil (Ex. xxviii. 41, xxx. 26; Lev. viii. 10-12; Num. vii. 13), and by this rite they were "hallowed." "Mishḥat Adonai" is, therefore, "consecration to the Lord" (Lev. x. 7)...

I find this a promising line of inquiry into the otherwise mysterious practice of anointing but, perhaps because I'm not a mother, nothing I can relate to or picture. Can someone please explain the practice in terms I might understand?

One thing I would like clarified is whether this rubbing of the baby's throat was done by the mother each time she breastfed or whether it was done by a priest to bless the child's ability to feed throughout life.


texts: Can I drive an electric car that has been left on before Yom Tov if food was placed on the batteries before Yom Tov?

texts:
DISCLAIMER:  I was referring to what I saw on the Chabad article(the first one linked to as "Yom Tov Laws") I am not considering at all Yom Kippur, I meant Yom Tov in terms of the idea of "work for food" is allowed for festivals.
I was wondering if driving an electric vehicle on Yom Tov would be allowed if the battery of the car is on from before Yom Tov and has a package to cook food filled with something that needs cooking placed on it before Yom Tov. I saw that you are allowed to cook on Yom Tov with an existing flame and enhance an existing flame. The way I see it, the batteries are being used from before Yom Tov are an existing flame and then driving would be enhancing the flame. I know this might be problematic with how it appears for other Jews, so if someone added a sign to the car saying that they were cooking food on the batteries, would it then be allowed? If the previous is allowed, how hot would the batteries have to be to be considered a flame, or is the fact of the electricity considered a flame by itself?
Yom Tov Laws
Enhancing a Flame


texts:
I have three questions.

1) Can a religious Orthodox Jewish employer, refuse to employ a Non Observant Jew on Shabbos or other Jewish holidays, if the Non Observant Jew volunteers to work on this, since the Non Observant Jew has always worked on Shabbos and Jewish Holidays all his life in other jobs for other non Jewish employers.

2) Can a religious Orthodox Jewish employer refuse to hire or employ a Jew that converted to another religion on Shabbos or any other day, because of the religious Jewish person's beliefs are against someone who left the religion and sees them as an Appostolate?

3)Does a non religious Jewish person have to inform his religious Jewish employer if he is indeed Jewish as well, because he feels that if he does inform the employer, the employer will not allow him to work on Saturday, when the non religious person needs the extra income from Saturday work.


texts: What's the source for the aggadah about Adam sacrificing a unicorn?

texts:
In The Legends of the Jews, Ginzberg relates this story:

  The first time Adam witnessed the sinking of the sun be was also seized with anxious fears. It happened at the conclusion of the Sabbath, and Adam said, "Woe is me! For my sake, because I sinned, the world is darkened, and it will again become void and without form. Thus will be executed the punishment of death which God has pronounced against me!" All the night he spent in tears, and Eve, too, wept as she sat opposite to him. When day began to dawn, he understood that what he had deplored was but the course of nature, and be brought an offering unto God, a unicorn whose horn was created before his hoofs, and he sacrificed it on the spot on which later the altar was to stand in Jerusalem.

Does anyone know an earlier source for this story?


texts:
Genesis (3:7) states that Adam and Eve realised that they were naked so they made loincloths from fig leaves:

  וידְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַֽיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת

Nevertheless, in verse 10, Adam tells God that he hid (in verse 8) because he was naked:

  וָאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵחָבֵֽא

The question is, why was he naked if he was wearing the loincloth.

I can think of several possible answers.

They started making the loincloths but didn't finish making them.
They made them but for whatever reason didnt don them.
They donned them, but Adam nevertheless felt naked.
Adam lied. Really he hid because he was embarrassed that he ate from the tree. He gave the reason of nakedness even though it wasn't really true (for by then he was covered) since he was trying to think fast and think of anything to say other than he ate from the tree.

I don't see anything about this in Rav Saadya Gaon, Rashi, Rashbam, Bekhor Shor,  Ibn Ezra, Rabbenu Avraham ben HaRambam, Ramban, Imrei Shefer (Halava), Seforno. Ohr HaHayyim, or Shadal.


texts: Are all mitzvot in Torah meant to be kept forever?

texts:
Nissan Dovid Dubov, in The Eternal Nature of the Torah, says:

  The Talmud teaches that mitzvahs will be nullified in the Messianic
  age. How do we reconcile this with Judaism’s cardinal principal that
  Torah is eternal and mitzvahs don’t change?

However, the website HaDavar argues that the mitzvot are not eternal.

I actually saw a verse in Torah saying that Torah is eternal. That is, all the 613 commandments must be done. I forget the verse.

Can anyone please just point the verse because I couldn't find it.


texts: Why can't Jews return to Egypt using the same path the ancient Israelites took?

texts:
The Torah prohibits returning to Egypt (Deuteronomy 17:16, Sefer HaMitzvos Lo Sa'aseh § 46). The Sefer HaChinuch § 500 explains the reason for the prohibition is because the Egyptians are bad people, and Hashem doesn't want us to learn from their ways, considering He took us out from there in the first place.
Some want to explain that the Torah only forbade returning to Egypt via the path the Jews took in the wilderness during their 42 journeys (Divrei Shaul to Numbers 33:1,2, brought by the Toafos Re'eim to Sefer Yereim § 309 (303); see there his question on this). Some want to say the Ritva's understanding of the Yereim implies this as well. I've also heard some more recent divrei Torah quoting this idea. As an aside, this answers how the Rambam himself could live in Egypt (see here).
However, this seems extremely specific. Why would the Torah prohibit only this path, yet if a person is missing even one of the stops, it's totally fine to return to Egypt?


texts: What's the reason behind having an additional atara on the middle of the talis gadol?

texts:
Here an example of the Belz Rebbe talis with an additional atara in the middle
Any sources on this custom ?


texts: Do some Sephardi women accept Shabbat at Kiddush rather than with the lighting of the candles?

texts:
I heard that some Sephardi women accept Shabbat at Shabbat Kiddush rather than with the lighting of the Shabbat candles.
Is this true and if so where is the source for this?


texts: Does there exist an application or website that allows one to search for specific patterns with טעמי המקרא? For example, to find all occurrences of two consecutive זרקא's (as in וה' הכה כל בכור).


texts: What dress is expected at a post-service event in a synagogue?

texts: A non-Jew is invited to a birthday party to be held in the synagogue after services.  What level of dress is expected?  Would one be expected to dress as for Shabbat services, or would a more casual (but still nice) level of dress be acceptable because it's a party and not a service?  Does being a non-Jew make a difference?


texts:
Is there any minhag to fill a cup of wine to the point where it overflows?
Do some people overflow their cup because of Kos Pagum or does Kos Pagum apply to a cup which is not filled near enough to the top to be considered full?
Is overflowing one's cup ba'al tashchis or davar megunah?
Where is the halachic source that overflowing one's cup at havdalah is considered a berachah?


texts: Hatzi Kaddish melody using Haftarah nusach

texts:
Some years ago I visited a shul where the hazzan chanted Hatzi Kaddish of the Shabbat Torah service in the nusach of the Haftarah.  I seem to recall it started with mapach pashtah munach zokeif-katon.

I would love to learn this, but have not found any source for the te'amim to use (or overlay).  Would anybody have this?

This melody might have been that hazzan's personal custom.  I did email him and request his te'amim, but I never heard back.


texts: The arrangement of the Seder plate according to the Arizal includes one space for "Marror" and another for "Chazeres" (the latter intended for use in Koreich). Does this reflect a tradition to use lettuce only for Koreich, but some other species for the primary Marror? The names are especially jarring for those who use horseradish exclusively.


texts: Source that Lulav is a banner representing life

texts:
I am reading a Devar Torah by an esteemed Rosh Yeshiva which says "Furthermore, the Midrash  explains that when we lift our lulavim and esrogim on Sukkos, it is essentially a celebration of life. The Midrash illustrates this with an analogy: After a king judges his subjects,  and grants them an additional year of life, they display royal banners in honor of the king, in a demonstration of their gratitude for his judgment. Likewise, the Midrash explains, we presume that Hashem awarded us another year of life on Yom Kippur, and in gratitude for that, we display His royal “flag” – the Four Species – on Sukkos."

Anyone know where this Medresh is? It's certainly not the one in Vayikra Rabbah 30:2.


texts:
It is forbidden to think, speak or read words of Torah while using the bathroom as per Shulchan Aruch O:C 85:2 [based on Shabbos 40b]

If a person is using the bathroom and they know that from time to time pesukim or other Torah related materials show up in their Facebook feed (or similar social feed apps) are they allowed to browse Facebook at that time?

If the answer is yes and some Torah related material does show up what is the best course of action? Scroll past it or close the phone?


texts: PTIJ: Why do we blow Shofar on Rosh Hashana and use a Lulav on Sukkos?

texts:
Why do we blow Shofar on Rosh Hashana and shake the Lulav on Sukkos? I would say that a Shofar lasts longer, so it would make sense to use it on a longer holiday, while the Aravos wilt within a day or two, so use them on a short Yom Tov like Rosh Hashana instead?

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


texts: In the book of Ruth it never openly states that she converts and in fact she is referred to as Ruth the Moabite throughout the text. At what point, chronologically, did she in fact convert?


texts:
Under what method of employment should a Jew sustain himself? Is there a preference for self-employment over working for an employer?
I've heard that an employee is like a slave to the employer and maybe this is the source of this idea:
The Cohen Gadol's prayer:

ולא יהיו עמך ישראל צריכים פרנסה זה מזה ולא מעם אחר

Footnote 14 to Baba Metzia 10a also states:

The fact that the labourer may terminate the employment any time he likes does not imply that he does not belong to the employer.

From the above Gemoro it appears it is not good for Jews to be slaves, as stated:

For unto me the children of Israel are servants ; they are My servants (Vayikra 25:55)  — but not servants to servants.

Additionally, the Shulchan Aruch states Even HaEzer 70:3:

וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים עוֹד, דְּחַיָּב לְהַשְׂכִּיר עַצְמוֹ כְּפוֹעֵל וְלָזוּן אִשְׁתּוֹ

It seems the Shulchan Aruch is saying it is very negative to be an employee (i.e. the last resort if one can't provide food for his wife).
These sources appear to suggest that a Jew should be self-employed.

Is it indeed preferable for Jews to be self-employed?
If so, what are other sources contain these ideas?
Does the type of employment matter?

From http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=35202&st=&pgnum=153 it seems it depends, and that if the employee can choose what hours he works he is not like a slave


texts:
I'm adding this post for Albert, who posted this in Biblical Hermeneutics.  His question:

Hi i got some people rent a house, and they put this signs which i think is hebrew on the top of the entry door on the other door that goes into the patio, what does this mean/is use for?

Apparently this is niphal from יָלַד and means born, but I don't know its purpose. Is this a Jewish custom?


texts:
A deleted post from a long time ago made the claim that

  [W]e are [allowed to charge interest to other Jews] but not from
  immediate family. Even from another Jew, if he or she is not a member
  of our close family. Why? Because if we don't charge interest, what we
  have done is charity. While to our own family, it does not constitute
  charity but a duty.

The post itself had been posted by a former MY user with a habit of stirring controversy, to put it mildly, and it earned a negative vote score, while being severely criticized, before it was finally deleted altogether.

The literal interpretation of the verses prohibiting us from charging interest (Lev. 25:35-37 and Deut. 23:20), seems to prohibit charging interest to "your brother".  This is clearly not the Halachah.

Yes, Deut. 23:21 (the very next verse) allows charging a "Nochri" but not "your brother".  Is that the basis of the Limmud (and if so, where is the Limmud recorded) that the prohibition is not limited to charging interest to your immediate-family brother, but also precludes charging your co-national/co-religious "brother" (ie., your fellow Jew)?

Essentially, I'm asking how, in this instance, we know "your brother" means fellow Jew and not biological brother (if it always means fellow Jew and not biological brother, then an answer demonstrating that will suffice).


texts: Why not start BaHaB on Iyar / Marcheshvan 3?

texts:
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 492 discusses the custom some have to fast on Monday, Thursday and Monday (BaHaB) following the months of Nissan and Tishrei. Rama in his gloss notes that the custom is to fast starting from the first available Monday of the following months (i.e. Iyar and Marcheshvan). (I assume he means to exclude where the first Monday of the month is Rosh Chodesh.)

Now, consider a case where Rosh Chodesh Iyar (say) is on Friday and Shabbat. I would have thought that BaHaB would start on the first Monday in Iyar (the third of the month).

However, Mishnah Berurah 492:3 implies that BaHaB actually starts the following Monday (the tenth of the month), writing that on the Shabbat following Rosh Chodesh (in our case the eigth of the month) we bless those who will fast BaHaB, and BaHaB then begins on the following Monday.

Why is this the rule? Is there a problem blessing those who will fast BaHaB on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, such that the blessing, and thus BaHaB itself must be pushed off by a week? What would the problem be?


texts: I read that a nazir would shave his hair just prior to taking the vow because of a decree of the sages. Is it true? What is the source for this information?


texts: Do the laws of not learning on tisha b'av also apply to Ches Av?

texts:
I heard  that on Tisha bi'Av the rules of not learning Torah also apply on Ches Av (the eighth of Av).

So I have a few questions on Chess Bi'Av.

Is there a source for this
This question What can one learn on Tisha B'Av? says some things you can learn on Tisha B'av, so my question is: Does all of these things apply to Ches B'av or some things are more lenient and you can learn different/more things?


texts: Considering inflation since 1967, how much would that gorilla in the window cost, now?

texts:
In 1967, O.G., a little girl, bought Magilla Gorilla for two cents. The name for this cartoon character, according to Wikipedia:

In Yiddish, a "megillah" is a long tedious or embroidered account,
from the Hebrew "megillah", a story written in a scroll. One episode
has Magilla saying, "Such a megillah over a gorilla."

If O.G. were alive today, how much would she have to pay to buy Magilla Gorilla?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts:
אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה וּמְחִיר כֶּלֶב
are invalid for an offering. Devorim 23:19.

For example, as Rashi explains, “If one exchanged a dog for a lamb [this lamb is unfit for a sacrifice].”

How does the person taking the animal to shecht it for the altar know that it is not an  אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה וּמְחִיר כֶּלֶב?

Do we follow the majority and assume that unless he knows otherwise the animal is suitable for an offering or are there more stringent rules for sacrifices?

How do we know that a potential korban is not  אֶתְנַן זוֹנָה וּמְחִיר כֶּלֶב?


texts: Is there a teshuva which speaks about whether Jean pants are Chok Akum?

texts:
I was told by someone that there is a Teshuva by the  Seridei Eish where there is a discussion of weather wearing denim jeans falls under the category of Chok Akum.

My question:

1) Does this Teshuva actually exist? (I'm very interested in seeing it if it does.)

2) If it doesn't, are there any Teshuvos out by him or other poskim of a similar matter?

Note: this is a serious question. Really.


texts:
Is it permissible to heat non-food items on Shabbath?  Assume the method of heating is to use an existing heat source (a blech, or the top of a crockpot or hot water urn).

Would it matter if it is for heat therapy or for general warmth?


texts: Finding the tefilin boundary on a balding head

texts:
The head tefilin are supposed to go above the hairline, or above where the hairline was on someone whose hairline has receded.

The former situation is easy to deal with. A man whose hairline hasn't strayed from its original location can simply find its location every morning with his fingers.

Do you have any tips for how a man with a receded hairline should find this location? Are there any clues available to the fingers? I'm looking for practical advice, ideally advice that can be implemented without ready access to diagrams and mirrors.


texts: What sort of options are available for pursuing a career in Torah?

texts:
For someone that has a degree in a common field like accounting or law and has decided to look for work in a different field, are there any options available in the Torah field?

By this I don't mean to use his accounting degree in a yeshivah, but to actually become a rebbe, kiruv speaker, spiritual advisor or what have you.

Is this step even practical if one has responsibilities and expenses that need to be taken care of?

Let's assume that he can afford to take off one year from work and gain the necessary skills, what sort of effort would be required and how successful can he become?


texts: What are the Sephardic responses during weekday shacharit?

texts:
During the repetition of the Amidah, during Ata Kodesh, Sephardim say "emet". And during Yivarecha, they say "Yehi Ratzon". However, these may be shared by nusach Ashkenaz, so is there is a list of uniquely Sephardic responses at shacharit on a weekday?

The usual responses are just Amen at the end of each blessing. However, during certain parts of the prayers other responses are said such as "yasher koach", "Yehi Ratzon" and "emet." There's not very much, but I just don't know them.


texts: Source in the Aruch HaShulchan to not motzi (exempt) others with after-bracha on mezonot foods

texts: The Aruch HaShulchan has an opinion on whether one person can motzi (exempt) a crowd with a bracha acharona (after-bracha) on mezonot foods.  It is along the lines of it is better not to have one person do this for everyone else.  I saw it once, and now cannot find it.  I have since heard it is "famous"!  Does any one have a source?


texts:
OK, bad title but I have been having trouble with the titles recently. Sorry.

In slichot, we say a whole set of things including many pesukim. Towards the end of the slichot, right before the shma koleinu and the vidui, we bring in a pasuk as a "support" for "tvienu el har kodshi..." bring us to your holy mountain etc. The holy mountain is (I figure) the temple mount, the "your" is God and the "us" is the Jews. But the pasuk brought in after the k'mah shekatuv, as it is written is "וַהֲבִיאוֹתִים אֶל הַר קָדְשִׁי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים בְּבֵית תְּפִלָּתִי עוֹלֹתֵיהֶם וְזִבְחֵיהֶם לְרָצוֹן עַל מִזְבְּחִי כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים"

"I will bring them to My holy mount, and I will cause them to rejoice in My house of prayer, their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

(text and translation from the chabad site).

This is from Yeshayahu 56:7 which closes a set of pesukim which deal with converts and their faith that their prayers and actions will be rewarded like the actions of born-Jews. In the pasuk, the "them" is NOT the Jews, but those choosing to join from among other nations. Why would we use that as part of our selichot (where we ask for forgiveness for sins committed while we were already under the obligation to follow mitzvot) when it wasn't spoken about us and our being brought close? Are there no pesukim which point to a Jew's being brought to the Beit Hamikdash?

Is it that, homiletically, we are calling ourselves converts? I guess I haven't been checking but is it an accepted practice to take a pasuk out from its context and use it elsewhere because it can fit a different interpretation then?


texts:
I'm taking an Aramaic class, and one of the words that came up in the text I'm reading is "yehuweh," meaning "he will become" (in context, "he will become my successor).  It is spelled with the exact four letters as the name of God.

Since it's not actually the name of God - only spelled the exact same way - do I treat it as such?  Should I not dispose of my notes?


texts: Are there communities which permit oats on Pesach?

texts:
It's a bit controversial that oats are considered chametz. While Rashi (Pesachim 35b, et. al.) translates Shiboles Shu'al as oats, not all Rishonim agree to this definition. For instance, the Rambam (commentary to Kilayim 1:1) holds that Shiboles Shu'al is desert barley.

Are there any communities today which reject Rashi's translation in favor of the Rambam's (or some other Rishon I don't know about who doesn't like either of their translations), and thereby hold that bread containing oats is permissible on Pesach?
If such a community does exist, and they hold that Kitniyos are forbidden on Pesach, do they consider oats to be Kitniyos and forbid them for that reason instead?


texts:
Does the resurrection of the dead have to begin by the year 5790?

RESURRECTION IN 13 YEARS TIME

According to Aish.com:

  the Zohar (Midrash Ne'elam - Toldot 140a), and the "Leshem Shevo v'Achlamah"(Drushei Olam HaTohu, 2:4:12:9-12) -- that suggest that this period will begin no later than 210 years in advance of Year 6000.

That's 13 years from today!

As stated on the Yeshivaworldcoffeeroom:

  but Techiyas HaMeisim will last 210 years, which brings us to the latest possible time Techiyas HaMeisim can come as 5790, which is only 13 years away!


texts: Did Mesushelach survive the flood according to any other sources?

texts:
See this Yalkut Reuvein at the fourth and fifth line, that brings a Pshat that Mesushelach dies 14 years after the flood. As far as I am aware this cannot be resolved with the timeline that exists in the Torah, if the years he spent in Gan Eden would be counted towards his age. The Yalkut must not be counting those years into his life.

However, in this article which sources Christian and other non Jewish sources, there exists other timelines that are different from our text in the Torah, and which would support the fact that he dies 14 years after the Mabul.

Can anyone source anything from a Jewish contemporary to support a theory that Mesushelach lived longer than 969?


texts: I recently asked a friend if I could borrow his nail cutter, but he told me that he would prefer I do it in the morning because it isn't good to cut one's nails at night. When I asked him why, he told me it's some kabbalah stuff but he wasn't sure. Another friend also told me this, but he didn't know the details. I had never heard of something like this and it seemed kind if weird. Is this a thing? What is the reason for this?


texts: 2nd day Yom Tov for chutznikim in Israel. Locate the law and reasons of the Shulchan Oruch Horav

texts:
I am researching the laws of the second day of Yom Tov in Golus.
On one occasion, I found the text of the Shulchan Oruch Horav Orach Chaim 496 which states that someone not from Israel who is visiting Israel need keep only one day.

Together with this, I found text which suggested a reason for this relating to the emanation of the Yom Tov which in golus expands into two days.

Now I cannot find these texts.

Where online are the texts to which I refer?


texts: Understanding the Zohar's Anthropomorphism of God

texts:
Unlike the Rambam's now-conventional ideas against anthropomorphizing God, there are kabbalistic texts studied today which seem to espouse completely antithetical ideas.

I am familiar with the historical dispute in Jewish theology on this issue (as laid out in Marc Shapiro's The Limits of Orthodox Theology). My question is with how we reconcile anti-Maimonidean accounts as we encounter them today.

For example, a central text to the tikkun leil Shavuot studied by many is the Idra Rabba, a section from the Zohar that discusses God's "parts" in human terms (with skull, ears, nose, beard, etc). I've always been disturbed when reading this on Shavuot night, but continue to wrestle with it as it serves as part of the Arizal's set order for tikkun study.

Can someone more familiar with these Zoharic concepts explain how they comport with Judaism? Are all of these depictions meant to be figurative, despite their graphic content?


texts:
I recently inherited an older tefillin. It has two double square knots for the rosh straps, head. These join to form a circle like this image.

What does the dual knot symbolize?
Is that kosher?

Todah Rabah


texts:
Based on this question: Do Tefilin need to be painted with "special" ink?

Based on the answers, we know that the paint used on the retzuah must be derived from kosher animals (or plants and synthetics). It may not be derived from un-kosher animals (e.g. pig, elephant, camel, et c.).

Taking this into account, are there any shoe polishes (which can be used to blacken tefillin) which are made only from acceptable ingredients which are available in the Eastern US?


texts: Source of saying migdol / magdil in Bentching

texts: I was once told by someone that saying migdol instead of magdil in bentching on Shabbos and yom tov is an error. That a siddur had the source in pesukim in short form on the side and people mistook it for say on Shabbos. Has anyone heard of this or have a source for it?


texts:
The word איברא only appears a handful of times in the Talmud. (E.g. Pesachim 104a; Chulin 59b, 60a) it means something like its true, you’re right etc.
What is the true meaning of this word, it’s literal meaning, how is it formed?
I would think it’s a verb form of ברא but that wouldn’t make much sense.
In Shabbos 90b, it is used meaning arm [אבר] but that still doesn’t fit with the above examples.


texts: PTIJ: Why does only a Shor Tam ask at the Seder, and not a Shor Mu'ad?

texts:
We all know the four sons: the wise son, the wicked son, the Tam, and the son who doesn't know how to ask.
As we all know as well, there's two types of cows: those which have gored less than three times (a Shor Tam) and those which have gored more than three times (a Shor Mu'ad - see Shemos 21:28ff with Bava Kamma 23b).
Why does only a Shor Tam get to ask at the Seder? Why not a Shor Mu'ad?

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


texts: Looking for Jewish music that lifts the spirit

texts:
I really love the soft sweet tones, chords and voices in the music of Shlomo Katz, Ishay Ribo, Yonathan Razel; but, searching for similar music, I just don't know where to go. Are there alternatives for this site, where I could ask questions about Jewish music?

If this isn't the right place, I will delete this post; it's just that I don't know where to ask this kind of question.

Please help me out..


texts: Can a Sefardi be Yotzeh Zachor with an Ashkenazi Laining and vice Versa?


texts: Did each person recieve the same amount of Manna (from heaven)

texts:
We know that each person received an Omer daily. Does this include for instance little children who wouldnt be able to eat up all of it and would have to leave some over which was not allowed.

Or is the Omer not the same for everyone like the Amoh, which depends on a persons arm size.

Or wasnt it a 'physical' type of food and everyone could eat the same amount whatever their size and age.


texts: Why did our forefathers live in tents in Israel and not in houses?

texts:
It appears that there's a clear trend of our forefathers, Avraham, Tzhak, and Jacob, to dwell in tents in the Holy Land, wandering from one place to another, instead of settling down, taking hold of the land and building houses, despite the fact that the Land was promised to be theirs.

For example Avraham:

  ...וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח־הָאֹהֶל ... וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָה

Or Itzchak:

  ...וַיְבִאֶהָ יִצְחָק הָאֹהֱלָה שָׂרָה אִמּוֹ...

IIRC, they were sitting in one place for years - Hebron, Kiryat Arbah, Avraham even bought a graveyard and Yakov bought a piece of land in Shechem (for Yossef's grave?), but the Torah does not mention them dwelling in houses*. (There's only one place in Succot where Yaakov mentioned "building a house for himself", however many interpret it metaphorically - he built Beis Midrash, he built Beis Israel, etc, and the Torah itself does not mention him actually living in a house).

On the contrary, we can see that in parallel many Biblical figures lived in houses:

For example Lot:

  וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּה נָּא־אֲדֹנַי סוּרוּ נָא אֶל־בֵּית עַבְדְּכֶם ...:
   וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ... ׃
  ... אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר אַנְשֵׁי סְדֹם נָסַבּוּ עַל־הַבַּיִת...

Or Betuel and Lavan:

  ...וְאָנֹכִי פִּנִּיתִי הַבַּיִת וּמָקוֹם לַגְּמַלִּים... and many many others in the same Parasha

Or Pharaoh:

  ... וַתֻּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה בֵּית פַּרְעֹה...

As the Torah does mention very explicitly all other characters living in houses and doesn't mention the forefathers doing so, I think this can not be attributed to simple omissions.

What might be a reason for such strange behavior?

I found it interesting that this behavior is consistent with some historical theories that present the Israelites as nomads and wanderers even in "their own country", unlike all other surrounding nations - Egyptians (Pharaoh) or Babylonian (Betuel) that lived in fixed settlements.

*Except for one place (I could find): "וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת־בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל הַחֲמֻדֹת אֲשֶׁר אִתָּהּ בַּבָּיִת"


texts: Using a water filter, attached to the pipes, on Shabbos

texts: When we rebuilt our kitchen, the contractor suggested attaching a water filter to the incoming water pipes.  I was concerned that this might be borer if left on during Shabbos (it would be a pain to disconnect it each week).  I declined, letting him only attach it to the line to the ice cube maker - which I shut off before Shabbos anyway.  Did I overreact?


texts:
Someone recently mentioned in a conversation about making/ not making tea on shabbat with a tea bag, that the Starbucks VIA coffee is micro-ground vs how ever regular instant coffee is made and that making micro-ground coffee is actually like making tea on shabbat.

Anybody know anything about this? Would this mean that people who don't make tea with a tea bag (obviously after a kli sheni) because of kali bishul concerns shouldn't use micro ground coffee on shabbat? And getting deeper into it, would this mean that one would have to make this kind of coffee in a kli shlishi if they do make tea that way?

Thoughts, Information...?


texts: Often times on flights to/from Eretz Yisroel there are people who put together a Minyan at the back of the plane. I for one always pray at my seat as I feel it can easily come to a Chillul Hashem. Is that correct?


texts: Giving the ring, "harei at" is the kiddushin... what exactly is the nisuin?

texts:
I get that giving the ring and saying "harei at mekudeshet li etc" fulfills the kiddushin component of a Jewish Wedding, but when/ what/ how exactly is the nisuin component fulfilled under the chuppah?

Is the nisuin done differently now vs during the times of the gemara when the kiddushin & nisuin were done many months apart?


texts: Are there any audio recordings of the Gemara?

texts:
929 Project has recordings of Tanach in which a voice actor reads the given chapter of Tanach in the original Hebrew with intonations that fit the subject matter (example).

This can be useful for many reasons, among them is that it can serve as an auditory review which does not require stationary book reading.

Are there any such [similar] recordings for the Gemara? Recordings which contain a reading of the content (presumably with some intonations) but nothing else.

The point of this would be the same, a method of review which does not require stationary book reading.


texts:
I have heard famously in the name of Rav Hirsch that he wanted to close all the synagogues in Germany for a 100 years so that people would value prayers and Judaism properly.

On headlines (time 11:50) He said its from חורב but I looked there and did not find it.
http://podcast.headlinesbook.com/e/4420-show-266/
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/d8y88s/show_266_Coronavirus-IV.pdf

Could someone show me where it is written?
Yashar Koach


texts: Is the child of a convert, conceived after she converted, Jewish?

texts: If a woman converted before she conceived any children are they considered Jewish? Even with a non-Jewish father? I understand that non-Jewish mothers with Jewish husbands do not have Jewish children because the Jewish line is maternal, but I am referring to a woman who converted to Judaism prior to getting pregnant, which would make her a Jew. Would that make her children Jewish also because their mom is now considered Jewish, or is it a different situation than natural Jewish mothers?


texts: When did the word challa start being used to mean our Shabbos bread?

texts:
In the Torah we seem to only find this word associated with Temple related breads. In Rabbinic writings the word challa was the word referring to the amount of dough separated to be given to a kohen. We who don't give it to a kohen burn it. When, and perhaps how, did people start calling the Shabbos lekhem, the distinctive bread we make for Shabbos, by this name?

It seems extra odd on the list of colloquial expressions being that we use the name of what we treat as prohibited to refer to the product we use. Imagine people start calling a Bris Mila an Orla, or start referring to Matzah as chametz. Strange.


texts:
Neilas Hachag (as I understand it since there doesn't appear to be any real rules about it) is a tradition to eat some level of special meal as yom tov ends, typically associated with Sukkos, Pesach, and Shavuot but not necessarily restricted to those.

I've found material about the spiritual significance and symbolism behind it but nothing about the source for this tradition.


texts: If I can transfer a fire, can I light a new fire on yom tov? What's the difference between lighting a new fire and transferring a fire? Aren't they part of the same melacha?? The melacha is to create a fire or burn something!


texts: If I am making challah and want to taste the dough before baking would I make hamotzi or would it be adamah and shehakol for flour and eggs since it's not considered לחם מן הארץ yet?


texts: Is a mishna or a baraysa more authoritative?

texts:
Often, an opinion in a baraysa (by which I mean to include tosefta and any other non-mishna text of tanaim's halachic statements) and an opinion in a mishna differ on a matter of law. Is there any weight of authority given to either over the other in determining the halacha? (Assume that the tanaim in the mishna and baraysa are anonymous or are such that there is no rule to determine which tana per se has the weight of authority with respect to the other.)

(I've never seen such that I recall, but I don't recall ever learning of its absence. Someone asked me this today, and I was unable to answer it definitively.)


texts: Is there a Yemenite Taamei Hamikra teacher in Brooklyn?

texts:
I was saying shnayim mikra today and bemoaned the fact I don't know how to read it with the trope in the Yemenite tradition. I was wondering if anyone knew where I can learn it from someone locally near me who can teach me. I've found some online resources, but I am more interested in someone who can teach me personally. Is there someone or an institution that is known in or near Brooklyn that can help me?

I've done some research myself but my leads came up cold.

I have a tikun of my own, if that helps.


texts:
In the beginning of Parshas Ki Seitzei we learn about the topic of אשה יפת תואר (Deutoronomy 21:10-15).

My question is: does this passage apply (in any way) to us nowadays ?


texts: Has anyone invented a cure for Yahrtzeit?

texts:
A few days ago, while in shul, I asked my friend if he wanted to meet me for bowling at 5 P.M. He said, "I can't because I have yahrtzeit."
It sounded like a serious sickness, like "I have a cold", but worse. I asked a rabbi about yahrtzeit, and he told me that everyone that has yahrtzeit had some family member that died.
Not only that, but the rabbi explained that people even know in advance when they will get yahrtzeit, because they say things like "I will have yahrtzeit next week."
This sounds like a very serious sickness; almost like a pandemic disease! And, no one is doing anything to stop this sickness. Is there no cure or some cure being developed?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts: What is the difference between an am ha'aretz vs an apikores?

texts: In Rabbinic philosophy what was the difference between somebody that was an am ha’aretz vs an apikores?


texts: B'nai Yisra'el complaining about water and food - sometimes punished, sometimes not

texts:
There were numerous times that B'nai Yisra'el complained to Moshe (and, sometimes, Aharon) about the lack of food or water in the desert. But, it seems that sometimes G-d punishes them and sometimes not. Examples:

Not punished

At Marah (Shemot 15:24)
Mahn (Shemot 16:2)
Refidim (Shemot 17:2)
although according to a number of commentaries, the reason that
Amalek attacked them was a form of punishment. But the Torah, itself,
doesn't indicate any punishment.
Kadesh (Bemidbar 20:3)

Punished

Complaint about the mahn in Bemidbar 11
After leaving Hor Hahar  (Bemidbar 21:4)

What was the difference in these situations? Was there some "leniency" in the first two or three situations because the nation was "new" and the people were still earning and getting accustomed to Moshe's leadership?


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

Upvote all interesting answers.

Accept the best answer.

Go on to the next number.


texts: Is it correct to say now “Moshiach must come in this generation”?

texts:
Is it correct to say “Moshiach must come in this generation”?

Related How do we understand Talmudic predictions of Moshiach?

The statement was made in a shiur I attended. I asked the maggid shiur how he could justify the statement. He asked me if I did not believe that Moshiach was coming. (Answer – of course I believe  - Rambam's principles of faith no. 12; it's giving a time period that I worry about.) This made me doubt my thoughts which I present as a question to the community.

There seem to me to be two problems with saying now “Moshiach must come in this generation”.

One minor problem is that there is no definition of “generation”. But we could understand the Oxford English Dictionary word use

  The average period, generally considered to be about thirty years, in
  which children grow up, become adults, and have children of their own.

So we could understand that Moshiach is to come within the next thirty years.

The other is that there is no need to believe the statement and it could be harmful.

Rambam's 12th principle is

  "I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the messiah (mashiach),
  and though he may tarry, still I await him every day."

which places no date or time period on his coming.

Aish quotes sources that have a negative approach to attempts to calculate moshiach's arrival,
The Talmud records:

  Rabbi Shmuel ben Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonaton: "May the
  spirit of those who calculate the end expire. For they say, "Since the
  pre-determined time has arrived, and [Moshiach] has yet to come, he
  will never come!" (Sanhedrin 97b)

and

  Whoever forecasts the date of Moshiach's arrival has no place in the
  World to Come. (Derech Eretz 11)

Aish says further

  We see that the Talmud is concerned about making calculations
  regarding the precise day for Moshiach's arrival, since errors in such
  calculations usually result in national disappointment, and perhaps,
  revelations of false messiahs.

Even the signs of Moshiach mentioned in Sotah 49b do not indicate a time period on it.

  בעקבות משיחא חוצפא יסגא ויוקר יאמיר הגפן תתן פריה והיין ביוקר ומלכות
  תהפך למינות ואין תוכחת בית וועד יהיה לזנות והגליל יחרב והגבלן ישום
  ואנשי הגבול יסובבו מעיר לעיר ולא יחוננו וחכמות סופרים תסרח ויראי חטא
  ימאסו והאמת תהא נעדרת נערים פני זקנים ילבינו זקנים יעמדו מפני קטנים בן
  מנוול אב בת קמה באמה כלה בחמותה אויבי איש אנשי ביתו פני הדור כפני הכלב
  הבן אינו מתבייש מאביו

I asked one of my friends who replied in Yiddish
די וואס ווייסט זאָגט ניט  און די וואס זאָגט ווייסט ניט
Those that know don't say and those that say, don't know!


texts: When the Messiah comes, will the decisions/laws of Chazal still be in effect?

texts:
When the Messiah comes, will the various decisions and laws established by ChaZAL (i.e those after prophecy departed from Israel) still be in effect, or will the return of prophecy nullify the previous rulings?

EDIT: The remaining part of the question has been asked as it's own question here.

AFAIK part of the decrees during the Men of the Great Assembly was that all matters of halacha will be decided by the various known principles, and not by prophecy. I'm not sure if it was always like that and it was just being firmly stated, or if it was a new thing. Not sure if this should be it's own question, but this question assumes the latter (that before then, prophecy was accepted in the realm of halacha).


texts:
Rabbi Eleazar Rokeach of Worms was a leading talmudist and the author of the
Sefer ha rokeah, which has some fascinating passages regarding teshuvah. I wonder though, is one permitted to serve as a rabbi to animals, particularly non-kosher ones like worms? If not, is this why he had such sharp insight into teshuvah?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim Torah policy.


texts:
I know about two composite materials -- particle board and composite leather. Each is made of small bits of the original mixed with filler/binder. In halacha, there are times when wood and leather are named as specific needs:

A wood casket when burying someone (if one uses a casket, and one subscribes to the currently accepted practice)
A prohibition against leather shoes on Y"K and T"B'av (ignoring for the moment all the opinions that argue on this)

Would these laws apply to the composite version of wood and leather? Each is made of the original but is not identical with the original.

n.b. there might be other composites which could stand in for materials listed in halacha - this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, just the ones I have come across recently.


texts: Does Judaism have a concept of holy text literalism?

texts:
Apologies if this is an ignorant, foolish or offensive question. I am not Jewish, and am asking to satisfy my curiosity.

Some time ago, on a political forum online, I was discussing religious literalism, the tendency of some religions to insist that their holy texts are the revealed word of the divine and thus cannot ever be contradicted by modern research, philosophy or belief systems.

A poster claiming to be an Orthodox Jew turned up, and said that Judaism finds this concept bizarre. That it is understood that the scripture was written a long time ago, by fallible humans who lacked modern understanding, and might thus be flawed. He went on to say that Jews maintain books of Rabbinical law which are updated as a result of discussion amongst learned Rabbis down the ages and which are given almost equal weight to the Torah.

He stated that it is generally agreed amongst Rabbis that the original creation story, for example, can be understood as a metaphor rather than the literal truth. And that this explains why there is little or no opposition to modern evolutionary science amongst Jews.

Is this partially or wholly correct? And if so, are there any particular cultural or scriptural reasons why Judaism differs in this regard from other Abrahamic religions? Given that a number of Jewish practices appear somewhat anachronistic to other cultures, on what basis do Rabbis decide which laws and views should be updated, and which should be kept?


texts: Are there proofs to Torah Shebeal Peh from Torah Shebechtav?

texts: Are there any proofs or hints to the oral Torah from the written Torah?


texts: How is the male skeleton different from female?

texts:
This question is a follow-up to "Different-counts-of-the-248-organs-".

As we see from the Mishnah in Ohalot 1,8, only the bones are counted as organs, namely a bone that has a sinew and some flesh.

The Gemmorah in Bekhorot 45a states that women have 252 organs (there are different opinions, however, based on different Torah verses that range from 251-253):

  מעשה בתלמידיו של ר' ישמעאל ... שבדקו ומצאו בה מאתים וחמשים ושנים:
  אמר להם שמא באשה בדקתם שהוסיף לה הכתוב שני צירים ושני דלתות

  With regard to the number of limbs or bones in the human body, Rabbi Yehuda says that Shmuel says: There was an incident involving the students of Rabbi Yishmael, who boiled the corpse of a prostitute who was sentenced by the king to death by burning, in order to separate her flesh from her bones. They examined and found she had 252 organs. They were puzzled by their finding, as the Sages say that the human body has only 248 limbs. Shmuel said to them: Perhaps you examined the corpse of a woman, as the verse added to her two hinges and two doors, for a total of 252 organs.

(As the whole discussion is within the topic of impurity I imply that the count in Bekhorot applies to the bones also as in Ohalot.)

I couldn't find any empirical support for this claim, as anatomically, the two skeletons are identical (with 206 bones, not 248-252). Also, this seems to be a very easy anatomical test - counting bones - there shouldn't be any dispute at all.

Interestingly, if women had 4 additional bones, R"I's students could easily identify the female skeleton just by those 4 bones (2 axles and 2 doors?), not by the total number of 252! (thanks to DonielF)

So what is going on here with counting the female skeleton differently?


texts: Connection between accidental murderer and Kohen ha'gadol?

texts:
Rashi does note that the Kohen ha'gadon should have prayed that there be no accidental murders. But I'm wondering if anyone has heard of a more direct relationship between the life of the murderer and death of the kohen.
(What vaguely comes to mind is the passing of Aharon ha'Kohen (ha'gadol) in the beginning of Parashat Masei... perhaps his love for life, for others, and his potential willingness to sacrifice his life for others. But not sure what about the essence of kohanim and murderers.)


texts: Halachic Considerations for Women in the IDF

texts:
For a religious girl going into the IDF very soon, there are a few questions that are often asked:

Especially in active units, wearing a skirt while on base can be a problem:

While crawling, climbing, running, steking, doing press ups, skirts will get ripped more often than pants (also note you only get 3 skirts / pants);
A girl wearing skirts in the army will stick out;
Someone can see all the way up when you move ( if you can move ).

Is a girl allowed to wear pants in the army? What are the issues around this?
While all the food in the army is kosher, it is not of hecsherim religious Jews approve of. Which foods is there definitely not a problem with?
Shabbat in the army: what are the halachot for this? I'm not in a regular base, what special halachot should I know about?

Additionally, if I have more questions where can get I more info?

Also what else have I not thought about, but should know?


texts: Why "Lach" not "Lecha" in "Modim Anachnu Lach"

texts: Could someone please explain why the "Lach" in Modim Anachnu Lach is not "Lecha"... I guess this is some grammatical point rather than the use of the feminime "you"?


texts: Is taking disposable utensils considered stealing?

texts:
My friends and I are debating whether or not stockpiling disposable utensils from our university dining hall would be considered גזלה (eg taking 10 spoons at once to use for cereal in your own room).

Can anyone think of any מקורות that would shed light on this either way?


texts: How did the triennial Torah reading fulfil the ordninance Ezra?

texts: Ezra declared that the curses in Vayikra be read before Shavuos and those in Devarim before Rosh HaShana (Megillah 31b). How was that accomplished by those in Eretz Yisrael who had a triennial system for reading the Torah?


texts: How does the Hebrew calendar work in areas with midnight sun?

texts:
There are two polar circles, the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle. There are days North of the Arctic Circle, and south of the Antarctic Circle where the sun never sets (summer), or never rises (winter).

There aren't many people living south of the Antarctic Circle, but there are millions living north of the Arctic Circle.

According to Wikipedia:

  a day in the rabbinic Hebrew calendar runs from sunset (the start of "the evening") to the next sunset.

Now, how does this work when there are no sunsets?


texts: Does Judaism permit sexual relationships outside of marriage?

texts:
I am eager to know more about different religions from Islam to Judaism. Furthermore, how different religions look at women and comparing their kinds of approaches to the matter of gender and sexuality is one of my favorite topics of research. For the beginning I would like to know what is the idea of Judaism about out of marriage relationship between men and women. I do not mean prostitution and dealing intercourse and money! But having sexual relationship with opposite sex according to the personal choices out of marriage.

Please if you are going to use jargon in your answer, add the equal terms in English too. I am not familiar with Judaism's terminology but surely I would understand them if they would be in English. At least I can search them in the internet to understand.


texts: Is it heresy to follow secular dating on the destruction of the first Temple?

texts:
There is a discrepancy between rabbinic and secular sources regarding when the first Temple was destroyed -- a difference of some 165 years or so, which are called the "Missing Years."

My question is not about how to account for those years or even which one is correct. Rather, I am wondering: If someone believes in the secular dating to be accurate and the information in Seder Olam to be inaccurate, does this constitute heresy or a failure of emunas chachomim, or is this an opinion with which a person is entitled to disagree?


texts: Where would a mezuzah go on a completely round doorway?

texts:
I’ve recently come across the site of a construction company
making houses modeled after hobbit holes.
I don’t know how this company is going to shape the doorways,
but the image below is how they’re described
in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Can a mezuzah be affixed to such a completely round doorway,
or does this not have a “side” where a mezuzah belongs?


texts: Yehareg v'al ya'avor – what about after?

texts:
I recall a kina in which the children of R' Yishmael (haKohen Gadol) are put in a dark room together and forced to have relations. At the end of the kina, they recognise each other and kill themselves.

I also have a hypothetical extension of this:

If a person is taken and forced to have illicit relations (without the option of death) should they actually take their own life after the fact? Would incest be different from the other categories of arayot in this regard?


texts:
I am aware that the concept of reward and punishment is difficult, and often requires a complex understanding.  However, there are places where the Mishna or Gemara claims a specific punishment for a specific sin.  The most well known example is probably found in the second chapter of Shabbat, where it says, "for 3 sins women die in childbirth: not being careful about niddah, challah and candlelighting".  Another example is the statement that particular disabilities of children, such as blindness or muteness, are the result of parental sexual sins.

This seems difficult to reconcile with the reality that not everyone who gets these punishments has neccesarily committed these sins.  How do commentators or others deal with this?  Does anyone take these passages non-literally?  If so, what do they say?


texts: When I was growing up, in a Sephardic community, the hazzan would sometimes read a blessing as follows: "Baruch atta -- [pause] -- (rest of blessing)".  I never understood why he just paused instead of saying God's name.  The closest I came to an answer was when I read somewhere that if a blessing does not apply to you personally, but you say it on behalf of others, you omit God's name and replace it by a pause.  If so, do you know a reference for that?  If not, what is the reason?  (Again, he didn't do it every time.)


texts: Sukkah on public property in the Soviet Union for Lubavitchers

texts:
The opinion of the Shulchan Aruch Harav is that one isn't allowed to build a Sukkah on public property (because it  is considered stolen).

In the Soviet Union all property was nationalized and they presumably didn't give permission to build a Sukkah. So how were Lubavitchers able to build Sukkas and (even more) say "Leishev Bassuka" in such a sukkah?


texts:
When you eat meat, when do the 6 hours that you have to wait begin? When you start eating or when you end?

Sources are always appreciated.


texts: Do the Jews of Marakkesh have a particular Nusach?

texts: Is there a particular Siddur or Nusach HaTefilla that is used by the Jews (and their descendants) of Marakkesh (alt. sp. Marrakech), Moroccco? Is it in print and available?


texts: Additional differences of Rashi's Torah scroll

texts:
Rashi on Shmot 25,20 interprets the Vav we don't have in our Torah scrolls:

  "ואת כל אשר אצוה אותך אל בני ישראל. הרי וי"ו זו יתירה וטפלה, וכמוהו הרבה במקרא"

Siftey Chachamim explains:

  "אע"פ שאין כתיב ואת בוי"ו בס"ת של רש"י היה כתיב בוי"ו ע"פ המסורת:"

What additional Masoret does S"C mean and what additional mentions of differences between Rashi's Torah scroll and ours are there?


texts: What does it mean "someone knows Kol Torah Kulah"?

texts: What constitutes as Kol Torah Kulah? I hear people saying this all the time, that this Rabbi knows "Kol Torah Kulah".


texts: What was the attitude of Chazal towards abstinence (asceticism, stoicism)?

texts: Do Chazal have a positive or a negative attitude towards the person who abstains from worldly pleasures (pleasures that weren't prohibited by the Torah)?


texts: Whenever I am in a situation of saying ברכת המזון with 10 people, some of the ציבור will stand for saying the word אלקנו in the זימון, others will not move at all, with lots of people somewhere in between. Is there a source for standing? If so, does the compromise bottom shuffle kind of thing accomplish anything?


texts: May I place a towel on the food that's on the platta on Shabbos?

texts: This is a hatmana (insulation) question. I want to know if there is an issue with putting food on the platta on Shabbos day and then putting a thick towel ontop of that food in order for the food to heat up faster and get hotter?


texts:
The final paragraph of this answer:

  We do have the tools to derive from the Torah what those Halachos are (Moshe Rabeinu taught them to us), but these rules are very general in nature and therefore we get two opinions on how to learn a given Passuk.

got me thinking: why are there always two competing opinions (among Tannaim and Amoraim)? There are (almost?) never more opinions, and whenever there seem to be, the Gemara seems intent on aligning the third (and forth, fifth, etc.) opinion with one of the first two being discussed.


texts: Yitro is such an important tzaddik in the Torah, I was wondering if he is a prophet?


texts:
I saw in the book, "The midrash says" by Rabbi Moshe Weissman that the Midrash Socher Tov 22 explains that a creature called R'aim that David mistook as a hill, lifted David up into the sky and only after seeing the lion did it crouch down and David managed to  jump off and escape (see here for details).

What is this animal R'aim?


texts: Location in Ohr Sameach of discussion of the nature of a messenger for a get

texts:
I've heard there is a discussion in the Ohr Sameach regarding when someone appoints a shliach (messenger) to divorce his wife, whether the person must use his own klaf (parchment) to write the get on or if he may use the klaf of the shliach.

The Ohr Sameach there apparently discusses many nafkeh minei (consequences) in this concept of making someone a "shliach" and how far it goes (i.e. does he become literally like the person himself.) I really wanted to ask more and other questions in this regard but I'd rather see what the Ohr Sameach writes in this to better ask the other questions.

Where can I find this discussion in the Ohr Sameach?


texts: Explain why the "kli sheini" rule works regarding Shabbat cooking

texts:
Please excuse my weak knowledge in this area. I find the cooking laws of Shabbat quite confusing and I'd like to get a simplified understanding of it, if possible.

Apparently, pouring hot water from a kli rishon (first vessel) into a kli sheini (second vessel) suffices for it not to be considered "cooking".

As I understand, "cooking" is defined as "yad soledet bo" - i.e., if the temperature is so hot that your hand would flinch from the heat, it is considered cooking.

My question on all this. I think most people would agree that even by the time you pour that hot water into the 2nd vessel, it is still yad soledet bo. So, why does the kli sheini technique work?

Also, It seems that the vessel you pour the liquid into should be the biggest factor in temperature change. If one poured the liquid into an ice cold glass beer mug, it would cool much more quickly than if it were poured into a hot aluminum cup that was left on the blech.

If you would, feel free to edit the question if I got any of these concepts way off. My main question is regarding the idea of the kli sheini.

I request that your answer be in "layman's terms". Of course, sourcing is a big help in case I want to research further, but, please try to offer a "simplified" English source. I've looked at the "big" 39 Melachot book in English, and I'm still not quite understanding this.


texts: Did Absalom ask David to come with him to his sheep-shearers knowing that David would say no and in return allow Amnon to go out of guilt?

texts:
In Shmuel 2 Chapter 13, when Absalom asks David to come with him to his sheep-shearers, why does he ask King David to go with him?

Is he asking him knowing that his father would decline? or did he have plans to try to kill his father as well?

Was this part of his plan so that his father would feel guilty for rejecting to go and afterwards allow Amnon to go so that he could kill him?


texts: I need to conduct an interview with a sofer (scribe)

texts: I am a Bible teacher at a Christian school and I am wanting to research and possibly write more about the process of scribes creating a sefer Torah scroll. I would really enjoy and be honored to conduct a Zoom or Skype interview with someone who is a professional sofer (scribe). I know little about the process but would like to learn and be able to better appreciate the work of a scribe so that I can 1) teach it to my students and 2) begin the process of writing a small book on the complexities of being a scribe.. Can anyone help me locate and conduct an interview with a real sofer? It does not matter where they live.