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1

Who knows twenty-four?

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.

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14 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted

24 things that push salvation farther off and make the time necessary to reach the end of days longer ...

(Braisa DiYishua SheBiPirkei D'Rabi HaKadosh)

I found a link, but it is a give-away to one of my favorite sources! :-)

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1  
Online source? List? Don't leave us hanging! – Isaac Moses Apr 26 '10 at 17:02
Checkmark for giving away your source. – Isaac Moses Apr 27 '10 at 15:35
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24 books in Tanakh

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up vote 7 down vote

24 are the divisions (mishmaros) of Kohanim, each of which served in the Beis Hamikdash for one week.

Correspondingly, there were also 24 divisions of Levi'im, and 24 groups (ma'amados) of Yisraelim who represented the rest of the people in being present at the daily Tamid sacrifices.

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up vote 6 down vote

24 leniencies of Beis Shammai that are stringencies of Beis Hillel. (Tosefta, Eduyos, Chapter 2, see also Pirush HaRaavad there, Chapter 5)

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up vote 5 down vote

The letters engraved into the luchot cut through from one side to the other. The holes in the center of the letters Mem and Samech (ם & ס) were held up by a miracle. This occurs 24 times on each side of the luchot (& only in the first five commandments). (Parshat Yisro)

related

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up vote 4 down vote

24 traits to acquire the Kehuna (Avot 6:6)

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up vote 4 down vote

24 limbs for which a (male) Canaanite slave is set free if his owner cuts them off (Rashi on Shmot 21:27; Kiddushin 25a)

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up vote 3 down vote

24 guarding posts in the Beis HaMikdash (3 guarded by the Kohanim and 21 by the Leviim)

(Beginning of Tractate Tamid)

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up vote 3 down vote

24 places that Kohanim are called Leviim.

(Yevamos, 86)

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up vote 3 down vote

24 Korbanos brought on Shavuos (3 bulls, 3 rams, 14 sheep, 2 sheep of the two breads, and 2 goats) (Lev. 23 and Num. 28)

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up vote 2 down vote

24=4! possible permutations for the order of havdala (wine, spice, fire, havdala; YKNH on Y"T M"S)

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If Saturday night is yomtov, there's kiddush for yomtov but no spices -- YKNH. On an ordinary Saturday night there's no "kiddush", but there's spices. So I guess you call that YBNH? – Shalom Apr 26 '10 at 16:03
oh, and I forgot about Zman. I will have to wait until 120 to get permutations on Sat night Y"T=5! – Jeremy Apr 26 '10 at 17:21
@Jeremy Nu? judaism.stackexchange.com/q/3844/759 – Double AA♦ Mar 25 '12 at 2:24
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24 decorations for a Kallah (bride) written in Yeshayah (Perek 3)

corresponding to the

24 verses mentioned in Tractate Shabbos (which is called Kallah)

(Midrash Rabbeinu Bachya, Ki Sisa)

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I think there's a medrish that Hashem adorned Chava in 24 pieces of jewelry before introducing her to Adam. And I heard something about Yemenite brides being totally gold-clad to this day? – Shalom Apr 26 '10 at 17:10
True. At the Henna (ceremony for bride preceding the wedding) the Yemenite Bride is completely adorned with gold. (Halichos Teiman, R' Kappah) – Yahu Apr 26 '10 at 18:41
up vote 2 down vote

24 birds that are Tamei (Hulin, 63)

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up vote 1 down vote

24 Avos Nezikin

(BK 4b)

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