Who knows four?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After Shabbat, I will:
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Accept the best answer.
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Four are the sheep you give back for stealing and slaughtering/selling one. Bah! Four is the minimum number of children (two boys, two girls) at which point Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin and Rabbi Herschel Shachter would allow a couple to practice contraception indefinitely. |
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Four couples buried in Mi'aras HaMachpeilah in Kiryas Arba Hi Hevron. |
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Four sons before Leah gave praise/thanks to Hashem (Yehuda). Four are the number of wives (mates) that Yaakov had. Twelve divided by Four equals Three sons per wife. Thus when Yehuda was born, Leah realized she got even more than her "fair share" and gave a special thanks. |
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Arba'a Avos Nezikin, Arba'a Rashei Shanim Hem... |
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Four are the levels of the separative trop. |
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the most popular number during the Passover Sedar. Four questions. Four sons. Four cups of wine. |
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Four men died without sins: Binyamin, Amram, Yishai, Kil'av. |
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We take 4 Minim on Succos, Lulav, Esrog, Hadas, Arava |
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The kabbalistic worlds: atzilut, yetzira, beriya, and asiyah. |
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... levels on which to understand the Torah: פשט- literal (or simple) reading, רמז- hints, דרש- exegesis, סוד- secret, hidden |
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We Daven four Shemona Esreis on Shabbos, Yom Tov, and Rosh Chodesh |
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The number of columns (turim) of stones on the Choshen Mishpat. Ironically enough, Choshen Mishpat is one of the Arba'a Turim. Which brings another answer: the number of sections in the Arba'a Turim and Shulchan Aruch. |
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I know we all like to provide out-of-the-box answers, but I'm disappointed that I have to be the one to give this answer, and nearly two years after the question was asked - 4 Imahoth (Matriarchs). |
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Four are the cubits of:
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Four are the levels of tum'ah applicable to non-sacred foods. |
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4 animals mentioned in the Torah that have only one Siman of Tahara and are thus Non-Kosher. |
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4 holy cities, Yerushalayim, Chevron, Teveria, Tzefas |
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4 shades of white that constitute tzara'at. (Snow, plaster, eggshell and wool) |
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BS"D Four rivers emgered out of Gan Edhen "וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן, לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת-הַגָּן; וּמִשָּׁם, יִפָּרֵד, וְהָיָה, לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים" Four kingdoms allied and won the first great war " אֵת כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר מֶלֶךְ עֵילָם, וְתִדְעָל מֶלֶךְ גּוֹיִם, וְאַמְרָפֶל מֶלֶךְ שִׁנְעָר, וְאַרְיוֹךְ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּסָר--אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים, אֶת-הַחֲמִשָּׁה." Four corners require SiSith "גְּדִלִים, תַּעֲשֶׂה-לָּךְ, עַל-אַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת כְּסוּתְךָ, אֲשֶׁר תְּכַסֶּה-בָּהּ" |
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... are the earthly elemental states according to ancient philosophy and Kabbalah: Earth (solid), Air (gas), Fire (plasma), and Water (liquid) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element, Midrash Rabba, Bamidbar 14,12, טבעים, Zohar I, 27a, |
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Moshiach has four names. Menachem, Shilo, Yinon, and Chanina which spells Moshiach |
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Four is the lowest age of chinuch for standard mitzvos. |
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"Fore!" is what you yell when you take a shot on a golf course in order to be a Hasid and avoid being obligated to pay damages to the poor victim. |
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