age (oldness/youngness) of a person
5
votes
1answer
63 views
Cicadas - once in 17 years
I was reading an article today regarding the Cicadas which appear once every 17 years.
Is there any Sefarim that discuss this phenomenon?
Also if they were created at the time the world was created, ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
How old was Pharoah when he died?
According to some opinions, Pharoah was the same from when Yosef went to Mitzrayim until Krias Yam Suf, and he was the king in Ninveh when Yonah went to warm them of their immoral behavior (Yalkut ...
0
votes
0answers
42 views
Standing up for an older person that is already sitting down
When an older person walks into a place where you are sitting, you must stand up for them (or least "rise" a little from ones seat.) If someone was sitting in a room and noticed that there was an ...
3
votes
1answer
79 views
Did Kayin and Hevel grow quickly or were they born fully developed?
The sefer Seder Hadorot brings different opinions as to how old Hevel was when he was killed by Kayin.
Bershit Rabbah Ch. 22: 50 days (or 90 days [Seder Hadorot says 50 is a printing mistake])
Ibn ...
5
votes
1answer
409 views
Is metzitzah b'peh required when an adult is circumcised or in the case of hatafas dam bris?
As we've discussed in a general question regarding the requirements for metzitzah b'peh (MBP), the direct-oral-contact technique to draw blood from the penis of an 8-day old infant at his bris milah ...
4
votes
1answer
63 views
How old was Avraham when he sired children with Keturah, and was that unusual?
After reporting Sarah's death and burial, B'reishit 25:1 tells us that Avraham had several children by Keturah. Avraham was 137 when Sarah died. Earlier (17:17), Avraham had laughed at the idea of ...
5
votes
2answers
185 views
Why is age 3 the age at which a girl is able to have intercourse?
In msh210's answer to this question of mine, he stated that:
women...who physically could be [intimate with men], which is those who had reached their third birthday.
In comments, he mentioned ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
Significance of gray or white hair?
What significance, if any, does Judaism attach to gray/white hair or to a person's hair turning gray/white? Does this significance hold true equally for men and women?
5
votes
0answers
78 views
Cholim she'yesh bahem sakanah
Are there rabbinical sources on what qualifies someone as a choleh she'yesh bo sakanah - a sick person whose life is in danger?
Is it strictly a medical decision? Are there circumstances in which ...
5
votes
4answers
131 views
Is age a disqualification for Shechita?
Does advanced age disqualify a Shochet from being able to preform the ritual slaughter? If so what is the cut off age?
8
votes
1answer
98 views
Years and years and years of Yishmael
Genesis 25:17 says:
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מְאַת שָׁנָה וּשְׁלשִׁים שָׁנָה
וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וַיִּגְוַע וַיָּמָת וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו׃
And these are the years of the life of ...
5
votes
2answers
83 views
Why is Yosef's age at death given twice?
At the end of Genesis, Yosef dies at the age of 110 years. 50:22–26:
וַיֵּשֶׁב יוֹסֵף בְּמִצְרַיִם הוּא וּבֵית אָבִיו וַיְחִי יוֹסֵף מֵאָה וָעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים. וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף לְאֶפְרַיִם ...
3
votes
1answer
115 views
How old was Esther?
How old was Esther when she was selected by Achashveirosh? I am familiar with the Yalkut (Esther 2:8) which offers ages up to 80 and seems to settle on 74/75 the numerical value of Haddasah, however ...
5
votes
3answers
85 views
How old was Eisav when he fell into bad ways?
Rashi on Bereishis 25:30 states that Hashem shortened Avraham's life by 5 years (180->175) in order that he shouldn't see Eisav, his grandson acting wickedly ('Tarbut Ra-ah').
And on that day, ...
5
votes
1answer
110 views
The “Miracle” of Hagar's giving birth
This question, coupled with some math I did today leads me to a question.
Yishmael was born (according to the Jewish Timeline Encyclopedia) in the year 2034 from creation, the same year that Avraham ...
-1
votes
1answer
179 views
How did they use to count years in the time of Abraham? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Rationalist Position on Bible Ancients' Long Lives
The bible states that Abraham has lived for 175 years, Yishmael lived for 137 years, and so on and so forth.
Now, ...
15
votes
3answers
484 views
Moshe's age and the timeline of the exodus
Moshe was 80 when he first approached Par'o and the makos lasted a year, so he turned 81 in the Adar before the Jews left Mitzrayim. As he turned 120 in the Adar before the Jews entered Israel, the ...
6
votes
1answer
109 views
How old were Er and Onan when they died?
Based on the implication that Yehuda got married after Yosef was sold, and that it was 22 years later that Yaacov and the family come down to Egypt, during that time Yehuda has his 3 children by the ...
14
votes
3answers
211 views
Was it ever the norm for children to get married?
The Gemara describes many Halachos that apply when someone gets married at very young ages, many under 12, and even a few for the age of 3. There are stories of people who did get married at such ages ...
2
votes
2answers
109 views
Kids listening to music in sefira: what age
At which age should children be trained not to listen to music during sefira.
3
votes
1answer
86 views
Converting a baby - When to do Circumcision
I know that one can convert an infant (and if he doesn't recant when he becomes of age, the conversion is retractively chal) but what about milah? For a Jewish child, milah before the 8th day isn't a ...
9
votes
1answer
127 views
Why did Hashem not tell Avraham to have a Bris earlier?
Avraham Avinu was told to have a Bris at 99 years of age. Why didn't Hashem have him do a Bris earlier?
3
votes
3answers
181 views
How old were Avraham and Sarah when they got married?
How old were Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu when they got married?
15
votes
2answers
601 views
Apologetics for marriage at 3 years old
Are there contemporary apologetics for the Mishnah (Niddah 44b) that a girl of the age of 3 can be married by sexual relations? (It seems difficult to accept that such a thing is even allowed in ...
-4
votes
1answer
144 views
9
votes
6answers
210 views
20 years for Sin, 7 years for beauty
In the first pasuk of Parshat Chayai Sarah (Genesis 23:1), the Torah says:
א. וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה
שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע
שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה:
And the life ...
6
votes
1answer
84 views
Honouring an older person
What sources are there for showing respect and honour to an old person who is not necessarily a talmid chochom or a parent?
12
votes
5answers
518 views
Minimum Age to Learn Kabbalah
How old do you have to be to learn Kabbalah?
(I think its 60 ) but it seems everyone learns it anyway (Maharal, Chassidus) is there a defense or is it just done?
10
votes
1answer
152 views
Why should the patriarchs have lived to 180?
Rashi to B'reshis 25:30 says that Avraham should have lived to the age of 180 had his life not been cut short.
Yitzchak lived to 180.
The Daas Z'kenim to B'reshis 47:8 quotes a midrash as saying ...
6
votes
3answers
529 views
Moses lived 120 years, and tradition says no one can live longer, so why do they?
Genesis 6:3: And the LORD said: 'My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.'
In Deut. 34:7 the age of Moses upon his ...
4
votes
2answers
483 views
Why is the age of 30 important in the Bible?
Why is the age of 30 important in the Bible? Joseph, Ezekiel, and many more were all around 30 yrs old.
7
votes
2answers
205 views
May a woman freeze her ova?
Is a woman allowed to freeze her own ova if she is coming to the later years of her life and is afraid she will miss her opportunity to have her own children naturally or otherwise, or is that frowned ...
6
votes
2answers
186 views
Why does earthly punishment start at 13 and divine punishment at 20?
Inspired by this question.
The age when one is obligated to keep Mitzvos is 13 (for a male and 12 for a female). (See Avot 5:21 and Bartenura)
After that age, Beit Din may punish them if they ...
6
votes
1answer
401 views
Why does a girl become Bat Mitzvah at 12 years old?
We learn that a Bar Mitzvah is at age 13, since it says in Bamidbar 5:6:
Tell the children of Israel: When a man (אִישׁ) or woman commits any of the sins against man to act treacherously against ...
