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30
votes
4answers
655 views
How do we know that the civil Saturday is the correct Shabbat?
Disclaimer: I am not a religious Jew, this question is only out of curiosity.
I understand that observant Jews observe Shabbat from Friday night to Saturday. And from this question and this it seems ...
18
votes
3answers
453 views
The Fanatic Badge
Here on Mi Yodeya, one can earn the "Fanatic" badge for visiting the site for 100 consecutive days.
Is it halachically possible to earn the fanatic badge in the Diaspora?
17
votes
2answers
533 views
When did we start counting the Year since Creation?
This year is 5772 / תשעב (Taf-Shin-Ayin-Bet) on the Hebrew Calendar.
What is the earliest reference to the Year counting from the Creation of the world?
16
votes
8answers
332 views
Birthdays in Judaism
Is there any significance in Judaism attached to the day someone was born (aside for the 13th year)? Is there anything wrong with celebrating one's birthday? And is it more correct to celebrate the ...
12
votes
3answers
244 views
Why is Rosh Chodesh sometimes TWO days?
Why for certain months of the year do we celebrate the festival of Rosh Chodesh for two days while on other Roshei Chadashim we have one day of Rosh Chodesh?
12
votes
1answer
854 views
Why does the Jewish calendar HAVE to end?
It seems to be common knowledge that on or around the year 6,000 of the Jewish calendar "everything" (left intentionally vague) will come to an end and there will be a 1,000 year 'Shabbos'. I'm ...
11
votes
5answers
451 views
Nittle Nacht Meaning
What is Nittle Nacht?
What does the name mean?
What is its significance?
Which Halachic authorities speak about it, and what do they say?
What is the actual date for it?
How is it effected this ...
11
votes
1answer
368 views
Praying for rain in the Diaspora
Why on this year (and on other years that precede civil leap years) do we start praying for rain in the Diaspora (by inserting the phrase 'Vetein tal umatar") at maariv of December 5 and not maariv of ...
11
votes
1answer
117 views
First-Temple-Era names of the Hebrew months?
The Chumash refers to the months simply as "the first", "the second", and so on. Today we know them by their Babylonian names (Nisan, Iyar ...) Occasionally the Prophets from the First-Temple Era use ...
11
votes
2answers
219 views
Is it heresy to follow secular dating on the destruction of the first Temple?
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 ...
10
votes
3answers
201 views
9 Days of Chanukah?
All Yomim Tovim we celebrate in Chutz Laretz an extra day because of A safek, why do we not do the same for Chanukah?
10
votes
3answers
196 views
Do more fasts fall out on monday and thursday, or does it just feel that way
On Monday and Thursday, we say a longer Tachanun. On a fast day (where the weekday prayers are still said), Selichot are said in addition to Tachanun.
It feels like there are many more fasts that ...
10
votes
1answer
231 views
When does a day start/end in the far North/South?
As I understand it, a day in the Jewish calendar is from sunset to sunset. How is this handled if you are living so far north or south that you have long periods of daylight or darkness?
9
votes
4answers
166 views
Getting a head start on Shnayim Mikra
(Inspired by this question)
Can one get a head start on Shnayim Mikra? Would it count if someone either started early (perhaps during the weeks with no Sedra in Tishrei), or just had some spare time ...
9
votes
1answer
156 views
“Wedding anniversary” in Jewish thought.
Does the concept of "wedding anniversary" specifically enter Jewish thought or is it to be thought of as another of the many occasions for giving thanks to HKB"H?
9
votes
1answer
138 views
A year with eight Sh'minis is plenteous?
I've heard an idea that a year (like 5772) in which parashas Sh'mini is read eight times[1] is a particularly auspicious one: the wording of the maxim is something like "sh'mona Sh'mini sh'mena" ([a ...
8
votes
4answers
513 views
How Do I Know If it's a Hebrew Leap Year?
How can I tell if a given year is a Hebrew Leap Year? The simpler, the better.
[Assuming we are using a fixed calendar, not like the "olden days".]
8
votes
3answers
224 views
Is one allowed to make Kneidlach when the last day of Pesach is Shabbos?
According to those who eat Gebrotz only on the last day of Pesach, is one allowed to make Mazta balls when the last day of Pesach is Shabbos?
On a normal year, one can cook and eat Gebrotz on the ...
8
votes
1answer
151 views
When does one stay up all night?
Can we get a complete list of occasions (dates or other occasions) on which someone (everyone, or just those with a particular circumstance) stays up all night (on purpose)?
7
votes
4answers
260 views
“Veadar” as the name of the extra month in leap years?
In older books and other publications that describe the Jewish calendar, it's quite common to see the extra leap month referred to as "Veadar." (One example is here.)
But I have yet to hear that ...
7
votes
1answer
169 views
20 Sivan and the inappropriateness of new days of commemoration
The kina (elegy) "Mi yiten roshi mayim" recited on 9 Av was composed in commemoration of the events of the First Crusade as it passed through the Rhineland. It includes the following lines (freely ...
7
votes
1answer
113 views
Is there a best time to make aliya?
If one has decided to make aliya, are there particularly good (or bad) times during the year to do so, beyond the desire to be there for chagim? Factors that seem relevant would include tax-related ...
7
votes
3answers
159 views
Hours, minutes, and chalakim
On Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh, the time of the molad is generally announced in units of hours, minutes, and chalakim. However, minutes are not a traditional Jewish unit of time; rather hours are ...
7
votes
2answers
62 views
Joseph and Chanukkah
The Parshiot about Joseph always fall right before or during Chanukkah. It their a relationship between the Joseph stories and the Chanukkah stories? It there something to be learned from the fact ...
7
votes
1answer
107 views
Tachanun on Monday and Thursday
Why do we say a longer Tachanun on Mondays and Thursdays compared to the other days of the week?
7
votes
1answer
67 views
Getting a late start on being Maavir Sedra for the year
I remember hearing when I was younger that ואלה שמות - is Roshei Teivos V'Chayav A'dam L'haavir H'sedra S'htayim M'ikra V'echod T'argum.
If someone who has not been Maavir Sedra so far this year is ...
6
votes
4answers
778 views
6
votes
3answers
156 views
Lag Baomer - why not Laomer?
Nusach Askenaz says Baomer, Nusach Sefard and Sefardim say Laomer - Why does everyone call it Lag Baomer - why not call it Lag Laomer?
6
votes
4answers
349 views
Eclipse of the moon, bad sign for the Jews
Tonight, December 20, 2010, there will be a full lunar eclipse visible from North America and many other areas. I recall there is a Gemara that says that a lunar eclipse is a bad omen for the Jews as ...
6
votes
2answers
76 views
Why do the Destruction-related Fasts not have names?
There are three Fasts on our calendar that commemorate stages in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple:
17 Tammuz
9 Av
10 Tevet
(I realize that we could consider Tzom Gedaliah a partial ...
6
votes
3answers
84 views
What is the shortest interval during which we read publicly from each of the five Chumashim?
What is the shortest interval during which we read publicly from each of the five Chumashim?
There is actually a practical issue involved here as well. The halachah is that if a community has a Sefer ...
6
votes
1answer
200 views
Is the Yovel every 49 or 50 years?
When is Yovel? Is it in the 49th year of the shmita cycle, or the 50th? And if it is in the 50th, when is the next shmita, in the 56th or 57th year? What is the practice in modern day Israel?
6
votes
2answers
4k views
When is the next shmita year (as of 5772)?
When is the next shmita year? Is there disagreement about which year? If so, which Jewish sects or traditions believe the shmita is in which years? If you specify years since creation, please also ...
6
votes
1answer
135 views
Late Yom Hatzmaut
What is the rule: when is Yom Hatzmaut moved from the fifth of Iyar to an earlier or later date?
6
votes
1answer
95 views
When is “vesain tal umotor” said in Australia?
When is "vesain tal umotor" said in the Southern Hemisphere eg Australia?
6
votes
2answers
97 views
Counting the omer with doubt before the fixed calendar
Currently, according to a previous question on this site, we count the omer without doubt: "Today is the Xth day of the omer" because we have a fixed calendar, and because counting with doubt is ...
6
votes
1answer
95 views
Rosh Hashana can't currently land on a Friday, but the first one did
The current fixed calendar works in such a way so that the first day of Rosh Hashana can never fall out on a Friday, but this is the very day on which the first Rosh Hashana fell! What gives?
6
votes
2answers
102 views
Walled cities for Purim other than Jerusalem
The holiday of Purim is unique in that some locations celebrate it on different days. The rule is: if the city was walled at the time of Joshua's conquest of the Land of Israel then they celebrate on ...
6
votes
1answer
121 views
Why celebrate Lag Ba'Omer on the 33rd according to the MaHaRIL?
There are several different opinions about when the students of Rabbi Akiva died, and which days we mourn for them.
Sefer HaToda'ah quotes the Maharil, who says that the students of Rabbi Akiva died ...
6
votes
1answer
144 views
New date at sunset: question on Sifse Chachamim
Avoda Zara 25 cites a difference of opinion as to how long the sun stood still for Y'hoshua: twelve hours, twenty-four, or thirty-six. According to those who say twelve or thirty-six, the sun finally ...
5
votes
3answers
222 views
Parashas Shavua calculation
I'm writing a site where the user would be able to see the calendar with jewish-civil translation of dates, and also which parasas shavua falls on which Shabbos.
I'd like to know what is the formula ...
5
votes
4answers
334 views
Cheshvan or MarCheshvan?
The month of Cheshvan is called by many MarCheshvan. Are both correct or which one is more correct?
5
votes
3answers
99 views
5
votes
4answers
342 views
Gematrias or Roshei Taivos for the year 5772
Looking for Gematrios of phrases and/or Roshei Teivos that are appropiate for the year 5772 (by adding up to either 5772 or 772, which is the accepted numerical abbreviation for the year after ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
A cryptic Seder HaDoros regarding to the year of Jesus' birth
Regarding the year of Jesus' birth, it says in Seder HaDoros (Year 3724) that the year 3724 and the year (3)532 are really the same. What in the world does he mean?
Its in the first column first ...
5
votes
1answer
170 views
Who divided the Tehillim into days?
Who divided the Sefer Tehillim into daily sections (both day of week and day of month)?
5
votes
2answers
85 views
Number of Yamim Tovim that fall on Shabbos
In a given year, a certain number of Yamim Tovim days fall on Shabbos, and a certain number not. What are the minimum and maximum count of Yamim Tovim days that can fall on Shabbos in a single year ...
5
votes
2answers
222 views
Meaning of the name Sivan
I recently met a young lady with the name of Sivan. She did not know the meaning of it, other than it is a name of a month. I was wondering if there is a meaning to this name and what it is?
5
votes
1answer
109 views
why 3 of punishment, 7 of consolation, 2 of repentance
As is well known (e.g. from Tosafos to M'gila 31:2 or from Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 428:8), we have three haftaros of punishment, followed by seven of consolation and then two of return ...
5
votes
1answer
135 views
Twelve Months of Mourning During a Leap Year
For those who are mourning a parent for the requisite twelve-month aveilus, would Adar 1 and Adar 2 count as two separate months towards the twelve? Or does one year mean a full year, i.e., from ...
