Questions about Jewish customs and traditions.
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227 views
Saying VaYhi Erev VaYehi Voker before Kiddush Friday night
The Minhag that many people have is to start Kiddush Friday night with VaYehi Erev VaYehi Voker before saying Yom HaShishi.
I heard that HaRav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal did not say VaYehi Erev VaYehi ...
8
votes
3answers
206 views
Wear your tzitzis out or in?
There seems to be some misunderstanding/machlokes (disagreement) on how you should wear your tzitzis - with the strings sticking out or tucked in. What's the proper way?
8
votes
3answers
254 views
Is it permissible to name one's child with a name from the opposite gender?
Is a person allowed to name a boy with a girl's name and vice versa?
I remember seeing that one musn't, although in Nach one finds these things a lot.
I understand it is not best practice for ...
8
votes
3answers
959 views
Sefira Restrictions During Chol Hamoed Pesach
For those who hold sefira from the first day until the thirty-third, are the restrictions in effect during chol hamoed? While you are not allowed to cut your hair even during chol hamoed Succos, can ...
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2answers
434 views
Is there an issue with ladies going to the zoo when they are pregnant?
Is there an issue with ladies going to the zoo when they are pregnant? If yes then why is it a problem?
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3answers
427 views
Custom of not giving knives as a gift?
I'd heard that some people have a custom not to give knives as a gift (as knives are a sign of shortening life, not extending it); I asked one rabbi who said he hadn't heard of such a custom, but it ...
8
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1answer
85 views
Using Hoshanos more than once
On Hoshana Rabba after one uses (Klaps) his Hoshanos may another person use the same Hoshanos?
8
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1answer
115 views
Do the customs in regards to *Yud Av* apply to *Yud-Aleph Av* on a year when the fast is pushed off?
I know that people have the custom (I don't know how universal it is), to keep a lot of the restrictions of the nine days until Chatzos on Yud Av. Such as not eating meat or doing laundry.
This year ...
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1answer
80 views
Why is it considered respectful to capitalize G-d and its derivatives/pronouns?
I recognize that in English proper nouns are supposed to be capitalized, especially in the case where a proper noun is also a common noun (e.g. the mall vs. the Mall), but only when referring to G-d ...
8
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2answers
137 views
What is the source for washing Mayim Acharonim with only a few drops of water?
OC 181 (4) MB [10] says that when washing mayim acharonim one must wash up to the second knuckle and using a few drops does not fulfill the mitzvah at all. Shulchan Oruch HaRav 181 (4) says there is ...
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1answer
340 views
matzah = mezonos or hamotzi
What is the reasoning of the 2 different minhagim (traditions) on what bracha to say on matzah when its not Peasach?
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1answer
176 views
Who should walk the Chosson and Kallah to the Chupa?
At the Chuppah in some weddings I've been to, the father and father-in-law escort the Chosson and the mother and mother-in-law escort the Kallah. In others, the mother and fathers each escort their ...
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1answer
189 views
Following the Biur Halacha
As far as I know, the most accepted Posek around the entire non-Chassidic Ashkenazi world is the Mishna Berura (and of course the Rama). He wrote the sections to his commentary to the Code of Jewish ...
8
votes
2answers
202 views
Kiddush Levanah - Saying Aleichem Sholom with the other person?
As discussed here, while doing Kiddush Levanah, we say "Shalom Aleichem" to 3 other people, and they respond back with "Aleichem Shalom". I've seen some people saying "Aleichem Shalom" together with ...
8
votes
1answer
948 views
Does ב"ה actually stand for Boruch Hashem?
We asked here about writing either ב"ה or בס"ד on the top of a letter. In the question it was assumed that ב"ה stands for Boruch Hashem.
Do we have a source that ב"ה actually stands for Boruch ...
8
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3answers
459 views
Why do some people have a custom to boil only odd numbers of eggs?
I heard that some still have a custom to boil only odd numbers of eggs at a time. I heard that the reason is if there is a blood-spot in an egg, the egg will be Battel Berov. This only explains why ...
8
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2answers
102 views
Haftara reading customs
There seems to be a wide range of customs with regard to reading the haftara. In some shuls (mostly Chassidic) the one who is called up recites the berachah, and everyone then says the haftara quietly ...
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2answers
107 views
What are some traditional Iraqi Minhagim?
I'm a Sefaradi Jew of Iraqi descent, but my dad is not religious. I have looked in books like "A Treasury of Sefaradic Laws and Customs", but they tend to not have Iraqi specific Minhagim. I would ...
8
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1answer
149 views
Direction of Tefillin Winding
Why do some people have the custom to wind the Tefillin-Shel-Yad towards themselves, while others wind it away from themselves? What is the reason behind these two customs, and which sects of Judaism ...
8
votes
1answer
163 views
Why do we mention dreams during *Birchas Kohanim*?
I don't know how many sects actually do this, but some people have the custom to say a tehfillah which is all about dreams. In it we ask Hashem to make all our good dreams come true whether "...I have ...
8
votes
1answer
122 views
When to close the ark after putting away the Torah
On shabbat morning when putting away the Torah, many chazzanim like to draw out different tunes for the verses recited then. Should the one honored with putting the Torah back wait until after the ...
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1answer
117 views
Accepting parents' minhagim
Since the Conservative movement tends to take most of its minhagim from the German tradition due to its German roots, most Conservative Jews in America tend to practice the German customs (such as ...
8
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2answers
217 views
Minhag not to view moon through a window?
I have a vague memory of being told not to gaze at the moon through the glass of a window. I think it had something to do with kabbalah. I know it's permitted to say kiddush levanah by looking at the ...
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2answers
112 views
What was the attitude of Rabbonim regarding Purim Torah?
Purim Torah seems to be a two sided concept. On one hand, many people do it for many years (for example, Maseches Purim was published in 1871).
On the other hand, it seems to be a Bizayon HaTorah ...
7
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6answers
509 views
Custom to refrain from eating meat at the Pesach Seder?
I recently heard from two separate people about a custom not to eat any meat at the Seder (i.e. only fish and chicken are eaten). This was surprising to me, as the minhag mentioned in the Mishnah, ...
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9answers
268 views
When do you say a beracha on a minhag?
When lighting Hanukkah candles in the synagogue, we say a beracha "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav.." on a minhag. Unlike kiddush in shul, and early counting of the omer in shul, nobody would say that one ...
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3answers
202 views
Meforshim Nick"names
It has become common practice to refer to most meforshim by acronyms of their name (eg Rashi, Rosh, etc.). When and why did this practice start, and is it proper?
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3answers
258 views
What does “to confuse the Satan” mean?
There are several things we don't do in order "to confuse the Satan", like not blowing Shofar on Erev Rosh Hashana. How does it help? Does Satan not realize that Rosh Hashana
didn't pass yet? He ...
7
votes
5answers
363 views
“Jumping” at the end of Shemoneh Esrei
Some people are accustomed to performing a few little "jumps" at the end of Shemoneh Esrei (after taking the requisite three steps backward and forward) by lifting their heels a number of times. Is ...
7
votes
2answers
386 views
Why do we give tzedakah money to someone to pass along in Israel?
Reuven is planning a trip to Israel. Shimon, knowing this, gives Reuven money for tzedakah with the expectation that Reuven will distribute it when he gets to Israel. Reuven and Shimon both ...
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3answers
497 views
Why do we comfort a mourner with Hamakom Yenachem Eschem?
Why, when comforting a mourner at the completion of a Shiva visit, do we refer to G-d as Hamakom? We say Hamakom Yanachem Eschem - why not Hashem Yenachem or Elokim Yenachem?
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1answer
167 views
Why do we cover the challot on Shabbos?
The answer I learned growing up was that "we don't want to embarrass the bread because we are first making kiddush" or some variation thereof. I later learned that is a zecher for the ma'n which fell ...
7
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4answers
269 views
Where do the different traditions for hours of waiting between meat and milk come from?
As far as I can tell, there are 5 different traditions for how long one has to wait between eating meat and milk:
wait 6 full hours
wait into the 6th hour (thus, 5 hours and 5 minutes would ...
7
votes
1answer
147 views
Chamisha Asar B'Av - when did the Minhag stop?
The Gemara Taanis 31. says אמר רבן שמעון בן גמליאל לא היו ימים טובים לישראל כחמשה עשר באב וכיוה"כ שבהן בנות ירושלים יוצאות ... וחולות בכרמים ומה היו אומרות בחור שא נא עיניך וראה מה אתה בורר לך אל תתן ...
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3answers
85 views
Why do we put out greenery on Shavuos?
Those that have the Minhag to put out greenery in the Shul on Shavuos, why do we do it?
7
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3answers
366 views
Being Shaliach Tzibbur in a Congregation with a different Nusach
In Yalkut Yosef OC 101:10 rules that a Sephardi who is davening in an Ashkenazi minyan should not daven Nusach Ashkenaz as shaliach tzibbur. He can only be shaliach tzibbur if the minyan agrees to let ...
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4answers
507 views
Schlissel Challah
What is the source for the "Key Challah" Segulah (charm) that is said to bring Parnassah (prosperity)? And which is it: do you put the key in the Challah or do you make the Challah in the shape of a ...
7
votes
2answers
126 views
Should we say Al Naharos Bavel?
Tehillim 137 is printed in several bentchers before birkas hamazon, but from what I have seen most people do not say it. What is the correct thing to do: say or omit? Are there different minhagim?
7
votes
3answers
174 views
Which parts of the head should be covered by the kippa?
I understand that it is a widespread minhag for men to wear a head covering. Recently I have seen kippot covering different portions of the head. So please tell me which parts of the head should be ...
7
votes
2answers
138 views
Standing during the Aseres HaDibros
There are people that always stand by Laining and people that always sit. Among those that sit there are those that stand at certain points, such as the Aseres HaDibros or the Shira, etc. Is it proper ...
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1answer
88 views
Why do we do Hagbaah?
After "leining" the Torah, we pick up the Torah scroll to show everyone. Why do we do this?
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1answer
160 views
3 year olds lighting a shabbat candle
When my eldest turned three her male cousin also turned three. Many of her friends and her cousin were getting Tzitzit. She asked for her own. We explained that boys wear TzitTzit and girls light ...
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3answers
218 views
Baal Teshuva Minhag
I have read that Rabbi Avraham Yosef (the son of Rav Ovadiah Yosef) paskened that a Baal Teshuva in Israel should adopt the Sephardic Minhag, regardless of family history, as their immediate ancestors ...
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131 views
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1answer
246 views
Why doesn't Chabad read Ruth on Shavuot?
I was at Chabad this Shavuot and they did not read Ruth. Everywhere else I've been (all Nusach Ashkenaz) has read it claiming that it's appropriate since this is the time of the wheat harvest.
Are ...
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1answer
106 views
Baal haTanya's donning shel yad seated
I have heard that the baal haTanya put on his t'fila shel yad while seated (as S'faradim do).
Does anyone have a source for this (or for the opposite: that he put on his shel yad standing)?
If he ...
7
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3answers
164 views
Why don't we say Tachanun at Mincha on Erev Shabbat or Erev Yom Tov?
It says in the Rambam that there is a custom not to say Tachanun at Mincha on Erev Shabbos and Yom Tov. What is the reason for this custom?
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1answer
149 views
7
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1answer
165 views
Electronic communication immediately before wedding
Is it permissible to chat with your future spouse during the week before the wedding when you are not supposed to see each other face to face? Are any, all, or none of the following permissible:
...
7
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3answers
223 views
How does laughing confuse the Satan?
Sefardim have a practice (custom?) to laugh during habdalah. When I asked the reason for this practice I was told that it was "to confound the satan". I assume it has something to do with ...
