questions about numbers
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Why did God take 7 days to create the world?
Generally we assume that God is omnipotent, and could have created the world in a single day\act, so He must have had a reason to organize creation into 7 days. Why?
In other words:
Why didn't God ...
3
votes
1answer
32 views
Shisha Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred sixteen?
?שישה עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 316.
And ... ...
4
votes
1answer
40 views
How to fix incorrect omer count
Suppose someone accidentally counts the wrong day of the omer after making a bracha, and then realizes later that night what he had done. How should he rectify this? Should he count the correct day ...
3
votes
1answer
33 views
Chamisha Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred fifteen?
?חמישה עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 315.
Is there a ...
6
votes
2answers
96 views
Why is one permutation of the name of God backwards?
If you spell out each letter that makes up the name of God, then add up the gematria (numerical value) of each letter of each fully spelled out letter you get various values. The value depends on how ...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
One Challah or Two?
If two challahs are braided and baked together on one pan, and before they are completely baked, they have stuck together, do I have one challah or two? I.e. can I separate them and still have two ...
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 ...
3
votes
0answers
50 views
Can “Three D'Rabbanans be 'motzei' ”Two D'Rabbanans"
We know that when there is a case of someone that is obligated to perform a mitzvah m'drabbanan (and in fact there are 2 d'rabbanans together) they can't be "motzei" someone in the mitzvah who only ...
2
votes
2answers
98 views
Is it a popular notion that a Jew should “have at least three children…”?
I have heard it said, "Every Jew must have at least three children (though more is preferable). Two to replace the parents when they die, and at least one more to make up for those lost in the ...
2
votes
1answer
33 views
Why was Ephraim's count not affected by leaving early?
According to the medrash pirkei deRebbi Eliezer (48) 200,000 Ephraimites left Egypt many years before Moshe took the Jews out and were killed. There are other midrashim and a gemarah which quote ...
4
votes
1answer
49 views
What 12 tribes are meant in many places while there really were 13?
There are many mentions of the "12 tribes" (e.g., the tag of this question). But there really were 13: Ya'akov had 12 sons, of which each was the ancestor of one tribe except Yosef that was the ...
7
votes
2answers
67 views
How large is a typical contemporary hagada commentary?
In a contemporary published hagada with commentary, how many total words does the commentary typically comprise? (For comparison, "Hagada - Mi Yodeya?", in its current form, weighs in at about 14,000 ...
5
votes
2answers
61 views
Thought about Sefirah but did not say it verbally
I thought (in the middle of Shemona Esray of mincha) that I must count the first day of sefirah after I finish; but did not do it verbally. Should I continue on to make the brocha from the second day? ...
5
votes
2answers
102 views
“גוט שבת, גוט שבת”
My father, passing someone on the street on שבת, says "גוט שבת, גוט שבת" (Yiddish, "good sabbath, good sabbath"): that is, he repeats himself. I thought it might be his own idio-custom — until I ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
Parshas Tzav - 96 Pesukim?
At the end of each Parsha many Chumashim have the number of Pesukim that are in that Parsha. By Parshas Tzav they all say 96 which is the Gematria of Tzav צו. However if counted there are 97 Pesukim. ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
Should a parent bless a child resting one hand or both?
When a parent gives the traditional blessing usually done on Shabbat evening should the parent place one hand on the head of the child or two?
4
votes
2answers
71 views
Arba'a Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred fourteen?
?ארבעה עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 314.
Lazy ...
1
vote
0answers
49 views
Relations twice as segulah for boy — What about zugos?
I had asked what is the source for the segulah of having relations twice in order to have a boy. I first asked this in order to obtain a source to better ask this question.
The Gemorah says in Niddah ...
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 ...
3
votes
2answers
66 views
Shelosha Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred thirteen?
?שלושה עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 313.
Lazy ...
3
votes
1answer
55 views
Shnaim Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred twelve?
?שנים עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 312.
Don't dwell ...
3
votes
1answer
37 views
מֵאַבְנֵי (Gen. 28:11) and הָאֶבֶן (Gen. 28:18)
Do any commentaries mention a reason for the plural "stones" in Gen. 28:11 and the singular "stone" in Gen. 28:18?
In Gen. 28:11, it says that Ya'akov took "of the stones" (מֵאַבְנֵי) and put them ...
2
votes
2answers
100 views
Correspondence between 365 negative commandments and days of the year?
There are 365 negative commandments which correspond to the days of the (solar) year (see Makos 23b; Tanchuma Ki Seitzeh 2). Apparently the prohibition of Gid HaNasheh (sciatic nerve) corresponds to ...
2
votes
1answer
152 views
Is there a special significance of 4 directions as opposed to 6?
According to halacha, when a person says the word "echad" (אחד) in Shema:
בדלי"ת צריך להאריך יותר כדי שיעור שיחשוב שהקב"ה יחיד בעולמו ומושל בד' רוחות העולם
[One should] draw out the dale more ...
5
votes
1answer
94 views
Achad Asar Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred eleven?
?אחד עשר ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 311.
Give up on ...
3
votes
1answer
68 views
Minimum number of days in the first week of the Hebrew calendar?
Does the first week of Nissan have a minimum number of days? Or does it range from 1-7? If it does have a minimum (greater than 1 ..obviously), why?
1
vote
1answer
143 views
How many prophets were there and who were they?
How many prophets are recognized by Judaism, and what were their names?
I found a website that claims the number of prophets is 124000. Is this true?
Are all of their speeches or writings ...
6
votes
2answers
61 views
Asara Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred ten?
?עשרה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 310.
There is lazy ...
3
votes
2answers
66 views
When lighting Chanukah candles on both entrances to courtyard, can I use only one candle?
In Hilchos Channukah OC Siman 671 Sif 8 we learn the halacha that if someone has 2 entrances to their courtyard they must light Chanukah candles by both of them. This is so that passers-by won't see ...
2
votes
0answers
98 views
Why are there only a finite number of people?
If the purpose that we ascribe as the reason for creation (as stated in the Ramchal's Derech Hashem, Klach Pischei Chochma and other works) is for God to bestow his goodness unto creation (bearing in ...
3
votes
2answers
75 views
Tish'a Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred nine?
?תשעה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 309.
Swim not in the ...
1
vote
0answers
98 views
Pidyon HaBen rate
About how many pidyon haben ceremonies are required to be performed per 1000 Jewish births in the past few decades?
The requirements for a pidyon haben are:
Both parents are Israel, not Kohen or ...
3
votes
1answer
51 views
Shemona Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred and eight?
?שמונה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 308.
If you feel ...
3
votes
4answers
71 views
Shiv'a Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred and seven?
?שבעה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 307.
Check out ...
6
votes
2answers
85 views
Shisha Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred and six?
?שישה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 306.
And that which ...
3
votes
3answers
56 views
Chamisha Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred and five?
?חמישה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 305.
Don't be led ...
3
votes
2answers
52 views
Arba'a Ushlosh Meyot - mi yodeya?
Who knows three hundred and four?
?ארבעה ושלוש מאות - מי יודע
In the spirit of the song "Echad - mi yodeya", please post interesting and significant Jewish facts about the number 304.
It could be ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Parameters for brov am?
What are they parameters of brov am hadras melech? is it a requirement or a hiddur? does it apply equally to men, women and children? why does it not seem to apply to zimun (preferable to split into ...
0
votes
0answers
69 views
Is two hundred and ten a name of God?
Is there a name of God (derived through gematria, kabbalah or otherwise) associated with the number 210?
2
votes
0answers
74 views
What do Chazal mean when they say that when Moshiach comes there will be another note added to the octave making a total of 8 notes?
Related: What were Chazal referring to when they said there were 7 notes in a musical octave?
There is a well known Medrash (anyone help with the source?) [I think on the Posuk 'Lamnatzeich Al ...
2
votes
0answers
86 views
What were Chazal referring to when they said there were 7 notes in a musical octave?
Related: What do Chazal mean when they say that when Moshiach comes there will be another note added to the octave making a total of 8 notes?
There is a well known Medrash (anyone help with the ...
6
votes
0answers
38 views
Division of Al Cheit
Al Cheit has a chorus line ועל כולם, אלוה סליחות, סלח לנו, מחל לנו, כפר לנו after the first 20 Al Cheits, then after the next 12, then after the next 12. Who made this division? Why was it not divided ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
The mishkan and the fencepost problem
Rashi (Shemos 26:6,26) counts out the number of poles for the chazer on each side in parshas Terumah. He seems to ignore what is called the Fencepost Problem. The same problem exists for the 20 amah ...
6
votes
0answers
103 views
The blessing for 600,000 Jews
The Gemara (Berakhot 58b) mentions that upon seeing 600,000 Jews one says the blessing "Baruch...Chacham HaRazim" (Who knows all secrets), and this is halacha (Sh.A. O.C. 224:5).
Does any know of any ...
2
votes
3answers
119 views
Why does the gemarah start on daf bet?
Mesechtas in the Bavli shas start on daf bet instead of daf aleph, why is this so? As a child I was told it was to give you incentive to start ("Hey, I'm already on page 2!") but that now seems both ...
4
votes
1answer
67 views
Why are disputes in pairs?
The final paragraph of this answer:
We do have the tools to derive from the Torah what those Halachos are (Moshe Rabeinu taught them to us), but these rules are very general in nature and ...
4
votes
1answer
80 views
Can you explain this weird pattern in Eicha?
I'm not into "bible codes" but I noticed that in the the 3rd and 5th perakim of Eicha every pasuk is no less than 4 words and no more than 7. This is if you count hyphenated words as 1 word (I'm using ...
3
votes
1answer
120 views
How could boiling 3 eggs at a time help?
A lot of people have a custom of boiling 3 eggs at a time, as mentioned here, among any other places.
One reason given for this practice is that if one egg turns out to be unkosher, the remaining two ...
8
votes
1answer
151 views
Differences between RaMbaM and RaMbaN's mitzvah count
I know both of the Rambam and Ramban listed all 613 mitzvos, and they differ in some (I think like 16ish?)
What are the ones upon which they differ? If possible please include why they differ in ...
5
votes
0answers
61 views
42 camps and 42 non-refuge Levite cities (Masei)
What is the significance of the numerical correspondence between the 42 camps or waypoints mentioned in the recounting of the forty years of wandering (Bamidbar 33) and the fact that 42 of the 48 ...
