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6
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0answers
55 views
Would a genetically engineered red heifer be usable?
Assuming that a non-Jew chose to create a genetically engineered parah adumah (red heifer) and further assuming it met all the halachic requirements --no two black hairs, hadn't been used for work ...
4
votes
0answers
84 views
Effect of knockout on my soul
I have experienced a knockout two times in the boxing ring during my active fighting career.
At the time I was KO, I was conscious of nothing and then I woke up.
I am interested in knowing what was ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Updating of holy books
I am curious if such thing is possible, e.g. if some new evidence is found (archeological or other scientific or other). So the next generation will have more accurate interpretation, because we all ...
14
votes
3answers
473 views
Premature birth contradicting science
I am a teacher at a private all-girls Jewish high school. There are two science teachers in the school, and both of us are Christian. I was talking with my fellow science teacher recently, and she ...
0
votes
1answer
153 views
How do we reconcile the order of creating animals betweeen Genesis and science?
http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/6932/does-the-torah-encoded-age-of-the-universe-match-science#comment53788_6932
The Genesis 1 creation account conflicts with the order of events that ...
0
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0answers
104 views
Refutation of Darwin's Random Evolution Theory [closed]
saw this refutation online of Darwin's Random Evolution Theory and cannot see any holes with the logic. Can anyone crack this simple refutation?
Refutation of the Theory of Random Evolution
As for ...
3
votes
0answers
95 views
Would time travel be assur/mutar?
Inspired by this question which the author states is not a question of issur/heter. Assuming time travel is possible (to the future or past) is there any reason it should be assur?
4
votes
3answers
151 views
May we genetically engineer stuff?
The possibilities of genetic engineering continue to grow. May a Jewish scientist genetically engineer things?
5
votes
1answer
178 views
What are some understandings as to how animals populated different continents after the flood?
What are some understandings as to how animals populated different continents after the flood? Did some species of animals survive the flood? Or are we to understand that the flood only affected the ...
3
votes
0answers
48 views
אלקים בגימטריא הטבע and not טבע?
There's a oft quoted saying that "אלקים בגימטריא הטבע." Why is it הטבע and not טבע? Isn't it "cheating" to add the extra "ה"?
6
votes
1answer
85 views
What is “blood that moved from one place to another”?
I'm learning laws of salting in the Shulchan Aruch. One concept I'm battling to understand is "דם שפירש ממקום למקום" - blood that moved from one place to another. Here's a good example of my ...
12
votes
7answers
379 views
About what were rabbis ahead of the times?
I have heard claims that experts in the world of Torah were significantly ahead of their counterparts in the world of natural science (or mathematics, or psychology, or…) in that they knew X ...
1
vote
2answers
187 views
the four foundations - fire, wind, water, earth
How do we reconcile the torah view of four foundations fire, wind, water, and earth with modern science which demonstrates wind, water, and earth are really not much different.
for example, water can ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
Do those who practice family purity get cervical cancer less?
Is there a good study which shows that those who practice family purity get cervical cancer far less? Not just comparing Orthodox women to other groups, but amongst Jews? And is conclusive.
0
votes
1answer
191 views
What is the torah view on the dinosaurs?
What is the Torah view on the dinosaurs? There's no mention of them in the Torah, only that the world was created in 6 days. If they existed, Adam and his descendants should have seen them. Yet ...
0
votes
1answer
184 views
How do Jews reconcile 6 days creation with light from stars 1 billion years ago? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why the vast difference of opinion about the age of the Universe?
I was surprised my self when I learned that light comes from stars that are millions or billions of ...
1
vote
2answers
98 views
Kohanim and paternal lines
Do you know the explanation why in modern Kohanim there is a paternal line encompassing about 50% of the Kohanim and then many lines encompassing the other 50% 1. Is it possible for a Kohen to be ...
6
votes
1answer
98 views
What does Maimonides say about geocentrism?
I have read that Maimonides described the universe in a geocentric fashion, but I have not been able to find the specific passages to which they refer.
What does Maimonides say about geocentrism?
9
votes
3answers
346 views
Time dilation and waiting between meat and milk
Suppose Ploni eats some meat. He then gets in a spaceship and accelerates to some significant percentage of the speed of light for a short trip into outer space, and then returns home. At the time ...
2
votes
2answers
155 views
Synthetic unkosher meat?
Suppose tissue identical to that of a pig could be created synthetically (with kosher ingredients) in a science lab. The meat would be completely indistinguishable from pig meat, but it would never ...
2
votes
2answers
115 views
How was kashrut affected by Science?
I have been reading a lot of questions concerning kosher foods, to get a better understanding of what it means for something to be kosher. To an atheist, this site is very helpful.
But as a chemistry ...
7
votes
2answers
121 views
Cryonics in Judaism
I was recently reading an article about cryogenics, there are around 200 bodies frozen in cryogenics labs around the world, and in the article they said that in the near future they may be able to ...
1
vote
2answers
158 views
Why not determine how long to wait between meat and milk using science?
If the time required to wait between eating meat and milk is based on the scientific definition of digestion, why don't we ask today's experts and set a defined time for everyone instead of different ...
9
votes
2answers
466 views
Can an Alien convert to Judaism?
Suppose we one day find an extraterrestrial walking on our planet that originated from another planet. The alien quickly learns all about religion and now wants to become a Jew. Do we let him?
...
0
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0answers
97 views
With which sister was Dr. Shmuel Soloveitchik closest? [closed]
I know a student of Dr. Shmuel Soloveitchik (the chemist, brother of Rabbis Joseph Dov and Aharon) who said he'd often describe conversations with (and advice from) his sister.
Shmuel Soloveitchik ...
12
votes
1answer
172 views
Who knows science?
On whom does one recite the blessing "ברכת שנתן מחכמתו לבשר ודם" (the blessing recited on non-Jewish scientists)?
Does he have to be a Ph.D? Does he have to have inventions to his name?
Did he have ...
2
votes
3answers
207 views
Theology on evolution from khan academy
In this video on khan academy, Khan makes a few theological points regarding evolution. His main point is that evolution can be reconciled with intelligent design by saying that God could have created ...
3
votes
1answer
434 views
What are the colors of the rainbow?
While the colors of the rainbow (or spectral colors) form a continuum, people have assigned them to finitely many pigeonholes for centuries and probably millennia. Apparently, Newton used seven colors ...
4
votes
0answers
128 views
Would synthesized meat be Kosher?
Scientists are preparing synthesized meat for human consumption. See here for a excerpt, and two articles here and here.
My question is: Would this meat be considered Kosher? Might it depend on the ...
9
votes
2answers
214 views
Kosherizing Water using Distillation
Suppose I have water that was cooked with non-kosher food. I then take the water and distill it.
Would this water be considered permissible to drink?
11
votes
1answer
187 views
Mushrooms in a Vineyard
The bracha on a mushroom is "shehakol" because the Talmud (Berachot 40b) correctly (I think) states that mushrooms do not derive their nutrients from the ground.
If a mushroom is growing in a ...
12
votes
1answer
119 views
In what way are mushrooms considered “non-nutritive”?
The Mishnah (Eruvin 26b) states that water and salt can't be used as the food for eruv chatzeiros or eruv techumin (thus Rashi; according to Tosafos only the latter). Rashi explains that this is ...
4
votes
1answer
113 views
How is Hagalah done on glass?
With regards to using glass vessels on Pesach that were used year round, The Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Orach Chaim 451:63) says that, for Ashkenazim, if the glass vessel was used multiple times during the ...
3
votes
5answers
110 views
The Plague of Darkness
This is a two fold question
1)The plaque of darkness has considerable commentary, however I have yet to find a rabbi who speaks about what created the darkness. Therefore, What created the darkness ...
1
vote
1answer
141 views
Archaeology and תחיית המתים
A few minutes ago, while standing in the rain and seeing some people passing out some pamphlets an idea occurred to me.
Are there any papers, books, dvar torahs etc, which links the traditional ...
6
votes
2answers
163 views
Is olive oil unhealthy?
The Gemara in Brachot 35b says that the proper bracha on pure olive oil is "Borei Peri HaEtz". However, it says that this refers to when you mixed the oil with some אניגרון which Prof Marcus Jastrow ...
10
votes
6answers
217 views
Does the colouring of animals depend on what the mother sees before conception?
What is the meaning of the hishtadlus that Yaakov made with the conception of the animals starting at 30 (37)?
Is it or was it a natural thing that the colouring of animals depends on what their ...
8
votes
1answer
171 views
Retention of urine causing infertility?
In several places in the Gemara (Yevamos 64b, Bechoros 44b) it is stated that holding back urine for an extended period can cause a man to become infertile. In the latter place the Gemara gives a ...
6
votes
2answers
323 views
Why does the Talmud assume a woman cannot get pregnant on the first act of intercourse?
There is a rule in the Gemara (Yevamot 34a) that אין אשה מתעברת בביאה ראשונה. The question is why the Talmud assumes that a virgin cannot conceive on her first act of sexual intercourse if the hymen ...
15
votes
2answers
265 views
Does artificial meat grown in a petri dish have the halachic status of meat?
Scientists are developing means of growing artificial meat in a petri dish. Does such 'meat' have the halachic status of meat?
Source: ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
how old is Judaism?
How old is Judaism - not legendary, but indicated by science?
What are the oldest scriptures found of the story of Moses, for example? Or are the scriptures imported from very different cultures so ...
11
votes
6answers
487 views
Reconciling the evidence for the Uncertainty Principle with belief in an omniscient G-d
One of the foundations of modern quantum mechanics is the Uncertainty Principle. This principle is not an assumption, but rather is derived from assumptions made with regard to the structure of ...
7
votes
4answers
284 views
How does salt “add heat” (mishna in Shabbos 4(1))
The mishna in Shabbos 4(1) tells us which materials may not be used to insulate foods for Shabbos because they "add heat". One of these materials is salt. Can anyone explain how salt can add heat ...
11
votes
4answers
770 views
Time Travel and Judaism
Has time travel ever been discussed before in terms of Judaism? According to Judaism would (should) it be possible to travel through time?
8
votes
1answer
160 views
What is the “Kos Shel Ikrin,” a potion that renders one infertile?
The Talmud discusses the "Kos Shel Ikrin" (Cup of the Barren, or Cup of Roots), a potion that rendered a woman or man infertile. The recipe for this potion is on record in tractate Shabbos and there ...
14
votes
7answers
360 views
why half-believe the Torah?
(I'm not sure this is on-topic, and feel free to close it if it's not, of course.)
I understand some who study the Bible claim natural reasons for things we recognize as miracles, from the plagues of ...
5
votes
2answers
139 views
Science of the Rishonim on “celestial spheres”
In the writings of the Rishonim, it is not uncommon to see explanations of pesukim or of aggadic concepts using the "celestial spheres" model of the universe. The Rambam in particular uses the idea ...
7
votes
5answers
322 views
Rationalist Position on Bible Ancients' Long Lives
How would a rationalist interpret the long lives of the ancient people enumerated in the Bible, from Methuselah on down? Virtually no person lives more than 120 years today, even with the assistance ...
11
votes
2answers
256 views
Let there be light! But from where?
According to Genesis 1:3, "And G-d said, Let there be light; and there was light." What light is the Torah referring to if the sun which produces light by day was created only on the 4th day of ...
9
votes
3answers
217 views
How do scientists such as Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder understand the fourth day of creation?
If I understand correctly, scientists such as Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder have readings of Genesis Chapter 1 that fit with the current scientific understanding of how the universe/planet/life ...
