Questions tagged [sin]
Relating to the categorization of a sinful act in Jewish Law, the examination of a sin recorded in Jewish texts, or the nature of sin in Jewish thought.
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What counts as unintentionally performing an aveira?
For example you accidentally light a fire on Shabbat, I assume this counts as unintentional. If you light a fire thinking it is a rabbinic prohibition, does this count as unintentional?
In a more ...
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If a composer of a nigun is accused of a serious offense should his nigun no longer be sung?
If someone who is well respected in the community writes wonderful inspiring nigunim that are used in tefila, and then allegations appear that the individual is suspected of, or implicated in, serious ...
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Are Sarah's sins implied in the opening of Chayye Sarah?
This week's portion, Chayye Sarah, opens with the death of Sarah at age 127:
Sarah’s lifetime came to one hundred years and twenty years and seven years -- that was the span of her life. [Genesis 23:...
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What positive knowledge was earned from eating the forbidden fruit?
Implicitly, the tree was called "the tree of knowledge of good and bad", and we all know the "bad" part - they realized the wickedness of their nakedness.
My question is simple: ...
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R. Meir and Reish Lakish on Gan Eden and Gehinnom
I remember reading humble statements by both R. Meir and Reish Lakish, saying about themselves that they would probably need to go through Gehinnom to some degree, because of unknown sins and ...
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Does G-d punish the innocent?
Almost every law in the Torah commands proper action aside from the first few in the Ten commandments about G-d's and His oneness. In his book, Kosher Jesus, Chapt. 28, pg 163, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach ...
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Why does Moses use a euphemism in talking to God?
In this week's portion, Behaalotecha, Moses tells God:
If this is how You are going to treat me, then, if I have found favor in Your eyes, kill me, and do not let me witness my evil. [Num. 11:15]
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Did Adam and Chava have a child before they sinned? Was childbirth not painful before they sinned?
Did Adam and Chava have a child before they sinned? Was childbirth not painful before they sinned?
In Bereshit 3:16, it says,
To the woman He said, "I shall surely increase your sorrow and your ...
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Temptation of Bamos
What was the powerful temptation of Bamos which continued to remain in Klal Yisroel even during the times of the righteous kings?
Melachim I (15:14) - וְהַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ רַק לְבַב־אָסָא הָיָה
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Difference between חֵטְא and עֲבֵרָה
Is there a difference between a חֵטְא (cheit) and an עֲבֵרָה (aveira)? I translate both of those words as "sin." Maybe they signify a different level of magnitude? Or maybe one word is simply ...
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Was Yaakov lacking Bitachon?
When Yaakov becomes afraid of Eisav's arrival, the passuk says that he was very frightened. Chazal in Maseches Brachos note that he was afraid שמא יגרום החטא. Does this display a lack of Bitachon, ...
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Is self-sacrifice acceptable to save one's child? [duplicate]
Generally speaking, Judaism doesn't take the same mindset for self-sacrifice as modern society. While we can have great respect for individuals who have given up their lives to save others, Jewish ...
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Where are there discussions about Torah commands that nobody is known to have broken?
Where are there discussions about Torah commands that nobody is known to have broken? These discussions can come anywhere, from the Talmud to the Midrashim.
One example I heard is from Devarim 21:18-...
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Is there a Rabbinical stance on "Ghost Hunting" and whether it is an allowable activity?
Strange topic but I was curious if anything existed in relation to it.
"Ghost Hunting" can be done for different reasons. Typically, it's in reference to paranormal investigators seeking evidence of ...
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Can Catholics be considered pious/G-d-fearing in the context that they believe their church to be their version of Rabbinical authority? [closed]
This question relates to people who are good in nature but mislead in practice and the situation they are raised within.
Obviously, Judaism has issues with Catholicism in the sense it contradicts ...
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What was wrong with David referring to Torah as a song?
What is wrong with King David calling the Torah a song (tehillim 119:54, Sotah 35a) when the Torah calls itself such (Devarim 31:19, Nedarim 38a)
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What rationale do the Rabbis use when differentiating amulets from recognized forms of idolatry?
The use of amulets for healing and protection has a long history in Judaism. I know that we are warned against idolatry when it comes to foreign worship practices around objects. (Prayer beads, Pagan ...
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Why is only the iniquity (עון) of the parents passed on to the children?
In Exodus 34:6-7 it is written
וַיַּעֲבֹר יְהוָה עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּקְרָא יְהוָה יְהוָה אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת: נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים נֹשֵׂא עָוֺן וָפֶשַׁע וְחַטָּאָה ...
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G-ds name online [duplicate]
On a google doc during an assignment with friends who do not understand the intricacies of Judaism, someone wrote g-d's names pronunciation, I did not realize what I was doing and deleted it, was this ...
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What does "mazik the rabim" mean?
The Va’ad HaRabbonim of Greater Cleveland has issued a statement about the COVID-19 virus that contains the following paragraph:
Additionally, anyone who was exposed to someone who tested positive ...
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Sinning and G-d's will, what's wrong with this logic?
Nothing happens against Hashem's will.
Ergo, when one sins, that's also Hashem's will.
Yet we know that Hashem wants us not to sin, so it's against His will.
Contradiction?
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Is a Jew considered "lesser" in the eyes of Hashem for having doubts about specific ideas within the Torah?
Say that we have a Jew. A very pious and loving man who honors the laws and attends Shul and does his best to honor Hashem.
The problem. He hears his Rabbis talk about things like the Mashiach and ...
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Does today's Yom Kippur observance atone for all sins?
I find the liturgical and rabbinic descriptions of the atonement process on Yom Kippur challenging. Without a Sanhedrin to mete out punishments for intentional sins, and no altar to bring offerings ...
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Adam 's sin out of deveikut?
I found this online:
In his sefer "Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh," R' Itamar Shwartz emphasizes the important point that our existence in this world is for the purpose of being davuk to our Creator; to be ...
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Why was King David Punished for Sending Others to Conduct a Census?
If there is no agency for sin, why was King David punished for sending people out to conduct a (forbidden) census? (Explanation of agency: The Talmud says "ein sheliach l'dvar averia," which means, ...
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Why was it wrong for David to number Israel?
(This is not a duplicate of halacha - Why was King David Punished for Sending Others to Conduct a Census? - Mi Yodeya.)
1 Chronicles 21, and 2 Samuel 24 relate how King David took it upon himself to ...
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How does one get punished for sins beyond punishment?
I asked this question in a comment to another question's answer, but I wanted to ask it explicitly:
It has been stated that :
[...] it has been pointed out in Rishonim [...] that some sins are so ...
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What are the practical parameters of Mitzvah Haba'ah B'Aveirah?
There are a few questions which ask about whether the concern of a mitzvah which is (or whose practice is) contingent upon the existence of a sin applies in specific cases. But are there any clear cut ...
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What are the implications of "deserving death"?
The Sources frequently say that certain people "deserve death". Examples in the Talmud:
He who transgresses the rulings of the Sages deserve death. [Berakhot 4b]
He who emits semen in vain ...
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"Is called a sinner" vs "is a sinner"
The Sources include dozens of statements of the form, "He who does such and such is called a sinner.". Why "is called a sinner"? Why not "is a sinner" or "sins"?
(For examples, just put "called ...
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Jewish married man having relations with Jewish divorced woman [closed]
What is the Halacha of a Jewish married man engaging in physical relations with a Jewish divorced woman.
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What constitutes communicating with the dead?
Let no one be found among you who consigns his son or daughter to the
fire, or who is an augur, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer, one who
casts spells, or one who consults ghosts or familiar ...
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What is the iniquity of the Emorites?
Rashi on Bereshis 48:22 explains מִיַּד הָאֱמֹרִי as follows
מיד עשו שעשה מעשה אמורי
The pasuk earlier in Bereshis (15:16) implies that the Emorites were sinners
כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמֹרִי ...
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Is declaring that you don’t want to do a sin “for now”, a chillul hashem?
If someone proposes doing a sinful act (e.g Avoda zara) and you respond by saying that you are not interested “for now”, is that considered a chillul hashem, as you may want to sin in the future?
In ...
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If Jews don't believe in heaven, what reason do they have to follow a moral code? [closed]
In Christianity for example, some people argue that you should be good on this Earth in order to get your reward in heaven.
In Judaism as there is no heaven, what is the reason given to follow the ...
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(Why) did Sarah allow herself to be put in a compromising situation
Starting in Genesis 12:13 Avraham and Sarah deceive Pharaoh into thinking that Sarah was not married. It seems from the verses that Avraham and Sarah understood that if Pharaoh thought Sarah was ...
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If someone ate non-kosher meat willingly, but wasn’t aware that it contained forbidden blood/fat, are they “cut off”?
If one knowingly ate non-kosher beef, but didn’t think/realize that it could cause karet due to forbidden fats or blood, do they still get karet if these forbidden items were in fact in the meat?
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Why do all women deserve to suffer for the sin of one woman, Chava?
In the Torah, Bereshit 3:16, all women receive the curse of a painful childbirth and their subservience to men. This is all because Chava made the choice to make Adam eat from the tree. Why should all ...
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If someone is about to commit a sin on purpose, should you stop him even if it'll cause embarrassment?
Imagine that someone is about to commit a sin on purpose (Torah or rabbinic); but you don't know that it was done on purpose, so I guess you give him the benefit of the doubt.
Is it better to stop ...
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Does Hashem forgive for ongoing, recurring sins?
Say for example a halalachly uneducated Jew intermarries and then years later realizes the marriage is a Torah violation and has great regret, yet he loves his wife and there are children involved. He ...
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Why is a person who refuses to forgive another considered a sinner?
The Rambam Hilchos Teshuvah 2:9 writes about what to do when asking for forgiveness from a person who won't grant it:
אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הִקְנִיט אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ אֶלָּא בִּדְבָרִים צָרִיךְ לְפַיְּסוֹ ...
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Why should we be punished for Adam's sin? [duplicate]
My kid asked:
I understand that Adam and Eve violated God's command by eating from the tree of knowledge and thus deserved punishment: as described in Genesis, Adam would have to work for his food ...
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How to make oneself regret a sin?
As we know, regret is part of teshuvah. However, sometimes even though we understand logically that what we've done is wrong, we may not always sincerely regret it. In such case, two questions arise:
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Why are some sins counted twice?
I am looking to understand the theology behind a negative commandment being repeated in the Torah in order to make whomever transgresses it punishable for 2 sins.
See for example Rashi on Vayikra 25:...
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Do we, today, cause the Churban?
When, in musaf for Shabbat Rosh Chodesh, we recall the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash, the text indicates not just that our forefathers were responsible for sinning that caused the destruction, or ...
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Why is it allowed to become a Nazir
The Gemara says in Taanis 11a:
דתניא ר' אלעזר הקפר ברבי אומר מה תלמוד לומר {במדבר ו-יא} וכפר עליו
מאשר חטא על הנפש וכי באיזה נפש חטא זה אלא שציער עצמו מן היין והלא
דברים קל וחומר ומה זה שלא ...
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What are the consequences of homosexuality?
We all know that homosexual intercourse is forbidden in Judaism (directly from Torah).
But that it also has consequences in the spiritual world as everything in the physical realm has its ...
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Is a nocturnal emission (Keri) a sin?
Is a nocturnal emission, also known as keri, a sin? If it happens to you at night, is teshuvah necessary?
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How does one receive forgiveness from someone they have wronged after their death?
Say you sinned against a fellow Jew. You decide you want to seek forgiveness from that person but then discover that person has passed away. G-d forgives sins against Him but man must seek forgiveness ...
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Was the sin of the Spies more severe than the Golden Calf? [duplicate]
IIRC, in the story of the Golden Calf, people not only actually MADE the idol but worshipped it, while in the story of Meraglim people only BELIEVED in what the Spies said.
Nevertheless, after the G"...