The sources-mekorot tag has no wiki summary.
2
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3answers
76 views
Pasuk about community service
I'm looking for a pasuk to pay tribute to a couple being honored for their service to both my local community and the greater Jewish community. Does anyone have one I can use?
3
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2answers
90 views
What route did Bnei Yisrael take through the Midbar? Seeking sources
The question of which route the Israelites took from Egypt to the Holy Land has been asked for centuries and discussed by pseudo-historians and pop-sci documentarians in the History Channel age, and ...
5
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1answer
79 views
Where was it first said that “The generation is diminishing and diminishing”? (הדור הולך ופוחת)
in Hebrew we have an adage that says “הדור הולך ופוחת” ("Hador holekh wepocheth"), meaning “the generation is getting more and more diminished", which may have meant that there are fewer and fewer new ...
-5
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4answers
230 views
Seeking Clear Definition of God in Judaism as Presented in Tanakh [closed]
I am curious to know if/how God is crisply defined in the Torah: What is God and what is God not?
For example, here is what can be considered a crisp definition of God in the Quran (necessary ...
5
votes
2answers
291 views
Origin of myth about the hole in the sheet?
There is a widespread myth (as far as I know it is a myth) that orthodox Jews must have marital relations through a hole in a sheet. What is the origin of this myth and does it have any actual basis ...
8
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2answers
150 views
If two separate studies intersect, is it a good sign?
There is an expression that I have always heard, which is that when two separate Torah studies one is learning happen to reference each other, it is a good sign. A variant of this that I've heard is ...
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1answer
63 views
Rashi: Caleb married Miriam
I remember reading a rashi on Chumash that quoted a Chazal (I believe sota 12) that says that Caleb married Miriam. Anyone know where this rashi is
2
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3answers
76 views
Midrashic sources regarding the Sea splitting into twelve paths
Tehilim 136:13 says:
לְגֹזֵר יַם סוּף לִגְזָרִים כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ
To Him Who cut the Sea of Reeds asunder, for His kindness is eternal.
Rashi's commentary indicates that this is ...
6
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1answer
90 views
Explanation for couple not seeing each other before the wedding?
What is the source and reason for a couple not to see one another before the wedding?
0
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1answer
80 views
Looking for more information on the bridal virginity blessing
The blessing on bridal virginity is recorded in the Halakhot Gedolot but dismissed by the Rambam in Teshuvot Harambam, II:364-365, #207. What is the original source for this blessing? Do other ...
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2answers
67 views
Berachot in Kriat Shema
I'm sorry if the question is too general, but I was just wondering about Berachot Kriat Shema. What exactly are they? What kind of relationship do they have with the Shema? We need to make a Beracha ...
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1answer
191 views
Kissing and Hugging one's wife
What does it say about chibuk and nishuk (kissing and hugging) shelo b'shas tashmish (not during relations) with one's wife in Sifrei Halacha or Hashkafa?
Among madrichei chassanim (those that teach ...
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0answers
19 views
Minhag not to hold your hands together behind your back? [source] [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is there a Kabbalistic source for not walking with one’s hands behind one’s back?
I was saw someone telling another person off because he was holding his hands together ...
3
votes
1answer
121 views
Which Rabbinic source claimed that the Rambam “killed” the demons?
I've heard many times that the Rambam "killed" the demons rather than simply denying that they ever existed. Which Rabbinic source claims as much? Because the Rambam himself seems to have said that ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Trees l'asid lavo
I recall learning that la'asid lavo the trees themselves will be edible (ta'm ha'etz k'tam hapri) as in gan eden. I cannot find the source for this though.
2
votes
1answer
62 views
Wearing wool Tzitzis on Shabbos
Is it better to wear wool tzitzis? indicates that it is better Halachically to wear a woolen Beged with woolen Tzitzis. Recently I met a fellow who the entire week wears cotton Tzitzis, yet on Shabbos ...
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5answers
161 views
Meforashim and Poskim on Mas. 'Avodah Zarah and forming a curriculum
A friend and I have decided to start learning Mas. 'Avodah Zarah. Our goal, however, is not to just pick a random Masechta of Gemara and learn it with the commentaries on the Daf. Our actual goal is ...
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0answers
47 views
Learning Hilchos Chalev and Seder Kodshim as segulah for Refuah
A friend of mine was recently in Eretz Yisrael. When he was here he visited many Gedolim to get brachas for his son who was born with a number of birth defects. He was by R' Chaim Kanevsky to a get a ...
1
vote
1answer
76 views
Story with Rav Safra — halacha l'maseh?
The following story is brought down in Rashi in Makkos Daf 24a (Found in Sha'iltas D'Rav Ahai Gaon)
והכי הוה עובדא דרב ספרא היה לו חפץ אחד למכור ובא אדם אחד לפניו בשעה
שהיה קורא ק"ש ואמר לו תן ...
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2answers
73 views
The source to be Dan L'Caf Zechut
From where do we know that one must be "dan" someone "l'caf zechut"? (that we must judge someone favorably even though from a certain act it might seem they are doing something?
3
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2answers
80 views
Shechting non-Kosher animals
The question was asked: If someone for example is sick and must eat from a non-kosher animal. Must it be shechted (slaughtered) first like a kosher animal? I don't see any reason why it should, since ...
1
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1answer
117 views
Going to a wedding of a gentile
It says in SA YD Siman 152 Sif 1 that it's ossur to go to a wedding (seudah) that a gentile is making for his son. The Shach and Taz both discuss over there if for reasons of "aiveh" if one is allowed ...
3
votes
1answer
75 views
Referring to parent in third person
I have seen some homes where the children refer to the parent in third person as a sign of respect (Would Abba like to...). I'm curious to know if this practice is brought down in any sefer and if in ...
5
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1answer
66 views
Removing Yarmulka last when undressing (source)
I have noticed that some people remove their Yarmulka last when undressing
and wear it first when dressing.
Is this custom mentioned anywhere?
1
vote
1answer
79 views
Saying names of angels
I've heard you shouldn't say the names of angels, except for the four that surround us at night.
What's the source and reason for this? Is it halacha or kaballah?
3
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4answers
123 views
Looking for Toldos Yeshu (1705 version). Does anyone have?
I'm researching the story that the Christian Apostle Simon -- later Saint Peter -- was actually a Jewish plant who was instructed by the rabbis to change Christian observances and beliefs to make it ...
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votes
2answers
62 views
Naming a child after two relatives
I once heard Rabbi Shmuel Niman, Mashgiach Ruchani of the Chafeitz Chaim Yeshiva, say that he had "recently learned" that it is improper to give a child parts of the names of two relatives. For ...
4
votes
1answer
61 views
Where Does the Talmud Teach Not to Learn Halacha From Observation of Teachers?
Back when I was learning Daf Yomi, I ran into an interesting lesson I'm finding difficult to find again. It was a teaching that one should learn halacha from your rebbe's teachings and not through ...
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0answers
45 views
Which 20th century rabbi said “G-d normally doesn't stop the ill-intentioned”?
I recall hearing the following story:
There was a non-observant Israeli Jew who kept having visions of his deceased father telling him he should do more religiously. Finally he was about to turn on ...
7
votes
1answer
190 views
Where does our blessing for daughters come from?
In many Jewish homes on Shabbat, the head of the household would bless his sons to be like Ephraim and Menasheh but would bless his daughters to be like the matriarchs . What is the source, if any, ...
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4answers
243 views
A woman with dreadlocks going to the mikveh
In regards to the dinim of chatzitza by the tevillah of a Niddah the SA (Rema) in YD Siman 198 Sif 6 speaks about an interesting situation where a woman's hair was tied together by a Shin-Daled ...
5
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1answer
129 views
Exact model of the Beis Hamikdash?
There is a "classic" model of the Beis Hamikdash (I think it's from the HolyLand model).
Are there any sources for the decisions taken in the model (for example, what components were done based on
...
5
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3answers
81 views
Source of Midrash regarding Yaakov's saying Shema
There is a famous Rashi in Parashat Vayigash (46:29) where Rashi explains that Yaakov didn't cry on Yosef's shoulders because he was reciting Shema. He cryptically quotes this in the name of ...
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0answers
139 views
Minhag not to learn Torah on the night of Nitel (Who and where)
This related question explains what this minhag is and a couple of reasons for it.
I was wondering to what extent is this minhag practiced today apart from Chabad (see Hayom Yom - 17 Tevet)...do all ...
3
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1answer
165 views
Who wrote Tohar HaYichud?
Who wrote the anonymous rationalist debunking of kabbalah entitled Tohar HaYichud?
3
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1answer
65 views
Prohibition on paskening halacha when one is drunk
The Gemorah in Beitzah 4a says that Rav wouldn't give a drasha on Yom Tov after eating the seudah because when he would give a drasha he would be moreh halacha (give over halachic rulings) and this is ...
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4answers
467 views
High School Math in the Talmud
I'm currently tutoring someone in math that has an atitude of "what's the point of all this... why would I ever need this..." (which is typical of many high-schoolers). To try to pique his interest, I ...
9
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2answers
74 views
Tehilim divided into five sections?
According to Wikipedia, Jewish tradition divides the book of Tehilim into five sections (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150). This is unsourced there; the references at the bottom of the page ...
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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 ...
2
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0answers
72 views
Water from the Kohanim washing their hands by nei'lah
I heard about a minhag the other day (for the first time) and was wondering if there is any makor for it. I was told that people ran out to "catch" the water that was used to wash the Kohanim's hands ...
4
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1answer
122 views
Do Jews believe the content of Maccabees (I-IV) is true?
This related question touches on the book of Maccabees.
I was wondering if Jews believe the content of Maccabees (I-IV) is true, even though it is outside the canon. If any of the Rishonim or ...
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0answers
104 views
How did the modern day Beis Hora'ah phenomenon develop?
Here in Eretz Yisrael, we find Batei Hora'ah in many cities - places where a moreh hora'ah sits either during special times or perhaps the whole day or different rabbonim throughout the day answering ...
3
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1answer
59 views
Aveilus for an adoptive parent
Are there any dinim of aveilus for a child that was adopted when his adoptive parents pass away? Are there any poskim that spoke about this?
5
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1answer
59 views
“For Zion's sake” - Where in the liturgy?
Is Isaiah 62:1 found anywhere in the liturgy? I seem to remember a reference or two in Selichot, but I can't find it there now, nor can I find it anywhere else.
5
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1answer
139 views
What is the source for Rambam's “physician's oath”?
A physician friend pointed out to me the Rambam's "physician's oath" (it doesn't look like an oath per se, but that's what it's called), which begins (in English):
The eternal providence has ...
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0answers
83 views
Source for not referring to Chanuka lights as a “menora”
Following up on this question about the use of the words "menora" or "chanukiya" to refer to Chanuka lights:
I find it interesting that the use of "chanukiya" apparently originated in 1897 through a ...
2
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1answer
95 views
Communities where men didn't put their טליתות over their heads?
I heard that the Rambam in his commentary to the Mishna mentioned cases where the custom of the place was different, one such place being יָוָן, where men didn't cover their heads with their tallitot, ...
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1answer
169 views
What is the source for a woman's voice as ervah?
What is the source that a woman's (singing) voice is considered ervah?
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1answer
75 views
Whence is the idea that the deceased is a meilitz yosher?
At funerals I have often heard it said that the deceased should be a meilitz yosher (one who relates rectitude). Where does this idea come from?
5
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3answers
118 views
List of people in Tanach
Can I find anywhere a comprehensive list of every single person that is mentioned in Tanach. Including somewhat "biographical" information, who they were, family, what they did, how they fit into ...
