All Questions
0
votes
0answers
35 views
Ten Commandments - which one is the greatest? [closed]
Shavuot is coming. As an activity in the local Chabad House during the night of study each person will have to argue why the commandment they have chosen from the two tablets is the most important. I ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
Where is the source of the prohibition of listening to Kol Isha? [duplicate]
It is well known that listening to a women sing is forbidden. Where is the source to the Prohibition?
3
votes
2answers
197 views
How can I know a rav has daas Torah
I have been privileged to know rabbis of great wisdom and knowledge who could address my issues with unique and helpful insights through the prism of Torah. I always understood them to have "daas ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
What are the parameters of 'minhag yisrael'?
I went to a non-Jewish self-catering apartment and I was discussing with my friend whether we can use the utensils or not. Of course, if they are clean and used for cold there are no problems. We ...
1
vote
0answers
34 views
Why do some Jewish groups wear a uniform?
My impression of male Chareidi Jews is that they only ever wear a white shirt with a black suit shoes and hat, no tie. I also get the impression that particular other (possibly Chassidic) groups have ...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Is it possible for God to have rejected us, even in theory?
The very last pasuk in Eicha says "כִּי אִם-מָאֹס מְאַסְתָּנוּ, קָצַפְתָּ עָלֵינוּ עַד-מְאֹד.". The translation from the Atrscroll reads something like "For even if you had rejected us, you have been ...
0
votes
2answers
26 views
Finding Kosher Fruit Flavored Snacks
Anyone know of a kosher fruit flavored snack, similar to these? According to oukosher.org there exists a "Scooby-Doo! Fruit Flavored Snacks 10 Count Carton" that is OU Parve, but I cannot find it ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Does Bishul Akum require intent?
In this answer, @AdamSimon suggested that:
Therefore, in our case (in which the power goes out on or before Shabbos and is subsequently restored during the course of Shabbos), provided that the ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
What kind of cleanliness is required to put on Tefillin?
The Rama says (OC 38:3) that one must protest a woman's putting on Tefillin. The Magen Avraham there (sk 3) says that this is...:
מפני שצריכין גוף נקי ונשים אינם זריזות להזהר...
...because ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Do non-jews have soul mates?
We know that Jews have soul mates: people whom they are destined to marry.
Do non-Jews have people they are destined to marry?
0
votes
1answer
74 views
Is there an inyan to eat Cheesecake on Shavuos?
I know everybody does it, and I know there is an inyan to eat dairy, but is there an inyan specifically for eating cheesecake on Shavuos? And if so, where does it come from?
4
votes
1answer
94 views
How does this math work out?
The Gemara Eiruvin 56b said that the Migrash (the orange area) is one quarter of the area of the sados (the green area). Let's look at the math. (This is how I understood the maskana)
greenArea = ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
List of Publishers
I am looking for a list of publishers that are putting out seforim now a days. My reason is because I want to make a list of publishers in an effort to track down certain seforim. Many publishers ...
2
votes
0answers
27 views
What is the importance of Chiddush?
I have long taken for granted that it is important to be m'chadesh chiddush (compose new and novel torah insights). However, I realize I have no source for that notion. Is there any source which ...
4
votes
0answers
45 views
The silence of the Rabbis — Should they have defended Bar Kamtza?
In Gittin 55b-56a, we read that a fellow named Bar Kamtza was humiliated by a host of a party in public view of all, including the rabbis. Bar Kamtza received an invitation to the party by mistake, ...
4
votes
3answers
65 views
Why are Milochos based on the construction of the Mishkan?
If we were to receive all the laws for shabbos at Sinai why then is it the Mishkan to where we direct our attention when it comes to classifying all the things we cannot do on Shabbos? Wasn't the ...
0
votes
3answers
125 views
Why did God reveal himself only before there were recording devices?
Inspired by this:
For most of what's written in Tanakh, the only evidence that we have of its truth is Tanakh itself. Since many people are skeptical of a book with no independent sources backing up ...
4
votes
1answer
88 views
Do you have to listen to the mikveh lady?
From what I understand when a woman goes to the mikvah there is another woman who watches her immerse (dubbed 'mikveh lady'). Apparently this is for practical reasons to make sure everything is done ...
2
votes
0answers
26 views
Preparing food for Yom Tov Sheni
Orach Chaim 503 says that one may not prepare from the first day of Yom Tov for the second day of Yom Tov. However, if one is going to eat even one piece of meat on the first day, they may full up a ...
3
votes
1answer
48 views
Why do children wear crowns on Shavuot?
Here in Israel, the tradition is for young children to wear flower crowns to celebrate Shavuot. (Along with the obligatory white shirts.) See my twins:
Why is this? Is it related to Shabbat 88A ??
...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
one who says something in the name of the person who originally said it
The Sages (Avos 6:6) teach: ha'omer davar b'shem omro ("one who says something in the name of the person who originally said it"). We have learned that one who says something in the name of the one ...
3
votes
1answer
119 views
Why is Shavuos all alone?
Why is it that, out of the 16 days of non-High Holiday biblical festivals (7 days of Pesach + 1 day of Shavuos + 7 days of Sukkos + 1 day of Shemini Atzeres), only the single day of Shavuos is without ...
2
votes
1answer
43 views
Why do we still even try to do Sheluach HaKan?
If we don't need the birds' eggs, as they used to, why do we send a mother bird away from her own eggs just to fulfill the mitzvah of Sheluach HaKan? Would the mitzvah even apply if we are doing it ...
5
votes
1answer
60 views
Relying on the tasting of a Jewish chef
In Yoreh Deah (Hilchos Issur V'Heter) we learn about the laws of relying on a chef ("kefelah") that is a goy to help determine if there is the taste of food that might be prohibited inside of a ...
1
vote
3answers
92 views
What do Sephardic sources have to say about women wearing t'filin?
This answer to another question about women and talit/t'filin says (about t'filin):
Because of the Rema is the foremost Ashkenazic authority of halakha, the great modern Askenazic poskim (R. Moshe ...
-1
votes
1answer
85 views
How does Halacha view someone who converts to Islam? [duplicate]
What is the halachic status of the person who converts to Islam, does he remain a Jew in spite of conversion? I am specifically asking the Muslim case since they don't deny the Torah and believe it to ...
5
votes
1answer
37 views
Korbon tomid whilst Jews were travelling (as opposed to camping) in the desert
The benei kehos carried the miizbeiach whilst the Jews travelled. It would seem improbable that the mishkon was erected every day whilst they journeyed. What happened with the sacrifice of the Daily ...
2
votes
0answers
53 views
Facing east when standing in prayers
I was praying with my kid in a synagogue wherein the aron was against the eastern wall, and most of the seats were facing north or south. My kid wondered why the people around us turned to face east ...
4
votes
3answers
112 views
Do a mitzva for mashiach?
I recently saw in The Moshiach Times, a popular Chabad-Lubavitch publication for children, an exhortation to "do a mitzvah for moshiach": to do a mitzva with the specific purpose of hastening the ...
5
votes
1answer
72 views
What happens if the accused sotah doesn't consent to the ritual?
Chapter 5 of B'midbar describes the ritual for the woman accused by her husband of adultery. It includes this, after the kohein declares to her what will happen:
וְאָמְרָה הָאִשָּׁה, אָמֵן אָמֵן ...
2
votes
1answer
56 views
What if somebody says the Shem Hameforash?
Suppose I am having a conversation with a person who is unfamiliar with Jewish tradition, and the person casually attempts to pronounce the Shem Hameforash according to its letters, as some secular ...
4
votes
3answers
144 views
Do the Gemara and the Rema prohibit, or encourage, women putting on talit and/or tefillin?
An article in Ynet Judaism (in Hebrew) addresses the resent controversy regarding the prayer of Women of the Wall at the western wall. And claims the following claims:
אף אחד גם לא הקריא להן את ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
May the Sotah take the bitter waters intravenously?
In Naso, we read (Bamidbar 5:32) that the kohen blots out the curses (which include Hashem's name) in the bitter waters and then gives for the woman to drink (5:24).
What if the woman is unable to ...
1
vote
0answers
25 views
What is the source for the Baal Shem Tov’s application of Psalm 122 (1) to a marriage?
I seem to remember a Dvar Torah from the Baal Shem Tov that reinterprets the first verse of Psalm 122
I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
into a dialogue ...
1
vote
2answers
100 views
Is it considered Pikuach Nefesh if you break Shomer Negiah to give someone emotional comfort?
I've asked myself this before, but I'm not sure. Say that you see someone depressed, severely depressed and they just need a hug. If they're the same gender, that's all fine and dandy. However, if ...
-2
votes
0answers
64 views
What is the spiritual meaning of a kabalist?
I understand that a Guadol is a bal midot a talmid chacham a tsadik but what does it means in a rouchniut way to say that this rav is a great kabalist ? and why never Abraham, Yitzchak, Yacov, Moshe, ...
4
votes
1answer
39 views
What is the source for a Bar Mitzva seuda?
What sources are there for our minhag of doing a Bar Mitzva Seuda (meal), and do the sources state that the seuda must specifically be done on the day of the Bar Mitzva (or the night of)? And is this ...
0
votes
3answers
112 views
What is considered work on the sabath?
I was reading about sabbath observances in modern practice and I found a lot of caution and effort is expended to not work: like, even switching on the lights or lifting things could be considered as ...
4
votes
1answer
96 views
Why do all people disappear on Saturday at mi.yodeya, is this considered work?
I understand Saturday is sabath but mi.yodeya is a site for jewish learning and nothing related to work , so why do people disappear from here on Saturdays? Does answering questions or questing etc ...
3
votes
3answers
127 views
I am or was a religious jew and purposely ate non kosher
I'm a religious Jew. I kind of lost faith and ate non-kosher purposely, and now I feel so bad with myself that I want to die. What should I do? Is there any type of repentance I should take upon ...
3
votes
1answer
45 views
What are the 14 types of Jewish Years?
As a way of explanation, I'm working on Objective-C code that calculates parashat hashavua. Initially, I ported the Javascript offered by YYDL as an answer to this question. I've found that my port ...
2
votes
1answer
77 views
Why don't we count sefirah without shem u'malkhut
Our current practice is that if you forget to count one day of the omer (morning and night), it is still incumbent upon you to count, but you can't say a bracha.
As far as I understand, the reason ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Listerine strips on Yom Kippur and Pesach
I heard recently in the name of Rav Schachter that you can consume Listerine strips on both Yom Kippur and Pesach without worry.
I wonder if anyone can confirm this, and explain to me why and how it ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
are bionic abilities legal for shabbos
Today the world is high in technology; many medical fields are experiencing breakthroughs in artificial limbs and what not.
What are the legalities of these in Jewish law?
For example, a pace maker ...
0
votes
0answers
59 views
Is there any evidence of Nephilim?
Numbers 13:33 Numbers 13:32–33 includes a description by the Twelve Spies of giant "Nephilim" that they saw in Canaan:
32 And they spread an evil report of the land which they had spied out
unto ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
What is Yom HaMeyuchas? [duplicate]
The second day of Sivan is known as Yom HaMeyuchas. Where did this day get this name came from and what the significance of this day is?
3
votes
0answers
32 views
What is a “time of kingdom's decree”
The gemara in Sanhedrin 74 talks about a time of oppression, during which even for "light mitzvot" one must die.
What exactly constitutes such a time? Is it any time when the government makes a ...
0
votes
1answer
39 views
How can we have better Kavanah in Tefilla? Specifically Tachnuneem?
How does one have better Kavanah in his Tachnuneem tefilla? Does he punch his chest harder? Maybe start bawling?
2
votes
1answer
39 views
Shoe-tying order when tying another's shoes
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 2:4–5:
ינעול מנעל ימין תחילה ולא יקשרנו ואחר כך ינעול של שמאל ויקשרנו ויחזור ויקשור של ימין
One should don his right shoe first but not tie it, then don his ...
0
votes
2answers
113 views
What if someone is unable to believe in God?
Suppose someone really truly wants to believe in Hashem, but is simply unable to. Even after much trying and learning Torah, he still is simply unable to believe in God. Would that person be ...
