All Questions
3
votes
0answers
16 views
Why redeem hekdesh?
Kind of related to What is my relationship to an object once I have pledged it as hekdesh?
Why would somebody pledge something to hekdesh and then redeem it when he could just donate money directly? ...
8
votes
3answers
130 views
How does Hillel's answer summarize the whole Torah?
In Shabbos 31a, Hillel addresses a potential convert who asks him to summarize the whole Torah, and he says, "What is hateful to you, do not do to others."
This is a nice d'var Torah, but it seems to ...
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 ...
5
votes
1answer
54 views
Confectioners glaze - non alcoholic
Recently I read an article by Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff regarding confectioners glaze.
Confectioners glaze is manufactured from shellac, "a glandular secretion of the lac insect, Kerria lacca, a ...
7
votes
5answers
256 views
Have there ever been inter-faith debates between Jews and Muslims?
There are records of many inter-faith debates (disputations) between Jews and Christians even up to modern times. However I have never heard of similar such debates between Jews and Muslims. Are there ...
3
votes
1answer
61 views
Source for “Ben Adam Lemakom” and “Ben Adam Lechavero”
Where does the concept of Ben Adam Lemakom and Ben Adam Lechavero come from?
I know there is a concept of the first five of the ten commandments being between 'man and his friend' and the second ...
4
votes
1answer
31 views
Annulling nedarim on the basis of noladim
I am trying to understand the opinion of Rabbi Meir in the Mishna, Nedarim 9:3-4. If you are already familiar with Masekhet Nedarim, you can skip to the fourth paragraph of my question. If not, the ...
3
votes
2answers
90 views
What is my relationship to an object once I have pledged it as hekdesh?
Once someone has pledged an object as hekdesh, what is his relationship with that object? He is able to redeem it, so does that mean that he still has some kind of connection to that object? If not, ...
2
votes
4answers
133 views
Is it written anywhere that one must stand up for what he believes is right?
This may sound like a weird question, but I was wondering if it is written anywhere (Gemarah, Commentators, etc) that one has an obligation to stand up for something he believes is right, continuing ...
7
votes
2answers
72 views
If you must stop shmoneh esrai, should you take 3 steps back?
If you are davenning shmoneh esrai and you must stop (for example there is filth, something untznius, pictures, a dangerous animal, etc), should you take 3 steps back?
I'm asking both about taking 3 ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Is there a law of Hachana?
The Gemara (Eiruvin 38) says that R' Eliezer holds of Hachana or else one would be allowed to lechatchila make an eiruv on the second day.
On the other hand, when R' Chisda says that there is such a ...
6
votes
1answer
80 views
Davening in front of a picture of 'Avodah Zarah
This afternoon I found myself Davening in a classroom. It must have been a comparative cultures type of class, judging by the items that were hanging on the walls - posters and artwork and such.
As I ...
4
votes
2answers
179 views
Conversion to Islam
Although Islam is considered monotheistic I would imagine that in a case of 'oness' (coercion) one would still not be allowed to convert. Is conversion to Islam considered to be a case of יהרג ואל ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
Who edited the “Nusach Sefarad” nusach?
There are two (Ok, three if you count Teimani) traditional families of nusach in use - Ashkenaz (the Nusach which people from northern/eastern Europe traditionally prayed in) and Eidot Hamizrach (the ...
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Segulot for finding a Shidduch
If someone is having a hard time finding a shidduch, what can they do to help the process along?
Are there any recommendations brought in the holy books that will make it easier?
6
votes
2answers
97 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
61 views
May one make a siyum on a day he is fasting?
If a person accepted a personal fast, is he allowed to make a siyum on that day even though he is fasting and won't eat? Also, is there something special about a personal fast day (other than not ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
What is a Shabbos Kallah?
A common tradition that I have observed is for a kallah to have a "Shabbos Kallah" on the shabbos before her wedding. What exactly is a shabbos kallah and why do people have them?
2
votes
0answers
44 views
Maris Ayin and bags from restaurants
Similar to this question, suppose there is a chain of restaurants that is mostly non-Kosher, but there happens to be one kosher franchise in the chain. The example I am thinking of is that there is ...
2
votes
0answers
36 views
Why does 'sharpening' depend on effort, and memorization on divine assistance?
The Bavli, M'gila 6 amud 2:
ואמר ר׳ יצחק אם יאמר לך אדם יגעתי ולא מצאתי אל תאמן לא יגעתי ומצאתי אל תאמן יגעתי ומצאתי תאמן הני מילי בדברי תורה אבל במשא ומתן סייעתא הוא מן שמיא ולדברי תורה לא אמרן ...
2
votes
2answers
55 views
Why don't merchants have torah, according to R. Yochanan?
The g'mara on Eiruvin 55a, expounding "it is not in heaven...nor across the sea" (D'varim 30:12-13), says (Soncinco translation):
Raba expounded, It is not in heaven, it is not to be found with ...
3
votes
1answer
63 views
Strange abbreviation זי"ע [duplicate]
Apparently this abbreviation is supposed to mean זכותו יגן עלינו. Surely this is grammatically incorrect, as the word זכות is feminine, and the phrase should be זכותו תגן עלינו?
2
votes
1answer
54 views
Amen on a Berachah that may be out of place but isn't false
An answer to another question says that, when a particular modern-day Torah scholar heard someone recite the blessing of "SheHalak" (recited in the presence of only the most eminent scholars of Torah ...
2
votes
1answer
75 views
Bar Mitzvah candle-lighting?
I was recently invited to a bar mitzvah celebration and mention was made of a “candle lighting ceremony”. I’d never heard of such a thing, and Google turns up pretty vague references.
Which segments ...
6
votes
2answers
130 views
Are males with older sisters “firstborn” for the purposes of the Fast of the Firstborn?
Assuming you follow the tradition that only first-born males are obligated to fast the day before Passover, do the males who have an older sister count as first-born or not?
Wikipedia doesn't seem to ...
10
votes
1answer
82 views
Ta'amei Mikra and the Torah Scroll
I have heard that a haftorah klaf (scroll) is still considered kosher and usable if the Ta'amei Mikra have been written on it. Yet I've always been told that this is not true for a Torah scroll. Why ...
1
vote
1answer
52 views
Source for story about R' Yishmael ben Elisha's mother?
This article tells us the following story about R' Yishmael ben Elisha and his mother:
Rabbi Ishmael's mother was a very pious woman, and she worshipped her son. But one day she astonished the ...
6
votes
2answers
68 views
Were there restrictions on marrying members of other tribes?
In ancient Israel, when there were clear differences between members of different tribes, were there restrictions on members of one tribe marrying a members of another tribe?
If yes, what would ...
4
votes
3answers
75 views
Honoring parental requests that don't benefit the parents
If one's parents ask him to do something that is not beneficial to the parents in any way whatsoever (though not harmful to the parents, the child, or anyone else, either), is he nonetheless obligated ...
-3
votes
0answers
56 views
Prayer and tefillin for Jews who were not raised in religious Judaism? [closed]
I was born in a family who has abided by the Torah for more than five generations. Last weekend, I was approached by an Orthodox Jew to pray. As he began to place the tefillin, he asked me whether I ...
8
votes
1answer
157 views
Are marriages on Shabbat allowed?
I saw a similar question, hope I'm not being redundant.
I wanted to know if marriages on Shabbat are allowed, and if not, where is it said, and why not.
Thanks in advance! It is a pleasure!
3
votes
1answer
42 views
Placing a unattached plastic over the stroller on Shabbos / Yom Tov
According to Rabbi Dovid Ostroff Shlita
The Rama in Hilchos Succah 626:3 says that one is permitted to open
and shut hinged flaps that are used for covering the Succah when
raining. The ...
2
votes
0answers
27 views
Netzach, Selah, Vaed - what is the difference between these words?
Eruvin 54a says that it was taught by Rabbi Eliezer ben yaakov that wherever it says Netzach, Selah, or Vaed it means it will remain so forever. "כל מקום שנאמר 'נצח' 'סלה' 'ועד' – אין לו הפסק עולמית" ...
9
votes
4answers
366 views
Why wasn't the Torah given in Israel?
One might naturally expect that the Jewish people would enter the land and then receive the Torah there. It seems logical to me that the Torah should come from a holy place characterized by the ...
7
votes
1answer
55 views
What meaning do the names of the ten sons of Haman have?
Is there a meaning behind the names of the ten sons of Haman who were killed in the war (Esther 9:7-9):
Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and ...
7
votes
2answers
95 views
Contradictions between Federal and State Laws as they relate to Dina De'Malchusa
I am wondering about the laws of Dina d'malchuta dina in the United States when there is a contradiction between state and federal laws.
Case in point: In 2012 both Colorado and Washington passed ...
3
votes
1answer
49 views
Will all Jews speak Hebrew when Mashiach comes?
This question just kind of popped into my head, so I'm not sure whether it is really a good question for this site, but I wonder if anybody has written about it.
I would imagine that since when ...
6
votes
0answers
59 views
Why was Mesha king of Moav successful?
King Mesha of Moab fought against the kings of Yisrael, Yehuda and Edom (2 Melachim chapter 3). The navi Elisha prophecies, under oath, that the Jews will be successful. However at the end of the ...
3
votes
1answer
63 views
Why are few names the same in Tanakh?
Nowadays we name our children after characters in Tanakh and/or great tzaddikim. In Tanakh why weren't people named after the Avot, the Shevatim, Moshe Rabbeinu, etc?
3
votes
0answers
30 views
Structure and relevance of Sefer Yeshaya
Was Yeshaya included in Tenach as all of it is relevant for all time? If so, what is the relevance of chapter 13-22 for example. Is there any evidence that his prophecies to the other nations ...
0
votes
1answer
67 views
Is there a concept of “merit of the mothers”?
There is a familiar concept called zechus avos, that the merits of our forefathers can have an impact on later generations (see Shabbat 55a) or maaseh avos siman l'banim, which is roughly equivalent ...
3
votes
5answers
109 views
References for learning Aggada
I often run into aggadic passages in the Talmud, and would like to get a list of references beyond the standard 4 (Ein Yaakov, Maharsha, Benayahu/Ben Yehoyada and the Chiddushei Aggados of the ...
3
votes
1answer
67 views
Cooking Parve food but with mixed utensils
If by mistake, someone who is cooking parve food but uses a dairy pot and selects a meat spatula or mixing utensil does this:
A) Raise concerns about the food
B) Render the pot non-kosher
C) Render ...
5
votes
1answer
82 views
Source for bechorot losing/reclaiming priesthood
At a parshat hashavua shiur that I regularly attend, the rabbi has stated on multiple occasions that the bechorot (firstborn sons of Israel) were supposed to serve the purpose that the Leviim and ...
3
votes
2answers
87 views
Levi does not want to wash Kohen's hands
Suppose there is only one Levi in Shul and he does not want to leave the Shul to wash the Kohain's hands since he will lose the Amein's during the time he is out of the Shul. Should the Levi be ...
3
votes
1answer
61 views
Place to study Zohar
What is a good place for an American to learn Zohar in person (anywhere internationally)? (This question is for a friend who is much more learned than I am).
3
votes
1answer
53 views
Is there dancing at a divorcee's wedding
When a divorcee gets remarried, is there dancing at the wedding or is this prohibited?
2
votes
1answer
118 views
Is it permitted for a minyan to daven outdoors?
The weather in New York is beautiful recently. It crossed my mind to daven outside in the glory of HaShem's beautiful Creation.
Is it permissible to daven outdoors?
3
votes
1answer
163 views
Where does it say that one must wear two layers on their head(one of the reasons for the black hat)?
I know that a reason for wearing a black hat is because one must wear two layers covering their head (Mishna Brurah 91:5) but am wondering if that Din is based in Kabbalah?
1
vote
1answer
60 views
Why is the ק in “וקנינא” left incomplete in ketubas until the signing?
In the ketuba, the ק in the word "וקנינא" is sometimes left incomplete until the time that the ketuba is signed. Why is this?
