All Questions
1
vote
0answers
9 views
Aruch Hashulchan's moon-distance estimate
Aruch Hashulchan, Orach Chayim 397:1, says that a מיל is the same as a Russian верста or 500 сажен, which comes to 1066.8 meters. A פרסה is four מיל so is thus 4267.2 meters. In 426:2, he says the ...
5
votes
2answers
81 views
Newcomers Overwhelmed by Myriad Halachas
Some people, especially Baal Teshuvas who drastically change their lives to being fully observant may find it somewhat overwhelming to observe the minimum halachas in being an orthodox jew (such as ...
2
votes
1answer
50 views
learning non-jewish topics as a creative process
Is 'learning' non-Jewish topics a prohibited creative process on Shabbat? If so, on what grounds is learning Tanakh exempted? I read that the study non-Jewish subjects is banned or frowned upon, and I ...
2
votes
0answers
29 views
Why were these pasukim chosen for the upside down Nuns?
In Bamidbar 10:35-36 there are two upside down Nuns. The traditional explanation is that this serves as a break between different accounts of wicked behavior. Not wanting to list three such counts in ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
What decree is Tosafos on Sukkah 46b speaking of, is regarding shmini atzeret and the sfak yom?
A person I had spoken suggested tosfos on sukkah 46B, is talking about a decree, but i'm not clear what it is regarding. What is it regarding?
Update-Background provided by Seth-
The Gemara (Succah ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
Talmid that is an Avel going to a wedding of his Rebbe
I had heard once that there is a Teshuvas Ranach that says it's muter for a student that is an avel (in the year of mourning) to go to a wedding that his Rebbe is making for one his children. I ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Why is a “Nazir” not allowed to drink wine?
Why is a “Nazir” not allowed to drink wine?
If the reason is for him being sober, then why the prohibition on haircuts or the injunction against being impure?
Moreover, in the pasuk it says ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Pesik Reshe & Melacha She'en Sarich LeGufa
What is the practical differnce between: Pesik Reshe Delo Niha Le, Pesik Reshe Delo Ichpat Le, and Melecha She'en Sarich Legufa? What is an example that can prove the difference between the three?
...
6
votes
0answers
48 views
Borrowing a talis and wearing a talis katan. Say a b'racha?
The common and accepted practice among married Ashk'nazim, at least, is that they don a talis katan in the morning without saying a b'racha for the mitzva, and, later, when donning the talis gadol for ...
3
votes
1answer
41 views
Quail or fish in B'midbar 11:31?
In B'Midbar 11:31 it is stated:
וְרוּחַ נָסַע מֵאֵת יי וַיָּגָז שַׂלְוִים מִן־הַיָּם וַיִּטֹּשׁ עַל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה כְּדֶרֶךְ יֹום כֹּה וּכְדֶרֶךְ יֹום כֹּה סְבִיבֹות הַֽמַּחֲנֶה וּכְאַמָּתַיִם ...
0
votes
1answer
65 views
Taking a shower after mikveh for men - where is the Ari source that one shouldn't?
A previous question discusses whether men should avoid showering after using the Mikveh. I have heard specifically that the Ari Z"l frowned upon this. Can anyone please quote the source, if one does ...
1
vote
1answer
28 views
What consititutes a “complete interruption” between talis katan and gadol?
This page references an uncited location in the Mishneh Berura and says that "[O]ne only makes separate berachos if there is a complete interuption between the talis katan and gadol. Just walking to ...
2
votes
0answers
17 views
When not a problem of lifnei iver, still mitzvah to be mafrish (seperate) from issur
Tosfos says in Shabbos Daf 3a that even when there isn't a problem of lifnei iver since the person would be able to get to the prohibited thing in another way, still there is an "issur d'rabbanan" ...
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Borer on Shabbos — Spilling food from a spoon with 2 foods on it
Is the following case a problem of "borer" (separating) on Shabbos?
We know there can be "borer" even when dealing with two edible foods, one food that a person does want to eat and the other that ...
3
votes
4answers
93 views
food containers - why is hechser needed? [duplicate]
I want to buy a vacuum sealer for food. The vacuum bags do not have a hechsher. Normally, I buy ziplock bags that are OU. To keep this general, I am hoping someone can elaborate on the reason and ...
0
votes
0answers
20 views
Can I cut my toenails consecutively? [duplicate]
Should I be careful about this issue or there is no rule regarding this?
1
vote
1answer
48 views
What date was Kibrot Hattaavah?
Are there any sources that give the date for the incident in Kibroth Hattaavah recorded in B'Midbar Chapter 11? I am trying to figure out if it happened on a particular mo'ed or any significant date.
3
votes
0answers
33 views
Eliphaz and Bildad Zophar
Iyov 42:9:
וַיֵּלְכוּ אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּימָנִי וּבִלְדַּד הַשּׁוּחִי צֹפַר הַנַּעֲמָתִי וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶם ה׳
In the JPS translation:
So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the ...
3
votes
2answers
147 views
Was Rambam affected by Islam?
Was Rambam's philosophy affected in any way by Islamic culture or religion? If so, could that influence have influenced his interpretation of halacha?
This question is inspired by an ongoing ...
7
votes
1answer
59 views
Does an unnecessary brocho pesucha on Hallel necessitate a brocho siyuma?
We had an interesting question arise in our Shul this past Yom Yerushalayim. Our shul has a minhag of saying Hallel without a brocho in Shacharis. At one of the minyanim, the chazzan said a brocho at ...
8
votes
1answer
66 views
Should there be a mezuzah on a room that has baby diapers?
If there is a general purpose room (like a bedroom) wherein a child's soiled diapers are often disposed of, does that room take on the status of tashmish she'aino shel kavod - a room who's use is not ...
3
votes
1answer
70 views
Holocaust Responsa of Rav Ephraim Oshry
Due to the poor health of Lithuania's last Chief Rabbi, Rav Avraham Shapiro, and due to his death in 1943, many of the residents of Kovno Ghetto addressed their questions to Rav Shapiro's student, Rav ...
2
votes
0answers
61 views
Talking in shul
Most pasken according to the Shulchan Arukh that mundane talk in shul during tefilot is forbidden.
With some exceptions: Is mundane speech allowed in shul?.
Is there anywhere a halachic point of view ...
3
votes
1answer
89 views
Why would somebody become a nazir?
B'midbar chapter 6 explains the laws of one who vows to become a nazir, but I've long been puzzled by why one would do this. (Our most famous nazir was commanded in this; Shimshon didn't make that ...
1
vote
1answer
81 views
Is it permissable to use an umbrella on Shabbat?
Is it permissable to use an umbrella on Shabbat, assuming you're inside an Eruv, so there's no issue of carrying?
If it is not permissible, then why is it prohibited?
Follow-up question: What about ...
5
votes
1answer
76 views
Does torah study refine one's character?
I have met some torah scholars who appear to be learning quite a bit, yet their character traits appear to be in the lacking.
Is torah study supposed to refine one's character? If so, how can we ...
-1
votes
1answer
100 views
why was technology withheld for so long from man
Why did God withhold the discovery of modern technology from man until recently?
what is the reason for this and why does this reason not apply in our era?
(according to the shaar bitachon ch.3 God ...
3
votes
3answers
56 views
How to say mizonos first on an ice cream cone
Normally when faced with eating two foods where one takes a "mizonos" blessing for grain products, and another takes an all-encompassing "shehakol" blessing, we try to eat the mizonos food first. How ...
2
votes
0answers
25 views
Why do we get “so did they do” for the commandment of expelling tamei people in Parashat Naso?
Parashat Naso, in Numbers 5:1-3, presents a commandment to "send from the camp" anyone who is tamei due to either tzara'at or a zav-type discharage. After that, we have Verse 4, affirming that the ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Why did God take 7 days to create the world?
Generally we assume that God is omnipotent, and could have created the world in a single day\act, so He must have had a reason to organize creation into 7 days. Why?
In other words:
Why didn't God ...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
Who were the Rambam's students?
Someone recently asked me whether the Rambam had any students. In addition to the Rambam's son and the student for whom he wrote the Moreh Nevuchim, I could think of only one other student. (רבינו ...
2
votes
1answer
42 views
Do we embarrass someone in cheirem?
Let's suppose that someone in a community has been put in cheirem, for whatever reason. This would generally ban him from the community shul. Should this person show up in the community shul, however, ...
1
vote
2answers
104 views
How do we know that homosexual relations is a sin?
I recently heard that the Ibn Ezra brings down a minority opinion that the pasukim talking about "laying with a man as you would a woman" are actually talking about androgynous people. The Ibn Ezra ...
0
votes
0answers
42 views
Gemarah on Baal Teshuva
In Sefer Chasidim, the author compares Baal Teshuva's to Tzadikim. I have heard that there is a Gemarah that does the same and was wondering if someone could cite that Gemarah.
-2
votes
1answer
76 views
What allowed Jews to change the way they pronounced words?
The way we pronounce words has changed over many years and we now have many different customs. Many of the changes derive from Jews moving to different geographic locations and adopting similar ...
2
votes
0answers
25 views
Sofek in Bircas HaTorah — why not say all of the brachas?
The M"B brings in the beginning of Siman 47 from the Shagas Aryeh (Siman 24-25) that if one is in sofek (doubt) if they said Bircas HaTorah then they should go back and say the bracha however only the ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views
Not making a wedding on the first 3 days of a month
I've heard there is a custom (practiced in various kehillas, I heard Belz is one of them) to not make a wedding on the first 3 days of a month (meaning alef, beis, or gimmel of a particular month.) ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Employment questions I have [closed]
I have three questions.
1) Can a religious Orthodox Jewish employer, refuse to employ a Non Observant Jew on Shabbos or other Jewish holidays, if the Non Observant Jew volunteers to work on this, ...
7
votes
1answer
55 views
An interpretation of Shimon's “silence” in Pirkei Avot
In Chapter 1 of Pirkei Avot it's written:
"17. Shimon his son said: All my days have I grown up among the wise and I have not found anything better for a man than silence. Studying Torah is not ...
-4
votes
1answer
125 views
Does halacha permit a Jew to practice Islam simultaneously? [closed]
It is explained here that a Jew cannot lose his 'Jewishness', It seems from this answer that Jewishness is a genealogical status and little to do with religion. So is it possible for a Jew to practice ...
5
votes
2answers
53 views
Why do Israelis keep one day of Yom Tov?
From what I understand, we outside of Eretz Yisrael we keep two days of Yom Tov as a continuation of the minhag that evolved from the time of the Bais Hamikdash when we would not necessarily know when ...
3
votes
1answer
72 views
According to Reform Judaism, should rabbis be allowed to have non-Jewish spouses?
According to Reform doctrine, is it 1. permissible for rabbis to marry non-Jewish spouses, and 2. advisable for them to do so, considering that rabbis are generally seen as role-models of proper ...
0
votes
2answers
32 views
Mashiach arriving upon the observance of Shabbat
does anyone have a source for the suggestion that If all Israel respected the Sabbath if only one single day, the Messiah would come immediately, for it is written: “Today if you were to listen to his ...
1
vote
0answers
42 views
The reason Aaron's two sons died
Why did Aaron's two elder sons die? I've heard that there are many reasons offered, and would appreciate knowing as many as possible.
2
votes
1answer
90 views
All but every 6th letter begins the name of a misechte
For each letter in the aleph beis, there is at least one misechte in shas whose name starts with it — besides for every 6th letter (vuv, lamed and tzadi).
Did anyone ever hear any explanation ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
chassan/kallah signing the kesubah or tenaaim
I have seen bridegrooms and brides sign their names on their kesuba or tenaaim (prenup) before the chuppah (wedding ceremony). It seems maybe to be a chassidish custom, though I'm not sure.
Is there ...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
Why is elevation not factored into zmanim in places like New York?
As you might already know, zmanim (for Shabbos, etc.) are determined by a number of factors, one being the elevation of the particular locale. But for some reason, if you check the charts and ...
1
vote
1answer
37 views
Does one mourn during the days following Shavuot?
We say the four verses starting "Yehi Shem" (instead of Tachanun) after Shavuot because of the bringing of the Korbanot. Does this have any impact on mourning after Shavuot?
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Why is semicha specifically to ordain a Rabbi to give psak?
Was the original process of semicha merely intended to provide reliable decisors of halacha only?
Nowadays can a Rav get semicha in Tanach or Talmud (for example)? Since, perhaps, these days the ...
2
votes
0answers
17 views
Not speaking between Shemoneh Esrei and Hallel
On a day when Hallel is recited (for example Rosh Chodesh) I've heard that one should not (lichatchila) speak between Shemoneh Esrei and Hallel. Rather, as soon as the chazzon finishes chazaras ...
