All Questions
19
votes
6answers
935 views
Why is it necessary to ask a Rabbi?
In various places on this site, including the FAQ, we have the following disclaimer:
Like Wikipedia, this site makes no guarantee of validity, and does not offer professional (particularly ...
16
votes
9answers
3k views
Is Christianity Avodah Zara?
It is commonly accepted that Islam is not Avodah Zarah (idolatry) since Islam has a clear monotheistic theology with a belief in Allah that parallels our view of "kail" or Hashem. It is even ...
11
votes
6answers
449 views
Avot keeping Mitzvot
How are we to understand the tradition that the patriarchs kept all of the mitzvot in the Torah (see for example the last mishna in Kidushin, Rashi Bereshit 32:5, etc.) in light of the many obvious ...
8
votes
6answers
469 views
does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
Does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
4
votes
1answer
328 views
Hashems name on device
Is there any issue regarding deleting electronic files with Hashem's Name, and also is there any issue taking such a device into the bathroom.
14
votes
2answers
840 views
Abbreviations before/after names
What are the more common abbreviations one might see printed before or after a person's name, and what do they mean? Please include honorifics (R'=Rabbi) as well as memorial - or prayerful - suffixes ...
18
votes
2answers
928 views
Questions about Polygamy in Jewish Law and Culture
I've recently been looking into polygamy (having more than 1 wife), and had a few cultural questions.
Was polygamy accepted at the time of David and Solomon? Were there any laws about it?
Was ...
17
votes
6answers
455 views
When did Avraham Avinu become Jewish
Avraham Avinu is often called "the first Jew".
When did he become Jewish. Was it when:
He recognized G-d?
G-d spoke to him for the first time?
Covenant Between The Parts?
When G-d changed his name?
...
15
votes
2answers
542 views
Why can't electricity be manipulated on Shabbat?
Why can't we use and change electricity on Shabbat and YomTov? By this I mean why can't we turn on and off lights...?
I'v heard Rabbis say that its because you can't complete a circuit on Shabbat, ...
15
votes
6answers
449 views
Why the vast difference of opinion about the age of the Universe?
5770 and 13,000,000,000 is a big difference!
I am looking for a good explanation to the difference opinion of the age of the universe. Please help me out!
10
votes
7answers
568 views
26
votes
6answers
1k views
Is it permissible to erase the name of G-d from an E-reader?
Most people seem to be lenient about shemos on digital screens in general (though Bar-Ilan does avoid displaying the Tetragrammaton.) The letters on the screen are just light, there is nothing really ...
18
votes
4answers
662 views
Can a Jew lose their Jewish Status?
Can a Jew lose their status as being a Jew by performing any action (example: performing idolatry, disavowing core beliefs, converting to another religion, etc)? Or once a person is a Jew then they ...
17
votes
5answers
510 views
Halachic Restrictions not in the Torah, and “shall not add”
How can halachic restrictions that are not in the Torah be reconciled with the Deuteronomy 4:2 passage, which says, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from ...
9
votes
2answers
249 views
“bad impression” vs “Judge your friend favorably”
There are two commonly known halachic concepts. "Marit Ayin", a bad impression, and "Dan Lekaf Zechut", "Judging favorably". Here is a nice article on the concept of Marit Ayin and it briefly talks ...
19
votes
8answers
659 views
Is Rashi really pshat?
If Rashi on Tanach is a purely pshat oriented commentary, as professed several times, why do many of his comments originate from midrashim that most other "pshat" meforshim dismiss as "derech drash"? ...
18
votes
7answers
1k views
Is one allowed to smoke Marijuana?
Not taking into account Dina D'malchusa, what are the Halachic problems with smoking marijuana? Is it allowed?
17
votes
4answers
855 views
Is it possible for a Gentile to convert to Judaism?
Is it possible for someone who is Gentile to convert to Judaism?
What is the prevailing belief of Jewish people on this subject?
What scripture backs up this belief?
What do prominent Jewish ...
10
votes
1answer
233 views
When does a day start/end in the far North/South?
As I understand it, a day in the Jewish calendar is from sunset to sunset. How is this handled if you are living so far north or south that you have long periods of daylight or darkness?
11
votes
3answers
311 views
Yerushalmi Versus Bavli in Halacha
The halacha we have today is mostly sourced in Talmud Bavli(the Babylonian Talmud),Medrash and Zohar. I would like to know what Halachot in which we rule according to the Yerushalmi (the Jerusalem ...
9
votes
4answers
405 views
If the last day of Passover is Friday, may I eat chametz on the Shabbat right after?
This year, 5772, the last day of Pesach in Israel is on Friday. Is there any possible way that one could contrive to eat chometz on the shabbos immediately following Pesach?
7
votes
3answers
569 views
6
votes
1answer
600 views
Is there any difference between Jewish G-d and Muslim G-d? [closed]
Do Jews and Muslims worship the same G-d? If so, do they understand G-d the same way? As a related point, is there any linguistic or theological connection between "Allah" and "Eloha" (or "Elohim")? ...
6
votes
2answers
302 views
Minimum Shi'ur for Kiddush on liquor
What is the minimum Shi'ur (volume) of a cup required for making Kiddush on liquor? Is there a smaller amount required than there is for wine?
What is the minimum Shi'ur of the liquor that one is ...
4
votes
3answers
206 views
“Amen” to informal blessings and wishes
There are various strict rules regulating the manner and timing of saying "Amen" following a blesing. In fact, the Gemara (Berachot 47a) lists some pretty severe punishments for people who violate ...
18
votes
7answers
694 views
Bereishit vs. science
How does Judaism deal with the differences between scientific evidence of the beginning of the world and the account(s) in Bereishit?
31
votes
5answers
2k views
What is the halachic source for objection to gay (civil) marriage?
New York State is considering legalizing gay (civil) marriages, so tonight on our answering machine we received a message urging us to pray that it doesn't pass because gay civil marriages were, you ...
16
votes
13answers
1k views
How to tactfully circumvent opposite-gender handshake
Say you're a man in a professional setting, and a woman who isn't used to dealing with observant Jews stretches out her hand to greet you -- but your practice is to avoid shaking hands even in ...
12
votes
2answers
978 views
All people in world are Jews?
According to the Book of Genesis, Noah saved his family and representatives of every animal from a flood by constructing a boat. So since all of humanity should be descended from Noah, does that mean ...
11
votes
4answers
219 views
Why was Torah sheBal Peh not allowed to be Written?
The Gemara states that it is forbidden to write down the Oral Torah [1]:
דרש רבי יהודה בר נחמני מתורגמניה דרבי
שמעון בן לקיש, כתיב: +שמות ל"ד+ כתוב
לך את הדברים האלה, וכתיב: +שמות ל"ד+
כי ...
17
votes
5answers
1k views
Is it a discouraged or an unacceptable practice for a Gentile to keep the Sabbath?
According to Jewish Law and tradition, is it acceptable, discouraged or totally unacceptable for a Gentile to keep the Sabbath according to the regulations spelled out in the Torah and the Talmud and ...
14
votes
2answers
185 views
Is it a mitzva to escape the death penalty?
If someone is being led to his death by bes din (a Jewish court), is he supposed to try to escape, since, in general, saving one's own life is paramount? More: normally, we say that if someone is out ...
13
votes
5answers
282 views
Is one allowed to smoke?
Nowadays, since there are studies that show that smoking is dangerous to health, is one allowed to smoke or is it violating "Venishmartem Meod Lenafshosechem"?
13
votes
5answers
665 views
Is there “Torah Inerrancy”?
Is there Torah inerrancy?
In other words, does the Torah contain no factual errors: the Noah flood did occur, Garden of Eden did exist, Adam and Eve did live there and were subsequently expelled, etc ...
11
votes
5answers
636 views
Is a mechitza required for dancing at Jewish weddings? Why?
If the men and women aren't dancing together, is it strictly required that there also be a mechitza between them? If so, why? What guidelines would this mechitza have to meet?
Or is it simply a smart ...
11
votes
5answers
420 views
Halakhic International Date Line issues
According to halakha, where is the international date line?
More specifically, I have heard that some people say you should observe Shabbat on Sunday in Japan & New Zealand and/or on Friday in ...
8
votes
3answers
982 views
Rainbow as a bad omen
There is a popular idea that seeing a rainbow is a bad sign, as if the world is deserving of a deluge (c"v) and the only reason Hashem does not do so is because of His promise. Is there any source for ...
5
votes
3answers
329 views
Why does a Hamentash have three sides? [closed]
All Hamentashen that I've seen have three sides and all Hamentashen have filling.
Why is that?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken completely seriously. See the Purim ...
5
votes
1answer
190 views
Shabbat in the arctic
If I were to travel to Barrow, Alaska in the summer, when there is no sunset, when should I light the Shabbat candles?
(This is not a hypothetical question; I work remotely for an Alaskan corporation ...
5
votes
3answers
436 views
14
votes
3answers
565 views
Bli Neder Loophole
Who came up with the Bli Neder loophole of:
Bli neder I will help you do X
Or
Bli neder I will etc...
And the list can go on and on.
Who came up with addingBli Neder which basically means ...
12
votes
2answers
324 views
Bootstrapping problem: havdalah ends shabbat (for one who didn't daven ma'ariv) but lighting the candle is melacha?
This answer to a question about melacha before havdalah notes that in that situation one should say "baruch hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol" first. Does that apply to lighting the havdalah candle? I ...
11
votes
1answer
185 views
Woman and Zimun: What is the requirement?
What is a woman's requirement to say Bircat Hamazon with a Zimun of women?
What is a women's requirement to say Bircat Hamazon with a Zimun of men?
11
votes
4answers
192 views
Commencing Shabbos: Shkiya behind a mountain
It is common practice nowadays for Shuls to publish the zmanim (times) to begin Shabbos (the Sabbath) and other activities. These times, it would seem, are based upon standard calculations of sunrise ...
9
votes
1answer
117 views
Second day of Shavous
The main reason for the second day Yom Tov is because in the times of the Beis Hamikdash when we decided to declare months based on the seeing the new moon there where certain places that the ...
7
votes
1answer
163 views
Sh'kalim, Kinim, Midos in daf yomi
Why are Sh'kalim (Y'rushalmi) and Kinim and Midos (mishnayos) learned as part of the standard daf yomi cycle for Talmud Bavli?
And if the answer relies on some fact of publication, then (a) why ...
7
votes
3answers
271 views
Posek vs. Rabbi?
It seems to me obvious that certain sheilos are best dealt with by only the leading Rabbanim. At the same time colloquially we often say a Rabbi has "paskened" a sheilah when the answer is fairly ...
6
votes
6answers
309 views
Why is the word for G-d in Genesis plural?
The word for G-d in Genesis 1:1 is plural in all the manuscripts, there's no debating that it's plural. So really it should read "In the Beginning Gods created the heavens and the earth". Why is this ...
6
votes
3answers
234 views
Saving a Life During Tefillah
If one is in middle of Shemoneh Esrei (which is the only part of Tefillah, I could think of where there might be a problem), and there is a life to be saved, is he/she allowed to interrupt the ...
6
votes
4answers
369 views
tap water on Pesach
The New Croton Reservoir supplies much of New York City's tap water, and people are allowed to — and do — go out on boats and fish. I'd venture a guess that almost every Saturday and Sunday, a piece ...
