Hot answers tagged technology
24
No. There is no problem with programming in Judaism.
As far as mimicking G-d's creation, we do that all the time: all craftsmen create things. In fact, we are commanded to mimic G-d in certain ways:
Leviticus 19:2 from Mechon Mamre.
-קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ: כִּי קָדוֹשׁ, אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.
-Ye shall be holy; for I the LORD your God am holy.
And ...
15
The Bar-Ilan Responsa project has an online version that allows free searches, displaying up to 150 words from each result. This is an extremely powerful program, as its textbase is "clean" and edited, as opposed to many other search programs (such as Hebrewbooks and Otzar HaChochma) which are mostly based on error-prone, OCR-derived text.
14
R' Yehoshua Neuwirth, in Shemirath Shabbath in 23:52 permits the use of escalators. R' Chaim Jachter indicates (1) that this is because escalators don't have the problems with elevators expressed by R' Levi Yitzchak Halperin, the main authority behind prohibiting them.
For a detailed discussion of the issues with elevators, read R' Jachter's four-part ...
14
Apparently, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach says that the three steps are an integral part of Shemoneh Esrei, and should be done whenever at all possible; to the extent that one should move his wheelchair the space of three steps, or ask someone to do it for him if he is unable. Interestingly, he says the same applies to a car!
Source: Halichas Shlomo 8:31 ...
13
If the genetically-engineered pig was gestated in a normal pig, then no it would not be kosher.
Rambam, Laws of Prohibited Foods, 1:5--6 (or 4--5 depending on your edition):
א,ה [ד] בהמה טהורה שילדה כמין בהמה טמאה--אף על פי שאינו מפריס פרסה, ולא מעלה גרה, אלא כמין סוס או חמור לכל דבר--הרי זה מותר באכילה. במה דברים אמורים, בשילדה בפניו. ...
א,ו ...
12
The Rambam in Hilchot Milachim 12:1 says "OLAM KMINHAGO HOLECH." The world will continue as is including electronics.In fact the Chofetz Chaim said that most of today's technology it proves the point for example he said until phones no one could understand how Hashem could hear all so Hashem showed us an example.
12
I'm sure that there are modules already written for this purpose (since, after all, there are lots of existing sites and applications that show the parshah of the week, and I doubt each of them reinvented the wheel). I don't know of any that are freely available, though.
One way of doing this would be to use lookup tables for each of the 14 possible year ...
11
There are essentially two issues here:
Am I somehow stealing from the owner (by taking away bandwidth)? Does the fact that the owner left it open mean he/she agrees to me using it?
Am I somehow stealing from the ISP (or perhaps causing the owner to violate his/her TOS agreement with the ISP)?
In each of these 2 problems we have yet another split:
What ...
11
I just had a nice long chat on their website with Chaim Rosenberg, the director The Society for the Preservation of Hebrew Books. He said they are currently working on a new HebrewBooks drive, that should be available soon. So apparently, there is none available now. He was not sure if the new one would be on-site or in-stores.
Based on that, I'd say it'll ...
10
I had to implement this in Javascript and was successful. So here's the simple programming logic I used:
Create an array (or list) of Parshas. Obviously you want to either use transliteration or such.
Then used a complex set of if statements to offset based on type of year. To figure the type of year use something like this:
function ytype(year){
var ...
10
Rav Moshe Feinstein (O.C. IV 60) strongly disagreed with the use of timers. His strongest definite reason is that
its usage is a disgrace to shabbos, since through their use one can run a business and circumvent shabbos. This is a Torah violation of "honoring shabbos". (Contrast this with placing a pot on the stove right before shabbos, where that is ...
10
Maybe because early Jewish recordings were mostly cantorial style, and there was a serious concern that people would play recordings of Shabbos and Yom Tov liturgy on those days.
Also, perhaps it is psychologically more disturbing to think that someone will play a recording that makes your voice speak on Shabbos.
10
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/weekly_torah.php?id=680
If one cannot partake in the siyum in person, some permit him to
listen to the siyum via telephone. This should only be relied upon in
extraordinary situations. (Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt"l quoted in
Yoma Tova L'rabanan page 70 footnote 16, see Modanei Shlomo (Moadim)
page)
9
Two possibilities I can think of:
The E-ink is not permanent stuff (it disappears as soon as the power is cut, for example). So it might be akin to writing Hashem's name in fruit juice or something similar. In the laws of Shabbos, that is not considered true "writing" (though it's still forbidden Rabbinically - see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 340:4 and ...
9
Nolad governs muktzeh, physical items you shouldn't move because they weren't acessible before shabbos started.
I can't see any way how that could possibly apply to information. If a non-Jew who had been halfway across the world on Friday night delivers a package to me on shabbos afternoon, it's muktza. If he tells me a joke (or the news, or acts out a ...
9
The Shut Hor Yizchak (Hor Hachaim 157) says that not only it is OK, but the question not even starts ("he did nothing"). The example he gives is to call from Israel to the States on Motzei Shabat. In Israel it is after Shabat and in the States the Shabat is still on. He adds that it is even permissible to phone a non Jew and ask him to do work for you.
I ...
9
The Torah specifically states the prohibition against prostitution, in order to prevent the land to be filled with licentiousness: ולא תזנה הארץ ומלאה הארץ זמה. Rambam seems to be deducing the underlying reason for that concern of the Torah, in his statement:
For [ultimately], a father will marry his daughter and a brother his
sister, [for in a ...
9
R. J.D. Bleich covered this topic in a recent Survey of Recent Halakhic Periodical Literature [paywall]. In the article he discusses a number of possible issues that have been raised with Silk-screen Sifrei Torah, but says that most of them are not so strong. He says there is one serious objection where the burden of proof falls on the innovators to show ...
8
For nighttime, they could use water clocks.
[Jastrow (in the introduction to his dictionary, and under s.v. ארפכס) argues that one place in the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 4:4) and two in Mishnayos Kelim (14:8 and 30:4) refer to such a device, though most of the commentaries explain it as something like a funnel or a colander.]
8
In order to answer your question we need to define the scope of the prohibition on erasing G-d's name. It's based on Deuteronomy 12:3-4 וְאִבַּדְתֶּם אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם, "and you shall destroy [the idols'] names", 'לֹֽא־תַעֲשוּן כֵּ֔ן לַה, "you shall not do the same to G-d". The extent of the prohibition is discussed in commentators to Shulchan Aruch and Tur 276:9, ...
8
The article says that the this meat is created using stem cells from slaughtered animals:
Using stem cells harvested from leftover animal material from slaughterhouses, Post nurtures them with a feed concocted of sugars, amino acids, lipids, minerals and all other nutrients they need to grow in the right way.
When it comes to nullifying something ...
8
Per Rabbi Aviner this is superstition and may be done.
Opening Umbrella Inside Q: Is it unlucky to open an umbrella inside A:
Superstition. (but not to be done on Shabbat, as an umbrella is
Muktzeh)
8
Rav Belsky, on page 9 of Shulchan Halevi (English version), explains that while theoretically silk-screening could be kosher for writing Stam, there are some issues which can come up. He mentions that forgeries would increase, and there there could be a problem of kesidran ("written in order," which Teffilin and Mezuzah require).
Then he brings an issue ...
7
The Lubavitcher Rebber writes that Television is forbidden because:
It is so immodest, that even non-Jews started campaigning against it.
It incites people to violence. (Watching movies with people killing each other causes one to think about murder).
One will not be able to tell his children to watch only "kosher" material, as they will answer back "but ...
7
The Midrash is quoted as saying "Why is its name called chazir? Because the Holy Name Blessed Be He will return it to Israel."
A lot of commentaries learn this non literally (see here and here and here for examples). Others learn it literally. The Or Hachayim (Vayikrah 11:7), for example, says that when Moshiach comes the nature of the pig will change, and ...
7
There are several issues:
If the person is paying by data used, he is losing through your download, so you are a damager and it would be forbidden
Just because the person left it open doesn't mean he doesn't mind other people using it, he might just not know how to lock it.
If there is a clause in his contract to the ISP not to let others use his ...
7
Is one allowed to take food into the bathroom?
Eating in the bathroom is forbidden,(Be'er Heitev O.C. 3:2)even if it is covered.(Lekutei Maharich page 226 (new),Yabea Omer 4:5:3,see Minchas Yitzchok 3:63 who questions the reason not to bring food into a bathroom) we do not find that the poskim expressly prohibit bringing food into a bathroom. Surely ...
7
No amount of AI will be able to simulate Siyata Dishmaya. Heavenly assistance factors heavily into accurate psak. Just ask any posek.
A good posek also brings to bear a healthy intuition of how he would rule, even before he begins his analysis.
Think of a good physician with years of experience. As soon as she just looks at your child, she has a pretty ...
7
To support what Barry said:
There is an element of Divine assistance when the flesh-and-blood rabbi is called upon to rule (assuming he's qualified and doing his best).
We are easily decades (if not more) away from artificial intelligence vis-a-vis a lot of the skills that are needed for good psak. For instance, a young rabbi was training with Rabbi Moshe ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
