7

Who knows two?

Please cite/link your sources, if possible. In about a day, I will:

  • Upvote all interesting answers.

  • Accept the best answer.

  • Go on to the next number.

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2

24 Answers 24

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12

According to one Ladino version of Echad Mi yodea (there is more than one version) "Two are Moshe and Aharon" which resolves the seeming duplication of "Two are the Tablets" and "Ten are the Commandments"

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  • 1
    Not just the Ladino version; at least some of the Arabic versions - including the one that I know from family tradition (my mother's family hail from Aleppo) - have the same thing. (Other differences from the "standard" Echad Mi Yodea: "seven are the days of the Chuppah" and "thirteen is the age of putting on tefillin.")
    – Alex
    Commented Mar 17, 2010 at 21:10
  • 1
    barrygoodlife, Welcome to mi.yodeya, and thanks very much for your informative entry in our ongoing number contest! Stay tuned for future numbers. Please consider clicking "register," above, to create an account. This will give you access to all of mi.yodeya's features and will allow you to claim full credit for your contributions.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 17, 2010 at 21:11
  • Alex, it is very possible that the Arabic version was translated from the Ladino.
    – Yahu
    Commented Apr 1, 2010 at 15:28
  • @Yahu or vice versa
    – mevaqesh
    Commented Jan 2, 2017 at 0:39
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Two are:

  • Moshiach ben David and Moshiach ben Yosef
  • Batei Mikdashim (So far!!)
  • The sets of Luchos (as well as the number in each set)
  • Zugos!
    • Yose ben Yoezer and Yose ben Yochanan
    • Yehoshua ben Perachya and Nittai HaArbeli
    • Yehudah ben Tabbai and Shimon ben Shetach
    • Shmaya and Avtalion
    • Hillel and Shammai
  • Sons of:
    • Rochel (Yosef and Binyamin)
    • Rivka (Yaakov and Eisav)
    • Avraham (Yitzchak and Yishmael) (At least the main ones (However you define main))
    • Amram (Aharon and Moshe)
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9

2 is the minimum number for a plural word that is darshoned (expounded) in the Talmud.

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1
  • is it ever a number other than two?
    – Chanoch
    Commented Mar 22, 2010 at 13:55
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2 is the number of Pesach Sedarim for those who live outside of Israel.

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7

Two are the Chief Rabbis of Israel.

And, as as a result of the settlement brokered by Rabbi Isacc Elchanan Spektor in 1835, two were the Rosh Yeshivas of Volozhin.

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7

סימני כשרות לדגים - Signs that a fish is Kosher

  1. סנפיר - fins
  2. קשקשת - scales
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6

Two (ט"ו) equals 15. (Suggested by my 9-year-old son.)

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  • Nice! The family that yodeyas together, uhh, TBD, but it's good and together. Oh, and hold that thought...
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 18, 2010 at 4:56
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Two are the years that the kings of the House of Saul reigned (see: I Samuel 13:1 and II Samuel 2:10).

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5

Two are the months before a wolf is born.

(See Dewey, T. and J. Smith. 2002. "Canis lupus", Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 17, 2010)

(Comparison with Talmud Bavli Bechorot (PDF) 8a requires investigation.)

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  • Oh man, that's good...
    – ArghMo
    Commented Mar 17, 2010 at 14:44
  • Thanks! I don't think you're in danger of being out-cusped, though.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 17, 2010 at 14:51
  • This could do with some better explanation of what exactly is "two" and what is Jewish about it.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Dec 29, 2016 at 4:46
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Two are the wives of Lemech, and Hevel according to one medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 22:3).

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4

Shnei Luchos Habris

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4

סימני כשרות לבהמות - Signs that an animal is Kosher

  1. מעלה גרה - chews cud

  2. מפרסת פרסה - split hooves

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1
  • 3 Shosa'at Shesa' (something else to do with the feet). I'm pretty sure this is treated as a third category by most rishonim...
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Jul 29, 2011 at 17:23
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The gemara in Bava Kamma 29b states:

2 things that aren't "technically" in a person's property but (in terms of halachic responsibilities) the Torah makes it as if it is in a person's property:

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2

A dream dreamt twice is a sign that it will be fulfilled (Brachos 55b).

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2

2 hours of daylight were lost on account of Yaakov and (those) two were regained on his account. - Bereshit Rabbah 68:10 (Bereshit 28:11, 32:32)

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2

2- are the instances where the Torah accepts the testimony of just one witness (see: Rambam, Hilchos Eidus 5:2):

  • a) by a Sotah- so that she does not drink the bitter waters

  • b) by an eglah arufah- to prevent its neck from being broken

(d'rabbanan we also accept one witness who's testifying that a woman's husband died)

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1
  • While the Rambam says the above, he also says in Hilchos Eidus 11:7 sefaria.org/… "one witness is believed in issurin" - curious how this seeming discrepancy/ contradiction can be resolved (will leave this here as a comment until I can figure out the difference via a separate question)
    – alicht
    Commented Jul 1, 2019 at 15:55
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2 is the number of first Orthodox female rabbis.

http://jwablog.jwa.org/node/23

http://morethodoxy.org/2010/01/28/mahara%E2%80%9Dt-to-rabba/

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  • Good job following directions. You'd have won if your second source had the word "first" in it.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 18, 2010 at 1:53
  • darn it!! I definitely could have found a better source. Oh well. It was fun playing.
    – ArghMo
    Commented Mar 18, 2010 at 2:35
  • It depends who is defining the term "Orthodox".
    – Yahu
    Commented Mar 19, 2010 at 6:26
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    Also "first" and "rabbi," apparently. I'm not aware of "female" being disputed in either case.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Commented Mar 19, 2010 at 20:43
  • Neshamah is a feminine word, so spiritually speaking all rabbi's are female. ;)
    – Kfir
    Commented Apr 17, 2020 at 5:47
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Two women were haughty and had unpleasant names - Devorah ("bee") and Chuldah ("mole")

Gemara Megillah 14b

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1

TWO days of Shavuos outside Eretz Yisroel!

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  1. Torah Shebichsav + Torah Shebal Peh
  2. Yitzchok + Yishmoel
  3. Yaakov + Eisav
  4. Shevatim Not On The Other Side Of The River (not counting Shevet Levi)
  5. Yomim Noraim
  6. Sedarim in Chutz Laaretz
  7. Days of Shavuos
  8. Talmud Bavli + Talmud Yerushalmi
  9. Days of Rosh Hashanah
  10. Days of Shemini Atzeres in Chutz Laaretz
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1

Two are the number of eyes that Shimshon sought revenge for from the Pelishtim.

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2
  • Unless I'm mistaken it's specifically one of of two eyes and not both...
    – Shababnik
    Commented Feb 7 at 17:25
  • @Shababnik One nekamah, two eyes ;)
    – Yehuda
    Commented Feb 7 at 19:56
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Two is “zachor” (Shmos 20:8) and “shamor” (Dvarim 5:11), two mitzvos in reference to Shabbos.

Two is the number of neshamos a Jew has during Shabbos: their regular neshama and a neshama yeseira, an extra Shabbos soul (Beitza 16a).

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1
  • Two are the pairs, male and female, of [impure] animals brought into the ark. ~ Genesis 7:2.
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TWO days of Rosh Hashanah! 222222

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