Questions tagged [games-toys]
questions about games and toys
70 questions
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May Jews play Chinese checkers on Shabbat
According to Halacha, May Jews play Chinese checkers on Shabbat or no? Does it violate any issur like muktzeh or something else?
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Are Jews permitted to play jacks on Shabbat
According to Halacha is it permitted for Jews to play jacks on Shabbat? Or no, would it involve any issur like muktzeh or anything else? Does it depend on if it’s a minor chinuch age or an adult?
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Is betting on board games/chess gambling
If someone makes a bet on something like chess or a board game, (we’ll include some types of card games as well), does that count as gambling in Halacha?
Gambling (between Jews) is prohibited de-...
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Is the board game "Snakes and Ladders" kosher?
It appears to be a game based on the Hindu religion. Here is an excerpt from wikipedia:
The game was popular in ancient India by the name Moksha Patam. It was
also associated with traditional Hindu ...
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Trampoline on shabbat
Is there an issue with bouncing on a trampoline on shabbat? This is not about setting up a trampoline, but if one can bounce and play on a trampoline that was set up before shabbos.
- 4,532
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Ethics in video games: stealing
I'd like to ask a few questions on ethics in video games, starting with:
Is it allowed to steal from other players in an online video game?
To keep it simple, stick to games that specifically enable ...
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Using a ball on Shabbos according to the Magen Avraham
The Magen Avraham (308:45) explains, that the reason for the opinion that a ball is Muktzah on Shabbos, is because it is not considered a utensil that serves a necessary purpose.
Then he goes on to ...
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Can I leave an air hockey table on for shabbos and use it?
If I leave an air hockey table on from before the sabbath, would it be permissible to use it?
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Must one sell poisonous Play-Doh to a non-Jew for Pesach?
Being that Play-Doh contains dough ingredients, and that one need not sell something that even a dog won't consume, may one improvise and put cyanide in their children's Play-Doh, thereby rendering it ...
- 3,907
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What is the status of professional video game players?
A friend remarked to me that playing video games professionally today is the equivalent of professional gamblers in the times of the talmud, specifically in that both are not involved in "Yishuvo shel ...
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May a Jew be an impostor on "To Tell the Truth"?
There's a general prohibition for a Jew to lie, except for specific situations such as Darchei Shalom ("to promote peace".)
"To Tell the Truth" is an old / revived U.S. television game show where 3 ...
- 71.5k
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Video games with god-like characters - Avodah Zara?
I found some answers on this site about if playing certain kinds of "Idolatrous" video games constitute avoda zara, such as Virtual Avodah Zara
and While playing a computer game, may I "worship&...
user8832
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Real money trading in online games
Is farming virtual currencies(like world of warcraft gold) in online games and then selling it for real money allowed?
Is it considered like stealing from the company that owns the game?
Is boosting ...
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Chess on Shabbat?
Can you play Chess on Shabbat?
The focus should be on Torah reading and so on, not on games. But I have also read that some Rabbis use to play Chess, some said it was because they where depressed. ...
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Issur of Playing Cards
Is there an Issur of playing cards? I'm not asking about gambling, or Shabbos, I'm specifically asking if it is Assur to play a game of cards with playing cards that we have today. Are there specific ...
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Judaism and Ping-Pong
I am looking to perhaps write a paper on ping-pong and its place in Torah literature.
I can see a number of issues relating to ping-pong on Shabbos and Yom Tov, e.g., there is a widely discussed ...
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Are Tabletop Roleplay Games a sin?
I'm an atheist (agnostic with a Christian background) Game master.
One of my Jewish friend showed interested in one of my roleplay campaign, while I'd be very happy to introduce him to the game, I ...
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Is one permitted to fly a kite on Shabbat?
Is one permitted to fly a kite on Shabbat? Assuming that there is an Eiruv, would it be permitted?
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Ribbis and Ona'ah in Monopoly
In a game like Monopoly, where the "money" is absolutely worthless, would charging ribbis (interest) or ona'ah (overcharging/undercharging) be permissible? That is, if a player owned, say, ...
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Blowing Bubbles on Yom Tov
Is anything wrong with blowing bubbles on Yom Tov? Would it be different than blowing bubbles on Shabbos?
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Shabbos and Playfoam
Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:13 brings down that plaster, clay, wax, and the like may not be molded on shabbos. (footnote 36 quotes SA and says it's due to mimareach)
As far as I'm aware, a ...
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Parachute Men toys on Shabbat
Can children AND adults throw those little Parachute Men toys on Shabbat?
What about the "tangle free" ones that use mesh instead of strings (and therefore could not get knotted-up)?
This is not ...
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Playing dreidel according the Baal Shem Tov
I saw a video some years back from Lazer Beams (Rabbi Lazer Brody) on how to play dreidel Baal Shem Tov style. I don't remember exactly how to play, and I can't find the video again. One thing in ...
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Are parachute games permitted on Shabbat?
Colorful "parachutes" are used for various kinds of pre-school games. The parachute, in this context is a large (many feet in diameter), strong, circular cloth, usually with handles around ...
- 48.6k
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Forbidden business practices in games
Charging interest or surplussage on real loans to a fellow Jew is forbidden but may one do so with in-game play money or with in-game commodities?
- 9,128
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Wall ball in the Talmud
In Sanhedrin (77b) the gemara discusses a case of "Wall Ball" throwing a ball at a wall, the ball bouces back and if the other player catches the ball, he tries to peg the original thrower (Rashi).
...
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Are Magna-Tiles allowed on Shabbat?
There is a Rabbinic prohibition on constructing a temporary canopy (ohel arai; see e.g. Shabbath 137b) a tefach or greater with walls that are also a tefach or greater. Considering that this is often/...
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Is a chess set with full figured human pieces permissible to own? [duplicate]
Link to a similar chess set
Is a chess set with full figured human pieces permissible to own?
My question is due to the second commandment.
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Halachic permissibility of playing cards (i.e., poker) for money
Are there any important halachic issues related to gambling--specifically, on card games? (I'm thinking Texas Hold 'Em, but kvitlach also comes to mind.)
Obviously it can't be done on Shabbos or Yom ...
- 20.2k
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Is Warhammer (and similar games) an issue of avoda zara?
Are tabletop wargames, such was Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, and Kings of War an issue of avoda zara?
To play the game you first have to purchase miniature figures of different races. Some are human, ...
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What is the origin of the claim that they played games to hide Torah learning prior to Chanuka
This question makes a very commonly heard claim: "Before the miracle of Hanukkah, when those who controlled the land severely restricted Torah study, Jewish children would gather to study Torah in ...
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Rolling dice on shabbat?
I was told that when rolling dice [for a game, such as backgammon] on shabbos one should roll one di, move the pieces, and then roll the other di [and move the pieces]. The reason for this, I was told,...
user8832
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What did "נ ג ה ש" stand for before the Hanukkah miracle?
A well known reason we play dreidel on Hanukkah is this: Before the miracle of Hanukkah, when those who controlled the land severely restricted Torah study, Jewish children would gather to study Torah ...
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is it permitted to make a snowman?
Is it permitted to make a snowman? Or is it considered constructing a graven image?
Prompted by this:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/saudi-arabia-issues-fatwa---4967400
- 21.1k
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Are the letters on a dreidel supposed to be in any particular order?
This is a little silly, but...
Should the letters on a dreidel be in order? Like, if you turned it right to left, should it go nun - gimel - hey - shin, because of "nes gadol haya sham"? Or are there ...
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Is there anything wrong with messing with the rules of Dreidel?
In this article on Slate, Ben Blatt calls the classic rules of Dreidel "slow and unfair," citing simulation-based statistical analysis, and proposes his own modified rules to speed up the game.
Given ...
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Where does Kugelach come from?
Is there a Jewish origin to the game called kugelach which I played as a child in shul? Does it have any connection to the 5 stones Dovid used to kill Goliat?
user6641
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Are chess pieces with faces on them considered idols?
If a chess set has pieces which seem to be mini sculptures of faces etc. (like many of the hand-made ones you will find in South Africa), are they considered idols? Did anyone hear of something like ...
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Is it permissible to play with cards?
Someone told me the other day, that playing cards (with ace, jack king and queen...) contain Tumah and therefor should not be played with.
Did anyone hear of this? If yes, do you have a source?
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Questions regarding the melacha of "borer" - separating / sorting on Shabbat
Are these two activities considered a violation of "borer" on Shabbat?
Playing cards where you must separate the cards into the 4 suits (hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs)
Sorting flatware into ...
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Chalking pool cues on shabbat/yom-tov
May one chalk a pool cue on shabbat and yom tov? If not, why?
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Plants vs Zombies Avoda Zara
In the digital game Plants vs. Zombies, there are graveyard tombs in the shapes of crosses. Does this constitute avoda zara? Is it therefore assur to play this game?
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Is a miniature Torah scroll considered a real Sefer Torah
My son received a miniature Torah scroll as a reward in Hebrew school. The letters are not printed clearly and I cannot really read it well, but I would like to know if it should be accorded the ...
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What game is the Rama in 338:5 (טשי"ך) referring to?
In the English Mishna Brurah they translate טשי"ך as chess. The Mishna Brurah brings the Marah Sasson who forbids it because there is no chachma. It is also mentioned in the Rama that it makes noise, ...
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Is playing with a water gun allowed
Is playing with a water gun for fun allowed or is it a problem of baal tashchis (wasting resources)?
(assuming for adult playing with kids or with other adults)
This is really a general question of ...
- 21.5k
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Is it permitted to shoot an air gun on shabbos?
Is it ok to shoot an air gun (also known as a "BB gun") to knock over cups on Shabbos?
I can't think of any reason to prohibit it.
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Pillow fight on Shabbat
Is it allowed to have a pillow fight on shabbat for fun, or is it like running which is forbidden?
- 21.5k
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May I play a computer game which includes Greek mythological creatures?
I sometimes play a computer role-playing game (RPG) in which my character fights creatures and retrieves treasure.
But some of the creatures are derived from Greek mythology. Is it still permissible ...
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Ethics in video games: idol worship
Background
I sometimes play a certain computer role-playing game (RPG). In this game, my character (whom I might name after myself but who does not otherwise resemble me) fights mythological creatures ...
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Response to Gambling and Poker for recreational enjoyment
What are some of the modern day responses from Gedolim in the Jewish world on individuals who spend time gambling, playing cards etc., outside of a casino?
user1292