Questions tagged [halacha]
Jewish law. Specifically, the legal process beginning with the written Torah and continuing through the Mishna, Talmud, and the legal codes (e.g., Rambam, Tur, Shulchan Aruch). // NOTE: Like Wikipedia, this site makes no guarantee of validity, and does not offer professional (particularly rabbinic) advice. Treat information from this site like it came from a crowd of your friends.
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Water fasting from Sunday until Tuesday, to save time, and Havdalah
The main mitzvah of Havdala is to say it on Saturday night. (Source.)
In a particular week, you have a lot of schoolwork you want to get done. You decide to do a water fast for a few days, to save ...
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Do Charedi rabbis allow Charedi Jews to change and become Modern Orthodox?
You were born into a Hareidi family, but you decide to make a change and become Modern Orthodox.
According to Charedi authorities, is it halachically allowed for a Haredi Jew to change and become ...
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Using pre-cut floss on Shabbos, if the floss is likely to shred
Please imagine:
You floss daily, and your gums never bleed.
You've pre-cut a good length of floss before Shabbos.
However:
Every time you floss, the floss shreds.
In such a case, are you allowed ...
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Difference between positive and negative Mitzvos when it comes to Chinuch
The Mishnah Berurah (343:3) writes that when it comes to positive Mitzvos, Chinuch begins from when the child is able to understand the purpose of that specific Mitzvah, but when it comes to negative ...
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Is there mar'it ayin when you do something acceptable for you, but not to the general public?
Is there mar'it ayin when you do something acceptable for you, but not to the general Jewish public? A couple of examples will highlight this issue:
Scenario 1: Person X books a table at a regular ...
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What should one do while waiting for repetition of the Amidah to start?
What should an individual be doing after finishing his personal Amidah while waiting for the chazzan's repetition to start? Do the same restrictions apply during this period as the period while the ...
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If we don't and can't know someone's full hebrew name when davening for them
It recently happened to me that I really wanted to daven for someone but I only knew their name and not their father or mothers name.
In general, how do we daven for someone whose hebrew name we ...
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kohanim mikvah after bathroom
Rabbi Shlomo Calerbach says kohanim would go to the mikvah after going to the bathroom
And that Rav Yoel the satmar Rebbe also did this
Looking for written sources for both of these ideas
https://...
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Can a Kohen come in contact with any corpse in order to reach a Meis Mitzvah?
If there is a Meis Mitzvah, and the only way to get to it is by becoming impure by another corpse - not a Meis Mitzvah - is a Kohen allowed to do so?
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Tefillin in view of toilet
According to many, it is not permissible to say a beracha or read Torah when in view of a toilet, even if that toilet is in a different room (see SA OC 83).
I want to know if according to any is there ...
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If a Jew broke Shabbos to safely store something, does that item become prohibited?
A Jew is traveling before shabbos with a bag of valuables and has no place to store them safely. Finally, it's two minutes before sunset, so he just ditches the bag along the side of the road.
A non-...
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Wet clothes left up to dry before Shabbos -- does everyone follow the Mishna Brurah that they are muktzeh?
Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa says that if wet clothes were left hanging up to dry before the start of shabbos, then they remain muktzeh for all of shabbos, even if they're totally dry the next morning.
...
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If something was unusable/unavailable when I made "early shabbos", does it become muktzeh?
Normally an object is defined as muktzeh if, at the time Shabbos started (let's call it "dusk"), it was unusable. If an apple was on the tree at sunset and falls off the tree two hours later,...
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Is there a difference in minhag when it comes to tzitzit thickness on the tallit katan?I like the thick look, but what does that say to others?
As the title mentions, I prefer the look of thick tzitzit to thin, although I'm considering medium. But, is there a meaning or assumed minhag associated with the thickness of tzitzit on the tallit ...
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Is a dead bat impure?
The Torah lists the ״עטלף״ which is generally translated to mean “a bat”, among the non kosher birds, but does that mean that it is considered a bird for every purpose, like when it comes to the laws ...
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Splitting of Power between Judges and Kings
In Dvarim 16, G-d orders the Judges to judge the nation. In the next chapter the concept of a Jewish King is introduced.
It seems like the Torah supports splitting of powers.
On the other hand,from ...
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Going to bathroom during Tefilla - can one read?
It is halacha that if one has needs (gadol) during tefilla, and can't hold it, one should go. To keep this very complex halachic discussion simple, let's just assume that we are talking about a ...
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Buying an online Seminar that is recorded by a Jew on Shabbos
There is an online seminar that is being given on Shabbos by a Jew. The recording is being made available for those that can't make it on Shabbos. What do the sources have to say about a Jew buying ...
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Why are mezuzot always mounted on the right side of the doorway?
I have read plenty regarding the debate on what direction and angle the mezuzah should be mounted. That said, I have never heard a clear explanation as to why we always mount them on the right side of ...
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Does the Gemara teach that Jews are allowed to kill gentiles but not vice versa?
The Gemara challenges: But wherever there is liability for capital punishment, this tanna teaches it; as it is taught in the first clause: With regard to bloodshed, if a gentile murders another ...
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Taggim in a Get
A Get is called a "sefer". In that case, why doesn't it require taggin (beautification marks atop the letters)?
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TV left on during Shabbat for serious reasons
The question of leaving a TV on for all of Shabbat was asked here before and was answered: No, it is against the spirit of Shabbat, plus other halachic reasons.
But what if you did it to stay abreast ...
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Can you send a Shliach to Yerushalaim for your maaser sheini?
Is there a specific requirement for the actual owner to actually eat it in Jerusalem? If yes, is a Kezayis sufficient?
Can the owner send a messenger to Jerusalem to deliver his Maaser Sheini there ...
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Which seffer is the תשובת ב׳י in Pischei Tshuvah Yoreh De'ah 112?
The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De'ah 112 sif 16 brings an opinion regarding a traveler who is stringent not to eat bread of a non-Jew should wait four mil to reach the Jewish baked bread.
Pischei Tshuva #...
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Does an older widow have to wait before re-marrying?
There is a concept that a widow should wait several months after her husband dies before she remarries in order that the paternity of any children will be obvious.
If the widow is obviously beyond ...
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Saying God is Great in Arabic - is a Jew allowed?
We all know the "aqbar" phrase. Is it permissible for a Jew to say this phrase?
The assumption is that it is ok, because it commonly said that we are talking about the same Hashem. This ...
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Is a conditional Get kosher
Is it valid if a get is given to a women with a condition say.. if you move to china within 50 years of the giving of this get the get becomes null and void from day one and anyone she remarried ...
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Men and women swimming together [duplicate]
Is there any issue with men and women swimming togther in the same swimming pool if all people are covered properly with coverups and married womens hair is covered etc? If its not allowed what are ...
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When davening Shemona Esrei, can you stop and concentrate on an earlier part you didn't concentrate on?
Say you finished Rifo'einu and didn't have Kavanah, but you already said Bareich Aleinu, can you stop and concentrate on Rifo'einu?
What about if you forgot to concentrate on the first brachos till ...
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Holy Boycotts - Permitted, recommended, obligated or forbidden?
It is a well known principle that we must make sure that the people we give tzeddakah to are definitely poor and not scammers/fraudsters (see Yoreh De'ah 251:10).
I am sure this principle is not ...
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Can old Jewish books be restored by non-Jewish experts?
Can old Jewish books be restored by non-Jewish experts?
For example, i am non-Jews have old books related to Judaism.
But it is too old. So, there is a way to restore old books in the traditional ...
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Raw pasta on Pesach
How can raw pasta be considered chametz on Pesach if it is not fit for consumption (אינו ראוי לאכילת כלב)?
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Anonymous Shaila Lines [duplicate]
As in, a method of asking a halachic question to a qualified halachic expert Rabbi, anonymously.
Is there a collection of verified, reputable "anonymous shaila lines", by country or city? If ...
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Covering the blood of the Metzora’s bird
Does the bird slaughtered for the Metzora’s purification require covering its blood?
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Conversion by presumption
This document, in the section running over page 11 onto page 12, refers to Rav Feinstein's chiddush that it is possible to 'convert' to Judaism by chazakah alone, and without a formal beit din. The ...
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Is posting Torah to the internet considered teaching gentiles Torah?
Does the prohibition of teaching Torah to gentiles encompass putting Torah out on the internet for all to see?
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Did Sanhedrin use Oral law along with Written Law
Did Sanhedrin use Oral law along with Written Law in their decisions?
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What are some halachically proper fast-day greetings?
Considering that greeting someone during the Tisha B'Av fast day is prohibited, is there a proper way according to halacha to greet somone before the day?
For example, to say "have an easy fast&...
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Kosher leniencies in a place with neither hechshers nor kosher lists
I'm trying to understand whether or not there are leniencies regarding kosher certification in countries where it's uncommon. I am aware that in many parts of the world there are almost zero products ...
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Why is the Taz's position on tefillin parsha spacing controversial?
When writing tefillin, one should ideally leave a setumah gap between the parshiyot of shema and vehaya im shamoa.
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:36 holds that this should be done following the opinion ...
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Can two people who are asexual get married?
The situation is a couple where both the man and woman are not interested in consummating the marriage, but they want to get married because they are in love and they want the companionship. How would ...
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A medicinal drink turning into a pleasure drink mid-guzzle
I am not, to my knowledge, thirsty, but I need to take a pill with water, so I do so without a beracha (see Shulchan Aruch OC 204:7). As I swallow the pill, I realise that I am enjoying the water, and ...
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What are some Resources for Learning About Zmanim?
I'm interested in learning more about Zmanim, specifically, the different calculations involved and how to determine these times. I understand that the calculation of Zmanim can be complex, changing ...
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listening to music for a siyum during the 9 days
I saw that Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef said that one can listen to music for a siyum during the 3 weeks. I was curious if this also applies to the 9 days and maybe even the week of Tisha Be'Av. I want ...
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The sections of the camp of B'nei Yisrael as a reference to the Temple Mount
The Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Beis HaBechirah, chapter 7, halacha 11) writes:"
The [encampment of the Jewish people] in the desert [ was divided into] three areas:
the camp of Israel, which was ...
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Is it considered listening to loshon hora to look at a biography of a Jewish person on Wikipedia? [duplicate]
Is this considered listening to loshon hora? Let’s say a celebrity happens to be Jewish and Wikipedia has a page about them. Is it mutar to read it if it has negative things said?
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Can one order clothing before the 9 days if it will be delivered during the 9 days?
Of course, the clothing would not be worn until after the 9 days.
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Halachically speaking, are painted Egyptian sunk-reliefs that are carved into walls (the outline of a 2D painting) considered to be 2D or 3D (See Ex.)
According to this answer on Judaism StackExchange regarding different rules for what kind of art is allowed, it states that:
There are differences between representation in relief (3 dimensions) and ...
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Cursing in G-d’s name
The Gemara (Bava Kamma 93a) says that the reason why Sarah passed away before Avraham was because she told him: “may G-d judge between us”.
The Gemara learns from there that it is forbidden to call ...
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Tefilin and other prayer articles in a bathhouse
Is one allowed to bring Tefilin into a bathhouse or dressing room if he isn’t wearing them?
If not, what if he entered the dressing room while wearing them (which is allowed - OC 45:2), may he leave ...
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