Questions tagged [halacha]
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. // 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).
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When do you become "Ben Eretz Yisrael" as far as the laws regarding doing only 1 day of Hag?
What are the laws that define when should someone do only one day of Yom Tov (Shavuot for example) or 2 days?
For example, how long do you have to stay in Israel? Are there other factors?
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Is it permitted for a male to shave his pubic hair nowadays?
Is it permitted for a male nowadays to shave his pubic hair for non-medical reasons? Perhaps this question could be phrased a different way: Assuming that the market for male-specific shaving products ...
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May a man become a gynecologist?
Is there any discussion among the halachic authorities as to whether or not a man can choose to pursue a medical career in gynaecology? The issue that I would presume exists is that unlike other parts ...
user2110
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Mouthwash on a public fast day?
Is it permitted to use mouthwash on a public fast day? Would a sensitive mouth, due to medical reasons be a good reason to be lenient?
(I can see it being less problematic than brushing one's teeth, ...
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Moving from one's spot after Kedusha
After standing still for Kedusha, some people move after saying Yimloich, whereas others wait until after the Chazan says Hokail Hakodoish. What is the correct way?
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Why is milk with meat not kosher?
I've recently read (again) the verse "לא תבשל גדי בחלב אמו", meaning, "Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk".
How did anyone get from that, to "Don't eat meat with milk at all"?
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What Bracha should you say on a Hurricane?
What Bracha should you say on a hurricane? Oseh Ma'aseh Vereishis?
You say Birchas Gomel if you travel over the sea; do you also say it if the sea travels over you?
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What potential issues may arise with serving jury duty on Tisha b'Av?
I was recently summoned for jury duty and initially selected to be on the jury for a criminal trial that was expected to go through Tisha b'Av. If I were selected, what issues would I face in serving ...
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Can one join an army?
Is one allowed to join an army (let's say not the Israeli one) as doing so is putting oneself in a place of sakana?
If one is not allowed to join an army in general, is one allowed to join an army for ...
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Can a Jew who dies on Mars be buried there?
Recently, the news has been talking about sending people on a 1-way trip to Mars.
AFAIK, no Jews have applied or are scheduled to make the trip. B"H, because I see all sorts of interesting halachic ...
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According to Halacha, may we endanger many Jewish lives in order to definitely save one Jew?
For example, what does Halacha say about the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange?
"Save" means "free from captivity," although in many cases it's the same thing as saving his\her life (e.g. if we didn't ...
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Polyphasic Sleep and Halacha
I recently read an article on polyphasic sleep and I'm quite interested in experimenting with it. The article advises the Uberman approach which advocates 20-30 minute naps every four hours, meaning ...
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Can a live video feed remove the prohibition of Yichud?
I was wondering if and how a public videostream could affect a potential yichud situation. For example, may a single guy and girl be secluded if they set up a continuously broadcasting camera and ...
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Whispering prayers?
Can one whisper t'fila (prayer)? I'm thinking of obligatory t'filos like sh'mone esre and "Sh'ma".
I know one can speak t'fila quietly, even very quietly; in fact, sh'mone esre is said quietly. I'm ...
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Chatzi LaHashem
I've been having this discussion with my friends and family about the Halacha of dividing Yom Tov into Chatzi LaHashem (half of the day devoted to prayer and learning) and Chatzi Lachem (half of the ...
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Is Smuggling Candy and Snacks Into a Movie Theater Forbidden?
Ever since I was a kid, we have routinely brought our own pre-packaged snacks into movies in order to avoid the exorbitant prices of those sold in the theaters.
Is it permitted to bring such snacks ...
user3342
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Why does the Tefilin Shel Yad have a protective cover?
When you purchase Tefilin, the Tefilin Shel Yad has a protective cover. Why? Is it Halachically necessary?
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Why don't brides (always) cover their hair for their weddings?
Why don't brides (always) cover their hair for their weddings? I understand that in some ultra-religious groups they do, but there seem to be many groups within Orthodoxy where they do not cover their ...
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Should a non-Orthodox Jew wear tzitzit or not?
It seems obvious to me that in general it’s better to keep more mitzvot rather than fewer, but wearing tzitzit seems like a special case. I’ve asked rabbis in my community about this, but I want to ...
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How do we erase the memory of Amalek?
What does "erase the memory of Amalek" (Deut. 25:19) mean? Does it not contradict the obligation (Deut. 25:17) to remember them every year?
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Shomer Negiah without direct contact?
An interesting thought crossed my mind: does shomer negiah specifically only relate to direct, physical contact, or does it additionally extend to cover cases where there is no direct touch?
Though I'...
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Is AquAdvantage salmon kosher?
After two decades of deliberation, the USA's Food and Drug
Administration has approved the first ever genetically engineered food
animal, a fast-growing Atlantic Salmon called AquAdvantage salmon.
...
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Why do people feel that there is a NEED to wear tzitzit?
There is a law in the torah (and the meforshiim afterwards) to attach tzitzit to all four cornered garments that you will wear.
Ok. I understand that.
But where did it come to pass that some people ...
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Is there a source for not requiring Tevilah for the first use?
I have heard (as I'm sure many others have) that one can use a utensil one time before Tevilah. At the same time, I've heard that this is a common misconception.
Is there anyone who holds that this ...
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Stacking Seforim
Are we allowed to place less holy seforim on top of more holy seforim? I believe that the consensus is that you are only allowed to stack seforim in chronological order from top to bottom (e.g., ...
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First time lighting Chanuka candles is on second night
If one didn't light Chanuka candles until the second night, how many candles should he light?
According to the reason that we add a candle a night is "Maalin Bakodesh" (we always add in holiness), ...
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Would a baalat teshuva need a get from each previous sexual relationship?
Would a baalat teshuva need a get from each previous sexual relationship? In light of the idea that marriage can be contracted solely through bi'ah/public knowledge of the couple's relationship (as ...
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Blowing bubbles on Shabbos
Is there any halachik problem with blowing bubbles on Shabbos? If so what melacha categories does it fall under? Does the age of the blower matter?
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Train ticket not collected: destroy?
Assuming a train line where single-ride tickets are normally collected or cancelled manually by train crew circulating among seated passengers, and it is physically possible to use them later if they ...
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Can a husband 'un-warn' his wife to prevent her from becoming a sotah?
The Torah describes (starting in Bamidbar 5:11) the process of a husband warning his wife not to be secluded with a certain man. Then if she is secluded with that man for a certain amount of time and ...
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Voting for a person that will not uphold Torah values
It is well known that Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zatzal strongly condemned those that voted for candidates that would not uphold Torah values. Yet there were many Gedolim that had no problem voting for such ...
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Who is worthy of reciting the blessing "שנתן מחכמתו לבשר ודם" on?
On whom does one recite the blessing "שנתן מחכמתו לבשר ודם" (the blessing recited on non-Jewish scientists)?
Does he have to be a Ph.D? Does he have to have inventions to his name?
Did he have to ...
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Can I use a cutlass for a shechita knife?
Ahoy thar! I'm trapped on a pirate ship, and I'm so hungry I could eat a cow! Hey wait, we actually have one on board!!
My problem is that the only sharp implement that I have is a pirate's cutlass. ...
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Why is Rosh Chodesh sometimes TWO days?
Why for certain months of the year do we celebrate the festival of Rosh Chodesh for two days while on other Roshei Chadashim we have one day of Rosh Chodesh?
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How can someone, halachically, do teshuva when s/he has offended an anonymous person on the internet?
Ramba"m among others, state that Yom Kippur does not atone for sins committed between a person and his neighbor until a person personally asks the other for forgiveness.
Mi Yodeya is an example of ...
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Starbucks VIA on shabbat
Someone recently mentioned in a conversation about making/ not making tea on shabbat with a tea bag, that the Starbucks VIA coffee is micro-ground vs how ever regular instant coffee is made and that ...
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Kibud Av v'Ach?
As I understand it there is an obligation (See Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 240:22) to honor an older brother similar to that of honoring one's father. Since the obligation to honor one's father can have ...
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Is Metzitzah B'peh a must?
There is a lot of talk in the news, etc., about Metzitzah B'peh that employs direct oral contact being dangerous.
First: If it is dangerous, shouldn't pikuach nefesh push it off?
Second: How ...
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Is kneeling and bowing down in Kung Fu an idolatry (Avoda Zarah)?
I am exercising at Kung Fu's dojo and wonder whether kneeling and bowing down is an idolatry (Avodah Zarah)? The floor has soft mats. The reason explained to me is that it's done as a form of greeting ...
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Should Jews be self-employed?
Under what method of employment should a Jew sustain himself? Is there a preference for self-employment over working for an employer?
I've heard that an employee is like a slave to the employer and ...
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Is it ok for spouses to touch in public?
Are spouses allowed to touch one another in public (when the wife is not a niddah) or is this a violation of tzniut? I am asking specifically regarding touch that is not in any way sexual or even ...
user1668
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For how long must a Jew keep Shabbat before he can be considered Shomer Shabbat?
Certain Kashrut issues require (or may require according to some opinions) that a Shomer Shabbat Jew (not just any Jew) supervise cooking. For example, see here, and here.
How is the status of Shomer ...
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Can a kohen be a mamzer?
A friend and I were discussing this. Generally speaking, it seems that it should be impossible for a person to be a kohen (rather than a chalal) and also a mamzer, because the set of women whom a ...
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Yichud in a dorm like situation
I was wondering if yichud is an issue in a situation like one that might arise on a college campus in an all girls dorm (apartment style- the building is mixed but each apartment is separate) if one ...
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Would the President of the United States have to put mezuzot on the doors of the White House?
If a Jew were elected president of the United States, would he/she be required to put a mezuzah on all of the doors of the White House? I can think of many arguments for each side.
The house does not ...
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How much must one do to to sign a contract?
Nowadays most software comes with a EULA. In order to install the software one must click the "agree" button. However, there are some software that says are distributed through different licenses. For ...
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Eating out Friday night of Chanukkah
If one is lighting Chanukah candles inside (for whatever reason) relying on the publicizing to himself and his family, then what should he do on Friday night if he is eating out? Must he make the ...
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Can a Cohen marry a bat niddah?
Can a Cohen marry a bat niddah? Are Cohens generally restricted from marrying baalot teshuva because of the possibility that they may be b'not niddah?
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When can you build the sukkah?
My wife and I love the holiday of Sukkot, as do many of our friends. We build the sukkah every year and have friends over for an evening meal, preferably on Shabbes - if someone else in our group of ...
