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1 vote
3 answers
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How could the patriarchs have observed the ritual commandments?

The Sources says that the patriarchs and those they taught followed halacha.¹ There are two types of commandments: Ethical and ritual. I understand that the ethical commandments could have been ...
Maurice Mizrahi's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
37 views

Need the "how" steps to ask legitimate non-judgemental regarding issues needing resolution to inspire peaceful negotiation

Children are expected to ask questions. Jewish people are supposed to answer those who ask regardless of their knowledge/upbringing - i.e., the four sons represented in the Haggadah. In order to ...
A Lehodia's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
290 views

Did Avraham Avinu daven all the tefilos or just Shacharis?

We learn (Brachot 26b): תניא כוותיה דרבי יוסי בר' חנינא אברהם תקן תפלת שחרית שנא' וישכם אברהם בבקר אל המקום אשר עמד שם ... יצחק תקן תפלת מנחה שנאמר ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה לפנות ערב ואין שיחה אלא תפלה ....
SAH's user avatar
  • 20.2k
2 votes
4 answers
237 views

Maimonides' Responsum on Pre-Sinaic Mitzva Observance

The Maimonides Reader (p. 478) quotes Maimonides' responsum to Hasdai Ha-Levi where he states that our forefathers didn't keep the mitzvos at all. Where else can this responsum be found? (...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 36k
8 votes
2 answers
515 views

Are Noahides obligated in the commandment of Yibum?

Regarding the subject of Yibum (Levirate marriage), what is the source, if any, that this is also an obligation on a Noahide? Many of the discussions on this Q&A site concerning Yibum connect to ...
Yaacov Deane's user avatar
  • 16.7k
3 votes
2 answers
441 views

Did Yitzchak not Fulfill the Mitzvah of "Be Fruitful and Multiply"?

According to the understanding of many commentators "pru u'revu" (be fruitful and multiply) is a positive commandment which is not fulfilled unless a man has both a son and daughter as offspring. ...
user avatar
9 votes
4 answers
944 views

Why did Avraham ask Eliezer to swear in the way he did?

Avraham asks his servant Eliezer to place his hand under his thigh to swear an oath regarding finding a daughter for his son. Chazal explain that he asked him to hold his (Avraham's) milah (male ...
user avatar
12 votes
7 answers
509 views

"עם לבן גרתי"? Really? "עם לבן ברתי" maybe

Rashi brings a gematria at the beginning of Parshas Vayishlach: גרתי בגימטריא תרי"ג, כלומר, עם לבן הרשע גרתי, ותרי"ג מצות שמרתי, ולא למדתי ממעשיו הרעים Now, if one takes this literally, it is ...
jake's user avatar
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37 votes
9 answers
4k views

Avot keeping Mitzvot

How are we to understand the tradition that the patriarchs kept all of the mitzvot in the Torah (see for example: the last mishna in Kiddushin (4:14), Rashi on Bereshit 32:5, etc.) in light of the ...
Sam's user avatar
  • 4,008