Questions tagged [priorities]
Questions about which action takes priority in a specific case, usually when only one thing can be done.
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Can one water plants before Shacharit?
Would one be permitted to water plants or feed pets (as another example), before saying shacharit, or would it be better to say shacharit first?
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If it is time for set prayer, and one can only either pray or exercise, what comes first?
If one only has the strength or will-power or interest to do one thing, which should it be: Pray (e.g., Shacharis, Mincha or Maariv) or exercise?
For instance, say one comes home from work late one ...
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Which comes first after picking up shel rosh: talis or tefilin?
If a person picked up his tefilin before his talis, he puts on his tefilin first (Shulchan Orech OC 25:1). Additionally, if a person picked up his shel Rosh before his shel yad (ibid. :6) he puts down ...
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Kiruv- quantity vs. quality
I'm looking for sources discussing the question of priorities in kiruv, especially when there's a conflict in resources.
The question is often asked using the following scenario:
"Imagine you're a ...
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How should one prioritize honoring parents in comparison with other laws? [duplicate]
In prioritizing the law, how does a person honor his parents if his parents are law-breakers? For example, if a man's father is a murderer, would the man choose to dishonor his father by handing him ...
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Order in which to wash face, hands and feet
A halocho sheet given out in my shul says that there is an order to washing (e.g. on Erev Shabbos) – first face then right hand, left hand and finally feet. The source is given as מחזיק ברכה ר״ס, ג.
...
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Can you kill person A to protect yourself from B?
So it's really difficult to think of a practical example of this, but imagine there were some scenario in which, G-d forbid, you needed to kill a non-guilty party in self-defense. If one were in this ...
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Fitting in a Succah precedence - kids, parents, women or guests
When there's no place for everyone in the Succah, who takes the precedence:
one's sons (underage and grown-ups)
one's parents/grandparents
women (wife, grown-up daughters)
the guests (male/female)?
...
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Shalom Bayit vs. Making shabbat bread [closed]
If someone has the option to fix their marriage and save it or make bread for Shabbat (which would put fixing the relationship on hold) which one should be the priority?
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When is the "main" mitzvah of hearing the Megillah?
If someone has a choice of hearing the Megilla read either at night or during the day, (e.g. the person is disabled and can't make it to a shul, and no one can come to read both times) but not both, ...
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One mezuzah, two outside doors -- which is preferred?
In a house with two outside entrances, what is the halacha if you only have one mezuzah? Is there a priority in entrances, or does the occupant choose? (Yes, one should acquire a second mezuzah, but ...
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Davening Netz or Selichos
If a person has the opportunity of davening netz, but doing so would require putting off the recitation of selichos (since it's nearly netz), does the fulfillment of davening in the optimal way ...
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Kabed et Avicha v'et imecha vs Being one of the first ten for a minyan
We know that the first ten people who make up a minyan get schar for every person who attends that minyan. So what happens if a person and their father come to shul and see that there are 9 people. ...
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Which religious texts cause some Jews to focus and worship the material gains in this life (creation) rather than to Hashem (the creator)? [closed]
Please see this article in Asbury Park Press regarding welfare fraud by rabbis.
Also, years ago when Christy was a NJ state prosecutor there was another roundup of rabbis in a New Jersey corruption ...
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Order for tevilah and kashering
This is an extension of this question.
If one purchases used keilim from a non-Jew which would require both tevilah and kashering, which order is prescribed: tevilah then kashering or kashering then ...
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Whose life comes first? Apparently contradictory Rabbinical statements
There seem to be two contradictory statements of the Rabbis.
One is: Sanhedrin 74a
מי יימר דדמא דידך סומק טפי דילמא דמא דההוא גברא סומק טפי
who knows whether your blood is redder than his ...
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What is the preferred order of operations when replacing a mezuzah?
The scenario: While on vacation I bought a beautiful new mezuzah case, it is small but quite nice. The plan is the use it to replace a mezuzah already in the house. There are lots of sources saying ...
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An esrog or a lulav: which one to buy?
If a person had to choose between buying an esrog or a lulav, which one should he buy? For example, if he cannot afford to buy both or supplies are extremely limited.
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Davening in Disrespectful Clothing: Which is Better?
As discussed in these questions regarding shorts, underclothes, and nightgowns, among others, there are certain restrictions of what one may and may not wear when davening.
I am assuming it's better ...
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Which to choose: relations with a non Jewish woman or wasting seed
If a man had to choose, which should he choose: relations with a non Jewish woman or wasting seed?
Someone told me that he was taught that relations with a non Jewish woman should be chosen (that is ...
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Oneg Shabbos or Havadlah
If one only has a limited income and has a choice between Oneg Shabbos or Wine for Havadlah which goes first?
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If parents need food and clothing, which parent to care for first? [duplicate]
If both mother and father ask for food and clothing, whom should I give them to first? I heard that mother should be cared first but anyone else knows?
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Kiddush Levana the night of Purim
It is the night of Purim and for some reason the majority of the Shul has not yet said Kiddush Levana. Should Kiddush Levana be said prior to Megila due to "Tadur" it being more frequent? (source)
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Are there any examples of mother having priority over father?
Are there any cases in which mother takes precedence over father?
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Why prefer the father to the mother?
"A father can protest that his son not say Kaddish for his mother, because the father's honor comes first (Darchei Moshe 376)."
http://dafyomi.co.il/erchin/halachah/er-hl-025.htm
"Question (an ...
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Kavana vs. Minyan
If I find myself in a situation where davening with a particular minyan will be detrimental to my kavana, should I daven b'yechidut but with a better focus and concentration, or should I stay with the ...
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Is it more preferable to pray with concentration alone or with a minyan in shul?
There's a בית כנסת nearby that has מנינים every half hour between 6:00am until 9:20am. There's another one that has two מנינים, one at 6:40am and one at 7:40am.
The בית כנסת that goes later has one ...
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Weighing mitzvot/aveirot
I apologize for the somewhat vague question; it was difficult to write. I would welcome any specific editing suggestions.
What matters in the calculation of a person's righteousness? Is it:
Number ...
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Is it Halachically permissible to use tefillin peshutim if one cannot afford better tefillin?
I would like to buy my first Tefillin. I was raised in a semi-secular household, and thus do not own a pair of my own.
However, being a student, I am tight with my money. I understand that there is ...
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Government subsidies or tzedoko
it is preferable not to take charity from non-Jews (maybe only if it is not in private)
Source Yore daiya 254
In a case of need (someone needs money for housing and/or food),
which is more ...
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Slichos, netz and nusach [closed]
A person who is ashkenaz (father ashkenaz, mother sephardi) has the habit of praying netz with the only minyan in his area that does, and it is a sephardi minyan. In order to not be different than the ...
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BeRov Am Hadrat HaMelech - Even if person doesn't hear the Chazan?
In choosing Minyan the Klal BeRov Am Hadrat HaMelech (more people is better) applies. But if minyan is so huge that there are difficulties for a person, who is far from Chazan to hear him.
Is it ...
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Priorities: Tefillah & Tachanun vs Tefillah w/o
In my synagogue, Mincha ketana is always right before sunset.By the time the Sh"tz finishes, it is past sunset and there is no Tachanun.
I can go to Mincha gedola with Tachnun at a different place.
I ...
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Does the proximity rule for hand washing water extend to b'racha precedence?
Assuming that one must wash one's hands before eating bread unless the water is very far away, and
assuming one is near water, and
assuming that the highest precedence b'racha is the b'racha for bread ...
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Is it permissible to learn out loud while the tzibbur is davening?
In my local shul during mincha/maariv a daf yomi chabura learns out loud during davening in the same beis medrash as the rest of the tzibbur.
Do they have a right to do so? The problem is that I can'...
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Is one allowed to get a job where no minyan could be found?
If one lives in a Jewish community with access to synogogues, can one accept a job offer in a nearby city/location where there are no nearby synagogues to enable one to pray mincha with a minyan?
Let'...
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Should one avoid immodest environments when choosing a service?
In shema we say:
And they shall be tzitzit for you, and when you look at them you will remember all of the Lord's commandments
and do them and not follow after your heart and after your eyes
...
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Not passing up a mitzvah: putting away laundry at a parent's behest: closest pile first?
My kid asked:
I know there's a general rule of en maavirin al hamtizvos, we don't pass over a mitzva. For example, in mishnayos Yoma, the kohanim don't pass over the nearest blood basin to put ...
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Tvilas keilim in winter - better in river or lake? (if no mikva around)
In a situation where it's winter and two options are available, is it better to toivel in a river or in a lake? Which option is preferable? Both the river and lake are "medium large".
When I ...
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Is there an order in repaying loans?
If Reuven borrowed money from several people, and has enough money to pay back all the loans, just not all at the same time (say, for example, if he has money tied up in real estate or something), are ...
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Choosing between Brachos on Shma and Sof Zman Kriyas Shema
Let's say Yosef woke up late one day, and by the time he was ready to say kriyas shema, it was two minutes before sof zman kriyas shema (the latest time at which a person could say kriyas shema). He ...
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Doctor recommends pacemaker. Does the patient have to listen?
Suppose a doctor recommends a patient receive a pacemaker, both improve the quality of life and extend the patients life. However, the patient has no interest in getting one. Does Halacha compel the ...
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Pikuach Nefesh and different levels of Halacha
Here's a theoretical: if someone has to save a life and has two equally easy options, both of which violate halacha, one d'oraita and one d'rabbanan. Should he choose the d'oraita or the d'rabbanan?
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What's the definition of "not now" for priority-of-b'racha purposes?
Orach Chayim 211 is about what food to recite a blessing over (that is, and eat) first when one wishes to eat two foods. It's clear that (except according to the Rambam cited in 211:2) one does not ...
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Pray hurriedly as soon as time comes for mincha/maariv arrives or wait but pray with more kavanah
Suppose one works in a non-Jewish office environment with rooms that can be used for prayer.
Should one wait till one arrives at home and pray Mincha there at leisure or do it at work earlier when ...
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Choosing between forbidden acts?
Is there a general rule or rules that one can use to determine which one of two forbidden activities should be chosen in the event that for whatever reason, it is inevitable one of them must be done ...
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Too fast or no minyan?
Suppose the only minyan available for someone to attend is one which moves far too fast for him. Even with arriving early and starting ahead of time, he only has time to say a fraction of psukei d'...
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Examples of having to choose between two "lavs"?
There are classic examples of having to choose between two positive commandments (e.g. if one only has money for one, do you buy wine for Shabbas or candles), and there are known cases where a ...
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How far may one go with doing an aveira (violating a negative mitzva) if it means performing a positive mitzva?
I cannot remember where, but somewhere in gemara it mentions that when confronted with doing a positive mitzva or keeping a negative mitzva, one should do a positive mitzva. How far does this go ...
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Why don't some do yibum today, l'chatchilah?
According to the Mishna (Bechorot 1:7) the reason not to perform yibum nowadays is people don't have intention l'shem mitzva when performing yibum. Firstly I would like to know if there are any other ...
