Questions tagged [safek]
for questions about cases of doubt or uncertainty
97
questions
7
votes
3
answers
472
views
Schrödinger's cat and yibbum
Over Shabbos, the Shalosh Seudos discussion turned to the Monty Hall problem, which confused a lot of people [and which (#Humblebrag) I was able to clear up for them in under 30 seconds ;)].
Then, ...
- 11
10
votes
1
answer
228
views
What was the ריב"א thinking?
In ריקאנטי number 166,1 he records a story about the ריב"א:
ושמעתי כי ריב"א חלה חוליו שמת בו וחל יוה"כ באותם הימים וא"ל הרופאים אם
לא תאכלו ודאי תמות ואם תאכל שמא לא תחיה והוא ז&...
- 18.9k
0
votes
1
answer
51
views
Safek echad baguf safek echad beta'arovet
What is safek beguf safek beta'arovet? Specifically, what is the the safek beguf? Also, How does it relate to safek sefeka?
- 25.3k
0
votes
0
answers
34
views
When do we say safek d'rabanan lekula? [duplicate]
There is a concept that in matters of doubt that pertain to derabanans we pasken lekula. I have seen this applied to doubts in realia as well as halachik doubts (eg machlokes). Nevertheless, it is ...
- 150
9
votes
5
answers
352
views
חזקה מעיקרא vs ספק
I am in the middle of מחלוקת with someone as to, if I originally had a חזקה and now there's a ספק to whether that status is still true, whether I maintain that original status or my status changes to ...
- 22.5k
2
votes
1
answer
448
views
According to the Rishonim who hold a Bracha Levatala is forbidden Min Hatorah, why do we need a category of Safek Brachot Lehakel?
If a Bracha Levatala (blessing in vain) is forbidden from Torah Law, why do we need a special category of Safek Brachot Lehakel?
Almost all Brachot are Derabanan, and how could we do a safek mitzvah ...
- 40.2k
6
votes
2
answers
240
views
Why do we have an explicit rule of Safek Brachos Lehakel if we already have a greater encompassing rule of Safek D'Rabanan L'kulah?
I understand that Safek brachos lehakel might simply be a corollary of Safek D'rabana L'kulah, however I assume there is some nafka minah between the two. The only reason we would have safek brachos ...
- 40.2k
3
votes
1
answer
239
views
Does one Make a Bracha on Tzitzis during Bein Hashmashos?
There is a fundamental Machlokes Rishonim whether when the Gemara says that there is no Chiyuv of Tzitzis at night, is that referring to the Gavra or to the Cheftza.
The question now is: a person puts ...
- 48.7k
3
votes
1
answer
166
views
Sfek Sfeka for a Bar Mitzvah
Suppose a boy was born Bein Hashemashos. Since this is a period of "maybe it's still day, maybe it's already night," seemingly the doubt would translate into "maybe he was born on day 1,...
- 6,068
0
votes
0
answers
149
views
Repeating doubtful phrases: What order?
Current practice in many Ashkenazi synagogues includes the following:
On shabbat zachor, repetition of (at least part of) Devarim 25:19, due to a doubt over whether the zayin of זכר is vowelized with ...
- 40.2k
6
votes
0
answers
87
views
Does the 16th of Shevat have any halachic effects?
For most Torah holidays, we keep two days outside Israel out of doubt.
Tu bishvat is a day with Biblical effects (though I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a Biblical "holiday", or a Rabbinic one ...
- 9,037
6
votes
1
answer
465
views
Does adding a different liquid to a pre-existing drink require a new Shehakol?
Suppose one makes a "shehakol" on the water, and doesn't have in mind any other drinks.
When there's a third of the glass left, the person refills the glass with seltzer/soda (the glass is now 1/3 ...
- 44.6k
5
votes
2
answers
233
views
Why do you need a chazakah and a sefeik sefeikah in Demai 1:1?
Maseches Demai opens up by addressing the "leniencies of Demai." As the Bartenura there explains, these lenient items are those which are essentially garbage - foods that people typically wouldn't eat ...
CommunityBot
- 1
3
votes
0
answers
59
views
What is a Safek Muchlat? (i.e. unsure if he's a full-fledged Metzora)
The Mishna in Nazir 8:2 (Daf 59b and various other times in tractate Nazir) discusses a person who may or may not be a Metzora that is supposed to be sent out of the city walls.
To quote with the ...
CommunityBot
- 1
7
votes
3
answers
760
views
logic behind kol kavua k'mechtza al mechtze
there is a principle in halacha regarding doubts that if something is separated from a kavua (fixed place) it is treated as 50/50% chance even if the permitted is the majority.
but if it is found in ...
- 22.5k
7
votes
1
answer
163
views
How can we be lenient in a case of mixed up teruma?
The Mishna (Terumot 7:5) says:
שְׁתֵּי קֻפּוֹת, אַחַת שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה וְאַחַת שֶׁל חֻלִּין, שֶׁנָּפְלָה סְאָה תְרוּמָה לְתוֹךְ אַחַת מֵהֶן וְאֵין יָדוּעַ לְאֵיזוֹ מֵהֶן נָפְלָה, הֲרֵי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר, ...
CommunityBot
- 1
3
votes
0
answers
40
views
When did two days of Rosh Hodesh begin and the concept of "doubt"?
I'm trying to understand the historical workings of Rosh Hodesh prior to Sanhedrin.
I assume that the entire concept of having possibly 2 days Rosh Hodesh was related to the timing of when witnesses ...
- 11.9k
3
votes
2
answers
142
views
Why are doubtful nega'im (generally) pure? (Nega'im 5:1)
Nega'im 5:1 teaches that all cases of doubtful nega'im are to be ruled pure, with two exceptions:
A case where it is unclear whether white hairs in a nega' appeared before or after the nega' itself.
...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
1
answer
78
views
Why does the servant register on a Pesach by himself?
Pesachim 8:2:
הָאוֹמֵר לְעַבְדּוֹ, צֵא וּשְׁחֹט עָלַי אֶת הַפֶּסַח, שָׁחַט גְּדִי, יֹאכַל. שָׁחַט טָלֶה, יֹאכַל. שָׁחַט גְּדִי וְטָלֶה, יֹאכַל מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן.
שָׁכַח מָה אָמַר לוֹ רַבּוֹ, כֵּיצַד ...
CommunityBot
- 1
5
votes
0
answers
56
views
Has anyone tried out the Har Hakarmel bein hashemashos climb according to various Rishonim?
The Gemara on Shabbos 35a says:
אמר רבי חנינא: הרוצה לידע שיעורו של רבי נחמיה יניח חמה בראש הכרמל, וירד ויטבול בים ויעלה, וזהו שיעורו של רבי נחמיה.
Anyone who wants to know the shiur of R' Nechemia'...
CommunityBot
- 1
6
votes
1
answer
91
views
Why is the principle of faith about Moshiach constructed as a rhetorical argument?
Why is the 12th principle of faith in the Ani Maamin poem about Moshiach constructed rhetorically - on a circumstantial situation "even if / in spite of that!"? In other words, the author says "I ...
- 1,338
1
vote
0
answers
369
views
Are crayons allowed?
If a non-toxic (but also non-food) wax crayon is known/suspected to contain both meat (e.g. stearic acid; see e.g. here) and milk (e.g. dairy-derived palmitic acid), may one use it or does it qualify ...
- 17.5k
4
votes
0
answers
29
views
What happens if one isn’t sure if ten Jews are watching? [duplicate]
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 74a-b) rules that if ten Jews are present when a non-Jew threatens a Jew to perform any sin - even to dress like a non-Jew - on pain of death, the Jew is obligated to give up his ...
- 23.9k
1
vote
0
answers
45
views
Safek in Pidyon haBen [closed]
When a fatherless child with a living mother that knows he was a firstborn but does not know whether his father did the Pidyon on him.
When an orphan whose both parents died when he was a toddler, ...
- 73.6k
1
vote
1
answer
154
views
why do kohanim make a bracha on birkat kohanim if they are safek kohanim?
If Kohanim nowadays are safek kohanim how can they make a bracha on Birkat kohanim isn't the rule "safek brachot le'hakel"?
- 40.2k
9
votes
1
answer
450
views
Baby boy born bein hashmashot when you don't know what day it is
Extreme hypothetical here...
We know (MT Hilchot Mila 1:9) that mila on the (definite) 8th day is doche Shabbat. If the baby is born bein hashmashot, when we're not sure what day it is, it cannot be ...
- 42.5k
3
votes
0
answers
125
views
How do we know the maternal line is pure?
This question may seem abstract and strange, but it is genuine.
We obviously don't have ketubot of every marriage and certificates of every conversion, but yet, our assumption is that the Jewish ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
1
answer
125
views
Sages that questioned the existence of Hashem
While I'm sure there are individuals that perhaps struggled with their belief in Hashem and His "existence" were there ever any great chachamim (sages) from the throughout the generations that perhaps ...
- 6,889
0
votes
1
answer
429
views
Can a person (or cat) be both alive and dead at the same time? (Schrödinger's paradox)
Related: Schrödinger's cat and yibbum
That question assumes that Schrödinger's paradox is possible, and that someone can be both dead and alive at the same time.
So, is that actually true ...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
72
views
why no sfeika deyoma for sfiras haomer? [duplicate]
Most or all Jewish holidays have an extra day in the Diaspora, to accomodate for sfeike deyoma, so why do we not count two numbers each day of sfira?
- 129k
4
votes
1
answer
435
views
Is it wrong to hang a Mezuzah diagonally?
I heard we're supposed to hang a mezuzah the same way as the door bolts.
The door bolt is either horizontal or vertical. I know that the strong debate over whether it should be vertically or ...
- 6,908
4
votes
1
answer
384
views
What is the status of those who need to undergo geyur lechumra?
What is the status of one who needs to undergo a giyur lechumra, but have yet to undergo the actual process? Can they be counted in a minyan? Are they considered Jewish? Can they serve as eydim? FoR: ...
- 73.6k
5
votes
2
answers
288
views
What should I do if I don't know whether I'm in a pikuach nefesh situation?
Suppose I find myself in a situation where I am not sure whether my life is sufficiently in danger to warrant halachot of pikuach nefesh to come into play. What should I do in this case? Am I supposed ...
4
votes
2
answers
234
views
Why is one who touched doubtful Tumah in a public domain considered Tahor?
The source that doubtful Tumah in a private domain is Tamei is the Gemara in Sotah (28b - see there for translation):
מה ת"ל והיא נטמאה והיא לא נטמאה אם נטמאה למה שותה אם לא נטמאה למה משקה מגיד לך ...
CommunityBot
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
88
views
Rambam on color certainty of tekheleth
According to a questioner on this page, the Rambam in the Pirush HaMishna contradicts the Rambam in Hilchoth Tzitzith regarding whether we can dye tekheleth due to uncertainty about the color. Where ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
2
answers
303
views
Why is a safek d'oraisa lechumra and a safek d'rabbanan lekula?
It is an established principle that when in doubt regarding a Torah law we rule stringently, whereas when in doubt regarding a Rabbinic law we rule leniently. Why is this the case? Why aren't we ...
- 19.2k
0
votes
0
answers
64
views
Shabbat after losing track of time
I have been reviewing the laws of what to do if one loses track of the days and doesn't know what day is shabbat. The laws are summarized here. Is there any repercussion in terms of his life after he ...
- 35.2k
4
votes
1
answer
913
views
Controversy Concerning Community Consumption of Chametz Coming from Costco
There is a Rabbinic prohibition on benefiting from chametz that was owned by a Jew over Passover. In recent years, an issue was raised in the New York area that a major distributor of grocery items ...
- 14.1k
5
votes
0
answers
162
views
How to deal with uncertainties in the Torah that lead to a change in meaning?
In Vayikra 14:19, there are different versions of the trop, and unlike most of them, this difference causes a change in the meaning of the words:
וְכִפֶּ֕ר עַל־הַמִּטַּהֵ֖ר מִטֻּמְאָת֑וֹ
(zakef-gadol,...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
0
answers
96
views
Practical suggestions for choosing between different nuschaot in the Torah
Unfortunately, it's not hard to find places in the Torah, and even more so in Nach, where we have a doubt about either the trop or the nekudot. (Or, more rarely, letters, but those are generally the ...
- 9,037
0
votes
0
answers
34
views
Doubt about Zemanim
There are several things that cannot be performed before Shekiah, and several things that cannot be done after. (For instance, one cannot daven Mincha after Shekiah.)
What if one is unsure if Shekiah ...
- 33.8k
7
votes
1
answer
94
views
Safek Leket Leket vs. Hamotzi Mechaveiro
On the one hand, the Mishnah (Pe'ah 4:11) records that doubtful leket goes to the poor. (Yes, I am aware that R' Meir says that. The Tosfos Yom Tov holds that everyone holds of that in principle and ...
- 22.5k
3
votes
0
answers
99
views
Probabilities vs תמים ? Weather forecast etc
There is an issur to ask astrologers (Pess. 113; Shul.Ar. YD 179,1). And Rashi says (Dev. 13, 18) התהלך עמו בתמימות ותצפה לו ולא תחקור אחר העתידות
So, is then a problem to
...compute probabilities?
...
- 13.2k
8
votes
1
answer
193
views
Do we assume a Bris or Pidyon has been done?
If I adopt a 3 year old whose paperwork indicates that both parents were Jewish (but I cannot contact them or get further information about their religiosity) and he was an only child, do I assume ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
2
answers
160
views
Holding like the majority opinion for a d'oraita?
In cases where there is a discussion among the Rishonim/Acharonim as to whether something is forbidden from the Torah (d'oraita), is it acceptable to go in accordance with those that deem it ...
- 17.5k
1
vote
0
answers
69
views
Sefeikos and Mathematical Modelling
I heard from a colleague that there exists a Sefer where the conclusions of Chazal on the status of certain Sefeikos can be represented in the form of probability models1.
Could anyone verify if ...
- 4,235
1
vote
2
answers
226
views
Are there restrictions to whom a foundling may marry?
Are there any restrictions to whom a foundling may marry?
For example, is a male foundling not allowed to marry a divorcee, because he may be a Cohen?
Or is he allowed to marry anyone he wants (i.e....
- 6,596
11
votes
3
answers
320
views
Counting the omer with doubt before the fixed calendar
Currently, according to a previous question on this site, we count the omer without doubt: "Today is the Xth day of the omer" because we have a fixed calendar, and because counting with doubt is ...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
3
answers
924
views
How can a man give a woman a gift without getting himself into a safek kiddushin?
According to jewish law a women is betrothed to a man when the man gives the woman a gift worth more than a prutah and recites the words "you are betrothed to me through this object".
How can a man ...
- 22.5k
-1
votes
2
answers
184
views
"Halachikly Complicated" Foods (Safek Bracha)
Over the Shabbos meal we discussed the idea of sending "Halachikly Complicated" Mishloach Manos. "Halachikly Complicated" meaning foods that cannot be eaten because we have a safek what their bracha ...
- 44.6k