All Questions
40,781
questions
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11
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PTIJ: Why do we glorify Pearl Harbor?
I don't think that our educational system should include songs which celebrate war. Is there any discussion why we teach children to sing about the attack on Pearl Harbor as if it was a divine ...
5
votes
1
answer
29
views
PTIJ: Guide to being a super hero if you are Jewish
There have been many super heroes in Jewish history. For example, Rivka was actually Batman. See Onkelos on Bereshit 24:23:
וַאֲמַר בַּת מָן אַתְּ
And he (Eliezer) said "You are Batman"
...
1
vote
0
answers
16
views
Would Torah consider kundalini awakening as Avoda Zara or is there a kosher equivilant that can be found in Jewish mysticism also?
BH
Is kundalini awakening considered Avoda Zara or is there a kosher equivalent that can be found in Jewish mysticism also?
1
vote
1
answer
28
views
Who is מהרי''א?
Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser constantly refers to מהרי''א? What is his full name?
For example:
אך למה הוצג גם כאן, ולמה באו פה שנויים רבים וחלופים בתיבות ובאותיות, צריכים אנו לשמוע לדברי ...
2
votes
0
answers
27
views
Are men with dead or divorced wives before the first year still exempt
According to Deuteronomy 24:5 a man is exempt from public service for a year when he marries a wife. What does Halacha say in the case a man marries a woman and divorced her or she dies before that ...
2
votes
1
answer
45
views
Could the court compel a man to marry
I’ve heard that the court could compel a man to find a wife unless he was fully involved in the study of Torah. Is this true?
0
votes
0
answers
28
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Arguments for getting drafted in Israel [closed]
Is it mandatory for Jews to be drafted into the IDF rather than be Torah Scholars?
Didn't Jews used to fight for their nation during the times of King David?
How does one choose whether or not to be a ...
4
votes
1
answer
39
views
What is the magical tree in this SE site's logo?
Finally my curiosity got the best of me, after seeing the icon for Mi Yodeya appear in the "Hot Network Questions" sidebar so many times. I joined this community just to ask:
What is the ...
0
votes
1
answer
42
views
Is there a mitzvah not to ignore a person?
BH
This probably very common sense question although what is the mitzvah that when your with a person you shouldn’t ignore them? What’s the source?
4
votes
1
answer
331
views
Are glasses muktzeh on shabbat for Jews who can see
According to the Halacha, are glasses muktzeh on Shabbat for Jews who can see fine without them? Or no, are they not muktzeh and may they be moved on Shabbat?
2
votes
1
answer
215
views
Does peanut butter need a Hechsher
What’s the Halacha regarding whether Jews may eat peanut butter without a Hechsher? If they buy peanut butter from gentiles, do they require a kosher certification to eat?
0
votes
0
answers
36
views
PTIJ: eating Chametz on pesach
Before Pesach, we say כל חמירא וחמיעא which turns all the Chametz we own into dust. Dust, as we know, is not food and certainly not Chametz. Thus, can one say כל חמירא and then proceed to eat all his ...
0
votes
0
answers
60
views
What exactly is an atheist rabbi?
I am not Jewish.
I asked on Quora what happens (in the most technical sense) to a rabbi who converts to Muslim religion. Also same question about one who becomes an atheist.
I was told that smicha ...
3
votes
1
answer
45
views
Where do the rabbis get the Noahide Law prohibiting the consumption of the meat from a living animal: "ever min hachai"?
At first, this may seem obvious. The source is Genesis 9:4 -
"Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat."
Put in other words -
"But you must not ...
1
vote
0
answers
30
views
How do mashgichot certify large brands with regards to bishul akum?
How do big brands like Kraft and others produce kosher certified foods while avoiding bishul akum? Do these brands have Jews on staff to light fires/operate machinery at the food production plants? Is ...
2
votes
0
answers
26
views
PTIJ: What are some customs and traditions of the Yishletu Chasidim?
I haven't met very many Yishletuers, and am looking to get some more information. From what I've heard, their name comes from "yesh l'tu", since they go out of their way to make sure they do ...
1
vote
1
answer
47
views
Teaching Gemara to a beginner to prepare for yeshiva. Goal is basic fluency. Looking for a simple perek/masechet to learn. Thanks!
He's a senior in high school and a very smart, analytical fellow though he lacks some basic textual skills because he's in public school. Going for gap year yeshiva next year and they said he should ...
2
votes
1
answer
67
views
Why do the rabbis disagree on halacha with God
I would like to know why the rabbis disagree with God on Halacha in Baba Metzia 86a:
סָפֵק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר טָהוֹר וְכוּלְּהוּ מְתִיבְתָּא
דִרְקִיעָא אָמְרִי טָמֵא וְאָמְרִי מַאן ...
-1
votes
0
answers
37
views
PTIJ: What came first the chicken or the egg? [closed]
What came first the chicken or the egg? The age-old question has bothered people forever. Any opinion from the sages is appreciated.
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken ...
1
vote
0
answers
21
views
Send Mishloach Manot to someone in a different time zone
There are many different scenarios in this questions.
Here are a few
On Purim day someone living in Melbourne, Australia ask someone to deliver MM to someone in Los Angeles, USA on Purim. When it is ...
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
Stunning after slaughter
I just read an article that basically said that the law in Canada is such that, it is detrimental in producing a normal output of kosher meat for their market.
Canada apparently needs one to make sure ...
4
votes
0
answers
57
views
PTIJ: Can my friend be eaten?
My Hebrew is far short of what I would like, so I often must rely on translation. In the translation I read:
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given ...
0
votes
1
answer
79
views
The connection between King Ahashverosh and the king of the world
According to the Midrash, the king mentioned in the Megilat Esther is G-d.
So how is it that the king was looking for a wife? How did he kill his first wife? How did he raise the wicked Haman to ...
0
votes
1
answer
148
views
Why did Mordecai behave towards Haman in this way?
Haman was enraged at Mordechai's behavior, according to Megilat Esther he investigated his people and directed his hatred and revenge towards Mordecai to all of Mordecai's people, that is, to the Jews....
1
vote
1
answer
41
views
Why did Mordecai save Achashverosh? [duplicate]
It is known that Achashverosh was an evil king and encouraged Haman to kill the Jews in exchange for making money. Moreover,he made a feast for the Jews with the temple vessels. If so, why did ...
3
votes
0
answers
56
views
Hearing Aids During Shabbat- Sleeping
It seems to be accepted that a hearing aid should be turned on before Shabbat. Out of curiosity, how do people practically manage having their hearing aids left on when they are sleeping in a ...
3
votes
1
answer
136
views
Origins of the term "עולם השקר"
What are the earliest sources referring to our world as "עולם השקר"?
Thank you
3
votes
1
answer
53
views
What is the origin of the division of the Torah into five books [duplicate]
As we start Sefer Vayikra, my chavruta and I have again looked for and been unable to find a satisfactory answer to the question:
“What is the origin of the division of the Torah into five books and ...
9
votes
6
answers
2k
views
PTIJ: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Just wondering if Torah sources have any answer to the world's most timeless and compelling question: why did the chicken cross the road?
This question is Purim Torah and is not intended to be taken ...
1
vote
1
answer
159
views
PTIJ: How can we have extra simcha when the trees are brought in if the tree is too big to move?
The gemara says in Taanit (29a):
מִשֶּׁנִּכְנַס אדר מַרְבִּין בְּשִׂמְחָה.
When adar comes in, we increase simcha.
What is an adar?
If we look at other places where the same word is used, we find ...
4
votes
1
answer
103
views
PTIJ: How are we supposed to ever be bisimcha?
Dovid HaMelech tells us in Tehillim (100:2) "עבדו את ה' בשמחה", that we should serve Hashem with happiness. Yet the Mishnah in Taanis (4:6) says "מִשֶּׁנִּכְנַס אָב, מְמַעֲטִין ...
0
votes
0
answers
20
views
Writing words in Hebrew/Loshon hakodesh, in English letters [closed]
Is in every word in Hebrew/Loshon hakodesh when written in English letters, do you put a capital letter at the beginning, or are there words that you don't?
And what about two words like Bar Mitzvah?
2
votes
0
answers
48
views
Is it obligatory to eliminate a mistaken custom?
Are there any halachic authorities who indicate that it is not just permissible to ignore a mistaken custom (minhag ta'ut) but actually obligatory to eliminate such a custom?
0
votes
0
answers
77
views
Pictures of married women before they were married - hair uncovered
Is there any reason whatsoever to not look at, or to not display in the house (or submit for job interviews, or use as profile picture on social media, etc etc), pictures of a married women, before ...
1
vote
1
answer
24
views
Crytocurrency Protocols and Ribbis [closed]
Is anyone familiar with the cyrpto protocols out there (like providing liquidity and staking, etc) in terms of knowing if there are issues of Ribbis?
I am currently contributing a minicsule amount to ...
5
votes
2
answers
723
views
PTIJ: How did the chickens get involved?
In explaining the various obligations on Purim, the codifiers insist that more than just men are obligated because "af Hen hayu b'oto hanes", even the hens were involved with the same ...
0
votes
0
answers
48
views
Was the 1986 Erev Pesach Attack on the Israelite Community of Demonah Tortious?
Was the 5746 (1986) Erev Pesach Attack on the African Israelite community Village of Peace in Demonah halachikly tortious?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqm3i_dI0rF/
Was it tortious for the Israeli ...
1
vote
0
answers
45
views
Where Can I Find a Full Set of Metikat Hapri?
There is an excellent set of green hard cover seforim (super commentary) by R. Refael Lofer on parts of Pri Megadim called Metikas Hapri. I own one volume. Where in the US can one locate a full set?
0
votes
1
answer
101
views
Are there any Rabbis who require a DNA test for every child born as a means of preventing infidelity?
If your wife commits infidelity, you are required to divorce her. This is taken from Mishneh Torah, Divorce 11.
וּבִכְלַל לָאו זֶה שֶׁכָּל אִשָּׁה שֶׁזִּנְּתָה תַּחַת בַּעְלָהּ
נֶאֶסְרָה עָלָיו ...
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
Having someone recite a hesped for someone they didn’t know
Is there anything problematic in Halacha with having somebody recite a hesped for somebody else if they didn’t know each other? Or is there nothing wrong with it? Does it make a difference if the ...
5
votes
2
answers
210
views
PTIJ: Why do chasidim say they're Haman before performing mitvos?
I've noticed a very common phrase in Siddurim that is printed before mitzvos such as kiddush levana, birchas hamazon, etc... "הנני ממוכן ומזמן" which translates as "I am hereby '...
0
votes
0
answers
52
views
Most Practical Havdala Candle [closed]
What have you found to be the most practical havdala candle/brand you have used? We tried using stand alone candles, but struggle with cutting out large chunks when the wick descended below the wax ...
9
votes
1
answer
536
views
PTIJ: Biden and the towel
The Mishnah says [Shabbat 22:5]:
אבל עשרה בני אדם מסתפגין באלונטית אחת פניהם ידיהם ורגליהם, ומביאין אותה בידן.
However, ten people may use one towel to dry their faces, hands, and feet, and may ...
0
votes
2
answers
38
views
May sick Jews eat before Davening shacharit
According to Halacha is it permissible for sick Jews to eat before shacharit? Or is it prohibited just like it is normally?
3
votes
1
answer
113
views
Are there exceptions to pass exams during Passover?
Context: in France, access to some elite schools is done through an extremely competitive exam that takes place nationally for everyone at the same time. To take part, students go through two years of ...
3
votes
2
answers
302
views
"Purimfest 1946" and the ten sons of Haman
In the Megillah (Esther 9:7), the Torah lists the ten sons of Haman that were hanged. If we look at the words, we notice that some letters are written small.For example, the "tav" in the ...
-1
votes
0
answers
89
views
Halachik category of Israelites today? [closed]
Is a direct male descendant of Ya'akov who is a member of a Hebrew Israelite community, not deemed normative by some other Jews, in the same legal category as a Karaite? Or the same legal category as ...
1
vote
1
answer
41
views
Source for forgiving sins for embarrassment
What’s the source for the idea that you get כפרת עונות when you are embarrassed?
I’m not referring to one being ashamed and embarrassed of sinning, but rather one who randomly gets embarrassed during ...
2
votes
0
answers
38
views
Prayers from Shacharit liturgy that should be said daily even if Shacharit is missed
If I miss Shacharit, which prayers from the Shacharit liturgy should I be sure to still say (even if I have to say them later in the day)? I know I should say an extra Amida during Mincha if I missed ...
2
votes
2
answers
88
views
Is Purim Panim Chadashot for reciting Sheva berachot
Inspired by this question, I am curious, is Purim considered by Halacha to be Panim Chadashot? Or no, is Purim not considered similar to Shabbat and Yom Tov in this respect and having new physical ...