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I heard from a Rav in a shiur that he saw written somewhere in the name of the Ba'al HaTanya an explanation for the song Echad Mi Yodeya at the end of the Haggadah. It seems a little incongruous to ...

I heard recently a devar Torah where the Rav quoted the Kotzker Rebbe as saying a phrase in Yiddish (which I don't remember/didn't understand), something of the likes of: "it's late, but never ...

We take it as a given that it's important to refine our character because we'll be a blessing to the people around us, commit fewer transgressions and perform more mitzvos. But do we have a source for ...

I'm reading a work by a contemporary Jewish author who has some midrashic inspiration, however vague. I came across a passage that attempts to impute significance to the number of times "light&...

Assuming we treat electric appliances that create glowing red metal as fire in regard to shabbos, is anyone aware of any teshuva that discuss using it for burning chometz (aside from the Rashash ...

The Gemara says in Pesachim 110b כְּלָלָא דְמִילְּתָא כׇּל דְּקָפֵיד קָפְדִי בַּהֲדֵיהּ וּדְלָא קָפֵיד לָא קָפְדִי בַּהֲדֵיהּ וּמִיהוּ לְמֵיחַשׁ מִיבְּעֵי. The general rule is that anyone who is ...

If one listens and feels uncomfortable to protest, is that accepting lashon hara? Must one verbally accept it? Is it accepting if one merely accepts it in their heart but verbally says they do not ...

A friend of mine informed me that a few coronavirus vaccines might have used aborted fetal cells during development and/or production. What I have found by so far is that these cells were grown in ...

Q. 1 Why were the bnei Yisroel bringing along dough in the first place the passuk clearly says they did not pack any provisions. ( This was a praiseworthy sign of their trust in Hashem as stated by ...

Who knows three hundred fifty-two? שנים וחמישים ושלוש מאות - מי יודע?‏ The traditional Passover song "Echad - mi yodeya" implies a possible presupposition that there is a Jewish significance ...

Yohanan ben Zakkai allegedly said the following: “If you are holding a sapling in your hand and someone tells you, 'Come quickly, the Messiah is here!', first finish planting the tree and then go to ...

Background information There's no longer a shortage of non-medical N95 / FFP2 masks. Anyone who wants enhanced protection against COVID can now get some. Despite some rumors to the contrary, these ...

Commenting on Bereishit 6:6, Rashi provides examples for defending the Omniscience of HaShem by stating: "The following extract from the Midrash Rabbah I am writing in order that you may know how ...

I was discussing the credibility of "National Revelation" as a standard to accept or reject proof. I am a science, mathematic and law orientated person and this threshold to accept or reject ...

As a followup to this question, the pandemic has created some interesting situations. In one shul in which I daven, on a Monday/Thursday the one who reads the Torah also receives all the aliyot. As ...

In I Kings 3:16-28 Shlomo Hamelech rendered the well-renowned verdict that made all of Yisrael stand in awe concerning the decision between the Two Harlots. Outside of the fact that the women were ...

Christian scholars have been writing about war for centuries. The "just war theory" is perhaps the greatest contribution that Christians have made to the moral study of war. This got me ...

Please see the introduction to Perek Shirah (PDF source). In story of David hamelech who meets the frog, it says that the frog told him that he gives up his life as he allows himself to be eaten by a ...

What are some explanations that are given for the fact that some Rishonim had girsot of the Chumash that evidently differed from the text of the Chumash that we have today? For example, Rashi. I don't ...

The Rambam writes [based on Pirkei Avot 4:12, Keritot 28a and other places]: Just as a person is commanded to honor and revere his father, so is he under an obligation to honor and revere his teacher,...

In Genesis 22: 1 we read: "And it came to pass after these things, that ha Elohim tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am." I see that the ...

I recently was reading about allergies and discovered examples of where individuals could experience anaphylaxis from ingesting grapes and grape derivatives. I was curious as to what the protocol is ...

In Divrei Hayamim 2:21:2 it says: "He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were sons of King Jehoshaphat of Israel. But ...

I'm making a דרשה related to פסח and I want to look up the source of מעשה בר' אליעזר, I don't know where it's located, is it in גמרא, does it even have a source besides of the הגדה? מעשה בר' אליעזר ...

In Bereishit 4:26, we read : "And to Seth also to him a son was born, and he named him Enosh; then it became common to call by the name of the Lord." (וּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן ...

Let's say that a person opens a jar of pickles that is kosher for Passover, and eats from it during the week before Passover starts. Can the jar still be used during Passover?

Shalom. It is census time in my country (the U.K.). I have been wondering how Jews have historically dealt with these requests on the part of foreign governments. Obviously the members of one’s ...

Please provide as many different answers as you can on why is aveilus for a parent for a year and all others is only 30 days. What different heartfelt ideas come to mind? What are some ideas that ...

I have heard that matzoh produced specifically with the intention that it will not be used on pesach is not included in the prohibition of eating matzoh on erev pesach. This seems to be based upon the ...

וּרְחוֹקִ֣ים ׀ יָבֹ֗אוּ וּבָנוּ֙ בְּהֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה וִידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ אִם־שָׁמ֣וֹעַ תִּשְׁמְע֔וּן בְּק֖וֹל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (ס) Men from far away ...

Rashi (Vayikra 8:28) quotes the Gemara Avoda Zara saying ויקטר המזבחה. מֹשֶׁה שִׁמֵּשׁ כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים בְּחָלוּק לָבָן (עבודה זרה ל"ד) — Moshe (though a non-kohen) was ...

What brought me to inquire about this topic (besides seeing products as being labeled not kosher for Pesach) was the name Matzah itself. Matzah by definition means unleavened bread. I understand that ...

If I upvote a friend / relatives question on miyodea, I will not be doing it solely because I like his question or answer. Is this in a way like a koroiv (relative) who is forbidden to give testimony ...

Many religions such as Islam, sikhism, etc... believe in the divine decree i.e. everything we: do, say, think, feel and everything that happens around us like the weather, earth quakes, etc... is ...

In this book, a Christian writer by the name of John Hutchinson alleges that the following passages are found in the Jewish prayers, and that when collected together, compose a form similar to the ...

This is a case where I am fairly certain that I know the practical halacha, but don't understand the issues underlying the practice. Let's say you chop up some apples and nuts before Pesach on a ...

The Mishna 4 of the 10th Perek of Pesachim ends with "And he expounds from the passage (Sefaria): מַתְחִיל בִּגְנוּת וּמְסַיֵּם בְּשֶׁבַח, וְדוֹרֵשׁ מֵאֲרַמִּי אוֹבֵד אָבִי, עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר כֹּל ...

I've noticed that the lists of aged (reposado and añejo) tequila approved for Pessach went from a fairly sizeable number in 5780 down to two in 5781. Someone I know, who is an executive in a ...

Masechet Derekh Eretz Zuta says: ט׳ נכנסו בחייהם בג״ע. ואלו הן חנוך בן ירד ואליהו ומשיח ואליעזר עבד אברהם וחירם מלך צור ועבד מלך הכושי ויעבץ בנו של רבי יהודה הנשיא ובתיה בת פרעה וסרח בת אשר ויש ...

I am having a hard time finding sources for Hilchos Lashon Hora from the Rishonim and Achronim (or further back). Does anyone know of good sources for Hilchos Lashon Hora from before the Chofetz Chaim?...

If one has taken a 'swim' in the Talmud, it would become apparent that Rebbi Meir is often cited as "he used to say". I cannot express with certainty that it is a completely unusual ...

The Daas Zekeinim (Shemos 12:8) writes ד"א כנגד ד' כוסות שאמר שר המשקים ליוסף - Yet another interpretation about why we drink four cups of wine on the night of the seder. It is a reminder of the ...

Ashkenazi custom is (was?) to recite piyyutim during shacharit of shabbat hagadol (the shabbat before pesach). As part of the kerovot, the piyyut elo-hei haruchot lechol basar is recited, containing a ...

In his chapter on Lurianic Kabbalah in Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, Scholem refers to a Midrashic source that Luria creatively re-reads to ground the mystical concept of tzimtzum. The ...

Why separate dishes for Passover? I understand milk and meat dishes. I understand how hot and sharp can transmit treifness, how "noten ta'am l'fgam" works (I think). It all makes sense. But ...

1- After Malachi ,did the the majority of Jews expect a prophet to come ?if so what is his supposed role ? 2- Did they think a prophet must come (other than Elijah) before the coming of the messiah ?...

It is the custom of some to say the Daily Nasi on the first 13 days of the month of Nissan. Is there any ideal time of day to day this?

Shalom. I am having difficulty understanding why Hashem chose to deliver the definitive message about something as important as the Resurrection through an angel and not, directly, Himself (Daniel 12:...

The Sefer Matamim is written by Rav Yitzchak Lipetz of Shedlitz. His work provides fascinating reasons for various customs throughout the Jewish calendar, and is occasionally quoted in various sources....

Is the Shulchan Aruch not consistent with the idea taught today that you can have Secular Jews / Halachically Jewish non-believing Jews? For example https://www.sefaria.org/Shulchan_Arukh%2C_Yoreh_De'...