All Questions
39,742
questions
2
votes
2
answers
352
views
Geihinom and Gan Eden
What are Gohenom and Gan Eden? Is it common to go to Gohenom before Gan Eden?
- 1,375
3
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Music on Rosh Chodesh Iyar?
1) Are you allowed to listen to Music on Rosh Chodesh Iyar? 1a) Does your individual Sefirah status matter such as the first half, second half or both?
AJ
9
votes
5
answers
992
views
Hashem is here and there and everywhere?
Is Hashem really in front of us, behind us, next to us, etc?
- 1,375
8
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Why did Hashem offer the Torah to all the other nations?
Why did Hashem bother to ask all the other nations if they wanted to get the Torah when He knew they'd say no? (See Midrash Sifri, Deuteronomy 343)
(I already know Hashem is beyond time)
- 1,375
4
votes
3
answers
237
views
5
votes
7
answers
672
views
What's the origin of the name "Jew"?
Why are we called "the Jews"? Did Hashem pick out this name for us? What does the word "Jew" mean?
- 1,405
7
votes
5
answers
549
views
Bad things happening to good people
Why do bad things happen to good people?
And, even if they do, bad things, not good things, should happen to bad people!
- 1,375
7
votes
7
answers
716
views
why create non kosher animals?
why did hashem create non kosher animals, was it to tempt us and see if we would control ourselves?
- 1,405
11
votes
9
answers
2k
views
15
votes
12
answers
2k
views
Do we really have free choice?
I was told Hashem created us with free will; so we can make a choice to do good or evil, right? Well, Hashem knows what we are going to do in 10 minutes. So do we really have free will? Hashem can see ...
- 1,405
5
votes
3
answers
237
views
What does Hashem see right now? [closed]
I know Hashem looks down at us and watches everything we do. The question I am trying to ask is, what does he see right now? I don't think Hashem exists in time, as he is not in the past or the future....
- 1,405
1
vote
4
answers
377
views
Is Hashem spiritual? [closed]
I know that Hashem is not physical but is He spiritual? Also does He exist in time?
- 1,405
4
votes
2
answers
126
views
The Inquisition [closed]
What was the reason of the Inquisition, who started it, and did it do what it was supposed to do?
- 3,087
2
votes
9
answers
224
views
Shisha Asar - mi yodeya?
Who knows sixteen?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After about one business day, I will:
Upvote all interesting answers.
Accept the best answer.
Go on to the next number.
- 47.8k
4
votes
2
answers
112
views
Judaism and successful life - which details in jewish culture determines success? [closed]
Statistics show 30% of Nobel Prizes in science and twenty percent of Forbes 400 are Jewish achievements. I don't believe genetic explanation is accurate, there must be some parts of upbringing and ...
Dominik
7
votes
2
answers
258
views
washing your hands and forgetting
If you wash your hands and your mind goes blank and you dont remember if you said a bracha or not. do you make a new one? Do you wash again and then make a new one?
- 1,405
4
votes
1
answer
114
views
Can a person who killed by accident subsequently be a witness?
If a person kills and there are only two witnesses and one witness has killed by accident before, are there two witnesses, or does the one who killed before not count?
- 1,405
2
votes
2
answers
93
views
A persons potential
It says that a persons potential keeps rising as his spiritual level rises. If so, how does a person reach his potential?
- 3,087
9
votes
4
answers
368
views
6
votes
4
answers
299
views
do we get another chance to reach shamayim if we missed our goal once?
I have heard that there is a task for everyone to fulfill before they enter shamayim, but what happens if you had a chance to fulfill your task in life and you missed it? do you get a different task? ...
- 1,405
1
vote
1
answer
204
views
Tazria-Metsora Parsha Riddle [closed]
You might see me but i don't affect you yet, I come in all shapes and sizes, and i stopped the B'nai Yisroel in the desert for a week. ??????Who am I???????
- 3,087
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Why does Halacha say to tie your shoes in a specific order?
What is the point of putting on your right shoe and then your left? (And if you're a righty to tie your left shoe and then your right.)
- 3,087
5
votes
19
answers
316
views
Chamisha Asar - mi yodeya?
Who knows fifteen?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After about one business day, I will:
Upvote all interesting answers.
Accept the best answer.
Go on to the next number.
- 47.8k
12
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Why does the Torah forbid interest only on loans to Jews?
Why aren't we allowed to charge a Jew interest but we're allowed to charge a non-Jew?
- 3,087
31
votes
9
answers
3k
views
Why the vast difference of opinion about the age of the Universe?
5770 and 13,000,000,000 is a big difference!
I am looking for a good explanation for the different views of the age of the universe, [the Tanakh's view and astronomy's view.] Please help me out!
- 1,215
8
votes
2
answers
2k
views
matzah = mezonos or hamotzi
What is the reasoning of the 2 different minhagim (traditions) on what bracha to say on matzah when its not Peasach?
- 1,215
23
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Why do we say Mazel Tov? Shouldn't we thank Hashem?
Why do we say "Mazel Tov" when something good happens to a person? Doesn't that mean "good luck?" Are we saying that what happened, happened because of luck?
- 1,215
18
votes
9
answers
2k
views
Why is "Shalom Aleichem" always plural?
Why do we say Shalom Alaichem to one person if Alaichem is plural?
Is it saying you and all of the Jews? Is that why it's plural?
- 3,087
20
votes
7
answers
2k
views
11
votes
4
answers
635
views
Bar Mitzva during S'fira
If someone has his bar mitzva during s'firas haomer and said the bracha every night so far, can he still make a bracha? (I will be asking a Rav for the actual P'sak Halacha)
- 3,087
8
votes
4
answers
406
views
Shalom Alaichem and vice versa
Why do people respond Alaichem shalom when someone tells them Shalom Alaichem? Doesn't it mean the same thing?
- 3,087
13
votes
8
answers
1k
views
Sources for Hashem being corporeal/incorporeal?
I heard of a discussion over Peseach about whether Hashem is corporeal.
Which classical Jewish sources (Talmud/Achronim/Rishonim) offer definitive opinions about this? (Please cite references!)
I ...
- 3,069
4
votes
11
answers
346
views
Arba'a Asar - mi yodeya?
Who knows fourteen?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After about one business day, I will:
Upvote all interesting answers.
Accept the best answer.
Go on to the next number.
- 47.8k
6
votes
2
answers
418
views
11
votes
4
answers
1k
views
3
votes
2
answers
155
views
Chamets on pesach [closed]
If a Ba'al T'shuva had chamets that was either very important to him, or had a big monitary value and had it in his possesion over pesach before he came back, is there a possible Heter for him so that ...
- 3,087
2
votes
2
answers
172
views
How is it possible that Yisrael went out of Egypt after only 210 years due to hard work?
Is it possible to say that the Jews were in Egypt for only 210 years because they were worked so hard? Would Hashem really do that if he already told Avraham that they would be there for 400 years?
- 3,087
15
votes
3
answers
494
views
Why are there only four mothers?
Why aren't Bilhah and Zilpah considered matriarchs? If Yaakov married them, obviously they were great people, right?
- 3,087
17
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Blowing bubbles on Shabbos
Is there any halachik problem with blowing bubbles on Shabbos? If so what melacha categories does it fall under? Does the age of the blower matter?
- 3,069
8
votes
1
answer
325
views
Does one do aliya-ending notes when reading Torah in private?
When reading the Torah with cantillation in private, such as when doing "Shnayim Mikra Ve-echad Targum," when one gets to the end of an aliya (formal division of a parasha), does one end with the tune ...
- 47.8k
30
votes
9
answers
5k
views
Sheidim: are they fact, or fiction?
Are there really such thing as sheidim? If so, what are they? Please include sources.
- 1,215
20
votes
6
answers
6k
views
Is it muttar to whistle?
Is it allowed for a Jew to whistle? If yes, is it even allowed on Shabbos? If no, why not? Has anyone ever heard that if one whistles at night, that it attracts sheidim and mazikin?
And what are the ...
- 5,984
5
votes
17
answers
320
views
Shelosha Asar - mi yodeya?
Who knows thirteen?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After about one business day, I will:
Upvote all interesting answers.
Accept the best answer.
Go on to the next number. (What, you ...
- 47.8k
11
votes
7
answers
2k
views
A letter prohibiting television?
I don't have the book myself, but I believe it is called To Touch Kindle a Soul, on chinuch. It contains, in the endnotes a reference to a letter written by Rav Moshe Feinstein zt'l, Rav Shach zt'l, ...
- 13.3k
21
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What is the machlokes between the Gra and Ba'al HaTanya?
What is the famous argument between the Vilna Gaon and the Ba'al HaTanya in understanding the Sod HaTzimtzum? And what are some ma'areh mekomos in their works where this Machlokes is seen?
- 5,984
6
votes
2
answers
321
views
Baal Habayis in Bentching
When bentching (saying the prayer after meals), one is to insert a blessing for one's host. I have four scenarios, in which I wonder about whether it is appropriate to say the blessing for the host or ...
- 5,677
7
votes
2
answers
294
views
Yisrael or Yaakov?
Does anyone have any sources on a conclusive guide to when the name "Yisrael" is used and when the name "Yaakov" is used in the Torah in reference to Yaakov Avinu, the individual?
- 16k
5
votes
11
answers
277
views
Shneim Asar - mi yodeya?
Who knows twelve?
Please cite/link your sources, if possible. After about one business day, I will:
Upvote all interesting answers.
Accept the best answer.
Go on to the next number.
- 47.8k
19
votes
11
answers
954
views
Any primary sources that all Jewish males should l'chatchila stay in learning forever?
Does anyone know of any specific sources in Chazal or Rishonim (or even earlier achronim) that indicate that l'chatchila all Jewish males should learn full time forever? I know that this is the ...
sb
3
votes
1
answer
228
views
When do you place the Mezuzah?
Possible Duplicate:
Mezzuzahs- putting them up, and saying brachot…
When do you place the Mezuzah? 30 days after beginning rental or moving in?
- 33.1k