All Questions
39,668
questions
0
votes
1
answer
10
views
Running CCTV system with monitor over Shabbos
Does anyone have any sources for what the halacha is of running a home security CCTV system with the monitor on over Shabbos in a place where it is easily visible within the house? I'm specifically ...
- 2,080
3
votes
2
answers
28
views
Why weren’t the descendants of Esav or Yishmael also given the Torah alongside the benei Yaakob?
As we all know, Abraham had two descendants, Yishmael and Yitschak. Yitschak also had two descendants, Esav and Yaakob; however only the children of Yaakob were the nation that was chosen for the ...
- 121
1
vote
0
answers
21
views
Kabbalah/chasiduss explanation of theodicy
Are there any kabbalistic or hasidic explanations given to the question of theodicy? Beyond “rational”/philosophical explanations, are there any mystical reasons given to why bad things happen? If so, ...
- 802
1
vote
1
answer
39
views
Did the Israelites know the future?
The Torah was revealed to Israel at a certain point in time, and recounts many significant events that happened after that point. When the Torah was revealed, did the Israelites know about these ...
- 20.7k
0
votes
0
answers
42
views
Why do Jews not reach out more?
Why do Jews nowadays not go out of their way to their secular brethren and even to non-Jews to try and spread positivity? In America, I believe there it is easier because there is fewer backlash from ...
2
votes
1
answer
79
views
Kohanim hand symbol
When I was a kid I always heard that only kohanim are able to do the 🖖🏻 hand position on both their hands. Leaving the “b-b-but I can do this and I’m not a kohen” comments aside, what’s the deal ...
- 1,782
1
vote
0
answers
41
views
Chanukah: The Hellenistic Jews defaming the Beis HaMikdash
The Baal HaMaor on Avodah Zahara 52b writes a somewhat radical interpretation on the Chanukah-story. He explains that the people that entered the Beis HaMikdash, and thus impurifying the Beis ...
- 8,772
4
votes
0
answers
38
views
Why didn't Esav wait until Yitzchak died to kill Ya'akov?
After Ya'akov got Esav's blessings, Esav says (B'reishis 27:41):
וישטם עשו את יעקב על הברכה אשר ברכו אביו ויאמר עשו בלבו יקרבו ימי אבל אבי ואהרגה את יעקב אחי
And Esav hated Ya'akov due to the ...
- 3,408
2
votes
0
answers
65
views
Latest time for morning Sh’ma
What are the opinions for the absolute LATEST time for reciting the morning Sh’ma B’dieved, not l’chatchila. Obviously there are different opinions for what is the latest or not but what are they. ...
- 802
3
votes
0
answers
55
views
Extra cover on tefillin shel yad [duplicate]
I've noticed that a lot of protective cases for the tefillin shel yad have an extra inner cover which slides out, usually a plastic cube with one side missing and a corner cut out for the knot, ...
- 2,080
4
votes
0
answers
67
views
Ashkenazic Practice of the Chazan saying only certain phrases (rashei perkaim) out loud
What is the source of the Ashkenazic practice of the Chazzan saying only certain words out loud? That is, in your typical Artscroll siddur, there are markings for the Chazzan to raise his voice and ...
- 20.4k
5
votes
0
answers
68
views
Question on Rashi, Bereishis 9:12
In P. Noach (Gen. 9:12) in reference to the phenomenon of the post-deluge rainbow, following Noach's exit from the teivah, the verse states:
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים זֹ֤את אֽוֹת־הַבְּרִית֙ אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֣י ...
- 439
6
votes
2
answers
388
views
How did the Greeks make the menora-oil impure?
The Gemara in Shabbos 21b famously writes "Mai Chanukah"- what is Chanukah? The Gemara elaborates:
When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary
...
- 8,772
1
vote
1
answer
57
views
Questions about the flood [closed]
I've been reading Parshat Noach, and I've been wondering about some things that either strike me as odd or impossible. For example, how did G-d cover the entire world with water if we know there isn't ...
- 41
-2
votes
0
answers
31
views
Is, וישע ויט ויבו from Exodus, the only three consecutive three verse that can be intersplayed a la the 72 Letter Name from Exodus
As is known, the three verses And the Cloud rolled.. And Moses raised His Hand... And the Pillar touched down between.. from Exodus.
Are intersplayed and that's what makes up the 72 Letter Name.
Like ...
- 1,780
2
votes
1
answer
47
views
Hashkiveinu Avinu Vs Hashkiveinu Hashem Elokeinu
In the bracha of Hashkiveinu, in ma'ariv, Ashkenazim (at least, all Ashkenazi communities and siddurim I've seen) start the bracha with
השכיבנו ה' אלוקינו
Whereas all Sefardi communities and ...
- 3,408
2
votes
1
answer
148
views
Kol Isha and transgender people
Does the Halachic prohibition of Kol Isha apply to transgender people? So if a woman underwent operations to present as a man, can you listen to her sing? And what about a man who visibly looks like a ...
- 802
4
votes
1
answer
830
views
Wise saying in the Netflix series 'Shtisel'
Some time ago, I watched the fantastic series 'Shtisel' on Netflix. I can't remember everything clearly, and unfortunately, the series is no longer available on Netflix. However, there's one scene ...
- 143
2
votes
1
answer
327
views
Folding chairs/tables on Shabbat
Is it permissible to unfold an easily foldable folding chair or table on Shabbat? Since this is easily re folded, would it still be considered under the melacha of “Boneh” or something else? If ...
- 802
3
votes
1
answer
163
views
Minhag of avoiding showing pictures of dinosaurs to babies
There is a minhag more common in Chassidic circles to refrain from showing pictures of non-kosher animals to babies. Does this apply to dinosaurs?
As far as I understand, this minhag does not apply to ...
- 754
0
votes
0
answers
87
views
Is it true Baal Shem Tov knew his zivug?
Is it true the Baal Shem Tov knew his zivug before he got married to her? If yes how did he know?
That is, in this story, we read:
Rav Efraim Kitover, the Av Beit din of Brody, was once involved in a ...
- 745
1
vote
0
answers
43
views
Age of the the Azazel goat?
I was curious, are there any opinions that say the Azazel goat should be (or shouldn’t be) of a certain age or ages? If so what, would it be a minimum age or a maximum age? And what would the age be, ...
- 802
2
votes
0
answers
46
views
Halacha on being attentive to someone when they're speaking to you
BH
Does Halacha or any teaching in the Torah address the following scenarios:
A) When someone is talking to you, must you be attentive to show them respect that you're listening to what they're saying?...
- 745
1
vote
0
answers
51
views
Having a Chassidishe Gaiva
BH
One of my teachers said once that a student of the Alter Rebbe was in a city filled with so much materialism and sin that he was later asked how he was able to overcome the tests and so he said &...
- 745
2
votes
0
answers
34
views
What is the source of not to speak dvarim betelim
BH
What’s the source and meaning of not speaking dvarim Beteilim purposeless words?
- 745
1
vote
1
answer
42
views
What is the explanation of And don’t let the evil inclination assure your that the grave will be a place of refuge for you mean
BH
What do the main poskim and commentators explain “And don’t let the evil inclination assure your that the grave will be a place of refuge for you” mean in Pirkei Avot 4:22
- 745
1
vote
0
answers
63
views
Caution against a person belittling himself
BH
I heard someone say that a person should never say "I am this [negative character trait]" or "I am that [negative character trait]" because Chas ve Shalom Hashem can bring that ...
- 745
0
votes
0
answers
53
views
Where does R Yitzchak Abadi's understanding of kashrus differ from mainstream kashrus organizations?
In a previous question I asked about when one can use ingredients lists to determine kashrus. Now, I'd like to ask how specifically does R Yitzchak Abadi's understanding of kashrus differ from the ...
- 627
2
votes
0
answers
56
views
Should I add verses in Kerias Shema on the bed
When saying the 3 parshiyot of Kerias Shema on the bed, should I add "Kel Melech Ne'eman" before the Kerias Shema (Since it is read Yechidi (alone) and not in Minyan). Should I say after ...
- 1,139
2
votes
1
answer
50
views
Do we have physical desires after death?
This is a follow on from this question. I was always under the impression that the Nefesh Behamis is responsible for our physical desires, such as hunger for food. If it is immortal, does that mean ...
- 2,080
0
votes
1
answer
47
views
Are these Sheimos Hashem?
Someone just showed me an "ayin hara necklace" that has the words "אלד" and "סאל" on the charm and asked me to explain what it means. What are those words?
(Some websites ...
- 13.8k
3
votes
1
answer
106
views
Is the extra casing over tefillin required
On the tefillin shel yad, there is an outer black box that covers the actual tefillin box. Is this required?
- 1,782
3
votes
2
answers
480
views
New responsa on releasing terrorists in exchange for hostages?
The State of Israel has over the years engaged in the exchange of terrorists and criminals in exchange for the release of hostages. This topic has prior been explored in posts such as Q 10731 and Q ...
- 6,433
0
votes
0
answers
87
views
Broken teffilin box
If a plastic teffilin case is broken by being chipped into different pieces, but the leather boxes as well as the leather straps are intact, do they need to put the whole teffilin in Geniza?
Or should ...
- 802
3
votes
2
answers
357
views
Does the Nefesh Behamis survive death?
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan writes in his essay Immortality and the Soul that the Neshomo is effectively the data of our "memories, thought patterns and personality traits" and discusses the idea of ...
- 2,080
2
votes
0
answers
152
views
Ashkenazi speed-mumble davening: origins and halachic basis? [duplicate]
What are the origins of the Ashkenazi practice of mumbly-speed-through davening? I refer both to:
Shemoneh Esrei where the words are not articulated with the mouth (albeit silently) but rather the ...
- 93
1
vote
0
answers
37
views
What are the best books that teach Dikduk?
What are the best books to learn Dikduk? Both Lashon Hakodesh and Rabbinic/Mishnaic Hebrew.
- 43
3
votes
1
answer
932
views
Story of a woman hitting a rabbi because husband said
BH
I heard there was a story from the Talmud, correct me if I’m wrong, that a man told his wife to hit a rabbi on the head or something and she went hit him and after she hit him he asked: "My ...
- 745
2
votes
1
answer
157
views
Does anyone know from which book this excerpt comes from?
Someone posted this excerpt on social media:
Freedom in Judaism is defined by the ability of the soul to rule over
the body, the capacity of the mind to channel the emotions of the
heart. Not that ...
- 247
1
vote
0
answers
31
views
Tzedakah, peah, Maaser while in debt?
If somebody is in debt to someone else, and they own a farm or do something that obligates them in Maaser or Peah, do they still have to pay or leave their crops for others? And if they aren’t ...
- 802
1
vote
0
answers
57
views
Can a Messianic Jew (Christian) be counted in a minyan? [duplicate]
There are a group of people who claim to be "Messianic Jews." This is a group of people who are either natural born Jews who adopted Jesus as their messiah and other Christian practices or ...
- 935
4
votes
1
answer
162
views
Can a divorced man sleep in the same household (no intercourse) with his ex-wife? [closed]
The man is visiting his kids, from another country, and will stay in the ex-wife's house.
- 41
3
votes
2
answers
119
views
Source that we are inherently deserving
The question is about the concept not the song.
I noticed an interesting difference in the lyrics of two versions of the song "Ribon" by Beri Weber. The original English version contains the ...
- 2,181
2
votes
1
answer
64
views
What type of enemies are being spoken about in Shaar Habitachon?
In Duties of the Heart, Ibn Paquda writes in Shaar Habitachon (Treatise on Trust, Ch. 4):
אבל עניני אויביו וחומדיו ומבקשי רעתו יבטח בעניניהם על הבורא יתעלה
ויסבל חרפתם ואל יגמל להם כפעלם אך יגמלם חסד ...
- 7,202
5
votes
0
answers
46
views
Approximately how many Jews would make the pilgrimage for aliyas l'regel during its height? How large of a gathering was it?
I've seen some writers talk about the rally in D.C. being the largest single gathering of Jews since Sinai. I would think that is not accurate in that, at the very least, we may have had greater ...
3
votes
1
answer
298
views
Is replacing a jamb that had a mezuzah obligates to bless again for the mezuzah
A person that replaces jambs with new ones. On the old one there was a mezuzah that many years ago he blessed for putting the mezuzah. When placing the mezuzah back on the new jamb should he bless ...
- 1,139
3
votes
1
answer
593
views
Is there any interest in eating a baked donut on Chanuka?
A person who for health reasons avoids eating fried foods. Can he make the minhag (custom) to eat a donut baked in the oven without oil on Chanuka?
- 1,139
1
vote
0
answers
52
views
Were there prophets, in and out of Israel, who were not recorded in the Tanakh? [duplicate]
Were there prophets, in and out of Israel, who were not recorded in the Tanakh? Have other sources determined the identities of some of them? Please cite the sources, if any. Thanks in advance.
- 247
2
votes
1
answer
50
views
Winnow of piles with objects that just fell
If there is a pile (say of leaves), and somebody drops an object into it on Shabbat, are they allowed to throw it into the wind so they can retrieve the object they just dropped? Does the prohibition ...
- 802
3
votes
1
answer
208
views
Reciting/singing Aḥeinu outside of the formal prayer setting and origin of tune
Where, when and why did the prayer Aheinu begin to be recited outside of the liturgical context? It seems that it originated as and was restricted to being recited after reading from the Torah, ...
- 6,433