21
votes
How can I redeem a wasted youth?
Talmud Sukkah 53A:
חסידים ואנשי מעשה כו': ת"ר יש מהן אומרים אשרי ילדותנו שלא ביישה את זקנותנו אלו חסידים ואנשי מעשה ויש מהן אומרים אשרי זקנותנו שכפרה את ילדותנו אלו בעלי תשובה אלו ואלו אומרים אשרי ...
- 5,310
15
votes
Accepted
Where does Chassam Soffer say Hillel needed a job
You may be referring to the Chidushei Chasam Sofer on Bava Basra 57b. The gemara there states as follows:
בעא מיניה ר' יוחנן מרבי בנאה... שלחן של ת"ח כיצד שני שלישי גדיל ושליש גלאי ועליו קערות ...
- 16.9k
15
votes
How can I redeem a wasted youth?
What happened happened and the Torah approach is not to dwell on it, but rather focus on improving going forward. Regarding sins from the past, the Rambam writes (Hilchot Teshuva 1:3)
Teshuvah [...
- 48.2k
12
votes
Are you yoitze the Mitzva of Pirya Verivya with children born out of wedlock
Aruch Hashulchan 1:17:
Even if he has a son and daughter from an unmarried woman whom he did not marry with chupa and kidushin…, nonetheless he has fulfilled the command of p'ru urvu… for, after ...
- 73.5k
11
votes
Are you yoitze the Mitzva of Pirya Verivya with children born out of wedlock
The Rema in Even Ha'Ezer 1:6 writes that one fulfills the mitzvah of p'ru u'revu with a child who is a mamzer, which by definition is out of wedlock:
היה הבן ממזר... קים המצוה
If the child is a ...
- 58.4k
10
votes
What did Amram and Yocheved do to merit raising leaders of Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam?
Firstly, there is a fascinating philosophical point that relates to this question. Maharal (Gur Aryeh to Shemot 1:15) points out that neither Yocheved, nor Amram's names were mentioned prior to Moshe'...
- 20.9k
9
votes
Can a single-parent father be exempt from time-bound mitzvot?
As someone in this category, I would like to remind everyone that this is what psak is for. One cannot be exempted from commandments, a competent rabbi familiar with a single-parent father's ...
- 5,020
9
votes
List of people who lose a child in תנ"ך
Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:25):* their son Cain killed their other son Abel
Terah (Genesis 11:28): his son Haran died in his lifetime
Judah (Genesis 38:7,10):* his sons Er and Onan died after marrying ...
8
votes
Accepted
Was Baal worshiped via child sacrifice?
The prophet Jeremiah (19:5) clearly identifies the baal as one of the gods to which the Caananites offered their children:
וּבָנוּ אֶת בָּמוֹת הַבַּעַל לִשְׂרֹף אֶת
בְּנֵיהֶם בָּאֵשׁ עֹלוֹת ...
- 2,669
8
votes
Accepted
Halachic sources for not using the first names of your parents?
Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 240:2 (based on a number of earlier sources) says:
אֵיזֶה מוֹרָא, לֹא יַעֲמֹד בִּמְקוֹמוֹ הַמְיֻחָד לוֹ לַעֲמֹד שָׁם בְּסוֹד זְקֵנִים עִם חֲבֵרָיו, אוֹ מָקוֹם הַמְיֻחָד ...
- 20.9k
8
votes
Accepted
Crying when reading about Aaron's sons' deaths
Mishnah Berurah 621:2 quotes this idea in the name of the Zohar. (I believe the relevant piece of Zohar is to be found in Vol. III 57b.)
- 41.8k
8
votes
How can I redeem a wasted youth?
There is nothing that does not come from G-d - even evil has a kernel of good. This is why evil is referred to as a klipah, a shell - it separates holiness from G-d but the holiness is still there, ...
- 181
7
votes
what is the source that a parent carries the sins of their children when the children are minors?
One of the places that this is mentioned in, is in Bereshit Raba 63:10
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִטָּפֵל בִּבְנוֹ עַד י"ג
שָׁנָה, מִיכָּן וָאֵילָךְ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיֹּאמַר בָּרוּךְ ...
- 3,849
7
votes
Naming your baby - does the name influence the child?
The earliest source that a name has an intrinsic influence on the child is the Midrash Tanchuma:
זכור ימות עולם בינו שנות דור ודור: לעולם יבדוק אדם בשמות לקרוא לבנו
הראוי להיות צדיק, כי לפעמים ...
- 7,935
7
votes
How can I redeem a wasted youth?
I think there is maybe something by Rambam about not seeing yourself as either good or bad, but just thinking of acting rightly in the very next moment. So, the present is everything.
A similar idea ...
- 97
6
votes
How can I make my Judaism more enjoyable?
I changed my views on how I see Judaism. I find Judaism exciting and interesting because I went to a completely new place with it. If you can find a Jewish practice that gets you excited then go and ...
- 71
6
votes
If a woman has only had 1 partner since her last period (i.e not three months) is that sufficient to determine the father?
There is a wealth of material in this issue in the mamzerus responsa beginning from around the period of the Noda B'Yehuda. Basically, the Talmud states clearly that a woman may continue to have her ...
- 58.4k
6
votes
Accepted
Marriage of a Cohen to a woman with a non-Jewish father: Are the sons Cohanim?
Based on Yevamot 44a to 45b
The settings are as follows.
First, there are opinions in the Gemara Yevamot 44b that even for Shimeon Hatimni he is Mamzer, as it is a forbidden affair where Kiddushin ...
- 22.7k
6
votes
Should a child wash his hands before eating on Yom Kippur?
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 613:1) stresses that only bathing/washing for pleasure is prohibited on Yom Kippur. Elsewhere (Kesef Mishneh, Laws of Prayer 7:8) he quotes the Ran (R. Nissim) who states that ...
- 11.9k
6
votes
Stealing in the House of your parents?
The concept of stealing from one's parents does exist.
We see it by Ben-Sorer, who only qualifies once he steals from his parents. (Sanhedrin Mishna 8:3 - אֵינוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה בֵן סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה, עַד ...
- 42.8k
6
votes
Are there situations where a child is permitted to refer to their parent by their first name?
There are instances where a child can use their parent's name.
According to the Radvaz, Hilchos Mamrim 6:3, s.v. אבל, a child may use their parent's name, even in their parent's presence (and ...
- 58.4k
6
votes
How can I redeem a wasted youth?
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov said:
הַיּוֹם בּוֹ נוֹלַדְתָּ
הוּא הַיּוֹם בּוֹ הֶחְלִיט הקב"ה
שֶׁהָעוֹלָם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְקַיֵּים בַּלְעֲדֶיךָ
The day that you were born is the day God ...
- 20.8k
6
votes
Which parent names the first child?
Rav Ari Enkin in his Shulchan Ha'Ari page.133 writes that it is best to name the child together based off Koheles Rabbah 7:3. He notes that that some hold that the father gets to name the child first (...
- 41.1k
5
votes
Can a man miss tefilah with a minyan because his wife is overwhelmed with the children?
Nice question, the SA in 90:9 says a person should try to pray in a shul with a minyan, then says if he is anus the mishna berurah says eg he doesnt have strength or if he will lose money, he is ...
5
votes
Mom And Baby Talk
I think you are doing all the right things for this age - washing her hands, saying Modeh Ani and Shema with her. Once she begins to speak, start saying Torah Tziva with her each morning.
It is ...
- 651
5
votes
Accepted
Did Ishmael receive "שְׁנַיִם, בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יִמָּצֵא, לוֹ" like a firstborn does?
The verses strongly indicate that not only did Avraham not give a double portion to Yishmael, he gave (basically) everything to Yitshak.
For example, right before stating that Avraham died, Genesis (...
- 35.4k
5
votes
How Jewish Sex Education is done?
From what I have heard from multiple Rabbonim in Baltimore, the 'birds and the bees' discussion used to be (and should ideally still be) given over from father to son, mother to daughter, when they ...
- 13.8k
5
votes
Choosing name for our children
Considering your criteria, I'm assuming you would appreciate this seffer: שמות בארץ
It's everything Reb Chaim Kanievsky has to say about names, which to use and which not to use.
As found there, ...
- 33.4k
5
votes
Are there situations where a child is permitted to refer to their parent by their first name?
The Rambam (Hilchos Mamrim 6:8) says:
אֶלָּא יִמְחל וְיִתְעַלֵּם שֶׁהָאָב שֶׁמָּחַל עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ כְּבוֹדוֹ מָחוּל
Rather he should forgive and ignore, as the father that forgave his honor, his honor ...
- 3,775
5
votes
Is there anything in the Tanakh or Talmud about co-wives helping raise the child of other co-wives upon widowhood (or absence of husband)?
Note: This is an example of co-wives helping each other raise their children with complete lack of presence of the father (Yaakov) who was working like a slave day and night see bereishit 31,40 (for ...
- 11.4k
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