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
16
votes
Did Avraham Avinu really have a daughter named Bakol?
Bava Batra (16b) records a dispute (found earlier in Tosefta Kiddushin (5:17 in R. Lieberman's edition) regarding the interpretation of Genesis (24:1) which states that God blessed Abraham "bakol" (...
- 35.4k
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 [...
- 48.1k
14
votes
Accepted
Are two biological brothers allowed to marry two biological sisters?
In the Tzavaos of Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid #25 seen here he says two brothers should not marry two sisters.
See note #37 (#32 in the linked edition) from Rabbi Reuven Margolis quoting the Noda Biyehuda ...
- 33.4k
13
votes
Why was Rachel shepherding instead of Leah?
Ramban there offers a couple of reasons:
Leah's eyes were weak (29:17), so the sun would be harmful to her.
Precisely because she was older, so there was more of a concern that the shepherds would ...
- 7,781
12
votes
Why were מִישָׁאֵל and אֶלְצָפָן chosen to remove Nadav and Avihu?
1) Netziv (Vayikra 10:4) says:
אל מישאל ואל אלצפן בני עזיאל דד אהרן – כבר נדרש בת״כ למאי כתיב דד אהרן. ולפי הפשט משמעות דד כמו ידידות מלשון כי טובים דדיך. ובא לפרש למה קרא לבני עוזיאל יותר מבני ...
- 20.9k
12
votes
Halachically, must a Jewish convert sever ties with his non-Jewish family?
Unless there were extenuating circumstances at play, I think someone has gone too far here.
Maimonides Laws of the Rebel, 5:11:
הגר אסור לקלל אביו הגוי, ולהכותו ולבזהו--כדי שלא יאמרו, באו מקדושה ...
- 131k
11
votes
Accepted
Rachel Imeinu Deceiving Lavan while pregnant
The Midrash (Megillah 17a) says Yaakov spent 2 years tarrying on his way back from Lavan (18 months in Sukkot and 6 months in Beit-El). So there's no way Rachel was already pregnant when she saw her ...
- 97.4k
9
votes
Are two biological brothers allowed to marry two biological sisters?
Yes they are allowed to marry. The problems are discussed here. I personally know of such couples (and also brother-sister, sister-brother cross-over) among the most ultra-orthodox chasidim.
- 6,676
9
votes
Can you marry your Wife's Sister as a non "Rival Wife"?
The Torah clearly states that one may not marry one's wife's sister, as long as one's wife is alive.
This is true whether you are still married to your first wife or not. I.e. whether she is a rival ...
- 42.8k
8
votes
Avuncular marriage in the Torah
Avunculate marriage is marriage between an uncle and a niece or between an aunt and a nephew.
The latter is Biblically forbidden (Leviticus 18:12-3). The former, however, is not, and the Talmud ...
- 35.4k
8
votes
What is the definition of a "shituki"?
Kiddushin 69a (Art Scroll Kiddushin 69a4), The end of the first mishna chapter 4 Asarah Yochasin. There are ten classes of geneology, this is one of them.
These are shetukim: Anyone who knows the ...
- 42.9k
8
votes
What tribe were Eldad and Medad from?
According to Bamidbar Rabba 15 19, Eldad was Alidad ben Kislon and Meidad was Kemuel ben Shaftan.
That would put Eldad as the Nasi of Binyamin and Meidad as the Nasi of Ephraim as found in Parshas ...
- 33.4k
8
votes
Are there any specific minhagim to celebrate Purim as a family?
Nit'ei Gavri'el does indeed record the attestation of feasting together with one's family in a number of sources (in Purim 71:4). They are not necessarily attesting the purpose of perpetuation Rashi ...
- 23.7k
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
Accepted
What damages does a hurting husband pay to his wife?
Rambam Hilchos Chovel U'Mazik 4:16
בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים שֶׁחָבְלוּ בָּהּ אֲחֵרִים. אֲבָל הַבַּעַל שֶׁחָבַל בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ חַיָּב לְשַׁלֵּם לָהּ מִיָּד כָּל הַנֵּזֶק וְכָל הַבּשֶׁת וְהַצַּעַר ...
- 12k
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
7
votes
Inviting deceased relatives to a wedding
I found a number of references to this custom
R Moishe Dovid Lebovits here mentions
Some bring down the custom for the chosson and kallah to go the cemetery to invite their non-living grandparents to ...
- 48.1k
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
5
votes
Accepted
Ownership of sunken treasure
You may keep it for yourself. The Braita states (for example, here) that a lost item which is unobtainable to the owner - such as a sunken treasure - is automatically subject to ye'ush (see below) and ...
- 5,310
5
votes
Accepted
Leniency to aggrieve a minor (one's child)?
A mitsva
See Mishna Maccot chapter 2, 2:
אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, מַה חֲטָבַת עֵצִים רְשׁוּת, יָצָא הָאָב הַמַּכֶּה אֶת בְּנוֹ {יא}, וְהָרַב הָרוֹדֶה אֶת תַּלְמִידוֹ, וּשְׁלִיחַ בֵּית דִּין {יב}: ...
- 22.7k
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
In regards to Torah and Rabbinical writings, how does "honor your father and mother" work when you've been raised in an abusive household?
I found an issue which addresses not directly your question but regards the right behavior regarding the kibbud av vaem when the parents have an inappropriate way of life concerning the halacha, ...
- 22.7k
5
votes
Accepted
Is the mitzvah to honor the bechor d'oraisa or d'raban?
The source for this is derasha in the Talmud (Ketubot 103a):
כבד את אביך ואת אמך את אביך זו אשת אביך ואת אמך זו בעל אמך וי"ו יתירה לרבות את אחיך הגדול
Honor your father [et avikha] and your ...
- 35.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Is there a mitzvah to honor the bechor?
The Talmud (Ketubot 103a) states:
כבד את אביך ואת אמך את אביך זו אשת אביך ואת אמך זו בעל אמך וי"ו יתירה לרבות את אחיך הגדול
Honor your father [et avikha] and your mother [ve’et immekha]. The ...
- 35.4k
5
votes
Do I need to honor a grandparent?
The Rema (YD 240:24) records a dispute on the matter, but rules in accordance with the opinion that one should honor his grandparents, just that one is more obligated to honor his parents:
הגה י"א ...
- 34.1k
5
votes
Is a convert's biological son obligated in "kibud av' (honoring his father)?
The Netziv (Rav Naftoli Tzvi Yehuda Berlin 19th century)in his Haskomo of Ahavas Chesed http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=15141&st=&pgnum=7 (written by the Chafetz Chaim) speaks about ...
- 11.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Being with a non Jew
Just to clarify -- if one wronged another person, then one must apologize to them as part of teshuva. Consensual behavior, however, would not require their apology.
The answer is yes -- teshuva works....
- 131k
5
votes
Accepted
Father as an heir
The sages discuss on Bava Basra 109a that the uncles would only inherit by the virtue of the father, so it is impossible that they precede him. Confirming with this idea, the Rambam clearly states the ...
- 11.4k
5
votes
How can I redeem a wasted youth?
In addition to some other fine answers, here's another thought.
In Pirqei Avos (4:1), Ben Zoma asks and answers:
איזה הוא עשיר? השמח בחלקו, שנאמר ״יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ׃...
- 9,428
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