11
votes
What did Hashem sound like?
See the Medrash Raba on Shemos (Exodus) פרשה ג that states that (at least initially, at the burning bush) Hashem sounded just like Moshe's father Amrom when He spoke to him.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ ...
- 42.8k
9
votes
What did Hashem sound like?
Midrash Tehilim 18:29 (in the name of R. Luliani) says that Hashem spoke with Moshe with the voice of Moshe himself:
רבי לוליאני בשם רבי ישמעאל אמר בנוהג שבעולם הרב אומר והתלמיד עונה. אבל
הקב"ה ...
- 6,864
6
votes
Accepted
Would a mouthpiece attachment that does the "work" invalidate the ritual use of the Shofar?
That wouldn't be allowed for use on Rosh Hashana. The classic case of a mouthpiece on a Shofar is coating the opening of the Shofar in gold to make it look nicer, which is invalid (OC 586:16). ...
- 97.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Where does the Talmud reference the pronunciation of guttural letters?
I can think of a few comparisons of the sound of Aleph to the sound of Ayin:
The sound of Aleph is slight, and the letter is therefore sometimes
omitted from spelling. Ex 10:21 Rashi, citing Isaiah ...
- 2,217
4
votes
Can damages be claimed for a very loud noise?
The Mishnah says:
If a resident wants to open a store in his courtyard, his neighbor can protest to prevent him from doing so and say to him: I am unable to sleep due to the sound of people entering ...
- 20.7k
4
votes
Using hearing aids on the sabbath?
Tzomet is an Israeli institute for Science and Halacha (Jewish law). They research modern devices and see how they can be used/tuned to be used with observant Jews. They have some relevant thoughts on ...
- 47.8k
4
votes
What is/was the Bat Kol?
There is a Malach who is in charge of communicating 'heavenly messages'.
The Gemara in Sotah 33a records that angels do not speak Aramaic. The Gemara asks on that by bringing a story of a Bas Kol ...
- 7,881
3
votes
Is a silent/mental bracha considered valid?
The Rambam (MT Brachot 1:7) writes you should ideally hear yourself
A person should recite all the blessings loud enough for him to hear
what he is saying. Nevertheless, a person who does not ...
- 47.8k
3
votes
Accepted
Using hearing aids on the sabbath?
Welcome to Mi Yodeya.
As my son wears cochlear implants, I have been reading quite a bit on the usage of hearing aids and implants on Shabbat. There is quite a diversity of opinions in this area. ...
- 70k
3
votes
looking for recording of shacharit prayer - nusach chabad
This is a recording of all of weekday shaharit being read word-by-word by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson:
http://vimeo.com/18771198
- 4,881
3
votes
What exactly are they saying during a Sephardic lilililili?
The Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 70:19) says that at Yaakov and Leah's "wedding," the member of the audience, who were of aware of Lavan's scheme, tried hinting to Yaakov - Ha Lea! Ha Lea! - Hi Leah! - "...
- 2,087
2
votes
What exactly are they saying during a Sephardic lilililili?
As far as I'm aware, the ululation actually goes kililililil, which, according to my uncle (from a family of fluent Aramaic speakers, lishan didan dialect), comes from the word kililah, which has ...
- 295
2
votes
Is Bas Kol the heavenly voice always correct and how to identify Bas Kol from evil whispering?
As Bruce explained very well above, in the story from Bava Metzia 59b, the Bas Kol doesn't have authority to override halacha. In Eiruvin 13b, there is a story of Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai arguing ...
- 21
2
votes
Ululating in Jewish culture
According to my uncle (who is a good surce as my entire mother's family still speaks Aramaic (lishan didan dialect) and have retained many lost meanings), it comes from the word kililah (I dont know ...
- 21
2
votes
Acoustic Megaphone on Shabbat
There are different types of megaphones - you are speaking here of a non-electric acoustic horn that amplifies a voice. Electric megaphones or amplifying music would be very different (but are ...
- 47.8k
2
votes
Do women/minors count toward the nine listening to chazaras hashatz?
Ba'er Hetev note #8 says that one who isn't listening is not included as part of the minyan, and this includes even one who is a pike'ach. The term pike'ach refers to someone who is deaf but can speak ...
- 70k
2
votes
Sleeping and listening to something that's a Mitzvah
Your sleeping can be a big mitzva, if you do it right, and you don't need earphones for this:
שלחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן רלא סעיף א
וכן בכל מה שיהנה בעולם הזה, לא יכוון להנאתו אלא לעבודת הבורא יתברך....
2
votes
Microphones on Shabbat
According to those who maintain that microphones are prohibited on Shabbat (see, e.g., Rabbi Yisrael Rosen's thorough summary of the views, cited by @mbloch here), it should still be permitted to "...
- 17.7k
2
votes
Inhaling at the narrow end of a shofar
Based on the following Malbim1 I would venture a GUESS that this is problematic:
"וכן למד משם שיהיה פשוטה לפניה ולאחריה ממה שכתוב לשון "והעברת שופר".
שהגם שמצאנו לשון "העברה" ...
- 121
1
vote
Leaving a phone perpetually on on the Sabbath
I've heard the general reasoning that even though you may or may not be violating Shabbat, things should be abstained from in the spirit of Shabbat. In other words, if there's doubt about something ...
- 1,492
1
vote
Leaving a phone perpetually on on the Sabbath
An argument could be made that any speaking is causing more electrical activity -- though likely this would be prohibited at either the rabbinic level or extra-serious-custom level; some amount of ...
- 131k
1
vote
Is there a 3D Hebrew Alphabet?
It's essentially impossible to prove that nobody has ever proposed the existence such a 3-dimensional alphabet, but I have never heard of such a thing and I think it's safe to say that no major ...
- 24.7k
1
vote
Audio of Tenach for children of any age (online)
Try this audio book version (it is not free): JPS TANAKH: The Jewish Bible.
- 69
1
vote
Acoustic Megaphone on Shabbat
Shu't Shvus Yaakov chelek 3 siman 31 seen here on the bottom of the first column discusses a type of device which was able to carry someone's voice many מילים away. He says he never heard anyone who ...
- 33.4k
1
vote
Was the noise from the Temple really that loud?
Many years ago, I was part of a team of engineers that were helping the US Army to determine the propagation of sound in the atmosphere. We found that pockets of humidity and/or cool air caused a lens-...
- 71
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