5
votes
Why the need to recreate the whole world from scratch?
I once learnt a mashal regarding the topic of when Rabbi Akiva was killed and the Malachim complained to Hashem and He silenced them [topic source], though I don’t remember the source for the mashal.
...
- 71
5
votes
Why the need to recreate the whole world from scratch?
My wife's answer.
Everyone can say "the whole world was created for me". Therefore, someone's life, and the world, are a zivug. In order to adjust someone's life, Hashem would need a new ...
- 12.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Did Yiftach's daughter have to comply with his vow?
Midrash Bereshis Rabba 60,3 says clearly that Yiftach's daughter did not need to comply as Yiftach's neder was not valid to bring his daughter as a sacrifice and therefore according to Reish Lakish ...
- 11.5k
5
votes
Accepted
How could Abba Ḥilkiyya do that?
Ben Yehoyada sidesteps the issue by positing that either they were not directly behind her, or that there was more than four amos between them.
ואין להקשות איך היה הולך אחרי אשתו? דאפשר היה מצדד ...
- 34.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Nakdimon Ben Gurion real name
A little further down the daf (about half way, Taanis 20a)
תָּנָא לֹא נַקְדִּימוֹן שְׁמוֹ אֶלָּא בּוּנִי שְׁמוֹ וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ נַקְדִּימוֹן שֶׁנִּקְדְּרָה חַמָּה בַּעֲבוּרוֹ
A Sage taught: ...
- 13.3k
3
votes
Should one avoid deriving benefit from miracles?
R. Ro'ey Hemed (Ro'eh baShoshanim - Hanukah, p.50) cites ten different sources addressing why the Hashmonaim were permitted to use the oil if we are not permitted to benefit from miracles (as per ...
- 9,320
3
votes
Accepted
Yaakov Avinu didn't die and connection to not eating?
In a lengthy comment on this Talmudic passage in Ben Yehoyada, R. Joseph Hayyim of Baghdad addresses this question.
He begins with a different question: how is it possible that R. Nachman was unaware ...
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3
votes
How much time passes before we understand that the drought hasn’t ended?
Read it carefully and also read Mishna 2:9.
They declare batches of Monday-Thursday-Monday fasts.
If it rains, then they immediately stop the Monday-Thursday-Monday fasting and do the "thanksgiving ...
- 44.1k
3
votes
Understanding the proportions of Ta’anis 4:5
R. Ovadiah miBartenura on this mishnah explains that these dates were set at the beginning of the Second Temple period, when the returnees from Bavel donated wood to the Temple.
Since the population ...
- 45.1k
3
votes
Is there a malach taking care of rain or not?
Tosafos in masechs Nidah 16b s.v. Malach raise this issue and answer that Af Bri is in fact the angel in charge of rain, however he only acts with permission of Hashem.
ואף ברי (איוב לז) שהוא שר ...
- 33.9k
2
votes
Why is Avodah Shebalev (service of the heart) known as prayer?
TL;DR: Tefillah is called avodah sheb'lev because it's the only service that can be done in the heart, as opposed to an actual action. Furthermore, it's reminiscent of the original form of avodah, ...
- 34.6k
2
votes
How are the two tales of dancing in vineyards on the 15th of Av related?
I had always understood the Gemara as saying that the former was a result of the latter; after Binyamin survived as a result of women dancing in the vineyards, the minhag continued for the daughters ...
- 34.6k
2
votes
Accepted
How much time passes before we understand that the drought hasn’t ended?
Tosafot Yom Tov Ta'anit 2:9
ובאמת שאין הכרע מדברי המשנה והפוסקים שיש הפסק ביניהם דהא לא תנן אלא עברו אלו ולא נענו דמשמע מיד שעברו ולא נענו גוזרים כו'. אלא דסברא הוא דמסתמא ממתינין קצת ומצפין לתשועה....
- 45.1k
2
votes
Yaakov Avinu didn't die and connection to not eating?
Most likely due to the fact that first Rav Yitzchak quoted Rav Yochonan when he told told Rav Nachman that one should not talk when eating. Then when he finished eating, he continued to quote Rav ...
- 1,446
2
votes
Accepted
Why was Levi's davening wrong?
This article, by R' David Kochav, suggests that the difference is that Eliyahu and Chana (and Moshe, who the Gemara (Berachos 32a) tells us also "cast words" against Hashem) lived when there ...
- 9,903
1
vote
Bnot Yisrael instead of Bnot Yerushalayim
There are indeed different girsaos there. See Dikdukei Sofrim (and from there in Shinuyei Nuschaos printed at the side of the Yachin Uboaz Mishnayos). The copyists and/or printers weren't always ...
- 9,903
1
vote
How can we use cedar wood for the Beis Hamikdosh?
The righteous shall flourish like a date palm, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon
This psalm outranks your Gemara, so the top contenders are date palm and cedar. Had they used date palm, the would ...
- 8,653
1
vote
firstborn status after the arrival of the moshiach
Great question! It is worthy to note that the source for the Or Hachaim is the Yalkut 364, but when one looks for this Yalkut its not there!?
@user2709 here: Source for bechorot losing/reclaiming ...
- 3,285
1
vote
Should one avoid deriving benefit from miracles?
Perhaps the answer lies in the story of the Gemara itself. He said not to purchase the flour sourced by a miracle for flour sourced by natural means will arrive tomorrow. It is not forbidden to rely ...
- 1,025
1
vote
Why wait to get water in the Z'chut of Miriam?
The Midrash explains that until that time, they had lived on water taken from amongst the rocks of the Yam Suf. Rabbeinu Bachaye quotes Rabbeinu Chananel who explains that though the Torah writes that ...
- 1,479
1
vote
Rain in Iyar - Miracle Cure?
Possible answer: The Sefer Ta’amei HaMinhagim asks why is Iyar a time of healing? He sources the Bnei Yissaschar who teaches that most weakness and illness come from foods which do not comport with a ...
- 1,981
1
vote
Why fast 3 days and not more or less?
במסכת סופרים (פרק כא) מובא מנהג ארצישראלי להתענות שני וחמישי ושני זכר לשלושת ימי הצום שצמו מרדכי ואסתר המלכה בשושן הבירה, קודם שנכנסה אסתר למלך אחשוורוש, צום שחל באמצע חודש ניסן
This is from the ...
- 11
1
vote
Why were there so many Karbanos Eitzim in Av, and so few during the rest of the year?
It's more practical to give dry wood and by the season of Av, which is 4 months after the end of the rainy season which ends in Nissan (Taanis 2b), the wood is more effectively burnt as it is very dry....
- 1,430
1
vote
Mentioning the name of the sick in teffila
Rav Nachman of Breslov says in Lekutei Morahan 1:174 that in a time of Judgment on a person it is better to omit the name of the one you are davening for and have them in mind.
1
vote
Dancing in the vineyards on yom kippur
The celebrations took place after Yom Kippur as a part of general celebrations because Kohen Gadol safely came from Kodesh haKodashim and declared a Yom Tov (Mishna Yoma 7:4)
- 2,133
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