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10 votes

Is it against halacha for a woman to play a musical instrument in front of a man?

The Aruch Hashulchan (75:8) discusses the prohibition of a man hearing a woman singing, which is based on the statement of Shmuel in the Talmud (Berachot 24a)1: קול באשה ערוה שנא' (שיר השירים ב, יד) ...
Isaac Moses's user avatar
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9 votes
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Wise saying in the Netflix series 'Shtisel'

Rav Avigdor Miller (Tape: Happy Is He Who Ignores) explains that the idea behind this is that one should not pay attention to such thoughts of what other think of you. Why not? Because that will "...
Shmuel's user avatar
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5 votes
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Is one allowed to go to a standup comedy show during the 3 weeks?

1) No R' Shlomo Aviner takes a strict approach and writes unequivocally that the answer is no (#17 from the top). סטנדאפ בבין המצרים ש: מותר ללכת למופע סטנדאפ? Standup during the 3 weeks: ...
alicht's user avatar
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4 votes

Source for story about the Maskilim's play mocking what the "orchei hamilchama" would look like according to chazal

This story is brought in the biography of R' Baruch Ber (pg. 130-131) by Rabbi Yitzchak Edelstein whose father was a student of R' Baruch Ber. He himself knew R' Baruch Ber when he was young and also ...
Harel13's user avatar
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4 votes

Source for story about the Maskilim's play mocking what the "orchei hamilchama" would look like according to chazal

This is not really a good answer as this isn't an actual non "story" source (as requested by the question), but I'm putting this down as the text below seems to be shared in a number of places, ...
Nic's user avatar
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4 votes

Is it Asur to watch violent sports?

From a responsum of R. Yitzchok Abadi (Ohr Yitzchok vol. 1 YD §26) it would seem to be prohibited on the basis of an opinion in the Talmud with regards to images forbidden to gaze upon (Meg. 28a). ...
Oliver's user avatar
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4 votes
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Is it okay for Jewish people to read Narnia or Lord of the Rings?

Most of the sources I have found address reading books or listening to music by non-Jews. Films are a different issue, because they can often be more immodest than the books they were based on. I don'...
Harel13's user avatar
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3 votes
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Arnold Schoenberg's Survivor from Warsaw

Mr. Shoenberg most likely specified Ashkenazic pronunciation of the Hebrew because until the Holocaust, Poland/Lithuania/Eastern Europe was the center of the Ashkenazim Jewish population, and he ...
Gary's user avatar
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3 votes

May a Jew be an impostor on "To Tell the Truth"?

The Sources say that you may lie to -save a life [Yoma 84b], -keep the peace [Yevamot 65b; also Bava Metzia 87a], -make people feel good [Ketubot 16b-17a], -appear humble and modest [Bava ...
Maurice Mizrahi's user avatar
2 votes

What are some good sources of a cappella music for Sefiras HaOmer?

I also recommend the album 'Kol Zimra Sings the Songs of Abie Rotenberg' (I think Kol Zimra was the later version of the Beatachon group). I found myself listening to it the rest of the year as well!
Jay's user avatar
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2 votes

What are some good sources of a cappella music for Sefiras HaOmer?

JewishMusic.FM has a whole list of [Jewish] acappella music. My personal recommendations from there include the Maccabeats and Lev Tahor. I'm familiar with AKA Pella, Six13, Beatachon, and the Chevra'...
Scimonster's user avatar
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2 votes

What are some good sources of a cappella music for Sefiras HaOmer?

The Maccabeats. Six13. The Ystuds are all jewish accapella groups.
Yosef Mordechai Coleman's user avatar
2 votes

Looking for Jewish music that lifts the spirit

Here are a few options Aaron Razel (Yonatan's brother) Ari Goldwag Ben Snof Eitan Katz Guy Tzvi Mintz Uri Davidi Yitzhak Meir Yosef Karduner If I had to pick 3 I would pick (in order) Yitzhak Meir, ...
mbloch's user avatar
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2 votes
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Why are some movies "recommended for all women and girls"

The issue is known as "Kol Isha", "a woman's voice." See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzniut#Female_singing_voice At face value, the Talmud indicates that a man listening to a ...
Shalom's user avatar
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2 votes
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TV left on during Shabbat for serious reasons

From the OU's guidance on hurricane preparation, developed by Rabbi Kenneth Brander (when he was in Boca Raton). Television or Radio TV or radio should be left on in a side room. A streaming ...
Shalom's user avatar
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2 votes

Why did David’s harp playing relieve King Saul's illness?

Simcha is poretz gadarim, it breaks walls. See Tanya Ch. 5. What this means is that, our soul has various powers and facilities, with the highest being ta'anug; delight. Delight is often synonymous ...
Rabbi Kaii's user avatar
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2 votes

Why did David’s harp playing relieve King Saul's illness?

The spirit of H' departed from Shaul and there began to terrify him an evil spirit, Ruach Raah ... 1 Samuel 16:14 "Evil spirit" specifically. So what is music exactly? It's the Berur, ...
Nissim Nanach's user avatar
1 vote
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Clapping in shul

This is quite fascinating. If you google "applause in shul" you will find numerous "synagogue etiquette guides" primarily from denominations other than Orthodox deprecating the ...
Edward B's user avatar
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1 vote

Source for quote - "Wherever you look there’s something to be seen"

If we assume this isn’t a Talmudic quote, but a Jewish one: במקום אשר ישים האדם נפשו שם ימצאנה Quoted in Otzar Hameshalim 1270, from פניני המליצות, ה —— This is the parallel I saw: Wherever you ...
Dr. Shmuel's user avatar
1 vote
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Is it against halacha for a woman to play a musical instrument in front of a man?

According to Rabbi Pesach Falk in Oz v'Hadar Lavusha (pg. 470, C5), there is no prohibition involved if the man cannot see her. Hearing her play a musical instrument involves no prohibition. C-5. ...
Yaacov Deane's user avatar
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1 vote

Is Smuggling Candy and Snacks Into a Movie Theater Forbidden?

It may be a chilul Hashem if someone who works there sees you trying to save money at their loss, especially if there is a no food from outside policy. He may think, “I knew it! Jews are cheap” even ...
Forward Strides's user avatar
1 vote

Movie picturing the destruction of the holy temple?

Although this video doesn't show the destruction of the mikdash, it would probably give your child more of an appreciation of what we lost on Tisha B'Av. Similar videos can be seen here, here, and ...
NJM's user avatar
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