18
The Rashbam to Bereishis 43:33 writes that not only were the 6 sons of Leah born in 7 years, but also all of the other sons of Yaakov (with the obvious exception of Binyamin, who is explicitly mentioned as having been born later).
There are two basic possibilities of how this would happen. One option is that the literal chronology of the verses (which ...
18
Short answer -- it's allowed.
You'll find a discussion elsewhere on this site about if someone impregnated a woman, do we recommend that he marry her. Which implies that the rabbi can certainly do such a wedding.
The discussion becomes a little more complicated if the pregnant fiancee was not Jewish at the time, and the rabbi now wants to convert her and ...
15
Someone asked this question online to Rabbi Yitzhak ben Yosef (posek and rabbi of Ramat Gan) here, and he responded as follows:
בהחלט שאלה נדירה ביותר.
לכאורה כל תינוק הוא פטר רחם וצריכים שני הילדים פדיון צריך לבדוק האם הם פטר רחם דהיינו שלכול רחם יש פתח נפרד.
This is an extremely rare case. Seemingly, each infant is the"opener of the womb" and ...
15
The last Lubavicher Rebbe, the Chazon Ish, and Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach (to name just a few prominent Rabbis who were never blessed woth children) did not divorce their wives, as we have not forced divorces after ten years, at least for half a millennium. I am not sure what the reasoning was for the change – if there ever was a change. It may be that rule has ...
15
In מריח ניחוח (Issue 10, Nitzavim - Vayeilech), R' Gamliel HaKohen Rabinowitz writes (as quoted in Daf al HaDaf to Nida 30b):
הסתפקתי פעם, אם גם לנקבה מלמדין התורה, או רק לזכר, ופשטתי זאת מדברי ה"נועם אלימלך" זי"ע, הנ"ל, שאם לא היו מלמדין התורה קודם שבאו לעולם, לא היה באפשרי להשיג התורה, והנה נשים צריכים לדעת היטב הלכות נדה חלה ועוד, וא"כ מה שהם צריכים ...
14
Summary - Abortion is generally prohibited, but is permitted in certain cases. All opinions agree that one is permitted - perhaps even obligated - to abort if the mother's life is in direct danger due to the pregnancy - perhaps even up to actual birthing. If the mother is not in direct danger, but will have negatively impacted health, most opinions hold ...
14
Dinonline answers,
Although a Ger is considered to be “born anew” when becoming Jewish,
this is a halachic concept that relates to family relationship and the
like, and it is not a “biological fact.”
The Ger’s birthday thus remains the date that he was physically born
on.
Note that there is no actual halachic significance to a person’s
...
11
The Tosefta (Taanit 2:12) cited in part in the Bavli (Pesachim 54b) says that pregnant and nursing women must fast on Tisha Bav (in contrast to other minor fast days). No distinction is made for a postponed fast. Such a ruling is uniformly accepted and documented in all the classical codes, including the Mishneh Torah (Taaniyot 5:10) and the Shulchan Arukh (...
10
R. Chaim Kanievsy is quoted as being asked this question, and pointing out that women also have a philtrum, as per this question (though it seems like he uses this as a proof that the philtrum is not created because of the angel's hitting).
Rav Yaakov Emden (Siddur intro to Bris Milah, 15) posits that the reason for making a 'shalom zachor' is to help the ...
10
You're possibly referring to the Maharsha to Shabbos 55b.
To explain how Reuven didn't sin with Bilhah, he explains based on the gemarra in Yevamos that Avaraham's children couldn't marry a shifchah. Therefore, Yaakov freed Bilhah and Zilpah when he married them. The way he freed them was with biah, which simultaneously freed them and was mekadesh them. ...
9
This blog post mentions that it appears in some collections of Jewish legends and the like, but not in any traditional Jewish sources.
R. Chaim Kanievsy (in this Kuntres on Chinuch) was asked whether or not woman are taught Torah in the womb, and pointing out that women also have a philtrum, and it seems like he uses this as a proof that the philtrum is not ...
9
Rav Ahron Lopiansky seemed to dispel this myth as being an old bubby's tale in a lecture. His words were some thing along the lines of "Yiddishe bubbies say that this is the makeh, (slap)", while gesturing to his philtrum, with a smile on his face. I subsequently had a phone conversation in which I asked him directly for his stance. He said that he hasn't ...
9
Although Judaism prohibits abortion, including for non-Jews it doesn't necessarily prohibit all abortion. Certainly in the context of saving the life of the mother, abortion isn't only permitted, it is required.
That being the case, a question of a secular law which permits, but doesn't require or even sanction, prohibited behavior is much more of a ...
9
No, a Jewish man cannot be a sperm donor.
Based on tshuvos from Reb Moshe (Igrot Moshe, Even Ha'Ezer 1:71 & 4:32.5) we can say
Niuff byad is an issur which only married couples who undergo IVF can get around, but single guys in a clinic can't.
The assumption is that the sperm will go to a nonjew, so there is no kiyum of pru urvu to dissipate the ...
9
R' Chaim Bochner, another Polish rabbi who was a contemporary of the Taz, uses the term שטערי"ן שו"ס to refer to shooting stars (Or Chadash, ברכות על חוש הראות , s'if #2):
זיקים והוא כוכב היורה כחץ באורך השמים ממקום למקום ונמשך אורו כשבט (בל"א שטערין שוס, מעדני מלך פ"ט סי' יג אות י בשם הרמב"ם) או כמו כוכבים שיש להם זנב ברוך עושה ...
8
Yes, someone born on a certain Hebrew-calendar date will have the same calendar date as his birthday every year. Thus, some one born on a red-letter day that is the same date every year, like the first day of Sukos, will have that as his birthday. (In fact, I have seen yahrzeit plaques that indicate "1st of Sukos" or the like instead of a date.)
Some red-...
8
I was in a shiur Rav Moshe Heinemann gave 3 years ago about halachos of pregnancy and childbirth, and he said that it is completely permitted and people just haven't gotten used to the idea yet.
8
Rashi (Bereshis 30, pasuk 10) answers on Zilpah that she was very young and the pregnancy was not visible, therefore the verse that she got pregnant was not cited.
Regarding Dinah, it could be like Rashi (Bereshis 30, pasuk 21) that Dina should have been a son and Lea prayed that Rachel should be like the other maids so that she was converted to a girl.
In ...
8
Nowadays a woman becomes a Niddah during childbirth, as we pasken (or: have taken upon as a Halacha) that most vaginal discharges cause Niddah.
Some very specific colors are except, but it needs training to discern them. Since childbirth includes a lot of blood, we assume that some of the blood may be Niddah-blood and since we cannot tell the bloods apart (...
8
Rav Sa'adya Gaon explains in his commentary to Psalms (51:7) that David was not making a statement about the state of Man. Rather, he was speaking personally; that he was so ashamed, that he felt as though he were conceived in sin. He writes (as translated into Hebrew by R. Qafih):
והרי אני מרוב כלימתי כאלו בעון חוללתי
For I, from my great ...
8
The source is probably the Talmud (Shabbos 30b):
כי הא דיתיב רבן גמליאל וקא דריש עתידה אשה שתלד בכל יום שנאמר (ירמיהו לא, ח) הרה ויולדת יחדיו
Rabban Gamliel was sitting and he interpreted a verse homiletically:
In the future, in the World-to-Come, a woman will give birth every
day, as it says: “The woman with child and her that gives birth
...
8
Yoma 82a
ת"ר עוברה שהריחה בשר קודש או בשר חזיר תוחבין לה כוש ברוטב ומניחין לה על פיה אם נתיישבה דעתה מוטב ואם לאו מאכילין אותה רוטב עצמה ואם נתיישבה דעתה מוטב ואם לאו מאכילין אותה שומן עצמו שאין לך דבר שעומד בפני פקוח נפש חוץ מע"ז וגילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים
Our Rabbis taught: If a woman with child smelt the flesh of holy
flesh, or of pork, we put ...
7
In Judaism (as codified in the earliest of sources - the Mishna Ohalos (7:6) (HT Double AA for the English link)) the mother's life comes first, no matter how late in the pregnancy. Only once the baby is out enough to be considered independent does another Jewish value kick in - we can't pick between the relative importance of one life and another, and can't ...
7
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 551:17 says:
טוב ליזהר מלומר שהחיינו בין המצרים על פרי או על מלבוש אבל על פדיון הבן אומר ולא יחמיץ המצוה
It is good to avoid saying Shehechianu in the three weeks on a fruit or clothing, but on a Pidyon HaBen he says it and doesn't postpone the Mitzvah.
The Magein Avraham (s.v. ולא יחמץ המצוה) quotes the Maharil as saying also ...
7
From the perspective of Jewish law, she can travel as long as her doctor is okay with it.
Leviticus was saying not to enter the Temple, because she's ritually impure. That status of ritual impurity wouldn't affect any other travel today.
7
You are probably thinking of the son of an Egyptian man and an Israelite woman, who cursed God's name (Leviticus 24:10). His mother was Shlomit the daughter of Divri from the tribe of Dan (24:11). Rashi describes her as a prostitute, implying that her son was born out of wedlock with the Egyptian man. Rashi further says that the tribe of Dan was specifically ...
7
Rashi on the original braitta in Shabbat 66b appears to identify it with the Old French קוטאנ"א, קונטנ''ה or קונטיינ"א - "contiene", related to the English "contain"; see below citation of transcriber of Maharshal that the bell-like stone contains a second stone. (Alternatively, perhaps the reference is to what in French is ...
6
It seems that it it Muttar, though some would say it isn't ideal.
R' Avraham S. Avraham writes the following (Nishmas Avraham Vol 2, p109):
.. Incidentally, is a woman permitted to undergo sonography (ultrasound) to learn what the sex of the fetus is? The Midrash (Midrash Rabah, Bereishis 65:12) enumerates seven things whichare hidden from man, one of them ...
6
Rabbi Abadi says it is permitted; here:
Date: 9/23/2004 7:27:00 PM
Message: Am I allowed to take a non-digital pregnancy test on shabbos?
Reply: Yes CYA
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