18 votes

How did Jacob manage to have 12 children in 7 years?

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 ...
Y     e     z's user avatar
18 votes

Can a rabbi conduct a marriage if the bride is already pregnant from the groom?

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 ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 130k
14 votes
Accepted

When is a convert's Hebrew birthday?

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 ...
NJM's user avatar
  • 13.6k
11 votes
Accepted

Does a pregnant or nursing woman fast on a postponed Tish'ah B'Av?

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 ...
Double AA's user avatar
  • 96.9k
10 votes

Was Dan born out of wedlock?

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. ...
robev's user avatar
  • 19.6k
9 votes

Can a Jewish man be a sperm donor?

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 ...
user6591's user avatar
  • 33.2k
9 votes

What stone prevents miscarriage?

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 ...
Fred's user avatar
  • 16.8k
8 votes
Accepted

Is a woman technically a niddah after childbirth?

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 ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
8 votes
Accepted

Tehilim 51, "in sin did his mother conceive him", What does that mean?

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 ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 35.4k
8 votes
Accepted

Conception/Delivery Same Time

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 ...
Jay's user avatar
  • 6,427
8 votes
Accepted

May a pregnant woman eat non kosher food to satiate her craving?

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 ...
kouty's user avatar
  • 22.6k
7 votes

Is a mother who has just given birth allowed to travel within a month or so of birth?

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 ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 130k
7 votes

Shehechiyanu for baby girl during the 3 weeks / 9 days

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 ...
Yishai's user avatar
  • 31.8k
7 votes
Accepted

Blessings on Birthdays

R. Elazar of Kozhnitz is cited as finding an allusion to the idea that one receives power of blessing (requesting) on their birthday in the verse (Ps. 2:7-8): אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְײ אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י ...
Oliver's user avatar
  • 11.9k
7 votes

Was Dan born out of wedlock?

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). ...
b a's user avatar
  • 24k
7 votes

What stone prevents miscarriage?

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"; ...
Loewian's user avatar
  • 17.6k
6 votes
Accepted

Is a virgin birth possible according to rabbinic judaism? If the mother was betrothed, is the child a mamzer?

Virgin birth in Rabbinic literature: The Talmud already discusses it. E.g. in Chagiga 14b and 15a it discusses a virgin birth. Specifically, is "the virgin" allowed to marry a Cohen Gadol - the high ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
6 votes

When does the soul enter the fetus?

This was a discussion between Antoninus and Rabi Yehuda HaNasi, found in Sanhedrin 91b. The following is the quotation and translation from sefaria וא"ל אנטונינוס לרבי נשמה מאימתי ניתנה באדם ...
user6591's user avatar
  • 33.2k
6 votes

Was Dan born out of wedlock?

From the simple reading of the Torah it seems that it was in wedlock Beraishis 30:3-6 or here She said, “Here is my maid Bilhah. Consort with her, that she may bear on my knees and that through ...
hazoriz's user avatar
  • 7,466
6 votes
Accepted

Personality traits of being born on certain weekdays

Gemorah Shabbos 156a [I copied Sefaria's version see complete Gemorah here] כתיב אפינקסיה דרבי יהושע בן לוי האי מאן דבחד בשבא יהי גבר ולא חדא ביה After citing relevant halakhot written in the ...
פרי זהב's user avatar
6 votes

Can a rabbi conduct a marriage if the bride is already pregnant from the groom?

Shemot 22:15 states: וְכִֽי־יְפַתֶּ֣ה אִ֗ישׁ בְּתוּלָ֛ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־אֹרָ֖שָׂה וְשָׁכַ֣ב עִמָּ֑הּ מָהֹ֛ר יִמְהָרֶ֥נָּה לּ֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with ...
Ben Weissman's user avatar
6 votes

Which parent names the first child?

Rav Ari Enkin in his Shulchan Ha'Ari page.133 writes that it is best to name the child together based off Koheles Rabbah 7:3. He notes that that some hold that the father gets to name the child first (...
sam's user avatar
  • 40.7k
6 votes

Trying to track down the textual source of a Jewish quote about a Rabbi Neskizh

Here. ואמר שסיפר לו אחיו הקאוולר זצוקלה"ה איך שאביהם הנעסכיזו זצוקלה"ה אמר לו " בני הלא מי שאינו מרגיש חבלי לידה ממש כמו שיש להיולדת שהיא בתוך חמשים מייל סביבותיו כדי להתפלל עבורה לעשות ...
pcoz's user avatar
  • 1,990
5 votes

Halachot of IVF

For future reference, there are two more very relevant books on the topic in English. I read them both and they are excellent Third Key: Jewish Guide to Fertility by Baruch and Michal Finkelstein, ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 45.6k
5 votes

If a woman cannot have children, can she marry?

Rema, Even HaEzer 1:3 וּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה נָהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹּא לָכֹף עַל זֶה. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁלֹּא קִיֵּם פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וּבָא לִשָּׂא אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵינָהּ בַּת בָּנִים, כְּגוֹן עֲקָרָה וּזְקֵנָה אוֹ ...
LN6595's user avatar
  • 5,312
5 votes

Does a pregnant or nursing woman fast on a postponed Tish'ah B'Av?

Nishmat writes Whether a pregnant woman is exempt from fasting on a delayed Tisha B'Av is a matter of halachic debate. There is further debate regarding the halachic status of the first three ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 45.6k
5 votes

Are Noahide women permitted to undergo a tubal ligation?

According to sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem, (Vol II, helek 5, 9:1), a tubal ligation is permitted for bnot noach. And further says: that even more than this could be done for reasons of safety or health ...
Renato S. Grun's user avatar
5 votes

Why does the Torah say a woman has "sperm" or "seed"?

What a word in the Torah means is best determined not by the most frequently-used English translation of that word but by examining how that word is used in context in the Torah or possibly in ...
Isaac Moses's user avatar
  • 47.6k
4 votes
Accepted

May a non-Jew have an abortion?

Are non-Jews permitted to have abortions? According to Sefer Sheva Mitzvot Hashem only if a noahide woman is in risk of dying in childbirth (due to her fetus). The base for this is Rambam in Rotseach ...
Renato S. Grun's user avatar
4 votes

Woman with 2 wombs in regards to pidyon haben

the mishna in bechoros states that a child born after a ceaserian birth does not require pidyon (this is codified as halcha). gemara explains that although he is considered the opener of the womb, he ...
Hershy S.'s user avatar
  • 1,129

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