10
votes
Searching for a story with the Rav's comment about the scientist
From here:
I once heard a great story about Rav Solovetchick, from R’ Motty
Berger of Aish. Isidor Rabi developed a theory in the 30’s that was a
harbinger of the Big Bang theory. Arno Penzias ...
- 49.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Is a person with one gender allowed to be a guide / interpreter for a deaf / blind person of opposite gender?
This should fall into the same category as visiting a doctor of the opposite gender. Because just like the Shach Yoreh Deah 195:20 says that according to the Rambam, the only issur of negiah is when ...
- 3,879
7
votes
Accepted
Eye donations in Halacha
R Chaim Jachter has a very good summary of relevant opinions
Rav Waldenberg and Dayan Weisz categorically forbid cornea transplants because of the issue of denigrating the dead
Rav Isser Yehuda ...
- 53.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Are glasses muktzeh on shabbat for Jews who can see
See S"A Harav, 318:41 where he states that the status of muktzeh is a status that is dependent on the object and its owner, and that status propagates to all people who dwell in his home, ...
- 738
6
votes
Is a person with one gender allowed to be a guide / interpreter for a deaf / blind person of opposite gender?
R. Joseph Messas wrote the following responsum on the similar issue of touching between a nurse and patients.
Otzar Hamichtavim Vol. III # 1,833
תשובה דבר פשוט אצל כל הפוסקים שאין אסור נגיעה ...
- 49.9k
6
votes
The Plague of Darkness
I have no backing for this novel idea, but here goes:
Modern science of the past century has taught us that light consists of photons. These are packets of energy that act like particles in many ...
- 350
6
votes
Accepted
Megillah 4.6 -- Why can't the blind recite the Shema with their benedictions (according to R. Judah)?
The context of that Mishna is discussing who is fit to lead the congregation in prayers, and in particular that line is part of a dispute if a blind person can lead the prayer of Shema and its ...
- 100k
5
votes
Are women allowed to see another woman's private area?
Concur with mbloch's answer -- if one is viewing them licentiously that's a different discussion -- just wanted to bring a stronger proof. Basically, it used to be everyone of the same gender went to ...
- 135k
5
votes
Are glasses a barrier before erva for "Sh'ma"?
Berachot 25b
אמר רבא צואה בעששית מותר לקרות ק"ש כנגדה ערוה בעששית אסור לקרות ק"ש כנגדה צואה בעששית מותר לקרות ק"ש כנגדה דצואה בכסוי תליא מילתא והא מיכסיא ערוה בעששית אסור לקרות קריאת שמע כנגדה (...
- 23k
5
votes
Accepted
Are there any issues with blowing on your glasses to clean them on Shabbat?
R. Moshe Stern (Be'er Moshe 6:62) explicitly permits one to clean glasses on Shabbos, by both blowing on and wiping the glasses. He does not cite the Rema's ruling (OC 319:17) in which he finds ...
- 12.1k
4
votes
Is a blind person required to cover their eyes during Shema?
Since the simple, traditional reason for covering the eyes is in order not to be distracted [while reciting the Shema (proclaiming God’s kingship)], as stated in SA O.C. 61:5, therefore if one cannot ...
- 12.1k
4
votes
Guarding Your Eyes In Public School
I've attended an interesting lecture in my boys' school in Jerusalem (I think) and the (frum) lecturer presented a very interesting approach to what you ask.
This topic is actually overhyped in ...
- 27.5k
4
votes
Why does the mishna assume blind parents can't identify their son?
Rashi in several places comments that זה means that you can see and point at something and say, “This is it!”
For instance, on Shemos 12:2:
הזה. נִתְקַשָּׁה מֹשֶׁה עַל מוֹלַד הַלְּבָנָה, בְּאֵיזוֹ ...
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4
votes
Is a person with one gender allowed to be a guide / interpreter for a deaf / blind person of opposite gender?
Similar to abochur's response, this article quoting Rabbi Shimon Taub writes,
Drawing on Rambam’s position on the laws of negiah, Rabbi Taub
explains that, under very limited circumstances, ...
- 14.6k
4
votes
Accepted
Bracha covering something retroactively
R' Tzvi Pesach Frank (Har Tz'vi OC §106) would seem to hold that you should make another ha'eitz. The reason is that you intended that a different b'racha would be needed to cover the mango and that ...
- 17.2k
4
votes
Eye contact with makom bris?
The Tamlud (Shabbat 118b) mentions 1 (or possibly 2) Tannaim who claimed to have never looked (הסתכל) at their "makom bris". This is presented as a rare act of extreme piety, and there is no technical ...
- 100k
4
votes
Miswa of Lifne Iwer isn't what the words mean literally?
Minchas Chinuch 232:4 discusses this, and raises the possibility that maybe he would be violating this lav by doing so. On the other hand, he also comments (quoting Korban Aharon) that if the verse ...
- 10.1k
3
votes
Is there any halahic problem davening in the presence of a dog that assists a blind person?
R. Yitzchak Abadi has a responsum (Ohr Yitzchak 2:51) about allowing seeing-eye dogs inside the synagogue. He cites R. Moshe Feinstein's responsum on the matter (mentioned in Gershon Gold's answer) ...
- 49.9k
3
votes
Kallah's Veil under Chupah
R Ephraim Sprecher has a beautiful answer to this question (published in the OU Torah Tidbits #1022, dated Nov 23, 2012)
Leah represents Yaakov's Mazal (fate). She is the woman whom Yaakov
was ...
- 53.7k
3
votes
Accepted
Wearing photo gray glasses on Shabbos
Rav Shmuel Wosner zt"l addresses this in Shevet HaLevi, cheilek dalet, siman 23, os 5. He says that going out in the sun in such glasses is not considered an act of tzoveya.
בענין המשקפים שבאור ...
- 33.9k
3
votes
What's so bad about looking into the face of a wicked person?
Rav Avigdor Miller was asked this same question:
Q: What is the problem with looking at the face of a wicked person? [אסור
לאדם להסתכל בצלם דמות אדם רשע – “It is forbidden for one to gaze at
...
- 14.6k
3
votes
Are women allowed to see another woman's private area?
Seeing another woman's private area is not technically prohibited - and bikini pictures even less. It is hard to source a negative but extensive research didn't uncover(!) sources forbidding it.
...
- 53.7k
3
votes
Meaning of "gives sight to the blind"?
A good starting point can be found in Tehillim 146:8
ה' פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ עִוְרִ֗ים ה' זֹקֵ֣ף כְּפוּפִ֑ים ה' אֹהֵ֥ב צַדִּיקִֽים׃
The LORD restores sight to the blind; the LORD makes those who are bent stand ...
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3
votes
Accepted
Why can't we physically see angels in their material form anymore?
An angel can disguise himself as a human being, and even like someone specific, like Eliyahu disguising himself as Rabbi Chiya (Beraishis Rabbah 26:5), however, it seems that there are still certain ...
- 3,297
3
votes
Is "Though shall not put a stumbling block before the blind" solely metaphorical?
I would suggest it's not a stumbling block if the purpose is to improve their skills, just like a teacher is allowed mislead his students to test them (S"A Yoreh Deah 246:12):
ויש לרב להטעות את ...
- 4,950
2
votes
Is a blind person required to cover their eyes during Shema?
I found the following here from the Yalkut Yosef authored by Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef sefardi Chief Rabbi of Israel.
ד נוהגים ליתן יד ימין על העינים בקריאת פסוק שמע ישראל, כדי שלא יסתכל
בדבר אחר ...
- 48.4k
2
votes
Accepted
Does the blessing "Poke'ach 'Ivrim" contain an allusion to the ill effects of bribery?
The source for this morning blessing is clearly from Tehillim 146:8 (which we say every morning in Pesukei Dezimra), and thus, it is highly unlikely that this language was chosen so to allude to ...
- 21.2k
2
votes
Saying Tanach by Heart
According to Rabbenu Hayyim Paltiel (Numbers 28:9) verses cited in prayer on Shabbat or even Rosh Hodesh are sufficiently frequent to not have the problem. Verses cited only on the holidays, are ...
- 35.9k
2
votes
The Plague of Darkness
Notwithstanding some semi-recent archaeological findings which support the naturalistic interpretations of other meforshim, I am attracted by the explanations of R. Eleazar of Brody and the Rebbe ...
- 20.1k
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