48 votes

Is there such a thing as "too Orthodox"?

The Rema writes in the first Halacha of Shulchan Aruch (Partial Quote) וְלֹא יִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם הַמַּלְעִיגִים עָלָיו בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ גַּם בְּהֶצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת. And ...
TrustMeI'mARabbi's user avatar
42 votes

Is there such a thing as "too Orthodox"?

There is not such a thing as "too orthodox", no. There can be such a thing as "too pushy" when people are too direct in trying to change others, but that's not the situation you've described. Never ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
18 votes

Is there such a thing as "too Orthodox"?

You might be a source of inspiration for others that want to be more observant. Keep going.
DHSF's user avatar
  • 305
14 votes
Accepted

First use of modern names for books of Torah

Sefer B'Reshit: the Yerushalmi (Sotah 1:10) already refers to it as Sefer B'reshit. This is also found in the Zohar (Raya Mehemna Vol. II Parashat Mishpatim 119b). Sefer Sh'mot: The Midrash Lekah Tov (...
mevaqesh's user avatar
  • 35.6k
11 votes
Accepted

How to suggest a kosher restaurant for a meeting?

In most cases, when this sort of thing comes up I say something like: "I have some dietary restrictions and wouldn't be able to eat there; could we meet at $other_restaurant instead?". For someone ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
11 votes
Accepted

What's the Jewish attitude towards work and unionizing?

We do not glorify poverty, but we do view work as ennobling. G-d could have poof! given the people a Tabernacle in the desert, but the process of everyone working together to build one (and it was ...
Shalom's user avatar
  • 133k
10 votes
Accepted

Is it better to say a blessing quietly or loudly?

The basic obligation is only to recite blessings loud enough that you can hear them, as brought by the Rambam in Mishnah Torah, Hilchos Berachos, Chapter One, the beginning of Paragraph Seven: כל ...
Michael Plotke's user avatar
8 votes

Is there such a thing as "too Orthodox"?

The word "Orthodox" is ambiguous. Technically, it is a sociological grouping. Because in practice, that group is of people trying to observe classical notions of halakhah, we think of "Orthodox" as ...
Micha Berger's user avatar
  • 9,638
8 votes

Why do we use the masculine form in a Shabbat greeting?

With respect to your friend, the fact that shabbat pluralises as shabbatot is itself insufficient for demonstrating that it's a feminine word. Lots of masculine words take that plural - such as אבות, ...
Shimon bM's user avatar
  • 18.9k
7 votes

On what social issues were the rabbis ahead of their times?

R Ken Spiro has a wonderful book on this topic: Worldperfect, the Jewish impact on civilization (a similar book by a non-Jewish author is The gifts of the Jews: how a tribe of desert nomads changed ...
mbloch's user avatar
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7 votes
Accepted

What does LAYT stand for?

Kitzur.co.il has the entry לאי"ט standing for לאורך ימים טובים LAYT will be the transliteration into English. Idiomatic Translation - "for a long and good life" (I normally write LOY”T.)
Avrohom Yitzchok's user avatar
7 votes

When is it acceptable to be impolite or rude

No it is never ok to be rude. As Jews, we have to set the standard and example for others. Indeed, this was the difference between Yaakov and Eisav. The Zohar on Parshas Toldos writes: וַיַּעַשׂ גַּם ...
Dov's user avatar
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6 votes
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When did shuckling begin?

Based on: On the Mainline, the OU. The History To summarize, we see a negative portrayal of swaying during study in the 11th century in a poem of R. Shemuel HaNagid. [i] We find more positive ...
mevaqesh's user avatar
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6 votes
Accepted

Is there a salutation/greeting recognizing the last day of Channukah for my Jewish friends?

Welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks for your efforts to show respect for your Jewish friends. I'm not aware of any special greeting for the last day of Chanuka, in particular. "Happy Chanuka" is the ...
Isaac Moses's user avatar
  • 48k
6 votes

What is the best way to correct someone who has unwittingly violated halacha in public?

I have been corrected on several occasions, so I can describe what worked better or worse for me. I've tried to apply this when I'm doing the correcting (doesn't happen often), and so far it has ...
Monica Cellio's user avatar
6 votes

History of chattan & kallah classes

Based on the book "Halachos of Niddah" by Rabbi Shimon D. Eider (first published in 1981), the origin of the modern Chassan and Kallah classes began shortly after the Holocaust. Historically, mothers ...
Salmononius2's user avatar
  • 6,791
6 votes

Greeting other people (Jews and Non-Jews alike)

A Talmudic passage that may be relevant here: Berachot 17a מרגלא בפומיה דאביי לעולם יהא אדם ערום ביראה מענה רך משיב חמה ומרבה שלום עם אחיו ועם קרוביו ועם כל אדם ואפילו עם נכרי בשוק כדי שיהא אהוב ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 49.2k
5 votes

Title to use when addressing a rav

The Shulchan Aruch (in Yore De'ah סימן רמב - שלא להורות בפני הרב, ודין רב שמחל על כבודו) discusses greeting one's Rav - and mentions that one doesn't greet him as one does any other person, and ...
Danny Schoemann's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

What age is the kapoteh donned in Chabad circles?

From the wedding day onward. Discussed in the book Mazal Tov by Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov on page 64 169. After the Kabbolas Ponim the chosson prepares for the chuppah in the following way. 170. The ...
Dude's user avatar
  • 4,362
5 votes

Standard engagement timeframe in modern Orthodox and Yishivish circles

From my experience the average engagement period in the Yeshivish circles is 2 - 4 months. Although I know of cases where the wedding was in as short as 4 -5 weeks and others where it was as much as 6 ...
Gershon Gold's user avatar
5 votes

Greeting other people (Jews and Non-Jews alike)

In addition to the previous answer, here are two more sources that address the topic of greeting people: וא"ר חלבו אמר רב הונא כל שיודע בחברו שהוא רגיל ליתן לו שלום יקדים לו שלום שנאמר בקש שלום ...
b a's user avatar
  • 24.7k
5 votes

Why ask guest to make kiddush?

The reason many prefer to make their own Kiddush rather than be yotzei from the host is because of the dictum מצוה בו יותר מבשלוחו - it is preferable to perform a Mitzvah personally [based on ...
chortkov2's user avatar
  • 9,370
5 votes

When is it acceptable to be impolite or rude

The Ramban advises in his Iggeres Haramban (Sefaria translation taken from here): Accustom yourself to always speak all of your words calmly, to every man and at every time. In doing so you will ...
ElonMusk's user avatar
  • 471
4 votes

On what social issues were the rabbis ahead of their times?

Chazal set up a publicly funded school system around the first century of the common era (Bava Basra 21:1). They strongly condemned any city that did not fund a school for its children (Eicha Rabba ...
LN6595's user avatar
  • 5,360
4 votes

Is there such a thing as "too Orthodox"?

Yes. One is "too Orthodox" when one judges others for shortcomings other than sheer evil; when one hates people (for the group they belong to); when one no longer feels or acts like a part of humanity;...
SAH's user avatar
  • 19.7k
4 votes

Is there such a thing as "too Orthodox"?

No there isn't.. Truth is truth..No name can change it..If it is changed then it doesn't remain truth..So if one one obeys the truth,people's remarks does not matter.. It happens just because people ...
Muhammad yasir's user avatar
4 votes
Accepted

Hospitalized - visit by my Rabbi

Of course, the situation depends entirely on how the two of you feel like handling it. However, this may help: One source for covering the cross is based upon the ruling of the Kaf HaChaim 113:27 ...
David Kenner's user avatar
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4 votes

Should Jewish men be courteous to women in public?

From time to time I hear Gedolim remembered for their ordinary courtesy to women that they happened to encounter. Here's such an article: "She went on to explain that when Rabbi (Yaakov) Kamenetsky ...
Chaim's user avatar
  • 2,225
4 votes
Accepted

Is Hashem polite?

One cannot define God as being either polite or un-polite, both attributes would limit Him and he is by definition unlimited. We only know and understand God through His Torah and the laws (halachot) ...
mbloch's user avatar
  • 51.6k

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