5
votes
Accepted
Being MeChadesh Torah saves lives
The verse in Shoftim 5:8 states:
יִבְחַר֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חֲדָשִׁ֔ים אָ֖ז לָחֶ֣ם שְׁעָרִ֑ים מָגֵ֤ן אִם־יֵֽרָאֶה֙ וָרֹ֔מַח בְּאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל
When they chose new gods, war came to their ...
- 30.2k
4
votes
Why is זֵכֶר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית left out sometimes on Shabbat Amidah?
Shaar HaKollel, written by the great-grandfather of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, brings a source received from Kabbalah (quoted in Mishnat Chassidim) that says we shouldn't say the phrase in Shacharit.
The ...
- 2,201
4
votes
What is the Torah position on home schooling vs. institutionalised education?
I imagine a lot of it will come down to the judgement of the parent and the nature of the child. No one methodology is more superior, it is about חֲנֹ֣ךְ לַ֭נַּעַר עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכּ֑וֹ - Educating the ...
- 30.2k
3
votes
Accepted
Eretz Yisroel as G-ds palace
There are several instances.
Firstly, note Rabbeinu Bachaye on Devarim 32:43 on the words "וְכִפֶּ֥ר אַדְמָת֖וֹ עַמּֽוֹ" - "And atone His people’s land" writes:
וכפר אדמתו עמו. ...
- 30.2k
3
votes
Running CCTV system with monitor over Shabbos
The Star-K have got a pretty definitive rundown here with sources.
It discusses whether or not pictures captured on a monitor come under the banner of the melocho of Kesiva - writing, and provides 5 ...
- 30.2k
3
votes
Accepted
Chanukah and Purim as two friends: insight of the Shaloh
There are a possibly a few ways in which they can be deemed "friends", or in other words, share a similar connection.
The first, from a most basic level, is that they are both Rabbinic ...
- 30.2k
3
votes
Simanim at the end of the Parshah
A good essay on the subject (in Hebrew)1 is Dr. Aharon Ahrend's "The Mnemotechnical notes of the numbers of verses in the Torah Portions", Rabbi Mordechai Breuer Festschrift, pp. 157-171.
...
- 24.8k
3
votes
Locating this Rokeach on sefer Devarim
It's from the Rokeach's book Sodei Razei Smuchim (link).
He seems to be clarifying a statement in the gemara regarding learning ideas via juxtaposition of certain words and verses (smichut) in the ...
- 24.8k
3
votes
Socialising children - what does the Torah say?
It is hard to provide a definitive age, as it is very much dependent on the child, their maturity and a number of factors that I have already enumerated in the comments above.
That being said, by way ...
- 30.2k
3
votes
Learning principles of software development from the Torah
There is a relevant book which I saw once on the topic: Torah && Tech: Discussions at the Intersection of Torah and Technology
It is a selection of divrei Torah on the parasha with relevant ...
- 47.8k
3
votes
Where does the idea of chosenness and particularly the phrase "Light unto the nations" originate?
כי עם קדוש אתה לה' אלקיך ובך בחר ה' להיות לו לעם סגלה מכל העמים
אשר על־פני האדמה
For you are a holy people to Hashem your God, and Hashem has chosen
you to be a special possession to Himself, ...
- 7,202
2
votes
Are there any sources that discuss political activism?
There are some sources from the commentaries on משנה אבות, the ones that deal with this topic of "not trusting the government".
Rambam warns on this Mishna that pursuing friendship with the ...
- 7,202
2
votes
Accepted
Were the malochim who visited Avraham human?
The Ralbag says they were prophets sent by Hashem. Ibn Ezra brings a similar interpretation. The Abarbanel has a lengthy analysis of the competing interpretations, raising a number of difficulties ...
- 2,201
2
votes
Socialising children - what does the Torah say?
Yes, don't socialize them. Unless they need help and some subtle suggestions or intervention they'll be fine. Likutei Etzot - BaNNim, Children, #15:
It's better for your children's development that ...
- 1,810
2
votes
Connection between tefillin and Divine spousal relationship
I only have a modern approach for this, but Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l repeated this idea several times.
See here and this video here (see 12.10mins in)
UPDATE
However, upon digging a little ...
- 30.2k
2
votes
Chanukah and Purim as two friends: insight of the Shaloh
The Targum Simcha Here (English Here) mentions four similarities and connections between Purim and Chanukah.
Although he does not mention the Shelah which you quoted, he does provide his own ...
- 1,103
2
votes
How did the Greeks make the menora-oil impure?
Tosafos on the gemara explains:
שהיה מונח בחותמו של כהן גדול - אם כבר גזרו על הנכרים להיות כזבים (נידה פ"ד לד.) צ"ל שהיה מונח בחותם בקרקע שלא הסיטו הכלי
That was paced with the seal of the ...
- 3,438
2
votes
Further sources and exploration of the Neshomo as data
In kabbalistic and Chassidic context, the term Neshamah is associated with the intellect aspect of a human being (also called שכליות), but the human is the whole being, not just the intellect. It is ...
- 14.2k
1
vote
Chanukah and Purim as two friends: insight of the Shaloh
The Lubavitcher Rebbe (Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz 27th Day of Kislev 5744) explained that Purim represents the body, e.g. mitzvos, and Chanukah represents the soul, e.g. Torah.
On Purim, we "...
- 8,770
1
vote
Chesed and food - healthy or tasty?
This is just my perspective, and it isn’t halachic, but as I understand Jewish ethics It depends. If the food is actually unhealthy, even if tasty you should probably prioritize health, based on the ...
- 782
1
vote
Locating this Rokeach on sefer Devarim
The question posed from Yevamot 4a is how do we learn the principle of homiletical interpretation from the Written Torah? Where is the source for this style of Torah study?
Rabbi Elazar says that we ...
- 14.2k
1
vote
The search for invariants
Modern science concludes that nature is always optimizing. Between two points, light takes the path it can cross in the least time. Soap bubbles form so as to minimize surface area. When an object ...
- 20.7k
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