Unanswered Questions
949 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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Counting Sefirah in a made up language
Can one fulfill the mitzvah of counting the Omer by counting in a language that only he/she understands? What if a few people understand? An entire goup?
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Maharam Shiff’s Mnemonic indexes
The Wikipedia page (from Jewish encyclopedia) for Rabbi Meir Shiff states:
A mnemonic index to the Bible and the Talmud by him is also extant.
Where can I find such an index?
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Establishing the relative order of Rashi's commentaries
In learning Masekhet Ketubot, I encountered Rashi's definition of בי שמשי on daf 103a. There, since the passage is clearly referring to twilight on erev shabbat in particular, Rashi explains why so ...
CommunityBot
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Reincarnations - Let's work out how many one would need to be personally obligated in all 613 Mitzvot in the superset
In a nutshell, the Arizal says (Shaar Gilgulim Ch. 16) we are reincarnated in order that every Jew gets a chance to experience all 613 mitzvot as a chiyuv (personal obligation) at least once. My ...
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Mitzvos from the 613 that are not included in the Ten Commandments
The Chasam Sofer to parshas Nasso says (Toras Moshe I, ד"ה ושמו שמי) that it is known that even though the Ten Commandments contain all the 613 mitzvos (see Rashi and here), the three mitzvos that ...
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Davening to change nature
In Mashcehes Brachos (Bavli) 60 the Gemara states that one should not pray that his unborn baby be a boy if it's after the time the baby has formed already in the womb. However, in Masheches Brachos ...
CommunityBot
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Success of the Younger Brother
While the Torah appears to exemplify the status of a Bechor (first born) - there appears to be a pattern throughout the Tanach of the younger brother carrying on the legacy and success of their ...
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R' Akiva visiting Syracuse
I have read a claim on various sites, including Wikipedia, that R' Akiva visited the city of Syracuse in current Sicily. However, I have failed to find its source in the Talmud. I have seen the ...
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Baalei Batim and Daf Yomi versus Learning Halachah
Today, many baalei batim center their learning around gemara bavli, for example through programs like daf yomi. But the Drisha and Shach write that for those who aren't learning all day it's more ...
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Korach, Chukas, Balak - The mouth of the earth, well & donkey
I noticed something this week when reciting Pirkei Avos...
In Perek 5, Mishna 6 - the mishna famously says:
עֲשָׂרָה דְבָרִים נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, פִּי ...
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Finding a chiddush of the Brisker Rov
This question has a bit of an introduction to it.
Rav Shlomo Lorincz wrote a biography of the Chazon Ish, the Brisker Rov and Rav Shach, called במחיצתם (translated by Yonason Rosenblum as “In Their ...
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How to determine a trespasser's intent from a Halachic Perspective?
How do we determine a trespasser's intent from a Halachic Perspective?
The Rambam writes:
If it is clear to the house-owner that the thief who breaks in will not kill him and instead is only ...
CommunityBot
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Who came up with this story?
It says in Mekor Baruch (of Rabbi Baruch Epstein)
The Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin, the Netziv, was once sitting down surrounded by several high-caliber students – avrechim versed in Torah, wise, and ...
CommunityBot
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Identification of Censored Areas of Talmud
Unfortunately, the Talmud and other writings have been subject to censorship since their completion. These alterations seem still to be present in many modern editions of the Talmud.
How ...
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Source for not referring to Chanuka lights as a "menora"
Following up on this question about the use of the words "menora" or "chanukiya" to refer to Chanuka lights:
I find it interesting that the use of "chanukiya," popularized in 1897 through a secular ...
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