Unanswered Questions
206 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
7
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Sheimos-free versions of Tanach Online
There are many websites that provide the user with the text of Tanach (as well as various other Jewish sources). When printing sources, I like to avoid printing "Sheimos", or actual names of Hashem, ...
- 21.2k
7
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0
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2k
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Saying "Elokim" when not referring to Hashem
People often say "Elokim" instead of "Elohim" when speaking in order to avoid taking God's name in vain. I have observed, however, that some people always substitute the word "...
7
votes
1
answer
256
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Pronunciation of YHVH in the Pesel Micha story
The Minchas Shai on Shoftim 17:3 quotes the Gemara (Shevuos 35a) and Maseches Sofrim (4:6) regarding if the names יהוה and אלהים in the story of Micha's idol are holy or not. The Tanna Kama says that ...
- 3,560
6
votes
0
answers
615
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Who were the Nistarim?
It has been documented that there is a group of righteous people called "The Nistarim". I am not referring to the lammed vav tzaddikim of the Gemara (Sanhedrin 97b, Sukkah 45b). Rather, a mystical ...
- 10.4k
6
votes
0
answers
122
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G-d's name on screen readers
People who are blind or hard-of-seeing often interact with computers using devices called "screen readers". These screen readers will read aloud the words that are written on the screen (or in the ...
- 6,946
6
votes
0
answers
259
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Do you have the right to burn your own books?
There are stories of Rabbis who have composed works only later to burn or otherwise willfully destroy them (Rabbi Nachman and The Kotzker Rebbi come to mind). I would understand if they had these ...
- 44.8k
5
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0
answers
118
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5
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1k
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Smoking and psychedelics in kabbalah?
Many are familiar with stories of great tzaddikim smoking pipes and the like in some sort of kabbalastic rite. I've even heard some chassidic Rebbes having a so called "Kabbalah pipe". Im curious to ...
- 41
5
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0
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92
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Targum of Elokim
The Targum uses yod yod for both Hashem and Elokim unless both are mentioned together. Should the yod yod be understood generically and pronounced Elokim when the chumash says Elokim, or should it be ...
- 73.9k
4
votes
0
answers
80
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Erasing shiluv of A-donai H-avai
Some sidurrim (prayer books) have the name of G-d "A-donai" and "Havai" mixed together like this:
י א ה ד ו נ ה י
Is one allowed to erase such a sequence? or is it forbidden like A-...
- 543
4
votes
0
answers
87
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Saying Hashem's name quickly in Hallel on Sukkos
During Hallel on Sukkos, we shake the lulav during the הודו לה' כי טוב and אנא ה' הושיעה נא. The standard practice I've seen is the one the Mishna Berurah describes there - one direction per word in ...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
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0
answers
126
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Source for Arizal’s teaching
I’m reading a book by Rabbi Shlomo Arush and he says the following: "According to our master, the Arizal, whoever wants to receive the light of Ein Sof in its entirety has to change its own nature ...
- 34.7k
4
votes
0
answers
86
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How far from the correct pronunciations and spellings must one differ to avoid saying God's names?
It's my understanding that there are halachic reasons to avoid saying or writing some of God's Names for no reason. How far from the correct spelling or pronunciations must one deviate to avoid these ...
- 73
4
votes
1
answer
466
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Using Zephaniah 3:8 as a pangram
Would usage of Zephaniah 3:8 solely as a pangram – it being the only option with both finals and cantillation – constitute shemos, and therefore require genizah?
לָכֵ֤ן חַכּוּ־לִי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה ...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
0
answers
189
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Can one repeat the name of Hashem when reading from the Torah to get the singing note right (meaning unchanged)?
Someone reading from the Torah gets the singing note (trop) wrong for one of the names of Hashem, in a manner which does not change the meaning of the verse. He then does not need to go back and ...
CommunityBot
- 1