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Unanswered Questions

464 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
9 votes
1 answer
186 views

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 ...
8 votes
0 answers
409 views

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 ...
7 votes
0 answers
178 views

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 ...
7 votes
0 answers
507 views

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 ...
7 votes
1 answer
221 views

Why no halachos in the Babylonian Talmud like in the Jerusalem Talmud?

Most Jewish texts have a easy way to pin down a citation. Some are numbered. For example, Rambam and Y'rushalmi and Tosefta have chapter and halacha. Some of these have different numberings in ...
6 votes
0 answers
177 views

Halacha to discourage a convert once every 6 months?

A friend of mine told me that the halacha of discouraging a convert three times has a little nuance - the convert has to make the second and third attempt (to persuade the rabbi to let him convert) at ...
6 votes
0 answers
66 views

R' Chanina B"T's strange behavior at his execution (Kalah 5, 4)

We all know the heroic story of R' Chanina Ben Tardion in its version in Avodah Zarah 18b as he was wrapped in Sefer Torah and burned alive. Interestingly, Masechet Kalah 5, 4 (sorry couldn't find a ...
6 votes
0 answers
196 views

The methodology of Mesores haShas

In Mesores haShas (printed in the margins of the Vilna Shas), is there any order to the sequence of quoted masekhtas? For example, on Sanhedrin 105b, a story is related that concerns the length of ...
6 votes
0 answers
792 views

Aryeh Kaplan and Talmud memorization

Aryeh Kaplan’s Jewish Meditation, page 27: I recall that when I was in yeshivah, a few friends and I decided to have a contest to see who could memorize the most pages of Talmud. For me, it was an ...
6 votes
0 answers
237 views

Two additional tests of Joseph in Talmud?

This discussion mentions that besides the test with Zuleica/Zuleicha (Potiphar's wife, according to the reference 166 Book of Yasher cited on p.371 in this Midrash book), there were two even more ...
6 votes
0 answers
159 views

Source for a Talmudic story of three caskets

In the Merchant of Venice, suitors attempting to win Portia's hand must choose from 3 caskets (of gold, silver and lead). Those who chose wrong must leave immediately and never marry anyone. One who ...
6 votes
0 answers
615 views

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 ...
6 votes
1 answer
255 views

How does frequency of a Sanhedrin killing make sense in light of the concept of "Kippah"?

The mishnah on Makkos 7a states: סנהדרין ההורגת אחד בשבוע נקראת חובלנית רבי אליעזר בן עזריה אומר אחד לשבעים שנה רבי טרפון ורבי עקיבא אומרים אילו היינו בסנהדרין לא נהרג אדם מעולם רשב"ג אומר אף הן ...
5 votes
0 answers
83 views

Davening for multiple things

In Taanis 8b, בִּימֵי רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי הֲוָה כַּפְנָא וּמוֹתָנָא, אָמְרִי: הֵיכִי נַעֲבֵיד? נִיבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי אַתַּרְתֵּי — לָא אֶפְשָׁר In the days of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani there ...
5 votes
0 answers
199 views

Proof of Hashem via Talmud/Amora/Tanna

Does anyone know of the places where a Tanna/Amora offers a proof for the existence of Hashem. ie: Bereshit Rabbah 39:1 Avraham Avinu passes a castle on fire (see below) Is there perhaps a list, or a ...

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