Unanswered Questions
508 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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Why do we have different names today than in ancient Judaism?
There are definitely exceptions, but for the most part, it seems that from the Beis Hamikdash period up until the era of the Rishonim, the traditional names we use today were relatively uncommon (such ...
- 176
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Why isn't Tefillin stressed more spiritually than physically
The Torah says in Deuteronomy 6:8 "וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃
" but why is the main emphasis in our culture nowadays about the physical Tefillin?...
- 338
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Why should one be immediately replaced if he messed up during the brocho of heretics?
B"H
The Rambam laws of Tefillah chapter 10 halacha 3 writes
ג שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר שֶׁטָּעָה וְנִבְהַל וְלֹא יָדַע מֵהֵיכָן יַתְחִיל
וְשָׁהָה שָׁעָה יַעֲמֹד אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו. וְאִם טָעָה בְּבִרְכַּת
...
2
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1
answer
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Do any Poskim still respond with full teshuvos/responsa?
It seems like until recently, it wasn't very hard to get a comprehensive teshuva to a shaila one had. Sefarim like Igros Moshe, Shevet Haleivi, Minchas Yitzchak, Tzitz Eliezer etc. are compilations of ...
- 15.3k
1
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1
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Are there any open-source Talmud?
I would like to partially mark the tzures hadaf of mesechta Makkos, print it out for others, and put it on-line. But I do not want to worry about copyright laws. Does anyone know where I can download ...
- 5,587
4
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Is there a halakhic basis for the position of Chief Rabbi of a country whose authority must be acknowledged by all Jewish citizens?
Wikipedia lists 39 countries which have one or more Chief Rabbis, counting the United Kingdom and Commonwealth as one rabbinate. Israel is the only country in which the Ashkenazi and Sephardic Chief ...
- 69
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Is encouraging aliyah to Israel a mitzvah?
Thank God we have a Jewish State. The Rambam notes the importance of living in Israel "even in a city of majority gentiles, and shouldn't live in a city outside of Israel even with a majority of ...
- 2,308
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Is there a gemara that explains why our forefathers' prayers were answered right away?
I think I remember a gemara that says the reason why our fathers were answered right away as opposed to us is because they knew G-d's name. I am searching for it but I have not found it yet.
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Seeking to find a quote from Rashba on Kidushin
ולולא פירוש רש"י היו דברי התנאיים והאמוראים סתומות ולא היו ניתנים
להבנה
Were it nor for Rashi's commentary, Shas would remain a closed book to
us all.
I heard that the Rashba says the above in ...
- 5,019
2
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answers
51
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Did Jacob prostrate himself before Joseph?
The Gemara in Berachot 55 learns from Joseph's dream that there is no dream without meaningless components; as he had dreamed of the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowing before him, yet Rachel (...
- 522
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98
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Is it permissible for a rabbi to publicly criticize and insult other rabbis who he finds to be misguiding the community and misrepresenting Judaism?
I've seen certain rabbis do this to other rabbis and even encourage their students and followers to do the same. Is this allowed in Judaism?
- 493
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Is one allowed to consult oil and egg demons?
On one hand, the Gemara Sanhedrin 101a states:
And one may not consult the words of demons on Shabbat. Rabbi Yosei says: Even during the week it is prohibited to consult demons. Rav Huna said: The ...
- 5,096
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Rambam and a non-Jew receiving Prophecy or Ruach Hakodesh?
Can anyone tell which of the Rambam works where he says, a non-Jew can receive Prophecy and Ruach Hakodesh? I may be thinking of the Tanya which is not by Rambam.
- 28.4k
3
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2
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Why is תא שמע used for both Attempted Challenges & Proofs?
Why does the Gemara use תא שמע for both Attempted Challenges & Attempted Proofs?
It can get especially confusing.
Take Bava Basra 94b-95a for example, which is discussing Rav Huna of the previous ...
CommunityBot
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Optional personal requests in prayers according to Rambam
Following "Praying-for-too-many-people".
In my understanding, Rambam had a peculiar and somewhat unorthodox view of God's immutability and inability to be influenced by our Earthly prayers. ...
- 28k