Unanswered Questions
516 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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Who is pulled to safety first?
If a group of people are in mortal danger, all of the same gender (cf. Horayot 13a; some suggest that the Mishnah on Horayot is not discussing a case of rescuing from physical danger, cf. Tziz Eliezer ...
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8
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0
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Should people davening alone daven together?
If a few men know there will be no minyan so they choose to daven biyechidut, is there merit to their staying "together" either in shul or not? Is there a notion of "kahal" or &...
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8
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1
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May I daven wearing headphones?
There are many paths to concentration. I have known students who doodle because it helps them focus on a lecture more effectively. Others like to listen to music while they study either to help them ...
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8
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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 ...
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8
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1
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What in a siddur can be changed?
There are many different editions of siddurim with many commonalities but also many differences, see here for discussion on MY. Also different communities use different siddurim to match their ...
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8
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Are there any ill-effects for mis-directed prayers?
Inspired by the end of this answer:
Just remember that all non-Jews don't follow the Sheva Mitzvot and could [even] be in Avodah Zarah and then would...a blessing [of theirs] matter? It might even ...
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7
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Why does An'im Zemiros have two רs?
The song beginning אנעים זמירות (also named Shir HaKavod), which is popularly sung in shuls on Shabbos and/or Yom Tov and/or Yamim Noraim, basically follows a letter-scheme, with one verse for each ...
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7
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Why does Mishneh Torah have Shem uMalchut for Yishtabach?
I was looking into the Seder haTefillot as well as other siddurim based on it, and something always bothered me about Birkat Yishtabach, which as most of you know "closes" the Pesuqei deZimra section ...
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6
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209
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What Nusach did the Twansa use?
In most of the places that Sefardim settled after being kicked out of Iberia, there were already Jews living there, usually called "Musta'arabi". In most places, these communities ...
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6
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0
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151
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Gedolim on Spanish Flu
Did the Gedolim of the time during whcih the Spanish Flu was spreading (and killed anywhere from 17 million to 50 million people) comment on it and provide any halachic guidance on whether to permit ...
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Kinnah about mazalos out of order
One of the Kinnos that is said the night of Tisha B'Av discusses the different mazalos/constellations. In the Artscroll version it's listed as Kinnah #5. Artscroll has a nice chart at the bottom ...
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6
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109
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Why don't we say "please" (that often)?
The week day Shmoneh Esrei prayer has a series of requests during which we ask Hashem for many of our needs. In my siddur (Tefilla Hashalem) there is a subtle change made in the texts of 1 of the ...
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6
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67
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In prayer for sick, can one name count for two people?
On Shabbat morning, the gabbai prays for the sick to be healed and reads out a list of names of sick people, that was provided by the community.
In the case where two sick people have the same name (...
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6
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0
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Recommended changes to the text of selichos when you say them at the "wrong" time
Some of the piyutim in selichos assume that you're saying them at the ideal time - before Amud Hashachar (for example, at the end of selicha #70 שחרנוך קדם עמוד השחר). Many people don't make it at ...
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6
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1
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Saying Havineinu during the rainy season
The Mishnah Berakhot 4:3 introduces the abridged Amida, known as Havineinu (due to its' opening word). The Gemara Berakhot 29a provides the text of this abridged Amida, in the name of Shmuel.
Within ...
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