Unanswered Questions
628 questions with no answers
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May one ride in a utilitarian car?
A new study has confirmed the obvious: people want to survive:
even though participants approve of autonomous vehicles that might sacrifice passengers to save others, respondents would prefer not to ...
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174
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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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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
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Is there a connection between the two times 7 cows, ears and years that Yaakov worked for his wives?
Is there any connection or relationship between the seven fat & seven lean cows, the seven beautiful and seven parched ears of grain that Pharaoh dreamt and Yosef interpreted, and the seven years ...
7
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103
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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 ...
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 ...
6
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304
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Textual Criticism of Nach
I was recently learning Megillat Esther (as I prepare some shiurim on the topic), and was surprised to find the following comment by Rabbi Moshe Yitzchak Ashkenazi (Tedeschi), in his commentary to ...
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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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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 ...
6
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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 ...
6
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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 (...
6
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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 ...
6
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115
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How is love created? Is giving sufficient or must there be Hakoras Hatov?
Related: Where does Rav Dessler mention that root word of אהבה is הב?
Rav Wolbe in Alei Shur vol 2, in the first va'ad on Hakaras Hatov (page רעט) says that Hakaras Hatov is a foundation of love.
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Source for saying seven specific psalms in the cemetery
What is the source as cited in the ArtScroll Tehillim for saying chapters 33, 16, 17, 82, 91, 104, and 130 of Tehillim in a bais hachayim (Jewish cemetery)? Why specifically these chapters and why in ...
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Can the Shaliach Tzibbur walk around while praying?
For any of the prayers other than the Amidah, are there sources that allow the prayer leader to walk around (for no special purpose) while praying?
The question is specific to the Shaliach Tzibbur, ...