Unanswered Questions
297 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
19
votes
2
answers
387
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Where did the incense-altar sweeper get his broom from?
Mishna, Tamid chapter 3:9, in a loose translation:
Those who merited removing the ashes from the inner altar and the candelabrum would precede. They had four tools in their hands: the basket, the ...
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11
votes
1
answer
152
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Is there any connection between the Sotah, the Mizbeiach, and the Beis HaMikdash keychain?
In exactly three contexts, the Mishnah notes that there was an amah square marble slab with a ring, using exactly the same language each time.
The first is in Sotah 2:2, regarding the Sotah procedure:...
CommunityBot
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8
votes
2
answers
379
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Whence "בחזקת בשרי"?
Besides the main categories of meat, dairy, and pareve (non-meat, non-dairy) foods, two special subcategories of pareve foods are relevant to halacha (e.g. Yore Dea 93): pareve food cooked using clean ...
CommunityBot
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8
votes
1
answer
277
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Why do books say "ספר" on them?
Why do Jewish books often say "ספר" on the spine, cover, or cover page?
The word is synonymous with "book" in modern Hebrew, and some closely related concept like "document" or "scroll" in Tana"ch. ...
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7
votes
0
answers
60
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Why does the Torah add ger sometimes
For some commandments in the chumash the Torah adds "and also the ger with you", and sometimes it does not.
What's the reason for this? Is there a specific reason every time?
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7
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0
answers
151
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Why do most Chumashim mark the end of a Sidra with 3 parsha markings?
With the exception of the end of Vayigash, every Sidrah (Shabbat weekly Torah reading) ends at a parsha (paragraph end.)
When there is a parsha end in the middle of the sidrah, Chumashim use a single ...
- 71.5k
7
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0
answers
317
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Early descriptions of the Foundation Stone
I am looking for early descriptions of the "Foundation Stone" (אבן שתיה) -- the huge flat rock now enclosed by the "Dome of the Rock," and believed by many Jewish scholars to have been the site of the ...
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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
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0
answers
317
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Source for not referring to Chanuka lights as a "menora"
Following up on this question about the use of the words "menora" or "chanukiya" to refer to Chanuka lights:
I find it interesting that the use of "chanukiya," popularized in 1897 through a secular ...
- 5,026
7
votes
2
answers
346
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Obligation to leave through a different gate
The prophet Ezekiel (46:9) tells us of an obligation when visiting the Temple.
וּבְב֨וֹא עַם־הָאָ֜רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֮ בַּמּֽוֹעֲדִים֒ הַבָּ֡א דֶּרֶךְ־שַׁ֨עַר צָפ֜וֹן לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֗ת יֵצֵא֙ דֶּרֶךְ־...
CommunityBot
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6
votes
0
answers
93
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Why is there no דגש in the כ״ף of הכזונה in פרשת וישלח לד:לא?
I know that the rule of ה״א התימה is that it usually takes a הֲ unless it precedes a שוא, such as here in הַכְזוֹנָה, where it then just takes a הַ and the following letter doesn't have a דגש in order ...
- 301
6
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0
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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 ...
- 38.7k
6
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0
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139
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What kind of flute was used in the temple, according to the mishna?
In Mishna there are several mentions of the use of flute, there were used at the time of the Bet Mikdash, see below a few examples. I am interested to know if we have some knowledge about the type of ...
- 57k
6
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0
answers
200
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Difference Between Shamayim and Rakia
In parshas Berashis, the words Shamayim and Rakia keep on coming up. someone asked me what is the difference between the 2, and I had no idea.
- 73.9k
6
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0
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99
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Verses indicating that each person has an equal entitlement to a land-plot
In Numbers 26:53–54 (JPS), the Israelites are commanded:
Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. To the more thou shalt give the more ...
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