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Unanswered Questions

608 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
8 votes
0 answers
109 views

Shva na after dalet prefix

I noticed that in a few siddurim, in Akdamut (line 30), the shva in סִיּוּמָא דִלְעָלַם is marked as a shva na (vocal shva). And I saw in a single siddur (Artscroll) that in Uva letzion, the shva ...
8 votes
0 answers
151 views

Is Sous-vide Cooking or Roasting?

It has been discussed here previously regarding the Sous-vide method of cooking. However I have a separate question. What type of method is halachically categorized as? Is it Tzli or is it Bishul? ...
8 votes
2 answers
379 views

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 ...
8 votes
1 answer
277 views

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. ...
7 votes
0 answers
139 views

How did the angel in "בבואו מאדום" Zemer make three mistakes?

I have always been puzzled by "בבואו מאדום" Zemer that many sing at Seuda Shlishis (actually found in the Bentcher as part of "Boruch Hashem Yom Yom"): בְּבוֹאוֹ מֵאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים, זֶבַח ...
7 votes
0 answers
80 views

Difference between Halperin and Tzomet switches?

I am reading about the various so-called Grama and other Shabbat switches developed in Israel for use in hospitals and security situations. It seems that there was one solution created by Rabbi ...
7 votes
0 answers
2k views

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 votes
0 answers
317 views

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 ...
7 votes
1 answer
324 views

Moving with magnets: what's the status in halacha?

If I move something on Shabbos with the force of a magnet, is that considered Halachicly like I move it with my hands (גופו), with my force (כוחו), indirect (גרמא), or have I done nothing? This is ...
6 votes
0 answers
85 views

Is ראשית really in construct?

There are those who translate בראשית (from Gen 1:1) as "In the beginning of...", saying that ראשית must be in construct form (smikhut). Perhaps most famously, Rashi writes: שֶׁאֵין לְךָ ...
6 votes
0 answers
193 views

Have electric cars been suggested for those who respond to emergencies on Shabbos?

In a nutshell – and I know this is complicated – the Mishna says that some rabbinic prohibitions were lifted to make life easier on emergency responders after they've provided their assistance on ...
6 votes
0 answers
207 views

What is the proper voweling (Nikud) for Metatron?

I have seen many variations of this and wonder if anyone could tell me which is the most correct? These variations include: מֶטָטְרוֹן‎‎ (Meṭāṭ'rōn) מְטַטְרוֹן‎ (Măṭaṭ'rōn) מֵיטַטְרוֹן‎ (Mēyṭaṭ'rōn) ...
6 votes
0 answers
93 views

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 ...
6 votes
0 answers
133 views

Operating a mechanical calculator on Shabbos

Are mechanical calculators Mukzte on Shabbos? Would it be considered a form of measuring? Mechanical calculators have no electric parts. Everything is purely mechanical: If it is considered measuring,...
6 votes
0 answers
109 views

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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