Shisha - mi yodeya?

Question

Who knows six?

Please cite/link your sources, if possible. In about one business day, I will:

Upvote all interesting answers.
Accept the best answer.
Go on to the next number.

8 vertices, 12 edges, then how many "sides"? does each face have two, making 12 total? — Jeremy, Mar 24 '10 at 14:15
Previous: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/474/chamisha-mi-yodeya — Isaac Moses, Apr 24 '17 at 14:45
Next: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/507/shiva-mi-yodeya — Kfir, Apr 18 '20 at 03:38

score 18 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 22 '10 at 17:50

18

Six are the locations of the Sanctuary: the desert, Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov, Giveon, and Jerusalem.

answered Mar 22 '10 at 17:50

Alex

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From sefer shoftim? – Adam Mosheh Jul 13 '14 at 18:58

score 16 · Answer 2 · answered May 15 '12 at 18:24

16

Six are the cities of refuge (for accidental killers).

answered May 15 '12 at 18:24

Monica Cellio

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Fits the beat!! – Double AA May 15 '12 at 18:29
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@DoubleAA I tried, yeah, but then had to add the parenthetical comment to make the minimum character count. :-) – Monica Cellio May 15 '12 at 18:31

score 14 · Answer 3 · answered May 25 '12 at 03:35

14

6 Constant Mitzvos

To believe in God, and that he created all things.
Not to believe in anything else other than God.
To believe in God's Oneness.
To fear God.
To love God.
Not to pursue the passions of your heart and stray after your eyes.

answered May 25 '12 at 03:35

Shmuly

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score 14 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 22 '10 at 17:32

14

Six are the books of the Mishna Berura.

answered Mar 22 '10 at 17:32

Isaac Moses

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And also the Baal Hatanya's Shulchan Aruch. – Alex Mar 22 '10 at 18:13
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But that doesn't fit the song as nicely. :) – Isaac Moses Mar 22 '10 at 19:11

score 12 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 22 '10 at 19:50

12

Six are the sons of Leah, our fore-mother.

answered Mar 22 '10 at 19:50

Yahu

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HodofHod · Answer 6 · 2014-06-16T02:08:06.827

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Six are:

The orders of the Mishnah
Items on the Seder Plate
The days of the Six Day War
The things we remember every day:
1. Exodus from Egypt (Devarim 16:3)
2. Receiving the Torah at Mt. Sinai (Devarim 4:9)
3. Amalek (Devarim 25:17)
4. The sin of the Golden Calf (Devarim 9:7)
5. The Sabbath (Shemot 20:8)
6. Miriam (Devarim 24:9)

edited Jun 16 '14 at 02:08

answered May 15 '12 at 19:38

HodofHod

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Ahhh the war lasted six days, that's right! – Double AA May 15 '12 at 19:52
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@DoubleAA Yeah, I always forget that one! Btw, what day did the Yom Kippur War start? – HodofHod May 15 '12 at 19:54
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6 October 1973 IIRC which is also Egypt's Armed Forces Day. – Double AA May 15 '12 at 19:54
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@DoubleAA. Touche, Wikipedia, touche. – HodofHod May 15 '12 at 19:57
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+1. "Items on the Seder Plate" according to some customs. – msh210 May 24 '12 at 15:05

score 11 · Answer 7 · answered May 24 '12 at 15:01

11

Six are the millions of Jews who were murdered by Nazi Germany during WWII, HY"D.

answered May 24 '12 at 15:01

Adam Mosheh

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score 11 · Answer 8 · answered May 25 '12 at 05:53

11

6 Aliyos (portions read in the torah) on Yom Kipur

answered May 25 '12 at 05:53

Shmuly

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+1, this is why Yom Kippur is different from all other holidays. – Adam Mosheh May 25 '12 at 05:54
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@AdamMosheh I thought it was that we don't eat anything on yom kippur – Baal Shemot Tovot May 25 '12 at 18:00

score 11 · Answer 9 · answered Mar 23 '10 at 00:31

11

Six are the tribes that stood on Har Gerezim. Six are the tribes that stood on Har Ebal.

answered Mar 23 '10 at 00:31

Chanoch

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similar: six are the tribes on the left shoulder, six are the tribes on the right shoulder (of the Cohen Gadol of course) – Jeremy Mar 23 '10 at 17:35

score 11 · Answer 10 · answered Jan 18 '11 at 04:49

11

The Jewish women in Egypt gave birth to 6 children at one time

answered Jan 18 '11 at 04:49

Gershon Gold

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score 10 · Answer 11 · edited Dec 02 '14 at 21:56

Six are the ways Israel was rewarded for Avraham's service to the angels:

Because Avraham called for the angels to be brought water, G-d repaid by providing water in the Midbar, in the Yishuv (settlement) and in the Messianic Age (e.g. "Spring water will flow out of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:8));
Because Avraham offered the angels a chance to wash their feet, Israel was repaid in the Midbar, Yishuv and the Messianic Age, with "water" to cleanse our sins;
Because Avraham invited the angels to recline beneath a tree, G-d spread out a cloud for shelter in the Midbar, succahs in Israel, and a tabernacle in the Messianic Age;
Because Avraham fetched a morsel of bread, Israel was repaid with manah in the Midbar, crops in the Yishuv, and the promise of abundant grain in the Messianic Era;
Because Avraham ran to the cattle, Israel was repaid with meat in the Midbar, abundant livestck in the Yishuv, and each man will have a heifer and two sheep in the Messianic Era;
And because Avraham stood over the angels, G-d attended our needs in the Midbar,leading us with the pillar of fire, listened to our prayers in the Yishuv, and will give us the Messiah.

Source Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, 48:10.

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 22 '10 at 17:43

10

Six are the vowels in the Babylonian system of nikkud.

answered Mar 22 '10 at 17:43

Alex

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How can there be a correct answer to this question? – Adam Mosheh May 25 '12 at 04:51
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@AdamMosheh: I don't know Isaac's exact criteria, but he always picks an accepted answer for each question in this series. – Alex May 25 '12 at 16:01
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@AdamMosheh AFAICT It's strongly related to number of upvotes. – Double AA May 25 '12 at 18:11
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@AdamMosheh Alex and DoubleAA, I don't have exact criteria. I just pick the one I like best. Upvotes can sway me. Note that even in general "Accepted" doesn't mean "the correct answer." It means "most useful to the asker." – Isaac Moses May 25 '12 at 21:21
I count 7: patah/segol, qamatz, tzere, hiriq, holam, qubutz, shuruq, shva mobile. – Kfir May 07 '19 at 23:35

score 9 · Answer 13 · answered Jun 16 '14 at 18:16

9

Six are the number of times that the halachah is like Abayei when he argues with Rava - יע"ל קג"ם (Bava Kama 73a).

answered Jun 16 '14 at 18:16

score 9 · Answer 14 · answered Mar 22 '10 at 22:22

A couple that are related to this week's parsha:

Six are the types of asham offering (listed in Zevachim 5:5, which we recite in the daily prayers).
Six are the things that the Kohen has to have in mind while performing the sacrificial service (ibid. 4:6).

Y e z · Answer 15 · 2014-06-19T18:05:59.313

6 are the number of steps taken by the bearers of the Ark between each sacrificing of an ox and fatling in the bringing of the Ark to the city of David.

Shmuel II 6:13

וַיְהִי, כִּי צָעֲדוּ נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן-יְהוָה--שִׁשָּׁה צְעָדִים: וַיִּזְבַּח שׁוֹר, וּמְרִיא.

Six are the words in the verse גדלו לה' אתי which we say when we take out the Sefer Torah, which correspond to the six steps taken by the bearers of the Ark between each sacrificing of an ox and fatling in the bringing of the Ark to the city of David (Tosefos Megillah 32a s.v. גוללו)

score 8 · Answer 16 · edited May 24 '12 at 15:06

8

6 are the number of days each week you can work.
6 are the number of years you can work the land before Shemita.
6 are the number of years you can keep a Jewish slave.

edited May 24 '12 at 15:06

msh210

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answered Mar 23 '10 at 00:32

Chanoch

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re: number of days- depends on the week. – Baal Shemot Tovot May 25 '12 at 06:53

score 8 · Answer 17 · answered Jan 18 '11 at 04:51

8

Shavuos is on 6 Sivan

answered Jan 18 '11 at 04:51

Gershon Gold

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Only sometimes. (Granted it's probably a rov so far.) – Double AA Sep 02 '12 at 05:32

score 7 · Answer 18 · answered Jan 26 '11 at 02:31

7

6th is the day on which Man (and animal) was made.

answered Jan 26 '11 at 02:31

Yahu

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score 6 · Answer 19 · edited May 25 '12 at 06:07

6

Holidays we say Hallel

Sukkos
Simchas Torah
Chanuka
Pesach
Shavuos
Rosh Chodesh

edited May 25 '12 at 06:07

Double AA

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answered May 25 '12 at 03:30

Shmuly

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Is Rosh Chodesh technically considered a holiday? – Adam Mosheh May 25 '12 at 04:53
I guess I can rephrase. Events that we say Hallel. – Shmuly May 25 '12 at 05:43
Some of those holidays qualify for Chatzi Hallel, and some for Complete Hallel. You might want to distinguish between the two. – Adam Mosheh May 25 '12 at 05:52
Also, some of us say Hallel on Israeli Independence Day, as well as on Jerusalem Day... – Adam Mosheh May 25 '12 at 05:52

score 5 · Answer 20 · answered Jan 27 '14 at 20:05

5

6 are the days of chol hamo'ed Sukkos in Israel.

6 are the number of tefachim in a cubit.

answered Jan 27 '14 at 20:05

Y e z

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What kind of cubit? – Double AA Jan 27 '14 at 20:06
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@DoubleAA I think it's referred to in the talmud without any special name and I will follow suit. Although you can call it benoni if you wish. – Y e z Jan 27 '14 at 20:10

score 5 · Answer 21 · answered Dec 02 '14 at 21:48

The Midrash in Bamidbar Rabbah 12:17 says that there are six specific mitzvos that a Jewish king is commanded about every day:

Not to have too many wives/concubines (Devarim 17:17)
Not to have too many horses (Devarim 17:16)
Not to have too much silver and gold (Devarim 17:17)
Not to pervert justice (when judging a case) (Devarim 16:19)
Not to show favoritism (when judging a case) (Devarim 16:19)
Not to take a bribe (when judging a case) (Devarim 16:19)

score 5 · Answer 22 · answered Mar 23 '10 at 23:49

5

Points on a jewish star.

answered Mar 23 '10 at 23:49

Ken

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or on a Sherrif's badge... – Yahu Apr 01 '10 at 15:31
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Howdy sheriff... Around these parts, your badges are known as davidic shields! – Adam Mosheh Jul 13 '14 at 18:55

msh210 · Answer 23 · 2014-06-16T06:52:04.263

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Those who went from Bavel to Y'huda with Z'rubavel (Ezra 2) traveled with pack animals in the ratio of six (more precisely, 6.13) people per animal (verses 64–67: 49,897 people to 8136 animals).

edited Jun 16 '14 at 06:52

answered Jun 15 '14 at 16:07

msh210

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How and why did this enter your mind when you were learning the psukim?! You gotta find a good drasha to tack this on to. – user6591 Jun 16 '14 at 02:59
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@user6591, when learning the p'sukim I noticed that there were very few animals per person and wondered just how few, so computed it. That brought me to this page. :-) – msh210 Jun 16 '14 at 04:30

score 3 · Answer 24 · edited Dec 02 '14 at 21:51

3

Sidrei mishnah.

Branches coming out the side of the menorah in the mikdash.

Hours the Rambam says to wait between meat and milk.

Wings on an angel.

Years till average child is bar daas.

Steps one takes after shmoneh esrei till one can walk away, three backwards and three forwards.

Total count of all the lechem mishna from shabbos.

All the matzahs from both seder nights.

edited Dec 02 '14 at 21:51

answered Jun 16 '14 at 02:39

user6591

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"Total count of all the lechem mishna from shabbos." Only if you are eating the minimum number of meals and eating both loaves at each. – Double AA Jun 16 '14 at 02:42
"Sidrei mishna": was done already. – msh210 Jun 16 '14 at 06:50

Renato S. Grun · Answer 25 · 2016-03-19T18:29:55.503

3

Six are the things that preceded the creation of the world:

The Torah
The Throne of Glory
The Patriarchs
Israel
The Beis Hamikdash
The name of Mashiach

edited Mar 19 '16 at 18:29

answered Mar 18 '16 at 22:20

Renato S. Grun

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score 2 · Answer 26 · answered May 09 '19 at 20:15

R. Menachem and R. Yehoshua b. Levi said in the name of R. Levi: A builder requires six things: water, earth, timber, stones, canes, and iron. And even if yon say, He is wealthy and does not need canes, yet he surely requires a measuring rod, as it is written, And a measuring reed in his hand (Ezekiel 40:3).

score 2 · Answer 27 · answered Jun 28 '19 at 01:22

Six - A man is obligated to provide food/ sustenance to his sons and daughters until they are 6 years of age (Ketubot 65b, codified by the Shulchan Aruch, Even Haezer 71:1).

While a person may "technically" be exempt from providing food or sustenance to their children past the age of 6, Beis Din would never allow this to happen and they would force the father to provide the child with food and sustenance until at least the child's Bar/Bat Mitzvah. (SA, EH ibid).

score 1 · Answer 28 · answered May 07 '19 at 23:05

Per Greg Killian:

There is a proliferation of the number six (and its multiples) in the Megillah of Ruth:

Shuv (return) occurs twelve times in chapter one.

6 times: “Shuv” indicates a return to Beit-Lechem (vv. 6,7,10,21,22,22).

6 times: “Shuv” indicates a return to Moav (vv. 8, 11,12,15,15,16).

M'lak'tot (gleaners) occurs twelve times in chapter two.

In Ruth 3:14 and 3:16 we see six measures of barley.

Midrash Rabbah - Ruth V:6 AND BOAZ SAID UNTO HER AT MEAL TIME: COME HITHER, AND EAT OF THE BREAD, AND DIP THY MORSEL IN THE VINEGAR. AND SHE SAT BESIDE THE REAPERS; AND THEY REACHED HER PARCHED CORN, AND SHE DID EAT AND WAS SATISFIED AND LEFT THEREOF (II, 14). R. Jonathan interpreted this verse in six ways.

Midrash Rabbah - Ruth VII:2 Simon said: The meaning is that as a reward for, AND HE MEASURED SIX BARLEYS AND LAID [THEM] ON HER,1 he was vouchsafed that there should arise from her six righteous men, each one of them possessing six outstanding virtues, viz. David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, Daniel, and the Messiah. David, as it is said, Skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him (I Sam. XVI, 18); Hezekiah, as it is said, That the government may be increased, and of peace there be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it, through justice and through righteousness (Isa. IX, 6). And his name is called Pele- joez-el-gibbor-abi-ad-sar-shalom (ib. 5). Some observe that l'marbeh (be increased) is written with a closed mem. Josiah, as it is said, For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out its roots by the river, etc. (Jer. XVII, 8). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as it is said, Youths in whom there was no blemish, but fair to look on, and skilful in all wisdom, and skilful in knowledge, and discerning in thought, and such as had ability (Dan. I, 4). Daniel, as it is said, A surpassing spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and declaring of riddles, and loosing of knots, were found in the same Daniel (ib. v, 12). The Messiah, as it is said, And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, etc. (Isa. XI, 2).

The name Boaz appears three times six times in sefer Ruth.

The name Ruth appears two times six times in sefer Ruth. (Both of these counts ignore the genealogy at the end of the Megillah which is not, properly, part of the story).

Lee · Answer 29 · 2014-06-16T08:01:29.217

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Six is the number of days one is required to remove oneself from one's house prior to entering the camp of the Shekhinah (RaSh"I on Shemot 24:16; Yoma 3B [English], [Original]).

edited Jun 16 '14 at 08:01

answered Jun 16 '14 at 06:43

Lee

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score 1 · Answer 30 · answered Mar 23 '10 at 20:10

1

6 feet in 4 amot.

answered Mar 23 '10 at 20:10

Chanoch

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According to whom? – Yahu Mar 25 '10 at 23:42
And the foot size of which man? – Adam Mosheh Jul 13 '14 at 18:56

score 1 · Answer 31 · answered Mar 18 '16 at 16:47

Regarding the Shoham stones worn on the Cohen Gadol's shoulders,

Exodus 28:10:

שִׁשָּׁה֙ מִשְּׁמֹתָ֔ם עַ֖ל הָאֶ֣בֶן הָאֶחָ֑ת וְאֶת־שְׁמ֞וֹת הַשִּׁשָּׁ֧ה הַנּוֹתָרִ֛ים עַל־הָאֶ֥בֶן הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית כְּתוֹלְדֹתָֽם׃

six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, according to their birth.

For the "original" menorah:

Exodus 25:32:

וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה קָנִ֔ים יֹצְאִ֖ים מִצִּדֶּ֑יהָ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה ׀ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֗ה מִצִּדָּהּ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֔ה מִצִּדָּ֖הּ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃

And there shall be six branches going out of the sides thereof: three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candle-stick out of the other side thereof;

The branches were done already: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/40395 — msh210, Dec 19 '16 at 22:29

score 1 · Answer 32 · answered Mar 18 '16 at 22:18

1

The Torah is preceded by six things:

Kedem,
me'az,
me'olam,
me'rosh, and
mi'lekadmin (which count as two).

answered Mar 18 '16 at 22:18

Renato S. Grun

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score 0 · Answer 33 · answered Jun 15 '14 at 21:37

0

Six are the number of millennium from creation we must wait before the messianic age.

answered Jun 15 '14 at 21:37

JJLL

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The last two thousand years of the six millennium are called "the days of Moshiach" – Jun 15 '14 at 22:34
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Must?? [15 char] – Double AA Jun 15 '14 at 23:19
Must may have been too strong of a word, but yeah, according to some. I'll try to find the source for it. It has something to do with 2K year cycles (2K pre- prophecy, 2K prophecy, 2K present) and the 6th millennium from creation being the equivalent to Friday, which is the 6th day of the week which leads into Shabbat, the ultimate day of rest. Must be some chasidisha thing. – JJLL Jun 16 '14 at 01:24

Shisha - mi yodeya?

Who knows six?

33 Answers33

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