Most Popular
1500 questions
26
votes
6 answers
Washing hands for eating pizza
How many slices are required to make you responsible to wash on Pizza?
SimchasTorah
- 33,218
- 1
- 52
- 184
26
votes
2 answers
Can a man remove hair?
May a man remove hair from his body through any of the following methods:
Electrolysis
Tweasing
Plucking
I am asking specifically about hair between the eyes (unibrow) but I would be interested if there are halachot that apply to other parts of…
mah-nishtana
- 671
- 5
- 7
26
votes
3 answers
Is ad-blocker software permissible?
Kalashnikover_Rebbe at hashkafah.com asked:
Isn't blocking ads stealing? The people put them on the sites for a reason.
He elaborated:
On one hand, the argument can be made that [forum XYZ] is publicly broadcast and distributed, and what you do…
unforgettableidSupportsMonica
- 3,936
- 1
- 21
- 41
26
votes
3 answers
Why are none of the Pharaohs in the Torah identified by name?
Throughout the Torah, the various Egyptian Pharaohs are always referred to as simply "Pharaoh" or "the king of Egypt" (or both), but never with any other parts of their official titulary.
By contrast, in Nach, some of them are also left otherwise…
Alex
- 90,513
- 2
- 162
- 379
26
votes
6 answers
First steps for someone considering conversion
I am 25 years old and I am truly interested in converting. I too also only believe in G-d. I live my life to certain rules that others I see aren't strong enough to live by. I want to know what I can do be part of this great religion. I know I…
Steven Lemos
- 261
- 3
- 4
26
votes
4 answers
How does one explain God to little kids?
As I understand it, the ability to understand abstract concepts develops gradually in kids and is certainly not all there when they first start having conversations. This comes into play when kids learn about God, who figures in all of the Parsha…
Isaac Moses
- 48,026
- 13
- 119
- 333
26
votes
6 answers
How to reconcile the possibility that Rashi had a slightly different text of the Torah
In the Parshah of Chayei Sara, in Bereishis 25:6, there is a Posuk that refers to הפילגשים - "the concubines". Rashi expounds that since the word is missing a Yud, it must be a reference to the fact that Hagar and Keturah were one person and that…
chaimp
- 2,171
- 12
- 17
26
votes
3 answers
Do I have to forgive a repeat offender?
If somebody has repeatedly wronged me (in the same way) in the past, am I obligated to keep forgiving him if he asks? On the one hand, maybe this time he finally is really doing teshuva; on the other hand, there's a track record. What happens if I…
Monica Cellio
- 56,645
- 10
- 113
- 348
25
votes
4 answers
What is the oldest manuscript of Torah Shebaal Peh?
We don't have (and more's the pity!) R' Yehudah Hanassi's autograph copy of the Mishnah (well, okay, it's a controversial issue whether he actually wrote it or only arranged it orally), or Ravina and Rav Ashi's of the Gemara, etc.
But what is the…
Alex
- 90,513
- 2
- 162
- 379
25
votes
10 answers
Time Travel and Judaism
Has time travel ever been discussed before in terms of Judaism? According to Judaism would (should) it be possible to travel through time?
yydl
- 38,600
- 6
- 88
- 285
25
votes
2 answers
Germanic populations in Talmudic and other rabbinic texts?
In the 11th century, Hai Gaon and Rashi refer to the country and language of “Ashkenaz” (referring to the area around the Rhineland, northern France and Germany). By the 12th and 13th centuries, equating Ashkenaz (and to a lesser extent Gomer) with…
Meir Illumination
- 882
- 5
- 15
25
votes
13 answers
What are the most essential Jewish websites?
What websites are essential bookmarks on a Jew's internet browser? I am thinking broadly of resources like a place to get online texts or a particularly good blog etc...
Please include links as well as a description of the particular value of each…
Jordan
- 843
- 8
- 16
25
votes
4 answers
Are there other extant Chabad groups besides Chabad-Lubavitch?
Wikipedia lists a number of different Chabad groups including:
Chabad-Lubavitch
Chabad-Bobroisk
Chabad-Kapust
Chabad-Liadi
Chabad-Nezhin
Chabad-Strashelye
I was told that these different groups were all formed when the sons of the Tzemach Tzedek…
Curiouser
- 7,901
- 2
- 35
- 45
25
votes
3 answers
My Orthodox Jewish co-worker invited me to his wedding. Anything I should know about?
My Orthodox Jewish co-worker invited me to his wedding, but I've never been to a Jewish wedding before. Is there anything I should be aware about if I plan to attend?
Salmononius2
- 6,791
- 20
- 39
25
votes
8 answers
How do you maximize your aravot's period of freshness?
Every Sukkot any aravot that I start the holiday with tend to get dried up by the end of the holiday, if not to the point of being unfit for service, at least enough to be ugly. What do you do to maximize the amount of time your aravot stay fresh?
Isaac Moses
- 48,026
- 13
- 119
- 333