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20
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3 answers
Aside from the days set aside for impurity, what exactly is a man allowed to do with his wife in regards to intimacy?
A man cannot touch, stare, kiss or have relations with a woman he is not married with.
On the days when the laws of impurity do not apply, what exactly can a man do with his wife?
Assuming extra precaution is taken to avoid wasting the seed of the…
Ani Yodea
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20
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6 answers
What is the hetter for yeshivas to daven a Hoiche Kedusha?
I have seen many Yeshivas (and some not-so-yeshivas [day schools, etc.]) doing a Hoiche Kedusha for Mincha. They had the Chazzan start the first three Brachos of Shemoneh Esrei aloud and say Kedushah, and then everyone would say the Shmone Esrei…
ertert3terte
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2 answers
When did Matza become dry?
It's pretty commonly accepted that Matza used to be soft (sort of like a tortilla) and was used by Hillel to make a wrap (not a sandwich).
When did this change in various geographic locations which now use Matza that is dry and cracker-like? I'm…
Double AA
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20
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1 answer
Can I make a mikvah using artificial rain?
If I have a mikva which needs filling, and there is no rain, can I use the following mechanism -
I have a Mikva in a closed room. On top of this Mikva, there is a cooling system (let's say that this cooling system isn't a kli [it's recessed into…
ertert3terte
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20
votes
7 answers
If a pig was genetically modified to chew its cud, would it be kosher?
If they were to genetically modify a pig to chew its cud, would it be kosher?
cookie monster
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20
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2 answers
Origin of the term Yoshke?
I have often heard Jews refer to Jesus as "Yoshke". Is the origin of that appellation based on halachic issues regarding mentioning names of foreign deities, or some other Jewish law or custom? When was its first recorded use?
user2110
20
votes
2 answers
Attending a Siyum virtually
If one attends a Siyum virtually, whether by phone, Skype, or some other means of mass communication, can one partake of the Se'udath Mitzvah (relevant to allow eating meat during the 9 Days for Ashkenazim and to exempt a first-born from fasting on…
Seth J
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3 answers
Why aren't Yemenites an ed echad on locusts?
I've heard that the reason we (most of us) don't eat the locusts enumerated as kosher in the Torah is that we cannot identify them. That is, we don't know what type of locust is referred to by the Hebrew word naming each kosher type.
Some Jews,…
msh210
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9 answers
Why is there so much space and matter in the universe?
If the point of all of creation is for the Jewish people to accept and carry out the Torah [I realize this is not axiomatic and maybe a point of contention - see Shabbat 88a] .
What is the need for the trillions of galaxies, dark matter, dark…
user1552
20
votes
3 answers
Is a Jew allowed to be knighted? Problem with kneeling?
Is there any halachik problem with going through the knighting (or Damehood for women) process of kneeling etc?
The current ceremony does not contain many of the Christian or pagan overtones of the past. However it does include kneeling before the…
user1520
20
votes
4 answers
Smicha from R' Zalman Nechemia Goldberg?
One often sees that individuals' have smicha from R' Zalman Nechemia Goldberg. The smicha exams are typically considered more theoretical than that of the Israeli rabbinate, which requires more memorization. Nonetheless, it would appear from this…
minhag
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Anonymous glosses in the Shulchan Aruch
The Rama wrote a series of glosses to the Shulchan Aruch to reflect standard Ashkenazi practice, as the Shulchan Aruch was weighted towards the Sephardim. These glosses have been reprinted in almost every edition since then and are introduced in the…
Double AA
- 98,894
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- 713
20
votes
2 answers
Why is practical kabbalah not considered kishuf?
To preface I know next to nothing about so called 'practical kabbalah'. But from the few things I have read about, things like face or palm reading, making a golem (essentially an android) or any other 'magical' practice seem to violate the…
none
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votes
9 answers
Cleaning Tzitzis
What have you found to be the best way to wash tzitzis (i.e. easiest, least likely to invalidate, and most clean)?
Bas613
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Naming after the living. Why is it considered bad?
This is a fairly straight forward question. I am under the impression that this is bad. This is why you don't see many Moishe Abromowitz, III.
Why is this bad, and why isn't that practice carried thru out of Judaism?
Andrei Freeman
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