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votes
4 answers
Do Rabbis get punished in Heaven for wrong interpretations or claims?
I had a Zchus of serving a great Rabbi Z"l here in Jerusalem who wrote lots of books on Torah as well as on Halacha and Shu"t. I helped him publishing his books for a decade and for his last years I was driving him to various medical procedures out…
Al Berko
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Is the Book of Life ever really sealed?
In davening and in greetings, we always refer to the "sealing" of the Book of Life.
כתיבה וחתימה טובה1 we say; בראש השנה יכתבון וביום צום כיפורים יחתמון2 we pray.
Wikipedia says:
The High Holidays are times that are especially conducive to…
HodofHod
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Why do music tapes and CDs warn about playing on Shabbos?
I have seen written on almost every music CD and Cassette Tape that I have in my house the line:
Please do not play on Shabbos and Yom Tov
I've always wondered if this is really necessary. Does not having this line make the seller an accomplice to…
yydl
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18
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Polyphasic Sleep and Halacha
I recently read an article on polyphasic sleep and I'm quite interested in experimenting with it. The article advises the Uberman approach which advocates 20-30 minute naps every four hours, meaning that you sleep about 2-3 hours per 24 hour period.…
Naftuli Kay
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17
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4 answers
Is there a source for not requiring Tevilah for the first use?
I have heard (as I'm sure many others have) that one can use a utensil one time before Tevilah. At the same time, I've heard that this is a common misconception.
Is there anyone who holds that this is true?
If not, where did this misconception come…
yydl
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17
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"If God had not delivered us from Egypt we would still be slaves"? Really?
One part of the Pesach seder that has always bothered me is saying that if God had not taken us out of Mitzrayim at that time we would still be slaves today. This seems lacking in faith in God; surely if not then, He would have had His reasons and…
Monica Cellio
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17
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Would the President of the United States have to put mezuzot on the doors of the White House?
If a Jew were elected president of the United States, would he/she be required to put a mezuzah on all of the doors of the White House? I can think of many arguments for each side.
The house does not belong to the president. Nonetheless, we do…
Daniel
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17
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Do surgically removed body parts require Kevurah?
If one has surgery (may it never be necessary) that requires the removal of an organ of the body (e.g. a gallbladder or appendix), is burial required? Or can the body part simply be discarded?
yydl
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Who is "us" in sh'mone esre?
Most of the amida requests are said in the plural: "forgive us… heal us…". Who's "us"? I'd think it's Jews generally — but in the final benediction we ask for beneficence for "us and your entire nation Israel". So is "us" the group praying together,…
msh210
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What is the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton?
I come from Christianity.SE, where I asked almost the same question. Isaac Moses assured me that the question would not be disrespectful and could be asked here.
God's name is written as the Tetragrammaton יהוה (YHWH) in the Torah. The name is not…
StackExchange saddens dancek
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Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and Chassidism
Does anyone know if there is any historical record of Rabbi Hirsh's perspectives on Chassidism? The movement was obviously not very present where he was in Germany, but given that he was in contact with other rabbis throughout Europe and had…
Ari
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17
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4 answers
Did King David's parents abandon him? (Psalm 27)
This time of year we say the Psalm 27 “LeDavid Ori”. It contains a line, "For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord gathers me in."
Why might King David have even thought of abandonment by parents? Was this common at that time? Was…
Yehuda W
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17
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2 answers
Why do tzitzit have fabric-squares on the corners of the garment?
Pretty much across the board, beged gadol and katan have fabric squares sewn on the corners.
Why do tzitzit have fabric-squares on the corners of the garment?
zaq
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17
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2 answers
Is Rabbeinu Tam correct about unique phraseology for specific amoraim?
In Kesubos 2b there is a discussion in which an answer is introduced with the phrase פשיט רב אחאי – R. Achai answered.
There is a discussion in Tosafos as to the identity of R. Achai. Rashbam claims that this is R. Achai Gaon, the author of the…
Alex
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17
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5 answers
Do Jews today consider the King James translation of the Tanakh to be acceptably accurate?
It is my understanding that Jewish tradition holds considerable reverence for accurate translations of its scripture. Do Jews today consider the King James translation known as the Old Testament to be acceptably accurate? (I understand the issues…
JBH
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