Most Popular
1500 questions
35
votes
5 answers
Is there any source for not sharing a baby's name before the bris?
For some reason, I have it ingrained in me that a baby boy's name before the bris is a secret and should not be shared. Are there any sources for this, or is it something made up?
user688
35
votes
10 answers
Birthdays in Judaism
Is there any significance in Judaism attached to the day someone was born (aside for the 13th year)? Is there anything wrong with celebrating one's birthday? And is it more correct to celebrate the "hebrew" date or the gregorian date?
yydl
- 38,600
- 6
- 88
- 285
35
votes
2 answers
Would a mermaid be kosher?
Tonight at religious school we were discussing Kosher laws and how to build/keep a kosher kitchen. While we were discussing different meats, one of the jokers in school asked if you could eat a mermaid, since it would have scales and fins. Would it…
Ely Eastman
- 899
- 6
- 14
35
votes
4 answers
Pronouncing Hashem's name in a song
Some people are very careful to say Hashem or Elokim when singing a song with one of G-d's names in it so as not to use His name in vain (related question), but I have also been told this is unnecessary since these songs are equivalent to…
Michael Sandler
- 5,470
- 20
- 52
35
votes
9 answers
PTIJ: Which Dr. Seuss books should one obtain?
The Torah warns us that we should not accumulate too many Dr. Seuss books, as it states in Deuteronomy 17:16
רַק, לֹא-יַרְבֶּה-לּוֹ סוּסִים
One should not amass Seusses
Being that one should only get a minimal amount of Dr. Seuss books, I was…
Y e z
- 58,536
- 3
- 109
- 249
34
votes
5 answers
Placing stones on a grave
My office is situated right next to a Jewish cemetery. A coworker, noticing the yarmulke on my head, asked me why he sometimes sees stones placed on some of the gravestones. I told him that as far as I know the reason is to show respect for the…
Michael Kopinsky
- 495
- 3
- 7
33
votes
3 answers
Forbidden actions and the role of non-Jews
The question I am to ask is related to personal experience I've had but can be easily broadened. I am really asking for the sake of broadening my knowledge, and I apologize if any part of my question is offending as it is really not my intent.
As a…
RaphaelSP
- 433
- 4
- 6
33
votes
7 answers
How to respond to "but he does"
I mentioned to my coworker that I can't eat Domino's pizza, not even without meat, as it's not kosher. He pointed out in response that a fellow coworker of ours, whom I'll call Josh, and who is somewhat observant and calls himself Orthodox[1], does…
msh210
- 73,729
- 12
- 120
- 359
33
votes
9 answers
Why is the Jewish Population so small?
Judaism is one of the oldest religions, but there aren't many Jews compared to Muslims and Christians.
What are main reasons behind that?
Tofeeq
- 868
- 1
- 8
- 15
33
votes
4 answers
May one use a computer script or robot to do something specifically on Shabbos/Yom Tov?
May one run a program or machine that will operate on Shabbos, either by setting a timer to activate once Shabbos has started, or by leaving it running continually? What if the action is one that is only meaningful on Shabbos (i.e., it couldn't be…
HodofHod
- 21,056
- 5
- 91
- 156
32
votes
3 answers
Keeping Kosher at a secular company
How you do deal with keeping Kosher while working at a secular company? It's easy enough to bring my own lunch everyday; what I'm not sure how to handle are events like company lunches and other social activities. Bonding with co-workers over food…
ARKBAN
- 563
- 3
- 6
32
votes
12 answers
How are pre-creation >4000 BCE human civilization and pre-flood >2300 BCE civilizations that continued reconciled with Judaism?
How does human history fit in with the Torah's timeline? (This is not about why the universe and Earth look so old.)
There is extensive evidence of a human population and human civilizations from well before 4000 BCE (i.e. 6000 years ago, there were…
A L
- 2,547
- 20
- 38
32
votes
11 answers
Seder advice when with people who aren't interested?
This may have some things in common with beginner's seder advice, but it's different enough that I'm asking separately.
For family-obligation reasons, I sometimes find myself at a seder where most of the people are not interested in the religious…
Monica Cellio
- 56,645
- 10
- 113
- 348
32
votes
6 answers
Are you allowed to save a non-Jew's life on shabbos?
Is a Jew allowed to violate shabbos to save a non-Jew's life?
cookie monster
- 4,541
- 1
- 24
- 43
32
votes
3 answers
Riding the Subway on Shabbat
Assuming that there are no problems regarding paying for it (either you entered the system before Shabbat, or a non-Jew paid for you):
What are the halakhic issue with riding the subway on Shabbat? (I have the NYC subway in mind, but this should…
Shmuel
- 10,533
- 46
- 98