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1500 questions
17
votes
2 answers
Can a husband 'un-warn' his wife to prevent her from becoming a sotah?
The Torah describes (starting in Bamidbar 5:11) the process of a husband warning his wife not to be secluded with a certain man. Then if she is secluded with that man for a certain amount of time and witnesses (or the husband) see the seclusion she…
rikitikitembo
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17
votes
1 answer
Discrepancy between Sefer HaMitzvos and Sefer Hachinuch
The Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos, Lo Saaseh 148 writes that a non-Kohen who eats kodshim/holy food breaks a negative mitzvah:
שהזהירנו שלא לאכול זר מבשר קדשי הקדשים. והוא אמרו יתעלה וזר לא יאכל כי קדש הם. ואינו חייב מלקות עד שיאכל בעזרה אחר זריקת…
robev
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17
votes
5 answers
Why does the Tefilin Shel Yad have a protective cover?
When you purchase Tefilin, the Tefilin Shel Yad has a protective cover. Why? Is it Halachically necessary?
Gershon Gold
- 139,471
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17
votes
4 answers
Yisgadal or Yisgadel?
I've noticed that some people, when reciting kaddish, pronounce the first words as "yisgadal v'yiskadash" with a patach under the dalet of both words, while others say "yisgadel v'yisgadesh" with a tzere. The siddurim that I own are in accordance…
jake
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17
votes
1 answer
Tisha b'Av and the First World War
There is a curious idea floating around, that World War One commenced on the 9th day of the month of Av. (For example, here, and here, and here.)
I call it curious, since it takes a fairly creative reading of history to see the war as having begun…
Shimon bM
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17
votes
4 answers
Why was Torah SheBe'Al Peh not allowed to be written?
The Gemara states that it is forbidden to write down the Oral Torah ("Torah SheBe'Al Peh") [1]:
דרש רבי יהודה בר נחמני מתורגמניה דרבי שמעון בן לקיש, כתיב: +שמות ל"ד+ כתוב לך את הדברים האלה, וכתיב: +שמות ל"ד+ כי ע"פ הדברים האלה, הא כיצד? דברים שבכתב…
Ariel K
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17
votes
2 answers
Why is Yitzchak spelled with a "sin" in Tehillim 105:9?
I just came across this strange variant spelling this morning. I've been in the habit of reciting Tikkun HaKlali recently and saw this in Artscroll's Tehillim this past Shabbat. Thinking it was a typo, I came across it today in a different Tehillim…
Naftuli Kay
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17
votes
3 answers
Adoptee a Cohen or Levi?
If a Cohen or Levi adopts a non-Jew, upon their conversion are they a Cohen or Levi as well or are they a Yisroel?
Ken
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17
votes
2 answers
How many sons of Benjamin were there?
Is there any reason why there is such variance in these lists?
In Genesis (46:21) lists ten sons.
And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
Numbers (26:38-40) lists…
Rupert Bulam
- 171
- 2
17
votes
3 answers
Blowing bubbles on Shabbos
Is there any halachik problem with blowing bubbles on Shabbos? If so what melacha categories does it fall under? Does the age of the blower matter?
Bas613
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17
votes
2 answers
Do Shaving Restrictions Apply to Bearded Women?
For example, if a woman were to have a beard, would she be permitted to shave it off with a razor or otherwise destroy it, or do these restrictions apply to both men and women?
Peter Olson
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17
votes
5 answers
Naming after bad people
Why have there been famous(ly righteous) Jewish people named after Yishma'el, who, Chaza"l tell us, was evil and an enemy of Jews? Has anything similar happened with Esav? Korach? Others?
WAF
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17
votes
5 answers
Should Jews be self-employed?
Under what method of employment should a Jew sustain himself? Is there a preference for self-employment over working for an employer?
I've heard that an employee is like a slave to the employer and maybe this is the source of this idea:
The Cohen…
hazoriz
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17
votes
2 answers
Hagalah in Denver?
In high-altitude cities, water boils at a lower temperature than the standard 212 degrees Farenheit. For example, in Denver the boiling point is about 203 degrees. Can one kasher utensils with hagalah under such conditions? What if the previous use…
Dave
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17
votes
4 answers
Is AquAdvantage salmon kosher?
After two decades of deliberation, the USA's Food and Drug
Administration has approved the first ever genetically engineered food
animal, a fast-growing Atlantic Salmon called AquAdvantage salmon.
According the agency, which announced the…
Adám
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