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7 answers
Did the Men of the Great Assembly Canonize Tanach?
Many Jewish websites, (Aish, Jewish History, Ou), state that the the Men of the Great Assembly finalized the contents of Tanach in the early Second Temple Period. No source is brought to support this statement in any of the sites I have…
Baby Seal
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Why are there eight days of Chanukah if there were only seven miracles?
There is a famous question asked by the Beis Yosef (R' Yosef Karo): Why do we celebrate eight days of Chanukah if the miracle lasted only seven? The jug of oil contained enough to be lit for one day, so the first day was not a miracle.
SimchasTorah
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14
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List of Halachot LiMosheh MiSinai
Is there a comprehensive list of things in the Talmud that are "halachot limosheh misinai"- laws that were passed down from Moshe through the generations? An example of such is tefilin needing to be square and black.
PixelArtDragon
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Would halacha permit bombing Auschwitz?
I know there's a lot of talk about whether Allied forces during World War II could have / should have taken military action directly against the Holocaust. I'm not opening that can of worms here.
One of the options suggested was "they could have…
Shalom
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Announcing the clock change in English?
It is well-known that the age-old, widespread, and correct practice is to announce the molad on the Shabbat preceding Rosh Chodesh specifically in the holy language of Yiddish. In contrast to this, in many synagogues I've attended, on the Shabbat…
Isaac Moses
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14
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Neder to not eat pizza
If I make a vow to not eat pizza, what can I not eat?
On the one hand, it would seem that bread with sauce and cheese on it is called pizza, as that is what they give you in a pizza shop when you order a slice of pizza.
However, it is implied…
Y e z
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Falling with tefillin on
If one drops tefillin without their cover, they must fast or give charity (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch - Yalkut Yosef, Siman 44:2). If one is wearing tefillin and fell with them on, must one fast or give charity? Maybe, if the person fell and not the…
sam
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Jewish source for giving Chanuka gifts
Is there a Jewish source for Chanuka gifts?
Gershon Gold
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14
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1 answer
Does a finding of Jewish blood in a DNA test make one Jewish?
I had a DNA test done and the results say that my DNA is group with Sephardic Jews. My last name is Steen and I have always heard that we were of Dutch ancestry and I do genealogy and have not found anything stating that anyone was Jewish. I must…
aaron steen-johnston
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Why is being religious a duty if God chose to not have a proof to his existence in this world?
According to the answers to the question "How do we know that God exists" it seems some (if not most) Jews on this site believe there is no way to verify whether or not God even exists.
If this view is correct, how can God expect people to view…
ray
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Would Harry Potter be killed as a sorcerer?
Before asking my question, I'd like to make it clear that this is being asked in all seriousness, and not as some form of satire or "Purim Torah". I think there is a precedent for asking halachic questions based on fictional works – as Dave pointed…
user3318
14
votes
3 answers
Why did Hashem not tell Avraham to have a Bris earlier?
Avraham Avinu was told to have a Bris at 99 years of age. Why didn't Hashem have him do a Bris earlier?
Gershon Gold
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14
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May I drink water while wearing tefillin?
If I am wearing Tefilin, and I feel very thirsty, should I take off my Tefllin to drink, (if I am even allowed to interrupt) or am I allowed to drink water while wearing Tefilin?
PixelArtDragon
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(Sort of) Writing the Name of God
I'm taking an Aramaic class, and one of the words that came up in the text I'm reading is "yehuweh," meaning "he will become" (in context, "he will become my successor). It is spelled with the exact four letters as the name of God.
Since it's not…
Ayyu-Arku
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Should I wear tefillin during Chol HaMoed?
If I don't have a known family minhag regarding this, how should I decide whether to wear tefillin during Chol HaMoed? Which communities generally follow each option, and what are the reasons behind each?
Also, does it make a difference if I am in…
Sam
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