Most Popular
1500 questions
14
votes
1 answer
if a convert later finds out she was Jewish anyway through her mother's mother, does she need a new ketubah?
If a convert (orthodox) later finds out she was Jewish anyway through her mother, does she need a new ketubah since the one she has says bas Avraham and giyorta? Would the answer be different if the biological father was Jewish or not Jewish?
Jilleen2011
- 221
- 2
- 3
14
votes
1 answer
Putting Tefillin on Un-educated Jews
May one put tefillin on an uneducated Jew without first explaining to him the laws of keeping his body clean and conveying to him the seriousness of the sanctity of tefillin (is that even possible?)?
Yahu
- 16,076
- 1
- 30
- 66
14
votes
3 answers
What if you undo a shabbat melacha?
If you plant a seed shortly before the end of shabbat (zoraya) and then un-bury it after shabbat, or you put an uncooked food into an oven and then take it out within seconds without it having baked (ofeh). Have you transgressed a melacha or not?
not-allowed to change my name
- 12,380
- 1
- 35
- 90
14
votes
4 answers
Why is giluey arayos one of the big 3?
I get why murder and idol worship are things you have to give your life up for. But why is giluy arayos - sexual sin so fundamental as to require a person to give up one's life? I'm looking for a taamei hamitzvot perspective, not just the formal…
user2110
14
votes
6 answers
Can you pick your nose?
Is it a violation of halakah to pick your nose (unrefined act, possibly a violation of being a holy nation)? Would there be a difference in halakah if it were the sabbath (possible violation of smoothing)?
user2110
14
votes
3 answers
Why should one have marital relations as if forced by a demon?
The gemarah (nedarim 20b) mentions that one of the reasons for having beautiful children is due to having relations "as if forced by a demon". Rashi there explains the term as either indicating that the act is performed forcefully or in a completely…
user1668
14
votes
3 answers
Ben Drosai - what was his Zechus?
Gemara Shabbos 20a and in other locations mentions
כמאכל
בן דרוסאי
Rashi explains that Ben Drosai was a thief who ate his food when it was only cooked 1/3. Did Ben Drosai have some sort of Zechus that his name is often mentioned when it comes to…
Gershon Gold
- 139,471
- 12
- 231
- 553
14
votes
3 answers
Why shouldn't Gentiles keep Shabbat?
I know little about Judaism and it's a first time question, so please forgive any mistakes.
According to this question non-Jews are forbidden from keeping Shabbat. What is the reasoning behind this? I would have expected keeping Shabbat to be a…
DJClayworth
- 242
- 2
- 7
14
votes
3 answers
Different types of Nevuah
What are the differences between the "typical" navi's prophecy, Moshe Rabbeinu's prophecy, and Bil'am HaRasha's prophecy?
(Answers with sources [and preferably links to sources] only please!)
Yahu
- 16,076
- 1
- 30
- 66
14
votes
7 answers
List of Number of Mishnayos by chapter / masechta
I'm looking for a list that enumerates the number of Mishnayos in each perek, as well as totals by masechta. Does anyone here know of such a list (or have the ability to quickly produce one)?
Dave
- 21,071
- 3
- 53
- 104
14
votes
2 answers
Why did the animals of Ninveh have to fast and wear sackcloth?
In Yona 3:7-8 we find that the people of Ninveh included the animals in their teshuva process. Why make the animals fast and don sackcloth? How was this part of the teshuva process?
user1668
14
votes
4 answers
What are the authoritative Jewish documents?
When I'm reading through answers on this site I often see users make references like -
Baba Batra 75A
Or
Chagiga 12A
I don't understand what these mean.
What are the documents that Judaism considers to be authoritative? Additionally, what are…
Monika Michael
- 441
- 2
- 12
14
votes
3 answers
Accepting parents' minhagim
Since the Conservative movement tends to take most of its minhagim from the German tradition due to its German roots, most Conservative Jews in America tend to practice the German customs (such as wearing a tallis after bar mitzvah and waiting 3…
Daniel
- 24,888
- 3
- 48
- 148
14
votes
1 answer
What determines the sorts of cases in which one can deliberately not know the facts?
Halacha depends on the facts of a situation. Generally, when one cannot know the exact facts, he is expected to assume that they are as usual (rov), or as they were when last checked (chazaka). When one knows the facts, can he deliberately cause…
msh210
- 73,729
- 12
- 120
- 359
14
votes
1 answer
Do we say "shabbat shalom" on Tisha b'Av that falls on Shabbat?
Yesterday I said "shabbat shalom" to someone and he said we don't do that on Tisha b'Av that falls on Shabbat. I thought that Shabbat trumps the day (and that's why we move the other observances). Neither of us knew a source, and it hasn't come up…
Monica Cellio
- 56,645
- 10
- 113
- 348