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Do photocopies of torah need to be put in shaimos?
Do photocopied sheets (such as chumash or gemara) need to be put in sheimos or can they be thrown straight into the garbage?
N123
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Why did Hashem create the world?
Some opinion say that Hashem created the world to bestow goodness on man (and couldn't just place him in the Garden of Eden because it would be "bread of shame" - that man would get things for free).
According to those opinions, why didn't Hashem…
Am Haaretz Gamur Mideoraysa
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14
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3 answers
Why does Moshe have a shalshelet?
The "shalshelet" trop appears 4 times in the Torah:
(Vayeira, Gen. 19:16) Lot has a shalshelet, because he was hesitating to leave S'dom.
(Chayei Sarah, Gen. 24:12) Eliezer has a shalshelet, because he was fighting an internal struggle about…
Shaul Behr
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How often did the average Israelite bring offerings to the temple?
In addition to the mandated communal offerings, individual Jews were liable for, or permitted to bring, a variety of offerings of their own. How often did the average Israelite bring each type of offering in a year? Was this pretty routine, or…
Monica Cellio
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14
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Why is the Tetragrammaton vowelized in Siddurim and in Sefarim?
I've often found that the Tetragrammaton (Shem Havayah) is often vowelized in siddurim and sefarim. Since we b'davkah don't say the Shem Havayah how it is spelled, why are the vowels included?
Also, are the vowels usually included an accurate…
Naftuli Kay
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14
votes
3 answers
Hand motions for trope in Torah reading
I've seen people standing next to Torah readers and making hand signals during the Torah reading, presumably to prompt the reader in the trope. I think @Shalom mentioned this in Method for practicing Torah reading. What recognized systems exist for…
yitznewton
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1 answer
Moshe's Mask and Purim?
Is there a connection between Purim masks and the mask Moshe begins wearing at the end of Parshat Ki Tisa? (see Exodus 34:29-35)
It seems too much of a coincidence that it's read near Purim for there to be none.
zaq
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Mishloach Manot must be "ready to eat" - from whose perspective?
From here:
Every adult is required to send on the day of Purim at least two ready to eat food items to at least one friend.
Is this requirement dependent on the sender or the recipient?
In other words, if the recipient cannot eat the food sent to…
Menachem
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14
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5 answers
Would Esther really have kept silent?
In Esther 7:4 we read
וְאִלּוּ לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת נִמְכַּרְנוּ, הֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי--כִּי אֵין הַצָּר שֹׁוֶה, בְּנֵזֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ ...
... But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, for the adversary is not worthy that…
none
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14
votes
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Should a woman avoid singing in front of her husband while she is a niddah?
Should a woman avoid singing in front of her husband while she is a niddah? Is it strictly prohibited or just inadvisable? (Obviously I am not talking about deliberately seductive songs.)
SAH
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14
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2 answers
Bagging meat with milk
Two different supermarket cashiers have expressed mild surprise at my willingness to put cold, packaged meat and cold, packaged cheese in the same shopping bag, explaining that other Jewish customers of theirs are careful not to.
Any idea why they…
msh210
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14
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5 answers
Giving over 20% to Tzedakkah
We are supposed to give between 10 and 20% of your income to צדקה.
Does this mean that you are not allowed to give over 20% if you have enough money to do so? If so, why not? (this is more of a theoretical question for me)
2345678876543
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Is there a model of reconciliation in the Tanach?
Monica asked an excellent question about how to correct someone who posts something objectionable on a public forum. I was struck by the suggestion that the usual course of action was "to take the person aside for a private conversation". That's…
Jon Ericson
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14
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Relationship between wearing a kippa and reciting a blessing
Before I started wearing a Kippa all the time, the people around me and I had the reflex to cover our head when saying the name of G-d or when reciting anything holy.
Since the mitzvah is to wear it at all times, then why would it matter more while…
Nathan H
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14
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Sh'kalim, Kinim, Midos in daf yomi
Why are Sh'kalim (Y'rushalmi) and Kinim and Midos (mishnayos) learned as part of the standard daf yomi cycle for Talmud Bavli?
And if the answer relies on some fact of publication, then (a) why were they published that way and (b) why did the…
msh210
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