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1500 questions
13
votes
3 answers
Are the uncertified packaged pre cut vegetable and fruit platters in a non-Jewish store kosher
In the produce cooler section of stores (such as Costco), one can often find packages of shrink-wrapped cut up veggie and fruit platters. Would the fact that these are precut in the store require kosher certification or can they be considered kosher…
DanF
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Kissing when one person is meaty and the other is milky
I know that someone cannot eat milk immediately after meat and vice versa. Is it ok for two people to kiss if one person has just had meat and the other has just had milk? Do they, perhaps, need to wash their mouths beforehand?
Anonymous.
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13
votes
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Why don't Israeli women fast?
More than one Israeli has told me that women in Israel don't fast. More specifically, that a large percentage of otherwise observant (healthy, non-pregnant, non-nursing) Jewish women in Israel do not fast on the Jewish public fasts (with the…
msh210
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Where can I get the free Hebrew text of the Siddur or Benching?
Where can I get the text of the siddur/prayer book (or at least benching/grace, mincha/afternoon prayer, and/or ma'ariv/evening prayer) in a free computer friendly format? I'd like to be able to make materials that include commonly needed…
Adam
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Why was the kipa a justified way to execute criminals?
The Mishna Sanhedrin 81B brings a form of execution where the convicted person is placed in a tight chamber, fed minimal amounts of food to shrink the stomach, and then fed a lot to cause the stomach to burst, causing death (see jlaw article for…
Emet v'Shalom
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votes
4 answers
what are the limits of "mesira"?
It seems that most people have an idea that you cannot report a Jew to the non-Jewish authorities (police, government, etc) except for extreme circumstances (imminent danger, abuse, etc). However, this does not seem to make sense to me in…
Desert Star
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13
votes
1 answer
When and why did we stop wearing sackcloth?
When and why did we stop wearing sackcloth in times of mourning and other times of distress (e.g., when fasting for rain)? (I presume sackcloth was quite uncomfortable.) Sackcloth is mentioned in the Torah in Bereshis 37:34 (Yaakov put on…
Yehuda W
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13
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3 answers
Are Synagogues "holy ground," offering protection from evil creatures?
I'm not a Jew, but I'm writing a fantasy novel set in medieval Europe, and one of my characters is a Jew. I've got a group of people with diverse backgrounds who've come together to fight a great evil. Being a fantasy novel, this great evil includes…
user9844
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13
votes
3 answers
Studying Holocaust Responsa on Tish'ah BeAv
One of the restrictions practiced on Tish'ah BeAv is the study of Torah, because Torah study "gladdens the heart".
Several exceptions have been formally codified, which are of a nature germane to the day and/or to mourning.
Is it permissible,…
Seth J
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13
votes
5 answers
What's the deal with showering on yom tov?
What's the deal with showering on yom tov?
I am asking not about shabbos, but specifically about yom tov.
Tzvi
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13
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1 answer
What should you do if you are arrested on Shabbat?
If a person is arrested (God forbid) on Shabbat what leniencies, if any, should he be aware of? For instance may he sign paperwork (with a shinuy) or have his fingerprint taken if refusing to do so would lead to significant legal repercussions?
rikitikitembo
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Is the Gemara (Shabbos 116b) quoting the New Testament?
The Gemara in Shabbos (116b) seems to have two quotes from the New Testament, but I'm not sure.
ברא וברתא כחדא ירתון - sons and daughters should inherit together
and
אנא לא למיפחת מן אורייתא דמשה אתיתי [ולא] לאוספי על אורייתא דמשה אתיתי - I am…
clum
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2 answers
Origins of איל משולש and Vilna Ga'on's bathroom math
There is a well-known fact that the Vilna Ga'on studied math while in the bathroom since Torah was out of the question in an unclean place. It is also somewhat well-known that he produced the material for a book on geometry/הנדסה(?) during his time…
WAF
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Why Daniel is not Among the Prophets?
If Daniel was one of the Prophets, I do not understand why he is not counted among the Prophets.
Why is his book among the Ketuvim and not Neviim?
Ben Masada
13
votes
4 answers