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1500 questions
13
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2 answers
Did Kozbi deserve to die?
In the end of Parshas Balak (Bamidbar 25:8), Pinchas kills an Israelite who was cohabiting with a Midianite woman in front of the Jewish people.
I understand that the Israelite deserved to be killed as per the halacha of בועל ארמית קנאין פוגעין בו,…
Y e z
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13
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1 answer
Can a man miss tefilah with a minyan because his wife is overwhelmed with the children?
Assume a scenario where a man's wife requires extra help at home during a busy part of the day and requests that her husband skip minyan (and daven alone) in order to help her. (For example, let's say the woman recently gave birth and is very…
avner
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13
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3 answers
Moral Culpability in the Garden
Did Adam and Eve have moral culpability in the Garden before they ate from the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil? It would seem that they were like small children in that sense, they were amoral--not because they did not care for morality, but…
curiosfellow
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13
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How do you "take someone to beis din"?
Reuvain and Shimon are having a monetary dispute. Reuvain wants to take Shimon to beis din to settle the dispute, how does this work in practical terms? Does Reuvain have to tell Shimon first? Can he just go to beis din and ask them to summon…
not-allowed to change my name
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13
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6 answers
Lesson from Moshe's Rock
In Parsha Chukat, Rashi (BeMidbar 20:12) says that, if Moshe would have spoken to the rock instead of hitting it, there would have been a big lesson to the Israelites.
The people would have made a kal v'chomer: if the rock, which does not need…
ray
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13
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1 answer
Is there positive proof that the Rambam did not accept Kabbalah?
I have heard many times that the Rambam's omission of mystical ideas is proof, or evidence, of his rejection thereof. However, if one accepts the authenticity of Kabbalah as being a legitimate tradition sourced back to at least R' Shimon Bar…
Y e z
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13
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1 answer
How to determine common practice for halachos that are impacted by it
Certain halachic issues are informed or even determined by the social standards of the (non-Jewish) society in which one lives. Examples include what falls under the prohibition of cross-dressing (see Rambam Avodas Kochavim 12:10, Shulchan Aruch…
user5173
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13
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5 answers
Boruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Voed - why do we whisper it?
Why do we say Boruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Voed in Kriyas Shema in a whisper?
Gershon Gold
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13
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Lubavitcher Rebbe on the Shoah
There is a controversial analogy attributed to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in which the Shoah is looked upon as a surgical procedure, with God being likened to a surgeon who removes a limb in the best interests of his patient. I refer to it as…
Shimon bM
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13
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2 answers
Sending a Torah to the Moon
According to this article, there's an organization that wants to blast a Sefer Torah into space for safe keeping on the moon.
Are there any halachik problems regarding such an endeavour (and if so, what are they)?
(Related: Ilan Ramon (the Israeli…
Shmuel
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13
votes
1 answer
Are Segulot a Prohibition of Nichush?
Rambam Hilchot Avodat Kochavim 11:12 writes:
הלוחש על המכה וקורא פסוק מן התורה, וכן הקורא על התינוק שלא יבעת, והמניח ספר תורה או תפילין על הקטן בשביל שיישן - לא די להם שהם בכלל מנחשים וחוברים, אלא שהן בכלל הכופרים בתורה, שהן עושין דברי תורה רפואת…
Yehuda
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13
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Is kopi luwac (civet excreted coffee beans) kosher?
Kopi luwak , or civet coffee, refers to the seeds of coffee berries once they have been eaten and egested by the Asian palm civet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak
Is it kosher because they are still viewed as coffee beans or is it viewed as…
Yoni
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13
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6 answers
20 years for Sin, 7 years for beauty
In the first pasuk of Parshat Chayai Sarah (Genesis 23:1), the Torah says:
א. וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה
שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע
שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה:
And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven…
Y.Stahl
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13
votes
3 answers
Why does the authorship of the Zohar matter?
I've seen and heard a lot of controversy about the authorship of the Zohar, but it isn't quite clear to me that it matters. The nearest theory I can come up with is that if the Zohar is by Rashbi, then it's Tannaic, but if it's by de Leon, then it's…
Tatpurusha
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13
votes
1 answer
Checking the "I have read..." box
A lot of computer programs, or online stores, have you check a box before completing installation or completing a transaction that says something along the lines of "I have read and agree to all of the jibber jabber in the above box." I, for one,…
Y e z
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