Skip to main content

Unanswered Questions

7,773 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
19 votes
3 answers
889 views

Mesorah exchange between communities

Based on this thread What exactly prevents Ashkenazim from accepting Mesorah from other communities on things that we have not done in our own community? For example, what is it about the Mesorah of ...
14 votes
1 answer
728 views

May I daven wearing headphones?

There are many paths to concentration. I have known students who doodle because it helps them focus on a lecture more effectively. Others like to listen to music while they study either to help them ...
13 votes
0 answers
334 views

Source for an ideal Shidduch based on proximity

A Rebbi of mine in yeshiva said in the name of Rav Ruderman z"tl who referred to a Chazal that a person should ideally try to marry someone from the "same ืžื‘ื•ื™ (street), if not then the same ืฉื›ื•ื ื” (...
13 votes
1 answer
493 views

Chapter Endings while Leining Megillot

Inspired by this question. It seems to be a common minhag to have a special trope for the end of a chapter when leining the megillot. I have seen this done in my shul, have done it myself, and also ...
12 votes
0 answers
230 views

Can Al-Aqsa (or another such structure) remain on the Temple Mount

A friend of mine claimed that technically Al-Aqsa could remain upon the Temple Mount along with the Mikdash, as: It's located in an area that is only part of the Temple Mount lechumra. There isn't ...
12 votes
2 answers
425 views

Forbidden to immerse, as opposed to doesn't work?

I was learning Pesachim, and on 17b I saw Tosafos say the following: ื“ื‘ืชื•ืš ื”ื›ืœื™ ื•ื“ืื™ ืืกื•ืจ ืœื˜ื‘ื•ืœ ืžื“ืื•ืจื™ื™ืชื It is definitely biblically forbidden to immerse something within a vessel (as opposed ...
12 votes
1 answer
338 views

Hackintosh in Halacha

A Hackintosh is a bootlegged version of Apple's macOS loaded onto a computer that has not been manufactured by Apple and doesn't have a license to run macOS. According to Apple's macOS license, I. ...
12 votes
1 answer
290 views

Oops, said too much Hallel. What now?

On Rosh Chodesh and on Pesach after the first yom tov, most communities recite Hallel b'dilug ("half" Hallel). In most siddurim that I'm used to, the skipped-over portions are Psalms 115:1โ€“...
11 votes
0 answers
204 views

Eliezer's daughter and descendants

Medrash Rabah Parshas Chayai Sara 59:9 says that Eliezer had a daughter and was hoping that she would marry Yitzchak. Avraham told him you are cursed (come from a cursed family) and my son is blessed. ...
11 votes
1 answer
192 views

Is there any connection between the Sotah, the Mizbeiach, and the Beis HaMikdash keychain?

In exactly three contexts, the Mishnah notes that there was an amah square marble slab with a ring, using exactly the same language each time. The first is in Sotah 2:2, regarding the Sotah procedure:...
11 votes
0 answers
464 views

May one ride in a utilitarian car?

A new study has confirmed the obvious: people want to survive: even though participants approve of autonomous vehicles that might sacrifice passengers to save others, respondents would prefer not to ...
11 votes
1 answer
337 views

When during IVF are the parents' thoughts determining the level of the soul of their baby

I have read that the thoughts of a couple during marital relations does determine and effect the level of the soul they draw down for their baby. What about a couple using IVF to conceive? When ...
11 votes
1 answer
459 views

Who authored the 13 Ani Maamin's?

The Rambam in his Hakdama to his Pirush on Perek Chelek in Mesechtas Sanhedrin mentions the points of belief a Jew must have. To the best of my knowledge these are the basis of the well-known ...
11 votes
2 answers
337 views

What is the status of professional video game players?

A friend remarked to me that playing video games professionally today is the equivalent of professional gamblers in the times of the talmud, specifically in that both are not involved in "Yishuvo shel ...
10 votes
2 answers
418 views

Seemingly Hefker Esrog - used for the Mitzva

This past Erev Succos I arrived at a local synagogue that had a fellow selling Lulavim and Esrogim in their Simcha hall. The fellow left three Esrogim (not in the greatest condition - yet Kosher) on ...

15 30 50 per page
1
2 3 4 5
โ€ฆ
519