Unanswered Questions
7,352 questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
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How do we determine "population statistics" for population-dependent Halachot?
There appear to be several halachot that are based on "a majority of Israel". For example:
Mishnah Berachot 54a:
הרואה מקום שנעשו בו נסים לישראל אומר ברוך שעשה נסים לאבותינו במקום הזה
IF ...
CommunityBot
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16
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3
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Where did the incense-altar sweeper get his broom from?
Mishna, Tamid chapter 3, in a loose translation:
Those who merited removing the ashes from the inner altar and the candelabrum would precede. They had four tools in their hands: the basket, the ...
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14
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1
answer
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Source for Geonic division of mitzvos
The Rambam and those who follow suit divide the 613 mitzvos into two groups, 248 positive mitzvos and 365 negative mitzvos. This is sourced from Makkos 23b.
However, many of the Geonim (for example: ...
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14
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1
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355
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Is the obligation for Gentiles to establish a system of courts communal or individual?
One of the seven laws of Noah for gentiles is to set up a system of courts.
Is the obligation to set up a system of courts a communal obligation on Gentile communities, or does every single Gentile ...
CommunityBot
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12
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2
answers
530
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The stolen maple syrup and kashrus
Does anyone know if there is going to be a kashrus problem with maple syrup next year?
A rather large amount of maple syrup was stolen last year. The thieves did not keep it in the original casks, ...
CommunityBot
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11
votes
2
answers
342
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Forbidden to immerse, as opposed to doesn't work?
I was learning Pesachim, and on 17b I saw Tosafos say the following:
דבתוך הכלי ודאי אסור לטבול מדאורייתא
It is definitely biblically forbidden to immerse something within a vessel (as opposed ...
CommunityBot
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11
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0
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Is there a timetable of the Yom Kippur Avodah available?
I'm trying to get a sense of how long each part of the Kohen Gadol's day was. I have the impression that the (outer) Musaf offering took much longer than the Torah reading, but I have no idea how much ...
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11
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1
answer
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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:...
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11
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1
answer
281
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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. ...
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10
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1
answer
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Why is the name Mekom P'tur indicative of being entirely permissible?
In the introduction to Tractate Shabbat in his Commentary to the Mishnah, Rambam writes:
אבל מקום פטור מותר להוציא ממנו לכל אחת משלש הרשיות ומהן אליו וזה מותר לכתחלה ולפיכך נקרא מקום פטור
(Kafih ...
CommunityBot
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10
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0
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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 מבוי (street), if not then the same שכונה (...
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10
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0
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390
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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 ...
CommunityBot
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1
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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 ...
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2
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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 ...
CommunityBot
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10
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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 ...
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