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Posts by DonielF
Starting with your main question of what distinguishes Judaism and Islam: Judaism holds the Torah as part of its Biblical canon, also accepting the books of the Prophets and Writings (that’s the b...
I don’t know about you, but I don’t usually think or care about my water meter. It’s more for the utilities than it is for me, anyway. So I’d imagine it’s not merely a פסיק רישא, a direct causation...
I recommend the following links, at a minimum: Sefaria Hebrew Books Friedberg Jewish Manuscript Society
Is it worthwhile to include a sidebar widget with some useful links for learning about Judaism and Jewish practice and law, such as Sefaria, Hebrew Books, etc.? If yes, what links, specifically, wo...
The main discussion regarding when to begin counting occurs in Menachot 65a.12-66a.15. The discussion is prompted by the Boethusian practice of interpreting the charge of Leviticus 23:15 to begin c...
The Gemara (Berachot 38a) cites a dispute whether the blessing on bread is המוציא or מוציא. The issue is that the blessing must reflect the past tense; while everyone agrees that מוציא is past tens...
It's almost that time of year! Who's ready for some Purim Torah? Before we begin the season, we need to set some ground rules. In this thread, I'd like to discuss how exactly this will run. Below ...
In ancient times, the Roman pagan holiday of Saturnalia included a practice of baking some type of cake with a fava bean hidden inside, with a prize for whoever got the piece containing the bean. I...
There are certain categories of speech which are outright forbidden by the Torah (various forms of gossip, profanity, blasphemy, curse, etc.). Theoretically speaking, could the Sanhedrin legislate...
Finals are finally over! I apologize for the long delay in which we missed the first month of this quarter, but hopefully we should be back in business. Obligatory topic submission thread. On Sund...
Rambam paskens (Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 10:7-8): הַמִּילָה נִצְטַוָּה בָּהּ אַבְרָהָם וְזַרְעוֹ בִּלְבַד. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יז, ט) "אַתָּה וְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ". יָצָא זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׁ...
In a number of sources we find learning Aleph Beis associated with learning Torah: notably Shabbos 31a, with the convert who Hillel persuaded with reversing the Aleph Beis; Shabbos 103b-104a, with ...
Sanhedrin 101a.2 teaches: תנו רבנן הקורא פסוק של שיר השירים ועושה אותו כמין זמר והקורא פסוק בבית משתאות בלא זמנו מביא רעה לעולם מפני שהתורה חוגרת שק ועומדת לפני הקב"ה ואומרת לפניו רבונו של עולם עש...
Makkot 24a: בא חבקוק והעמידן על אחת שנאמר (חבקוק ב, ד) וצדיק באמונתו יחיה Habakuk came and established [the 613 mitzvot] on one, as it says (Habakuk 2:4), “And a righteous one will live with his f...
An oft-requested feature for this community is a forum in which people can post their own Chiddushei Torah, their own Torah novelties — their own Divrei Torah. We are excited to announce that the D...
Pesachim 68b teaches: רבי אליעזר אומר אין לו לאדם ביום טוב אלא או אוכל ושותה או יושב ושונה רבי יהושע אומר חלקהו חציו לאכילה ושתיה וחציו לבית המדרש R' Eliezer says, "A person on Yom Tov can either ...
In my Simchas Torah experience, there's at least as many cycles of aliyos as there are Kohanim and Leviim, such that if anything a given Kohen or Levi may end up with multiple aliyos on a given Sim...
The Gemara states (Sukkah 26a.9 et. al.): מצטער פטור מן הסוכה One who is in pain is exempt from Sukkah This is codified as halacha in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 640:4. Suppose it's going to pour...
