Please Note: Since I am not a Rabbi you should consult your own Rabbi regarding the answers to these questions, especially those answers which do not refer you to another web site for the answer.
 |
How is the answer to the above question connected to the shaking of the
lulav? |
|
Reserved For Future Question. |
|
Reserved For Future Question. |
|
Reserved For Future Question. |
|
Reserved For Future Question. |
| Why do we take three steps back after the Kaddish? | |||||||||
| A: | This practice is from the last verse of the Amidah where the "oseh shalom" is recited. There we step back three steps because when we say the Amidah we are in the presence of The King and at the end of the Amidah we retreat from the presence of The King. Another reason given is that the daily prayers are the substitution for sacrifices. When the priests left the courtyard they had to step across three rows of steps to get back to the courtyard. An excellent explanation of the Kaddish and all of the underlying customs can be found in the book "Kaddish" by Rabbi Nosson Scherman, published by Artscroll/Mesorah Publications. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Why do we take off the tefillin before starting Musaf on Rosh Chodesh? | ||||||||
| A: | The Kedushah in the Musaf Amidah for Rosh Chodesh begins with the word "Keter" (a crown). Since the head tefillin are also referred to as keter we cannot have two crowns so we remove the Tefillin. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | How can we have a minyan present during the entire Torah Service but when the Kaddish Shalem (Full Kaddish which is recited just before returning the Torah to the Ark during the weekday Shacharit Service) is to be recited, it is not said? | ||||||||
| A: | The Kaddish Shalem is tied to the Amidah. If there was no minyan present during the recitation of the Amidah, the repetition of the Amidah is not done and the Kaddish Shalem is not recited, even though there is a minyan present when it would be said. The Kaddish Shalem is a public expression of faith and there must be a public recitation of the Amidah (the repetition of the Amidah aloud) in order for it to be said. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Harvesting on Shabbat is prohibited. There is one situation whereby it was not only permitted but was mandatory and overrode the Shabbat. What was it? | ||||||||
| A: | The harvesting of the omer, the meal offering of barley that was brought on the 16th of Nissan, the second day of Pesach. This offering was to be harvested the night before it was offered. So, when the 16th of Nissan fell on Shabbat, it was mandatory to harvest the barley on Friday night for the meal-offering brought the next morning. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Who wrote Psalms 90-100? | ||||||||
| A: | Moses wrote these Psalms. They were incorporated into the Book of Psalms by King David. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Psalm 92 "Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbat" is a psalm and a song for the Sabbath day, yet it does not contain any direct reference to Shabbat. Why is it then a psalm and a song for Shabbat? | ||||||||
| A: | The song was sung by the Levites for the Shabbat Service. Rashi explains that this psalm does not refer to the weekly Shabbat but to the World to Come, when man will achieve the spiritual perfection we only glimpse during the Shabbat. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Why is the Maftir a repeat of a part of the Aliyah before it? | ||||||||
| A: | The person who reads the Haftarah (Ba'al Haftarah) also gets the Maftir Aliyah. In Talmudic times the person saying the Aliyah blessings would additionally read the portion. The reason that the Ba'al Haftarah receives the additional Maftir Aliyah rather than one of the seven mandated Aliyot is to avoid giving the impression that the Haftarah (which comes from the prophetic section of the Hebrew Bible) is of equal sanctity as the Torah portion. By reading both a short repeat of the Torah reading and a section of Prophets (thus equating the Haftarah with a less important Torah portion), the Haftarah demonstrates that the Haftarah is less sacred than the main Torah reading. Incidentally, both 'Maftir' and 'Haftarah' mean the same thing -- concluding portion. | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | What are Maimonides Thirteen Principles of Faith? | ||||||||
| A: |
|
||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | What is the only holiday for which the Torah does not give a specific calendar date, has no special Mitzvot for the holiday (eating specific food does not count), is only one day (in Israel) - while the other Shalosh Regalim (Pilgrimage Festivals) are seven days each and is the only holiday that does not have a tractate in the Talmud named after it? | ||||||||
| A: | Shavuot | ||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | What are the four instances when one is obligated to say the gomayl blessing (blessing of thanksgiving on deliverance from danger)? | ||||||||
| A: | 1. When you
have traveled across a sea, whether by ship or plane. 2. When you have traveled through a wilderness and reached an inhabited area. 3. When you were held captive or imprisoned and your life was in danger. 4. When you were seriously injured or bedridden due to an illness for more than three days and have recovered completely. |
||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Why don't we say Tachnun the first 12 days of the month of Sivan? | ||||||||
| A: |
|
||||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Two men are in Oxnard on the 36th day of the counting the Omer. That night one man counts the 37th day and the other man counts the 38th day. Both men are correct. How can this be? | A: | The man counting the 38th day traveled from West to East (in this case from Australia to Oxnard during the counting of the Omer (Sephira)) and crossed the International Date Line. When he first started counting the Omer he was a day earlier than those counting in Oxnard and he has to continue counting as if he was home. | ||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Some headstones in Jewish cemeteries contain the Hebrew letters tav, nun, tzadee, bet, hey underneath the inscription What do these letters stand for? | A: | The Hebrew letters stand for "tehi nishmato tzeruah betzror hachayim". "May his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life." | ||||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | Who was King David's great-grandmother? Who was his great- grandfather? What was his mother's name? Where is her name mentioned? Who was Goliath's great-grandmother? | A: | King David's
great-grandmother was Ruth. His great-grandfather was Boaz. His
mother was Nitzevet bat Adel. You can read about King David's sad
childhood
here. His mother is mentioned on the Talmud (Tractate Bava Batra 91a).
Goliath's great-grandmother (some say mother) was Orpah (sister and
sister-in-law of Ruth, so David and Goliath were cousins). Because Orpah
shed four tears when she parted from her mother-in-law Naomi, she was
granted the privilege of giving birth to four giants. Goliath was the
strongest and the greatest of these. And because she walked forty steps with
Naomi before turning back to Moab, Goliath was permitted to show off his
great strength and skill to the Israelites for forty days before being
killed by David. |
||||||
| back to top
|
Q: | Moses is called Moshe Rabbeinu, Abraham is called Avraham Avinu, what is Joseph called? | A: | Yoseph Hatzaddik (Joseph the Righteous). | |||||
| back to top | |||||||||
| Q: | 1. Who
were the five Maccabee brothers and what were their names.? 2. Which one did not die in the Hasmonean revolt? 3. How many years into the revolt did the miracle of the lights occur? 4. How did Elazar die? |
A: | 1.
The five sons of Mattisyahu the Hasmonean, son of Yochanan The Kohen Gadol.
They were Shimon, Yehudah the Maccabee, Elazr, Yochanan and Yonasan. 2. Shimon. 3. Three years. 4. Killing a war elephant in battle. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | 1. What
was Esther's relationship to Mordechai? 2. What do King David and King Saul have to do with Purim and what do we learn from this? 3. What is unique about the Book of Esther? 4. What is the similarity between the Purim story and the giving of the Torah at Sinai? |
A: | 1.
She was his wife. Our Sages say not to read 2:7 "like a daughter" but
"like a home", meaning as a wife. 2. When David's son Absalom rebelled and drove David from Jerusalem he was pelted with stones and bitter curses by Shim'i ben Gera. David's followers begged him for permission to kill Shim'i but David had compassion on Shim'i and refused to let them kill him. One of Shim'i's descendants was Mordechai of the Purim story. King Saul was commanded to wage war against Amalek and to spare no one. He spared one man, King Agog because he thought he would be more merciful than G-d. One of Agog's descendants was Haman of the Purim story. From the above we learn that there are people to whom we should show mercy and those to whom we shouldn't show mercy. Our Sages tell us that if we show mercy to one who we shouldn't that we won't show mercy to one that we should. 3. The name of G-d is not mentioned in it, although there are instances where it appears in acrostic form (e.g. 5:4, the first letters of the Hebrew words yavo hamelech v'haman hayom form the name of G-d). 4. In the Purim story the Jews reaffirmed the acceptance of the Torah which was given at Sinai. In both instances it was preceded by a battle with Amalek.
|
| back to top | |
| Q: | Which Musaf Service is the longest of the year? | A: | On Rosh Hashanah, the Musaf prayers are the longest of the year. Musaf is divided into three parts: Malchuyot, Zichronot and Shofarot. |
| back to top |
|
A: | Pesach Sheini (14 Iyar) is Biblical. The other post-Biblical events are Yom Hazikaron (4 Iyar), Yom Ha'Atzmaut (5 Iyar), Lag B'Omer (18 Iyar), and Yom Yerushalayim (28 Iyar). |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why is there a hechsher (certificate of kashrut) needed, by Orthodox Jews, on fruits and vegetables grown in Israel but none needed on fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S.? | A: | Because of the laws of Shemitah, the fields may not be planted in the seventh year and the fruits that grow are considered "hefker" (ownerless and may be picked by anyone. These laws only apply to the Land of Israel. A hechsher is required by Orthodox Jews to insure that the laws of Shemitah have been strictly complied with. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | According to the Gemara who were the seven prophetesses of Israel? | A: | Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah (mother of the prophet Samuel), Abigail (a wife of King David), Huldah (II Kings, Chapter 22), Esther. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | What does the Hebrew expression "I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me" have in connection with the Hebrew month of Elul and what does it teach us? | A: | The four letters of the name Elul are an acronym for the initial letters of the phrase in the Song of Songs (6:3): "I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me." "I am to my beloved" in repentance and consummate desire to return to my soul-root in G-d. "And my beloved is to me" with Divine expression of mercy of forgiveness. A time to bring our love of G-d to a deeper level! |
| back to top |
|
A: | 1.
Songs of Ascents. 2. The Temple. 3. In the Temple the Jew was catapulted to successively higher spiritual summits. In the Temple the nation of Israel declared that man must not be spiritually stagnant, that the world is composed of infinite degrees of goodness, and man's mission is to scale the spiritual heights, which rise from earth heavenward. 4. The Levites would sing these Psalms as they ascended the 15 steps of the Temple. Also because when the Jewish people are worthy to ascend they do not climb one step at a time, they ascend many rungs at once. 5. The 27th day of each Hebrew month. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | An Orthodox custom before writing your name in a book is to write the Hebrew letters Lamed, Hei, Vov, separated by quote marks and then you write your name. What do these Hebrew letters represent? | A: | It stands for La'Hashem Ha'aretz Um'loah; The world and all therein belongs to Hashem. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why is the contract between Shylock and Antonio, in The Merchant of Venice, regarding a pound of flesh, an unenforceable contract according to Jewish Law? The answer has nothing to do with the fact that Antonio is not Jewish. | A: | Our bodies are not ours to do as we choose. Hashem is a partner in every birth along with the father and the mother. We cannot desecrate our bodies in any manner. This is the reason for the prohibition against tattoos, excessive signs of morning by cutting our bodies, etc. We therefore cannot remove a part of our bodies and cannot contract to do this. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | 1.
According to the Midrash, which Patriarch agreed to a change in the spelling
of his name and caused the period of slavery in Egypt to be 210 years long
instead of 400 years long? 2. Where do we find the instance of this spelling change? 3. How was the change in the number of years from 400 to 210 arrived at? |
A: | 1.
Issac (Yitzchok) 2. Psalms 105:9 3. Yitzchok told Hashem
that his name should have been Yishchok as it is written in Psalms 105:9
instead of Yitzchok. The numerical value of the letter shin in Gematria is 300. The numerical value of the letter Tzade is 90. The difference is 210 which is the length of time of the period of slavery in Egypt. |
| back to top |
|
A: | The giving of Shalach Manos, also called Mishloach Manos, for Purim. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | What prohibition must we be mindful of in feeding pets during the entire year and what additional prohibition must we be mindful of during Passover? | A: | The prohibition against cooking together or eating together meat and dairy foods during the year. One may not even derive benefit from a combination of meat and dairy foods; for example, selling such a combined product or feeding it to a pet. During Passover we have the added prohibition of owning or benefiting from having Chametz and we should be careful not to feed our pets any food that contains rye, wheat, oats, barley and spelt. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why is it forbidden on Shabbat to pick meat out of a thick stew, containing other foods, in order to put it into a refrigerator so it will not spoil and under what circumstances would this also not be permitted on a Yom Tov? | A: | This action violates the prohibition against Selection on Shabbat. While selection is permitted in most cases on a Yom Tov it is not permitted if what is being selected is not intended to be used until after the Yom Tov. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Psalm 126 and Psalm 137 are recited before what prayer, under what circumstances, and why the difference? | A: | Psalm 137
is said before the Birkat HaMazon on weekdays in order to keep the memory of
the destruction of the Temple fresh in our minds, even when our bodies are
full and comfortable in exile. Psalm 126 is recited before the Birkat
HaMazon on Shabbat and Festivals since these days afford the downtrodden,
exiled Jews a glimpse of their future elevation and glory. Psalm 126 tells
us that HaShem will return the exiled captive nation of Israel to
tranquility in the Land of Israel. |
| back to top |
|
A: | Hashem refers to G-d's attribute of mercy and to G-d revealed by the open or revealed miracles he performs (e.g. 10 Plagues, Splitting of the Seas of Reeds, Giving of the Torah at Sinai, etc). Elokim refers to G-d's attribute of strict judgment and in Gematria has the same numerical value as HaTevah (the nature) which refers to G-d performing hidden miracles in what we call nature (e.g. the sun rising daily in the East and setting daily in the West). In the Shema we are saying that G-d, who performs revealed miracles (HaShem) is the same G-d (Elokim) who performs hidden miracles through what we call nature. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Which Psalms are read as the "Song Of The Day" for each day of the week? | A: | Sunday - Psalm 24, Monday - Psalm 48, Tuesday - Psalm 82, Wednesday - Psalm 94 and Psalm 95:1-3, Thursday - Psalm 81, Friday - Psalm 93, Shabbat - Psalm 92. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | It states in Deuteronomy 6:16 "You shall not test Hashem your G-d....". It is explicitly written, however, that in the case of one commandment we are to test Hashem. What is the commandment and where in the Jewish Bible is this written? | A: | The commandment to give Tzedakah. In Malachi 3:10 (Book of Prophets)Hashem says "Test me with this, referring to tithing. If I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall be more than sufficiency." |
| back to top | |
| Q: | We don't
say Avinu Malkeinu on Shabbat, yet during the Ne'ila Service on Yom
Kippur, which in 2007was on a Shabbat, we did recite a short Avinu Malkeinu.
This was recited before Shabbat was over. Why were we able to do this?
Why isn't Avinu Malkeinu recited on Shabbat? |
A: | You can recite Avinu Malkeinu on Yom Kippur after sh'kiah (sunset). In fact you can also blow the Shofar on Yom Kippur after sh'kiah. Avinu Malkeinu is not recited on Shabbat, nor on Yom Kippur which is referred to as Shabbat Shabatot (the Shabbat of Shabbaths) because it is an intensive listing of petitions. Petitions to Hashem are not allowed to be made on Shabbat. |
| back to top |
|
A: | 1.
During the morning service when tefillin are worn on the left arm the
congregant is seated, bent over, with face lowered. The right hand
covers the head with the tallit. When tefillin are not worn the
congregant lowers his head on his left forearm. 2. The position is symbollic of Temple practice, in which the people knelt and prostrated themselves until their faces touched the ground. This was a gesture of absolute humility and total self-effacement indicating total submission to G-d. 3. Daily except Erev Shabbat afternoon, Shabbat, Motzaei Shabbat until midnight, Erev Rosh Chodesh afternoon, Rosh Chodesh, the entire month of Nissan, the afternoon of the 17th of Iyar and Lag B'Omer (19th of Iyar), from the afternoon of Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan through the 12th of Sivan, the afternoon of the 8th of Av and Tisha b'Av, the afternoon of the 14th of Av and 15th of Av, Erev Rosh Hashanah and Rosh Hashanah, Erev Yom Kippur through the end of Tishrei, Erev Chanukah afternoon and Chanukah, the afternoon of the 14th of Shevat and the 15th of Shevat, the afternoon of the 13th of Adar, Purim and Shushan Purim (in a leap year, also Erev Purim Katan afternoon, Purim Katan and Shushan Purim Katan), when there is a circumcision in the synagogue or in the presence of the father, the sandek or the mohel, when a bridegroom is present on the day of the wedding or during the week of the Sheva B'rachot. 4. We do not assume the position in #1. above, This is in keeping with the spirit of the verse in Joshia (7:6), where it says that "he fell on his face on the ground before the Ark of the Lord." The above is from "To Pray As A Jew" by Rabbi Hayim Halevey Donin, published by Basic Books. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why is the Jewish calendar set up so the first night of Chanukah can't ever be on a Monday night? | A: | You have to back into the answer. The 5th night represents Galut (exile) and Shabbat represents a preview of Moshiach so the two can't be together. Nowadays the 5th night is celebrated as the time during the holiday when we have more light than darkness (5 of the 8 candles are lit). Working backwards, since the 5th night can't be on a Friday night, the first night can't be on a Monday night. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | 1. In
Parasha Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43) why did Jacob go back across the
river to retrieve a few small jars? 2. Who was the angel he wrestled? 3. Why did the struggle take place at night and how does it relate to the history of the Jewish people? 4. What do the letters on a dreidel (used outside of Israel) have to do with Moshiach? 5. Where in Parasha Bereshit (Genesis 1:1-6:8) is there an allusion to Chanukah? 6. Where in Parasha Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) is there an allusion to Chanukah? |
A: | 1.
All of our possessions are granted to us by Hashem. To willingly
disregard them is to go against something that is bashert. 2. Esau's guardian angel. 3. Night, or darkness is symbolic of exile. The struggle ended at daylight which is symbolic of Torah, Moshiach, redemption. Even though we may be in despair in exile we know that Hashem is with us and we will survive no matter how dark it gets. 4. In Gamatria the letters on the dreidel have the same numerical value as the letters of the word Moshiach. 5. The 25th word in Bereshit is light which is an allusion to the Festival of Lights, Chanukah, which begins on the 25th of Kislev. 6. In Genesis 46:29 the Hebrew word "Goshnah" (to Goshen) has the same letters as on the dreidel, nun, gimmel, hey, shin. You just have to rearrange the letters of the word. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | One of
the Ten Commandments is not to take G-d's name in vain. This can
inadvertently happen if one says a blessing over food, forget it was
previously said and repeats the blessing again. If we catch ourselves after
saying Baruch Atta Hashem the second time we can get around the prohibition
by completing a verse in Psalms. Which psalm and verse is it? (Hint, the
psalm is referred to in the Talmud as t'maniah apin, the repetition of
eight.) |
A: | Psalm 119, verse 12 which states "Baruch Attah Hashem lamdeyni chukechah." "Blessed are You, Hashem, teach me your statutes." If you catch yourself after saying Baruch Attah Hashem you can say lamdeni chukecha and you will have said a verse in Tehillim and not take Hashem's name in vain. By the way, Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the entire book of Tehillim. It has 176 verses. |
| back to top |
|
A: | The Prophet Elijah is a guest at every Bris. If we invite someone and that person says he will attend and then doesn't come it is showing disrespect to Elijah. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | When Shabbat falls on a Festival why do some Orthodox Jews recite certain prayers only applicable to Shabbat (e.g. Shalom Aleichem, Eishet Chayil) in an undertone instead of aloud? | A: | We don't want to embarrass the Yom Tov by saying these prayers aloud so we say them in an undertone. Our Sages say that if we have such concern not to embarrass a day how much more so should we be careful not to embarrass a person. |
| back to top | |
| Q: |
When we are counting the Omer if we miss counting for a complete day we
cannot say the blessing when we continue the count and, in fact, will not
have fulfilled the mitzvah of counting seven complete weeks. What happens
in the following situations (i.e Is a blessing said each day, what day
starts the count, what about the count for the previous days, and why)?
Would your answer be different if, in the case of A. and B. the count was
started from the beginning of Sefira before they became obligated to count? A. A non-Jew is converted during Sefira (the period of counting the Omer). B. A boy becomes Bar Mitzvah during Sefira. C. A person, G-d forbid, is in a coma and awakes from the coma during Sefira. |
A: | The blessing is for counting seven complete weeks. Once a complete day is missed you can still count the other days but without saying a blessing. If the Bar Mitzvah started counting with a blessing and hadn't missed a day then he can continue counting each day after his Bar Mitzvah with a blessing provided he hasn't missed a complete day. In the case of A. and C. they start counting but without saying a blessing. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | What two tractates of the Talmud are studied during Sefira and why? | A: | Tractate Pirkei Avos and Tractate Sotah. Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers) teaches us about refining our character, personality, morality and ethics. Tractate Sotah (wayward wife who secludes herself with other men after being warned not to do so). The Israelites, at the time of the Exodus, had sunk to the 49th level of spiritual degradation. Had they reached the 50th level they would not have been saved. Sefira is 49 days whereby we are to rise one spiritual level a day until the 50th day where we are spiritually ready to receive the Torah (Shavuot). In Kaballah we have 7 emotional attributes and each attribute contains all of the other attributes( 7 x 7 = 49). One of the trials the Sotah has to go through is eating barley, which was considered as food for animals, because she acted like an animal and has to refine her neshamah. Barley is the grain used for the Omer. |
| back to top |
|
A: | 25th of Elul. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | What was the day that man was created (Hebrew day and month)? | A: | 1st of Tishrei. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why do we celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the date we do? (Hint, other than it is specified in the Torah on that date)? | A: | The world was created for man so that Hashem could have subjects who would serve Him. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why do some Jews have the custom of eating carrots on Rosh Hashanah? | A: | Carrots in Yiddish is merren. Meren connotes "to multiply" or to "have many" of G-d's infinite, boundless blessings. |
| back to top |
|
A: | 25th of the month. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Why is there no Shabbat Mevarchim for the month of Tishrei? | A: | G-d blesses the month of Tishrei on Shabbat Mevarchim and with this power we bless the rest of the months in the year. Also , the 1st of Tishrei is not called Rosh Chodesh but Rosh Hashanah. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | How does the shaking of the lulav remind us of the High Holy Days? | A: | When we shake the lulav we always bring it back to our heart. The same place that we strike when we say the Viduy and the Al Chet, the collective confessionals. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | What does the Sukkah remind us of (besides that we lived in them after the Exodus from Egypt)? | A: | It reminds us of the Clouds of Glory that enveloped the Israelites on all sides during the jorneys in the Wilderness as an expression of G-d's love for us. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | How is the answer to the above question connected to the shaking of the lulav? | A: | We shake the lulav while facing East and shake it to all 4 compass points plus up and down which are the directions that the Clouds of Glory protected us. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Reserved For Future Question. | A: | Reserved For Future Answer. |
| back to top | |
| Q: | Reserved For Future Question. | A: | Reserved For Future Answer. |
| back to top | |