Discover what others are learning
Curated Torah sources across every topic, from classical texts to contemporary responsa.
Adding Days to Pesach: Torah Law and Rabbinic Authority
These sources address the apparent tension between the Torah's prohibition against adding to commandments and the rabbinic institution of an eighth day of Pesach outside the Land of Israel. They explain how rabbinic enactments, enacted for legitimate purposes such as preventing confusion about festival dates, operate within the framework of Torah law and rabbinic authority.
תקנה ראשונה לא זזה ממקומה
The Six Cities of Refuge
Sources exploring the biblical and rabbinic laws governing the cities of refuge (arei miklat), their distribution across Israelite territory, and the procedures by which an inadvertent killer finds sanctuary there. The sources address both the foundational commandment and its detailed halakhic implementation.
וְשֵׁשׁ עָרִים הָיוּ
Tevilat Keilim: Torah or Rabbinic Obligation
Sources examine whether the immersion of vessels acquired from non-Jews is a biblical commandment or a rabbinic enactment, tracing the halakhic derivation from Talmudic passages through medieval and later codifications.
כל רבותינו הסכימו דטבילה זו היא מן התורה
Obligation to Fight in a Mandatory War
Jewish sources discuss who is obligated to participate in a milchemet mitzvah (a mandatory war), contrasting universal obligation in such wars with the exemptions that apply to optional warfare. The sources establish that in a mandatory war, virtually all categories of people—including grooms and brides—are obligated to serve.
אֲבָל בְּמִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה, הַכֹּל יוֹצְאִין
Eating Kosher Grasshoppers Alive
Sources discuss whether permitted species of grasshoppers may be consumed while still living, examining the slaughter requirements and practical conditions for their consumption under Jewish dietary law.
וּמֻתָּר לְאָכְלָן חַיִּים
Eating Kosher Grasshoppers While Alive
Classical sources examine the halakhic status of kosher locusts and whether they require ritual slaughter before consumption. The sources discuss the identification of permitted species and the permissibility of eating them alive versus processed.
חגבים אין טעונין שחיטה
The Lenient Principle in Eruv Rulings
Sources explore the talmudic principle that halakhic rulings on eruv matters follow the more lenient opinion, explaining why this leniency applies specifically to eruv law and how it guides practical decision-making in disputes over eruv validity and construction.
הֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי הַמֵּיקֵל בְּעֵירוּב
Was Pinchas Acting as a Rodef?
The sources examine whether Pinchas's killing of Zimri and Kozbi constitutes an act of zealotry (kana'im pog'in bo) or falls under the legal category of a rodef (pursuer). Classical and medieval legal texts establish the narrow conditions under which such intervention is permitted and explore the boundaries between justified zealous action and unlawful homicide.
שֶׁהֲרֵי רוֹדֵף הוּא
The Chatan's Aliyah During Sheva Brachos
Sources address the halakhic status and obligations surrounding a groom receiving an aliyah to the Torah during the seven days of wedding celebration. The discussion encompasses the elevated status of the chatan during this period and the practical application of aliyah distribution on Shabbat when a wedding occurs.
וְכֵן תִּקְּנוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁכָּל הַנּוֹשֵׂא בְּתוּלָה יִהְיֶה שָׂמֵחַ עִמָּהּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים
Maftir for a Chosson on Shabbat Sheva Brachot
Sources addressing the halakhic rules governing aliyot and maftir on Shabbat, with specific consideration of practices on the Shabbat of sheva brachot (a groom's wedding week). The sources discuss who may be called to the Torah and relevant synagogue customs.
בשבת חתונה
Marital Intimacy in Jewish Law
Jewish legal sources discuss the permissibility and ethical boundaries of physical intimacy between spouses. The halakhic tradition permits various forms of marital relations while emphasizing dignity, consent, and restraint grounded in the concept of holiness.
כָּל מַה שֶּׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ עוֹשֶׂה
Physical Exercise in Jewish Law and Ethics
Jewish sources examine the role of physical health and bodily movement in spiritual service and human flourishing. The sources address how physical vigor supports intellectual and spiritual capacity, the relationship between bodily discipline and divine service, and practical guidance on exercise and physical maintenance.
הוֹאִיל וֶהֱיוֹת הַגּוּף בָּרִיא וְשָׁלֵם מִדַּרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם הוּא