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Curated Torah sources across every topic, from classical texts to contemporary responsa.
Yeush in Returning Lost Property
This collection explores the halakhic concept of yeush (the owner's despair of recovery) and its role in the laws of hashavat aveidah (returning lost property). Sources present the classical dispute over yeush shelo midaat—despair of which the owner is unaware—particularly regarding items without identifying marks, and examine when a finder may retain an object based on the owner's presumed relinquishment of hope.
יֵאוּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעַת, אַבָּיֵי אָמַר: לָא הָוֵי יֵאוּשׁ
Recorded Music and the Post-Churban Prohibition
Classical and early modern rabbinic sources establish the prohibition against musical instruments and song after the Temple's destruction. These sources address the scope of the restriction, including whether it applies to music heard through contemporary means or only to live performance.
אסור לנגן בכלי שיר וכל מיני זמר וכל משמיעי קול של שיר
The Five Sections of the Beard in Jewish Law
Sources from Torah, Talmud, and medieval halakhic codes define the anatomical structure of the beard (chatimot zaqan) and establish which areas are subject to the prohibition against shaving or destroying facial hair. The beard is divided into five distinct regions, each with separate halakhic significance.
וְחָמֵשׁ פֵּאוֹת יֵשׁ בּוֹ
Tagin on the Letter Beis in Bereishit
Sources discussing the codification and customary forms of the tagin (crowns) placed on specific letters in Torah scrolls, particularly addressing the beis of בראשית. The sources present both classical halachic rulings and their practical application across different communities.
וכעין קו דק הוא כל תג ותג
Comparing Dried Figs and Olives as Measures
Jewish law employs two distinct volume measures for food-related obligations: the dried fig (grora) and the olive-bulk (kezayit). Sources clarify their relationship and practical applications across different halakhic contexts, including eruv requirements and blessings.
וְאָסוּר מִן הַתּוֹרָה לֶאֱכל כָּל שֶׁהוּא מִדָּבָר הָאָסוּר. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה אֶלָּא עַל כְּזַיִת
Music and Singing After the Churban
Jewish law addresses the permissibility and restriction of musical instruments and singing in the period following the destruction of the Temple. The sources establish a rabbinic prohibition on joyous musical entertainment while discussing the practical scope of this restriction and its exceptions.
אל תשמח ישראל אל גיל כעמים
Identifying Marks in Returning Lost Property
The sources establish the halakhic principle that a lost object must bear a recognizable identifying mark (siman) for a finder to be obligated to announce and return it to its owner. The Talmud and Maimonides discuss what constitutes a valid siman, how a claimant must prove ownership without being prompted, and the procedures for announcing found objects.
מָה שִׂמְלָה מְיוּחֶדֶת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ סִימָנִין וְיֵשׁ לָהּ תּוֹבְעִין
Medical Examination and Prohibited Contact
Sources address the balance between restrictions on physical contact between men and women and the overriding principle that medical necessity and life-saving treatment take precedence. The halacha distinguishes between affectionate or suggestive contact and clinical, professional medical examination performed without improper intent.
פִּקּוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ דּוֹחֶה שַׁבָּת
The Proper Order for Lighting Chanukah Candles
Sources discuss the correct sequence and arrangement for lighting a Chanukah menorah at home, including whether to begin with newly added candles or follow directional patterns based on menorah placement, and practical considerations for positioning candles near the doorway.
תמיד יתחיל הברכה בנר הנוסף
Shofar on Shabbat: Rabbah's Decree
Sources discuss why the shofar is not sounded when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat, except in the Temple. Rabbah's concern that people might carry the shofar to an expert to learn the correct technique—thereby violating Shabbat—forms the basis of this rabbinic enactment, a decree preserved across Talmudic and later halakhic codes.
שמא יטלנו בידו וילך אצל בקי ללמוד
Keriah: Tearing for Parents and Other Relatives
These sources outline the laws of keriah (ritual tearing of garments) in mourning, distinguishing between the tear required for a parent and the tear for other relatives, and addressing whether and how the tear may be repaired or mended.
על אביו ואמו קורע כל בגדיו אפילו הוא לבוש
Meat and Milk: Laws and Prohibitions
Sources tracing the prohibition against cooking meat with milk from its biblical origins through rabbinic interpretation and later codification. The material examines the scriptural basis, Talmudic derivations of the scope and exceptions, and the practical halakhic rulings that govern this fundamental dietary law.
לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ