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Curated Torah sources across every topic, from classical texts to contemporary responsa.
Shofar on Shabbat: The Rabbinic Safeguard
Sources explore why the Sages suspended the blowing of shofar when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat outside the Temple, examining the rabbinic concern that individuals might carry the shofar to an expert for instruction, and how this precaution overrides the biblical obligation.
גזירה שמא יוליכנו בידו
The Mitzvah to Believe in Mashiach
Jewish sources examine the obligation to await and have faith in the coming of the messianic king. The sources present biblical visions of the Davidic redeemer and messianic age, rabbinic distinctions between the messianic era and the World to Come, and the halakhic formulation of belief in Mashiach as a binding commandment.
כׇּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בּוֹ אוֹ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְחַכֶּה לְבִיאָתוֹ כּוֹפֵר בַּתּוֹרָה
The Mitzvah of Belief in Mashiach
Sources explore belief in the coming of the Messiah as a fundamental principle of Jewish faith. Biblical prophecies describe the messianic age and the restoration of Israel under a Davidic ruler, while Rabbinic and Medieval sources establish this belief as an obligation rooted in Torah and discuss the messianic era's defining characteristics.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בּוֹ לֹא בִּשְׁאָר נְבִיאִים בִּלְבַד הוּא כּוֹפֵר
The Kashrut Status of the Peacock
Sources examine whether a peacock (tavus) may be eaten according to Jewish dietary law, discussing the identifying signs of kosher birds, the role of reliable tradition (mesorah) in determining permissibility, and the specific status of this bird across different rabbinic authorities and communities.
סִימָנֵי עוֹף טָהוֹר לֹא נִתְפָּרֵשׁ מִן הַתּוֹרָה
The Obligation to Believe in Mashiach
Sources examine whether belief in the coming of the Messiah constitutes a binding religious obligation. The passage addresses rabbinic and medieval philosophical perspectives on messianic faith as a core principle of Jewish doctrine.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בּוֹ כּוֹפֵר בַּתּוֹרָה
The Obligation to Believe in Mashiach
Sources explore whether belief in the coming of Mashiach constitutes a religious obligation, examining rabbinic formulations of messianic doctrine, biblical prophecies of redemption, and the relationship between this belief and core Jewish faith.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בּוֹ לֹא בִּשְׁאָר נְבִיאִים בִּלְבַד הוּא כּוֹפֵר
Shaving During Sefirat HaOmer
Sources explore the halakhic status of shaving during the Omer period, examining whether it falls under the mourning restrictions on grooming, the customs governing different communities, and exceptions for ritual occasions such as circumcisions.
נוהגים שלא להסתפר עד ל״ג לעומר
Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur: Awakening and Return
These sources explore how Rosh Hashana calls the soul to renewed awareness of God and divine kingship, while Yom Kippur represents the process of returning to that relationship by removing sin and its barriers. Together they form a spiritual arc from awakening to restoration.
עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִשְּׁנַתְכֶם וְנִרְדָּמִים הָקִיצוּ מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם
Vidui as Removing Barriers to Divine Connection
Sources explore confession and repentance as a process of clearing away character traits, false self-perceptions, and separation from God that obstruct one's direct relationship with the Divine, rather than merely addressing past wrongs.
סִירוֹ מִמַּחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ
Vidui as Spiritual Purification and Return
These sources explore confession (vidui) not merely as remorse or acknowledgment of wrongdoing, but as a process of stripping away false attachments, destructive patterns, and spiritual obstacles that block closeness to God. The sources present vidui as part of a transformative journey toward inner freedom and renewed relationship with the Divine.
יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ
The Commandment to Believe in Mashiach
Sources address whether belief in the coming of Mashiach constitutes a religious obligation in Jewish law and thought. Prophetic passages establish the messianic hope, while rabbinic and medieval Jewish philosophers articulate the status and scope of this belief as a commandment rooted in the obligation to believe the prophets.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בּוֹ לֹא בִּשְׁאָר נְבִיאִים בִּלְבַד הוּא כּוֹפֵר אֶלָּא בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ
Kaddish: Laws, Obligations, and Customs
These sources address the halachic requirements for reciting Kaddish in a communal setting, including the obligation of a minyan of ten adult males, the proper wording and congregational responses, and customs governing when and how mourners and others recite Kaddish in prayer services.
כל דבר שבקדושה אי אפשר בפחות מעשרה מישראל