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Curated Torah sources across every topic, from classical texts to contemporary responsa.
Kashering Dishwashers for Pesach
Sources establish the foundational principles of vessel kashering through hagalah (immersion in boiling water) and libun (heating), based on the rule that vessels are purged in the manner they absorbed. These principles form the halachic framework that contemporary poskim apply when addressing whether dishwashers can be kashered for Pesach use.
כבולעו כך פולטו
Laws of Mourning During the High Holidays
Halachic sources addressing the restrictions placed on an avel (mourner) during the Days of Judgment, including limitations on leading services and performing ritual roles such as blowing the shofar.
ואבל אסור לעבור לפני התיבה בר״ה ויוה״כ
Halachos and Minhagim of Chanukah Candle Lighting
These sources explore the halachic requirements and practices governing Chanukah candle lighting, including the timing of the mitzvah, proper placement of the menorah, and the purpose and validity of the candles according to classical rabbinic sources.
מצות הדלקתו משקיעת החמה עד שיכלה הרגל מן השוק
Using a Hotel Elevator on Shabbat
Sources discuss the permissibility of asking or benefiting from a non-Jew operating equipment on Shabbat, including the general prohibition against instructing a non-Jew to perform work, exceptions based on pikuach nefesh (saving a life), and the practical halakhic framework governing such situations.
כל דבר שאסור לעשות בשבת אסור לומר לנכרי
Shaving and Grooming for a Bris During the Nine Days
Sources address the permissibility of grooming and shaving in connection with a circumcision ceremony that falls during the Nine Days of Av, including exceptions made for the honor of the mitzvah and Shabbat.
מילה שהיא מר״ח עד ט׳ באב נוהגין שהמוהל ובעל ברית ואבי הבן לובשין
Artificial Insemination in Jewish Law
These sources address the halakhic principles governing reproduction, fertility, and the prohibition against wasting seed, which form the foundational framework for evaluating assisted reproductive technologies in Jewish law. The sources span biblical narrative, Talmudic discussion, and codified rulings on procreation and marital obligations.
אָסוּר לְהַפְסִיד אֵיבְרֵי זֶרַע
Windows in Torah and Tanach
Sources explore windows and openings throughout the Hebrew Bible, from Noah's ark to the Temple, examining both their practical function and spiritual symbolism. Commentators discuss the construction, purpose, and interpretive dimensions of these architectural features.
וַיִּפְתַּח נֹחַ אֶת־חַלּוֹן הַתֵּבָה
Meat at a Siyum During the Nine Days
Sources addressing whether participants in a siyum masechet (completion of a Talmudic tractate) may eat meat and drink wine during the Nine Days of Av, and the distinctions between the general Nine Days period and the specific week containing Tisha B'Av.
אוכלין בשר ושותין יין, כל השייכים לסעודה
Shaving and Grooming During the Nine Days
Sources address the halakhic restrictions on haircuts and shaving during the Nine Days of mourning for the Temple's destruction, and discuss whether exceptions apply for pressing needs such as a circumcision ceremony.
וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין שֶׁאֵין מִסְתַּפְּרִין בְּיָמִים אֵלּוּ
An Avel as Baal Tokea on Rosh Hashanah
These sources examine whether a mourner (avel) during shiva may serve as the shofar blower for the congregation on Rosh Hashanah. They address the halakhic requirements for who is fit to blow shofar and the restrictions that apply to mourners leading communal religious functions.
אחר תוקע ולא שליח צבור
Chalav Yisrael: The Requirement for Milk Supervision
Sources spanning from the Mishnah through later rabbinic authorities discuss the prohibition against drinking milk from non-Jews without Jewish supervision, the underlying concern for mixture with non-kosher animal milk, and the standards for acceptable supervision. The sources establish both the foundational principle and its application across different circumstances.
חלב שחלבו גוי ואין ישראל רואהו אסור
Chanukah: History, Halakha, and Spiritual Meaning
These sources explore Chanukah from multiple angles: the historical events of the Hasmonean victory and rededication of the Temple, the halakhic requirements for lighting candles, and deeper theological interpretations of the holiday's spiritual significance and symbolism.
מלכות בית חשמונאי ונצחום