Questions tagged [halacha-theory]
Questions about theoretical issues about psak and general halacha concepts
1,131
questions
5
votes
1
answer
361
views
Why no Halachic codex for the masses appear till the 12th century's Mishneh Torah?
Another "bird's-eye" view of Judaism from the Orthodox tradition:
14th century BCE, the Torah is received and practical laws are passed down orally.
10th-3rd centuries BCE, books of ...
- 26.3k
4
votes
1
answer
191
views
How do contradictions within Halacha impact the credibility of Judaism?
Given the vast array of interpretations and customs in following Halacha, how does Judaism maintain its credibility and authority when one practice can be considered correct by one group but incorrect ...
- 500
-5
votes
3
answers
172
views
Where does the Torah prohibit the killing of non-Jews?
Please provide one Halachic or other source from the Torah that prohibits Jews killing gentiles. The Rambam doesn't say it. Sanhedrin 57a even says a Jew who kills a gentile is exempt. The posuk that ...
4
votes
0
answers
51
views
Espresso on Shabbos... ☕ Will this method work? [duplicate]
I've come across some fully-manual espresso machines, such as Flair 58x*. Assuming one holds like Rav Moshe Feinstein where there is no bishul in a kli shlishi, and one prepared his pre-ground coffee ...
- 41
0
votes
1
answer
39
views
If saying a Beracha over a worldly benefit is a logical mitzva, are non believers exempt? Are Chazal saying Hashem's existence is a svara?
According to the Gemara (Brachot 35a), the halacha of saying a beracha before benefiting from the world is a svara; a halacha derived from logic:
סברא הוא: אסור לו לאדם שיהנה מן העולם הזה בלא ברכה
...
- 11.5k
3
votes
1
answer
73
views
Maharshal on halachah vs secular law
This page says:
Rabbi Shlomo Luria, nearly 500 years ago, argued that with the
exception of great moral deficiencies like murder, stealing and
deception, the Torah mostly describes behavior between ...
- 2,498
1
vote
0
answers
59
views
On the relative authority of biblical and rabbinic law
A principle in Judaism is that perceived uncertainties in biblical laws must be resolved with stringency, whereas perceived uncertainties in rabbinic laws may be resolved with leniency.
But rabbinic ...
- 22.4k
0
votes
1
answer
115
views
Different shitos in halachah
If one holds like a certain shita in halachah. Then acts in accordance to a different shita in halachah, other then what he holds.
is his action valid because there is still some shitos in halachah ...
- 37
2
votes
1
answer
85
views
What are the limits to "shev v'al ta'aseh"?
The Rabbinic power to ban a practice such as blowing shofar on Shabbat is called "shev v'al ta'aseh" - "sit and don't do it." Is there any limit to the power? For instance, could ...
- 433
1
vote
1
answer
458
views
Should David have killed Saul?
In 1 Samuel 24 Saul enters a cave to relieve himself and David cuts off part of Saul's cloak rather than kill him. During this time Saul had been pursuing David with the explicit intent to kill him. ...
- 14.5k
2
votes
0
answers
37
views
A father promising their child an afikoman present on yom tov?
A prominent minhag on seder night is that the children "steal" the afikoman and hide it. What follows is the normal haggling process as the father agrees to buy a child a gift in return for ...
- 33.7k
1
vote
1
answer
68
views
A blind person not seeing chametz
The Torah (Shemos 13:7) famously tells us:
וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֜ חָמֵ֗ץ
Chametz shall not be seen in your possession.
What happens if the homeowner is blind? Do they have to hide away/lock up the ...
- 33.7k
1
vote
0
answers
102
views
Will Moshiach need to PROVE he is a male line descendant of King David?
Would it be a requirement for Moshiach to be able to prove that he is a descendant of King David or at least have a family mesorah that he is?
Or is it more of a case that once we see that someone is ...
2
votes
2
answers
115
views
Is hiddur mitzvah biblical or rabbinic
According to Halacha, is the concept of hiddur mitzvah, beautifying the mitzvah, biblical or rabbinic in nature? Or is it a machloket amongst the poskim?
- 4,808
1
vote
2
answers
131
views
Is Marit ayin biblical or rabbinic
According to Halacha, is the prohibition of Marit Ayin biblical (D’oraita) or rabbinic (Derabbanan) in nature? Or is this question an undecided Machloket amongst the Poskim?
- 4,808