Answer by Dov for Does the kotel (western wall) have the Kavod of a synagogue
Like @DoubleAA asserts the plaza is where people daven.It can be argued that this does have the sanctity of a shul. Refer to the Yerushalmi Megilla which...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Why Are We Blunting His Teeth?
I once heard a very nice alternative idea in the name of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach who in turn, quotes the main crux from the Belzer Rebbe - Rabbi Aharon RokeachBy way of introduction, anyone who is...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for How Should We Wait for Moshiach?
Refer to the Chofetz Chaim who wrote a sefer entitled צפיתלישועה - "(lit. Did you await salvation?" (a reference brought in the famous Gemara in Shabbos 31a which details the questions a person is...
View ArticleA 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 the...
View ArticleA blind person not seeing chametz
The Torah (Shemos 13:7) famously tells us:וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֨הלְךָ֜חָמֵ֗ץChametz shall not be seen in your possession.What happens if the homeowner is blind? Do they have to hide away/lock up the chametz,...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for A blind person not seeing chametz
As per my comment, the starting point would seemingly be the two contrasting opinions of the Rambam, and the Rosh.Rambam as explained in the Kesef Mishneh, hilchos chametz umatzah 3:1 that a person...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for What is the Schar one receives for being amongst the first...
There's the famous gemara in Brachos 47b:וְאָמַררַבִּייְהוֹשֻׁעַבֶּןלֵוִי: לְעוֹלָםיַשְׁכִּיםאָדָםלְבֵיתהַכְּנֶסֶתכְּדֵישֶׁיִּזְכֶּהוְיִמָּנֶהעִםעֲשָׂרָההָרִאשׁוֹנִים,...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for What's with the small heh in Bereshit 2:4?
There are several explanations:A good starting point is Rashi who mentions two answers:(i) The verse teaches you that all of them (i.e. the productions of heaven and earth) were created on the first...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for What is the meaning of the words חציפאנצחלבישה
It is saying that a person has to demonstrate a bit of chutzpah - impudence when davening so that you don't hold back and pray out loud despite being in front of the King of Kings where the initial...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Does the mitzvah of honoring one's parents extend to in-laws?
Yes there are loads of sources for this...A good starting point is the Tur YD 240:1:וחייבלכבדחמיודכתיב"אביראהגםראה".One is obligated to respect their father-in-law, as it is written, "See, my father...
View ArticleTefillin removal on chol hamoed - first day vs the other days
For those that wear tefillin on chol hamoed, there seems to be a widespread minhag to remove tefillin on the first day of chol hamoed before mussaf, yet on the other days, one does so earlier - before...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Seeking recommendations for a set of טורושולחןערוך
There are quite a few nice sets now available that are worth exploring.The Tzuras HaDaf - Tur Shulchan Aruch: Like the name suggests it is formatted and paginated with the traditional tzuras hadaf...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Working on Purim
This is dealt with very comprehensively hereIt introduces the topic as follows:While there is no prohibition against work nor any forbidden labors, there is a wealth of halachic material concerning the...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for What were David's reasons for writing Psalms?
To partly answer your question...One ma'an d'amar says that some of Tehillim reflects that which happened personally to Dovid. Note Pesachim 117a:תָּנוּרַבָּנַן:...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Who does the prophecy in Malachi refer to?
A few possibilities...Note the Ibn Ezra, he suggests the messenger could possibly be Moshiach ben Yosef.The Metzudos Dovid provides a definitive rundown. He suggests the messenger to be a "מלאךמןהשמים"...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Should David have killed Saul?
It would seem that it was pre-meditated act by Dovid.Yerushalmi Sukkah 5:4 writes that Dovid had the inner turmoil of striking down a tzaddik.וַיָּבֹ֥אשָׁא֖וּללְהָסֵ֣ךְאֶת־רַגְלָי֑ו....
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Introductory sefer on Gematria?
You might like Rav Dovid Feinstein's Seasonings of Torah - weekly divrei Torah based on gematrias. The blurb reads as follows:Enter the world of deep Torah insights through the eyes of Hagaon Harav...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Live online chat with a Rabbi
Here in the UK we have Shaila Text made up of group of local, experienced Rabbonim.The blurb reads as follows (emphasis mine):The ShailaText service was never intended to take the place of someone...
View ArticleAnswer by Dov for Looking for Rabbi Bentzion Sternfeld's Shaarei Tzion
You can find whole piece on Hebrewbooks hereThe pertinent passage begins here by the letter vav.
View ArticleComment by Dov on Achashverosh earned Olam Haba?
Hi @Moshe pls note whilst commendable that you took the time to look at the sources (I did too) I'm not sure if this is more like a comment than an actual answer? I might be wrong (and sorry if I am!)
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