Torah Q&A
3130 answered questions with cited sources from the Sefaria library.
What is the Yizkor memorial prayer?
Yizkor is a Jewish memorial prayer recited for deceased relatives, asking God to remember the souls of the departed and linking charitable pledges (tzedaka...
What is the Jewish morning prayer (Shacharit)?
Shacharit (שַׁחֲרִית, "morning prayer") is the daily morning prayer service in Judaism, recited each day after dawn. It is one of the three obligatory dail...
What’s the shortest perek in shas Gemara
The shortest perek (chapter) in Shas (the Talmud) is Perek Bemeh Madlikin — actually, let me give you the precise answer: The shortest chapter in the Babylonian
Architecture of the bet hamikdash
The Architecture of the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) The Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem was a precisely structured sacred complex described in detail
In a minyan, why do we need six people who are fasting for the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz to change the service?
Great question! This touches on the intersection of communal prayer, ta'anit tzibur (public fast), and the laws of tefillah (prayer) on fast days. Key Takeaways
Meaning of shavuot and counting of omer
Shavuot and the Counting of the Omer Shavuot (שָׁבוּעוֹת, "Weeks") is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals (Shalosh Regalim), commemorating the giving of...
What is the Yahrzeit prayer and candle?
The Yahrzeit (yahr-tsayt, Yiddish: "year time") is the annual Jewish observance commemorating the anniversary of a loved one's death, observed on the Hebre...
Can I make a siyum on masechey kinnim bottom line Sephardic hlachacha
A Sephardic Jew may make a siyum (completion celebration) on Masechet Kinnim, and it counts as a valid seudat mitzvah (celebratory meal of a mitzvah). While Kin
What is the Kapparot prayer?
The Kapparot (כַּפָּרוֹת) ceremony is a Jewish custom performed on the eve of Yom Kippur in which a person symbolically transfers their sins to a rooster (...
Is establishing Eruv hatzarot with bread sufficient when camping?
Eruv Chatzerot When Camping: Is Bread Sufficient? The Basic Rule The standard eruv chatzerot is established using bread (pas), collected from each househol...
Preciso algo dessa parasha que os sábios ensinam. Busque alguns sábios, e me ensine
Ensinamentos dos Sábios sobre Parashat Pinchas Os grandes sábios de todas as gerações — desde os Tanaim até os mestres chassídicos — encontraram em Parasha...
Why is the shemitah year referred to as a Shabbat Shabbaton?
The shemitah year is called Shabbat Shabbaton (שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן) — literally "a Sabbath of complete rest" — because it represents the most intense, absolute f
If a couple is not able to have intimacy where dementia is deposited in the woman in the usually manner, what can a couple do that is within halachic guidelines
The question of marital intimacy when conventional relations are not possible due to medical conditions is a recognized area of halachic inquiry. The funda...
Quero estudar a parasha de hoje. Mas quero o zohar. O que voce pode me ensinar?
Parashat Pinchas no Zohar — Ensinamentos Místicos A parashá desta semana é Parashat Pinchas (פרשת פינחס), Numbers 25:10–30:1. O Zohar oferece ensinamentos...
What is chabad talmud?
"Chabad Talmud" is not a standard term in Jewish tradition — there is no separate Talmud specific to Chabad. However, the phrase likely refers to one of tw...
What is the Avinu Malkeinu prayer?
Avinu Malkeinu (אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ, "Our Father, Our King") is one of the most beloved and emotionally powerful prayers in the Jewish liturgical tradition...
What are the Passover prayers and blessings?
Passover Prayers and Blessings Passover (Pesach) is rich with prayers, blessings, and liturgical recitations that span the entire eight days (seven in Isra...
What are common Jewish blessings?
Jewish blessings (brachot, singular: bracha) are formalized expressions of gratitude and acknowledgment of God's role in daily life. The standard formula f...
Raised Christian here, exploring Judaism and the Noahide covenant
Welcome! This is a wonderful topic to explore, and it's deeply relevant to you as someone from a non-Jewish background. The Noahide covenant (Brit Noach) is the
What is hebrew prayer before sleep?
The traditional Hebrew prayer recited before sleep is called Kriat Shema al HaMita (קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל הַמִּטָּה) — "the recitation of Shema upon the bed....
I am a Bat Noach and I want to study Judaism because I was raised with lies and now I feel very disoriented in life. I try to study Torah classes a lot, but the problem is now that I am involved in several classes and I feel overwhelmed and my household chores are piling up. I don't want to do the household. I want to study, but my life is getting chaotic and I don't achieve anything. I need to find motivation to come to action but when I do household works I feel completely lost without Torah. What should I do ? I want to create order out of chaos, my life feels chaotic now. How should I create order in my life in a Torah true way ?
What a beautiful and honest question. The very fact that you feel this tension — a burning desire for Torah truth alongside the demands of real life — shows tha
What is the El Malei Rachamim prayer?
The El Malei Rachamim (אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים — "God, Full of Compassion") is a Jewish memorial prayer recited on behalf of the souls of the departed, asking G...
Animal Sacrifice: Sacred Ritual or Social Control
Animal Sacrifice: Sacred Ritual or Social Control? Your argument is bracingly honest and has genuine support within Jewish tradition itself. You are essentially
What is the Asher Yatzar (bathroom) prayer?
The Asher Yatzar (אֲשֶׁר יָצַר — "Who formed") is a short blessing recited after using the bathroom, expressing gratitude to God for the miraculous functio...
Do cookies need to be pas yisrael
Does Cookie Need to Be Pas Yisrael? Cookies — as baked goods made from grain — do fall under the category of pas (bread/baked goods) and are subject to the...
What is chabad psalm 20?
Psalm 20 is a short prayer of five verses composed by King David, asking God to answer and protect His anointed one in times of distress. In Chabad (and br...
What are the rules of passover food?
The Rules of Passover Food The central Passover food laws revolve around the complete prohibition of chametz (leavened grain products) during the seven day...
What is rosh chodesh prayer?
Rosh Chodesh Prayer Rosh Chodesh (ראש חודש, "the New Month") is marked by a special set of prayers and liturgical additions that sanctify the beginning of...
What is the Jewish prayer for forgiveness?
The Jewish Prayer for Forgiveness The central Jewish prayer for forgiveness is the Selichot (סְלִיחוֹת — penitential prayers), a collection of supplication...
What are the Yom Kippur prayers?
The Yom Kippur prayers constitute the most extensive and spiritually intensive liturgical cycle in the Jewish year, spanning five prayer services over appr...