Mi Yodeya Weekly Newsletter - Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Top new questions this week: Am I a body with a soul or a soul with a body? I've always thought that our true essence, who we actually are, our personalities are our souls. To me, bodies are just temporary "homes" for the soul. My body can perish, but my soul will continue ... blessing hashkafah-philosophy shacharis-morning-prayer soul   asked by Gabe12 9 votes answered by sabbahillel 7 votes Did Rabbeinu Yonah write Shaarei Teshuva in response to the burning of the Gemara? It is widely believed that Rabbeinu Yonah played a part in having the Rambam's works burned around 1232, and that after the 1242 burning of twenty-four wagonloads of Gemaras he felt that it was a ... history rambam rabbeinu-yonah   asked by shir 8 votes Drawing my own conclusions from the Torah I've always made my own inferences and interpretations from the Torah. Whether it's from a story, a Perashah or something from the Tanach. But I don't know how good/permissible that is. A problem ... parshanut-torah-comment hashkafah-philosophy torah-study literalism rationalism   asked by Gabe12 8 votes answered by yEz 6 votes Where can one learn the grammatical functions of the te'amim I can chant the melodies of the te'amim but I'm having a hard time learning their grammatical functions and structure. Many websites that talk about the te'amim are quick to jump into the ideas of ... grammar-dikduk trop-cantillation   asked by Aaron 8 votes answered by magicker72 3 votes Why Italia of Yavan? The gemara in Megila 6b refers to איטליא של יון זה כרך גדול של רומי, which translates literally as: Italy of Greece, this is the great city of Rome. This seems odd insofar as I know, Italy never ... history talmud-gemara geography tractate-megillah   asked by user6591 6 votes answered by Yaacov Deane 2 votes Musical Instruments of the Levi'im Does there appear anywhere in Torah Sheb'al Peh a sufficiently detailed description of the musical instruments played by the Levi'im in the Beit Hamikdash that they could theoretically be ... history beis-hamikdash music levites-leviyim   asked by Ze'ev 6 votes answered by sabbahillel 1 vote If I knew Him I would be Him Anyone know the source of the phrase "If I knew Him I would be Him," and its meaning? (heard it a few times though don't recall where. rumors abound that the rambam said this though have never seen a ... sources-mekorot theology quotations   asked by ray 6 votes answered by Efraim 7 votes Greatest hits from previous weeks: Proper recitation of Hamakom Yenachem Is the proper phrase to console a mourner always the plural המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים or should it be changed depending on whom it is said to (singluar, feminine, etc.)? blessing hebrew grammar-dikduk mourning-aveilus nuschaot   asked by user1552 14 votes answered by Double AA 8 votes Is a rabbi required to be married? I have heard (I honestly cannot remember where...) that to be a rabbi a man must be married. Is there any truth to this? I am more interested in knowing if this was true in the first century C.E. ... history marriage rabbis   asked by Cos Callis 10 votes answered by Monica Cellio 13 votes Can you answer these? Is reciting Shema a mitzva d'orisa? The first paragraph of the Shema (itself from the Torah) includes the instruction to say the shema twice daily, when we get up and lie down. That argues for the recitation to be considered d'orisa. ... shema   asked by Yehuda W 2 votes Halachic Works Western Sephardic and Portuguese Hahamim? I was wondering if anyone could recommend halachic works by the Hahamim of the Western Sephardic and Portuguese communities if any exist. I am aware of such things like Keter Shem Tov which detail ... halacha product-recommendation jewish-books sephardi-mizrachi-eastern   asked by Eliyahu HaTalmid 2 votes Kanfei Yonah – Above or Below the Bayit I have seen two basic styles of wrapping tefillin up 'al kanfei yonah. The first, which I've seen mainly among the older generation is to put the kesher (knot) below the bayit with the loop in the ... sources-mekorot tefilin   asked by Noach mi Frankfurt 3 votes

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