Halacha & Hashkafa

A Convert’s Benefit ‘Blemishes Are Only Post Sinai’ (Horayos 10a)

He points out that medieval Ashkenazic authorities never saw an olive. Olives do not grow that far north; they only grow in the Mediterranean region.

What about the Gemara that says you can squeeze out a cluster of grapes on Erev Shabbos and make Kiddush on Shabbos? They said that’s only if you didn’t treat the grape juice chemically to prevent it from fermenting.

By denying the existence of the loan altogether, the defendant in 79:1 admitted, by implication, that he did not repay it – because nobody repays a loan he says he never took.

The Mitzvah To Obey The Wise ‘If Beis Din Issued A Ruling’ (Horayos 2b)

"What about the Jewish clients?" asked Mr. Cohen. "That's a problem; they're keeping their chametz in our warehouse!"

Not Wanted – Dead Or Alive ‘A Mouse That Fell Into A Cask Of Beer’ (Avoda Zara 68b)

Pinchas called Rabbi Dayan and asked: "If my brother takes a $30,000 loan from the bank intended for me, and I reimburse him for the monthly installments, do we need a heter iska?"

If witnesses subsequently testify in court that the defendant indeed borrowed money but repaid it, the defendant has to pay if the plaintiff claims otherwise. Why?

So strictly speaking, you don’t need to buy toothpaste or lipstick that has a kasher l’Pesach hechser, but if you can get one with it, why not?

Avoiding A Catastrophe ‘A Ger And A Gentile Inherited…’ (Avoda Zara 64a)

The following day, Mr. Metzger called Mr. Rubin. "I appreciate your honesty," he said. "However, I reviewed the records, and I'm certain there's no outstanding balance."

As for the debtor’s statement that he never borrowed money from the plaintiff, it has been undermined by the two witnesses who testified that he did.

"Whoever came in contact with a corpse or was in a cemetery must also be sprinkled on twice beforehand with water that has ashes of the parah adumah, the red cow, mixed in."

If chametz became mixed with non-chametz on Pesach, the mixture is prohibited on Pesach even if the ratio of the permitted non‑chametz to the forbidden chametz is 1,000 to 1.

Who’s The Boss? ‘One Hired A Laborer To Assist Him In Yayin Nesech’ (Avodah Zarah 62a)

By denying the existence of the loan, the debtor, by implication, also admits that he did not repay it.

"My son dressed up as a lion last year," exclaimed Mrs. Kahn. "We bought this great costume. It was so realistic!"

May a person who wants to eat chametz that everybody else finds inedible do so?

Our Turn ‘A Gentile Nullifies His Idolatrous Relic’ (Avodah Zarah 52b)

Yaakov looked at the will again. "Why do you say that?" he asked. "The will does not say to give $10,000 to each grandchild. It says that $10,000 is granted to the grandchildren as a group. Divide the sum among you!"

An Idolatrous Eruv ‘Wood From An Asheirah Tree’ (Avodah Zarah 49b)

The prohibition of bishul akum does not cover foods which have been prepared for eating by a process of salting or pickling rather than cooking and neither does it apply to smoked foods.

Yet, notwithstanding all of these arguments, cheese manufactured by non-Jews remains prohibited today by the halacha. Why?

A week went by. Aryeh began finding the work lonely. "The work is lonely now that the other worker is not here," he told Mr. Farber. "I don't know if I can continue."

When Is Chalav Akum Allowed? ‘When Milked By A Gentile…’ (Avodah Zarah 39b)

The borrower claimed he repaid the debt and took back the promissory note from the lender and then lost it.

The heirs in the present situation are permitted to bring witnesses who testify to the fact that they saw the debtor repay the loan, before the maturity date, when he was still live.

According to Tosafot, the rabbis were concerned that if one would be allowed to benefit from non-Jewish wine at all, it might lead to participation in these idolatrous practices.

An Essential Agent ‘Set In The Skin Of The Rennet Of Nevelah’ (Avoda Zara 35a)