Life and Society
Animals in halacha and aggadah, and tzaar baalei chaim.
Kopi luwak, also known as civet coffee, is one of the world’s most expensive and least-produced varieties of coffee. It is made from coffee beans that have been eaten by the Asian palm civet and other related civets and…
I’m sorry if this article about shiluach hakein ruffles people’s feathers, but it’s meant to spark discussion, not to offer psak halacha.
Our past two articles ruffled some feathers by focusing entirely on chickens. This week, we are switching gears to look at the poultry world’s ultimate nest egg: the egg itself.
For the vast majority of kosher consumers, the process of bringing chicken from the farm to the table seems straightforward. We know about shechita and melicha.
In 2004, the global kosher market experienced a sudden jolt over the ubiquitous Leghorn chicken. For decades, the white Leghorn had been the commercial gold standard for egg production in the United States and Israel.
An inquisitive youngster might ask his father, “Why don’t we eat giraffe?” The old, popular answer was that we simply don’t know where along the long neck to perform shechitah.
The Gemara in Chullin (7a) records the remarkable journey of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair as he traveled to redeem captives. Along the way, he arrived at an inn where his donkey was offered barley.
Mazal tov to all the dedicated learners who recently finished Mesechta Menachos and are embarking on Mesechta Chullin this Shabbos! As we wrap up Menachos, we find that the recent Mishnayos delve into the fascinating…
The Ravens from the dark northern crags descended onto the southern plains to face the crimson-crested Falcons riding the rising wind.
In 1961, Edward Lorenz used a numerical computer model to rerun a weather prediction. As a shortcut on a number in the sequence, he entered the decimal .506 instead of the full .506127 the computer would hold.
While the Daf continues plowing through Bava Metzia, many monetary topics are studied. Interestingly enough, someone once asked Rav Yaakov Hagiz (1620-1674) a question about whether a singing bird was muktzeh.
There is a well-known phenomenon that occurs in communal refrigerators and shelves. Food seems to disappear from them mysteriously. This occurs in dormitories, offices, and schools.
One Shabbos, a woman was at her wit’s end when her baby refused to nurse. Looking for guidance, she went to see the Rogochover Gaon. The Rogochover looked up from his sefer and told her not to worry, “It’s a Yeushalmi.”…
Kimby wandered the streets of Ladispoli, Italy, in early November. It was evening, and few people were around. Kimby didn’t get into any trouble. It was a good thing too, since Kimby was an escaped circus lion.
There is a worrying epidemic called “high-rise syndrome” that affects many New York families. Cases are more prevalent in the summer months.
Many attorneys are familiar with the case of Pierson v. Post. It is often the first case studied in law school when property rights are taught.
Tardar Sauce (2012-2019), better known by her nickname “Grumpy Cat,” was a cat and celebrity known for her grumpy facial expression. Her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, said that her permanently grumpy-looking face was due to…
Commercial sukkos used to be generic and “one size fits all.” Sukkah manufacturers have come a long way. You can now purchase ready-to-assemble designer sukkos.
In 2013, the Leghorn chicken was the subject of a kashrus controversy. In 2017, the Braekel chicken was the subject of another kashrus controversy.
If you enjoy halachah riddles, this article is for you. 1. There is a general rule that if melachah on Shabbos is done in an abnormal manner, there is no transgression of a Torah injunction; if one violates a Shabbos…
One Shabbos, a woman was at her wit’s end when her baby refused to nurse. Looking for guidance, she went to see the Rogochover Gaon. The Rogochover looked up from his sefer and told her not to worry—that “it’s a…
The great sage Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai desired to give a lecture on the topic of accuracy in weights and measures, but he was unsure whether to deliver the talk.
Tardar Sauce (born April 4, 2012), better known by her nickname “Grumpy Cat,” is a cat and celebrity known for her grumpy facial expression.
The Gemara in Shabbos teaches us that one is not allowed to expend any effort on Shabbos to feed animals that are not his. The Mishnah Berurah therefore questions the custom some have of feeding the birds on Shabbos…
When I was growing up, my family used to daven at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, which was then in Forest Hills. At the yeshiva, all the local children liked to visit “the dungeon.” The dungeon was the lone dormitory room on…
A number of years ago, as Pesach approached, my daughter Sara Hindy noticed that there was a bird sitting on a nest in the tree right outside our front window.
The following is a dramatization of a true story that took place around 1675: Chavvos Yair (Rav Yair Chaim Bachrach, 1638–1702): Thank you all members of the Chevrah Lomdei Mishnayos for coming together for this special…
Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it. It is with this in mind that I bring to your attention an incident that occurred in 2004.
Rabbah bar Bar Chanah meets geese so fat their feathers fall out, and Rebbi Elazar says Yisrael will have to give a reckoning for their suffering.
On his way to redeem captives, Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair's donkey refuses untithed barley until the innkeepers separate maaser, teaching that Hashem guards the righteous.
Bilam's donkey sees an angel, stops and speaks to rebuke him, then dies at once, so that wicked Bilam would be spared the shame of a living reminder.
On a Chol HaMoed trip to the zoo, Rav Chaim Kanievsky cited every animal's place in Tanach, Gemara and halacha, and soon a crowd of visitors was following him.
