Illustrative Mi Yodeya posts

Question

I would like to present Mi Yodeya to a potential new reader/contributor. The Q&A aspects and the SE mechanics are all explained in the Help Center. What I'd like to collect here are examples (posts/comments/edits/etc.) that illustrate why our site is a particularly unique and effective Torah study tool. Please post examples as answers, where each answer begins with something like:

I think [this item](http://mi.yodeya.com/q/###) shows how Mi Yodeya XYZ...

Some possibilities for XYZs are: showing multiple opinions, finding obscure sources, responding to non-Jews/uneducated-Jews, dealing with sensitive issues, handling overly detailed questions, sharing practical experience, covering a range of topics, making a Kiddush Hashem on the internet, etc. It's up to you, though, to find the good examples to show it.

Vote based on usability for demonstrating good qualities of Mi Yodeya.

Answer 1

"Experience-based advice for focusing and slowing down prayers?" shows Mi Yodeya's ability to gather and curate practical advice based on personal experience, from all different kinds of people. In addition, I know from experience and conversation that participating in this Q&A has inspired individuals to deliver actually improved tefilot.

Answer 2

When it's in-season, our Purim Torah provides a great deal of fun for askers, answerers, and readers. In addition, Purim Torah questions are a stimulating exercise in source-finding and creativity for answerers and expose readers to sources from all different aspects of Judaism - Scripture, Talmud, Halacha, language, etc.

If you'll excuse the departure from the rules, I'll list a few great examples in one answer, so as not to crowd the general list with many Purim Torah Q&A. These are the three top-voted ones so far, and each of them provoked a bunch of different answers that draw on different kinds of sources.

• Rejecting others' friend requests on Facebook

• Haman was Basar b’Chalav, so how could we eat him?

• Surviving the zombie apocalypse?

Answer 3

One of the less-appreciated treasures in Mi Yodeya's repository is the collection of intriguing, unanswered questions. Someone might notice a promising connection, as Menachem did in "How are the two tales of dancing in vinyards on the 15th of Av related?," and ask for sources explaining its significance. Even if no one who looks at the question initially knows, someone might, sooner or later. Also, someone new to the site might consider an interesting, unanswered question like this one and be spurred to do interesting new learning in a quest to try to answer it. This process is sometimes aided by our "featured" function, which allows users to, among other things, highlight an old question that they'd really like to see a new answer to. (I tried this, unfortunately fruitlessly, with this question.)

Answer 4

What is the halachic source for objection to gay (civil) marriage?

This question is quite possibly our best example of how we handle sensitive topics. Due to a combination of active use of moderation tools and our general culture of handling questions seriously, this question received multiple high-quality answers that provided on-point sources and information accessibly without attracting (and certainly without preserving) a great deal of invective or fighting. All this despite the fact that the topic of the question is a hot-button one, and one about which Judaism (as described in the answers provided) is at odds with the current momentum in the surrounding society.

Answer 5

I think something like Is it acceptable under kashrut to eat tyrannosauridae meat? shows our sense of fun. The question seems silly on the surface, but got several answers and community participation, while still keeping the spirit of the thing.

I particularly like Isaac's comment there, currently with 11 score:

Earwin, welcome to Jewrassic Park(1), and thanks very much for bringing your interesting question here! I hope you'll look around the site and find other information that's to your taste. Here is a slightly more practical question about dinosaurs, and here is a parallel speculative question about hypothetical kosher pigs. (1) I mean, Mi Yodeya. Sorry to get your hopes up.

The question itself also evoked some interesting discussions and followups, creating a big kiddush Hashem by leveraging an attention-grabbing, unconventional question to teach thousands of people (3000+ views to date) about the basics of kosher animal identification.

In addition, this is a great example of a strange question that forces would-be answerers to think through the relevant halachic issues carefully to provide a complete answer, resulting in a stimulating experience for answerers.

Answer 6

"One of my favorite questions" is "Height of a mezuzah and children:." It's a great example of the value of multiple perspectives in one place. The question is a simple halachic one, and its top-voted answer provides a clear-cut answer from an on-point source. Two additional answers provide stories of rabbis, one from the Litvak tradition and the other from the Chabad tradition, pronouncing the same ruling and also providing some insight about how and why to follow the ruling as a way of reinforcing Jewish values, each one discussing a value that is especially emphasized in his respective tradition. These three answers together make for a great integrated lesson on Halacha and Jewish values.

Answer 7

Woman with 2 wombs in regards to pidyon haben

This is my favorite question on the site. It is a great example of an intriguing question, which I would never have even known of the circumstances which the question is predicated on if not for seeing it here, plus it has a direct answer! How crazy is that!

So the question itself broadens the horizons of the reader. There are many like it on the site.

Answer 8

We Jews don't live in a vacuum; we also live in a world full of people who don't understand our laws and customs, people we interact with on a regular basis. This can be especially challenging for somebody who wasn't always observant but wants to become more observant now -- how do you do that, practically speaking? It's one thing to know the halacha; it's another thing to stay on good terms with your family and friends. Maintaining Tzniut in Uncomfortable Social Situations covers one such topic. Answers provide practical advice and are sensitive to the asker's situation, meeting the asker where she is and offering a helping hand.

Answer 9

Another thing that Mi Yodeya is very helpful with is our how-to questions. Note that not all questions that have to do with the practical aspects of living with Judaism have been tagged with that tag yet (we're "working on it" ;), so it pays to do a specific search without that tag to see if your question has been asked already.

Specific questions would include What can I do if I don't have a Chanuka menorah? (which might also qualify for the fun answer); How to explain to friends/family that one will not attend an intermarriage (which might also qualify for the sensitive topics answer); and all of the Sukkos/lulav how-tos.

Answer 10

Seder advice when with people who aren't interested? is one of several seder-planning questions. This one received many helpful suggestions, showing a range of helpful answers and helping the asker (and, I hope, others in that situation) to make a kiddush Hashem instead of being seen as "that annoying relative who wants to keep us up past midnight doing the whole haggadah".

Answer 11

Very interesting content, questions that ask about what the halacha would be in very intriguing scenarios.

One of the best of these, in my opinion, is Does artificial meat grown in a petri dish have the halachic status of meat? (and its younger sister, Milk-free cheese: Is it kosher? Parve?) -- a question that I'd love to know the answer to, but would have to do some research to find on my own.

Answer 12

Is Christianity Avodah Zara?

This question shows how we deal with a sensitive topic.

The questioner and top answerers deal with the topic respectfully, providing different points of view and sources, all with respect.

Answer 13

Mi Yodeya is great at helping find sources for Torah learning. Whether you're looking for one thing in particular, or if you're trying to research a general topic, you can use Mi Yodeya to find what you're looking for.

For example, Fruit Leather in Gemara Sukkah helped me find a gemara that I had been looking for, very quickly; and Source for exemption of hekdesh by nizkei adam gave me a relatively obscure source that I hadn't been able to locate myself. I don't know if this has helped anyone, yet, but I posted Sources for the halachos of medical emergencies on Shabbos after preparing a presentation on the topic, and I know that I would have appreciated having that to start with. In fact, I found out about Mi Yodeya when my friend told me he found a source he was looking for after asking this question.