Question
I am curious, how do modern contemporary poskim rule and set responsa on questions? How exactly does one go from the Bible and Talmud to, say, the Igrot Moshe and Shulchan Halevi and Teshuvot V’hanhagot in terms of building Halacha and responsa?

Question
Shalom, Following the October 7th attack in Israel I have become more active in my Jewish faith. I had fallen away for several years but after what happened there, I have been slowly recovering my Jewish identity and practices. I went to school to study the world’s religions with a stress on my own, but lately as I’ve gotten more into my religion, I’ve started to see some very antisemitic things found in the Christian Gospels and in the Muslim Surrahs that are flat out disturbing. My question is this, where the New Testament and the Quran written to bring hatred against us? I ask this because I’ve seen not just Muslim calls to destroy our people but to a lesser extent I’ve been seeing Christian groups calling for our extermination as well. Today rabah.

Question
Thank you for explaining the ephod. If I may also ask, what is the Thummim and the Urim? And how did it give an answer?

Question
What exactly was the ephod? Was it only worn by the priest? And lastly, if so, Why was King David wear it? How did it work?

Question
By mistake, I purchased something that is not kosher that contains both dairy and meat in the ingredients. If I return it for a refund, I will receive money, which is a benefit for me. Is that considered deriving forbidden benefit from dairy and meat?