I've been through hundreds of Mi Yodeya questions and answers. I must say I'm impressed. There's just every topic under/over the globe here and I'd like to know how do y'all do it? I'd like to know for my own sake, so I can answer a lot of questions as well. Do y'all just have photographic memories? Have y'all learnt so much and Chazard 40 times? Do y'all have some type of computer programs or websites y'all use? Much appreciated

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The pattern I have noticed consists of 5 sources of information:

  1. Closed or open library sources. e.g. Sefaria, HebrewBooks.org, Otzer.
  2. Google searches in Hebrew will often turn up articles.
  3. Recollection of a discussion from Yeshiva, a Shiur, etc.
  4. An obscure (or not so obscure) reference that someone actually read and remembered.
  5. An article from something someone reads regularly and refers back to (Tradition is a common one).

There are also general knowledge, personal experience and opinion/inductive reasoning answers.

I'm sure there are examples of others, but this is what comes to mind.

  • Thank you @yishai – Moshe Mar 5 at 14:50
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    This answer is pretty comprehensive. I would say that #2 applies to many of my answers. (I don't count how many answers I've given, here, but you're free to search my profile ;-). Much of it comes from memory or at least remembering where I heard or saw something, and this could have been 50 years ago. I'm gateful that G-d has blessed me with fairly sharp functioning memory, and that I can share my knowledge on a forum like this. Believe me, memory is a huge gift, so don't ever take that for granted. – DanF Mar 5 at 15:03
  • @DanF As of today you've given 1,088 answers. – Alex Mar 5 at 17:30

Google! 😀 ... and Sefaria, Mercava, and Google Search in Hebrew are all superb resources.

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    Shkoach! Thanks @alicht – Moshe Mar 5 at 7:21
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    Sefaria is really nice. and is open source – suhailvs Mar 5 at 9:34
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    Never heard of Mercava before. That looks very useful! They could benefit from more cross-linking. AlHatorah is also a great source for structured, cross-linked sources. – Isaac Moses Mar 5 at 16:36

We mostly contact Rabbi "Google"! 😊😊😊

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