- NEW!
Answer to:
Do Jews says amen in the end of their prayers like Christians do..?
Jews answer "amen" to other people's blessings or prayers. Answering "amen" to your own prayer is considered distasteful in Judaism.
"Amen" means "true", so the person who hears the prayer or blessing announces that he/she agrees with it by saying "amen".
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Have you visited the wailing wall in Jerusalem? Did you tuck a message into the stones?
Yes, I have. It's a very interesting place, the Western Wall. Each time that I've been there, the feeling has been different.
Most recently, I had the unusual privilege of visiting two famous wall in one year, the Great Wall of China (where we hiked for four days) and the Western Wall. Both are historic heritage sites, each to a different culture. Each attracts a large amount of tourists...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is interracial marriage allowed in Hasidic Judaism? Is there any banned or discouraged remarks in the Torah?
Judaism, whether Hasidic or otherwise, does not discriminate against any race. Jews are permitted to marry other Jews, whether they be white, black or yellow.
I personally know of African-American families who have converted to Judaism in the United States (in New York as well as in other cities). The people I know have become members of the Hasidic communities in the cities where they live....
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
what are the differences between modern judaism and pre-modern judaism?
Judaism hasn't changed.
Circumstances have. Thankfully, most circumstances have changed for the better, making it easier to be Jewish today that it was in the pre-modern era.
Answer to:
how has modern society subverted/ruin judaism or purified it?
Modern society has both challenged and enhanced Judaism. Yes, I know that sounds like a paradox.
On the one hand, modern society has caused an increase in assimilation and intermarriage, which both undermine Judaism. We're a small nation and can't afford to lose people. Besides, one of Judaism's core values is to keep Jews Jewish.
On the other hand, modern society has greatly enhanced...
Answer to:
how might judaism be considered secular or religious?
I'm not quite sure what you mean by your question.
Judaism is a quest to connect with G-d and to make the world a holy place. It doesn't fit the stereotype of a religion, because it's an all-encompassing way of life that extends beyond rituals, study and prayer. But, I definitely would not call Judaism secular, seeing as it's all about transcending the secular.
Jews themselves, though, don't...
Answer to:
what is the Torah
The word Torah is from the Hebrew root "teach", so Torah generically refers to all books of Jewish teachings or the entire theological, philosophical and legal teachings of Judaism.
The Jewish Bible is called the TaNaCH, which is made of three parts. In that case, Torah refers to the first part, the Five Books of Moses. (The latter two parts are Nevi'im, the books of the prophets and Ketuvim,...
Answer to:
Who thinks they should reinstate the death penalty for working on the Sabbath?
Who's "they"?
Judaism only had a death penalty in the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, when there was a 71-judge high court. No less than 23 expert judges had to determine, based on extremely thorough cross-examination of eye-witnesses (no other evidence was admissible), if someone deserved the death penalty. A court that sentenced a death penalty more frequently than once in seventy years...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What time is Shabbat candle lighting?
You can get the Shabbat candle-lighting times each week for your location here:
http://tinyurl.com/yh4rmq3
Answer to:
How will Jewish people know when the Messiah has come, is that when there will be peace in Israel?
It's really quite simple. If there's anyone on Earth who denies that he's the Messiah, then he's not the Messiah.
We don't believe in a Messiah for the Jews, we believe in a Messiah for all people. We believe that he will bring nations together in peace, that he will bring all people to a consciousness of G-d and that he will rebuild the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.
So, Messiah is not about...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Today, September 9, today is Rosh Hashana in the Jewish religion. What is the significance of this holiday and are you celebrating?
Rosh Hashanah is technically the start of the Jewish year. "Rosh" actually means head, so we believe that these two days influence the entire upcoming year, just like your head directs your body. So, we try and make the two days of Rosh Hashanah as significant as possible, by adding extra prayers, spending time with family and taking self-growth resolutions.
The main ritual of Rosh Hashanah is...
Answer to:
What does Hanukkah mean in Hebrew?
Hanukkah (or Chanukah, which may be more accurate, חנוכה in Hebrew) literally means dedication. It refers to the festival of lights that Jews celebrate around December time.
The story of Chanukah details how the Seleucid (Greek Hellenist) army invaded Jerusalem and tried to force the Jews to surrender many of their traditions (like circumcision and ritual purity). They also insisted that...
Answer to:
What does it mean to "clean your milano shaitel for pesach"?
LOL!
Shaitel is the Yiddish word for a wig. Many religious Jewish women wear wigs (because a married woman's hair should only be seen by her husband). Milano is one of the brands of shaitel.
Pesach is the holiday of Passover. Your wife might have her hair done before a special occasion, but these women can send their hair in to be done before the holiday- hence the advert to "clean your...
Answer to:
Why don't modern Jews practice polygamy? Why and when did this practice end?
Rabbi Gershom of Mainz (known as Rabbi Gershom, the light of the Diaspora and described as the "teacher of all Ashkenazi Jewry") banned polygamy in the 11th Century. He was considered such a great Talmudist and scholar that all European (Ashkenazi) Jewry accepted his ban. It's interesting to note that, while the Bible records a number of cases of polygamy, it does not appear to have been a...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why don't modern Jews practice polygamy? Why and when did this practice end?
Share your answer...
Answer to:
What is a kippah?
A kippah is the skullcap that Jewish boys and men wear. The Hebrew word "kippah" means a dome, which is the shape that this cap has.
Another common name for a kippah is a yarmulka, which is an Aramaic term made from the words "yerei malka", meaning "fear of the king". Wearing a kippah is meant to remind a person that G-d (the King) is always standing over them.
Answer to:
What are the principles of kabalah???
Before answering you question, let's quickly define what Kabbalah is. The Hebrew word "Kabbalah" means "that which one has received" or "tradition". Kabbalah is the Jewish mystical tradition that has been passed down through the generations from the beginning of time. Kabbalah is complex and very deep and was usually only studied by the most elite. In the last three centuries, many...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is kosher food blessed by a rabbi?
Not really, but kosher food is blessed by whoever eats it.
The reason I say "not really" is that the rabbi (who has to be specially trained) who slaughters kosher animals and fowl does make a blessing before he starts. He also has to cover the blood of fowl with sand and makes a blessing for that too.
What makes food kosher is the ingredients and the preparation process.
Kosher animals are...
Answer to:
Have the rabbis of New York and the Israeli state formally ruled that today's Arabs are "Amalek"?
No,definitely not.
Jews have a tradition that when Sennacherib attacked the various nations in Middle East (in about 500 BCE), he exiled all the nations and we can no longer trace any nation to Amalek.
Here's an interesting point: Jewish mysticism teaches that today we can (and must) each annihilate the spiritual "Amalek" inside ourselves, which is apathy.
Answer to:
Is it true that the anointing oil has cannabis in it if so what are the other engrediences
It's certainly news to me : )
The Torah (Exodus 30:34) gives the basic ingredients, but the complete set is explained in the Talmud (Keritot 6a). The eleven ingredients are: Balm, onycha, glabanum, frankincense, myrrh, cassia, spikenard, saffron, costus, aromatic bark and cinnamon.
I don't believe that any of these is cannabis.
Answer to:
What is the shofar used for?
A shofar is made from a kosher animal's horn, usually a ram.
The shofar was used to herald certain important historical events and is used today as part of the Rosh Hashanah (New Year's) ritual.
When the Jewish nation received the Torah (Law) at Mount Sinai, a powerful Shofar blast preceded the revelation. Another shofar blast was used to signal that the revelation was over and the people...
Answer to:
What is a tallit?
A tallit (also pronounced tallis) is a prayer shawl that Jewish men wear when praying their morning prayers. A tallit is traditionally white and has stripes that are usually black or dark blue. The tallit is a rectangular piece of material, with strings tied to each of its four corners.
Jewish men often wear a small tallit under their shirts as well and you can sometimes see the strings at...
Answer to:
What is a tallit?
Answer to:
Are flowers inappropriate to send for a jewish funeral?
You should avoid sending flowers for a Jewish funeral.
Although some modern Jews would find it comforting to receive flowers, traditional Judaism specifically avoids flowers. Once the flower is removed from the soil, it dies and Judaism sees this as insensitive, reminding the mourners that their loved one is no longer with them.
Jews also observe a seven-day mourning period when the...
Answer to:
Why did God wage war against the Canaanites?
G-d calls the Canaanites the most depraved people on Earth, whose behaviour represents the antothesis of the morals that He taught in His Torah.
(See Leviticus 18:3 and Torat Kohanim commentary on that verse, which points out that the Canaanites were singled out as the most immoral people in the world at that time.)
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
In Job (ch38, ch 9), the Lord in a "whirlwind" spoke to Job about Pleiades(a star cluster), Orion(a constellation), Mazzaroth( 12 signs of the zodiac), and Arcturus(a star). He mentions the SONS of Arcturus(a star can have sons?). Why deal w/ the stars?
You need to see the verses relating to the stars in context. This is the section where G-d rebukes Job, telling him that he understands nothing about Creation (and so cannot fathom G-d's plan). G-d details various aspects of the intricacies of the Universe to illustrate His point. In fact the Hebrew for "whirlwind" or "tempest" is sa'arah, which can also mean "hairs". G-d opens this silliloqy...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Does Owning a Gun Make You Safer?
Many crime victims are shot with their own guns.
Answer to:
In your opinion, can a good Jewish girl be a slut?
The Torah opposes sex before marriage, encourages modesty and forbids prostitution, so I would thinkn"good Jewish girl" and "slut" are contradictory terms.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
How important is diaspora?
I'm not sure what you mean by your question. Diaspora has been a fact of life for Jew since the Romans expelled most Jews from Israel in the first Century. As a result, Jews have lived and continue to live in just about every place on Earth.
In a strange sense, the Diaspora has been important in allowing Jews to survive (when we've been attacked in one region, we've had communities in other...
Answer to:
What is the name of curly sideburns that Hasidic Jewish men wear?
Peyos or Peyot (depending on where in the world you are), meaning "corners". This comes straight from the verse (Lev. 19:27): "Do not round of the corners of your head."
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why does a the groom stomp on a glass at a Jewish wedding?
It's the last time he gets to put his foot down ;)
Ever since our Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, Jews have never allowed a celebration to be complete. Even at the height of joy at a wedding, the groom breaks a glass to show that we live in a broken world. Some communities first sing a song reminding us to never forget Jerusalem.
We believe that your wedding day is a...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Did Adam and Eve get any children when they were in the Garden of Eden? If not, why not?
According to the Talmud, Adam and Eve were created on Friday afternoon (the animals were created in the morning) and they ate the Forbidden Fruit before sunset. They would have been ejected from the Garden immediately, but G-d allowed them to stay until after the Sabbath.
The Torah is clear that Eve was cursed after the Sin with difficult pregnancies and the pain of childbirth. Part of that...
Answer to:
What is the difference between Jew, Hebrew, and Zionist?
"Hebrew" is the anglicized version of the word "Ivri", meaning someone who migrated across a river. Abraham was called an "Ivri" or Hebrew because he did just that, moved across a river to Canaan. His descendants were known as Hebrews for centuries afterwards.
"Jew" (Yehudi in Hebrew) comes from the name Judah. The nation of Israel were first called...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How are Jewish people obliged to the commandmends as in Deuteronomy 8?
The commandments referred to in Deut. 8 are the 613 commandments described throughout the Five Books of Moses.
In this section, Moses (before his death) reminds the People to observe all of those commandments.
Answer to:
How are Jewish people obliged to the 10 commandmends as in Exodus?
Jews are obliged to follow all of the 10 Commandments literally. We also have a further 603 laws that define Judaism (many of which don't apply today, because we don't have the Temple in Jerusalem that we used to have).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What happens at a bris?
A bris (or brit milah) is a Jewish circumcision ceremony, which takes place on a Jewish infant's eighth day.
The ceremony involves a mohel (the expert who performs the circumcision), the sandek (person who holds the baby), kvatters (a couple who bring the baby into the room and take him our after the bris) and someone to formally name the baby (this may be the mohel).
The ceremony...
Answer to:
Did the Jews have a Torah already when Jesus was born?
Yes, certainly. The Torah (a.k.a. Five Books of Moses) was given 1300 years BCE and the books of the Prophets were completed 500 years BCE.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do the Jews have a pope?
No, we don't.
Every Jew has a direct link to G-d. We do have a hierarchy of rabbis, chief rabbis (of entire communities/ countries), heads of major rabbinical seminaries, leaders of an entire generation (called Tzadikim or righteous men) and even very unique individuals that Jewish mysticism calls the Moses of a generation, but they are teachers and guides rather than intermediaries to...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Who is a Jew and who gets to decide?
If your mother is Jewish, you are Jewish.
If someone wants to convert, the Jewish rabbinical authority (a.k.a. the Beth Din) sets a standard for prospective converts and then decides when someone is ready to be accepted as a convert.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What means MAZEL TOV?
I hearded in smashing hit by Black eye peas and can't find it's meanning...
Mazel (or Mazal) actually refers to your zodiac sign. Mazal tov means a good sign or omen.
Colloquially, people wish each other "Mazal tov" on special ocassions (like a birth, wedding or barmitzvah) or when someone starts a new job or buys a new house. Either way, when you say "Mazal Tov" you're wishing the person blessing and good fortune with their new stage in...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What are some Jewish worship songs?
I assume you're asking about songs that we sing in the synagogue during prayer services.
Some of these include (understandably, they're in Hebrew):
- Adon Olam (Master of the Universe)
- Ein Keiloheinu (There is none like our G-d)
- Shema Yisrael (Hear O' Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One)
Answer to:
Where was the Jewish temple located in Jerusalem?
It was located on Mt. Moriah or the Temple Mount "behind" what is today known as the Western Wall. Today the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa mosques occupy part of what used to be the Temple precinct.
Answer to:
If a Jewish person were to be presented with a non-kosher meal even after having explained their dietary requirements to the host in advance, what would be the proper reaction?
All too often well-meaning people still don't really get it when you've explained the kosher thing. You should politely explain that you cannot eat the food they've given you and you'd be happy to review the do's and dont's of your diet for future reference (obviously, if you sense that they don't care for your kosher requirements, don't accept their next...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
In what ways does Rabbinic Judaism differ from the First Temple and Second Temple Judaism?
Before responding to your question, I just want to point out that the expression "Rabbinic Judaism" is generally a misnomer. Judaism is based on the Scriptures (Torah) as explained by the Oral Tradition that accompanies it. The Oral Tradition was given to Moses at Sinai together with the Scriptures and he taught this information to Joshua, Aaron and at least seventy other outstanding...
Answer to:
If a 1yo boy was adopted by a Jewish family, how would they go about making him Jewish? Would he have to be circumcised?
They would raise him Jewish and have him circumcised (assuming he wasn't already circumcised), but he would have to choose for himself to ratify his Judaism when he reaches thirteen years old.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What leadership characreristics does Joshua exhibit?
Joshua stepped up to the plate when Moses died and immediately set into motion the strategies for conquering the Land as G-d had commanded.
He showed military leadership by sending spies ahead of the troops and organising various battle plans as the Israelites went about conquering Canaan. He was clearly a brave and courageous military leader who led his troops from the front (a sign of true...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Does the average modern Jew know which of the 12 Jewish tribes (s)he belongs to?
No, most Jews don't know which tribe they belong to. When Sennacherib of Assyria attacked Judea in about 700 BCE, he drove 10 of the 12 tribes out of Israel. Since then, most Jews cannot trace their tribes.
The only exceptions are people from the Levite tribe (known as Kohanim and Levi'im and carrying last names like Cohen, Katz, Levine and Levy) and a handful of people who can...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why don't Jews get circumcised? I mean the Jews were the first to receive the law of circumcision why would they of all people not have it done?
Jews have been circumcizing their sons for almost 4000 years and still do it today.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
The scriptures say YAHUWAH hardened Pharaoh's heart. Since Pharaoh didn't enslave the Israelites of His own free will, did he go to hell?
Pharaoh chose to make the Jews slaves (see Exodus 1:10-11, where he encourages his nation to enslave the Jews and to make their lives difficult). He also hardened his own heart, refusing to listen to Moses or to be swayed by the early plagues (Exodus 5:2, 7:13, 8:11, 8:28).
After the first three plagues, we see G-d harden Pharaoh's heart (Exodus 9:12). G-d did this because a normal...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
If a Jewish girl marries a gentile boy who isn't circumcised, is she allowed to have sex with him if he isn't?
According to Judaism, a Jewish girl is not allowed to mary a gentile boy (nor is a Jewish boy allowed to marry a gentile girl), whether he is circumcized or not would make no difference.
Answer to:
How many Jewish people are there in the world?
The current estimate is around 13.5 million.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What are the names of judaism scriptures?
Torah (The five books of Moses)
Nevi'im (The books of the Prophets)
Ketuvim (The Psalms, various works of King Solomon, Book of Esther and certain latter prophets).
They are collectively known as TaNaCH.
Answer to:
I was at the airport and saw a lot of Jewish people with a travel case with what looked like a plant inside. What is that?
It's currently the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (or Sukkos in some dialects)- one of the three major "pilgrimage" festivals of Judaism and it lasts for seven days (till this coming Friday, 9 Oct). In Temple times, Jews would travel to the Temple in Jerusalem for the festivals of Pesach (Passover) in the spring, Shavuot around late May/ June and Sukkot at this time of year. Nowadays,...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
In Judaism do only Jewish people go to paradise after death?
Judaism believes in Heaven- a place of closeness to and awareness of G-d that includes many levels. We believe that gentiles can also go to Heaven, if they have lived according to the Noahide code (the seven major laws that Jews believe all people should follow- take a look at www.noahide.org for some info.).
Answer to:
I am a Christian, if I wanted to join the Jewish faith, what would I need to do?
Your best bet is to find an Orthodox rabbi in your town or nearby and schedule a face-to-face meeting. A local rabbi will be able to guide you better than any of us, because the details of conversion may differ from place to place.
The essentials of conversion are:
- Studying what Judaism is about and how to live as a Jew.
- Learning to read and understand Hebrew.
- Accepting all the...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Which symbolic foods should you have on a Rosh Hashanah dinner table?
Apples, dipped in honey (the Jewish People are called the "apple orchard" of G-d and honey for a sweet year.
Round challot (baked loaves), representing the cycle of the year, with raisins for sweetness.
Fish because they don't close their eyes and we want to G-d to keep a watchful eye over us all year.
Pomegranates because their seeds represent our good deeds (plenty of...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do you know why Jews will not blow the Shofar on first day Rosh Hashanah this year?
The first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbat (Saturday), so we don't blow the shofar in case someone breaks the Shabbat getting their Shofar to the synagogue.
Well, at least that's the superficial reason.
The deeper reason is that the Shofar's sound is meant to show that we are loyal subjects of the Supernal King and we're proclaiming our dedication out loud.
...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Kabballah water changes when blessed, channelling positive thoughts of the blesser to the blessee who drinks the water....what are you thoughts on this...true or tosh? please give you reasoning.
My thoughts? Generally a money-making scam.
That's not to say that people can't bless water, but they can bless you without the water (and without the charge for "blessed" water).
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
It doesn't mention aliens in the bible so if they are discovered what will creationists do?
The Bible does mention alien life- Deborah curses the people of "Maroz" who did not fight G-d's war against Sisera (Judges 5:23).
Medieval Jewish commentators wrote that these were inhabitants of another planet.
The truth is that there are many things that are not mentioned in the Bible, yet these don't undermine belief in the veracity of the Bible and its teachings.
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
What is your definition of Judaism in a 10-15 word sentence?
One G-d empowered each of us to transform the world through His teachings.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Who allowed the Jews to return from exile and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem?
Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed the Jews to return to Israel and rebuild the Temple.
You can read about this in the first chapter of the book of Ezra in the Bible.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Is being anti zionist considered the same as being anti semitic?
Technically not. There are some religious Jews who consider themselves anti-Zionist, but clearly pro-Jewish.
BUT, in the modern political context anti-Zionism is often a smokescreen for anti-Semitism.
Simply put: You can criticise and even oppose the POLITICAL system or beliefs of Zionism- as you can oppose Capitalism, Communism or any other political system- and that's ok. When you...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How many years apart were the events in the Garden of Eden, and the Great Flood?
The Flood began on the 17th of (the Hebrew month) Cheshvan in the year 1656 from Creation (or 2105 BCE).
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Jesus The Messiah, died for all Jews. Gentiles are adopted into the Family of Jews when they are born again and become Enlightened Gentiles. Also known as Christian. True or False?
False.
Remember- you posted this question under the JUDAISM topic and Jewish belief and Scriptures completely reject this idea.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Is it true that a rabbi has to bless all the lickable envelopes so they will be kosher?
LOL! No.
Kosher food is not blessed by a rabbi, it is supervised by a kosher supervisor (who doesn't need to be a rabbi) to make sure all the ingredients are kosher.
Nobody EATS envelope glue and even when you lick the envelope, you don't ENJOY the taste. Jews are required to EAT kosher food and should a Jew lick a non kosher substance that is not enjoyable/ tasty, there is no...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Where can I get jewish dog toys?
I gotta admit, I'd never heard of such a thing before, but take a look at these:
http://www.jewishbazaar.com/DogCatToys.HTM (LOL)
http://tinyurl.com/ndf774
Looks like Google will link you to a whole lot more...
Answer to:
What is the word "מֵאֵת " in exodus 10:11?
"From" (the Hebrew את doesn't have an English equivalent).
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
I see Jewish women walking around in the summertime with long sleeves on. Are bare arms a big turn on for men?
Judaism doesn't regulate fashion to prevent a "turn on". Let's be honest, many women (and men) are not in such wonderful physical shape that they need to cover up to keep roving eyes away.
Judaism teaches that every person- male or female, fit or fat- should dress modestly.
Modesty has two goals:
1) Preserve a sense of self-respect and appropriateness. Not...
Answer to:
What are the rules for being Kosher?
Here's a very brief overview:
MEAT & DAIRY
Keep them separate. Don't eat them together, cook them together, serve them together.
(Advanced users: Wait an hour after milk before eating meat, six hours after meat before having dairy).
MEAT
You can eat beef, veal, lamb, mutton, venisson, chicken, duck, turkey. (Technically, any animal with split hooves that chews its...
Answer to:
Do jews run u.s. ? i hear they control banks, politics and media, is this true?
That would be nice ;)
I'm afraid it's not true, though. In future, don't believe everything you hear, many people like to spread malicious rumours in the hope that it will fan hatred (or at least distrust) towards certain population groups- like Jews.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What is the difference between a United States calender and a Jewish calender? If there is any difference.
A United States calendar (like any Western calendar) follows the solar year, which is approximately 365 days long.
A Jewish calendar follows the lunar year, which is approximately 354 days long.
Every 3-4 years, the Jewish calendar would include an additional month, to allow it to catch up to the solar calendar. This is because certain Jewish festivals are seasonal, for example, Passover...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Can someone help with this Hebrew word? ויעבדני It is found in Exodus 7:16 and is translated with a they pronoun, I can't find which combination of pronouns and possessives create this spelling.
The word means "and they shall serve Me".
The suffix ני means "me" (as in the Hebrew word אני- I).
The root of the word is עבד, meaning to serve.
The (second) prefix י PLUS the "oo" vowel under the ד (which is really a contraction of what would normally have been a ו) means "they". This would be past tense, making the word mean...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is anyone here into Kabbalah?
Yes.
Answer to:
Is there Torah support for the New Moon? What are the verses and how much what did Moses request from Israel on this day?
The very first commandment that G-d gave the People of Israel was to spot the new moon and mark that date as the start of a month.
G-d gave this instruction to the Jews while they were still slaves in Egypt, before they had officially become a nation (which took place at the Revelation at Sinai). (Exodus 12:2)
Ever since then, the new moon marks "Rosh Chodesh", the beginning of...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the Hebrew word (hay, hay, mem) in Exodus 2:11?
It means "those", the verse says "And it was in those days".
[Technically, the first "hey" means "the" and the word "hem" means "them".]
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the meaning of ZL next to the name of a person who died and who is Jewish ? (see my own answer)
Z"L stands for Zichrono/a Livracha, meaning may his/ her memory be a blessing.
A righteous person will have the appelate ZT"L, which stands for Zecher Tzadik livracha, may his/ her memory as a righteous individual be a blessing.
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Do Jews have a prohbition against touching dead bodies; if so, would Mary (mother of Jesus) have held him as shown in paintings and sculptures?
No, in fact it is one of the greatest acts of genuine kindness that a Jew can perform, preparing a body for burial.
A kohen (Jewish priest, a small percentage of the population) may not touch a dead body. (Find out more: http://tinyurl.com/m4v5g6)
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Does anyone know why Abel Mizraim = "meadow of Egypt" when the word Abel means mourning? Gen 50:11
I guess it depends on which translation you use. The classical Jewish English translation is "Egypt mourns" (which suits the context, as that was a place where Egypt mourned the death of Jacob, who they believed had blessed their land.)
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Where does it say in the Torah that there is only one god?
"Know this day and take it to your heart, that the L-rd, He is G-d in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other." (Deut. 4:35)
"The L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One" (Deut. 6:4)
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What are the Hebrew text that support the idea of free will?
Maimonides writes that without Free Will the expectations of the Torah would be unfair- how can G-d punish or reward us for our actions if we have no choice over them?
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Does God know who will be saved?
You've asked this question in the Judaism section, but Jews don't believe that people will be "saved".
What is interesting, and probably relevant to your question, is that the Talmud says: "All is in the hands of Heaven, except for fear of Heaven". In other words, He chooses not to influence our moral choices.
Then again, you could still know what someone...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the viewpoint of people of the Jewish faith about Christians? For example, Christians worship the Hebrew God in the OT even though they believe that Jesus was the Messiah. I would really like to know.
Judaism does not have a viewpoint on a particular group of people.
Judaism does not accept the Christian faith and believes that the Messiah has not yet come. But, we believe that any person who believes in one G-d and lives a moral life is beloved to G-d and will go to heaven.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Have you ever spoken to a Rabbi?
I sure have, and you can too, whenever you wish, right here : )
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
If sin started from Eve eating the fruit in the garden, then what does that mean about our nature now verses in the garden?
Before Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge, evil/ sin was not built in to the human psyche. It was a separate entity that could clearly be seen as evil (a snake).
What changed when they are the forbidden fruit is that evil became part of being human. From then on, evil doesn't always appear bad and sin comes naturally.
That is not to say that we are disempowered, everyone...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the fundamental difference between conservative and orthodox judaism?
Orthodox Judaism: The Torah is Divine and not open to negotiation or change over time.
Conservative Judaism: Torah has evolved and continues to evolve to fit into modern society.
Orthodox Judaism: Torah offers valuable guidance for life that has stood the test of time and is just as relevant today as it was 3500 years ago.
Conservative Judaism: The rabbis back then didn't know...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is there a ritual around food that you like? (for instance, communion, but not necessarily religious)
Just about every Jewish ritual (certainly the holidays) have food- and I like them all : )
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
"Just as I dance toward you but cannot touch you, so may none of my enemies be able to touch me for evil." (Judaism, the Sanctification of The Moon) Should this text be changed now that we went to the Moon? (so we could touch it)
Nice question : )
The reality remains, though, that when you stand on the ground reading the prayer to sanctify the moon, you are unable to touch it. This is simply what the prayer refers to and need not be changed.
Now, what a Jewish astronaut standing on the Moon's surface say?
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
If angels can not disobey God, then how come the book of Enoch wasn't rejected as not being Jewish?
The book of Enoch is not included in the Jewish Bible...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Who were the sons of god in GENESIS?
The Hebrew term used there is "b'nei elohim". The most obvious translation of this would be sons of G-d, but the Bible also uses the title "elohim" to refer to nobles or community leaders.
To illustrate that "elohim" means leader, we see that G-d instructs Moses to be an "elohim" to Pharaoh (Exodus 4:16), and he clearly didn't mean for him to...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why does Yahweh require the foreskin to be removed? Was it a flaw in the design?
Take a look here: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/5698976
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
I have noticed a heavy smell of tobacco on very religious Jewish men. Is there such a thing as Kosher tobacco?
Only food and drink needs to be "kosher".
To be honest, tobacco is never kosher, because the Torah forbids a Jew from doing anything that harms their health. Why do religious men smoke? I don't know. Nobody's perfect. But, according to the law, smoking is not kosher.
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
When I purchased some matzoh for consumption because I like the taste, I noticed that a certain variety was only allowed on "less holy" times of the Passover. What exactly makes one matzoh appropriate for holy days and the other not?
Technically, you should only have "plain" Matzah on Pesach, i.e. no ingredients besides flour and water.
The Matzah that you bought most likely had other ingredients like egg or even just salt. That would disqualify them from use on the first two (or most important days of Passover).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Jews: Assimilate or Separate? Which do you PERSONALLY believe the Bible teaches?
The Bible teaches both- keep a clear identity for yourself, but don't be blind to the needs of others and look to impact the world positively.
Noah looked after himself, while he was a hero, he is not the father of any religion.
Abraham looked out for all people, even the wicked of Sodom and Gommorah, yet kept his own distinct identity. He became the father of many nations/religions.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Jews, what level of authority does the Mishnah have in Judaism relative to the Bible and the Talmud?
When the Jews received the Torah at Sinai, it came in two parts- one written (which became the Five books of Moses) and the other oral. The oral Torah included all the relevant insights and commentary to the Bible, because most of the Bible cannot be understood at face value.
The Mishna is the earliest written record of the LEGAL issues that were transmitted in the Oral Torah. The Talmud...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Jews, do you consider the Talmud to be equal in authority with the Bible?
No, the Bible holds the highest authority in Judaism. BUT, many areas of the Bible are cryptic and can only be understood with the aid of the Oral tradition that was given to Moses and Mt. Sinai and passed on through the generations until it was finally written down in the Talmud.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What does "Jewish Question" mean?
A "Jewish question" probably refers to either a rhetorical question or a question that is used in answer to a question (Jews are known for answering questions with questions).
THE "Jewish question" refers to the question of whether the Jewish people could ever integrate into secular society. Karl Marx addressed this in his work "On the Jewish question",...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What name do Jews use in Hebrew for their religion?Is this a modern name and what name did Jews in biblical times use for their religion?
Yahadut (from the Hebrew Yehudah or Judah). In Biblical times Jews did not need a name per se for the religion, because it was the only monotheistic faith system at the time.
The earliest Biblical reference we have to a title for the Jewish people is in the book of Esther, where the Jews are called "Yehudim". The name Yahadut came from that.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How do you know that the Torah is from the creator?
We believe that the Creator gave the Torah to Moses in a light-and-sound show that every Jewish person at the time (and many of the surrounding gentiles too) witnessed firsthand (there was no private revelation to an individual or small group).
That would make some 2 500 000 witnesses, none of whom ever disputed what had happened.
Considering this, which other historical facts have such...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Are Hasid Jewish men allowed to touch their adult daughters?
Yes we are, and we can hug and kiss them appropriately like any good father would.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why is it considered taboo for Jews to eat pork?
Jews are expected to keep the Torah's kosher laws. An animal is kosher if it has split hooves AND chews its cud.
The Torah lists the only four species of animals that have only one and not the other of these two signs. Of those four, only the pig has "split hooves" (a.k.a. trotters), yet does not chew its cud.
Interestingly, many Jews who don't keep Kosher still avoid...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
When is the Jewish passover? Where can I find information on how to celebrate this festival properly according to traditions of Torah?
It runs from Wednesday evening 8th April until Thursday evening 16th April.
You can find everything you'd like to know about it at www.passover.net
Answer to:
Are there any South Africans registered here?
Happily living in Joburg.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
If Moses wrote Exodos why didn't he mention his adopted mother's name?
Moses only wrote what G-d dictated. There are loads of details about his life, as well as the lives of other major Biblical figures that we would love to know, but he only wrote what he was told to write.
The "Moses died" line was dictated as well, obviously. The Talmud indicates that it was written some time before Moses died, because he wrote a complete Torah scroll before his...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why do Jews bless the sun occasionally?
Actually, Jews bless G-d for having created the sun.
The timing works out to once every 28 years, when the sun arrives at the same astronomical position it was in at Creation. This will always be on a Wednesday in March of April.
Sun-worship was very common in ancient times (after all, our lives depend on the sun) and the Jewish ritual was designed to allay the thinking that the sun was a...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Brandy allowed in passover?
You can find certain brandies that are kosher for Pesach, for example Carmel in Israel has a brandy called 777.
Answer to:
When is the Passover this year and where can I go on the web to read about how it's supposed to correctly be celebrated?
Passover began this past Wednesday evening and continues until Thurssday night (Wednesday night in Israel).
Best place for info. www.chabad.org
Answer to:
Help! I'm Asatru stuck roomsharing in a household with an Orthodox Jewish woman from Queens, and Passover is tomorrow! There's no good etiquette articles on what I, as a guest, should do. What should and shouldn't I do? more below.
Sounds like your host is a wonderful person and that you are equally appreciative and sensitive.
To keep it simple: She may not eat chametz or have her own chametz for the week. You may. Ideally, you should keep your food out of her sight, that would be respectful.
You should probably have a quick chat with here before the holiday to determine if there is anything specific she would like...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do Jewish people take Passover off? What if you/I can't?
Observant Jews do take off work.
What do you do? You do the best you can.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When does Passover start in 2009?
Passover begins at sundown WEDNESDAY 8th April (i.e. this evening)
Happy Passover!
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When does Passover start in 2009?
Passover begins at sundown WEDNESDAY 8th April.
Happy Passover!
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When does Passover start in 2009?
Passover begins at sundown WEDNESDAY 8th April.
Happy Passover!
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What inspiring lessons u get in genesis 47 to 50 in the bible.
1. Jacob suffered for many years having lost his favourite wife at a young age, Joseph having been kidnapped and imprisoned for 22 years (as far as he knew, Joseph was dead)- yet he still managed to live out his last 17 years in complete serenity.
2. G-d prepares the cure before the illness. Joseph uprooted Egyptians from their homes to pay for food during the famine years. This made the...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why is a glass broken after a Jewish wedding ceremony is performed?
1. To remind the couple that if something breaks in the home, it should not be a cause of stress, rather something you take in your stride (the crowd cheers and wishes "Mazal tov", something similar to "good luck" when the glass breaks).
2. To remind the couple that they should not get too caught up in their personal celebration to forget that other people are suffering...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do Jewish laws reason that abortion is okay as long as done before a certain gestation, being that it is not a living life force yet? what about the sacred gift of children and being able too bear children..Judaist only ,please!!
Abortion in Judaism is a very complex issue and needs to be evaluated according to the individual situation.
Simply: Judaism only considers taking a life to be murder from when a child has been born (i.e. an independent living human).
Killin a foetus is not technically murder, but is still considered "taking a life" and, therefore a sin.
But, the practical difference between...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Where does the story of Esther take place?
In Shushan, which was the capital city of Persia in those days.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
In the Torah, is marriage actually required? Or could people that laid down together still be viewed as "husband and wife" without there ever having been a ceremony or vows in (some) instances?
Good question!
The Torah uses the expression "When a man will take a wife" (Deut. 24:1). This implies that he needs to do something formal in order to marry a woman.
The Oral tradition of Judaism (as taught in the Talmud) teaches that this "taking" involves giving her something of value (this is where the custom of a ring began).
The story of Isaac and...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Exodus 4:24 without verses 5 or 6, how were we to know why God was wanting to kill Moses? was something omitted?
@ pawzisme: Thx : )
@ justme: Note: He didn't kill Moses, so G-d is satisfied at times to simply warn us back onto the path...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
If the Israelites were God's chosen people why did he give them a promised land that was so barren and harsh and surrounded by hostile tribes. Why not give then some place nicer?
He wanted His chosen people to make the world a better place, not have success handed to them on a platter.
The Promised Land represents the ethos of the religion He wanted His people to follow- which is all about taking raw materials or an imperfect world and making a meaningful difference.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is Purim? it is marked on my calender
Purim is a "minor" Jewish holiday (i.e. not mandated in Scripture) that celebrates the miraculous turnaround of a situation that threatened every living Jew almost 2500 years ago.
The story in brief:
Ahaseurus was the Persian king ruling the then Achaemenid empire, that stretched over 127 countries.
Ahaseurus threw a 180-day party to celebrate the consolidation of his kingdom...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
How come there's Jews for Jesus, but there's no Christians for Judaism?
Jews are an odd bunch, they can't part with their heritage, even when they leave it for another religion...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What verses in Torah have the same meaning of (a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds is legal retribution. But whoever gives [up his right as] charity, it is an expiation for him)?
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a leg for a leg." (Exodus 21:24)
Judaism follows a combined study of the Scripture and an Oral tradition of interpretation that was given to Moses at Sinai. According to that oral tradition, none of these quotes is literal. The verse means that the perpetrator must pay a penalty equal to the value of the limb he has...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Exodus 4:24 without verses 5 or 6, how were we to know why God was wanting to kill Moses? was something omitted?
There are many verses in the Torah that seem to have information omitted. As far as Judaism is concerned, this information was transmitted orally through the generations until it was recorded in either the Talmud or the Midrash.
In this case, you can tell what Moses did wrong from what Zipporah did next. Verses 5 and 6 are there to reveal what Moses had done wrong- i.e. not circumcised his...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why do Rabbi's in Israel feel it's necessary to Harass Christians? See Vid.
Your question should be "Why do CERTAIN rabbis..." because this video is about individuals, not a rabbinic policy.
That said, Jews do find it offensive when missionaries try to convince us that we've got our own religion wrong.
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
Why eating pork is prohibited in both Islam and Judaism?
I can't comment on behalf of Islam, but Judaism follows the Torah prohibition against eating pig.
Torah requires an animal to have split hooves and to chew its cud in order to be kosher (fit to eat). The Torah then lists the only four species of animals to have only one and not the other of these two signs. Of those four, only the pig has "split hooves" (a.k.a. trotters) but...
Answer to:
What professions are Jews historically associated with?
Rabbis ; )
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why do Jewish people cut off part of their children's penis? Did God make a mistake or something?
Did G-d make a mistake when He created wheat and not bread, or sheep and not ready-made wool. He generally produced things in an unfinished fashion and then invited us to partner with him in making the raw materials into useful materials.
He told us to circumcise for a similar reason, to allow us to partner in perfecting the body of the male human species (women are made perfect).
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Why do Jews blow the rams horn? Does it have to do with the age of Aries the ram?
G-d instructed Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, which he (and the then adult Isaac) was absolutely prepared to do. G-d was essentially testing Abraham's dedication.
When he was about to kill Isaac, G-d told him that the entire episode had merely been a test and instructed him to offer a ram instead.
The Torah reports that Abraham looked up and noticed a ram with its horns...
| 10 people like this
Answer to:
I found out that my family stems from the Ashkenazi Jews. Are there any other Ashkenazi AB'ers?
Yes, here's one.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do you find that Jews more or less angry than non-Jews?
People are people.
Judaism teaches that anger is a serious personality flaw and there are numerous methods for counteracting anger. But, people have emotions and very few are able to control them as well as they should.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What might one see in a synagogue?
Jews.
A rabbi.
An ark (at the front), housing several Torah scrolls. The ark will almost always have a curtain (often velvet) in front of it and a red "eternal" lamp suspended over it.
A bimah, a reading table in the middle of the synagogue, used to read the Torah from.
A pulpit that the rabbi speaks from.
Possibly a menorah.
If it is an Orthodox synagogue you can expect to see...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Do you think the laws of the old testament should still apply?
Sure.
Not all of them, because not all CAN practically apply today (no Temple in Jerusalem, no judicial system as outlined in the Bible). In fact, most of the laws of the Bible never applied to the majority of humankind, they were given to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai for them and their descendants to follow.
Most people agree that some fundamental principles of the Bible apply across...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
The Messiah was to change "sin sacrifices" & "rescue" man of sins? not to change God's 10 commandments , 4 to HIM & 6 to man? what did the Israelites expect from the Savior God promised? to keep Jews apart and holy from all mankind?
Jews (like the Israelites of old) expect the Messiah to bring peace to the world and to guide all people to an understanding of G-d and a shared morality.
And many nations will go, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of G-d, to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and he (Moshiach) will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths." For from Zion shall go forth Torah, and...
Answer to:
I have a customer who asked me if the centrifugal pump we quoted him can be made kosher. How do I answer that?
Interesting.
Perhaps what the customer meant was that you don't install the pump on the Sabbath (though that would not really render it non-kosher).
The only other thing I could imagine is that he wants to use the pump for something like olive oil, in which case he wants to be sure that no non-kosher food products spill into the pump that he plans to use for kosher food products...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the meaning of broken glass in Jewish superstion?
Judaism is not superstitious- many Jews might be, but the religion isn't.
So, Judaism doesn't believe that broken glass (even mirrors) brings bad luck.
At the end of a Jewish wedding ceremony, the groom stamps on a glass and the crowd responds with a hearty "Mazal tov!" (the Jewish wish for GOOD fortune). Breaking the glass reminds the couple that our world is...
Answer to:
Why do you think most Jews deny the New Testament?
Because the New Testament denies the fundamental beliefs of Judaism (like the need to observe the Torah laws forever and the identity of the Messiah).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is it a sin if you ate something that some one told you didn't contain any pork but then later you found out that it did?
No, you did no sin, it was inadvertant.
But, Judaism isn't only concerned with sins. Judaism believes that having non-kosher food in your system is spiritually unhealthy. So, you still would need to do something about that.
It's sorta like someone accidentally overdosing- not their fault, but they'd better get to the emergency room.
The classical "fixit" for...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Were the Israelites just being pharoahnoid?
You would be too, if you were a victim of a pyramid scheme...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Can you quote one of the 10 commandments?
Know G-d. Understand Him to the best of your ability.
("I am the L-rd, your G-d who took you out of Egypt" sounds like a statement, not an instruction. Sometimes, you need to look beneath the surface to understand the message).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the geographic distribution of judaism?
The largest Jewish communties in the world are in Israel (5.6 million) and the USA (5.3 million).
Nobody seems to have an accurate idea of how many Jews there are in Russia, so that may well be the next biggest community.
Wikipedia does have a breakdown of various large Jewish populations (like France, South Africa and Venezuela), but the reality is that many communities are in a state of...
Answer to:
The offering of scarifices to God appears in early Genesis with Cain and Abel and seems to have continued, for the Jews anyway, at least until the time of Jesus. Is the practice of offering sacrifices still a part of the Jewish religion today?
From the time that King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Jews were only allowed to bring sacrifices in that Temple. The Romans destroyed that Temple almost 2000 years ago, ending the rituals of sacrifices.
Nowadays, the structure and timing of the daily Jewish prayers are designed to replace those sacrifices. Just as they would bring sacrifices in the morning and afternoon, we...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
In the days of slavery, if a Jew man bought a slave, the children of the slave automatically became perpetual slave. Now, if women bought a slave and slept with him, are the children slaves or Jewish?
Oops, duplicate answer, please ignore.
Answer to:
"Jehovah created the non-Jew in human form so that the Jew would not have to be served by beasts. The non-Jew is consequently an animal in human form, and condemned to serve the Jew day and night." -Talmud: Nidrasch Talpoith p. 225 L. What does this mean?
Talmud: Nidrasch Talpoith? What book is that?
I think the misspelled source and reference to "Jehovah" are clear indications of an ignorant source. Don't pay it too much attention.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When was Judaism founded?
The first person to be considered a Jewish person per se was Abraham, who lived around 1810 BCE.
Judaism as a religion was formalized at the Revelation at Sinai, when G-d gave the Torah to Moses and pronounced the Ten Commandments in front of around three million people, in the year 1313 BCE.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
I am staging a Purimshpiel for children. What would be an appropriate (but simple) head wear for Jews? Historically, they wore probably the same type as Persians, but on stage it has to be easily seen "who is who." Any advice would be appreciated.
You might have the "Persians" wear turbans and the "Jews" wear cloaks with hoods. Alternatively, your Jews could wear large Bucharian kippot (you know the decorative, embroidered type?) or even a Talit.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do we know the name of the first Jew to reach the New World ? Much has been written about Jewish communities within British, Portugese and Spanish America, but I suspect that skilled individual Jews may have been recruited for pre-colonial expeditions.
Christopher Columbus
(If these guys know what they're talking about: http://tinyurl.com/JewishColumbus)
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
If Jesus met all the criteria (in the Bible) of being the Messiah, why wasn't he accepted as such to the Hebrews of his time?
The Jews at the time (including the Sages who spent all day every day studying the Sacred Texts) clearly did not feel that he met the Bible's criteria.
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Isn't it time Judaism outgrew circumcision?
Judaism (as any religion) keeps its traditions because it believes they are given by a Higher Authority a.k.a. G-d. Human intellect is amazing, but not yet smart enough to outdo His infinite mind.
So, we may understand a lot more about life today than we did thousands of years ago, but we are only scratching the surface.
As users of the human platform, we defer to the instructions...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Would it be unlawful to cure or help someone on the sabbath?
It would be unlawful NOT to cure or help someone on the Sabbath.
Wherever a life is in danger, the law that overrides all laws is the one that says "save a life".
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What is the main goal or point of Reformed Judaism? Isn't the whole point of being a Jew is to follow the 613 laws and keep God's covenant? If you aren't obeying all the laws, what's the point?
I think that's exactly the issue that Orthodox Judaism has with Reform.
While realistically we can't perform all the laws today (without the Temple in Jerusalem), Orthodox/ traditional Judaism is committed to doing our best to keep as much as possible.
Reform Judaism simply claims there is no need to observe many of the laws, which is a dramatic departure from millenia of...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
In the days of slavery, if a Jew man bought a slave, the children of the slave automatically became perpetual slave. Now, if women bought a slave and slept with him, are the children slaves or Jewish?
The children would be Jewish, following the status and religion of the mother (as Judaism does).
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What's a good Bar Mitzvah gift for a 21st century l'il dude? I'm sure he doesn't want cuff links, etc. I know money is one option. Do you have any other suggestions? Thanx!
A barmitzvah is a great opportunity to give a young man something relevant to his new status in the community or simply his Jewish heritage.
An interesting book on Judaism (even if he'll only read it years later) could be a great Barmitzvah gift.
Other ideas: A silver Kiddush cup or Jewish software (http://tinyurl.com/88g8oo) or music CD.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What happened to the Philistines?
The Philistines lost their independence to the Assyrians about 700 years before the Common Era.
The final blow to the Philistines came from the Babylonians when they overran the Middle East. After that time, you almost never hear of them again as a nation.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is it true the jews don't believe in hell?
If you mean "burning in Hell for eternity", yes.
Judaism believes in Gehinnom, which would be better translated as purgatory. This is a spiritual experience that cleanses a soul from the blemishes of its life so that the person can get into Heaven.
There are various types of Gehinnom, which relate to various types of blemish. Not every soul has the same exprience or for the same...
| 10 people like this
Answer to:
I'm a religious person but my bf is not. All the time we are discussing about the details which are important for me and not for him(like shaking hands with women,kissing them,etc). We love each other but these problems destroy our life.What should we do?
Different religious levels can be tricky in a relationship. You're on a good footing because you discuss these things (hopefully honestly). Some people simply ignore the problem and hope it will go away.
It won't.
Religion is something that people are passionate about and committed to, so it has the potential to turn into a problem area.
I would suggest that you find a...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Are you satisfied with your religion?
Yes, thank G-d ; )
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Can Jewish people have sex before marriage?
I guess people choose to do whatever they want, but Judaism per se is against it.
Judaism believes that physical intimacy has the potential to either be just a great physical rush or one of the holiest human experiences.
Marriage is an important part (bit not the only part) of the spiritual process of getting a couple to achieve the latter.
Jews are supposed to wait till marriage, not...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
I would like to give as a gift an "office blessing" written in both Hebrew and English to a friend who has a new job. I do not want to buy one. I would like to have a blessing that I can make and frame myself. Can anyone provide me with the words? Thanks.
There is no standard "office blessing", but here is one:
בזה העסק,
לא יבוא נזק
בזה הפתח
לא יבוא מתח,
בזאת המלאכה
תחול פרנסה,
בזה המגזר
שיק לא יוחזר,
בזה המקום
הצלחה, שלווה
ושלום!
(The Hebrew rhymes, can't do the same for the translation, sorry):
In this business
May no...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is kabbalah?
Kabbalah is Jewish mysticism. It is part and parcel of Judaism, though it offers insight into many universal issues.
Kabbalah has been around for millenia (one of the fundamental Kabbalah manuscripts is attributed to Abraham, another manuscript to Adam), but was always studied only by the greatest scholars and in secret.
In recent years, Kabbalah has been popularized by celebrities and...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What happened to Ariel Sharon?Is he dead or alive?
The official story? He has not regained consciousness from a brain hemorrhage three years ago.
That would mean he has been on life support since then.
The conspiracy theorists, however, will tell you he died and was buried on the quiet.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why do religions have a problem with nude body's?
Judaism does not have a "problem" with a nude body, in fact it believes the body is holy.
But, Judaism believes that holy items are not to be flaunted in public (that's why the Ark of the Covenant was stashed away in a private chamber in the Jewish Temple) and the body is no different.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How does someone become a follower of the Jewish faith?
Judaism considers a person Jewish of their mother is Jewish.
If not, Judaism offers a process of conversion. To be honest, we don't encourage conversion, because we believe that spiritual choices should be organic and not "marketed" and because we believe that you don't have to be Jewish to be OK with G-d.
The first step to follow Judaism would be to do a little...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
WHAT IS THE HEBREW DATE OF YETZIAS MITZRAYIM
15 Nissan 2448
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Has anybody read the book: The Power of Kabbalah? What did you think about it? Do you Recommend?
Somebody gave me the book. I started reading. I stopped.
In my view, it's Kabbalah-psycho-babble, not the real deal; it strikes me as more "made-to-make-money", Madonnaesque corruption than Kabbalah.
My recommendation: rather read Laibl Wolf's "Practical Kabbalah" [http://tinyurl.com/prackabbalah] or Dovid Dubov's "Discovering Jewish...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Near the Old Testament Bible verse "Man should not lie with a man as with a woman" (the "homosexuality is a sin" verse), there is also a verse saying "It is an abomination to eat from the sea any creature without scales". Are shrimp eaters going to hell?
If you're reading the Old Testament at face value, it doesn't talk about anyone going to Hell for anything.
If you're looking for the Jewish perspective (considering this is in the Judaism section), then the Jewish view of Hell isn't a one-size-fits-all. The Hell-experience for one type of sin is not identical to that of a different sin.
Just to throw out a few...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Are Jewish mothers really as bad as the comedians portray them?
I would answer this, but my mother reads all my posts and if she disapproves of what I've said... ; )
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Does your religion have a process for "kicking out" people who don't obey the rules?
Judaism doesn't believe people can kick people out of a religion- that's G-d's decision, and we believe He loves His people too much to kick them out ; )
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Have you ever eaten kosher pizza? How is it different?
I've only eaten kosher pizza (which I think is pretty good), but can't tell you how it compares ; )
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Is anyone having a Kosher Ham for dinner?
Reminds me of a local fast-food outlet here that offered Matzah cheeseburgers for Passover...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Since there is no theologan who can answer my question in simple terms verified by scripture. try this! In Gen.3,22 And the LordGodsaid Behold ,the man is become one of us,WHO WAS THE LORD GOD REFFERING TO WHEN HE SAID US?
This is a simple grammar issue, which is lost in translation. The original Hebrew word used for G-d in that verse is "Elohim".
Elohim is a plural-form word (which is not uncommon in Hebrew, plural-forms are used to refer to singular objects) and so the appropriate pronoun is plural too(us).
This also explains why an earlier verse says "Let US make man". In fact, you...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Looking online, greeting cards for Hannukah usually say Happy Hannukah but a Jewish acquaintance indicated that the proper word proceeding Hannukah is something else (maybe a Hebrew word?) I don't remember what the word should be.
In Yiddish you would say "Freilichen" Chanukah and in Hebrew Chanukah "Sameach"(both meaning a joyous Chanukah).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What are some typical gifts that are given during Chanukah?
Usually cash a.k.a. Chanukah "gelt". At least, that's what the kids get, the adults don't usually receive gifts.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When was the dreidel developed?
The Dreidel was used during the Seleucid occupation of Israel at the time just prior to the Chanukah miracle.
The Seleucids outlawed Torah study, so students played dreidel as a cover whenever army patrols came by to inspect.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is Hanukkah's traditional decoration?
The "Menorah" or "Chanukiyah", the eight-branched candelabra that is lit each night of Chanukah.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
If you have a traditional menorah that you put candles on, does it matter what color they are?
No, the colour is unimportant. What is important is that they burn for at least half an hour.
The original Chanukah miracle involved olive oil, so many people don't use candles at all, they use olive oil.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Does the talmund ever mention jesus christ? if so, what does it say about him?
While some scholars believe that the Talmud discusses Jesus, it seems unlikely.
Firstly, the name "Yeshu" used in the Talmud (allegdely to refer to Jesus) was a relatively common name at the time and cannot conclusively refer to any one person.
Historical context suggests that this Yeshu lived about a century earlier than Jesus did.
Some people find a series of stories in...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is the Babylonian talmund the main authority for Judaism?
The Babylonian Talmud is the main legal source for Judaism, but the final authority is called the "Shulchan Aruch", the code of Jewish law.
The Code takes the legal principles that are presented in discussion and debate form in the Talmud and presents only the final legal decisions.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why is worshipping statues or idols forbidden in judaism? what if one does pray before an idol, is that apostasy, according to judaism?
The first two of the Ten Commandments (the bedrock of Judaism) are: 1) I am the L-rd, your G-d 2) You shall have no other gods besides me.
Shortly after that, the Torah cotinues that a Jew may not make any graven images.
There are a number of famous instances when the Jewish nation did serve idols and were punished for it, not least of which is the infamous "golden calf".
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do jewish schools teach about other religions? if so, why?
There is a vast range of Jewish schools in the world and no standard syllabus for all of them.
Generally speaking, they do teach about other religions. Most schools offer Jewish history classes and they discuss the various religions as they come up in the context of Jewish history. Primarily, then, this study would touch on Christianity and Islam, as these religions had a major impact on...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
God told me directly "You are descended of Noah." I thought we all were. What did he mean? I am searching for an answer. (I am serious.)
Noah was innstructed with seven universal laws, which the Torah believes every person should uphold. Someone who commits to keeping these seven laws is called a "descendant of Noah".
The Seven Laws:
1. Belief in a single Higher Authority (a.k.a. G-d).
2. Not to blaspheme.
3. Not to steal.
4. Not to murder.
5. Not to be promiscuous.
6. To create and support an honest legal...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Is there a Jewish equivalent of the Catholic "Excommunication"? Does Bernard Madoff qualify for one? (serious question)
A Jewish person can be excommunicated. It is rare and has to be agreed upon by a Jewish court (which is essentially a group of at least three of the most respected rabbis in a community).
The rabbis imposing the excommunication would inform other communities (where the excommunicated individual may visit or do business) of their decision.
An excommunicated Jewish person would be banned...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How is hannuka celebrated
We celebrate Chanukah by lighting the Menorah (a special candelabra) each evening. On the first night, we light a single candle and add another candle each night for eight nights.
We light these candles just after sunset or anytime through the night if we miss sunset.
After lighting the candles, we sing special Chanukah songs.
The children usually play a traditional game with a spinning...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
As a Jew can I ride a bus or taxi to the synagogue on Shabbat?
No, it is more important to observe the Shabbat than it is to participate in the synagogue service.
Observing the Shabbat means keeping to the restrictions against "work", which is a Biblical requirement. Judaism defines 39 primary categories of "work" that are now allowed. All relate to the activities that were done to build the Tabernacle in the desert.
Each of the...
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
When does Chanukah start this year & do families get together 8 nights for dinner like most do on Christmas Day or do you usually just celebrate with all the aunts, uncles ect. on 1 specific day? Like either the first or last day
Chanukah begins on Sunday 21st December this year.
Families usually celebrate by lighting the Chanukah Menorah (eight-branched candelabra) together and singing the traditional Chanukah songs.
While there is no formal meal for Chanukah, there are traditional foods- anything fried in oil (commonly potato latkes and jelly doughnuts) and dairy products.
In Israel doughnuts are the snack...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Is Jewish ancestry passed down maternally or paternally? Or either/both?
Maternally- if your mother is Jewish, you are Jewish.
[There's a pretty logical reason for this- you didn't always know who the father was in the pre-DNA world.
There's also a spiritual reason- you develop inside your mother, she has the most profound influence on who you are.]
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Someone had told me that Judaism looks down on/forbids tattoos. Is there any truth to this?
The Torah forbids tattoos (Leviticus 19:28). In ancient times, tattoos were a sign of idol-worship, which is clearly forbidden by Judaism.
Today, tattoos are just a form of body art.
So, while tattoos today don't carry the same taboo as they did back then, Judaism still frowns on the practice.
More recently, tattoos have become even more distasteful in the Jewish world, as they...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Can someone tell me about the small plaque by the front door in a Jewish home?I think it may contain something and is always touched on leaving or entering the home?
It is a mezuzah- the sign of a Jewish home. Inside you'll find a small piece of parchment with the "Shema", Judaism's most important prayer (which also happens to be a piece of Scripture) hand-written by a special scribe.
Traditionally, the Mezuzah marks the home as being Jewish but is also understood to bring divine protection to the home and its inhabitants, even when...
| 8 people like this
Answer to:
In which country are you most likely to find a synagogue?
Israel
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Who help Jesus in the Old Testament?
The "Old Testament" covers history that happened long before (almost 500 years) he lived...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the traditional way to congratulate a boy on his bar-mitzvah?
You say: "Mazal tov". Many people add things like: "May you give your parents much nachas (meaning joy/ pleasure)."
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the core teaching of Jewish Religion (Judaism)?
Belief in one G-d, who is all-knowing, undefined and the Creator of all things.
Belief that G-d has a purpose for humankind and that purpose is achieved on Earth.
Belief that G-d communicated His purpose to His people 3300 years ago at Mt. Sinai and that He continues to send us messages and hear us talk to Him.
Belief that His purpose requires every human to acknowledge Him and live a...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
My bf wants me to be with him for Christmas, but im Jewish. Help?
I'm sorry to be the one to say this (and some people here aint gonna like it), but you've just tasted the first of many dilemmas that you're bound to face in an interfaith relationship.
Right now, it's just a boyfriend and a "holiday". Later in life it may be the father of your kids and dilemmas over their rites of passage. Sure, some people work it all out and...
Answer to:
I am now officialy jewish but the only probolem is i know nothing about jewish religions can you help me
Officially Jewish? Does that mean that your mom's Jewish? If not, you're not "officially" bound by any Jewish law.
If yes, I'd suggest www.askmoses.com and www.chabad.org to start. If you're on Facebook, join the "Ask the Rabbi" group.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What food restrictions do jews have?
Jews are obligated to eat kosher foods.
There are various details that determine if food is kosher or not.
An animal is only kosher if it chews its cud AND has split hooves. Even then, the animals must be slaughtered in a specific (near-painless) way to be kosher. After that, certain fats and sinews need to be removed and the meat is soaked and salted to remove any blood (blood is not...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What are the four stones of Judaism?
I'm not sure what you're referring to, the closest I could think of are the 12 stones on the breastplate of the High Priest in the ancient Temple. These represented the 12 tribes of Israel.
The layout of the stones was FOUR rows of three stones.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Which mythological creatures are kosher?
The Leviathan- a large fish that lives deep in the sea and will be eaten in the Messianic Age.
(More info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan)
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
I am dating a very nice Jewish man. I am not a virgin and regret everything I have ever done. If I told him my past, he probably would forget me as would most of the nice religious Jewish men out there. Is it okay to say that I am a virgin?
You have to level with him- you can't tell him you're a virgin if you're not.
BUT 1) You don't have to spill the beans until you see the relationship is serious enough that you think you'll land up marrying and b) even then you don't have to get into the details.
Bear in mind that if he only wants to marry a virgin, it is unfair not to tell him, and it could...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Which African country has the highest Jewish population?
Certainly South Africa, but we're losing numbers steadily to emigration. Most recent estimate hovers around the 60 000 mark.
Answer to:
What terrorist/freedom fighting activities did Mandela take part in
He led Umkhonto We Sizwe (the military arm of the ANC) from 1961.
He raised funds outside of South Africa and arranged military training for cadres, as well as planning sabotage attacks.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela#Guerrilla_activities
Answer to:
What is the highest arithmetical number mentioned in the Torah?
Off the top of my head: "Hundreds of thousands", where Rebecca's family bless her before she heads off to marry Isaac: "Our sister, may you become thousands of tens of thousands [אלפי רבבה]" (Genesis 24:60)
Answer to:
Does anyone know how to have a suicide that is not too paniful?
Before even thinking about that question, please take a look:
http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Is it offensive for a non-Jewish person (I am a Christian who identifies with Christ's Jewishness) to wear a Star of David pendant?
No, unless the Star of David is a prop to Evangelize Jewish people.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Why would two Hasidim teenagers ask my co-worker running a retail showroom if he was Jewish?
They may well have been involved in a Jewish outreach project, offering Jewish people a chance to perform a Jewish ritual.
This is not unusual among Hasidim, especially to get men to don Tefillin (the leather boxes and straps worn for prayer) and women to light Shabbat candles on a Friday evening.
As for the fact that they were unkempt, that's inexcusable.
Answer to:
Can you trust someone who avoids looking you in the eye when talking to you?
Usually not, but you do need to consider societal norms. For example, in ceratin African cultures it is considered disrespectful to look someone in the eye when you speak to them.
Answer to:
If there is no temple,no priest,and no animal sacrafice are there any Jews who can have atonement for there sins?(outside of accepting Jesus and getting born again of the Holy Ghost).
Sure, animal sacrifice, priests and a Temple were simply a method of achieving atonement. But none of that would have atoned for sin without the primary requirement: Repentance (or better translated "return to G-d"), which is not dependent on time, place or ritual.
In the words of the prophet Hosea (14:2): "Return, O Israel, to the L-rd your G-d, for you have stumbled in your...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Are there any evangelical Jews?
Judaism isn't an evangelical religion because Jews do not believe that you have to be Jewish to be "ok" with G-d.
You will find Jews involved in Jewish outreach, i.e. to educate Jewish people about their own religion. You won't find Jews trying to convert non-Jews- in fact we discourage it.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What man of God had such a radiant face after speaking with God that people feared to look at him?
Moses
Answer to:
Why don't jewish people evangelise?
Judaism believes that you don't have to be Jewish to be "ok" in G-d's eyes.
Evangelizing assumes that people who don't share your religious beliefs are damned. Judaism doesn't believe that, it teaches that every moral person who believes in a single Higher Power is spiritually where they need to be.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
I need to translate some words in aramaic, can anyone help me?
Which words, we can try, can't we?
Answer to:
Without using the bible, how do we know god is real? What proof is there, besides what the bible says?
Take a look at this (quite interesting):
http://tinyurl.com/3b5kpc
Answer to:
What is the difference between Lord and God?
Both are simply English renditions of the original Hebrew names used in the Bible.
In Hebrew, there's a distinction between אדני (usually related to G-d), which indicates Divine mercy, and אלהים (related to L-rd) that indicates Divine judgment.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How does the torah relate to the early history of the hebrews
The Torah recounts the basic facts of their history.
Torah means guide or teaching in Hebrew, because it only relates information that's useful to teach you something- either about becoming a better person, about Jewish heritage or about Jewish observnace.
So, the Torah only describes those details of early Hebrew history that carry lessons.
More detailed history was transmitted...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What are jewish thoughts on messianic jews who believe in the necessity of upholding jewish law, and are anti-trinitarian?
"Messianic Jews" is a misleading term. "Messianic Judaism" is a modern movement that is essentially Christian and aimed at proselytizing Jews.
While some of their members are Jewish, the movement is clearly not.
What makes the name ironic is that Judaism is essentially Messianic. Maimonides, one of Judaism's foremost scholars, rules that belief in the Messiah is...
Answer to:
How can we be sure that Abraham was the first person to believe in one God? And, where is that documented?
Adam and Noah obviously believed in one G-d, considering that they spoke to Him and followed His instructions.
What made Abraham unique was a) He discovered G-d on his own BEFORE G-d appeared or communicated to Him. (So, you could say he BELIEVED in G-d before he KNEW G-d).
b) He actively taught the principles of monotheism to as many people as possible.
Abraham's belief is...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What foods do they serve at bar mitzvahs and why?
[Edit] What i was looking for was some foods have religious purpose and that is why it is eaten. Maybe an example menu? I'm attending and i would like to know.
There is no official menu, though many people have a braidded "Challah" bread at the main table. A family member will often make the blessing over that Challah at the start of the meal.
Smoked salmon on bagel is often popular, but there is no menu-requirement, except that the food should be kosher.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
In the bible the first circumcision is performed by a woman with a sharp rock, but nowadays it's performed by a man with a knife, how did this change happen?
The first circumcision was performed by a man (Abraham) with a knife.
The story of the woman was an unusual instance, where Moses' wife, Zipporah, took the initiative to circumcise her son.
Please note that this occurred prior to the giving of the Torah at Sinai, when many Jewish laws had not yet been defined.
Generally, Judaism follows a principle that a commandment must be...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
The Israelites became Jews only after God gave them the Torah at Mt Sinai. what religion were they before?
It's a little tricky:
Abraham is considered the first Jew, though he wasn't a Jew in the classical sense. You see, at that time, the term Jew didn't exist yet (it's after Jacob's son, Judah). Israelites also came later (sons of Jacob, who was also known as Israel).
So, his technical title was "Ivri" (which your local Bible will translate as...
| 7 people like this
Answer to:
Would a Jewish person photocopy a Tanach so a friend without a Bible could read a Bible story? Or is photocopying the Tanach not right?
Sure, there's no problem with photocopying a Tanach- provided you don't throw the copies away afterwards.
Out of respect to the Torah, the copies should be handed it at your local synagogue and they will dispose of it in the traditional Jewish way.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Jews, what is your perspective on Genesis 22:1-24, when Abraham is willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac?
G-d called on Abraham to make the most extreme sacrifice:
Many religious people would be prepared to die for their beliefs- in the hope that they'd then get a comfy reward on the "other side".
Abraham's challenge was more extreme than that. He had dedicated his life to spreading awareness of G-d to as many people as possible- to him this was the most important thing...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How can a person transfer their sins to a chicken by waving it around their head three times?
You can't.
The chicken ritual is meant to remind a person about the fragility of life and that any of us could (G-d forbid) die just as easily as the chicken. It's supposed to be a wake-up call to fix your life- not a magical transfer of your sin to another entity.
Judaism believes there's only one way to get rid of your sins- fix them!
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the difference between kosher and non-kosher wine?
In ancient times, Jews were prohibited from drinking wine that had been used for any idolatrous practice. This is called "Yayin Nesech".
Later, as a precuationary measure, the Sages forbade wine that was even touched by an idolator. This is called "Stam Yeinam".
Practically this led to a custom, which remains till today, not to drink wine that was not produced under...
Answer to:
Do you think the Jewish religion will go extinct?
Never. It's survived this long through the most challenging times; it will endure.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What is an Eruv?
First some background: The Torah forbids a Jew from carrying anything into or through a "public area" on the Shabbat (from Friday sunset until Saturday nightfall).
The Torah defines a public area as a place that sees 600 000 passers-by daily and is wider than 24ft. When the great Sages of Israel codified Jewish law close to 2000 years ago, they didn't want people to get...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
In the Bible, what was the container carrying the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments called?
It was called the Aron (ארון), in English it became known as the Ark (of the Covenant).
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Can Christians convert to Judaism?
You've asked the question in the "Judaism" section, so I'll assume you're looking for the Jewish perspective.
Judaism allows any person from any religion to convert. We don't encourage convesion (because we believe every person can connect to G-d and you don't have to be one of us to be "ok" in His eyes), but we don't discriminate against the...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
In the Torah can part of a day be consider as a whole day.
Yes, it can.
As an example, Torah legislates a seven-day mourning period for a relative, which actually begins after the funeral and ends on the 7th morning (i.e. it's not seven complete days).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Who is the prince of Torah and what's it all about?
According to Talmudic interpretation, this is the angel that opposed giving the Torah to humans. Moses then convinced this angel that the Torah belongs on earth (after all, its laws relate to human experience) and he chose to become the protector of those who study Torah, hence the name "Prince of Torah".
BTW, "Prince of Torah" is also used as a title of respect for an...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Which south american country has the largest Jewish community?
Argentina (somewhere between 200 000 and 250 000), Brazil comes 2nd at around 100 000 - 190 000.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/6a3ylo
http://tinyurl.com/6qpqxe
http://tinyurl.com/6s3zaw
[Wikipedia switches the statistics on Brazil and Argentina on one of their charts, I'm not sure why.]
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do you find it ironic when Jews use products that come from companies that were created by the Nazis such as Hugo Boss, Porsche, BMW, Fanta, Volkswagen, IBM, Bayer, or Siemens?
Actually, some Jews avoid driving Volkswagen because the original "people's car" concept was comissioned by Hitler himself. I also know a fair number of Jews who do not use any German products on principle.
It seems that younger Jewish people no longer feel as repulsed by German products as their parents and grandparents (many of whom survived the Holocaust) did.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
In the Bible, how far is a “Sabbath’s Day journey”
According to the Torah, one may only travel 2000 amot outside of a city on the Sabbath. That would equal about one kilometer.
(Inside the city, you may walk around as much as you wish).
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What do you call the hat that Jewish men wear?
It is called a Yarmulka, which is based on two ARAMAIC (not Yiddish) words- Yerei (fear) and Malka (the King), i.e. it's there to remind Jewish men that G-d is above them at all times.
Israelis call it a Kippa, referring to its dome-like shape (Kippa = dome in Hebrew).
For further info.: http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/412307
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Did god teach adam and eve how to have sex
No, but he did give him some hints.
The Talmud understands that when Adam says: "THIS TIME it is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, this shall I call woman" he indicates that he had watched all the animals' coupling, realized he was incompatible with any of them and now appreciated that he had found a mate of his own.
Jewish mysticism believes that human intimacy is...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
I new at this, and I know this is going to sound morbid, but can someone explain to me how a funeral for more than one person at a time would go. To Clarify, for example, say a family was killed in an accident. What would the funeral be like?
It would almost certainly depend on the religion of the family, because different religions have different funeral practices.
In Judaism, they would all be buried together in a single, very emotional, funeral (I've unfortunately been to a couple of those).
Answer to:
Why are the colors of chanuka blue, white and silver?
Chanukah does not have any official colours. It would seem that people associate white and blue with Judaism (considering that these are the Israeli colours) and naturally connect this to Chanukah.
The silver probably crept in because most Chanukah menoras are silver.
Answer to:
Have you ever seen an oil-burning menorah lit for Chanukah?
Sure, that's what I use every year on Chanukah. An oil menorah makes a very beautiful sight.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
When do barmitzvah's take place evening ?, & is it a lengthy gathering or not? Explain what goes on at one if you know. Thank you.
Barmitzvah means coming of the age of Jewish responsibility. This happens automatically when a boy turns 13.
One of the perks of reaching Barmitzvah age is that a boy can be called to read from the Torah scroll in the synagogue. To celebrate this milestone, a Barmitzvah boy is called to the Torah soon after his birthday (usually the first Saturday after his birthday). This is cause for...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What are the verses about the devil according to Judaism? (Whether by the name "satan" or "lucifer" or any other name)
In the entire Five Books of Moses, the word Satan only appears once! PLUS, it's used as a VERB.
It's in Numbers 22:22, where Balaam heads out to curse the Children of Israel. G-d sends an angel to "Satan" him, i.e. to obstruct him. That defines the term Satan as a term meaning obstruction; later in Scripture (like in the book of Job) we know that we're referring to...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do those of the Jewish faith believe in a literal global flood, or parting of the Red Sea?
The Jewish faith takes takes those stories literally, they are important aspects of our Bible. Most Orthodox Jews, therefore, believe that these stories are literal.
But, not all Jews believe this, though, as some prefer to approach these stories from a scientific angle.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When I see the Kosher symbol on food products, what process does the pkg. go through to qualify it as Kosher?
Processed foods need to be supervised to make sure that no non-kosher ingredients* are included in the food.
This supervision includes seeing that the kosher products are not produced on the same production line as non-kosher products.
A representative from the supervising facility will visit factories sporadically to ensure that the kosher procedures are followed. He will then renew the...
Answer to:
Are you Jewish? Do you have any Jewish friends?
I'm Jewish. I'm a rabbi after all : )
And most of my friends are Jewish too.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Can the possession, use, or threatened use of nuclear weapons ever be justified, by any country, under any belief system or moral code?
Good points, thank you.
Answer to:
Can a man be Jewish without being circumcised?
If you're born Jewish, you're Jewish.
It's a serious problem for a Jewish male not to be cirumcised, and he would not be able to participate in certain Jewish rituals (like being called to the Torah or attending Passover), but he would remain Jewish.
Answer to:
What is the non-Sefirah called?
You probably mean Malchut, the conduit for expression of the Sefirot, but not a Sefirah in the classical sense.
Answer to:
Who is YAHWEH?
YAHWEH is an English rendition of the primary name Judaism uses to refer to G-d, יהוה.
The Torah refers to G-d with a wide range of names. Each name represents a particular Divine trait that is revealed at that moment in Torah (eg. the name "Elohim" represents Divine strictness, "Adonai" represents Divine authority).
יהוה is the name that cannot be pronounced...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Wasn't the apple on the Tree of Knowledge actually supposed to be a pomegranate?
The Bible calls it a fruit, without defining which fruit it was. There's a fascinating discussion in the Talmud where the various sages argue that it could have been one of a number of fruits.
One suggestion is that it was a fig, which is why Adam and Eve then used fig leaves to clothe themselves.
Another argues that they ate from a vine, and since then wine has always had the...
Answer to:
Do Jews believe in being virgins until marriage?
Judaism believes in reamining a virgin until marriage. Realistically, not all Jews are observant and so not all Jews keep to this rule.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Are there any unkosher plants?
Technically no, all edible plants are kosher.
But, any fruit that a tree produces during its first three years is not kosher (in ancient Temple times, one brought the 4th year's produce to the Temple and only started eating fruit from the 5th year).
Further info: http://tinyurl.com/4dfezs
In Israel, all grain/ fruit/ vegetable planted or cultivated in every seventh year (called...
Answer to:
How did the Mosaic law’s view of homosexual behavior compare to the views held by the surrounding cultures?
I recently came across a very good article on this topic, it's been reproduced here: http://tinyurl.com/655n2j
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do inhaled substances (tobacco, marijuana) need to be kosher? Why or why not?
Food needs to be kosher, that's because the Torah lists the types of products that a person eats and how you can tell if they're kosher or not.
The big question is whether any substance can be Kosher- after all, the Torah forbids a person harming their body in any way. [Yes, I know some people will argue that marijuana in controlled doses may be less harmful than many...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
What is Chabad?
The Chasidic movemement revolutionized Judaism some 300 years ago by introducing a joyous approach to serving G-d and emphasizing the innate value of every Jew, regardless of religious observance or knowledge.
Chasidic communities pay special attention to prayer and are led by a spiritual leader, called a Rebbe.
The founder of the movement was Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov. He introduced...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Who made the best music?
King David (Psalms is famous till today), although Miriam did quite well too, gathering the women to sing, play music and dance after the splitting of the sea.
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Why does the groom stomp a glass at a Jewish wedding?
It's his last chance to put his foot down : )
Seriously, it's to remind us of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem- and that no personal celebration is complete until that Temple is rebuilt. Reason? The Temple brings peace to the entire world, as long as people suffer, I, as a Jew, have to slightly restrict my own joy in empathy with others.
(Also, it sets the tone for the...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why do Jewish really want Jerussalam?
Take a look:
http://tinyurl.com/4nukl2
http://tinyurl.com/5sv9fc
http://www.danielpipes.org/article/3676
Answer to:
Is the old testiment a lie? Did god really create the world in 7 days or have we proven this was not the case through science? If so does that mean that god has broken his own rules - 'though shall not lie'?
When the Bible describes the Creation, it emphasizes "it was evening and it was morning" one day, second day etc. To me, that says that the Bible wanted to establish a standard time period that applied equally to all 7 days. The Bible also wanted to give us a frame of reference we are familiar with- evening + morning = day, so we'd know Creation took place in 7 24 hour periods.
...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
I mean no offense, but doesn't it get hot for Hasidic Jews with all that clothing in the summer? If I was a Hasid, I'd want to live in a place that was cold all year round, or I couldn't cope with it.
Yep, it can get pretty hot in here : )
Please remember, there are various types of Hasidim, who wear varying degrees of Hasidic clothing. Some of us wear suits and hats- not the long black coat and fur hat (although we wear the long coat on the Sabbath).
But, the coat (or jacket) comes off indoors (except for prayers), so even the most fanatic Hasid is not insulated 24/7.
We do use...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
There are a handful of words for which it is next door to impossible to find a rhyme for, and one of these is kiosk. Am I right?
Month, orange, purple
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the religious purpose of a bris?
Bris literally means covenant. The Torah says that the Bris is supposed to etch G-d's covenant with His people into the flesh of their bodies.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
In Jamaica, Jews always bury their dead within a week of the death, does anybody know the reason behind this?
Judaism places great emphasis on respect for the dead. A fundamental part of that respect is not to make a person wait to be buried.
This is firstly so that the body is not left exposed so that it may start to smell (and people will feel put off by that smell).
It's also because Jews believe that the soul cannot move on until the body has been put to rest. We don't want to...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How did the Jews know if someone was circumcised or not?
Jewish circumcision is a ceremony that's performed within the community when the baby is eight days old. There would have been enough people at the event to later report that the person had been circumcised.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How come incest was allowed up to and including Noah's family? Wasn't that gene pool awfully congested and shallow?
Incest is wrong because G-d outlawed it.
Difficult as it may be for us to relate to- before that ban was in place, there was no issue with incest.
G-d forbade incest to Noah and his family- and only from then on did it become taboo.
As for the gene pool, maybe they just had stronger genes back then (considering that they were so close to the original Creation) ; )
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
The local Pathmark is not making bread or rolls for the week of Passover and Fed Ex decided the business I work at must be closed all week because of Passover. Do religious Jews rule certain areas?
If a business is owned by religious Jews, you can expect them to follow Jewish custom.
I gues you shouldn't complain about having the week off ; )
Answer to:
Why do Jewish people put small stones on the graves of their loved ones?
The custom has a practical implication- in the days before the hardy granite tombstones we have today, people refreshed the markings of a grave at each visit by placing stones there.
One step deeper: If you put flowers on a grave, it could be seen as an insult to the deceased. The flower was alive before it was picked to be put on the grave- people may interpret that as a reminder that the...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why do I have so much trouble digesting matzah?
You and hundreds of others : )
The medieval Spanish Torah-commentator, Avraham Ibn Ezra notes that prisoners are fed matzah because it is filling and takes longer than normal bread to digest.
I guess that might explain it.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the most important law in the Law of Moses? What was the second most important, or greatest law?
The Talmud simply says that every law is of equal importance.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Ok, I am a bit embarrassed to ask this question being at least 1/2 Jewish, but secular: What must a Jew do if he commits a transgression to remain or return to G-d's good graces? (analagous to "Confession" I suppose)
Judaism believes in "Teshuva", often translated as repentance, but better translated as return.
In other words, we believe that you're good on the inside and need to return to that space.
Teshuvah rests on the premise that G-d is good and forgiving and not looking to punish us, rather to help us get back on track.
To do Teshuvah:
1. Admit what you did wrong (not to...
Answer to:
Are there any Jews out there that know which of the 12 Israelite tribe(s) they have descended from?
My family is from Levi : )
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is genital mutilation really justified in any religion?
No, any bodily mutilation is unjustified.
Male circumcision doesn't classify as mutilation, when done properly (i.e. I exclude "coming of age" circumcisions inflicted by people with no medical background or oractical experience).
In fact, it has certain health benefits.
Here's an interesting site on the subject: http://www.circinfo.net/
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Does judaism teach that the devil is a fallen angel the way christianity does?
No. Judaism believes that Satan was appointed by G-d to interfere with a person's spiritual progress. Like any other angel, Satan is answerable to G-d at all times. The clearest example of this is where Satan asks permission from G-d to afflict Job.
(see Job 1:6-12)
(In fact, the Hebrew word Satan means obstacle, as evidenced by the first time it's used in the Bible- as a verb,...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why the first passover still important in jewish people?
1. It marks the birth of the Jewish nation.
2. Jews believe that you have to be grateful for a good thing- forever, so we thank G-d annually for His miracles for us back then.
3. The Talmud says that every Jews must "leave Egypt" every day. In other words, we all have things that restrict and enslave us and we need to break out and expand our horizons to achieve spiritual goals...
Answer to:
Can you eat rice during passover? If so, what kind?
Well, it depends. If you are an Ashkenazi Jew, no. If you are Sephardi, yes.
That's because rice can be used as a flour to produce such things as rice cakes. Centuries ago, the rabbis felt that rice flour was too close to real flour and decreed that rice may not be used over Pesach- so people don't get confused and think that you can use all flour on Pesach.
Sephardi Jews (i.e....
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Why does the woman who lives next door wear a yamulkah when she goes out some of the time? I am familiar with men wearing yamulkahs, but not women.
Men wear yarmulkahs as a reminder that G-d is always above them (the word is a composite of two Aramaic words: "Yeray Malka", meaning fear of the King).
Judaism has always understood that women are intuitively in touch with G-d and don't need the constant reminder.
Recently, though, Reform Judaism seems to have introduced the practice of women wearing yarmulkahs for...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is King Solomon connected with King David
King Solomon was King David's son and the heir to the throne of Israel.
Answer to:
How do I know that the sabbath (the 7th day) is Saturday or Sunday? The question then is what was the first day? Sunday or Monday or other day?
Jews, the original obervers of a "day of rest", have always known that day to be Saturday (and accordingly, Sunday to be the first day of the new week). We have observed Sabbath on Saturday for almost 3500 years.
The shift of Sabbath to Sunday came considerably later in history- in an attempt to undermine the Jewish Sabbath observance. Take a look at this interesting article:...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
At what point does the Torah say illness began?
The first time we read in the Torah of anyone taking ill/ becoming weak before dying is Ya'akov (Jacob) (see Bereishis/Genesis 48:1).
The Talmud and Midrash both explain that people would literally "drop dead" and Ya'akov prayed for G-d to allow people to take ill and deteriorate before dying, so that they could have the opportunity to say their goodbyes and put their...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why does judaism discourage converts?
Simply because we believe that your religious path needs to match your natural spiritual make-up. Jews believe that there are 70 families of souls. Jews are one of those families.
For a Jewish soul to live to its potential, it needs to follow the Jewish faith. If a person has a soul from a different soul family, but tries to find their spiritual potential through Judaism, they would be...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What do u put into a new purse?
Money? : )
Answer to:
I just discovered that my father is jewish. i have no idea why he kept it from me, but he did. i was brought up in church, and even married a preacher! but now i feel inexplicably drawn to judaism... this is a part of me & i want to know everything.help!
It's quite common for a person in your situation to feel as you do.
Go ahead and research and read, it can't hurt. Please remember that Judaism discourages converts, so we're quite happy for you to continue with your religious beliefs and practices as you have done till now.
Give it time, you may be reacting to the surprise of your discovery. In time, you may feel that the...
| 9 people like this
Answer to:
I read in a newspaper and heaven knows you can't trust those rags... that Hasidic Jews are not allowed to watch television or motion pictures. Is there any truth in this?
Yes, that's true, though I would say they CHOOSE not to watch, rather than not being ALLOWED to watch.
After all, with the explicit things that TV/ movies depict as well as all the violence, it goes against the grain of the spiritually-oriented lifestyle that Chassidic Jews try to follow.
Plus, Chassidic Jews prefer to spend their time studying or even in socially-oriented...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
I want to celebrate Shabbat for the first time and would like to know if people are supposed to fast until saturday after sundown.
I'm not sure why you think you need to fast on Shabbat, actually you're not allowed to fast on the Shabbat...
Answer to:
Why do we admire Abraham who gave his assent to sacrifice his son?
People tend to choose to be dedicated to G-d or religion in line with their nature (kind people like the kindness, fanatics like the fanaticism etc.).
True dedication to G-d is about doing something that goes against the grain of who YOU are and doing what HE wants.
Abraham was the epitome of kindness. He loved every person, created a free motel in the desert for wayfarers, prayed for the...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the name of the hill or mount that is the site of the Temple of Jerusalem?
It is called the Temple Mount (or Har Habayit, in Hebrew) it was also referred to in the Bible as Mt. Moriah.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do Jews believe in heaven? HOw about abortion?
Jews certainly believe in Heaven.
Jews don't allow abortion, unless the mother's life is threatened. (http://tinyurl.com/2kqshz)
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why was King David so important?
G-d had told the Jewish nation that they would need to appoint a king over themselves when the would settle in Israel. (Deut. 17:14-15)
Jews had lived in Israel for some 400 years without a king. When G-d instructed the prophet Samuel to appoint David as king, they could finally fulfill this directive.
King David made some fundamental contributions to the Jewish world- he repelled the...
Answer to:
How is it determined if something is considered work on Shabbat? For instance watching TV is a no no but reading a novel is okay. Why?
First the bad news- some Halachic authorities argue that novels are out on Shabbat too.
Reason?
The prophet Isaiah teaches that the way you walk and talk on Shabbat should be different to the rest of the week. The Sages understand this to mean that Shabbat is a day for Torah study and spiritual pursuits, not the "ordinary" reading of the rest of the week.
Admittedly, many...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do Orthodox Jewish girls get baht mitzvahed and if so is it at 12 or 13 years.
Orthodox Jews believe that a bar or bat mitzvah is a matter of age. In other words- as soon as a boy turns 13, he is called bar mitzvah. Likewise, as soon as a girl turns 12, she is considered bat mitzvah.
Practically, from that age a boy/girl is considered an adult Jew/ess and responsible to observe the laws of Judaism.
To mark a boy's "coming of age", he gets called to...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is it ok for a jew to deny the "holy spirit"? is that like denying god in any way?
Judaism doesn't speak of a "holy spirit", we belive in G-d, one G-d, no composites.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why do Jewish people have long sideburns? Is it a religious thing, like Sikhs that can't cut their hair?
It all starts with Leviticus 19:27 "You shall not round off the corner of your head".
So, all Orthodox Jews leave sideburns, even if they're not all that long.
Certain Chassidic and Sephardic groups grow their sideburns on to emphasize that they are fulfilling this commandment.
Read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payot
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is it customary to have "penis balloons" up at a circumcision gathering or is Christina Aguilera a little over the top?
This reminds me of the story of the guy who needs to have his watch repaired, walks into a store with watches in the window and asks for the watchmaker.
He gets told that this is the mohel (person who does circumcisions) and not a watchmaker.
"Why then do you have watches in the window?" he asks.
The mohel replies: "What would you like me to have in the window?"
...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What do jews say about isias 7: 14? are they looking for a God incarnate like christians believe jesus was?
Simply, the verse (in context) is Isaiah's prophecy to King Ahaz, who was worried about the attack on Jerusalem by the Kings of Aram and the Northern Province of Israel. Isaiah tells Ahaz not to be afraid, because he would not be harmed by these forces.
As a sign that the prophecy would be fulfilled, Isaiah tells him that the young woman who was pregnant will bear a son (the Hebrew uses...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Is the Talmud the Word of God, as the Torah is, or is it written by man?
Talmud was compiled by people, but we believe that the information they compiled was handed down by unbroken tradition from Moses, who received it first-hand from G-d at Mt. Sinai.
(Maimonides traces the exact chain of tradition from Moses to the codifiers of Talmud in the introduction to his magnum opus, Mishneh Torah)
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the difference between an Aggadic and a Halachic Midrashim?
Halachic midrashim discuss issues of Jewish law.
Aggadic Midrashim investigate the meaning behind Torah passages, language usage, comparison of verses and background to stories that the Torah doesn't detail.
Aggadic midrashim also discuss moral lessons from these stories.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
How do Jews pray-action-wise...
Action-wise?
I'm not sure what you mean, but if this is what you have in mind: We stand for certain parts and sit for other parts of the prayers.
We cover our eyes for one line, known as the "shema" which proclaims our undying faith in G-d.
Jews tend to sway when we pray, it sort of comes naturally to us, and simulates the soul which is compared to a flickering flame.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Scripture is clear that the Messiah will be rejected by His own people. Why would the Jewish people not recognize that the Messiah is Jesus, as He is clearly rejected, and fits every aspect of Isaiah 53?
Jews do not accept Jesus as the Messiah for a variety of reasons. The most obvious reason is that the Messiah is supposed to usher in world peace- between the Middle East, Iraq, Darfur etc. I'd say he's not here yet.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Since Giraffe is kosher. Where on the neck do you think a shochat would have to cut to properly slaughter a giraffe? Anyone know a kosher butcher that stocks giraffe?
The Halachic requirement for slaughtering a giraffe would be no different to any other animal. The length of the neck is irrelevant, seeing as the Torah requirement applies to the width of the neck (need to cut the carotid artery, windpipe and esophagus).
BUT, there are a number of animals that, although kosher, are not eaten. Giraffe is the best example. The reason for this is that we...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Can Jews eat bacon? I thought all forms of pork were prohibited.
Definitely not.
The Torah highlights the pig by name as an unkosher animal (besides a few others, the Torah only gives the signs of what makes an animal kosher or not).
Traditionally, Jews have always viewed the pig as the epitome of non kosher food.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Under the rules of kashrut, wine needs to be stored in a tinted bottle. How is it that Manischewitz wine is considered kosher when you can clearly see the wine through the bottle?
This law dates back to the days of real idolatry. Jews are not allowed to use wine that has been involved in an idolatrous ritual.
Such a "ritual" could be something as simple as a person holding a bottle of wine and mentally consecrating it to his chosen deity. That would be enough to make the wine unkosher. Likewise, if a person looked at the wine and consecrated it (even...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
A friend of mine got over five thousand dollars from friends and family for her Bat Mitzvah. Is this an average amount?
Wow! That's a nice sum : )
I don't think that there is a standard or average amount that a Bar mitzvah boy or Bat mitzvah girl should receive.
I do think that it's worthwhile for parents to teach their children at this formative age to give a little from their presents to a meaningful charity.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
I have a meeting with my rabbi on monday about converting to Judaism. I met w/him once a year ago and he said that I'd know that I'm ready to convert when I feel at a gut level that I'm Jewish. I feel that way now, would it be too forward to say?
Be open and honest, it's the only way to go here.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why does God forbid His people from boiling a kid in its mothers milk? ( As told in Exodus 23:19)
There are three classical reasons:
1. To teach us that, while we may eat meat, we are to avoid cruelty to animals (cooking a kid in its mother's milk shows insensitivity).
2. It was a pagan practice at that time, so Jews were intsructed to avoid it.
3. Milk represents life, while meat comes from a dead animal. Judaism considers it spiritually unhealthy to mix these two realms.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why do many Messianic "Jews" insist that you can't convert to Judaism? Are they afraid of being "replaced?"
Messianic "Judaism" is not a Jewish movement, so this question does not really belong in this category.
While many members of the Messianic Jewish movement are themselves Jewish, their theology is essentially Christian. Accordingly, they oppose conversion to Judaism, as I guess any other Christian denomination would.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Is it OK to follow some Jewish customs without being Jewish or having any intent to convert to Judaism?
What an interesting question!
I don't think there is a simple yes/no answer here. Certain Jewish customs are good for anyone (eg. 10% to charity, laws of honouring parents etc.) others are designed specifically to show Jewish identity (e.g. men donning "Tefillin", Shabbat observance, kosher dietary laws etc.).
I don't think it's a wise move to adopt those customs...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why does the Judaism category have an "Old Testament" subsection? Jews have niether an "old" nor a "new" Testament.
Good question!
Perhaps it should be changed to Jewish Bible?
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What was the Ark of the Covenant? When did it disappear?
The Ark of the Covenant was the central element of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
It was a small golden box, with golden poles on either side and two golden figurines, known as "cherubim" on its lid.
Inside this golden container was a wooden box, which contained a smaller golden box. The original "Tablets of the Law" were housed in that golden box.
The Ark of...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Did God encourage cannabalism in the Old Testament?
No- what gave you that impression?
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Does it snow in South Africa? I'm just curious.
That depends where.
In the mountainous regions, particularly the Drakensberg, it snows in winter. It's not uncommon to have snow in some areas of the Cape as well as in the Free State (middle of the country).
I had the interesting experince of being snowed in for three days in a small town, called Harrismith, in the country's centre.
Johannesburg had a whiff of snow this June...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What do you know (or think you know), if anything, about Judaism? :-)
I think I know a fair amount (I'm a rabbi after all), but I'm always learning more : )
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why is it that an orthodox Jewish family bury their dead with the clothes of the doctor who pronounced the death? (Homework Assignment)
That's new to me : )
Jews bury their dead in special shrouds, called "tachrichim", which are plain white and identical for all people.
These shrouds represent simplicity and purity.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is Kether?
Keter means crown, it represents the motivating force that supersedes the Ten Sephirot (see http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/426254).
In human terms it relates to motivation or intention.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Does the Torah mention the Messiah?
Mesiah is the Anglicized version of the Hebrew word Moshiach, meaning anointed. So, every Jewish king was technically a "Messiah", because he would have been anointed with oil at his appointment.
There are numerous references in the Torah to "The" Messiah, i.e. individual who will lead the world to an era of harmony etc.
Many of the prophets speak of the person...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
What are the Jewish beliefs, if any, regarding original sin?
Interesting debate : )
Briefly:
It's fair to say that Christianity stemmed from Jewish belief, but it certainly is not in line with Jewish belief.
Messiah is a fundamental Jewish belief and always has been- though the understanding of Messiah is very different in Judaism to what it is in Christianity.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do Jews believe, or have Jews ever believed, the Messiah will/would be born to a virgin?
No, we don't.
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
What are the 10 spheres of the Kabbalah?
You must mean the 10 Sephirot (Sefirot) of Kabbalah (yes, I know it sounds remarkably similar to spheres).
In the Torah's account of Creation, it tells us how G-d "said" let there be this and let there be that. All in all there are ten "statements" made by G-d in the creative process.
These ten utterances form the basic code for all of Creation- according to...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Which Rabbi said, regarding the Torah, "What is hateful to you, don't do unto your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Now, go and study."
It was the Talmudic Sage, Hillel.
He believed that the most important element of Judaism is how you treat the next person. So, you can test the how spiritual a person is by the way he/she treats other people.
[Find out more about Hillel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillel_the_Elder]
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What are the Jewish beliefs, if any, regarding original sin?
Judaism believes that humans were designed to be imperfect, so that they could achieve great things.
Sound ironic?
Well, think about this: It may be more exciting to WIN a million bucks, but it's more rewarding to EARN it.
Judaism believes that G-d is good and wants to share goodness with His creations. So, instead of making people "perfect", He allowed us choice. Choice...
| 8 people like this
Answer to:
What is Birchat HaMazon?
Birchat Hamazon is the Grace said after meals (there is also a blessing for various food types said BEFORE eating).
To say Birchat Hamazon, you need to have eaten bread at the meal.
Birchat Hamazon is the only food-related blessing clearly mandated in the Torah (Deuteronomy 8:10), all others were instituted by the Sages.
Here's a great place for info. on the subject:...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is Hasidism?
Hasidic or Chassidic Judaism was started by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (known as the Baal Shem Tov, or bearer of the "good name") in the .
Those were very difficult times for the majority of Jews living in Eastern Europe and Russia, and Chassidism breathed new life into those communities. The Baal Shem Tov taught a path to serving G-d through joy, absolute faith and uncompromising...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Do the Jewish people really believe that there is no after life?
Jews certainly believe in the Afterlife, in fact, it is one of what the Medieval scholar, Maimonides counted as one of Judaism's 13 fundamentals of faith.
Please take a look here: http://tinyurl.com/2ftblx, http://tinyurl.com/2mhtha, http://tinyurl.com/2m3a2q
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
In the Jewish community/culture, I see men wearing yamicas (SP?) (Those "hats" only males wear) and I really only see men wearing them on TV. When is it required to be worn, and what are some of the places men wear this item, required or optional?
It is an old Jewish tradition for men to cover their heads. This tradition is for males to cover their heads at ALL times.
Religious Jews will do just that, while many non-observant Jews will only cover their heads for religious ceremonies.
The purpose of the head-covering is to remind a person at all times that G-d is above them. In fact, that's where the name "Yarmulka"...
Answer to:
Has the historicity of the Bible character David ever been established? Has archeology proved his existence?
Here are some interesting articles: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/04/news/david.php
http://www.bib-arch.org/Mazar.pdf
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the moral lesson of the Adam & Eve story?
People make mistakes, even the "perfect" ones made by G-d Himself.
Our mistakes rob us of our innocence, but allow us the opportunity for growth through challenge and experience.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What day is the Sabbath?
The Jewish Sabbath (and I assume that what you're asking, seeing as it's in the Jewish Sabbath section) is from sunset on Friday until nightfall Saturday (when you can see three average-seized stars with the naked eye- though with pollution that may be impossible anyway).
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Can you explain what Shabbat is?
Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath, beginning each Friday at sunset and ending each Saturday at nightfall.
Orthodox Jews do not perform various types of regular activities on Shabbat- to "rest" as G-d "rested" from His Creation on the Seventh Day (Genesis 1). These activities include things like driving, writing, using the phone.
Shabbat is a time for spiritual reflection,...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is a Mezuzah and what is its significance?
The Mezuzah is the sign that a home belongs to a Jewish occupant.
It is a small parchment scroll that has Judaism's most important prayer, the Shema, written on it. This is written in a special style of Hebrew calligraphy, and must be hand-written by a qualified scribe.
The parchment is then placed in a casing, which is affixed to the right hand door-post of almost every door on the...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is kabbalah?
Like many other things in Judaism, you need to consider the Hebrew word for a start.
Kabbalah literally means Tradition.
Specifically, Kabbalah refers to the Jewish mystical tradition that has been taught through the ages.
We believe that the mystical secrets of the universe were originally trasnmitted to Adam, then Abraham and his descendants.
When Moses received the Torah at Mount...
| 10 people like this
Answer to:
The Words Talmud and Torah are associated with ,what?
Torah refers literally to the Scripture, but is often used generically to refer to all Jewish teachings.
Talmud refers specifically to the codifying of Jewish Oral Law that took place in the 1st Century.
Please take a look here: http://tinyurl.com/yr3xxf
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Where is the Great Synagogue of Vilna? How many times has it been destroyed?
Take a look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Synagogue_of_Vilna. You might also find the local rabbi there helpful with updated information: www.fjc.ru/vilnius
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
If I were to write a book called "The Rules of Life", what kind of proverbs would you help me put in there?
"He who angers you, conquers you."
"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference."
- Elie Wiesel
"We are all prisoners, but we sit on the keys."
And for the...
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
Why do Jewish really want Jerussalam?
Jerusalem is and always has been Judaism's holiest city.
Answer to:
What does “zei a mensch” mean?
It's a Yiddish expression roughly translated as "Be a decent person".
If someone doesn't treat you well or acts dishonestly, you might tell them "Zei a Mentsch".
[While the literal translation of "mentsch" is man, people use it to refer to a good person (male or female).]
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
How should a woman deal with a lazy husband?
Whatever it is you want to get him to do suggest that he may be too OLD to do it : )
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
If Adam and Eve were the first two people on earth, then how did their son go out into the world and bring back a wife?
Here's a classic example of the precision of the Hebrew language in the Bible.
"And Adam knew Eve, his wife and she conceived and bore <Et> Cain... she gave birth again to <Et> his brother <Et> Abel." (Genesis 4:1-2)
There is no English translation for the Hebrew word "Et" (את). This word is a code term that the Hebrew Bible uses to insinuate...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
What do Jews believe about Genesis? Are Orthodox Jews creationist and anti-evolutionist? What about other Jewish groups?
You can find some interesting information on the subject here: http://tinyurl.com/2skhap
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
If a Jewish person ate a cheeseburger, would they burn in hell?
Judaism really isn't into the "burning in Hell" thing. We believe that after this life, your soul gets exposed to G-d's truth.
If you have lived your life according to His will, that exposure is a very pleasant experience, which people like to call Heaven.
If you have not lived your life according to His will, you undergo a period of burning shame (that's why...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
He who withholds his rod hates his son (proverbs 13:24) Do you agree?
"Rod" is used throughout the Bible to represent authority*.
So, Proverbs is saying that a parent who relinquishes his/ her authority (eg. would rather be a friend to his child than guide and direct him/ her) really does not care about his child's wellbeing.
[*For example:
Jacob blesses his son, Judah, with royalty by saying "The rod shall never leave Judah..."...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Remember Moses did not allow praying on any images, only God. Yes or no?
It was actually G-d Himself who said "You shall have no other gods before Me", in the second of the Ten Commandments.
Later, He commamded Moses to tell the people not pray to any graven images (Exodus 20:20).
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
I went to church today. I am a Jew. Thoughts?
Must have been interesting.
Next, make sure to pop into a Shul sometime -a nice friendly one, where they explain what's going on and you don't feel like a stranger in your own home : )
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
Are you or anyone you know a survivor of the Holocaust?
My grandfather escaped Holland with his parents in time to avoid the Holocaust (every other member of his family was all killed).
Both my wife's grandparents are survivors.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
In the bible, who named eve and when?
Adam named Eve after G-d expelled them from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:20).
Earlier, he had simply referred to her as "woman", having being made from "man" (in Hebrew the term for woman is "Isha", a derivative of the name for man "Ish"). That name defined the TYPE of being she was- a woman.
The name he later gave her, Chava (in Hebrew), means...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Who incited David to count the fighting men in Israel? A God (2 Samuel 24:1) Or B Satan (Chronicles 2 1:1)?
G-d, Satan is simply His agent.
Answer to:
What is the significance of the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments represent the fundamental principles that Jewish law is based upon.
The first Commandment calls for belief in G-d, and is the motivation behind all the "do's" of Judaism (i.e. once you believe in Him, you do what He commands).
The second commandment forbids idolatory, and serves as the basis for all the "don'ts" of Judaism (i.e. doing...
Answer to:
What is your favorite Kosher dish?
Freshly baked (and still warm) "Challah" (the twisted loaves that we eat on the Shabbat.
[http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=484183]
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
Have you ever read the Torah?
All the time : )
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Is there a reason why Jewish men wear different sized yarmulkes or skull caps?
The different sizes (and styles) of yarmulkes have come to be a means of identifying which group one belongs to.
For example, you will find that religious Zionists generally wear knitted colourful yarmulkes; "Haredi" Jews wear plain, black velvet; Chabad will often have black yarmulkes with 4 or 6 divisions, or plain velvet yarmulkes with a design and Breslover Chassidim have...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What is the religious significance of circumcision?
While the first record of circumcision goes back to Abraham, the Jewish religion believes that its adherents were commanded at Sinai (when the rest of Jewish Law was presented) to circumcise their sons.
Circumcision is designed to be an indelible mark of the relationship between a Jew and G-d. Even when he does not have any Jewish clothing on or is not performing a Jewish ritual, this is the...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Is it true that Orthodox jews especially rabis, when having intercourse have a sheet with a hole between them because sex is supposed to be unclean?
Oh my! I really thought this one had been debunked a long time ago. (http://www.snopes.com/religion/sheet.htm)
In fact, an Orthodox couple may not have anything interfere between them (including any type of clothing) during intercourse.
In the context of marriage, the sexual union is viewed by Judaism as one of the most holy of human experiences. The prototype human being is described in...
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
I'm feeling curious today..do you think moses really parted the seas?
I certainly do.
On that note: http://tinyurl.com/ewcc
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What do they do with the child's foreskin once it has been circumcised?
It is buried.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Why does the Tallit ( Jewish prayer shawl ) have black stripes? It looks allot like a bar-code.
There are a number of reasons:
1) To remind us of the "techailet", a dark greenish-blue dye that was used on one of four strings on each corner of the Talit (Numbers 15:38). This dye was produced by a sea creature, but nowadays most Jewish authorities believe that we don't know which creature it is, so rather not dye any of the strings.
So, the stripes would remind us of...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What things are an orthodox Jew not allowed to do on the Sabbath Day?
There are 39 categories of "work" that a Jew may not do on the Shabbat (or Sabbath). These represent the normal activities that give people a sense of "being in control". Shabbat is a day to recognize that G-d is really in control, which is why we "rest" from these activities on the Shabbat.
The 39 categories are:
1. Planting
2. Plowing
3. Reaping
4. Binding...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What reason do the Jews give for the conquest of Jerusalem and 19 centuries of diaspora?
In the Torah, Moses calls the Jews "The sons of G-d" (Deut. 14:1).
A good father will not provide everything for his child indefinitely, but will ocassionally challenge the child to fend for himself; to rise to the challenge of succeeding independently under adverse circumstances.
We believe that G-d designed a world that would be imperfect. He then challenges us to perfect...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the Jewish theory of what happens after death?
Judaism teaches that a person is a soul in a body. The body is a temporary home for the soul, which lives on after one's human life ends.
For that matter, the soul was alive before the person was born as well.
Judaism believes that a soul enters a body and lives as a human being, in order to have the chance to fulfill G-d's mission for Creation. (Yes, ironically, a soul in...
| 7 people like this
Answer to:
Is there a higher level than Rabbi in the Jewish religion?
A rabbi is not a "higher level" than any other Jew. A rabbi is simply a learned who is qualified to lead a Jewish community and decide issues of Jewish law.
Within Judaism, we don't emphasize who is "higher", because we believe we all have equal access to G-d.
Judaism does refer to a "Tzadik", a righteous individual (could be male or female) who has...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Why don't Jews eat pork?
You will find that many Jews who do not observe the other Kashrut laws still refuse to eat pork.
Pork is seen as the ultimate "non-kosher" animal. The Torah considers an animal kosher if it both chews its cud AND has split hooves. The only animal species that has split hooves (trotters) and does not chew the cud is the pig family.
When you look at a pig, you will sooner notice...
| 10 people like this
Answer to:
What made Esther in the bible, such a honored woman?
Esther was prepared to risk her life for the sake of her people. When she had to appear before the King to beg him to retract Haman's decree, he could have had her killed for appearing without permission (Esther 4:11).
She also encouraged the entire Jewish community to improve their own spiritual standing at the time (Esther 4:16).
Esther is considered one of Judaism's seven...
| 6 people like this
Answer to:
Have the Jewish people always had a higher rate of literacy than most countries, due to the need to read the Scriptures?
It's not only about Scriptures, it's about Talmud, "Midrash" and other classical texts. Jews have always emphasized the need to read and learn. The Talmud (Avot, chapter 5) says a child should start learning the Scriptures at age five, and Talmud at ten.
The emphasis on reading/ learning over 18 centuries has lodged itself solidly in the psyche of Jewish People- a.k.a....
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
When does the weekend Sabbath start and end?
During the first week of Creation, the Torah defines each day with: "it was evening, and it was morning..." (see Genesis).
Accordingly, Judaism counts a day from evening until evening.
When it comes to the Sabbath (or Shabbat), we want to maximise the spiritual opportunity of this special period, so we start the Shabbat from 18 minutes before sunset (the earliest defined time...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What do you think the religion that most people put down is? Do you think you should put down other people's religion?
If someone puts down another religion it may simply be a sign of his/her own insecurity.
Religion should be about personal spiritual growth and setting an example that others WANT to follow.
People who resort to putting others down are surely missing the point.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Have any of you prayed this morning?
Yes, every morning (and evening).
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Do you observe shabbat? If so what do you do that makes shabbat special in your house?
We have each of the children (from two-year-old and up) share a thought, story or song related to the weekly Torah portion.
They feel special and guests always enjoy it.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Are jews circumcized
Jews circumcise their sons on the 8th day after birth.
This follows the tradition that G-d commanded Abraham to circumcise the male children of his household (i.e. children & grandchildren) at 8 days old (Genesis 17:12).
This commandment was reiterated by Moses to the Israelites in the desert, some 200 years later (Leviticus 12:3).
Circumcision is called "Brit (Milah)",...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
What day of the week was Jesus crucified?
The Hebrew Bible commonly refers to various festivals as "Shabbaton" (not the regular "shabbat", which refers to the Sabbath). It's possible that this may have been translated as "special Sabbath" somewhere along the way. I guess that's the problem with translations- they're not always reliable.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Who are the Righteous among the Nations?
This is the term Judaism uses to refer to Gentiles who observe the Noahide code. The Noahide code refers to the Seven laws commanded to Noah.
These are:
1) Recognize only one Deity over and Divinesource for the entire universe;
2) Do not blaspheme against Him;
3) Support the establishment of courts of justice in society, so that a bottom line of social morality is affirmed and...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Why is it that it is said in gods eyes that all men are equal
G-d is infinite.
To an infinite being, every finite creature is equal.
It's not that He sees every person as identical, because we are not. Life would be boring and meaningless if we were all clones. But, with all our individual differences, potential and talents, every person is equally VALUABLE in His eyes.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Thinking about the question re: "Who is the Messiah the Jews are still waiting for" I got to thinking...can *ANY* Jews trace their paternal lineage back to King David? How would the Messiah, if not Jesus, prove this?
There are a number of Jewish families (admittedly not many) who can still trace their lineage to King David.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What color hair did King David have in the Old Testament?
Red
"...Now he [David] was ruddy, and with beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. And the Lord said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.' Then Samuel [the prophet] took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward..." (I Samuel, 16:12-13)
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the Hebrew name for the first five books of the Bible?
You will also commonly find Orthodox Jews refer to the Five books of the Torah as the Chumash.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Who is the Messiah the Jews are still waiting for?
The Messiah described in the prophecies of the Hebrew Bible.
He is described as a king who will have the unique ability to "smite evil" with his mouth (i.e. without force).
He will be a great prophet and scholar, a person of impeccable character.
The Messiah will be the ultimate teacher; he will restore Judaism to the highest levels of observance.
This Messiah will herald...
| 9 people like this
Answer to:
As of late, a lot of Hasidic men have been visiting the store I work at and my boss has to spray air freshener afterwards. Is there any kind of restriction on the use of anti-perspirant or deodorant in this branch of Judaism?
Definitely not!
Judaism expects people to be presentable at all times. The Jewish Code of Law suggests censuring a rabbi who walks around with a stain on his clothes.
There's no restriction- and, in my opinion, no excuse for this sort of behavior.
(BTW, I am a Hasidic Jew).
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
If God is everywhere why wasn't he at Virginia tech today?
Here's a beautiful article on this: http://tinyurl.com/2kgma6
Answer to:
What is Messianic Judaism? How different/the same is it from Judaism or Christianity?
Judaism is a Messianic movement, believing that the entire Jewish experience culminates in the arrival of a Messiah, who brings world peace and spiritual enlightenment.
Messianic Judaism, however, like Jews for Jesus and Hebrew Christians, is a group that seeks to evangelize Jewish people. In other words, they believe that a Jew only fully observes his/ her Judaism by embracing Jesus as the...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
I once heard that Jewish males cannot directly hand something/receive something to/from a female. Is that true? Why?
Judaism, contrary to popular perception, places a premium on male-female relationships. There are many facets of Jewish observance that are designed to protect and enhance these relationships.
More specifically, Judaism aims to create a uniqueness about marriage that is vibrant and unlike any other interpersonal relationship.
One aspect of this is the Jewish approach to physical touch....
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
How many sons did Abraham have?
Eight.
He had Ishmael with Hagar, Isaac with Sarah and Zimran, Yakshan, Medan, Midian, Yishbak & Shuah with Keturah (see Genesis 25:1)
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
In the hebrew bibal do they still speak of a rapture and the second coming of yeshua
The Hebrew Bible does not refer to a rapture, nor to a second coming.
Christian scholars understand certain prophecies in the Hebrew Bible to refer to these, but classical Jewish interpretaion does not agree with those views.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Does the Torah say anything specific in regards to sex before marriage?
If you're talking about "verses in the Torah", there are three to consider.
The Torah says (Deuteronomy 24:1), "If a man marries a woman and is intimate with her." The implicit message there is that the Torah says: First comes marriage, then intimacy.
After prohibiting a man from making his daughter a harlot, the Torah says: “And the earth shall not be...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Do you like matzah? Are you Jewish or not?
Matzah is great- in moderation.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
How do Jewish doctors solve the ethical dilemma of visiting patients on the Sabbath?
Acccording to Jewish law, preservation of life overrides the restrictions of the Sabbath.
A Jewish doctor would be best qualified to determine what he/ she may or may not do for a patient on the Sabbath.
If there are duties that the dr. anticipates having to perform on the Sabbath that are not associated with preservation of life, he would pre-arrange a non-Jewish locum.
In Israel, the...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How do you feel about Asian Jews? (I have an Asian friend who wants to convert to Judaism and asked me to ask this).
Judaism is not about ethincity, it's about Jewish beliefs and practice.
There are Indian Jews, African Jews, Japanese Jews and Chinese Jews. I went to school with an Afrikaans convert and studied in Rabbinical seminary with an African-American convert.
There's a really interesting story about an Asian convert, which your might friend might be interested in reading. Take a look...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
How do you feel about Asian Jews? (I have an Asian friend who wants to convert to Judaism and asked me to ask this).
Removed duplicate
Answer to:
Marijuana is not kosher for Passover, a pro-cannabis advocacy group says, advising Jews who observe the week-long holiday's special dietary laws to take a break from smoking the weed. What do you think of this ruling?
Hmmmm, my personal view is that Marijuana is not kosher all year round.
| 9 people like this
Answer to:
What are you doing for passover?
We're having an eclectic group of guests at the Seder, from ultra-orthodox Hasidic Yeshivah students, to a group of secular Jews, an atheist and some out-of-towners with nowhere to go.
Should be interesting...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Nevets and ChabadRabbi in particular. Nevets wrote" ... we simply reject the notion that Satan is an angel battling God and trying to take over the world." How do you meld this with the representation of Satan in Job?
I think, if anything, the way Satan is presented in the Job story supports what Nevets wrote.
Job's story is about a righteous man, who gets tested to see if his righteousness can endure a series of very gruelling tests and personal tragedies. The end of the story indicates that Job succeeds- despite losing his family and personal wealth, he remains dedicated to G-d. (See the last five...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
If someone wanted to become a Hasidic Jew, could they approach a Rabbi and take steps necessary for conversion?
I'll assume that this question is: "What does a non-Jew who wants to become Hasidic have to do?"
[There's no conversion process from "ordinary" Jew to Hasidic Jew.]
If a non-Jew wanted to become a Hasidic Jew, the process would be almost identical to any normal Orthodox Jewish conversion. This requires a lot of study and a dramatic change of lifestyle (i.e....
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
I don't know what religion I am. Like I believe in God, but I don't celebrate christian holidays and I have different beliefs than christians. What would that make me?
It seems that you are searching (why else post the question?), a perfectly healthy spiritual place to be.
You believe in G-d, so invite G-d to guide you on your quest. With some effort, sincerity and a little research, you'll find the spiritual path that you need to follow. And, it may not be a "religion" in the classical sense either.
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
What did the good book really mean when it said: An eye for an eye?
Jews, who have followed the Bible since its inception, never understood this phrase to be literal.
In Jewish law, it has always represented financial compensation for injury. The calculation of how to "replace an eye" includes considering the revenue-loss suffered by a victim (now that he's half-blind). It also includes a penalty based on "how much would a person be...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Can a Jewish AB explain where Elijah went in the Chariot, did the event really take place or is it symbollic?
Elijah ascended to Heaven alive, a highly unusual experience for a human being.
We understand this story literally. Jewish tradition is full of instances where the prophet Elijah appears (centuries after his "ascension") in human form, either to participate in Jewish rituals or to assist people in trouble.
In Judaism, one of the signs of a truly spiritual Jewish person is when...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What do Jews teach concerning the Holy Spirit?
It’s not entirely accurate to say that Judaism doesn't believe in "Holy Spirit". It is, after all a term used both in Scripture and in Rabbinic literature.
For example, in the Bible's account of Creation, it refers to the "spirit of G-d (that) hovered on the face of the waters".
What Jews do not believe in is THE "Holy Spirit", in other words...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do the white European khazari/ashkanazi jews have any semitic blood?
Here are some interesting articles on the subject:
http://tinyurl.com/2z9gcv http://tinyurl.com/29b27p.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is kabbalah?
Everything that exists has a body and soul. Torah-the fundamental teachings of Judaism is the same.
Jewish Law is the body of Torah and Kabbalah is its soul.
Kabbalah dates back to the times of Abraham and has been an integral part of Jewish teaching ever since.
It explores the story behind the story: The secrets of life, Creation, souls and angels, the mystical secrets locked in the...
| 7 people like this
Answer to:
A (Jewish) friend of mine became a grandmother at the end of Jan. She mentioned something about a party when the baby is 30 days. But then they didn't have to coz the father is a Levite & so they dont have to buy the baby back, or something. Huh?
She's talking about a ceremony called the "Pidyon Haben". This is a ritual where a father "redeems" his first-born son at 30 days old.
It is based on Exodus 13:13, where G-d commands the Israelites "And you shall redeem every human firstborn among your sons."
The purpose of this ceremony is to recall that that when G-d killed the Egyptian firstborns, He...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What is the name of the small round cloth caps that are often worn by Jewish boys?
Kippah is a modern Hebrew word, meaning a dome, which the skullcap resembles.
The original name is Yarmulke, a combination of two ARAMAIC words: "Yarei" and "Malka", meaning fear of the King. The purpose of the head covering is to constantly remind a person of the "King of Kings" and how to behave in His presence (i.e. everywhere).
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Do angels have wings?
The prophet Isaiah describes them as having wings (see Isaiah 6:2), but it's probably a metaphoric term, seeing as angels are non-physical.
Kabbalists understand that the "wings" refer to the angels' love and fear of G-d. These elevate them spiritually, just as wings lift a bird.
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
What was the name of the river that God parted in order for the Israelites to enter into the Promised Land?
It was the Jordan River.
Incidentally, it did not split like the Red Sea did i.e. in half, with two columns of water on either side.
As a river flows in one direction, the miracle here was that the water stopped flowing just short of where the Israelites needed to cross. The water piled up on that one side and drained away on the second side, leaving a dry patch for them to cross at.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Do you pray before you eat?
As Jews, we say a short prayer before we eat- and a longer one afterwards.
The philosophy is that it's human nature to pray when we need something, but we need to train ourselves to also pray when we already have what we need.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is a phylactery?
The correct Hebrew term would be Tefillin.
These are small leather cube-shaped boxes. They come in a set of two and are painted black, using a special vegetable-based black dye.
Each box has straps threaded through its base. The boxes and straps are made of either cow or sheep hide.
Inside the boxes are pieces of parchment containing four sections from the Hebrew Bible. These sections...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Does the Bible preach sexism? http://tinyurl.com/3dqrul http://tinyurl.com/2stwk9 http://tinyurl.com/34a5w2 http://tinyurl.com/3d4vpc http://tinyurl.com/2ru5cc http://tinyurl.com/35h9uo
Sexism? Here are some thoughts that immediately spring to mind:
Eve is credited with being "the mother of all life" (Genesis 3:20). [There is no "father of all life"].
G-d tells Abraham: "All that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice". (Genesis 21:12)
It is Rachel's prayer (not any of the men) that brings salvation to the Jewish nation (Jeremiah...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What would Moses do?
Guide each of us to discover our true potential- and teach us how to live it fully. (That's what he did to a group of slaves 3319 years ago).
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Is circumcision at birth a form of sexual abuse?
There's lots of scientific research into the minimal pain of the procedure and its health benefits.
I've heard it argued that the standard infant vaccinations are more painful than circumcision in infancy. (Jewish circumcision takes place on the 8th day, when the vitamin K level in a baby is particularly high. Vitamin K is responsible for blood coagulation, or clotting-...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Where do you think God can be?
A great Chassidic master once said: "Wherever you let Him in".
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What do you know about Purim? Happy Purim!
Something about Purim that perhaps not everybody knows:
The Talmud says that one may not read the Megillah (the scroll of Esther that relates the full story of Purim) backwards.
The famous Chassidic Master, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov explained it to mean that you should not read the Megillah as a piece of history.
All the characters in the story, as well as the details of the events...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Who was Maimonides?
There are excellent answers here already. I'd like to just present a summary, for those who don't get around to reading all the articles.
Maimonides was known as Moses, son of Maimon (or Rambam in the Jewish world).
He was a physician and philosopher who lived in Spain and the Middle East in the Middle Ages.
His contribution to Jewish thinking is immense, to the extent that...
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Who is the oldest person to ever live? at age did they die? from what dd they die?
According to the Bible, it was Methuselah, who died at 969... of old age :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methuselah
| 7 people like this
Answer to:
Can I still be considered Jewish if I do certain things that the faith doesn't agree with? (ie tattoos, piercings, bacon loving)
Judaism believes that someone who is Jewish remains Jewish- regardless.
We have a lovely Yiddish expression for this, it's called the "pintele yid". It doesn't translate well into English, but it means the "Jewish point" that sits at the essence of who you are.
You are Jewish because of who you ARE, not because of what you DO.
Sure, Judaism wants you to do...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
If a Jewish person goes to court and is asked to put their right hand on the Bible, do they use a Torah instead?
Firstly, a Jew has to treat a Torah with utmost respect. A Torah remains in its formal place in the synagogue and is not removed unecessarily.
In ancient times, a Jewish court would, in fact, have a Torah available to swear on. But, a person would first be read the riot act (see Nevet's answer) before being permitted to swear on a Torah.
I do know that some people prefer to use a...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Why do some countries (South Africa, the Netherlands) have more than one capital city?
South Africa's administrative capital is in Pretoria (or Tshwane). That's where the Union Buildings (the official seat of the government) are situated. For all intents and purposes, that is the capital.
The legislative capital is in Cape Town, where the Houses of Parliament are situated.
Bloemfontein is the judicial capital, that is where you will find the High court of Appeals.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
I am an athiest. I LOVE getting into religious discussions and minor arguments with people but have found VERY few people that can do this without getting so worked up they want to scream or vomit. Why do you think this is?
I sometimes feel that people get worked up because they are insecure in their beliefs.
Challenge, questions and debate are healthy, they get us to delve deeper into our belief-system.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Is Bob Dylan a practicing Jew?
Two other interesting articles:
http://tinyurl.com/3xargg
http://tinyurl.com/2cz4r9
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What are some traditional foods eaten during Hanukkah, and what is their significance?
We also eat dairy foods during Chanukah. This commemorates the bravery of a woman called Yehudit, who used cheese in a ploy to assasinate a Greek-Syrian general, Holofernes.
Full story: http://tinyurl.com/2lzd5d
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
Please will someone explain isaiah 60:18 to me?
Isaiah 60 is a very important piece of Biblical prophecy. It contains a message of hope to a troubled Jewish nation. It and has been adapted in Jewish liturgy (the famous "Lecha Dodi" poem that is sung in synagogues on Friday evening)and is read in Jewish communities every year shortly after "Tisha B'Av", the day that commemorates the destruction of both Jewish Temples...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
I would like to know how you Jewish answerbags feel about Matt 22:36-40 and Mark 12:29+ It's when jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment and he sais first love God with your whole soul and second love your neighbor as yourself.
I cannot say that I've read much of the New Testatment, but these two principles sound very familiar from classical Jewish texts.
Jews recite the "Shema" prayer (Deut. 6:4-9) twice a day. This paragraph calls on a person to "love the L-rd, your G-d with all your heart, all your soul and all your might".
Jews have been saying this prayer for 3300 years, because of...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
According to Judaism, who is the devil, what is his purpose, and what is he like?
The one and only time that Satan is mentioned in the "Five books of Moses" is as a VERB.
It's part of the story of Balaam, who was hired to curse the Jews. En route, he gets blocked by an angel, whom G-d sent [this doesn't work as well in English as in Hebrew:] "to Satan him". In other words, Satan means to hinder or mislead.
In Hebrew an "S" and an...
| 10 people like this
Answer to:
Abrahamic religions: According to the Hebrew Bible, should you or should you not have blind faith in a prophet who claims they are from God? Deuteronomy (18:22)
Maimonides gives a good guideline to identifying a true prophet.
Firstly, the person must be wise and have an impeccable character.
He or she must be steeped in spiritual knowledge.
THEN, if such a person claims to be a prophet, you are obliged to wait and see. If they predict the future and it comes true a few times in a row, you must believe they are, in fact a true prophet.
...
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
When was King David born?
According to classical Jewish records, he was born on the 6th of the Jewish month Sivan in the year 907 BCE.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the relationship between kabalah and judaism?
The Torah, Judaism's sacred texts, contains numerous sections. A very important part of this is Kabbalah.
Kabblah explores the finer points of Jewish mysticism: the nature of G-d, souls and the spiritual forces that power the universe.
Kabbalah also examines the spiritual meaning behind Jewish ritual and practice.
Jews believe that G-d presented the entire Torah to Moses and the...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is a synopsis of the Jewish religion?
The Jewish religion believes in a single, omniscient and omnipotent G-d.
Jews are obliged to believe in G-d and follow His commandments. Jews believe that G-d revealed Himself to the Children of Israel 3319 years ago, and presented them with 613 commandments that they are to follow. (A person will not be obligated to keep all 613- some are only for men, some only for women; some only apply...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Is el-o-kay-noo the same as Elo·him?
In Hebrew, the term "Elo-him" means L-rd.
The suffix "noo" is a possessive term, so to say "our L-rd", we say "Elo-hay-noo".
Because Jews are very careful not to say, or even write G-d's name in vain, we change the "hay" to "kay". This way, we can refer to G-d, without evoking His "real" name, other than in...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What did the ark of the covenant contain?
Only the Two tablets containing the Ten Commandments:
"And you shall place into the ark the testimony, which I will give you." (Exodus 25:16)
"And you shall place the ark cover on the ark from above, and into the ark you shall place the testimony, which I will give you." (Exodus 25:21)
"There was nothing in the ark save the two tablets of stone which Moses put...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Who was Melchizadek?
Melchizadek was the king of Salem and a "priest" of G-d (Genesis 18:14).
He lived at the same time as Abraham (they met after Abraham battled the four kings who attacked Sodom).
BTW, Salem is what we now call JeruSALEM.
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
When a loved one dies, do you do special things to honor them on certain days? i send a card attached to a balloon up to my mother on mothers day. does anyone else do something like this? i need some new ideas...
What about lighting a candle on the anniversary of her death?
In Jewish teachings, the soul is compared to a candle, always moving and striving higher.
It could be quite significant.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Is there a Jewish superstition about birds being harbingers of death? I've worked with several Jewish people who would not even allow a picture of a bird in to their house...just curious.
Jews are not generally into superstition (we call them "Bobba Meises" or old wive's tales).
I've never encountered the practice of not having a picture of a bird in one's house.
The closest guess I could hazard as to where this idea comes from is:
a) Some ultra-Orthodox Jews will not have pictures of animals which are not "kosher" in their homes....
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How do Jews view the New Testament or Christian Greek Scriptures (Matthew to Revelation)?
Jews do not consider the Christian New Testament as having Divine origin.
As such, Jews do not study it, nor do they take its stories or lessons as instructional to their religion.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How can the Jews verify the Messiah's ancestry when all genealogical records were destroyed in 70 C.E. when the Romans razed Jerusalem?
While official genealogical records may have been destroyed by the Romans, many families had personal family trees. These remained intact until as recently as 200 years ago.
As an example, when Rabbi Dovber, "the Maggid" of Mezritch (http://tinyurl.com/37jx74)was a young boy, a fire destroyed his parents' home. His mother was distraught, because their family tree, dating back...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What is the meaning of the Hebrew word "Hanukkah"?
It also means "Chanu", in Hebrew "they rested" on "kah", the 25th of the month.
(In Hebrew, letters have numeric values.)
The festival of Chanu-ka or Hanukkah is celebrated on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. Since that's the day that the war against the Greek-Syrian army ended, it's the day the Jews "rested".
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
How big a percentage of the South African population is African/Black?
Almost 80%.
http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/demographics/population.htm
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
In accordance with Jewish faith, and in reference to "kosher" foods, is there a specific list of 'forbidden animals'?
It's easier to get a list of the "kosher" animals than the "forbidden", because there are fewer of them.
On the other hand, there are more "kosher" than "forbidden" bird species, so it's easier to find the list the other way.
Fish need fins and scales.
Please note, that while certain animals may be "technically" kosher, Jews...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What is the meaning and origin of the Russian surname "Abramovich"?
If I'm not mistaken, the "vich" suffix means "son of", which would make it the Russian equivalent of Abramson.
| 1 person likes this
Answer to:
What was Hitler's relationship like with Arabs?
He apparently had a good relationship with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Mohammed Amin al-Husayni.
You can read all about it on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Amin_al-Husayni#Nazi_ties_and_activities_during_World_War_II.
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
Who allowed the Jews to return from exile and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem
The first Temple was destroyted by the Babyllonians, under Nebuchadnezzar.
Some 70 years later, Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return and rebuild what we refer to as the Second Temple, which stood for 420 years, until the Romans destroyed it in the year 70.
(You can get info on this at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Temple_in_Jerusalem)
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Why did Pharoah have so much mercy on Joseph in the long run?
Firstly, because he interpreted the dreams that nobody else could interpret.
Secondly, because he devised a scheme which saved Egypt from the potential devastation of famine.
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Does God ever get sick?
It seems we get stuck in the "G-d in man's image" mentality, where we project human experience onto Him.
If you believe in G-d, you accept that He is omnipotent.
He MADE illness, but is not affected by it. He made it for finite beings, like us, as part of our life experience. His life experience is infinite, or simply different.
Imagine an artist painting a war scene and...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
Worshippers kiss the Wailing Western Wall in Jerusalem. Doesn't it ever get washed, cleaned, or sanitized in any way?
G-d Himself cleans it- every time it rains :)
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
Can the possession, use, or threatened use of nuclear weapons ever be justified, by any country, under any belief system or moral code?
I think everyone would agree that this is a highly sensitive subject, that needs a comprehensive analysis and discussion.
Firstly, from a Jewish perspective, war should be avoided at all costs. When a threat arises, countries should look for peaceful resolutiion (Deuteronomy 20:10 "When you approach a city to do battle with it you should call to it in peace. And if they respond in peace...
| 4 people like this
Answer to:
Why do Israelites call themselves Jews?
The original Hebrew term, Yehudi, comes from the Hebrew word "Hodeh", which means to admit or submit.
This name was adopted to refer to the Jewish people, to represent their submission to the will of G-d.
The original term "Israelites" was used in the early period of Jewish history. Jacob fathered 12 sons, who became the 12 tribes of Israel. Jacob's name was...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
How do Jewish people atone for sins?
Jews have a process called "Teshuvah". While many people glibly translate it as "repentance", the correct translation is "return". This underscores Judaism's belief that we are naturally good, and need to strive to return to that state.
Maimonides, the great redactor of Jewish law, describes the process. First, you must regret the sin. Second, you need to...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
According to the Jewish faith, what sort of proof will the messiah need to prove who he is when he returns?
As Jews, we don't believe that the Messiah will return, but that he will arrive to "save the world".
Maimonides, Judaism's legal authority on the matter, identifies the following "signs" (Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings Chapter 11):
He will have to be a direct descendant of King David.
He will be as knowledgable of Torah as King David had been and...
| 2 people like this
Answer to:
What are some of the characteristics of Jewish humour?
Jews have always been able to laugh at ourselves (because it's generally been too dangerous to laugh at anyone else).
| 5 people like this
Answer to:
What does the Torah teach?
The Hebrew word Torah is from the Hebrew to teach. So, the Torah is the guide for Jewish people to live by.
Interestingly, although Torah is a Jewish book, it also has generic life-lessons, that all people can learn from.
Torah is comprised of two parts, the "Written Torah" (a.k.a. Scripture, the Five books of Moses, Tanakh) and the "Oral Torah" (recorded in books such...
| 3 people like this
Answer to:
What is the Jewish position on Christians and Muslims? (Any aspect you choose, beliefs, fate etc. Points for citing reliable religious doctrine)
Judaism does not believe that there is only one way to approach G-d.
In fact, we understand that there are 70 major soul-families, each with its unique approach to the Divine.
As long as a person lives a moral life and seeks G-d, that person earns his or her place in "heaven".
Jewish thought defines this lifestyle as the Noahide Code, a set of seven guiding principles:
1)...
| 8 people like this
Your favorite Q&A site is on Facebook! Become a fan to connect with the ever-growing community of Answerbaggers, share your thoughts and find out what Answerbag's up to next!
