40 Comments

  1. Good day! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after
    going through some of the posts I realized it’s new to me.
    Regardless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking it and checking back regularly!

      • “No man cometh to the father except by me”

  2. In the whole scheme of things it doesn’t matter if you are cremated or buried because it is the soul that lives on and continues to be reborn after each of our pysical lives expire. What’s important is how we live our life. Positive or negative. Since it’s creation, our soul’s purpose is to learn specific lessons suited to it’s own destiny, to grow, to spread love and compassion to our fellow man ; to evolve in a positive direction until it finally achieves a state of enlightenment or one with God. What’s important is to stay true to your soul which is your true self and listen to what it tells you not what your brain or ego tells you. No point worrying about what happens to our bodies once they expire or how we die. Our soul is our true self and never dies.

    • No such thing as reincarnation . we get one soul , one lifetime . God wouldn’t wait until the Earth has about 1,500 years before it dies to send The Messiah . God wants everybody to make it into Heaven so why not send the Messiah thousands of years ago in order that all people may be saved and enter the Kingdom of God ? If there is no heaven or hell then why follow the law , why get married ? If there is no punishment for sin as in Hell why have any laws?

    • According to Judaism, cremation is not an option. The intense pain and hurt that the soul experiences during cremation is beyond words. G-D gave each person a body upon birth and it’s to be returned, upon death ..back into the earth. Cremation is total abhorrence and disrespect to G-D .

    • We are all operating on recycled energy.

  3. I regularly attend shul through livestream. I have become a member of that shul’s streaming community through youtube and facebook interaction. I have even attended Shabbat services there, once.

    I’m not Jewish. I don’t pretend to be, either. I love Shabbat services… they really speak to my soul.

    The community knows I’m not Jewish. I still sing, and pray with these lovely people. I am seen and welcomed. A Rabbi that I am acquainted with, online described me as “Jewish adjacent”. I have seen wildly varying definitions for this term, can you tell me what it means to you?

    • Hi Bill,
      It sounds like you have a genuine Jewish Soul but your community keeps you at arm’s distance. People to this day are so stuck on ‘If your mother is jewish’ then you’re ‘in’… When we include everyone, then we expand our family and our knowledge. Keep enjoying and learning. There are many beautiful traditions in Judaism that are really not about just Religion and Genes.

  4. Shalom. While I realize that monetary consideration keeps food on all tables, so to speak, I am ready for formal conversion but cannot afford the registration. I am a disabled senior barely able to put food on my table; formal conversion seemed important to me, particularly, as I age and my health continues to decline. I am, however, confident in my decision and continue to study online every day and follow what I understand to be traditions and expectations required of me in my faith. I have identified as Jewish for many years, but of late, I have been compelled to study comprehensively, which has restored my faith and given me peace in what I believe to be my final days or years. Because my logical mind cannot fathom G_D rejecting my dedicated commitment because of finances, I can only presume that to identify as Jewish is, actually, between me and Hashem who knows all things. Am I blatently incorrect on this?

    Todah for your consideration of reply, and Shabbat Shalom

    • Hello Sher…
      You are absolutely correct. Monetary value should not preclude you from being Jewish in any community. This is why we have a Tzedacca. Many Congregations these days are turning to a more relaxed platform for Membership Dues. It should be based on ‘Intrinsic Value’, meaning that if all you could afford after taking care of yourself, is $5.00, then so be it. There should never be a Heirarchy over each other based on their abilities to pay more. Hopefully, this does not diminish the light you have between you and Ha’Shem.

  5. Could you please help us get the opinion of a Non-Chabad Rabbi on the following:

    I am having a dispute with a popular ideologue named Claire Khaw who advances an ideology which she has created called “Secular Koranism”. The premise is that all one need do is exact the laws found in the Koran, with no need to believe in god.

    Because the Koran does not specifically command that idolaters and blasphemers be punished, Secular Koranism does not forbid these. Nor does it require belief in god.

    We sent our dispute to http://www.asknoah.org and here was there response:

    https://asknoah.org/wp-content/uploads/rebuttal-of-claims-that-secular-koranism-is-noahide-compliant.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1umUUj_Sl1YKKaluJNN3CMlNzqpv3LonKeMP7KfjlFdhmdqYP21x2qvk8

    Claire thinks a non-Chabad Rabbi will give a different answer because if you read the letter the Rabbi implied that Islam would not be Noahide compliant but only non-Idolatrous, while other Non-Chabad Rabbis through the centuries have declared it to be Noahide compliant.

    Claire is accusing Chabad of ruling against Secular Koranism being not Noahide because they are biased against Islam and have not declared it Noahide. This is because under some Noahide theories you cannot make a “new religion”.

    The Rabbi also stated that because the Koran does not forbid idolatry or blasphemy, that the Koran itself is not Noahide compliant, however he did not rule that Islam proper is NOT Noahide compliant because Islam usually forbids idolatry and blasphemy. Claire uses this against the Rabbis by stating that other Rabbis have declared Islam to be Noahide, and Islam is based on the Koran, so the Koran should be Noahide compliant, and so she is challenging the Rabbi.

    Is it possible to find a Rabbi who DOES believe Islam is Noahide compliant who can answer the following questions:

    Is Islam Noahide Compliant?
    Is The Koran Noahide Compliant?
    Is Secular Koranism Noahide Compliant?

    Thank You,
    Vincent

  6. Shalom Rabbi, I have two questions, I have been told there are “levels” in heaven. In that the Garden was a level of heaven called “paradise”. But not the ultimate presence of G-D. Can you enlighten me? Question two: From what I read and understand, the “Holy of Holies” within the “Tabernacle” of Exodus/ Leviticus could only be entered by the high priest and only on Yom Kippur. .As the Israelites were on the move for 40 years how did the Tabernacle/ HofH keep up with them? If the priest (and only the priest) could enter and touch the “Holy of Holy(ies)”; and only once a year. How was it transported? And was it moved only once a year? If the Tabernacle could only be moved once a year, and only a specific distance (under the law), it seems that it would have taken more than 40 years. Thank you for your input. Shalom…Don Ference

  7. why do some jews not believe that G-D is one in jewish belief?

  8. I have a question: Does Yahweh disdain cremation?

    • I don’t know myself, but I was raised thinking cremation was wrong. I’d like to know what most Jewish people think, but I would think they too frown on it. I will respect whatever the rabbi says though!

      • For Thanksgiving this evening GOD OUR CREATOR came to mind!
        Any religious philosophy that helps us follow Natural Laws and Golden Rule will probably win reentry into heaven. Most important is to love GOD, love others as ourselves and give from our substance rather than just from our surplus.
        Some of us have more than needed BUT IF POSSIBLE would give away much of it just to have some better health. When our earthly lives are done then ALL will be exactly the same with just a little bit of difference: Humankind has inequalities……IN HEAVEN THE LAST WILL BE FIRST AND THE FIRST WILL BE LAST. How?….Because Holy Scriptures refer to Arch Angels who are the same yet have some added rank. Therefore; those who suffer most or do most or give most cab become first among equals. What good is it to have so much…..only to lose our soul away from our CREATOR. I am a Catholic Christian Zionist

  9. Why were the Jewish Ghettos only temporary?

  10. B”H Shalom Rabbi
    The saying “knowledge is power” is incomplete.
    Most people would know how to make profit in shares.
    That is;
    Buy shares at $1/- then sell at $11/-

    But who can do that?
    The majority had done the reverse meaning bought at high price
    but forced to dispose at low price due to panic selling.

    Thus Knowledge is power only when applied meaning
    Applied knowledge is power!

    Still not convince?
    If knowledge is power, how come librarians are not powerful?

  11. I have a question, please: Moses grew up in the Pharaoh’s palace. Did he have a tutor? Did he learn any worldly sciences? Did he attend any school?

  12. Are jewish men allowed to keep their beards in the work field

  13. give some lines on judiasim

  14. I refer to Jews as a race. I know it is a religion also, but considering through the mother line, one is also ‘born’ Jewish.
    Am I right or wrong: can one describe Jews as a race ???

    • Like everything in Judaism, the answer is yes and no.
      If you check the Torah carefully focusing on who the original Jews were, you will notice they were not all from the same tribe or race. A lot of people were converts into the religion of Abraham, but most of them were from the Levant, similar DNA, therefore from that point of view, yes it could be a race, but notice that in posterior emigrations of Jews, mostly to central Europe, most of the emigrees were male and married local women who converted into the religion and their descendants are European. So, from this perspective it is not a race ‘per se’, but a religion. Also look at the physical characteristics of Jews form China, Jews from India, Jews from Ethiopia, they all look respectively like the people of China, India, Ethiopia, etc.
      We are not a specific race, but still, a lot of middle east genes flow in our veins from the initial lot.

    • where you live
      you know i am shree

    • ) Were you born into Judaism or did you convert?
      2) Is there a certain sect of Judaism you identify with? (ex. reform)
      3) A brief history of your time in the religion?
      4) What do you enjoy most about your religion?
      5) How does your faith impact your personal values?
      6) Do you practice your religion differently than your parents?
      7) Would you be willing to marry someone of another faith?
      8) How do YOU define God?
      9) What are some of your favorite Jewish holidays or traditions?
      10) Have you or someone you’ve known ever been discriminated against because of your religious views?

  15. Are the Ten Commandments meant to be binding to non-Jews, or are they just part of the covenant? And if so, is the covenant with Noah more applicable? Thank you.

    • The 10 commandments are not binding on non-Jews. From a Jewish perspective, we believe that all humans are the children of G-d. And as a non-Jew, there are seven laws that G-d expects you to observe. If you master and observe these laws, regardless of which religion you belong to, then you would be rewarded with eternal life after death!

      The seven laws are as follows:
      Do not eat the limb of a living animal
      Do not curse G-d
      Do not steal
      Follow the justice system of the land you live in
      Do not murder
      Do not worship idols or multiple gods
      Do not have forbidden sexual relations

  16. What is the Jewish position on whether or not Pontius Pilate assigned a group of soldiers to guard Jesus’ tomb? Do Jews generally believe Pilate did, do they believe Pilate didn’t, or do Jews generally just don’t know whether he did or not? And is Matthew 28:13-15 accurate, at least where it implies that it “is commonly reported among the Jews until this day” that the soldiers said Jesus’ “disciples came by night, and stole him away while” the guards slept? I’m just trying to figure out how credible the New Testament account is, from a Jewish perspective.

  17. Which books in the bible do Jewish people consider the most important and why?

  18. I understand halachic judaism has a problem with zionism and the state of israel. how does one deal with this?

  19. thanks much

  20. thx for the info

  21. I are relges jewish people allowed to listen to women sing

    • In general, the Torah seems to acknowledge the real danger that men could come to objectify women (it can happen the other way too, but it’s probably less common). Along these lines, the Torah has many rules which regulate the interaction between men and women, and some of these restrictions only apply to men. One such rule is the prohibition for a man to hear a woman sing. In contrast, a woman is permitted to hear a man sing. As such, while religiously observant men generally do not have the opportunity to enjoy a Broadway musical, many religiously observant women to get to enjoy such productions (provided that the content is appropriate).

  22. Exactly what the world needs!

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