http://www.jewishanswers.org The Ultimate Ask-the-Rabbi Service Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:05:03 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Question: When I was reading Numbers 22 - 24 I had a hard time understanding Balaam's position. Was he a son of G-d or a False prophet? What is Balaam's history and how can I understand his position? Answer: Balaam was a Gentile prophet. The Talmud explains that his prophecy was ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3285/balaam/ Question: Why do we cover our eyes with our right hand while saying the Shema prayer ? Why not during the second line of "Baruch Shem Kavod..." ? Answer: Covering our eyes during the recitation of Shema is one of those things that we do at least twice every day, and ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3414/coverered-eyes-during-the-shema-prayer/ Question: Was Abraham the first Jew? Was he a Convert? Answer: You are asking a great question. In Jewish tradition, Abraham is indeed considered the very first Jew. This title is bestowed on him for he was the first person in the world to arrive, on his own, to a recognition ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3415/abraham-first-jew-convert/ Question: I would like to speak to a youth group about graffiti in the Jewish religion. Is it a frowned upon form of art in the Jewish religion? Answer: Thank you for your excellent question. There are many volumes of the Talmud speaking of the laws of torts and damages, mostly ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3362/jewish-view-of-graffiti/ Question: Who actually writes the Haftorah portions? Answer: From the time that God gave the Torah to the Jews about 3300 years ago, and throughout the time that the Jews lived in the Land of Israel, until about 2400 years ago when the Jews were exiled, there were prophets - people ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3395/authors-of-the-haftorah-portions/ Question: What really happened at Sinai? Did G-d actually speak? Did G-d really dictate every word of Torah verbatim? Please tell me what you think. Answer: It is certainly a primary element of my Torah faith that G-d actually was heard by the entire nation (though among Midrashic sources there is ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3400/is-the-torah-for-real/ Question: I want to teach my students about body piercings and tattoos from a Torah perspective in a way that they will be receptive. If you have any suggestions please let me know. Answers: Jewish law does prohibit the application of tattoos (see Vayikra. 19, 28; Gemara Makkos, 21a; Shulchan Aruch, ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3388/piercings/ Question: I love the Jewish people, and I have recently discovered that I might be Jewish. I wonder then, why has my life been so difficult, why have I been unsuccessful. Why has it been, and still ism such a struggle every day if I am Jewish? I hear ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3386/jews-and-success/ Question: How can Hashem be all knowing and let us have free will? If the future is known to him, are we really making our own decisions? Answer: This is an excellent, and complex, question. Let me add another question: Why, and how, can we exist? After all, G-d fills the ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-2788/free-will-when-g-d-knows-what-you-will-choose/ Question: I have recently been assigned to complete a project on Hasidic Judaism. I have several questions on the subject I would like to ask; the main queries being (1) what are the rules of membership, (2) what is the interaction within itself and with the general population including how ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-2909/hasidic-life-today/ Question: I've been reading up on Jewish history and was wondering if any Israelites displaced by the Assyrians were welcomed into Judah as refugees as Judah seems to have remained unscathed for the next 150 years or so. Answer: I don't have any evidence that refugees from the Ten Tribes found ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3365/refugees-from-the-ten-tribes/ Question: I know we cannot want someone else's things, but i really like this boy who already has a girlfriend. What is the proper way to deal with a situation like this? Answer: You are correct to phrase your question "we cannot want..." because, in fact, even the simple desire for ... http://www.jewishanswers.org/ask-the-rabbi-3259/wanting-someone-elses-boyfriend/