Rabbi Azriel Schreiber
855 answers
Whenever possible, JewishAnswers.org tries to include the name of the author on every post. However, at certain times, we make significant changes to the answers posted. In that case, we will often sign the post with our generic “pen name” – Rabbi Azriel Schreiber. This “pen name” may also be used when a writer declines to have his name published.
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Idolatry
What is idolatry? An idolator is someone who believes that some person or thing, other than G-d Himself, is divine or is an intermediary between G-d and us. Thinking very highly of oneself, or being arrogant, resembles idolatry in some…
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Islam
Are Muslims idolators? Muslims believe in G-d, and don’t worship anything else, so they aren’t idolators; but they believe that Mohammed was the last and greatest prophet.
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Mixtures of Wool and Linen
Why are mixtures of wool and linen forbidden? The laws of Kilayim are “arbitrary” laws (chukim) that have no “logical” rationales. In his Moreh Nevuchim, Maimonides suggests that mixtures of wool and linen may have once been used in garments…
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Baptism
Do the Jews practice baptism? Immersion in water is a traditional Jewish purification process; the Christian practice of baptism is probably based on this Jewish practice.
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Conversion
How is a person converted to Judaism? Conversions are performed by a Rabbinical court. The prospective convert must be immersed, and if he is a man, he must be circumcised. He (or she) must accept Judaism out of sincere conviction,…
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Renouncing Judaism
Can a Jew renounce Judaism? Nothing can change a Jew’s status – not even conversion to another religion. A Jew remains a Jew no matter what he does to repudiate Judaism. If a gentile becomes a sincere convert to Judaism,…
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Haircuts
What is the Jewish view about haircuts? Nazirites of either sex are forbidden to cut their hair (Num.Ch.6); this implies that cutting the hair was the normal practice. The Kohanim were forbidden to either grow their hair very long or…
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Circumcision and Judaism
Is an uncircumcised person regarded as non-Jewish? Circumcision is a “classical” Jewish practice dating back to Abraham, and the prophets drew strong contrasts between the Jews and their uncircumcised neighbors, but it doesn’t define Judaism. Jews don’t circumcise boys who…
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Female Circumcision
Does the Torah require female circumcision? The Torah is quite explicit that only males are to be circumcised (Gen. 17:10). Female circumcision is practiced in some cultures, but it is not mentioned in the traditional Jewish sources; it would therefore…