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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Donating Your Body To Science
What does Judaism say about donating your body to science? In discussing a question of this importance, we should not be influenced by carious “beliefs” and “interpretations” that have been thought up by various individuals throughout our history. We must…
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Burying a Person By Sundown
What is the reason behind the law that Jews must be buried by sundown the next day? There is no actual law that Jews must be buried by sundown the next day, although the custom is to bury the deceased…
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Tanach and Torah
What are the Tanach and the Torah? “Tanach” is a contraction for “Torah, Neviim, Kesuvim” – the three parts of the Bible (or as the Christians call it, the Old Testament). The first part, the Torah, contains the five books…
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The Eternal Torah
What does it mean that the Torah is "eternal?" The eternity of the Torah is the ninth of Maimonides’ 13 principles of the Jewish faith; see also the ninth stanza of the poem Yigdal. Maimonides emphasizes the aspect that we…
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Before the World Was Created
What things existed before the world was created? The Talmud (Pesachim 54a; Nedarim 39b) says that seven things were created before the world was created: The Torah; repentance; paradise; hell; G-d’s throne; the Temple; and the name of the Messiah.…
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The Purpose of Humans in the World
What is the purpose of human beings in this world? The purpose of human beings in this world is to serve G-d. This is clearly specified in the very first paragraph of the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 1:1). It is…
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The Value of Life
What is the Jewish view about the value of human life? The view can be found in Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5: "Man was created singly to teach us that anyone who destroys one person is regarded as if he had destroyed…
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Animal Souls
Do animals have souls? Animals and humans have many similarities, but they also have many differences; in particular, we believe that animals have no souls. This belief is derived from sources such as scriptural passages, not from logical arguments. The…
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The Salt of a Covenant
What is the meaning of "salt" in connection with a covenant? Using salt (or bread and salt) to "seal" a treaty or agreement was an ancient practice in many cultures. Since salt is used to preserve food, associating it with…