Rabbi Gershon Litt
121 answers
I am the Esecutive Director of the Norfolk Area Community Kollel, a Jewish
educational institution that services all of the Jewish organizations in
Hampton Roads. I have a wife, Sara, and three children.
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Naming a Torah Portion After Yitro
Why is such an important Torah Portion, where the 10 commandments are presented to the people at the Sinai, named after a polytheistic priest Yitro (Jethro)? Answer: Thanks for asking this great question. Yitro was not just a priest. He…
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Rebuilding of Jericho
I read the following” Joshua…declares that nobody shall ever rebuild Jericho, nor another city elsewhere called by that name nor one on the same site but with a new name .There is to be no monument to this first conquest,…
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Jews in Black Hats
What age do Orthodox Jewish men start wearing black hats? Is there a hard rule or is it down to custom? Answer: The hat is completely a custom and different groups wear different types of hats to reflect where they…
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Who are the Sages and Chazal?
Who and what are the Jewish sages? Answer: When we speak of our “Sages” we are referring to the great rabbis of previous generations. These rabbis were not like the rabbis of today. Today we have to struggle to understand…
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The Concept of Angels
Could you please help me to find out about the meaning of angels? Answer: Hi, Thanks for asking a fantastic question. The concept of angels in Judaism is very different than in other religions. I always start out by asking…
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Understanding the Sacrifice of Isaac
Can you direct me to any texts debating whether Abraham failed G-d’s test when he was willing to proceed with the sacrifice of Isaac? Answer: You will not find any real source material stating that Abraham failed the test because…
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Is the World Holy?
Did G-d create a holy world and does He want us to keep it holy or make it a holy place by our deeds? Answer: Thanks for the great question. When Hashem created the world he created it with the…
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Why Pray? Why Repent? Why not?
What motivation is there to really repent and be worried on the high holy days, I mean I’ve survived for years without praying a word so why start now? I’m not looking for a drawn out idea of how beautiful…
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What is the Service of the Heart?
The Talmud in Ta’anit 2a teaches that the service of the heart is prayer. But how does one knows its prayer? When I think of service of the heart for example I think of all my whole being acting, according to…