Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld
8 answers
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Secret of the Seven Rounds
Why do we march with the Torah on the Simchas Torah holiday seven times and why does the bride walk around the groom seven times? Answer: Good question! In general, we find many patterns of seven in the Torah. The…
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Drowning of Armies
I read a quote in a book that ran something like this, “The work of my hands is being drowned in the sea, and you want to sing songs?!” This quote was attributed simply to the Talmud without further information.…
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Business Values
What does the Torah tell us about honesty in business dealings? Are there any guiding principles for Jews in honest business dealings? The Jerusalem Talmud (Bava Metzia 2:5) states it powerfully (what follows is a free translation): Rabbi Shimon ben…
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Islam and Judaism
What is the difference between Judaism and Islam? Thank you for your question. Judaism and Islam have many things in common. For example, we have the same idea about God (Allah); and we have the similar ideas regarding giving charity,…
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Famine in the Land
In Genesis 43:11, Jacob told his sons to take honey, lotus, nuts and other things to give to the Viceroy of Egypt (who was, unbeknownst to Jacob at the time, Joseph). Now, if there was a famine in the land,…
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Forgiving the Horrors of the Third Reich
Do I still have to apologize for the things that happened during the Third Reich? Isn’t there something like forgiveness within your religion? People who keep on bugging someone with the things he has done, beyond apologies are considered as…