LifeCycle Events
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Polygamy
When was polygamy abolished for Jews? Polygamy was abolished for European Jews about 1000 years ago by a decree issued by R.Gershom of Mayence, who was the major European Rabbinical authority of that generation. It was never abolished for other…
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Accidentally Causing a Miscarriage
How is a person punished of he accidentally causes a woman to miscarry? Answer: The Midrash Mechilta explains the passage in Ex.21:22-23 as follows: If the mother lives, the person who caused the miscarriage pays a fine of 100 pieces…
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When Abortion is Permitted
Does Jewish law permit abortion? Since life begins at conception, abortion isn’t permitted even at the early stages of pregnancy. However, it’s permitted to kill someone in self-defense. Jewish law therefore permits abortion if carring the child to term would…
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A Woman Selling her Eggs
Can a Jewish woman sell her eggs to a non-Jewish couple? The child born from a Jewish woman’s egg may be Jewish, and it’s not allowed to turn a Jewish child over to non-Jews.
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Cremation and Embalming
Can a Jew be cremated? Can he be embalmed? The Torah requires burial; see Deut.21:23, which tells us that even executed criminals must be buried. Disposing of a body in any other way, including cremation, is regarded as desecration of…
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Remarrying a Divorced Wife
Can a man re-marry his divorced wife? A man can’t re-marry his divorced wife if she married anyone else after he divorced her, and that person either died or divorced her too; see Deut.24:1-4.
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The Reason for Circumcision
Why is circumcision of men required? We can only speculate about the reasons for the Commandments, but it has been suggested that male circumcision reduces sexual desire, which is often hard to control.
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A Bris Being Done in the Day
Why must a bris be done in the daytime? The Talmud derives this from the extra “vav” in Lev. 12:3 (AND on the eighth day…): Even a bris that is not done on the eighth day must still be done…