Miscellaneous
-
Joshua, Jericho, and the Sabbath
In the Book of Joshua, when the Jewish people were surrounding the walls of the city and marching and blowing trumpets, etc. for eight days, what happened to the Sabbath (during which time Jews are prohibited from carrying in public…
-
Is G-d Really a “He”?
A very literate Jew I know continually refers to G-d as a “He”. Why not refer to G-d as a “She”? G-d, being non-physical, is gender neutral (i.e. neither a “he” nor “she”). However, proper rules of grammatical etiquette employs…
-
Inner vs. Outer Focus
I have seen the following referenced: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” Who said this and what does it mean? This…
-
Pre-destination
What is the stand of Judaism on pre-destination? To me, accurate predictions by the Hebrew Prophets is a sign that everything good or bad was pre-destined by God. G-d is not limited by time. In fact, God invented time when…
-
Can a Person Stop Being a Jew?
What is a Jew? Can a Jew ever lose that status and under what circumstances? Can a Jew be an adherent of another religion? A Jew is someone who is born to a Jewish mother or who has a proper…
-
The Rabin Assasination and Jewish Law
I have read that there are those who believe that the killing of the former Israeli Prime Minister (Mr. Yitzchak Rabin) was justified because he was in the category of a “Rodef” (i.e. a “pursuer” – someone whom it is…
-
Ayin Hara
What is an Ayin Hara (evil eye)? Why would G-d “lower” someone because another is covetous towards them? When someone is covetous of you, it does not mean that you are “lowered.” It means that G-d considers the other person’s…
-
Inspiration from the Torah
What are some of the most inspirational quotes from the Torah? It is hard to explain what parts of Torah inspire. To me, every word inspires. I think of it as a letter from God. When we pray we talk…