Basics of Judaism
- Basic Values and Morality
- Chosen People
- G-d and Torah
- Heaven and Hell
- Other Denominations
- Reward and Punishment
- Science and Torah
- Sin and Repentance
- The Messiah
- Who is a Jew?
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Moses, Free Choice, and Hitting the Rock
G-d tells Moses in Egypt that he will not be going in to Israel. Only later on did he commit the sin of hitting the rock, and the nation is told he will not be going into Israel. Was Moses…
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G-d’s Name in Plural
What is the correct translation for Job 35:10 ‘My Maker’, ‘ Our Maker’, or Makers? After searching the internet I crossed some other verses like Kohelet 12:1 where the word Creator is plural. Is this true or false? Isn’t there…
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Diversity and Multiculturalism
I am seeking biblical text that describes the Jewish view of diversity and multiculturalism. I assume there’s some information that discusses the importance of respecting those from other cultures. Answer: This is a subject of such complexity that I couldn’t…
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Social Responsibility vs. Visiting Israel
My dilemma is choosing between a trip of a lifetime to Israel with my class which will help my growth with my education and my Judaism or staying home and attending my cheerleading practices so I do not let my team…
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What is a Tzadik?
I’ve learned that only Joseph and Noah are called Tzaddikim – the term for “righteous.”, in the entire Torah. What is the similarity in the way they completed their missions for Hashem that allows them both to have this title?…
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Reading the Torah With Your Own Assumptions
The story of how Hagar was sent out is terrible. With only one thing of water, in the desert, with a child? If that happened today, it would be considered abusive, right? Also, the story of the sacrifice of Isaac. That…
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Five Levels of the Soul
What are the five levels of the soul? Answer: Nefesh is the lowest level, call it the animal level, the level which animates and gives function to the body. Neshama is the third level, call it the human level. (I’ll…
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Mass Murder in the Torah
The Torah is filled with stories of the early Jews making war on the various locals as they enter the “promised land”, and killing every man, woman, and child in a given village. In some cases they even killed the…
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Torah Sanctioned Slavery and Morality
Why did the Torah permit slavery even if the system was better than the prevailing practice? Answer: Forgive me for writing so briefly about such an important issue. I have, by the way, dealt with a similar question in an…