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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The Word of G-d
What can G-d’s Word be compared to? G-d’s Word is compared to a light (Psalms 119:105); it is also compared to a fire and a sledgehammer (Jeremiah 23:29).
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The Torah as the Source of Truth
Where does it say in the Bible that the Torah is a source of truth? Here are some Biblical quotes that refer to Torah as a source of truth: Malachi 2:6: “Torah of truth was in his mouth”; Psalms 119:142:…
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Redeeming First Born Males
Why do only male first born have to be redeemed? The sanctification of the first born (which is why they require redemption) can be regarded as a consequence of the Tenth Plague in Egypt, which killed all the Egyptian male…
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Redeeming First Born Donkeys
Why do first born donkeys have to be redeemed, but not firstborn of other nonkosher animals? It would seem that the laws of the first born should apply to all unclean animal species, not just to donkeys (see Num. 18:15);…
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Neutering Pets
Is neutering of pets forbidden? The Biblical prohibition of neutering (Lev. 22:24) applies to all species. The Talmudic sages disagreed as to whether it applies to both males and females (Tosefta Makkos 5:6). The accepted view is that "indirect" methods…
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Ephraim as the First Born
Why in Jeremiah 31:9 is Ephrayim referred to as G-d’s first born? Ephrayim wasn’t even Joseph’s first born; his brother Menasheh was. But in Ch.31 Jeremiah is prophesying that the Northern kingdom (the Kingdom of Israel) would return from exile…
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Tanach and Torah
What are the Tanach and the Torah? “Tanach” is a contraction for “Torah, Neviim, Kesuvim” – the three parts of the Bible (or as the Christians call it, the Old Testament). The first part, the Torah, contains the five books…
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The Eternal Torah
What does it mean that the Torah is "eternal?" The eternity of the Torah is the ninth of Maimonides’ 13 principles of the Jewish faith; see also the ninth stanza of the poem Yigdal. Maimonides emphasizes the aspect that we…
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Before the World Was Created
What things existed before the world was created? The Talmud (Pesachim 54a; Nedarim 39b) says that seven things were created before the world was created: The Torah; repentance; paradise; hell; G-d’s throne; the Temple; and the name of the Messiah.…