Reward and Punishment
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Angry With G-d
I cannot forgive G-d for the pain He has caused me over my mother’s lengthy and very painful death. This is what I am asking advice on. Answer: Sorry it’s taken so long to get to your important question. I…
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Animals and Immortality
Do animals experience eternity at any level including animals that fulfilled their mission in this world? Answer: There are essentially two categories that govern all of creation: the spiritual and the physical. Angels are entirely spiritual, animals are entirely physical.…
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Obituary for the Living
My daughter has been assigned to interview a living person and write that living person’s obituary! I was horrified when I heard of this assignment. She feels it is “creepy’ and I feel it is in some way against Jewish…
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Loss of a Child
My son died more than a year ago. He suffered for a long time – many years – and my life was forever changed. I eroded emotionally. I watched my son suffer through horrible pain. I know that he is…
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Why does G-d need us to serve Him?
Why does G-d need us to serve Him? What is the actual purpose of creation? Answer: Your question addresses a complex, yet fundamental, concept in Judaism. R’ Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (aka RaMCHaL) in his work, *Derech Hashem* (The Way of…
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Always Be Thankful
How does one in good conscience give thanks for the good fortune and bounty of one’s life if they were gained historically through the pain suffering and misfortune of others? Answer: Thanks for asking this great question. We live on…
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6 Million Kedoshim
Please define the term Kedoshim in reference to the memory of the six million who died in the holocaust. Answer: Kedoshim means sanctified ones. Meaning that one who dies because he or she is Jewish is sanctified to an extremely…
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The Fate of a Suicide
Recently, a friend of mine committed suicide. Has he sealed his fate? What does Torah teach on this matter? Please be brutally honest. Answer: I’m afraid that I’m in no position to give you an complete description of the religious…
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Knowing and Trusting God
If God is essentially unknowable, then how do we know that He is a merciful God? Given the history of the 20th century, this belief is surely counter-intuitive. Is it based on “Trust” or “faith”? If so, what is the…