Jewish,Synagogue,Torah,Judaism,Kosher Blog » Ask the Rabbi

Head-covering and Shaving

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:24:05 +0000

Question: What is the reason Jewish men cover their head. Should Jewish men not shave their face? Answer: Jewish men cover their head as a way of reminding them to be aware of G-d watching them always. Women, who are naturally more spiritual, don’t need this constant reminder. While it is considered a Jewish attribute to have a beard and it is very much preferred according to Kabbalah, there is no obligation to have one. One cannot shave with a razor, however -only a shaver. (A razor destroys the hair at its root while a shaver is merely like close scissors) One may also not use a shaver above where one’s jaw is connected to one’s cheekbone (about halfway up the ear, if you swallow a bone will pop out.) and above going to one’s temple area. Those are the parameters set by Jewish law. Rabbi Meir Goldberg Rutgersjx.com

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Head-covering and Shaving

Waters in the Sky at Creation

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:55:54 +0000

Question: Please explain when God created the earth what it means when it is described as “Let there be a dome in the middle of the water; let it divide the water under the dome from the water above the dome; that is how it was, and God called the dome Sky.” Not an exact quote but, I think you get the idea. Thank you. Answer: The waters above and below the firmamant/sky/dome ( Rakia in Hebrew) is one of the areas where G-d has given us very little information and has left us guessing, essentially. In the beginning all was chaos, and the water which spread to everything was also chaos. G-d organized everything, including the waters, and separated the waters leaving a Rakia in between from which we have the sky above our world. The Jewish sage Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, Nachmanides) says the idea of separating means a separation of the physical, meaning the entire Universe, from the spiritual, but man cannot really comprehend this. Good question, Eliahu Levenson

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Waters in the Sky at Creation

Waters in the Sky at Creation

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:55:54 +0000

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Waters in the Sky at Creation

Who worships the dust of their feet?

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:30:21 +0000

Question: I have read that Jewish literature describes the Arabs that visited Abraham as having worshiped the dust of their feet. Do you know if this is to be taken literally? Is there any such religion to our knowledge that worshiped the dust? Answer: Well, first of all, the part about them being “Arabs” is probably not literal, as Ishmael (the ancestor of the race we now know as Arabs) was only 13 years old at that time – and hardly old enough to have children the apparent age of the angels who appeared to Abraham and Lot. As far as actual worship of the dust of people’s feet, I took a quick Internet search and discovered that Hindus actually worship the dust of the feet of one of their gods (and have rather elaborate explanations as to why, and what other applications that might have). From that, I don’t imagine that it’s too much of a stretch to find people worshiping the dust of their own feet. I have a friend whose wife is a convert from Sri Lanka. She once told me that, when she was younger (and before she was Jewish), she was an airline stewardess. On the arrival of one flight to Nepal, local people actually sacrificed a full-grown bull to the airplane! As a general rule: if it exists, someone, somewhere probably worships it! I hope this has been helpful. With my best regards, Rabbi Boruch Clinton

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Who worships the dust of their feet?

Diversity and Multiculturalism

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:11:06 +0000

Question: 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 possibly do it justice in a few short paragraphs. Nevertheless, I’ll certainly try to offer some introductory ideas. While there are clear Biblical sources requiring respect, protection and support for “strangers” living within Jewish communities (Levit. 25:35), it wouldn’t be honest to equate them with any modern definition of “multiculturalism”, as Torah law actually only extends those protections to non-Jews or converts who share our basic world-view. And, while robust legal protection (see Shulchan Aruch Yore Deah 348) is extended even to idolaters (who dwell, in the Torah’s hierarchy of merit, on the very lowest rung), that can hardly be considered “cultural respect.” If anything, the Torah’s preference for cultural isolation has more often led to a policy of exclusion – sometimes even violent (Deut. 20:11 et. al.). Still, the legal or moral prescription appropriate for one particular historical situation is not necessarily similarly fitted to another. There have been times in which moral differences between Jews and their neighbors are overlooked so that common interests can be cheerfully and lovingly pursued. An obvious case in point would be the productive relationship between King Solomon and the Tyrian-Phoenician king, Hiram (I Kings 5: 15 et. al.). Was Solomon’s effort contradictory with historical precedent? I doubt it. Rather, choosing an appropriate approach for a particular generation and community is less the result of explicit Biblical passages than of the subtle assessment of the relationship between risk and benefit played against a tapestry made up of the entire corpus of Torah literature. If, as in Solomon’s case, the Jews find themselves in a position of cultural strength, or, as in the case of contemporary Jews throughout much of the Western World, we are in any case heavily integrated with larger general communities, then managed association and careful, sincere mutual respect are appropriate. I know this is far from a complete treatment of the subject, but I hope that it will be of some use. With my best regards, Rabbi Boruch Clinton

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Diversity and Multiculturalism

Praying for Children

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:29:02 +0000

Question: Could a woman, who underwent a hysterectomy, continue to pray to Hashem (G-d) to grant her children if she still desires to pray for it? Answer: Prayers are very delicate and powerful tools. Among other things, they impress upon the one praying important lessons about his relationship with God. Perhaps for reasons like this, the Rabbis (Talmud Brachos) prohibited praying for occurrences possible only through miracles (Leah’s request that her unborn son should become a girl – Genesis 30:21 with Rashi’s commentary – being an exception due to her unique righteousness). Miracles do happen, of course, but we may not actively pray for them. Question: When I pray for children is it presumed that they are only biological ones, or could it include adopted ones? Answer: I think that whatever you have in mind is what counts. Question: Do I pray the prayers for the welfare of biological children the same way as for adopted children? Answer: Absolutely. They are yours and you have the full responsibility to see them grow to healthy maturity! With best wishes, Rabbi Boruch Clinton

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Praying for Children

Kaddish for a Non-Jewish Parent

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:26:41 +0000

Question: Since I converted to Judiasm from Islam, I often wonder (since my father has been ill) that in the event of their passing, how do I pray for them (as they are Muslim) when I would normally recite Kaddish for a Jew? Answer: Thank you for your question. One of today’s greatest authorities on Jewish law, Rabbi Ovadya Yosef Shlit”a (Yichaveh Daas Vol.6 Siman 60) discusses this issue in his written Responsa, and states that there is nothing wrong with a convert saying Kaddish for a non-Jewish parent, as long as that person was a moral and upstanding person that one would admire and respect. Take care, Rabbi Aaron Tendler

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Kaddish for a Non-Jewish Parent

Use of Metaphor in the Bible

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:18:40 +0000

Question: Why does the Bible say that Wisdom does this or does that- as if Wisdom and not God does it? Why don’t they say God does this or does that? I’m thinking of Proverbs 9 and Sanhedrin 38a: “Wisdom has built her house… hewn out her seven pillars (the 7 days of creation)… etc. It’s disturbing. Why do they do this? Answer: The answer is remarkably simple. We ALREADY know God does everything. But God is a King and employs delegates to accomplish His acts. One of God’s (distinguished) delegates is wisdom. So the statement “Wisdom built her house…” really means “God built the house using the attribute of wisdom.” There is important information here. By advising us that God built the house through wisdom we are advised that the house be well built and stable. The description of inanimate things as human is called PERSONIFICATION . It is a literary technique that is very powerful and facilitates communication. Here is another simple example. In Ps45 we are told “My heart simmers a good speech.” Now the HEART does not create speech; the BRAIN does. The same logic applies. We ALREADY know that the Brain creates good speech. But by saying the HEART creates it we are indicating the emotional enthusiasm of the speech. Not all speeches increase heart rate. But a really punchy speech does increase heart rate. By saying “MY HEART simmers a good speech” I am advising how good the speech is—it is the type of speech that increases heart rate. I think these two examples show the power of personification. It enables POWERFUL PICTURESQUE communication with MORE DETAILS and ONLY A FEW MORE WORDS . This is in fact how you should read the Bible. Finally I cite the great legal codifier, Rambam, who in his laws of FOUNDATIONS OF RELIGION Chapter 1 explains “God does not have a hand or foot or heart of mind. But when the Bible says Gods MIGHTY HAND the Bible is using picturesque language which facilitates communication.” Using the above-mentioned tools you can get a whole new perspective on the Bible and its study. Russell Jay Hendel

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Use of Metaphor in the Bible

Torah, Talmud and Kabbalah – What’s What?

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:17:34 +0000

Question: I am so confused. I don’t understand which version of the bible is the Jewish version? I am also confused with the Torah, Talmud and Kabbalah. What’s what? Does one come from another? Who authored them? I am sure that these questions may be construed as ignorant but I am lost in a midst of translations, words, chronology and origins… Perhaps you can clarify for me so I at least may start my journey with this basic understanding. Answer: I’ll try to give a short explanation. In the year 1312 B.C.E. G-d gave the written Torah (Five books of Moses, in Hebrew. English translations made by non Jews, such as the King James version, contain many mistakes. For a great translation buy the Artscoll Stone Edition ) and oral Torah to the Jews at Mt. Sinai. The written Torah is extremely vague in almost all of it’s laws and gives little detail. For example, the Torah states, do not murder. What about euthanasia? How about abortion? How about if someone is trying to kill you, can you defend yourself by killing the attacker? The Torah states that you must slaughter animals “In the manner I have prescribed”, yet no where in the rest of the Torah does it say how slaughter was prescribed. The Torah states that on Sukkot “you shall take a nice fruit”. How did we arrive at an Etrog, a citron? There are numerous other ways of proving the need for and correctness of the oral law. See here for a few more. The written Torah is like the notes one takes at a lecture. Only one who has attended the lecture can understand it. The oral Torah is the entire lecture. As to why G-d did this, there are numerous reasons. Among them was to ensure that the Torah always be studied. If everything was contained in the written Torah, it would not be studied too much because it would only be used when it was necessary to know something (much the same way nobody studies the phone book). As time went on it became too difficult to remember everything in the written Torah, so Rabbi Yehuda the Prince wrote the Mishna in the year 180 (approximately). The Mishna is the basic outline of the oral transmission, but it is cryptic enough so that one still need a Rabbi to understand it properly. This was not enough, so 300 years later Ravina and Rav Ashi recorded the Talmud, which expounded on the Mishna. Still the Talmud is very difficult and one needs to study it extensively to understand it’s structure, method and logic. Kabbalah is the mystical teachings of the Torah handed down through the generations. As time went on, it started to become somewhat revealed, first by Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the first century AD, as recorded in the Zohar. Then by the great Arizal of 16th century Safed. To be properly understood, one needs to master much of the Torah and Talmud first. Rabbi Meir Goldberg

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Torah, Talmud and Kabbalah – What’s What?

To Start Praying Daily

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:11:24 +0000

Question: I am Jewish by birth, but do not speak Hebrew, nor did I have any formal Jewish education as a child. I have recently made the decision to be an observant Jew. Is there any advice you can give me regarding beginning to say the daily prayers. I plan on doing this alone at home. The transliteration is at times difficult to pronounce, and the number of prayers seems overwhelming. I’m not sure I even know what order to say them or at what time of day. Not to mention the bowing and swaying. I should also mention I am “legally blind” also known as visually impaired, so obviously it is nearly impossible to read from a traditional siddur. I have been doing a lot of research online though with the aid of magnification software. I am genuinely and sincerely determined to be the best Jew I can be from now on. Where do I begin? Answer: You mention you are doing research online. The best online resource for prayer is http://www.siddur.org/. The table of contents may be found at http://www.siddur.org/contents.php.To see, you can probably make the fonts as large as possible. You can also use a magnifying glass. This site is a wonderful resource for prayer. But I would not necessarily start off with prayer. Why not start with short things that are done daily like blessings. This way you will have the opportunity to practice what you are learning and still make step by step progress. For example, you can scroll down to “Daily blessings”; then you can pick the subtopic of “Blessings over Snacks”; upon clicking you can click “Blessings before eating” and click “On all else.” This will bring you to the SHEHAKOL page. This wonderful website gives 1) The transliterated Hebrew version of the blessing 2) the English translation of the blessing and 3) general background, guidance and laws on when the blessing is said. You can spend some time studying this and then you will be able to say the appropriate blessing daily on many foods. You can use this procedure and gradually familiarize yourself with the reasons, customs and texts of a variety of prayers. I hope you find this advice useful. Good luck in your studies. Russell Jay Hendel; Ph.d.; A.S.A

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To Start Praying Daily