Relations with non-Jews, and laws regarding them.
10
votes
2answers
250 views
How should a Jew deal with Anti Semitism?
Is there an standard way for a Jew to deal with the threat of hatred, particularly that which stems from a public forum such as a hate group? Do I:
Simply ignore it
Write to my local council/state ...
10
votes
3answers
328 views
May a Jew be a Freemason?
According to what I've been told by several people who have inquired of "practicing" (is that the right word?) Freemasons, and supported by Wikipedia, "Freemasonry explicitly and openly states that it ...
10
votes
1answer
110 views
Why did Avraham prefer the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre over Eliezer's daughter?
Rashi on Bereishis 24:39 says that
Abraham said to [Eliezer] “My son is blessed, and you are cursed [Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan who had been cursed by Noah], and an accursed one cannot ...
9
votes
2answers
285 views
Is it permitted for a Ben-Noach be an atheist?
Avoda zarah is one of the things prohibited by the Seven Noachide Laws. But what about atheism? I know that the 7 Laws are often taken to include a larger number of halachot from the Torah, so would ...
9
votes
2answers
189 views
Why do we say that Hashem chose us if He offered to the Torah to all the other nations first?
According to Midrash Sifri (Deuteronomy 343), Hashem first went around to all the nations and offered them the Torah before offering it to Bnei Yisroel. So why do we say in Kiddush and Birchas ...
9
votes
2answers
385 views
Daughter of a Jewish woman and non-Jewish man
Is a Kohen allowed to marry a woman who is the daughter of a Jewish woman and non-Jewish man?
9
votes
5answers
445 views
Sources For Listening To/Not Listening to Non-Jewish Music
What are sources for it being allowed to listen to non-Jewish music and sources for it being prohibited?
9
votes
3answers
428 views
9
votes
2answers
158 views
What are the 30 Mitzvot for Bnei Noach?
What are the 30 Mitzvot (Commandments) that Bnei Noach have accepted (based on Hullin 92a)?
שלשים מצות שקבלו עליהם בני נח.
Thirty commandments which Bnei Noach accepted upon themselves.
9
votes
3answers
115 views
Why is המחזיר אבידה לכותי singled out?
The Gemara, Sanhedrin 76b, states that "one who returns a lost object to a כותי (or, per the marginal notes there, גוי) is censured by the Torah. Rashi there explains: "He is thereby equating the כותי ...
9
votes
2answers
218 views
Deliveries on Shabbos
This is a two-part question:
What do you do if while you are at home during Shabbos, someone knocks at your door, and when you open it a delivery person (UPS/FedEx/USPS/DHL etc.) hands you a package ...
9
votes
3answers
368 views
Asking non-Jews to pray for someone
Is it appropriate to ask non-Jews to pray on behalf of someone in dire straits (sick, wrongfully imprisoned, trapped, etc.)?
Edit: If it's appropriate, would it be inappropriate if the person being ...
9
votes
2answers
392 views
Is hamsa allowed?
Does the Halacha allow the use of a hamsa as a good luck charm, considering that it originated as a Muslim symbol?
9
votes
1answer
133 views
Extent of matrilineal descent
Am I a Jew if my mother's mother's mother's mother's mother was a Jew? Even if along the line one of my foremothers converted to another faith? I'd just like a better understanding of matrilineal ...
9
votes
2answers
300 views
Was Judaism ever a proselytizing religion?
It is often asserted that up until the time of Constantine or so, Judaism was an actively proselytizing religion. This can be contrasted with the common practice today of rejecting potential converts ...
9
votes
2answers
151 views
Are these two urban legends about perceptions of God's help for Jews true?
The following story is told as an urban legend:
I don't know if the following story is true, but I'll let you decide. Kenya's star soccer player used to offer a prayer for victory before every ...
9
votes
1answer
207 views
Is modesty a positive or negative commandment?
Given that:
There are two types of Mitzvoth (commandments), 'Aseh and Lo Ta'aseh (positive and negative; ie., "Thou Shalt" and "Thou Shalt Not").
a. Positive commandments, with some exceptions can ...
9
votes
2answers
171 views
Lifnei 'Iver and your maybe-Jewish co-worker
I work in an office in which someone working down the hall is disabled. She has a Jewish sounding last name and talks to me about her family's practices in regard to being members of a Reform temple ...
8
votes
4answers
324 views
Was Eisav Jewish?
Was Eisav Jewish? Eisav was born to the same father and mother as Yaakov. It may be possible to say that Yaakov was not Jewish either as it was before Matan Torah, however if Yaakov was Jewish, then ...
8
votes
7answers
879 views
How are Spartans the son of Abraham?
I was reading the Book of Maccabbees (I and II) over shabbat and in it there is a letter written to Sparta to ask for peace, goodwill and friendship.
In the reply letter back from Sparta, they affirm ...
8
votes
1answer
264 views
Are “things we don't do because of danger” also dangerous to non-Jews?
There are some things that we don't do because of the danger. Things we do not do because of Danger has a list of some of them.
Are these things dangerous to non-Jews as well?
8
votes
4answers
230 views
December greeting responses
How do you respond when greeted, during the Winter "holiday season" by a non-Jewish acquaintance with each of the following?
Happy Chanuka (in proximity to Chanuka)
Happy Chanuka (not in proximity ...
8
votes
4answers
197 views
Seven Mitzvot of Benei Noach without Na'aseh veNishma
Why are Benei Noach obligated in their Seven Mitzvot if they never said Na'aseh veNishma?
8
votes
2answers
181 views
What's the role of the state in halacha's recognition of marriage for Bnai Noach (non-Jews)?
If I understand correctly (I think this was in R' Aaron Lichtenstein's book on the Seven Noahide Laws), halacha recognizes a marriage between a non-Jewish man and woman if they've gone through ...
8
votes
2answers
248 views
Can a Mezuzah be given to a respectable and trustworthy non-Jew?
Would it be permissible to give a Mezuzah to a non-Jew if he is honorable and can reasonably be trusted to treat it with great care such as a dignitary or a collector of cultural artifacts?
8
votes
3answers
253 views
Referring to Non-Jews
What's the most diplomatic and politically correct way to refer to non-Jews. Both in conversation, and in terms of this site?
8
votes
3answers
224 views
Explaining non-Jewish holidays to children?
How should one explain non-Jewish holidays and churches to young children?
8
votes
2answers
134 views
Were the eirev rav Jewish?
Were the eirev rav Jewish? If they were in fact Jewish why are they described by the term eirev rav instead of just referring to them as we would any other Jew? If they were not Jewish why were they ...
7
votes
5answers
344 views
Have there ever been inter-faith debates between Jews and Muslims?
There are records of many inter-faith debates (disputations) between Jews and Christians even up to modern times. However I have never heard of similar such debates between Jews and Muslims. Are there ...
7
votes
5answers
309 views
malacha from child
is one allowed to ask a child to do a malacha of shabbos? does your answer also apply to a non-Jew?
7
votes
4answers
301 views
How to tell someone about Shomer Negiah
As I'm sure that many of you have had to "break it" to a coworker or friend that you're Shomer Negiah, have you found a strategy or choice of words that seems most effective? As I wasn't raised frum ...
7
votes
2answers
239 views
How are we to understand Malchi-Tzedek, non-Jewish priest of God?
Malchi-Tzedek is a gentile priest who worships God. I initially read this as just saying God is not exclusive (it says somewhere in Nevi'im that God also has covenants with other peoples), but today ...
7
votes
4answers
356 views
Are non-Jews/gentiles permanent slaves to Jews in Olam Habah?
Are non-Jews permanent slaves to Jews in the world to come? I'll post the source text once I find it, or if someone can edit this and post the source for me. I believe it's in the Talmud, but not sure ...
7
votes
1answer
194 views
Should you greet a non-jew after washing netilat yadayim?
If you wash netilat yadayim and then a non-Jew says "hello" to you, should you:
say "hello" back and wash again?
try to acknowledge him without actually talking?
or ignore him (doesn't seem right)?
...
7
votes
2answers
214 views
May a Jew Trick or Treat?
What would the halachic issues be (if any) regarding a Jew who wants to trick-or-treat on October 31st?
7
votes
4answers
344 views
Good books for non-Jews who are interested in understanding Judaism, especially branches of Orthodox judaism
I have found that the first thing to do when you want to learn something about a subject, is to start with the idea that you know absolutely nothing. I understand, for example, that Judaism has ...
7
votes
2answers
142 views
Darchei Shalom in Halachah
Halachic Literature will, when relevant, promote certain permitted activities with respect to Gentiles because of "Darchei Shalom" (Ways of Peace).
Do we ever find situations where activities that ...
7
votes
1answer
156 views
Amon and Moav today
The Halacha is that a Jewish woman may not marry a convert of Amon and Moav. Is there any way to know who is a descendant of Amon and Moav today?
7
votes
1answer
137 views
Transfer of loan / mortgage from non-Jew to Jew
What happens if a Jew borrows money on interest from a non-Jew, and then the lender turns around and sells the debt to a Jew? (Such transactions are very common in the mortgage industry.) Is it ...
7
votes
1answer
243 views
Is abortion of a gentile child of a Jewish father permissible?
If a Jewish man were to father a child with a gentile would they be allowed to consider an abortion or would that be disallowed in the Halachic literature ?
7
votes
3answers
370 views
Why shouldn't Gentiles keep Shabbat?
I know little about Judaism and it's a first time question, so please forgive any mistakes.
According to this question non-Jews are forbidden from keeping Shabbat. What is the reasoning behind this? ...
7
votes
1answer
94 views
What is the significance of the skull of Araunah the Yevusi?
Araunah the Yevusi sells the land upon which the beis hamikdash will eventually be built to Dovid HaMelech (II Shemuel 24:18). Subsequently his skull is found underneath the mizbeach at least twice ...
7
votes
1answer
116 views
Milk and 'Ever Min HaḤai
This article at the end mentions a famous Halachic distinction made between the prohibition of 'Ever Min HaḤai as it pertains to Jews vs gentiles. For gentiles 'Ever Min HaḤai doesn't apply to milk, ...
7
votes
1answer
208 views
May a non-Jew have an abortion?
Are non-Jews permitted to have abortions? (Consider the gemara in Sanhedrin 57b where "a baraita brings in the name of Rabbi Yishmael that a Ben Noach gets capital punishment if he intentionally ...
7
votes
2answers
119 views
Do the laws of forgiveness apply equally to Jews forgiving non-Jews?
In the prayer introducing the bedtime shema we say we forgive everyone for everything, even in previous incarnations (gilgulim), and then say, "every Jew." I'm not sure I'm understanding it correctly, ...
7
votes
2answers
191 views
Amira Lakum: say you can't say?
One is not allowed to tell a non-Jew to do a melacha on shabbas, but one can hint and say "it is cold in here", hoping he will realize and shut the air conditioner.
Is one allowed to explain to the ...
7
votes
2answers
181 views
Are there any hechshers that certify food as kosher for B'nei Noach?
Are there any hechshers that certify food as kosher for B'nei Noach? Or any restaurants that offer such food? If not, how do observant B'nei Noach ensure that the meat that they eat was definitely not ...
6
votes
10answers
420 views
Jewish tunes similar to non-Jewish ones
What are some examples of a traditional Jewish song that bears a strong similarity to a non-Jewish melody?
(I am wording this question carefully to exclude recent Jewish take-offs of secular music; ...
6
votes
4answers
407 views
Does God love non-Jews?
I've read the topic of whether or not God discriminates between Jews and non-Jews, but does God love non-Jews? Does it say anywhere that He does love non-Jews. I don't believe that God hates non-Jews ...
6
votes
6answers
247 views
Is there any benefit for a gentile to convert through one denomination versus another?
Despite being raised Conservative, it has been my impression that the only conversion that "counts" is an Orthodox one. I suspect this is the case for making aliyah, but under what other ...
