Relations with non-Jews, and laws regarding them.
13
votes
1answer
290 views
Jews under Charlemagne
Jews under Charlemagne in the 8th century and the Carolingian emperors were accredited food providers in addition to providing wine for Christian mass. I am looking for halachic responses to these ...
7
votes
1answer
174 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
94 views
What are the ways of the Amorites?
When we are told not to go in the ways of the Amorites (Shabbat 67a, Yerushalmi Shabbat 6:9), However the practices enumerated there do not seem to be specific to the Amorite people. Were there other ...
6
votes
0answers
69 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 ...
5
votes
0answers
95 views
Abrahamic covenant and Brit Milah - how is the covenant passed down?
Why is it so that if a Jew has a male child with a non-Jewish woman the child is not circumcised, even though, like Ishmail, the child is under Abrahamic (but not Mosaic) covenant, since the father is ...
5
votes
0answers
153 views
If a person isn't sure he is Jewish, does he have to keep Mitzvot?
Let's say that a person has a reason to think his mother might be Jewish (there is some evidence, but only a little), and it is likely that the person will never be able to know for sure. In such a ...
5
votes
0answers
55 views
Was Naaman tamei from tzaraas?
In Melachim Bet 5:10 we read:
וַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלָיו אֱלִישָׁע, מַלְאָךְ לֵאמֹר: הָלוֹךְ, וְרָחַצְתָּ שֶׁבַע-פְּעָמִים בַּיַּרְדֵּן, וְיָשֹׁב בְּשָׂרְךָ לְךָ וּטְהָר.
And Elisha sent a ...
4
votes
0answers
68 views
Opened “please-take!” food items in a non-Jewish workplace
Is it alright to consume unsupervised food items at work that are open and available to anyone, assuming the items were initially known to be Kosher1 and there's no evidence of tampering?
Items that ...
4
votes
0answers
40 views
Loshon Hara against public Jewish and non-Jewish figures
Both American and Israeli politics, and of course those of other democracies, can include a lot of personal attacks, both true and untrue, including inuendo about possible adultery, gay or straight, ...
3
votes
0answers
30 views
Structure and relevance of Sefer Yeshaya
Was Yeshaya included in Tenach as all of it is relevant for all time? If so, what is the relevance of chapter 13-22 for example. Is there any evidence that his prophecies to the other nations ...
3
votes
0answers
74 views
How to respond to a non-Jew who asks to shovel your snow on shabbos?
If a non-Jew asks if he may shovel your snow on shabbos what is the proper halachic response? Does it make a difference if he is asking to do this for pay (not previously arranged before shabbos)?
3
votes
0answers
51 views
Selling land to Gentile to build Church
In YD Siman 151 it discusses the things that one is allowed and not allowed to sell to a gentile (for reasons that they might be used for Avodah Zara -- idol worship). I didn't see the following ...
3
votes
0answers
100 views
Why is wine poured by a non-Jew forbidden?
The S"A 125:1 (YD) states that a non-Jew pouring non-Mevushal wine makes (at least) that wine unfit, but other than citing earlier authorities (maybe, I can't figure that part out) he doesn't give a ...
3
votes
0answers
130 views
Selling a house to a non Jew
Notwithstanding anti discrimination laws which may disallow a seller to only sell to other Jews exclusively. Suppose a Jewish fellow - living outside of Eretz Yisroel - lives on a block which is ...
3
votes
0answers
85 views
Can a non Jew bake bread on Pesach for a Jew to use after Pesach?
In relation to Is it possible to have chometz on the shabbos directly after Pesach? Is there any problem if a non Jew bakes bread on Pesach (the Jew did not ask him and does not care if the non Jew ...
2
votes
0answers
50 views
What God must gentiles believe in?
In the Rambam's Mishne Tora, the end of chapter 8 of M'lachim reads:
Any [gentile] who accepts seven commands and is careful to fulfill them is among the pious of the nations of the world and has ...
2
votes
0answers
79 views
Have the empires of old perished?
I remember being taught when I was younger that the fact that Jews are around is a testimony to the eternity of our religion; that we survived them all and that they are no longer.
I am unaware ...
2
votes
0answers
46 views
Apostate Jew performing mitzvahs
It has been discussed many times on this site that a non-Jew may not observe Shabbat (in addition to various other mitzvot that are prohibited to non-Jews). We have also seen that a Jew who renounces ...
2
votes
0answers
65 views
Are there 8 Noachide Laws?
I have been reading up on the sheva mitzvos bnei Noach and the idea that there are 7 laws, but it seems that according to one sense, there must be eight. If not, can a "Noachide" be successful as a ...
2
votes
0answers
70 views
Is it permitted to listen to instrumental secular music by an antisemite?
Assuming it is permitted to listen to music composed or performed by a non-Jew, is it prohibited, ill-advised, or outright permitted to listen to instrumental secular music by a composer who ...
1
vote
0answers
38 views
Can a Jew cut a non-Jew's nails consecutively?
Can a Jew cut a non-Jew's nails consecutively? This would relate to a profession in which one trims nails such as podiatry, nursing, pedicurist etc.
1
vote
0answers
43 views
Stopping gentile from doing borer on Shabbos
Consider the following situation.
A shul makes a large Kiddush every Shabbos morning after Davening. They have many food items that need to be prepared and set up for the Kiddush however the ...
1
vote
0answers
91 views
Non-Jews praying with the Jewish community
I read a comment made on another question that regardless of how they are worded, blessings that are made in communal prayer can only be prayed by someone who is obligated to them.
The idea that ...
1
vote
0answers
54 views
Decorating of the Beitzah
Somebody told me in Israel some have the custom of decorating the egg for Pesach (like an Easter egg). Wouldn't that be considered chukas hagoyim or avoda zara?
1
vote
0answers
106 views
Is wine touched/shaken by a non-idolatrous Gentile child forbidden to drink?
Shulchan Aruch (YD 124:1) states:
A Nochri child who does not mention idolatry or Meshamshim, if he
touched wine he forbids only drinking it, but not benefit from it.
(See this related ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
one who says something in the name of the person who originally said it
The Sages (Avos 6:6) teach: ha'omer davar b'shem omro ("one who says something in the name of the person who originally said it"). We have learned that one who says something in the name of the one ...
0
votes
0answers
69 views
Gentile Biography which Inspires
What is the jewish view on reading biographies of remarkable gentiles which one finds inspirational provided there is no apikorsus in the content.
Have come across a website about a certain person ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
Genevas Daas (deception) with a gift
The Shach in YD Siman 117 Sif-Katan 13 writes,
דאין במתנה משום גניבת דעת
With regard to a gift there is no problem of "genevas daas" (deception).
The Shach writes this in regard to selling ...
0
votes
0answers
91 views
Singing or listening to non-Jewish religious music
Is it permissible to listen or sing non-Jewish religious music so long as praise and worship is only expressed to Hashem and this is clear and/or your intention is only to praise G-d and no one else?
-1
votes
0answers
34 views
Can a gentile celebrate the holidays like Rosh Hashanah or Pesshach with jews?
we have gentile friends that would like to celebrate the Chagim with us.
Can they do it? Also on Yom Kippur?
