Jewish philosophy as well as Jewish perspectives - i.e. not only formal philosophy. NOT for questions about Jewish practice unless there's a philosophical component.
8
votes
2answers
227 views
Moreh Nevuchim: To learn or not to learn?
I have come across many people who believe that it is inappropriate to learn Moreh Nevuchim especially at a younger inexperienced age. However, it seems that many important issues are discussed in the ...
11
votes
8answers
1k views
If Christianity is avodah zarah and Islam is not, why has the Christian world triumphed over the non-Christian, and why do Jews prefer to live among Christians and not Muslims?
The Rambam quite clearly considered Christianity to be avodah zarah. He did not feel the same way about Islam, however, going so far as to condone praying within a mosque, and many Orthodox Jewish ...
7
votes
2answers
190 views
Why does God care so much about Details
Kizayis, Kebeitzah, Toich Kedai Achilas Pras, Zman Kriyas Shemah
Why is god so into details what are their significance(e.x why does god care if I daven after Zman Kriyas Shemah)?
3
votes
4answers
183 views
Since G-d is Omnipotent Why Does He Need Our Prayers?
What are some good answers to the Question if God is all powerfull what does he need our Prayers for? I would appreciate as many answers as possibile
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Ma'ase avos siman l'banim - prescriptive or descriptive?
The concept of the actions of the forebears being an indication of their descendants' actions is referred to by many commentators and midrashim, including the famous Ramba"n on B'reshis 12.
What is ...
2
votes
1answer
105 views
Why is an oppressor's wife/children punished?
In parashas mishpatim (22:21-23) the pesukim read
כא כָּל-אַלְמָנָה וְיָתוֹם, לֹא תְעַנּוּן. כב אִם-עַנֵּה תְעַנֶּה אֹתוֹ--כִּי אִם-צָעֹק יִצְעַק אֵלַי, שָׁמֹעַ אֶשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתוֹ. כג וְחָרָה ...
4
votes
2answers
129 views
Modern Traditionalist Scholars Combatting Critical Approaches to the Tanach
I know that Shadal, David Hoffman, and many others tried very hard to combat the claims of scholars that criticized the Torah (both in terms of Higher and Lower Criticism). Can anyone help me find ...
14
votes
4answers
299 views
Why is Sha'ar Ha'Yichud of Chovos Ha'Levavos so “controversial”?
I have heard that Sha'ar Ha'Yichud of Chovos Ha'Levavos is controversial, and that one needs a rebbe in order to learn it. What does the author say that is so difficult to understand?
2
votes
4answers
161 views
“Law of Attraction”?
Are there any Jewish responses to the "Law of Attraction" or analyses of this idea in the context of Jewish thought?
6
votes
5answers
343 views
Do we believe in Heaven and Hell?
In yeshiva I was always told about gan eden and gehinnom, and how the good go to one place while the bad go to the other. However, in popular culture, Jews are always said to not believe in Hell (and ...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
When can we daven for a neis? [closed]
Riddle version of the question: When can we daven for a neis
Hashkafic version of the question: Why does it seem that we can daven for a neis, when this is explicitly forbidden in masechet Brachot?
3
votes
3answers
418 views
Bad Jew or Good Gentile?
Whom does Hashem love more: Gentiles who love Jewish people and Israel or Jews who are against Jewish people and Israel?
8
votes
6answers
467 views
does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
Does one have to take a Midrash/Aggadah literally?
13
votes
7answers
291 views
“I never saw a tzaddik be abandoned…” - how do we understand this?
At the end of bentching we say that "I was young, and I also became old, and I never saw a righteous person be abandoned, and his children asking for bread".
How do we reconcile that with the ...
11
votes
4answers
243 views
Voting for a person that will not uphold Torah values
It is well known that Rabbi Avigdor Miller Zatzal strongly condemned those that voted for candidates that would not uphold Torah values. Yet there were many Gedolim that had no problem voting for such ...
7
votes
4answers
166 views
If the odds are against you in life (Bais Shammai's opinion), why did G-d bother?
I'm asking this question only because I recall hearing an answer, but unfortunately I don't remember the answer, or from which rabbi. Help me please?
Mesilas Yesharim says G-d made creation out of ...
4
votes
1answer
53 views
Why does the Rambam require repentance, and not just more good deeds, before Yom Kippur?
The Rambam says if someone's virtues-vs-sins balance is even as of Rosh Hashanah, their verdict happens on yom kippur. If they did teshuva in those ten days, they get a pass; if not, they don't.
...
2
votes
2answers
164 views
How do you understand the Rambam on Free choice in Teshuvah 5:5?
What is the Rambam really bothered by in Teshuvah 5:5?
רמב"ם הלכות תשובה פרק ה הלכה ה
שמא תאמר והלא הקב"ה יודע כל מה שיהיה וקודם שיהיה ידע שזה יהיה צדיק או רשע או לא ידע, אם ידע שהוא יהיה צדיק אי ...
11
votes
4answers
5k views
7
votes
2answers
113 views
Yearning for Moshiach while the Temples stood
Did we (the Jewish people) yearn for the complete Redemption (with the Techias HaMasim, etc) like we do today, at the time the either Temple was standing? It can't be that we just assumed "This is ...
8
votes
2answers
228 views
Different types of Nevuah
What are the differences between the "typical" navi's prophecy, Moshe Rabbeinu's prophecy, and Bil'am HaRasha's prophecy?
(Answers with sources [and preferably links to sources] only please!)
5
votes
3answers
147 views
6
votes
2answers
117 views
Is diversity a Jewish value?
We hear a lot about the value of diversity these days, especially in academic settings. What about in hashkafa? Does "shivim panim l'Torah" teach that diversity is to be valued, and to what degree? ...
2
votes
5answers
571 views
2
votes
2answers
114 views
Choices before birth
Before we are born do we pick who will be our parents, guides, and rebbaim in life?
-2
votes
3answers
148 views
Why did Hashem make some non-Kosher animals look like Kosher ones?
Why did Hashem make animals like the pig, camel, etc. that have one exact character trait of kosher animals and then write in the Torah that they aren't kosher? If He's trying to trick us, shouldn't ...
7
votes
2answers
161 views
Can our deceased relatives observe us?
People often say (e.g. at s'machot and other such events) things like "Grandpa Chaim would have loved to be here today, but we know he is smiling down on us from shamayim"
Is this really a ...
4
votes
3answers
76 views
Helping others succeed
What do you do when you are trying to help friends get themselves on a good track, but you are afraid that by helping them you yourself might fall...what is the Torah obligation here?
4
votes
5answers
157 views
Will money fall from the sky if you pray for it?
If you daven for a parnasah and then just sit back will money come to you?
0
votes
2answers
74 views
is it right to set goals?
is it right to set goals for yourself? how do you know that hashem knows you can accomplish more than the goal you have now? how do you know that hashem knows you bit more than you can chew?
2
votes
2answers
129 views
5
votes
4answers
283 views
Hashem is here and there and everywhere?
Is Hashem really in front of us, behind us, next to us, etc?
6
votes
8answers
336 views
do we really have free choice?
I was told Hashem created us with free will; so we can make a choice to do good or evil, right? Well, Hashem knows what we are going to do in 10 minutes. So do we really have free will? Hashem can see ...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
A persons potential
It says that a persons potential keeps rising as his spiritual level rises. If so, how does a person reach his potential?
5
votes
4answers
219 views
do we get another chance to reach shamayim if we missed our goal once?
I have heard that there is a task for everyone to fulfill before they enter shamayim, but what happens if you had a chance to fulfill your task in life and you missed it? do you get a different task? ...
9
votes
7answers
321 views
Any primary sources that all Jewish males should l'chatchila stay in learning forever?
Does anyone know of any specific sources in Chazal or Rishonim (or even earlier achronim) that indicate that l'chatchila all Jewish males should learn full time forever? I know that this is the ...
5
votes
2answers
178 views
Image of God: Equality and Discrimination
I have heard from many unreliable sources that the Torah's description of mankind as being "in the Image of God" implies some level of equal standing of all humans and therefore the expectation ...
