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.
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2answers
185 views
Does Judaism permit sexual relationships outside of marriage?
I am eager to know more about different religions from Islam to Judaism. Furthermore, how different religions look at women and comparing their kinds of approaches to the matter of gender and ...
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1answer
71 views
Updating of holy books
I am curious if such thing is possible, e.g. if some new evidence is found (archeological or other scientific or other). So the next generation will have more accurate interpretation, because we all ...
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5answers
119 views
What is the benefit to praying with a Minyan?
What is the benefit(s) of Praying with a Minyan? Besides for all the additional things you can now do with a Minyan (Kaddish, Kriah etc). By prayer, I mean the Shmoneh Esreh. What is different in ...
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2answers
99 views
How much room is there for personal influence given the existence of “free will” and “God's will” and “God's plan”?
Today's interesting question delves deeper into the concept of free will. I understand that Judaism views free will as the freedom to choose between life and death (i.e. choose life and live), but ...
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1answer
52 views
What is the spiritual value of counting the omer?
I understand that it is a mitzvah to count the 49 days of the omer from the second night of Pesach through erev Shavuos. But what is the spiritual value of counting s'fira? I.e. what does G-d want ...
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1answer
125 views
Is animal sacrifice practised among modern Jews? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why don't Jews sacrifice animals anymore?
From my reading of the Bible I understand that animal sacrifice was used to atone for one's sins.
Is this still practiced ...
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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 ...
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1answer
148 views
What is a non-Jew's purpose in life?
What does a non-Jew have to do in life? Why did God create non-Jews?
A Jews purpose in life is to learn Torah and do Mitzvos. What should a non-jew be spending his time doing?
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0answers
34 views
Why do some Jewish groups wear a uniform?
My impression of male Chareidi Jews is that they only ever wear a white shirt with a black suit shoes and hat, no tie. I also get the impression that particular other (possibly Chassidic) groups have ...
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0answers
49 views
Is there a concept of time in Gan Eden and the world to come?
Does Time exist in Gan Eden and the world to come. I heard that you cant get bored of these places since there's no time there. Also heard midrash that Yitchak Aviinu went to Gan Eden for 2 years ...
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0answers
54 views
Attending networking events under false pretenses
I've recently seen some events advertised for specific groups or for people who fit a certain description, and it got me wondering, would it be alright, from a Jewish perspective (Halachic, Hashkafic, ...
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6answers
352 views
Can God destroy Himself?
I was thinking about it lately.
If God can do everything, can He destroy Himself?
Is there something about this possibility in any of the holy books?
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2answers
110 views
Why is the world round? [closed]
Why does shabbat start at different times at different places? Crossing a time zone does not conjure up a time warp, so how can it be Friday in one place, and Shabbat in another? It just doesn't ...
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3answers
191 views
Did G-d create evil? [closed]
Did G-d create evil? Scripture says that G-d created everything, right? So then if G-d indeed created everything, does that mean He created evil?
Is there Old Testament evidence for why He did or ...
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1answer
64 views
Poems on Atticism by Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)
Can anyone find poems on Atticism for me by Samuel David Luzzatto (Shadal)?
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2answers
112 views
What if someone is unable to believe in God?
Suppose someone really truly wants to believe in Hashem, but is simply unable to. Even after much trying and learning Torah, he still is simply unable to believe in God. Would that person be ...
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1answer
116 views
How does Judaism prove the existence of the life of the world to come?
I have three questions:
What is the basis for the Jewish belief in the World to Come?
What human traits does Judaism consider reflect the possession of an eternal soul?
What purpose(s) is/are served ...
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1answer
34 views
Is הפעולה בשמות or “theurgy” similar to prayer in the Ramchal’s Derekh HaShem?
Ramchal in Derekh HaShem III 2 (7) speaks about using the names of G-d to achieve effects not achievable using physical agencies. He says,
א׳ הוא הזכרת שמו ית׳ כמי שקורא אותו שיענהו, וימשיך על ידי ...
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1answer
121 views
Why Wait for Moshiach
The Rambam in Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah says God has no joy or sadness. If so, why do we wait for moshiach? For G-d's glory? G-d does not need anything from us. How are we supposed to have intent to ...
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0answers
35 views
Does the mitzvah of Tzedek require poverty and inequality in society?
If we accept that giving to the poor and an emphasis on Tzedek are Mitzvot that is repeatedly noted within Tanakh - for example some Midrashic commentary suggests that the sin of Sodom was actually a ...
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0answers
33 views
Is the Torah called a tzarah?
It was quoted to me once that the Torah is called a tzarah to a wife. In other words, just like the Torah calls a second wife to a man a "tzarah" (to the first wife) so too the Torah is a tzarah to a ...
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0answers
182 views
What are some belief systems of fundamentalist Jews [closed]
In Christianity, common fundamentalist traits are being part of the Republican Party and being pro-life, and disagreeing with homosexuality.
What are some examples of Jewish fundamentalist positions, ...
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1answer
99 views
What is the purpose of being a Jew? [closed]
simple question, what is the purpose of being a Jew? Maybe this is the same question, or a second question, but what is the purpose of religion?
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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?
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2answers
128 views
Why have great rabbis written of their hard times?
Rambam:
And that was a most terrible event as my brother drowned in the Indian Ocean, he had taken such care of me and now I was left alone and bewildered in a strange land.
Rabbi Moshe ...
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2answers
91 views
Why was this world created?
As I've researched, G-d has many creations, trillions of worlds before this world, and will create many after this world.
Why did G-d create this world?
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2answers
61 views
many traditions are deep rooted, and thusly fought over (why?) …but don't we have bigger fish to fry? [closed]
why are so many of these traditions, if not really based in halacha, or real traditions (eg halacha/kabbalah) considered so important? like who really cares how we cut our fingernails and in what ...
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1answer
41 views
Commandments on emotions [duplicate]
I can understand if the Torah commands one to wear tefilin or put on a mezuza.
But to command a person not to hate anyone, not to covet anything of anyone, not to bear a grudge, love your fellow as ...
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1answer
79 views
Belittling of the Holocaust? [closed]
Hitler killed six million Jews. Rabbi Meir Kahane, HaShem Yikom Damo, famously said NEVER AGAIN. What is the Torah attitude towards espouse misguided viewpoints such as the one recently portrayed by ...
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1answer
86 views
why was technology withheld for so long from man
Why did God withhold the discovery of modern technology from man until recently?
what is the reason for this and why does this reason not apply in our era?
(according to the shaar bitachon ch.3 God ...
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2answers
142 views
How do those who adovcate chumrah understand this Gemorah (Gitin 55-56)
Because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, Jerusalem was destroyed.
It happened this way: A certain man had a friend named Kamtza and an
enemy called Bar Kamtza. He once made a party and said to his ...
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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 ...
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5answers
316 views
Does G_d get incarnated?
There are 3 religions that says so. The obvious one is Christianity with that being it's central term. The second one is Hindu. Khrisna is said to be a God incarnate.
But in torah I often see stories ...
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2answers
131 views
Doomsday scenario, what would Hashem do?
Lets say John is about to end all mankind by releasing a deadly virus that can never be reversed, cured, or stopped. Will Hashem step in and stop the act? This is a contradiction because Hashem gave ...
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1answer
73 views
What's the word Avraham used for his religion?
What was the biblical name of the religion or faith Avraham belonged to? the word he used to distinguish his faith from other, pagan belief systems?
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1answer
194 views
If God was never incarnated, how come He sat in front of Abraham's tent and appeared among the oaks of Mamre? [closed]
http://yltbible.com/genesis/18.htm
And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day; 2 and he lifteth up his eyes and ...
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2answers
271 views
Jewish belief in GOD and ProphetHood? [closed]
As a Muslim I believe in GOD and the last messenger for humanity Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and in the Christian Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). Do Jews believe in a GOD or any Messenger?
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