Questions regarding our understanding of God, such as it is. NOT for every question about Jewish beliefs.
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0answers
15 views
What are the names of God used in Judaism? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
ALL Names of God
What are names used to refer to God in Judaism? How many of them are there? If there are many, what are the most used one? Please consider providing ...
11
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1answer
95 views
Is God swayed by popular appeal?
When we pray for someone to be healed, we pray this individually in the Amidah but we also often have a community misheberach list. I assume that there is a theological reason for the public prayer, ...
6
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1answer
134 views
Does G-d only hear one language?
I'm a little confused by Rambam Hil. Tefilla 1:4.
Consequently, when someone would pray, he would be limited in his ability to request his needs or to praise the Holy One, blessed be He, in ...
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votes
1answer
149 views
What's with the foreskin? [closed]
If it's so repulsive, why did God put it on the human in the first place? Is that when, like, the devil got ahold of the source code or something? I'm thinking of becoming Jewish, and I wanted this ...
2
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2answers
160 views
From the Torah itself how do we know that various names of God points to the same God?
Jews believe that God, while having many names, is actually one.
So the idea is that El Elyon, Elohim, El Shadai, YHWH, Adonai, El, are just names mostly referring to the same being.
Is there any ...
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3answers
128 views
Would Israel's sibling nation do Yibbum?
If Klal Yisrael would all die, ch"v, then would Edom become obligated in Tora uMitzvot because of Yibbum? (because Jacob's/Israel's brother is Esav, Edom.) Or would chalitzah happen because no other ...
11
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7answers
950 views
How does Judaism deal with God and paradoxes?
How does Judaism deal with paradoxes relating to the omnipotence of God?
For example: Can God create a rock that he himself cannot lift?
7
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2answers
169 views
What is the proof that HaShem's purpose in creation was to bestow good?
Rabbi M Ch Luzzatto in Derech HaShem (1:2:1) gives HaShem’s purpose in creation to “bestow of His good to another”. (Translation Aryeh Kaplan.) The translator in his notes gives several ...
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3answers
167 views
Is it true that there was a time when Jews believed in the existence of several Gods instead of just One?
Is it true that there was a time when Jews believed in the existence of several Gods instead of just One? Somebody told me that there was a time when they even worshiped different Gods - even after ...
2
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3answers
209 views
Theology on evolution from khan academy
In this video on khan academy, Khan makes a few theological points regarding evolution. His main point is that evolution can be reconciled with intelligent design by saying that God could have created ...
6
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1answer
600 views
Is there any difference between Jewish G-d and Muslim G-d? [closed]
Do Jews and Muslims worship the same G-d? If so, do they understand G-d the same way? As a related point, is there any linguistic or theological connection between "Allah" and "Eloha" (or "Elohim")? ...
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2answers
245 views
Should anyone be burned to death?
In Leviticus 20:14, it states that a man who has relations with a woman and also with her mother is a despicable lech, whose punishment is to be burned to death. This is one of two transgressions ...
7
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2answers
206 views
What did the 70 elders see?
Parshat Mishpatim says of the 70 elders who went up on Har Sinai with Moshe and Aharon:
וַיִּרְאוּ, אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו, כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר, וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם, ...
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4answers
156 views
Please clarify Mishlei 24:21 regarding mingling with dualists
Mishlei 24:21 "My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not mingle with dualists" source
(1) please define "dualist" from the perspective of Judaism. If it is "someone who believes/practices dualism" ...
11
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4answers
311 views
Is belief in a G-d a commandment?
I am studying to convert to Judaism and one of the questions I was asked was about the Ten Commandments. I remember reading at that time that there was debate about the division of the statements ...
7
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3answers
340 views
How do you know what is God's will in a particular situation?
After reading this superb article by the great Rabbi Noah Weinberg I'm left pondering point number 5 "Make your will God's will".
I understand that this does not mean that whatever you personally ...
12
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6answers
736 views
How do we know that God exists?
Simple enough question, and very much related to the topic.
According to the sources, on what basis should people believe that there's a God?
3
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2answers
144 views
Shabbat songs that rhyme only with Hashem's real name [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Pronouncing Hashem's name in a song
Many songs we sing and the Shabbat table we use the word Hashem instead of Hashem's real name even when the song was written in ...
5
votes
1answer
73 views
Hashem calls people twice and Hinneni
In many places in the Tanach Hashem uses a name twice (ie Avraham, Avraham in Breshit 22:11; Jacob Jacob in Breshit 46:2; Shmuel shmuel in Shmuel Aleph 3:10 and more).
Rashi says that this is an ...
17
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4answers
333 views
How does one explain God to little kids?
As I understand it, the ability to understand abstract concepts develops gradually in kids and is certainly not all there when they first start having conversations. This comes into play when kids ...
10
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5answers
203 views
Why did Yonah run away?
If Yonah understood that he was being commanded by God, then how could he have possibly thought that he could run away? Did he believe that God was tied to a particular land, the way pagan gods were ...
6
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3answers
97 views
What happened to Avraham's students?
We read how Avraham was going around convincing people to believe in one G-d and of his many students. Yet we don't hear of those students (or their descendants) ever again.
What happened to them ...
15
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1answer
146 views
Can a Noachide continue to believe in religious tenets that are against the Torah?
Say you have a Christian* or a Muslim (or a member of any other monotheistic religion) who accepts the Seven Noachide Laws, and (as per Mishneh Torah, Hil. Melachim 8:11) does so because he believes ...
6
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2answers
220 views
Is there sufficient evidence to support the theory that ancient Israel practiced monolatry?
I just came across this Wikipedia article on monolatrism that says some people believe ancient Israel practiced monolatry.
The highest claim to be made for Moses is that he was, rather than a ...
9
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5answers
788 views
Have Jews believed that Ezra was the son of God?
In reading the Qur'an, I noticed this passage:
Qur'an 9:30 The Jews say, "Ezra is the son of Allah "; and the Christians say, "The Messiah is the son of Allah ." That is their statement from their ...
11
votes
3answers
218 views
Do people have an effect on the mood of God?
If a person commits idolatry or fornication he is sinful. Not only that, but the curse of Hashem is with that person. On the other hand, if a person does a lot of mitswots (commandments) and believes ...
11
votes
6answers
488 views
Reconciling the evidence for the Uncertainty Principle with belief in an omniscient G-d
One of the foundations of modern quantum mechanics is the Uncertainty Principle. This principle is not an assumption, but rather is derived from assumptions made with regard to the structure of ...
0
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2answers
481 views
What does Psalm 82 mean?
6 I -- I have said, 'Gods ye are, And sons of the Most High -- all of you,
http://yltbible.com/psalms/82.htm
So how many gods are there? Who are "you" here? Are we all gods?
Here is the context. ...
7
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2answers
2k views
Do religious Jews generally believe the serpent of Gan Eden was Satan?
Upon reading the recent CNN article, That Actually Isn't In The Bible, one not-really-in-the-Bible misconception they cite is the idea that serpent in the Garden of Eden was the Satan.
The article ...
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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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3answers
156 views
What is the Yetzer Harah?
What is the meaning of the "Yetzer Harah" - יצר הרע? How does it compare to the סטן?
5
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3answers
223 views
The Absolute Unity of G-d
As we all who know Hebrew can assert, the sufix "im" in the words usually means plurality. How can HaShem be Elohim or Elokim if He is absolutely One and the Only Lord?
3
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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?
9
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3answers
218 views
How do scientists such as Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder understand the fourth day of creation?
If I understand correctly, scientists such as Natan Aviezer and Gerald Schroeder have readings of Genesis Chapter 1 that fit with the current scientific understanding of how the universe/planet/life ...
7
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2answers
83 views
Why are several Biblical characters called “man of the Lord” (Ish HaElokim), but no one in the Bible is ever “man of God” (Ish Hashem)?
Ramban makes this observation (Deut. 33:1), and says "anyone with a good intellect" can figure out the reason. Okay I'm stumped ... help me out here please?
1
vote
1answer
74 views
What should a chazan do if he has theological problems with the congregation's text?
There are several places in the selichot where there are controversial phrases, e.g. addressing prayer to angels not G-d. I'm not asking for opinions on this, but I've heard some people just skip ...
2
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1answer
136 views
What's the best rewording of “midas harachamim aleinu hisgalgli” for those uncomfortable with it?
In the Selichot (fifth day of Aseret Yimei Teshuvah, HaPizmon shel Yud Gimel Middot HaRahamim) and in Ne'ila of Yom Kippur, there's the stanza that reads:
The concern is the few middle lines:
...
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
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2answers
165 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 ...
0
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2answers
235 views
Hashem is here, Hashem is there…REALLY?
The song "Hashem is here, Hashem is there..." seems to pose many interesting theological problems. What concerns would you have with this song? How would you educate your child on the challenges this ...
7
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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 ...
3
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3answers
246 views
Getting benefit from a church
I recently heard that one is forbidden to get any benefit from a church (or any other place of worship other then a shul). They went on to say that the prohibation included while giving directions ...
2
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4answers
209 views
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2answers
118 views
Number of days of Creation
How many days of "Creation" where there? If the answer is 7, then why is shabbos considered a day of Creation?
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2answers
222 views
Why say Hashem wrote the torah?
Why do people say Hashem wrote the torah, shouldn't it be He created it, made it, edited it, etc?
4
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5answers
263 views
Why is learning Torah today harder than 1000 years ago?
Why did Hashem make it harder for this generation to learn Torah, rather than making it equal for every generation? We have all these distractions like tv or games.
2
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3answers
146 views
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2answers
69 views
Hashem and time [closed]
If hashem is beyond time, then how could he talk about it? Is it because he created time?
5
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4answers
200 views
God's Pair of Teffilin
How when moshe turns his head not to see God's face, he sees He's got on teffilin? I thought God had no physical form.
