Questions tagged [am-yisrael-jewish-nation]
Questions pertaining to the Jewish nation or 'Am Yisrael' - 'עם ישראל' in Hebrew
170 questions
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Joining a synagogue after two generations non-practising
My (Jewish) great-grandparents came to the UK from Poland during the second world war, but due to their experiences of violent anti-semitism, hid their Jewishness from the public in the UK. The result ...
- 221
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The development of conversion
On this site conversion history, an article states it's about:
The evolution of Israel as a nation into Judaism as a religion was paralleled by a move from assimilation of strangers to a more ...
- 7,596
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The definitions of Judaism and Jew
An infinite loop:
Judaism according to Google is "the monotheistic religion of the Jews".
And Jew is "a member of the people and cultural community whose traditional religion is Judaism and who ...
- 27
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5
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764
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Were Adam and Eve Jewish?
Were Adam and Eve Jewish?
Why this question, you ask? Well, they kept Shabbat (after all, Adam already had a relationship with Hashem by virtue that he named all the animals, which would have taken ...
- 39
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How can the child of a convert know/find out if the conversion was valid?
A non-Jewish woman converts to Judaism, marries a Jewish man, and has children. She has told her children that she was converted by an Orthodox beit din, to be sure that her children are all ...
- 171
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Is "וְרַב יַעֲבֹד צָעִיר" ever fulfilled?
When Yaakov and Eisav are born we are told of their eternal battle. Bereishit (25:23):
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה לָהּ, שְׁנֵי גֹיִים בְּבִטְנֵךְ, וּשְׁנֵי לְאֻמִּים,
מִמֵּעַיִךְ יִפָּרֵדוּ; וּלְאֹם ...
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Jewish Population (based on Biblical Definition)
There are a number of official statistics concerning the population of the Jewish Race and the Religion. But I have never seen one which tried to account for the definition used on this site. A ...
- 173
4
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1
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845
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Jew vs Gentile, terminology in the Jewish Holy Book(s)?
I have never understood fully the distinction between the Jewish race and the religion. I was wondering how the Chosen People/Jewish person vs Gentile is interpreted in the Jewish faith.
When the ...
- 173
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7
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What is the basis for the focus on the difference between Jews and everybody else?
I have noticed that in a large portion of the questions and answers here, the distinction between Jews and other people is repeatedly emphasized. I know enough about the Tanakh to understand that ...
- 2,110
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Where in Nach Are The Jewish People Referred To As Zion?
Where in Nach (or in the Torah??) are Bnei Israel referred to as Zion? I realize it's mostly used to refer to the place, i.e. Jerusalem/Har Zion/Temple Mount ... and am not interested in references to ...
- 189
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Rabbis and Politics
Why do some of the Israeli Left (politically) argue that they believe in the teachings of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai over the teachings of Rabbi Akiva?
- 57
7
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1
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What if someone accidentally gave an Aliya to a non-Jew?
A gabbai called someone up for an Aliya. Yaamod, Reuven ben Shimon Shlishi.
Then, it turns out that Reuven isn't Jewish (he thought he was, his mother had a reform conversion and he thought that was ...
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How are we kings' children and why does it matter?
The mishna, Shabas 14:4 (daf 111 amud 1), cites R. Shim'on as stating that "all Jews are children of kings" (and therefore can use a certain oil on their skin on Shabas).
In what sense is it the case ...
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Book/s about apostasy throughout Jewish history
I am looking for book/s on the subject of apostasy throughout Jewish history. I haven't been able to find anything that focuses on this subject. I would appreciate any pointers
What I have in mind ...
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Ratio between gentile vs jewish persons for jews to consider
I am interested to know, according to written law, if there is something like a ratio or relativization to consider between people of the tribe and gentiles that a Jew is bound to. Is there's such a ...
- 201
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The Necessity of 12 Tribes
Why was it necessary for there to be 12 tribes, with different portions of Israel given to each? The Midrash even states that when the sea split, there were 12 separate paths for each tribe (Pirkei d'...
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Tracing your Jewish roots [closed]
How do you find out about your Jewish lineage if you only have very limited information (ex a place of birth, grandfather’s name?)
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1
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How did the Sanhedrin count votes
The Great Sanhedrin was too large (71 judges) to simply know how everyone voted. There must gave been a way to count votes, in a legal fashion. (Just counting people is prohibited.) So, by what ...
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2
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Why was King David Punished for Sending Others to Conduct a Census?
If there is no agency for sin, why was King David punished for sending people out to conduct a (forbidden) census? (Explanation of agency: The Talmud says "ein sheliach l'dvar averia," which means, ...
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4
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Why didn't Esther reveal her origin earlier?
Mordechai tells Esther not to reveal her origin (Esther 2:10) ostensibly in the hopes that they would assume she was of ignoble birth and dismiss her (Rashi ad loc.). Once she is chosen by the king, ...
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"Am I Jewish?"
How can one tell if one needs to convert in order to be Jewish or if one is already Jewish?
Would one's or one's ancestors' conversion to another religion or their lack of knowledge about Judaism ...
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4
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How did Moshe know he was Jewish?
Shemot 2:11 says how Moshe went out to see the suffering of his people:
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם וַיִּגְדַּ֤ל מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֵּצֵ֣א אֶל־אֶחָ֔יו וַיַּ֖רְא בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיַּרְא֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י ...
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Does a Jewish grandmother (mother's side) really get one accepted as a Jew? [duplicate]
My grandmother (mother's side) is 100% Jewish and even living in Israel. As far as I know, that makes, me a Jew, too. But it feels a little bit strange to say that I am Jewish just because my ...
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How did 70 souls give birth to millions in a few generations? [duplicate]
For two hundred and ten years, Bnei Yisrael were in Egypt. 70 souls entered, among them only 2 unmarried women (Dina and Serach) and also Yocheved who is said to have been born right at that moment.
...
- 1,695
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Where are the lost tribes?
Are they spread all round the nations? If so, how will they still be Jewish, surely they will have assimilated so many generations later? Or are they spread within the Jewish nation?
I learnt in the ...
- 3,021
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3
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Theological Justification for Discrimination against Sephardim?
There have been numerous cases of Ashkenazi Haredi schools in Israel discriminating against Sephardim. I am personally very disturbed by what I consider to be a great chillul Hashem, and I find such ...
user5540
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May a halachically 'Jewish' Atheist work as a 'Shabbat goy'?
I am aware that in Judaism, adherents are forbidden from performing many types of work on the Sabbath/Shabbat/Shabbos.
Although it has come to my attention that some consider the employment of a '...
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2
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Israel Am v.s. Goy
Is Israël an Am or Goy or both?
whats the Torah definition and best translation of both terms?
Because it seems that Israël is being called both Am as a Goy.
(Am Kadosh: Devarim 26:19 and Goy Kadosh:...
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Was Adam Jewish? [duplicate]
As I understand it, both Adam and Avraham had direct communication with God. Did Adam's communication with God make him Jewish? If not, what is the difference between the belief system of the ...
- 523
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2
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Source for achdus being the only way klal yisroel could accept the Torah?
I heard someone say that the only way klal yisroel was able to accept the Torah was through achdus?
Does anyone know the source for this? Is it in Chofetz Chaim Al HaTorah?
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Can the Black Obelisk's depiction of King Jehu tell us something about the appearance of ancient Israelites? [closed]
The Black Obelisk depicts King Jehu in a subordinate position in front of the Assyrian king, Shalmeneser III. This is the oldest known portrayal of an Israelite.
Here we can see the King's style of ...
- 1,695
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1
answer
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Who were the 'mixed multitude' that went up with the children of Israel in Ex 12:38?
Who were the 'mixed multitude also went up with' the children of Israel in Exodus 12:38?
Were they part of Israel?
What does Judaism, Jewish tradition say about this mixed multitude?
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2
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Aleinu - are we happy that other nations worship idols?
I was reminded by seeing this question regarding racism that I had always wondered about how to interpret the well-known prayer of "Aleinu". The first half of the prayer seems to be thanking Hashem ...
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2
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1
answer
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Hashem to Moshe - *your* nation?
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי, קוּם רֵד מַהֵר מִזֶּה--כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ, אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרָיִם: סָרוּ מַהֵר, מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם--עָשׂוּ לָהֶם, מַסֵּכָה. (דברים ט:יב)
Why is Hashem ...
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The situation of a lost Jew
Someone who is adopted to a Christian family, but has some indication of a Jewish ancestry - such as a mezuzah, and who is interested in studying and practicing Judaism, what would it take to ...
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4
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Can a yefas toar be Jewish?
I realize that when the torah discusses אשת יפת תואר it specifies
כִּי-תֵצֵא לַמִּלְחָמָה, עַל-אֹיְבֶיךָ (Devarim 21:10).
When you go out (of the land of Israel) to wage war on your enemies (...
user6641
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5
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Was Uriah Jewish?
Uriah the Hittite (mentioned in 2 Shmuel 11 and various other places) seems to be Jewish based on his name (Light of God). So why was he called "the Hittite"? Is there any opinion that he was not ...
user6641
4
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3
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490
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What nationality was Bilam?
In Numbers 22:5, the Torah is unclear as to where Pethor is. If it wants to tell us where Pethor is, then tell us, but one can only figure out where Pethor is if one knows of which people was Bilam. ...
- 9,128
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1
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Counting Jews with non-Jews
There is a prohibition of counting Jews (see here) for a number of reasons:
1) Out of love for His people, G‑d counted us at important junctures of our history. The completion of the Tabernacle was ...
- 10.4k
9
votes
2
answers
244
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Chosen Nation? Or Last option? [duplicate]
We say every day "Asher Bachar Banu Mi'Kol Ha'amim" - Chosen from among all the nations.
Yet we all know the famous medrash (quoted in Avodah Zara 2b) which says that G-d went to all the nations and ...
- 15.7k
5
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1
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How was Moses able to speak to at least 600,000 people?
The book of Exodus says that Israelites had 600,000 men of fighting age. And often it has paragraphs like this:
Exodus 35:4 (JPS):
And Moses spoke unto all the congregation of the children of ...
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3
answers
252
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Non-born-Jew Atheists without any Jewish belief or custom, while having Jewish self-identity for any reason. Is this accepted as Jew?
For example, people who discover to have Jewish descent and begin feeling themselves as being Jewish as well, because the feeling of "brotherhood" towards other Jews is strong. Is it a Jew, semi-Jew, ...
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1
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Do the sages ever use the word "Jews" to describe the B'nai Israel before the Assyrian captivity?
This may be more a semantic question than anything else, but I'm wondering what the position is on using the word "Jew" to refer to Israelites before the Assyrian captivity. My impression is that the ...
- 37
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1
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Does a finding of Jewish blood in a DNA test make one Jewish? [duplicate]
I had a DNA test done and the results say that my DNA is group with Sephardic Jews. My last name is Steen and I have always heard that we were of Dutch ancestry and I do genealogy and have not found ...
2
votes
3
answers
518
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Postponing circumcision: what consequences?
I am an atheist (not Jewish) and my soon-to-be wife is Jewish (Ashkenazi of Polish ascent). She doesn't practice, and she says she is not a believer. We are French and live in Paris. This may or may ...
10
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2
answers
9k
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My great great grandmother was Jewish - am I? [duplicate]
I've discovered that my great, great grandmother was Jewish - i.e. my mother's mother's mother's mother. She converted to Catholicism upon marriage. Are matrilineal descendants of a Jewess who ...
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votes
1
answer
485
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Once a Jew, always a Jew? [duplicate]
I keep hearing all these critical remarks from orthodox Jews about what we should and should not do. Then I hear the Rabbi from time to time give a speech where he reiterates "Once a Jew, always a Jew"...
- 257
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2
answers
160
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Is there a Malach for Am Yisrael?
I had a very bizarre dream where at the end I was in a room singing then having a heated discussion with someone who claimed to be the malach of 'Am Yisrael'. Is there such a thing as a Malach for Am ...
- 31
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1
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343
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Proving Jewish identity through gravestone
What needs to be considered to show that under a grave marker lies a Jewish person?
- 595
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1
answer
297
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Are Jews greater than angels?
In a spiritual sense which is greater - or if you prefer, has more kedusha - angels or Jews and why? Please explain and cite explicit sources, not inferences.
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