Questions tagged [christianity]
Questions related to how Judaism regards or relates to the Christian religion or its followers. NOTE: Questions that require independent expertise in Christianity to answer are off-topic.
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Does Judaism care if jesus performed the miracles as reported in the christian testament?
Devarim 13 teaches about a navi sheker that can predict the future accurately and/or perform miracles (real ones—see Rashbam), and yet, as he contravenes the Torah, that we ourselves heard, we're to ...
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Does Daniel 9 prove that the messiah would come in the 2nd temple period? [duplicate]
I reading the Tankah and a Christian friend of mine was debating on Daniel 9, he is an evangelical pastor and he told me that Daniel 9 proves to us that the messiah would come in the second temple ...
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How would you respond to this claim by Christians? [duplicate]
My friend is an evangelical pastor and he argues that Christ could be the messiah through the female linage of Mary, I am currently struggling to respond to this and wondered how you would respond? I'...
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Why don't the Jews see Isaiah 53 as being messianic? [closed]
In Isaiah 53 it talks about a suffering servant, this verse is commonly used by Christians as talking about Jesus of Nazareth, but I was wondering what are the main objections from the Jewish ...
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How would you address the claim that the messiah's lineage could be through the mother? [duplicate]
A little context: I am on a Facebook group where Christians and Jews debate, and we were discussing how Christ could be the messiah, when he wasn't directly through the male lineage of David, in which ...
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What are the most widely used responses to Christian claims of supersessionism?
Christians claim that the Jewish nation is no longer chosen by God, and has been replaced or superseded by Christianity (Supersessionism). I would like to know what the most popular or frequently ...
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Is one allowed to volunteer in a food pantry affiliated with a church?
We all know that going in a church is assur. But what about going into a building associated with a church? E.g. let's say a place like Rauschenbusch Metro Ministries, which appears to just offer ...
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Is one allowed to OWN a King James Bible, Koran, etc.?
Halachically speaking (as opposed to a mere Middos Chassidus), is one allowed to own a book or document of another religion? This question can be divided into sub-questions:
1. Would there be a ...
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Could the messiah be adopted into the lineage of David like Jesus and if no why? [closed]
I have a friend who is an evangelical pastor for a baptist Church and we were talking about the criteria for the messiah, one of the criteria is obviously being that they had to be from the linage of ...
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What are the requirements for the messiah? [duplicate]
I am considering becoming an Orthodox Jew but I was born and raised a Christian, I know little much about the Jewish faith but I want to learn, my question being what is the requirements that they are ...
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St. Patrick’s Day and Chukot Hagoyim
According to Halacha, is the holiday St. Patrick’s Day considered Chukot Hagoyim? So would Jews be prohibited from wearing green or (consensually) pinching somebody not wearing green on that day? What ...
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Where did Rabbeinu Tam attribute Nishmas to Peter?
Lots of sources (eg this one) say that Rabbeinu Tam attributed the prayer Nishmas Kol Chai to the apostle Peter. But no one seems to give a precise citation of where Rabbeinu Tam said this. Can anyone ...
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Is it okay for me to wear a Star of David and cross necklace? [duplicate]
I’m an ethnic Jew and through Jewish Law I am a Jew (my mother was raised Catholic, but her mother was Jewish and the rest of that side of family is Jewish). I was raised Christian and am extremely ...
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Can a Ger be a Christian or another who worships any of Gd other than the Gd of the Torah?
Christians will use Deuteronomy 10-18, and other verses with "ger" to say that they are also equal in Gd's love for his people. I was wondering if a Ger could apply to an idol worshiper, as ...
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Can you say tehillim on nittel nacht?
Since we say tehilim in maariv and kriat shema al hamita, why not tehilim alone on this most unholy night?
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Burning missionary material
I remember learning a while ago that we are supposed to burn missionary material, presumably because it is kefirah. At one point a local missionary was specifically targeting us and putting it ...
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Thanking Christian for his prayers
Taking into account that Christianity is Avoda Zara I would like to ask the following question.
I met a missionary last night who started off the conversation saying that he prays for Israel and then ...
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Gemara relating to Yeshua Hanotzri
Does anyone have a list of all the places where Yeshua Hanotzri is mentioned in the Gemara (and was redacted because of the Christian censor)?
I found theses two places:
Sanhedrin 43a
Sanhedrin 107b
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Are there also strong admonitions against the wealthy in the Jewish Bible? [closed]
In Christianity, there are several passages containing warnings or even threats directed at wealthy individuals, cautioning them about the state of their souls. For instance:
Mark 10:24:
But Jesus ...
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Star of David with cross inside [duplicate]
I will be attending a funeral of my sister in law (Christian) and brother in law (Jewish). I would like to wear a necklace with Star of David with a cross inside to the service.
Am I risking ...
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If I don't think that someone would leave Christianity, is it recommended to guide them to more monotheistic/non-Trinitarian Christianity? [closed]
Let's say as a hypothetical: I'm in an argument with a typical trinitarian Christian and they are absolutely stubborn. I can show them all the proofs of the incoherence of the topic of trinity and ...
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Reconiciling Statements Rav Kook made about other Religions
The introduction to the book "Abraham Isaac Kook - The Lights of Penitence, Lights of Holiness, The Moral Principles, Essays, Letters, and Poems", states that Rav Kook was positive toward ...
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Is encouraging Islam amongst the gentiles considered a positive act or a negative act? [closed]
Islam is considered a pure monotheism according to Judaism. It's famously the only religion a Jew can convert to in the name of their survival because it doesn't require idolatry to do so. Contrast ...
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Can a Jew visit the main attractions in Rome
Can a Jew visit the main attractions in Rome? Including the Vatican, the Vatican museums, the Pantheon, St Peter's Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel. It's a two-part question, first of all, are these ...
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Does Judaism believe that observant Christians follow the 7 mitzvot? [duplicate]
My understanding is that Judaism considers the Noahide Laws to be binding on all humans. While Christians believe themselves to be observant of the Noahide Laws, I'm curious whether there are ...
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Is it permitted to read non-Jewish religious texts?
I have an interest in the New Testament simply to understand Christianity. I would therefore like to read it, but not at all in an idolatrous way (assuming reading it itself wouldn’t be idolatrous).
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Is there any halachic issue with watching the coronation of King Charles III?
I don't know if any of these are valid concerns or not, but here are some things that came to mind:
Watching a ceremony in a church
Hearing the church hymns
Watching the kissing of the cross
Besides ...
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Does the Tanakh teach some will suffer eternal conscious torment?
Many identifying as Christians teach that sinners will suffer eternal conscious torment, but I'm wondering what the Jewish view is. Is there an argument from the Tanakh that some will undergo eternal ...
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Proper definition for an idol/idol worshiping? [closed]
What is the proper definition for an idol/idol worshiping?
I'm asking this because in Christianity, an idol can be any person or thing that consumes your thoughts, words, time, energy, or money other ...
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Does Jews for Judaism have disputed ideas or could it be distributed to christians to enrich their knowledge? [closed]
Does Jews for Judaism have disputed ideas or could it be distributed to christians to increase their knowledge?
https://jewsforjudaism.org/
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Reading fictional works during week, or on Shabbos? [closed]
I'm fascinated in reading the christian bible as a work of 1st century Jewish fiction. When is a more appropriate time to read it, or is reading it utterly forbidden?
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Is it okay for Jewish people to read Narnia or Lord of the Rings?
The Narnia series was written by a Christian named C.S. Lewis who also wrote books that argued for Christianity. The Narnia series is supposed to contain Christian themes, which might be there for ...
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How would you define this list of breakaways from Judaism?
I don’t know so much about history and theology, but I saw the following list and I was hoping that someone could help me understand it;
I saw R Dovid Gottlieb in "Reason to Believe" ...
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Is there a Jewish source for the saying: "only the father knows when the wedding would take place"?
The website below describes what is apparently an ancient Jewish wedding custom, in which it was apparently said that "only the Father" of the groom "knows" when the wedding would ...
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Why can it not be possible that God could see the power it would have over the world, that sending part of himself to save the ones who strayed away? [closed]
My problem is I want to be Jewish, I dont understand why Jesus, cant be real. If hes able to make the majority even slightly better than luke warm, will God still spit them out? Doesnt God reward the ...
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According to Ibn Ezra, does Ovadiah predict drastic population changes of other religions?
I recently learned that Edom today means the Christians. See for example Ibn Ezra
This prophecy contains the decree made against Edom, that is, against the empire of Rome and Constantinople, who are ...
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Halacha Regarding Entering a Church
It would be very much appreciated if someone can provide some sources that permit a Jew to enter a church premises (not the actual sanctuary). I've signed up for a classical guitar festival that's in ...
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Is it Mutar to Listen to Music Recorded in a Church?
I read somewhere that listening to music recorded in a church is asur, because it essentially brings the church into one's home. This is common practice for classical music. Has anyone heard of or not ...
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Sources Allowing Listening to Christian Music?
I read Igros Moshe forbids listening to music with idolatrous intent. What are some sources, if any, that allow listening to, or playing/performing Christian classical music, such as Bach's or Handel'...
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Why did the 4 miracles of the Temple stop 40 years before the destruction of the Temple?
According to the Sefaria translation of Yoma 39b:
The Sages taught: During the tenure of Shimon HaTzaddik, the lot for God always arose in the High Priest’s right hand; after his death, it occurred ...
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Does belief in the abrogation of the Torah by the NT disqualify a Ben Noah?
The Rambam in Hilchos Melachim 8:10-11 (see also Likkutei Sichos vol. 26 p. 132) rules it is a prerequisite of the 7 Noahide Laws that Gentiles bide by them because it says so in “the Torah of Moses&...
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Edom/House of Esav
I have a question:
Why does G‑d hate Edom (Esaw)? Why do you always read negative things about Edom? What if I'm descended from Esau, does G‑d hate me? Wouldn't that be unfair? I am referring to this ...
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Jewish Mysticism/Kabbalah - Separation of souls from Hashem good, bad, or neither? [closed]
This is an except from G.K. Chesterton's "Romance of Orthodoxy". Chesterton was a English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and argues that Buddhism and the Theosophical concept of one ...
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Where is the source of Yeshu (ימח שמו) hearing the Shem Hashem from the Kohen Gadol?
There is a Sefer "תם ומועד" which reportedly says that Yeshu (ימח שמו) was able to perform miracles because he was in the Beis Hamikdash when the Kohen Gadol said the Shem HaMeforash, wrote ...
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May one study medieval Christian philosophers such as Augustine or Aquinas? [duplicate]
Many colleges and graduate schools require their students to read Christian philosophers such as Augustine or Aquinas. Does this pose a halachic problem?
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Church fathers and the Rabbis
I’m wondering if there is any evidence in Jewish writings of correspondence/the mentioning of church fathers. I would assume that the interactions would have happened in the time of the late tanaaim/...
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Are you Jewish if adopted immediately after birth by a Jewish mother raised and having lived Catholic? [duplicate]
This is a hypothetical with a fact pattern that has not been answered by any previous questions.
Generally, a non-Jew adoptee in a Jewish family will be Jewish by halachic upbringing.
If a child of a ...
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Rav ha Meiri's interpretation of the term "notzrim" in Talmud Bavli-Avodah Zarah 6a and 7b
According to the legal determination established in Talmud Bavli -Avodah Zarah 6a and 7b, the halachic status of christians (“notzrim”) appears to be that of idolaters:
Avodah Zara 6a
Avodah Zarah 7b
...
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The history of Rabbi Samuel the Israelite
I found a book that is archived at BYU (a famously Mormon university). It is called The Epistle of Rabbi Samuel the Israelite to Rabbi Isaac, and was originally written in Arabic in the eleventh ...
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Why is the Trinity considered polytheistic in traditional Jewish thought? [closed]
I've read a couple questions on this site and other Jewish sources stating the traditional Jewish view is the Christian concept of the Trinity is polytheistic. However, I haven't found any questions ...