Questions tagged [gentiles]
Relations with non-Jews, and laws regarding them.
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First steps for someone considering conversion
I am 25 years old and I am truly interested in converting. I too also only believe in G-d. I live my life to certain rules that others I see aren't strong enough to live by. I want to know what I ...
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Non-Jews (Gentiles) in Olam Haba (Jewish Afterlife)?
Are there non-Jews in Olam Haba (the world to come), either in Gehenom (Hell) or Gan Eden (Heaven)?
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Will A Non Jew who did not keep the Noachide Laws be Held Accountable?
Will A Non Jew who did not keep the Noachide Laws be Held Accountable on yom hadin?
After all, he can claim he didn't know anything about them.
Maybe there is a difference between a gentile in ...
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Is it possible for a Gentile to convert to Judaism? [closed]
Is it possible for someone who is Gentile to convert to Judaism?
What is the prevailing belief of Jewish people on this subject?
What scripture backs up this belief?
What do prominent Jewish ...
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Sources For Listening To/Not Listening to Non-Jewish Music
What are sources for it being allowed to listen to non-Jewish music and sources for it being prohibited?
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Is it a discouraged or an unacceptable practice for a Gentile to keep the Sabbath?
According to Jewish Law and tradition, is it acceptable, discouraged or totally unacceptable for a Gentile to keep the Sabbath according to the regulations spelled out in the Torah and the Talmud and ...
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What makes something "chukat goyim?"
One of the most famous examples I have heard is that one should not even tie one's shoes like the non-Jews do in times of persecution. That seems rather excessive. What if the Jews started doing some ...
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Voting in a church?
Are you allowed to vote inside a church? (Answers supplying sources would be preferred, as always.)
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Am I liable to be stoned for my devotion to Hashem and the Jewish people?
I have spent over 2 years to this day praying for the Jewish people from the Koren Siddur and Machzorim. I have with my Rebbe's help tried to follow Jewish customs and laws, to my best ability. ...
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6
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Non-Jews learning or being taught Torah
I read on Mi Yodeya, and elsewhere on the Internet, that the Gemara (Chagigah 13a) says that Jews can't teach Torah to gentiles, and that according to Tosefot (Chagigah 13a sv. ein) this is because ...
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From where do we know that sexual intercourse with a non-jewish woman is forbidden?
From where do we know that a jewish man cannot have sexuel intercourse with a non-jewish woman? What say the Kabbala about this ? Is it related to dark forces, "qelipoth"?
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Can a gentile go to Synagogue on Shabbat and what is forbidden on Shabbat for a gentile?
Is a gentile allowed to participate in Shabbat prayers in a Synagogue (of course he/she will not count for a minyan) if they do so in order to gain knowledge of Jewish customs for the purpose of ...
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2
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Gentile keeping shabbos
While I do not know the source, I have heard many times that Gentiles are forbidden from keeping Shabbos and must make sure to violate at least one law of the Shabbos every Shabbos. If this is the ...
- 462
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Does the Torah discuss aliens?
Does the Torah discuss extra-terrestrial life and/or civilizations?
Do any Torah sources exist which discuss what these hypothetical beings would be like and their status/nature? (eg. Would they be ...
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Do gentiles have neshamot?
As I have seen here, some say that only Jews have a neshama, others say that all humans have one. There was a reference there only of the former opinion (Jews only), and I know from elsewhere that ...
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Is it permitted for a Ben-Noach be an atheist?
Avoda zarah is one of the things prohibited by the Seven Noachide Laws. But what about atheism? I know that the 7 Laws are often taken to include a larger number of halachot from the Torah, so would ...
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Good books for non-Jews who are interested in understanding Judaism, especially branches of Orthodox judaism
I have found that the first thing to do when you want to learn something about a subject, is to start with the idea that you know absolutely nothing. I understand, for example, that Judaism has ...
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I am not Jewish but would like to visit a MO synagogue to pray occasionally on Shabbat. What is the best course?
I have studied Judaism for five years privately but also with the assistance of friends. There isn't a shul in the city where I live so most Shabbats I pray at home. Occasionally I have driven into ...
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3
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Is it appropriate for a Gentile to attend and/or participate in a Seder?
The context: last year, I saw this sign that announced the time and place that a Jewish Seder (probably Yom Kippur) would happen. I was definitely curious and considered going and at least observing ...
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Are Europeans Edomites?
I had always thought that Europeans descended from Yafet, not Shem, and certainly not Shem, Avraham and Yitzhak. I am aware that it was common in the past to equate Rome with Edom, but I always ...
user345
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Should one ask a non-Jew attending synagogue to wear a yarmulke?
It says in Divrei HaRav (by R. Hershel Schachter, p143) that when they asked R. Aharon Kotler whether a non-Jewish secular studies teacher in a yeshiva should be asked to wear a yarmulke, he said he ...
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Would a non-Jew wearing the Star of David together with a cross be offensive?
I am not Jewish, although I come from a Jewish heritage. My great-grandmother was Jewish. I have, since childhood, found the religion fascinating, even though my belief in Jesus has firmly placed me ...
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Teaching Written Torah to Christians
There is an idea mentioned by the Rambam, but not in the Mishneh Torah as I recall, that it is permissible to teach Wrtitten Torah to Christians because they accept it as Divine and don't study it in ...
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Why does the Torah forbid interest only on loans to Jews?
Why aren't we allowed to charge a Jew interest but we're allowed to charge a non-Jew?
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Are you allowed to save a non-Jew's life on shabbos?
Is a Jew allowed to violate shabbos to save a non-Jew's life?
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answer
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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 ...
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Phrasing of refuah prayer when praying for a non-Jew
How would you phrase a refuah (recovery from illness) tefillah (prayer) for a sick gentile?
"Thomas ben [=son of] Mary"?
"Thomas Smith"?
Is it appropriate to include the name during the ...
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Teshuva and non-Jews?
The Rambam explains the basic requirements of doing teshuva and seeking forgiveness from another person: acknowledging the transgression, making amends, and seeking forgiveness (presumably publicly ...
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what are the limits of "mesira"?
It seems that most people have an idea that you cannot report a Jew to the non-Jewish authorities (police, government, etc) except for extreme circumstances (imminent danger, abuse, etc). However, ...
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Among the gentiles, why Job and Bilaam were recognized as prophets whereas Muhammad was not?
Being a Muslim and a student of comparative religion, I am interested to know what is the Jewish notion of prophethood particularly pertaining to gentiles. I have come to know that Job and Bilaam were ...
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3
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Can a non-Jew don tefillin?
May a non-Jew or a person who is in the conversion process don tefillin? If not, what are the reasons that they cannot?
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Can you drink a beer (such as Miller or Budweiser) at a bar?
Can you buy and drink a beer (such as Miller or Budweiser) at a bar owned by non-Jews?
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First trip to the synagogue! Tips and advice please!
I am preparing for my first trip to a synagogue after the High Holy Days.
My first visit will be to a Modern Orthodox Synagogue. I have interacted with the Rabbi by email and we will be meeting ...
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Can a Kohen Marry a Woman with a Non-Jewish Father?
Is a Kohen allowed to marry a woman who is the daughter of a Jewish woman and non-Jewish man?
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4
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Can a gentile pray in a synagogue?
I am an 18 year old male interested in converting to Judaism, I have been reading the Tanakh amongst other things and have been learning more about the religion. My question pertains as to whether or ...
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Does ‘Love Your Neighbor As Yourself’ apply only to Jews?
This verse is obviously one of the most central & important in the whole Torah. It has helped sustain us as a kind, harmonious, & loving nation for over 3,000 years & has helped introduce ...
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Do non-Jewish children taken captive lose the obligation to be Bnei Noach?
Inspired by this interesting question, I wonder if the principle of תינוק שנשבה (a child taken captive) can be applied to non-Jews who grew up in cultures antithetical to those that the mitzvot bnei ...
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Matrilineal Descent
I have heard that matrilineal descent (i.e. having Judaism passed down through the mother) comes from the Roman period when women were raped by Roman soldiers and the babies were then said to be ...
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4
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Was Eisav Jewish?
Was Eisav Jewish? Eisav was born to the same father and mother as Yaakov. It may be possible to say that Yaakov was not Jewish either as it was before Matan Torah, however if Yaakov was Jewish, then ...
- 139k
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Is there a mitzva to make known the truth of Judaism to non-Jews
It is not a mitzva to try to convert non Jews but is there a mitzva to make known the truth of Judaism to the world (such as bringing rational proofs of the authenticity of Judaism)? After all, ...
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May one love a non-Jew?
May one love a non-Jew? Not romantically in the sense of marriage, but rather in the sense that one loves a friend or family. May a Jew love his Gentile father, for example? May a baal teshuvah ...
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Giving gifts to non-Jews at Christmastime
Is it okay at Christmastime to give a gift to a boss or for kids to give gifts to teachers if they are not Jewish?
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Is there any benefit for a gentile to convert through one denomination versus another?
Despite being raised Conservative, it has been my impression that the only conversion that "counts" is an Orthodox one. I suspect this is the case for making aliyah, but under what other ...
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What are the parameters of the prohibition against a non-Jew learning Torah?
The Gemara (Sanhedrin 58a) declared that a non-Jew is liable to death for learning Torah (at least the parts not relevant to him practically). If you read the passuk תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה literally, “...
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Being a houseguest in a non-frum or non-Jewish home
I'm Jewish, so I have to keep many laws in mind. Kashrut, tefillin, yichud, kol isha, and more.
When staying as a houseguest in a non-frum or non-Jewish home, what are some of the issues I might face?...
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3
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Is praising non-Jews actually prohibited?
The gemara Avodah Zara (20) explains that praising a non-Jew is a violation of "lo sechaneim", and this is quoted in the Rambam (Hil. Avodah Zara 10:6) and the Shulchan Aruch (Y"D 151, and Shach s.k. ...
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Burnt offering of a gentile
According to this question, the pharoah of Egypt in the time of Moses gave a burnt offering to Moses.
This inspired me to do research (read: google) about gentiles bringing in burnt offerings.
From ...
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Is Islam Avodah Zara?
Is Islam avodah zarah? The reason why I ask is because in Mecca, at the Kaaba there is a black stone which the Muslims kiss and believe is holy.
Is kissing the stone and believing it's holy a problem ...
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Forbidden actions and the role of non-Jews
The question I am to ask is related to personal experience I've had but can be easily broadened. I am really asking for the sake of broadening my knowledge, and I apologize if any part of my question ...
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Keeping Kosher at a secular company
How you do deal with keeping Kosher while working at a secular company? It's easy enough to bring my own lunch everyday; what I'm not sure how to handle are events like company lunches and other ...
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