Questions tagged [hashkafah-philosophy]
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.
115 questions from the last 365 days
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What kind of character traits is Mashiach supposed to possess?
There a some stories Chazal bring about men who were potentially going to be mashiach. A couple that come to mind are Bar Kochba (who Rabbi Akiva said would be Mashiach) and the man Eliyahu Hanavi ...
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70 nations vs 70 who went down to Egypt
What's the connection between the 70 nations and the 70 descendants of Yaacov who went to Egypt? Is there a 1:1 correllation anywhere?
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Is Moshe Idel’s scholarship considered kosher by the Orthodox Jewish community [closed]
I’m curious whether the scholarship of Moshe Idel, a contemporary scholar of Kabbalah, is considered kosher (i.e., that his scholarship doesn't contradict the Mesorah) and reliable (i.e., that a ...
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Why do we hear about women having Binah in gemara, but nothing the other way around for men? Maybe it should say something about Chochma alá Zohar?
As this Chabad page neatly gathers sources for, men are associated with Chochma, women are associated with Binah.
The gemara says that Hashem endowed women with Binah. Why is there no source that says ...
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If men are chesed, and women are gevura, why does it seem the other way around?
The Zohar* teaches that the penimiut (personal, inner quality, root) of men is Chesed (Kindness), and the penimiut of women is Gevura (Severity/Justice).
I think if you were to ask someone what they ...
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How should religious Jews (and Noahides) respond to these criticisms
I’m curious how the community here would recommend responding to these criticisms of the claim that God exist: https://youtu.be/ExBsyaiRYW4?feature=shared. To summarize (although please for anybody ...
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Judaism and aesthetics
Is there a religious Jewish perspective, either in terms of Halacha (ie Hiddur Mitzvah) or Hashkafa on aesthetics? If so, are there any aesthetic movements which integrate with Judaism’s criteria for ...
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Studying/discussing secular philosophy on Shabbat and their relation to the Torah
I’m curious what the Halacha is regarding studying secular philosophy on Shabbat in order to compare and contrast it to genuine Limmud Torah, for example let’s say someone is discussing Martin Buber’s ...
- 4,532
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Free Speech - is it a Torah principle?
Does the Torah have a principle of free speech? What is it?
Note, I am not talking about all speech, such as Lashon Hara etc. I am talking about how the term is mainly used in modern discourse; i.e. ...
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Author of 'alphabeta'
Anyone familiar with rabbi and or scholar that had a work called "alphabeta" or "alefbeta" (not rabbi Fohrman) who may have passed away within the last ten or twenty years, or less?...
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How can missionary arguments about free will be refuted?
In light of the fact that the majority of Christians including Catholics and Orthodox believe in predestination, as does Islam (in fact, one of Antony Flew's ("the world's most famous atheist&...
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What is the stance of Judaism on discussing philosophies, beliefs, ideas, and practices of other religions or belief systems? [duplicate]
What are the rules or guidelines on how a Jew should engage with others who would like to discuss philosophies, beliefs, ideas, and practices of other religions or belief systems?
Are Jews allowed to ...
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What does Judaism say about opposites / polarities?
I asked this question on the Philosophy StackExchange, What philosophies don't say things boil down to polarities (opposites)?, as some belief systems have deep belief that everything is on a spectrum ...
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Does anyone know how to contact Rav J. Glass who has posted a translation of Netivot Shalom online?
His now non-working email address is still visible where he posted his translation. It used to be [email protected]. I would like to find out if he has finished or is still working on finishing his ...
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Is creation a "transmutation of the divine reality"?
Adin Steinsaltz in his book The Thirteen Petalled Rose says,
His creation being not the act of forming something out of nothing but the act of revelation. Creation is an emanation from the divine ...
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Does God cause people to sin? [duplicate]
Is the following statement within the pale of orthodox Judaism?: "As the First Cause God wills everything that happens in the universe and thus predestines all humans to their degree of ...
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Is Maimonides' view of free will normative? [closed]
Maimonides discusses free will in his Eight Chapters:
"if we should say that God had destined that this sum should pass into the hands of the one and out of the possession of the other, God ...
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3
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When G-d spoke to a particular individual, does anybody else hear what He is saying?
At one point, the whole world heard G-d during the revelation in Mt. Sinai, but when G-d specifically spoke to someone, could anyone have eavesdropped and heard what He said or could it be only heard ...
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L'chatchila Ariber: what does it mean and where does it come from?
There seems to be a famous saying from the Rebbe Maharash, Rabbi Shmuel Schneersohn (1834 - 1882):
די וועלט זאגט, אז מ'קען ניט ארונטער דארף מען אריבער, און איך האלט אז
מ'דארף לכתחילה אריבער
The world ...
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What is the best philosophical argument for G-d? [closed]
I am currently struggling with my faith at the moment and I have been now for a few weeks on and off, it has gotten to the point where I have gotten depressed, so I thought that I would reach out to ...
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"I am nothing" is the epitome of humility. Why not "I am worse than nothing"?
The gemara in Chullin records a beautiful teaching of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yossi HaGalili:
אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי אלעזר בר' שמעון כל מקום שאתה מוצא דבריו של רבי
אליעזר בנו של רבי יוסי הגלילי ...
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What is the meaning of וְתֵן חֶלְקֵנוּ בְתוֹרָתֶךָ?
This phrase appears in 5:20 of Ethics of the Fathers and in our siddur.
One translation is "and grant us our portion in Your Torah" (Sefaria)
But I would think we each have the whole Torah. ...
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Tzaddik or Rasha: Correlation between human abilities and merits
"If you have learned much Torah, do not claim credit for yourself, because for such a purpose were you created.". Avot 2.8:
"And that angel takes the drop of semen from which a person ...
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Why is "giving nachat ruach" to Hashem not considered "giving to Him" or "Him receiving from us"
There is a theme throughout all Torah thought, that we cannot give to Hashem. He is perfect and lacking nothing; He needs nothing; He has no desire to receive; He cannot receive; we have nothing to ...
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How could G-d allow Judaism to be deprived of leadership? [closed]
I read a book called Letters: Hebrew-Catholic to Mr. Isaacs by David Goldstein, who was a convert to Catholicism. One of his arguments is that Judaism has ceased to be a religion the way it was in ...
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Does Chabad have a specific response to Breslov about studying Philosophy books?
Chayei Moharan 407-408 brings that Rebbe Nacham forbade studying philosophy works, such as Moreh Nevuchim, Chovot Levavot Gate of Unity, Sefer HaIkkarim, and even sections of Mishneh Torah such as ...
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Jewish Halacha or Hashkafa WhatsApp groups [closed]
Does anyone know of Jewish related, Halacha, Hashkafa WhatsApp groups?
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334
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Going against traditional rules = "I just want to be me" - hashkafic (and halachic?) analysis
The modern trend is to try to say that any "traditional" restrictions on human expression are no longer enforcible, and in fact, those who defy them are to be celebrated as "being able ...
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Defining boundaries of Jewish Orthodoxy
With a plethora of Jewish denominations, it becomes harder and harder to sort out religious views in general and Orthodox Judaism in particular. In my debates, I was frequently pointed out that "...
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Tomer Devorah: "Delighting in insults". Doesn't that ruin their purpose as yisurin?
According to the Ramak in Tomer Devorah 3, he recommends that a person who wants to achieve humility should hope for, and try to delight in insults. He gives the simple logic that, like all yisurin (...
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Why do many great Tzaddikim die so young?
Examples:
Chanoch (365)
King Shlomo (55)
King Yoshiyahu (38)
Ramak (48)
The Arizal Hakodesh (38)
Ramchal (39)
Ohr Hachaim Hakodesh (46)
Rebbe Nachman (38)
Why, sometimes, do the greatest of the ...
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Optional personal requests in prayers according to Rambam
Following "Praying-for-too-many-people".
In my understanding, Rambam had a peculiar and somewhat unorthodox view of God's immutability and inability to be influenced by our Earthly prayers. ...
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Job suffering for the misdeeds of his ancestors
The Torah introduces the idea of intergenerational punishment (Ex 20.5): "For I, your God YHWH, am an impassioned God, visiting the guilt of the parents upon the children, upon the third and upon ...
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The Mitzva to Know Hashem = get to know Him. Diyyuk in Mishneh Torah?
I once heard Rabbi Manis Friedman Shlita prove, from the wording or some other clever diyuk, in the first perek of Mishneh Torah, that the Mitzva of (paraphrased) "knowing that there is a first ...
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Book Request: Machshava by Topics
I am looking for a book that provides an anthology of sources on topics of machshava. Organised and that can be used as a reference book for learning a topic.
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What does "seeing from one end of the world to the other" mean?
The gemara in Chagigah 12a describes the primordial light of creation and says that with it, Adam could see from one end of the world to the other:
אמר רבי אלעזר: אור שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא ביום ראשון, ...
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Does Judaism acknowledge and accept the principle of absolute, personal bodily autonomy as a foundation behind a right to abortion?
Currently, in the United States, there is a very heated and emotional debate going on over the subject of the right of a woman to an abortion and the principle of abortion on demand.
This is a very ...
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When is a convert's birthday? [duplicate]
Birthdays are relevant in various halachic contexts.
The Ben Ish Chai says one should have a seuda and do learning on one's birthday (Re'eh 17).
One's age is determined by one's birthday, so ...
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Do we believe in objective morality? [duplicate]
Do we believe in objective morality? Meaning that even if G-d didn’t exist c”v the world would still have morals? Or do we believe that all sense of morality and goodness comes as a result of there ...
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After teshuva, we are all considered "oneis" - Rav Tzaddok
I was told by someone who saw it inside but can't remember, that Rav Tzaddok has a vort where he explains that after we do teshuva, Hashem considers us as having been oneis (compelled against our will ...
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Significance of the Temple in the Days of the Messiah
Contemplating the 9th of Av aspirations, I understand that the main reason for our yearning for the Days of the Messiah is to solve the inherent condition of human suffering: poverty, sickness, wars, ...
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Does plant life have value?
Is there anything wrong with destroying plant life for no reason? Does plant life hold any value according to Judaism?
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Source for Secret Signs that Yaakov gave Rachel [closed]
I heard some time ago that Kaf haChaim or some other author suggests that the secret signs that Yaakov gave Rachel were the places of the body, where later the kohanim had oil and blood applied during ...
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Why didn't Moshe have an issue with Gad and Reuven spurning Eretz Yisroel?
Bamidbar 32 portays Moshe's problem with Reuven and Gad's request to settle in Transjordan as one of potentially dissuading the Israelites from finally fighting and conquering the promised land.
Once ...
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Why following different lenient approaches is wicked?
Tosefta Yevamot.1.13
"לעולם הלכה כדברי בית הלל,
הרוצה להחמיר על עצמו לנהוג כדברי בית שמיי וכדברי בית הלל,
על זה נאמ' הכסיל בחשך ילך,
התופס קולי בית שמיי וקולי בית הלל רשע,
אלא אם כדברי בית שמיי ...
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If prophecy ended, how come idol worship didn't?
The Vilna Gaon claims that the destruction of the yeitzer hara (evil inclination) for idol worship also removed prophecy.
I want to know, why? It seems there is a connection between the yeitzer hara ...
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2
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2
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148
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Consequences of my actions or Gd?
Let’s say I eat a ton of chocolate and get a big stomach ache, should I think that I got the stomach ache because I was stupid and ate all that food, or should I think that God gave me that stomach ...
- 3,271
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Wisdom and knowledge, G-dly or unG-dly?
I wondered if there are texts and/or explanations that teach us when certain knowledge or wisdom is considered G-dly or unG-dly (occult, pagan, wrong).
To give some context, I recently had a ...
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Personification of Esav in Western Civilisation - basis for Rabbi Mendel Kessin's teaching
Rabbi Mendel Kessin explains in this shiur (around 15 minutes in) that Christianity is the spiritual inheritor of Esav, and Western Civilisation is broken up into three parts, representing 3 parts of ...
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Midrashim that explore the exact meaning of "tov" in Genesis 1?
It's no secret that "good," in English as well as in Hebrew, is rather polysemous: on the one hand, it can mark the degree to which a given thing satisfies its purpose or relevant ideal (as ...
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