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.
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Comparison of different hashkafas
I'm curious whether anyone has published a (reasonably unbiased) comparison of different major hashkafas and the key differences between them. Has anyone come across such a thing?
To clarify: I'm ...
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How to interpret statements of Rabbonim on the nature of reality
I know that some people tend to take more or less everything that a Rav says as the absolute truth, but throughout the ages, different Rabbonim have expressed a variety of opinions, which can, in many ...
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metaphors and myths
According to the Rambam, certain parts of the Torah are to be understood metaphorically. While this approach works well in cases where we can imagine that the "first listeners" understood it ...
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Does someone get punished for unknowingly committing a sin or unknowingly hurting a person?
Does someone get punished for unknowingly committing a sin or unknowingly hurting a person? Please provide sources, thanks.
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Kabbalah/chasiduss explanation of theodicy
Are there any kabbalistic or hasidic explanations given to the question of theodicy? Beyond “rational”/philosophical explanations, are there any mystical reasons given to why bad things happen? If so, ...
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Why weren’t the descendants of Esav or Yishmael also given the Torah alongside the benei Yaakob?
As we all know, Abraham had two descendants, Yishmael and Yitschak. Yitschak also had two descendants, Esav and Yaakob; however only the children of Yaakob were the nation that was chosen for the ...
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Theological issues to certain brachot
According to the way many people understand the Rambam in Mishneh Torah but especially in Moreh Nevuchim, and many other Jewish Philosophers, when the Torah uses any words to describe Hashem, they are ...
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What type of enemies are being spoken about in Shaar Habitachon?
In Duties of the Heart, Ibn Paquda writes in Shaar Habitachon (Treatise on Trust, Ch. 4):
אבל עניני אויביו וחומדיו ומבקשי רעתו יבטח בעניניהם על הבורא יתעלה
ויסבל חרפתם ואל יגמל להם כפעלם אך יגמלם חסד ...
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אף־אני אלך עמם בקרי - what does it mean for us to treat Hashem בקרי, and visa versa?
Vayikra 26:40-41:
והתודו את־עונם ואת־עון אבתם במעלם אשר מעלו־בי ואף אשר־הלכו עמי בקרי
And they shall admit their sin, and the sin of their fathers, with
their betrayal which they betrayed against Me, ...
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Chesed and food - healthy or tasty?
When a person prepares food for someone else, as an act of chesed, should they prioritise making the food healthy, or tasty?
In case someone wants to make the case that they are not mutually ...
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The Gemara (Sukkah 25b) mentions "taking your mind off your worries." Do any commentators elaborate on exactly how to do that?
The Gemara (Sukkah 25b) mentions that an avel (mourner) is obligated in the mitzvah of Sukkah. One might have thought that since someone who is mitzta'er (in pain) is exempt from the mitzvah, that an ...
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How to identify if a Chabad shul is Meshichist?
How can one discern whether a Chabad shul is Meshichist?
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Non-Jewish philosophical defense of religion
Is there an issue, Hashkafically or otherwise, with using a non-Jewish philosophical argument to defend the belief in Hashem or utility of religion without referencing the Torah? Like referencing Leo ...
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Are we supposed to live in the matrix?
Rabbeinu Bachaya, while discussing why Hashem requires us to work so hard for our livelihood and in our service of Him says in Shaar Habitachon ch. 4:
והיה מחמלת הבורא יתעלה על האדם שהטרידו בעניני ...
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Colonialism and Halacha
In halacha, is it considered “stealing” for a nation to colonize another piece of land if that piece of land doesn’t have a system of property rights. For example, the Americans colonizing the ...
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Why did G-d not stop the holocaust?
Why did G-d not stop the holocaust? Is there anything written to explain why He would not have stopped it? or why He would have allowed it?
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Theological Aspects of Hebrew Grammar
Are there any aggadic, kabbalistic, halachic or other theological teachings related to the grammar or morphology of Hebrew?
I am not referring to the orthography (or anything at all related to ...
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What is the source of hatred perceived by Jews in different parts of the world?
I don't know if this is off topic but a similar question is here at Christianity SE and I thought it would be interesting to ask the corresponding one here.
It intrigues me how people from other ...
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Proof of Hashem via Talmud/Amora/Tanna
Does anyone know of the places where a Tanna/Amora offers a proof for the existence of Hashem.
ie: Bereshit Rabbah 39:1 Avraham Avinu passes a castle on fire (see below)
Is there perhaps a list, or a ...
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Meaning of Shmuel 2:22:26
עִם־חָסִיד תִּתְחַסָּד עִם־גִּבּוֹר תָּמִים תִּתַּמָּם׃
With a kind person, You are kind. With a person strong in innocence,
You are innocent. Shmuel 2:22:26
תָּמִים could also be translated as whole,...
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Does trusting in my efforts guarantee I'll be unsuccessful?
R. Bachya ibn Paquda states (Chovos Halevavos, Shaar Habitachon, Pesicha):
ואם יבטח על חכמתו ותחבולותיו וכח גופו והשתדלותו ייגע לריק ויחלש כחו ותקצר תחבולתו מהשיג חפצו
Taken literally, this implies ...
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Rewarding the few while punishing the majority
Why does the creation of the world to reward the few who can successfully work on themselves to cleave to Hashem have to come at the expense of the vast majority of mankind not getting olam haba and ...
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Does Rashi bring contadictory opinions?
Rashi on chumash is based on chazal. Sometimes Rashi appears to bring contradictory opinions and some mefarshim say that its machlokes midrashim.
Is there a source or mesorah that Rashi's shita in ...
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Is it to our credit, or our discredit, if we feel ashamed and in awe of the Greatness of the Divine Presence?
There's a theme that appears a lot in the commentaries that being afraid of holiness, ashamed of nakedness and so on are either good things, or unfortunate results of bad things.
For an example of the ...
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Eating reduces spritual sensitivity and Yitzchak Avinu wanting a meal before giving his berachot - contradiction?
There is a principle in mussar that overeating desensitises/spoils our mood for learning and davening with kavana (see Hachsharat HaAvrechim ch.9 for example). E.g. if one is very into one's learning, ...
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Jewish thoughts vs sexuality in the Gemara
A main part of Judaism is stuff like פרישות and guarding your eyes and thoughts from impurity or fantasies and the like. You’re basically supposed to stay away from any sexual thoughts or whatever ...
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Is G-d's 'mind' separate from Him?
Recently, I've been studying Neoplatonic philosophy in its Jewish context and the history of Jewish Neoplatonic thought.
In such a view, some propose that because G-d, blessed be He, is absolutely ...
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Can a Frum person attend Limmud
From what I’ve read, Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks ZT”L didn’t attend Limmud, which is a festival started in the UK but popular among typically non Orthodox Ashkenazi communities (generally, although not ...
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How can one reconcile statistics with this pasuk in Koheles?
The pasuk in Koheles states:
שַׁבְתִּי וְרָאֹה תַחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ כִּי לֹא לַקַּלִּים הַמֵּרוֹץ וְלֹא לַגִּבּוֹרִים הַמִּלְחָמָה וְגַם לֹא לַחֲכָמִים לֶחֶם וְגַם לֹא לַנְּבֹנִים עֹשֶׁר וְגַם לֹא ...
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Purchasing more than one lottery ticket
Disclaimer: Although the question about the permissibility of participating in a lottery has been asked and answered on this forum - my specific question has not been answered with clear sources.
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Did the Rambam really say it's asur to believe foolish things?
I have sometimes heard it said that the shita of the Rambam is that it's asur to be stupid and/or believe stupid or foolish things. Clearly the Rambam's general approach puts a high value on ...
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Not inquiring into heresy?
Is there some sort of injunction against inquiring into heresy? I am pretty sure there is an issur d'oraissa to inquire into Avodah Zarah?
Thank you
(By "inquire" I mean to investigate their beliefs ...
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Is this Jewish Neoplatonic idea heresy?
Context:
I've noticed before that whenever I post anything about Neoplatonism in a Jewish context, such posts usually tend to get downvoted to oblivion, and in general, such views are not very well ...
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Keeping Shabbos during the week?
Is there any value to or halachic discussion about keeping the laws of shabbos during the week?
Were there ever Rebbes or great people who did this on any level? (Excluding those who do it as part of ...
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Why did the plague of the first born work in changing Pharaoh's mind? (in light of explanation of R Albo and Sforno on Pharaoh's free will)
We are told that Hashem hardened the heart of Pharaoh in order that he would not be intimidated into letting the Jewish people go, but would still have the free will to be able to decide based on how ...
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Refutations on Kant's approach to Judaism and mitzvos
I was reading "The Halakhist as Creator: Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik’s Halakhic Man" by Rabbi Reuven Ziegler. It could be considered a thorough summary of the famous sefer "The ...
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Ger chassidus teachings
Does the community know what defines Ger chasiduss ideologically and Hashkafically? Is there an English translated sefarim or article that explains the basics of the Hasidic dynasty’s teachings?
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Why is the word Leviim written with only one yud: 'לויים' או 'לוים'
Do Chazal explain the inyan of the Tanach writing Levi חסר Chosser the yud that seems should be there grammatically? Does the double yud signify the rectification of the Leviim?
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כף הקלע while alive?
I saw this in the Piasezno Rebbe's Hachsharat Avrechim:
וכבר אמרו חז״ל [בר״ר פל״ד] הצדיקים לבן ברשותן ולהיפך ח״ו, הם ברשות
לבן. ובזה תלוי הכל, מי שלגמרי הוא ברשות לבו ואינו יכול להתגבר גם על
תאוותיו ...
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Teshuvah: How to return or going back to one's true nature?
In the 5th bracha of the Amidah, we request from HaShem "our father" (אבינו), to return us (השיבנו) we mention three kinds of Teshuvah – 1. returning to HaShem, 2.returning to the Torah, and ...
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Suggestion to help rid one's physical desire for food
What guides are there available in the corpus of Torah, including all Rabbinic writings, on ridding oneself of specifically the desire for food?
Context/Reason for asking:
It is a common theme in ...
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How did G-d bring creation into the world without changing? Did He not have to decide to create at some point? How did He bring creation without time?
So the question is something like this: If G-d, blessed be He, willed creation into being, then
a) He either underwent change (deciding to create) [Impossible]
b) He always knew that He was going to ...
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Infinite regress in answering 'Why G-d created the world"
Many answers are given to the quetion of "Why did G-d create the world?", some of them being:
He wanted a dira betachtonim, a dwelling place below
He wanted there to exist beings besides ...
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Is there anything wrong with an unmarried man learning hilchos niddah?
Does a man need to be married to learn hilchos niddah? Part of a halacha chabura that's learning the halachos of nidah
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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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If Hebrew was the target language, what was the source language in any of the Psalm in which “maskil” is mentioned?
If Hebrew was the target language, what was the source language in any of the Psalms in which “maskil” is mentioned?
Rashi on Psalms 88:1 wrote:
משכיל: כל מקום שנאמר משכיל ע"י תורגמן נאמר שהיה ...
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If there were people before/during Avraham's life that recognised Hashem, why was Avraham chosen specifically?
We know that Shem lived during the life of Avraham Avinu, described as Malki Tzedek.
Why is Avraham considered the first to spread ethical monotheism (concluding in G-d choosing him) if it's known ...
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What is the difference between mida k'negged mida and nekama
Not a kasha, a sincere question. What is the exact reason that mida k'negged mida is not considered revenge?
Issues that may or may not be relevant:
Is it just because it is Hashem doing it?
Does ...
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Are there any torah based books discussing the outdoors, nature, sepcific plants flora or fauna?
Shalom,
I'm trying to find books geared towards nature lovers.
Wanting to go into the forest and identify plants, trees, rock formations and geological phenomena and their characteristics from a ...
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Why is Human Intellect the only "faculty" with a dedicated Beracha in Amidah?
Only one of the berachot in Amidah (notably, the first one after the 3 berachot of praise; אַתָּה חוֹנֵן לְאָדָם דַּֽעַת) thematically corresponds to a faculty in the human being, namely intelligence. ...
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