Questions tagged [theology]
Questions regarding our understanding of God, such as it is. NOT for every question about Jewish beliefs.
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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 do Jews not reach out more? [closed]
Why do Jews nowadays not go out of their way to their secular brethren and even to non-Jews to try and spread positivity? In America, I believe there it is easier because there is fewer backlash from ...
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Source that we are inherently deserving
The question is about the concept not the song.
I noticed an interesting difference in the lyrics of two versions of the song "Ribon" by Beri Weber. The original English version contains the ...
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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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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) did God take away free will from the sons of Eli?
In 1 Shmuel 2:25 it indicates that the sons of Eli don't repent for their sins because God wanted to kill them
וְלֹ֤א יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ לְק֣וֹל אֲבִיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־חָפֵ֥ץ ה' לַהֲמִיתָֽם
But [the sons of Eli] ...
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Is it commendable to be fearful of God's wrath?
In the daily recitation of the Shema, we mention God's anger (וחרה אף) as a potential motivation for adhering to the Torah. However, there seems to be a concern that some individuals might ...
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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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Man like God or separate from God
Bereshit 3:22:
ויאמר ה' אלקים הן האדם היה כאחד ממנו לדעת טוב ורע
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us,
to know good and evil"
Is this the correct translation? ...
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Why does G-d, blessed be He, say that something did not enter His mind when He is all-knowing?
Jeremiah 19:5 states:
They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal— something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.
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Elohim distinct from YHWH Elohim
In Genesis 1 it is Elohim who created. In Genesis 2 from verse 4 we see that YHWH Elohim created Adam and the animals etc. From here onwards God is referred to as YHWH Elohim. Then we read of the ...
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Is there a comprehensive list(s) which has every single attribute/trait of G-d, blessed be He, with their corresponding Torah, Talmud, etc. verses?
As the question states, I'm looking for some kind of a resource which contains a clear list, in a bullet-point form or otherwise, of every single attribute of G-d, blessed be He, according to Jewish ...
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How can we exist?
Positing that G.od is perfect (by the fact that he is the moral authority and is thought of as absolute perfection according to the general consensus); a change that he makes would mean that he was ...
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How can a name exist before anything was Created
BH
I heard “before the world was created it was the Holy one blessed be He and His Great Name alone”
עד שלא נברא העולם, היה הקדוש ברוך הוא ושמו הגדול בלבד
Source
How can a name exist before ...
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Are non-Jews considered Hashem's "children"?
The pasuk says "banim atem lashem elokeichem," referring to us. Is there a drasha anywhere (or another source) that says that non-Jews are not called Hashem's children? (I don't think this ...
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Why do Rabbis say that HaShem was mistaken and HaShem states that He was defeated and that He must obey the Rabbis?
I've been reading an article on an Islamic website called Muslim Skeptic and came accross the following:
The way that Jews depict God, they celebrate the notion of debating with God, winning ...
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Saying God is Great in Arabic - is a Jew allowed?
We all know the "aqbar" phrase. Is it permissible for a Jew to say this phrase?
The assumption is that it is ok, because it commonly said that we are talking about the same Hashem. This ...
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Would there be bad tidings in Olam Haba?
https://www.sefaria.org/Pesachim.50a.17
״וְהָיָה ה׳ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כׇּל הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד
וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד״. אַטּוּ הָאִידָּנָא לָאו אֶחָד הוּא? אָמַר רַבִּי
אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא: ...
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Having a mystical or "religious experience"
This isn't really a question, more of an observation, but I don't think I've ever had a genuine "religious experience" where I have some kind of direct experience or connection with Hashem ...
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Why does Hashem force us to follow His commandments?
I understand that we have free will and are punished for doing things that hurt others, and are rewarded for doing the right thing. What I do not understand is, why does Hashem send us to Gehinnom for ...
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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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Information about some Kabbalah authors
There is a sentence on Wikipedia about Kabbalah, but unfortunately, there are no sources for it, and I would like to know the sources (if they exist).
The sentence says:
"Among the problems ...
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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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Should one who is unable to do a mitzvah wish he was able to do it?
For example, should one who must go work to make a living wish he can stay and learn, or should he feel that this is the ultimate option that Hashem wants for him and there's no point to wish for ...
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Will Hashem reign alone?
In the morning prayer of the Chabad siddur it says "And when all things shall cease to be the Awesome One will reign alone."
What does this mean and are there any halachic sources that state ...
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If HaShem truly sent רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר in [1 Kings 22], Why does G-d need humans to lie?
In [Derekh HaShem 3.4.11], Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) validates the vision by Mikayahu of G-d fooling Achav with lying spirits in [1 Kings 22:22-28] as true.
If HaShem knows trust in humans is ...
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Is a Jew permitted to believe in gods other than Hashem, provided they are not worshipped and are subservient to Hashem?
Imagine that a Jew were to say the following:
I believe in the Greek sun god Helios. I believe that he is real, is a god, and has power. However, I believe Helios was created by, and is subservient ...
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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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Hashem too holy to abide by us, yet closer to us than we can imagine - how to resolve?
It seems like, when it comes to Hashem's closeness to us, we have 2 different sides, and they go in opposite directions and I would like to know how to resolve them.
A) On the one hand, the reason why ...
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Not inquiring about pre-creation - why?
ואמר רב אחא בר יעקב עוד רקיע אחד יש למעלה מראשי החיות דכתיב (יחזקאל א,
כב) ודמות על ראשי החיה רקיע כעין הקרח הנורא עד כאן יש לך רשות לדבר
מכאן ואילך אין לך רשות לדבר שכן כתוב בספר בן סירא (בן סירא ג, ...
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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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Source for "God created this world so that we serve Him with free will"
Rabbi Manis Friedman has (in my opinion) a very beautiful and logical teaching as to why God created this world. He says (although I might be mixing my own ideas in here) that God created this world ...
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How come the world was doing Avodah Zara, while Noach and Shem were still alive?
Noach and Shem were alive during the time of Avraham, and I know midrashim say he lived in their house for some time learning about Hashem, but how come the whole world was practicing polytheism, when ...
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Hashem and the Platonic World
2 + 2 = 4, right? If I have 2 things, and you have 2 things, we have 4 things between us. This is a logical reality that is inescapable. If we want a coherent, consistent set of rules for counting, ...
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Why did Hashem wait 2000+ years to give the Torah?
I think the question is self explanatory: Why wait so long?
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What is God? A definition?
I wondered "What is God?", a question often turned into "Who or How is God". People often tend to describe who He is instead of defining the word "God" itself. In ...
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Are the sefirot created?
The sefirot are said to be attributes / emanations by which the Ein Sof reveals Himself to his creation. G-d is said to be the eternal one. But are His sefirot also eternal or are they created?
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Imagining G_d in your mind
Disclaimer: I am not planning on doing what is in this question. It is a purely theoretical question.
Everyone has some sort of a general idea about him, who spoke and the Universe came into being.
If ...
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Finding Meaning in the fulfilment of Mitzvos and Torah [closed]
How do we find meaning in the Torah and Judaism?
I understand some will respond that Hashem created us, so therefore that's all the reason we need to fulfil His mitzvos but, is there any meaning in it ...
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How Jewish would this gentile's explanation of the problem of evil be?
This is my personal explanation of why there is evil in the world. I don't believe evil contradicts a loving G-d, I believe it is evidence for a loving G-d. I will explain my point of view and would ...
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What were the 10 instances when the Torah reports that God descended?
What were the 10 instances when the Torah reports that God descended?
This question is inspired from reading this statement from the Wikepedia entry on parashat Noach:
Rabbi Simeon bar Yohai taught ...
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Is it wrong (or at least off) to refer to Judaism as a "faith"?
I teach Jewish Studies to primarily non-Jewish college students. One of my students referred to Judaism as a "faith." I associate the term "faith" with Christianity since it is ...
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Questions about the Talmud
Does the Talmud have things that are not laws like stories of prophets
Is all of the Talmud just explanation of things in the Tanakh?
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What was the original Noahide theology passed from Adam as presented in Job?
Rethinking the Book of Job: we're all aware of the 7 Noahide laws. However, beyond the commandments there's a large body of theology, explaining what God is, how He works, and what one should expect ...
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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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Difference between the First and Second Commandments
In the Ten Commandments, the First Commandment prohibits having false gods. The Second Commandment prohibits making carved images. Is the problem with carved images that they can be worshiped? If so, ...
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Is God "lonely"?
In modern Jewish literature, there are references to God being "lonely", which justifies His involvement in our fortunes; witness the piece below by 20th-century rabbi Eliezer Berkovits. ...
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If I deny G-d access to my thoughts. Would He read it anyway? Are my thoughts publics by default?
If I deny G-d access to my thoughts. Would He read it anyway?
For G-d, Are my thoughts publics by default?
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Where does 'lev melochim beyad hashem' apply
Someone was discussing with me siyata dishmaya during the second World War. He spoke about how Churchill came to power and inevitably fought against Hitler. So he quoted Rav Miller from gateshead ...
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Why are blessings preceded by suffering?
In Torah there are about 6 or 7 people/groups I can think of whose suffering preceded some blessing. The first is Abraham’s prolonged childlessness and his subsequent test to sacrifice his son. The ...
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