72
I used to be a Christian but converted to Orthodox Judaism more than 32 years ago. I have a website called: "A Primer: Why Jews Can't Believe in Jesus" that should more than adequately answer your question (although I actually designed it for Jewish education and not to combat missionaries). But let me just touch on the basics:
Not only isn't Jesus the ...
26
Thank you for your sensitivity in asking this question.
As pointed out in comments, you are actually Jewish (whether you follow Judaism or not). But as you say in your question, you've been raised with Christianity and it doesn't appear that you've rejected that. You see Judaism as part of your cultural background, if I'm reading you correctly, the way ...
24
The Talmud, in discussing whether the practice of refraining from engaging in business with worshipers of Avoda Zara (lest they offer thanks to their Avoda Zara) three days prior to (and according to R Yishmael also: following) their holidays (cf. Mishna AZ 1:1) includes the day of the holiday itself in the count of three days, states (AZ 6a and 7b):
אמר ...
23
According to the sources cited by the Gra on Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 147:3, the prohibition against mentioning the name of a foreign deity does not apply to the name of Jesus, and in fact we find that he is mentioned by name in many sources.
In a very interesting teshuva, R' Esriel Hildesheimer discusses this issue at some length. He comments that the ...
21
A quick Google shows that this person likely took the quote from this site here (I'm sorry to have linked to it).
It seems that this person likely didn't understand what he was reading. The topics are divided into sections labeled with Roman numerals under which different "proof texts" are brought.
On the linked page it says:
VII. THOSE WHO KILL ...
18
In general, don't try to obtain your knowledge of Judaism from episodes of Arthur or from fiction stories. People make things up in the interest of the story. There are much better, and more accurate, sources for learning about Judaism.
Yes, in general, it is considered not a good thing for a Jewish person to practice another religion.
But in terms of the ...
17
It's important to highlight that Christianity StackExchange has a very different atmosphere to Mi Yodeya. Christianity SE is very much true to its mission of being a Q&A site about Christianity. It is not a Christian site. And that post on meta isn't just a claim. It's lived up to throughout the site. In fact, it was recently brought up again in ...
17
Per Rabbi David Sperling it is not problematic to own or use a Swiss gear bag.
The use of the cross - which is of course a Christian symbol - is
widely discussed in halacha. When the cross is one that people bow to,
or use in their worship, then there are serious halachic problems with
owning such an item. However, when the cross is clearly not for
...
15
The straightforward answer to this question is that whereas the Christians are discussing what Hashem is made up of, the Kabbalists are discussing the ways in which He chose to reveal Himself.
Just like we can understand that ה' ממית ומחיה is not reminiscent of trinity, since it is simply a reflection of what Hashem will do about different circumstances, ...
15
Obviously, I can't actually speak for the family involved, however, in general, giving any kind of Christian religious symbol to a Jewish family will be considered offensive. The meaning conveyed by the cross for most Jews is very different from the meaning that Christians see in it, and not the least bit positive.
15
The second quote is based on the Sermon of the Mount, from the Christian gospel book of Matthew (5:17). As to the first quote, the Soncino writes that "There is no passage in any known Gospel that a son and daughter inherit alike."
Modern religious (eg., Steinsaltz) and academic scholars understand the philosopher living near Imma Shalom, who is quoted in ...
14
Yoshke is simply a Yiddish diminutive nickname for Yehoshua (Joshua, for which a parallel English nickname would be Josh). Thus, it was simply a way for European Jews to make reference to Jesus in a manner that (a) conveyed the idea that Jesus was not viewed as important and (b) not likely to be picked up on by nearby Gentiles.
I doubt there is any record ...
14
In terms of rabbis being willing to work with you, I don't think that would be a factor. I've talked with a lot of converts and conversion candidates, including one named Christina, and none of them reported any inquiry or hesitation based on factors beyond their control like what their parents named them.
You will probably get some odd looks from other ...
14
Textual indicators abound for the eternal and immutable nature of the Torah. Besides examples provided in other answers, here are a couple more examples:
Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD gave commandment, and onward throughout your generations (B'midbar 15:23).
And thou shalt keep His statutes, and ...
14
The best (English language) source, in my opinion, is Hyam Maccoby's Judaism on Trial: Jewish-Christian Disputations in the Middle Ages (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 1982; later adapted as a play viewable here). In it you will find a translation of the Ramban's Vikuach, and of the official church account of that disputation, together with an ...
14
The first precept of Medishare's Membership Qualifications is "Christian Testimony," stating generally that
All adult Members age 18 and older must attest to a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ."
and then specifying a "Statement of Faith" that includes quite a few assertions about the divinity of a particular man. Such affirmations are ...
13
Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"l wrote an essay / teshuvah titled "Brother Daniel and the Jewish Fraternity" (Judaism 12:260-280, Summer 1963). Brother Daniel was a Catholic monk who applied for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return, since he was born Jewish. In it, Rav Lichtenstein deals with this very question.
While we generally repeat ...
12
First, it should be noted that you are asking a very broad question, as, unfortunately, there certainly are many Jews who celebrate it as a secular, cultural holiday, and many Christians who classify themselves as Jews.
Mainstream Judaism, however, rejects Jesus. Adamantly, decisively, and without qualification. We do not believe he was a prophet, a ...
12
The expression "Our father in heaven" (אבינו שבשמים) is a relatively common name for God in rabbinic literature (as far as I am aware, this formulation does not appear in the Bible). For example, see Mishnah Sotah 9:5. Typically in rabbinic literature, the description of God as a father uses this particular formulation exactly and certainly seems more ...
11
As a student of early Christology, Patristic theology, biblical hermeneutics, textual criticism of the bible, and the history of the bible and the early church, I can answer this question the way I wish it had been explained to me.
The Jewish messiah is expected to be and do many things, but Jesus simply doesn't fit the description, and he certainly didn'...
11
The only thing that would be offensive is if you posed as accepting the Jewish faith and then went around telling everyone that they have to believe in Jesus.
11
Before or during Jesus's time, what other notable Jews claimed to be or hinted at being the Messiah?
Famously Rabbi Akiva thought that Bar Kochba was the Messiah but I don't know whether Bar Kochba claimed that title for himself.
11
Most of the poskim deem the cross as something that Christians remember Jesus by, but not as an actual tool of worshipping. Therefore most agree that you are allowed to use it for pleasure, etc.
Thus say: Terumat HaDeshen in Ra'avyah's name, the Rama, the Ritva, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. This was taken from the following source (daily halacha based on Rabbi ...
11
There is actually only one quote here, and it is taken directly from The Talmud Unmasked: The Secret Rabbinical Teachings Concerning Christians, which was originally written in Latin (with accompanying passages in Hebrew/Aramaic) by Reverend I.B. Pranaitis. The quote is real, as are all of the quotes within his tract, and is from the Zohar. The supposed ...
11
The idea is that if someone died or was killed before fulfilling his messianic mission, such as was the case by Bar Kochba, who was thought to be the mashiach until this happened, then he is at most like any other righteous king of Israel, but not the mashiach. This is spelled out in the Rambam, Hilchot Melachim, Chapter 11, as follows:
ח ואם יעמוד מלך ...
10
From what I gather (from here and elsewhere), the group is a Christian group which accepts Jesus as a messianic figure and which considers itself to be the only valid set of descendants from the ancient tribal sons of Jacob. They have no connection to Judaism that modern Judaism would accept (without matrilineal descent or an approved process of conversion) ...
10
For more information, I would recommend reading "Paul and Gamliel", in Jacob Neusner and Bruce Chilton (eds.), In Quest of the Historical Pharisees (Baylor University Press, 2007), 175-223 - but especially p208 onwards.
Short answer: nobody named Paul (nor, for that matter, Shaul) ever gets mentioned as a student of this or any other Gamliel, although some ...
10
Firstly, Mr. J. wasn't only referred to by his name, he had other names that referenced him (see Jastrow, Wiki, Jewish Wiki). Thus, only searching his name will not always yield results. Secondly, the Talmud Yerushalmi was censored just like the Bavli - something to keep in mind. In general, many 'famous' passages found in the Bavli were earlier teachings ...
9
Before or during Jesus's time, what other notable Jews claimed to be or hinted at being the Messiah?
I decided to expand the scope of my answer a bit beyond the limits set in the question. I did so for a couple of reasons: the period of Jesus' life is a very narrow range; we don't have much information about alleged messiahs prior to Jesus; and most importantly, I was having too much fun to stop. Therefore, my answer spans the period from the first ...
9
Thank you for your sensitivity.
The issue with "old" and "new" isn't just what you said about "old and outdated, new and shiny". It's also that, to us, the latter isn't a "testament" at all. God made a covenant with Israel at Sinai and God does not break His word, so to say that He set aside that covenant to make a new, contradictory one is problematic.
...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
