New answers tagged hashkafah-philosophy
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Why weren’t the descendants of Esav or Yishmael also given the Torah alongside the benei Yaakob?
I heard a drash last week that Esav could have been the heir to the covenant with Abraham and eventually been given the Torah, but that it was his own choice in selling the birthright, in not valuing ...
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Why weren’t the descendants of Esav or Yishmael also given the Torah alongside the benei Yaakob?
Bereshis 21:12 says, in response to Sarah's rejection of Yishmael, that Avraham's lineage will indeed go through Yitzchak:
כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע
In Sanhedrin 59b and Nedarim 31a, it's ...
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Why weren’t the descendants of Esav or Yishmael also given the Torah alongside the benei Yaakob?
Hashem did offer the Torah to the descendants of Yismoel and Esav (as well as many other groups) . They refused to accept it. (Sifri, Deuteronomy 343)
When Hashem offered them the Torah to the ...
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What type of enemies are being spoken about in Shaar Habitachon?
Chovot Halevavot describes seven categories of bitachon (faith). Before getting to the discussion you quote on dealing with adversaries, he first establishes the basic obligations of man and describes ...
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אף־אני אלך עמם בקרי - what does it mean for us to treat Hashem בקרי, and visa versa?
DISCLAIMER: This answer is purely my own theory. There are no authoritative commentaries that I know of which say that this theory applies to these pasukim, not to mention that this theory is even ...
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Chesed and food - healthy or tasty?
This is just my perspective, and it isn’t halachic, but as I understand Jewish ethics It depends. If the food is actually unhealthy, even if tasty you should probably prioritize health, based on the ...
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How to identify if a Chabad shul is Meshichist?
Check their website or the entrance area of the shul. If the Rebbe is referred to with ztl or in loving memory or anything like that it's not. Also in regards to the guy who poated the fake picture of ...
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Non-Jewish philosophical defense of religion
According to Rambam's Introduction to the Eight Chapters, it states:
Know, however, that the ideas presented in these chapters and in the following commentary are not of my own invention; neither did ...
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Colonialism and Halacha
I gather from the excellent comments above, that it is proper and morally right, for a nation to colonize another people and land if it will bring them to the knowledge of the True Tzaddik or if the ...
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Why did G-d not stop the holocaust?
God did not stop the holocaust because it fell in the realm of human responsibility. Hashem gave humankind both the Yetzer Ha-Tov and Yetzer Ha-Ra. Thus when Qayin
(Cain) developed murderous intent ...
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Theological Aspects of Hebrew Grammar
I've long had similar questions. There's various explict theological points about grammar scattered throughout the Midrashim, but I've yet to find a work which compiles them into a complete framework.
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Are we supposed to live in the matrix?
Regarding R. Bachayei, it seems that you think that there is some secret information that someone is trying to keep secret, and if one delves into these topics too deeply, he may find this secret ...
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What is the source of hatred perceived by Jews in different parts of the world?
This is a great thread; I say that as a Jew.
This is more of an answer than a comment, but a few thoughts regarding, what I feel are, distinctly Jewish traits.
Jews tend to question things and don’t ...
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Rewarding the few while punishing the majority
This is a great question, and cuts right to the beginning of the purpose of creation.
Firstly, the Ramchal himself explains this by stating in Derech Hashem (1:2:1-2) that Hashem wants to give people ...
- 7,202
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Does trusting in my efforts guarantee I'll be unsuccessful?
The Pat Lechem explains we do these things in order to achieve our חפץ, our deep desire*. He is basically explaining that the overall message of bitachon is that you should trust that your desire will ...
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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?
Found a source in favour of the great goodness of having shame about being naked (all thanks to @Shmuel). Rav Hoffman writes:
בתחילה נברא האדם בלי דעת טוב ורע. אפילו הבושה להתהלך ערום, שהיתה
סגולתם ...
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Eating reduces spritual sensitivity and Yitzchak Avinu wanting a meal before giving his berachot - contradiction?
Two points:
Firstly, on a basic level...what makes you assume that just because he asked for a tasty meal he would end up overeating? Surely someone of Yitzchak's righteousness was in control of his ...
- 30.2k
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Does Rashi bring contadictory opinions?
In the sefer כללי רש"י (Principles of Rashi, compiled from the Lubavitcher Rebbe's many Rashi sichos), section 4, principle 19 (and 7:15) says that Rashi will borrow from opposing views in ...
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Does Rashi bring contadictory opinions?
The Maharsha in Kiddushin(44a, on Rashi "כלל אינו") states that it is Rashi's custom to explain something one way in one place, and the same thing another way in another place, and it's not ...
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Eating reduces spritual sensitivity and Yitzchak Avinu wanting a meal before giving his berachot - contradiction?
One point is it is the overeating is what causes this spiritual insensitivity rather than eating. The point being that when you over indulge. Another point is in the kavana behind the eating as well ...
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Is G-d's 'mind' separate from Him?
Maimonides felt that a perfect God cannot change its mind. For Maimonides, God has no emotions, and God has no mind and no conscious will at all.
Any decision is a change. You are deciding to do ...
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Can a Frum person attend Limmud
An eloquent presentation of the argument is found here where it writes:
...Limmud is pluralist. Speakers from Orthodox, Masorti, Reform and other backgrounds are presented on an equal footing. ...
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How can one reconcile statistics with this pasuk in Koheles?
Rashbam to Koheles says:
שאינה שוה להם מרוצתם תדיר שאע"פ שהם קלים במרוצתם לרוץ עת ופגע ומקרה יקרה להם כמו לשאר בני אדם ולא לגיבורים המלחמה שאין נצחון מלחמות עומד להם תדיר כי מקרה אחד להם ואף לא ...
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Did the Rambam really say it's asur to believe foolish things?
I think the first half of the Moreh's third section makes a stronger statement:
According to the Rambam, all of halakhah is for the following three purposes:
1- To train someone away from foolishness ...
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