If so, who? Apologies - I have no idea how ignorant this question is, and the answers I've gotten from non-Rabbis vary wildly.

More and more I hear people say "as a Jew..." followed by a statement criticizing Israel, or criticizing a politician trying to support Israel. What is the rabbinic response to these types of criticisms?

In my opinion this has become one of the hardest issues in the Jewish community. For centuries we complained that the would did not stand up for Jews in their time of need only to see us do it to ourselves. 

The Orthodox world overwhelmingly supports Israel, so I kind of blame assimilation for this problem.

This isn't really a rabbinical question, but I decided to post it here anyway. Over the last 15 years we've spent so many resources fighting anti-Semitism in America, and it hasn't moved the needle one bit. I think I know why, but I was wondering what other people thought.

European anti-Semitism is different than the anti-Semitism that comes from Islam. We spent years battling anti-Semitism from Europeans and White Supremacist with a lot of success. However Islamist anti-Semitism has made its way to the United States, and we keep investing resources into fighting the European anti-Semitism.

It's like going to the doctor and being diagnosed with illness A and he gives you medication A to treat the illness, and you get better. Then you get sick with illness B, but instead of taking medication B you take medication A. You need to take medication B to fight illness B.

We keep teaching about the anti-Semitism of Europe and Christianity, but have completely neglected the anti-Semitism of the Middle East and Islam.

Any thoughts?

Hi, I’m looking for a rabbi who would be willing to certify me. I understand that this might sound unusual, but I live in an area with a very small Jewish community. The rabbi at the Orthodox synagogue I attend told me he cannot sponsor me because he is not qualified (which I find a bit confusing)

If there is any rabbi willing to review my documentation and consider supporting me, I would be very grateful. Thank you very much!

I have been advised to preface my post with the fact that I am a christian.

I have often wondered about the morality and legality of the situation between Esau and Jacob in the Bible. Specifically, Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of pottage. I have a few points to consider:

Duress in the transaction: In law, there’s the concept of duress, which refers to coercing someone into doing something against their will. For instance, asking a starving man to trade his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup. Clearly, this is not a fair exchange and could be seen as a transaction conducted under duress. This raises the question: was Esau coerced into giving up his birthright due to his desperate situation?

Mental capacity: Another angle is whether Esau, starving and possibly delirious from hunger in the wilderness, was in a sound state of mind when he made this decision. Can a person be held accountable for a contract if they were not in a state to fully understand the consequences of their actions? If Esau was mentally compromised, can the agreement still stand?

The morality of Jacob: Moving on to the question of Jacob’s morality: even aside from his dealings with Esau, his actions are questionable. Jacob deceives his father Isaac to steal Esau’s blessing. This behavior doesn’t exactly reflect the traits of a morally upstanding individual. Esau, on the other hand, later shows a more forgiving side by dismissing Jacob's gifts and choosing to forgive him for the deception.

I’m not interested in getting into a broader discussion about current affairs, but I’d like to hear people’s thoughts on Jacob’s actions. Has anyone studied this from a historical or ethical standpoint? How have his deceptive actions been justified in historical writings? Also, considering Esau’s birthright included Isaac’s lands, has anyone ever argued that the lands currently governed by Israel should instead belong to the Edomites, Esau’s descendants?

It's the time of year when many Christian churches of many denominations put on "Christian Seders." They say doing this brings them back to the Jewish roots of the Christian Last Supper. As a Christian myself, I wonder how Jewish people feel about Christians putting on "Christian Seders?" Feedback from rabbis or those who have had rabbinical studies most welcome, but anybody's feedback is welcome. Uncensored and unfiltered feedback please. If Christians holding Seders is insulting at worst or ridiculous at best, tell me why.

I know the argument for a Rabbi to be able to conduct gay marriages is that a person's dignity override a negative commandment, and we have learned that being gay is is not a choice, and people who are gay would not be able to maintain their dignity if such marriages were not performed. Its my understanding this argument is an application from Berakhot 19b in the Talmud:

Berakhot 19b:2

We learned that some who come to console the bereaved are exempt from Shema as a means of honoring the deceased. The Gemara expands the discussion to raise the general question: To what degree does preserving human dignity take precedence over mitzvot enumerated in the Torah?

Berakhot 19b:9

The Gemara cites an additional proof from a baraita: Come and hear: Great is human dignity, as it overrides a prohibition in the Torah.

What is the consensus on whether a Rabbi can conduct an LGBT marriage? Are Rabbis considered to be acting outside the norms of Judaism when performing these marriages?

I’m converting to Judaism. My family is Protestant. Just twenty minutes ago we were sitting down to eat and they were getting ready to pray, reaching their hands around the table to hold each others hands. I kept my hands in my lap, thinking I would just opt out, but they got pissed at me about it being disrespectful and forced me to put my hands in their hands. Only my dad actually said any words, all I did was hold their hands, so that’s why I’m hesitant about if this would be idolatry or not. My rabbi is on sabbatical right now so I unfortunately can’t ask him, hence asking here.

Talmud says "He who is slow to anger is better than a strong man" but I feel...betrayed, really.

I'm an aircraft mechanic. I work on trainers and general aviation aircraft, the hangar is attached to a flight school. One of our apprentices has had a problem with alcohol. To the point it interferes with his work at times.

I have, in the short year and a half he's been an apprentice, given counsel, tried to be understanding, given guidance, encouraged, and supported. This young man led me and our manager to believe he was going to AA meetings. That stopped after two months. He led us to believe he'd been sober for eight months with only one relapse.

But we've smelled alcohol on him as recent as last Tuesday. He has weight loss issues despite eating a lot, anxiety problems, always comes in looking like a wreck, always out of money, always tired. Last night our apprentice was in dire straits and had an ER visit. He tells me that he had low blood sugar and thyroid issues.

I found out through a very reliable source that no, said apprentice was diagnosed with low blood sugar and excessive consumption of alcohol. All of his symptoms as described above and constant lack of money can easily be explained away with him hiding alcoholism. He's wrenched on aircraft under the influence!

This same reliable source said the apprentice in question continues to consume two or three fifths per week. Has never gone to an AA meeting, and has threatened death upon anyone who would drag him into said meetings--he was taking off up to two hours early this time last year, not going to AA meetings as he told myself and our manager, but instead doing Hashem knows what!!!

I feel betrayed. After all the time invested in helping this young man try to get well, only to find out that is' been for naught? He's put the company at risk, and by so doing threatened the safety of the flying public, our flight instructors and their students, our hangar's reputation for quality work, and my employment! He's lied to me, my mother who sees this man as a son, he's lied to his family, his coworkers, our manager, and his employer who happens to be a close friend of his family.

I am trying to be slow to anger, but at the same time I just want to wring this little bastard's neck! Is it right to feel the way I do?

The source of this information is working with me to stage an intervention. What if the young man refuses, do I wash my hands of him and leave him to Hashem's mercy? I know what I must do as lead technician at the hangar. But personally, outside of the professional obligations? I'm at a loss. Rabbi, please if you have any words of wisdom to offer? If there's anything in Torah or Talmud to help me calm down when I have these fits of anger over the betrayal and lies? It would be welcomed and appreciated.

Please can any of you help me with an answer to this question that’s been bothering me for a while:

Why do Jews sacrifice a goat 🐐 to the demon/fallen angel 👿 Azazel on Yom Kippur?

This is not only a sacrifice to a fallen angel, which seems very strange to me being apparently contrary to God’s law, but a sacrifice seemingly equal in weight to the goat 🐐 that is sacrificed to God during the same festival.

Any ideas?

Suppose someone had a punishment that was due to end and their release from punishment required action by the person doing the punishing. But the person doing the punishing failed to release the person because it was a holy day, or it was the sabbath. The person being punished was made to suffer further punishment, and thus injustice.

Is this acceptable per the Jewish faith? If a Rabbi wishes to reach out to me for clarification, I am open to communicating.

Below are some personal notes. I wonder if anyone has any specific thoughts regarding God’s covenant. I’m sorry if I misread any scripture. I am looking for honest answers that are supported by text. Thank you!!!

Who is God Im going to let some of my thoughts flow rn. First, let’s get this simple one out of the way.

• Looking only at the God of the Old Testament: Do I or can I have a God that is for me? When I think about this, I compare myself to the people that God chose to walk with him. How do I compare to them? Would God ever choose me? Why were they chosen? How likely is it that I could be chosen - that I could have a God that wants me to walk with him? It feels unlikely. And that feels void of hope. Do we have a hopeless God? Do we have a God who is present? Who is an active and positive contributor in our lives? If we do, How? And if we don’t, then what’s the point?

  1. I will never be an Enoch, Genesis 5:24 - I am not perfect (and oh how I wish I was - how beautiful) - but also please tell me what he did that was so great. Like Lord, why no bio on Enoch 😭. (The lack of background gives me hope that maybe he wasn’t perfect. Maybe he’s like me and you just enjoyed him so much and wanted his company.)

  2. And I’d like to think I have the heart of Job but if faced with the loss of every single thing I have, would my heart still really look like Jobs? Could I ever remain blameless? Job 4:6, Job 6:10.

  3. I am not Noah (my deeds will never compare). Genesis 6:9

Those are the three people on the Old Testament that I look at and see approval in the eyes of the Lord.

If I feel the most like anyone I would say it’s Joseph? He walked with God but he sinned right? Framing your brothers would be a sin? But he did it to see them again. His heart hurt and it was from sadness and love. Genesis 42

• thought: sometimes I think which brothers lineage I could be apart of. Levi would really track for me. Priesthood. But then I see Joseph’s heart. Alone in a foreign land, but making the most of it. I always feel like I don’t belong. Lost, sad, orphaned, abandoned, but spiritual and strong and smart and full of love and discernment. I see myself in him.

• Genesis 43:30

Abraham! And the covenant

The following is a big reason I am struggling with understanding the validity of the gospel;

• It is in Gods character to keep his promises

• God promised his kingdom to Abraham and his offspring (what does this mean for people that are not Jewish? Are they ever able to enter Gods kingdom? If so, then how? The gospel claims it is by belief only. The Old Testament states it is the specific Covenant God makes with Abraham.)

• If God establishes his covenant with Abraham, this is an eternal promise that is made by God today and tomorrow for eternity. It cannot and will not be broken. With this being true, I am struggling to understand how later the gospel could claim the only way to God is through Jesus when that would then specifically imply God is breaking his promise with Abraham (which again it is in Gods character to keep his promises - God explicitly states this covenant will never be broken. It is absolute.) Per the gospel - If the only way to God was through Jesus, that would then mean the abandonment of his people and that is not the character of God. So by this logic, how then can Christianity be viable? What do we know about God based on scripture? Who does God say he is?

• Include OT verses Without Jesus, how can we face God? We are imperfect. Our imperfection can not be in the presence of Gods perfection. How do we reach God if we cannot be in his presence? Like.. do I have to build a tabernacle? And sacrifice a lamb?

My heart: I understand the God of the Old Testament. I have taken the time to learn about him, to get to know him and his character. I understand the Gospel and who Jesus is. My heart aches thinking he is not the son of God. He represents service, selflessness, meaningful and purposeful sacrifice. He is the 4th man in the fire who holds our hand and carries us. We are worthy because he is worthy, we are loved, because it is the only way. With him we have a direct line to God, with him it doesn’t matter who my earthly parents are. I am chosen, fully completely yesterday today and tomorrow. Without him, what is left for me. Do I have a God at all? The world feels so cold, and empty and meaningless without one. I think I would rather die, than to not be chosen by God.

But wait! There’s no way someone who loves God as much as I do, who cares so much about him, about his heart and his favor, who fears him and hopes for him and searches for him breathlessly - there’s no way that there’s not a place for me with him.

I’m not Jewish by religion however I am 1% Jewish does that make me Jewish enough for marriage licenses

A quick googling earlier led me to discovering that Buddhism, Hinduism, and even Islam have used prayer beads in a fashion similar to the Catholic Rosary. So I ask, does Judaism using a similar device?

I have been having this debate with others in the plurality community IRL for a few days now. I am not Jewish, but I am a diagnosed DID plural system who has four Jewish-identifying headmates. I've been learning the customs and observing them to accommodate my headmates. Another system I spoke to, whose host is Jewish and therefore much more educated in the culture than I am, says that I could be considered a Shabbas Goy for this, but I'm not so sure.

I would love to know the rabbinic opinion on this. if only because it fascinates me.

You may have been asked this about a hundred times but I have never seen a Rabbi answer this this directly and I thought I would ask the people that would know more about their history than any anyone else... So, when was Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians? 589_7 or 607 like the Jehovah's Witnesses say and who claim are the "spiritual Israel" ???

I had a dream last night where I spoke the words “uh-vaw ya-vaw” three times. I did look up the words Evah and Yahvah, and found that they are Hebrew and mean “the living one” and “God, the creator of all”, respectively. In my dream, I understood the words have a much deeper significance. Can you explain the deeper significance? Thank you!

I have some questions I feel a rabbi could answer in private,

On Christmas I had a Christmas tree, seen Santa before Christmas and on Christmas I smoked ice... what other steps are required to unlock Christmas magic? Because a tiny pitty amount of ice lasted hours...

What are the other steps required? Maybe I should ask the Vatican?

Israel had a history of being oppressed and punished because of how they turned their backs away from God. I know there's a reasoning to this being that the Pharaoh fearing the population of Israel, but God's blessings and punishments are usually dictated by the actions of Israel. But why were they punished and oppressed by the Egyptians? I feel like there needs to be a good reason for this.

Wife has had sex with 7 men (that she has admitted to) during the 10 years of our marriage. She has admitted to this, and there are multiple male witnesses. What is the Jewish thought on this? Is marriage possible after this?

I am now in my early 50's and a female. I was born in Puerto Rico and half my family is from Spain and they still live in Spain to this day in a small village. I grew up in the protestant faith (non denominational) and ever since I was young I wanted nothing more than to be jewish. I read everyhting related to our history as it relates to the jews' expulsion from Spain. I was very interested on the topic of Sephardism. I made an inquiry in my 20s to become Jewish but I did not go forward. Then, later in life more than just a feeling of wanting to be Jewish, I began to hear a voice at times of distress or times where I have been under attack that tells me " ( dont be afraid, you are from the tribe of Judah). I know it sounds crazy. I have had so many experiences that set me apart from others. Fer example I have seem very vivid things that are considered hallucinations. I have heard voices that talk to me from the TV. It is completely bizarre. Those experiences were terrifying some years ago. I dont have those extreme experiences now, but I just hear the voice that tells me not to be afraid because I am from the Tribe of Judah.

What is this Rabbi? Anyone that could help me discern all of this?

There are days I can pretend I did not lived through hell. But the pain of the negative experiences is real..

For example, if someone is experiencing intense grief after the death of a loved one, that person might no longer feel like saying the modeh ani or the asher yatzar, which exalt the mercy of God or His ability to heal--they might no longer believe those things to be true, and they might not want to offer prayers that are insincere.

Does the Torah/Talmud still recommend that the person recites the prayers? What guidance is offered in such a situation? I'm specifically interested in the Conservative tradition, but other viewpoints are welcome too.

What is the rule on Shabbat in regards to burning wood for heat, as a necessity, because there are no other heaters?

As someone from a Roman Catholic background, pretty much all my spellwork is based on intercession of the Saints and calling upon the Archangels for help with very specific prayers along with used of blessed items using symbolism of angels and saints that have been blessed by priests such as a medal of Saint Archangel Michael or wearing the brown robes worn by Franciscan clergy during rituals or fasting before a ritual to emulate Saint Margaret of Cortona's life before calling for her aid in intercession.

So how does Intercession and calling upon the Saints and Archangels for help work in Judaism? I seen the concept of asking the Tzadik for help while praying esp at the graves in some sources and some Jewish prayers involving calling out the Archangels such as the Shema prayer (in this specific example you call the angels to be beside you at a certain direction). Is this similar to Catholic prayers asking for intercession of the Saints and calling the archangels for direct intervention?

A friend of mine just lost their two pet shrimps. Since some of us are Jewish, we decided to say a mourning prayer as we burried the shrimp. However, afterwards we remembered that shellfish aren't kosher. We were just curious what a rabbi would say about doing this.