Questions about Judaism answered by a Jew!

[Malaikah]

Rav, can you please explain what the quote in your sig means?

Thanks

"...all who hate me [G-d], love death."
(Proverbs 8:36)

Remind you of anyone?

 

[rav]

Rav, can you please explain what the quote in your sig means?

I have heard Osama Bin laden say constantly how he loves death. The verse has a very deep meaning. People who love death are generally evil. G-d put us on this earth to live life to the fullest. There is a specialness about life that makes a suicide bomber who presses a button to take his life and others a very evil man, not just because of his actions but because of the spiritual effects.

Here is the quote:

“We love death. The US loves life. That is the difference between us two.”


http://thinkexist.com/quotation/we-love-death-the-us-loves-life-that-is-the/761697.html

I believe Osama to be crazy, as many do.

 

[Malaikah]

G-d put us on this earth to live life to the fullest

Can you please explain what you mean by this?

 

[Pygoscelis]

Jews: What is a "Gentile"?

Is a Gentile a Christian or just a non-Jew?

As an atheist do I qualify as a Gentile?

 

[Pygoscelis]

Re: Jews: What is a "Gentile"?

Oh pooh.

My bad.

I forgot we had a Judaism questions answered thread. Moderaor, please roll this into that and delete this thread.

 

[Abu Zakariya]

I have heard Osama Bin laden say constantly how he loves death. The verse has a very deep meaning. People who love death are generally evil. G-d put us on this earth to live life to the fullest. There is a specialness about life that makes a suicide bomber who presses a button to take his life and others a very evil man, not just because of his actions but because of the spiritual effects.

I think you haven't understood what Usama bin Laden means with that statement. He is basically saying that he prefers the Hereafter to life here on earth. As for the suicide bombers you talked about... Well, when someone occupies your land and makes you live in an apartheid state, the desperation might become so big that you decide to end your life (I'm not saying that this is the case with every suicide bomber, though). That's not something I agree with, but I think it's oversimplifying it to say that they are just evil.
Could the verse about hating God = loving death be applied to the Jews that killed themselves instead of converting to Paganism, since they prefered death over life in that case?

 

[IceQueen~]

it depends on what you mean by loving death- you want to meet Allah

 

[rav]

I think you haven't understood what Usama bin Laden means with that statement. He is basically saying that he prefers the Hereafter to life here on earth. As for the suicide bombers you talked about... Well, when someone occupies your land and makes you live in an apartheid state, the desperation might become so big that you decide to end your life (I'm not saying that this is the case with every suicide bomber, though). That's not something I agree with, but I think it's oversimplifying it to say that they are just evil.
Could the verse about hating God = loving death be applied to the Jews that killed themselves instead of converting to Paganism, since they prefered death over life in that case?

They did not love death. Chosing to not convert to paganism is not chosing death. It is refusing to become a pagan. A huge difference. The pagans killed the Jews, and when a Jew would commit suicide, it would be only so under torture he would not convert to paganism, and there is some speculation that that to may have been wrong. Suicide is a terrible thing.

Choosing death over paganism is not loving death.
Straping on a bomb to blow up a bakery (happend yesterday) to kill innocent civilians, not army people, is not only terror, but mirrors the statement "we love death".

Can you please explain what you mean by this?

G-d put us on this earth to live our lives and follow his rulings. Suicide or the love of death could very well be THE worst insult to the creator.

it depends on what you mean by loving death- you want to meet Allah

If G-d intended for you to meet him, it would be done. To take your own life to meet him is not good at all. It is very bad, and one of the worst things to do, especially when you take others (especially innocent civilians) with you!

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

Suicide is forbidden, end of story. But people will do it, when they have no choice left.

 

[rav]

Re: Jews: What is a "Gentile"?

Is a Gentile a Christian or just a non-Jew?

As an atheist do I qualify as a Gentile?

A gentile is a person not born from a Jewish mother, or not converted to Judaism. A person born of a Jewish mother who says he hates Judaism and converts to Islam is not a gentile. In no way is it a bad term.

It comes from the word "goy" in Hebrew. "Goy" means "other".

Jews would be called "Am Yisroel" The Nation of Israel.

Non-Jews would be called "goyam" Other Nations.

Muslims have a word for non-Muslims, as do christians to, so it really is not a big deal. It is the seperation of a Jew who is commanded to follow all 613 laws of the Torah and a Non-Jew who is only commanded to follow 7.

Further questions should be adressed in the "Jewish Q/A" thread.

 

[rav]

Suicide is forbidden, end of story. But people will do it, when they have no choice left.

When there is no choice left, death by sword is better than death by your own hands. Death by your own hands that takes others is considered beyond terrible.

 

[FBI]

Re: Jews: What is a "Gentile"?



so is "Gentile" the equvilent of "Kafir"

 

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

I'm not talking to a specific race or religion or anything. I'm saying thats what people do. It does NOT mean im justifying it.

 

[Abu Zakariya]

Choosing death over paganism is not loving death.
Straping on a bomb to blow up a bakery (happend yesterday) to kill innocent civilians, not army people, is not only terror, but mirrors the statement "we love death".

Both are suicide. The second example isn't necesseraly about loving death, it's more about resististance against occupation by the means you feel are necessary. In this case, the occupational force is supported by the superpower of US that not only supply them with weapons, but also use their veto when the UN tries to stop some of their actions against the Palestinian people. So they feel that should fight back in the way they can, i.e. by taking out as many Israelis as they can (every Israeli has to serve the military, so they don't feel that these guys are civilians).

Now, I don't necessarily agree with this, but I feel that it isn't as easy as "they are evil".

Also, since you don't want to apply the verse you quoted to the Jews that commited suicide, I don't think it's really applicable to a man saying that he prefers the Hereafter over this life (which is what the quote means).

 

[rav]

Both are suicide.

No they are not. Judaism teaches that you should never convert to paganism, even if it leads to your death, but this is not suicide at all. When you have a gun to your head and are told to convert or die, you are choosing Judaism, not death. It is way different then straping up a bomb on your chest and blowing yourself up near as many civilians as possible. Far different.

Death because you chose not to convert is not suicide.

The second example isn't necesseraly about loving death, it's more about resististance against occupation by the means you feel are necessary.

It is very hard to prove your point when Osama Bin Laden clearly says "we love death." resistance against an occupation should be directed towards soldiers, not a bakery in Eilat, where no occupier is, no soldier is in sight, and vacationing families with children are everywhere. (As was done yesterday).

In this case, the occupational force is supported by the superpower of US that not only supply them with weapons, but also use their veto when the UN tries to stop some of their actions against the Palestinian people.

The same veto is used by Russia and China when sanctions are directed towards Arab states, because of the arms trade agreements between the countries.

(every Israeli has to serve the military, so they don't feel that these guys are civilians).

Children aren't in the Army. Yeshiva students are exempt. Many are exempt. Every person is not in the Army.

Also, since you don't want to apply the verse you quoted to the Jews that commited suicide, I don't think it's really applicable to a man saying that he prefers the Hereafter over this life (which is what the quote means).

Chosing death instead of conversion to paganism is much different then taking ones own life. Much different.

 

[rav]

Re: Jews: What is a "Gentile"?

so is "Gentile" the equvilent of "Kafir"

Except to be a gentile is not a bad thing. Judaism does not use the scare tactic of "hell fire". Judaism believes that gentiles who are righteous will go to heaven. You believe a "Kafir" can never go to heaven.

Why would G-d send a good person to hell because they did not join a certain group. Judaism has no need to convert people because be good and follow the seven basic moral laws for humanity and your fine! Judaism has no interest in becoming a huge religion or becoming a huge political force.

Worship of G-d alone as one and following his Torah is what we believe.

The point of life is to live righteous, not join a cult or group, which so many claim to be the "right one" and all the others wrong and doomed to hell fire. It is so naive.

 

[Abu Zakariya]

rav

They don't go out and kill themselves to put an end to their life. They use it as a military strategy. Surely you see a difference between killing yourself because you don't want to live, and resorting to suicide bombing because of the military superiority of your enemy?

As for Usama clearly saying "we love death", there's a difference between saying it because you are sick of life and want to put an end to it, and saying it because you want to tell the world that you aren't afraid to fight your enemy until you die.

 

[FBI]

Re: Jews: What is a "Gentile"?

Except to be a gentile is not a bad thing. Judaism does not use the scare tactic of "hell fire". Judaism believes that gentiles who are righteous will go to heaven. You believe a "Kafir" can never go to heaven.

Why would G-d send a good person to hell because they did not join a certain group. Judaism has no need to convert people because be good and follow the seven basic moral laws for humanity and your fine! Judaism has no interest in becoming a huge religion or becoming a huge political force.

Worship of G-d alone as one and following his Torah is what we believe.

The point of life is to live righteous, not join a cult or group, which so many claim to be the "right one" and all the others wrong and doomed to hell fire. It is so naive.

so a rightious muslim can still go to heven by your beliefs, wouldn't u agree we have the best of both worlds then

 

[Keltoi]

rav

They don't go out and kill themselves to put an end to their life. They use it as a military strategy. Surely you see a difference between killing yourself because you don't want to live, and resorting to suicide bombing because of the military superiority of your enemy?

As for Usama clearly saying "we love death", there's a difference between saying it because you are sick of life and want to put an end to it, and saying it because you want to tell the world that you aren't afraid to fight your enemy until you die.

If you fight the enemy you fight soldiers, not innocent men, women, and children at a bakery(for example), that is the difference and a very large one.

 

[rav]

They don't go out and kill themselves. They use it as a military strategy. Surely you see a difference between killing yourself because you don't want to live, and resorting to suicide bombing because of the military superiority of your enemy?

I do not. Killing yourself by blowing yourself up as a military strategy is suicide. There is no difference. many suicide bombers are just brain washed bafoons, or have no reason to live and go crazy at the promise of "virgins". It is a sick concept and reasoning they have.

There suicide is 100X's worse because they not only end there life by there own hand, but murder in the process, since the majority of suicide bombers attack innocent civilians to scare the population.

They go out and kill themselves and take others with them. They KILL THEMSELVES. They aren't saying I would rather die instead of paganism. They are pushing a button that tears there existance apart and tears the existance of other humans G-d created apart.

Why on earth would G-d ever want his creations killing themselves and killing other innocent creations as the majority of the times they do.

Judaism regards suicide as a criminal act. Someone who commits suicide is considered a murderer. It matters not whether he kills someone else or himself. His soul is not his to extinguish.

Judaism's opposition to suicide is found in the story of Noah's Ark. After the flood, G-d says to Noah: Your blood which belongs to your souls I will demand; from the hand of every beast will I demand it. From the hand of every man; from the hand of every man who is his brother will I demand the life of man.(Genesis 9:5)

The Talmud (Baba Kama 90b) learns from the first part of the verse, "And surely the blood of your lives I will demand," that one may not wound his own body. All the more so, he may not take his own life.

There is also a deep spiritual consequence to suicide.

When a person commits suicide, the soul has nowhere to go. It cannot return to the body, because the body is destroyed. And it is not let in to any of the soul worlds, because its time has not come. This state of limbo is very painful. A person may commit suicide because he wants to escape, but in reality he is getting a far worse situation.

In this world, if we try hard enough sometimes we can solve the problem. But after death there are no solutions, only consequences.

When a Jew commits suicide, he is not permitted a full Jewish burial, and there is even a debate whether shiva (the seven-day mourning period) is observed or whether the kaddish prayer is said.