Questions about Judaism answered by a Jew!

[rav]

Re: Questions about Judaism awnsered by a Jew!

When Prophet Muhammad was chosen as the new leader of Medina, the Jews of Medina signed a treaty with the Muslims that as the citizens of Medina they would protect the city along with Muslims from invaders and enemies (esp. Pagans from Mecca).

In the Battle of Uhud, a Jewish rabbi named Al Mukhairiq decided to join the Muslim army to defend Medina from Meccans.

When he want to join the army, many Jews objected his attention and said to him that he can use the excuse that he cant go to the war as it's Sabbath.

He replied that he is a covenant of the treaty, and as a covenant he would fulfill his promise to defend Medina regardless that the war was on Sabbath. Furthermore, the war is to fight the idols-worshippers.

He died in that war. And the are unverified sources saying that Prophet Muhammad himself calling Al Mukhairiq a "martyr" (a very high status in Islam and would be rewarded paradise, inshallah)

The questions:

1) Does Al Mukhairiq did a righteous thing in accordance to Judaism?
2) Could a Jew join a war to defend his country on a Sabbath day?
3) Is that kind of covenant on being a citizen of Medina and willingly to defend Medina valid in Judaism?
4) Would Judaism regards him as a "martyr"?
5) And what Judaism thinks about those Jews who refused to defend Medina as they were not fulfilling their promises given in the treaty?

Shalom (Peace),

Since I am not familiar with the particular story and all the circumstances, I cannot comment on it directly.

In general a Jew has an obligation to participate in the defense of the country he lives in. There may be circumstances where a threat to life makes it mandatory to fight on Shabbat, but this needs to be determined in each specific circumstance accordingly.

In modern armies where many different categories of people are exempt from service in the military - it may be more appropriate for a Jew to serve his country in ways other than the military.

Here's a question...

>> How long would it take to read the meshrah Torah(sp?)(writing by rambam)
And, how long would it take to read the midsrhah?

I think i spelled both of those wrong. The first one is by Rambam, and the midshrah I am referring to is the book in the Talmud with 6 cetegories and then like 4-12 subcategories.

I plan on reading both of these, but do not know if I would have the time!

Shalom (Peace),

To read the Mishneh Torah written by the Rambam would take a while. It basicaly outlines all the commandments in the Torah that Jews must follow into an easy resource. The Mishnah is the oral tradition of Judaism, however, it is best to read it with the Gemera, which explains it, but reading the Mishnah alone would also take a while as well.

I understand that you believe there is only one all powerful God and Muslims and Christians will agree with that. I understand, however that Jews do not believe in Jesus. Muslims do and Christians do. Muslims believe he was a prophet. Do you believe that he was a prophet or teacher? Christians believe he is the son of God who came unto his own, but his own rejected him. Christians believe he is the only way to God because he died for our sins. Just like the the children of Israel had to sprinkle their door post for the passover, we Christians believe that we must have our spirits covered by the blood of the lamb of God (Jesus) to escape the judgments of G-d.

Shalom (Peace),

To be very honest, Jesus is irrelevant to Judaism. He was not some great teacher, or some amazing person, he is in reality I am sorry if I hurt your feelings; nothing. It does not even matter in Judaism if he actually existed or not! The effect his followers have had on us, which come from his teachings is how he is viewed as in Judaism, and that is a negative, since his "teachings" have done nothing but make things terrible for Jews, until very recently where Christian extremism had died out in Europe. That is the honest truth.

The best way to look at Jesus in a Jewish religious view is a man, whose teaching were distorted and is misquoted in the Gospels, but was never the less a radical when denouncing our great sages. Another way to look at him, is that he was a complete false prophet who claimed to be a god, and is quoted in the Gospel. A third view is that he never existed. Plain and simple. I'm sorry to be so honest, but Jesus has no religious signifigance in Judaism. What he is to Judaism, is merely what his followers have done to Jews throughout Christianity. It is the same thing with Mohammad.

 

[thirdwatch512]

Hello rav,
First off, thanks for answering all these questions. This thread, a JEWISH thread lol, is probably one of the longest lasting threads here on li!!

Ok, so I do have a question..

Reading through the Bible, we see that Jesus did miracles. And, the same can be said when one reads the hadiths (splitting of the moon, making it rain, etc.) We also know that both Jesus and mohammad made prophecies. Jesus's were more about the future. mohammad predicted that fatimah would be the first to die, and that many battle's would be won, etc. (There is some controversy though, as they were written in the hadiths which was 250 years after and could be a forgery. But for the sake of this, let's assume they are true.)

So, prophecy and miracles. Two things that show a true prophet according to Moshe. But, at the same time we know that false prophets can do miracles and prophecy.

So how can we distinguish between a true prophet, and a false prophet, assuming that both did miracles and both prophecised the future? Do we know they are false if they changed just ONE mitzvot, or do they have to change all kinds of things? We know that mohammad taught monotheism, and there are many similarities to the Torah. (monotheism, dietry laws, praying, etc.) And, we know that Jesus taught a great message that has brought many people to God. So how do you know that mohammad, or Jesus, is not a true prophet? What distinguishes them away from the other prophets throughout history?

 

[snakelegs]

shalom rav,
could you say something about the shechinah?
thanks.

 

[rav]

Hello rav,
First off, thanks for answering all these questions. This thread, a JEWISH thread lol, is probably one of the longest lasting threads here on li!!

Ok, so I do have a question..

Reading through the Bible, we see that Jesus did miracles. And, the same can be said when one reads the hadiths (splitting of the moon, making it rain, etc.) We also know that both Jesus and mohammad made prophecies. Jesus's were more about the future. mohammad predicted that fatimah would be the first to die, and that many battle's would be won, etc. (There is some controversy though, as they were written in the hadiths which was 250 years after and could be a forgery. But for the sake of this, let's assume they are true.)

So, prophecy and miracles. Two things that show a true prophet according to Moshe. But, at the same time we know that false prophets can do miracles and prophecy.

So how can we distinguish between a true prophet, and a false prophet, assuming that both did miracles and both prophecised the future? Do we know they are false if they changed just ONE mitzvot, or do they have to change all kinds of things? We know that mohammad taught monotheism, and there are many similarities to the Torah. (monotheism, dietry laws, praying, etc.) And, we know that Jesus taught a great message that has brought many people to God. So how do you know that mohammad, or Jesus, is not a true prophet? What distinguishes them away from the other prophets throughout history?

Alright so we see that a prophet and false prophet can both perform miracles and tell the future, so how do we tell the difference? Simple; a false prophet contradicts what the Torah says, a prophet does not.

Here is an example. The Torah says that the Sabbath is eternal so let us look at three people:

1. Jesus - breaks the Sabbath... false prophet.

2. Mohammad - is not Jewish so he does not have to follow the Sabbath, but urges Jews to convert to Islam a religion which contradicts the Torah, and for the sake of keeping to the example does not follow the Sabbath... false prophet.

3. Moses - follows the Sabbath, never contradicts the Torah or the mitzvot... prophet.

_____

Now to other parts of your post. Jews do not believe that the message of Jesus was great. If the message Jesus brought was the one found in the Gospel, then it was far from great from a Jewish view. It brought hatred and murder against the Jewish people and Jesus himself calls himself a god! Plus, it contradicts the Torah, so it is not a great message at all to Jews, from a theological view. The same with Mohammad as well. I'm not trying to be rude but that is the reality of things. Jesus did not bring anyone to the G-d of Israel in the opinion of many Jewish authorities, but brought billions to worship Jesus.

If you wish to know the view Judaism has of Jesus, there is none. The only view, a Jew can have of Jesus is based on what he taught, (which contradicted the Torah) and how his followers have acted towards Jews.

The bottom line is that both Christianity and Islam's messages contradict the Torah.

FUN FACT: If one letter in the Torah is missing, it is considered an "unkosher Torah scroll"... (i.e. 99% kosher = 100% unkosher) Therefore, let us apply this concept to religion. If Christianity and Islam are 99% following the Torah, then they are 100% heretical for Jews to follow.

 

[rav]

shalom rav,
could you say something about the shechinah?
thanks.

The Shechina is the Divine Presence. When we refer to G-d as transcendent, infinite and beyond, we call Him, "He". When we refer to G-d as immanently here, now, in a nurturing, inner way, we say She is the Shechina. It has nothing to do with gender at all, so when we call G-d "He" we are in no way labeling G-d to be a male. It is merely different ways to describe G-d's actions to or finite brains. Like when the Torah says G-d was "angry", it is the same as saying "the computer did not like the software"... did the computer really "not like" the software?

 

[snakelegs]

todah, rav!

 

[north_malaysian]

Re: Questions about Judaism awnsered by a Jew!

In general a Jew has an obligation to participate in the defense of the country he lives in. There may be circumstances where a threat to life makes it mandatory to fight on Shabbat, but this needs to be determined in each specific circumstance accordingly

Thanks for the answer.... I think that Rabbi must use this ground to participate in that war to defend his nation.

Do Jews have someone with authorities like a "Mufti"?

 

[rav]

Shalom (Peace),

A ‘mufti’ is an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of "fatwa"). Judaism does indeed have the same types of rabbinical authorities. A “dayan” (דין) or a “posek” is a judge who is knowledgeable on the subject of halakah (Jewish law) and therefore, can make rulings. A few examples I can give you are Rabbi Moshe Feinstein also known as “Rav Moshe Feinstein”, since the title “Rav” given to a Rabbi signifies in many cases that this Rabbi has the knowledge to decipher complex questions of halakha. Rav Feinstein’s work known as Igros Moshe which translated in English as “letters of Moshe” is basically a huge amount of letters dealing with complex halakhic inquires that were sent to Rav Moshe and his responses or rulings. As one of the most knowledgeable halakhic judges in our days, (although he died in the 1980’s, may he rest in peace), he has the legal authority to interpret Jewish law, and the Jews who follow the minhagim (customs) of the non-Hassidic Haredi Jews from Lithuania, will generally follow his rulings.

The best example today, of one of the judges is Rav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv. He does not head a congregation, or a yeshiva, or a community as such, but spends his days in deep Talmudical study, and delivers advanced lectures in Talmud and Shulkhan Arukh at a local synagogue in the Meah Shearim area in Jerusalem where he lives, and receives supplicants from all over the world, answering multitudes of complex Halakhic inqueries.

 

[*~Sofia~*]

Hi,

Had a quick question.. why do jewish men and boys have curls? silly question, but my sister is very curious!

thanks

Peace

 

[rav]

Hi,

Had a quick question.. why do jewish men and boys have curls? silly question, but my sister is very curious!

thanks

Peace

Shalom (Peace),

The Torah says, "You shall not round off the peyos of your head" (Leviticus 19:27). The word peyos refers to sideburns -- i.e. the hair in front of the ears that extends to underneath the cheekbone which is level with the nose (Talmud - Makkot 20a). The Talmud explains that this law only applies to men, not to women.

Maimonides explains that the prohibition of “rounding” prohibits the removal of sideburns, by razor, tweezers or any other means. Though it is permitted to trim the sideburns, even very close to the skin, using scissors.

Even though sideburns are enough to satisfy the Torah requirement of peyos, many Jews grow their peyos long as a way of emphasizing the commandment (Peyos sounds like pious, right?!), or simply of Jewish identification. Some will curl their peyos, while others while tuck them behind their ear. It’s just a matter of individual taste, or communal custom.

Hair is also a symbol of vanity, a preoccupation of how one looks. The prohibition against cutting off the peyos reminds a person to de-emphasize his looks, and instead depend on intellect and good character. (Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, 19th century Germany)

From a mystical perspective, peyos separate between the front part of the brain which is used for abstract thought that can be used for holiness, and the back part of the brain that governs the body.

The original law only requires the payot not to be removed, though they can be cut or trimmed but not with a razor, or blade sliding along the skin. Similarly, shaving facial hair was also prohibited. Since the advent of the electric razor, those models that function on the principle of scissors would make shaving easy for many Modern Orthodox men. (There is some discussion regarding the Lift and Cut Shavers which - supposedly- leave the hair below the level of the skin, thus simulating a razor)

Within Haredi Judaism and particularly within Hasidic Judaism most men tend not to shave and quite a few grow payot that they wear either rolled up behind their ears, shortened and tucked behind the ear, or fully grown and twirled to wrap up its length. Hasidic communities regard the prohibition more strictly and traditionally require the hair to grow uncut. Many Hasidim also have very long curled payot (locks) in order to emphasize their observance of the prohibition and their identity as Hasidic Jews.

The Crimean Tatars referred to Krymchaks (Crimean Turkic speakers following Rabbinism) as zuluflı çufutlar ("Jews with payot") to distinguish them from the Crimean Karaites, who were called zulufsız çufutlar ("Jews without payot").

Image of a Yeminite Jew with peyot:

Mori Yoseph Selah (1888-1999)

Sources
-wikipedia.com
-about.com

 

[snakelegs]

Shalom (Peace),

A ‘mufti’ is an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of "fatwa"). Judaism does indeed have the same types of rabbinical authorities. A “dayan” (דין) or a “posek” is a judge who is knowledgeable on the subject of halakah (Jewish law) and therefore, can make rulings. A few examples I can give you are Rabbi Moshe Feinstein also known as “Rav Moshe Feinstein”, since the title “Rav” given to a Rabbi signifies in many cases that this Rabbi has the knowledge to decipher complex questions of halakha. Rav Feinstein’s work known as Igros Moshe which translated in English as “letters of Moshe” is basically a huge amount of letters dealing with complex halakhic inquires that were sent to Rav Moshe and his responses or rulings. As one of the most knowledgeable halakhic judges in our days, (although he died in the 1980’s, may he rest in peace), he has the legal authority to interpret Jewish law, and the Jews who follow the minhagim (customs) of the non-Hassidic Haredi Jews from Lithuania, will generally follow his rulings.

The best example today, of one of the judges is Rav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv. He does not head a congregation, or a yeshiva, or a community as such, but spends his days in deep Talmudical study, and delivers advanced lectures in Talmud and Shulkhan Arukh at a local synagogue in the Meah Shearim area in Jerusalem where he lives, and receives supplicants from all over the world, answering multitudes of complex Halakhic inqueries.

shalom rav,
i know that rabbi moshe feinstein is widely respected.
but to an extent, don't jews sometimes have the same problem that muslims have - where you can find some scholar, somewhere to issue a posek for something you want to do? yigael amir comes to mind - he said he had gotten a heter from a rabbi, making it permissable for him to murder rabin.
i don't think there is any system that regulates the qualifications of a specific scholar to give rulings, is there?

 

[north_malaysian]

Similarly, shaving facial hair was also prohibited

What!! :muddlehea:muddlehea:muddlehea

 

[rav]

shalom rav,
i know that rabbi moshe feinstein is widely respected.
but to an extent, don't jews sometimes have the same problem that muslims have - where you can find some scholar, somewhere to issue a posek for something you want to do? yigael amir comes to mind - he said he had gotten a heter from a rabbi, making it permissable for him to murder rabin.
i don't think there is any system that regulates the qualifications of a specific scholar to give rulings, is there?

Shalom (Peace),

Well you cannot really go "posek shopping" like that according to halacha, since you cannot disregard Rabbi's who issue a ruling and go to another, and another until you find the ruling you want. To answer your question directly; no, there is not system of regulations. Jews will go to a Rabbi they deem as their "personal Rabbi" for a ruling, and if that Rabbi cannot make a ruling because his knowledge is limited, than there are certain Rabbi's recognized for their knowledge that they can write to, or appear before. But their are no regulations in the area your speaking about, because we cannot prevent Jews from going to Rabbi's who have radical ideas in their heads and we cannot find all of them and revoke their title as a "Rabbi".

What!! :muddlehea:muddlehea:muddlehea

Could you be a bit more clear on what you object to?

 

[snakelegs]

thanks for your answer, rav. and gut shabbos!

 

[north_malaysian]

Could you be a bit more clear on what you object to?

I'm not objecting, I'm just shocked!!!

It means Jews shouldnt shave their moustache too? How about hair on other body parts?

And how about Jewish women... they should keep their sideburns too, and no shaving to eyebrows and moustache (some women have it)

 

[rav]

Shalom (Peace),

I'm not objecting, I'm just shocked!!!

It means Jews shouldnt shave their moustache too? How about hair on other body parts?

And how about Jewish women... they should keep their sideburns too, and no shaving to eyebrows and moustache (some women have it)

Correct, Jewish males could not shave their moustache’s also, however, now, it is halachicly permissible to shave: “Since the advent of the electric razor, those models that function on the principle of scissors would make shaving easy for many Modern Orthodox men. (There is some discussion regarding the Lift and Cut Shavers which – supposedly - leave the hair below the level of the skin, thus simulating a razor)”

I believe that Jewish women can shave, as long as they do not cut their skin in the process.

 

[thirdwatch512]

Hi, here is a question that has been in my head for quite a while. I have just finished my "intensive" studies on the NT and am now going in OT.

So my question is on Exodus..

1. When did the Exodus happen?
2. Is there any historical evidence for the Exodus?
3. Does the Torah really say there were 3 million Jews in Egypt for 400+ years, or am I mistaken?

 

[silkworm]

Hi Lavikor, I am a Moslem and an avid lover of Jewish literature especially the Torah and the Talmud along with all the "accessories" comes with it. During the times I have noted that a helluva lot of Rabbis have over-emphasised their religions and incorporated "fictitious beliefs" into Judaism even so that whatever happened to the Temple are also made a part of the religion.

These Rabbis have also grossly criticized Christianity, for instance you can ready this:

1) Page 110, Rabbi Milton Steinberg writes "Nor was His (Jesus Christ’s') Character altogether unexceptionable. He further writes about Jesus Christ "He was capable of bursts of ill-temper, as when he cursed the towns of Capernaum, Chorazin and Beth Saida or when he denounced a fig tree for not yielding fruit to appease his hunger, though it was not the fruit-bearing season. And he was intemperate in his condemnation of the Scribes and Pharisees, most of whom were thoroughly honest and dedicated men.

2) Page 110, Rabbi Milton Steinberg further writes about Jesus Christ pbuh “Finally there is at least traces of Chauvinism him. When a Canaanite woman pleads with him to heal her daughter, he responds" It is wrong to take the Children's bread, and throw it to the little dogs". He (Jesus Christ a.s.) declares explicitly “I AM NOT SENT EXCEPT TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL". TO him "Gentile" AND "Publican" are equally terms of probrium. And He (Jesus Christ a.s.) plainly instructs the Apostles not to bear his message to Non-Jews"...

3) Page 108, Rabbi Milton Steinberg writes “The Moral Prophet however is an innovator, proclaiming hitherto unsuspected verity. By this definition, Jesus, whatever else he may have been, WAS NO PROPHET".

Excerpts from a Book called "BASIC JUDAISM" BY MILTON STEINBERG (PUBLISHED 1947, A Harvest/HBJ Book, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, USA)

 

[rav]

Hi, here is a question that has been in my head for quite a while. I have just finished my "intensive" studies on the NT and am now going in OT.

So my question is on Exodus..

1. When did the Exodus happen?
2. Is there any historical evidence for the Exodus?
3. Does the Torah really say there were 3 million Jews in Egypt for 400+ years, or am I mistaken?

Shalom, I already answered this question, before the wesbite crashed and some posts were lost. When I have the time I will look to see if my post can be recovered, or I will give you a lot of reading material on the subject.

To give you very short answers, (1) it is not known for certain, (2) possibly, it is disputed, (3) 3 million at Mt. Sinai, (600,000 male adults).

Hi Lavikor, I am a Moslem and an avid lover of Jewish literature especially the Torah and the Talmud along with all the "accessories" comes with it. During the times I have noted that a helluva lot of Rabbis have over-emphasised their religions and incorporated "fictitious beliefs" into Judaism even so that whatever happened to the Temple are also made a part of the religion.

These Rabbis have also grossly criticized Christianity, for instance you can ready this:

1) Page 110, Rabbi Milton Steinberg writes "Nor was His (Jesus Christ’s') Character altogether unexceptionable. He further writes about Jesus Christ "He was capable of bursts of ill-temper, as when he cursed the towns of Capernaum, Chorazin and Beth Saida or when he denounced a fig tree for not yielding fruit to appease his hunger, though it was not the fruit-bearing season. And he was intemperate in his condemnation of the Scribes and Pharisees, most of whom were thoroughly honest and dedicated men.

2) Page 110, Rabbi Milton Steinberg further writes about Jesus Christ pbuh “Finally there is at least traces of Chauvinism him. When a Canaanite woman pleads with him to heal her daughter, he responds" It is wrong to take the Children's bread, and throw it to the little dogs". He (Jesus Christ a.s.) declares explicitly “I AM NOT SENT EXCEPT TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL". TO him "Gentile" AND "Publican" are equally terms of probrium. And He (Jesus Christ a.s.) plainly instructs the Apostles not to bear his message to Non-Jews"...

3) Page 108, Rabbi Milton Steinberg writes “The Moral Prophet however is an innovator, proclaiming hitherto unsuspected verity. By this definition, Jesus, whatever else he may have been, WAS NO PROPHET".

Excerpts from a Book called "BASIC JUDAISM" BY MILTON STEINBERG (PUBLISHED 1947, A Harvest/HBJ Book, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, USA)

Shalom (Peace),

I'm a bit confused, do you have a question about Judaism?

To give you a basic backround of Rabbi Milton Steinberg, he is not an Orthodox Rabbi, his book; As A Driven Leaf, generated a lot of discussion, and it was banned and trashed by many Orthodox Jews. Therefore, I am not a judge of if he is qualified or a proper representitive of teaching 'basic judaism', however, I can say that I cannot vouch that his book is halachicly correct.

I'm afraid that Jesus has no place in Judaism. He could have existed and been a false prophet, or he could have not existed at all. Either way the religion Judaism has little comment on Jesus, so maybe your question or comment would be better suited on "Questions about Milton Steinberg" if there is such a thread!

 

[ISLAMASWEENEY]

Why Are We Having Questions On A Islamic Site About Jews? Are You Lot Pro Israel Anti Palestine Or Something.