Questions about Judaism

[sunsplash]

So Noahides reject or don't acknowledge the laws of Moses? Why? What makes Noah of higher importance that they would choose to follow the laws given to him by God, but not other laws established by God to other prophets?

 

[Dena]

So Noahides reject or don't acknowledge the laws of Moses? Why? What makes Noah of higher importance that they would choose to follow the laws given to him by God, but not other laws established by God to other prophets?

The rest of the Laws are for Jews only, so the Noahides are not obligated to observe those laws.

 

[Rakhel]

The rest of the Laws are for Jews only, so the Noahides are not obligated to observe those laws.

Exactly. They can follow the laws if they want to.

I have seen many potential converts try to convince the rabbi(usually a Chabad rabbi) that they are as Jewish as he is ,only to be denied and feel that they have to settle being Noahides.

 

[Zardoz]

So Noahides reject or don't acknowledge the laws of Moses? Why? What makes Noah of higher importance that they would choose to follow the laws given to him by God, but not other laws established by God to other prophets?

The rest of the Laws are for Jews only, so the Noahides are not obligated to observe those laws.

There is a lot of overlap, of course. There is no Noachide law that is not in Jewish law.There are some laws given to Jews which non-Jews are welcome to observe, such 'honoring parents' in the 10 commandments, but other laws, such as Shabbat in those very same 10 are only for Jews. Why only to Jews? Simple answer is that's part of our special Covenant as priests.

 

[Levite]

So Noahides reject or don't acknowledge the laws of Moses? Why? What makes Noah of higher importance that they would choose to follow the laws given to him by God, but not other laws established by God to other prophets?

I don't think it's that they hold Noah in higher regard than Moses. But, if one accepts the premise of Noahide laws, they were given to all the human race as foundational precepts of society. But the Torah, and the Covenant at Sinai, was given to and made with only the Jews, and not other peoples. The laws of the Torah include the ideas in all the Noahide laws, and indeed expand them considerably, in company with 606 other commandments, and thus makes the Noahide laws obsolete for Jews, since the Torah includes the same laws with additional strictures added.

A fundamental principle of Judaism is that Judaism is for Jews. It is not, nor has it ever been, inteded for everybody to follow. Non-Jews are not expected to observe the commandments in the Torah, or listen to the words of the prophets, because those words were not directed at them, nor those commandments given to them. Presumably, God has given them other messages, and different responsibilities from those He has given to the Jews.

 

[Sufi]

Hey good evening everyone this question is for you Levite how does Judaism (Orthodox) view Hell/Hellfire/Horrors of Hell/Length of Punishment in Hell.

 

[Levite]

Hey good evening everyone this question is for you Levite how does Judaism (Orthodox) view Hell/Hellfire/Horrors of Hell/Length of Punishment in Hell.

I don't think there is any one single opinion on the subject in Judaism-- even in Orthodox Judaism. For one thing, not everyone literally believes in Gehinnom (which is more or less our equivalent to Hell, though I think it's probably fair to say it is closer in equivalence to Purgatory). Historically, those scholars who have believed in a literal Gehinnom have held widely differing views on what kind of punishment it might entail, or for how long one might need to be there, or, for that matter, who gets sent there at all, and for what.

What is probably fair to say is that, historically, the majority of traditional authorities who have believed in a literal Gehinnom have believed it to be a place where souls are sent for finite durations-- in other words, there is no such thing as "eternal damnation." If one is sufficiently and unrepentantly sinful at death, one is sent there for a limited time, in order to work off one's sins, and be eligible to move on in the process of the soul (though there are a number of disagreements about just what that entails, too).

While some authorities have been very...creative...about what sorts of punishments might await the souls of the greatly sinful, most of those notions have been put forth during periods when Jews were being greatly oppressed, and had reason to wish great wrath upon their enemies. However, during less turbulent and more prosperous times, many authorities have been more lenient in their theological speculations, which I believe is what gave rise to the popular belief embraced by many today that a year is the longest term of consignment to Gehinnom for all but the most wicked of the wicked-- although some say a year and a day.

This concept is, in part, what gave rise to the widely-held folk belief that one ought to say Kaddish (the prayer praising God which is traditionally recited at funerals, and as part of mourning the death of a close relative, or, in some cases, many fallen Jews) for eleven months following the death of a close relative. The idea was that the recitation of the Kaddish prayer elevated the soul of the deceased, trapped in Gehinnom, and caused it to become purified more quickly, and thus free from Gehinnom. One does not recite for the full year as a gesture of respect, indicating that the deceased was surely not wicked enough to merit the full term of a year in Gehinnom.

Most of the Modern Orthodox Jews that I know are fairly uncomfortable with the idea of Gehinnom. It has never been a popular belief, historically, which is why it never became Jewish dogma. However, in Orthodoxy today, more often than not, if one refuses to subscribe to beliefs popular in the Orthodox community-- even if there is little or no basis for them in halakhah and dogmatic theology-- one risks ostracization from the community. Needless to say, almost every Haredi I have ever met professes to believe in Gehinnom-- the only exceptions in my experience have been the Kabbalists I have known, who mostly believe in gilgulei neshamot, the cycle of reincarnation. But to be fair, also most of the Haredim I have discussed the matter with do not believe that Gehinnom is particularly horrific and full of torments, but rather a place of hard, and sometimes painful, purgation and repentance. And many of the Hasidim with whom I have discussed the concept believe that that are no literal torments or pains at all, but that the pain of Gehinnom is that it is a place of existence wherein one becomes truly aware of what it means to feel far from God's presence-- the torment is the yearning for closeness to God.

Though you asked about Orthodoxy, and I am not Orthodox, nonetheless I do feel compelled to add that I refuse to believe in Gehinnom. I think that kind of negative motivation is a singularly poor theological tactic; and while I am willing to believe that there are many difficult things in the universe that God must allow to occur, which result in human suffering (natural disasters, diseases, and other phenomena arising from the natural forces of entropy and chaos that are necessary for the universe to function properly), I think He takes no pleasure in it. And I cannot for a moment think that the God I believe in, who loves justice and mercy and lovingkindness, and who I believe grieves when we must suffer, would deliberately condemn his creatures to torture just to prove a point. I believe in gilgulei neshamot (reincarnation), because I believe that it makes sense that if there are things in this world we fail to accomplish, or simply have not learned, we are sent back to finish our tasks, and learn our lessons. And if we wrong others, we are sent back in order that, by helping others, and learning to feel compassion for others, and to also love justice and mercy, we balance out our sins, and our souls become purified.

 

[Sufi]

While some authorities have been very...creative...about what sorts of punishments might await the souls of the greatly sinful, most of those notions have been put forth during periods when Jews were being greatly oppressed, and had reason to wish great wrath upon their enemies. However, during less turbulent and more prosperous times, many authorities have been more lenient in their theological speculations, which I believe is what gave rise to the popular belief embraced by many today that a year is the longest term of consignment to Gehinnom for all but the most wicked of the wicked-- although some say a year and a day.

Most of the Modern Orthodox Jews that I know are fairly uncomfortable with the idea of Gehinnom. It has never been a popular belief, historically, which is why it never became Jewish dogma. However, in Orthodoxy today, more often than not, if one refuses to subscribe to beliefs popular in the Orthodox community-- even if there is little or no basis for them in halakhah and dogmatic theology-- one risks ostracization from the community.

Though you asked about Orthodoxy, and I am not Orthodox, nonetheless I do feel compelled to add that I refuse to believe in Gehinnom. I think that kind of negative motivation is a singularly poor theological tactic; and while I am willing to believe that there are many difficult things in the universe that God must allow to occur, which result in human suffering (natural disasters, diseases, and other phenomena arising from the natural forces of entropy and chaos that are necessary for the universe to function properly), I think He takes no pleasure in it. And I cannot for a moment think that the God I believe in, who loves justice and mercy and lovingkindness, and who I believe grieves when we must suffer, would deliberately condemn his creatures to torture just to prove a point. I believe in gilgulei neshamot (reincarnation), because I believe that it makes sense that if there are things in this world we fail to accomplish, or simply have not learned, we are sent back to finish our tasks, and learn our lessons. And if we wrong others, we are sent back in order that, by helping others, and learning to feel compassion for others, and to also love justice and mercy, we balance out our sins, and our souls become purified.

Thanks a lot for the very informative response Levite so basically there is no consensus in Judaism when it comes to Hell/Gehinnom and it's realities but it obviously differs from the Islamic and Christian concept of Hell (Jahannam in Arabic) wich does contains all sorts of horrible punishments. But do you really believe characters like Adolf Hitler and Pharoah can be purified in Gehinnom for a period to be accepted in Olom Ha Ba? also are there Jewish sources that make mention of eternal stay in Gehinnom (i read somewhere on a jewish website that Jews believe that Pharoah will be punished forever?) do you mind me asking to wich branch of Judaism do you belong? I personally dont believe in earthly reincarnation and i find it a bit odd to be honest since we don't remember our so called ''previous live'' how can we be able to set the record straight? if we are completely unaware of the things we have done wrong? i hope i didn't offend anyone by bringing up Adolf Hitler.

 

[David_2010]

Thanks a lot for the very informative response Levite so basically there is no consensus in Judaism when it comes to Hell/Gehinnom and it's realities but it obviously differs from the Islamic and Christian concept of Hell (Jahannam in Arabic) wich does contains all sorts of horrible punishments. But do you really believe characters like Adolf Hitler and Pharoah can be purified in Gehinnom for a period to be accepted in Olom Ha Ba? also are there Jewish sources that make mention of eternal stay in Gehinnom (i read somewhere on a jewish website that Jews believe that Pharoah will be punished forever?) do you mind me asking to wich branch of Judaism do you belong? I personally dont believe in earthly reincarnation and i find it a bit odd to be honest since we don't remember our so called ''previous live'' how can we be able to set the record straight? if we are completely unaware of the things we have done wrong? i hope i didn't offend anyone by bringing up Adolf Hitler.

I know I'm not Levite and that I'm only currently a seeker when it comes to Judaism, so, this is just my own opinion, from what I understood of Levite's post (and I may be wrong), your time in Gehinnom depends on the severity of the evil you committed, so, maybe Hitler will have to spend quite a long time there, till even he eventually is purified (although, maybe it'll seem like an eternity to him). Also, about reincarnation, maybe we don't remember our previous lives, so, that we can concentrate on this one more fully, in many spiritual traditions, including Judaism, I believe, past lives are discovered only be those who attain a certain level of spiritual development, like, the Buddha only remembered all his past lives, when he attained Nirvana, Luria, the famous Jewish Mystic, could, apparantly, see into the past lives of others (and, I'm assuming, he could do it for himself as well), etc.

Personally, I kind of like the idea of reincarnation, although, I think there might be something like Gehinnom for the worst of the worst (e.g. Hitler, pedophiles, etc).

That's just my own opinion, though.

 

[Levite]

Thanks a lot for the very informative response Levite so basically there is no consensus in Judaism when it comes to Hell/Gehinnom and it's realities but it obviously differs from the Islamic and Christian concept of Hell (Jahannam in Arabic) wich does contains all sorts of horrible punishments. But do you really believe characters like Adolf Hitler and Pharoah can be purified in Gehinnom for a period to be accepted in Olom Ha Ba? also are there Jewish sources that make mention of eternal stay in Gehinnom (i read somewhere on a jewish website that Jews believe that Pharoah will be punished forever?) do you mind me asking to wich branch of Judaism do you belong? I personally dont believe in earthly reincarnation and i find it a bit odd to be honest since we don't remember our so called ''previous live'' how can we be able to set the record straight? if we are completely unaware of the things we have done wrong? i hope i didn't offend anyone by bringing up Adolf Hitler.

No, of course you didn't offend: it was a perfectly fair question.

And yes, you will find that there is very little consensus about anything amongst Jews. We have a saying, "Two Jews, three opinions." There have been those authorities who believed that some might stay in Gehinnom for quite a long time, long enough that it would be close enough to "forever" that the difference might not matter much. And there have been a few authorities, including some of the Rabbis of the Talmud, who thought that there were-- at least for some-- horrible torments in Gehinnom. But over the span of Jewish history, those views have seldom been popular among the majority of the Jewish people, except for brief surges of popularity that happend at the same time as some sort of horrible persecution of the Jews, when it would be only natural for people to wish a horrible afterlife on the oppressors who were, unfortunately, prospering all too well in this world.

The thing about Gehinnom, for me, is that I just don't see punishment as being very productive. IMO, it's just like the unreliability of torture as an interrogation device: the person being tortured will, ultimately, say or do whatever the torturer wants in order to make the pain stop. But that doesn't mean they tell the truth, or have a change of heart, or repent from what they did, or become better people for having had the experience. It just means they're broken. IMO, evil demands more than mere vengeance: it demands restitution, a balancing of the scales. Someone truly evil, like Hitler, had he not taken his own life, and even if he had realized how wrong he was, could never have come anywhere close to doing sufficient good in one lifetime to begin to balance out the evil that he worked.

And what profit does anyone have in his torture? A moment's gratification, maybe? My great-uncle Egon's family all died in the Holocaust. Each one of them was an accomplished musician, writer, and singer, as well as being skilled at some craft or trade. They were graceful, cultured, cosmopolitan people, from an upper middle-class environment in Vienna. Might my Uncle Egon have derived a moment's satisfaction from knowing Hitler was suffering eternal torment? Maybe. But I think he and all his family would be infinitely more satisfied with the idea that Hitler, in some other life, was experiencing for himself what it means to lose the ones we love, to suffer grievous loss, to endure unreasoning violence, and from those experiences to begin to gain compassion for others, to value mercy and lovingkindness for their own sakes, and, in future lives, to help others and support them and give of his own self, lifetime after lifetime, century after century, millennium after millennium, until the scales began to balance. This, to my mind, is restitution. It is not merely punishment, but it is a demand upon the sinner to help repair the world to the same degree he damaged it, and in the process, come to regret not merely being punished, but to legitimately regret his own wrongdoing, and to work all the harder at improving the lot of others, and that not merely out of remorse and repentance, but out of a new understanding of the grief and suffering of others, and a new compassion for the cruelties of life and other human beings, and a new love of all creatures and their Creator.

As for how or if we remember our other lives, David was quite right in saying that it is believed, by those of us who believe in reincarnation, that generally speaking, one can only begin to remember things from other lifetimes if one reaches a high state of spiritual advancement and awareness. But that is while we are alive in this world, on this plane of existence. Many of us believe that in between our lives, after we die, but before we are reborn into another existence, there is a "waiting room" or supernal realm which is neither this world nor Olam Ha-ba, but is a place where, prior to returning to this world (or, in the end, prior to entering Olam Ha-ba), we wait, we may communicate more directly with God, and we are aware of all the events of all our lifetimes. It is in this place that either we are judged by God or, as some others think, we judge ourselves before God, being finally able to view all the events of all our lives with objectivity.

Finally, as for which branch of Judaism I belong to, I suppose I should say Conservative, since I got my rabbinical ordination at a Conservative rabbinical school, and I often pray at Conservative synagogues. But I was raised Orthodox, my father is an Orthodox rabbi, and both my mother and my wife are Reform rabbis, as are a number of my friends. In a lot of ways, I don't affiliate or fit in to any of the movements. I more or less fall somewhere in the gap between Conservative and Orthodox, but I have some quirky beliefs that aren't the norm for that area. Some are drawn from Reform or Jewish Renewal thought, but many others are drawn from Kabbalah and Hasidism. To be fair, there isn't really a name for the kind of Jew I am.

 

[sunsplash]

Hello all - sorry I've been away and unable to bombard you with more questions! I've been entertaining visitors nonstop this month it seems, lol.

Is it a requirement in all branches of Judaism for married women to cover their hair?

What would be an easy way to try and begin celebrating Sabbath and holidays? Any advice on rituals or prayers for observance or books/guides that are easy for a layman to follow?

 

[Yona]

Is it a requirement in all branches of Judaism for married women to cover their hair

I am not sure about other movements but in orthodox Judaism, yes, married women must cover their hair, it's dat moshe. I don't think this practice is observed in reform Judaism.

What would be an easy way to try and begin celebrating Sabbath and holidays? Any advice on rituals or prayers for observance or books/guides that are easy for a layman to follow?

I would consult a Rabbi if seriously interested before going out and buying books, menorahs and prayer books and celebrating holidays and nailing up mezuzahs and such.

 

[Dena]

Hello all - sorry I've been away and unable to bombard you with more questions! I've been entertaining visitors nonstop this month it seems, lol.
Is it a requirement in all branches of Judaism for married women to cover their hair?

Reform and Conservative women do not cover their hair. Some Modern Orthodox women do not either (but I think most do). I'm looking now for some cute hats to where to shul that won't make me stand out as the one woman covering her hair. That's my thought anyway. I don't want to seem like think I'm superior or something, if that makes sense. I love scarves too but I've not been having a lot of luck with them working out the way I wanted without hurting my head. Scarves though, would be a bit more obvious.

 

[Dena]

What would be an easy way to try and begin celebrating Sabbath and holidays? Any advice on rituals or prayers for observance or books/guides that are easy for a layman to follow?

Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat by Mark Dov Shapiro is super easy to understand. It lays out traditional prayers, when they are to be said, when to wash your hands, what to eat, what you can sing (has music in the back too), etc. It's put out by the Reform movement but I didn't find it to be too wishy washy. I think it would be good for someone starting out, just to see what it's like. I got one for $4 so it's not a huge investment.

There are other things you could try. For example, don't use the computer during Shabbas. Try turning off the television on Friday night. Maybe then move to Saturday night too. Avoid spending money. Have a family game night on Friday or Saturday (or both, if you're really into it). Invite friends over for lunch and just be together and chat. Maybe choose a good book on Judaism and read a few chapters while your kids read a book they like. These are just things you can feel out. No pressure, no obligation.

 

[sunsplash]

I would consult a Rabbi if seriously interested before going out and buying books, menorahs and prayer books and celebrating holidays and nailing up mezuzahs and such.

I'm not going all out yet...just want to give it an honest try. I hope to find the guts to consult with a Rabbi soon, I'm just painfully shy about this for some reason. I asked my husband go with me and he isn't ready (he's still adjusting to my interest in possible conversion), so I'm dragging my feet around book shelves right now.

 

[sunsplash]

Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat by Mark Dov Shapiro is super easy to understand. It lays out traditional prayers, when they are to be said, when to wash your hands, what to eat, what you can sing (has music in the back too), etc. It's put out by the Reform movement but I didn't find it to be too wishy washy. I think it would be good for someone starting out, just to see what it's like. I got one for $4 so it's not a huge investment.

There are other things you could try. For example, don't use the computer during Shabbas. Try turning off the television on Friday night. Maybe then move to Saturday night too. Avoid spending money. Have a family game night on Friday or Saturday (or both, if you're really into it). Invite friends over for lunch and just be together and chat. Maybe choose a good book on Judaism and read a few chapters while your kids read a book they like. These are just things you can feel out. No pressure, no obligation.

The bolded we do already so this is a good list of starters, thanks! I'm trying to just ease into it right now. I want to do it all "correctly" but with an understanding that right now there is no obligation, like you pointed out.

Any recommendations on a good book for how to celebrate the holidays? I've celebrated my own version of Passover the last 3 years but would like a source (or verbal explanation) for other main observances.

 

[Dena]

Well, "correctly" depends on who you ask. With a husband who isn't interested I doubt he's going to concede to an Orthodox observance. You'll have to decide for yourself who's "correct" Shabbas you're going to observe.

Holidays? Hmm. I think I'll let someone else chime in on that one. Books are all well and good but experience the Holiday with others is what is going to teach you the most. Holidays are meant to be shared. I know there are many books who talk about them but I'm not sure which ones are good. I'm sure someone else will have an idea for you.

 

[David_2010]

Gates of Shabbat: A Guide for Observing Shabbat by Mark Dov Shapiro is super easy to understand. It lays out traditional prayers, when they are to be said, when to wash your hands, what to eat, what you can sing (has music in the back too), etc. It's put out by the Reform movement but I didn't find it to be too wishy washy. I think it would be good for someone starting out, just to see what it's like. I got one for $4 so it's not a huge investment.

There are other things you could try. For example, don't use the computer during Shabbas. Try turning off the television on Friday night. Maybe then move to Saturday night too. Avoid spending money. Have a family game night on Friday or Saturday (or both, if you're really into it). Invite friends over for lunch and just be together and chat. Maybe choose a good book on Judaism and read a few chapters while your kids read a book they like. These are just things you can feel out. No pressure, no obligation.

I might get that book as well, and, just a quick question (sorry for any intrusion as well ), but, what are the times Shabbas starts and finishes?.

 

[Dena]

You can use this site to tell you since it's different every week.
Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat and Holidays - London, England

 

[David_2010]

You can use this site to tell you since it's different every week.
Candle Lighting Times for Shabbat and Holidays - London, England

Thanks very much .