What the heck... It will make me feel better to simply answer the questions.
So here you are.
1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a
pleasing odour for the Lord -
Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbours. They
claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
First of all, no one says that anyone should be smitten for disagreeing of an opinion. Second of all, it isnt up to a neighbor to smite anyone. Should such a thing be necessary, that would have to be done by a Jewish court of law presuming the Temple in Jerusalem is standing, and the Sanhedrin meets in the Court of Hewn Stone in said Temple.
And third of all, unless the author of the letter is not Jewish, offering a bull on his own altar would be problematic in the extreme.
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus
21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
Since the laws of the land (i.e. the USA) prohibit slavery, it doesnt matter what might have been sanctioned in Exodus and even then, only in the most extreme of circumstances if it is illegal to initiate slavery in the land in which we live, it is illegal under Jewish law to initiate slavery. (If you want more details about the extreme circumstances which were NOT the optimal way of existing, Ill provide them. Just not here.)
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her
period of menstrual uncleanliness -
Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I
tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.
If he isnt married to the woman, he shouldnt be having that kind of contact with said woman. Further
This particular law would only apply if the man was Jewish. Otherwise
it isnt his problem.
4.
Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A
friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not
Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
I already explained that in Question 2. So, no Mexicans wouldnt be legal slaves, according to Torah law. Canadians wouldnt be, either. Nor would the Sudanese, Chinese, or any other slaves that exist in the world be legal for Americans.
(For Jews to own slaves in countries where it is permitted
In this day and age, Jews just dont do it. )
5. I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath.
Exodus 35:2.
The passage clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself?
No. If your neighbor isnt Jewish, he isnt obligated to keep the Sabbath, for one. Secondly, if it isnt the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, in the Temple doing it, no one should be killing anyone over the lack of Sabbath observance.
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
abomination -
Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I
don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?
Yes, there are different degrees of abomination.
If you consider that eating a forbidden food is punishable at max with whipping, and sexual sins are punishable by Cutting Off (it says by death, but no one is in position to gauge that unless they are in the bedroom where the forbidden sex is taking place, and if they are, that puts said witnesses into doubt on an ethical standpoint). Only God can judge that.
7.
Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a
defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my
vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
Unless you are a Cohen during Temple times, this doesnt even apply to you.
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair
around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by
Lev.19:27.
How should they die?
Cutting hair is not a capital offense. And the sin is SHAVING said locations on the head. Getting a trim isnt worth talking about. This is a non-issue.
9. I know from
Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me
unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
Most footballs are not actually made with pig skin, no matter what it might be called, just as most violin strings are not actually made with the guts of cats, no matter that the material is called catgut. You dont need to wear gloves to play football. Unless its really cold.
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates
Lev. 19:19 by planting two different
crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two
different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse
and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town together to stone them? -
Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we
just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people
who sleep with their in-laws?
(Lev. 20:14)
First of all
unless your uncle is Jewish, none of this matters. Second of all, NONE of the farming issues are capital offenses. Third of all, the sin isnt to plant two kinds of crops in the same field, but to mix the seeds in the same HOLE for seeds. Fourth, it isnt ALL combination materials that are sinful only linen and wool.
As for blaspheming
Im pretty sure that, while it is objectionable, it might not actually be punishable. (Details of the situation are actually far more important, but as I said before, he's probably not seriously cursing God, and non-Jews, etc. And not functioning death penalty, etc.)
Id be more concerned for the fellow who is so anxious to put all his friends, relatives, and neighbors to death. As a relative, his word wouldnt count as a valid witness in an ecclesiastical court, anyway.
