Avraham's One Village - JEWISH & benei Noach's ONE VILLAGE Barukh haba: Daily Question

QUESTION OF THE WEEK - Torah, Slavery and the Jews - 25 Tevet 5768 / Thu, Jan/03/08

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 03:15:22 GMT

B"H

Tevet 25, 5768 * January 3, 2008

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Q U E S T I O N    O F   T H E   W E E K
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Torah, Slavery and the Jews
By Tzvi Freeman
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Question:

My question is about slavery in the Torah. Why did the Torah allow it? It bothers me, though I know there must be some explanation.

Answer:

Once in a while a question comes along that gets to the core of everything. Then along comes some smart-aleck to provide an answer and wash the whole thing away.

Questions such as these are not just holes in the ground waiting to be plugged up. They are invitations to spelunk deep beneath the surface, traveling all the way to the bedrock of our beliefs, challenging basic assumptions and redefining the landscape.

Your question is one of those bedrock questions: After all, isn't slavery the antithesis of Torah?

Torah begins with the creation of Adam in the Divine Image. The central event of the Torah narrative is the liberation of an entire nation of slaves from a cruel oppressor. Torah is about liberty, human dignity and respect for our fellow citizens of this planet for which the Creator cares so much. More than Torah is Man's discovery of G-d, Torah is G-d's discovery of Man and his world.

You'll note, too, that as soon as the Ten Commandments are done with, where does the Torah begin legislating? "If you will have a maidservant..."--with the rights of the most easily oppressed citizen, a young girl working in your home.

Let me point out another powerful weapon of social upheaval that the Torah espouses, especially through the medium of King David's collection of psalms: The Divine CEO open-door policy. A.k.a. "personal prayer": Any individual, indeed, any living creature, can at any moment, for any complaint, cry out to the Master of the Universe and his/her/its petition will be heard and acted upon. Guaranteed. "This poor man cries out and G-d listens." You may not have thought about this, but those may just be the most radical, subversive and revolutionary words in history. Whereas the kings and priests of old would have their subjects believe that life is a grand chain of command with yours truly on top and you scum on the bottom, this idea of personal prayer flattened all hierarchies: Everyone is equally close to the top of the ladder.

Torah is not just about liberty, Torah liberates in a radical way. Yet here you have these laws about buying and selling slaves. What's going on?

Okay, they're not really slaves. Slaves are people owned by other people. In Torah law, you never have complete ownership over anything. These slaves rest on the seventh day and Jewish holidays, cannot be physically or sexually abused and are obligated in many mitzvot. So they are really more like indentured servants.

But that certainly does not answer our question: Why should any human being be deprived of rights and privileges that others have? Such as the right to live wherever they please, work for whoever they wish to work and quit whenever they want? How does this divvy up with the Torah's assertion that every human being bears the Divine Image?

Maimonides

Yes, there's tension here, and as every good dramatist and massage therapist knows, tension is a good point to play with.

The place we're going to start is Maimonides' Laws of Servants. Being the reckless, impatient souls that we are, we'll start from the very last words.

(You may ask, "Why the obsession with Maimonides? Is he the only authority on everything?"

No, he's not. But he's usually a great place to search for answers.

Maimonides wrote the only codification of the entire gamut of Jewish law-the Mishnah only includes those matters that were not common practice and could come to be forgotten. And the Shulchan Aruch includes only those matters that apply in the time of exile. And he wrote in a concise style with great precision.

Sure, he hit up against lots of controversy for a few hundred years. But eventually he was accepted as the foremost authority since the close of the Babylonian Talmud.)

So here goes:

    It is permissible to work a non-Jewish servant harshly. Yet, although this is the law, the way of the pious and the wise is to be compassionate and to pursue justice, not to overburden or oppress a servant, and to provide them from every dish and every drink.

    The early sages would give their servants from every dish on their table. They would feed their animals and their servants before sitting to their own meals. Does it not say (Psalms 123:2), "As the eyes of the servant to the hand of his master; as the eyes of the maid to her mistress [so our eyes are towards the L-rd our G-d...]"?

    So, too, you should not denigrate a servant, neither physically nor verbally. The Torah made him your servant to do work, not to be disgraced. Do not treat him with constant screaming and anger, rather speak with him pleasantly and listen to his complaints. Such were the good ways in which Job took pride when he said, "Did I ever despise the judgment of my servant and my maid when they argued with me? Did not my Maker make him, too, in the belly; did not the same One form us both in the womb?"

    For anger and cruelty are only found among other nations. The children of Abraham, our father-and they are Israel, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has provided the goodness of Torah and commanded us righteous judgments and statutes--they are compassionate to all. This is one of the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, that we are commanded to emulate (Psalms 145:9): "And He has compassion for all He has made."

    Furthermore, all who have compassion will be treated compassionately, as was stated (Deuteronomy 13:18), "He will give you compassion and He will have compassion upon you and multiply you."

    (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Indentured Servants, 9:8)

Tightening the Screws

Reading superficially, you might imagine that Maimonides is presenting us with little more than apologetics. He seems to be saying, "The Torah says we can be real mean, but that's not nice, so we don't do that."

But I'm asking you to read his words a little more carefully. Look for the tension in those words. Tension is meaningful, tension indicates something deep going on: Here you have the Torah telling you to be kind and compassionate towards all G-d's creatures. And this is not just a polite suggestion--this is a command:

    "And you shall go in His ways!" (Deuteronomy 28:9)

    "Is it possible to say such a thing? Rather, it means that since He is compassionate, you too must be compassionate. Since He is kind, you must also be kind. Since He dresses the naked and feeds the hungry, so must you....." (Midrash Sifri; Talmud, Sotah 14a)

--which Maimonides himself counts as one of the 613 mitzvahs of the Torah (Book of Mitzvot, Positive Commandment #8).

And then the same Torah says, "But you're allowed to be nasty to your slaves"!

The tension screws tighter: Why are we kind and compassionate? Because "the Holy One, blessed be He, gave us His Torah." So how can that same Torah that makes us kind permit oppressive labor of a fellow Divine Image?

How about a little consistency over here? Why can't the Torah start outright with the laws of servants, "If you have people working for you, you must treat them as equals. You must talk to them in a pleasant voice, listen to their complaints, feed them the same food you eat, provide employee benefits, regular vacations, perks and incentives, great office parties, stock options in the company, in-house professional massage therapy at lunch break and a sushi bar on every floor. If you don't like it, do the work yourself."

Why not? Because that would undermine the purpose of Torah.

The Purpose

Let me explain: (notice that now we're getting down to that which I first promised--the bedrock.)

As we discussed, Torah is a radical element in our world. Torah is that which says, "This is not the way things are supposed to be. Do like this. Not like that." That's why Torah had to be given--we couldn't just figure it out on our own. Because to effect real change it must come from "outside the system."

On the other hand, Torah is the essence of all things. As the sages called it, "the blueprint of the universe." So the Torah effects change not by imposing an exogenous order, but by revealing the inner, hidden order latent within all things. Torah is very much like a good teacher, one who shows you who you really are--which may be very different, even the opposite, of who you think you are.

So the Torah, of necessity, has two faces. Unlike human wisdom which has one face. Human wisdom must either reject or accept the status quo. But Torah is a voice heard from beyond--and so it may have two faces at once.

On the one hand, the Torah speaks from a future that has yet to occur, inspiring us with its vision, pulling us toward that time.

On the other hand, the Torah must deal with the world as it is, not artificially imposing upon it a foreign mold, but bringing it on its own from the place it stands by nature and circumstance to the place it truly belongs.

Let's start simple:

Take an agrarian society surrounded by hostile nations. Go in there and forcefully abolish slavery. The result? War, bloodshed, hatred, prejudice, poverty and eventually, a return to slavery until the underlying conditions change. Which is pretty much what happened in the American South when the semi-industrialized North imposed their laws upon the agrarian South. And in Texas when Mexico attempted to abolish slavery among the Anglophones there.

Not a good idea. Better idea: Place humane restrictions upon the institution of indentured servitude. Yes, it's still ugly, but in the meantime, you'll teach people compassion and kindness. Educate. Make workshops. Go white-water rafting together. (Hey, why didn't Abe Lincoln think of white-water rafting?) Eventually, things change and slavery becomes an anachronism for such a society.

Which is pretty much what happened to Jewish society. Note this: At a time when Romans had literally thousands of slaves per citizen, even the wealthiest Jews held very modest numbers of servants. And those servants, the Talmud tells us, were treated better by their masters than foreign kings would treat their own subjects.

Torah teaches us how to run a libertarian society--through education and participation. Elsewhere in the world, emperors and aristocracy knew only how to govern a mass of people through oppression. Look what happened to Rome: When Roman slaves began demanding a day of rest among other privileges, along with talk of a personal relationship directly to G-d, Emperor Constantine made sure to dismiss the whole concept of mitzvahs and human dignity by adopting a stripped-down, benign version of Judaism for his empire. That'll keep 'em quiet, he thought. (And it did, for about one thousand years.)

So the "conservative-radical" approach of Torah is this: Work with the status quo to get beyond it. Torah is more about process than about content.

Climbing Deeper

Are you satisfied with this answer? I'm not. I'm convinced there's a deeper effect that Torah is looking for. Call it "the participatory effect." A.k.a. nurture.

The Participatory Effect tells us that if you want people to follow rules, you put guns to their heads. But if you want them to learn, grow, internalize those rules and be able to teach them to others, you're going to have to involve them in the process of forming those rules.

School teachers do this when they work with their class on the first day to design rules that everyone will see as reasonable and useful. Parents do this when they allow their child to makes mistakes so that s/he will learn from them. A skilled wife is doing this when she gets her husband to believe that he came up with the idea of re-tiling the kitchen floor.

In general, this strategy comes more naturally to women than to men. Men find it much easier to shove their opinions down other people's throats and, if need be, argue the other into the ground until he surrenders. All variations of the old gun-to-the-head technique. Women are designed to nurture, physically and emotionally, so they take naturally to the participatory technique. To quote Gluckel of Hameln, "She was a true woman of valor. She knew how to control her husband's heart."

In Torah, both the masculine and the feminine approaches exist--they're called "The Written Torah" and "The Oral Torah." The Written Torah (principally, the Five Books of Moses, but also including all the Prophets and Scriptures) lays down the law in a fatherly, authoritarian voice. It says: "These are the rules. They are for you own good, whether you understand that or not. I only made them because I love you so much. If you don't like them, just remember that I'm a lot bigger than all of you put together."

Then along comes the mother of us all, The Oral Torah. Although the Oral Torah includes many fixed traditions--some originating from Moses and even earlier--the bulk of the Oral Torah is our own participation in the process of Torah. The Written Torah itself empowers us to discuss matters, expand on that which we have received, extrapolate and make decisions accordingly. It was concerning The Oral Torah that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania declared, "The Torah is not in heaven." It is here, within us, in our struggle to fathom the depths of our received tradition and in our ability to take Torah to the next step.

Of course, that doesn't mean we can make up whatever sounds nice to us and call it Torah. There are rigorous guidelines and a firm set of criteria for a novel idea to be considered Torah. We're dealing with a delicate ecology here--you have to understand the landscape very well before building a highway here and damming a river over there.

But what it does mean is that when you are working through a Torah idea, doing all that examining and letting the creative juices pour (within the guidelines mentioned above), those ideas within your brain and those words that you are speaking are no different than G-d declaring, "I am the L-rd your G-d, etc." at Mount Sinai.

As those Talmudic sages put it, "Any new idea a qualified Torah student comes up with was already given to Moses at Sinai." The idea is new, but it's still Torah. It's new, because until now it was hidden deep within the folds and creases of the package Moses delivered. It's Torah, because all the qualified student did was unfold the package and smooth out the creases.

So if I come up with one of those bright Torah ideas one day, is it my idea or is it Torah? It's both. In The Oral Torah, we and G-d become one.

Getting Real Change

So you can see where I'm getting to with the slavery thing. If G-d would simply and explicitly declare all the rules, precisely as He wants His world to look and what we need to do about it, the Torah would never become real to us. No matter how much we would do and how good we would be, we would remain aliens to the process.

So, too, with slavery (and there are many other examples): In the beginning, the world starts off as a place where oppressing others is a no-qualms, perfectly acceptable practice. It's not just the practice Torah needs to deal with, it's the attitude. So Torah involves us in arriving at that attitude. To the point that we will say, "Even though the Torah lets us, we don't do things that way."

Which means that we've really learnt something. And now, we can teach it to others. Because those things you're just told, those you cannot teach. You can only teach that which you have discovered on your own.

History bears this out. Historically, it has been the Oral Torah, rather than the Written Torah, that has had the greatest impact on civilization. As much as Rome ruled over Judea, Jewish values deeply transformed Rome. One of the results was the legal privileges eventually granted to slaves and the gradual recognition of the value of human life.

For over a thousand years, the Church managed to subvert the message of Imagio Deo--that every human being is G-dly--despite the repetition of the concept in the Genesis narrative five times. It wasn't until the Italian Renaissance that a new Humanist spirit dawned and the idea could no longer be repressed. "The Oratory on the Dignity of Man" is often touted as the manifesto of the Renaissance and early Humanism. It was composed by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola. It's no secret that Pico studied under the greatest rabbis of his time and was obsessed with the Zohar and Kabbalah. There are many more such examples.

The greatest force in the emancipation of slavery in colonial times were the "Society of Friends," also known as the "Quakers." Historians discuss the phenomena of the Quakers in the context of the "Hebraizing of Christianity." Again, their leaders were deeply influenced by readings of the Kabbalah in translation and by humanists who had learned their ideas from rabbinic sources.

The history of emancipation is complex and long--and viciously controversial. In truth, Jews took roles on both sides of the prickly fence. Aaron Lopez, a convert to Judaism, brought slaves on some of his ships to America. On the other hand, Baron Nathan de Rothschild and Sir Moses Montefiore made possible the great Slave Emancipation Act of 1835 by granting 20,000,000 pounds sterling in loan subsidies. In the struggle, eventually the true Jewish spirit prevailed and it is those values that Maimonides espouses that eventually became dominant in our society.

I'll end off with a juicy biographical vignette of one Jew who struggled for the freedom of slaves:

    August (Anshel) Bondi was born in Vienna, Austria July 21, 1833. He was the son of Jews who wanted him to have both a religious and a secular education. Caught up as a participant in the failed liberal revolution of 1848, the Bondi family fled to New Orleans and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. Young Bondi encountered, first hand, the horrors of slavery and was deeply disgusted. In 1855 a New York Tribune editorial urged freedom-loving Americans to "hurry out to Kansas to help save the state from the curse of slavery." Bondi responded immediately. He moved to Kansas and along with two other Jews, Theodore Weiner from Poland and Jacob Benjamin from Bohemia established a trading post in Ossa-watomie. Their abolitionist sentiments very soon brought pro-slavery terrorists upon them. Their cabin was burned, their livestock stolen. Their trading post was destroyed in the presence of Federal troops who did nothing. The three courageous Jews joined a rabid local abolitionist, to defend their rights as citizens and to help rid the horror of slavery from Kansas. The Jews joined the Kansas Regulars under the leadership of John Brown.

    In a famous battle between the Regulars and the pro-slavery forces at Black Jack Creek, with the bullets whistling viciously above their heads, 23 year old Bondi turned to his 57 year old friend Weiner and asked in Yiddish--"Nu, was meinen Sie jetzt?" (Well, what do you think of this now?) He answered, "Was soll ich meinen? Sof odem moves" (What should I think? Man's life ends in death). Kansas joined the union as a Free State. Bondi married Henrietta Einstein of Louisville, Kentucky in 1860. Their home became a way station for the underground railroad smuggling slaves to the North and freedom. The Civil War began in 1861, Bondi enlisted in the Union army encouraged by the words of his mother. He later wrote in his autobiography, "as a Jew I am obliged to protect institutions that guarantee freedom for all faiths." August Bondi died in 1907, a respected judge and member of his Kansas community.[1]

Footnotes:
1. Source: Jerry Klinger, President of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, www.jashp.org

- Rabbi Tzvi Freeman heads Chabad.org's Ask The Rabbi team, and is a senior member of the Chabad.org editorial team. He is the author of a number of highly original renditions of Kabbalah and Chassidic teaching, including the universally acclaimed "Bringing Heaven Down to Earth." To order Tzvi's books click here: http://www.chabad.org/240099

- To view this article on the Web, or to post a comment, please click here: http://www.chabad.org/305549

- To read more articles by this author, please click here: http://www.chabad.org/k193

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[Best of AskMoses] Why does G-d gives us annoying little sibblings?

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:03:53 GMT

This week's "Best of AskMoses"

Why does G-d give us annoying little siblings?

Why does G-d give us annoying little siblings?

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=158&o=2029415

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: Welcome. I'll be with you in a moment...what's on your mind?

sisters: why does Hashem give ppl little sisters who write on walls and wake ppl up at night and cut up your skirts to fit them and uchhhhhh.. really... why?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein Chein: to bring out the love and patience in you

sisters: isnt that what being a parent is for?

Rabbi Shlomo: Yes parents do learn a lot of love and pateince, but that is not the only reason why one is a parent. But you are not a parent, so this has nothing to do with parents. This has to do with you and your sister. And Hashem wants to see how much love and patience you have for you sister, so He can see how much love and patience He should have for you

Hashem wants to see how much love and patience you have for you sister, so He can see how much love and patience He should have for you

sisters: really so he can see how to have love and patience for me?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: yes

sisters: is there a source for that?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: The Maggid of Mezritch says it¹ - he says that Hashem watches how we deal with others to know how to deal with us

sisters: oh ok, thank you

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: sure

sisters: i if someone has in the past not been so nice to their sister

sisters: and they start to work on it

sisters: then does Hashem change His mind on how to deal with us?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: sure He will!

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: That is exactly what He wants to see - He wants to see us work on our patience and love for others, especially family members, than He knows we are deserving of His love and patience

sisters: oh ok thats good then!!! thanks!

sisters: have a good evening!

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: you too

All names, places, and identifying information have been changed or deleted in order to protect the privacy of the questioners. In order to preserve authenticity, the chat sessions have been posted with a minimum of editing. Please excuse typographical errors, missing punctuation, and/or grammatical mistakes which naturally occur in the course of informal chat sessions.

Add a comment

Footnotes

1. See Sefer Hama'amarim (Melukat) vol. 5 p. 161.

[This Week's "Best of AskMoses"] Do I have to believe the supernatural stories of the Torah ?

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 16:57:08 GMT

This week's "Best of AskMoses"

Do I have to believe the supernatural stories of the Torah?

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=416&o=179912

Do I have to believe the supernatural stories of the Torah?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: Welcome. I'll be with you in a moment...what's on your mind?

Chana Doe: I don't believe in the whole concept of Moshiach

Chana Doe: it's too wierd

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: do you believe in the Exodus from Egypt"?

Chana Doe: yes

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: is that not too wierd

Chana Doe: no

Chana Doe: because it's an exodus. we escaped. but moshiach is different... it give supernatural powers/qualities to a person

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: what do you mean we escaped?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: do you believe in the ten plagues, do you believe in the story about Moses

Chana Doe: not all of it

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: do you believe in miracles?

Chana Doe: yes but not in the way that you are talking about

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: can you explain

Chana Doe: I believe there can be miracles in modern science like if someone is sick and they are suppsed to die but they don't

Chana Doe: I don't believe in supernatural powers

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: ok - so you don't believe in the splitting of the red sea or the manna that fell from heaven?

Chana Doe: no

Chana Doe: moses did not part that red sea because that is impossible

Chana Doe: I think it was low tide

Chana Doe: but back then they didn't know what low tide was

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: Don't you know the whole Bible was just made up about 2000 years ago?... It was written by some Persian poet named Moses Azuzian!

Chana Doe: I don't believe in the bible word for word

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: who do you think made the bible

Chana Doe: rabbis, scholars, prophets

Chana Doe: I don't think it was written by G-d or that G-d spoke to moses on top of that mountain

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: why do you think so -- i mean seriously, you really think that! don't you know the whole thing was just made up about 2000 years ago

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: i mean don't tell me you believe in this whole "Jewish people" thing

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: there is no such thing!

Chana Doe: first, what was made up about 2000 years ago?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: the bible!

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: it was written by some Persian poet named Moses Azuzian

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: the whole concept that there is a religion or "people" called jews with laws and homepland is just a metaphor

Chana Doe: I don't know what you are talking about

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: there were never such people called Abraham or Issac, or the Jews

Chana Doe: what?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: they were never in Egypt and they never heard G-d at the foot of Mount Sinai

Chana Doe: yes, there were

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: says who?

Chana Doe: it's in the bible

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: the bible is not meant to be taken literally -- come on, you just told me that as well

Chana Doe: right, its not

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: exactly!

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: And when it says there that there is a people called "Jews" and they have laws, and a homeland, and a history, that is not literal

Chana Doe: I believe that abraham, and Isaac lived etc. but how do we really know that G-d spoke to moses.? Some of it is metaphoric

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: it is all poteic, it is part of a vision of some ancient poet -- there is no proof to any of it... there were a people who decided to ride on the fame of the book - which was popular at the time - and so they called themselves the jews, and the rest is history

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: why do you believe that abraham and isaac lived?

Chana Doe: So, I guess it's all a strange concept. I mean I do seem to pick and choose what I believe from the Torah. I believe that abraham, isaac, and Jacob existed and were our forefathers and I do believe in the exodus and celebrate Passover yet I dont' believe that moses really parted the red sea

Page 2 http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=416&o=179912&pg=2

Do I have to believe the supernatural stories of the Torah? (continued)

Chana Doe: And I don't believe in Moshiach

Chana Doe: It does seem crazy to pick and choose what you want to believe, doesn't it?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: yes, and that is what I am trying to point out

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: I mean, on what basis do you pick and chose... there is no book outside Judaism that authenticates the Torah -- so if you beleive in the Torah because of the Torah itself, how do you pick which parts to believe and which parts not to believe

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: you don't ahve to answer me - this is a question YOU should think about

Chana Doe: I believe in the parts of the Torah that are believable like exodus, etc but when i look at life today people can't part seas, and G-d doesn't talk to people like he did to moses, etc. etc.

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: I understand your point of things being "easier" or "harder" to believe... but at the end of the day, if it makes sense we don't need to "believe" it... yet if we are reading it from the same book, how do we logically say this part of the book is true and this part is not

There is no book outside Judaism which authenticates the Torah -- so if you believe in the Torah because of the Torah itself, how do you pick which parts to believe and which parts not to believe?

Chana Doe: Do other people question this as well? I mean it can't be just me :-)

Chana Doe: Also, according to what you believe will Moshiach have spcecial powers? I know that when he comes we will all go back to the holy land and rebuildthe Temple but is suppsed to be able to do anything else?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: you are a lot better off than many people i meet, for you at least question this - you realize that it is a bit strange to believe in some parts of a book and not believe in others... some people have that belief and foolishly think it is totally normal

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: as far as Moshiach, Moshiach will be the Jewish leader who will usher in G-d's plan for redemption... how exactly it will take place, or what powers he will have, remains to be seen

Chana Doe: thanks for writing so much and explaining all this to me. I know you are on with many other people (not just me)

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: it is my pleasure

Chana Doe: But I do want to ask you something else? Do you ever get into fights with people? And do they ever tell you off?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: I try not to get into fights with people - I love people, and dislike fighting with them

Chana Doe: lol

Chana Doe: So, in a nutshell you believe that the entire torah was give to Moses at mt. Sinai. And G-d gave the Torah to Moses. that's what shuvout is, yes?

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: That is what I believe, yes, and that is what Jews believed for 3318 years (this year being 2006, 5766), because that is what they heard from their parents, who heard it from their parents, all the way back to the people who were actually there

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: now if someone doesn't want to believe that, that is their choice... I just don't understand how one can believe parts of it only

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: let me give you a link to read a good article about the truth of this "legend" that G-d actually gave the Torah

Chana Doe: ok, great.

Rabbi Shlomo Chein: here it is http://www.Chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=3007

Chana Doe: ok. great. thanks. I'm going to go and read it.

Must a non-Jew convert to Judaism in order to be a good person in G-d's eyes? - Question of the Day: Wednesday Jun 20, 2007‎

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:40:14 GMT

Question of the Day: Wednesday Jun 20, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=194&o=83771

Must a non-Jew convert to Judaism in order to be a good person in G-d's eyes?

by Rabbi Baruch Emanuel Erdstein

“One who accepts the Seven Commandments and is meticulous in their observance is from the Righteous of the Nations of the World, and has a portion in the World to Come – provided that he accepts these commandments and observes them because G-d commanded so in the Torah, and notified through Moses that the gentiles are thus required. However, if he observed them [only] because his mind dictated [that these are just, moral laws], he is not a stranger whom [we allow to] settle [in Israel], nor is he from the righteous or wise people of the Nations of the World” (Maimonides, Laws of Kings 8:11).

Jewish tradition teaches that in addition to the Jewish People, there are seventy archetypal nations. Each has its own unique role to play in the purpose of Creation. As we know, the righteous among the nations are meant to worship at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which is called "a house of prayer for all the nations." For an individual to be considered righteous, in no way does Judaism require him to convert, but rather encourages him to acknowledge his identity and act as a responsible member of the "Children of Noah" (in Hebrew, "Bnei Noach"). The Torah teaches that there are seven primary commandments for non-Jewish persons, each rich with spiritual significance. They include the negative commandments against idol worship, blasphemy, murder, sexual sins, theft, and the eating of flesh cut from a living animal, in addition to the positive command to establish courts of justice. (See What are the Seven Noahide Laws?) Today there is a growing social network of Bnei Noach, emphasizing Torah education for non-Jews and the support of Israel. One who strives to follow in this path is considered righteous in G-d's eyes and a friend to the Jewish People. For more information, go to Noahide.org or Asknoah.org.

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Comments

Noahide.org
Posted by: Donna Bowe, Talladega, Alabama on Oct 24, 2005

Wow I love your website!!! This is just what I've been looking for. Thankyou. When I have had questions in the past I could'nt get anyone from a Synagogue to call back. I am not Jewish but have thought very hard about becoming so.

Heaven and Hell
Posted by: Benjamin Finn on Nov 08, 2006

In the article Does Judaism believe in Heaven and Hell? It talks of a clensing method so Im wondering if my gentile friends have to follow the Noahide laws? What if they don't believe in G-d but are polytheists? Do they go through the same process of clensing as Jews or is there a worse punishment because they disobeyed the laws?

Editor's Comment

There are different strokes for different folks. Every law has its reward and punishment. Jewish law has its purgatory and so does the universal law of respect for humanity etc. It's similar to the concept of having separate prisons for state and federal law. One thing is for sure, G-d is just and He rewards and punishes appropriately - 'tit for tat'.

Today marks the passing of "The Rebbe"; who is "The Rebbe"? - Question of the Day: Tuesday Jun 19, 2007‎

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 20:22:31 GMT

Question of the Day: Tuesday Jun 19, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=172&o=2092691

Today marks the passing of "The Rebbe"; who is "The Rebbe"?

by Mrs. Dinka Kumer

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1902-1994), is lovingly known as "The Rebbe," the seventh leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic dynasty.¹

Encapsulating the Rebbe in a few paragraphs of dates and descriptive terms, falls enormously short of what can be known about the Rebbe. The following is but a small glimpse.

A Brief Biography:

April 18, 1902 -- The Rebbe was born in Nikolaev, Ukraine, the eldest of three boys. The Rebbe's father was Rabbi Levi Yitzchak (1878-1944), a renowned Talmud and Kabbalah scholar who was later appointed Chief Rabbi of Yekatrinislav (today called Dnepropetrovsk), the second largest city in Ukraine. The Rebbe's father was a great-great-grandson of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (1789-1866), also known as the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Rebbe of Lubavitch. The Rebbe's mother, Rebbetzin Chana (1880-1964), also descended from a long line of virtuous and noble Jewish families.

In his youth, the Rebbe was taught by a private tutor and then by his father after having quickly outgrown the standard curriculum taught to children his age. The Rebbe's contemporaries remember him as a serious and studious child whose maturity and compassion surpassed his youth.

1927--The Rebbe left Russia and Soviet persecution together with his future father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn (1880-1950), the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe first relocated to Riga, Latvia, and then to Warsaw, Poland.

December, 1928 -- The Rebbe married a distant cousin, Chaya Mushka Schneersohn (1901-1988). Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka was the second daughter of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak. The Rebbe observed his personal anniversary as the day on which he became heir to the Rebbes of Chabad-Lubavitch.

1941 – At the encouragement of his father-in-law, the Rebbe spent several years studying in the University of Berlin and later at the Sorbonne in Paris. As the Nazis pursued their murderous conquest throughout Europe, the Rebbe and Rebbetzin fled to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York. The Rebbe's father-in-law appointed him to lead the physical and spiritual rehabilitation of post-Holocaust Jewry. He was appointed as director of Merkos L'Inyanei Chinuch (an organization established to promote and centralize Jewish education). The Rebbe also headed Kehot - the publishing branch of Merkos L'Inyanei Chinuch, which reprints Chassidic manuscripts, original children's books, and hundreds of the Rebbe's own works. In 1943, the Rebbe published his first book, HaYom Yom, a daily guide to Jewish life and Chassidic thought.

The Rebbe announced that we are the generation that stands at the

threshold of the redemption

January 17, 1951 -- A year after the passing of his father-in-law, the Rebbe formally accepted the leadership mantle of Chabad-Lubavitch. As the new leader of Chabad and conscious of the needs of his generation, the Rebbe sought to bring Torah and mitzvahs to every Jew in the world by establishing a network of emissaries called Shluchim. These Shluchim, stand in his stead in hundreds of cities in dozens of countries teaching and leading others to adhere to Jewish tradition and observance. The Rebbe announced that we are the generation that stands at the threshold of the redemption. As such, we are obliged to intensify our efforts in hastening Moshiach's arrival, and ensure that our every action be directed towards transforming this goal into a reality.

1967 – The Rebbe initiated Mitzvah campaigns - beginning with the Mitzvah of Tefillin. Booths were erected in strategic locations to enable Jewish men to don pairs of Tefillin. The Rebbe expanded the Mitzvah campaign enlisting his Chassidim of all ages to actively help other Jews keep some of Judaism's most central Mitzvahs such as Kashrut, Mezuzah, Shabbat candles, Family Purity, and more. The Rebbe also established a force of Mitzvah Tanks - Chabad centers on wheels - to encourage Jewish experiences on street corners, in far-flung places and at public events. The Rebbe also formed a children’s club called Tzivot Hashem (the Army of G-d), geared at giving Jewish youth added enjoyment in Torah learning and the practice of Mitzvot. Soon after, the Rebbe encouraged a campaign to teach the Seven Noahide Laws to non-Jews, disseminating an appreciation for a universal G-d and respect for all humanity.

Despite suffering a major heart attack (October 4, 1977), and later the loss of his life mate, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka (February 10, 1988), the Rebbe did not slow down. In fact, the Rebbe innovated new programs and networks for advancing Jewish involvement in authentic observance; reaching more individuals than in previous campaigns. In his late eighties and nineties, the Rebbe would stand for many hours greeting hundreds of people who lined up to seek his blessing. Each person was given a dollar (to be donated to charity) and a few moments to speak to the Rebbe. It was not uncommon that the Rebbe's dollar line would end well past midnight. These encounters were in addition to the many bags of postal correspondence that arrived daily, each letter receiving the Rebbe's personal attention.

Footnotes

1. See "What is Chabad?" (http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=176&o=110).

Page 2 : http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=172&o=2092691&pg=2

by Mrs. Dinka Kumer

1990-91 – The Rebbe dubbed this year A Year of Miracles. He foretold the Jewish Exodus from Russia (as followed glasnost), and assured those in Israel that their fear was unfounded even while the Gulf War waged. During this year, the Rebbe's talks increased in length and depth, and focused heavily on the era of Moshiach.

March 2, 1992 – The Rebbe suffered a stroke leaving him partially paralyzed and unable to speak. However, this did not deter the Rebbe from communicating, or detract from his spiritual abilities. When an impending hurricane threatened to level parts of Florida, the Rebbe clearly indicated that there was no need to flee the rising winds - and indeed, the hurricane took a different course than predicted. The Rebbe found ways to respond to those who sought his advice and blessing, and would appear to the Chassidim on occasion, encouraging them with a nod or wave of his hand, thus inspiring them to further expand their efforts in Jewish education and bringing Moshiach.

June 12, 1994 -- The Rebbe passed on to a new and higher plane. Though leaving the world bereft of his holy demeanor, the Rebbe's presence in the lives of his followers is even greater today than ever before, as demonstrated by the untiring and increasing spheres of Chabad's influence around the globe. To this day, the Rebbe's Chassidim (his spiritual offspring, having left no physical children) continue to make their way across the world, building new Jewish communities and touching more lives than ever before. The Rebbe made it clear that our generation is able to bring about the redemption, and left this achievement ours to fulfill.

And yet, the Rebbe cannot be characterized by a few lifetime milestones. The Rebbe may be better described, if only in part, by the following:

Two people with similar concerns could receive differing but appropriate

responses

Rebbe:
The word "Rebbe" is an acronym for the Hebrew words, "Rosh Bnei Yisrael" - "Head of the Children of Israel." This description aptly describes the work of a Rebbe, as a "head" who leads the rest of the body of Jewish people to their mission. The Rebbe not only exemplified the life of a person totally self-effaced before G-d, but also someone who devoted himself to leading others to serve G-d in the most appropriate and exalted manner.

Teacher:
G-d sends each generation its 'Moses'. The central leader of each new era displays the same central qualities that Moses did in his time. Primary to being a leader like Moses is teaching Torah to the people. With the rebuilding of the Jewish people after the Holocaust and the tide of assimilation running high, the Rebbe was adamant that authentic Torah be taught to every Jew. To this end, the Rebbe published hundreds of Jewish books in a wide range of languages (including Braille) for adults and children. To date, over 250 of the Rebbe's own Torah works have been published, with many more volumes waiting to go to press.

Currently, there are almost 3,000 Chabad institutions worldwide, with more being founded annually. The prime goal of these Chabad emissaries is to promote the Mitzvah Campaigns and to strengthen Jewish living and Torah learning.

Scholarship:
The Rebbe's mastery of Torah knowledge ranged from esoteric to the exoteric, from Kabbala to Halacha. The greatest Torah minds of our era consulted with the Rebbe and sought his approbation for their books. The Rebbe's knowledge in the secular realm brought scientists, poets, politicians, astrophysicists, engineers, mathematicians and psychiatrists seeking his opinion in their fields, as well.

The Rebbe's wisdom touched the commoner too. Lessons from the Rebbe's discourses, letters and stories have multi-faceted meaning, from practical day-to-day application on how to raise children or seek medical advice, to concentrating during prayer or actually “love one's fellow”.

Prophecy:
The Rebbe demonstrated prophecy numerous times, as mentioned above regarding the Gulf War, exodus of Russian Jewry, and Florida hurricane. These are the Rebbe's most publicized prophecies, but there are many more. We are now impatiently awaiting the fulfillment of the Rebbe's prophecy of Moshiach's imminent revelation.

When meeting or corresponding with individuals, the Rebbe was clearly able to envision their soul. Two people with similar concerns could receive differing but appropriate responses. The Rebbe's vision penetrated the soul, determining what answer will best help serve his or her Divinely intended life purpose, or strike the best chord for awakening a slumbering soul.

For the People:
Be it through humor, empathy, business acumen, political insight, Talmudic scholarship, or mystical clairvoyance, the stories are numerous of how people's lives have taken new direction and meaning thanks to the Rebbe. Even before taking on the mantle of Chabad leadership, people from all walks of life and around the world sought the Rebbe's blessing and guidance regarding every issue, from choosing a house to buy or following a path in life. Many books have been published, listing the countless personal miracles people merited through blessings from the Rebbe and his advice to them, saving lives, restoring their good health, or finally having a baby.

Page 3: http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=172&o=2092691&pg=3

by Mrs. Dinka Kumer

Of the thousands who encountered the Rebbe, everyone noticed the unwavering concern and undivided attention paid them by the Rebbe, as if he or she were the Rebbe's only child. At the great expense of his time and energy, the Rebbe’s devotion to others was unmatched. A small child once sent the Rebbe his colorful scribbles, to which the Rebbe promptly replied with a letter addressed to the boy. A woman met the Rebbe and accused him of being a fraud. Instead of taking umbrage, the Rebbe patiently answered her questions regarding faith, thus jumpstarting her new life as a loyal Chassid.

The Rebbe would recall names of relatives, past conversations, pertinent new information from the tens of thousands of people with whom he shared correspondence. This is not just a mnemonic feat; it embodies the essence of a Rebbe who leads his followers, each and every one of them.

Pro-Activity:
Never shy of the latest technology or scientific discovery, the Rebbe's approach was one of utilizing all of creation for a good means. Live radio and television transmissions, and satellite hook-ups, were used to broadcast the Rebbe's talks and Jewish children's gatherings.

The Rebbe didn’t settle for less than ceaseless progress

The Rebbe didn’t settle for less than ceaseless progress. Once something had been successfully accomplished, it was on to the next step forward. (The Rebbe never took a vacation!) Someone once asked the Rebbe to change his work since he was feeling too unsuited and weak for it. The Rebbe replied that instead of despairing of success, the man should ask for a blessing for renewed strength and ability to accomplish his mission (the Rebbe then proceeded to add to his task load).

The Rebbe created the Chabad infrastructure which includes both schools and organizations for Chabad Chassidim, but also includes the network for Chabad emissaries and educators to operate on a world-wide scale, making Judaism readily accessible to every Jew. Chabad’s proactive attitude opposes passively waiting for seekers to approach. The Rebbe instilled within his followers the absolute paradigm of active growth and involvement.

Redemption:
Always an intrinsic element in the Rebbe's teachings is the longing and active preparation for Moshiach. The Rebbe once asked a man to grant a loan to someone which would be repaid upon Moshiach's arrival. The man paused, deliberating his decision. The Rebbe answered that his goal is to rid people of that hesitation.

Nobody felt the urgency for the redemption greater than the Rebbe. He equipped us to make Moshiach's arrival our life mission. The Rebbe instructed that the laws regarding Moshiach and the Temple be studied in depth, and that Chassidut be taught worldwide as another prerequisite for Moshiach's arrival. With his unique approach, the Rebbe connected a plethora of Torah topics and mitzvahs, as well as current events, to the forthcoming era, insisting that we simply have to “open up our eyes” to perceive the redemption. The Rebbe demanded that we wait with real expectation for Moshiach and work ceaselessly and unrelentingly, until he arrives.

This is but a humble attempt to depict some of the Rebbe's accomplishments and to give the reader some sense of the spiritual giant our generation merited to see. However, mere words will never successfully convey the true greatness of a Tzaddik of the Rebbe's caliber. May we soon merit to be together with the Rebbe once again, when "those who repose in the dust will arise and rejoice."² Amen.

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Footnotes

2. Isaiah 26:19.

What is it an important Jewish value to be happy? Where do we find that? - Question of the Day: Monday Jun 18, 2007

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 23:28:29 GMT

Question of the Day: Monday Jun 18, 2007

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=320&o=91900

Why is it an important Jewish value to be happy? Where do we find that?

by Mrs. Nechama D. Kumer

Happiness goes hand in hand with serving G-d.

An example of how un-happiness distances us from G-d is from the forefather Jacob. During the years that he inconsolably mourned for his supposedly deceased son, Joseph, G-d's Presence was not revealed to him. Only when he discovered that his son was alive and his sadness ended, did prophecy return to Jacob. Even for a righteous person free of sin, happiness was a prerequisite for receiving G-d's prophecies.

Even King David, whose biography is traumatic and tormented from beginning to end, tells us to “serve G-d with joy; approach Him with happiness.” King David had lots of reasons to be sad, angry, and resentful, but he realized that these emotions led him away from G-d. Being happy would actually draw him, and us, closer to G-d.

Indeed the Torah writes of punishment which will befall us, “because you did not serve G-d with happiness and a glad heart.” This verse is mystically interpreted to mean that the Jewish people displeased G-d because their actions were defective; they lacked the happiness that grants enthusiasm and motivation to fulfill divine service.

An analogy for the benefits of enthusiasm is of two sports competitors. One athlete is more physically fit and adept, but nevertheless lethargic and depressed. Due to his emotionally low state, the stronger competitor is outdone by his weaker but essentially happier opponent. Happiness causes the weaker person to win. Spiritually speaking, a happier individual is less inclined to be convinced to sin by his powerful evil inclination. His joy defeats negative forces and goodness prevails. So, in fact, a sad person is more inclined to sin and to distance himself from spirituality. While not Biblically forbidden, sadness is the root of much evil. But, as powerful as sadness is, joy is even stronger bringing a person to the highest levels of spirituality and connecting to G-d.

In addition to this, joy has the power to drastically improve one's life. When a person is happy and thereby elevated to higher spiritual levels, he can automatically cause negative aspects of his life to be transformed into positive ones. This is as the saying teaches, “Happiness breaks through (negative) boundaries.” So, by all means, BE HAPPY!

Why does an infinte G-d spend His time "playing world"? - Question of the Day: Sunday Jun 17, 2007‎

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:58:27 GMT

Question of the Day: Sunday Jun 17, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=238&o=234

Why does an infinite G-d spend his time "playing world"?

by Rabbi Eyal Ravnoy

You inadvertently answered your own question—how much energy do you suppose an infinite G-d must invest in following and paying attention to all the details in this limited universe? That's right: none! If you had in infinite intelligence, you would be able to know everything. So too with G-d. Since He is unlimited, He can know everything all at once with no effort whatsoever. But to make things clearer, let me give you an analogy: An inventor creates a complex machine, which contains myriad details. An onlooker passes by, is intrigued, and asks the inventor to explain how it works. So the inventor happily starts talking—and talking, and talking… After an hour, the onlooker, confused more than ever, leaves the scene, not understanding a thing about the machine.

But now look at it from the inventor’s point of view. He knows all the details not by observing the machine or listening to a lecture, but due to the fact that he himself invented it. All the details are in his mind.

The same applies to G-d. G-d doesn’t need to observe and follow all the details of His creation, precisely because it is just that—His creation. He knows all the details in His infinite Mind because He “invented” it.

Now the question is: WHY did G-d create the world? Search on...

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Why do we send away the angels on Friday before eating? - Question of the Day: Friday Jun 15, 2007‎

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:02:55 GMT

Question of the Day: Friday Jun 15, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=205&o=291

Why do we send away the angels on Friday before eating?

by Rabbi Yossi Marcus

There are two reasons given: One is that the angels may have to leave if things turn out not as peaceful as they should be. The other is that the angels cannot endure the Infinite Light which shines at the time of Kiddush.

At any rate, why wait ‘til after? Welcome those angels into your home as soon as you get in.

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Also
Posted by: D, MA on Mar 09, 2005

B"H
Also angles don't eat, so why should they stay any longer?

Article: Why do we send away the angels on Friday before eating?
Posted by: Anonymous, Brooklyn, NY on Apr 06, 2005

Interesting answers, Rabbi Marcus.

Note that the Bobover Rebbes ZY"A did not recite "Tzeischem LeShalom" with the rest of Shalom Aleichem, the idea being to keep them around for the entire meal. I don't recall if they recited it at the end of the meal. At least one of my sons will be at "Tish" this Shabbos so I'll have to ask him. Presumably the new Rebbe will follow the same tradition.

-- Y.S.

Article: Why do we send away the angels on Friday before eating?
Posted by: Y.S., Brooklyn, NY on Apr 08, 2005

Rabbi Marcus,

I got the answer: My son pointed out that in the Bobover "Zemiros" sidur, the verse "Tzeischem Lesholom" does not appear at all.

If the person who posed the original question is *really* bothered by this question, perhaps he/she should consider becoming a Bobover chasid. :-)

Shalom Aleichem
Posted by: Shmuel Kaplan on Feb 06, 2006

In some Sephardic traditions, there is an additional paragraph, BiShivt'chem L'Shalom, "When you are seated in peace...". This implies that the angels do indeed satay for the Shabbat dinner. The following paragraph then reads, B'Tzeitchem L'shalom, In your leaving, or When you leave, implying that we wish the angels to stay even longer with us.

Is it racist to want a Jewish spouse? - Question of the Day: Thursday Jun 14, 2007‎

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:18:40 GMT

Question of the Day: Thursday Jun 14, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=539&o=2137120

Is it racist to want a Jewish spouse?

by Rabbi Aaron Moss Question:

I was explaining to a non-Jewish work colleague that I only date Jewish men, because I would not marry a non-Jew. He accused me of being racist. I was caught on the spot and had nothing to say. How would you respond to this situation?

Answer:

If insisting that you will only date Jews makes you racist, does insisting that you will only date men make you sexist? You are certainly discriminating, but is this discrimination bad?

You are not talking about what type of person you want to work with, or who you would prefer to sit next to on a train. You are talking about who you want to marry. Are you expected not to discriminate about who you marry, the same way you are expected not to discriminate when reading a job application?

You want a family so you seek a man; you want a Jewish family so you

seek a Jewish man.

There are plenty of wonderful women out there, but they can't father your children. And there are plenty of wonderful non-Jewish men out there, but they can't give you a Jewish family. You want a family so you seek a man; you want a Jewish family so you seek a Jewish man. There is nothing offensive about that.

And there is no racial issue here. Jewishness is neither a race, nor a religion. It is a soul identity. The man you marry can be a European Jew or an Oriental Jew, a black Jew or a white Jew. He can be a Jew by birth or a Jew by choice. But if you want a Jewish family, he's got to be a he, and he's got to be a Hebrew.

How can one have free-will if G-d ultimately knows the future? - Question of the Day: Wednesday Jun 13, 2007‎

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:32:21 GMT

Question of the Day: Wednesday Jun 13, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=253&o=277

How can one have free-will if G-d ultimately knows the future?

by Rabbi DovBer Pinson

He knows the future as He does the past. We know the past comes before the now, and the future is yet to come, but in His world, all is one.

If someone sees the future, and tells you that he knows what will occur, does that mean you do not have choice?

The problem is that we try to understand and make sense of G-d's reality with our own, when in fact they are two distinct ways to see reality.

How can Chassidism demand joyfulness when there are so many problems? - Question of the Day: Tuesday Jun 12, 2007‎

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 21:56:07 GMT

Question of the Day: Tuesday Jun 12, 2007‎

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=414&o=222

How can Chassidism demand joyfulness when there are so many problems?

by Mrs. Sarah Levi

Problems in the world? That's precisely why Chassidism demands a positive attitude.

Chassidism stresses happiness because being happy smashes obstacles. When you don't just live life, but revel in it, nothing will get you down.

As for problems, well, a true chasid simply doesn't see them as problems. Chassidism teaches that we are not human beings having spiritual experiences--we are spiritual beings having human experiences. And among those human experiences are "problems."

When the student of Chassidism meditates on the fact that G-d is the One and Only Source of all things, he or she remembers that everything has a purpose and goodness can be found everywhere--even in problems. The student then realizes the intimate relationship he or she enjoys with his or her Creator, and therefore welcomes the challenges of life with relish and vitality. Chassidism focuses on the fact that G-d has chosen us to be His partner in creation, for through Mitzvah observance we are assured that we perpetuate the world's existence. In fact, we find that the entire purpose of Creation is for humankind to transform the unrefined physical world into a refined, spiritual place.

...we are not human beings having spiritual experiences--we are spiritual

beings having human experiences.

Belief in G-d is critical, of course, but without a positive belief in G-d, one of happiness, that belief can rapidly sink into one of gloom and doom.

So Bobby McFerrin is right: "Don't worry, be happy!" (Is he a Chassid?)

Isn't cruel for G-d to deny certain souls access to the World-to-Come? - Question of the Day: Monday Jun 11, 2007

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 04:52:36 GMT

Question of the Day: Monday Jun 11, 2007

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=215&o=1951056

Isn’t it cruel for G-d to deny certain souls access to the World-to-Come?

by Rabbi Moshe Miller

It is not that G-d destroys a person; it is the person who destroys her/himself. Admission to a higher form of existence is not granted automatically—one has to earn it. Is a college degree from Harvard (or anywhere else) granted automatically just because you enrolled? Don’t you have to pass certain exams? I certainly would not want to be treated by a “doctor” who got his degree by mail from some fake organization without passing the exams. Is this cruel? I don’t think so. These are the rules of the game, and it is a level playing field.

It should be noted, however, that there are two different stages, both of which are referred to as the World to Come. There is Gan Eden (Paradise, Heaven), to which the soul returns after death, and there is Techiyat Hameitim, Resurrection of the Dead, that will take place after the coming of the Messiah. While not every soul is privileged to enjoy the pleasures of Gan Eden, every Jewish soul will take part in the Resurrection, the ultimate reward.

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This is still vague
Posted by: Anonymous, Los Angeles, CA on Apr 24, 2006

Two things remain vague. One, what crime(s) qualify one person for such a denial? Two, does the soul cease to exist upon being denied the world to come? In other words, does the soul remain concious even after being unable to go to earth in the world to come?

Editor's Comment

a) Some examples of people who are denied entry to the World to Come: 1) Heretics 2) One who sins not due to temptation, but only to anger G-d. 3) Those who cause the public to sin. 4) One who imposes fear on the public for selfish reasons. b) The sould continues to exist and is fully conscious of its punishment.

Why did Maimonides live in Egypt if the Torah forbids returning there? - Question of the Day: Sunday Jun 10, 2007

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 02:33:40 GMT

Question of the Day: Sunday Jun 10, 2007

http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=245&o=2406

Why did Maimonides live in Egypt if the Torah forbids returning there?

by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

The Kesef Mishneh answers (in the name of the Re'am) that the prohibition of the Torah to dwell in Egypt applies only if one travels from Israel to Egypt, retracing the path which the Jews took from Egypt to Israel. This logic is based on the verse (Devarim 17:16) which says "For Hashem has said to you, 'You shall no longer return on this road again.'"

The Ridvaz rejects this answer and instead says that the prohibition is only to return to Egypt with the intention of settling there. If, however, one travels there without the intention of staying but afterwards is prevented from leaving due to pressing circumstances (such as the services the Rambam rendered the king and the Jewish community) one has not actually transgressed this prohibition. [In fact, the Ridvaz himself lived in Egypt for a period of time where he established a Yeshiva.]

It is interesting to note, however, that the Kaftor Vaferach writes that the Rambam would sign his letters "the writer, who every day is guilty of transgressing three sins," referring to the three verses where we are enjoined not to live in Egypt. From this we see that despite the fact that the Rambam certainly had good reason for remaining in Egypt, it bothered him deeply.

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Avraham's One Village - JEWISH & benei Noach's ONE VILLAGE ***Barukh haba***: Daily Question

QUESTION OF THE WEEK - Torah, Slavery and the Jews - 25 Tevet 5768 / Thu, Jan/03/08

[Best of AskMoses] Why does G-d gives us annoying little sibblings?

[This Week's "Best of AskMoses"] Do I have to believe the supernatural stories of the Torah ?

Must a non-Jew convert to Judaism in order to be a good person in G-d's eyes? - Question of the Day: Wednesday Jun 20, 2007‎

Today marks the passing of "The Rebbe"; who is "The Rebbe"? - Question of the Day: Tuesday Jun 19, 2007‎

What is it an important Jewish value to be happy? Where do we find that? - Question of the Day: Monday Jun 18, 2007

Why does an infinte G-d spend His time "playing world"? - Question of the Day: Sunday Jun 17, 2007‎

Why do we send away the angels on Friday before eating? - Question of the Day: Friday Jun 15, 2007‎

Is it racist to want a Jewish spouse? - Question of the Day: Thursday Jun 14, 2007‎

How can one have free-will if G-d ultimately knows the future? - Question of the Day: Wednesday Jun 13, 2007‎

How can Chassidism demand joyfulness when there are so many problems? - Question of the Day: Tuesday Jun 12, 2007‎

Isn't cruel for G-d to deny certain souls access to the World-to-Come? - Question of the Day: Monday Jun 11, 2007

Why did Maimonides live in Egypt if the Torah forbids returning there? - Question of the Day: Sunday Jun 10, 2007

Avraham's One Village - JEWISH & benei Noach's ONE VILLAGE Barukh haba: Daily Question