From: Mathew in NY Dear Rabbi, I am planning a family vacation after Tisha b’Av and I would like some advice and guidance on how to make it worthwhile Jewishly speaking. On the one hand, the kids have a lot of Jewish education throughout the year and I don’t want to overburden them with that[…]
From: Steve in Boston Dear Rabbi, Is there an idea that the body is somehow connected to the mitzvot on a metaphysical plane? Of course we do the mitzvot with our bodies, and I imagine the Jewish belief is that the performance of the mitzva affects the body in general, but is there any basis[…]
From: Sandra in Cape Town, SA Dear Rabbi, Would you please elaborate on what I’ve heard referred to as “The Kuzari Principle” insofar as it purports to be an historical proof for the Jewish belief in G‑d, and how is this proof any more valid for Judaism than for the other monotheistic religions of Christianity[…]
From: Akiva in Atlanta Dear Rabbi, This question may come across as rude but I certainly don’t mean it to be. Here is the situation: I have great respect for rabbis, but it also happens that people who are called “rabbis” don’t fit my description of a rabbi, neither in learnedness nor in behavior. Such[…]
From: Melissa in Milwaukee Dear Rabbi, I am very upset about something. I recently took a final exam that I really studied hard for. During the test, a friend of mine kept looking over my shoulder to see what I wrote. I really didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, I didn’t want[…]
From: Jamie in Jerusalem Dear Rabbi, Is there any difference in Judaism between asking for charity and begging for it? Let me explain: I’m talking about people at religious sites like the Kotel who not only ask for charity but they persistently and sometimes rudely beg for money and they don’t let you alone, or[…]
From: Frank in Edinburgh, Scotland Dear Rabbi, There’s a personal question that I have for the Rabbi. You see, I am Jewish, and I am on a long journey back to being more observant. The problem is that I notice that shortly after things start going well for me, religiously speaking that is, I mean[…]
From: Marge in Louisville, KY Dear Rabbi, In anticipation of our son Sam’s bar mitzvah, I was wondering why he won’t be reading from the Torah, but rather from the haftara. In general, I guess I’m wondering what’s the source for the haftara reading as well. Thank you for your insights. Dear Marge, First, let[…]
From: Lisa in DE Dear Rabbi, What is the identity of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? Dear Lisa, Soon I’ll discuss what, according to Jewish sources, it might have been. But first allow me to set the record straight about what it wasn’t: an apple. This is a common[…]
From: Gary in Atlanta Dear Rabbi, Does a person have to be concentrating and focusing on a mitzva all the time he’s involved in it. I would imagine that’s the case, but I personally find it hard to keep my mind focused for a long time. Do I fulfill the mitzva if I don’t have[…]