From: Sandra in San Diego Dear Rabbi, If G‑d knows everything that will be, then He knows what we’ll choose before we do it, which means it’s pre-determined what we’ll choose, which means we have no free will. But G‑d created us with free will didn’t He? Dear Sandra, It’s true that G‑d is omniscient[…]
From: Ben Powers Dear Rabbi, I’ve recently embarked on a campaign to produce and enjoy lucid dreams. These are dreams in which you are aware that you are dreaming (you are lucid) and therefore you can, if you choose, control the dream. I would like to know if a person is held responsible for actions[…]
From: Mali Dear Rabbi, I’m having trouble with the additional 19th “blessing” of the shemoneh esreh. First, it hardly seems a blessing, but rather a curse against heretics. I’m surprised the rabbis would ask for the destruction of other fellow Jews. Second, how could one rabbi add to a prayer that was instituted much earlier[…]
From: Lee Vyner Dear Rabbi, I heard that someone who gambles is viewed as being engaged in a type of theft that thereby disqualifies him from being accepted as a reliable witness in a Jewish court. If so, what about the stock market? People literally gamble as to the price of a particular commodity or[…]
From: Ashley Sevitz Dear Rabbi, A few years ago when I was studying in yeshiva, I adopted the custom of going to the mikva [spiritually purifying bath] every erev Shabbat [Friday afternoon]. This I have kept up all these years. A while ago I heard it mentioned that there are actually certain kavanot [holy thoughts][…]
From: Mike Flisser in Atlanta Dear Rabbi, As a beginner to observant Judaism, during my studies and my davening I have the feeling that what we do as Jews on a daily basis does not hold a candle to what Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Isaac, Moses, and others did to be blessed by G‑d. I know[…]
From: Wendy in Westcliff, UK Dear Rabbi, When counting Sefirat HaOmer, some people say l’omer and some say b’omer. Which is right? Doesn’t the fact that everybody says “Lag b’Omer” prove that “b’omer” is correct and not “l’omer?” Dear Wendy, Rabbi Nachman Bulman, of blessed memory, explained that the custom to call the day “Lag[…]
From: Bruce Hammer in Manti, Utah Dear Rabbi, I noticed the divider at the Kotel through the Western Wall camera. What is the purpose of this division? Why is the wall divided into two sections? Thanks. From: David Salvadori in Italy Dear Rabbi, Please tell me, why can men and women not stay near each[…]
From: Martin Appel Dear Rabbi, What is the Jewish perspective on birthday celebrations? The Torah refers explicitly to only one such celebration, that of Pharaoh. Do we have a tradition for birthday celebrations, and if so, what is it? Dear Martin, The Talmud Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashana 3:8) relates that when the Amalekites attacked the Jewish[…]
From: Debra Dear Rabbi, What is the difference between hand-made and machine-made matza? Dear Debra, Since the Exodus, Jews have zealously carried out all the fine details concerning the baking of the matza, whose method has remained basically unchanged for all those years. Careful and agile hands have performed each process from making the dough[…]