From: Anonymous Dear Rabbi, My widowed paternal grandmother just passed away. I have become observant over the past few years, but my father (who is my grandmother’s only son) is not particularly religious. I would like to help, and I would like to see that the funeral takes place in the traditional fashion, but I[…]
From: I. Licht in Miami Dear Rabbi, Why did G‑d rest on the seventh day? Was He tired??? Did He leave the world incomplete intending to return to it? How do we know the details of Creation? G‑d was presumably alone, yet the account is written in the third person. Is this one of the[…]
Calling Tarot’s Card From: Joshua in England Dear Rabbi, A close relative of mine regularly consults a witch who reads the tarot and tells her things about the people she knows and about the future. Based on what she has said and predicted, I am sure she is not a fake and must be able[…]
From: Alberto in Israel Dear Rabbi, I’m Israeli but not Jewish. My parents are Brazilian. I’m religious and I keep mitzvot like every Jew. But I’m not Orthodox or Reform, I just keep the mitzvot in my life in my own way. I never wanted to become a “member” of a “community” in the way[…]
From: Martha in Pennsylvania Dear Rabbi, My question for you is very short and sweet. I have seen a lot of rabbis kissing young children on their foreheads. Is there a reason for that? I had a number of dreams where I was kissing someone’s forehead and received some interpretation, but I would like to[…]
From: R.S. Dear Rabbi, A Jewish college professor told me that the symbols of the Jewish months, i.e. fish, balancing-scales, scorpion, pail, bow etc. originate from the Romans. I would like to know if this is correct because I thought that they originated from the Jews. Thanks, R.S. Dear R.S., With due respect to your[…]
From: Yra Harris Dear Rabbi, Does G‑d have free will? Dear Yra, Yes, G‑d has free will. G‑d chose to create, when to create and how to create. G‑d chooses to maintain and regulate all that exists every moment. This involves myriad, changing considerations at all times, and G‑d considers them all instantaneously, deciding according[…]
From: Susan in London Dear Rabbi, I was at a religious wedding where I noticed the groom break a glass with his foot, then everyone said, “Mazal tov!” I asked someone what’s the meaning behind breaking the glass. She said it’s in commemoration of the Holy Temple that was destroyed. It seems strange to me[…]
From: Sarah in Atlanta Dear Rabbi, I have heard that the term “Breishit bara Elokim” does not mean as is commonly translated, “In the beginning G‑d created”, but rather “In the beginning of G‑d’s of having created”. This is supposed to imply that rather than existence coming into being at the time described in the[…]
From: Sam in L.A. Dear Rabbi, What is the significance of the different sacrificial offerings that were offered during Succot? Why are they different each day, and does the fact that there were seventy mean anything? Thanks. Dear Sam, The Torah prescribes special sacrifices for each of the days of Succot (Nu. 29:13-20). On the[…]