From: Howard Dear Rabbi, Can you help me feel more appreciative towards G‑d? I want to feel G‑d more directly in my life, but I’m having difficulty figuring out how. Dear Howard, Your question is on the one hand very complex and personal, but on the other hand so basic and universal. Since I can’t[…]
From: Marvin Dear Rabbi, Over the years I have heard different requirements for the intention one needs in order to fulfill the mitzva of reciting the Shema. Quite frankly, at this point I’m a bit confused. Could you clarify this for me please? Since this is something we’re required to do twice daily, I imagine[…]
From: Dennis Dear Rabbi, I will be moving into a home that is presently occupied by Jewish people. I know that a leaving resident cannot take down the mezuzot and leave the house without mezuzut when he knows that the new occupants are Jewish. The seller called me to ask me to bring 9 mezuzot[…]
From: Ira Dear Rabbi, I saw a website that sells mitzvot like feeding the poor, visiting the sick, providing the needs of a bride and groom, mezuza, bar mitzva, kollel study, etc. Is this kosher? Approved? A loophole? Is this what G‑d wants us to do? The idea that a wealthy person could just shell[…]
From: Sean Dear Rabbi, I will be making an international flight where I expect to be praying on the plane. While I’ve never actually done it, I’ve seen others doing it and I’m kind of intrigued by the idea of praying so high in the sky. However, I seem to remember wondering as I watched[…]
From: Jonathan Swartz Dear Rabbi, I heard that Abraham’s parents were not Jewish. I was wondering then how Abraham was considered the first Jew? If he was the first Jew, what other religion was there? Christianity, right? I guess my question is if no one was Jewish, how could anyone be Christian? What separated the[…]
From: Alexy Dear Rabbi, Did Moshe have a speech impediment? Dear Alexy, From a simple reading of the Torah verses and Talmudic teachings, it would seem that he did. However, we’ll see that’s not necessarily the case. When G‑d charges Moshe through the burning bush to demand that Pharaoh let the Jewish People go, Moshe[…]
From: Arthur Dear Rabbi, Would you please explain to me the reasons for keeping kosher? Dear Arthur, First of all, as regarding all mitzvot, we keep kosher because G‑d commanded to do so in the Torah. And even though Rambam writes that one should meditate upon and search for the meaning of mitzvot, he concludes[…]
From: David Dear Rabbi, I had a very embarrassing situation recently. There was a well-known rabbi visiting our community who I ended up treating not particularly politely because I didn’t know who he was. To be honest, the friction was really not his fault at all, but mine. So when I saw it was him[…]