What Does Judaism Think

Biblical leprosy is no skin disease. Yes, of course, it affects the skin, but our sages teach us that it goes far deeper. In fact, the spiritual implications of this disease can teach us a golden lesson about human relations. Even if we feel that we are careful in our speech about others, there may be something more that we need to do. Read More

There is one passage in the Torah portion of Mishpatim that really sticks out. The Torah portion enumerates many laws of societal conduct, including damages, treatment of slaves and so forth. These are delivered in a fairly matter of fact way. But when the Torah arrives at the commandment to not cause suffering to the orphan and the widow, things change.

"If you oppress them, they will call to me and I will hear, and you shall be killed by the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children shall become orphans." Wow! What happened? Read More

When the 10 Commandments is read in the synagogue, the custom is for the congregation to stand. Some rabbis don't like this custom! Why not? Shouldn't we show respect for the 10 Commandments? The reason given is that we don't want to imply that some verses of the Torah are more important than others.

Which, then, raises the question, why is there a custom to stand for these verses? The answer gives us a powerful hint at the core message of the 10 Commandments. Read More

Some people like to make fun of the fastidiously observant. The details of Sabbath observance, for example, can seem quite ridiculous. "What, you can't even pick up a pen even if you don't write with it?!" What difference does it make if you just have a small taste of Matza on Passover? Isn't it just symbolic?

There are so many details in Judaism, and many of them seem just silly. Yet it is exactly in those details that a true appreciation of God resides. Yes, God does care if I pick up the pen on the Sabbath. Here's why. Read More

They say that revenge is sweet. Well, there is something much sweeter than revenge. Reconciliation. Taking someone who was important to us in a negative sense, whom we felt hatred towards, and turning them into a friend can be the sweetest thing on earth. Revenge, by the way, is forbidden by the Torah!

Reconciling, however, can be very difficult, emotionally almost impossible. There is one blockage that, more than anything else, prevents reconciliation. What is it, and can anything be done about it?
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We sometimes come in contact with people whom we, shall we say, disapprove of. They may have made life decisions that we feel are harmful to them, and may have personal habits and characteristics that are self destructive. Is there a way to fix them? Won't lecturing them be counterproductive?

Probably, almost certainly. So is there something we can do instead of standing by helplessly watching a person self-destruct?
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Arguments. Conflicts. Negotiations. Open up any newspaper, and there will be many stories about these situations world over. Why do some conflicts never seem to be resolved?

Campaigns, politicians. Many people want your vote in order to lead. How do you know who is the real deal and who is the one to be avoided at all costs?

Simple. Just give them the Korach Test. It gives a clear, simple answer about whom we can trust, whom we can negotiate with, and whom we can't. Read More

"Most people live lives of silent desperation." I don't recall the author of this quote, but the sentiment is true and tragic. Many people have come to accept, with resignation, a life of silent desperation, frustration, and unfulfillment. They feel as if a glass ceiling exists to block them from true happiness. We may feel pity towards these people, as they certainly are sad about their lot. But God, perhaps, may be angry at these people. Why? Read More

Much of Western society worships youth. At the same time, in eastern societies, ancestor worship was practiced. Judaism does not sanction worship of any human being, young or old, but it does require a special measure of honor to those of advanced years. "Before the white-haired you shall rise, and you shall honor the countenance of the old one."

This commandment goes far beyond simple politeness. It goes to our roots as a nation, and it illuminates the path of each and every one of our lives. Read More

There is tension in observant Judaism today. Aside from the ever present issue of the recognition of the non-Orthodox movements by the state of Israel, there is a small group of people that ends up in the headlines much more frequently than warranted by their numbers. I refer to the Women of the Wall, the women who wish to run women's prayer at the Western Wall, complete with Torah readings. They are opposed by the ultraorthodox, who view their customs as outside the pale of religious Judaism.

I will not judge either group's rightness or wrongness, but I will judge both of them on the fact that they make headlines. Why do they make headlines, and why is that such a bad thing? Read More

On Purim, there are a number of strange customs that Judaism has. First and foremost, the custom of dressing up in a costume. On no other holiday is there such a concept. Even more, the custom of getting "drunk", which means drinking a little more wine than usual, is also seemingly unseemly. Why do we do it?

The reason can be a lesson in self-improvement. Yes, getting a little tipsy can lead to self-improvement. How? Read More

There is a teaching in the Mishna: You do not need to complete the work, but you are not at liberty to stop working at it.

While this sounds nice, it is completely impractical. Whether I need to complete it or not, if I'm not at liberty to stop my efforts, I'm working all the time anyway. What does this mean?

It is the key to understanding the meaning of the Sabbath, which itself is key to a fulfilled life. Without proper Sabbath observance, a fulfilled life is impossible. Read More

It seems a harsh overreaction, an excessive punishment for the sin. Putting people to death for this, on its surface, seems way out of proportion. To what do I refer? To the biblical portion of Ki Tisa, the same chapter that contains the story of the Golden calf. I could easily be referring to the punishment meted out to those who worshiped the calf, although I am not. I'm referring to a casual verse at the beginning of the section, dealing with the requirements of the priests in the sanctuary.

God commands these Priests to wash their hands before entering the sanctuary to perform the service. A priest who does this properly "will not die." This implies that failure to wash hands and feet before entering the sanctuary to serve God carries with it a death sentence.

What could this possibly mean? Why so harsh a reaction to some seemingly minor infraction? To be clear, this apparent death sentence is not to be carried out by a human court. It is a statement of Divine intent, not of human judicial requirement. Even so, what is so terrible about this sin? Read More

Mike Bickle, a respected pastor, recently endorsed Senator Ted Cruz. This aroused some controversy, as a previous sermon that Bickle delivered caused offense to members of the Jewish community. In it, he expressed the belief that the prophets foretold the tragic sufferings of the Jewish people than the 20th century, and that this was part of the process of bringing them to accept the Christian Messiah.

In response to the criticism, Pastor Bickle wrote an impassioned response in the Times of Israel proclaiming his deep love of the Jewish people and his unwavering support of the state of Israel. He was hurt by the accusation that he was, somehow, indifferent to the Jewish people. I have no doubt that Pastor Bickle works tirelessly on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people, and that his heart contains no malice towards them. The opposite, he seems to care very deeply.

There is, however, a consistent error expressed by many well-meaning people of faith. Read More