What Does Judaism Think

According to Halakha, one is to refrain from putting oneself in dangerous situations during the period of the "three weeks" culminating with Tisha B'Av. The mysterious "ketv meriri", a sort of bad spirit, has influence during certain hours of the day during this time of the year.

Is this superstition? What does Judaism think of these kinds of cracks-in-the-sidewalk things?
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The whole Henry Gates / officer Crowley hullabaloo raises the issue of racial profiling in law enforcement. Well, is it fair to search someone more thoroughly if they are of a particular ethnicity or religion or nationality? What does Judaism think?
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I can't let this one pass, considering the arrest of 5 "rabbis" on charges of bribery, money laundering and the like. And I'm scratching my head as to what to say, because this case nearly defies explanation. One of these "rabbis" was 87 years old, for goodness sake.

So I guess the question to be asked is, "what were they thinking?" And what does Judaism think? Read More

This is a period of mourning in Jewish tradition, commemorating the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. One may ask, is it healthy to live in the past like this? Also, isn't it a bit of a downer to focus on the tragedies of Jewish history instead of the joys of Jewish life?

What does Judaism REALLY think? Read More

A lot has been made of Judge Sotomayor's Latina heritage. She has made it a reason to confirm her as Supreme Court justice. She claims that her experiences uniquely qualified her to provide a voice for those with similar backgrounds on the nation's highest court.

Is she right? What does Judaism think? Read More

The Jewish people have had a long and sometimes painful history. No other nation could or would want to compete with the sheer scope of that tragic history. The unspeakable evils of the Holocaust were only the most recent episode. Before that were Chmielnitski massacres, Inquisitions, Black Death pogroms, etc...

After a nation or race have suffered at the hands of others, what should their response be once they have emerged from helplessness? What does Judaism think?
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Judaism puts a high priority on the power of speech. It is what separates man from the beasts. It is what shapes human history, and makes or breaks human relationships. Hitting someone is one thing, "not talking to them" is quite another.

What does Judaism think about verbal abuse? Is the "sticks and stones" saying accurate? Read More

I previously wrote about the good Bernie Madoff, who remains imprisoned. This Bernie Madoff is not necessarily going to jail for the next 150 years. As a matter of fact, he may never go to jail. He certainly does not deserve to be in jail for one minute!!!

I know, this looks really bad, what I'm writing. Antisemites are going to read it and say that the Jews support thieves and all that. Ah, me, what to do? And yet, if you'll read on, you'll understand what I'm talking about and why this is what Judaism thinks.
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