What Does Judaism Think

In today's troubled society, divorce rates are skyhigh, and self-destructive behavior is prevalent. People fall, and they fall far and fast. As a reaction, religious extremists create cults of apocalyptic nature. Often, these same religious extremists are guilty of the same sins that they condemn in society. What is missing? What is the elements that can heal such a troubled world?

The answer is in the heart of the Holy Temple. Read More

When we see humans causing such needless suffering to other humans, we are filled with sadness and puzzlement. How can any human actually enjoy causing another being to suffer like that? And even cruelty to animals causes us to feel those feelings. What of "animal on animal" violence? I once witnessed a cat catch and eat an injured bird. It made me sad.

And, yet, this seems to be the way God created nature. Or is it? Is man at fault here too? According to the Ramban, a 13th century sage, the answer is yes, humans are, in a way, responsible. Read More

If you violate this commandment, you and your people will be exiled from their land. This commandment was given at Mount Sinai, even though it was completely irrelevant at that occasion. What commandment is it? The commandment to let the fields rests in the sabbatical year.

Why is this commandment so strict? Exile is a fairly extreme punishment for the sin of working in your field. Secondly, why was the sabbatical year commanded at Mount Sinai, when it only applies in the land of Israel? It should've been one of those commandments that Moses gave in the plains of Moab, immediately prior to entering The Land. What is the secret of the sabbatical year? Read More

All people of faith carry God's name with them. Too often, people just God by the way his faithful behave. People being people, they do not always behave in a praiseworthy fashion. Thus, God sometimes loses fans because of that bad behavior. That is called desecrating God's Name, and it is the sin religious Jews should fear the most. What is the criteria for desecrating God's name, and how can one not only avoid it, but sanctify God's name?
Read More