Jewish Power- Before he responded to Joseph's invitation to transplant the entire Jewish family to Egypt and avoid the suffering of the hunger years, Jacob went to Be'er Sheba to ask for God's permission to leave the Holy Land. The following passage… More »
People of the Book- Judaism is in that every single Jew is commanded to know the Torah. The first sentence that a Jewish child is taught is Torah tziva lanu Moshe, morasha kehilat Yaakov ― "Torah was commanded to us through Moses and it… More »
All Jews Equal- I often get the feeling that Jewish groups are judgmental of one another, as if to say that one type of Jew is better than another. This causes division and dissension. How can we prevent this from snowballing any further? More »
Ashkenazi-Sefardi Pronunciation- I've noticed that Ashkenazi synagogues pronounce some words differently than Sefardi synagogues. What is the halachic status of these two variants? Do Ashkenazim who speak "Israeli" on a daily basis act consistently if they use a different pronunciation only for… More »
Ashkenazi vs Sephardic Jews: Their Differences & Origins- What are the main differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews? Can you explain to me something about the difference between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jewry? What exactly do those terms mean and what are the general differences between the two groups? More »
Being Judgmental of Others- More than once I have come across Jews who I felt looked down upon me for not being as observant as they, and don’t respect me as a Jew. I got the impression I am not a good person in… More »
Definition of a Jew- I am Jewish, but the other day someone asked me: “What is a Jew?” I was a bit shocked that I could not articulate a proper answer. So... what is a Jew? More »
Environmentalism- I am looking for Torah sources that speak about nature, respect for life and animals, sustainability, etc. Do we as Jews have a responsibility to nature and to preserve the other species of life on this planet? I am particularly… More »
Focus on Education- I keep reading statistics about Jewish achievement in business, science, etc. For such a small people, the percentage of Nobel Prize winners is staggering. The theory I’ve heard to explain this is the Jewish focus on education. Is this correct? More »
Half-Shekel Equality- Before Purim, the rabbi put out a plate and told everyone to give a half-shekel (or its local equivalent). I understand this was done in the times of the Tempe to purchase public offerings. But what is its relevance today? More »
Jewish Census - "Members of the Tribe"- Immediately after giving the Ten Commandments, God tells the Jewish people to organize themselves by tribe and take a census. (That's why the fourth book of the Bible is called "Numbers.") Isn't living in tribes sort of – well –… More »
Jewish Giving- I am doing some research on the giving habits of various religions and population groups. This information will be helpful in my giving the Kol Nidre Appeal for my synagogue this year. Unfortunately, the level of giving in my synagogue… More »
Jewish Mission- I read on Aish.com that "Every Jew is equally important to our mission." Pardon my question, but exactly what is our mission? More »
Jewish Overachievers and Why God Chose Abraham- Why is it that the Jews contribute so greatly to the world in so many areas? They are on the forefront of almost every intellectual and social area – in medicine, science, the arts, entertainment, finance, etc. People always talk… More »
Jewish Unity- In school I am delivering a speech and the topic I have chosen is "The importance of Israel to North American Jews today." I don't have any family in Israel and have no real connection to the country. As a… More »
Niddah: Why- Why is a couple prohibited from marital relations during the wife's menstruation? Doesn't this reduce the ability of a man and woman to connect through the deeper aspects of marriage? And isn't this whole thing discriminatory toward women? More »
One People- I live in Los Angeles and was horrified by the shootings a few years ago at our Jewish community center. I heard that after the shootings, law enforcement officials found a map in the shooter’s van. Apparently, he had thought… More »
Opting Out of Judaism?- I have been told that somewhere in the Talmud it states that once you are Jewish you are always Jewish no matter what. I understand that God needed a special group of people to be His messengers, but why not… More »
Pluralism- I get upset when I see different Jewish denominations at odds with each other. Why doesn’t everyone just accept everyone else? Or perhaps is there a way to know which of the denominations is the most correct? More »
Race or Religion?- I will be giving a speech on the topic of "Jews: Race or Religion?" My mother always taught me that it is a race. I want to get expert advice, so would you consider Judaism as a race or a… More »
Jewish Leadership- In biblical times, there always was a prophet of God who was guiding and advising Israel's kings. At the present time there is no such prophet. How does Israel's prime minister know he is doing the right thing, according to… More »
Religious Intolerance- I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that it is precisely because of the thinking expressed on Aish.com that we have terrorism in the world. The cause is religion. The cause is a belief in God. It is religious extremists… More »
Religious-Secular Strife- I am very disturbed at the growing divisions between the Orthodox and secular communities in Israel in particular, and in Judaism, in general. The Jewish people are so few in number that we cannot afford such sharp and bitter divisions.… More »
Responsible One for Another- I am involved in Jewish communal work and it really makes me crazy when I see one Jewish group disparaging another. Even worse, people will look at a situation of need and say, “Oh, that’s not my problem!” Why can’t… More »
School Shooting- I have often thought about the tragedy in Columbine and other schoolyard shootings. My impression is that these boys want to create an awesome experience, to impress the world with their power, their genius. Maybe they had it backwards. They… More »
Status of Baptized Jew- Someone I know went through many stages in her life. At a point she converted to Christianity and was quite active in her Church. Today, however, she has been having doubts and is beginning to consider returning to Judaism. But… More »
The Term "Jew"- Our nation was historically called Israelites or Hebrews. I am wondering why always you refer to the Israelite or the Hebrew Nation as "Jew" when only after the captivity of 722 BCE that the people of the Tribe of Judah… More »
Waging War- After 9-11, the U.S. went into Afghanistan and killed a lot of people, with the President declaring a “war on terror.” The Bible itself seems to condone going in and wiping out nations that we don’t like. Why does everything… More »
Wonders of Jewish History- I am an avid student of history and it seems that the Jewish people have always held a special place in the world. They are always at the center of things – whether Israel or the media. I don’t mean… More »
Identifying as a Jew
