Egyptian Magic
Question: How were the Egyptian magicians able to duplicate the first two plagues? Answer: The classical commentaries had no problem with the Egyptian magicians being able to duplicate the first two...
View ArticleBlood, Lice, and Gratitude
Question: I noticed that Moses did not take part in bringing forth the plagues of Blood and Lice by not striking the Nile river or the dust. What could be the reason for this? Answer: You're making an...
View ArticlePinkie Pointing and Splitting the Sea
Question: Why does everyone hold up their pinkie and point it toward the Torah during the part of the service when the Torah scroll is held up for all to see? Answer: There is no law recorded in...
View ArticleLessons from the Manna
Question: What is the significance of story of the Manna? Answer: Many commentaries explain that the story of the Manna teaches us about the mechanics of earning a livelihood. Although we must put...
View ArticleArtistic Expression in Judaism
Question: I am an art student and I will be traveling to Greece to assist my sculpture professor with a monument. I would like to research/interview/learn about the Jewish community in Greece. I have 2...
View ArticleWhy don’t we visit Mount Sinai?
Question: If Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai by G-d himself why is this Mountain not visited by Jewish people or tourists around the world? Answer: We would not want people to worship the...
View ArticleHow Did the Torah Exist Before it Happened?
Question: Could you explain to me how Jacob could study Torah "in the tents" if Torah was given to Moses centuries later? And could you explain how Jacob could study the Torah in which he, too, is a...
View ArticleThe Names of Yisro
Question: Why did Moses' father-in-law have three names? Answer: If "chosen" means "in-law", and not specifically "father-in-law", there's no need to assume that one person had three different names....
View ArticleEye for an Eye vs. Turning the Other Cheek
Question: My non-Jewish friends tell me that they think Judaism is wrong because it teaches one that an eye for an eye is the right way instead of turning the other cheek. Are they correct in their...
View ArticleFetus vs. Newborn
Question: In Mishpatim, 21:22, we are shown that if a man injures a pregnant woman and she miscarries the crime is treated as bodily harm to the woman and not murder of the fetus. The guilty party is...
View ArticleThe Divine Presence Among the Jewish People
Question: I heard that the Divine Presence completely lifted from the Jewish people after they crossed the Jordon. Did it leave gradually? Did Moshe Rabbeinu (Our teacher Moses) impact this? Answer:...
View ArticleThe Ark that Didn’t Take Up Space
Question: Why did the Aron Hakodesh (The holy ark) in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) have no measurment or no space what so ever? What was the reason for that? Answer: Hi! The Aron haKodesh had no...
View ArticleSo Many Details of the Tabernacle!
Question: Why are there so many details on the building of the Tabernacle, yet hardly any details regarding the creation of the world and us? Answer: It is important to keep in mind that the Torah was...
View ArticleDomestic Violence
Question: Can you please tell me what does the Jewish Law says about domestic violence against women? Answer: Spouse abuse is absolutely prohibited by Torah law and is grounds for divorce. Jewish women...
View ArticleUrim and Tumim of the High Priest
Question: What is the Urim & Tumim on the Ephod? How were they used by the priest? And the big question - what happened to them? Answer: Inside the Breastplate was placed God's sacred names....
View ArticleMen’s and Women’s Clothing
Question: What does the Torah have to say about clothing for men and women? How similar can they be? Why should/shouldn't there be any difference between them? Answer: Thank you very much for your...
View ArticleWhat makes music enjoyable?
Question: What makes music enjoyable? Answer: Music is the language of the soul. Therefore, when we listen to music, we hear it at a very deep level. This means that music is a very powerful soul-tool,...
View ArticleMegillah (Scroll) of Esther: Accuracy and Lessons
Question: Do you believe that the book of Esther is historically accurate? If it is not, do you believe that the lessons we can learn from it are equally as valid? Answer: Thank you for asking this...
View ArticleHamantashen
Question: Why do we eat Hamantashen (a filled triangular cookie) on Purim? Answer: The hamantash is three-cornered to signify that the man named Haman was "tash" (weakened in Hebrew) by the merit of...
View ArticleDate of Purim
Question: Do we celebrate Purim on the date that victory was declared in the Jewish war against their Persian enemies? When did the war commence and what was the war's duration? Answer: The war was...
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