Judaism/Spirituality

HARRY POTTER. Q. Is it wrong to read the Harry Potter books given that they are about witchcraft and wizardry? A. Most people would say they are harmless fun and I even hear of Jewish parodies about “Chayyim Po-tter” (“po-tter” could be taken as a Hebrew verb meaning to excuse …

RESTFUL NOAH. “No’ach” means “rest”, because he lightened the load of human beings by inventing the plough – the first machine that humanity ever had. In a second way he also eased the lot of his contemporaries by rebuilding civilisation after the great flood. However, the critics say that he …

THE BEGINNINGS OF HUMANITY. The Book of B’reshit leads us through four stages – man (and woman), family, tribe and people. Each stage fascinated our ancient ancestors. The stage we will concern ourselves with here is the first, depicting not just how humanity began but what the rabbinic age of …

Many people can relate to the annoyance of someone who gets a bit overboard in sharing his or her vacation memories and photos?  It almost seems as if the photos replace the purpose of the vacation.  Many would even question the purpose of a visit to Pisa, if is bereft …

THE JEWISH LITERACY DAY. Simchat Torah is probably the only religious festival anywhere that celebrates a book. Most religions – Judaism too – make grand occasions out of historical anniversaries. Many celebrate great thinkers, mentors, martyrs and spiritual leaders. Many have times of supreme joy interspersed with times of supreme …

HOUSEY HOUSEY. There once was a game called Housey Housey. Regardless of the way the game works, Sukkot is a “housey housey” occasion. It’s about the house we emerge from – and the house we enter. During the rest of the year we mostly reside in comfortable homes, secure from …

THE TREASURE. Every culture has its story of the person who went searching for treasure and finally found it in his own garden. In Judaism its great expression is Yom Kippur. Jews who go wandering throughout the year come home to Judaism on Yom Kippur and suddenly find that the …

  STAND BY FOR THE COVENANT. The final Shabbat of the Jewish year tells us that we are all standing before God, about to enter a covenant with Him. The Hebrew for covenant is “b’rit”. Members of the covenant are “b’nai b’rit”. It sounds like the name of the brotherhood …

A new twist to Rosh Hashana’s round challahs with beigel/bagel bake. [CAIRNS, QLD] — With just a few weeks before the onset of the Jewish New Year the Jewish women of Cairns were tasked with mixing, kneading and making blessings as they learn the Yiddish art of beigel/bagel making, a new twist …

THE TRUE HERO OF ROSH HASHANAH. Heroes and villains abound in the festival stories. Pesach pits Pharaoh and Moses against each other. On Purim it is Haman and Mordechai. On Chanukah it is Antiochus and Judah Maccabee. What about Rosh Hashanah? Since the festival is not based on narratives there …

Guest post from Yad L’Achim      Yad L’achim, is a non-profit NGO dedicated to rescuing women and children trapped in Arab villages in Israel, which works to combat “Messianic Jews” – missionaries who target vulnerable olim to join their Christian cult. These “Messianic Jews”  have, over the years, targeted new immigrants …

      FOODIES & IDOLATRY. Q.  Is it ethically right for people to be foodies and say they can’t manage without their designer meals and culture coffee? A.  It’s a sign of an empty life if all you can think about is decadent dining and fine wines. I remember …

APPRECIATING THE TREES. Q. I was puzzled when I read in Pir’kei Avot that if a person is walking along rehearsing his studies and stops to look at a tree and remarks, “How beautiful that tree is!” deserves to lose his life. What has he or she done wrong? A. …

I have hurt the feelings of a friend who shall remain anonymous. I got involved in a conversation I was just supposed to follow and not join. But I could not believe what I was reading. I have had it with Reform Jews. Please note I call myself a secular …

SANCTIONS FOR ADULTERY Q. I am aware that adultery is forbidden in Judaism, but what are the sanctions against a person who cheats on their spouse? A. The Biblical law concerning adultery (Ex. 20:13, Deut. 5:17) clearly establishes the principle of marital faithfulness. Husband and wife must be able to …

We live in a time when we can have virtually unlimited access to vast resources of information in devices as small as our watches. Astoundingly, we most often harness this capability to play games and look at “memes” and cartoons.  This point struck home when I went to a scheduled …

WHY BLAME OURSELVES? What strange people the sages were. Two Temples were laid waste, Jewish sovereignty was terminated, millennia of exile and persecution set in, and all that the sages could do was to blame the Jewish people for their own misfortunes. What did they say? “Umip’nei chatan’einu…” Jews fell …

LAW OF THE LAND. Q. Since there is a rule in the Talmud, “The law of the land is the law”, how come that rabbis sometimes criticise the government? A. The rule, “Dina D’Malchuta Dina” – “the Law of the Kingdom is the Law” is probably limited to matters such …

FASTING ON 17 TAMMUZ. Q. Now that we have a State of Israel do we still need to fast on 17 Tammuz? A. This is one of the four fasts commemorating the destruction of the Temple. 17 Tammuz marks the enemy’s breach in the walls of Jerusalem. Zechariah said (8:18-19) …

BLAMING RELIGION. Q. Are people right to blame religion for the world’s problems? A. Religion is not blameless. Its proponents need to identify the constructive elements in religious tradition and make them the agenda. Not that governments will like it if religion says it has some solutions to offer: the …