Dear Jew in the City- Can we ever sin in order to do good? On one hand, I know you can’t do an aveirah to do a mitzvah, but on the other, I heard that Queen Esther committed a sin for the good of the Jewish people. Which one is it? Thank you, L.E. Dear […]

Dear Jew in the City- Harry Potter was just translated into Yiddish but isn’t witchcraft prohibited in the Torah? How is this book okay to read? -MM Dear MM- Why should it not be okay to read? Witchcraft is prohibited in the Torah, reading about witchcraft isn’t. Along similar lines, murder is prohibited by the […]

Hi JITC- I grew up religious but haven’t kept Shabbos in ten years. How do I know that there is a World to Come if no one has ever returned? Keeping Shabbos does not make me feel better or more holy, why is it important for me to keep it? Thanks, N.T. Dear N.T.- Thanks […]

Dear Jew in the City- What is the meaning of having a birthday for trees? Thanks, Stephanie Dear Stephanie- Thanks for your question. Aside from the fact that “birthday” is something of a mistranslation, the idea of Tu b’Shevat is actually kind of a technical legal thing and not a day celebrating nature or agriculture […]

Hi JITC- What does Judaism say about gun rights? Thanks, Emma Dear Emma- Thanks for your timely question. Before we get into it, I’d like to preface by saying that, whatever we determine the Torah’s position to be, it does not necessarily mandate a political position for us. For example, the Torah permits slavery and […]

Dear Jew in the City- I am hesitant to say anything in opposition to a beautiful, courageous act and cause any sort of divisiveness at a time when Jews must come together but I do have a theological question. When the man who stopped the Monsey attacker from doing more harm got a medal for […]