Dear JITC- What did Rabbi Akiva’s students do wrong? Whatever they did, isn’t killing 24,000 of them a bit much? Thanks, Daria Dear Daria- Thanks for your question. Allow me to flesh it out a bit for the benefit of those who may not have the necessary frame of reference. The sefirah period, which lasts […]
Hey JITC- What is our responsibility to the environment as observant Jews? Best, Kiki Dear Kiki- Thanks for your question. Our responsibility to the environment does not vary based on whether we are observant Jews, non-observant Jews or non-Jews; we all have the same responsibility. This is because the way in which we interact with […]
Dear Jew in the City- In the Haggadah, it states “Pour out Your wrath upon the nations that do not call out Your name.” Aren’t we supposed to be compassionate and non-violent? How do we come to terms with this difficult text? Best, Jocelyn Dear Jocelyn- Thanks for your question. The first thing one has […]
Dear JITC- Where does the custom of hiding the afikomen (and ransoming it, children from parents or vice versa) come from? Thanks, Lisa Dear Lisa- As you note in your question, there are different customs regarding how to play the afikomen game. In some families, the parents hide it and the children win a prize […]
Dear Jew in the City- What are the halachic requirements of attraction in a prospective marriage? Sincerely, R.G. Dear R.G.- Thanks for your question. Let’s discuss two types of “attraction” – emotional attraction (which we’ll call “love”) and physical attraction (which, for the sake of literary balance, we’ll cynically refer to as “lust”). Let’s address […]
Dear JITC- Can DNA prove Jewish Identity? Thanks, Corey Dear Corey- Thanks for your question. There are a couple of things to consider when examining such a question. The first thing to understand is that the Torah’s methodologies do not necessarily line-up with our modern assumptions. I’ll explain. When I was a kid, I heard […]
