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 […]

Inheritance can be complicated in any family. Emotions run high in the aftermath of grief, and there is sometimes a lot at stake. This dynamic used to be even more fraught in Jewish families, as the Torah technically does not allow for a woman to inherit from her parents. We spoke to Rabbi Shlomo Weissman, an […]

Dear Jew in the City, What is the difference between a pilegesh (concubine) and a wife in the Torah? S.D. Dear S.D.- For the answer to this, let us turn to tractate Kesubos in the Talmud Yerushalmi (5:2). There, the gemara asks your exact question. Rabbi Meir explains that a wife has a kesubah (marriage […]

Dear Jew in the City- How can there be many “right” ways to live a Jewish life? There seems to be only one way, living within the parameters set by the Torah. And if there is variation in the levels of observance within those parameters why is it acceptable to choose anything other than the […]

Hi JITC- The idea that there’s a halacha that we don’t have to return lost money to a non-Jew has always bothered me. Maybe I could see it making sense if we are in a society where non-Jews are anti-Semitic. But does this also apply when non-Jews treat us nicely? Thank you, David Dear David- […]

Dear JITC- I once spoke to an Orthodox Jew who told me that he didn’t have to report abuse because there is no source for molestation being prohibited in the Torah. Why isn’t it sourced explicitly? How do we understand that it is indeed wrong according to Judaism? Best, J.A.   Dear J.A.- Wow. There […]