... Recommend this page to a friend.

Much of the following was taken from the writings of sages past and present ... I've added some thoughts gleaned from a great teacher, Rabbi Avigdor Miller, maybe added a few words to make it more palatable for my non-Jewish readers, but in no way have I made any substantive changes, words of the sages say it all - and I stand in awe of great minds. Remind me to tell you about the makings of a tzadik ... well, maybe someday ... you might have to be a tzadik to explain a tzadik.

What I might have done, and was also challenging, was translate from the scholarly English to a language that I can understand ... and put it into a format more suitable for a webpage ... blockquoting, squaring paragraphs ... and making some corrections along the way, typos etc. (things important to my own obsessive mind) ... but surely never of substance ... you'll never find Buddy "messing" with the minds of scholars.

I have been asked numerous times why the dash always appears in the word, A-lmighty, or the "o" always missing when the words G-d or L-rd are written on this site (and on many other websites).

When I first created the site I figured that most of the vistiors to this section would not be Jewish, certainly not on my site, and would not understand it. So I thought it would be helpful to put something on the site explaining it.

Basically its because Jews are not supposed to write the name G-d, L-rd, or A-lmighty; nor use these names loosly (as we often hear in many explatives). It has to do with the commandment about taking G-d's name in vain. It is believed that if the name were written on a piece of paper and the paper was crumpled, discarded, or destroyed it would be considered a sin. Well, it's a tradition, and you can't argue traditions.

36 Aphorisms of the Baal Shem Tov ... founder of what is possibly the single most important religious movement in Jewish history, Chassidus, many legends have grown around him and it is difficult for us to know what is historical fact. Even the year of his birth is a matter of controversy, some sources say it was 1700.

Action in Jewish Life ... an example of how the Torah and the codes of Jewish law contain detailed and minute advice and ethical guidance for every aspect of daily life, from the most mundane to the loftiest.

Alas, Why-Why, and Never Again ... A chronological history of our saddest times starting September 1, 0069 up to September 24, 1996.

Amen - its Meaning and Implication ... Reciting Amen to a blessing or a prayer demonstrates a statement of affirmation that the blessing is true and hope that the prayer will be answered.

Anger Management 101 ... You can spend thousands on therapies, but all you need is (well, read it). Actually, I could use a good reading and re-reading of it myself.

Arguing - the Jewish Way ... The topic of "peace" is a popular one these days. We hear everyone talk about peace in the home, peace with the Arabs, peace in the inner city. But if peace is such an essential Jewish value, then why are Jews always arguing?

Blessing on the Torah ... Being called up for the Torah blessing is considered a great honor in most synagogues. This being called up is called making or getting an aliyah. What's involved in making aliyah la'Torah?

Creationism vs. Evolutionism ... There are people who say that the world came into existence by chance, without a Creator who caused it and formed it. I wonder how any rational being in a normal state of mind can entertain such a notion. If one holding such a opinion would hear a person expressing a similar view in regard to a water-wheel that revolves in order to irrigate a portion of a field or garden -- and were to say that he thinks it had been set up without any intention on the part of a mechanic who labored to put it together and adjust it, using all his tools to obtain this useful result -- the hearer would wonder, be exceedingly astonished, and think the man who made such a statement extremely foolish. He would promptly charge him with lying, and would reject his assertion ... so we ask, was it by chance or was there purpose behind this universe?

Dating Strategies for the Marriage-Minded ... When it comes to making the decision about choosing a life partner, no one wants to make a mistake. Yet, with a divorce rate of close to 50 percent, it appears that many are making serious mistakes in their approach to finding Mr./Ms. Right! If you ask most couples who are engaged why they're getting married, they'll say: "We're in love" ... what follows are five golden rules for evaluating the prospects of long-term marital success.

Empires and the Jewish People ... Civilizations, nations, and empires that have tried to destroy the Jewish nation; and where are they now?

Ethical Values ... I must give credit to Nathan Ausubel, whose "Book of Jewish Knowledge" has been a source of much information here ... the only changes made were certain personal comments by me, and some changes to make it more digestible for most readers. "Every human being is equal in worth to the whole world."

Five Levels of Pleasure ... G-d made a beautiful world to give us pleasure. But life is complicated. Whether it's making a marriage work or reaching our potential, the path is often fraught with obstacles. The Torah is the owner's manual. If you want to squeeze all the goodness out of life, you need to study the instructions.

Free Will ... No problem is as difficult to fathom as that of "free will" and it's relationship to the existence of an "all-knowing and caring" G-d. Here I will make a start for those interested in this question."

Happiness ... The key to happiness is to take pleasure in what you do have. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Well if it's that easy, how come so many people are unhappy? You might stop comparing yourself to others - they are more screwed up than you think.

Hatikva ... the national anthem of Israel; history, Hebrew lyrics, English lyrics. C'mon everyone, let's all sing it together. You there, stand up and sing.

Hidden Depths ... What important lesson can we learn from that famous story of ...The Splitting of the Red Sea? Just as the sea contains all that the land does, but in a hidden state, so the hidden spiritual world contains all that the physical world does. The same is true of the human intellect ... the conscious, rational mind is a reflection of the hidden, sub-conscious realm of the soul. Read on...

Hide 'n Seek ... The universe is an arena for human action. Within it, man can grow morally and spiritually to achieve his ultimate reward: closeness to G-d. All the difficulties we face in life are but steps along the way, problems we must solve to further our growth -- and as this is going on, G-d remains hidden. Why?

How Jews Got Their Names ... Other than aristocrats and wealthy people Jews did not get surnames in Eastern Europe until the Napoleonic years of the early 19th century. Here's how it happened.

Humility ... The essence here is that there is a difference between true humility and low self-esteem. It's the difference between Moses and Adam (both great people).

Israel's Statistics ... a capsule of Israel's accomplishments compiled by by Prof. D. Koller, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

Israel Today ... "Having been exposed for years to virulent anti-Israel media coverage and anti-Israel bias from their leaders, it is not surprising that so many Europeans have had their views poisoned" (from an article by Alan Dershowitz, Professor of Law at Harvard Univesity).

Jacob's Ladder ... Let's look at the famous dream in which Jacob sees a vision of a ladder. The feet of the ladder are planted firmly on the ground and the head reaches the heavens, with angels ascending and descending. One of many commentaries; the ladder is a metaphor for prayer.

Jewish Census ... State by state (USA) and taken in April, 2001. And this is the population that some claim is taking over the United States?

Jewish Guilt ... “When you build a new house, you shall make a fence for your roof; lest you put blood in your house, when he who falls shall fall from it.” Could this be the basis of Jewish Guilt?

Jewish Holidays ... Hopefully, this will describe any up-coming Jewish holiday. Remember that all Jewish holidays begin the evening before the date specified. This is because a Jewish "day" begins and ends at sunset, rather than at midnight. If you read the story of creation in Genesis Ch. 1, you will notice that it says, "And there was evening, and there was morning, one day." From this, we infer that a day begins with evening, that is, sunset. On the lighter side I'd like to give you a short summary of every Jewish holiday: "They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat."

Jewish Learning ... This covers a 10 lifetimes of study; and that's just warming up. We are talking about the most profound questions that we can only touch upon; we are talking about a wisdom higher than mortals can ever aspire to ... but think of it this way: Not to aspire to anything is to live a life of mediocrity. Right?

Jewish Prayer ... Three times a day, wherever he (or she) is, time is set aside for making a special connection to the creator of the world.

Judaism ... Links going outside this website. This poses a problem on all websites in that one has no control over what happens outside. That's the nature of the internet; pages come and go leaving many links to these pages leading to the famous "page not found" message. Let's hope for the best. If you want to be a good sport, send me a note indicating that some particular link is dead and I'll dutifully delete it or find a substitute for it..

Kaddish ... This page is the Jewish prayer for the dead; it is put here in memory of my mother, Nettie, and my father, Nathan. For any readers who have never seen Hebrew lettering, here's an opportunity.

Klezmer Music in a Few Words ... originated in the villages and the ghettos of Eastern Europe, where itinerant Jewish troubadours performed at joyous events, particularly weddings, since the early middle age till the Nazi and Stalinian prosecutions. It was inspired with secular melodies, popular dances, Jewish cantorial music and also with the the wordless melodies intended by the orthodox Jews for approaching G-d in a kind of ecstatic communion.

Laws of Kosher ... Kashrut (Jewish dietary law) is the body of Jewish law dealing with what foods we can and cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared and eaten . "Kashrut" comes from the Hebrew root Kaf-Shin-Resh, meaning fit, proper or correct. It is the same root as the more commonly known word "kosher," which describes food that meets these standards ... The word "kosher" can also be used, and often is used, to describe ritual objects that are made in accordance with Jewish law and are fit for ritual use.

Life After Death ... is there yes, is there no, do you care, is there an answer? The Chassidic master Rabbi Shnuer Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch and the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic movement, explains that life as we know it can indeed survive death; the question is only what sort of life is it that we know before death.

Mark Twain Speaking About the Jews ... Mark Twain must have sensed something about the Jews and wonders why they have lasted when all the other great civilizations of antiquity are long buried under ground.

Material Concerns ... from whence come our material concerns. Is it possible that they are all sublimations of a greater need we have?

Money ... Is it really the root of all evil? The Torah talks about gold, silver and other precious metals which were used for various purposes in the Mishkan (tabernacle) and later in the actual temple. A seemingly excessive emphasis is placed on the physical and material substances, considering we are dealing with a spiritual matter. So how do we explain that?

Mussar: Personal Growth and Self Perfection ... typically defined as ethical teachings, devoted to character and behavioral improvement. This includes a very broad range of strategies and approaches to such improvement. There are various "schools" of mussar (each with its special history and great personalities) which are characterized by particular emphases, each of which are rooted in traditional Torah thought.

On Being a Jew ... three reasons why Jews (of course with many exceptions) are really smart and in spite of their small representation among the peoples of the world, have succeeded beyond anyone's imagination ... written by Mel Brooks. I guess he's not just a comedian.

Our Sages and Our Scholars ... you heard of the shoulders of giants, well, here they are: Hillel & Shammai, Yochanan ben Zakkai, Akiba, Judah Ha-Nasi, Rashi, Rambam, Ramban, Baal Shem Tov, Nachman, and my teacher, Avigdor Miller.

Reincarnation ... states that as long as a person is unsuccessful in his purpose in this world, G-d will uproot him and replant him over and over again. The story, "Three People and a Tree" in some way, explains why bad things *appear* to happen to good people (or why good things appear to happen to bad people).

Relating to Wicked People ... we are all exposed to wicked people at times. Question is, how should one relate to such a person to hopefully change the person's ways, and at the same time, protect one's own, very vulnerable, ethical postion. A taste of Pirkei Avos, literally Chapters of Our Fathers, a section of the Mishna, one of the most fundamental works of the Jewish Oral Law.

Secrets of Life ... Life is one of the most complex concepts that escapes any cultural, intellectual, or spiritual barriers. Life has ups and downs which, at times, defy our understanding. Most people would want to have a list of rules or tips to guide them along the path of life. In Judaism there are quite a few such rules, but what first comes to my mind is Pirkei Avos, the (Ethics of Our Fathers). Pirkei Avos has no boundary of time and is known for its concise listing of how we could better our lives. Life is shaped by the small details -- details which we tend to neglect and even scorn.

Slander ... One of the worst sins imaginable; one almost tantamount to murder in that the good name, livelihood, reputation, etc. can all be destroyed by a single word, look, expression.

Sophie Scholl ... Here's a Christian girl, age 21, who showed all the heroism that a human is capable of showing. We must remember Sophie Scholl.

Source of Inspiration ... Hillel said, "If I am not for me who is for me, if I am for myself what am I, and if not now when" ... here...s an interesting commentary on that most important line from "Pirkie Avos" (Ethics of the Fathers) ... some might even claim it...s a summary of Judaism.

Talmudic Method of Study ... the starting point is the principle that any text that is deemed worthy of serious study must be assumed to have been written with such care and precision that every term, expression, generalization or exception is significant not so much for what it states as for what it implies.

The Amidah ... The Amidah is the central prayer of all four services: shacharis (morning), mincha (afternoon), maariv (evening), and mussaf (additional). The word Amidah literally means standing, because it is recited while standing. It is also known as Shemoneh Esrei, meaning eighteen, because it originally consisted of eighteen blessings (now 19) It is maybe second to The Shema in importance and there is an obligation to pray three times a day, which was established by Ezra and codified in the Talmud.

The Internet and Intimacy ... Uh oh; this is a modern problem which I attempt to address. We know that an e-mail relationship is an exposure to a small part of a person. It creates an out of context impression of that person. It is exposure to that individual with none of the myriad of the nitty-gritty daily life stresses and pressures that challenge all of us and invariably reduce us in size and stature in our spouses' eyes. The e-mail correspondents share none of these. Their relationship is uncontaminated by real life. As such it is a mere fantasy and illusion.

The Jewish Way of Death ... Death is the crisis of life. How a man handles death indicates a great deal about how he approaches life. As there is a Jewish way of life, there is a Jewish way of death. In Judaism, death is not a tragedy, even when it occurs early in life or through unfortunate circumstances. Death is a natural process. Our deaths, like our lives, have meaning and are all part of G-d's plan. In addition, we have a firm belief in an afterlife, a world to come, where those who have lived a worthy life will be rewarded.

The Jewish Way of Mourning ... Judaism, with its long history of dealing with the soul of man, its intimate knowledge of man's achievements and foibles, his grandeur and his weakness, has wisely devised a system of graduated mourning periods. During this time, the mourner may express his or her grief and release, with calculated regularity, the built-up tensions caused by bereavement. Here we see how the Jewish religion provides a beautifully structured approach to mourning which is divided into five stages. It is a system of graduated mourning periods. During this time, the mourner may express his or her grief and release, with calculated regularity, the built-up tensions caused by bereavement.

The Jewish Wedding ... A traditional Jewish wedding is full of meaningful rituals, giving expression to the deepest significance and purpose of marriage. These rituals symbolize the beauty of the relationship of husband and wife, as well as their obligations to each other and to the Jewish people. In preparing for the wedding, the chossen (Hebrew for groom) and kallah (bride) should not only pay attention to the material and temporal aspects of married life, but should focus as well on ensuring their religious, spiritual and moral readiness for the future. This guide explains the Jewish wedding traditions to help you better understand the beauty and joy of the celebration.

The Healers ... Incessantly, both Jews and Gentiles have expressed wonderment why it is that, in proportion to the general population, there are not only many more Jewish doctors than non-Jewish practitioners, but that, in many instances, they also seem to show a marked affinity for their professions. Why have an astonishing number of Jewish doctors distinguished themselves as clinicians and medical scientists? It's a good question, and deserves a good answer.

The Holocaust ... Called in Hebrew HaShoah, the holocaust was the Nazi systematic slaughter of all Jews. It began officially in 1933, when Hitler and the Nazis came to political power in Germany, and it lasted until 1945, when Germany accepted military defeat at the hands of the Allies. During that time, the Nazis committed atrocities unique in the history of the world.

The Material Jew ... Yes, the Jew can be very materialistic (our relative successes in the world has proven that). And yes, Jacob did deceive Esau and can be called the great deceiver. Now let's look into this with some detail.

The Nature of G-d ... The nature of G-d is one of the few areas of abstract Jewish belief where there are a number of clear-cut ideas about which there is little dispute or disagreement.

The Nature of Man ... On the question of human nature, as in most areas of abstract belief in Judaism, there is a lot of room for personal opinion (Judaism has no dogma, no formal set of beliefs that one must hold to be a Jew. In Judaism, actions are far more important than beliefs, although there is certainly a place for belief within Judaism). There is no dogma on the subject, no required belief about the nature of humanity. There are a variety of contrary opinions expressed on the subject, and one is no less a Jew (and no less a good Jew) for disagreeing with any or all of these opinions. Nevertheless, there are certain ideas that seem to reflect the majority opinion in Jewish thought that are worth discussing.

The Seven Noahide Laws ... In addition to the Ten Commandments, we have these seven laws which all people are required to keep. Without the observance of these laws, it is difficult to imagine a viable civilization continuing.

The Shema ... At the very heart of Judaism lies the Shema, the fervent declaration of the Unity or Oneness of G-d. This is the Jewish prayer most often recited, an affirmation most insistently made by the pious from childhood until death.

The Ten Commandments ... The Ten Utterances of G-d to the Jewish People at Mt. Sinai, which form the moral underpinning of human civilization. The Hebrew is given phonetically along with the meaning followed by an explanation of each commandment. A full explanation of each commandment would take volumes.

Thirteen Principals of Faith ... Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonedes Hospital?), or the Rambam (made up of the initial consonants), was one of the first codifiers of Jewish law. The foremost intellectual figure of medieval Judaism; a philosopher, jurist, and physician, and his fourteen volume Mishneh Torah covers all of Jewish law, belief and practice. He was born in Spain in 1135, lived most of his life in Egypt, and died there in 1204. Here are the Rambam's thirteen principles of Jewish faith, they are the basic and most important points of faith in the Jewish religion.

Torah in a Nutshell ... I suppose this should be the first page looked at. It's really an overview of the books, commandments, and traditions of the Jewish people. It also speaks briefly on the meaning of "chosen people" (so often misunderstood).

Torah Thinking ... The Torah, which is seen as a decorative scroll in any synagogue, consists of the "Five Books of Moses" or the Pentateuch ... plus the Prophets, plus the Writings, along with the many interpretations (Talmud) that have come down through the ages. It's more than a story ... it's more than history ... it's certainly not casual reading. We don't even use the word "read" when referring to the Torah ... the term is "study" ... for us it is the blueprint of how to live in this world ... it's the heart of the Jewish religion.

What Jews Believe ... This is a far more difficult question than you might expect. Judaism has no dogma, no formal set of beliefs that one must hold to be a Jew. In Judaism, actions are far more important than beliefs, although there is certainly a place for belief within Judaism. In Jewish history, the closest that anyone has ever come to creating a widely accepted list of Jewish beliefs is Rambam's thirteen principles of faith.

Who is a Jew ... In Jewish thinking, in Torah thinking, the Jew has a mission in this world. No, it's not to take over the world, but to make this material world a dwelling place for the Creator, to raise the material to a higher level of spirituality, and to hope that all will eventually know that there is one G-d who is the father of all. The Torah refers to Man as the "image of G-d" (Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1). As implied from this, Judaism believes that the essence of Man's task is to emulate our Creator. Unlike all other creatures, we have free will. Just as G-d Himself is free, so too must we be free if our emulation of G-d is to have any real meaning. History is the process through which Man will learn to understand his task and to fulfill it.

Why Bad Things Happen to Good People ... People approach the topic of suffering from two separate perspectives. One is the "intellectual agenda:" A person is bothered by this issue and wants to intellectually understand it. The other is the "emotional agenda" ... Here a person may right now be suffering (or know someone who is suffering), and it is bothersome emotionally. It is very important to understand that these two agendas don't always coincide.

Why Do We Pray ... A person praying is a standing paradox, a swaying contradiction, a self divided against itself. Both body and soul are praying. The body is praying for life and existence. The soul is praying to escape life, to transcend existence.

FINALLY, and here I'll take full responsibility for the content, and I welcome any responses as I am sure there are other points of view, I offer these four pages:

Case Against Christianity ... What is it that accounts for the long, strange tradition of hating the Jews? We know it wasn't until October 28, 1965, that Pope Paul VI thoughtfully proclaimed Jews not collectively guilty for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. So what were the feelings, better yet, the cause of the feelings, that the Christian population had, or were taught to have, toward the Jews before that Papal announcement?

The Jewish Position on Jesus ... Much has been written and one position is that it is the Christians who must prove their case, not the Jews. How is that? Well, the Jewish religion existed for thousands of years before Christianity, and Christianity accepts the truth of the Torah and other Jewish Scriptures as Divinely revealed truth. As such, there is no need to enter into any debate regarding the truth of Judaism per se when dealing with Christians. However, Christians maintain that their god, Jesus, came to the world and annulled the laws of the Torah, replacing them with a "New Covenant" that demands belief in Jesus. This page shows it's an extraordinary and untenable claim on several grounds (which see).

22 Questions for Pope Benedict XVI ... by Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox -Year 2005
The Vatican's Sin of Omission ... by Arthur Hertzberg, May 14, 2005

These subjects, like most that people really think about, is just lightly touched here. There's so much more to it, and like most of what matters, the answers are in Torah.