Do Criminals Deserve Kosher Food?
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Dear Rabbi,
If an Orthodox Jew is found guilty by a court of law in the United States, does that person forfeit certain benefits of being Jewish? I f so, please cite the section of the Bible where this is stated.
Thank you.
Rob
Shalom Rob,
Can you elaborate? Guilty of what crime? Offhand, I can't think of any crime, when convicted of, that would cause the person to forfeit religious rights or be absolved of obligations. Let's say someone robs a bank and is imprisoned, he can't reasonably demand from the prison authorities that he be given a pass three times a day to pray with a quorum. In this case, by committing his crime, the person relinquishes those religious rights that are overridden by society's right to protect itself. On the other hand, I cannot see why he should not be able to pray alone.
Let me know if this helps.
Rabbi Lazer Danzinger for Chabad.org
Thank you very much for answering me. The person is incarcerated in the state of ________ for murdering his girlfriend. He appealed to the state supreme court to have kosher meals served to him, and he won! I don't think he is worthy of the meals, considering the seriousness of his crime. I am Jewish, had a bar mitzvah, and am unfortunately not religious, but I think this person makes a mockery of the religion. Again, I thank you for time and await your answer.
Rob,
I can understand where you are coming from. From a Jewish perspective, just because a person committed a grievous sin for which he is being punished doesn't mean that we, as a society, have a right to force him to commit other transgressions. On the contrary, since this person has fallen so low, it is doubly important for him to be able to rehabilitate himself. Reconnecting to his Jewish faith can only help in this curative process. You can read more in this article by Rabbi Sholom B. Lipskar, a rabbi who devotes much time and energy to Jews behind bars.
Rabbi Lazer Danzinger for Chabad.org
Dear Rabbi,
I want to thank you, and appreciate your time for answering. Your answer sheds a different light as to why he should have kosher meals. You have helped in the reasoning for his meals and other matters.
Thanks again, and good health.
Rob
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Latest Comments:
I believe it is more important for Jews who have turned their backs on Judaism and G-d and the torah to ALLOW conversion to Christianity because the emphasis there is SAVING THE INNER behaviors and ATTITUDES. We may not like it, but it may be what they need MORE than saving their ability to keep the laws in a literal sense. AFTER they have changed their attitudes THEN we can worry about getting them back to Judaism. I think the salvation brainwashing is necessary for some of the most hardened of criminals before the food washing and washing of hands, etc. Doesn't the Torah say there is a time and place for EVERYthing? So, there is a time and place for the much hated conversion process, as well. Would I feel better having a felon become a Christian or become a Kosher eating person. Hmm. No contest. I'd feel safer when the person gets out if he/she has some sense of morality, even if it is not a Jewish sense of morality. I'd sleep better at night. Let G-d handle it.
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Why is it that some people stick up for the murderers, perverted, rapists etc to have their rights in prisons? What about considering the victims ... the sufferings they go throught every day because of some nut, who killed their beloved daughters or sons. Didn't they have a right to live, AND ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD IN THIS TEMPORARY EXISTENCE? BUT NOW THEIR LIVES WERE SNUFFED OUT... It does not mentioned if the murderer repented, was sorry, [not for getting caught] but for his ungodly action, first to GOD, then to the Bereaved family. Does he truly show remorse, A SENSE OF GUILT for the past wrongs? I believe in true repentance and a man can re-adjust the best he can but the memories of the crime will haunt him the rest of his life. KING DAVID said ''my sin is always before me."
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I love your name. It is in a song I totally love.Eliyaho Hanavi. (Is that the title?) Secondly, Gooo-d bless you for doing what you are doing. I always had prejudice FOR Jews that "We would NEVER" do this or that. You are right, however. It's just that when I see one doing or saying or acting in such an antisocial manner, I am in such denial. I could have gone to jail once when I was a teenager. I found out if I had reported abuse by my parents, then I WOULD HAVE been put into a juvenile detention facility. So, I didn't report anything. I protected them, very much out of my own fear of being put into jail. In those days, the law was very different from now. Thank you for your explanation. I guess I am still in denial that there can be Jewish criminals. It still shocks me.
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Karen, Jews, like anyone else, end up in jail or prison for a wide variety of reasons, and most dong involve "horrible" crimes. I'm a criminal defense paralegal, and visit Jews in nearby prisons. They can be there for drug offenses, theft, violation of no contact orders, assault (which can be as minor an offense as having shoved or slapped someone), DUI, or many other things. I've found that, for the most part, prisoners aren't very different from you or me, and most would like to get their lives back on track. And, for the most part, you won't be able to tell that they'd been in prison after they're released. With the US leading the world in per capita imprisonment, you encounter former prisoners every day and don't know it, including in the Jewish community. TV demonizes prisoners, but the reality is that they tend to be fairly normal people who messed up along the way, not raving psychopaths looking for the chance to commit more crimes.
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ANY Jewish prisoners. I didn't find a one in the perhaps, 3 or 4 places I was sent. At least, of those who were on my roll call (per name recognition). I sort of always thought Jewish people never did anything to go to jail. I am sort of naive. I knew some whom I thought SHOULD HAVE been in jail, and perhaps those people slanted my feelings about Jewish prisoners. These were people who disdained society and morals, and were "hardened in their hearts". I am thinking Jews would have to have done something HORRIBLE that is nearly unforgivable to have been put into jail. What do I know? I would like to meet a repentant Jew in jail who REALLY wants to re-connect with Judaism for HONEST reasons (not just to manipulate the system). Maybe I am a bit cynical. As I said, I think enough would be to stop abusing prisoners and killing them. Then, once that's taken care of, we can revisit the Kosher food plight.
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LOL Chaya.....I would have been dumbfounded, also. I suppose the Chassidic Jews swinging chickens around their head for what Holy Day is it looks just as stupid for people who don't know about the tradition.
You sound like a very nice person I'd like to meet one day. You have your opinions and views and I have mine. When we stand before the Heavenly Court, G-d will decide who, or both of us is correct in our beliefs.
May G-d continue to shower you and your family with Torah blessings.
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Maybe the Wikkans YOU know didn't wear bones in their hair or kill chickens. In my public school special ed classroom, I had a sweet girl who had a problem with not doing homework. She said she had no lights in her house and that all the walls were painted black, and to do homework she needed to sit on the stairs of the building. I called her mom in, and the mom came in with a long black dress, long black hair with a bone in it for decoration. She carried a purse made of a bomb case. She said yes, that's how they live because she is Wikkan, a good witch. I said, "Ah. Just curious. Is that a human bone?" "No, it's a chicken bone. We kill them during our rituals for sacrifice and pass the bones around." She later said she liked me and would say a spell for me at home. After somewhat choking, I said, "Thank you...?" She said, "Yes, it will be a good spell because you are a good spirit and treated me nicely." So, like I said, Wikkan. I'll never forget that mom.
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Just the opposite. I care very much about the welfare of the incarcerated. In fact, where I taught Jail School Inmates, the conditions were TERRIBLE, often leading to guards making the girls pregnant and physically attacking the male inmates (one time taking out an eyeball and another time breaking an arm). One girl had tried to escape and ended up dead "accidentally". She was pregnant by a guard. A 13 year old who had reported being raped by a prison guard ended up "committing suicide". I don't see a problem with "inmates having better behavior" if they get kosher food. I see the problem as one of SURVIVAL. Staying alive! Keeping kosher is the LEAST of their problems. No, the inmates knew I DID care about them. They even saved my life one time by warning me not to come when they were planning a prison riot. They said they liked me and didn't want me to get hurt. No, my concern is much GREATER than kosher food. They deserve to stay alive! Forget kosher. Just don't poison regular food.
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Incarcerated Jews are making "Teshuva" with society. They're paying a price for the wrongs that they have done against society. Most of society never forgives them and doesn't accept them when released. Ask any felon attempting to get a job upon release. Prisons don't rehabilitate men and women, but G-d does.
We have a convicted felon who is a member of my synagogue. With support of our group, this man is now a productive, contributing member of society, has a blossoming business and pays his dues. With the help of Aleph and Jews who cared for his soul, he made Teshuva. What do you suppose could have happend to him upon his release? How many options would he have had without support of G-d, Torah and Jews who believed in him?
You probably never heard any of your students speak of G-d because they didn't know of Him in any manner... Did they see G-d in your heart in the way that you related to these young people? What a golden opportunity you had!!!! :-)
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LOL Wickkans with bone in their hir and killing chickens. You have your religions confused. Wickkans look and behave no differently from non Orthodox or Amish folks. You must be referring to the Haitians who practice voodoo or their other religion. Try taking a class in comparative religions.
My daughter was in a high security then a low security prison. In both facilities the women are issued 1 roll of toiet paper and more if necessary. Why? because inmates, especially in male prisons, tend to cause problems bystuffing rolls of t.p. into the toilets in their cells to flood cells and cella area with a back up of sewage.
It is a proven fact that inmates who are allowed to practice their religious beliefs have better behavior, and cause fewer issues.
No Jew and I do mean NO JEW deserves to be denied the opportunity to make TESHUVA (repentance) with G-d. and Teshuva means accepting Torah and its commandments. In the case of incarcerated men and women, as many mitzvot as possible in their situation.
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