http://www.chabad.org/search/keyword.asp?kid=10434 Newest articles written by Y. Eliezer Danzinger Copyright 2005, Chabad.org - Chabad-Lubavitch Media Center, all rights reserved. http://www.chabad.org/media/images/50/CtRx507451.gif 130 52 http://www.chabad.org Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=1037420 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=1037420 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 app Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=837699 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=837699 Question: Who or what are the 36 holy people? I get the gist of such people being alive at one time, but are they still around? What is their purpose? Is it all a mystery? Response: Our holy books say that every generation actually has a minimum (there may be more) of 72 holy men, 36 who live in Israel, and 36 who live outside of Israel. The number 36 corresponds to the 6 days of creation, and the 30 days of an average month. It also corresponds to the 36 candles kindled during Hanukkah. The primary source for this teaching is in the Talmud, Succah 45b: "The world never has less than thirty-six righteous men who receive the Divine Presence every day, for it is said, 'Happy are they that wait lo [for Him]' and the numerical value of 'lo' is thirty-six." In merit of these righteous individuals, our world receives the divine vitality that keeps it going. We do not know for sure, however, the identity of all these extraordinary individuals. Sources The 36 hidden tzadikim are discussed by t Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=744013 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=744013 Question: I am owed money by Jews for goods and services provided over the past few months on credit. I expected all of the outstanding invoices to have been paid by Rosh Hashanah, but it's beginning to look like some will not be paid by then. I did not lend money to any of these people. Will these debts be canceled by Shemitah? Answer: If a Jew has an outstanding loan to another Jew, at the end of the seventh year, the Shemitah year, that debt is cancelled. In the times of Hillel the Elder, this cancellation of debts had become self-defeating: In the seventh year, it became next to impossible to secure a loan, because most lenders refrained from lending money, knowing that they wouldn't get their money back. In response to this fiscal belt-tightening of the wealthy, Hillel and the Supreme Court of the time devised a legal procedure, known as the pruzbul, to ensure that the needy would still be able to procure needed funds. In a pruzbul, a person simply turns over all of his outstandin Wed, 24 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=684725 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=684725 In general, the laws of kosher are for (Jewish) humans, not for animals. There are, however, two sorts of non-kosher food that we are not only forbidden to eat, but we are also forbidden to derive any benefit from: 1) Chametz on Passover. (Click here for more on this topic.) 2) A cooked mixture of dairy and meat. Code of Jewish Law, Yoreh De'ah 87:1; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 46:5. Cooking such a mixture is itself prohibited. So pet food that does not contain both milk and meat is fine for year-round use. Except on Passover, when we have to be certain that the product contains no chametz. If, however, the product contains meat, then this product may only be used if it doesn't also contain milk (or a milk derivative, such as whey or casein). I should point out, though, that the "meat" that we may not cook with milk, or may not benefit from if it was cooked with milk, is meat from a kosher animal. Code of Jewish Law, ibid. par. 3. Therefore, if it can be determined that the meat in the pet f Tue, 3 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=674395 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=674395 A closer look at a 3,300 year-old environmental protecttion law Tue, 13 May 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=654739 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=654739 Question: I've heard it said that after the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, the rabbis banned any Jew from living in Spain—punishable by excommunication. Is this true? Answer: Recent halachic authorities have discussed this question extensively. Responsa: Kol Mevaser, vol. 1, sec. 13 (he further says that from the responsa of the Mabit, vol. 1, sec. 107, it is clear that there was no such ban); Seridi Esih, vol. 2, sec. 6; Tzitz Eliezer, vol. 5, sec. 17. The conclusion they reach is virtually unanimous: there is no written record indicating that such a ban ever existed. Thus, there are no verifiable grounds for such a supposition, neither in halachic texts nor historical works from that period. And even if such a ban did exist, it is more than likely, they say, that the ban applied only to Jews of that generation, who had lived in Spain, forbidding them from returning, should the opportunity have arisen. Rabbi Eliezer Danzinger for Chabad.org Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=648695 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=648695 Question: Is work permitted on Purim? Or is it like Passover and other holidays when we can't? Answer: On Purim, the prevailing practice is to refrain from working to heighten the celebration of this festive day. We refer, here, to time consuming work, or work done for the purpose of earning a livelihood. However, it is certainly permitted to perform any other sort of "work" such as driving, cooking, or turning on lights. And it is also permitted to work in order to fulfill a mitzvah, or for Purim-related needs and activities. Grocery stores thus remain open, to allow people to do last minute Purim shopping. Our Sages further stated: "Whoever works on Purim will never see a blessing from the profits earned." See Code of Jewish Law, Orach Chaim 696:1. Best wishes for a truly joyous and festive Purim! May we truly profit from it, both materially and spiritually. Rabbi Eliezer Danzinger for Chabad.org Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=627663 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=627663 Question: Moses is the name given by Pharaoh's daughter to the infant that she "drew from the water." Doesn't this imply that Pharaoh's daughter spoke Hebrew? And what name did Moses' parents give him? Answer: According to the Chizkuni, His commentary on Exodus 2:10, "She called his name Moses, as she said 'For I drew him from the water.'" it was actually Moses' biological mother, Jochebed, who gave Moses (משה) his name. Jochebed later told Pharaoh's daughter, Bithiah, the child's Hebrew name in Hebrew, and so Bithiah also called him by this name, remarking that this name was indeed appropriate, since she had drawn See Rashi on Exodus 2:10, s.v. "mi'shi'ti'hu" ["I drew him"]. him out of the water. The Ibn Ezra Exodus, ibid., ad loc. says that Bithiah gave Moses the Egyptian name Munius, which the Torah translates into Hebrew as Moshe (Moses). Alternatively, the Ibn Ezra suggests the possibility that Bithiah actually had learnt to speak Hebrew, and it was she who gave Moses his Hebrew n Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=620462 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=620462 Question: Why did Joseph die before his brothers? After all, he was the second youngest. According to the mitzvot he did – honoring his father and being his brethren's savior – should he not have lived a long life? Why did his brothers outlive him? Answer: Astute observation. I assume you are basing your question on the verse that says, Genesis 50:24. "Joseph said to his brothers: I am going to die; G‑d will surely remember you and take you up out of this land..." Indeed, the Midrash confirms that Joseph was outlived by all his brothers. The Talmud Sotah 13b; Berachot 55a. teaches us that three different behaviors shorten a person's life. One of these is putting on airs, acting superior to others. And incredible as it may seem, our sages say that Joseph was guilty of this very failing. It's important to keep in mind, however, that whenever we speak of a shortcoming of a righteous person, a tzaddik such as Joseph, it is always relative to his or her phenomenal spiritual stature, a great Tue, 1 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=608758 http://www.chabad.org/article.asp?aid=608758 shem In Judaism, mentioning the name of G‑d is a big deal—as evidenced by the fact that the third of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not take the name of the L-rd, your G‑d, in vain." (Click here for more on G‑d's names.) It is permitted to pronounce any of G‑d's names when in the context of a prayer, blessing, or when reciting a full passage from the Scriptures—as that is not considered "in vain." If, however, we mention His name inappropriately – for example, if we accidentally recite an incorrect blessing (the formula for every blessing includes His name) – we immediately say, "Baruch shem kevod malchuto l'olam va'ed." "Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom for ever and ever." In the Talmud Yoma 66a. we are told that after the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) recited the Ineffable Name, the people responded by reciting this formula. Evidently, this practice was based on an oral tradition, supported by a verse, Deuteronomy 32:3. "When I call out the name of the L-rd, ascribe gr Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST