Any Question about Judaism

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   menashposted 12 years ago

   Don't hesitate ask anything you want....

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      aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Why be a Jew?
      Besides being born into it?

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         menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Being Jewish is a privilege, Jewish people are the chosen nation. It's waking up in the morning and feeling confident that i have a purpose on this earth. It's going through the day and knowing that I am gaining in this world as well as the world to come.

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            Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            A follow up question to dj's. Since you claim to be the chosen nation.
            
            Being a member of the religion that started this whole 'i'm chosen and you aren't' philosphy that permeates monotheism...do you feel any sense of responsibility for the strife this type of thinking causes in the world?

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               livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Jews don't feel any responsibility for how other religions interpret or (mis)use Jewish concepts any more than a hammer manufacturer feels responsible when one of his products intended for carpentry is used to bash someone in the head.

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                  Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  But if you use the hammer for the express purpose of bashing people in the head and claim you were chosen by God to do it; you bear no responsibility when others follow suit? Claiming it is now their responsibility to continue the bashing?
                  
                  I don't have anything against any religion. The question came up by the way menash chose to rationalize his religion.

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                     MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     I think LL was talking about how other faiths saw the Jewish faith rather than how they saw themselves.  In which case it really is uncontrollable and not to be worried about.

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                        Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        I am aware of that. But, he was responding to my post so I wanted to be clear as to why I asked the question.

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                     livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     That's a question for Christians, so neither I nor menash can answer that. (Just so it's clear, I'm not accusing Christians of bashing anyone in the head, but I'm keeping with the analogy I used before; Christians use certain concepts that were "originally" Jewish in a way different from the way Jews do.)

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                        menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        According to the Jews God asked all the nations if they wanted the bible before he even approached the Jews each nation declined besides the Jews that is why we are the chosen nation.

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                           livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Um, yes, that's exactly the midrash I described yesterday.
                           
                           And who's doing the choosing?

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                        Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        I get the impression you aren't following. Let's back up. Menash claims Jews are chosen..... Some Christians claim the Jews lost the right to call themselves that and the Christians are God's chosen.....Some Muslims claim the Jews got it wrong and God had to straighten things out with a message to Mohamed so the Muslims are . God's chosen.
                        
                        Everybody wants to be chosen. And they fight for the glory of God, for their 'homeland' or whatever. Depending on which of the monotheistic branches you view.
                        
                        You are the one who brought up head bashing (which, considering the rising threat of violence in the Middle East between Iran and Israel isn't off base). Menash is the one who brought up chosen. I'm asking a simple question.
                        
                        If he thinks he's chosen by God he is part of the problem and a member of the religion who first made the claim. Does he think his religion bears any responsibility for starting this whole ridiculous philosophy?

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                           livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           Maybe you haven't followed this entire thread. As I stated before, the predominant Jewish concept of chosenness has nothing in common with how menash, Christians, and Muslims have conceived it to be. If other religions have taken a concept and made it into something else you find distasteful, what does that have to do with Judaism?
                           
                           You've also made the simultaneous claim that everyone wants to be chosen, but that Judaism started the whole thing. Does Judaism predate all other religions? Do non-Abrahamic religions never have the concept of being chosen?

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                              Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                              I understand you don't think of it as chosen like Menash does. And I agree with your take on it. I'm asking a question from his perspective. Is that OK?

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                                 livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                 Sure, as long as you understand his viewpoint, one you clearly think is distasteful, is a minority one and not representative of anything supported by the predominant Jewish reading of scripture.

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                                    Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                    I do recognize that.

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                           pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           It all sounds rather childish when I think about. Like little kids when they are fighting over who they believe their parents love the most?
                           
                           What if, everyone were the chosen one. That would end the squabble.
                           
                           (PS I am still not sure what they are chosen for or chosen to do)

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                              Emile Rposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                              I see us all as chosen. We are definitely unique as a species. But you are right the whole idea of anyone insisting they are uniquely chosen is childish and ridiculous. And, unfortunately, appears to put in question the long term survival of humanity. I wish they would stop and think.

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                                 pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                 Yes, agree.

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                                 menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                                 Why would that be childish in fact we were all offered free choice and equalality, when it came to God's choosing he in fact went to all the nation of the world and each one asked the same thing. What is in this bible/torah that you speak of? How many laws? Can't steal? Forced to keep the sabbath? Each nation had a reason why they didn't want this bible, when God came to the Jews, the Jews made a free choice and instead of asking what God was offering we said "We will do and we will hear"( Shemos 24:8).When the Jews stood by Har Sinai and said 'All that God speaks we will do and we will hear' God, the Holy One Blessed be He, immediately cherished them and He sent two angels to each of them. One angel girded him with a sword and the other one placed a crown on his head.' " (Tetzaveh 11).

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                           menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                           We believe it's a fact that we were chosen, whether or not others might want to follow suit is their own responsibility!

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                        menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        Yes, of course you don't bear responsibility, each person is responsible for his or her actions.

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            livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Explain what you mean by chosenness. My understanding might be different from yours.

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            pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            If being a Jew gives you confidence and purpose for living I see that as a good thing.
            
            What is your purpose I am interested to know?

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               livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               
               It's also worth mentioning that there's nothing in Judaism to support that it's the sole path to righteousness. You can follow another religion or none at all and still be a good person. The measure is your personal conduct.

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                  pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  I agree.

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                  menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                  Spoken like a person who knows nothing about what hes talking about. Jewish way is that there is only one way of doing it, for Jews you have 613 laws and for gentiles you have 7.

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                     MelissaBarrettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Wow... it's just as funny when a Jew says "You aren't a Real Jew" as it is when a Christian says "You aren't a Real Christian".
                     
                     Nice to know that holier-than-thou crosses faith lines.  Somehow it restores my faith in religion... as it is obviously a personality quirk rather than a religious teaching.

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                        livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                        A good way of looking at it! Yes, we have self-righteous, exclusionary people in our religion, as does any religion large enough to have different factions. Even among those centrally-controlled religions (Judaism isn't one of them), it's impossible to force everyone to believe and act the same way.

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                     livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     How is what you've said in any conflict with what I said?

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                     pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                     Gees, who gave that many laws? Was whoever melancholic?

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            aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Thank you, but I don't think that answers my question.
            
            The "why" part.
            
            Yes, it may be a privilege, but so is being born in the west.
            So is being complete (ie, born with all physical parts intact and fully functioning)
            So is having intelligence, emotions and family.
            
            But, we all have the latter, but only Jews have the former?

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               aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               I notice you have not answered my question.
               
               Agreeing with pennyofheaven, if you don't intend to answer questions you asked people to post, maybe reconsider posting them.
               
               Even if you said "I don't know", or "I don't have an answer", at least you stand by your OP.
               
               (PS. not upset, just sayin )

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      Dave Mathewsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Around January 2012, I read a report here on Hub Pages, of a new Jewish Movement that supposedly started in New York calling itself,   "Jews for Jesus" It was reported that this Jewish Sect was openly declaring that Jesus was indeed the "Messiah" that their ancestors two thousand years ago had Crucifed.
      They also reported that this Jewish movement was starting to be witnessed in Israel and was growing throughout the different Jewish sects in both Israel and America.
      
      Is this Jewish Sect for real? Is it still actively growing? Will the Jewish world community finally openly admit that the crucified The Christ, The Messiah, The Son of God?

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         menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         We feel no threat because as God has promised and has kept his promise, Jews will never perish. Enormous kingdoms like Rome and Greece lasted a couple of hundred years yet a minority like the Jews lasted and is lasting thousands of years, as promised.

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      Disappearingheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      What does God have to say about Gentiles? Do we go to heaven with you guys?

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         menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes if you keep the seven laws of Noah...

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            Disappearingheadposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Yes this is what I have read before. Which is rather good news if true because they are an easy burden and a light yoke.

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               menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               It's 100 percent true!

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      pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Please do try and answer everyone's questions as best you can. There are many you have completely ignored. If you want to start a thread encouraging people to ask questions you need to be prepared to answer them. So far, you have not answered Dave's, Emiles, Xenolit, aka dj and my questions.

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         aka-djposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Exactly.
         Nor this one you just posted.
         
         I will repeat myself next!

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   livelongerposted 12 years ago

   I will offer my perspective. Note that unlike centralized churches like the Catholic or Mormon Churches, there is no such thing as official doctrine in Judaism, and there are plenty of (valid) views with respect to theological matters. There's also the predominant viewpoint, which, I have to say menash is not representing.
   
   "Chosenness" has historically and commonly been a reference to the covenant, or agreement between Jews and God. There was nothing superior about Jews except that, according to religious legend, they chose the covenant when all the other nations of the world rejected it. There is even a popular midrash (exegetical story/parable) in which God offers the covenant to all the stronger/better nations of the world, and finally offers it to the Jews, the weakest and most unremarkable people, who finally accept it. That this weak/unremarkable people would persist for millennia and enjoy a special prominence in the world's progress is due to the transformative power of the covenant, the mitzvot (commandments - there are hundreds of them) that Jews are obligated to perform.
   
   I have to say it is rare among Jews to tout being "the chosen nation" unless they're ignorant about what the covenant has been historically understood to entail.

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   stclairjackposted 12 years ago

   lot of  "choosing"  going on in this thread,... i was always of the understanding that God does not choose a person,..... the person chooses God.
   
   many wars have been fought, many lives sacrificed, many kingdoms built up and torn down because men claimed God was on thier side,...
   
   i would rather be on the side of god than to foolishly and arrogantly assert that he were on mine.

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      livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Bingo!

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   menashposted 12 years ago

   Most Jews hold that being the "Chosen People" means that they have been place on earth to fulfill a certain purpose. Traditional proof for Jewish "choosiness" is found in the Torah, the Jewish bible, in the Book of Deuteronomy (chapter 14) where it says: "For you are a holy people to Hashem your God, and God has chosen you to be his treasured people from all the nations that are on the face of the earth." In the Book of Genesis (chapter 17) it also written: "And I [G-d] will establish My covenant between Me and you [the Jewish people] and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you."

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      pennyofheavenposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      So the purpose is already preordained? And you have to find just what this is?

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      a49eracctposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      This reads the same in my Bible. I guess I don't understand where the difference pops up, I've always been told that the Jewish don't believe Jesus was the Son of God...

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         menashposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Jews don't believe that at all, we believe Jesus was a Jew who strayed from the Jewish religion.

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   Xenonlitposted 12 years ago

   Where are the African Jews? I read that there was a group near South Africa.
   
   Who are the Ashkenaz and Sephardim? (My spelling might be off, here).
   
   What is the difference between Kosher, observant and non observant.

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      livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There are many African Jews. The most well-known is called Beta Israel ("House of Israel") from Ethiopia; many of them now live in Israel. But there are Jews pretty much everywhere. There is another group, the Lemba, in South Africa.
      
      Ashkenazi Jews are Jews from Eastern Europe, while Sephardi Jews are from Mediterranean/Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
      
      Kosher just means food that follows the rules of kashrut (things like not eating pork or shellfish, not eating meat and dairy together, etc.). Observant and non-observant has to do with how closely a person observes/follows the commandments; there are technically over 600, although since the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, only a few hundred are still able to be performed.

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         Xenonlitposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks!  That was a fantastic answer.

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