Ask me anything (almost) about Judaism

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Out of utmost respect, I would like to use this opportunity to ask my question:

I used to write down my sins on a piece of paper in preparation for confession. This helps me both spiritually and psychologically as a Catholic.

I have read somewhere of people of other religions practicing a similar exercise of writing down one’s sins. Have you heard of this before?

I think psychological problems, can sometimes be worse than physical ailments, so that’s why I am asking the question.
 
Substances such as wood, metal and clay absorb the taste of the food that is prepared in them. Therefore, we would not use the same pot to cook meat and milk, even if cleaned with hot water and soap in between. We are concerned that in subsequent cooking, some of the opposite taste will be released into the cooked food.
Other substances, such as glass, don’t really absorb flavor but we separate them anyway so as not to mix things up or be concerned that they weren’t totally cleaned. There are lots of rules and I’m not an expert on all the reasoning, but that’s the general idea. Things like two sinks are not strictly necessary but again, help keep things simple and easy so you can keep kosher without being an expert on the finer points. We just have separate “everything” for meat and milk, even drinking glasses.
 
The truth is there is a concept of nullification, so if a tiny bit of one substance got mixed with the other, in many cases it would be ruled kosher after the fact.
 
Is it true that the prohibition against mixing milk and meat is based on only one verse in the Hebrew Bible, and that some rabbinical interpretations (not Orthodox ones, I’m sure) argue that the prohibition is a misapplication or misunderstanding of that verse?
 
Funny I just acquired a Marvel credit card even though I know next to nothing about the action heroes. I guess the Waltons is as close to the ideal extended family as possible.
 
How widespread is belief in “tikkun,” which seems to be a form of reincarnation?
 
huck said:
I think you might be thinking of gilgulim.
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Both ideas seem to derive from Luria’s work. To what extent they overlap I don’t know. I hope @meltzerboy2 and @moses613 will enlighten us.
 
There are three separate verses in different places in the Torah that all say the same thing - “You shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk.” As with all repetitions in the Torah, the Rabbis find this to be highly significant and learn from it three things: the prohibitions to eat, cook and derive benefit from meat and milk of kosher animals cooked together. The phraseology of “kid” and “its mother’s milk” is simply the most extreme example of this prohibition, either because of its appearance of cynical cruelty or perhaps because it was a specific practice of idolaters, or even because it was most common to make meat/milk dishes from soft, younger animals - but the Torah is read to include all meat and all milk of domesticated animals. Although we translate גדי/g’di as “kid”, which in English implies a baby goat, the Talmud proves that in the Torah, it can refer in general to the young of any domesticated livestock (goat, sheep or cow), because in another context the Torah specifically mentioned “g’di `izzim” - a “kid of goats” as opposed to the “kid” of another domesticated animal.
As far as whether others interpret it differently, I assume anyone who does not accept the reliability and authority of the Talmud, as we do, will interpret it as he likes. I don’t know of specific examples.

Update: To clarify, although the Torah only forbids the meat and milk of sheep, goats and cows, the Rabbis also forbade mixing milk and meat of kosher wild animals such as deer and buffalo, as well as milk with chicken, to avoid mistakes. (Milk w/eggs is ok.)
 
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Gilgulim, the return of the soul to another body for a second life, is a concept found in works far predating R. Yitzhak Luria, including those of R. Moshe b. Nachman/Nachmanides. Today, mainstream Orthodox Jews believe in this phenomenon, but as it’s not an article of faith and it’s not mentioned explicitly in the Talmud, you will find more than a few mavericks who reject the existence of gilgulim and, indeed, cite early authorities like R. Saadia Gaon who also rejected them.
As far as tikkun, this is a word with a very broad meaning (“rectification”) that can imply several different kabbalistic concepts, none of which I am qualified to discuss.
 
I just heard about Reconstructionist Judaism. God is a “force” not a person?

How is that different from atheism?
 
I have nothing to ask, but just want to thank you for starting this thread and sharing your knowledge.
 
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Jesus is a devout Jew. Christianity began as a sect of Judaism. Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism. What’s there not to think about?
 
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The notion that Temple sacrifices forgave intentional sin is largely a later Protestant misunderstanding - based on Reformed theology of atonement - that doesn’t find much support or focus in mainstream Christian thinking, nor has it ever. In fact, the Epistle to the Hebrews quite clearly states,
“It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” - Hebrews 10:4
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Is not reincarnation in Judaism usually linked to completing an important task? According to what I read, it is not accorded to everyone and is not based on the concept found in Hinduism. And, as you state, it is not an article of faith.
 
There are different notions of G-d WITHIN the stream of reconstructionism; however, AFAIK, G-d, whether a force or a person, still exists as a Supreme Being. At the same time, there is a tendency to think of G-d as an impersonal Being much as deism does.
 
Thank you for the clarification. The misinterpretation of this prohibition, as I previously noted, is not present in Orthodox rabbinical writings but can be found in those of other streams of Judaism.

On another note, are there any Orthodox Jewish interpretations on the subject of WHY these kosher commandments were instituted apart from not following the norms of idolatrous cultures? It is not a health issue according to what I have gleaned.
 
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This is an interesting idea, which can be very helpful, as you say. I have not heard of this practice in Judaism or other religions. I have heard of writing down blessings you are thankful for.
 
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