Ask me anything (almost) about Judaism

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Which Jews? American Jews, European Jews, Israeli Jews? Many say Palestine is not a nation. Even some Arabs say Palestine really belongs to Syria. However, I think most Jews–and probably most Muslims and Christians as well–simply lack sufficient historical knowledge to competently weigh in on the issue of whether or not Palestine is a nation. And when they do voice an opinion, it is more often than not driven by their religious and political views of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Although Palestine has traditionally lacked the essential characteristics of nationhood and peoplehood, such as a unique culture and language, I think political events in the region, particularly those that occurred in 1948 and 1967, have generated a national identity upon the Palestinian people, so that, yes, in my view, Palestine today must be considered a nation.
 
Midge said:
The Israelites may have had their sacrificial system, their Passover and Sukkot celebrations many generations before they had a working Mosaic Law system. These customs may have come from Abraham’s original land.
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Things like Temple sacrifices and spring/autumn festivals would have been common activities in the sea of ‘Sumerian’-type religions in that part of the Middle East.
 
I met some Christian thinkers who believe that to consider the history of the Old Testament, the history of Christ is the same as to consider a system and ideology that has built a concentration camp, a family history of a child who was born in this camp.
They believe that Christ came into that environment to save the Jews in the first place - from ressentimento, hateful ideology and practices, but the history of the environment - is not His family history and not His origin.
In other words, in their opinion the Jews in the Оld Testament sometimes confused the will / voice of the Devil with the Will/voice of God.
They believe that in the Оld Testament there is too much blood, too many genocides, and even shedding the blood of animals is unacceptable for agricultural nations but for bloodthirsty and nomadic Jews.
These thinkers often belong to nationalist circles and do not agree with the term “Judeo-Christianity”, neither believe that OTJudaism is the mother’s religion of Christianity.
What do you think about it?
The thinkers belong to right-wing and leftist views, often openly anti-Semitic views, but this is not a question, the question is;
-How you can disprove their idea of unethical and inhuman, bloodthirsty, and eager for permanent victims Jewish God of the Old Testament historical books?
 
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I personally cannot understand the claims of such Christians.
The whole history of the many peoples of the world teaches us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
I personally believe that the stories of sacrifices, the Lamb, pure, innocent, lamb that didn’t sin, lamb that wasn’t guilty, whose blood was shed for me, for the sake of me, in my place, for me, instead of me…
I believe that it is impossible to separate one from another. There is no New Testament without the Old Testament.
There is something that was an echo, type echo , the forerunners and the likeness of the future.
The Old Testament sacrifices which preceded the future sacrifice.
There is something that the Creator intended to do in the future…
but it is no secret that many third-party people when they start to be interested in religion, when reading the Old Testament are horrified by the quantities of cruelty and blood.
 
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The issue of the ferocious, angry, bloodthirsty depiction of G-d in the OT has been addressed by several other threads. My comment is always the same, namely, that a close and careful reading of the Hebrew Bible teaches us that G-d is slow to anger and always ready to forgive. The gentleness and mercy of G-d can be found, after all, in so many verses. I would also add, with considerably less knowledge, that in the NT, G-d (Jesus) does not always act and speak in a gentle, meek manner, and there are plenty of verses which, on the surface, strongly suggest the wrath of G-d. I would point out both of these features of the Bible to Christian thinkers who prefer to describe the so-called Jewish G-d as essentially a different G-d from the Christian G-d.
 
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Yikes! Moses613 will no doubt have something to say about your comments…
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Well I hope Moses613 and everyone else understands the following about my posts:

Unless I state otherwise, the information I am presenting should not be viewed as representing my personal views or opinions as a Jew. What I am writing is general information, and unless I say it is my opinion or represents my personal view or belief, people should not consider it such.

One of the things I’ve noticed about forums is that people tend to post answers that represent their personal views and tend to read answers as if they represent the personal views of the poster. This is not the way I answer questions.

If someone asks a question, I try to answer it by finding the best answer I can via critical research and academia. I may not personally agree or subscribe to the answer I give, but that doesn’t matter. I am answering a question that someone is asking. They are not asking for me to make something up.

The reason many threads on forums sometimes have endless debates is because people are arguing about point of views and personal opinions, about convictions that are personally invested in. This doesn’t provide sound answers. In the critical method what is required is a disinterested party or a party made up of disinterested individuals to provide answers to questions. Otherwise answers can become tainted by people or parties who might lean the information one way or another,

When my opinion is requested, I will offer it.
 
Midge said:
When my opinion is requested, I will offer it.
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Sometimes an OP is asking for information and sometimes for an opinion. I can answer both kinds of question, but I like to know which kind it is I’m being asked. It sometimes happens that an OP is worded like a request for information, and it doesn’t emerge until later that the poster’s real purpose was to start a debate.
 
Midge said:
In the Middle Ages, Maimonides (Rambam) introduced vocabulary into Jewish theology to help counter the wave of Protestant proselytizing of the era. While it isn’t that Judaism (or myself for instance) is without beliefs or faith, it generally has not spoken of itself in these terms in ancient times. In order to deal with Christian proselytizing, Maimonides developed a way to speak of Judaism as a system of faith and belief.
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I understood that Maimonides lived in the latter part of the 12th century and Protestants didn’t come around till some hundreds of years later. Were the Protestants that you’re referring to a different group?

 
What is it that determines whether or not a person is a Jew. Suppose that one parent is Jewish and the other Catholic. Is that person a Jew automatically if his mother is a Jew or what happens if he was baptised by his father as a baby, but his mother is Jewish and teaches the child according to the Jewish traditions?
 
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In which Jewish denomination(s) is it customary to walk to services on Saturday morning, instead of driving?

Thank you
 
That would be Orthodox Judaism, the stream that is most Torah observant. On the Sabbath, it is forbidden not only to do work (the Oral Law delineates what is considered work) but also to perform mundane tasks, such as carrying objects, throwing out the garbage, holding an umbrella, money transactions, shopping, etc. The focus of the Sabbath is on just being rather than doing, which is the province of the work week. There is no “getting and spending,” to quote William Wordsworth. It is a day of self-reflection and prayer. The saving of a human life, however, trumps the Sabbath requirement to refrain from work, including driving. In my neighborhood, the Hatzolah (rescue) ambulance service is on active duty every day, including on the Sabbath. And sexual relations are not only permitted on the Sabbath but encouraged. Such sexual activity is regarded as a blessing. Sex is thought of as equivalent to eating and drinking, and it is also customary to enjoy a hearty Sabbath meal on this day of joy.
 
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I believe the Sabbath prohibition is superseded by all services that are vital to saving and protecting human lives, including doctors, EMT, nurses, firefighters, police, and soldiers. Moses613 can no doubt give you a more detailed answer.
 
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I have heard about this issue, but am not qualified to offer an opinion. Even if I were qualified, however, I would not offer one because that might drag us into an apologetics debate, which I am trying to avoid.
 
meltzerboy2 said:
I have heard about this issue, but am not qualified to offer an opinion. Even if I were qualified, however, I would not offer one because that might drag us into an apologetics debate, which I am trying to avoid.
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Fair enough. Does it bother you that it may have been a major cause in many of the issues that later took place?
 
If it was a major cause of anti-Semitism, it would certainly bother me. However, I am not sure it was such.
 
If the child has a Jewish mother and is raised as a Jew, then they are Jewish. The Catholic baptism does not reverse that fact according to Jewish belief. But I would think it certainly does according to Catholic belief although I believe that baptism, in most circumstances, must be with the consent of both parents. I’m not sure about that, though.
 
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Is it true that in Jewish society or custom…the mother is given more honor (for lack of a better word) as compared to the father?
 
Not that I know of. Both parents must be honored according to the commandment. But if you mean authority in the home, then yes, I think so. It is the mother who raises the children (although the father’s obligation is to teach them Torah), makes the home a comfortable, peaceful, and kosher place. It is the mother who cleans the home for the holidays and changes the dishes, particularly for Passover. It is the mother who lights the Friday night candles to usher in the Sabbath. The home environment is the dominion of the mother according to tradition. If you don’t believe me, see Fiddler on the Roof.
 
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