What is Jewishness?

For discussion of philosophy, religion, spirituality, or any topic that posters wish to approach from a spiritual or religious perspective.
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Frelga
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Frelga »

Thanks, Lali. :)

I was in Hawaii on vacation, so we had a sweet little Seder with macadamia kharoset, purple potatoes and other local foods.


On another note, here's something that people here might find interesting.
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dfe199212cb0214641f1be58034611f6[1].jpg (57.24 KiB) Viewed 15152 times
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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yovargas
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by yovargas »

:love: :love: :love: :love:
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists


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Inanna
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Inanna »

Makes me happy too.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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Lalaith
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Lalaith »

Oh, I love that! :love:
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Maria
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Maria »

Nice! :)
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Griffon64
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Griffon64 »

That's really food for thought. Thanks for sharing!
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Impenitent
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Impenitent »

Couldn't think of a more suitable thread for this, and it does enhance this conversation, so...

Why science and religious faith are compatible. Not news for most of us, but beautifully elucidated.

https://youtu.be/qZh1MrDHLoY

Her Jewish understanding of god resonates with me.

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Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
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Lalaith
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Lalaith »

I did see that video and thought it was terrific. :) Thanks for sharing it here.
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Frelga
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Frelga »

This is only tangentially relevant, but I want to say that

1. I really want that show!
2. It's hard to convey how normal this turn in the rabbinic conversation is
3. I miss Prim. :( She'd have enjoyed Rabbi Ruttenberg's blog

If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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Frelga
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Frelga »

We are a week into 5782, and I still haven't wished my beloved Hallofirians a good and sweet year. May you be inscribed and sealed in the book of life.

This is our second year of virtual High Holiday. Until a few weeks back, my synagogue still planned on a mixed on-site and online services, but they scrapped the on-site services. Not only is it emphatically not the same, but these are the two days of the year when I usually don't log into my phone or computer.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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narya
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by narya »

I hope you had a good Yom Kippur, and an easy fast, Frelga and Impy, and anyone else here observing.
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. ~ Albert Camus
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Impenitent
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Impenitent »

Thank you. I have just imbibed my traditional shot of schnapps to break my fast :D

A much better year for us all.
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
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Inanna
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Inanna »

Have a wonderful Yom Kippur.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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Impenitent
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Impenitent »

Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
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Frelga
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Re: What is Jewishness?

Post by Frelga »

I went down the rabbit hole (Rabbi hole?) after Rabbi Rutenberg posted
If someone tries to use "be fruitful and multiply" as a Biblical prooftext against abortion, tell them that in Judaism, women are not obligated to fulfill this commandment, because you cannot obligate someone to a mitzvah that could KILL THEM.

Which is EXACTLY about abortion.
The part where men are the ones responsible for the fulfillment of the "be fruitful and multiply" commandment has been a consensus among the Talmudic sages, with a few dissenters. (Talmud reads very much like the old Manwë forum, except some of the posts are centuries apart)

Their reasoning is not exactly progressive in modern terms, but one example specifically concerns a woman using contraception after being traumatized by a difficult birth.
The Gemara relates that Rabbi Ḥiyya’s sons, Yehuda and Ḥizkiyya, were twins, but one of them was fully developed after nine months of pregnancy and one was fully developed at the beginning of the seventh month, and they were born two months apart. Yehudit, the wife of Rabbi Ḥiyya, had acute birthing pain from these unusual deliveries. She changed her clothes to prevent Rabbi Ḥiyya from recognizing her and came before Rabbi Ḥiyya to ask him a halakhic question. She said: Is a woman commanded to be fruitful and multiply? He said to her: No. She went and drank an infertility potion.
Since it was the man's job to multiply, a marriage that has not produced children after 10 years had to be ended. The wife retained the right to her property and could remarry so she could have an opportunity to have children in case the first husband was the cause of their infertility.

This is my favorite bit.
If he said that the cause for their failure to have children is from her, i.e., it is she who is infertile, and she said it is from him, Rabbi Ami said: With regard to such matters between him and her, she is believed. The Gemara inquires: What is the reason for this ruling? She is certain whether his semen shoots like an arrow, whereas he is not certain whether his semen shoots like an arrow
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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