The Ask Lubab "Show"

[Lubab]

I saw this internet site a while back that had all the rules for the cantillation notes on the Torah, so you can figure out where each sign is supposed to go based on the other signs.  I want to know the source for this site, I'm sure some old Sefer was written that originally contained these rules and the guy reproduced it.  Do you know what the Sefer was?

Nope!

[Tina Greco - Melbourne]

I'm not scared of the FBI. I fear G-d only.

9 months and 2 years old.

My wife wants to have 13 more, at least.

Do you get up at night to change nappies and do the feeding etc.....?

Okay. Now we are getting into the hard questions. Me and my wife have a deal. During the week she let's me sleep so I can function during the day and make money and she takes care of the kids.

On Shabbos she rests and I get up for the kids.

I can't imagine why the FBI would be interested in this stuff???

LOL the FBI is interested in everything 

So do you have Pets? If so what are they?

Do you think its important for children to grow up with pets?

No. And no.

NO?? Do you not like animals?

I like animals. Just not in my house. Unless maybe it's just fish. Fish are nice to have in the house.

Yes they are very nice

[jdl4ever]

I know that Jews are allowed to own slaves taken from the captives of their defeated enemies.  Are Gentiles also allowed to own slaves? 

[DownwithIslam]

Lubab, I was wondering what you thought of the Yeshivish Lakewood type jews. They are famous for their hatred of Lubavitch as their original Rabbi was very anti Lubavitch. "Rabbi" Kotler was famous for publicly spreading lies about the lubavitcher rebbe. I think that he was vile.

[Scriabin]

Do you watch TV?  If so, what are some of your favorite programs?

[Lubab]

Basically it's to the point where there's no reason to convert anymore. You can have it all and still be a gentile.

Oooh is that a hint for me?
I hope NOT because I get rather defensive when people I don't know try to "dissuade" me. Believe me, I've given other people on the forum a good talking to when they try to "dissuade" me

Some Gentiles already have a Jewish soul and yearn to return home. Say you were born a Gentile, would you not hurt and try to return? Beg G-d to make you a Jew every day? I agree to go dissuade those who want to "convert" for all the wrong reasons like to "get married" to their Jewish boy/girlfriend etc...they should be dissuaded (even I dissuade them), BUT not everyone who wants to go through gerut is the same, of us (very-very few) already have a Jewish soul. No one can dissuade those few gentiles who are honest and who G-d blessed with the Jewish spark.

No offense but you're wrong, in some (very few) cases when the gentile has the Jewish spark in them...they can't be gentiles and "have it all", they end up feeling rather empty and it HURTS a lot.

I had a whole speech planed out for this, in case it was referring to me. I saved it and might post it, but first I want to know if you were referring to me with the "there's no reason to convert anymore" 

Thanks (I don't mean to be rude, but like I said, I get rather defensive when people talk about this to me  I hope you understand)
Thanks.

That's funny Mills. I didn't even realize how that comment was applicable to you, until you just mentioned this.

It sounds like you are one of the "unpersuadables". Don't get mad at the people trying to dissuade you, they're just doing their job.

[Lubab]

Do you watch TV?  If so, what are some of your favorite programs?

No. But everyone who knows me says I would love "The Office".

I will watch the occasional Family Guy clip on Youtube and I find that show hilarious.

When I was younger I used to watch t.v. and I loved Seinfeld and the Simpsons.

If we reach WAY back into childhood..."Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" every day after school.

[Lubab]

Lubab,

I read about some of the unsavory things required of female (Jewish) Mossad agents.

Is a Jewess breaking a mitzvah if she sleeps with a man to get information vital to save Jewish lives or to compromise an enemy of the Jewish State?

Need more info. Is this a married woman? Is this a Jewish man? Is this a married Jewish man? Is this a gentile man?

Typically a single Jewish female agent and a non-Jewish man sometimes married/sometimes not. ie: Female Mossad agent sleeping with EU beurocrat for vital information or somebody connected with a terror network to get info or ket close enough to kill etc.

And this would save a Jewish life? I would need to double check with a senior Rabbinic authority, but my instinct tells me this would be praiseworthy.

Look what Ester from the Purim story did.

It may not save a Jewish life 'directly' but vital information gained this way can lead to the location and killing of a terrorist or provide early warning of an attack on Israel. This sin of the flesh could 'indirectly' save dozens or even thousands of Jewish lives.

Yeah well that to me sounds a lot like what Queen Ester did. There was no gaurantee it would work. But she did it because we err on the side of saving lives in these cases (unless it's one of the big 3...but sex with a gentile is not one of thosesins for which we must sooner die than transgress).

Actually it would for a Jewish man, but for a women in the case of Ester it was different because a women (Ester in this case) is the passive one in this case, she isn't the one that "gives". That of course doesn't allow a women to have relations with a non-Jew (G-d forbid), or with a Jewish man that shes married to when she is nidda.

Good point. I believe you are correct.

[Lubab]

That's funny Mills. I didn't even realize how that comment was applicable to you, until you just mentioned this.

It sounds like you are one of the "unpersuadables". Don't get mad at the people trying to dissuade you, they're just doing their job.

LOl. I guess I understand.

I think people should dissuade those who say they want to "convert" for all the wrong reasons like "I want to marry my Jewish girlfriend/boyfriend" "I'm interested in the lifestyle but don't plan on being religious" "I want to convert so I can make aliyah" "I'm just fascinated by Judaism" and other NON valid reasons like that!
I knew a woman who was "interested in the lifestyle", years later she thinks she's "Jewish" yet doesn't care at all for any laws, which is sad because it makes her son (of marriageable) age not be desirable since now his Jewishness is in question...obviously.
In these cases...dissuade away...and I usually join in the dissuasion and I have dissuaded people who have no clue what they're doing. To not dissuade them is dangerous because they can end up doing more harm than good.

But there are those gentiles who, like I said, already have the Jewish spark in them & every day they are not Jews, their soul suffers in so much pain, why add to their suffering? I recall 2 stories from Chabad that there was no dissuasion, they are too long though 
If I see someone like that, who shows an extreme and sincere love of Judaism and I notice its in their soul...then I won't say a word to them. The dissuasion will be between them and their rabbi in private. Some people actually find it insulting, I mean, let's be honest....if you work for years to be part of a Jewish community, study so much, learn Hebrew, are soo advanced in learning and then out of nowhere a stranger waltzes in and tries to "dissuade" them? I DON'T THINK SO.

I don't think its always the job of everyone! Sometimes people should let the person's rabbi make the informed and private decisions. Let people try to make it their job with me, they won't be happy that's for sure! Last time I gave a long talking to at a poor guy, but he did apologize in the end so it was ok. 

I also do not believe in the term "convert" but that's a long story that others might know so there's no point in bringing it up. I also do not believe in the "Jew by choice" term for supposed "converts".
 
I apologize in advance if I sound offensive to anyone.

Mills is entitled to her opinion. I would just like to clarify the halacha as this is my thread. The halacha is that a non-Jew who wishes to become a Jew should be dissuaded from doing so three times in ALL cases, even if the gentile has the best reasons for converting.

Lesson #1 for your conversion, Mills is that when you become Jewish, you need to listen to what the halacha says and don't try to make it up as you go along (I'm saying this out of caring, I pray you will not be offended). I hope when you become Jewish one day and a non-Jew asks you to teach them to become Jewish that you will follow this halacha and try to dissuade them three times no matter what.

If you want reasons why we should try to dissaude a gentile from converting who even has the best of intentions you may ask that as a separate question on the Ask Lubab show. 

[mord]

LUBAB they have 2 Chabad telethones on T.V. 1 is from Garden City Rabbi Pearl,they have another from Los Angeles with Hollywood types.I give to Rabbi Pearl but the Hollywood type seems secular

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

Mills I think that only in extreme cases ,maybe conversion should be allowed. Even dissuading is not enough, and only the strictest of the strictest Rabbis should be consulted (better the Sefaradi Beit din), definitly not someone who is in the wrong path completly (reform, conservative, etc.) and also not someone who has conversions relativly often (for example Habad).
*- mentioning Habad isn't becuase of the latest talk (about messianism) but that it is known that they are converting more people, and quicker then really allowed. (also some of those people then dropp the mitzvot, etc. and concider their children to be Jewish, where its a BIGGG problem because they are probably not). Sorry to say that their are a number of these "Jewish" children that are born, and their is at least 1 person on this forum who is in that situation, and it is a very serious, and dangerous matter.

[Lubab]

Mills I think that only in extreme cases ,maybe conversion should be allowed. Even dissuading is not enough, and only the strictest of the strictest Rabbis should be consulted (better the Sefaradi Beit din), definitly not someone who is in the wrong path completly (reform, conservative, etc.) and also not someone who has conversions relativly often (for example Habad).
*- mentioning Habad isn't becuase of the latest talk (about messianism) but that it is known that they are converting more people, and quicker then really allowed. (also some of those people then dropp the mitzvot, etc. and concider their children to be Jewish, where its a BIGGG problem because they are probably not). Sorry to say that their are a number of these "Jewish" children that are born, and their is at least 1 person on this forum who is in that situation, and it is a very serious, and dangerous matter.

Hey Tzvi,

No offense. But...get your own show. It's easy these days.

There's nothing wrong with Chabad conversions, per se, though I do have a problem with a few Chabad Rabbi's who are too loose, but this is not all of them.

[Raulmarrio2000]

Does Chabad do conversions outside Eretz Yisrael? It's not up to me to make an opinion... but one of the problems I would have had, in case I had decided to convert, is that I disagree with the demand that all converts should go to Israel....
And what happens to someone who wants to convert by Chabad, but strongly believes the Rebbe was not the Moshiach? In fact I believe the Rebbe was a great sage, and that he was the leader of the last generation of the Galuth, but I think the Moshiach would come as a surprise, not someone people has already made a guess that he might be.

[Lubab]

Lubab, I was wondering what you thought of the Yeshivish Lakewood type jews. They are famous for their hatred of Lubavitch as their original Rabbi was very anti Lubavitch. "Rabbi" Kotler was famous for publicly spreading lies about the lubavitcher rebbe. I think that he was vile.

Well I don't take insults from such people very seriously. Rambam says that if an adult serves G-d because they want to go to Olam Haba they are an "Am Haaretz" (ignoramous). So when an ignoramous insults my group, I don't take it very seriously.

I have personally spoken with many litvaks who freely admitted to me that their observance of the Torah is based on their desire to get into Olam Haba. I would venture to say that most of the students in Lakewood-type yeshivot also feel this way.

As far as Shach, the Rebbe didn't think much of him and neither do I. He was rejected when he applied to be a Rosh Yeshiva for a Chabad yeshiva long before he was very famous because he didn't know Talmud Yerushalmi well enough. I feel he had a personal vendetta against Chabad ever since then which was the source of his vile and nearly always unfounded attacks against the Rebbe and Chabad.

With all that said, they are Jews, and I love each one of them with a full heart, screwed up though they may be.

We should note that not all Litvak Rabbis are or were like this. Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik had a wonderful relationship with the Rebbe and attended several of his farbrengens and raved about them.


The former Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir (forgot his name) also used to speak glowingly about the Rebbe's Gaonus (genius) in Torah knowledge.

[Lubab]

Does Chabad do conversions outside Eretz Yisrael? It's not up to me to make an opinion... but one of the problems I would have had, in case I had decided to convert, is that I disagree with the demand that all converts should go to Israel....
And what happens to someone who wants to convert by Chabad, but strongly believes the Rebbe was not the Moshiach? In fact I believe the Rebbe was a great sage, and that he was the leader of the last generation of the Galuth, but I think the Moshiach would come as a surprise, not someone people has already made a guess that he might be.

Chabad does do conversions outside of Israel. And I'm pretty sure it would be irrelevant to the process whether they believed the Rebbe is Moshiach. You might however, talk this issue over with the Rabbi you are thinking of converting with.

[Merkava]

Dear Rabbi,

2 questions:

1) In all my life I have never dated a Jewish woman. All of my girlfriends have been non-Jewish. Either Christian or athiest. If I pray hard enough to Hashem will he finally send me a Jewish girlfriend? There are very few Jews where I live 

Also I have started seeng a girl who I beleive could be muslim. We haven't talked about religion because I keep everything light and funny and I avoid heavy subjects. She is a complete knockout... a 9/10 but she is of Asian decen so the likelyhood of her being a muslim is high.

If she turns out to be a Muslim what should I do? If we get serious will Hashem punish me ? 

 

[Lubab]

Lesson #1 for your conversion, Mills is that when you become Jewish, you need to listen to what the halacha says and don't try to make it up as you go along (I'm saying this out of caring, I pray you will not be offended). I hope when you become Jewish one day and a non-Jew asks you to teach them to become Jewish that you will follow this halacha and try to dissuade them three times no matter what.

If you want reasons why we should try to dissaude a gentile from converting who even has the best of intentions you may ask that as a separate question on the Ask Lubab show. 

WOW! 

Leave the dissuasion to the person's rabbi is all I'm saying.
My rabbi dissuades me 100000 times but it's ok when he does it, or another of my rabbis because it's their job...otherwise they would not be good rabbis in the first place.

Do you think I don't know that gentiles MUST be dissuaded?  Why are you talking to me this way? make things up? That's absolutely horrible!    And "ask that" as a separate question? Thanks for the offer but I alady have a rabbi and don't have to here.

I'm just saying  its NOT always going to be the job of random strangers.

My goodness I've been at this for MORE than a year, I think I already know how it works! I'm not a new person who knows nothing about Judaism and halacha!

Thanks a lot though, I'm not going to lie, I kind of felt bad with your "lesson #1" thing, which I felt was uncalled for... since you know nothing about me and how I feel about the Halacha. So I don't think you have to tell me what my "first lesson is" . BTW, I had my "first lesson a LONG time ago. I do feel that was a little TOO MUCH, my friend. And very disrespectful to the point that I cannot describe.

I am just saying that leave that to the person's rabbi and people should not be so nosy is all, for the ways of peace. The person's rabbi will know what to do, let us trust in their judgment. Actually, when I go to events and services random people DON'T dissuade me, they ask me why I am going through gerut..etc and say its interesting "good luck"...but they don't do anything else, since they leave that to my rabbi who dissuades me every time I see him. Hhhmm, and these are orthodox Jews too, I guess they trust their Rabbi enough to let him do his job.
 And FYI I DO dissuade people who say they want to "convert" (a fake word) because they want to "marry their boy/girlfriend" etc... but it's different when someone HAS been accepted for gerut by a valid Orthodox Rabbi. IF the Rabbi accepted that gentile, then I KNOW the Rabbi will talk to him/her and dissuade the person/teach etc. So I will leave that to him. Obviously someone who has an invalid reason for gerut will NOT be accepted by a rabbi...so guess what IT ALL WORKS OUT as long as there are good righteous rabbis in the world who do follow halacha.

BUT I certainly do not need to be told this here. Sorry but I did get my feelings hurt a little too much for my liking, even if you say "no offense" I do find it rather offensive since you know nothing about me, and about how I deal with halacha. However, my rabbis know me and others on this forum I talk to here personally (who leave the dissuasion to my rabbi) and they will tell you that there is no one more respectful than me. If you want I can direct you with them and you can ask them yourself.

I still like your show though, keep up the great work.

BTW to those interested... I am NOT doing my gerut with Chabad anymore since...well no offense but I find them kind of rude sometimes. I found another valid and deeply religiously observant Orthodox group which I will not mention the name. I also would not recommend any gentile to go through gerut with Chabad!!! I can privately tell people why if they want to know.
Oddly enough, I had a great man who studied with Chabad point me in the direction I needed to go, I thank him every day.

OH and by the way, Lubab, that man even though an Orthodox Jew did not dissuade me either...instead he asked me for my name and went to the Rebbe's Ohel for me and privately helps me.
Guess he felt it was also not his job. (BUT I am VERY grateful to him too for all his help)

I did not try to dissuade you here Mills. I was just making a joke that I didn't even realize applied to you.

I apologize for my "Lesson #1" statement. You're right. It was uncalled for.

[Lubab]

Dear Rabbi,

2 questions:

1) In all my life I have never dated a Jewish woman. All of my girlfriends have been non-Jewish. Either Christian or athiest. If I pray hard enough to Hashem will he finally send me a Jewish girlfriend? There are very few Jews where I live 

Also I have started seeng a girl who I beleive could be muslim. We haven't talked about religion because I keep everything light and funny and I avoid heavy subjects. She is a complete knockout... a 9/10 but she is of Asian decen so the likelyhood of her being a muslim is high.

If she turns out to be a Muslim what should I do? If we get serious will Hashem punish me ? 

 

You are Jewish? Then you should pray to G-d to help you find a Jewish girl, but you should also take massive and focused ACTION to lead you to that goal e.g. moving to a neighborhood where there are more Jews, get involved with a synagouge, sign up with a Jewish dating service online etc.

[Raulmarrio2000]

Mills, this is not my thread, but I am surprised at the way you act. You say that you trust your Rav, and at the same time you say that you are leaving Chabad just because you are dissapointed by Lubab. You are contradicting yourself.
And your "advice" to Gentiles NOT to covert through Chabad sounds offensive to me. In case I had decided to go ahead with my conversion, I'd had done it through Chabad, and I don't feel the need to ask a Goyshe wanna be-Jew for a better place to convert.

[Raulmarrio2000]

Sorry Mills, I thought that your actual Rav was also from Chabad and that you were leaving him, just because you disliked Lubab. Anyway I got upset at the advise to potentials converts, not to turn to Chabad, and the offer to explain the reasons privately. Anyone who reads that post may imagine anything not good about Chabadniks!!!!

[Lubab]

Raul is correct that making a statement not to convert though Chabad without saying publically why could lead to all sorts of wild thoughts about why Chabad is no good.

If you have a problem with Chabad's conversion process and you want people to know about it you should either: a) not mention it publically  in the first place b) if you choose to mention it be prepared to explain to us all what is so bad about their conversion process to the issue may be addressed.

[Lubab]

Sorru Mills, I thought that your actual Rav was also from Chabad and that you were leaving him, just because you disliked Lubab. Anyway I got upset at the advise to potentials converts, not to turn to Chabad, and the offer to explain the reasons privately. Anyone who reads that post may imagine anything not good about Chabadniks!!!!

I apologise to you for my rudeness.
The reasons why I chose not to do gerut through Chabad hurt, I'm not going to lie. I cried for sometime.
But, I guess there are others who are happy in it, and if so then I would be no one to interfere with their choice.

Don't get me wrong, I still love Chabad, I donate, I like their events and they do great work in helping Jews, but in my opinion, it was not the best place for me and other gentiles I know to become Jewish in. Sometimes, some us felt..not welcomed.
Maybe I did go out of line with that statement though and I take it back.

I also owe Lubab an apology.
 I have no right to hijack your thread.
Please forgive me from deviating from the subject and for my utter rudeness to you. You are doing an excellent job and are an amazing person, Lubab. 

From now on, I will only post "ask Lubab" questions since it is your thread and you make the rules here.

And yes the no converting thing, I also apologize. My reasons I are so long. I guess the gist would be that some people choose to treat "converts" unfairly at times, not marry their children because of "convert" parents. Just overall things of the sort.
I did not want to believe it at first, but then remembered the rudeness I received from people and I did not want to keep attending the place or let my kids be subjected to anything when I do have them.
Of course, not everyone is like that, but in my personal experience and the experience of others I have spoken to,it was like that.  They like I decided to just leave. And I was lucky by an "insider" in Chabad to be referred to a non-Chabad rabbi.
He urged me (and he was from Chabad) to reconsider my "conversion" with Chabad and asked to also look at other Orthodox groups. We had a very long chat.
I would do the same to any other Gentile considering "conversion" with them. But next time, I will do it privately.
I am very sorry.

Apology accepted. We are commanded repeatedly in the Torah to treat a valid convert as a Jew in all respects. I'm sorry people do not follow this and you had these bad experiences.

Now let's get on with the show.

[newman]

Lubab,

I know that in Judaism a human corpse must be treated with reverence and dignity, but does this apply to rodefim?

I mean in a war, if a bunch of muSSlim-nazis attack a Jewish village and get killed in the process, do Jews have to schvitz in the hot sun burying each one properly or can they be bulldozed into a quicklime ditch as quickly as possible?

[Dr. Dan]

Lubab, how old are you and where are you from?

[Lubab]

Lubab, how old are you and where are you from?

26. Originally from Southern California.