Ask MUMAN613! almost live!

[Israel Chai]

I am coming from a strictly Jewish understanding, so maybe you have something but I just can't grasp it because I don't learn about what other religions teach. So I will try to explain my understanding of your question.

So the number 666 in greek looks like the Arabic name of allah according to that image you posted. So the first question I have is 'Is the image you posted the truth?' so let us look at what the word 'allah' looks like in arabic...








Now for the greek 666...



I don't really see the connection. Although I have just come across sites which are spreading this supposed connection. But it seems that both Judaism and Islam attribute holiness to the number 666. As the excerpt I posted above explained that 666 is the gematria of the request Moses our teacher made to Hashem to beg him for mercy...

Once again I must realize that several things about Jewish faith has been turned around by some other religions. The divine number 13 has an evil connotation in our western world, while in Judaism we praise Hashems 13 traits of Mercy every Rosh Hashana. 13 is a very special number in many ways. So too with this 666 which in Judaism has no connection to evil.It is only those who believe in the power of evil that these kinds of connections are formed.

As to whether Islam is connected with HaSatan... Not in the way that you think. I don't attribute any power to the muslim world. For the most part they are just playing the role that Hashem intends them to play. As I state many times, I am a man of full faith in Hashem, and I believe everything (including my brothers death on 9/11) is in the hands of Hashem.

HaSatan is a force in the world which tests us. His job is to get us to do wrong in our eyes, and in the eyes of Hashem. This force has no will of its own, it has no power independent of our G-d. The satan will be destroyed at the appointed time. He has no portion in the world to come.

Anyway, I hope this answers your question or at least brings you to think of more good questions...

I believe that the Arabic sentence that looks similar is "in the name of [mudrat idol]".

Really Mums, I'm not on the devil thing. If 666 refers to natural perfection, my theory is that G-d is trying to show us that the pinnacle of things we can come up with without G-d are horrors, and that we need him, or something along the lines. I'm not sure, and I'm still basically your pupil.

[t_h_j]

There are many theories about how the Christian religion came into being. I personally believe it was created by the Romans as a way to effectively destroy the Jewish faith by introducing polytheistic concepts in the guise of fulfilling the Jewish prophets and scriptures. Rome had a need to create a uniform faith which would bring all of its provinces under the control of the empire. This is why the Church of Rome became so powerful.

Here is another explanation of how Christianity grew out of the terrible time of the Roman occupation.

http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/seeds_of_christianity/

if that's the case...why did rome greatly persecute Christians? why was it not the official religion until Constantine was emperor in the 3rd century, when it was already hundreds of years old?

[muman613]

if that's the case...why did rome greatly persecute Christians? why was it not the official religion until Constantine was emperor in the 3rd century, when it was already hundreds of years old?

Shalom t_h_j,

Haven't heard from you in a while... Welcome back...

Rome persecuted the Jews long before they persecuted the 'Christians' at the time. The Romans were actively trying to destroy the Jewish faith by outlawing the basic rituals such as circumcision, Torah study, and the Sabbath. They killed so many of our Rabbis (Read the 10 Martyrs which we read during the Yom Kippur liturgy).

I believe that there may have been a sect of Jews who engaged in what Jews consider heresy (I can relate several examples from their scriptures) which did not catch on very much with the Jewish people. Remember that after the destruction of the Temple the Jewish people were willing to believe Moshiach was coming soon because they even accepted the great Bar Kochba who actually accomplished a lot of the things Moshiach must accomplish... But in the end the Romans prevailed, and we were exiled.

When the Romans needed to destroy the Jewish resistance  they adopted the Christian faith and inserted other ideologies which would be accepted by the Romans (things such as the Trinity, etc.).

Again, this is only my opinion. The history of that period was ripe for establishing a 'false messiah'. This happened at other times in Jewish history also.

[muman613]

This article discusses the Jewish historical perspective on this period...

http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/from_paul_to_constantine/

ROMAN ATTRACTION TO JUDAISM
We had previously talked about the tension in the Greco-Roman world that pitted Hellenism against Judaism. But we neglected to mention that there were Romans who were very much attracted to Judaism.

This was especially true in the 1st century CE when, under Nero, the decay of Rome began and thoughtful, intelligent people saw the empire turning into a cesspool of decadence, violence, and overall immorality. Such people were looking for stability, for a universal moral view of the world, and they were casting their eye on some more exotic forms of worship than the official state religion.

Their search brought to Rome many alien religious cults—in particular the worship of Mithra, the Persian god of light and wisdom, who became identified with Helios, the Greek sun god, as well as Sol, the Roman sun god. This cult came to be so popular that the Romans named a day of the week - “Sunday” - in honor of Mithra, and celebrated the sun god’s birthday in late December in conjunction with the Winter Solstice.

Loyalty to the state gods was further weakened by the Roman policy of stealing the gods of conquered peoples. The “captured gods” were then “owned” by Rome and incorporated into the official pantheon. As the empire grew, the number of gods multiplied wildly. According to the Roman writer Varro, at one point, Rome had in excess of 30,000 gods and 157 holidays a year(2) . Who could keep them straight, or, for that matter, take them seriously?

Another important factor was the constant threat of internal rebellion and external invasion with which they lived. The feeling that merciless fate and a cruel death lurked around the corner made one anxious and fearful. (Perhaps all those hours of watching minor criminals butchered at the Coliseum created a subconscious of “there but for the grace of one of the 30,000 gods go I.”)
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[Israel Chai]

Why did G-d make people write Torah, instead of handing it written himself?

[Israel Chai]

Also, how come Jews say Baruch Hashem whenever I ask "how's it going"? Every opportunity to thank G-d is wonderful, but I usually have that as an opportunity to say "I'm sick" before I shake their hand. Baruch Hashem in this context is good, or are you supposed to say that always, or is it a being separate thing?

[muman613]

Why did G-d make people write Torah, instead of handing it written himself?

Shalom LKZ,

Interesting question... According to the Torah the first set of luchos (tablets) of the 'Ten Commandments' was actually written by the 'finger of Hashem' and they were subsequently broken by Moshe when he witnessed the incident of the Golden Calf.

Hashem commanded, in the Torah, that every Jew should write his own copy of the Torah so that he should be able to learn it. There are many commandments from Hashem which seem to teach us that this world is a world of action, requiring effort from us to complete the creation. If Hashem did everything for us there would be no merit nor reward. In order to reward someone it is necessary for them to deserve the reward, and this is why we must actively exert effort in this world. Thus we have the command to write for ourselves a Torah scroll.

[muman613]

Also, how come Jews say Baruch Hashem whenever I ask "how's it going"? Every opportunity to thank G-d is wonderful, but I usually have that as an opportunity to say "I'm sick" before I shake their hand. Baruch Hashem in this context is good, or are you supposed to say that always, or is it a being separate thing?

Another good question...

When I ask my Rabbi how things are he ALWAYS says 'Baruch Hashem'. As I have said before there is a concept in Judaism of saying 100 blessings a day. We are supposed to praise him whether things are good, or even if they are bad. Usually when I hear this reply I think of the expression 'It could be worse but I am happy it is not'.

We should thank Hashem much more than we do. I witness so many small miracles every day that sometimes I feel like I don't even deserve this. Being Thankful when we rise in the morning and say 'Modeh Ani' (I Acknowledge) we affirm this feeling of thankfulness.

Saying 'Baruch Hashem' in reply to a question about how you are is another way of affirming our thanks to our creator for everything we have, and everything we don't have.

[muman613]

http://www.aish.com/jw/id/48898442.html

"Mah nishma?" is the Hebrew version of "What's new?" It's an innocuous, universal greeting which needn't mean much more than a passing hello. The answer given is usually Baruch Hashem -- Thank God, which can mean anything from "Great!" to "Don't even ask. My enemies should have my troubles!" Often, upon hearing a dubious sounding Baruch Hashem, the questioner will respond with, "Gee, what's wrong?"

At one momentous point in my life, I promised myself that I would always respond with a hearty and cheerful Baruch Hashem. I'd mean it, and if I didn't, I'd say it as if I did (which I'm sure my innermost soul always does. It's just that there are so many outermost factors which factor in and influence us!) After all, even when life doesn't meet all our expectations and things are not quite perfect (how many things in life are perfect?); and even in times of great sorrow and distress, there are still countless things to be grateful for, things which deserve a hearty Baruch Hashem.

I will admit, however, that these past two years in Israel have tested my resolve, and my Baruch Hashem's have often been lacking in gusto. Not that I am not cognizant of the many miracles which accompany us every day; not that I am not thankful enough for the many blessings I enjoy. But it's difficult to be upbeat when you are surrounded with enemies, terror, hatred and death; with actual attacks and the anxiety of anticipated ones.

The funny part is that when my spirits are low, one thing that really helps is driving down to spend Shabbat with our children in Gush Katif, a bloc of eleven Jewish communities in the Gaza area. (I hesitate to say "settlements." The world has turned Jewish "settling" in the Holy Land into a sin, although America was "settled", as was Canada, as were scores of other countries around the world.) Historically, in biblical times, Gaza was part of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. The city retained a Jewish population after the Destruction of the Temple, throughout the Middle Ages and up until the 20th century (1938) when four synagogues still functioned.

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[t_h_j]

Shalom t_h_j,

Haven't heard from you in a while... Welcome back...

Rome persecuted the Jews long before they persecuted the 'Christians' at the time. The Romans were actively trying to destroy the Jewish faith by outlawing the basic rituals such as circumcision, Torah study, and the Sabbath. They killed so many of our Rabbis (Read the 10 Martyrs which we read during the Yom Kippur liturgy).

I believe that there may have been a sect of Jews who engaged in what Jews consider heresy (I can relate several examples from their scriptures) which did not catch on very much with the Jewish people. Remember that after the destruction of the Temple the Jewish people were willing to believe Moshiach was coming soon because they even accepted the great Bar Kochba who actually accomplished a lot of the things Moshiach must accomplish... But in the end the Romans prevailed, and we were exiled.

When the Romans needed to destroy the Jewish resistance  they adopted the Christian faith and inserted other ideologies which would be accepted by the Romans (things such as the Trinity, etc.).

Again, this is only my opinion. The history of that period was ripe for establishing a 'false messiah'. This happened at other times in Jewish history also.

right, they did persecute jews, but why would they persecute a christianity that spread all over the empire when it was created by the roman government just to trick jews into being more loyal? The romans were never in the business of appeasing people that were not content to accept their place in the empire. A good example of this would be the aftermath of the bar kochba revolt, the aftermath of spartacus's slave uprising, and so on. After the bar kochba revolt, they didn't try to subtly convert the jews to christianity. They did everything they could to humiliate and destroy them by expelling them and destroying religious items they could get.

[Israel Chai]

Since you say Shema before bed, are you supposed to put on tefillin every night before bed and then take it off?

[Israel Chai]

Also, if you say Shema, and then decide against going to sleep, do you have to say it again before you do?

[muman613]

Since you say Shema before bed, are you supposed to put on tefillin every night before bed and then take it off?

Shalom,

Short answer... NO... We do not don Tefillin at night.

http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=1520

Wearing Tefillin After Sunset
 
Halacha forbids wearing Tefillin at nighttime. Although no Torah prohibition is entailed by donning Tefillin during the night, the Sages enacted such a prohibition out of concern that one might fall asleep while wearing Tefillin, which would be disrespectful for the special sanctity of the Tefillin. (See Shulhan Aruch, Orah Haim 30.)

The question arises, if a person did not, for whatever reason, wear Tefillin during the day until after sundown, should he put on Tefillin during Ben Ha'shemashot – the 18-minute period after sundown? The period of Ben Ha'shemashot is treated in Halacha as a period of doubt, as we are uncertain whether to consider it daytime or nighttime. Thus, in a case where one had not worn Tefillin the entire day, should he wear Tefillin during Ben Ha'shemashot, given that the day may have not yet ended, or must he refrain from wearing Tefillin, in light of the possibility that the night has already begun?

Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Halichot Olam (vol. 1, p. 29; listen to audio for precise citation), rules that in such a case one should, in fact, don Tefillin during Ben Ha'shemashot, and should even recite the Beracha. He explains that in this case there are two possible reasons to allow the individual to wear Tefillin. Firstly, as mentioned, the period of Ben Ha'shemashot may have the Halachic status of daytime, in which it is permissible to wear Tefillin. Secondly, Rabbenu Tam (France, 1100-1171) was of the opinion that Ben Ha'shemashot does not begin until an hour or so after sunset. Hence, if 18 minutes have not passed since the sun set, then Ben Ha'shemashot has yet to begin according to the view of Rabbenu Tam, and thus one may certainly still wear Tefillin. Hacham Ovadia rules that since we have two possible bases for allowing wearing Tefillin during the 18 minutes after sundown, we may allow a person in such a case to do so, and he may even recite a Beracha. An exception to this rule is a case where the individual has already recited Arbit. As Hacham Ovadia cites from numerous earlier authorities, once a person recited Arbit he cannot recite the Beracha over Tefillin. He may still wear Tefillin – assuming that 18 minutes have not passed since sundown – but he may no longer recite the Beracha once he has prayed Arbit. Hacham Ovadia adds that even before sundown, one who already recited Arbit may no longer recite the Beracha over Tefillin.

Summary: It is forbidden to wear Tefillin at nighttime. If a person did not wear Tefillin the entire day until after sunset, and 18 minutes have not yet passed since sunset, he should put on his Tefillin with the Beracha, unless he had already recited Arbit, in which case he puts on Tefillin without the Beracha.

[TruthSpreader]

Are most American blacks at least part-white as opposed to African blacks?

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

if that's the case...why did rome greatly persecute Christians? why was it not the official religion until Constantine was emperor in the 3rd century, when it was already hundreds of years old?

Sorry to jump in on your thread Muman. The Christians of that time were Rebels against Rome. They were still Jewish, but believed the Messiah had came. The original followers of Jesus were competing against a new type of follower, this new group had a agenda, and that was of Edom...

[Israel Chai]

Sorry to jump in on your thread Muman. The Christians of that time were Rebels against Rome. They were still Jewish, but believed the Messiah had came. The original followers of Jesus were competing against a new type of follower, this new group had a agenda, and that was of Edom...

The fact that they said the moshiah came makes them considered like non-Jews.

[Israel Chai]

This can't be kosher?

http://virtualjerusalem.com/blogs.php?Itemid=11174

Is there somewhere I can find a seder online?

[muman613]

This can't be kosher?

http://virtualjerusalem.com/blogs.php?Itemid=11174

Is there somewhere I can find a seder online?

Oy Vey, how they like to mock Rabbis. I think that anyone who purchased that product should be ashamed.

I am not sure what you mean by a 'seder' online. A seder is a meal and a service which must be attended in person and cannot be done (in a kosher manner) online. One must eat Matzah and Marror (one of the commandments involved with Pesach seder).

Maybe you mean is there a Passover Haggadah (the book which contains the order of the service, thus the name 'seder' which means order {similar to Siddur which is our prayerbook, containing the order of the prayers})...

Chabad has a simple Haggadah on its website..

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/661624/jewish/English-Haggadah.htm

So too does Mechon-Mamre have an online Pesach Haggadah:

http://www.mechon-mamre.org/phgdh.htm

In case I misunderstood you, and you are seeking an online 'siddur'/prayerbook here is another resource provided by Chabad:

http://www.chabad.org/library/siddur/default.htm#!/aid:1618653/title:Introduction%20-%20%D7%A1%D7%93%D7%95%D7%A8

[Israel Chai]

If I wake up at 2:00 for whatever reason, is it too late to put on tefillin and say morning prayers? What's the latest I can do them?

[muman613]

If I wake up at 2:00 for whatever reason, is it too late to put on tefillin and say morning prayers? What's the latest I can do them?

You should get for yourself a Jewish calendar which has the Zmanim (times for the various prayers) and it will tell you what times things are permitted.

I am not sure if 2AM is too early to don tefillin (as we don't do it at night).

I found this site which you can enter your location (as a zipcode) and it will tell you the current times for today...

http://www.myzmanim.com

According to this, in my location, the earliest time for Tefillin and Tallis is at 5:49AM...

Dawn       עלות השחר
72 minutes as 16.1 degrees    5:19:30   72 דקות לפי 16.1 מעלות
Earliest talis & tefillin        זמן ציצית ותפילין
Sun is 10.2 degrees below horizon   5:49:59   10.2 מעלות תחת האופק
Sunrise**       **הנץ החמה
Level region at sea level   6:39:36   מישור בגובה פני הים
Latest shema Magen Avraham       סוף זמן קריאת שמע
מגן אברהם
Using 72 minutes as 16.1 degrees   8:35:55   לפי 72 דקות במעלות
Latest shema Gra & Baal HaTanya   9:15:58   סוף זמן קריאת שמע
גר"א ובעל התניא
Latest shachris Gra & Baal HaTanya      10:08:06   סוף זמן תפילה
גר"א ובעל התניא
Midday & Midnight     11:52:21   חצות
Earliest mincha       מנחה גדולה
Lechumra   12:22:21   לחומרא
Plag hamincha       פלג המנחה
Gra & Baal HaTanya   3:59:57   גר"א ובעל התניא
Sunset**      **שקיעת החמה
Level region at sea level   5:05:08   מישור בגובה פני הים
Nightfall - 3 stars emerge       לילה - צאת ג' כוכבים
36 minutes as degrees    5:45:52   36 דקות במעלות
Nightfall - 72 minutes   6:17:08   לילה - 72 דקות

[Israel Chai]

No 2pm. What's the latest that I can do morning prayers... i somehow slept 11 hours...

[muman613]

No 2pm. What's the latest that I can do morning prayers... i somehow slept 11 hours...

I would advise you to refer to the resource I posted previously. The Zmanim tell you precisely when things are supposed to be done or by when...

Oh, you wake up at 2pm.... That is late...

You could do a mincha (afternoon) prayer at that time... From 12-5PM you can do a mincha prayer (find it in your siddur)...

[Binyamin Yisrael]

You can put on tefillin anytime during the day until Sunset.

[Israel Chai]

B"H I'm being kosher in most of my endeavors, I stopped eating meat at home all together, since I can't afford kosher meat, I stopped making all kinds of the sex "crimes" from the Torah, even looking, and while it's hard to work and be very normal all the time, I am doing it for the past month about. Despite that, one thing I can not seem to bring myself to do is all the prayers in my siddur. I get to shema with tefillin on, and I can't stop looking at the time, and eventually I get frustrated. It's like two hours or more. Even on shabbat, I eventually get so fustrated, I just give up. How do you manage to do all the prayers every day, how do you stay concentrated, and how do you find time for that?

[Israel Chai]

On the ask JTF i never got an answer to my question, "why is beastiality listed next to witchcraft [in Torah], [what is the connection], and how do you make teshuva for both [for the purposes of comparing]. Is death the only redemption? If someone did witchcraft, would it be better that he died in this life and worked to correct it in the next one ASAP, or can he do something in the life that he has now to make complete teshuva for it? From what I've heard, it's because it's all about yourself, but I don't really get it.