General Category > Ask JTF
Ask JTF for Sunday, May 23, 2010
JTFenthusiast2:
Dear Chaim,
1. What is the Jewish opinion of invoking other people's names as a way of attempting to achieve a certain goal by spiritual means. I had a Jewish friend who told me they 'summoned' the spirit of different persons in the past to help them achieve a goal in the real world. To me this sounded like witchcraft. Is there a place where this exists in Judaism or is this just another new aged co-optation of Judaism with a hocus pocus twist?
2. Can you tell us a little about the the Sinai when it was liberated in recent times from Egypt and the Jewish communities that were set up there? As the Sinai is a huge geographic area, were Jews able to populate it significantly? I imagine a land that could have settled heroically by Jews with large families giving back to the Earth and creating Jewish culture.
3. Everytime, I go back to NYC and pass a Jewish center I am struck in semi horror and then rage when I see those concrete, steel reinforced blockades outside of every Jewish place of worship or community center. What should ordinary Jews like me do to make the world a better place so that Jews no longer have to live in fear of going into one of these buildings or even worse that some of us avoid going into visibly identified Jewish structures because we are afraid of the consequences of being identified as a Jew?
DavidBenZion:
Dear Chaim,
Firstly, I would like to tell you I have been a long-time fan of JTF, and firmly support the cause. I have watched you on QPTV for many years, and even had the honor of meeting both you and Yosef Ben Meir (Zecher Tzadik Liv'racha), at a speech you gave in NYC. What a tremendous experience that was. Please let me know if any such event will be taking place in the future. God bless you Chaim for all of the work you do, and may JTF succeed in all of its endeavors.
I have two questions for you this week. One, involves where I work. I work at a very well known cancer hospital by the name of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Now while this may sound like a grave place to work, it can at times be very rewarding and fulfilling. Unfortunately, it's not perfect. While mostly anyone with any intellectual interest checks the news at work, whether it be CNN.com, or MSNBC, I prefer as always to check JTF.ORG as I have done daily for many years. As mostly everyone on the forum is aware, JTF.ORG posts news you can find nowhere else. However, unfortunately, my company has banned JTF.ORG, making it impossible for me to view the website for the majority of the day. What is your opinion of this grievous affront Chaim? Also, what, if anything do you think I can do about this?
I've considered confronting the head administrator in my department, and DEMANDING that JTF.ORG be made accessible, as it is a legitimate source of news in my life, though to be honest, I have little faith that anything will be done. Please let me know why you think this is the case Chaim, and give any advice that you can.
My second question involves the laws of Kashrut. I grew up in an Orthodox Kosher home, and as a result always followed the rules of Kashrut as they were practiced in my home. However, throughout the years of my life, I had heard a certain argument against the rule of poultry being considered meat, and not "pareve". I've heard that many years ago, poultry had been viewed as pareve, and as a result, I might be able to, say, have a chicken dinner, and ice cream for dessert. Now to be clear, I don't do this, because this was not my father's outlook, and not how we ate in my house. Nonetheless, I was curious to know if you've heard of this argument before, and what your opinion on it is?
Thank you Chaim, and God bless you and the JTF. Sincerely,
DavidBenZion
ItalianZionist:
Dear Chaim,
If the allies had bombed the railways, wouldn't the Germans had killed the Jews (G_d forbid) by shotting them right there and then. I'm not sure how bombing the railways would have saved lives. I think that the Germans were so vile that there is no doubt in my mind that they would have just shot the Jews in cold blood right there and then next to the damaged tracks.
eb22:
Shalom Chaim,
What is your opinion of the follow two people:
1) Dr. James Dobson, the evangelical author, who is the founder of 'Focus on the Family'?
2) David Frum, the author, who was a contributing editor of National Review and an economic speechwriter of President G.W. Bush?
Thanks as always, eb22.
amit85:
Dear Chaim,.
I have two questions regarding the seprent in the Bible.
1) Who was that serpent? Just animal or Satan's reincarnation?
2) As far as I know in Judaism only human have freedom of will. Why serpent was panished then?
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