Ask me stuff

[Quintessence]

When my dad was able to visit Israel, it was something of an experience for him as a Jew. Even though he's largely non-practicing, there was a connection that happened, a sort of homecoming. As a Druid I'm also fascinated by the idea of sacred places and the deep connections people form to specific lands. What is that like for you as a Jew able to live and practice in such a sacred place?

 

[Harel13]

When my dad was able to visit Israel, it was something of an experience for him as a Jew. Even though he's largely non-practicing, there was a connection that happened, a sort of homecoming. As a Druid I'm also fascinated by the idea of sacred places and the deep connections people form to specific lands. What is that like for you as a Jew able to live and practice in such a sacred place?

Sometimes I think about it more deeply, and I'll feel, I guess, honored to be here, a place so many Jews have dreamed of being for centuries. I remember that when I last visited the States, when I was in 12th grade, I really felt like a stranger, like I really did not belong there, even though I am fluent in English and spent some years living in America as a kid. Sometimes I have these random moments where I just feel incredibly happy to be in Israel.

And then there are particularly special places in Israel, such as Jerusalem. I usually feel a certain elation coming to Jerusalem. Not something I can really explain. The elation grows the nearer I get to the area of the Temple Mount.

 

[Debater Slayer]

• What would you think of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

• If you were to travel abroad, which countries would you visit first?

 

[Alien826]

The member list is secret. If I reveal it, the order would send the RF dragon after me and soon you'd find Harel13 shishkebabs in the staff canteen.

Would that be kosher?

 

[Harel13]

What would you think of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

I wouldn't like it. But as a religious person, I would believe that it would only be a temporary situation. How temporary is another question.

• If you were to travel abroad, which countries would you visit first?

I'd like to see the Great Wall of China, so China would be the first stop. Then I'd go to Scotland. Then maybe spend a little time in the US.

 

[Harel13]

Would that be kosher?

Human meat is not kosher. But should you happen to eat it, know that you'd still be parve and would be able to eat either dairy or meat products without any problem.

Some sources:
Hilchos Cannibalism | Sefaria
Is human flesh a kosher food?

 

[Debater Slayer]

I wouldn't like it. But as a religious person, I would believe that it would only be a temporary situation. How temporary is another question.

• Temporary until what?

• Would not liking it mean you would fully oppose it, or would you still support it from a pragmatic viewpoint?

I'd like to see the Great Wall of China, so China would be the first stop. Then I'd go to Scotland. Then maybe spend a little time in the US.

Fascinating choices! I would like to visit all of these, too, especially China. Visiting Tibet is a dream of mine.

 

[Harel13]

Temporary until what?

Until the completion of the Jewish redemption, which would include the unification of the Land of Israel under Jewish rule.
Yes, really.
In short, I don't envision a two-state solution as being part of a perfect world.

• Would not liking it mean you would fully oppose it, or would you still support it from a pragmatic viewpoint?

You mean would I actively wage guerilla war against the other state? Knowing myself, likely not.

Fascinating choices! I would like to visit all of these, too, especially China.

Great minds, etc.

Visiting Tibet is a dream of mine.

Good choice too.

 

[Alien826]

Human meat is not kosher. But should you happen to eat it, know that you'd still be parve and would be able to eat either dairy or meat products without any problem.

Some sources:
Hilchos Cannibalism | Sefaria
Is human flesh a kosher food?

I was just kidding, but reading your links it looks like a opened a can of worms. (Are worms kosher? Don't answer!)

Very interesting anyway.

Before I ask anything else, I want to ask if you are open to general questions about Jewish beliefs, as opposed to archeology. I don't want to give offense, in case you set the dragon on me!

Actually I like dragons. Particularly those that can be ridden and used to burn up enemies, as in Game of Thrones. Of course the trick is to get the dragon to see you as a friend rather than kindling. Even better are those in the Anne McCaffrey books. Those can communicate with their riders telepathically and teleport for far destinations.

Yes. I'm in a silly mood today.

 

[Harel13]

I was just kidding

Yeah, I knew that. But you'd be surprised the amount of questions that Judaism has answers for.

Before I ask anything else, I want to ask if you are open to general questions about Jewish beliefs, as opposed to archeology.

Sure! I even put that in my profile around the time I joined here.

Yes. I'm in a silly mood today.

I'm a little as well.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Until the completion of the Jewish redemption, which would include the unification of the Land of Israel under Jewish rule.
Yes, really.
In short, I don't envision a two-state solution as being part of a perfect world.

I see. Thanks for clarifying.

You mean would I actively wage guerilla war against the other state? Knowing myself, likely not.

Not guerilla war, but opposition via voting, criticism, etc.

Great minds, etc.

Good choice too.

We should meet in Tibet or atop the Great Wall of China.

 

[Alien826]

Yeah, I knew that. But you'd be surprised the amount of questions that Judaism has answers for.

Sure! I even put that in my profile around the time I joined here.

I'm a little as well.

OK. I receive a weekly Davar (by email) from a Rabbi in London (Shaul Rosenblatt, you may have heard of him). Anyway he's open to questions. He claims that the tablets that Moses received with the 10 commandments were really in the form of a cube and the writing went all the way through and could be read from both sides. It involved two miracles, one that the writing was not laterally inverted on one side and also that there's a "dot" that hung unsupported in mid air. I challenged him on this as it doesn't say that in the Bible. He replied that not all these things should be taken too literally. I raised this with a gentleman on RF (I forget his name) who was saying that nobody can understand Torah without learning Hebrew and a lifetime of study. He replied that there was support for it, but just quoted the Hebrew, which wasn't much help.

My questions to you: Are you familiar with this? Do you think it is literally true? In general, should all Torah and the interpretations by the Rabbis be taken literally?

 

[Harel13]

Not guerilla war, but opposition via voting, criticism, etc.

Oh, I see. Then likely yes.

We should meet in Tibet or atop the Great Wall of China.

I was actually just thinking of suggesting that. Great minds, etc.

 

[sun rise]

There's a RF knighthood? Who we got as knights?

What powers would we get with that honor?

 

[Harel13]

OK. I receive a weekly Davar (by email) from a Rabbi in London (Shaul Rosenblatt, you may have heard of him). Anyway he's open to questions. He claims that the tablets that Moses received with the 10 commandments were really in the form of a cube and the writing went all the way through and could be read from both sides. It involved two miracles, one that the writing was not laterally inverted on one side and also that there's a "dot" that hung unsupported in mid air. I challenged him on this as it doesn't say that in the Bible. He replied that not all these things should be taken too literally. I raised this with a gentleman on RF (I forget his name) who was saying that nobody can understand Torah without learning Hebrew and a lifetime of study. He replied that there was support for it, but just quoted the Hebrew, which wasn't much help.

My questions to you: Are you familiar with this? Do you think it is literally true? In general, should all Torah and the interpretations by the Rabbis be taken literally?

Yes, I am familiar with both ideas.
Regarding the shape of the tablets, it is brought in several Talmudic sources (for example, Bava Batra 14a) that each of the tablets was six hands in length and height and three hands in width, so when put together, they formed a cube.

Regarding the writing, that is likewise brought in Talmudic sources (for example, Shabbat 104a) , that the letters were hollow. There is a dispute there regarding whether the Hebrew letter Mem appeared both in its open version מ and in its closed version ם. If the closed version appeared, then the "filling" of the Mem hung in midair. The same is true regarding the letter Samekh ס, which only has a closed version.

Here's a model of the tablets according to Talmudic sources:

(from Hebrew Wikipedia)

Both interpretations are based on certain verses in the Torah. Regarding the shape, there's this verse:
"and they saw the God of Israel—under whose feet was the likeness of a brick of sapphire, like the very sky for purity." (Exodus 24:10)

Then God says to Moses:
"The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and wait there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the teachings and commandments which I have inscribed to instruct them.”"

The only type of stone mentioned in this chapter is sapphire, so it was suggested that the sapphire brick beneath God was the tablets. Perhaps block would be a better translation. The Hebrew word is simply לבנה, which can be understood either way.

Regarding the hollow letters, this is based on the following verse:
"Thereupon Moses turned and went down from the mountain bearing the two tablets of the Pact, tablets inscribed on both their surfaces: they were inscribed on the one side and on the other." (Exodus 32:15)

I personally see no reason not to accept these interpretations, considering the whole event was super miraculous, but my world wouldn't be thrown for a whirl if it turned out that these interpretations were not correct.

With that said, often times ideas presented in various Talmudic sources are not intended to be taken at face value, so perhaps the sages did not mean that the tablets literally looked like this and were instead teaching a deeper, more profound idea. So to answer your last question, no, we should not understand all of the teachings of the rabbis literally.

 

[Harel13]

What powers would we get with that honor?

Dragon, devour sun--- I mean, it's top secret! Only initiates receive access to the secret RFian Knighthood Manual of Ultimate Frubetastic Power.

 

[sun rise]

Dragon, devour sun--- I mean, it's top secret! Only initiates receive access to the secret RFian Knighthood Manual of Ultimate Frubetastic Power.

If it contains a cloak of invisibility from a rule waving mob of mods, I'm all in

 

[Dawnofhope]

I spend 10 days in Israel when I went on pilgrimage 2004. Have you done much work in Haifa?

 

[Rachel Rugelach]

Have you had an opportunity to visit the 3,000+ year-old burial cave that was discovered a few months ago in a national park near Tel Aviv? If not, do you have plans to visit? If so, what were your impressions? I thought that was pretty exciting news when I first heard it.

Also, can you recommend an exciting book on Israeli archaeology for someone who isn't an archaeologist but is fascinated with discoveries from the past?

 

[Harel13]

I spend 10 days in Israel when I went on pilgrimage 2004. Have you done much work in Haifa?

I haven't done any archaeological work in Haifa. Perhaps in the summer I'll go excavate at Tel Shush, which isn't too far from there, but the ancient city at Tel Shush isn't related to Ancient Haifa.