Question: My cousin and I (his mother and I are first cousins–his grandmother and my father are brother & sister) are very much attracted to one another and have feelings for one another. We would like to pursue a relationship, but I can only do this if it is OK with Jewish law! Is this … Read more
Question: Is the wedding a Rabbinical Commandment, Biblical Commandment, or a Custom? Where is the first mention in the Tanakh that we should get married? Answer: The first mention of marriage in the Tanakh is Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the human to be alone . . . ;“ so God creates woman … Read more
Question: A boy is born on Shabbat. Will his bar-mitzva portion be the portion that was read on that day or the next week’s? Example: he is born on Shabbat Bereshit — will his bar-mitzvah be Bereshit or Noah? Answer: The calculation of a Bar Mitzvah parasha is a bit more complicated than your question … Read more
Question: I am wondering about the Jewish view on abortion. The only thing I can remember from Hebrew School in the 1950’s is that the taking of life was to be avoided. In the rare case of when the choice was saving the mother or the unborn child, the mother was to be saved because … Read more
Question: What happens at a Jewish birth ceremony? Answer: There are no specific rituals associated with a Jewish birth. If you are interested in learning about Brit Milah (circumcision) or babynaming ceremonies, the best way to find information would be to go to a nearby synagogue library (if possible). If you could narrow down your … Read more
Question: Recently I was reading a history of a young man who was schooled in a Jewish school and wanted to Bar Mitzvah. Because his father who was Jewish was married to a Protestant he was told that he had two options. Either his mother converted or he could convert by allowing the Rabbi to … Read more
Question: My husband and I do not keep a kosher home while my in-laws do keep a kosher home but do not keep strictly kosher when dining out (they will eat shellfish and unkosher meat). His parents won’t bring un-kosher meat into their house, but they will bring fish that came from a non-kosher store … Read more
Question: I will be re-kashering a Hillel kitchen soon and need some assistance. How long must one boil water in pots used on top of the stove to kasher them? Must each spoon/knife/fork be dipped individually to kasher? For how long must they be immersed? How does one kasher pans used in the oven, and … Read more
Question: Why would mozzarella cheese be considered not kosher, thusly making a slice of pizza treif? Answer: Cheese is made by putting an enzyme into raw milk, causing it to curdle. The most common source for the enzyme (also known as rennin or rennet) is from the stomach lining of cows. The stomach is dried … Read more
Question: I was brought up with my religious father and keep a kosher home. My boyfriend and I are now talking about keeping a kosher home or not. It’s difficult for him and he wants to understand the significance behind it. I’m having trouble answering. PLEASE HELP! this is important to me if I want … Read more