I'm an Orthodox Jew. Ask me anything.

[Anonymous]

If Mormons can not practice polygamy, then why should Jews (or anyone) be allowed to circumcise their infant sons who can not consent to a body altering procedure? Religious freedom is really cultural, that is what we are comfortable with. Both issues are icky to an outsider, so are you concerned that somehow it could become illegal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How common are the 'purity' ceremonies for women in the orthodox community?

Do you believe that the orthodox Jewish faith is more or less supportive of women's rights than other orthodox denominations?

I've never heard of a "purity ceremony". Married jewish women are required to immerse in a ritual bath after their periods before they can have sex with their husbands. Almost every orthodox married woman I know does this..

Dontcha think that indicates that there's some kind of.... hangup? Going on there? I mean a religion that actually requires washing your "hoo-hoo" (to borrow a phrase from the political forum) before sex? Because, menstuation, ick!

While a good idea and one I personally engage in, having a religion dictate it? Really?

[Anonymous]

I live in a neighborhood with many Orthodox Jews, but none of them every waves or says hi when they walk by my house and I am out in the yard, even if I say hi. Have you heard of this? The only time 2 of my orthodox neighbors have talked to me is 1) to ask if the bicycle we were giving away was really available (it was) and 2) a teenager who saw the bumper sticker on my car for a local Jewish school and asked if I worked there... the sticker came with the used car. In my dozen years living here and shopping at the same grocery store I feel as if I am invisible around the Orthodox Jews. I know you can't speak for my neighbors, but is this usual in the Orthodox community?

I certainly makes me want to avoid moving to an area with even more Orthodox Jews.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a neighborhood with many Orthodox Jews, but none of them every waves or says hi when they walk by my house and I am out in the yard, even if I say hi. Have you heard of this? The only time 2 of my orthodox neighbors have talked to me is 1) to ask if the bicycle we were giving away was really available (it was) and 2) a teenager who saw the bumper sticker on my car for a local Jewish school and asked if I worked there... the sticker came with the used car. In my dozen years living here and shopping at the same grocery store I feel as if I am invisible around the Orthodox Jews. I know you can't speak for my neighbors, but is this usual in the Orthodox community?

I certainly makes me want to avoid moving to an area with even more Orthodox Jews.

This is unfortunately more common than id like to admit. We also live in an orthodox community and introduced ourselves to all the neigh bors when we moved in. Many of our orthodox neighbors had been living there for years and didnt know them. I think its really sad and its not how i was raised but it can be a very insular community.

[Anonymous]

If Mormons can not practice polygamy, then why should Jews (or anyone) be allowed to circumcise their infant sons who can not consent to a body altering procedure? Religious freedom is really cultural, that is what we are comfortable with. Both issues are icky to an outsider, so are you concerned that somehow it could become illegal?

Not the OP, just a garden variety Jew.

polygamy and circumcision? Apples and oranges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How common are the 'purity' ceremonies for women in the orthodox community?

Do you believe that the orthodox Jewish faith is more or less supportive of women's rights than other orthodox denominations?

I've never heard of a "purity ceremony". Married jewish women are required to immerse in a ritual bath after their periods before they can have sex with their husbands. Almost every orthodox married woman I know does this..

Dontcha think that indicates that there's some kind of.... hangup? Going on there? I mean a religion that actually requires washing your "hoo-hoo" (to borrow a phrase from the political forum) before sex? Because, menstuation, ick!

While a good idea and one I personally engage in, having a religion dictate it? Really?

Ritual baths are not to remove physical impurities, but rather to remove spiritual impurities. Before immersing, one must already be completely clean having soaked in a bath and removed all make-up, dirt, nail polish, etc. The concept stems from the spiritual impurity of death. Since every egg is a potential life, every period is sort of a death, in that it was a loss of potential life. The mikvah (ritual bath) cleanses the spirit, not the body.

Orthodox judaism dictates basically every aspect of my life, this is just one more thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If Mormons can not practice polygamy, then why should Jews (or anyone) be allowed to circumcise their infant sons who can not consent to a body altering procedure? Religious freedom is really cultural, that is what we are comfortable with. Both issues are icky to an outsider, so are you concerned that somehow it could become illegal?

Not the OP, just a garden variety Jew.

polygamy and circumcision? Apples and oranges.

OP here

I agree that its a different concept but any time the gov gets involved in regulating religious practices, its scary to those of us who practice outside the majority. I also so no reason for the gov to ban polygamy as a religious marriage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ritual baths are not to remove physical impurities, but rather to remove spiritual impurities. Before immersing, one must already be completely clean having soaked in a bath and removed all make-up, dirt, nail polish, etc. The concept stems from the spiritual impurity of death. Since every egg is a potential life, every period is sort of a death, in that it was a loss of potential life. The mikvah (ritual bath) cleanses the spirit, not the body.

Orthodox judaism dictates basically every aspect of my life, this is just one more thing.

Is there a prohibition against masturbation for men along the same lines? Do you think it's followed, if so?

[Anonymous]

What does the Rabbi say if your child is old enough that he/she can be married but isn't ? Does he then start finding a spouse for them?

[Anonymous]

My neighborhood has a small orthodox synagogue and therefor, a decent orthodox community. No one from the orthodox community participates in our civic association, attends neighborhood events or engages with the rest of the neighborhood. I've also noticed that most of the orthodox residents don't maintain their homes. Many houses have peeling paint, shutters falling off, overgrown shrubs and dead trees. Many of the houses look like they are falling apart and the age of the residents doesn't seem to matter. I have noticed this in other orthodox areas as well, though not all. Why is this so common?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Ritual baths are not to remove physical impurities, but rather to remove spiritual impurities. Before immersing, one must already be completely clean having soaked in a bath and removed all make-up, dirt, nail polish, etc. The concept stems from the spiritual impurity of death. Since every egg is a potential life, every period is sort of a death, in that it was a loss of potential life. The mikvah (ritual bath) cleanses the spirit, not the body.

Orthodox judaism dictates basically every aspect of my life, this is just one more thing.

Is there a prohibition against masturbation for men along the same lines? Do you think it's followed, if so?

There is a prohibition against male masturbation but I sincerely doubt that it is followed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does the Rabbi say if your child is old enough that he/she can be married but isn't ? Does he then start finding a spouse for them?

Not generally in a modern Orthodox community, but in ultra orthodox communities, matchmaking is a really important process. People are always trying to set people up, once they turn 21 or so (18+ for girls in ultra-orthodox communities). But if you arent married by whatever age, they just keep looking. Some Rabbis (more likely Rabbis' wives) engage in matchmaking, others dont.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighborhood has a small orthodox synagogue and therefor, a decent orthodox community. No one from the orthodox community participates in our civic association, attends neighborhood events or engages with the rest of the neighborhood. I've also noticed that most of the orthodox residents don't maintain their homes. Many houses have peeling paint, shutters falling off, overgrown shrubs and dead trees. Many of the houses look like they are falling apart and the age of the residents doesn't seem to matter. I have noticed this in other orthodox areas as well, though not all. Why is this so common?

Perhaps they are more involved in other organizations, such as the synagogues or schools. They might not have the money to maintain their homes or just not care. Where I grew up, the mayor was orthodox, as well as a number of councilmen. It just depends on the neighborhood. Its not reflective of all orthodox jews, just the ones in your neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How common are the 'purity' ceremonies for women in the orthodox community?

Do you believe that the orthodox Jewish faith is more or less supportive of women's rights than other orthodox denominations?

I've never heard of a "purity ceremony". Married jewish women are required to immerse in a ritual bath after their periods before they can have sex with their husbands. Almost every orthodox married woman I know does this..

Dontcha think that indicates that there's some kind of.... hangup? Going on there? I mean a religion that actually requires washing your "hoo-hoo" (to borrow a phrase from the political forum) before sex? Because, menstuation, ick!

While a good idea and one I personally engage in, having a religion dictate it? Really?

Ritual baths are not to remove physical impurities, but rather to remove spiritual impurities. Before immersing, one must already be completely clean having soaked in a bath and removed all make-up, dirt, nail polish, etc. The concept stems from the spiritual impurity of death. Since every egg is a potential life, every period is sort of a death, in that it was a loss of potential life. The mikvah (ritual bath) cleanses the spirit, not the body.

Orthodox judaism dictates basically every aspect of my life, this is just one more thing.

But when this rule was created, people didn't know about eggs, right? And if it's a spiritual impurity, why doesn't focus solely on prayer or burning incense? Is there any male impurity that requires bathing? And, I recall in Leviticus lots of other rules about mentruation. Do you have to follow all of them? I think there were rules about burning sacrifices after childbirth. Also, why do you think a woman is "ritually unclean" for a longer period of time after giving birth to a female child vs. a male child?

Also is it true the men won't shake a woman's hand because she might be menstruating?


http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/says_about/menstruation.html

http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0312.htm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Mormons can not practice polygamy, then why should Jews (or anyone) be allowed to circumcise their infant sons who can not consent to a body altering procedure? Religious freedom is really cultural, that is what we are comfortable with. Both issues are icky to an outsider, so are you concerned that somehow it could become illegal?

Do you really think there's a societal consensus that circumcision is "icky" to non-jews? Really? REALLY?