D&D Religion's "Ask About Judaism" Thread

I dimly remember this bit. If the person seeking forgiveness has asked three times, and got three different sets of friends to try to reason with the person they are seeking it from, and they still refuse to forgive, God "switches sides" and condemns them for bearing a grudge.

Or something like that.

In most cases. But in some situations God will forgive without the forgiveness from the human victim. For example, if the victim has died or is refusing (unfairly) to give forgiveness.

I think in every case... between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is 10 days of repentence, and we are told to ask each individual for forgiveness because only they can forgive us... we ask G-d separately. That's how important Judaism emphasises morals between man and man, not just man and G-d.

Anyway guys, off to Israel until June 08. I will be on even less than I am now but I'll have occasional access so I hope to be able to answer any questions where possible. Shalom folks.

Maimonedes, Laws of Forgiveness, Chapter 2 Law 9 and Shulchan Aruch 606:1 both state that if a man refuses to forgive you need only ask three times (each time with a quorom of three others) and if the man refuses "he is the sinner" and the original sinner need not ask again as he has done enough. That means that god has forgiven him as the person never did.

Yeah, the "three others" was the "three friends" thing I was referring to.

I have a question, but I'm new so I'm not sure if this is the ''right'' thread that you people seem to love talking about.

Do Jews take the Torah literally, as in word for word?

Thanks.

I have to disagree with UniOfLife, as large parts of the Torah are only understood through the Oral Torah and commentaries, thus not being taken literally.

I hear there are two Jews in Afghanistan, and they live on opposite ends of the countrty.

One small-ish question. How is a Jew brought up to percieve Muslims?

From my experience I know that Muslims see Jews in a very negative light from childhood and I wonder whether this favour is repaid.

When my mother was still somewhat religious I was brought up to view everyone as equal, and we often met up with our Muslim friends - I remember my mum and my friends' mums talking about how similar their cultures were, both being outsiders in Christian Britain I guess. I expect this is common for most Western Jews. Somewhere where there is conflict between Jews and Muslism, e.g Israel will have more variation. What you will find is that schools give a balanced education about Jewish history, modern Israeli history and also teach about other cultures. In the army, Jews learn about Islam ad Arabic culture, even as far as learning Arabic. Most Jews are liberal and are not 'indoctrinated' and the ultra-orthodox children are most likely taught that everyone who do not have the same way of life as them, whether liberal Jew, atheist or Muslim are outsiders, if not inferior. Like any society there will be a minority of racists, but this usually bears out as being more directed towards the surrounding Arabs than Muslims in general. Another thing to remember is that the Jewish texts do not speak of Muslims as they predate Mohammed, whereas there are mentions of Jews and CHristians in Islamic texts - even if these mentions are not necessarily negative, they have allowed those preachers with an agenda to justify their hatred by giving their own interpretation whereas this is not possible in the reverse.

Do you think that having Muslim friends helps you respect the religion more?

One small-ish question. How is a Jew brought up to percieve Muslims?

From my experience I know that Muslims see Jews in a very negative light from childhood and I wonder whether this favour is repaid.