Ask the Rabbi

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Nisan 2 

Tallit Stripes

What is the reason that just about every tallit has a series of stripes running vertically down the tallit. Is there a reason or is it just decorative? If decorative, when did this practice begin?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The tallit needn't be striped at all, yet in fact most are striped. some are striped blue, some black, some bright white, and some with a multitude of colors. Yet in Jewish law the stripes are insignificant. So why the stripes?

Nobody really knows. Yet this is how it's been done by practically all communities throughout the Diaspora for as long as we know, and so we continue the practice.

In 1960, Yigal Yadin headed an archaeological expedition in the Judean desert of Israel. The purpose was to explore a number of caves known to have been used as a hideout for Jews during the Bar Kokhba revolt against Rome (132-135 CE). One of the fascinating discoveries was a number of Jewish tunics, each with stripes similar to the tallit of today. In Yigal Yadin's book, "Bar-Kokhba" (ch. 7), he writes that this was the Roman style of the times.

It is also possible that the stripes in the Tallit were a sort of substitute for the blue string in the Tzitzit, since the identity of the snail that was to be used for the dye was lost.

To learn more, see "Tztzith – A Thread of Light" by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan.

 

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Nisan 3

Bar Mitzvah Gift

My nephew is having his bar mitzvah and I am thinking of a gift. In the old days, the gift of choice was a fountain pen, then a Walkman, and today an iPod. But I want to get him something special. What do you suggest?

 

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Since this event celebrates the young person becoming obligated in the commandments, the most appropriate gift is, naturally, one that gives a deeper understanding of the Jewish heritage and enables one to better perform the mitzvot! (An iPod, s/he can get anytime.)

With that in mind, my favorite gift idea is a tzedakah (charity) box. Every Jew should have a tzedakah box in his home, so he can drop in change on a regular basis. The money can then be given to support a Jewish school or institution -- in your home town or in Israel (every Jews’ “home town”). There are beautiful tzedakah boxes made of wood and silver, and you can see a selection here.

For boys, a really beautiful gift is a pair of tefillin, the black leather boxes which contain parchments of Torah verses, worn on the bicep and the head.

If he already has Tefillin, consider a special waterproof Tefillin case that he can take on hikes, trips, etc.

The next obvious gift is a Jewish book. There are many hundreds of titles to choose from, so I’ve narrowed it down to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Top 10. Just click on the title to order:

• Stone Chumash (published by ArtScroll), an excellent translation of the Five Books of Moses with running commentary on every page

• Book of our Heritage by Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov (Feldheim), a beautiful overview of the Jewish holidays

• The Bar Mitzvah Treasury, an illustrated collection of customs and inspiring stories (by Rabbi Yonah Weinrib and Rabbi Yaakov Salomon; ArtScroll)

• The Thinking Teenagers Guide to Life by Rabbi Akiva Tatz (Targum), gripping essays on forging a path through life

• Sand and Stars by Yaffa Ganz (ArtScroll), a two-volume book about Jewish history, written especially for teenagers

• Shmooze by Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith, a fun book that provokes thoughtful discussions on essential Jewish issues

• The Long Road to Freedom, by Avner Gold, an exciting historical novel filled with intrigue and insight into Jewish life

• Bible for the Clueless But Curious by Rabbi Nachum Braverman (Leviathan), packed with wisdom on relationships, spirituality and more

• Candles in my Window by Beth Firestone, a delightful fiction book about a young girl discovering her Judaism

• Triumph – Aish.com’s popular book of inspiring true stories of challenge and spiritual growth

If all else fails, you can always give money. It is a nice idea to give $18 (or some multiple thereof), since the numerical value of 18 in Hebrew is "Chai," which means "Life."

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Nisan 4 

Adultery - Jewish Perspective

What is so bad about adultery that it is prohibited in the 10 commandments?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

To paraphrase Dennis Prager, Judaism has a sexual ideal: marital sex. Judaism placed controls on sexual activity, demanding that it be channeled into marriage. This quite simply changed the world and made the creation of Western civilization possible. Societies that did not place boundaries around sexuality were stymied in their development. The subsequent dominance of the Western world can largely be attributed to the sexual revolution initiated by Judaism, and later carried forward by Christianity.

This revolution began the arduous task of elevating the status of women. It is probably impossible for us, who live thousands of years after Judaism began this process, to perceive the extent to which undisciplined sex can dominate society. (Although we are perhaps seeing the ill effects of unrestrained sexualization in some aspects of Western society today.)

The bedrock of Western civilization, and of Jewish life, has been the centrality and purity of family life. Children need the stability to grow and develop in a family unit with a mother and father, each giving their appropriate influences. Adultery attacks the family unit at its core. Once adultery enters into the marriage, the chances of divorce increase, and at the very least the closeness and unity of the couple - and subsequently the entire family - breaks down. At stake is our civilization.

On a deeper level, if one has formed a solid relationship with his spouse, this will help develop his fidelity to God as well. The converse is also true: One who is disloyal to his spouse will most likely be disloyal to God.

The Midrash says this idea is alluded to by the placement of different commandments on the two tablets. The seventh commandment, the prohibition against adultery, appears opposite the second commandment, "Do not have other gods before me." This positioning is not accidental, but rather hints that loyalty to spouse and loyalty to God go hand-in-hand.

Adultery is much worse than just cheating on one's partner. It corrupts the entire basis of how we act in this world - and that demands strong counter-measures.

 

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Nisan 5 

Jewish Mission

I read on Aish.com that "Every Jew is equally important to our mission." Pardon my question, but exactly what is our mission?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

No need to apologize. The only bad question is one that remains unasked.

Rabbi Noah Weinberg zt”l wrote an article for Israel's 50th anniversary, which was published in Azure magazine (www.azure.org.il). There he writes:

"Tikkun Olam" is the basis of what drives the Jewish people to greatness. It all started back with Abraham. His business was to go out and teach what it means to be "created in the image of God." He demonstrated how a human being has to take responsibility for the world. Abraham's undertaking was the first progressive, liberal movement the world had ever seen. And look how it succeeded!

Tikkun Olam is the Jewish legacy. In looking back at the first 3,000 years of Jewish history, we don't recall the names of any great entertainers or athletes or corporate executives. We recall the great teachers of the Jewish message: Moses, King David, Maimonides, the Vilna Gaon. That is the essential Jewish legacy. The message was engrained in our souls at Mount Sinai and it is the single defining characteristic of our people.

Torah methodology is universal – for Jews and non-Jews, religious and secular, Israel and the diaspora, left and right. The Torah is alive and relevant for today. And for the Jewish people, the ability to effectively communicate this message is our single most important undertaking.

I hope this helps answer your question. Though this raises a whole new question: What are you going to do about it?!

 

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Nisan 7 

Avraham Serving the Angels

In Genesis 18:8, three angels appear to Abraham. It says that Abraham served them milk and a calf. I realize that the laws of kashrut prohibiting mixtures of milk and meat were not given until 500 years later, but wouldn't Abraham have had the spiritual sensitivity to stay away from such a dangerous mixture?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Good question! In fact, the Talmud states that Abraham observed all the mitzvahs. So how could he be mixing milk and meat? Many different answers are offered:

1) The reason we wait 6 hours after eating meat is because we are concerned about strands of meat being stuck between the teeth; also the fatty nature of meat leaves a residue in one's mouth and stomach. These reasons don't apply if one has eaten a milk product, and therefore no waiting is required (providing one rinses his mouth). This is indicated by a careful reading of the verse which states that Abraham first gave them the dairy products, and then the meat. (Daas Zekeinim)

2) The verse says that "Abraham stood over them." He did so to ensure that there was no mixing of meat and milk. (Midrash Hagadol)

3) The verse says that Abraham gave them "the calf that he made." Some commentators say that this was not a real calf, but rather a creation that Abraham was able to conjure up (“made”) using spiritual powers. So the calf was not actual meat, and was thus permitted to be eaten with milk.

4) When the verse says that "the angels ate," it cannot possibly mean this, because angels are spiritual beings and do not eat. Thus there was no problem of milk and meat, because they actually "ate" nothing!

 

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Nisan 8 

Adoption

We are looking to adopt a Jewish child, preferably a baby (as yet unborn). Can you help us find one in Israel, possibly an out-of-wedlock situation. It would be a real mitzvah for all concerned. We have excellent references within our Jewish community.

In general, what is the view of the Jewish religion toward adoption in cases of infertility? Is there a risk that adopting a child is like giving up hope of conceiving?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The official Israeli adoption agency, Sherut L'Ma'an Hayeled, requires adopters to live in Israel (at least at the outset of adoption). And even for Israelis, the waiting list to adopt a Jewish baby is approximately six years.

I would suggest that you inquire of prominent rabbis, who are often told about unwanted babies, or befriend labor ward hospital staff and ask to be tipped off when a baby is likely to be abandoned.

Given the scarcity of finding a Jewish baby to adopt, many people will look in South America or the former Soviet Republics. It is important to note, however, that a non-Jewish child who is adopted by a Jewish family is not Jewish. Only the Jewish mother's biological children are automatically Jews.

An adopted child, however, has the option of conversion, just like any other non-Jew. The child is brought to the Beit Din, has a Bris and dunks in the Mikveh. When he reaches the age of maturity (12 for a girl, 13 for a boy), he/she has the option of declining to accept a lifetime of Judaism.

In general, the Beit Din will only allow such a conversion if the parents themselves agree to observe all 613 mitzvahs of the Torah. This is the only way it is reasonable to assume that the child will also observe the mitzvahs. Otherwise the child is being put into a situation where he is “sinning” from the get-go. I’m sure that you can understand the internal contradiction that this would create.

I highly recommend a book called “The Bamboo Cradle” by Avraham Schwartzbaum, the story of an American couple who adopted a baby in China, and the amazing Jewish journey that results.

The idea of adopting is a humanitarian act and is quite meritorious. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 19b) says that one who raises an orphan in his home, it is as if he had given birth to him. (A child given up for adoption is, in essence, a child without parents that are capable, or willing to raise him.) Thus, a couple who physically cannot bear children, can raise a child and it will be considered as if they had given birth to the child.

The Sages also say that if the couple is not medically sterile, but they have other problems which hinders childbirth; then in merit of the adoption, God will bless them with one or more of their own.

Here are some recommended books on the topic of Jewish adoption:

• "And the Lord Will Gather Me In," by David Klinghoffer

• "Adopting After Infertility" by Patricia Johnston

• "Launching a Baby's Adoption: Practical Strategies " by Patricia Johnston

• "And Hannah Wept" by Rabbi Michael Gold

• "Sweet Grapes: How to Stop Being Infertile and Start Living Again" by Jean and Michael Carter

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Nisan 9 

Cleaning Craze

I find it a bit confusing the requirements for cleaning chametz. On one hand, your website says that we don't have to go crazy. But then you say that we must make sure there are no crumbs around that could fall into our food. It sounds to me that we do have to go crazy!

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Yes, it is confusing. That's because there are two separate issues at stake.

On one hand, the Torah prohibits the mere possession of chametz during Passover, even if we will not eat it (Exodus 13:7). In Jewish law, any piece of chametz the size of a large olive (50 cc or larger) has to be removed from our possession. Thus, we should clean as much as we can, but not go crazy over tiny crumbs.

The second issue is that the Torah prohibits eating chametz during Passover (Exodus 13:3). What quantity of chametz are we not allowed to eat? Even one tiny crumb!

And that's where the "crazy" cleaning comes in. Because if there are any crumbs around, they could somehow make their way into the food. To prevent that, we very thoroughly clean all areas where we'll be preparing and eating food. This includes washing the kitchen chairs, covering the table, using a different set of pots, dishes and silverware, covering the kitchen counters - and even wiping off the light switches, doorknobs and telephone. We also make sure that our clothes are clean of chametz, in order that crumbs won't fall into our food during Passover.

Areas of the house that you will not be touching during Passover, only need to be checked for the larger olive-sized pieces.

For a more detailed explanation of this issue, see Aish.com's excellent guide to “Pesach Cleaning Made Easy.”

(Source: Maimonides - Laws of Chametz 1:7, 2:13)

 

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Nisan 10 

Creative Seder

Since everyone else is recovering from various broken bones this year, I'm doing the Seder at my house. So I took the opportunity to try to add a few creative ways to tell the story of freedom. Oy vey, did my brother-in-law fuss. He says we must do the "real" Seder.

I want to do a Seder that is meaningful to us, so we'd be involved instead of biding our time until the meal. I want the idea of freedom to translate to our lives today from the Sages of the past. Should I feel guilty about this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Regarding the content of the Passover Seder and unlimited creativity, I would like to make the following suggestion:

Keep to the traditional Seder, and also make time for creative adventure.

Why? Not to placate your brother-in-law. But in order to preserve the true message of the Seder.

Which is?

National redemption from the shackles of Egyptian oppression by the All Powerful Creator of the World, Who subsequently gave us the Torah, the guide to life that teaches us how to free ourselves from our own personal shackles of oppression and live a life which brings true joy - which is closeness to the All Powerful Creator of the World.

With all due credit and admiration for creative input, the concept of freedom can easily be misunderstood. For some people, "freedom" might mean releasing oneself from God's rules - exactly the opposite of what the Passover Seder is supposed to mean!

Sticking to the traditional Seder guarantees that God will be part and parcel of the freedom. And frankly speaking, any Seder that He isn't part of, is not a Passover Seder.

I'm all for creativity. At my own Seder we act out different parts of the Haggadah and we all have a blast. We have big plastic animals and ping pong balls (hail) flying around the room during the Ten Plagues. But we have the basic structure of the Haggadah there to preserve the integrity of the message that has been passed on for thousands of years. A time-tested message, woven with the self-sacrifice and devotion of countless generations. A priceless message which is the key to Jewish identity and survival.

 

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Nisan 11 

Rice and Beans

I just got married and have an important question: Can we eat rice on Passover? My wife grew up eating it, and I did not. Is this just a matter of family tradition?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chametz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why?

Products of kitniyot often appear like chametz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chametz). Also, chametz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited.

In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chametz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chametz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chametz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot.

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil.

Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "cholent" stew!) In the United States and elsewhere, mainstream kosher supervision agencies certify it "Kosher for Passover" -- look for the label.

Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where one family could be eating rice on Passover - when their neighbors will not. So am I going to guess here that you are Ashkenazi and your wife is Sefardi. Am I right?

(sources: Maimonides - Laws of Chametz and Matzah 5:1; Code of Jewish Law - O.C. 453)

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Nisan 12 

Passover Pet Food

I recently got a pet dog and am not sure what to feed it over Passover. He is used to our food, however he does need his artificial bones or he will chew the furniture instead! What are the laws for dealing with pet food made of chametz? Obviously it isn't intended to be eaten by a Jew, but it is in our possession. Is there kosher for Passover dog food?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jews around the world are perplexed by what to feed the family pet during Passover. The Talmud states that not only is it forbidden for a Jew to eat chametz on Passover, but it is also forbidden to own chametz or to have any benefit from it.

Additionally, it is forbidden to have a non-Jew give your pet chametz since we are not to derive any benefit from chametz on Passover – and feeding your pet is regarded as "deriving benefit."

Yet... if the dog is not properly fed, he will chew the furniture instead! What to do?

You simply have to feed your pet human food that is kosher for Passover. Alternatively, there are stores which sell pet foods that are kosher for Passover, and may even ship nationally.

Also, it is permitted to feed pets kitniyot – rice, corn, soy beans, etc. – which Ashkenazi Jews do not eat on Passover.

If this becomes unusually difficult, there is a leniency to buy regular pet food. However this is providing that the food was not edible at all for humans before Passover, and cannot have possibly caused other food to become chametz. (sources: Biur Halacha – "Ad"; Chazon Ish OC 116:8 – "V'Chol")

Even aquarium foods must not contain chametz. Most flake or pellet fish foods contain wheat products. This includes the most popular name brands such as Wardley's and Tetra-min. Alternative foods for your fish on Passover are the various freeze-dried worms, live foods, or frozen foods. (Freeze-dried blood worms are commonly available – the icky name is only because of the red color.) Be sure to check the labels of any commercial foods.

Happy Passover! Woof woof!

(additional sources: Talmud – Pesachim 21a; Chayei Adam, Hilchot Pesach 121:7 and 124:12; Ohr Samayach – Hilchos Chametz 4:10)

 

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Nisan 13 

Selling Chametz

I am becoming more interested in Jewish observance, and with Passover coming soon, I started thinking about how my grandparents would always sell their chametz (bread, etc.) before the holiday. Can you give me some info about selling chametz for Passover in the modern days?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

One way to dispose of chametz is to burn it – as is customary to do the morning prior to the Passover Seder.

However, many of us have a lot of chametz around the house and would like some way of disposing of it, without having to destroy it all. Hence the institution of selling chametz to a non-Jew prior to the holiday.

The sale must be a full and valid sale. It is not a charade. If not done properly, then the chametz will mistakenly remain in our possession throughout Passover! This is why we have a knowledgeable rabbi arrange the sale.

The contract is worded in a way so that the non-Jew actually has the option of purchasing all the chametz. Inevitably, however, the non-Jew winds up making a small profit from the entire transaction by transferring back the chametz right after the holiday.

Many have a custom not to sell real edible chametz like bread, crackers, whiskey, etc. The exception is when getting rid of it will involve a hardship – i.e. you've got a large quantity of it, it's difficult to obtain, or it's expensive. Certainly you can include a half-bottle of scotch in the sale. Otherwise, you can give the food away to a non-Jewish acquaintance. Some cities specifically host food drives for poor people in the days prior to Passover.

But what about food that's not "real" chametz – i.e. a can of tuna fish that's not labeled "Kosher for Passover," or food that was cooked in a chametz pot? These things you can sell and just not use during Passover.

Whatever you are selling should be put it into a separate cabinet, then locked (or taped shut), and labeled "sold." Your chametz will be sold at mid-morning, local time, on the day of the Seder. It may not be accessed after that time.

By the way, even chametz belonging to a non-Jew that is in your possession must be put away and covered.

Good luck – and just hope that the non-Jew who buys your chametz doesn't decide to undergo conversion during the week of Passover. That would really complicate things!

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Nisan 14 

Archaeology and the Exodus

I am in touch with someone who is interested in Judaism, but wants to understand its validity from a historic and archeological perspective. He is very bright, a Ph.D. in mathematics.

He made me a challenge that he would take Judaism seriously if I could prove that historically the Exodus story is true. He says that based on historians and archeologists, there is no evidence of a Jewish people enslaved in Egypt under the pharaohs. He claims that scholars state that Egyptian record keeping and other artifacts (or lack thereof) prove this.

My friend is looking for hard scholarly evidence, as opposed to what he calls "some white-bearded rabbi who is quoting from the Jewish texts." What documentation can you provide?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Since my beard is not white, I suppose I qualify to answer.

In 2001, a storm of debate erupted in the Jewish world, following the assertion by Rabbi David Wolpe of Los Angeles that "the way the Bible describes the Exodus is not the way it happened, if it happened at all." Wolpe made his declaration before 2,000 worshippers at the Conservative Sinai Temple, and the speech was reported on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. The article, entitled "Doubting the Story of Exodus," asserts that archaeology disproves the validity of the biblical account.

While people don't usually get worked up about archaeology, the debate about archaeology and the Bible is often passionate and vitriolic.

Biblical Archaeology is often divided into two camps: The "minimalists" tend to downplay the historical accuracy of the Bible, while the "maximalists," who are in the majority and are by and large not religious, tend to suggest that archaeological evidence supports the basic historicity of the Bible text.

As a science, we must understand what archaeology is and what it isn't.

Archaeology consists of two components: the excavation of ancient artifacts, and the interpretation of those artifacts. While the excavation component is more of a mechanical skill, the interpretive component is very subjective. Presented with the same artifact, two world-class archaeologists will often come to different conclusions – particularly when ego, politics and religious beliefs enter the equation.

In the subjective field of Biblical Archaeology, anyone making a definitive statement like "archaeology has proven..." has probably chosen to take sides and is not presenting the whole picture. When the Los Angeles Times writes that "the rabbi was merely telling his flock what scholars have known for more than a decade," it is revealing an anti-biblical bias.

Admittedly, however, there is a shortage of Egyptian documentation of the Exodus period. Why?

We need to understand how the ancient world viewed the whole idea of recorded history. The vast majority of inscriptions found in the ancient world have a specific agenda – to glorify the deeds of the king and to show his full military power.

The British Museum in London displays inscriptions from the walls of the palace of the Assyrian Emperor, Sancheriv. These show scenes from Sancheriv's military campaigns from the 8th century BCE, including graphic depictions of destroyed enemies (decapitations, impalings, etc.). Sancheriv himself is depicted as larger than life.

But one element is missing from these inscriptions: There are no dead Assyrians! That is consistent with the ancient "historical" style – negative events, failures and flaws are not depicted at all. When a nation suffers an embarrassing defeat, they usually whitewash the mistakes and destroy the evidence.

The earliest known “objective historian," in our modern definition of the term, was the Greek writer Herodotus. He is generally considered the "father of historians" for his attempt to compile a dispassionate historical record of the war between the Greeks and Persians – 800 years after the Exodus (dated 13th century BCE).

This does not mean that early civilizations did not record events. It's just that their purpose was more propaganda than creating any kind of objective historical record.

This idea has significant ramifications for archeology and the Exodus. The last thing the ancient Egyptians wanted to record is the embarrassment of being completely destroyed by the God of a puny slave nation. Would the Egyptians ever want to preserve details of the destruction of fields, flocks, and first borns – plus the death of Pharaoh and the entire Egyptian army at the Red Sea?

In other words, we wouldn't expect to find prominent attention to Moses' humiliation of Pharaoh – even if it certainly occurred.

In one major event, the battle of Kadesh on the Orantes River between the Hitites and the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, both sides record it as a major victory, and is depicted as such.

Interestingly, the Torah is unique among all ancient national literature in that it portrays its people in both victory and defeat. The Jews – and sometimes their leaders – are shown as rebels, complainers, idol-builders, and yes, descended from slaves. This objective portrayal lends the Torah great credibility. As the writer Israel Zangwill said: "The Bible is an anti-Semitic book. Israel is the villain, not the hero, of his own story. Alone among the epics, it is out for truth, not heroics."

Another factor here is that the archeological process is tedious and expensive. To date, only a tiny fraction of archeological sites related to the Bible have been excavated.

This thin archeological record means that conclusions are based on speculation and projection. Archeology can only prove the existence of artifacts unearthed, not disprove that which hasn't been found. Lack of evidence... is no evidence of lack.

Yet that has not stopped some archeologists from making bold assertions. In the 1950s, world-renowned archeologist Kathleen Kenyon dug in one small section of Jericho, looking for remnants of habitation at the time of Joshua's conquest of the land in 1272 BCE. She found no evidence, and concluded on that basis that the Bible was false.

The problem is that Kenyon dug only one small section of Jericho, basing her conclusion on that limited information. Today, though the controversy lingers, many archeologists claim there is indeed clear evidence of habitation in Jericho from the time of Joshua.

Archeology is a new science, and the record is far from complete. We have only begun to scratch the surface.

The Los Angeles Times makes another mistake in reading the biblical text without the accompanying Talmudic explanation. For example, in trying to demonstrate Biblical inconsistency, the Times writes: "One passage in Exodus says that the bodies of the Pharaoh's charioteers were found on the shore, while the next verse says they sank to the bottom of the sea." The Times unfortunately did not consult the preeminent Bible commentary, Rashi, who explains that after the Egyptians drowned, the sea threw them onto the shore, so that the Jewish people could be relieved at the knowledge that their enemies would no longer be in pursuit. (Exodus 14:30)

The credibility of the Times' article is further eroded by its quoting another Los Angeles rabbi who mistakenly asserts that it does not matter "whether we [Jews] built the pyramids." As it says clearly in Exodus 1:11 (and in the Passover Haggadah), the Jews "built the store-cities of Pitom and Ramses." Jews never built any pyramids, which were built in 2500 BCE – about 1200 years before the Exodus.

The Los Angeles Times asserts: "[M]ost congregants, along with secular Jews and several rabbis interviewed, said that whether the Exodus is historically true or not is almost beside the point."

We would disagree. The truth of the text is precisely the point. By attacking the veracity of the Exodus, and reducing it to mere fable, this knocks out the most basic Jewish principal of the past 3,300 years. Belief in God is predicated on the Exodus experience: "I am the Lord Your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt from the house of slavery" (Exodus 20:2).

The Jewish people have survived for thousands of years, against all odds, because we knew clearly the truth of Torah. When Jews in the Crusades chose to be burned at the stake rather than convert, they were not subscribing to some weak fable. To suggest otherwise is an insult to the millions of Jews who have died for our beliefs.

Whether layperson or rabbi, for those who reject the truth of Torah and the obligatory nature of commandments, rejecting the Torah's historical accounts follows suit.

For over 3,000 years, the Jewish people have faithfully transmitted the Exodus story, unique in the annals of world history. From parent to child, and teacher to student, it is an unbroken chain of transmission. Is it true?

To explore this topic, I recommend attending a Discovery Seminar, which presents an excellent overview of the gamut of Jewish history, philosophy, and literature. For a current schedule, go to: http://www.aish.com/dis/

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Nisan 15 

Number of Jews at Exodus

Thank you very much for all your wise and interesting writings. For the last two years, I've been teaching an adult seminar called "Discovering the Beauty of Judaism" at a Reform congregation, and I use Aish HaTorah material.

Now my question: I remember that the number of Jews leaving Egypt was 600,000. But I read recently that the number was in the millions! Is this true?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

It is written in the Torah, "The Children of Israel journeyed... 600,000 adult males on foot, besides the children." (Exodus 12:37)

Since the verse only includes the number of men who were 20 years of age and over, we can extrapolate the total population by including the women and children as well.

According to Rabbi Yonasan ben Uziel (circa 1st century CE, author of an Aramaic translation of the Five Books of Moses), there were 3 million Jews in total who witnessed the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. (see Targum Yonasan – Exodus 12:37) It is probable that a comparable number of Jews left Egypt.

By the way, the Talmud says that 80 percent of the Jews never even left Egypt. They were so steeped in Egyptian culture that they were unwilling to join the Exodus. As such, they were lost to the Jewish nation forever.

Best of luck in your Torah studies – and teaching!

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Nisan 16 

Four Cups: Verses

We are constantly made aware of the importance of the four cups of wine and the obligation to drink them at the Seder. Yet no mention is made in the Torah of the four cups, nor do we recite the verses from the Torah symbolizing these four cups in our reading of the Haggadah. Why not?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

With such a good question, you could be the Wise Son!

The four cups of wine are a rabbinical mitzvah, in commemoration of the four expressions of redemption that appear in Exodus 6:6-7: "I will take you out... I shall save you... I shall redeem you... I shall take you."

These verses refer to a promise that God made. They do not relate to the events of slavery in Egypt, nor are they verses of actual redemption. God's original promise to Abraham is spoken about in the Haggadah with "Boruch Shomer Havtachato." Thus there is no need to recite the verses of Exodus 6:6-7.

On the other hand, the Seder night mitzvot of eating matzah and telling the Exodus story have their basis in the Torah (Exodus 12:8), and are mentioned in the Haggadah.

(sources: Rashi - Pesachim 99b; Tosfot - Pesachim 108b)

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Nisan 17

Why First-borns Killed?

It has always bothered me why all of the first-borns in Egypt had to suffering in that final, devastating plague. There is no mention in the verses of the common Egyptian being particularly bad to Hebrews so as to deserve such punishment. Furthermore, other Egyptians – like Pharaoh's daughter who rescued Moses – actually did good. It appears that only Pharaoh and his governmental apparatus seemed bent on evil. Could you explain?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The killing of the first-born stands out from all the other plagues as Divine retribution directed toward Pharaoh and all of Egypt. The Midrash (based on the verse, "Behold, I will slay your son, even your first-born" – Exodus 4:23) teaches that initially when God sought to bring the plagues upon Egypt, He intended to commence with the plague of the first-born. (The other plagues were a reaction to Pharaoh's insolence.)

In order to fully understand this plague we must appreciate the hierarchy within Egyptian civilization. It was a society ruled by primogeniture. The first-born had absolute power within the family unit. Pharaoh was the first-born of the first-born of the first-born. It was from this birthright that he exercised power.

The attack against the first-born was therefore a powerful polemic against the entire culture of Egypt. The eldest ruled the younger siblings. This is why having slaves was so important to the Egyptians. This gave the lower classes someone else to control and dominate.

The Netziv (Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin) explains this idea based on the song that was sung after the splitting of the sea: "Then sang Moshe and the people of Israel this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously... the horse and his rider has he thrown into the sea." (15:1, 15:21)

The main part of the song seems to be the idea of "horse and the rider." The Netziv explains that this verse encapsulates the defeat of Egypt: the philosophy of the "horse and the rider." As the rider rides on the subjugated horse, so must the rider listen to the officer, and that officer listen to the general, and that general listen to the commander-in-chief.

According to Netziv, this describes the horrors of the Egyptian society, a series of horse and riders, where the Jewish slaves became the bottom of the proverbial "totem pole" – the lowest horse supporting the entire structure. This is why they were loath to release the slaves, since he entire society would crumble without them.

We now understand why the death of the first-born was so essential to the Exodus, and why the splitting of the sea evoked such a powerful response. The "horse and rider" philosophy had sunk at sea. The death of the first-born was the beginning this final chapter of liberation, where the leading "riders" were to die.

We now understand that the death of the first-born was not just another sign of Divine might. No, this plague struck at the very epicenter of the Egyptian civilization, and paved the way for liberation.

In Judaism, as we have seen numerous times, birth does not guarantee position. A Torah scholar who has tainted lineage takes precedence over a high priest who is ignorant.

The entire book of Genesis, in fact, is a polemic against the older son. Abraham was not a first-born. Isaac was not a first-born. Jacob was not a first-born. Joseph was not a first-born. Even King David was not a first-born. (Midrash Rabba – Bamibar 4:8)

It is only Jacob's willingness to serve God which transformed him into a "first-born." On the other hand, "real" first-borns have lost their status. Originally the Temple service devolved upon the first-born, but when they committed the Sin of the Golden Calf, the Levites were privileged to enter in their stead. (Midrash Rabba – Bamidbar 4:8)

One day the Messiah himself will merit to be called a first-born. He will help teach the world that being a child of God transcends lineage. Indeed, being a first-born of God is about how we lead our lives – the manifestation of the image of God within, not a question of sequence of birth.

(source: Rabbi Ari Kahn)

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Nisan 18 

Egyptian Children Punished for Parents' Sins?

In the Book of Exodus, God indicates that He will slay all the Egyptian first-borns if Pharaoh will not allow the Israelites to leave. Why should the son suffer for the sins of the father? This contradicts the normal concepts of justice and Jewish law. Please explain.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

In one place, the Torah says "...each man shall die for his own sins" (Deut. 24:16), while in the Ten Commandments it says the opposite: that God "counts the sins of the fathers on the sons." (Exodus 20:5)

The Talmud explains the distinction: Children are only held accountable for their parents' misdeeds only when they perpetuate those bad actions. (Actually, the children can be held even more accountable than the parents because a bad behavior which continues for more than one generation deepens the damage to society.)

Accordingly, all the Egyptians were punished in the Ten Plagues because they participated in mistreating the Jews. Although it appeared as if Pharaoh was solely responsible for the slavery, in truth the suffering and humiliation the Jews suffered would not have been possible without collective agreement, and a national effort on the part of all Egyptians.

As for the first-born, given their influential position within the family they bear more responsibility, and were subject to an especially strong punishment.

By the way, someone who carries on their parents' bad values – but never had the opportunity to learn otherwise – is not held accountable.

(Sources: Talmud, Sanhedrin 27b; Rashi and Ibn Ezra to Exodus 20:5)

 

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Nisan 19

The Stolen Bread Machine

Last Passover, someone broke into our garage, where we had stored all the chametz we had sold. They stole our bread-making machine. When people asked why we weren't claiming it on the insurance, we pointed out that since the bread machine could not be thoroughly cleaned of chametz, it had to be sold for Passover. Therefore, it wasn't ours at the time of the theft – and we could not claim. (This year we made sure our garage is more secure!)

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Thank you for sharing the story.

Actually, the text of the sale frequently states that the non-Jew is buying only the CHAMETZ contained in our pots, pans (and bread-making machines) – not the actual vessel itself. This avoids the necessity of having to re-dunk the vessels in a mikveh upon buying them back (see Numbers 31:23, and Talmud – Avodah Zara 75b).

So it may be that you actually did own the bread machine at the time of the theft! Check it out with your local rabbi (and insurance company).

 

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Nisan 20 

Cool Whip on Matzah?

What are we allowed to eat on Passover? I consider myself Conservative-to-Reform, but growing up I was told things like you cannot eat peanuts. Can you eat Cool Whip?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz during all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains - wheat, spelt, barley, oats and rye - which has come into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. This is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

As a further precaution, we do not use Passover food in the category of "kitniyot." Sometimes referred to generically as "legumes," this includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover.

As for Cool Whip and other things, it all depends on the ingredients. It's always best to look for a kosher certification symbol on the package, indicating that it is kosher for Passover. Don't worry - there's plenty of delicious food to eat on Passover. For ideas, check out our gourmet Passover recipes at http://www.aish.com/h/pes/r/.

 

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Nisan 21

Brothers' Reunion

I'm within a few weeks of turning 49. Having been raised in a non-observant Jewish environment, I only began my Jewish education a year ago and am planning to have my bar mitzvah 37 years late. What is the applicable Torah portion for my celebration?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Mazal Tov! Planning your celebration on the week of the Torah portion you were born in, and the week that you became Bar Mitzvah in 37 years ago is extremely powerful, since your Torah portion, Vayigash, is all about reunions.

Parshat Vayigash is the climax of the story of Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery while he was still young. For 22 years they remained separated. During that time, the brothers felt great remorse for their actions. A famine also spread causing life to become even more bitter.

Ironically in Egypt, Joseph went from being a slave to the Egyptian prime minister. Since Joseph was a prophet, he was able to discern that a famine was coming; he therefore stored food away in Egypt to eat during the years of famine. Soon, the brothers were forced to come to Egypt to look for food. The Egyptian they solicited was none other than Joseph!

Parshat Vayigash is the story of how these brothers reunite. The brothers didn't recognize Joseph when they asked him for food, because he looked and spoke like an Egyptian. Joseph also didn't reveal his identity right away, fearing that his brothers had not changed since they had sold him into slavery.

However, when Joseph saw that the brothers had regretted selling him into slavery, "Joseph could not restrain himself... He cried so loud that all of Egypt and Pharaoh's household heard. Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?' But his brothers could not answer him because they were disconcerted before him." (Genesis 45:1-3)

The great rabbi, the Chofetz Chaim explained that when Joseph said, "I am Joseph," God's master plan became clear to the brothers. They had no more questions. Everything that had happened for the last 22 years fell into perspective. So too, in a future time God will reveal Himself and announce, "I am the Almighty!" The veil will be lifted from our eyes and we will comprehend everything that transpired throughout history.

So you see, this Torah portion is not only a reunion between brothers, but also a reunion between each brother and God, as they recognized the truth of all that occurred while they were separated.

So too, with you. Your celebration will be a reunion to affirm your relationship with God and the Jewish people.

To learn more, read "The Stone Chumash," (artscroll.com).

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Nisan 22 

Downfall of the Enemy

I married a negative person who has a very negative attitude. All these years whenever his meanness or negativity was pointed in my direction, I would scream and cry and pray to God to help me. Never in all my years did I think to ask God to help my husband become a nice, kind, loving person. I am doing that now.

This made me think about how I would pray for the Jews is Israel. Will it help to pray for the Arabs to love them?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

You've arrived at a deep spiritual truth.

The Talmud (Brachot 10a) tells about some neighborhood bandits who were constantly harassing Rabbi Meir. One day Rabbi Meir prayed that they should die.

His wife Bruria said, "Is such a prayer permitted? The verse in Psalms 104:35 says that 'SINS will cease from the earth' – not that 'SINNERS will cease from the earth.' So rather than pray for their demise, you should pray for them to repent."

Rabbi Meir listened to his wife and prayed that the bandits return to the righteous path. Soon after the bandits reformed their ways.

Every human being is created in the image of God and we should pray for their return to sanity.

The story is told of a woman sitting at home with her pet cat, when a mouse suddenly runs loose through the house. The woman and the cat share a common goal: They both want the mouse removed. The difference is that the woman simply wants the mouse to stop bothering her, but the cat wants it dead.

Jews in Israel don't want to kill Arabs, God forbid. We just want to be left alone to live in peace.

If they do not choose the path of peace, and they suffer because of it, we are still instructed not to rejoice at the downfall of an enemy (Proverbs 24:17).

Jews have always shown tremendous respect, even for their enemies. The Midrash explains that during the last six days of Passover, we do not say the complete Hallel prayer of joyful praises, because when the Jews crossed the Red Sea, God said, "Since my creations [the Egyptians] are drowning, you should not be singing praises."

Ezekiel 39:13 describes how the Jewish people were credited with a tremendous sanctification of God's Name, by treating enemy corpses with great respect. In modern times, I recall an incident a few years ago when Palestinian terrorist Abu Jihad was assassinated, and the Palestinians were certain the Israelis did it. How did they know? Because Abu Jihad's wife and children were left unharmed.

We would much prefer to live at peace with the Arabs. And we pray for them to pursue the path of peace.

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Nisan 23 

Why Bad Things Happen

If God is omnipotent and merciful as the Bible claims, why do bad things happen to good people?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Dr. Gerald Schroeder, double-Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics and Earth and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, explains:

It is true, notwithstanding the bad we occasionally see around us, that the God of the Bible is described as merciful and long-suffering, filled with righteousness and truth (Exodus 34:6). Equally confounding, at the end of the Six Days of Creation, we are told that God saw all that was done and "behold it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). Not just good, but very good.

Still, young children get multiple sclerosis and earthquakes cause buildings to topple and crush the innocent. The same God that streaks the sky with a rainbow of red at sunrise and produces the beauty of a flower must also be connected to these horrors.

Although we may see it as unfortunate, bad things happening to good people is consistent with the biblical description of God's role in the world. By chapter four, Cain has murdered Abel. According to the Bible, Abel was the good guy. God had accepted his special offering while rejecting Cain's run-of-the-mill sacrifice. God had the power to prevent Abel's murder but chose not to.

Isaiah hints at why: "I am the Eternal, there is no other. I make light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil" (Isaiah 45:6, 7). God, the infinite source of light, creates darkness by withdrawing some of the light. Similarly God, the infinite source of peace, creates evil by shielding a portion of the peace. The biblical definition of creation is the partial withdrawal of God's presence. God pulls back, and in so doing creates the universe with its laws of nature. For the most part, nature takes its natural course.

Only when events get way off course does the Bible recount that God steps in and overrides nature. A natural-looking world is an essential part of the biblical game plan of life, namely the exercising of our free will. "I call to you witness today the heavens and the earth, I have placed life and death before you, the blessing and the curse. Therefore choose life so that you may live, you and your progeny" (Deut. 30:19).

If humans are to have the will to choose freely, the world must look natural. A natural world has radiation which produces crippling mutations and earthquakes which crush the innocent.

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Nisan 24 

Missed Day of the Omer

I spaced out and missed counting one day of the Omer. Am I allowed to continue counting?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

That depends. If you neglected to count the Omer in the evening, and did remember to count the following day, then the next evening you should continue the count as usual, with a blessing.

However, if you neglected to count the Omer for an entire day (i.e. missed both the evening and the following day), then you are still required to count until the end of 49 days - but WITHOUT a blessing.

The reason why one is not permitted to say the blessing is because the Torah writes "You shall count... seven COMPLETE weeks" (Leviticus 23:15). Therefore, if a person missed counting one entire day, it can no longer be considered complete.

 

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Nisan 25 

Shabbos Goy

My husband and I are Christians and our neighbors are Orthodox Jewish. Sometimes on any given Saturday, our neighbors knock on our door and ask us to turn on the air conditioning, etc. We've always helped them out, not understanding the full reasoning behind this tradition.

We have a good relationship with them but we are curious as to how they must view us. Why is it okay for them to ask us to "work" during their Sabbath? Do they then consider us inferior because we are doing these neighborly favors?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

You are describing a phenomenon which is colloquially called a “Shabbos Goy.”

In essence, your neighbors should not be asking you to do things for them, which they themselves are not allowed to do on Shabbat. This is a Talmudic principle, as derived from the Torah which states that on Shabbat, "creative activity should not BE DONE for you" - i.e. even if you are only asking someone else to do it.

The only exceptions are: when there is a commandment to be fulfilled, great monetary loss, or a health-related situation. Air conditioning is considered health-related, because if things get too hot, people (especially the elderly, etc.) could faint or be exposed to other dangers.

Even in the above-mentioned cases, a Jew is only allowed to ask a non-Jew to do a rabbinic-level action. (Mishnah Berurah 307:19-24)

They certainly do not consider you inferior. Rather it is simple pragmatics: they are obligated in observing Shabbat laws that you are not. You can consider it a great kindness to be helping them out, just as any good neighbor would.

In recent times, Colin Powell, Mario Cuomo, Martin Scorsese, and an adolescent Elvis Presley assisted their Jewish neighbors in this way.

 

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Nisan 26 

Bedtime Shema

I know that a Jew is to say the Shema prayer twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. But I recently saw mentioned that it is said a third time, at bedtime. What's this all about?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

"Kriat Shema al hamita" is the bedtime prayer we say, which includes the first paragraph of the Shema, as well as the blessing "HaMapil."

The Talmud says that when one goes to sleep at night, his soul goes up to heaven for a daily accounting. That leaves the body "unprotected," so to speak, so we say the Shema and the blessing Hamapil to counteract that.

Another purpose of the bedtime Shema is so that one should fall asleep while saying words of Torah.

Here is the text of "HaMapil":

"Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who casts the bonds of sleep upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids. May it be Your will, Lord, my God and the God of my forefathers, that You lay me down to sleep in peace and raise me erect in peace. May my ideas, bad dreams, and bad notions not confound me; may my offspring be perfect before You, and may You illuminate my eyes lest I die in sleep, for it is You Who illuminates the pupil of the eye. Blessed are You, God, Who illuminates the entire world with His glory."

 

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Nisan 27 

Kosher Sushi?

I attend a lot of business functions where they serve sushi and caviar. I try to eat only kosher food. What is the story on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah (Leviticus 11:9) teaches that a kosher fish must possess both fins and scales. (Fins help the fish swim, and scales cover the body.) Even if the fish has only one scale or one fin, it is permitted. Tuna, for example, has very few scales, yet is kosher. Other popular kosher fish are bass, carp, cod, flounder, halibut, herring, mackerel, trout and salmon.

Crustaceans (e.g. lobster and crab) and other shellfish (e.g. clams) are not kosher, because they lack scales. Further, all mammals (e.g. whales and dolphins) are not kosher.

There are kosher varieties of sushi – providing the sushi itself has proper rabbinic supervision. This is necessary because mislabeling is a major issue in the fish business, and you would need to see the whole fish with scales to rely on it.

There are other potential kashrut problems as well: "Unsupervised" seaweed may contain sea creatures and bugs. The sauces, oils and even rice could have any number of issues. The fish and vegetables must be prepared with only kosher utensils (e.g. knife, cutting board, etc.). Especially in today's world of highly processed foods, unsupervised sushi should not be relied upon.

As for caviar, the term typically refers to sturgeon roe, which is not kosher. If you are looking for alternatives to sturgeon roe to serve at a fancy dinner, there are kosher-supervised varieties available.

Even if you feel you are not yet ready to commit to kashrut fully, it is still meritorious to minimize the likelihood, frequency and severity of transgression.

So I should point out that if you consciously avoid the varieties that are certainly forbidden – such as sturgeon caviar, eel and shellfish – and limit yourself to things like tuna and salmon, you are avoiding certain multiple prohibitions, but may still be incurring others.

This is acceptable as a short-term solution, because Judaism is not all-or-nothing. Rather it is a process, a journey, where every step counts.