The "Ask a Jew" thread (Bible)

[wundering]

Originally Posted by rosends

The talmud was COMPILED in the 3rd to 5th centuries but is composed of material which severely predates that in terms of when it was written.

Judaism didn't believe in:
an independent devil
that Adam "rebelled"
there is any need for a redeemer from a sinful nature

even in the 1st century.

Ok, thank you.

[wundering]

I appreciate all of the comments here: I have a few more questions.

I was raised to believe that demons exist, and that they are angels who followed Satan in rebellion against G-d.
I was taught that some of these rebellious angels lost G-d's favor when they made bodies for themselves and took the daughters of men as wives before the great Flood of Noah's day.

I understand from you that in Judaism, angels have no free will, and there is no Devil, so there couldn't have been an angelic rebellion. So...

1. What are demons? Do demons exist in Judaism?
2. Is there any parallel in Judaism to Jinn from the Koran?
3. What is the Jewish view of ghosts?

[rosends]

Originally Posted by wundering

I appreciate all of the comments here: I have a few more questions.

I was raised to believe that demons exist, and that they are angels who followed Satan in rebellion against G-d.
I was taught that some of these rebellious angels lost G-d's favor when they made bodies for themselves and took the daughters of men as wives before the great Flood of Noah's day.

I understand from you that in Judaism, angels have no free will, and there is no Devil, so there couldn't have been an angelic rebellion. So...

1. What are demons? Do demons exist in Judaism?
2. Is there any parallel in Judaism to Jinn from the Koran?
3. What is the Jewish view of ghosts?

There are evil forces that are often translated as "demons" but they exist in the fringes of Jewish mystical thought.
Shedim - do they exist? | Ask the Rabbi - Yeshiva.org.il
hashkafah philosophy - Sheidim: are they fact, or fiction? - Mi Yodeya
Rationalist Judaism: Wrestling with Demons
Torah.org - The Judaism Site

Some of the sources there mention other phenomena that dovetail with your other terms (jinn and ghost).

[NealIRC]

Jus wondering, do Jews or Judaism have any views on courtship?

That is, do they believe men should make the 1st move, or does it not matter?

So in modern days, do men have to be the 1st to ask a woman out on a date, or for her phone #, that kind of thing.

Is women courting men looked down upon?

Thanks.

[rosends]

Originally Posted by NealIRC

Jus wondering, do Jews or Judaism have any views on courtship?

That is, do they believe men should make the 1st move, or does it not matter?

So in modern days, do men have to be the 1st to ask a woman out on a date, or for her phone #, that kind of thing.

Is women courting men looked down upon?

Thanks.

Much of this depends on "which Jews" -- the continuum of belief and practice is very wide. The further to the right one goes (at least among Ashkenazic Jewry), the more old-school things get, moving towards quasi-arranged meetings.

[wundering]

As a child in a very conservative Christian household, my parents discouraged me from playing with children outside of my religious community.

Are children in Orthodox Jewish communities discouraged from making friends with children outside of their faith?

[Cliksder]

Originally Posted by wundering

As a child in a very conservative Christian household, my parents discouraged me from playing with children outside of my religious community.

Are children in Orthodox Jewish communities discouraged from making friends with children outside of their faith?

If you go to Orthodox day school, live in a Jewish neighborhood etc. how many non-Jewish friends are your kids likely to have? Not a lot. Likely not any at all. That is also convenient because if you have non-Jewish friends that could be tricky at birthday parties or other trips and whatnot.

That being said, an (Orthodox) friend told be about his kid's birthday party they had a couple weeks back and I asked if there had been any non-Jewish kids. He said, yes, two, but the majority was of course Jewish.

I think this a real complex question. Friends. I mean, opinions vary even about if boys and girls should play with each other and up until what age. I have heard some people not allow it after age 3. Others have no problem with it at any age as long as the kids are strict on shomer negiah (no touching; hugging etc.). And then there's a whole bunch in-between. All this varies within communities and if there happen to be any non-Jews in the neighborhood your kids might become friends with, I'd assume opinions would vary on this as well.

[wundering]

@Cliksder I see, makes sense.

That leads me to the question:

Are Orthodox Jews discouraged from making friends outside of their faith as adults?

I have never even had a conversation with an Orthodox Jew until I posted on this forum, I'm sorry if these questions sound silly.

[wundering]

A separate question: Is there a scenario where an Orthodox Jew would not consider another nominally Jewish person "Jewish enough" to be friends with?
This happens in conservative Christian communities, of course. Probably a very silly question.

[rosends]

Originally Posted by wundering

@Cliksder I see, makes sense.

That leads me to the question:

Are Orthodox Jews discouraged from making friends outside of their faith as adults?

I have never even had a conversation with an Orthodox Jew until I posted on this forum, I'm sorry if these questions sound silly.

If an Orthodox Jew works in a place where there a variety of people, he might choose to be friendly with anyone. If he is of a particular bent, he might not socialize (because they prefer different restaurants, have different cultural references etc) but if he works in that world, he will probably pal around with non-Jews. On the more right wing edge, the Jew will not work in those contexts and will limit or refrain from social context with people (Jew and not) outside of his circle.