Q: Noahide performance of mitzvot: Pesach and first prayers to be learned.
Faith or evidence?
You responded to my earlier question thus: “The basis of the veracity of Judaism is the historical fact of Revelation, which left its imprint on the collective identity of the Hebrew people. Any of the articles of faith derive from this point and not from speculative thinking.”
Revelation: Historical fact or a statement of faith? I know of no piece of historical evidence to the existence of the Revelation that would qualify as such in any contemporary scientific community – the “imprint on the collective identity” notwithstanding. Many nations and faith communities in the world believe and have believed many things that many of us would question and doubt. If one chooses to believe that the Revelation actually happened, one is, thankfully, free to do so and thus believe in all that follows onward from there. But proposing a fallacious scientific argument endangers the validity of the whole system. What’s wrong with simply accepting that Jews believe in a Historical Revelation and all that follow thereon? Trying to overstate the case with “fact” that cannot be supported as fact to any contemporary standards does Jewish thought, tradition and yes, belief a severe injustice.
what to do on the date of a death
Q: On the date of death of any family member, what should a Noahide do?
Noahide Bat Mitzvah
Q: We are planning a bat mitzvah celebration for my daughter. The parsha she is reading and giving a speech on is Tzav.Do you have any suggestions or thoughts about how we can make this really special for her?
Q: Here is one you probably haven’t heard yet. My daughter just turned 12 and we are planning a bat mitzvah celebration for her. This will be an informal affair at our home with family and close friends- something that reflects who we are as Noahides. I know this is probably not customary but I am hoping it will encourage and inspire her to continue studying, learning and following Hashem’s will for her life. The parsha she is reading and giving a speech on is Tzav- a bit tough there as far as extracting a universal meaning from the passage. I would like for her to focus on the idea of embarrasement and how the Torah teaches us that we are to avoid causing embarrassement to others as much as possible. The idea that the two sacrfices were brought to the same place to prevent a poor person from having to be seen bringing a lesser sacrifice is very meaningful to me. Do you have any suggestions or thoughts about how we can make this really special for her? We do not have a rabbi near us that we can get counsel from , so any input you might have to offer would be much appreciated. Thanks so much!
A: Give her a practical goal on the day of Bat mitzva such as helping someone in a way that will really help him without any embarrassment. It may be done with the participation of her friends in class, so it will become a kind of game. Mazal tov!
Interfaith marriage
Q: My wife is Christian, and I am a Noahide My wife and I would like to find some common ground that allows us to follow G-d as a family. Can I attend church with her for a few months if she also attends Noahide classes?
Where can Noachides come together?
Q: Christians go to church, Jews go to synagogue. Muslims go to mosque. Where can Noachides come together?
Conversion or not
Q: My experience until now is that many people want to convert, mostly ex-Christians, instead of remaining non-Jewish. One of the reasons is that they miss any structure and daily guideline. Can you explain what profit there is in remaining a Noahide ?
Finding a rabbi
How do I find a Rabbi willing to help a rookie Noahide in Atlanta?
Faith as proven
Q: If, as you write, “The Jew is required to believe only that which has been proven to be correct.” How can a Jew be required to believe in Rambam’s 13 articles of faith: including Revelation, resurection of the dead, or indeed even an omnipotent, historically-involved, incorporeal and eternal God?
test
test ask the rabbi – where will this go on the system?