Usenet 1994 October/usenetsourcesnewsgroupsinfomagicoctober1994disk1.iso/answers/judaism/FAQ/05-Worship

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From: [e-mail] (Daniel P. Faigin)
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Subject: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Worship, Conversion, Intermarriage (5/10)
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Summary: Questions about Worship, Conversion, Intermarriage, Miscellaneous Practice
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               Frequently Asked Questions on Soc.Culture.Jewish
   Part 5: Worship, Conversion, Intermarriage, and other Practice Questions
         [Last Change: $Date: 1994/08/05 18:07:06 $ $Revision: 1.16 $]
                    [Last Post: Sun Sep  4 11:07:05 1994]


This posting is an attempt to answer questions that are continually asked on
soc.culture.jewish.  It was written by cooperating laypeople from the various
Judaic movements.  You SHOULD NOT make any assumption as to accuracy and/or
authoritativeness of the answers provided herein.  In all cases, it is always
best to consult a competent authority -- your local rabbi is a good place to
start.

The deceased sages described within are of blessed memory, (assume a Z"L or
ZT"L after their names) and the sages alive today should live to see long and
good days (assume SHLITA).  May Hashem grant complete recovery to the ill.
Individual honorifics are omitted.

The FAQ was produced by a committee and is a cooperative work.  The
contributors never standardized on a {Hebrew,Aramaic,Yiddish,Ladino}-->English
transliteration scheme.  As a result, the same original word might appear with
a variety of spellings.  This is complicated by the fact that there are
regional variations in the pronunciation of Hebrew.  In some places, the
common spelling variations are mentioned; in others --- not.  We hope that
this is not too confusing.

This list should be used in conjunction with the Soc.Culture.Jewish reading
lists that are posted separately.  Similar questions can be found in the books
referenced in those lists.

Reproduction of this posting for commercial use is subject to restriction. See
Part 1 for more details.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Organization

This portion of the FAQ contains answers to the following questions:

Section 9. Jewish Worship
  9.1. How does a rabbi differ from a priest?
  9.2. Do you need a rabbi for a wedding?
  9.3. Do you need a rabbi for a divorce?
  9.4. How do Jews pray?
  9.5. Is there a distinctly Jewish form of meditation?
  9.6. Does Judaism have a strong tradition of religious art and music?
Section 10. Conversion, Intermarriage, and "Who is a Jew?"
  10.1. Does Halacha (Jewish law) permit intermarriage?
  10.2. I'm a Jew who married a gentile.  Am I still Jewish?
  10.3. I'm a Jew who left Judaism.  Can I return?
  10.4. Apart from Halacha, why do Jews oppose intermarriage?
  10.5. Is objection to intermarriage a form of bigotry?
  10.6. But I still want to intermarry? Do you know of a Rabbi that performs
        intermarriages?
  10.7. How does one convert?
  10.8. What does the word "Jew" mean?
  10.9. Who is a Jew?
Section 11. Miscellaneous Practice Questions
  11.1. Why do some Jewish women cover their hair?
  11.2. Why do many Jewish men wear head coverings?
  11.3. Why do some people write "G-d" with a hyphen instead of an `o'?
  11.4. Why do some Jews write "J-s-s" and "Xianity?"
  11.5. What is a Tallis?  Tzit-tzit(those fringes)?  Why do Jews wear them?
  11.6. What are those black boxes and leather straps Jewish men wear?
  11.7. Why do many Jewish men sport beards?
  11.8. What's this I've heard about a hole in a sheet?
  11.9. Why do some Jews wear black coats, fur hats, etc.?
  11.10. Does Judaism permit slavery?
  11.11. What does "eye for an eye" mean?
  11.12. What is Shaatnez?
  11.13. What is circumcision?
  11.14. Why are Jewish boys circumcised?
  11.15. Who performs the circumcision?
  11.16. When is the circumcision done?
  11.17. But doesn't it hurt?
  11.18. But shouldn't the child make its own decision?
  11.19. But circumcision is only required for boys. What about girls?
  11.20. What about adults who are not circumcised?
  11.21. What other forms of body modification are allowed? Tatoos? Earrings
  11.22. Is it true that someone with tatoos cannot be buried in a Jewish
         cemetary?
  11.23. I've heard about a custom of putting stones on the grave. Do you know
         where this custom originated?

All portions of the FAQ are organized as digests, and should be
undigestifyable by software such as Gnus or rn. Please report any
difficulties.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Archival and Credits

Anonymous FTP:

  All portions of the FAQ and of the reading lists are archived on
  israel.nysernet.org [192.77.173.2] and on rtfm.mit.edu, and are available
  for anonymous FTP. The locations of parts of the FAQ on israel.nysernet.org
  are as follows:

  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/01-FAQ-intro
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/02-Who-We-Are
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/03-Torah-Halacha
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/04-Observance
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/05-Worship
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/06-Jewish-Thought
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/07-Jews-As-Nation
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/08-Israel
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/09-Antisemitism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/10-Miscellaneous

  The locations of the parts of the reading lists on israel.nysernet.org are
  as follows:

  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/general
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/traditional
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/chasidism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/reform
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/conservative
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/reconstructionist
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/humanistic
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/zionism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/antisemitism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/intermarriage
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/periodicals

  If you are accessing the archives on rtfm.mit.edu, the pathname is
  pub/usenet/news.answers/judaism, instead of israel/lists/scj-faq.

Mail:
  The files may also be obtained via Email by sending a message to
  [e-mail] with the following line in the body of the message:

        send usenet/news.answers/judaism/(portionname)

  Where (portionname) is replaced by the appropriate subdirectory and
  filenames; for example, to get the first part of the reading list, one would
  say:

        send usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/general

WWW/Mosaic:
  The FAQ and reading lists are available by following the following pointer:

  http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/bngusenet/soc/culture/jewish/top.html

Comments and corrections are welcome.  Note that the goal is to present a
balanced view of Judaism; where a response is applicable to a particular
movement only, this will be noted.  Unless otherwise noted or implied by the
text, all responses reflect the traditional viewpoint.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 9.1. How does a rabbi differ from a priest?

A rabbi has no actual powers in Jewish law other than judgment.  Because of
his learning, he often takes on other roles.  Rabbinical presence at religious
services is desired insofar as everyone likes the rabbi and he can rule on
questions that come up related to the service (e.g. does a particular smudge
render a Torah scroll unkosher?) If he has a nice voice, and no one else has
priority, he may even lead the services.  The state gives rabbis the
permission to perform weddings and so on since the state trusts them.

Priests are male descendants from Aaron, the brother of Moses.  They are
usually called cohanim [cohen singular].  The cohanim perform Birkat Cohanim
(blessing the congregation using the Hebrew text found in Bamidbar [Numbers]
6:23-25) on the following occasions:

      Daily                   in Israel
      Shabbat and Yom Tov     in many non-Israeli Sephardic congregations
      Yom Tov                 otherwise (non-Israeli Ashkenazic congregations)

Cohanim are traditionally granted priority in numerous details.  They are also
traditionally forbidden to attend funerals other than their closest relatives
and may not marry divorcees or converts.  When the Temple is standing, the
cohanim run most of the Temple service.

The "Star Trek" Vulcan "live long and prosper" sign is roughly one-half of the
gesture the cohanim make when blessing the congregation.  You can see it
engraved on many cohen tombstones:

                            \\//_ _\\//
                             \ /   \ /

The Pharisee/Sadduccee conflict was a rabbi/priest conflict.  When the Second
Temple was destroyed, the priests lost most of their power.

Oh wait, you meant maybe, like Catholic/Anglican priests?  Heh.

On this note: Priests are often used as intermediaries between man and G-d.
Rabbis are nothing more than regular people who have learned much Torah.
Catholic priests can give absolution for sins, rabbis can't (unless you're
asking forgiveness for something you've done against the rabbi personally)

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 9.2. Do you need a rabbi for a wedding?

QUESTION: I have been told that you don't need a rabbi to perform a wedding,
etc.

ANSWER: Technically correct, but it's very important to have a rabbi in order
to make sure that the complicated marriage ceremony is done properly.  Valid
witnesses are needed to make the marriage official.  The criteria constituting
a valid witness differ among the movements.

The purpose of a rabbi is like that of using a judge or a lawyer in civil
matters to ensure that the law is complied with.  This differs from the
non-Jewish concept of a minister having some necessary mystical connection
with G-d that is required to make the ceremony valid.

In Israel, the Rav is also needed for the secular legality of the wedding.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 9.3. Do you need a rabbi for a divorce?

The appropriate answer to this depends on the movement with which you are
involved, and whether or not you had a "Jewish" wedding (that is, a marriage
that was recognized as being under the laws of Moses and Israel.
Intermarriages, regardless of the amount of Judaism practiced in the
household, are not "Jewish" weddings because halacha does not recognize
marriages between Jews and non-Jews. There are other types of marriages that
are not recognized; consult your local rabbi for information).

Conservative and Orthodox Judaism require (and Reform recommends) that if you
have a Jewish wedding, you should get a Jewish divorce, which is called a
"get". This is because Judaism regards marriage as a special relationship
between a man and a woman that begins with a holy bond.  Just as that
relationship is created through a religious act of marriage, it can _only_ be
abrogated through a Jewish act, the "get".

Note that a "get" is required even if you already have a civil divorce (with
one exception: Reform, but not the other movements, accepts the civil divorce
papers as equivalent to a "get").  According to Jewish law, a marriage is not
dissolved until a bill of divorce (GET) is exchanged between husband and wife.
Most Non-Reform American Rabbis, and all Rabbis in Israel, will not officiate
at a wedding if either party has been divorced without the benefit of a GET.

Regardless of one's personal convictions or practices, or one's movemental
affiliation, obtaining a "get" is important.  This simple procedure does more
than just assure the couple that they will be free to remarry should they so
desire.  It also prevents a tragic problem; a child born to a Jewish woman
whose previous marriage did not terminate with a "get" may be considered
illegitimate.  Any Jew, whether observant or non-observant, needs to share in
the concern for Jewish unity and in providing their children with a clean
slate for the future.

A Jewish divorce is similar to many present-day legal transactions.  A divorce
contract (GET) is drawn up under expert Rabbinical staff (consult your local
Rabbi to find an appropriate party to do this) and signed by witnesses.  The
husband and wife are not subject to personal questions.  If they choose to,
they need not be present together.

A Jewish divorce usually takes an hour or two, during which time the GET is
prepared and executed.  The parties are expected to provide proof of
identification, and will be asked some formal questions to make it clear that
the GET is being executed on their behalf without coercion.  Costs may vary in
different cases, but on the average, a GET costs $350.00.

Note that we should add here that many rabbis will not issue a get until the
civil divorce has been finalized in order to avoid problems.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 9.4. How do Jews pray?

In public and in private; in groups and alone.  Jews pray loudly and in
silence; in Hebrew, English, and any other language you can name.  Sometimes
Jews even pray without language.  Jews pray from the depth of their souls, at
the tops of their lungs, and from the quiet of their hearts.  It is difficult
to point to a specific "Jewish" way of praying.

However, one's prayers must fulfill certain daily obligations, so a standard
order of prayers has been developed to accomplish this.  Still, even in a
structured prayer service, there are many opportunities for a silent, personal
supplication to G-d.

The introduction to the Artscroll Siddur (Orthodox) provides a good overview
of the Jewish view of prayer, and the book _To Pray as a Jew_ discusses more
of the particulars.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 9.5. Is there a distinctly Jewish form of meditation?

Yes.  See [KQ]abbalah above.  The silent "shemoneh esrei" prayer is also a
form of meditation.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 9.6. Does Judaism have a strong tradition of religious art and music?

Emphatically, yes!  Cantorial music goes back a long way, and there have been
Jewish artists since Abraham's time.  You should investigate many of the
exhibits at the local Jewish Community Centers, synagogues, and rabbinical
schools (such as the Skirball Museum at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles).
Often, Jewish art focuses on ceremonial objects, such as spice boxes, menorot,
mezzuzot, wimples, kippahs, breastplates for the Torah, Torah covers, etc, as
opposed to portraits or statues.

Judaism does have a strong tradition of religious music, it's just that there
haven't been that many Jewish composers with great popular success outside of
the small Jewish circles (as opposed to classical composers of the 17th-19th
centuries who wrote liturgical music that was a great success in its own
right, without the liturgy underneath it)

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.1. Does Halacha (Jewish law) permit intermarriage?

According to post-Sinaitic Jewish law, a marriage can be contracted only
between two Jews, so an intermarriage is not recognized.

Some liberal Jews recognize civil marriages as Jewishly valid, irrespective of
religion.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.2. I'm a Jew who married a gentile.  Am I still Jewish?

Yes.

According to Conservative and Orthodox Judaism, the children of Jewish mothers
are Jewish, and the children of gentile women are gentile unless converted.
(An adult who converts must accept the Obligation of the Commandments at the
time of conversion.  A child who converts delays this acceptance until age 13
(12 for girls), thereby validating the childhood-conversion.  If he doesn't
accept the commandments, he is not considered Jewish.  Reform requires that a
child born of a mixed marriage, identify publicly with Judaism to be
considered Jewish by Reform.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.3. I'm a Jew who left Judaism.  Can I return?

QUESTION: I'm a Jew who accepted the tenets of another religion, but now wants
to practice Judaism again.  Am I allowed?  Am I still Jewish?

A Jew cannot become a non-Jew.  This is because any Jew can do tshuva
(repentance or "return") up to the moment of death, and this includes
forsaking one's estrangement from Judaism. The three steps of Teshuvah are
based on the Rambam.

A Jew who sins (e.g. by joining another religion) may lose the privileges of
being a Jew (e.g. participation in the Jewish community) but at no point does
a Jew become a non-Jew.  For example, if a particular activity is permitted to
non-Jews, but forbidden only to Jews, it remains a sin for this person.

In Judaism, repentance consists of admitting the sin, regretting that one
sinned, and resolving not to repeat the sin.  In the case of a sin that
consisted of joining another religion, recanting would certainly be involved -
one would (in addition to admitting "I believed in X") say "I regret that I
believed in X" and "I will no longer believe in X".

In English, one does not "repent to", one repents.  In Hebrew, "to repent" and
"to return" are the same word.  One returns to G-d.  But one returns to G-d by
doing the above three actions.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.4. Apart from Halacha, why do Jews oppose intermarriage?

QUESTION: OK, then _apart_from_halachic_considerations_, why do many Jews of
all types oppose intermarriage?

ANSWER: Children of intermarriages are statistically less likely to identify
with Judaism than children raised by Jewish parents, so intermarriage weakens
the Jewish people.  Therefore, Jews across the spectrum oppose intermarriage
in order to prevent this weakening.

A large part of Jewish observance and identity centers on the home, family,
and community.  Religion is a part of daily life, in areas as diverse as
making a blessing before wearing new clothes for the first time to thanking
G-d before and after meals.  Special occasions such as Shabbat and holidays
carry special customs and observances.  A home made by a Jew and a non-Jew is
much less likely to be a "Jewish home".  Where children are involved, they are
most likely to grow up with a positive Jewish identity when they see both
parents Jewishly connected.

Also, for many people, a difference in religion is an added stress on a
relationship.  For this reason, many Jewish parents discourage intermarriage
in their children in an honest attempt to help their children find long-term
happiness.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.5. Is objection to intermarriage a form of bigotry?

No, the traditional objection to intermarriage is simply that it is one of the
613 Mitzvot (commandments) that a Jew cannot and may not marry a non-Jew.  Of
course one may and should look for reasons for this Mitzvah, but the bottom
line is that we do the Mitzvot because they were commanded by our Creator and
Sustainer.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.7. How does one convert?

(It is important that potential converts be made aware in advance which
movements will or will not recognize their conversion, and, if there's any
possibility that they will make aliyah, if the Israeli rabbinate will accept
it.)

Conservative and Orthodox Jews require that the potential convert be
instructed about how to live as a Jew, and undergo kabbalat ol mitzvot
[agreement to do the commandments], mila [circumcision for men], and tevila
[immersion in a 'mikvah' ritual bath], and that the procedure be supervised by
a beit din [court] of three.  Note that the members of the Bet Din must be
acceptable witnesses.  According to the Orthodox Jewish law, a witness must
scrupulously observe all the laws, particuarly Shabbat.  From an Orthodox
standpoint, therefore, any Jew who does not follow Orthodox standards of
practice -- rabbi or not -- would not be qualified to sit on a Bet Din.

The Reform movement requires that the potential convert agree to observe the
commandments (according to Reform standards) and participate publicly in the
community, but they do not require mikva or mila.  Reform recommends that the
potential convert be made aware of mikva and mila, and that their conversion
would be unacceptable to Orthodox Jews, but such notification is not required.

Note also that many Conservative rabbis will not accept Reform conversions
lacking mila and tevila; but will accept Reform conversions performed with
acceptable mila and tevila, focusing on the act performed rather than the
identity of the supervising rabbi.  Others will accept Reform conversions
outright for the sake of intergroup harmony.

The debate among movements as to the acceptability of different procedures
remains unresolved, and is unlikely to ever be resolved (and certainly *will
not* be resolved in network discussions).  The reasons for this depend on from
which movement the question is asked.  And so the reasoning of each movement
needs to be stated separately.

Liberal Judaism views this as a question of stringency.  Therefore, for
Liberal Judaism to say "I will comply with the Orthodox standard" is to
acknowledge an insufficiency of its own standards.  Obviously, then,
non-Orthodox rabbis are unwilling to leave all conversions to the Orthodox
(even though this may *seem* like an efficient compromise from a practical
point of view.)  Conversely, for a Orthodox Judaism to say "Liberal standards
are acceptable" is to acknowledge a superfluity of its stricter standards, an
equally unlikely scenario.

Orthodox Judaism views this as a question of objective reality.  A non-Jew
does or does not become Jewish by a particular procedure.  This is in some
ways analagous to the procedure by which a person becomes a naturalized
citizen.  Just as the oath of allegiance that the person takes to become a
citizen is only the end of a process, and only certain judges may administer
that oath; so to (l'havdil) the Beit Din, Tevilah (immersion), and
circumcision (if male) are the culmination of a process and may only be
administered by certain rabbis.  This is obviously unacceptable to Liberal
Judaism, as part of the procedure is an understanding and acceptance of the
world view of Orthodox Judaism.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.6. But I still want to intermarry? Do you know of a Rabbi that
         performs intermarriages?

Sigh. As Eliot Shimoff wrote:

             I do not like this thread, it's dead
               I do not like it, mark it "read"

              I could not, would not, on the Net
               I shall not, must not, on a bet
              Decimal, octal, or binary
             It isn't good to intermarry

               I would not co-officiate
               I wouldn't even approve a date!
               I must not officiate-co
                 Absolutely, NO NO NO

              I don't approve of marriage, inter
               Summer, fall, spring, or winter
               I know deep down I should hit K
              Kill this thread, and save the day

               I don't approve of intermarriage
        But here is comes, our next net barrage.  :-)


If you really insist on going through with the intermarriage after everything
you have read, Frank F. Smith wrote on soc.culture.jewish that you might want
to contact The Rabbinic Center for Research and Counseling in Westfield, NJ
(908-233-2288 (automated message);908-233-0419 (real person)). They have an
automated message that gives instructions on how to obtain a list of rabbis
willing to participate in intermarriages.  The list costs $20 and is updated
every few months.  Every few years, the Center surveys the CCAR and the
Reconstructionist Rabbis for their willingness and conditions. [Note that the
official position of the CCAR is not to perform intermarriages]

The list gives the names and phone #'s (and possibly addresses) of rabbis
across the country who are willing to officiate (or co-officiate) at an
intermarriage.  Different rabbis have different conditions: some require pre-
wedding conversion by the non-Jewish partner.  Some will co-officiate with a
cleric of another faith, some won't.  Some require a promise to convert, some
don't.

Note that the Center also holds workshops on raising children in an
intermarriage.  These workshops are held in NJ, on weekends so that people
from out of town may participate.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.8. What does the word "Jew" mean?

There are at least two totally distinct meanings of the word Jew.

The one that is germane to most of the issues of SCJ is what might best be
described as a "member of the Jewish people."  The people who are generally
considered to belong to this group are enumerated under the heading "Who is a
Jew", below.

Although membership in "Am Yisrael," as we call the Jewish people, is
determined by religious criteria, these criteria do not include the actual
practice of Judaism.  So Am Yisrael is truly a group of people who identify
themselves as such, and not just a religion.  Some people refer to Am Yisrael
as a nation.

Because many people have joined Am Yisrael through conversion over the years,
Jews are not, at this point, a single ethnic group, any more than the French
people.  There are Jews of several different ethnicities, as described
elsewhere in this FAQ.

Nevertheless, there is an ethnic group that, for better or worse, is often
described as Jews: the descendants of the ancient Hebrews, many of whom were
dispersed across much of the earth during Roman times.  And the vast majority
of Am Yisrael belong to this ethnic group, which is of semitic, rather than
European stock.  To avoid confusion, we shall refer to this group as "Jews by
ethnicity."

It is sometimes unclear whether a frequently asked question about Jews refers
to Am Yisrael or to Jews by ethnicity.  We shall give separate answers in case
of confusion.

In soc.culture.jewish, speaking as a Jew has the implication that one is
currently Jewish, and not practicing another religion.  Hence, a person born
Jewish but practicing Islam should not write "I'm a Jew who accepts Muhammad's
prophecy" but rather the more truthful "I'm a practicing Muslim of Jewish
ancestry."  Of course, Jews who practice other religions are welcomed and
encouraged to return to practicing Judaism at any time.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 10.9. Who is a Jew?

You had to ask this question? You really had to ask "who is a Jew?"??  Come
on, couldn't you have asked a *hard* question, like whether Adam had a pippik
or not? (pippik means navel, a/k/a 'belly button')

For thousands of years the answer was simply someone born of a Jewish mother,
or someone who undertook a conversion, which involved accepting the yoke of
the commandments, an immersion in a mikveh [ritual bath], and for men,
circumcision, the latter two in the presense of witnesses.  And then came
modern times.  Hooboy.  You sure you aren't interested in Adam's pippik?

Anyway, then came modern times, and along came new answers.  First the
oldtimers complained that the newtimers weren't kosher to do a conversion and
then the newtimers got newfangled about the yoke and/or the immersion and/or
the circumcision and boy did the oldtimers really got unhappy with this and
then the issue got more confusing when the Israeli government started
guaranteeing automatic citizenship to Jews resulting in a play it by ear like
no one who takes up other religions is accepted but the latest round of
yelling was when the newtimers started accepting Jewish father and Jewish
upbringing and at this point we give up and are asking all prospective posters
of this question to first tell us whether Adam had a pippik.

The only thing that is universally agreed is that the practicing of other
religions is the same as the rejection of Judaism.

Even within Orthodoxy the answer gets, uh, "flexible" at times.  (You thought
this was just newfangled vs oldfangled? Heh!) When the Nazis were trying to
figure out whether to murder the Karaites quickly or slowly, they asked
several Orthodox rabbis if the Karaites were Jewish or not.  (You figured out
the answer? Maybe you belong in yeshiva!)  Nineteenth century Samaritan
massacres by Islamic zealots were stopped when they got official word that
Samaritans are Jews, i.e., people of the book.  There have been conflicting
answers regarding the Ethiopian Jews.

Another bit of Orthodox "flexibility" comes regarding Conservative
conversions.  Such a person (a sofek) is not counted as Jewish for anything
positive, but is often treated as Jewish for things negative, just in case.
Thus, a sofek may not be called to the Torah, or even be counted for a minyan,
but would not be treated as a Shabbos goy.  (He would be expected to do a
divorce in the traditional manner, but this shouldn't be a problem, since as a
Conservative he holds by that too.)  Conservatives often act the same towards
Reform conversions, and even within all three movements, there is often
rejection of lenient leaning conversions.

Reform Judaism rules that the children of two Jewish parents are considered
Jewish.  Reform also rules that when one parent is Jewish and the other
gentile, the identity of the child as Jewish must be established subsequently
through Jewish education and positive Jewish acts such as Bar Mitzvah,
Confirmation, etc.  This is known as the "Patrilineal descent" ruling, because
it considers the child of a Jewish father and gentile mother to be Jewish
without a conversion ceremony, as opposed to "Matrilineal descent" in which
the child of a Jewish woman is automatically Jewish, irrespective of paternity
or subsequent practice.  If you want to look at the text of the decision,
which is a recurring debate topic on S.C.J, it may be found in the nysernet
archives in the directory ~ftp/israel/lists/mail.liberal-judiasm/info-files.
The file name is "patrilineal-descent".

While countless treatises have been written on this subject, some readers
recommend the Chabad/Lubavitch booklet "Who is a Jew?" by R' J.  Immanuel
Schochet, available from SIE, 788 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11213.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.1. Why do some Jewish women cover their hair?

QUESTION: Why do some Jewish women wear wigs or cover their hair with a snood,
beret, tichel, turban, kerchief or hat?

ANSWER: Within Orthodoxy, it is considered a breach of modesty for a married
woman to have uncovered hair while in the presence of men other than her
husband.  Customs differ as to how much hair can be showing beneath the head
covering, or if a wig is better/worse than a hat of some sort.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.2. Why do many Jewish men wear head coverings?

QUESTION: Why do many Jewish men wear head coverings (variously referred to as
"yarmulkas," "skullcaps," and "kipot")?

The yarmulka is a sign of humility for men, acknowledging what's "above" us
(G-d).  It's necessary for men to cover their heads during certain prayers
(whether it be by a kipa or another headcovering), and for one making
blessings all day, it's inconvenient to keep donning and removing a yarmulka.
In some places, the type of kippa and way of wearing it expresses affiliation
with a particular yeshiva or political viewpoint.  In other places, it doesn't
really matter.

Many Ashkenazi rabbis acknowledge that wearing a head covering at all times was
once considered an optional "midat chasidut" [pious act] but that nowadays,
full-time head covering is the norm except under extenuating circumstances.

Sephardic communities generally did not have the custom of wearing a kipa all
the time.

Some diaspora Jews leave off the kipa at school, work, or when testifying in
court, because of real danger or uneasiness in appearing in the secular world
with an obvious symbol of Jewishness.

In Israel wearing a KIPA also has a social significance. While wearing a kipa
shows that you are somewhat religious, not-wearing one is like stating "I'm
not religious".  The style of kipa in Israel can also indicate political and
religious affiliations.

The wearing of the kipah at school and work has increased in recent years.
These are also affectionately called "beanies," "holy headgear," "Yamahas,"
"Yid-lids," and "Kapeles."  (Similarly, some hair coverings for married women
are affectionately called "shmattehs.")

On Usenet, some related, but not necessarily common, "Jewish" smilies might
be:

 (:-)    clean-shaven smiley wearing a kipa (yarmulka)
 @:-)    modest married smiley wearing snood/beret
 {:-)    modest married smiley wearing sheitel (wig)
 [|:-)}  smiley wearing black fedora and short beard
 {|B-)== smiley wearing glasses, streimel (fur hat), and long beard
 ({8-{)} smiling bearded guy with (most of) his own hair and a kippa
 :---)   antisemitic long-nosed smiley

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.3. Why do some people write "G-d" with a hyphen instead of an `o'?

The traditional names of G-d may not be destroyed.  One way to avoid this
problem is to not write the full name down in the first place.  Strictly
speaking, this only applies to Hebrew on a permanent medium, but many people
are careful here beyond the minimum.

Even some who are not strict (or even observant) in general will write "G-d",
to emphasize that Jewish conceptions of G-d are meant.  Note that if you
disagree with another poster's decision to omit or include the hyphen, you
should not publicly criticize or ridicule said poster.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.4. Why do some Jews write "J-s-s" and "Xianity?"

Some Jews consider Jesus to have been an ordinary man and write his name like
that of any other man.  Some question whether or not he even existed, possibly
being a myth borrowed from similar stories.  Others ascribe to him the status
of a "deity worshipped by others," whose name Jews should not pronounce.  Many
extend this ban to the written form.  Some write "Xianity" as a simple
shorthand, like "Xmas," while others prefer not to write "Christianity" lest
it appear that they consider Jesus to have been the Messiah.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.5. What is a Tallis?  Tzit-tzit(those fringes)?  Why do Jews wear
        them?

In the Torah, there is a commandment to wear "Fringes" on the corners of
garments.  That is, all garments of a certain size or larger which have at
least four corners must have strings known as tzitzit attached.  The original
requirement was to have a blue thread among the white threads.  However, since
we no longer know the precise shade of blue and the source of the dye used,
only the white threads are used (except among certain chassidic groups which
claim to know the dye formula.)

Since the normal clothing in our time does not have four square corners, we
wear a garment that is specifically made to have four corners so that we can
fulfill the mitzvah.  This is known as the "Tallit Katan" or "Tzitzit" and is
usually worn under the shirt.  Some people wear them with the tzitzit showing,
others conceal them.  The verses giving this commandment are found in the
third paragraph of the Sh'ma which is recited during the morning and evening
prayers.

During prayers, the custom is to wear a large rectangular garment with tzitzit
(Tallis Gadol) and pray while wrapped in it.  There are different customs as
to when this is done.  Most Ashkenazic men will begin wearing the Tallis when
they get married.  In some Sephardic and German-Ashkenazi communities, a boy
will put on a tallis when he becomes a bar-mitzvah (13 years old).  There are
some communities which begin this earlier.  Customs vary among liberal Jews as
to who wears a tallis, and when it's worn.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.6. What are those black boxes and leather straps Jewish men wear?

They are called "Tefillin" (mentioned in the Torah as 'totafos"), and contain
parchments with verses from the Torah.  During the weekday morning service
they are worn on the head ("between your eyes") and on the arm ("upon your
hand") in fulfillment of the Torah commandment in the Sh'ma.  If you go to a
shul and lack tefillin, you can be sure that someone will lend you his and
assist you in fulfilling this mitzvah.

One of the medieval blood libels was to tell gentile peasants that Jews
poisoned wells, and received coded magic instructions in small black boxes.
The mobs would destroy the expensive tefillin to open them, and mistake the
Hebrew verses as "magic codes," followed by the usual rape, murder, and
pillage of Jews which characterized much of medieval Europe.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.7. Why do many Jewish men sport beards?

There is a prohibition on shaving certain facial regions with a blade, so
before the days of scissors-action electric shavers it was difficult to shave
correctly, so most Jewish men wore beards. Chasidism also see beards from a
mystical point of view.

On a practical level, shaving or trimming of the beard is not permitted on the
Sabbath or Holidays, and for a few stretches during the year [such as portions
of the time between Pesach and Shavuos].  A beardless man will grow days or
weeks of stubble, but a bearded man who doesn't shave or trim his beard during
that time will not look significantly different.

Also, in some communities in the past, Jewish men were _required_ to wear
beards, so they became part of a distinctive "Jewish" appearance.  Finally,
some Jewish men just don't like to shave.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.8. What's this I've heard about a hole in a sheet?

We don't know what you've heard, but what we've heard is that when it comes
time for three men to "witness" a woman's conversion [involving nude
immersion], what's commonly done is for the water's surface to be covered with
a thick, opaque sheet with a hole in it, just big enough to let her head
through while discreetly shielding the rest of her body.

Anything else is probably just your warped imagination, and no, we still have
no idea of what you're thinking, but you should be ashamed of yourself, just
in case.  And another thing, it's not true, so there.

According to a Jewish "urban legend," the myth derives from seeing Jews in
religious neighborhoods hanging their "talitot katan" out to dry.  This
poncho-like garment is about two feet by four feet, has a fringe on each
corner, and a hole in the center for the wearer's head, and it looks somewhat
like a small sheet with a hole, and many people have vivid and warped
imaginations.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.9. Why do some Jews wear black coats, fur hats, etc.?

QUESTION: Why do some Orthodox Jews, especially Chassidim, wear their
distinctive garb?  (i.e., fur hats, black coats, gartel)

The particular appearance is a matter of local custom for the group.

Black Clothes:
  Black is the color of Gevurah (severity), and thus is a symbolically
  appropriate garb for serious and important events (praying, holidays, etc.)
  Those who wear such clothes all week are thus indicating that their daily
  life is also bound up in divrei yirah shamayim [fearing heaven].

Gartel:
  It is required by the Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law) to have a
  separation between the top half of the body and the bottom while praying.
  Those who do not wear a gartel hold that other clothes satisfy the halacha,
  e.g. a regular belt or the waistband of his pants.

Hat:
  A double head covering (and more complete head covering than a kippot) is
  used during davening.  Some choose to wear it all the time, but it is not
  required.  Some wear it while eating.

Some wear a (distinctive) gartel or hat (or simply a not-so-distinctive
jacket) just for davening, to provide extra honor when talking to G-d.  There
is also a kabbalistic justification of the double head covering that refers to
two distinct aspects of one's soul.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.10. Does Judaism permit slavery?

No, in the sense of the enslavement of Africans in the U.S.  Treating a slave
like chattel and abusing him or her are against Jewish law.

"Slavery" in the Torah generally refers to temporary indentured servitude to
one's creditor.


------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.11. What does "eye for an eye" mean?

It means "if you injure a person such that he loses an eye, you must
compensate him for the loss of his eye."

It does NOT imply "lex talionis" - gouging out the perpetrator's eye as
retaliatory punishment.  Gandhi and many others misunderstood this verse.


------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.12. What is Shaatnez?

`Shaatnez' is the occurence of wool and linen in the same garment.  There are
various prohibitions (Lev 19:19, Deut 22:9-11) against the mingling of
different kinds; this is one of them.  A linen tie worn with a wool suit is
permitted, but a wool suit with linen threaded buttons is prohibited.

While in practice, many garments do not have any Shaatnez and may be assumed to
have none, the particulars vary by garment type.  The padding in many garments
such as suits or the embroidery thread, such as designs on sweaters (men's and
women's) may cause shaatnez problems.  The padding filler in many suits is
made of assorted rags which may be mixed linen and wool in themselves (so it
is not just a worry of linen threaded padding in a wool shell suit).

Nowadays, the usual way of observing the Shaatnez prohibitions is to first
check the fabric list (careful: lana/lino is Spanish for wool/linen).  If the
fabric list shows a forbidden mixture, don't bother, you probably can't get it
fixed.  If the label shows "other" it may or may not be linen.  Even if the
label shows 100% wool, there may still be problems.

Since the fabric list on suits usually refer only to the shell (and ignore
padding or ornamental threads), the label can only be used to identify
garments which definitely have shaatnez.  Thus if the label indicates that the
suit (for example) can be good, take it to a Shaatnez lab for testing.  Most
cities with at least a medium sized Orthodox community have qualified Shaatnez
testers.  If the city has a local Vaad Hakashrus they can usually refer you to
a reliable tester.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.13. What is circumcision?

Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of the penis.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.14. Why are Jewish boys circumcised?

The rite of circumcision is one of the most ancient practices of Judaism. The
commandment to circumcise male children was given to Abraham in the Torah
(Genesis 17:7-14) [English translation from 1917 JPS Tanach]:

  And God said unto Abraham: 'And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant,
  thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. This is My
  covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee:
  every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall be circumcised in
  the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me
  and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every
  male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought
  with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed. He that is born in
  thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised;
  and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the
  uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that
  should shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.

It is repeated in the Torah in Leviticus 12:3, and has remained throughout
history as one of the most important commandments. It has already led to
martyrdom in Maccabean times (I Macc. 1:48,60).

Circumcision is (in general) a common denominator among movements: Reform,
Conservative, Reconstructionist, Orthodox -- all circumcise their children and
require converts to undergo some form of circumcision.

Furthermore, faith is the ONLY reason that Jews should circumcise their
children. In Moreh Nevuchim (Guide for the Pereplexed), chapter 49, the Rambam
says: "No one, however, should circumcise himself or his son for any other
reason than pure faith; for circumcision is not like an incision on the leg or
a burn on the arm, but a very difficult operation."

Current medical fashions play no role in circumcision, as it is a religous
rite to Jews. Thus, it is pointless to attempt to argue for or against
circumcision from a basis of medical need.

As said in the Reform Responsa addressing circumcision: "Circumcision remains
for us an essential sign of the covenant. We have affirmed it since the days
of Abraham, our Father, and continue to affirm it".

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.15. Who performs the circumcision?

Although some modern Reform Jews use medical doctors to perform the
circumcision, this is not the traditional method. Traditionally, the infant is
circumcised in the home or the shul on the eighth day after birth, surrounded
by family and friends, and held by the sandek (an adult being honored by the
parents, often a grandfather). The infant is given a little wine, and the
ritual is performed by a specially trained Mohel, whose sole function is to
perform circumcisions.

Note that Mohelim are not unique to the more traditional Orthodox movement.
The Reform and Conservative movements also train and accredit Mohelim; often,
the Mohel is a practicing M.D. (For example, Dr. Samuel Kunin (a Reform Mohel
in Los Angeles CA) and Dr. Robert Lewis (a Conservative Mohel in Columbus OH)
are practicing urologists).

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.16. When is the circumcision done?

The circumcision is done the eighth day after birth, unless ill health or
serious medical problems prevent it. Even Shabbat does not stop a Bris. If
such a child is not circumcised, he is nevertheless considered a Jew
[San. 44a; Hoffmann, Melamed Leho-il, Yoreh De-a, #79]. However, if there are
no medical contraindications (e.g. hemophilia), it is incumbent for the
individual to arrange for their circumcision when medically safe to do so.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.17. But doesn't it hurt?

The requirement is that it be done at the eighth day.  The Rambam (just beyond
the section previously quoted) says that earlier the baby is too tender and
later the father might not be able to bring himself to do it.  Some doctors
have said that after, the baby develops too much and would actually be a more
serious matter.

With adults, the question is different. After the eighth day the nervous
system becomes more developed (especially after puberty). For adults, a local
anesthetic is used (often a mixture of lidocain and prilocaine). It is spread
on the area, some time is allowed to pass, and the procedure is performed with
no pain.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.18. But shouldn't the child make its own decision?

Parents routinely make many decisions for their children; bringing a child up
to practice a religion is only one of many such.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.19. But circumcision is only required for boys. What about girls?

Judaism does not practice female circumcision. Traditionally, females are
welcomed into the convanent through a naming ceremony. Other ceremonies have
also been developed by the more liberal movements.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.20. What about adults who are not circumcised?

Adult converts must also undergo some form of circumcision. In the Orthodox
and Conservative movements, actual circumcision is required unless, of course,
the convert is already circumcised (at which point a symbolic pinpricking is
performed). In the Reform movement, symbolic circumcision for converts is
allowed but not recommended.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.21. What other forms of body modification are allowed? Tatoos?
         Earrings?

In general, Judaism does not approve of the purposeful damaging of the body or
the making of permanent marks.  Thus, tatoos, branding, and the punching of
holes through the body are not generally accepted.

Earrings are a special case. The Torah does record that wearing an earring in
the upper cartilage of the ear is a mark of slavery, and thus is not allowed.
Wearing an earring in the fleshy lobe of the ear has a long history and has
been allowed, but only for women.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.22. Is it true that someone with tatoos cannot be buried in a
                Jewish cemetary?

TBD

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 11.23. I've heard about a custom of putting stones on the grave. Do
                you know where this custom originated?

Originally, there were no engraved tombstones like we have today; instead,
visitors to the gravesite would each put a stone on the grave.  Over the
years, a mound of stones would accumulate, memorializing the deceased through
the hands of his/her loved ones.

Although Jews now follow the common practice of putting up tombstones
(generally unveiled a year following the actual funeral and burial), many
people still hold to the earlier custom of a more personal monument.


------------------------------------------------------------
--
Please mail additions or corrections to me at [e-mail].


End of SCJ FAQ Part 5 (Worship and Who is a Jew) Digest
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