The Torah is very definite in its condemnation of lending money for interest: Exodus 22:24 – If you ever lend money to anyone amongst the poor of My People (says God) do not become an oppressor by lending for interest. Leviticus 25:36 – Do not take interest (from someone fallen on hard times). Do not take interest or apply oppressive…
General Topics
Circumcision
I am a very squeamish person. I cannot bear to look at blood, or even at TV programs about hospitals when they show some operation. I would be useless in an emergency and would certainly never, ever be able to slaughter animals or be a mohel (theory is one thing, practice altogether another). So when I have to tend a…
Piss Process
Israel has changed dramatically from when I first went there in the 50’s. In those early days of healthy Israeli pioneers, when the kibbutz movement was the country’s pride and joy and the Mecca of all young European idealists, good manners was seen as the disease of the Old World Order. Every time I would automatically say “Please” or “Thank…
Why fast?
We have just ended a period in the Jewish tradition called “The Three Weeks” of mourning for our own disastrous ethical and political mistakes of the past. For thinking we can arrogantly control every aspect of our own destiny with no regard to external pressure or objective standards. At least we do not blame others for our misfortunes. There are…
Generalizations
Oh, how we love generalizations, such as blonds are dumb, men are chauvinist pigs, Poles are stupid, Romanians steal, and the Scots are mean. All non-Jews hate Jews. All Jews are money-obsessed. All Christians are missionaries. All Muslims are terrorists. All Israelis love humiliating Palestinians, and all Palestinians love killing Israelis. All blacks are rappers or welfare dependants. All Mexicans…
Jewish Women
There are of course Jewish women and Jewish women, and any generalization on either word is plain silly. But Jewish women who wish to remain loyal to the religious tradition in all its Divine magnificence and Human interference can, if they step out of line or try to deal with rabbinic authority, have a very tough time. In 1994 admirable…