Jewish Theology

Dear Rabbi Simon All my life I was proud of being a firstborn son. Originally, the firstborn son was to represent each family in the Holy Temple (Beit Hamikdash), and his job was to be a priest to serve Hashem. Our Sages maintain that once the Third Temple is built (may it be soon in our days) the firstborn sons…

Dear Rabbi Simon Does G-d fulfil our desires in our lifetime, afterlife or next birth if we are righteous? Thank you. Dan Hi Dan Thank you for your question. G-d does not necessarily fulfil anyone’s “desires”, however, as per Maimonides’ Principles of Faith #12, He does reward a person according to his or her deeds, whether in this world or the…

Dear Rabbi Simon, Rashi sometimes refers to “the king messiah” and at other times just to “the messiah”. Why? Is there any significance in the distinction? Many thanks, Jesse Dear Jesse Thank you for your question. Rashi is exceedingly exacting in his language, so I would expect that there is indeed a “significance”. However it is likely that the explanation…

Dear Rabbi Simon Rashi sometimes refers to “the king messiah” and at other times just to “the messiah”. Why? Is there any significance in the distinction? Thank you David Dear Dave Thank you for your question. Rashi is exceedingly exacting in his language, so I would expect that there is indeed a “significance”. However, it is likely that the explanation lies…

Dear Rabbi Simon, The first of Noah’s Seven Laws is not to worship false gods.  As Christians worship Jesus (who is a false god according to Jewish law), would they have no place in the World to Come? Thanks, Peter Dear Peter, This rather fundamental question is subject to divergent conclusions in the rabbinic tradition. While the straightforward view would…

Dear Rabbi Simon, Will King David return? Sol Dear Sol King David’s descendant will redeem the Jewish People and indeed all mankind. This is Mashiach ben David whose arrival we continue to await. The doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead in messianic times implies that King David, together with the righteous of all generations, will indeed “return”, however our…

Dear Rabbi Simon In Exodus 33:20 God Tells Moshe “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” but in Psalm 104:29, it says “When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.” also Psalm 30 says “LORD, when you favored me, you made…

Dear Rabbi Simon, People often ask why children suffer and sometimes even die when they have done nothing wrong. I am thinking about the Manchester teen concert bombing atrocity and more. Rashi on this week’s Parsha (Korach, see Num. 16:27) attributes it to machloket (internecine strife). Rabbeinu Bachye says the fate of all the co-conspirators of Korach (and their families) can only…

Dear Rabbi Simon, In this week’s Torah Reading 31:24, Rabbi Moshe Alshich (Safed, 1508-1593) implies that reincarnation is worse than Gehinnom (Purgatory). How can this be so? What’s the source for reincarnation. Why is it not in the Gemoro? Shavua Tov, Alistair Dear Alistair The doctrine of reincarnation, while now quite commonplace in Jewish Thought, is actually the subject of much…