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28 Oct 0Comments 0Likes

Yoga and Eastern Religions

Dear Rabbi Simon, Hi. I would love to have a clarification about some things related to Far Eastern traditions, sometimes partly derived from, or with connections to their religions. I am specifically enquiring about yoga and Thai or other related form of massage. Thanks very much. Joel Dear Joel, Than you for your question. In general, one should be cautious…

28 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Jewish Assimilation

Dear Rabbi Simon, Isn’t it possible that Jews have assimilated into other religions such as Buddhism in China? Therefore, could there be more than a million Jewish people in the country of China alone? Luke Dear Luke TY for your speculative question. Inevitably, Jews have indeed assimilated over the centuries. Rather, it is remarkable that any have remained at all,…

21 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Will King David Return?

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…

10 May 0Comments 0Likes

G-d’s Face

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…

16 Sep 0Comments 0Likes

Meeting with Royalty

Note: On Rosh HaShanah we feel acutely the Kingship of Hashem. The Talmud teaches that one should seek out an opportunity to see earthly royalty, to gain a faint, symbolic echo of the Divine Kingship. There is even a blessing to be recited on seeing a monarch (king or queen), “Who has given of His glory to flesh and blood.”…

10 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Trump Triumphant; Jews Joining Islam?

Dear Rabbi, Here is a topical one: the ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt inter alia has said that he’ll register as a Muslim if the Trump administration goes the route of such a requirement. [Most unlikely, IMO.] But Rabbi Gil Student questions whether this is permissible: http://www.torahmusings.com/2016/11/may-jew-register-national-muslim-registry/. As you know, I’m a fan of Rabbi Student, but I’m not sure whether he…

02 Jul 0Comments 0Likes

Rashi and Daf Yomi coincidence?

Dear Rabbi, I have a question about Rashi’s (the commentator) birth and death dates, and you seemed the right person to ask 🙂 I just heard a shiur from Rabbi David Blackman from the JLC in Sydney, Australia who shared the following: – Daf Yomi [the worldwide study of one folio page of Talmud per day] isondaf [folio] 29 of…

30 Jun 0Comments 0Likes

Life’s Not Fair (when the innocent suffer)

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…

Questions & Answers
this week

Questions and Answers

Ask the Rabbi: Quinoa on Pesach
Dear Rabbi Simon,
Where do you stand on quinoa (and the kitniyot ban) for Pesach?
Many thanks,
Tzippy
***
Dear Tzippy,
In line with other American authorities, I am in favour of quinoa. Although I reject completely the voices (mostly from Israel) seeking to abolish the ban on kitniyot entirely, IMO we do not need to include in the prohibition pseudo-grains that were unknown in the Old World until modern times. Best to buy with a Pesach hechsher though, to be free of any possible wheat contamination.
Rabbi Rashi Simon
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Upcoming Events

Sat, 06/21 8:30 PM
2025 Visions of the Fathers
Sun, 06/22 9:00 AM
Semichas Chaver
Mon, 06/23 8:00 PM
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Sat, 06/28 8:30 PM
2025 Visions of the Fathers
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