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Orthodox Judaism/Questions Answered by Expert Sheva
| Subject | Date Asked |
| menstrual uncleanliness | 8/29/2011 |
| Q: in regards to the laws on menstrual uncleanliness, i was wondering what precautions/actions you ... A: I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. I was out of town over the weekend. First, the ... | |
| kosher cappuccino | 7/28/2011 |
| Q: Do you know if coffee and cappuccino, in particular flavored cappuccino, from stores like 7/11, ... A: Some of them are kosher, and some are not. You would have to check the actual container they're ... | |
| Who is a Jew for Aliyah? | 7/3/2011 |
| Q: My wife´s great-grandmother on her mother´s side was Jewish. Her great-grandfather on her father´s ... A: If her mother's great, great grandmother was Jewish, that only makes your wife Jewish if the lineage ... | |
| Who is a Jew for Aliyah? | 7/3/2011 |
| Q: My wife´s great-grandmother on her mother´s side was Jewish. Her great-grandfather on her father´s ... A: In order for a person to be Jewish, their maternal line has to be Jewish. Paternity does not ... | |
| not working on sunday/shabbat | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering how the Jewish people of medievil europe managed to avoid working on the sabbath in ... A: For years, Jews have been avoiding working on the Sabbath. Most of the time, it meant not getting a ... | |
| orthodox men | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: I recently had business dealings with an Orthodox Jewish man that my husband was frustrated with so ... A: What you're describing does sound a bit odd. He does seem to want to make a very positive ... | |
| Esther | 3/22/2011 |
| Q: G_d bless you, I am getting ready for Purim and in reading the book of Esther heard that the ... A: The name Esther is a Hebrew name, derived from the Hebrew word 'Astir', which means "I will hide". ... | |
| shaking hands with the opposite sex | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: i have a new managing agent for my building.after meeting with him i started to shake his hand.he ... A: I'm assuming the man you are referring to was Orthodox Jewish, since you asked me this question. ... | |
| A.A. and false gods | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: I am in alcoholics anonymous and many of the people rely on false gods to get them sober and yet the ... A: First of all, congratulations on being in AA. That's amazing. I believe that the saying that would ... | |
| 600 plus laws | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: My cousin has fell in love with a wonderful Orthodox Jewish man and we are trying to do as much ... A: She would need to learn all the rules that pertain to women specifically, and also the many rules ... | |
| Men wearing black fedora hats. | 1/17/2011 |
| Q: The fedoras sit very high on their heads, making it appear as if the fedoras are about six sizes too ... A: Every man who wears the black hat wears it how it's comfortable for him. Usually, he buys one that, ... | |
| Esau | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: G_d bless you rabbi, I heard that Jewish tradition says that God took Abraham from this world 5 ... A: The wicked deeds of Esau being referred to are adultery, murder, and idol worship. God did not make ... | |
| Question | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: I read your previous comments and still have a question... According to the Shulchan Aruch it says ... A: According to many (I believe most, but I'm not a talmudical scholar), oral sex is permitted. It is ... | |
| Orthodox Judaism views surrounding pregnancy | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: I am a nursing student,and as a group, we chose Orthodox Judaism due to the extreme interest to ... A: I'm so glad that nurses are being taught to respect and accommodate beliefs and customs that they ... | |
| hair | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: This is kind of an odd question but, do Jewish girls / women shave/remove the hair from the pubic, ... A: I like this question! Shaving any of those areas is based on personal preference. There is no ... | |
| hanging on tree | 8/8/2010 |
| Q: what is meaning hebrew tree,curse who is hanging on tree, this means modern cros or tree like stake? ... A: In Jewish law, certain people were hung as a punishment for their crime and as a warning to others. ... | |
| type of clothing to go to worship | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: I have been interested in why we are seeing the tendency to "dress down" or even casually within ... A: I know that at the receiving of the Torah, the Jews were instructed by Moses to spend three days ... | |
| marriage | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: i was wondering if arranged marriage is the norm in judaism? i saw a movie called "keeping the ... A: I am going to address your questions in the order that you raised them, to make sure I don't miss ... | |
| customs and significance | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what the significance of the number three is and how it applies to childrens toys, ... A: There is no religious significance to the number three or any number, in relation to children's ... | |
| Eve and Adam's Rib | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: Sheva, I was wondering about Eve being created from the rib of Adam. Is there any significance to ... A: One of the concepts that can be learned from this detail of the story of creation is that a husband ... | |
| Christianity plagiarizing Judaism | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I thank you for your answer recently. I understand that you were unable to help me because you were ... A: I keep on holding on to this email because I know I can get answers for you, but I haven't had time ... | |
| Leavened and Unleavened bread | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: "I once read something from a Rabbi (I can't remember who) concerning the difference in spelling of ... A: I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you. I am busy preparing for Pesach and it's a bit hectic ... | |
| female cleanliness... | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could walk me through all the measures you take in order to ensure menstrual ... A: During the first 5 days of her cycle, she does not need to do anything specific (although some ... | |
| female cleanliness... | 3/9/2010 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could walk me through all the measures you take in order to ensure menstrual ... A: Peter: Any orthodox Jewish woman would follow the following protocol: As soon as she noticed the ... | |
| forgiveness | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: What does orthodox Judaism teach about forgiving someone who has not asked for forgiveness? A: We learn that it is a very special thing to forgive someone, even if they haven't asked for ... | |
| Yiddish Translation | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: My mother showed me an old picture she has with Yiddish writing on the back and I am looking for ... A: I'm so glad I was able to help! Usually it's easier to decode something like this when there is more ... | |
| Titus being denied heaven | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: On an older post, you said you recall one person who was denied heaven being Titus. Why was he ... A: I'm sorry I had a few busy days and didn't have time to look up the particulars. Titus was denied ... | |
| Yiddish Translation | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: My mother showed me an old picture she has with Yiddish writing on the back and I am looking for ... A: I couldn't make out all the letters because the script was very flowery. It has two names on it. I ... | |
| G_d is a Spirit | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: I hope this question doesn't sound stupid. But in reading the Torah I am confused. G_d is a spirit ... A: This is a good question. G-d does not have a form, but the verses are written this way to make it ... | |
| Lunch/Business Etiquette | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: I am meeting with a business client for lunch in two weeks, whom I have never met before. She is an ... A: Orthodox Jewish men and women usually do not touch each other unless blood related. I would ... | |
| Intermarriage | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: Good day. I have approached experts on this question before with little support. I am an agnostic ... A: I sympathize with the painful decisions you are facing. To quote Kahlil Gibran, "If you love ... | |
| belief | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: Shalom. I would like to know do Jews belief in Heaven and if so, who goes, do Jews believe in hell ... A: Yes, Jews believe in Heaven. People who follow the commandments of God go there. And yes, we do ... | |
| hair covering | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: I have a friend who is an orthodox jewish woman and she is engaged to a man who grew up religious, ... A: I'm sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. I wanted to think about it before answering. I ... | |
| Yiddish Translation | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: I have some old Yiddish letters that are of genealogical interest to my family. They were written ... A: That is so interesting! Since I don't know where you're from, I wouldn't know to whom to direct you ... | |
| Inter-marriage | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I am an agnostic male. (22). I have recently met and fallen so hard for an orthodox Jewish girl ... A: I sympathize with the painful decisions you are facing. I would recommend that you go and speak to ... | |
| Umbrella | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: Why are ordhodox Jews forbidden to carry an unmbrella? ANSWER: Dear Ed, Orthodox Jews are not ... A: Carrying an umbrella on Shabbath is forbidden because it falls under one of the categories of 'work' ... | |
| Communication | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: I am a nursing student in the USA and I have a cultural project in one of my classes I have a paper ... A: I will try to answer your question as clearly as possible. Orthodox Jews are very diverse, in that ... | |
| Cooking for Shabbat/ Rosh Hashana | 9/15/2009 |
| Q: Help! I want to be able to serve hot food, ie, soup and brisket on Shabbat after Rosh Hashana ... A: First of all, I am so sorry that it took so long to get back to you. I was writing you an answer and ... | |
| menstrual cleaniliness...(part3) | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: recently you answered me on how an unclean woman makes herself pure again through a special bath. ... A: The issue of furniture was one that applied when the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing - about ... | |
| tokens of virginity, Deut. XXII:13 ff | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: Sat. Aug. 29, 2009 public reading of The Book included Deut.XXII: 13 et seq. The text spells out the ... A: The burden of proof would lie on the husband to prove that she had committed adultery after the ... | |
| Presentation on Orthodox Judaism | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: I am a Registered Nurse pursuing my Master Degree in Nursing. My course this semester is ... A: I'll try to answer your request in the order that you presented it. (Obviously, all my information ... | |
| maternal lineage | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: My question concerns Jewish lineage. My great-grandmother (on my mother's side) came from Ukraine ... A: In order for her to have bearing on your religious ligeage, she would have had to have been your ... | |
| conversion | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: I have been having an online relationship with a Jewish American living in Israel he is Orthodox. I ... A: There is no age restriction on converts, so it is not too late. You would need to find an Orthodox ... | |
| Coming of age ceremony | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: My son and I are invited by his schoolmate David to attend the ceremony mentioned above, which is to ... A: It is very nice of you to be so understanding of other cultures. I applaud your sensitivity. To ... | |
| the meaning of.... | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: what do the names Abram and Abraham mean? (: A: The names Abram and Abraham come from the same root word, which means 'over' or 'other side', as in, ... | |
| Swimming and Orthodox Judaism | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: At what age can a boy swim with women? Is it under the age of nine or at any age is it forbidden? A: I asked my rabbi this question, and he said up until about 4 years old, a boy can swim with women. I ... | |
| brother-in-law in process of converting | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: my sister and I were raised christian. My sister's husband was also christian when they married, ... A: I am not familiar with all the laws of conversion, so I would not be able to give you a complete ... | |
| Orthodox Judaism | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently attending a nursing school and I'm doing a cultural project do to Orthodox Jews. But ... A: Jews speak many languages, depending on the country they're from. (My brother-in-law is from ... | |
| Orthodox Judaism | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: I'm currently attending a nursing school and I'm doing a cultural project do to Orthodox Jews. But ... A: First of all, good luck in school! Now, in order to answer your questions completely, I would need ... | |
| beliefs | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: I'm not really familiar with Judaism. Can you tell me what the core beliefs are? Also, how does it ... A: On Hanuka we light the menora - an eight branched candelabra. We light one candle for each night, ... | |
| beliefs | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: I'm not really familiar with Judaism. Can you tell me what the core beliefs are? Also, how does it ... A: The main, core beliefs of Judaism, I would say, are that God created the world and that He is still ... | |
| Wedding | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: Happy Chanukah Me and my fiance are from Israel and in we live in the U.S. for the last 5 years. We ... A: Mazal Tov on your upcoming wedding! In order for me to help you find an orthodox rabbi in your ... | |
| thank you gift | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: This may be a little low brow given your usual questions, but I am looking for help in choosing an ... A: I'm not sure what your budget is for this present, but this website has some really nice things: ... | |
| converting to judaism | 11/27/2008 |
| Q: i met a Hispanic girl and she was a Christian who converted to Judaism. i want to know if she is ... A: If a person converts without the intention of keeping the mitzvos, then I don't think the conversion ... | |
| Non-Jew attending orthodox wedding | 11/1/2008 |
| Q: This all may sound silly but I'm attending my childhood friend's wedding and I have a few doubts. ... A: That is so nice of you, that you are so considerate of your friend. Dressing according to Jewish law ... | |
| Orthodox weddings | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: I am a Reform Jew who is attending the Orthodox wedding of my niece. What is the reason that women ... A: The reason that they side on opposite sides of the shul is to minimize mixing of the genders so as ... | |
| conversion | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I am an African American woman living in Brooklyn,NY. I am interested in converting to Orthodox ... A: Yes, conversion is permitted to any person who is going to follow the Torah and keep God's ... | |
| Accommodating Orthodox Jewish Guests at my Wedding | 10/1/2008 |
| Q: Sheva, Thank you in advance for your time and attention to my question. I am planning a June ... A: First of all, congratulations on your wedding! The simplest solution, although it is probably not ... | |
| boys and girls... | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: many Jewish men have had more than one wife. So if i have a girlfriend, am i allowed to flirt with ... A: Why is promiscuity considered wrong? The simple answer is because it IS wrong. One of the ten ... | |
| boys and girls... | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: many Jewish men have had more than one wife. So if i have a girlfriend, am i allowed to flirt with ... A: For the past few hundred years, a Jewish man has not been allowed to have more than one wife. Even ... | |
| Hell | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: Am i right in believing that no sect of Judaism condones an Eternal Hell? ANSWER: Dear Peter, Hi! ... A: Here’s the second installment: I read my first answer back and see that my wording wasn’t very good. ... | |
| Hell | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: Am i right in believing that no sect of Judaism condones an Eternal Hell? ANSWER: Dear Peter, Hi! ... A: Ok, before I start, I want to clarify that I am not a rabbi. I am just a G-d-fearing, ultra-orthodox ... | |
| Hell | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: Am i right in believing that no sect of Judaism condones an Eternal Hell? A: Hi! Thanks for your question. We do not believe in eternal Hell, nor do we believe in Hell as a sure ... | |
| Why a widowed young mother | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to help a grandfather who is Jewish but not with yirat adonai. His 33 year old son is ... A: I'm sorry I took so long to answer this question. I was not home for the weekend. I am so sorry for ... | |
| Lesbians | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: Lesbians claims that there is no such thing in Torah that prohibit lesbianisms only prohibit gays ... A: I am so sorry I did not get back to you until now. I am away from home, so my schedule on the ... | |
| Lesbians | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: Lesbians claims that there is no such thing in Torah that prohibit lesbianisms only prohibit gays ... A: Hi, excellent question. The first time the prohibition of gay relationships is mentioned in the ... | |
| Seed | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering, though I never was taught or have read it in the Torah...is it wrong for man and ... A: According to Orthodox Jewish law, a man and woman are not allowed to touch each other in any way ... | |
| Nidda | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I think women are supposed to refrain from marital relations until just the peak of fertility ("be ... A: Well, I'm glad that I sent that second answer, so that I could re-send the first one. You are right, ... | |
| ahem.... | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: i am currently a 20 year old male of Japanese descent living in the UK and have been trying my ... A: Hi. Thanks for your question. There is a special commandment in Judaism to love a convert, over and ... | |
| Nidda | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: I think women are supposed to refrain from marital relations until just the peak of fertility ("be ... A: I forgot to mention something in my last answer, and this may be the most important part of it all. ... | |
| Handshaking with a woman | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: Why is it that a male is limited in shaking a woman's hand. I went to an account and introduced ... A: Orthodox Jewish men and women are not supposed to touch members of the opposite sex unless related ... | |
| yarmulkes | 6/23/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to teach Jewish customs and reasons. Regarding the yarmulke, I find ample reasons for ... A: In Orthodox Judaism, only the men wear a yarmulke, to remind them Who is watching them. The word ... | |
| lot | 6/22/2008 |
| Q: I've been trying, but without success to find the meaning of the biblical name, Lot. Can you help? ... A: I'm not sure of the exact meaning of the word, (I haven't found one in my research) but it would ... | |
Orthodox Judaism
Answers by Expert:
Sheva
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer any questions about orthodox Judaism, especially the laws that relate to women. No question too big or small, and never be embarrassed to ask - it's the only way you'll find out!
Experience
I am an orthodox Jewish woman, but I have had my questions, and always seek answers, so I have a lot of experience in all areas. If I don't know the answer, I'll ask someone who does.
Education/Credentials
High school graduate
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