Weekly Email by Rabbi Moss

Do Mermaids Really Exist?

Monday, February 20, 2017 - 8:41 PM

Question of the Week:

Is it true that Jews believe in Mermaids?

Answer:

The Talmud has a passage that discusses the mating habits of various animals and fish. Why that is important to the Talmud, we can discuss another time.

One marine species is mentioned that reproduces the same way as humans, and the Talmud refers to this species by its Latin name. The rabbis of the Talmud described this species as "sea people."

This mysterious reference to sea people has sparked the imagination of many students of the Talmud. In fact, the great medieval scholar Rashi defined them as being half human, half fish, and translated them into his native French as sirene, meaning mermaids.

But perhaps we would tra… Read More »

The Disabled Parking Dilemma

Thursday, February 9, 2017 - 10:02 PM

Question of the Week:

My grandmother no longer drives, so I use her car. It has a disabled parking permit, which allows me to park without paying anywhere I want. I feel a little guilty about it and thought maybe I should give it up. On the other hand, am I doing anything wrong just leaving it there?

Answer:

Thinking this one through, I can come up with several arguments in favour of keeping the permit, but only one argument in favour of giving it up.

Let's look at the arguments in favour of keeping the permit:

- You already p… Read More »

Who Created G-d?

Thursday, February 9, 2017 - 7:00 PM

Question of the Week:

My 6 year old daughter has asked me: If G-d created the world and everything in it, then who created G-d?

Would love your answer...

Answer:

Indeed, G-d created everything in the world. Not just tangible things, like trees and rocks and caterpillars, but abstract things too, ideas and concepts. time and space, G-d created them too.

Until G-d created these things, they did not exist. Before creation, there were no caterpillars, but there also was no time. Space did not exist before G-d create… Read More »