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Last answer posted on: 2 Sep 2010

Questions answered to date: 1675

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Showing Questions in 'Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)'

Question No.	1757
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	30 Jun 2010
The Question	what is the mekor for the hamsa? should i wear one? —Charlie, San Fransisco
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1750
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	22 Jun 2010
The Question	One of my friends has told me that I am not acting in accordance with the principle of “Aseh l'cha Rav”. Now it’s true that I don’t know any Rabbi who knows me or my situation very well. Most of the Rabbis I know are very busy and would not have the time for me. How does one go about getting “a Rav”? I am a Ba’al Teshuvah and for various reasons missed out on learning full time in Yeshivah, What do I do now? And does it really matter? Gratefully —Aryeh, NY
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1749
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	21 Jun 2010
The Question	There is a known concept that is brought by Chazal that every Jew is given the ability to obtain the same schar (merit/reward) as his fellow. The fact that one individual may be an illui and another person a simpleton, each receives schar according to his level. The question for the Rav is: How is this concept understood, with the fact that a Tzadik who published many seforim will be getting endless schar after his death (from people learning his Torah), as opposed to the simple Yid who wasn't able to write seforim. How do we understand that they get the same amount of schar for their efforts on this world, based on the outcome above? —Anonymous, U.S.A.
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1746
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	16 Jun 2010
The Question	Regarding the Rav's answer to #1687. But our mesorah is not so solid; there were periods in our history when the Torah was completely forgotten by the masses (See II Kings 22:8-23:22;Nechemiah 8:13-17;Radak on II Kings 22:8;Nachmanides on Numbers 15:22). So maybe these Jewish leaders (e.g. Ezra) were just charismatic and influential speakers who made up the entire Torah? Also, the story of a mass revelation is not unique to Judaism. For example, the case of Marian apparitions at the Coptic church in the Cairo suburb of Zeitoun between April 2, 1968, and May 29, 1971. Millions are said to have witnessed the apparitions and reports about them appeared both in the Egyptian and world press.(See Francis Johnston,"When Millions Saw Mary," pp. 4-5) —Anonymous, New York, New York
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Question No.	1743
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	15 Jun 2010
The Question	Lichvod Harav, Is it possible for someone ch”v to ruin someone’s life by negative THOUGHTS? A friend was struck by two very difficult issues, loaleinu. I sometimes used to think, that in spite of their not being so makpid in some things, the husband had lots of time to learn. There could have been a hint of jealousy, being that my situation is different. I really like them, and I never ch”v wished for any harm. I don’t think I dwelled on this, it just went through my head sometimes. I’m generally very concerned about people, I do “fargin”, and I definitely don’t want to cause harm. I usually say the tefilla before Shema, which says “nobody should be punished because of me”. Would that prevent this? Distressed /Depressed —Anonymous, America
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Question No.	1734
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	7 Jun 2010
The Question	I heard your explanation of what our tafkid is, but what about the fact that Hashem sends us yisurim in order for us to do certain extra things (ex:start a chessed organization) Is there any way of knowing what extra things Hashem wants from us without the push of yisurim c"v? —Anonymous, usa
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Question No.	1719
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	16 Feb 2010
The Question	I have heard different opinions about hashgacha pratis and our own free will. Does Hashem directly control everything, or does our free will affect how things are going to be? particularly in the area of shidduchim - do we have a zivug that Hashem gives us, or do we choose who we marry? —Anonymous, Toronto
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Question No.	1706
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	10 Feb 2010
The Question	i wear a black hat by davening. one time when i was about to bentch, i put it on and someone asked me why i wear a black hat. i didnt know what to answer him. all i told him was that my rosh hayeshiva does and asks us to wear one. but i couldnt answer him well. and then i wondered what the inyan at all of a hat is in general . and why its specifacally by davening or bentching? is there an inyan of a double covering? or is it an inyan of kavod? and why do some yeshiva guys wear them all the time, even in the street? someone also commented that nowadays hats arent needed for kavod, as the president of u.s. doesnt wear one when he leaves his house. however rabbis still wear them. please explain why and when we wear hats. thank you harav —binyomin, jerusalem
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Question No.	1701
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	30 Sep 2009
The Question	Is it possible that a person who after 120 years is judged by hashem as a tzaddik would have been judged otherwise had he been born in a different era, or even in the same era to different parents (frum vs non-frum)or born in a different environment (Brooklyn,NY vs. Hawaii)etc? Or do we say that if a person ultimately succeeded he would have succeeded under any circumstances? Does hashem always place us in the absolute best situation for us to succeed? —yehoshua, brooklyn
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Question No.	1691
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	22 Sep 2009
The Question	If we are supposed to emulate the ways of Hashem, why is there a mitzva not to put a stumbling block in front of the "blind", if Hashem is constantly doing so? I'm referring to all of the difficulties that come up throughout the day that seem insurmountable, and especially for all those people in the world who are "blind" and haven't been zoche to see the Emes of the Torah? —Anonymous, Israel
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Question No.	1687
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	14 Sep 2009
The Question	Intellectual honesty requires that one look at all possible sides of an issue. The Torah prohibits one from reading words of apikorsus, so isn't someone who follows the Torah being intellectually dishonest? —Anonymous, New York, N.Y.
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Question No.	1686
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	14 Sep 2009
The Question	The impression I get is that even if having more children would cause a family to live in poverty, that the Torah says they still have to have more. Is this true? Does it make a difference if the couple has already had both a boy and girl? —Anonymous, USA
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Question No.	1679
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	7 Jul 2009
The Question	L'kavod HaRav, how can one understand the statement made by Rav Dovid Cohen shlita, that a person may cheat on his taxes? I've heard that this statement was taken out of context? —Anonymous, Philadelphia
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1669
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	30 Jun 2009
The Question	Firstly thank you for this incredible website and for taking your time to answer these questions. How would the Rov explain the fact that non-Jews seem to have far less rights (e.g. in the case of damages) than Jews to a liberal-minded person you are being mekarev? —Anonymous, UK
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1663
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	23 Jun 2009
The Question	B'Kavod Ha'Rav, If we want to daven for something, then the best way is to ask Hashem to do what is best for that particular situation. That being the case, how can we ever ask for a refuah shleimah specific to one person? Why isn't the entire Shemonah Esrei just one short bracha that Hashem please do what is best for me and klal yisroel? If we say be careful what you ask for, you might just get it, then we should shy away from bakashos? If the Rav could shed some light on this dilemma, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. —Anonymous, United States
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1653
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	10 May 2009
The Question	Is churban beis hamikdosh related to chet hameraglim only or to chet haegel as well? On shiva aser betamuz -huvka hair (referring to yerushalyim); the walls of yerushalayim got broken,yet it was the same day that the luches got broken after chet haegel - is the event of huvka hair a consequence of chet haegel or not? —Anonymous, Belgium
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Question No.	1624
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	4 Mar 2009
The Question	B'Kavod Ha'Rav With the economic crises world wide, a difficult reality has led me to the following Hashkafic dilemma. I am a Klei Kodesh working in a non-frum community educating them. It would seem I am doing ratzon Hashem. With the economic crises, I may lose my job. What is Hashem "saying" if He is putting out of work, the klei kodesh? —Anonymous, United States
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1621
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	4 Mar 2009
The Question	How do we recognize the 'Hand of Hashem' in world events even where free will and organized conspiracy is involved? It would seem that the foundations for this are in Megilas Esther. —Anonymous, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1615
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	9 Feb 2009
The Question	I understand that one can receive from Hashem a degree of "automatic kapara", even without doing teshuva, from certain involuntary things (such as yisurim and death), but that simply asking Hashem for forgiveness without the other integral steps of teshuva (i.e., feeling regret, committing not to repeat the sin) provides no kapara at all. Is this correct? If so, then why do our teffilot include stam requests for forgiveness which, most likely, most of the time, for most people, do not include the other steps of teshuva? (For example, in Kriyat Shema al HaMita, we ask, "...and that which I sinned before you should be erased in your abundant mercy.") And if so, doesn't this limit Hashem's abundant rachamim, i.e., that he will never grant partial or complete forgiveness to someone, just for turning to Him and asking, even when the other aspects of teshuva are not included? —Anonymous, Israel
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

Question No.	1600
Category	Hashkafa (Jewish Thought/Philosophy)
Date Posted	29 Jan 2009
The Question	My wife came to me with a hashkafa issue. She read a news article and wanted to know why Hashem allows this kind of thing: it was about a non-Jewish two-year-old girl who was punished all day by her step-father with beatings and holding her head under water. He then threw against a wall, cracking her skull and killing her. During the ordeal she said to her mother, who was present, that she loves her. Apparently it brought the jury to tears too. It bothered my wife a lot - she couldn't even finish reading the article and I could not answer sufficiently. I guess this is one of those "why do bad things happen to good people" type questions. Could the Rav provide some insight? —Anonymous, Baltimore, MD
The Answer	Click here to listen to Rabbi Leff's answer.

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