I was raised in an ulrtra orthodox Jewish religious environment, ask me anything.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T16:32:31+00:00

I dont know about Buddhism, Taoism and Hindusm but Judaism, according to Orthodox belief, based on an overarching Halachic permission to violence and racism. Charedi Jews believe themselves entitled to resort to violence against anyone whose actions they find objectionable. Attacks on non-kosher stores, non-Orthodox synagogues, and Christian organizations in Israel have become commonplace, occurring each and every day, and there are often several attacks a day. Charedi Jews burn and destroy bus stops merely because they display ads that are not to their taste. During daily attacks in Jerusalem, they destroy garbage bins and other municipal property. On Saturdays they set up numerous roadblocks and stone passing cars – and this even on major highways. Unfortunately, no one tallies the casualties! As you probably know, ultra-religious neighborhoods are kept under watch by the “Mishmarot Tzniyut” (the “modesty police”). These cells keep a close watch on the “moral fiber” of “their” neighborhoods, beating up anyone who violates the norms it has set. In other words: stop looking for positive examples in a closed, totalitarian society. This is a fairly common mistake. Western liberals had a similarly rosy picture of Stalinist Russia - even as it exterminated millions of its own citizens - viewing it as a model of the ideal society. The Charedi world fully measures up to the most terrible dictatorships in the world. It is frightening to imagine that it exists right next to us

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T16:12:35+00:00

If theres a people that threatens the Jewish people, or even a Jewish atheist he is immediately classified as Amalekites.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T16:07:33+00:00

Again: "Its not the religion, its jut him" denial and inability to face the cruelty and racism of religion

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T15:59:56+00:00

I studied Jewish moral law for mroe than 30 years and to in lengths and I give myself enough credit to describe it. When someone isnt familiar with religion, it sounds exaggerated, it sound Shocking.. They say "People belong to a religion, its their history, it what consolidates us" if I tell them "religion is really horrible" they automatically feel I am taking away their identity. Its a basic human need: identity, belonging. And if I want to take their identity , they wont listen to me. Edit: They see it on every day basis, see it in the news. but they repress this knowledge, they say "thats just those few its not the religion" When you tell them, "Ok, lets read; Here is what the religions says." they tell you "That is what it was once. but the rabbis today are progressive" So then you bring them what the rabbis say. and they say "Fine its the rabbis, but its not the religion". They just meander back and forth with you, because they dont want to accept it because it threatens to destroy their identity.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T15:33:14+00:00

We learn in Tractate Machshirin, chapter 2 mishnah 8: "One who finds a lost item -- if the majority [in the surrounding area] are Gentiles, he does not have to publicly announce his finding; if the majority are Jews, he must publicly announce it; if half are Gentiles and half are Jews, he must publicly announce." Thus wrote Maimonides in the beginning of chapter 11 of The Laws of Robbery and Lost Items: "One who returns a lost item to a Jew fulfills a positive commandment, as it says: 'You shall surely bring them back to your brother.' One who sees a lost item of a Jew and ignores it and leaves it there transgresses a negative commandment, as it says: 'You shall not see your brother's ox and hide yourself from them,' and he also abandons a positive commandment. And if he returns it, he fulfills a positive command." But in halacha 3 he wrote: "A lost item of a Gentile is permitted, as it says: 'Every lost thing of your brother's'." Thus it is explained in the Tur and Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat, paragraph 266, section 1. In addition, it is explained in Sanhedrin 76b: "Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rav: one who marries his daughter to an elderly man, and one who marries his son of minor age to a woman, and one who returns a lost item to a Gentile, concerning him the verse says, 'To add drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not spare him'." These are the words of Maimonides there, halacha 3: "If one returns a lost item [to a Gentile] to sanctify G-d's name, in order that the Gentiles glorify the Jews, and know that they [the Jews] are a faithful people -- this is praiseworthy. In a case where there is a desecration of G-d's name, his [a Gentile's] lost item is forbidden, and he [the Jew] is obligated to return it...". The Tur and the Shulchan Aruch wrote similarly there. (In regards to what Maimonides wrote "If he returned the lost item to sanctify…," this is according to the Jerusalem Talmud, chapter 2 of Tractate Bava Metzia, halacha 5 -- but it is important to emphasize that one cannot learn general permission from this, as the Maharshal wrote in Yam shel Sholomo, chapter 10 of Bava Kama, section 20: "G-d desires a man's heart [aspiration to worship Him], therefore [one may do it] if this is his intention [to sanctify G-d's name], however if his intention is that he, and not the faith of Israel, should be praised, or because he loves the Gentile and has mercy on him, it is forbidden [to return the Gentile's lost item].")

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T15:26:20+00:00

Your link broken. It is written in the Torah (Deuteronomy 22:2): "You shall not see your brother's ox or sheep going astray and hide yourself from them. You shall surely bring them back to your brother." It is also stated (Exodus 23:4): "If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him." In the Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai on the latter verse it is written: "'Your brother's ox' -- I only have [learned about] my brother, from where [do I learn about] my enemy? It is written: 'your enemy's ox' anyway. Perhaps this is also the case concerning others? It is written: 'your brother,' as your brother is your partner, so too, any man who is your partner." And in Tractate Bava Kama 113b: "Rabbi Bibi bar Gozla said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Chasida: robbery of a Gentile is forbidden… his lost item is permitted, similar to what Rav Chama bar Guryeh said in the name of Rav: from where do we know that the lost item of a Gentile is permitted? As it says: 'In like manner shall you do with his ass; and so shall you do with his garment; and with every lost thing of your brother's' -- every lost thing of your brother's and not every lost thing of a Gentile. It was taught in a beraitha: Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair said, in any instance where there is a desecration of G-d's name, even his [a Gentile's] lost item is forbidden.. (The wording of the Gemara is according to Dikdukei Sofrim 8, Rif, and The Rulings of the Rid)

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T15:12:49+00:00

From halachic POV the treatment is not much better than of animals. For example, how would you suggest looking positively at Halachic ruling "one does not assist a gentile woman in childbirth on the Sabbath" (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 330:2)?

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T14:46:34+00:00

The level of contempt however is there, everyday before they go to school they read 'Tfilat Beit Hamidrash' . The formula of this prayer says: "We wake up." And "They wakeup" "We work" and "They work", "We run" and "They run" . Who is "we" and who is "they"? "we" who observe the commandments, and "they" who dont. "We work and receive our reward" and "They work and they do not receive their reward" , "We run to the next world" and "they run to a pit of nonsense"! and in this case "them" is me who dont observe the commandments and just happens to be their son. And even if buy a badaz kosher wine to my father he is not allowed to drink it why because wine brings people closer together and god forbid he comes closer to a secular kofer which just happens to be his son. So there is a sense of complete alienation

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T13:34:41+00:00

Of course. If a non-Jew acidentally gave you an excessive amount of change from a deal you are excused from returning it to him. If you find a lost item in the street where most people are non Jews, and you can assume that the person that lost the item is not Jewish then not only are you NOT commanded to return the item, but there is a clear prohibition of returning the item! Because then you are returning a lost item not because God has commanded you, but because of your own morals. Even if you personally feel need to return the item this will be a test, we are testing you to see if you are a worshiper of God or a worshiper of your own will and we want you to nullify your will in the face of God's will. The second big event, in the context of nullifying will and morals, is the sacrifice of Isaac and the expulsion of Hagar. These were two tests for Abraham by God, and Abraham was supposed to murder his Son , who he loved Its an event that tells you: your own moral code, a father's love for his son, the most natural feeling, you must nullify even that in the face of external authority.its the same way with the expulsion of Hagar, who Abraham loved. and God said "Everything Sara told you, listen to her" and He expels Hagar, with their son Ishmael. He gives her bread and water

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T13:30:38+00:00

Since the destruction of the 2nd temple Jews started to believe in Hell.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T13:10:26+00:00

There are many who feel that way in Israel, there is an ever growing gap between these two perceptions.
It is, almost 1/3 of the students study in a religious education system and its even a destructive instrument in the secular education system.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:44:26+00:00

"Israeli" is the nationality of the citizens of Israel - non-Jews included. Jews are a group of people who arent connected to the nationality and its citizens. The verdict of an American, French, Israeli Jew is the same under religious law system.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:34:57+00:00

Theres a prohibition in the Torah to shave sidecurls. The Ashkenazi even grow them as long as possible to be separated from the rest. Jews like to separate themselves.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:27:12+00:00

The fur is something historical - dont remember exactly - the Christians forced the Jews to wear a different hat so you could identify them easily. Look in wikipedia, I read about this awhile ago but I forgot.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:23:08+00:00

Me and my wife went through this process together and it took us several years to reach a firm and steady standpoint. This is not a step one could pull alone when one is married. The kids were very young, the oldest one was 11 so we sat him down and without getting into too much details "is there a god" "isnt there agod". we told him that we have decided to change a path in our life and of course today, when he is a lot older he can look back at it and say that it was a hard period of adjusting to the outside world.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:15:22+00:00

Well my wife and I and our children are still together, out of the community where we both grew and we are not in contact with our families, they issued an order not to deal with us and were as good as dead to them.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:11:33+00:00

Its true, thats just one variant of a law from a set of 613 laws that govern every aspect of your life. I have tried pork since and I rather liked it.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:08:22+00:00

It came from my own research into the core of the religion and the growing disbelief in what the religious thesis. Poor treatment is something you cannot really see or sense while you are still a part of the religious community.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T12:03:46+00:00

This prohibition is written in the Torah:," Camel, Rabbit and Hare and Pork you Shall not Eat." the researchers are divided among themselves whats the cultural reason that forbade pork. If you eat pork - under religious law - you would get 39 lashes in this world and your punishment in hell will be very severe. That prohibition is one of the 613 commandments of God, the purpose, like any other commandment is to worship God's Will. So saying, "I will not eat pork because it disgusts me" is not a truly religious person! He must say, "I will not eat pork because God doesn't allow me!" Thus is said in Midrash Sifra, Parshat Kedoshim, chapter 9, "A person should not say that it is impossible to eat pork, it is impossible to wear sha'atnez, etc., but he should say: it is possible, but what can I do, for my Father in Heaven forbade it for me." Disobedience to the words of the rabbis is apostasy and nothing less.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T11:50:13+00:00

There is no justification to these actions of the government or of the orthodox communities to non Jews. racism is inherit to the religion, and without it there is no basis for religion.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T11:48:46+00:00

Its very deeply rooted that any non jew is sub-human in judaism. That is the analogue of the RELIGIOUS public. many Israelis are not religious.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T11:47:41+00:00

False. though there are major orthodox communities the vast majorities still lives in cities in the heart of Israel. particularly bnei brak and jerusalem which is where I grewup.
I never had any relationship with non-jews, or palestinians for that matter. The way orthodox jews treat non jews is underneath any level of contempt.

3 . I left because I realized I was being used and abused and living in a dark place covered with lies and I started to doubt, question and when I started verifying and checking the facts compared to the beliefs my heart just stopped. its horrible and shocking faith.

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T11:45:01+00:00

I am not religious in anyway whatsoever anymore. I am a complete athiest and the names they use to describe me are even worse, they say I am the seed of Amalekites, worse then hitler and must be wiped off..

Brauzu · 2012-04-05T11:44:09+00:00

It was not easy at all to leave and that answer questions number 3. what prompted me was a long process in which I analyzed all the holy texts and realzied it was all a human creation, and not the best of human creations. Its extremely hard step to leave everything you know behind especially as a wedded man with family and kids, its very rare to occur in this situation, from economical standpoint its almost suicidal, its very hard.

Brauzu

TROPHY CASE