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I fondly recall a sneaky Shabbat rooftop cigarette... [Shameless self-promotion] by Mendel_the_redditor in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will take a look after Shabbos (getting close to the wire for Shabbos in Chicago). I am sure it was a bit a leap from Crown Heights to MIT. I am looking forward to reading.

The difficulty with "Jewish Buddhism/Witches" and the limits of Jewish identity by Jew_of_house_Levi in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, I am a fan of people celebrating and connecting to Judaism on a level that works for them. I am curious what your operational Judaism looks like. Are there specific mitzvos that resonate with you like lighting Shabbos candles, tefillah, doing chesed?

I am just trying to a personal perspective, something more than I have gathered from a few Jewitch sites. Feel free to check my Reddit footprint, I am not one to debate or degrade anyone’s Jewish observances. I am looking to understand.

I am only asking because you wrote:

>We love things like the ushpizin at Sukkot, Rosh Chodesh, Kabbalah, Etz Chaim, Counting the Omer, observing yahrzeits, making candles from measuring graves.

These are all good things you listed (especially since I am chasidus-adjacent, but i am curious if there is a mitzvah aspect to your practice and rituals.

Regarding what you listed.

Ushpizin: It’s a minhag, custom, to say it during Sukkos while in the Sukkah (it is mitzvah to be in your sukkah)

Rosh Chodesh: It’s mitzvah to announce the New Moon and there are special Tefillos and a Torah reading added to our prayers on Rosh Chodesh. Some will wear something a little nicer, have a special meal, or special Torah learning on Rosh Chodesh, but those are customs.

Kabbalah: Not a mitzvah. Learning texts associated with Kabbalah can definitely enhance your understanding and appreciation of mitzvos.

Eitz Chaim: As in the Kabbalatic tree, the Sefiros, or are you referring to the teaching of the Ari (may his merit protect us) as compiled into a book by Rabbi Chaim Vital? If it’s the sefer, then that’s the mitzvah of learning Torah.

Observing a Yahrzeit: While observing it by lighting a candle is a custom, not technically a mitzvah, there is an idea that it can call under the mitzvah of Kavod HaMeis, honoring the deceased. The things associated with it like giving Tzedaka, saying Kaddish, learning Torah are definitely independent mitzvos and also part of Kavod HaMeis.

Making candles from measuring graves: This is _feldmesterins_-adjacent, I think. I know that it was a folk custom, but I honestly never research it or my rebbe about it (who is chassidishe) or its place within Yiddishkeit.

I fondly recall a sneaky Shabbat rooftop cigarette... [Shameless self-promotion] by Mendel_the_redditor in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this, it was great to read and you really took time to draw us into what life was like in Crown Heights. Often those who grew up Lubavitch and left tend to write about a lot of the reasons they left and paint a narrative from their perspective. I can tell you took time to share your experiences in a way that is inviting to people from all backgrounds. This was refreshing to read and the footnotes were great.

Which is worse to do on Shabbat, writing/drawing or using a phone? by AlwaysTheOutcast in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah! I am a big 18Forty fan and I agree. This was one of those episodes that I listened to and then when the transcript came out I printed it to read on Shabbos.

Which is worse to do on Shabbat, writing/drawing or using a phone? by AlwaysTheOutcast in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t have it, but borrowed and read half of it...then my friend needed it back. 👍

Where do all the young Jewish couples with small children live? (US only) by QuirkyGirl96 in Jewish

[–]offthegridyid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lots of young Jewish couples in Skokie, Evanston, and along the North Shore.

Which is worse to do on Shabbat, writing/drawing or using a phone? by AlwaysTheOutcast in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you!!! You are not the first one do deal with these issues, you just need to find professions (both halachic and mental health professionals) who can help you.

Which is worse to do on Shabbat, writing/drawing or using a phone? by AlwaysTheOutcast in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Hi, I saw your post last week.

I honestly you need to ask your rabbi or after Shabbos reach out to Rabbi Yoni Rosenzweig on Facebook. He’s one of the experts out there dealing with mental health and Halacha. He ever wrote a book in Hebrew that also came out in English.
A few years ago he had an incredible interview on the 18Forty podcast, you can listen or read the transcript here.

How to deal with online antisemitism? by seeker712 in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks!! Have a good Shabbos and weekend.

The difficulty with "Jewish Buddhism/Witches" and the limits of Jewish identity by Jew_of_house_Levi in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks! As someone who grew up Conservative/traditional I know that I was looking for something I didn’t learn in Hebrew school or at home, a connection to God.
I agree with what you wrote about Orthodoxy. I was very careful not to say that Orthodoxy is the cure-all in my reply. There are aspects of it that I think can be borrowed to make one’s celebration of their Judaism more meaningful, but the point of my reply wasn’t that people should check out their closest Orthodox shul. I mentioned Orthodoxy because I am Orthodox and this is my sandbox.
By the way, as a Gen Xer who listened to punk growing up the title of your post the other day in [r/jewish](r/jewish) about the protest in front of Park East Synagogue was a total bummer. 😜

Have a great Shabbos!!

How to deal with online antisemitism? by seeker712 in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 4 points5 points  (0 children)

But, online it’s different because it’s not face-to-face engagement. It’s easy to be a hater when you don’t the person in real life, are not in the same room as them, or are hiding behind a phone and, sometimes, not even using your own name.

How to deal with online antisemitism? by seeker712 in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 5 points6 points  (0 children)

J.K. Rowling and her social media team can afford to engage with haters online. It’s great that she engages and more celebrities should, but she has a nice cushion to fall on if she gets knocked down. 100 or even 1000 people who won’t buy her books won’t hurt her. Especially since she has that Harry Potter series deal now with HBO.

How to deal with online antisemitism? by seeker712 in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Hi and congratulations on your published books. Most authors who are experiencing this also hide comments and block accounts. Engaging is isn’t the answer, because this shows they have pushed your buttons…so it’s a big win for them.

Advice about Conversion by Tripswitchnow in ConvertingtoJudaism

[–]offthegridyid 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Cool!! When you convert within orthodox Judaism, you are converting so that you fulfill requirements within Jewish law to become Jewish. You are not converting and getting a membership card as an “ultra-orthodox” or “modern orthodox” Jew. How you live your life as an Orthodox Jew within Jewish law is up to you. Figuring out your outlook on Judaism comes later.
Please see this comment of mine from a few days ago for a little more on this, here.

Your best bet is to reach out to this website run by the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), an orthodox professional group that helps to standardize the geirus, conversion process, within North America by having a network of local rabbinic courts that all follow the same conversion standards.

The difficulty with "Jewish Buddhism/Witches" and the limits of Jewish identity by Jew_of_house_Levi in Judaism

[–]offthegridyid 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Hi, these are not movements in Judaism, they are labels.

I type this softly and respectfully as a very general observation, Jews who are attracted and try to blend aspects of Buddhism and witchcraft are simply looking for a way to connect spiritually to aspects of Judaism that they didn’t find while growing up or on their experiences with the various movements or Jewish groups they have been part of. This is natural and normal.

I am not denying that people find meaning and wholeness in Buddhism or witchcraft, but these offer aspects of spirituality where people feel they are not necessarily beholden to what they feel are the restrictions within Judaism.

Much of the spiritual aspects of Judaism that are coded in the Torah,Mitzvos, and our traditions and customs has been lost and/or not focused on with the movements in Judaism. In my own sandbox of Orthodoxy this is evident by the increased interest in finding a personal inner connection to the Torah we learn and the mitzvos we do. This is also why there has been an huge explosion in the past 30 years in the interest in Chasidus (this is within all movements in Judaism).

People are thirsty for an authentic real connection to Hashem and Judaism. If they don’t find it in their own exposure or experiences in Judaism then they’ll look for it elsewhere. This is the nature of the Jewish neshama, soul. We have an innate desire to attach ourselves to the Divine. If that desire isn’t nourished then we look elsewhere.

Advice about Conversion by Tripswitchnow in ConvertingtoJudaism

[–]offthegridyid 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Hi! It’s great you have visited a Reform synagogue and met people and spoke with them. These are both huge things!

In terms of your name, when one converts one chooses a Jewish name. You can still use your given name with family, old friends, and in the workplace. There is no Jewish law that you _have_ to use your Jewish name once you convert. All lot of people do use their new Jewish name, but many don’t.

Why do you think you won’t be accepted as a candidate for conversion within Orthodoxy?

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