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Conversion Special Cases: Converting with Children from a Prior Relationship

This post is going to be a cross-over between my two main “specialties”: conversion issues and law. NOTE: I am not a family lawyer, but I did work in a family law office as a student for half of law school. While I loved working in family law, I don’t plan to practice family law […]

Word of the Day: Yeshivish

Yeshivish is a language all its own. Supposedly it’s a form of English, but sometimes, you’d never know it! Yeshivish exists most strongly in Yeshivish communities (whodathunkit?), but many orthodox Jews (primarily Ashkenazim) keep some yeshivish up their sleeve. Sometimes, it’s just a faster way to communicate an idea. The words may be either Yiddish […]

Interesting Follow-Up: Active Mormons Misrepresenting Themselves to Convert to Orthodox Judaism

Funny how you hear one thing…and then you run into the same thing 40 times in the next week. Here is a story written by an LDS member two weeks ago about Mormons seeking to convert to orthodox Judaism. It’s very well-written and also fairly represents the Jewish reaction. I’m glad to know both sides are […]

Why Insincere Conversion Candidates Matter

GIANT IMPORTANT POINT: This issue can approach a fine line between protecting the community and bullying. Before you accuse someone (to their face in private or to a rabbi in private) of being an insincere conversion candidate, CAREFULLY consider your motives for doing so, your options for action, and how your actions will affect the […]

How to Deal with the Yetzer Hara

I originally thought about naming this post “how to defeat the yetzer hara,” but defeat is the wrong word. As you now know from yesterday’s post, I don’t view the yetzer hara as “the enemy.” But even if the yetzer hara isn’t the enemy, what do we do with its bad suggestions? Merely one gem […]

Phrase of the Day: Yetzer Hara

Technically, if we’re going to talk about the yetzer hara, we’ll also discuss the yetzer hatov. The yetzer hara is the “evil inclination.” Yetzer (inclination) ha (the) ra (evil). The yetzer hatov is the “good inclination.” The yetzer hara gets a bad reputation, but it is a necessary part of each of us. The yetzer […]

Update: Yom Kippur in a Nutshell

I need to issue a correction. I apologize, but I copied and pasted some information from my Tisha B’Av post and then edited it for Yom Kippur. Being me, I missed deleting that we sit on stools until midday like a mourner. That only applies on Tisha B’Av. On Yom Kippur, you will be sitting […]

Yom Kippur in a Nutshell

This year, Yom Kippur is from sunset of Friday, October 7, 2011, until sunset of October 8. This is the only fast that overrides Shabbat’s mitzvah to make a festive meal. Normally, fasting is prohibited on Shabbat, and the fast is moved to Sunday. However, Yom Kippur is the “Shabbat of Shabbats,” so its fasting […]

How to Repent for Yom Kippur

There are three essential elements to repenting. This is true at at any time, but this discussion should help you prepare for Yom Kippur. Note: At other times of the year, there is a fourth step of repentance according to the Rambam. Before taking these other steps below, you must recognize what you’re doing is […]

Too Funny Not to Post

Apparently I’ve got some chutzpah! My first YouTube attack. I guess I should feel honored. Also, you should know that my “gentile blood” qualifies me as a mudblood. Don’t tell Delores! I don’t get what my status has to do with anything, but I never understood trolling and personal attacks in the first place. Feel […]