Torah Cafe

The Torah lists many harsh punishments for transgressing various commandments. Among the punishments are capital punishment carried out in various different methods including stoning and burning. The Torah also mandates lashes for other transgressions. 

Though all of the Torah's capital punishments or corporal punishments have been discontinued over 2,000 years ago and are therefore not carried out by Jews today, the question still remains; why are the Torah's punishments so harsh? Isn't G-d loving, caring and forgiving even to sinners?

A fascinating discussion about the Mishneh Torah, its centrality to Jewish knowledge, how it was written and how one can read through the entire work following a three year Rambam study cycle. 

A discussion about the age old question as we discover some of the many answers our sages have given over thousands of years. 

A fascinating discussion about freedom and how we can become truly free.

We all recognize the flat cracker like Matzah but surprisingly, for almost 3,000 years of Jewish history until about 300 years ago, Matzahs looked very different from the flat Matzah cracker that we know so well.
What was the original Matzah like? Why did it change after 3,000 years? How did Matzah become a flat cracker?

Over 3,000 years ago our ancestors led by Joshua entered the Land of Israel and settled it. Years later, they were expelled from the land and forced to live in the diaspora. Yet Jews continuously returned to the Land of Israel from the four corners of the earth visiting the Holy Places and attempting to settle the land.

A fascinating discussion about the 2,500 year Jewish Aliya - travel to and settling the Land of Israel

Jews have lived in Persia (Iran) for more than 2500 years and played a central role in its long history including the story of Purim that took place there. While most Jews have left Iran in recent decades, thousands of Jews continue to live there today.

From the earliest times, music played a central role in Judaism. It was used extensively in the Holy Temple and later in Synagogue liturgy and at important lifecycle and community events.

A discussion about the role of music in Judaism and why traditional synagogues today generally do not employ musical instruments.

The Holy Temple in Jerusalem was once one of the wealthiest places in the world with special utensils and furniture made of gold along with stores of gold and other precious metals. What happened to the artifacts from the Holy Temple when it was destroyed? Where did they go? Can we find them today?

A fascinating discussion about what happened to the artifacts of the Holy Temple!

Labor and trade unions have been around from the earliest times. In recent history, they have become a central part of the modern industrial and commercial world but their roles and rules of organizing and bargaining rights have been fraught with debate and contention.

What does Jewish law and ethics say about unions and collective bargaining rights?

A discussion about Jewish ethic of labor unions, collective bargaining and strikes.