Rowland Croucher wrote:

> (Laura Schlessinger is a Canadian radio personality who dispenses advice to

> people who call in to her radio show).

She is also a convert to Judaism.

> a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a

> pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They

> claim the odor is not pleasing to them. How should I deal with this?

Should

> I smite them?

a) If you are Jewish, you shouldn't be offering any sacrifices outside of the Beth Hamikdash (Temple), so the question doesn't get to the real root of the problem. Otherwise, you're a Ben Noach and fully entitled to offer free will offerings anywhere within reason. In such a case, perhaps a mutually pleasant arrangement could be made between the two of you in a civil, and law-abiding manner.

> b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus

> 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for

her?

Selling people into slavery was put under gezerah at least in the times of Rabbi Yosef Caro who's Shulchan Aruch makes the ownership of slaves halachically impossible. The question, though well intendtioned, is today meaningless.

> c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her

> period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do

I > tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.

Perhaps the laws of tacharat hamishpacha, laws of family purity; which observant Jews have observed for at least 3,314 years, would help here. That is, of course, if you're Jewish. But if you're not Jewish then the law in question does not apply to you and so the question becomes meaningless.

> d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may buy slaves from the nations that are

around

> us. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans but not Canadians.

> Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

For the same reason that you can't sell your daughter as a slave. Because a gezerah exists on slavehood.

> e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2

> clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill

him > myself?

First off, we have to know if you're neighbour's Jewish. If he is, there could be a problem. If he isn't, then his not keeping Shabbat is actually in compliance with Torah which forbids Gentiles from keeping the Sabbath. However, assuming that your neighbour was indeed born to a Jewish mother, Tractate Shabbat clearly states what process must happen before a person who is desecrating the Sabbath is to be punished for the desecration. First, the witness must be informed that what they are doing is an act of melocha [scecific act prohibited to be performed on the Sabbath], they must then continue to perform the act. Then, they must be brought to the attention of the Sanhedrin, etc. Since there is no Sanhedrin at this time, you cannot and should not do anything beyond reminding them that their actions are an act of creative work prohibited on the Sabbath.

> f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an

abomination (Lev. 10:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

An abomination is an abomination is an abomination. Refer to the Jewish dietary laws which do not allow the consumption of shellfish. Then look up the laws of family purity (if you haven't already [refer #c]) and see that homosexual behaviour is equally prohibited and is equally 'not done.'

Of course, as far as Gentiles are concerned, they are not prohibited from eating shellfish. They are, however, prohibited from engaging in homosexual activity, as laid down in the Sheva Mitsvoth B'nei Noach [Seven Commandments of the Sons of Noach], affirmed in TB Sanhedrin 59b and ratified as halacha in the Mishne Torah: Hilchot Melachim u'Milchamoteichem 9:7.

> g) Lev. 20:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a

> defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear prescription glasses. Does

> my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Lev. 20:20 does not state what you say it states. Let's try that one again.

> h) Most of my males friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair

> around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.

19:27.

> How should they die?

They should not die, but should regret their earlier mistake and let their hair grow. That is, of course, if they're Jewish. But if they're not Jewish then they have no reason to 'not shave the hair around their temples.'

> i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me

> unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

You don't have to wear gloves: here's why: if you're a Gentile, then the laws of impurity do not apply to you at all. If you're Jewish, then if you touch pig's carcass, then all that will happen is that you'll have to wait until sunset, bathe, and then you're clean again to enter the Temple. But since the Temple isn't standing, it's a bit academic.

> j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different

> crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two

> different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse

> and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary to get the whole town together

> to stone them (Lev. 24:10-16)? Couldn't we just burn them to death at a

> private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their inlaws

> (Lev. 20:14)?

Before answering the first point, we must know: (1) Is your uncle Jewish? and (2) Is your uncle's farm in the Land of Israel? If the answer to (1) and (2) are both 'yes' then there is indeed a problem. In such a case, your uncle should (1) regret his previous mistakes and (2) till up the zerayah [seeds] (TB Zerayim]. Otherwise, the prohibition of kilayim does not apply to your uncle, his farm, or his produce. As for the wife's garment, there's no halachic problem with it on the sounds of it. The Torah prohibition of shatnez applies only to garments made from material of different biological kingdoms. For example, wool [animal] and linen [plant.] Cotton and polyester is not a problem. Cursing and blaspheming a lot can be equally remedied by the farmer regretting his past deed, and stopping. Plain and simple.

There's no need to kill, or burn, or maime or hurt, or cut, or do anything to anyone. After all, God merely desires that the wicked should turn in their ways and live.... He said so in Torah.

Regards, Edward