About Judaism

  From time to time, I get asked about Judaism, so I created this blog post to explain it to the best of my abilities. I encourage you to ask questions and those who know to provide answers.

Q: Do jews believe in God?

A: We believe that there is only one god.

Q: Does the god of the Jews have a name?

A: Yes, but his name is considered to be too holy to speak. It is common practice to use HaShem (הַשֵׁם) as a placeholder for his true name. There is one person who is allowed to say the name once every year in order to bless the nation of Yisrael (יִשְׂרָאֵל), and that is the Kohen (כֹּהֵן).

Q: What is the Halakha?

A: The Halakha (הֲלָכָה) is the collective body of Jewish law over the entire history of Judaism. It includes the Taryag Mitzvot (תרי"ג מצוות), Talmudic and Rabbinic Law, as well as customs and traditions.

Q: What is the Sanhedrin?

A: The Sanhedrin is basically the rulling judiciary body over the Jewish people. They are at the current moment working over Halakhaic issues.

Q: Is there more than one kind of Jew?

A: Yes, there are Orthodox, Sephardi, Yemini, Ashkenasi, and Reform, among others; however, we are all connected by the Torah.