Monday Morning Message – December 12, 2011

I was recently asked become a respondent on “Jewish Values Online,” a Q & A website that has rabbis from different denominations comment on a range of interesting questions. Some examples of topics and questions asked on this site include:

• When there is a conflict between “siding” with one’s spouse vs. one’s parents- is there a Jewish view on marriage vows vs. obligation to respect parents? How does one balance these two obligations when they seem to conflict?

• Does Jewish law mandate universal healthcare?

• Does Judaism allow couples struggling with infertility to hire a surrogate mother? What do Jewish ethics say about paying someone to carry another’s child to gestation? Are there any limitations to who can act for this purpose?

• It is important to light Shabbat Candles, but my husband comes home too late on Fridays to do this before sundown. What should we do?

• Can a Jew be buried with a tattoo or body piercing? How has this changed over time, if it has, and what is the reason behind this prohibition?

• When Jews and non-Jews abide by the same ethical and moral behaviors, what makes the Jews’ compliance uniquely Jewish?

To check out the answers to the questions above, ask a question of your own, or sign up to get e-mails exploring a variety of topics relating to Jewish values, check out the following link to the  Jewish Values Online project.