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I learned that deep inside of every Jews have great love of HaShem. HaShem chose Jews because He loves Jews. And HaShem loves Jews because Jews love HaShem. I also want to love HaShem. How can I make my love toward HaShem much bigger than now?

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Hello, I'm not a Jew (I'm a gentile), but I accept Jewish tradition as being divine and from God. So, I'm aware of the great amounts of what is used as evidence for the idea that life evolved naturally over billions of years. I think (assuming any of this evidence exists; many extremely elaborate hoaxes exist perpetuated by the elites) the physical evidence would reasonably prove that life *did* evolve, except for the statements of God to the contrary. I've heard that according to Jewish tradition God created the world to seem like it had a "history" (before creation). Do you think this statement includes God creating the world with layers of dead animals appearing exactly as if life evolved? Is this included in the statement that creation was created with a false "history"? It also seems that the order of life that the fossil records show is contrary to the order of life creation that God describes in the Torah. What do you make of that? (To be clear, I do not believe that the world is 14 billions of years old. I just would like to have some more justification for this.) Thanks a lot, and God bless you.

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Dear Rabbi, I know in the Torah that God specifically commands us to love Him, the stranger and our neighbors. But, in the Torah does God specifically state that He loves us? Thanks!

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Hi Rabbi First off, Thank you so much for this site. It's so helpful to have such a resource for Jews with questions I recently learnt about the Native Americans and their culture. It was a gruesome, horrifying account of human sacrifice, warring nations, and lots of brutal, religious practices. I remember learning that G-d made everything for the Jewish people and so I can't help but wonder: Why did G-d make this nation of millions of people? What was their purpose? Did G-d pay them any mind while they were living so separated from the rest of the world? In addition, the only way for a non-Jew to earn olam haba is by keeping the 7 Noachide laws. These Native Americans had no opportunity to learn about these things and so naturally they served idols, murdered, and lived cruelly. Again, what was the point in having so many millions of souls come into this world and live such lives? Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer

Question
These two Hebrew words "geshem" and "matar" describe rain. Ezekiel 34:26 says, "And I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower (Gimmel~Shin~Mem, geshem) to come down in his season; there shall be showers (Gimmel~Shin~Mem, geshem) of "blessing." Genesis 19:24 says, "Then God "rained" (Mem~Tet~Resh, matar, verb to rain, send hail) upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire from God out of heaven." Does the word "geshem" for rain signify abundant "blessing"? Does "matar" for rain signify judgment?

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When Isaiah 49:6 says that Jews are to be a light to all nations, would that be via Tikkum Olam? I know it means repairing of the world and that many Jews believe it’s best implementation is via social justice. However, as the saying goes: “The road to hell is often paved with good intentions.” Social justice movements such as feminism have been rightfully criticized for doing more harm than good. Also, some of these organizations have turned out to be charity scams, making the repairing more like damaging. But, if Tikkum Olam is the way that Jews are to be a light to all nations, then how can it be applied without doing damage to the world?

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While napping just the other day, I awoke uttering " I will bless YHVH at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalms 34:1) I was stirred inwardly by this and feel it was afflatus a "Divine" prompting to always praise G-d in every circumstance, whether "good" or "evil". This isn't easy when " evil" seems to work overtime. Then something inspiring happened while studying Torah. I came across 2 Chronicles 20:21: "And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto YHVH, and that they should praise the beauty of His holiness as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise YHVH, for His mercy endures forever." 2 Chronicles 20:22: "And when they began to sing and to praise, YHVH set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Yehuda; and they were smitten." This is powerful! Like dynamite awaiting detonation; Heartfelt praise toward G-d turns any situation into favour from G-d. Exodus 15:3 says that YHVH is a man of war, YHVH is His name. Praise is vital. What are your thoughts?

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Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. Thank you for answering my last question. When the halacha says in order to eat after nightfall before davening ma’ariv, you must set an alarm or appoint someone to remind you, does this only apply to during the meal? Like after you finish bentsching, would you still have to keep the alarm clock on until you actually daven, or can you turn the alarm off after you bentsch. Thanks. Happy Purim.