Question
It is becoming a global norm, at least in the West, that marriage should not be legal for any person under 18 years of age. This global (Western) standard is based on various practical and moral concerns. In Judaism it was customary for at least 1000 years during the Middle Ages to marry the girls very early in teenage. (I don't know if average marrying ages are known for the more ancient times, long before the Middle Ages.) As there is such a vast amount of experience on the practice, one wonders if Jews encountered and documented any of the perceived modern practical or moral risks becoming reality. For example, there is a belief that having children in teenage is risky for the mother. I wonder if statistical information exists (or discussion about the topic in Medieval times), from which it would be possible to assess any excess mortality (or lack thereof) related to Jews marrying very young. Or do the historical records look like everything was OK, and girls marrying very young had no such adverse effects, which would have been noticed and documented by anyone?

Question
Shalom Rabbi. Isaiah 52:1 says: "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Tzion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Yerushalaim, the "holy" city: for henceforth there shall "no" more "come" into thee the " uncircumcised " and the "unclean." This scriptural verse doesn't describe the " earthly" Jerusalem visited by millions of tourists every year. Today's Jerusalem is indulgent, lenient and compliant. This is a far cry from the term "holy" city. It is home to many "unchaste," "unclean," "uncircumcised " inhabitants. So why does the world believe that is the "holy" haven of Hashem? This is the ultimate conundrum. Rabbi, is it possible that Tzion is a "Spiritual" city? Erected of even "spiritual stones," sanctified sons and daughters, consecrated tabernacles, reflecting Hashem's "glory"? Respectfully, Yishrah

Question
Hi. What do you think about Job? Was he a prophet? Islam says yes, Catholics say he’s a folktale. Certainly he is at least a priest in the end, yes? How does the language it was written in compare to other examples of ancient Hebrew? Was Job a descendant of Abraham, or did he predate him? Speaking of Abraham, when God tells him to kill the son he loves, was God expecting him to take Ishmael, and is Abraham testing God back by bringing the miraculous child to the sacrifice? Thanks!

Question
Dear Rabbi, Shalom. I saw something unusual in a dream last night. There was a table with bread and wine on it and the name Malkitzedek was written on the table. I sort of recall there being a story about Melchizedek and Abraham in the Torah. But who was he and what does that image in my dream mean for me?

Question
I recently had a scary experience. I got a flat tire and stopped at the first tire shop I could find to get it fixed. I was in a rural area, far from any Jewish population. I was the only customer there at the time. Two men who appeared in their forties were working there. As they were changing my tire, the men were having a lively conversation in which they were saying some vicious antisemitic things. They sounded so hateful in the way they were talking. They were describing conspiracies blaming Jews for problems in this world. I wasn’t dressed in a manner that screamed Jew. I had on a polo shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap. And I do not have an identifiably Jewish name or look. They had no clue that I, a Jew, was in their presence as they were mouthing away. I was relieved to have my tire changed and be out of that place, hopefully never to go near there again. My one regret was not secretly videotaping it to show others and expose them. I truly believe that one who behaves like this cannot sincerely apologize for their feelings or actions. They can only feel sorry for the consequences they might face if caught. What is the appropriate way to act when faced with this predicament? Should one stay safe and keep quiet and hope to not get noticed? Or be brave and speak up about being Jewish and confront them? I wanted to be safe and I chose the first option.

Question
My maternal great grandmother called herself Rosa Schmidt, but she was actually of Lithuanian Jewish descent according to DNA from my mother. Is there any way to match Jewish DNA to Jewish Lithuanian surnames? Rosa Schmidt had a colorful past and there must have been a reason why she hid her identity. She came to the U.S. from Swilno, Russland in 1892. According to my aunt, she was a prostitute in Cleveland when she met my grandmother's father, a one-legged night watchman. She settled with him in Chicago, bringing with her a daughter. Rose had 4 more children before she died in 1916.

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Hello, 1. Why do the Jews of Yemen call Yemen by the name of TEMAN? 2. Basically, how old is this name in that area? 3. And since when do they themselves live in that area?

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Hi Rabbi, Why is Rashi's commentary written in "Rashi script" as opposed to the standard Hebrew font or print? Thanks