There are many misconceptions and contradictions in old religions, yet the “best” must be those associated with outdated knowledge of our place in the universe. Thinking of Earth as the center of everything, and of one’s own location as the center of Earth — this perception might be considered arrogant, but it comes naturally with […]

The Wailing Wall is considered as one of the most sacred Jewish places. Historically it is said to be the western wall of the ancient Jewish temple, known also as the Western Wall “It is a remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the Jewish Temple’s courtyard, and is arguably the most sacred site recognized […]

Once upon a time there were priests. They served the public in “holy” places, mediating between the audience and the divine gods. This is how they actually made their money. This was their “job”. And the legal and educational systems made sure that this should be a steady job. Priests were to stay “pure”. At […]

Today is the Jewish “Yom Kippur”. It’s a day full of contradictions, some of which are rather odd. According to the Jewish “Halacha” (religious laws and tradition), it used to be a happy day, in which men chose women for the purpose of establishing a family. According to the same “Halacha” it is now a […]

Are most people religious or secular? In most Western countries with Christian orientation, the question itself is pretty obvious. ‘Belief in God’ for a typical American would usually be accompanied by some common Christian behaviors, and since many of these are optional, it could be translated into simple everyday habits. Nothing special that can be […]

The Talmud says ‘Kol Be-Isha Erva’. The direct literal translation of our sages in this case reads ‘A woman’s voice is her genitals’. Luckily, the meaning is not the direct translation, but it’s almost. The meaning is ‘a woman’s singing voice induces desire, and therefore is not allowed to be heard by men’. The origins […]

“In India, as elsewhere in our darkening world, religion is the poison in the blood. Where religion intervenes, mere innocence is no excuse. Yet we go on skating around this issue, speaking of religion in the fashionable language of “respect”.” – Salman Rushdie “Where one burns books, one will soon burn people.” – Heinrich Heine […]

“A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” – Groucho Marx This is chapter thirteen of this book! Therefore, in order for it not to fail, quickly go to the next chapter. Do not collect $200. << Prev Contents Next >>

Speaking of important Israeli officials: The late Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1995. About a month before, a religious man named Avigdor Eskin made the news, when performing an ancient Jewish ritual named ‘Pulsa de-Nura’ (“lash of fire” in old Aramaic) against Mr. Rabin. The ancient curse supposedly worked, in a way that […]

“All speech, written or spoken, is a dead language, until it finds a willing and prepared hearer.” – Robert Louis Stevenson People who travel the old Jewish quarter of Prague (the capital of the Czech Republic) may be surprised to see shops with many little souvenirs in the shape of a strange and chubby human-like […]