Judaism
- See also [Jews]].
- Giving gifts to non-Jews is forbidden, because you aren't supposed to help them.
One is forbidden to give a free gift to a non-Jew.[1]
Some explain that this by all non-Jews except for a ger toshav.[2] Others explain that this only applies to idolaters[3] Others explain that this only applied to the seven nations that inhabited the land of Israel in the days of Yehoshua.[4] The prohibition is not about the act of giving, but the non-Jew benefiting. Therefore, it only applies if the non-Jew receives the benefit.[5] One is permitted to accept a gift from a non-Jew.[6] Some prohibit one from donating blood in a country that is mostly non-Jews.[7] Nowadays many permit donating blood.[8] Exceptions If you have a relationship with the non-Jew and may receive something in return, one is permitted to give gifts.[9] It is permitted to give a gift for an ulterior motive.[10] If you are giving a gift in order to maintain a peaceful environment, it is permissible.[11] Therefore, one may[12]: Give charity to a non-Jew. Visit a non-Jew who is ill. Bury and eulogize non-Jew. Comfort a non-Jewish mourner. One may tip a taxi driver, even though you’ll never see him again.[13] Some allow giving a gift if it is out of compassion for a non-Jew struggling.[14]
- " What happened there was that prior to beginning the prayer service, they did a final count to make sure all ten people were in the room.
I imagine he was counting to ten by using Psalms 28:9, which is comprised of exactly ten words.1 Typically, one person recites the verse word by word while pointing at each person in the quorum. When he reaches the last word, everyone knows that there are ten people in the room, and prayers can begin.
This stems from an ancient tradition not to count Jews with numbers.
When the Jews escaped from Egypt and began their journey through the desert to the Land of Israel, G‑d requested that a census be carried out. However the actual counting of the Jews was not done in the conventional way. G‑d commanded each person to give a half of the ancient shekel coin in a nationwide collection, following which Moses would count the coins and know how many Jews there were.
In Exodus 30:11–13 we read: “And G‑d spoke to Moses, saying: When you take the sum of the children of Israel according to their numbers, let each one give to G‑d an atonement for his soul when they are counted, then there will be no plague among them when they are counted. This they shall give, everyone who passes through the counting, half a shekel [coin] . . .”"
- midrash: Intelligent, well written on avonya zaih from the talmud. ramnban stuff. gentile duty
Kratsmikh (the kh is sounded like the ch in “Bach”) is a jocular pun, although one whose overtones are not entirely pleasant, on “Christmas” and Yiddish krats mikh, “scratch me.” It’s an expression that is clearly native to the Yiddish of America, since the pun only works with the English word “Christmas,” and the rationale for it is not jocular at all. Indeed, it’s very much the same rationale as that given for the many prohibitions in Avodah Zarah, namely, that by taking part in an aspect of Gentile religion—in this case, calling Jesus “Christ,” a word that comes from Greek khristos, “anointed one,” a literal translation of Hebrew mashiah, “Messiah”—one is committing, however unwittingly, an act of idolatry.
jlkjA hardei Jew writing i Yiddish said
In these days when the Gentiles are celebrating their holiday [of Christmas], a Jew is strictly warned against calling it by its name. Rather, it is customary to refer to it pejoratively as Kratsmikh. There are those who hold that this is a madly narrow-minded practice on the part of hyper-religious fanatics. “That’s not at all how I use the word when I converse with a Gentile and wish him a Merry ——,” thinks your “enlightened” individual. But the Shulhan Arukh [the authoritative codification of Jewish law] explicitly rules that one must not utter an idolatrous word in the name of a Gentile holiday, which should be referred to by a jesting alternative. “Kratsmikh” is not some hasidic or extremist invention. It’s a cut-and-dried halakhic practice mandated by rabbinic tradition.
