Question
Dear Rabbi: A student came to me the other day with the following question in reference to Genesis 15:13: "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them 400 years." The young man is a Russian Jew who has become very interested in Judaism and is trying very hard to understand things from a Jewish perspective. Perhaps you would be willing to send me an opinion on this passage? He was very disturbed by it, commenting that he could not understand how G-d would willingly allow his people to be enslaved for 400 years. I would very much appreciate an answer from one of your rabbis on this. Many thanks.  

Question
…does a Third Temple have to be built before sacrifices can resume in Israel - or can sacrifices resume at the correct (holy of holies location) on the Temple Mount without building a Third Temple ? if the answer is “yes” to question 1, then, what’s keeping construction from beginning tomorrow on the Third Temple ? – politics, Muslim control of the Temple Mount, or something else ?   Charles A. Rabalais

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I cannot find where I read that in ancient times when a synagogue had 70 adult men they started a new synagogue. Thanks for your assistance.

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Hi Rabbi, Is Judaism able to identify the descendants of King David in the modern world? If 'Yes' — who are they? And if not, when did the line end? Thank you.

Question
There is reference to Moshe being a prophet and lawgiver. However in Numbers 12:6-8, Hashem states that He makes Himself known to a prophet in vision, and speaks to him in a dream. 12:7 No so with My servant Moshe, he is trustworthy in all My house 12:8 I speak with him mouth to mouth, and plainly and not in riddles. And he sees the form of Hashem. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moshe? Do you agree that these scriptures denote Moshe had deeper intimacy (SOD) with Hashem? What do you think?

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I read that Abraham's parents were not Jewish. If so, how is he considered the first Jew? And, if he was the very first Jew, then what other religions were there? Double-thanks in advance!

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Dear Rabbi, why is moving to Israel called “making aliyah”?

Question
In what year was the Tower of Babel built? The flood occurred 1656 years after Creation. How many years later was the Tower of Babel built?