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I recently had a halacha question that i asked a friend much more learned than me and he gave a wonderful answer; full of details and citations. We continued discussing it when all of a sudden he tells me he does not believe in God. I was shocked for a moment because for the last 20 minutes we were discussing different rabbinic opinions and not only that, he keeps shabbat, kosher, wears a kippah and was even growing his beard out for the omer. But he doesn't believe in God. Blew my mind. It doesn't seem like its from a lack of emunah per se but just that there is no solid proof of God's existence. I studied philosophy, specifically ethics, in college at the same time as I started learning Torah. When it comes to arguing for God's existence, I have all the arguments ready to go from Creator -> God ->HaShem and im very passionate about it. The beauty of mitzvot? I can talk about those too. I've continued my Torah and philosophy studies for a few years after college, even now, as well but I never ran into this situation where someone keeps the mitzvot so well, knows quite a lot, but does not believe in God. I want to keep expanding my knowledge and ability to converse with different type of people but I have no idea what field of Torah/philosophy this would be. I thought about perhaps learning more about emunah but emunah has an emotional root to it and I believe my friends case is more of an intellectual one. Is there something else besides emunah that I can read up on? Does it make sense to ask: Outside of the 13 principles of faith and first commandment, can a person be religious/observant if they don't believe in God?

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Shalom! I am wondering as it relates to Repentance, does Kareth Laws (excision) apply to Gentiles the same as the Jews. Thank you!

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Hi. I am trying to learn more about Lashon Hara. Specifically about whether speaking about celebrities is considered Lashon Hara. Is it? Do you have any sources about Lashon Hara and specifically about speaking about celebrities or other people in power who make their lives known that I can look at? Also, would submitting a rating to my school or on an online forum about a professor be considered Lashon Hara? Do you have sources on this? Thank you so much.

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Is it forbidden to refer to public figures in politics you don’t like by derogatory terms? For example, when talking amongst your friends, describing a politician you don’t like as an ‘idiot’ or ‘moron’ or some other harsh name you believe fits them.

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Eat cheeseburgers, and in the eyes of Orthodox Jews, you are not ‘frum.’ Drive a car on Shabbat and to many, you have forfeited the ‘frum’ label. At the same time, while most frum Jews are perfectly decent people and are law abiding citizens, it is no secret that there are a sizable number of ‘frum’ Jews who embezzle money, cheat customers in business, molest children, or beat their spouses, all as they continue to observe Shabbat and Kashrut and wear a kippah and most of all, maintain the ‘frum’ label. How can that be? Theft, deceitful business practices, sex offenses, and inflicting physical injury on others must certainly be graver sins than eating treif or violating Shabbat.

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Shalom aleichem Rabbi Lauffer. Thank you for answering my last question. It says here https://din.org.il/2012/01/04/%D7%90%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%A0%D7%9B%D7%A8%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%97%D7%9F-%D7%90%D7%97%D7%93/ that "When we speak of a feast which either the non-Jew or the Jew arranges, it is forbidden according to all opinions to eat with the non-Jew at the same table. If each one sits at his own separate table, then if the feast is in the house of the non-Jew, the Jew cannot eat there but if it is in the Jew's house, it is allowed as long as they do not eat at one table [and the majority of people are Jews]." First of all, is this the actual halacha, and if so, would a seder meal be considered a "mesibah" or "feast" for which it would be forbidden to eat at the same table with the non-Jew even if other Jews at the table make up the majority and it is at the house of the Jew? And would it make a difference if the non-Jew is a helper for one of the Jewish women at the seder? Thanks a lot.

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Dear Rabbi, Do you have any idea about the significance of the five parchments and compartments in the tefillin boxes: four in the head box and one in the arm box? Thank you!

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Hello, I am currently undergoing a research investigation into the Jewish application of belief for the medical practice of Xenotransplantation, and I was wondering how the Jewish application of beliefs would impact adherents choice surrounding this medical technology.