Love or Indifference?

Generally, those who embrace other Jews regardless of their religious observance and do not critique their lifestyles are considered to be authentic practitioners of ahavas yisrael, love of fellow Jews.  In contrast, those who critique the lifestyles of others are considered to lack the quality of ahavas yisrael.  But doesn't real love of fellow Jews motivate one to ensure that their decisions are in their best interests?  Doesn't the lack of critique demonstrate a lack of concern?

Celebrating Death

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim siman 580) lists numerous days of the calendar upon which righteous individuals passed away, and rules that one should fast on these days, since the death of the righteous represents a tragedy for the Jewish people.  Why, then, do many groups within contemporary Orthodoxy treat the "yahrtzeit" of the righteous as days of joy and celebration - particularly Lag Ba'omer?

Innocuous or Insidious?

Superstitions and so-called "segulos" are gaining wide currency among the masses of contemporary Orthodoxy.  Should we allow such foolishness to proliferate, given its seeming harmlessness; or should we vigorously protest it, given the mass misrepresentation and distortion of Judaism that it entails?

Blind Acceptance

Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Avodah Zara, Perek 2, Halacha 3) writes that it is Biblically prohibited to ask whether the fundamental principles of Judaism are true or not.  Does that mean that anyone who leads a kiruv seminar or attempts to ascertain the validity of his tradition is in violation of a Biblical prohibition?  How can we be obligated to base our lives on principles that we are not allowed to verify?

The Status of Divine Commands

Why are we obligated to follow God's commands?  Is it because He is more powerful than us?  Because He has a moral claim on our lives?  Because it will benefit us or save us from retribution?  Is it a matter of pragmatism or inherent moral necessity?

Valuable Precedence

The Mishnah (Horayos 3:7) rules that if a man and a woman are dying, and only one person can be saved, the man is saved before the woman.  Does this imply that men are more valuable than women, or is there another consideration at play here?

A Difficult Death Penalty

The Rambam in Hilchos Issurei Biah (12:10) rules that if a Jewish man has sexual relations with a non-Jew, even if the non-Jew is a three-year-old girl, she must be killed, because she was the cause of a Jew's sin.  How are we to understand this?  Why would a little girl be killed for an act for which she cannot possibly be held accountable? 

Difficult Punishment

The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos (32b) states that a man's wife or children may die as a punishment for his own sin.  How is this to be understood?  Why would Hashem punish a woman and/or her children for a sin that someone else committed?

Other Religions

Nobody can claim to objectively evaluate the truth or falsehood of a religion without studying the religion extensively and with an open eye.  Can we claim that other religions are false if we have never attempted such objective and honest study of them?  If not, should we conduct an objective and honest study of them?