It is, especially when you consider that Airman is Irish. 
Robin
OK, sqweels. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.
Let’s just say that your original question was simply too ambiguous. If you have a question to ask, please restate in simpler and more obvious terms, and I will do my best to answer you. Please keep the question related to the question in the OP.
Zev Steinhardt
Tamerlane:
Ideally, one shouldn’t. The commandment of “sanctifying G-d’s name in public” definitely includes martyrdom. However, such false conversion is not considered as if one had actually worshipped idols. People who fail in this manner are still Jews in good standing.
Just a historical illustration: forced baptisms and conversions to Chritianity under duress were common around the turn of the first millennium. Often, once the danger had passed, those who submitted to the pressure attempted to resume their old lives but were often met with scorn or hostility. However, the greatest sage of the generation, Rabbi Gershom (who was known as the “Light of the Exile”), decreed that these people should be accepted back into the fold with love, and that other people must be more understanding of the duress they were under.
Chaim Mattis Keller
This is all very fascinating to me as I haven’t know any Orthodox Jews personally. I have a question about one of the commandments…
The murder one, are there any stipulation for self-defence, war or perhaps even some sort of justice?
Just wondering, forgive me if my question seems infantile :), I am genuinely curious.
Also, are there any “rules” for marriage. For example, it is my understanding that a couple wanting to marry in the Roman Catholic Faith have to both be catholic or have to convert (and agree to raise thier children Catholic)?
*If I am wrong about the Catholic thing, feel free to correct me.
**
I’m assuming you’re talking about the command not to murder even to save one’s life. If not, please re-ask and I’ll try to answer accordingly.
You can kill in self-defense and you can even kill to prevent another’s killing, PROVIDED, the one you are killing is the one doing the threatening.
Examples:
Permitted to kill:
Bob is chasing you with a gun. You can kill Bob.
Bob is chasing Jane with a gun. You can kill Bob.
Prohibited to kill:
Bob threatens you saying “Kill Pete or I’ll kill you (or Jane, etc)”. You cannot kill Pete. You can, of course, kill Bob.
Please note that killing the perpatrator is only permitted if there is no other to stop him (i.e. if you can stop him by knocking him out somehow, you must follow that route).
**
No problem. Not infantile at all.
Jewish marriage law is very comprehensive and complicated. But in short, in (Orthodox) Judaism, a Jew can only marry another Jew. A marriage between a Jew and a non-Jew is not recognized.
Zev Steinhardt
Whoops. I just realized that I didn’t answer your question fully.
Self-defense: Already addressed.
War: Pretty much self-defense.
Justice: A simple reading of the Bible will tell you that Judaism does support the death penalty for certain transgressions. However, the death penalty was actually rarely given under Jewish law. The list of requirements necessary to carry out a death sentence are very long and so rarely fulfilled that the Talmud states that a court that executed a person once in seven years (and once in 70, according to one opinion) was considered a “murderous court.”
Zev Steinhardt
Another question to throw into the pot:
Are the Rabinnic teachings (Talmud and others) considered (in Orthodox circles) infallable interpretations of the Scriptures? Or is there room for a later interpretation to “overule” what has gone before?
Thanks
Grim
Oops - meant to include a question about war:
Does this mean that to initiate an act of war would not be permitted? How about pre-emptive strike where the threat of attack is (or is percieved to be) great? What is the Orthodox view on the current Israeli action in the Palestinian territories?
Grim
[sub](hoping he has not opened a hornet’s nest)[/sub]
This one’s a bit complicated and I’m not sure that I can really answer it fully, but here goes:
Firstly, I think the word “infallable” would not be the best word to use. I think “authoritative” would be better.
Rabbinic statements in the Talmud fall into two general categories:
(1) Halachic statements (statements of Jewish Law): i.e. doing such-and-such is prohibited.
(2) Aggadic statement (statements about Jewish faith, the afterlife, etc. Really anything non-halachic).
With regard to the first, Rabbinic history (until the time of the Mishna) is broken into several eras. The general rule is that someone of a later era cannot overrule someone from an earlier era, but can dispute someone in the same era. However, you can agree with someone from an earlier era to disagree with someone else from that same era.
For example:
Hillel and Shammai were both from one period. Rav Ashi (who compiled the Babylonian Talmud) was from a later period. Rav Ashi cannot argue against an undisputed postion assumed by either Hillel or Shammai. He can, however, agree with a position argued by Hillel against Shammai.
There are several rules for determining the halacha in disputed cases in the Talmud.
Subsequent authorities, however, can interpret the rulings of sages from earlier eras. For example, Shammai may make a statement. Rav Ashi may dispute it. To do so, however, he would have to show that Shammai’s statement only applies in certain circumstances and that his ruling (Rav Ashi’s) apply to a different set of circumstances.
With regard to Aggadic statements, they can be questioned, but usually aren’t, unless there is a good reason to do so. Maimonides drew up a list of “essential beliefs” in the 11th century, pretty much summing up what all Orthodox Jews believe.
Zev Steinhardt
**
“If your neighbor is planning to kill you, rise up and kill him first” – Talmudic dictum.
There is no central “Orthodox opinion.” (despite the oxymoronic nature of that statement.) Within the Orthodox community there are is the full gamut of opinions from the “give all the land to the Arabs” opinion of Neturei Karta to the “expel all the Arabs” of the Kahane ilk. Each opinion is based on it’s own interpretations of halacha, Jewish tradition and politics.
Zev Steinhardt
[fixed code --Gaudere]
Before anyone asks, here is Maimonides’ list:
[list=1]
[li]G-d exists [/li][li]G-d is one and unique [/li][li]G-d is incorporeal [/li][li]G-d is eternal [/li][li]Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other [/li][li]The words of the prophets are true [/li][li]Moses’s prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets [/li][li]The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses [/li][li]There will be no other Torah [/li][li]G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men [/li][li]G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked [/li][li]The Messiah will come [/li][li]The dead will be resurrected [/li][/list=1]
Argh! Can a mod please fix the coding in my last post so that grimpixie’s second question doesn’t look like part of my answer?
Thanks.
Zev Steinhardt
As requested, correction provided. 
For the RCC to perform a marriage ceremony for a couple, one of the couple has to be Catholic, and both parents have to pledge that any children will be raised Catholic. Many diocese require a “pre-Cana” (pre-wedding) counseling/education program for all couples, and many of those have special pre-Cana programs for a non-Catholic/Catholic wedding.
I know there are at least some priests who refuse to perform a ceremony, even if both parents agree to raise the children Catholic, if one of the couple hasn’t been baptized by any Christian church, but I do not know if that is the priest’s personal decision or a rule.
Sua
cmkeller: Thanks, again :).
- Tamerlane
Let me explicitly state:
It is not permitted to break Shabbos to save property.
I am surprised that with the original OP concerning the shabbos email to save a computer, and the questions about houses on fire, that no one explicitly mentioned this yet.
As was already stated, Shabbos can be broken to save a life, or even if there is only a risk of loss of life.
This would apply to some house-on-fire cases, but not all. A Jew should let all of his property, or even someone else’s property, be lost rather than break Shabbos.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, OV’CHOL MEODECHA.”
“ov’chol meodecha” is often translated as “and with all your money.”
Amongst the Orthodox, there are classes that brides and grooms take in order to learn about laws about more intimate moments. There are lots of books and classes available about the “appropriate outlook” on love, and how to deal with difficult moments. It is unfortunate that the first class I discussed is not intermingled enough with the second class.
If the Rabbi who performs the wedding is worth his weight in salt, he will explain the Ketuba, or the marriage contract to both the bride and groom. The Ketuba explains that the husband will make sure to provide food, clothing, shelter, and sexual attention and affection to the bride. The Rabbi should take that moment in time to explain the couple’s obligations to each other as a married couple to both of them, and how those obligations (when dealt with in the right attitude) become beautiful acts of love and devotion.
Not much to add to that last post except “Welcome to the boards, Harmonious!”
Zev Steinhardt
Only the Catholic party must promise to do all in his/her power to raise the children Catholic. The non-Catholic just has to state that they are aware of this promise.
Gotta be a personal decision , since I married a non-Christian in a Catholic ceremony with the necessary dispensation.
I assume that Jewish farmers and ranchers are allowed to feed and care for their animals on the sabbath. Can you, say, milk the cows if the cows would be in pain without milking? How much can actually be done? What if an animal is giviing birth, can you help? What obligations do you have towards animals under your care?
WRT the transponder-generated BLT:
I have a friend who is “Modern Orthodox.” The other day I asked her if she could eat those fake bacon bits. She said, “sure, there’s no bacon in 'em.” I said, “but doesn’t that violate the spirit of the thing?” She gave me a blank look and said “But there’s no bacon in 'em.”
What do you guys think?
And another question–do you allow your kids to play with toy versions of things that are forbidden on the Sabbath? If little Johnny just loves to play with his toy phone, do you let him play with it on Saturday afternoon? (I’m assuming not.)
Come to think of it, you know the process wherein an oven that was used to cook non-kosher food can be kosher-ized? (Sorry, don’t know the word) If you buy an EZ-Bake Oven for you kid at a garage sale, does it have to be kosherized before the kid can use it? (Okay, now I’m just being a smart-aleck. ;j )