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Forum -> Judaism -> Halachic Questions and Discussions
Praying for a non-Jew



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amother
OP


 

Post Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:02 pm
We have a relative who is not halachically Jewish but a good person and supportive of Jews. He thinks he's Jewish (conversion wasn't kosher) and is not observant of shabbos or kashrus. He needs a refuah desperately. Is there an appropriate way to daven for him?
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egam




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:06 pm
Yes. You can pray for him. Just use his father’s name.
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:15 pm
Of course you can pray for him! We use last names in the merit of our ancestors and parents so the formula is a bit different, but the outcome is the same for everybody.

We're all created in Hashem's image. Just use his name, Hashem will know who you're talking about.

Wishing him a refuah sheleimah and all good things.
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lavenderchimes




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 03 2020, 4:19 pm
Our Chabad Rabbi does it all the time - just use the name of the father.
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Ravenclaw




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 03 2020, 5:29 pm
Just daven.

I don’t get the question.
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mommy3b2c




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Mar 03 2020, 5:50 pm
lavenderchimes wrote:
Our Chabad Rabbi does it all the time - just use the name of the father.


Just curious, why the name of the father as opposed to the mother?
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amother
OP


 

Post Thu, Mar 05 2020, 4:11 pm
Ravenclaw wrote:
Just daven.

I don’t get the question.


Of course we are davening, but there is a notion that whereas every Jew has a neshama with a unique tafkid, a non-jew doesn't necessarily have that. When we say the "yehi ratzon" it says "besoch cholei amo yisroel"--but he's not part of "am yisroel." Also, I guess I'm feeling a bit disparate as I've seen so many Jews pass away recently from various illnesses, I'm trying to hold out hope that Hashem will show mercy on this good person, and us, his family members who will miss him tremendously if he does not make it.

that's why I'm asking.
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amother
Ruby


 

Post Thu, Mar 05 2020, 4:27 pm
Of course non-Jews have a soul and tafkid in life as well, just a different purpose and expectations that a Jew has.
So say tehillim with this person in mind, just leave out the yehi ratzon.
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Mar 06 2020, 7:54 am
mommy3b2c wrote:
Just curious, why the name of the father as opposed to the mother?


Because non-Jews' essential identity goes after the father.
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Mar 09 2020, 11:07 pm
PinkFridge wrote:
Because non-Jews' essential identity goes after the father.


So we asked the shaila and we were told to use the mother's name. Please have Christopher ben Mary in your tefilos.
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Mar 09 2020, 11:08 pm
amother [ Ruby ] wrote:
Of course non-Jews have a soul and tafkid in life as well, just a different purpose and expectations that a Jew has.
So say tehillim with this person in mind, just leave out the yehi ratzon.


I think they have a "soul" but not a "neshama"
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amother
Ruby


 

Post Tue, Mar 10 2020, 5:30 am
Just what do you base this on?
I was once at a Gateways "ask the rabbi" session and someone asked this very question. The rabbis said, of course all non Jews have a neshama they seemed kind of flabbergasted it was even being asked (it wasn't a kiruv shabbos getaway, it was full of ffbs)
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PinkFridge




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Mar 11 2020, 5:47 am
amother [ OP ] wrote:
So we asked the shaila and we were told to use the mother's name. Please have Christopher ben Mary in your tefilos.


Well, I sit corrected. This is why we ask shailos.
And I will, be"H.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Mar 11 2020, 11:35 am
amother [ Ruby ] wrote:
Just what do you base this on?
I was once at a Gateways "ask the rabbi" session and someone asked this very question. The rabbis said, of course all non Jews have a neshama they seemed kind of flabbergasted it was even being asked (it wasn't a kiruv shabbos getaway, it was full of ffbs)


So I guess I wasn't clear myself on the distinction but I did find this:

Tanya posits that all humans possess a nefesh bahamit ("animalistic soul") whereas only Jews possess a nefesh elokit ("G-dly soul"), whatever that means. But there are other opinions.
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