Volume 24 Number 83
Produced: Mon Aug 26 22:49:06 1996
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
A Blashphemous Mistake
[Russell Hendel]
Ashrei (2)
[Bob Werman, Seth Gordon]
baby using radio on Shabbat?
[Simon Streltsov]
Beefalo; Gabbayim
[Gershon Dubin]
Calling a priest father
[Chaim Shapiro]
Chewing Gum
[chips]
Codes
[Baruch Rubinstein]
Heterim for lack of hair covering and payos
[Michael H. Coen]
Is chewing gum kosher? (2)
[David Charlap, Arlene Mathes-Scharf]
Making a Shofar
[Aharon Goldstein]
Nevil Pe
[Michael J Broyde]
Red Thread
[A.M. Goldstein]
Shaarei Teshuva and the month of Elul
[Y. Adlerstein]
Socializing Between the Sexes
[R. Maryles]
Without Shoes
[Michael Lipkin]
Yeshivot in Israel
[Anthony Waller]
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From: <rhendel@...> (Russell Hendel)
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 16:12:04 -0400
Subject: A Blashphemous Mistake
I would like to add to our growing list of davening/layning mistakes by
pointing out a mistake where the words and accents are all OK and yet
the mistake (at least according to one author) is semi blashphemous.
I refer to the Hertz Chumash edition of the Haftorah for VESHCHANAN. The
verse in question is
Mi tikan eth ruach Hashem.
The correct cantillations are merchah tipchah ethnachtah so the pause is
as follows
Mi tikain eth ruach? Hashem (Who has fixed spirits? God)
This (ingenious) translation is given by Mordechai Breuer in his excellent
book on Teamim in the Chapter on how to use Teamim to achieve Parshanuth..
good biblical commentary.
However the Hertz Chumash makes the cantillations: mahpach pashtah koton so
that the pause is as follows:
Mi Tikain eth ruach Hashem? (Who has fixed God's spirit?).
According to Breuer the cantillations deliberately tried to avoid that
interpretation since it sounds (semi)blashphemous to even ask the question
(who has fixed God's spirits).
In conclusion, to echo the MJ theme, should a person who lained according to
the Hertz Chumash be made to go back if he used these incorrect Teamim.
Russell Jay Hendel, PH.d., ASA
rhendel @ mcs . drexel . edu
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From: <RWERMAN@...> (Bob Werman)
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 96 10:55 +0200
Subject: Ashrei
Hardly sophisticated but worth sharing.
Arba Turim asks, "Why do the prayers begin with ashrei?"
And answers that we should not begin to pray with chas [anger]
or kalut da'at [without respect] but with joy.
__Bob Werman <rwerman@...> Jerusalem
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From: <sethg@...> (Seth Gordon)
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 96 16:53:29 -0500
Subject: Ashrei
[Stan Tenen, in his analysis of the "operational" meaning of "Ashrei":]
ALeF In general, great (as in ALooF - "on top" in English...)
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, "aloof"
does not mean "on top," or anything else with connotations of
greatness, but rather "keeping away from."
// seth gordon // <sethg@...> // bu deaf ed program // standard disclaimer //
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From: <simon1@...> (Simon Streltsov)
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1996 11:10:08 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: baby using radio on Shabbat?
What would be pro/contra for using radio equipment to monitor baby that
sleeps in a different room so that the mother can enjoy her shabbos by
spending time with other kids and guests?
I understand that would an adult produce sounds that will be transmitted
it would be forbidden midrabanan if there are no lights on the
equipment. But what if the baby is in a special room, where adults come
in taking care not talk to make noise [ additional precaution can be
taken by using a sensor that is invoked only by a certain level of the
noise?]
Simcha Streltsov to subscribe send
Moderator of Russian-Jews List sub russian-jews <fullname>
<simcha@...> to listproc@shamash.org
archives via WWW: http://shamash.org/lists/russian-jews
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From: <gershon.dubin@...> (Gershon Dubin)
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 96 10:10:00 -0400
Subject: Beefalo; Gabbayim
On the beefalo: what is the question: buffalo is permitted, beef is
permitted, and hybrid animals are permitted?
On corrections by gabboim: be careful. Many years ago I made a mistake
in the kria which should have been corrected. When I finished, I went
to look it up, as it didn't "sound right" and found that I had in fact
made a mistake. I asked a few people in shul why they didn't correct
me, they responded that usually when they correct me I point out a
printing error or some other reason that they shouldn't have corrected,
and they assumed that I was right. So you can be too right.
Gershon
<gershon.dubin@...> |
http://www.medtechnet.com/~dubinG |
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From: Chaim Shapiro <ucshapir@...>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 15:56:15 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Calling a priest father
One of my Profs at my new school, a Jesuit University, is a
priest. I've been informed that although he has a Phd he will not
respond to Dr. as he wants all his students to call him father. What do
I do?
Chaim
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From: chips <chips@...>
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 08:59:34 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Chewing Gum
You will need to ask your Local Orthodox Rabbi - but I will give you something
to present to him as a "friend of the court" brief.
The psak I received was that non-sugar, stick gum did *not* require a hechsher.
One also would not make a 'brocha' on the gum. The reson being that there is
no food involved and it would be just like chewing tabbaco or paper.
Flavor crystals are not a problem and neither is Equal/sacharrine with
toothpaste so there is a backup for this ruling if your LOR thinks that it is
totally off base.
-chips
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From: <BARUCHR@...> (Baruch Rubinstein)
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 1996 18:26:22 -0400
Subject: Codes
Re: the concern over using the "codes" as a learning tool since the
missionaries have adopted that technique as well.
The same argument is being advanced to squelch the teaching of "Techiyas
Hamaysim" ("Reasurection"); "if we teach that the dead will arise and lead
us, doesn't that lend credence to the missioniaries perversion about the
'second coming'?" If a belief is acceptable to us according to the Torah
codifiers, should we not spread that belief because we fear "ma yomro
amligim"- what others will say?
Just a thought.
Baruch Rubinstein, Baltimore, MD
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From: <mhcoen@...> (Michael H. Coen)
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 12:55:55 -0400
Subject: Heterim for lack of hair covering and payos
I am interested in determining whether there are any halachic bases for
two somewhat common practices: frum married women keeping their hair
uncovered in public and men having their payos essentially removed
during a haircut.
My rov told me yesterday that he had once assumed that there must be
some obscure heter permitting married women to keep their hair uncovered
given how widespread the practice is. However, when preparing for a
shiur on the topic, he was unable to find any t'shuvos stating this was
permissible. Does anyone know if anyone actually poskens this way?
(I looked through the MJ archives and saw this question was asked three
years ago, but as far as I could tell, it remains unanswered. By the
way, the Aruch Hashulchan which people are fond of quoting does not seem
construable as a heter for women. Rather, it would entirely seem to be
a heter for men.)
Also, the poskim would uniformly seem to hold that payos must come down
to at least the upper jaw bone. Yet, you sometimes see frum men who get
their sideburns trimmed off when having their hair cut. Is there any
basis for this in the halachic literature?
>
Michael Coen
<mhcoen@...>
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From: <david@...> (David Charlap)
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 96 11:11:32 EDT
Subject: Is chewing gum kosher?
Marc Sacks <Marc_Sacks/Lightbridge*<LIGHTBRIDGE@...> writes:
>My daughter is attending a Conservative camp which has asked that all
>goodies sent to the children be kosher. My daughter has asked for candy
>and chewing gum. Kosher candy does not seem to be hard to find: all
>Hershey products, I believe, have hechshers on them. However, I have
>not found a hechsher on any chewing gum. Is gum inherently kosher, or
>treif? I can't find any ingredient on the label that would make it
>either (no animal product I can identify, for example). If anyone out
>there knows the answer to this (or can route me to this question in the
>archive), my family would appreciate it. Thanks.
The only kosher chewing gum I know of is Israeli Bazooka. Bazooka
manufactured elsewhere is not kosher.
I can get it at a kosher grocery nearby me. It may be hard to find
where you live.
There may be other brands as well, but I don't know about them.
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From: Arlene Mathes-Scharf <ajms@...>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 19:26:41 -0500
Subject: Re: Is chewing gum kosher?
> From: Marc Sacks <Marc_Sacks/Lightbridge*<LIGHTBRIDGE@...>
> Subject: Is chewing gum kosher?
Chewing gum is a product that need kosher certification. One of the
possble problem ingredients in chewing gum are glycerin, used as a
softener in the gum base. Glycerin can be made from either animal or
vegetable fats. The flavors also need to be kosher certified. For more
information on Candy Kashrus see my article reprinted from Kashrus
Magazine on my web site. http://www.kashrut.com/
Arlene j. Mathes-Scharf
<ajms@...>
http://www.kashrut.com/ A web page devoted to information about kosher
food and kashrus alerts listing mislabeled food products.
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From: Aharon Goldstein <ayg@...>
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 10:58:31 GMT
Subject: Making a Shofar
Hi,
I am going to have a program for making a Shofar fort Rosh Hashana, I have a
problem, I would like to know, how can I bend the Shofar to the right shape,
if anyone knows the technic how to do it, please let me know as soon as
possible,
Thanks!!
Happy new year!!
Aharon Goldstein, Rabbi
Phone : 313/995-3276 (99- L E A R N)
Email: <ayg@...>
Web site: http:// www.hvcn.org/info/chabad
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From: Michael J Broyde <relmb@...>
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 22:01:51 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Nevil Pe
I was wondering if anyone had ever encountered any material attempting to
discuss halachic issues related to nevil pe. Mishnah Berurah seems to
define it (in shemerat halashon, which is not in front of me) as
requiring two things -- impolite langugue (such that we would not want
our children to use these words) and that the terms relate to either
sexual or excretory functions. Thus, saying "he is as dumb as cotton,"
while not polite is not nevel pe. Someone recently remarked to me that
this was a machloket amoung achronim in a broad variety of fronts, which
surprised me (and I am not sure it is true). Is anyone aware of any
review essays on this topic?
Michael Broyde
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From: A.M. Goldstein <mzieashr@...>
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1996 13:22:54 +0300
Subject: Red Thread
What is the significance, and history, of the pieces of red thread handed
out by some of the lady charity-seekers in the area of the Kotel (Western
Wall)when one gives them zeddakah?
A. M. Goldstein
Editor, FOCUS
University of Haifa
Tel.:972-4-8240104
Fax: 972-4-8342104
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From: Y. Adlerstein <yadler@...>
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 12:09:52 -0700
Subject: Shaarei Teshuva and the month of Elul
Many people have a custom of studying Shaarei Teshuva of Rabbenu Yonah
during the month of Elul. I have heard of an abridged version - not of
the book, but of the study. Certain key chapters are learned, rather
than the entire book.
Does anyone know which sections are included?
Yitzchok Adlerstein
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From: <Harrymaryl@...> (R. Maryles)
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 01:28:15 -0400
Subject: Socializing Between the Sexes
Responding to the issue of socializing between the sexes:
>From a female's perspective: In my experiences, the way in which men and
women look or behave towards one another, in public settings or even
privately, strongly depends on the person's upbringing. Growing up, we
were taught to treat every individual with respect, male and female
alike. At the shabbos table, we were not discouraged from engaging in
table talk or socializing within reason thereafter. My parents taught
us that any further relationship with the opposite sex should have a
"tachlis" (purpose) and should not just be idle socializing; that
further relationships could be established at an age appropriate for
marriage.
I think the more that a person, especially a teenager, is told how wrong
socializing with the opposite sex is, the more they will want to engage
in such activity. When young adults are given the opportunity to
socialize with the opposite sex within reasonable limits, it lessens the
overwhelming desire for the "forbidden fruit" and teaches tolerance and
appreciation for the opposite sex.
There are exceptions to every rule and each person and situation is
different and should be responded to accordingly.
With regards to Rosh Hashana, the Day of Judgement, specifically,
Tashlich the time we go to rid ourselves of our Aveiros, (sins): I would
think that on a day so inherently serious, one would try to do one's
utmost in keeping away from sin. One should of course use both Torah
Guidelines, and one's best judgement in all cases of activity Bein Adam
L'chaveiro.
-R. Maryles
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From: <Michael_Lipkin@...> (Michael Lipkin)
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 96 15:56:58 EST
Subject: Without Shoes
From: Mordy Gross
>There are many very good reasons not to walk around w/o shoes:
>1) Mourners walk around w/o shoes. It is a Symbol of Mourning, and
>therefor should not be done by Non-Mourners.
This was stated in regard to davening without shoes. However, in
general, I've often heard this comment in regard to walking around the
house in socks or barefoot. It really doesn't make sense to me. By
extension, since a mourner may wear non-leather shoes, slippers,
sneakers, etc. then all of these types of footwear should be frowned
upon.
Michael
<msl@...>
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From: Anthony Waller <P85014@...>
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 96 14:13:27 IDT
Subject: Yeshivot in Israel
A friend of mine in Australia is looking for a yeshiva in Israel
for 1 of his students.
He is looking for as many as possible of the following attributes:
- In Jerusalem (preferably).
- Not right wing
- Modern outlook
- Not ONLY Americans
- English shiur (although his Hebrew is quite good).
- Not exclusively for Hozrei BiTshuva.
I would appreciate email replies.
Thanks in advance,
Anthony Waller Email: <p85014@...>
Bar-Ilan University, Israel. Ph: 972-3-5318784, Fax: 972-3-5344446
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End of Volume 24 Issue 83