Volume 32 Number 08
Produced: Fri Apr 14 5:58:01 US/Eastern 2000
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Actual Middle Word of the Torah
[Ben Rosenbaum]
Burial Customs
[Percy Mett]
The Choicest Aliya
[William J Scherman]
Curriculum & Syllabus for Women
[Russell Hendel]
Invisibility, funerals, consideration for mourners
[Shlomo B Abeles]
Invisible Women
[David Herskovic]
Misod Chachomim Unevonim
[David Herskovic]
Nachum versus Nochum
[I. Balbin]
Ranking aliyot
[A.J.Gilboa]
Rav Soloveitchik
[Eli Turkel]
Shidduchim (2)
[Ari Y. Weintraub, William J Scherman]
Shoah Commemoration
[Reuven Werber]
Time Bound Mitzvos
[Shimon Lebowitz]
Women at funerals
[Zev Sero]
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From: Ben Rosenbaum <brosenba@...>
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2000 01:14:38 -0400
Subject: RE: Actual Middle Word of the Torah
In answer to Elie Rosenfeld's query, one modern solution can be found at
http://www.biu.ac.il/JH/Parasha/shmini/pmer.pdf. Essentially, darosh
darash are not the middle words in the Torah, but rather the middle
doublet in the Torah.
Hope this helps,
Ben Rosenbaum
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From: Percy Mett <p.mett@...>
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 16:22:45 +0100
Subject: Re: Burial Customs
Stephen Colman <stephen.colman@...>
>It seems from the various postings on the subject of burial customs,
>that here in England, things are a bit different than in Israel or the
>States. Over here, one tends to be a member of a shul which is part of
>one of three main communities (Adass/Federation/United/and I believe
>also Sefardim) - or independent but linked to one of those three (eg
>GGBH) - each of which has their own Chevra Kadisha and burial
>grounds. Added to the Shul membership fee is a bill for Chevra Kadisha,
>which you pay annually and covers you and your family until
>120. Whichever community a person belongs to will determine which Chevra
>will 'do the honours', which Beis Olom one will reside in, and which set
Perhaps I could amplify Stephen's comment. Whet he writes about a "bill
for the Chevra Kadisha" this could possibly be misunderstood. English
kehilos have a system for allowing their members to make annual payments
(effectively a form of insurance) in exchange for which the Burial
Society of the kehilo undertakes to provide a funeral and a burial plot
when the need should arise. This usually covers the member, his wife and
children until a certain age. Most Burial Societies own more than one
Beis Oilom, and reserve the right to choose which one should be used for
a burial. The deceased's family can choose another beis Oilom, but may
be charged an additional fee.
The chareydishe (for want of a better term) community in London (UOHC)
does not own a Beis Oilom (for historical reasons) - its members are
usually buried in one of the Botei Almin of the Adath. the cost of
burial is what stephen means when he refers to a "bill for the Chevra
Kadisha". In fact the actual services (tahara and interment) of the
Chevra Kadishas associated with UOHC cost nothing, because all the
misaskim are voluntary. However each of the Chevra kadishas maintains a
gmilus chesed fund, and bereaved families for whose niftorim the chevra
has been misasek often make a contribution to this fund.
Perets Mett
London
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From: William J Scherman <zscherman@...>
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2000 01:11:21 -0400
Subject: Re: The Choicest Aliya
I heard from the brother of the gabbai involved (in the 1950's), members
of a certain yeshiva (that I'll not name) only wanted Shlishi or Shishi.
The gabbai arranged to call the Roshei Yeshiva for the fourth and fifth
aliyas instead. From then on it was no longer deemed "offensive" to
call someone else up for the 'other' aliyos! Z'ev
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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@...>
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 23:30:01 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Curriculum & Syllabus for Women
Alexis Rosoff in v31n91 eloquently states
>>>>>>>>
Similarly, study seems to be the province of the man, and I find this
worrying. I don't mean smicha or kollel level study; I'm talking
ordinary yeshiva high school education, seminary, et cetera. Even if my
daughters never become rabbis (and I admit it, I'm a bad feminist, I'm
not comfortable with the concept of women as rabbis) I want them to have
the sort of Judaic education I didn't. I want them to be able to
understand a passage of Talmud and understand the process that brought
it into being and keeps it alive. Even women's shiurim are often on a
lower level, and I think it becomes a cycle of women not reaching the
levels needed for more advanced learning, so new shiurim aren't started,
so women stay at the same low-to-middle level.
>>>>>>>>>
I wholeheartedly agree that (a) women should be communal leaders (like
Sarah and Ester) (b) they should understand basic texts (c) they need
not be Rabbis.
The question becomes however, how do we BEST implement the above goals
suggested by Alexis. Or, to use an operational term, what CURRICULUM and
SYLLABII (for K-12) will help the community best implement the above
goals for women. Will teaching them Gmarrah help or hurt? Should we
emphasize Tnach? Which parts of the Shuchan Aruch (code of Jewish law
are best)
In other words I would like to accept the general tenure of Alexis
values and get down to the details of operational implementation.
Russell Jay Hendel; phd asa; <RHendel@...>
Moderator Rashi is Simple
http://www.shamash.org/rashi/
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From: Shlomo B Abeles <sba@...>
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2000 09:15:44 +1000
Subject: Invisibility, funerals, consideration for mourners
>Freda B Birnbaum wrote:
>Shlomo B Abeles comments: There is a very harsh warning (Sakono CV) in
>Kitzur Shulchan Oruch (198:10) against men and women seeing each other
>during and after funerals.
>..As one of my rabbis says, there's HALACHA, and MINHAG, and
>"THING". If this is a "THING", IMHO it is time to refrain from using it
>when the offense and unhappiness it causes to mourners outweigh other
>advantages.
"Chamira Sakanta MeIssura" (one must be more vigilant regarding dangers
than Issurim) - say Chazal.
I have previously posted - the Beis Yosef/Mechaber (quoting the Zohar):
the meeting of sexes at and after funerals can have terrible
consequences. This is not an invention of the Kitzur Shulchan Oruch.
Also, the Mechaber (YD 359:2) clearly states that women - even if
attending a funeral procession - which is also debatable - should not go
to the cemetery.
Bevirchas arichas yomin v'shonim...
SBA
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From: David Herskovic <crucible@...>
Subject: Invisible Women
Apropos the recent discussions on the status of women, the Sefer
Ha'Chinuch in Parshas Shmini in his commentary on the prohibition for a
dayen to consider a ruling when inebriated adds 'and refraining from
issuing rulings [whilst inebriated applies] in all places and at all
times to males, and likewise to wise women who are suitable to issue
rulings (l'horot)'.
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From: David Herskovic <crucible@...>
Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2000 21:38:41 +0100
Subject: Misod Chachomim Unevonim
Why is the piece beginning 'misod chachomim unevonim' not said before
the Yotsros for Musaf on Shabbos Shekolim and Shabbos Ha'Chodesh and at
the beginning of the Krovets on Purim morning?
Dovid Herskovic
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From: I. Balbin <isaac@...>
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 13:51:56 +1000
Subject: Nachum versus Nochum
It would appear to be fact that the only way that the name Nachum was
ever written (certainly in Nach) originally is Nachum with a Patach
under the Nun. Yet, I knew and know people who are called Nochum, as if
there was a Kometz under the Nun. Examples seem to be from the Chassidic
population, for example R' Menachem Nochum of Tschernobl. Then again,
one finds the translations of some of Sholem Aleichem's works use Nochum
as opposed to Nachum seemingly implying that it's a Russo/Litvish
pronounciation? How did this come to be? On a related note, I haven't
ever heard someone named Nachman, called Nochman.
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From: A.J.Gilboa <bfgilboa@...>
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2000 12:33:57 -0700
Subject: Re: Ranking aliyot
Warren Burstein's suggestion reminds me of the minhag that I saw in
Barcelona of distributing tokens with numbers to all male members of the
tsibbur. After the kohen and levi (possibly shlishi was reserved for the
rav) the shamash picked from an identical set of numbers in a purse to
assign the remaining aliyot completely at random.
Yosef Gilboa
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From: Eli Turkel <turkel@...>
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 14:17:16 +0200 (IST)
Subject: Rav Soloveitchik
For those interested there is a new pamphlet discussing the philosophy of
Rav Soloveitchik. It is in Hebrew
Vehayu leAchadin beYadekha
by Rav Yoval Sherlo
From dialectics to harmony in the thought of Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchik.
Tevunot, Alon Shvut, Machon Herszog.
I have included it in a updated bibliography of works on my home page
http://www.math.tau.ac.il/~turkel/engsol.html
[Note: The bibliography link on the mail-jewish Rav page is now updated
to link directly to Eli's page listed above, so we will stay current as
Eli updates things. MOd.]
kol tuv,
Eli Turkel
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From: Ari Y. Weintraub <aweintra@...>
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 15:28:59 -0400
Subject: Shidduchim
On the subject of shidduchim, I want to bring up the issues surrounding
older singles/divorcees/widow(er)s. Many of these individuals approach
the arena with unrealistic ideals and preconceptions, further
eliminating the possible matches for no good reason. I am aware of a New
York shadchan who receives repeated emails from an accomplished
University professor - who _refuses_ to answer any questions about his
age - who insists on a young woman to bear children for
him. Notwithstanding,the mitzvos of pru u'rvu ("be fruitful and
multiply") and other child/family related opportunities for Avodas
Hashem (serving the Creator), which this fellow obviously has great
desire to achieve, are terrific goals. However, his refusal to be
"up-front" with the shadchan, especially with regards to his age (which
is obviously relatively advanced, given his list of achievements and
positions), is counter-productive. There are many selfless individuals
in our communities who are willing to work tirelessly on behalf of these
singles, yet when they are approached by poeple who present with adamant
demands and refuse to provide _relevant_ information, there valuable
time is wasted and no one gains. May it be G-d's will that all of those
looking for their shidduch find him/her soon! Ari
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From: William J Scherman <zscherman@...>
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2000 00:36:09 -0400
Subject: Shidduchim
I know someone from Lakewood whose very close relatives learn in
Lakewood. I was asked to help find her a Shidduch, because the Lakewood
Bochurim won't go out with a girl from Lakewood: They think a Lakewood
family must be too poor to help support the new couple!
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From: Reuven Werber <reuw@...>
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2000 10:49:23 +0300
Subject: Shoah Commemoration
I would be very interested in learning of different modes of religious
observance of Shoah Commemoration, particularly in the Synagogue context
which have evolved over the last few decades. I refer to Yom Hakadish
Haklali (10th Teveth) or Yom Hashoah V'hagevura (Nisan) or on any other
occassions during the year. I am aware of J. Tidor Baumel's Kol B'chiyot,
but am interested in additional information, including ceremony descriptions
and texts.
Thanks in advance,
Reuven Werber
Neveh Chanah Torah H.S. For Girls - http://www.nevnet.etzion.k12.il
Herzog Teacher's College - Yeshivat Har Etzion
Kibbutz Kfar Etzion, Israel
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From: Shimon Lebowitz <shimonl@...>
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 16:41:53 +0200
Subject: Re: Time Bound Mitzvos
Carl M. Sherer <cmsherer@...> wrote:
> On the other hand, a man who is raising children on his own is still
> obligated to perform all time-bound commandments. Yes, including
> davening in a minyan every day.
There is also the principle of 'Oseik beMitzva, Patur min haMitzva'. It
seems to me that if watching a dead body is a valid reason to miss
minyan (I have been told to do so!), al achat kama vechama (all the more
so!) watching over and taking care of his small children, who have a
real need of his attention.
Shimon Lebowitz
<shimonl@...>
Jerusalem, Israel
PGP: members.xoom.com/shimonl/pubkey.htm
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From: Zev Sero <Zev@...>
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 14:37:25 -0400
Subject: Women at funerals
Shlomo B Abeles <sba@...> wrote:
>There is a very harsh warning (Sakono CV) in Kitzur Shulchan Oruch (198:10)
>against men and women seeing each other during and after funerals.
The warning against men seeing women *after* a funeral is presumably
based on the warning of the Angel of Death in Gemara Berachot. But I
don't understand why this would imply a warning against seeing the women
*during* a funeral. All the Angel of Death said was not to come out to
meet the women when they come back from a funeral, because he
accompanies them. The gemara doesn't seem to take this warning as a
reason to stop women from going to funerals; on the contrary, it assumes
as a matter of course that women do go to funerals, and will continue
going, and there's no reason to stop them, but people who didn't go must
be careful not to meet them on their way back.
OTOH, I can understand that women who find out about this warning might
be less than thrilled about it, and might well decide to stop going to
funerals - that whatever benefit they and the deceased get from their
attendance isn't worth the price of coming back with such a
`distinguished escort'. Perhaps that's the origin of the custom in some
communities that women don't go to funerals - not that the men prevented
the women but that the women found out who was keeping them company on
the way back and refused to go.
Zev Sero Programming is an art form that fights back.
<zsero@...>
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End of Volume 32 Issue 8
