Volume 58 Number 44
Produced: Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:49:14 EDT
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
A grammatical query
[Martin Stern]
Another Segulah
[Shmuel Himelstein]
Magical influences on halacha (6)
[Rose Landowne Akiva Miller Sam Gamoran Mark Steiner Eitan Fiorino]
New-Age Kabbalah
[Shmuel Himelstein]
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From: Martin Stern <md.stern@...>
Date: Sun, Jul 25,2010 at 05:01 AM
Subject: A grammatical query
I have noticed that when the second person direct object is appended to a
verb, it sometimes appears as "-ekha", without a dagesh in the final kaf,
and at others as "-eka", with a dagesh in it, for example "metsavekha/metsaveka
= [as I have] commanded you".
As far as I can see there is no obvious rule that dictates which shall be used
in any particular case.
Does anyone know the explaination?
Martin Stern
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himels@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 29,2010 at 03:01 AM
Subject: Another Segulah
The Israeli weekly BeSheva (a religious Zionist newspaper) has been carrying
an ad for weeks for Yayin Segulah ("spiritually efficacious (?) wine").
This carries the endorsement of Rabbanit Kanievski, who is quoted as saying
that "this wine brings about marvelous deliverances" ("yeshu'ot nifla'ot").
There are two endorsements by people who evidently used the wine: "We were
successful in health and earning a living," and "I won my case."
The ad also continues that "this is a rare gift and blessing."
The cost of the wine, delivered in Israel, is NIS 54 per bottle, and the
proceeds go to a charity named "Ot Chaim."
Shmuel Himelstein
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From: Rose Landowne <Roselandow@...>
Date: Mon, Jul 26,2010 at 07:01 PM
Subject: Magical influences on halacha
On Jul 24, 2010, Eitan said:
> I have a problem with people believing that if they, for example, bake a
> key into a challah after pesach, it is somehow going to impact their
> material well being for the coming year.
I don't think it's necessary to look at these things in a magical way or,
otherwise, write them off as just having fun. I think these practices help us to
focus on what our hopes and dreams are, and enable us to express our goals in a
way that makes it clear that we recognize that the outcome depends both on our
actions and God's plan for us.
Rose Landowne
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From: David Guttmann <david.guttman@...>
Date: Mon, Jul 26,2010 at 09:01 PM
Subject: Magical Influences on halacha
Rabbi Hendel Is suggesting that treating a real life occurrence symbolically
the same way that a dream is prohibited. But interpreting a dream
symbolically and following what it seems to suggest is permissible and that
is how the Gemara on dreams should be understood. I do not have a problem
with that and I agree that although I do not think a dream to a non
developed perfected individual is a divine message, it is a message of his
own sub-conscious struggling with ambivalence. However Rabbi Hendel
concludes that
(1) There is no Biblical prohibition of believing that there is life on Mars
(2) There is no prohibition of using Electromagnetic therapy
I disagree strongly. If science were to demonstrate unequivocally that there
is no life on Mars or that electromagnetic therapy did not work and one
would believe there is, or it does work, because of some "intuitive" or
"transcendental' insight, that would be tantamount to magic and prohibited.
All denial of scientifically demonstrable reality is Kishuf (magic). The
Amoraim and Tannaim as well as the Rishonim who permitted certain acts that
we now know to be false, permitted because they thought these things really
worked. These things did not contradict the science of their time. (see the
exchange between Abba Mari and Rashba in Minchat Kenaot printed at the end
of the Dimitrovsky edition of Shut Rashba regarding the amulet with a lion
design used as a cure for certain illnesses). These same greats living in
our times and confronted with the scientific evidence humanity has developed
since would have ruled differently. I am convinced of that. I can prove all
this from a variety of discussions on this in Rambam.
Susan Kane asks -
Why does it bother rationalists so much if other people worry about the evil
eye or mazal or segulot?
The answer is that the Torah requires from us to accept the truth as we know
it and we may not believe in falsehoods. Midvar Sheker tirchak - distance
yourself from falsehood - is a commandment. Jewish Religion is not "the
opiate of the masses" and does not want us to feel good by soothing our
insecurities. It wants to make us a nation of truth seekers who look at
reality as it is and play our role in the world based on that reality. It
wants us to do everything we can to ensure our survival and continuity
through generations of man eternally and take care of the world God gave us
to care for and nurture by using the brain He gave us and the free will He
endowed us with.
That is why idolatry - the ultimate falsehood and "opiate of the masses" is
the greatest sin and outweighs all other sins.
David Guttmann
If you agree that Believing is Knowing, join me in the search for Knowledge
at http://yediah.blogspot.com/
Ve'izen vechiker (Kohelet 12:9) subscribe to Hakirah at www.hakirah.org
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From: Akiva Miller <kennethgmiller@...>
Date: Mon, Jul 26,2010 at 11:01 PM
Subject: Magical influences on halacha
Susan Kane asked:
> I understand that you are a rationalist and respect that, but ...
> why can't the rest of us have a little fun?
> To me, a religion without ritual and a bit of superstition is like
> health food 365 days of the year. I know it's good for me, but it
> has no "ta'am" (taste).
As I see it, the goal of Torah is not to be entertaining. I'm not sure exactly
what you mean by "superstition", but I hope you're making sure to steer clear of
anything that the Torah might forbid as being magic or idolatry.
On the other hand, there are plenty of legitimate Jewish rituals which I'm
unable to understand, and to me, they provide the mystery that I suspect you are
looking for. One example is washing my hands 3 times alternately each morning,
or the ritual washing before bread.
There are plenty of ancient rituals. The prophets ordained the taking of
Hoshanos on the last day of Chol Hamoed Sukkos. After seven pages of trying to
explain it, Rabbi Eliyahu Kitov, in "The Book of our Heritage", page 208,
concludes: "This custom of beating the aravah on the ground contains profound
esoteric significance, and only the Great of Israel merit the knowledge of those
secrets. The uninitiated should intend merely to abide by the custom of the
Prophets and the Sages of all the generations. Their reward for emulating their
actions, will be regarded by G-d as if they had indeed had their profound
intentions."
I get plenty of "ta'am" from the rituals that I do understand, too. I pick up a
cup of wine every week and make a toast to the One Who gave us the incredible
Shabbos. I reexperience history in the reenactments on each holiday. On a good
day, when I've taken the time to prepare for my prayers and put the right effort
and thought into it, talking to my Creator gives me such a high that I honestly
wonder why you need to look elsewhere.
> Why does it bother rationalists so much if other people worry
> about the evil eye or mazal or segulot? No one said that you
> have to do it.
You *might* be drawing the line in the wrong place. I don't make any
distinctions between rational rituals and irrational ones, but between the ones
which are/aren't legitimate parts of Judaism. If I see something which purports
to be a legitimate part of Judaism, but to my understanding is *not* a
legitimate part of Judaism, then I feel an obligation to protest, or at least to
investigate its legitimacy. This is because I care about you as a fellow Jew,
and because I care about G-d, and I don't want to see Him misrepresented.
I confess that when I encounter such a ritual, I might blurt out, "That doesn't
make sense!" You might interpret that as me saying, "I only accept rational
customs," but if so, then I apologize. What I really mean is, "That doesn't seem
to fit in with other things I know about Torah." Often, if I investigate
sufficiently, I can find an explanation which shows how the idea fits.
For example, suppose something very good happened to someone. I might tell him
that I am happy for his good fortune (and not at all jealous of him). Someone
might point out that I am inviting the "evil eye" by speaking of such things.
That used to sound like superstitious nonsense to me. But then someone reminded
me that angels are real beings, and upon hearing about this person's good
fortune, they might choose to reexamine whether he really deserved it or not.
Thus, my sincere appreciation for his happiness might actually cause him to lose
it! Therefore, we append the phrase "bli ayin hara - without an evil eye", as a
prayer to G-d that this goodness should not be removed.
I have not heard a comparable explanation for why some people wear a red string
around their wrists, so I still shy away from it. You might say, "Why not do it?
It's fun!" But to me, it is not fun; it's creepy and reminiscent of foolish
idolatry. I hope someone can someday explain it to me, and I'll feel a lot
better about it. (Once upon a time, someone did explain to me about putting the
key in the challah, but I've forgotten the explanation.)
Akiva Miller
_
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From: Sam Gamoran <SGamoran@...>
Date: Tue, Jul 27,2010 at 01:01 AM
Subject: Magical influences on halacha
Susan Kane <suekane@...> wrote:
> Eitan said:
>
>> I have a problem with people believing that if they, for example, bake a
>> key into a challah after pesach, it is somehow going to impact their
>> material well being for the coming year.
>
> I understand that you are a rationalist and respect that, but ... why
> can't the rest of us have a little fun?
>
> To me, a religion without ritual and a bit of superstition is like health
> food 365 days of the year. I know it's good for me, but it has no
> "ta'am" (taste).
>
> Also Russell J Hendel <rjhendel@...> wrote:
>
> (3) However placing KEYS in my loaves (which symbolically means that my meal
> will have the KEY to success) is prohibited
What if, by baking a schlissel [key -MOD] Challah, I am just saying: "Hashem, by
this act I am asking you for success in the coming year?" I don't do it because
it was never our family's custom but I don't see why this has to be interpreted
as a superstitious act.
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From: Mark Steiner <marksa@...>
Date: Tue, Jul 27,2010 at 04:01 AM
Subject: Magical influences on halacha
If I am not mistaken, one of the major issues concerning magic and astrology
has not been addressed (if I am mistaken, I apologize).
The Rambam put the laws against magic and astrology in Chapter 11 of Laws of
Idolatry together with the prohibition of going in the "ways of the
nations".
Of course he regarded magic and astrology as false as doctrines not just
beliefs, but they were part and parcel of idolatrous practices. It
was for this reason that the Rambam went on the warpath against them in his
commentaries and especially letters to the Jewish communities. It would
seem that the Rambam was the ONLY figure in the "Middle Ages" who fought
against these kinds of superstitions. There were Moslem thinkers who
rejected astrology and magic but they believed that there is no point in
discussing these issues with the primitive peasants.
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From: Eitan Fiorino <afiorino@...>
Date: Tue, Jul 27,2010 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Magical influences on halacha
Susan Kane <suekane@...> wrote (MJ 58 # 42):
> Eitan said:
>> I have a problem with people believing that if they, for example, bake
>> a key into a challah after pesach, it is somehow going to impact their
>> material well being for the coming year.
>
> I understand that you are a rationalist and respect that, but
> ... why can't the rest of us have a little fun?
>
> To me, a religion without ritual and a bit of superstition is
> like health food 365 days of the year. I know it's good for
> me, but it has no "ta'am" (taste).
Just to clarify - I was certainly no making an argument that we should have
"religion without ritual" - indeed Judaism is chock full of rituals. I would
simply distinguish between rituals that are permitted/required, and those that
are explicitly forbidden/possibly forbidden. As far as superstition goes -
well, I think that is a very relative term; for some, religion itself is an
exercise in superstition. I think the issue is not "can we abolish all
superstitions?" but rather "should superstitious practices at odds with halacha
be subject to crtiticism on those grounds?"
> Why does it bother rationalists so much if other people worry
> about the evil eye or mazal or segulot? No one said that you
> have to do it.
Why are people like me bothered by some supersticious beliefs held by others?
It is a good question. I can only speak for myself. It has been my very long
experience that people who hold superstitious beliefs about how the world works
often make poor decisions when confronted with life issues in which they look to
the superstitious belief as an answer. Perhaps an example will clarify - when I
was still practicing medicine I regularly encountered people with beliefs about
their medical condition that were either frankly or borderline superstitious.
These beliefs often clashed with recommended therapies - regardless of the
modality (drugs, surgery, preventive care, etc.), and in such clashes, the
superstitions regularly won out. And in many many cases, it was clear to me
that the patient clung to a superstitious belief in a desperate attempt to avoid
confronting the reality of their medical situation, even if that situation was dire.
So, yes - it bothers me when people engage in superstitious thinking. I view
such thinking as a sakana. This is not a claim that science has all the
answers, nor is it a claim that a purely rational society would be flawless.
This is merely a view that gives great weight to logic, rational thought, reason
and empirical evidence in the context of decision-making, and which sees lots of
downside and little upside to the alternative approach.
> And why do you assume that such actions try to change the
> will of G-d anymore than saving someone's life through antibiotics?
Well, we have an explicit commandment to heal. And halacha gives tremendous
deference to contemporary expertise in medical practitioners in determining how
to best heal a sick person. So I don't view the use of antibiotics as trying to
change God's will - on the contrary, it is fulfilling God's will.
> In both cases, we hope that G-d recognizes our *effort* --
> whether that effort is through science or through prayer --
> and that our work here will draw down G-d's compassion / attention.
If we are trying to draw God's mercy, compassion, attention or whatever, why
would we engage in practices that are either clearly forbidden or which may be
forbidden? It doesn't make any sense to me. Why would anyone believe for a
minute that baking a key in a challah is more efficacious at achieving the
intended goal than simply praying? (let alone hard work, good financial
planning, and living within one's means ...). Or that it would make the
hoped-for outcome even more likely than tefila alone would? Can anyone justify
a line of reasoning that goes like this: "Let's see, I'm making a wedding this
coming year and I'm not sure how to pay for it; I worked like a dog to put
myself in line for that big promotion, gave up my BMW in favor of a Honda Civic,
and I have been davening with tremendous kavanah about this. Now I'll just toss
in a little safek avoda zara to really cover all the bases."
If you'll tell me "well people don't think of schlissel challah as safek avoda
zara" then my answer is: precisely; that is precisely the problem.
-Eitan
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himels@...>
Date: Sun, Jul 18,2010 at 07:01 AM
Subject: New-Age Kabbalah
The Jerusalem Post has a freebie Hebrew newspaper called "Yisrael Post."
This paper regularly runs an ad showing a picture of a gentleman who does not
seem to be wearing any headgear, with his hair parted in the middle and
writing with a quill, with the following text:
> That we should not know of troubles.
> Practical Solutions with the Kabbalist Yitzchak Mizrachi.
> Register now and receive directly from the Kabbalist Yitzchak Mizrachi
> practical solutions for success in income, love, removing the Evil Eye,
> and many other solutions to daily problems.
> Send the word "ayin" by SMS to XXXX.
The cost of this service is NIS 15 monthly.
Who says that Judaism doesn't keep up with the times?
Shmuel Himelstein
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End of Volume 58 Issue 44
