Volume 6 Number 2


Subjects Discussed In This Issue: 

CD Carousel on Shabbat/Yom-Tov -- Mahu haDin?
         [Michael Allen]
Eating grasshoppers
         [Mike Gerver]
Frozen meat in Israel
         [Ben Svetitsky]
Geometry (2)
         [Barry H. Rodin, Hillel Markowitz]
Hot Water from Electric Pot
         [Zev Farkas]
Kosher in Cincinnati
         [Jonathan Rabson]
Ner Shabbat away from home
         [Lorne Schachter]
What's Jewish in Caracas
         [Bruce Bukiet]


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From: <allen@...> (Michael Allen)
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 11:25:11 -0500
Subject: CD Carousel on Shabbat/Yom-Tov -- Mahu haDin?

I believe that listening to music on Shabbat and Yom Tov is forbidden
until the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash (may it be soon, in our
lifetime).  And in any case, isn't the CD player Muktzeh?

[I remember that he had a discussion some time ago about the general
issur of listening to music due to the destruction of the Temple, but I
do not remember anything specific to Shabbat or Yom Tov. Avi]

-Shalom,
 Michael

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From: <GERVER@...> (Mike Gerver)
Date: Fri, 8 Jan  06:20:57 1993
Subject: Eating grasshoppers

In v5#82, Eitan Fiorino asks why Ashkenazim, who have lost their
tradition of which varieties of grasshoppers are kosher, cannot rely on
the tradition of the Yemenites who still remember (and I believe various
North African Jewish communities do also). This question came up in a
discussion several years ago, I don't remember with whom, and I think
the conclusion was that Ashkenazim, having acquired the minhag [custom]
of not eating any variety of grasshoppers, are stuck with it. However,
because it is a minhag, it can be violated if there is a good reason,
particularly if not violating it might result in violating a Torah law.
One example that came up was if you are invited to the house of a
Yemenite or North African Jew who keeps strictly kosher and is serving
grasshoppers for dinner, and he or she would be very offended, or have
hurt feelings, or be very embarrassed, if you refused to eat them, then
you are allowed (in fact required) to eat them.  I have often fantasized
about being in that situation, and wondered if I would be happy or
unhappy about it.

Mike Gerver, <gerver@...>

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From: <FNBENJ@...> (Ben Svetitsky)
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 93 02:38:41 -0500
Subject: Frozen meat in Israel

Eli Turkel wrote:
>My understanding is that all meat brought into israel is currently
>kashered before it is frozen and that the various badatz's have
>masgichim in Argentina and so the problem is no longer relevant.

No way!  I bought a piece of frozen fillet in SuperSol last month without
looking at it too closely, and it turned out it needed kashering.
My wife was NOT pleased.

Ben Svetitsky      <fnbenj@...>

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From: Barry H. Rodin <brodin@...>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 15:36:15 -0500
Subject: Geometry

   Eli Turkell says:
   R. Shimshon Sens, one of the tosafists, claims that in general
   the theorm of pythagoras is false.

Of course, in general the Pythagorean Theorem is false!  It only holds
true for Euclidean geometry.  (The surface of the Earth is non-Euclidean! )

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From: <hem@...> (Hillel Markowitz)
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 15:14:50 -0500
Subject: Geometry


>One case I found fascinating was a quote from R. Shimshon Sens (Rash on
>mishnayot) one of the tosafists, who claims that in general that the
>theorem of pythagoras is false !!!!

When you say "in general", could this be a statement similar to Fermat's Conjecture?  He too says that the Pythagorean Theorum is in general false (does not hold for n > 2).

Hillel Markowitz    <H_Markowitz@...>

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From: Zev Farkas <farkas@...>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 00:44:52 -0500
Subject: Hot Water from Electric Pot

Laurent Cohen mentions the possibility of pouring boiling water from an
electric pot for use in kashering.  I don't know enough to comment on the
halachic aspects of this idea, but do be careful.

An electric coffee pot, etc., MUST always have water in contact with the
heating element when it is on.  Otherwise, you get the very unpleasant
situation I once had when I forgot about my coffee pot in my high-school
dorm.  PHEW!

Zev Farkas, PE                :)
<farkas@...>

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From: Jonathan Rabson <jrab@...>
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 05:12:29 -0500
Subject: Kosher in Cincinnati

I will need to spend a couple of days next week on business at
Sharonville, north of Cincinnati OH.  Although short notice, could
anyone mail/fax me with information about 'kosher eating', the status of
local kashrus and whether any shuls are located close to Sharonville?

Thanks
Jonathan Rabson
<jrab@...>
fax: +44 1 81 905 4035

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From: <lhsux@...> (Lorne Schachter)
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 07:59:53 -0500
Subject: Re: Ner Shabbat away from home 

My last two children were both born on Fridays, so my wife had to spend
Shabbos in the hospital.  We checked with our rabbi and he said that my
lighting candles at home was sufficient to satisfy my wife's chiuv
[obligation - Mod.], eisha k'gufo [a persons wife is considered as an
extended part of himself - Mod.].
					Lorne Schachter

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From: <bukiet@...> (Bruce Bukiet)
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 93 08:40:27 -0500
Subject: What's Jewish in Caracas

I'll be going to a conference in Caracas Venzuela. If anyone has
information on Jewish things of interest (e.g. kosher food -- do they
have their own hashgacha?, sights to see) I'd love to hear about them.
(I've arranged things so that I will be back home for Shabbos).

Thanks in advance.
--Bruce Bukiet (<bukiet@...>)



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End of Volume 6 Issue 2