Volume 13 Number 61
Produced: Wed Jun 15 18:07:35 1994
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Abbreviations
[David Curwin]
Baby Toys (2)
[Susan Sterngold, Avi Feldblum]
Davina?
[Mr D. Epstein]
Dispute on Factual Matters (v13n55)
[Mark Steiner]
first language
[Danny Skaist]
Hebrew Standard
[Lon Eisenberg]
Hebrew-First Language
[Rabbi Meilech Leib DuBrow]
Histapchut Hadorot
[Sam Gamoran]
Ideology and Pronunciation
["Dr. Shalom Carmy"]
Jewish Studies
[Avi Hyman]
Pesach in Winter
[Jonathan Katz]
Revenge of an Inmate
[Malcolm Isaacs]
Sim Shalom
[Barry Freundel]
Yizkor (2)
[Henry Edinger, Joey Mosseri]
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From: <6524dcurw@...> (David Curwin)
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 08:52:42 -0400
Subject: Abbreviations
For mem-ayin, I would guess Migdal Oz, or Maor Enayim. It could also
be another abbreviation of the SM"A, Sefer Meirat Enayim.
Mem-bet I have seen in the Magen Avraham before, and I think it is
Mincha Belula. (It definetly is not Mishna Brura!)
Lamed-chet, however, is easy. It refers to Lechem Chamudot, a commentary
on the Rosh, by the Tosafot Yom Tov. It is also called Divrei Chamudot.
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From: Susan Sterngold <ss117@...>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 23:30:35 -0400
Subject: Baby Toys
As the proud stepgrandmother of a new baby girl, my thoughts naturally
turn to cute little things for the baby. Are there any toys which are OK
for other kids but not for Lubavitch or orthodox kids? I saw a catalog
which had cute little animals, soft toys and things for babies but I
noticed there was a pig on one of them, so would that be not OK? Little
houses, infant stim things to hang up on the crib-clothing... can you
frum folks give me some tips about this?
thanks
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From: mljewish (Avi Feldblum)
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 1994 17:50:31 -0400
Subject: Re: Baby Toys
The issue of toys that depict non-kosher animals is one that we
discussed a bit loong ago, v2 numbers 19,22 and 31. From what I
remember, it appears that Lubavitch in particular does not allow (or
does not approve of) any toys that depict non-kosher animals, e.g. teddy
bears, cats and dogs. I'm not sure if it is just a stuffed animal that
they disapprove of or any toy (and book?) that would have such a picture
on it? Any input from the Chabad members of the list?
Avi Feldblum
mail-jewish Moderator
<mljewish@...>
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From: <d.epstein@...> (Mr D. Epstein) (Mr D. Epstein)
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 09:38:10 -0400
Subject: Davina?
Could anyone tell me the origin of the hebrew name Davina?
As far as I know there is no mention of it in T'nach and I know a few people
who have this name. One person suggested that it was a feminine ford of
David but I am not convinced!
Thanks
Daniel Epstein
Imperial College,London
<de01@...>
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From: Mark Steiner <MARKSA@...>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 18:16:43 -0400
Subject: Re: Dispute on Factual Matters (v13n55)
I agree with Jeffrey Woolf that work needs to be done on the
issue of factual matters, but his quote from the Rashba that assertions
in the Talmud cannot be overruled by empirical testimony does not
contradict the Rashba's other assertion that we do not allow a dispute
IN the Talmud to turn on factual matters. The two are entirely
consistent.
I quoted the Rashba simply to show that the so-called Lithuanian
view has much older sources. (And by the way, any Lithuanian Rosh
Yeshiva would subscribe to both statements quoted from Rashba.)
Mark Steiner
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From: DANNY%<ILNCRD@...> (Danny Skaist)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 09:29:09 -0400
Subject: first language
>-Chaim Stepelman
> -Maybe there is an explicit PROOF somewhere to help us out. Or maybe
>some rishon or achron mentions the topic at hand in a p'shat somewhere.
>(the statement by a rishon or achron that Hebrew is the first language
>might serve as proof enough for me and my friends.)
The Gemorra brings it down (look in the Torah T'mima), and proves it
from "this shall be called "easha" because she was taken from "eash"
Gen. 2:23. Of all the ancient languages (including Indo-European) it
only works in Hebrew.
danny
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From: eisenbrg%<milcse@...> (Lon Eisenberg)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 01:24:49 -0400
Subject: Hebrew Standard
Transliteration used: ' b g d h w z x t y k l m n s ` p c q r sh $
(If any of b,g,d,k,f,$ has no daghesh, it is followd by 'h')
As far as Israelis emphasizing the wrong syllable, there are a number of
common such mistakes: I often hear 'ARba` and sheMOneh instead of 'arBA` (4)
and shemoNEH (8) (fortunately, not on the news!). Most of the children who
sing "'an`im Zemiro$h" say "HOmeh libi" instead of "hoMEH libi" [my heart
flutters].
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From: <SMDUBRO@...> (Rabbi Meilech Leib DuBrow)
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 09:38:41 -0400
Subject: Hebrew-First Language
In response to the query by Chaim Stepelman and friends regarding the
first language.
Hebrew was the language with which the Abishter created the worlds. As
noted in many places, including the Sefer Yetzirah, The Hebrew letters
composing the 10 fiats (Let there be...etc.), their permutations, gematria,
etc. were, and are, the basis for all of creation.
The names given to each thing in Hebrew by Adam HaRishon, are indicative of
their essence. These names, or fiats, are continually spoken, so to speak,
by the Creator, bbHn.
Not only is Hebrew the first language, it preceded creation, it is the only
one which contains the vitality to sustain creation.
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From: gamoran%<milcse@...> (Sam Gamoran)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 01:24:53 -0400
Subject: Re: Histapchut Hadorot
Re: Eliyahu Zukierman's statement thet "there is a Klal (rule) that the
further away from the Relevation at Sinai the scope of knowledge is
less"
Rav Leff gave a Shiur on Shavuot in which he said the exact opposite.
The sum total of our knowledge keeps growing with every generation
bevause we are always building on what came before. The 'delta' of our
abilities in Torah is what is shrinking.
Because the sum total is increasing, we pasken like the achronim rather
than according to earlier sources.
Sam Gamoran
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From: "Dr. Shalom Carmy" <carmy@...>
Date: Wed, 15 Jun 1994 01:14:27 -0400
Subject: Ideology and Pronunciation
Early Reform was attracted to Sephardic pronunciation, in part because
they identified the "Golden Age of Spain" and contemporary Italian
practice with a more sunny, liberal approach to life. (See Michael
Meyer's RESPONSE TO MODERNITY = Standard history of Reform).
Zionist embrace of a modified Sephardic pronunciation involved several
other factors, e.g. the desire to accentuate similarities between Hebrew
phonetics and Arabic. Most recently these issues have been surveyed in a
collection of studies by Prof. Zeev Ben-Hayyim (title escapes me).
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From: <AJHYMAN@...> (Avi Hyman)
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 10:31:42 -0400
Subject: Jewish Studies
The next issue of the JEWISH STUDIES JUDAICA eJOURNAL
is due out soon - don't miss your free copy.
send the message: SUB JEWSTUDIES your name
to the email address: <listserv@...>
------------------
Contents of next issue include:
Eruv Hazerot and the Jews of Regensburg; Hebrew
inscriptions in Poland; Holocaust psychology; Dead Sea Scrolls
and Museum Ethics; Jews and American politics; Books on
Nazism; Jewish demographics; Conversos; Jewish identity;
Jewish messiahs; Jewish women in medieval Spain; Computers
and concordances.
Plus: Employment and conference info; Publications
releases; Academic services; and housing opportunities.
Thank you,
Avi Hyman - editor JSJeJ
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From: Jonathan Katz <frisch1@...>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 94 13:45:18 EDT
Subject: Pesach in Winter
Regarding Michael Shimshoni's post about the dates of Pesach in the future:
I was just wondering what you were basing your projections on. You gave
a date (or an approximate one) for Pesach in the year 15115 CE!!! I though
that the calendar as set by Hillel did not extend that far into the future.
Jonathan Katz
<frisch1@...>
410 Memorial Drive, Room 251B
Cambridge, MA 02139
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From: <M.Isaacs@...> (Malcolm Isaacs)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 04:56:55 -0400
Subject: Revenge of an Inmate
Yet another call for details! I remember reading in one of the UK
Sunday newspapers about 6 months ago, about a concentration camp
survivor, who along with other survivors, took their captors as
prisoners, and held them in a concentration camp. This camp was
discovered as the war ended. The commandant of the camp later was found
to be living in Israel. Can anyone
Regards,
Malcolm
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From: <Dialectic@...> (Barry Freundel)
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 11:33:10 -0400
Subject: Sim Shalom
regarding the recent discussions of Sim Shalom-Shalom Rav I believe the
Ashkenazi custom of associating the former with times that birchat
Kohanim are mentioned and the latter with those times when it is not
mentioned may find its origin in a statement in Heichalot literature.
The literature describes certain angels who descend each day "lasim
shalom ba'olam". They then rise heavanward and because of their
association with people who are impure (baalei keri vetumah) they purify
themselves in a river of fire and then stand with their wings covering
their faces before G-d and recite Angelic song (which is equivalent to
our prayers). The imagery of wings covering the eyes is obviously
reminiscent of the preistly benediction and the association of the
angels of sim shalom with a higher degree of purity also evokes the
Kohanim. When the Kohanim who embody the symbols of these angels are
mentioned we say sim shalom, when they are absent we do not
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From: Henry Edinger <edinger@...>
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 11:44:01 -0500 (EDT)
Subject: Yizkor
<RoseleB@...> noted that Yizkor was not recited at the Spanish &
Portuguese Synagogue and asked if Yizkor was just an Ashkenazi
tradition.
The Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue, of which I am a member, has never
had the minhag of Yizkor although it has other types of memorial
prayers. To the best of my knowledge, Yizkor is unknown among Sephardim.
German Jews also did not possess the Yizkor prayer, although they did
adopt the custom in the United States following the Holocaust. German
machzorim printed before World War II do not include a Yizkor service.
It has been my assumption that Yizkor is a recent addition to the
service and that it originated in Eastern Europe. Although it is a moving
prayer, I do not believe that there is any source for it among the
classic writings on Tefilla.
Henry Edinger
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From: <JMOSSERI@...> (Joey Mosseri)
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 21:37:30 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Yizkor
Regarding the question about Yizkor customs (I couldn't tell who sent it as
there was no signature).
The custom of Yizkor is non existant among Sefaradim and 'Edot hamizrah.
The only thing that we have that may be somewhat similar to it is on the
night of Yom Kipour when we take out Sefer Kal Nidre we say Hashkabot for
the deceased Rabbis and members of the congregation and for congregants
relatives. Other than that individual hashkabot are said when ever a person
has an 'aliyah to the sefer torah and deems it necessary (e.g. yahrzeit).
Joey Mosseri
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End of Volume 13 Issue 61
