Volume 22 Number 45
Produced: Tue Dec 19 21:34:51 1995
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Administrivia - Chanuka Party
[Avi Feldblum]
Astronauts
[Gedaliah Friedenberg]
Cutting Hair at Three
[Debra Fran Baker]
Menorah on planes
[Yaakov Azose]
Nuerology and Halacha
[Chaim Shapiro]
Pig heart valves
[Jack Stroh]
Pig heart valves???
[Hillel E. Markowitz]
Returning to a Blech or Oven on Shabbat
[Michael J Broyde]
rodf or rodef
[Chiam Dovid]
Shir HaKavod (Anim Z'mirot) -- Christian Influenced?
[Mike A Singer]
Surrogate mothers
[Shmuel Himelstein]
Tanach Forum Info
[Eli Benun]
Warming Food on Shabbat
[Janice Gelb]
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From: Avi Feldblum <feldblum>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 20:43:18 -0500
Subject: Administrivia - Chanuka Party
Request for RSVP's for the NJ area mail-jewish Chanuka Party:
Date: Sunday Dec 24
Time: 7:00 pm
Place: Avi Feldblum's Home
55 Cedar Ave
Highland Park, NJ
Phone: 908-247-7525
Food will be Dairy and Pareve
(If you will be bringing something, please just let me know)
Looking forward to hearing and seeing you!
Avi
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From: Gedaliah Friedenberg <gedaliah@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 18:51:32 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Astronauts
Newsgroups: shamash.mail-jewish
I recently saw an article which recounts a Jewish astronaut who took a
large number of mezuzah parchaments with him on a Space Shuttle
flight. He donated the parshios to shuls in Texas (Dallas, I believe)
in the community where he is from. [The article stated that the guy
was Conservative (as were the shuls that he donated the mezuzos to)].
Gedaliah
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From: Debra Fran Baker <dfbaker@...>
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 1995 19:07:16 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Cutting Hair at Three
> The best explanation I have come across yet has nothing at all to do
> with halacha. It seems that the Czarist army in Russia used to
> conscript young men to the army. They would collect their data on the
> number and gender of children at a young age, before they were likely to
> be hidden.
>
> Girls were not drafted; boys were. So a habit developed to let a boys
> hair grow until after the army inspectors left the area. Once a child
> was past a certain age, they were assumed to have been counted already,
> and it was safe to cut their hair.
That explanation would work if it were only Russian/Polish, or even just
Ashkenazi Jews who have the tradition of not cutting hair until the boy
is past three.
However, I have a Yemenite friend who says that it is also their custom
to wait until a boy's third birthday. So there has to be another
explanation for this custom and why it only applies to boys. (Of
course, until recently it was not the custom to cut girls' hair at all.)
Debra Fran Baker <dfbaker@...>
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From: Yaakov Azose <yazose@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 19:59:22 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Menorah on planes
I'd appreciate any suggestions to solve the following problem:
Someone I know is going to Israel with his entire family during Hanukka
and will not be at the place he'll be sleeping on one of the nights of
Hanukka. In fact, he'll be on the airplane.
Does he:
a) Take 1 wax candle (to fulfil the minimum requirement) and place it in
an ashtray on the airplane and light that. (The Aruch Hashulhan, I was
informed, said that this was to be done on a train [sorry, no referrences])
(This is assuming the airline wouldn't mind.)
b) Take a flashlight and place it firmly somewhere on the airplane where it
won't be moved and light it with a Beracha (going along with the Aruch
Hashulhan above).
c) Have someone outside the family light it in the house of the family
that is away (since the obligation is on the house). Perhaps the Aruch
Hashulhan was only discussing trains which were designed to be slept in.
All 3 suggestions have been made by different very well-respected rabbis.
I'm not looking for a psak. I just want to know if anyone knows another
suggestion or prefers one of the above with halachic sources.
Thanx.
Yaakov Azose
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From: Chaim Shapiro <ucshapir@...>
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 18:43:55 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Nuerology and Halacha
There is a component of the nuerological disorder tourette
syndrome called coprolalia which causes those that have it to swear.
This is not technically an uncontrollable urge in that, generally
speaking those that suffer from coprolalia can control their urges for
short periods of time. However, the longer the individual waits to
satisfy the urge, the more painful and disturbing the urge gets.
Inevitably even the most strong willed person will give in to his urge,
and end up swearing.
My question; is an individual with coprolalia required to fight
his urge for swearing for as long as he possibly can before giving in,
so that he avoids any issurim of nivul peh. Or may he swear whenever he
feels the need without worrying about violating any issurim?
Chaim Shapiro
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From: <jackst@...> (Jack Stroh)
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 19:56:02 -0500
Subject: Pig heart valves
I am responding to Debbie Klein regarding pig heart valves. There is
nothing halachically wrong with the use of pig heart valves. In fact, if a
patient needed intravenous pig-derived medicine on Yom Kippur it would be
permissible. What is not permitted is to ingest via eating something which
is not kosher. Thousands of diabetics, unfortunately, have had the need
over the years to inject themselves daily with pig-derived insulin.
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From: Hillel E. Markowitz <hem@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 20:56:53 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Pig heart valves???
On Tue, 19 Dec 1995, Debie Klein wrote:
> Someone I work with just told me that he has a Jewish friend who
> just got a heart valve replaced with one from a pig! I didn't know
> that this kind of this was done, but medicine is not my field. I am
> really curious whether this kind of thing is Halachically
> permissible. Does anyone have any idea?
The nonkosher animals are not asur behanaah (forbidden to derive benefit
from). Thus, one can wear clothing made from them, or use them in any
way except eating. Besides this, the case is specifically one of
pikuach nefesh (saving a life). For example, if one had contracted a
disease for which the only cure (or the cure which was most available)
was pork, one would be *required* to use the pork as a cure. Consider a
diabetic and insulin made from the pancreas of a pig.
| Hillel (Sabba) Markowitz | Im ain ani li, mi li? |
| <H.E.Markowitz@...> | V'ahavta L'raiecha kamocha |
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From: Michael J Broyde <relmb@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 20:59:05 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Returning to a Blech or Oven on Shabbat
One writer states:
> In the 1950's and 60's there were many Y.U. Rabbis accross North
> America. They followoed the Psak of Rav Soloveitchik who follows the
> minority opinion of the RAN that one can reheat DRY food only, on
> Shabbos, IF the food was in the oven at the time Shabbos entered and IF
> all of the problems with turning on the stove lights and elements were
> taken into consideration.
Although I have heard it recounted by another person also, I would be
very surprised if the Rav permitted returning food to the OVEN on
shabbat. I was under the distinct impression that the Rav permitted
returning food only to the blech, if it was on the blech or in the oven
prior to shabbat. Permitting returning food to the oven, in my opinion,
is unrelated to the correctness or incorrectness of the RaN, and
requires an understanding of how modern ovens work that I think is
simply counter-factual.
The writer continued:
> Unfortunately, as with most halachik conditions, the public was not
> informed of the conditions and those who were, did not take note of the
> conditions. This bishul on Shabbos proliferated amongst many who were
> attempting to be Shomer Shabbos.
There is one serious mistake here. The word "bishul" should be changed
to "chazara." This is not a small point, as one is a categorical issur
torah, and one is a rabbinic prohibition.
Michael Broyde
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From: <JFALR@...> (Chiam Dovid)
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 1995 16:57:42 -0500
Subject: rodf or rodef
I would like to know resources for finding more about the concept or laws
pertaining to "rodef" or "rodf". I have seen it spelled both ways. thank
you.
happy hannukah.
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From: <m-singer@...> (Mike A Singer)
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 1995 16:23:49 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Shir HaKavod (Anim Z'mirot) -- Christian Influenced?
I recently heard a discussion in which one participant asserted that the
"Shir HaKavod" ("Anim Z'mirot") prayer is inappropriate and is
Christian-influenced, in that it contains anthropomorphic references to
G-d beyond those used in the Tanach.
I would think that the very fact that "Shir HaKavod" was incorporated
into our liturgy should be evidence against this assertion.
Nevertheless, has there ever been any halachic opposition to "Shir
HaKavod"?
I have heard that the Vilna Gaon, one the one hand, considered "Shir
HaKavod" to be of great sanctity. Can anyone confirm that he held this
view, and if so, where it appears?
In contrast, in M-J 7:53, Allen Elias states that "the Rav's Z"l [Rav
J. B. Soloveitchik] opposition to public singing of Anim Zmiros
reflects the reluctance to using human forms when describing concepts
about Hashem."
Moreover, I seem to recall that "Shir HaKavod" is not part of the
Lubavitch service. Is that correct, and if so, why is that?
Is anyone aware of additional debate about this topic?
Mike Singer
<m-singer@...>
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himelstein@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 15:32:00 +0200 (IST)
Subject: Surrogate mothers
Today's (December 19) Jerusalem Post carries an article on the
Surrogate Mother Bill now before the Knesset. Among its provisions are:
a) Either the ova or sperm must be from one of the commisioning
parents.
b) There must be a written agreement between the surrogate mother and
the commissioning parents.
c) Approval must be granted by a special committee, including 3
physicians,a social worker, a lawyer, and a clergyman.
d) This committee will also see to payments to the surrogate mother,
including expenses, compensation for loss of time, suffering, and
temporary loss of income.
e) Anyone paying additional money "under the table" will be liable to a
year in prison.
f) Only Israeli couples can arrange for surrogacy, and only Israeli
women can be surrogates.
g) The surrogate must be unmarried.
h) The surrogate cannot be a relative of either commissioning parent.
Rav Amital, the Minister without Portfolio, would like to amend this to
have the sperm come only from the commissioning father, but, the
Minister of Education, Ephraim Sneh, noted that this would be a
reversion from the *status quo,* which at present permits artificial
insemination from a donor (AID), and does not insist that the sperm be
from the husband (AIH).
As I understand it, the bill, as spelled out above, has the approval of
the two Chief Rabbis.
Shmuel Himelstein
<himelstein@...>
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From: <EBENUN@...> (Eli Benun)
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 09:11:14 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Tanach Forum Info
Mail-Jewish readers might be interested in the following mailing
list:
JUDAIC SEMINAR Mailing List
The Judaic Seminar was created two years ago to provide a forum
in which Tanach would be discussed on an advanced level by
serious students of the Bible. This is a panel moderated forum,
led by a group of Bible instructors, that will be of value to
those pursuing a better understanding of the Biblical text.
This seminar operates in the classical Jewish tradition that recognizes
that all fields of knowledge may contribute to a better understanding of
the intent and message of the Torah. To that end, postings that
incorporate research including the fields of ancient Near Eastern
history, archaeology and philology are welcome.
The intent of the forum is to arrive at and explicate the
straightforward meaning of the text (i.e. the peshat). Any submission
whose aim is to provide this meaning of the text will be considered for
publication to the list.
To subscribe, send an e-mail message to the following address:
<listserv@...>
In the body of the message type:
subscribe j-seminar FirstName LastName
Substitute your name for "FirstName LastName."
For further information please contact me at: <ebenun@...>
Eli Benun
Judaic Seminar List Manager
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From: <janiceg@...> (Janice Gelb)
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 14:42:42 -0800
Subject: Warming Food on Shabbat
Hate to throw another variable into this discussion (but of course I
will anyway :-> ): No one so far has mentioned the category under which
warming trays might fall. These have a textured glass surface with an
invisible heating element beneath the glass and can be left on for all
of Shabbat.
Janice Gelb | The only connection Sun has with this
<janiceg@...> | message is the return address.
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End of Volume 22 Issue 45
