Volume 24 Number 65
Produced: Wed Jul 17 0:29:15 1996
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
"Non-offensive" labels on airline meals
[Neil Peterman]
Cerebral Palsy Patient
[Zvi Weiss]
Correlle China
[Sheldon Korn]
G-d's name on computer screen
[David Charlap]
Handling psych problems at Yeshiva
[Chaim Shapiro]
Krias Sh'ma
[Yossie Abramson]
Rashi on Menachos
[Mordechai Torczyner]
Seudas Mitzvah and fasting
[Marc Meisler]
Shabbos: Ionic Straining
[Sanford Slae]
Socializing at Tashlich
[Gad Frenkel]
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From: <npms@...> (Neil Peterman)
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996 12:24:42 +0400
Subject: "Non-offensive" labels on airline meals
Warren Burstein asked in Digest #61 - What is a "non-offensive" label on
an airline meal?
Many airlines keep a stock of what they label and describe as
"non-offensive" meals. If a passenger has ordered a special meal, such
as kosher or halal, and for some reason the meal is not available, them
he may be offered a "non-offensive" meal. These meals avoid all meat
products but are not produced in a kosher kitchen and therefore must be
regarded as "trefa". Unfortunately there are those who misunderstand
the meaning of the label and when told by the airline steward that "this
is your special meal", eat it.
Neil Peterman
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From: Zvi Weiss <weissz@...>
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 09:47:17 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Cerebral Palsy Patient
> From: Adam Bernstein <apb@...>
> As the Director of the San Francisco bikkur cholim called Operation
> Kinder, I recently had a patient here who has cerebral palsy for spinal
> surgery. He is speech-impaired, but has an electronic device that enables
> him to communicate. He uses head movements to activate his electronic
> sound box. For his Bar Mitzvah, he learnt how to say the Brochos using
> this device, but his local Orthodox Rabbi (in K'far Saba) said that he
> could not get an aliyah (on a Thursday) as his Brochos would not be
> valid. The family, who are not observant, arranged for him to called up
> in a reform temple.
==> There is too little information here:
(a) Did the Orthodox Rabbi offer any other alternatives?
(b) In general how sensitive was the Rabbi to the issues here?
(c) How did *the boy* feel -- how did HE handle it (I can see how his
parents reacted)?
(d) Do the parents undrstand what B'rachot are -- or did they think this
is just some sort of "ceremony"?
When the additional data is available, I am sure that more constructive
reaction would be forthcoming....
--Zvi
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From: Sheldon Korn <rav@...>
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 00:14:13 -0700
Subject: Correlle China
What are the latest rulings regarding Correlle China. Does it have
properties of Glass, Pyrex or Porcelain. I believe they can be used in a
microwave.
Thank You
Which leads me to the question as to whether it can be kashered. And//or
changed from meat to dairy and vise versa through Kashering or otherwise.
The Magen Avraham does not permit this on something that can be kashered.
Where is Correlle in all of this?
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From: <david@...> (David Charlap)
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 96 17:47:45 EDT
Subject: G-d's name on computer screen
Joshua Hosseinof <hosseino@...> writes:
>Recently on the internet there has been made available in the public
>domain a program that has the full text of Tanach, Shas and Rambam among
>other things. One problem with it however is that in the Tanach section
>it uses the actual Yud-Kay-Vav-Kay name of G-d. This creates problems
>of erasing the name of G-d when you display it on your screen. Are
>there any responsa on this topic?
This topic has been discussed a few times on mail-jewish. The archives
should be available.
From what I remember, it should be permitted. I remember these reasons:
1: a computer screen is not permenant. The display is constantly fading
and being redrawn 60 (or 72, 75, 80, etc) times per second. So text
.you see on screen is not like text on paper, but like sound you hear
- something temporary. When the screen is cleared, you are not
erasing anything - you are no longer redrawing the image.
2: A computer screen is not actually an image anyway. It is a collection of
horizontal rows (which are, in turn, pixels) that resemble the image
when viewed. If you hold a magnifying glass up to your monitor,
you'll see the individual red, green, and blue dots - they don't even
touch each other.)
3: The data representing the image can not have any kedusha. A pattern of
bits is just that - a pattern of bits. It is only your computers's
software that can produce an image (or something resembling the
image) from those bits. Those same bits could also be a part of a
program, a sound file, or any number of other things.
4: The image produced from the bits by the software is produced without
any intention. Software can not have any intention. Neither you nor
the programmer are actually creating the image - you're running a
program, and the author is putting bits in on a disk (CD, file,
whatever).
5: A computer screen, even if you want to call it permenant and an actual
image (which I disagree with) is a projection - this may be enough to
prevent it from having kedusha. One example of this is the fact that
you can not fulfil your obligation of hearing the shofar (or megila,
or anything else you have to hear) if you hear an echo of it and not
the source itself. Monitors, by their nature, are projectors, using
an electron gun, phosphor-coated screen and shadow mask.
Personally, I would not want to use such software anyway, out of respect
for the Name, (and I'd contact the author of the program to see if he
can make the program display some other name in its place), but I don't
think there are any halachic problems if you choose to use it anyway.
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From: Chaim Shapiro <ucshapir@...>
Date: Wed, 3 Jul 1996 12:03:33 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Handling psych problems at Yeshiva
I was recently informed of a very disturbing policy at an
American Yeshiva hig school (which I won't name). According to their
rules, a high school bochur with personal problems may not approach a
member of the Hanhala for advice/help. Instead, the student must first
got to the dorm counselor, explain his problem. If and only if the dorm
counselor deems the problem important enough, the student may discuss
the issue with one of the rabeim.
The problems with this system are obvious, and potentialy very
dangerous. First of all, how is a ninteen or twenty year old yeshiva
student qualified to determine what is and what is not an important or
serious problem? In my experience, many Hanhala members aren't even so
qualified. To put that responsibility in the hands of a child is
criminally negligent. Whether we want to admit it or not, there are
instances of serious depression and suicide among the yeshiva community.
Yeshiva's must do more, not less to protect the safety and wellbeing of
their students.
Another issue to consider is how comfortable a high school
student may be in confiding his serious problems with a boy not much
older than himself. It is certainly possible that a disturbed student
not inform anyone of his problems because he is embarresed in front of
his dorm counselor; embarresment that would not be a problem with the
much older, more respected member of the Hanhala.
I understand the reasoning behind such a rule; a bochur should
have respect for his rebbe, and not bother him with frivolity. However,
I firmly believe that such a policy is a sacana (danger) waiting to
happen, and the minimal gains from such a rule are far outweighed by the
potential for tragedy.
i have chosen not to mention the name of this yeshiva in public,
because i believe doing so would unfairly subject them to Lashan Hara,
which may take away from the good the yeshiva does both for its students
and the community it is in. However, that does not mean the problem
should be ignored. Therefore, if anyone is interested in assisting me
deal with the problem at this or any other Yeshiva that has similar
policies, please E-mail me so we can develop an appropriate course of
action.
Chaim Shapiro
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From: <yossie@...> (Yossie Abramson)
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 17:56:43 EDT
Subject: Krias Sh'ma
In response to the question of Krias Sh'ma in England and Scotland, I
seem to recall that the Kitzur Shulchan Orach brought a case involving
Scotland and Sh'ma. I don't seem to recall the psak but I imagine it
would be in Hilchos Krias Sh'ma.
Yossie
Sorry I didn't quote, my computer deleted the message. :(
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From: Mordechai Torczyner <mat6263@...>
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 1996 12:52:49 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Rashi on Menachos
Rabbi Adlerstein writes
>
> The "official" commentary of Rashi to Menachos takes a break in Perakim
> (chapters) 7-10, at least according to the Shitah Mekubetzes as cited on
> the page of the Vilna Shas. He is replaced by a commentary whose author
> is not named, at least by the Shitah.
I cannot contribute much as to the authorship of the
"unofficial" Rashi, except to provide a couple of sources indicating
that it is not Rashi himself; see Tosafos' citation of Rashi on 92b
"Girsa," which appears in the "Old Manuscript" of Rashi on the page but
not in the "unofficial" text, and see R' Akiva Eiger in the Gilyon
HaShas on 78b, where his citations of Rashi elsewhere are found in the
"Old Manuscript" on the page but not in the "unofficial" text.
WEBSHAS! http://www.virtual.co.il/torah/webshas & Leave the Keywords at Home
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From: <mmeisler@...> (Marc Meisler)
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 02:29:31 GMT
Subject: Seudas Mitzvah and fasting
A hypothetical situation...If one attends a bris on one's wedding day
(assuming it is not Rosh Chodesh), does one still have to fast or is he
patur (exempt) because he attends a seudas mitzvah? Does the fact that
fasting on a wedding day is only a minhag (custom) play any role in the
answer?
Marc Meisler
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From: Sanford Slae <75123.3231@...>
Date: 14 Jul 96 23:38:24 EDT
Subject: Shabbos: Ionic Straining
Modern-day concerns with purity of water have prompted new
technological refinements of water processing for public consumption. In
particular, impurities invisible to the naked eye (or even microsopes)
are suspected to cause health problems. Metallic ions (e.g.;lead),
chemical residues (pesticides, mercury, industrial wastes) may not be
detected by the naked eye, but modern instrumental analysis can reveal
their presence, and an enormous body of scientific literature details
their alleged harmfulness to human beings Current 'filtration techniques
include simple forms of ionic resins which can selectively attract
undesirable metals and other impurities. Filter cartiridges or layers
need to be changed periodically to freshen their adsorbing (or
'filtering') effectiveness.These 'filters' or absorbing columns or
layers are often used as attachments to the inlet water faucets. They
are also used now as parts of water pitchers. When these pitchers are
filled, the water passes through a filter layer and accumulates in pure
form in the body of the pitcher. When the water is poured, it no longer
has to pass through this fliter layer. In fact the water appears to be
clear before passing through the filtering medium. The presence of
impurities is not obvious. Also the water is used for drinking by most
people in the pre-filtered state. Even those who use these filters could
drink unfiltered water when filtered water is not available. If this
filter pitcher, or water faucet chemical filter column is used on
Shabbos, would that be a question of filtering (borar) on Shabbos?
Sincerely,
Shabsai Slae
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From: Gad Frenkel <0003921724@...>
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 96 11:03 EST
Subject: Socializing at Tashlich
For many years I have avoided doing Tashlich on Rosh Hashonah for
exactly the reasons that were mentioned in this thread. I remember that
in my teen years my sole purpose for going was to meet girls, and while
I imagine that that that is not the goal of most of the adults who
attend, the atmosphere is very often that of a street fair rather than
any kind of spiritual soul searching experince.
But the main reason that I responded was to address the remarks of a
previous poster on this topic.
>Is any form of friendly contact between the sexes really something to
>be shunned? The discussion was not focused on avoiding licentiousness
>or lashon hara, which should be taken for granted - the recoil was from
>simple socializing. One person even referred to it as "strengthening
>the Satan". This sounds extreme, and perhaps more in tune with Medieval
>Christian beliefs than Jewish ones.
>In general, I am concerned with the trend where attitudes and practices
>that used to be associated with "fringe" or "ultra" positions, are
>becoming more and more the expected norm in the Orthodox world. This
>trend is no more pronounced than in issues relating to mixed activities
First the statements reagrding fringe or ultra positions. I'm not sure
how the poster is defining the norm. Until the rise of so-called modern
orthodoxy in America there was little socializing between non-family
members of the opposite sex. Whatever one feels about this approach it
is hardly a fringe or ultra position. Rather it is the promoters of
mixed activities that are breaking from tradition.
Furthermore given the social and sexual mores of our society perhaps too
much friendly socilaizing between the sexes should be avoided,
especially among young hormonally active people whose values are all too
much defined by those of popular culture, especially in areas of dating
and sexuality.
Finally, is it so farfetched to say that on Rosh Hashonah, one might be
wise to try a little harder to avoid situations that might lead to
"licentiousness and Loshon Hora"?
Gad Frenkel
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End of Volume 24 Issue 65