Volume 35 Number 60
Produced: Thu Oct 25 23:07:18 US/Eastern 2001
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
ANAV means RESPONSIVE not HUMBLE (Rav HIrsch)
[Neil Normand]
Birkat Hashanim
[Michael J. Savitz]
Electric Shavers - Philips and Machon Tsomet
[Emmanuel IFRAH]
Hechsher on an apple
[Michael J. Savitz]
Meaning of "imru"
[Bob Werman]
Nelilah & Shofar
[Yisrael and Batya Medad]
Seudot HoDaya
[Jeffrey Saks]
Top Seven Male Jews mail-jewish Vol. 35 #59 Digest
[Ariel, Gidon]
Ushpizim
[Shlomo Godick ]
Ushpizin
[smeth]
Ushpizin (was: "Top Seven Male Jews")
[Gershon Dubin]
Uspizin
[Eli Linas]
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From: Neil Normand <NormandN@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 14:04:44 -0400
Subject: Re: ANAV means RESPONSIVE not HUMBLE (Rav HIrsch)
Leaving your interpretation of the term ANAV aside, the Maharitz Chayot,
in his commentary to Masechet Gitin understands that Gemara you quoted
in the exact opposite way that you want to understand it. He says that
Rav Zecharya should have invoked a horaat shaa'a and accepted the animal
that the Romans presented to the bet hamikdash, however, because of his
humility, he did not feel that he was of such a stature to invoke a
horaat shaa'a, and so the Gemara criticizes him for his excessive
humility.
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From: Michael J. Savitz <msavitz@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 08:36:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Birkat Hashanim
It is said that on Rosh Hashana one's parnassa [income, sustenance] for
the coming year is determined. I'm not sure where this is from - I
think it's a gemara - but I have heard it repeated enough times that I
assume that this notion is part of normative Jewish thought.
Yet, as part of the weekday Amidah, we recite Birkat Hashanim ("Barech
aleynu . . . et hashana hazot . . ."), in which we pray to HKB"H to
make the current year a good one in terms of sustenance.
If the year's sustenance has already been determined from above, so to
speak, why is this not considered a "tefilat shav," a vain prayer, akin
to praying that the baby your wife is already carrying be a male (or
female) baby, etc.?
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From: Emmanuel IFRAH <eifrah@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 10:25:02 +0200
Subject: Re: Electric Shavers - Philips and Machon Tsomet
I can confirm that Norelco is the brand under which Philips shavers are
marketed in the USA.
Thanks to Roger Kingsley for the reference to the Tzomet Web Site.
The article about electric shavers is posted here:
http://www.zomet.org.il/ar.asp?v_id=2707.
Emmanuel Ifrah (<eifrah@...>)
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From: Michael J. Savitz <msavitz@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 08:28:32 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Hechsher on an apple
While in New York City recently I purchased an apple at a deli, and I
was surprised to notice that the apple had a sticker on it (which I
saved) saying "Freilichs New Zealand Kosher", along with a
diamond-shaped hechsher (containing "KA" and the word "kosher" in Hebrew
inside the diamond).
Why in the world would an apple need kashrut certification? I could
understand perhaps if the apple was from Israel, to satisfy concerns
regarding shemita, orlah, maaser, etc. But from New Zealand? Are there
Jews who are so makpid that they would not eat a piece of fresh fruit
without hashgacha?
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From: <RWERMAN@...> (Bob Werman)
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 7:24 +0200
Subject: RE: Meaning of "imru"
Michael Kramer says imru means praise. Yes, almost. It means raise on
high, too. The top of a tree is called amira.
Best,
__Bob Werman
PS See it use in Yonah, too. _B.
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From: Yisrael and Batya Medad <ybmedad@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 22:12:56 +0200
Subject: Re: Nelilah & Shofar
We had the usual situation this year at Neilah time when we davened a
bit fast so as to assure Duchening and then were too early for the time
for the end of the fast (even after s-l-o-w-l-y saying all the Avinu
Malkeinu) and danced for about 10 minutes. But one member was upset
because, as he pointed out in the Mishnah Brurah, the Shofar blowing did
*not* have to be delayed until after davening as is found in Chapter 623
(tav-reish-chaf-gimmel), Note 12: "...and it is permitted to blow...even
if they hadn't made the separation in the prayer because it is a
'talent' and not a 'work' which the Rabbis weren't strict about..."
Yisrael Medad
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From: Jeffrey Saks <atid@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 12:11:58 +0200
Subject: Seudot HoDaya
I was priveleged to particiapte in a Seudat Hodaya about 10 months ago to
mark Rabbi Chaim Brovender's release from the hospital after his brutal
beating at the hands of Palestinian police (at the very beginning of the
intifada). A few weeks ago I was also present for a seudah to mark the
passage of a year of the event--a la "Second Purims" which were apparently
more common in the past. The idea is that an individual or community saved
from tragedy ought to mark the anniversary of the event.
Both occaisions were inspiring opportunities for us--his family, friends and
talmidim--to observe his reflections and share in the lessons he learned
throughout his ordeal. Naturally, the evening which occured a year later was
a more fully processed and mature treatment of his ideas, while the one
immediately following the event was more "raw."
R. Avraham Danziger, whose family was saved from a factory explosion,
celebrated such a private Purim, and writes about that experience (and
subsequent "Purims") in his Hayye Adam.
See also Prof. Yerushalimi's "Zachor", pp. 47-52.
For those interested in the details of Rabbi Brovender's ordeal, including
an audio download of his reflections on the experience, please visit:
http://www.atid.org/rcb-ordeal.htm
Jeffrey Saks
ATID, Jerusalem
-----Original Message-----
> I had a similar feeling when I heard talk about those being saved having
> a seudat hodaya (meal of thanksgiving). But with respect to that we
> have, unfortunately, precedence. Does anyone know what those who were
> saved from terrorist bombings in israel (EG, those in Sbarro's who
> escaped uninjured) do, if anything, about a seudat hodaya?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ariel, Gidon <Gariel@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 14:04:50 +0200
Subject: RE: Top Seven Male Jews mail-jewish Vol. 35 #59 Digest
Daniel Cohn and Elie Rosenfeld both point out that Shlomo Hamelech was
never a wanderer. I don't have a source in front of me, but I believe a
midrash (on Kohelet?) tells of Shlomo being dethroned for a while and
being forced to wander from place to place.
I may point out the popular Chaim Dovid song "Shiv'at Haro'im",
obviously drawn from (probably kabbalistic) sources, which clearly lists
the seven as shepherds, as well as giving each a unique title. Shlomo
Hamelech might be "disqualified" on both of these counts.
Gidon Ariel
<gidon.ariel@...>
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From: Shlomo Godick <Shlomog@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 12:18:03 +0200
Subject: RE: Ushpizim
From the kabbalistic point of view, the seven ushpizin correspond to
the lower seven s'firot. Yosef corresponds to the s'fira y'sod, which
deals with k'dushat ha-brit. David Ha-melekh corresponds to the s'fira
malkhut, Avraham hesed, Yitzhak g'vura, Yaakov tiferet, etc.
If Shlomo were to replace Yosef, it is not clear how the correspondence
could be maintained.
Kol tuv,
Shlomo Godick
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From: smeth <smeth@...>
Subject: Ushpizin
I don't know why Shlomo Hamelech is "substituted" for Yosef in the
MiSheberach for Cholim. However, my understanding is that the Ushpizin
correspond to the Six Sefiros of the Ze'er Anpin [the Small Face] (this
is why the Ari Z"L's order differs from chronological order), as
follows:
Chesed - Avraham Avinu was the quintessential role model of chesed.
Gevurah - Yitzchak Avinu's gevurah was demonstrated at the akeidah
Tiferes - Ya'acov Avinu, the bechir shebeavos [chosed of the patriarchs] was
the synthesis of Avraham and Yitzchak
Netzach - Moshe Rabeinu taught us the eternal Torah
Hod - Aharon Hakohen represents glory in the avodah [service] and the 8
begadim [garments] (e.g., "Mer'eh Kohen")
Yesod - Yosef HaTzaddik; tzaddik yesod olam [a tzaddik is the foundation of
the world] (this is also the reason that shishi is the most valued Aliyah
among chassidim).
Malchus - David HaMelech
In a similar vein, the na'anuim [lulav wavings] according to the Ari Z"L go
in order of these Sefiros, as each of the six spatial directions correspond
to one of the Sefiros of the Ze'er Anpin.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Gershon Dubin <gershon.dubin@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 21:09:08 -0400
Subject: Ushpizin (was: "Top Seven Male Jews")
From: Elie Rosenfeld <erosenfe@...>
<<The seven that we invite as Ushpizin were all wanderers, exiled from
their homes, for major portions of their lives. Thus, it is appropriate
that we invite them as guests to our Sukkah. By contrast, Shlomo was
born to royalty and presumably lived in a palace his whole life. So he
is more suitably connected with the following holiday, Shmini Atzeres,
which (as pointed out on this list a few months ago) celebrates our
return to our fixed, comfortable dwellings after leaving the
Sukkah.Therefore, Shlomo is associated with Shmini Atzeres - as further
evidenced by the choice of Haftarah for that holiday >>
Rav Gedaliah Shorr in Ohr Gedalyahu says that al pi kabbala the
ushpizin for Shemini Atzeres **is** Shelomo.
Gershon
<gershon.dubin@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Eli Linas <linaseli@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 12:57:51 +0200
Subject: Re: Uspizin
>Daniel Cohn:
>Some time ago I heard (don't ask for sources though...) that the reason
>was that the seven ushpizin had all been wanderers for a certain period
>of their lives, which "qualified" them to be guests in a temporary hut,
>"wanderer style" like the sukka. Which is not the case for Shlomo, in
>fact he's associated with the Beit HaMikdash, the quintessential
>"permanent dwelling" in our tradition.
Bs"d
This sounds suspect; Shlomo HaMelech was also a wanderer for a
signifigant period of time, when he was replaced by Ashmadai and became
Koheles, if I recall the details correctly.
Eli
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End of Volume 35 Issue 60
