Volume 6 Number 85
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Chasna dancing
[<YOSEF_BECHHOFER@...>]
Dark Brown Suede Kippa
[Frank Silbermann]
Hebrew Calendar Computer Program
[Cindy Carpenter]
Kojel [mail.jewish Vol. 6 #81 Digest]
[Rick Dinitz]
More than one first-born in a family
[Gary Davis]
Non-Wheat Matza
[Josh Klein]
Status of "Messianic Jews"
[Freda Birnbaum]
Taanis bechorim
[Yaneev Benno]
Yishtabach
[Anthony Fiorino]
Disposal of "Jewish" literature
[<AJHYMAN@...>]
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From: <YOSEF_BECHHOFER@...> (Yosef Bechhofer)
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 93 12:00:18 -0500
Subject: Chasna dancing
We are B'ezras Hashem going to Israel for Pesach tomorrow, so i
do not know if i will have access to MJ for three weeks. therefore, I
would like just briefly to note that as of now i am unconvinced by Yossi
Rubin and Isaac Balbin's arguments. I was not making a halachic
statement (as I stated clearly), nor one castigating bands who play the
song at the request of a chassan and kalla, but rather the fact that
there is an inherent lack of meta-halachic drive for kedusha in the
entire phenomenon (dance classes?!). See the Ramban on the pasuk of
"Kedoshim Teeyu", about not being a low person with the Torah's
permission. True simcha (defined by the Mesillas Yesharim) is connection
to Hashem - here, through the simcha of a binyan batis ne'eman
b'Yisrael. It doesn't matter in my mind who lends credibility to the
song by dancing to it, but rather whether it manifests true simcha, or
fun. fun is not necessarily bad, but I think that Hashem's will is
probably that we strive for something higher.
Chag Kasher V'Sameach!
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From: Frank Silbermann <fs@...>
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 93 18:43:57 -0500
Subject: Re: Dark Brown Suede Kippa
I have a small plain dark brown suede kippa I like, but it's
wearing out and I have been unable to find a replacement.
Those I see in Jewish bookstores and catalogs are either
the wrong color, too fancy, or much bigger than mine.
Is there a place I can order a few suede kepot to my specifications?
Frank Silbermann <fs@...>
Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana USA
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From: Cindy Carpenter <ccarpent@...>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 12:00:19 EST
Subject: Re: Hebrew Calendar Computer Program
I have some software that doesn't create a calendar per se, but it will
compute a printable list of holidays or yahrzeits for 50 years (or more,
even 500 years). It also gives me the Hebrew date, time of sunset and
sunrise for my location, and a quote from a Jewish source every day upon
turning on my machine. Before shabbat or holidays, it plays a bit of a
relevant song or sound (e.g., graggers for Purim, Chad Gadya for
Pesach) and lists candelighting times. Fun as well as useful.
The software is called HaYom, comes in Mac and Windows versions, and
costs $36, last time I checked. You can order it from its creator, A.G.
Reinhold, 14 Fresh Pond Place, Cambridge, MA 02138. (And I *am*
affiliated with him - but not in a business sense, we just happen to go
to the same shul.)
Chag kasher v'sameach
- Cindy Carpenter
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From: tekbspa!<dinitz@...> (Rick Dinitz)
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 93 23:43:35 -0500
Subject: Kojel [mail.jewish Vol. 6 #81 Digest]
Yaakov Bendavid writes:
>Does anyone know if Kolatin is available for purchase in raw form
>for for people who want to make home-made kosher "jello" instead of
>using the Kosher gelatin mixes (Kojel) which contain food-coloring?
Kojel makes an unflavored variety, which you can mix with your
favorite fruit purees and juices. It comes in a gray and white box.
Kol tuv,
-Rick
[<dinitz@...>]
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From: Gary Davis <davis@...>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 10:41:58 -0500
Subject: More than one first-born in a family
If an adopted son was the first-born of his mother, and the adopting
parents have a son of which they are the "birth parents", to use current
jargon, am I correct in assuming that both sons are to be treated as
first-born?
By the way, as I write this on April 2, it is snowing in this part of
Canada, and the entire landscape is as white as it has been all winter! I
hope you all have a happy Pesach, and that spring might be just around the
corner!
- Gary Davis
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From: Josh Klein <VTFRST@...>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 11:53 N
Subject: Non-Wheat Matza
J. Traum asked about non-wheat matza. There is a disease called celiac
(spelling uncertain) which causes inlfamed bowels in those who eat
gluten-rich flours (such as wheat). This disease is genetically linked,
I believe. In any event, the Manchester England Bet Din for some time
has been producing oat- based matza for those who 'medically require'
it.No doctors' prescription neccessary, but 70 shekel a kilo is the
cost, at least according to the article I saw in the J'lem Post last
week. This way you don't have to suffer more than usual to perform the
mitzva.... Rye and barley make very poor flour for baking (rye bread is
usually no more than 1/4 rye; the rest is wheat). As far as spelt (as
'kusemet' is usually translated) goes, nobody is really sure what this
grain is/was. Some botanic meforshim (botanomeforshim?) say it's
actually a variety of barley. What is sold in Israel as 'kusemet' is
actually buckwheat, which is not at all related to the grains mentioned
above. A kosher, healthy, and happy Pesach to all.
Josh Klein VTFRST@Volcani
[an added point :-) from Neal Auman <TKGOC03%<EZMAIL@...>
As far as corned beef on rye matza - you couldn't seriously
consider eating that without mustard, could you ? :-)
Neal Auman
]
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From: Freda Birnbaum <FBBIRNBA@...>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 06:35 EDT
Subject: Status of "Messianic Jews"
In mj v6n84, Lon Eisenberg says, re disposal of "Messianic Jewish"
literature,
>... But if a non-Jew (I assume the "Messianic Jews" are
>non-Jews) write it in their literature, it must be placed in a genizah.
These "Messianic Jews" quite often ARE Jews...
Freda Birnbaum
<FBBIRNBAUM@...>
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From: <yb5963@...> (Yaneev Benno)
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 10:35:57 EST
Subject: Taanis bechorim
Given the current discussion of Taanis bechorim, I would like to bring
up a small point. I am a bechor, and at one point I was trying to decide
whether or not to fast. My father has the view that attending a siyyum
is the "easy way out." I guess I inherited that from him. It should be
noted, however, that whatever minhag you choose, once you have done it
at least three times, then you are obligated to do that from then on. In
other words, if you fast on taanis bechorim for at least three
consecutive years, then you are obligated to fast on Taanis bechorim
every year.
[I do not think that either fasting or attending a Siyum constitutes a
minhag. Thus I am skeptical, in the absence of sources to back up the
statement that the "rule of three" applies here. Just my opinion. Mod.]
--Yaneev Benno
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From: Anthony Fiorino <fiorino@...>
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 93 11:28:25 -0500
Subject: Yishtabach
Regarding the question of why a new chazan takes over before yishtabach:
I believe that the kaddish immediately following p'sukei d'zimra is
"linked" to p'sukei d'zimra (each kaddish is linked to the preceding
section in prayer; thus in many cases kadish can be said in the presence
of only 9 if there was a minyan for the preceding section of prayer.)
Thus, it may be that the person who concludes p'sukei d'zimra is the
person who must say the following kaddish.
Besides, what kind of hefseik is it for one person to come up to the bimah
and the other to leave, provided thay don't have a chat while pasing each
other?
Chag kasher v'sameach
Eitan Fiorino
<fiorino@...>
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From: <AJHYMAN@...> (Avi Hyman)
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 01:36:01 -0500
Subject: Disposal of "Jewish" literature
On the issue of disposing of Conservative Jewish material
He cited a gemorah that says that a letter-perfect Sefer Torah written
by an apikores [unbeliever] ...
[a] What was that Gemorah?
[b] On what basis can a Conservative Jew be called an 'apikores'
according the Halacha (I ask this because my understanding
of apikores is that it is someone who knows and then rejects
Halachikly speaking (legally) this does not seem to apply to
Conservative Jews as they do not reject, and they not know)?
[c] Likewise, this may or may not apply to Reform Jews who may reject
but also may not know...
<AJHYMAN@...>
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End of Volume 6 Issue 85