Volume 66 Number 39
Produced: Sun, 28 May 23 16:57:12 -0400
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Bishul Nokhri
[Yaakov Shachter]
New book - Torah Health!
[Alexander Seinfeld]
Nusach hatfila reversed
[Avraham Friedenberg]
Shavuot Second Day on Shabbat in Chutz La'Aretz
[Ari Trachtenberg]
Should a levi of high standing wash the hands of a kohen
[David Ziants]
Yuhara
[Joel Rich]
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From: Yaakov Shachter <jay@...>
Date: Fri, May 19,2023 at 04:17 PM
Subject: Bishul Nokhri
Micha Berger wrote (MJ 66#38) in response to Alexander Seinfeld (MJ 66#37):
> Because I don't think that's the translation. For example, in
> Hil. Bishul Akum, "lalefes bo es hapas" shows up -- the same shoresh
> but as a verb. (AZ 38a, 59a) It is something you do to the bread.
I keep on telling you not to do that, and you keep on doing it. Don't say
"bishul akum". The correct term is "bishul nokhri". As I have stated before,
this is more than a pedantic distinction (although we are Jews, and we love
pedantic distinctions); it is a distinction which, if not made, leads to xillul
haShem, and it is very, very serious.
Our texts have been censored. There are certain passages in our texts that say
disparaging things about non-Jews. Our non-Jewish rulers have, at times,
compelled us in consequence to change nokhri to `aku"m in all of our texts (our
non-Jewish rulers did not consider themselves to be idolaters, so, after
requiring us to globally change "non-Jew" to "idolater" in our texts, they were
then satisfied that we were saying nothing disparaging about them). The result
of this censorship is that it left us with texts in which the word `aku"m is
sometimes used to describe a din `aku"m, and sometimes used to describe a din
nokhri. Bishul nokhri is a din nokhri; it is not a din `aku"m. It applies to
all non-Jews, including Muslims and atheists. It is important for people to be
aware of this distinction.
The counter-argument (and there will inevitably be a counter-argument, because
few people will want to admit that they, and their rosh yeshiva, are being
mgalleh fanim battorah shelo k'halakha) is that everyone who says bishul `aku"m,
and everyone who hears someone else say bishul `aku"m, knows that it is a din
nokhri that also applies to Muslims and atheists, and that no one is confused.
The counter-argument is wrong, because we must be scrupulous at all times to
make the distinction between a din nokhri and a din `aku"m, because there are
Jews who are, in fact, confused between din nokhri and din `aku"m, and even if
no one is confused about bishul nokhri (a point, parenthetically, that I do not
concede), we must nonetheless habituate ourselves to speak correctly, and to use
the correct term at all times, because to fail to do so leads to xillul haShem.
Thus, there are Jews, who are recognizably Jews, who think that it is
permissible to keep extra change given to them by a non-Jewish shopkeeper, if
they make it clear that they are relying on the shopkeeper's calculation. This
is not the halakha; these Jews are misapplying a din `aku"m to non-Jews who are
not idolaters. These Jews are thieves. That would be enough to obligate me,
pursuant to Leviticus 19:17, to correct them. But there
is more than that. These Jews are not only thieves, but they are also guilty of
xillul haShem, and they endanger my life. During times of persecution, when we
need non-Jews to risk their lives to save our lives, and the lives of our
children, few non-Jews will risk their lives to save Jews, who are known to
engage in that kind of xillul haShem. When Jews do not engage in xillul haShem,
when they treat non-Jews the way the Torah requires us to, there will be more
non-Jews -- not many, but a few -- who will risk their lives to save our lives,
and the lives of our children, and this is not hyperbole. It is a fact, it is a
documented, indisputable fact, it describes events that took place during the
lifetimes of many people who are alive today, and that can recur tomorrow
morning, to you, and to your children, wherever you may live. So we must insist
that we use the correct terminology, we must habituate ourselves to use the
correct terminology, always, and your rosh yeshiva is a mgalleh fanim battorah
shelo k'halakha, if he does not.
Jay F. ("Yaakov") Shachter
6424 North Whipple Street
Chicago IL 60645-4111
(1-773)7613784 landline
(1-410)9964737 GoogleVoice
<jay@...>
http://m5.chicago.il.us
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From: Alexander Seinfeld <seinfeld@...>
Date: Mon, May 22,2023 at 12:17 PM
Subject: New book - Torah Health!
Dear friends,
I am pleased to announce a new book that has been 10 years (!!!) in the making.
The title is Body & Soul - The Torah Path to Health, Fitness and a Holy Life
In a nutshell its 180+ divrei Torah from Chazal, Rishonim and Acharonim on the
mitzvah of shmiras ha-guf (guarding your health), supplemented with modern
evidence-based medical knowledge when appropriate. It took me 10 years because I
tested the material on many audiences and made many revisions. The goal is to
help Jews stay out of the hospital, wheelchairs and worse for preventable
reasons, and to increase the kedushah (holiness) with which we approach all
bodily matters.
The book is just phase one - phase two is a website - torahhealth.org
<http://torahhealth.org/> - to provide access to the same wisdom via other
media (podcasts, videos, etc.). B'ezras Hashem you will hear from me again when
website is up.
In addition to widespread rabbinic approbation, the project has a world-class
Medical Advisory Board.
It should arrive to all bookstores in the NY area and in major Jewish
communities in NA next week (June 1 is the official date). While we very much
believe in supporting local Jewish bookstores, we are also encouraging friends
to pre-order 1 copy and to share the link with others - we want that first day
to make a blip on the screen of those who track this sort of thing. And of
course anyone who doesn't have a Jewish bookstore nearby might benefit from this
link:
Body and Soul book<https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1680259156?ie=UTF8&tag=j099-20>
If you are affiliated with a shul, school, JCC or other venue that might be
interested in a Torah Health program or presentation, please be in touch.
Please note that this is a not-for-profit project - all proceeds from book sales
are being used to maintain the Torah Health website and programs.
Wishing you a happy and healthy Shavuos,
Sei gezunt!
Alexander Seinfeld
Torah Health and Fitness
99 percent of illness comes from negligence. - Midrash Rabbah
A Project of Jewish Spiritual Literacy, Inc.
Baltimore, MD 21215-3620
(410) 400-9820
Torah Health Landing Page <http://torahhealth.org/>
Home Page <https://jsli.org/>
A 501(c)3 organization.
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From: Avraham Friedenberg <elshpen@...>
Date: Fri, May 19,2023 at 02:17 AM
Subject: Nusach hatfila reversed
After reading Joel Rich's original question (MJ 66 #37) and the responses it
received (MJ 66 #38), I'd like to reverse the question:
I'm saying kaddish, and I often daven mincha and arvit at the shule in our
apartment complex. The nusach there is Eidot Hamizrach, so they add the extra
parts into the kaddish. I stand and wait until they finish, then join in for the
end.
Suppose I show up for minyan one afternoon, and I'm the only one saying kaddish.
Am I obligated to take an Eidot Hamizrach siddur and say the extra parts, or can
I just say it the way I'm used to saying?
Avraham Friedenberg
Be'er Sheva, Israel
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From: Ari Trachtenberg <trachten@...>
Date: Thu, May 18,2023 at 05:17 PM
Subject: Shavuot Second Day on Shabbat in Chutz La'Aretz
Yisrael Medad wrote (MJ 66#38):
> A Ben Eretz Yisrael is in Chutz La'aretz on the Shabbat immediately after
> Shavuot which falls on Friday this year. What Kiddush version does he recite? Is
> there a difference between a public and private recitation?
I think a better question is by what justification do we hold a second day of
Shavuot at all ... after all, there is no doubt about the day, since it's
determined by Pesach (whose doubt has long ended) and, more importantly, by an
individual's precise counting of the Omer - no one (I know) counts "today is the
second or third day of the Omer".
When this second day is on a week day, on what basis do we deny performance
of Torah obligations (like tefillin) for this second day?
best,
-Ari
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From: David Ziants <dziants@...>
Date: Mon, May 22,2023 at 08:17 AM
Subject: Should a levi of high standing wash the hands of a kohen
Please see the following article in arutz7 (Hebrew):
https://www.inn.co.il/news/602284
which is based on a responsum in the latest volume of Techumin by Rav
Professor Neria Gutel.
The question is whether a levi of high standing, such as the President of the
State of Israel (who is a levi), Yitschak Hertzog, wash the hands of a kohen
before birkat hakohanim [duchaning/Blessing of the Priests]. In most parts of
Israel, this is done every day of the week. Ashkenazi diaspora communities
generally only do this on Yom Tov at Mussaph. Usually, it is the levi'im that
wash the hands of the kohanim, rather them wash their own hands (although I know
certain kohanim who prefer to wash their own hands).
The question boils down to:
1) Does the President of Israel have the status of a King of Israel who, in
halacha, is not allowed to forgo his honour.
2) Also if not this status, but having position of being a president or chief
Rabbi demands a certain amount of respect and doing the washing might not
resonate with this status.
The custom, as laid down by his grandfather haRav Yitschak Isaac Hertzog (after
whom he was named) who was Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of pre-state Israel (from 1936)
and then of the State of Israel - was to only do so when they have shacharit or
musaph or fast day mincha ketana in their private residence - but not wash the
hands of the kohanim in shul.
I am curious to hear any other opinions on this subject.
David Ziants
<dziants@...>
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From: Joel Rich <joelirarich@...>
Date: Tue, May 23,2023 at 11:17 PM
Subject: Yuhara
If something isn't mkubal [accepted practice], even though it has significant
mkorot [sources] when does it become yuhara [arrogance] to do it? Four recent
discussions I've had:
1. Saying al naharot bavel before birchat hamazon during the week,
2. Saying kriat shema with trop,
3. Putting on tallit and tfilin outside shul and
4. Saying hareini kaparat mishkavo for a parent in the first year after their
death.
Any thoughts?
KT
Joel Rich
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End of Volume 66 Issue 39
