Avodah Mailing List

Volume 41: Number 6

Thu, 19 Jan 2023

• 1. Re: taker but not giver? (Meir Shinnar)
• 2. Sheqel Kesef Coins in Anitiquity (Rabbi Meir G. Rabi)
• 3. Tochachah - R Lord Jonathan Sacks's example (Micha Berger)
• 4. Re: Sheqel Kesef Coins in Anitiquity (Micha Berger)
• 5. name change (Joel Rich)
• 6. milchemet rshut (Joel Rich)
• 7. Re: name change (Zev Sero)
• 8. Re: name change (Joel Rich)
• 9. May one get a haircut or cut their nails on Rosh Chodesh? (Prof. L. Levine)

> 
> Joel Rich wrote on 1/11/2023 Avoda 41:4
> I heard an interesting comment from a Rabbi during a recent shiur. He
> stated that he had been contacted by an international bone marrow registry
> telling him that he was a partial match and to come down for further
> testing. He consulted with a number of poskim and they told him he was not
> required to get tested. He told one posek that if the recipient was an frum
> Jew, that he would do it. The posek told him, very good. The general
> response from the poskim was based on the fact that since the majority of
> likely recipients were not Jewish, he didn?t have to do it. (I?m guessing
> due to lo taamod only being for Jews)
> 
> I suppose we have a similar ethical question with heart transplants ? if we
> won?t donate, but will take. It seems to me in this case there?s an
> additional halachic issue. It appears to me that if there?s a partial
> match, you can?t look at the general population of registrants and ask
> what?s the likelihood the person is Jewish, since the partial match gives
> us some further information and we would have to use Bayesian statistics to
> determine whether in fact the assumption that the majority of likely
> matches were not Jewish should be updated for the additional information
> that there is a partial match. Any thoughts?

This issue keeps coming up in multiple different forms (eg, doctors and ambulances and non Jews on shabbat, heart transplants,

The gaon Rav Yechiel Weinberg zt?l (the Seride Ash), in a letter to his
child hood friend, bemoaned the fact that it used to be that everyone
accepted the Meiri?s view - that the halachot in the gmara about relations
to non Jews are to the immoral idolaters of their time, and not to the
current non Jews .  Now, however, some people are whispering that we don?t
follow the Meiri, and some are even saying it loudly.

The sources Joel Rich cites are clearly amongst those the Seride Ash bemoaned.

Ignoring for a moment moral issues, but on practical consequences;  From a
practical viewpoint, in Bergen County, in early 2000s, the local volunteer
ambulance corps, which had (and has) a large Orthodox presence, asked them
to set up protocols to deal with shabbat calls - which were to the entire
community - both Jews and non Jews.Some ?rabbanim? objected.  They called
in Rav Moshe Tendler for advice, who told them Rav Moshe?s position.   In
Russia, if word got out a Jew did not treat non Jews on shabbat, the entire
Jewish community of that town would be wiped out.  Therefore, heter of
darche shalom clearly applies

Lest we think this only applies to Russia, one of the issues driving the
Crown heights pogrom was the (false) rumor that Hatzoloh left the black
children to die because they were black (and shabbat was coming).   This is
still an issue.  I used to work in the field of heart transplants, and
there is no question that the refusal of Orthodox Jews to donate creates
antisemitism- and affects their priority.

However, what is described is far far worse than these examples.  At least
in those cases, there was a halachic prohibition.  Here there is no
halachic prohibition - just that the ?rabbinic? and ?poskim? involved are
willing to ignore the Halacha of mipne darkhe shalom - that some things are
done because its ways are ways of peace which would seem to apply - and
just don?t view the nonJews as fully human - worthy of our care.  (Note
that ben Azzam holds that the most important verse in the torah - more than
ve?ahavata lere?achca camocha - love your neighbor as yourself- is ze Sefer
toldot Adam - this is the book of generations of man- that we are all
human.

That this should happen so soon after the Shoah is proof of the moral
degeneration of the ?rabbanim? and ?poskim? involved - and of the community
that will follow them.
We need to publicly speak out against this.  This is not merely profoundly
(and gut wrenchingly) immoral, but a hillul Shem shamayimm befarhesya -
public desecration of god?s name.

For those that this argument is not sufficient, I would add that this also
endangers all Orthodoxy in America (as in the ambulance discussion above) -
and the blatant racism (and this is clearly racism) of those involved - and
the communal tolerance of such racism - is one factor driving many of our
community away from Orthodoxy.

I would ask Joel, as a public service and to protect the Jewish community
from its predators ( and these ?rabbinic? and ?poskim? should be viewed as
predators on the community), to publicize the ?rabbis? and ?poskim"
involved - so we know who to avoid.  Such publicity would be true lo
ta?amod al dam re-echa - not standing by allowing someone to die


Meir Shinnar

Reb Micha asked; Does it say anywhere that the coins were made in their era?

It seems that the Medrash understands that the coins were minted in his
lifetime, indeed, even early in his lifetime, when he was tested to leave
his father's house.

See Rashi beginning Lech LeCha - travelling A] disrupts family life, B] it
reduces one's wealth and C] lessens one's renown. Therefore these three
blessings - children, wealth and a sterling reputation, neutralised them
all (Genesis Rabbah 39:11)

The Medrash Yulkut describes this minted coin as fulfillment of HKBHs
promise - I WILL MAKE YOU FAMOUS, one of those three blessings, designed to
neutralise the expected negative effects of leaving ones home and trying to
settle in a new place.

There does not seem to be much point in offering a band-aid many years
AFTER the Makka, that will not help address the trouble associated with
leaving home. I suppose one might say that he was so famous that even many
years later he was commemorated with a minted coin.


BTW leaving home in those days [less so these days when the first Q asked
is Funn Vannent Kumt a Yid? it is the equivalent of a diplomat presenting
credentials - Ah so you must know so and so - which is a politely veiled
message that we can find out all about you, you have no secrets from us.]

When no one knows you, who will trust you? Who will offer you any credit?
Everyone is thinking why would a sane person leave a comfortable life and
risk so much. Is he an axe murderer? What is he running away from?



Best,

Meir G. Rabi

0423 207 837
+61 423 207 837
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From Henry Mountbatten-Windsor's recent book, Spare. The context: after
he infamously dressed up at a costume party like a Nazi, his father,
HRM Charles III (the then-future king), forced him to go visit Rabbi
Lord Jonathan Sacks zt"l. This was his description of the encounter.

I am sharing on Avodah to note what constructive rebuke, tokhachah,
looks like:

"Father sent me to a holy man. 51 years old. Bearded, bespectacled,
with a face with deep wrinkles and dark, intelligent eyes.... He was
Britain's chief rabbi, that's all I was told. But I immediately saw
that he was much more. A distinguished scholar, a religious philosopher,
a prolific writer with more than two dozen books to his name, he spent
many of his days staring out of windows and pondering the root causes
of sorrow, evil, and hatred.

"He didn't mince words. He condemned my actions. It's not that he
was unkind, but it had to be done. He also put my stupidity in a
historical context. He talked about the six million, the people who were
destroyed. Jews, Poles, dissidents, intellectuals, children, babies,
Old men who turned to ash and smoke a few short decades ago.

"I arrived at his house full of shame, but afterwards I felt something
else, bottomless self-loathing. But that was not the rabbi's goal. It
was certainly not how he wanted me to leave him.

"He urged me not to be devastated by my mistake, but to be motivated. He
assured me that people do stupid things, say stupid things, but that
should not be their inner nature. He said I showed that my true nature
when I asked to atone for the act and I'm looking for forgiveness. He
gave me grace. He's a really wise man. He told me to raise my head,
get out, and use this experience to make the world better."

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 The same boiling water
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   that softens the potato, hardens the egg.
Author: Widen Your Tent      It's not about the circumstance,
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF    but rather what you are made of.

On Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 11:23:48AM +1100, Rabbi Meir G. Rabi via Avodah wrote:
> The Medrash Yulkut describes this minted coin as fulfillment of HKBHs
> promise - I WILL MAKE YOU FAMOUS, one of those three blessings, designed to
> neutralise the expected negative effects of leaving ones home and trying to
> settle in a new place.

What is greater fame? That your contemporaries know how great you are?
Or that hundreds or thousands of years later, you are still remembered
for your greatness?

The coins being minted centuries later are a greater fulfillment of the
promise. (For that matter, saying Birkhas Avos and "Magein Avraham" at
least 3 times a day for 2-1/2 millennia and counting is yet greater.)

> There does not seem to be much point in offering a band-aid many years
> AFTER the Makka...

Who said this heals the makka? Rather, it shows that the tribulations
our ancestors went through had a purpose and came with a berakhah.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 "And you shall love H' your G-d with your whole
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   heart, your entire soul, and all you own."
Author: Widen Your Tent      Love is not two who look at each other,
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF    It is two who look in the same direction.

When someone is very ill, have you seen name added or total name change? If
added, was it added as first name (e.g chaim moshe) or last (Moshe chaim)?
In either case, anything other than chaim or rfael?
KT
Joel Rich
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As far as milchemet rshut(voluntary war) I found a couple of commentators
who say it is not an advise and consent function of the court but rather
either to clarify the laws of war or to pray for the warriors. I did not
find other comments but assuming that others believe it is advise and
consent what exactly are the parameters that the court is supposed to take
into account?
KT
Joel Rich
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On 18/1/23 09:25, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
> When someone is very ill, have you seen name added or total name change? 
> If added, was it added as first name (e.g chaim moshe) or last (Moshe 
> chaim)? In either case, anything other than chaim or rfael?

I have rarely seen a total name change, probably because it would be 
inconvenient for those used to calling the person by his old name. 
Adding a name makes it easier to identify who you're talking about.

The only case I know where it was a total name change was not due to 
illness.  The person simply wanted to change his name, so he did so.

I have seen names added both before and after, but usually before.

Chaim and Refael are the most common added names, when the change is 
made due to illness, but when it is being done for other reasons I've 
seen other names.   In the case of illness, the only example I can think 
of where another name was used is my grandfather a"h, who during a 
childhood illness had the name Yehoshua added in front of his old name.

-- 
Zev Sero            ?Were we directed from Washington when to sow
z...@sero.name       and when to reap, we should soon want bread.?
                    ?Thomas Jefferson: Autobiography, 1821.

On Thu, Jan 19, 2023 at 12:11 AM Zev Sero wrote:
> The only case I know where it was a total name change was not due to
> illness.  The person simply wanted to change his name, so he did so.

TY. Do you know if there was a formal procedure as there is when illness
is involved? Rabbinic involvement in the decision/procedure?

KT
Joel Rich

From today's OU Kosher Halacha Yomis


Q. May one get a haircut or cut their nails on Rosh Chodesh?

A. The Magen Avrohom (OC 260) writes that it was customary in some
locations to refrain from taking a haircut on Rosh Chodesh, even if it
falls on Friday (when there is a mitzva to do so in honor of Shabbos). This
is based on the recommendation of Rebbi Yehuda Hachasid (1150-1217) in his
tzava?ah (ethical will).

Rav Yehudah Hachasid was a renowned Baal Tosofos (medieval Talmudic
scholar) and Kabbalist. Rav Yehudah Hachasid prohibits many activities in
his tzava?ah that have no Talmudic source, presumably for kabalistic
reasons. There is much debate whether Rav Yehudah?s tzava?ah was written
for everyone or only his descendants. For this reason, the Magen Avrohom
writes that only some people follow Rav Yehuda?s restriction on taking
haircuts on Rosh Chodesh. This includes both haircuts and trimming or
shaving a beard.

Shulchan Aruch Harav (260:1) notes that cutting hair on Rosh Chodesh is
viewed in kabbalah as a sakana (danger). The Mishnah Berurah (260:7) writes
that Rav Yehudah Hachasid's admonition about haircuts applies to cutting
nails. Instead, according to this custom, one should cut their nails on
Thursday (if it is not also Rosh Chodesh). Although ordinarily, we avoid
cutting nails on Thursday, poskim write that if one cannot do so on Friday,
because of Rosh Chodesh, it is permitted to do so on Thursday (see Shaarei
Teshuva 251:4). Others, however, are lenient regarding cutting nails if
Rosh Chodesh falls on erev Shabbos, since this is something that is
typically done every week in honor of Shabbos. They write that it is
possible that the Magen Avrohom intentionally omitted cutting nails, since
the mitzvah will protect from the sakana, but this does not apply to
haircuts, because one does not take a haircut every week (see Sefer Tehilla
L'Dovid 260:1).


Professor Yitzchok Levine

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