Avodah Mailing List

Volume 41: Number 35

Mon, 08 May 2023

• 1. Re: Segulos (Micha Berger)
• 2. nusach hatfila (Marty Bluke)
• 3. Re: Segulos (Joel Rich)
• 4. Re: nusach hatfila (Joel Rich)
• 5. OU Aluminum Foil - necessary or just plain marketing? Cukes) (Micha Berger)
• 6. Lying to Paro and the Egyptians (Cantor Wolberg)
• 7. Re: Lying to Paro and the Egyptians (Micha Berger)

On Wed, May 03, 2023 at 09:24:59PM +0000, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> The following is from The Institute for Dayanim
> https://dinonline.org/category/articles/
>     Today, every Jewish bookstore sports a new genre of Jewish literature
>     -- segula collections. While some garner their segulos from reputable
>     sources, others mix in charms and witchcraft. It is important to
>     discern which is authentic and which is not.

One also has to be careful about attitude.

Simanei milsa on RH, like the apple-in-honey, are not presented the way
segulos have been popularized. We are supposed to use these actions as
a way

My chaburah in Zelmele's Kloiz is currently learning Derashos haRan,
and we are in derashah #2. The Ran talks about why "vaye'etar Yitzchaq
laH' *lenokhach ishto*", why did he have to be facing his wife? The
Ran gets into a discussion of how the shefa a tefillah draws down will
reach the physical more reliably if the mispallel, as the conduit of
the shefa, does something physical. Which is why Elisha's tefillah for
the Shunamite's sign had to involve laying on him. And the Ran gives a
number of other examples.

So far, so mystical.

But the Ran adds this works because the physical act adds kavanah.

Just as the apple-in-honey is there to add to our kavanah when we daven
for a sweeter year.

Now, if a man whose wife is due to deliver soon runs to get pesichah as
a magickal way of making that delivery easier, it is problematic. Even
though this is not a practice that originates in chuqas haaku"m.

But if segulos are taken as kavvanah aids, they are deeply anchored in
the mesorah, like a simana milsa on RH.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 28th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   4 weeks in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Malchus sheb'Netzach: What role does
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF    domination or taking control play in building brotherhood?

In Israel this happens all the time. I daven mincha and maariv in a very
yeshivish place where thee nusach is Ashkenaz and there is always at least
one sefardi saying Kaddish with their long ending.
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> 
> But if segulos are taken as kavvanah aids, they are deeply anchored in
> the mesorah, like a simana milsa on RH.
> 
> 
Rav Asher weiss said he?d suggest sticking with the segulot mentioned in the Gemara 
Kt
Joel Rich 

> On 5 May 2023, at 14:55, Marty Bluke via Avodah <avo...@lists.aishdas.org> wrote:
> 
> ?In Israel this happens all the time. 

Yes it does but I think this is de facto  and wonder whether there is an
official Synagogue policy. I know at least one that has such a policy but
it is regularly flouted and the gabbaim decided it?s not worth fighting
about.

Kt
Joel Rich

R. Akiva Miller wrote on Areivim:
> I presume that the OU [on cucumbers or potatoes] means the same thing
> as when it appears on a roll of aluminum foil...

According to the person at the OU who actually was going to Reynolds some
10-15 years ago:

Aluminum foil is generally greased with an edible grease to go through
the rollers. Flattening metal creates a LOT of heat, so it needs greasing,
however they found that after the metal goes through, there is still a
small amount of oil that didn't burn off.

So, they're intentionally putting an edible product on the foil knowing
it will get into people's food.

Ad kan my memory of his explanation. -------------------------------------

This makes it a bitul lechatkhilah, like a wide range of kashrus
issues. Halachically it is allowed if done by non-Jews for primarily
non-Jews, but considered "garua'", and should be avoided if possible.
Like if they willingly bring in a hekhsher.

Or if their competitor did... With kosher aluminum foil on the market,
it may require she'as hadechaq / hefsed merubah to rely on one where
the grease is batel beshishim.

Also a problem once the hekhsher does come in, because now you know the
maker is thinking about the minority of consumers who are Jewish.

Yet another case where the existence of the kashrus industry meant that
we needed to use them.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 29th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   4 weeks and 1 day in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Chesed sheb'Hod: When is submitting to another
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                     an act of kindness?

The Torah Temimah says it was a plague of cataracts.

As any ophthalmologist will tell you, everyone eventually gets cataracts so how could it be a plague?
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On Fri, May 05, 2023 at 09:57:57AM -0400, Cantor Wolberg via Avodah wrote:
> The Torah Temimah says it was a plague of cataracts.

> As any ophthalmologist will tell you, everyone eventually gets cataracts
> so how could it be a plague?

People naturally get lice all the time. Boils can also come naturally.
But everyone all at once?

With everyone at once when needed for the Exodus?

Now, the Torah Temimah is not only suggesting that everyone got cateracts
in bulk as needed, they got bad enough to the point of total blindness --
immediately! And that's not the way it naturally goes.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 29th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   4 weeks and 1 day in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Chesed sheb'Hod: When is submitting to another
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                     an act of kindness?


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