posted
Ok, I know the reason given for this. The thing is, as someone who neither subscribes to it nor particularly agrees with it, I don't know that I can fairly present it. So I will simply link to (and quote part of) the sicha (um, speech? ) in question.
It was written by the last Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson.
quote: It follows, then, that one should be particularly careful of objects and pictures that a child sees. It is a Jewish custom, for example, to hang verses from the Torah or other sacred objects on the walls of a newborn’s room, or around his crib. Conversely, a parent should ensure that no pictures of impure animals should meet the baby’s gaze. Children also enjoy playing with toys, such as stuffed animals. Again, only pure animals, birds, and fish, should be chosen.
As the child becomes older, it is time for him or her to learn the aleph-bais. So that the child can move easily grasp the shape of the letters, it is usual to illustrate them with pictures. Only pictures of pure animals should be used.[17] Similarly, the pictures of animals used to make many text books and note books more attractive should only be Pure animals.
(Note: when the translator says "pure" he means kosher. Like all the Rebbe's sichos, this was originally delivered in Yiddish.)
Oh, and to answer the question about zoos, this was in the footnotes:
quote: Similarly, visiting a zoo would also be permitted.
posted
I do not subscribe to this practice, myself, but here's what I've heard from folks that do:
A child's soul is a delicate, impressionable thing, and you want to feed it only the most wholesome of influences. So music is OK if it promotes good religious themes, but secular music is not. Kosher food, too, nourishes the soul, while non-kosher does not. And since the child's soul is so impressionable, it should only be exposed to those things that are "kosher", because even looking on a non-kosher animal could make a negative impression.
Anyway, that's what I've heard. I've never heard any source quoted for this practice. I suspect that people made it up.
And the people who would follow this practice would probably also avoid TV, movies, secular music, novels, magazines, and, uh, websites.
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posted
I was taking a class at Nishmat in Jerusalem, and Rav Blachman told us that there isn't a single source that can be found for the custom of waving hands three times before covering our eyes after lighting Shabbat candles.
We were all a little taken aback.
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When were you at Nishmat? (I'm trying to decide if you are more likely to know my mother or my SIL. )
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Um... It was either 1998, 1999 or 2000. I'm having a senior moment here.
Who are your mother and sister-in-law? Do they teach there? I wasn't actually at Nishmat. I was just taking a class on Hassidus with R' Blachman. It was one of the most eye-opening classes I've ever had. He's brilliant.
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quote:Originally posted by starLisa: there isn't a single source that can be found for the custom of waving hands three times before covering our eyes after lighting Shabbat candles.
Three? I wave seven.
Guess that makes me just a little bit superior, eh?
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posted
Neither teaches there, but both have taken classes there at various times. I think that would be too late for my SIL (who has lived in England since about '96 or '97 (I think)), but you might have been there while my mother was taking classes. Her first name is Martha, if that rings any bells.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by rivka: Neither teaches there, but both have taken classes there at various times. I think that would be too late for my SIL (who has lived in England since about '96 or '97 (I think)), but you might have been there while my mother was taking classes. Her first name is Martha, if that rings any bells.
Hmm... the only Martha I know is younger than me, so that's probably not her.
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quote:Originally posted by starLisa: there isn't a single source that can be found for the custom of waving hands three times before covering our eyes after lighting Shabbat candles.
Three? I wave seven.
Guess that makes me just a little bit superior, eh?
quote:Originally posted by rivka: Neither teaches there, but both have taken classes there at various times. I think that would be too late for my SIL (who has lived in England since about '96 or '97 (I think)), but you might have been there while my mother was taking classes. Her first name is Martha, if that rings any bells.
Hmm... the only Martha I know is younger than me, so that's probably not her.
Highly unlikely, since I think you are less than 10 years older than I. Although if you had mumps, I may need to revise that upward a bit.
So much for this round of Jewish Geography. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Here's a question to the Rebbetzin, and this is just cause I'm bored and feel bad for leaving for awhile:
My synagogue lets women conduct the services of Kabbalat Shabbat, Psukei Dezimrah and from Hotzaát to Hachnasat Sefer Tora, as well as reading and reaceiving Aliyot. Also, they do Kol Nidre. Men do the rest.
I have been active near the pinnacle of the oligarchy managing the synagogue for about a year. Before I was a member, already, they allowed me to read whatever I wanted and they supplied me with evry form of respect possible - with the sole exception of Hazzanut.
I am a competent, versatile, spiritual, serious and occasionally praised chazzan. The oligachy knows that. I am not asking to do Ne'ila, but with the exception of Mincha and once Shacharit for Rosh Chodesh (and that was only as a last-minute substitute), I never did Chazzanut (oh, and one embarrassing Psukei Dezimrah).
The thing is, that other congregations state "we do not like to have teens leading our services, with the exception of special Saturdays - in which they read the Torah too - and Teen Minyanim", this one lets girls my age perform services freely, and when I enquired I was told "not to peek behind the curtain. It's nothing against you, just our ideology/policy".
Why would this be? Rebbetzin, you might understand.
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The practice that you describe is foreign to my experience. I have no understanding of the rationale behind it. Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Affirmative action. That's what it sounds like, anyway. Is this Yedidya? Or the one in the German Colony?
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posted
I'd just like to note that I recently picked up my own copy of the Artscroll Stone Edition Tanach (full sized), and am enjoying it immensely.
Also, it's pretty.
A question though - is it just me, or does the translation occasionally stray from a literal translation to that of what is viewed as 'intended text meaning', pulling very strongly from the commentary of the sages?
There are some particular renderings I've not seen anywhere (JPS included), but that are keyed to commentator footnotes giving an expanded version of the story being hinted at in the verse, and the translation of these often seem to make the connections between the actual translation and the commentary 'clearer' than they actually appear in the text.
Not a complaint at all (as I've already enjoyed and benefited from learning about some Orthodox interpretations and expositions I wasn't familiar with), just a question concerning an observation.
Posts: 2689 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
It's not you. Artscroll does that. Their translation of Song of Songs is probably the most extreme example.
But then, JPS plays fast and loose as well sometimes. For example, check out I Samuel 13:1.
Whenever you translate, you sort of have to interpret and get non-literal if you want to convey the text's intended meaning.
Here's an example. In Hebrew, there's an expression used to describe something that's really sucky. Sorry, but that's the best way I can think of to translate it into English. The Hebrew is "al ha-panim", which literally means "on the face". I've heard Israelis speaking English who have said that this or that was "on the face". It's kind of hilarious, but it's what happens when you translate literally. If I were to translate "you're pulling my leg" literally into Hebrew, it wouldn't make much sense either.
So there's some justification for them doing what they do. You just have to keep in mind that they're doing it.
Incidentally, I have that book. It is definitely pretty. I can't let Tova look at it much, though, because the pages are so thin that she's liable to rip them by accident (she's 5 1/2). It's convenient, because it's the whole Tanach in one volume, in Hebrew and English. And the print isn't teeny tiny like Koren's Jerusalem Bible.
I keep it in my office, next to the single most useful Torah-related book I own. My concordance. I love my concordance.
And now that I've exceeded my geek quotient, I'll end this.
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posted
I wanted my own non-interlinear Hebrew/English Tanach, and everything I've heard about Artscroll has been very positive.
It looks very nice on my shelf, and I look forward to referring to it often.
Which I think may lead to another question - apart from an actual Hebrew edition of the Tanach (and a concordance *grin*), what would be the suggested next must-own Orthodox text?
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quote:Originally posted by starLisa: Affirmative action. That's what it sounds like, anyway. Is this Yedidya? Or the one in the German Colony?
The one in the German Colony is called Shira Chadashah.
Just for the record.
I saw both men and women leading services and laining there (each from their own side of the mechitzah), and I've seen the same at Yedidya, but I don't know what the official policy is in either shul regarding teens.
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quote:Originally posted by Taalcon: Which I think may lead to another question - apart from an actual Hebrew edition of the Tanach (and a concordance *grin*), what would be the suggested next must-own Orthodox text?
It depends on what your goals are, I would think.
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posted
When my mother was ordained this spring, I got her several volumes, from Artscroll, of the Talmud. It seems as if she is enjoying them, as well. The whole english on one side of the page, hebrew on the other, is excellent. For non-native speakers of hebrew, there are always confusions in the text. My mother says she uses the hebrew to understand, the english to clarify, and then the hebrew to dig deeper. Very easy to do when everything is right next to each other.
BTW, Thank you Ela and Rivka for recommending Artscroll to me Posts: 4112 | Registered: May 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Ela: What exactly are you trying to learn?
Simply more concerning traditional Orthodox belief - especially interested in texts and commentaries considered to be authoritative.
Posts: 2689 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
You might want to check out The Aryeh Kaplan Reader, and the Aryeh Kaplan Anthology, Part 1 and Part 2. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan was a brilliant thinker and writer who had a way of explaining Jewish ideas in language that was very accessible.
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posted
If I am talking to an observant Jew or someone who knows Hebrew (even if they are not observant), I will use the Hebrew name. I only use "Leviticus" (for example) with someone who wouldn't understand the Hebrew.
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quote:Originally posted by Will B: So if a Jew quotes a Bible verse, does he say "Leviticus" -- or does he say a Hebrew name -- or does he say what reading it was from?
If he said the reading, how could I look up which reading it would be in?
The quote I'm think of is "The Lord loves mercy" or some such, and it's for a story I'm writing.
Well, it depends. I might say that the "Love your neighbor as yourself" verse is in Kedoshim (which is the weekly Torah portion that contains it). I might say it's in parashat Kedoshim, since parasha is what we call the weekly Torah portions (parashat is the conjunctive form[/i]).
Or I might say it's in Vayikra yud-tet, yud-chet, or Vayikra chapter 19, verse 18. Vayikra is the Hebrew name of Leviticus, and yud-tet and yud-het are ways of saying 19 and 18. I might just say it's in Vayikra.
If you can find the chapter and verse, I can tell you what parasha it's in. But I suspect that you're going to have a hard time finding anything like that in the Torah.
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I agree with Lisa. That's why I didn't answer that part of the question - I couldn't figure out exactly where the verse would be.
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quote: So if a Jew quotes a Bible verse, does he say "Leviticus" -- or does he say a Hebrew name -- or does he say what reading it was from?
That depends. If I am telling someone what I read on a Saturday (or a holiday) I mention the reading. If I generally prefer referring to Biblical verses in Hebrew - as that is the language I read the Bible in (usually resulting in Hebrew letters). If, however, I am quoting something and I do it on Hatrack or another place where it's in English - I refer to it in the English name.
But that's me.
[quotee] But I suspect that you're going to have a hard time finding anything like that in the Torah. [/quote]
That depends on the reading; if you tell me it's in Vayetze - yup. But if you tell me it's in Vayelech - less so. Posts: 2978 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
The thing is, I just looked up lord+"loves mercy" on Yahoo, and almost everything that came up was from the Christian scriptures. The only exceptions were in Psalms, and then only according to Septuagint translations.
The Torah says God "does kindness to thousands" and that He is "merciful and gracious". But "loves mercy"? Doesn't ring a bell. Certainly not in the Torah.
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Yes, I got that quote (or, rather, non-quote) very wrong.
Situation: Ira (Jewish) explains to Tzichem (not Jewish) why he would go to significant trouble and risk to save Tzichem's life. They are in a fictional culture in which human sacrifice and cruel indifference are held as virtues -- Jews, of course, are dissidents for this. So why would Ira go to this trouble and risk? Because God wants his people to be merciful.
Micah 7:18 is right to the point, I think: "[The Lord] delighteth in mercy." Micah 6:8 makes it explicit that that's what he wants of his people.
So: what reading would that be? What time of year? Or maybe it should be another quote. Thanks.
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I see the problem. We divide the Torah up into 54 parashot throughout the year. For each of these, and for certain holidays, there is a reading from the Prophets called a haftarah as well. But not all of the Prophets get read as haftarot. That thing in Micha isn't, as far as I know.
You might want "Do not stand idly by while your friend's blood is spilled" (Leviticus 19:16). That's only three verses before the example I used before, so other than changing yud-tet to tet-zayin, all those references would be the same here.
There's "You shall be holy, for I, Your God, am Holy." There's "Whoever spills the blood of man, by man shall his blood be spilled."
Then there's rabbinic literature, such as the statement in the Talmud that "Jews are merciful ones, the descendents of merciful ones". And back in the Torah again, we have "Cursed is he who causes his child to pass through the fire to Molech."
There's a Jewish midrash, or legend, that says the people in Sodom before it was destroyed had passed a law making charity illegal. They marked the money in the town so that if a poor person was found with money, they could track down whoever gave it to them and punish them for doing so. And that's why Lot taking in the messengers so outraged the townspeople.
Check out this page (she said, modestly) for more on that subject.
Though now that I think of it, the haftarah for Parashat Balak is Micah 5:6-6:8. So it actually ends with "He has told you, O man, what is good, and what God requires of you: Only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Makes me think of what Dennis Prager considers the essence of Judaism, if I read him correctly. (I bet I could get a lot of different answers to THAT question: what is the essence of Judaism?) He thought it was "ethical monotheism," that is, God exists, and wants us to behave well toward each other. Seems to be backed up, at least partly, by Micah 6:8.
I think I'll go with Micah 7:18, and refer to it just as "from the" ... um, well, what do you call that? It's not Torah. What is that section of the Bible called, among Jews?
You've been a big help.
Posts: 1877 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Not a question yet, but just a fun note. I recently picked up the Artscroll Schottenstein Edition of the 1st volume of the Berachos Tractate of Talmud Bavli, and I have to say I'm finding it a very enjoyable and fascinating read.
Seeing the process of Mishna to Gemara Commentary to Conclusions is... mindbendingly enjoyable to me. It's amazing to me the seeming tangents and discussions one line (or in many cases, one word!) can inspire. I never would have thought pages upon pages of discussions as to when exactly the recitation of the evening Shema should technically be permissable would be, well, enjoyable.
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posted
There are many ugly feminine words which can be used to describe his reaction upon falling on Avodah Zarah.
Inspirational is hardly that word. As long as you are in the nicer parts of the Gemarrah it's alright. (I still have some unpleasant memories.)
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My mother has been learning the daf with my father for about 8 years. I know it's not "just guys who like that kind of thing." However, I still think Taal's specific comments are very "guy-specific." Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I'm currently enjoying the discussion of how many watches there are, which led into a discussion of David's 'Alarm Clock', and whether or not it was something he really needed.
Posts: 2689 | Registered: Apr 2000
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quote: Makes me think of what Dennis Prager considers the essence of Judaism, if I read him correctly. (I bet I could get a lot of different answers to THAT question: what is the essence of Judaism?) He thought it was "ethical monotheism," that is, God exists, and wants us to behave well toward each other. Seems to be backed up, at least partly, by Micah 6:8.
According to starLisa, the "essence of Judaism" is that the Torah is the Law of God. Is she incorrect?
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