© 2013 Yeshiva University All Rights Reserved Derech HaTeva A JOURNAL OF TORAH AND SCIENCE A Publication of Stern College for Women Yeshiva University Volume 17 2012 - 2013 STAFF EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Hannah Marmor Samantha Selesny Helen Unger COVER DESIGN: Mia Guttmann LAYOUT: Ann Levenson PRINTING: Advanced Copy Center Brooklyn, NY 11230 DEDICATION & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DEDICatION The co-editors of Derech HaTeva dedicate this volume to the memory of the 26 victims of the deadly shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. On December 14th, 2012, twenty children and six adult staff members were fatally wounded in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We hope that the words of Torah contained in this journal bring an aliyah to their neshamot, and that soon there will be fulfilled the hopeful words of the prophet Zechariah: “And the streets of the city [Jerusalem] will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets...They will be a people unto Me, and I will be a G-D unto them, in truth and in righteousness.” Dr. H. Babich personally dedicates this volume of Derech HaTeva to the memory of Rabbi Herbert W. Bomzer,z’’l, RIETS Class of 1951 and former Rav of the Young Israel of Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY. Rabbi Bomzer had a profound impact on Dr. Babich’s involvement and growth in the world of Torah. ACKNOWLEDGEMENts We would like to thank Dr. Babich for his immeasurable help in bringing this volume to print. His unyielding dedication to this publication and to the Biology Department at Stern College has enabled his students to develop and deepen their passion for Torah U’Madda. The co-editors also express their gratitude to the Stern College for Women’s Torah Activities Council (TAC) for helping to defray the cost of the publication of this journal. Hannah Marmor Samantha Selesny Helen Unger PasUK [And the streets of the city [Jerusalem ּורחבֹות העיר will be filled with boys and girls ימלאּו ילדים וילדֹות ...playing in its streets משחקים ברחבתיה... ,They will be a people unto Me והיּו-לי לעם, ,and I will be a G-D unto them ואני אהיה להם לאלקים .in truth and in righteousness ּבאמת ּובצדקה. -Zechariah 8:5, 8:8 TABLE OF CONTENts Rebecca Benhaghnazar i 9 i An Insight Into the Twin Dynamic of Jacob and Esau Deborah Farber i 11 i When Timing is Everything: A Closer Look at Bris Biology Daniella Forman i 13 i The Jewish Fasting and its Relation to Caffeine’s Effects Naomi Friedman i 16 i The Healing Power of Figs Sima Grossman i 20 i Grey Hair: A Stress, A Disease, and A Bracha Melissa Kramer i 23 i Remedies in the Talmud: A Second Look at the Medical Benefits of Honey Levana Massihesraelian i 25 i Genetic Screening in the Persian Community: A Call for Change Sarina Miller i 29 i Watch Your Words: The Power of Language on Thought Tova Miller i 32 i Prayer and Focus: A Lesson in Concentration Chaya M. Pinson i 34 i The Orthodox Medical Dilemma Michal Schechter i 37 i Hemophilia: The First Recorded Genetic Disorder Rose Snyder i 40 i The True-Blue Tale of the World’s Favorite Color Shana Wargon i 43 i Obesity: A Big Fat Problem Jennifer Wiseman i 46 i Oy!besity: A Weighty Issue Harvey Babich, Ph.D i 49 i Small Fish, Watermelon, Cucumber, Leek, Onion, and Garlic AN INSIGHT INTO THE TWIN DYNAMIC OF jaCOB AND EsaU Rebecca Benhaghnazar he interplay between human genetics and the and will be anemic and dehydrated; the recipient twin, conversely, environment is so dynamic that it is possible for two will have an abundance of red blood cells [4]. The recipient twin people to produce offspring whose phenotypes vary weighs more and appears redder at birth, which would fit Esau’s T dramatically from one another. The Torah offers an biblical description as being ruddy in appearance. Furthermore, example of this phenomenon in the differences between Esau and the recipient twin may exhibit an aggressive character. This points Jacob, the twin sons of Rebecca and Isaac. Rebecca was barren to Esau’s temperament, as described later in Genesis. Esau was for the first twenty years of her marriage, but G-d blessed Isaac known to be deceitful hunter who was unable to impede his grati- and her with twin boys. As mentioned in Genesis 25:24-25, “… fication for food, as seen during the episode in which Esau sold there were twins in her womb. And the first came forth, ruddy, all his birthright to his brother Jacob for a pot of lentils. over like a hairy mantle; and they called his name Esau. And after came forth his brother, and his hand had hold on Esau’s heel and For the commentators who believe that this name was called Jacob.” Esau and Jacob were monozygotic twins, Esau and Jacob are described as having profoundly differing phenotypes, suggesting they were dizygotic, or fraternal, twins. the twins’ difference in personalities Yet, there remains a possibility that they were monozygotic, or may be categorized as an environmental identical, twins who may have shared the same amniotic sac [1]. difference as opposed to a difference in Monozygotic twins develop when a single fertilized egg, or zy- gote, splits into two totipotent units. The chorion, the outermost genetics. extraembryonic membrane, surrounds the amnion and forms the fetal part of the placenta. The amnion is a membrane that The nineteenth century German rabbi and philosopher Rab- surrounds and protects the embryo which functions in building bi Samson Raphael Hirsch, in his commentary on the story of the amniotic sac [2]. Roughly one percent of monozygotic twins Jacob and Esau, stated, “The surprising thing was that they were share the same chorion and amnion, in this case, the separation really identical twins.” Rabbi Hirsch continued to explain that Ja- occurred after the ninth day of fertilization, at which time the cob “looked almost exactly like Esau,” and that they only differed amnion and chorion have already formed [3]. Both the amnion in their constitution in that Esau was much more developed and and the chorion are part of the extraembryonic membranes that stronger than Jacob. Esau was red-cheeked and ruddy, which was function in the embryo’s overall development. an indication of radiant health. The name Esau is derived from Dr. Azila Talit Rosenberger suggests that Esau and Jacob the word asah, indicative that at birth, Esau was a “made man.” were indeed monozygotic twins, and their differing phenotypes Esau was born with a body covered with hair, like that of a de- can be attributed to twin-twin transfusion syndrome. This rare veloped man. Hirsch further explained that the real difference be- condition occurs in monozygotic twins who share the same cho- tween Esau and Jacob laid “deep below the surface” as they chose rion and a single placenta. Such twins have an interconnected different paths in life. blood circulation. Even though each fetus has its own portion The behavioral differences between Esau and Jacob were of the placenta, their placental blood vessels are connected, al- clearly noted in the Torah: “And the boys grew; and Esau was lowing blood to pass from one twin to the other. Blood may be a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a quiet man transferred disproportionately from one twin to the other, cre- dwelling in tents” [5]. It is known that Esau grew up to become ating a system where there is a “donor twin” and a “recipient a man of the fields. Rashi notes that he was a “cunning hunter” twin.” When born, the donor twin has a decreased blood volume skilled in the art of deception and manipulation. On the contrary, Derech HaTeva 9 Jacob had a subdued demeanor, as he stayed indoors, focusing that he exhibited hypertrichosis [8]. Hypertichosis, or Ambras his time studying at the Academy of Shem and Aver [6]. For the syndrome, is an abnormal growth of hair on the body. The rare commentators who believe that Esau and Jacob were monozy- disease may be congenital or it may be acquired later on in life. gotic twins, the twins’ difference in personalities may be catego- Only fifty cases of hypertrichosis have been recorded since the rized as an environmental difference as opposed to a difference Middle Ages. There are two distinct types of hypertrichosis: gen- in genetics [2]. eralized and localized hypertrichosis. In generalized hypertricho- Although Rav Hirsch and Dr. Reisenberger maintained that sis, hair covers the entire body, while in localized hypertrichosis, Esau and Jacob were identical twins, other scholars proclaimed hair is restricted to a certain area. [9]. In Genesis 27:11 there is that Esau and Jacob were fraternal twins. Fraternal twins occur another reference to Esau’s hairiness, as Jacob misleads his father, when two separate fertilized eggs (each fertilized by a different Isaac, into believing that he is Esau by covering his arms and neck sperm) are implanted in the uterus and each develops its own am- with goatskins. niotic sac. Each twin will also have its own placenta and chorion Esau and Jacob’s differences began in the womb as noted in and can be of different sexes. Dizygotic twins may be as similar Genesis 25:22, “the children struggled within her.” Rebecca in- or as dissimilar as any two siblings [2]. The twelfth century biblical quired from G-d about the quarrel taking place within her womb; commentator, mathematician, and astronomist Rabbi Abraham she was informed through prophecy that “two nations are in thy Ibn Ezra, explained that Jacob took hold of Esau’s heel because womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels.” As during the birth of the twins, Esau and Jacob’s amniotic sacs rup- Esau and Jacob matured, they chose different lifestyles, as each tured.