The Inner Connection Between the Mitzvah of Bikkurim and the Declaration: “An Arami Would Have Destroyed My Father, and He Descended to Mitzrayim”
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THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 2019-20 – HISTORICAL, MEDICAL and HALAKHIC PERSPECTIVES Second Edition Rabbi Prof
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC RABBI PROF. AVRAHAM STEINBERG, MD THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC 2019-20 – HISTORICAL, MEDICAL AND HALAKHIC PERSPECTIVES Second Edition Rabbi Prof. Avraham Steinberg, MD Contents 1. Introduction 2 2. Historical Background 3 a. Pandemics in the past b. The Coronavirus pandemic 3. Medical Background 5 4. Specific rulings and Halakhot 7 a. General behavior and the obligation to listen to the government and experts during a plague b. Defining plague c. Prayers, fasts and charity d. Self-endangerment of the healthcare providers – doctors, nurses, lab personnel, technicians e. Self-endangerment for experimental treatment and discovering a vaccine f. Prayer with a minyan, nesiyat kapayim, Torah reading, yeshivot g. Ha'gomel Blessing h. Shabbat and festivals i. Passover j. Sefirat Ha'omer k. Rosh Hashanah l. Yom Kippur m. Purim n. Immersion in the mikvah o. Immersion of utensils p. Visiting the sick q. Circumcision r. Marriage s. Burial t. Mourning 5. Triage in treating coronavirus patients during severe shortage 32 a. Introduction b. Determining triage priority in various situations when there are insufficient resources I am greatly indebted to Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner for the English translation & to Dr. Lazar Friedman for his editorial work. 1 THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC RABBI PROF. AVRAHAM STEINBERG, MD c. Halakhic sources on determining lifesaving triage d. Halakhic guidelines on determining priority 6. Miscellaneous 40 7. Conclusion 41 1. Introduction In the modern era, the coronavirus1 pandemic2 has been the most shocking pandemic to the entire world, including experts and scientists, since the Spanish influenza pandemic 100 years ago.3 In recent decades many scientists have arrogantly claimed that in the modern and technologically advanced world there will be no more global pandemics of this sort. -
TRANSGENDER JEWS and HALAKHAH1 Rabbi Leonard A
TRANSGENDER JEWS AND HALAKHAH1 Rabbi Leonard A. Sharzer MD This teshuvah was adopted by the CJLS on June 7, 2017, by a vote of 11 in favor, 8 abstaining. Members voting in favor: Rabbis Aaron Alexander, Pamela Barmash, Elliot Dorff, Susan Grossman, Reuven Hammer, Jan Kaufman, Gail Labovitz, Amy Levin, Daniel Nevins, Avram Reisner, and Iscah Waldman. Members abstaining: Rabbis Noah Bickart, Baruch Frydman- Kohl, Joshua Heller, David Hoffman, Jeremy Kalmanofsky, Jonathan Lubliner, Micah Peltz, and Paul Plotkin. שאלות 1. What are the appropriate rituals for conversion to Judaism of transgender individuals? 2. What are the appropriate rituals for solemnizing a marriage in which one or both parties are transgender? 3. How is the marriage of a transgender person (which was entered into before transition) to be dissolved (after transition). 4. Are there any requirements for continuing a marriage entered into before transition after one of the partners transitions? 5. Are hormonal therapy and gender confirming surgery permissible for people with gender dysphoria? 6. Are trans men permitted to become pregnant? 7. How must healthcare professionals interact with transgender people? 8. Who should prepare the body of a transgender person for burial? 9. Are preoperative2 trans men obligated for tohorat ha-mishpahah? 10. Are preoperative trans women obligated for brit milah? 11. At what point in the process of transition is the person recognized as the new gender? 12. Is a ritual necessary to effect the transition of a trans person? The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly provides guidance in matters of halkhhah for the Conservative movement. -
1 Parashat Ki Tavo Rabbi David Silverberg Parashat Ki-Tavo Begins
Parashat Ki Tavo Rabbi David Silverberg Parashat Ki-Tavo begins by discussing the mitzva of bikkurim, which requires a farmer to bring his first fruits each year to Jerusalem as a gift to the officiating kohen. Among the unique features of this mitzva, as the Torah describes, is the mikra bikkurim declaration which the farmer must recite as part of the bikkurim ceremony. This declaration, which the Torah dictates in our parasha (26:5-10), briefly recounts the story of the Exodus, from the time of Yaakov until Benei Yisrael’s departure from Egypt, and then tells of the nation’s entry into the land. Maimonides introduces this obligation in Mishneh Torah (Hilkhot Bikkurim 3:10) by writing, “There is an affirmative command to confess in the Temple over the bikkurim” (“Mitzvat asei le-hitvadot be-Midkash al ha-bikkurim…”). Curiously, Maimonides defines this declaration as a viduy, a “confession.” This term is familiar to us from two other contexts, most obviously the mitzva of teshuva, which Maimonides, in the beginning of Hilkhot Teshuva, defines as essentially an obligation to verbally confess. Additionally, the Sages employed the term viduy also in reference to the second mitzva presented in Parashat Ki-Tavo, a halakha known as viduy ma’aser. This obligation requires a farmer to pronounce a declaration every three years affirming his compliance with the laws of terumot and ma’aserot (the required tithes and other gifts from his agricultural yield). Maimonides, interestingly enough, applies the term viduy also to mikra bikkurim. Many writers have addressed the question as to how the concept of “confession” relates to viduy ma’aser, in which a farmer announces that he has faithfully observed all the laws applying to his agricultural produce. -
CONGREGATION BETH YESHURUN INVITATION to JUDAISM COURSE CURRICULUM – 5781 (2020 – 2021) (As of 08-17-20)
CONGREGATION BETH YESHURUN INVITATION TO JUDAISM COURSE CURRICULUM – 5781 (2020 – 2021) (As of 08-17-20) # and Date TOPIC for 1st Hr. (9:00-10:00) [2nd Hr. (10:00-11:00) is Hebrew class] 1 Sept. 6 Conversion to Judaism - Overview [No Hebrew class] 2 Sept 13 High Holy Days and Sukkot [No Hebrew class] ⁂ Sept. 19-20 Rosh Hashanah begins Friday night Sept. 18 – Sunday night Sept. 20 ⁂ Sept. 28 Yom Kippur starts Sunday night Sept. 27 - Monday night Sept. 28 3 Sept. 29 Sukkot and the Jewish Calendar (Tuesday evening at 7:00) ⁂ Oct. 3 Sukkot begins Friday night Oct. 2 through Friday Oct. 9. Then Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah Friday night Oct. 9 – Sunday night Oct. 11 4 Oct. 18 Introduction to Prayers – Structure of Siddur, overview of services [Hebrew class starts this week at 10:00-11:00] 5 Oct. 25 Shabbat 6 Nov. 1 Overview of J. History, Classic J. Texts, J. Book List [visit ERJCC website] ⁂ Nov. 1 - Nov. 19 Virtual Book and Arts Festival at JCC 7 Nov. 8 Beliefs: God, Revelation, Torah, Mitzvot (cf Christianity) 8 Nov. 15 Beliefs: Life After Death/Messiah/Resurrection (cf Christianity) 9 Nov. 22 Beliefs: The Problem of Evil & Reward and Punishment (cf Christianty) 10 Dec. 6 Hanukkah (cf Christmas) ⁂ Dec. 10 - Dec. 18 Hanukkah (1st candle Dec. 10, 8th candle Dec. 17) 11 Dec. 13 Prayers: Shema & its Blessings (incl. Mezuzah/tzitzit/tefillin) 12 Dec. 20 Prayers – Amidah 13 Jan. 10 Kashrut 14 Jan. 17 Ethics – Tzedakah/Gemilut Hasadim 15 Jan. 24 Ethics – Honoring Parents/Aged, Bikur Holim 16 Jan. -
Pesachim 036.Pub
י"ב טבת תשפא“ Sun, Dec 27 2020 OVERVIEW of the Daf Distinctive INSIGHT 1) Fulfilling the mitzvah of matzah with tevel (cont.) Matzah cannot be made from Bikkurim אוציא חיטין ושעורין שיש במין ביכורים Ravina offers an alternative explanation to the Baraisa but the Gemara demonstrates that the explanation offered by R’ Sheishes is clearer. T he Gemara brings a Baraisa which teaches that mat- 2) Matzah made from ma’aser sheni grain zah cannot be made from fruits which are brought to A Baraisa is cited that records different sources that do Yerushalayim as Bikkurim. Rabbi Yosi HaGalili learns this not permit the use of ma’aser sheni grain for the mitzvah of from the verse which describes matzah as something that is in all your communities,” which— בכל מושבותיכם “ matzah. eaten An apparent contradiction is noted regarding R’ Akiva’s excludes Bikkurim fruits which can only be eaten in position concerning matzah that was kneaded with liquids Yerushalayim. Rabbi Akiva also determines that the mitz- other than water. vah of matzah cannot be fulfilled from Bikkurim, and he The Gemara resolves the contradiction by distinguishing learns this from the association between matzah and mar- between the first day of Pesach and the remaining days of ror (in the verse Bemidbar 9:11). We know that a person Pesach. cannot fulfill his obligation to eat marror with Bikkurim. 3) Kneading dough in lukewarm water So too, claims Rabbi Akiva, matzah cannot be performed The Gemara questions why the previous Baraisa does not with Bikkurim. permit the use of lukewarm water to make matzah whereas The Gemara then clarifies the analysis of Rabbi Akiva. -
The Decline of the Generations (Haazinu)
21 Sep 2020 – 3 Tishri 5781 B”H Dr Maurice M. Mizrahi Congregation Adat Reyim Torah discussion on Haazinu The Decline of the Generations Introduction In this week’s Torah portion, Haazinu, Moses tells the Israelites to remember their people’s past: זְכֹר֙יְמֹ֣ות םעֹולָָ֔ ב ִּ֖ ינּו נ֣ שְ ֹותּדֹור־וָד֑ ֹור שְאַַ֤ ל אָב ֙יך֙ וְ יַגֵָ֔דְ ךזְקֵנ ִּ֖יך וְ יֹֹ֥אמְ רּו לְָָֽך Remember the days of old. Consider the years of generation after generation. Ask your father and he will inform you; your elders, and they will tell you. [Deut. 32:7] He then warns them that prosperity (growing “fat, thick and rotund”) and contact with idolaters will cause them to fall away from their faith, so they should keep alive their connection with their past. Yeridat HaDorot Strong rabbinic doctrine: Yeridat HaDorot – the decline of the generations. Successive generations are further and further away from the revelation at Sinai, and so their spirituality and ability to understand the Torah weakens steadily. Also, errors of transmission may have been introduced, especially considering a lot of the Law was oral: מש הק בֵלּתֹורָ ה מ סינַי, ּומְ סָרָ ּהל יהֹושֻׁעַ , ו יהֹושֻׁעַ ל זְקֵנים, ּוזְקֵנים ל נְב יאים, ּונְב יא ים מְ סָ רּוהָ ילְאַנְשֵ נכְ ס ת הַגְדֹולָה Moses received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. [Avot 1:1] The Mishnah mourns the Sages of ages past and the fact that they will never be replaced: When Rabbi Meir died, the composers of parables ceased. -
In 1000 Words Shavuot
Reform Judaism: In 1000 Words Shavuot Context Celebrating the giving of Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai may not sound like the most Reform friendly festival of the year, and across the Jewish community it has, as Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers writes below, been one of the most neglected festivals of the year. Yet it has seen a resurgence of observance in the last 10-20 years, with Tikkun Leyl Shavuot (all night learning events) gaining in popularity, and could just be the perfect chance for communities to explore the long tradition of diverse Torah interpretation that makes up the colourful weave of Jewish tradition through the centuries, and encourages us to add our voices too. Content Shavuot could be seen as the big loser in the Jewish calendar: It is not nearly as well-known as festivals like Chanukah (a relatively minor festival that isn’t even mentioned in Tanakh) despite being one of the most important festivals of the year. As one of the Biblically mandated Pilgrim festivals when all of Israel would flock to the Temple to offer their first fruits (bikkurim), Shavuot represents a major moment in the Jewish calendar, and is clearly tied into the agricultural cycles of the Land of Israel. Perhaps the problem began when the Temple was destroyed in 70CE, and people could no longer take their offerings to the Temple. There was a need to discover new meaning in the ancient festivals and customs which up until that point had been very much focussed on the produce of the land and the wheat harvest. -
Association for Jewish Studies 43Rd Annual Conference December 18–20, 2011
43 ASSOCIATION FOR JEWISH STUDIES JEWISH FOR ASSOCIATION New York, NY 10011-6301 NY York, New 16th Street 15 West History Jewish for c/o Center Studies Jewish for Association 43ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR JEWISH STUDIES DECEMBER 18–20, 2011 GRAND HYATT WASHINGTON WASHINGTON, DC 43 RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE RD ANNUAL DECEMBER 18–20, 2011 Association for Jewish Studies Association for Jewish Studies c/o Center for Jewish History 43rd Annual Conference 15 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011-6301 Program Book Contents Phone: (917) 606-8249 Fax: (917) 606-8222 E-mail: [email protected] Association for Jewish Studies Goals and Standards.................................................... 4 www.ajsnet.org Institutional Members.................................................................................................... 5 President AJS Staff Marsha Rozenblit, University of Maryland Rona Sheramy, Executive Director Message from the Conference Chair............................................................................. 6 Vice President/Membership Karen Terry, Program and Membership and Outreach Coordinator Conference Information................................................................................................ 8 Anita Norich, University of Michigan Natasha Perlis, Project Manager Vice President/Program Emma Barker, Conference and Program Program Committee and Division Coordinators........................................................... 9 Derek Penslar, University of Toronto Associate 2011 Award Recipients................................................................................................. -
BIKKURIM the Tractate's First Unit Lists the Prerequisites for Separating First Fruits And
CHAPTER ELEVEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRACTATES: BIKKURIM l. INTRODUCTION The tractate's first unit lists the prerequisites for separating first fruits and reciting the Scriptural confession. The third unit describes, in a narrative passage, the actual procedures through which this offering is designated, separated and carried to the Temple in Jerusalem, where it is presented to the priests. Constructed almost exclusively of Ushan materials, these two units supply all information an Israelite needs to know in order to designate and dispose of first fruits. Concerned pri marily with the mechanics of this operation, they provide few issues of legal interest or theoretical importance within the Division of Agriculture as a whole. As is the case for Tractate Orlah, while the Mishnah's authorities deemed it important to discuss this Scriptural offering, they did not produce an agendum of issues deeper than the surface ques tion of what the Israelite must do to fulfill the requirement described in Scripture. The tractate's middle unit contains a series of comparisons of rules that apply to each of the several agricultural offerings referred to in the Division of Agriculture. Irrelevant to the specific topic of first fruits, this material would, however, comprise a fitting conclusion and sum mary for this division as a whole. It is unclear why it has been redacted between the tractate's two units on laws of first fruits instead of in the more appropriate position at the end of the tractate. 1 Before turning to the substantive development of the tractate's law, let us review the Scriptural passages that provide the facts upon which the Mishnah's rules depend. -
Tanya Sources.Pdf
The Way to the Tree of Life Jewish practice entails fulfilling many laws. Our diet is limited, our days to work are defined, and every aspect of life has governing directives. Is observance of all the laws easy? Is a perfectly righteous life close to our heart and near to our limbs? A righteous life seems to be an impossible goal! However, in the Torah, our great teacher Moshe, Moses, declared that perfect fulfillment of all religious law is very near and easy for each of us. Every word of the Torah rings true in every generation. Lesson one explores how the Tanya resolved these questions. It will shine a light on the infinite strength that is latent in each Jewish soul. When that unending holy desire emerges, observance becomes easy. Lesson One: The Infinite Strength of the Jewish Soul The title page of the Tanya states: A Collection of Teachings ספר PART ONE לקוטי אמרים חלק ראשון Titled הנקרא בשם The Book of the Beinonim ספר של בינונים Compiled from sacred books and Heavenly מלוקט מפי ספרים ומפי סופרים קדושי עליון נ״ע teachers, whose souls are in paradise; based מיוסד על פסוק כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך ובלבבך לעשותו upon the verse, “For this matter is very near to לבאר היטב איך הוא קרוב מאד בדרך ארוכה וקצרה ”;you, it is in your mouth and heart to fulfill it בעזה״י and explaining clearly how, in both a long and short way, it is exceedingly near, with the aid of the Holy One, blessed be He. "1 of "393 The Way to the Tree of Life From the outset of his work therefore Rav Shneur Zalman made plain that the Tanya is a guide for those he called “beinonim.” Beinonim, derived from the Hebrew bein, which means “between,” are individuals who are in the middle, neither paragons of virtue, tzadikim, nor sinners, rishoim. -
“Food for Peace”: the Vegan Religion of the Hebrews of Jerusalem
IDEA – Studia nad strukturą i rozwojem pojęć filozoficznych XXVI Białystok 2014 SHELLEY ELKAYAM (Getynga, Niemcy, Jerozolima, Izrael) “FOOD FOR PEACE”: THE VEGAN RELIGION OF THE HEBREWS OF JERUSALEM Food, eschatology and sacred chronology Abraham Elqayam, a great scholar of Jewish mysticism and Jewish Philos- ophy, presented food as key in designing sacred chronology 1 (2006:239). Ruth Tsoffar Mizrahi, who studies Israeli society and culture, argues that in Jewish culture ‘eating’ is ‘believing’ (2006:35), just as in American culture ‘seeing is be- lieving’. (Dundes 1977). Such usage of ‘eating’ as ‘believing’ appears commonly within today’s Hebrew slang. Eating has a religious context of accepting, such as in the Passover ceremony where ‘eating’ becomes ‘believing’ through the symbolic food set on Passover table – from haroset (a blend of fruits and nuts) to maror (bitter herbs) to matza (unleavened bread). These Hebrew words point to specific foods of Passover that serve as instrumental symbols in a ‘tactile’ conservation and in the memorizing of religious collective experience. In this paper I will elu- cidate three major messianic ‘tactile’ terms in the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem (AHIJ) religion: Food and Bio-Evolution. The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem (AHIJ) re-emerged during the civil rights movement, in a time when black pride was salient amongst political 1 Sacred chronology is the system of holidays and Shabbat. For example, for Sabbatians in Shabbat there are three meals: Friday evening, Saturday breakfast and Saturday lunch. See Elqayam’s discussion on the Freedom Redemption via food, where the redemption of the individual and the community go through eating the “sacred meat” (Elqayam 2006:243–248). -
Abbreviations and Bibliography
ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY Ah. 'Ahilot Albeck Chanoch Albeck, Si!ah Sidre Mi!nah, Seder Zera'im (Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, 1957) Alon Gedaliahu Alon, "Tefl_uman fel fl_ukkot tohorah," in Mefl_qarim betoldot yiira'el" (2 vols.; Tel Aviv, 1957) 1: 148-76 [="The Bounds of the Laws of Levitical Cleanness," in Alon, Jews, Judaism and the Classical World: Studies in Jewish History in the Times qf the Second Temple and the Talmud (Jerusalem, 1977) 190-234] Arak. 'Arakin ARNA 'Abot de Rabbi Natan, Recension A, ed. Solomon Schechter (Vienna, 1887; reprint: New York, 1945) Aruch Alexander Kohut, ed. Aruch Completum (8 vols.; Vienna, 1878-92; second edition, 1926), and Additamenta ad Librum Aruch Completum, ed., Samuel Krauss et al. (Vienna, 1937) Avery-Peck Alan J. Avery-Peck, Mishnah's Division qf Agriculture: A History and 7heology qf Seder Zeraim (Chico, 1985) Avi-Yonah, Michael Avi- Y onah, with the assistance of Shemuel Safrai, 'Atlas Atlas Karta' litequpat bayyit feni, hammi!nah, wehattalmud [Carta's Atlas qf the Period qf the Second Temple, the Mishnah, and the Talmudj (Jerusalem, 1966) Avi-Yonah, Michael Avi-Yonah, Geograpiah historit fel 'eresyiira'ellemin fibbat iyyon Geography we'ad rl fit hakkibbuf ha'arabi [Historical Geography qf the Land qf Israel from the Restoration to the Arab Conquest] (Jerusalem, 1962) Avi-Yonah, Michael Avi-Yonah, 7he Holy Land .from the Persian to the Arab Conquest, Holy Land 536 B.C.-A.D. 640: A Historical Geography (Grand Rapids, 1966) A.Z. 'Abodah Zarah b. Babli, Babylonian Talmud; ben, "son of," as in "Simeon b. Gamaliel" B Mishnah Zera'im, MS.