What's Happening @ O.Z. in Our Community…

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

What's Happening @ O.Z. in Our Community… IN OUR COMMUNITY… —————————–————–—————–—— THANK YOU Over 60 participants for our Community Lunches … stay tuned for the next one! MAZEL TOV David Debora & Nicole Iglicki, on their aufruf WHAT’S HAPPENING @ O.Z. and upcoming wedding Hindy Poupko & Seth Galena and family, on the birth and bris of their son Dovid Gavriel Friday, May 31, 2019: CONDOLENCES 41st Day Omer (Iyyar 26) Rene & June Slotkin, on the passing of 6:10a Shacharit Rene’s sister Irene Hizme z’l 6:25a Shacharit 7:00a Shacharit SPONSORSHIPS 8:00a Shacharit Delicious Kiddush 6:45p Sephardic Plag Family Minyan & Mazzeh David Debora & Nicole Iglicki, in honor of Meets in Bet Medrash their aufurf and upcoming wedding *Shir HaShirim at 6:30pm Hashkama Kiddush 7:00p *** Early Minyan in Main Shul Dr. Joseph Frager, in memory of his father, 8:02p Candle Lighting Mordechai Avraham ben Rav Shmuel z’l 8:10p Mincha/Maariv in Main Shul Monday Night with Rabbi Schwartz Classes this past week were dedicated in Shabbat, June 1, 2019: honor of Memorial Day and in appreciation to Parshat Bechukotai - Shabbat Mevarchim the sacrifices of the American Armed Forces 42nd Day Omer (Iyyar 27) 7:30a Hashkama Minyan in Bet Medrash UPCOMING EXCITING COURSES Kiddush & Shiur in Social Hall Shabbat Refresher Course 8:30a Parsha Shiur with Rabbi Schwartz Wednesdays, June 5 — July 10, 6:45pm 9:15a Shacharit Join Adam Resnick and review the laws and 10:00a Youth Groups practical applications of Bishul, warming 11:15a Tot Tefillah & Monthly Birthdays! food, preparing, Borer, personal grooming, Delicious Kiddush in Bet Medrash and appliance usage 6:55p Shabbat Shiurim THE HEART OF THE UPPER WEST SIDE The Jewish Mafia 7:40p Mincha —————————————————— Thursdays, June 13 & 20, 8:00pm 8:00p Seudah Shlishit with David Luria, Executive Director of Ateret Kohanim CONGREGATION OHAB ZEDEK The Hits keep coming with Micah Halpern’s 9:00p Maariv 118 WEST 95TH ST | NEW YORK | NY 10025 Popular Lecture Series - this fascinating 9:11p Havdalah section will explore infamous Jewish P: 212-749-5150 | F: 212-663-3635 Mobsters, their time period and legacies Sunday, June 2, 2019: [email protected] | WWW.OZNY.ORG $18 Registration supports OZ Security Fund Yom Yerushalayim, Israel Parade, 5K Schlep Biblical Hebrew RABBI ALLEN SCHWARTZ 43rd Day Omer (Iyyar 28) ARI WEITZNER, PRESIDENT Tuesdays, July 2 — August 13, 7:00pm 7:00a Shacharit in Main Shul Join Joel Goldman and learn how to read the 8:00a Shacharit in Main Shul —————————————————— Torah in it’s original Hebrew text & grammar 9:00a Shacharit in Main Shul GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING HERE RSVP: www.OZNY.org/Event/BibHeb2019 8:15p Mincha/Maariv DAVENING @ OHAB ZEDEK LEARNING @ OHAB ZEDEK —————————–——————–—— —————————–——————––— Monday, June 3: 44th Day Omer (Iyyar 29) 6:00a Shacharit Daf Yomi 6:15a Shacharit - Sunday & Legal Holiday after 2nd Shacharit 6:50a Shacharit - Monday - Friday after 1st Shacharit 7:55a Shacharit - Shabbat - After Mincha 7:00p Early Minyan - Yom Tov - Before Mincha 8:00p Women's Rosh Chodesh Chaburah 8:15p Mincha/Maariv Mishna Yomi 9:00p Late Maariv - Sunday - Thursday at Mincha/Maariv Tuesday, June 4: 45th Day Omer (Sivan 1) Monday Rosh Chodesh Sivan 8:00p Int. Hebrew with Richard Stanger 6:00a Shacharit Monday Night Bet Medrash w/R’ Schwartz 6:10a Shacharit 8:00p Tanach: The King & The Prophet 6:45a Shacharit 9:00p Late Maariv 7:45a Shacharit 9:15p Talmud: The King & The Prophet 7:00p Early Mincha/Maariv 8:15p Mincha/Maariv Tuesday 9:00p Late Maariv Tuesday Night Learning Program Schedule & Sponsor: www.OZNY.org/TNLP Wednesday, June 5: 46th Day Omer (Sivan 2) 7:00p Open Bet Medrash, Chavrusa, Shiurim: 6:10a Shacharit 7:30p Joel Goldman: Jewish Texts 6:25a Shacharit 8:00p David Israel: Analysis of Tefillah 7:00a Shacharit 9:00p Late Maariv 8:00a Shacharit 9:15p Nava Silton-Brandwein: Ahavat Yisrael 7:00p Early Minyan 9:15p Rabbi Gottesman: Men’s Chaburah 8:15p Mincha/Maariv Wednesday Thursday, June 6: 47th Day Omer (Sivan 3) 8:00p Parsha Shavua (Ivrit) Rav Meir Goldwicht 6:00a Shacharit Discover Judaism - Beginners Classes: 6:15a Shacharit 6:45p Introduction to Jewish Laws & Customs 6:50a Shacharit with Adam Resnick: Shabbat Refresher 7:55a Shacharit 8:00p Jewish Life Cycle with Joel Goldman 7:00p Early Minyan 8:00p Beginner’s Hebrew: Yitz Liberman 8:15p Mincha/Maariv Friday, June 7: 48th Day Omer (Sivan 4) 6:10a Shacharit OZ APP — WWW.OZNY.ORG/GETAPP 6:25a Shacharit 7:00a Shacharit 8:00a Shacharit CONTACT [email protected], 7:00p Early Minyan RABBI ALLEN SCHWARTZ, OR RABBI 8:07p Candle Lighting 8:15p Mincha/Maariv JACK VARON, IF YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN A WEEKLY FRIDAY ► GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING HERE NIGHT PLAG MINYAN (~ 6:40PM) OHAB ZEDEK | 118 WEST 95TH STREET | NEW YORK, NY 10025 | P: 212-749-5150 | F: 212-663-3635 | WWW.OZNY.ORG .
Recommended publications
  • The Fifth Passover Cup and Magical Pairs: Isaac Baer Levinsohn and the Babylonian Talmud
    European Journal of Jewish Studies 15 (2021) 84–103 brill.com/ejjs The Fifth Passover Cup and Magical Pairs: Isaac Baer Levinsohn and the Babylonian Talmud Leor Jacobi Abstract The Fifth Passover Cup is mentioned in a textual variant of a baraita in Tractate Pesaḥim of the Babylonian Talmud (118a), attributed to Rabbi Ṭarfon and another anonymous Palestinian tanna. Scholars have demonstrated that the variant is primary in talmu- dic manuscripts and among the Babylonian Geonim. Following a nineteenth-century proposition of Isaac Baer Levinsohn, it is argued that the fifth cup was instituted in Babylonia due to concern for magical evil spirits aroused by even-numbered events [zugot]. Objections to Levinsohn’s theory can be allayed by critical source analysis: the Talmud’s attribution of the fifth cup to the Palestinian tanna Rabbi Ṭarfon in a baraita is pseudoepigraphic, based upon Rabbi Ṭarfon’s teaching regarding the recitation of Hallel ha-Gadol in Mishnah Ta‘anit 3:9. A special appendix is devoted to Levinsohn’s separate study on zugot in the ancient and medieval world. Keywords Talmud – Passover – magic – Haskalah – source criticism – Halakhah – Levinsohn – magical pairs © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/1872471X-bja10020.0102883/ 3..8.31893: The Fifth Passover Cup and Magical Pairs 85 1 Introduction1 If the four Passover cups were created during the six days of creation, then the fifth was conjured up at twilight on the eve of the Sabbath.2 The saga of the mysterious fifth cup stretches from its origins in a phantom talmudic tex- tual variant to its alleged metamorphosis into the ubiquitous “cup of Elijah” to latter-day messianic revival attempts incorporating the visual arts.
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Response-Ability in the Climate Crisis: Going Forth in Honest Teshuva and Active Hope
    1 Rabbi Chai Levy Kol Nidrei 2019 Congregation Netivot Shalom Jewish Response-ability in the Climate Crisis: Going Forth in Honest Teshuva and Active Hope Always a glutton for punishment, this year I decided to forgo the light summer reading, you know, the fun novels and page turners that people usually enjoy while vacationing. Yes, this summer, I dove into the climate change genre1 and read booKs liKe: The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming Needless to say, this wasn’t exactly the Kind of relaxing reading that you do while dozing off on a lounge chair with a pina colada. No, my reading would be accompanied by insomnia, Worrying about the future of life on earth. Anyone else having those nights? The author of The Uninhabitable Earth, David Wallace-Wells observes, and it’s an observation I’ve been sitting with daily (and losing sleep over): “We have not developed much of a religion of meaning around climate change that might comfort us, or give us purpose, in the face of possible annihilation.” We now Know the climate crisis is already here, and we Know we need to change our entire global infrastructures (such as energy, agriculture) to survive. But I want to speak tonight to the issue raised by David Wallace-Wells: What wisdom and purpose does Judaism offer in the climate crisis? Being a Jew is about taking responsibility, for the mitzvot, for our sacred obligations to our community and to our world. “Response-ability”: How are we able to respond when the needs of the world are so massive, so overwhelming, so hard to even fathom? The story of Jewish response-ability begins with the first Jew, Avraham.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ha'amek Davar of Naftali Zevi Yehuda Berlin
    The Ha'amek Davar of Naftali Zevi Yehuda Berlin Asher Charles Oser Department of Jewish Studies McGill University, Montreal January, 2007 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts. © Asher C. Oser 2007 Library and Bibliothèque et 1+1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-32543-8 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-32543-8 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans loan, distribute and sell th es es le monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, électronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation.
    [Show full text]
  • Final Copy of Dissertation
    The Talmudic Zohar: Rabbinic Interdisciplinarity in Midrash ha-Ne’lam ​ by Joseph Dov Rosen A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Joint Doctor of Philosophy with Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley in Jewish Studies in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in Charge: Professor Daniel Boyarin, Chair Professor Deena Aranoff Professor Niklaus Largier Summer 2017 © Joseph Dov Rosen All Rights Reserved, 2017 Abstract The Talmudic Zohar: Rabbinic Interdisciplinarity in Midrash ha-Ne’lam ​ By Joseph Dov Rosen Joint Doctor of Philosophy in Jewish Studies with the Graduate Theological Union University of California, Berkeley Professor Daniel Boyarin, Chair This study uncovers the heretofore ignored prominence of talmudic features in Midrash ​ ​ ha-Ne’lam on Genesis, the earliest stratum of the zoharic corpus. It demonstrates that Midrash ​ ​ ha-Ne’lam, more often thought of as a mystical midrash, incorporates both rhetorical ​ components from the Babylonian Talmud and practices of cognitive creativity from the medieval discipline of talmudic study into its esoteric midrash. By mapping these intersections of Midrash, Talmud, and Esotericism, this dissertation introduces a new framework for studying rabbinic interdisciplinarity—the ways that different rabbinic disciplines impact and transform each other. The first half of this dissertation examines medieval and modern attempts to connect or disconnect the disciplines of talmudic study and Jewish esotericism. Spanning from Maimonides’ reliance on Islamic models of Aristotelian dialectic to conjoin Pardes (Jewish ​ ​ esotericism) and talmudic logic, to Gershom Scholem’s juvenile fascination with the Babylonian Talmud, to contemporary endeavours to remedy the disciplinary schisms generated by Scholem’s founding models of Kabbalah (as a form of Judaism that is in tension with “rabbinic Judaism”), these two chapters tell a series of overlapping histories of Jewish inter/disciplinary projects.
    [Show full text]
  • Forsaken HBI Series on Jewish Women
    Forsaken HBI Series on Jewish Women Shulamit Reinharz, General Editor Sylvia Barack Fishman, Associate Editor Th e HBI Series on Jewish Women, created by the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, publishes a wide range of books by and about Jewish women in diverse contexts and time periods. Of interest to scholars and the educated public, the HBI Series on Jewish Women fi lls major gaps in Jewish tudiesS and in Women and Gender Studies as well as their intersection. Th e HBI Series on Jewish Women is supported by a generous gift from Dr. Laura S. Schor. For the complete list of books that are available in this series, please see www.upne.com Sharon Faye Koren, Forsaken: Th e Menstruant in Medieval Jewish Mysticism Sonja M. Hedgepeth and Rochelle G. Saidel, editors, Sexual Violence against Jewish Women during the Holocaust Julia R. Lieberman, editor, Sephardi Family Life in the Early Modern Diaspora Derek Rubin, editor, Promised Lands: New Jewish American Fiction on Longing and Belonging Carol K. Ingall, editor, Th e Women Who Reconstructed American Jewish Education: 1910–1965 Gaby Brimmer and Elena Poniatowska, Gaby Brimmer: An Autobiography in Th ree Voices Harriet Hartman and Moshe Hartman, Gender and American Jews: Patt erns in Work, Education, and Family in Contemporary Life Dvora E. Weisberg, Levirate Marriage and the Family in Ancient Judaism Ellen M. Umansky and Dianne Ashton, editors, Four Centuries of Jewish Women’s Spirituality: A Sourcebook Carole S. Kessner, Marie Syrkin: Values Beyond the Self Ruth Kark, Margalit Shilo, and Galit Hasan-Rokem,
    [Show full text]
  • The Navi Journey — Yona
    110 THE NAVI JOURNEY — YONA METZUDOS DAVID, METZUDOS TZION: Commentary on Nevi’im and Kesuvim by R’ Yechiel Hillel Altschuler (18th century C.E.). Metzudos David provides an overall commentary on the text, while Metzudos Tzion focuses on the explanation of words. MIDRASH TANCHUMA: A Midrash on the Chumash based on the teachings of Tanchuma bar Abba (c. late fourteenth century). MISHBETZOS ZAHAV: Commentary on portions of Navi by R’ Shabsi Sheftel Weiss of Jerusalem. MISHNAH BERURAH: Commentary on Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim by R’ Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin (1838–1933). See Chafetz Chaim. MUSSAR HANEVI’IM: Commentary on the Early Prophets written by Rabbi Yehudah Leib Ginsburg (20th century C.E.). His com- mentary focuses on mussar — the moral lessons of the text. He served as rabbi in Denver, Colorado. Also authored Yalkut Yehu- dah on the Torah. OHR HACHAIM: Commentary on the Torah by R’ Chaim ben Moshe Ibn Attar (1696–1743), a prominent rabbi in Morocco. He was a Talmudist and kabbalist. PIRKEI D’RABBI ELIEZER: An Aggadic Midrash composed by the school of the Tanna R’ Eliezer ben Horkanus (c. 100). PNEI YEHOSHUA: Commentary on the Talmud by R’ Yaakov Yeho- shua ben Tzvi Hirsch Falk (1680–1756). The Avnei Tzedek quoted in the name of the Chasam Sofer that “from the time the Chid- dushei HaRashba was printed no sefer was as great as that of the Pnei Yehoshua.” He served as a Rav in a number of cities. RADAK: Acronym for R’ David Kimchi (1160–1235), author of one of the most important commentaries on Tanach.
    [Show full text]
  • The Resurrection Motif in the Midrash on the Akedat Yitzchak1
    The Resurrection Motif in the Midrash on the Akedat Yitzchak1 David Jay Derovan The story of the Akedah,2 the binding and near sacrifice of Yitzchak, is the high point in Avraham's life. The event is described in the Torah in quick short strokes, however, these nineteen sentences give rise to an enormous body of Midrash.3 Much of this Midrash is very perplexing; the content is very strange, the associations are inexplicable and the message is sometimes unintelligible. Midrash is a genre of Rabbinic literature which is spread throughout the Talmud and collected in numerous anthologies. As a result, many of the same comments or stories, Aggadot,4 are repeated in many places, in different books of Midrash or in more than one tractate of Talmud. Therefore, when dealing with Midrash, it often makes sense to speak of a motif. A motif is a single plot line or a specific logical argument consisting of a number of basic elements which appears a number of times.5 In general, the expression of the motif is not always the same, and as a result we find variants on a standard theme. It is often the differences between the variants which say more than the similarities. Of all the motifs in the Midrash on the Akedah, the most puzzling is the resurrection motif. Even a cursory reading of the Akedah story reveals that God did not allow Avraham to harm Yitzchak at all. In fact, the reader is informed from the very beginning that the divine command to sacrifice Yitzchak is only a test: "It was after those things, that the Elohim tested Avraham."6 Even though Yitzchak is not mentioned explicitly in the last verse, it is obvious that he is still alive.
    [Show full text]
  • Jews and Judaism in the Rabbinic Era
    Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism Edited by Maren Niehoff (Jerusalem) Annette Y. Reed (Philadelphia, PA) Seth Schwartz (New York, NY) Moulie Vidas (Princeton, NJ) 173 Isaiah M. Gafni Jews and Judaism in the Rabbinic Era Image and Reality – History and Historiography Mohr Siebeck Isaiah M. Gafni, born 1944; BA, MA, and PhD from the Hebrew University; 1967–2012 taught Jewish History of the Second Temple and Talmudic Periods (500 BCE – 500 CE) at the Hebrew University; currently Professor Emeritus in Jewish History at the Hebrew University, and President of Shalem College, Jerusalem. ISBN 978-3-16-152731-9 / eISBN 978-3-16-156701-8 DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-156701-8 ISSN 0721-8753 / eISSN 2568-9525 (Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism) The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliographie; detailed bibliographic data are available at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2019 Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, Germany. www.mohrsiebeck.com This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by copyright law) without the publisher’s written permission. This applies particularly to reproduc- tions, translations and storage and processing in electronic systems. The book was printed on non-aging paper by Gulde Druck in Tübingen, and bound by Groß- buchbinderei Spinner in Ottersweier. Printed in Germany. For Naomi Table of Contents Abbreviations.............................................................................................. IX I Introduction .........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • With Letters of Light: Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Early Jewish
    With Letters of Light rwa lç twytwab Ekstasis Religious Experience from Antiquity to the Middle Ages General Editor John R. Levison Editorial Board David Aune · Jan Bremmer · John Collins · Dyan Elliott Amy Hollywood · Sarah Iles Johnston · Gabor Klaniczay Paulo Nogueira · Christopher Rowland · Elliot R. Wolfson Volume 2 De Gruyter With Letters of Light rwa lç twytwab Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Early Jewish Apocalypticism, Magic, and Mysticism in Honor of Rachel Elior rwayla ljr Edited by Daphna V. Arbel and Andrei A. Orlov De Gruyter ISBN 978-3-11-022201-2 e-ISBN 978-3-11-022202-9 ISSN 1865-8792 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data With letters of light : studies in the Dead Sea scrolls, early Jewish apocalypti- cism, magic and mysticism / Andrei A. Orlov, Daphna V. Arbel. p. cm. - (Ekstasis, religious experience from antiquity to the Middle Ages;v.2) Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: “This volume offers valuable insights into a wide range of scho- larly achievements in the study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jewish apocalypti- cism, magic, and mysticism from the Second Temple period to the later rabbinic and Hekhalot developments. The majority of articles included in the volume deal with Jewish and Christian apocalyptic and mystical texts constituting the core of experiential dimension of these religious traditions” - ECIP summary. ISBN 978-3-11-022201-2 (hardcover 23 x 15,5 : alk. paper) 1. Dead Sea scrolls. 2. Apocalyptic literature - History and criticism. 3. Jewish magic. 4. Mysticism - Judaism. 5. Messianism. 6. Bible. O.T. - Criticism, interpretation, etc. 7. Rabbinical literature - History and criticism.
    [Show full text]
  • Menstruation in Jewish Life and Law Wasserfall: Women and Water Page Iii
    Wasserfall: Women and Water page i Women and Water Wasserfall: Women and Water page ii BRANDEIS SERIES ON JEWISH WOMEN Shulamit Reinharz, General Editor Joyce Antler, Associate Editor Sylvia Barack Fishman, Associate Editor Susan Kahn, Associate Editor The Hadassah Research Institute on Jewish Women, established at Brandeis Uni- versity in 1997 by Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., supports interdisciplinary basic and applied research as well as cultural projects re- lated to Jewish women around the world. Under the auspices of the Institute, the Brandeis series on Jewish Women publishes a wide range of books by and about Jewish women in diverse contexts and time periods. Marjorie Agosín, Uncertain Travelers: Conversations with Jewish Women Immigrants to America Rahel R. Wasserfall, ed., Women and Water: Menstruation in Jewish Life and Law Wasserfall: Women and Water page iii Women and WateR Menstruation in Jewish Life and Law Edited by Rahel R. Wasserfall Brandeis University Press Published by University Press of New England Hanover and London Wasserfall: Women and Water page iv Brandeis University Press Published by University Press of New England, Hanover, NH 03755 © 1999 by Brandeis University Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America 54321 cip data appear at the end of the book Illustrations are from Rabbi David Miller, The Secret of the Jew: His Life— His Family, © 1930 by Rabbi David Miller and published by the author. This book was published with the help of the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, Inc. Wasserfall: Women and Water page v Contents Acknowledgments vii rahel wasserfall Introduction: Menstrual Blood into Jewish Blood 1 I.
    [Show full text]
  • The Beast Between Us the Construction of Identity and Alterity Through Animal Symbolism in Late Antique Jewish and Christian Tradition
    DOI number: DOI - 10.14754/CEU.2017.11 Doctoral Dissertation The Beast between Us The Construction of Identity and Alterity through Animal Symbolism in Late Antique Jewish and Christian Tradition By: Andor Kelenhegyi Supervisor(s): Carsten L. Wilke Submitted to the Medieval Studies Department, and the Doctoral School of History Central European University, Budapest in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Medieval Studies, and for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History CEU eTD Collection Budapest, Hungary 2017 Table of contents Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................. 5 I. Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 7 I.I. Animal symbolism and the study of Jewish-Christian interrelations ......................................... 7 I.I.II. Research questions, sources and methodology ................................................................. 10 I.I.III. State of the art and hypothesis ......................................................................................... 12 I.II. Animal symbolism and human communities .......................................................................... 19 I.II.I. The Darwinian turn ........................................................................................................... 19 I.II.II. Animals describing reality ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Kabbala, Halakha and Kugel: the Case of the Two Handed Blessing
    Kabbala, Halakha and Kugel: The Case of the Two Handed Blessing Kabbala, Halakha and Kugel: The Case of the Two Handed Blessing* In parshat Vayehi, Yaakov simultaneously blesses his two grandchildren, Ephraim and Menashe by placing one hand upon each of their heads. Today, there is a widespread custom of blessing one own’s children on Friday night (although some only do it on the eve of Yom Kippur). This custom most likely originated with the Hasedi Ashkenaz in the 14th century but quickly spread to the rest of Europe, including France, Spain, and Italy.[1] The exact details of the blessing, however, are subject to some variation. The earliest sources mention only the priestly blessing and not Yaakov’s.[2] It was not until the 18th century, R. Yaakov Emden propose the specific usage of Yaakov’s blessing to his grandsons “God shall make you like Ephraim and Menashe.” Likewise, even within those sources they are inconsistent as to whether both hands are to be used or only one. Some provide that one hand should be used because it has 15 joints the same number of words as in the priestly blessing, while others urge two hands because they ”somekh“ ”סמך“ contain 60 bones which corresponds to the word samach” and“ ”סמ״ך“ to lay hands” to be read as the letter“ correspond to the numerical value of sixty rather than the literal translation equaling the number of letters in Birkat Kohanim. These sources disagree because of the symbolic nature of the hands vis-à-vis the blessing. The anonymous book, Hemdat Yamim, states that one should only use the right hand to bless.
    [Show full text]