DOCSLIB.ORG

Berakhot Koren Talmud Bavli and Ein Aya

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Berakhot Koren Talmud Bavli and Ein Aya Berakhot Koren Talmud Bavli and Ein Aya Berakhot Koren Talmud Bavli and Ein Aya by Chaim Katz Berakhot Koren Talmud Bavli (KE) is a translation (into English) of Rav Adin Even-Yisrael Steinsaltz’s Hebrew edition of tractate Berakhot. It comprises the text of the Talmud, the in-line commentary, the explanation of foreign words, the mini-studies iyunim( ), the biographies of selected sages, the description of cultural objects (hahayim), descriptions of fauna and flora and more. As far as I’ve noticed, they never mention in the front matter nor in the advertising blurbs that they added informational notes that don’t appear in the original edition, but there are more than 100 new notes in Berakhot KE. In this paper, I’d like to present an overview of the new notes, and specifically examine the notes based on Ein Aya [1] – Rav Kook’s commentary to Ein Yaakov. [2] I had a few questions about the notes based on Ein Ayah: 1. In the Hebrew edition, Rav Adin created a bibliography of all the sources he used to compile his explanations. The list contains about 100 entries that stretch from Baal Halakhot Gedolot and Sheiltot (8th century) to Rabbi Akiba Eger (died 1837), the Hatam Sofer (died 1839), and commentaries printed in the Vilna Shas and the Vilna Ein Yaakov, e.g., Maharatz Chajes (died 1855), Rav Samuel Strashun (died 1872), Rav Hanokh Zundel the author of Etz Yosef (died 1867). Rav Adin did not incorporate any 20th century authors in his commentary. KE made an exception and included Rav Kook. What is the reason? 2. Ein Aya is not really an explanation of Ein Yaakov. Rav Kook points out in its introduction that his work uses Ein Yaakov as a starting point. However, his goal was to expand the literature of Aggadah and produce a new type of reading material based upon ethical ideas in Jewish philosophy, kabbalah, musar and hassidut. Does KE realize that Ein Aya is not a commentary like the others? 3. Ein Aya is very long. A haggadic statement that Maharsha devotes 15 lines of explanation to, is discussed by Rav Kook in about 60 lines (30 lines of double column text). How will KE summarize all that material? [3] First, I’ll briefly review some of the new notes in KE and then examine a few passages quoted from Ein Aya. The following are new: 1 KE Daf 16b (page 112) has a biography of Rav Safra which is copied from the Hebrew edition Moed Kattan 25a 2 KE Daf 57b (page 371) has a biography of Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha copied from Gittin 58a 3 KE Daf 64a (page 409) has a note about the Chaldean astrologers, which is copied from the Hebrew Shabbat 156b. 4 KE Daf 17b (page 115) has a note about Jesus the Nazarene copied from the Hebrew Edition Sotah 47a. 5 KE Daf 9b, (page 59) there is a note about tekhelet, similar but different from the notes in Menahot 38a . 6 KE Daf 12b, (page 82) has a long note about tzizit – ritual fringes 7 KE Daf 13b, (page 91) there’s a definition of kavanah – intent 8 KE Daf 13b, (page 92) has a diagram of the placement of the tefillin on the arm and hand. 9 KE Daf 56b, (page 365) has a note describing a lion. 10 KE Daf 56b, (page 367) has a note describing an elephant. 11 KE Daf 41a, (page 270) has notes for: radish, olive, wheat, barley, and fig. The following page has a definition of a date. 12 KE Daf 59a (page 382) has a note about a rainbow. 13 KE Daf 7a, (page 42) has an unattributed explanation based on the words: “When I wanted you did not want . “. The explanation is from Maharsha. 14 KE Daf 10a, (page 64) has a comment concerning the relationship of the Holy One Blessed is He and the world. This explanation comes from Etz Yosef. 15 KE Daf 11b, (page 74) has an unattributed very long note about The note is taken .אהבת עולם and eternal love אהבה רבה abounding love verbatim from The Long Shorter Way (Chapter 4 – Two Ways of Loving G- d) [4]. 16 KE Daf 51a, (page 323) has a clarification of a statement made by the angel Suriel. This is from the Maharsha. 17 KE Daf 58a, (page 374) has an explanation concerning the statement: “When Samaria was cursed, its neighbors were blessed”. The explanation comes from Anaf Yosef. 18 KE Daf 17a (page 114) There is a short note about the “Divine שכינה Presence” (although it’s not the first time that the word appears in the tractate.) My sense is that the Steinsaltz Hebrew edition only introduces a note when there is a problem (on the page) that the additional note might solve. KE relaxes this constraint. I’ll illustrate this difference using the first example in the above list. We read in our Gemara: After his prayer, Rav Safra would add: “May it be Your will, G-d our G-d, that You make peace among the members of the heavenly court…” Rav Safra is one of many sages quoted. There is no problem that needs to be solved. The KE has a biography of Rav Safra that ends this way: Since Rav Safra was an itinerant merchant, he never established his own yeshiva and did not spend much time in the study hall. Therefore, there were those among the Sages who held that he was unlike other Rabbis, that all are required to mourn their passing. This is a strange piece of information which doesn’t look like it belongs in a biography. However, the Talmud Moed Kattan 25a, records the following discussion: When R. Safra died, the students did not rend their clothes for him, since, they said, we have not learned from him. Abaye argued with them: Does the baraita say: ‘When a teacher dies’? Rather it says ‘when a scholar dies’. Moreover, every day in the study hall we discuss his interpretations of the halakha. KE’s biography was copied from Rav Adin’s biography in Moed Katan. There are many other examples of notes in KE that were copied from one location to another. They usually don’t fit very well in the destination location. In general, the notes regarding the religious objects add value. The notes describing the obvious (e.g., lion and elephant) are probably included for their esthetics. Concerning Ein Aya: First, I’ll present the note, my translation and the Hebrew text of Ein Aya side by side and then I’ll discuss the note briefly. 1 KE Daf 9a (Page 57), Ain Aya Berakhot 1 112 א”ר אבא הכל מודים כשנגאלו ישראל ממצרים R. Aba said: All agree that when לא נגאלו אלא בערב, Israel was redeemed from Egypt, they וכשיצאו לא יצאו אלא were redeemed specifically during ביום . ,the night, and when they left Egypt הגאולה מעבדות לחירות they left specifically during the בכלל, פועלת בכלל עם- .daytime שלם שני עניינים. Redemption from slavery to freedom האחד הוא החופש in general has two effects on an שירגיש בנפשו entire nation: 1) An inner התרוממות שיצא מכלל liberation and exaltedness that it שפלות העבדות ונעשה When the children of Israel were senses when it exchanges the בן חורין ואדון redeemed from Egypt, they were submissiveness of slavery for לעצמו. והשני הוא (redeemed only in the evening. And autonomy and self-determination. 2 הפעולה הנגלית בעולם, when they left, they left only during A freedom to perform actions that בהיותו עם חפשי חי .the day: impact the world ופועל. There are two separate elements to In Israel these two effects are more ובישראל עוד יתר שאת the transition from slavery to pronounced. For the inner freedom is לשני אלה, כי החופש freedom. First, the slave acquires a the beginning of their own הפנימי הוא התחלה personal sense of freedom and becomes perfection – developing holy לשלמות עצמם, בקדושת master of his own fate. Second, he behaviors in Torah, its mitzvot and המדות בתורה ומצותי’ becomes free in the eyes of others, its wisdom. While the outer public וחכמתה. והחופש הגלוי i.e., he is perceived by those freedom allows Israel to be a light החיצוני, הוא עומד surrounding him as a free man and has to the nations. A great part of the בישראל להיות לאור the potential to influence them. With latter mission has already been גויים, כאשר כבר נעשה regard to the children of Israel, the accomplished even in our time and חלק גדול מזה גם לעת first element enabled them to receive will be fully completed when G-d has כזאת, ויגמר בתכליתו the Torah and elevate themselves with compassion on His nation. For from לעת ירחם ד’ את עמו, .the fulfillment of G-d’s Zion will the Torah go forth (Is כי מציון תורה תצא commandments. The second element 2:3), Even the people in the far-way ולתורת ישראל איים provided Israel with the opportunity lands will wait to hear Torah of ייחלון. (to become a “light unto the nations.” Israel (Is. 42:4 ע”כ נחלקו הגאולות Therefore, the redemption was divided Therefore, the redemptions are לשני חלקים, כשנגאלו into two stages. The first stage, in divided into two parts. When Israel ישראל ממצרים הגאולה which they acquired private, personal was redeemed from Egypt – the inner הפנימית, היינו freedom, took placed at night; the redemption – this occurred during מבערב, שע”ז אין second stage, which drew the the nighttime. For the main point is העיקר הידיעה והפרסום ,attention of the world to the miracle not publicity or exposure to others של זולתם, כי אם of the Exodus, took place during the but a strong sense of their inner ההרגשה הטובה בחופשתם day.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chanukahsale
    swwxc ANDswwxc swwxc CHANUKAH SALE * CHANUKAH 20% OFF ALL SALEswwxc ARTSCROLL PUBLICATIONS PLUS SHABSI’S CHANUKAH SPECIALS° א פרייליכען חנוכה SALE NOW THRU DEC. 31ST, 2019 *20% off List Price °While Supplies Last swwxc ALL CHANUKAH 2,000+ TITLES swwxc list SALE 20% OFFprice Let the Sar HaTorah, Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita, enrich your Shabbos table. by Rabbi Shai Graucher As we read through Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Chumash, we can almost hear the voice of this incomparable gadol b’Yisrael, in his Torah insights, his guidance in matters large and small, and in the stories, warm and personal, of Rav Chaim and his illustrious family. Rabbi Shai Graucher is an almost-daily visitor to Rav Chaim. He pored through all of Rav Chaim’s many Torah writings, learned with him, and collected Rav Chaim’s insights and comments on the Chumash, translated and adapted for maximum readability and clarity. Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Chumash is an instant classic, a sefer that belongs on every Shabbos table. Bereishis $25.99 NOW ONLY $20.79 Shemos $25.99 NOW ONLY $20.79 For the Entire Family — Bring the Parashah to Life! THE Weekly Parashah by Rabbi Nachman Zakon illustrated by Tova Katz This unique narrative retelling of the Chumash is designed to engage readers ages 8 and up. Written by an educator with decades of experience, it will instill in the hearts of young people a love for Torah and a commitment to Jewish tradition and values. Based on the Chumash text, classic commentators, and the Midrash, The Weekly Parashah features age-appropriate text and graphics, gorgeous illustrations, and dozens of short sidebars that enhance the reading experience.
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Dvar Tora from Shabbat Naso, 5774
    Divine Favoritism? R. Yaakov Bieler Parashat Naso, 5774 Birchat Kohanim appears in Parashat Naso. One of the most well-known passages of the Tora, due to its being recited both inside and outside the synagogue, appears in this week’s Parasha: BaMidbar 6:22-27 Speak unto Aharon and unto his sons, saying: In this way ye shall bless the children of Israel; ye shall say unto them: The Lord Bless thee, and Keep thee; The Lord Make His Face to Shine upon thee, and be Gracious unto thee; The Lord Lift up His Countenance upon thee, and Give thee peace. So shall they put My Name upon the children of Israel, and I will Bless them.' When Birchat Kohanim is invoked. Kohanim directly bless the people living in Israel daily each time the Amida is repeated, and in Chutz LaAretz on Yom Tov; the Shliach Tzibbur (prayer leader for the congregation) in the diaspora regularly invokes these blessings in Chazarat HaShaTz (the repetition of the Silent Devotion); and parents bestow these blessings on their children on Friday nights and Erev Yom HaKippurim both inside and outside Israel. A difficulty with an implication of these Berachot. Despite how well-known and often recited these particularly blessings may be, the Talmud startlingly points to one portion of this famous text and challenges it as unjust, and even hypocritical: Berachot 20b R. 'Avira discoursed — sometimes in the name of R. Ammi, and sometimes in the name of R. Assi — as follows: The Ministering Angels said before the Holy One, Blessed Be He: Sovereign of the Universe, it is written in Thy Law, (Devarim 10:17) “Who Regardeth not persons nor Taketh reward”,1 and dost Thou not (overly) Regard the person of Israel, as it is written, (BaMidbar 6:26) “The Lord Lift up His Countenance upon thee”?2 1 For the LORD your God, He is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the Great God, the Mighty, and the Awful, Who Regardeth not persons, nor Taketh reward.
    [Show full text]
  • Kiddushin 022.Pub
    כ"ג אדר ב' תשעו“ Shabbos, April 2 2016 קידושין כ ב“ OVERVIEW of the Daf Distinctive INSIGHT ...cont.) The ear that heard at Sinai) יפת תואר The kohen marrying the (1 מה נשתנה אזן מכל איברים שבגוף The Gemara concludes citing the Baraisa that expounds . יפת תואר upon the verses related to the Yochanan ben Zakkai said: This ear that heard at Sinai ’R נרצע (2 (Shemos 20:13) “Do not steal”, and he went and he stole, and it A Baraisa is cited that discusses the statements the slave heard (Vayikra 25:55) “For Bnei Yisrael are slaves to Me,” and he . נרצע must make to become a went and acquired a [different] master for himself, let it be The Baraisa’s ruling, that the slave’s statement made at the bored. beginning of the six years but not at the end of the six years Let us analyze the comment of R’ Yochanan ben Zakkai. is unsuccessfully The Torah clearly states (Vayikra 25:39) that if a person becomes , נרצע does not qualify the slave to be a challenged. destitute, he can sell himself to be a slave. Why should this be Another Baraisa is cited that enumerates other qualifica- allowed, if it is in violation of the verse to be servants of Hashem alone? Furthermore, the verse which describes our being servants . נרצע tions necessary to be a R’ Bibi bar Abaye inquires whether a slave can become a of Hashem alone is not speaking to the servant and prohibiting if both he and the master are ill and the matter remains his being enslaved, but it is addressing the one who owns the נרצע unresolved.
    [Show full text]
  • Sinai Upside-Down: the Theological Message of a Midrash
    SINAI UPSIDE-DOWN: THE THEOLOGICAL MESSAGE OF A MIDRASH RAYMOND APPLE The two major lines of Jewish exegesis are peshat – the plain meaning, and derash – the homiletical interpretation. It could be said that peshat is more objective and derash more subjective, but this generalization should not be pressed too far. There is a popular notion that derash is a sort of Jewish Ae- sop's Fables , a collection of legendary material that provides extra drama and color; but it would be a mistake to imagine that the masters of Midrash were mere tellers of tales. In most midrashim there is a message which we can begin to uncover by asking: What idea does the midrashic text want to teach? When we ask this question we find that the Sages of the Midrash were seri- ous philosophers who often used derash to address major problems in theol- ogy and ethics. This paper shows how the exegesis of an ambiguous word in the Bible leads in two different directions, with the contrast between peshat and derash allowing the rabbinic Sages to read important theological content into – or out of – a seemingly innocuous verse. That verse is Exodus 19:17, which speaks about where the Israelites were when the Torah was given. The verse reads: va-yityatzevu be-tahtit ha-har. If we try to imagine the scene, we may visualize a large crowd gathered in open country with the mountain looming in the background, apparently indicating a peshat of they stood at the foot of the mountain . Tahtit is connected with tahat , "under, be- low, beneath." These translations appear to be interchangeable synonyms, 1 and are generally treated as such .
    [Show full text]
  • KHM Academic Jewish Studies
    Volume III, Issue 3 December 11, 2009/24 Kislev 5770 KOL HAMEVASER The Jewish Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva University Student Body Academic Interviews with, and Jewish Studies Articles by: Dr. David Berger, R. Dr. Richard Hidary, R. Dr. Joshua Berman, and Dr. Shawn-Zelig Aster p. 6, 8, 9, and 13 Jewish Responses to Wellhausen’s Docu- mentary Hypothesis AJ Berkovitz, p. 14 Tsiluta ke-Yoma de-Is- tana: Creating Clarity in the Beit Midrash Ilana Gadish, p. 18 Bible Study: Interpre- tation and Experience Ori Kanefsky, p. 19 Religious Authenticity and Historical Con- sciousness Eli Putterman on p. 20 Kol Hamevaser Contents Kol Hamevaser Volume III, Issue 3 The Student Thought Magazine of the Yeshiva December 11, 2009 24 Kislev 5770 University Student body Editorial Shlomo Zuckier 3 Academic Jewish Studies: Benefits and Staff Dangers Editors-in-Chief Letter-to-the-Editor Sarit Bendavid Shaul Seidler-Feller Mordechai Shichtman 5 Letter-to-the-Editors Associate Editor Academic Jewish Studies Shlomo Zuckier Staff 6 An Interview with Dr. David Berger Layout Editor Rabbi Dr. Richard Hidary 8 Traditional versus Academic Talmud Menachem Spira Study: “Hilkhakh Nimrinhu le-Tarvaihu” Editor Emeritus Shlomo Zuckier 9 An Interview with Rabbi Dr. Joshua Alex Ozar Berman Staff Writers Staff 13 An Interview with Dr. Shawn-Zelig Aster Yoni Brander Jake Friedman Abraham Jacob Berkovitz 14 Jewish Responses to Wellhausen’s Doc- Ilana Gadish umentary Hypothesis Nicole Grubner Nate Jaret Ilana Gadish 18 Tsiluta ke-Yoma de-Istana: Creating Clar- Ori Kanefsky ity in the Beit Midrash Alex Luxenberg Emmanuel Sanders Ori Kanefsky 19 Bible Study: Interpretation and Experi- Yossi Steinberger ence Jonathan Ziring Eli Putterman 20 Religious Authenticity and Historical Copy Editor Consciousness Benjamin Abramowitz Dovid Halpern 23 Not by Day and Not by Night: Jewish Webmaster Philosophy’s Place Reexamined Ben Kandel General Jewish Thought Cover Design Yehezkel Carl Nathaniel Jaret 24 Reality Check?: A Response to Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Halacha, Ethics & Aesthetics
    Halacha, Ethics and Aesthetics 1 Halacha, Ethics and Aesthetics 1 This article is dedicated to my mother, Becky Navon Rabbi Mois Navon - Adjunct Instructor Gellmann, who instilled in me the I. I NTRODUCTION values of ethics and aesthetics. I would Hama bar R. Hanina asked, “What means the verse: ‘You shall walk also like to acknowl- R. (teilchu) after the Lord your God’? Is it possible for a human being edge my wife Deena for her critique of this to walk after the Shechina; for has it not been said, ‘For the Lord thy God paper. is a devouring fire’? Rather [the verse means] that one is to walk after the 2 This statement attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He. As He clothes the naked... so should not be mis- too you clothe the naked. The Holy One, blessed be He visited the sick... so understood to imply too you visit the sick. The Holy One, blessed be He comforted mourners... that halacha is some self-serving system of so too you comfort the mourner. The Holy One, blessed be He buried the improvement, for the dead... so too you bury the dead. (Sotah 14a) ultimate achievement of transcendence To walk after God then is to walk in His ethical ways. Indeed Judaism provides is obtained only by following halacha a guide for one to “walk” after God known by the same root word as “walk” with hok-like accep- – Halacha. Halacha is the legal body of thought which seeks to guide man’s tance – lishma – for its own sake.
    [Show full text]
  • The Torah U-Madda Journal Devoted to the Interaction Between Torah and General Culture
    THE TORAH U-MADDA JOUR NAL DEVOTED TO THE INTERACTION BETWEEN JUDAISM AND GENERAL CULTURE EDITOR : DAVID SHATZ EDITORIAL ASSISTANT : MEIRA MINTZ FOUNDING EDITOR : JACOB J. SCHACTER , 1989–1999 VOLUME SIXTEEN • 2012 –13 The Torah u-Madda Journal Devoted to the interaction between Torah and general culture. Copyright © 2013 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an affiliate of Yeshiva University. David Shatz, Editor Meira Mintz, Editorial Assistant Jacob J. Schacter, Founding Editor A publication of The Torah u-Madda Project Max Stern Division of Communal Services Center for the Jewish Future Yeshiva University 500 West 185th Street New York, NY 10033 The Torah u-Madda Project gratefully acknowledges the support of the Joseph J. and Bertha K. Green Memorial Fund at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Manuscripts should be sent to: Dr. David Shatz Editor, The Torah u-Madda Journal Stern College for Women Yeshiva University 245 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10016 Before sending your submission, please consult “Instructions for Contributors” on p. v of this volume. Back issues of the journal are available electronically at www.yutorah.org. For further information on back issues and to order copies of the current issue, please contact the Center for the Jewish Future at Yeshiva University, 212.960.5263. Produced by Olivestone, Inc. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTRIBUTORS V ARTICLES Orthodox Approaches to Biblical Slavery 1 Gamliel Shmalo A Halakhic-Philosophic Account of Justified Self-Defense
    [Show full text]
  • Berachos Chapter 5
    30b3 EIN OMDIN CHAPTER FIVE BERACHOS Chapter Five Misfinali The Mishnah discusses the proper frame of mind with which the recitation of the Prayer should be approached: lli.K·1 ,~;:., ':')it-II~ .K?~ 7?.!lJJ;ll'.17 T;"J)?ill T'~ - One should not rise to pray the Shemoneh Esrei other than with an attitude of reverence.II) T'?7!llJ;I~~ n1J.te Ml!)V T'l'.Tilli ''v D'~illi.K"!ij c,,,,;,o - The early pious ones would tarry for one hour and then pray, t1'1'!¥!;!W tli)'~~'z c;i', m,;;.>!W ,,;, - in order that they might direct their hearts to their Father in Heaven.£2l Additional laws regarding the Shemoneh Esrei : U~'l!i' .K·', it.ii7!¥~ ',~;Iii ':'J?J.?tt 1',,!;1~ - Even if the king inquires as to his welfare while he is engaged in Shemoneh Esrei, he should not answer him; i''l;J)?~ .K°', i::lj;!l1 ',p ':')11;, lli!J~ 1',,!;1~] - and even if a snake is coiled about his heel, he should not interrupt.rai Gerna.ra The Mishnah states that one should not rise to "i-!),tc")'!\l i'¥i~·',;;_i,tt·',~ M)Qtl'¥~ i-!)'!;! - As for me, through pray other than with an attitude of reverence. The Your abundant kindness I will enter Your House, I will Gemara asks: prostrate myself toward Your holy Sanctuary in awe of You. f7J '?.'~ '~ij .K~l? - From where in Scripture is this law derived?f4J Thus, we learn that prayer must be approached with an attitude The Gemara answers: of awe.
    [Show full text]
  • CBY Weekly Shabbat Announcements 8-15 Adar 5778 - February 23-March 2, 2018 SHABBAT TETZAVEH/PARSHAT ZACHOR
    CBY Weekly Shabbat Announcements 8-15 Adar 5778 - February 23-March 2, 2018 SHABBAT TETZAVEH/PARSHAT ZACHOR SHABBAT FEBRUARY 23-24 SPECIAL EVENTS Candles ....................................................................... 5:20 pm Friday night Feb. 23rd join R’ Zahtz at a pre-purim Plag ............................................................................. 4:31 pm Tisch at the Schreiber home 622 Winthrop Road at Mincha ........................................................................ 5:30 pm 8:15 pm. Everyone is invited! Moroccan Shir HaShirim/mincha ............................... 5:30 pm Shabbat Feb. 24th Michal Zahtz will give a pre- Kids Parsha Shiur ....................................................... 8:00 pm Minyanim: Purim women’s shiur in the Social Hall at 4pm. Hashkama ................................................................... 7:00 am CBY welcomes Rabbi Menachem Burstein of Sefard (Beis Medrash) ............................................. 8:30 am Machon Puah. He will address the Nusach Sefard Ashkenaz (Social Hall) ............................................. 8:30 am minyan on Shabbat. Moroccan ................................................................ 9:00 am Ashkenaz (New Main) ............................................. 9:00 am NEXT SHABBAT-SHABBAT KI TISA Ashkenaz (Old Main) ............................................... 9:15 am Candles ............................................................... 5:28 pm Teen Minyan (Social Hall)........................................ 9:00
    [Show full text]
  • Maimonides on the Purpose of Ritual Sacrifices
    religions Essay Weaning Away from Idolatry: Maimonides on the Purpose of Ritual Sacrifices Reuven Chaim Klein Independent Researcher, Beitar Illit 90500, Israel; rcklein@ohr.edu Abstract: This essay explores Maimonides’ explanation of the Bible’s rationale behind the ritual sacrifices, namely to help wean the Jews away from idolatrous rites. After clearly elucidating Maimonides’ stance on the topic, this essay examines his view from different angles with various possible precedents in earlier rabbinic literature for such an understanding. The essay also shows why various other Jewish commentators objected to Maimonides’ understanding and how Maimonides might respond to those critiques. Additionally, this essay also situates Maimonides’ view on sacrifices within his broader worldview of the Bible’s commandments in general as serving as a counterweight to idolatrous rituals. Keywords: sacrifices; theology; maimonides; ritual; idolatry; paganism; cult; fetishism; nahmanides; judaism; bible; midrash; talmud; rabbinics; philosophy; rationalism; polemics; mysticism; ancient near east; bible studies 1. Maimonides’ Position In his Guide for the Perplexed (3:30, 3:32), Maimonides explains that the Torah’s main objective is to eradicate the viewpoint of paganism. Thus, to truly understand the Torah’s original intent, one must be familiar with the philosophies and practices of ancient idolaters (in Maimonidean terms, this refers to practitioners of non-monotheistic religions). Citation: Klein, Reuven Chaim. 2021. Weaning Away from Idolatry: Taking this idea a step further, Maimonides seemingly assumes that ritual sacrifices Maimonides on the Purpose of Ritual are a sub-optimal form of worship, leading him to making the bold statement that the Torah Sacrifices. Religions 12: 363. https:// instituted its system of ritual sacrifices to facilitate the rejection of idolatrous practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Torah Musings Digests
    Torah Musings Digests July through October, 2014 as published on www.TorahMusings.com Unedited Introduction Started as the Hirhurim blog in 2004, Torah Musings relaunched in August 2013 as an online periodical focusing on multiple areas of interest, including: Textual Studies – halakhah (Jewish law),hashkafah (Jewish thought), history and parshanut (biblical commentary) that is clear, interesting, valuable to experienced students but understandable to those with limited Jewish education; News Stories and Commentary – thoughtful responses based on Jewish texts and traditions to issues of the day; Dialogue – differing views within the Orthodox camp, discussing with post and counter-post or in the responses. In July 2014, the website began sending weekly digests in PDF format. This booklet contains a collection of these weekly digests from July through October 2014, unrevised and in the same format originally sent. Currently, these PDF files flow automatically and sometimes misinterpret formatting commands. Therefore, there are occasional stray sentences that should be ignored. Please note that authorship of each essay is clear on the website but not always in the weekly digest. Unless otherwise indicated, assume that I wrote an essay. Many people contributed to this project. The editorial committee for the first year consisted of R. Micha Berger, R. Basil Herring and R. Moshe Schapiro, the last two continuing into the second year. These three scholars devoted many hours to improving and maintaining the website’s standards. I thank them for their hard work. During the period of this collection, Efraim Vaynman and David Roth served as editorial interns. I thank them both for their hard work.
    [Show full text]