tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17843231893318291002024-02-21T18:59:00.867+02:00A Jew With QuestionsAJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-18080514350559667612023-01-03T09:29:00.004+02:002023-01-03T09:35:23.712+02:00The 70 who went down to Egypt<div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="ad999-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ad999-0-0"><span data-offset-key="ad999-0-0"><span data-text="true">When a person </span></span><span><span data-offset-key="ad999-1-0"><span data-text="true">tells</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="ad999-2-0"><span data-text="true"> a lie, the initial lie is not that hard, what gets a person into trouble is all the subsequent the lies that they need to tell to keep their story consistent. A good example of something similar is in parshas Vayigash. The Torah details the descendants of Yaakov who went to Egypt and says that there were 70. However, this raises a few problems with explanations that Chazal gave earlier and leads to Chazal/Rashi having to give more and more difficult answers to keep the story consistent.</span></span></div></div><div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="72fvk-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="72fvk-0-0"><span data-offset-key="72fvk-0-0"><span data-text="true">I. The twin wives of the Shevatim</span></span></div></div><div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="eitag-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eitag-0-0"><span data-offset-key="eitag-0-0"><span data-text="true">In this post </span></span><span class="x1fey0fg"><span data-offset-key="eitag-1-0"><span data-text="true">Who did the שבטים marry?</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="eitag-2-0"><span data-text="true">, I quoted Rashi who was bothered by the question, who did the Shevatim marry and he quoted one opinion in Chazal that Each שבט was born with a twin sister whom they married. In Vayigash, Rashi now has to deal with the ramifications of this explanation. Rashi is bothered by the question, how come these twins aren't listed as going down to Egypt. Rashi is forced to answer that they must have died. But, this raises more questions then it solves:</span></span></div></div><ol class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd" data-offset-key="eiuqa-0-0"><li class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo xzj9hkj _3kp_ _3kq0 _3kq1 _3kq6" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="eiuqa-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="eiuqa-0-0"><span data-offset-key="eiuqa-0-0"><span data-text="true">They all died while all their brothers lived?</span></span></div></li><li class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo xzj9hkj _3kp_ _3kq1 _3kq6" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="9ptvi-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="9ptvi-0-0"><span data-offset-key="9ptvi-0-0"><span data-text="true">The Torah explicitly states that the list of people going to Egypt did not include the Shevatim's wives. ל־הַ֠נֶּ֠פֶשׁ הַבָּאָ֨ה לְיַעֲקֹ֤ב מִצְרַ֙יְמָה֙ יֹצְאֵ֣י יְרֵכ֔וֹ מִלְּבַ֖ד נְשֵׁ֣י בְנֵי־יַעֲקֹ֑ב כׇּל־נֶ֖פֶשׁ שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וָשֵֽׁשׁ.</span></span></div></li><li class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo xzj9hkj _3kp_ _3kq0 _3kq2 _3kq6" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="cib5d-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cib5d-0-0"><span data-offset-key="cib5d-0-0"><span data-text="true">So who were these wives? If they were כנעניות then we are back to the question of how could they marry כנעניות which led Rashi to say that they married their twins.</span></span></div></li><li class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo xzj9hkj _3kp_ _3kq1 _3kq6" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="4s1rk-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4s1rk-0-0"><span data-offset-key="4s1rk-0-0"><span data-text="true">The Torah says that there were 70 people and yet if you count it's only 69. Rashi quotes a Medrash that Yocheved was born as they reached Egypt. If Yocheved was born on the way then clearly Levi had a wife who gave birth to Yocheved, who was she if their wives died earlier?</span></span></div></li></ol><div class="x1e56ztr" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="13ad4-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="13ad4-0-0"><span data-offset-key="13ad4-0-0"><span data-text="true">II. Where are all the females?</span></span></div></div><ol class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd" data-offset-key="66s3h-0-0"><li class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo xzj9hkj _3kp_ _3kq0 _3kq1 _3kq6" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="66s3h-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="66s3h-0-0"><span data-offset-key="66s3h-0-0"><span data-text="true">The Torah lists 69 descendants of Yaakov. A grand total of 2 are females, Dina and Serach. In the real world, about 50% of babies are female, so does it make sense that the descendants of Yaakov were only 2.8% female?</span></span></div></li><li class="x1e56ztr x1xmf6yo xzj9hkj _3kp_ _3kq1 _3kq6" data-block="true" data-editor="8tfd6" data-offset-key="bm5ci-0-0"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bm5ci-0-0"><span data-offset-key="bm5ci-0-0"><span data-text="true">Who did the descendants of Yaakov marry? Egyptian women? Who were the נשים צדקניות who chazal describe as saving the Jewish people? Egyptian women?</span></span></div></li></ol><p> </p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-54914469797482037262022-12-18T10:30:00.003+02:002022-12-18T10:35:14.128+02:00The fantastical justifications of Chazal<p> In last weeks parsha וישב the Torah relates a very straightforward story. Yehuda is traveling, sees what he thinks is a prostitute (it's really his daughter in law), negotiates a price with her, gives her security, has sex with her, and then later tries to find her to pay her. Chazal and the מפרשים however, are bothered by a very simple question. How could one of the holy שבטים, the progenitor of the kingly dynasty and moshiach, sleep with a prostitute. Therefore the Gemara (Sota 10a) makes up a whole dialogue that it attributes to Yehuda <span data-offset-key="83qms-0-0"><span data-text="true"> to justify Yehuda's conduct.</span></span></p><p><span></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Sotah 10a:19" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Sotah 10a:19" tabindex="0"><p class="segmentText"><span class="he" lang="he"></span></p></div><span><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Sotah 10a:20" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Sotah 10a:20" tabindex="0"></div></span><span class="he" lang="he"><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-shmuel-b-nahmani" href="/topics/rabbi-shmuel-b-nahmani">רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי</a> אָמַר שֶׁנָּתְנָה עֵינַיִם לִדְבָרֶיהָ כְּשֶׁתְּבָעָהּ אָמַר לָהּ שֶׁמָּא נׇכְרִית אַתְּ אָמְרָה לֵיהּ גִּיּוֹרֶת אֲנִי שֶׁמָּא אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ אַתְּ אָמְרָה לֵיהּ פְּנוּיָה אֲנִי שֶׁמָּא קִיבֵּל בִּךְ אָבִיךָ קִידּוּשִׁין אָמְרָה לֵיהּ יְתוֹמָה אֲנִי שֶׁמָּא טְמֵאָה אַתְּ אָמְרָה לֵיהּ טְהוֹרָה</span><p></p><p><span></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Sotah 10a:19" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Sotah 10a:19" tabindex="0"><p class="segmentText"><span class="en" lang="en"></span></p></div><span><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Sotah 10a:20" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Sotah 10a:20" tabindex="0"></div></span><span class="en" lang="en"><b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-shmuel-b-nahmani" href="/topics/rabbi-shmuel-b-nahmani">Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani</a> says: She provided eyes [<i>einayim</i>] for her statements,</b> i.e., with her words she provided an opening [<i>petaḥ</i>] for <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="judah" href="/topics/judah">Judah</a> to solicit her. <b>When</b> <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="judah" href="/topics/judah">Judah</a> <b>solicited her</b> to engage in sexual intercourse with him, <b>he</b> first attempted to verify her status and <b>said to her:</b> Are <b>you perhaps are a gentile? She said to him: I am a convert.</b> He asked: <b>Perhaps you are a married woman? She said to him: I am an unmarried woman.</b> He asked: <b>Perhaps your father accepted betrothal for you</b> and you are unaware of it? <b>She said to him: I am an orphan.</b> He asked: <b>Maybe you are impure? She said to him: I am pure.</b></span><span class="he" lang="he"> </span><p></p><p><span class="he" lang="he">Amazing, Chazal make up a whole dialogue out of nothing where Yehuda asked a prostitute is she an idolater, married, a nidda. Why, because they couldn't accept that Yehuda simply slept with a prostitute.<br /></span></p><p><span class="he" lang="he">The מפרשים are still bothered by the question how could Yehuda have sex with a prostitute? I saw 3 answers in the מפרשים:</span></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span class="he" lang="he">He was מקדש her</span></li><li><span class="he" lang="he">He was מיחד her so it wasn't זנות</span></li><li><span class="he" lang="he">He took here as a פילגש</span></li></ol><p><span class="he" lang="he">IMHO these sound like desperate rationalizations for Yehudas conduct. To think that Yehuda married (was מיחד, or took as a פילגש) a random prostitute he met on the road is ridiculous and contradicted by the text itself. When Yehuda searches for her to pay her (after he had sex with her) he asks the people where is the prostitute, clearly showing that he still considered her a prostitute. </span></p><p><span class="he" lang="he">IMHO, this greatly impacts Chazal's credibility, we see that they made up all kinds of unbelievable rationalizations to justify sinful conduct by biblical figures. Where is their intellectual honesty? If they could make up stories like these what else did they make up?<br /></span></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-87874380427821633802022-12-07T18:24:00.002+02:002022-12-07T18:24:40.477+02:00Civilian casualties in Halacha<p>This week's parsha וישלח has the story of the brothers and Shechem. The mefarshim are bothered by the brothers killing of everyone in the city not just Shechem and Chamor. The Maharal justifies the actions of Shimon and Levi, asserting that the Torah sanctions waging war when a nation attacks us. In such circumstances, we are permitted to respond to the other nation’s provocation. In responding, we attack the other nation and do not distinguish between the guilty members and the innocent members of that nation. Thus, Shimon and Levi appropriately responded to Shechem’s aggression. Once they responded, they were permitted to attack the entire nation, because this is the manner in which war is waged.This Maharal is quoted l'halacha by a number of modern day poskim including Rabbi JD Bleich who writes:</p><p>"Not only does one search in vain for a ruling prohibiting military activity likely to result in the death of civilians, but to this writer’s knowledge, there exists no discussion in classical rabbinic sources that takes cognizance of the likelihood of causing civilian casualties in the course of hostilities legitimately undertaken as posing a halakhic or moral problem."</p><p>This position is echoed by Rav Shaul Yisraeli, Rav Asher Weiss, Rav Herschel Shachter and others. According to them not only are civilian casualties not prohibited, it is prohibited to endanger Jewish soldiers in any way to minimize civilian casualties.</p><p>This approach is diametrically opposed to international law which treats civilian casualties as a war crime in many cases. <br /></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-66496410360407875692022-12-04T16:46:00.003+02:002022-12-04T16:48:03.374+02:00The Riches of Moshe<p>The Gemara in Nedarim 38 (recent daf yomi) made the following statement:</p><p>אָמַר <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-yochanan-b-napacha" href="/topics/rabbi-yochanan-b-napacha">רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן</a>: אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ אֶלָּא עַל גִּבּוֹר וְעָשִׁיר וְחָכָם וְעָנָיו, וְכוּלָּן מִמֹּשֶׁה. </p><p>...</p><p>עָשִׁיר — ״פְּסׇל לָךְ״, פְּסוֹלְתָּן שֶׁלְּךָ יְהֵא.</p><p>The Gemara states that to be a Navi you have to be rich, and learns it out from Moshe. Moshe got rich from the luchos, when he made the luchos out of precious stone, he kept the extra which made him rich.</p><p>When we think about this it's quite difficult. </p><p>1. There is no objective criteria to being rich, it is in relation to the people you live with. If everyone in a society lives the same can we call a specific member of that society rich?<br /></p><p>2. Precious stones only have value because people assign them value. </p><p>Both of these are relevant to the Midbar. </p><p>1. What would it mean to be rich in the midbar? Food and water was provided free of charge by God. There was no land to buy, and everyone had a tent. So what exactly did it mean that Moshe was rich? How did his wealth express itself? They were in the midbar so there was nothing to buy either. So how was Moshe richer then anyone else?</p><p>2. What were precious stones worth in the midbar? They are only valuable because they are rare and have some use. Why would they have any value in the midbar? What use would they have? <br /></p><p><br /></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-88653710613917221812022-11-27T09:57:00.001+02:002022-11-27T10:01:42.693+02:00Not blaming god for cancer<div><div dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi xjkvuk6 x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_8q"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x10flsy6 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x x4zkp8e x41vudc x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Mishpacha magazine had a story a while ago about a Rabbi Meister who died from cancer. They printed the following quote from him:</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><i>I have never had a problem accepting that Hashem has given me life-threatening cancer at age 54 in 2010. Our bodies contain trillions of cells, and every minute of every day millions of cells are dying and new cells are forming. Every new cell that forms has the potential to have cancerous mutations, and millions or billions of times a day our bodies have potential cancers forming. Hashem prevents that from happening through our immune systems and through metabolic processes we don’t even know about. By age 54, I probably had 500 trillion chances for a cancerous cell to form and survive and grow into a life-threatening cancer, and it only happened once. So Hashem stopped me from getting cancer 499,999,999,999,999 times and only let it happen once. I would call that remarkable protection. Considering I never took the time to thank Hashem 499,999,999,999,999 times for not giving me cancer, I don’t see how I could possibly complain that He let one cancerous cell survive and multiply. That would seem very ungrateful.</i></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><i> </i></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">I fell out of my chair reading this. Let’s think about what he said. He is so grateful that Hashem protected him from those nasty cancer cells until he was 54. Well who does he think created cancer? That same Hashem. Hashem is the one who created us in such a way that there is such a great risk of cancer so why thank him for providing inadequate protection? The way he describes it Hashem is only responsible for the good, but the fact that people are made to get cancer isn’t Hashem’s fault, why not? </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">He then gave a ridiculous analogy:</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><i>Put another way: Let’s say I was in a house surrounded by attacking Nazis and hundreds of American soldiers surrounded the house and fought off the Nazis for weeks, suffering hundreds of dead and wounded. Eventually the Nazis broke through and captured me. Could I possibly be mad at the American soldiers who defended my house for weeks and suffered hundreds of casualties? Of course not. That would be terribly ungrateful. I would thank them for the effort they put in and thank them for protecting me for so long, and I would not hold it against them that eventually the enemy won.</i></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><i> </i></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The difference is that in the case of cancer Hashem created the Nazis and sent them to your doorstep and then came to protect you and failed. </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">IMHO a much better analogy is imagine a doctor who intentionally shoots someone in the chest and then performs a complex operation to try to save his life. Is anyone going to praise the doctor for his effort? Will the victim thank the doctor for saving his life? The answer is no, the victim will ask the doctor why did you shoot me?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">The same applies here, why thank Hashem for rescuing you from a bad situation of his making? Hashem created a flawed human body which gets cancer, and created a flawed immune system which doesn’t always work, why is that praiseworthy?</div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div><div><div class="x168nmei x13lgxp2 x30kzoy x9jhf4c x6ikm8r x10wlt62" data-visualcompletion="ignore-dynamic"><div><div><div><div class="x1n2onr6"><div class="x6s0dn4 xi81zsa x78zum5 x6prxxf x13a6bvl xvq8zen xdj266r xktsk01 xat24cr x1d52u69 x889kno x4uap5 x1a8lsjc xkhd6sd xdppsyt"><div class="x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1iyjqo2 x6ikm8r x10wlt62"><span aria-label="See who reacted to this" class="x1ja2u2z" role="toolbar"><span class="x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1e558r4" id="jsc_c_8t"><span class="x6zyg47 x1xm1mqw xpn8fn3 xtct9fg x13zp6kq x1mcfq15 xrosliz x1wb7cse x13fuv20 xu3j5b3 x1q0q8m5 x26u7qi xamhcws xol2nv xlxy82 x19p7ews xmix8c7 x139jcc6 x1n2onr6 x1xp8n7a xhtitgo"><span class="x12myldv x1udsgas xrc8dwe xxxhv2y x1rg5ohu xmix8c7 x1xp8n7a"><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j x1jfb8zj"></span></span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><span aria-label="See who reacted to this" class="x1ja2u2z" role="toolbar"><span class="x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x1e558r4" id="jsc_c_8t"><span class="x6zyg47 x1xm1mqw xpn8fn3 xtct9fg x13zp6kq x1mcfq15 xrosliz x1wb7cse x13fuv20 xu3j5b3 x1q0q8m5 x26u7qi xamhcws xol2nv xlxy82 x19p7ews xmix8c7 x139jcc6 x1n2onr6 x1xp8n7a x1vjfegm"><span class="x12myldv x1udsgas xrc8dwe xxxhv2y x1rg5ohu xmix8c7 x1xp8n7a"><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j x1jfb8zj"></span></span></span></span></span><div><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j x1jfb8zj"></span></div><div class="x6s0dn4 x78zum5 x2lah0s x17rw0jw"><div class="xnfveip"></div><div class="xnfveip"><span class="x4k7w5x x1h91t0o x1h9r5lt xv2umb2 x1beo9mf xaigb6o x12ejxvf x3igimt xarpa2k xedcshv x1lytzrv x1t2pt76 x7ja8zs x1qrby5j x1jfb8zj"><br /></span></div></div><p> </p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-80561187790867238852022-11-13T09:59:00.001+02:002022-11-13T09:59:09.732+02:00Avrahams impassioned defense of Sdom<p> In Parshas וירא Avraham gives an impassioned defense of Sdom which is used by many liberal Jews to promote Judaism as being in favor of social justice. However, when you think about it a little, it is apparent that the whole story makes no sense given Judaisms conception of god.</p><p>Avraham has a disucssion/argument with God with 2 major themes:</p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>He tries to persuade God using logical arguments and shaming that destroying Sdom is not just. Avraham asks god השופט כל הארץ לא יעשה משפט?</li><li>Avraham tries to bargain with god. He starts out with 50 tzadikkim and gets down to 10.</li></ol><p>How does this make any sense if God is omniscient, omnibenevolent and unchanging? How can any human being attempt to change God's mind using logical arguments? How can a human being bargain with god? If God's decrees are perfect and moral why does Avraham even attempt to change it? The clear sense you get from this story is that God is very much like human beings, just more powerful. God gets angry, he takes vengeance, and he can be reasoned with and persuaded to change his mind. Rambam's conception of an omniscient, unchanging God leaves zero room for this whole story, if god is unchanging how can Avraham even attempt to convince god to save Sdom?</p><p>This of course leads to a bigger question of how does prayer work in Judaism? We can ask the following questions about prayer:<br />
<br />
</p><ol><li>Why do we need to daven to God at all? Since he is omniscient he knows exactly what we need so why do we need to ask?</li><li>How can we ask a perfect God to change his decree for us? God's decrees are perfect and just so how can we daven to change them?</li><li>How can God be affected by our prayer if he is immutable and impassible?</li></ol>
<div>
There are a number of approaches to answer this question:</div>
<ol><li>The purpose of davening is to contemplate God (Rambam) and/or to change us</li><li>This is the system that God setup</li></ol><div>
Lets take a closer look at both approaches.</div>
<h4>
I. The purpose of davening is to contemplate God (Rambam) and/or to change us</h4>
<div>
The first thing we have to realize is that the Gemara does not really
address this question. There is no philosophy of Tefilla found in the
Gemara. This issue is first discussed in the Rishonim. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This approach is taken by many of the philosophical Rishonim like the
Rambam. They explain that the purpose of davening is for us to get
closer to God by contemplating God and realizing that everything is from
God. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The way davening works is that the person who davens changes and is not
the same person and therefore whatever decree was on the person was on
the old version not the new improved version. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are a number of issues with this approach:</div>
<div>
<ol><li>Why does shemoneh esrei have 12 berachos in the middle in which we
ask God for things? How does asking God for health, income, etc. get you
closer to God? Why would we ask for anything?</li><li>How can I daven for someone else? If the purpose of davening is to
get closer to God how can my prayer for someone else help them? My
prayer certainly can't help them get closer to God?</li><li>Avraham in his
tefilla to God about Sedom asks God how a just God could kill Tzadikkim
along with Reshaim. With this conception of prayer to make
logical arguments to God makes no sense whatsoever. God is omniscient
and clearly took these arguments into account already. Of course this also makes no sense if the purpose of Tefilla is to contemplate God or
get closer to God. </li></ol>
<h4>
II. That is the system that God setup</h4>
</div>
<div>
This is the kabbalistic approach, that God set up the world that to get
anything you need to ask for it. This approach turns davening into a
magical experience and answers the first 2 questions above. We ask for
things because that is how God set up the system, no matter how strange
that sounds. There is not much to say here you either take it or leave
it.</div><div>Again, Avraham's prayer/discussion with God makes no sense according to this as well. Logical arguments and bargaining with God makes no sense whatsoever. <br /></div><p> </p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-80807489668455569952022-09-20T11:33:00.003+03:002022-09-20T11:33:52.956+03:00Rape in Chazal<p> The Torah has a very different view of rape then we do today. The Torah sees rape as injuring the father by deflowering his daughter and devaluing her in terms of marriage. The Gemara in כתובות ל"ט has the following discussion about why the rapist pays צער, pain and suffering for rape.</p><p>צַעַר דְּמַאי? אָמַר אֲבוּהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל: צַעַר שֶׁחֲבָטָהּ עַל גַּבֵּי קַרְקַע. מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַבִּי זֵירָא: אֶלָּא מֵעַתָּה, חֲבָטָהּ עַל גַּבֵּי שִׁירָאִין, הָכִי נָמֵי דְּפָטוּר? וְכִי תֵּימָא הָכִי נָמֵי — וְהָתַנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן: אוֹנֵס אֵינוֹ מְשַׁלֵּם אֶת הַצַּעַר — מִפְּנֵי <span></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Ketubot 39b:1" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Ketubot 39b:1" tabindex="0"><p class="segmentText"><span class="he" lang="he">שֶׁסּוֹפָהּ לְהִצְטַעֵר תַּחַת בַּעֲלָהּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה נִבְעֶלֶת בְּאוֹנֶס לְנִבְעֶלֶת בְּרָצוֹן. אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: צַעַר שֶׁל פִּיסּוּק הָרַגְלַיִם. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״וַתְּפַשְּׂקִי אֶת רַגְלַיִךְ לְכׇל עוֹבֵר״. </span></p></div><span><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Ketubot 39b:2" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Ketubot 39b:2" tabindex="0"></div></span><span><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Ketubot 39b:2" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Ketubot 39b:2" tabindex="0"><p class="segmentText"><span class="he" lang="he">אִי הָכִי, מְפוּתָּה נָמֵי! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: מָשָׁל דִּמְפוּתָּה לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאָדָם שֶׁאָמַר לַחֲבֵירוֹ: קְרַע שִׁירָאִין שֶׁלִּי וְהִפָּטֵר. שֶׁלִּי?! דַּאֲבוּהּ נִינְהוּ? אֶלָּא אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אֲבוּהּ: פִּקְּחוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן אוֹמְרוֹת: מְפוּתָּה אֵין לָהּ צַעַר. </span></p></div></span><span><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Ketubot 39b:3" class="segment showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Ketubot 39b:3" tabindex="0"></div></span><span class="he" lang="he">וְהָא קָא חָזֵינַן דְּאִית לַהּ? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אֲמַרָה לִי אֵם, כְּמַיָּא חַמִּימֵי עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּקַרְחָא. רָבָא אָמַר: אֲמַרָה לִי בַּת רַב חִסְדָּא: כִּי רִיבְדָּא דְכוּסִילְתָּא. רַב פָּפָּא אָמַר: אֲמַרָה לִי בַּת אַבָּא סוּרָאָה: כִּי נַהֲמָא אַקּוּשָׁא בְּחִינְכֵי.</span><p></p><p><span class="he" lang="he">The mishna taught that a rapist pays for the pain that he caused. The Gemara asks: <b>For what pain</b> is he obligated to pay? <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="avuha-di-shmuel" href="/topics/avuha-di-shmuel">Shmuel’s father</a> said:</b> It is for the <b>pain that</b> he caused when <b>he slammed her onto the ground</b> while raping her. <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-zera" href="/topics/rav-zera">Rabbi Zeira</a></b> strongly <b>objects to this: But if</b> what you say is <b>so,</b> if <b>he slammed her onto silk, so too</b> is the <i>halakha</i> <b>that</b> he is <b>exempt</b> from payment for pain? <b>And if you say indeed</b> that it is <b>so, but isn’t it taught</b> in a <i>baraita</i> that <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-shimon-b-yehudah" href="/topics/rabbi-shimon-b-yehudah">Rabbi Shimon ben Yehuda</a> says in the name of <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="shimon-bar-yochai" href="/topics/shimon-bar-yochai">Rabbi Shimon</a>: A rapist does not pay</b> for <b>the pain due to</b> the fact </span><span class="he" lang="he"><span></span></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Ketubot 39b:1" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Ketubot 39b:1" tabindex="0"><p class="segmentText"><span class="en" lang="en"><b>that she will ultimately suffer</b> the same pain during intercourse when <b>under</b> the authority of <b>her husband? They said to him: One who has intercourse against</b> her <b>will is not comparable to one who has intercourse willingly.</b> Apparently, the pain associated with rape is a direct result of the forced intercourse and not of some associated cause. <b>Rather, Rav Naḥman said</b> that <b>Rabba bar Avuh said:</b> It refers to the <b>pain of spreading</b> her <b>legs</b> during intercourse. <b>And likewise,</b> the verse <b>says: “And you opened your legs to every passerby”</b> (Ezekiel 16:25). </span></p></div><span class="he" lang="he"></span><span class="he" lang="he"></span><span class="he" lang="he"></span><span class="he" lang="he"></span><span class="he" lang="he"><span><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Ketubot 39b:2" class="segment highlight invisibleHighlight showNamedEntityLinks" data-ref="Ketubot 39b:2" tabindex="0"></div></span><span class="en" lang="en">The Gemara asks: <b>If so, a seduced woman</b> should <b>also</b> be obligated to make that payment as well. <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-nachman-b-yaakov" href="/topics/rav-nachman-b-yaakov">Rav Naḥman</a> said</b> that <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbah-b-avuha" href="/topics/rabbah-b-avuha">Rabba bar Avuh</a> stated a parable: To what can</b> this <b>matter</b> of a seducer <b>be compared?</b> It can be compared <b>to a person who said to another: Tear my silk and be exempt</b> from payment. Since she engaged in relations of her own volition, she certainly absolved him of payment for the pain. The Gemara asks: Tear <b>my</b> silk? It is not her silk, and therefore she may not waive payment for damage to it; <b>it is</b> the silk <b>of her father,</b> as the fine and the other payments are paid to him. <b>Rather, <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-nachman-b-yaakov" href="/topics/rav-nachman-b-yaakov">Rav Naḥman</a> said</b> that <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbah-b-avuha" href="/topics/rabbah-b-avuha">Rabba bar Avuh</a> said</b> that <b>the clever</b> women <b>among them say</b> that <b>a seduced woman has no pain</b> during intercourse, as she is a willing participant. </span></span>The Gemara asks: <b>But don’t we see that</b> even a married woman <b>has</b> pain when she engages in sexual relations for the first time? <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="abaye" href="/topics/abaye">Abaye</a> said: My</b> foster <b>mother told me</b> that the pain is <b>like hot water on the head of a bald</b> man. <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rava" href="/topics/rava">Rava</a> said:</b> My wife, <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-chisda" href="/topics/rav-chisda">Rav Ḥisda</a>’s daughter, told me</b> that it is <b>like the stab of a bloodletting knife. <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-pappa" href="/topics/rav-pappa">Rav Pappa</a> said:</b> My wife, <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="abba-sura" href="/topics/abba-sura">Abba Sura</a>’s daughter, told me</b> that it is <b>like</b> the feeling of <b>hard bread on the gums.</b> When a woman engages in intercourse willingly, the pain is negligible. Therefore, the seducer is not obligated to pay for pain.<p></p><p> I think if you asked female rape victims about the pain of rape you would get very different answers. <br /></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-38519931569341480542022-09-20T11:13:00.001+03:002022-09-20T11:13:12.235+03:00Women and marriage<p> </p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="d2hqwtrz r227ecj6 gt60zsk1 o9wcebwi" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id="jsc_c_kt"><div class="alzwoclg cqf1kptm siwo0mpr gu5uzgus"><div class="jroqu855 nthtkgg5"><span class="gvxzyvdx aeinzg81 t7p7dqev gh25dzvf ocv3nf92 b6ax4al1 gem102v4 ncib64c9 mrvwc6qr sx8pxkcf f597kf1v cpcgwwas f5mw3jnl ib8x7mpr k1z55t6l oog5qr5w tes86rjd pbevjfx6 ztn2w49o" dir="auto"><div class="m8h3af8h l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf n3t5jt4f"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">Daf Yomi this week (כתובות ע״ה) had a fascinating Gemara about women and marriage.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">בְּקָרִיבֵיהּ! האִיהִי בְּכׇל דְּהוּ נִיחָא לַהּ, כִּדְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. דְּאָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: ״טָב לְמֵיתַב טַן דּוּ מִלְּמֵיתַב אַרְמְלוּ״, אַבָּיֵי אָמַר: דְּשׁוּמְשְׁמָנָא גַּבְרָא כּוּרְסְיַהּ בֵּי חָרָאתָא רָמֵי לַהּ. ורַב פָּפָּא אָמַר: דְּנַפָּסָא גַּבְרָא, תִּיקְרְיֵיהּ בְּסִיפֵּי בָבָא וְתֵיתִיב. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: דְּקַלָּסָא גַּבְרָא, לָא בָּעֲיָא טְלָפְחֵי לְקִידְרָא. תָּנָא: <span><a tabindex="-1"></a></span>וְכוּלָּן מְזַנּוֹת וְתוֹלוֹת בְּבַעְלֵיהֶן.</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">There is a difference between a man and a woman in this regard, for it is amenable to her to be with any man, flawed though he may be, as taught by Reish Lakish: As Reish Lakish said that women say: It is better to dwell together as two [tan du] than to dwell alone as if a widow. Women will prefer any marriage to remaining single. Similarly, Abaye said that women say: One whose husband is small as an ant, nevertheless places her seat among the noblewomen, as she considers herself important by virtue of the mere fact that she is married. 6Rav Pappa said a different maxim expressing a similar idea: One whose husband is a wool comber [nafsa], a lowly occupation, calls him to sit with her at the entrance to the house, as she is proud of him and happy to be married. Similarly, Rav Ashi said: Even one whose husband is lowly [kalsa] does not require lentils for her pot. She is so happy with the simple fact that she is married that she does not mind even if he does not provide her with food. The Gemara comments that it is taught: And all of these women who have lowly husbands yet appear so satisfied with their marriage commit adultery and attribute the birth of the children to their husbands. This is another reason why they are so keen to be married</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">RYBS claimed that this chazaka is built into the nature of women and can never change.</div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-30797044764906070682022-09-20T07:17:00.001+03:002022-09-20T07:17:18.403+03:00Beautiful Breasts<p> Daf Yomi just learned the following Gemara (כתובות ע"ה)</p><p>תָּנֵי רַבִּי נָתָן בִּירָאָה: בֵּין דַּדֵּי אִשָּׁה טֶפַח. סָבַר רַב אַחָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרָבָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב אָשֵׁי לְמֵימַר טֶפַח לִמְעַלְּיוּתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אָשֵׁי: גַּבֵּי מוּמִין תַּנְיָא, וְכַמָּה? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: שָׁלֹשׁ אֶצְבָּעוֹת</p><p> <b>Rabbi Natan Bira’a taught: A handbreadth between a woman’s breasts.</b> The <i>amora’im</i> have a dispute concerning the meaning of Rabbi Natan Bira’a’s statement: <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-aa-bar-rava-(ambiguous)" href="/topics/rav-aha-b-ravina">Rav Aḥa, son of Rava</a>, thought to say before <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-ashi" href="/topics/rav-ashi">Rav Ashi</a></b> that this means <b>a handbreadth</b> between a woman’s breasts <b>is perfection</b> and considered beautiful. <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav-ashi" href="/topics/rav-ashi">Rav Ashi</a> said to him:</b> This <i>baraita</i> <b>is taught with regard to blemishes,</b> and it means that if her breasts are separated by a gap this wide, it is a blemish. The Gemara asks: <b>And how much</b> of a gap is considered normal? <b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="abaye" href="/topics/abaye">Abaye</a> said:</b> The width of <b>three fingers.</b></p><p>This Gemara raises a number of questions:<b> </b></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The only way to see the distance between a womans breasts is to see her topless. When a woman is wearing clothes there is no way to see this. So how did Abaye know this? Did he go and stare at naked women? How many naked women did he see besides his wife? How is this permissible? <b></b></li><li>Beauty is in the eye of the beholder<b>, </b>for some men a gap of 3 fingers is beautiful for other men it may be either smaller or larger. How can the Gemara set a rule on something like this?</li><li>How did they come up with these exact measurements? Did they go and measure women's chests? Does the average man when he sees beautiful breasts have any idea how far apart they are? <br /></li><li>What is the relevance? Why does the Gemara need to tell us the definition of beautiful breasts? <br /></li></ol>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-49482008565728952902022-03-06T11:49:00.005+02:002022-03-06T11:51:11.799+02:00This makes me angry not sympathetic<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhM9_hmluHSftZXHtoxb48DHyMl1PEmUeWmW608pzYDZM8ehy_k8qzAmRdn99o8Yl3TGtFqkI5ndvCfeuK_c6BtDjGcExr5RAeblg0sdY4K03WyHES73Vc0Sh7_nElVvk7GlTOK8jVSuWswXHVbTM42AzQQayO21Jea4P8HANnC_5MV3n_d-oZ4jO5kOg=s3508" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="3508" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhM9_hmluHSftZXHtoxb48DHyMl1PEmUeWmW608pzYDZM8ehy_k8qzAmRdn99o8Yl3TGtFqkI5ndvCfeuK_c6BtDjGcExr5RAeblg0sdY4K03WyHES73Vc0Sh7_nElVvk7GlTOK8jVSuWswXHVbTM42AzQQayO21Jea4P8HANnC_5MV3n_d-oZ4jO5kOg=w400-h291" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>When I saw this it made me very angry. This person is not asking for tzedaka because some tragedy happened to him. Rather, he is asking for tzedaka because he has NEVER tried to actually earn a living. He brought 15 children in the world and sat in kollel and didn't work. And now, as a result of HIS CHOICES he is poor so he wants people like me to pay for his daughters wedding. Why should I? It gets worse. He wants people to pay for a hall and a caterer. I made a wedding at the beginning of covid in my backyard, no hall no real caterer. Covid showed that it was very possible. So someone who has no money should make a wedding in a backyard (for free) and cook the food themselves with help from friends/neighbors and save all that money. Why should I pay for a hall and a caterer for him? If he wants to sit and learn and not make money then he should be מסתפק במועט. The Mishna says פת במלח תאכל not catered meals. Why should the person who sacrificed his learning, went to school, goes to work and makes some money pay for the wedding of this selfish person who only thinks about his own spiritual growth ignoring everyone else? <br /></p><p>The fact is that this request is anti-Torah. The Gemara in Pesachim 113 states:</p><p>אֲמַר לֵיהּ <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav" href="/topics/rav">רַב</a> <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="כהנא-(ambiguous)" href="/topics/rav-kahana-(v)">לְרַב כָּהֲנָא</a>: הֲפוֹךְ בִּנְבֵילְתָּא וְלָא תֵּיפוֹךְ בְּמִילֵּי. פְּשׁוֹט נְבֵילְתָּא בְּשׁוּקָא וּשְׁקֵיל אַגְרָא, וְלָא תֵּימָא ״<a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="כהנא-(ambiguous)" href="/topics/rav-kahana-(v)">כָּהֲנָא</a> אֲנָא, וְגַבְרָא רַבָּא אֲנָא, וְסַנְיָא בִּי מִלְּתָא״.</p><p><b><a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav" href="/topics/rav">Rav</a> said to <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="כהנא-(ambiguous)" href="/topics/rav-kahana-(v)">Rav Kahana</a>:</b> It is better for one <b>to turn over a carcass than to turn over his word,</b> i.e., to break his promise. <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rav" href="/topics/rav">Rav</a> further said: <b>Skin a carcass in the market and take payment, but do not say: I am a priest, or: I am a great man, and this matter disgusts me.</b></p><p>
רמב"ם הלכות מתנות עניים פרק י הלכה יח:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>
לעולם ידחוק אדם עצמו ויתגלגל בצער ואל יצטרך לבריות ואל ישליך עצמו על הצבור,<br />
וכן צוו חכמים ואמרו עשה שבתך חול ואל תצטרך לבריות,<br />
ואפילו היה חכם ומכובד והעני יעסוק באומנות ואפילו באומנות מנוולת ולא יצטרך לבריות,<br />
מוטב לפשוט עור בהמות נבלות ולא יאמר לעם חכם גדול אני כהן אני פרנסוני,<br />
ובכך צוו חכמים,<br />
גדולי החכמים היו מהם חוטבי עצים ונושאי הקורות ושואבי מים לגנות ועושי הברזל והפחמים ולא שאלו מן הצבור ולא קיבלו מהם כשנתנו להם.</p></blockquote><p>שולחן ערוך יורה דעה הלכות צדקה סימן רנה סעיף א:
</p><blockquote>
<p>
לעולם ירחיק אדם עצמו מהצדקה ויגלגל עצמו בצער, שלא יצטרך לבריות. וכן צוו חכמים: עשה שבתך חול, ואל תצטרך לבריות.<br />
<b>ואפילו היה חכם מכובד והעני, יעסוק באומנות ואפי' באומנות מנוולת, ואל יצטרך לבריות.</b></p>
</blockquote><p>When this avrech got married he gave his wife a כתובה which stated the following:</p><p>הוי לי לאנתו כדת משה וישראל ואנא אפלח ואוקיר ואיזון ואפרנס יתיכי ליכי
כהלכות גוברין יהודאין דפלחין ומוקרין וזנין ומפרנסין לנשיהון בקושטא</p><p>“Be my wife according to the law of <span class="glossary_item">Moses</span> and <span class="glossary_item">Israel</span>.
I will work, honor, feed and support you in the custom of Jewish men,
who work, honor, feed, and support their wives faithfully. I will give
you the settlement of [...] silver <i>zuzim</i>, which is due you
according to [...] law, as well as your food, clothing, necessities of
life, and conjugal needs, according to the universal custom.” <br /></p><p>Does anyone listen when the כתובה is read?</p><p>Many sources posit that man is in this world so that he avoids נהמא דכיסופא (literally free bread),
which means that Hashem put us on this world so that we could earn our
עולם הבא so we wouldn't be embarrassed by being נהנה מזיו השכינה for
free, and yet that is all this avrech is doing in this world, taking things for free. </p><p>See this <a href="https://jewishworker.blogspot.com/2011/09/entitled-to-tzedaka.html">post</a> of the Jewish Worker for additional examples.<br /></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-29892372478884076492022-02-15T07:15:00.002+02:002022-02-15T07:16:06.211+02:00Should everyone sit and learn Torah all day? <p> The charedi hashkafa says absolutely. However there is a fascinating Gemara in Chagiga which clearly contradicts this position</p><p>תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן, שְׁלֹשָׁה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹכֶה עֲלֵיהֶן בְּכׇל יוֹם: עַל שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק, וְעַל שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לַעֲסוֹק בְּתוֹרָה וְעוֹסֵק, וְעַל פַּרְנָס הַמִּתְגָּאֶה עַל הַצִּבּוּר.</p><p>The Sages taught that there are three types of people for whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, cries every day: For one who is able to engage in Torah study and does not engage in it; and for one who is unable to engage in Torah study and nevertheless he endeavors and engages in it; and for a leader who lords over the community.</p><p>The Gemara clearly and unequivocally states that certain people aren’t meant to learn Torah and god cries when they do. To whom is the Gemara referring to? The answer would seem to be the following. God gives everyone certain talents. Some people get musical talent, some artistic talent etc. for example, Mozart was given tremendous musical talent. If instead of using that talent and composing he would have just sat and learned Torah god would have cried. He would be wasting his god given talents on music. In the charedi worldview why does god give people musical talent, athletic talent, artistic talent etc. if all they should be doing is sitting and learning Torah anyway? The answer is that god expects everyone to use the talents that he gave them, that is what this Gemara is telling us. </p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-81201126098459527632021-12-07T09:59:00.001+02:002021-12-07T09:59:43.698+02:00Were the Amoraim/Tannaim paragons of virtue? Part 8<p> The Gemara in Taanis 24a has the following story about Rav Yosi from Yokrat:</p><p><span class="he" lang="he">בְּרַתֵּיה מַאי הִיא? הַוְיָא לֵיהּ בְּרַתָּא בַּעֲלַת יוֹפִי, יוֹמָא חַד חַזְיֵאּ לְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא דַּהֲוָה כָּרֵיא בְּהוּצָא וְקָא חָזֵי לַהּ. אָמַר לוֹ: מַאי הַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, אִם לְלוֹקְחָהּ לֹא זָכִיתִי — לִרְאוֹתָהּ לֹא אֶזְכֶּה? אֲמַר לַהּ: בִּתִּי, קָא מְצַעֲרַתְּ לְהוּ לִבְרִיָּיתָא, שׁוּבִי לְעַפְרִיךְ וְאַל יִכָּשְׁלוּ בִּיךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם. </span><span class="en" lang="en">The Gemara asks: <b>What is</b> the incident involving <b>his daughter? He had</b> a very <b>beautiful daughter. One day</b> <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-yose-from-yokrat" href="/topics/rabbi-yose-from-yokrat">Rabbi Yosei from Yokrat</a> <b>saw a certain man piercing a hole in the hedge</b> surrounding his property <b>and looking at</b> his daughter. <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-yose-b-chalafta" href="/topics/rabbi-yose-b-chalafta">Rabbi Yosei</a> <b>said to him: What is this?</b> The man <b>said to him: My teacher, if I have not merited taking her</b> in marriage, shall <b>I not</b> at least <b>merit to look at her? <a class="namedEntityLink" data-slug="rabbi-yose-b-chalafta" href="/topics/rabbi-yose-b-chalafta">Rabbi Yosei</a> said to her: My daughter, you are causing people distress. Return to your dust, and let people no</b> longer <b>stumble</b> into sin <b>due to you.</b></span></p><p><span class="en" lang="en">Imagine he killed his own daughter because she was too beautiful and men were looking at her. Talk about blaming the victim!<b> <br /></b></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-46167583768667723592021-07-04T11:37:00.002+03:002021-07-04T11:37:08.522+03:00Are some people born good and some born bad? <p>Daf Yomi just learned the Gemara in Yoma 82b-83a. The Gemara has a din that a pregnant woman that has a craving for a certain food is allowed to eat on Yom Kippur. The Gemara then relates the following 2 stories:</p><p>הָהִיא עוּבָּרָה דְּאָרַחָא, אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי, אֲמַר לְהוּ: זִילוּ לְחוּשׁוּ לַהּ דְּיוֹמָא דְכִיפּוּרֵי הוּא. לְחוּשׁוּ לָהּ וְאִילְּחִישָׁא. קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ: ״בְּטֶרֶם אֶצָּרְךָ בַבֶּטֶן יְדַעְתִּיךָ וְגוֹ׳״. נְפַק מִינַּהּ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן.</p><p>הָהִיא עוּבָּרָה דְּאָרַחָא, אֲתוֹ לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: לְחוּשׁוּ לָהּ, וְלָא אִילְּחִישָׁא. קָרֵי עֲלֵיהּ זוֹרוּ רְשָׁעִים מֵרָחֶם״. נְפַק מִינַּהּ שַׁבְּתַאי אָצַר פֵּירֵי.</p><p>The Gemara clearly states the Rav Yochanan was already a tzadik in the womb and that שבתאי was a Rasha in the womb. </p><p>How does that fit in with the fundamental principle of free will, that every person can choose whether to be good or bad? What choices can a child possibly make in the womb? In fact the Gemara states there is no יצר הרע until a child is born. It sounds like some people are born good and some bad. </p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-50296948291168280592021-05-18T10:44:00.003+03:002021-05-18T10:44:58.987+03:00The Charedi view of how people make money<p><a href="https://mishpacha.com/no-time-to-waste/">Mishpacha magazine</a> has an interview with a famous Sefardi Rosh yeshiva. One of the questions he discussed is money. He was asked about people working and answered the following:</p><p><i>"If you’re meant to become rich, you’ll become rich anyway. It doesn’t
depend on many hours and killing yourself working. The biggest batlanim
can become billionaires. How do they become rich? Me’ashpos yarim
evyon. Hashem gives them the mazel and they become rich."</i></p><i>
</i><p>This is so ridiculous it's silly. He is just showing his complete ignorance of how the world really works. Batlanim become billionaires? No one gets rich being a batlan. Self made millionaires or billionaires worked day and night to be successful. Starting a business and making it successful requires 100% dedication.He is just deluding himself. <br /></p><p>Then he says:<br /><i><i>"And who works for them? All the professionals, with their diplomas
from the most famous universities — and they are barely earning a wage.
It doesn’t depend on crazy hishtadlus. In other words, you can learn
most of the day, serious learning, like a talmid chacham learns, and
grow, and you can work a little bit."</i></i></p><p>Barely earning a wage? Many of the people who went to university are the ones who are the ones who are supporting his yeshiva. They are also the ones who pay full tuition in America to yeshivas subsidizing all of the people who didn't go to university. Again he is living in a dream world. There are very few jobs that pays a decent wage that will let you learn most of the day and only work a few hour. They just don't exist.</p><p>I would ask him a few simple questions. </p><p>1. Look around at the people who are going schnorring because they can't support their family, marry off their children, etc. How many of them went to university? </p><p>2. Every survey of income shows that people who went to university make ore money then people who didn't? Why is that? <br /></p><p>This quote really blew me away:</p><p><i>"Because when you use your brains, you lose money. When Hashem is running
your business for you, you make money, you don’t lose. And they say,
you know, Rabbi, you’re right."</i></p><p>This is the charedi hashkafa today, everything is from Hashem, there is no cause and effect, and hishtadlus is just a tax.<i> </i><br /><i><i></i></i></p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-54102091715665561332021-03-30T21:51:00.000+03:002021-03-30T21:51:43.317+03:00The charedi response to the practical impossibility of bringing the korban pesach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnq68nstnEQzE49uX-7Jerm2XwjBnptV81kl8mfVltfUpePQBdEbwdM2T4q8ESs_uUGexypZQ7S5N9Sw6v7fog3hUrST3n0byQ7V-zQrq6NcpDo7tbnzJZ_yy_Q-Lq0We3YKC6f1eOQJc/s2048/4A1DF2C5-FF83-4C16-B9A9-8D46CC87C01C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghnq68nstnEQzE49uX-7Jerm2XwjBnptV81kl8mfVltfUpePQBdEbwdM2T4q8ESs_uUGexypZQ7S5N9Sw6v7fog3hUrST3n0byQ7V-zQrq6NcpDo7tbnzJZ_yy_Q-Lq0We3YKC6f1eOQJc/s320/4A1DF2C5-FF83-4C16-B9A9-8D46CC87C01C.jpeg" /></a></div><br />Someone from Lakewood published a fascinating Sefer about bringing the korban pesach and to my great surprise actually dealt with the issues that I raised. In fact he raised some additional issues. For example, the din is that when you leave the עזרה you have to walk backwards. You are not allowed to turn your back. Imagine how much more difficult it makes moving large amounts of people in and out. <div>So what is his answer. His answer is very simple. </div><div>1. Since chazal said that they brought 1.2 million korbanos it must be true. </div><div>2. It was all miracles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHqJO7zaTWkr-TdTY3YVurLCBcHekuHGG4CS30MNbFnwLbjqCq_bQ1tcbWWWaJMt2cnVxxu-dhd5bJL2uaVQuYUE07tTTLgRxfahxebfZJY14fhsrO57XpbHFWyqHHVh7-YzdEHFp4DLF/s2048/CD3FFA1C-2319-4397-B0CB-1214CF70DF17.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHqJO7zaTWkr-TdTY3YVurLCBcHekuHGG4CS30MNbFnwLbjqCq_bQ1tcbWWWaJMt2cnVxxu-dhd5bJL2uaVQuYUE07tTTLgRxfahxebfZJY14fhsrO57XpbHFWyqHHVh7-YzdEHFp4DLF/s320/CD3FFA1C-2319-4397-B0CB-1214CF70DF17.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div>The problem is that nowhere are these miracles actually mentioned. Let’s list off some of the great miracles that had to have happened. </div><div>1. They had to process 6500 korbanos a minute. </div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Q891EpKcm3MGQlXe7Qk5tp4QAn___AmwR4LWEWkzYIV82jiosSR8JCKfQMD_LxAWs7qE6IKYW8AvKa0c1y99uvHX-3etnxH3E3VRls0RpM3u1I-r0ZCCkJWpNfcE9d_ob_h_7veNIqnG/s2048/307B312C-6405-4EE7-A2DE-772B135EB0CF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Q891EpKcm3MGQlXe7Qk5tp4QAn___AmwR4LWEWkzYIV82jiosSR8JCKfQMD_LxAWs7qE6IKYW8AvKa0c1y99uvHX-3etnxH3E3VRls0RpM3u1I-r0ZCCkJWpNfcE9d_ob_h_7veNIqnG/s320/307B312C-6405-4EE7-A2DE-772B135EB0CF.jpeg" /></a></div></div><div>2. 530,000 people had to squeeze into an area that can hold a maximum of about 5000 people. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAZdZHCu_HvsocOBx2uTeQ1SM_XvhOdD64rp7McVgvSxbIiDpTiMySt3L8NGahuazjZTT9v96Cp3az98XlBFb6PwguBbdJTLvMFj9lC5EEYKhzuXRfLDCsbIh9qZVxmUj1brfDfMyiC4V/s2048/269DDFE8-F2F8-40DE-BC55-D6F059267A22.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAZdZHCu_HvsocOBx2uTeQ1SM_XvhOdD64rp7McVgvSxbIiDpTiMySt3L8NGahuazjZTT9v96Cp3az98XlBFb6PwguBbdJTLvMFj9lC5EEYKhzuXRfLDCsbIh9qZVxmUj1brfDfMyiC4V/s320/269DDFE8-F2F8-40DE-BC55-D6F059267A22.jpeg" /></a></div><div>3. 1.2 million people needed to get in and out of the azara and bring 1.2 million korbanos in 3 hours. </div><div><br /></div><div>The author cannot find a single specific source for any of these. And yet, if chazal said it had to have happened. </div><div><br /></div><div>Given the above there is no common ground for a discussion. In the charedi view whatever is impossible was simply a miracle. The same would apply to the mabul and to any other question. </div>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-80479711670947576312021-03-18T08:51:00.003+02:002021-03-18T08:53:48.199+02:00The practical impossibilities of actually bringing the Korban PesachKorban Pesach is one of the most important mitzvas, one of only 2 mitzvos that if not done you are chayav kares. Yet, it is impossible to understand how the Korban Pesach was actually ever brought by a large group of people.<br />
<br />
I will start with listing a set of facts based on the Mishnayon/Gemaras in Pesachim and other places:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>All times listed in the Gemara are based on a 12 hour day 6 to 6 (שעות זמניות)</li>
<li>The first Mishna in the 5th perek of Pesachim (48a) states that on Erev Pesach they would start bringing the תמיד של בין הערבים at 1:30PM (7.5 hours) and finish at 2:30PM (8.5)</li>
<li>They started bringing the Korban Pesachs only after they finished with the Tamid, meaning they only started at 2:30PM </li>
<li>Korbanos can only be brought until sunset which is 6PM (12 hours)</li>
<li>The time alloted to bring all of the Korban Pesachs was 3.5 hours (2:30 PM until 6PM)</li>
<li>The Mishna states that the Korban Pesach is brought in 3 groups</li>
<li>The Gemara (Pesachim 64) states that they said Hallel while they were bringing the Korban pesachs and they never repeated Hallel more then 2 times</li>
<li>The animals were suspended and flayed in the azara</li>
<li>King Aggrippas counted the Korban Pesachs one year and came up with 1.2 million</li>
<li>The Azara in the Beis Hamikdash was 135x187 Amos</li>
<li>The entrance into the Azara was 10 Amos wide</li>
</ol>
<div>
According to the Gemara (9 above) they brought 1.2 million korbanos one year. That means that 1.2 million people needed to go into the Azarah with their sheep to sacrifice it. Lets do the math now.</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>3.5 hours is 210 minutes, 12600 seconds</li>
<li><b>That is 95 korbanos per second, 5714 per minute.</b> Note: To bring the Korban means to slaughter it, collect the blood, sprinkle the blood on the mizbeach, etc.</li>
<li>The size of the Azara is approximately 25,000 square Amos</li>
<li>Assuming a large Amah (2 feet) that is 50,000 square feet, Note: part of the azarah was the Kodesh Hakodashim which can not be entered and there are also the Keilim</li>
<li>A loose crowd, one where each person is an arm's length from the body of his or her nearest neighbors, needs 10 square feet per person. A more tightly packed crowd fills 4.5 square feet per person. A truly scary mob of mosh-pit density would get about 2.5 square feet per person.</li>
<li>Based on the above (5) </li>
<ol>
<li>Loose crowd - the maximum number of people is 5000, 3 groups would only get us to 15,000 people, we are 1.185 million people short</li>
<li>A more tightly packed crowd - the maximum number of people is 11,111 3 groups would only get us to 33,333 people, we are 1.167 million people short</li>
<li>A truly scary mob of mosh-pit density - the maximum number of people is 20,000 3 groups would only get us to 60,000 people, we are 1.14 million people short</li>
</ol>
<li>The entrance to the Azarah is 20 feet wide, meaning at most 8 can come in simultaneously. For 1.2 million to come in would require 150,000 rows of 8. <b>This would require 12 rows to enter a second</b></li>
<li>All the people who come in need to go out the same entrance</li>
</ol>
<div>
Even if we radically reduce the number of korbanos to 100,000 the numbers are still ridiculous</div>
</div>
<br />
<ol>
<li><b>That is 8 korbanos per second, 476 per minute.</b> Note: To bring the Korban means to slaughter it, collect the blood, sprinkle the blood on the mizbeach</li>
<li>Based on the crowd numbers above (5) </li>
<ol>
<li>Loose crowd - the maximum number of people is 5000, 3 groups would only get us to 15,000 people, we are 85,000 people short</li>
<li>A more tightly packed crowd - the maximum number of people is 11,111 3 groups would only get us to 33,333 people, we are 67,000 people short</li>
<li>A truly scary mob of mosh-pit density - the maximum number of people is 20,000 3 groups would only get us to 60,000 people, we are 40,000 people short</li>
</ol>
<li>The entrance to the Azarah is 20 feet wide, meaning at most 8 can come in simultaneously. For 1.2 million to come in would require 150,000 rows of 8. This would require 12 rows to enter a second</li>
<li>All the people who come in need to go out the same entrance</li>
</ol>
<div>
Now if we think about Pesach in the Midbar things get even worse. </div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>The population was 600,000 men over the age of 20, giving us a population 2.5. -3 million people</li>
<li>If we take teh Gemaras number of 10 people per Korban that would be about 250,000 korbanos</li>
<li>The Mishkan was only 30x10 Amos with part of that the Kodesh Hakodashim. </li>
<li>There were only 3 Kohanim to bring 250,000 korbanos</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
What we see from here is that there is no way that massive numbers of Jews could have ever brought the Korban Pesach. It is simply not feasible. The whole thing makes no sense at all. The Gemara describes what has to happen, yet pays no attention to the sheer impossibility of it all. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some will answer, it was all miracles. There are 2 answers to this claim:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>The Gemara (Pesachim 64) has a dispute between Abaye and Rava if they relied on a miracle to lock the doors of the Azara or not. Abaye says yes and Rava says no. In all disputes between Abaye and Rava (except for 6) the Halacha is like Rava. If Rava says that we can't rely on this small miracle to close the doors, then certainly we can't rely on much greater miracles to allow us to bring the Korban Pesach</li>
<li>There is absolutely no source for this. Nowhere does the Gemara say that the bringing of the Korban Pesach was miraculous. And in truth, these would be great miracles indeed.</li>
</ol>
<div>
The bottom line is that based on the numbers it is absolutely impossible for a large group of people to ever bring the Korban Pesach. The short time span plus the small Beis Hamikdash simply does not allow it to happen in any way shape or form.<br />
<h4>
Update 4/5</h4>
</div>
</div>
<div>
There are 2 more issues that I would like to raise:</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>For every Korban that you are Makriv you need to burn the אימורים, the organs on the mizbeach until the next morning. To throw them all on the mizbeach requires 28 per second for the whole night. Of course after throwing on the first n the mizbeach would be covered and there is also the time needed for the אימורים to actually burn. Of course a pile of 1.2 million sets of organs would probably fill up a large part of the Azarah all by itself.</li>
<li></li>
<li>In addition to the Korban Pesach everyone who comes to Yerushalayim is required to bring a korban reiyah (Olah) on the first day of the chag. While Korban Pesach applies to a Chabura these korbanot apply to every male, over the age of 13. This means many more Olas Reiyah were brought in comparison to Korban Pesach so if there 1.2 million Korban Pesachs there were at least 4-6 million olas reiyahs that needed to be brought on the first day of Pesach. Again it is absolutely impossible to bring that many Korbanos in a few hours. Additionally, you were supposed to bring Shalmei Simcha as well which adds even more korbanos.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<b>Important note</b>: All the dimensions I gave for the Azarah assumed for simplicity's sake that it was empty and could be completely filled with people, <b>this is of course not true at all</b>. For example, the Kodesh HaKadashim ws 20x20 amah which could not be entered. Additionally the mizbeach was 32x32 amah not including the ramp. So in fact, a significant part of the Azarah was actually not usable space for people greatly minimizing the amount of people who could actually fit into the azara.<div><br /></div><div>Some will try to answer as follows. The Rambam paskens that many people can partake from one Korban Pesach. </div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">יב [יד] עַד כַּמָּה נִמְנִין עַל הַפֶּסַח, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ כַּזַּיִת לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. וְנִמְנִין עָלָיו וּמוֹשְׁכִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶן מִמֶּנּוּ, עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׁחֵט; כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּשְׁחַט--א</span><wbr style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></wbr><span class="word_break" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; display: inline-block; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: #ebedf0; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ֵינוּ יָכוֹל לִמְשֹׁךְ אֶת יָדוֹ, שֶׁהֲרֵי נִשְׁחַט עָלָיו.</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" />
<div>
<br /></div><div>A sheep has approximately 30,000 כזיתים so for 2 million people we only would need about 60 sheep. However, there are insurmountable halachic and logistical problems with this idea. </div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: #ebedf0; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1. the חבורה needs to eat it together in one house. How would thousands of people do that? In the time of the Beis Hamikdash and the mishkan a building that could hold thousands even hundreds did not exist. See rambam korban pesach chapter 9. </span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">כָּל הָאוֹכֵל מִן הַפֶּסַח אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל אֶלָּא בַּחֲבוּרָה אַחַת וְאֵין מוֹצִיאִין מִמֶּנּוּ מִן הַחֲבוּרָה שֶׁיֹּאכַל בָּהּ. וְהַמּוֹצִיא מִמֶּנּוּ כְּזַיִת בָּשָׂר מֵחֲבוּרָה לַחֲבוּרָה בְּלֵיל חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יב מו) "לֹא תוֹצִיא מִן הַבַּיִת מִן הַבָּשָׂר חוּצָה". וְהוּא שֶׁיַּנִּיחֵנוּ</span><wbr style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></wbr><span class="word_break" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; display: inline-block; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: #ebedf0; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> בַּחוּץ. שֶׁהוֹצָאָה כְּתוּבָה בּוֹ כְּשַׁבָּת לְפִיכָךְ צָרִיךְ עֲקִירָה וְהַנָּחָה כְּהוֹצָאַת שַׁבָּת. וְאֵין מוֹצִיא אַחַר מוֹצִיא בְּפֶסַח שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוֹצִיאוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן נִפְסַל. מִן הָאֲגַף וּלְפָנִים כִּלְפָנִים מִן הָאֲגַף וְלַחוּץ כְּלַחוּץ וְהָאֲגַף עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא עֳבִי הַפֶּתַח כְּלַחוּץ. הַחַלּוֹנוֹת וָעֳבִי הַכְּתָלִים כִּלְפָנִים. הַגַּגִּים וְהָעֲלִיּוֹת אֵינָן בִּכְלַל הַבַּיִת:</span><br style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: #ebedf0; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">So tell me where would 30,000 be able to eat the korban pesach in one house? Where would even 3000 people do it? Therefore the practical upper limit for a Chabura is tens of people. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: #ebedf0; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">2. </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The logistical problem is also insurmountable.</span><wbr style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></wbr><span class="word_break" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; display: inline-block; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); background-color: #ebedf0; caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129; font-family: -apple-system, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> Who is butchering the sheep into 30,000 kezaysim? How long does that take? And then you have to distribute the 30,000 kezaysim where and how would that be done in the small amount of time allotted?<br /></span></div>
<div>
</div>
</div>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-61329787193305997222021-03-17T18:27:00.000+02:002021-03-17T18:27:02.773+02:00Were the Tannaim/Amoraim paragons of virtue part 10<p> The Gemara in pesachim 112b states</p><p>אָמַר לוֹ: אִם בִּקַּשְׁתָּ לֵיחָנֵק — הִיתָּלֵה בְּאִילָן גָּדוֹל.</p><p>Rashi explains</p><p>אם בקשת ליחנק - לומר דבר שיהיה נשמע לבריות ויקבלו ממך:</p><p>היתלה באילן גדול - אמור בשם אדם גדול</p><p>Rabbi Akiva says that if you want your opinion to be accepted say it in the name of a great person. This quoted להלכה by the מגן אברהם in סימן קנו. In other words, you are allowed to make up/lie in order to have your opinion accepted. </p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-73945378760834861342021-03-02T11:46:00.002+02:002021-03-02T11:46:40.621+02:00What happened to פיקוח נפש? Why aren't charedim keeping the covid rules?<p> The concept of פיקוח נפש is a central one in Judaism and in fact is דוחה כל התורה כולה except for the 3 עבירות. Every shabbos Hatzalah goes on hundreds of calls being מחלל שבת to save lives. Given this, why do so many in the charedi world not follow the corona guidelines which are there to protect peoples lives? </p><p>I believe the answer is based on the dominant charedi hashkafa. The dominant charedi hashkafa holds the following:</p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Hashgacha is absolute. A leaf doesn't fall without it being decreed in heaven</li><li>השתדלות doesn't work, it's just a tax, something to be done, but it doesn;t actually acommplish anything</li><li>Everything is decreed on Rosh Hashana, whether person will live or die, how much money they will make etc.</li><li>Torah learning holds up the world. If torah learning stopped even for a second the world would be destroyed. <br /></li></ol><p>Based on the above, Charedi spokesman always say, it's not the doctor who heals it's hashem.</p><p> There is a concept in halacha called עת לעשות לה הפרו תורתיך, which means in certain dire circumstances we can disobey the torah in order to save it. The gemara uses this principle to explain how תורה שבעל פה is allowed to be written down. The Gemara (Gitin 60a) learns out from a pasuk that there is a prohibition to write down תורה שבעל פה. The Gemara then asks how did the Amoraim write down תורה שבעל פה the Gemara answers עת לעשות לה הפרו תורתיך. The same idea was applied to girls education (Beis Yaakov) in the early 1900s and to the kollel system after WWII. </p><p>IMHO, this along with the Charedi hashkafa is the reason charedim are not keeping the guidelines. Charedi society is a very communal one. Everything is done in groups. You learn with a chavrusa in a beis medrash. You daven in a shul. You go to a shiur in public. You go to a tish. There is constant peer pressure to conform. To close these institutions down for any lengthy period of time means destroying charedi society. As Rav Chaim Kanievsky said, closing the תלמודי תורה is dangerous, it is
מבטל the torah of the תינוקות של בית רבן which holds up the world. Therefore, it is an עת לעשות לה הפרו תורתיך, yes פיקוח נפש overrides everything in normal times but these are not normal times. A world without yeshivas, without public torah studies, without תפילה בציבור, is not worth living in and therefore overrides even פיקוח נפש.<br /></p><p>Then you add in the hashgacha aspect, that hishtadlus doesn't work anyway and a person's fate was decided on Rosh hashana. Given this, it is very easy to rationalize that no one is really dying from not following the rules, they were decreed to die anyway. This is a really important point. Many charedim I have talked to expressed this. They said yes, we have to do our hishtadlus, but, bottom line it was decreed on Rosh Hashana whether I will live or die. Wearing a mask will not save me if I was decreed to die and not wearing a mask won't kill me if I was decreed to live. They view hishtadlus as a tax, and therefore just like no one wants to pay more taxes then necessary and people try to avoid taxes, so too, they don't want to do more hishtadlus then necessary. Hishtadlus for corona is annoying, wearing masks, social distancing etc., and therefore they minimize (or eliminate) the hishtadlus (tax).<br /></p><p>There is an additional factor that leads to Charedim not following the rules. Rav Aryeh Kaplan wrote the following in an essay:</p><p><i>Another approach is that which many Chassidim have. They say, “What
do scientists know? Do they know what’s happening? Do they know what’s
going on? They’re a bunch of phonies, a bunch of bluffers, a bunch of
stupidniks! Do they really have a way of finding out the truth? They
find a bone and they think it’s from a monkey.” </i><i>But, I think to somebody who knows what science is, this is a very
unsatisfactory approach. We have some idea of what is involved in
paleontology. We have some idea what is involved in geology and in
radioactive dating. We have some idea of what is involved in astronomy.
We can casually speak about a star being a million light years away, and
we do not stop to think, “Well, that’s a bit too much!” So I would say
that if someone feels that science is ignorant and false, all well and
good. Many people refer not to accept science as a worthy challenge. But
I think that for many of us here, such an approach would be totally
unsatisfying.</i></p><p>Times have changed and most of the Charedi world has adapted the viewpoint that he ascribes to the Chasidim, that dismisses the opinions of scientists. Therefore, they are very skeptical of everything about corona including the rules. They say what to do the scientists know? A year ago they said not to wear masks, now they say to wear masks. Why should we listen to them?</p>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-22938619491238795842020-08-23T07:13:00.002+03:002020-08-23T07:13:48.069+03:00Were the Tannaim/Amoraim paragons of virtue part 9<p> Intellectual honesty is very important for scholars. There is a famous story about Rav Chaim Soloveitchik. In his trial shiur at Volizhin he was giving a brilliant explanation of a difficult Rambam when suddenly he remembered a Rambam in the פירוש המשניות that contradicted his whole approach. He immediately stopped the shiur and announced everything I said until now was wrong. </p><p>The Gemara in Eruvin has 2 incidents where רב ששת covers up his mistakes. </p><p>1. Eruvin 11b</p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Eruvin 11b:12" class="segment" data-ref="Eruvin 11b:12" tabindex="0"><p class="he" lang="he">תָּנָא: צוּרַת הַפֶּתַח שֶׁאָמְרוּ, קָנֶה מִכָּאן וְקָנֶה מִכָּאן וְקָנֶה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן. צְרִיכִין לִיגַּע, אוֹ אֵין צְרִיכִין לִיגַּע? רַב נַחְמָן אָמַר: אֵין צְרִיכִין לִיגַּע. וְרַב שֵׁשֶׁת אָמַר: צְרִיכִין לִיגַּע. </p><div class="clearFix"></div></div><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Eruvin 11b:13" class="segment" data-ref="Eruvin 11b:13" tabindex="0"><div class="linkCount sans" style="display: block; top: 1190.015625px;" title="3 Connections Available"><span class="he"><span class="linkCountDot" style="opacity: 0.23;"></span></span></div><p class="he" lang="he">אֲזַל רַב נַחְמָן וַעֲבַד עוֹבָדָא בֵּי רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא כִּשְׁמַעְתֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ רַב גַּדָּא: זִיל, שְׁלוֹף שְׁדִינְהוּ. אֲזַל, שְׁלַף, שְׁדִינְהוּ. אַשְׁכְּחוּהוּ דְּבֵי רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא, חַבְשׁוּהוּ. אֲזַל רַב שֵׁשֶׁת, קָם אַבָּבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: גַּדָּא, פּוֹק תָּא! נְפַק וַאֲתָא</p><p class="he" lang="he">The Gemara then brings a proof against רב ששת and the Gemara ends with רב ששת saying </p><p class="he" lang="he"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אִי מַשְׁכַּחַתְּ לְהוּ — לָא תֵּימָא לְהוּ לְבֵי רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא וְלָא מִידֵּי מֵהָא מַתְנִיתָא דְכִיפָּה<span style="font-size: 21.959999084472656px;">.</span></span></span></p><p class="he" lang="he"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-family: "Taamey Frank", adobe-garamond-pro, "Crimson Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: right;">Unbelievably רב ששת says don’t tell anyone about the ברייתא that contradicts my opinion and proves me wrong where is the intellectual honesty?</span></p><p class="he" lang="he"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; font-family: "Taamey Frank", adobe-garamond-pro, "Crimson Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: right;">2. עירובין לט</span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Eruvin 39b:7" class="segment" data-ref="Eruvin 39b:7" tabindex="0"><div class="linkCount sans" style="display: block; top: 595.015625px;" title="9 Connections Available"><span class="he"><span class="linkCountDot" style="opacity: 0.29;"></span></span></div><p class="he" lang="he">ההוא בר טביא דאתא לבי ריש גלותא דאתציד ביום טוב ראשון של גליות ואשתחיט ביום טוב שני </p><div class="clearFix"></div></div><p class="he" lang="he"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Eruvin 39b:8" class="segment" data-ref="Eruvin 39b:8" tabindex="0"><div class="linkCount sans" style="display: block; top: 665.015625px;" title="12 Connections Available"><span class="he"><span class="linkCountDot" style="opacity: 0.32;"></span></span></div><p class="he" lang="he">רב נחמן ורב חסדא אכלו רב ששת לא אכל</p><p class="he" lang="he">The Gemara concludes that רב ששת was wrong not to eat the meat</p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Eruvin 39b:10" class="segment" data-ref="Eruvin 39b:10" tabindex="0"><div class="clearFix"></div></div><p class="he" lang="he"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"></span></p><div aria-controls="panel-1" aria-label="Click to see links to Eruvin 39b:11" class="segment" data-ref="Eruvin 39b:11" tabindex="0"><div class="linkCount sans" style="display: block; top: 1085.015625px;" title="7 Connections Available"><span class="he"><span class="linkCountDot" style="opacity: 0.27;"></span></span></div><p class="he" lang="he">אשכחיה רב ששת לרבה בר שמואל אמר ליה תני מר מידי בקדושות אמר ליה תנינא מודה רבי יוסי בשני ימים טובים של גליות אמר ליה אי משכחת להו לא תימא להו ולא מידי</p><p class="he" lang="he">Comments Rashi</p><p class="he" lang="he"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: #fbfbfa; font-family: "Taamey Frank", adobe-garamond-pro, "Crimson Text", Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: right;">לא תימא להו - להאי מילתא דמיכספי לי על דלא אכלית מיניה</span></p><p class="he" lang="he">So intellectual honesty went out the door because רב ששת didn’t want to be embarrassed </p></div></div><p class="he" lang="he"><br /></p></div>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-85421382301247443412020-01-09T12:12:00.002+02:002020-01-09T12:15:58.700+02:00Demons, God praying, and God getting angryDaf Yomi is learning some really strange Gemaras in Berachos. This appears on today’s Daf 6a<br />
<br />
תניא אבא בנימין אומר אלמלי נתנה רשות לעין לראות אין כל בריה יכולה לעמוד מפני המזיקין<br />
<br />
אמר רבא האי דוחקא דהוי בכלה מנייהו הוי הני ברכי דשלהי מנייהו הני מאני דרבנן דבלו מחופיא דידהו הני כרעי דמנקפן מנייהו<br />
<br />
האי מאן דבעי למידע להו לייתי קיטמא נהילא ונהדר אפורייה ובצפרא חזי כי כרעי דתרנגולא האי מאן דבעי למחזינהו ליתי שלייתא דשונרתא אוכמתא בת אוכמתא בוכרתא בת בוכרתא ולקליה בנורא ולשחקיה ולימלי עיניה מניה וחזי להו ולשדייה בגובתא דפרזלא ולחתמי' בגושפנקא דפרזלא דילמא גנבי מניה ולחתום פומיה כי היכי דלא ליתזק רב ביבי בר אביי עבד הכי חזא ואתזק בעו רבנן רחמי עליה ואתסי:<br />
<br />
So according to the Gemara we are surrounded by מזיקים who wear out our clothes and hurt our knees. Not only that, the Gemara even provides a way for you to prove that the מזיקים actually exist. Fascinating that this method doesn’t work nowadays.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow’s Daf 7a has an even more difficult idea.<br />
א"ר יוחנן משום ר' יוסי מנין שהקב"ה מתפלל שנאמר (ישעיהו נו, ז) והביאותים אל הר קדשי ושמחתים בבית תפלתי תפלתם לא נאמר אלא תפלתי מכאן שהקב"ה מתפלל.<br />
מאי מצלי<br />
אמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב יה"ר מלפני שיכבשו רחמי את כעסי ויגולו רחמי על מדותי ואתנהג עם בני במדת רחמים ואכנס להם לפנים משורת הדין.<br />
<br />
<br />
This is just bizarre. Who is god praying to? The rishonim and acharonim try to provide explanations but IMHO they are forced and not convincing.<br />
<br />
Last but not least is this gem.<br />
<br />
ומי איכא רתחא קמיה דקודשא בריך הוא<br />
אין דתניא (תהלים ז, יב) ואל זועם בכל יום<br />
אלא מלמד שהיה יודע לכוין אותה שעה שהקב"ה כועס בה<br />
והיינו דאמר להו נביא לישראל (מיכה ו, ה) עמי זכר נא מה יעץ בלק מלך מואב וגו' מאי (מיכה ו, ה) למען דעת צדקות ה'<br />
א"ר אלעזר אמר להם הקב"ה לישראל דעו כמה צדקות עשיתי עמכם שלא כעסתי בימי בלעם הרשע שאלמלי כעסתי לא נשתייר משונאיהם של ישראל שריד ופליט<br />
<br />
Not only does god get angry every day, but when he is angry you can get him to do things that he doesn’t want to do and therefore when Bilaam was trying to curse the Jewish people god didn’t get angry.<br />
<br />
This is why I say <a href="https://ajewwithquestions.blogspot.com/2017/02/daf-yomi-is-bad-for-your-spiritual.html">Daf Yomi is bad for your spiritual health</a>AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-75643336319364074582019-11-25T15:54:00.002+02:002019-11-25T15:54:35.453+02:00Why is bris mila on the 8th day?The Gemara in Nidda 31b gives a fascinating answer.<br />
<br />
ומפני מה אמרה תורה מילה לשמונה שלא יהו כולם שמחים ואביו ואמו עצבים<br />
Explains Rashi<br />
שלא יהיו הכל שמחין - שאוכלין ושותין בסעודה ואביו ואמו עצבים שאסורין בתשמיש:<br />
<br />
So nowadays when every woman observes ז נקיים the woman is NEVER permitted to the husband on the eighth day. It turns out that the Chumra of ז נקיים contradicts the Torah’s wishes regarding bris mila.AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-53437775677199956362019-11-13T13:46:00.001+02:002019-11-13T13:46:39.440+02:00אי אפשר בפתיחת הקבר בלא דםToday’s daf (Nidda 21) has a machlokes Rav Yehuda and Rabanan whether אפשר בפתיחת הקבר בלא דם or not. There is a machlokes the Rambam and the Rosh how to pasken and this question is very relevant הלכה למעשה when doing various medical procedures.<br />
<br />
The question we need to ask is, isn’t this a machlokes in מציאות? It should be a biological fact. So why not just check it out. The standard answer given is that everyone agrees on the facts that there is a small percentage of time that blood comes out. The machlokes is whether that percentage is significant enough to make a rule or not.<br />
<br />
I find that hard to believe. The Gemara gives no hint of that and certainly sounds like it’s a machlokes in מציאות.AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-34507044420978592112019-11-07T12:07:00.002+02:002019-11-07T12:07:50.916+02:00Now I know why Chasidim wear loose baggy underwear The Gemara in Nidda 13b says<br />
אמר רב פפא שמע מינה מכנסים אסורים והכתיב (שמות כח, מב) ועשה להם מכנסי בד לכסות בשר ערוה<br />
A man is not allowed to wear pants because they might lead to him getting an erection and wasting seed. This Gemara is quoted by the Rema in Even Haezer 23:6<br />
אסור לרכוב על בהמה בלא אוכף (פי' מרדעת באסט"ו בלע"ז): הגה בגמרא פרק כל היד משמע דאסור ללבוש מכנסיים אם לא עשויין כבתי שוקיים משום דמביא לידי השחתת זרע ואע"פ שאפשר לדחות דבגמרא לא קאמר אלא בימיהם שהיה להם תרומה ואיכא למיחש לטומאת הגוף מ"מ מדהביא הרא"ש בפסקיו משמע דאף בזמן הזה אסור (הכל ד"ע)<br />
Based on this I don’t see how regular Hanes type underwear can be worn. It’s certainly rubs against the groin area.AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-18027540768062143602019-11-01T06:42:00.003+02:002019-11-01T06:43:42.214+02:00Where does breast milk come from?Today’s daf (Nidda 9a) says the following:<br />
<br />
תניא נמי הכי דם נעכר ונעשה חלב דברי ר"מ רבי יוסי אומר אבריה מתפרקין ואין נפשה חוזרת עליה עד עשרים וארבע חדש א"ר אלעאי מאי טעמא דר"מ דכתיב (איוב יד, ד) מי יתן טהור מטמא לא אחד<br />
<br />
The Gemara has a dispute why a nursing woman doesn’t get her period. Rabbi Meir says that the blood turns into milk and therefore there are no periods because there is no blood. How does Rabbi Meir know this? He learns it out from a pasuk that tahor milk comes from tameh blood.<br />
<br />
We see here that not only did Rabbi Meir get the science wrong but he got the Torah wrong. Since we know that blood doesn’t turn into milk Rabbi Meir’s derasha of the pasuk is also wrong.AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1784323189331829100.post-62249760547999253672019-10-30T22:13:00.001+02:002019-10-30T22:15:43.918+02:00Why does the Gemara give outlandish explanations for Mishnayos? Part 5The Gemara in kiddushin discusses קנין אגב and asks whether it requires that the מטלטלים be stacked up on the land. The Gemara tries to bring a proof from the following:<br />
<br />
איבעיא להו בעינן צבורים או לא אמר רב יוסף תא שמע ר' עקיבא אומר קרקע כל שהוא חייבת בפאה ובבכורים<br />
ולכתוב עליה פרוסבול ולקנות עמה נכסים שאין להם אחריות ואי אמרת בעינן צבורים כל שהוא למאי חזי<br />
תרגומא רב שמואל בר ביסנא קמיה דרב יוסף כגון שנעץ בה מחט א"ל רב יוסף קבסתן איכפל תנא לאשמועי' מחט<br />
<br />
Rabi Akiva says that even a tiny piece of land is enough to make a קנין אגב. The Gemara then says you see from here that the מטלטלים don’t have to be stacked up on the land because what can you stack up on a tiny piece of land? R’ Shmuel bar Bisna answered the case is you are acquiring a needle. Rav Yosef said that answer upsets him, why would the Tanna teach us a case of how to buy a needle.<br />
<br />
For some strange reason here Rav Yosef objects to an outlandish explanation. The question is why is this worse then any of the other examples that I brought, e.g. a worker who was hired to pick up gems? Why here does Rav Yosef reject an outlandish explanation but in so many other places the Gemara does not?<br />
<br />
Here is a link to Part 4<br />
<a href="http://ajewwithquestions.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-does-gemara-give-outlandish.html?m=1">http://ajewwithquestions.blogspot.com/2018/05/why-does-gemara-give-outlandish.html</a><br />
<br />AJewWithQuestionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13919249587736254017noreply@blogger.com0