I read a fascinating article Why are dreams such potent vehicles for the supernatural which details how the world’s great religions and spiritual journeys emerged from dreams and visions and explains the neurochemistry behind this and why dreams are such potent vehicles for the supernatural.
In short, under the right conditions, hallucinogens such as psilocybin can produce intense spiritual and mystical experiences. They do so, in part, by producing the same neurochemical milieu (high dopamine and low serotonin in the brain’s limbic sites, and high glutamate in prefrontal sites) as found during REM sleep.
It is no wonder then that when we dream or when REM invades waking consciousness – as it does during periods of sleeplessness, stress, daydreams or acid trips – it can produce ‘visions’. Given all this, the phenomenological features of dreams and hallucinations of course overlap. Dreams, in short, are transient ‘trips’ and, when they forcibly and suddenly break through into waking life, they sometimes become visions or hallucinations.
If dreams and visions originate in the same neurobiology that produces psychedelic experiences, of course they can fuel religious experiences and ideas. REM sleep generates the combustible materials that fuel the fire of the religious imagination.
...
The raw experience of the dream and the intense work of interpretation explain why the spirit realm was considered absolutely real for most of humanity’s history. People directly experienced the spirit realm in their dreams.
The link between REM dreams and spiritual experience suggests that religion may be nothing but delusional dreaming and hallucinations. The implications for organized religions including Judaism are obvious.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Sunday, September 4, 2016
The vastness of the universe
The discovery of the "closest" exoplanet orbiting around Proxima Centauri has generated a whole lot of interest in space, the galaxy and the universe.
IMHO, the vastness of the universe and even the Milky Way Galaxy shows how silly all our Earth based religions are which put us, human beings, and in Judaism, the Jews at the center of the universe.
From Wikipedia:
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy that has a diameter usually considered to be about 100,000–120,000 light-years[27] but may be 150,000–180,000 light-years. The Milky Way is estimated to contain 100–400 billion stars. There are likely at least 100 billion planets in the Milky Way.
According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. That makes the number of stars in the universe unimaginably large.
Given the above, we can ask the following.
Why would God create an unimaginably large universe with over 100 billion stars and planets just in our galaxy if the purpose of creation was man and his acceptance of Torah? Who needs all those stars, planets and galaxies, especially since most of them could not even be seen until modern times? Why bother with all of these billions of stars when they have no impact or influence on Earth? It seems clear from the vastness of the universe the sheer number of stars and planets that there is nothing unique about either the sun or the earth and therefore no reason to believe that a creator would create just us on a random planet in the middle of an arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Why would God specifically pick this planet around this star to put his creations on?
Shouldn't the size and scale of the universe put to rest any notion that somehow mankind on the planet earth are God's chosen?
It is clear that this is the reason why the Catholic Church (and many Rabonim) fought so hard against Galileo in the 1600s as the move away from geocentrism was seen as heretical. Once the Earth is not the center of the universe then it raises questions as to our place in the universe and Gods interest in us. Today, the knowledege that the Earth is essentially being one planet among billions just in the Milky Way Galaxy is much more dangerous.
IMHO, the vastness of the universe and even the Milky Way Galaxy shows how silly all our Earth based religions are which put us, human beings, and in Judaism, the Jews at the center of the universe.
From Wikipedia:
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy that has a diameter usually considered to be about 100,000–120,000 light-years[27] but may be 150,000–180,000 light-years. The Milky Way is estimated to contain 100–400 billion stars. There are likely at least 100 billion planets in the Milky Way.
According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. That makes the number of stars in the universe unimaginably large.
Given the above, we can ask the following.
Why would God create an unimaginably large universe with over 100 billion stars and planets just in our galaxy if the purpose of creation was man and his acceptance of Torah? Who needs all those stars, planets and galaxies, especially since most of them could not even be seen until modern times? Why bother with all of these billions of stars when they have no impact or influence on Earth? It seems clear from the vastness of the universe the sheer number of stars and planets that there is nothing unique about either the sun or the earth and therefore no reason to believe that a creator would create just us on a random planet in the middle of an arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Why would God specifically pick this planet around this star to put his creations on?
Shouldn't the size and scale of the universe put to rest any notion that somehow mankind on the planet earth are God's chosen?
It is clear that this is the reason why the Catholic Church (and many Rabonim) fought so hard against Galileo in the 1600s as the move away from geocentrism was seen as heretical. Once the Earth is not the center of the universe then it raises questions as to our place in the universe and Gods interest in us. Today, the knowledege that the Earth is essentially being one planet among billions just in the Milky Way Galaxy is much more dangerous.
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Halacha and technology part 1
The orthodox world (especially the Charedi world) moves very slowly when it comes to adapting halacha to modern times. The pace of technological change however means that they will need to either adapt or give up technology and become Amish. I would like to highlight 3 major areas of concern with regards to Halacha and technology
- Shabbos
- Kashrut
- Medicine
All 3 of these are highly affected by technology and halacha willl either need to deal with technology or abandon it.
Shabbos
The use of electricity (which powers all technology) on Shabbos has been an issue in halacha from the start. everyone prohibits using electricity, however, there is no clear issur and the poskim offer various suggestions why electricity should be prohibited
- Molid (Beit Yitzchak 2:31) - Turning on an appliance is analogous to creating something new which is prohibited on Shabbat (איסור דרבנן).
- Boneh (Chazon Ish Orach Chaim 50:9) - Completion of a circuit is prohibited because it is a form of building (איסור דאורייתא)
- Makeh B'Patish (Chazon Ish Orach Chaim 50:9)- Turning on an appliance completes it (איסור דאורייתא)
- Sparks (Chazon Ish Orach Chaim 50:9) - Completion of a circuit creates sparks and therefore is prohibited because it creates a flame (איסור דרבנן)
- Increased fuel consumption (Chashmal Leor Halacha 2:6) - The use of electrical appliances leads to an increase in fuel consumption at the power station, which is prohibited. (maybe an איסור דאורייתא)
- Heating of metal (Chazon Ish, Orach Chaim 50:9) - Heating of a metal transistor or wire, even when no visible light is emitted, is prohibited because of cooking or burning (איסור דאורייתא)
R' Sholom Zalman Auerbach (RSZA) is probably the posek who dealt the most with electricity and understood both the halachic and physical realities. All of the above suggestions were rejected by RSZA for the following reasons:
1. Only a limited number of actions were prohibited by Chazal because of molid, and therefore we may not extrapolate from these limited examples that creating anything else new (like electrical current) is rabbinically prohibited.
2. Closing a circuit is analogous to closing a door (which is permitted) because it is meant to be opened and closed.
3. Since the appliance is made to be turned on and off it cannot be makeh b'patish
4. This is not factually true anymore
5. This is at most grama and in fact is many times not true.
6. This is not factually true anymore
Based on the above RSZA (Minchat Shlomo 74, 84), writes the following:
In my opinion there is no prohibition [to use electricity] on Shabbat or Yom Tov... There is no prohibition of ma'keh bepatish or molid... (However, I am afraid that the masses will err and turn on incandescent lights on Shabbat, and thus I do not permit electricity absent great need...) ... This matter requires further analysis.
...
However, the key point in my opinion is that there is no prohibition to use electricity on Shabbat unless the electricity causes a prohibited act like cooking or starting a flame.
He states unequivocally that since the minhag is to prohibit the use of electricity, and this minhag received near unanimous approval from the poskim absent great need we should accept this tradition.
Even according to the Chazon Ish, many/most modern appliances would not be assur min hatorah for the following reason. Appliances today are always on, your refrigerator is running 24/7 as is your water meter. The Chazon Ish said it was boneh or make b'patish when you turn on an appliance was talking about an appliance that was off, no current, turning it on makes it useful (the Chazon Ish called it ממות לחיים). This certainly does not apply to a running appliance, the refrigerator is functioning perfectly, your opening the door causing some sensor to do something does not finish the appliance, does not make it useul, does not turn it on. Therefore, even according to the Chazon Ish there would be no issur d'oraysa.
My sense is that the more modern poskim (MO in America, Dati Leumi in Israel) agree with RSZA while much of the Charedi world holds like the Chazon Ish.
Given the fact that electricity is prohibited by all poskim today lets take a look at some common issues:
Refrigerators
New refrigerators all have sensors that are put into action when you open the door etc. (even if you tape down the light switch) and are becoming more and more integrated and essential to the use of the refigerator.
Electronic Water Meters
Electronic water meters are being installed all over the world. Every time you turn on the water you are directly causing the electronic water meter to record your use which falls under the general rubric of electricity.
Security Cameras/Security Lights
In many cities there are security cameras everywhere which will record you on Shabbos. Likewise, there are lights that are activated by a motion sensor when you walk by.
Electronic Door Locks
These are found in every hotel and are now being installed in apartment buidings around the world.
Hotels On Shabbos
When you take all of the above, plus add in some additional issues with hotels such as
- Motion sensors which shut off the lights and air conditiong if there is no movement
- Faucets that go on and off based on motion sensors
- Toilets with sensors
- Automatic doors
I don't see how an orthodox Jew will be able to stay in a hotel on Shabbos unless there is a change in approach to electricity.
Halachic Solutions
There are a number of halachic solutions that can be applied to these cases that have been suggested by contemprary poskim.
- A number of poskim hold that sensors that don't cause any visible action to happen are not prohibited. For example, if you open the refigerator and some sensor records that action but no there is no visible response in teh refigerator that is not considered a Melacha. This would address refrigerators and electronic water meters
- If you are just walking normally and something happens like a secuirty camera records you or a light turns on that you have no interest in, that is not considered anything in halacha and is permitted (Shevet Halevi). This would address the security camera/security lights scenario.
- פסיק רישיה דלא ניחא ליה בדרבנן - If you assume that electricity is drabbanan many of these are a פסיק רישיה דלא ניחא ליה and therefore permitted according to some opinions.
The electronic door locks is more problematic as there is a visible response to your action and you clearly want the response.
Charedi Response
The Charedi response is very predictable, אסור אסור אסור. Below are some Kol Korehs from Yated Neeman about electronic water meters.
Zman technologies are selling a fancy shabbos clock for refrigerators, see http://www.zmantechnologies.com/faq where they claim that there are many issurim involved in opening the refrigerator door.
IMHO, in the not so distant future we are going to see a real split between the Charedi world which will need to take extreme measures to avoid electricity on Shabbos and the rest of the orthodox world which will permit this. The orthodox world which engages with the outside world can't just say assur and be done with it.
to be continued...
Monday, August 22, 2016
Where did all the Reshus Harabim's go?
The Gemara in Shabbos has extensive discussions about what jewelry women can wear on Shabbos, what are animals allowed to go out with, etc. all gezeros in fear of the person violating the issur d'oraysa of carrying 4 amos in a reshus harabim. It is patently clear from all of these that in the the time of Chazal that they felt that this was a very valid concern (e.g. carrying in a reshus harabim) as we know that that Chazal followed a number of rules when making Gezeros 2 of them being:
1. milsa d'lo shchicha lo gazru bei rabanan - Chazal did not make gezeros for far-fetched cases.
2. we don't make a gezera l'gezera - Chazal only made gezeras to protect people from violating an issur d'oraysa, they did not make gezeras to prevent people from violating an issur d'rabbanan.
Based on the above Chazal would only have made all of these Gezeras regarding carrying if there was a real concern that people would violate the issur d'oraysa of carrying in a Reshus Harabim. What this means is that there must have been MANY places deemed Reshus harabim in existence
in Israel (and Bavel) otherwise they never would have made all of these gezeros.
However, this is very very difficult. Tosafos on 64b already makes the claim that we don't have a reshus harabim d'oraysa nowadays because we don't have 600,000 people and our streets aren't wide enough. This opinion of Rashi and Tosafos has been accepted l'halacha and is the basis of all city Eruvin. But, if this is true, then how in the time of Chazal did they ever have a Reshus Harabim d'oraysa? We know from population studies as well as simple logistics that pre-modern cities could simply not be that big. Without modern infrastructure there was simply no way to bring in enough food and water to feed a population of 600,000 people. It is not believable that in the time of Chazal the population of the cities in Israel was larger then today. The only city today, in modern Israel, with a population over 600,000 is Jerusalem and only a fraction of that is in the old city (which is the only part of the city that existed 2000 years ago and in fact was smaller). Every other city in Israel today has a population less then 600,000 people. There is no way that in the times of Chazal the cities were anywhere near as large given what we know of the population etc.
Why would they make all of these gezeros if there was no Reshus Harabim d'oraysa?
The fact is that the Gemara talks about whether you can wear amulets or not on Shabbos a gezera that you will carry it in reshus harabim. The Gemara discusses whether you have to take the amulet off to go to the bathroom, if you do there would be a problem because maybe you will carry it. Rashi comments, the bathrooms were outside in the fields and therefore there was an issue of carrying in a reshus harabim. It seems clear that Chazal thought that Reshus Harabim's were all over.
1. milsa d'lo shchicha lo gazru bei rabanan - Chazal did not make gezeros for far-fetched cases.
2. we don't make a gezera l'gezera - Chazal only made gezeras to protect people from violating an issur d'oraysa, they did not make gezeras to prevent people from violating an issur d'rabbanan.
Based on the above Chazal would only have made all of these Gezeras regarding carrying if there was a real concern that people would violate the issur d'oraysa of carrying in a Reshus Harabim. What this means is that there must have been MANY places deemed Reshus harabim in existence
in Israel (and Bavel) otherwise they never would have made all of these gezeros.
However, this is very very difficult. Tosafos on 64b already makes the claim that we don't have a reshus harabim d'oraysa nowadays because we don't have 600,000 people and our streets aren't wide enough. This opinion of Rashi and Tosafos has been accepted l'halacha and is the basis of all city Eruvin. But, if this is true, then how in the time of Chazal did they ever have a Reshus Harabim d'oraysa? We know from population studies as well as simple logistics that pre-modern cities could simply not be that big. Without modern infrastructure there was simply no way to bring in enough food and water to feed a population of 600,000 people. It is not believable that in the time of Chazal the population of the cities in Israel was larger then today. The only city today, in modern Israel, with a population over 600,000 is Jerusalem and only a fraction of that is in the old city (which is the only part of the city that existed 2000 years ago and in fact was smaller). Every other city in Israel today has a population less then 600,000 people. There is no way that in the times of Chazal the cities were anywhere near as large given what we know of the population etc.
Why would they make all of these gezeros if there was no Reshus Harabim d'oraysa?
The fact is that the Gemara talks about whether you can wear amulets or not on Shabbos a gezera that you will carry it in reshus harabim. The Gemara discusses whether you have to take the amulet off to go to the bathroom, if you do there would be a problem because maybe you will carry it. Rashi comments, the bathrooms were outside in the fields and therefore there was an issue of carrying in a reshus harabim. It seems clear that Chazal thought that Reshus Harabim's were all over.
In short, how could it be that in the time of Chazal 2000 years ago they were so worried about people violating an issur d'oraysa of hotzaa when we can't find a Reshus Harabim d'oraysa today? Brooklyn,
with a population of 2.5 million people (larger by far then any city 2000 years ago) is the only place that I have heard of that there even is a discussion about. There are Eruvin in every large city in Israel
(based on the presumption that the city is not a Reshus Harabim D'oraysa) and many large cities/communities in America. How do we reconcile this?
The answer clearly is that there never was a requirement for 600,000 people in a Reshus Harabim and that Rashi and Tosafos were simply wrong. What does this say about mesora and psak?
Thwere are some interesting related questions. When were the gezeras related to carrying established? The Gemara states that Shlomo was mesaken the need for an Eruv Chatzeros, however, what about all of these other dinim d'rabanan? When was the takana of carmelis made? When were
all of the gezeros listed at the beginning of the 6th perek of shabbos (regarding not wearing jewelry etc.) made? When was the issur to blow shofar on Rosh Hashana on Shabbos made? I don't know of any sources that discuss when these were made. It would be very interesting to know how early/late they were.
The bottom line is that we see even on issues where there seemingly is a strong mesora, there isn't. Something as simple as the definition of a Reshus Harabim is the subject of intense machlokes.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
כי היא חכמתכם ובינתכם לעיני העמים
ואמרו רק עם חכם ונבון הגוי הגדול הזה
After hearing these pesukim yesterday in Shul I was struck how silly they sound today. The pesukim say that the laws of the Torah are what make the Jewish people look smart in the eyes of the nations of the world and the nations of the world will praise us as wise people. Unfortunately, today, Torah makes us look like a bunch of primitive people who don't believe in science, are immoral and just out of touch with reality.
The dismissal of evolution, the age of the world, basically any science that seems to contradict Torah makes us look anything but wise. Likewise, insistence on the morals of the Torah, anti-homosexuality slavery, genocide, etc. does not make us look wise in the eyes of the nations of the world, but rather outdated and immoral.
Religious Jews are increasingly being viewed as fanatical, bigoted and primitive.
This story, where Satmar kids are taught in camp to throw eggs at Prime Minister Netanyahu's car and chant denigrating slogans against him just confirms the view. Not only is Satmar not an עם חכם ונבון, but in fact they (and other Chasidic groups like Skver) are a cult and should be treated like one. See this scary post by the Jewish Worker about the total cult-like conformity in New Square.
After hearing these pesukim yesterday in Shul I was struck how silly they sound today. The pesukim say that the laws of the Torah are what make the Jewish people look smart in the eyes of the nations of the world and the nations of the world will praise us as wise people. Unfortunately, today, Torah makes us look like a bunch of primitive people who don't believe in science, are immoral and just out of touch with reality.
The dismissal of evolution, the age of the world, basically any science that seems to contradict Torah makes us look anything but wise. Likewise, insistence on the morals of the Torah, anti-homosexuality slavery, genocide, etc. does not make us look wise in the eyes of the nations of the world, but rather outdated and immoral.
Religious Jews are increasingly being viewed as fanatical, bigoted and primitive.
This story, where Satmar kids are taught in camp to throw eggs at Prime Minister Netanyahu's car and chant denigrating slogans against him just confirms the view. Not only is Satmar not an עם חכם ונבון, but in fact they (and other Chasidic groups like Skver) are a cult and should be treated like one. See this scary post by the Jewish Worker about the total cult-like conformity in New Square.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Where is Matan Torah, Moshe, and the laws of the Torah in נ"ך?
The surprising answer is almost completely missing. If you read through Tanach the story of Matan Torah as well as references to Moshe and his Torah are basically ignored/non-existent.
If you look at Neviim Rishonim, it is completely absent. For example, In יהושע פרק כ"ד Yehoshua details the history of the Jewish people starting with Terach (this is famous from the Hagadda). He mentions יציאת מצרים and קריעת ים סוף and fact that the Jewish people were in the desert for a long time. However, what is conspicuously absent is any mention of Matan Torah. The biggest event in Jewish history, the reason for יציאת מצרים, in fact the reason for the creation of the world, and it's simply skipped over and not mentioned. Shmuel also (פרק י"ב) gives a short history lesson and again he mentions יציאת מצרים but leaves out completely Matan Torah.
When Shmuel refers to laws he never makes any mention of Moshe or Matan Torah. For example, after Shmuel appoints Shaul as King, he writes down the laws of the King and places it before Hashem (שמואל א י:כ"ה). The laws of a King are written in the Torah in Sefer Devarim yet Shmuel makes no mention of them and it sounds like he wrote his own version. Similarly, when Shmuel commands Shaul to go to war with Amalek and destory them, there is no reference to the Biblical commandment from the Torah in Devarim. Rather Shmuel commands Shaul to destroy Amalek based on a Nevua that he Shmuel received.
If we look at the later Neviim we find the same absence of Matan Torah. Yishayahu mentions it zero times in his work. Yirmiyahu mentions it zero times. You would think that Yirmiyahu, when trying to convince the Jewish people not to worship avoda zara would mention Matan Torah and the עשרת הדברות and the prohibition of idolatry.
Similarly if we look at Yechezkel (פרק מ - מ"ח) we find that Yechezkel lists many laws that are in the Torah and some that contradict the Torah (for example that a Kohen can't marry a widow from a non-Kohen) without ever referencing the fact these laws came from Moshe and Matan Torah.
If we look at Zecharya (פרק ז:י"ב) we see a similar idea. He writes:
ולבם שמו שמיר משמוע את התורה ואת הדברים אשר שלח ה' צבאות ברוחו ביד הנביאים הראשונים ...
They made their hearts into stone lest they should hear the law and the words which Hashem had sent by his spirit in the hand of the first prophets ...
Zecharya attributes the laws of Hashem not to Moshe, but rather to the first prophets. We see that Zecharya seemingly did not believe in Toras Moshe, but rather believed that all the prophets had a hand in relaying the laws from Hashem.
Similarly if we look at Tehillim, which according to tradition was written by King David, it makes no mention of Matan Torah. In fact Tehillim refers to Moshe as a Kohen (משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקוראי שמו) not as the person who gave the Torah.
The clear and obvious conclusion is that during the period of the first Beis Hamikdash, the overwhelming majority of the Jewish people were unaware of Matan Torah, Moshe Rabenu as lawgiver and Torah in general. In contrast, we see that the story of יציאת מצרים was well known. The implications are clear.
If you look at Neviim Rishonim, it is completely absent. For example, In יהושע פרק כ"ד Yehoshua details the history of the Jewish people starting with Terach (this is famous from the Hagadda). He mentions יציאת מצרים and קריעת ים סוף and fact that the Jewish people were in the desert for a long time. However, what is conspicuously absent is any mention of Matan Torah. The biggest event in Jewish history, the reason for יציאת מצרים, in fact the reason for the creation of the world, and it's simply skipped over and not mentioned. Shmuel also (פרק י"ב) gives a short history lesson and again he mentions יציאת מצרים but leaves out completely Matan Torah.
When Shmuel refers to laws he never makes any mention of Moshe or Matan Torah. For example, after Shmuel appoints Shaul as King, he writes down the laws of the King and places it before Hashem (שמואל א י:כ"ה). The laws of a King are written in the Torah in Sefer Devarim yet Shmuel makes no mention of them and it sounds like he wrote his own version. Similarly, when Shmuel commands Shaul to go to war with Amalek and destory them, there is no reference to the Biblical commandment from the Torah in Devarim. Rather Shmuel commands Shaul to destroy Amalek based on a Nevua that he Shmuel received.
If we look at the later Neviim we find the same absence of Matan Torah. Yishayahu mentions it zero times in his work. Yirmiyahu mentions it zero times. You would think that Yirmiyahu, when trying to convince the Jewish people not to worship avoda zara would mention Matan Torah and the עשרת הדברות and the prohibition of idolatry.
Similarly if we look at Yechezkel (פרק מ - מ"ח) we find that Yechezkel lists many laws that are in the Torah and some that contradict the Torah (for example that a Kohen can't marry a widow from a non-Kohen) without ever referencing the fact these laws came from Moshe and Matan Torah.
If we look at Zecharya (פרק ז:י"ב) we see a similar idea. He writes:
ולבם שמו שמיר משמוע את התורה ואת הדברים אשר שלח ה' צבאות ברוחו ביד הנביאים הראשונים ...
They made their hearts into stone lest they should hear the law and the words which Hashem had sent by his spirit in the hand of the first prophets ...
Zecharya attributes the laws of Hashem not to Moshe, but rather to the first prophets. We see that Zecharya seemingly did not believe in Toras Moshe, but rather believed that all the prophets had a hand in relaying the laws from Hashem.
Similarly if we look at Tehillim, which according to tradition was written by King David, it makes no mention of Matan Torah. In fact Tehillim refers to Moshe as a Kohen (משה ואהרן בכהניו ושמואל בקוראי שמו) not as the person who gave the Torah.
The clear and obvious conclusion is that during the period of the first Beis Hamikdash, the overwhelming majority of the Jewish people were unaware of Matan Torah, Moshe Rabenu as lawgiver and Torah in general. In contrast, we see that the story of יציאת מצרים was well known. The implications are clear.
Monday, August 15, 2016
Would anyone follow Moshiach today if he came?
Yesterday was Tisha B'Av and with it came the obligatory talk about Moshiach and the Geula. It got me thinking however, if Moshiach came how would we know it and who would follow him? The Jewish people are so divided even just the religious that I don't see how any one person could unite the Jewish people. Would Chasidim accept a Litvak moshiach? Would Litvaks accept a Chassidish Moshiach? Would Charedim accept a non-Charedi Moshiach (Dati Leumi, MO, OO, etc.)? Would non-Charedim accept a Charedi Moshiach? Would Ashkenazim accept a Sephardi? Would Sefardim accept an Ashkenazi?
Just look what happened when events took place that contradicted a certain groups hashkafa, here are 2 examples:
The truth is that I don't believe that most people really want moshiach. It would be way too disruptive, in so many ways.
Moshiach presumably would reconstitute the Sanhedrin which would then completely change Halacha. The the Gemara (Sanhedrin 88b) states that until the time of Hillen and Shamai there was no Machlokes in halacha. All questions were resolved by the local Beis Din with difficult questions going up to the Sanhedrin whose psak was final.
אמר רבי יוסי מתחילה לא היו מרבין מחלוקת בישראל אלא בית דין של שבעים ואחד יושבין בלשכת הגזית ושני בתי דינין של עשרים ושלשה אחד יושב על פתח הר הבית ואחד יושב על פתח העזרה ושאר בתי דינין של עשרים ושלשה יושבין בכל עיירות ישראל הוצרך הדבר לשאול שואלין מבית דין שבעירן אם שמעו אמרו להן ואם לאו באין לזה שסמוך לעירן אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו באין לזה שעל פתח הר הבית אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו באין לזה שעל פתח העזרה ואומר כך דרשתי וכך דרשו חבירי כך למדתי וכך למדו חבירי אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו אלו ואלו באין ללשכת הגזית ששם יושבין מתמיד של שחר עד תמיד של בין הערבים ובשבתות ובימים טובים יושבין בחיל נשאלה שאלה בפניהם אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו עומדין למנין רבו המטמאים טמאו רבו המטהרין טהרו משרבו תלמידי שמאי והלל שלא שמשו כל צרכן רבו מחלוקת בישראל ונעשית תורה כשתי תורות
This process would happen again, there would be no Sefardi psak like the Beis Yosef and Ashkenazi psak like the Rama, the Sanhedrin would pasken one way and everyone would have to follow it.
The truth is it would be even more disruptive then just erasing teh lines between Sephardim and Ashkenazim, presumably all hashkafic questions would be addressed as well. Rationalists vs Kabbalists, Charedim vs MO, Chassidim vs Litvaks, R' Desslers Hashgacha Pratis vs the Rambams, Torah only vs Torah im Derech Eretz, etc. Imagine the turmoil this would throw the religious world into. Imagine if your whole world view is suddenly overturned, would you accept that?
Moshiach would also introduce all the laws of Tumah and Tahara. This would completely change Hilchos Nidda and how women would have to act. Everyone would have to throw away all of their (tameh) furniture and deal with the facts of Tumah and Tahara and everything it meant.
Of course there would be a Beis Hamikdash and we would all need to bring Korbanos. How many people reading this can really picture themselves bringing and animal to the Beis Hamikdash and having it sacrificed as a Korban? Presumably the Beis Hamikdash would again become the central focus of Judaism, does anyone really believe that can happen? Can Kohanim really picture themsleves wearing the Bigdei Kehuna, killing birds with their fingernails, and sprinkling blood on the mizbeiach?
Last but not least, would American Jews really want to give up their life in America including summer homes in the Catskills to move to Israel?
In short, the idea of Moshiach seems great until you look at the little (and not so little) details and then you see that it is really just a pipe dream that can never actually happen.
Just look what happened when events took place that contradicted a certain groups hashkafa, here are 2 examples:
- The Six Day War when Israel won a tremendous victory and restored the holy places to Jewish sovereignty posed a tremendous theological question to Satmar. Their answer was מעשה שטן, which with all due respect to the Satmar Rebbe is ridiculous on all levels. Given that, any non-Satmar moshiach will probably be called מעשה שטן and ignored or condemned
- The Lubavitcher Rebbe's death in the early 1990s posed a tremendous theological question to all of those Chasidim who believed that he was Moshiach. They gave different answers (he was still Moshiach even though he died, he didn't die, etc.) each one more problematic then the other. Could Lubavitchers accept a different Moshiach? I think not.
The truth is that I don't believe that most people really want moshiach. It would be way too disruptive, in so many ways.
Moshiach presumably would reconstitute the Sanhedrin which would then completely change Halacha. The the Gemara (Sanhedrin 88b) states that until the time of Hillen and Shamai there was no Machlokes in halacha. All questions were resolved by the local Beis Din with difficult questions going up to the Sanhedrin whose psak was final.
אמר רבי יוסי מתחילה לא היו מרבין מחלוקת בישראל אלא בית דין של שבעים ואחד יושבין בלשכת הגזית ושני בתי דינין של עשרים ושלשה אחד יושב על פתח הר הבית ואחד יושב על פתח העזרה ושאר בתי דינין של עשרים ושלשה יושבין בכל עיירות ישראל הוצרך הדבר לשאול שואלין מבית דין שבעירן אם שמעו אמרו להן ואם לאו באין לזה שסמוך לעירן אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו באין לזה שעל פתח הר הבית אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו באין לזה שעל פתח העזרה ואומר כך דרשתי וכך דרשו חבירי כך למדתי וכך למדו חבירי אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו אלו ואלו באין ללשכת הגזית ששם יושבין מתמיד של שחר עד תמיד של בין הערבים ובשבתות ובימים טובים יושבין בחיל נשאלה שאלה בפניהם אם שמעו אמרו להם ואם לאו עומדין למנין רבו המטמאים טמאו רבו המטהרין טהרו משרבו תלמידי שמאי והלל שלא שמשו כל צרכן רבו מחלוקת בישראל ונעשית תורה כשתי תורות
This process would happen again, there would be no Sefardi psak like the Beis Yosef and Ashkenazi psak like the Rama, the Sanhedrin would pasken one way and everyone would have to follow it.
The truth is it would be even more disruptive then just erasing teh lines between Sephardim and Ashkenazim, presumably all hashkafic questions would be addressed as well. Rationalists vs Kabbalists, Charedim vs MO, Chassidim vs Litvaks, R' Desslers Hashgacha Pratis vs the Rambams, Torah only vs Torah im Derech Eretz, etc. Imagine the turmoil this would throw the religious world into. Imagine if your whole world view is suddenly overturned, would you accept that?
Moshiach would also introduce all the laws of Tumah and Tahara. This would completely change Hilchos Nidda and how women would have to act. Everyone would have to throw away all of their (tameh) furniture and deal with the facts of Tumah and Tahara and everything it meant.
Of course there would be a Beis Hamikdash and we would all need to bring Korbanos. How many people reading this can really picture themselves bringing and animal to the Beis Hamikdash and having it sacrificed as a Korban? Presumably the Beis Hamikdash would again become the central focus of Judaism, does anyone really believe that can happen? Can Kohanim really picture themsleves wearing the Bigdei Kehuna, killing birds with their fingernails, and sprinkling blood on the mizbeiach?
Last but not least, would American Jews really want to give up their life in America including summer homes in the Catskills to move to Israel?
In short, the idea of Moshiach seems great until you look at the little (and not so little) details and then you see that it is really just a pipe dream that can never actually happen.
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