Category Archives: Talmud

We recite a number of blessings each morning to thank G-d for the daily renewal of the world as well as for our senses and faculties. One of these blessing thanks G-d for creating us as Jews and giving us the opportunity to perform the mitzvot of the Torah. According to the Shulchan Aruch, the wording of this blessing is Baruch Ata Hashemshelo asani oved kochavim umazalot (Blessed are you Hashem for not having made me one who worships the stars and zodiacs).1 Common custom, however, is simply to recite shelo asani goy (for not having made me a gentile).2

There is much discussion regarding the proper wording of this blessing. According to the Talmud and a number of later authorities, it appears that the original wording of this blessing may have been sheasani Yisrael (for having made me a Jew).3 Other sources vehemently disagree and argue that any suggestion that the blessing should be sheasani Yisrael is based on textual forgeries, mistaken amendments, and censorship by non-Jewish authorities.4

There is also a view that the blessing should be for not having made me a foreigner (shelo asani nochri).5 Today, however, universal custom is to recite for not having made me a gentile (shelo asani goy). Indeed, the halachic authorities strongly censure one who makes changes to the accepted wording of the blessing.6 It is reported, however, that the Chofetz Chaim would recite shelo asani oved kochavim umazalot as per the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch.7

There are a number of approaches on how converts should conduct themselves with regard to this blessing. Some authorities suggest that a convert should recite for having made me a convert (sheasani ger).8 Other authorities suggest that a convert should recite shehichnisani tachat kanfei hashechina (for having brought me under the wings of the Divine Presence).9

Nevertheless, a number of authorities rule that a convert may recite for not making me a Gentile (shelo asani goy) just like everyone else, and common custom is in accordance with this view. This is because when a non-Jew converts to Judaism, his soul goes through a complete transformation and renewal. Indeed, it is explained that the morning blessings correspond to the state and condition of ones soul when it returns to the body upon awakening each morning. Since the soul of one who converts is transformed into a Jewish soul upon conversion, it follows, therefore, that a convert is perfectly entitled to recite this blessing just like everyone else.10

Furthermore, it is taught that a convert is considered to be a newly born person. This further supports the view that converts should recite shelo asani goy.11 There is also an interpretation that the shelo asani goy recitation of a convert is actually a praise to G-d for having given him the opportunity to become Jewish and perform mitzvot.12 There is an opinion that converts should omit this blessing entirely and not recite any of the variations just discussed. Common custom, however, is not according to this view.13 Converts recite all the other morning blessings as normal.

There are different opinions as to how female converts should conduct themselves with regard to this blessing, as well as the other morning blessings that are worded in masculine form. Most authorities rule that women should recite shelo asani goy just as men do,14 while others rule that women should feminize the wording with shelo asani goya, and the like.15 There is also a view that since there is a dispute over how women should word these blessings, they should recite them according to their custom, but without including G-ds name.16

It might be that it was Moshe Rabbeinu who instituted the blessing shelo asani goy. It is taught in the Yalkut Reuveni that when Moshe heard the first two of the Ten Commandments Anochi Hashem Elokecha and Lo yiheyeh lecha elohim acheirim, he instinctively recited the blessing shelo asani goy. So too, when we recite the blessing of shelo asani goy, we thank G-d for making us a member of the nation that is charged and honored with the ability to observe the mitzvot of the Torah. Contrary to popular misconception, this blessing is not intended to offend or insult any other race or religion. It is intended to demonstrate our gratitude for being Jewish and being given the opportunity to practice the mitzvot of the Torah.

_________________

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Thanking G-d For Who You Are And Who You Are Not - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

This past Saturday, an 18-year-old white man went on a murderous rampage in a market in Buffalo, motivated by hatred towards blacks and others. Then, on Sunday, a Chinese man entered a Presbyterian church and killed one and wounded others, motivated by his hatred of Taiwan. And last month, a black man shot and injured 29 subway riders in New York City, motivated by racial hatred as well. Baseless hatred is destroying our nation.

There is a fascinating Talmudic tradition that asked why the First Temple was destroyed (in 586 BC) and the Second Temple was destroyed (in 70 AD).

The Talmud states, Due to what reason was the First Temple destroyed? It was destroyed because three matters existed in the First Temple: idol worship, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed.

These are serious sins, all worthy of divine judgment. And so, because these spiritual and moral violations were so prevalent, the Temple was destroyed.

But what about the Second Temple?

The Talmud continues, However, in the Second Temple period the people were engaged in Torah study, observance of mitzvahs, and acts of kindness, so why was the Second Temple destroyed? It was destroyed due to the fact that there was baseless hatred during that period. This comes to teach you that the sin of baseless hatred is equivalent to the three severe transgressions: idol worship, forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. (Yoma 9b)

Seriously? Baseless hatred is that bad?

And so, the cycle continues and the inflaming of hatred grows deeper.

Jesus Himself was the victim of baseless hatred, explaining to His disciples that He was hated without a cause (John 15:25, with reference to Ps. 35:19; 69:4). And that hatred led to His rejection and crucifixion.

Baseless hatred is downright deadly.

It was baseless hatred that was behind the Christmas parade massacre of whites in Waukesha. And the shooting of Republicans at a baseball game in DC. And the slaughter of Hispanics at a Walmart in El Paso. And the murder of blacks in a church in Charleston. And the killing of Jews in Jersey City.

Baseless hatred is leaving a horrific trail of blood in its wake.

Yet every day, in the most irresponsible ways, political leaders, news outlets and talking heads in the media are flaming the fires of racial and ethnic hatred. Worse still, many of them are doing this for the purpose of political gain or viewer ratings.

This is as deplorable as it is sick.

On May 15, Glenn Greenwald posted a lengthy article titled, The Demented and Selective Game of Instantly Blaming Political Opponents For Mass Shootings, The articles subtitle read, All ideologies spawn psychopaths who kill innocents in its name. Yet only some are blamed for their violent adherents: by opportunists cravenly exploiting corpses while they still lie on the ground.

He did not overstate his case in the least, carefully documenting the points he was making. Without question, the constant exploitation of these terrible crimes for political purposes is absolutely inexcusable.

And while his focus was on the lefts habit of using these tragedies for political gain, further fanning the flames of hatred in the process, the indictment can be broader still: there is way too much irresponsible and inflammatory rhetoric from all sides of the political spectrum.

With good reason Greenwald ended his article with these sobering words: The distinction between peaceful advocacy even of noxious ideas and those who engage in violence in the name of such ideas is fundamental to notions of fairness, justice and the ability to speak freely. But if you really want to claim that a public figure has blood on their hands every time someone murders in the name of ideas and ideologies they support, then the list of people you should be accusing of murder is a very, very long one indeed.

Well said, and worthy of consideration.

In another article, I plan to explore more fully how politicians and news outlets are demonizing whole swaths of people in the aftermath of the Buffalo massacre.

To cite one case in point, a Rolling Stone headline announces, The Buffalo Shooter Isnt a Lone Wolf. Hes a Mainstream Republican. Yes, The right-wing extremists who control the modern GOP are all gripped by a racist delusion. The shooter is just the latest to act on it.

And so, the cycle continues and the inflaming of hatred grows deeper. Rolling Stone makes baseless, reckless and hateful accusations, which further angers those falsely accused, deepening their own sense of hatred. When will all this stop?

Hatred will always be here on this planet, as long as sinful human beings exist. But it is a crime against humanity to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

We can have our strong convictions. We can put our stakes in the ground and stand for what we believe to be right.

But we must not respond to hatred and lies with our own hateful rhetoric. Instead, in the words of Paul, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

Let the baseless hatred stop with us.

Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Revival Or We Die: A Great Awakening Is Our Only Hope. Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

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Baseless Hatred is Destroying Our Nation - The Stream

The Torah commands that every seventh year be declared a sabbatical year, during which the Holy Land must be left fallow and all loans are to be considered remitted. This year 5782 is a sabbatical year, so I thought it would be appropriate to discuss two Hebrew terms used to refer to the sabbatical year: shemittah and sheviit. This first essay focuses on the term shemittah (slipping away) and explores various Hebrew words which appear to be synonymous with that term. The second essay focuses on the term sheviit (the seventh one) and expounds on other related Hebrew expressions whose etymologies seem to be connected to the root of that word.

The Book of Deuteronomy refers to the sabbatical year as shemittah in five instances (Deuteronomy. 15:1-2, 15:9, 31:10). This noun is derived from the triliteral root shin-mem-tet, which also gives us a verb that means to slip away. Indeed, the Torah uses forms of this verb when discussing the laws of shemittah: And six years shall you sow your land and you shall gather its produce, and [in] the seventh [year], you shall slip it away (tishmitenah) and abandon it (Exodus 23:10-11). Rashi explains that this passage refers to the requirement that one refrain from working the land during the sabbatical year. Elsewhere, the Torah speaks about a lender allowing all loans due to him to slip away (shamot, tashmet) during the shemittah year (see Deuteronomy 15:2-3). Thus we see that both the agricultural and financial laws regarding the sabbatical year are associated with the term shemittah.

Although many people today continue to use the Biblical term shemittah colloquially in reference to the sabbatical year, in the Babylonian Talmud that term is actually fairly rare and only appears a few times outside of citing the above-mentioned Biblical verses (Nazir 8b, Sotah 41a, Gittin 36a, Bava Metzia 30b, 48b, Sanhedrin 32a, Shavuot 44b, and several other places).

How does the literal meaning of slipping away relate back to laws of the sabbatical year? To better understand this, we will look at several words derived from the same triliteral root as shemittah, and infer from them a more precise definition of this root.

When Uzza sent forth his hand to support the Holy Ark as it was being transported on cattle, he did so lest the beasts shamat the holy object (II Samuel 6:6, I Chronicles 13:9). Rabbi Yonah Ibn Janach explains in Sefer HaShorashim that this means that the sheer weight of the ark was causing the animals joints to burst, and this would have led to the ark slipping off the wagon had the animals actually collapsed. Similarly, when Jehu killed Jezebel by way of defenestration (i.e., throwing her out the window), the verb used by the Bible is a cognate of shemittah (II Kings 9:33), with Radak (ibid.) and Ibn Ezra (Deuteronomy 15:1) commenting that in this context the term means to let something go so that it will fall.

From these examples, it seems that the core denotation of shemittah is leaving something to its own devices, which will invariably cause it to fall or slip out of place. In that sense, shemittah denotes both forsaking something and the falling/slipping that results from it being forsaken. As a result, we may explain that by not working ones fields during the sabbatical year as stipulated by the Torah, one essentially loosens their grip on their property and thus figuratively allows it to slip away from their control in a free-for-all. Similarly, we can explain that when a lender forgoes collecting the debts he is owed, those monies are no longer in his hand but rather slip away from his proverbial grasp.

In discussing the case of the accidental killer who must flee to a city of refuge, the Bible uses the example of somebody who was chopping wood in the forest and his hand slipped out of place, causing the metal part of the hammer or a piece of wood to fling outwards and kill somebody (Deuteronomy 19:5). In explaining that the wood-choppers hand slipped, Rashi echoes the word choice of the Mishnah (Makkot 2:1) in using a cognate of the word shemittah (see also Rashi to II Samuel 6:6, who connects the usage of shemittah here to its appearance in the story of Uzza, mentioned above). In this case, the slipping is not necessarily the result of anything being forsaken, but seems to be a borrowed usage.

Additionally, when the Talmud (Chullin 57a) discusses whether an animal/bird with a dislocated shoulder or thigh is considered moribund (tereifah), it uses the term shmutat to denote that dislocation, as the affected bone is understood to have slipped out of place. This too is unrelated to forsaking, per se, but the dislocation aspect shares the same result as something slipping away.

Chalitzah and Shalifa

The Torah mandates that a widow whose husband died without children, known as a yevamah, must either marry her deceased husbands brother (yibbum, the Levirate marriage) or must perform the chalitzah ceremony where she removes her brother-in-laws shoe from upon his foot (Deuteronomy 25:9). Before taking either of these courses of action, the yevamah is forbidden from marrying anybody besides one of her deceased husbands brothers. As the Talmud puts it, the yevamahs license to marry somebody else is commensurate with the shemittah (slipping off) of most of the heel (Yevamos 102a).

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 34:15) explains that the term chalitzah holds four distinct meanings: slipping, arming, saving, and leaving something resting in its place. As an example of chalitzah in the sense of slipping, the Midrash mentions the chalitzah ceremony in which the yevamah slips off the shoe from her brother-in-laws foot. As an example of arming, the Midrash cites the fact that soldiers of the Jewish army were called chalutzim (Deuteronomy 3:18). To adduce the saving meaning, the Midrash points to the verse May G-d save me (chaltzeini) from an evil person (Psalms 140:2); and for the resting meaning of chalitzah the Midrash cites the Shabbat liturgy in which we beseech G-d to be appeased and let us rest (ritzay vhachalitzeinu).

Some of these meanings of chalitzah line up with the various meanings of shemittah: Just like shemittah refers to slipping, so does chalitzah; just like shemittah refers to escaping, so does chalitzah; just like shemittah refers to forsaking or leaving something, so does chalitzah. In fact, the Midrash in question actually uses a cognate of shemittah when noting that chalitzah can mean slip (although, Radak to Isaiah 58:11 and in Sefer HaShorashim seems to have had an alternate version of the Midrash that instead used the word shalaf for that purpose, see below).

Interestingly, in Aramaic the act of removing clothing is also a cognate of chalitzah (see Targum to I Samuel 31:8-9, I Chronicles 10:8), possibly because stripping off ones clothes is an act of extracting ones body from within such garments. This Aramaic usage could be the etymological basis for the Modern Hebrew word chultzah (shirt). Rabbi Dr. Ernest Klein (1899-1983) writes in his etymological dictionary, however, that this term was originally coined by Prof. Joseph Klausner (1874-1958) to mean blouse and was derived from the hips/thigh meaning of chalatzaim (because a blouse typically covered the loins).

Another Biblical Hebrew word that refers to slipping off is shalaf (derived from the triliteral root shin-lammed-pey). In general, words from this root refer to slipping something out of its container to brandish it for another purpose. Cognates of shalaf appear 25 times in the Bible, most commonly when referring to the act of drawing ones sword from its sheath. Less commonly, cognates of shalaf refer to the act of slipping off ones shoe (Ruth 4:7-8) for symbolic deal-making kind of an ancient equivalent of shaking hands. In fact, Targum pseudo-Jonathan (Deuteronomy 25:9) renders the verb form of chalitzah in the context of the chalitzah ritual as a cognate of shalaf. Rashi (Chullin 53a and Gittin 33b) also connects these two verbs and ostensibly sees them as synonymous.

Rabbi Shlomo Pappenheim proposes that shalaf differs from chalitzah in that shalaf is used whenever the two items in question were only loosely attached and could easily be separated. As noted above, most appearances of this root involve slipping out ones sword from its sheath or slipping off ones shoe for the purposes of a business transaction. In both situations, this action is typically performed as quickly as possible. In the case of a business deal, the buyer and seller want to seal the deal before the other one backs out, and in the case of a sword, a warrior needs his weapon to be readily at his disposal. Because of the need to swiftly be able to remove ones sword or shoe, we would not expect them to be fastened too strongly.

In a similar vein, Shoresh Yesha notes that Biblical Hebrew uses three verbs to denote removing ones shoe: shal (Exodus 3:5, Joshua 5:15), shalaf, and chalitzah. He explains that these three terms correspond to three different ways by which a shoe or sandal may be attached to ones foot, with shal referring to slipping off ones sandal without even using ones hands, shalaf referring to taking off ones shoe by hand, and chalitzah referring to removing a shoe fastened to the foot by first untying it.

What I found perplexing is the fact that the Talmud refers to a load mounted on top of an animal as a shlif (Bava Kamma 3a; see Rashi to Bava Kamma 17b, Shabbat 154b, Eruvin 16a, and Kiddushin 22b). This word is seemingly derived from the triliteral shin-lammed-pey but I do not understand why the word for a parcel that somebody hopes will not slip off the animals back is derived from the act of slipping off. Perhaps the word shlif refers to that very hope that it does not fall off the animal transporting it. Alternatively perhaps the word shalaf actually refers to the same sort of untying denoted by the word chalitzah, so the term shlif refers to how one might remove the package from upon the animal after it reaches its final destination (see Rashi to Bava Batra 75b, who notes that the shlif was tied to the animal).

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The Year Of Slipping Away (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

May 19, 2022 by Jeremy Rosen

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When you come to the land that I am giving you, the land must be given a rest period, a Shabbat to God.

From this, the law of the Seventh Year Release, theShmitah, sounds much like medieval crop rotation and good agricultural practice. However, calling it a God-like rest adds a spiritual dimension in addition to the physical.

In addition, the Torah goes on to discuss people who fall on tough times and the importance of helping them. This includes lending money without charging interest to help people stand on their own two feet and not be dependent on charity.

To us nowadays the idea of a Sabbatical is to take time off to nurture our minds, to study, to step back and take perspective.

We may argue that these laws are no longer applicable, so why bother with them?We do not know the reasons for the laws. For thousands of years, our commentators in every generation have tried to find them. But we cannot know for certain. What we can do is find relevance and purpose that will give us some guidance for life in the period in which we live. We can look for recurring themes as a hint at what is more important and see these as messages.

On the one hand, we learn to have respect for the land, nurture it, and appreciate it. And from this, we can deduce how important it is to nurture human beings too. In both cases, there will be good times and bad times. Times when we need to go beyond our immediate selfish needs and cope with famines, natural catastrophes, and human suffering. To think of others.

The Talmud asks why these laws are related specifically to Mount Sinai. Werent all of the laws given there? There is a Talmudic principle that when a law is taken out of context or repeated it asserts a universal principle. Laws are necessary, for every society and everyone. But if we only take them as laws rather than the ideas and spirit behind them, we will miss the point. And here the point is that land and people need to be taken care of and all laws aim at achieving these goals, the physical material, and the spiritual.

We have had a visceral connection to our land, and our communities for over three thousand years. The land is very important. It is our mother in metaphorical terms. But people matter more.

Leviticus Chapter 25 to26:2

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Shabbat Behar: Valuing the Land J-Wire - J-Wire Jewish Australian News Service

David Baddiel has insisted a new television documentary based on his acclaimed Jews Dont Count polemic will offer surprising differences from the book.

The comedian and author is currently filming part of the 75 minute long documentary for Channel 4 in New York and reveals it will have many other voices apart from my own on it.

The programme, which is set to be aired in the autumn, is being made by presenter Louis Therouxs production company Mindhouse.

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Baddiel told Jewish News: Im somewhat constrained by Channel 4 at the minute, but one thing that will be different is it will have many other voices apart from my own on it, including some surprising ones, discussing the issue with me, some of them agreeing, some arguing.

I might even use the word Talmudic. If Id read the Talmud.

As a book Jews Dont Count was widely praised for its assessment of how anti-Jewish racism was often over-looked by those who considered themselves anti-racists.

In an age of identity politics, Baddiel argued that in some cases Jews were overlooked as being a minority.

Describing himself as a Jewish atheist, Baddiel has also defiantly removed himself from any involvement in the Israel/Palestine debate.

Jewish News first revealed plans for the television version of Jews Dont Count in an interview with Baddiel and his older brother Ivor in April.

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Baddiel: Jews Don't Count TV documentary will have 'surprising' differences to book - Jewish News

TheTorah columnis supported by a generous donation from Eve Gordon-Ramek in memory of Kenneth Gordon.EmorLeviticus 21:124:23

In the two years since the Rabbi of Chelm began Village of Chelm Zoom Torah Study once a week, the wise people of Chelm had learned to mute and unmute, remain calm in breakout rooms (some thought they had to escape) and, mostly, not to slurp soup on camera.

Again, the Torah portion is Emor. Many years before the pandemic, when the Rabbi of Chelm was asked to guest teach at a teen retreat for another congregation, it was Parashat Kedoshim, the portion before Emor. Lucky me, he had thought; the Holiness Code is much better than Emor, what with its sacred calendar and archaic rules about the animals to be offered in sacrifice and the purity of the officiants: All must be without physical blemish.

While leading the Shabbat morning service, he looked at the teens and asked, Who here had Kedoshim and the Holiness Code (Dont put a stumbling block before the blind ) as their bnai mitzvah Torah portion? Half the hands went up. That was odd. He took a guess and asked, Who had Yitro, the Ten Commandments? The other half raised their hands. Turns out the rabbi of this congregation had decided that there were only two Torah portions for a bat or bar mitzvah. All ethics, all the time. As if nothing else happened in the world.

If the teen retreat had been scheduled one week later, coinciding with Parashat Emor, the teens might have heard:

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Speak to Aaron, saying, No man of your seed to their generations in whom there is a defect shall come forward to offer his Gods bread. For no man in whom there is a defect shall come forward, no blind man nor lame nor disfigured nor malformed, nor one with a cataract in his eye nor scab nor skin flake nor crushed testicle. No man from the seed of Aaron the priest in whom there us a defect shall draw near be to bring forward the fire offering of the Lord. There is a defect in him. (Leviticus 21:16-21)

We are embodied souls, and things happen to bodies. Ironically, the Rabbi of Chelm realized, teens know this well. They are constantly judged on their appearance.

We do not need to avoid difficult passages in the Torah. It is foolish, as the Rabbi of Chelm should know, to apply modern sensibilities to ancient texts. Over the centuries we have transcended the sensibilities of the ancient world, even of the Talmud, because of the Talmud, specifically Berakhot 9:5: It is time to serve the Lord, go against your Torah.

We increase Torah by wrestling with Torah.

Over time, even in Chelm, disability inclusion and ableism awareness are Torah. Judaism and disability begin in the Biblical narrative and continue past it.

This is beautifully described in Zohar, Bamidbar 152a:

Come and see: There is a garment that is visible to everyone. The simple people, when they see a person dressed beautifully do not observe any further, and they consider the garment as the body [of a man] and the body like his soul.

Similar to this is the Torah. It has a body, which is composed of the commandments of the Torah that are called the body of the Torah. This body is clothed with garments, which are stories of this world. The ignorant of the world look only at that dress, which is the story in the Torah, and are not aware of anything more. They do not look at what lies beneath that dress.

Those who know more do not look at the dress, but rather at the body beneath that dress. The wise, the sages, the servants of the loftiest King, those that stood at Mount Sinai, look only at the soul which is the essence of everything, the real Torah.

Rabbi Judith Z. Abrams zl, in her 1998 book Judaism and Disability, wrote: Perhaps Daniel Boyarin puts it best. Though he speaks of attitudes towards sexuality, his words are easily extended to refer to disabilities and disabled persons: My assumption is that we cannot change the actual past. We can only change the present and future; yet this involves changing our understanding of the past. Unless the past is experienced merely as a burden to be thrown off then constructing a monolithically negative perception of the past and cultivating anger at it seem to be counterproductive and disempowering for change.

We dont teach Torah by canceling or avoiding portions we do not like. Rabbi David Hartman taught, The living word of God can be mediated through the application of human reason.

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EMOR: We cannot teach Torah by avoiding portions we don't like J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

The annual Lag BaOmer pilgrimage to Mount Meron in Israel which in 2022 falls on Wednesday night, May 18 until recently has attracted as many as half a million visitors every year. The annual gathering, which takes place at what is believed to be the gravesite of the second-century Talmudic sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, is by far the largest Jewish pilgrimage in modern times.

In 2021, at least 45 people mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, known as Haredim in Hebrew died in a stampede when over 100,000 people gathered in a space meant for only 15,000.

This year, Israeli authorities have imposed strict new rules to control the crowd.

I have participated twice in the pilgrimage once in 1994 as a newly observant Jew seeking religious meaning, and again in 2001 as a scholar of Jewish history. What fascinates me about this pilgrimage is the way it weaves together Jewish mysticism, folk practices and modern-day nationalism.

The Jewish practice of worshipping at the graves of holy men is at least a thousand years old. Many Jews particularly those whose ancestry comes from the Arab world, called Mizrahim or Sephardim believe that these saints can act as their advocates in the celestial court. They pray at their gravesites for everything from children to good health to a livelihood.

The pilgrimage to Meron, in the hills of the Galilee near Safed in the northern part of Israel, initially focused on the graves of other holy figures said to be buried there, particularly the early rabbinic sages Hillel and Shammai, whose debates on Jewish law helped lay the foundation for rabbinic Judaism 2,000 years ago.

In the aftermath of the Jewish expulsion from Spain in 1492, Safed grew into an important center of Jewish mysticism, known in Hebrew as Kabbalah. The most important and influential of these mystics was the 16th-century scholar Isaac Luria, whose innovative teachings transformed Judaism and changed the course of Jewish history. Under his influence, the focus of the Meron pilgrimage shifted to Shimon, whose burial place was among the many such graves of ancient rabbis that Luria identified with supernatural guidance.

Shimon is by tradition credited with the composition of the Zohar, the core text of all subsequent Jewish mysticism, though scholars have determined it was actually composed in 13th-century Spain.

Sixteenth-century mystics, and the Jews who follow in their footsteps, are thus particularly interested in connecting to him. They are especially interested in doing so on the anniversary of his death, the day on which the Zohar states he revealed the deepest secrets about God, and pilgrims expect to experience a taste of that revelation. Since at least the 18th century, Jews have widely recognized that date as the holiday of Lag BaOmer.

The Hebrew name of the holiday Lag BaOmer refers to its date in the Jewish calendar: the 33rd day of the ritual to Count the Omer. During this period, observant Jews count the 50 days from the holiday of Passover, which commemorates the exodus from Egypt, to the holiday of Shavuot, commemorating Gods revelation and giving of the Torah, the Jewish holy canon.

These seven weeks of the Omer are traditionally days of mourning, commemorating the death of 24,000 students of the great sage Rabbi Akiva in the second century from a plague, seen as a punishment by God. Only five people survived, including Shimon. Haircuts, music, weddings and all celebrations are prohibited during that seven-week period.

On Lag BaOmer, the restrictions are lifted in accordance with the tradition that on this day the plague ended. Mystical tradition credits this to Shimons death, which was understood as having the power to eradicate the decree of the plague. According to that tradition, Shimon instructed that the day of his passing be celebrated rather than mourned, and thus was born the celebration we know today.

In the 20th century, even before the founding of Israel, the Lag BaOmer pilgrimage to Meron grew into a mass event.

Pilgrims light bonfires symbolizing the light of Torah revealed by Shimon, or perhaps the literal fires that the Zohar states surrounded him at the moment of his death. In fact, they are lit not only at Meron, but throughout Israel and the world.

For some secular Zionists it evokes not Shimon Bar Yochai but instead Shimon Bar Kosiba, known as Bar Kochba, who led a rebellion of Jews in Judea against the Roman Empire that occurred around the same time. For over a century, the Zionist movement has glorified that rebellion for its military heroism, despite Bar Kochbas ultimate crushing defeat.

The earliest pilgrims to Meron were mostly Moroccan Jews who arrived in Israel intent on continuing their tradition of graveside visits to saints, convinced of the possibility of magical remedies and blessings through their holy intervention.

Many pilgrims to Meron celebrate the kabbalistic custom there of giving a boy his first haircut, leaving the sidelocks, at 3 years of age. In recent years, ultra-Orthodox Jews of European ancestry especially Hasidim have increasingly dominated the site, although all sectors of Jewish society are represented there.

The pilgrimage is one of the only truly widespread expressions of folk religion in Judaism today. As anthropologist Edith Turner wrote in her classic essay on Meron, pilgrims come to Meron with deep faith in its power to bring blessings to them.

The celebration is an intense, highly packed event that offers participants an ecstatic experience of communing with God in a collective of tens or even hundreds of thousands of fellow Jews.

I can certainly attest to this effect. In 1994, at the start of my journey into Orthodox Judaism, I joined the Lag BaOmer pilgrimage to Meron. At that time, the festival hosted many Moroccan Jews, who camped outside the main grounds. Several among them had live animals ready to be slaughtered and eaten to celebrate their sons first haircuts. The Ashkenazic Hasidic Jews sects of Jews from Eastern Europe deeply influenced by Jewish mysticism and devoted to their leaders dominated the inner spaces of the compound.

Everywhere I walked, people offered me free drinks, convinced of the promise that it would bring blessings to their family. Meanwhile, gender-segregated crowds sang and danced in unison for hours into the night, creating a palpable sense of euphoria and connection to a collective eternity. Some of us pushed inside to approach the gravesite and prayed for blessings of success, while others pushed to reach closer to the bonfires.

There were several fires, each representing a different Jewish community, although by custom the main fire is lit by the head of the Boyan Hasidim, so called because their leaders originally lived in the city of Boyan in Ukraine. It was in the area of a different Hasidic group, known as Toldos Aharon, that the tragedy on April 30, 2021, occurred. This group can be seen dancing in 2021, just before the tragedy.

By the time I returned in 2001, I had become a full-fledged Hasid myself and was living in Betar Illit, a massive Haredi settlement south of Jerusalem. I recall far fewer Moroccan families camping in tents. But the number of Haredim, joined by Sephardim, modern Orthodox and even secular pilgrims, seemed to have exploded, serving to enhance that sense of eternal community, of Jewish connection across time and space.

I have long since left that Hasidic world, for a variety of reasons. But I do not for a moment discount the very real experience of divinity and eternity enjoyed by Meron pilgrims, and their deep need to return to it each year.

The events leading up to the deadly stampede of 2021 need to be viewed in context of Haredi society in Israel today over 14% of the Jewish population, but growing rapidly and the power wielded by its leaders. Israels first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, granted Haredim extensive autonomy in their education system, military deferments, welfare funding and more. Israels parliamentary system, which offers small political parties disproportionate power, has carefully protected and expanded that autonomy

As a result, Haredi leaders have successfully fought enforcement of government oversight and safety regulations, from COVID-19 restrictions to the Meron festival. Countless officials had warned that Meron was a disaster waiting to happen. But on the eve of Lag BaOmer last year, Aryeh Deri, then interior minister and leader of the Sephardic (and Ultra-Orthodox) Shas party, said Jews should trust in Rabbi Shimon. This is a holy day, and the largest gathering of Jews [each year]. Bad things, he promised, dont happen to Jews on religious pilgrimage.

Similar sentiments were voiced by Haredi leaders when they prematurely opened their schools in 2020, promising that Torah study would hold the plague at bay.

One hopes that the Haredim and other Israelis will accept government oversight and limits at the site imposed in 2022.

This is an updated version of an article first published on May 7, 2021.

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What is the Lag BaOmer pilgrimage? - The Conversation

One of the things that Jews do when they come to Israel is visit holy sites, and among these holy sites are kivrei tzaddikim. One can find in every city and in remote locations throughout the country the graves of the prophets, the Sages of the Talmud, modern rabbis and mystics, leaders and historical figures from throughout the ages, and, of course, the graves of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish nation. While the world is deciding the Jewish peoples right to Israel, these graves are literally a monument to our historical right to the land carved in stone.

While one can visit the Arizal in Tzfat, the Rambam in Tiberias, and Rav Ovadia Yosef, ztl, in Jerusalem, any cemetery in Israel is the eternal resting place of many holy people. Almost every cemetery in Israel has a military section for soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty protecting the country, or as Rabbi Avi Weiss of New York has called them: the holiest Jews in the world. The victims of terrorist attacks are also shrouded in holiness.

It was recently explained to me why it is that in Israel, even though most people are buried without a coffin, they still bury soldiers in one. Its because many soldiers have died in explosions and their bodies are not intact. So as not to discriminate between those who are and those who are not, all fallen soldiers are buried in a wooden box.

During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah my son and I went to visit my maternal grandmother, who is buried in Nachalat Yitzchak, a cemetery that borders Tel Aviv, Givatayim, and Ramat Gan a kind of crossroads, appropriate to a cemetery. It turns out the Tzaddik of Shtefanesht (tefneti), Rebbe Avraham Matityahu Friedman, is buried there as well.

A woman stopped and asked us if we knew where the Tzaddiks grave was. After pointing her in the right direction, we followed and decided wed stop in and say a prayer. I had never heard of this rabbi, but on an everyday weekday there were people there emotionally praying at his gravesite.

About twenty years ago, I visited the grave of the tanna Rabbi Tarfon. He is buried on a pastoral hill in seclusion, not far from Meron, where, according to a tradition from the Arizal,he is buried under a giant pistachio tree. However, a burial cave was recently discovered on Mount Meron and restored by the Ohalei Tzaddikim organization, which claims Rabbi Tarfon was buried there.

Indeed, when dealing with those who lived thousands of years ago, uncertainty sometimes arises about the real location of burial. Although places like Mearat Hamechpela and Kever Rachel have a tradition going back thousands of years, other graves like that of Rachel, Rabbi Akivahs wife, are more difficult to discern. But when I happened to visit what is purported to be Rachels grave, I felt such a sudden and inexplicable outpouring of emotion that I couldnt stop crying. Whether it was really Rachel or not, the woman buried there was obviously a holy woman.

Its possible to fit in a visit to a tzaddiks or tzaddekets grave on almost any day trip throughout the country and each one is purported to offer segulot, whether for children, marriage, healing, or learning. Praying on a consecutive Monday, Thursday and Monday at the grave of the Admor of Zhivil, for example, who is buried in a small cemetery in Jerusalem, is reported to bring your soulmate.

In Jerusalem and Petach Tikvah, which was founded by Jerusalemites, there is the practice not to let a body remain overnight, and so funerals are often held late into the night. There is something very peaceful about a cemetery at night.

Israeli cemeteries differ from the manicured lawns and spacious plots of American cemeteries; much in the way that housing for the living differs. The graves are in close proximity to each other in a sea of hewed stone. Recently the dearth of graves in Israel has led to apartment block style graves where people are buried on floors. Although this seems a modern deviation, thats how many were buried in caves thousands of years ago. Cemeteries are expanding both upwards and underground, although the earth of the holy land can be found in each grave.

There are a few unique attributes to Israeli cemeteries. I know of no other place in the world where people are routinely flown in from other countries to be buried often at great expense. And Bituach Leumi, Israels national insurance, pays for the grave and burial of every citizen (unless they want to be buried somewhere other than their local cemetery). Its a Jewish ideal to be buried in Israel. After all, when Mashiach comes, bimheira viyameinu, thats where the meeting place of all souls will be. There is a tradition that if one is not buried in Israel, then at the time of the Resurrection of the Dead all the dead bodies will roll through tunnels to Israel.

This Lag BaOmer marks a year since the Meron tragedy when 45 people were killed. The dead included sixAmericans, twoCanadians, anArgentineand a Briton and ranged in age from 13 to 65 years old. The victims were celebrating at the annual hillulah (a celebration of a tzaddik on his yahrzeit) of Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai, at his gravesite in Meron, when stairs collapsed and they were crushed to death, themselves becoming kedoshim. It was a terrible tragedy. But as their final act in this world was dancing and singing at the gravesite of the holy Sage, he no doubt welcomed their pure souls into Heaven.

You dont have far to look to go to visit kivrei tzaddikim in Israel. In fact, they are very easy to find.

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In Israel, Tzaddikim Are Buried All Around - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

I want you to think about a concept that nobody talks about. You wont hear your Rav speak about this on Shabbat. You wont read an article on this subject in any Jewish magazine, and you certainly wont hear any politician speak this way. I am referring to the important aspect of fighting the Jewish enemy and, while extremely difficult and painful, how it is an integral and necessary part of our national life.

When HaShem told Avraham the famous words; Lech Lecha why did He send Avraham to the busiest place on earth? 90% of the world was uninhabited at that time, yet HaShem sent Avraham to Eretz Yisrael where it immediately says, And the Canaanites were in the Land (Beresheit 12:6). Really? Couldnt HaShem have made a different part of the world holy and send Avraham there where his descendants wouldnt have to fight for every inch?

When HaShem spoke to Moshe for the first time by the burning bush, He said; I have come to rescue them from Egypts power. I will bring them out of that land to a good, spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the territory of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Yebusites (Beresheit 3:8) Really? I like the part about the good, spacious land, and I certainly love the part that its flowing with milk and honey (YUMMY!) but HaShem Himself said its the territory of 6 other nations (actually 10 other nations see Beresheit 15:19 where 4 additional nations are listed!!!) So, I ask a similar question as the paragraph before; Why didnt HaShem choose to send Am Yisrael to a part of the world that was empty where we wouldnt have to battle for our very survival?

When Yehoshua Bin-Nun took over the reign of leadership from Moshe, what is the first thing he did when he crossed the Jordan River with the Nation of Israel? He got the young, fresh, nation ready for war!!! He sent trustworthy spies on a reconnaissance mission. He prepared the people to fight for the city of Yericho. and they conquered the city. They destroyed everything that was in the city man and woman, youth and elder, ox and sheep and donkey by the edge of the sword. (Yehoshua 6:20-21) Really? Thats the first thing Am Yisrael did when they entered Eretz Yisrael kill every man, woman and child in Yericho? Allow me to ask the same question as above; Why didnt HaShem send us to a place where we could just live in peace, with no need for bloodshed? Why the wars and the commandment to wipe out the enemy? We were a new nation, in a new land shouldnt we be busy with farming, construction and finding a way how to support and educate our children? Why a war and years of wars from almost day 1??

I could give many more examples just read the TaNaCH and you will see that HaShem chose a bad neighborhood for His people to live. Throughout our history, there was almost no quiet in Eretz Yisrael and many people have struggled with the question of why? Even in our day, we see daily battles on the road, on the border and in the middle of Yerushalayim. In the last month we have seen terror in Bnei Brak, Tel Aviv and Elad. Our young men and women are drafted to the IDF and National Service and forced to risk their lives. So again why?

While I dont claim to be an expert and certainly dont have the answers to most troubling questions, I feel I do have the answer to this one: The fight is part of the Mitzvah. HaShem did not send us to an empty Australia where we could have lived in peace and harmony with some kangaroos. He purposely sent us to a land that needed to be conquered and paid for in Jewish blood. While this is very painful to the families of those heroic fighters, it is an absolute necessity when talking about the Land of Israel.

We are all familiar with the concept; Eretz Yisrael nikneyt byesurrim (the Land of Israel is acquired through suffering) This concept is stated in Talmud Berachot 5a and explained by the Vilna Gaon (Kol HaTur, chapter 1, paragraph 13) in 4 simple words; This is exactly how its acquired. There are no shortcuts and no way to avoid it. The suffering is the acquisition! However, nowhere does it state that we are to be led as lambs to the slaughter. On the contrary! We are to observe the Torah and simultaneously fight the enemy with every weapon available. When we do that HaShem promises that, You will chase away your enemies and they will fall before your sword. 5 of you will chase 100 and 100 of you will defeat 10,000, as your enemies fall before your sword. (VaYikra 26:7-8)

Dearest friends: This is a strong and powerful message and one that we need to focus on especially during these days of tragedy and terror. To deserve Israel is to fight for her. There will be times when battles will be lost, and holy soldiers will be buried. There will also be times when innocent Yidden sitting in a park will be murdered and we will look for answers. Our Father and King knows what He is doing and, while each drop of Jewish blood comes with oceans of tears, we continue the fight and the goal of wiping out our enemy and conquering the land, exactly as HaShem has commanded.

One final point. While the Talmud states that the Land of Israel is acquired through suffering, it does not state that about New York, London, Paris, Melbourne, or Toronto. In those areas, if Jews are in danger and they are the commandment is to get out of there as quickly as possible. There is no mitzvah to fight the Canaanites (or whatever theyre called) outside the Land. Therefore, while Jewish blood may be necessary for Eretz Yisrael, it is a complete and utter waste if shed in California, Argentina, Johannesburg, New Jersey, or Montreal. The Fight is part of the Mitzvah is in Israel only. Everywhere else, its not the fight thats important but the flight out of there and into the Promised Land.

May HaShem bless us with victory over our enemies in His one and only special place on earth.

Am Yisrael Chai!

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The Fight is Part of the Mitzvah - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

What a time it is for Deaf Awareness! Rose Ayling-Ellis won Strictly Come Dancing and a BAFTA, Troy Kotsur picked up the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for CODA and the British Sign Language (BSL) bill was passed recently, making BSL a legally recognised language of the UK.

Deaf people have never been so visible on our screens. But there is still so much work to be done. The Jewish Deaf Associations vision is of a world where there are no barriers to communication and understanding between deaf and hearing people; a world with respect, inclusion and equality.

Hearing loss is on the rise. One in six people in the UK now have hearing loss. So, as JDA marks its 70th anniversary together with Her Majesty the Queen now is the right time for us to start making that vision a reality within our own community.

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How can we enable people with hearing loss, who communicate using speech, to not feel marginalised? To be fully included in family, social and communal gatherings? To be actively involved in synagogue services and community life?

Last week was Deaf Awareness Week and JDA launched a publicity campaign drip feeding top tips for chatting with someone with hearing loss. To start raising awareness and start taking the small steps that will bring about change, JDA is also asking people connected with Jewish communal organisations to follow the Jewish Deaf Association on social media, share posts with community leaders and get the conversation started in their organisation about how we can all enable people with hearing loss to be fully and actively involved in our community.

Stella makes hamotzi with the words transcribed on a screen behind her

JDA is keen to make synagogues and community centres accessible for people with hearing loss. Jeremy Freeman, who is deaf, says Sitting through services can feel long, arduous, and not so interactive for many shul goers with a hearing loss. At this time, synagogues are reimagining the way synagogue services are presented and focusing on inclusion and involvement in community life. This is a perfect opportunity to involve members with hearing loss and other invisible disabilities in the conversation and to consult with the Jewish Deaf Association to find ways of creating greater access for people with hearing loss.

Sadly, over the years, deaf and deafened members have walked away from the Jewish community frustrated with the lack of support and acknowledgment of issues. One JDA client said they feel hearing loss has been treated as taboo. It is uplifting that the Jewish Deaf Association is addressing this as there are ways that accessibility can be improved which dont break the rules of Shabbat, such as ensuring that deaf synagogue members receive an advance copy of the Rabbis sermon even in note form. Another simple thing is to include live captioning on community webinars and online videos. Our tradition encourages us all to learn, to gather together in community, and to allow for accommodations to make that happen.

Michael blows the shofar with his hands on Barry to convey sound through touch

The Talmud, in discussing the domino effect of sin, concludes with phrase kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, meaning all of Israel are responsible for each other, says Jeremy. This phrase is the basis of the notion of communal responsibility in Jewish law. It implies an obligation on all Jews to ensure that other Jews have their basic needs taken care of. Lets work together to ensure that we approach hearing loss and other disabilities not as a form of charity for the less fortunate but as a Jewish justice and inclusion issue.

For more information about making your synagogues accessible and inclusive for people with hearing loss, email jeremy@jdeaf.org.uk

http://www.jdeaf.org.uk

020 8446 0502

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Planting the seeds of inclusivity - Jewish News