Comments on: The Humanity of Halacha http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:18:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Galus Australis » Not in Heaven http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-4173 Galus Australis » Not in Heaven Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:47:55 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-4173 [...] David Werdiger’s article on the same talmudic passage – The Humanity of Halacha [...] [...] David Werdiger’s article on the same talmudic passage – The Humanity of Halacha [...]

]]> By: David Werdiger http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3600 David Werdiger Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:36:07 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3600 I just had to post this classical joke. <em>Two guys have been learning the Talmud together for 20 years. One of them is going to make a bar mitzvah so he says to the other one, "I am making a bar mitzvah and I would like you to come." "I'm sorry, I can't." "But I really want you to come." "You don't understand. I just can't come." "But why can't you come?" "I'm not Jewish." "What do you mean? We have been learning together for 20 years." "I enjoy the intellectual stimulation." "But we learned that a gentile that keep shabbos is 'chayav misah.' " "I never kept the shabbat. Every time I was ready to leave my house, I put a key in my pocket." "But we have an eruv here." "I don't hold from that eruv!"</em> I just had to post this classical joke.

Two guys have been learning the Talmud together for 20 years. One of them is going to make a bar mitzvah so he says to the other one, “I am making a bar mitzvah and I would like you to come.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t.”

“But I really want you to come.”

“You don’t understand. I just can’t come.”

“But why can’t you come?”

“I’m not Jewish.”

“What do you mean? We have been learning together for 20 years.”

“I enjoy the intellectual stimulation.”

“But we learned that a gentile that keep shabbos is ‘chayav misah.’ ”

“I never kept the shabbat. Every time I was ready to leave my house, I put a key in my pocket.”

“But we have an eruv here.”

“I don’t hold from that eruv!”

]]> By: Simon Holloway http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3599 Simon Holloway Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:04:46 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3599 Although, in this context, "If my grandmother had wheels she'd be Abbas." No, I don't suppose that did make sense. As you were. Although, in this context, “If my grandmother had wheels she’d be Abbas.”

No, I don’t suppose that did make sense. As you were.

]]> By: ariel http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3597 ariel Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:29:33 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3597 Michael your claim about Manis Friedman that "If most had the same opinion of Palestinians then he would be mainstream" reminds me of the Yiddish saying, "If my aunt had <I>beitzim</I> she'd be my uncle". Michael your claim about Manis Friedman that “If most had the same opinion of Palestinians then he would be mainstream” reminds me of the Yiddish saying, “If my aunt had beitzim she’d be my uncle”.

]]> By: Michael http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3596 Michael Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:47:09 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3596 Simon: The Manis example was only to show that Orthodox Jews also operate by their own social conventions, having their own moral compass and then seeking out halachic concepts to back them up. And I think the fact that he is not mainstream actually supports my argument: he is not mainstream because within the social milieu of the Orthodox world, his arguments are not in line with what most people believe. If most had the same opinion of Palestinians then he would be mainstream. Cyberjew: If you think there's a rational reason for keeping Shabbat then I would like to hear it -- at the moment I think you quoted an atheist who DOES keep it without getting into the details. I'm interested to hear an argument that doesn't mention God on why a person should not tie a knot on Shabbat (and why they should be executed for doing so at a time when the Sanhedrin was sitting, or receive karet today). Also if there is a rational reason for doing something you would expect people from all backgrounds to embrace it. Simon: The Manis example was only to show that Orthodox Jews also operate by their own social conventions, having their own moral compass and then seeking out halachic concepts to back them up. And I think the fact that he is not mainstream actually supports my argument: he is not mainstream because within the social milieu of the Orthodox world, his arguments are not in line with what most people believe. If most had the same opinion of Palestinians then he would be mainstream.

Cyberjew: If you think there’s a rational reason for keeping Shabbat then I would like to hear it — at the moment I think you quoted an atheist who DOES keep it without getting into the details. I’m interested to hear an argument that doesn’t mention God on why a person should not tie a knot on Shabbat (and why they should be executed for doing so at a time when the Sanhedrin was sitting, or receive karet today).

Also if there is a rational reason for doing something you would expect people from all backgrounds to embrace it.

]]> By: Stuart http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3595 Stuart Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:17:28 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3595 Re David Werdiger's comment "... the seven-day week we have is the only non-naturally occurring calendar element ...": See article at www.biblestudy.org/godsrest/mysterious-seven-day-cycle-in-plants-animals-man-1.html which refers to Franz Halberg's research on evidence of innate biological 7-day-cycle rhythms Re David Werdiger’s comment “… the seven-day week we have is the only non-naturally occurring calendar element …”:

See article at http://www.biblestudy.org/godsrest/mysterious-seven-day-cycle-in-plants-animals-man-1.html
which refers to Franz Halberg’s research on evidence of innate biological 7-day-cycle rhythms

]]> By: cyberjew http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3594 cyberjew Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:37:44 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3594 Er, that's a pretty strange story. Maybe the dispute was over whether or not it's muttar to kill people? Chaim, it's just sometimes a bit difficult to explain in on-line discussions exactly what one makes of aggadic statements that quite clearly mean something beyond the mere words or images they employ. Try explaining hishtalshelus and various kinds of klippah to people who aren't familiar with the concepts in a discussion like this. Or the belief (expressed beautifully in Sha'ar ha-Yihud ve-ha-Emunah) that the entire universe is made of Hebrew letters. It would be off the topic, and probably quite frustrating for you to limit yourself to a forum like this that means that you'll be leaving things out by necessity, just trying to summarise fairly complex and subtle ideas. So I'm not trying to be mysterious, I'm just trying to keep it as relevant as possible. And I do plan to write an article at some point - I'm just going through a pretty busy period and won't get to it for a bit. Er, that’s a pretty strange story. Maybe the dispute was over whether or not it’s muttar to kill people?

Chaim, it’s just sometimes a bit difficult to explain in on-line discussions exactly what one makes of aggadic statements that quite clearly mean something beyond the mere words or images they employ. Try explaining hishtalshelus and various kinds of klippah to people who aren’t familiar with the concepts in a discussion like this. Or the belief (expressed beautifully in Sha’ar ha-Yihud ve-ha-Emunah) that the entire universe is made of Hebrew letters. It would be off the topic, and probably quite frustrating for you to limit yourself to a forum like this that means that you’ll be leaving things out by necessity, just trying to summarise fairly complex and subtle ideas. So I’m not trying to be mysterious, I’m just trying to keep it as relevant as possible.

And I do plan to write an article at some point – I’m just going through a pretty busy period and won’t get to it for a bit.

]]> By: Chaim http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3593 Chaim Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:00:56 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3593 PS I hope you were not involved given your passion for Halacha... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3774558,00.html ;-) PS

I hope you were not involved given your passion for Halacha…

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3774558,00.html

;-)

]]> By: Chaim http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3592 Chaim Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:19:36 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3592 CyberJew - you are a peculiar one... I note you seem to intimate but not fully express your difference of opinion with those that believe in G-d and divine origin of Torah... I would also appreciate an article from you putting forth your belief or non belief system....... so we mere mortals can understand. Gulus?? CyberJew – you are a peculiar one…

I note you seem to intimate but not fully express your difference of opinion with those that believe in G-d and divine origin of Torah…

I would also appreciate an article from you putting forth your belief or non belief system……. so we mere mortals can understand. Gulus??

]]> By: cyberjew http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/1562/the-humanity-of-halacha/#comment-3590 cyberjew Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:14:38 +0000 http://galusaustralis.com/?p=1562#comment-3590 Oh and sorry for the typos. I should've read it before submitting it. Oh and sorry for the typos. I should’ve read it before submitting it.

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