Hertz p.265
Soncino p.407
Shabbat ends in London at 5.49pm
| Sidra Lite | |
| Judaism and Doctors | Rabbi Chaim Rapoport |
| Covering the Challot | Rabbi Daniel Roselaar |
| Rabbi Chizkiyah Chizkuni | Rabbi Dr Michael Harris |
| 15th of Shevat | Rabbi Yisroel Fine |
| Emek Refaim, Jerusalem |
Simon Goulden |
| Riddle of the Week | Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis |
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Until this day, there are religious sects who oppose the intervention of medical therapy in situations of divinely afflicted illness. Most notable amongst present day subscribers to this view are the followers of 'Christian Science' founded by Mary E Baker (1821-1910) in the USA. In the view of such religions, the words in Parshat Beshallach (15:26): 'For I am the L-d your healer' are to be taken most literally, as a declaration that any attempt on behalf of a doctor to remove illness from where G-d has inflicted it, is an unwelcome intrusion into G-d's domain.
Normative Judaism has encouraged recourse to medicine and its practitioners. Commenting on the verse in Parshat Mishpatim (21:19) - 'As he shall cause him to be healed' - the Talmud (Bava Kamma 85a) declares that this verse provides the sanction for doctors to heal.
Why the need for a sanction? Rashi explains that were it not for the permission granted in this verse, one may have opined that human intervention to alleviate sickness is tantamount to an attempt to override the decree of G-d. Therefore, Scripture had to give the 'go ahead' for what may have been perceived as a 'heretical' practice. Furthermore, the Talmud (Nedarim 41b) teaches us that not only is it 'permissible' for a doctor to practise medicine, it is a mitzvah - a religious duty. In the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De'ah 336:1) a doctor who fails to provide medical help in life threatening situations is compared to a murderer.
Yet, given all the Scriptural and Talmudic references, how do we overcome the theological problem? Why should we elicit the help of a mere mortal - however many qualifications he or she may have - rather than turn to the Creator, the source of illness and cure? This problem is directly confronted in the following Midrash, which draws an analogy between medical practice and other forms of human action - in the face of conditions produced by G-d:
Rabbi Ishmael and Rabbi Akiva were strolling in the streets of Jerusalem accompanied by another person. Someone sick met them and said: 'My masters, tell me by what means I may be healed.' They told him: 'Do thus and you will be healed.' He asked them: 'And who afflicted me?' They replied: 'The Holy One, blessed be He'. The sick person responded: 'You intrude in a realm which is not yours; He has afflicted and you heal! Are you not transgressing His will?'
They asked him: 'What is your occupation?' He answered: 'I am a worker of the land and here is the sickle in my hand.' They asked him: 'Who created the orchard?' He answered: 'The Holy One, blessed be He.' Said they: 'You too intrude in a realm which is not yours. G-d created it and you are cutting its fruit!' He said to them: 'Do you not see the sickle in my hand? If I did not plough, sow, fertilise and weed it, nothing would grow.' They said to him: 'Oh, you fool! Does your occupation not teach you this, as Scripture says, 'as for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourishes' (Psalms 103:15). Just as a tree, without weeding, fertilising and ploughing will not grow; and even if it grows, then without irrigation and fertilising it will not live but will surely die - so it is with regard to the body. Drugs and medical procedures are the fertiliser, and the physician is the tiller of the soil.'
Whilst kiddush is recited the challot should be covered. There are two explanations for this practice: Several authorities cite the Talmud Yerushalmi to the effect that they must be covered in order "not to shame them." This refers to the rules of precedence that govern brachot for food. Normally, the brachah for foods made out of grain (hamotzi/mezonot) should precede the brachah for wine (hagafen). Since the order is reversed at the Shabbat table - because kiddush must precede the Shabbat meal - the challot are covered so that this disregard for the normal order of precedence is not so blatantly obvious. Alternatively, the Abudraham suggests that they are covered so as to resemble the manna, which was covered by dew when it fell in the wilderness (and according to some sources a cloth should also be placed underneath the challot, since the manna was sandwiched between two layers of dew).
There are several different halachic implications that depend upon which of the above explanations is accepted as authoritative. If no wine is available and kiddush is recited over the challot, they would need to be covered only according to the second explanation. Likewise, at Seudah Shlishit, which is not preceded by kiddush, they would also need to be covered only according to the second explanation. Conversely, if cakes and biscuits are being served at Shabbat morning kiddush instead of a full meal, the first explanation would require such foods to be covered whilst kiddush is being recited. Furthermore, according to the first explanation an opaque challah-cover must be used, whereas according to the second explanation a transparent cover might suffice.
Interestingly, the Shulchan Aruch (Rama 242:1) mentions a further custom that commemorates the manna: to eat bourekkas on Friday night, since the filling is covered by pastry above and below, like the manna which was protected by dew above and beneath it.
Rabbi Chizkiyah Chizkuni
Rabbi Chizkiyah ben Manoach Chizkuni lived in Provence around the year 1250, but beyond this almost nothing is known about his personal life. His commentary on the Torah, Chizkuni, was originally published in Venice in 1524. It has been reprinted many times and appears in some editions of the Chumash.
Rabbi Chizkiyah writes that his commentary is based on twenty earlier sources, but he very rarely quotes these sources, with the exception of Rashi, whom he cites often. In fact, Chizkuni often elaborates on Rashi's explanations and is considered the earliest of the many supercommentaries on Rashi.
Chizkuni focuses on elucidating the peshat, the straightforward meaning of the text of the Torah. The commentary often adopts the interpretations of two expositors discussed previously in this series, Ibn Ezra and Rashbam, who share Chizkuni's concern with the peshat.
15th Shevat
It was on this day, corresponding to February 2nd 1931 that the first Siyum (conclusion) of the Talmud was celebrated by Daf Yomi students throughout the world.
The brainchild of the legendary Lublin Rosh Yeshiva. Rabbi Meir Shapiro, the study of one folio (Daf) a day for 2702 days of disciplined study, would enable the Torah scholar and layman alike to achieve a lifetime's dream - that of completing Shas (The Babylonian Talmud).
But not even the great visionary that he was would have prepared Rabbi Shapiro for the sheer scale of the Daf Yomi success story. By the time the Talmud was completed for the second time in 1938, it was estimated that over a million Jews were studying the Talmud in accordance with the Daf Yomi system. The concept was not just to bring Torah to the masses, but to unify the Jewish people.
Today, Daf Yomi is studied by hundreds and thousands of Jews worldwide, Jews of every walk of life rise early before work, or refresh their minds following a hard day in the office, studying at a Shiur, through the internet, or even by telephone.
In November 1997 the last Siyum was marked by gatherings at Madison Square Gardens, New York, at Binyanei Haumah, Jerusalem, the Picketts Lock Centre, London and at venues throughout the Jewish world.
It was the goal of the Nazis not only to annihilate the Jews of Europe, but to destroy Jewish culture and above all else, the Talmud, because they understood that this was the key to Jewish continuity.
In its eighty years of existence, Daf Yomi has become the most powerful demonstration of the eternity of Torah, and of Israel as the Torah Nation.
A touch of German town planning - Emek Refaim, Jerusalem
Walking down Rechov Emek Refaim in Jerusalem and marvelling at the range of cafes and restaurants in what is now 'Jerusalem's Hampstead', you could easily miss a piece of fascinating history. The 'German Colony' was the only settlement actually built by those named - the American Colony rented existing buildings.
It was built in 1873 by German Templars, a breakaway Lutheran sect, whose motto was "Emigrate from Babylon to settle in Palestine" and they actually started a number of settlements in the country. It was built to the traditional 'Strassendorf' system of a main road and grid of smaller streets at right angles off it. How different to the rest of Jerusalem! The buildings copied typical German architecture with some oriental additions. The currently empty Israel Fibre Institute was the 'lyceum', where students, including a few Jews, studied for the German matriculation. You can still see the clock which summoned the students to class. Templar children were sent here from their six other settlements in Palestine and they all lived in Pension Nickolai Schmidt, just along the road. Schmidt called himself "Herr Burgermeister", a rather grand title for such a small town. Throughout the street you can still see Gothic Biblical inscriptions, such as at number 16, proving the Templar's religious links.
But what happened to the Templars, especially during the Mandate and the Second World War? What was their attitude to the rise of nazism? And where are they now? That, I am afraid, will have to wait for another series.
Rechov Emek Refaim runs south from its junction with Derech Bet Lechem for about 3/4 mile.
Last week's questions:
1. What connection is there between a funeral and a Siyum to celebrate the conclusion of the study of a Tractate of Talmud?
Answer:
These are the only occasions at which the longest form of Kaddish is recited.
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE set by Dr Martin Whitefield of Finchley.
Where is there a reference to the Rambam in the Torah in mnemonic form? What is the connection between the Rambam and this text? [the answer is in Revii of the Sidra of Bo].
Answer:
Shemot 11:9 "Rabot Mofsai Be'eretz Mitzraim" - "that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt".
The initial letters of each Hebrew word spell out RaMBaM
The Rambam, who lived for part of his life in Egypt, was known as the wonder worker of Egypt, thanks to his skills as a physician. 24:19)
This week's question:
1. Explain: This year we had half on six and whole on two.
2) EXTRA CHALLENGE
Unknown to many, Miriam, who is featured in today's Sidra of Beshallach, had six names.
How many of them do you know?
[One of her other names is mentioned in the Torah and one is the name of a recently-developed and growing city just south of Jerusalem.]
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