tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post3320052860466910014..comments2024-03-05T21:22:43.426-05:00Comments on parshablog: Why I *Really* Oppose Tu BeShvat Sedersjoshwaxmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03516171362038454070noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-79817617643670311482015-02-04T19:07:15.344-05:002015-02-04T19:07:15.344-05:00Hasn't the Chemdas Yomim been demonstrated rec...Hasn't the Chemdas Yomim been demonstrated recently not to be Sabbatean? That only a few poems were from Nathan "of Gaza" (he was really Ashkenazi). Someone named Fogel wrote an article about it.<br /><br />Joe in Australia: there was an exchange several years ago in a Lubavitch internal journal, I may still have a copy somewhere around, where people asked how much of Chabad was based on Chemdas Yomim, since it is known to have been popular among early Chasidic leaders. It was pretty clearly demonstrated that any minhogim that might have come from the Chemdas Yomim, are also attested in contemporary or earlier non-possibly-Sabbatean materials.<br /><br />OIC, this article is from 2008, which I think was before Fogel's article.thanbohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06197564008203120013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-31939447113004710022015-02-04T18:01:37.776-05:002015-02-04T18:01:37.776-05:00You should address this:
http://www.reddit.com/r/J...You should address this:<br />http://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/2uqwwl/parshablog_why_i_really_oppose_tu_beshvat_seders/reddithttp://www.reddit.com/r/Judaism/comments/2uqwwl/parshablog_why_i_really_oppose_tu_beshvat_seders/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-40100519355589574692013-01-31T09:33:37.624-05:002013-01-31T09:33:37.624-05:00There is no assumed basis. Every suggestion fails ...There is no assumed basis. Every suggestion fails or comes without evidence. I'm actually helping a friend do research on it, so it's become something of a hobby of mine. Ken zeyn efsher the mystery will be solved or at least the suggestions will be conclusively debunked. S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-41891475453870284882013-01-30T23:05:58.808-05:002013-01-30T23:05:58.808-05:00interesting. my assumption was that the Zohar was ...interesting. my assumption was that the Zohar was being misinterpreted, but i didn't know about the prev minhag.<br /><br />what is the assumed basis of this minhag? i've heard to throw off a non-Jewish rapist...joshwaxmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149022516101476797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-82074392861135462182013-01-30T09:31:48.270-05:002013-01-30T09:31:48.270-05:00Head shaving was not instituted by Chasidim, it wa...Head shaving was not instituted by Chasidim, it was an Ashkenazic custom which long preceded Chassidus, and also has nothing to do with the Zohar. The passages in the Zohar, which talk about cutting the hair (all over the body) which grew during niddah (i.e., trimming) has nothing to do with head shaving, these passages were found ex post facto to justify the minhag since you can't find even a mention of it let alone an explanation or how it isn't forbidden as it is in the Shulchan Aruch, in earlier sources. Only later when the minhag is falling by the wayside or is being abolished by the Czar do you find such explanations.S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-78583101332362789482013-01-27T21:00:57.674-05:002013-01-27T21:00:57.674-05:00"The reason Chsidish women shave their heads ..."The reason Chsidish women shave their heads is a practical one."<br /><br />And it has nothing to do with the Zohar instructing a woman to shave the hair grown during niddah, for kabbalistic reasons? Unlikely.<br /><br />"is handed down from a universal authority like the Chofetz Chaim"<br />We don't hold like the Mishna Brura in everything.joshwaxmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149022516101476797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-29858735261012639772013-01-25T06:27:42.510-05:002013-01-25T06:27:42.510-05:00Josh,
I agree with your analogy to Molech.
A cou...Josh,<br /><br />I agree with your analogy to Molech.<br /><br />A couple of your later examples, in the comments, has me disagreeing. <br /><br />The reason Chsidish women shave their heads is a practical one. It was instituted in order to ensure that there won't be not any problems in the mikvah. While it is difficult to relate to this in a time when we can all take a warm shower on a daily basis, it wasn't always this way. When cleaning a women's hair properly was a huge task, the Chasidic masters simplified matters - as they always did. Just shave.<br /><br />As far as men shaving, the Chofetz Chaim did open a Yeshiva specifically to allow those who don't shave to enter, since the other Yeshivos usually made their students shave. The CC also writes strongly in support of keeping a beard. There is a huge difference when the kabala is handed down from a universal authority like the Chofetz Chaim. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-13987726473803266842008-01-15T19:10:00.000-05:002008-01-15T19:10:00.000-05:00I, for one, will never say that the non-Kabbalisti...I, for one, will never say that the non-Kabbalistic approach is the incorrect one. Even the greatest Kabbalists have the upmost respect for the Rambam, who, by 99% of accounts, was non-Kabbalistic. You may be right that the Hamon Am doesn't see it that way, but I think it doesn't need to be opposed - just clarified well.<BR/><BR/>I believe R' Ovadia Yosef (or perhaps his son) talks about when Kabbala's halacha differs with the halacha of the Pashtanim. I'll try to see if I can find it.<BR/><BR/>Re: what I wrote on Harry's blog, it's nice to see that you follow me around the internet. :-)yaakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08179304707239865515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-65798758095033412772008-01-15T14:08:00.000-05:002008-01-15T14:08:00.000-05:00As other example: When arguing with someone about ...As other example: When arguing with someone about whether sheitels -- standard frum practice in America -- are permitted (even lechatchila), someone presents to me that Baba Sali said that he feels sorry for all those women who wear sheitels, because they are building their own pyre in Gehenna. Is it possible to argue on this type of statement, even if one could show absolutely that they are fine lechatchila and that there are major poskim to rely upon? Of course it is, but people do not see that.<BR/><BR/>Another example: If you hold it is entirely permissible to shave with an electric shaver, that is a halachic conclusion. But then someone (actually, the same fellow) will come with a non-halachic, but rather mystical, statement from Rav Aharon Kotler that anyone who shaves even with an electric shaver gives birth to improper thoughts and will distance a person from the Torah. A non-falsifiable statement, and also a nonsensical statement, which it is difficult to argue against without casting yourself as a kofer. So it is not Elu veElu, because sociologically, that is not how it works out. Rather, the mystical reason will always win out against the non-mystical, since it presents itself as an additional reason.<BR/><BR/>These are beside the point of the post, but may reveal *some* of my general motivation for opposing this vocally, rather than just letting it stand as an alternative, acceptable option.<BR/><BR/>(The same is true for Rabbi Maryles standing up for mixed seating and condemning the encroachment of separate seating, which I noticed you commented on recently.)<BR/><BR/>Kol Tuv,<BR/>Joshjoshwaxmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149022516101476797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-12262572233934282802008-01-15T13:44:00.000-05:002008-01-15T13:44:00.000-05:00If they are kabbalists and/or chassidim (or Sefard...If they are kabbalists and/or chassidim (or Sefardim who have this practice), then fine.<BR/><BR/>Otherwise, it is adopting a practice -- for what reason exactly? They are adopting the latest fad, or adopting the latest superstition, a superstition which is contrary to the type of Judaism I don't want to see increasing.<BR/><BR/>If they are kabbalists and know what they are doing by this ceremony, great. Otherwise, I don't see it as a good trend, but rather, encouraging people to think magically, and to enter for the wrong reasons into the place of machloket.<BR/><BR/>(And to clarify, Shadal felt that standard kabbala is a false interpretation of kabbalah.)<BR/><BR/>Not to mention that absent this reverse thrust, the <I>hamon Am</I> does not see this as an Elu veElu, with a good argument in the opposite direction. Rather, they see it as people who have merited to know the secrets of kabbalah on the one hand, and people who focused only on halacha and thus have not merited to know these secrets of kabbalah. If this is the contest, then of course "those in the know" of kabbalistic secrets will always win out. Which is what happens with the adoption of chassic and kabbalistic practices as normative, obligatory halacha.<BR/><BR/>An example: There is no halachic requirement for a woman to shave her head, and in fact there may be halachic problems with it. But the Zohar speaks of it. And so those who choose to shave their heads are seen as doing the mehadrin, and those who do not are seen as probably fulfilling their halachic requirements. And it would of course be *best* for people to adopt the shaving practice, but some women, or husbands, are just not ready for it, and perhaps can grow in ruchniyus until they reach such a level. If this is the general view of matters, it is not Elu veElu, but rather bedieved and lechatchila. And the same across the board, in hundreds of other cases.joshwaxmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149022516101476797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-77207676110122397562008-01-15T12:25:00.000-05:002008-01-15T12:25:00.000-05:00Josh, I applaud your efforts to prevent people fro...Josh, I applaud your efforts to prevent people from being swayed from false interpretations of Kabbalah, which could actually be Avoda Zara. This is very commendable.<BR/><BR/>What I disagree with is dissuading people from following authentic Kabbalistic practices. <BR/><BR/>If your purpose is to encourage people to find out the authenticity of each practice, then fine. Otherwise, why not let it go as an "Eilu Ve'eilu" ?yaakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08179304707239865515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-64484925607694593882008-01-15T01:48:00.000-05:002008-01-15T01:48:00.000-05:00Artscroll is promoting a Hassidic custom here, fro...Artscroll is promoting a Hassidic custom here, from the Hassidic Rebbe R. Meir of Premishlan, even if they try to obscure that fact by not discussing its origin.<BR/><BR/>Why don't they stick to normative Judaism ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-6995461293793109942008-01-14T23:14:00.000-05:002008-01-14T23:14:00.000-05:00It seems to me that even Lurianic writings that we...It seems to me that even Lurianic writings that were transmitted via Nathan of Gaza must now be considered outside our tradition. They would be like any other Jewish writings preserved only by heterodox Jews or gentiles: historically interesting but not halachically relevant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5589564.post-14799111875814010362008-01-14T06:25:00.000-05:002008-01-14T06:25:00.000-05:00Your Molech "segulah" is great, I could see many o...Your Molech "segulah" is great, I could see many of the people I know doing it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com