Ask the Rabbi

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20 Kislev

No Pork

What’s the big deal about Jews not eating pork? It’s actually more healthy than the chopped liver and pastrami that you find in a Jewish delicatessen. So what’s the problem?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The one Jewish law that everyone in the world seems to know is that a Jew is not allowed to eat ham, pork or anything else derived from a pig. Interestingly, there is nothing in the Torah that seems to make this prohibition more stringent than others. In fact, there is no difference in Judaism between eating pork or catfish or a chocolate-covered ant. Why then have we singled out this prohibition against the pig?

One reason you may have heard for not eating pork is that prior to the advent of refrigeration, pork was a primary cause of the disease trichinosis. This is not the reason that the Torah gives, and ascribing this as "the reason" for not eating pork is dangerous because it implies that nowadays – since trichinosis is no longer a problem – pork should therefore be permitted.

This is totally incorrect reasoning. The laws of the Torah are eternal and immutable. Of course, there can be many practical side benefits. But the Torah forbids a Jew to eat pork, and that's the bottom line.

Having said that, we can try to examine some of the philosophical underpinnings of this mitzvah.

The Torah tells us (Leviticus 11:7) – and zoologists concur – that the pig is the only animal in the world possessing the outward symbol of kosher (split hooves), but not the inward symbol (chewing cud). The pig therefore represents that which is kosher in outward appearance, but is in fact unclean on the inside. This type of hypocrisy is described the Talmud as one of the categories of behavior that God detests. For that moral reason, the pig is universally viewed as reprehensible to the Jew.

Interestingly, the Midrash compares the arch-enemy of the Jewish people – Esav (Edom) to a pig. Because just as a pig puts forth its hoof as if to say: "See, I am Kosher," so too does the Empire of Edom boast as it commits violence and robbery, under the guise of executing justice. (Midrash Rabba – Leviticus 13:5)

Maybe that's what King Solomon meant when he said, "Better the anger of a friend than the kiss of an enemy." At least you know what you're getting.

 

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21 Kislev

Do-It-Yourself Menorah

I live in North Vancouver, Canada and I have looked everywhere for Chanukah candles - but to no avail. Either the stores are all out of them, or their supplier cannot get them. Any help would be appreciated.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

You don't need candles specifically made for Chanukah. Actually, any candle will work (providing they were not made for use in a pagan ceremony). The candles just need to be long enough to burn for more than 30 minutes. Most supermarkets sell boxes of Shabbat candles, which are just fine for this.

Actually, even better is to use olive oil, because that is how the actual Chanukah miracle took place in the Holy Temple. For this, all you need are some standard shot glasses. Pour in some olive oil, and top it off with a floating wick. Then line 'em up in a neat little row, and you're all set to go!

 

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22 Kislev 

Dreidel Game

I read that some students in New York beat the world record for dreidel spinning, with 618 people simultaneously spinning dreidels. As a kid I remember playing a game where everyone spins a dreidel and then gets to take money out of the pot. Can you refresh my memory how to play this game?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Ahh, the wonderful dreidel game!

Each player starts off with an equal number of coins, nuts, M&Ms, stones or whatever you wish to use.

Each player takes turns spinning the dreidel. If it lands on:

• Nun - the player receives nothing, next player spins.

• Hey - the player takes half of the pot.

• Gimmel - the player takes the entire pot.

• Shin - the player puts one piece into the pot.

Each time the pot is emptied out, each player puts in a piece (coin, nut, candy) and the game continues.

The original of the dreidel is that during the time of the Maccabees, Jews were imprisoned for the "crime" of studying Torah. While in jail, these Jews would gather together to play dreidel. Under the guise of idling away their time, they'd engage in Torah discussions and thus defy the enemies of Judaism.

The letters stand for Nes Gadol Haya Sham - a great miracle happened there. (In Israel, a Pay is substituted for the Shin.)

As you saw in the news, another way to play is to have a contest to see who can spin it the longest. Or who can get the most dreidels spinning simultaneously.

 

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23 Kislev 

Electric Menorah

Can an electric menorah with light bulbs be used during Chanukah?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

We do not allow an electric Menorah for Chanukah, since it does not burn in the same manner as the oil-and-wick lamps that were used in the Temple.

Another problem using a Chanukah menorah is that you must have enough fuel at the time of lighting to burn for at least 30 minutes after nightfall. The problem is that when you turn on your electric Menorah, you do not actually have 30 minutes of "stored fuel" there on the spot. ("Har Tzvi" by Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank)

However, some authorities do allow an electric Menorah, and it could be used if no other option is available. You must be sure to place these lights in a way that it's recognizable that it is especially for Chanukah (i.e. not where electric bulbs are usually lit). And being that many authorities do not allow it, the blessings should not be recited. (Rabbi Ovadia Yosef - Yabia Omer 3:35:7)

 

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24 Kislev 

Eight Miraculous Days

My daughter came home from school with this question, and I don't have anybody to answer it:

Why is the first night of Chanukah also considered a miracle if there was originally enough oil to burn for the first night of Chanukah? It is understood that there wasn't enough oil for the other nights, but what was so special that we call the first night of Chanukah also a miracle? Thanks.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Your daughter has asked one of the most famous questions in rabbinic literature! Rabbi Yosef Karo (16th century Israel) offered three possible answers, and scholars have offered an endless stream of answers through the years. There is even a book called "Ner L'meah," by Rabbi Yerachmiel Zeltzer, that lists 100 answers to this question! Here's a sampling:

(1) The oil was divided in eight parts, and the Kohanim lit only one-eighth of the oil each night. But this small amount miraculously burned throughout each of the eight nights - including the first night. (Beit Yosef)

(2) Since the Temple had been desecrated with pagan idols, the Maccabees lit their Menorah outside in the courtyard. Normally, a flame exposed to the open air will burn more quickly than one sheltered indoors. Nevertheless, on all eight nights, the oil burned as long outdoors as it would have inside the Temple. (Chasam Sofer)

(3) Having returned to the Temple and found it in shambles, the Maccabees had no reason to think they would find pure oil. But they were so eager to perform the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah, that they began what seemed like a hopeless search - and they succeeded! This commitment to battle all odds for the sake of a mitzvah is what we commemorate on the first day of Chanukah. (Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik)

(4) The first day commemorates the miraculous military victory. (Pri Chadash, Kedushas Levi)

(5) We tend to take "nature" for granted, yet the burning of oil is inherently no less miraculous than would be the burning of water. Therefore, the first day commemorates that even the "normal" burning of oil takes place only because God created it so. (Rabbi David Feinstein)

Have a happy Chanukah, and may your daughter's future be as bright as the Chanukah lights!

 

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25 Kislev 

One Night of Chanukah?

This year during Chanukah I will be on a wilderness survival trip, and it will be very difficult to properly celebrate the holiday. I certainty won't be able to bring along a Menorah.

So if I am going to celebrate only one day of Chanukah, which is the most significant?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

If a person can only celebrate one day of Chanukah, he should celebrate the first day.

This is similar to a case where a person is in prison, and the authorities agree to permit him to go to synagogue one day. The law is that he should go at the first opportunity, and not wait for a more important day like the High Holidays.

The reason is because one should not allow the opportunity of a mitzvah to pass. Moreover, it is quite conceivable that circumstances will later change and allow for additional observance. Therefore, we do not let the first chance pass. (source: Code of Jewish Law OC 90, Mishnah Berurah 28)

There may be another reason why the first night is the one to focus on. Chanukah is celebrated for eight days to commemorate the one-day supply of oil that miraculously burned for eight days. But if you think about it, since there was enough oil to burn naturally for one night, nothing miraculous happened on that first night! So why shouldn't Chanukah be just seven days?!

There are many wonderful answers given to this question, highlighting the special aspect of the first day. Here are a few:

1) True, the miracle of the oil did not begin until the second day, and lasted for only seven days. But the Sages designated the first day of Chanukah in commemoration of the miraculous military victory.

2) Having returned to the Temple and found it in shambles, the Jews had no logical reason to think they would find any pure oil. The fact that the Maccabees didn't give up hope, and then actually found any pure oil at all, is in itself a miracle.

3) The Sages chose Chanukah, a festival that revolves around oil's ability to burn, as the time to teach the fundamental truth that even so-called "natural" events take place only because God wants them to.

The Talmudic Sage Rabbi Chanina Ben Dosa expressed this truth in explaining a miracle that occurred in his own home. Once, his daughter realized that she had lit the Shabbos candles with vinegar instead of oil. Rabbi Chanina calmed her, saying, "Why are you concerned! The One Who commanded oil to burn, can also command vinegar to burn!" The Talmud goes on to say that those Shabbos lights burned bright for many hours (Taanit 25a).

To drive this truth home, the Sages decreed that Chanukah be observed for eight days: The last seven to commemorate the miracle of the Menorah, and the first to remind us that even the “normal” burning of oil is only in obedience to God's wish.

In closing, I'm not sure what's stopping you from celebrating more than one day? At a minimum, you can light one candle sometime during the evening, and that fulfills the mitzvah of Chanukah - no “official Menorah” necessary. With so much joy to be had, why limit yourself to one night only?!

 

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26 Kislev 

Number of Branches on Menorah

I'm confused. My Chanukah menorah has 9 branches, but the Menorah in our synagogue has 7. Why the difference?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The original menorah was the one Moses made for the Tabernacle in the desert. That one, and the ones in the Holy Temples, had 7 branches (6 + the center), as directed in Exodus 25:31-32.

The Chanukah menorah commemorates the 8-day miracle of Chanukah, which we celebrate Chanukah for 8 days. Therefore the Chanukah Menorah has 8 branches, with a ninth one used as the Shamash, set somewhat apart from the others.

Best wishes for a de"light"ful Chanukah.

 

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27 Kislev

Matisyahu

I'm a big fan of Matisyahu, the chassidic reggae singer. What is the origins of his name?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Matisyahu (also pronounced, Matityahu) is known from the Chanukah story as the father of Judah the Maccabee. During the second century BCE, the Jewish community was divided in response to the Greek appeal for assimilation. Some saw assimilation as a positive and modernizing influence and they welcomed the release from Jewish parochialism. In general, two camps polarized: the Jewish assimilationists (called Hellenists) on one side, and the religious community on the other.

The matter came to a head in a small village called Modi'in, not far from Jerusalem. Greek soldiers came one day and demanded that the Jews sacrifice a pig to the pagan god. At first, no one stepped forward and the Jews stood in proud defiance of their pagan oppressors. But then a Jewish Hellenist volunteered to perform the mock offering.

Furious at this outrage, Matisyahu, from the family of Hasmonian priests, killed the man on the spot and then killed the soldiers who were present. Matisyahu and his five sons fled to the nearby caves and became the core of a guerrilla fighting unit. Led by Matisyahu's son Judah, they fought to preserve the exclusive worship of Judaism - battling the Greeks not only militarily, but religiously as well.

In the end, we know who prevailed! It was, in the words of the singer Matisyahu, "a miracle!" (see http://vimeo.com/17369323)

 

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28 Kislev

Maoz Tzur

I remember singing Maoz Tzur as a child during Chanukah. What does this song mean, and how does it go?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The first two words of the song, "Maoz Tzur," mean "Stronghold of Rock," a reference to God. The song goes on to describe the various oppressors who have risen against the Jewish people (Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Haman, Antiochus), and how they have ultimately all been defeated. The song also expresses our wish for the final redemption.

The popular melody is associated with an old German folk-song "So weiss ich eins," dating back to the 15th century. You can hear it sung at: http://www.aish.com/h/c/mm/s/48970856.html#song2

Here are the words:

Maoz tzur yeshua-si

Lecha na-eh li-sha-beyach

Tikone bais ti-fee-lasi

Vi-sham todah ni-za-beyach.

Li-ase ta-chin mat-beyach

Mee-tzar ham-na-beyach

Az eg-more vi-sheer meez-mor

Chanukas ha-meez-beyach

Az eg-more vi-sheer meez-mor

Chanukas ha-meez-beyach.

(Translation)

O Rock of my salvation, with delight we praise You.

Restore the Temple where we will bring offerings.

When You will eliminate our enemies,

Then I shall sing at the rededication.

Have a happy Chanukah!

 

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30 Kislev 

Greek Defilement

During the war against the Maccabees, why did the Greeks make such an effort to attack the Holy Temple in Jerusalem?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Surprisingly, when the Greeks attacked the Temple, they didn't try to destroy it or burn it down. Rather, they defiled it. They offered pig sacrifices and brought a statue of Zeus into the Temple. The Greeks transformed the Temple into a house of idol worship. No longer did light stream from the Temple; the word of God was silenced.

The Greeks didn't want to totally destroy Judaism. Rather, they sought "li-Challel" - literally, to make it empty. They wanted to defile Jewish holy objects. To tear the heart and meaning out of Judaism. To take away the depth and reduce it to symbolism. To sap its spiritual core and to render it impotent.

This explains why the Greeks carefully scoured the Temple grounds searching for pure flasks of oil (bearing the seal of the High Priest). They knew that defiling the oil would silence the light of the Menorah - the light of Torah which reflects the depth and meaning of Jewish national and religious life. The Greeks knew that was the way to best "conquer" the Jewish nation.

Therefore, the reversal of such an attack is to put the meaning back in Judaism. How is this achieved?

The answer is found in Genesis 46:28. Before bringing his entire family down to Egypt for what will be the start of a brutal period of slavery, Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to make preparation in Goshen. The Talmud asks: What preparations did Judah make? He built a yeshiva, a house of Torah study. Through learning Torah, and uncovering the depth of relevance and meaning, we pour light into the world and drive away the darkness of exile.

When lighting the Chanukah candles, it's a wonderful lesson to keep in mind.

 

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29 Kislev 

Shabbat Candles & Havdalah on Chanukah

During the Shabbat of Chanukah, which is lit first - the Menorah or the Shabbat candles?

And then on Saturday night, which do we do first - the Menorah or the Havdalah service?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

On Friday afternoon during Chanukah, we first light the Chanukah candles. The reason is because if we would light Shabbat candles first, this would signify the onset of Shabbat - and we are not allowed to light Chanukah candles on Shabbat. (Code of Jewish Law O.C. 679:1)

But following Shabbat on Saturday night, there are different opinions as to which should be done first. On one hand, it makes sense to say Havdallah first, because that signifies the end of Shabbat and now gives permissibility to lighting Chanukah candles. Also, there is the Talmudic principle of "Tadir U'sheino Tadir, Tadir Kodem" - the activity that is performed more often should be performed first (Zevachim 89a).

Furthermore, it would seem a contradiction to be lighting the Chanukah candles - an activity which is forbidden on Shabbat - when we still have yet to officially usher out the Shabbat!

On the other hand, there is another rule which states "Afukei Yoma Me'acharinan" - we seek to prolong our observance of Shabbat (Rashbam - Pesachim 102b). Another reason offered for prioritizing Chanukah is due to its role in publicizing the miracle.

This is a situation of competing halachic principles. Since both approaches are valid, everyone may do according to his custom.

(sources: Meiri - Shabbat 23; Taz - O.C. 681:1; Mishnah Berurah 681:3)

 

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1 Tevet

Tribal Affiliation

I know that the Jewish people can be categorized as Kohen, Levi or Yisrael. Given that I am a Yisrael, I have always wondered which of the 12 tribes I come from. Is there a way to find out?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

After King Solomon's reign in the 10th century BCE, the Jewish nation split into two groups, with Judah and Benjamin forming Judah, the southern kingdom, with the remaining 10 tribes forming Israel, the northern kingdom. The tribe of Levi was geographically dispersed within the two kingdoms.

Two centuries later, the Assyrians invaded Israel and exiled the tribes. As far as history was concerned, the Ten Tribes disappeared. They evidently settled somewhere in the east, probably in the areas of Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Syria and Iran. Presumably, they then assimilated completely.

Today, all Jews come from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin (which we called "Israelites"), or from the tribe of Levi (which are the Kohanim and Levites).

Using the CMH as a DNA signature of the ancient Hebrews, researchers are pursuing a hunt for Jewish genes around the world. These genetic archaeologists are using DNA research to discover historical links to the Jewish people. Many individuals have approached the researchers to be tested. Having the CMH is not proof of one's being Jewish, or from any one tribal line.

There are many groups around the world who – although not Jewish by law – claim some historic connection to the Jewish people. In the Pathan tribe in Afghanistan and Pakistan, for example, Pathan women light candles on Friday evenings to bless the Sabbath. Also, Pathans use the Shield of David and wear a four-cornered prayer garment, wear sidelocks, have circumcision on the eighth day, and many have Jewish-sounding names.

As for searching for them, some believe that Ethiopian Jews are from the Tribe of Dan, and that certain Judaic tribes in India may be descended from Menashe.

Jewish customs have been found in the Shinlung tribe (India and Burma), the Kashmiri nation in Northern India, the Chiang-Min on the border of China and Tibet, the Lemba tribe in southern Africa, and the Bnei Moshe in Peru.

 

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Tevet 3

Focus on Education

I keep reading statistics about Jewish achievement in business, science, etc. For such a small people, the percentage of Nobel Prize winners is staggering. The theory I’ve heard to explain this is the Jewish focus on education. Is this correct?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish education is surely a big part of it. The Talmud describes the greatness of Rebbe Yehoshua. The Talmud asks: How did he get to be such a big tzaddik? The Talmud answers: When Rebbe Yehoshua was born, his mother set his baby carriage outside the Yeshiva. This little baby was exposed to lots of Torah scholarship from a very young age.

Yet how did this contribute to Rebbe Yehoshua's greatness? After all, he was only a baby; did he absorb the material through osmosis or something?! The answer is that as much as the influence of being around the yeshiva made Rebbe Yehoshua great, it was also the influence of having a mother who was willing to sacrifice herself to bring him there every day, who showed him the importance of being Jewish, of having the right values, of being in a positive Jewish environment.

Jewish education is not just the technicalities of learning the alphabet and the multiplication tables. It’s about having a commitment to the values that have driven the Jewish people for all these millennia: the recognition that God runs the world; that we each have a soul that needs to be nurtured even more than our physical body; and that we have a responsibility to make the world a better place.

I believe that this, more than anything, is the secret to Jewish success.

 

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Tevet 2 

Jews-for-J

I've been repeatedly approached by Jews for Jesus guys near the campus of UCLA. The pamphlet that they hand out alleges that "Messianic Jews" are Jews who believe that Jesus was the Messiah. That didn't make sense to me. I would label a person "Christian" if they believed Jesus was the Messiah. But my friend claimed there are a great number of Jews who believe that Jesus was the Messiah – yet do not consider themselves Christians. I had never heard of this.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

No matter how disconnected a Jew may be from Judaism, he is still likely to be appalled by the idea of worshipping Jesus. And that poses a great problem for Christian missionaries seeking to convert Jews.

Given this, some missionaries got the idea to try a backdoor tactic. They invented "Jews for Jesus," which uses a whole lexicon of Jewish-sounding buzz words in order to make Jesus more palatable to Jews.

For example, members of Jews for Jesus don't go to church, they go to a "Messianic Synagogue." Prayer is not held on Sunday, but on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. They say that by accepting JC, you're not converting to Christianity, you're instead becoming "a fulfilled Jew." The New Testament is called "Brit Chadasha" (Hebrew for New Covenant). It's not the cross, it's "the tree." Not baptism, but "the mikveh." Not a communion wafer, but "matzah." Congregants wear a tallit and kippah, and bring a Torah scroll out of the Holy Ark – just like every other synagogue. After all, they proudly proclaim, Jesus himself was a Jew!

These missionary campaigns are well-funded and relentless. Jews for Jesus has been spending millions of dollars in print and radio advertising, and has run a campaign of banner ads in New York City subways and on major web sites. If you see one of these ads, you should write a letter of protest to the host organization.

It is the responsibility of all Jews to take a stand. Comedienne Joan Rivers started screaming on the air after a commercial for Jews for Jesus aired on her radio show. The ad featured two Jewish men arguing over whether JC is the Jewish messiah, while the Jewish song "Hava Nagillah" played in the background. "Do not proselytize on my show," Rivers ranted. "I was born a Jew and I plan to die a Jew. How dare you advertise on my show. I find this disgusting, I find this offensive, and I find this ridiculous!"

Jews for Jesus is a subversive organization. The missionaries' approach to ensnare unsuspecting people includes quoting Torah verses out of context and gross mistranslations. These deceptions are most successful with Jews who have no knowledge of their own Jewish heritage. In Russia, for example, where Jewish education had been suppressed for 70 years, missionaries sponsor "Jewish revival meetings," where a tallit-clad clergyman asks throngs of unsuspecting Russian Jews to "accept Jesus into your heart." The sad thing is that tens of thousands of Jews (including an estimated 50,000 in Israel today) have fallen for this falsehood.

Ironically, Jews really could be called "Messianic Jews." One of Maimonides' classical "13 Principles of Faith" is: "I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he may delay, nevertheless I anticipate every day that he will come." In a sense we are all "Messianic Jews" – expecting the Messiah to gather the Jews back to Israel, usher an era of world peace, and reestablish the Temple. Though Jesus achieved none of this.

There are two excellent organizations which counteracts missionary activities and have succeeded in attracting "converts" back to Judaism. You can find them online at www.jewsforjudaism.org and www.outreachjudaism.org.

 

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Tevet 4

Centrality of the Land of Israel

What is so special about Israel? Why couldn't God make everything happen in America or some other country? If you say the answer is that "the history of the Jews happens there," then why couldn't it all have happened in some other place?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Theodore Herzl entertained a plan for the Jews to live in Uganda, and a 19th century American diplomat named Mordechai Manuel Noah launched a "Jewish Homeland" on a small island near Niagara Falls. Yet God chose the Land of Israel as the chosen land, and Jerusalem as its spiritual focus. Why?

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan writes in "Eye of the Universe":

"If you look at a map you will see the geographical location of the Land of Israel virtually guaranteed that it would play a key role in the tides of civilization. The Old World consisted of two great landmasses, Eurasia (Europe and Asia) and Africa. It was impossible to travel from Eurasia to Africa without passing through the Holy Land. Therefore, every conqueror, every civilization that passed from one continent to the other had to pass through the Holy Land and come in contact with the Jew. The Land of Israel thus interacted with virtually every great civilization, and all of them were, to some degree, influenced by the teachings of the Torah.

Besides being a gateway between north and south, the Holy Land is part of the keystone link between east and west. There are mountains in Israel where a cup of water spilled on the western slope will eventually flow in the Atlantic Ocean, while one spilled on the eastern slope will flow into the Pacific. In the past, most caravan routes linking the Atlantic and Pacific passed directly through the Holy Land. The Land of Israel was therefore literally the crossroads of civilization."

On a much deeper level, however, we see Jerusalem not only as a center of civilization, but also as the very center of the world. The Talmud says that creation began in Jerusalem, and the world radiated outward from this place. Medieval maps show Jerusalem at the epicenter of Asia, Europe, and Africa. The world flows into this spot, and all life's forces resonate here. From this place, the whole world is cast into perspective.

The centrality of Jerusalem – and particularly Mount Moriah – has continued throughout history. Cain and Abel – and later Noah – brought offerings to God at this place. Abraham came to Mount Moriah and bound his son Isaac upon an altar; this is also where Jacob dreamed of the ladder. (Maimonides – Beit HaBechira 2:2)

King David purchased this very plot of land to be the site of the first Holy Temple, which was built by King Solomon in 825 BCE. Although 400 years later enemies of the Jews destroyed the Holy Temple and drove the Jews from their land, the Jews returned 70 years later to rebuild the second Holy Temple on the very same spot. Although the Romans destroyed this Temple in 70 CE, they left the remains of the retaining walls standing.

The holiness of this spot flourishes today, as millions of visitors come to pray at the famous Western Wall. The name Jerusalem has two parts: Yira, which means "to see," and shalem, which means "peace." This is the place of peace where God is seen.

Elsewhere, God is a theory, but in Israel, God is seen and felt as a tangible presence. Elsewhere we grope for insight. In Israel we achieve clarity.

 

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Tevet 5 

Seasons Greetings?

Do you wish someone "Happy Chanukah" in the same way you wish someone "Merry Xmas"? I have met some Jewish friends on my travels, and I wish to send them seasons greetings. But I'm unsure what to write. Thank you.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

If you'd like to send your Jewish friends greeting cards, they should say "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Chanukah" - but not the name of other holidays like Xmas, Ramadan or Kwanzaa.

To make your life easier, many Jewish sites provide free, online holiday greeting cards.

 

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Tevet 6 

End of Days

With the world appearing more and more a dangerous place, I'm wondering what Judaism has to say about the possibility of an apocalyptic final event. Does such a concept exist, and how will that play out?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Jewish people believe in what's called the End of Days. This isn't the final end of the world – but merely the end of history as we know it. After the End of Days the world will continue as usual, with the big exception that there will be world peace.

As the End of the Days approach, there are two paths that the world could take. The first is filled with kindness and miracles, with the Messiah "given dominion, honor and kinship so that all peoples, nations and languages would serve him; his dominion would be an everlasting dominion that would never pass, and his kingship would never be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14) This scenario could be brought at any moment, if we'd just get our act together!

The other path is described as Messiah coming "humble and riding upon a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9). In this scenario, nature will take its course, and society will undergo a slow painful deterioration, with much suffering. God's presence will be hidden, and his guidance will not be perceivable.

According to this second path, there will be a valueless society in which religion will not only be chided, it will be used to promote immorality. Young people will not respect the old, and governments will become godless. This is why the Midrash says, "One third of the world's woes will come in the generation preceding the Messiah." (Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, "Handbook of Jewish Thought")

According to the Talmud, as the Messianic era approaches, the world will experience greater and greater turmoil: Vast economic fluctuations, social rebellion, and widespread despair. The culmination will be a world war of immense proportion led by King Gog from the land of Magog. This will be a war the likes of which have not been seen before. This will be the ultimate war of good against evil, in which evil will be entirely obliterated. (Ezekiel ch. 38, 39; Zechariah 21:2, 14:23; Talmud – Sukkah 52, Sanhedrin 97, Sotah 49)

What is the nature of this cataclysmic war? Traditional Jewish sources state that the nations of the world will descend against the Jews and Jerusalem. The Crusades, Pogroms and Arab Terrorism will pale in comparison. Eventually, when all the dust settles, the Jews will be defeated and led out in chains. The Torah will be proclaimed a falsehood.

Then, just when we think the story is over, the Messiah will come and lead the Jewish redemption. He will inspire all peoples to follow God, rebuild the Temple, gather in any remaining Jewish exiles to Israel, and re-establish the Sanhedrin. (Maimonides – Melachim ch. 11-12)

In many ways, the world is a depressing place. But life is like medicine. Imagine a person with a serious internal disease. Taking the right medication will detoxify the body by pushing all the impurities to the surface of the skin. The patient may look deathly ill – all covered in sores. But in truth, those surface sores are a positive sign of deeper healing.

The key is to maintain the hope of redemption.

Rabbi Azriel Tauber, a successful businessman and Torah scholar who lives in New York, is a survivor of the concentration camps. Rabbi Tauber says he was able to survive the camps because every day, his father would encourage him and say: "Don't despair, my son, for redemption can come at any moment."

The Torah provides our hope for the future. Maimonides says that every day, a Jew should yearn for the Messiah. Not in order that Jews should rule the world, or to be exalted amongst the nations, nor to eat, drink and rejoice. But rather we yearn for the Messiah so that we will have time for the wisdom of Torah, with nothing to disturb that pursuit.

The message should be clear: Keep focused on the Torah, for it is the voice of reason in our world of insanity. If we live with that knowledge today, then the Torah promises that the final resolution will come more quickly and painlessly. And at the very least, living with this understanding is sure to keep us among those who have preserved their sanity in this world of confusion.

Indeed, the world is in desperate need of Messianic redemption. War and pollution threaten our planet; ego and confusion erode family life. To the extent we are aware of the problems of society, is the extent we will yearn for redemption. As the Talmud says, one of the first questions a Jew is asked on Judgment Day is: "Did you yearn for the arrival of the Messiah?"

How can we hasten the coming of the Messiah? The best way is to love all humanity generously, to keep the mitzvot of the Torah (as best we can), and to encourage others to do so as well.

Despite the gloom, the world does seem headed toward redemption. One apparent sign is that the Jewish people have returned to the Land of Israel and made it bloom again. Additionally, a major movement is afoot of young Jews returning to Torah tradition.

By the way, Maimonides states that the popularity of Christianity and Islam is part of God's plan to spread the ideals of Torah throughout the world. This moves society closer to a perfected state of morality and toward a greater understanding of God. All this is in preparation for the Messianic age.

The Messiah can come at any moment, and it all depends on our actions. God is ready when we are. For as King David says: "Redemption will come today – if you hearken to His voice."

 

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Tevet 7 

Calendar Discrepancy

I am fascinated by history, and in browsing your website's Western Wall Tunnel Tour (http://www.aish.com/sem/wtt/). I was surprised by the dates of various events in Jewish history. According to your timeline, King Solomon built the First Temple in 825 BCE. Was it not completed in 957 BCE? The Babylonian exile is stated as beginning in 422 BCE. But didn't Nebuchadnezzar II destroy the First Temple in 586 BCE, the same year the Jews were deported to Babylonia?

Could you please explain this discrepancy in the dates? Thank you.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The source of this discrepancy is in the accounting of the Persian period. Greek historians (such as Herodotus, Ctesias, Xenophon, and others who lived after the events and collected oral histories) speak of 10 Persian kings who ruled for 208 years. By contrast, the biblical Jewish account speaks of four kings ruling 52 years.

The confusion stems from the fact that one person may have several names. For example U.S. President, Commander-in-Chief, and White House Occupant may all be names for the same person. So too, Arta-Khsharta is a title used by all Persian kings and means literally "Fit for the Kingdom" – yet Artaxerxes is listed separately as three kings in the Greek lists.

Another point of contention focuses on the war between Darius and Alexander. These are commonly thought to be an earlier Darius and Alexander, due to the "interposing" Artaxerxes kings. That makes Alexander the Great into Alexander II, and Darius who permitted the rebuilding of the Second Temple into a later Darius. Yet many Jewish scholars feel that both Alexanders are the same person; so too with Darius.

For more details, see Brad Aaronson's article "Fixing the History Books" (http://www.starways.net/lisa/essays/heifetzfix.html) and an interesting discussion on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_years).

 

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Tevet 8 

The Meaning of “Aish”

My name is Judy Aish. My sister and I are doing some research on our family background. I entered our last name – Aish – into a search engine and your website came up.

I've never written to a rabbi before. I wonder if you could give me some information about what “Aish” means. There has always been some confusion about where our surname comes from. Any insight you have would be a big help.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

We get thousands of questions, but this one is a first!

I can't say for certain where your last name derives from, but I can tell you about the origins of our organization, Aish HaTorah.

The name Aish HaTorah, literally "Fire of Torah," was inspired by the Talmudic story of Rebbe Akiva, a 40-year-old shepherd who could not even read the Aleph-Bet. One day, he came across a stone that had been holed out by a constant drip of water. He concluded: If something as soft as water can carve a hole in solid rock, how much more so can Torah – which is fire – make an indelible impression on my heart.

Rebbe Akiva committed himself to Torah study, and went on to become the greatest sage of his generation, with 24,000 students learning under him at one time.

"Aish" means "fire" in the positive sense of inspiration and passion. The name was chosen because we believe that each human being, if given the chance, can achieve similar results. All it takes is a passionate study of Torah, borne out of an appreciation of how precious one's involvement can be in repairing the world.

Further, the story of Rebbe Akiva teaches that every drop of Torah makes an impact – even though the results may not be apparent until many years later.

By the way, the story of Rebbe Akiva is beautifully depicted at the Aish Center in Jerusalem in a modern glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly, the most successful and talented glass artist in the world. Entitled, “Fire and Water,” the multi-dimensional, two-story-tall sculpture took four months to create in Chihuly‘s Seattle studio, and was delivered to Jerusalem in hundreds of boxes. (See a short film of the sculpture being installed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW18CBPGFT0.)

As Elie Wiesel once said: “Aish HaTorah means to me the passion of teaching, the passion of learning. The study of Torah, the source of Jewish values, is the way to Jewish survival.”

Good luck in your genealogical research!

 

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Tevet 9 

Vessels in Mikveh

I am starting to keep kosher and somebody mentioned that all my pots and dishes need to be dunked in a mikveh. I’ve never heard about that. Why is that and what are the rules?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah (Numbers 31:23) describes how the Jewish people, upon acquiring vessels, immersed them in a mikveh. The purpose of the immersion in the mikveh is in order to purify and elevate it in holiness. (Y.D. 120, Taz 1)

Metal or glass utensils must be immersed in a mikveh. However, wood and plastic utensils do not require immersion. Regarding porcelain, china and Corningware, some have the custom to immerse these without a blessing.

Disposable utensils (even metal and glass) do not require immersion. ("Igrot Moshe" Y.D. 3:23)

This obligation only applies to utensils that come into contact with food during normal use, either in preparation of the food or in its consumption. (Y.D. 120:1) That means a toaster does require immersion, but a trivet does not.

If the vessel was manufactured by a Jew, then it does not require dunking. (This is one advantage of buying Israeli products!)

Regarding utensils with electric components, only the part that comes into contact with the food needs to be immersed. ("Igrot Moshe" by R' M. Feinstein, Y.D. 1:57)

Here is the actual procedure:

The vessels can be dunked in any bona fide mikveh, or in a large body of natural water such as a lake or river. A swimming pool, bathtub, etc. do not qualify.

The utensil should be cleaned before immersion – i.e. rust, labels, price tags and anything which does not allow the waters of the mikveh to come into contact with all the parts of the utensil must be removed. (Y.D. 120:13, 202:1, 2)

Before immersing utensils, recite the blessing, "Boruch Ata Ado-noy, Elohenu Melech Ha'Olam, asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al tevilat keilim." (Y.D. 120:3)

The entire utensil must be immersed at one time, including the handles. The lid of a pot must also be immersed but not necessarily at the same time as the pot. (Y.D. 120 Pitchei Teshuvah 3, 120:5 Rema, 120:12)

The utensil should be lightly held and should also be immersed so that water enters the inside of the utensil. (Y.D. 120:2, 202:6,7,8)

It is a misconception that one may use a utensil which was not immersed on a one-time basis. If one cannot immerse a utensil, he may give it to a non-Jew, then borrow it back and use it temporarily. (Y.D. 120:8, 16)

Finally, since this is technically not an issue of “kosher,” food that was cooked in an “non-immersed vessel” is permitted. (Aruch HaShulchan Y.D. 120:17) Of course, before eating, it should be transferred to a utensil that was properly immersed.

Bon appetite!

 

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Tevet 10 

What is the Purpose of Fasting?

Why do we fast? What function does it serve in our spiritual life? How can being hungry and thirsty help us connect?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

There are six regular fast days in the Jewish year. During these times, adult Jews may neither eat nor drink -- even water (there are exceptions for people with health issues).

Except for Yom Kippur, these fast days were established because of the catastrophes and suffering that occurred on those dates. Their purpose is to help us recall the negative behavior of our ancestors that led to those calamities, and to focus our attention on our own parallel behavior that continues to drive our nation into similar negative situations.

During these days, each person is meant to make a personal accounting of his or her behavior and resolve to return to the positive path.

According to Eliyahu Kitov in The Book of Our Heritage, one who fasts and spends the day idly without repentance, misses the point. That person is emphasizing the fasting, which is secondary, and de-emphasizing the repentance which is primary. He quotes the book of Jonah (3:10) where it says about the people of the city of Ninveh, "And God saw their actions." Our sages point out that the verse doesn't say that God saw their sackcloth and fasting, but their actions (Babylonian Talmud, Ta'anit 22a). The purpose of fasting is to bring one to repent, and true repentance brings about a change in actions. However, repenting without fasting is not enough. The fast days were ordained either in the Torah or by our prophets, and throughout the generations, they have been accepted and observed by the nation of Israel. Since Judaism eschews asceticism for its own sake, there must be something unique about fasting that serves as a vehicle for repentance.

A distinctive feature of Judaism is its philosophy of integrating the spiritual with the physical. Jews do not reject the physical in favor of the spiritual; rather, they recognize the opportunity that living a physical existence provides for the exercise and strengthening of the spiritual. In this world, the physical and the spiritual are inextricably intertwined and we must use both to activate our ultimate growth and to achieve our raison d'etre.

We use the physical as a doorway through which we access the spiritual. This is one of the reasons that we clean the house, prepare delicious foods and wear beautiful clothes for Shabbat. The sense of tranquility that stems from dwelling in an orderly environment, the fullness and pleasure that good food engenders, and the touch of majesty that one feels when dressed in one's finery, all help create a sense of separation from the routine of the mundane and heighten one's ability to connect to God. We manipulate the physical to gain access to the spiritual.

Hunger is a feeling of emptiness, of desire for sustenance. It can also refer to a non-food related desire or craving, as in "hungry for success" or "hungry for power." One of Webster's definitions is "lacking needful or desirable elements; not fertile; poor." Hunger is the state of not having what one needs (or wants) and yearning for it.

Spiritual feelings are frequently very subtle; often, we have to put forth some effort to recognize them. Halacha (Jewish law) helps us in this process. By specifying particular behaviors and dictating when they must be performed, halacha provides physical sensations that point to spiritual realities. Feeling hunger on a physical level helps us access the concept of desire and need on a spiritual level. Requiring fasting on days that necessitate repentance helps us activate the longing we have to walk on a path that leads to a rectified world. When employed, rather than ignored, the hunger can forward our repentance.

Fasting can also help us address the common difficulty of not relating to the reason for the fast day. Of course, educating oneself as to the origin and significance of the day are vital, but even with an understanding of what the day is about, one can feel distant from its essence. Fasting helps engender a sense of loss and of vulnerability; with effort, these feelings can be used as stepping-stones to internalizing the meanings of the events that prompted the declaration of that particular fast.

In addition, fasting is reminiscent of the atonement service that was performed in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. During that time, one who sinned could activate his or her repentant energies by physically bringing an animal offering to God on the Temple alter. Of course God does not need offerings from humans; the entire process of animal sacrifices and offerings is about using the physical to access the spiritual. For some of the offerings, the fat and the blood of the animal would be consumed by fire (that part was "for" God), and the meat was eaten by people.

There is a very deep way that that process relates to fasting. In some prayer books, there is a special prayer that is inserted at the end of the afternoon Amidah prayer on an individual fast day. The following is a loose translation:

"Master of the Universe, you know that during the time that the Holy Temple stood, a person who sinned could bring an offering, and nothing except the blood and fat was (actually) offered, and in Your great mercy, You would grant atonement. And now, I have fasted, and diminished my fat and my blood. May it be Your will that the diminishment of my fat and my blood, that was diminished today, be as if I offered it before you on the altar, and may you show me favor."

In other words, this prayer asks that the physical result of fasting be bound together with the spiritual impetus for fasting, and that they be accepted by God as if they were offered in the time and place where we as a nation were most connected to God.

Fasting is difficult, but it is the very fact of its difficulty that gives us the opportunity to connect to God in a stronger way. The sublimation of our own desires to eat in favor of the directive to fast is itself an offering. In addition, harnessing the emptiness that fasting engenders to bring about a deeper level of repentance, along with the sacrifice that we can "offer" to God, makes fasting a precious opportunity for connecting ourselves with God's will.

(by Aliza Bulow)

 

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Tevet 11

Holocaust: Reincarnated Souls?

I live in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, and I enjoy reading your Ask the Rabbi column.

In my local paper today, it was reported that a leading rabbi in Israel said that the Jewish victims of the Holocaust were reincarnated souls of great sinners. This confuses me on two points.

Is the belief in reincarnation a central Jewish belief? And if so, how can the victims of the Holocaust, so many of which have been documented to be loving and gracious people, be reincarnated souls of great sinners who are being punished?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Everyone agrees that when taken out of context, these statements sound awful. However, in context this rabbi was explaining the idea that souls enter this world in order to correct their mistakes from previous lives. This idea not only refers to those murdered in the Holocaust, but in every generation.

The great kabbalist, the Arizal, says that there is almost no one alive today who is not reincarnated from earlier generations. This includes a large portion of souls from previous times, from those who sinned with the Golden Calf and on through history.

Did they die for naught? No, these reincarnated souls accepted upon themselves all the punishments, hardships and the deaths of those who were murdered in the Holocaust.

By the way, this wouldn't be the first time that the newspapers have quoted something out of context to create a controversy which helps sell newspapers.

It was not merely the Holocaust connection, but rather the entire idea of reincarnation which disturbed the media. An editorial in Haaretz lambasted Judaism and religion in general:

"The transmigration of the souls of sinners" (reincarnation) is a concept that is difficult for an enlightened person, religious or secular, to relate to seriously."

Let's see: The majority of the world's religions, and not just Judaism, holds the belief of reincarnation. What if the Buddhist Dali Llama, who also believes in reincarnation, were to speak of it - would the media insult him, or praise him? Why then do they act with such contempt towards a fellow Jew, even more so a leading Torah Sage?

This all gives us much to think about.

 

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Tevet 12 

User-friendly Siddur

I am just getting into a routine of daily prayer. The old siddur that I have uses a very stilted translation. Is there anything more up-to-date that you’d recommend?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

As far as commentary and instruction on Jewish prayer, nothing comes close to the ArtScroll Siddur (Mesorah Publications 1984). It is translated by top-rate Jewish scholars, who understand the subtleties of the Hebrew language and have a great knowledge of Talmudic sources. More than just a text of the prayers, this includes full explanations of all prayers, laws and customs. Features a masterful essay on the essence of prayer. Includes special prayers for the holidays and life-cycle events. Beautifully organized and designed.

ArtScroll also publishes a transliterated prayer book. They even have what’s called an “inter-linear” prayer book, which has the Hebrew and English running together on the same line.

You should find these in any Jewish bookstore, or at www.artscroll.com.

May the Almighty hear all our prayers!

 

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Tevet 13 

Under-charging

I bought a number of items from a store and realized when I got home that they forgot to charge me for one item. Is it considered stealing if I don't go back and pay for it?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Being that the item did not come into your possession as a result of outright stealing, it technically does not fall under the commandment of "Do not steal."

However, in many cases, this would fall under another Torah prohibition against "cheating" (onah). As derived from Leviticus 25:14, we are obligated to pay for an item if we were inadvertently undercharged, or not charged at all. (Code of Jewish Law - C.M. 227:1)

There is another reason to return to the store and pay. It is a great opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of "Kiddush Hashem" -- sanctifying God's Name. The last time I was undercharged at a store, I went back to pay the difference, and the store manager made such a big deal about my honesty, that it was a bit embarrassing. That should be the worst embarrassment we suffer!

 

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Tevet 14

Cremation

A friend of mine was buried by a landslide while his wife was just a few feet away. People pitched in to dig him out and had two-thirds of his body out, blue but probably alive, when the hillside shifted again and buried him under six feet of dirt. He died before they could dig him out. His widow stated that she was going to have him cremated as "I can't bear to put him in the ground again."

She had him cremated and scattered his ashes at a favorite campground stream where they had enjoyed happy times. I know that the usual circumstance is that a person is buried, but under these conditions was the widow not justified in ordering a cremation since she needed to deal with her grief? In this case, which is more important – traditional ritual for the dead, or the needs of the living widow?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

This is a terrible tragedy and I can understand the torment of the widow. But Judaism permits only burial. The source for this comes from the Torah, where God tells Adam: "You will return to the ground, for it was from the ground that you were taken" (Genesis 3:19).

Judaism forbids cremation; let's understand why.

Upon death, the soul goes through a painful separation from the body, which until now had housed the soul. This process of disengagement occurs as the body decays. When the body is buried, it decays slowly, thereby giving comfort to the soul as it disengages from the body.

This decay is crucial, which is why Jewish law forbids embalming or burial in a mausoleum, which would in fact delay the decaying process. Also, Jews are buried in a wooden casket, which decays more rapidly. Similarly, Jewish law dictates that burial take place as soon as possible after death. (In Israel, funerals are often on the same day as the death.) All this is for the benefit of the soul.

One reason that Judaism prohibits cremation is that the soul would suffer great shock due to the unnaturally sudden disengagement from the body. As the Talmud says: Burial is not for the sake of the living, but rather for the dead. (Sanhedrin 47a)

Furthermore, Jewish tradition records that with burial, a single bone in the back of the neck never decays. It is from this bone – called the Luz bone – that the human body will be rebuilt in the future messianic era when all the dead will be resurrected. With cremation, that bone can be destroyed, and the resurrection process stymied.

In fact, someone who chooses cremation is as if he does not believe in resurrection. This is a fundamental of Judaism, as expressed in Maimonides' classical "13 Principles of Faith": "I believe with complete faith that there will be a resurrection of the dead, whenever the wish emanates from the Creator."

What about the millions of Jews cremated in Nazi ovens? The Almighty certainly guarded their souls from needless agony. I think similarly in this case, where the man did not ask to be cremated, his soul is not accountable for what transpired.

May you be consoled at this time of loss.

(sources: Beit Yitzchak – Y.D. 2:195, based on Talmud – Temura 34a; Achiezer 3:72:4, based on Deut. 21:23, and Maimonides – Laws of Sanhedrin 15:8)