Ask The Rabbi...	
July 10, 1994 Issue #29

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This issue is dedicated Z''N Reuven B''R Moshe Yaakov HaLevi Z''TL,
Rubin Guy, R. Ph.  My father, a pharmacist, 
taught me by example that Torah is the true "Sa'am HaChayim."

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This edition contains:
1.    Is mother's milk "Milchig" (dairy)?
2.    What is the meaning of the words that are written on the back of a
      Mezuza?

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Notice to our readers:

We apologize for coming out with issue #29 so late.

Due to the summer break (known at the Yeshiva as Bein Hazmanim - 
between the semesters), Ask The Rabbi will not be published next week.  
We hope that the Rabbi will return from his "vacation" with issue #30
sometime in the beginning of August.

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Marvin from the Oregon Institute of Science and Technology wrote:

>Does mother's milk have the same laws as cow's milk? 
>May one drink it with meat? 

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Dear Marvin,

Your question reminds me of an incident that happened in my neighborhood a 
few years ago.  A pious Jew lives in the Geula section of Jerusalem who 
is known for holistic remedies.  One of his well-known treatments for 
inducing labor is to drink a certain amount of mother's milk.  

Well, it so happened that the wife of one of my neighbors was overdue, and 
doctors suggested that she be induced.  Before having the doctors induce 
her she called up the wife of the pious Jew from Geula and asked her 
what she should do.  Naturally, the wife told her to drink mother's milk.  

My neighbor hung up, thought for a moment and then called back -- 
"Will it affect the remedy if I mix in some chocolate powder?"

They say that if you see the wife of that pious man today, she's still 
smiling -- "Only an American could ask such a question!"

Now on to your question.  The Talmud teaches that the prohibition against 
mixing meat and milk applies only to the meat and milk of a kosher 
species of animal.  Therefore, mother's milk is "pareve" (neither dairy
nor meaty).

Nevertheless, the Shulchan Aruch rules that it is forbidden to cook meat 
with mother's milk because it looks like you are cooking with cow's milk 
("Marit Ayin" -- it "looks" bad).  This prohibition is of Rabbinic origin.
It was enacted because people might make a mistake and assume that you used 
cow's milk in your recipe.  

Rav Moshe Isserlis states that if you use almond milk together with meat, 
which is not Biblically forbidden, you must place some almonds nearby 
so that people will know that it is in fact almond milk.  Again the concern
is about "Marit Ayin".  Following this line of reasoning, many halachic 
authorities require that when using a non-dairy creamer at a meat meal, one
should also display the container of the creamer so that everyone can see 
that it is in fact non-dairy.

Sources:
o  The Talmud - Tractate Chullin 113a.
o  The Shulchan Aruch - Yoreh Deah 57:4.
o  Rav Moshe Isserlis - Yoreh Deah 57:3. 

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Shua from Baltimore wrote:

>Dear Rabbi,
>
>I was looking on the back of a Mezuza scroll and saw some words written 
>at the bottom.  I was told that these words are written on the bottom 
>of all Mezuzas, but when I asked what the words meant no one could tell 
>me.  Can you help me?

* * * * * * * * * *

Dear Shua,

The three words at the bottom of the Mezuza on the outer side of the 
parchment are "Cuzu B'mucsz Cuzu" -- an altered form of the phrase 
"Hashem Elokeinu Hashem."  It is actually a form of Gematria (Numerology) 
where each letter is "raised" to its next letter.  Thus, an Alef becomes a 
Bet, and a Bet becomes Gimel, etc.  Rav Moshe Isserlis quotes the Hagahot 
Maimoni as the source for this custom.  It is "only" a custom -- a Mezuza 
without these words is still considered valid.

Maimonides mentions a custom that some people practiced:  They wrote the 
names of angels or other holy names on the same side of the parchment as 
the two paragraphs of the Sh'ma.  He writes that these people "...invalidate
the Mezuza and make a mockery of the Mitzvah...."  The Hagahot Maimoni does 
quote other Sages who permitted such additions.  We generally follow the 
ruling of Rav Moshe Isserlish who rules in agreement with Maimonides and 
forbids these other additions.

Sources:
o  Rav Moshe Isserlis, The Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 288:15.
o  Maimonides, Mishne Torah, "The Laws of Mezuza" 5:4.
o  Hagahot Maimoni, ibid.

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