Ask The Rabbi 
31 October 1998 
Issue #211
Parshas Lech Lecha
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This publication is available in HTML format at 
http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask211.htm 
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Researched at Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem 
This Issue Contains: 
1. Where Have All the Years Gone?	5. Disc O' Davening 
2. What's New! 				6. Yiddle Riddle
3. Reenactment of Sinai			7. Public Domain
4. Misplaced Merit 
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____ Where Have All the Years Gone? ____

Baruch Roi Garcia from San Antonio, Texas <roigar@aol.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Now that it is the new year a friend of mine from Israel says that we are 
not really at 5759, but that we lost some 240 years during captivity, 
according to his Rabbi in Netanya.  True or not so true?

************

Dear Baruch Roi Garcia:

	There is a discrepancy of about 165 years between Greek historians 
and Jewish historians.

	The Greeks maintain that Jewish historians omitted a number of 
Persian kings from the historical accounting, and that the combined reigns 
of these kings add up to about 165 years.  We, on the other hand, maintain 
that the people the Greeks mistakenly count as kings were actually only 
dukes or princes who ruled concurrently.  The fact they were known as kings 
and not as "king of kings" is evidence of this.

	We, the Jews, lived in Babylon and Persia for over 1000 years; 
whereas the Greeks sent scribes to gather their historical information.  I 
believe, therefore, that our history is accurate and that the Greek account 
is mistaken.  We had first-hand knowledge of Persia and are therefore more 
reliable.

Speaking of what year it is, we thank David Olesker 
<olesker@IsraelMail.com> for forwarding the following:  

Last year, in my computer class, a student asked me before Rosh Hashanah 
what year we were entering.  I said 5758.  He paused for a moment and said, 
"Well, I guess you guys solved the Year 2000 problem!"


____What's New!____

Gaon <Gaon@earthlink.net> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

What on earth was the wisest of the wise thinking when he said, "There's 
nothing new under the sun?"  I wonder if King Solomon would have said the 
same thing if he had Internet access.

************

Dear Gaon,

	In the Book of Koheles King Solomon wrote:  "There is absolutely 
nothing new under the sun."  He meant that in the physical world nothing is 
created new.  There is no creation ex nihilo, only the transfer of energy 
and reassembling of different parts into different structures.  All of 
"modern technology" has existed since ancient times, in potential.  When G-
d created the physical universe, telephones, fax machines and "Internet 
access" came into existence, in their component parts.  It was only up to 
us to figure out how to put them together.

	Only in the spiritual world -- "above the sun" -- is there renewal.  
Through the power of free will a person can create a spiritual reality that 
was not preordained and is not just a continuation of a process already 
started.  Repentance, choosing against one's conditioning, acts of altruism 
-- these are all acts of creation.  This is what King Solomon meant when he 
said "nothing new under the sun."


____Reenactment of Sinai____

Hillary Zana <ai181@lafn.org> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

I have read and heard that the Torah Service is actually a reenactment of 
the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai, with the bima representing Har Sinai 
etc.  I can't find any sources for this.  I would like to use this idea 
when I teach six graders the Torah Service.  Any help would be appreciated.

************

Dear Hillary Zana,

	The idea you mentioned is found is in Ta'amei Haminhagim.  There it 
says that the public Torah reading is a symbolic reenactment of the giving 
of the Torah at Sinai:  The gabbai, the one who decides whom to call to the 
Torah, symbolizes Hashem, who chose the Jewish people to receive the Torah.  
The person called to the Torah represents the Jewish People.  And the one 
who reads the Torah represents Moshe, the "broker" between the Jewish 
people and Hashem!

Sources:

* Ta'amei Haminhagim, Shabbat 328, quoting Levush 141:4
* Thanks to Rabbi Sholem Fishbane


____Misplaced Merit____

Marion Zeiger <mardi@suntan.niehs.nih.gov>

Dear Rabbi,

I'm preparing a lesson for my synagogue on the concept of davening 
(praying) and studying Torah for a sick person's well-being (refuah 
sheleima).  I know the custom, and that davening and learning gains one 
merit.  I would like to know more about the following:

* History/origins of the custom.
* Mechanics -- Exactly how does the davening and learning gain one merit 
in Heaven?
* How does the merit gained transfer to the sick person in whose name one 
davens and learns?

************

Dear Marion Zeiger,
	The earliest source where praying for the sick is mentioned is when 
Abraham prays for Avimelech (Genesis 20:17).  Later in the Torah, Moses 
prays for the recovery of Miriam, his sister (Numbers 12:13).  There are 
numerous places in the Prophets as well.

	The Talmud discusses the obligation to visit the sick and to pray for 
them.  In fact the implication is that if one visits but does not pray for 
them, one has not fulfilled the mitzvah.  The obligation to pray for the 
sick is found in The Code of Jewish Law, which states that when praying, 
one should ask that this sick person be healed along with the other sick 
people of Israel.  The central prayer in Judaism, the shemoneh esreh, 
includes a blessing in which we pray for the sick.

	How does it work?  Some say that since the patient has inspired me 
(consciously or not) to perform a mitzvah, a commandment, and has caused 
the one who prays or studies Torah to draw closer to G-d, then the patient 
has direct merit as a result of the prayer.  Another way of understanding 
this is the one who prays is binding himself to the patient, showing 
concern and sharing the patient's pain.  The Divine calculation now must 
take into account not just the patient and his pain, but also all those who 
are praying for him.

Sources:

* Tractate Nedarim 40a
* Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 355


____Disc O' Davening____

Skidog@pol.net wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Do you know where I can buy audio tapes or CD's that teach one how to 
daven?

************

Dear Skidog,

	You can order them via our web site.  Check out Ohr Somayach's Audio 
Library - Category:  Tefillah at: http://www.ohr.org.il/tape/desc07.htm

	For more information, please e-mail to Somayach@msn.com or fax to 
905-886-6065.

===========================================================================

Yiddle Riddle

	During a certain period of the year, there is something we do three 
times a day, almost every day.  We do it twice with one part of the body 
and once with another part of the body (according to Askenazic custom).  
What is it?

* Riddle submitted by Rabbi Yonasan Taub

Answer next week...

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The Public Domain

Comments, quibbles, and reactions 
concerning previous "Ask-the-Rabbi" features

Re:  Ben Ish Chai Riddle (Ask #207):

	You asked a riddle regarding "a town on the Euphrates in the time of 
the Beit Hamikdash which always celebrated the first day of Pesach for one 
day, while the first day of Succos, however, was sometimes observed one day 
and sometimes two."  This is unfortunately untrue.  There was a gezerah 
Pesach atu Succos (decree on Pesach because of Succos) that existed, so 
that there was always total uniformity in the observance of Yom Tov.  If 
the messengers did not reach a place for Succos, that place had to keep two 
days of Pesach even if the messengers made it there in Nissan in time for 
Pesach.  This is also why Shavuos was observed for two days, even though 
there was never any doubt as to its date of observance, since it is 50 days 
after Pesach.

* Rabbi Yitzchok D. Frankel Cedarhurst, NY <Ydfrankel@aol.com>

Ohrnet responds:

	Excellent point, which we were aware of when we posted the riddle.  
Two possible avenues of explanations come to mind:

The Ben Ish Chai (who is the source for our riddle) asked the riddle merely 
lechaded et hatalmidim -- to sharpen his students' minds.  (See Berachot 
33b)

The scenario was true before the decree was promulgated.

**********

Re: Building a Succah on a Truck (Ask #208):

	I would add the following, regarding using a parked truck on Yom Tov 
-- one would of course have to make sure that no internal lights come on 
when one opens the door.

* David <das1002@cam.ac.uk>

**********

Re:  Tashlich (Ohrnet Rosh Hashana):

	Rabbi Orlofsky's idea behind the custom of throwing away sins and 
emptying out one's pockets at tashlich was a very well-expressed idea.  
However, the idea of throwing away sins is not brought down as the source 
of the custom.  The main reason given for tashlich is Avraham's defeat of 
the Satan, who tried to prevent Avraham from going to the akeidah (binding 
of Isaac) by making himself into a body of water.  A further idea is 
symbolizing the "anointing" of G-d as king, and the anointing ceremony 
usually took place at a body of water.  Only tangentially does the Mishna 
Berura bring down the idea of shaking out one's pockets at tashlich (and 
none of the other major sources bring this down at all).

* Benjie Gerstman <gerstbpg@netvision.net.il>


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