Ask The Rabbi 
28 November 1998 
Issue #215
Parshat Vayeitze
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This publication is available in HTML format at 
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Researched at Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem 
This Issue Contains: 
1. Lighten Up		4. Jacob's Right 
2. Make Me An Ofir 	5. Yiddle Riddle
3. Luz-ers Are Winners 	6. Public Domain
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____Lighten Up____

Leora from South Africa <613@netactive.co.za> wrote:

Dear Rabbi

I have 2 questions:  I have a non-observant guest who comes to me every 
Friday night and sleeps here.  She will switch off the light if it's on 
when she goes to sleep, and if the light is off when she comes into the 
room, she will switch it on.  Is it better for me to leave it on, knowing 
she will switch it off (one Shabbat violation), or is it better for me to 
leave it off knowing she will switch it on and off (thus doing two Shabbat 
violations)?  I know that even if I try explain to her not to do anything 
with the light, she won't listen.

My second question is, what is the purpose of writing "beit, samech, daled" 
at the top of the page?  And when is it necessary?  Thank you.

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

Dear Leora,

	If those were your only choices, then it would be better to leave the 
light on.  That way she will only do one prohibited act instead of two.

	But there are other options.  (Don't worry, I won't suggest removing 
the light bulb.  I assume you've thought of that and decided it wasn't an 
option!)  Get a "Shabbat clock" (a timer) which turns the lights on and off 
automatically.  Any hardware store has them.  Till then, how about lighting 
a candle in a safe place before Shabbat?  Candles are the original Shabbat 
clocks, shutting themselves off automatically!  Get the proper length 
candle, timed to extinguish approximately when she usually goes to sleep.

	Or, how about a small fluorescent desk lamp which she can cover with 
an upside down waste basket?  (Caution must be taken against fire, even 
with a fluorescent bulb.)

	Regarding your second question, "beit, samech, daled" stands for 
b'siyata d'Shmaya, Aramaic for "with G-d's help."  It's a custom to write 
it on top of the page as a prayer for success in what we are about to 
write, but it's not an absolute requirement.  I've never noticed anyone 
writing it when they write a check.  Before an exam, I used to make sure to 
write it right on top of the form.


____Make Me An Ofir____

Name@Withheld wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

I am asking this question for a friend at work.  His wife is expecting a 
baby boy and he asked me whether the name Ofir (Bereishet 10:29) is OK to 
use.  He and his wife are both Jewish, anti-religious and want a name from 
the Bible.  However, they do not want any names that sound too religious.  
For example he does not want the name Yeshayahu, etc.  Ofir is the name of 
one of Yoktan's sons.  They are asking for a rabbi's opinion because I told 
them sometimes people mistakenly choose names of wicked people or unclean 
animals.  (He did say that the name Nimrod sounds nice and is becoming 
popular in Israel.)  Ofir's lineage does not apparently lead to any 
righteous people mentioned in the Torah.  Someone said that it is not good 
to use a name that is not of a righteous person.  Can you shed light on 
what names should be used from the Tanach?

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

Dear Name@Withheld,

	According to the Chida in the name of our Sages, one should avoid 
using names of people from before the time of Avraham.  Ofir was before 
Avraham.  However, many people are named Noach, which is apparently an 
exception.

	Regarding names in general, the verse states "zecher tzadik livracha, 
v'shem reshaim yirkav."  The Talmud sees this verse as a support for our 
custom not to use names of wicked people.  Thus it's wrong to name a person 
Nimrod, especially since Nimrod tried to murder Avraham, the founder of the 
Jewish nation.  It would be like naming a child Haman or Adolf.

	How about Efraim?

Sources:

* Mishlei 1:7
* Tractate Yoma 38b


____Luz-ers Are Winners____

Dr. Aharon Altabe from Paris, France <aharon@club-internet.fr> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

The Sefer Ta'amei Haminhagim states in the name of Eliyahu Rabba and Zohar 
that there is a bone in the brain which never vanishes.  You can't burn it, 
break it or mill it.  I believe it b'emuna shelemah -- with utmost faith -- 
but I would like to know if someone could tell me more about it:  Did you 
see it or read about it or hear a Rav ... or a physician who could give the 
name of such a bone?  Thanks to you.

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

Dear Dr. Aharon Altabe,

	Yes, according to tradition there is a kind of bone or organ no 
bigger than a barley corn called the luz or neskvi; its shape is almost 
cubic and apparently it lies at the top of the spine, inside the skull 
underneath the brain.  It is described as having within it many intertwined 
spider-like blood vessels.

	It has curious properties:  It receives nourishment only from food 
eaten Saturday night at the melave malka meal.  And, yes, it is 
indestructible and doesn't decay in the grave.  The Midrash says that the 
Roman Hadrian once took a luz and tried to grind it, burn it, and dissolve 
it in water, to no avail.  When he hammered it against an anvil, the hammer 
and anvil broke!

	The future resurrection of the dead will be from this bone; that is, 
a person will be resurrected from his luz bone.

	The idea behind it is this:  The luz symbolizes the point where 
physical and spiritual meet.  Thus, it is nourished only from melave malka, 
the meal eaten between the spiritual Shabbat and the physical weekday.  
It's like the Western Wall:  Just as the Western Wall will never be 
destroyed, and from it the Third Temple will be built, so too the luz is 
never destroyed, and from it the person will be re-built during the future 
resurrection.

	Regarding the precise identity of the bone, I advise asking Dr. Eli 
Temstet from Paris.  I am sure he can be of help.

Sources

* Sefer Ta'amei Haminhagim 425
* Bereishet Rabba 25
* Mishna Berurah 300:2


____Jacob's Right____

Jeff <JRKatz@aol.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

In last week's Parsha summary (Toldot) you wrote:  "Esav rushes in, 
ravenous from a hard day's hunting, and sells his birthright (and its 
concomitant spiritual responsibilities) for a bowl of soup, clearly 
demonstrating his unworthiness for the position of the firstborn."  Why 
didn't Yaakov simply give his brother something to eat? Wouldn't that be 
the brotherly (not to mention humanly decent) thing to do?  I do, however, 
understand how selling the birthright for food demonstrated his 
unworthiness.

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

Dear Jeff,

	You're asking a good question.  Interestingly enough, there's no 
clear indication from the text that Yaakov withheld food from Esav.

	On the contrary, the verses indicate that Yaakov actually did give 
Esav the food immediately.  The verse says:  "He sold his birthright to 
Yaakov, and Yaakov had (already) given Esav bread and lentils..."  
According to the rules of Hebrew grammar, "had given" is past perfect:  
When Esav sold the birthright for money, Yaakov had already given him free 
food!

	But assuming that Yaakov withheld the food, why would he do that?  
The Talmud states:  "Said Rabbi Yochanan:  Five sins that wicked one (Esav) 
transgressed on that day -- adultery, murder, heresy, denial of the future 
resurrection and despising of the birthright."

	Yaakov knew who his brother was.  Esav was totally unworthy to serve 
G-d.  He would desecrate that service.  Esav was a fraud.  The very fact 
that Esav sold the birthright showed just how unworthy of it he was.  
Therefore, Yaakov saw this opportunity as an obligation to relieve Esav of 
the birthright.

Sources:

* Haktav V'hakaballa 25:31
* Tractate Bava Batra 15b

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Yiddle Riddle

	The Year 2000 will, G-d willing, be very special; so much so that we 
will not fast on Asara b'Tevet (the Tenth of Tevet) that year.  Why not?  
(Ohrnet's note:  The Tenth of Tevet commemorates the beginning stage of the 
destruction of the Temple.  It never occurs on Shabbat).   

Answer next week...

* Submitted by Zvi Freund <miltonf@villagenet.com>

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

Re: Non-Jewish Spouse (Torah Weekly, Parshas Vayera):

	A recent Torah Weekly article titled "Body and Soul" refers to 
"saving souls" and to the intermarriage rate in the US (it is probably 
similar in Canada).  My comment/question is, could we not consider this 
situation an opportunity as well?  That is, if we are judicious and caring 
in our efforts to bring these people back to Yiddishkeit (or for the non-
Jewish spouse, to convert them), could we not strengthen our People, both 
in numbers and vitality?  I recognize the difficulties associated with this 
course of action, and the need to attempt it with sensitivity and 
understanding.  I hardly advocate seeking converts for the purpose of 
increasing our numbers.  However, since we are presented with the 
situation, would it not be right to try and "win" two "strong" Jews as 
opposed to "losing" one "weak" one?

* Name@Withheld from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Ohrnet responds:

	Each situation is unique and halachic guidance must be sought in each 
individual case.

**********

Re: Moon Worship (Ask #212):

	Regarding kiddush levanah being mistaken for moon worship, it is 
interesting that the ArtScroll Siddur notes that many congregations recite 
aleinu following kiddush levanah to publicly refute this idea, since a 
basic statement in aleinu is "it is only to G-d that we pray."

* Stanley Nachamie, JLE Israel Summer `88 
* <STNBH@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>

**********

Re: Ask the Rabbi's Interactive Email:

	Thank you, Ask the Rabbi, for your kind and sensitive (and speedy) 
response to my questions.  What a wonderful service!  Truly Heaven sent!

* Maddi Yaacobi, Hollywood, Florida <zohary@icanect.net>

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