Ask The Rabbi 
2 January 1999
Issue #220
Parshat Vayechi
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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. All Tribes Created Equal	5. Pan Handling
2. Ohr-Dessa			6. Yiddle Riddle
3. Accounting for the Prophets 	7. Public Domain
4. Three Parts of Soul
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____All Tribes Created Equal____

Gabriella from Tampa, FL wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

For the first time in my life, I went to Synagogue on Friday night!  It was 
such an interesting experience.  I found the people there to be so open, 
honest and nice.  What I liked the most was the singing and the chanting of 
the man (I forget what you call him.)  Anyway, I met this really nice girl 
there who is the Rabbi's daughter.  Her name is Shira Chana and she showed 
me around and explained some things to me.  I must say I felt very much at 
home there.

I'm very interested in the 12 tribes.  Someone there told me that you 
can determine which tribe you are from by your last name.  My real mom's 
last name was Levin.  What tribe would I be from?  I would also like to 
know the ranks and orders of the tribes.  Like who was the best tribe and 
which tribe wasn't so good.

These past few weeks have been so interesting for me.  I have had an 
opportunity to really learn a lot about who I am and I'm really proud and 
happy to call myself a Jew.  Thank you so much for your friendship and your 
kindness.  I know one Hebrew word besides "shalom" which is "mitzvah," and 
that is what you do for me.  Shalom, Gabriella.

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

Dear Gabriella,

	It's wonderful to hear about someone returning to Judaism and to 
their heritage.  May G-d help you on your path.

	The tribes are:  Reuben, Shimon, Levi (from whom come kohanim or 
Priests), Judah (the Royal line, from whom King David and mashiach are 
descended), Issachar, Zevulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naftali, Gad, Asher and 
Efraim and Menashe.  There are actually 13 tribes, but since Efraim and 
Menashe are Joseph's sons, they are sometimes counted as one tribe, the 
tribe of Yosef.

	The name Levin commonly indicates that a person is from the tribe of 
Levi, but it's not conclusive proof.  Unfortunately, it's impossible in 
most cases to determine the tribe you are from just from your surname, as 
family names are a relatively recent addition to Jewish names and may be 
based on other factors.  Most Jews don't know what tribe they are from.

	Regarding which tribes are "better," we believe they all have unique 
qualities and are all of equal value in the eyes of G-d.  Here is what one 
of the great sages, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, says:  "The nation is to 
represent agriculture as well as commerce, militarism as well as culture 
and learning.  The Jewish people will be a nation of farmers, a nation of 
businessman, a nation of soldiers and a nation of science.  Thereby, as a 
model nation,  to establish the truth that the one great personal and 
national calling which G-d revealed in His Torah, is not dependent on any 
particular kind of calling or trait, but that the whole of mankind in all 
its shades of diversity can equally find its calling in the one common 
spiritual and moral mission and outlook in life."

	By the way, "the man singing" is called the chazan.

Sources:

* Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Commentary on Genesis 48:3-4


____Ohr-Dessa____

Name@Withheld from Atlanta, GA wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

As part of my son's bar mitzvah celebration, we want to make a donation to 
a Jewish charity that is concerned with children's welfare.  Can you make a 
suggestion?

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

Dear Name@Withheld,

	Ohr Somayach International runs a boys and girls orphanage in Odessa 
in the Ukraine, and a free Jewish day school there as well.  These 
organizations are totally dependent on private donations and they make good 
use of the money.  Tax-deductible donations can be sent to:

Ohr Somayach International
38 East 29th Street, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10016 USA


____Accounting for the Prophets____

Phil <BondmanP@aol.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Who were the seven female prophetesses (nevi'ot)?


Stanley Turtletaub <doctorkf@gte.net> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

Someone asked me if Rachel and Leah were prophetesses like Sara and Rivka.  
I answered yes.  For Leah, I responded that she foresaw that she was to 
marry Esav and cried and pleaded with Hashem until her lot was changed.  
But how do we see that RacheI was a prophetess?

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

Dear Stanley Turtletaub and Phil,

	The Talmud states:  "48 prophets and 7 prophetesses prophesied to the 
People of Israel."  The prophetesses are identified as Sara, Miriam, 
Devora, Chana, Avigail, Chulda and Esther.

	The Talmud goes on to explain that, although there were actually 
thousands of other prophets, these were the ones whose prophecy was written 
down to teach repentance and give direction to future generations.

	Both Rachel and Leah were prophetesses.  For example, Leah foretold 
that Reuven would lose his birthright to Yosef, and that Reuven would try 
to save Yosef's life.  Rachel knew prophetically that Yaakov would only 
have twelve sons; thus when she bore Yosef, Yaakov's 11th son, she prayed 
only for "another son" and not for "more sons."

Sources:

* Tractate Megillah 14a, Rashi ibid.
* Bereishet 29:32, 30:24
* Siftei Chachamim, Bereishet 29:32


____Three Parts of Soul____

Eliezer Shifrin from Capetown SA <shifrin@mweb.co.za> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

What is the difference between spirit, soul, and neshama, according to the 
kabbala, and how long does the spirit or soul linger after death?  Thank 
you for your help.

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

Dear Eliezer Shifrin,

	A soul is like a chain with one end linked into the brain and the 
other to a certain spiritual source.  There are five levels of the soul 
like the five links in a chain, each one parallel to the spiritual sphere 
where it exists.  However, we only relate to the three bottom links as we 
have no understanding about the two top ones.  The three are 1) Nefesh 2) 
Ruach 3) Neshama.  The nefesh is the spiritual existence which resides in 
the body and keeps the physical metabolism working and the person alive.  
The ruach is a connection between the neshama and the nefesh.  It is the 
cause of feelings and personal qualities.  The neshama is the spiritual 
existence which pulls the man towards G-d, to the performance of good 
deeds, to be pious and humble and to seek knowledge and achievement in 
spiritual fields.  It resides around the head.

	When a person dies, it takes seven days before the parts of the soul 
understand that it's all over and leave the body.  Until then they hover 
around the grave and travel to and fro between the grave and the house of 
the deceased, waiting for the body to start functioning again.  The nefesh 
does not completely leave until the body is decomposed.

____Pan Handling____

Bob Kaplan <bailymaker@hotmail.com> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,

We were told that in order to open a kosher bakery all of our pans would 
have to go to the mikveh.  Do the new disposable pans that can be used for 
baking and selling require that treatment also?  Thank you.

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

Dear Bob Kaplan,

	Although some stringent opinions say one should immerse them, in 
general we rely on the other opinions which hold there is no need to do so, 
and some of the best kashrut supervisions do not require this to be  done.  
What does your kashrut supervisory board say?  Good luck in all your 
endeavors.

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Yiddle Riddle

Last week we asked:  "The long, the short, the black, the white, the his, 
the hers, and the theirs.  What seven similar days -- i.e., days which are 
observed with similar types of observances -- in the Jewish calendar do 
these describe?

Answer:  The long -- 17 Tammuz (longest daytime fast);  the short -- 10 
Tevet (shortest fast);  the black -- 9 Av (day of mourning, when we sit in 
the dark);  the white -- Yom Kippur (we wear white kittle frocks and cover 
the Torah with white);  the his -- 3 Tishrei (Fast of Gedalia);  the hers -
- 13 Adar (Fast of Esther);  the theirs -- 14 Nissan (Fast of the 
Firstborn).

* Dons Hool, Kollel Ponevez, as heard from his mother

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


RE: Ohrnet:

	Since the day I started reading your publication, my family and I 
always, but always, have a nice chat about the Parashat Hashavua at our 
Shabbat table, and my kids wait days for the questions.  Yashar Koach.

* Tzvi Szajnbrum and Family <rina@inter.net.il>

**********

Re: The Luz Bone (Ask #215):


	In Parshas Vayeitzei, we read that Beis El (Jerusalem) was originally 
called Luz.  Just like we will be reconstituted from the luz bone, so too 
the world will be reconstituted from the city Luz at the time of mashiach 
(heard from Rabbi Moshe Schecter).  Also:  Death was brought into the world 
when Adam ate from the eitz hada'as.  This potential for death entered 
every part of his body except the luz bone, since it receives its 
sustenance only at melave malke (the post-Shabbat meal).  This is why it is 
indestructible (heard from Rabbi Shmuel Shmeltzer).

* Philip Rosen <feivel@mindspring.com>

**********

Re:  Top 10 Lists (Top Ten Jewish Books Not Yet Published) 
(www.ohr.org.il/judaism/humor/top10/books.htm): 

	Thank G-d it's OK to be Jewish and also laugh.

* Barbara <barbarag17@aol.com>

**********

Re:  Medical Circumcision (Ask #217):

	Regarding circumcision by a doctor versus a mohel:  Some mohels are 
doctors.  All mohels are trained carefully and use aseptic (sterile) 
technique and are highly experienced.  I am a doctor who gets the New 
England Journal of Medicine, one of the most prestigious medical journals.  
It recently had an article which should give anyone pause before subjecting 
a son to a standard "medical" circumcision.  The article states that the 
average time for a medical circumcision is in the range of one4 hour!  The 
point of the article was whether to inject local anesthetic first to spare 
the infant pain.  Of course, the anesthetic shot takes a few seconds and 
causes pain.  As anyone knows who has witnessed a bris, the mohel performs 
it in, at most, a few seconds.  In the typical cases I have seen, the baby 
doesn't even cry.  So, even if a Jew does not understand the need for the 
mitzvah of a kosher (valid) bris, which would a loving parent prefer for 
his baby -- an instant or an hour of pain? 

* Rochelle Pudlowski Eissenstat, M.D.<eissenstat@aol.com>


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