OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI 
Issue #260, December 25, 1999 
Parshat Vayechi
=====================================
In this issue:
WORDS FROM THE HEART
GOING UP?
YIDDLE RIDDLE
PUBLIC DOMAIN
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WORDS FROM THE HEART

Carol Conaway wrote via the Internet:

Dear Rabbi,
While on a plane from Boston to Philadelphia two weeks ago, I 
happened to look at the cover of the book the man seated next to 
me was reading.  On the back cover of the book, the following 
quotation appeared:  "Words written from the heart, enter the 
heart."  As a scholar and professor, I was very moved by the 
quotation and wrote it down for my own keeping.  The quote was 
attributed to "The Sages."

I would like to ask:  Where do these words appear in the vast 
writings of The Sages?  I would be very grateful if you could find 
the time to provide me with an exact reference so that I might 
consult the entire text and see in what context the statement was 
made.

Dear Dr. Carol B. Conaway, 

	"Words which emanate from the heart, enter the heart" is 
sometimes quoted in the name of "the Sages," meaning that it is 
from the Mishnah, Talmud or Midrash.  But the truth is that the 
source for this phrase is a bit of a mystery!  Although it has indeed 
become an accepted Jewish teaching, it does not seem to appear in 
any of the above mentioned sources!

	I've seen it advanced that "Words which emanate from 
the heart, enter the heart" is a paraphrase of the statement in the 
Talmud that "Anyone who has fear of Heaven, his words will be 
heard and accepted."  I personally don't see this as being the 
correct source, as it doesn't speak about the sincerity of the words 
which "emanate from the heart."

	I would like to propose that the phrase is an application of 
the principle taught by King Solomon in Proverbs:  "As water 
[reflecting] the face is to the face, so a man's heart is to [his 
fellow] man."  Meaning that the human heart intuits the emotions 
of others, and thus if one speaks with an open heart, the heart of 
the listener will be open as well.

	In the late 1800's Poland issued a ban against shechita 
(ritual slaughter of animals).  It is told that Rabbi Yisrael Meyer 
Kagan, the Chafetz Chaim, came before the Polish officials to 
plead for the rescinding of this decree which would cause 
tremendous hardship for Poland's Jews.  The Chafetz Chaim 
pleaded passionately, in Yiddish.  When he'd finished and the 
translator began translating into Polish, the official said, "Stop.  
You don't need to translate."  He was so moved by the Chafetz 
Chaim's words, even though he hadn't understood them, that he 
agreed to do all he could to help rescind the decree. 

Sources:
*	Tractate Berachot 6b
*	Proverbs 27:19, see Metzudot David

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

GOING UP?

Suzanne from Arizona <JSNAriz@webtv.net> wrote:

Dear Rabbi,
Can you tell me what it means to "make aliyah"?

Dear Suzanne,

	"Making aliyah" means "going to the Land of Israel."  In 
the Talmud and the Bible, travel to the Land of Israel is always 
referred to as "going up" since it is a holier place.  In today's 
speech, "making aliyah" has come to mean actually moving to the 
Land and becoming a citizen here.

	Hence in Modern Hebrew "going down" refers to 
someone who leaves Israel to live elsewhere.  

	The story is told of an Israeli in difficult financial straits 
who thinks he might do better in the US.  When he announces his 
plans to go to Los Angeles, all his friends ask, "Are you 'going 
down?'"  "No! No!" he replies, "I'm just going there to make 
some money.  Then I'll come back to Israel."

	In LA he gets a job as an elevator operator.  The first day 
on the job, he rides the elevator up to the tenth floor, opens the 
door, and a bunch of people cram in.  "Going down?" he asks.  
"No! No!" they reply, "We're just here to make some money.  
Then we'll go back to Israel."

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

YIDDLE RIDDLE

Last week we asked:   With everyone focused on the "Year 2000" 
computer bug, not much attention is being given to the "Year 
2100" Prayer Book bug.  The year 2100 marks a change which 
will make almost every current English siddur (Jewish Prayer 
Book) outdated, and require that they be changed.  What is the 
"Year 2100" Prayer Book bug?

Answer: In the silent amidah prayer, the words "give dew and rain 
for a blessing" are added during the winter.  The people outside 
Israel begin saying these words on December 4th, and once every 
four years they begin a day later, on December 5th.  These dates 
are based on the Talmudic calculation of "winter" as beginning a 
specified period of time after the fall equinox, and are corrected 
every four years by adding a day -- just as the civil calendar adds 
an extra day every four years.  (This correction is necessary due to 
the length of the solar year being approximately 365  days.  After 
4 years, the extra  of a day adds up to a full day).

	However, the civil calendar "skips" one leap year at the 
turn of every century (Y2K happens to be one of the exceptions to 
this).  So, in the year 2100, the civil calendar will "skip" a leap 
year, but the Jewish calculation of the onset of winter will not 
change.  Hence, the current prayer books which say to add "give 
dew and rain for a blessing" starting the 4th (or 5th) of December 
would in that year need to be changed to say the 5th (or 6th) of 
December.

	The above is theoretical, as it could be affected by various 
factors, such as the reinstitution of the Sanhedrin (Supreme Torah 
Court).  Anyone who has any doubts regarding actual practice 
should email us 100 years from now.

*	See "Festivals in Halacha," Rabbi S.Y. Zevin, Vol. II 
"Hashe'elah" p.42

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

Re:  Czechs in the Mail:

	Greetings from the Czech Republic.  I read every week 
Ohr Somayach's Ask the Rabbi issue and always share it with my 
friends.  It helps me a lot in studies, answers my questions clearly.  
Thank you very much!

               Marketa Rubesova, Czech Republic <marketa@mnet.cz>

Re: Talking Turkey 
(http://www.ohrnet.org/ask/ask255.htm#Q2):

	Regarding the reader's comment:  "How can Jews 
celebrate a non-Jewish holiday (Thanksgiving)."  Thanksgiving is 
an American holiday.  Its purpose is to thank whomever every 
American chooses to thank for having a country such as America.  
A country where Jews can live free from daily fear of persecution.  
A country where the constitution protects us with freedom of 
speech, press and religion.  The safest country, except for Israel, 
for Jews to reside in.  It is not perfect here but it is better than most 
other countries on the globe.  To anyone who does not believe in 
thanking Hashem for this country my response is:  "Leave.  Go 
live in any country in Europe your forebears came from and see 
how difficult it can be without the security of America."

	I take Thanksgiving very seriously.  Without this country 
most of us would not be alive today.

      Elana Heitlinger, Ridgefield Park, NJ <elana@webcombo.net>

	Regarding the Jews eating Turkey on Thanksgiving:  
Many of Columbus' crew were Jewish "Marranos."  Among them 
was his translator, who was conversant in a number of languages.  
When Columbus landed in North America, many on the crew 
actually thought he had successfully reached India.  Among the 
items discovered was a turkey, indigenous to North America but 
unknown in Europe.  The translator assumed that the turkey was a 
native chicken of India and hence referred to it as "tarnagol 
Hodu," the "chicken of India."  The name stuck.

                                                    Jerry Kowalsk <Ihkow@aol.com>

Re:  Midnight Rabbi:

	I'm so glad to be on your mailing list.  And that I can 
really ask the Rabbi.  It's nice to be able to ask questions even if 
it's two o'clock in the morning.  What again is the email address 
for "Ask the Rabbi," so I can put it in my address book?  Again 
thanks for being here.  Sincerely,

                               Deborah I. Klorman <Debschka@aol.com>

Dear Deborah,

	Thanks for your nice message!  Ohr Somayach's "Ask the 
Rabbi" address is info@ohr.org.il
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