OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI 
Issue #268, February 19, 2000 
Parshat Tetzaveh
=====================================
In this issue:
Honest-E
O What a Good Jew Am I
YIDDLE RIDDLE
PUBLIC DOMAIN
=====================================

### HONEST-E ###

From:  A NY Person <Name@Withheld>

Dear Rabbi,
Certain free e-mail services ask you for your address, and if you don't 
type it the computer makes you go back to the form.  Am I allowed to type 
"Withheld" so the computer thinks I typed something and lets me have the 
service?  Would this be different if the "user agreement" says that the 
user agrees to provide complete and accurate information?  If I did it 
already what should I do?  Thank you very much.

   ***

Dear NY person,

If the computer won't accept your application unless you provide an 
address, it seems they want their service to be conditional on this.  On 
the other hand, perhaps they just want to make sure you haven't forgotten 
to fill in your address, in which case writing "withheld" is okay, as it 
shows that you have not forgotten it, but rather that you aren't willing to 
provide it.

The simple solution is to contact them and ask them what their policy is.

If providing a "complete and accurate" address is required and writing 
"withheld" simply "fools" the system into thinking that you've provided an 
address, it's similar to providing a false address and is forbidden.  If 
this is the case and you have done this already, you need to either provide 
them with the right address, stop using their service, or contact them and 
see if they will make an exception for you.

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

### O WHAT A GOOD JEW AM I ###

From:  D. in Chevy Chase, MD <email@withheld>

Dear Rabbi,
Am I am a bad Jew if I eat bacon, don't go to temple very often, actually 
only on the major holidays?  I do celebrate Passover, and do try to keep 
it.  Religion just isn't a very big part of my American Jewish life.  Let 
me know, thanks!!

   ***

Dear D.,

I don't know.
 
I happened to go to a lecture on parenting last night given by Rabbi Noach 
Orlowek.  An insight he gave relates to your question:

He spoke about teenagers.  Teenage starts at 13 and ends at 20.  The 
significance of these ages is that 13 is when a boy (or a girl at 12) 
becomes liable in the Earthly court for transgressing mitzvot 
(commandments), and 20 is when he becomes liable in the Heavenly court.  
Why is the Heavenly court more lenient (i.e., judges at a later date)?  
Because the Heavenly court judges a person as a whole, and until 20 the 
person has not yet finished developing his personality.  Here on earth, on 
the other hand, we can't judge people, we can only judge actions.  As a 
teenager grows we can judge his actions, but not the person.

So, the question of whether you are "good" or "bad" is for G-d to decide.  
We can only speak about what you do, not who you are.

I heard a story from Rabbi Nachman Bulman, who heard it from a firsthand 
source.  In Poland in the early 20th century, a few Jewish students were 
allowed to attend the Polish medical schools.  The only catch was that they 
had to supply their own Jewish cadavers to study on.  After all, it would 
not  befit a Polish cadaver to help a Jewish student.  So, the students 
approached the foremost Halachic authority of the time, Rabbi Chaim Ozer 
Grodzensky.  They proposed, that in order to keep the Jewish presence in 
the medical schools, that they be allowed to use the bodies of deceased 
Jews of ill repute and other like types, people who had been lured away 
from Judaism into Poland's criminal street element.  The Rabbi, after 
recovering from the shock of the suggestion, responded, "For me to allow 
that I would have to know what G-d thinks about those people.  And that I 
can never know."

Your actions leave room for improvement.  So go ahead.  Start to improve!

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

YIDDLE RIDDLE

I recently learned an interesting halacha from Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum of 
Cleveland's Jewish Learning Connection.  He suggested it might make a good 
"Yiddle Riddle."  In what scenario is the following true:  If you omit an 
addition to the shemona esrei (silent amida prayer) for a specific occasion 
- an addition which is indeed valid for that occasion - you have fulfilled 
your obligation.  But if, instead, you insert that addition (which, as 
mentioned, is indeed valid for that occasion), you have invalidated your 
shemona esrei?

* Neil Parks, Beachwood, Ohio <nparks@torah.org>

Answer Next Week.

HEY!  SEND YOUR RIDDLES TO INFO@OHR.ORG.IL

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

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

Re: Jews During the US Revolution (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask266.htm#Q2):

Being from one of the only two cities in the US that has a statue of Haym 
Salomon on display (one of them being the Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles), 
I am quite familiar with his story.  Irrespective of the commemorative 
given by the Federal Government, neither Haym Salomon nor his family every 
received repayment of the money given to the Federal Government.  He did 
die poor.

* Nelson S. Magedman, Past Commander, Dept. of California Jewish War 
  Veterans of the USA <nelsonsamuel@earthlink.net>

   ***

Re: Intermarriage (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask265#Q1):

I've been enjoying Ohr Somayach's "Ask the Rabbi" for years now and, even 
though I am not Jewish, have been refreshed by your sense of humor, your 
logic, and your common sense.  I always enjoy your informative and 
intelligent responses.  I particularly enjoyed your response to the 
gentleman who desired the presence of a Rabbi at his daughter's marriage to 
a non-Jew with a Catholic Priest in attendance.  Thank you for these vastly 
important pearls of wisdom, and for your fine e-mails that give "cause for 
pause."

* Tom Gorham, Chicago, IL <gorham@famvid.com>

   ***

As Ye Sow:

As a volunteer for the SEED program this summer in the Memphis, TN 
community, I recently started adding your Parsha Q&A to our weekly Torah 
mailing.  I thank you for helping me help others.

* A. W., CyberVort, Memphis <ariwol@aol.com>

Ohr Somayach replies:

We're glad to help you plant seeds.  Others who'd like our weekly Parsha 
quiz, go to http://www.ohr.org.il/web/index/qa5760.htm or email 
<info@ohr.org.il>

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