OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI 
Issue #272 March 25, 2000 
Parshat Tzav
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In this issue:
COPING WITH THE POPE
MORE SMOKING
PUBLIC DOMAIN
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COPING WITH THE POPE

From:  Karen in Miami, FL

  Dear Rabbi,
  With the Pope visiting Israel and all the fanfare, it brings to mind
  a question I've often pondered:  Why did Hashem allow Christianity
  to become such a major religion?

Dear Karen,
Jewish ideas such as "brotherhood of humanity," "love your neighbor," 
and "age of peace" are taken for granted today by much of mankind.  
But when Judaism first introduced these ideas to the world, they were 
revolutionary.

These Jewish concepts have been spread largely by Christianity (and by 
Islam).  Christianity came to a world in which people were 
slaughtering to Zeus, Apollo, and a host of other idols, and taught 
some basic ideas of Judaism, albeit in a distorted form.

The great 11th century scholar Maimonides writes:  "Even J of 
Nazareth, who thought he was mashiach (messiah), was the subject of a 
prophecy in the Book of Daniel:  "Also the renegades of your people 
will exalt themselves to fulfil the vision, but will stumble."  Is 
there a greater stumbling block than this?  For all the prophets spoke 
of the mashiach who will redeem and save Israel, who will ingather all 
its exiles, and who will strengthen them in the observance of the 
Torah's commands, while he caused Israel to be killed by the sword, 
their remnant to be dispersed and humiliated, the Torah to be swapped 
for something else, and most of the world to worship a god other than 
the G-d of Israel!

"All these activities," continues Maimonides, "are all for the purpose 
of paving the way for the true king mashiach, to prepare the whole 
world to worship G-d together, as it is written:  'For then I will 
convert the nations to a pure language, that they may all call in the 
name of G-d and serve Him together.' "

"By then," continues Maimonides, "the world will already be filled 
with the idea of mashiach, Torah, and commandments, even in far-flung 
islands and in closed-minded nations, where they engage in discussions 
on the Torah's commandmentsWhen the true king mashiach arrivesall 
people will immediately realize that they had been taught lies by 
their forefathers, and that their ancestors and prophets had misled 
them."

Sources:
* Maimonides: Hilchot Melachim 11,4 [Frankel Edition]
* Book of Daniel 11, 14

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

MORE SMOKING

From:  Name@Withheld in Boston University, Boston MA

  Dear Rabbi,
  I receive your "Ask the Rabbi" and I truly enjoy it.  Though I don't
  have that many questions, it is always interesting to see others'
  questions, and the answers.  I truly learn a lot from this weekly
  email.

  Recently, there was a question about smoking, and that many rabbis
  have taken the step to forbid it.  I think that this is good, but
  the part that I don't understand is where certain rabbis have said
  that one should not smoke, but if one finds it difficult to not
  smoke, one should at least not do so around others.  This makes no
  sense to me.  If one's rabbi has said something is forbidden, then
  it should not be done.  By saying that it is OK if you find it
  difficult to avoid makes no sense.  What if someone finds it
  difficult to avoid smoking on Shabbat.  It is then okay?

Dear Name@Withheld
There's a subtle difference between smoking during the week and 
smoking on Shabbat:  All rabbis unanimously rule that smoking on 
Shabbat is forbidden.  It's an explicit verse in the Torah, "Don't 
kindle fire on the day of Shabbat."  (Shemot 35:3).

A prohibition against smoking, however, is not as clear cut, and not 
all Rabbis subscribe to it, at least not yet.

Furthermore, the rabbis who signed the ban are aware of the current 
reality, which is that significant numbers might ignore such a ban, 
and will justify themselves in doing so (see "Public Domain - Re:  
Down in Smoke" below).

Since this bears on the health of others, the rabbis urged those who 
will ignore the ban at least to refrain from smoking around others. 

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

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

RE:  DOWN IN SMOKE:  (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask270.htm#Q1):

Regarding the recent rabbinic ban on smoking:  Why stop at a ban on 
smoking?  Why not have our rabbis put a ban on becoming fat?  Medicine 
has documented the health risks of increased weight (New England 
Journal of Medicine, Oct '99).

Air fresheners need a rabbinic ban (Arch Environ Health, Nov '97).  
How about a ban on living in coastal areas?  Hurricanes can kill.  
Should Jews leave Florida?  Earthquakes -- a ban on living in 
California!  Let's make salami, hot dogs, pastrami, and corned beef 
illegal, as nitrates cause cancer.  How about a ban on living in areas 
where radon is found?

Our rabbis know the limits of science and they choose not to make 
hasty proclamations.  They also know that the risks of smoking vary 
with the number of cigarettes smoked.  Shouldn't one be allowed to 
choose to smoke a little, just as one chooses to have an occasional 
salami sandwich?
                                Plony Almoni, MD
                                <plony@m-net.arbornet.org>

RE:  YOU IS A JEW (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask271.htm#Q1):

Regarding your advice to the instructor who asks whether using the 
word "Jew" is racist or impolite.  I disagree with the mentality that 
says that because it had a pejorative connotation over the centuries, 
maybe it shouldn't be used.  This is absurd and a ghetto mentality, a 
"lets not make trouble" idea.  I hope you were kidding.
                                Norman Abramowitz
                                <normlois@global2000.net>

I read "Ask the Rabbi" to learn about Judaism.  Your answers are 
witty, entertaining, and filled with insight.

I was a bit surprised at your answer to "You is a Jew."  I have heard 
ignorant people use "Jew" as an insult.  But that is all the more 
reason to use the word Jew in a factual and positive light.  Don't 
those wrong forces win when it is considered bad to call someone a 
Jew?
                               Steve Hoffman, Virginia
                               <pfinfo@policefoundation.org>

RE:  THROWING IN THE TALLIT (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask267.htm#Q2;
http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask269.htm#PD):

Thank you very much for this publication.  As a Jew away from home, 
you've been my unique link to Judaism.
Concerning your recent article about chuppahs (wedding canopies), I 
wanted to share with you the custom of the Sepharadic Jewish community 
in Turkey.  Here, we don't have chuppahs, we use a tallith (prayer 
shawl).  Parents standing beside the young couple hold the corners of 
the tallith.  I'm not fluent in Judeo-espanol but I don't think we 
have a word for chuppah here.  Instead we say, "to throw the tallith" 
(echar talled), a well-describing term for this action, since the 
newer generation is taller than their parents!
By the way, I once saw a photo taken in the mid 50's in Israel.  A 
young couple standing in the middle of four comrades-in-arms holding 
their rifles upright, and the chuppah is made of an Israeli flag!
                               Henri Ciprut, Istanbul Turkey
                               <henrithesoldier@vjmail.com>

[Is that what's called a shotgun wedding? :)]

RE:  MASK ASK (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask271.htm#Q2):

Regarding the reason for masks on Purim, I heard a wonderful answer:  
There is a special command to give charity on Purim.  If people go 
around in masks, the receiver won't know who he's receiving from, and 
won't feel embarassed.
                               Zvi from Kew Gardens, NY

Re:  Esther's Age (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask271.htm#Q3):

Regarding Esther's age of 80 mentioned in a recent "Ask the Rabbi," 
the Maharal of Prague (Ohr Chadash p. 115) brings proof that this 
refers to her wisdom and maturity, not her biological age.
                               Mordechai Cohen, Toronto, Ontario
                               <telesave@ionsys.com>

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