OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI
Issue #275 May 27, 2000
Parshat Bechukotai
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In this issue:
NASDAQ AND THE ZODIAC
THE WALL AT THE WALL
MOTHER SUPERIOR
TATTOO AND JEWISH BURIAL
WHO KNOWS 16?
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Join  "A Journey through Poland" tour for Jewish couples, led by
Rabbi Zev Leff,  July 19-25, 2000.
www.nesivospolandtours.org/journey.htm  or nesivos@sefer.org
=====================================

NASDAQ AND THE ZODIAC

From:  Saul Behr in Johannesburg, SA
<saulb@unihold.co.za>

  Dear Rabbi,
  Somebody recently came up to me, and gave me unsolicited information
  about astrology.  From a reliable source, with a good history of
  accuracy, he gave me some tips on the stock market.  Am I allowed to
  act on that information?

Dear Saul,
There's no problem with acting on this unsolicited advice.  However, 
one should not actively seek out such advice.  Rather, a Jew should go 
about life trusting that G-d will "be there" for him, and not feel the 
need to know the future.

Note that ultimately, astrology has no bearing on the life of a Jew 
because "ain mazel b'yisrael -- the people of Israel transcend 
astrological influences."

Sources:
* Yoreh Deah 179:1

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THE WALL AT THE WALL

From:  Bruce Hammer in Manti, Utah
<bhammer@tlcmanti.org>

  Dear Rabbi,
  I noticed the divider at the Western Wall camera (www.kotelkam.com).
  What is the purpose of this division?  Why is the wall divided into
  two sections?  Thanks.

Dear Bruce Hammer,
It's there as a division between the men and the women during prayer.  
It's basically to help us focus on prayer, and not on other things.
The law requiring a separation, a "mechitzah," is mentioned in the 
Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Succah 51b, 52a.  There are a number of 
reasons given for this:

* So as not to cause those who are unmarried to feel left out.

* We come to synagogue to relate to G-d as Jews, not as spouses,
  husbands, wives, fathers or mothers.  With a mechitzah, spouses do
  not sit together.  That way, we are more of a congregation than
  groups of individuals.

* To prevent there being an atmosphere of  socializing, and
  conversation during prayer.

* The atmosphere during prayer should be serious.  One way to help
  achieve the proper atmosphere is by creating a division between men
  and women.

* To promote modesty, and to prevent the distraction from prayer to
  both men and women from the presence of members of the opposite
  gender, to whom there is a natural attraction.

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

MOTHER SUPERIOR

From: Richard Pedowitz in Seattle, WA
<Richard.Pedowitz@ci.seattle.wa.us>

  Dear Rabbi,
  I was approached by a woman with the following story:

  "At age 52 I learned that my maternal grandmother was an orphan and
  was Jewish.  As a baby she was placed in a Catholic household and
  reared as a Catholic.  She reared my mother as a Catholic and my
  mother reared me as a Catholic. 

  The story generated the following questions:  "What is my status
  according to Jewish law?  What is the status of my children
  according to Jewish law?"  She is genuinely curious.  I look forward
  to your response.  Thank you very much.

Dear Richard Pedowitz,
She is Jewish.  If the facts are true as she has stated them, then she 
is 100 percent Jewish, and so are her children.  This is so because a 
person's Jewishness is determined by the mother.

Sources:
* Tractate Kiddushin 66b & 68b
* Code of Jewish Law, Even Haezer 8:5

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

TATTOO AND JEWISH BURIAL

From:  Claudette Maxim
<claudett@willapabay.org>

  Dear Rabbi,
  I came across an article that stated that a Jewish person may not be
  buried in consecrated grounds if he or she has a decorative tattoo.
  Is this true?

Dear Claudette Maxim,
No, it's not true.  This seems to be a widespread misconception, and 
many people have asked us this question.
The Torah explicitly forbids a Jew from getting a tattoo:  The verse 
says "Don't put hypodermic writing in your flesh, I am G-d."
(Leviticus 19)

So, we see that getting a "decorative" tattoo is considered a sin for 
a Jew.  But it doesn't disqualify him from being buried in a Jewish 
cemetery.

Rabbi Chanoch Teller relates the story of a young man from a non-
religious upbringing who returned to traditional observance of 
Judaism.  Remaining from his former lifestyle was a tattoo which he 
carefully kept hidden under his shirtsleeves.

Before Yom Kippur, this young man went to the mikveh, the ritual bath, 
as is the custom.  Try as he might, he couldn't hide his tattoo from 
the others at the mikveh.  His embarrassment was noticeable.  Then, an 
elderly Jew approached him:  "Don't be embarrassed," said the old man 
as he held up his arm to show the numbers tattooed there by Nazis.  "I 
also have a tattoo."

Sources: 
* Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 180:1

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

WHO KNOWS 16?

In the song at the end of the Pesach Seder we describe the
significance of the numbers from one to thirteen as they
relate to Jewish life and thought.  "Three are the fathers,
Four are the Mothers12 are the Tribes of Israel"  What about
the next 13 numbers?  And after those?  What significance do
they have in Jewish tradition?

This week we challenge you to answer:

"Who knows 16?"

Write to <info@ohr.org.il>

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

THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
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A BANANA FOR YOUR MONKEY

"Apparently orangutans share 99% of our genes--therefore they should 
have 99% of human rights."  This was reported on the BBC in October.

A scientist dismissed the idea because "bananas share 50% of our 
genes, so should we also give them 50% of human rights?"

                                 Ian Warrents
                                 <ian.warrents@ic24.net>

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