OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI
Issue #278 June 17, 2000 / 14 Sivan 5760
Parshat Naso / Beha'aloscha (in Israel)
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In this issue:
JEWS AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT
GRADUATED OBSERVANCE
WHO KNOWS 18?
PUBLIC DOMAIN
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JEWS AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT

From:  Michael Sultan, Alexandria, VA
<perchik@compuserve.com>

  Dear Rabbi,
  In the Book of Numbers (2:9) the total census for the tribes
  of Judah, Issachar and Zebulun is given as 186,400.  It is
  said that this group will "set forth first."  I'm sure that
  someone somewhere has pointed out that 186,400 is
  approximately the speed of light in miles per second.

  This almost makes too much sense.  The Torah speaks of us
  being a "light unto the nations."  In a way, it makes sense
  for the lead tribes to be likened to "light."  I'm not sure
  what my question to you would then be.  I suppose I should
  simply ask, "Well? What's up with this?"

Dear Michael Sultan,
It was certainly bright of you to notice this.  (It's no
wonder your parents called you "sun.")

Allow me to add to your brilliant comment:  The Torah says
that this group be positioned "mizracha," eastward.
Literally, mizracha means "in the direction of the rising
sun," from the root "zorayach" meaning "shine" and "give
light."

Your comment brings to mind a thought I once had:  Light from
the sun takes eight minutes to reach us.  When you look at the
sun, you're not really seeing it; rather, you see light that
left the sun eight minutes ago.  So when you look at the
setting sun, the actual sun has already sunk below the
horizon, and you continue to see its light for eight minutes.

Now, here's my thought:  The last eight verses of the Torah
describe Moshe's death.  Who wrote these verses?  The Talmud
gives two opinions:  Moshe wrote them, in tears, or Joshua
wrote them.  So (poetically speaking) just as the sun shines
for eight minutes after it sets, similarly, the "Five Books of
Moses" enlighten us for eight verses after Moshe dies.

The above all having been said, my feeling is that -- although
G-d is "multi-lingual" -- He "prefers" Hebrew, both in
language as well as regarding weights and measures.  If He
wanted to "jockey" history to make the number of this group
reflect (no pun intended) the speed of light, He would have
done so in terms of "amot per rega," or something like that.

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

GRADUATED OBSERVANCE

From:  Mike Epstein in Greenville, SC
<mepstein@carol.net>

  Dear Rabbi,

  I belong to a Conservative shul, the most traditional shul
  within a hundred miles.  I have kept kosher for the past
  year and try to observe the mitzvot.  I drive to shul on
  Shabbos and holidays but do not work.  This is my question.
  I am supposed to work this coming Saturday (the last day of
  school for teachers) and then attend graduation.  I have
  explained to the school why I can't work and this is no
  problem.  I am wondering if I can justify going to
  graduation?  If I were fully observant, I know that the
  answer would be "no" because I would have to drive.  But
  since I drive to shul anyway, would attending the graduation
  be wrong in itself?  Thank you for any advice you can give.

Dear Mike Epstein,
First, I'd like to tell you that I admire your efforts to
observe the mitzvot in Greenville, and I think you should be
applauded and encouraged.  I bet it's not always easy to keep
up your level of observance.

Your question is an interesting one.  The truth is that the
actual ceremony might not involve any Shabbat violation, but
sitting through such a ceremony isn't really in the Shabbat
spirit.

And, as you know, Jewish law forbids driving to synagogue, or
anywhere else, on Shabbat.  Going to synagogue is certainly a
good thing, but not at the expense of one of the Ten
Commandments!

Each time you refrain from driving on Shabbat is a meritorious
act in itself.  The fact that you do sometimes drive to shul
doesn't take away from the the merit of the other times when
you don't drive.

Also, it seems to me that you've gone to lengths to explain to
your teachers and colleagues why you don't work on Shabbat.
Now, even if technically the graduation won't be problematic,
you might get some very dubious looks from your fellow
teachers.  They might not understand whatever subtle
differences there may be here, and they may view you as a
hypocrite.

A story:  Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetsky and a friend were walking
one Shabbat morning when a car pulled up to ask for
directions.  "Good Shabbos," said the driver, thus identifying
himself as Jewish.  "Good Shabbos to you," they answered.  The
driver then asked for help finding his destination, to which
Rabbi Kaminetsky gave very clear and detailed directions.  The
driver said thank you and drove off.

Rabbi Kaminetsky's friend was a bit surprised:  "Surely we
must help others whenever we can," he said.  "But are we
allowed to help a fellow Jew to violate Shabbat?"

"On the contrary, I helped him avoid violating Shabbat.  If he
gets lost, he will drive around looking for his destination,
thus violating Shabbat much more.  By giving clear directions,
not only did I help him get straight to his destination, but I
helped him do so with less Shabbat desecration."

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

WHO KNOWS 18?

In the song at the end of the Pesach Seder we describe the
significance of the numbers from one to 13 as they relate to
Jewish life and thought:  "Three are the fathers, Four are the
Mothers...12 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 18?"

Write to <info@ohr.org.il>

During the Passover Seder we spill 16 drops of wine.  This
corresponds to the 16 sided sword of HKB"H (see Yalkut
Shimoni, Tehillim 31:717), which corresponds to the 16 aliyot
(Torah sections read) during the week.  Shemot 15:3 begins
with a yud and ends with a vav (yud and vav equalling 16) and
describes Hashem as a warrior.  This quoted by Eliezer ben
Moshe HaDarshan as an allusion to the sword.
                               Lucy and Eliezer Langer
                               <e_langer@netvision.net.il>

Sixteen is the number of animals the kohen gadol sacrifices on
Yom Kippur.
                               Yossi Klein
                               <jklein@newsalert.com>

In Emes Veyatziv (the prayer after Shema) including the word
"emes," there are 16 adjectives describing "Ha'davar Ha'zeh --
This Thing."  This "Thing" refers to the 16 verses of the
first two paragraphs of the Shema (including "Baruch Shem").
                               Jacob Floran
                               <jflorans@trebnet.com>


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

Re:  HUMOR, IN A SENSE:

Your TOP 10 LISTS!!!
http://www.ohr.org.il/judaism/humor/top10/topten.htm

Anybody who thinks we Jews have no sense of humor needs to
read these little gems!!!
                               Linda L. Tilley
                               <llt316@wcsonline.net>

Re:  MECHITZA AT KOTEL BEFORE 1967:
(http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask275.htm#Q2)

I enjoyed your response to the reader who asked about the
mechitzah-partion separating men and women worshippers at the
Kotel (Western Wall).  Isn't it true, though, that prior to
the '67 war there was no mechitzah at the Kotel and therefore
not at all prior to that year?  I remember seeing photos after
the war of the soldiers at the Kotel just as it had been
reclaimed; they were kissing the Wall and there definitely was
not a division.  Please respond.
                               Mrs. Sandy Wasserman
                               <SFWwiz@aol.com>

Dear Mrs. Sandy Wasserman,
For approximately the last 1900 years, up until 1967, the
Kotel was not under Jewish rule.  So I don't think we can make
any inferences regarding Jewish practice based on that period.

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