OHR SOMAYACH'S ASK THE RABBI
Issue #279 June 24, 2000 / 21 Sivan 5760
Parshat Beha'aloscha / Sh'lach (in Israel)
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In this issue:
ADDICTION TO MITZVOT
WHO KNOWS 19?
PUBLIC DOMAIN
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ADDICTION TO MITZVOT

From:  Ethan Greenwood in London UK
<Ethan.greenwood@mindshareworld.com>

  Dear Rabbi,
  Since Judaism opposes addiction because it implies a loss of self
  control, is it therefore also forbidden to be addicted to the
  observance of mitzvot?

Dear Ethan Greenwood,
Just a minute...I can't answer your question yet...I've got this
uncontrollable desire to...to...stick this dollar into that charity
box...There!  I feel much better now!

Now, what was your question again?  Oh yes, does Judaism oppose
"addiction" to mitzvot (commandments)?

Judaism encourages behavior which enhances physical and spiritual
well-being, and opposes behavior detrimental to physical and spiritual
well-being.

If a person accustoms himself to proper behavior, and as a result he
is uncomfortable doing what he feels is wrong, that's healthy.  Call
it an addiction if you want.

On the other hand, if a person falls into a depression because his
observance is not up to par, or if his observance expresses itself in
counter-productive or destructive behavior patterns -- such as
obsessive compulsive behavior -- that's not healthy.  Call it a
negative addiction.

But that's true of almost any activity or lifestyle:  Almost anything
can be expressed in either a healthy or an unhealthy way.  Take
eating, for example:  When was the last time you went a day without
eating a bunch of food?  So, you're a food addict, are you?  But you
decide whether to stuff your face with chocolate cake ten times a day,
or to eat three nutritious meals, or a compromise between the two.
Either way, you must eat.

So, you might be right:  We Jews are mitzvah addicts.  We must do the
mitzvot!  Done properly, the mitzvot enhance our lives and nourish our
souls.

In fact, the Sages have taught us over and over again that unless you
approach Judaism with a passion and an intense desire -- unless you
are "addicted" to Judaism -- you'll never scale its heights and grow!


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WHO KNOWS 19?

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 19?"

Write to <info@ohr.org.il>

Here are some reader responses regarding previous numbers:

17 is the Gematria of "egoz" (nut) and "chet" (sin) without the
"aleph."  Which is one reason given for not eating nuts during the 10
Days of Repentance.  Which shows to go you that you have to be nuts to
sin!
                              Zvi Freund, Kew Gardens
                              <zvifreund@juno.com>

18 is the number of life.
                              Shoshana, student of Nicola M. Bookey
                              <smilecentre@lineone.net>

17 is the gematria-value of "tov" -- "good."
                              Zevi Saftlas
                              <zevi@mail.com>

Yosef was 17 years old when he was sold by his brothers.
                              Fayge Guzik <guzscene@juno.com> and
                              "Miller The Genius" <DalliLamma@aol.com>

I know 17.  17 is the number of camps in the desert.  Each of the 12
tribes formed a camp, plus the four camps of levi'im, plus the
Shechina (Divine presence) resting amongst the Jews.
                              Chezkie Mark
                              <mark@ateret.org>

16 mil by 16 mil (or 16 square parsah) is the amount of milk and honey
that Reish Lakish found flowing in Tzippori  (Megilla 6a).  17 is the
length of time Jacob spent in Egypt in his last years.
                              Philip Silverman
                              <PHILIP@telemate.net>

I know 17!  17 words at the beginning of Sefer Bamidbar.
                              Y. Fox
                              <fox@moreshet.co.il>

On the 17th of Cheshvan the flood began in the time of Noach.  The
Jewish People counted 17 yovlot (Jubilee years) from Joshua until the
first destruction.
                              Raffi
                              <RaffiAs@shaam.gov.il>

17 is the date in Tamuz on which five calamities befell the Jewish
people:  The Tablets were broken, the daily burnt-offering was
abolished, a breach was made in Jerusalem's walls, the Roman's burned
the Sefer Torah and an idol was placed in the Temple.
                              Avraham
                              <gareth.silverstone@spcorp.com>

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

Re: BAGELS (http://www.ohr.org.il/ask/ask274#Q3):

You've got to agree that there is definitely something really Jewish
about the bagel.  Even though the bagel is great, well-baked, great
tasting, there is also the hole.  The sign that something is missing.
There is room for improvement.  So that is the Jewish way of thinking,
that although we are the Chosen People, there is still much room for
improvement.
                              Izzy Moseson
                              <mmsec@juno.com>

OUR GENERATION:

You recently published a story in which the Arizal emphasized the
greatness of mitzvah observance in his day.  At the Agudath Israel
Convention, November 1976, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein echoed the powerful
words of the Arizal:

"Viewed in the context of trends and temptations of contemporary
society, the handful of Jews who devote their efforts to Torah study
and mitzvah observance have such great worth that they can
overwhelmingly weight an evaluation of the entire generation's
standing to merit.  As for the majority that is sunk in evil -- this
has little bearing on G-d's judgement, for the transgressors only act
out of conformity with prevalent trends, not out of willful rebellion.
By this standard, our current generation is far, far closer to the
ideal of 'the generation that is completely worthy,' which is a
requisite for mashiach's coming, than were previous generations that
had so many tzaddikim in their midst." (The Jewish Observer, Feb-Mar
1977, p. 17-18)
                              Benyamin Buxbaum 
                              <bbuxbaum@aish.com>

WE LIGHT YOUR WEEK:
It's always a light in my week to read your mail!
                              Ronen
                              <RVerbit@aol.com>

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