Jewish Ways

Writing 'with God's help' on letters

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:20:08 +0100

From personal letters to business cards to emails, one comes across the Hebrew letters bet-heh or bet- samech-daled in the upper-right corner. They stand for “with God’s help” in Hebrew and Aramaic, respectively b’ezrat Hashem, or biseyata d’Shmaya.

Beginning any correspondence with a reminder that all we do is possible only with God’s help is certainly a good thing. But there is no mitzvah commanding us to write either b’h or bs’d. A quick survey of various rabbis’ letters reveals that while some did write it, others did not.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wondered why anyone would want to mention God at the beginning of a letter about mundane matters or even gossip. Some medieval sages began letters with an abbreviation of the declaration, “With the name of God we will do and succeed”. Writing this or other worthy initials at the top of the page is fine if it’s sincerely meant, but not as an empty piety.

Writing a sefer Torah

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Sun, 12 May 2013 11:58:14 +0100

The last thing that Moses commands the people is to write down the Torah (Deuteronomy 31:9). This commandment is not only for the élite but for everyone.

What’s the point of this mitzvah? Is it to spread Torah learning or to reconnect with the Sinai experience?
Rabbeinu Asher (1250 -1327) believed that increasing knowledge was the goal and therefore writing and/or buying other Jewish books counted toward fulfilment of the mitzvah.

The Rambam, however, linked, writing a sefer Torah to reliving its original giving. That means, that today when we can easily buy printed books, there is still meaning in writing a Torah yourself.

A scribe may write a Torah on your behalf. However, it is expensive. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein rules that one may not spend more than 10 per cent of his income on such a project. It may not come at the expense of giving tzedakah.

Even though this mitzvah is beyond the means of most, the principle is inspiring.

Israel's Bible competition

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:56:40 +0100

David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister, understood that the thriving existence of the Jewish nation must be rooted on a love of the Bible and its values and goals as a people based on its 24 books. Accordingly, he instituted the International Bible Contest and made it a centrepiece of Israel’s Independence Day celebrations.

This year’s competition was particularly tense and for the first time ever, two winners were declared: 15-year-old Yishai Eisenberg of New Jersey and 16-year-old Elior Babiyan of Beit Shemesh. They displayed a dizzying level of knowledge; for example they were given the first part of the verse: “The king establishes the land by justice” and were instantly able to give the continuation, “but he who receives bribes overthrows it.”

As the Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron said, such “wonderful mastery... raises the expectation that these verses and chapters will turn into your road map.” And hopefully a guide and road map for the whole country.

What not to talk about on Shabbat

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:35:49 +0100

It is not enough to leave the computer and other accessories of weekday life untouched on Shabbat. “It is forbidden . . . even to talk about them; for instance, to discuss with his partner what to sell on the morrow” (Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 24:1).

That can be a tall order when so much of our everday conversation is about money, work and buying stuff. Talk about schools, for example, leads to a discussion on tuition fees etc. Sharing highlights of a recent holiday moves easily into the details of how much it cost.

However, the challenge to raise the level to more meaningful and less socio-economically defining topics is well worth it. According to Isaiah (chapter 58), it is a key to redemption. In a tirade condemning the hypocrisy of adhering to ritual while ignoring the poor, Isaiah concludes by admonishing us to honour the Shabbat by not speaking of weekday subjects.

Not mentioning dew in the Amidah

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:52:52 +0100

After Pesach, Jews in Israel switched from mentioning geshem, rain, in the second blessing of the Amidah prayer, speaking of tal, dew, instead. As the rainy season ends, we no longer invoke God’s power to bring rain.

Outside Israel, however, Jews cease mentioning rain at Pesach, but don’t start talking about dew in its place. This is based on an argument of the poskim (legal commentators) about whether mentioning dew is necessary. Why the difference in opinion and practice? It could be that dew matters much more in Israel; in a dry year, it can yield more water than rainfall in the desert.

Or perhaps the difference is spiritual-psychological. Dew is gentle, almost imperceptible and ever-present; very easy to take for granted. Is it necessary to express constant appreciation for the countless blessings that we enjoy but barely notice?

Praying three times a day

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:14:30 +0100

Like anything worthwhile, prayer takes practice to get the hang of it. Once a week isn’t enough (though I know that some people find it more than enough). Traditionally, Jewish men pray three times a day, morning, afternoon and evening.

The core of the daily services seems to have been formulated during the Second Temple period, 2,500 years ago. There is an interesting argument in the Talmud about its origins; one opinion is that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob each created one of the three services, while the other holds that the services correspond to daily sacrifices in the Temple (Berachot 26b). The Zohar further explains that each of the services reflects a particular spiritual quality in which the forefather who wrote it excelled.

While women are exempt from praying at fixed times, most authorities say they should try to pray at least once a day. The thrice-daily prayer practice can form a rhythm and familiarity that creates a space for true prayer to happen.

Yom Hashoah

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:17:04 +0100

The 27th of Nisan is Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel and the day is also observed in Jewish communities worldwide. The choice of this day was not an obvious one. In 1949, the Israeli Chief Rabbinate announced that the existing fast of the 10th of Tevet would also the day for remembering the Shoah.

The Israeli government preferred the 14th of Nisan, the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, focusing on Jewish heroism rather than victimhood. However, this is the eve of Pesach, an inconvenient time for national ceremonies. As a compromise, the government opted in 1953 for the 27th of Nisan.

Many religious Jews were not pleased because Nisan is a joyful month when mourning rites are limited. They continued to remember the Shoah on the 10th of Tevet or on the fast of Tishah b’Av, when earlier tragedies are commemorated. These debates about timing reflect huge, unresolved questions about whether the Shoah should be understood as part of the continuum of Jewish suffering or as an entirely unique event.

Maimouna

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:07:45 +0000

The day after Pesach is observed in Israel as Maimouna. It has become a celebration of North African Jewish culture, a sort of Sephardi pride day. The festivities begin in the evening as soon as Pesach is out, with people eating newly baked bread with a special ceremony for making the first dough after Pesach. (Like a more authentic, Moroccan version of queuing up outside Carmellis.)

Flowers, wheat stalks and yeast decorate the Maimouna table. A live fish to symbolise fertility and gold and silver for prosperity are also popular decorations. Guests are offered a lettuce leaf dipped in honey for a good, sweet harvest.

The origins of the word are obscure. Some connect it to the word maimon, meaning good fortune in Arabic. Others link the celebration to Maimonides, the greatest Spanish-North African Jewish scholar. In either case, Maimouna is hugely popular, though some rabbis frown on it as people make Maimouna preparations on Pesach, which is forbidden.

All major politicians assiduously visit Maimouna hotspots, such as Jerusalem’s Sacher Park, and get themselves photographed eating gooey pastries to show their support for the Moroccan Jewish community.

Not giving a eulogy in Nisan

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Nisan is the month of Pesach, the holiday celebrating our freedom from Egypt. It’s the beginning of spring (though not necessarily in England), a month of renewal and rebirth.

The custom, therefore, at a funeral during Nisan is to not give a full hesped, eulogy. Although the funeral is a time of grief for the family, the hope and optimism that this time of year naturally awakens partially override their obligation to mourn.

One may, however, speak briefly about the good qualities of the deceased. In describing eulogies in general, the Shulchan Aruch writes that “it is a great mitzvah to eulogise the dead person appropriately. And the mitzvah is to raise one’s voice to say over [the departed] things that break the heart, so that there will be much crying; and also one should mention his good deeds”.

We do not give an intensely emotional eulogy that will bring people to tears during Nisan, but we can praise the good in the dead person and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

Next year in Jerusalem

Rabbi Julian Sinclair — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:49:17 +0000

Nirtzah, the final stage of the Seder, literally means “accepted”. In it we express our hope that we performed the Seder right, remembered the Exodus and thanked God. At this point, we open the door for Elijah and pour him a glass of wine as a sign of our faith in the imminent redemption.

Then, we sing L’shana Haba’a B’yerushalayim, “Next Year in Jerusalem”. Do we mean it? In Jerusalem, we pray to have the privilege of still being here next year and to see Jerusalem fully rebuilt. Before the birth of the state of Israel, Next year in Jerusalem was a prayer for Jews expressing the longing of Jews to come to Israel and be able to live freely in their own land.

Today, this prayer not just a pious hope but is in the power of any Jew who can buy a plane ticket to realise.