17 June 2000 / 14 Sivan 5760; Issue #278

Contents:

• Jews at the Speed of Light
• Graduated Observance
• Who Knows 18?
• Public Domain
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• Back issues are indexed both by issue no. and by subject
• Ohr Somayach Home Page

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Michael Sultan from Alexandria, VA wrote:

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.

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Mike Epstein from Greenville, SC wrote:

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."

Here are some reader responses regarding previous numbers:

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.

Sixteen is the number of animals the kohen gadol sacrifices on Yom Kippur.

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").

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Your TOP 10 LISTS!!!

Anybody who thinks we Jews have no sense of humor needs to read these little gems!!!

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.

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.