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| Volume 4 Number 36 | Sun Sep 18 23:55:05 1994 |
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 94 16:26:33 PDT From: Your Moderator <faigin@aero.org> Subject: Administrivia: Nysernet Problems Nysernet seems to be going through a big changeover, and software over there keeps breaking. Until further notice, please send messages directly to me at Aerospace: faigin@aero.org. Either liberal-judaism@israel.nysernet.org or faigin@israel.nysernet.org may work, but if they bounce, try the aero address. I'll let you know when things appear to be stable (and I wish they had told me about it ahead of time). Daniel
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 09:26:21 -0700 From: ljud_ml@nsac.clark.net (Harold Kraft) Subject: Administrivia: Putting M.L-J on Washington DC BBS [When Harold subscribed, he asked me about putting his list on the BBS. I told him I wasn't sure, and he should ask the list. Please direct any questions to Harold directly, but let me know your opinion also. Thanks, Yr. Mod.] Hello. I run a BBS in suburban Washington, D.C. and would like to put this mailling list in a public access area. No submissions TO the list would be allowed. We have primarily Jewish users, and have an extensive area of Jewish and Israeli conferences. Would this be OK? Thanks in advance Harold Kraft.
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 14:43-0400 From: The White House <Publications-Admin@whitehouse.gov> Subject: 1994-09-15 President's Yom Kippur Statement Advanced Text of President Clinton's Yom Kippur Statement To: National Desk Contact: White House Press Office, 202-456-2100 WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is an advance copy of President Clinton's Yom Kippur statement, released today by the White House Press Office: I am pleased to extend greetings to all who are observing Yom Kippur, the most solemn of Jewish holidays. The holy day of Yom Kippur recognizes that all human beings are capable of transgression and of atonement. Judaism teaches that every person, from time to time, fails to act in accordance with his or her highest principles. Yom Kippur offers worshippers the chance to seek forgiveness for sins committed during the past year and to reassess personal behavior. Beyond this, the Day of Atonement urges the repair of torn relationships and encourages treating all people with kindness. It is a day intended for rectifying mistakes and for recommitment in a journey leading from thought to deed. As we strive to recognize changes that must be made in our own lives and for our entire world, we turn to each other for the strength we seek. Though the challenges of our world are formidable, and ancient animosities are not easily overcome, the past year has shown us time and again that peace is within our power. Let this day serve as a call to make the changes in our lives and in our communities that peace and prosperity require. Let us rededicate ourselves to caring for others and to teaching our children the lessons of compassion. In the spirit of reconciliation and renewal that were so evident in the Israeli-Jordanian peace initiative, let us work toward building a brighter world for the generations to come. Best wishes to all for an observance full of meaning and hope. -0- [It is also worth pointing out that President Clinton observed the first night of Rosh Hashana at the Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center at the invitation of Alan Dershowitz, as reported in Mr. Dershowitz's syndicated column in the Los Angeles times, and as in the September 16-22, 1994 edition of "The Jewish Journal". -- Yr. Mod.]
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 1994 20:17:00 -0700 From: JE Yudelson (716) 475- <YUDELSON.JE@a1.rit.edu> Subject: A Call For Modern Midrash I have been asked by Rabbi DAvid Katz (Temple Israel Staten Island) and Peter Lovenhiem (Rochester) to seek out any modern, original midrash on personalities and events in Torah (Chumash). If anyone on the list has or knows of any such works 400-1500 words, please contact either Rabbi Katz, 315 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10301 or Peter Lovenheim, 52 San Gabriel, Rochester NY 14610. The book is under contract so initial contacts should be made by Oct 31. If you wish to send your name for them to contact you, post to email YUDELSON.JE@a1.rit.edu or JEYBBU@ritvax.isc.rit.edu kal Israel Chaverim Julian Yudelson
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 11:25:01 -0700 From: Yaakov Menken <ny000548@psilink.com> Subject: Homosexuality In an otherwise thoughtful piece on the issue of homosexuality, Marshall Kragen's post contains a misconception of what the Torah says on the topic: > [Rabbi Kaye] feels we must understand the Torah in context. It must be > understood that at the time pagan religions used homosexual relations as > part of their ritual, and this amounted to homosexual rape. This is what > the Torah was speaking out against in our reading [in Aharei Mot, read on > Yom Kippur]. The Rabbi's source, presumably, is the order of the verses: after forbidding a whole set of heterosexual relationships, the Torah then prohibits giving one's children to be burned in a pagan ritual, before going on to discuss homosexuality. Just as the children were forced, so too, the Rabbi assumes, the second male was forced. The problem is that from the time of the Mishna-our earliest written sources-it was understood that _both_ parties in a male homosexual relationship are violating this commandment. Rabbi Ishmael and Rabbi Akiva have one of the classic Talmudic arguments, "We know the law is X. What is our written source for this law?" specifically on the subject of the second male [Sanhedrin 54b]. Of all the Rabbis of that age, not one emerged to argue with the presumption that both parties can be found guilty and put to death for this transgression. Now it would be rediculous to argue that one who was raped should therefore be killed. That much is clear throughout the Torah - one can only be punished for doing something voluntarily. Obviously, at least by that point, all of Israel had accepted the idea that the Torah forbids mutual homosexual relationships. The question then becomes, _how_ did this law become so gravely distorted? The answer is: it didn't. Willing homosexuality was _not_ unknown outside of pagan rape rituals. The Sefer HaChinuch refers to prohibitions for a court to permit a male prostitute to live in the town - "such as we find in Arab countries even today." From the Talmud, it is quite clear that people had the same sexual desires that they have today - and yet there was never any question that this particular behavior was prohibited by the Torah in _any_ form. We cannot permit our desire for compassion and understanding to outweigh our interest in accuracy, honesty and truthfulness. > God said that he made man and woman in his image. He did not say > heterosexual man and woman, He clearly said all men and women, telling us no > matter your color, your sex, your sexual commitment, you are made in My > image. How then can we as that man and woman see these, our brothers and > sisters as less. True, but this does not demand that a person ignore what The Book says. When it comes to the Sabbath and Kashrut, we do not engage in distortions - and yet all agree that a liberal Jew is no less a person in His image merely because he or she does not observe! Why, then, must a defense of homosexuality in particular include an assertion that the Torah never condemned it? The following may be a side issue, or perhaps it is central to the whole discussion: > He wanted to compare this statement with the draft pastoral letter being > circulated by the Rabbinical Assembly Commission on Human Sexuality. It > [...] asks that if there is [sex before marriage] it be done with the same, > love, care and respect as if one were married. Reading this, I can only feel sorry for the members of the commission and their wives and husbands. Because if they can conceive of a non-marital relationship carried on with the "same love, care and respect as if one were married," their marriages must be sorry indeed. May all be Sealed in the Book of Life for a Blessed Year, Yaakov Menken menken@shamash.nysernet.org
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 08:14:59 -0700 From: Marian H. Neudel <gmneudel@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu> Subject: Re: Humilty Rabbi Steve Gindi wrote: >I am sure that many of you are saying, "why should I praise a low life who >might be a thief or worse?" This question was addressed by Rabbi Ya'acov >Peretz in our yeshiva in Jerusalem. He said that even if the Arabs are slimy >you should not go around cursing them. The reason for this is so that you do >not get used to using foul language. Similarly, we are forbidden to curse the deaf. Obviously, this is not so that their feelings will not be hurt--they'll never know the difference. It is because of what such speech does to the SPEAKER.
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 1994 20:17:57 -0700 From: Rabbi Steve Gindi <RabiSteve@aol.com> Subject: Raising People's Values I have a question which I hope some of you can help me with: How does one raise people's awareness to the lofty, humanistic values found in the Torah when they are empty and swallowed up in materialism? "They" grow up on MTV and have 400 channels at home. Their attention span is in thirty second bites. How will you make the sale? Many space out when they hear anything important. RabiSteve
Date: Wed, 14 Sep 1994 07:35:16 -0700 From: Audra Russell <rusellap@pipeline.com> Subject: Re: Second Day of Rosh Hashana I'm pretty sure that I learned in my Jewish studies that because the holidays were fixed (calculated) by people in Eretz Yisrael and then communicated to others living elsewhere. To ensure that people didn't observe on the incorrect days they added two days to the holidays. I believe the custom simply stuck. Audra
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 16:20:59 -0700 From: ravianm@tmxmelb.mhs.oz.au (Rabbi Ian Morris) Subject: Second Day Rosh Hashana In Vol4, #35, David Esterman asked about the Progressive policy on observance of second day Rosh Hashana. As one of the Australian Progressive rabbis implicated in the question, I would like to respond. My understanding of Progressive approaches to second day observances of any kind is that in the golah, we maintain the same calendar as Eretz Yisrael. The observance of second days was an ancient way of dealing with doubts regarding the calendar in the Diaspora; doubts that we no longer have. The issue of Rosh Hashana is that it is observed as a 2 day observance IN ERETZ YISRAEL. Therefore, it is fit and proper that we keep that same observance pattern in the golah. I would add that this is not new. Having grown up in Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), I clearly remember there being 2nd day services for Rosh Hashana (not that I went to them....) all through my childhood. In my congregation now (Beit Shalom Synagogue, Adelaide) we have a "Family Service" (poorly attended, but enjoyed by those who do come) on 2nd day RH. David asks for sources. As a primary source, Maimonides gives a description of the practice of 2 days in Eretz Yisrael in "Hilchot Kidush Hachodesh" Chap.5. For a more general discussion of the 2 days of Rosh Hashana as "Yoma Arichta" ("1 long day"), see Michael Strassfeld's "The Jewish Holidays - a guide & commentary". Harper & Row 1985. p.102f. Shana tova to all on the list! Rabbi Ian Morris Phone: +61-8-362 8281 Beit Shalom Synagogue Fax: +61-8-362 4406 P.O. Box 47 e-mail: ravianm@tmxmelb.mhs.oz.au Stepney 5069 South Australia (If you're having trouble with a map, AUSTRALIA. "Stepney" is a suburb of "Adelaide"...)
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 1994 07:04:08 -0700 From: Adrian A. Durlester <durleste@plains.nodak.edu> Subject: Re: Synagogue of the Internet On Fri, 9 Sep 1994, Dean Hughson of Braymer Mo wrote: > Well, the holidays are over, summer is over, and I am fired up to see what > we can do to start a synagogue/study group via the Internet....anyone have > any ideas? > No brilliant ideas-but the spark of interest still burns. I hesitate to suggest it, but maybe some out there understand this whole teenage "Rave" thing that is somehow culturally tied in with the internet-and maybe there are some ideas to be gleaned from this? Adrian A. Durlester
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 1994 16:29:14 -0700 From: Max Stern <lms@sparc.sandiegoca.ncr.com> Subject: Re: V'ezrat Sarah / U-fokeid Sarah Rabbi Joel Rembaum of Temple Beth Am (C) of Los Angeles has written a responsum [formal rabbinic dictum] in which he advises adding the imahot by means of these three additions to Avot: 1) After "v'Elohei Yaakov" add "Elohei Sarah, Elohei Rivkah, Elohei Rachel, v'elohei Leah." 2) After "Melech ozair" add "u-fokeid." 3) After "magein Avraham" add "u-fokeid Sarah." My comments: The Library Minyan at Temple Beth Am does (1) and (3) but not (2). In (2), Rabbi Rembaum places the "u-fokeid" in a different place than that reported by Mark. Rabbi Rembaum does not advocate "v'ezrat Sarah." At Adat Ari El in North Hollywood (C), Rabbi Moshe Rothblum uses "v'ezrat Sarah." Rabbi Rembaum is the current president, and Rabbi Rothblum is a past president, of the Southern California Board of Rabbis. I have not done so yet, but I intend (b'li neder [without intending a vow]) to research these issues with the intention of presenting a Shabbat d'rashah (lay sermon) to the Library Minyan. The research will include (but not be limited to) interviews with Rabbis Rembaum and Rothblum. If haShem permits me to complete this work, I will share it with this list, but I caution that it will be several weeks at best before I get there. G'mar chatimah tovah [may your days of awe have a good conclusion] to all readers of Liberal-Judaism. |\/| /_\ \/ Moshe ben Avraham | | / \ /\ Max.Stern@ElSegundoCA.ncr.com
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