Special Features ASK THE REBBE from the virtual desk of the OU Vebbe Rebbe We have used this section of Hemdat Yamim to share those questions and answers from our internet service which we feel would be enlightening. As our readership are primarily knowledgeable shul-goers who live in Israel, only a small portion of the questions received from all over the world, directly and through the broad-serving OU web-site, are appropriate to share. On Yom Ha’atzmaut, with the concept “ki mi-Tzion teitzeh Torah” on our mind, we are presenting a (non-scientific) survey of the types of question(er)s we deal with. Some 10-20% (we can’t always tell) of the questions come from curious non-Jews. Typical queries include the Jewish view on Messiah, afterlife, ethical issues, Jewish practices they have observed, etc. Often, college students need to research the Jewish view on a given topic. Bible-study groups sometimes want to find out the classical “Hebrew viewpoint.” 50-60% of the questions are from Jews of little or no Jewish education. They may turn to us because they lack contact with any local rabbi (if there are), they are interested in an authoritative, Orthodox approach, or they want anonymity. Questions include areas of halacha which they do keep (many write that they have begun keeping more mitzvot recently; a woman wants to light candles early Friday morning, to enable her (?) to work late Friday night); Jewish concepts that bother them (G-d’s anger, gender issues); how Judaism deals with “issues;” personal advice (a woman who wants to refuse a get because she doesn’t plan to remarry in temple and her husband doesn’t deserve one), understanding Torah verses; kids preparing for youth group discussions. Around 30% of the questions come from knowledgeable shomrei mitzvot. It is not always clear whether it is anonymity, convenience, or authority or geography which draws them. When we get the feeling we are being used by one side of a communal dispute (minhag in shul, “the community did something wrong,” etc.), we usually respond that we will only answer the communal rabbi on the issue. Common questions include kashrut, Shabbat, matters of modesty, davening. Some of these questions have been (and will, G-d willing, continue to be) featured in “Ask the Rabbi” or the “Vebbe Rebbe” in Hemdat Yamim and Torah Tidbits, respectively. “Ask the Rabbi” Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at
www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. If you would like to receive Hemdat Yamim by email, on a weekly basis, please send an email to
lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank. Further in the debate, Rufus asks R. Akiva, “Why do you perform circumcision?” R. Akiva responds by presenting Rufus with several ears of corn and some tasty buns. Again he proclaims: “These are the works of G-d and these are the handiwork of men. Are these [buns] not tastier than the ears of corn?” Rufus then inquires, “If Hashem desires circumcised Jews, why are boys not born already circumcised?” Akiva responds with another question: “Why,” he asks, “should an infant be born with an attached navel cord that will only be removed later by the mother?” The answer, notes the Midrash Tanhuma, is that it is the precise will of Hashem that we be partners with Him in the creative process. Mila and other mitzvot then serve as the means by which we can and should attach ourselves to Hakadosh Baruch Hu from our very first days until the very last. [The
Tazri'a-M'tzora Homepage]
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