tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post8528159643001594603..comments2024-01-21T02:58:08.208-05:00Comments on On the Main Line: What's an afikomen? Some 19th century sources for discussion.Mississippi Fred MacDowellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02734864605700159687noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-76938566594859726342012-09-20T08:32:03.519-04:002012-09-20T08:32:03.519-04:00"he is surprised that the obvious Greekness o..."he is surprised that the obvious Greekness of the word eluded earlier scholars in favor of a far-fetched notaryekon"<br /><br />how could it be that the master of words did not use the term "Backronym".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-64248172937119185742012-04-09T01:07:13.427-04:002012-04-09T01:07:13.427-04:00Hirhurim weighs in on the topic of the symposium:
...Hirhurim weighs in on the topic of the symposium:<br />http://torahmusings.com/2012/04/the-seder-and-the-symposium/Philnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-61905829928316565802010-04-08T12:38:10.959-04:002010-04-08T12:38:10.959-04:00>but what does it have to do with the compariso...>but what does it have to do with the comparison of seder vs. attending yom kippur services?<br /><br />I thought your point was that the seder was more popular because it is more comfortable/easy. So I was doing a sort of kal vaChomer regarding fasting.<br /><br />My main point is that some mitzvot are also great symbols of Jewish identity, and that b"H, at least in Israel, most Jews, religious or not, still want to be ... well ... Jewish. So the most powerful symbols of Jewishness such as milah, seder, fasting on YK, and for that matter Friday night dinner/candle lighting are still VERY widespread here.chardalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11360421238816857677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-23055601429348242502010-04-08T10:39:11.663-04:002010-04-08T10:39:11.663-04:00For example, "aleph" presumably means ox...For example, "aleph" presumably means ox, which is clear based on the shape of the letter in the old script, especially in earlier variants. Aleph in it splural form אלפים also meant oxen in Biblical Hebrew, but its rare (see eg Proverbs 14.4). Perhaps it wasn't rare in Canaanite or Phoenician, or at least an earlier Hebrew. But the point is that it seems to preserve an early form.S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-42274852385942265672010-04-08T08:50:09.033-04:002010-04-08T08:50:09.033-04:00Reading Reinman is kind of embarrassing to me, as ...Reading Reinman is kind of embarrassing to me, as an Orthodox Jew. I remember R' Leiman saying that Reinman "wins" only because Hirsch is even a bigger ignoramus than him. The Romans copied from the Jews. Right.<br /><br />Needless to say, the meanings of "Aleph Bet" etc. have nothing to do with what it says in the Gemara.Nachumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11292162031685942549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-67795737026763120292010-04-08T00:22:01.193-04:002010-04-08T00:22:01.193-04:00CHARDAL:
i understand your point regarding the st...CHARDAL:<br /><br />i understand your point regarding the stat of israelis fasting, but what does it have to do with the comparison of seder vs. attending yom kippur services?<br /><br />regarding berit milah, i see you are talking about israel and i was referring to america. apples and oranges.<br /><br />and mazal tovLion of Zionhttp://agmk.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-45391152647929400722010-04-07T02:42:07.889-04:002010-04-07T02:42:07.889-04:00>as to why more secular jews have a seder than ...>as to why more secular jews have a seder than go to shul on yom kippur, it's pretty simple:<br />a) it is family oriented<br />b) it is a lot more fun.<br /><br />the most recent studies show that between 75%-85% of Jews in Israel fast on Yom Kippur. The country itself grinds to a complete halt and whole cities have only the traffic of Ambulances zooming around (this was more pronounced when I was a child and the more secular cities such as Haifa and Tel Aviv now have a bit of non-medical traffic but overall my description is still accurate). <br /><br />>against this backdrop, i'm not sure how much one can ascribe jewish-influenced motives to secular jewish circumcision.<br /><br />If you ask most "secular" Jews why they do a Brit Mila to their sons, then the most common answer you will hear is not one about the medical advantages but rather simply "because we are Jewish" And the vast majority use a mohel (some want to use a mohel/physician because they have misplaced safety concerned but such a person is almost always a mohel certified by the misrad haBriut AND the rabbanut). We recently had a daughter born in a local hospital where the majority of the women in the maternity ward were not religious and since I look the part, I was the address for many questions regarding mila and mohel recomendations. I can tell you that mila is still a powerful symbol for Jews of all stripes here in Israel and that based on my experience, you comment comes off as a bit cynical.chardalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11360421238816857677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-54642846100128759722010-04-04T12:48:39.671-04:002010-04-04T12:48:39.671-04:00What are the odds that anyone will be interested a...What are the odds that anyone will be interested after Pesach?S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-50248766416746736182010-04-01T11:25:32.827-04:002010-04-01T11:25:32.827-04:00When I get the chance later, although it's not...When I get the chance later, although it's not as dramatic as implied here. Petting zoos await.S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-76654159137716152832010-04-01T09:39:42.534-04:002010-04-01T09:39:42.534-04:00Have you actually seen an old example of this &quo...Have you actually seen an old example of this "Das Zeiglin", the original source of the Chad Gadya? can you attach a copy? Doing so would be on a par, for most people, with exposing the teetotum as the original source of the dreidel.<br /><br />DFAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-50560134679236080212010-04-01T00:14:00.495-04:002010-04-01T00:14:00.495-04:00FRED:
yesterday's הפטרה made me think of the ...FRED:<br /><br />yesterday's הפטרה made me think of the ברית מילה comment<br /><br />מועדים לשמחהLion of Zionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10342299133387602141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-69336157198649916662010-03-31T17:01:32.207-04:002010-03-31T17:01:32.207-04:00I'm actually quite impressed that Reinman woul...I'm actually quite impressed that Reinman would be so ignorant as to really not know about the Hellenistic Origins of the seder, and knee-jerkingly respond that they stole it from us - and then, when proven wrong, agree to have his stupid response printed in a book.DafKesherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08554696548964024016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-61033152080899036622010-03-31T13:51:25.374-04:002010-03-31T13:51:25.374-04:00For another discussion of R Dovid Zvi Hoffman on t...For another discussion of R Dovid Zvi Hoffman on this word see http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=29650&st=&pgnum=7&hilite=Eliezer Brodthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01177623707575525064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-56386980962888793942010-03-31T13:16:56.492-04:002010-03-31T13:16:56.492-04:00I have much to add to this great post. For now see...I have much to add to this great post. For now see R Akiva Eiger who brings down this Tishbi in his notes to the Mishna in pesachim.Eliezer Brodthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01177623707575525064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-73897183325431453322010-03-29T14:01:09.407-04:002010-03-29T14:01:09.407-04:00also berit milah is not elective as seder and fast...also berit milah is not elective as seder and fasting are. (i.e., the child doesn't have a choice.) i'd bet that if it were elective, rates would fall dramatically(across the board, not just among "secular")Lion of Zionhttp://agmk.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-20822105622415600212010-03-29T13:58:25.116-04:002010-03-29T13:58:25.116-04:00what happened to my last comment? hopefully it wil...what happened to my last comment? hopefully it will come back.<br />i'm actually wondering what are the of circumcision rates among secular (or even non-ortho) jews. and how many who do arrange it as a ritual rather as a medical procedure.<br />i checked njop, but this was not included on the questionaire.Lion of Zionhttp://agmk.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-66803670478516662562010-03-29T13:42:33.005-04:002010-03-29T13:42:33.005-04:00circumcision has (percieved) medical benefit and a...circumcision has (percieved) medical benefit and a majority of american parents still circumcise their kids. against this backdrop, i'm not sure how much one can ascribe jewish-influenced motives to secular jewish circumcision.<br /><br />(and of those who do it, for how many is it ritual circumcision by a mohel as opposed to a hospital procedure by a stam doctor [jewish or not]?)Lion of Zionhttp://agmk.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-64096390551463523552010-03-29T13:18:48.625-04:002010-03-29T13:18:48.625-04:00And brit milah?And brit milah?S.http://onthemainline.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-74515257801121537312010-03-29T12:31:58.343-04:002010-03-29T12:31:58.343-04:00some funny things have come from hoffman's pen...some funny things have come from hoffman's pen (or editorship), but it's funny how he dismisses as "hoffman, whoever that it is"<br /><br />as to why more secular jews have a seder than go to shul on yom kippur, it's pretty simple:<br />a) it is family oriented<br />b) it is a lot more fun.Lion of Zionhttp://agmk.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12600498.post-69367706058072815782010-03-29T12:22:38.068-04:002010-03-29T12:22:38.068-04:00and see - http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req...and see - http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=23541&st=&pgnum=67&hilite=<br /><br />(H. learns it refers to dessert and is related to the word epicure (I think))Wolf2191https://www.blogger.com/profile/13577870680689849400noreply@blogger.com