Should we start a Forum about Urban Jewish Legends?

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  • #588514
    b1sasam
    Participant

    Should not we start a forum to collect all these items so that people hopefully will check them before they circulate them all over the place?

    Here is an example followed by my rebuttal:

    This message that was sent by Rabbi Plony, should inspire all of us to do teshubah without delay. B”H we all will have the zechout to greet Mashiach in 2009 because of Bircat HaHamah 2009 – The Blessing on the Sun – Once every 28 years. Since creation, there was only two times that Birkat HaHamah fell out on the 1st Day of Passover. The first was the year Hashem redeemed Israel form Egypt. The second was the year of Purim. This year Birkat HaHamah falls out on the 1st Day of Passover.

    REBUTTAL

    First of all, Birchas Hachamah is never the 1st day of Pesach in the fixed calendar since Pesach never starts on Wednesday.

    Do they mean Erev Pesach 2009 (the correct date)? Well that happened as recently as 1925 (also April 8, of course, as well as all Birchas HaChamah in the Gregorian Calendar 1900-2100) and also in the Julian Calendar March 26 in 609, 693, 1309. As you can see it tends to happen in either in 84 or 616 year intervals.

    Finally the year of the Exodus (according to Seder Olam) was 2448. Divide that by 28 and you do not get a remainder of 1 (the necessary criterion) or anything near 1 but a remainder of 12 (right in the middle almost!).

    BTW the same propaganda (about the years of Pesach and Purim) was spread last year since 2008 had E”P on Shabbas in a Shemittah leap year.

    #624152
    halavai
    Member

    We need more than a forum; we need a Jewish equivalent to Snopes.com. For Rebbi stories, Moshiach stories, 9/11 hashgacha stories, for stories alleging anti-semitism etc.

    #624153
    sammygol
    Member

    For “Rebbe stories” there are dozens of books written. Many of those tales, had they been read by the supposed heroes, would raise the eyebrows of those very hero. There are countless maaselach of people performing tremendous miracles deep in the forests, in total solitude. Sure, they were great men, and COULD have possibly done such, but they were also exceedingly humble, and didn’t brag about their accomplishments. So who, should be asked, is the source? The trees? The wind? Did the malochim go around telling others? The Satmar Rov Z”L had a very nice moshol regarding this phenomenon of latter day holy men greatly outperforming the Neviim in miracles.

    It isn’t that the story is impossible, it often is the impossibility of anyone knowing of it happening.

    #624154
    b1sasam
    Participant

    Yes we might need a Jewish snopes.com. In fact a person that I challenged for forwarding the Birkas HaChammah (mis)information suggested that I start one. I thought though that a forum would be sufficient. However if anyone out there wants to start a Jewish snopes.com go right ahead. However if it is not started in the next several weeks, I will start a forum.

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