HaLeiVi

Look inside yourself and be honest. Are you twisting Gemaros to fit your opinion of what is nice or did you actually get that opinion by learning that Gemara? Ad D’lo Yoda means to eat so much candy (or dring so much grape juice) that in your exitement you won’t care about Klapping Haman.

One of the great Halachic misconceptions is thinking that the Rema says to go to sleep.

So that’s $87.50 per visit. No big deal. How long is each visit?

It can be the realization of the fact that someone is behind you coupled with a certain quietness. It can also be telepathy.

The new Shaasim put back what was censored. There are older Shaasim around that weren’t censored, for the reason that you mentioned. There are uncensored versions of many other Seforim, as well. On the other hand, there are Seforim that were burned by that horrific Gezeira that are lost forever. Many other Seforim are lost to house fires, too. We cannot understand such eternal Gezeiros. It is much more than Eitzim Va’avanim.

He’s talking about the Mishna on 3b.

What looks more like a sacrifice than a sacrifice? And ir sure looks like it is for Avoda Zara, especially since he is expressly saying that he is not being Makriv it to Hashem. To whom or for what are you doing Zrika, Hanafa and Haktara?

It can be Baal Tashchis too, in the case of the Ola look-alike. In the Shlamim you wouldn’t be eating those parts, anyhow.

Because the Gemara says that Hashem hates it.

The only really problem you might have is that a Shechita that appears to belong to a sacrifice is Assur. That’s why we don’t Shecht on a roof or a hole.

Health, so you hate ‘Frum fakers’ as much as someone who enters his house without knocking?

Do you confuse Baruch Mordchai and Arrur Haman?

I wouldn’t call it an addiction if you only drink on certain occasions. But drinking in general in shunned in Yiddishkeit. L’chaim was meant to be one cup, or less.

Mi Shetova Elbono Shel Zah Yitva Elboni

Wolf, you are saying two things: One, that the premise is not true, and there were other week lengths that were held. And two, that even if the week were universal that would be because the prevalent one won out.

To your first point, which is not only yours, he probably was not aware of such a group. Even if he was aware, if it is a unique and small group then the argument remains, since it is obvious that they tried introducing something new.

As to your second point, the one I addressed earlier, you are making an assumption that one system has to rule out, and I showed you that it is not at all the case. We get along pretty fine with different calendars. Our countrymen don’t even have moon months, and other countries have their holidays showing up at all seasons of the year. Nothing has to rule out. In fact, before the globalization that we have there was less reason to have a uniform system. Second of all, his argment was that it is the same on all parts of the world, which rules out the idea that one conformed to another.

Oomis, I can hear the difference. However, Eliezer is precisely the example quoted in Gemara for a Nichush.

The only question remains is, if that was the prime example of Nichush then how was he allowed to do it? (Especially, considering that he was an Eved Avraham, the greatest fighter against Avoda Zara.)

Tosafos answers that he depended on the Svara that if she was that kind then she’s obviously fit for Yitzchock. The Maharal answers that it was for a Mitzva and not for himself, and was therefore permitted.

The kind of Siman that is Muttar is to say in retrospect, ever since I moved here, or married her things got better. There are two reasons why this is OK. First, it’s all in the past and you aren’t basing your actions on it. Second, it is not a specific this-happened-so-therefore-that. It is a general change of Mazal, which can happen upon such events.

There is another Siman that is Muttar. You may point out that the day is just a bad Mazal day when you see that you are missing every train and bus.

There are other things, too, but it starts getting complicated. They are not well understood, or universally translated.

If a date is going bad, make it short and plan another one. The one Siman that is always Assur is when it has no connection. The example Chazal give is, a deer just crossed my path, therefore I’ll succeed. Don’t make up messages.

If you are not a Navi, chances are Hashem is not talking and winking to you. Hashem reserves the right to run His world without people deciferring what He really means. When there’s trouble, do Teshuva and Daven. When things are good, thank Him and do Mitzvos. Hashem is not in jail and doesn’t need to send send a pigeon. When there’s a message to be given He delivers it. You know when it is a message.

Wolf, his argument was that it is the same throughout the world, spanning countries with little or no contact.

And to point out a fallacy in your argument, just like years and months weren’t ‘ruled out’, there’s no reason for a weak to have been streamlined.

Itche, as long as it is clear that the 9 day adventists started it, the proof remains.

There is an astrological basis for the seven-day week, although it doesn’t seem to stem from astronomical facts.

Referring to Europe as ‘Der Heime’.

The Slavs were called Kenaanim.

There are fools that like throwing “McVeigh” at anyone that tries discussing Muslim Terrorism. When you answer them that he was one and we’re talking about more than one, they’ll tell you that more and less doesn’t qualify calling it a Muslim concept. The real answer is that McVeigh was an individual and not part of an organization. Moreover, his ideas were born from his own ideocy, not Americanism.

Same here. If an individual or two said something stupid that is no reason to claim the idea as belonging to the larger group. It is his idea. It never grew larger.

The only reason people connect it is because they already have complaints against Chabad and are more than ready to jump on anything and say, “see!?” When you already believe the worst it is not a leap to get confirmation from anything insignificant.

It is not random. The Arizal changed whatever he did after a thorough understanding of the Nuschaos.

We keep all kinds of traditions because of She’al Avicha. It is very important to be part of a Mesora and not to go off on your own ways. However, the Arizal understood his position and he was guided.

As for us, if you are a Talmud Muvhak of someone and you want to take on Hanhagos from him, I don’t see why not. That is also not a random direction. The Baal Shem Tov spoke of the dangers of Haholech Baderech Yechidi. Although Misnagdim at the time accused him of just that, obviously he understood that he was not alone.

There were many Tzaddikim and Talmidei Chachamim that started new Minhagim. They understood that they can do that. It was from Dveikus and they were able to check that they were not going out alone.

The Teshuva most quoted in regards to changing the Nusach is the Chasam Sofer. However, if you read it you can see that he has no real Halachic complaint. He mainly deals with the fact that everyone has their Shaar and you shouldn’t change it, in order to connect to your proper channel.

Being that it is not an Halachic issue, only a Sohd issue, I’m sure it’s not so hard to accept that someone will choose to follow his Rebbe. Besides, the Chasam Sofer is addressing the idea of picking your Nusach. Now that it is well established and you want to change your Nusach to fit with your new surrounding or your Rebbe, that is not at all like picking a Nusach — which takes me back to what I started with. Where was I …

So when Rashi says that he was in Rusia, does that mean Ukraine? He also uses a Russian word in Nach. He says that Yekev, mention in the buildin of the Beis Hamikdash by Shlomo Hamelech, is dluta in Russian. Is that Russian or Ukrainian? Perhaps the Great Bear can shed some light on this issue.

The same basis that the Arizal had. Actually, what’s the Halachic problem?

Uneeq, you equate someone who doubts the conclusion of those who wouldn’t pass basic medical or mathematical tests, to one who questions Chazal!?

Well, actually my Kasha is that we say Vayechulu on Friday night, not by day. Shouldn’t we therefore make Kiddush on Bronfun by night and wine by day?

Another question is, do you think Kiddush on wine is a mistake? It has real ‘Sodos’, not just cute ones.

Nevuchadnetzar did that. He shot an arrow up and noted the direction it pointed to when it landed.

Doswin, the other way around. The Ari based his Nusach parts of theirs.