Month: July 2016 – ט״ז בתמוז תשע״ו

The Good Old Days Before Political Correctness

Are Women Akin to Animals?

That title sure got your attention, huh? Blogging experts claim controversy can be beneficial, so let’s check out their claim.

What, no, I didn’t say it! It wasn’t me! He said it!

Rabbi Yaakov Shimshon Shabsai, son of R’ Rafael Issachar Sinigalia (1770 – 1840) is the author of Ya’akov Lechok (on Pri Megadim), responsa Megged Shamayim, and several other works. He also wrote “Shabbos Shel Mi” on tractate Shabbos, his best-known work, and also the one which contains the offending passage we discuss here.

Here is the title page of the book –

Here’s a closer look –

In his book “Shabbos Shel Mi” (first published in 1807) Rabbi Sinigalia ends most chapters with some short phrase in prose.

For illustration, here are some chapter headings and their attached notes:

Bameh Madlikin –

Bameh Tomnin –

Bameh Beheimah –

Klal Gadol –

Hamotzi –

It’s pretty banal so far. In the chapter of “Bameh Isha”, (that’s page 175 of Part One in the Jerusalem, 1961 edition) it gets personal, however.

A full page view –

A closer look –

Just in case you still can’t see it, here it is in Hebrew:

דרשינן סמוכים פרק במה בהמה ובמה אשה כל הקרב הקרב כי לא לחינם הלך זרזיר אצל עורב

I don’t need to translate this (nor do I wish to do so)! The clear meaning is his view that women are analogous to animals. The only important question that remains is: Did he mean “Beheima Gasah” or “Beheima Dakah”…?

Just to be clear, this is not some canonical dogma of Judaism. We don’t slaughter either Goyimor women for our Matzos!

This is purely an offhand remark by a little-known author of two hundred years ago, not based on anything. It is slightly puzzling that this was published as is, however (maybe this wasn’t immediately noticed).

Rather shocking, right? What drove him to write this? Was he a misogynist, or was he simply having a difficult Friday? There might be an explanation/justification, but I can’t think of one.

So what do you think? Should we ban the book…?

What ought a modern publisher to do about these kinds of sticky situations? Leave it as is and note it in the introduction? Delete it, and then note its deletion?

There’s one other quote that is meaningless on its own, but might reinforce the “theory” of misogynism (from SSM idem Shabbos 118b) –

Rant and rave all you like! Just remember, I didn’t write these words, so please don’t shoot the messenger.

And, oh yeah, if I got you excited enough to want to buy the book, see here.

Have something to say? Write to Avraham Rivkas: CommentTorah@gmail.com

Rabbi Brand VS Rabbi Tzuriel

Check out a fascinating piece by Rabbi Yitzchak Brand, debating Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel (Hebrew) here. The article concerns the permissibility of praying at the graves of the righteous and asking for their blessing while they are alive.

Rabbi Brand also discusses whether it is proper to go to Uman for Rosh Hashana when this means leaving the land of Israel, and other concerns. (And there is an interesting rebuttal in the site comments.)

Enjoy reading here!

Spanish Inquisition Denial?

Did you know that the Spanish Inquisition story of Jewish persecution is more nuanced? It wasn’t exclusively about Jews, the number of victims is far lower than first believed, and the awful reputation of Spain in the history books has more to do with the politics of other religions and surrounding nations – who got to write the history books!, than the actual deeds committed by the Spanish Inquisition.

For details, start with Wikipedia here. For a full-length book of historical revisionism, check out this (you might recognize the author).

By the way, does anyone know if Torquemada was really Jewish?

The Big Difference Between God and Godly

Sadly, some groups today revere various Jews as a false god. Jews such as the Lubavitcher Rebbe (called “Elohistim”/”Elohistin”), That Man, or Osso Ha’ish (“Cursedians”), and even Shlomo Carlebach (I don’t know what they are called). A newer deity is Eliezer Berland yemach shemo. Needless to say, this is forbidden idol-worship.

Here’s a reminder from Rambam Hilchos Avoda Zara 5:5:

המסית אחרים לעבדו ואמר להם עבדוני אם עבדוהו נסקל ואם לא עבדוהו אע”פ שקיבלו ממנו ואמרו הן אינו נסקל אבל אם הסית לעבודת איש אחר או לשאר מיני עבודת כוכבים אם קבל ממנו ואמר הן נלך ונעבוד אף על פי שעדין לא עבד שניהן נסקלין המסית והמוסת שנאמר לא תאבה לו ולא תשמע אליו הא אם שמע ואבה חייב

Most (or all) public Jewish sins have historical parallels, but this does not mean we should be careless in accusing just any previous generation of just any crime. Some have claimed this evil has historical roots in the title for Rabbi Yitzchal Luria, “Ari”, or the longer “Arizal”. Arizal stands for “Elohi Rabbi Yitzchak Zichrono Levrachah”. And Elohi is “godly”. Case closed! (Note: There is also a theory the acronym is “Ashkenazi Rabbi Yitzchak”.)

Or worse – and all too common, the claim is heard that public sin in the past is not reason for public repentance or care in the present, but dastardly duplication! Otherwise, we are impugning the memory of our perfect ancestors. I will not dignify the latter claim with a response (this time), except for quoting Chazal:

מי שאכל שום וריחו נודף יחזור ויאכל שום אחר כדי שיהא ריחו נודף?!

The truth is, the acronym A.R.I. has nothing to do with making man god, God forbid. “Elohi” in medieval Hebrew meant that the man was highly close to God, as in through humility. Men of God walked “with God” or “before God”, such as Abraham or Noah. This was an abbreviation of the Biblical “Ish Ha’elohim” of the same meaning, Deut. 33:1, as it refers to Moses.

  • This was first published by me elsewhere on the web (somewhere).