ASK THE RABBI
26 JUDAISM
16 DECEMBER 2021
TO ADVERTISE CALL 020 3906 8488
Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com VACCINE ALERT Dear Rabbi I very much appreciate your work in informing the community and in emphasising how important it is for people to receive the recommended vaccinations against Covid within your popular ‘Ask the Rabbi’ column. Please might I clarify an important point. You discussed a reader who did not reveal at a Chanukah party that he was unvaccinated. You said that someone unvaccinated was no more likely to transmit infection. This is not the case. Being triple vaccinated, including having received the booster vaccine gives about 95% protection against the Delta variant and close to 75% protection against becoming infected with the Omicron variant of Covid-19. What you have not caught you cannot pass on. So if you compare someone who is unvaccinated with someone who is fully vaccinated and they have both been recently exposed to Covid, the unvaccinated person is far more likely to have caught Covid and to then be infectious and a risk to other people around them. Yours Sincerely, Dr Jackie Lewis (co-chair of Salford Healthy Communities) Dear Jackie Thank you for writing and I hope you don’t mind me including your actual full title for impact purposes. Indeed yours was one of several letters received). Needless to say you are absolutely correct. I was coming at it from the perspective of fully vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections have peak viral load
similar to unvaccinated cases and can efficiently transmit infection in household settings, including to fully vaccinated contacts. But as you rightly point out, if vaccinated you are less likely to endure breakthrough infections which is key. Either way, if you are reading this and you are able to, make sure you get vaccinated. End of.
WHY WAIT TILL MARRIAGE?
WHO CLIMBED THE MOUNTAIN?
Dear Sabine Judaism teaches that our life purpose is to makes this world a better place. That doesn’t simply mean a kinder place, rather drawing spiritual ambience and energy into our physical reality. That can be achieved through every act we commit, however trivial we might presume it to be. When you work and earn money then give some of that money to charity, you are not merely doing the mitzvah of charity. You are essentially elevating your whole work experience. Similarly, when you take the hide of an animal and make phylacteries out of them, you’ve now elevated the animal for a higher spiritual purpose. And when you take wax, turn it into a candle which you light on the Friday night, once again you’ve elevated the material into something spiritual. Obviously this means that all our actions should be committed within a suitable context. So, stealing a pound coin for example, and giving it to charity, doesn’t achieve the same thing. Indeed, rather than bringing more holiness into the world, one engenders negative energy. The union between man and woman can be the most powerful manifestation of the fusion of
Dear Rabbi You most probably know that Islam teaches Muslims worldwide that it was Ishmael that Abraham was willing to sacrifice and not Isaac. What is your take on this? Which is the true story? Why haven’t our leaders challenged what Islam teaches? Are you going to do anything it? Melvyn Dear Melvyn The Quran tells the story of Abraham sacrificing his son, which Muslims believe to be Ishmael. But to be sure, there is no actual name of the son mentioned therein. Also, on the basis that the Torah significantly predates the Quran, I’ll stick with the original story which includes specific reference to Isaac and not the later version. Why do you feel there is a need to challenge Islamic teachings about this story, any more than Christian teachings or other teachings which run counter to fundamental Jewish beliefs. I do me and you do you. It is only when others may tread on our toes and look to ensnare Jews into their beliefs that a debunking exercise is needed.
Pirkei Avot
ָּכל ֶׁשּיִ ְר ַאת,אֹומר ֵ ּדֹוסא ָ ַר ִּבי ֲחנִ ינָ א ֶבן ָח ְכ ָמתֹו,קֹוד ֶמת ְל ָח ְכ ָמתֹו ֶ ֶח ְטאֹו קֹוד ֶמת ְליִ ְר ַאת ֶ ְו ָכל ֶׁש ָח ְכ ָמתֹו.ִמ ְת ַקּיֶ ֶמת הּוא ָהיָ ה. ֵאין ָח ְכ ָמתֹו ִמ ְת ַקּיֶ ֶמת,ֶח ְטאֹו , ָּכל ֶׁש ַּמ ֲע ָׂשיו ְמ ֻר ִּבין ֵמ ָח ְכ ָמתֹו,אֹומר ֵ ְו ָכל ֶׁש ָח ְכ ָמתֹו ְמ ֻר ָּבה.ָח ְכ ָמתֹו ִמ ְת ַקּיֶ ֶמת …ִמ ַּמ ֲע ָׂשיו
Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa said: anyone whose fear of sin precedes his wisdom, his wisdom is enduring, but anyone whose wisdom precedes his fear of sin,
Dear Rabbi As a young Jewish girl of a non-religious background and with a lovely boyfriend I’d like to know what is wrong with having a more intimate relationship with my boyfriend if we are both of legal age. Sabine
body and spirit such that it is the only act where we are in effect almost G-d like, in that we have the very real ability to procreate. So when partners make a lifelong commitment to grow together, experience the depths of each other’s personalities, and perhaps even bring children into the world, their physical union is more than a fleeting passion. In essence, they are uniting spiritual worlds, utilising one of the most powerful tools that G-d has given humankind. It follows therefore that the cavalier use of this power is a gross maltreatment of this awesome medium. Only after acknowledging the potential of a life-long bond (i.e. marriage), can a couple have the clarity it takes to truly grow together in a physical relationship. More often than not, premarital relations
Follow Rabbi Schochet at: RabbiSchochet.com Twitter: @RabbiYYS Facebook: facebook.com/Rabbiyys.
For Refuah Shalema for Mordechai Ben Chaya Sara his wisdom is not enduring. He [also] used to say: anyone whose deeds exceed his wisdom, his wisdom is enduring, but anyone whose wisdom exceeds his deeds, his wisdom is not enduring. According to the Bartenura, when the Mishnah talks about the importance of ‘fear of sin preceding wisdom,’ it is a means to an end. By studying the Torah properly, I will learn to fear sin. The two go hand in hand. Sadly, there are far too many people out there who are brilliant when it comes to wisdom and have very clever minds, yet their good deeds are not on the same
level. There are many Rabbis and leading figures, much admired and respected in the community who in fact are not such righteous people themselves. If you do not have a basic fear of sin, then no matter how much Torah you may learn, it will not sink in properly to enable you to have a decent array of weapons against the Yetzer Harah. Rather, it is like building on quicksand; ultimately doomed to fail. Make sure to have a solid foundation and you will never go wrong. Ultimately, Hashem will be the final judge. May we all merit to live a truly righteous lifestyle, Amen.
THEJEWISHWEEKLY.COM
desensitise both partners, making it more difficult to access the heights offered by a deeper, more profound relationship. Studies have categorically proven that couples who engage in premarital physical intimacy are frequently plagued with uncertainties as to the essence of their real connection, making longterm commitments much more difficult. Presently you are pursuing more physical gratification. If you looked honestly into your own soul you’ll come to realise that in essence you are looking for much more than just fleeting pleasure. You are seeking a deeper connection, or a love that transcends mere transient physical desires. Understanding this will, in the longer term, enable you to experience a more meaningful relationship and wait till marriage.
Perek 3: Mishna 9
