38 JUDAISM
24 MARCH 2022
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ASK THE RABBI Looking for answers? Send your question to Rabbi@RabbiSchochet.com IS JUDAISM A RACE? Dear Rabbi I am studying comparative religion in University and I was wondering whether you would describe Judaism as a race or a nationality? Howard Dear Howard “Race” denotes a biological distinction, common ancestry, and so on. Yet there are Jews of every race & colour; black & white; oriental and occidental. Descendants of every conceivable race have joined the Jewish people throughout the ages, being universally recognised as Jews. So race it is not. Nationality can hardly be a definition for a people that have been dispersed throughout the world for 2000 years, without country or homeland of its own. For 2/3 of the years of its existence, the Jewish people lived among different nations: Egyptians and Babylonians, Persians and Greeks, Romans and Arabs, Germany, Poland, France, Russia, America, China, etc. During these years of dispersion the Jewish people have been joined by thousands of men & women none, whose ancestry had ever even been in the ancient Land of Israel - thus to define Jews as a nationality is historically untenable. On balance, to be a Jew means to be a part of a faith – or a religion. And once you use the very definition of religion, you invariably bring G-d into the equation. And once you bring G-d into it, you have to also understand that there is no such thing as an exclusive belief in
G-d without also determining what G-d wants from me. Once we talk about religion - to choose or accept a religion – any religion - means to accept for oneself a special way of life with a given set of responsibilities. For the Jew that means doing what you can to make this world holy, good and G-dly and making this world the better place it was always intended to be.
JUDAISM & CANCEL CULTURE Dear Rabbi What is the halachic position on “cancel culture?” Selina Dear Selina Cancel culture is the antithesis of Judaism. Someone shares an unpopular opinion and they get a swell of outrage calling out that person in a cultural boycott. It is scorched-earth partisan politics – where people with whom we disagree are denied a voice and their right to air their point of view. It drives society apart; it is driving Judaism apart; it features in relationships, families, and even entire communities. It polarizes and pits people against one another. This morning I saw a Facebook post I didn’t agree with. Guess what? I didn’t get offended. I didn’t comment. I didn’t feel the need to change their mind. I still like the person. I just kept scrolling and went on with my day! We need to fix that and appreciate that, that which united us is greater than that which divides us, and even as we are two Jews with three opinions, we must strive to maintain one heart.
Pirkei Avot ֱה ֵוי ָרץ ְל ִמצְ ָוה ַק ָּלה,אֹומר ֵ ֶּבן ַעּזַ אי ֶׁש ִּמצְ ָוה.ּובֹור ַח ִמן ָה ֲע ֵב ָרה ֵ ,מּורה ָ ְכ ַב ֲח .גֹור ֶרת ֲע ֵב ָרה ֶ ַו ֲע ֵב ָרה,ּגֹור ֶרת ִמצְ ָוה ֶ ...ּוׂש ַכר ֲע ֵב ָרה ְ . ִמצְ ָוה,ֶׁש ְּשׂ ַכר ִמצְ ָוה
Ben Azzai said: Be quick in performing a minor commandment as in the case of a major one, and flee from transgression; For one commandment leads to another commandment, and transgression leads
CANDLES FOR THE DEAD Dear Rabbi Why do Jews light so many candles for the dead? I have seen candles lit in a shivah house of mourning, as well as people doing it on the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) etc. Is there particular significance to all this candle lighting? Rebecca Dear Rebecca There is evidence to suggest that Jews have been lighting candles to honour the deceased as far back as the Mishnaic period, (about 2,000 years ago): the Mishnah states that one cannot use the “fire of the dead” for the post Shabbat havdalah blessing on Saturday night because it was lit not for the living, but to honour the dead. Additionally, we find that Rabbi Yehudah the Prince, who was actually the compiler of the Mishna, commanded his household before his passing “to leave a lamp lit in its place.” Although this phrase is typically understood to refer to the Shabbat lamp, some commentaries suggest that this is also a precedent for lighting a candle for the dearly departed. The significance of the custom is per the verse that says, “The soul of man is the lamp of G d.” As such, the candle is a reminder of the soul of the loved one. Also, when a soul departs from this world, it leaves behind a dark void. The memorial candle serves to replenish this light. Jewish mysticism suggests that the soul of a loved one actually derives joy from the candle’s light. As the verse states, “The
light of the righteous will rejoice.” The reason for this is because the soul itself is made up of divine light, and it is natural to delight in something that is of a similar makeup. All this explains both the yartzeit candle lit in the home (which most light for the duration of the week of mourning, others for the first thirty days and others still for the duration of the first year of mourning).
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Dedicated in memory of HaGaon HaRav Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim Kanievsky זצ״לand the victims of terror to another transgression; For the reward for performing a commandment is another commandment and the reward for committing a transgression is a transgression. We never know the value of a mitzvah. People often think big mitzvah’s are important so they will turn up to a Seder table and make a brief appearance in Shul over Yomim Noraim, however small mitzvah are also important. Take the value of the advice of our sages ans you won’t go wrong! We see how one good deed can lead
to another and one bad deed to another also. It reminds me of a joke, told by Reb Eli Stefansky of 8mindaf.com A poor man once asked his neighbour for some food. The man gave him some food, but his wife was unsure as it has a bad smell. Nonetheless he still went ahead and served it to him. A few minutes later the man said he
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Separately, we also light a candle on the days when Yizkor is recited, particularly before Yom Kippur because it helps to provide atonement for the souls of our loved ones. This is based on a different verse, “For the lights honour G-d.” When we light a candle to honour G-d in the merit of the dearly departed, G d promises to forgive and watch over their souls.
Perek 4: Mishna 2 was feeling unwell, and needed medication. He then asked to be taken to hospital where he died. The next day after attending the funeral and visiting the shiva, he delightedly told his wife how his one mitzva of giving food to a poor man had led to so many mitzvah’s, of bikur cholim, burying the dead and visiting a shiva house!
