Divination and prediction of the future was an integral part of every pagan society. From the Greeks (the seers and oracles) to the Aztecas in ancient Mexico. The Aztecas diviners, for example, would tell the future casting maize kernels, looking into mirrors or bowls of water or tying and untying knots. As in many other pagan cultures they would also use hallucinogens (plants) to bring themselves into having “extraordinary visions of the future”.  In many African societies divination is still practiced today.

For Maimonides, as per More Nebukhim 2:37, all diviners are charlatans who use their powerful imaginations and persuasive personalities pretending that the future is revealed to them by an external force.  For a Jew it is entirely forbidden to visit or seek the advice of any kind of diviner, psychic, card reader, etc. or whoever claims to foretell the future.

During the eight days of Hanukka we read the Tora in the morning.  Now,  what Biblical text was chosen by the Rabbis to be read on Hanukka and why? 

Let me first explain the question. On every Jewish Holiday we read in the Tora a portion corresponding to the story of that specific Holiday. During the eight days of Pesah, for example, we read eight Tora portions alluding to the Exodus from Egypt, the Mitsvot of Pesah, the Pesah sacrifice, etc.  But the events of Hanukka happened around the year 160 BCE and were not recorded in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). The Rabbis, therefore, had to find a Biblical text to be read that somehow would be related to Hanukka. 

Our Rabbis chose the section of Naso in the book of Numbers (“In the desert” chapter 7), dealing with the inaugural offerings of the tribal leaders at the time of the dedication of the mizbeah (=the altar of the Tabernacle).

Why?

1. Hanukka means “inauguration” or “dedication”. In Hanukka we celebrate that once the Greeks were defeated the Jews re-dedicated the altar of the Temple–which was defiled by pagan offerings– to HaShem. The Parasha we read is about the dedication of the mizbeah of the Tabernacle, our first Temple.  This seems to be the original reason for reading Perashat Naso.  But there is more to this story. 

2. In the dessert, the Tabernacle was completed on the 25 of Kislev. Coincidently, this is the same day we celebrate Hanukka.

3. On the last day of Hanukka, we read the paragraph dealing with the lighting of the Menora, which remind us of the miracle of the oil in the times of Hanukka.

4. The book Me’am Lo’ez brings an additional reason. If you pay close attention to the offerings related in Perashat Naso, you will see that the tribe of Levi did not participate of the dedication of the altar. During Hanukka the Hashmonayim–Cohanim descendants of the tribe of Levi– were the ones who recovered and rededicated the altar. 

Besides Hanukka, today we also celebrate Rosh Hodesh Tebet. Our prayers are longer than usual for a weekday.  Today, same as yesterday, we say ya’ale veyabo and ‘al haNisim in the ‘amida and in Birkat haMazon.  In the morning we read the full Hallel and we took out two Sifre Tora. On the first one we read the Rosh Hodesh portion and in the second Sefer Tora we read the text corresponding to the 7th day of Hanukka. We also said Musaf for Rosh Hodesh, including ‘al haNisim.

Additionally, tonight in Tefilat ‘arbit we will switch frombarekhenu to barekh ‘alenu. In other words, we will begin asking God for rain.

In Israel Jews start praying for rain two weeks after Shemini Atseret, on the evening of the seventh day of Heshvan.

The Jews who lived in the Babylonian diaspora did not need the rain so early in the year. The Rabbis established then that Babylonian Jews should begin praying for rain on the 60th day of the season of Tishri, or the Hebrew autumn.

The Hebrew calendar also has four seasons called tequfot(in singular: tequfa). The Rabbis gave an easy round number for determining the beginning of each Hebrew calendar season.  A season consists of  91 days 7 hours and 30 minutes. This makes each year exactly 365 days and 6 hours long, about 11 minutes longer than the actual astronomical calculation of a solar year.

Today, Jews who live outside of Israel, follow the ancient practice of the Jews of Babylonia. Therefore, it has become tradition for Jews who live in the Diaspora to start asking for rain in their prayers as the Babylonian Jews did.

Based on this calculation, this year 2013, we will switch to Barekh ‘alenu –the prayer for rain– tonight, December 4th, in our ‘arbit prayer.

For Rabbi Sabato Morais (1823-1897), one of the most prominent orthodox Rabbis in 19th century America (see this), celebrating Thanksgiving was a no-brainer. In his view Thanksgiving is “a national holiday which connects Jewish people to their country and to their fellow Americans, irrespective of their creed.” (D.H).

Thanks to Mr. Daniel Harari, a passionate student of Rabbi Sabato’s works, and to Mr. Arthur Kiron, the Curator of Judaica Collections at the Penn Library, I got a copy of the original“Sermon delivered on Thanksgiving Day, Nov 27th 1851 by the Rev. Sabato Morais, Minister of the Congregation Mikvé Israel Philadelphia” which was published in the journal “The Asmonean” (החשמונאי).  I’m presenting here some selected paragraphs of it and a link to the full article. 

  

A Sermon delivered on Thanksgiving Day, Nov 27th 1851 by the Rev. Sabato Morais, Minister of the Congregation Mikvé Israel Philadelphia. 

“Sovereign of all ages [=רבונו של עולם], … bless this country, this people, their homes, their fields, their commerce, their productions; maintain among them harmony of feelings, indissoluble brotherhood, and unity of power, now and evermore.   Bless all of them, of whatever nation or creed, who have this day like us gathered to thank thy abundant goodness… and over their old and young, over the rich and poor, over their wardens and officers, over their schools and teachers, unfold Oh God, the pavilion of thy peace, may their religious conduct and future progress in the path of true wisdom, shine brilliantly over America and on Israel thy chosen ones. Amen. “ 

דיני רבה וזוטרא  Dine  Rabba ve-Zutra (“The Great and Small Decisions”) – a commentary on the shulhan ‘arukh. 

There are two issues we should bear in mind to answer this question 1.Identifying the fish and 2. Using the same knife. 

Identifying a kosher specie is a Biblical positive commandment. (Lev. 20:25). Modern rabbis discuss if and when is possible to recognize a fish fillet.

I quote here two opinions on this matter. The first represents the standard Ashkenazi opinion and the second the standard Sephardic opinion. 

1) According to the stricter opinion a fish can only be identifiable if it still has some of its skin (=visible scales). Filleted fish with no skin left, cannot be properly identified. Therefore, you cannot buy it from a non Kosher store. This is the rule for whole fish and obviously for fresh or frozen skinless-fish-fillet (See guidelines and exceptions  here).

2) According to the Sephardic custom (as per Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Hayim שליט”א for example) if you can recognize this fish fillet as a Kosher specie –for example, if you would be able to identify this fish among five other filleted fish–then it is permitted for you to purchase that fish, even though the fillet does not have any more skin. This is the case for fresh or frozen fillet. 

Now, what about the knife?  Can you buy a fish that was cut with a non-Kosher knife? 

1) Some Rabbinical authorities require to take your own knife to the fish store and use that specific knife to cut the fish, in order to avoid any cross-contamination between the Kosher and non Kosher fish by means of the knife or the cut board (see idem).

Last week we explained that the Tora forbids nihush -divination- the reading of divine signs in natural or trivial events or in certain arbitrary signals that we set for ourselves (See this). Maimonides brings the actions of Eli’ezer, Abraham’s servant (Gen. Chapter 24)as an example of nihush.   Abraham sent Eli’ezer from Canaan to Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham did not give him any specific names or features to look for, but assured Eli’ezer that God will help him. When Eli’ezer approached the city of Aram Naharayim he set for himself (and for God!) a sign: “If I ask a girl water and she offers me and my camels to drink, that will be the girl that God has selected for Isaac”. The Rabbis criticized the method of Eli’ezer. You can’t play signs in the name of God!   

A great Talmudist, the Ran, defended Eli’ezer. He said that if Eli’ezer would have asked God for an arbitrary sign from heaven –e.g., the girl that will be wearing such and such color, or the girl that will have a bird flying over her head, she will be the chosen one– then we could consider that as an idolatrous practice. But after all,  the Ran reasons, Eli’ezer asked for a sign which reflects character and virtue.  To offer unsolicited help or to do for others more than one was asked to do, was the earmark of Abraham Abinu, who went out of his way to provide his three guests unsolicited help (food and temporary shelter). Abraham also exceeded his guests expectations. He offered them a morsel bread and water, but ended up giving them  a full course meal!   

The Gemara criticized Eli’ezer tactics as inappropriate. The rabbis explained that Eli’ezer שאל שלא כהוגן, made an improper (and risky!) request. The story had a happy ending not because Eli’ezer’s methodology worked out (=not because HaShem played by the rules established by Eli’ezer!) but because HaShem especially protected Abraham and Isaac, helping Eli’ezer to find Ribqa.

Rabbi Abraham Zacuto was born in Salamanca, Spain in 1452. He studied Tora with his father Shemuel Zacuto and with rabbi Isaac Abohab. He was a great Tora scholar, very well versed in Talmud, Jewish Law, Philosophy and Mysticism.  He also studied astronomy in the famous university of Salamanca and taught in the universities of Zaragoza and Cartagena.

In 1492, when the Jews were expelled from Spain he fled to Portugal.  The Portuguese King Joao the 2nd appointed him as the Royal Astronomer and the Historian of the court.  In 1497, upon the arrival of the new King Manuel, the Jews of Portugal underwent a forced conversion, in other words, they were declared Christians by Royal decree, and if found practicing Judaism they would be killed by the Inquisition in the infamous Autos de Fe. He fled to Tunis and later on managed to arrive to Jerusalem, where he died in 1515 (Other versions have him living his final days in Damascus, Syria).

Rabbi Abraham Zacuto engaged in astronomical research, an indispensable knowledge for navigating the seas. In 1478 he wrote his major astronomical work, Ha-Ḥibbur ha-Gadol. This book along with other books and treatises on astronomy (e.g., “On the solar and lunar eclipses”) were translated to Spanish and Latin.  In 1496 the King Joao sought his advice before sending Vasco da Gama on his sea expedition to India, around the Southern coast of Africa. Rabbi Zacuto prepared the naval-astronomical calculations. He instructed the expedition to use his newly perfected astrolabe (an astrolabe capable to determine latitude while at sea)  and his maritime tables and charts, especially the Almanach Perpetuum (or Biur Luhoth) which revolutionized ocean navigation. 

Rabbi Zacuto wrote many Tora books as well. His most famous book in Hebrew is called sefer yohasin (ספר יוחסין) “The book of lineage”, a superb book of Jewish history since Biblical times until his own days.   Click here to download one of the first editions of the book. 

FOR a free English translation online of rabbi Zacuto Sefer Yohasin see this

For a more comprehensive biography of RABBI ABRAHAM ZACUTO see www.zacuto.org, a website founded by Dr. Vladimir Rozenblit, a 20th generation direct descendant of Rabbi Zacuto.