Emmanuel Hai Ricci (1688-1743)

Rabbi Ricci (or Riqi) was born in Ferrara, Italy. When he was six his father died and his mother’s brother, Jedidia Rabbino, undertook to provide for the family and the education of the children. On Rabbino’s death his son took charge of the family and married Ricci’s sister. At the age of 20 Rabbi Ricci began to travel around various Italian cities, making his living as a teacher.  In 1717 he was ordained rabbi in Trieste by R. Hillel Ashkenazi.
He then settled in Israel but because of a plague that ravaged the country, in which his daughter died, Rabbi Ricci left Eretz Israel. On his way back to Italy, his ship was captured and taken to Tripoli, but he was released after 40 days. He settled in Leghorn, but later journeyed to Smyrna, Salonika, Constantinople, and London. He spent two years in Aleppo and in 1737 he arrived in Jerusalem, where he stayed for three years. In 1741 he returned to Leghorn to settle business matters connected with his books. While on one of his trips he was murdered by robbers.
His books, in the order in which they were written, are
(1) Ma’ase Chosheb (Venice, 1716), a commentary on the building of the Mishkan, the tabernacle built in the desert
(2) Chosheb Machashabot (Amsterdam, 1727), on the technical Halakhic issues which bear no Biblical textual source,  known as Halakha leMoshe miSinai, like the size of a mikveh or some specifics of the Tefilin, etc. The book also analyzes homiletic commentaries on the Bible and Talmud;
(3) Hon ‘Ashir (Amsterdam, 1731), this is probably his main work, a commentary on the six orders of the Mishna, written in Gorizia and completed and expanded in Safed.
Click here Download Rabbi Ricci’s main work, HON ASHIR, on the Mishna, from Hebrewbooks.org 
See a new edition here
Rabbi Ricci also composed a famous Kabbalistic work: Mishnat Chasidim (Amsterdam, 1727), a book modeled on the six orders of the Mishnah, with each order divided into tractates. Rabbi Ricci considered that the act of Creation lies beyond the power of human understanding and arrived at the conclusion that the Kabbalistic idea of tzimtzum (withdrawal) is essentially metaphorical, based on the pasuq: melo kol ha-aretz kebodo as referring to the providence of God, which is found everywhere. 


RELIGIOUS INTEGRITY: Can we lie to avoid embarrasment?

The Tora instructed us to stick to the truth and stay away from lies. We have already seen, however, that in some exceptional cases the Rabbis acknowledged that it was permitted or even recommended to withhold the true facts (see here).
The Rabbis also considered that when a person is faced with an embarrassing situation, he is also allowed to change the story. For example, if a person goes to an hospital to see a doctor or a therapist and he does not want people to know about his or her specific problem, and he meets his neighbor in the hospital, he is allowed to withhold the truth and conceal the real reason for his visit to the hospital.
It is important to remember that all the exceptions we have mentioned so far, i.e., all the cases in which we can depart from the truth, refer to situations where our narrative does not affect, damages or hurts somebody else. If there are two partners, in a business, for example, and one of them made a mistake that somehow affects the company, he can not conceal his mistake from his partner adducing embarrassment.
Similarly, a son or a daughter should not lie to his or her parents (or teachers) in an attempt to avoid embarrassment. Adults are supposed to know (and accept!) that a son or a student might fail or make a mistake. And adults are there to guide and teach him or her to learn from mistakes.
By the way, we see how important is for parents to praise our children when, despite the embarrassment, they dare to tell us the truth. When children find a mature, confident and empathetic adult that helps the child processing his embarrassment in a positive way, learning for the future, in all likelihood, that child will have no reason to hide his mistakes from his parents, and he will be in a better position to avoid repeating them in the future.  


CHUPA: The wedding ring

Once the Rabbi who presides the wedding (Mesadder Kiddushin) pronounces the first two blessings (see here), the ceremony of Kiddushin (=consecration) takes place.  The consecration of the bride is done by the means of a qinyan (a legal process) by which the bride and the groom are officially engaged.

This qinyan could be done in a different ways. For example, by the groom giving the bride a document (shetar) that states his intention to betroth her in accordance to Jewish Law. Alternatively, it could be done by the groom giving to the bride anything of a minimal value, not necessarily a ring. However, the custom in our days is that the qinyan Kiddushin is performed by giving a ring–the wedding band–to the bride.
There are different traditions regarding the metal used for the band. In some communities they would require to use only a band made of gold, or silver, etc.  In our community we allow any metal. The ring, however, should be plain without any stones or accessories. This is why grooms would refrain from having any inscriptions on the back of the ring, so its value is clear and visible.
If the ring is lost and could not be found, technically, any other ring or anything of a minimal value could be used by the groom to formalize the act of Kiddushin. Provided the object by which the Kiddushin is performed belongs formally to the groom. This is the reason the Rabbi would make sure that the ring belongs to the groom and, for example, he has not yet given it to the bride, etc.
It is only the groom that gives a ring to the bride. In our community we ask the groom to wear his own ring (if he wishes to do so) before the Chupa begins.
Click here to read: “Mayim Bialik, ‘mikve connoisseur'”
The ‘Big Bang Theory’ star speaks frankly about her frumkeit 
From Times of Israel


THE 13 PRINCIPLES. # 7. Moshe reached the highest level of Prophecy

 

Previously, we explained that we Jews believe that Moshe attained the highest level of prophecy (see here).
One of the differences between Moshe and all other prophets was that Moshe could receive Prophecy whenever he wished.  He did not need to bring himself to a state of prophetic concentration since he was in a permanent state of prophetic concentration (See, Rambam, Yesode haTora 7:6).
I will explain this concept with an example.
Prophecy is a phone-call from God.    Now, you can only get a phone call, any phone call, if you have a functioning phone.  To be a prophet, one had to reach the highest level of huan perfection (remember: “wealth, wisdom and strength”?  See here).  In this sense, “to have a phone” means to have reached this high level of human perfection.   Many people mightimagine that they receive (or deserve to receive) a message from God. Which in light of what I just explained, it might be considered a bit arrogant, unless one feels that he or she have actually achieved that level of human perfection. Without that “phone” you can not receive God’s message!
Now, once an individual possesses ‘an active phone’, he will not necessarily get a call from HaShem!  Being a prophet means “achieving a level which deserves prophecy”, not necessarily the actual reception of a prophetic message. Calling or not calling the prophet is God’s prerogative: “All prophets (except Moshe) could not receive prophecy whenever they desired. It all depended on God’s will. A prophet might wait days and years, and still not receive prophecy” (Rambam, commentary to the Mishna).
Moshe Rabbenu, however, could receive a call from God at will. “Whenever he wished, he could be enveloped by divine inspiration, and prophecy will descend upon him” (Yesode haTora 7:6) enabling him to be in constant contact with God.
 Preparing ourselves for Yom Yerushalaim  (Sunday May 20, 28 of Iyar)
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READ: LOVING AND LOSING JERUSALEM, 
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Rabbi David Pardo (1718-1790)

Rabbi David Pardo, (1718-1790) was a famous Sephardic Rabbi, a prolific author and a poet. He was born in Venice, Italy. At a young age he went to Sarajevo where he studied under Rabbi Abraham David Papo. Eventually R. Pardo was appointed rabbi of Sarajevo. In 1776 he traveled to Eretz Israel, settling in Jerusalem, where he served as head of the Yeshiba Chesed leAbraham uBinyan Shelomo. Rabbi Pardo was regarded in his time as Jerusalem’s greatest Rabbi.
Many of his works deal mainly with Tannaitic Rabbinic literature, and are an original commentary–not necessarily dependent on the Amoraitic interpretations.
His first famous work was Shoshannim le-David , an independent commentary on the Mishna.
He also wrote Chasde David a commentary on the Tosefta, which is considered one of the most important commentary on the Tosefta.
And Sifre deBeRab  which he commenced in 1786 and was published by his son Abraham after his death. This work is considered the most important commentary on the Sifre.
He also wrote Mikhtam le-David a book where he records his numerous halakhic decisions and responsa.
Maskil le-David a commentary on Rashi’s Biblical commentary.
LaMnatzeach leDavid, a book on those Talmudic passages where alternative explanations are given.
Mizmor le-David notes on the Perot Ginnosar of Rabbi Chizekiyah da Silva.
Rabbi Pardo’s liturgical poems and prayers are included in the Sephardic daily and festival prayer books.
He died in Yerushalaim.
Of his sons, R. Jacob Pardo became chief Rabbi of Ragusa.  A second son, Isaac, was the Rabbi of Sarajevo, while a third, Abraham, who married Lebana, the daughter of Rabbi Chayim Yosef David Azulai (Chida), became head of the Yeshiba Chesed leAbraham uBinyan Shelomo after his father-in-law’s death.
Rabbi Pardo’s disciples included Shabbetai ben Abraham Ventura, Rabbi David Pinto, and Rabbi Abraham Penso.
For a comprehensive biography of Rabbi David Pardo (which still needs to be written in Wikipedia) see  this article   by Eliezer Papo   
Click  here  to   download LaMnatzeach leDavid (Pardo), a commentary on the alternative arguments of the Talmud (-i ba’et ema)     


RELIGIOUS INTEGRITY: Three Kosher Lies (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we examined two of three cases in which the Rabbis said that one can deviate from the truth.  The first one was masekhta, when out of humbleness, one can pretend that he does not know some material so well, even though, one knows it very well. The second case, has to do with tzeni’ut: discretion. In some circumstances, particularly in the field of intimacy, one is authorized (or expected) to hide the whole truth, since talking or discussing openly certain intimate subjects with the wrong people is not viewed as appropriate (see here)
  
3. USHPIZA: This third category literally means ‘guest’.

Most people think when they hear this exception, that when I’m a guest in someone’s house I’m authorized to lie to my host and praise her food and hospitality, even though it was not that great. However, and without judging the merits of this last interpretation, the case the Talmud was referring to, was explained by Ba’ale haTosafot in a different way.   

  
In the past, people did not have so much food and comfort as we all have today.  There were no hotels, and travelers would often look for generous hosts for bed, breakfast and more. Our case means that if I were a guest in someone’s house, and they treated me exceptionally well, if I suspect that by my public praise of their hospitality other travelers–some of whom might not be honest or might behave in an abusive manner–would now try to be hosted in that house, I’m allowed to deviate from the truth and hide the praise for their exceptional treatment, because otherwise everyone will want to come to that house. And I might cause involuntarily a financial damage to them or generate a possible situation of abuse to my generous host. In this and similar circumstances, I’m allowed to hide the identity of my benefactors or belittle their generosity.  
  
As we see, although the truth is a very high and esteemed value in Judaism and the Tora warned us to stay away from lies, sometimes, for humbleness, morality or in order to avoid damage or to save generous people from abuse, the Rabbis permitted us to deviate from the truth.  


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SHABBAT: From fire to electricity (Part 2)

 

Last week we explained that there are 39 categories of melakhotor creative activities, which we are not allowed to perform on Shabbat. One of them is called: hab’ara, which mean to light a fire.  We also explained that lighting fire was singled out in the Tora, unlike the other 38 melakhot, and we offered one explanation for this (see here)

 

Before we analyze the similarities and differences between fire and electricity, and in order to better understand them, I must explain first how the exceptional nature of fire vis-a-vis the rest of the melkahot was viewed and interpreted.

 

 

In the time of the haskala (European illuminism, 19th century) many reformers argued that the reason the Tora did not authorize to light a fire was because in Mosaic times lighting a fire constituted an exhausting work: fire was started with stones, and it was a lengthy and exhausting process. That is why it was forbidden. And this is why, the first reformers reasoned, it should be permitted today, when we can obtain fire with a simple match.

 

 

Jewish tradition, however, never identified melakhot with prohibitions associated necessarily with physical effort. On the contrary: if you live in the 12th floor of an apartment building, you should walk up the stairs. It is the creative nature of the act what might define it as a melakha, not the physical effort that it demands.

 

This idea, applied to our case, could be illustrated by rabbi Sa’adia Gaon’s (882-942) explanation of the pasuq “Do not light a fire in your houses on the day of Shabbat” (Shemot 35:3). He translated this pasuq: “Do not even light a fire on Shabbat… “even” because, hab’ara–which in Biblical Hebrew means “lighting a fire from a previous fire” not from stones–is the easiest conceivable melakha, i.e., the epitome of an effortless and a minimal creative activity. The Tora singled out hab’ara to convey that even an effortless but minimally creative act is still forbidden on Shabbat.
(to be continued…)
SHABBAT SHALOM
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SEPHARDIC RABBIS: Isaac Shemuel Reggio (1784-1855)

The portrait of Rabbi Isaac Shemuel Reggio 

Rabbi Reggio studied Tora under his father, and secular studies in the local gymnasium. At the age of fourteen the prodigious student had such mastery of the Hebrew language that he wrote a metrical poem on the death of Rabbi Moshe Chefetz z”l (the author of “Melekhet Machashebet”).
Rabbi Reggio also learned French, German, Latin, Semitic Languages and excelled in Mathematics.  Rabbi Reggio was appointed by the emperor as professor of belles-lettres, geography, and history, and chancellor of the lycée of Gorizia.
Because of the influence of the European illuminism (haskala) an imperial decree was issued in 1822 that no community might appoint a Rabbi who had not graduated in philosophy. As a reaction, Rabbi Reggio published at Venice an appeal in Italian for the establishment of a Rabbinical Seminary, arguing that just as the Emperor did not desire Rabbis devoid of philosophical training, neither did the Jews desire Rabbis who had had no appropriate rabbinical education.
This appeal resulted in the establishment of the famous Rabbinical College in Padua, for which Rabbi Reggio, its founder, drew up the statutes and the educational program.
Among other books he published:
  • Ma’amar Tora min ha-Shamayim (Vienna, 1818). Advocating the divine origin of the Tora.
  • Sefer Torat Elokim (ib. 1821), originally a translation of the Pentateuch in Italian with commentaries in Hebrew. There is a new Hebrew edition of this important book done by R. Yosef Shelomo Harary in Yerushalayim, 2004.
  • HaTora vehaPilosophia. Rabbi Reggio applies the term “philosophy” to all studies outside the Talmud and Rabbinics. In this important book Rabbi Reggio not only endeavors to reconcile the Jewish religion with modern science, but attempts to prove that they are indispensable to each other.
Click here to download and read “Torat Elokim” (original edition, from Hebrewbooks.org)
Click here to download and read “HaTora vehaPilosophia” (original edition, from Hebrewbooks.org)


RELIGIOUS INTEGRITY: Three Kosher Lies (Part 1 of 2)

Previously, we explained the value the Tora gives to saying the truth  (see  here). We also discussed  one exception:  shalom, peace which is above the truth  (see here ).
  
We will see now three other cases in which the Rabbis admitted that the truth could be modified (leshanot min ha-emet) when it clashes with other important values.
  
1. Masekhta (Talmudic tractate). According to Rashi this means that if a person, for example,  knows perfectly one Tractate of the Talmud and someone asks him how well he knows this Talmudic tractate, he can conceal the truth and say that he does not know it very well.  Jews value immensely the habit of behaving with humbleness and since in this case by modifying the truth there is no damage involved, he is permitted to do so. Other Rabbis (Magen Abraham) add that in the same way one can conceal his vast knowledge to behave with humbleness, one can also behave with humbleness in other religious or spiritual areas. For example: if someone is doing an act of Chesed or an extra stringency he can (should!) conceal it from others.  On this note I remember that Rabbi Ytzchaq Shehebar, z”l from the Syrian community in Buenos Aires, use to wear his Tefilin of Rabbenu Tam at home, due to his great humbleness. 
  
  
2. Puraya (Sexual intimacy): In issues of intimacy, it is also permitted not to disclose all the truth or even modify the truth. (This is the reason why it is permitted to hide the news of pregnancy during the first months). If someone inappropriately asks a private question (For example: is your wife going to the Mikve tonight? etc.) one could withhold the truth for reasons of Tzeni’ut (=discretion).  Tzeni’ut is not just revealed by the way we dress. Discretion is also manifested by our speech: knowing what words we use, what subjects we discuss and with whom we discuss these subjects. 
  
(to be continued…)
  

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SHABBAT: From fire to electricity (Part 1)

 

There are 39 categories of forbidden activities in Shabbat. They are called melakhot. Melakhot are not necessarily hard work (see here), but (most of them) creative activities or modifications in nature.
One of the 39 melakhot is “lighting” a fire (hab’arat esh).   The special thing about “lighting” is that while none of the other forbiddenmelakhot was specified in the Tora, lighting a fire  was singled out in a special pasuq: lo teba’aru esh (Shemot 35:3) “Do not light a fire…on the day of Shabbat”.. The rabbis  reasoned that lighting was single out as an example of a melakha and they learned from it that each melakha is a prohibition in itself.
It could also be argued that perhaps fire was singled out as an example, because fire is nature’s most important agent of modification: metals are modified by fire, food is prepared with fire, cold is defeated with fire. And later on, with fire men produced machines moved by vapor and heat, which brought about the major sources of energy, which brought industrialization and the beginning of modern technology (Penine Halakha).
During Shabbat we elevate ourselves above the level of altering, modifying and improving the physical world. We rest from our working routine to modify, advance and improve our individual and family values and spiritual lives.
During Shabbat we are forbidden to light or ignite any fire. Regardless of its size or intensity. It could be a big fireplace or a small match.
Also, any way of producing a fire is forbidden: using a match, a lighter or even by solar heat through a magnifier glass, etc.
The Tora also forbids on Shabbat to transfer a fire from an existing fire or even to increase an already ignited flame by adding oil, wood, gas, etc.
(to be continued)
Shabbat Shalom!
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Shabbat ends in NYC:   8:46 PM
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