kahn@crvax1.DEC (08/23/85)
>It is regrettable that there are people who sell improper or even printed >mezuzahs. > >P.S. You can't easily get good religious supplies in this area >either. Could anybody out there possibly help me?!?! Return e-mail >would be appreciated. If there is enough response/ interest, I >will summarize and post a list of proper suppliers. The problem of possul mezuzahs is a real one. In 1975, the Vaad Mishmeres STaM was organized in the U.S. to combat the problem. They have started a public education drive and it is worthwhile to get their booklet "A Guide to Mezuzah" to find out most of the halachos concerning mezuzah. Inside the booklet are also some statistics amassed over these few years concerning the status of kosher mezuzas in America. They have also organized "mezuzah checkers" (bodkim) to go to different communities and check mezuzahs for free. Here are some of the statistics: Young Israel of Hillcrest 1631 mezuzahs checked 67% possul Young Israel of Midwood 1000 34% Highland Park,N.J. 700 49% Washington Hts. 1300 68% Young Israel of Flatbush 250 29% Riverdale Jewish Center 200 79% Chicago 2200 31% Toronto 400 61% Fairlawn,N.J. 500 63% Sephardic Comm. Center of Flatbush 1100 50% If you want to find out more, here is their address in N.Y. Vaad Mishmeres STaM 4902 16th Ave. Brooklyn,N.Y. 11204 Phone: (212)438-4963 >The custom of throwing candy, nuts, etc. at a chosson (bridegromm) at the >"aufruf" (when he is called to the Torah the shabbos before his wedding) >is symbolic of our wishing him and his bride-to-be many blessings (wishing, >or perhaps, throwing blessings at them). Just for the record -- The German custom is NOT to throw candy at an aufruf. It's not considered proper decorum in the Synagogue. (and it can be a little dangerous, depending on whose throwing :-)). It makes a lot of sense to me, but most people give me a disgusted look when I tell them. > (Actually it is the nature of customs that the explainations changes >readily while the ritual changes slowly, if at all. Try making up you own >explaination/meaning. It might be valid as any other. (An example: the first >record we have of the breaking of a glass at a wedding, commonly explained >as a reminder of the destruction of the temple, was within a century of that >event. The Temple wasn't mentioned. It was explained as a reminder of >death - to provide a balence to the joy of the occasion. The first record >of the Temple explaination is only about a century and a half old.)) The first place that the breaking of a glass is mentioned is in the Talmud Berakhoth 31A, where Mar breaks a glass worth 400 zuz at his son's wedding. Rav Ashi did a similar thing. Tosphos there mentions that this is the source for our minhag today of breaking a glass under the chuppah. (I once saw a "Rabbi" on television claim that this custom is only about a hundred years old and it really burned me up.) Both of them lived over 1500 years ago. The Gemorroh implies that the reason they broke the glass was because the Rabanan there were exhibiting too much joy. Passages from Psalms 2:11 and Proverbs 14:23 are mentioned prior to the story to show that too much joy is not prefered behaviour. HOWEVER, the Gemoroh concludes that there will come a time when we will be able to "fill our mouths with laughter", when the nations recognize the Jewish purpose on Earth (i.e. when Moshiach comes).(Psalms 126:2) The question that is discussed among the Achronim (Magen Avrohom,Taz Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 560:5) is whether we should temper our joyousness to avoid sin (reason #1 mentioned above) or as a mourning of the exile (reason #2). Both reasons can be deduced from the text. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For all you DEC employees out there that have VNOTES: ================================================================================ ANCHOR""::ANCHOR$DUA1:[NETNOTES]NOTESLIST.NOT;3 CADET::MAHLER Note Files Announcements 21-AUG-1985 15:53 Note 711.0 -< Bagels & Lox w/Cream Cheese >- 0 responses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is a new file. CADCAM/NONAME/CADZOO/BENSON/CADET :: sys$notes : BAGELS.NOT The file will be pertaining to Judaism and Hebrew language. See you there. Micahel (CADCAM::MAHLER) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have a good Shabbos everyone, dave