brad@ut-sally.UUCP (Brad Blumenthal) (04/28/84)
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I was taught in religious school that an extra place
was to be set at the sedar table, so that those
(them, they ?) who wished could come and partake --
no qualifications. Anyone else heard this one?
Take care,
Brad Blumenthal
{ihnp4,ctvax,seismo}\!brad\@ut-sally
--
Take care,
Brad Blumenthal
{ihnp4,ctvax,seismo}\!brad\@ut-sallyteitz@aecom.UUCP (05/01/84)
the problem of inviting non-jews to the seder does not apply only to the seder itself. the problem is inviting non-jews to any meal on a holiday. on the sabbath there is a prohibition against cooking. therefore, there is no problem inviting a non-jew to a sabbath meal. however, on the holi- days this restriction on cooking is relaxed ( see Exodus chap. 12 verse 16, Babylonian Talmud Tractate Betza, page 21 side 2 [top of the page], Maimionidies Yad Hachazaka, Yom Tov, chap. 1 law 13, and Code of Jewish Law chap 512 ). so much for backing up what will and has been said. the relaxation of the cooking restriction applies only to jews, as the verse in the Bible says, 'this alone can be done for you'(refering to preparation of foods). the emphasis is on the last words, 'for you', and not for non-jews. the law restricts the inviting of non-jews because we might cook extra on the holiday for the non-jew. the law states though, that if the non-jew comes of his own accord, you may feed him, and there is no need to chase him from your house, since what will be eaten at the meal is already prepared and there is no fear of cooking extra for him. now for the seder. inviting the non-jew is prohibited since the seder is no different than any other holiday meal ( unless the seder falls out on friday night, when cooking is prohibited and there is no fear of cooking extra for him). however if the non-jew comes of his own accord, he is allowed to participate. in fact when we start the recital section of the seder (magid) we begin, 'ha lachma anya', this bread of affliction( or any other explainiation you want),....'kol dichfin yaysay v'yaychal (i transliterate for readability, not correctness of grammar), all who want may come and eat, 'kol ditzrich yaysay v'yifsach' all who need may come and eat the pascal lamb( which we no longer have). the question is, what is the difference between those who want and those who need. one answer given is that those who want are those not commanded in the pascal sacrifice ( non-jews ) and those who need are the jews. so the rabbis already anticipated the problem of non-jews at the seder and we proclaim that if anyone wants to join us he or she may. hakosave lichvod hatorah, eliyahu david ben harav elazar meir teitz