Abraham Ofir Shemesh | Ariel University (original) (raw)
Books by Abraham Ofir Shemesh
Bar-Ilan University Press, 2021
From biblical to current times, a large number of fragrances have been recorded in Jewish literat... more From biblical to current times, a large number of fragrances have been recorded in Jewish literature. This book is dedicated to a discussion of the halakhic domain of the "blessings on scents" that evolved in the time of the Sages, i.e., blessings recited for the pleasure caused by the scent of fragrances. Extensive current knowledge on the history of the fragrances, their identification, names in Jewish languages, usages, and place in Jewish life and folklore is presented here for the first time. More precisely, methods and approaches concerning the blessings proposed for the different types of fragrances, from the Talmudic Sages to contemporary adjudicators, are discussed. This study is interdisciplinary and it encompasses several fields of knowledge: botany, zoology, history, material culture and Rabbinic literature. The topic is explored in light of a variety of literary genres, Jewish literature (halakha, responsa, customsm and prayer books), external sources and ancient and modern scientific literature.
The main part of the book is devoted to a systematic review of some 70 species of fragrances. Prior to the industrial-chemical development, the large majority of aromatic substances came from the plant world and a minority from the animal world. Halakhic authorities in the East and West engaged in discussions about plants and the aromatic secretions of animals that lived in the wild or were raised for agricultural purposes in the close vicinity of the speakers, as well as about exotic fragrances that arrived in their countries through the trade routes, by sea and by land, from their regions of cultivation in South East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula.
His research focuses on natural and medical issues in Jewish literature though the ages, such as ... more His research focuses on natural and medical issues in Jewish literature though the ages, such as ecology, history of medicine, materia medica, history of food and nutrition. He has published three books and many articles in these fields. Description This book deals with a variety of issues related to religion, culture and sociology of the Jewish world in relation to fragrances, perfumes and incense. The book deals with an array of subjects relating to material culture, theory, custom, philosophy, beliefs and worldviews. Among the subjects discussed in the book are perfumery practices and techniques, their integration into religious ceremonies and customs, their place in the symbolism of the world of Kabbalah and mysticism, the use of perfumes and incense in the daily routine of the synagogue, in the liturgy of the synagogue and in the Jewish life cycle, like marriage and circumcision ceremonies on the one hand, and death, burial and mourning, on the other.
Papers by Abraham Ofir Shemesh
Modern Judaism: A Journal Of Jewish Ideas And Experience, 2019
Religious Studies and Theology, May 6, 2020
Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The... more Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The ancestors believed that animal behavior, especially the voices or flight of fowls, indicates what is going to occur, whether success or failure. The current study deals with two post-biblical interpretations of the utilization of birds for divination (ornithomancy) in the biblical story of the Midianite war against the Israelites (Num. 25:17–18). The Sifre claims that the Midianites used birds in their war against Israel. The Sifre perceives ornithomancy to be an artful and devious method of combat, whose use had implications for the harsh fate that befell the Israelites. According to Sefer ha-Zohar, Balak was a magician who used bird techniques in order to be aware of his situation during the war. When his own bird communicated to him that he could not face the people of Israel he looked to Balaam for help.
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, Feb 20, 2021
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2018
According to the biblical story, Daniel, Hananya, Mishael and Azarya refused to eat the food prod... more According to the biblical story, Daniel, Hananya, Mishael and Azarya refused to eat the food produced by the Babylonian royal kitchen, asking instead to be provided with vegetables (Dn 1:1–21). The current paper examines Abraham Ibn Ezra’s (c. 1090–1164) interpretation of the boys’ diet based on contemporary culinary and nutritional habits. Ibn Ezra’s basic claim is that Daniel and his friends appeared healthy and well-disposed because they ate rice and chickpea dishes that have a high nutritional value. Ibn Ezra rules out R. Saadya Gaon’s approach that it was a supernatural miracle and suggests an interpretation whereby this is a completely natural health outcome. Based on nutritional and medical knowledge, Ibn Ezra claims that the diet consumed by Daniel and his friends was fairly nourishing, and thus it is no surprise that they appeared healthy. Ibn Ezra was strongly influenced by the crops and dishes of Muslim cuisine, as well as by the nutritional-medical outlooks common in the...
Estudos de Religião, 2022
The biblical text does not mention any events that occurred in the ark during the flood. The impr... more The biblical text does not mention any events that occurred in the ark during the flood. The impression formed by the verses is that life in the ark involved no problems and everything seems to have proceeded smoothly (7:15–8:19). The creatures in the ark, apparently, existed harmoniously side by side with no territorial boundaries, tensions, or rivalries. The current study discusses three midrashim that refute the impression formed by the text. The midrash portrays negative occurrences within the ark. One deals with forbidden sexual relations in the ark, the second relates to the rivalry and confrontation between the cat and the mouse, and the third is about the lion that injures Noah and renders him disabled. The midrashim relating that which occurred within the ark strengthen the insight whereby the evil urges of the creatures, and first and foremost of humankind, did not change, and the attempt to create a new ideal and sinless system did not meet with success.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2022
Literary sources of the classical era (first-fifth centuries), both Greco-Roman and Jewish, indic... more Literary sources of the classical era (first-fifth centuries), both Greco-Roman and Jewish, indicate that snakes were used for different purposes, such as for medicine, as raw materials for manufacturing objects, and as pets. This article discusses the use of snakes to deal with pests in the ancient homes as reflected in the Talmudic sources as well as in classical literature. The Jerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi) brings a story of how a house snake helped a family locate a wild snake that entered the house and left its venom in the food. The impression is that the origin of the story is from a non-Jewish environment, and not necessarily from Eretz Israel. It is not impossible that the story is one version of stories about Aesculapian snakes that helped exterminate and drive away pests, as related by Pliny. This narrative variation was absorbed by the sages from their own non-Jewish environment, who adapted the story to the religious-educational messages that they sought to convey. It s...
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2018
Ancient Jewish law took a strict approach to medical relationships between Jews and non-Jews. Sag... more Ancient Jewish law took a strict approach to medical relationships between Jews and non-Jews. Sages forbade Jews to provide non-Jews with medical services: to treat them, circumcise them, or deliver their babies, in order to refrain from helping pagan-idolatrous society. Such law created particularly severe social conflicts in cases of mixed societies based on joint systems. The current paper focuses on the attitude of Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides, Rambam, 1138-1204), a medieval Sephardic Jewish Rabbi towards providing medical service to gentiles. Following the classical rabbis R. Moshe ben Maimon in his halakhic tome Mishne Torah, objected to treating non-Jews. His rigid attitude found expression in several aspects of helping and giving medical treatment to non-Jews. Despite the classical rabbinical restrictions on medical relationships between Jews and non-Jews, and his own rigid halakhic verdicts, Maimonides treated gentiles. According to one understanding, Maimonides cured Musli...
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2019
In the eighteenth-century Europe, medical practices often still followed theories originating fro... more In the eighteenth-century Europe, medical practices often still followed theories originating from classical and medieval medicine. In addition, medicaments produced from plants, minerals, or animals, such as snake meat, were commonly used to treat a wide range of illnesses. This study addresses the approach of the Jewish-Italian physician R. Samson Morpurgo (1681-1740) to the use of non-kosher medications. According to Morpurgo’s outlook, providing the patient with proper medical care and consideration for the dictates of halakha are two intertwined and interrelated aspects. The condition of a patient whose life is in danger might have the effect of reducing the halakhic restrictions while, on the other hand, halakha has the power to determine or intervene in manners of treating patients whose life is not in danger. Sometimes the authority of Jewish law and medical needs clash and form a moral-religious conflict. In such cases, Morpurgo is of the opinion that preference should be ...
Modern Judaism - A Journal of Jewish Ideas and Experience, 2017
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hacohen Kook (the Ra’aya) was one of the most prominent and creative Torah an... more Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hacohen Kook (the Ra’aya) was one of the most prominent and creative Torah and spiritual leaders in recent generations. His philosophy and knowledge extended to many literary genres: bible, midrash (homiletic interpretation), kabbalah, theology, and more. R. Kook was known for his command of all Torah fields, love of mankind, the Jewish people, and the Land of Israel, and had unique eloquent skills. His philosophical and theoretical doctrine includes various issues that occupy modern man, such as evolution, science and religion, the relationship between the sacred and the mundane, society, and tikun olam (repairing the world). R. Kook was born in Latvia in 1865 and served as rabbi of the Zaumel and Bauska congregations. In 1904, at the beginning of the major trend of immigration to Palestine, he came and served as rabbi of the city of Jaffa and the moshavot (settlements, agricultural towns). In 1921, he was appointed president of the Chief Rabbinate Council and one of the two chief rabbis, a position he held until his demise in 1935. R. Kook made an effort to build and maintain channels of communication and political alliances between the various Jewish sectors, including the secular Jewish Zionist leadership, the Religious Zionists, and the more traditional non-Zionist Orthodox Jews. Since the Zionist movement was a secular movement, R. Kook was of the opinion that the renewed Return to Zion movement was the beginning of the redemption and a precursor of the time of the Messiah. This outlook enhanced the affiliation he felt with all Jewish people, particularly those dedicated to building the land. Full of appreciation and admiration for the devotion of the pioneers, both secular and religious, R. Kook regarded contact with them as being of the highest importance. His personality and leadership techniques had a significant impact in Eretz
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2020
The Midrashic literature and biblical translations focus majorly on the verses that describe the ... more The Midrashic literature and biblical translations focus majorly on the verses that describe the gathering in Haman’s house and the preparing of the gallows for Mordechai the Jew (Es 5:14). The goal of this study is to discuss the narrative shaped by the Targum and Midrashic sources and to examine both the realistic domain concerning methods of punishment that were suggested and the theological–educational meaning of the punishment and the type of tree chosen. Targum Rishon develops the contents of the conversation in Haman’s house as to how Mordechai should be executed. While according to the text, the suggestion to hang Mordechai appears to have been the only method agreed upon by all those present at the meeting, Targum Rishon includes several forms of killing and torture that were proposed and considered. While Targum Rishon presents the theological meaning of the choice to kill Mordechai specifically by hanging him from a gallows, a Midrash aggadah attempts to clarify the speci...
Religions, May 27, 2018
In his biblical commentary, R. Abraham Ibn Ezra (c. 1090-1164) occasionally voices the contention... more In his biblical commentary, R. Abraham Ibn Ezra (c. 1090-1164) occasionally voices the contention that the language, culture, and lifestyle of the Muslim world are capable of contributing to our understanding of contemporary aspects of biblical stories and laws. The current paper deals with the influence of Islamic culinary art in medieval times on Ibn Ezra's Biblical commentary on the meat and milk ban. Ibn Ezra claims that the reality of the Arab kitchen, which includes the Bible lands, preserves the ancient ways of eating. Thus, we can understand the Bible ban in Muslim cuisine. According to the medieval dietary approach, cooking meat and milk is recommended because both products have similar properties. The meat of young goat healthier than lamb meat, so it is common to cook it. Muslims believe that the kid of a goat is better cooked in its own mother's milk, because the two products derive from the same origin.
Religious Studies and Theology, 2018
Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The... more Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The ancestors believed that animal behavior, especially the voices or flight of fowls, indicates what is going to occur, whether success or failure. The current study deals with two post-biblical interpretations of the utilization of birds for divination (ornithomancy) in the biblical story of the Midianite war against the Israelites (Num. 25:17–18). The Sifre claims that the Midianites used birds in their war against Israel. The Sifre perceives ornithomancy to be an artful and devious method of combat, whose use had implications for the harsh fate that befell the Israelites. According to Sefer ha-Zohar, Balak was a magician who used bird techniques in order to be aware of his situation during the war. When his own bird communicated to him that he could not face the people of Israel he looked to Balaam for help.
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2019
All men have been considered equal by me": The attitude of Amatus Lusitanus towards treating gent... more All men have been considered equal by me": The attitude of Amatus Lusitanus towards treating gentiles according to his Physician's Oath', HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 75(3), a5287.
Biblical Theology Bulletin: Journal of Bible and Culture, 2019
The current study discusses proposals for identifying biblical vegetative terms in the literature... more The current study discusses proposals for identifying biblical vegetative terms in the literature of the midrash. The study follows the literary phenomenon of proposed identifications of general vegetative terms, such as “tree” (etz), “shrubs” (siḥim), or “fruit of the earth” (pri ha'adama), namely plants which the biblical narrator chose to avoid explicitly identifying as belonging to a specific species, and their identification does not seem to have been important for the story or for conveying its message. It seems that the midrash has two goals in identifying biblical vegetative terms: adding realistic details and connecting the reader to the text and to the location of the events related, and presenting religious concepts and educational messages. In several cases the identification of an anonymous plant is intended to enhance the conceptual and educational messages of the story or to stress other important messages. like social identity.
Review of Rabbinic Judaism, 2018
In 1552, a virulent halakhic polemic opposed R. Joseph Caro and R. Moses Terani. The case happene... more In 1552, a virulent halakhic polemic opposed R. Joseph Caro and R. Moses Terani. The case happened in a slaughterhouse in Safed where shehita of cattle had taken place. It was found that the animals’ stomachs were in a bad condition. It was argued that the cause was a plant the animals had ingested—Kelekh. The two rabbis published different halakhic decisions concerning the kashrut of these animals. Caro declared that the meat was not permitted, while Terani allowed consumption of the meat. Kelekh is common giant fennel. The two rabbis addressed three questions: Does the plant render animals ritually unfit for eating? What is the meaning of the pathological symptoms found in the stomach of the livestock? Which parts of the plant are the source of the problem? The dispute between the rabbis had various consequences for the Jewish community: economic, health-related, and social.
Modern Judaism, 2017
Rabbinic literature in modern times includes a list of halachic debates on the integration of mou... more Rabbinic literature in modern times includes a list of halachic debates on the integration of mourning and memorial customs, originating in general society, into the Jewish-traditional burial ceremony. Examples include: transporting the deceased to the cemetery in horse-drawn carriages; wearing black clothes or a black ribbon on the mourner’s clothing; three-volley salutes at military funerals; and standing while the siren is sounded on Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day and on the Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. The poskim (adjudicators) dealt, among other things, with the halachic attitude toward laying wreaths on coffins, graves, and memorials. Initial doubts regarding this custom began to emerge in Jewish communities in nineteenth-century Europe. The issue continued to trouble halachic authorities during the twentieth century, particularly after the State of Israel was founded, and documentation of such deliberations may be found in the literature and on the internet up to present times. Laying wreaths as part of the traditional funeral ceremony has aroused bitter feelings among the ultra-Orthodox public in Israel and elsewhere, as is evident particularly from the Orthodox press and the responsa literature. Then again, attempts to prevent those of the secular public interested in honoring their dear ones in this way have also been a cause of objection, generating a sense of religious coercion. One of the later manifestations of hard feelings among the general Israeli public is evident in the words of author Amos Oz and his daughter, historian Fania Oz-Salzberger, prominent figures in Israeli culture. In their book “Jews and Words,” they take exception to the fact that the ultraOrthodox consider the laying of wreaths on the grave a foreign custom, considering that for many years this segment of society had embraced the customs of their historical surroundings:
Bar-Ilan University Press, 2021
From biblical to current times, a large number of fragrances have been recorded in Jewish literat... more From biblical to current times, a large number of fragrances have been recorded in Jewish literature. This book is dedicated to a discussion of the halakhic domain of the "blessings on scents" that evolved in the time of the Sages, i.e., blessings recited for the pleasure caused by the scent of fragrances. Extensive current knowledge on the history of the fragrances, their identification, names in Jewish languages, usages, and place in Jewish life and folklore is presented here for the first time. More precisely, methods and approaches concerning the blessings proposed for the different types of fragrances, from the Talmudic Sages to contemporary adjudicators, are discussed. This study is interdisciplinary and it encompasses several fields of knowledge: botany, zoology, history, material culture and Rabbinic literature. The topic is explored in light of a variety of literary genres, Jewish literature (halakha, responsa, customsm and prayer books), external sources and ancient and modern scientific literature.
The main part of the book is devoted to a systematic review of some 70 species of fragrances. Prior to the industrial-chemical development, the large majority of aromatic substances came from the plant world and a minority from the animal world. Halakhic authorities in the East and West engaged in discussions about plants and the aromatic secretions of animals that lived in the wild or were raised for agricultural purposes in the close vicinity of the speakers, as well as about exotic fragrances that arrived in their countries through the trade routes, by sea and by land, from their regions of cultivation in South East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula.
His research focuses on natural and medical issues in Jewish literature though the ages, such as ... more His research focuses on natural and medical issues in Jewish literature though the ages, such as ecology, history of medicine, materia medica, history of food and nutrition. He has published three books and many articles in these fields. Description This book deals with a variety of issues related to religion, culture and sociology of the Jewish world in relation to fragrances, perfumes and incense. The book deals with an array of subjects relating to material culture, theory, custom, philosophy, beliefs and worldviews. Among the subjects discussed in the book are perfumery practices and techniques, their integration into religious ceremonies and customs, their place in the symbolism of the world of Kabbalah and mysticism, the use of perfumes and incense in the daily routine of the synagogue, in the liturgy of the synagogue and in the Jewish life cycle, like marriage and circumcision ceremonies on the one hand, and death, burial and mourning, on the other.
Modern Judaism: A Journal Of Jewish Ideas And Experience, 2019
Religious Studies and Theology, May 6, 2020
Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The... more Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The ancestors believed that animal behavior, especially the voices or flight of fowls, indicates what is going to occur, whether success or failure. The current study deals with two post-biblical interpretations of the utilization of birds for divination (ornithomancy) in the biblical story of the Midianite war against the Israelites (Num. 25:17–18). The Sifre claims that the Midianites used birds in their war against Israel. The Sifre perceives ornithomancy to be an artful and devious method of combat, whose use had implications for the harsh fate that befell the Israelites. According to Sefer ha-Zohar, Balak was a magician who used bird techniques in order to be aware of his situation during the war. When his own bird communicated to him that he could not face the people of Israel he looked to Balaam for help.
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, Feb 20, 2021
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2018
According to the biblical story, Daniel, Hananya, Mishael and Azarya refused to eat the food prod... more According to the biblical story, Daniel, Hananya, Mishael and Azarya refused to eat the food produced by the Babylonian royal kitchen, asking instead to be provided with vegetables (Dn 1:1–21). The current paper examines Abraham Ibn Ezra’s (c. 1090–1164) interpretation of the boys’ diet based on contemporary culinary and nutritional habits. Ibn Ezra’s basic claim is that Daniel and his friends appeared healthy and well-disposed because they ate rice and chickpea dishes that have a high nutritional value. Ibn Ezra rules out R. Saadya Gaon’s approach that it was a supernatural miracle and suggests an interpretation whereby this is a completely natural health outcome. Based on nutritional and medical knowledge, Ibn Ezra claims that the diet consumed by Daniel and his friends was fairly nourishing, and thus it is no surprise that they appeared healthy. Ibn Ezra was strongly influenced by the crops and dishes of Muslim cuisine, as well as by the nutritional-medical outlooks common in the...
Estudos de Religião, 2022
The biblical text does not mention any events that occurred in the ark during the flood. The impr... more The biblical text does not mention any events that occurred in the ark during the flood. The impression formed by the verses is that life in the ark involved no problems and everything seems to have proceeded smoothly (7:15–8:19). The creatures in the ark, apparently, existed harmoniously side by side with no territorial boundaries, tensions, or rivalries. The current study discusses three midrashim that refute the impression formed by the text. The midrash portrays negative occurrences within the ark. One deals with forbidden sexual relations in the ark, the second relates to the rivalry and confrontation between the cat and the mouse, and the third is about the lion that injures Noah and renders him disabled. The midrashim relating that which occurred within the ark strengthen the insight whereby the evil urges of the creatures, and first and foremost of humankind, did not change, and the attempt to create a new ideal and sinless system did not meet with success.
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 2022
Literary sources of the classical era (first-fifth centuries), both Greco-Roman and Jewish, indic... more Literary sources of the classical era (first-fifth centuries), both Greco-Roman and Jewish, indicate that snakes were used for different purposes, such as for medicine, as raw materials for manufacturing objects, and as pets. This article discusses the use of snakes to deal with pests in the ancient homes as reflected in the Talmudic sources as well as in classical literature. The Jerusalem Talmud (Yerushalmi) brings a story of how a house snake helped a family locate a wild snake that entered the house and left its venom in the food. The impression is that the origin of the story is from a non-Jewish environment, and not necessarily from Eretz Israel. It is not impossible that the story is one version of stories about Aesculapian snakes that helped exterminate and drive away pests, as related by Pliny. This narrative variation was absorbed by the sages from their own non-Jewish environment, who adapted the story to the religious-educational messages that they sought to convey. It s...
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2018
Ancient Jewish law took a strict approach to medical relationships between Jews and non-Jews. Sag... more Ancient Jewish law took a strict approach to medical relationships between Jews and non-Jews. Sages forbade Jews to provide non-Jews with medical services: to treat them, circumcise them, or deliver their babies, in order to refrain from helping pagan-idolatrous society. Such law created particularly severe social conflicts in cases of mixed societies based on joint systems. The current paper focuses on the attitude of Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides, Rambam, 1138-1204), a medieval Sephardic Jewish Rabbi towards providing medical service to gentiles. Following the classical rabbis R. Moshe ben Maimon in his halakhic tome Mishne Torah, objected to treating non-Jews. His rigid attitude found expression in several aspects of helping and giving medical treatment to non-Jews. Despite the classical rabbinical restrictions on medical relationships between Jews and non-Jews, and his own rigid halakhic verdicts, Maimonides treated gentiles. According to one understanding, Maimonides cured Musli...
Journal for The Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2019
In the eighteenth-century Europe, medical practices often still followed theories originating fro... more In the eighteenth-century Europe, medical practices often still followed theories originating from classical and medieval medicine. In addition, medicaments produced from plants, minerals, or animals, such as snake meat, were commonly used to treat a wide range of illnesses. This study addresses the approach of the Jewish-Italian physician R. Samson Morpurgo (1681-1740) to the use of non-kosher medications. According to Morpurgo’s outlook, providing the patient with proper medical care and consideration for the dictates of halakha are two intertwined and interrelated aspects. The condition of a patient whose life is in danger might have the effect of reducing the halakhic restrictions while, on the other hand, halakha has the power to determine or intervene in manners of treating patients whose life is not in danger. Sometimes the authority of Jewish law and medical needs clash and form a moral-religious conflict. In such cases, Morpurgo is of the opinion that preference should be ...
Modern Judaism - A Journal of Jewish Ideas and Experience, 2017
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hacohen Kook (the Ra’aya) was one of the most prominent and creative Torah an... more Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hacohen Kook (the Ra’aya) was one of the most prominent and creative Torah and spiritual leaders in recent generations. His philosophy and knowledge extended to many literary genres: bible, midrash (homiletic interpretation), kabbalah, theology, and more. R. Kook was known for his command of all Torah fields, love of mankind, the Jewish people, and the Land of Israel, and had unique eloquent skills. His philosophical and theoretical doctrine includes various issues that occupy modern man, such as evolution, science and religion, the relationship between the sacred and the mundane, society, and tikun olam (repairing the world). R. Kook was born in Latvia in 1865 and served as rabbi of the Zaumel and Bauska congregations. In 1904, at the beginning of the major trend of immigration to Palestine, he came and served as rabbi of the city of Jaffa and the moshavot (settlements, agricultural towns). In 1921, he was appointed president of the Chief Rabbinate Council and one of the two chief rabbis, a position he held until his demise in 1935. R. Kook made an effort to build and maintain channels of communication and political alliances between the various Jewish sectors, including the secular Jewish Zionist leadership, the Religious Zionists, and the more traditional non-Zionist Orthodox Jews. Since the Zionist movement was a secular movement, R. Kook was of the opinion that the renewed Return to Zion movement was the beginning of the redemption and a precursor of the time of the Messiah. This outlook enhanced the affiliation he felt with all Jewish people, particularly those dedicated to building the land. Full of appreciation and admiration for the devotion of the pioneers, both secular and religious, R. Kook regarded contact with them as being of the highest importance. His personality and leadership techniques had a significant impact in Eretz
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2020
The Midrashic literature and biblical translations focus majorly on the verses that describe the ... more The Midrashic literature and biblical translations focus majorly on the verses that describe the gathering in Haman’s house and the preparing of the gallows for Mordechai the Jew (Es 5:14). The goal of this study is to discuss the narrative shaped by the Targum and Midrashic sources and to examine both the realistic domain concerning methods of punishment that were suggested and the theological–educational meaning of the punishment and the type of tree chosen. Targum Rishon develops the contents of the conversation in Haman’s house as to how Mordechai should be executed. While according to the text, the suggestion to hang Mordechai appears to have been the only method agreed upon by all those present at the meeting, Targum Rishon includes several forms of killing and torture that were proposed and considered. While Targum Rishon presents the theological meaning of the choice to kill Mordechai specifically by hanging him from a gallows, a Midrash aggadah attempts to clarify the speci...
Religions, May 27, 2018
In his biblical commentary, R. Abraham Ibn Ezra (c. 1090-1164) occasionally voices the contention... more In his biblical commentary, R. Abraham Ibn Ezra (c. 1090-1164) occasionally voices the contention that the language, culture, and lifestyle of the Muslim world are capable of contributing to our understanding of contemporary aspects of biblical stories and laws. The current paper deals with the influence of Islamic culinary art in medieval times on Ibn Ezra's Biblical commentary on the meat and milk ban. Ibn Ezra claims that the reality of the Arab kitchen, which includes the Bible lands, preserves the ancient ways of eating. Thus, we can understand the Bible ban in Muslim cuisine. According to the medieval dietary approach, cooking meat and milk is recommended because both products have similar properties. The meat of young goat healthier than lamb meat, so it is common to cook it. Muslims believe that the kid of a goat is better cooked in its own mother's milk, because the two products derive from the same origin.
Religious Studies and Theology, 2018
Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The... more Messages and signs received from animals were used to predict the future since ancient times. The ancestors believed that animal behavior, especially the voices or flight of fowls, indicates what is going to occur, whether success or failure. The current study deals with two post-biblical interpretations of the utilization of birds for divination (ornithomancy) in the biblical story of the Midianite war against the Israelites (Num. 25:17–18). The Sifre claims that the Midianites used birds in their war against Israel. The Sifre perceives ornithomancy to be an artful and devious method of combat, whose use had implications for the harsh fate that befell the Israelites. According to Sefer ha-Zohar, Balak was a magician who used bird techniques in order to be aware of his situation during the war. When his own bird communicated to him that he could not face the people of Israel he looked to Balaam for help.
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2019
All men have been considered equal by me": The attitude of Amatus Lusitanus towards treating gent... more All men have been considered equal by me": The attitude of Amatus Lusitanus towards treating gentiles according to his Physician's Oath', HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 75(3), a5287.
Biblical Theology Bulletin: Journal of Bible and Culture, 2019
The current study discusses proposals for identifying biblical vegetative terms in the literature... more The current study discusses proposals for identifying biblical vegetative terms in the literature of the midrash. The study follows the literary phenomenon of proposed identifications of general vegetative terms, such as “tree” (etz), “shrubs” (siḥim), or “fruit of the earth” (pri ha'adama), namely plants which the biblical narrator chose to avoid explicitly identifying as belonging to a specific species, and their identification does not seem to have been important for the story or for conveying its message. It seems that the midrash has two goals in identifying biblical vegetative terms: adding realistic details and connecting the reader to the text and to the location of the events related, and presenting religious concepts and educational messages. In several cases the identification of an anonymous plant is intended to enhance the conceptual and educational messages of the story or to stress other important messages. like social identity.
Review of Rabbinic Judaism, 2018
In 1552, a virulent halakhic polemic opposed R. Joseph Caro and R. Moses Terani. The case happene... more In 1552, a virulent halakhic polemic opposed R. Joseph Caro and R. Moses Terani. The case happened in a slaughterhouse in Safed where shehita of cattle had taken place. It was found that the animals’ stomachs were in a bad condition. It was argued that the cause was a plant the animals had ingested—Kelekh. The two rabbis published different halakhic decisions concerning the kashrut of these animals. Caro declared that the meat was not permitted, while Terani allowed consumption of the meat. Kelekh is common giant fennel. The two rabbis addressed three questions: Does the plant render animals ritually unfit for eating? What is the meaning of the pathological symptoms found in the stomach of the livestock? Which parts of the plant are the source of the problem? The dispute between the rabbis had various consequences for the Jewish community: economic, health-related, and social.
Modern Judaism, 2017
Rabbinic literature in modern times includes a list of halachic debates on the integration of mou... more Rabbinic literature in modern times includes a list of halachic debates on the integration of mourning and memorial customs, originating in general society, into the Jewish-traditional burial ceremony. Examples include: transporting the deceased to the cemetery in horse-drawn carriages; wearing black clothes or a black ribbon on the mourner’s clothing; three-volley salutes at military funerals; and standing while the siren is sounded on Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day and on the Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. The poskim (adjudicators) dealt, among other things, with the halachic attitude toward laying wreaths on coffins, graves, and memorials. Initial doubts regarding this custom began to emerge in Jewish communities in nineteenth-century Europe. The issue continued to trouble halachic authorities during the twentieth century, particularly after the State of Israel was founded, and documentation of such deliberations may be found in the literature and on the internet up to present times. Laying wreaths as part of the traditional funeral ceremony has aroused bitter feelings among the ultra-Orthodox public in Israel and elsewhere, as is evident particularly from the Orthodox press and the responsa literature. Then again, attempts to prevent those of the secular public interested in honoring their dear ones in this way have also been a cause of objection, generating a sense of religious coercion. One of the later manifestations of hard feelings among the general Israeli public is evident in the words of author Amos Oz and his daughter, historian Fania Oz-Salzberger, prominent figures in Israeli culture. In their book “Jews and Words,” they take exception to the fact that the ultraOrthodox consider the laying of wreaths on the grave a foreign custom, considering that for many years this segment of society had embraced the customs of their historical surroundings:
Modern Judaism, 2016
IIn the new Jewish moshavot in Palestine (nineteenth to twentieth centuries), eucalyptus trees we... more IIn the new Jewish moshavot in Palestine (nineteenth to twentieth centuries), eucalyptus trees were used for the wood industry, to drain swamps, to give shade and block the wind, and to delineate fields in order to prevent trespassing. Rabbis dealt with two issues concerning eucalyptus trees: (A) whether they could be planted during a shmita (sabbatical year when planting is forbidden) in order to drain swamps and eradicate malaria, or to delineate lands owned by Jewish pioneers and thus prevent trespassing by Arab neighbors; and (B) the consideration of ecological regulations aimed at preventing the damage caused by the large trees and their roots to the settlers’ homes and fields. Eucalyptus trees were brought to Palestine beginning in the early 1860s. At that time attempts were made to grow eucalyptus trees from seeds sent from the botanical gardens in Victoria, Australia, to the British Consul in Jerusalem. The first seeds were probably of the Eucalyptus globulus, called ‘‘Blue Gum’’ in Australia. They were brought to Palestine under different circumstances than those commonly assumed. At first they were brought for forestation purposes and to serve as shade trees and wind breaks rather than to drain swamps. 1 In fact, however, Eucalyptus globulus proved to be unsuitable given the climate of Palestine and many attempts to acclimate it failed. A second attempt to introduce the eucalyptus in Palestine was made in the 1880s. Some E. globulus seeds were brought in 1882 and 1883 from Tasmania to the American Colony in Jerusalem, and from there they were sent to Charles (Karl) Netter at Mikve Israel. 2 A year later, Netter brought seedlings of E. camaldulensis, apparently from Algiers, and this species caught on well and served as a basis
Vesalius : acta internationales historiae medicinae, 2014
Medical and halakhic literature in medieval and modern times teach us that healing by porcine pro... more Medical and halakhic literature in medieval and modern times teach us that healing by porcine produce was used quite extensively. Medical materials made of pig were mentioned in Jewish manuscripts in Christian and Islamic territories. We assume that, in fact, they were in wider usage in Europe, where the pig was common. Much of the permitted uses seem to involve external application and there was little ingestion orally unless there were compelling reasons. The Jewish medical literature mentions many treatments using pig products, such as: the fat for skin diseases, diaphoresis; bile for gynecologic problems; dung to stop bleeding in circumcision and drinking urine for kidney stones.
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies, 2020
Comparing people to trees is a customary and common practice in Jewish tradition. The current art... more Comparing people to trees is a customary and common practice in Jewish tradition. The current article examines the roots and the development of the image of people as trees in Jewish sources, from biblical times to recent generations (Bible, classical rabbinical literature, medieval to modern rabbinic literature and popular culture), as related to the prohibition against destroying fruit trees. The similarity between humans and trees in the Jewish religion and culture was firstly suggested in biblical literature as a conceptual-symbolic element. However, since the Amoraic period (3rd–5th centuries CE), this similarity was transformed to a resemblance bearing mystical and Halakhic (Jewish Law) implications. Various sources in rabbinical literature describe trees as humans that may be spoken to or yelled at to produce fruit. Cutting down a tree was perceived by the rabbis of the Talmud (3rd–5th centuries CE) not only as an unethical act or vandalism, but also as a hazard: the death of...
Arquivo Maaravi: Revista Digital de Estudos Judaicos da UFMG, 2023
The Jewish sources that describe the non-medical dress and accessories of physicians are few. The... more The Jewish sources that describe the non-medical dress and accessories of physicians are few. The current article focuses on the attire of Jewish physicians in the Ottoman Empire in the 16 th-19 th centuries. Two major issues regarding clothing items worn by Ottoman Jewish physicians are conspicuous in the halakhic historical literature: the hat worn by physicians and the practice of carrying a sword. Written testimonies and illustrations indicate that unlike other Jewish men who wore a yellow hat, Jewish physicians wore a red or blue hat, colors considered more prestigious. The elongated hat they wore was, however, shaped differently than that of Muslim physicians such that they could be discerned from their colleagues.