[Avodah] Where Bread Comes From

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Apr 22, 2009 at 10:00:24AM -0400, Rich, Joel wrote:
:> But to object to someone adopting a practice that serves as a mnemonic
:> for bitachon? As I said, that's simply not how Judaism was ever done.
:> (To equivicate: Except, perhaps, among followers of the Rambam.)

: I'd suggest reading the Rambam at the beginning of hilchot avodah Zara
: as to how avodah Zara was started by some well meaning folks.

You (nor RRW) don't address what I tried to make my basic premise. You
can't rail against people who like the notion of shlissel challah, and
not rail against the first of your ancestors to wash neigl vasr three
times on each hand (or 4) in a particular sequence. Or one of any of
hundreds of other practices that someone did because it inspired him
and since got enshrined as minhag.

Also, this person (e.g. Mrs B) may be doing something that their ancestors
did not, but the practice itself withstood "peer review" and made it into
Taamei haMinhagim and numerous chassidishe sefarim of that genre. It's
a little late to worry about Dor Enosh issues on this one.

BTW, the Oheiv Yisrael gives a more elaborate reason for the minhag
than I do. He invokes Yehoshua 5:11-12, when the BY ate old grain the
day after Pesach because the mun stopped. Same mafteiach shel geshamim,
but a different reason for the timing; and one that works for EY (when
geshamim would be ending just around now).

Nor do I see applicability. No one is turning the mafteiach for geshamim
into a subject rather than an object, or even into something to venerate.
RRW, implicitly raises the problems that Sabbateanism demonstrated when
he mentioned those communities that avoid Zoharic practices. Or at least,
new ones. AFAIK, Yekkes too wash neigl vasr as I do.

But the example, shlissel challah, isn't Zoharic; it leverages Nakh and
gemara only.

And what about singing "Keil Adon"? How does that differ? Once you get
started, the number of extrahalachic practices seems endless.

To get back to my thesis, I'll summarize it again (as it exists in my head
right now): I think you can't both lament the dry passionless observance
of halakhah and insist that no one embellish their practice with other
inspiring practices. What other pragmatic route would you give people
to inspire themselves? Historically speaking, this was always part of
the toolkit, and the source of numerous minhagim.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 13th day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        1 week and 6 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Yesod sheb'Gevurah: To what extent is judgment
Fax: (270) 514-1507                   necessary for a good relationship?