[Avodah] Dancing and clapping on Shabbos

[Richard Wolpoe]

On Wed, May 14, 2008 at 7:44 AM, Prof. Levine <llevine at stevens.edu> wrote:

>  Please see the article "Clapping and Dancing on Shabbos" at
> http://www.cckollel.org/html/parsha/vayikra/shemini5763.html
>
> The author, Rabbi Weinrib, learns full time in the [Chicago Community]
> Kollel.
>
>  Yitzchok Levine
>

[As an aside R' Yerucham Levovitz [Daas Torah Chaya Sora 24-3] offers a
> fabulous insight as to why we see some of the decrees of Chazal as a bit
> farfetched. He explains that unfortunately we do not fully appreciate the
> severity of a sin and how detrimental it is to us. If we would only realize
> how serious sins are, we would fully understand why it was necessary to
> place so many fences around them. We can compare it to a train approaching a
> busy thoroughfare. Before it arrives, there are signs, flashing lights, and
> descending gates, which are there well before the train arrives, and go up
> only after there is no chance of any damage being done. Since the
> consequences of being struck by a speeding train are so severe, the more
> precautions there are, the better. How much more so is a sin, which is so
> damaging to our body and soul.  The Sages in their infinite wisdom saw it as
> necessary to place many safeguards around sin.]
>

BUT
I heard a Rabbi who is a Phd explain this w/o all of the frumkeit
implications

In places like Spain dances used to fabricate home-made castinets whilst
dancing, it was  the WAY they danced to make a rhythmic sound with a
home-made instrument - while in France no one danced with castinest So
Tsaofos indeed saw this G'zeira as irrelevant.

I am not familiar with R. Yerucham Levvovitz but my rebbe was R. Yerucham
Gorleick and he warned us NOT to get caught up with "frum" torah. it is nice
to make such platitudes about he spiirtuality re: a g'zeira, but it would be
even better to get the facts and dynamics straight.  Tio wit - since in
Spanish-like societies any impomptu dance music brought about homemade
instruments the g'zeria may have NEVER been far-fetched at all but or a
REACH rather it was about people REACHING for something to bang. Ever notice
people tapping on the table while singing zmiros?  Some even do it [ON
SHABBOS!] with cutlery.   Or iow  People have been using primiitve bongo
drums for centuries.  So tis gz'eira is about a very real issue of Tikkun
Maneh.

Secondly, according to Tosafos would it also be permitted to actually play
> musical instruments as well? The consensus of the Poskim is that even
> according to Tosafos, only clapping and dancing would be permitted, and not
> the playing of actual instruments. [See Shut Shaar Ephraim 36 Eliyahu Raba
> O.H. 339-1 Biur Halacha ibid s.v. ulisspek]


I agree that POSKIM make this hilluk. But if you reject the authority of
Poskim and go back to the gmara for p'sak - then their read is into the din
is only informational and not normative.  C's view it just so, iow that the
later poskim are not normative and are only suggesting a hilluk, but that
the original takkana is after all one and the same.  And although it MIGHT
be true that Tsoafos would buy this hilluk  - it is aftera all not
provable!  and so in the case of honoring Shabbos by a kumsitz the sfeik
derabban bimkom mitzva is set aside.  This would imply OTOH, playing
instruments on Shabbos for  entertainment and NOT as part of the service
would indeed be assur even from a "C" level of Halachah!

===================================================================
Just a footnote. My friend from Amsterdam told me that at one time hakafos
were permitted in Amsterdam  but they reneged after a few generations of it
being permited -  because of the abuses of the Halachos against dancing on
YT [with apologies to Rav Hai Gaon]

>From what I see lately [having vacated the Heights circa 2006], I get the
impression is that only Yekkes [and others of a like-mind]  that take these
Halachos seriously -  while it seems others are willing to "play games" for
some perceived "greater good".

[AFAIK re: NCSY a hora'as sho'oh was made by asking poskim.]

-- 
Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe at Gmail.com
see: http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/
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