[Avodah] [Areivim] being friendly

[Micha Berger]

>From Areivim.

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 10:59:26AM -0700, Simon Montagu wrote:
: On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 3:51 PM, Yitzhak Grossman <celejar at gmail.com> wrote:
: > On Sun, 23 Aug 2009 11:57:28 +0300 Eli Turkel <eliturkel at gmail.com> wrote:
: > ...
: > > Just saying shabbat shalom is not entering a deep conversation with women.
: > > Just being friendly

: > Beruriah famously called R. Yosi Ha'Geleli a 'shoteh' for asking her
: > "be'ezeh derech nelech le'Lud" rather than "be'ezeh le'Lud", based on
: > the interdiction of "al tarbeh sihah im ha'ishah"
: > Eruvin 53b -
: > http://hebrewbooks.org/shas.aspx?mesechta=3&daf=53b&format=text

: But who says the halacha is like Beruriah? (I thought I had read this in
: Shu"t Benei Banim, but I can't find the reference)

And yet the gemara also has numerous maasos that include non-essential
conversations with Beruriah, Rebbe's housekeeper, Helena haMalka,
Rufina, and other women. It would seem difficult to me to support the
interpretations above, since they would be two quotes in counter to
numerous others.

We don't have the word "sichah" very often; "ledabeir" would have been
the usual turn of phrase. And given that it includes one's wife, can it
possibly be saying that a proper halachic marriage is based on a *lack*
of communication? Does sichah in that mishnah include all speech, or
only flirtation?

If the latter, then perhaps this story is an exception to the norm
in the gemara becaause Bruriah thought R' Yosi haGelili was battling a
crush on her.

Recall how Yitzchaq's name is used in telling the story when he and
Rivqah encounter Avimelech. It would seem to me that we're being told
his name refers to a Shir haShirim-esque approach to avodas Hashem.
Did Yitzchaq go "lasu'ach basadah" to chat with HQBH, or to have a
romantic talk with his Beloved?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The fittingness of your matzos [for the seder]
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