[Avodah] re,tehillim for the sick

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 06:38:15AM -0700, martin brody wrote:
: See Shavuos 15B and SA YD #179.

Theurgy and tefillah are different things, which is why the word used
in your sources is lechishah. The se'if of the SA is usually titled
"Shelo lekhasheif le'onein ulnacheish". This issur is about using words
for protection; ie trying to obtain power from the words themselves.

The question is how this gemara coexists with those that refer to the
use of qemei'os.

If someone thinks that tefillah is a magical incantation, I supposed
that person wouldn't be allowed to recite prayers for the sick. Except
even then, it's permitted for piquach nefesh -- SA YD 179:6-8.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             With the "Echad" of the Shema, the Jew crowns
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