<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Jan 8, 2008 2:43 PM, Zev Sero <<a href="mailto:zev@sero.name">zev@sero.name</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<br>To which I reply, have you seen Perek Bameh Ishah? I don't know how<br>someone can state with a straight face that the Amoraim did not believe<br>in or use segulot and amulets. One can argue with the Rambam that they
<br>were mistaken in so doing, but to deny that they did so in the first<br>place?<br>--<br>Zev Sero </blockquote></div><br>There is no question that many Tannaim and Amoraim used kameios, and accepted them to be carried in Reshus Harrabim etc.
<br><br>What is unclear is how wer they effective? if they had a certain Tefillah or affirmation [e.g. this amulet wil bring a refuah shleima to its wearer ...] then it might not have worked by means of "magic" but rather by means of "positive thi9nking" similar to a pacebo. IOW the amulet might have been used to psychological hizzuk and not as a superstitious chachka.
<br><br>I don't know if the above is fact. It is simply my understanding that a lot of spiritual practices work on the conscious and subconscious mind of the individual = maybe on the neshama level if you will [psyche is Greek for soul iirc]
<br><br>Some rationalists ridivuculed Emil Coue's positive affirmation school, but others have used his techniques with success. many athlets and sports coaches use these techniques with success.<br><br>Bottom line:<br>
<ol><li> kameyas were approved by many [iif not all of] Hazal</li><li> their power might not quite be the popular notion of "magic" but of spiritua;l/psycholigcal hizzuk </li></ol><br>-- <br>Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
<br><a href="mailto:RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com">RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com</a><br>see: <a href="http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/">http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/</a>