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<font size=3>I am moving this to Avodah. <br><br>
At 10:49 AM 1/3/2013, Micha Berger wrote on Areivim:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">On Thu, Jan 03, 2013 at
10:45:48AM -0500, Prof. Levine wrote:<br>
> First of all, given that I have never heard of Jewish nobility
in old <br>
> Europe (certainly not within the past 500 years), is this not
the <br>
> adoption of a gentile practice? ....<br><br>
No more than ties are. Derekh emori is only if the practice is
religiously<br>
motivated or (non-Jewish?) superstition.<br>
</blockquote><br>
You seem to be equating something that is non-Jewish with Darchei
Emori. From
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/avmsbjq" eudora="autourl">
http://tinyurl.com/avmsbjq<br><br>
</a>The Tosefta in Shabbos (Chapters 7 & 8) lists various practices
which are prohibited due to the fact that they are darchei haemori. For
example, putting thorns in a window to protect a pregnant woman or tying
an iron to one's bed. These things all have one basic common feature.
They are irrational - meaning they are not scientifically or observably
proven remedies. <br><br>
It seems to me that there are non-Jewish practices that do not fall
within the category of darchei haemori. This is presumably related
to the distinction that RSRH makes between un-Jewish and non-Jewish
practices. See
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>"</font>
<a href="http://personal.stevens.edu/%7Ellevine/jp/The%20Difference%20Between%20%27Non-Jewish%27%20And%20%27Un-Jewish%27.pdf">
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3 color="#0000FF">The Difference
Between 'Non-Jewish' and
'Un-Jewish'</a></font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>"
<b>The</b> <b>Jewish Press,</b> July 25, 2007, page 1</font> <br><br>
My point was that riding on horseback to this wedding by these prominent
guests is something that is adopted from gentile culture. I did not
intend to imply that it is assur. <br><br>
What I find ironic is that those doing this, whom I am sure would
speak strongly against the adoption of any non-Jewish practice, are
indeed involved in a non-Jewish practice!<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Yitzchok Levine</body>
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