Anybody ever take (or currently taking) Martial Arts?

[muman613]

http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/2007/02/kosher_combat.html

http://ohr.edu/ask_db/ask_main.php/2635/Q1/


Urbana/Champaign

Dear Rabbi,
I am thinking about taking a class in Tae Kwan Do this semester to get some exercise. After sitting in on the first class, it seems that there is a lot of bowing involved, in addition to various "spiritual" lessons: Students are supposed to bow to the training room, to each other, to the instructor. The instructor told me that this bowing is a typical gesture of respect, that it is bi-directional (instructors bow to students too), and is not a supplication. Given the Purim story, however, I am hesitant to participate in this class. Do you know of any conflicts between this type of martial art and Judaism? I appreciate your time, and thanks for the great "Ask the Rabbi" column!

Dear Ari Trachtenberg,

Bowing to people as a gesture of respect is perfectly okay. Abraham bowed to his guests (Genesis 18:2), the brothers bowed to Joseph (Genesis 42:6) and Moses bowed to his father-in-law (Exodus 18:6). So if Tae Kwan Do bowing is nothing more than a gesture of respect toward others, I see no problem with it. If however, they are bowing to an object or the room that would be forbidden.
Why then in the Purim episode did Mordechai refuse to bow to Haman? The Midrash answers that Haman claimed divine powers for himself. He even went so far as to attach an idolatrous icon to his clothing. Under these circumstances, bowing to him was tantamount to bowing to an idol.

Sources:
Rashi on Megillat Esther 3:2
Ibn Ezra, ibid.

[Ephraim Ben Noach]

Thank you Muman, I didn't even have to respond!

[Havok]

I had to bow to a photo of the founder of judo, i must have been 13 at the time, and thought it was idolatry. Is that a sign of respect or not?

That sounds like more of a sign of respect since it's to the man who created that particular martial art.

[muman613]

That sounds like more of a sign of respect since it's to the man who created that particular martial art.

It still may not be permitted to a Jew.... I am not a Halachic authority (Jewish law) but I believe that there is a law that says that we are not even permitted to do something which has the appearance of being Idol worship. But I will leave it up to others to decide.

[muman613]

For those interested in this aspect of Jewish law here is a mention of this topic in a Dvar Torah @ http://www.shemayisrael.com/parsha/kahn/archives/shoftim69.htm

Appearance of transgression prohibited

This is why the Halachic authorities often prohibit particular acts since they may appear to others as a transgression of a Torah commandment. There is a dual reason for this. First of all, a person should not put himself into a situation where others would suspect that he is doing something wrong. Secondly, we should always keep in mind that whatever we do others will take example from and may emulate what they think we are doing. In this way, the Torah educates us to be responsible, not only for our own personal acts, but also for our influence on others.