Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea
What do you think about these Tefillin?
Ari Ben-Canaan:
http://www.ajudaica.com/category/3/Tefillin/
It's not my bar mitzvah. But it is my 32nd birthday this month. A set of Tefillin is what I want for my birthday present [bless my parents for their love, generosity, and support of Judaism]. My parents live in a tiny town in the boondocks in Northern New York, there is no Judica shop near by. I need to find a way to find kosher Teffillin and for it to be online so my parents can pay by credit card. I've tried searching for a Chabad store but when I click on the link it goes to a dead page. -- My concern is making sure I get proper kosher Teffilin, not just something that "looks the part" but is not.
Regarding Sephardic vs. Ashekenazi... is it a big deal for a person of European Jew descent to be more interested in Sephardic customs? I LOVE many things about Ashkenazic culture, but in my opinion Judaism is a middle eastern religion and Sephardic Jews practice customs more similar to Mizrahim [middle eastern] Jews. -- What would Moshe wrap?
I am excited! The only times I have wrapped Teffilin have been when either Chabad or Orthodox Jews sit out in society looking for Jews to ask, "have you wrapped Teffilin today"? -- Soon I will be able to wrap Teffilin every day when I wake up [except Shabbat, I understand]. I have gotten a handsome musician stand to hold my Siddur, so everything seems to be clicking into place for a proper dignified [and easy] way to pray in my home each day.
Todah Rabbah. :dance:
Kahane-Was-Right BT:
--- Quote from: Ariel Shayn on June 13, 2010, 04:13:50 AM ---http://www.ajudaica.com/category/3/Tefillin/
Regarding Sephardic vs. Ashekenazi... is it a big deal for a person of European Jew descent to be more interested in Sephardic customs?
--- End quote ---
No. All the customs are beautiful. Anyone who tells you otherwise has an agenda. And I have been told otherwise, personally, by certain so-called rabbis, and I disagree strongly with their point of view. Often times it is people with the least knowledge who say such things as "You're from Poland (or, russia, or france, etc etc), so you have to do everything like Ashkenazim" "You have to follow the 'customs of your forefathers' " etc. These are usually the most ignorant people and "rabbis" who really know next to nothing about halacha or what the sources say. These types of arguments are especially irrelevant for Jews like you and me, who really did not receive customs from our parents/fathers/grandfathers, since we are baalei teshuvah. But even for people who did, there is no reason why a person has to maintain the galut-based distinctions between types of Jews which only developed in the darkness of galut due to dispersed populations and different locations. The historical fact of these developed distinctions has been distorted into a racial theory/segregation plan by some Jews. In my opinion, this is not only unnecessary but it leads to sinat chinam and the perpetuation of this system in our day in fact might even be based in sinat chinam.
It always sounds very funny to me, that let's say a Jew born into an Orthodox family who is 3rd or 4th generation American, or several generations living in Israel, that somehow he has to pretend that he's Hungarian because his family at some arbitrary (convenient) point in history lived in Hungary or came from Hungary to his current place, several generations before he was born. Such a person has no connection to Hungary. The person is American. Or Israeli. etc. And if we're going back in history, why don't we go all the way back? Why stop at 100 years or 150 or 200 years? Why not go back to the time when ALL Jews originated from the Middle East, from the land of Israel which we settled as the tribes of Yaakov, and later from a secondary location of Bavel which we were exiled to and spread out from in addition to Eretz Yisrael. So we all stem from Israeli/Babylonian forefathers. Yet these same people/"rabbis" will have no problem with a Sephardic Jew baal teshuvah taking on customs of Europe and/or becoming Ashkenazi, and they even encourage it in most cases! I have seen this with my own eyes many many times. Such utter hypocrisy.
--- Quote --- I LOVE many things about Ashkenazic culture, but in my opinion Judaism is a middle eastern religion and Sephardic Jews practice customs more similar to Mizrahim [middle eastern] Jews. -- What would Moshe wrap?
--- End quote ---
On the one hand, it may be that Ashkenazim are more culturally removed from ancient Jews since you're correct that Jews are middle eastern and Judaism originated in the Middle east, however, that should not be applied as a blanket statement to all matters. Because, in fact, there are many issues in which the populations of Ashkenaz (Germany) and France preserved the traditions of the Talmud Yerushalmi and the minhagim of the Jews from Eretz Yisrael! This is because Jews ending up in Europe were mostly coming from Eretz Yisrael and from Eretz Yisrael by way of Italy, whereas the "Sephardic" (ie those who settled into Spain) and Middle Eastern/Mizrahi Jews mostly spread out from Bavel (Babylon). And both groups preserved various ancient customs from either Eretz Yisrael or Bavel or both, and one would need to examine each issue specifically. When it comes to halacha, thanks to the compilation and then writing of the Talmud, most of these things were preserved, and it is more customary/cultural things where there are variations and different cultural factors involved, and the unclear minhagim or questions not addressed directly in Talmud where errors could have creeped in or just local differences (ie singing style, songs, etc).
As far as tefillin goes, it seems that today all people sephardi and ashkenazi ,and other groups (except maybe teymanim) wear the same type of tefillin which is made from cowhide, and cut with precision instruments to make the familiar black-box look. The ancient type of tefillin was different in ashkenaz and in the middle east because it was not made of cow hide, and it was much less strong and less durable. I believe it was made from the sheep if I remember correctly. And of course hand made.
I have seen online that certain Teymani scribes sell their traditional tefillin, which they did not adapt their method when the times changed or new technologies introduced. While it's probably very expensive, it is a nice feeling to help a scribe with his parnassa who is handmaking your tefillin and to have an ancient set. But most people go for the standard set, which is what I have. It may be that some Sephardim wear a smaller tefillin. In that case, I'm not sure if there were multiple traditions, or if maybe the smaller kind is more ancient etc. That may also be slightly more money since it takes more precision to make. I would say you can't really go wrong with any type of tefillin you get that is halachically sound, but if you prefer a more ancient or hand-made variety go with what you like.
--- Quote ---I am excited! The only times I have wrapped Teffilin have been when either Chabad or Orthodox Jews sit out in society looking for Jews to ask, "have you wrapped Teffilin today"? -- Soon I will be able to wrap Teffilin every day when I wake up [except Shabbat, I understand]. I have gotten a handsome musician stand to hold my Siddur, so everything seems to be clicking into place for a proper dignified [and easy] way to pray in my home each day.
Todah Rabbah. :dance:
--- End quote ---
Kol Hakavod. It's an amazing thing that you have embraced your identity as a Jew. This is one step of "naaseh venishma." The first step is the commitment (naaseh, we will do), you're loyal to G-d and the Torah, and the second step is venishma (and we will hear/understand) - to learn about what it all entails. It's a process (there's all manner of recommiting along the way), and these two steps commitment and learning are inseparable. I wish you hatzlaha on your personal journey. What you've done already is an amazing accomplishment.
White Israelite:
Nothing wrong with embracing Sephardic culture if your family came from Europe, i am glad someone out there takes interest in Sephardic culture. It seems our food is becoming more popular amongst the Ashkenazi as well.
Ari Ben-Canaan:
--- Quote from: Kahane-Was-Right BT on June 13, 2010, 06:07:24 AM ---
--- Quote from: Ariel Shayn on June 13, 2010, 04:13:50 AM ---http://www.ajudaica.com/category/3/Tefillin/
Regarding Sephardic vs. Ashekenazi... is it a big deal for a person of European Jew descent to be more interested in Sephardic customs?
--- End quote ---
No. All the customs are beautiful. Anyone who tells you otherwise has an agenda. And I have been told otherwise, personally, by certain so-called rabbis, and I disagree strongly with their point of view. Often times it is people with the least knowledge who say such things as "You're from Poland (or, russia, or france, etc etc), so you have to do everything like Ashkenazim" "You have to follow the 'customs of your forefathers' " etc. These are usually the most ignorant people and "rabbis" who really know next to nothing about halacha or what the sources say. These types of arguments are especially irrelevant for Jews like you and me, who really did not receive customs from our parents/fathers/grandfathers, since we are baalei teshuvah. But even for people who did, there is no reason why a person has to maintain the galut-based distinctions between types of Jews which only developed in the darkness of galut due to dispersed populations and different locations. The historical fact of these developed distinctions has been distorted into a racial theory/segregation plan by some Jews. In my opinion, this is not only unnecessary but it leads to sinat chinam and the perpetuation of this system in our day in fact might even be based in sinat chinam.
It always sounds very funny to me, that let's say a Jew born into an Orthodox family who is 3rd or 4th generation American, or several generations living in Israel, that somehow he has to pretend that he's Hungarian because his family at some arbitrary (convenient) point in history lived in Hungary or came from Hungary to his current place, several generations before he was born. Such a person has no connection to Hungary. The person is American. Or Israeli. etc. And if we're going back in history, why don't we go all the way back? Why stop at 100 years or 150 or 200 years? Why not go back to the time when ALL Jews originated from the Middle East, from the land of Israel which we settled as the tribes of Yaakov, and later from a secondary location of Bavel which we were exiled to and spread out from in addition to Eretz Yisrael. So we all stem from Israeli/Babylonian forefathers. Yet these same people/"rabbis" will have no problem with a Sephardic Jew baal teshuvah taking on customs of Europe and/or becoming Ashkenazi, and they even encourage it in most cases! I have seen this with my own eyes many many times. Such utter hypocrisy.
--- Quote --- I LOVE many things about Ashkenazic culture, but in my opinion Judaism is a middle eastern religion and Sephardic Jews practice customs more similar to Mizrahim [middle eastern] Jews. -- What would Moshe wrap?
--- End quote ---
On the one hand, it may be that Ashkenazim are more culturally removed from ancient Jews since you're correct that Jews are middle eastern and Judaism originated in the Middle east, however, that should not be applied as a blanket statement to all matters. Because, in fact, there are many issues in which the populations of Ashkenaz (Germany) and France preserved the traditions of the Talmud Yerushalmi and the minhagim of the Jews from Eretz Yisrael! This is because Jews ending up in Europe were mostly coming from Eretz Yisrael and from Eretz Yisrael by way of Italy, whereas the "Sephardic" (ie those who settled into Spain) and Middle Eastern/Mizrahi Jews mostly spread out from Bavel (Babylon). And both groups preserved various ancient customs from either Eretz Yisrael or Bavel or both, and one would need to examine each issue specifically. When it comes to halacha, thanks to the compilation and then writing of the Talmud, most of these things were preserved, and it is more customary/cultural things where there are variations and different cultural factors involved, and the unclear minhagim or questions not addressed directly in Talmud where errors could have creeped in or just local differences (ie singing style, songs, etc).
As far as tefillin goes, it seems that today all people sephardi and ashkenazi ,and other groups (except maybe teymanim) wear the same type of tefillin which is made from cowhide, and cut with precision instruments to make the familiar black-box look. The ancient type of tefillin was different in ashkenaz and in the middle east because it was not made of cow hide, and it was much less strong and less durable. I believe it was made from the sheep if I remember correctly. And of course hand made.
I have seen online that certain Teymani scribes sell their traditional tefillin, which they did not adapt their method when the times changed or new technologies introduced. While it's probably very expensive, it is a nice feeling to help a scribe with his parnassa who is handmaking your tefillin and to have an ancient set. But most people go for the standard set, which is what I have. It may be that some Sephardim wear a smaller tefillin. In that case, I'm not sure if there were multiple traditions, or if maybe the smaller kind is more ancient etc. That may also be slightly more money since it takes more precision to make. I would say you can't really go wrong with any type of tefillin you get that is halachically sound, but if you prefer a more ancient or hand-made variety go with what you like.
--- Quote ---I am excited! The only times I have wrapped Teffilin have been when either Chabad or Orthodox Jews sit out in society looking for Jews to ask, "have you wrapped Teffilin today"? -- Soon I will be able to wrap Teffilin every day when I wake up [except Shabbat, I understand]. I have gotten a handsome musician stand to hold my Siddur, so everything seems to be clicking into place for a proper dignified [and easy] way to pray in my home each day.
Todah Rabbah. :dance:
--- End quote ---
Kol Hakavod. It's an amazing thing that you have embraced your identity as a Jew. This is one step of "naaseh venishma." The first step is the commitment (naaseh, we will do), you're loyal to G-d and the Torah, and the second step is venishma (and we will hear/understand) - to learn about what it all entails. It's a process (there's all manner of recommiting along the way), and these two steps commitment and learning are inseparable. I wish you hatzlaha on your personal journey. What you've done already is an amazing accomplishment.
--- End quote ---
Thank you for your great response. I think you made a salient point about the Talmud in European Jew tradition. I really enjoy reading about Tanya from Chabad at times, and also the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, so I do try and get a bit from each camp I suppose. I really like that Israeli society is a mixture of Jews from all over the world who suddenly moved to a small, new country, and now every Jew has the chance to see how the rest of the world truly lives and share customs with each other. What a rich culture! God willing, I will make Aliyah and get to immerse myself in it. I had a 2 year plan to get there, and it was going well, but now my Dad wants me to come and work for him and I have the chance to learn a trade which could both make me a decent living in Israel, and help a lot of people more so than before [different types of biofeedback which help a persons brain repair itself, or function at a higher level. Maybe someone like the soldiers on the flotilla who received many traumatic blows to their skulls could benefit; tough choice to stay in the US longer but worth it to be able to give back]. My Mom and I are supposed to take a trip together in the next year so we will get to make a visit and bask in the radiance of modern Israel firsthand! :) Neither of us has been before. We are both quite excited. :dance: :dance: :dance:
I am the first man to practice Judaism in many generations of my family. My Mom is the first woman to do so in a few generations as well. Both of us have spent a long time learning about what it actually means to be Jewish aside from liking bagels and Seinfeld, which isn't really that Jewish at all! It has been an exciting an exhilarating time for both of us. We both hope my younger brother will gain interest as well, but are not pushing at him, but I did send him a book on Rashi and a Tanakh, and with out fail he texts me back every Friday during the day time, "Shabbat Shalom", and I think he is starting to also get some pride in his heritage.
Shalom!
Ari Ben-Canaan:
--- Quote from: White Israelite on June 13, 2010, 11:52:04 AM ---Nothing wrong with embracing Sephardic culture if your family came from Europe, i am glad someone out there takes interest in Sephardic culture. It seems our food is becoming more popular amongst the Ashkenazi as well.
--- End quote ---
:)
I very much enjoy Sephardic foods! I found a few nice grocery stores here in the valley and have tried just about everything I have seen, and always try what is new to me. I've learned how to make some fairly good hummus which I was told was extremely good last Sukkot, which meant a lot to me. Also the baba ganoush, I've learned how to cook it over an open flame and I really enjoy the taste. There is a Glatt Kosher restaurant I go to which has many different types of Jewish food from many different places, most seem to be locations where Sephardic Jews have lived, and every time I go there it is extremely pleasurable to eat there. -- Of course I still enjoy Gefillite fish, and other types of European Jew foods, I think I am most pleased when a variety of Jewish foods from around the globe all have a place at my plate. :dance:
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