Dear Tzemach,

"How do you think Shmuel run into Chanah praying?"

Wasn't it the Kohen Godol Eli, seated on his cathedra by one of the pylons of the mishkan in Shiloh, who observed Chanah's impassioned prayer?

Gandalin
Gandalin | 10.20.06 - 11:16 am | #

Gandalin, I never got the Haftora. I will read it again.
Tzemach Atlas | Homepage | 10.20.06 - 11:31 am | #

TA even with out reading the Haftorah one should know that it was not Shmuel, after all, Chana was asking for a son -none other then Shmuel . . .
Mottel | Homepage | 10.20.06 - 3:47 pm | #

Tzemach,

Anybody can make a mistake. I enjoyed your conversations with the great Rabbiu Steinsaltz very much, I am sorry you deleted the post. The wry wisdom that was expressed was very appealing.
Gandalin | 10.21.06 - 10:19 pm | #

r' steinsaltz is a great talmid chacham, however the older he gets and the more exposed to fame, he is sort of losing his marbles.
i saw recently the picture of his "sanhedrin" sitting in a circle, as commanded, with fedoras, some with tallitot others without, and issuing a "fatwa" against exchange of prisoners.
the quick respond of a fellow worshiper in our shul (a former sayeret), let's see what he will say if his son was taken captive.
reading the text of the fatwa, one is impressed that the issuers confuse their role with that of prophets at the gate.
alas, yirmiyahu they ain't. neither for that matter could they compare with r' yochanan ben zakai and his fellow chachamim. -not even close.
Jath | 10.21.06 - 10:22 pm | #

B"H
It's not their job to think what they would do if it would be their son . In fact in such a case a judge should recuse himself. How can one mock their decission which presents clear halocha in such a case and if followed would save lives?!
Ariel Sokolovsky | Homepage | 10.23.06 - 7:49 am | #

This is surely Aschalta Degeula, I find myself agreeing with the welts-meshuggener Ariel Sokolovsky..

Unfortunately, us yidden have a long history - and therefore much halachic responsa - on the issue of pidyon shevuyim, and it is clear that excessive payments for kidnapped yidden is ossur and dangerous (see for example Maharam M'Rothenburg's teshuvos).

This in no way diminishes the heartrending tza'ar felt by the friends and relatives of the shevuyim, but it is the halocho nonetheless.
Snag | 10.23.06 - 3:14 pm | #