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Another Landlord Worry: Is the Elevator Kosher?

I did also see something about graveyards in Israel where this architect designed a mausoleum with walls filled with dirt so the bodies are always connected to the earth since strict adherence to Jewish laws requires that the dead always be connected to the earth.

However, I don't want this thread to be about bashing Judaism. It might be interesting to see what others know of some of the most absurd practices in religion. I know for instance the Italian American Catholics engage in some pretty superstitious behavior regarding the adoration of saints and protecting themselves from evil. My own father carries around a St. Michael's medal to protect himself (which is ironic because in his younger years he would have criticized others for doing the same as superstitious nonsense). I guess the closer you get to death the more you are willing to engage in CYA behavior.
 
I am not sure, the prohibition against certain things is based upon the sabbath law, not doing 'work' or in the case of the light switch 'not kindling a fire'.

But all I can say is, who cares? If they want to use the elevator , that is their issue.

I would hate that myself, the elevator stopping at every floor.
 
Dancing David said:
I am not sure, the prohibition against certain things is based upon the sabbath law, not doing 'work' or in the case of the light switch 'not kindling a fire'.

But all I can say is, who cares? If they want to use the elevator , that is their issue.

I would hate that myself, the elevator stopping at every floor.
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This is definitely a live and let live kind of issue. I just find some of these extremes kind of comical.
 
seayakin said:
With all do respect to Judaism, isn't this one of those really absurd beliefs right up there with burying a saint's statue in your yard for good luck?
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Judaism is an absurd belief? You may very well have a point...


No more absurd than many other religions, and generally much less aggressive than some.

On a slightly more serious note, what is the supposed penalty if one doesn't follow these rules about not using lifts, etc?
 
This is just another case of Religious O.C.D.
 
A rabbi was asked why Jews undertook all these observances because they obviously made life so difficult. He said it was because these observances were so difficult that they were worth doing.

I don't really follow that. Its not immediately obvious why eating Pork is difficult. Difficulty is not a word that springs to mind when considering NOT to circumsise a baby. Clearly, not doing these things do not make a Christian less Holy, where perhaps, not participating of the Eucharist just might.

These are all man made superstitions, justified by years of repetition for no good reason. Someone might as well say, do not walk under a ladder or it will damn you to eternal torment. Using a lift on the 'Sabbath' is superstition running riot.
 
seayakin said:
This is definitely a live and let live kind of issue. I just find some of these extremes kind of comical.
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It's not just live and let live when it affects rational, sensible people. Such practices are pathetic and should be outlawed, for the sake of sanity.

Incidentally, how would such Jews call the lift to descend, or would they simply wait for some non-Jew on a higher floor to call it? Bad news if you're a Jew living on the top floor. Must be a darned patient bunch, I say.
 
Dancing David said:
I am not sure, the prohibition against certain things is based upon the sabbath law, not doing 'work' or in the case of the light switch 'not kindling a fire'.
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Bible might be logical, I mean consistent, by banning "making fire on Sabbath". How did they make fire when the Law was written? It was quite hard work, I guess. This is the problem with many things what the Bible commands people to do: what is the point originally intended, no fire or no working? When technology removes the working part of making a sparkle as electricity is turned on, is it against the original intentions of the Law or not? (Well why do I even care to ask this anyway?)

Anyone who visits Israel, will see strange things in religious areas. Don't forget the mezuzah talisman in the frame of every door, which all Talmud-observant Jews touch with a hand as they walk through the door. A nice way to spread flu, good luck with H1N1.
 
Hux said:
A rabbi was asked why Jews undertook all these observances because they obviously made life so difficult. He said it was because these observances were so difficult that they were worth doing.
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Maybe they should appoint a team of Jewish scientists and engineers to realize a manned mission to Mars. I'd say that's far more worth doing and darned harder.
 
Id say a very significant portion of NASA and associated think tanks are made up of Jewish people. They cant run a 100 metres to Olympic standard but they are crash hot on Calculus.
 
What (other than CT literature) makes you assume that a "very significant proportion" of the said think tanks are made up of "Jewish people"?
 
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Hux said:
A rabbi was asked why Jews undertook all these observances because they obviously made life so difficult. He said it was because these observances were so difficult that they were worth doing.

I don't really follow that.
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Obviously.

Its not immediately obvious why eating Pork is difficult. Difficulty is not a word that springs to mind when considering NOT to circumsise a baby.
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That's because you've gotten hold of the exactly the wrong end of the stick. Eating pork isn't especially difficult. It's _refraining_ from eating pork that is difficult, especially when your neighbors don't see anything wrong with eating pork and so when you might find pork in all sorts of things that you must nevertheless avoid eating. It requires careful attention to your diet to keep it pork-free, which in turn means you must be constantly keeping your mind on God and upon your duties to Him under the Covenant.

Similarly, it's much easier not to circumcise than to circumcise. It's much easier to build a fire on the Sabbath than to arrange things so that you can continue to live comfortably without doing so -- preparing food in advance, making sure that your fire is burning and has enough fuel to last a night and a day, and so forth.

Clearly, not doing these things do not make a Christian less Holy,
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That's not "clear" at all to me. One of the definitions of "holy" that I've seen is "mindful of God." If you buy this definition, then observant Jews are, of necessity, much more mindful of God than Christians are, because Christians don't need to keep their rules in mind 24/7.
 
I wonder how pressing a button is seen as doing more work that walking up x flights of stairs...? (where "x" = any number greater than 0.1)
 
It's this kind of stuff that convinced the young Sledge many years ago that religion is rubbish. God created the whole universe and everything in it, but will be angry if you operate a light switch on a certain day? Bulldust. How egotistical would you have to be to honestly believe a supereme being would care about you turning a light on?
 
BTMO said:
I wonder how pressing a button is seen as doing more work that walking up x flights of stairs...? (where "x" = any number greater than 0.1)
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Pressing a button involves making an electrical contact, i.e. a spark.
Making a spark is "kindling a fire," which is a form of work.

Not all things that a physicist would consider "work" (i.e. a force applied through a distance) are what observant Jews consider "work" -- or for that matter, what ordinary people consider "work." Playing basketball is "work" in a physical sense, but most people consider it to be recreation instead.

In the case of Jewish Law, there is no clear definition of "work," but there is a clear enumeration of the tasks involved in building the Tabernacle. These tasks are considered to define what "work" is (since God clearly defines them as "work"), and lighting a fire is one of the 39 enumerated tasks....
 
drkitten said:
Pressing a button involves making an electrical contact, i.e. a spark.
Making a spark is "kindling a fire," which is a form of work.
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They must have the most wonderful fire suppression systems in Jewish lift button lamps...

Making a spark ISN'T kindling a fire. That involves using bits of ... well, "kindling". With the intention of ... well, creating a fire.

Do Jews smoke (genuine question - I have no idea if there is a religious proscription against smoking)? How do they light up on the Sabbath?

Do they sit in the dark after sunset? Do they light candles - if so, how?

Do they watch television? Listen to the radio? Surf the internet?

If so, how are these sparks different?
 
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