Quicksilver כספית

Talmudic medicine

In recent daf yomi, there’s a smattering of info about medicine in early rabbinic Judaism:

• Of the prohibited Sabbath work categories, grinding is the most germane because many remedies were prepared by grinding. (bShab Ch. 7)
• A rule against dressing a wound on Shabbat is derived from the prohibited tannery work of smoothing (ha-memakheq Shab 75b).
• Honey: to treat a sore (76b)
• Water: to dilute qilor (cp. Greek collyrium) as a red salve for the eye (76b)
• (Or breast milk or animal milk could serve as the qilor solvent. )77b)
• Blood: a remedy for ליארוד, cataracts or leucoma (78a)(Artscroll or Jastrow)
• Antimony (כוחל  Jastrow): as a cosmetics pigment and as a medicinal ingredient (80a)

Quicksilver (mercury), common for ancient remedies, was apparently kept in vials [1], according to Rashi. He calls mercury “כסף חי” literally “living silver” i.e. quicksilver. (78b)

I found it curious that Artscroll mentions J. Preuss, Biblical and Talmudic Medicine (76b n7). How often does the Artscroll (Schottenstein) Talmud cite academic works? [2]

Gesundheit,

Kaspit כספית

[1] The vials were sealed with a small amount of pitch, which for the Mishnah becomes the de minimus amount of pitch that could be carried on Shabbat.)

[2] Cf. bibliography of Jewish healing magic(Alex Jassen and Scott Noegel)

See also Quicksilver posts on Talmudic dentistry, amulets, and healing spells.

Is Harry Potter patur (permitted) for Jewish readers?

Thankfully, Hirhurim continues to look into claims that Harry Potter may be forbidden under Jewish law. Just in time for a Jewish analysis of Harry Potter and a talk by HP’s Hebrew translator (tell her we're grateful!) at a forthcoming conference.

Other Jewish bloggers on whether Harry Potter is prohibited or permitted:

• Orthomom talks about the ban in yeshivot (Orthodox study halls)
• RebelJew also discusses Orthodox bans on reading Harry Potter.
• Bloghead criticizes the Pope’s position against Harry
• More Hirhurim w/comments.

Centrist and modern Orthodox Jews do read Harry Potter. E.g., Rabbi Abramowitz at the OU website. They’re also reading HP at Aish.

NEW: "Check out the letter by Rav Moshe Rosenberg, a 6th and 7th grade rebbe, on pages 5-6 of Jewish Action" -- says Uri.

NEW 7/28: Technical halakhah discussion at Avodah e.g. here and here.

NEW: Discussion at Jew*School about banning HP.

My posts about HP in general (so far):

• What’s a nice Jewish boy doing in a place like Hogwarts? (Hilchot Harry Potter)
• Harry Potter & Jewish law: healing spells
• Harry Potter & Jewish law: Quidditch as an occupational hazard

Kol tuv,

Kaspit  כספית

P.S. Thanks to On the Main Line comment at Bloghead for the photo of Corporal Harry Potter's grave in Hebron.

P.S.S. Literally, patur means exempt (vs. khayyav).  So, the headline literally asks whether Jewish readers are exempt from any obligations, such as an atonement offering (khatat). Pls pardon my poetic license for not writing mutar (permitted).

Sin and Synergy: comparative Jewish and environmental regulatory classifications

One strategy for a hermercurial critique is to find insightful analogies between Jewish law (halakhah) and environmental protection.[1] As we read about complex rabbinic classification(s) of sins in daf yomi (Shab 70b-72), might we see an analogy here to the regulatory classification of toxic substances?

I want to advance a hypothetical analogy to help critique regulatory classification schemes that could unduly minimize desirable pollution controls and liabilities. Notably, might regulations overlook the synergistic effects of pollution?

Synergy.  In a living being, toxic substances may cause synergistic effects. That is, the synergy among toxins may cause more harm than the sum of each substance’s usual effects. For example, the synergistic effects of smoking and asbestos.[2] Today’s environmental and health regulations miss synergistic effects in at least 2 ways:

1. First, the regs typically calculate liability on a chemical-by-chemical basis. Each chemical is on its own regulatory track, e.g. due to level of evidence, type of hazard, politics, etc. Plus, many chemicals are not regulated. So, each chemical may fall below various actionable thresholds. Furthermore, synergistic interactions of multiple chemicals are ignored when making EPA, OSHA  et alia regulations. Would one solution be to put more responsibility on businesses for specific toxic or health effects?
2. Second, most regs do not adequately take into account the synergistic effects of pollution with the existing burden of toxins in human bodies, esp. vulnerable populations, like embryos and babies. (Granted, the data on synergistic effects is limited.) Talmudic law, conversely, pays close attention to marginal cases.

Sin. Talmudic classification schemes bear directly on the enumeration of sins that carry liability (i.e., require an offering). So, it is possible to design and choose categories that would minimize one’s liability. For example: Violations of certain food laws are classified by the specific sin type (e.g, minim [3]), and further classified by threshold size. Liability for violations is reduced by Rabbis who hold that the size of each food be calculated on a sin-by-sin basis. Liability can be further reduced by calculating threshold size by cooking style (tamkhui).[4]

Well, just wanted to toss out this idea of an analogy. Just as sin-by-sin classification may at times reduce liability under Jewish law, likewise secular regs can reduce liability with a chemical-by-chemical schematic. If this analogy makes sense, then the hope would be that the Talmudic debate over its classification scheme (not discussed in this post) might help us critique secular regulatory schemes. What do you think about either or both sides of this possible analogy?

Kaspit  כספית

[1] Analogies are a different tack than applying Jewish law (e.g., on torts) to judge an environmental, safety and health problem. This kind of analogy could enable Jewish law to shed analytical or moral light on quandaries within secular policymaking.

[2] A smoker with occupational exposure to asbestos is harmed more than the sum of [the harm caused by smoking] and [the harm caused by occupational exposure to asbestos]. Info on synergistic effects: for Gulf War veterans; with mercury and other metals. Example of source on asbestos/tobacco. Database of toxic effects by chemical and effect.

[3] These types (minim) include: Cheilev laws forbid the eating of certain animal fats. Notar forbids the eating of Temple offerings beyond an expiration time. Liability means that the sinner must bring an offering.

[4] The classification is more complex. See this Kollel Iyun Hadaf chart. Other distinctions: awareness of sin, breaks in awareness, designation of offering, and post-offering sins (71b). These distinctions give Rabbis various choices in maximizing or minimizing liability. However, please note that the min/max-imizing is not (necessarily) the Rabbis’ reason for classification choices. Ditto environmental regs.

Divrei Torah and divrei tumah

Yesterday’s daf yomi can ready us for the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz today. Yesterday’s Talmud text (Shab 82b) cites a verse from Isaiah, who prophesizes the downfall of Jerusalem: “[The wall] is smashed as one smashes an earthen jug, ruthlessly shattered so that no shard is left in its breakage to scoop coals from a brazier or ladle water from a puddle.”  Isaish was right about that wall.  The fast mourns the day that the Roman breached the wall of Jerusalem. A day that tradition links to the sin of idolatry.

Yesterday’s daf also sends a message to Jews about the internal Jewish conflict over Israel’s proposed withdrawal from Gaza:

For opponents of the Gaza withdrawal, there is the lesson that when rebuilding a wall next to the Other [1]: “How does one rebuild the wall? He should withdraw 4 cubits into his own property.” (82a end)

For supporters of the Gaza withdrawal: a women who does witchcraft begrudgingly admires the rabbis, saying: “You do not pull out a vegetable from the bundle that the gardener has tied.” (82a top) A metaphor for Jewish unity.

May today's daf yomi and fasting help bring down the walls that  divide our people.

Tzom qal,

Kaspit  כספית

P.S. On a lighter note: The story of the aforementioned witch fits in well with our previous posts on Harry Potter. The witch casts a spell to paralyze a ferry – then the rabbis cast a spell to release the ferry! Thank you, rabbis, for being well-versed in defending against the Dark Arts!

[1] Lit., a house with an idol.
Sources: Trans. Isaiah from JPS, witch’s quote from Artscroll

What’s a nice Jewish boy doing in a place like Hogwarts? (Hilchot Harry Potter)

Do you, like most readers, assume that Anthony Goldstein is an assimilated and non-observant Jew? Were that so, he could fit the Jewish law category of Jews so unaware of halakhah that their sins are inadvertent (tinoq she-hishbah bein ha-nachrim, bShab 68a-b). Otherwise, why is Anthony Goldstein the only Jew among Christians at an elite English boarding school? [1] [2] 

The answer may be founding in our recent daf yomi reading (bShab 75a):

“You shall not learn to act … [like a sorcerer]”  [Deut. 18.9]
Nonetheless, you may learn to understand and the teach [sorcery].

This sugya (pericope) teaches us that Anthony Goldstein is only going to Hogwarts to learn about sorcery. Learning sorcery is only permitted to Jews in order to help formulate and enforce Jews laws against sorcery. Obviously, Anthony intends to return to London and teach Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, shlita or other Muggle Rabbis how to deal with wizards et al.

Would someone please inform J. K. Rowling about this part of the backstory to Harry Potter? She may need to work it into her next book. Tell her Kaspit sent you.
Thanks muchly,

Kaspit     כספית

[1] Of course, he also needs to be capable of magic, but Jews have a long track record performing magic.        Oh, and I realize that there are other token non-Christians, but only one Jew?! He must be on a fact-finding mission.

[2] Hat tip to the Sabbath Meals' balabusta for the tip on Anthony in my post on Harry Potter & Jewish law: Quidditch as an occupational hazard.

Disability and Talmudic law (access and autism miscellany)

In recent daf yomi passages, the Talmud talks about applying Sabbath and other Jewish laws to disabled and injured people. For instance, the mishnah forbids the wearing of a single sandal on Shabbat (lest it end up getting carried, which would violate the carrying rules). Yet it makes an exception that allows wearing a sandal if one foot is wounded. (bShab 60a)

Later, a mishnah deals more pointedly with accessibility for the physically disabled. Specifically, it deals with leg prostheses for a single amputee and for a double amputee. The mishnah also deals with a person whose legs have atrophied (per Artscroll, “stump-legged” per Soncino). This person is not permitted to use a [non-wheel] chair w/leg supports on Shabbat (though arguably w/arm supports, Rashi). The subsequent gemara also refers to walking with a cane. (Shab 66a)

Besides the rabbinic concern with carrying prostheses on Shabbat, the Rabbis debate whether the disabled could use the supports to enter the Temple courtyard. (It was a hypothetical question after the 70 CE destruction of the 2^nd Temple, which Jews will be commemorating soon).

Autism spectrum (etc).

Wanted to mention this post w/links from On the Fringe (al tzitzit) about Jewish parents with autism or other disabilities. BTW, this same section of Talmud discusses ways to handle melancholia. (66b) See also my previous post w/comments.

A helpful bibliography on Judaism and disability, at the Disability Social History Project, covers both physical disability/access and mental illness.

Good shabbos,

Kaspit  כספית

[1] In typical fashion, the Rabbis argue over whether the sandal protects the wound or goes on the unhurt foot. It’s rather funny, as is the argument over tying one’s shoes – with a wry punchline about the Rabbi who ties both at once. Also, did you notice the legendary persecution due to the hobnailed sandal? The same trick of a backward footprint is told in a funnier and hyper-clever context in the story of R. Joshua b. Hanania vs. the wise men of Athens (bBechorot 8b).

Wal-Mart green, greening and grim

Wal-Mart’s true colors:

“Legends of the Sprawl.” Al Norman, anti-Wal-Mart activist at Grist.

Jews talk about Wal-Mart and greed at DovBear.

Confined Space on Costco: The Anti-Wal-Mart and the Anti-Wall Street

Anti-union tactics anecdote. (A therapist rants. Blame technorati.)

Wal-Mart’s new colors:          Wal-Mart goes green.

You be are the judge. Where do you shop?

Dentistry and mercury

At a recent wedding, I promised a dentist to address the debate over mercury amalgams. Well, dental fillings are a sensitive topic for me (& family). Obviously, this blog (“Quicksilver” no less) can’t shy away from mercury and health q's. The talmud never mention mercury amalgams.

What the Talmud does report about dentistry is quite medieval. The amoraim had no problem reading the mishnah’s (Shab 64b) debate over gold teeth. Not a gold crown, but a tooth that could be removed in order to show friends. Or, it might be removed if the wearer is ridiculed. Either way, removing and carrying a false tooth could result in a violation of the Sabbath rules of carrying. Hence, the mishnah forbids using gold teeth on shabbos.

A silver tooth? Not forbidden, says R. Zeira and a convenient (tanya nami hachi) baraisa.

A human tooth? Forbidden, via an alternative take on the mishnah (Rashi).

Salt? Not forbidden, as a curative for tooth disease (dorshinei). (65a)

Ok. Mercury amalgams as dental fillings. Well, here goes. Some say: “I think ‘synergistic toxicity of heavy metals’ is probably the best explanation” for autism and they fault thimerosal in vaccines as well as other mercury sources, including dental fillings.  Others say that only quack dentists believe that mercury amalgams should be replaced. The EPA lists state laws and proposed legislation on amalgams and other uses of mercury.

Speaking of the EPA – Sen. Leahy filed a petition on July 18, 2005 to force a floor vote on EPA’s weak mercury emissions rule.

My guess is that it makes some sense to avoid mercury amalgams in the first place, provided the dentist offers a good substitute. However, replacing well-fixed fillings before their time may lead to unnecessary exposures. (Cf. pollution prevention > hazardous site remediation)

Kaspit    כספית

P.S. The daf yomi does help shed light at orthodontic care. I’ve been through the ringer on that, too….

Safety equipment needed for baseball, football and Quidditch

Baseball is clearly safer for high school children than basketball and soccer. Not surprisingly, football results in the most injuries: 35/100 players per season.[1] Quidditch is so safe that it didn’t even make the list. Here’s a chart:

• Baseball (boys)          11.8     injured players/100 players
• Softball (girls)            14.4
• Volleyball (g)             14.9
• Field hockey (g)         15.8
• Soccer   (b)              20.2
• Basketball  (b)           22.5
• Basketball (g)            23.0
• Soccer (g)                25.6
• Wrestling (b)             26.7
• Football (b)               34.6

Nevertheless, let’s keep in mind that noncontact sports still lead to many serious injuries that can be prevented. Following up on the post about Jewish law and the dangers of Quidditch, this data shows that school sports are quite hazardous. So fans should petition J. K. Rowling to give Hogwarts students, and esp. professionals, adequate protective equipment for Quidditch. See excerpt of study, below.[2] Play hard, play safe, nobody hurt.

Kaspit כספית

[1] Source: Injury patterns in selected high school sports: a review of the 1995-1997 seasons

(Powell, Barber-Foss, Journal of Athletic Training, 1999)

[2] From a study of injury surveillance in the DC area: "Findings.  Seventeen percent (n = 2563) of all injuries occurred while participating in 1 of 6 sports (baseball/softball, basketball, biking, football, skating, and soccer) resulting in an event-based injury rate of 25.0 per 1000 adolescents…. Rates were higher in males for all sports. … Hospitalization was required in 2% of visits and there were no deaths. Of those requiring hospitalization, 51% involved other persons, 12% were equipment-related, and 8% involved poor field/surface conditions. Of all baseball injuries, 55% involved ball or bat impact often of the head. Basketball injuries included several injuries from striking against the basketball pole or rim or being struck by a falling pole or backboard. …. Of all football injuries, 48 (7%) involved being struck by an opponent's helmet and 63 (9%) involved inappropriate field conditions including falls on or against concrete, glass, or fixed objects. … There were 51 probable or clear assaults during sports and an additional 30 to 41 injuries from baseball bat assaults. ... Conclusions.  Many sports including noncontact sports involved injuries of the head suggesting the need for improved head protection. … The 16% of sports injury visits and 20% of hospitalizations related to equipment and environmental factors suggest that at least this proportion of injury may be amenable to preventive strategies. …" (emphasis added)

Harry Potter & Jewish law: healing spells

Talmudic law prohibits the use of various incantations because of darchei Emori (ways of the Emorites), as we read in our daf yomi (bShab 66b-67b). But there’s a major exception for medical purposes (yesh bo mishum refu’ah). When presumed to be therapeutic, some spells, potions and talismanic remedies are allowed.[1]

Therefore, Talmudic halakhah might approve of Madam Pomfrey casting spells to heal a student injured by playing sports (i.e., Quidditch). Nevertheless, Gilderoy Lockhart’s spell for Harry Potter’s arm would be presumably forbidden by halakhah because neither the spell nor the healer meet the criterion of expertise (mi-mumkheh). (Shab 61a-b) [2]

In addition, effective spells for other purposes may also be permitted. For instance, spells might be permitted to avoid or defuse dangerous situations, except for incantations that are per se idolatrous or forbidden witchcraft. Please consult a halakhic authority for specifics.

Kaspit כספית

[1] Examples of permitted incantations:

To relieve a hangover: oil and salt mixture, or diluted clay,. (Shab 66b)

Antipyretic spell: say to an ant: “Your burden upon me, and my burden upon you”

Antipyretic verse: Exodus 3.2 (Shab 67a)

For boils: this incantation includes many unknown words/sounds

For blisters: see 67a  For bones stuck in throat: see 67a

Prohibited:

For good fortune: say to raven “Croak/shriek and turn your tail to me for Good” (67b)

To slake thirst: “I will drink and leave over, I will drink and leave over”

[2] On amulets: see comments here.

Disclaimer: This post makes no representations about the current status of spells and other Talmudic remedies under Jewish law (halakhah). I gather that some rishonim allow spells as placebos, while others would rule out (allegedly) supernatural remedies. N.B. most remedies are prohibited (d’rabbanan) on the Sabbath.