The Rambam's approach regarding prayer, holy objects and visiting the cemetery
Based on the Babylonian Talmud, the Ge'onim forbade mitzvot such as Shema, tefillin, and tzitzit to be performed near the dead or in a cemetery because this would be considered "mocking the poor" and blasphemous (lo'eg larash). In contrast, Rambam conforming to the Jerusalem Talm...
| Published in: | Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion |
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| Subtitles: | שיטת הרמב"ם בעניין תפילה, חפצי קדושה וביקור בבית הקברות |
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | Hebrew |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
College
2001
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| In: |
Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
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| RelBib Classification: | BH Judaism |
| Further subjects: | B
Purity
B Talmud B Prayer |
| Summary: | Based on the Babylonian Talmud, the Ge'onim forbade mitzvot such as Shema, tefillin, and tzitzit to be performed near the dead or in a cemetery because this would be considered "mocking the poor" and blasphemous (lo'eg larash). In contrast, Rambam conforming to the Jerusalem Talmud forbids prayer, the performance of mitzvot, and the presence of objects used for performing mitzvot in the cemetery because "the place is unclean." According to Babylonian tradition, a visit to a cemetery during a fast for rain is most likely intended to arouse the dead to intercede for mercy on behalf of the living. Rambam, however, takes the singular view of the Jerusalem Talmud that such visits symbolically indicate the final consequence of no rain, a more probable explanation given the lack of biblical evidence of such intercessions. Following R. Shimon b. Gamliel in the Jerusalem Talmud, Rambam opposed the erection of batei nefesh on the graves of the righteous (presumably as ornaments) since "their words are their memorial." His opposition to visiting these structures was probably similarly predicated on the notion that it is sufficient to memorialize the righteous by directing one's heart to their good deeds and spiritual heritage. |
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| ISSN: | 0360-9049 |
| Contains: | In: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual / Jewish Institute of Religion
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