A Warning Against Playing Ball Games

[David Ben-Abraham]

B"H

An English translation of the Edict against playing ball games written by the rabbinic court of the city of Rada' (Yemen), under the patronage of the Chief Rabbi and President of the Court, Rabbi Yihye b. Yihye ‘Omeissi. The interesting thing about this Court order is that it clarifies a teaching in the Jerusalem Talmud (Ta'anis 24b) which says that the town of "Tur Simeon" (in Judaea) was destroyed because they were used to playing ball. It does not say what, exactly, this prohibition entails - if, let's say, they were guilty of playing ball on the Sabbath day and the ball would be kicked beyond four-cubits in the public domain, etc. Here, Rabbi Yihye b. Yihye ‘Omeissi, President of the Court at Rada' (Yemen), says the prohibition is an offshoot of a biblical commandment prohibiting Israel to behave like the gentiles in their customs.


Our trust is in the Lo-rd

Unto the holy congregation, may G-d keep them and quicken them, and from all distress and harm deliver them! Amen, may it be His will.

It is not concealed from you, gentlemen, what is written in our holy Law, namely: "Neither shall you conduct yourselves after the mores & manners of the nations, etc." (Lev. 20:23) How have our Sages, of blessed memories, been very stringent in their observance of this law not to do aught that is similar to them! But, now, by reason of our iniquities, the nations have taken upon themselves certain strictures so as not to resemble Israel in any act, while we are seen as acting leniently in this very regard – may G-d forbid! For example, in ball games (Arabic: "al-kurt"), not only do the little ones engage in its play, but also the adults that have been married to women!

May it never be so with the people of G-D to behave themselves after this manner, and to change the enactment of our fathers (who rest in peace) who have warned, nay, have reproved [many] concerning this matter – even on several occasions, while we, after them, have done likewise. But such warnings were never seen as effective except in the very hour [when there was a breach in our laws]. Now there is no custom amongst the holy men of Israel except to heed a given warning, and to accept instruction. Even its name bears witness that it leads to extirpation (i.e. by a play on the Arabic word, "kurt" כֻּרתּ with the Hebrew word "kareth" כָּרֵת – extirpation). Behold, we do hereby now give warning and remind each and every one of you, both great and small, that whosoever there be who will not separate himself from playing ball and shall willfully transgress the enactment of our ancients, let him be singed by their burning coals!
G-d save us from such an ordeal!

And so, may the Omnipresent, blessed be He, be exalted in showing mercy upon you, taking good care over you with a watchful eye, for your own good and welfare, for your prolonged life and for your peace. Amen, so may it be His will. [Written] on this weekly biblical lection of "and it shall be for a blessing." – Gen. 12:2 (Meaning, during the biblical lection of 'Lekh lekha' in Gen. 12:1-17:27) So be the words of the Court. May their Rock and Creator preserve them.

המקור:

מחסינו בה'

הקהל הקדוש הי"ו (השם ישמריהו ויחייהו) ומצו"י (ומכל צרה ונזק יצילהו) אכי"ר (אמן כן יהי רצון). לם יעלם מכם רבותי מה שכתוב בתוה"ק (בתורתנו הקדושה), ולא תלכו בחקות הגוים וכמה החמירו רז"ל (רבותינו זכרונם לברכה) שלא להדמות להם. והן עתה בעונותינו, האומות מחמירים מלהדמות לישראל בשום מעשה, ואנחנו מקילים בזה ח"ו (חס וחלילה), כמו לַעְבַּתּ אַלכֻּרְתּ. (משחק כדור) ולא די הקטנים, אלא הגדולים שנשאו נשים. חלילה לעם ה' ללכת בדרך הזה ולהמרות תקנת אבותינו נוחי נפש, שהתרו והוכיחו על זה כמה פעמים ואנחנו אחריהם, ואין האזהרה מועלת אלא בעתה. ואין מנהג ישראל הקדושים אלא לשמוע אזהרה ולקחת מוסר. ושמה מעיד עליה שהיא כָּרֵת. הן עתה אנחנו מזהירים ומזכירים את כל אחד ואחד מכם גדולים וקטנים שכל מי שלא יפרוש מן אלכורת (פי' מן הכדור), ויעבור על תקנת קדמונינו שיכוה בגחלתן רח"ל (רחמנא ליצלן). ובכן המב"ה (והמקום ברוך הוא) ירום לרחמכם, וישגח עליכון בעינא פקיחא, לטב ולחיין אריכין ולשלם אכי"ר (אמן כן יהי רצון). בס' (בסדר) וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה. כ"ד (כה דברי) בי"ד (בית דין) יצ"ו (ישמרו צורו ויוצרו).

[David Ben-Abraham]

Summary of R. Joseph Cologne's Responsum (responsum # 88)

As stated, the Rabbi has tried to find some "justification" for wearing certain items of gentile clothing not formerly worn by Jews (e.g. a physician's cape), without his having to worry about transgressing the biblical prohibition which says: "…and in their ordinances you shall not walk" (Lev. 18:3). ובחקותיהם לא תלכו

In his responsum # 88, he brings down a summary of the debate in the Talmud (Baba Kama 113a) concerning Kilayim (the wearing of mixed woollen and linen garments) in an effort to prove thereby the permissibility of wearing the physician's cape without being apprehensive about its practice.

To help our readers understand what we are dealing with here, I will first bring down a Mishnah in Kilayim 9:2, upon which can be said hinges the entire debate in the Talmud, examining first the Mishnah, and, afterwards, the Boraitta which is related to it as brought down in the Talmud, with its finer aspects, hoping thereby to learn whether it applies, or does not apply, to our subject.

In Mishnah Kilayim 9:7 we find these words:
"…Mixed woollen and linen garments (Heb. כלאים) may not be worn even momentarily. Let no man wear [a garment of] mixed woollen and linen over ten [other garments of an ordinary sort], even [if the intent was] to evade paying the duty [or impost on transported goods]."

"...אין עראי לכלאים. לא ילבש אדם כלאים על גבי עשרה אפילו לגנוב את המכס." – משנה כלאים, פרק ט' משנה ב

Maimonides, in his commentary on the Mishnah (ibid.) published by Mossad Harav Kook in Jerusalem, explains thus:
"Mixed woollen and linen garments may not be worn even momentarily. It is forbidden to wear them even on a temporary basis, as has been explained by their saying, 'let him not wear kilayim even over ten [other] garments, and even in order to exempt himself from [paying] customs dues,' seeing that they would not exact [taxes] from him over his own clothing [that was worn on his back], etc."

Meaning, the manner of collecting imposts and duties on imported goods and merchandise was such that only those items transported from one country into another by way of wagon or mule, or by some other means of transportation, the customs inspection would require the owner of those goods to pay a tax to the government over such items entering the country, but they would not exact any tax over the clothing that happened to be worn by the man at the time of his crossing over the border. In this way, many merchants sought to evade paying taxes on clothing that was transported by them altogether. This, they did by wearing the items that were brought into the host country, one on top of the other. The Mishnah does not say anything about the legality of the act, only that it is not permitted for a Jew to do so if one of those items of clothing was kilayim (made of mixed woollen and linen fabric).

The Talmud (Baba Kama 113a), elaborating further, brings down a Boraitta, the first Tanna stating exactly like our Mishnah – viz., that it is forbidden for a Jew to wear kilayim while evading customs – while the second Tanna, Rabbi Akiva, saying that it is permitted for a Jew to wear kilayim while evading customs. The Gemara reasons that, as far as the matter of kilayim is concerned, these two great Rabbis in the Boraitta were divided over a certain matter of principle regarding it, namely, whether or not a man was permitted to wear it if he had not intended to enjoy himself by wearing it, but only wished to evade thereby the customs official; The first Tanna saying that it is prohibited for a Jew to wear kilayim even if he had no intent to enjoy himself while wearing it, while Rabbi Akiva saying that, in this case, wearing kilayim is permissible. When the Gemara asks how Rabbi Akiva ever permitted such an act, seeing that we have a teaching that says: "The law of a Government is the law of the land" -דינא דמלכותא דינא (Meaning, it is sanctioned in Heaven), and that the customs official was, definitely, representing a government who sent him to collect the duties and imposts. The Gemara brings down two explanations in defence of Rabbi Akiva's position, saying how that, by them, according to Rabbi Akiva, it would be permissible for a Jew to, both, disregard the law of the land and to wear kilayim when he had no intention of enjoying himself thereby: 1) When the customs official would exact irregular duties from the people according to his own whims and fancies. That is, there was no fixed tariff; 2) when the customs official was not appointed by the government but had set himself up by way of usurpation. (In both cases, since we are dealing with a swindler, Rabbi Akiva permits "outsmarting" him. However, if these conditions did not exist, R. Akiva would agree with the first Tanna that a Jew was not permitted to wear kilayim in order to evade customs inspection, for "the law of the land" prevails.)

Now let us note a certain thing about the power of a Mishnah in relation to a Boraitta. The Rabbis have taught us certain rules, one being that the Halacha follows Rabbi Akiva when he disputes with one of his colleagues (Eruvin 46b). Yet, this rule applies only when he disputes with a certain colleague in the same Mishnah. However, whenever we find a dispute between the stam Mishnah (as in our case) and the Boraitta, even though the Boraitta brings down a dispute between Rabbi Akiva and what was stated in the Mishnah anonymously, the Halacha is always like the stam Mishnah. For the rule which stands is, הלכה כסתם משנה – "The Halacha follows the stam Mishnah." This would mean, practically speaking, that an Israelite is not permitted to wear kilayim under any of the above circumstances, albeit, he is permitted to evade customs inspection on ordinary goods if the clerk was found to be a swindler.

Quoting from the Iggeres of Rav Sherira Gaon (ch. 3, p. 30):
"Sometimes we find a Mishnah [on a certain halachic topic] which gives only one opinion (stam) without attributing it to a specific Tanna or mentioning any Tanna who disagrees. Later in the same tractate we may find another Mishnah [on the same topic] which presents the opinion of the earlier Mishnah as subject to dispute. In such a case, referred to as "stam and later disputed," the Halacha does not follow the earlier (stam) Mishnah. On the other hand, if the reverse situation is found within one tractate – "disputed and later stam" – we say that the Halacha follows the stam Mishnah. However, if the two Mishnayos in question are found in two different tractates, the above rules do not apply; for [the tractates] have no order." (Meaning, there is no way of verifying which was arranged first, the disputed or the stam opinion, and therefore we cannot establish preference. However, where the one is a Mishnah and the other is a Boraitta, the Halacha follows the Mishnah).

(ch. 4, p. 37) "We do not follow the opinion of R. Chiyya, as expressed in a Boraitta, if he disputes with Rebbe. For example, let us suppose that a certain Halacha had originally been a matter of dispute between R. Meir and R. Yosi, but Rebbe decided to record in the Mishnah only R. Meir's opinion. R. Chiyya then came, in the Tosefta, and stated that the Halacha had originally been a matter of dispute. Now, the Talmud gives us a rule about disputes among the Sages: 'When R. Meir and R. Yosi disagree, the Halacha follows R. Yosi.' (Eruvin 46b) Nevertheless, since in the Mishnah, Rebbe mentioned only R. Meir's opinion, we follow R. Meir."

Now R. Joseph Cologne, in his responsum # 88, has tried to show from the above excerpt taken from the Talmud (Baba Kama 113a) that it is perfectly natural for a Jewish physician to wear a physician's cape not formerly worn by Jews, based on what he saw explained in one of the "Hagahas Sefer Mitzvos Ketanos," namely, that one of the commentators wrote that where Rabbi Akiva permitted tax evasion refers to where a Jew was confronted with a customs inspector who only exacted taxes from Jews alone, but not from gentiles, and therefore, in such cases, the Jew was permitted to wear kilayim in order to show thereby that he was not Jewish. The first Tanna, he purports, disagrees with Rabbi Akiva, seeing that a Jew should never change his religious customs even in the face of religious persecution – similar to what we've seen with regard to shoe laces in Sanhedrin 74b. (By the way, in the Piskei Halachos of Rabbeinu Asher in Baba Kama ch. 10, s.v. ואיכא, he says that R. Akiva would never have agreed to say such a thing, and that no Jew is permitted to wear kilayim in the face of religious persecution!) At any rate, R. Joseph Cologne wishes to learn from here, by way of kal ve'chomer (by an inference from minor to major premise), that it is permitted for a Jewish physician to wear such a cape. If, in the case of kilyaim – where the wearing of such garments touches on a biblical prohibition and the Jewish man who wears them appears in the eyes of his fellow countrymen as an infidel – Rabbi Akiva permitted his wearing such garments because of the monetary gains he could have by evading the officer's evil designs, how much more then a Jewish man who wished only to wear a physician's cape – where there was no biblical prohibition of kilayim involved and where there was a clear monetary advantage for the man to wear such a cape, although, he, too, might appear in the eyes of his countrymen as wearing an item of clothing not formerly worn by Jews – that it would be permitted!

Let our readers be the judges here. If it were not enough that our Rabbi and teacher, R. Joseph Cologne, has brought down explanations not given in the Gemara, but used rather a secondary source, he has also totally forgotten the principles used by us in rendering decisions on Halacha, and who it is we are supposed to follow in disputed cases! The Halacha regarding kilayim is not like R. Akiva, therefore, all that he wished to build upon this premise falls down.

On the other hand, his previous arguments on the physician's cape (about it not being something worn out of superstitious practice, or out of immodesty, etc.) do seem to hold up as good.

David

[David Ben-Abraham]

A Lamentation over the Cinema and Football Games

Written in Tunisia in 1926 in Judeo-Arabic and first published in an eight-page booklet by the publishing house 'Imprimrie de l'Orient.' Reprinted in 2000 with a Hebrew translation by Yosef and Zivia Tobi in "La Littérature Judéo-Arabe en Tunisie (1850-1950)"

A lamentation over the cinema [goers] and football games; a dirge expressed artistically and with strong abhorrence. Its author: Y. B.

Refrain: A depraved state, and degeneration of morals, and idleness! / At the cinema and at the football [match]. / Our money has become chaff! / The passion of women and men!

Who is it that will not complain / about this idleness and depraved state? / There is no industry of trade, / while there is added thereto the sickness of competition! / There isn't enough to making a living, / while thereto is added waste and the degeneration of morals! / Does he not go off to the cinema? / Or will he keep himself away from a football [match]?

Whereas, indeed, in the name of God, these are tribulations / on account of this topsy-turvy time! / Man is fraught with troubles! / He has forgotten the shape of money! / Boredom is evident on his face! / He passes by and his head is fallen. / He'll anon discuss [the scenes of] the cinema! / He'll [buy] a ticket to the football 'match] well in advance!

He'll leave his children stark naked, / without food and clothing. / They'll always walk barefoot. / They'll never taste from that cup! / The cinema is the worst of illnesses! / The temptations have multiplied upon us! / He sells his mattress and bed-linen / for the Capitol and for the Royale! (1)

By Sunday, he has become irritated. / Since the morning, he is obsessed with thoughts! / His hand is on his cheek, contemplating. / What's going to be? What will happen? / He begins to mourn about the expenses. / It's better to go off to a football [match]! /He doesn't understand, neither does he know, / that his money goes to waste!

He asks for his breakfast, but finds not [that which to eat]. / A morsel of bread goes around in the house. / She (his wife) says to him: We haven't oil. / With what shall we cook breakfast? / Go at once! Don't delay! / Bring bread and oil immediately! / The poor fellow went off and never returned, / seeing that he was destitute of all things!

The pocket is empty, what could he do? / He has nothing but ten francs. / He'd rather spend it on the football [match]. / That takes precedence over all else! / The price of a ticket is high; he'll 'burn it!' / [Less] than two duros (2) he'll not bother to go out! / Just to see someone slip, / while another running with madness!

He leaves his wife waiting / for her husband, perchance he'll bring her the oil. / She goes a hungered, pining for food. / She has nothing in the house, / while he imagines himself sitting in the Garden of Eden! / He forgets those who have hit their heads against the wall; this is the worst of afflictions! / It comes upon those having little wealth.

He comes back with his neck twisted! / He returns, all staggering! / The notorious show has come to an end. / He arrives [back home] with nightfall. / Upon entering, he provokes an argument. / He raises his voice and makes a commotion. / He is satisfied even with a tomato, / and an onion pickled in vinegar.

She says to him: There's nothing [to eat]! / Look at me! I'm about to die of hunger! / Cut down a bit on this frenzy. / My heart frets for the children! / He says to her: I'll tell you why / I've come home unhappy. / Levisti (3) won [the match] by rough play! / They scored three goals!

She says to him: What advantage is that to me, / when my stomach is empty of food? / What have you gained thereby? Tell me, for God's sake! / We owe a year's rent on the house! / With hollow words you comfort me! / When I ask for food, you'll answer me by quarrelling! / Look at your children and understand my feelings, / if you be a man amongst men!

He says to her: 'There's a [football] game' / - as if he hadn't listened at all! / He is entirely given over to his whims and fancies! / He cheers for him who invented it! / It's so sweet and marvelous! / You can [only] perform it with cunning and skill! / The wife hides herself from her husband. / Eventually, she'll move into the Empire [Hotel]. (4)

Such are afflictions and vanities! / A new illness, O people! / The world is already confused: / Idleness, competition and depravity! / The bachelor, [a man's] daughter and the pregnant woman / wish to go to the stadium. / They ignore what is proper, /and immediately run off to what brings on corrupt morals!

For God's sake, tend to your families! / Take from me advice! / Keep your wives and children! / Do not be spendthrift with your money! / You'll be depleted [of money] and will stand in need of your neighbor / who'll look at you with contempt. / After having lived honorably, your fire will be extinguished, / and you'll become wretchedly poor.


המקור:
קינת הקולנוע והכדורגל
קינת הקולנוע הכדורגל, קינה מבוטאת באמנות ובעוצמה, מחברה י. ב.
פזמון : שפל וקלקול המידות ובטלה / בקולנוע ובכדורגל / כספנו נעשה סובין / תשוקתם של נשים וגברים:

מי הוא זה אשר לא יתלונן / על הבטלה והשפל / אין השתכרות / ונוסף על כך חולי התחרות / לפרנסה אין זה מספיק / ונוסף על כך בזבוז לקלקול המידות / וכי לקולנוע אינו הולך / ומונע עצמו מן הכדורגל?

אכן, בשם האל, אלו ייסורים / בשל הזמן הזה ההפוך / הגבר כולו צרות / שכח צורת הכסף / השעמום על פניו ניכר / עובר וראשו נופל / על הקולנוע מהר ישא ויתן / ויקדים (להשיג) כרטיס לכדורגל:

ישאיר ילדיו ערומים / חסרי מחיה ולבוש / יתהלכו תמיד יחפים / לא יטעמו מזה הכוס / הקולנוע הוא החמורה במחלות / רבו עלינו הפיתויים / מוכר הוא את המזרון ואת המצע / לקפיטול או לרויאל:

ביום ראשון הוא כעוס / מן הבוקר תפוש מחשבות / ידו על לחיו, חושב / מה יהיה ומה יקרה / על ההוצאות מרבה להתאונן / ללכת לכדורגל עדיף / אינו מבין ואינו יודע / כספו הולך להבל:

מבקש ארוחת בוקר ואינו מוצא / חתיכת לחם בבית סובבת / תאמר לו (אשתו): שמן אין לנו / במה נבשל את ארוחת הבוקר / לך מייד, אל תתעכב / הבא לחם ושמן מייד / המסכן הלך ולא שב / משום שהיה חסר כול:

הכיס ריק מה יכול הוא לעשות / אין לו אלא עשרה פראנק / הוא מקדים את הוצאות הכדורגל / הוא קודם לכל פעולה / מחיר הכרטיס גבוה, 'שורף' / (פחות) משני דורו לא יצא / כדי לראות אחד מחליק / והאחר רץ בטיפשות:

מניח את האשה מחכה / לבעלה שיביא לה את השמן / רעבה משתוקקת לאוכל / אין לה דבר בבית / והוא מדמה עצמו יושב בגן עדן / שוכח את אלה אשר היכו ראשם בקיר
זה החמור שבייסורים / בא על מעוטי הממון:

שב וצווארו מסובב / חוזר מתנודד כולו / תמה ההצגה הידועה / מגיע עם רדת הליל / בכניסתו גורם למריבה / מגביר את הקול והשאון / מסתפק אפילו בעגבניה / ובצל כבוש בחומץ:

תאמר לו: אין שום דבר / הריני עומדת למות מרעב / הפחת מעט מן ההתלהבות הזאת / על הילדים לבי דואב / יאמר לה: אספר לך מדוע / חזרתי חסר שמחה / לויסתי ניצחה בתוקפנות / הכניסה שלוש פעמים את הכדור:

תאמר לו: מה זה מועיל לי / ובטני ריקה מאוכל / מה הרווחת, אמור לי, בשם האל / חייבים אנו שכר דירה של שנה / במלים נבובות תרגיעני / אבקש מזון, משיב לי מריבה / ראה את ילדיך והבן לרוחי / אם גבר אתה בגברים:

יאמר לה: יש משחק / - כאילו בכלל אינו שומע - / כולו תשוקה ואהבה / הידד למי שהמציאו / מתוק מאוד ומופלא / בתחבולה ובערמה תעשה / מן הבעל האשה מתחבאת / ב(מלון) אמפייר תעבור בסופו של דבר:

אלו ייסורים והבלים / חולי חדש, הוי אנשים / העולם כבר סבוך / בטלה, תחרות ושפל / הרווק, הבת והאשה ההרה / רוצים ללכת לאיצטדיון / מן הנכון הם מתעלמים / ולקלקול המידות הם רצים מייד:

בשם ה', טפלו במשפחותיכם / וקבלו ממני עצה / שמרו על נשיכם וילדיכם / ולא תפזרו כספכם / אתם מתרוקנים (מכסף) ונזקקים לשכנכם / אשר יביט בכם במבט של בוז / לאחר הכבוד תכבה אישכם / ותיעשו עניים מרודים:

NOTES:

(1) Names of cinemas in Tunis.
(2) Duro, a coin of five francs.
(3) The name of a football team.
(4) It would seem that the Empire Hotel was not one of those respectable places intended for decent persons.

[shemuel perez]

Thanks achi Dovid and Rabbi Joshua,

Thanks to everyone in this discussion. I have read throughout the exchange of thoughts and reasons: these offered helpful, comparative materials concerning the issues, and I am greatly benefited by this discussion.

Todah lakhem.
Shavua tov.