Wednesday, July 06, 2005

University towns

I spent the American Independence Day weekend in the area of Boston and Cambridge. A new humra was revealed to me there, in the Cambridge Commons. It's not written anywhere, and it goes against the entire thrust of the relevant halacha, so I think it's a perfect candidate. Not walking through a doorway that does not carry a mezuza. Brilliant, isn't it?

Speaking of the halachot of mezuza, I noticed that the Yale Judaica Series published a new (2004) volume of their translation of Maimonides' Mishne Torah. It covers the second part of The Book of Love, including the laws of mezuza, and was translated by Prof. Menachem Kellner of Haifa University.

On the drive back, with my friend Lia, we stopped at a place in New Haven called Claire's Corner Copia. It is amazing. I can't recommend it highly enough. With a nice big kosher sign next to the counter.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very much enjoyed that new chumra about mezuza-less doorways. Was it explained how one is expected to actually abide by it and lead anything resembling a normal life?
Here's another new chumra relevant only because of the day today: You're not allowed to say "Shabbat Shalom" on Friday after a certain hour (I wasn't told specifically which) because it is considered to be a declaration of "bringing in Shabbat" and you're not permitted to do "melacha" afterwards. Ever heard of that one?

5:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A humra was "revealed" to you?Passive voice, Mr. Manuscripts, passive voice.

Lia dramatically marches under a huge arch in Cambridge, and ManuscriptMaven over here says quite calmly, "I'm sorry, but I can't walk through that arch." "Why? Because it doesn't have a mezuza?" "Yes," says he of many humras.

Looking forward to many more action packed and manuscript filled reports from your exilic adventures.

7:00 AM  

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