Teshvot via Conservative Judaism

[Valke2]

The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS)

CJLS sets halakhic (law) policy for Rabbinical Assembly rabbis and for the Conservative movement. There are 25 rabbis and 5 laypeople (non-voting) on the CJLS. A member of the RA may have an issue about something that he or she submits to the CJLS. One or more member of the CJLS will write a paper on the subject (responsa). The papers are reviewed by the Committee. Papers are approved when a vote is taken with six or more members vote in favor of the paper.

Approved teshuvot represent official halakhic positions of the Conservative movement. But each community’s Rabbi has the authority to consider the Committee’s positions but make their own decisions as conditions warrant. Members of the Committee can also submit concurring or dissenting opinions that are attached to a decision, but do not carry official status.

Remember that each teshuvot was written in response to a specific question posed by a Conservative rabbi, not a layperson seeking clarity. Each rabbi is the local religious decisor, of a particular community. The Teshuvot are not meant to substitute for the opinions of a community’s rabbi.

I have a list of topics and, using a secret process known only to me and one other person, I will choose one topic and outline the responsa/teshvot that was approved by the RA:

The possible topics are:

“Women and the Minyan”

"Is there an authentic triennial

“Use of the Synagouge by Christian Groups”

“Jewish businesses open on Shabbat”

“preparing and serving food on Shabbat”

Stay tuned.

 

[mercygate]

The Committee on Jewish Law and Standards (CJLS)

CJLS sets halakhic (law) policy for Rabbinical Assembly rabbis and for the Conservative movement. There are 25 rabbis and 5 laypeople (non-voting) on the CJLS. A member of the RA may have an issue about something that he or she submits to the CJLS. One or more member of the CJLS will write a paper on the subject (responsa). The papers are reviewed by the Committee. Papers are approved when a vote is taken with six or more members vote in favor of the paper.

Approved teshuvot represent official halakhic positions of the Conservative movement. But each community’s Rabbi has the authority to consider the Committee’s positions but make their own decisions as conditions warrant. Members of the Committee can also submit concurring or dissenting opinions that are attached to a decision, but do not carry official status.

Remember that each teshuvot was written in response to a specific question posed by a Conservative rabbi, not a layperson seeking clarity. Each rabbi is the local religious decisor, of a particular community. The Teshuvot are not meant to substitute for the opinions of a community’s rabbi.

I have a list of topics and, using a secret process known only to me and one other person, I will choose one topic and outline the responsa/teshvot that was approved by the RA:

The possible topics are:

“Women and the Minyan”

"Is there an authentic triennial

“Use of the Synagouge by Christian Groups”

“Jewish businesses open on Shabbat”

“preparing and serving food on Shabbat”

Stay tuned.

How about starting with “preparing and serving food on Shabbat?” That kind of touches home with all of us. Thanks!

 

[Valke2]

Ok. This Teshvot was written by Rabbi Abelson and was adopted by the RA in 1981. Interestingly, it got more votes against it (7) than for it (6), but it only takes 6.

The issue was preparing and serving food on shabbat after services. It starts off by recognizing that the synagouge is the focal point for Jewish life and its congregants. The meal following services should be held in the synagouge, not in a non-kosher hotel (think “after wedding celebration”). The problem is that there are so many ways to violate the prohibitions applicable on Shabbat, that jews may be discouraged from holding such celebrations at the synagouge.

Therefore, the responsa states that questions about how to serve and prepare food when these events fall on shabbat should be resolved in ways that don’t unduly burden the families who are holding such meals (“seudot mitzvah”).

To the extent that methods of past generations have been used to help mitigate a too rigorous application of the shabbat laws, should also be used in this generation. We want to create creative responses that will enhance and preserve the spirit of Shabbat.

Some specifics follow:

 

[Valke2]

Meals on Shabbat:

All deliveres to the synagouge must be completed by 3pm Friday.
Nothing can be removed until Shabbat is over (Saturday evening).

ALl cooking must be compelted before Shabbat (Friday evening).
Cooked solid foods may be warmed up on Shabbat.

Refrigerated liquid foods may also be reheated but not boiled. One way to accomplish this is to have a non-jew place the pot on the boiler to “simmer”.

Tables may be set, and dishes washed.

Next post: The Saturday night meals!

 

[mercygate]

Meals on Shabbat:

All deliveres to the synagouge must be completed by 3pm Friday.
Nothing can be removed until Shabbat is over (Saturday evening).

ALl cooking must be compelted before Shabbat (Friday evening).
Cooked solid foods may be warmed up on Shabbat.

Refrigerated liquid foods may also be reheated but not boiled. One way to accomplish this is to have a non-jew place the pot on the boiler to “simmer”.

Tables may be set, and dishes washed.

Next post: The Saturday night meals!

So does the non-Jew light the fire then(do you still call this a Sabbath Goy? My daughter’s classmate used to do this for Orthodox Jewish neighbors) ? My Jewish friends won’t turn on a stove. I guess you would have to set the table (yourself? or a non-Jew?) if you had taken the Friday night meal there. Why would you not set the table in the synagogue on Friday afternoon?

 

[Valke2]

So does the non-Jew light the fire then(do you still call this a Sabbath Goy? My daughter’s classmate used to do this for Orthodox Jewish neighbors) ? My Jewish friends won’t turn on a stove. I guess you would have to set the table (yourself? or a non-Jew?) if you had taken the Friday night meal there. Why would you not set the table in the synagogue on Friday afternoon?

Setting the table after shabbat begins is permitted. Remember, we’re talking about preparing a meal for after synagouge services. Sometimes having the table set before hand is not practical. As for the Sabbath Goy, the answer is “kind of”. In this instance, we are not asking the non-jew to do something that we could not do. I think it is a “just in case” option, so that even if the food is mistakenly boiled, it isn’t done so by a Jew.

 

[Valke2]

usually you will light the oven before shabbat and not turn it off completely, so you can use then use the flame to reheat. There’s a prohibition against starting fires on shabbat, but not against using them for certain things after shabbat (as long as the fire was started before shabbat).

 

[mercygate]

usually you will light the oven before shabbat and not turn it off completely, so you can use then use the flame to reheat. There’s a prohibition against starting fires on shabbat, but not against using them for certain things after shabbat (as long as the fire was started before shabbat).

Yes: that is what my friends do. They make stuff like cholent that cooks slowly for hours and hours overnight in a slow oven (yumm).

My boss a few years back was an observant Jew (conservative), who lived fairly close to me. On Jewish holidays, when he did not come into the office, I used to drop off his mail in the evening and pick it up in the morning. I work in a (formely) Jewish medical facility with a LOT of observant faculty and staff. I got the nickname “mail Goy.” I thought it was cute and funny, but my boss was mortified, and thought it was disrespectful. I guess he didn’t have that disarming self-deprecating Jewish sense of humor!

 

[Valke2]

Yes: that is what my friends do. They make stuff like cholent that cooks slowly for hours and hours overnight in a slow oven (yumm).

My boss a few years back was an observant Jew (conservative), who lived fairly close to me. On Jewish holidays, when he did not come into the office, I used to drop off his mail in the evening and pick it up in the morning. I work in a (formely) Jewish medical facility with a LOT of observant faculty and staff. I got the nickname “mail Goy.” I thought it was cute and funny, but my boss was mortified, and thought it was disrespectful. I guess he didn’t have that disarming self-deprecating Jewish sense of humor!

well, self-depreciating means being able to laugh at one’s self. He may have thought they were being disrespectful to you. That’s why I’m always careful not to talk in front of the shabbos goys

 

[mercygate]

well, self-depreciating means being able to laugh at one’s self. He may have thought they were being disrespectful to you. That’s why I’m always careful not to talk in front of the shabbos goys

You can talk in front of me. The Rabbi here has deleted the “H” from my title HMOT and calls me straight-up: MOT!