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  • From: "Michael Abernathy" <mabernat AT cub.kcnet.org>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Paul a Pharisee?
  • Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 20:24:50 -0700


Hyam,
I had a little time to check the library at our local university on this
subject. This leads me to ask if your interpretation is widely held in the
Jewish community. I was able to check three Jewish authors who commented on
the synoptic gospels: Lachs, Montefiore, and Abrahams. What I found was not
consistent with the view you have expressed. Abrahams came closest to your
position. He mentioned that the halacha allowed any effort to save life or
to relieve "acute pain" on the Sabbath. However, he did not imply that
healing was generally acceptable on the Sabbath when it was possible to
delay the healing until the next day. He raised some questions as to
whether or not the degree of resistance Jesus experienced was due to a local
interpretation of the law and mentioned that the degree of strictness
required in rabbinic circles varied from time to time.[Abrahams, Studies in
Pharisaism and the Gospels, vol. 1 (New York: KTAV, 1967), pp 134-135.]
Lachs answered the question "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" saying,
"The answer is a categorical yes, if life is in danger, but no, if it not in
danger as in the situation here." [commenting on Luke 6:6-8] [Samuel Tobias
Lachs, A Rabbinic Commentary on the New Testament, (New York: KTAV
Publishing Inc.) pp. 199-200. Montefiore admitted that rabbinic Judaism
allowed for "certain minor infringements of the Sabbath" in the case of
sickness. However, he continued to say, "But unrestricted permission to
`heal' on the Sabbath would not, I think, have been permitted: even
miraculous healings on the Sabbath would not, I think, have been looked upon
with favor." [C.G. Montefiore, Rabbinic Literature and Gospel Teachings (New
York: KTAV Publishing House Inc., 1970) p. 244]
Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy
mabernat AT cub.kcnet.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Hyam Maccoby" <h.z.maccoby AT leeds.ac.uk>
To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 4:28 AM
Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Paul a Pharisee?


> Michael,
> I am glad you have cited Shabbath 14:3-4, as this passage has been widely
> misunderstood. It does not imply that healing in itself was forbidden on
the
> Sabbath. It arises from a rabbinical bye-law (enacted probably in the
> second century) that medicinal substances should not be employed as a
method
> of treatment on the Sabbath (in cases of minor ailments) lest people
should
> be tempted to break the Torah law forbidding the grinding of medicines on
> the Sabbath (this type of rabbinical bye-law was known as `a fence around
> the Law'). The rabbis freely acknowledged that this bye-law did not have
> the status of Torah law, and therefore they allowed it to be infringed in
> cases of severe pain, even if no danger to life existed. Please note that
> this bye-law concerned the METHOD of healing, not healing itself, which
was
> permitted even by rabbinic law if no medicinal substances were involved.
> In the case of Jesus, his method of healing did not involve
medicines,
> so was permitted by both Torah and rabbinic law (if indeed the rabbinic
> bye-law existed in his time). Faith-healing on the Sabbath is permitted
in
> all circumstances.
> The above explanation of Shabbath 14:2-4 is found in all the Jewish
> commentaries on the Mishnah.
>
> With best wishes,
>
> Hyam Maccoby
>
>
> Research Professor
> Centre for Jewish Studies
> University of Leeds
> LS2
> Direct lines: tel. +44 (0)113 268 1972
> fax +44 (0)113 268 0041
> e-mail: h.z.maccoby AT leeds.ac.uk
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Abernathy" <mabernat AT cub.kcnet.org>
> To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 11:51 PM
> Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Paul a Pharisee?
>
>
> > Sorry to interrupt your discussion but could you explain something to
me?
> > Shabbath 14:3 forbids eating hyssop on the Sabbath because it was used
for
> > healing. Shabbath 14:4 forbids sucking vinegar through the teeth to
treat
> a
> > toothache. I am not aware of these acts being considered work. How is
it
> > that these wree forbidden unless, healing was forbidden? I am aware of
> > passage in the Babylonian Talmud that allow for healing if the patient's
> > life was in danger, but only if the patient's life was in danger. Could
> you
> > please clarify further?
> > Michael Abernathy
> > mabernat AT cub.kcnet.org
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Hyam Maccoby" <h.z.maccoby AT leeds.ac.uk>
> > To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> > Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 9:19 AM
> > Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Paul a Pharisee?
> >
> >
> > > >Loren:
> > >
> > > I wrote:
> > >
> > > >Both Hillelites and Shammaites agreed that
> > > > >faith-healing on the Sabbath was permitted.
> > >
> > > You ask:
> > > > Even in non-emergency situations?
> > >
> > > Yes, even in non-emergency situations. Healing in itself is not
> included
> > > among the kinds of `work' forbidden on the Sabbath (see Mishnah ,
> Shahbath
> > > 7:2). If, however, the METHOD of healing was a form of `work' (e.g.
> > > building a fire, or grinding medicines), the act of healing was
> forbidden
> > > EXCEPT in an emergency, when all Sabbath prohibitions became null and
> > void.
> > > In the case of Jesus, the method of healing (i.e. faith-healing) did
not
> > > involve any act defined as `work', and therefore his kind of healing
was
> > > permitted even in the absence of emergency.
> > >
> > > Best wishes,
> > >
> > > Hyam Maccoby
> > >
> > >
> > > Research Professor
> > > Centre for Jewish Studies
> > > University of Leeds
> > > LS2
> > > Direct lines: tel. +44 (0)113 268 1972
> > > fax +44 (0)113 268 0041
> > > e-mail: h.z.maccoby AT leeds.ac.uk
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Loren Rosson" <rossoiii AT yahoo.com>
> > > To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> > > Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 12:15 PM
> > > Subject: [corpus-paul] Re: Paul a Pharisee?
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hyam,
> > > >
> > > > Thanks for the data regarding Shammaites vs
> > > > Hillelites. I will look into their differences (and
> > > > similarities) more closely and for now will concede
> > > > that a "Shammaite Saul" does not resolve the problems
> > > > of Acts 5 as much as I thought it did.
> > > >
> > > > But by the way...
> > > >
> > > > Loren Rosson III
> > > > Nashua NH
> > > > rossoiii AT yahoo.com
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > __________________________________________________
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> > > >
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