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Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
I can give you a quick short version.
One of the most important element for Orthodox or Hassidic women is to be modest. Modest within and modest with dress.
Women, in order to be modest and not attract attention from men dress in a way where they cover their elbows and knees.
Once they are married they take on the obligation to cover their hair. It does not have to be a wig. It could be a hat, scarf or whatever one wishes.
It's not true that women have to be hidden. tending the children. It's their choice,They are an integral part of society. They go out to work or stay home. Just like any women, it's their choice. Some are teachers, lawyers, doctors, occupational therapist...etc. They are normal people.
What Justin was alluding to about not using electricity on Saturday - the Sabbath is not just an obligation for the women. It's for men, women and children. It's the day of rest that is devoted to family time. They are not allowed to do any type of work.
The Talmudic Rabbis have declared that turning on or off electricity falls in the category of work and therefore not allowed.
There is not driving of cars, cooking, shopping, watching TV on the Sabbath. In the morning there are services in the synagogue and then the family sits down to have a festive meal together. The rest of the day can be used for reading, visiting friends (walking distance) taking a nap etc.. It's a means for the family to spend time together without any interruptions and it's rejuvenating.

I hope I have given you a glimpse in the life of....
Thanks Nielk. Still not exactly sure what the reference to not being allowed outside of "enclosed" spaces was but nobody needs to go to any more trouble on my behalf.
 

justinreilly

Senior Member
Messages
2,498
Location
NYC (& RI)
Dolphin, here's an article on eruvs which talks about the rule against carrying things on the Sabbeth. I skimmed it and didn't see any reference to women, so it looks like I am mistaken about it applying just to women. (fwiw, I did say it was 'people', not just women who are not allowed to use electricity on the sabbeth).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eruv

An Eruv (Hebrew: ?????? mixture, also transliterated as Eiruv or Erub, plural: Eruvin) is a ritual enclosure around some Orthodox Jewish homes or communities. In such communities, an Eruv is seen to enable the carrying of objects out of doors on the Jewish Sabbath that would otherwise be forbidden by Torah law (Halakha). Without an Eruv, Torah-observant Jews would be forbidden from carrying keys or tissues in their pockets or pushing baby carriages on the Jewish Sabbath, thus making it difficult for many to leave their homes.

This google search turned up some articles:
http://www.google.com/search?client...gc.r_pw.&fp=5304212dfdd8a916&biw=1280&bih=656

In any event, I wouldn't urge you now to pursue this for a reason other than curiosity for the reasons I stated before. But of course you can do what you wish.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
Hi Justin,

You gave a very accurate description. It does have to do with the laws of carrying things on the Sabbath outside of the home. It's only carrying and not walking. Walking without carrying is fine. It's a complicated matter and has to do with carrying something from a private place (home) to a public place. In communities where there are many orthodox Jews, they construct an eruv (enclosure) around the community and therefore it bypasses the problem of carrying outside since the whole community is considered an "enclosed home", Like I said before there are 613 laws with some laws being complicated and encompassing of many components. People study these codes for years and years to get the full understanding of all the laws. Of course, it helps if you are born into this life and it comes as second nature because that's what you saw at home and your parents teach you and you also learn in Hebrew school.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
(off-topic)
I don't know much about Judaism - there are few Jewish people in Ireland - can anyone give me a link to information on what is being referred to with regard to women or describe it briefly? I had a quick look at this wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabad but nothing much showed up for women/female. I don't want to have wade through masses of stuff but my curiosity has been piqued. PM me if you prefer although I don't make any promises I'll enter into a lot of correspondence as I would prefer not to (busy).

Dolphin,

Here is a link with a lot of information about the Jewish community in Dublin.

http://www.jewishireland.org/
 

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Dolphin,

Here is a link with a lot of information about the Jewish community in Dublin.

http://www.jewishireland.org/
Thanks Nielk. I played cricket against Stratford College at least once as a boy. I don't know how many Jewish people were actually in the school however.

In the 1950s the Jewish Community was much larger than it is now and the student population at Stratford was entirely Jewish. As with everywhere else in Ireland emigration took its toll and in order to maintain its wide curriculum the Board of Management decided that the school should become multi-denominational. Now, while retaining its Jewish ethos Stratford is a thriving multi-denominational place of learning where respect for the individual is of paramount importance, high academic standards are maintained and sport is actively encouraged and fostered.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
Thanks Nielk. I played cricket against Stratford College at least once as a boy. I don't know how many Jewish people were actually in the school however.

You know, we look like everyone else.
As a matter of fact my specialist now in NYC - Dr. Enlander originates from Dublin and he is Jewish. I believe he still has family living there,. I know he travels there pretty often.
 

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
You know, we look like everyone else.
As a matter of fact my specialist now in NYC - Dr. Enlander originates from Dublin and he is Jewish. I believe he still has family living there,. I know he travels there pretty often.
But there was nobody wearing the hats. Also as the piece made clear, the Jewish population isn't large in Ireland. I have attended Dr. Enlander - he's from N. Ireland (went to medical school in Dublin). I do know a Jewish family who are family friends (parents go to bar mitzvahs, weddings, etc. - indeed the father has been generous to the ME/CFS cause even though his only connection that I know of is me) with the children around my age.
My initial question was related to what justinreilly said:
They are just really strict- if I remember, women are not allowed outside of 'enclosed' spaces and people can't touch or use electricity on the shabbot (sabbeth).
I misread it and thought it mean for some Jewish sect that this applied to women all the time rather than just on the shabbot (sabbeth). If one reads it that this applied to women all the time, I think it is natural to ask a bit more.
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
Yes, it does make sense to ask questions.
It really wasn't clear at all from the post.
Glad to answer any questions you have.
 

justinreilly

Senior Member
Messages
2,498
Location
NYC (& RI)
Yes, it does make sense to ask questions.
It really wasn't clear at all from the post.
Glad to answer any questions you have.

Right. Sorry, Dolphin, I didn't write that better; it was confusing.

Nielk, I must have made you feel like we all do when someone says: chronic fatigue syndrome; I'm tired too sometimes, I probably have it too! : ) Sorry!
 

Nielk

Senior Member
Messages
6,970
Right. Sorry, Dolphin, I didn't write that better; it was confusing.

Nielk, I must have made you feel like we all do when someone says: chronic fatigue syndrome; I'm tired too sometimes, I probably have it too! : ) Sorry!

Justin,

No need to be sorry. I understood right away that there was no maliciousness only some misguided information.
It actually gave me a chance to write about a subject that I'm familiar with.

Nielk:victory: