Sneeze, Schmeeze

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Question of the Week:   I have a question for you ..... it's a little trivial but here goes anyway....  A non-Jewish colleague refuses to say 'Bless-you' after I sneeze. He says it's because I am Jewish. Where did the 'bless you' ritual originate from and is it purely a Christian thing?  What is the Jewish equivalent?   Answer:   Your friend may have a point. The bless you response to a sneeze was enacted by one of the popes during the bubonic plague. So it definitely has non-Jewish undertones.   But long before that, Jews blessed each other upon sneezing. The Talmud records that in the earlier generations, people didn't get sick before they died. They simply sneezed and their souls left their bodies. So it was customary to wish a sneezer "To Life!", for fear that their sneeze was a herald of death.   Things changed in the times of our forefather Jacob. He prayed that one should rather get sick some time before dying, in order to have a little warning and time to prepare for leaving this world. His request was granted, and so sneezing no longer meant impending death. But it still could be a symptom of illness. And so the custom became to wish a sneezer good health - Assuta in Aramaic, Tzu gezunt in Yiddish, or Labriyut in modern Hebrew.   Fascinatingly, one source says that after being blessed with health, the sneezer himself should respond to the one who blessed him "Bless you!" (Baruch tihyeh in Hebrew). Another interesting note: the sages taught that one does not respond to a sneeze while in the middle of studying Torah. Torah study is too holy to be interrupted, and anyway its power will protect the sneezer from all harm.   Indeed these days most people survive a sneeze without any major consequences. But that doesn't mean we should no longer wish each other good health. Words have power. The more we bless each other the better. A sneeze is as good an excuse as any to bless someone.   G-d bless you, Rabbi Moss To ask your question, or to subscribe, CLICK HERE or email rabbimoss@nefesh.com.au GOLFERS AND WOULD-BE GOLFERS click on flyer below NON-GOLFERS can you donate a prize or money? Email libbymoss2002@yahoo.com.au SERVICE TIMES AND COMMUNITY INFO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Friday, 5 February, 2016 | 26 Shevat 5776 Candle Lighting............ 7:40 pm (*Earliest 6:32pm) Mincha............................................................. 6:10 pm Friday Evening Service......................... 6:30-7:15 pm Followed by Kiddush.   Shabbos, 6 February, 2016 | 27 Shevat 5776 Chassidus Class................................................ 9:00 am Shabbos Morning Service........ 10:00 am-12:15 pm Children's program....................................... 11:00am Followed by Kiddush in honour of the yortzeit of Ewaz Barukh z'l.     Mincha............................................................. 7:35 pm Seudah Shlishis Gematria and Story by Rev Amzalak............ 7:55 pm Shiur:................................................................ 8:15 pm Shabbos ends and Maariv............................. 8:37 pm Followed by Havdalah.   WEEKDAY SHACHARIS SERVICES Sunday ............................................................. 8:00 am Mon - Fri........................................................... 7:00 am Latest Shema this week................................. 9:45 am   NEW MOON/MOLAD MONDAY 8 February 8:47:14AM   ROSH CHODESH ADAR I TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY 9/10 FEBRUARY   HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Michelle Kaplan............................... 26 Shvat/ 5 Feb Amiell Gold....................................... 28 Shvat/ 7 Feb Linda Isdale...................................... 29 Shvat/ 8 Feb   WE WISH LONG LIFE TO Michael Besser for his late father, Wolf Besser (Zev Ben Koppel) 30 Shvat/ 9 Feb Kathy Barukh for her late husband Ewaz Barukh z'l

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