1995
5755
I Hear You Knocking
But don't, please. It's a pagan custom.
To All Our
Friends, Customers
& Relatives
A
HEALTHY, HAPPY
PASSOVER
from
The Milen Family
"more than
just a car
wash"
• Plciova
(KITING
Morrie,
Gary Schwartz,
11_1
(../)
LU
CC
F-
LLI
LU
34
and the staff at
MORRIE'S
Service Center, Inc.
24848 Southfield Rd., Sfld.
corner 10 Mile
557-1747
ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Q: I've heard that Jews shouldn't
use the expression "knock on
wood," but I don't know why. Can
Tell Me Why help?
A: There are two versions of
this expression — "knock on
wood" and "touch wood" (the
Q: is "Falasha" a proper term for
Ethiopian Jews?
A: No. The word means
"stranger" and has been used by
some Ethiopians to suggest that
Jews are not real citizens of the
country — much like other na-
tions have
LTi claimed that
g Jews are
"not like oth-
er Germans"
or "not really
ET, French."
Q: I notice
that the Russ-
ian alphabet
includes the
letter shah,
which looks
very much
like the He-
brew letter
shin. Is this a
coincidence,
or is there a
connection?
A mother and child arrive in Israel: No stra ngers.
A:
Sher-
British version) — which is of pa- tainly, ahem, I mean certainly
gan origin.
there is a connection.
The idiom is rooted in the tree
The Russian alphabet was in-
worship of the ancient Greeks, vented around 863 by Constan-
who venerated the oak for its tine (later Cyril) and Methodius,
strength, height and what they two Greek brothers from Thes-
believed were magical powers. salonica (the modern Salonika).
Touching, tapping or knocking They were sent by the Byzantine
on the tree would guarantee that emperor Michael III to Chris-
a wish would come true. The tianize the Slays in Moravia. To
Greeks transmitted their belief translate the Bible into the lan-
to the Romans, who gave it to the guage of the Slays (later known
Britons, who carried it to Amer- as Old Church Slavonic), they in-
ica.
vented two alphabets based on
Once it was commonly thought Greek characters: Glagolitic, from
that "knock on wood" originat- the cursive writing, and Cyrillic,
ed with the Christian belief that from uncial (block letters).
Jesus was crucified on a wooden
According to tradition, the al-
cross. Late in the fourth century, phabets were invented by Cyril,
it was said that Helena, mother an accomplished linguist. Be-
of Constantine I the Great (the cause the Greek language did not
first Christian monarch), had dis- include the sh sound, Cyril drew
covered the cross of Jesus in upon Hebrew and devised a vari-
Jerusalem during the building of ant of the shin.
a church on the site of the cruci-
Glagolitic quickly was super-
fixion. A crop of legends grew up seded by the Cyrillic alphabet,
about the alleged discovery. Cyri l, upon which the modem Russian
fourth-century bishop of alphabet is based.
Jerusalem, declared that pieces
0: Is reciting the birkat ha-ma-
of the cross had been distributed
zon,
grace after meals, just a cus-
all over the world. It was pre-
sumed that every European tom or part of Jewish law?
A: The recitation of birkat ha-
cathedral owned such a fragment
of the cross. The pious and su- mazon (or benching, as it is
perstitious who wanted good luck known in Yiddish) is part of Ha-
lachah, Jewish law. The law is
would tap the relic.
Although some may say based on Deuteronomy 8:10:
"knock on wood" because they be- "When you eat and are satisfied,
lieve it is of Christian origin, mod- you must bless God your Lord."
Some might argue that he who
em scholarship has shown the
source of the idiom is pre-Chris- eats and is not satisfied or full
tian paganism. In any case, such is not required to say birkat ha-
a belief has no place in Judaism. mazon. The Talmud, in Brachot
20a, rules that a person is oblig-
ated to bench if he has eaten
bread, at the minimum an
amount equal to the volume of an
olive.
0: I am in love with a girl who is
in love with horses. I am so nuts
about this woman that I even went
riding with her last Sunday, and
promptly fell off the horse 10 times.
Sire, she pretended everything was
OK, but I cried for hours afterward.
What a dolthead she must think I
am!
Next week I plan on proposing to
my sweetheart. But before I do, I'd
like to impress her with my pro-
found knowledge of the horse
world. Please give me an interest-
ing horse fact (which I will then
memorize so I can utter it with
suave nonchalance, as though
horses come up in my conversation
every day) that I can use before get-
ting down on my knee.
A: Tell Me Why can
see that a lot is riding on
this answer, so we
won't saddle you with
anything dreary. In fact,
you're sure to be a
(horse) shoe-in
with your propos-
al after you let
your honey know
that the Belmont
Stakes is named
for a Jew.
Born in 1816
in Germany, Au-
gust Belmont
was a banker and
diplomat who be-
gan his career
working for the
Rothschilds in
Frankfort. In 1844
he was named hon-
orary Austrian consul
general to New York, and
after immigrating to the
United States served as U.S.
charge d'affaires and minister to
The Hague. He later was Demo-
cratic National Committee chair-
man, from 1860-1872, and a
leading Union supporter and fi-
nancier during the Civil War.
In addition to politics, Belmont
was a passionate fan of horses.
He founded the U.S. Racing Club
and introduced thoroughbred rac-
ing to this country.
Belmont, who died in 1890,
married the daughter of Com-
modore Matthew Perry.
Send questions to "Tell Me Why"
c I o The Jewish News, 27676
Franklin Rd., Southfield, MI
48034 or send fax to 354-6069.