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.