Abish
Abish is helping the boy with tefillin. It is his 13th birthday which means that he is now capable of fulfilling the Commandments that Hashem has given to the Jewish people. Surely the boy already knows how to put on tefillin, but it is the custom to give honor to the occasion by his father or grandfather or a Rav to help him to put them on the first day that he has become obligated.
Abish has written over 65 books on the Kabbalah, (Jewish mysticism) 55 of them on the Zohar. He must be the most knowledgeable person in the world on this subject. He davens at the Kotel at sunrise every morning and whoever has a Torah related question knows to ask him. On Shabbos he leads the morning davening. He has a very pleasant voice.
Abish is known by his first name. At most some will call him Reb Abish. This is very unusual. Usually the rabbis expect to be called rabbi, rav, or even more honorific tittles; the greater the rabbi, the greater the titles. But Abish is known simply by his first name. Why is this?
Humility is a sign of greatness.
Ahhh
ReplyDeletePerhaps he is known as Abish because he knows the Abishter is really doing it all.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I couldn't resist the play on words/names.
I'm teaching my son to observe the sixty-six Noachide commandments. Sadly, Noachides have no mnemonic rituals, customs, or rites of passage. So, we my son turns thirteen it'll be just another day on the calendar.
ReplyDeleteNever heard of 66, I thought it was just 7!
DeleteRabbi Locks... are there 7 Noahide Laws or 66? Please explain... and if there are only "7"... where do we find the Oral Laws explaining in depth these 7 Laws? Please help us noahides to find our way as well...
ReplyDeleteThank you...
On www.noahide.org there is article by Rabbi Dr. Aaron Lichtenstein, listing 66 sub-laws of the 7 Noachide laws [see http://www.noahide.org/article.asp?Level=160&Parent=90].
ReplyDeleteI do not know if they are controversial; they appear to be the logical fulfillment of the 7 laws.