Conference taveng::bagels

84.0. "Purim Torah" by TAV02::ROSENMAN (Brooklyn Boy) Mon Mar 24 1986 03:24

    A discussion from Tractate Bingo (based on the Seventh book of Mishna)
    on whether a bingo player is prohibited from giving testimony -Pasul
    l'aiduth.
    
    Rav Kaller asked an abaya; If the game is being run to benefit a
    charity such as a Yeshiva, do we say that not only aren't the players
    not Pasul L'aiduth but they actually are eligible for reward in
    the World To Come because they are supporting the training of future
    Talmudai Chachomim or do we say that it is their intention to win
    only and therefore their losses are extracted against their will,
    and besides most Bingo players don't give a hoot about Yeshivas
    and only care about whether the bingo balls are mixed or not.
    
    A proof was offered by Rav Puller; It says in Avos, three who
    sat together (even for just coffee and cake) and there didn't
    pass between them words of Torah, this meeting is considered a 
    Moshav Letzim (a meeting of jokers) and it also says "Sit ye not
    in a Moshav Letzim" (except possibly if such a queerly named Moshav
    exists in Israel). Therefore since little Torah passes once the
    game has started, it is obvious that the players should not be there
    to start out with and so it is a safe extrapolation to say they
    are also Pasul L'aiduth.
    
    To make a long story short the Gemmara concludes that if the Bingo
    game is held on Purim after the Seduah and the participants have
    satisfied the requirement of being sufficiently drunk (Ad Dlo Yadah)
    they are Kosher L'aiduth (provided their wine was also Kosher) since
    they don't know what they are doing anyway.

    Not a bad Dvar Torah- hic...
    
    Happy Purim, and where in Brookly are you from (I'm a Boro Park
    boy myself).
    
    Bruce
    

    
    
    
    	I was born in Canarsie.
    
    	Only stayed a year though.
    
    

    
    
    Canarsie!!!!
    
    Oh I can smell Jamaica Bay and Sam's Knishes
    (Mike, you were smart to leave after only a year!!!)
    
    Bruce 'finally escaped myself last year' Cohen