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Conference taveng::bagels

Title:BAGELS and other things of Jewish interest
Notice:1.0 policy, 280.0 directory, 32.0 registration
Moderator:SMURF::FENSTER
Created:Mon Feb 03 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1524
Total number of notes:18709

527.0. "CHUMROT --- CHUMRAH" by 50684::DKELLER () Fri Aug 26 1988 05:00

    Shalom,
    
    I've read all the notes in note 75 by now - these information are
    in value for me. As I've already stated in my note 519 - my family
    isn't very religious - I myself started 2 years ago to read whatever
    seems informative. But there are still a lot of open questions for
    me - so would anyone be so kind and try to explain CHUMROT and
    CHUMRAH for me (as detailed as possible). I've though over if I
    should get in contact with my local Community Center??? Maybe???
    It's a real problem for me...I presently live here in Germany 
    and I feel Jewish... even so I'm not very religious but .........
    .................................................................
    
    
    L'hit
    
    Dominique 
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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527.1"Strict"...TAVENG::CHAIMThe Bagel NosherSun Aug 28 1988 03:509
    CHUMROT is the plural of CHUMRAH...
    
    The word itself actually means "hard" or "strict" (in fact in computer
    jargon CHOMRAH which is a similar derivative means "hardware") 

    In the Halachic (law) sense this means the strictest view or opinion
    with regard to any particular issue. 
    
    Cb.
527.2VAXWRK::ZAITCHIKSun Aug 28 1988 23:3814
    just an addition to .1--
    since there are often differences of opinion between rabbinic
    authorities you will often find that the doubt as to which opinion
    is the correct one is resolved "lchumrah", i.e. by adopting the
    more stringent opinion. But (I believe) this has become too much
    of an automatic knee-jerk reaction amongst most "orthodox" jews
    today, and that truly great rabbinic authorities alwats sought to
    make things lenient for people if possible, i.e. they tried to go
    l'kula, unless there was a good reason not to.
    In fact one of the outstanding rabbinic authorities in the US (but
    whom I cannot name since this was told me in private) once made
    fun of the tendency in Williamsburgh/B-park to LOOK for stringent
    opinions, and he called them "The Chumrah of the Month Club".
    -AZ