Nov. 15, 2023

Exploring Tranquility and Devotion: The Noda B'Yehudah on Hunting and Torah Law

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Season 5

What if following the path of Yakov and Avram Yitzchak wasn't just about adhering to strict religious guidelines but living a life of tranquility and devotion to Hashem? Join us as we dissect a thought-provoking discourse from Rabbi Yecheshkel Landau, the 18th-century Prague scholar known for his profound Torah works - the Noda B'Yehuda. This renowned series of Shilos and Chuvos discusses a broad spectrum of Torah law, from health and medicine to ownership, offering a unique insight into some of the most significant Halacha decisions.

Embark on an intellectual journey with us into one of Rabbi Landau's unforgettable questions about hunting for sport. A sport that, at first glance, seems at odds with the tranquil lifestyle advocated by our patriarchs. Rabbi Landau's contemplation over this question is fascinating, shedding light on the gray areas of Shulchan Arch, or the fifth chelik. Guidelines do not explicitly define this area but require the wisdom of a great Rabbi to apply to modern life. So whether you're seeking to deepen your understanding of Torah law or eager to explore the intriguing intersection of religious law and personal lifestyle, this episode will captivate your mind and stimulate thoughtful introspection.

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Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com



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Rabbi Yecheshkel Landau, the great 18th century Rabbi in Prague, who you may know by the title of his Torah works, the Neude Be Yehuda, and really all encompassing Shilos and Chuvos, about really anything throughout the entire gamut of Torah law.

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Some of the most famous Halacha decisions have come from there the discussions of autopsy, famous psochem, and guidelines of health, of medicine, of ownership.

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And one of the most memorable to Shuvos came when one of the congregants asked the famed Rabbi Yecheshkel Landau about hunting Can he go poaching, Go out to the field, have a nice time, go hunting.

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And just for sport.

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And after Yecheshkel Landau and the Shuvos Neude Be Yehuda, it's in Yeiridea, Semenjod.

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He goes back and forth weighing the reasons why yes, why not?

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Is it Sarbali Chaim?

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Well, if you're not being cruel, if it's an immediate death, if you're not torturing it, maybe it's not an issue.

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But then the Neude Be Yehuda says but I strongly would advise that you don't go hunting because while it's hard to make it usser by any strict guidelines, the only people that were told throughout Tanakh that went hunting was Nimrod and it was Asav.

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They were hunters, they were predatory, they were bloodthirsty, they were red, they were rooty, they were coarse, violent, and that's not the meadah of Avram Yitzchak and Yakov, so don't go hunting.

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We have here one of the prime examples, one of the famous examples of the fifth chelik of Sholchan Arch, what we kind of call the gray area, something that's in between the lines of Al-Lakhah, that it really takes a great rabbi and a great sage to apply it to modern life.

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The Neude Be Yehuda shows us here that it's not only a part of Al-Lakhah to just keep the strict guidelines and laws, but we're trying to follow the path of Yakov and Avram Yitzchak, which is a deracheh, dercheh, noah.

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It's a pleasant life, it's a peaceful life, it's a life of internal tranquility and devotion to Hashem.

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Thirsty bloodshed, crawling around in the leaves to shoot at a deer or some other animal just seems at a place when you're a child of the king.