Shabbos 45
“This is not a proof, as exigent circumstances are different.”
I have been struggling with the last few days’ readings on “set aside” prohibitions on the Sabbath. Today we take a journey through the ancient Zoroastrian religion, decorating of a sukkah, and fields where wild animals roam. Much of the text contradicts itself, which I have learned from day one of this journey is what the Talmud is about: discussion, refutation, and the struggle to reach a common ground. What resonated with me today was the allowance for exceptions in the face of danger and the continued focus on intention.
We are told that candles can be moved on the Shabbat in order to protect from danger. The danger we are presented with is the act of lighting a Hanukkah candle before a Persian Zoroastrian fire priest. Fire was a central symbol of the ancient Persian religion and the priests were responsible for guarding the flames in fire houses. They prohibited lighting fires on certain days. The Talmud suggests that the discovery of a lit Hanukkah candle on one of these days could be dangerous, and as a result it was permissible to move it on the Sabbath in order to prevent its discovery. We are told “exigent circumstances are different.”
Intention, as we have seen elsewhere, is central to the set-aside discussion. A sukkah is decorated with the most wonderful of foods and wines and oils, including nuts, peaches, almonds, pomegranates, and grape branches. But all of these delectable items have been set aside for the “mitzva of sukkah” and if one is at all tempted to nibble on a grape, it is prohibited until the end of the festival. This is because the intention was to use these wonderful foodstuffs to decorate the sukkah rather than for a snack. However – and here is where it becomes interesting – if one stipulates at the time of decorating the Sukkah that all these items are not solely for the purpose of decoration “he is permitted to use them as he chooses.” The suggestion is that if one wants to taste the fruit in the sukkah during the holiday, he should declare his intention from the beginning. It is the equivalent of executing a well-thought out contract that incorporates different potential contingencies.
Here is a link to an article that provides background on Zoroastrian fire priests who have been wearing mouth coverings before it was required as protection against COVID-19. Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest monotheistic religions in the world. I found several articles online that compared the religion with Judaism, and they have much in common.
http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/priests/index.htm