tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post7185162277335371518..comments2024-03-20T06:29:27.167-04:00Comments on The Rabbi with a Blog (Rabbi Jason Miller): Tattoo JewRabbi Jason Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07805550465729805847noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-48065362839361924182011-06-15T05:13:02.231-04:002011-06-15T05:13:02.231-04:00last part:
1 Kings also says nothing about tattoos...last part:<br />1 Kings also says nothing about tattoos nor piercings for decorative purposes, it's a bunch of guys trying to summon their false gods by mutilating themselves w/swords; Gen 35:2 which says to reject the false gods (and "garments" nothing about tattoos) of the SYRIANS who Jews lived amongst at that point: show me tattoos in ancient Syrian religious practices for this to at least MAYBE to be stretched to include tattoos/other "outwardly-Syrian" things besides garments (i.e. garments are an outward expression of their culture); and last, for Deu 14:1 to be anti-tattoo/piercing is contradicted by the several paragraphs above.)<br /><br />Many Rabbis in the older generation twist the words of the Almighty in Lev 19:28 (and other passages) to further an anti-tattoo agenda, despite that the first mistake which caused humans to condemn themselves is that Eve changed the words of the Almighty (by saying we couldn't eat from --or even touch-- the tree); it makes me wonder if many Rabbis are actually even reading the Torah & learning that lesson of Adam/Eve. Whether you take Adam/Eve literally or as a parable, it's a good lesson that's still relevant today. P.S. It looks like finally the canard about "you won't be buried in a Jewish cemetery!" is being dispelled; hope it's not much longer for the other canard about Lev 19:28 to fall as well.Heschel Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-25950304158091291072011-06-15T05:12:32.912-04:002011-06-15T05:12:32.912-04:00part 2:
So is every Jew who pierces her ears or a ...part 2:<br />So is every Jew who pierces her ears or a man or woman who gets surgery going to be punished in hell, because piercings & surgery both leave "a mark"? I'm incredibly doubtful of that, because piercings and surgery --and tattooing-- are not the TYPE of mark that Lev 19:28 refers to; what was prohibited is a specific type of mark, for the purpose to celebrate or mourn a specific aspect of the soul, and cross-shaped.<br /><br />One could also take a contextualist approach: that directive, as well as Leviticus directives to stone those who work on Sabbath, it's okay to take slaves from neighboring cultures, etc (as sent to Dr. Laura) don't need to be taken literally & were directives intended only for a culture of long ago.<br /><br />ON PIERCINGS: Rivka was given a nose ring and other jewelry by Eliezer/Isaac.<br /><br />(See also Isaiah 44:5, Isaiah 49:16, and Job 37:7 which may advocate marking oneself with TYPES of marks to revere the Almighty, and Gen 4:15 which speaks of the Almighty placing "a mark upon Cain" to protect him.<br />Many will also bring up: Exo 21:6 which only speaks of a non-voluntary type of piercing used to mark slaves; this is not a prohibition, and when you consider the Bible mentions Rivka the Jew's nose-ring positively (for beauty/decoratively) but this negatively (slave-markings), it's as senseless as comparing non-voluntary holocaust tattoos (horrific like slavery) to a girl who voluntarily gets a "chai" tattoo (for beauty/decorative & self-expression...not being marked as a slave or other victim);Heschel Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-42195211293864125162011-06-15T05:11:24.303-04:002011-06-15T05:11:24.303-04:00Great one, here's even more ammo in case ppl k...Great one, here's even more ammo in case ppl keep challenging you about tattoos (we both know they will, before things change :-) ):<br /><br />Many are being misled by very poor translations; the literal translation of Lev 19:28 is (YLT ~ Young's Literal Translation, but feel free to verify): “And a cutting for the soul yee do not put in your flesh; and a writing, a cross-mark, yee do not put on you"..... but various English translations often take liberties & add the word “tattoos” (and/or twist --or omit very important parts of-- the original Classical Hebrew in other ways).<br /><br />Tattoos are a writing but NOT usually of the “cross-mark” as Lev 19:28 speaks against........ Western tattoo also aren't necessarily "for the soul" AND Western tattooists do not cut flesh, they puncture it (yes, there is a separate word in Ancient/Biblical Hebrew for "puncture".); Maori tribes, in the East, do "cuttings" to insert the ink into the skin, and these are textured, much different from modern Western tattooing (not that I think Maori had contact w/Israelites, just to show "cuts" rather than "punctures" are an option).<br /><br />It's fairly obvious from the above literal translation that Lev 19:28 DESCRIBES ONLY SPECIFIC TYPES OF MARKS, and does not mention marks that were made using needles & ink. (N.B.: one Levant practice was to make marks [not with needles/ink...] to mourn souls of the dead; just one of many possibilities of what Lev 19:28 was intended to prohibit.)Heschel Rnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-78746607381271670562010-09-06T07:06:11.211-04:002010-09-06T07:06:11.211-04:00Lovely tattoo. Seems like you got a tattoo that re...Lovely tattoo. Seems like you got a tattoo that really means something to you which can't be said with most people now a days getting tattoos.Khmer Tattoo Designshttp://thetattooreviews.com/articles/khmer-tattoo-designs/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6003330.post-20828180721821485222008-08-17T12:59:00.000-04:002008-08-17T12:59:00.000-04:00I have a number of tattoos none of which are offen...I have a number of tattoos none of which are offensive or scary in any way. I always try and choose colorful, fun, and tasteful art when I get tattooed. My Mother use to bring up all of the negative aspects of getting tattooed as a Jew. I would not be buried in a Jewish Cemetery, and I am dishonoring the memory of those who lost their lives in the Holocaust...pretty heavy :(.<BR/>She has come to accept and maybe even enjoy (a big maybe) my body art over the years. I will be happy to direct her to your post about this subject. Thank you so much for writing and compiling this well informed post.<BR/><BR/>AndrewPinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452260790087975845noreply@blogger.com