Avodah Mailing List

Volume 13 : Number 022

Thursday, May 13 2004

• Re: Entering a C Synagogue
• Re: When is a Mechitzah Necessary?
• Re: RSR Hirsch and the Opera
• Re: Music during Sefira
• Re: Music during Sefira
• Indian hair, Sheitels and AZ
• Re: Indian hair, Sheitels and AZ
• Re: Valid halachic change
• RE: Indian hair, Sheitels and AZ
• Re: Valid halachic change
• RE: Music during Sefira
• Kol Isha
• FW: The Cicada, The Tree and the Torah
• Re: Entering a C Synagogue
• Re: coincidence according to the Maharal
• Re: C services/shalom mishpacha
• Shaitels of Avodah Zarah
• Re: Shaitels of Avodah Zarah
• Re: coincidence according to the Maharal
• RE: Music during Sefira
• Re: Shaitels of Avodah Zarah
• RE: coincidence according to the Maharal
• Re: coincidence according to the Maharal

RGS wrote:
> There are three issues involved in entering a C synagogue (i.e. without
> a mechitzah):
> 1. It is assur to enter a "beis minus" even if people are chasing you to
> kill you. In this respect, we are stricter with a "beis minus" than with
> a church for idolatry. It is questionable, though, whether a C synagogue
> can be labeled a "beis minus". I can hear the logic, but I am sure that
> not everyone would agree.

From: Arie Folger <afolger@aishdas.org>
> AFAIK, from the gemara in 'Hullin 13a, and from Rashi there s.v. Min ("zeh 
> ha-aduq beavodat kokhavim"), the min is no ordinary heretic, he is an idol 
> worshipper lishmah. C doesn't cut it, thank G'd.

Huh??? A sofek if a C temple is a beis minus? R and C do not believe in
Torah min Hashomayim which makes them Minim.

OC, BY, 118 DH '12 Killelas Haminim': "Peirush Rashi beMegilla 17B -
Kol Haminim sh'einom maaminim bedas Moshe shehoyso min hashomayim..."

SBA

From: Micha Berger <micha@aishdas.org>
> Nothing is ever pashut. In Yemen, it was not taken for granted. When
> company was over, men and women would stay on different floors.

From: "SBA" <sba@iprimus.com.au>
> Happens today with many chassidim. 
> If they have guests for a meal - different rooms for men/women.

And this morning someone showed me the Ben Ish Chai [Year 2 p2] writing
that in Baghdad [especially amongst the wealthy] women did not eat on
one table with men - even if there were no guests.

SBA 

On Wednesday 12 May 2004 14:32, Avodah wrote:
> (Moved here from an Areivim thread titled "RSRH and the Opera", in which
> some posters were wondering what we might learn from reports that Rav SR
> Hirsch had attended certain public musical events. Those reports were
> originally written in German, and the Arevim thread discussed whether
> those events should be translated as operas or as concerts, and that
> topic will not be repeated here.)

Could any poster familiar with a German source please provide
references? I'd greatly appreciate. After all, I did learn that language
for some personal reasons, too.

Thanks in advance,
Arie Folger

In Avodah V13 #21 dated 5/12/04 11:18:49 AM EDT, [RAA] writes:
> Also -- a friend noticed that the chareidi radio stations are have been
> playing more and more music during sefira over the past few years.

My husband plays background music in his seforim store. He used to play
shiurim during sefira but in recent years there has been more and more
a capella music available. Some of it is so good that you don't realize
it is a capella unless you pay attention. They do use percussion--which
I assume is mutar lechol hadei'os?

And they use complicated patterns of background hummers with one
foreground singer. Some of this music is really beautiful.

  Omer Day 36
 -Toby Katz

On Wed, May 12, 2004 at 11:51:57AM -0400, T613K@aol.com wrote:
: My husband plays background music in his seforim store. He used to play
: shiurim during sefira but in recent years there has been more and more
: a capella music available. Some of it is so good that you don't realize
: it is a capella unless you pay attention. They do use percussion--which
: I assume is mutar lechol hadei'os?

I am not sure that voice, acapella, is mutar lekhol hadei'os. I never got
replies on my earlier question: How do we define music:
a) for aveilus, omer and the three weeks; and
b) for qol ishah.

(I don't mean to imply the two definitions are anywhere near identical.)

-mi

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 36th day, which is
micha@aishdas.org        5 weeks and 1 day in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Chesed sheb'Yesod: What is the kindness in
Fax: (413) 403-9905                 being a stable and reliable partner?

My secretary informs me that Rabbi Wosner (sp?) in Israel recently issued
a ruling regarding sheitels made from human hair of Indian origin, as
this hair is apparently AZ leftovers collected from temples. Anyone have
any details or the ruling itself? Apparently it is causing quite a stir.

Gil Winokur
gilwinokur@usa.net

In a message dated 5/12/2004 1:33:22 PM EDT, gilwinokur@usa.net writes:
> My secretary informs me that Rabbi Wosner (sp?) in Israel recently issued
> a ruling regarding sheitels made from human hair of Indian origin

Do sheitels standardly indicate country of origin of the hair?

KT
Joel Rich

Someone asked <<< could one claim that what we have today is false in
relation to the absolute standard given at Sinai? >>>

And Proptrek responded <<< sure. e.g. we know not how to spell our
torah. >>>

I'd say that this depends on the definition of "false" and of "absolute
standard".

We *do* know how to spell *our* Torah. What we don't know is how Moshe
Rabenu spelled *his*.

AIUI, "shiv'im panim l'Torah" includes the idea that the Torah which
HaShem gave on Har Sinai, and the Torah which we have today, are different
facets of the same diamond. Both are accurate representations of the same
primordial Torah, just that one was absolutely right for them, and the
other is absolutely right for us, despite some superficial differences
in appearance.

The above is based on my belief that whatever differences might exist
(between theirs and ours) is a result of following the Torah's own rules
for fidelity and accuracy. In other words, when discrepancies (of whatever
type) crop up, if we follow the Torah's rules for resolving them, then
we owe our loyalty to this version just as much as we had previously
owed to the previous version.

All this presumes that all discrepancies were resolved in accordance
with the Torah's rules. If any discrepancies were resolved in some other
manner, or remain unresolved, that changes the question entirely, because
then the question would not be that <<< what we have today is false in
relation to the absolute standard given at Sinai >>>, but rather that
<<< what we have today is false >>>, period.

Akiva Miller

> My secretary informs me that Rabbi Wosner (sp?) in Israel recently issued
> a ruling regarding sheitels made from human hair of Indian origin, as
> this hair is apparently AZ leftovers collected from temples. Anyone have
> any details or the ruling itself? Apparently it is causing quite a stir.

It may not be so simple -- I know of at least one posek here in Jerusalem
who says that what is offered to the AZ is NOT the woman's hair but her
*beauty*.

Therefore, the hair is not assur.

Akiva

"proptrek" <ruthwi@macam.ac.il> wrote:
> can you figure out the chances that the masorah team hit all the
> meleoth and hhaseroth exactly as moses wrote them? 

While we can't be 100% certain that they got it exactly right in every
instance, it's certainly possible. I can't think of any way to quantify
the chances, but I don't see why you seem think they're negligible.
I definitely believe that their (=our) version is much better than that
of the amoraim who said that their version was not reliable.

-- 
Zev Sero
zev@sero.name

Akiva Atwood <akiva@atwood.co.il> wrote:
> We are allowed to make new kal v'chomers?

Why on earth not?

In the specific case cited, though, LAD it's not a valid kal vachomer.

-- 
Zev Sero
zev@sero.name

[Micha:]
>             .... RDL also warned against kol ishah, and advised hanging
> out in the lobby and only coming in for the girl's recitation if the
> cantor was a woman.

> Thinking back at it as I write, it would seem that RDL didn't consider
> trop to be music legabei kol ishah!

Or he felt that a just-12-year-old girl had no chazaka of nidah, so you
could be mekil and assume she wasn't.

-- 
Zev Sero
zev@sero.name

As some of you may know, the Mid-Atlantic region is getting ready for
"what is being billed by scientists as the largest insect emergence
in the world." Every seventeen years, billions of cicadas (they look
like locusts but are actually part of the grasshopper family) emerge
from underground for several weeks. After mating, they die, and their
eggs are eventually make their way underground, where they remain for
seventeen years. The principal of my son's school wrote a d'var torah for
the weekly school bulletin that I thought was worth sharing with the olam.

==============================================================

Rabbi Zvi Teichman, Rosh Mesivta
Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim/Talmudical Academy
Baltimore, Maryland
May 7, 2004

The Cicada, The Tree and the Torah

Our region is currently anticipating the arrival of the long awaited
cicada. Every 17 years, Brood X displays the wonders of Hashem's creation
in a magnificently synchronized symphony of song. Although certainly a
nuisance, we must not ignore the intricacies of this wondrous display
of Maaseh Braishis.

This event mysteriously recurs specifically during the days of sefira,
lag bomer, and the days leading up to shavuous, zman matan torahsaynu.
The Maharal tells us, "Great things don't happen by chance," and certainly
there must be significance in the coincidental timing of this intriguing
novelty of nature.

Every 17 years, the female cicada lays her eggs in the twigs of trees,
carefully imbedding them into the wood with a saw like organ near
the tip of her abdomen. After a few weeks, the eggs hatch, and the
"nymphs" appear, falling to the ground, entering the soil, and nourishing
themselves from the root fluids of the tree. For 17 years, it silently
develops from juvenile to adult. At the conclusion of the 17 years,
it climbs out of the ground, attaches itself to a tree, molts and sheds
its skin, and emerges as a fully developed adult. It then begins anew
the process of regeneration setting into motion another 17 year cycle.

Let's analyze what is actually taking place:

The cicada secures the safety of its young by implanting it in the
environment of the tree. The Torah is an Eitz Chaim - tree of life.
We assure our youth's future success by making sure it is nurtured in
the atmosphere of the Torah.

The nymph then begins to travel through the soil until it discovers the
roots which nourish it. Our children begin their exploration of the earth
and its temptations and discover that what gives them true nourishment
and satisfaction is their attachment to their roots - their parents,
their Rabbeim, the Torah.

Finally, the cicada climbs and attaches itself to the trunk of the tree,
concluding its final stage of development, and with much effort, sheds
its skin and emerges ready and equipped to assure the perpetuation of its
species. So too, our children realize that the Torah is an Eitz Chaim to
those that are "machzikim ba" - who hold tightly to it. Only through
the toiling in Torah and a steadfast devotion to it can one develop
into one who can then assure the continuation of our greatest legacy -
the transmission of Torah to future generations.

The Mishna in Avos states that ideally "ben shmona esrai l'chupah" -
at 18 one should seek a spouse. The Rambam states that this refers
to the beginning of the 18th year. Amazing! Only after 17 years of
silent growth and preparation are we equipped to begin the process of
regeneration. Sound familiar?

The 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva, according to one tradition,
died in the period from the second day of Pesach until Lag B'omer. From
Lag B'omer on, they ceased dying and the process of restoring the
Torah began once again. There are 17 days from Lag B'omer til Shavuous.
17 days of introspection and growth equipping us to be ready to receive
the Torah once again. Fascinating!

17 is a numerical equivalent of "tov" - good. Only through quiet, patient
and steady growth can one achieve good in this world. May we merit to be
inspired by Hashem's magnificent creation! May we be ever more inspired
by our devotion to Torah and the instilling of its values in our children.

Returning to the issue of being in a place where others are sinning:

Someone asked me offlist which halachic sources quote the Gemara in AZ
18b. I'm not sure why it took me a while to find them, but see Rambam,
Hilchos Dei'os 6:1-2; Semag, aseh 8; Chofetz Chaim, pesichah, lav 11 &
aseh 6 (and in the notes).

The Maharam Schick quotes the Mishnah in Makkos 5b that someone who is
tafel to ovrei aveirah is punished just like the ovrei aveirah and Yoma
70a that seeing a mitzvah is a mitzvah so, through a little deduction
(which he calls a sevara de'oraisa), seeing an aveirah is also an aveirah.

Gil Student
gil@aishdas.org
www.aishdas.org/student

I know this is a side point of the dvar torah, but it caught my eye: 
> The Maharal tells us, "Great things don't happen by chance," 

According to the Maharal, there are things in life (those not classified
as "great things") that happen by chance?

Avi Burstein

In Avodah V13 #21, MBerger wrote:
> Thinking back at it as I write, it would seem that RDL didn't consider
> trop to be music legabei kol ishah!

Who said trop was music l'gabai anything?  As per BT M'gilah 3a, "pisqai
t'omim" are a critical component of Toras HoEloqim.

Writing in the dark (hours after a severe thunderstorm knocked out the
lights in part of Elizabeth, NJ), all the best from
 - Michael Poppers via RIM pager

Curious as to the great controversy about shaitels derived from hair used
for avodaha zarah, I did a basic Google on Indian women hair sacrifice
and came up with this:
http://www.venushairdesign.co.uk/hair_extensions/hair_extensions.htm

According to this, most of the long hair does not come from India -- only
the most very expensive kind does.
Wanna bet which one shows up in the Eretz Yisroel shaitels?

You would certainly think that any wig seller who used this premium
grade Remy hair would prominently label it as such. So, what could be
the problem, assuming that the metzius described here is correct --
and the wig does not say "Remy"?

BTW, are there tzdadim l'heter, were it really Remy hair?

David Hojda

On Thu, 2004-05-13 at 04:10 -0400, David Hojda wrote:
> BTW, are there tzdadim l'heter, were it really Remy hair?

Isn't there a concept of where if the goyim sacralize (make unholy)
their AZ themself then it's not considered AZ for us anymore either.
Couldn't one argue that the fact that they are selling this implies that
it has no kedusha to them.

But, could just as easily have played "telephone" with the above concept
in my head and not remembering it right.

> According to the Maharal, there are things in life (those not classified
> as "great things") that happen by chance?

why not?

/dw

> Akiva Atwood <akiva@atwood.co.il> wrote:
> > We are allowed to make new kal v'chomers?

> Why on earth not?

IIRC a Kal v'Chomer needs a mesorah -- and without that mesorah we can't
bring a KvC.

Akiva

[RCS also wrote:
> The Gemara says that you cannot make them without a mesorah. 
-mi]

In a message dated 5/13/2004 11:18:27 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
spotter@yucs.org writes:
> Isn't there a concept of where if the goyim sacralize (make unholy)
> their AZ themself then it's not considered AZ for us anymore either.
> Couldn't one argue that the fact that they are selling this implies that
> it has no kedusha to them.

For Takruvos it dosen't help see Y"D 139:2 (WRT selling as Bittul see ibid 
146:8).

Kol Tuv,
Yitzchok Zirkind

>> According to the Maharal, there are things in life (those not
>> classified as "great things") that happen by chance?

> why not?

Simply because it would seen to contradict the commonly accepted notion
that people seem to have of "nothing in life happens by chance"; that
everything that happens is because of hashgocho pratis.

Avi Burstein

R' Avi Burstein wrote:
> I know this is a side point of the dvar torah, but it caught my eye:

>> The Maharal tells us, "Great things don't happen by chance," 

> According to the Maharal, there are things in life (those not classified
> as "great things") that happen by chance?

There are three processes in operation. 1) Providence is a reward for
good behavior - otherwise one is left to chance, mazel or the free will
of others. 2) All suffering is consequence of sin and is thus deserved
3) If one does not ascribe suffering to sin or providence than one is
punished by being left to chance.

The normal understanding of hashgocha protis is that man is subject to
harm from chance, mazel, free will of others - **unless** G-d intervenes
to save him. Thus the baseline of existence is chance. There are many
sources in chazal and the rishonim for this understanding. At the same
time there is a necessity of attributing everything to providence.
This dialectic is found in many sources.

For example the Rambam clearly states that divine providence is a function
of one's piety:

Rambam(Moreh Nevuchim 3:18): We have just explained that Divine Providence
exists only for man and not any other creatures because it only applies
to intelligent beings... Consequently the degree of providence will
depend on how prepared his physical matter is and his level of learning -
assuming as I do that providence is a function of intelligence. In
other words providence is not the same for all people but rather is
directly proportional to their perfection. According to this speculation,
providence for prophets should be extremely great and should be a function
of their level of prophesy. Similarly the providence for good and pious
people, providence should be a reflection of their degree of goodness
and piety... In contrast fools and rebels, to the degree that they lack
this Divine overflow their status is debased and at the extreme they
become like animals He is comparable to the beasts who perish (Tehilim
49:13). That is why it is a relatively minor thing to kill evil people
and in fact capital punishment for them is a Divine commandment. This
idea that divine providence varies according to the level of perfection
of the individual is one of the most fundamental principles of the
Torah....Concerning the differential providence for pious men and
degenerate fools (Shmuel I 2:9): He will guard the feet of His pious ones
while the wicked will be silenced in the darkness because a man will not
prevail with strength. The verse informs us that the reason that some
individuals are saved from disaster while others aren't is not because
of their physical strength and natural dispositions. Rather it depends
upon their degree of perfection and deficiency, i.e., their nearness or
distance from G-d... There are innumerable verses which indicate this
principle that providence is proportional to perfection and piety. There
are also philosophers e.g., Plato who agree with this principle...

On the other hand Rambam(Hilchos Taanis 1:1-3): It is a Torah mitzva
to pray and to sound trumpets for every calamity that comes on the
community. This is part of repentance so that all will know that the
suffering is because of their sins and that the prayer is to remove
the suffering. But if a person does not respond to calamity by prayer
and sounding the trumpets but simply says that it was a natural event -
that is being hard hearted. Such an attitude causes him to cling to his
evil deeds and to receive additional suffering. That is why the Torah
(Vayikra 26) says that if you relate to me incidentally I will treat
you with chance. In other words "When I bring calamity on you in order
for you to repent - if you say it is accidental I will add to you more
'accidents' ". Rambam also states that no suffering happens by chance.

Rambam(Moreh Nevuchim 3:17): The majority of our Sages agree that there
is no death or suffering without sin... A person is rewarded according
to al the good deeds that he has done even if he wasn't commanded by the
prophet to do them. He is also punished for all the bad things he did,
even if he wasn't forbidden by the prophet. This is true however for
those things that his intellect would indicate that they were good or
bad....In the words of our Sages there is something additional which is
not found written in the Torah. Some of them talk about yesurim shel
ahava which is suffering which occurs even without sin - in order to
increase reward. This is also a concept found amongst some Muslims.
However there is no verse in the Torah which expresses this idea.

Menoras HaMeor (#298): When a person has a calamity happen to him he
should not think that it was just by chance. Because whoever mistakenly
believes that is punished measure for measure and is deserted to chance
without any protection... This is a very great punishment because there
are many opportunities for accidents to happen and if one is deserted
by Heaven he has no protection at all... This verse that says that evil
doesn't descend from Heaven is because a sinner doesn't need to be harmed
from Heaven it is sufficient that his protection is removed and then he
vulnerable to accidents and suffering since there is no suffering without
sin... Therefore a person must believe with solid faith that G-d knows
the secret matters and He is the true judge and judges the entire world

Kuzari (5:20): ...Now since events must be either of divine origin, or
arise out of one of the other classes, and the possibility exists that
they are all providential, the people preferred to refer them all to G-d,
because this encourages belief most effectually. He, however, who knows
how to distinguish one people from another, one person from another,
one time from another, one place from another and certain circumstances
from others will perceive that heavenly dictated events mostly came to
pass in the chosen and holy land, and among the privileged Israelites
people, and in that time and under circumstances which were accompanied
by laws and customs the observation of which was beneficial while their
neglect wrought harm. Matters natural or accidental were of no avail
against the undesired effect, nor could they do harm at the time of pious
conduct. For this reason Israelites serve every religion as evidence
against the heretics who followed the view of the Grecian Epicures viz
that al things are the outcome of accidents, since no settled purpose
is ever discernible in them. ... David laid down 3 causes of death viz
G-d may slay him i.e., divine cause or his day shall come to die i.e.,
natural causes or he shall descend into battle and perish i.e. Accidental
cause (I Samuel 26:10). He omits the fourth possibility viz suicide,
because no rational being seeks death voluntarily. If Saul killed himself
it was not to seek death but to escape torture and derision.

Rambam and Ramban apparently hold that sickness today is totally natural

Rambam(Commentary to Pesachim 4:10): Chezkiah hid the Book of Cures
The only reason I have gone into detail in this matter is because there
are those who mistakenly claim that Shlomo composed the Book of Cures
[Ramban Introduction to Torah Commentary] so that if someone was sick he
could readily find the treatment and be cured. The further claim that
because Chezkiah saw that people were not relying on G-d to be cured
he concealed the book. Besides being utterly nonsensical, it ascribes
to Chezkiya and his peers who agreed with him such tremendous stupidity
that is only found amongst the lowest of the masses. According to their
mistaken idiotic fantasy if a person is hungry and he takes food to eat
to be obviously cured from the tremendous pains of hunger - would we
say that such a person is lacking in bitachon? Woe are the fools!. Just
as I thank G-d when I eat that He provided me with something to remove
my hunger and to rejuvenate and sustain me, I similarly thank Him that
He produced medicines that cure my illnesses when I use them. There was
no need to refute such this disgusting explanation except for the fact
that it is so widespread...

Rambam(Hilchos Da'os 4:20): Whoever conducts himself according to the
directions I have given, I guarantee that he will never become sick
his entire life until he reaches old age and dies. And he will not need
a doctor and his body will be complete and will remain functional all
his days except in the case where he was born with some defect or if
he followed unhealthy practices from birth or if there was epidemic
or drought.

Ramban(Vayikra 26:11): In general when most Jews existed on a high
spiritual level they did not conduct their lives based on natural rules -
either for their personal health or the running of society. G-d gave
special bounty in their bread and water and preserved them from sickness
so that they did not need doctors or medical science at all. ... That is
how the tzadikim conducted themselves in the time of the prophets. So
even when they were harmed as the result of sin they did not go to
doctors for treatment. They only went for help to the prophets as we see
in the case of Chezkiyahu (Melachim II 20:2-3)... Bamidbar Rabbah(9:3)
says: The doorway which is not opened to mitzvos is opened to doctors.
Berachos (60a) says: It is not inherent that people take medicines
but they have accustomed themselves to do it. In other words if people
hadn't accustomed themselves to go to doctors then people would get sick
according to their sins and be cured by the will of G-d. But since they
have chosen to act according to Nature, G-d leaves them to the random
forces of Nature. This is the intent of (Bava Kama 85a): "He shall cause
them to be thoroughly healed (Shemos 21:19). From there we learn the
principle that doctors are permitted to heal." Our sages did not say that
the Torah permits the sick to be cured by a doctor. Rather they said that
concerning a sick person who is accustomed to go to doctors and is clearly
not one of the very spiritual people - the doctor should not refuse to
heal him. He should not refuse to heal because of fear that he might
kill the sick person with his treatment - because obviously he is well
trained. He should also not refuse saying that only G-d heals because
people have already adopted the practice of being cured by medicines.
Consequently if two people fight and they hit each other with a stone or
fist (Shemos 21:18) the assailant must pay for medical treatment since
the laws of the Torah are not based on miraculous events....However when
a man pleases G-d there is no need for doctors.

Maharal permits study of astrology to protect oneself against -
non providential dangers. Thus he does not belief that everything is
providence.

Maharal ( Chidushi Agadata Shabbos): Some ask from the (Pesachim 113b)
that says it is prohibited to consult with an astrologer because of
the verse be tamim with your G-d. They also ask how we can have the
practice not to start Torah study sessions on Monday and similarly not
to marry with the old moon only with the new moon. Such practices seem
to be prohibited magical activities (darchei amori) as stated in the
(Sanhedrin 66a)... The question about the astrologer is not a problem
at all. The prohibition of consulting with an astrologer is going to
ask one but there is nothing wrong with study astrology. Someone who
knows astrology should utilize this knowledge to protect himself since
G-d made them to have influence. Thus the only prohibition is asking
them not utilizing this information. The second question is also not a
problem since our practices concern doing mitzvos i.e., learning Torah
or getting married. The prohibition only applies for activities which
are not mitzvos. This resolves the question raised by Tosfos as to how
Eliezar the servant of Avraham could utilize signs to determine whether
he had found a wife for Yitzchok. Since he was involved in a mitzva it
was completely permitted. This also applies to the issue of consulting
with astrologers - if it concerns a mitzva it is permitted while otherwise
it is prohibited because of be tamim with your G-d.

Akeidas Yitzchok(#26): Human achievement may be due to 1) G-d's personal
intervention on our behalf known as hashgacha protis it can also be due
to 2) favorable horoscopic constellations or 3) environmental factors
hashgacha klallit finally it can be due to 4) personal endurance,
intelligence energy and skill. It is reasonable to assume that none of
the factors listed account exclusively for the success or failure of
our endeavors....Nevertheless history is full of examples of brilliant
men who were successful without turning to G-d for help also what point
would there be in the selection of brilliant advisors to heads of states
if their advice would not have positive results?...

Maharal clearly holds that there is such a thing as chance. See Gevuras
HaShem (#19) regarding Dosan and Aviram. Chapter (20) "It was not
appropriate that something would happen to Moshe by chance because then
the redemption would have been by chance". There are many other sources.
See the index to Gur Aryeh (R' Hartman edition. also Bereishis 14 (33).
Shemos 2 (123,124), Shemos 19 (18).

Even though we once had a major discussion of the chassidic innovation of
hashocha protis to everything. The Lubavticher Rebbe notes 1) HP applies
to everything according to the Baal Shem Tov. 2) However man has more
than non man 3) tzadikim have more than non tzadikim. It is clear that
those in Israel have more than those living elsewhere. Thus according
to everyone - chance (or the relative absence of HP) exists.

In sum, chance, mazel, accident, nature do exist. However we are
commanded not to view events as accident - even though it might be - but
to ascribe it to providence. Without ruach hakodesh - our attributions
remain attributions and are not necessarily correct. The Maharal is
saying that when dealing with events that change history it is obvious
that these can not be chance. While on a theoretical level what happens
to an individual concerning a minor issue is more likely to be chance.

             Daniel Eidensohn

*********************


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