Article in the Ami (Abt: sealed windows)

urban gypsy

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:16 pm

What I don't really understand is how would you know about a sealed window?
I understand the window being painted shut. But, what if a wall was knocked down and then rebuilt without a window? Does that count too?

marina

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:17 pm

I dk how to tell you this Elisheva. THERE ARE NO SHEIDIM AND YOU ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY AND TIME ON CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS ALL BUBBEMAISES

I guess I did know how to tell you.

mommy3b2c

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:21 pm

urban gypsy wrote:

Thank you! There is a list of about 80 things!!!!! Some of them are straight up demonology and some are more like bad luck. For those who didn't scroll all the way down here are some highlights:
-opening up graves (that's pretty intuitive)
-stacking coffins
-kissing a dead child
-a women who practicing witchcraft or vapirism needs to have her mouth filled with earth before she is buried (but not a man???? what gives?????)
-When the dead invite a live person to come with them respond, “The Holy One Blessed Be He does not wish me to do so.” (wild!!!!)
-Not to accept anything from the dead in a dream nor to swear anything to him
-Not to build a bathhouse in his home
-When one leaves the house on a trip not to return if one forgot something
-Not to drink open water from a house where someone passed away
-Not to remove the Mezuzos when one moves
-Must have intimacy with spouse on night of immersion

The only one of these I've ever heard of is that one must sleep with a spouse on the night of immersion. If one's spouse is out of town, a woman should sleep with a knife to guard against demons.... maybe even incubi???? Yikes!!!

What I find mildly annoying about all this is that it is pretty obvious that some of these beliefs are clearly derived from Slavic pagan traditions. The demons under the stove, and the demons in the bath house are well known traditions of Russian peasants that probably filtered into Jewish beliefs. I am quite sure that Sefardic Jews don't have traditions of this kind, and probably have a bunch of traditions derived from the Muslims societies where they originated. (I myself am of Russian background and studied Russian folkloric traditions in college so I'm more familiar with the Slavic and Christian superstitions)

I don't believe in non-Jewish superstitions, but I do believe in the existence of demons. I would love to learn more about authentically Jewish beliefs regarding demons, dating further back to pre-exile times.

This gave me the chills. but regarding the Russian superstitions, how do you know that the Russians didn’t get it from the Jews?
I have absolutely no idea. Just a thought. And I have heard about not closing windows, Never about the ovens. And I don’t know if demons exist, but I wouldn’t rule it out. I don’t rule out mermaids and unicorns either.

mommy3b2c

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:22 pm

marina wrote:

I dk how to tell you this Elisheva. THERE ARE NO SHEIDIM AND YOU ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY AND TIME ON CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS ALL BUBBEMAISES

I guess I did know how to tell you.

How do you know for sure?

You could be right. But you could be wrong.

elisheva25

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:22 pm

marina wrote:

I dk how to tell you this Elisheva. THERE ARE NO SHEIDIM AND YOU ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY AND TIME ON CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS ALL BUBBEMAISES

I guess I did know how to tell you.

Ask a knowledgeable Rav, about this Will of Rabbi Yehuda , and see what his says . I am not here to make you believe anything . You don’t have to agree/comment/ disagree on anything .

mommy3b2c

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:23 pm

elisheva25 wrote:

And I know I am venting, and I know I sound like a cry baby. But isn’t that what this site is for ???
But I just can’t believe I’ve lived in this house for 5+ years, not even being remotely aware of this concept . That’s 5+ years of heartache and diff issues that could of been avoided . Like I just can’t wrap my head around it ??

You have no idea if they could have been avoided. There is no proof about these type of things.

urban gypsy

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:24 pm

mommy3b2c wrote:

You have no idea if they could have been avoided. There is no proof about these type of things.

It's impossible to prove a negative What

urban gypsy

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:25 pm

mommy3b2c wrote:

I'm pretty sure these beliefs predate the arrival of Jews in Russia.
We are talking super old pagan Slavic stuff.

elisheva25

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:25 pm

urban gypsy wrote:

Seems what I have. Kitchen has a wall. Outside are window frames. The window wasn’t just painted over , it was sealed. I don’t know how you would know. Ask previous owner ?? Blue prints ?

DREAMING

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:41 pm

I’ve heard about not closing up windows but never heard about not moving ovens?????? Ppl remodel kitchens all the time. Are they not allowed to move the ovens? I’m freaking out here

urban gypsy

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:43 pm

DREAMING wrote:

Are they not allowed to move the ovens? I’m freaking out here

Only if you want to anger your household demons by moving their bedrooms without permission!

marina

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:45 pm

mommy3b2c wrote:

How do you know for sure?

You could be right. But you could be wrong.

Same way that you know there is no flying spaghetti monster. Even if your friends all attribute their pasta troubles to him.

There’s no scientific evidence suggesting the existence of demons.

imasoftov

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:46 pm

ShishKabob wrote:

That being said, there is something to this with blocking off an opening that was there before. Just like with chopping off a fruit tree. They're both from the tzavaah from Reb Yehuda Hachasid.

Cutting down a fruit tree is forbidden in the Torah, Devarim 20:19. Or are you perhaps referring to some additional detail about trees that is first found in the tzavaah? If so please explain.

Last edited by imasoftov on Wed, May 22 2019, 12:47 pm; edited 1 time in total

elisheva25

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:47 pm

urban gypsy wrote:

Only if you want to anger your household demons by moving their bedrooms without permission!

That actually made me laugh.

elisheva25

Wed, May 22 2019, 12:48 pm

DREAMING wrote:

I’ve heard about not closing up windows but never heard about not moving ovens?????? Ppl remodel kitchens all the time. Are they not allowed to move the ovens? I’m freaking out here

Looks, we don’t know anything for sure. But seems to be there is def reason to ask a Rav who knows Kabbalah and make decisions based on that.

qwerty4

Wed, May 22 2019, 1:06 pm

I work for a real estate company and before every project that involves building on an existing foundation we document all windows and openings as proof to potential renters that nothing has been closed off.

urban gypsy

Wed, May 22 2019, 1:07 pm

qwerty4 wrote:

Is it a Jewish company?

ShishKabob

Wed, May 22 2019, 1:12 pm

imasoftov wrote:

Cutting down a fruit tree is forbidden in the Torah, Devarim 20:19. Or are you perhaps referring to some additional detail about trees that is first found in the tzavaah? If so please explain.

I'm not talking about random destroying fruit trees.
I'm not so well versed in this, however, it's referring to removing a fruit tree or even trimming a fruit tree even during allowable circumstances. There are specific steps to follow, like replanting, or tying it up a certain way, or keeping a fruit plant in their house or other very detailed step by step instructions to follow while handling a fruit tree.
I know countless people that have had trouble with multiple miscarriages, fatal illness and other weird things happening to them because they moved into a place that had a fruit tree cut off on it.
The ovens I think are referring to brick built fireplaces. Not ovens. Fireplaces should not be removed or dismantled from their original location, many ppl have built their houses around the fireplace even if they weren't planning on using it, just to avoid tampering with it.
The same with a fruit tree, they find a way to build around the fruit tree rather than cutting it off.
Again, it's not the 13 principles of faith from the Rambam, however, no need to discredit valid information.

urban gypsy

Wed, May 22 2019, 1:16 pm

ShishKabob wrote:

The ovens I think are referring to brick built fireplaces. Not ovens. Fireplaces should not be removed or dismantled from their original location, many ppl have built their houses around the fireplace even if they weren't planning on using it, just to avoid tampering with it..

Shishkabob I bet you are totally correct! In the olden days fireplaces WERE ovens. They were built into the foundations of the house which is a lot more permanent. Nowadays electrical ovens just plug into the wall so I bet it's okay to move those around! But probably more of a bad idea to move an oven gas line because that's built into the house.

imasoftov

Wed, May 22 2019, 1:23 pm

ShishKabob wrote:

I know countless people that have had trouble with multiple miscarriages, fatal illness and other weird things happening to them because they moved into a place that had a fruit tree cut off on it.

OK, don't count, give me an order of magnitude. Single digits, tens, hundreds, thousands?