Page 95 - EDOS Dinner Journal 2019_website

FESTSCHRIFT | 95

All this was but a two-minute aside offered by Rabbi Rapp in a sophisticated lecture
on stem cell research, which I shall not recap here because there isn’t sufficient space
— and because I was more drawn to another brief comment the rabbi made after the
morning prayers the next day.

Let us back up. Here is the context. Rabbi Rapp comes to Denver as part of a sum-
mer kollel, or summer study program, sponsored by Yeshiva University, EDOS and
the DAT Minyan. Among the scholars-in-residence have been rabbinic students and
senior Talmudic lecturers, such as Rabbi Michael Yammer of the Sha’alvim Yeshiva in
Israel.

This summer, Rabbi and Dr. Rapp are joined by budding scholars Rabbi Ari and Meira
Federgrun.

Lectures, all of which are free, are every day, extending for four weeks. They take place
at EDOS or DAT or in private homes, and are like manna from heaven: first-class
presentations.

Chairs of the kollel this summer are Shlomo Fried of EDOS and Dr. Terry Samuel
of DAT. Many others work the scheduling, host and housing committees. Fried has
worked on the project since its inception.

After the morning prayers, Rabbi Rapp asked: Why do we light a fire at Havdalah on
Saturday night?

The first reason points up the lack of connection between the Havdalah ceremony
after Shabbos and the burning candle at the ceremony. Fire, it is said, was invented on
Saturday night. To commemorate that seminal invention for humanity, we light a fire

on Saturday night. There is no thematic link to Shabbos.

A second reason: The kindling of the Havdalah candle points up the radical difference
between Shabbos, when the lighting of fire is prohibited, and the rest of the week,

when fire is permitted.

As in, who cares? A fire is lit on Saturday night either way. Who needs the various

explanations?