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Link to Transcript here: https://madlik.com/2025/05/14/disabilities-in-jewish-texts-and-israel/
(יד) לֹא־תְקַלֵּ֣ל חֵרֵ֔שׁ וְלִפְנֵ֣י עִוֵּ֔ר לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן מִכְשֹׁ֑ל וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּאֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י ה׳׃
(14) You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am ה׳.
(יז) דַּבֵּ֥ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֣ישׁ מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֞ לְדֹרֹתָ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה בוֹ֙ מ֔וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרַ֔ב לְהַקְרִ֖יב לֶ֥חֶם אֱלֹקָֽיו׃ (יח) כִּ֥י כׇל־אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ מ֖וּם לֹ֣א יִקְרָ֑ב אִ֤ישׁ עִוֵּר֙ א֣וֹ פִסֵּ֔חַ א֥וֹ חָרֻ֖ם א֥וֹ שָׂרֽוּעַ׃
(17) Speak to Aaron and say: No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God. (18) No one at all who has a defect shall be qualified: no man who is blind, or lame, or has a limb too short or too long;
(ט) נושאי התפקידים וייצוגם: כבוד 16 כמו כן כדי לרומם את הבית, א) רוממה מעלת עובדיו, ב) ויוחדו הכהנים והלוים, ג) ונעשו לכהנים המלבושים המכובדים והיפים והנאים ביותר: "בִּגְדֵי קֹדֶשׁ [...] לְכָבוֹד וּלְתִפְאָרֶת" (שמות כח,ב), ד) ושלא ישמש בעבודה בעל מום – ולא רק בעלי מום בלבד אלא גם זיהומים פוסלים את הכהנים כמו שהתבאר בדיני מצוה זו (ביאת המקדש ז,יג). כי מה שמגדיל אדם בעיני ההמון אינו צורתו האמיתית אלא שלמות אבריו ויפי לבושו, והמטרה היא שתהיה לבית הזה רוממות וכבוד בעיני הכול.
(9) In order to raise the estimation of the Temple, those who ministered therein received great honour: and the priests and Levites were therefore distinguished from the rest. It was commanded that the priests should be clothed properly with beautiful and good garments, “holy garments for glory and for beauty” (Exod. 28:2). A priest that had a blemish was not allowed to officiate; and not only those that had a blemish were excluded from the service, but also—according to the Talmudic interpretation of this precept—those that had an abnormal appearance; for the multitude does not estimate man by his true form but by the perfection of his bodily limbs and the beauty of his garments, and the temple was to be held in great reverence by all.
(יא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה׳ אֵלָ֗יו מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֮ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָנֹכִ֖י ה׳׃ (יב) וְעַתָּ֖ה לֵ֑ךְ וְאָנֹכִי֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־פִּ֔יךָ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּֽר׃
(ה) אָ֥ז תִּפָּקַ֖חְנָה עֵינֵ֣י עִוְרִ֑ים וְאׇזְנֵ֥י חֵרְשִׁ֖ים תִּפָּתַֽחְנָה׃ (ו) אָ֣ז יְדַלֵּ֤ג כָּֽאַיָּל֙ פִּסֵּ֔חַ וְתָרֹ֖ן לְשׁ֣וֹן אִלֵּ֑ם כִּֽי־נִבְקְע֤וּ בַמִּדְבָּר֙ מַ֔יִם וּנְחָלִ֖ים בָּעֲרָבָֽה׃
(5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. (6) Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb shall shout aloud; For waters shall burst forth in the desert, Streams in the wilderness.
(ח) הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אוֹתָ֜ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צָפ֗וֹן וְקִבַּצְתִּים֮ מִיַּרְכְּתֵי־אָ֒רֶץ֒ בָּ֚ם עִוֵּ֣ר וּפִסֵּ֔חַ הָרָ֥ה וְיֹלֶ֖דֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו קָהָ֥ל גָּד֖וֹל יָשׁ֥וּבוּ הֵֽנָּה׃ (ט) בִּבְכִ֣י יָבֹ֗אוּ וּֽבְתַחֲנוּנִים֮ אֽוֹבִילֵם֒ אֽוֹלִיכֵם֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלֵי מַ֔יִם בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָשָׁ֔ר לֹ֥א יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ בָּ֑הּ כִּֽי־הָיִ֤יתִי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְאָ֔ב וְאֶפְרַ֖יִם בְּכֹ֥רִי הֽוּא׃ {פ}
(8) I will bring them in from the northland, Gather them from the ends of the earth— The blind and the lame among them, Those with child and those in labor— In a vast throng they shall return here. (9) They shall come with weeping, And with compassion will I guide them. I will lead them to streams of water, By a level road where they will not stumble. For I am ever a Father to Israel, Ephraim is My first-born.
(יח) וְשָׁמְע֧וּ בַיּוֹם־הַה֛וּא הַחֵרְשִׁ֖ים דִּבְרֵי־סֵ֑פֶר וּמֵאֹ֣פֶל וּמֵחֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֵינֵ֥י עִוְרִ֖ים תִּרְאֶֽינָה׃
(18) In that day, the deaf shall hear even written words, And the eyes of the blind shall see Even in darkness and obscurity.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם יוֹצֵר אוֹר וּבוֹרֵא חֽשֶׁךְ עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם וּבוֹרֵא אֶת־הַכֹּל:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Former of light, Creator of darkness, Maker of peace, Creator of all things.
סוֹמֵא פּוֹרֵס עַל שְׁמַע וְכוּ׳. תַּנְיָא, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה: הַרְבֵּה צָפוּ לִדְרוֹשׁ בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה, וְלֹא רָאוּ אוֹתָהּ מִימֵיהֶם.
The mishna continues: One who is blind may recite the introductory prayers and blessing before Shema, and he may also translate the Torah reading into Aramaic. Rabbi Yehuda says: Anyone who has not seen the luminaries in his life may not recite the first of the blessings before Shema, which is the blessing over the luminaries. It is taught in a baraita that they said to Rabbi Yehuda: Many have seen enough with their mind to expound upon the Divine Chariot, although they have never actually seen it. Similarly, even one who has never seen the luminaries may recite the blessing.
רַב שֵׁשֶׁת סַגִּי נְהוֹר הֲוָה. הֲווֹ קָאָזְלִי כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא לְקַבּוֹלֵי אַפֵּי מַלְכָּא, וְקָם אֲזַל בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת. אַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: חַצְבֵי לְנַהְרָא, כַּגְנֵי לְיָיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: תָּא חֲזִי דְּיָדַעְנָא טְפֵי מִינָּךְ. חֲלַף גּוּנְדָּא קַמַּיְיתָא. כִּי קָא אָוְושָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: אֲתָא מַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: לָא קָאָתֵי. חֲלַף גּוּנְדָּא תִּנְיָינָא. כִּי קָא אָוְושָׁא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: הַשְׁתָּא קָא אָתֵי מַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: לָא קָא אָתֵי מַלְכָּא. חָלֵיף תְּלִיתַאי. כִּי קָא שָׁתְקָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: וַדַּאי הַשְׁתָּא אָתֵי מַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ הָהוּא מִינָא: מְנָא לָךְ הָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: דְּמַלְכוּתָא דְאַרְעָא כְּעֵין מַלְכוּתָא דִרְקִיעָא, דִּכְתִיב: ״צֵא וְעָמַדְתָּ בָהָר לִפְנֵי ה׳ וְהִנֵּה ה׳ עֹבֵר וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים לִפְנֵי ה׳ לֹא בָרוּחַ ה׳ וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ לֹא בָרַעַשׁ ה׳. וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ לֹא בָאֵשׁ ה׳ וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה״.
The Gemara relates: Rav Sheshet was blind. Everyone was going to greet the king and Rav Sheshet stood up and went along with them. This heretic found him there and said to him: The intact jugs go to the river, where do the broken jugs go? Why is a blind person going to see the king? Rav Sheshet said to him: Come see that I know more than you do. The first troop passed, and when the noise grew louder, this heretic said to him: The king is coming. Rav Sheshet said to him: The king is not coming. The second troop passed, and when the noise grew louder, this heretic said to him: Now the king is coming. Rav Sheshet said to him: The king is not coming.
The third troop passed, and when there was silence, Rav Sheshet said to him: Certainly now the king is coming. This heretic said to him: How do you know this? Rav Sheshet said to him: Royalty on earth is like royalty in the heavens, as it is written with regard to God’s revelation to Elijah the Prophet on Mount Horeb: “And He said: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave” (I Kings 19:11–13). God’s revelation was specifically at the moment of silence.
(15) .... the position of R. Moses Feinstein, Iggerot Mosheh, Even ha-Ezer, III, no. 33, is that one who has acquired speech, no matter by what means, cannot be considered to be a deaf-mute. An identical view is expressed by R. Shlomoh Zalman Auerbach and by R. Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, Moriah, Elul 5742. Rabbi Auerbach reports that this is the opinion of R. Joseph Eliashiv as well.
(16) In conclusion, those who possess even minimal hearing or have acquired intelligible speech are certainly not subject to any of the halakhic restrictions which apply to deaf-mutes. Furthermore, there is a highly significant body of rabbinic thought which deems even one who has acquired barely intelligible speech to be beyond the category of the rabbinic deaf-mute. Moreover, in the light of the degree of education attained even by true deaf-mutes in contemporary society, it is doubtful that they are to be considered examples of the ḥeresh described in rabbinic references. Hence, they should be encouraged, and indeed required, to participate fully in Jewish religious life, including performance of all ritual obligations as well as in Torah study.
(17) In view of the remarkable strides made in educating the deaf, it is certainly incumbent upon the Jewish community to provide them with every opportunity for instruction and study in all areas of Jewish knowledge. They are to be encouraged to participate fully in all areas of communal and religious life.
Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Vol II
Halakhah Author: J. David Bleich
Contemporary Halakhic Problems is a multi-volume book of halakhic (legal) reasoning on modern issues by Rabbi J. David Bleich, a distinguished bioethicist and professor of law and Talmud. Rabbi Bleich provides lucid summaries and analyses of classic halakhic questions alongside pioneering applications of Jewish law to current social, political, technological and religious issues. The work is not a practical halakhic guide, but is rather devoted to theoretical analysis.
Composed: New York (c.1977 – c.1983 CE)
The Code of Hammurabi was prepared during the period of Assurbanipal (ca 668-626 BCE) - The code states nothing on deafness; it refers to medical practice and malpractice. ... The gods inflicted disability as a punishment upon those who incurred their anger. In ancient, classical, medieval, and renaissance periods, deafness is metaphorized and appropriated, and the deaf themselves are reduced to metaphor in a process that is played out in literary works, in sermons, in royal proclamations, and in medicine, and in plays and poems. AN INTELLECTUAL HISTORY OF THE DEAF A Handbook, R.S. Rosen, Ph.D. Teachers College, Columbia University
For more on Dr. Koslowe's father see: https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/07/nyregion/rabbi-irving-koslowe-80-gave-the-rosenbergs-last-rites.html
For information on Eliya see: https://pefisrael.org/charity/eliyaisr-assn-adv-visually-impaired-children/
For info on Mahsi Oz see https://pefisrael.org/charity/beth-david-institute-center-for-deaf-blind-persons/