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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!mhuxh!mhuxv!segs
From: segs@mhuxv.UUCP (slusky)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: fundraising follow-up
Message-ID: <206@mhuxv.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Dec-84 14:38:22 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxv.206
Posted: Tue Dec 11 14:38:22 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Dec-84 04:37:22 EST
References: <1776@ucf-cs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 18

[]
The fundraising article of several weeks ago brought up mi-she-beyrakh's
and the practice of using them as a fundraising technique. Not only do
I not like them as a fundraising technique, I'm doubtful about their 
propriety even when they're free. The implication of a mishebeyrakh is
that the reciter has more spiritual power than the person on whose
behalf the prayer is being recited. To be charitable, one could say
that extra power is derived from the congregation. Even so, it seems
an un Jewish idea that one person's prayers are more powerful than another's.
I'd be a little happier with a prayer recited by the congregation on
behalf of one member. Then the implication would be that many are more
powerful than one. But I'm uneasy about that as well. Can someone
convince me that mishebeyrach's are really okay? And are they common
practice all over?

Susan Slusky
mhuxv!segs
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