The Superbowl Halftime Shiur

When Should Rabbis Set Boundaries? A Reflective Discussion

January, 2022

When I worked for the state as a chaplain in the NYS penitentiary

system I was allowed to make my own schedule. This meant that the

inmates would not know which day I would be coming, rather an

announcement would go out when I arrived that the rabbi is here and

that all Jewish inmates should go to his office if they would like to meet

with him.

     Because of such impromptu visitation I had no appointment

ledger, rather, when I came, it was first come first served.

On one such day I noticed that there were more people waiting outside

my office than usual. After a few private one-on-ones I heard several

chairs move at once and looked up to see five large, menacing looking

men walk into my office. They were clearly not Jewish. This much I can

say, “I was not ‘not’ scared”.

      I waited for them to speak first, as I was not about to say the wrong

thing.

     “Rabbi”, their foreman began, “If we ask you a question do you promise us to tell the truth?”

    “Of course,” I guardedly replied.

      “Well Rabbi, you are a man of Gd and therefore you have access to

information that common folk and criminals like us do not…”

     ‘Where was this going?’ I wondered to myself.

“…We need you to tell us something, and we promise not to share it

with anyone else: Who is going to win the Super-Bowl tonight?”

     I could not fathom that simple faith these criminals had in clergy!

         In prison, like on the outside, there is a lot riding on this game. While prisoners do not have cash on hand to gamble, they do bet with

cigarettes and, sometimes, contraband.

      I explained that if I indeed had such powers, I would use it to benefit

myself and would not be in a prison office on a Sunday afternoon surrounded by convicts!

    I grew up in Canada, and football was never really on my radar. When I moved to Buffalo, that changed. There, before ‘the big game’ I found that I received many varied and unique inquiries, mostly relating to kashrus,

      “May parve chili in a milcheg pot be served with Buffalo Chicken Wings?” (Possibly)       

         “Is it feasible to kasher a deep fryer…to fry Buffalo wings?” (Best to avoid)

 “May an avel attend a ‘Superbowl Party’”? (No)

   “Is it permissible to gamble on sporting events?” (Beyond the scope of this column, see Shul Chronicles ‘Gambling in Halacha and with a Dreidel).

        But there is one question that comes up every year at this time about which I am the one struggling.

     Before the reader continues, it is critical to point out that I am not chalila questioning anyone who is unperturbed by what I will now share. Nor would I ever dare think that I am ‘frummer’, holier or in any way more special and more kodosh than those who find no issue with what I am about to mention. Indeed, many of the chashuvim who find no issue with this are beyond me in middos, kedusha and wisdom -there are many who can attest to that fact!

     Indeed, I am hoping readers share their (respectful!) thoughts on this matter.

       When I first moved to New York, one of my wonderful ballabtim asked if I would give a shiur at halftime of ‘the big game’, perhaps a call-in, or via an internet stream. At first, his request didn’t compute.     

      Surely, he doesn’t mean that at halftime of a television sporting broadcast. But he did. And, indeed, many ballabattim -who are holier than I –do attend such events every year, given by rabbanim far greater than I, and performed by organizations whose zechusim I could only dream of being a part,

    I come now not to argue with them, but to express why I have been hesitant; why this issue has vexed me for seven years. I have struggled with this, and indeed -thus far -have not done it.

      I consider myself a baal sechel, I struggle with every rabbinic decision I make. I certainly do not always get it right, but I come to all decisions in good faith. If I have a column on the rabbinate, it is only fair to share this very real ongoing inner dialogue.

     For fifteen years kn’ah, I have been telling my children almost every week by havdala that the most important beracha in our generation is lahavdil bein kodosh l’chol. It doesn’t say lahavdil bein kodosh l’issur -to separate between the holy and the forbidden, or, lahavdil bein kodosh l’tumah –to separate between the holy and the impure. Rather to separate between the holy and the mundane.

    Now, should rabbanim be realistic that many very frum and pure members are watching ‘the big game’? Of course! But should we then mish arein? I am not so sure.

     Of course, if I was asked to give a shiur during the entirety of the game, thereby allowing people another option, and even those watching the game to tune in at ‘halftime’ or at other points -that would be one thing. But to incorporate a Torah or a ruach event around the game? I’m not so sure.

     My wife -who knows how unworthy I am to be the one making this argument -is always my best advisor. She responded, “But instead of things that are inappropriate they will be learning! How could you ever be against that?!”

     To this I said, “I hear you. However, there are times that it is up to each individual to have the training wheels taken off and make that choice themselves. My job is not just to make sure that halacha and Torah is kept today, during these fifteen minutes, rather that it can continue for generations. Like football, lahavdil ad lanetzach, our mesorah too is a game of inches. Keep giving, mixing, more here and a little more there, where will our great-grandchildren be?!

    Those that read this column understand I never use this space to question the views of others or to argue on other rabbanim. So you can trust when I say that this is not my goal this week either. Rather, I am sharing a choice that I made -while not ignoring that others may differ.

        Chazal share how Yirmiyahu compared us to an olive (Yirmiyahu 11:16). They teach that is because like its oil, we don’t mix (Shmos Rabbah 36:1). Does this mean that we learn during halftime, unlike them? Or does this mean that we have our rav give a ‘halftime’ shiur?

    I imagine the readership is split between those who cannot believe such official shiurim and events take place in the first place, and those bewildered that I would question them.

     I agree with both of those views!

        I am not wise enough to know the answer. So I opt for the tried -and-true, shev v’al taaseh adif -best to be mistaken by an error of omission than an error of commission.