More Discussions for this daf
1. Nish'al b'Ov 2. Golem 3. Lav She'ein Bo Ma'aseh
4. Poshut Pshat In Rebbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish 5. Me'onen 6. Ov and Yid'oni
 DAF DISCUSSIONS - SANHEDRIN 65
1. ARI STERN asked:

K'vod Harav,

What is the geder of me'onein?

Rashi in Parshas Shoftim quotes Rabi Akiva I believe in Sanhedrin that Me'onein one should not say this time is auspicious or not.

However Chazal and Minhag are replete with auspicious or less so times.

A few examples:

Kiddush Friday night 6PM Mazel madim

Getting married Bmilu Halevana

Mishpat with an Akum in adar

Yom shucpal bo Ki Tov, Tuesday.

The nine days. etc.

So what is the geder of acceptable vs unacceptable?

Yasher Koach

2. The Kollel replies:

Your questions are raised by the Poskim who discuss these different customs. The Rema in Yoreh Deah (179:2) writes that a person who does things based on auspicious times but does not state this explicitly has not transgressed Me'onen. The Taz adds that acting according to an auspicious Mazal is not considered Me'onen since this is already an integral part of nature.

The Divrei Yatziv (Yoreh Deah 58) says that this rationale applies to going into a new house on Monday or Wednesday (which is considered inauspicious) and marrying when the moon is not present. These are accepted facts of nature and therefore do not constitute Me'onen. I presume that the same logic would apply regarding most of what you wrote, since the Gemara uses the expression "Rei'a Mazlei," meaning that there is "bad luck" (or in Adar, good luck) present at these times and this is evidently a fact of nature.

The Beis Yosef also has a lengthy discussion of this topic and says that the Isur is when there is no rational reason besides superstition, but when there is a rationale, such as Monday and Wednesday -- which, from Ma'aseh Bereishis, had issues (Monday was incomplete and Wednesday had a curse on the moon) -- and the other inauspicious times (the Nine Days, when both Batei Mikdash were destroyed and other calamities happened), this is perfectly acceptable behavior. He adds that marrying with a full moon is a good sign but not a form of sorcery or Me'onen.

However, one is also permitted to pray that the Mazal should not have a negative effect on him since it may be a fact of nature but Yisrael is above nature.

Yoel Domb