Arguments Against the Red Bendel

 

Moshe Ben-Chaim


 

 

Violation of Tosefta Shabbos
Tosefta Shabbos is in par with the Oral law, the Mishna. In the Tosefta, we read many acts are the ways of the Emorites, idolatrous peoples, and included, is "wearing a red thread on one's finger."

 

 

Violation of Judaism's Fundamentals
The Red Bendel contradicts Maimonides' 13 Principles; that God rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. Those defending the Red Bendel say this is not true, unless someone wears this string.

 

 

No evidence that wearing a string affects reality.

 

 

Denies Known, Medical Science
Maimonides, along with every doctor in history never treated the sick with red strings, but with medicine and surgery. The owners of Judaism.com have seen doctors in their lives, and have had surgery...they did not avoid these medically-sound procedures, using the Red Bendel instead. Judaism.com's staff contradicts itself.

 

 

Reason alone contradicts the theory of the Red Bendel offering protection.

 

 

An open Talmudic portion refutes the Red Bendel: "Sin is what kills". Not the avoidance of wearing the Red Bendel. (Berachos 33a)

 

 

Isaiah 45:22 Refutes Red Bendels
"Look to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else."

 

 

Rambam, Hilchos Mezuza 5:4 refutes them:
 "Those who write inside the mezuza names of angels or holy names or a verse or engravings, they are included with those who have no share in the world to come.  Because these fools, it’s not enough that they are nullifying a mitzvah, but they are making a great mitzvah—which is the Oneness of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His love and His service—into an amulet for their own benefit as it occurs to their foolish hearts that this kind of nonsense thing can benefit them."

 

 

Rambam Hilchos Mezuza 6:13:
"The early Wise Ones said “Whoever has tefillin on his head and arm, tzitzis on his clothing, and a mezuza on his door, he is strengthened not to sin, because he has many reminders, and these are the angels that protect him from sin as it says (Tehillim 34:8) "The angel of the LORD encamps around them that fear Him, and delivers them".  Nowhere in Tanach or in the gemara do people use a red string to protect themselves.

 

The Torah Refutes Them
The Torah says, "Teshuva, tefilla, u’tzedaka maavirin es roa ha’gzeira", "Repentance, prayer, and charity remove the evil decree". Nothing is mentioned that a red string is required.

 

 

Ironically...No Protection from Our Accusations
Judaism.com's workers most certainly wear Red Bendels. Why then are their Red Strings of no help to them, shielding them from our accusations? It appears their subjugation to our refutations expose the red strings as lies.