On this Daf, there are various discussions of how to negotiate the intrusion of idolatry in public spaces. In earlier times of less material wealth and technology, it was not uncommon for the entire town to rely on the town clock, which was typically located on the tallest building—usually a church. Since it is forbidden to receive material benefit from idolatry and idolatrous objects, Poskim have discussed whether it is permissible to tell the time by looking at those clocks. It seems that most hold it is permitted because the clock’s function is incidental to the idolatry and is simply placed there due to the church’s height and centrality (see Sha’arim HaMetzuyanim Behalacha 116:5). Despite it being technically permitted, it is encouraged to avoid using this clock nonetheless.
There is an amazing story told about Rav Aharon Kotler, ZT”L (Torasecha Sha’ashuai, p. 212):
One of his students told him that for a long time he had been plagued by heretical thoughts and now wished to convert to Christianity. The Rosh Yeshiva was horrified and pained, trying every possible way to influence the young man to abandon his intention, to no avail. Rav Aharon decided to consult with the Kopishnitzer Rebbe, ZT”L. The Rebbe replied that it would be worthwhile to find out how the young man sets his watch. Rav Aharon did not understand what the Rebbe meant, but he took the Rebbe’s words seriously. He asked the young man how he sets his watch.
The student replied that he sets his watch every morning at exactly seven o’clock, when the church bell across from his room rings. Rabbi Kotler went and bought the student an expensive watch, one that did not need to be set, and made a condition with him that if he ever needed to set his watch, he should do so using the yeshiva’s clock. After some time, the young man’s mind settled, and he remained in the yeshiva to study. Eventually, he became one of the great Torah scholars of Israel!
This is one of those stories that can be understood both psychologically and spiritually. If one is content with a completely spiritual explanation, one can say that somehow the Rebbe sensed the impure vibes, realized their source, and once corrected, everything was fine. There is no easy way to explain the Rebbe’s intuition without attributing it to some form of Ruach HaKodesh. Perhaps the Rebbe met the young man in person—which I am not sure occurred in this story—but if so, there could have been nonverbal visual cues that clued the Rebbe in, including even possibly observing him setting his watch, or glancing at his watch, at the sound of the church bells.
Regarding the bochur, psychologically speaking, it is hard to tell what is the chicken and what is the egg. Did he already have leanings or sympathies toward this other religion, and that is why he took satisfaction in setting his watch by the church bells? Or was it some kind of subtle psychological influence that made him feel warmer toward the religion because he was able to set his clock by it? Symbolism is powerful in the unconscious and is used in advertising all the time. Gaining the benefit of setting one’s clock by something implies being organized and oriented from it. The unconscious mind does not think with linear logic, but rather with symbolic associative thoughts.
Most religions, including ours, use symbolic actions and language to reach the heart. Otherwise, we wouldn’t wear black boxes on our heads and arms, have parchment on our doorways, eat unleavened bread and bitter herbs, or blow a ram’s horn in order to cry out for forgiveness. The point is that whether we like it or not, our unconscious minds are influenced by symbolic actions, and therefore orienting oneself by a heretical source can, without even realizing it, lead us to be more sympathetic and open to certain ideas. It’s Advertising 101.
Therefore, while the Rebbe’s intuition might indeed be miraculous, the dynamic of the problem, whether psychological or spiritual, is understandable to the extent that we can comprehend the non-rational processes of the human mind. Non-rational does not mean irrational. It doesn’t mean that it’s random or without sensibility. The Greek etymology of rational is “measurable,” so a non-rational matter simply means that it operates from a domain that is not measurable or easily analyzable, but it is not nonsensical either.
Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation
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Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, Rabbi Simcha Feuerman, LCSW-R, LMFT, DHL is a psychotherapist who works with high conflict couples and families. He can be reached via email at simchafeuerman@gmail.com