At work, I’ve encountered a man who claims he can’t go to the drug treatment program/prison he’s supposed to be sent to because he’s Jewish, and therefore he cannot cut his hair and must restrict his diet to fresh fruits and vegetables.Has anyone heard of a group that follows rgses rules ?
Doreen
I’ve never heard of not being able to cut one’s hair at all, although the Orthodox do not cut the locks of hair just above their ears (these are called payess). I’ve also never heard of a Jewish sect that restricts its diet to fresh fruits and vegetables, although I can imagine it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find a drug treatment program that would serve a strictly Kosher diet.
If you’re really that curious, why don’t you ask him to cite his authorities for both things? If he’s that hard-core, he probably follows a specific rabbi/school of thought, and you should be able to get more info on either or both of those.
I’m quite certain that any treatment program would have the ability to accomodate his ‘rules’ - although I can’t think of any sect that disallows haircutting at all or limits diet to only fruits and vegetables.
I’d wag that he’s looking to get out of this program. You use program/prision - it certainly doesn’t sound attractive. As for serving a Kosher diet, AFAIK, prisions and hospitals and the like (I know airplanes do) manage to serve Kosher diets.
I’m not sure where you’re located but you might want to try:
http://www.jewish.com/search/Special_Interests/Recovery/
for a list of resources that may be well suited to him.
Good luck!
When a Jew wishes to undergo special atonement, they may become a Nazarite. Nazarites, Samson being the best know example, can not cut their hair, have sex, or consume alcohol.
I know of no sect or practice of Judaism which prohibits the eating of any meat.
I agree with the above posters that this person is just throwing out excuses.
Yes, you do. I’ll give you a hint. Porky Pig
I deserve that for not concentrating on better phrasing.
What I meant to say was that I know of sect or practice that forbids the eating of all meat. While a kosher butcher won’t have pork, rabbit, or eel in stock, you’ll find plenty of beef, mutton, chicken, turkey, etc.
I’m quite familair with kashrut, being Jewish myself
;j .
I too am Jewish although I don’t keep much of a kosher house these days. When I saw your post, I just had to rib you. Of course we’re both Jewish look who this thread is addressed to.
TV
I believe that Jains and Sikhs are not allowed to cut their hair, along with several other personal cleanliness faux pas. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…TRM
I thought he was just making up excuses, too, but I wanted to see if anyone had heard of it , because it’s such an unusual claim . It’s a very strict, military type (crew cuts required) drug treatment campus run by the state department of correction It really is a prison, and while I’m sure they can provide a kosher diet, strictly fresh fruits and vegetables is likely to be a different story.
Thanks for the help
Well, many twelve-step programs have an explicitly Christian element to them. That might explain the drug treatment issue.
There are certain parts of the head from which the hair is not supposed to be cut. If this program actually requires haircuts that do not conform to this Jewish law, then that is probably what he meant - not that his hair can’t be cut at all, but that it can’t be cut that way.
As for the fruits and veggies, maybe what he meant is that he wouldn’t feel he can trust the program’s folks to vouch for the Kashrus of the food and would therefore have to stick to fresh fruits and veggies while there.