Bala Rebbe's Blog
"Bala Rebbe is the nom de plume of Arnie Feldman, a member of Beth Am Israel, who is given full credit for all wisdom, and is solely responsible for all foolishness, that may appear from time to time on this blog. Bala Rebbe's opinions and writings are solely those of the Bala Rebbe (with occasional Divine inspiration), and are not necessarily endorsed, sponsored or approved by Beth Am Israel."01/11/2010 - Mah Jongg
My Dear Judy,Your request for a blessing for the Beth Am Mah Jongg games is a very meaningful request, and brings up an issue that goes far beyond Mah Jongg! To recite a heartfelt blessing increases our awareness of the Divine that surrounds us, and it is of value to recite a blessing before or after many activities.
I suggest the following prayer be recited before the first tile is picked.
"How goodly and sweet it is for sisters to sit together. We thank the Almighty for the pleasure and camaraderie that we are about to experience. May the Mah Jongg mood continue with us even when we depart this room. Amen"
A word about the origin of Mah Jongg. The general consensus is that Mah Jongg was first played in China in the late 19th century. The latter part of the 19th century also saw a significant influx of Jews to China from Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. I was told that a rabbi from Crackow, Poland fled Poland with his family and settled in Majong, China. (also called Najong). He established quite a following and became known as the Majongena Rebbe. The Majongena Rebbetzin is credited with creating the game of Mah Jongg. The Mah Jongg term "crack" refers to the town of origin of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin, Crackow, Poland.
May you be blessed with Good Tiles and Good Smiles. Amen.
Shalom,
Der Bala Rebbe
On 01/14/2010 Joseph Finkelstein said...
Rebbe, my research indicates the name Mah Jongg is actually a corruption of a Yiddish name, not the name of a town in China. It appears that certain native Chinese had difficulty pronouncing correctly the true name of the Majongena Rebbe. He was known by his followers as the Mishshugena Rebbe, or the "Crazy Rabbi." 19th Century Chinese craftsman, who made a good living producing tiles for the Jewish immigrant game market, heard this as the "Majogena" Rabbe, and the name stuck. The rest is history.
Joe Finkelstein
Previous Posts
09/21/2010 Acknowledging outstanding contributors (Most Recent)05/17/2010 - What If Joseph Had Shared His Coat
04/23/2010 - The Zealots of Israel
03/27/2010 - And God hardened Pharaoh`s heart
02/22/2010 - Chazzan Harold`s Dilemma
02/15/2010 - Get Ready for Purim!!
02/09/2010 - Question from a confused Jew
02/05/2010 - Puppets at Beth Am
01/30/2010 - Photo: Rebbe and Arnie chatting
01/25/2010 - Response to Reb Joe Finkelstein
01/11/2010 - Mah Jongg (Current display)
01/07/2010 - Eagles Prayer Improved Results
01/06/2010 - A Prayer for The Eagles
01/03/2010 - Shalom from the Bala Rebbe
