Q. BS"D Dear Rabbi, A child took a picture
of the the rainbow. Since it is a beautiful natural scene he would like to
frame it. Is that ok? Thanks!
A. The Gemara mentions on
Chagigah 16-a: “Whoever has no heed for the honor of his Creator, it would have been better for
him had he never come to the world. Rabi Abba said; This refers to someone who
gazes at the rainbow”. The Gemara further explains quoting a verse in Ezekiel
1,28, that the appearance of a rainbow on a rainy day is similar to the
likeness of the glory of Hashem. Tosafot Rid adds that it is because a rainbow
is an inherently ambiguous sight. One cannot clearly see where the band of one
color ends and the next one begins. Similarly, one cannot attain a clear perception of the Divine Presence.
Other reasons are to be found in Hagadic literature. Furthermore the Gemara
there mentions that whoever gazes at the
rainbow it causes his eyes to grow dim. See also Kidushin 40a.
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim
229-1 states that it is prohibited only to gaze intently, but one that happens
to see a rainbow recites a Bracha over it. Yalkut Hagershuni (ibid. 2) indicates that the prohibition applies also
to a reflection of the rainbow as seen on the water or a mirror. Rabbi Shlomo
Miller Shlit”a expressed that the prohibition would be only on the original
natural appearance on a cloud, not on a printed picture, yet it still would not
be recommended to frame it as a picture
or art on display.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld - Revised
by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
