Rivkah Would not Bow to Francis : How does Francis Respond?

http://crownheights.info/picture-of-the-day/499531/picture-of-the-day-rivkah-would-not-bow/ ^

[piusv]

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin paid a visit to Pope Francis in Rome, accompanied by his personal secretary Rivkah – an Orthodox-Jewish woman. When a person usually greets the pope, they shake his hand and bow down. But when Rivkah’s turn came to greet the pope, she explained to him that for religious reasons she could not shake his hand, nor could she bow down since he was wearing a cross. The pope then covered his cross with his hand, and bowed down to her!

[silverleaf]

There ya go.
If his office so offends her she should have skipped it
and sent a Jew who is man enough to shake hands with a head of state

[silverleaf]

Trying to demonstrate his own superior humility, apparently

Fail!

Maybe when he comes to the WH he’ll wash obama’s feet

[PapaBear3625]

What people on this thread who are criticizing Rivkah don’t understand is that a Jew is not permitted to bow to any human, no matter their position or religion.

She didn't need to bow. She could have shaken his hand, but that also disallowed for an orthodox woman, which is why the Israeli President should have brought another aide who COULD have shaken hands with a goyim.

Alternately, she could have curtsied (which is not a bow), or given him a happy wave, instead of making an issue out of the whole thing.

[Black Agnes]

Not a Catholic, but what happens to the church if this guy lives another 15 or 20 years...? Even the Corrupt Popes of the middle ages didn’t behave this way. Especially not sponsor the invasion of Christian lands by hordes of unassimilable Muslims in the name of ‘charity’.

[PapaBear3625]

I’m willing to bet that Francis was not insulted.

I'm sure he wasn't. Just because somebody chooses to be insulting doesn't mean the recipient will feel insulted.

[Black Agnes]

Why did he bow?

[Black Agnes]

She could have simply said ‘Very honored to meet you’ or something. And he could have simply said ‘As I am honored to meet you’. Or some such happy happy.

No one had to bow to anyone. Or shake their hands if their religion didn’t permit it.

[ctdonath2]

He didn’t _hold_ it so much as _hide_ it.

[Dr. Ursus]

That’s a crock of schmaltz!

[Daveinyork]

If I met the pope, I might shake his hand, but I bow to nobody but G-d.

[Nifster]

not really......he is a leftist through and through

[ealgeone]

There are loads of examples of people in Scripture bowing to kings and other people as a gesture of respect.

In the OT yes. However we're not in the OT anymore.

Nothing wrong with it; it’s only idols that are not to be bowed to.

Oh, you mean like idols of Mary??

(Ms. Rivkin obviously regards the crucifix as an idol, as she indicated.)

I'll go with the NT example.

On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am just a man."… Acts 10:24-25

(You remember Peter don't you??)

Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Revelation 19:10

The NT makes it clear we are to bow to Christ and Christ only.

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:9-11

[ealgeone]

The first Pope Peter also denied the Lord, 3 times

Assuming Peter is the first pope for discussion sakes, he did not allow Cornelius to bow down to him.

So what's up with this pope??

[JerseyRepub]

You obviously are not a Catholic or have very little knowledge of Catholic priestly garb or just an anti-Catholic bigot trying to foment divisions, but even in this picture he is not intentionally ‘hiding’ his crucifix. Clearly, it has fallen inside his cumber-band. I’ve seen this happen many times when our bishop visits our Church.

Please stop finding excuses for your bigotry and move on. There are legitimate reasons to be concerned (especially Catholics) with some of Pope Francis’ actions/words, but this is not it.

[JerseyRepub]

Silly and stupid question. Why does one shake hands in western cultures; why does one embrace in most latin cultures; why do Japanese people bow; why do Indians fold their hands and bow when greeting each other; why do most people who meet Royalty bow or courtesy?

These are all cultural HUMAN traditional greetings. Stop being ignorant for a change and accept that this is nothing burger, unless your anti-Catholic bigotry won’t allow you to do so.

Incidentally, our Lord not only embraced, bowed, kissed his disciples feet, but encouraged his followers to do the same.

[ronnietherocket3]

Her religion prevents her from shaking his hand.

It is a Jewish custom called shomer negiah. Basically, Jewish men do not touch women; Jewish women do not touch men. Different Jews have different customs concerning handshakes.

I didn't know the Cross was like garlic to a vampire when it comes to religious Jews but there you go.

Looking at the past 2000 years of Jewish-Christian relations and Judaism's relations with pre-Christian relations?

Shouldn't all this be worked out in advance so that people don't embarrass or humiliate each other?

I am lost as to how either side was embarrassed or humiliated.

[ronnietherocket3]

I am Protestant married to an eastern orthodox Christian. Interesting to see a debate between Jews and Roman Catholics over protocol.

I am Catholic and am completely lost as to what the issue is here.

[MarvinStinson]

Because his orders are to BESMIRCH his position as Pope.

Same as Bill Clinton did with the US presidency—

make it a laughingstock around the world.

[Black Agnes]

It’s not a silly question at all.

Not every culture is the same. Particularly in how women are allowed to interact with men. Orthodox Judaism is one of those. She shouldn’t have been expected to touch him in any way shape or form.

Likewise he should have never bowed to her for any reason.

And asking the question isn’t ‘anti-catholic bigotry’. I’d certainly expect a Catholic to bow on greeting the Pope. I’d likewise be horrified if the Pope bowed to another Catholic.

I’d NEVER bow or curtsey on greeting ANY royalty btw. I have 30+ ancestors who fought in the American Revolution who risked their lives that I never have to subjucate myself to ANY human being. I wouldn’t bow to the US President either. Any of them.

Stated shortly, it’s ridiculous for a Catholic to expect a woman of ANOTHER religion to do something that’s forbidden in her religion (ie, touch another man unrelated to her). Likewise it’s ridiculous for any person to expect the Pope to bow to them.

Seriously, is this the very first time the Pope (any pope) has met someone of a religion that doesn’t allow its women to touch or subjucate themselves to men not their husbands? Were there no protocol people involved on either side? Both of them should go sit in their respective corners in time out.

[jjotto]

There’s no real issue. If anything odd happened, it’s because the protocol aides of both the Pope and Rivlin dropped the ball a bit. More likely, the meeting was intended to be informal to start with.