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Monday, January 31, 2011

What Happens if You Leave Your Sefer Open?

In the sefer "Kitzur Shala"h," the author brings the following story:
"A certain scribe completed his work for the night and left the scroll open to the verse [that he had just finished writing] '...and the goats will dance there.' (ישעיה יג, כא) Upon arising early the next morning before daybreak, he encountered a demon sitting on his chair. The demon told him 'know that I am the demon named שד - the Guardian of the Pages and I have come to harm you. Yet, I will forgive you for I heard during the ten days of penitence that I do not have permission to harm you. Instead, accept upon yourself not to write further until such a time.' And so he did."
R. Chaim Palagi writes that the reason R. Shimon bar Tzemach Duran (the Tashba"tz) merited to have his teshuvos printed in such a beautiful manner (large size and good binding) more than the other books of his days was because he was always careful to spread an honorable cloth over the open books he was learning from.
קיצור של"ה מסכת שבועות עניני לימוד הנערים
יפה ללב ח"ג (חיו"ד) סי' עז"ר סק"ג
ועי' בספרו רוח חיים ח"א סי' עז"ר
See here, and here

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Don't Leave Your Sefer Open

When one learns Torah from a sefer and they wish to get up and take a break, they should not leave the sefer open. In fact, the Sha"ch writes that "It's known to the scholars of truth that there is a certain angel named ש"ד which stands for שומר דפים - Guardian of the Pages. [This angel] ensures that he who walks away from an open sefer will forget his studies."
R. Moshe Chagiz, author of Mishnas Chachamim (brother-in-law of the "Pri Chadash") writes that he heard that the "true scholar" R. Chaim Benveniste (author of the "Kneses Hagedolah") had a silk cloth that he would use to cover the seforim he was learning from when he would walk away from them. Because he was so busy, he did not have time to close them and find his place again, so he used this method.
ש"ך יו"ד סי' רע"ז סק"א
משנת חכמים סי' ר"י
ועי' ספר חסידים סי' תתקי"ח
See here

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Brich Shmeih in Middle of Davening

Someone once told the Rebbe in 1949 that he heard in the name of the Rebbe Rashab that one should interrupt in the middle of Pesukei Dezimrah and recite בריך שמיה. The Rebbe asked the Frierdiker Rebbe, and he said that one should not do so. The Rebbe writes "...being that Alter Rebbe does not bring this in any place, us Chassidei Chabad should not do so."
[Interesting to note that the Alter Rebbe does not bring the concept of reciting בריך שמיה at all!]
Not only that, some rule that even if one is holding in the middle of והוא רחום, i.e. tachnun, they shouldn't interrupt for בריך שמיה either!
אגרות קודש כ"ק אדמו"ר ח"ג ע' קמט, עי' בהנסמן שם
שו"ת שבט הלוי ח"ז סי' יב
See here, and here

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Vayehi Binsoi'a & Brich Shmei

As the Aron Kodesh is opened, the congregation recites the pessukim of "ויהי בנסוע" and the Aramaic paragraph of "בריך שמיה." When exactly is one supposed to say them, and what if one didn't get a chance to do so when the Aron was opened?
R. Efraim Zalman Margolis, author of "Sha'arei Efraim," a major work on the halachos of krias haTorah, writes: "When they open the ark to take out the Torah, the congregation recites ויהי בנסוע. When they begin to remove the Torah from the Aron, the congregation recites בריך שמיה." Apparently, בריך שמיה is only recited after the Torah has begun its way out of its holy home.
If one didn't recite בריך שמיה then, he should recite it when the Torah is lifted - during hagbah. At that time, the congregation bows to the Torah, befitting the words (of the בריך שמיה liturgy) "...that we bow before Him and before the glory of His Torah..."
שערי אפרים שער י' ס"א עם פתחי שערים שם
ועי' אליה רבה סי' קל"ד סק"ד בשם סדר היום
ועי' שו"ת אגרות משה או"ח ח"ד סי' ע שכתב דמכיון שדין זה אינו מוזכר בראשונים, אין שייך למחות בדבר, ואין מדקדקין, ע"ש
ועי' בשו"ת אז נדברו ח"ח סי' מ"ח (ובספרו בית ברוך על החיי אדם כלל לא ס"ק ר"ז) בענין זה
ועי' בס' דרכי חיים ושלום אות קצ"ו שבעל המנחת אלעזר הי' אומרו כשהי' מונח בארון
See here

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Sit When You Bentch

After one has finished their meal, the Torah tells us to thank Hashem for the food by reciting birkas hamazon. The recital should be said sitting, as this helps increase concentration and focus.
Tosfos brings in the name of R. Moshe Albert (see reference) a hint from the Torah itself for the sitting requirement: The passuk says "ואכלת ושבעת וברכת - and you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall say grace." The latter two words can be split up to read "שב עת ברכת - sit at the time you say grace."
Interesting to note, R. Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, the Ben Ish Chai, would say that this teaches us to sit when we eat as well, as we can understand the hint of "שב עת - sit at the time" as a reference to the word preceding it "ואכלת - when you eat."
תוספות ברכות נא, ב ד"ה והלכתא
אמרי בינה (להבן איש חי) חלק "עושה פלא" פרק ב אות טו
ועי' ספר "תוספות איוורא" למס' סוטה שדן בארוכה בהמובא ששם "אלברט" היא טעות וצ"ל משה מ"איוורא", מגדולי התוספות, רבו של ר' יונה מגרוגדי - בעל עליות דרבינו יונה
See here

Friday, January 21, 2011

Status Switch

The kohen enjoys an elite status even today. He is called up to the Torah first, he gives the special brachah of birchas kohanim, and enjoys other privileges as well. In the times of the Beis Hamikdash, the kohen was most certainly special as he was privileged with the holy task of the daily service.
The levi'im too were special, as they were charged with the job of singing in the Beis Hamidash, but they don't compare to their elite brethren.
Kayin was the first born son; after him came Hevel. Kaballah explains that Kayin was conceived in sin, and as such, the privilege of kehunah was taken away from the first-born and given to the kohen. It is explained further that the levi shares the same spiritual components as the first-born.
Thus, when Moshiach comes, things will change. At that time, the sin of Kayin will be purged, and so, the kohanim will be downgraded to the status of levi'im and the levi'im (representative of the first-born) will be upgraded to their rightful status of kohanim.
לקוטי תורה מהאריז"ל יחזקאל
See here

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Say it With Song

It is an age-old custom for the kohanim to recite the brachah of birchas kohanim with a melody. There are various melodies in different communities, each according to their tradition.
Accompanying the brachah with song is no small matter. In fact, when the Torah records the commandment of Hashem to Moshe to bless the Jews, He tells him "...speak to children of Aharon... אמור להם - say to them." The word "אמור" is written out in full - with the ו. As such, the gematriah of the word is 247, the same gematriah as the word "זמר - song."
פענח רזא פ' נשא עה"פ דבר אל אהרן... אמור להם
ועי' בטור סי' קכ"ח בשם הירושלמי ובב"ח שם
לבוש סי' קכ"ח סכ"ב
ערוך השולחן סי' קכ"ח סל"ה
See here

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

What does "Pilegesh" Mean?

For those who frequent the pages of Gemara or any halachic work, you may have encountered the word "פלגש," commonly translated as "concubine." Where does this word come from?
Many are of the impression that it is a combination of the Aramaic word "פלג - half" and the Hebrew word "אשה - woman/wife." The simple connotation is that such a woman is not a "full" wife, but only "half" a wife (for various reasons: either because she does not receive a kesubah or because she is not intended for procreation, see references.)
In a similar vein, albeit slightly different, the Malbim explains that the word is really "פלג" half, and the extra "ש" is a common linguistic phenomenon where an extra letter is added at the end of the word (like "ערפל" from "ערף" or "שקערורות" from "שקע," etc.)
שפתי חכמים לרש"י בראשית כה, ו אות ר
מלבי"ם "התורה והמצוה" לספרא אות פט
ועי' חומש "תורה מאירה" (לר' מאיר מאירי) בראשית כב, כד בשם ר' וואלף הידנהימר
ועי' שאלת יעב"ץ ח"ב ריש סי' ט"ו
See here

Monday, January 17, 2011

During Davening...

Have you ever gotten stuck with a chazzan that decided to get carried away with some songs - what should you do? Too busy to sit around and do nothing?
Well, the Mahari"l was a very busy man, so he figured out what to do in such a scenario. His students write that he would regularly bring a Tur (a major work of halachah) to shul and would learn from it while the chazzan would prolong the niggunim. If the chazzan decided to go for a long kedushah or kaddish complete with musical renditions, the Mahari"l would refer to his handy Tur to pass the time constructively.
Don't think the Mahari"l wasn't into the piyutim recited during davening. Not at all; he was very careful to say "krovetz" with the minyan, and would even reprimand his students that didn't do so and chose to learn a Tosfos instead.
מנהגים (מהרי"ל) הל' תפילה
ועי' מקור חיים (לבעל החוות יאיר) סוף סי' ס"ח מה שפירש בהנהגת המהרי"ל
See here

Thursday, January 13, 2011

"Shalom Aleichem!"

Every month, when we bless the moon during "Kiddush Levanah," there is a social element included in the nussach: we make sure to say "Shalom Aleichem" three times to three different people?
Why was Kiddush Levanah chosen as an appropriate time to socialize?
1. Witnessing the open hand of Hashem in the waxing and the waning of the moon is similar to witnessing the Shechinah. As such, we greet the arriving Shechinah with a heart "Shalom Aleichem!"
2. The reason why the moon is smaller than the sun is due to the moon's case that she made against the sun. The moon was unhappy with the dual reign of her and the sun and thus complained to Hashem that two kings cannot reign under the same crown. Hashem duly responded; He minimized the moon. So, when we bless the moon, to avoid any further prosecutions, we ensure to prominently declare the peace and co-existence that reigns supreme between us Jews.
לבוש או"ח סי' תכ"ו ס"א ובאלי' רבה שם סק"ד בשם האריז"ל
ועי' שם בהגהות מוהר"א אזולאי סק"ה בשם ספר מטה משה
See here

Monday, January 10, 2011

Minchah After Shkiah

R. Yaakov ben Moshe Levi Moelin, the Mahari"l, among many other capacities, headed a Yeshivah and gave a shiur to the bachurim there. At times, the shiur would extend past shkiah and close to nightfall - tzeis hakochavim. Although the official time for Minchah had technically already passed, the Mahari"l would instruct his students - himelf included - to daven Minchah. He supported this practice from Talmudic sources and claimed that he had this as a tradition from his esteemed teacher, R. Shalom.
Similarly, R. Chaim Vital acknowledged that the Ariza"l was also known to daven Minchah at the time of shkiah, even on Friday night. Not only that, but he would ensure to recite both the silent Amidah and its repetition even at that late hour.
R. Moshe Sofer, the Chassam Sofer was known to daven Minchah even later than they did in the Chassidic town of Sighet...
מנהגים (מהרי"ל) הל' תפילה אות ה
שלמי צבור (אלגאזי) דיני תפילת מנחה סי' ב' ס"ג
ועי' שו"ת שאגת ארי' סי' י"ז באריכות ע"ד ההלכה
ועי' ספר פתח הדביר (פונטרימולי) פתיחה להל' מנחה סי' רל"ב בשם ספר כוכב מיעקב
ועי' שו"ת דברי יציב או"ח סי' צ"ח-צ"ט
See here
See here

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Dreams and Birchas Kohanim

While the Kohanim recite the last few words of Birchas Kohanim, there is an age-old custom to recite a special petition, imploring Hashem to annul any bad dreams that we may have dreamed. (שו"ע או"ח סי' ק"ל מברכות נה, ב)
What's the connection between Birchas Kohanim and dreams; why was this time picked specifically for this request?
A dream is considered one-sixtieth of prophecy (ברכות נז, ב). While bestowing the brachah upon the congregation, the Kohanim are considered to be full-fledged prohets, as the Shechinah "peers through the cracks" of their raised, blessing-giving hands. As such, it is a most appropriate time to nullify one's negative dreams, using the classic one-to-sixty halachic nullifying ratio, "batel beshishim."
נועם אלימלך פ' תרומה, הובא בס' טעמי המנהגים ע' ט"ו "עניני נשיאת כפים" ס"ק קכ"ד
ועי' דברי המדרש שיר השירים רבה עה"פ "מציץ מן החרכים" - ב,ט. הובא בטור סי' קכ"ח
ועי' עוד בענין השכינה מציץ מן החרכים בטעמי המנהגים הנ"ל אות קכ"ב בשם השבלי הלקט
See here

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Who's "Zevad-yah?"

Following the completion of hallel on Rosh Chodesh, many have the custom to recite the passuk "ואברהם זקן בא בימים..." followed by the mention of "Zevad-yah," that He should guard us and give us life, etc.
Where does this come from and who is "Zevad-yah?"
R. Avraham Dovid Lavat in his book "Sha'ar Hakollel" (סי' ל"ז סק"ט-י) says that this is not found in any of the works of the Ariza"l, and for this reason, the Alter Rebbe in Siddur writes that "there are those accustomed to saying the following."
Where does it indeed originate?
R. Emanuel Chai Riki, a late seventeenth century Kabbalist, authored a sefer on kabbalah entitled "Mishnas Chassidim." There he writes that if one wishes long life, they should say the above mentioned passuk after hallel. He continues to explain that the first letter of each of the words of this passuk spell out a unique name of Hashem - "זבדי-ה": The ז of זקן, the ב of בא, the מ of the word בימים is switched with the letter ד (according to the cheshbon of איק, בכר), and the final two letters "י-ה" from Hashem's name mentioned next in the passuk.
He concludes that the name should be pronounced "Zevud-yah" - with a קמץ under the ב. The spelling with a פתח appears as a man's name in עזרא ח, ח.
משנת חסידים מסכת ראש חודש פ"ב מ"ו-ז
ויש אומרים שהוא שם מלאך, עי' שער הכולל שם ובספר כף החיים סי' ה' סק"י בשם האריז"ל
See here

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

It's Already Yemos Hamoshiach

...Speaking about Birkas Hamazon, the Munkacser Rebbe stated that the correct nusach at the end is "May Hashem grant us with the coming of Moshiach" as opposed to many other versions which read "...with the days of Moshiach," for we are already holding by the "days of Moshiach;" what we are waiting for now is the coming of Moshiach. Especially in the past half-century since the times of the Ariza"l, surely the "days of Moshiach" have arrived, and now is a most appropriate time for his actual coming.
דרכי חיים ושלום אות שט
See here

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Saying "Harachaman Hu Yevarecih es Avi..." Posthumously

Many Siddurim have the words "May the merciful one bless my father the master of this house along with my mother, mistress of this house..." as the stock nusach during the last brachah of Birkas Hamazon. Should one continue to say these words after their parents have passed on?
R. Chaim Elazar Shapira, the Munkacser Rebbe, would indeed say the above words even after his parent's passing. He said that his grandfather, R. Shlomo Shapira, the "Shem Shlomo," instructed his son, R. Zvi Hersh Shapira, author of "Darkei Teshuvah," to do so. He explained that Chaza"l proclaim that we are to respect people, both the living and the opposite thereof. Additionally, our parents still need the blessings now in the highest of all Heavens.
דרכי חיים ושלום אות ש"ח
עי' באג"ק כ"ק אדמו"ר הריי"ץ ח"א ע' רג
ועי' בספר השיחות תרח"ץ ריש ע' 262
See here

Monday, January 3, 2011

G-dly Writing on All Six Sides

The Gemara Yerushalmi (ירושלמי שקלים פ"ו סוה"א) brings an argument of Tannaim regarding the writing on the Luchos. Some say there were 5 commandments on each tablet. some say 10 one each, some count 20, and others reckon even 40 on each side!
The commentators grapple with this baffling Gemara. R. Yaakov Ibn Chaviv, author of the famed compilation of Aggadic texts "Ein Yaakov" writes a long treatise on this Gemara (עין יעקב ח"ב בסוף, ירושלמי שקלים פ"ו פיסקא ל), concluding with a detailed drawing of exactly how it looked.
The Ein Yaakov's approach is a more pragmatic approach, taking the words of the sages literally as an argument and explaining it so. R. Menachem Azarya of Fano (עשרה מאמרות ח"ב פ"כ) vehemently argues with R. Chaviv, claiming that his depiction is foolish "and any child (not G-d) could have written that!" He takes a different approach, claiming that this was a G-dly writing completely incomprehensible to the human mind. He explains that all four opinions agree how it was written, rather they are referring to different aspects of it:
The Luchos were 6x3 tefachim. On every 3-tefachim side (4 total), 5 commandments were written. On the larger 6-tefachim sides (2 total), 10 commandments were written. Thus, when the two tablets were placed alongside each other on their "shorter" sides, 10 commandments total could be read. However, if you count the commanments written on the big side of each tablet, each had 10. If you count BOTH long sides, each had 20. If you count ALL sides, each had 40. Thus, anyone present - no matter where he was standing - could see all 10 commandments from G-d.
עשרה מאמארות ח"ב ממאמר חקור הדין פ"כ
ועי' תיו"ט אבות פ"ה מ"ו
See here