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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Community Leaders - More Honorable Than Torah Scholars

Every Jewish community has leaders that tend to the practical conduct of the community and its needs. This has been a system in place for many, many years. Such people that donate of themselves to this noble cause are worthy of respect. In fact, they are considered to be "עוסק במצוה" - involved in a mitzvah, and are exempt from certain other obligations.
In fact, their honor supersedes the honor of a Torah scholar: The Gemara (קידושין לג, א) states that workers are not to rise for the honor of a Torah scholar while working. The Gemara then asks from the law that states that even workers must rise before the people that bring bikkurim to Yerushalayim and ask of their welfare? The Gemara answers that indeed this is so: a worker is obligated to rise before the people bringing bikkurim and not a Torah scholar. On this the Gemara comments "see how cherished the mitzvos are at the time they are being performed for one has to rise before the bikkurim-bringers (as they are actively performing a mitzvah at that time) and is not obligated to do so for a Torah scholar (who is not actively performing a mitzvah while passing by)."
It follows that the community leaders, at the time that they are performing their communal tasks, are to be considered actively performing a mitzvah and their honor is greater than that of a Torah scholar.
שו"ת מוה"ר יעקב הלוי כלל ה' סי' צ"ח, הובא דבריו בקיצור בש"ך חו"מ סי' ת"כ סק"ט
ועי' בשו"ע או"ח סי' צ"ג ס"ד בנוגע לחיובי עוסקי בצרכי ציבור
See here

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Egyptian Customs of Old

Swearing falsely is a very serious thing in Judaism. To explain the severity of a false oath, the Ibn Ezra elaborates that by swearing, one connects their word to Hashem, and thus if it is not fulfilled, he has openly profaned G-d's name. To demonstrate this idea, the Ibn Ezra continues, "the custom of the Egyptian people to this day is if a person swears by the head of the king and does not fulfill his word, he is killed. Even if he gives his weight in gold, he is not spared, for he has publicly embarrassed the king...
"If the Jews had only this one sine to account for, it would be sufficient reason for the length of this bitter exile and to heap more wounds upon the ones we already suffer from..."
אבן אזרע שמות כ, ו

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Cutting the Edge of the Bread

Many people are accustomed to cutting off the edge of a loaf bread before eating it claiming that eating it causes "one to forget."
R. Chaim Kanievski, author of "ספר זכרון," an entire pamphlet on matters that cause forgetfulness and things that help memory was asked many times if this is true and he said no. In his father's house they would eat the edges of the bread. (ספר דולה ומשקה ע' שס"ב. הליכות חיים ח"ב אות קיא)
However, R Yitzchak Weiss, Dayan of Manchester and subsequently the Eidah Hachareidis in Jerusalem, was asked this question and replied that although there is no source, so is the widespread custom and it should not be treated lightly. He personally was careful with it. (שו"ת מנחת יצחק ח"ט סי' ח אות ז)
Two possible explanations for this custom:
1. The Torah strictly warns us not to eat any "Orlah," which in a broader sense can refer to the powers of kelipah that are vested in the edges of the bread according to kaballah. (טעמי המנהגים אות קע"ו בהגה)
2. It is stated that anyone who does not leave over some bread on his table does not ever see brachah in his life. (שו"ע או"ח סי' ק"פ ס"ב). Mindful of this, people were careful to leave over the end of the bread, and from this the custom developed. (שו"ת משנה הלכות חי"א סי' קמ"ח)
ועי' בשו"ת משנה הלכות שם שנותן טעם לשבח למה זה גורם לשכחה
ועי' בספר "זכר עשה" (אוהב ציון, ירושלים תשס"ז) פרק ו אות קמט שפוסק שאין להזהר בזה
See here, and here, and here

Monday, March 28, 2011

Why Do Jews Sway?

Jews always sway. In Yiddish it's called "shukling," and praying or learning, Jews are always rocking and swaying. Why?
This is actually one of the questions that the Kuzari posed to the author in the famous treatise "The Kuzari." He asked: "I will ask of you, why do the Jews sway when they read Hebrew?"
The author replied: "They say it is to arouse the natural fervor. I personally do not think so, rather it developed circumstantially. It often happened that many people - ten or more - would gather together and read from the same text. This is why our books were quite large. Because the book lay on the ground, inevitably one would have to bend forward to see a word, and afterwards his friend, and so on. This was the original reason. Then it became a habit through constant seeing, observing and imitating, which is in man's nature..."
כוזרי מאמר ב אות פ
ועי' במפרשים שם
See here

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Why is Your Blood Redder?

Jewish law is unequivocal about murder: it's not allowed under any circumstance, even to save one's own life. Rava (סנהדרין עד, א) said that the reason is logical "what do you see that makes your blood more red than of the other person?" i.e. who says that he is any less worthy of life than you; as such, one must take a passive stance and let themselves be killed rather than actively kill someone else.
The Chinuch has a rather interesting way of explaining this logic:
"Perhaps the other person [whom the first person is being forced to kill at the risk of losing his own life] may be able to perform more mitzvos than you..."
חינוך מצוה רצ"ו

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Don't Search Too Hard

Before we make hamotzi on the challos Friday night, you may notice a widespread custom that the person doing so passes the knife over the bread and makes a mark; afterwards he recites the brachah and cuts on that mark.
The Magen Avraham (מג"א סי' רע"ד סק"א) brings this custom in the name of the Ba"ch and the Maharsh"al. The commentators (מחצית השקל על המג"א שם) explain that this is done to minimize the "hefsek," the interruption, between making the brachah and cutting the bread: Being that the decision of where to cut is already made, the duration of time in between is minimized.
It would thus seem futile and counter productive to scrutinizingly check for a faint mark made on the bread; cutting in the general area is the idea.
Indeed:
"...I heard from my grandfather R. Moshe Tzvi Na'ah, the Rov of Kalisk that the Tzemach Tzedek was one time speaking of a unnecessary meticulous practice of certain people. He jokingly remarked that it looks similar to those who search around for the mark on the bread... The Chassidim understood that there is no need to search for the mark."
קצות השלחן סי' פ"ב סק"ח
ועי' שם שמסביר הנהגה זו ע"פ הלכה
See here

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Machtzis Hashekel After Purim

As mentioned before, there is an obligation to give a replica "machtzis hashekel" on the day before Purim (רמ"א סי' תרצ"ד ס"א). Why specifically then was explained here.
What if someone forgot to give it and Purim has already passed - can they still make it up afterwards?
The source of the machtzis hashekel is the half shekel that every Jew would give to the Beis Hamikdash. The time the Mishnah gives for this is the month of Adar. [See Rambam (רמב"ם הל' שקלים פ"א ה"ט) for a detailed description of how the process spanned the entire month.] Thus, if one has the whole month to remember this idea, even after Purim.
Not only that, but they can fulfill their obligation to give machtzis hashekel the entire year until Rosh Chodesh Nissan of the following year. Thus, if one forgot to give machtzis hashekel before Purim of 5771, they can give it until Rosh Chodesh Nissan of 5772.
שו"ת אבני ישפה (פיינהנדלר) ח"א סי' קל"ג
ועי' אורחות חיים (כהנא) סי' תרצ"ד סק"ב
See here

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Rama Also Dressed Up On Purim

Everyone knows about getting dressed up on Purim - it's part and parcel of the holiday. The first mention of this is the 15th century Italian Posek R. Moshe Mintz who responded in a teshuvah (תשובות מהר"י מינץ סי' י"ז) that it is not a problem for men to dress as women and vice versa on Purim being that it's only done for the festivities.
The Rama brought popularity to this minhag by including it in his glosses to Shulchan Aruch (רמ"א סי' תרצ"ו ס"ח). The Rama didn't stop there:
"I heard a story about the Rama that he died at age 33 years old, on the 33rd day of the Omer, and he wrote 33 books. The one eulogizing him recounted 32 praises and was troubled that he couldn't find another praise to complete the number to 33. A certain elderly man came and related to him that the Rama was accustomed to to wear a mask and a costume every Purim and would shout out to every house that 'Ma'ariv is on time.' This was his 33rd praise."
לב העברי (שליזנגר) עמוד ד אות ג
See here

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Machtzis Hashekel

Why do we specifically give the machtzis hashekel on Ta’anis Esther before Purim if the whole month of Adar is the time given in the Mishnah for the donation?
There are several reasons given:
1. In order to proximate it to the fast and attain the atonement that the tzedakah achieves. (כף החיים סי' תרצ"ד ס"ק כ"ה)
2. As a remembrance of the merit of the machtzis hashekel that the Jews gave in the time of Purim: The Megillah relates that Haman offered Achashveirosh 10,000 silver gulden if he would agree to his diabolical plan to eradicate the Jews. Achashveirosh agreed. On this the Gemara (מגילה יג, ב) comments “Hashem knew that Haman was going to give forth shekalim (the terminology used in the Megillah), so Hashem proceeded their (the Jew’s) shekel’s to his (Haman’s) shekel’s. This is why we are commanded to give shekalim from Rosh Chodesh Adar.” We thus see a clear reference to the Jews giving machtzik hashekel in that time.
Now, during the times of the story of Purim, the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed and they were therefore not obligated to give the machtzis hashekel; nonetheless, they went beyond the letter of the law and gave it. In the merit of this pious conduct, the Jews merited salvation. To commemorate this idea, we give the machtzis hashekel right before Purim.
שו"ת דברי יציב או"ח סי' רצ"ג
See here

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Letters From Heaven

The Midrash (בראשית רבה ב, ו) comments on the verse "and they mourned for Ya'akov 70 days - these are the days between the letters."
The commentaries ad loc explain this as a reference to the time span from the letter of annihilation sent out by Haman (of the story of Purim) on the 13 of Nissan until the letter rescinding the decree sent by Mordechai 70 days letter on 23 Sivan.
The question arises, what is the connection between the weeping of the Egyptians to the duration of the decree against the Jews of Persia?
In light of yesterday's post about "Pa'aroh the G-d Lover," we can understand this Midrash entirely different: It is known (שמות רבה ט, יב) that every plague in Egypt lasted three weeks with a week of respite in between, thus amounting to 70 days of respite for all ten plagues. Now, in light of yesterday's post that coins the plagues as "letters," we can understand the words of "between the letters" to mean "between each plague."
יערות דבש ח"ב דרוש ב
See here

Monday, March 14, 2011

Pa'aroh the G-d Lover

"When Pa'aroh sent out the [Jewish] people, who screamed 'woe'? Pa'aroh!
A parable: A prince traveled abroad and resided by a certain wealthy man who received him most generously. When the king found out exactly where and with who his son was, he sent the wealthy man letters requesting him to send his son back home. He sent a letter once, twice, thrice, until he finally went personally to fetch his son. Thereafter, the wealthy man started screaming and bemoaning the fact that the king's son had left his home. His neighbors asked him "why do you scream?"
He replied "As long as the king's son was with me, I was honored by regularly receiving letters from the king and by the mere fact that I was needed by the king; now that he is gone, the king needs me no more; I am nothing!"
So did Pa'aroh say "So long the Jews were with me, G-d needed me and regularly sent me letters, as it says 'So did G-d say send my people;'" Pa'aroh would hear these words from Moshe and did not want to send them. When G-d descended upon Egypt to redeem His children as it says "and I descended to save them from the hands of Egypt," Pa'aroh started to scream "Woe that I sent out the Jews!"
מדרש רבה (וילנא) שמות כ, ז
See here

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Lines in a Sefer Torah

There are various opinions as to how many lines there should be on a regular page of a Sefer Torah and to what they correspond. The Tur (יו"ד סי' ער"ה) brings different customs, stating a range of 48 (corresponding to the journeys of the Jews in the desert) to 60 (corresponding to the 600,000 Jews). He then brings the opinion of R. Yehuda of Barcelona that it should be 42 lines corresponding to the word “בם.”
The principle source for the number of lines is the “small” Mesechta of “Sofrim” which mentions that it should be 42 lines corresponding to the journeys of the Jews in the desert. The source of the Tur who mentions that it should be 48 lines correspondent to the same thing is from a responsa of the Mahara”m of Rothenberg. This begs the question – if the source says 42 lines, and looking in the Torah one will see that this is indeed the case, how could he say that it’s 48 lines/journeys?
It must be that the Mahara”m is including the travels the Jews did in retreat after Aharon's death, which are technically not counted as part of the 42.
פרישה יו"ד סי' ער"ה סקי"ג-י"ד

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Seudas Mitzvah by a Bris

One should make a festive meal by a Bris Milah. The Rama"h writes that this meal is called a seudas mitzvah (רמ"א יו"ד סי' רס"ה סי"ב). As such, it should be celebrated appropriately, with a befitting repast; preferably with meat. There are Poskim that rule that if one does not serve meat, he has not fulfilled his obligation. (מג"א סי' רמ"ט סק"ו ובמחצית השקל שם).
R. Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Apta, know as the "Apta Rov" and author of "Ohev Yisrael" noted that people were lax in this and sufficed with serving only coffee by the Bris Milahs they would make. He remarked "I don't see how an appropriate child will grow from the coffee-bris..."
ברית אבות סי' י"ג אות א
ועי' מגדל עוז (יעב”ץ) נחל התשיעי יאור י”ז אות ג
See here

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Al Naharos Bavel Before Bentching

The Zohar (קנז, ב) states that one who partakes of a meal and enjoys the food should remember the holy land and the destroyed Temple. Therefore, the wide-spread custom is to recite the Psalm "On the banks of the rivers of Babylon..." which mourns the destruction of the Temple prior to reciting Birkas Hamazon. (מג"א סי' א' סק"ה)
Now, this custom is - as its title indicates - is not more than a custom. However, R. Moshe ben Machir, 16th century sage of Tzfas, in his famous work "Seder Hayom" shares an allusion to this idea from the chapter in Tehillim itself: The chapter that directly proceeds it contains the following words near its conclusion "He who gives bread to all living beings." It is reasonable that the following chapter of "On the banks of the rivers of Babylon..." should be juxtaposed to Birkas Hamazon which is recited over bread.
סדר היום ריש זכר החורבן וחיבו הלמוד בשעת אכילה וסדר ברהמ"ז
See here

Monday, March 7, 2011

What's the Definition of "Beauty"?

The Kohen Gadol was supposed to be the "greatest of his brethren," surpassing them in - as the Rambam writes - "beauty, power, wealth, wisdom, and appearance."
Defining the exact difference between "beauty" and "appearance," R. Yosek Korkos writes a brilliantly detailed description of what beauty and charm mean:
"'Beauty' is the beauty of the face while 'appearance' is the [general] beauty of the entire being, what in our language is called 'presence.' This is also [a reference] to the charm of his figure, for there are people with a beautiful figure yet they do not charm their viewers, nor do they have a majesty to their face, and they do not impose fear upon those who behold them."
מהר"י קורקוס לרמב"ם מהל' כלי המקדש ריש פ"ה
ועי' במשרת משה (עטייה) על הרמב"ם שם שמפרש ע"פ הפסוק גבי יוסף יפה תואר ויפה מראה, ע"ש

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Is a Convert Really a New Person?

A well known rule is the rule of the convert: "גר שנתגייר כקטן שנולד דמי - a convert is like a newborn child." (יבמות סב, ב. ובכ"מ) A practical halachic application of this is the din that according to the Torah, a convert may marry his former siblings, as they no longer have any genealogical ties. Only the Rabbis prohibited it. (שו"ע יו"ד סי' רס"ט ס"א)
The Chasam Sofer (חידושים על הש"ס ע"ז סה, א ד"ה אקילו ביה רבנן) writes that "I toiled very hard, yet have not found the source from where the Rabbis deduced this and Biblically permitted a convert to marry his siblings..."
Well, here's an idea: When the Jews told Moshe that they cannot handle hearing the word of G-d directly from Him and requested Moshe to be their intermediary, Hashem aceded to their requested stating "Go and tell them 'return to your tents.'" (דברים ה, כז) Now, a "tent" is a home, or in Talmudic terms, the wife. Hashem was telling them to return to their wives from whom they had separated for the duration of the Giving of the Torah.
These wives were not necessarily permitted by Biblical law. Why, Amram - Moshes's father - was married to his aunt! Yet, Hashem instructed the Jews to resume matrimonial ties with these women. From here we see that a convert - as the Jews were after receiving the Torah - is like a new man and permitted to marry his kin.
משך חכמה דברים ה, כז
ועי' בלבוש יו"ד ריש סי' רס"ט "אמרו חז"ל הדעת נותן" שמדבריו משמע שהיא מסברא, וצ"ע
See here

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Threefold Blessing

The Birchas Kohanim mentioned in the Torah "יברכך... יאר... ישא" is referred to as the "ברכה המשולשת - the threefold blessing." The simple explanation thereof is due to its composition of three pessukim which contain three distinct blessings.
Another interesting way of looking at it: The Gemara (ברכות ח, א-ב) says that a person should read the Parshah twice in Hebrew and once with Targum (Aramaic) "even the words עטרות ודיבן." Rashi explains that these words do not have an Aramaic translation. Indeed, the halachah states that such pessukim should be read three times in Hebrew, the third time in Hebrew replacing the missing Aramaic. (שו"ע סי' רפ"ה ס"א ובמשנ"ב שם סק"ג)
In light of the above, we can easily understand why the pessukim of Birchas Kohanim are labeled "threefold," for they have no Aramaic translation. Thus, we read them in Hebrew three times.
הקדמת בן המחבר דשל"ה הקדוש "עמוד השלום" פכ"ו
See here

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Temporary Mezuzah

If one checks their mezuzah, do they need to put up another one in the interim?
Depends: If one will be checking their mezuzah right away and is actively working on getting it checked, he need not put one up in the meanwhile. If, however, one is concerned about the kashrus of his mezuzah and took it down and is waiting to get it checked (like in days of old that one would wait for a traveling scribe to pass through the village), it depends: if he owns the house, he should put one up; if he rents and it is outside the land of Israel, he could be lenient.
דעת קדושים (מבעל האשל אברהם) סי' רצ"א ס"ב
וכן נפסק בספר "חובת הדר" פ"א ס"ח
ועי' בספר עלי דשא (שפירא) סי' ל"ג עלה ט שדן בזה
See here