Shut SMS #147

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Lubavitcher Rebbe
Q: Was the Lubavitcher Rebbe a prophet?
A: No. But he was a great Torah scholar.

Groom's Dvar Torah
Q: Should we interrupt the Groom's Dvar Torah with singing during the Kabbalat Panim?
A: This is a custom which should be stopped.

Shatnez
Q: Is it permissible in a store to try on a piece of clothing which is doubtful Shatnez?
A: It is permissible, since it is not to wear but only to check the fit.

Religious and Secular
Q: Why are religious and secular Jews always in conflict with one another?
A: There is no "always". 99% of the religious and secular get along just fine. There are individuals, who don't represent anyone but themselves, who try to cause conflict, and the media shows it for all to see.

Segulah against Cancer
Q: Is it true that someone who refrains from speaking Lashon Ha-Ra will not only be cured from cancer, but will not get the disease in the first place?
A: Every Mitzvah brings blessing, and guarding one's tongue certainly helps more than other Segulot, which are not Mitzvot.

Holy Rashi
Q: How is it possible that that Holy Rashi erred in a few places regarding the geography of Eretz Yisrael?
A: 1. This is extremely rare, and everyone errs once in a while. Even the Sanhedrin could make a mistake, and there is a sacrifice mentioned in the Torah for them to bring when they do err. 2. Especially in this case, it is not an error in Torah but an error in the facts, which were inaccurately given to him (See Ramban on Bereshit 35:16 on the location of Kever Rachel that he originally wrote, when he was in the Exile, that it was location in Ramah, but when he came to Eretz Yisrael, he saw with his own eyes that it is in Beit Lechem, near Yerushalayim).

Wedding Changes
Q: [A woman asked:] I am about to get married, and want to be a part of the wedding ceremony. Can I recite Shehechiyanu under the Chupah?
A: Certainly. After you receive the ring recite the blessing quietly. As is known, it is permissible to recite Shehechiyanu quietly since it is said to Hashem and not in order to make a show of it.
Q: Can I recite "Im Eshkachek Yerushalayim" (If I forget you, Jerusalem)?
A: Certainly. When the groom is breaking the glass. It should obviously be said quietly. After all, it is to remember the destruction of the Temple and not in order to make a show of it.
Q: Can my Rebbetzin speak under the Chupah? She is very dear to me.
A: This is also personal, and not to make a display, she should therefore tell you a Dvar Torah in private.

Tattoo
Q: If someone is a Ba’al Teshuvah and has a tattoo from his past, is he obligated to remove it? If he does not do so, is his soul compromised?
A: He is not obligated to do so. It is obviously proper to have it removed but there is no obligation to do so (Shut Lehorot Natan 8:72. Shut Revivot Ephraim 8:308. And see Shut Minchat Yitzchak 3:11 where he rules that a Ba'al Teshuvah is not obligated to remove a tattoo of a naked woman, and the book Ma'a lot Rivka where Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski rules that a Ba'al Teshuvah is not obligated to removed a tattoo of a cross).
Q: Must the tattoo be removed before burial?
A: No.

Lashon Ha-Ra
Q: If Lashon Ha-Ra is so horrible as to be compared to murder, forbidden sexual acts and idol worship, then why isn't it mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch?
A: Thing which are horrible but known to all are not brought in the Shulchan Aruch. For example, murder, forbidden sexual acts and idol worship…

Le-Chaim
Q: Why do we say "Le-Chaim" (To life) before drinking wine?
A: Since they give wine to one who is about to receive capital punishment, so that he will not be overly frightened.

12-Step Programs
Q: Is it permissible to join a 12-step program designed to wean people off an addiction?
A: Yes. It is a very good method.

Young Women Singing at a Wedding
Q: The custom is that the bride's friends sit around her and sing together in the wedding hall, and the men hear it. What should be done?
A: The young women should certainly sing in a place where the men cannot hear. If the men do hear, they should leave that area if possible. During the time when the men daven, they should ask them to stop singing.

Red Shirt
Q: Is it permissible for a man or woman to wear a red shirt?
A: No. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, chap. 3. Or any other loud, immodest color.

Non-Jew Eating from the Korban Pesach

[Commentary on the Haggadah]

One Pesach a certain non-Jew came to the Land of Israel from Babylonia pretending to be a Jew, and ate from the Pesach sacrifice. He returned home and boasted how he had deceived the Jews and ate the best portions of the Pesach sacrifice. Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira asked him: "Did they give you the fatty tail to eat?" "No," he replied. The Rabbi said: "If so, next time you have to ask for it, because this is the best part." This non-Jew obviously didn’t know that we do not eat this part, though it is sacrificed on the altar. The next year he went again to Jerusalem, and requested the fatty tail! They were shocked and asked him where he learned to ask for this part of the sacrifice. He told them that Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira told him. They sensed what was hidden in his words. They investigated and discovered that he was in fact a non-Jew and killed him. They sent a message to Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira: You are in the city of Netzivim, but your trap worked in Jerusalem (Pesachim 3b).

Why did they kill him? While it is forbidden for a non-Jew to eat from the Pesach sacrifice, as it is written, "any foreigner may not eat from it" (Shemot 12:43. Mechilta
ibid.), it is not one of the seven mitzvot of the non-Jews for which they receive capital punishment.
The commentators answer this question in various ways:
1. He stole a kezayit (an olive-size piece) of the Pesach sacrifice, and a non-Jew who steals that is liable for death. This is similar to a non-Jew who learns Torah and is liable for death (Rabbi Akiva Schleshinger, Mishnato shel Rabbi Akiva #14). The difficulty with this answer, however, is that he is liable for death by Heaven and not by a Beit Din (court). Rabbi Schlesinger explains: "A Beit Din strikes and punishes for non-Torah transgressions (Yevamot 4b), in order to prevent all breaches - in particular for attacks in matters of the Temple (ibid.).
2. Rav Kook explained that they killed him according to a temporary ruling, because of the desecration of Hashem’s Name (Tuv Ra’ayah, Pesachim).
3. Rav Zvi Hirsch Chayot (Maharatz Chayot) answered that this incident occurred after the destruction of the Temple. The Tosafot already ask: Why didn't Rabbi Yehudah ben Beteira himself make the pilgrimage? They give various answers: He did not own land in Israel, he was elderly and had no strength to ascend, or he was outside of Israel (Tosafot, Pesachim 3b). According to the Maharatz Chayot, this occurred after the destruction of the Temple when there was no obligation to offer sacrifices, and only individuals continued this practice. During this time, the non-Jewish authorities trailed the Jews, because of the fear that they would revolt. The Jews were concerned that the authorities would interpret the offering of the sacrifice and its consumption in a group as an organization to revolt. They therefore did it in secret. They feared that this non-Jew would inform against them to the authorities about the offering of the Pesach sacrifice. The authorities would smell the odor of rebellion in this act and would kill them. This was a case of saving lives, and they therefore decided to get rid of this non-Jew (kuntres "Avodat Ha-Mikdash"). My grandfather and my teacher, Rav Meir Flam, explained that perhaps the Jews combined the offering of the Pesach sacrifice and the organizing of the rebellion, and they therefore did not want the non-Jew to be in the vicinity.

Ode to Religious Zionism

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah – Vaera 5772 – translated by R. Blumberg]

Since its inception, Religious Zionism has been the living fulfillment of what Maran Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Cohain Kook, its chief spiritual leader, said about himself:
"I am forever caught between two pathways, for on the one hand, I seek to establish peace and brotherhood between the older generation that is G-d-fearing and steeped in Torah learning... while on the other hand I seek to spread the love of G-d and Jewish faith and practice amongst the young people who are coming to settle the Holy Land, such that it will be to G-d's liking. I thus seek to fulfill the scriptural admonition, ‘Love truth and harmony’ (Zechariah 8:19).” (Orach Mishpat 254)
Such indeed is the intent of the “Religious Zionist” movement, as its name implies.
This movement does not involve two separate matters joined together artificially, but one cohesive matter whose strands are all woven together. Zionism, after all, is itself Torah.
But that itself is the very source of a problem. Many Jews dwelling in Zion interpret this holy combination negatively. Some view the Torah positively and the Jewish State negatively, while others do the opposite. Thus, Religious Zionism has gotten used to having stones thrown at it from both right and left. Surprisingly, however, these attacks do not weaken it, and do not dilute its numbers. Quite the contrary, the movement is on the rise and is blossoming, and the more it is oppressed, the more it grows and burgeons. Presently, Religious Zionism claims more than 10% of the Jews in our country, and its educational and ideological influence goes far beyond its relative numbers. This strength derives from two factors:
1. The constant attacks preserve it from extremism and exaggeration, and bring about a blessing.
2. Most of the time, the accusations are false and nonsensical. That is good news, for if the accusations are off target, it’s a clear sign that there are no relevant accusations to be made.
Thus, Religious Zionism is not overly excited by the attacks. Rather, it continues along its sure path. An example of this is the recent media attack – which some claim was orchestrated – whose exaggerated statistics cannot cover up its low quality.
There is a very wide range of attacks, some new and some recycled, like “exclusion of women” in society in general and in the army in particular; religious extremism and religious coercion; going too far with a Torah slant in the schools, boy-girl and men-women separation; and modesty. Obviously, these come from the liberal side of the national map.
The claims made in the news are a marvelous example of the media’s transformation of isolated occurrence into gross overgeneralizations.
Example 1: An isolated group of military cadets left the hall to avoid women singing.
Whether they were right or in error, it should be noted that they didn’t yell, curse or malign anyone. They didn’t harm the event. They just quietly left the room so as not to bother others and in order to show them respect. The whole thing was much ado about nothing.
Example 2: Several dozen young people broke into an army base and stoned officers serving in our armed forces. Certainly this is a heinous, shameful act, but, once more, it was nothing but the act of isolated, fringe individuals who represent no one but themselves.
That’s what we said: Tell me what you’re being attacked for and I’ll tell you who you are.
And that righteous institution, Religious Zionism, instead of responding with fierce attacks against their accusers (in order to discount their claims) chose rather to defend itself by endlessly apologizing, humbly fulfilling the Talmud’s words, “If your fellowman calls you a donkey, put a saddle on your back” (Baba Kamma 92b). In other words, accept what he says. This patient, tolerant approach of Religious Zionism does not derive from weakness. Quite the contrary, it derives from the valor and fortitude to stand fast. Our movement has long been inured to all sorts of attempts at delegitimization. Therefore, it carries on with its strong spirit, without cursing or insulting anyone…quietly, with self-assurance.
The same may be said regarding all of the attempts, from within and from without, to divide us.
None of these succeed at all. Neither do all the stubborn efforts to create divisiveness, attempted by all sorts of ephemeral bodies within Religious Zionism.
It’s obvious that Religious Zionism is enormously eclectic. After all, as noted above, it tiptoes between the pathways. Between Zionism and religiousness there are many pathways, a great many differences of opinion in various spheres: the Jewish State; the army; redemption; loyalty to the State; Torah study; university; Eretz Yisrael; modesty; mixed society; innovation in Torah rulings…yet all of these differences are null and void compared to our common ground, which is infinitely greater than what divides us. And what is that common ground? The Nation’s rebirth in its Land according to the Torah
For Religious Zionism, working towards harmony is not the result of an effort but is built into its very existence. After all, in the eyes of Religious Zionism, Zionism is religious by its very nature, even if people far removed from Torah are partners in it. They, too, are emissaries of G-d even if they, themselves, deny this. Complex, intricate cooperation with secular Jews flows for Religious Zionists in a natural manner. The movement is noted for its creative tolerance, towards the Charedim, the secular, the right, the left, and certainly towards all the sub-streams within Religious Zionism. How remarkable is its loving relationship with its children who have moved away from Torah, yet who are its own flesh.
Therefore, it is no wonder that all sorts of funds and non-Israeli organizations aiming to make Israel a “state of all its citizens” (as opposed to a Jewish State) work so hard to weaken and to split Religious Zionism, since they view it as the greatest glue and the greatest guarantee of the nation’s unity in its Jewishness. They invest large-scale resources and efforts to unravel Religious Zionism, to make its worldview more pluralistic and less Jewish – and nothing works for them. Even their attempts to empower various minor bodies within Religious Zionism in a centripetal direction have gained nothing. The centrifugal force is infinitely stronger.
Religious Zionism is holding to its own pathway without diverging from it, and despite all the winds blowing against it, it is becoming stronger, both in its Zionism and in its religiosity. It is producing more and more volunteers out of its ranks to combat units and to the officers’ corps. In the last Officers’ Training Program, Religious Zionists composed 40% of the group, and the synagogue on base is packed to the hilt on Shabbat. And all this is a result of an idealistic education. The vision of Ha-Rav Neriah, who said, “We shall establish yeshivot everywhere,” is being fulfilled before our eyes. And of course there are also intensive girls’ religious high schools [“Ulpanot”] and post -high school seminaries and religious colleges for girls.
Every attempt to disqualify the Religious Zionists ends up in failure. All the arguments that claim that Religious Zionism is insufficiently enlightened, or, alternately, not sufficiently pure, don’t succeed in confusing anyone. The Religious Zionist public is getting bigger and bigger, and its light is growing stronger. Obviously, things are not perfect, but all in all they’re good. Even very good, from a moral, religious, educational or nationalist standpoint. There is little criminality and little licentiousness. There is a very strong moral sense.
And in fact, apart from a few minor accusers, Religious Zionism has earned high esteem in Israel and throughout the world, and it has an influence on the life of the Nation that far exceeds its numbers. Actually, Religious Zionism almost always sets the national agenda – apart from several painful failures. Yet such is life. You don’t always succeed. Religious Zionism does not get overly excited over all those who are trying to confuse it. It is sure of its path, and the fact that there are difficulties is not due to their being on the wrong path, but due to their not yet having reached the end of the way. Religious Zionism constantly and relentlessly engages in self-criticism, with great sincerity and with an ongoing effort to improve itself. It doesn’t need outside criticism for this to occur. Likewise, it is not alarmed by all sorts of attacks against it. It is strong, it has energy and it is marching mightily forward and fighting for its views out of a love for all.
It is not tired. It is always climbing, higher and higher.

Shut SMS #146

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Preparing on Shabbat
Q: Is it permissible to prepare a large quantity of salad for Seudat Shelishit in order to have leftovers for Meleva Malka?
A: No. This is preparing on Shabbat for a weekday.
Q: Is it permissible on Shabbat to take food out of the freezer for Motza'ei Shabbat?
A: No. Same as above.

School Notebooks and Torah Text Books
Q: Is there a requirement to place school Torah notebooks and Torah text books in the Geniza?
A: Yes. They are filled with words of Torah.

Looking at Fingernails during Havdalah
Q: Should one look at his fingernails before or after the blessing over the candle during Havdalah?
A: There is a dispute. But one should look before the blessing, as with other blessings of praise in which we look at the object before the blessing. Piskei Teshuvot 296:5.

Klal Yisrael
Q: Is it true that one who excludes others from Klal Yisrael actually excludes himself?
A: Yes. Pri Ha-Aretz. Brought in Olat Re'eiyah vol. 2, p. 468.

Aliens
Q: According to Judaism, is there life on other planets?
A: It is not sanctioned or opposed by the Torah (See Maharal, Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha-Torah 14. When the first man walked on the moon, there was a huge discussion as to whether there is life on other planets. The Satmar Rebbe – Ha-Rav Yoel Teitelbaum – said with total certitude that there was no life on the moon. And from where, many wished to know, did this scholar, who was not known for astrological insight, glean this information? The Satmar Rebbe said that if there was life on the moon, the Ponevizher Rav – Ha-Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, who was a most successful fundraiser for his yeshiva in Bnei Brak, would have gone there to collect!" Builders, by Chanoch Teller, p. 352).

Eliyahu Ha-Navi
Q: Does Eliyahu Ha-Navi occasionally appear in our times in the form of a regular person?
A: No. Eliyahu Ha-Navi only reveals himself to the holiest of individuals (see the book Chayei Olam, chap. 30, where Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski records many places in the Gemara, Yerushalmi, Midrash, holy books and among great Rabbis where Eliyahu revealed himself).

Secular Jew
Q: What is the problem with being a secular Jew, if I have proper character traits and contribute to the State of Israel?
A: You are in these ways similar to the religious among the nations of the world. But we must add holiness. The Jewish soul does not give up.

Ultra-Orthodox
Q: If Charedim don't go to the Tzahal, how do they contribute to the State?
A: Through Torah and Mitzvot, proper character traits and good deeds. Obviously, this does not exempt one from the army, but not going to the army does not nullify these contributions.

Attacking a Mosque
Q: Is it permissible to attack a mosque which incites its followers against Jews and calls on them to kill us?
A: Certainly. But only by Tzahal.

Long Hair
Q: Is it permissible for a boy or man to have long hair?
A: No. There are three severe Torah prohibitions that are transgressed by having long hair: 1. Creating an impediment between one's head and Tefillin, and therefore causing a blessing to be recited in vain when putting on Tefillin. 2. Following the ways of the non-Jews (which includes acts of conceit and haughtiness). 3. "Lo Tilbash" (the prohibition of men dressing or appearing as women) (Shut She'eilah 1:23).
Q: How then are there religious men with long hair?
A: Either they do not know that it is forbidden or they know and have not overcome this aspect of their evil inclination.

Allah
Q: Is Allah considered Hashem's Name?
A: Yes. Hashem's Name in a foreign language is also Hashem's Name.

Visiting the Sick on the Phone
Q: Does one fulfill the Mitzvah of visiting the sick by way of a phone call?
A: It depends on the needs of the sick (Shut Igrot Yoreh Deah 1:223 and Shut Chlekat Yaakov 2:128).

Forgotten Blessing
Q: I forgot if I recited a blessing after eating. What should I do?
A: Bless in your thoughts since there are those who say one can fulfill his obligation in thought. And there is no problem of saying a blessing in vain (Pri Megadim #209. Ben Ish Chai Matot #14).

Secular Studies
Q: I heard that a Rabbi said that it is forbidden to learn secular subjects and one must only learn Torah subjects. Those who learn secular subjects are Hellenists.
A: Where is it written?!

Our Rabbi & the Exile

Stories of Rabbenu – Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah Ha-Cohain Kook

American
A student introduced himself as an "American". Our Rabbi pointed out that he is not an American, since America is not our Land. Rather he should say: A Jew from the Exile of America (Iturei Yerushalayim #64).

Chabad
One Chabad publication referred to the house of the Lubavitcher Rebbe outside of Israel as "Beit Chayeinu" (The House of our Life). Our Rabbi responded with great distress: "Have mercy on Zion for it is the House of our Life! How is it possible to call a house in America by this name?!" (Iturei Yerushalayim #64 in the name of Ha-Rav Yitzchak Dadon).

Parashat Vaera: And if He had not Brought Out

[Rav Aviner's commentary on the Haggadah]

Question: "If The Holy One, Blessed Be He, had not brought our ancestors out of Egypt, we, our children and our grandchildren would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt." How are we to understand this statement? Pharaoh died a long time ago and his offspring have disappeared. There would certainly have been changes and insurrections during the last thousands of years.
Answer: This statement means that if it were not for the Exodus the entire world would have remained unchanged, as if the same Pharaoh was still reigning. The world would not have advanced if not through the auspices of the Nation of Israel and the Torah. If it were not for the appearance of this brilliant, illuminating event, the renewal of this great light, the entire world would have had nothing to influence it, and would have been, in a sense, frozen in place (Olat Re'eiyah vol. 2, p. 268 and Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, ibid., p. 27). Therefore, "The Exodus from Egypt will eternally remain the springtime of the entire world" (Meged Yerachim – Nisan – Rav Kook’s sayings for each month). “It is not only the springtime of the Nation of Israel, but the springtime of humanity. The Exodus from Egypt was an occurrence like this: only from one angle can it be viewed as an event that occurred once in the past, remaining only as a memory…But truly…the essential act of the Exodus from Egypt is one which has never ended. It revealed the Hand of Hashem in a way that the whole world could clearly see, as part of human history. It is the bursting forth of the light from the soul of the Living G-d and operates throughout the expanse of the entire world. Israel merited this revelation, in which magnificence and incipient holiness will cause great lights to shine in every dark place, for all generations" (Orot Re'eiyah vol. 1, p.26).

Divided Opinions without Divided Hearts

[This segment was broadcast on Arutz-7 approx. one week prior
to Yigal Amir's assassination of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin z”l]

A friend of mine asked me, "How can I not hate those people? After all, they have terrible opinions and ideas which are simply dangerous for the Nation, the Land, and the State of Israel! Must I maintain cordial relations with them, and nod to everything they say?"
The answer, of course, is no: he need not agree with all that they say. But he also must not hate them. His entire question is based on a blurring of two different concepts. Disagreements are legitimate, and sometimes even necessary. One is obligated to wage a forceful intellectual confrontation against ideas that may destroy the Jewish people. But this is a far cry from an obligation to hate the person expressing those ideas. Divided opinions – yes. Divided hearts - no. We must understand that even when an idea is hateful, the man expressing it is not.
"But," comes the response, "it is too difficult to make this distinction. After all, it is only natural to identify the person with what he says." The answer to this is that it may be hard to make this distinction, but we have no choice. We cannot make one big salad out of everything. We must understand that if, for example, one takes a certain political stand, it doesn't constitute his entire identity. We must remind ourselves that the man is not a "political animal" whose entire being is merely a support system for his party's opinions. He also breathes, and goes to work, and has a family, and does kind acts for others. Why must we box his entire personality into one narrow compartment? It is incumbent upon us to separate in our minds between the man, and the opinions that he holds. For if we don't, but instead form stereotypes, and create mental caricatures - blowing this one aspect of his personality way out of proportion - this distorted image replaces our perception of him as a human being created in the image of G-d, and we begin to view him as a foreign object, a "political animal."
From here easily arises the (mistaken) dispensation to hate, and to attack, and, who knows, even to murder.
True, it is often natural for the relationship between people with opposing ideas to deteriorate. At least one side will almost inevitably begin to feel less respect for the other. The solution for this is simple: communication. They must talk with each other, listen to each other, and exchange ideas. Should we then start to organize symposia, or public meetings? No, no - nobody ever really understands each other in those types of settings. I am referring to small groups, such as one-on-one, or maybe a few more. The English sociologist Parkinson once said that the exchange of ideas is most effective between three and five people. If there are any more than that, the person is no longer talking, but making a speech. Speeches don't help bring about true understanding among people, talking does.
Everyone knows people whose opinions differ from theirs: friends, colleagues, family members. In every family there are Jews of Ashkenazic descent and Sefardic descent, religious and non-religious, conservatives and liberals, Charedim and Zionists. Open a friendly dialogue with them, and you will reap a double benefit. First of all, you will destroy his caricatured perception of you, and second of all, it will destroy your caricatured perception of him. I'm not saying that you will convince him of your position, but rather that each of you will begin to see the other as a human being, and therefore deserving of your respect and love.