Torat HaRav Aviner

Shut SMS #149

2012-02-07T12:06:00.001-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Picture without Permission
Q: Is it permissible to take someone's picture without his permission?
A: Certainly not. You must be sure that he agrees (Shut Mishneh Halachot 4:114. See, however, Shut Be-Tzel Ha-Chochmah 4:85. There is a famous picture of Maran Ha-Rav Kook sitting in an arm chair, which was taken without his knowledge when he was in London during the First World War. At the moment of the photograph he was waiting for a Brit Milah to take place. The photographer later came to Maran Ha-Rav, brought him the picture and said: Although I brazenly took his Honor's picture without his permission, I now request a favor from Ha-Rav: please allow me to publish this picture as a source of livelihood. Maran Ha-Rav responded with a smile on his face: Isn't it an explicit verse in the Torah [Shemot 21:16]: "One who steals a man and sells him"! Maran Ha-Rav Kook ztz"l of Ha-Rav Z.A. Rabiner, pp. 110-111).

Pe'ot
Q: Following chemotherapy all my hair will fall out. Is it permissible for me to shave my head?
A: Yes, aside from your Pe'ot.

Blessings over the Messiah
Q: What blessings do we recite over the arrival of the Messiah?
A: According to Rabbi Chaim Palagi: "Ga'al Yisrael" (Who redeemed Israel), "Shehechiyanu", "She-Chalak Me-Chochmato Li-rei'av" (Who gave of His wisdom to those who fear him – blessing over a great Torah scholar) and "Chacham Ha-Razim" (Knower of Secrets – blessing when seeing 600,000 Jews together). According to Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach: "Shehechiyanu", "She-Chalak Me-Chochmato Li-rei'av", "She-Chalak Michvodo Li-Rei'av" (Who shared His glory with those who fear him – blessing over a Jewish King) and "Chacham Ha-Razim".

Crying Baby
Q: When our 6-month-old baby cries at night - which he does every half hour – should we always get up to calm him?
A: If he is not sick, it is best that he gradually becomes accustomed to calming himself, so that he does not grow up pampered.

Professor Leibowitz
Q: Rabbenu Ha-Tzvi Yehudah distanced himself from Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz. What were the reasons?
A: His teachings discussed accepting the yoke of the Mitzvot without accepting the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom.

Messiah's Arrival during Shemoneh Esrei
Q: If I am in the middle of the Shemoneh Esrei and the Messiah arrives, what should I do?
A: Finish it with great Kavanah.

On Tu Bishvat: A Clear Messianic Sign

2012-02-07T11:04:00.001-08:00

[She’al Na #3]

Q: When will the Messiah come?
A: It is known that our Sages rebuked one who engages in messianic calculations. "Blasted be the bones of those who calculate the end" (Sanhedrin 97b)! They will announce the coming of the Messiah, but in vain, and the disappointment causes a horrible crisis of faith.

Q: So when the Messiah arrives we won’t greet him?
A: This is a different question. After he arrives, we will know. The Rambam writes that we will not know these matters until they occur (Hilchot Melachim 12:2). After they occur, however, we will know. When two students came and asked our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah Ha-Cohain Kook “when will the Messiah come?”, he responded with a smile: He has already arrived a little.

Q: What does "he has already arrived a little" mean? He either arrived or he didn’t!
A: There is also a possibility that he will come "slowly, slowly" - gradually, in stages.

Q: If so, what is this "a little"?
A: This matter is explained by the prophet Yechezkiel. In an extremely special passage, he prophesied in the Name of Hashem to the mountains and the valleys.

Q: How is it possible to speak to mountains?
A: Why not? The Master of the Universe is concerned about the Mountains of Israel. The Shechina is distressed when the enemy rules over them. The Shechinah is distressed when they are destroyed and desolate. The Shechinah is distressed when they are mocked and scorned by the non-Jews. Therefore, when the time arrives, the Master of the Universe will act with great zealousness for the Land, and will decide that from now on these things will change and the non-Jews who are around will suffer their disgrace (Yechezkiel 36).

Q: That is to say, their lands will be desolate?
A: Actually no, rather our Land will bloom. "But you Mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people of Israel, for they will soon be coming" (Yechezkiel 36:8). If the Land is green, this is a sign that Hashem decided to bring salvation for His Nation. And blessed is Hashem, our Land is green both on this side of the ‘Green Line’ and on the other side.

Q: This verse is enough to signal the Redemption?!
A: This is what our Sages stated: "You have no Revealed End [clearer] than this, as it says: ‘And you Mountains of Israel...’" (Sanhedrin 98a).

Q: Why the blooming of the desolate in particular? There are many other important matters.
A: But this is the first matter. "Not on bread alone does a man live" (Devarim 8:3), but bread is in fact essential. Rashi (Sanhedrin ibid.) explains: "When the Land of Israel will generously give her fruit then the End will approach". And soon will be established "for they will soon be coming”. Jews are able to come, since there is food to eat.

Q: Is this the order of Redemption: first the establishment of agricultural settlements and afterwards the Ingathering of the Exiles?
A: Precisely. This is why the "Shemoneh Esrei" was fixed in its order. As our Sages taught: after the blessing over produce comes the blessing of the return of the exiles (Megillah 17b).

Q: If so, why aren’t there the same reservations towards interpreting this sign as towards those who calculate the End?
A: This is not an End for which we wait passively, but rather an End which we create in our fulfillment of the Torah commandment of settling the Land. In this we are emissaries of the Holy One, Blessed be He.

Q: This means that we bring the coming of the Messiah?
A: Indeed. The Midrash of our Sages is known: If you are planting a sapling and they inform you that the Messiah is coming, plant first and greet him afterwards (Avot De-Rebbe Natan, Shechter Edition, chap. 1, version b). Is the Messiah not more important than a sapling? No - these are not two separate matters: by planting a sapling you will greet the Messiah!

Q: But one can claim that these are merely trees and agriculture, with no connection to the Messiah and his coming!
A: The Prophet came precisely because of this! Yechezkel is not talking about upper worlds, but about matters that everyone in this world can see: those trees, that agriculture. The difference is what they see in them: do they merely see trees, or do they see the shining light of the Redemption of Zion and a Divine command to redeem the Nation of Israel?

The “Money Crusade”

2012-02-07T11:03:00.001-08:00

[Newspaper Interview]

Q: What is the Halachic position on accepting contributions from Christian institutions and individuals?
A: First of all, you must realize that we don’t have to accept money from non-Jews – Christians or others. The Talmud likens the acceptance of such contributions to eating pork, because it profanes G-d’s name. To be a beggar, to be a Shnorrer, is a very degrading thing, and even more so when you’re being supported by money from non-Jews. What kind of thing is that to have the non-Jews support us? Can’t we manage by ourselves? Figure it this way: All the money from all the various organizations of the non-Jews doesn’t equal a half day of the State of Israel’s annual budget. True, after the State was established the economic situation was terrible – but even then it was degrading to accept money. But today, our country is wealthy. Imagine a wealthy person standing in the Kotel Plaza begging for money! If a wealthy Jewish country accepts money from non-Jews, the profanation of G-d’s name is even greater.
As far as Christian organizations go, the problem is even worse. Since the beginning of [their] history, the Christians have been trying to wipe us out. They tried to kill us but they failed. Then they tried to disperse us and to banish us, but we’re still around.
They tried to hurt us economically, but didn’t succeed. They tried to degrade and humiliate us, but here we are.
What’s happening now is being described in the Christian literature as the “Money Crusade”, as if to say, “With the help of money, we’ll wipe them out.” They sum it up with two words, “Hug and Strangle”. By giving us money they’ll become our friends. That will enable them to increase their missionary influence. In Israel there are tens of thousands of missionaries, with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars. That doesn’t mean, of course, that the person who accepts their money is destined to convert, but monetary gifts open doors for them. It gives them a ticket into Israeli society, which better enables them to trap Israelis through their missions. Maran Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohain Kook already wrote (Igrot Re’eiyah 4:61) that one cannot accept money from Christians when the one who’s going to pay for it is another Jew who will convert to Christianity. That’s simply immoral. The greatest rabbis have forbidden us to accept Christian money: the Chief Rabbinate, Ha-Gaon Ha-Rav Avraham Shapira ztz”l, Ha-Gaon Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu ztz”l, the rabbinical court of Chabad, the rabbinical court of the Eda Ha-Charedit in Meah She’arim, and more.
Q: What about the claim that Jewish lives depend on that money?
A: In the State of Israel, there is nobody dying of hunger. To claim otherwise is wrong. It’s straightforward libel against the Jewish People. When someone is in economic distress, money can be attained for him. The welfare services pass along tens of billions of Shekalim.
There are also many legitimate free-loan societies and charities.
I know of one charitable institution that, inter alia, accepts Christian money. Eighty percent of the contributions they receive line the pockets of the fund’s administrators. They talk all nice about how they’re receiving donations for poor, downtrodden people, but the money is going straight to their own pockets. G-d have mercy on them and may He help them to repent.
When the “Ateret Cohanim” yeshiva was founded thirty years ago, an affable American approached me and asked if we were building the Temple. I answered “No”. He then asked, “But you do want the Temple to be built, don’t you?” and I answered, “We certainly want it to be built! Who doesn’t?” He then asked, “And what are you doing to advance it?” I answered that we study Torah and seek to refine our character. Then he said, “I am willing to organize a donation for you from the Evangelical Protestants in the amount of fifty million dollars a year. Do you agree?” I gave him a one-word answer: No. I lost fifty million dollars times thirty years: 1.5 billion dollars.
But I have no regrets.

Shut SMS #148

2012-02-03T06:02:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Tragedy
Q: We have recently experienced many tragedies. What does this mean? What does Hashem want?
A: It is true that there are tragedies in the world. There are righteous people who experience bad things. If you are asking, it is a sign that perhaps this is the first time you have experienced such things. If so, Hashem loves you very much.
Q: But want should we do?
A: Someone who experiences tragedies should repent. Rambam, Hilchot Ta'anit chap. 1.
Q: But what should I repent for?
A: It is personal. Each person should repent for the sins he committed.

Text Message Responsa
Q: Does it bother Ha-Rav when people send text message questions?
A: Certainly not. I am happy to help. But sometimes I cannot answer right away because there is a backlog of questions.

Few Talitot
Q: Why don't we wear a few a Talitot at the same time, since we fulfill a Mitzvah with each one?
A: We do not act this way with any Mitzvah, rather we perform what Hashem commanded of us (There are many stories about why Ha-Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg – Rosh Yeshivah of Torah Or – wears so many pairs of Tzitzit [in his younger years, 150 pairs, and as he has aged about half that amount]. Some say that it is in order to fulfill all of the different opinions regarding Hilchot Tzitzit. Others explain that he began when his daughter was ill in order to fulfill a Mitzvah in her merit. But Ha-Rav Scheinberg himself says: "It is 15-20 Kilo of Mitzvot…" "Mishpachah" Magazine of 12 Nisan 5768 #851. This, however, is the unique practice of a great Rabbi).

Black Hebrews
Q: Are the Black Jews in Dimona considered Jewish? Should I donate to them?
A: They are not Jewish, and you should donate to Jews.

Recycling
Q: Is there an obligation to recycle newspapers and bottles?
A: No, but it is proper to do so. By the way, in many places in America, it is obligatory by law.

Kivrei Tzadikim (Graves of the Righteous)
Q: Must one perform Netilat Yadayim after visiting Kivrei Tzadikim as one does after visiting a cemetery?
A: According to those who rule that Kivrei Tzadikim do not make one impure and Cohanim are permitted to visit them, there is no need for Netilat Yadayim. According to those who rule that Kivrei Tzadikim do make one impure and Cohanim are forbidden to visit them, one must perform Netilat Yadayim. Nonetheless, the custom is not to perform Netilat Yadayim after visiting Ma'arat HaMachpelah and Kever Rachel.

Shomer Negi'ah
Q: Is it permissible for me to help a girl while ice-skating? After all, it is only so she doesn't fall.
A: Yashar Koach to the evil inclination for his creativity in causing people to stumble in Halachah!

Leniencies and Strictures
Q: Why does Ha-Rav rule leniently in some areas of Halachah and strictly in other areas? Is Ha-Rav one who rules leniently or strictly?
A: These different areas of Halachah are unrelated. Each issue must be ruled on its own. Sometimes the ruling comes out leniently and sometimes strictly.

Mentally Ill
Q: If Hashem created man in order to serve him, why does he create the mentally ill and mentally handicapped?
A: We do not know. Perhaps it is connected to something which occurred to their souls before they were born. Ramban's commentary on Iyov, introduction and chap. 33. And also to what will occur to the souls after death.

Hitting a Child
Q: Must a father hit his child in order to educate him in Torah as it says: "One who spares his rod, hates his son" (Mishlei 13:24)?
A: Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah taught us that this is fulfilled through gentle rebuke.

Pictures from the Holocaust
Q: Is it permissible to look at pictures from the Holocaust of Jewish women without clothes?
A: G-d forbid. 1. It is immodest. 2. It is a horrible infringement on the honor of these women, may Hashem revenge their blood. What would you do if it was your mother?!

TV
Q: I want to stop watching sports games on TV based on "Moshav Leitzim" (frivolity), but am unsuccessful. What should I do?
A: Gradually wean yourself off and read Mesilat Yesharim.

Custom of Husband and Wife
Q: How should a husband and wife act when they have different customs?
A: The wife follows the customs of the husband so they are united and at peace, based on the law of one who moves from one place to another and follows the customs of the new locale.
Q: Is the wife required to perform an annulment of vows when she changes her pre-wedding customs?
A: No. There is no need and we have not heard that earlier generations acted this way (Shut Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 1:158. Shut Minchat Yitzchak 4:83. Shut Yabia Omer vol. 5 Orach Chaim #37).

Bad in the World
Q: If everything is from Hashem, how is there bad in the world?
A: Bad is bad, but good will come from it. Everything is for the good. This is a deep subject for a text message. You can look in my book "Ve-Gavar Yisrael".

Parashat Beshalach: The Ten Plagues

2012-01-30T12:15:00.001-08:00

Question: Couldn't Hashem have redeemed the Nation of Israel with one plague?
Answer: Of course! Our Sages already asked: Why was the world created with ten utterances? Couldn't Hashem have created it with one (Avot 5:1)? Our world is not an expression of the divine ability to act at a single moment, but to act in stages. The Ramchal – Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato - wrote that each day the world gets closer to its perfection. All the worlds that were created previously were made piecemeal, but they all could be exalted. Our world was not created with the full power of the Master of the Universe. Hashem limited His power and revealed Himself in the way humans themselves work: little by little, according to a divine plan which continues to be actualized over time. It is not true that the Master of the Universe needed to bring plague after plague because of the stubbornness of Pharaoh's heart. On the contrary, the Blessed One caused the stubbornness of his heart in order to bring the plagues upon him. "For I have made his heart and the heart of his servants heavy so that I can put My signs in his midst, and so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your grandsons" (Shemot 10:1-2). In our days as well, do not despair that the Redemption is progressing slowly, slowly rather than in one fell swoop. This is not divine weakness, G-d forbid, but the greatest strength: for the sake of increasing the sanctification of Hashem's Name.

Don’t Free Terrorists to Gain My Release

2012-01-30T12:14:00.001-08:00

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

I, a soldier, a fighter in the I.D.F., declare: If I am kidnapped, don’t free terrorists to gain my release. And don’t negotiate with terrorists on my behalf. As I sign this, my hand is trembling a bit, but this is the right thing to do. I don’t want that because of me, other Jews should be hurt. Don’t free murderers.
Surrendering to terror begets more and more terror. That’s why I’m signing a release card that says: “I, the signatory, a soldier in the I.D.F., hereby declare that if I fall into the captivity of one of the terror organizations, I ask that terrorists who have hurt Israel’s citizens not be freed to gain my release. I am certain that the Israeli government and the I.D.F. will do everything to save me, boldly and creatively.”
Murderers – to the prison or to the grave! That’s what will preserve the Jewish People.
That’s what will deter murderers. Don’t free terrorists to gain my release. Don’t ask my parents. They can’t decide for me. I’m the one who will decide. If I am capable of being a soldier, I am capable of deciding this as well.
I’m not afraid of anything. I saw a female soldier sign a release card too. She isn’t afraid either. I take off my hat to her! I’m not saying, “Good for her that she enlisted!” I’m saying, “Good for her that she is not afraid.”
When I go to the army, the regular army or reserve duty, I know that it carries a price.
This, too, is part of the price.
I don’t need the Talmud, Tractate Gittin, to know that you don’t pay exorbitant prices to free captives, whether because of the price the public will have to pay, or because it ruins deterrence. I can see this with my own eyes.
I simply don’t want to be freed in exchange for terrorists. I don’t want my name linked to that of a little boy, or a little girl, a man or a woman, who will be murdered because of this. I just don’t want it! I have principles. I love life and freedom, but I have other principles as well. Please honor my wishes. You don’t own me. I am my own person. I agree that the army should work to free me. That’s something else. War is war. I don’t demand this. I agree to it.
I rely on the army. Every day that I fight, I rely on the I.D.F., so I rely on them in this as well.
Remember the kidnapping of Shmuel Rosenwasser in 5730. He was a night watchman in Metulah and was kidnapped by a gang of terrorists from Lebanon. The night after the kidnapping, the State of Israel carried out an operation in the adjacent village in Lebanon, taking nine soldiers and twelve civilians captive, capturing large amounts of weaponry and equipment, and blowing up the power station that fed Lebanese radar.
For a year, Shmuel Rosenwasser was held in captivity in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, and he suffered harsh torture. Fatah demanded the release of 3,500 terrorists. The State of
Israel did not surrender, and in the end, Fatah made due with the release of one terrorist.
The mathematical conclusion: 1=1. Yes! 1=1. Shmuel Rosenwasser came home on foot from Lebanon. When he arrived, the Northern Command received him with a bouquet of flowers. He was very excited and he said, “May I please have a cup of water?”
I, too, will request a cup of water…and a bouquet of flowers, if I may.

Shut SMS #147

2012-01-27T00:09:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-25T22:56:00.001-08:00

[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

2012-01-25T22:55:00.000-08:00

[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

2012-01-20T02:40:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-18T22:56:00.001-08:00

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

2012-01-18T22:54:00.000-08:00

[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

2012-01-18T22:53:00.000-08:00

[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.

Our Rabbi and Neuteri Karta

2012-01-11T12:05:00.000-08:00

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

Joining in Protest
Neuteri Karta organized a protest against taxes on education which were established by the British in Eretz Yisrael, which would then be divided up by the municipality in a relative manner. Our Rabbi also participated in the protest. A student was surprised: Why is Ha-Rav participating in a protest with Neuteri Karta, who caused him so much trouble to his father (Maran Ha-Rav Kook)? Our Rabbi responded: "For what they did to Abba Ha-Rav z"l, they either have received a punishment or will receive one. Where they are correct – they are correct!" (Iturei Yerusalayim #64 in the name of Ha-Rav Yitzchak Dadon).

Meah Shearim
Our Rabbi said that not everyone in Meah Shearim is Neuteri Karta. In fact, many people in Meah Shearim would greet him warmly (Iturei Yerushalayim #64).

Finding a Minyan
It once happened that a student did not daven Maariv at the conclusion of Shabbat. He therefore went to find a minyan in Meah Shearim, and he met up with our Rabbi who also had not davened Maariv. Our Rabbi spoke with the student for an hour and three-quarters about the Neturei Karta, who are against the State of Israel and against Tzahal, even at a time when the Master of the Universe is showing us all of the signs of the Redemption, and when everything written in Yechezkel chapter 36 is materializing before our eyes. After all of this, our Rabbi brought him to the shul of the Chasidim of Reb Arele Roth (a group known as Toldos Ahron who are intensely anti-Zionist), not by way of the main road but by way of the courtyard. When they entered the large hall, all eyes turned toward him. They finished the blessing after eating and davened Maariv as if they were completely on fire. They then stood in line to say "shalom" to our Rabbi. After they left, the student asked, "Before we arrived I heard an hour and three-quarters from you against the Neturei Karta, and now they stand in line to say "shalom" to the Rav?" Our Rabbi responded, "One can learn from everyone. How to pray - this is learned here. You should know that when father, Ha-Rav ztz"l, desired prayer of 'all my bones would speak' (Tehillim 35:10), he would come here." Two weeks later, the student was walking in Meah Shearim. One of the Chasidim of Reb Arele ran after him, saying "Send regards to Rav Tzvi Yehudah from so-and-so." When he related this to our Rabbi, he responded to him, "He is an expert in the writings of my father, Ha-Rav, but he learns them in secret, because if this was discovered he would be in danger, as he was born into Neturei Karta." In fundamental and principled matters, our Rabbi did not differentiate between this stream and that stream. For example, in protests against autopsies, our Rabbi would always participate with different Orthodox streams (Iturei Cohanim #248 - in the name of Ha-Rav Binyamin Eisner).

Go be a Preschool Teacher

2012-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

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

Question: I can’t decide. On the one hand I have a natural inclination towards being a nursery school teacher (Ganenet) and spending all day tending to sweet little children. On the other hand, I feel like I have talents that go beyond that, and I’m afraid that I’ll feel like I’ve squandered those talents just to be a babysitter who plays with children and cleans their noses. It’s true that the children also learn all sorts of interesting things, but that’s a very minimal part of the day. As a teacher of older children I’m sure I would be able to teach a lot more.
Answer: If you feel inclined towards being a preschool teacher, don’t hesitate! Go for it! Preschool isn’t just babysitting. It’s a lot more than that. Obviously, we’re not making light of babysitting, which is an enormous kindness for poor mothers who are forced to go out to work, and who with great trepidation place their children in the hands of another woman to care for them. Also the small child is beside himself, wondering why he has suddenly been abandoned to the care of another woman, as though his parents want to get rid of him. He’s liable to suffer separation anxiety, and when the caretaker is wise and motherly, he feels wonderful and safe – obviously, not like with is own mother, but still wonderful.
Sadly, sometimes things are difficult and complicated in his own home, and for various reasons the infant or toddler feels hurt and unwanted. In such a case, daycare becomes the only place that provides him with a safe haven.
Obviously, we must add that there are women who go to work not because of poverty, but because they feel the need to do something else. That, as well, is considered a serious, justified reason to place a child with a caretaker. We are not making light of toddler daycare, but are making the point that preschool has yet another dimension to it.
Likewise, we are not making light of the various things children learn in pre-school. A small child is not a little idiot. He is a small, wise person. The intellectual talents that develop in him at an early age are the basis of all his future learning, especially in light of the findings of Developmental Psychology. We know that these years are decisive as far as a child’s future abilities. The small child internalizes the buds of rational thinking. He also gains familiarity with the world around him. Yet nursery school is more than that. It is not a little school. It is not a little academy. It is something else.
There is something else important in preschool: friends. The child learns to get along with others, to show them consideration. To listen to them. He learns to give help and to receive help. He learns to participate in group play. He learns discipline. All this prepares him to integrate into society. Don’t we often see people who are incapable of getting along with others, in their family, in their marriages, at work, in their nation? Why wait for a special time to solve this problem when it will involve many hardships? Why not begin with early childhood when it’s so simple and easy? Indeed, by such means we bring the small child an enormous blessing.
Still, preschool is even more than that. It’s more than preparation for life in society. It’s more than taking care of children. It’s more than a miniature academy. It’s more than a workshop in how to cooperate.
So what is preschool? It’s a place where the child grows and develops, body and soul.
He develops naturally. We don’t try to instill in him what isn’t already there. Rather, we try to help him to bring out what he already has within – with the help of an environment that is appropriate to his character and his traits. After all, why is “kindergarten” called that? Because the child is likened to a flower, and just as every flower needs a garden and a gardener, so does every child need a kindergarten and a teacher, not to infuse him with what he doesn’t have, but to reveal what he does. How? Through his natural movements. And what are they? Mostly play.
All this is based on a universal assumption: even a small child possesses the image of G-d. He has divine worth stored away, and that divine content has to be uncovered by way of the right environmental conditions.
In “Israeli Culture” (Le-Netivot Yisrael vol. 1), the first article Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah Kook wrote in his life, he explained that the function of education is to uncover man’s hidden traits, and to thus enable him to succeed in all he does. If, however, we try to infuse man with elements that are foreign to his personality, he is liable to become an unsuccessful person. It’s like organ transplants. Even though they are for a man’s own good, the body fights against them as against a foreign object that invades the body. In order for the transplant not to be rejected, the immune reaction has to be suppressed. In other words, the person’s intrinsic nature has to be weakened.
Therefore, a natural paradise has to be created for the child, in which each child can grow freely in his own way. This definitely involves minimizing the academic aspect and the social-obedience aspect. The main thing is the personal aspect.
This is the goal of all of the activities there: running, dancing, group games, songs accompanied by pantomime, walks and visits to the neighborhood, study of flora, seeinghow things grow (to help the child to understand how he, himself, grows), and especially, all sorts of very intelligent games that help the child develop all his strengths. And the preschool teacher receives in-depth professional training in order to direct the child in all these spheres.
Yes, the whole child has to be educated: physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially, and in science, general knowledge, ethics, and faith. And really they are all one, flowing forth from the one G-d whose name is one. The child must flourish with the unity and harmony of all his energies.
That is the preschool teacher’s job.
The rest of the world has also begun to arrive at these conclusions, bolstered by the appearance (about 200 years ago) of the “New Education” advocated by Rousseau, Pestalozzi, and in particular, Fröbel, followed by Montessori. The aim of the Old Education was to fill the pupil with information, in the greatest quantity and quality possible. The aim of the New Education is to involve the pupil in the learning and educational process.
Therefore, play isn’t just play. It, and other activities like drawing, reading, writing and music, are powerful pedagogical pursuits. To be a preschool teacher is no small feat. It’s something great. Our sages compared Torah scholars to the sun, and teachers of small Jewish children to the stars. Seemingly the sun is much larger, but that isn’t true. There are stars a million times as large, but since they are far off, they look small. The Ben Ish Chai explains this in his book “Ben Yehoyada”: The child looks small, because his full size is still far off, but truthfully, he is big.
This is especially so in light of the emergence of Depth Psychology, which likewise has determined that early childhood is the decisive age for shaping a person’s inner personality.
Preschool involves marvelous educational creativity, perhaps the most marvelous there is. It’s a bit like post-high school yeshiva. There the learning is independent, such that a person achieves true spiritual freedom.
Actually, the ideal preschool is a child’s home. It’s his mother, the simple, loving mother. Preschool is a reflection of home, and the main characteristic of the preschool teacher is motherliness. She enlists her motherly love to sing “mothers’ songs” to the child, to foster the child’s appreciation of nature, of the world, of the love of G-d, of the love of everything, and thus to escape his selfishness. This is the meaning of “your mother’s instruction” (Mishlei 1:8).
Preschool is a family-oriented educational philosophy. It’s an atmosphere of trust and intimacy. It means escaping from selfishness, not necessarily in the sense of preparation for living in a society, but in becoming open to the world at large, to the Master of the Universe.
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, in his Igeret HaChinuch (170), explained that the chief purpose of education is to make man upright and good, and the secondary purpose is to prepare him for life’s battles.
And indeed, that is the purpose of preschool. The main thing is not the preparation for professional life, but one’s personal growth. It is not to become a useful citizen, but a human being.
We said that a game is not just a game. It develops the body, the intellect, one’s good traits. Preschool games are well-planned to facilitate the child’s development, his understanding of the laws of nature and of life, not through lectures but through independent activities. Indeed, it is the child’s right to develop according to his nature, and games are what most characterize him at this age.
By the way, cleaning a child’s nose is also something important that shouldn’t be scoffed at. The concern the teacher shows for the small child’s hygiene also belongs to the warm, friendly approach of the preschool teacher. She also helps the child in his relations with his peers. She creates a simple, safe and sheltered environment. A heaven on earth.
Much more than what I said has to be said about the marvelous preschool. You, after all, are a mother, or you will be one. Every mother is a preschool teacher, and every preschool teacher is a mother. Surprisingly enough, in State-Religious education, there is a shortage of preschool teachers. It’s as if being a preschool teacher is not a respectable profession. That’s not so. It is very respectable indeed. It is very important. It is the foundation of all else.
Good for you that you yearn to be a preschool teacher! Good for you that you received such a gift from the Master of the Universe!
Go be one!

Shaking hands with an elderly woman

2012-01-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

Q: Is it permissible to shake hands with an elderly woman?
A: No. It does not matter whether she is elderly or young. Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef once received the Israel Prize, and it was presented by the Prime Minister, Mrs. Golda Meir. She put out her hand, but he did not shake it. People said that it was not polite. He responded: The Torah is more important than politeness. And Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu once met with the Queen of England and she put out her hand. There were cameras from all around the world, but he stood still like a soldier and did not shake it. That evening Rav Eliyahu received a letter from the person responsible for royal protocol apologizing for the incident. They checked the books of protocol for the British Kingship, and found that the Queen of England was not to put out her hand to a Jewish Rabbi (A Jewish Rabbi!). Therefore, if you do not shake a woman's hand, you have the authority of Halachah, Ha-Rav Yosef, Ha-Rav Eliyahu, and even the Queen of England (who is extremely polite)! One must has to think ahead of how to deal with such a circumstance should it occur: carry a bag in each hand. Have a ready response: I am saving my hand for my wife. Or: My Rabbi is strict and says it is forbidden. What can I do?

Shut SMS #145

2012-01-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

40 Women Separating Challah
Q: Is there a Segulah for finding a match, healing, fertility, etc. if 40 women to separate Challah together on a Friday? Is it permissible for some of the women to separate Challah on Thursday if there is a pressing need?
A: This is a new creation, which has no source. There is certainly a level of holiness in separating Challah – just as there is holiness in the fulfillment of every Mitzvah – but there is no source for 40 women separating it together. It can therefore be performed in this manner.

Checking Tefillin
Q: How often must one have his Tefillin checked?
A: There is no set schedule. It is even possible not to have them checked throughout one's entire lifetime. But if they were exposed to moisture or extreme heat, it is certainly proper to have them checked (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 10:26).

Abandoning Torah
Q: Why do some religious youngsters abandon Torah?
A: Sometimes on account of confusion regarding faith, sometimes on account of the evil inclination, sometimes on account of both.

Trees of Arabs
Q: Is there a halachic problem with uprooting olive trees of Arabs?
A: It is certainly forbidden to cause them damage. If there is a security or national need, only Tzahal is permitted to perform this act in the name of the Nation.

Mirror for Tefillin
Q: Is it permissible to use a mirror to make sure that one's Tefillin is in the correct place?
A: Yes. There is no problem of "Lo Tilbash" (the prohibition of men dressing or appearing as women), since the prohibition is against beautifying oneself in front of a mirror, and here one is simply ensuring that his Tefillin are in the proper place (Rama, Yoreh Deah 156:2. Shut She'eilat Shlomo 3:26. It is related that the Griz – Ha-Rav Velvel Soloveitchik of Brisk – once visited a Chasidic town and used his mirror to place his Tefillin correctly, as was his usual custom. The town's people placed the Teshuvot Divrei Chaim [Orach Chaim 2:6] next to where he was sitting in Shul which says that it is a "Minhag Borot" – custom of boors, i.e. the uneducated – to look in a mirror for proper placement of one's Tefillin. The Griz said to them: "We will use a Chasidic story: Reb Moshe Leib Sassover ztz"l said regarding the halachah which says that anyone who sits in the Sukkah while it is raining is a 'Hedyot – ignorant': 'It is worth being called ignorant as long as I fulfill the Mitzvah of Sukkah'. I say the same thing: It is worth being called a boor as long as the Tefillin are resting on my head in the exact spot." Uvdot Ve-Hanhagot Le-Beit Brisk vol. 3, pp.179-180. And there is a picture of Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv looking in a mirror to ensure that his Tefillin are in the proper spot. Ha-Shakdan vol. 1, p. 261).

Breaking Dancing
Q: There is a problem with break dancing?
A: It is not gentle.

Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation
Q: Is it permissible to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Perhaps the sick person has a contagious disease.
A: There is a minimal risk, which we would certainly take in order to save another person.

Kiddush Levana during the Day
Q: Is it permissible to recite Kiddush Levana during the day if the moon is visible?
A: No. One also may not recite it at twilight. The moon must be prominent.

Beauty of Eretz Yisrael
Q: How is it possible that there are places more beautiful in the world than in Eretz Yisrael?
A: There aren't! A man does not love his wife because she is beautiful, but on account of his love for her, she is the most beautiful in the world. See Netiv Ha-Emet of Maharal. And the same applies to our Land.

Mikveh
Q: After men immerse in the Mikveh, should the water be changed for the women?
A: Yes. It bothers them. In essence, it is the women's Mikveh. It is permissible for men to use it only if it does not bother the women.

Tefillin Straps
Q: Should one blacken both sides of the Tefillin straps in case they flip over while wearing them?
A: It is enough to blacken just one side (This is also the ruling of HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. Va-Yishma Moshe, p. 32).
Q: If the Tefillin straps are blackened on both sides, and some of the black color rubs off from both sides, do they combine together to be considered blackened?
A: No, the outer side is what counts.
Q: Does one need special color to blacken them?
A: It is sufficient to use a regular magic-marker. It is not made from a non-Kosher animal.

Shave a Girl's Head
Q: Is it permissible for a girl to shave her head bald?
A: No. "Lo Yilbash" (the prohibition of women dressing or appearing as men, or vice versa). And the same applies for having a short haircut like a boy.

Parashat Vayechi: "Please Do Not Bury Me in Egypt" (Bereshit 47:29)

2012-01-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Moving the grave of Rebbe Nachman to Israel

Question: There have been many issues regarding Rebbe Nachman’s grave in Uman (in the Ukraine). Is it a good idea to bring him to Israel?
Answer: The Gemara at the end of Ketubot (111a) explicitly says that it is good to bring the deceased to Israel, and many people do so. The Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud -Kilayim 9:3) brings a criticism: “He lives outside of Israel, but is buried in Israel. “ Nonetheless, one who is buried outside of Israel is not comparable to one who is buried in Israel, because being buried in Israel is like being buried under the altar. And even better than being buried in Israel is to die in Israel, and even better still is to live in Israel. Throughout the generations, they brought people to be buried here. Many of the followers of Rebbe Nachman wrote and received approbations from great Rabbis – including Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef - that Rebbe Nachman should be brought here, because Rebbe Nachman saw himself connected to the Land of Israel and wrote about it in various places. It was his desire to be buried here. Even if he did not say anything about it, it is obvious that that all of the righteous, and even the simple, want to be buried here, and all the more so Rebbe Nachman.
Q: Is there any idea that he could help others during the Ressurection of the Dead if he is there?
A: No, he could always travel there if they need help. The Gemara at the end of Ketubot explains that those buried in Israel are resurrected with greater ease, while those buried outside of Israel experience "gigul atzamot – rolling in tunnels" to Israel. We don't find that he is needed to gather the people there. If the need did arise, he could go there.

It’s So Easy to Love

2012-01-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

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

It’s so easy to love, to smile at life, to listen to life’s song, to let it caress you, to let our hearts open the window to the sun of love that makes us better people.
Let us love G-d. Let us love the Jewish People, every human being whoever he may be, every creature, every living being, every speck of sand, every plant and every flower. Let us love the whole Torah, every Mitzvah, every religious custom, every law, every letter, every good trait.
Let us love our Land, every city in it, every settlement, every mountain, every hilltop.
Let us love love itself! Let us love the fear of G-d. Let us love seriousness. Let us love joy.
Let us love. Let us love!
It’s so easy to love. It’s so natural. Let us love the fresh air. Let us love the blue of the sky, the soul so full of hope. Let us love courage and valor. Let us love the water and the earth, the rain and the snow.
Let us love saying “please”. Let us love saying “thank you”. Let us love being good.
Let us love being gentle. Let us love everything we have seen, everything we have heard, everything we have experienced. The past, the present and the future. The young and the old, girls and boys. Let us love. Let us love! It’s so easy!
Let us love the soul. It is so full, oh so full! Let us love our good moments, and our bad ones as well. Let us love being at home. Let us love being away. Let us love this world. Let us love the World-to-Come.
Let us love our pathway through this world. Let us love crossing the river to another world. Let us love meeting G-d here. Let us love meeting Him there. It’s so easy to love.
Let us love resting there, receiving the reward for our efforts there. Let us love singing with the angels there.
Let us love our toil here. Let us love staying alive here. Let us love serving G-d here.
It’s so easy.
Let us love G-d here. Let us love G-d there. Let us love G-d everywhere. Let us love to love. To love!

Hilchot Sheleg – Laws of Snow #5

2012-01-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

Immersing in snow
Q: May one immerse oneself in the snow as in a mikveh?
A: Even if there are forty Seah of snow (about 200 gallons) in one seamless area there is still a dispute as to whether or not one may immerse in it. It is quite difficult, since the snow must touch all parts of the body.
Q: What about immersing one's hands for "netilat yadayim"?
A: Again there is a need for forty Seah. Since some authorities rule that one may not immerse one's hands, no blessing should be recited if one has no choice but to do so.
Q: Can one immerse a utensil?
A: This is also a dispute (see Pitchei Teshuvah, Yoreh De'ah 108).

Shut SMS #144

2011-12-30T03:09:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Woman on bus
Q: It is permissible for a man to sit next to a woman on the bus, if there is no other place?
A: Yes. But he should not look at her and be careful not to touch her (Shut Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 2:83. Even Ha-Ezer 2:14. A young man was once sitting next to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach on the bus when a woman got on and there was no place for her to sit. Rav Shlomo Zalman said to the young man: Either you should stand up and allow the woman to sit or I will. The young man stood up and the woman sat next to Rav Shlomo Zalman. Ve-Alehu Lo Yibol vol. 2, p. 182. Although another time Rav Shlomo Zalman was sitting on a bus, and an immodestly dressed woman got on and sat next to him. Instead of continuing to sit, which was unpleasant and a Chilul Hashem to those who saw or standing up and potentially offending her, Rav Shlomo Zalman got off at the next stop and waiting for the next bus. Ha-Torah Ha-Mesamachat, p. 289).

Beginning of Redemption
Q: When will the Redemption finally begin?
A: It began 130 years ago with the building of the Land of Israel and the ingathering of the exiles, and one should not have a lack of gratitude to Hashem, G-d forbid.

Torah and Science
Q: Were the statements of our Rabbis regarding science stated with "Ruach Ha-Kodesh" (Divine intuition) or according to the science of their time?
A: Some and some. For example, the medical instructions in Massechet Gittin are the science of their time, as explained in Otzar Ha-Poskim, but the Laws of Tereifot are oral laws given to Moshe Rabbenu at Mt. Sincai, as explained by the Rambam and Rashba.

Drafting Torah Scholars into Tzahal
Q: If Rabbis do not require protection (Baba Batra 8b), why should those who learn Torah be drafted into Tzahal?
A: See the responsa of the Radvaz (2:752) who gives three answers: 1. This is not said about every Torah scholar. 2. A Torah scholar who requests protection reveals that he does not rely on his merit. 3. This is stated regarding protection in monetary matters and not life-threatening situations (Shut She'eilat Shlomo 1:368).

Picture of Lion
Q: Is there a problem to hang a picture of a lion in a child's room because it is a non-Kosher animal?
A: There is no prohibition to have a picture of a non-Kosher animal or a toy in the form of a non-Kosher animal. By the way, many Ashkenazi shuls have lions on the ark curtain. Be courage like a lion (Igrot Ha-Re'eiyah vol. 1, Igeret #10. Shut Aseh Lecha Rav 8:60. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, however, was strict about this practice. And this is the custom of Chabad Chasidim. Likutei Sichot vol. 25, pp. 309-311).

Burning Picture
Q: If someone badly abused me, is it an ethical or halachic problem if I burn his picture?
A: There is no problem. He should be grateful that we don't burn him.

Student who Caused Damage
Q: A student caused damage in the school, but the teacher does not know which student. Is it permissible for the teacher to ask the students to tell him who did it?
A: He should ask the students to bring him the money for the damage within a particular time period. If they wish, they can all pitch in money. If they wish, they can collect the money from the one who caused the damage.

Parashat Vayigash: Yosef's Talent

2011-12-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

[Tal Chermon]

In this parashah, we again encounter Yosef's organizational talent. It reached its peak as he rearranged the agrarian and economic policy of the Egyptian kingdom. Since Egypt was the pivotal point of the ancient world, this amounted to changing the entire economic structure of the time. The Torah elaborates in detail on all the economic steps taken by Yosef during those depressed years. He accumulated all the money in Egypt, he bartered food in exchange for all the Egyptian livestock, he bought their land in exchange for food, he transferred the people to the cities and imposed a system of taxation.

Question: Why does the Torah inform us of all the intricacies of Egyptian agriculture? What difference does it make to us?
Answer: It is of great import because we see that Yosef created a just and equitable state of affairs. The economic and social significance of Yosef's actions was that all means of production were nationalized and then justly and equally redistributed. Firstly, he collected all the money, then all the cattle and finally all the land. He abolished private ownership. After nationalizing all means of production, he moved the people into the cities, thus breaking up the clan framework and creating a new socio-economic structure. Yosef then distributed the means of production that he had acquired to the people for their livelihood. He devised a progressive tax of their produce which was handed over to the king while the rest remained as ample sustenance for their families. The Egyptian masses, deeply grateful for this new order, praised Yosef by saying: "You have saved our lives" (Bereshit 47:25). The Egyptians for their part were willing to forgo their freedom and to completely submit themselves to the king so they suggested: "Let us, with our land, be serfs to Pharaoh" (ibid. v. 19). Yosef did not accept their advice because slavery was contrary to his plan for social justice and therefore, "Yosef bought [only] the land of Egypt for Pharaoh (ibid. v. 20).

In order to achieve ones goals one has to wait for a ripe opportunity. Had Yosef tried to introduce his innovations, at a time of plenty when private property was flourishing, it would have been foiled because of fierce opposition. He was aware of this and thus waited for the right moment to realize his vision of social and economic justice.

Yaakov Avinu acted the same way with Esav. He knew that chronologically Esav was the firstborn but he also knew that it was he, Yaakov and not Esav, who was destined to perform the firstborn's mission of building the spiritual basis of the world. But to confront Esav and request the birthright would definitely not work, so he bided his time. One day Esav arrived home from hunting famished and exhausted. He said to Yaakov: "Fill me up with that red stuff" (ibid. 25:29). This was the ideal opportunity to accomplish his plan for true justice. The ways of the world are tortuous and complicated and they are strewn with obstacles that prevent truth from emerging smoothly. The man of virtue has to follow events waiting to seize the opportunity when circumstances are ripe, to illuminate the world with truth and to establish practical procedure for its accomplishment.

Same question to various Rabbis

2011-12-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

Question: Is it permissible to ask the same question to more than one Rabbi?
Answer: It depends on what you are asking. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah (7a) says that one who asks a Rabbi a question and he declares it impure may not ask another Rabbi who will declare it pure, and one who asks a Rabbi a question and he declares it forbidden may not ask another Rabbi who will declare it permissible. This ruling is quoted in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 242:31). Why is it forbidden to ask the same question a second time to a different Rabbi? Some explain that it is because of the honor of the first Rabbi (Rashi to Niddah 20b): You asked a question and don't like the answer so you are going to a different Rabbi?! You are shaming the first Rabbi! Others explain that when the first Rabbi rules, the object on which he ruled now has the status which he placed upon it. This means that if I ask a Rabbi if something is kosher or not and he rules that it is not kosher, the ruling of another Rabbi cannot change it. The Halachah follows the second explanation (This is the opinion of most Rishonim – Rabbis of the Middle Ages – including Ra'avad, Ramban, Rashba quoted in the Ran Avodah Zarah ibid. and Rosh, ibid. 1:3). Therefore, when I ask a Rabbi a question about a piece of meat, the meat has the status of his ruling, but if I have another piece of meat and I have the same question, I can ask a different Rabbi. There are also questions regarding a person's activities: How do I act in a given situation? A Rabbi's ruling fixes the status of an object, but not the status of a person's activities. Regarding an object, you can only ask one Rabbi, but regarding a person's conduct, you can ask various Rabbis. Even in the case of an object, if I really, really want to ask a second Rabbi, I can ask a second Rabbi if I tell him that I already asked the first Rabbi. If the second Rabbi so desires, he can talk to the first Rabbi and try to convince him to change his mind (Rama ibid.). I remember that someone once asked me a question regarding the laws of Family Purity and I answered: she is impure. The questioner went and asked Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu. Ha-Rav Eliyahu called me and said: "Rav, look at it from this perspective and that perspective." I then understood that it was permissible to be lenient and I said: "I retract, she is pure." Furthermore, it is obvious that someone who asks a theoretical question may ask as many Rabbis as he wants. You may also ask questions to different Rabbis at different times, since all Rabbis are Torah.

Hilchot Sheleg – Laws of Snow #4

2011-12-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

Blessing on seeing snow
Q: Is there a blessing on seeing snow?
A: No. It seems that snow was not a rare occurrence in Israel (see Tehillim 148 where King David said that we should praise Hashem for fire, hail, snow… and Yoma 35b where Hillel climbs on the roof of the yeshiva because he does not have enough money to pay to get in and snow falls on him).

Shut SMS #143

2011-12-23T03:23:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Miscarried Fetus
Q: Does a miscarried fetus have a portion in the World to Come?
A: Yes. All Israel has a portion in the World to Come, aside from one who loses it on account of inappropriate behavior, and the fetus did no wrong.

Praying for a Miracle
Q: My hand was amputated. It is permissible for me to pray for it to return?
A: We do not pray for a miracle. Mishnah at the end of Berachot. But you should daven for an excellent prosthetic limb.

"May you live until 120!"
Q: What is the source for life being limited to 120 years?
A: This is no such limit. Some commentators do explain on the verse: "And the days of his life were one hundred and twenty years" (Bereshit 6:3), that this is the limit on the length of one's life (Chizkuni and Ha-Emek Davar). And many great Rabbis did live to this age (Moshe Rabbenu, Hillel, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai and Rabbi Akiva), but there is no impediment to living longer. For example, Sarah lived to be 127. May those who live longer increase!

Shabbat Protects Him
Q: It is said: "If someone observes Shabbat, Shabbat will protect him." If so, how can a person be murdered in a terrorist attack on Shabbat?
A: This is a beautiful saying which someone made up, but it is not Torah. It is therefore impossible to raise a difficulty based on it.

Wounding One's Father
Q: I was playing basketball with my father, and the ball hit him in the face and drew blood. The Halachah is that one who wounds his father is deserving of death!!
A: This is nothing. It was not on purpose nor even an accident, rather it happened while you were playing in a normal manner. This is an extremely rare occurrence and unexpected. And he forgives you.

Sleeping on Clothing
Q: Is there a problem of sleeping on clothing?
A: Yes. Under one's head. Horayot 13b.

Taking off Kippah
Q: If there is a strong wind and there is a concern that my Kippah will fall into a puddle and get dirty, can I take it off?
A: Hold it tightly on your head with your hand.

Honoring One's Wife
Q: Why doesn't the Torah contain an explicit Mitzvah to honor one's wife just as there is a Mitzvah to honor one's parents?
A: Because a husband and wife are one person.

"Bli Ayin Ha-Ra" (Without the Evil Eye)
Q: When someone asks me how many children I have, after saying the number, should I add: "Bli Ayin Ha-Ra"?
A: There is no need.

Stealing from Arabs
Q: Is it permissible to steal from Arabs? After all we are in a struggle for survival against them.
Q: Certainly not. It is both theft and a desecration of Hashem's Name. It is the role of Tzahal to wage the struggle for our existence.

Traveling to Poland
Q: Should one travel to Poland out of identification with the Holocaust? I heard that it is forbidden but doesn't one need to have a little humanity?
A: If you identify, give your money to a Holocaust survivor who lives in Israel and does not have money for food and medicine, instead of using it to visit reconstructed trees and stones. One needs to have a little humanity!

Canceling an Order
Q: According to the law, it is permissible to cancel an order for a particular item? Is it also permissible according to Halachah?
A: Only if there is a justifiable reason.

Kol Isha
Q: If one cannot fulfill his obligation to hear the Megillah through a microphone (since it is not his voice, but a reconstruction of it), then why is it forbidden to hear a woman's voice through a microphone?
A: Since it is forbidden to have benefit from her voice.

Covering one's Head
Q: Is covering one's head for a man and woman a Torah obligation or a Rabbinic one?
A: Man – Rabbinic. Woman - Torah.

Q&A on the Laws of Chanukah

2011-12-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

Simcha - Joy
If someone forgot “Al HaNissim” in the Birkat Ha-Mazon, what is the law?
If he remembers before he mentions G-d's Name, he goes back, but if he doesn't, he doesn't go back. Even then, however, it's still good for him to recite it with the “Ha-Rachaman”s.
If someone forgot “Al HaNissim” in the “Shemoneh Esreh”, what is the law?
If he remembers before he mentions G-d's Name, he goes back, but if he doesn't, he doesn't go back. Even then, however, it's still good for him to say it in “Elokai Netzor”.
Do women recite Hallel on Chanukah?
If they wish to. Ashkenazic women recite it with a blessing, and Sefardic women without, as with any time-dependent Mitzvah.
Do a bride and groom fast if their wedding day falls on Chanukah?
No.
At funerals/memorials/yahrzeits that fall on Chanukah, may we eulogize the dead?
Only praise that won’t make people cry. A Torah scholar can be eulogized at his funeral.
May we visit graves?
There are different customs, and everyone should follow his family custom. But visiting the graves of the righteous (Kivrei Tzadikim) is permitted.
Is there a Mitzvah to eat festive meals on Chanukah?
There is no obligation but doing so is a Mitzvah. Meat and wine are not required. Including words of Torah is a fine practice.
Is there an obligation to eat jelly donuts?
There’s a custom to consume dairy dishes and fried foods, but no obligation.
Is it permissible to do work while the candles are lit?
Men can. Women refrain from types of work that are forbidden for half an hour after candle lighting.

Chanukah Candles
Are women obligated to light Chanukah candles?
Yes. A married woman meets her obligation through her husband.
If a person is alone, such that if he lights candles no one will see them, and he won't be publicizing the miracle, is he obligated to light them?
Yes. The decree is a general one.
Do young boys light separately?
Ashkenazic boys light with a blessing. Sefardic boys, if they wish to light, do so without a blessing, using a Menorah distanced from their father's.
How about girls?
The same.
When is “Ha-Nerot Halalu”begun?
Once the first candle is lit.
Must the whole household be present during the lighting?
No, but it is preferable.
Which is better, candles or oil?
Each has its advantage. Candles emit better light, but the miracle occurred with oil.
May one light partly with oil and partly with candles?
No, because then it looks as though they are the lights of two different people.
Can one use electric lights instead of candles?
Yes, without a blessing, if one has no other choice. But they are permissible for Shabbat candles.
If the candles go out, must one relight them?
Not if they burned long enough and were lit in the right location. If, however, a candle went out during the first half hour, it should be relit. If the wind blew it out, one must light it again without a blessing.
Can the candles be moved elsewhere once they are lit?
No. See Shulchan Aruch 675:1.
What does one do with the oil and wicks or with the candles that are left over in the Menorah?
It is forbidden to use them. Rather, they must be disposed of in a respectable manner, such as placing then in a bag and throwing them into the trash receptacle.
What about the oil left in the bottle?
That can be used for anything. The same goes for candles left in the box.
Must one buy a silver Menorah?
No. Just that as with any Mitzvah, it should be performed in a seemly manner.
Can a Chanukah Menorah be formed in a circle?
Yes, as long as you can tell where the candles start and end.
Does the Shammes have to stand alone?
Yes. It should be distinguishable from the other candles, either higher or removed from them.
Is one allowed to eat before the lighting?
Yes, if it's just a bit of food, or if there is someone to remind them when candle lighting time arrives.
And how about work? And Torah learning?
One should have a friend remind them to light. Or one can use an alarm clock.
Can one light Chanukah candles at a party, an assembly, a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah?
Some allow it if Minchah or Ma'ariv is also recited there, because then the affair takes on the laws of a Shul. One can also do so if there are people there who otherwise won't light at all.
Must one purchase a glass cage so one can light outside?
It's appropriate, but one doesn't have to.
If someone’s home has two doors, does one have to light at both?
We do not do so nowadays. Since many people light inside, no suspicion is created that one didn't light at all.
If no one can see the entrance to one's home, should one still light there, considering that the miracle won't be publicized?
Yes, the decree is a general one.
If a house opens on a courtyard, should one light outside one's door or in the courtyard?
It depends on the type of courtyard. Outside one's door is better.
If one lives in an apartment building, where should he light?
Some say he should light below in the street; others say he should light outside his door in the stairwell; still others say he should light in the window facing the public thoroughfare. The last idea is best.
If someone is used to reciting Ma'ariv late, should he recite Ma'ariv earlier on Chanukah?
No. he should recite Ma'ariv when he usually does. Only those who recite Ma'ariv and light at nightfall should recite Ma'ariv first.
When should one light on Friday afternoon?
Before lighting Shabbat candles. One should make sure to have longer Chanukah candles, or
at least one longer candle.
When is the latest that one can light?
As long as people are still on the street, and that varies from place to place. If someone lights inside, he can light as long as someone is awake in his house. After that, he should light without a blessing.
What is better: for a woman to wait for her husband who is coming home late, or for her to light on time? And should a husband wait for his wife?
It's better to light on time, but they can wait if they want to, especially if they are lighting indoors.
If someone has to travel, what's the earliest he can light?
Starting at Plag Ha-Minchah, about an hour and a quarter before nightfall (i.e. halachic hours). In other words, fifty minutes before sunset, using long candles.
In a pinch, which is better: Plag Ha-Minchah or late at night?
There's a controversy over that. Late night is better.

People Away from Home
If someone is visiting a friend's house for the evening, should he meet his obligation through the friend's lighting?
No. He should light when he comes home, unless others in his family lit there earlier.
What if he spends the night at his friend's home?
He can suffice with his friend's lighting. His host should give him a share in a candle. And if he's Ashkenazic, he should light there by himself.
And if he’s coming home after Shabbat ends, where should he light?
Either place is fine.
Does a soldier in the army have to light?
An Ashkenazi should light with a blessing. One Sefardi should light for all the other
Sefardim.
Does a yeshiva student have to light in yeshiva? What about a university student?
The same as above.
And a patient in a hospital?
The same.
And where should a hotel guest light?
In his room. And He should supervise his candles for a half hour, and then snuff them out.
And does a traveler on a ship have to light there?
Yes, if he has a roof, and the same goes for a train. And the same goes for someone sleeping in a car on a camping trip.
What about someone sleeping in the field?
He's exempt. He has no home.
And someone is sleeping in a tent?
Yes. And that includes a pup tent.
What side of the tent should he light on?
The right side, because there's no Mezuzah.
If a soldier is not allowed to light in a structure or a tent, where should he light?
Outside in a glass container, or in the dining room. He should wait until supper time when everyone is together, but a soldier should be left on "guard" duty. Letting the flame burn for half an hour suffices.
If a soldier has no candles, does he have to trouble himself to attain them?
Yes, as long as this doesn't impair his functioning as a soldier.
Does a soldier sleeping in a tank on field maneuvers have to light?
Yes. Likewise if he’s sleeping in a car.
And a soldier sleeping in a ditch?
Yes, if a roof has been spread over the ditch.
And if he's in a guard booth?
Yes, whether it's at the main gate or at a roadblock.
Is he allowed to light using unkosher oil?
Yes.
And what about oil that hasn't yet had Terumot and Ma'aserot [tithes] removed?
That's forbidden.
Is one allowed to light candles without a Menorah if one doesn't have one?
Yes. One should keep the candles equidistant, so it doesn't look like different people's candles.
If someone missed lighting on the first night, should he recite “Shehechiyanu” on the
second night?
Yes.
Can a soldier hurrying off to a mission light for several minutes and then extinguish the
candles?
Yes, but without a blessing. This ruling is based on the view that the half hour established by our Sages is not how long the candles must burn, but the time-span in which one is allowed to light (see Shabbat 21b).

Shut SMS #142

2011-12-16T05:10:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Driving on Shabbat
Q: If there is a life-threatening situation and one must drive on Shabbat, is it permissible to turn off the car upon on arrival?
A: Yes. It is dangerous to leave the motor running. It could also lead to theft, including by terrorists or dangerous thieves. But you should turn it off with a "Shinui" (in an unusual manner).

Sandek
Q: There is a big dispute in our family as to who should be Sandek at the Brit Milah – the paternal grandfather or the maternal grandfather. What should we do?
A: The custom is that the paternal grandfather takes precedence, but it is not obligatory. They should therefore draw lots.

Circus
Q: Is it permissible to bring children to a circus which is specifically designed for the religious community, in which there are only male performers?
A: If they are young, since it is "Moshav Leitzim" (frivolity). Avodah Zarah 18b.

Galei Tzahal (Israel Defense Forces Radio)
Q: Is it permissible to listen to Galei Tzahal – they are left-wingers?
A: There is no prohibition against being a left-winger. Furthermore, they are not left-wingers but are representative of the entire community. In practice, it is permissible to listen to any station on condition that it broadcasts only Kosher material.

Am Yisrael
Q: Did Hashem choose us or did we choose Him?
A: He – the Blessed One – chose us (Blessing over learning Torah).

Pre-Torah Writings
Q: Ancient writings, which precede the Torah, had been found with stories and laws similar to the Tanach. If so, is the Tanach copied from them?
A: The existence of these is known. 1. There were prophets which preceded the giving of the Torah. 2. There are certain ideas which are relevant to the universal human spirit. 3. The Master of the Universe included proper and Kosher ideas within the Tanach. Sefer Eder Ha-Yakar of Maran Ha-Rav Kook.

"Na Nach Nachma Nachman"
Q: What is the source of some Breslover Chasidim saying "Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me-Uman" in order to bring personal and national salvation?
A: There is no source for it. It is a new innovation.
Q: Why isn't it considered "Darkei Emori" (superstition) to think that it brings salvation?
A: Breslover Chasidim do not actually believe this, rather it awakens G-d-fearing among them. Regarding "Darkei Emori", see Pesachim 112a and Shut Rashba 1:167.

Pictures of the Sun and Moon
Q: I learned that it is forbidden to make a picture of the sun and moon. But I have noticed that many people are not concerned about this.
A: There are those who permit it if there is no association with idol worship. Commentary of Rambam on Mishnah Avodah Zara. Shut Da'at Cohain #64.

Mermaid
Q: Do mermaids exist? I remember learning about them in the Gemara?
A: They do not exist. The Gemara theoretically discusses what the law would be regarding a creature such as this (Bechorot 8a. Rashi. See Netivot Olam, Netiv Ha-Torah, Netiv #14).

Learning the Satmar Rebbe's Books
Q: Does one receive the reward for learning Torah for the Satmar Rebbe's books?
A: Certainly.

Olim from Ethiopia and Chanukah
Q: Should Olim from Ethiopia celebrate Chanukah?
A: Yes. Even though their ancestors were not part of the miracle of Chanukah (since they were exiled to Ethiopia beforehand), they are part of Klal Yisrael.

Dwelling in Jerusalem
Q: Why did you establish a Yeshiva in the so-called Muslim Quarter?
A: It is a Mitzvah to dwell in the entire breadth of our Land, and all the more so in Jerusalem, and all the more so in the heart of Jerusalem.

Earrings for Girls
Q: Why is it permissible for girls to have their ears pierced - they are deforming their bodies.
A: It is negligible (Ha-Rav Aharon Lichtenstein – Rosh Yeshiva of Har Etzion, related that his daughter wanted to have her ears pierced, but he had doubts as to whether it is permissible. They agreed to go together and ask Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, and follow his ruling. Ha-Rav Auerbach did not understand what Ha-Rav Lichtenstein wanted from him, and he said: "What is even your question? By us, boys have a Brit Milah and girls have their ears pierced!" Ve-Alehu Lo Yibol vol. 2, p. 172).

War over Yehudah and Shomron
Q: What did Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah mean when he said: "There will be a war over Yehudah and Shomron"?
A: He himself explained in writing and orally (recorded) that this is not practical instruction but an educational idea to awaken self-sacrifice. He never gave a practical ruling to act in this way. And see Baba Batra 130b, that in order to follow a given instruction it must be given as a clear halachic ruling.

Parashat Vayeshev: Yosef's Capacity to Bring Blessing

2011-12-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

[Tal Chermon]

After the pair of Torah portions Vayetze and Vayishlach, which dealt with our forefather Yaakov, come two portions which discuss his sons. Among the twelve of them, Yosef stands out as an imposing personality. His special abilities are reflected in the blessings given to him by both Yaakov and Moshe, which surpass his brothers' blessings both in content and length. These blessings are sweeping and all encompassing: "[Yours will be] the blessing of heaven above and the blessings of the water lying beneath…[The blessing will be] until the endless bounds of the world's hills… It [the blessing] will come upon the head of Yosef, on the brow of the elect of his brothers" (Devarim 33:16). "The blessings of your father surpassed the blessing of my parents." Yaakov gave Yosef a blessing greater than he himself had received (See Ha-Amek Devar on Bereshit 49:26). Yosef was also split up into two tribes: Efraim and Menasheh. He was one of the sons, but was treated like one of the forefathers in that each of his two sons was a separate tribe. He thus possessed the qualities of both a forefather and a son. This is reflected in Onkelos' translation of the Hebrew word "even" when it is used to described Yosef. While this word usually means "stone" Onkelos sees it as a combination of two words "av – father" and "ben – son" (Onkelos on Bereshit 49:24). Yosef was both. Yaakov was aware of Yosef's numerous and diverse talents, so he made him a coat of many colored strips. He was thus distinguished from his brothers, who only had coats of a single color, indicating a specific talent for each one. Yosef, however, was all-encompassing, and was himself aware of his numerous talents. This was made clear in his dreams, which revealed his deepest thoughts. He dreamt: "And my sheaf stood erect, and your sheaves circled my sheaf and bowed down to it" (Bereshit 37:7) and in a second dream: "And behold the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me" (ibid. 37:9)." These dreams were expressions of economic leadership and success. The dreams were not vain or incidental, but were true, and in fact materialized when Yosef was promoted to a top position of economic leadership.

Conversation about Marriage

2011-12-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

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

- Hello, Rabbi Aviner. I’ve got a problem with my wife. She doesn’t obey me. She doesn’t do everything I ask her to do.
- But she does do some of it?
- Yes.
- Thank G-d. And do you do everything she asks?
- No. Some of it.
- If so, you are similar and compatible. It’s a marriage made in heaven! The solution is simple. Sometimes you’ll concede to her and sometimes she’ll concede to you. And how are we supposed to know who is supposed to concede to whom? Very simple. What’s very important to you, she should concede, and what’s very important to her, you should concede. If something is important to both of you, and each of you is pulling in a different direction, find the middle ground. And everything should be done in happiness.
- But Rambam writes that a woman has to fulfill her husband’s will, and not that the husband has to do his wife’s will.
- That is true (Rambam, Hilchot Ishut 15:20), but in the preceding paragraph, Rambam writes, “Our sages commanded that a husband should honor his wife more than himself and love her like himself.”
- But I do honor her and love her!
- How does that express itself?
- I work and buy her things that she loves.
- But she also likes it when you fulfill her requests. That makes her happier than your gifts. If you honor her and love her, you surely want her to be happy.
- But our sages tell about a husband who commanded his wife to break candlesticks over the head of Baba ben Buta, and she did it. That shows that the husband has the final say in all matters, even if it's something that makes no sense!
- That husband wasn’t normal, and his righteous, wise wife met him half way even in bizarre matters in order to keep the peace.
- Where does it say that he wasn’t normal?
- Our halachic luminaries write that. Yet even without them you can understand for yourself that if someone orders his wife to break candlesticks over the head of a Torah scholar, he is not a mentally sane person. A woman is not required to heed her husband in bizarre requests (see Ketubot 72a), and it certainly is not to your credit if you follow that approach.
- But also in the Sefer Menorat Ha-Meor it says that a woman has to treat her husband like a king, and then he will treat her like a queen.
- Those are just delineations designed to preserve the family unit. Please consider the Torah scholars that you know. Is that the way rabbis and rebbetzins treat one another? No. They love each other, honor each other and work together, and they are good friends. If you want a happy marriage, be a good friend to your wife. As the Prophet Malachi wrote, “She is your friend and ally” (2:14). And when the parents are friends and like each other, the children, as well, grow up to be happy and successful.
May G-d bless you that you should be privileged to build a steadfast Jewish home, steeped in love and brotherhood, harmony and friendship.

Hilchot Sheleg – Laws of Snow #3

2011-12-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

Making a snowman
Q: Is it permissible to make a snowman on Shabbat?
A: Building a snowman is not temporary, since it is meant to last. One should therefore not build a snowman on Shabbat.

Eating snow
The blessing before eating snow is "She-ha-kol," and there is no blessing after eating it since one does not eat enough (ke-zayit – approximately the size of an olive) and one eats it slowly (like tea or coffee).

Shut SMS #141

2011-12-09T01:13:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Bus Fare
Q: The bus driver knows my father and did not punch my ticket. What should I do?
A: Punch it yourself.

Payment without a Receipt
Q: A man did work for me, I paid him, but he did not give me a receipt. When I asked for one, he said that he would not give me one, and if I insisted, he would return my money. What should I do?
A: Take the money, give it to Tzedakah and give him the receipt which you receive from the Tzedakah organization.

Opening the Torah Ark during the Ninth Month
Q: What is the source for the custom of a husband to open the Torah ark during the ninth month of his wife's pregnancy in order to help along the birth?
A: There is no early source. Kaf Ha-Chaim 134:12 in the name of the Chida.

Burning a Page with One's Problems
Q: Is it forbidden to write one's problems on a page and then burn the page in order to nullify them?
A: It is superstition, close to idol worship.

Prohibition against Touching Opposite Gender
Q: Does the prohibition against touching someone of the opposite gender only apply to their actual body, or does it also apply to touching them through their clothing?
A: Both are certainly forbidden! One should stay extremely far away from the opposite gender. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 152:8-10. How the evil inclination is working overtime!

Lashon Ha-Ra about One's Self
Q: What is the source that it is forbidden for a person to relate Lashon Ha-Ra about himself?
A: There is no such Halachah. It is a personal decision based on the circumstance.

Baby Pictures
Q: Is it permissible to take pictures of our baby for an advertisement for which we will be paid? Is there a problem of the evil eye?
A: It is permissible. There is absolutely no concern.

Spading an Animal
Q: Is it permissible to spade an animal? Isn’t it impossible to use a horse if he is not spaded?
A: It is a known problem. See Torah Temimah on Vayikra 22:24 #153. It should be performed by a non-Jew.

Racism
Q: Isn't it racist to say that we are the Chosen People and the non-Jews are designated to serve us?
A: No. They will serve us out of free will and will see it as a greater honor, like a disciple serving his teacher.

Levels among Torah Scholars
Q: How could Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah say that the Ba'al Ha-Tanya was not on the same level as the Vilna Gaon? Is it permissible to compare great Torah scholars?
A: Yes. Just as the comparison between Rabbi Elazar Be-Rabbi Shimon and Rebbe. Baba Metzia 84b. And as per the ruling in Shut Mahar"i Me-Beruna #190.

Parashat Vayishlach: Yaakov Avinu – Adversities

2011-12-07T12:11:00.000-08:00

Yaakov returned to Eretz Yisrael, but his life was also beset by adversity there. In fact, he suffered throughout his lifetime, starting from his conception when "the children clashed within her" (in the mother's womb [Bereshit 25:22]) and on through his birth when "his hand grasped the heel of Esav" (ibid. v. 26). He then had to buy the birthright (ibid. v. 33), received his father's blessing by deceit (ibid. 27:6-29), was forced to flee to Charan to save himself from his brother Esav who was plotting to kill him (ibid. v. 41-46), was duped into marrying the sister of the woman he wanted to marry (ibid. 29:20-25), was repeatedly swindled by his father-in-law Lavan(ibid. 31:41 and 30:28-43), had a confrontation with his "loving" brother Esav upon his return home (ibid. 32:3-33:18), suffered: the rape and abduction of his daughter Dinah, the reprisal attack on the city of Shechem (chap. 34), his son’s hatred of their brother Yosef (ibid. 37:1-12), the loss of this most beloved son of his (ibid. 37:12-36), the imprisonment of Shimon and later of Binyamin (chaps. 43-44), the crossing of his hands and the switching of his blessings to his grandsons (ibid. 48:10-21), etc., etc. There was not a period in Yaakov’s life that was free of hardship and tribulations. The greater a matter is, the more trouble and afflictions are associated with it. Yaakov is the most ideal of the forefathers (Bereshit Rabbah 76:1), because he was the final product – the full-blown Jew – that resulted from the creative process that transpired through our forefathers, Avraham and Yitzchak. "It was Yaakov who redeemed" (Yeshayahu 29:22)." Avraham's very existence is justified and gains significance by virtue of the fact that Yaakov is his descendant. Yaakov's life is beset by complications specifically because of his greatness (Zohar, Bereshit 207).

There’s No “Price Tag”

2011-12-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

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

Question: When the Arabs attack us, are we allowed to retaliate, an eye for an eye? After all, attacking them and their property is the only thing that deters them. And likewise, when the army or the police evacuate settlements or hilltop communities, perhaps we should react against the Arabs. Let them know that just as they’ve got crazies, so do we have crazies who can’t be controlled: insane, irrational people. This will deter them by creating a balance of terror, an efficient approach. In his time, the Prophet Samson operated this way, and it worked.
Answer: That’s a very bad approach indeed. You don’t build up the Land of Israel through bad character and sins.
Quite the contrary, because of our sins we were exiled from our land. An important rule in Jewish law is this: one doe not do a mitzvah by doing a sin.
Our argument with the Arabs is over whose land this is. This is our Land and not theirs! Yet that does not permit us to kill them, hit them, rob them or even insult them. Quite the contrary. By doing such things we hurt our national struggle, moving it into the petty realm of spats with neighbors. And certainly one shouldn’t hurt an Arab for something he didn’t even do.
In his day, when the first settlement groups were setting out for the Shomron, Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook said one is allowed to settle only on State lands, and he explained:
“We have no quarrel with Ahmed or Mustafa. We have no personal argument with this or that Arab. It’s a national struggle.”
The very question is a sign of weakness and confusion. It shows that there are people who haven’t understood what we have been doing here for more than a hundred years. The issue is not settlements by a particular Jew, but by the Jewish people. And the one who decides on this is the Jewish people, and not an individual Jew and not an individual student.
Within the very question is the hidden assumption that the Israeli government is hostile to the land, like the British in their day. It’s true that under British rule partisans operated, and then as well there was a terrible argument over whether each group was entitled to make decisions, or if this was a role for the entire nation. Yet at that time there was no country. Now, thank G-d, there is, and all agree that it is our country which must decide these things.
In Shimshon’s day as well, we didn’t have a country, and the Philistines ruled in Israel, so Shimshon operated alone. Part of his reason for doing so was to make sure that the entire Jewish people would not be held accountable for his deeds. Besides, everything he did, he did with divine intuition, in accordance with divine holiness.
Indeed, from “Price Tag” against Arabs, some people have moved on to “Price Tag” against the Army and Police, as though they are the enemy, as though they must be treated as informers and traitors, etc.
The Army virtuously does not report all of that – all of the stones thrown at it, all of the intentional harassment, all of the insults. When all is said and done, the Army loves the whole Jewish people, and sacrifices itself for all of the Jewish people. What a great army! In the book Pele Yo’etz (s.v. “Hatzala”), the following is quoted from our Sages: “Even the least worthy Jews are as full of mitzvot as a pomegranate is full of seeds” (Berachot 27a). How can this be? The Talmud is talking about “those who possess the mitzvah of saving Jewish lives. Through this, they surpass in merit the greatest sages of Israel.” And if this is said of those who save individuals, all the more so regarding the Army which saves the entire Jewish people, the entire Land of Israel, ensuring the full sanctification of God’s name and the full glorification of the Jewish people. They don’t report it, but it hurts them and makes them sad that the very people that they are protecting harm them and endanger them. Surely it is obvious to all that if the army didn’t do its work, if it failed to function even slightly, those very people wouldn’t be able to survive.
Our only consolation is that perpetrators of “Price Tag” are the fewest of the few, the fringe of the fringe, and, truth be told, sometimes they’re accused of doing things they haven’t done... Moreover, not one Torah scholar has ruled that one should act this way, either against the Arabs or against the Army and Police. There are only a very few isolated Rabbis who have alluded to their support, or have told their students, “It’s forbidden,” while winking in collaboration.
G-d have mercy on those fringes who shoot themselves in the foot and distance themselves from the community by taking a path that is neither beneficial nor moral.
Therefore, once and for all, changes in policy have to go through decisions of the entire nation, and not through the partisan acts of individuals. Don’t try to force your truths on everybody. The one making the decisions is the Jewish people, and it isn’t afraid of anything, not of the enemy and not of anything. Not even of you.
Thank G-d we’re moving forward. We’re becoming stronger. We’re becoming united.
We’re becoming exalted. And Hashem is walking before us.

Hilchot Sheleg – Laws of Snow #2

2011-12-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

Making and throwing a snowball
Q: Is it permissible to make a snowball on Shabbat?
A: The Rambam (Hilchot Shabbat 10:12) writes that putting all sorts of things together is forbidden on Shabbat because of "boneh" (building). Some argue that making a snowball on Shabbat is therefore forbidden (Shemirat Shabbat Ke-Hilchata ibid). Some explain, however, that since a snowball is temporary it is permissible. One may therefore be lenient. Making snowballs before Shabbat which one sets aside to throw on Shabbat (within an eruv) is permissible. There is a question about throwing a snowball since it is crushed. One can argue that if the snowball is crushed it is an "unintended act which is not beneficial to him," since the thrower wants a full snowball to hit the other person. This is not the intention of the one who is hit, but we follow the intention of the thrower.

Shut SMS #140

2011-12-02T03:15:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Kashrut of Rice
Q: I heard that we should not eat rice because it is full of worms.
A: This is a rare phenomenon. It is sufficient to check the rice well as usual.

Wedding Gift
Q: We are a poor family, and our relative is getting married. They have the custom of giving expensive wedding gifts, but we are unable to do so. The trip is also costly. What should we do?
A: Give according to your ability, and include an apology note.

Born a Non-Jew
Q: I think it would have been better for me to have been born a non-Jew, since they seem to enjoy themselves more than we do.
A: I don't know if in reality this is true. In any event, we are certainly much happier.

Earthquake
Q: Is it proper to pray for an earthquake in Turkey and Iran?
A: No. Good people would also be injured and killed. Rather we should pray for them to repent, as is written in Aleinu. And there is no need to add anything to Aleinu.

"Al Naharot Bavel"
Q: Should one say "Al Naharot Bavel" before the Birkat Ha-Mazon on weekdays?
A: It is proper to do so, but is not obligatory since it is not found in the Gemara, Rambam or Shulchan Aruch, but in the Shelah (Our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, would not recite "Al Naharot Bavel" but rather "Shir Ha-Ma'alot" at each meal, because of our return to our Land. Iturei Yerushalayim #26. Although "Al Naharot Bavel", and when it is to be recited, appears in Siddur Olat Ha-Re'eiyah (vol. 1, p. 360) – a siddur with Maran Ha-Rav Kook's commentary which our Rabbi himself arranged and annotated).

Opening Umbrella Inside
Q: Is it unlucky to open an umbrella inside
A: Superstition. (but not to be done on Shabbat, as an umbrella is Muktzeh)

Tzitzit
Q: If I only have one pair of Tzitzit and I sleep in it, do I recite a blessing over it in the morning?
A: No.
Q: Which is preferable: to sleep with the Tzitzit and not recite a blessing, or to sleep without them and to recite a blessing?
A: To sleep with them, since one is fulfilling a Mitzvah by doing so.

Sleeping on the Bus
Q: Is it permissible for me to wake someone up who is taking up two seats on the bus in order to sit down, or is it considered bothering him?
A: It is permissible. He is bothering himself.

Kosher Phone
Q: Is it obligatory to use the Kosher phone (which does not contain texting or internet access)?
A: The essence is that a person does not stumble by using his phone for forbidden activities. If he stumbles, he is obligated to use the Kosher phone. If not, he is not.

Photocopying from a Book
Q: Is it permissible to photocopy a few pages from a book as a teaching tool?
A: Yes, because: 1. You are copying from the book for personal use, which is permissible according to copyright law. 2. You do not intend to buy the book, in which case it is permissible according to Halachah.

Spitting at Christianity
Q: If one sees a priest or church, it there a Halachah that one should spit?
A: No.

Student without Tzitzit
Q: If a student in my class stubbornly refuses to wear Tzitzit, should I wait patiently or demand that he put them on?
A: If he is negatively affecting others in this area, then demand it, like Shammai. If he is not, then wait patiently like Hillel. Ain Aya, Shabbat 31.

Anorexia
Q: What should be done with a young woman who is anorexic and refuses food and treatment?
A: There is no choice, she must eat and have treatment. This is a life-threatening situation. She must therefore be hospitalized.

Parashat Vayetze: Yaakov's Dream

2011-11-29T12:25:00.000-08:00

[Tal Chermon]

Yaakov emerged from the previous parashah ready to perform two tasks: the moralization of the physical world and the advancement of the spiritual world. Yaakov was destined to establish both the means and the tools for fulfilling our objectives and to improve and uplift the very soul, the very purpose, of our existence (Orot, Orot Ha-Techiyah, p. 16).

When Yaakov left Beer Sheva, running away from his brother Esav, his situation was far from ideal. He was homeless, unmarried, and completely penniless. He was the first exile in our history. What did the future hold for him? What would become of him? These questions must have gnawed away at Yaakoc while he fled. But then he had a dream. There are different types of dreams. There are lofty dreams, which are sparks of prophecy, and there are dreams that are complete nonsense. "A man is shown in his dreams only those things about which he has given great thought" (Berachot 55b). The content of the dream therefore depends on the identity of the dreamer and the quality of his thoughts (an example of this is given in the Gemara (ibid. 56) when Shevor Malka, the King of Persia, said to the Talmudic Rabbi, Shmuel: "People say that you are a sage. If this is really so, tell me what I will dream about tonight." Shmuel answered him: "You will dream that you have been routed by the Roman army, have been taken prisoner, and are forced to grind date pits with a golden mill." The strangeness of this answer bothered the king so much that he thought about it the entire day and, sure enough, dreamt about it that night). Yaakov's dream reflects his innermost thoughts, and his raison d'etre in life (Moreh Nevuchim part 1, chap. 36). There are two elements in his dream. The first is the Divine promise: "I am G-d…The Land upon which you are lying I will give to you and to your descendants. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth. You shall burst forth and spread to the West, East, North and South…I am with you. I will protect you wherever you go and bring you back to this Land. I will not leave you until I have fully kept this promise to you (Bereshit 28:13-15)."

Hashem’s words assure Yaakov that, in contrast to his present pitiful and humiliating state, his future will be glorious, and he will be guarded and protected in the long trek that leads to it.

The second element of the dream is the vision of the ladder. "And behold he dreamed and a ladder was set on the earth and its top reached up toward heaven" (Bereshit 28:12). The ladder links heaven with earth. It is "set towards” earth (ibid.), i.e. from heavenly matters it directs itself towards earthly concerns. But it also "reaches heaven" (ibid.), meaning that all earthly needs draw their significance from heavenly considerations.

The ladder is Yaakov himself, who is both heavenly and earthly. On the one hand he embodies spirituality, which is used to improve the physical world. On the other, he lives a material existence, which is governed by the spirit. These are the two faces of Yaakov.

The vision is not static. There is dynamic movement as "the angels of G-d ascend and descend it [the ladder]" (ibid.). They ascend to heaven to charge themselves with Divine spirituality and then descend to illuminate the world with it. The righteous do not suffice with a personal spiritual elevating experience, but they return to the mundane world and use their spiritual acquisition to improve it (Moreh Nevuchim 1, chap. 15). In the Akeidah experience, Avraham reached such awe-inspiring spiritual heights that the youths who had accompanied him on the way were not allowed to be present. Despite the fact that the two attendants were none other than the two outstanding personalities, Yishmael and Eliezer (Rashi on Bereshit 22:5), Avraham instructs them: "Stay here with the donkey, while I and the lad go yonder" (Bereshit 22:5). Avraham's trust in Eliezer was so profound that he sent him to find a wife for Yitzchak who would share in the momentous task of founding the Jewish Nation. Furthermore, it is said of him: "He drew forth teachings from his Rav and transmitted them to others" (Yoma 28b). Despite these qualities, with regard to the sublime spiritual revelation at the Akeidah, Yishmael and Eliezer were equivalent to the donkey. The verse says: "stay here with the donkey" and our Rabbis add that in relation to the Akeidah: "You are people who are no better than a donkey" (Yevamot 62a). This event would be so extraordinarily incomprehensible that if witnessed by them they would either be struck mad or lose all faith in G-d. Avraham therefore proceeded alone and ascended to such heights that it was beyond the grasp of ordinary human morality. Did Avraham remain in his heavenly state, detached from and unconcerned with the prosaic world? No! "And Avraham returned to his lads and they arose and went together to Beer Sheva" (Bereshit 22:19). Despite his soul's leap to loftiness, Avraham remained attached to his material surroundings and endeavored to inspire them. He stooped down to the lads, who had remained at the level of the donkey, and offered them a helping hand in order to uplift and advance them (Olat Re'eiyah vol. 1, p. 96). Moreover, his very descent paved the way for the next ascent.

Then Yaakov awoke from the dream, "And he was frightened. He exclaimed: 'How awe-inspiring is this place! It must be G-d's Temple. It is the gate to heaven'" (Bereshit 29:17). He did not attribute the privilege of this vision to his own self-worth, but to the sanctity of the place. He thus did not even thank Hashem for this prophetic vision and for all the promises made to him. He knew that through the holiness of Eretz Yisrael, which was the "house of G-d and the gate of heaven," he would be able to fulfill his task of connecting heaven and earth. The Divine Presence existed here on earth and the mundane aspired towards heaven (Kuzari – section 2). "The Holy One Blessed Be He rolled together the whole of Eretz Yisrael under him [Yaakov]" (Rashi on Bereshit 28:13). Yaakov dreamed that in this special environment of Eretz Yisrael he would manage to perform the task for which he was so well suited: uniting heaven and earth.

The Waterpipe (Nargilah) – the Innocent Killer

2011-11-29T12:24:00.000-08:00

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

Don’t think the waterpipe (Nargilah) is an innocent device for pleasure and fun. This is a misconception based on two ideas: 1. The smoke is filtered by the water, so there’s no danger. 2. It smells and tastes like the fruit that are pictured on the package. What could be more innocent than fruit, sugar and honey?
These ideas are in fact big mistakes. Smoking a nargilah is a lot more dangerous than smoking cigarettes, and for several reasons, any one of which should suffice to prevent one from indulging in it: 1. The water provides only a partial filter. 2. The water’s moistness soothes the irritation to the breathing passages, so one can inhale the smoke more deeply. 3. Moreover, the water can cause edema in the lungs. 4. The smoke does contain tobacco, and is not supervised the way cigarettes are. It exudes a lot of carcinogens that cause: lung cancer, gum cancer, lip cancer and bladder cancer. 5. Passing the waterpipe around from one person to another can spread various diseases: herpes of the lips, tuberculosis, bronchitis, glandular fever, eczema and other skin diseases. 6. The ritual of smoking a waterpipe takes much more time than smoking a cigarette. It takes 5-7 minutes to smoke a cigarette, and it exudes 0.5 to 0.6 liters of smoke. It takes 70-200 minutes to smoke a waterpipe, giving off 50-600 puffs of 0.05 to 0.25 liters each. Thus, smoking a waterpipe is the equivalent of smoking about a hundred cigarettes! 7. The package does in fact say that the amount of tar and resin it contains is zero. That’s very nice, but they forgot to point out that this material is produced as a by-product when the tobacco is burning. 8. Let’s not talk about the damage caused to the fetus, nor about the damage to the non-smokers all around.
As is known, according to Jewish law it is forbidden to do dangerous things. It’s forbidden to take risks, even slight ones. Whoever does so violates, “Guard yourselves very well” (Devarim 4:15). Thus, for example, one is not allowed to cross a rickety bridge if there is any danger that its collapse would lead to a person’s death, even if the risk of collapse is very low, as explained in Rambam’s Hilchot Rotzeach U-Shemirat Ha-Nefesh.
Additionally, it is forbidden to behave in a manner that harms one’s body, even if each isolated act poses no danger at all. After all, a single cigarette or waterpipe session won’t kill you. Yet the cumulative effect is very dangerous, as Rambam explains (Hilchot De’ot, Chapter 4). There, Rambam explains that one has to conduct oneself in a healthy manner. This is called walking in G-d’s pathways. Also, in Chapter 1 he explains that this is a mitzvah from the Torah: “Walk in His pathways” (Devarim 28:9).
Don’t say it’s not dangerous, that the research doesn’t mean a thing, or that it is a fact that not all die from it. That’s nonsense. It’s true that 100 years ago they didn’t know how dangerous a waterpipe is, but now it’s clear to all, beyond any doubt.
Here’s an interesting example: In 1970, when those grave research studies began to be publicized, 64% of the physicians smoked. By 1980 only 10% smoked.
True, it’s hard to stop smoking.
Smoking actually involves two addictions, one physical and one psychological.
Everything depends on one’s willpower. Even if a person is weak, however, all hope is not lost.
He can cut down on his smoking slowly, gradually. One’s physical and psychological dependency will gradually decrease as well.
Let us just point out that even before 1970 they knew it was dangerous, and many physicians and rabbis forbade smoking.
Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook hung a note in Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav telling the boys to stop smoking, and following his request, all the Zionist yeshivot stopped. In the yeshiva high schools there are some smokers, but when they reach post-high -school yeshivot they see their heroes of Torah and military service do not smoke, and then they understand that there is no connection between smoking and masculinity, or between smoking and femininity.
Not smoking also saves a lot of money and saves one from having terrible breath and disgusting yellow teeth. Every eight seconds someone in the world dies from smoking. That’s five million people a year, and the number is rising. During the past 100 years, 100 million have died from smoking.
In our country ten thousand die from smoking every year, with a sixth of them dying from passive smoking - the wife, children or work mates of a smoker. And, as I have already said, waterpipes are 100 times more dangerous than cigarettes.
On average, a smoker shortens his life by fourteen years. Terrible. To say nothing of the awful suffering endured by thousands of smoking-related patients.
Smoke contains 5,000 toxic substances, of which fifty are carcinogenic, and, once more, waterpipes are 100 times worse. So, please, throw your waterpipe in the trash. And if you haven’t started yet, don’t start, even once.
We are in favor of clean air. Clean lungs, a clean mouth, clean living. So smokers: clean up your act. Then we can all breathe more easily.

Hilchot Sheleg – Laws of Snow #1

2011-11-29T12:21:00.000-08:00

Q: Is snow muktzeh on Shabbat?
A: The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 300:11) says that one may not crush ice on Shabbat. This implies that snow is not muktzeh, since the only problem is crushing. But perhaps the Shulchan Aruch is only discussing snow which fell before Shabbat, and snow which fell on Shabbat is muktzeh based on "nolad" (something created on Shabbat). One can argue, however, that snow is like rain and rain is not muktzeh on Shabbat (Mishneh Berurah ibid. 338:30). Even though the rain was not necessarily in the clouds before Shabbat, it is not muktzeh. As such, what is the different between rain and snow?! Some explain that they are not the same since snow is never in the clouds. Tiny drops fall and they become snow as they come close to the ground. Some therefore say that snow is "nolad" (Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 5:22). This is not exact, because the rain is also not necessarily in the clouds and formed before Shabbat. There are tiny drops in the clouds and they thicken on Shabbat and become rain, just like snow. There are therefore many authorities who rule that snow is not muktzeh (Shemirat Shabbat Ke-Hilchata 15:36 and 16:44 in the name of Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank and Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. This is also the opinion of Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef). Similarly, many authorities allow putting water into a freezer to make ice on Shabbat.

Shut SMS #139

2011-11-25T03:08:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Death Penalty for Terrorists
Q: According to the Torah, should terrorists be given the death penalty?
A: Yes. 1. In order that they not murder again, since they are in the category of a "Rodef" (The Halachah states that one should kill another person who is pursuing others with intent to murder). 2. In order that others who may have the same intention will see, fear and thus not be brazen enough to do the same. But in practice, in matters such as these the Government must decide the proper course of action in the name of all of Am Yisrael (After the terrorist attack at the Hotel Savoy in Tel Aviv in 5735, in which 8 hostages and 3 soldiers were killed, one of the terrorists was sentenced to death - although the verdict was never carried out. Our Rabbi Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah was asked by one of the executioners: What is the Torah's opinion of this verdict? He responded: The Torah states, "If one comes to kill you, kill him first." Of a person who pursues another to kill him, the Torah states, "Save the blood of this one with the blood of that one." Sanhedrin 72b. "And cursed be he who keeps back his sword from blood." Yirmiyahu 48:10. And if this applies to an individual comes to kill another individual, how much more so does it apply when a community comes to kill another community, and to terrorize the reality of our lives in the Land of our revival. "Because they did not come to help Hashem against the mighty men...but let those who love Him be as the sun when it comes out in its might." Shoftim 5:23, 31. Sefer Le-Hilchot Tzibur #98).
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Releasing Terrorists
Q: Why shouldn't we release terrorists? After all, it is determined in Heaven on Rosh Hashanah in Heaven if there will be a murder or not.
A: If this is so, you have nullified all human effort. We are commanded to act based on the Torah. At times, Hashem brings certain events about through the agency of a person who has caused you problems. This is called, "bad things are brought about through the agency of a bad person" (see Rashi to Devarim 22:8 – this is in order to punish the evil even more).

Endangering One's Life and Eretz Yisrael
Q: Which is more important – settling Eretz Yisrael or protecting one's life?
A: One must display self-sacrifice for Eretz Yisrael – making Aliyah, settling it and protecting it in the army – but it is forbidden to take excessive risks (Minchat Chinuch #425).

Violent Evacuation
Q: Should one go to try to stop the evacuation of an outpost when there is sure to be violent clashes with the police and army?
A: Certainly not. One does not perform a Mitzvah through a transgression. This adds nothing to the Nation of Israel – on the contrary – it damages.

Films about Gush Katif
Q: Should we show children films about the expulsion from Gush Katif?
A: It is forbidden to watch films which awaken the evil inclination. See Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 307:16. This includes the inclination of hatred.

Rabbis Ascending on High
Q: Why are so many Rabbis dying?
A: Thanks to modern medicine, only a small number have died. Our great love for them, however, makes it feel like more.

Techelet
Q: Why do hardly any Rabbis wear Techelet? There is much research that it is the true Techelet.
A: One should not give instructions to Rabbis what to do based on research, rather, one should ask Rabbis what is the halachic significance of the research.

Donating Hair
Q: Is it permissible for a single or married woman to donate her hair to make wigs for cancer victims?
A: Yes. It is a Mitzvah.
Q: Is it permissible for a boy to grow long hair for this purpose?
A: Certainly not. It is a Mitzvah performed through a transgression.

Notes in the Kotel
Q: It is permissible to read a note someone put in the Kotel?
A: It is forbidden. It was written with the intent that others would not read it. "One who gossips goes around revealing secrets" (Mishlei 11:13. Ha-Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein rules the same way in Tuvcha Yabi'u vol. 2, p. 492).

Hitting One's Chest during "Selach Lanu"
Q: Is hitting one's heart during the blessing of "Selach Lanu" a Halachah or a proper custom?
A: It is the custom. Makor Chaim, Kitzur Halachot, end of chap. 116.

Military Rabbinate
Q: If I have a halachic question in the army, who should I ask: My Rabbi or the military Rabbinate?
A: A personal question – your Rabbi. A military question related to the army – the military Rabbinate.
Q: But my Rabbi is a greater Torah scholar than the Chief Rabbi of Tzahal.
A: He is not greater than Chazal (The Sages of the Talmud) who rules that one should follow the "Mara De-Atra" (local authority).

Women Singing
Q: Regarding being present at a ceremony where women sing, I heard that Rav Kook remained present when a woman sang at a Governmental ceremony of the British?
A: Then you did not hear well. The one who remained was Ha-Rav Yosef Chaim Zonenfeld who put his fingers in his ears, put down his head and closed into himself, on account of the honor of the Kingship, but Maran Ha-Rav Kook immediately stood up and ran outside, like someone fleeing a fire. The book Mi-Bechirei Tzadikaya of Ha-Rav Yosef Zusman, p. 178.

Parashat Toldot: Esav the Wicked

2011-11-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

[Tal Chermon]

Yitzchak believed in Esav and his ability to manage the material world morally and therefore wanted to give him his blessing. Rivkah, however, knew the stark truth. Esav, in his present state, was not capable of advancing the world, since he himself was incorrigibly depraved. Hopefully - after several thousand years of improvement - when the End of Days arrives, he will eventually be fit for the task. He possessed strength, but it was the strength of wickedness which would be used for the destruction of the world. Yitzchak saw the overall picture of the ideal and absolute truth in which Esav's strength must and will be employed at the End of Days for the world's benefit. Rivkah, however, saw the world in its realistic, present state where Esav was a source of evil. At present he is a murderer, as he himself said, "May the days of the mourning of my father come soon so that then I will be able to kill my brother" (Bereshit 27:41). It is true that he was upset because his blessing was taken from him but there are limits even to an angry response. He even wanted to hasten the death of his father. It was a bit too much for him to do that personally, so he requested help from his dear uncle Yishmael, who would certainly comply (Midrash Ha-Gadol, Bereshit 28:9). These murderous inclinations were not created overnight because of a one-time event but were indications of his deep-rooted corrupt nature (Ha-Rav Charlop in Ma'ayanei Ha-Yeshu'a). Rivkah knew Esav's present state better than Yitzkhak and thus decided that in the meantime Yaakov would have to fulfill both his and Esav's tasks.
Sarah had acted similarly a generation earlier when she decided to banish Yishmael from the home because of the negative influence of his corrupt behavior. Avraham was shocked. This went against his grain, which was the ideal of absolute kindness. But it was essential for practical considerations. Ideally they should have been able to live together, but it was not possible at that time. "The events that occurred to our forefathers are indications of what will befall their descendants!" (This concept first appears in the Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Lech Lecha, section 9. It is explicitly stated in the Shela Ha-Kadosh, Torah She-Biichtav, end of Parashat Vayishlach).

Conversion Performed by Ha-Rav Shlomo Goren

2011-11-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

Q: I heard that the conversion performed by Ha-Rav Goren (called the "Brother and Sister") was not according to Halachah.
A: Lies and deceit. His responsum was published and you can learn it (After Ha-Rav Goren's ruling in this matter, a broadside containing terrible vilifications was written against him. Our Rabbi Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah asked that the responum be brought to him. He looked at it and sent it to Ha-Rav Avraham Shapira. He did not ask whether he agreed with it or not, but whether it was well-built, like a serious halachic responsum. When Ha-Rav Shapira responded in the affirmative, our Rabbi proclaimed: "May the hands of those who perform evil be cut off." When he was asked: But aren't there great Rabbis among those who signed the broadside? He responded: "There are differences," i.e. not everyone criticized in an evil way. Iturei Yerushalayim #20.
And Ha-Rav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin, leading Posek in America before Ha-Rav Moshe Feinstein, never supported the ruling itself since he was blind at the time and was unable to learn it. He was adamant, however, that it was forbidden to argue with Ha-Rav Goren since he was a "Gadol Ha-Dor" (one of the great Rabbis of the generation). And he brushed off all claims against him. When Ha-Rav Henkin was told that some claimed that Ha-Rav Goren was in the category of one who takes a bride, he answered forcibly: "This is politics, not Halachah." And although he received much pressure from other Rabbis, he did not change his mind. Shut Bnei Banim vol. 2, p. 210).

The Great Sigd Holiday

2011-11-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

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

Sigd, a holiday of Jewish immigrants from the Ethiopian Diaspora, falls out each year on the 29the of Cheshvan. This year, since it falls on Shabbat, it is pushed forward to Thursday. True, this is a holiday of Ethiopian Jewry, but its content applies to the entire Jewish people. Sigd includes the seven foundations of faith to which every Jew must cling.
1. Torah. The Torah is our life. We love it. It is the most pure thing in our life, and the most lofty. Therefore, for the Sigd holiday, Jews ascend a pure, lofty mountain, a sort of Mount Sinai. They climb the mountain together with the “Orit”, i.e., the Oraita, the Torah, in song and praise, as a sign of the yearly renewal of the giving of the Torah. Let us derive strength from the Torah.
2. Repentance. Ideally one must keep the Torah, but there is no man on earth who only does good and never sins. Therefore, after the Torah comes repentance. Fifty days after Yom Kippur comes Sigd. It is a day of fasting and repentance, because it is not enough to only repent on Yom Kippur. We have to repent all the time, every day and every moment. And just as we count fifty days from Pesach to Shavuot, so do we count fifty days from Yom Kippur to Sigd, which is a sort of “Mini Shavuot”. Let us derive strength from the Mitzvot.
3. Covenant. God forged an everlasting covenant with His people. Even when we sin and fall, we are still God's people. Every year we must renew the covenant. As the book of Nechemiah teaches:
“On the 24th day of this month, the Israelites assembled, fasting, in sackcloth, and with earth upon them. Those of the stock of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the inequities of their fathers. Standing in their places, they read from the scroll of the teaching of Hashem their G-d for one quarter of the day, and for another quarter they confessed and prostrated themselves before Hashem their G-d” (Nechemiah 9:1-3).
With the return to the Land of Israel, the covenant was renewed between God and His Nation. Likewise, down through the generations, every year there is the Sigd holiday which represents the renewal of the covenant between the Jewish People and G-d, the “Amana” ceremony, a day of prayer for the sake of Israel's redemption. In our own day, we see that all the prayers recited about redemption and about Jerusalem spoke the truth, and now the vision is being fulfilled before our eyes.
4. Unity. All of us, all of the Ethiopians, climb the mountain together. We are united. And now, not just Ethiopians, but the entire Jewish People. Once more we are seeing the fulfillment of "who is like your nation Israel, a united nation in the Land” (Shmuel 2 7:23).
The process of reunification is no simple task. It contains many difficulties, but we are moving forward.
5. Rejection of Christianity. In the year 4085, about 1700 years ago, the Habashite Empire was proclaimed by the king as a Christian country. Then began a civil war between Habashite Christians and Jews, whom the regime called “Beta Yisrael”. The Ethiopian Jews, headed by Phineas, established a Jewish state, the kingdom of Beta Yisrael. The wars came to an end in about 4400, and King Gideon established the Sigd holiday as a means of saying thank you to G-d for His miracles. This Jewish kingdom existed for about 1300 years, until it was conquered by the Ethiopian empire. Certainly, that whole magnificent country and all of those wars so full of bravery, were born on the foundation of opposition to Christianity.
6. Valor. As noted, a Jewish kingdom existed in strength and valor for 1300 years, and now, such valor is returning to the Jewish people. We have excellent soldiers and officers – including many Ethiopians.
7. The Service of God. The purpose of all life is to serve God. Such is the meaning of the word “Sigd”, like Hebrew “lisgod”, to worship G-d, to bow down to G-d. That is the most important thing in life.

Shut SMS #138

2011-11-18T02:04:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Garden Gnomes
Q: Is it permissible to put statues of dwarves (garden gnomes) in my garden?
A: Yes, if they are not complete figures. Shut Da'at Cohain (#65).

Electric Razors
Q: Is it permissible to use an electric razor?
A: The Chafetz Chaim forbids it since it is similar to a razor which gets close to the skin. Likutei Halachot Makkot. And all the more so today, when electric razors get even closer to the skin than before. Chazon Ish. Shevet Ha-Levi. Minchat Yitzchak 4:113. But some permit its use, provided that one not place the electric razor too close to the skin. Maran Ha-Rav Kook in Shut Orach Mishpat 128, 53. Ha-Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank. To determine whether it is far enough away, you should rub your hand over the skin to make sure you can still feel the scruff. Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. Halichot Shlomo on Tefillah, chapter 2, p. 11. And there are those who permit using an electric razor if it cuts the hairs little-by-little and not a lot all at once, as this is not considered destroying the hairs of one’s beard. Techumin #14, #22. But this is a major innovation (There is a story about an American Orthodox activist - Mike Tress - who came to visit the Satmar Rebbe. The Rebbe’s students saw a clean-shaven Jew speaking about all sorts of Torah subjects with the Rebbe and were surprised. After he left, one of the students asked the Rebbe: who is this clean-shaven person who came to speak with the Rebbe? The Satmar Rebbe responded: "When that Jew ascends to give a divine accounting, Hashem will ask him: "Jew, where is your beard?" But when you ascend to give a divine accounting, Hashem will ask you: "Beard, where is your Jew?").

Unity among the Nation
Q: Does the unity we saw among the Nation during the process to free Gilad Schalit signify something, such as the arrival of the Redemption?
A: Baruch Hashem, the Redemption began 130 years old with the Return to Zion, the building of the Land, the establishment of the State and the return of the Torah to Eretz Yisrael. Unity also returned, and the greatest unity is found in Tzahal with the self-sacrifice of one for another.

Borrowing from a Borrower
Q: Is it permissible for me to borrow an object from someone who borrowed it from someone else?
A: No. You need permission from the lender.

Hands in Pockets during Davening
Q: Is it permissible to put my hands in my pockets during davening?
A: Certainly not. You must stand as if you are before a king.

Lengthening Prayer
Q: Should a Cohain who davens slowly, shorten his prayer to order to recite Birkat Cohanim?
A: It is preferable, since reciting Birkat Cohanim is a Torah Mitzvah.

Yashar Koach after Birkat Cohanim
Q: Should one say "Yashar Koach" to the Cohanim after Birkat Cohanim?
A: There is no obligation, but it is permissible. The important thing is not to yell it out, since doing so detracts from the holiness of the davening and the Shul. It should be said quietly. (Piskei Teshuvot 128 note #222).
Q: Can the Cohanim respond: "Beruchim Tehiyu" or is there a problem of "Bal Tosif" – adding to the Mitzvot – since instead of three blessings, they are now reciting a fourth?
A: They are not obligated, but it is permissible (see Shut Har Tzvi 1:62. Aruch Ha-Shulchan 128:24).

Kever David
Q: Is it permissible for Cohanim to enter the Kever of King David?
A: King David is not buried there, although it does seem that it is a Jewish grave. Ir Ha-Kodesh Ve-Ha-Mikdash of Ha-Rav Yechiel Michal Tukatinsky vol. 2, p. 79. Cohanim should therefore not enter.

Star of David
Q: What is the source for the Star of David in Judaism?
A: There is no source.

Avraham wearing a Kipah
Q: Did Avraham Avinu and Moshe Rabbenu wear a Kippah?
A: They wore a head covering which was even bigger than a kippah, since the Rambam writes in Hilchot De'ot (5:6) that covering one's head is a sign of modesty and they were extremely modest.

Eulogy: Ha-Gaon Rav Natan Tzvi Finkel ztz"l Obligates Us

2011-11-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

One of the great Rabbis of our generation – Ha-Gaon Rav Natan Tzvi Finkel ztz"l, Rosh Yeshivat Mir – ascended on high. Yeshivat Mir is the largest Yeshiva in Israel, with approximately five thousand students. The only Yeshiva which is larger is Yeshivat Lakewood in America, which numbers some 6000 students.
Perhaps you will say: What is a yeshiva with 5000 students? No one knows anyone else!
There are two answers:
1. Not all 5000 students learn in one place. There are various sections. There is a section for students from America (about half of the students in the Mir Yeshiva come from America). There is even a section for Chasidic students, even though it is a Lithuanian Yeshiva, because many Satmar Chasidim come to learn there. And there are other sections as well.
2. The Rosh Yeshiva, through his incredible self-sacrifice, had regular contact and personal conversations with every student. He would daven Shacharit in the main Beit Midrash in the "Beit Yisrael" Neighborhood of Yerushalayim; he would give a class to the whole Yeshiva once a week; he would travel twice a week to a branch of the Yeshiva in Achuzat Brachfeld for the morning learning and Minchah; and he periodically delivered a class on Musar. The remainder of the time, he had personal conversations with students in his home. He even spoke with the new students who wanted to attend the Yeshiva. He knew every one of them. Every student who came for counsel was known to him: the Rosh Yeshiva knew who that student was, what had occurred in his life and even why he was coming to talk to him. On the whole, he displayed great self-sacrifice. After all, he is the great-grandson of the Saba Mi-Slabodka, who was also called Ha-Rav Natan Tzvi Finkel.
How did this Yeshiva grow in quantity and quality? I have not seen an explanation for this, but it seems that it was the case from the beginning. The Yeshivat Mir was established in Russia in 5575, approximately 200 years ago. It was then known as "The Yeshiva of Roshei Yeshivot", since many of its students became great Roshei Yeshiva: Ha-Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, Ha-Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, Ha-Rav Shimon Shkop. Ha-Rav Yechiel Yaakov Weinberg (author of Shut Seridei Aish), Ha-Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, Ha-Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg and many other great Torah scholars. Everyone knew that the Yeshiva drew great learners to it. There is therefore only one explanation for its success: They learned Torah. What is the big innovation there? The innovation is that it is possible to be involved with many different things in life and therefore not learn Torah. There are many important things to be involved with, but these are for before one learns in Yeshiva or after one leaves. When one is in Yeshiva, he should learn day and night.
My cousin's cousin learned in Yeshivat Mir. He once visited me when I was learning at Yeshivat Mercaz Ha-Rav and he ended up sleeping over. He said to me: "You know, in Yeshivat Mercaz Ha-Rav, they learn Torah. I thought they were involved in Zionism all the time". He saw that guys were sitting and learning at one o’clock in the morning. He was surprised: "They lied to me. They told me that they don't learn here". By the way, this is not the only time that people said that they don't learn at Mercaz Ha-Rav. Other claim they are involved in politics all the time. There are many conditions and paths in order for one to become a Torah scholar. There are 48 ways of acquiring the Torah (see Pirkei Avot, chap. 6). But the first way is: Learning Torah.
A person can have all the right conditions, but he will not become a Torah scholar if he does not learn. In contrast, a person can have difficult conditions – no livelihood, no food, no Chevruta, etc. – but if he learns, he can become a Torah scholar. There are some things that are dependent upon external factors, such as one’s wealth, family size, length of life, etc., but the amount of Torah one learns depends on the individual himself. If one says that he toiled and found Torah – believe him (Megillah 6b). If one toils, he will become a Torah scholar.
There are many important things: Building Eretz Yisrael, serving in Tzahal, agriculture, etc., but devoting ourselves to learning Torah day and night is our greatest responsibility. There was a secret society established in the Volozhin Yeshiva called "Nes Tziona," which had the purpose of spreading the idea of settling the Land of Israel among the Nation. A group of students signed a document describing its activities. Maran Ha-Rav Kook's signature did not appear on it even though he was learning there at the time. Someone once asked our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, why Maran Ha-Rav Kook was not part of it. He answered innocently: "He was learning Torah…" (see Tal Ha-Re'eiyah, p. 68).
The Gemara in Yoma (35b) writes that when a poor person comes to give a Divine accounting in the World to Come, he will be asked: Why didn't you involve yourself with learning Torah? If he says: I was poor and busy trying to make a living, the Heavenly Court will respond: Hillel obligates you! Were you poorer than him? Hillel worked every day and made a minuscule amount of money, half of which he would give to the guard at the door to the Beit Midrash to gain entrance and half of which he used to support his family. Hillel was extremely poor and displayed self-sacrifice to learn Torah. And when a wealthy person comes to give a Divine accounting in the World to Come, he will be asked: Why didn't you involve yourself with learning Torah? If he says: I was wealthy and busy taking care of all of my belongings and property, the Heavenly Court will respond: Rabbi Elezar ben Charsom obligates you! Where you wealthier than him? He was extremely wealthy and nonetheless dedicated himself to learning Torah.
We therefore learn that Hillel obligates the poor and Rabbi Elezar ben Charsom obligates the wealthy to be involved with learning Torah, i.e. there are no excuses for one who is not involved with Torah learning.
We heard that Ha-Rav Hershel Schachter, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University, eulogized Ha-Rav Finkel based on this Gemara from two different perspectives:
1. Ha-Rav Finkel grew up in Chicago, in America, and was – in many ways – a regular American kid. He learned in a Jewish High School, but it was co-ed, he was a star on the basketball team, he was called Nati Finkel. He then came to learn in Israel. He learned and learned and grew into a great Torah scholar. Ha-Rav Finkel therefore obligates all those who grow up in an environment that is not the most religious.
2. Although it has been written that he died suddenly, this is not exactly the case. Ha-Rav Finkel suffered from Parkinson's Disease for many years. He nonetheless remained a world-class Torah scholar, had a personal connection with his students, and would travel to America to raise money for the Yeshiva in order to support its incredible growth. Despite being only 56 years old, and already having been ill, Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv declared that Ha-Rav Finkel should be appointed a member of the Counsel of Torah Sages on account of his great activities in the Torah world. He did not cease learning, teaching, raising money, building the Yeshiva, etc. because of his illness. He also did not take medicine, because memory loss was a possible side effect, and he was unwilling to risk forgetting his Torah learning. Ha-Rav Finkel therefore obligates all those who have difficulties in life.
It thus appears that Yeshivat Mir’s great quantity and quality is in the merit of this exclusive devotion to Torah learning. We also need to be completely devoted to Torah learning. When a person learns in Yeshiva, he must be solely committed to learning Torah. Only afterwards should each person occupy himself with other Mitzvot, on the strength of the Torah he learned in Yeshiva.

Street Named for Rav Aviner in Be'er Sheva!

2011-11-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

The Balance of Terror

2011-11-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

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

Question: If, G-d forbid, the army and police come to expel us from our homes, can we wage a violent struggle? Obviously I am against violence and I don’t love violence, but what if for lack of any choice they evacuate us by force? Must I remain passive? If we use force in return, it may well deter them the next time. A balance of terror!
Answer: My dear friend, you suggest a balance of terror and argue that this is an effective method. Indeed, such is the situation that reigned for a long time between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both were afraid of war, and both understood that for both of them it would be a catastrophe. Therefore, the balance of terror prevented a Cold War from turning into a real war.
Yet this idea presents us with several questions:
1. A balance of terror is liable to lead us down a slippery slope and bring on an escalation. An example of this would be the balance of terror between our country and the terrorists in Lebanon, with each side not being interested in a broader struggle. Hence the conflict remained on a low flame, as a low-intensity conflict. The terrorists continued their terror acts, but they were careful not to go too far. They walked a thin line. Yet the balance of terror was broken in 5766 and it quickly led to the Second Lebanon War, and to great damage.
The lesson: If there is no real peace, and moderate violence reigns in its place, the moment one side goes too far, all hell can break lose.
2. What “force” would you like to use against the army? Do you really think you can beat them? Don’t you know that the army can throw one tear gas canister and everyone will flee? Do you really think that the I.D.F., which defends us against 300 million Arabs cannot overcome 300 or 3,000 people?! And I don’t want to mention the terrible possibility that instead of removing the fish from the sea, which isn’t easy, because they escape every which way, it could be easier to just remove the sea from the fish. In other words, the army could cease to guard the settlements, and then the Arabs would attack. The Government could turn off the water and electricity, and not let people travel on the roads. How many senior politicians have hinted at this and then denied it? Truthfully, I do not believe that someone would dare to do this. The point is, however, that you don’t have more power than the army and the police.
This reminds me of the story of Herschel of Ostropol, a beggar of Yiddish lore. One time a restaurant refused to give him a free meal. He threatened, “If you don’t let me eat, I’ll do what my father did in this situation.” The restaurant grew alarmed and let him eat. Afterwards they asked him, “What did your father do?” and he answered, “He went to bed hungry…”
3. A third problem, and this is the most serious, is this: The concept of a “balance of terror” is applicable between enemies. Here, we are friends. We and the army and the police and the Jewish State and the government are all friends. Sometimes our opinions are divided, but not our hearts. We are one people. Perhaps, my friend, you don’t look at it this way. Perhaps you think that the government and the army that executes its decisions are the enemy of Eretz Yisrael, and if so, war is war. Perhaps you associate yourself with those who call policemen Nazis, or hint that they are Nazis, or compare them to Nazis. As one boy asked me, perhaps with feigned innocence, “I understand that we’re not allowed to say ‘Nazis’, but are we allowed to think ‘Nazis’?” And I innocently answered him, “You can’t think it either.” So then he said, “But they really are Nazis!” I don’t know where he got such ideas. Therefore, you’ve got to realize something: None of them are Nazis! One time at one of the big demonstrations to stop the expulsion from Gush Katif, Knesset Member Scharansky said, “Don’t say ‘Bolsheviks’! You don’t know what Bolsheviks are! I do know! It’s true that what is happening right now is very bad, but it’s not Bolsheviks!”
And I say: Don’t say Nazis! Don’t say it. Don’t hint it. Don’t imply it. Don’t think it.
Maybe you don’t know what Nazis are. I know a little bit, because some of my family perished in the Holocaust, and as an infant I was hidden so that I wouldn’t end up in an extermination camp. So once and for all, remove this expression from parlance about Jews.
But I say a lot more than that: All of these people are our friends. We are friends! We have our differences, but we are friends. We are brothers. Remember that, once and for all – we are brothers.
You might ask: What do I suggest? I’ve been answering this question for more than thirty years, and Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Cohain Kook has been answering it for a hundred years. I’ll repeat it now for the thousandth time: Be strong.

Shut SMS #137

2011-11-11T02:34:00.000-08:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Prophesying the Future
Q: I saw a report that someone prophesied about future events, such as the collapse of America. Is it possible that this is true?
A: Nonsense. Prophecy ceased. Baba Batra 14.

Fasting
Q: What is the source for the idea that fasting erases a third of a person’s transgressions?
A: There is no source.

Overweight Woman
Q: Why am I ugly because I am overweight? It is sad. Everyone laughs at me. I was rejected by Shiduchim more than once on account of my weight. Now I am married, but my mother-in-law told me that I am shockingly ugly. After a few children, I am even more overweight. Why are overweight people doomed to be sad and considered not pretty?
A: Where does it say in the Torah that someone who is overweight is not pretty? The men who were not interested in you for this reason are stupid, and are captives of Hollywood fashion. The greater painters Rembrandt and Rubens saw immense beauty in overweight women, and painted them in wondrous light. In your husband’s eyes, you are the most beautiful woman in the world- otherwise he would not have married you. A thin woman does not possess any advantage over an overweight woman! None! Overweight is also beautiful.

Wigs
Q: Is it permissible for a woman to wear a wig?
A: Some forbid it, and others permit it on condition that it is simple and modest - not like the wigs worn today (Shut She’eilat Shlomo 1:442, 3:416).

Seating at Wedding
Q: Should there be separate seating for men and women at a wedding?
A: Yes. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 149:1.

Pregnant Woman in Cemetery
Q: What is the source for pregnant women refraining from entering a cemetery?
A: Sefer Ma'avar Yabok. But the accepted Halachah is that she is permitted to enter (Neta'ai Gavriel – Avelut 84:4. Shut Minchat Yitzchak 10:42 #2).

Communal Struggles
Q: Is there justification for destroying the possessions of left-wing activists?
A: The main principle of communal struggles, and life in general, is that we do not fulfill a Mitzvah through a transgression. Violence, insults and hatred are transgressions.

Scuba Diving
Q: Is it permissible to participate in a scuba diving course in Eilat?
A: Yes, on condition that it is modest and not dangerous.

Tank
Q: Does one recite Tefilat Ha-Derech for traveling in a tank?
A: Yes. There is danger in traveling even a short distance.

Tzahal Uniform
Q: Based on the law that one must daven in clothing that one would wear when standing before a king, is it permissible to daven in a Tzahal uniform?
A: Certainly. This may be the most honorable clothing we have. And see Shut Avnei Yespeh 8:29 #5 (It is related that at the time of his wedding, Ha-Rav Shear Yashuv Cohain [current Chief Rabbi of Haifa] was serving as a Rabbi in the Army, and came to his wedding in Yerushalayim wearing his Tzahal uniform. Some people there did not look upon this positively. Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah Ha-Cohain Kook was surprised by their reactions, "Wearing the clothing of a Russian nobleman - this is appropriate?! But wearing the uniform of Tzeva Haganah Le-Yisrael - the Israel Defense Force - this is not appropriate?!"
Tal Chermon – Moadim, p. 135).

Pollard
Q: After the release of Gild Schalit, I do not understand why the Americans do not release Jonathan Pollard.
A: It is indeed not understandable. They have been committing a travesty for 26 years. We must pray that in the end he will be released.

Bald
Q: Is it permissible for one to shave his head bald?
A: Yes, except for his Pe'ot which he must leave a length of 5 millimeters.

Ahavat Yisrael
Q: Why doesn't the Shulchan Aruch quote the Mitzvah of "Love your fellow as yourself"?
A: He does not bring things which are simple and known. But the Magen Avraham quotes it in chap. 156.

Prophecies
Q: How can we explain that there are all kinds of mystical people who prophesy about future events that really do occur?
A: They only say approximately what will occur and not exactly. See Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei Ha-Torah 10:3.

Imitation
Q: Is it permissible to imitate a person's voice?
A: On condition that you are positive that he will not be offended.

Children in Shul
Q: Where is it written in the Shulchan Aruch that one should not bring disruptive children to Shul?
A: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 98. Mishnah Berurah #3.

Parashat Vayera: Avraham's Will Indicates G-d's Will

2011-11-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

[Tal Chermon]

Avraham's discussion with Hashem over the inhabitants of Sedom was not a prayer or a petition – it was a debate. Avraham argued with Him, saying: it is inconceivable and sacrilegious that the judge of the entire universe should perform such an unjust act (Bereshit 18:25). This debate in fact paralleled the deliberations that were taking place in the Heavenly Court on the fate of Sedom (Sha'arei Orah). While different Divine attributes, so to speak, were hammering out the issue above, Avraham was like a radio receiver with a large antenna, receiving the heavenly broadcast. He then acted as the mouthpiece for the quality of kindness. Because of his close affinity to, his love of and his faith in G-d, G-d revealed His own will through him, so that Avraham was in fact expressing Hashem's own inner will.
This is the reason that the righteous are able to decree, and Hashem fulfills their desire (See Shabbat 59b and Taanit 23a). Or, in even more extreme cases, that the righteous are able to overturn G-d’s decree (Moed Katan 16a). All this does not mean, G-d forbid, that G-d wants one thing, while the righteous wants another and that Hashem changes His mind. No, there can be no inner change in the essence of G-d or of His will. Simply, the righteous person's will is one aspect of G-d's will and he expresses this particular point vocally.
This is also the explanation for why a curse pronounced by a Torah scholar, even if undeserved, is fulfilled (Makkot 11a and elsewhere). The curse is really a Divine protest against a particular state of affairs. And even though not all the conditions for its implementation apply, the protest stands. As, for example, when King David excavated the foundation of the Temple, the waters of the depth surged up and wanted to flood the world. King David thought of inscribing the Divine Name on a shard and casting it into the depths in order to quell the waters. There was, however, a halachic doubt: did the saving of the world justify the erasing of the Divine Name that would inevitably result from casting the shard into the depths? King David asked if anyone knew the answer, but no one replied. Only when King David threatened that anyone who knew the Halachah but did not speak up would be strangled, did Achitopel respond and say that it was permitted. Despite the fact that Achitopel revealed the answer in the end, King David's curse (inspired by a spark of the Divine will) clung to him and Achitopel died by strangulation (As described in Shmuel 2 17:23). This happened because Achitophel was in essence a negative personality, even though he did not act criminally on this specific occasion.
And thus we see that Avraham is a truly righteous person, whose own will is a faithful reflection of the Divine will.

Rabbi Binyamin Eisner – The Shofar of Rav Kook

2011-11-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

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

Following much suffering, the pure soul of the great man, Rabbi Binyamin Eisner, z”l, has ascended to heaven. Who is a great man? One who recognizes the greatness of an outstanding figure and follows in his path. That is what our friend Rav Binyamin did. All his life he was drawn to our great master, Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Cohain Kook, and he humbly used to say: “To speak of a great man, one must be great oneself, and since I am not great, I will not speak about Rav Kook. Rather, we shall attempt, together, to learn his writings.”
Indeed, Rav Binyamin devoted his whole life to being the Shofar of Rav Kook, no more and no less. He was a gentle Shofar, a clear Shofar, a heartening Shofar, a profound Shofar.
All his life he taught the works of Orot, teaching faith, love of the Nation, and patience vis-à-vis the Jewish State. All his life he explained, with infinite patience, “Torat Eretz Yisrael” – the unique Land-of-Israel-based approach to Torah. All his life he built Eretz Yisrael. Torah scholars are called “builders”. He built up Eretz Yisrael in the spiritual sense, by being a faithful emissary of Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook and his son Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook.
Our thoughts are with you, our dear friend, shepherd, teacher and mentor. You had a great deal more to build and to teach, and enormous abilities to carry on with your work, but “the Sefer Torah is now hidden away”…
Still, Rav Binyamin remains here with us. All his life, Rav Benny taught. He learned and he taught. He taught everyone. He taught the great and the small. He was a Torah teacher in Machon Meir and in the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva high school. He taught Hebrew speakers and English speakers, yeshiva students and students of pre-military yeshiva academies.
Yet he never spoke a “canned” truth that he heard from others or that he read from others. Rather, his teachings came from within him, from the truth within him, from the divine truth abiding inside him, in his heart, his mind and his entire personality.
A Torah scroll could be placed beside him and we could say, “A learned what is written in B. A fulfilled what is written in B. He fulfilled its mitzvot. He fulfilled its mitzvot through his intent prayers, his sterling character, his seriousness and his happiness.
He fulfilled its mitzvot with all his heart and soul and might.
May his soul be bound up in the bond of the living, with all the righteous.

Love – Air for the Soul

2011-11-08T13:29:00.000-08:00

Love is not a prize. Love is air for the soul. Depriving a child of love is similar to a scuba driver threatening to close his son's oxygen tank. If we threaten a child, he will begin to fear that he will not be loved and will be closed in his room.
We have yet to see a child destroyed by excessive love. Perhaps he was destroyed on account of the lack of proper treatment due to love. Perhaps he was not educated correctly, or punished when he need to be. A child is not destroyed by excessive love. And even when he is punished, he must know that he is loved – unconditionally!
Always remember: A child does not know how to distinguish when his mother is angry with him or when she is angry about something else. If his mother returns home with an upset face because she received guff at work, he is certain that it is his fault. This is true until the age of 10 – everything that happens in the world revolves around him. It is an egocentric period. Egocentrism is not egotism. Egocentric means that he thinks that he is the center of the world. A dog barks in the street – he is sure that it was at him. One parent yells at another – it is at him. Everything is to him and about him. A parent must always remember this, and be sensitive to it.

11 Mar Cheshvan: Rachel Imenu's Yahrtzeit

2011-11-05T12:48:00.000-07:00

From Rav Shlomo Aviner Shlit"a Book: "On the Air with Rav Aviner":

Rachel Imenu (Our foremother Rachel) in the Gaza War Against Hamas
Q: Rumors have spread about a woman presenting herself as our foremother Rachel appearing to Tzahal soldiers and warning them of explosives, booby-trapped houses and terrorist ambushes within the Gaza Strip during the war. Is this true?
A: In truth, Rachel Imenu was certainly with us during our long Exile as the Maharal explained in his book "Netzach Yisrael" (end of chap. 1 and beginning of chap. 34). He wrote that Rachel is the power that sustained the Nation of Israel during the course of the Exile and returned us to our Land as it says: "Withhold your voice from crying…and your children will return to their border" (Yirmiyahu 31:15-16). And Rashi explained at the beginning of Parashat Va-Yechi (Bereshit 48:7): Why wasn't Rachel buried in the Cave of Machpelah or even in Beit Lechem, but by the side of the road? In order for her to protect the Nation of Israel while we were on the way. This is the inner power which binds the Nation together. After all, it is a miracle and wonder that we were able to remain steadfast for two thousand years in the Exile. We were a lamb among seventy wolves and we are now returning to our Land. But regarding the idea that Rachel personally revealed herself to this person or that person, on such matters it is said: "A fool will believe anything." There are two types of extremism: one type of extremism is to deny miracles, and another type of extremism is to believe that when someone tells you about a miracle that there really was one. We need to check. It is possible that they may have been imagining. Sometimes a person imagines things, even a sane person. Sometimes one is under pressure, tired, hungry, and thinks he sees something that isn't there, and later fosters it in his memory. This is called FMS – false memory syndrome. It may have been a non-Jewish woman. There are also good Arab women – not all of them are, but there are some. And maybe someone dreamed up this idea to strengthen faith, and to say: "You see? There are people that go to war and there are people that don't go to war but they pray, and Rachel came to save us on account of their merit." Therefore, we need proof for such matters. There were soldiers who fell in battle and Rachel was not there. There were also soldiers who won battles due to their great dedication and wisdom and courageousness to fight, and Rachel was not there. This means that Rachel was not there in the image of a woman guiding them and telling them go this way or that way, shoot here or shoot there. But Rachel was certainly there in the sense in which we explained: the inner power which sustains the Nation of Israel and returns us to our Land. [There was a news story that Ha-Gaon Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu prayed for Rachel Imenu to help. Rav Aviner gave this answer before this story has spread about Rav Eliyahu.]

More on Rachel Imenu
Q: Did Rachel Imenu really reveal herself in the war or not? In other words, who is obligated to prove it – the one who claims that she did appear or the one who claims that she did not appear?
A: The simple answer is based upon the halachic principle: "Ha-motzi me-chavero alav ha-ra'ayah - The burden of proof rests upon the one who demands the money," i.e. the burden of proof rests upon one who makes a claim which veers from the usual. The usual is that Rachel Imenu does not appear in war. Rachel Imenu was not in our first war when Yehoshua bin Nun waged war against Amalek. She was not in the war of Moshe Rabbenu against Sichon and Og. She was not in the war of Yehoshua bin Nun to conquer the Land of Israel. She was not in any of the wars of the Judges. She was not in the wars of King Shaul and of King David. She was not in the wars of any of the Kings of Israel. She was not in the war of the Hasmoneans. She was not in the war of Bar Kochba. She was not in the War of Independence, the Six-Day War or the Yom Kippur War. She was not in any war. The presumption is that she does not go out to war. Now, there are those claiming that she was there. It is possible, but it must be proven. How? We need to hear from the soldier who claimed that it happened. We need to question him before a Beit Din according to the halachah: Do you really see her? Maybe it was an Arab woman? Maybe it was a Jewish woman captured by the Arabs and she was reminded that she was a Jew? Maybe you imagined it? As long as it has not been investigated, it has not been proven. Up until now, I have not heard anything.

I was therefore happy when a friend told me what he saw with his own eyes. During the war, a bunch of reservists were sitting around a fire on a freezing-cold night with warm jackets which they brought from home. A few regular soldiers arrived and they were frozen to the bone. The reservists did not hesitate to take off their jackets which were almost more precious to them than their weapons and gave them to the other soldiers. This is Rachel Imenu! Rachel Imenu gave up Yaakov - who was the most precious thing to her – for her sister. I am not saying that a jacket and a spouse are comparable, but this act at its source comes from Rachel Imenu.

In David's lament for Yonatan, he says: "Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women" (Shmuel 2 1:26). The Targum (the Aramaic translation) says: "the love of two women." A Chasidic Rebbe once asked: Who are these two women? His answer: Rachel and Leah. David was saying: "Yonatan, your love for me in which you were willing to forego the kingship flows from the love of two women - when Rachel was willing to forego for Leah." Giving up a jacket is obviously not like giving up the kingship, but it is still flows from Rachel Imenu.

And Rashi explains at the beginning of Parashat Va-Yechi (Bereshit 48:7): Why wasn't Rachel buried in the Cave of Machpelah or even in Beit Lechem, but by the side of the road? So that when we were on our way to Exile she would be an aid for her children, as it says: "A voice is heard in Ramah. Rachel cries for her children…there is a reward for your actions and your children will return to their border" (Yirmiyahu 31:14-16). But couldn't she be an aid from Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah – it is only a little farther away?! I heard one Rav explain that for the sake of her children Rachel gave up being buried in Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah. We see that Rachel Imenu was willing to forego and we must do the same. The Exile was on account of "Sinat Chinam – Baseless Hatred" and the Redemption will be on account of "Ahavat Chinam – Baseless Love." In this way, Rachel is an aid for her children. She teaches us "Ahavat Chinam – Baseless Love." Every soldier who entered the Gaza Strip did so with self-sacrifice to save other Jews. This is not a jacket, a spouse, the kingship or a spot in Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah, it is risking one's life. Therefore, Rachel was there. She was with every soldier who entered with self-sacrifice for the sake of his brothers. It truly was Rachel!

Shut SMS #136

2011-11-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Praying under the Chuppah
Q: What should I daven for under the Chuppah in order to have a successful marriage?
A: Whatever your heart desires. Tehillim. But not in an overt fashion, since one should be humble. And one should certainly not delay the community. The same applies to the prayer of a bride before the Chuppah – do not delay the community.

Purchasing an Apartment for one’s Children
Q: What is the source for the obligation of parents to buy their married son or daughter an apartment?
A: There is no such obligation. It is a kindness.

The Mitzvah of serving in Tzahal
Q: Do I fulfill a Mitzvah every second I serve in the army?
A: Certainly.

Saving a spot on the Bus
Q: Is it permissible for me to save a seat for my friend on the bus if he didn't get on yet?
A: If there are other open spots for people to sit.

Memorial for First Wife
Q: My family is organizing a meal in memory of my first wife who passed away. Should I bring my current wife?
A: You should not attend at all. You are now married anew and your former wife is no longer part of your world. If you attend, even alone, it will hurt your current wife, even if she denies it.

Tzahal Uniform on Shabbat
Q: On my army base, they allow us to wear a white shirt on Shabbat. Which is preferable – a white shirt or a Tzahal uniform?
A: A white shirt is preferable in honor of Shabbat.

Bed-time Shema
Q: If I take a nap during the day, do I recite the Bed-time Shema?
A: No. It is only recited at night.

Destroying Idol Worship
Q: Is there a Mitzvah today to destroy the places of idol worship in the Land of Israel?
A: Our Sages said: Do not destroy them if you will be required to rebuild them even more beautifully (Midrash Tana’im Devarim 12b, p. 58. Avot De-Rebbe Natan, Nusach Bet #11. See Ha-Tekufah Ha-Gedolah pp. 260-273).

Rebuke
Q: Is it permissible to point out to a friend that his behavior is causing other to mock him, though he may be insulted?
A: You should point it out. It is for his own benefit.

Instruments during Davening
Q: Is it permissible to play instruments during davening, such as during Kabbalat Shabbat and on the night of Yom Ha-Atzmaut?
A: No. We do not play instruments during davening. We should not change the custom of prayer. Instruments were only played in the Temple.

Parashat Lech Lecha: Avraham Avinu – Father of all Mankind

2011-10-31T23:26:00.001-07:00

[Tal Chermon]

Question: Is it correct to infer from the fact that Avraham is the father of all mankind that all the nations must become Jewish?
Answer: Rashi, in his commentary on the Torah (Bereshit 17:5), hints at this very question. Avraham's name was originally "Avram" which is an acronym meaning "the father of Aram." This means that he was a national leader, the father of his nation, Aram. Later, however, his name (and together with it his mission) was changed to "Avraham" which indicates his universal task as "the father of the multitude of nations." A remnant of his former name remains in his new name which shows that despite his new universal character, he still retains his national character. He is both universal and particularistic. This is not an anomaly: the Kuzari (2:36) says "Israel is the heart of the nations." Or, as the Zohar puts it, "the mind of the nations" (Zohar, Mishpatim 108. See Orot Yisrael of Rav Kook 1, 1). The comparison to the essential limbs, the heart and the mind, indicates that Israel is on a different level of existence from the rest of mankind, which could be compared to inessential parts of the body, such as the leg or the ear. We are the central life force present of humanity. But we must remember that the heart only has significance when it is connected with the rest of the body - not as a detached organ sitting in isolation.

We are inextricably linked to the rest of the nations and have a responsibility towards them, but at the same time we are also distinct and separate from them. Along with them, we possess the Divine image that exists in mankind, but we are above them from our external vantage point, "as a Nation that will dwell alone, not counting itself among the nations" (Bamidbar 23:9). We must use our special characteristics to help them. This state of connection and separateness can be exemplified by the world of ideas. There are ideas that are common to both Jews and non-Jews and it makes no difference if they were conceived by Aristotle or, on a completely different level, by the Rambam. These ideas are broad concepts, well beyond national distinctions. A second category of thought is one where the idea is universal but the style in which it is stated is specific to each nation. Therefore, they have to be specially adapted to our specific national style before they can be adopted. This is unlike the first category that can be adopted without any alterations. There is a third class of ideas which are distinctly ours. Regarding them, we are "as a Nation that will dwell alone, not counting itself among the nations." These ideas are specifically ours and have no connection whatsoever with the non-Jews. This example in the sphere of ideas also applies to the practical world. We and our forefather Avraham are one and act identically. Avraham was connected to the nations as "the father of the multitude of nations," but also a "mighty nation" (Bereshit 12:2), naturally separated from the nations and also a source of blessing to them. In the same way, we are both nationalistic and universalistic, and a source of blessing for the entire world.

And it came to pass, after Migron…

2011-10-31T23:25:00.001-07:00

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

Question: The terrible wound inflicted upon my flesh at Migron has not yet healed. It can never heal. In the middle of the night, they brutally dragged us out as though we were criminals. Young boys and young girls included. Little children in pajamas. Violence. Cruelty. “We are just following orders!” There was no one to talk to. Arabs threw our possessions out the window, breaking some of them in the process. That’s right- they used an Arab moving company to take us away. They touched the women and the girls obscenely. Big heroes for dealing with children! Somebody fainted, but they didn’t let the ambulance corps come near.
Unprecedented! The whole thing was just so pathetic, just so wretched.
Germans banished my grandmother and grandfather from their homes and told them, “Go to Palestine!” And here the Jews chase us out of our homes, at Katif and at Migron. Hearts of stone. Such a heavy blow! And now this country of mine is betraying me. The IDF is betraying me. Enough! It’s no longer my country. I don’t love it any more. I no longer feel attached to it. I am angry at it. I hate it…

Answer: Dear friend! I weep at the sound of your lament. It doesn’t matter whether I shed my tears publicly. Inside I weep. It really is terrible! But what shall we do? What do you suggest? In our country, we are all different, and we are pulling in different directions.
I fear that Gush Katif and Migron will not be the last instances of this sort. I hope and pray that I am wrong, and I strive to keep more from happening, but I can’t promise it won’t be. There are liable to be more harsh conflicts like these. So what shall we do? Shall you establish your own private country that fits your worldview?! Shall every group establish its own country? We are in this together for better or for worse.
In the last year of his life, every Saturday night, Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook would repeat the same expression: “nerves of steel”. Apparently he foresaw that we would need nerves of steel to face the new week.
By the way, there was an incident that was even worse than the expulsions from Gush Katif and Migron: the Altalena incident. Jews shot at Jews: in the midst of the War of Independence, in the Land of Israel, and for the sake of the Land of Israel. We are very fortunate that it didn’t turn into a civil war. It was then that Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda wrote his article, “Mi-Ma’amakim” [From the Depths]. And what solution does he suggest there to that outburst of hatred? Increasing our love of our fellow Jews, opening the emergency warehouses of love of Israel (Li-Netivot Yisrael 1). And even before that, he had written his article, “Et Achai Anochi Mevakesh” [I am looking for my brothers], during the “Season” [when some Jews were informing on their fellow Jewish Lechi and Etzel underground fighters to the British]. Then, as well, he set forth the rules of the conflict: no violence, no insults and no hatred (ibid.).
And still earlier, Maran Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook wrote his article, “Al Chilul Hashem” [About the Profanation of G-d’s Name], writing that the worst thing there could be is hatred between us (Ma’amarei HaRe’iyah).
We’ve known this for a long time. Our greatest enemy is the hatred between us. It was groundless hatred that destroyed our Temple, our Land.
Read the Psalms again and again. Remember how much hatred and wickedness King David suffered at the hands of his Jewish brethren, and yet he never returned their hatred. He, too, was banished from his home and his throne. And by whom? By Avshalom, his own son.
Even so, he gave orders not to harm Avshalom under any circumstances. Beloved, suffering brother. Imagine a father who beat his son with murderous blows. The son shouted back, “You’ve gone much too far! You’ve crossed all lines! I’m no longer your son! Good bye!”
Yet he could also have responded, “Dad, I’m angry. I’m battered. I’m wounded. I’m hurt. Yet you’re still my father, and I owe you a lot. I’m staying home.”
Which of the two possibilities should one choose? I don’t know. The son will choose for himself. But let me tell you a second story:
A son beat his father with murderous blows. The father responded, “That’s it! You’ve gone too far! You’re no longer my son. I don’t recognize you as such. I’m blotting you from my memory. Get out of my house and never come back! For me, you no longer exist.” Or, he could respond, “Son! I’m wounded and in pain, angry and sorrowful, but you’re my son. I believe in you. The door is always open. I know you’ll return and I’ll always wait for you.”
Which of the two should the father choose? Here there is only one choice: the second. If the father closes the door, this son will deteriorate and will never come back. He’s a lost son.
Now let’s think together. In our case, who’s the father and who’s the son? Perhaps the government, the country and the army? Perhaps they’re the great father who is beating you so badly? Perhaps it’s they who make the decisions and run things, and you’re just a young son, trying to survive amidst the waves of rage?
Or perhaps the opposite is the case? Perhaps you’re the father, you’re the thinker, you’re the philosopher, the man of faith, the man of vision, the person who gazes into the distance based on a higher ideal, and the government is the young son, limping along and confused, captive to his own base understandings?
Indeed, who is the father here and who is the son? That depends on the argument between historic materialism and historic idealism.
Marx and Engels’ historic materialism argued that the institutions of government are what leave their imprint on history, and spirit is nothing but a pale, secondary byproduct.
Accordingly, the government is the father and you are the son.
But Hegel’s historic idealism argues that what shapes history are thoughts and ideas, ideals and beliefs. All the forms of governmental organization are then nothing but a practical translation of those ideas, coming in tow. By that approach, you are the father. The people of faith and belief are the father, and the country is only nourished, openly or surreptitiously, by that soul. Obviously, the Torah is our historic idealism. See Maran Ha-Rav Kook’s article, “Le-Mahalach Ha-Ide’ot Be-Yisrael” (Orot). Following this second train of thought, you must continue being a good and upright father, ever brave and patient, determined and faithful, with nerves of steel.
Perhaps we shall never decide who is the father and who is the son. Perhaps, we’re all just plain brothers. That’s right, brothers. Brothers who sometimes have difficult issues to deal with, like Yosef and his brothers, but still brother all the same. The true enemy is not one of us, but those who in every generation rise up against us to destroy us.
So, let us all carry on together, with nerves of steel, building in love and brotherhood, peace and friendship, for we are all truly brothers. Sometimes our brotherhood is open, and sometimes it is hidden.
Let us be strong and courageous.

A Time to Express Love

2011-10-31T23:24:00.001-07:00

One needs to dedicate special time to loving their child. When? Perhaps before they go to sleep. This is a time to express love, talk and give them a rub. This is true with a baby and an older child as well. This is a calm and quiet time, and it should be dedicated to love. A child cannot go to sleep in an environment of anger towards him: “Go to sleep! It’s late! It’s 9:30! I have been telling you for 2½ hours to go to sleep!” He then runs around until he is yelled at and he goes to sleep scolded. This is very bad. If he goes to sleep scorned it affects his dreams and his sleep. It is permissible to scold sometimes or tell your child to go to sleep, but sit with him, hug him, kiss him, love him.
The same is true in the morning. A child should not go to school scolded: “You’re not ready yet? Let’s go already! You’re late.” This is no way to go to school. Even without this, a difficult day awaits him…

Shut SMS #135

2011-10-27T23:42:00.001-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

King Shlomo
Q: Did King Shlomo really understand what the animals were saying?
A: Yes.

Sacrifices in the Future
Q: When the Temple is rebuilt will there be sacrifices?
A: Certainly. They are mentioned in the prayers. They will only cease in the far off distant future. See Pinkasei Ha-Re'eiyah of Maran Ha-Rav Kook vol. 1.

Blessing against Heretics
Q: To whom is the blessing against Heretics referring?
A: Christians, missionaries. See Rambam, Hilchot Tefillah 2:1.

Pirkei Avot
Q: Are our Rabbis' words in Pirkei Avot obligatory or just good advice?
A: In general, they are acts of piety. But each teaching must be examined individually .

Learning during Repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei
Q: Is it permissible to learn Torah during the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei, if there is a Minyan without me?
A: No. Mishnah Berurah (124:17. Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski says that learning Torah during the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei, it is a Mitzvah performed through a transgression. See Shut Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:19).

Shliach Tzibur who Hates
Q: If a person calls Israeli police officers "S.S.", can he serve as a Shliach Tzibur?
A: Certainly not. But do not get involved in a dispute.

Honoring Parents and Tzahal
Q: My parents do not want me to go into the army. Am I obligated to listen to them?
A: No. Honoring parents does not apply if one's parents try to prevent him from fulfilling a Mitzvah. One should obviously try to reason with and calm them (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 240:14).

Martial Arts
Q: Is it proper to send our child to learn martial arts in order learn self-defense and strengthen his confidence, or will it accustom him to violence?
A: It is proper. It will not accustom him to violence, but – on the contrary – self-control.

Stuttering Shliach Tzibur
Q: Can a person who stutters serve as Shliach Tzibur?
A: If the community agrees.
Q: And what about the honor of Hashem?
A: Fearing-G-d is more important than this deficiency. The Gemara relates about a Shliach Tzibur who could not properly say the letters (Megilah 24b. See Shai Cohain of Ha-Rav Shear Yashuv Cohain vol. 1 #1).

Horoscope
Q: Is it possible to know a person's nature based on his horoscope?
A: No. We do not possess such knowledge.

Maran Ha-Rav Kook and Vegetarianism

2011-10-26T13:29:00.001-07:00

Q: Must one be a vegetarian according to Maran Ha-Rav Kook?
A: Maran Ha-Rav Kook wrote in "Kovetz Tzimchonut Ve-Ha-Shalom" – "Vegetarianism and Peace" – that vegetarianism is a future vision. Its importance is real, but not for today. Why not? Because it is impossible to skip stages (in human development). Some vegetarians explain that they do not eat meat because it is showing compassion to animals. That is certainly important, but we first need to show compassion towards human beings, and we have not yet fulfilled all of our obligations towards human beings. After we finish being merciful and righteous to human beings, we will move on to animals. We cannot skip stages. We are not criticizing those who are vegetarians. If a person wants to be a vegetarian, he may do so, but it is impossible to define it as a mitzvah or even as a stringency. Someone once asked me: I am a vegetarian and I have decided to stop. Do I need a "hatarat nedarim" (annulment of vows), since someone who performs a proper custom a few times and wants to stop must perform a "hatarat nedarim"? I said that there is no need for a "hatarat nedarim," since vegetarianism is not a mitzvah or stringency. It is a good, compassionate, and proper character trait for one who wishes, but it is before its time. An individual who desires to be a vegetarian is fine, but this cannot be – as Maran Ha-Rav Kook refers to it – a communal practice. Maran Ha-Rav Kook also warns in the same article that vegetarianism can actually become a sort of hijacking of one's feelings of compassion. This means that sometimes there are those who are cruel to other people, but because their Divine souls cannot bear this cruelty, and need to be pacified, they say: we will be vegetarians and be compassionate to animals. In fact, there were Nazis in the concentration camps who were vegetarians, and some even say that Hitler himself was a vegetarian!

Maran Ha-Rav Kook ate meat, as did our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah. In the letters of Maran Ha-Rav Kook, he wrote a letter to our Rabbi, when he was young and not eating meat, and asked: Why aren't you eating meat? You need to eat meat. It is not our level to refrain from doing so. You know that there are many cruel people in the world and many vegetarians who are cruel. Maran Ha-Rav further wrote: A Torah scholar, along with other things, needs to know how to slaughter animals. There are certainly Torah scholars who do not know how to slaughter, but it is good and proper to know. Please learn to slaughter (Igrot Re'eiyah vol. 3, letter 780). Then another letter (ibid. letter 784): Did you learn to slaughter? Another letter (ibid. letter 799): So, are you learning to slaughter? And finally a letter (ibid. 839): I am happy that you learned to slaughter. Now that you learned, you need to do so. So, did you slaughter yet (see letters 852, 853 and 860)? Maran Ha-Rav Kook consistently exerted pressure on our Rabbi so that he would not possess an ideology that it was forbidden to slaughter or eat animals.

Not eating meat is a future vision. How do we reach this future? Slowly, in stages, through all sorts of Halachot which teach us that we need to respect animals, not be cruel to animals, not to cause undue pain to animals, etc…But, in the meantime, we must concentrate even more on our treatment of human beings.

Parashat Noach: Crises and Covenant

2011-10-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

[Tal Chermon]

Noach
Noach was an easygoing and even-tempered person. A person who becomes angry loses his senses and his soul is replaced with an idolatrous evil spirit. A person who is at peace, however, is blessed, for Hashem dwells in the heart of the tranquil (Sefer Charedim in the name of Midrash Neelam). "Noach [therefore] found favor in G-d's eyes" (Bereshit 6:8). Hashem's pleasure in man brought about a new stage in humanity's development: from individuals, nations now began to develop.

Advances Through Crises
The topic of this Parashah is the splitting of mankind into different nations and tongues. This is a very significant stage in human development. A nation is a new reality in the world. A certain philosopher once broke down the whole of creation into five categories: inanimate objects, vegetation, animals, human beings and nations. This advancement appears to have been unplanned, having resulted from the sin of the "Generation of the Dispersion" (due to the the Tower of Bavel debacle – Bereshit 11:1-9). However, matters which from our human perspective occur by default, are from Hashem's perspective ideal and intentional. We have been taught that progress is achieved through the failures that precede it, as our Sages have even said about the study of Torah: "A man does not achieve a complete understanding of the words of Torah unless he has first made errors in interpreting them" (Gittin 43a). There are many phenomena that only evolve and are only comprehensible because of the blunders and frustrations that preceded them. So it is in this Parashah. The result of the sin of the "Generation of the Dispersion" was that mankind was divided up into nations. The result of Noach's drunkenness was the characterization of these nations' spiritual nature; and the result of the sin of the "Generation of the Deluge" was the Divine covenant that the entire world population would never be destroyed again.

Hashem's Covenant with Man
The Divine covenant is not like a human contract. It is not a conditional agreement made between two parties, based on mutual interests, and for their common good. G-d's covenant is comparable to a law of nature. It is neither cancelled nor changed according to circumstances. It is a Divine creation that is even more lasting and permanent than the laws of nature. After the downfall of the "Generation of the Deluge," Hashem made a promise that never again would all mankind perish. This promise also included man's spiritual survival. Man would never lose the Divine image that he possesses. Some people despair of mankind. On seeing man's vulgar materialism, his sins and misdeeds, they think that the whole of the human species will degenerate back into barbarism. They are mistaken. The Divine covenant is an unbreakable promise that mankind, despite all of its faults and failings, will remain human and will eventually reach its lofty objective. We are fully aware of man's defects and flaws and definitely do not claim that he has already reached perfection. Only the intoxicated see the world as utopia. Our Sages interpreted the verse (Mishlei 23:31), "When he puts his eye to the cup (= concentrates on drinking) he walks on a plain," to mean that the whole world appears to the drunkard as if it is completely flat (Yoma 74b. The philosopher Liebnitz, in a book titled "Theodicee", Liebnitz creates a scenario in which there is no evil in the world. The philosopher Voltaire, on the other hand, wrote a story in which evil clearly exists, but the main character fails to see it. The story highlights the absurdity of such an approach. The theory that there is no evil in the world is in truth very profound, but becomes ludicrous if taken too simplistically. Our Prophets and great Rabbis used a similar literary ruse in their controversy against opposing views: by simplifying the opinions of their opponents to absurdity, they were able to expose the underlying falsehood in these views). While it is true that there are shortcomings and failures in the world, in the final analysis, these very setbacks are what lead to man's elevation. "The flood came and blotted out almost all of existence, however, the root of humanity that remained was spiritually strengthened. The world became firmly based and a covenant promising its perpetual existence was sealed" (Maran Ha-Rav Kook in Orot Ha-Kodesh part 3, p. 66).

Rav Aviner in the News: Killing Terrorists & Earthquakes

2011-10-24T23:00:00.000-07:00

Better to kill a terrorist than call the police?
http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=243044

By JEREMY SHARON
27 Tishrei 5772

‘Torat Hamelech’ co-author Rabbi Yossi Elitzur writes halachic ruling advocating taking law into own hands in aftermath of Schalit deal.
Rabbi Yossi Elitzur of the Od Yosef Hai yeshiva in Yitzhar and co-author of the controversial work on Jewish law, Torat Hamelech, wrote in a halachic ruling on Monday that should someone encounter a terrorist, it is preferable to shoot and kill them rather than call the police or attempt to apprehend the person in question, since he may be released in a future prisoner swap.
Writing on the Kol Yehudi website, Elitzur said that the imagined, although “not unrealistic” situation is a relevant issue in Jewish law “following the [recent] release of numerous murderers and a number of attempted terrorist attacks” since the Schalit prisoner-exchange deal was completed last week.
“When the state apparatus broadcasts in an unequivocal manner that there is almost no price to be paid for shedding Jewish blood, it is not clear if it’s a good idea to let the police take care of these issues,” the rabbi wrote.
“At the very least, if there is a window of opportunity in which you can claim selfdefense so that the [legal] framework won’t be overtly damaged, it is better to kill the terrorist and so raise the price of Jewish blood, which has been continually cheapened.”
However, Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, head of the Ateret Yerushalayim yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem and a leading religious-Zionist figure, told The Jerusalem Post that a private citizen should not take the law into their own hands in this manner.
“Only the police can decide to do such a thing, not a private individual,” he said. “If there is a clear danger to life then of course the terrorist can be killed immediately but otherwise it is for the state to decide whether or not to give the death penalty to terrorists.”
[Ha-Rav] Aviner added that in his opinion the death penalty should be applied to prevent the recidivism which has occurred in the past among released terrorists and to serve as a warning.
In 2009, Elitzur, together with Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, authored a work entitled Torat Hamelech: Part One: Laws of Life and Death between Israel and the Nations, relating to the attitude of Jewish law towards killing non-Jews in times of war. The book states that under certain circumstances, non-Jews not involved in hostilities may be preemptively killed, including children.
In his column on Monday, Elitzur said that the ruling applied in a case where a person sees a terrorist “trying to kill Jews,” and is confronted with the question whether or not to attempt to subdue him, tie him up and call the police, or simply shoot and kill him.”
On the one hand, he wrote, the terrorist can be categorized in Jewish law as a rodef or pursuer, someone who represents a mortal threat to another’s life. Such a person, according to Jewish law, may be killed.
On the other hand, Elitzur wrote, the principle in Jewish law of abiding by the laws of the state in which one lives is an important consideration, and that just as it is dangerous to allow a murderer to remain at liberty, it is also dangerous to allow people to act outside of the law.
“However, even if in general it’s better to leave these issues to the [legal] framework, sometimes this framework creates a situation in which it is dangerous to rely upon it,” Elitzur wrote.
The logic for “an Arab murderer” is simple, Elitzur claimed. “Either he succeeds in harming a Jew and successfully escapes; or he fails, but is caught, sits in prison for a short period and is at some stage released in another concession to the Arabs; or he succeeds in killing Jews, is caught and imprisoned for a few years in decent conditions and gains an academic degree, while his friends try to kidnap another soldier to bring the State [of Israel] to its knees once again and the murderer is released.”

Jerusalem - Prominent Rabbi:
Claim of Divine Prophecy Predictions Troubling
http://www.vosizneias.com/93399/2011/10/24/jerusalem-prominent-rabbi-claim-of-divine-prophecy-predictions-troubling
26 Tishrei 5772

Jerusalem - Israeli Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Rav of Beit El and Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalyim discounts claims that Kabbalist, Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi’s warnings several weeks ago of impending trouble in Turkey prove that he has the gift of divine prophecy, following yesterday’s devastating earthquake in Turkey.
“There are no prophets in our days,” R’ Aviner was quoted as saying in an interview with Israeli website Srugim . “Real prophecy ended 2,300 years ago and in our day only children and the mentally unbalanced have the gift of prophecy. While ruach hakodesh does exist, as described by R’ Chaim Vital in his sefer Shaarei Kedusha, it does not give one who is so endowed the ability to predict the future.”
R’ Aviner described R’ Ben Artzi as a “dear Jew, like every other Jew”, but cautioned that many of R’ Ben Artzi’s predictions have failed to materialize and suggested that those who want to know what will occur when Moshiach arrives should heed the words of the Rambam who said “no one will know what will happen at that time until it actually happens.”
While his previously written sefer “Ben Or L’chodesh” clearly states that there is no prophecy in our day, R’ Aviner insists that he was not targeting R’ Ben Artzi, but rather the notion that anyone has the gift of divine prophecy, a concept that R’ Aviner called “troubling”.
Asked to explain the cause of yesterday’s earthquake R’ Aviner told Srguim “earthquakes happen. We must daven that something like this never occurs in Israel.”

Shut SMS #134

2011-10-19T03:03:00.001-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Evil Spirits
Q: I haven't been feeling well for a long time. I went to be blessed by a Rabbi and he told me that I stepped on water from which spirits drank and disturbed them. The spirits are therefore taking revenge on me. Ever since hearing this I have been in a great panic.
A: There is no such thing. May Hashem bless you.

Doves and Jaundice
Q: Do doves cure jaundice?
A: No.
Q: But they cured my cousin.
A: One must prove that without the dove he would not have been cured.

Evangelists
Q: How do we relate to Christian Evangelists who believe that the Nation of Israel is the Chosen Nation?
A: The problem is that they also believe that the Nation of Israel will convert to Christianity. The word evangelism means the preaching or promulgation of their faith.

Shalom to a Woman
Q: Is it permissible for a boy to say Shalom to a girl or visa-versa?
A: The Gemara, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch rule that it is forbidden. But if it is not in friendship but rather out of basic politeness, it is permissible.

Short-Sleeves for Shliach Tzibur
Q: Is it permissible for someone who is a Religious-Zionist to serve as Shliach Tzibur if he is wearing short-sleeves?
A: It depends on the custom of the place. But it is always proper to be strict and to have the Shliach Tzibur wear long-sleeves. And, by the way: there is no special Halachah for someone who is a Religious-Zionist (Shut She'eilat Shlomo 2:24).

Pants for Women
Q: Is it permissible for a woman to wear wide, modest pants?
A: No. This is on account of "Lo Yilbash" (the prohibition of wearing the opposite gender's clothing). But it is permissible to wear women's pants under her skirt as long as the pants are modest and not eye-fetching, and the skirt is long enough even when sitting. And this is the custom of the Yemenite Jews (Shut Minchat Yitzchak 2:108. Shut Tzitz Eliezer 11:62. Shut Shevet Ha-Levi 2:63, 6:118. Shut Yabia Omer 6 YD 14. See Vayashiv Moshe, pp. 169-170, where Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv was asked if there is reason to forbid girls from going skiing since they need to wear women's ski pants? He responded that it is permissible on condition that they wear a robe, dress or skirt which covers their knees over the pants. And, in general, this is even better and more modest than what our women usually wear).

Moshe Rabbenu
Q: What was Moshe Rabbenu called before the daughter of Pharoah took him out of the Nile?
A: He had seven names: His father called him Chever, his mother called him Yekutiel, his sister – Yered, his brother – Avi Zani'ach, his wet-nurse – Avi Sochi, the Nation of Israel – Shemayah. Yalkut Shimoni, Shemot 167. But it is the reward of those who perform acts of loving-kindness that he is now called by the name given by Bitya, daughter of Pharoah. Shemot Rabbah 1:26.

Power of Prayer
Q: If the Master of the Universe establishes a person's fate, what is the benefit in praying? After all, Hashem already established the outcome.
A: Hashem establishes, but it is also His will that the prayer be a part of determining what will be.

Non-Jews under the Chupah
Q: Can a convert's non-Jewish, biological parents lead him to the Chupah?
A: From the outset, they should not. If it is necessary, wisely join them to others.

Roman Numerals
Q: Is it permissible to have a clock with Roman numerals in our house?
A: Yes. The regular (Arabic) numbers also come from a non-Jewish source.

Rock-Throwing
Q: If Arabs throw rocks at me, is it permissible for me to throw rocks back in order to protect myself, in order to help conquer the Land of Israel, and in order to show them that Jews are not downtrodden?
A: For protection, yes, if it is a life-threatening situation. For the other two reasons, no – this is Tzahal's job.

Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge
Q: Do our Sages of the Talmud say that the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was an apple?
A: No. It is a non-Jewish tradition.

Separation of Men and Women during Prayer
Q: If men daven outside, can I – a woman – stand behind them and join even though there is no Mechitza?
A: Yes, from a distance. There is no need for a Mechitza when davening outside.

Gold Menorah
Q: Is making the Golden Menorah, which stands near the Kotel, a violation of the prohibition of making copies of the Temple's implements?
A: There are various ways of doing so in a permissible way. For example, if the implement is attached to the ground. Shut Da'at Cohain. It is best to ask experts from the Temple Institute directly, since they are serious Torah scholars (There are, however, Rabbis who do forbid making the implements. Heard from Ha-Rav Herschel Schachter in the name of Ha-Rav Aharon Soloveitchik).

Redeeming Captives in Exchange for Releasing Terrorists

2011-10-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

Question: Is it permissible to release terrorists in exchange for a captured soldier?

Answer:
1. Captives may not be ransomed for more than their value
It is already stated in the Mishnah: "Captives may not be ransomed for more than their value" (Gittin 4:6). A fixed payment for a captive - whether he was Jewish or non-Jewish - was therefore established (Pitchei Teshuvah, Yoreh Deah 252:5).
The Mishnah explains that this Halachah is "because of the good order of the world" (Tikkun Olam). That is to say, because we must act responsibly for the entire Nation of Israel. We must weigh the welfare of the community against the welfare of the captive. The Gemara gives two reasons for this ruling: 1. Preventing a "burden on the community," since collecting large sums of money to free a captive harms the community and causes it great strain. 2. Discouraging extortion, since paying exorbitant sums of money in exchange for captives inevitably leads to more kidnapping. The first reason relates to an immediate problem, the second to a future one.
Our halachic authorities also describe a situation which is seen to be life-threatening: that is to say, if the captives are not redeemed immediately, they will likely be killed. Determining whether or not to redeem these individuals would appear to depend on the two reasons that were brought in the Gemara: not burdening the community, and not perpetuating kidnapping. In fact, the first issue does not apply in this case, since here we are talking about saving a life, and one who is in a life-threatening situation should be redeemed even if the community will be financially strained because of it. The second issue, however, may be of great relevance, because if we are faced with the real possibility that freeing this endangered captive will cause other Jews to be kidnapped, and therefore also to become endangered, then saving the present captive cannot be justified (see Tosafot, Gittin 58a d.h. kol mamom and Pitchei Teshuvah ibid. #4). The Rambam (Hilchot Matanot Ani’im 8:12) and the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 252:4) explicitly favor this second line of reasoning, and conclude that we do not redeem captives for more than their value in order not to encourage extortion. As in their times, so in ours: we should not surrender to extortion, no matter what the price, because extortion simply begets more extortion.

2. Maharam Mi-Rotenberg
It is well known that Rabbi Shlomo Luria relates in Yam Shel Shlomo (Gittin 4:10) that Maharam Mi-Rotenberg – the leader of Ashkenazic Jewry – was taken captive by the German Emperor King Rudolf I. The Maharam was leaving to make Aliyah, was captured and was held for a huge ransom. He gave a ruling regarding his own captivity: he refused the ransom money raised by his students and the community, arguing that accepting it would encourage the kidnapping of prominent Rabbis in the hopes of exchanging them for outrageous sums of money.
Although the Halachah is that an outstanding Torah scholar may be redeemed for an excessive amount (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 252:4), and the Maharam Mi-Rotenberg was an outstanding Talmid Chacham whose learning and piety was matched by none other in his generation, he refused to be ransomed. He held that it is better to lose some wisdom than to endanger all other Rabbis. He remained in prison, where his principal students, the Tashbetz (Rabbi Shimon ben Tzadok) and the "Hagahot Maimoniyot" visited him and asked him halachic questions. He was there until his death, seven years later. His body was held hostage for another fourteen years, until a wealthy Jew finally ransomed it.

3. In our Day – We are at War
In this day and age, there is a new factor that influences when and how we are permitted to redeem captives: our State and our Army. When we were in the Exile, under foreign rule, what could we do? It was out of our hands. But now we have a State, and a State should not negotiate for captives. A State should wage war to save even one person.
Avraham Avinu, in his time, went to war with another 318 soldiers in order to save one man - Lot (Bereshit 14:14). Israel later waged war against the Canaanite King Arad who had taken a captive (Bamidbar 21:1-3). And even later, King David went out to save captured members of his family (Shmuel 1 30:2). Going to war – yes. Rewarding extortion - no. We do not surrender, in any way, at all.
If one of our soldiers is taken captive, or is injured in battle and remains in enemy territory, we must place even ten soldiers in a life-threatening situation to save him. Why? Because in war, there is another outstanding principle: all for one and one for all. Every warrior knows that "the crew" (Ha-Chevra) will not abandon him. When Eli Cohen, may Hashem avenge his blood (an Israeli spy who succeeded in penetrating the Syrian political establishment), fell into enemy hands, Tzahal planned an extensive military action in order to rescue him. And this was despite the fact that an operation such as this would quite possibly require more than a few human sacrifices. Operation Entebbe is another modern example.
Rav Yitzchak Hutner – former Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Chaim Berlin in New York, and author of "Pachad Yitzchak" – once visited our Rabbi Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah in Israel. Our Rabbi asked him which airline he was flying. Rav Hunter mentioned the name of a foreign airline. Our Rabbi pressed him: "You need to fly El Al." Rav Hutner responded that terrorists were beginning to hijack planes and he was therefore concerned about flying an Israeli airline. Our Rabbi stood firm, but Rav Hutner did not change his flight. In the end, the plane on which Rav Hutner flew was hijacked to Jordan (Iturei Cohanim #176). His students wanted to ransom him from the terrorists and began negotiations. Ha-Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky – a leading Rosh Yeshiva in America - ruled that it was forbidden to negotiate with the terrorists, since we are at war and cannot bow to terror (Be-Ikvei Ha-Tzon of Ha-Rav Herschel Schachter, pp. 206-208).
The State of Israel exhibited this same approach when terrorists kidnapped children in Ma’alot. Although the rescue mission ended in disaster, Israel's response was not to negotiate but to attack.
When the airplane Sabena was hijacked, Israel did not negotiate. Israeli commandos – disguised as technicians – took over the airplane.
In a similar vein, American policy too has been to attack for the sake of saving captives, even if many soldiers are killed in the process. They do not negotiate for captives and there are no exchanges. This is the proper way to act.
According to all of the above, the exchanges which are now being made on behalf of Gilad Schalit are a mistake. Our case is doubly severe, since here "the burden on the community," is not just a financial burden but a "burden of lives." Hundreds of murderers will now move around freely. And the second issue too, that of encouraging future kidnappings, is also quite real. Terrorists will no doubt rise up to perpetrate a terrorist attack, knowing full well that if they are captured they will be released in exchange for an Israeli captive. They will therefore make every effort to obtain more and more captives.
The State of Israel does not need to capitulate to kidnappers. According to the organization of Terror Victims, approximately 180 Israelis have been murdered by terrorists who were released in earlier exchange agreements. One of every two released terrorists is involved in new murders. We are therefore saving one person's life by endangering the lives of others. It is untenable. Only by not capitulating can we show our enemies that kidnapping soldiers has no reward. Only by being unwilling to exchange terrorists for captives can we discourage, rather than encourage, future kidnappings.

Question: And what if you were the Prime Minister or the Minister of Defense? It seems difficult for them not to succumb to the pleas of the parents of captive soldiers.
Answer: Someone once argued with me: "Let’s see what YOU would do if you were the mother of a captive..." We do not resort to arguments such as these. We need to clarify issues according to the truth. If I were the mother of a captive, I would certainly be in favor of the exchanges. But this fact does not transform the "exchange of prisoners" into a proper (kosher) act. This is human weakness, not objective truth.

Question: And what if there is an exchange?
Answer: The Halachah states that if one's wife gives birth to a boy and dies during childbirth, the husband recites two blessings: "Blessed be the True Judge" over his wife's death and Shehechiyanu over his son's birth. Similarly, if a person's father dies and the son receives an inheritance, he recites: "Blessed be the True Judge" over his father's death and Shehechiyanu over his inheritance (Berachot 59, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 223:1-2).
If the exchange for Gilad Schalit goes through, we will be in a similar situation, and will respond accordingly. We will mourn the release of hundreds of terrorists. Yet, at the same time, we will be overjoyed that Gilad Schalit is returning home, and will recite Shehechiyanu over the release of our holy soldier.

Oral Q&A on the Decision to Trade Terrorists in return for Gilad Shalit's Release

2011-10-12T07:21:00.001-07:00

1. It is a mistake to release some 1,000 terrorists in exchange for a captured solider. The price is too high. The State of Israel does not need to capitulate to kidnappers. According to the organization of Terror Victims, approximately 180 Israelis have been murdered by terrorists who were released in earlier exchange agreements. One of every two released terrorists is involved in new murders. It is therefore impossible to save one person by endangering others.
We have an army, and they should go to war to save even one single person. The Americans are prepared to attack for the sake of saving captives, even if many soldiers are killed in the process. This is the proper way to act. The security establishment also opposes such exchanges. Simply put: if one does not capitulate to pressure, our enemies will stop kidnapping soldiers because they will understand that we will not exchange terrorists for them.

2. Some claim that if terrorists are released there will be tragedies. It is forbidden to predict bad things. One should not open his mouth to Satan. We are not prophets. Rather, we must act with intellect and knowledge.

3. Some claim that this whole deal is politics. There is chaos in Egypt. The State of Israel does not want to ruin its good relations with Egypt, and is therefore agreeing to the deal in order to maintain good relations. They feel, so the claim goes, that it is therefore worthwhile to release 1000 terrorists, but connects the deal to Gilad Shalit rather than to politics.

4. If Gilad Shalit is released, we will certainly recite Shehechiyanu. We will be joyous that he is returning home, and at the same time we will be sad over the release of the terrorists. The Halachah is that if one's wife gives birth to a boy and dies during child-birth, a person recites two blessings: "Blessed be the True Judge" over his wife's death and Shehechiyanu over his son's birth. And if a person's father dies and he receives an inheritance, he recites: "Blessed be the True Judge" over his father's death and Shehechiyanu over his inheritance (Berachot 59, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 223:1-2).

Preserving the Four Species throughout Sukkot

2011-10-10T14:20:00.001-07:00

Question: How does one preserve the four species throughout all of Sukkot?
Answer: This is what one should do to preserve the four species so that they do not dry out:
1) Lulav (palm) - One should store it in a cool place such as on the floor. Do not place it in
water after it is open, rather wrap it in a slightly damp cloth. If the cloth is too wet, the lulav will become spoiled. Wrap it around the holder, or else it will become spoiled within the holder.
2) Hadasim (myrtle) - Place the lower end in water. Wrap in a slightly damp cloth (not too wet, as we mentioned), or in a damp newspaper, and place in the refrigerator or in any cool place.
3) Aravot (willow) - Wrap in up in a damp cloth. Placing the lower end in water will not help.
4) Etrog - Wrap it and keep it in a shady or cool place.

Rabbi Chanan Porat zt”l – A Torah Scholar Rooted in the Land of Israel

2011-10-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

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

Due to the modesty of my dear friend the late Rav Chanan, due to his simple dress and his unaffected behavior, many people did not know that they were dealing with a true Torah scholar - one of the best and brightest to emerge from our yeshiva, Mercaz HaRav. They did not even know that he had received Rabbinic ordination.
Rav Chanan never sought to make the Torah a spade with which to dig. Quite the contrary: inspired by the light of Torah, he made himself into a spade. He immersed himself in a life of productive work on behalf of the Nation of Israel. This noble individual was living fulfillment of our Sages’ praise for one who practices what he preaches.
This brave paratrooper was chosen by divine providence to be among the fighters of the Six Day War, and amongst Jerusalem’s liberators, thereby publicizing the fact that the Nation’s inner holiness is G-d’s guarantee that it will survive.
And because the Land of Israel doesn’t just have to be conquered, but inhabited as well, HaRav Chanan closed his tome of Talmud and sacrificed himself to become one of those who brought Kibbutz Kfar Etzion back to life. More precisely, he sacrificed his soul.
In other words, he sacrificed his spiritual life, his Torah studies, for the sake of settling the Land of Israel.
Yet he also sacrificed his body and spirit literally. In the Yom Kippur War he was severely wounded on the southern front, and was saved through the grace of G-d. Afterwards he was one of the founders of Gush Emunim and an initiator of the settlements in Judea and Samaria.
Yet let us not suppose that only Torah and the Land of Israel interested him. The Jewish People interested him as well, and he was active in the seminars of the “Gesher” organization, which strove to link the two portions of the Nation who, unfortunately, are called “religious” and “secular”. I say “unfortunately”, because there is certainly no “secular” Jew. Every Jew has a holy soul.
Indeed, Torah, the Land of Israel and the Jewish People do not constitute three separate interests. Rav Chanan liked to relate how once they were deliberating in yeshiva over what is more important – the Torah, the Nation or the Land. They took the question to Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, and he answered with a smile: “We take the holistic approach.”
This idea, that all these goals are one, served as a guiding principle for Rav Chanan.
Therefore, even during his extensive public service tenure, Rav Chanan never ceased studying and teaching Torah. It was especially important to him to provide guidance in the quest for attaining complete faith, as in his book, “Et Achai Anochi Mevakesh” [I Am Looking for My Brothers]. There we find the foundations of the deepest, most ethereal faith, presented in a language and style that reach directly to the heart and mind of any thinking person.
The true climax of this hero’s self-sacrifice was when he entered politics – that harsh, bleak place that wears down even the noblest spirit. Yet Rav Chanan, though he walked in that complicated valley, retained all of his holiness and purity. He never fell in love with his Knesset seat -- a rare phenomenon indeed in our political sphere. Thus, when the “Matzad” political list was formed, he joined, but did not take his National Religious Party mandate with him to the new party. He instead quit the Knesset. Later on as well, he left the National Union to leave his spot free for another Knesset member.
There is a story of a Knesset member who tried to convince his acquaintances that his actions were sincere, “for the sake of Heaven”. One wit remarked by quoting G-d’s pronouncement from Yeshayahu 66:1: “My seat is the heavens". Our friend Chanan, however, really did act for the sake of Heaven. That is why he twice gave up his seat. He toiled untiringly on the Jewish People’s behalf in all that he did. He was always looking forward to see how best to renew his activities for the sake of the Nation, how not to let the light of truth be obscured, and how always to increase the Nation’s spiritual might. Indeed, Torah scholars have no rest, neither in this world nor in the World-to-Come.
After he left national politics, Rav Chanan was among those who set up the great Herzog College. He not only taught there, but also in Yeshivat Beit Orot, and in many other yeshivot, including Machon Meir. At that point it was revealed to all that here was a great Torah scholar and a deep thinker.
We can also point out that the weekly Torah leaflet he humbly edited, “Me’at Min Ha-Ohr” [a Little of the Light], contained a great deal of light. It was a gentle light, a sweet light. It wasn’t a blinding light, or a burning light.
What sphere of activity did our pristine hero not touch? He had an ongoing radio program on Galei Yisrael. He was one of the founders and heads of “Orot Ha-Chessed”, an organization which provided food, electrical appliances and clothing to people lacking means.
About a year ago, our friend Rav Chanan fell ill with cancer, but his spirit remained unharmed. In a radio interview he proclaimed that he was not afraid of death, because “death is not the end of life. Rather, one just undergoes a change. One passes on to a great light.”
Without a doubt, our hero is presently enjoying that great light, but we are left orphans. We miss his light. How shall we be comforted? We send our condolences to his wife Rachel who was his partner in work, and to his eleven children.
This Torah scholar, so rooted in the Land of Israel, so rooted in redemption, has ascended on high. Yet his spirit beats on in our midst, and in all of our enterprises. It will illuminate them forever. “The righteous in their deaths are called living”. He lives on in our midst through the enormous works he performed for the Nation’s rebirth in the Land, according to the Torah.

The Culture of Leisure

2011-10-10T14:17:00.001-07:00

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

Question: Does there exist a concept of “free time” or “leisure time”? And if so, how should one fill up that time, as for example, during “Bein Hazmanim,” vacation time from yeshiva?
Answer: According to one approach among the early and late sages (such as the Vilna Gaon and Rabbi Schneur Zalmen of Liadi, and the Mishna Berura), there is no true “free time”. A person has to devote every second to Torah learning. Otherwise, he violates the sin of neglecting Torah study. He is allowed to cease Torah learning only to fulfill another Mitzvah or for the sake of actions essential to life, such as eating, sleeping or work.
According to the second approach of the early sages, a man is not required to study every free second. He should be trying to study Torah as much as he can, but he is also allowed to do other things. Such is the view of Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk in his Or Sameach at the beginning of Rambam’s Hilchot Talmud Torah, and so holds Rabbi Issur Zalmen Meltzer regarding Rambam’s ruling in Hilchot Melachim that a king [of Israel] must learn Torah every free moment. Rav Meltzer explains that the king’s heart is the heart of all Israel. He therefore derives that any other Jew is not obligated in this manner. Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook likewise leans in this direction in his article “Al Geder Chiyuv Limud Torah,” in the book “Ma’amarei HaRe’iyah”,
To summarize, according to the first approach, there is no such concept of “free time”, while according to the second approach, the concept does exist, but a person must strive to fill up that time with positive activities, first and foremost learning Torah. If not Torah learning, he should occupy himself with Mitzvot and positive activities.
Therefore, it is clear that the concept of “Bein Hazmanim” – “vacation from yeshiva” – has no real place. This term [literally “between the times”], as mentioned in the Talmud (Berachot 35b), refers to taking off time to work, in other words, to engage in compulsory activities. As for “Bein Hazmanim” as practiced nowadays, it was long ago decried by Maharal and Shela. Maharal [Rabbi Yehuda Loew of Prague] wrote, “The worst slight against the pillar of Torah is neglect of Torah learning, for their study is irregular and not permanent, but only lasts the year. And then they ‘proclaim liberty throughout the Land’, establishing a period which they label ‘between the times’, during which everyone follows his own willful heart… thinking he doesn’t have to learn Torah at all, as though the break is called ‘between the times’ because it is not a time for Torah. And if the early sages practiced the inclusion of such a break, they most certainly had several good, Torah-compatible reasons, as we know. Now, however, the break is only being used to minimize Torah… And through this neglect, they habituate themselves to frivolity, lewdness and other unsavory activities.” (Drush Al HaTorah 26a).
The Shela [Shnei Luchot HaBrit – Rabbi Yeshayahu HaLevi Horowitz] writes, “During the ‘Bein Hazmanim’ break [when a person is neglecting Torah], he is not remembered or mentioned in Heaven, and he is uprooted from the world” (Sefer Ha-Shela 181).
If someone who learns in yeshiva decides that his chief occupation, at least for several years, will be Torah study, he should learn Torah as much as he can, and not engage in other activities.
Yet if, for various reasons, he cannot learn Torah (cf., he has a headache or some other constraint,) he should fill his time with positive activities, i.e., Mitzvot or essential activities.
What is meant by Mitzvot? Acts of kindness – for his family, for his neighbors, for the poor, for the ill, for little children… There is no shortage of channels for one’s kindness.
Essential activities include: tidying or cleaning one’s home, making repairs, and learning secular studies f(or someone who needs it for his future. Obviously one can go on excursions as well – assuming they are reputable excursions to sexually modest places where visitors do not get involved with nonsense.
Rambam, in the fifth chapter of Shemoneh Perakim, writes that there is also room for having fun, to the extent that a person needs it to air himself out. Obviously one should not exaggerate with this. Two-and-a-half months of vacation from yeshiva is certainly too much. When people work, they receive one day of vacation per month. In other words, twelve days of vacation per year – not seventy! No one needs so much time to rest.
One should therefore study Torah or do Mitzvot, or engage in essential activities. This is proper use of what is popularly known a "free time".

Shut SMS #133

2011-10-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Mom
Q: When a mother does things for her children – it is a mitzvah?
A: Certainly! A great Mitzvah! A huge Mitzvah!

Prayer for the State of Israel
Q: I heard that there are Religious-Zionist Rabbis who have stopped reciting the Prayer for the State of Israel?
A: Perhaps. But only a negligible amount (see the book Rosh Ha-Memshalah pp. 127-128).

Rav Kook's Rav
Q: Who was Rav Kook's Rav?
A: He had a few, but the main one was the Netziv.

Ma'aser Kesafim
Q: To whom should one give Ma'aser Kesafim?
A: The poor.
Q: What is the definition of a poor person?
A: Someone who is lacking essential items.
Q: Can I please have examples of essential and non-essential items?
A: Washing machine – essential, dryer – non-essential. Oven and stove – essential, microwave – non-essential. Telephone – essential, cell phone – non-essential. Bus-fare – essential, car – non-essential.

Mother's Blessing
Q: Can a mother give the children a blessing after the father on Shabbat night?
A: Certainly.

Blessing on Shul Talit by Shaliach Tzibur
Q: Does a Shaliach Tzibur recite a blessing on a Shul Talit?
A: The custom is not to do so. Piskei Teshuvot 14:7.

Order
Q: Where is it written in the Torah that one should be orderly and neat?
A: The Torah does not need to write it. After all, proper character traits precede Torah, i.e. normal humanity.

Joking with Students
Q: Is it permissible during an overnight trip with my students to jokingly take the shoes of the new students in the class, while they are sleeping, and put them outside in a field? It is not in order to cause them distress but as a joke.
A: If you are certain that they will not be distressed and they will think it is funny. If you are uncertain, and you want to joke around, then take your own shoes and put them outside in a field.

The Government of Israel
Q: Some say that since the Government is corrupt, as we saw with the expulsion from Gush Katif, we should not participate in it.
A: It is true that this was an extremely severe event, and that the Government has done many other corrupt things, continues to do them, and will do so in the future. But we must judge it by the majority of its actions. And the positive done by the Government immeasurably outweighs the negatives.

Tachanun on the Day One Made Aliyah
Q: Do I recite Tachanun on the anniversary of making Aliyah?
A: No. It is a holiday. The Rambam established a personal holiday on the day he made Aliyah.

Hugging and Kissing in Shul
Q: Is it permissible to hug and kiss a friend in Shul?
A: In general, it is forbidden (Shut Orach Mishpat #22). Although Ha-Rav Moshe Feinstein would kiss his grandchildren in the Beit Midrash of his Yeshiva "Metivta Tiferet Yerushalayim". He held that the prohibition against expressing love in Shul [Rama, Orach Chaim 98:1], which serves to “instill within one’s heart that there is no love like the love for the Almighty, Blessed is He", is only during the times of prayer, since the Shulchan Aruch brings this law in the Laws of Prayer and not in the Laws of the Holiness of a Shul. Meged Givot Olam vol. 1, p. 92. And when Ha-Rav Avraham Shapira – Rosh Yeshiva of Mercaz Ha-Rav – visited Yeshiva University, he met Ha-Rav Joseph Soloveitchik in the Beit Midrash and Ha-Rav Shapira kissed Ha-Rav Soloveitchik for all to see. Many were surprised, and asked: How could Ha-Rav Shapira kiss him when the Halachah is that it is forbidden to kiss another person in a Shul or Beit Midrash? Ha-Rav Nacham Lamm – President of the Yeshiva – explained that Ha-Rav Soloveitchik has the law of a Sefer Torah, and it is impossible to pass him without kissing him. (Rosh Devarcha, pp. 174-175. "Vayehe Binso'a Ha-Aron" – eulogy for Ha-Rav Shapira by Ha-Rav Eitan Eisman, p. 45. And see Shut Yechaveh Da'at 4:12 where Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef discusses the Sefardic custom to kiss the Rabbi's hand as a sign of respect, and therefore permits it in a Shul).

Extreme Left
Q: How should we relate to extreme left-wing Jews who speak with the enemies of Israel?
A: As people who are confused.
Q: Why do they want to destroy the Land their ancestors built?
A: They don't want to destroy it. They want to build it. But they mistakenly think that giving up parts of our Land will bring salvation to the Nation and the Land. By the way, among the builders of the Land were left-wingers.

Serenity Prayer
Q: Who wrote the Serenity Prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference"?
A: Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr, a liberal neo-orthodox, American theologian. 5652-5731.

On Yom Kippur: Repentance and Free Choice

2011-10-05T13:05:00.001-07:00

[From Rav Aviner's commentary of the Book of Yonah]

Question: Was Yonah's first repentance considered repentance?
Answer: The Chafetz Chaim discusses this question in the Mishnah Berurah (6:22:7) and writes that we read this Haftarah on Yom Kippur because it discusses repentance and demonstrates that we cannot flee from Hashem's will. He further explains (in the Sha'ar Tzion) that sometimes a person despairs that he does not have the ability to repair himself, and will therefore continue to act in the same way. If Hashem decrees that he will die because it, he will die. But this is a mistake, since in the end anything Hashem wants him to fix will be fixed. The person will return to this world again and again until he eventually fixes the problem. Why then does a person have to experience the pain of death and the grave? We learn this from Yonah. Hashem wanted him to go and prophesy, but Yonah refused and fled to the sea, a place where, as we know, the Divine Presence for prophesying would not rest on him. We see that he also drowned in the sea, and was swallowed by a fish and remained inside it for three days. It certainly appeared that he was not going to fulfill Hashem's instructions. Nonetheless, we see that in the end, Hashem's will was fulfilled, and Yonah went and prophesied. This follows what our Sages say in Pirkei Avot (4:29): "And do let not your evil inclination promise you that the grave will be an escape for you - for against your will you were created, against your will you were born, against your will you live, against your will you die and against your will you are destined to give an account before the King of Kings, the Holy One, Blessed Be He" (Sha'ar Tzion ibid.). The Master of the Universe wanted Yonah to repent, he therefore directed events in a manner that would bring this about without taking away his free choice. He repented the first time, but it was not complete repentance. The second time he fully repented. We learn from this that both the low level repentance of the people of Nineveh and the supreme repentance of Yonah was accepted by Hashem.

Question: But doesn't this contradict free choice?
Answer: The meaning of free choice is that the Master of the Universe does not interfere with a person's decisions. If there are two possibilities, one good and one bad, Hashem does not interfere and force a person to do the good or the bad. If a person has the choice to steal or not, there is no inner, divine power which forces him in either direction (unless he has a severe emotional illness and thus does not have free choice. In this case he is controlled and by an unconquerable inclination, a fact which is taken into consideration both by Halachah and the secular courts of this world). The Master of the Universe pursued Yonah and caused him to have certain experiences and to be brought to different places, until he finally repented (see Tosafot Yom Tov, Avot 5:6). The Mishnah Berurah teaches us that even if Hashem has to bring a person to the world again in a different reincarnation, He will do so until that person repents.

In order for free choice not to be nullified, Hashem directs a person's situation, so that eventually he performs the will of Hashem of his own volition. As proof for this idea, the Mishnah Berurah brings the teaching of our Sages in Pirkei Avot: "And do let not your evil inclination promise you that the grave will be an escape for you." Hashem wanted Yonah to repent and he did not do so. He was even on death's doorstep, where it seemed as if there was no possibility for him to repent. But this was not true: "for against your will you were created." Hashem took him from "She'ol" (the lower world) and brought him back here and he repented. "But He devises means, that none of us be banished" (Shmuel 2 14:14). In fact, our Sages say that after Hashem spoke with Yonah about the kikayon, he prostrated himself and said: "Direct Your world with the attribute of mercy, as it is written (Daniel 9:9) 'For Hashem our G-d of mercy and forgiveness'" (Yalkut Shimoni at the end). Of his own free will, Yonah repented completed.

Yonah's experience within the fish was therefore not only an even that occurred in reality, but was also a parable to show us that the Master of the Universe does what He has decided to do (according to the secrets of souls), i.e. some people live and others die. This is the basis of the Vilna Gaon's commentary to the Book of Yonah.

We clearly saw this idea in the previous generation. The Holy One Blessed Be He decided to establish the State of Israel for us and nothing could change this fact, despite all of the internal and external obstacles. On the contrary, those who wanted to block the establishment of the State actually sped up and advanced its establishment, since Hashem decided that the time had arrived. Great international pressure was exerted on the British to establish a national home for the Nation of Israel, as they had accepted in the Mandate. They transferred the decision to the United Nations with the confidence that there would not be a majority in the UN for a Jewish State, since the Muslims were opposed and the Communists and Americans would never follow the same path. But behold, the unbelievable occurred: there was a majority on November 29th! Everyone voted according to his own considerations. The Russians wanted a stronghold in the Middle East against the Americans. The Americans wanted to evacuate the Displaced Persons camps of Jews in Germany and use them for military bases against the Communist Block. Thus, what the English tried to do to bring us down actually helped to build us up. After the decision, everyone panicked and tried to renege. The British said that the UN decision was only an opinion. Many Jews living in the Land of Israel had their spirits broken and considered giving up on the establishment of the State. But the day after the UN decision, the Arabs increased their acts of hatred and began their war against us until the British finally decided to leave the Land of Israel. So in whose merit was the State established? "In the merit" of the Arabs. If they had sat quietly, the British Mandate would have remained here.

Many times in the history of the Nation of Israel, we see that Hashem uses what other people want to do to us to advance His own plans (Maamrei Ha-Re'eiyah of Rav Kook, pp. 360-362). In the martial arts of Judo, there is a technique of using the power of the attacker to his own detriment. This is similar to the way that the Holy One Blessed Be He uses the wickedness of evil people and the transgressions of sinners in order to achieve His own goals.

To summarize, the words of the Mishnah Berurah are two ideas which are in fact one: 1. The power of repentance. 2. The impossibility of fleeing from Hashem. They intermingle into one idea: It is impossible to flee from repenting before Hashem.

Whether it is low level repentance, hasty repentance or even repentance out of fear, it is still considered repentance – "Hashem is good to all and His mercy extends to all of His works" (Tehillim 145:9).

Four Pathways to Marriage

2011-10-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah – Netzavim-Vayelech 5771 – translated by R. Blumberg]

There are four pathways to marriage, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. What they have in common is that they are all good and straightforward, and everything depends on the person himself. The four pathways are: Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah.
What is Sarah’s pathway? Sarah was a relative of Avraham, his niece. They were well aware of each other over many years' time, and there were no surprises involved. Everything was known in advance. Everything was fine and upright.
What about Rivkah? That was a set-up, a match. Yet it wasn't a set-up like nowadays, where a boy and a girl meet once, and then again, and examine their compatibility. Rather, it was a prearranged match, such as was practiced in ancient times, and today is very rare. Yitzchak had more faith in Avraham's servant Eliezer than he had in himself. Yitzchak had been offered up as a burnt offering. He was a holy of holies. By contrast, Eliezer was one who soaked up wisdom from his master Avraham, and would teach it to the masses. He was well acquainted with the ways of the world. He considered what to do, and in the end found the Matriarch Rivkah and said to her something along the lines of, “With this ring/jewelry you are hereby betrothed to Yitzchak, in accordance with the laws of Moshe and Israel.” When Rivkah and Yitchak met for the first time, they were already married. Only sometime later does the Torah recount that Yitzchak loved Rivkah.
And what was Rachel’s pathway? When Yaakov saw Rachel for the first time, he immediately saw that this was the soul intended for him, and the seven years of work he did to attain her felt to him like only a few days.
And how was it with Leah? It was a forced marriage. In other words, Yaakov thought he was marrying Rachel, but the morning after the wedding, he discovered that he had wed Leah (Bereshit 29:25). Obviously he was very surprised, and we, too, are surprised by the apparent audacity of the Matriarch Leah. Yet the Torah does not say that Yaakov rejected the match. Rather, he accepted it.
Four pathways to marriage, four different beginnings, and yet all of them leading to love, harmony and friendship. We thus derive that it is not the beginning of the marriage that is important, but the continuation of it over time.
Marriage is a long road, a long haul, and shared journey.
To what may it be compared? To a long race. In a 100 meter dash, the person who does not start exactly on time can lose on that account. Even a second's delay can ruin his chances of success. But in a forty-two kilometer marathon, even a full-minute's delay need not be critical. A less-than ideal beginning can still end well. Marriage is the same way.
A boy once asked his father, “Daddy, how much did Mommy cost you?” His father answered, “I can no longer recall what I paid for the ring, but I must keep paying all my life.” And what is this never-ending payment? According to the Ketubah: "love and honor, support and [provision]”.
Imagine an advertising flyer for some product that states in bold letters, “Only 100 shekels!” and in the fine print: “and another 50 shekels every month for the next ten years…” This is in essence what the groom agrees to. He says to his bride: “With this ring you are hereby betrothed to me [immediately],” but I am also signing a Ketubah that obligates me to keep showing you kindness on a daily basis.
We may also compare this to being in the army. In our holy army everything is certainly well-organized, but sometimes there are surprise missions, and the commander must announce to his troops: “Forward! We’re moving out. We’ll organize ourselves along the route.”
Marriage too is called a “route" (in beginning of Tractate Kiddushin). One has to keep investing in it along the way. One has to make a constant effort to stay on the path. Couples don’t fall in love out of the blue forever. Couples make this decision together, over and over, throughout their long journey together.

Shana Tova from Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim

2011-09-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav Shlomo Aviner Shlit"a

Rosh Yeshiva

Shut SMS #132

2011-09-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:
Tashlich
Q: Is it permissible to carry Machzorim to Tashlich?
A: Yes. It is permissible on Yom Tov to carry from one domain to another, and in the public domain. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 518:1. It is also permissible to bring them back. Mishnah Berurah #6.
Q: And on Shabbat?
A: It is forbidden to carry. And, in general, Ashkenazim and Jews from North Africa do not perform Tashlich on Shabbat. Mishnah Berurah 580:8.
Q: Is it permissible to walk 2000 Amah outside of the Techum Shabbat to perform Tashlich?
A: No. The prohibition of Techum Shabbat is not waved. Siddur Tzahal, Nusach Achid p. 758.

Immersion in a Mikveh on Erev Rosh Hashanah
Q: Is immersing in a Mikveh obligatory on Erev Rosh Hashanah?
A: Yes, this is the custom. Rama, Orach Chaim 581:4.
Q: When should one immerse?
A: In the afternoon. Mishnah Berurah #26. And some authorities permit it in the morning. Emek Halachah 2:25. And this is how one should act if the Mikveh is extremely crowed in the afternoon.
Q: Do women immerse?
A: Married women who are in a state of purity may do so. Chazon Ovadiah (Yamim Noraim, p. 59).
Q: Single women?
A: No. Ibid.
Q: What should one do if he is unable to immerse in a Mikveh?
A: Pour "9 Kavin" – 12.5 Liters – over himself. Mishnah Berurah #26. Or take a shower with a continuous, strong flow of water. Shut Minchat Yitzchak (4:21, 9:34. Chazon Ovadiah -Yamim Noraim, pp. 57-61. And see Shut Divrei Yetziv, Orach Chaim #13. Shut Shevet Ha-Levi 8:24. Piskei Teshuvot #326 note 14. Although Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski said in the name of the Chazon Ish that a shower is not considered "9 Kavin" since it is not considered as a continuous flow).

Uman Rosh Hashanah
Q: Why are you opposed to traveling to Uman when Rebbe Nachman promised that anyone who visits his grave will be saved from Gehinom? It’s worth it!
A: There are many things immeasurably greater which will save one from Gehinom, which our Sages and even Hashem Himself promised.
Q: Such as?
A: Teshuvah. Tzedakah. Acts of Kindness. Learning Torah. Serving in Tzahal. Any Mitzvah…

Nursing in Public
Q: Is it permissible to nurse in public when the mother is completely covered?
A: Yes.

Verse on a Blackboard
Q: Is it permissible for a teacher to write a verse on the blackboard? After all, it will need to be erased?
A: It is permissible since it is written in order to be erased. But Hashem's Name may not be written.

Skirt
Q: If I wear a long skirt that reaches down to the floor, do I need to wear socks as well?
A: It is enough to wear a long skirt (Shut Shevet Ha-Levi 5:79).

Palestinian State
Q: What will happen if the UN decides on a Palestinian State?
A: Nothing. Terrorists, as is their way, are trying to hurt us, which they do in any event. And the Eternal One of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.

Whistling
Q: My grandmother tells me that Jews should not whistle. Is it true?
A: There is no prohibition against whistling. Outside of Israel, non-Jews whistled, so Jews refrained from doing so. In sum: Don't whistle in your grandmother's presence, out of respect for her.
Q: And on Shabbat?
A: It is also permissible (Shut She'eilat Shlomo 1:182).

Ends of Bread
Q: What is the source for the custom of not eating the ends of a loaf of bread?
A: It is an act of piety mentioned in Tzava'at Rebbi Yehudah Ha-Chasid #3. But it is surprising, and eating these pieces is permissible according to the basic halachah. Shut Minchat Yitzchak 9:8 #7.

Women Covering their Hair
Q: Why do women cover their hair? If it is immodest, then shouldn’t single women also cover their hair?
A: Single women in Yemen did in fact cover their hair according to the ruling of the Rambam. But those who do not follow this custom explain that the hair of a married woman is a type of beauty saved for her husband, i.e. the prohibition creates an immodest situation. See Shut Igrot Moshe (Even Ha-Ezer 1:57, 4:32 #4).

Zoo
Q: Is there a problem of "Tza'ar Ba'alei Chaim" (causing pain to animals) by having animals caged in a zoo? Is it permissible to visit a zoo?
A: It is permissible since it is a human need. It is permissible to visit (Kum Hithalech Ba-Aretz #12).

Eating Before Buying
Q: Can I eat food in the supermarket before I buy it?
A: No. 1. Perhaps the store does not permit it. 2. It causes suspicion in front of others (that you won't pay for it). 3. "One who eats in the market is similar to a dog" (Kiddushin 40b. see Shut She'eilat Shlomo 2:443, 3: 81).

Flowers
Q: Is it permissible to pick flowers in a public park?
A: Certainly not. It is theft.

Found Object
Q: I saw a coin on the street and went to pick it up. My friend saw what I was doing, pushed me aside and picked it up for himself. To whom does the coin belong?
A: To him. Seeing an object does not acquire it. Baba Metzia. But he violated "Love your fellow as yourself."

Shut SMS #131

2011-09-23T05:32:00.001-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Birkat Ha-Gomel for a Baby
Q: Our baby was saved from death. Should we recite "Ha-Gomel" for him?
A: No. He is not in the category of "Those who are obligated". Piskei Teshuvot 219:9. You should give Tzedakah.

Abracadabra
Q: What does abracadabra mean?
A: Nothing. It is a made-up imaginary word. Some says that it comes from the Aramaic: "Avra Ka Davra" – meaning, "It should be created as I said".

Shiduch during Divorce
Q: I am going through a divorce. Can I begin to meet women for a Shiduch?
A: G-d forbid. You must wait until the divorce is completely finalized. In the meantime, the yoke of the Cherem of Rabbenu Gershon (which forbids divorcing a woman against her will) lays upon your neck. Shut Ezrat Cohain #62.

Mixed-Seating Wedding
Q: Is it permissible to have a mixed-seating wedding? After all, most of the community does so. Is everyone mistaken?
A: Yes. To our great distress, they are mistaken. See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 149:1. And also 152:8.

Decision
Q: How do I know if a decision I made is correct?
A: Check if it is in accordance with the Torah. Take counsel with friends.

Wedding Ring of a Widower
Q: My husband died. As a widow, should I still wear my wedding ring?
A: You can continue or cease to do so. It is your own personal choice.

Round Chupa
Q: Is it permissible to have a round Chupa?
A: Yes.

Egg Implantation
Q: I learned that if a woman is unable to become pregnant, some authorities allow the implantation of her egg in another woman. In such a case, who is considered the mother?
A: There are four opinions: The donor, the one who is pregnant and gives birth, both of them, neither of them. The bottom line, however, is that the woman who donates the egg is extremely joyful to have a baby.

Abominable Snowman
Q: I heard that remnants of a huge, pre-historic creature, half man and half ape, have been found and photographed. Is this true?
A: It is all a joke that was initiated by a man named Wallace who loved pranks. The existence of this "creature"(also called Bigfoot or Yeti) has been disproven by scientific research. It's all nonsense.

Playing Instrument on Shabbat
Q: Is it permissible on Shabbat for someone to make music from the rubber bands on his (teeth) braces?
A: No. It is also included in the prohibition against make music on Shabbat.

G-d in Feminine and Masculine Language
Q: Why do we sometimes refer to Hashem in our prayers in feminine language and otherstimes in the masculine?
A: Because the Master of the Universe is above feminine and masculine, and sometimes reveals Himself as a Father and sometimes as a Mother.

Cell Phone on the Bus
Q: Someone is sleeping next to me on the bus. Is it permissible for me to talk on my cell phone?
A: Yes. Quietly. In any event, one must always speak softly there and in any public area in order not to bother others, and to prevent them from having access to your personal life.

Traveling to Uman to the grave of Rebbe Nachman on Rosh Hashanah

2011-09-21T11:37:00.001-07:00

Question: Is it permissible to travel from the Land of Israel to Uman (Ukraine) to visit the grave of Rebbe Nachman on Rosh Hashanah?
Answer: This is a new "custom" based on the statement of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov: "Anyone who visits my grave and gives eighteen coins to tzedakah will merit life in the World to Come." One may only leave Israel for a mitzvah (see Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 5:9 and Tosafot to Avodah Zarah 13a). Anyone who violates this, will, we hope, repent. Worse than this is one who travels under the impression that he is performing a mitzvah, because how then will he then repent?! Visiting the grave of tzadikim (righteous people) is not defined as a mitzvah – not a rabbinic mitzvah and not a Torah mitzvah; it is a positive act. Based on this, Maran Ha-Rav Kook ruled that we do not leave Israel to visit the graves of tzadikim, and he wrote "are we without graves in the Land of Israel that you travel to the Exile?!" (Shut Mishpat Cohain #147).

It is true that Rebbe Nachman said: "Anyone who visits my grave and gives eighteen coins to tzedakah will merit life in the World to Come," but Avraham Avinu is greater than Rebbe Nachman. Rebbe Nachman himself said this. Anyone who goes to Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah in Hevron and gives eighteen gold coins can be certain that Avraham Avinu will aid him. Furthermore, know that the Land of Israel is holier than Uman. Rebbe Nachman himself said this.

Therefore, go to Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah.

Also know that it is not enough to visit a grave and give eighteen coins to tzedakah to be worthy of life in the World to Come, but one needs to perform acts of loving-kindness, learn Torah and perform the mitzvot. And it is not proper to spend thousands of shekels to travel there. You should give the money to tzedakah. The value of traveling there is unclear, but giving tzedakah is clear. It is an explicit verse in the Torah.

Also, if you leave your wife alone and sad on Rosh Hashanah, know that you will not stand guilt-free before the Heavenly Court.

The custom of Ha-Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach was to stand across from the national cemetery on Mt. Herzl and say: "These are the graves of the righteous who died sanctifying Hashem's Name. Why should I travel far distances? (Oro Shel Olam, p. 380)."

[A collection of other leading Rabbi's statements on this issue -
Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu: "It is not proper to leave Israel on Rosh Hashanah or during the rest of the year, and it is preferable for one who wants to pray at the graves of tzadikkim to visit the graves of tzadikim in the Land of Israel – Hevron, Kever Rachel, Kever Rashbi – who was the teacher of Rebbe Nachman, etc. Do not leave Israel for the impurity of the lands of the other nations."

Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv: "Go daven at the Kotel."

Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef: "How did the grave of Rebbe Nachman become more important than the graves of the Rambam and Ha-Gaon Rav Yosef Karo?"

Ha-Rav Dov Lior explained how absurd is the thought-process of those who travel to Uman: "People travel to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in order to ask him to help them to travel to the grave of Rebbe Nachman so they can make a request of him."]

Collection of Laws of Rosh Hashanah – Part 2

2011-09-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

[Shut She’eilat Shlomo 1:235]

5. Shofar
One should not say "Baruch Hu U-Baruch Shemo" (Blessed is He and Blessed is His Name) during the blessing over the Shofar, because this blessing is also recited in order to fulfill his (the listener’s) obligation, and "Baruch Hu U-Baruch Shemo" is considered an interruption (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 585). This is the general principle: any time during which it is forbidden to interrupt, one should not say "Baruch Hu U-Baruch Shemo." As, for example, during the blessing before the Shema in the morning and evening, during Baruch She-Amar and during Yishtabach. This also applies any time that a blessing is recited in order to fulfill one’s obligation, as in Kiddush and Havdalah. But one may say "Baruch Hu U-Baruch Shemo" during the morning blessings, during the repetition of the prayer on Shabbat Evening in Me’ein Sheva, during Magen Avot and during the blessings for an Aliyah to the Torah.

6. Bowing in Shul
When one bows on the ground, he should spread out a towel, handkerchief or piece of paper (but not a Talit bag, since it is disrespectful to put it on the floor). We do this because it is written in the Torah (Vayikra 26:1): "Nor shall you place a figured stone in your Land to bow down on it." This means that it is forbidden to bow down, even to Hashem, on a stone floor (except for one in the Temple. Rama in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 131:8). And because all of this refers to when one’s face touches the ground, one should spread out the handkerchief in the place where one’s face will be and not under the knees (Mishnah Berurah #40-41. Luach Heichal Shlomo).

Question: Can women fall on their knees during Musaf on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, since women were not in the Temple courtyard and therefore would not bow? [In the book "Nefesh Ha-Rav" (pp. 214-215), Rav Soloveitchik rules that women should not prostrate on account of this reason].
Answer: Yes, they may. This is a minhag. As long as there is a modest place and she does not have a bad back, a woman may prostrate.

7. Preparing on the First Day for the Second Day
Question: Is it permissible to prepare on the first day of Rosh Hashanah for the second day?
Answer: Regarding this issue, each day is considered as a holy day on its own, and just as we do not prepare on Shabbat for a weekday, so too we do not prepare on the first day of Rosh Hashanah for the second day, since there is room to say that perhaps the holiness of the second day is in fact a weekday in relation to the holiness of the first day (Shemirat Shabbat Ke-Hilchata p. 20 #58 and p. 59 #1). It is therefore forbidden to cook, wash dishes, prepare candles in the candlesticks, make beds, set tables, etc... (ibid. 1, 58) on the first day in preparation for the second day. One must wait until after the stars have come out.
One may, however, prepare on Rosh Hashanah for Shabbat when they are consecutive days, by making an Eruv Tavshilin (by setting aside, before the holiday begins, an eruv consisting of a cooked portion of food and a piece of bread or matzah. This is considered the start of the food for Shabbat and any further preparation of food is seen as a continuation of it, and is thus permitted).

Addition to the revised edition
If Rosh Hashanah falls on a Thursday and Friday, it is forbidden to prepare on Thursday for Shabbat even with an Eruv Tavshilin. The preparation may only be performed on Friday (Shut Yehaveh Daat 6:32).

8. Repentance
Do not forget the essence of Rosh Hashanah: to perform Teshuvah, both in commandments between a person and Hashem and in commandments between a person and his fellow man.

You Shall Surely Remember the Holocaust

2011-09-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah – Ki Tavo – translated by R. Blumberg]

Traveling to the Polish death camps is not something good. Any one of the following reasons should be a sufficient deterent from doing so.
(1) It is forbidden to leave Israel, except for a temporary trip related to earning a living, marrying, or performing a mitzvah. Visiting a death camp is not classified as a mitzvah, either of the Torah or of our Sages, and it is not mentioned amongst the hundreds of thousands of paragraphs found in halachic works that were written in recent generations.
(2) One should not financially support the Poles, who collaborated with the Nazis in establishing the extermination camps, and even persecuted the Jews themselves many times. Shall murderers benefit from their deeds?
(3) Oftentimes, due to the high costs, only wealthy students can afford this trip. It is a scandal that something associated with the education system should involve a division between rich and poor.
Now one might say: If this is true, how shall we remember the Holocaust? The answer is simple: books, pictures, films, Yad Vashem and similar places. One might also say: That's all well and good, but I'm missing the experience of a live visit to a death camp. The answer is simple: Hold a live meeting with one of the Holocaust survivors, of whom there are presently 87,000, and hear directly from him what he experienced.
Still again, one might argue: “But visiting a death camp is an infinitely more powerful experience than talking to a Holocaust survivor.” That argument, as well, is a cause for much puzzlement: Really? Is an enactment with inanimate objects more alive than one involving a living, breathing person?! Quite the contrary. Common sense and untainted morality dictate that all that money spent on this trip should be donated to Holocaust survivors, who are still suffering to this very day from the terrible open wounds to their body and soul.
It's true that many of them were absorbed in our country and became its builders, but many others are still suffering. Our country does a tremendous amount for these survivors, but it's natural for it not to succeed in solving all their problems. Many of them suffer from a lack of food and medical services. The State Comptroller's report from 2007 found fault with the way survivors are dealt with, even if since then their situation has vastly improved.
In sum, despite the State's prodigious assistance, we have not succeeded in answering all of their needs, especially since the Law of Assistance to Holocaust Survivors applies only to those who arrived in Israel before 5713. It's obvious that some of those who came afterwards are also suffering greatly.
But getting back to our topic – traveling to the death camps to remember what Amalek did to us there, while simultaneously forgetting the Holocaust victims who live in our midst.
If someone claims that this involves no small measure of hypocrisy, he will not be entirely mistaken. If someone is shocked by a person who prefers to spend his money on an important "death-camp experience," to assisting someone who was hurt there, thereby performing a human kindness, he is not entirely mistaken either.
Therefore, here are several practical suggestions:
1. Cancel the Poland trips and give all the money to organizations that grant assistance and support to Holocaust survivors. There are many such organizations, and you can find them by yourself. That's less complicated than all of the logistics of traveling abroad. I just would like to mention one organization that distributes free medicines to the poor, not necessarily Holocaust survivors, but including them, and its name is “Haverim LiTerufa” [Friends for Medicine].
2. Even if one does go to Poland, he should make sure that fifty-one percent of his expenses go to helping the victims themselves. That will allow one to argue that most of the allocations are going to people and a minority are going to stones and rocks.
Yet even if this suggestion is rejected, then at the very least, ten percent of one’s total expenses from the trip should be invested in those suffering terribly to this very day, as a sort of ‘Ma’aser”, a tithe. That will render us at least a little bit innocent before G-d and man.
“Look to the Rock from whence you were hewn” (Yeshayahu 51:1).

Shut SMS #130

2011-09-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Cemetery before Wedding
Q: What is the source behind the custom of going to the cemetery before a wedding and inviting one's relatives who have passed away?
A: The source is the Zohar (Parashat Balak and Pinchas), where it is said that ancestors in the World-to-Come participate in their descendants' joyous occasions. And this is the custom of many people (Nita'ei Gavriel – Nissuim 4:7. And the Gerrer Rebbe, the "Imrei Emet", told his son to visit the Kotel and Kever Rachel before his wedding).

Measurements of Ha-Rav Chaim Na'eh and the Chazon Ish
Q: How do we rule in the dispute regarding the halakhic measurements between Ha-Rav Chaim Na'eh and the Chazon Ish (for example, the size of a "kezayit")? Who is greater?
A: It makes no difference. Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv was asked: how could Ha-Rav Na'eh argue with the Chazon Ish? He answered that the measurements of Ha-Rav Na'eh were practiced earlier and it was the Chazon Ish who argued against them. The book Yashiv Moshe p. 130 (see Noda Ba-Shiurim p. 271).

[Ha-Rav] Kahane was Right!
Q: Isn't there an infringement on the honor of a Torah scholar by using the expression: "Kahane was right" instead of "Ha-Rav Kahane was right"?
A: People mean the concept "Kahane", but one should certainly say: Ha-Rav Kahane.

Maran Ha-Rav Kook
Q: How did it happen that in his time, Maran Ha-Rav Kook was greatly respected by almost every great Torah scholar, while today most Charedi Rabbis ignore this fact?
A: This is not understandable. Patience.

Women getting Married
Q: I heard that it is permissible for women marry one another. Is this correct?
A: Incorrect. It is a Torah prohibition. Shulchan Aruch, Even Ha-Ezer 20:2.

Non-Kosher Smell
Q: Is it permissible for me to work in an office which is above a non-Kosher restaurant whose smells come through the windows?
A: Yes. The smell is not forbidden. It is a benefit which comes to a person against his will. Pesachim 25.

Jerusalem's Light-Rail
Q: Should one recite Shehechiyanu over Jerusalem's new light-rail?
A: Yes, if you are happy about it, and it is good news for you.

Mechitza in Shul
Q: Does the Mechitza in a Shul have to be constructed in a way so that the men and women cannot see one another?
A: Ha-Rav Moshe Feinstein ruled in Shut Igrot Moshe (Orach Chaim 1:39) that in a pressing situation, it was sufficient to prevent intermingling between men and women and it was therefore permissible to have a Mechitza with a height of only 18 Tefachim. But Hungarian Rabbis ruled that it is forbidden for men to see the women and we should not change the custom as practiced for generations. And this is the ruling found in Shut Tzitz Eliezer (7:8), that the basic Halachah follows the Rambam in his commentary to the Mishnah in Sukkah: that it is forbid for the men to see the women. This is also the ruling of Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah (Regarding this issue, it is told that Ha-Gaon Rav Moshe Feinstein ztz"l once issued a ruling regarding the height of a mechitzah between men and women in a shul, stating that in pressing situations it is permissible to be lenient. The Satmar Rebbe came out against him. Our Rabbi Ha-Rav Tvzi Yehudah said: "It is known that our paths are separate and different, but in this issue he (the Satmar Rebbe) is correct." The book Rabbenu p. 122).

Hebrew Pronunciation during Prayer
Q: May one use modern Hebrew pronunciation during prayer?
A: Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah rules that one should use the custom of his forefathers: Ashkenazi, Sefardi, Yemenite, etc. But if one is accustomed to using an Israeli accent, and will not concentrate properly if he uses his forefathers' accent, he should choose proper concentration (Techumin vol. 3, p. 388).

Knife
Q: Is it true that it is forbidden to pass a knife from hand to hand?
A: Not true.

Charedim
Q: Who is more important – a Druze who lives in Israel and serves in Tzahal, or a Charedi who does not see any importance in Eretz Yisrael?
A: Certainly, the Charedi. Have you forgotten what Am Yisrael is?! And there is no Charedi who does not see the importance of Eretz Yisrael.

Charedi Philosophy
Q: Is the Charedi Philosophy against the Torah?
A: Certainly not. But it is lacking.

Life-Threatening Situation
Q: I am always afraid. People are being murdered all the time…
A: People are not being murdered all the time, G-d forbid, and one should not lack gratitude to Hashem. According to a report of the World Health Organization, 8 out of 100,000 Israeli citizens are murdered each year. 15 out of 100,000 citizens of France are murdered per year, and 25 out of 100,000 Americans. Therefore, thank Hashem.

Meat in Braces
Q: I have braces on my teeth. Pieces of meats sometimes get stuck in them and I cannot get them out. Is it permissible for me nevertheless to eat a dairy meal after I ate meat and waited six hours?
A: It is permissible. One of the reasons we wait six hours is because there may be meat between one's teeth and after six hours it is no longer considered meat. There is no difference.

Books in a Store
Q: Is it permissible to read books in a store for a little while if I do not intend to buy them?
A: Certainly not. Book stores are not designed for this purpose.

From the Archives: Rav Aviner with Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef

2011-09-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Collection of Laws of Rosh Hashanah – Part 1

2011-09-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

[Shut She’eilat Shlomo 1:235]

1. Lighting Candles
We recite the blessing of Shehechiyanu on both nights of Rosh Hashanah, even if one does not have a new piece of clothing or a new fruit (which he did not yet eat this season) before him. It is preferable, however, that there be a new piece of clothing or a new fruit (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 600:2).

Question: Is it permissible to attach the candles in the candlesticks on Rosh Hashanah?
Answer: Attaching the candles to candlesticks for the second night is forbidden on account of [the prohibition of] "leveling" (Shemirat Shabbat Ke-Hilchata p. 76 #18), and this prohibition is no less important than the actual commandment of lighting the candles. One should therefore prepare two additional candlesticks before Rosh Hashanah or to stick them into the candlesticks without attaching them on the holiday.
On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, one may not prepare the candlesticks before the stars come out (definite nightfall), since we may not prepare on the first day of Rosh Hashanah for the second day. But it is permissible to light the candles before sunset, since one benefits from their light on the first day itself.

Addition to the revised edition
Question: I saw in the book "Am Ke-Lavi" (the original name of this volume of She’eilat Shlomo) that it is permissible to light on the first day of Rosh Hashanah before sunset (for the second day) because this is not considered preparation for the next day, since we benefit from the lights on the first day as well. What is the source for this law, since it does not follow the opinion of the Mateh Ephraim (599:9-11)?
Answer: The Be’er Heitev writes: "The Levush (503:4) wrote: We customarily light the candles when it gets dark even before [reciting the prayer] "Barechu." And the Or Zarua wrote that there are women who recite the blessing before they go to shul (for Maariv of the second day). And it is also written in the Shelah that it is a greater mitzvah to do this than to light upon returning to their house since they would return to a dark house. And in shul it is customary to light even when it is still day time since in a shul it is always a mitzvah to light canldes, even in the day." And this is the ruling in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 514:5): "It is forbidden to light an idle light which one does not need, but [a light] of a shul is not considered idle. It is permissible to light one even on the second day after Minchah and this is not preparing for a weekday, since in lighting it there is a mitzvah for that time." And the Mishnah Berurah (#33) wrote: "There is a mitzvah...that is to say, even if one does not need the light while it is still day, even so there is a mitzvah to light it because of the honor of the shul, and if it is already close to dark it is even permissible in one’s house since he needs it at that time."

2. Annulment of Vows
It is customary to release ones vows on Erev Rosh Hashanah or Erev Yom Kippur, but it is also possible to do this during the entire Ten Days of Repentance. One who is unable to do this should be released before three individuals when the opportunity arises (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:10).

3. Eating before the Shofar Blasts
Question: Is our custom of eating before the Shofar blasts in consonance with Jewish Law?
Answer:
1) In general, when it is incumbent upon a Jew to fulfill a mitzvah he should first fulfill the mitzvah and then eat afterwards. Nevertheless the basic law is that only an actual meal is forbidden before the fulfillment of a mitzvah, and a small snack is permissible. But in the generations of the Achronim, they were very strict regarding eating a snack, and they only permitted it for someone who was extremely feeble (See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:9. Sha’arei Teshuvah 584 #3).
2) It is now customary in all places, even amongst the pious, to permit eating a small amount. They support this on the basis of the law that a small snack is permissible. There is therefore no basis to prohibit it. See the comprehensive article of Rabbi Y. Segal in Noam vol. 14, which states that someone who has difficulty with not eating, and whose davening continues until after midday – is permitted to eat something small.
Summary: It is certainly preferable not to eat, in particular on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, since these Shofar blasts are a Torah Mitzvah, but for one who has difficulty waiting until the end, and whose ability to pray with proper concentration will be disturbed, it is permissible to eat something light. And one should obviously do so with awe and fear, and not for an inappropriate reason (In Shut Bnei Banim #14, Rav Yehudah Herzl Henkin disagrees with the above, but one can counter his argument).

4. Question: Is one required to recite another blessing over a Talit after the break between Shacharit and Musaf?
Answer: Yes, since this is a significant interruption and the person’s mind will be distracted from the Mitzvah of Talit (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 8, Mishnah Berurah #37).

To whom does Migron belong?

2011-09-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah – Ki Tetzei 5771 – translated by R. Blumberg]

The HCJ (High Court of Justice) ruled that the residents of Migron must evacuate the town because they have taken over private Arab lands.
Sounds fair enough: “Don’t steal.”
All the same, perhaps someone would be willing to explain to me who exactly those Arab owners of those lands are? "No problem," the High Court will answer, "there’s a precise list of the Arabs. You can look at it."
All the same, might I not be allowed to ask yet another question? How is it that those Arabs, themselves, did not know about their ownership, and when the people of Migron came to them to pay them, they were very surprised about this gift falling upon them from heaven? After all, they never lived on these lands and they never worked them. The builders of Migron were enormously careful to settle only in rocky fields. You can peruse dozens of years of aerial photos and you’ll see that there wasn’t even a single house there, and not a single tree. And indeed, during the nine years in which the town flourished, not one Arab said a word. So, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know how it suddenly became theirs? “Very simple,” the HCJ explains. “Before the Six Day War, in about 5725, King Hussein carried out a fictitious registration and distribution of these lands to Mukhtars closely associated with him. It’s elementary. These lands belong to those Mukhtars, and to their descendants, and to their descendants’ descendants, till the end of time…”
It’s very interesting to know that King Hussein is the owner of our Land. Yet first I’d like to ask a preliminary question of the HCJ which supports the legal foundations of the King of Jordan’s decisions. Surely that same King Hussein, himself, made a condition that if those Mukhtars didn’t work those lands and didn’t pay taxes, at the end of a number of years the lands would return to the king. Now then, they did return to him, and they are therefore state lands. To this the HCJ responds, “It’s true that according to the King of Jordan these lands returned to our country, but we are stricter than the King of Jordan, and whoever applies strictures is praiseworthy. Yet we rule like the King of Jordan and not like the King of Jordan. We rule like the King of Jordan that the lands will be transferred to those Arabs, but against the King of Jordan we say that the lands will remain theirs even if they don't actualize their ownership. We rule that it is theirs, and that is the law. The law is the law, and the law has to be preserved! ‘The law of the kingdom is law!’ (Baba Batra 54b).”
At this juncture, your honors, I shall stop asking innocent questions and say what is in my heart, my mind and my conscience.
First of all, the people of Migron are law-abiding citizens. They were in the past, they are now, and they will be in the future. They serve in the army, and some of them are officers. The women are mostly teachers, nurses and social workers.
Yes, “the law of the kingdom is law,” but the theft of the kingdom is not law. A discriminatory law is not a law. Even according to your approach, that these are Arab lands, it’s enough that the people of Migron should pay. There is a legal precedent regarding a settlement that was established on the private land of a Jew, and the court ruled: You cannot uproot families for whom this is the center of their lives. You cannot destroy homes. Rather, since the town was established innocently, it’s enough that the owners should be compensated.
Migron was established innocently. It was established by the State of Israel, with State planning and State funding. Nothing could be more innocent than that. The Jewish State was interested, for strategic reasons, in contiguous settlements.
So is that how things are, that a town built on Jewish land cannot be uprooted, but a town built on Arab lands can be uprooted? That’s a discriminatory law, and a discriminatory law is illegal. How righteous the people of Migron are, that they are fulfilling a law that is no law!
Yet we have to go back further still with the HCJ’s decision. As noted, the Government decided to be strict at our expense, more than King Hussein, and according to that, the court is acting legally in a formal sense. In other words, according to the Government’s decisions, we decide what is legal and what is illegal.
But first you have to ask a different question. Who says that these lands belonged to Jordan in the first place? Did we sell them to them? Did we give them the lands as a gift? In the past, did they have a country here or did we? “Now Shaul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree at Migron” (Shmuel 1 14:2). Was it really the King of Jordan staying there?!
Did we conquer Migron from the King of Jordan, or did we return to our Land? Is it occupation or is it ours?!
For close to 2,000 years, conquerors came and went, and now we have returned. If thieves came in our absence, does the land suddenly become theirs?
We’ve come home! It’s ours and it's not occupation. It’s our Land according to G-d, according to history, according to nature. G-d gave it to us and He promised us, through His prophets, that we would return to it, and now we have returned.
With all due respect to the Prime Minister and the HCJ, the statement that the lands belong to the King of Jordan is fantasy. How did Arab lands suddenly crop up here? They were ours and the Romans banished us from our land. For thousands of years we longed for our Land and prayed for it. Then, suddenly, due to Turkey’s collapse, it belongs to the King of Jordan?! That’s an outright lie! No! It’s been ours from time immemorial, as long as the heavens were over the earth.
It’s true that Maran Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Ha-Cohain Kook wrote to the JNF that we are going beyond the letter of the law in paying Arabs for lands that are actually ours, because we want to fulfill “Love your neighbor as yourself” even vis-à-vis the non-Jews (Ma’amarei Re’iyah). And Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook likewise said that we have no business troubling this individual Arab or that, and if a piece of land belongs privately to an Arab, we won’t settle there. Rather, the main thing is that from a national perspective, this is our Land. And indeed, even now we are ready to pay a private Arab for land that doesn’t belong to him, but we cannot agree under any circumstances to the pronouncement that this land belongs to the King of Jordan, and that he, of his own free will, can distribute it to whomever he wishes. That constitutes unconscionable weakness.
Already before the State was established, there was talk about conceding parts of our Land and cutting the Land into pieces, and Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook wrote his article: “We Must Have Perfect Faith regarding the Torah and the Land”. This is not a new problem. This constitutes weakness and impotence. There is but one thing for us to do: to cry out in a loud voice: It’s ours! It’s ours legally! It’s all legal!
During the British Mandate, the British High Commissioner asked Rav Kook: “How can his honor support illegal Aliyah to Israel?” Rav Kook replied, “When there is a conflict between national law and international law, international law holds sway.” The Commissioner expressed puzzlement: “I know of no international law that permits Jewish Aliya to Israel.” Rav Kook answered, “The Bible! The Bible is international!”
According to the international law of the Bible, Migron belongs to us and not to the King of Jordan. The nations agreed to this, as well, at the San Remo conference, ninety years ago.
The statement that the King of Jordan can decide is unparalleled nonsense, and it has no precedent in world history. Therefore, let us be strong and courageous for our Land and for the cities of our G-d.

"Even when I yell at you, I love you"

2011-09-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

There was a mother who constantly berated and criticized her son. The father, who feared complicating his relationship with his wife, was careful not to interfere. A father like this is a sinner. How can he not protect his son?! If need be, he is obligated to argue with his wife over this issue. It is forbidden to abandon a child who lacks protection.
There was a father who was bothered by his two-year old son. His child cried all the time and the father could not take it. He brought him outside in the dark and yelled at him: Shut up! Finish crying outside! The mother bought the child back into the house. His wife said to him: "Have you gone crazy?! To put a child outside in the dark just because he is crying?!" A child like this feels the disappointment. He is sure that his parents want to be rid of him.
The love we have for our child must be unconditional. It is possible that we sometimes yell at him, but afterwards we must tell him: Know that even when I yell at you, I love you. I love you now. I will always love you.

Shut SMS #129

2011-09-08T22:45:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Sperm Bank
Q: Is it a Mitzvah to donate to a sperm bank?
A: It is a transgression.

Lying
Q: My wife borrowed my parents' car and scratched it a little bit. She is very embarrassed. Is it permissible for me to say that I did it?
A: Certainly. It is lying for the sake of peace.

Kissing the Mezuzah
Q: Is there a halachic obligation to kiss the Mezuzah?
A: No. But it is an expression of love for the Mitzvah, just like for all Mitzvot (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 11:24. Birchei Yosef Yoreh Deah 285 in the name of the Arizal. See Mishnah Berurah 477:5).

Shofar during Elul
Q: Are Ashkenazim obligated to stand for the Shofar blown during Elul?
A: No, but this is the custom. Piskei Teshuvot (581:3).
Q: Does a person davening on his own blow the Shofar?
A: It was not decreed. Ibid.
Q: If a community does not have a Shofar in the morning, can they make it up?
A: At Minchah, but not Maariv. This is also to teach that we do not blow Shofar at night. Ibid.
Q: What is the law regarding one who hears the Shofar in the middle of the Shemoneh Esrei and will not have another opportunity to hear it?
A: There are those who permit him to be quiet and listen.
Q: What is the law regarding Sefardim whose Shofar blowing in the early morning during during Selichot bothers the neighbors?
A: We do not perform a Mitzvah through a transgression such as bothering others. They should therefore blow it quietly.

BS"D
Q: Should one write BS"D on an e-mail, as when writing a letter?
A: One is not even obligated to do so on a letter. But it is permissible on an e-mail as well.

Woman reciting Birkat Ha-Gomel
Q: Can women recite Birkat Ha-Gomel?
A: There are three possibilities: 1. She can recite the blessing in the Women's Section when the Gabbai quiets everyone down. 2. She can recite the blessing when 10 men are around, i.e. like before or after a class. 3. She can choose not to recite it at all because of issues of modesty (see Shut She'eilat Shlomo 2:87).

Parent's Wedding
Q: Is it permissible for child to be present at their father's or mother's wedding?
A: It is permissible. It is one's personal choice.

Ketubah
Q: If a wife unjustifiably demands a divorce, is the husband obligated to pay her the amount of the Ketubah?
A: No. But all of the property and belongings they acquired while married is divided equally.

Kippah
Q: If I say Divrei Torah to my non-religious friend, should I ask him to put on a Kippah?
A: No.

Homosexual Tendencies
Q: Is it a good idea to make a Shiduch between a man and a woman who both have homosexual tendencies?
A: It is a good idea to cure them and make them happy so that they can marry someone they love in a normal fashion. We should not bring a poor child into the world without a father and mother who love one another. This method has been tried, and ends in divorce.

5.99
Q: I am a saleswoman in a store. Is it permissible for me to write the price as 5.99 instead of 6 shekels? Or is it theft, since I will actually charge 6 shekels?
A: It is permissible since the buyer knows that he will pay 6 shekels. Besides, he can ask for an Agurah if he wants (See the Rosh at the end of Pesachim [#40] that although the Torah mentions counting 50 days of Sefirah, the Halachah is that we count 49 and although the Torah mentions giving 40 lashes, the Halachah is that we give 39. The Rosh explains that the way of the Torah is to round up when the last digit is a nine. And it is worthwhile to add the Admor of Ostrovzsa once met with Ha-Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky and the two spoke about the intricacies of the Halachah. Ha-Rav Caim Ozer was amazed at the words of the Admor of Ostrovzsa and declared: “You are truly a great man!” The Admor replied that this is hardly a measure of greatness. He explains by quoting the Gemara in Makkot 22b, where the Sages conclude that the meaning of forty lashes is actually only thirty-nine, and that people who rise in honor of a Torah Scroll but remain seated when a Torah scholar passes by are foolish, since the Torah states: “Forty lashes”, and our Sages come to teach us that the actual meaning is thirty-nine – one lash less – then it follows that their power is indeed great. The Admor asked: Why does the Torah only teach this law in Devarim (by the lashes), rather than earlier in the book of Vayikra (by Sefirat Ha-Omer)? There it is written, in reference to the counting of the Omer: “You shall count fifty days” and our Sages explain that the meaning is actually forty-nine days. Did they not subtract a day there as well? From here we learn, said the Admor to Ha-Rav Chaim Ozer, that the greatness of our Sages is not in that they subtracted one day from the counting of the Omer, but rather that they subtracted one lash from the punishment of the guilty – and therein lies their greatness: a great man is one who lessens the pain of his fellow man, and not one who only discovers novel interpretations of the Torah. Iturei Torah – Vayikra 23:16).

Christian Date
Q: Is it permissible to write the Christian date on a wedding invitation?
A: No. It is based on idol worship.
Q: And if it is necessary?
A: It is not clear why it would be necessary. But if it is, do not write the number of the year, since it is known. And instead of writing the number of the month, write the name of the month. And add: "According to their counting." And I saw someone write: "According to their error."

Parashat Ki Tzetzei: Accepting Converts from Amalek

2011-09-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

[Iturei Cohanim #155]

Question: In the Mechilta (on Shemot 17:16), our Rabbis prohibit accepting converts from Amalek, but the Gemara (Gittin 57a) mentions that the descendants of Haman learned Torah in Bnei Brak. Don't these two sources contradict one another?
Answer: Quite simply, it is a dispute. According to the Mechilta, we do not accept converts from Amalek, but the Babylonian Talmud does not forbid it. It is clear that the Rambam ruled like the Gemara, since he did not mention in the "Laws of Converts" that it is forbidden to accept converts from Amalek. He must therefore explain the problem of how King David killed the Amalekite convert who claimed he killed King Shaul, even though there were no witnesses (Shmuel 2 1). According to the Mechilta, we do not accept converts from Amalek and a non-Jew can receive capital punishment based on self-incrimination. But the Rambam followed the Gemara that we can accept converts from Amalek and it is forbidden to kill a Jew based on his own testimony. The Rambam thus explained that King David's action was an exceptional ruling, or an example of the unique powers given to a king (Rambam, Hilchot Sanhedrim 18:6). According to this explanation, there is a dispute between the two sources. It is possible, however, to resolve this contradiction in various ways:
1. There is a different version of the Gemara which reads: "The descendants of Na'aman" instead of "The descendants of Haman" (see, for example, Ba'al Ha-Turim on Shemot 28:2).
2. It is forbidden to convert an Amalekite, but if they converted on their own, they are considered converts (Megillat Sefer, Lo Ta'aseh 115). This resolution is difficult since the Mechilta seems to hold that we do not accept converts from Amalek at all.
3. It is permissible for them to convert and to be Jewish for all purposes but we do not marry them (Megillat Sefer ibid.). This is also difficult since the Mechilta is discussing conversion and not marriage.
4. We do not convert them from the outset, but if they convert they are considered converts after the fact (Shut Beit Yehudah. Resisei Lailah of Rabbi Tzadok Ha-Cohain Mi-Lublin #32 and 58). This is also difficult since the Mechilta implies that they are not considered converts even after the fact.
5. While Haman was from Amalek, he was a slave to Mordechai and slaves do not have "yichus" (i.e. are not related to anyone). Thus, Haman's descendants are not related to him and are not considered Amalek (Kli Chemdah on the Torah).
6. If a woman marries a non-Amalekite, the offspring are not considered Amalek, since the genealogy of non-Jews is patrilineal (Yevamot 78b). According to this explanation, the "descendants of Haman" is not to be taken literally but rather, means that they were descendants of women in the Amalekite line (Gilyon Ha-Shas, Gittin 57a and Chazon Ish, Yoreh Deah Gerim 157). This explanation follows the opinion of the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim (3, 50) that the obligation to destroy Amalek does not apply to women.
This is still difficult, however, since the Mechilta there writes that Hashem swore not to leave a grandchild or a great-grandchild of Amalek, and this potential convert is a great-grandchild of Amalek! Some explain that even though this potential convert is not an Amalekite, since he is from the offspring of "Amalekite women," we should still reject him since he is connected to Amalek in some manner.
7. According to the Rambam, if Amalek makes peace, there is no longer a mitzvh to eradicate them (Hilchot Melachim, chap. 6); i.e., he is no longer an Amalekite and it is thus permissible to convert him (Mishpat Ha-Meluchah of Rav Gershuni, Hilchot Melachim, chap. 5). While it is forbidden to convert directly from Amalek, it is possible for one to convert in another manner.
Additional sources: Shut Maharsham 3:272, "Sefer Michlol Ha-Ma'amarim" erech mi-bnei, Shut Mishneh Halachit 6:220, Sefer Hasidim 1019, Kedushat Levi – Kedushat Revi'it p. 124b (Sefer Haichei David 560), Seridei Eish 2:104 (ibid. 564).

Social Protest or Money Struggle?

2011-09-06T13:24:00.001-07:00

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah – Shoftim 5771 – translated by R. Blumberg]

Does the protest against the high price of housing that has ballooned into a wider protest about the cost of living have any connection to the Torah? Certainly G-d enlightens our path in every matter affecting national affairs or social welfare, and all G-d has told us we must do and obey. The question is whether we have here a social protest or a money quarrel, a protest over life or a sectarian protest over luxuries.
Obviously, struggling for one’s interests is legitimate and permissible according to the Torah. One is allowed to fight to be rich. The Torah allows it, but doesn’t require it. What we are required to do is to prevent poverty, and what we’re allowed to do is to raise the standard of living. Preventing poverty is a duty that falls within the framework of charity. According to Jewish law, the individual must give charity and the public must mandate that. In other words, the community must provide for its poor. And all the more so the Jewish State. As is well-known, one’s life takes precedence over someone else’s life (Baba Metzia 62b), but one’s luxuries do not take precedence over one’s neighbor’s life.
For example, it cannot be that you will take a bath or water your garden if your neighbor has no water to drink (Nedarim 80b). And what is a poor person? It is someone who is lacking the bare minimum. As noted, raising the living standard is permissible, but one has no Torah obligation to join and abet such a struggle.
The protest in question has been defined by its leadership: The middle-class is collapsing, and is demanding of the government a larger piece of the pie, at the expense of other national needs (like security). Thus, we’re not talking about a real struggle on behalf of the poor.
True, some genuine poor have joined the protest, but they are a negligible minority. In fact, all sorts of other groups have joined, each with its own agenda: Some are fighting to stop the destruction of illegal Arab homes, others on behalf of illegal Bedouin towns, still others on behalf of immigrants and refugees, including some who are genuinely poor and homeless. Yet the main struggle is over the status of the middle class.
If we’re going to struggle over something, it should be over the abject state of the real poor. That is a Torah mitzvah. Yet the problem of genuine poverty isn’t so easy to solve either, because there is a limit on how much taxation you can legislate. In the economic reforms enacted by Prime Minister Netanyahu in his last term of office (ten years ago), he limited how much welfare money the government could allocate. The situation at the time was that ten percent of the nation was supporting the other ninety percent. There was a danger that the ten percent would get sick of this, and would move themselves or their factories abroad, or engage in a battle of wits, seeking legal loopholes around taxes.

The solution has to be a fight not against the rich, but on behalf of the genuine poor.

There are several practical solutions regarding housing costs. For example, an average apartment costs about 1,550,000 NIS (443,000 U.S. dollars). Out of that, 400,000 goes for construction, 150,,000 to the contractor, 150,000 for development. So far, a total of 700,000. The land costs 500,000, and various taxes cost 350,000. Thus, 850,000 shekels goes to the State. Such a sum can be collected from the rich, but it isn’t right to collect it from the poor. Yet truth be said, our Prime Minister has now suggested several solutions to solving the housing crunch, with most of them not new, but rather previous initiatives. Such things take time. That’s the rule. There are no miracle solutions.
It’s no secret that a lot of the power behind the protest saw a chance to attack the Prime Minister. One is allowed to fight to unseat the prime minister, but one must be honest and not hide a political war under the veil of a social struggle. In any event, the whole thing is moving farther and farther away from a Torah struggle. There is a lack of honesty here, as well, because the prime minister is precisely the one who has worked and toiled over these issues.
As stated, you can’t carry out economic revolutions overnight. Suppose the government stopped charging for land and construction taxes. Prices would, indeed, plummet, but those who bought before at the expensive rate would lose out unfairly.
Economic laws are complicated. Our sages say that G-d preferred to let a man, whose wife had died, sprout mammary glands so he could feed his infant milk, rather than produce money for him. Paternal milk is a private miracle, without ramifications on all of society, but introducing new money into the economy can have a pervasive effect. Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains in Ein Aya that G-d does not wish to hurt the laws of economics, even though they are harsh and cruel, because they keep the world going (Shabbat 53:5).
Let it be said to Israel’s credit that its economy is very stable, and that the harsh economic crisis that plagued America and Europe has spared us. Our Prime Minister’s profound reforms are slowly making our economic lives healthier. Sudden changes could cause economic crises, and those who will pay for it will be the poor, who depend on every penny. The various anarchists who sprout like crabgrass at those protests want to change everything, and they naively think that “we will destroy this old world, down to its foundations” (the Internationale), and out of the smoking embers of the old, rotten world will sprout the flowers of the future.
The presence of the Extreme Left at the protests is no blessing either. We’re not talking about a Social Left but about a Political Left, and in our case, we should be crying that nowadays there is no Social Left with proper party representation. Here it is noteworthy that the party that passed the most legislation to help the poor and the needy was the National Religious Party.
As far as the costliness of construction, the Political Left does not represent the Social Left, because in Judea and Samaria there is endless cheap land. When the views of the extreme, anti-security, political left find expression at a demonstration, our suspicions are aroused. Likewise, the funding of the protest by the New Israel Fund should also raise a lot of questions.
Let’s get back to the topic of construction being expensive. Another direction for a solution would be to speed up the construction process and simplify the process of attaining construction permits, which is painfully slow. After all, every year there are 50,000 more families, and the government permits the construction of only 40,000 housing units. Since demand surpasses supply, prices naturally rise.
In any event, the Jewish masses have not been present at these tent protests, and the numbers reported were blown out of proportion by four or five hundred percent. Only one sector of the nation was there, and as noted above, their struggle is legitimate, but it is not a struggle of Torah and justice, but a struggle over money. It’s an individualistic struggle rather than an idealistic struggle.
Let us be strong and courageous, and let us increase our genuine struggles on behalf of the poor and the weak.

Adam Ha-Rishon's Joy

2011-09-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Question: We recite in the Sheva Berachot: "Let the loving couple be very happy, just as You made Your creation happy in the Garden of Eden." Where is it written in the Torah that Adam Ha-Rishon was happy?
Answer: They explain in Yeshivot that there is no need for a verse, since it is logical. Why do I need a verse? It is a logical deduction! There was only one woman in the world, so there was no possibility of comparing her to another. Adam Ha-Rishon was therefore extremely happy. And the same was true for Chavah. From the moment that a man is married, he should not look at another woman, think about another woman, compare his spouse to another woman. He will then be joyous with his wife.

Love Heals

2011-09-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

An orphanage once conducted an experiment: The female teacher gave five kisses to each girl every day. They saw that the rate of the girls getting sick deceased by 20%. Then they gave an additional 10 kisses a day and the rate dropped by 40%. 20 kisses a day and… until they almost stopped getting sick more than the average rate. Wonder of wonders! These were poor orphans – but when they were hugged with all of one's heart, they could overcome, be healthy and live!
Similar research was done in elderly homes. When an elderly person is lonely, he deteriorates quickly. But an elderly person who has frequent family visits and feels loved – lives much longer. It is simple. Some elderly people have a dog or cat and this also strengthens their health and gives them longevity. It is not because the cat feds them, but because there is love. This is what sustains the elderly.
The same is true for someone who is alone – a widow or widower – a pet can be life-saving.
And all of this applies all the more so for a baby, a young child – in fact every person: love is life-saving.

Shut SMS #128

2011-09-02T03:24:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Terrorist Attack
Q: On the day of a terrorist attack, should we still go on our family trip which we planned to rejuvenate ourselves?
A: Yes. You should continue. This is similar to removing the dead from before the bride. See Rashi on the death of Nadav and Avihu. Their bodies were removed and the inauguration of the Mishkan continued.

Lubavitcher Rebbe's Tefillin
Q: In pictures and movies of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, we see that his Tefillin are on his forehead. How can we understand this?
A: He himself was asked this question. He answered that in his youth his hair started from that spot.

Mixed Beach
Q: If a man wears glasses and has terrible vision without them, can he go to a mixed beach (with his glassed off)?
A: G-d forbid. It is a forbidden place. And he can see somewhat.

Man Whitening his Teeth
Q: Is it permissible for a man to whiten his teeth, or is it forbidden on account of "Lo Yilbash" (not dressing or acting like a woman)?
A: It is permissible. Not in order to increase beauty, but to remove an unattractive feature.

Spoils
Q: If Tzahal is going to destroy an Arab's house, and the items within the house will be destroyed in any case, is it permissible for me to take them?
A: No. Tzahal decides what to do with them.

Learning Mishnayot
Q: What commentary should one use to learn Mishnayot after Rabbi Ovadiah Mi-Bartenura?
A: Tosafot Yom Tov. Rabbi Ovadiah Mi-Bartenura is like Rashi on the Gemera, and Tosafot Yom Tov is like the Tosafot.

Immodest Clothing
Q: What should I do if my wife wears immodest clothing and it is driving me crazy?
A: Have a heart-to-heart talk with her.

Chesed
Q: I have a friend whose wedding is a far distance away. It will take me a long time to get there, and I have an important exam tomorrow and am not ready for it. I could fail. What should I do?
A: Don't go. Every act of Chesed is based on one's ability. In this case, your friend's gain is minimal while your potential loss is great.

Counting a Minor in a Minyan
Q: Is it permissible to count in a minor in a Minyan in a pressing circumstance?
A: For Ashkenazim, only in a pressing circumstance and based on an explicit ruling of a Rabbi. Sefardim do not customarily do so (Shut Mishpatei Uziel 8:7. Shut Yein Ha-Tov 1:28. Shut Yaskil Avdi 5:8. Shut Yabia Omer vol. 4 Orach Chaim #9. Shut Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:18. Shut Chelkat Yaakov Orach Chaim #28. It is related in Mi-Peninei Ha-Rav, p. 27: In the early years of Yeshivat Rambam in Boston, which was established by Ha-Rav Yosef Soloveitchik, it sometimes happened that they were lacking one for a Minyan. Ha-Rav Soloveitchik would rely on the opinion of Rabbenu Tam to count a minor. People would occasionally ask him if it was worthwhile to be strict and to have the minor hold a Chumash. Ha-Rav Soloveitchik would point out that Rabbenu Tam say that this is a ridiculous Minhag. And he would add that it is better for the minor to hold a Siddur than a Chumash, so he could daven properly).

Anger at Parents
Q: During therapy, I express anger at my parents for what they did to me, but our Sages teach that one who gets angry is like one who worships idols. What should I do?
A: It is permissible during therapy, since the purpose of therapy is to liberate yourself from the anger.

Tzedakah and Smoking
Q: Should I give Tzedakah to a poor woman when there is a good chance she will buy cigarettes with the money?
A: Give her food or other essential items.

Missionary
Q: What should I do if I see a missionary operating on a bus?
A: Approach the people and explain why they should not listen to him.

Maran Ha-Rav Kook and the Arizal
Q: Is it true that Rav Kook understood the writings of the Arizal better than Rabbi Chaim Vital and the Zohar better than the Arizal?
A: This is incorrect. But Maran Ha-Rav Kook was given the power of explanation from heaven.

Killing Bugs and Mice
Q: Is it permissible to killed flies, ants, mice, etc. who are bothering you?
A: Yes. Since it is for a human need, it is permissible. And also, killing it is not included in the prohibition of "Tza'ar Ba'alei Chaim" – causing undue pain to animals (Ma'aseh Ish vol. 7, p. 163. Shut Teshuvot Ve-Hanhagot 2:726. And Ha-Rav Moshe Feinstein writes in Shut Igrot Moshe Choshen Mishpat 2:47 that if it is possible, it is proper not to kill them with your hands but with a trap. His proof is from the Wayward City- a place in which a majority of citizens worship idols and therefore has is to be destroyed (Devarim 13:13-19). Hashem promises that if the Wayward City is destroyed, He will give you mercy. The Or Ha-Chaim Ha-Kadosh explains (verse 18) that this promise is made because destroying and killing causes one to be cruel. It is therefore better not to kill bugs and mice with one's bare-hands. But this is a stricture).

English Books to Purchase from the Yeshiva

2011-08-30T12:38:00.000-07:00

1. The Book of Yonah - Commentary of Rav Shlomo Aviner
In Israel: 50 shekels Outside of Israel: $15

2. "On the Air with Rav Aviner"
More than 250 questions and answers from Rav Aviner's radio call-in show!
In Israel: 60 shekels Outside of Israel: $20

3. Oleh Chadash - The New Immigrant to Israel
A Spiritual and Halachic Guide to Making Aliyah
By Rabbi Mordechai Tzion (Friedfertig).
Many of the halachot and insights are based upon the teachings of Ha-Rav Aviner.
In Israel: 50 shekels Outside of Israel: $15

Special: Set of all three books:
In Israel: 140 shekels Outside of Israel: $45

Payment [Purchase of books is not tax deductible]:
1. Check or cash –
If payment is in dollars, please make out check to American Friends of Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim. If in shekels, please make it out to Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim.
Send to:
Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim
PO Box 1076
Jerusalem 91009
Israel

2. Secure credit card payment through the Yeshiva's website -
https://www.ateret.org.il/english/donations/secure.asp [Please specify in the comments which books you are ordering]

Gimmel Elul – Yahrtzeit of Maran Ha-Rav Kook - Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook: “I am building a Nation”

2011-08-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook: “I am building a Nation”

When our master, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook arrived in Israel, Rabbi David Ha-Cohen, the Nazir, walked all night from Jerusalem to Hevron to greet him. While there, he heard a Torah lecture from him. Following the lecture, he said to Rav Kook, “Based on your lecture, your views resemble those of Chabad.” Rav Kook smiled and responded, “I’m building a Nation.”

The Talmud teaches (Sanhedrin 38b), “Each generation and its scholars, each generation and its sages.” G-d’s conduct of each generation is different, and He sends the generation’s spiritual leadership accordingly (Even Sheleima 11:9). The Torah encompasses all generations from start to finish, all questions and all situations. Every generation has a unique divine emissary to uncover another part of the Torah that was previously hidden away, and known only to the most spiritual elite who transcend the generations and time, subsuming everything within their all-encompassing gaze.

Rabbi Hillel Zeitlin wrote an article entitled, “Rav Kook’s Fundamental Approach to the Kabbalah” [in Hebrew], in which he compares the Kabbalah of the Ari, of the Ba’al Shem Tov, of Chabad [Lubavitch] and of Rav Kook. Our Rabbi, Rav Tzvi Yehudah, said that this article was generally accurate and that it hit the mark, but he added that the Kabbalah of the Vilna Gaon must be included as well.

Rav Zeitlin said that the Ari spoke about the divine light in the spiritual worlds. The Ba’al Shem Tov, and in his wake, the first Lubavitcher Rebbe (in his book the Tanya), brought that light down to man. Rav Tzvi Yehudah added that the Vilna Gaon uncovered the divine light within the Torah. Finally, Rav Kook uncovered the divine light within the Nation (Sifran Shel Yechidim, page 235).

These divine lights are obviously all connected. All of these elite figures gazed at the whole picture, but each from a different perspective. Imagine several people watching the stars from a tall tower, but each gazing at them from a unique spot within that tower (ibid., p. 236).

During the past hundred years an amazing thing has happened: the gathering of the exiles has begun. In the Shemoneh Esreh we pray, “Sound the great shofar for our freedom. Lift up the banner to bring our exiles together.” It is happening! Someone once told me, “When my great, great grandfather was born, there were 12,000 Jews in Israel. When my great grandfather was born, there were 30,000. When my grandfather was born there were 80,000, when my father was born there were 200,000, and when I was born there were 600,000. When my son was born there were two million, and when my grandson was born there were five million!”

Yet the ingathering of the exiles does not just mean a population transfer from one geographic place to another. We are gathering together and becoming a single nation once more. From scattered individuals, from a scattered, divided people, we are once more becoming the people described in Divrei Ha-Yamim 1 17:21: “Who is like Your People Israel, a cohesive Nation in the Land.” Maharal at the start of his work Netzach Yisrael explains that there are three characteristics to a healthy, normal people: their unity, their possessing a common land, and their being independent. In practical terms this translates as their possessing a sovereign state, an army and a government with all of its institutions. Slowly, our recognition, understanding and faith that we are a people and that we need to lead the lives of a people is returning to us. For a hundred years already we have been awakening. Yet there are many more Jews who are still in a deep sleep - both in the exile and in Israel. There are also many religious Jews who have not yet understood what a nation is, but we are nevertheless progressing. We are being carried along on the wings of an enormous movement, the Zionist movement. Rav Kook said (Orot 38): “In the end of days, a clandestine organization full of potential and yearning, fraught with internal contradictions, replete with light and darkness is calculating how to penetrate the coast for the salvation of Israel.”

Therefore, many religious Jews see the darkness and reject Zionism. By contrast, many secular Jews see the light and identify with it. Rav Kook emerged, saw the light and the darkness together, and he said, “I am building a Nation,” by which he meant that he was magnifying the light in order to banish the darkness. Rav Kook wrote about himself, “I know that G-d sent me to the holy land to revitalize it” (Igrot vol. 1, p. 189) – to invest spirit in the national rebirth, or, more precisely, to uncover the soul of the national rebirth. Rav Kook further writes about himself: “I am slave who has been sold to the masses, to toil and bear burdens. I have been sold to G-d’s people, who are starting to strike roots in the land of their inheritance, hoping for redemption.” (ibid., pp. 239-240). This is an enormous project, a Torah project, what Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah called “the redemptive Torah” (Or Le-Netivotai, p. 280), the Torah that teaches us how to construct the redemption of our people based on the word of G-d.

To build a single person is an enormous project, but to build a nation is infinitely harder and more complex. Towards that end Rav Kook was sent: “I am building a Nation.” Let us not think that he was not also building the individual Jew. He was involved in that even more. In order for all the individual Jews to be part of the national edifice and not just a collection of isolated individuals, each Jew has to be much more full of Torah and Mishnah, Gemara and Shulchan Aruch, the fear of G-d and good character, holiness and purity, Mesilat Yesharim and Chovot Ha-Levavot.

No less than this, the Nation’s rebirth has also to be a rebirth of individuals, such that all should be on a high level. As Rav Kook wrote: “Unless the national rebirth sheds new light on prayer, Torah, Mussar and faith, it will not yet constitute a true rebirth” (Ma’amarei HaRe’eiyah, p. 414).

This is the divine mission of Rav Kook – to transform our national rebirth into a true rebirth, and thank G-d, for the past hundred years, it has been growing more and more genuine thanks to the light and insight contained in Rav Kook’s writings. Yet we still have a long way ahead of us. We have much more to learn of his writings, and much more to teach, in order to uncover the light stored away in our rebirth, until we will see the complete fulfillment of Rav Kook’s vision [written before there was a State of Israel]: “The [future] Jewish state is the foundation of G-d’s throne in the world, and its entire purpose is to render G-d one and His name one” (Orot, page 160).

The Tears of the Oppressed

2011-08-30T12:36:00.000-07:00

["Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah" – Re'eh 5771 Translated by R. Blumberg]

Question: Many times I have encountered poor, suffering people, and my heart bleeds for them. I’m not talking here about those who suffer from injustices committed against them by evil people, but about those born with impediments that torment them. I am filled with resentment and anger over this. Why do these people deserve such suffering? I know I cannot receive an answer to this, but this is not my question. Rather I want to know if the very emotion I feel is legitimate. People have told me that it shows a lack of faith. After all, “G-d is good to all, and His mercy is over all His works” (Tehillim 145:9). If so, how dare I complain! Rather, I should remain silent and accept everything.
I do not understand this argument. Is it natural for me to complacently observe my fellowman’s suffering without feeling any resentment? Have I no heart? Have I no feelings?
Answer: Your feelings are justified and do not, G-d forbid, constitute heresy. Rather, they result from your honesty. King Solomon wrote long ago about the “tears of the oppressed” (Kohelet 4:1), and in the Zohar commentary, “Saba DeMishpatim” (Shemot 113:1), a very weighty claim is advanced for various types of oppressed people. Obviously, “The deeds of the Mighty One are perfect, for all His ways are just. He is a faithful G-d, never unfair” (Devarim 32:4). Yet since we do not understand the secrets of His behavior – “For My plans are not your plans” (Yeshayahu 55:8) – it is permissible for those oppressed people to weep.
Following is the Zohar: “‘Behold, the tears of the oppressed’ – all of the oppressed pour out tears, stating their case before G-d.” The Zohar elaborates on various types of oppressed people:
1. A boy thirteen-years-old and one day, sentenced to death in Rabbinic court for his sins, despite his being considered an adult for only one day, making him like a one-day-old infant. Despite his newness as an adult, the court can theoretically execute him. We will not pause to analyze this example. Rather, let us suffice with the Zohar’s conclusion: “Here are the tears of those oppressed. They have no comforter.”
2. A person who is classified as a “mamzer”, the product of an incestuous relationship. Such a person is outside of the fold. He cannot wed, although he certainly is not guilty for his parents’ sin. He is poor and unfortunate. He pours out his tears before G-d and complains, “Master-of-the-Universe! If my parents sinned, what sin did I commit? Surely my own deeds are reputable.” Of him it says, “Here are the tears of the oppressed. They have no comforter.” In other words, there is no answer to his argument, and there is no comforter and there is no
one who can say a word in response.
3. There are other oppressed people, and they are infants who died in their mothers’ arms, causing all mankind to shed tears for them. There are no tears more heartfelt than those, for all mankind wonder to themselves, “G-d’s justice is the truth, and it follows the path of truth, and here you have these poor infants who didn’t sin. Why did they die? Where is the truth in G-d’s justice here? Certainly they have no comforter.”
As noted, at first we know that G-d’s judgments are truth, but we do t understand why, and we cannot sense why. Therefore, there is no comfort for our tears. In the future, however, we will understand, and we will have comfort.
The World-to-Come is not like this world. In this world, we say “Blessed is He who is good and benevolent” over good news, and “Blessed is the true Judge” over bad news. In the World-to-Come, however, we will say “Blessed is He who is good and benevolent” even about bad news (Pesachim 50a).
Yet in the meantime, we are in this world. We do not understand and we cannot intuit the truth. We have complaints about the tears of the oppressed, and we have no answer. And we believe in G-d, and we love Him and cling to Him.

Overall Good Atmosphere

2011-08-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

If parents are educating their child well and are dedicated, and there are different, unsolvable problems, this is not horrible. The child will solve them with his own strengths. This is part of his spiritual health.
To what is this similar? It is impossible to keep a child in a completely germ-free, sterile environment. This would in fact be dangerous, since his body would have no experience fighting against the germs. The first germ would knock him out! One should therefore not panic that he is breathing in millions of germs every moment. As long as he is healthy, he learns to overcome them.
But if a child is emotionally destroyed because his parents are cold and critical, constantly pointing thing out to him and insulting him, or making him feel unwanted, then his state is shaky and there will be a constant risk against any difficultly he faces.
A parent with a good heart, even who sometimes gets angry or makes errors, has not made a fatal mistake. The deciding factor in the child's well-being is having an overall good atmosphere.

Shut SMS #127

2011-08-26T03:59:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Doubtful Loan
Q: I have two Tzedakah boxes in my home and I took a loan from one of them and do not remember which one. What should I do?
A: Repay the loan to both Tzedakah boxes.

Immodest Advertising
Q: Is it permissible to buy a product from a company which has immodest advertising?
A: It is permissible. This is not our responsibility. But it is obviously preferable to buy from another company.

Laziness
Q: I am lazy. I do not have a desire to learn Torah. I only want to sleep.
A: Repair yourself slowly, in stages.

Computer on Shabbat
Q: I need to buy a laptop computer for my studies, but I cannot prevent my brother from using it on Shabbat. What should I do?
A: Buy it. It is not your responsibility.

Suicide
Q: A young man says that he will commit suicide if a particular girl does not return his phone call, and we do not know if he is serious or joking. What should we do?
A: She should not return his call. This would be giving in to emotional blackmail. Tell his parents (see Sanhedrin 75a).

"The King who causes death"
Q: Why do we praise Hashem as "The King who causes death" (in the second blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei)?
A: Death is also a supreme Divine kindness, which allows the separation of the soul from the body. Each one of them is then purified on its own, and will be ready to reunite in purity during the Resurrection of the Dead.

Scarecrow
Q: Is it permissible to set up a scarecrow whose base is a cross?
A: It is permissible. This is not a cross of idol worship.

Lefty
Q: I am a lefty. Are there books which detail the special halachot for a lefty?
A: 1. Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski in the booklet "Ish Itar" in his book on Massechet Tefillin. It is also printed separately with the commentary "Yemin Moshe". 2. A few Teshuvot in Shut Be'er Moshe of Ha-Rav Moshe Stern. 3. Ha-Rav Gedalya Goldberg in "Ben Ish Yemini". 4. Ha-Rav A. Horowitz in Dvar Halachah, vol. 2.

Rabbinic Mitzvot
Q: Why are we lenient when there is a doubt regarding a Rabbinic Mitzvah? Is a Rabbinic Mitzvah less than a Torah Mitzvot? After all, the Torah says "Lo Tasur" – do not turn away from what the Rabbis tell you - which gives a Rabbinic Mitzvah the strength of a Torah Mitzvah?
A: There are different levels even amongst Torah Mitzvot.

Empty Cans and Bottles
Q: Is it permissible for me to collect empty cans and bottles on Shabbat in order to get the deposit?
A: They are Muktzeh, and collecting them is preparing on Shabbat for a weekday. There are other problems with this as well.

Avoiding Taxes
Q: Ha-Rav wrote that avoiding taxes is theft. At my wedding, two of the witnesses work on the black market. Does my Kiddushin count?
A: Yes, since this transgression – to our great distress – is common and people do not act in the proper way with regards to its severity. Shulchan Aruch, Choshen Mishpat 34:4, 28. Shut Maharam Mi-Lublin #15. Shut Rabbi Akiva Eiger #96.

Halachah and Kabbalah
Q: What do we do if there is a contradiction between Halachah and Kabbalah?
A: The Vilna Gaon claims that there is no contradiction, and if one does perceive a contradiction, it is a sign that he does not understand properly. Deep down, everything is one.

Cemetery before Wedding
Q: What is the source behind the custom of going to the cemetery before a wedding and inviting one's relatives who have passed away?
A: There is no source, but it is the custom of some people.

Refrigerator light on Shabbat
Q: What should one do on Shabbat if he opens the refrigerator door and the light goes on?
A: Place a towel on the door so that it does not close. Food that is perishable should be placed in the freezer or placed in a neighbor's refrigerator, and non-perishable food should be pushed to the back of the refrigerator.

Benefiting from Shabbat Desecration
Q: I am religious and my family is secular. On Shabbat, they turn on the lights and the air-conditioner. Is it permissible for me to benefit from them?
A: Yes, but do not intend to do so, i.e. it is permissible to be in the house, but do not purposefully go close to the air-conditioner or read by the light.

Parashat Re'eh: Why did Moshe Rabbenu Desire so Strongly to enter Eretz Yisrael?

2011-08-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

[Sichot Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah – Parashat Re'eh]

Moshe Rabbenu yearned to enter Eretz Yisrael. Our Rabbis ask in the Gemara (Sotah 14a): "Why did Moshe desire to enter Eretz Yisrael? Was it to eat the fruit, or to be satiated from its goodness?!

The Tur (Orach Chayim 208) cites a version of the blessing recited after eating the fruits of "The Seven Species," as follows: "Ve-Nochal Mi-Piryah Ve-Nisba Mi-Tuva - we shall eat from its fruit and be satiated from its goodness." The Tur objects, based on the above Gemara, because this version stresses the fruit of Eretz Yisrael, rather than the Land, from which it comes. And it is the Land that we must covet, so that we may fulfill the Mitzvot which are linked to it (The Torah Temimah on Devarim 3:25 also raises this issue). The Bach (ibid. and in Mishnah Berurah #50) shudders at the Tur's opinion, vehemently stressing that one must understand the sanctity of the fruits of Eretz Yisrael: The Divine Presence rests its holiness over the entire Land of Israel. The mountain, the hills, and the even fruits of Eretz Yisrael are imbued with the Divine Presence! The Chatam Sofer also refers to the fruit of Eretz Yisrael as "its holy fruits" (Chidushei Chatam Sofer on Sukka 36a).

The Gemara explains why Moshe Rabbenu desired so much to enter Israel: "Rather he said: Israel has been commanded many Mitzvot, and they can only be fulfilled in Eretz Israel. I wish to enter the Land so that all of them will be fulfilled through me." We must understand what Moshe Rabbenu is saying. Some people are not accurate in their reading of Chazal’s words, and deduce from here that the importance of Eretz Yisrael is not inherent but comes from its unique Mitzvot: Shemita, Terumot and Ma'asrot, etc. Maran Ha-Rav Kook explains in the last chapter of the introduction to "Shabbat Ha-Aretz" that the Land is not holy on account of the Mitzvot. On the contrary, the Mitzvot are a product of the holiness of the Land. The Land is in and of itself holy. There is a halachic expression: "Mitzvot dependent on the Land." The Mitzvot are dependent on the Land, i.e. the holiness of the Land. There is no such opposite expression of the "Land dependent on the Mitzvot." It does not exist, not in the Torah, not in Chazal, not in the Rishonim and not in the Acharonim. Fortunate are we who possess the holiness of the Land, and from it, the Mitzvot.

If so, how do we understand the Gemara's statement about Moshe Rabbenu? Answer: The "goodness" which he desired is not in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense! Usually people understand Moshe Rabbenu's words in the Gemara to mean: "I wish to enter the Land so that I will be able to fulfill all of the Mitzvot there," but that is not what the words say. This is an error. He was not concern about himself as an individual. Rather he understood the holiness of the Land, and its ability to perfect the Mitzvot. Moshe Rabbenu therefore desired to lead the Nation of Israel into Eretz Yisrael in order to attain this supreme spiritual level of fulfilling the Mitzvot there.

Spouses during the Resurrection of the Dead

2011-08-23T14:01:00.001-07:00

Q: If a woman was married to two different men during her lifetime, who will she be with after the Resurrection of the Dead?
A: There is an answer to this question in the book "Piskei Teshuvah" of Ha-Rav Avraham Pitrakovsky (#124). He quoted the book "Shut Matzav Ha-Yashar" on the Zohar that there was a young woman who was married to a wonderful man who died at a relatively young age. The young woman did not want to marry again. She said, "Why should I get married to someone else? During the Resurrection of the Dead I will be married to my second husband, and my first husband is dearer to me than anything. I prefer to remain a widow all of my life and then be married to my true soul-mate." There is a similar question in the book "Ha-Techiya Ve-Ha-Pedut" (question #6) of Ha-Rav Sa'adia Gaon: how will I find my wife during the Resurrection of the Dead? Ha-Rav Sa'adia did not want to answer since it is forbidden to answer a halachic question before someone who is greater than him in wisdom. Since this is a question of the Resurrection of the Dead, Moshe Rabbenu will be there and it is therefore forbidden for me to answer. If there are questions that arise now - what can we do? We have to answer them. Questions that have to do with the future, however, we leave for Moshe Rabbenu and the other prophets. It therefore seems that the question in "Shut Matzav Ha-Yashar" cannot be answered, but this was before the Zohar was revealed. After the Zohar was revealed, our question was answered. Regarding a Jewish servant, the verse says, "If he arrives by himself, he leaves by himself; if he is the husband of a woman, his wife leaves with him" (Shemot 21:3). This means that he enters the Resurrection of the Dead with his wife – his first wife. There are commentators who explain that the meaning of the Zohar is that she will return to her true spouse, i.e. the most successful marriage (see note in Piskei Teshuvah). Thus, she will return to the marriage which was filled with the most love, fraternity, peace, and friendship.

Matchmaking Talk - Part 2

2011-08-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah- Ekev 5771 – translated by R. Blumberg]

Is it permissible to wed a young woman who talks non-stop?
Certainly. After all, she just doesn't want to differ from our Sages' dictum (Kiddushin 49b) that ten measures of talk descended to the world, and nine were taken by women and one by men. It creates a pleasant atmosphere of talk in the house.

Is it permissible to wed a young woman who is taciturn?
If you both sit and are silent, then apparently neither of you is talkative. You therefore have to prepare topics for conversation. Does that seem artificial? Where is it written that it's forbidden to be artificial? The head-covering, the shirt, and electricity are artificial. A lot of things are artificial. Even the Talmud did not descend ready-made from heaven. The Rabbis put it together in their wisdom based on the word of G-d. The young woman will learn to talk. These are things that you learn.

Is it permissible to wed an impoverished young woman?
It's recommended. A wealthy girl is accustomed to a lavish way of life, and when she doesn't have it, she suffers. She may not make demands, but she still suffers. By contrast, a poor young woman is used to living modestly and won't suffer from it. Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah once asked his father about two matches that had been suggested to him: A wealthy young woman and a poor one. If he married the wealthy young woman, he'd be able to learn Torah in peace but would not be able to give her everything she wanted, while if he married the poor one she would already be used to living modestly but he would have to worry about earning a living. Maran Ha-Rav Kook told him that he should decide by himself. In the end, Rabbenu Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehuda decided to wed the poor young woman (Tzvi Kodesh, pp. 152-157).

Is one allowed to wed a girl who is not pretty?
Certainly. After all, the chapter of Mishlei that we sing on Shabbat night, “Eshet Chayil”, states: “Grace is false and beauty is vain. A woman who fears Hashem is the one who shall be praised” (31:30). If you marry a pretty young woman, you won't be able to sing “Eshet Chayil”... The philosopher Walter was asked: “What is beauty?” and he replied: “It depends on whom you ask. If you ask a black man, he will respond: 'A black woman'. If you ask a Japanese man, he will reply: 'A Japanese woman'. If you ask a bull, it will reply: 'A cow'. If you ask a toad, it will reply: 'A female toad'. And if you ask a philosopher, he will answer" 'Incomprehensible gobbledygook'.”
We learn in the Talmud (Ketubot 16b-17a): “What should one sing as he dances before a bride at her wedding? Beit Hillel said: 'What a lovely, righteous bride!' Bet Shammai asked them: And if she is lame or blind, should you say, 'What a lovely, righteous bride?' The Torah says, ‘Distance yourself from a lie' (Shemot 23:7). Beit Hillel replied, 'According to what you say, if someone made a bad purchase in the marketplace, should his acquaintances praise or disparage it when speaking to him? I would say that they should praise it.' Based on this our Sages said, 'One should always attune himself to his fellow's concerns.'" Maharal comments that beauty and truth are subjective. The groom doesn't love his wife because she is beautiful. She is beautiful because he loves her.

Is one allowed to wed a woman who limps?
Where is it written that it is forbidden to limp? Even our Forefather Yaakov limped for a while.

And if she's missing a finger?
That's nonsense. It makes no difference. She doesn't put on Tefillin.

And if she's missing a hand?
What's the problem? But how will she take care of a baby? What - are there no husbands with two left hands?

Is one allowed to wed an angry woman?
That's a virtue. With an angry wife, you'll learn humility, and thanks to her you'll win a place in the World-to-Come.

Is one allowed to marry a disorganized woman?
Why not? You keep things organized and that way you'll learn humility. One time a woman wrote me that her daughter was disorganized, and that in all her life she had never seen such disorganization as with her daughter. Whenever she would go to her daughter's for a visit, she would find pots lying on the floor with food from the preceding Shabbat that had already gone bad, and also, the whole house was sticky. It was literally Sedom and Amorah after they were overturned. She asked me to write a letter about the value of cleanliness and order, which she would then pass on to her daughter. I wrote it and I gave it to her. One day I was invited to the daughter's house, and in the middle of the meal the daughter told me: “You wrote a letter to my mother about cleanliness and order, and she gave it to me. Only then did I [Rav Aviner] notice that her house was an indescribable mess. Until then I hadn't noticed, because that house was so full of love and joy...”

Is it permissible for a groom and bride to marry when their fathers have the same name?
Certainly. This is prohibition is mentioned in the Testament of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Chasid (#23 and brought in Pitchei Teshuvah, Even Ha-Ezer 2:107 and Yoreh Deah 116:6). There is a dispute whether the Testament of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Chasid only obligates his own offspring or everyone. The Noda Bi-Yehudah (Second Edition, Even Ha-Ezer #79) wrote that this "prohibition" is not mentioned in the Gemara and it is not possible to add prohibitions which are not found in the Gemara. The Rebbe of Sanz did not agree, and said that everything in the Testament of Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Chasid applies to everyone (Shut Divrei Chaim, Even Ha-Ezer #8). Some authorities advise in such a case that one of the fathers add to his name, and then there won’t be an issue. Maran Ha-Rav Kook wrote three responsa on this subject at the beginning of Shut Ezrat Cohain (#5-7). He says that being particular about this issue only necessary when someone is suggesting a match, because it is possible to suggest many other people. If the couple meets on their own, however, it is different because it is not easy to meet someone to marry. Maran Ha-Rav Kook also said that this does not apply in Israel, since the merit of Eretz Yisrael protects one from such spiritual matters. He mentioned the Gemara in Berachot (44a) that there was one city in Eretz Yisrael called Gufnit that had eighty pairs of brothers who were cohanim married to sisters, who were the daughters of cohanim. We see that they were not worried about "pairs" (a spiritual concern) since they were in Eretz Yisrael. In general, one who is not concerned about such matters is not affected by them. Furthermore, if a couple has an inclination and desire to marry, there is no concern. In sum: There is nothing to worry about. If you add a name, then there is no problem according to all opinions.
And we can mention that when they were writing the Tana'im for Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski, who is solely referred to as "Chaim," the question arose as to how to write his name since he was given other names at birth: "Shmaryahu Yosef Chaim." The Chazon Ish said: Who said that we should reveal his other names? They didn't have to do so! As is known, Ha-Rav Kanevski is the son-in-law of Ha-Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, and Ha-Rav Kanievski's mother, the wife of the Steipler, was concerned that the other side would be particular about them having the same name, and she therefore brought up the issue at the Tana'im. The Chazon Ish, however, was not concerned since the son-in-law and father-in-law each had additional names – Ma'aseh Ish vol. 7 pp. 130-131.

Does one have to wed the daughter of a Torah scholar?
One should marry a Torah scholar’s daughter (Shulchan Aruch, Even Ha-Ezer 2:6). Alternately, she, herself, can be like a Torah scholar. Once, children were like their parents, so much so that our Sages said that one who marries a woman should check up on her brothers (Baba Batra 110a). Nowadays, when siblings aren’t identical, we don’t insist on this point. The main thing is that she herself should be steeped in Torah wisdom. The Chassidim are more strict regarding marrying the daughter of a Torah scholar, and the non-Chassidim are less strict. All the same, the traits of the woman herself are what is most important, for a person marries his wife, and not his parents-in-law, however important and great they may be.

Shut SMS #126

2011-08-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav answers hundreds of text message questions a day! Here's a sample:

Ramadan Sale
Q: Is it permissible to sign up for a Ramadan sale with my cell phone company?
A: Certainly not. Islam denies our faith and claims that the Torah has been nullified. Do not flatter it.

Musician in Mourning
Q: I am in mourning and am a musician. What should I do?
A: It is permissible to perform for one’s livelihood. Nitei Gavriel (Avelut vol. 2 14:5).

Anti-Semitism
Q: Is it permissible to vote for an anti-Semitic party outside of Israel so that the situation will be bad for the Jews there and cause them to make Aliyah?
A: G-d forbid. We need to be concerned for the well-being of our brothers. At the same time, we should encourage them to make Aliyah.

Unworthy Cohain
Q: I am a Cohain and do not feel worthy to recite Birkat Cohanim. Should I still say it?
A: Certainly. You are not the one blessing, Hashem is. You are the agent in order for the blessing to come into the world. “And place My Name on Bnei Yisrael and I will bless them” (see Rambam, Hilchot Nesiyat Kapayim 15:6).

Yichud in an Elevator
Q: Is there a prohibition of Yichud in an elevator?
A: No. Sha’arim Metzuyanim Ba-Halachah (152:6. Shut Mishneh Halachot 4:187).

Trip outside of Israel
Q: It is permissible to take a trip outside of Israel to rejuvenate?
A: No. Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 5:9. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim #531. One should rejuvenate in our Land.

Levi'im in War
Q: Did the Levi'im participate in the war of conquering Eretz Yisrael in the time of Yehoshua Bin Nun? (Rambam, at the end of Shemitah and Yovel)
A: They participated. In the Laws of War of the Rambam, there is absolutely no exemption for them (Ha-Rav Tanenbaum, who was the secretary of the Va'ad Ha-Yeshivot in Israel, heard this from Ha-Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer. Shut She'eilat Shlomo 1:368).

Holocaust
Q: Why didn't the Rabbis establish a fast day for the Holocaust?
A: It is included in Tisha Be-Av with all of the other tragedies of the Exile.

Kever Yosef
Q: Is Tzahal required to save Jews who sneak into Kever Yosef without permission? After all, they endanger themselves (and Tzahal).
A: Yes. One should have mercy on our confused brothers.

"Ad Meah Ve-Esrim" (May you live until 120 years old!)
Q: What is the source of the blessing "Ad Meah Ve-Esrim"?
A: There is no source. On the contrary, there are those who are against saying it, since it is as if we are limiting one's life, and Torah does not say there is a limit (see the book "Meged Givot Olam", p. 100, and the book "Aleinu Le-Shabei'ach" - Devarim vol. 1, p. 732.) But one may say it since it is merely an expression (It is related in the above books that towards the end of Ha-Rav Moshe Feinstein's life, he was physically weak and needed an aide. New York State was willing to cover the cost, but he was required to fill out a form which included a question about how long he expected the aide to be needed. Ha-Rav Feinstein, who was then 90 years old, could have written that he expected it to continue for not more than another 30 years. But he refused to fill in the form, even though it resulted in a major financial loss. He was not willing in any manner to write a time which hinted at his end, even though he was already quite elderly).

Weight-loss Pills
Q: Is it permissible to take weight-loss pills?
A: Yes. There is no halachic problem. But beware, since almost all of them are fakes.

Which Shul is Preferable
Q: Is it preferable to daven in a Shul which recites the Prayer for the State of Israel and for Tzahal but davens quickly and late, or a Charedi Shul which davens slowly and early?
A: Charedi. Better davening takes precedence.

Male Hair Stylist
Q: Is it permissible for a woman to have her hair cut by a male hair stylist?
A: It is forbidden. Unlike a doctor, the hair stylist is involved in her beauty (it is permissible for a woman to go to a male doctor since he is involved in his work and not her beauty).

Shidduch
Q: I am going on a Shidduch with a young man who inclines towards Chasidut and I incline towards Rav Kook. Should I continue?
A: Yes. It is the same religion.

Inducing Labor
Q: Is it permissible to induce labor?
A: Yes, if a doctor instructs you to do so.
Q: This doesn't have an effect on the child's soul?
A: It is Hashem's will that the birth be hastened by doctors (Shut Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 2:74. Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef in Taharat HaBayit, p. 59. Shut Shevet Ha-Levy 6:228).

Dedication Opportunities

2011-08-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

Ha-Rav Aviner is set to publish a variety of new books in HEBREW.

You can be a meaningful partner in these projects by dedicating a book, or part of a book, in memory or in honor of someone. Payment may be made over time. Please be in touch with Rav Aviner or with me if you are interested in this opportunity.

The upcoming books are:
1. Commentary on all of "Orot" of Maran Ha-Rav Kook – 10 volumes in honor of Gimmel Elul (Rav Kook's Yahrtzeit)

2. Commentary on the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch vol. 1- sources, contemporary questions, halachic discussions, etc. (there is also the opportunity to sponsor this project).

Religious ANTI-Zionists

2011-08-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

Satmar Rebbe
Q: How should one relate to the Satmar Rebbe and Ha-Rav Elchanan Wasserman, who scorned Maran Ha-Rav Kook?
A: They erred severely in this area, but we are still obligated to honor them (Shut Radvaz 4:187. Ma'amrei Ha-Re'eiyah, p. 56. See Shut Bnei Banim 2:34).

Satmar Book
Q: I have a Satmar book with quotes against the State of Israel. Should I throw it in the garbage?
A: No. It also contains sacred words. Place it in the Geniza.

Obligation to Hate
Q: Is there are obligation to hate those Jews from Neturei Karta who visited Iran?
A: G-d forbid. One must love every Jew. But it is permissible to wage war against their opinions. They are confused.

Neturei Karta
Q: There are Rabbis from Neturei Karta who participated in a Holocaust Denial Conference in Iran, and other Rabbis called to excommunicate them. What is Ha-Rav's opinion?
A: Do not excommunicate. Those Rabbis who participated are abnormal.

Counting Neturei Karta in Minyan
Q: Is it permissible to count someone from Neturei Karta in a Minyan?
A: Of course! There is no question here.

Satmar Shul
Q: If there is no other Minyan, is it permissible to daven in a Satmar Shul, even though they are against the State of Israel?
A: Yes. Do not excommunicate people.

Praying for the Health of a Neturei Karta
Q: One of the leaders of Neturei Karta is very ill and is in the hospital. Should we pray that he dies? After all, he has blood on his hands for actively supporting our enemies?
A: We should certainly pray for his recovery. He is in the category of a confused person.

Matchmaking Talk - Part 1

2011-08-16T12:49:00.002-07:00

[Be-Ahavah U-Be-Emunah- Ve-etchanan 5771 – translated by R. Blumberg]

Is one allowed to wed a newly religious person?
Certainly. There’s no problem with it. See Rambam (Hilchot Teshuvah, chapter 7), who says that if someone becomes religious, that person is not second class. Quite the contrary. G-d loves him dearly and all his sins are wiped out. It is even forbidden to mention anything at all about his background. It’s true that there is a controversy in the Talmud about what is better – a newly religious person or completely righteous person. There are advantages to both

Is it permissible to wed a girl who has committed many sins?
Repentance blots out everything. Yehoshua Bin Nun wed Rahav, who was entirely corrupt from head to toe (Zevachim 116b). Yet she repented and converted to Judaism and he married her. Eight kings and prophets emerged from that match (Megilah 14a). Even the prayer “Aleinu’, written by Yehoshua, contains a sentence attributed to Rahav: “For Hashem is G-d in Heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other” (Yehoshua 9:11).

Is one allowed to wed a girl if one of her parents is problematic?
I cannot answer since I am biased. I have one grandfather who married the daughter of a thief and another grandfather who married the daughter of a murderer. This is not Lashon Ha-Ra since everyone knows them: The first is Yitzchak Avinu and the second is Yaakov Avinu. What fault does the young man bear and what is his sin? One must be judged on his or her own merit.

Is one allowed to wed a convert?
Yes. Boaz wed a convert and the result will be the Messiah. Ploni Almoni didn’t want to wed a convert, and he lost out (see Rut Rabbah 7:6, 9 and Eim Ha-Banim Semeichah, pp. 263-5). A person who converts is like a newborn baby. Is there any problem with marrying a woman who was born?

Is one allowed to wed a girl whose father is a non-Jew?
The Talmud (Yevamot 45a) tells of a person who approached a rabbi and asked him, “What is the law regarding someone born of a non-Jewish father and a Jewish mother?” The rabbi answered, “He’s kosher.” “If so,” he replied, “Give me your daughter for a wife.” The rabbi answered, “No. Even if this person were as great as Yehoshu Bin Nun, I wouldn’t give him my daughter for a wife, even though he is kosher.” His students asked him, “So what should this person do?” and he replied, “Either he should wed a woman who similarly has a non-Jewish father, or he should go someplace where people don’t know him and there he should marry whomever he pleases.”
The illustrious Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky expressed surprise at this idea (in his “Kehilot Yaakov” on Yevamot 4:44), stating that it seems to prove that one is allowed to hide a significant blemish, such as being the son of a non-Jew. He responds that since it was ruled that the son of a non-Jewish father and a Jewish mother is a kosher Jew without limitations (Rambam, Hilchot Isurei Bi'ah 15:3), his non-Jewish father is not considered a serious blemish that one must reveal. See the work “Ve-Ha’arev Na” by Ha-Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein (vol. 2, pp. 188-190) about a boy who the morning after his wedding is visited by an Arab who informs him that he is his father-in-law. Obviously the groom was filled with trepidation, but Rav Zilberstein ruled, based on the preceding principle, that after the fact, his wedding does not constitute a mistaken [hence nullified] transaction.

Is it permissible for someone to wed a girl who was born to parents who did not keep the laws of Family Purity?
The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Ha-Rav Isser Yehuda Unterman, told a story: “There was once a girl to whom two matches were suggested. The one was steeped in Torah learning, but his parents had conceived him without observing the Laws of Family Purity. The second was not steeped in Torah but he had no blemish involving the laws of Family Purity. A great rabbi ruled that the first was preferable, ‘because the Torah he had learned had cleansed his blemish.’ We may derive from this that the virtue of Torah overrides the blemish of not keeping the family purity laws.” (from a booklet which I believe quoted the Chazon Ish).
It is further told about a father who asked the Satmar Rebbe, “My daughter was offered a boy who is newly religious. What does the Rebbe have to say about that?” The Rebbe asked, “Is he learned in Torah?” and the father replied that he was. So the Rebbe told him, “If so, there is no problem. "‘G-d is the hope [Hebrew “Mikvah”, also meaning “ritual bath”] of Israel’ (Yirmiyahu 17:13) – Just as a ritual bath purifies the impure, so does G-d purify Israel" (Yoma 8:9). If the boy learns Torah, it is better than any Mikvah” (see the brochure “Kehilat Yisrael”).
The most important principle in matchmaking is the mnemonic “Mi Va-Mi”, literally “Just who are they?” but also short for “Your deeds [ma’asecha] will draw you near [yikrevucha] and your deeds [uma’asecha] will distance you [yerachakucha]” (Sefer Chupat Chatanim, Rabbi Rafael Meldola, laws of matchmaking, p. 11).

Is it permissible to marry a divorcee?
A divorced woman is perfectly fine.
Obviously, one has to clarify carefully the background behind the divorce, but being divorced is not a stigma. Quite the contrary. In most cases, the woman is a great heroine. She has been through suffering that has cleansed her. She has suffered loneliness which has prepared her for true friendship. She has borne, alone, the burden of educating children. One has to marry a woman with fine character traits, and if she is divorced, so be it.

Is one allowed to marry a widow?
Yes. Of course, one might ask, “Maybe she still loves her previous husband?” Perhaps, but if she has decided to remarry, that is a sign that she has moved on. It is very important to know that widows and widowers who decide to marry must remove the past from their hearts and take a new lease on life.

Is one allowed to marry a girl who already has one or two children? If the children are small, that is certainly very good. You will be their father in every sense of the word. It is more complicated if they are older. Sometimes this creates tension, and preliminary psychological counseling is necessary.

Is one allowed to wed a woman older than oneself? Where is it written that the man has to be older than the woman? People say that women mature more quickly than men, just as we see that Bat Mitzvah age precedes Bar Mitzvah age. When a couple is very young, this makes a difference, but with older couples, it doesn’t.

Is one allowed to wed a girl from a different ethnic group?
All Jews are equal. There is no meaning to the fact that one is from one ethnic group and the other is from another. Yardsticks of compatibility include age, intellectual level, outlook on life, mentality, character, etc. Even when Israel was divided up tribally, they still intermarried. For example, Manoach’s father was from the Tribe of Dan and his mother was from the Tribe of Yehudah (Bamidbar Rabbah 10:5). Only during the generation that entered the Land was a restriction placed on marital choice: when a family only had a female to inherit the land (as with the daughters of Tzelofchad), the women were asked to wed within their tribe, in order to keep land inheritances from moving from one tribe to another. Apart from that, however, there was no limitation on marital bonds between tribes (see Baba Batra 120a). All the more so in our own day, where tribal division has disappeared. We mustn’t invent insignificant differences between ethnic groups.

(To be continued next week)

It is also permissible for Imma to get Angry

2011-08-16T12:49:00.001-07:00

We are not angels, only human beings. We sometimes unjustifiably get angry at our children, but it is not the end of the world. We also respond without thinking.
When we respond in anger, the anger is not at the child, rather it is at ourselves. Do not be alarmed. An infrequent event will not leave a scar on the child's education.
Education is not built upon infrequent occurrences, and it is not destroyed by infrequent non-education. Education is continuous toil.
The essence is that there is love, love in one's heart and expressions of love. And this love is equal to all of the reprimand. It also better than a flood of reproofs.
Love is the foundation. Without love – there is no child.