Negel Vaser On Yom Kippur

Shulchan Aruch O.Ch. 613:2-3

On Yom Kippur when washing Negel Vasser or after using the washroom, one should  wash only the fingers and not the rest of the hand.

Many Poskim hold, that a sick person that is washing Netilas Yodayaim for bread, should wash his full hand.

The Mishna Verurah (sk7) writes Kohanim when washing their hands For Nesias Kapayim should wash their whole hand.

Why is it , Negel Vasser & after washroom, only fingers may be washed, & a Choleh or Kohen may wash their whole hand?

There are two reasons for washing hands.

1) Tumas Yodayim,. Chazal were Goizer a Tumah on the hands only.

2) Ruach Ra Hashoreh Al Yodayim. Bad spirits that rests on the hands.

For Tumas Yodayim Chazal were Goizer to wash the whole hand.

To remove the Ruach Ra, all that is needed is wash away where

the Ruach is resting (fingers only)

Washing for bread is because of Tumas Yodayim (Serach Terumah)

Kohanim wash for same reason, not to have Yodayim Temeios.*

Washing Negel Vasser or after Washroom is to remove the Ruach Ra.

*Machlokes Rashi -Rambam

Shana Tova

Are Jews Allowed To Shave

The Tur (O.Ch. 581) quotes the Midrash :

"The Minhag of the world is when a person has a court case, he dresses in black ,wraps himself in black and grows his beard etc.

The Bnei Yisroel are different. They dress in white they wrap themselves in white  and shave their beards. ומגלחין זקנם)) )*

Mr. Edelstein a"h the barber in Bnei Brak said that R. E. Dessler zt"l took a haircut on Erev Rosh Hashana, Erev Yom Kippur & again on Erev Succos.

He probably took the first two haircuts , because of the Tur.

בג המלך, פת וילך

לז"נ ר' יצחק עמרם אליהו בן ר' אברהם אשי זצ"ל יום השנה יום ב' דראש השנה

בג המלך, פת וילך 

This Halacha appears in Shulchan Aruch Hilchos Rosh Chodesh #428 :4.

The Mishna Verurah (sk8) explains, בג המלך

When Monday or Tuesday , בג Is Rosh Hashana המלך (you say Hamelech Hamishpot)

You crumble (divide)    פת וילך

ניצבים וילך into two Parshiyos.

In other words if R.H. falls on Mon. or Tue. Then ניצבים וילך are two separate Parshiyos. Otherwise  ,ניצבים וילך,  are one Parsha.

13 Tikunim of the beard-The 13 Ikrim

Click here for part 1

Part 2

A Talmid of the Chasam Sofer, told his Rebbe, that  the Shlah Hakadosh brings, the Tefillah of Rav Tavyumi (Amorai).  In it it says:

 .עם יושר עיקרם שלש עשרה

We see from here, that the 13 Ikrim goes back, way before the Rambam.

Even so, the Chasam Sofer still refused to accept the concept of 13 Ikrim.

(Shu”t Y.D. 356)

 Ten years later in E.H. 2 : Teshuva #148 the Chasam Sofer. writes ,on  the Tefillas R.Tavyumi :

 “ The 13 Ikrim is not referring on the Rambam’s 13 Ikrim. It is referring to the 13 Tikunim of the beard (י"ג תיקוני דיקנא ) A Kabbalistic concept, associated with the שלש עשרה מדות.”

The Chasam Sofer insists that it was never heard of before the Rambam.

Parshas Hashovua-Nitzavim -Part 1

The Chasam Sofer (Shu"t Y.D. 356) writes:

" Re the debate of how many Ikrim we have (13 Rambam or 3 Ri Elbo etc.) I don't see what difference it makes.

The Mekubalim claim there are no such things as Ikrim. Every dot in the Torah is an Ikar.--- 

It is impossible for me to believe that one of the fundamentals in Judaism is to believe in the Geulah (Mashiach).---

It is not an Ikar or foundation to build on.

The Ikar is to believe all that is written in the Torah or the Nevi'im. There it is written about the Geulah in Parshas Nitzavim* and Ha'azinu the way the Ramban explains.

Anyone disputing the Geulah is a Kofer."

                 "ועכ"פ הגאולה וביאת המשיח איננה עיקר אבל מי שאינו מודה בו כופר בעיקר של האמנת התורה ודברי 
נביאים"Ramban Devarim 30:2

Triple Header

When would you have Misloach Manos, Kaparos and Tashlich, all in one day?

The original Minhag of Kaparos is a Teshuvas Hageonim brought down by Rashi (Shabbos 81b)

.

“ Twenty two days or fifteen days before Rosh Hashana they planted for every child in the house a  bean in a flower pot.  On Erev Rosh Hashana they swung the new plant over the head  of the child and said Zeh Chalifasi etc. (Kaparos)

Afterwards the plant was thrown into the river".(Tashlich)

The Pri Chadash writes that he personally sends Mishloach Manosto poor people onErev Rosh Hashana because the Navi says (Nechemya 8: 10 -12) 

לכו אכלו משמנים ושתו ממתקים ושלחו מנות לאין נכון                                                               

וילכו כל העם לאכול ולשתות ולשלח מנות                                       

Click Here to see a discussion of Kapparos by the seder table 

Something Fishy

Why didn't the Maharshal eat fish on Rosh Hashana?

The Mogen Avraham (O.Ch.597) quotes from the Bach , that the Maharshal didn’t eat any fish on Rosh Hashana because he loved to eat fish, and wanted to minimize his Ta’avos.


In the Bach on the Tur it is slightly different than the way the Mogen Avraham quotes him. The Bach says that the Maharshal writes he has a Kabalah from his grandfather who didn't eat fish on R.H. to reduce his Ta’avos.

The Aliyah

Why do they give an Aliyah to the Ba’al Tokeah, on Rosh Hashana ?

The Levush (O.Ch.584 : 2 ) writes:

"A person who gets an Aliyah is happy.

Pikudei Hashem Yeshorim  Mesamchei Leiv.

A happy Ba'al Tokeah has more strength and will blow the 

Shofar without interruptions and mistakes."

Daf Hashavua Chagiga 3a

טף למה באין, כדי ליתן שכר למביאיהן

The Gemoro asks why were the infants brought for the Mitzvah of Hakhel. The Gemoro answers, to give reward tothe ones who brought them. (the parents)

From this Gemoro it seems, there is no benefit for infants, to listen and absorb the learning. Otherwise, the simple answer  would have been they came to listen so to have the Torah absorbed in them.

 How do we explain Chazal ( Yerushalmi Yevamos 8b) The mother of Reb Yehoshua brought him in his crib  (infant) into the Bais Haknesess so his ears will be attached to Torah?

Vos Is Pshat

The Yemei Haslichos are approaching. We will be saying

everyday “   אשמנו מכל עם “ We are the guiltiest of all

nations.

Are we more guilty than the Germans, Palestinians ym”s etc.

Do we think and believe what we say?

What we really are saying: 

אשמנו is not part of the Vidui,(confession) it's a statement to Hashem.  No other nation has suffered as much as  the Jewish nation. We have been punished and treated as if, we were the guiltiest of all nations.

After having said the Vidui (אשמנו בגדנו ) we claim to Hashem we indeed, have sinned  however we have been punished already.*

* heard in the name of the Lutzker Rav R.Zalmen Sorotzkin zt"l

DAF HASHAVUA MOED KATAN 24a .How To Swing Your Talis

וכל עטיפה שאינה כעטיפת ישמעאלים,אינה עטיפה

There is a Machlokes Haposkim how to do the Atifah with the Tallis.

Some say to bring down the top of the Tallis above the eyes. Others say you may cover the eyes as well up to the mouth. Some Arabs in the  Dessert cover their eyes to protect from the sand.

They can still see the ground they are walking on.

a)Those people who pull down the Tallis halfway over their head are not doing an Atifah (M.V. 8:sk4) (can’t see anything)

The Halacha requires to throw the Tzitzis to the back of the LEFT shoulder.

b) “Many Talmidei Chachamim mistakenly throw the Tzitzis also over their right shoulder. Doing so is    בל תוסיף . There is no mention of it, not by the Pashtanim (Poskim) and not by the Mekubalim”.

(Piskei Teshuvos, Leket Hakemach )

 c) Placing a folded Tallis on the shoulder, has nothing to do and is not part of Atifas Tallis.

Originally Shuls had no tables. The most convenient way of checking the Tzitzis, was by placing the Tallis on the shoulder. Checking the Tzitzis before making the Bracha is Halacha. Placing a Tallis on the shoulder is not.

Placing the Tallis on the shoulder and not checking the Tzitzis is Amei Ratzes. ( אמבצי)

Excerpts of a letter written by Reb Akiva Eiger

"Regarding davening in Shul,

It is true that  gathering  in tight spaces, is not good.

You should see to it not to have more than 15 people Davening at the same time. 

In your Tefillos you should also pray for the king, his family,

his ministers and  for the whole nation. You should request from the ministry and mention in my name , to supply police  to enforce this ruling, of making sure, no more than 15 people attend Shul."

This letter was written by R. A. Eiger to his Talmid R. Elya’ Gutmacher zt”l (Greiditz Rov) who asked his Rebbe  advice how to stop , in his community the spread of the cholera epidemic.

Reb Akiva  Eiger sent him the list of Tefilos to be said after Tehilim and a whole list of practical things  to do, and what to refrain from doing.

Partial list from the Gadol Hador.

Keep the body warm

Wrap the stomach with flannel (to keep warm)

Not to eat bad food especially cucumbers

Minimize eating fruits, fish and beer

Not to eat on a full stomach

Keep the house clean

Change to clean underwear  a few times in the week

Keep the windows open

Spray the house with strong vinegar and rosewater.

In the 5^th vol. (Biton ) of Teshuvas Reb Akiva Eiger  there is a copy of a  Psak Din from the Bais Din in Posen, signed by Reb Akiva Eiger  and the two other Dayanim,

R. Yackov Kalvari* & R. Moishe Landsberg zt”l,  

Takanos for the Tefilos during Yomim Noraim.

Every second seat had to remain empty**. They had to skip most of the Piyutim and finish Musaf by 10.30am. All this was done to avoid the epidemic from spreading.

*Great great grandfather of R. Moshe Alon Kalvari Shlita

**Half the people came for the 2 days Rosh Hashana the other half for Yom Kippur.

Which wine is more addictive, Israeli or Italian ?

Parshas Hashovua:

The Mishna (Sanhedrin 70a) says :A Ben Sorer Umoreh, to be Chayav ,  must drink a half a Log (measurement) of Italian wine.


Rashi* explains, Italian wine tastes better and half a Log is sufficient to be addictive and be Chayav. Israeli wine would need a greater Shiur to be addictive.
 
*The Yad Remah argues and says “Italki” (Italian)

refers to the Log and not the wine

Sanhedrin70a