Did you Know (79)

Reason Ba'al Tokeah gets an Aliya on R.Hashana

According to the Levush (O.Ch.584 : 2 ) the

"Reason to give an Aliya to the Ba’al Tokeah is

because a person who gets an Aliyah is happy.

פקודי ה' ישרים משמחי לב.

A happy Ba'al Tokeah has more strength and

will blow the Shofar without interruptions

and mistakes."

Why Cheshvan & Kislev?

Why Cheshvan & Kislev?

 The Tur (O.Ch. 428) writes ,”Tishrei is always a full month (30days) and Teves is always a missing (short) month (29days)

The months alternate one month is full and the following is short.

The months of Cheshvan & Kislev are exceptions. Some years both  months are full.(שנה שלמה ). Some years both months are short ( חסרה ) and some years one is full and the other is short (כסדרה)“

The reason for this is to equalize the months. A lunar cycle is

29 days+12hours+ 793 Chalokim (Aprox. ¾ hr.)

The Levush explains why did Chazal pick Cheshvan & Kislev

to change the system of alternating full and short months.and

not any other month.

“The first opportunity we have to add or subtract from the month is on the month of Cheshvan.

We can’t do it on Nissan & Iyar  because the 50^th day of Sefirah needs to be on the 6^th of Sivan. (by adding or subtracting a day  we will have it on the 5^th or the 7^th )

From Shavuos till Yom Kippur we need to have 3x 40 days.

to commemorate the 3x 40 days from Moshe Rabeinu standing

on the mountain (Shavuos) and bringing down the Luchos on

Yom Kippur.

Chodesh Tishrei is the king of the Chodoshim and the Month

with Yomim Tovim (ירח האתנים )  we can’t make it a חסר .

Therefore the first opportune time is on the month of Cheshvan.

ואכלת ושבעת וברכת- When Do You Clean Up?- PARSHAS EIKEV

The Shulchan Aruch (O.Ch.180) writes:

 " You may not remove the tablecloth and the bread until after

Birkat Hamazon."

The Levush writes:

 "It is proper to clean off the table so you will Bentch at a clean table."

The Kabbalist (Chesed L'Avraham- Azulai)  say not to remove anything from the table until after Birkat Hamazon. Even the leftover bones and peels etc.should stay on the table so the ניצוצות הקדושה (holy sparks) that are attached to them, will be come out through the Birkat Hamazon.

The Kaf Hachayim (Palagi) makes a compromise between the Halacha (Levush) and the Kabbalist) You should collect  the leftovers from all the plates and place it in one plate which shall remain on the table until after Bentching and the rest of the table should be cleaned.

Happy Chanukah   The מגן אברהם (O.Ch 625) quotes from the מהרי"ל,  not to fast or say תחנון between  Yom Kippur and Sukkos because they are ימי שמחה We commemorate the חנוכת המזבח* in the times of Shlomo Hamelech. The לבוש gives the reason, Hashem doesn’t count the חטאים until the first-day סוכות.   *Now you can understand the סוד of Git Kvittal

Did You Know (184)

According to Harav Hagaon Reb Yisroel Belsky Zt"l:

 If someone didn't bow down at "ואנחנו כורעים"  when saying עלינו,

must repeat the עלינו again and bow down. since this תפילה was created for the sole purpose of praising and bowing down to Hashem*

*לבוש

No miscarriages

The original תקנה of שובבים ת"ת (fasting & Tikunim  the

8 weeks starting from Parshas שמות) was intended only

for leap years.

The Levush O. Ch. 685 writes," one of the reasons we fast  on

שובבים ת"ת so that pregnant women shouldn’t miscarry.

During leap years, it is more common for women to miscarry.

We fast 8 times for the last 8 months of pregnancy.

(first month [40 days] is not considered a miscarriage) . 

It is appropriate to start on Parshas שמות, where it 

says    ובני ישראל פרו וישרצו " 

Malochim (angels) acting as intermediates -Allowed Or Not ???

The concept of Malochim (angels) acting as intermediates

for the Tefilos is mentioned in the Gemoro (Shabbos 12b).

Tefilos directed to the Malochim,* started in the times of the Gaonim. We find in Selichos, Pizmonim & Piyutim where we daven directly to the Malochim.

Kabbalists  had a  practice of  forcing an oath on the Malochim.  ( משביעין את המלאכים ).

Hashem gives permission to the Malochim to do as they are commanded (by humans) even if the recipients  are not worthy and have no zechusim for the favour. (Levush)

There used to be a Minhag for Chazanim to force an oath on the Malochim.

The Chazanim were concerned that  an Ayin Hora will cause them to lose their voice during Davening.  

The Chazanim had a Nusach they said, before saying Hamelech.(Yomim Noroim)

בשם שמעי' -------(שמות של מלאכים)---- אני פלוני בן פלוני משביע אני עליכם

שתסייעו לי שאתפלל היום בקול רם ונעים וערב ואל יחר גרוני ואל ילאה רוחי וכוחי

(In the name of the Malochim --- I Ploni the son of Ploni, place a Shevuah on you (Malochim) that you will help me to Daven today with a voice that is loud, pleasant  and sweet, and my throat shouldn’t anger (cough) and my spirit and strength shouldn’t tire.)  

The Levush (O.Ch.584) was against this Hashba’ah (oath). He writes that it is wrong to force Hashem to accept your Tefillos**. 

The acceptance of Tefillos is dependant on the Kavanos Halev,and you may not force it.

The second issue the Levush had against it, was, Hefsek, The Nusach was said after Baruch Sheomar.(before Hamelech)

The Levush suggest to eliminate it altogether and if not possible, then it should be said before Baruch Sheomar.

*Many Poskim(Maharal, Vilna Gaon< Chasam Sofer etc.)

were against it, but weren’t successful,in stopping  it.

** loss of voice is a sign of non acceptance of Tefilos

אשה מעוברת בשנת העיבור

The Levush Orach Chaim 685 writes, one of the reasons we fast  on Shovevim Tat , so that  pregnant women shouldn’t miscarry. 

During a leap year, it is more common for women to have miscarriages.

We fast 8 times for the last 8 months of pregnancy. (first month [40 days]
is not a miscarriage) . It is very appropriate to start on Parshas Shmos, where it says ובני ישראל פרו וישרצו --