If I Were A Rich Man

Once on a שבת מברכים I asked מורי ורבי הרה"ג ר' שלמה מילר שליט"א at the start of Davening, we ask Hashem,

"ואל תביאנו... ולא לידי נסיון"

—that we should not be brought to a נסיון. Yet, during ברכת החודש, we ask for עשירות which often brings with it greater נסיונות than those faced by someone who is not wealthy.

He answered,

We begin ברכת החודש with the words,

"שתחדש עלינו את החודש הזה לטובה ולברכה."

The words לטובה ולברכה apply to all the בקשות that follow.

Therefore, when we ask for עשירות, we are not simply asking for wealth. We are asking for עשירות לטובה ולברכה—that the wealth should be a genuine טובה and ברכה, and should not bring with it נסיונות that we cannot handle. We are asking that, together with the עשירות, we also have the ברכה of being שמח בחלקו and of using the wealth properly.

Thus, our request is not merely for עשירות, but for עשירות לטובה ולברכה—wealth that will truly be a ברכה, and not, ח"ו, a source of נסיון.

* Years later, I found the Chasam Sofer on the pasuk, “עשר תעשר – בשביל שתתעשר,” citing the Midrash, which adds, “ובשביל שלא תתחסר.” The Chasam Sofer explains this Midrash with the pasuk in Mishlei,

“ברכת ה׳ היא תעשיר ולא יוסיף עצב עמה”

—the blessing of Hashem brings wealth, without any accompanying sadness or harm.

This was precisely R’ Shlomo Miller's insight that he had conveyed to me: עשירות that comes together with ברכת ה׳ is the עשירות we are asking for at ברכת החודש; it does not bring with it the “עצב” or harm.

* Today I came across the ספר פניני שלמה מאת ידידי הרה"ג ר' עזריאל יהודה גשטטנר שליט"א where he quotes Reb Shlomo Miller's חידוש on עשר תעשר & the Chasam Sofer ושמח לבי

Riddle Of The Day. When Are You Mechuyav To Bench On A Glass Of Water

Parshas Hashavua

עקב

ואכלת ושבעת וברכת

BENTCHING ברכת המזון
FOR DRINKING WATER

All he did was drink one glass of plain water
& therefore he needs to Bentch ברכת המזון.?

▼ Scroll Down For The Answer ▼

According to Harav Hagaon R. Chaim Kanievsky Zt"l,

If someone was thirsty at the end of his meal, and waited to drink water till after ברכת המזון, he must Bentch again ברכת המזון * (דאורייתא)

He must Bentch again
ברכת המזון

Based on the מרדכי who holds if you are thirsty at the end of the meal and Bentch then your Benching was only מדרבנן.

Therefore, Reb Chaim holds, after you Bentched if you drink a glass of water you are now מחויב מן התורה to Bentch (again).

The first Bentching doesn't count since it was only a דרבנן Bentching.

Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon
Reb Shlomo Miller Shlita

argues on Reb Chaim

and holds there is no need to repeat the ברכת המזון after drinking the water.

*see Rema O.Ch. 197:4

Boloks Curse On To Himself

When Balak asked Bilam to curse the Bnei Yisrael,
he said ארה *לי curse me.

Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R.S.Miller shlita said,
In Parshas Lech Lecha, Hashem said," those who bless you will be blessed and those who curse you will be cursed".

Balak knew of this but still insisted to have the Bnei Yisrael cursed. even though he himself will be cursed as a result of this.

The שונאי ישראל attempt to harm the Yidden even when they themselves lose out in doing so.

The Nazis Y.m.s. at the end of the war, instead of using
their  trains for the war effort and save their army,
used the trains to
transport the Hungarian
Jews to Auschwitz.

Bilam wasn't the one who
blessed the Benei Yisrael.  

It was Hashems Brocho coming out from Bilam's
mouth therefore he wasn't
entitled to be blessed. 


see Orach Chaim

No Distractions

 

According to Mori V'Rabi  Harav Hagaon R.Shlomo Miller Shlita: It is very important to refrain from being מסיח דעת (distracted) of the חורבן הבית during the שבוע שחל בו ת"ב The משנה ברורה תקנ"א ס"ק כ"א explains the reason for not doing the laundry is because it looks like he is מסיח דעת. If it just looks like being מסיח דעת is wrong to do so קל וחומר how much more so when one is actually being מסיח דעת"

According to Mori V'Rabi

 

According to Mori V'Rabi  Harav Hagaon R.Shlomo Miller Shlita,  Women who don't usually Daven מעריב should preferably make  an exception when תשעה באב falls on מוצאי שבת and  Daven מעריב.  When there is no הבדלה בכוס. (on  מוצש"ק) you should have at least הבדלה בתפילה.

Phony Kabbalists

 

ולא קם נביא בישראל כמשה - אבל באומות קם . ואיזה? זה בלעם בן בעור  ספרי דברים ל"ד:י  Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R Shlomo Miller Shlita quoted the זהר חדש that says:            "Every person before he is born Hashem  is גוזר (decrees) on him if he will be a נביא a חכם a בעל מקרא ומשנה  a בעל רוח הקדש etc. However, if he will be a צדיק or a רשע is not decreed." (בחירה) Reb Shlomo Miller  pointed out We see from here that one can have רוח הקדש yet he is a רשע You can have a so-called Kabbalist who might have psychic powers yet he is not a צדיק and perhaps even a רשע

Did you know?

 

Parshas Hashavua אמור                     כי אם לשארו הקרוב אליו ---יטמא A כהן may be מטמא to only his seven* relatives. Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R. Shlomo Miller Shlita said, There are many כהנים who are unaware that if the relative who died was not Frum & wasn't a תינוק שנשבה  the כהן may not be מטמא to them. 'יו"ד שע"ג ח This can be very applicable if the person went off the Derech. Being טומאת כהנים is דאורייתא one may not be lenient about it. (A Rav should be consulted)   wife, father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter

Parshas Vayakhel-Can People Make Mistakes?????

Mori V'Rabi Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller Shlita told us:

 "The Velt has two misconseptions on Gedolim

1) A Godol can't make mistakes.

2) If they make a mistake they are not a Godol anymore.

Both statements are untrue." 

In this week’s  Parsha  (Vayakhel) one of the Gedolei   Hameforshim, made a mistake with the translation of the Vav of  Veosoh Betzalel. (Shmos 36 – 1)

The arrangement of the Tenach into Kapitlach (chapters)

was done by the Christian church in the 12th century .

There is no uniform system, where a new chapter begins or ends.

At the end of chapter Shmos 35 it says how Moshe spoke to

the Bnei Yisroel about Betzalel’s  Chachma that Hashem gave him, to do the Meleches Hamishkan.

A new chapter begins at Shmos 36 – 1 “ V’osoh Betzalel – Kol Meleches Avodas Hakodesh”. 

Because a new chapter begins here, one of the Gedolei  Hameforshim, mistakenly translated And  Betzalel made (past tense) – (vav hachibur)

The Targum Onkeles  was also changed  from V’yabeid

(He shall do) to Vavad (He did). The Ibn Ezrah (36 -1) and Rashi in Ms.Makos 12a both say , V’osoh is a command

( future)  And Betzalel shall make etc.  V’osoh is a continuation from the previous chapter.(mehapech + chibur)

In the name of the M’hril Diskin it is said “When you are

Ma’avir Sidrah you should say in the Targum V’yabeid and not the way it is printed in the Chumashim* “ Vavad” otherwise you won’t be  yotzei Shnayim Mikrah.

*The new Oz Vehodor Chumashim corrected the
Targum to V'Yabeid.

Raincoats (daf Yomi) Yoma 53b

 

According to Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R.Shlomo Miller Shlita, You may not wear raincoats in a רשות הרבים (No Eiruv)  while the attached hood is tucked inside its pocket. Yoma  53b                    The Gadol Hador Davened  for a raincoat   The Gemoro tells the story of R. Chanina Ben Dosa, who was walking on the street and the rain came down on him. He Davened to Hashem and said,” the whole world has comfort and Chanina is in pain.”   The מהרש"א asks how could it be, The Chosid R. Chanina B.D. would ask  Hashem to stop the rain for the whole world, for his personal comfort, even at the expense of the rest of the world.   The בן יהוידע  (Ben Ish Chai) answers," all he asked from  Hashem was, he should manage to find a coat to protect him from the rain. However, Hashem stopped the rain instead, לכבוד R.Ch.B.D."

According to Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R Shlomo Miller Shlita. Purim Halachos

 

According to Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R Shlomo Miller Shlita To be מקיים מצות משלוח מנות you need to send 2 types (מינים) of food. Both מינים can have the same ברכה.   1) Two pieces of chicken one roasted and the other boiled etc. are considered 2 מינים   2) Two pieces of chicken, one the top and the other the bottom is considered 1 מין   3) Mixed vegetable salad is considered as 1 מין   4) Cut up vegetables to be mixed into a salad are considered 2 מינים   5) Sandwich (Hamburger, bun, lettuce & tomato, etc.) is considered 1 מין.

Contact Lenses

 

According to Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R. Shlomo Miller Shlita, A woman who forgot to remove her contact lenses before going into the Mikvah, בדיעבד we consider it a kosher Tevilah (בית הסתרים וראוי לביאת מים) Since it's a טבילה כשירה בדיעבד, Women may wear contact lenses in a רשות הרבים on Shabbos.

DAf Yomi -Toiltet Tank Covers

DAF HASHAVUA
Shabbos 126b

             כיסוי קרקעות אם יש להן בית אחיזה אין אי לא 

 According to Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R Shlomo Miller שליט"א
 One may remove and/or return the cover of the toilet tank on שבת.

 Even though it is a cover to a מחובר לקרקע {toilet) and should
 need a handle* (בית אחיזה) but since it is easily removed by holding
 on to the sides, it is considered as if it has a בית אחיזה


Otherwise, it is like בונה

How To Cook On Shabbos

How to cook Shabbos morning, fresh chicken soup      1) One may not cook with תולדות חמה. e.g. Cooking an egg in a pot that was heated up by the sun. (egg heated by the pot) 2) One may cook with חמה e.g. Placing an egg under the sun. (egg heated directly from the sun) *According to Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R. Shlomo Miller Shlita, One may place food under the sun and have a magnifying glass directed at the food (not at the pot). Since the food is being cooked directly from the sun it's בישול בחמה which is permissible on Shabbos. All the magnifying glass does is it increases more sun onto the food.   PS: creating a fire on Shabbos with a magnifying glass is prohibited  *ספר שבת שלמה מאת ידידי הרה"ג עזריאל יהודה געשטעטנר שליט"א

My Rebbi said, it's "אסור מדאורייתא"

זאת החיה אשר תאכלו Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R. Shlomo Miller Shlita said, According to the שיטות* who hold, eating human flesh is אסור מדאורייתא and that חצי שיעור is אסור מדאורייתא, Those who bite off their cuticles and or their dead skin are עובר על איסור דאורייתא if they swallow it. רמב

The Name Game-Naming a child after a non-Frum family member

According to Mori V’Rabi Harav Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller shlita: Naming a child after a non-Frum family member is acceptable & at times even recommended. The main reason we name after an individual who passed away is to honour him or his living relative. It is usually  done as Hakaras Hatov we have for them. Hakaras Hatov overrules all the reasons of not naming after a non-Frum person. We find Bnei Yisroel as a Hakaros Hatov named their children after Alexander the Goy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Zohar writes, In all the names of the שבטי יה, there are no Ches ח or Tes ט . The  שבטי יה had no חטא (sin)

NO CHOLENT

 Gittin 38b

 

   
ואחת קבעה סעודתא בערב שבת ושתיהן נעקרו

Rashi explains that they were punished because they ate the main meal on Friday night.

We Pasken כבוד יום קודם לכבוד לילה They should have waited for the daytime to eat the main Seudah"

Mori V’rabi Harav Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller Shlita
said  :

It is not proper to serve Cholent Friday night. Cholent is a designated food for the סעודת היום. Eating Cholent at night violates כבוד יום קודם לכבוד לילה.

Beloved Mitzva

Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller shlita said:

"Instead of arranging the timing of הדלקת נרות

so it won't interfere with your travels, you should 

arrange the timing of your travels so it won't 

interfere with the הדלקת נרות.

Lighting Ner Chanukah is the only Mitzvah that the 

Rambam writes (Hl. Chanukah 4:12) מצוה חביבה היא עד מאד  

(most beloved Mitzvah) 

The Rambam also writes והדלקת נרות - כקריאת מגילה 

Perhaps the Rambam meant that  the same

way קריאת מגילה is דוחה all Mitzvos even דאורייתא

(except Meis Mitzvah) so too הדלקת נרות is דוחה all

Mitzvos.

Being it is such a great Mitzvah one should try to

avoid traveling if it will interfere with this beloved and

important Mitzvah." 

Kiddush on Yom Kippur

        Kiddush on Yom Kippur

                              (especially this year)

Kiddush on Friday night is דאורייתא.

Mitzvos דאורייתא requires כוונה.

Kiddush on Yom Kippur is a מחלוקת between R.Akiva

Eiger who holds it is not דאורייתא unless it falls on a 

Shabbos and the Chasam Sofer (Hagahos O.Ch.271) who 

holds it is a Mitzvah דאורייתא to make Kiddush every 

Yom Kippur. (even weekday)

This year even according to Reb Akiva Eiger, when Davening the

Shmonah Esrei on Yom Kippur night you are required to

 have in mind when saying

ברוך – מקדש ישראל ויום הכפורים

to be Mekayam  (Yotzei)  Mitzvahs Kiddush.

Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon R. Shlomo Miller Shlita, said

Those who are not aware of this Halacha that מקדש ישראל ויום הכפורים

is the Kiddush of Yom Kippur will not be Yotzei even according to Reb Akiva Eiger 

in a weekday Yom Kippur since he is a מתעסק ( worse than no Kavanah)

Its Odd

In Hilchos Megillah (690 :3) it says :
"if the middle of the Megillah is missing words up to half (words) and the Ba'al Kriah read it by heart you were Yotzei".

The Mishna Verura and in Shar Hatzion discusses what If the Megillah were to be missing exactly half the words. 
The Mishna Verura question is only valid if the Megillah has an even amount of words, then can you have the exact amount of words missing as not missing.

 If the number of words in the Megillah is an odd number, then it's impossible to have exactly the same amount of missing words as not missing.

Supposedly according to the computer count the number of words in the Megillah are odd.

 How can we explain the Heilige Chofetz Chaim, for not even taking into consideration the possibility to have an odd 
amount of words in the Megillah? 

We can't say that it was just a Lomdishe theoretical question because of his answer, "that it will be a Machlokes between the Rambam and the Rosh& Ran".

Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon Reb  Shlomo Miller Shlita said that some words in the Megillah, if they were misspelled,
does not render the Megillah Pasul. However, a misspelled word is not considered or counted as a correct word and therefore  this will change the Megillah from odd to even number of words. 

It is said in the name of Harav Hagaon R, Y.S. Elyashiv zt"l that it is possible to have an even worded  Megillah if
it was written in a different language other than Loshon Hakodesh (It is a kosher Megillah #690:9)

Lies And Lies

Daf Hashavua

Bava Metzia 87a

גדול שלום שאפילו הקב"ה שינה- ואדוני זקן/ואני זקנתי

The Mogen Avraham 157 quotes The Sefer Chasidim 

who writes when Chazal said “you may say non truths 

for the sake of peace, " it only applies to the past and 

not for the future.

 The Sefer Chasidim explains this halacha :

Reuvain has the money but doesn’t want to lend it to  Shimon because he doesn’t trust him.

1)  Shimon asks Reuvain to lend him money. Reuvain may not lie and say he doesn’t have any money. (future)

2)  Shimon asks Reuvain How come last week when I asked you for money, you didn’t lend  me. Reuvain may answer falsely and say "I didn’t have any money." (past) 

Reuvain may do so because if he lies, there will be peace between  them but If he says the truth (I don’t trust you) then Shimon will be upset & angry.

The obvious question is:

If you may  lie for the sake of peace , why should there be a difference between past & future?

Mori V'Rabi Harav Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller Shlita explained the reason for the  difference:

 "In case # 2) there are only two options  

a) lie – will be peace   

b) truth – will be upset & angry, therefore you may lie for peace.

In case #1)  there are three options  

a) lie,(don't have)    

b)  truth,(don't trust you)    

c) lend him the money.

The only time that you may lie is when lying is the only option for peace.

When you have another option to keep the peace   (lend the money)then you may not lie. You may lie only when the only alternative for peace is to lie".