Comments on: How do you look for Chometz?

By: eliezer

eliezer — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 01:04:18 +0000

Dave and Squeak,
I stated before that there are certainly big Poskim who say that using a flashlight is the preferred method, and for those of you that have asked the Shaila and have gotten that Psak, then you must stick with it. I am certainly not going to argue with big (or little) poskim. My Rov told me to do what my father and grandfather did. So that’s what I’ll do.

As far as the comparison to Neir Chanuka and Neir Shabbos, I only mentioned that comparison becuase others have made the connection between the danger of Neir B’Dika and Neir Chanuka and Neir Shabbos, how they have all caused fires, RM”L. In response, I wonder why they don’t hold that if they can substitute a flashlight for B’Dika so it is safer, why not the other Neiros that can cause harm, C’V. It is not my own Gzaira Shava.”

Obviously, by B’Dika there is the added value of being able to check more thouroughly with a flashlight, I don’t deny that.

Nuf said.

By: squeak

squeak — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 18:24:54 +0000

Eliezer, obviously you have done alot of research.

The gemara in Pesachim questions why we use a ner and not a avuka (torch). Certainly the torch would enable us to see better! The gemara answers that if one used a torch then he would refrain from checking the small holes and cracks that chometz could be in for fear of starting a fire. Therefore, he should use the controllable flame of a candle. Note that the gemara does not say that the reason it is a candle is because there is a gezera shava to Ner Shabbos or Ner Chanukah. Where did you get such an idea?

By: dave375

dave375 — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:26:02 +0000

Well, that’s what a chavrusah or a Rebbe is there for. To get different opinions and make you prove your point. And if you really believe that your mind is humble as opposed to just a figure of speech, you wouldn’t be afraid to get other people’s views on this. Just my humble opinion

By: eliezer

eliezer — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:16:49 +0000

Dave,
In my humble little mind, there is no question at all that the Halacha is to do B’Dikas Chometz L’ohr Haneir, which means a candle. Just like Nier Shabbos and Neir Channuka are only with a candle and not electrical lights, why should this be any different? Who are we to decide that a flashlight can be sustituted for or is better than a candle? The Sifrei Halcha only mention a Neir, and never mention a flashlight – except for the more modern day Halacha Seforim.
That’s the best I can tell you.

By: dave375

dave375 — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:11:56 +0000

Eliezer,
I’m not asking you to ask a shaila if you should use a candle or not. I’m questioning your vort that the candle has a din of a halachah.

By: azh

azh — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 04:02:35 +0000

MainLine,
Rav Mosh Feinstein was also noheig as you mentioned. However, the Mishna Berurah in 504:1 says to leave it covered until the seder. (Kol Dodi)

Lihagdil Torah ul’haadirah

By: justanobody

justanobody — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 02:20:31 +0000

Eliezer, I’m proud of your techno savieness, and adaptation of modern products for good use.
Please relax, it is OK to be frustrated, my point was ,your (or Mr chinuch’s) frustration is not really a basis for a intelligent conversation. Also he was complaining about Pini Lipshitz being a “frustrated bal’abous”, my reply to him was, your use of “!!!!!!!!!!” indicates that you are frustrated, and therefore it is not fare to be upset at another person’s use of his frustrations for a positive and productive occupation, which Pinny Lipsihtz, love him or not, is doing. Sorry for the long run on sentance, I guess I must be frustrated.
However I am not convinced that Pini is frustrated, I actually think he is relatively at peace with who he is and what he does.
Also, the term “bal’abous” being used in the negative connotation of Mr Chinuch, was absurd, I think, and should be examined further by other frustrated people such as you, Eliezer, myself, and other great minds in the blogging stratosphere.

So open up my friends, tell me are you perhaps a “bal’abous”, and frustrated that you are one?

Can one be a “bal’abous”, and still have daas torah, is that a mefurashe steera?

Dachtzach the Chayei Adam, the Rashash, and many other popular mechabrei sepharim were balabouses, perhaps these sefarim were products of their frustrations?

By: On the Main Line

On the Main Line — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:03:12 +0000

>Why is it ‘presumptuos and naive to try to modernize on the mesorah’? (in other words: why can’t I use a food processor for my maror and store it in an airtight container so that it doesn’t lose its bitterness lie it did in the times of the Shulchan Aruch?)

>We are not Amish.

Perhaps because trying to preserve the sharpness of the horseradish is not a hiddur, but a sakkanah? For example, R. Moshe Shternbuch (Tshuvos V-hanhagos II pg. 238) says that one should davka leave it uncovered for a few hours so that it loses most (but not all!) of its potency.

That said I certainly agree with your point about technology.

By: eliezer

eliezer — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:17:00 +0000

Dave,
I may be wrong about this, but I don’t feel the need to ask a Shailah when it’s been done with a candle for generation after generation. I only ask a Shailah when I’m unsure about something. This is not one of them.

By: dave375

dave375 — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:15:40 +0000

Eliezer,
did you show vort to a Rav to get his opionion on what you are saying is correct-that the candle may have a din of Halacha, or is that your own feeling?