Kriah for Yerushalayim

kitzur_dot_net – Just a technical note: its not yet in our hands.

josephf: I’m referring to the remarks of the prominent figure who, following the June 1967 Israeli capture of the Old City, said: “?? ???? ??????”.

i believe the din is that you are obligated to tear Kriah, upon seeing (or coming within a certain proximity, im not sure which) the Kosel, not Yerushalaim. this is only after not having been there after a certain length of time (i think, a month).

obviously ask a Talmid Chochum.

I find it sad that of all the posts, none of them sent the poor letter writer to any primary sources.

1. Moed Katan 26a

2. Rambam Hilchos Taaniyos 5:16

3. Shulchan Aruch OH:561

Now you can ask your posek

One post in particular had the mindlessness to give halachic advice which included such pearls as “I believe”, “I’m not sure”, “and “I think”. On a different topic he paskened from his “feelings”. To this person, if you are ignorant, don’t advertise it.

blueshirt

that wasnt very nice

its perfectly appropriate on a forum to express ones thoughts and feelings. afterwords i wrote: “obviously ask a Talmid Chochum”

as far as expressing my feelings on the techeles issue, i thought some people might find it interesting. afterwords i wrote: “obviously i am not suggesting what the Halachah is based on this

apparently you are irritated by my posts, im sorry.

To Feivel,

I publicly apologize for embarassing you and ask for your forgiveness.

To kitzur: Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook Zt”l dared think just that. Oh…sorry, his opinion doesn’t count. He was a tziyoni. You obviously know more than any tziyoni.

Thank you feivel. Ok, let’s get back to the topic. In my opinion, the act of kriah is the physical act (ma’aseh)corresponding to the emotional anguish of seeing Har Habayis bechurbonoh. The emotional feeling is expressed in the act of tearing one’s clothes. If one is not in anguish, or let’s stretch a little and say is absolutely thrilled to be in Yerushalayim for the first (or second or more) time, and is naturally enthralled by the kosel and the view etc…, then the act of kriah loses it’s emotional partner. This is not to say necessarily that it is meaningless or that the mitzvah without the proper kavanah is worthless. However, the intent of the act is really the major aspect of the mitzvah and the ma’aseh is only the expression of it.

I heard from a reliable source (I choose to omit some names, I do not have their permission)that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l once was asked about kriah on a niftar (not a relative)during a period of time when kriah is not supposed to be done. The person asking told Reb Shlomo Zalman that he did not tear on that day, should he do it at a later date. The answer was no. On a later date the intense anguish that would require kriah is no longer there and therefore no “delayed kriah” is indicated. This idea is is similar to what I wrote above.

What we see is that the various opinions on the chiyuv kriah nowadays can all be understood depending on how much one views the chiyuv as relating to one’s anguish when one sees Har Habayis bizman hazeh. Since we undoubtedly have a certain degree of control, and one can claim that Yerushalayim is not totally bechurbonoh, then maybe there is no chiyuv, the anguish is not paramount in one’s feelings. However, if one maintains that the chiyuv kriah is independent of one’s feelings, and/or that as long as there is no beis hamikdash then yerushalyim is bechurbonoh, then the chiyuv kriah still exists.