Avi K

Ask Rav Sperling – Chapstick on Shabbat

By: Rabbi Da’vid Sperling

Answer:

Shalom,

I am sorry to hear that you are suffering on Shabbat from dry skin. In treating this on Shabbat there are two issues at hand. The first is the law against applying medicines in cases where one is not classified as “sick” but only suffering from mild discomfort. In such cases the use of medicines or medical treatments is forbidden by a rabbinic decree. This would seem to prohibit the treatment of your dry skin on Shabbat in any fashion. However there are several possible ways that this may none the less be allowed. Firstly, if you apply the treatment before the skin gets irritable it is not considered as medical treatment to cure a problem, but rather making sure that one does not get sick. This is akin to applying sun block oil before going outside, which is allowed as it is only a preventative measure (as opposed to putting oil on burnt skin, which is a cure). Secondly, if the medical procedure is normally carried out by people not suffering at all it is also allowed. So drinking lemon and honey tea to alleviate a mild sore throat is allowed, as people would drink it even when perfectly healthy. So because eating an oily salad is normal behaviour, you could eat it and let the oil alleviate your chapped lips in the process. Lastly, if the dry skin is of such a serious nature that it may crack and get infected then it would be considered as in the category of a sickness that one is allowed to treat on Shabbat if one does not break any other Shabbat laws (though in general dry lips and skin do not fall into this definition, it could be that one has an extreme case of eczema etc then this would be the case).

Based on all this I can suggest the following – if your skin is not yet cracked you should find a liquid lotion to apply on Shabbat. If you can’t find one, you could water down (or “oil down”) a thicker one until it is runny. As for your lips, I have seen clear liquid “roller-ball” lip treatments, which might be of help to you. As they are liquid, and apply no colour to the lips, they are acceptable on Shabbat.

If the skin is already chapped and irritable, then I can suggest eating food dipped in oil, and letting the oil soak into and over your lips, which may provide some help.

Blessings, Rav Sperling.

Zehavasdad, it’s very difficult to grin when you cannot move because of starvation. IMHO (and we are already seeing this with the overtures of working Chareidim to Eli Yishai) people will not go OTD in the sense of not keeping Shabbat, etc. However, they will ignore pronouncements like the one at the top of this thread, learn professions and go to work in the geenral economy. Perhaps they will form a coalition with the Chardal sector both politically and religiously.

Reality check: it is prohibited to rely on miracles (see, for example, Iggerot Moshe, Orach Chaim 2:111 and 4:48 on buying insurance). if you have a lucrative profession and are willing to work full-time while juggling kids and your huband has a future in Tora (= he has the potential to be a r”m/rosh yeshiva/rav/dayan) then it is possible. However, if you do not have such a profession (kollelim pay very little – when they pay) you are heading for a life a poverty.If you do not mind that is your decision but you should go in with open eyes. Moreover, if your husband is just going to warm a chair in a bet midrash it is really questionable if it is even permitted l’chatchila. Better that the place should go to someone who has a reasonable future in Tora and you and your husband support Tora institutions.

Randmex, I did not write someone who has a job but someone who has a secular profession (i.e not Tora chinuch, safrut, etc.). I also did not say anything about being “left”. Actually, this term is somewhat misleading in regards to Jewish hashkafot as it originated in the French National Assembly, where the monarchists sat on the right and the republicans on the left. Thus getting a job should put someone on the right as he is upholding tradition whereas living on tzedaka as an ideology is left (this is especially true in the US, where the Left has created a welfare culture and the Right opposes it).

Text of the Agreement

Agreement Between Emir Feisal and Dr. Weizmann (relvant articles)

3 January 1919

Article I

The Arab State and Palestine in all their relations and undertakings shall be controlled by the most cordial goodwill and understanding, and to this end Arab and Jewish duly accredited agents shall be established and maintained in the respective territories.

Article II

Immediately following the completion of the deliberations of the Peace Conference, the definite boundaries between the Arab State and Palestine shall be determined by a Commission to be agreed upon by the parties hereto.

Article III

In the establishment of the Constitution and Administration of Palestine, all such measures shall be adopted as will afford the fullest guarantees for carrying into effect the British Government’s Declaration of the 2nd of November, 1917.

Article IV

All necessary measures shall be taken to encourage and stimulate immigration of Jews into Palestine on a large scale, and as quickly as possible to settle Jewish immigrants upon the land through closer settlement and intensive cultivation of the soil. In taking such measures the Arab peasant and tenant farmers shall be protected in their rights and shall be assisted in forwarding their economic development.

Thus we see that the Arab leadership agreed to a Jewish state in the Ottoman province of Palestine – and this was in 1919 when it included what is now Jordan. Later, the Mufti of Yerushayim ym”s caused trouble in order to gain personal power. However, opposing one group cannot be called rebellion. In any case, the vast majority of the other nations supported establising a Jewish state.

Lior, according to the Wikipedia article they are descended from both Lithuanian and Hungarian Jews whereas according to the Jewish Virtual library they are mainly of Hungarian descent. I would imagine that their ideology would attract Satmar Chassidim (who originated in Hungary). In any case, all agree that they are are miniscule group.

Rabbi, see Shmirat Shabbat K’Hilchata 9:17 with footnote 61 that according to some it is tikkun mana as the cap becomes a keli. However, you are correct that some differentiate between plastic and metal caps (they say that the plastic cap was already a cap before being put on whereas a metal cap was not).

There is no analogy. This is a halachic debate with major poskim on both sides. Most opinions turn around the question of whether or not there are areas where a tamei met can definitely walk and whether those who go can keep the halachot of moreh hamikdash. Whether or not we should “provoke” Moslems (as if our very existence is not already a “provocation) is a political and military question and thus the legitimate purview of politicians and military leaders.

Frumnotyeshivish is correct. When the British tried to pressure Rav Kook and Rav Sonnenfeld into conceding that the Kotel belongs to the Arabs both steadfastly refused. BTW, according “Ish al HaHoma”, when Rav Sonnenfeld was asked why he used Shaar Shechem to enter the Old City he said “kibush Eretz Yisrael”.

Bp, are you kidding? Read “In Ishmael’s House” by Sir Martin Gilbert and “From Time Immemorial” by Joan Peters.At best the Jews were relegated to humiliations as “dhimmi” and at worst were murdered on the whim of some potentate.

Mdg, ???? means conquer.here are some proofs:

?????? ?”?-?”?

“?????????????? ??? ???? ???????? ??????? ???????????…

?????????????? ??? ??????? ???????????? ????? ???? ????? ????????…”

??”?, ???? ?”?:

?”? ???????: ???????.

???? ?”?:

?”? ??????? ?? ????: ??????? ???? ???????, ??? “?????? ??”, ????? ??????? ??, ??? ??? -?? ????? ??????? ??.

????? ??? ?”? ???? ?”?:

?”? ???????: ??????? ???????, ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ??? ??? ??, ???? ?????? ???????, ??? ????? ??????.

????? ??? ?”? ???? ?”?:

?”? ?????: ??????? ?????. ????? ??”? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?????, ???? ????? ??????.

???”?, ???? ?”?:

?”? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ??: ?? ????, ?? ???? ??? ???, ???? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ????? ???, ??? ????? ????? ?’. ????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ??, ????? ?? ???? ?’. ??? ??????? ??????? (?????? ?”? ?’) ????? ?????? ???? ?????, ?????? ???? ????, ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?????, ??? ????, ???? ???????? ????? ???, ?? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???. ?????? ????? ??? ??????? ????, “???? ???? ?? ????” (????? ?’ ?’). ??? ??”? ????, “??????? ?? ????”, ??????? ???? ???????, ?? “?????? ??”, ????? ??????? ??, ??? ??? – ?? ????? ??????? ??, ??? ??????? ??? ?????.

???”?, ???????? ???? ?????? ?????”? ???? ????? ???:

????? ??? ??? ???? ??? (????”?) ?????? ??? ??? ??? ????”?:

??????:

?”? ??????? ?? ????: ???? ????? ????? ????, ?? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ??????, ??? ?? ????? ????, ?? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????, ?? ???? ??????? ??????.

Ramban holds that there are two mitzvot: a mitva on Am Yisrael to conquer the Land and a mitzva on the individual to live in it. This si shown by the following:

???? ????”? (????????? ???? ?????? ??

“?[????] ?? ??? ??????? ????? ???? (???? ?”? ?”?): ‘????? ????’. ??? ???? ???? ???? (?? ?? ?”?): ‘??? ?? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ????, ????? ??? ??????? ???? ??? ????’…

…??????? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ??????? ?? ??????. ??? ???? ??????? ?? [????] ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ???? ?????. ???????? ??????? ????????.

??????? ‘????? ????? ?????’ ???? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??????… ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ??????”.

????? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ?? ?? ????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ??????? ??.

“????? ??? ?? ????? ???????? ??????? ?? ???? ???? ??? ?????, ?? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ????? ???… ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ????? ??. ?? ?? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ????”.

In any case, no one has brought a refutation to my points that

1. The deal is off because the goyim violated their part of the bargain (see my citation from the Shulchan Aruch)

2. The goyim gave us permission so it’s not rebellion (Rav Meir Simcha) and

3. Hashem has called (Rav Soloveihcik)

When Rav Tzvi Yehuda (Kook) was told about the Satanist claim he responded that he was acquainted with the Satan. In any case, to say that the Satan acts without Hashem’s permission and even against His will is a tenet of another religion. Of course, it could be that Hashem wanted to confuse the Satan so he sent him to harden the Arabs’ hearts. Who knows? Maybe He sent the Satan to prevent frum Jews from coming in droves and turning Israel into a Tora state because we are not ready.

As for the machloket between the Aguda and Mizrahi, I heard that both Rav Soloveichiik and Rav Kook compared them to Yosef’s stick and Yehuda’s stick – which will eventually be united. In fact, we see that the National Religious are becoming more frm and yeshivish and the Chareidim are moving out into the general job market.

The Shalosh Shevuot are a halachic non-starter.

1. They are aggadata not halacha. In fact, none of the codes (Mishna Tora, Tur, Shulchan Aruch, Rema) mention them nor do the Rif, the Rosh or the Nossei Keilim.In fact, Ramban (Sefer HaMitzvot, Mitzvot that Rambam “Forgot”) states that there is a Tora mitzva to conquer EY is our time.

2, In his introduction to Sefer Etz Chaim, Rav Chaim Vital writes that they were only for 1,000 years.

3. According to Rav Meir Simcha the San Remo Conference’s vote in favor of a Jewish state obviated teh oaths as it is no longer a rebellion.

4. The goyim violated their oath not to persecute us “too much” on several occasions (the Crusades, the Chmielnitzki massacres, the pogroms, the Holocaust). Thus, the deal is off(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 236:6).

5. According to Rav Soloveichik (“Kol Dodi Dofek”) the miracles of the War of Independence show that Hashem has called.

Akuperma,

1. Israel today is recognized as a regional powerhouse both militaily and economically. The US in fact needs it as a bulwark aaginst terrorism. The rest of the world does not regard Zionists as criminals but only rejects settleemnt in Yehuda v’Shomron and eevn thee the objections are mainly lip service and a few meaningless boycotts of products that hurt Arab workers much more than Israelis.

2. Nonsense. In fact, Rav Ovadia said that without the IDF there would be no yeshivot. No one is forced to adopt a secular lifestyle. Far greater damage is doen by the poitical intrigues carried out to keep the Chareidi separate from the rest of the public.

3. More nonsense. Read Martin Gilbert’s “In Ishmael’s Garden” and Joanne Peters’ “From Tme Immemorial”. In fact, the Moslem world is now at war with everyone else in fulfillment of the verse that Ishmael’s hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand will be against him. Moreover, no one says that the price of peace is to give up Tora. Some still cling to the delusion that the price is giving up land but apparently they are so wedded to their conception that it is emotionally impossible for them to give it up.

I heard from Rav Yehuda Ben-Yishai that there is no source for this saying. His proof was, in fact Tisha b’Av.

In many states and localities it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of marital status.

In Kol HaTor Rabbi Hillel Rivlin quotes his rav, the Gra, as sayingthat in the time before Mashiach the Sn of the Spies will attach itself to those who hold on to the Tora. Rav Teichtal hy”d, who lived in Budapest and was murdered in Auschwitz, also discusses this in Em HaBnaim Semeicha.

Rav Ovadia also said that those who do not learn should serve in the IDF. Rav Nachman Kahana proposed a simple solution – test them. Those who make the grade will be able to continue learning but will have to devote some time to teaching in an IDF framework. They will also have to say the mi sheberach for the soldiers. their current refusal, along with their refusal to say the prayer for the State, is scandalous, especially as they claim that they are learning for everyone.

As for running away, let’s see who will take them. If someone does, let’s see how they get along with the Islamists and neo-Nazis.

1. Akuperma, there is no issur of behukoteihem where there is a logical reason for the practice, as with doctors wearing white coats to identify themselves as doctors (*Rema Yoreh Deah 178:1).

2. Hakatan,

a. Rav Kotler also called a certain rav an am ha’aretz. When the Satmar rebbe became upset he was calmed down by someone who told him that Rav Kotler said “am ha’aretz like he said “apikoros”.

b. How do you show your respect for those who have fallen? Do you even say the mi sheberach for those who baruch Hashem are still alive (Akuperma is also invited to answer)?

Rav Dessler says in Kuntras Nekudat HaBechira that each person is judged according to his choices based on where he is holding spiritually. It could be that a someone raised in a secular home who chooses not to eat pork because he is Jewish receives a better judgement than someone raised in a frum home who keeps mitzvot by force of habit. See Rambam Hilchot Tesuva 3:2 that only Hashem knows the weights of mitzvot and aveirot.

Rambam says in Igeret Teiman that Mashiach will live in obscurity until he is revealed as Mashiach. This would make the question a non-starter.If someone is universally accepted as Mashiach and does what Rambam says Mashiach will do (fight Hashem’s wars, build the Bet HaMikdash, etc.) he will be Mashiach.

Actually, there are are two. Mashiach ben Yoseph and Mashiach ben David. According to Kol HaTor of Rabbi Hillel Rivlin, one of the talmidei HaGra who made aliya,the job of the former is kibbutz galuyot and building the material side of EY whereas the job of the latter is building the spiritual side culminating in the Bet HaMikdash. Rav Kook (Misped b’Yerushalayim) apparently held that Herzl, or perhaps the Zionist movement in general, was MBY. He explained the anti-religious aspects as a result of his concentration on the material.

Sam, with all due respect to Rav Ovadia’s gadlut, most National Religious Sephardim follow Rav Mordechai Eliahu’s pesakim. Many Jews of North African background follow Rav Mashash’s. Both disagreed with Rav Ovadia’s ruling that Sephardim in EY must follow the Mechaber 100% irregardless of the customs in their previous countries.

There are many people who have semicha but do not use the title “rav” nor are they called by it as they do no hold rabbinic positions nor do they teach limudei kodesh.Thus, the correct form is “MK Lipman”. Having said that, it is certainly improper to denigrate him. Interestingly, there is a group in the US that is pushing for civility in discourse. Chochma bagoyim taamin.

There have always been exceptional women. Beruria, the Maharshal’s grandmother (who was a rosh yeshiva and taught boys from behind a mechitza), Rav Mordechai Eliahu’s grandmother (who was a niece of the Ben Ish Chai and bested the Kaf HaChaim in Halacha). However, as a rule women think more emotionally and men think more logically. As for women lawyers, Nat Lewin once commented that he entered Harvard Law after spending his whole life in yeshivot. Once a professor discussed two contradictory Supreme Court decisions. Lewin jumped up with a great terutz, the whole class burst out laughing and the professor told him that if he did it again he would be out.

Charlie, if a person deliberately becomes poor there is no obligation to help him (Sifre Behar 5,Sefer Chasidim (Margalit) 61, Responsa Chatam Sofer 5 (Choshen Mishpat)174). Moreover, as I previously posted, the existence of these programs creates an attitude that “the State will take care of him” such that even people who want to work are often not helped by those with connections because they see no need to exert themselves. Not to mention the fact that there is an attitude prevalent in the Chareidi community that any work other than low-paying “Chareidi” jobs such as melamed endanger the “purity of the camp” (actually they endanger the control askanim have on the Chareidi public by freeing them from financial dependency).

Sh9888, do you live in Israel? From what I hear (I do live in Israel), with the exception of religious education (whose cost is destroying frum Americans economically),prices in Israel are higher than in America. However, people do have luxuries. Cell phones are a luxury. Internet connections are a luxury. Vacations abroad are not only a luxury but according to most poskim assur – and the Pesach seders there are chillulei Hashem. The latter include “glatt kosher” plans. I seriously doubt that they interest many secular people.