R.T.

Hi Logician: I am sorry, I ask Mechila. I did not intend to have come across that way. R.T.

Practically speaking, with my very little ones, I use a very thin Haggadah with simply the text. I’ve even seen some that are laminated (makes sense with the Yayin, Charoset, etc…).

Once the little ones are in bed, the Haggadah Migdal Eder (with 119 Peirushim) is brought out.

Hi 147. Thank you for the response. Yes, it should have said 5-6 days for Shavuos. Concerning Motzei Shmini Atzeret, your statement is true, but I am not sure that everyone holds by that since in some Ashkenazi communities, Tachanun is resumed on 25 Tishrei which implies the Svara that it is Tashlumim (which is not nogea b’zman hazeh post Churban Bayit Sheni and therefore the same applies in Ashkenazi communities Motzei Shavuot).

Your list at the conclusion of your post parallels the list in Megillas Ta’anis. That too according to some *may be* Batel B’Zman HaZeh. At any rate, we could list all the Yahrzeits of all the Avot, Neviim, Melachim, Anshei Knesset HaGedola, Tannaim, Amoraim, Geonim, Rishonim & Acharonim (Ad HaYom HaZeh) and fill up the calendar.

Interesting. However, it’s not that simple. It’s probably a bit more precise that Ahmadinejad posesses a nitzotz/spark of the Neshama of Haman, as probably Hitler Y”S and Arafat Y”S before that. It’s not so clear to me how many Gilgulim can exist for non-Jews. Ethnicity (e.g., from Iran) may have very little to do with Gilgulim

147 – If you want to keep a mirror & card with your tefillin, may I humbly suggest you buy a plastic bag for your velvet tefillin zekel. You can put the mirror & card between the plastic and the velvet bag. This way, you can be sure that the tefillin (velvet) bag holds only tefillin as it is a d’var bekdusha. The poskim warn against keeping extraneous things with the tefillin inside the velvet bag. The halacha goes so far as to say that Rash”i tefillin can not be kept in Rabbenu Tam tefillin bag (& vice versa) once designation has been set.

It may be that these mekorot are referring to the night into Shushan Purim. IMHO the Elya Rabba does not mention drinking on Megilla Night.

Sorry — I go to my (frum) barber and he does a wonderful job. Even if he’s away/on vacation, I would rather wait. He knows how to cut around my payos, etc…

Plus, I know that in a way, I am contributing to his parnassah, etc…

My 2 cents worth …

Hi Health: “Acc. to a Sefer I saw -Gilgul is only for men. Women get one chance and that’s it.”

I am not sure which Sefer you are referring to, but women can have multiple Gilgulim; e.g., Yael (in Nach) went through multiple Gilgulim (Gilgulei HaNeshamot of R’ Yehezkel and Sefer Gilgulei Neshamot of Rama MiPano)

1. Rolling up the Shir HaShirim Klaf (if I didn’t on Friday before Shkia)

2. Folding and putting away Shabbos Tallis

3. Brushing & Folding Shabbos suit, shoes, etc…

4. Running the dishwasher of Shabbos dishes

It’s not so clear. I know of two men (Ashkenazi) with the last name Cohen who are not Cohanim (they are Yisroelim). I know of a fellow whose last name is Levy and he is a Cohen. I also know of someone who has last name is Levy and he is a Yisroel.

As for Shapiro; my understanding is that it comes from Speyer; one of the original 3 cities along the Rhineland in Germany during the time of Rash”i and Tosafot. That might explain why there are Shapiros who are Cohanim and Yisroelim. (I haven’t met Leviim with that last name).

Among Moroccan Jews, you can be fairly certain that the last name Cohen is a Cohen and that Levy is Levy (personal experience). What I found interesting is that the last name Serfati/Sarfati/Serfaty, etc… is prominent (among Moroccans). Serfati means French (or Frenchmen) and in some sources was the last name adopted by Rabbenu Tam. Yet everyone I spoke with doesn’t seem to see any Yichus to Rabbenu Tam (and by extension to Rash”i).

“And does turning invisible include the ability to walk through walls, etc.?”

Then you would probably fall through the floors …

Hi YT: First, I’m sorry to hear about your father’s passing. Secondly, concerning your mother; Does she have siblings? What do they think about this recent development? Does your mother think that this is what your father (A”H) wanted after his passing? Thirdly, What of this non-Jewish friend? Does he show an interest in Yiddishkeit? Do you think he would want to convert? What about your children? Did/Can they express their feelings about this?

Hi Yehudah Tzvi: Drop us a line to let us know how you are doing. Praying for your Refuah & Yeshua. R.T.

Reb Yehudah Tzvi:

I hope you are feeling better. I will continue to pray for your Refuah. I completed a Pidyon Nefesh/Tehillim in your name. Bracha V’Hatzlacha.

YehudahTzvi: I’m sorry to hear the latest. I feel your pain. Please, never give up hope. I will Bli Neder take upon myself to fast one day during the week and pray for your Refuah. Can you supply me your full Hebrew name?

Thanks YehudahTzvi. I’ve had many late starts in my life and every day is a new start. I started exercising ~ 9 months ago. One of the best decisions I made. All the Best

I will never forget what happened about a decade ago. I (and another unrelated person) were on a flight from Tel Aviv to Toronto. It was not a direct flight, there was a stopover in London. Due to an unusual winter storm in London, all flights were cancelled that night. This happened on a Thursday Night in late March of that year. We had no choice but to get flights out of London on Sunday mid-day. Suffice it to say, this gentleman and I did not have provisions for Shabbos. We headed to Golders Green and booked a hotel room for Friday Night until Sunday Morning. We managed to get a few items from a local grocer for Shabbos; cold cuts, tuna, some grape juice, etc… Both of us arrived to (I believe) Munk’s Shul for Mincha and Kabbolos Shabbos. We sat down (somewhat separately) and a few people came over to each of us inquiring about where we were from. Explaining to them that we were stuck here from a winter-cancelled flight, each of us received invitations (immediately) to have dinner and Shabbos Lunch by two separate families. I will always remember the true Chessed that we both experienced by these families and by the Golders Green community.

“Ridiculous -they are taking a recess from the learning in the Yeshiva”

Recess? What’s that? There’s a heter for recess from learning? Is that in the Shulchan Aruch? Mishna Brura? Aruch HaShulchan? Acharonim? Please enlighten me.

Hi BTGuy. Delicious, wasn’t it? It appears we have similar tastes.

Was the victim wearing a colored shirt? Jeans? Not Tznius enough?

Seriously though; it is very rude. Even though it could have been an accident, a more sympathetic/sincere apology would heve been at least the minimum to be offered, not to mention assist in finding the blown hat.

HaShem Yerachem

Hi zvei dinim. Thanks for your response. However, it’s not so clear.

The Mechaber (Shulchan Aruch, Siman Tet, Saif Heh) seems to indicate the validity of colored Tzitzis on a Tallis with a the same said color, but the Rama is concerned:

???: ????????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????, ?? ?????? ??????, ???? ?????

and the ???? ????? ???? ? ?”? ?? rules:

?? ?????? ?????? – ?”? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ?’ ????? ?? ?”? ??? ??? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??????:

The Mishna Brura is stating that to be Yotzei all the opinions … Could he be hinting to that Tosefta which disqualifies any dye, save for Lavan and true Techeiles?

I don’t know …. Tzarich Iyun.

While I am by no means an expert on the subject, I have been researching Techeiles for about 10 years now.

I have come up with 2 major reasons why a significant segment of our population do not hold of Techeiles:

1) There is a Tosefta in the back of Masechet Menachos that seems to imply that anything other than Techeiles or Lavan on the Tzitzit pasuls the entire Tzitzis/Beged. In other words anything on the Tzitzis which is not true Techeiles would be (in my humble understanding) the same as placing Klai Ilan (which we know from Chazal as forbidden). So many may be Chosesh for this stringency.

2) Something that resurfaces after a significant Hefsek in time is considered suspect since the mesorah that deals with the issue was not used/applied in the intervening time. It’s almost a similar issue with eating turkey. Some families do eat turkey and some families do not. Why? Those families that do not eat turkey may simply have had no mesora from earlier generations to compare the simanim of kosher birds to the turkey, and apply it.

I too have observed that those who wear Techeiles seem to be more Mizrachi/Eretz Yisroel oriened whereas those that do not are Agudas Yisroel oriented.

What is also interesting to note is that Klai Ilan is mostly the vegetable dye called Indigo or 2,2′-Bis(2,3-dihydro-3-oxoindolyliden). The extract from the gastropod mollusk called Murex Trunculus is a dye (which many call Techeiles) is actually a compound containing 6,6-dibromoindigo, somewhat similar to Tyrian Purple.

Ab crunches, bicep curls, push-ups and pull-ups. Sometimes, bench-presses. I enjoy walking.

mikehall12382 — You said it. You took the words right out of my mouth.

I am quite disappointed at all this, not just this specific incident, but our behaviour collectively; the crimes that are committed, the militant behaviour, and what’s worse; all in the name of Yiddishkeit. And you think the non-Jews don’t notice all this? And HaKadosh Baruch Hu wants to answer our prayers? When we can get our act together, then maybe we will merit to see our prayers answered. What? The Navi told us (Haftorah for Shabbos Chazon) that G-d doesn’t want sacrifices from people who trample in the Temple, G-d wants us to be good to each other. There is a halakhic issue of Tznius? (Which I don’t think there is) Nevertheless, there are proper channels and mechanisms to address this issue. Not spitting, or slapping, or whatever physical action comes to mind by a few Hooligans.

Wake up — don’t we see all the tragedies from natural disasters taking place; floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, famines — literally earth shattering events. Don’t you think HaShem is sending us a message? You want to dismiss it because that’s taking place in Africa, East Asia? Don’t you think G-d wants us to do sincere repentance, improve our behaviour and change for the better?

I could go on about this, but I think the point is clear …

What aveira is there by wearing jeans? Please enlighten me.