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As much as it would be nice to win the lottery, it would probably be a curse in disguise. G-d punished the snake that he would have to eat the dust of the earth. It doesn’t seem like a punishment as there is so much dust, the snake will never go hungry. The punishment is that G-d is telling the snake, I don’t want you bothering me for parnassah, I don’t want a relationship with you, take your food and go. Winning the lottery (at least a lottery that would give you enough $$$ for the rest of your life), is kind of like that.
If I’m not mistaken, the Torah says a matzevah is assur because the Goyim do it. Rashi points out that even though Avraham Avinu did it first, since the Goyim took it up, it became Chukas Hagoyim.
Why do we eat matzah on Pesach Sheini? Even during the Beis HaMikdash there was no halachah for anyone to eat matzah on Pesach Sheini. Pesach Sheini was the day when the Korban Pesach was shechted for those who couldn’t make it the first time around. They ate the matzah that night with the Korban Pesach (on Motzei Pesach Sheini).
Torah- the common factor is simple, things that a man shouldn’t walk in between. I have no idea why and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a different reason for all three.
Kanoi- is there a difference between “making jokes about somebody keeping the Halacha (according to his Posek)” and criticizing somebody about keeping the Halacha (according to his posek)? What about those who say Hallel on Yom Haatzmaus per their poseik or join the IDF as per their poseik? Which psakim may we poke fun at and criticize, and which are off limits?
HaKatan- I understand most of the opposition to Religious Zionism but the Avodah Zarah part is beyond me. From what I understand on a very simple level (based on Wikipedia), Religous Zionism is the support of a building of a Jewish State in the Land of Israel. This is something that all of Klal Yisroel believes in, at the very least, when Moshiach comes. We all believe that after Moshiach comes we will have a Jewish State in the Land of Israel. I don’t understand how a concept is Avodah Zarah in pre-Moshiach times, but Avodas HaShem in post-Moshiach times. It’s either Avodah Zarah or it’s not.
I always understood it as a symbol of hakaras hatov. The medinah, despite its many problems, has been HKB”H’s tool to bring Jews and Torah back to Eretz Yisroel, the likes of which have not been seen since the fall of Beitar. Just like we show hakaras hatov to other countries despite their problems (like USA on July 4 and [as the Ponavitzher Rav supposedly said] Lithuania on their independence day), we should show hakras hatov to the medinah. I’m not denying the medinah has been the source of some bad, but since when are bad things that people do an excuse to not recognize and show hakaras hatov for the good things they do?
In my mind, Yom HaAtzmaus is a day where I express my hakaras hatov for all the good that He has given us through the medinah similar to the way I view July 4 as a day to express hakaras hatov for the good that He has given us through the founding of the USA. Are there bad things that have happened (and that are currently happening) because of the Medina? Of course. But that’s not a reason to ignore the good and to deny hakaras hatov to HKB”H. Some of the good being that there are probably more Jews and more Torah in Eretz Yisroel since the fall of Beitar. I don’t think everyone has to do this on Yom HaAtzmaus, I just find this day meaningful for that goal because it was the beginning of the medina, but I do think everyone should recognize the good that has come from the Medinah and express gratitude towards Hashem for its founding.
Tehila, Menucha, Shalva
The Gemara talks about metzitzah for health reasons. The Gemara also mentions bathing the baby in warm water for health reasons. Poshu pshat is there is no difference among the two, and just like we no longer bathe the baby in warm water because we don’t believe it to necessarily be healthy for the baby, we shouldn’t have to do metzitzah either if we don’t believe it’s healthy for the baby.
Some poskim however claim, that for reasons I don’t understand, metzitzah has become part and parcel of the mitzvah while bathing has not, therefore metzitzah must be done even if it no longer has known health benefits.
My question is, to the best of my knowledge, no where does the Gemara or the early rishonim say that metzizah has to be done directly with the mouth. Metzitzah just means to suction out the blood. It was done then directly with the mouth because their keilim weren’t sophisticated enough. What is the source that when the Gemara says metzitzah it must be done directly with the mouth and that the suctioning cannot be done with a tube? From the health perspective, it seems that both would accomplish the same goal, so why aren’t both valid ways of fulfilling this detail?
nanny-
I’m not saying you have to pay $500 in order to enable someone to keep Shabbos, but there are people who give hundreds of dollars of tzedakah to kiruv orginzations so that not yet frum Jews will be shomer Shabbos. Is this much different?
On that note, since you aren’t receiving more for your money with that $500 because you could fly on equally qualitative airlines for $500 cheaper, and the only reason you are spending $500 extra for El Al is to enable them to be Shomer Shabbos… can you count that as ma’aser?
Are there Achronim that resolve the contradiction? I always thought that most understood that Rambam pshuto kemashmao, that you’re not allowed to take money for Torah (which includes learning Torah, teaching Torah, being the Rav of a community). Most argue with the Rambam, saying no one become Rabbonim if that were the din, but I didn’t realize there are those who try and reinterpert the Rambam. The Rambam in Hilchos TT only says they are potur from serving in the army, it says nothing of them being supported.
The argument can be made that the reason El Al is more expensive is because they don’t fly on Shabbos. Spending the extra money on El Al might help them to retain their shomer shabbos status. If they don’t make enough money, they may consider lowering their prices and start flying on Shabbos to make up the lost revenue.
Additionally, supporting Jews is always better than supporting non-Jews (though $500 may be too steep a price for this).
Sometimes there just isn’t anything to say…
I heard that there are two ways of reading “ad delo yada.” Either it means that the chiyuv is to reach the point of ad delo yada. OR the chiyuv only exists until that point, but if you go beyond it, then it is too much. In other words, you are yotzei the chiyuv as long as you drink anywhere between more than usual and ad del yada. If you go beyond ad delo yada, then you have lost out.
To play devil’s advocate- about the oneg Shabbos issue, yes all learning is enjoyable for the Neshoma, but people like learning different areas. For someone who usually learns Chumash because that’s what they enjoy, but is “forced” to study for a Gemara test which he enjoys less… I could see that as lessening oneg Shabbos.
And hachanah- if you would be doing something else, but are only learning this because of the test, why wouldn’t that be hachanah? So, I have heard that if you are taking a nap on Shabbos because you want to stay up late, you are allowed to on Shabbos since it is inherently enjoyable, as long as you don’t say you are taking a nap for after Shabbos purposes. I guess that argument would apply to studying Torah on Shabbos.
Sheishes yamim ta’avod! Shabbos and only Shabbos is our day off!
I don’t think this is a din in tzaar baalei chaim. I don’t think you have any requirement to spend any money to save it (you just can’t cause it more harm). I also don’t think it’s bal tashchis because you’re are getting what you believe is your money’s worth.
In short, I think you should spend however much you want to spend, and if you decide it’s too expensive then you shouldn’t feel guilty.
ZK- I disagree completely! The Rambam (and I think the Gemara too) says that a person should not say I don’t want to do something that’s assur (like eat pork) but rather we should say I want to do aveiros! I have a ta’ava for pork! But what can I do? Hashem told me not to and I follow His will.
We’re not supposed to ignore that which is frustrating, we’re supposed to embrace it and say even though it’s frustrating, Ill still do it because that is the ratzon Hashem.
If a coalitions is formed, which means they have the majority, they can pass any laws they want? Does the opposition have any power at all?
YUTorah has many daily iyun shiurim on their website. R’ Schachter, R’ Sobolofsky,R’ Simon, R’ Willig, and R’ Rosensweig are some of the Roshei Yeshiva that try and put every single one of their iyun shiurim on the website daily. This year they’re doing Bava Metziah and the past few years they did Yevamos, Pesachim, Bava Basra, Gittin, and Berachos.
I’ve asked that question before and I never received an answer that satisfied me. The only thing I can think of that differentiates those 5 seforim is that they are the only seforim in Kesuvim that are read publicly on a holiday.
Derech- the same cutoff that exists for working. When a person can’t learn full time, even if he can learn part time, still it is expected of him to sacrifice learning and get a job. We don’t expect that a part time learner should be supported by the community, even if working full time means sacrificing more learning. So too, if he can’t learn full time, then he has to follow the rules of the society even if it means sacrificing more learning. It’s irrelevant what is more important. An hour of learning is more important than a full time job, but I don’t think it’s acceptable for a person not to work, be a burden on the community so he can learn that extra hour.
avhaben- I disagree with some of your points.
1. If that’s the attitude, then government funding shouldn’t be taken either. That’s like taking goods from a store but because you oppose its existence then you refuse to pay for it. If you are benefiting from the State, then you also have to pay for it whatever they charge, be it taxes and/or service. If you oppose its existence to the point that you won’t follow its rules, then you can’t take the benefits either.
2a. A desire is not enough. You also have to be willing to put in the time an effort. Many guys genuinely want to sit in Kollel, but they waste time when they shouldn’t be… either by missing sedorim or not learning as hard as they can when they are in seder. The people who should be in kollel are not necessarily the strongest learners, but those who want to be there and are willing to put in as much effort in their learning as they can for all the required amount of time.
2b. There is a concept of “yagata umatzata ta’amin, yagata velo matzata al ta’amin.” Basically translated as if a person says they put in effort (in Torah) and were successful then you should believe them, but if they say they put in effort but didn’t succeed then don’t believe them (that they put in effort). There is a havtachah that a person who puts in effort in learning will be successful (though I admit, I do not know how to define success). While it is true that even a poor learner has the right to sit in Kollel, if he doesn’t succeed in his learning, it implies that he is not trying so hard.
3. I don’t know the metzius, but assuming the medinah will expand Nachal Charedi (which I don’t know if they plan on doing that), then it should be fine. And even if it doesn’t, the army lichorah is no more pritzusdik than your average job in Israel or America. Yeshiva should prepare Benei Torah to be able to work in the real world and to overcome these challenges. If the army will turn frum draftees into chilonim, then our parents and yeshivos have failed us. Are you saying that no frum person should be allowed to work because the secular world is inherently a pritzusdik environment?
4. Even in the times of Moshe and Yeshoshua they had armies. The soldiers were the talmidei chachamim. Hashem told Gidon specifically to take the best people for the army. Learning Torah is the true protection, but not to the exclusion of derech hateva. In fact, it’s probably even better protection if the Talmidei Chachamim bring their zechusim to the battle field.
5. I don’t know if that’s true. If the government wants them to serve then that implies they need them. Maybe I’m wrong. I guess I’m still naive and believe that the secular government is not “anti-frum” they’re just not frum and I don’t believe that the government of Israel is trying to get rid of the Chareidim and Kollel.
R.T. that question exists even without the targum. A Cohen can’t remarry his divorced wife even if she didn’t marry someone in between.
I agree with the Goq. It’s like if someone stole $100 from you and then asks for forgiveness but refuses to give the money back.
zahavasdad- well according to R’ Schachter, sheidim has nothing to do with ayin hara.
R’ Schachter from YU understands the concept of ayin hara in a much more rational way. He explains based on the pesukim that talk about if someone takes advantage of a widow or an orphan and they pray to G-d, then G-d will avenge them. I think Rashi asked why is it necessary for them to pray for G-d to act with justice? Rashi explains that G-d will punish the sinner anyways, but he is quicker to respond when there is tefilah.
Based on this, R’ Schachter explains that an ayin hara is simply a tefilah that someone shouldn’t have something. For example, if a person sees someone who has a nice house and complains (even in his heart) that he doesn’t think this person deserves that house, then if he truly doesn’t deserve the house, Hashem will take it away. It could be that Hashem was going to give this person time to “earn” the house, but He is quick to respond to tefilah. However, if the person truly deserves the house, then no amount of tefilah or ayin hara can take that away from him.
Based on this, the way to get rid of an ayin hara is to do teshuvah, daven, and learn Torah.
For those who so ready to slash Rebbe’s salaries for more security, why don’t you suggest raising tuition instead? It’s okay for a Rebbe to sacrifice money for security but not the parents?
There’s also a Mincha at around shkiah at the Einstein Shul (1925 Eastchester Road, 10461)
I saw one a few weeks ago that really bothered me. A person wrote that she was reading a sports book that she thought her nephew would appreciate so she gave him a copy. She hadn’t finished the book yet, and as she continued reading she came to a story of an athlete who was in a same gender relationship. Knowing that her nephew comes from a religious family and that his parents would not approve, she felt guilty that she gave him the book. She asked if she should tell his parents about the book.
The response was that censorship is usually unacceptable. She should not feel guilty and she should not tell the parents because the child should be free to explore new ideas without interference from his parents. In fact, the ethicist writes, it’s probably a good idea to lechatchilah expose him to areas that his parents would otherwise censor and again, there is no reason to feel guilty that she accidentally exposed him to new ideas.
According to some turkey is assur year round. I think we paskin that we do not rely on simanim for the kashrus of birds, but rather we rely on Mesorah. Since turkey is not native to Europe, there was never a Mesorah for the kashrus of turkey. I guess this is similar to why many people don’t wear techeiles.
PBA- one benefit of mixed seating is if man is invited to a chasuna of a friend and his wife won’t know anyone there, or vice versa. In such a situation either the wife wouldn’t go, or she would be stuck with people she doesn’t know. If the husband would want to go with his wife to such a wedding, mixed seating would make it a lot easier for her.
I’m not sure if this has properly been addressed, but what is the halachic difference between dancing and walking? IMHO, it seems that the outer circle on the women’s side is very similar to the outer circle on the men’s side, in other words, walking around in a circle. That’s dancing? Why? Because there’s music? There’s a beat? No one is jumping up and down on the outside circle. No one is running. No one is doing wedding shtik and shaking wildly. Everyone is just walking around in a circle to music. And anything within the outer circle can’t really be seen.
What is the halachic definition of dancing that is assur for men to watch women doing?