These are my notes of the Schmuess delivered by the Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yerushalaim, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel, for Parshas Vayishlach 5760. Rav Nosson Tzvi's shloshim is this week.
First, Yaakov Avinu sent a message to Eisav: im lavan garti. Rashi has two peshatim. The first pshat is Yaakov telling Eisav that he lived as a stranger, not as an important person and Eisav should not hate him for receiving the brachos. His second pshat is while he lived with Lavan harasha, Yaakov kept all the mitzvos.
Secondly, we see Yaakov said Katonti mikol hachasadim. Rashi says his zechuyos were decreasing in number and shema nislachlachti bechait. The Ramban and Sforno say Yaakov wasn't deserving of the chasadim. The Rashbam says a third pshat. Hashem did chesed and Yaakov did not fulfill his duties to Hashem. This is really a machlokes in midrash. Rabi Abba said aini kedai, Rabi Levi said kedai, but katonti mekol hachasadim. The meforshim explain Rabi Abba like the Sforno and the Ramban, and Rabi Levi like Rashi. The pshat is that it's not a machlokes, it's just two dargos. He said I'm not fitting but if I am, maybe I used the zechuyos up and even so, maybe I'll do a chait.
Thirdly, vayei'aveik ish imo ad alos hashachar. It was vayivaser Yaakov levado - a chisaron: since he went alone, the saro shel eisav attacked him. From here we learn it is asur for a talmid chacham to go somewhere alone at night.
The midrash says just like it says venisgav Hashem levado, also by Yaakov - vayivaser Yaakov levado. The Midrash brings down levado is one of the middos of Hashem. So levado is a ma'aleh in Yaakov, not a chisaron. What is the ma'aleh of levado, and ho does one reach it?
From the three things we mentioned, Yaakov reached vayei'aveik ish imo. I'm not saying pshat, but to reach each of the three dargos lies in a Mishnah in Avos 1:14. Im ain ani li mi li uchshe'ani le'atzmi ma ani ve'im lo achshav masai.
Im lo achshav aimasai. As it says in Chazal, one shouldn't say I'll learn when I have time because maybe he won't have time. Don't push it off as it says if you leave it, it will leave you. If you push it off one day it will turn into two days. Im lav garti was Yaakov's first taina - the entire time he was oseik betorah umitzvos.
Keshe'ani le'atzmi ma ani. I think one pshat is - I know there are several peshatim - a person succeeded. But if he thinks he will pat himself on the back and think he did it himself, he is missing middos tovos and is a ba'al ga'ava. Keshe'ani le'atzmi a ani - if you think you did it all yourself, ma ani - what's it worth? You must have middos- anava, chessed - all the middos tovos. How do you reach this? Only by learning Mussur. As the Gaon says it's the hardest thing in life is to break a middah ra'ah. Besides taryag midos shamarti, you need good middos. Without them you can't succeed. If a person doesn't know how to treat his friend, his roommate, his chavrusa, his family, he is lacking in his Torah. Im ain ani li mi li. Baruch Hashem, in our gashmiyosdike world, a person can have everything he wants. Today luxury has become neccesity. But a person can have gashmiyos also. You can have chavrusos, sefarim, what's missing? Im ain ani li mi li. One can have everything, but if he doesn't work onhimself, mi li? Who will think of him if he doesn't think of himself? How does a person get to levado? Ameilus - im brchukosai teileichu - ameilus batorah. This week's parsha teaches us exactly what a shiv is all about. Taryag mitzvos shamarti, middos tovos (katonti mikol hachasadim), and ameilus batorah (levado). If a person doesn't work on himself and doesn't rely on anyone else to feed him,if t to grow in learning or middos tovos, become a gadol batorah, have
When is the matziv of levado? Why does the Torah say here that Yaakov reached the darga of levado? The pshat is simple. First it says vayomer lo ma shimech vayomar Yaakov. Vayomer lo Yaakov yai'omair od shimcha ki im Yisrael. First his name was Yaakov - Veyaakveini zeh paamayim, and after this fight with saro shel Eisav he was zoche to be named Yisrael. He reached a higher level. To reach this higher level of Yisrael, he had to reach the darga of levado. What is the name Yaakov? Veyaakveini zeh pa'amayim. Because of his desire for shleimus, he fooled Yitzchak and received the berachos. It's a maaleh that he did it to become shaleim. Because of this desire to become shaleim, he was zoche to the name Yisrael.
How does a person reach levado? He must have a desire to be shaleim, to be a complete person in all respects - Torah and mitzvos, yiras Shamayim and middos tovos. If a person's desire is to be partial, halevai he will get up to being partial. If he wan to get complete, he can be complete. It doesn't have to do with brains or how smart you are or how quick you are - it's only dependant on your desire.
Klal Yisrael needs gedolim and shleimim that are shaleim in all his avodas haBorei. If a bachur strives for shleimus, he will get there. And that's all dependant on im ani li mi li: if he has a small goal, maybe he will reach it. If he has a bigger go , he can reach it, but you need ameilus.
In this lies another nekudah. Sometimes one feels all alone; he feels lost. It could be it's the opposite - Hashem gives him a test to see if he can pass that test. That's one of the dargos of levado - that he can pass the tests. He doesn't need any help. If he does it alone, he can be zoche to become Yisrael. How does he do that? His desires. Hashem should help the zechus of ain ani li mi li that we should all be zoche to taryag mitzvos shamarti, katonti mikol hachasadim and lo Yaakov yai'omair od imcha ki im Yisrael.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Child Abuse - Chicago Program
On Sunday, Nefesh Chicago, the Jewish Board of Advocates for Children and the Decalogue Society sponsored an event about child sexual abuse entitled "If You Know Something, Say Something."
Harry Maryles summarized the event. (Note - I see he updated it since I read it, it was accurate before, and I don't know what he changed.)
Here are sources that Rabbi Schwartz quoted. From Nishmas Avraham, volume 3:
Harry Maryles summarized the event. (Note - I see he updated it since I read it, it was accurate before, and I don't know what he changed.)
Here are sources that Rabbi Schwartz quoted. From Nishmas Avraham, volume 3:
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Parshas Vayeira and Jerry Sandusky
WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT. DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.
On every radio station this week, discussions were about the heinous crimes allegedly committed by former Penn State assistant football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The timing of the release of the grand jury report fits in perfectly with this week's Parsha. Chazal were ever prescient when they said that the events of the week are related to that week's Parsha. The scary part, however, is the need to be vigilant and supervise our venues and children to do everything in our power to make sure that events like this do not happen even within our own communities. This week's parsha tells us that, as well.
Take two stories: visitors arrive in a city, the entire city converges at the front door of the host's home and demands the visitors with whom they want to perform evil acts. The host offers to placate the mob by presenting his daughters for their amusement, but the mob refuses and remain insistent. The visitors, who are really angels in disguise, strike the mob blind and escape.
In another city, a man with his concubine were out of town, seeking lodging but finding none. After dark, a man takes them in. But neighbors demand the visitors for their amusement, and they are given the concubine, who returns to the doorstep near dawn, still alive, though barely. When she died soon thereafter, the man sent a graphic version of the story around the country which led to a bloody civil war.
The first story is the story of the angels visiting Lot in Sodom, in this week's parsha. The second story is from Shoftim, the book of Judges, chapters 19-20, and is the incident known as Pilegesh B'Giva. Looking at them side by side, my head burst: how is it possible for Jews in shevet Binyamin to act in an almost identical manner to the residents of Sodom, one of the most evil groups of people in the history of mankind? It is mind-boggling how Jews acted so similarly to the people of Sodom. Ramban mentions a few differences (in Sodom the entire city showed up and in Giva only some of the city; in Sodom they were homosexuals and in Giva they were not; and the entire culture of Sodom was anti-guest so as to not share what they had with anyone else, but such a culture did not exist in Giva), but it is still hard to digest.
About the residents of Sodom not allowing visitors because they did not want to share the beauty and riches of their hometown with others, one opinion in the Mishna in Pirkei Avos says "one whose attitude is 'what is mine - is mine, and what is yours - is yours' - this is the trait of Sodom," because of an unwillingness to share their bounty with others. Unfortunately, the evildoers of today are not identifiable by this trait. Instead, they take a personal interest in underprivileged youth, or kids from broken homes, and shower them with attention and gifts. Others say "what a great guy he is," but he does it to gain the trust of an innocent, unsuspecting youth, and, Heaven forbid, performs atrocities on these children, and lo aleinu, scar them for life.
This is the pattern that happened to Pinny Taub.
How can it happen? Sefer Chasidim says: : מנהג היהודים, הטובים שבהם כמנהג הגויים שבתוכם הם
יושבים. This did not apply to the people of Givah. But still it happened. We in our own time are certainly not immune to these same issues, Hashem Yerachem.
Friday is Veterans Day. One reason Veterans Day is observed on November 11th is because November 10th is the birthday of the Marine Corps. Marines are unique among the armed forces because while soldiers and sailors are such while in uniform, out of uniform they are regular people. Marines, however, whether not in uniform while still in the service or even when retired, are always Marines. There is a code of dress that Marines keep for life that distinguishes them as a Marine, and there is always a special comeradarie between any two Marines, even if they had never met before. In that regard, religious Jews are like Marines. We dress differently that everyone else. If we see another Yid while travelling, a certain connection immediately springs up. When people see us, they say to themselves, "those are Jews over there," and they hold us to a higher standard, just as seeing two guys who stand straight and are dressed neatly are identifiable as Marines.
The end of the first stanza of the Marine's Hymn - a hymn, not just a song - states:
First to fight for right and freedom / And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title / Of United States Marines.
At Penn State, there are many who have not kept their honor clean. In Jewish communities, there are, unfortunately, those who have not kept their honor clean. But the issue isn't only that they did not fight to keep their honor clean, it is that by not treating the issue with the full seriousness it deserves, more innocent children were harmed. More than that, some are even proud of their not becoming involved! The GA, McQueary, was horrified by what he saw and told his father, but apparently did not call the police. I even heard a former Penn State football player wonder - on the radio - if this GA's appointment as a coach the next season was a payoff to buy his silence. But the bottome line is, when confronted with scenarios like this, Hashem Yerachem, you have to contact the authorities who have procedures and experience in dealing with these issues. Telling well-intentioned but inexperienced people is not enough.
Public Service Announcement (for those in Chicago)
The second annual "Jewish Week for the Prevention of Child Abuse" presents the author of "Hush", whose topic is "If You Know Something, Say Something", Sunday, November 20, 2:00 pm, at KINS, 2800 North Shore. CEUs available. Sponsors: Nefesh Chicago and JBAC.
On every radio station this week, discussions were about the heinous crimes allegedly committed by former Penn State assistant football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The timing of the release of the grand jury report fits in perfectly with this week's Parsha. Chazal were ever prescient when they said that the events of the week are related to that week's Parsha. The scary part, however, is the need to be vigilant and supervise our venues and children to do everything in our power to make sure that events like this do not happen even within our own communities. This week's parsha tells us that, as well.
Take two stories: visitors arrive in a city, the entire city converges at the front door of the host's home and demands the visitors with whom they want to perform evil acts. The host offers to placate the mob by presenting his daughters for their amusement, but the mob refuses and remain insistent. The visitors, who are really angels in disguise, strike the mob blind and escape.
In another city, a man with his concubine were out of town, seeking lodging but finding none. After dark, a man takes them in. But neighbors demand the visitors for their amusement, and they are given the concubine, who returns to the doorstep near dawn, still alive, though barely. When she died soon thereafter, the man sent a graphic version of the story around the country which led to a bloody civil war.
The first story is the story of the angels visiting Lot in Sodom, in this week's parsha. The second story is from Shoftim, the book of Judges, chapters 19-20, and is the incident known as Pilegesh B'Giva. Looking at them side by side, my head burst: how is it possible for Jews in shevet Binyamin to act in an almost identical manner to the residents of Sodom, one of the most evil groups of people in the history of mankind? It is mind-boggling how Jews acted so similarly to the people of Sodom. Ramban mentions a few differences (in Sodom the entire city showed up and in Giva only some of the city; in Sodom they were homosexuals and in Giva they were not; and the entire culture of Sodom was anti-guest so as to not share what they had with anyone else, but such a culture did not exist in Giva), but it is still hard to digest.
About the residents of Sodom not allowing visitors because they did not want to share the beauty and riches of their hometown with others, one opinion in the Mishna in Pirkei Avos says "one whose attitude is 'what is mine - is mine, and what is yours - is yours' - this is the trait of Sodom," because of an unwillingness to share their bounty with others. Unfortunately, the evildoers of today are not identifiable by this trait. Instead, they take a personal interest in underprivileged youth, or kids from broken homes, and shower them with attention and gifts. Others say "what a great guy he is," but he does it to gain the trust of an innocent, unsuspecting youth, and, Heaven forbid, performs atrocities on these children, and lo aleinu, scar them for life.
This is the pattern that happened to Pinny Taub.
How can it happen? Sefer Chasidim says: : מנהג היהודים, הטובים שבהם כמנהג הגויים שבתוכם הם
יושבים. This did not apply to the people of Givah. But still it happened. We in our own time are certainly not immune to these same issues, Hashem Yerachem.
Friday is Veterans Day. One reason Veterans Day is observed on November 11th is because November 10th is the birthday of the Marine Corps. Marines are unique among the armed forces because while soldiers and sailors are such while in uniform, out of uniform they are regular people. Marines, however, whether not in uniform while still in the service or even when retired, are always Marines. There is a code of dress that Marines keep for life that distinguishes them as a Marine, and there is always a special comeradarie between any two Marines, even if they had never met before. In that regard, religious Jews are like Marines. We dress differently that everyone else. If we see another Yid while travelling, a certain connection immediately springs up. When people see us, they say to themselves, "those are Jews over there," and they hold us to a higher standard, just as seeing two guys who stand straight and are dressed neatly are identifiable as Marines.
The end of the first stanza of the Marine's Hymn - a hymn, not just a song - states:
First to fight for right and freedom / And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title / Of United States Marines.
At Penn State, there are many who have not kept their honor clean. In Jewish communities, there are, unfortunately, those who have not kept their honor clean. But the issue isn't only that they did not fight to keep their honor clean, it is that by not treating the issue with the full seriousness it deserves, more innocent children were harmed. More than that, some are even proud of their not becoming involved! The GA, McQueary, was horrified by what he saw and told his father, but apparently did not call the police. I even heard a former Penn State football player wonder - on the radio - if this GA's appointment as a coach the next season was a payoff to buy his silence. But the bottome line is, when confronted with scenarios like this, Hashem Yerachem, you have to contact the authorities who have procedures and experience in dealing with these issues. Telling well-intentioned but inexperienced people is not enough.
Public Service Announcement (for those in Chicago)
The second annual "Jewish Week for the Prevention of Child Abuse" presents the author of "Hush", whose topic is "If You Know Something, Say Something", Sunday, November 20, 2:00 pm, at KINS, 2800 North Shore. CEUs available. Sponsors: Nefesh Chicago and JBAC.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Negotiating for Prisoners
תלמוד בבלי מסכת גיטין דף מה עמוד א מתני'. אין פודין את השבויין יתר על כדי דמיהן, מפני תיקון העולם; ואין מבריחין את השבויין, מפני תיקון העולם; רשב"ג אומר: מפני תקנת השבויין. גמ'. איבעיא להו: האי מפני תיקון העולם - משום דוחקא דצבורא הוא, או דילמא משום דלא לגרבו ולייתו טפי? ת"ש: דלוי בר דרגא פרקא לברתיה בתליסר אלפי דינרי זהב. אמר אביי: ומאן לימא לן דברצון חכמים עבד? דילמא שלא ברצון חכמים עבד.
תוספות מסכת גיטין דף מה עמוד א דלא ליגרבו ולייתו - והא דתניא בפ' נערה (כתובות נב.) נשבית והיו מבקשין ממנה עד עשרה בדמיה פעם ראשון פודה שאני אשתו דהויא כגופו יותר מבתו דהכא ועל עצמו לא תיקנו שלא יתן כל אשר לו בעד נפשו ור' יהושע בן חנניא דפרקיה לההוא תינוק בממון הרבה בהניזקין (לקמן דף נח.) לפי שהיה מופלג בחכמה אי נמי בשעת חורבן הבית לא שייך דלא ליגרבו.
ר"ן על הרי"ף מסכת גיטין דף כג עמוד א או דילמא דלא ליגרו בהו ולייתו טפי. כלומר כדי שלא ימסרו עובדי כוכבים נפשם עליהם לגנוב מהם הרבה מפני שמוכרין אותם ביוקר ונפקא מינה אם יש לו אב עשיר או קרוב שרוצה לפדותו בדמים הרבה ולא יטילהו על הצבור. ואמרינן. תא שמע דלוי בר דרגא פרקא לברתיה בתריסר אלפי דינרי. אלמא דמתני' משום דוחקא דצבורא הוא ודחי אביי מאן נימא לן דברצון חכמים עבד דילמא שלא ברצון חכמים עבד הילכך בעיין הכא לא איפשיטא וי"א דאפ"ה מיפשטא מדתניא בפ' נערה שנתפתתה (דף נב א) נשבית והיו מבקשין ממנה עד עשרה בדמיה פעם ראשונה פודה מכאן ואילך רצה פודה רצה אינו פודה רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר אין פודין את השבויין יותר על כדי דמיהן מפני תקון העולם אלמא לרבן שמעון בן גמליאל אע"ג דליכא דוחקא דצבורא כי התם דבעל חייב לפדותה אין פודין כי היכי דלא ניגרי בהו ופסק שם הרי"ף ז"ל כרשב"ג ונראה שפסק כן משום דסתם מתני' דהכא כותיה וליכא למימר דת"ק דהתם נמי מודה כסתמא דמתני' אלא דאיהו ורשב"ג בטעמא דתקנתא פליגי דת"ק סבר דמשום דוחקא דצבורא הוא ומשום הכי אמר דפעם ראשונה פודה אפי' עד עשרה בדמיה כיון דליכא הכא דוחקא דצבורא דהא בעל חייב לפדותה ורשב"ג סבר דמשום דלא ניגרי בהו הוא. דלא משמע הכי דמתניתין דהכא ודרשב"ג בחד לישנא מיתנו ומדטעמיה דרשב"ג כי היכי דלא ניגרו בהו משמע דטעמא דמתני' נמי משום הכי הוא ות"ק דהתם לית ליה מתני' כלל הילכך בעיין מיפשטא מההיא אע"ג דלא איפשטא הכא ואשכחן דכוותיה בעיא דלא מיפשטא בדוכתא ומיפשטא מדוכתא אחריתי דלעיל בגמ' [דף מב ב] איבעיא לן (מחוסר) [מעוכב] גט שחרור אם אוכל בתרומה אי לא ובמס' כריתות בפרק המביא אשם תלוי (דף כד ב) אסיקנא דרשב"ג סבר דאוכל בתרומה ומשמע התם דהלכתא כותיה וכ"נ דעת הרמב"ם ז"ל שכתב בפ"ח מהלכות מתנות עניים אין פודין את השבויין ביותר על דמיהן מפני תקון העולם שלא יהיו האויבים רודפין אחריהם לשבותן וכי תימא אם כן תקשי לן ההיא דאמרינן לקמן בפ' הניזקין (דף נח א) דר' יהושע פדה לאותו תינוק בממון הרבה יש לומר דמפני שהכיר בו שהוא תלמיד ותיק עשה כן שתלמיד חכם אין לנו כיוצא בו ולא חיישינן לפדיונו כלל אלא פודין אותו בכל מה שיכולין לפדותו וקודם לפדות למלך ישראל כדאיתא בהוריות (דף יג א) ול"נ דבעיין מהתם לא מפשטא דכיון דחיישי' לדוחקא דצבורא כ"ש דאיכא למיחש לדוחקא דבעל שלא לחייבו בתקנת חכמים לפדותה יותר מכדי דמיה ואם איתא דהוה מיפשטא מההיא ברייתא הוה להו בגמ' לאיתויי הכא. אבל נראה שדעת הראשונים ז"ל היה דכיון דלא מיפשטא ואיכא למיחש לתקלה אין פודין דשב ואל תעשה שאני ועוד דכיון דבגמ' פשט לה מההיא דלוי בר דרגא לא שבקינן פשטין דתלמודא משום ספיקא דאביי דאמר מאן לימא לן:
This Ran leads to an interesting discussion about where there is a baya dlio ifshita in one place and there is a maskana in another place. For example this Milchamos that Rabi Akiva Eiger cites: מלחמת ה' מסכת ברכות דף יב עמוד א ואל תתמה שיש כיוצא בזה בתלמוד בעיות שלא נפשטו במקומן ובמקום אחר מתברר עיקרן שתים מהן בפרק השולח דאבעיא להו אין פודין את השבויים יתר על כדי דמיהן מאי טעמא אי משום דוחקא דציבורא אי משום דלא נגרי בהו ולא אפשוט בדוכתא ואפשיט מההיא דתניא במסכת כתובות נשבית והיו מבקשין ממנה עד עשרה בדמיה וכו' וכן כתבו הגאונים שם ואחרת באותו הפרק מעוכב גט שחרור אוכל בתרומה או לא ולא אפשיטא כלל ובמסכת כריתות אמרו קסבר מעוכב גט שחרור אוכל ועוד בפרק החובל ביישו ישן ומת מהו ולא איפשיטא ובפ' אלו הן הנחנקין אמר רב ששת ביישו ישן ומת פטור וכך היא גרסתו של רבינו שלמה שם ובפרק אין בין המודר אבעיא להו כהני שלוחי דידן הוו או שלוחי דרחמנא הוו ולא אפשיטא ובמסכת קדושין ובמקומות אחרים אמר רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע הני כהני שלוחי דרחמנא נינהו ולא אפשיטא מינה בדוכתא ובגמ' עצמה בפ"ק דערכין דמי ראשי לגבי מזבח מהו נדון בכבודו תיקו והתם אתמר בשמעתא דלעיל והא מבעי מבעיא לך כי אבעיא ליה מקמי דשמעית להא מתניתא השתא דשמעית להא מתניתא לא אבעיא לי וכיוצא באלה סתומות ומפורשות רבות במקומות אחרים כ"ש בכאן שאין פשטא של בעיא זו אלא מסוגיות השמועות ודברי תורה עניים במקומם ועשירים במקום אחר: But that is slightly off topic.
תוספות מסכת גיטין דף נח עמוד א כל ממון שפוסקין עליו - כי איכא סכנת נפשות פודין שבויין יותר על כדי דמיהן כדאמרינן בפרק השולח (לעיל דף מד. /מז./) גבי מוכר עצמו ואת בניו לעובדי כוכבים כ"ש הכא דאיכא קטלא אי נמי משום דמופלג בחכמה היה.
Shulchan Aruch does not mention the heter to redeem the captive when the captive's life is in danger. שולחן ערוך יורה דעה הלכות צדקה סימן רנב סעיף ד ד אין פודין השבויים (ד) יותר (ה) מכדי דמיהם, מפני תיקון העולם, ה ו] שלא יהיו האויבים מוסרים עצמם עליהם לשבותם. ז] אבל אדם יכול לפדות את עצמו בכל מה שירצה. ח] וכן לת"ח, או אפילו אינו ת"ח אלא שהוא תלמיד חריף ואפשר שיהיה אדם גדול, פודים אותו בדמים מרובים. (ואם אשתו כאחר דמי או לא, עיין בטור אבן העזר סי' ע"ח
One may ask on this, what if the captive's life is in danger, but the danger is less than during the seizure? What I mean is that a soldier is in sakana, see
מנחת חינוך מצוה תכה ונוהג מצוה זו בכל איש ישראלי הן אנשים ונשים כמבואר בש"ס דמלחמות מצוה אפי' כלה מחופתה וכו' וכתב הרהמ"ח ועובר ע"ז ובא לידו ויכול להורגו מבלי שיסתכן בדבר וכו' וצ"ע נהי דכל המצות נדחים מפני הסכנה מ"מ מצוה זו דהתורה ציותה ללחום עמהם וידוע דהתורה לא תסמוך דיני' על הנס כמבואר ברמב"ן ובדרך העולם נהרגים משני הצדדים בעת מלחמה א"כ חזינן דהתורה גזרה ללחום עמהם אף דהוא סכנה. א"כ דחוי' סכנה במקום הזה ומצוה להרוג אותו אף שיסתכן וצ"ע:
As a prisoner of war, he is in much less imminent danger. True, being held by a group of terrorist that do not adhere to the Geneva convention (I think Israel never signed it either but they respect international law) may still be big sakana, v'tzarich iyun. Also, we think of "dmeihem" as money. Barter for goods, in place of money, would probably be the same din. In fact, Ben Hecht in his book "Perfidy" says that Hitler yemach shemo offered to trade the lives of a million [Romaninan] Jews for trucks, soap, tea and coffee (but no one met his offer, maybe no one even considered it). Goods would most probably be the same as money. But is there an allowance for an exchange of "prisoners" or people? What if you are exchanging murderers with blood on their hands?
There are many cheshbonos to make and it is very difficult. Vehu rachum yechaper avon velo yashchis.
Rabbi J. David Bleich in Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Volume 1:
תוספות מסכת גיטין דף מה עמוד א דלא ליגרבו ולייתו - והא דתניא בפ' נערה (כתובות נב.) נשבית והיו מבקשין ממנה עד עשרה בדמיה פעם ראשון פודה שאני אשתו דהויא כגופו יותר מבתו דהכא ועל עצמו לא תיקנו שלא יתן כל אשר לו בעד נפשו ור' יהושע בן חנניא דפרקיה לההוא תינוק בממון הרבה בהניזקין (לקמן דף נח.) לפי שהיה מופלג בחכמה אי נמי בשעת חורבן הבית לא שייך דלא ליגרבו.
ר"ן על הרי"ף מסכת גיטין דף כג עמוד א או דילמא דלא ליגרו בהו ולייתו טפי. כלומר כדי שלא ימסרו עובדי כוכבים נפשם עליהם לגנוב מהם הרבה מפני שמוכרין אותם ביוקר ונפקא מינה אם יש לו אב עשיר או קרוב שרוצה לפדותו בדמים הרבה ולא יטילהו על הצבור. ואמרינן. תא שמע דלוי בר דרגא פרקא לברתיה בתריסר אלפי דינרי. אלמא דמתני' משום דוחקא דצבורא הוא ודחי אביי מאן נימא לן דברצון חכמים עבד דילמא שלא ברצון חכמים עבד הילכך בעיין הכא לא איפשיטא וי"א דאפ"ה מיפשטא מדתניא בפ' נערה שנתפתתה (דף נב א) נשבית והיו מבקשין ממנה עד עשרה בדמיה פעם ראשונה פודה מכאן ואילך רצה פודה רצה אינו פודה רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר אין פודין את השבויין יותר על כדי דמיהן מפני תקון העולם אלמא לרבן שמעון בן גמליאל אע"ג דליכא דוחקא דצבורא כי התם דבעל חייב לפדותה אין פודין כי היכי דלא ניגרי בהו ופסק שם הרי"ף ז"ל כרשב"ג ונראה שפסק כן משום דסתם מתני' דהכא כותיה וליכא למימר דת"ק דהתם נמי מודה כסתמא דמתני' אלא דאיהו ורשב"ג בטעמא דתקנתא פליגי דת"ק סבר דמשום דוחקא דצבורא הוא ומשום הכי אמר דפעם ראשונה פודה אפי' עד עשרה בדמיה כיון דליכא הכא דוחקא דצבורא דהא בעל חייב לפדותה ורשב"ג סבר דמשום דלא ניגרי בהו הוא. דלא משמע הכי דמתניתין דהכא ודרשב"ג בחד לישנא מיתנו ומדטעמיה דרשב"ג כי היכי דלא ניגרו בהו משמע דטעמא דמתני' נמי משום הכי הוא ות"ק דהתם לית ליה מתני' כלל הילכך בעיין מיפשטא מההיא אע"ג דלא איפשטא הכא ואשכחן דכוותיה בעיא דלא מיפשטא בדוכתא ומיפשטא מדוכתא אחריתי דלעיל בגמ' [דף מב ב] איבעיא לן (מחוסר) [מעוכב] גט שחרור אם אוכל בתרומה אי לא ובמס' כריתות בפרק המביא אשם תלוי (דף כד ב) אסיקנא דרשב"ג סבר דאוכל בתרומה ומשמע התם דהלכתא כותיה וכ"נ דעת הרמב"ם ז"ל שכתב בפ"ח מהלכות מתנות עניים אין פודין את השבויין ביותר על דמיהן מפני תקון העולם שלא יהיו האויבים רודפין אחריהם לשבותן וכי תימא אם כן תקשי לן ההיא דאמרינן לקמן בפ' הניזקין (דף נח א) דר' יהושע פדה לאותו תינוק בממון הרבה יש לומר דמפני שהכיר בו שהוא תלמיד ותיק עשה כן שתלמיד חכם אין לנו כיוצא בו ולא חיישינן לפדיונו כלל אלא פודין אותו בכל מה שיכולין לפדותו וקודם לפדות למלך ישראל כדאיתא בהוריות (דף יג א) ול"נ דבעיין מהתם לא מפשטא דכיון דחיישי' לדוחקא דצבורא כ"ש דאיכא למיחש לדוחקא דבעל שלא לחייבו בתקנת חכמים לפדותה יותר מכדי דמיה ואם איתא דהוה מיפשטא מההיא ברייתא הוה להו בגמ' לאיתויי הכא. אבל נראה שדעת הראשונים ז"ל היה דכיון דלא מיפשטא ואיכא למיחש לתקלה אין פודין דשב ואל תעשה שאני ועוד דכיון דבגמ' פשט לה מההיא דלוי בר דרגא לא שבקינן פשטין דתלמודא משום ספיקא דאביי דאמר מאן לימא לן:
This Ran leads to an interesting discussion about where there is a baya dlio ifshita in one place and there is a maskana in another place. For example this Milchamos that Rabi Akiva Eiger cites: מלחמת ה' מסכת ברכות דף יב עמוד א ואל תתמה שיש כיוצא בזה בתלמוד בעיות שלא נפשטו במקומן ובמקום אחר מתברר עיקרן שתים מהן בפרק השולח דאבעיא להו אין פודין את השבויים יתר על כדי דמיהן מאי טעמא אי משום דוחקא דציבורא אי משום דלא נגרי בהו ולא אפשוט בדוכתא ואפשיט מההיא דתניא במסכת כתובות נשבית והיו מבקשין ממנה עד עשרה בדמיה וכו' וכן כתבו הגאונים שם ואחרת באותו הפרק מעוכב גט שחרור אוכל בתרומה או לא ולא אפשיטא כלל ובמסכת כריתות אמרו קסבר מעוכב גט שחרור אוכל ועוד בפרק החובל ביישו ישן ומת מהו ולא איפשיטא ובפ' אלו הן הנחנקין אמר רב ששת ביישו ישן ומת פטור וכך היא גרסתו של רבינו שלמה שם ובפרק אין בין המודר אבעיא להו כהני שלוחי דידן הוו או שלוחי דרחמנא הוו ולא אפשיטא ובמסכת קדושין ובמקומות אחרים אמר רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע הני כהני שלוחי דרחמנא נינהו ולא אפשיטא מינה בדוכתא ובגמ' עצמה בפ"ק דערכין דמי ראשי לגבי מזבח מהו נדון בכבודו תיקו והתם אתמר בשמעתא דלעיל והא מבעי מבעיא לך כי אבעיא ליה מקמי דשמעית להא מתניתא השתא דשמעית להא מתניתא לא אבעיא לי וכיוצא באלה סתומות ומפורשות רבות במקומות אחרים כ"ש בכאן שאין פשטא של בעיא זו אלא מסוגיות השמועות ודברי תורה עניים במקומם ועשירים במקום אחר: But that is slightly off topic.
תוספות מסכת גיטין דף נח עמוד א כל ממון שפוסקין עליו - כי איכא סכנת נפשות פודין שבויין יותר על כדי דמיהן כדאמרינן בפרק השולח (לעיל דף מד. /מז./) גבי מוכר עצמו ואת בניו לעובדי כוכבים כ"ש הכא דאיכא קטלא אי נמי משום דמופלג בחכמה היה.
Shulchan Aruch does not mention the heter to redeem the captive when the captive's life is in danger. שולחן ערוך יורה דעה הלכות צדקה סימן רנב סעיף ד ד אין פודין השבויים (ד) יותר (ה) מכדי דמיהם, מפני תיקון העולם, ה ו] שלא יהיו האויבים מוסרים עצמם עליהם לשבותם. ז] אבל אדם יכול לפדות את עצמו בכל מה שירצה. ח] וכן לת"ח, או אפילו אינו ת"ח אלא שהוא תלמיד חריף ואפשר שיהיה אדם גדול, פודים אותו בדמים מרובים. (ואם אשתו כאחר דמי או לא, עיין בטור אבן העזר סי' ע"ח
One may ask on this, what if the captive's life is in danger, but the danger is less than during the seizure? What I mean is that a soldier is in sakana, see
מנחת חינוך מצוה תכה ונוהג מצוה זו בכל איש ישראלי הן אנשים ונשים כמבואר בש"ס דמלחמות מצוה אפי' כלה מחופתה וכו' וכתב הרהמ"ח ועובר ע"ז ובא לידו ויכול להורגו מבלי שיסתכן בדבר וכו' וצ"ע נהי דכל המצות נדחים מפני הסכנה מ"מ מצוה זו דהתורה ציותה ללחום עמהם וידוע דהתורה לא תסמוך דיני' על הנס כמבואר ברמב"ן ובדרך העולם נהרגים משני הצדדים בעת מלחמה א"כ חזינן דהתורה גזרה ללחום עמהם אף דהוא סכנה. א"כ דחוי' סכנה במקום הזה ומצוה להרוג אותו אף שיסתכן וצ"ע:
As a prisoner of war, he is in much less imminent danger. True, being held by a group of terrorist that do not adhere to the Geneva convention (I think Israel never signed it either but they respect international law) may still be big sakana, v'tzarich iyun. Also, we think of "dmeihem" as money. Barter for goods, in place of money, would probably be the same din. In fact, Ben Hecht in his book "Perfidy" says that Hitler yemach shemo offered to trade the lives of a million [Romaninan] Jews for trucks, soap, tea and coffee (but no one met his offer, maybe no one even considered it). Goods would most probably be the same as money. But is there an allowance for an exchange of "prisoners" or people? What if you are exchanging murderers with blood on their hands?
There are many cheshbonos to make and it is very difficult. Vehu rachum yechaper avon velo yashchis.
Rabbi J. David Bleich in Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Volume 1:
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Rav Ahron Soloveichik's 10th Yahrzeit
In Memory of my Rebbi, Hagaon Harav Ahron Halevi Soloveichik zt"l on today, his tenth yahrzeit.
In a teaching that he gave many times, including at the hesped for his mother, Rav Ahron explained the midrash which says that Iyov did not find comfort after all the trials that he suffered until G-d showed him a sukkah. What was so special about the sukkah that it eased Iyov’s mind, after all of the lengthy addresses of his friends failed to do so? Rav Ahron explained that a sukkah is halachically valid even if it has only two complete walls and a fraction of a third wall. The halacha provides for the use of our imagination to create virtual walls. Imaginary walls, said Rav Ahron, can be as real as actual walls, just as imaginary numbers in mathematics are as valid as real numbers. Iyov realized that despite the loss of his children, he could imagine them and in that way their void was not as noticeable.
Below is a brief biographical sketch of Rav Ahron I was asked to write for a magazine. They decided not to publish it, so I present it here, and I reiterate, it is very brief.
Rav Ahron Halevi Soloveichik Article Revised
In a teaching that he gave many times, including at the hesped for his mother, Rav Ahron explained the midrash which says that Iyov did not find comfort after all the trials that he suffered until G-d showed him a sukkah. What was so special about the sukkah that it eased Iyov’s mind, after all of the lengthy addresses of his friends failed to do so? Rav Ahron explained that a sukkah is halachically valid even if it has only two complete walls and a fraction of a third wall. The halacha provides for the use of our imagination to create virtual walls. Imaginary walls, said Rav Ahron, can be as real as actual walls, just as imaginary numbers in mathematics are as valid as real numbers. Iyov realized that despite the loss of his children, he could imagine them and in that way their void was not as noticeable.
With the petirah of our rebbi, his students felt a tremendous void. How can we go on without being able to ask Rebbe our shailos? How should we act, without the cogent advice he readily and patiently bestowed to us? The answer is that the Sukkah still has four walls. Rav Ahron imbued all of his talmidim with kochos and a connection to the mesorah of Brisk. By reviewing the shiurim we heard from him, and by recalling the many inspirational acts of chesed he did, he is still with us. May his memory be a blessing.
Below is a brief biographical sketch of Rav Ahron I was asked to write for a magazine. They decided not to publish it, so I present it here, and I reiterate, it is very brief.
Rav Ahron Halevi Soloveichik Article Revised
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Re Hesped for HaRav Rivkin
I have a recording of the hespedim of Rav Rivkin zt"l but there quality is not high enough to post. I listened and was able to hear everything but it was in controlled conditions with high volume. So I apologize that although it was my intent to post the hespedim, I will not because the sound quality is not good enough.
UPDATE: The Young Israel of St. Louis posted the hespedim here.
UPDATE: The Young Israel of St. Louis posted the hespedim here.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Baruch Dayan HaEmes
After Shabbos Shuva, Harav Sholom Rivkin, Chief Rabbi of St. Louis, MO, passed away after a lengthy illness.
UPDATE (10:30 am) The levaya will take place at 4715 McPherson Ave, St. Louis, today at 5:00 pm.
more UPDATE (1:45 pm) The levaya has been changed and will take place at 8:30 pm at the Young Israel. May the entire community show proper Kavod Hatorah and may their doing so be a zechus for them during these Aseres Yemai Teshuva.
UPDATE (10:30 am) The levaya will take place at 4715 McPherson Ave, St. Louis, today at 5:00 pm.
more UPDATE (1:45 pm) The levaya has been changed and will take place at 8:30 pm at the Young Israel. May the entire community show proper Kavod Hatorah and may their doing so be a zechus for them during these Aseres Yemai Teshuva.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Levels of Znus according to R' Saadia
ibn Ezra Shemos 20:14
Rav Saadia Gaon said that znus has many levels.
The most lenient is with an unamrried woman or widow,
and the level above that is a man with his wife while she is a nida, for after a few days she will be permitted to him.
Above that is with a married woman; if her husband would die she would be permitted to him.
Above that is a non-Jew who is not [a follower of] the Torah...If she would convert, ti would be permitted.
Above that is mishkav zachar which is never permitted.
Above that is extra-species, like man with a beast.
Rav Saadia Gaon said that znus has many levels.
The most lenient is with an unamrried woman or widow,
and the level above that is a man with his wife while she is a nida, for after a few days she will be permitted to him.
Above that is with a married woman; if her husband would die she would be permitted to him.
Above that is a non-Jew who is not [a follower of] the Torah...If she would convert, ti would be permitted.
Above that is mishkav zachar which is never permitted.
Above that is extra-species, like man with a beast.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Is Nida Yehareg v'al Yaavor?
In Parshas Emor we read "venikdashti besoch bnei yisrael," the mitzvah of kiddush Hashem. See Yesodei Hatorah Ch 5. If one would be forced to be boel a nida would one be required to forfeit his life, or may he be boel her? Nida is a chiyuv kares but it is different that other chiyuvei kareis, because kiddushin are not tofsin in chiyuvei kares except nida.
Shulchan Aruch E"H 195 and Shach ibid. 9 sayone would be required to forfeit his life. This is also the opinion of the Ritva (in the name of the Ra'ah), Pesachim 25a s.v. Ki Asa Ravin.
However, the following authorities say one is not required to forfeit his life and can be boel the nida:
Shu"t Pnei Yehishua II 44 (based on Rashi in Sanhedrin perek Ben Sorer)
Tosfos Sanhedrin 37 s.v. Hatorah
Gemara Temurah 29b
Sefer HaChinuch 296 (yehareg v'al yaavor is only for arayos if there is no tefisas kiddushin)
Rambam Igeres Kiddush Hashem (he says "bishas hashmad livol nida," implying nida is only a problem bishas hashmad.
Some sources that discuss this:
Encyclopedia Talmudis Vol. 22 columns 72 and 83
Perach Mateh Ahron, Mada p. 26
Od Yisrael Yosef Bni Chai siman 22
Shulchan Aruch E"H 195 and Shach ibid. 9 sayone would be required to forfeit his life. This is also the opinion of the Ritva (in the name of the Ra'ah), Pesachim 25a s.v. Ki Asa Ravin.
However, the following authorities say one is not required to forfeit his life and can be boel the nida:
Shu"t Pnei Yehishua II 44 (based on Rashi in Sanhedrin perek Ben Sorer)
Tosfos Sanhedrin 37 s.v. Hatorah
Gemara Temurah 29b
Sefer HaChinuch 296 (yehareg v'al yaavor is only for arayos if there is no tefisas kiddushin)
Rambam Igeres Kiddush Hashem (he says "bishas hashmad livol nida," implying nida is only a problem bishas hashmad.
Some sources that discuss this:
Encyclopedia Talmudis Vol. 22 columns 72 and 83
Perach Mateh Ahron, Mada p. 26
Od Yisrael Yosef Bni Chai siman 22
Friday, April 22, 2011
Living in the Present: Yahrzeit of Rav Yoshe Ber
Chol Hamoed Pesach is the yahrzeit of the Gaon Rav Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik. zt"l, my rebbie's oldest brother. I remember in 1993 the hesped which we heard at the old Brisk building on Peterson from a phone hookup from Boston (that is on the yutorah website; I think it is a tape from Chicago because I'm pretty sure I know the voice telling someone where to sit during the tehillim before the hesped). I never saw Brisk so packed.
The characteristic of the Rav I have been thinking about recently is his ability to put everything aside and focus on the Gemara in front of him right now. There is a famous story how he asked a question in Shiur, a talmid gave an answer, and the Rav said it was a terrible answer. "But the Rav gave that answer in Shiur yesterday!" said the talmid. I heard 2 versions of what happened next; perhaps they happened on different occasions. One is "That is no excuse for a bad answer." The other way I heard it was that the Rav replied "I'm not interested in what the Rav said yesterday." Rav Yoshe Ber was able to forget (he probably didn't, but pretended he did) his previous explanations and learned the sugya as if he never saw it before. He really fulfilled "Tamid yihyu b'einacha chadashos," and he captured the excitement of Aharon Hakohen who lit the menora every day as if it was his first time doing that mitzvah. (L'havdil, some call this process of having this open mind about an issue beginner's mind.)
The Rav wrote in Halakhic Man that when someone makes a chiddush, he becomes a partner with Hakadosh Baruch hu in maaseh Breishis. There is no living as when you reach this level. L'havdil, last week in the WSJ golfer Greg Norman described what it felt like when he was performing at his peak: "When everything is in sync, you feel like you're gliding through space. Things happen in slow motion. The wind feels different, the light is different, your eyesight is more acute. Each blade of grass seems to pop out. You've pushed yourself to the very maximum of your finely tuned ability to play. That's why you're leading the tournament." You see everything in super-clarity; it is hard to describe. But it is just as true in the world of ideas when learning Torah as it is for sports figure playing his sport.
Yet some might question this because the Rav described that when he gave shiur , the Rambam entered the room, thew Raavad entered the room. Rabbeinu Hakadosh was in the room; Abaye and Rava were in the room. The Rashba and Ramban were in the room, and Rav Chayim was in the room. You may ask, that is closed mindedness, you are thinking about other things? But that is precisely what the focus and open-mindedness is. It was taking the Torah from the baalei hamesorah and understanding it. Instead of, for example, saying shiur in front of a mirror and thinking, this is what shiur is - it's about my brilliance in explaining it, he did the opposite, the only true way to give shiur: as a process of the mesorah. Moshe Kibeil Torah misinai umasrah liYehoshua, v'Yehoshua l'Neviim etc. This is the Torah we received by Moshe Rabbeinu. It went through the Chachmei Hamesorah, through Rabbeinu Hakadosh, up to and including Ravina and Rav Ashi. And then the Rishonim explained the Torah Shebal Peh of the Gemara, and all we are doing is understanding what they said, which is really what the Amora'im said.
In succeeding at that, the Mesorah came alive. Yaakov lo mes. When we learn the mesorah not when trying to shoehorn a great thought we had about it into it, but by trying to find the simple peshat of what the amoraim and rishonim were saying, and making ourselves small in comparison to them, that is the only time we actually are great. When our perspective is proper, we can achieve great heights. Rav Yoshe Ber became a shutaf with Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
Rav Yoshe Ber lo mes. As Rav Ahron said at the hesped, do not give up to the keys of the great edifices [of Torah] Rav Yoshe Ber built. If we remember this need to keep an open mind- a simple idea but extremely difficult in practice - we can acheive great heights. To only say over his peshatim is very good, but he didn't only teach us Torah, he taught us how to learn Torah. To really learn Torah is an experience unlike any other; it is fusing together the great Shalsheles Hakabalah. And when we do this, using the keys Rav Yoshe Ber gave us, we are not living in the past; not in Washington Heights in 1975, not in Brisk, not in Vilna; not in Alexandria, Spain, Aragon or Provence; not in Sura and Pumpedisa; not in Yavneh or Usha or Tzipori, not even in the Lishkas Hagazis. We are back at Har Sinai. And Har Sinai wasn't something that happened 3300 years ago. It is still happening. If only we have the focus and concentration to realize it. L'havdil we are like a radio who need the proper antenna to receive those waves. When we fuse ourselves with the chachmei hamesorah, as Rav Yoshe Ber did, we are truly living in the present.
The characteristic of the Rav I have been thinking about recently is his ability to put everything aside and focus on the Gemara in front of him right now. There is a famous story how he asked a question in Shiur, a talmid gave an answer, and the Rav said it was a terrible answer. "But the Rav gave that answer in Shiur yesterday!" said the talmid. I heard 2 versions of what happened next; perhaps they happened on different occasions. One is "That is no excuse for a bad answer." The other way I heard it was that the Rav replied "I'm not interested in what the Rav said yesterday." Rav Yoshe Ber was able to forget (he probably didn't, but pretended he did) his previous explanations and learned the sugya as if he never saw it before. He really fulfilled "Tamid yihyu b'einacha chadashos," and he captured the excitement of Aharon Hakohen who lit the menora every day as if it was his first time doing that mitzvah. (L'havdil, some call this process of having this open mind about an issue beginner's mind.)
The Rav wrote in Halakhic Man that when someone makes a chiddush, he becomes a partner with Hakadosh Baruch hu in maaseh Breishis. There is no living as when you reach this level. L'havdil, last week in the WSJ golfer Greg Norman described what it felt like when he was performing at his peak: "When everything is in sync, you feel like you're gliding through space. Things happen in slow motion. The wind feels different, the light is different, your eyesight is more acute. Each blade of grass seems to pop out. You've pushed yourself to the very maximum of your finely tuned ability to play. That's why you're leading the tournament." You see everything in super-clarity; it is hard to describe. But it is just as true in the world of ideas when learning Torah as it is for sports figure playing his sport.
Yet some might question this because the Rav described that when he gave shiur , the Rambam entered the room, thew Raavad entered the room. Rabbeinu Hakadosh was in the room; Abaye and Rava were in the room. The Rashba and Ramban were in the room, and Rav Chayim was in the room. You may ask, that is closed mindedness, you are thinking about other things? But that is precisely what the focus and open-mindedness is. It was taking the Torah from the baalei hamesorah and understanding it. Instead of, for example, saying shiur in front of a mirror and thinking, this is what shiur is - it's about my brilliance in explaining it, he did the opposite, the only true way to give shiur: as a process of the mesorah. Moshe Kibeil Torah misinai umasrah liYehoshua, v'Yehoshua l'Neviim etc. This is the Torah we received by Moshe Rabbeinu. It went through the Chachmei Hamesorah, through Rabbeinu Hakadosh, up to and including Ravina and Rav Ashi. And then the Rishonim explained the Torah Shebal Peh of the Gemara, and all we are doing is understanding what they said, which is really what the Amora'im said.
In succeeding at that, the Mesorah came alive. Yaakov lo mes. When we learn the mesorah not when trying to shoehorn a great thought we had about it into it, but by trying to find the simple peshat of what the amoraim and rishonim were saying, and making ourselves small in comparison to them, that is the only time we actually are great. When our perspective is proper, we can achieve great heights. Rav Yoshe Ber became a shutaf with Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
Rav Yoshe Ber lo mes. As Rav Ahron said at the hesped, do not give up to the keys of the great edifices [of Torah] Rav Yoshe Ber built. If we remember this need to keep an open mind- a simple idea but extremely difficult in practice - we can acheive great heights. To only say over his peshatim is very good, but he didn't only teach us Torah, he taught us how to learn Torah. To really learn Torah is an experience unlike any other; it is fusing together the great Shalsheles Hakabalah. And when we do this, using the keys Rav Yoshe Ber gave us, we are not living in the past; not in Washington Heights in 1975, not in Brisk, not in Vilna; not in Alexandria, Spain, Aragon or Provence; not in Sura and Pumpedisa; not in Yavneh or Usha or Tzipori, not even in the Lishkas Hagazis. We are back at Har Sinai. And Har Sinai wasn't something that happened 3300 years ago. It is still happening. If only we have the focus and concentration to realize it. L'havdil we are like a radio who need the proper antenna to receive those waves. When we fuse ourselves with the chachmei hamesorah, as Rav Yoshe Ber did, we are truly living in the present.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Double Ring Ceremonies
If you Google "Prince William Ring" you will see that Prince William will not wear a wedding ring after his marriage. For example, see this ABC story.
Rav Moshe Feinstein has a teshuva about 2-ring ceremonies in Igros Moshe Even Ha'ezer III 18. (See here for a copy of the teshuva.) Briefly, he says that either it's chukas ha'akum, and if it's not, it's asur because you're changing things and it will lead c"v to forgetting halachos.
I am not aware if Rav Moshe discussed if a man may wear a wedding ring if it was not given at the ceremony. My feeling is that it's not asur. In certain situations it would probably be beneficial for a man to wear a wedding ring, depending the types of people he interacts with. For example, a man in kollel probably has no reason to wear one. If a man is married and spends a lot of time on a college campus - whether as a student or teacher - I think it would be a good idea to wear one (though there is absolutely no obligation to do so).
Once I'm mentioning an Igros Moshe, I saw a teshuva over shabbos that really got my attention: YD III 91: he didn't want someone to translate part of his Teshuvos into English.
This is undated and was written to his grandson R' Shabsi [Rappaport]. I suspect, but have absolutely no specific facts, that this was in regard to a particular book. Why do I say this? Because Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler published a book of Rav Moshe's Teshuvos in English. Also, he wrote a Teshuva (OC IV 74) on common questions in Hilchos Shabbos to Rabbi Shimon Eider, which were probably included in Rabbi Eider's English book on Hilchos Shabbos which have a haskama from Rav Moshe (and he did publish the teshuvos in Hebrew in the back). There are probably many other examples like this. That's why I assume he was writing about a particular book.
Rav Moshe Feinstein has a teshuva about 2-ring ceremonies in Igros Moshe Even Ha'ezer III 18. (See here for a copy of the teshuva.) Briefly, he says that either it's chukas ha'akum, and if it's not, it's asur because you're changing things and it will lead c"v to forgetting halachos.
I am not aware if Rav Moshe discussed if a man may wear a wedding ring if it was not given at the ceremony. My feeling is that it's not asur. In certain situations it would probably be beneficial for a man to wear a wedding ring, depending the types of people he interacts with. For example, a man in kollel probably has no reason to wear one. If a man is married and spends a lot of time on a college campus - whether as a student or teacher - I think it would be a good idea to wear one (though there is absolutely no obligation to do so).
Once I'm mentioning an Igros Moshe, I saw a teshuva over shabbos that really got my attention: YD III 91: he didn't want someone to translate part of his Teshuvos into English.
This is undated and was written to his grandson R' Shabsi [Rappaport]. I suspect, but have absolutely no specific facts, that this was in regard to a particular book. Why do I say this? Because Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler published a book of Rav Moshe's Teshuvos in English. Also, he wrote a Teshuva (OC IV 74) on common questions in Hilchos Shabbos to Rabbi Shimon Eider, which were probably included in Rabbi Eider's English book on Hilchos Shabbos which have a haskama from Rav Moshe (and he did publish the teshuvos in Hebrew in the back). There are probably many other examples like this. That's why I assume he was writing about a particular book.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
In the News...Mamzer
Shades of the Langer case? Details are very sketchy. Link Here. Notice they call it mamzerah and not mamzeres. I guess that's modern Hebrew for you.
בית דין רבני ביטל אשה ממעמד של ממזרה
צעירה מבאר שבע שנולדה כתוצאה מרומן בין גבר נשוי לגיסתו עתרה לבית הדין הרבני כדי שזה יבטל את הקביעה שהיא ממזרה
שמעון איפרגן | 8/3/2011 13:33 
בית הדין הרבני בבאר שבע החליט להתיר אשה שהוגדרה כממזרה כדי שהיא תוכל להינשא כדת משה וישראל. תחילת הפרשה לפני 22 שנה - תושבת דרום הארץ נישאה לבחיר ליבה ויחד איתם, בדריתם הקטנה גרה אחותה הקטנה של האשה שסייעה להם בעבודות הבית.
בשלב מסוים פרח רומן בין הבעל לבין גיסתו והיא נכנסה להיריון, אלא שהיא סיפרה לכולם כי האב של א', הילדה שנולדה לה, הוא פועל ערבי שאותו היא הכירה באקראי. כאשר א' גדלה ורצתה להינשא היא הגיעה למועצה הדתית על מנת להירשם לנישואין. לתדהמתה התברר לה שהיא מוגדרת
כממזרה שלא יכולה לבוא בקהל ישראל. הצעירה פנתה באמצעות הטוען הרבני הרב יוסף חיים-כהן לבית הדין הרבני בבאר שבע בתביעה לקבל היתר נשואין.
הרב כהן הציג בפני הדיינים פסקי הלכה רבים ומורכבים במיוחד אשר במיקרים מסויימים מתירים לבחורה כמו מרשתו להנשא ולבטל את ממזרותה. הדיינים התלבטו ולבסוף ברוב של שניים נגד אחד החליטו לקבוע שא' איננה ממזרה ולאפשר לה להינשא כהלכה לבחיר ליבה.
בשלב מסוים פרח רומן בין הבעל לבין גיסתו והיא נכנסה להיריון, אלא שהיא סיפרה לכולם כי האב של א', הילדה שנולדה לה, הוא פועל ערבי שאותו היא הכירה באקראי. כאשר א' גדלה ורצתה להינשא היא הגיעה למועצה הדתית על מנת להירשם לנישואין. לתדהמתה התברר לה שהיא מוגדרת
כממזרה שלא יכולה לבוא בקהל ישראל. הצעירה פנתה באמצעות הטוען הרבני הרב יוסף חיים-כהן לבית הדין הרבני בבאר שבע בתביעה לקבל היתר נשואין.
הרב כהן הציג בפני הדיינים פסקי הלכה רבים ומורכבים במיוחד אשר במיקרים מסויימים מתירים לבחורה כמו מרשתו להנשא ולבטל את ממזרותה. הדיינים התלבטו ולבסוף ברוב של שניים נגד אחד החליטו לקבוע שא' איננה ממזרה ולאפשר לה להינשא כהלכה לבחיר ליבה.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
