Volume 11 Number 76
Produced: Fri Feb 11 9:17:25 1994
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Contraception Halachot
[Louis Finkelstein]
Daniyyel
[Stephen Phillips]
Eating before davenen (or davening)
[Percy Mett]
Halakhic Takanot and reasoning for them
[Rabbi Freundel]
Mental Disability
[Rabbi Freundel]
Mental Illness
[Joseph Mosseri]
OSNAT
[Harry Weiss]
Rabbinic Decrees
[Andy Goldfinger]
Shul Behavior
[A.M.Goldstein]
Using Software from Nachrim.
[Michael Chaim Katzenelson]
Yeasher Koach
[Lawrence J. Teitelman ]
Zomet is on line
[Moshe Goldberg]
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From: <louisf@...> (Louis Finkelstein)
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 13:46:51 -0600
Subject: Contraception Halachot
In response to Daniel Epstein's request for halachic sources on
contraception - there is also an article in Medicine and Jewish Law,
Volume I, edited by Fred Rosner, M.D., entitled "Contraception and
Abortion" written by Rabbi Moshe D. Tendler, Ph. D. The volume can
be ordered from
Jason Aronson Inc.
230 Livingston Street
Northvale, NJ 07647
You can also check Assia: The Journal of Halacha and Medicine,
Rabbi Mordechai Halperin, editor.
Louis Finkelstein
<louisf@...>
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From: Stephen Phillips <stephenp@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 13:14:56 -0500
Subject: Re: Daniyyel
> From: Daniel A. Yolkut <yolkut@...>
> I am about to begin a havruta studying Sefer Daniyyel. However, this is
> unfortunatey no Da'at Miqra on Daniyyel. If anyone has had experience
> learning Daniyyel and can recommend Mefarshim, a derekh to take, basic
> points, questions to look at, etc. I would appreciate it
Artscroll have published Sefer Daniel. It's useful if only for the
translation, as much of the Sefer is in Aramaic.
Stephen Phillips.
<stephenp@...>
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From: <P.Mett@...> (Percy Mett)
Date: Fri, 11 Feb 94 03:40:19 -0500
Subject: Eating before davenen (or davening)
Zev Sero <zev@...> writes; (Vol 11 # 63)
> The Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch ruled in such a case that `it is better
> to eat in order to daven than to daven in order to eat' (`besser essen
> tzulib davnen, eider davnen tzulib essen'). Source: Hayom Yom
> Here is one major 19th century posek who agreed with Ezra. This ruling
> doesn't appear in his teshuvot, so it's not in the halachic sources that
> people would ordinarily consult.
Of course you won't find this in the tshuvos - it was never issued as a
psak. The context concerns his daughter who when ill insisted on not
eating before shacharis. Her doctor instructed her to eat not later than
7 am (or some such time) - meaning that she should not start her day on
an empty stomach. Her reaction was to get up an hour earlier for
shachris to be finished by 7. When the Tzemach Tzedek z.ts.l. heard this
he remarked as quoted above.
Perets Mett
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From: <dialectic@...> (Rabbi Freundel)
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 11:39:03 EST
Subject: Re: Halakhic Takanot and reasoning for them
per Aryeh Frimer's request:
Halacha ve'en Morin Kain, Afkinah Rabbanan Kedushin Minei, and most Rabbinic
Takanot
regards from Bensonhurst
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From: <dialectic@...> (Rabbi Freundel)
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 11:38:26 EST
Subject: Re: Mental Disability
M. Epstein asks about Mental Disability
J. D. Bliech has a good article on the subject in Contemporary Halachik
Problems.
Basically the definition changes from case. For testimony it is a broad
definition so as to exclude all who are possibly unfit. For divorce it
is narrow so that people can get a divorce who need it. R. Moshe
permitted a man who claimed he was mashiach and climbed trees naked to
perform a get, arguing that his "creative" dress reflected his return to
a Garden of Eden state. This showed enough comprehension to allow the
Get.
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From: <JMOSSERI@...> (Joseph Mosseri)
Date: Tue, 08 Feb 1994 23:04:15 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Mental Illness
This is in response to the requset by Matthew B. Epstein.
I'm also interested in Jewish law & mental illness and you're right the
topic of mental illness never sits well among Jews.
To date the only thing I've come across on this subject is a book entitled
"Medicine and Jewish Law, volume 2" in it there are two articles dealing
with psychiatric issues. One by Nora Smith, M.D. and one by Rabbi Moshe D.
Tendler, Ph.D.
I hope this helps you out, and if anyone can point out any other sources in
Hebrew or in English it would be most appreciated.
Joseph Mosseri
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From: <harry.weiss@...> (Harry Weiss)
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 09:02:27
Subject: OSNAT
Michael Shimshoni questions the opinion of Osnat being Dinah's daughter
fathered by Shem and wanted the sources. The opinion that Osnat was
Dinah's daughter holds that she was fathered by Shcem as a result of the
rape and not Shem. In the Mikraot Gedolot in Parshat Miketz where she
Osnat is first mentioned the Da'at Ziknei Baal Hatosophot brings down
that opinion. (They refer to a Rashi in Beshalach. I took a quick look
last night, but did not find that Rashi.)
Regarding Yaakov's approval it says there that she went to Egypt
miraculously wearing an Amulet that Yaakov gave her around her neck.
When Yosef got his appointment all of the women in Egypt were interested
in him and threw him jewelry. Osnat only had the amulet which she threw
Yosef. When Yosef saw that this amulet came from Yaakov he married her.
Harry
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From: Andy Goldfinger <andy_goldfinger@...>
Date: 9 Feb 1994 10:47:58 U
Subject: Rabbinic Decrees
Robert Tannenbaum has given some examples of cases in which rabbis
declared something "not Kosher" because of non-kashrus related reasons.
I think we have to be careful here. I was in Boston during the
late 1960's and it is true that the Va'ad HaRabbanim of Massachusetts
(The "VH") declared grapes and lettuce to be non-kosher during the
migrant worker strikes. But -- there are many reputable Poskim who
criticized the VH for doing this. In Baltimore, the Star-K does not
accept the hasgacha of the VH. (As with all kashrus questions, one's
LOR should be consulted as to the reliability of an organization).
With regard to other matters, I believe (I hope someone will check
me on this) that the Rebbanim in a city have the right according to
halacha to forbid the eating of fish on Shabbos, a right that is can be
exercised in cases in which the price of fish has become exhorbitant.
But -- in so doing, I believe that the Rabbanim declare it ossur
(forbidden) to eat fish, not that the fish are un-kosher. In a similar
manner, in Baltimore a few years ago, almost all the Rabbanim signed a
decree stating that if a Jew from Baltimore spent more than $42 for an
esrog, he did not fulfill the mitzvah of esrog. (I hope I remember the
dollar figure correctly). That year, all esrogim cost $42 and the
prices have been much lower than New York ever since. The Rabbanim did
not declare the higer priced esrogim to be non-kosher or invalid.
Instead, they essentially made a gezeira-like prohibition.
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From: A.M.Goldstein <MZIESOL@...>
Date: Wed, 09 Feb 94 13:39:07 IST
Subject: Shul Behavior
I find Aryeh Blaut's query on children in shul mystifying. My minyan is
known as Minyan Tzaddikim, partly because no talking is condoned. As one
woman told my wife, "I have four children. The first two I could take to
shul and they sat still. The second two could not be quiet, so I stopped
taking them." No quiet--no shul. Plain and simple. At any age (of child).
They could of course go out during the Rabbi's sermon to let off steam.
Admittedly when adults talk, they cease to be role models. Tell your kid,
"Doas I do (not talk), not as those others do. They disturb. I'll not
allow you to disturb the dahvening, so come and be quiet or don't come."
Fortunately my son was quiet. Not all his friends were, and usually they
stayed outside and played. To this day, they tend to go to a later minyan
where talking is not so condemned. My son is with me. Our minyan is not
talk free, but we make an effort at it. It needs cooperation and firmness.
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From: nelson%<bnlmcn.dnet@...> (Michael Chaim Katzenelson)
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 94 14:44:19 -0500
Subject: Using Software from Nachrim.
A psak was given by a reputable Rabbi that it is not permitted
to rent a house from a nazirite organization. Presumably the
issue is that we expect that the money would go to support the
avoda-zorah. It seems straightforward that it would also be
forbidden to purchase software from such an organization.
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From: Lawrence J. Teitelman <csljt@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 11:35:15 EST
Subject: Yeasher Koach
Rav Efrayim Zalman Margaliyot in his _Mateh Efrayim_ (compendium on the laws
pertaining to Elul and Tishrei, 592:11) cites a practice to greet the shaliach
tzibbur, tokea`, kohanim, etc. with "asher koach". He notes that others say
"yeasher koach" and explains that while the former is in the second person, the
latter is in the third person which signifies an added measure of respect.
Larry Teitelman
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From: <vamosh@...> (Moshe Goldberg)
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 94 05:51:54 -0500
Subject: Zomet is on line
ZOMET, the world-famous research institute dedicated to facing challenges
posed by modern society to Halacha, is now on line at jerusalem1. We will be
happy to respond to questions and suggestions related to the interface between
technology and Halacha. Send mail to our address:
<zomet@...>
In addition, ZOMET has recently taken on the task of publishing SHABBAT
B'SHABBATO. This is a weekly that contains topical articles related to current
events in Israel and to the weekly parsha, which is distributed free of charge
in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is published under the auspices of
Mafdal, the National Religious Party. Selected parts of the weekly will be
translated into English and sent out as a list at the jerusalem1 listserver.
To subscribe, send a message to: <listserv@...>, with a
blank subject line and the message:
sub shabbat-zomet <first name> <last name>
ZOMET can also be contacted by phone or FAX:
Phone: +972 - 2 - 931442
FAX: +972 - 2 - 931889
Attention: Ezra Rosenfeld
For those not familiar with ZOMET, here is a brief summary of our activities:
In a high-technology world, where scientific developments and mechanical
advances often seem to be at odds with Halacha, ZOMET stands at the
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ZOMET's staff of rabbis, engineers, research scientists, technicians and
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ZOMET's varied activities include:
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Harnessing technology to resolve Halachic problems in contemporary society.
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End of Volume 11 Issue 76