Volume 25 Number 24
Produced: Sun Nov 24 12:56:40 1996
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
A portion TO the World to Come
[Mois Navon]
Avelim and the Proper Order
[Arie Weiss]
Etrogim
[Menashe Elyashiv]
G-d and foreknowledge
[Jacob Lewis]
Gender Relations and Creation
[Eliezer C Abrahamson]
Gender Relations and Switched Coats
[Daniel Eidensohn]
God's Abilities: Tenach vs Philosophy
[Gilad J. Gevaryahu]
Leshono Habo'oh
[David Herskovic]
Minhag Avotanu
[Menashe Elyashiv]
Trup Trivia
[Ira Y Rabin]
Wells in Parshat Toldot
[Gary A Coleman]
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From: <mnavon@...> (Mois Navon)
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 9:45:12 +0200
Subject: A portion TO the World to Come
Yeshaya Halevi proposes, from the language of the pasuk: "All Israel has
a share in the World to Come", that everyone has SOME portion even if
they lose part of their portion due to iniquity. This is certainly NOT
the reading in the Nefesh HaHayim, wherein Rav Hayim MiVolozhin states
explicitly on the verse "Kol Yisrael Yesh Lahem Helek LE'olam Haba" -
LE'olam Haba NOT BE'olam haba! (i.e. "TO" the world to come NOT "IN"
the world to come). He explains this grammatical nuance to imply that
everyone has the capacity to earn for themselves a helek, but it is by
no means one's birth right to automatically receive a helek IN the world
to come.
Mois Navon
Jerusalem.
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From: Arie Weiss <aliw@...>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:10:44 +0000
Subject: Avelim and the Proper Order
Larry Haber asks about avelim and the proper order.
Beur Halacha explains the "order of succession", i'm actually checking
my facts in Rabbi Goldberg's MOURNING IN HALACHA.
A mourner during shiva takes precedence over a mourner during
shloshim, who in turn takes precedence over everyone else EXCEPT one
who is during shiva.
Mourners during the year are basically equal, while a yarzeit
observer takes precedence over a mourner in his twelve months.
If two mourners are at the same level of obligation, but one is a
local resident and the other is a guest, the local takes precedence
unless it is the guest's first day in the community.
This, I gather, is the point irritating Mr. Haber. But put yourself
in the visitor's place: perhaps far from home, perhaps the only way
to get himself noticed and invited for a kosher meal?
certainly not chutzpa.
A final word:
Rabbi Goldberg brings the Ner LeEliyahu, that quarelling over the
right to daven for the amud causes a chillul HASHEM, the opposite of
the effect trying to be created.
And the mourners can split the davening, too, till ashrei and uva
letzion, and from there to the end, thereby making room for more.
Arie Weiss
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From: Menashe Elyashiv <elyashm@...>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 17:07:36 +0200 (WET)
Subject: Etrogim
Be aware of perfect etrogim, they may be murkavim! This year the Sefaradi
Hechsher marketed yemanite etrogim and beside their large size (mine
weighted 1 kilo!) they were kosher lemahdrin.
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From: Jacob Lewis <jlewis@...>
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 13:32:57 CDT
Subject: G-d and foreknowledge
I think one essential question in regards to the debate over whether
G-d knows all or not is, "Does it matter?" Essentially at issue is
whether or not G-d's all-knowingness denies us freewill. The
question, I think, is moot. From our prospectives, we have free will.
We can decide TO do a mitzvah, commit a crime, eat lunch, or NOT to do
a mitzvah, commit a crime, eat lunch. Does G-d know our decision
before we do? It matters not; all that really matters is that we try
to do what we know to be right in the eyes of our G-d. Whether G-d
knows before or after, we should still act the same way.
B'shalom,
Jacob Lewis
<JLewis@...>
<Krukshank@...>
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From: <abrahamson@...> (Eliezer C Abrahamson)
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 13:34:40 EST
Subject: Gender Relations and Creation
>From: Adina and Carl Sherer <sherer@...>
>Michael and Abby Pitkowsky write:
>> Recently there was a request
>> for El Al to provide flights with only male attendants and no female
>> stewardesses. While I am all for satisfying the customer, is this
>> really required by halacha? There are numerous prohibitions in the
>> Shulhan Aruch which have been interpretted away by most of the religious
>> world such as that against women teaching young children because of
>> their fathers who would come to pick them up and single men, divorced
>> men and widowers from teaching children because of their mothers who
>> would come to pick them up (Even HaEzer 22:20).
>
>Actually I don't think this has been quite as "interpreted away" as
>you make it out to be. At most of the cheders in Yerushalayim, the
>boys have male teachers from the age of three for precisely this
>reason.
In addition, in most schools nowadays the parents don't enter the
classroom to get there child (if they even go to the school to get their
child in the first place instead of relying on the school bus).
Therefore, I'm unsure as to whether this is an issue at all today. With
regard to the El Al issue however, there is no real question that it
would be *better* for men to be served by male attendants though this is
probably not a problem halachically.
Lazer
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From: Daniel Eidensohn <yadmoshe@...>
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 10:09:57 -0800
Subject: Gender Relations and Switched Coats
> From: Adina and Carl Sherer <sherer@...>
> Actually I don't think this has been quite as "interpreted away" as
> you make it out to be. At most of the cheders in Yerushalayim, the
> boys have male teachers from the age of three for precisely this
> reason.
Reb Moshe has a tshuva dealing with this issue Yoreh Deah III
#73 page 322.
> From: <Jsph26@...> (Yussie Englander)
> Date: Sun, 17 Nov 1996 00:59:56 -0500
> Subject: Switched Coats
>
> Chaim: It is kind of funny that you asked this question. On Friday
> nights i coordiante/go to a shiur in my shul that is given on the
> teshuvos of Rav Moshe Feinstein. My Rabbi, who gives the lecture,
> haapened to pick a teshuva from Rav Moshe that contained this
> question. The Teshuva is contained in Chailek Ches of the set of Igros
> Moshe, this is the Chailek put out by Rav Moshe's Grandson. In the
> teshuva, I believ Rav Moshe writes, that if you know for a fact that the
> owner of the coat that is left is the one that took your coat, then it
> is permissible to "borrow" his coat until the two of you can exchange
> coats. I will look up the exact place of the teshuva, and if necessary
> correct myself if i am mistaken on the information i just gave you.
Reb Moshe's tshuva is found in the 8th volume Orech Chaim IV #9.7 & 9.8
found on page 15.
For those who have my index to the Igros Moshe - the Yad Moshe:
I am presently finishing my index of this 8th volume which will be
published as a separate volume to bring the Yad Moshe Index up to date.
It should be available shortly after Chanuka. A complete revision will
depend upon the schedule of the publication of the 9th volume. Any
suggestions or corrections would be greatly appreciated. my e-mail is
<yadmoshe@...>
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From: <Gevaryahu@...> (Gilad J. Gevaryahu)
Date: Sun, 17 Nov 1996 11:12:10 -0500
Subject: God's Abilities: Tenach vs Philosophy
[My apologies, it appears that I sent out Russell's response to this
without sending this out. Mod.]
My friend Russell Jay Hendel (MJ 25#17) suggests to solve the question of
"Can God be suprised?" by proving his point from a pasuk:
>I was surprised (no pun intended) that people dealt with this issue from
>a PHILOSOPHICAL point of view.
>Why not look up the answer in traditional sources (the first approach to
>any question!)
>It says explicitly in the Bible
>...when it will be surprising in the eyes of this nation(the redemption)
> also in My eyes (God speaking!) will it be surprising"
>Thus we see explicitly that God can be surprised!
The only problem with his approach is that the pasuk (Zacharia 8:6) does
not say it. Russell is forcing the word surprise into this pasuk. To the
best of my knowledge the word in Hebrew "yipale" has not been translated
to mean "surprise" by any Jewish or non-Jewish translation.
I looked at several translations and noticed that they translate the
word "yipale" as "marvellous" [JPS 1917; King James; New Int'l Version
1981] "seem impossible or wonderfull" [Oxford 1971, LXX, JPS 1978,
American Bible Soc. 1976] and even the Targum uses the root k-r-h
"happend" for it.
Therefore, this pasuk does not suggest that God can be surprised.
Gilad J. Gevaryahu
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From: David Herskovic <100114.750@...>
Date: 14 Nov 96 21:43:25 EST
Subject: Leshono Habo'oh
I take exception to the interpretation of Leshonoh Habo Beyeryshalayim
as a pledge and hence makes the majority of Jews saying it, liars. I for
one have absolutely no intention of pledging anything of the sort when
uttering it.
It is and always was a hope and a prayer which has and will be said by
all yearning Jews -inside and outside Jerusalem- until the coming of
Moshiach.
David Herskovic
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From: Menashe Elyashiv <elyashm@...>
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 08:17:41 +0200 (WET)
Subject: Minhag Avotanu
True, minhag avotanu beyadanu, however it appears that minhag hamakom
overrides this rule. The reason for not putting on Teffilin on H.H. in
Eretz Israel is because the three main groups of the original settlers of
Eretz Israel in the last generations did not put on Teffilin. The
Sefaradim (at least from the time of the Shulhan Aruch and the
Kabbalah),the Talmidai HaBeshet (Hassidim) and the Talmidai HaGra
("Perushim"),and that set the custom here. The machloket on Teffilin on
H.H. probably goes way back to the Tannaim! In any case this is minhag
haaretz.
Menashe Elyashiv Bar Ilan U. Lib. of Jewish Studies
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From: <irabin@...> (Ira Y Rabin)
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 1996 20:40:03 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Trup Trivia
This is in response to the "trup Trivia" questions. 1) the longest pasuk
that I can recall that doesn't have an esnachta is in the 3rd aliya of
Va'eschanan. "mayaroayr asher al sfas nachal arnon ve'ad har sion hu
chermon." 11 words. I'm not 100% sure this is the longest but it
certainly is a candidate. 2) There are no "regular" (ie not including a
pasuk b'emtza pasuk etc..) pesukim which have more than one esnachta. 3)
the shortest pasuk in the torah is in vayigash "u'vnae dan chushim." While
there are many 3 word p'sukim in the torah, this pasuk has the least
number of letters, which I guess would be the next "tiebreaker." Since
someone started trup trivia, what are the only two notes (not including
rare notes like a shalsheles or yerech ben yomo) that never appear AFTER
an esnachta?
Ira Rabin
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From: Gary A Coleman <gcoleman+@pitt.edu>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 01:47:24 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Wells in Parshat Toldot
Just a quick thought that might be applicable to our day. When
at the end of Shlish, Yitzchak's servents dig three wells, on the first
two they have arguments with the shepards on the first two, but on the
third well dug there was no argument. As Chapter 26 verse 22 says, they
called the third well "Rechovot" because Gd made room for all of us and
we can be fruitful.
If we understand the idea of "Maaseh Avot Simon L'Banim", our
forefathers actions are a sign to us, does this action mean that after
fighting over Israel, we will finally realize that there is enough room
there both for Jews and Palestenians and when we realize that we both
shall prosper?
I do not propose where the borders should be, just that we will
be living side by side and need to develop appropriately. If anyone
else has an interpretation of these verses I would appreciate it.
Shabbat Shalom,
Gary Coleman
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End of Volume 25 Issue 24
