Volume 28 Number 18
Produced: Tue Nov 10 7:12:42 1998
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Davening where you learn
[E. Preil]
Eruv or Not?
[Rivka Finkelstein]
Greetings after Birkat Kohanim
[Shlomo Katz]
History of Bais Yaakov
[Etan Diamond]
Hunger Strike
[Catherine S. Perel]
Learning in a Beis Medrash
[Michael Szpilzinger]
Marheshvan vs. Hesvan
[David Glasner]
Nursing in public
[Frank Silbermann]
OFF TOPIC - Help in Dallas
[Carl and Adina Sherer]
Prayer and Tzedakah
[Stuart Wise]
Restoring Volozyn
[Israel Pickholtz]
S'dom
[Eliyahu Teitz]
Serus
[Ozzie Orbach]
The History of Jewish co-education
[Etan Diamond]
Where to learn.
[Perry Zamek]
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From: <empreil@...> (E. Preil)
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 00:30:34 -0500
Subject: Re: Davening where you learn
"While the Gemara in Brachos (forgive me for not having an exact cite)
does speak about the greatness of learning in the same place where one
davens"
Actually, the gemara in Brochos (30b) says that Rav Ami and Rav Assi
only davened "between the pillars" where they learned, despite the fact
that there were 13 shuls in their city of Teverya.
Kol tuv,
E. Preil
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From: <ac672@...> (Rivka Finkelstein)
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 21:24:16 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Eruv or Not?
In my city I have noticed recently a new trend which I find a little
disturbing, and would like to know if others have seen this, or can
explain the reasoning.
We have an eruv in the city. As in other places some use it and some
choose not to use it. This is become fairly normal. The unusual part is
that the one who is not using the eruv, asks someone else to carry for
them, ie things for children, talit, baby carriage, their baby, anything
that they might want. What I find disturbing is, 1) if they don't use
the eruv because they think it is not permitted, how can they ask
someone else to violate Shabbat. 2) If they don't use the eruv because
they want to be strict about, who is being strict, on someone else's
shoulders. As if to say, I don't use it because I am very frum, but can
ask someone who is not as frum as I.
I'd like to hear what you think
Rivka Finkelstein
<ac672@...>
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From: Shlomo Katz <skatz@...>
Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 09:45:54 -0500
Subject: Re: Greetings after Birkat Kohanim
>From: David and Toby Curwin <curwin@...>
>Subject: Greetings after Birkat Kohanim
>A number of years ago I read a responsa, I believe by Rav Tzvi Pesach
>Frank, which said that a kohen should not reply "baruch ti'hiye" to a
>person greeting with him with "yishar koach" after birkat kohanim. The
>reason stated was the prohibition of "bal tosif", not to add to a
>biblical commandment. Since the mitzva is for the kohen to bless a
>specific number of times, the use of an addtional "baruch" by the kohen
>is a problem.
It was Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank. When I first saw this I discussed it with
my (then) rav (who is a kohen) and he strongly disagreed with R' Frank.
He argued that in order to transgress "bal tosif" one would have to
perform the "extra" mitzvah under the same circumstances as the
underlying mitzvah. In contrast, the "baruch tihiye" is lacking certain
requirements of the mitzvah of "Birkat Kohanim" most notably "kol ram"
(a loud voice). Also, in order to transgress "bal tosif" one must
intend to perform a mitzvah, which the person saying "baruch tihiye"
clearly does not.
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From: <ediamond@...> (Etan Diamond)
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 19:36:04 -0500 (EST)
Subject: History of Bais Yaakov
Does anyone have a reference to any articles or books about the
history the Bais Yaakov school movement, in Europe or the United States?
Thanks.
Etan Diamond, Ph.D.
The Polis Center
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
<ediamond@...>
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From: Catherine S. Perel <perel@...>
Date:
Subject: Hunger Strike
In Volume 28, #4. Yisrael Medad <isrmedia@...> wrote:
> Our Rav, Elchanan Bin-Nun, is on a hunger strike as his
> son was murdered last August at Yitzhar and wasn't
> available, so now I'm researching)
I feel for Rav Bin-Nun's loss. I was wondering, though, why a hunger
strike is halachically permitted as that would be putting one's health
at risk, no?
Cathy Perel
<perel@...>
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From: Michael Szpilzinger <mikes@...>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 17:54:19 -0500 (EST)
Subject: re: Learning in a Beis Medrash
> From: Carl M. Sherer <carl@...>
> While the Gemara in Brachos (forgive me for not having an exact cite)
> does speak about the greatness of learning in the same place where one
> davens, I don't think this is the most important point. IMHO, the
> important point is that you learn and learn regularly. Where you learn
> ought to be a function of where you learn best. As long as you learn
> where you learn best, I think that whether that location is a Beis
> Medrash, your dining room, or even a conference room in your office is
> less important.
First off, if the Gemara you cite is Brachos 8a, then I believe the
situation is reversed. The statement is that it is good to Daven in the
place of learning as we know: Hashem's only place in this world (after
the Churban) is the "Deled Amos of Halacha alone".
On the topic itself (learning in the house as opposed to the Bais
Medrash), I would like to say that there are certain things I prefer
doing in different places. For certain Seforim (especially those that
require a lot of thought, such as Chachma and Mussar), I find my living
room more conducive. However, when it comes to real "Shtayging",
especially with a Chavrusa and with Gemara, I find the Beis Medrash more
appropriate. Being that one gets Schar for the journey to the Beis
Medrash (Schar Holicha Biyado; Avos 5:17) I think that one should strive
to do some learning in the Bais Medrash. However, IMHO, I think that one
should learn with the balance that he finds most comfortable, esp. in
light of the story with the Netziv.
I echo Mr. Sherer's comment:
> Usual qualifications about not having smicha, not being a posek,
> etc. apply.
Hatzlacha to all in their learning,
Mikes
<LabTech@...>
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From: David Glasner <DGLASNER@...>
Date: Thu, 05 Nov 1998 10:25:16 -0500
Subject: Marheshvan vs. Hesvan
My impression is that the original Babylonian name for the eighth month in
Marheshvan and that older Rabbinic references to the month always
include the "mar." The more prevalent usage now seems to be Heshvan
and that seems to be based on the notion that the "mar" was a prefix
added as a reference to the absence of any festivals in the month after
Tishri. Is this correct? If so, do we know when "Heshvan" came into
usage as an alternative to "Marheshvan"? Any other interesting details
about the etymology of Marhesvan/Heshvan?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Frank Silbermann <fs@...>
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1998 20:33:46 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Nursing in public
What does the tradition say about women's modesty while nursing an
infant? I've heard that nursing in public is not a problem, but I'd
like more concrete sources.
Frank Silbermann
<fs@...>
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From: Carl and Adina Sherer <sherer@...>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 07:28:31 +0200
Subject: OFF TOPIC - Help in Dallas
Last night, Adina spoke with a family that is going to Dallas for their
daughter to have surgery there. If there is anyone out there who has
contacts in the fruhm community there - arranging food, places to stay
that are within walking distance of both the hospital (sorry, I don't
know which one) and a shul, etc., please contact us privately. They may
be there for several weeks....
Thanks in advance.
-- Carl
Please daven and learn for a Refuah Shleima for our son,
Baruch Yosef ben Adina Batya among the sick of Israel.
Thank you very much.
mailto:<sherer@...>
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From: Stuart Wise <swise@...>
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 98 11:30:36 -0400
Subject: Prayer and Tzedakah
I would like to raise an issue of dealing with schnorrers during
davening. This relates to kavanah, as well.
It is common in many shuls for outsiders looking for tzeddakah to enter
shul during davening. For years I would reach into my pocket to give
tzedakah and then lose my place, and my kavanah as well. Lately, I find
myself just ignoring the outstretched hand (especially during Shema),
but then feeling guilty. Complicating matters for me is that One can
never be sure who these people are collecting for and whether they are
true aniyim, and for those aniyim who apparently are frum, they seem to
have no regard for the fact that they are interrupting my davening.
Is it wrong not to respond positively to every oustretched hand --
especially when their actions disrupt my davening?
Stuart M. Wise
Publisher
Leader Publications
(212) 545-6168
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From: Israel Pickholtz <p2o5rock@...>
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 12:55:05 +0000
Subject: Restoring Volozyn
The following came to me via one of the genealogy groups and I
thought it mioght interest you.
Israel Pickholtz
Subject: Rakov, Radoshkovichi and Volozhyn
From: "East European Jewish Heritage Project" <root@...>
The East European Jewish Heritage Project, in cooperation with
our affiliate the Union of Religious Jewish Congregations of the
Republic of Belarus, is undertaking the restoration of the
cemeteries in RAKOV and RADOSHKOVICHI.
The East European Jewish Heritage Project and the Union are also
restoring the VOLOZHYN Yeshiva. This building, which once housed the
founding institution of the Yeshiva movement, is now home to a down at
the heels culinaria. It's probably one of the few Yeshivas where you
can buy a ham sandwich. To me that's a like selling hot dogs in St.
Patrick's Cathedral. It will be converted to a Research and Resource
Centre of Jewish Culture. Amongst other things it will be a repository
for kahil records now in private hands. We intend to provide on-line
services to genealogists.
We need help. Not just financial. If you can help with
publicity, organize fund raising or just have suggestions about
what you would like to see done and how, please contact me. We'd be
glad to assist in work on other cemeteries and landmarks.
Thanks very much for your help.
Frank Swartz
Executive Director
East European Jewish Heritage Project
13b Dauman Street - Minsk
220002 - Republic of Belarus
tel/fax: +375 17 234 56 12/234 33 60
e-mail: <root@...>
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From: <EDTeitz@...> (Eliyahu Teitz)
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 16:23:17 EST
Subject: Re: S'dom
I do not see Avraham's approaching HaShem concerning S'dom as a prayer to
save them. I feel that Avraham fully trusted that HaShem had done His
research and come to a correct conclusion.
I think what Avraham was doing was somethign else entirely. Avraham had
come to a realization of HaShem on his own. He had made some sort of an
image in his mind of how HaShem would act under certain circumstances.
When Avraham was confronted by an interaction with HaShem, he had to see
how his image measured up to the real actions of HaShem.
With the destruction of S'dom, Avraham confronts a new side of HaShem,
that of justice and punishment. I think Avraham had an idea of how
HaShem judged the world, but here he had an opportunity to find out
whether his assumption was in fact correct. Avraham asks, how far does
HaShem protect others for the sake of the righteous amongst them, all
the time looking to see HaShem's basis for punishment.
Eliyahu Teitz
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From: <OOrbach560@...> (Ozzie Orbach)
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 12:23:41 EST
Subject: Serus
Does anyone know whether neutering of animals is allowed if it is for
public health reasons? Presumably that is the reason given by most
veterinarians for neutering animals nowadays. Ozzie Orbach
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From: <ediamond@...> (Etan Diamond)
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 19:34:23 -0500 (EST)
Subject: The History of Jewish co-education
Does anyone have a documented reference to the issues regarding
Rav Soloveitchik's founding of Maimonides School in Boston and the
problems with co-education?
I am not interested in teshuvot regarding this issue. Rather, I
would like any historical articles or books or other printed
publications in which the story of the controversies is told. (Any
memoirs? Articles in Tradition?) Simple anecdotes are less helpful,
since this is for a scholarly publication and I would like to cite the
episode to a documented source.
Thanks.
Etan Diamond, Ph.D.
The Polis Center
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
<ediamond@...>
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From: Perry Zamek <jerusalem@...>
Date: Tue, 03 Nov 1998 03:48:55 +0200
Subject: Where to learn.
Carl Sherer (in v28n13) writes:
>While the Gemara in Brachos (forgive me for not having an exact cite)
>does speak about the greatness of learning in the same place where one
>davens,
If I am not mistaken, the Gemara says the opposite -- One of the Amoraim
(sorry, I'm writing from the office and I don't have my Gemara CD here!)
said something along the lines of only wanting to daven *where he learns* --
"beinei amudei" (between the pillars, i.e. in the Beit Midrash).
I have been learning with one chevruta for over 9 years, and, for various
reasons we have been learning, for the most part, at my home. When I married
earlier this year, my wife agreed that it was important to continue the
learning at home, in part to show the children (then aged 9) the idea of
learning on a regular basis, something they had not necessarily seen before.
With best wishes to all for hatzlacha in learning, wherever you may do it --
Perry Zamek
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End of Volume 28 Issue 18
