Volume 42 Number 37
Produced: Wed Mar 31 6:17:54 US/Eastern 2004
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Cleaning for Pesach
[Chana Luntz]
Ethics of Replacing Peoples Jobs with technology
[Russell J Hendel]
Judaism and Community
[Sam Saal]
Luzzato and Kindness to Animals
[Rabbi Ed Goldstein]
Midreshei Bitya Bat Pharoah - New Publication
[Yael Levine Katz]
Source In Maharal
[Binyamin Lemkin]
Taleysim
[Ben Katz]
Topics (Yom Hazikaron, Seder in the Zman Bayit, Esther, Poskim)
[Nathan Lamm]
Trumah-tetzaveh
[Joshua Meisner]
Yetziyat Mitzrayim question
[Shmuel Himelstein]
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From: Chana Luntz <chana@...>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 22:20:10 +0000
Subject: Cleaning for Pesach
In message <20040303105855.1140.qmail@...>, Avi Feldblum
<mljewish@...> writes
>I learned that we must clean and prepare our homes for Pesach whether
>we expect to be home for Pesach or plan to go away. That includes
>clearing and cleaning counters and removing chometz appliances such as
>toasters.
Not necessarily, if you are prepared to not re-enter your home even in
emergencies.
>This point was driven home to me the year my father-in-law died on the
>first day of Pesach. Had we been 'away' for Pesach (which was nearly
>the case) we would have had to come home motzaei yom tov for the
>funeral. Such a situation would be problematic if the house were not
>appropriately prepared for Pesach.
Or, alternatively, you could have stayed in your parents home/with a
friend/in a hotel.
In my case, my parents do not live in the same country that I do, so if
a scenario such as the one you outline occurred, I would have no choice
but, if I could not go to my parent's home, go to a friend or hotel,
regardless of where I was for pesach.
In fact, given the way pesach falls this year, even if I still lived in
Australia (where my parents live) and still had a place there, if I was
having pesach in the UK (where I now live) I doubt that it would be
possible for me to go "home" during pesach without being either mechalel
pesach or shabbas. After all, second day pesach finishes quite late in
the UK (daylight saving having come in) which means it is unlikely I
could find a flight to Australia on the Wednesday night even if I wanted
to. And Thursday morning (which is probably the first flight I could
realistically catch) is already Thursday evening in Australia. And the
flight plus refueling stops takes a minimum of 24 hours (20 hours in the
air) and shabbas is already coming in not that late in Australia, as
they are heading towards winter - meaning I doubt I could actually make
it in to Melbourne for Shabbas. And of course there is not time to fly
between motzei shabbas and last days pesach. So, even if an emergency
of the type you describe were to occur, I could not get from the UK to
Australia until after pesach, whether I wanted to stay in a hotel or
not.
>So, the argument that families go away for Pesach in order to avoid
>having to clean for Pesach is not valid.
Regards
Chana Luntz
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From: Russell J Hendel <rjhendel@...>
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2004 22:15:03 -0500
Subject: RE: Ethics of Replacing Peoples Jobs with technology
With regard to Irwin Weiss's statement (v42n27) that
>>We went on a quick trip to Florida recently and at the airport they now
have check-in kiosks with automated baggage tags, boarding passes,
etc.,which the airline has established to save costs (by firing
employees).It is also permissible to go to the counter the old way and
have an employee perform these services. We prefer the latter, because I
feel that one should try to assist people in employment not to be
replaced by machines.<<
He further writes
>>In the same way, we always go to the toll booth with a human,
rather than a machine, and won't use the grocery line which is
self-service, but rather go in the line with the checkout person.
(Although I do use the self-service gasoline pump). Someone told me
there is an Halachic basis for this, but I could not find the
source. Any thoughts?<<
I just wanted to point out that while the kiosks and toll booths are
replacing human inspectors and toll collectors they are nevertheless
creating more jobs! Indeed, someone has to write the programs for the
Kiosks and toll booths to perform their tasks.
Furthermore, the automatic toll booths facilitate travel and possibly
increase the number of travellers...more hiway travellers means more
business for the DOT (Department of Transportation) and hence more
employment.
My point? We have to focus on the fact that DECREASED employment in ONE
AREA may be complemented by INCREASED employment in other areas. A
general rule of thumb is that technology OVERALL, INCREASES the number
of jobs (and services!)--it is a win-win situation.
So....I would encourage Irwins request for a thread on proper ethical
response to kiosks and automatic tool booths...but we MUST include a
wholistic assessment of all job areas affected.
Russell Jay Hendel; http://www.Rashiyomi.com/
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From: Sam Saal <ssaal@...>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 18:58:09 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Judaism and Community
Stan Tenen <meru1@...> (Volume 42 Number 26) wrote:
>Thus, when we act only for ourselves, that's good, but it's
>short-sighted. When we act for ourselves and for our community, we
>ensure the future.
I agree with his comments about self and community being intergral to
keeping Judaism going, but....
I also think Chabad sh'luchim - even the ones that go to comunities with
fewer than a minyan of Jews - are accomplishing much towards keeping
Judaism going.
Sam Saal
<ssaal@...>
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From: <BERNIEAVI@...> (Rabbi Ed Goldstein)
Subject: Luzzato and Kindness to Animals
Can anyone supply chapter and verse for this quote?
Rabbi Ed Goldstein, Woodmere, NY
Lovingkindness requires that we shall not inflict pain upon any
living being, even an animal. We should be merciful and compassionate
toward animals ... The sum of the matter is that in the saint's heart
compassion and benevolence must be firmly rooted, striving always to
increase the happiness of the world's creatures, and never to cause them
any pain.
Moses Luzzatto,
Path of the Upright, 1740
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From: Yael Levine Katz <ylkpk@...>
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 14:49:35 +0200
Subject: Midreshei Bitya Bat Pharoah - New Publication
I am pleased to announce the publication of Midreshei Bitya Bat Pharaoh:
Iyyun Nilve le-Leil ha-Seder (A Seder Companion) (68 pp.).
In the Be'er Avraham commentary to the haggadah, by R. Abraham Grotti of
Prague, published in Sulzbach in 1708, several of the simanim of the
seder are interpreted as referring to Bitya, daughter of Pharaoh. R.
Grotti explains the siman rahzah in connection with her bathing in the
Nile and rescue of Moses (3c). In his commentary to the siman mozih, he
writes, inter alia, that since Moses was considered equal to the sixty
myriads of Israel, the rescue of Moses by Bitya is to be regarded as
though she took the entire people of Israel out of Egypt (3c-d).
It should be mentioned that already in Pri Ez Hayyim by R. Hayyim Vital
(Jerusalem 1980, Sha'ar Hanukkah, chapter 4, p. 467), the Exodus is
attributed to the merit of Bitya.
Based on the commentary of R. Abraham Grotti concerning Bitya, the
present compilation offers an annotated compendium of sources from the
talmudic and midrashic literature concerning Bitya. This material is
intended for study on the seder night or in preparation for the Eve of
Passover. The chapters include: Midreshei ha-Ketuvim (midrashim to
Exodus 2, 5-10 and II Chronicles 4, 18), The Aramaic Translations, The
Lists of Righteous Women, The Entrance of Bitya to Gan Eden in her
Lifetime, Midreshei Eshet Hayyil.
The introduction includes a discussion of the various sources in the
midrashic literature that attribute the Exodus to deeds of female
biblical personalities: to the righteous women in Egypt who encouraged
their husbands during the bondage; to the women who kept themselves from
immoral behavior; to Miriam the prophetess; and to the Matriarchs.
The compilation also includes an updated version of the two additional
stanzas to the piyyut Va-Yehi ba-Hazi ha-Lailah, which I composed in
2002, first published in Kolech 46, as well as a commentary. The
original piyyut by Yannai includes only one indirect reference to a
female personality, in the line Danta melekh gerar ba-halom ha-lailah,
which relates to the taking of Sarah by Avimelekh. The additional
stanzas, consisting of three lines each, bring to light the events that
took place on the Eve of Passover to female figures: Sarah (the first
two lines), Rebecca, Rachel daughter of Shutelakh (in the generation of
the Exodus), Bitya, and Esther. [A short article in English is
forthcoming in the JOFA Journal].
Midreshei Bitya Bat Pharaoh also includes a short piece concerning the
Mi she-Berakh prayer composed by the Italian Jewish poetess Rachel
Morporgo, and the renewal of its recitation is suggested. [An expanded
version is forthcoming in Hazofe, on Friday, March 19, 2004]
I may be contacted for further details.
Yael Levine
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From: Binyamin Lemkin <docben10@...>
Subject: Source In Maharal
Does anybody know the source in the Maharal's writings which say that a
talmid chacham should learn a sugya in the gemara and pasken straight
from the gemara?
-Binyamin Lemkin
Nachal HaYarkon 38
Beit Shemesh, Israel
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From: Ben Katz <bkatz@...>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 09:56:28 -0600
Subject: Re: Taleysim
>From: Perets Mett <p.mett@...>
>On 25 Feb 2004, at 12:19, Yehonatan Chipman wrote:
> > 2. The whole custom of bachelors not wearing tallitot (or
> > "talleisim," as they're mistakenly called abroad), is itself rather
>There is nothing mistaken about the word taleysm - it is the correct
>plural of the Yiddish word talis, albeit borrowed from Hebrew.
This topic has already been discussed on MJ. To defend Mr.
Chipman: Talit was borrowed from Hebrew, as Mr. Mett agrees. There is
no "yiddish" way to pluralize words; either the words are pluralized as
they are in German (the "mama loshen" of Yiddish :-)) or as they are
pluralized in the language the words were borrowed from. Yiddish
speakers, whose knowledge of Hebrew appeared to have been suboptimal,
took the male Hebrew ending and applied it to the female Hebrew word
Talit. I assume Mr. Mett would not defend the incorrect spelling of the
word "shabbos" with a samech instead of a Saf, even though it appeared
thus in many yiddish publications. It is true that "tallesim" is the
normal plural for talit in yiddish, but it is likely based on an error;
moreover, since most people today are speaking English, it is probably
even more problematic to then say taleisim rather than taliyot or
tallitot.
hag kasher vesameach to all
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From: Nathan Lamm <nelamm18@...>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 11:37:51 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Topics (Yom Hazikaron, Seder in the Zman Bayit, Esther, Poskim)
Addressing various topics that piled up since the last digest:
1- By saying that "Yom Hazikaron is different outside of Israel," it's
not being denigrated at all. Rather, outside of Israel, there isn't a
two-day Yom Hazikaron/Yom Haatzamut, perhaps because they aren't
official holidays. Therefore, commemeration of the former is attached to
the celebration of the latter on Erev 5 Iyar. That means that there's no
issue having the commemeration on Motzai Shabbat this year, as it would
have been held on Sunday night, so it wouldn't have to be moved.
That said, it's a nice- and very appropriate- gesture to move it
together with Israel (although Sunday night would be more convenient). I
think it's even a nicer fact that there's a country in this world that
moves its national holidays to keep from conflicting with Shabbat.
2- According to the Mishna, the order of the seder- Maggid, then the
meal (then the rest of Hallel)- was the same in the Beit HaMikdash as it
is now. Of course, the meal was the Korban Chagiga, followed (and
preceded?) by a kezayit of the Korban Pesach, each with their own
brachot.
3- The King Daryavesh who allowed the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash
is said to be the son of Esther and Achashveirosh (possibly due to his
mother's influence?). Reconciling that (and Daniel, Esther, and
Ezra-Nechemiah) with what we know of Persian kings named Xerxes,
Artaxerxes, and Darius is, however, very difficult (but not necessarily
impossible).
4- I've heard that much of the last two-three volumes of the Igrot Moshe
was edited, at the least, by his family. This isn't to denigrate it at
all- the family is composed of gedolim in their own right, after all-
but it may be what was mentioned.
Nachum Lamm
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From: Joshua Meisner <jam390@...>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 18:39:22 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Trumah-tetzaveh
>From: Tirzah Houminer <tirzah@...>
>In Israel there two parshiot are always read on separate Shabbatot, I
>have a memory of their being separated, albeit rarely, in the USA.
>Logical analysis seems to negate their being joined as what could the
>reason be?
>However the memory of several Americans living in Israel seems to
>differ, they too remember the co-joining.
As another poster mentioned, Terumah and Tetzaveh are never read
together. However, for a long time I also thought that the two were
periodically conjoined.
My guess is that these two parshiyot became attached in the
minds of many people b/c of their similar-sounding names - just like
Matos and Mas'ei seem to be especially bound together because of their
similar names, as do Behar and Bechukosai to a lesser extent, so, too,
do Terumah and Tetzaveh sound like they should be more strongly
attached.
A second rationale for the popular error could be based on a
mistaken analogy between the middle three chumashim of the Torah;
Bamidbar potentially concludes with a double, a single, and a double
(that is, Chukas/Balak-Pinchas-Matos/Mas'ei), as does Vayikra (i.e.,
Acharei Mos/Kedoshim-Emor-Behar/Bechukosai). One could potentially
think that Shemos could end the same way, with Terumah/Tetzaveh-Ki
Tisa-Vayak'heil/Pekudei - only that it never does.
Overall, there are 7 sets of parshiyot that are ever doubled -
besides the 5 mentioned in the previous paragraph (but not
Terumah/Tetzaveh), Tazria/Metzora and Netzavim/Vayeilech are also
sometimes paired, with the exact schedule depending on the number of
eligible Shabbosos during the year.
- Josh
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himels@...>
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 12:14:58 +0200
Subject: Yetziyat Mitzrayim question
We know that Pharaoh's edict of killing all the males went into effect
before Moshe's birth. Assuming (and I see no reason to assume
differently at this point) the edict remained in effect throughout until
Moshe came to Pharaoh when Moshe was 80 years old, how were there any
males at all alive who were under 80 years old?
Or do we assume that when Shifra and Pu'ah told Pharaoh that they were
unable to enforce the edict, that it was scrapped?
Does anyone have any leads on this?
Shmuel Himelstein
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End of Volume 42 Issue 37
