Volume 47 Number 22
Produced: Thu Mar 10 6:15:19 EST 2005
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Brief recapitulation of Purim
[Tzvi Stein]
Daf Yomi Trot
[Andy Goldfinger]
Folding the Tallis on Shabbos
[Alan Friedenberg]
Friday Purim and rushing around
[Batya Medad]
Grammar Question
[Irwin Weiss]
Kashrus of Yankee Stadium
[Tzvi Stein]
mixed seating at funeral
[.cp.]
Pronunciation of Cholam
[Orrin Tilevitz]
Rav Bruer's article on pronounciation
[Stokar Saul]
Separate Seating at Megilla Reading
[Gil Student]
Thesaurus of Jewish symbols
[David Riceman]
uva le'tzion
[Yitzchok Zlochower]
yid'dmu Ka-even
[Boruch Merzel]
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From: Tzvi Stein <Tzvi.Stein@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:14:58 -0500
Subject: Re: Brief recapitulation of Purim
> From: Sammy Finkelman <sammy.finkelman@...>
> Someone I know in shul asked me if he could have a small description of
> Purim - bigger than the brief description on a small calendar. It cpould
> print put to maybe 3 4 or 5 pages. My thought was that something like
> this could be found on the Internet. Does anyone know of anythimng good?
This reminds me of a time at work when one of my non-Jewish colleagues
asked me, "so what is this Chanukah thing all about anyway?". Thinking
fast, I figured he wouldn't have patience for a full explanation, so I
would condence it to 2 or 3 sentences. I got as far as "well, the land
of Israel was ruled by the Greeks..." and the colleague nodded and
walked away. He had heard enough. I guess that indicates the typical
attention span these days.
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From: Andy Goldfinger <GOLDFAD1@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 08:01:36 -0500
Subject: Daf Yomi Trot
For those readers who are not from the US, and don't know what a "trot"
is:
Often, during the high school (or even college) years, a student is
assigned a book report. Now, actually reading the book is a pain, so
the student sometimes purchases what are called "Cliff Notes" or a
"trot," a small pamphlet that contains a summary of the book. In this
way, the student writes the report, learns nothing, but still gets a
decent grade.
Well -- here I find myself at the beginning of the Daf Yomi cycle.
Wouldn't it be great to finish Shas this time, and really be part of the
siyum when it comes up next?
For various reasons, I am not learning Daf Yomi at this time (but I am
really enjoying my shiur in Chullin in which we do maybe 2 dapim per
month!)
But there is a trot! On this web site:
http://www.dafyomi.co.il/
there are day by day summaries of the daf. These are valuable study and
review guides for those learning the daf. I am NOT learning the daf,
but I have started reading the summaries of the daf when I come home
from work in the evening. I don't think I am fooling myself. This is
definitely not learning, but it only takes 5 to 10 minutes, and my
theory is that after 7 and a half years I will at least have seen all
the topics that are covered in Shas. Even if this is not valuable, I
don't think it is harmful.
Or is it? I would appreciated peoples comments.
-- Andy Goldfinger
Baltimore
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From: Alan Friedenberg <elshpen@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 12:23:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Folding the Tallis on Shabbos
In "Shemirath Shabbath" Rav Y. Neuwirth lists five conditions for a
person to be able to fold his tallis on Shabbos. They are:
1. The folded tallis will be used again on the same day.
2. The tallis has never been washed.
3. The tallis is white and not colored.
4. The person has no other similiar tallis, which that person can use
instead.
5. The person folds the tallis by himself, without setting it down
anywhere to help fold.
I grew up in a shule where the vast majority of people did not fold
their tallis until after Maariv on Motzay Shabbos. However, now I see
many people folding them at the end of davening on Shabbos morning. I
asked a LOR about it, and he said that folding it was improper, and he
added that he doesn't know the reasons and explinations about why people
fold them. Can anyone tell me why one WOULD be allowed to fold a tallis
on Shabbos?
Alan Friedenberg
Baltimore MD
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From: Batya Medad <ybmedad@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 07:09:10 +0200
Subject: Friday Purim and rushing around
There's no mitzvah to "rush around"
The charity, when serious to help people afford a seuda, is given before
Purim to reliable tzedaka organizations, or checks or cash are put in
"plates" at the megilla reading. Mishloach manot can be
prepared/packaged the night or afternoon before and exchanged
immediately after megilla reading. This leaves plenty of time for a
nice seuda lunch, after an earliest-possible-time mincha. Then we can
properly celebrate Shabbat.
And those of us responsible for the cooking and menu planning should
cook/freeze sufficiently in advance in order not to add to the stress on
Friday Purim.
Chodesh Tov,
Batya
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
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From: Irwin Weiss <irwin@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 07:00:09 -0500
Subject: Grammar Question
Ben Z. Katz writes:
> 1. The words Torah and Haftarah are not related, and thus should
> probably not be spelled similarly even in English. (Torah is spelled
> with a Tav and comes from the root to teach, while haftarah is related
> to the word maftir, addition, and is spelled with a tet.)
I completely agree. Of course, we only have one "T" in English, so it is
difficult in English transliteration to differentiate between a Tav and
a Tet. I have taken to eliminating the "H" at the end of Haftarah, and
spelling it Haftara, as my meager attempt to differentiate.
<irwin@...>
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From: Tzvi Stein <Tzvi.Stein@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 00:26:44 -0500
Subject: Re: Kashrus of Yankee Stadium
> From: <DTnLA@...> (Dov Teichman)
> Regarding Sporting events and theaters and the like, I know many
> Orthodox Jews go, yet all I have seen who write on the matter forbid it.
> See Avoda Zara 18b where Theaters and Circuses are described as a
> "Moshav Leitzim."
>
> Mishna Brura in Siman 307:59 mentions this and laments that in our many
> sins nowadays it has become like hefker that people attend theaters,
> etc. R. Moshe in Igros Moshe Yoreh Deah 4:11 says anyone attending
> theaters and sporting events is transgresses the prohibitions of Moshav
> Letzim and Bitul Torah.
>
> Are there any poskim who allow going to Baseball games? or any other
> sporting event or theaters for that matter?
Well, my (Orthodox) shul has an annual trip to a ball game. Also, many
frum organizations sponsor and put on shows of various sorts (music,
drama, etc.).
I don't quite understand the "Bitul Torah" aspect from
R. Moshe... doesn't that assume that the time spent at the entertainment
event replaces Torah study? What if the person would not study Torah
even if they didn't go to it. A lot of people study Torah only during
certain set times (if at all)... they don't study at every possible free
moment.
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From: .cp. <chips@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:28:00 -0800
Subject: Re: mixed seating at funeral
}> Must men and women sit separately at a funeral, and if so, is there
}> any source for the requirement?
}
}At my Mother's levaya we sat mixed, my sisters next to their
}husbands. On one side of me was a sister, I don't recall who was at my
}other side [amazing that I can't recall that].
}
}As for the kaddish at the grave, if there was a segregation made I was
}unaware of it.
To further what someone else mentioned, there may be a terminology issue
here. When I wrote "At my Mother's levaya we sat mixed", I meant
specifically when the hespedym were given at the Shul that was not
attached to the cemetary.
Upon further reflection, I can not recall being at a cemetary burial
where there was a definitive seperation of the genders. For sure I have
never seen a mechitza of any sort for the Major Kaddish said at the end
of the burial and I never recall a Rabbi sheparding the genders to
seperate areas.
Completely Off Topic Aside: if , Rachmana lSlan, one is in the situation
where they will need to say the Major Kaddish - listen to the Rabbi and
review it 2 or 3 times. Even without the emotions it is tough to say
correctly, the emotions make it even harder.
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From: Orrin Tilevitz <tilevitzo@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 08:33:20 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Pronunciation of Cholam
Martin Stern writes:
> Only North German and Dutch Jews used the pronunciation "Au" or better
> transcribed "Ow" as in the English word "How?"
So I used to think, until a Croatian Jew came to our shul and pronounced
it that way.
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From: Stokar Saul <dp22414@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 08:30:07 +0200
Subject: Rav Bruer's article on pronounciation
The article by Rav Bruer that discusses (and is opposed to) the multiple
readings "zecher - zaycher" as well as the traditional Ashkenazi
repetitions in the reading of the Megilla (VIII,11 and IX,2) can be
found (in Hebew) on the web at:
http://www.herzog.ac.il/main/megadim/10breuer.html
Saul Stokar
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From: Gil Student <gil_student@...>
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 23:29:57 -0500
Subject: Re: Separate Seating at Megilla Reading
>What,if any, separate seating requirements are there
>for a megilla reading outside a synagogue and with
>no davening involved (other than the berachot before
>and after)? Consider two possibilities:
>
>1. In one's home; or
>
>2. In a public building (in, say, a library), where
>the reading is open to the public.
The Chasam Sofer (Shu"t Choshen Mishpat, 190) requires a mechitzah at
all public gatherings for prayer or praise of God. It seems to me that a
megillah reading qualifies. However, if it is not open to the public
then it might be considered a private affair and not requiring a
mechitzah.
The Seridei Eish (2:8) and Mishpetei Uziel (Choshen Mishpat, 6) require
separation at all gatherings but a mechitzah only in a synagogue.
Gil Student
www.yasharbooks.com
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From: David Riceman <driceman@...>
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2005 11:20:04 -0500
Subject: Thesaurus of Jewish symbols
Has anyone ever published a thesaurus of Jewish symbols?
David Riceman
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From: <zlochoia@...> (Yitzchok Zlochower)
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 02:55:50 +0000
Subject: uva le'tzion
There is a rather straightforward answer to the questions raised about a
phrase in u'va le'tzion go'el (also in Micah)"Why is 'emes' (truth)
associated only with Ya'akov, 'chesed' (kindness) only with Avraham, and
Yitzchok is omitted". The verse deals with Hashem's promise and
covenant made to our ancestors. That promise of being His people was
first made to Avraham as an act of kindness. We ask that Hashem fulfill
his promise and covenant with Ya'akov's descendants as an act of truth.
Thus, Hashem's initiative was an act of chesed, while the fulfillment is
an act of emes. Yitzchok is not mentioned since only the initiation and
fulfillment of the promise is at issue.
Similar juxtapositions of chesed and emes occur elsewhere in Tanach and
convey the same idea. Thus, Ya'akov makes Yosef promise to do him a
chesed and emes by not burying him in Egypt. Here, too, the chesed is
the promise, while emes is the fulfillment of that promise (a' la the
Even Ezra).
Yitzchok Zlochower
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From: <BoJoM@...> (Boruch Merzel)
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 13:35:20 EST
Subject: Re: yid'dmu Ka-even
Martin Stein writes, concerning :"yid'dmu Ka-even" (Sh'mos 15:16)
> Since there is a dagesh in the dalet it follows that the sheva is a
> sheva na' and the word is derived from the ayin-ayin root 'damam'
> meaning 'be silent'. This can also be seen in Onkelos' translation and,
> as far as I can see, there are no commentators who assign the word
> 'yidemu' any other meaning than 'they are silent'.
> If it had been from the lamed-hei root 'damah' meaning 'be similar to'
> there would be no dagesh which would imply a sheva nach. However the
> translation 'they are similar to a stone' would not make sense since it
> gives no information as to the nature of the similarity.>>
Mr. Stein is, of course, correct that since the root of the verb has 2
"mem"s and one is dropped in this conjugation, the dropped "mem" is
indicated by the dagesh in the "dalet" and thus the word is properly
pronounced "yid-d'mu" ( they are still or silent as a stone). It is
interesting to note, too, that the final word of the pasuk is pronounced
"ka-even", (as a stone), even though it follows the open vowel of
"yid-d'mu" and normally should be pronoounced "cha-even" (the normal
chaf recieves a dagesh and becomes a kaf) The reason for this change is
precisely because of the problem originally raised by Mr. Rothstein: the
fear that one might mispronounce the word "yid-dmu" as "yidmu" (similar
or like) and slur it into the next word and pronounce the two words as
"yidmucha even" (they will liken you to, or consider you, [G-d] a
stone).
Interestingly, this happens to be the second time that such a
grammatical change was made in the Shira. The first being in pasuk 11,
where we read "Mi cha-mocha ba-elim Hashem, mi Ka-mocha nedar bakodesh"
The chaf in the 2nd "cha-mocha" , though it follows the open syllable of
"mi", was given a dagesh out of fear that the phrase would be slurred
into "hashem Micha" and according to Chazal a fellow named Micha, by
invoking the ineffable name of Hashem, played a primary role in the
worship of the golden calf. (see Tur Orech Chaim at end of siman 51)
Boruch Merzel
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End of Volume 47 Issue 22