Volume 54 Number 57
Produced: Sun Apr 8 10:49:04 EDT 2007
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Interesting Torah cantillation (Trop)
[Shmuel Himelstein]
Kitniyot on Pesach (4)
[Barry S. Bank, Binyamin Lemkin, Barry S Bank, Rabbi Wise]
Lechem Emunah
[Jeanette Friedman]
Locating a missing family
[Jack Tomsky]
Minhagim
[Shmuel Himelstein]
Pet Food on Pesach (or year round)
[Leah S. Gordon]
Tribute to R. Chaim Brovender
[Jeffrey Saks]
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himels@...>
Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:08:53 +0300
Subject: Interesting Torah cantillation (Trop)
On the first day of Pesach, the young Baal Kriyah of our Shul was of
Moroccan origin. While we are used to the cantillation ("trop") melody
he uses on Shabbat, this was entirely different. When I asked, I was
told that they have three separate melodies: a) weekday and Shabbat; b)
Yamim Nora'im; c) Shalosh Regalim. Does any other Edah have three sets
such as these?
Shmuel Himelstein
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From: Barry S. Bank <bsbank@...>
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:14:48 +0200
Subject: Kitniyot on Pesach
Binyamin Lemkin <lemkin@...> writes:
> ...Rav David Bar-Hayim has issued a psak halacha which can be found at
> www.machonshilo.org which permits the consumption of kitniyot for all
> Jews in Eretz Yisrael.
The psak seems to have been well researched and makes sense. But
although I live not far from Shilo, and have a freind who works there,
neither of us has heard of Machon Shiloh, R. David Bar-Hayim or the
other 2 rabbis whho co-authored the psak.
Can anyone elucidate and/or vouch for the Machon and the 3 rabbanim who
signed this psak?
--Barry S. Bank
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From: Binyamin Lemkin <lemkinrealty2@...>
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:22:14 +0200
Subject: Re: Kitniyot on Pesach
It is called Machon Shilo not becvause it is in the yishuv Shilo but
because the mishkan was there and the symbolism there-The Machon is
located in Jerusalem, Rav Bar Hayim is on the editorial staff of the
Machon HaYerushalmi, Rav Yehoshua Buch lives in Jerusalem and has
written several beurim/perushim on masechtot from the Talmud Yerushalmi
and Bavli, Rav Chaim Wasserman lives in Jerusalem-and was one of the
founders of N.C.S.Y. and was for many years the rabbi and the Young
Israel of Passaic. Two other rabbis have now signed on the psak-Rav
Elitzur Segel, and Rav Avrahm Toledano of Kiryat Arba.
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From: Barry S Bank <bsbank@...>
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 02:02:51 +0300
Subject: Kitniyot on Pesach
If you look at the psak at www.machonshilo.org, the signatories to this
ruling are said to be "Rav David Bar-Hayim, Rav Yehoshua Buch, and Rav
Chaim Wasserman, all of Jerusalem."
Before making aliyah, R. Wasserman was for many years the rabbi of the
Young Israel of Passaic, NJ. M-J readers should be aware that, an oleh
from Passaic wrote to me as follows:
"Chaim Wasserman was my mora d`atra for two decades and I spoke with him
personally when I saw the article. He is neither a colleague nor a
member of Machon Shilo, and has disavowed any connection whatsoever with
this letter. "
--Barry S. Bank
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From: <Meirhwise@...> (Rabbi Wise)
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:37:52 EDT
Subject: Re: Kitniyot on Pesach
I have just read the "psak" signed by 3 rabbis from Machon Shilo
allowing all Jews in Israel to eat kitniyot and in over 30 years of
rabbonus and 40 years of learning I have never read such gobbly-gook as
this! The first part of the article argues against itself by quoting
poskim including the Chacham Tzvi who wanted to abrogate the minhag of
kitniyot but DID NOT HAVE THE POWER!
The second part seems to argue that the minhag of Eretz Yisrael is
according to the Mechaber (ie Maran the Shulchan Aruch). If so why,
restrict this to kitniyot - the logic would dictate that all residents
of Israel become sefardim and follow the Beit Yosef. The Beit Yosef
himself in his responsa "Avkat Rochel" however says that the Ramabam is
"Mara De'Atra of Eretz Yisrael, Mitzrayim and Yemen" and no community
should be forced to change from following him to following the Rosh. So
take it back further - lets all become Yemenites ( btw I am happily
married to one for 27 years!)
Does any one know whether this article was meant seriously or was it
produced on Purim?
Rabbi Wise
PS. I'm sure persuaded by its logic Rabbis Eliyashiv, Shteiman and
Kanievsky will be enjoying rice pudding this year!
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From: <FriedmanJ@...> (Jeanette Friedman)
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 07:42:28 EDT
Subject: Lechem Emunah
> Others (e.g., Ramban, Taz) learn pshat differently, saying that the
> Jews could have baked it after it had risen but deliberately didn't
> because they had already been commanded not to eat chametz. In any
> event, it would seem that according to the first pshat, that the Jews
> had to eat matzah and not bread was a punishment for their lack of
> faith that they would be redeemed: they should have put their dough up
> to rise days before, so they could have baked it as bread before they
> left.
The Matzoh is also considered the bread of faith...and lechem oni (bread
of the modest is another translation besides bread of the poor) means
that you take care of your arrogance and pride issues as well.
It's one of the reasons some people keep a piece of the afikoman from
year to year. If they lose their emunah during the year, they take a
bite as an emunah injection.
this in fact helped a great man and baal tzedakah for the last three
years of his life. I introduced him to this concept and he said it
worked better than the anti-depressants the md gave him--which had not
worked...and kept his spirits up for the last three years of his
life. At the time I told him about this, he was not even interested in
learning anymore, which shocked me, since he used to love to learn
daily. that is why I told him about it, and the family talks about it to
this day.
Lechem emuna.
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From: Jack Tomsky <jtomsky@...>
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:01:16 -0700
Subject: Locating a missing family
My maternal grandmother left her family as a young woman in Lithuania,
she was sent and came to America for a better life. She worked at a
sewing machine in a factory and sent home money for her family. She
married and had children and continued to sent money, shoes and
clothing. With the last of her six children she suddenly died. All
communication with her family apparently ended. After the Holocaust it
was believed that her family were all dead. The years passed by. I
always thought about them growing up and felt so badly. Then her
brother living in Israel learned about my mother and wrote to her. She
did nothing about it for 17 years. During this time the writer died.
With her brother about to leave with his large family, grandchildren and
relatives on his 25th wedding anniversary for a visit to Israel she
finally sent him the letter. In Israel my uncle spent his time on the
phone every chance he could trying to find the relative's son. On the
last day, late at night he was successful and he and some of the men in
the family went to visit. Photos were taken.
At home, I was hoping to reach out to our relative and I wanted our
relative's address. But my uncle turned stubborn and refused to give it
to any of us. He wanted it all to himself. The others who went were so
tired that night that they couldn't remember the address. Over two
years have passed. My uncle is elderly and will not give it to anyone.
My husband and I are going to visit Israel on a tour in the Fall and I
would love to meet my relative, Israel Ouval, his married sister,
Miriam, her family and their younger brother, Moshe. I tried asking
people I knew, who had family in Israel, if they could help without any
luck. It seems that the phone number one friend of a friend found was
disconnected. I'm asking if any of you know Israel Ouval. His original
family name was Valinski or it was perhaps spelled Valinsky and he is an
opera translator in Tel Aviv. I suppose he is Orthodox. I don't know.
The family was as was mine. The last address I have that a friend gave
me from the disconnected phone number is:
33 Shalom Aalechem Street
Tel Aviv, Israel
I wrote but it came back insufficient address. If any of you know of
him or he lives near you, please let me know and thank you so much!
Marilyn Tomsky
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himels@...>
Date: Fri, 06 Apr 2007 13:04:13 +0300
Subject: Minhagim
There is an excellent site of the Minhagim of the different Edot at
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/toshba/minhagim/shaar-2.htm.
It MIGHT require you to have Hebrew-enabled.
Shmuel Himelstein
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From: Leah S. Gordon <leah@...>
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 09:09:42 -0700
Subject: Pet Food on Pesach (or year round)
I am not a pet owner, but I have always wondered - wouldn't it be
simpler to give the cat/dog human [kosher] food e.g. a can of tuna to
the cat? It's not so expensive to get a few more cans of tuna, but I
guess I don't know how much cats eat. It has always seemed like a real
pain for observant pet-owning friends to open a can of treif stuff for
the pet with a special can-opener etc. How much of a problem would it
be to just feed the dog some brisket with the family? Or is that
totally assur from a veterinary standpoint?
--Leah
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From: Jeffrey Saks <atid@...>
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 14:14:22 +0300
Subject: Tribute to R. Chaim Brovender
Evening of Tribute to RABBI CHAIM BROVENDER
Marking 40 Years of Teaching Torah in Israel (1967-2007)
Save the date.
Tuesday Evening, June 12, 2007 / 26 Sivan 5767
The Bible Lands Museum, Jerusalem
In 1967, following the Six Day War, Rabbi Chaim Brovender began teaching
Torah to young people in various venues in Jerusalem. In 1976 he
launched Yeshivat HaMivtar for men and Michlelet Bruria (later known as
Midreshet Lindenbaum) for women - unique institutions which have
educated thousands of students for decades. In 1985 these institutions
joined with Ohr Torah Instututions. In 1999 Rabbi Brovender founded ATID
to help train the next generation of leaders for Torah education.
Join us as Rabbi Brovender's students and teaching colleagues from these
past forty years pay tribute to this remarkable Rosh Yeshiva, his
career, and his vision for Jewish education.
To be sure you are on our invitation list, email your postal (snail
mail) address to <rcb.tribute@...> The Tribute Committee is in
formation, contact us to get involved. Please forward this email to
other students and colleagues of Rabbi Brovender. To submit a written
appreciation or reminiscence of Rabbi Brovender, to be included in the
Tribute Book, email Robert Lederman (<rdled@...>) or Erica
Brown (<brown@...>).
All proceeds from the evening will benefit Keren Chaim ve-Chesed, the
tzedaka fund Rabbi Brovender has long administered for the needy and for
yeshiva scholarships.
Rabbi Jeffrey Saks
Director, ATID - Academy for Torah Initiatives and Directions
9 HaNassi St., Jerusalem 92188 ISRAEL
E-mail: <atid@...> * Website: www.atid.org
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End of Volume 54 Issue 57