Volume 60 Number 29
Produced: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:19:42 EDT
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Accomodation of minhagim
[Shmuel Himelstein]
Kojel
[Ben Katz]
Monkey Business
[Yisrael Medad]
Morid Haggoshem
[Immanuel Burton]
The Three Oaths of Jewish History
[Mois Navon]
Tzedukah
[Carl Singer]
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From: Shmuel Himelstein <himels@...>
Date: Wed, Aug 3,2011 at 02:01 AM
Subject: Accomodation of minhagim
Here, in Israel, we have the greatest Kibbutz Galuyot ("Ingathering of the
Exiles"). It would be interesting to see how different "mixed" Minyanim
accommodate the various customs of the groups comprising the Minyan.
I, for example, often Daven in a Minyan made up primarily of Ashkenazim, who
are further divided into Nusach Ashkenaz and Nusach Sefarad. The general
rule is that the Chazan determines the Nusach for that prayer. I
nevertheless found three divergences from that rule:
a) Regardless who the Chazan is, the Hagbahah is after the Torah reading
- even though Edot Mizrach have it before the Torah reading.
b) On Shabbat, the Shir shel Yom is recited after Shacharit, even though
the Ashkenazic practice is to say it after Musaf.
c) On those days of the week upon which there is no Torah reading at
Shacharit, regardless of who the Chazan is, the Thirteen Middot are recited
before Tachanun. The Ashkenazic custom in Israel is to recite these only on
Mondays and Thursdays.
Shmuel Himelstein
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From: Ben Katz <BKatz@...>
Date: Tue, Aug 2,2011 at 06:01 PM
Subject: Kojel
I have learned a lot from the discussion.
However, I think it is being made way too complicated (or perhaps I am too simple
minded :-)).
The halacha is that anything that is nifsal may-achilat kelev (roughly translated
as so disgusting even a
dog wouldn't eat it) is not food. Bone dust is in this state according to
everyone. The Talmud never
anticipated a situation where something that is nifsal may-achilat kelev would
then be reconstituted to an
edible state, thus the current machloket (difference of opinion). Some say it's
now food and should be
treif if derived from a nonkosher animal; others argue that once non-food, always
non-food. The
Rabbinate in Israel held the latter; Rav Aharon Kotler and Rav Moshe Feinstein and
other prominent US
rabbis held the former. (I have even heard of people asking if they make aliyah
can they now eat certain
Israeli candies [assuming they usually don't hold by mehadrin kashrut standards].)
An interesting side note is that if you hold the latter, it is possible you
wouldn't need to make a beracha on
unflavored gelatin (just as you don't need to on unflavored medicine, as I
understand it, because it is not
food.)
Ben Z. Katz, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
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From: Yisrael Medad <ybmedad@...>
Date: Sat, Aug 13,2011 at 08:01 PM
Subject: Monkey Business
The Rambam (Hilchot Eiruvin, 6:22) indicates that it is halachically
acceptable for a person who wishes to mark the place for an eiruv
t'chumin which extends the area wherein it is permitted to carry beyond
the normal boundaries of the city, to appoint an emissary to place f his 'meal' or
him at the new spot and, moreover, to give that 'meal' to a
monkey, yes a monkey or even an elephant - trained ones obviously - to
transport and pass it on to that emissary, as long as the human is who
does the actually placing at the spot and that act of placing is
confirmed to the original person.
This opens up a whole new avenue of halachic activity such as selling
one's chametz via the Internet. Does anyone know if this decision by
the Rambam is indeed being used?
Yisrael Medad
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From: Immanuel Burton <iburton@...>
Date: Tue, Aug 16,2011 at 11:01 PM
Subject: Morid Haggoshem
The recent discussion about Geshem/Goshem made me think about saying
"Morid Ha'Tal" as opposed to "Morid Ha'Tol" (if one's custom is to
include that phrase in the summer), and whether one should be
consistent, i.e. Geshem/Tal and Goshem/Tol.
I checked several Siddurim that have both insertions to see how they are
pointed, and I found the following:
Sacks Koren Siddur: Geshem / Tol
Patah Eliyahou (France): Geshem / Tol
Siddur Bene Romi (Italy): Geshem / Tol
Tefillas Yaakov: Goshem / Tol
Tefillas Kol Peh: Geshem / Tol
Siddur Vilna: Geshem / Tal
Rinat Yisrael (Ashkenaz, Israel): Goshem / Tol
Rinat Yisrael (Edut HaMizrach): Geshem / Tol
Rav Yaakiv Emden's Siddur: Goshem / Tol
Book of Prayer according to the custom of the Spanish and Portuguese
Jews: Geshem / Tol
There would seem to be some inconsistency between Geshem/Goshem and
Tal/Tol, and even the two editions of the Rinat Yisrael that I looked at
differed from each other.
What, if anything, does this prove as to which is the correct rendition
of the text, if indeed either is more correct than the other?
Immanuel Burton.
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From: Mois Navon <mois.navon@...>
Date: Wed, Aug 10,2011 at 09:01 AM
Subject: The Three Oaths of Jewish History
Dear Friends,
Fate and Destiny, Exile and Redemption - these are the themes we experience
in this time between Shabbat Hazon and Shabbat Nachamu. In consonance, I
offer a new essay analyzing the exile and return of the Jewish people from
the perspective of three esoteric "oaths" through which, I propose, God
directs history. It is my contention that there is an element of fate to
history that, when understood, allows man to truly apply his free will and
create his own destiny.
Join me on a trip through modern history in an attempt to resolve this
paradox:
The Three Oaths of Jewish History
[http://www.divreinavon.com/pdf/TheThreeOathsOfJewishHistory.pdf].
Enjoy,
Mois.
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From: Carl Singer <carl.singer@...>
Date: Mon, Aug 15,2011 at 04:01 PM
Subject: Tzedukah
For many of us tzedukah involves choices. And it's the time of year when
Tzedukah requests start flowing in.
Halachically, we can iron out the "how much" -- the question then becomes
"to whom" -- both from a halachic and a social point of view.
For example, do I write a check to a bona fide yeshiva, or do I donate to
someone coming to my door with a laminated, certificate from an unknown
source, etc. (Don't suggest, both -- in essence with a fixed tzedukah
budget or maximum, giving more to one means less for the other.)
Please evaluate these scenarios. In all cases these are people from a
different community being driven here as a group by a driver who apparently
has a list of frum homes - and we're told he gets a percentage / commission.
1. A strong young man comes to the door -- says he's out of work -- may we
offer him money to mow our lawn.
2. A woman comes to our door and says she needs to feed her children -- we
give her a bag filled with groceries.
3. Another young man comes to the door wreaking of cigarette smoke and says
that he needs funds to feed his family -- we tell him to give up smoking and then
come back.
4. Professional mailings from organizations that we've never heard of.
Usually, full color, with haunting pictures, etc.
5. Telephone calls from solicitors -- "May we put you down for $100?" -- Is
it OK to say that we do nothing over the telephone, please send us
literature -- And then is it OK to then tear up the request if it comes in
"Per our telephone call thank you for your generous pledge of $100."
6. Multiple requests from the same organization - We gave at Pesach and
then Shavout and soon Rosh Hashanah.
Carl
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End of Volume 60 Issue 29
