Volume 64 Number 95
Produced: Mon, 01 Mar 21 18:45:41 +0000
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Birchat Haorchim
[Joel Rich]
Commemorative coins
[Martin Stern]
Doing Laundry Halachically
[Carl Singer]
Seeking Info on tallis-wearing technique
[Frank Silbermann]
Sim Shalom (3)
[Martin Stern Menashe Elyashiv Ben Katz, M.D.]
The Megillah and Women's Names
[Haim Snyder]
Timing of Parshat Zachor (2)
[Joel Rich Perets Mett]
Waiving mourning practices (2)
[Martin Stern Joseph Kaplan]
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From: Joel Rich <JRich@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Birchat Haorchim
Has anyone heard of an explanation why for so many years many Ashkenazim did not
say birchat haorchim in the birchat hamazon (assumedly relying on the harachaman
to do the job) and only recently was it added back into the standard text of
birchonim?
KT
Joel Rich
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From: Martin Stern <md.stern@...>
Date: Sun, Feb 28,2021 at 05:01 AM
Subject: Commemorative coins
The Royal Mint from time to time produces commemorative coins with face value
fifty pence in a limited issue. These have official value of 50p but can become
collectors' items with a much higher value. However most people are not aware of
this and treat them as being at face value.
The other day I found such a coin embedded in the mud. Does it have the din
[status] of ma'ot mefuzarot [scattered coins] which automatically belong to the
finder or is it an aveidah [lost item] on which one must make a hachrazah
[public announcement] so that the owner can claim it?
Martin Stern
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From: Carl Singer <carl.singer@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 08:01 AM
Subject: Doing Laundry Halachically
I've been closely following the erudite -- and eruditer -- discussions re: laundry.
There seems to be one point missing -- my laundry detergent has a hechser on it
-- an "O-U".
Does that mean I may consume it? Should I assume it's parve?
I see no "O-U-P" so I will eschew same during Pesach.
Carl A. Singer, Ph.D.Colonel, U.S. Army Retired
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From: Frank Silbermann <frank_silbermann@...>
Date: Sun, Feb 28,2021 at 10:01 AM
Subject: Seeking Info on tallis-wearing technique
Can someone provide a link to information as to effective ways of wearing a
tallis so that it does not keep sliding down off the wearer's shoulders?
Frank Silbermann,
Memphis, Tennessee
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From: Martin Stern <md.stern@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 08:01 AM
Subject: Sim Shalom
Stuart Pilichowski wrote (MJ 64#94):
> At shachrit, Minhag Ashkenaz and Sfard both recite sim shalom. At mincha
> Ashkenaz in Israel recite sim shalom while some say shalom rov.
Ashkenazim outside Israel usually say shalom rav at minchah, while Minhag Sfard
everywhere is to say sim shalom.
> Some say sim shalom at mincha is recited only when the reading of the torah
> takes place, i.e. Shabbat afternoon or a Ta'anit tzibbur. The posuk - ki beohr
> panecha is related to torah learning.
I would have thought the phrase "Torat Chaim" found in sim shalom, but not in
shalom rav, is more likely a reason.
> For others, sim shalom is considered an addition to the duchaning of the
> kohanim. No duchaning at mincha - no sim shalom.
I would have thought the phrase "Tovah UVERACHAH" found in sim shalom, but not
in shalom rav, is likely a reason for the change when there is BIRCHAT Kohanim.
> The Rov would say sim shalom always and never shalom rov - even at maariv -
> because shalom rov isn't mentioned in the gemara.
I noticed that that is the minhag in Belz as well.
> Why do some in Israel always say sim shalom at mincha?
Possibly this reflects the influence of Minhag Sfard.
Martin Stern
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From: Menashe Elyashiv <menely2@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 09:01 AM
Subject: Sim Shalom
In response to Stuart Pilichowski (MJ 64#94):
As in other cases, when we find 2 or 3 variants, the reason is that there were
different readings in the far past, and we compromise by using both or all.
There are 3 nuscha'ot for birkat kedushat Hashem, some have one for silent
prayer, one for the chazarat hashatz, one for yamim noraim.
Two nuscha'ot for bracha before modim, one for all year and one for Yom Tov
Musaf. Same for bircat hashalom.
Interesting to check geniza siddurim, also the italian rite, and also old rites
that were overridden by stronger rites.
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From: Ben Katz, M.D.<BKatz@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 10:01 AM
Subject: Sim Shalom
In response to Stuart Pilichowski (MJ 64#94):
Sim Shalom seems to be the preferred version. Rambam only has that version. I
believe certain liturgies (?Taimanim) never use shalom rav.
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From: Haim Snyder <haimsny@...>
Date: Sun, Feb 28,2021 at 10:01 AM
Subject: The Megillah and Women's Names
Prof. Levine wrote (MJ 64#92):
> The scroll should be referred to as the "Megillah of Mordechai's Niece".
Unfortunately, Prof. Levine apparently doesn't know Hebrew very well, or he has
difficulty with family relationships. The Megilla states that Esther was the
daughter of Mordechai's uncle (Chapter 2 verse 7) . That makes her his cousin,
not his niece.
Sincerely,
Haim Shalom Snyder
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From: Joel Rich <JRich@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 08:01 AM
Subject: Timing of Parshat Zachor
Martin Stern wrote (MJ 64#94):
> Immanuel Burton wrote (MJ 64#93):
>> ...
>> Before the Purim story happened, when was Parshat Zachor read? Or was the
>> mitzvah of remembering Amalek fulfilled differently?
> Obviously in Ki Teitzei where it also is read as maftir.
I'm not sure it is so obvious that zechirat amalek was always observed by a
public reading (IIRC The Rambam doesn't mention it and others say its rabbinic
in nature)
KT
Joel Rich
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From: Perets Mett <p.mett00@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 10:01 AM
Subject: Timing of Parshat Zachor
Martin Stern wrote (MJ 64#94):
>
> Immanuel Burton wrote (MJ 64#93):
>
>> In order to fulfil the commandment to remember Amalek, we read Parshat Zachor
>> on an annual basis. The reading was instituted to take place on the Shabbat
>> before Purim in order to have this reading take place in proximity to Purim,
>> when Haman was defeated.
>>
>> Before the Purim story happened, when was Parshat Zachor read? Or was the
>> mitzvah of remembering Amalek fulfilled differently?
>
> Obviously in Ki Teitzei where it also is read as maftir.
>
> For those who were careful to follow the Chasam Sofer's opinion that this
> mitzvah be done every twelve months, there is a problem in a leap year.
> Nowadays we fulfil this chumra by having kavannah in Ki Teitzei in a year
> preceding a leap year. Presumably in the pre-Purim times, they would have had
> to do the mitzvah with the original encounter with Amalek in Beshallach,
> probably every year since they would not have known whether there would be
> an extra Adar that year.
In Bovel, yes
But in Erets Yisroel, where the Torah was read on a triennial cycle, that would
not have been an annual event.
So, what did they do?
Perets Mett
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From: Martin Stern <md.stern@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 08:01 AM
Subject: Waiving mourning practices
Joel Rich wrote (MJ 64#94):
> There is an interesting article by R' S. Brody in the upcoming Hakira
> concerning parents waiving their "right" to mourning after shloshim. My
> question, almost partially addressed in the article, is, assuming such a
> waiver is effective, is it what HKB"H wants of us?
>
> Such a waiver certainly would help the children avoid difficult issues, not
> just event-related such as weddings, but every day issues as well. Assuming
> they could still choose to observe the strictures they choose but from a
> strictly halachic basis will their reward (as a stand in for HKBH's happiness)
> be as great? From a hashkafic viewpoint is the waiver sending the right
> message?
Strictly speaking, aveilut terminates at the end of sheloshim and any further
mourning comes under the heading of kibbud av va'eim on which the parent can be
mochel [waive their right]. Even if they do so, it is still permitted, and even
laudible, for the child to give them kavod [honour].
Martin Stern
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From: Joseph Kaplan <penkap@...>
Date: Wed, Feb 24,2021 at 10:01 AM
Subject: Waiving mourning practices
In response to Joel Rich (MJ 64#94):
I wonder about the question because there are so many areas about which it can
be raised if it is a legitimately valid question eg, selling chametz, prozbul,
eruv, heter iska, halachic wills, and the like. So isn't the answer for halacha
observing Jews simply this: follow the halacha and leave God's wishes out of it
since we really can't know what God wants from us other than for us to follow
halacha.
(As an aside, my impression is that when people do answer this question in the
way it's posed, there is a very strong wry correlation between what they think
is right and what God allegedly wants.)
Joseph
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End of Volume 64 Issue 95