ASK THE REBBE from the virtual desk of the OU Vebbe Rebbe 
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in the areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of the questions are answered by Eretz Hemdah, the Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli, zt"l to prepare rabbanim and dayanim to serve the National Religious community in Israel and abroad. The Ask the Rabbi project is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah... 

Question: What is PAT AKUM?
Answer: In the Mishnah, Avoda Zara 35B, PAT (bread) of non-Jews is included in the list of things which are prohibited to eat, but are permitted to benefit from. The origin of this prohibition is the “18 Gezerot” (Rabbinical prohibitions) which were enacted after the great debate between Shammai and Hillel (Shabbat 17a). The gezerah was enacted to limit the type of ties between Jews and non-Jews which might lead to intermarriage (what Chazal called, “because of their daughters”). Although mentioned in the Mishna along with BISHUL AKUM, the halacha is more lenient regarding bread from a non-Jewish bakery for one or more of the following reasons: [1] This gezerah was not totally accepted throughout the entire Jewish world.
[2] A special dispensation may have been made to allow a staple such as bread, especially since Jewish bakeries are not always available (see Avoda Zara 35b). [3] The practice of buying bread made in mass quantities to be sold is less likely to encourage dangerous levels of socializing (see Rashi ad loc.).

There are some who permit bread baked by a non-Jew only where there is no local alternative of PAT YISRA'EL (Shulchan Aruch Yoreah Deah 112:2), whereas others permit buying from non-Jewish bakeries in any case (Rama, ibid.). In any case, the bread baked by a private non-Jew is certainly forbidden. Even those who permit PAT AKUM only when PAT YISRA'EL is not available might permit a type of bread which is only available or significantly more tasty by the non-Jewish bakery (Shulchan Aruch, ibid., 5; see Igrot Moshe II:33 regarding bagels). A major issue is the determination of which foods have the relative leniency of PAT AKUM and which (like many cakes) fall under the broader, more stringent category of BISHUL AKUM (see Shulchan Aruch, ibid., 6). Regarding PAT AKUM, any involvement of a Jew in the lighting of the oven permits the bread, even for Sefardim who are stringent on the matter by BISHUL AKUM. (Shulchan Aruch, ibid., 9).

“Ask the Rabbi” Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. If you would like to receive Hemdat Yamim by email, on a weekly basis, please send an email to lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank.

Hasidic Wisdom, from the book by Simcha Raz (Elkins/Elkins)
I learned this wisdom from my ancestors:
There are two things it is forbidden to worry about:
That which it is possible to fix, and that which it is impossible to fix.
What is possible to fix – fix it, and why worry?
What is impossible to fix – how will worrying help?
- Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov

Stalking sin and pursuing good are admirable quests.
But be sure to look for sin in yourself and for good in others.
- Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev 

If only hedonists knew about the great pleasure that good deeds bring, they would dedicate themselves to the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot.
- Rabbi Mordechai of Lechovitz

Rite and Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard
Q V'HU RACHUM is said at the beginning of the weekday Maariv, but not on Friday night. Why?
A The p'sukim V'HU RACHUM and HASHEM HOSHIYA were introduced to correspond to the burning of the parts of the afternoon TAMID which were burned on the Mizbei'ach at night. The afternoon TAMID is considered an atonement for transgressions that were committed during the day (hence, And He Who is merciful shall atone for transgression...). The parts of the TAMID were not burned on Friday night, therefore, no V'HU RACHUM
Q Why do S'faradim (and others?) distributed fragrant grasses and branches after Maariv on Leil Shabbat?
A For the pleasure of the NESHAMA Y'TEIRA.

FYI
If, for any reason, you are no longer counting the Omer with a bracha, please know that it is still a mitzva for you to count. This means that you should not give up counting for the next few weeks and use as an excuse, "well I'm not saying a bracha anyway". Counting the Omer is a special and precious mitzva. Do it! Even if you have missed a night and day and are no longer counting with a bracha - if you have counted on all Motza'ei Shabbatot, i.e. Day 7, 14, 21, 38 (so far) to the Omer, then you can count with a bracha on the upcoming Motza'ei Shabbatot. This is because there is also a mitzva to count the weeks of the Omer. Include in your KAVANA, the eager anticipation of the journey (both the actual & the spiritual) from Egypt to Sinai.

The RIF, R. Yitzchak b. Yaakov HaKohen Alfasi, is considered to be the earliest of the RISHONIM. He was born in 1013 and died in Spain at 90, in 1103. He was 27 years old when Rashi was born in France, 1040. Rashi died in 1105, at the age of 65. One of Rashi's students was R. Simcha b. Shmuel, the editor/author of Machzor Vitri. He died in the same year that Rashi did.

SDT
The Chidushei HaRim explains why our Holidays are called MIKRAEI KODESH. Because the call to us and beckon us towards K'DUSHA.

Dear Torah Tidbits Reader,
In parshat Emor the Jewish people are asked to reckon with time, to fix days for work and rest, for sacrifice and celebration - appointed times dedicated to becoming ever closer to God. These mo’adim are spiritual points in time which summon us as individuals and as a community, in much the same way that the Ohel Mo’ed is a special locality that we designate for a unique religious purpose. 

On our hoildays we are accustomed to saying the beracha: “Mekadesh Yisra’el Vehazmanim” –‘Who sanctifies Israel and the festive seasons.’ The Gemara questions how this one blessing incorporates two acts of Hashem, implying that there is confusion over who is hallowing the seasons. The Talmud [Berachot 49a] resolves this problem by concluding that Yisra’el and the Zemanim each have their own holy qualities. However, Hashem sanctifies Israel and they, through this imbued holiness, in turn, consecrate time. 

Harav Aviner describes this human act of Kiddush Hazman as the sanctification of the meeting between us and the world - in other words, the sanctification of life itself. This is achieved, for example, by our marking the times of the Jewish holidays from Pesach to Sukkot. The counting of the Omer then represents the transition from our physical birth as a nation to the gradual recognition of our inner spiritual being and purpose on Shavu’ot.

In the words of Rav Hirsch, the mo’adim challenge us to contemplate and internalize the very ideals that lie at the foundations of these festivals. How pleasant then to ascend the steps of Sefirat Ha’omer!
Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center

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