MISC section - contents: Q Should a woman who is close to her birth due date find a place for Shabbat to prevent the need to travel to the hospital? A An expectant mother certainly does not have to find a place close to the hospital for Shabbat (Shmirat Shabbat K'hilchata 36:7). On one hand, it is proper to make preparations before Shabbat to minimize the need of doing foreseeable forbidden activity on Shabbat to save lives (Mishna Berura 330:1). On the other hand, there is a rule in pikuach nefesh (steps to save lives) on Shabbat that one need not take unusually difficult steps to obviate the need for permitted chillul Shabbat. (This rule is beautifully explained in an article by Rav Sh. Z. Orbach in "Torah Sheb'al Peh, vol.14). What constitutes unusually difficult steps is subjective and difficult to spell out. However, when discussing only a possible need for chillul Shabbat and when dealing with a mother who is soon to give birth (with Hashem's help), there is every reason to consider things with leniency. Therefore, a woman should pack before Shabbat a bag of things she will take with her (things that should not be taken on Shabbat should be separated from before), as this is a very simple step. But there is no need to find a place for Shabbat nearby, all the more so if it will detract from the spirit of Shabbat. The most important thing to consider at this stage is the health of the expectant mother, including her level of rest and her psychological state. In the case of an important psychological need, Rav M. Feinstein even allowed a husband to travel to the hospital with his wife (see the circumstances in Igrot Moshe OC I, 132; Shmirat Shabbat K'hilchata 36:8). Some women may wait until the last minute before traveling on Shabbat even when far away from the hospital, which is not a good idea. Others may go at the first signs of what might turn out to be false labor and end up in a situation where they are stuck in the middle of nowhere for the rest of Shabbat (see more in Shmirat Shabbat K'hilchata 36:10). Such women should consider these factors in their choice of a hospital and their Shabbat plans. But again, the concern is how the various scenarios will affect her health. [There are several issues for a couple to consider, depending on the circumstances.] 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. And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to eretzhem@netvision.net.il with the message: Join Hemdatya –Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Reason: An Aggadah relates an incident regarding a Tanna who contacts a deceased person who could find no peace in the Afterlife. Responding to the Tanna’s query, the departed person replied, “No one can redeem me unless my son says Kaddish or recites [i.e., is called up to] Maftir in the Prophets in honor of Hashem for my sake...” This is the basis for the minhag that one recites Kaddish once every twelve months for the sake of a deceased parent, and also to be called up to Maftir for reading the Haftara. Hence the custom that a son is called up to Maftir on the Shabbat preceding his parent’s yahrzeit (Birkei Yosef). Ed. note: The custom is that if the yahrzeit is on the Shabbat day itself, then the son gets a “regular” Aliya, rather than Maftir. Also know, that if there is a confict in shul - let’s say, a Bar Mitzva - then it is not considered a slight of one’s parent not to get Maftir. When the emperor entered the Great Synagogue he looked around and saw no portrait of himself. He then asked the rav, R’ Shimon Sofer, whether it was true that a picture of himself had been removed prior to his arrival. “The same is true here, your majesty,” he continued. “Throughout the year we have a portrait of you on the wall to remind us of you. But to leave such a painting on the wall when you are with us is unnecessary, and we therefore removed the picture in anticipation of your visit.” What is the difference between living in Egypt-exile or living in Israel? It is the difference between being married or just having a superficial relationship. The Talmud in Kidushin 2a draws a parallel between buying a piece of land in Israel and the way one marries a woman. In both cases the Torah uses the expression of "Kicha", taking (buying) land and taking (marrying) a woman. Why should buying land in Israel be compared to marrying a woman? Is marrying a woman the same as buying a piece of land? Our sages in their great wisdom responded affirma- tively, but for radically different reasons than one would expect. One does not buy a woman like one buys a piece of land but one marries a woman with the same love which one feels when one has the merit to live in the Holy Land. Nowhere is there a deeper bond and commitment than between a couple. It is the ultimate form of love. And the only case which compares to such a love is the one which the Jews show to the Land. A Jew marries Israel. He does not just settle (t)here. But for a marriage to succeed one needs to toil all the time, and so it is with the land. At the time of the chupah one gives a ring to one's wife. But this is only the first installment. So it with the land. Buying a piece of the land is only the first installment. To stay married to it demands constant spiritual labor. Okay, this is going to be more difficult than originally thought. The choice of animal for this week’s column was determined by the sign that G-d gave to Moshe of the Staff turning into a snake. When Moshe actually performs that sign, the Torah tells us that the Staff turned into a TANIN, usually translated as CROCODILE. Crocodile brings to mind alligator, so the decision was to present both of them. Then it was noted that the Staff to Crocodile does not happen until next week’s sedra. The Torah’s description of the first encounter between Moshe and Par’o does not mention any signs, just conversation. Only it isn’t just crocodiles and alligators that turned up, as you will see. There are 14 species of crocodile and six species of CAIMAN. What’s a caiman? Good question. They are not alligators, but closely related to them. You can't see an alligator's teeth when its mouth is closed; its lower teeth fit snugly into pits in the upper jaw. In contrast, a crocodile's lower teeth are always visible. The fellow was completely unimpressed with his own act that was LIFNIM MISHURAT HADIN, above and beyond any (halachic or moral) requirement of behavior. I tried to explain how unusual and special his act was. I don’t think I convinced him. He thinks that everybody behaves that way. And that makes the story even more remarkable. Okay, here’s another one... SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH... "When the pillar of smoke ascended from the burning Ketoret, the Kohein used to see the mystical letters of the Shem Hameforash - the Tetregrammaton - ascending on high in that pillar. Then numerous holy legions would surround the pillar on all sides until it rose in the midst of light and gladness to the region where it diffused joy and knitted together the upper world and lower world in a complete unity…." (Zohar 218b, 219b) The first Kohein, who had been appointed to remove the ashes from the Mizbach Hazahav, entered the Heichal carrying a wide-mouthed golden basket called the TENI. He set the TENI down on the floor, and using both hands, scooped up the cooled down ashes remaining on the Mizbach Hazahav from the previous day and spilled it into the TENI. When he finished, the Kohein once again placed the TENI on the floor near the Mizbach Hazahav; he then exited the Heichal (Tamid 3:9). This Kohein did not bow down when he exited the Heichal because he had not completely finished his particular Avodah. Later when he returned and removed the ash-filled TENI from the Heichal, com- pleting his Avodah, he would bow down. (Tamid 3:9 - Teferet Yisrael 82). The Kohein, who had won the Payis permitting him to offer the Ketoret, (For a description of the Payis - the lottery - see last week's Torah Tidbits), took a special golden dish - "heaped up full of Ketoret" (Tamid 5: 4). This golden vessel was placed inside a larger basin "so that the Ketoret would not scatter when the Kohein brought it into the Heichal... Ketoret offered from an overflowing vessel demonstrated reverence to Heaven." (Teferet Yisrael 21) Then the Kohanim entered the Heichal; the Kohein who had cleared the ashes from the Mizbach Hazahav leading the way. Upon entering, he picked up the TENI with the ashes from its place near the Mizbach Hazahav, bowed down and, holding the TENI in his hands, exited the Heichal (Tamid 6:1). Then the two other Kohanim entered the Heichal, the officiating Kohein, who actually offered the Ketoret, and an assistant. The officiating Kohein took the small covered golden dish filled with the Ketoret and the basin and gave them to his assistant who then poured the Ketoret from the dish into the officiating Kohein's hands. The assistant probably held the basin under the officiating Kohein's hands as he poured the Ketoret in order to prevent Ketoret from falling on the floor. When the assistant finished, he bowed down and exited the Heichal. The officiating Kohein was left alone. No one was permitted to remain in the Heichal or even in the area between the Bayit and the Mizbe'ach while the Ketoret was being offered. The Memuneh, standing outside, called out to the officiating Kohein, "Be careful that you do not begin sprinkling the Ketoret on the coals immediately in front of you or else you may get burnt." This warning was necessary because the Kohein offering the Ketoret did so only once in his lifetime and therefore had no previous experience. The officiating Kohein did not commence sprinkling until the Memuneh instructed him to do so. The Kohein stood to the east of the Mizbach Hazahav with his hands full of Ketoret. It is likely that at this time he recited the special blessing over the offering of the Ketoret. Standing on the east side of the Mizbach Hazahav, "he stretched his hands across and slowly started to sprinkle the Ketoret on the burning coals - starting on the western - the far side - of the Mizbach Hazahav and slowly worked his way to the east." - where he was standing. (Middot 6:3 Teferet Yisrael 15). When the Heichal was filled with smoke, the Kohein bowed down and exited the building. "R' Yitzchak ben Eliezer said, 'Know that they constructed the Mishkan and all its vessels, slaughtered and sacrificed the Korbanot on the Mizbe'ach, placed the Lechem Hapanim on the Shulchan and lit the Menorah. They did everything - but the Shechinah - the Divine Presence - did not descend on the Mishkan until they offered up the Ketoret. How do we know this? It is written, 'Awake thou north, come thou south, blow upon my garden that the perfumes flow out. Let my Beloved come into His garden and eat His precious fruits.' (Song of Songs 4:16) 'Awake thou north' - these are the burnt offerings which were slaughtered north of the Mizbe'ach. 'Come thou south' - these are the peace offerings which were slaughtered south of the Mizbe'ach. ' Blow upon my garden that the perfumes flow out.' - this is the perfumed Ketoret. 'Let my Beloved come… this is the Shechinah… and eat His precious fruit… these are the now accepted Korbanot." "Said the Holy One Blessed be He, 'By means of the Ketoret you attained atone- ment in this world; so shall it be in the Future World…" (Midrash Tanchuma, Tetzaveh with commentary of the Eitz Yosef) ************
From the Desk of the Director Indeed, an entire generation that accompanied Ya'akov to Egypt will vanish - and their children will no longer be able to withstand the local cultural influences (Sforno). With the fathers gone, the Midrash relates, the Egyptians will treat Bnei Yisra'el with contempt. Worse still, their task- masters will now initiate the grisly process of their Final Solution. As the pervading darkness of the Egyptian exile grows, the light of Ya'akov's children - the stars - recedes to nothingness. Bnei Yisra'el can but turn to their tribal names as a source of inspiration and hope, realizing, perhaps, that a people conscious of their true roots is never entirely in exile. Moreover, the evocation of the tribal names serves as a stimulus. Like those written on the Ephod, "they cause Hakadosh Baruch Hu to remember the tribes in righteousness" (Rashi, Sh'mot 28:12) - Vechen Yehi Ratzon. [The Parshat Shmot Homepage]
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