From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE Q Does one have to buy a set of Arba'at HaMinim (i.e. Lulav & Etrog) for a son before bar mitzva, or can he share his father's? A The gemara (Sukka 46b) says that one shouldn't give (with a kinyan) his lulav to a minor on the first day of Yom Tov, because a minor can receive an object but cannot give it to others. On the first Yom Tov, one must fully own the lulav when performing the mitzva (Shulchan Aruch, OC 649:2). If a father gives his lulav to his son, no adult will be able to use it to fulfill the mitzva. The simplest advice for parents is to buy a child his own kosher lulav from the time he is obligated in the mitzva (when he can shake the lulav appropriately (ibid., OC 657:1; Biur Halacha, ad loc.)). The Shulchan Aruch (658:6) does bring a dissenting opinion (Ran)
that a child at the stage of p'utot (who understands buying and selling -
usually at age 6) is able to halachically give the lulav back (see Shulchan
Aruch, CM 235:1). Many poskim counter that the minor can acquire the lulav from
the Torah (when it is given to him by an adult) but can return it only
rabbinically. Therefore, adults will not have the Torah-level ownership they
require. The Ran can argue that a minor can acquire an object only rabbinically,
and he can return it on the same level (see Biur Halacha, ad loc.). Others
explain that the machloket depends on the classic question whether kinyanim of
rabbinic origin work in regard to halachot from the Torah (Melamed L'hoil
I,120). The Shulchan Aruch's first, stringent opinion is considered the more
author- itative one. Reason: On Yom kippur, Israel is compared to angels, regarding whom the pasuk (Yechezkeil 9:11) says: “The man [angel] who was dressed in linen” (REMA). Reason: A kittel is similar to shrouds in which the deceased are wrapped [before burial]. This reminder, that all mortals ultimately die, will humble one’s heart. Reason: A white garment symbolizes atone- ment, as the pasuk (Yeshayahu 1:18) says: “Even if your sins are as red as scarlet, I shall make them white as snow” (PRI CHADASH). It is an established practice throughout Jewish communities to daven on the night of Yom Kippur wearing a Talit. Reason: To resemble angels who are garbed in white. Reason: The Gemara (Rosh HaShana 17b) relates: “HaShem enfolded Himself in a Talit like a SHALI’ACH TZIBUR and taught Moshe Rabeinu the Thirteen Divine Attributes of Mercy. Hence the Chazan wraps himself in a Talit on Leil Yom Kippur since the YUD-GIMMEL MIDOT are recited that night. Since the Chazan wears a Talit, [it was decided that] the other worshipers in shul also should wear a Talit.” It is customary when reciting Kol Nidrei for two individuals who are among the most prominent members of the congregation to stand by the side of the Chazan holding Sifrei Torah. Reason: On Yom Kippur the second Luchot were brought down from Sinai by Moshe Rabeinu. We symbolize this at the onset of Yom Kippur by taking the Sifrei Torah out of the Aron. More... The AGGADAH states that whoever lights a lamp in shul reinforces
his MAZAL. Support for this idea is cited from the father of Shaul, who kindled
lights in shul and his son later became king (Orchot Chayim). R’ Yechiel Michel of Gustinin once entreated his shamash on the
day before Yom kippur, “Feivel, let us both do T’shuva. It’s not too late. Part
of a day is halachically considered to be like the whole day, and even a single
day is considered like the whole year. Thus if we do T’shuva now, it will be as
if we had done T’shuva throughout the entire year.” Traditionally, one uses a chicken - rooster for a male, hen for a female, (at least) one of each for a pregnant woman. Through the years, there were problems with improper attention paid to the slaughter of the chickens, due to the large volume of Kaparot. Since Kaparot chickens were to be prepared and given to poor people, there developed in some communities the practice of using money instead, which is given to TZEDAKA, thereby seeing to the needs of the poor and alleviating the abovementioned problem. KAPAROT is often misunderstood. It is NOT a shortcut to
atonement. For real atonement, we must approach HaShem with sincere repentance,
mitzvot and good deeds, prayer and fasting. KAPAROT is a sobering reminder of
the frailty of life, an inspiration to T'shuva, AND a way of involving us in
G'MILUT CHASADIM before Yom Kippur. Ideally, "do" Kaparot on Erev Yom Kippur in
the morning. You know the saying. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Well, Shabbat Shuva is the first Shabbat of the rest of your year (and life). And that presents a challenge. Use Shabbat Shuva to help make all your Shabbats better and more special than they have been in the past, for you and your whole family. Do you cut corners with the basic laws of Shabbat? Do you do
things on Shabbat that you know you really should not be doing, but they seem
trivial to you? If so, Shabbat Shuva is there for you. Take things slowly, but
make some forward progress. Decide not to turn lights on and off this one
Shabbat. Then see if you can keep it going for one more Shabbat. And another.
That was just an example. Let's say that you are Shomer Shabbat. And the answer
to the question about cutting corners is NO. You keep the Shabbat. You abstain
from all manner of Melacha, including all the Rabbinic restrictions as well.
Good. But do you REALLY keep Shabbat the way it should be kept? And honor it?
And enjoy it? How do you spend your "free" time on Shabbat? Do you have quality
time with your family? Do you invite guests regularly? Do you learn Torah and
sing Zemirot at the table? Are your discussions at the table on a level that
honors the Shabbat, or is it about baseball, the stock market, shopping, TV
commercials, and the like? And what about the preparation for Shabbat? Is the day before Shabbat, Friday or Erev Shabbat, if you follow the difference. The same thing goes for Saturday night or Motza'ei Shabbat. Which do you have? Shabbat Shuva is the Shabbat between Rosh HaShana and Yom
Kippur. It's a one-of-a-kind Shabbat. We each have our own davening and thinking
agendas for Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. But the Shabbat between them is a
"regular" Shabbat. And that's the challenge. People usually succeed in having a
special and meaningful Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. But those special days come
once a year. Shabbat is every single week. Use this first one to raise your TSO
(total Shabbat observance) a notch or two. Then work on maintaining and improv-
ing your honor and joy of the most special and precious of days - Shabbat. Interestingly, the Song does not make mention of Teshuva. Redemption, it appears, will come in any event. However, there is an implied condition upon which this ultimate Messianic period is predicated. For in the Song's opening words Moshe exclaims: "Ki shem Hashem ekra - Havu godel leiloikeinu" - 'For I will call upon the Name of Hashem; ascribe greatness to our G-d.' It seems that just as Rosh Hashana invites us declare G-d's sovereignty before we enter into the mode of repentance, so Ha'azinu prompts us to proclaim Hashem's name that we might eventually merit His beneficence. For what is the point of Teshuva if we do not first acknowledge G-d's greatness? Then, perhaps, we will deserve the fulfillment of the Song's last words that announce: "[Hashem] will bring retribution to his foes and He will appease His Land and His people." - Ken Yehi Ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Chatima Tova, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center [The Parshat Ha'azinu Homepage]
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