MISC section - contents:
1. Vebbe Rebbe
2. Words of Wisdom; Words of Wit
3. Rite and Reason
4. Candle by Day
5. Hebrew Word
6. From Aloh Naaleh
7. From the desk of the director

[1] From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE
The Orthodox Union – via its website – fields questions of all types in areas of kashrut, Jewish law and values. Some of them 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. Ask the Rabbi is a joint venture of the OU, Yerushalayim Network, Eretz Hemdah... and the Israel Center. The following is a Q&A from Eretz Hemdah...

Q In order to digest milk properly, I need to take lactose pills. Is it permitted to take such pills on Shabbat, in light of the prohibition on refuah (medical treatment)?

A Before we try to solve your problem, let us "digest" the topic a little more broadly.

There is a rabbinic prohibition to resort to medical treatment on Shabbat (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 328:1, from mishna Shabbat 111a). This is out of fear that one may violate Shabbat in the course of the treatment, or, in the classical situation, in preparing medicines (by grinding). However, this prohibition is chipped away at from both sides. When one is truly sick, then he is permitted to take medicine to improve his situation. And, as relates to our issue, there are some health-related actions that are not considered medicinal.

Food, in addition to being tasty and providing energy for the day's activities, may also have medicinal value in a variety of ways. Yet even the healthiest foods are not included in the prohibition on refuah (Shabbat 109b). Things (including some herbs and tablets) that are arguably food-like but are eaten only by unhealthy people are prohibited (ibid.). But is that prohibition only for unhealthy people or even for healthy ones? The Shulchan Aruch (ibid.:37) says it is permitted for healthy people, as they do not need refuah. (Some explain that while one who feels ill may be distressed enough to inadvertently violate Shabbat when seeking a remedy, this fear does not apply to a healthy person- see Tzitz Eliezer XI, 37.) On the other hand, the Magen Avraham, one of the Shulchan Aruch's primary commentators, tries to prove otherwise, that medications are prohibited even for those who are not suffering at all (ad loc.:43). Tzitz Eliezer (ibid.) accepts the Shulchan Aruch's opinion, but Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe, OC III,54) said that it is difficult to dismiss the Magen Avraham, under normal circumstances. (This is the implication of the Mishna Berura 328:121, as well).

An apparent common application of this machloket is whether a healthy person can take vitamins, which are not really food (we don't make a beracha on them). However, R. Feinstein rules that it is permitted to take vitamins on Shabbat, because even the Magen Avraham would agree. He reasons that to be a medicine, something must have some type of direct positive effect on the body. If it is just preventative of disease, by providing the body with substances that keep it working smoothly, that could not be considered medicine.

What about lactose pills? There are different ways to look at the matter. On one hand, the person feels fine when he takes it. On the other hand, he has an existing deficiency which will, given that he has just ingested or is about to ingest milk, cause him pain in the relative short term without the pills. (Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchata 34:18 is stringent in such cases).

Fortunately, by lactose pills, there are additional grounds for leniency, based on how they work. Most medicines strengthen the body and its workings or fix problems that have arisen in it. But lactase replacement pills act on a more technical plane. They simply break down milk's lactose into sugars that the body can absorb. In fact, one can even put the pill into the milk and have it do its job outside the body. Thus, the pill just causes that the problematic condition never arises. The body's deficiency is not addressed, as it is not healed into producing its own lactase enzyme. Therefore, the situation is more lenient even than that of vitamins, which help give the body strength and resources to deal with future problems.

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

[2] ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
If someone asked R’ David Kronglas whether it was permissible to do something and R’ David thought it was forbidden, he always answered, “I have to study this further. I’ll get back to you.” He explained that it was too difficult for him to tell a person something was categorically forbidden. He would check out the sources one more time, and only afterward would he call the person back and tell him that the matter was forbidden. On the other hand, if something was permitted, he would immediately tell the person the halacha.

[3] Rite and Reason by Shmuel Pinchas Gelbard
It is customary to wrap the T’filin straps around both sides of the T’filin like wings, before placing them into the T’filin bag (Magein Avraham).
Reason: To recall the miracle performed for Elisha “who possessed wings” — as related in the Gemara (Shabbat 49a): Once, the evil Roman government decreed that whoever wears T’filin will have his skull punctured. Oblivious of the danger, Elisha wore them and went out into the marketplace. A Roman overseer saw him coming. As he approached him, Elisha removed the T’filin from his head and held them in his hand. The overseer demanded, “What is in your hand?” Elisha answered, “The wings of a dove.” He opened his hand, indeed revealing the wings of a dove. In commemoration of this miracle, he came to be known as Elisha who possessed wings (Mateh Moshe).

[4] Candle by Day
We pride ourselves on our ability to get along with others, without considering that the ability of others to get along with us may play no small part in the matter.
Being great does not excuse one from being good.
- From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[5] Hebrew Word
In last week’s micro-lesson, we learned the official Hebrew word for Magic Marker. Not “tush” nor “lord” nor “pentel” nor “mahrkehr”. MATZBEI’AH. Notice the root, TZEVA, for color. What about a highlighting marker? That has a different word – better known by the average Hebrew speaker, by the way. It is MADGEISH. An “emphasizer”. And here’s one more word related to the root TZEVA, TZIV’ON is a crayon. <nyk>

[6] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
Korah's rebellion erupts against the background of the Jews being told that their generation would not enter the Land of Israel. Korah's co- conspirators, Datan and Aviram, play on the people's sense of despair. They use the term ALIYA, ascent, both in the sense of "going up" to the Land of Israel - an ascent denied to them, and as a synonym for appearing before Moses and accepting his authority - an aliya they refuse to make. "And Moses sent to call Datan and Aviram the sons of Eliav but they said: We will not ascend - LO NAALEH. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up, H'EL'ITANU, out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness? You have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey. We will not ascend, LO NAALEH.” (Bamidbar 16:12-14).

The existential need of the Jewish People outside of Israel to dream expectantly of a return to the Land, to live in the belief that "we will ascend", NAALEH, is a permanent one. Rav Kook (Orot, p.9) teaches that "it is only the anticipation of redemption that preserves Judaism in Exile while Judaism in the Land of Israel is the redemption itself."
Rabbi Jonathan Blass, Neveh Tzuf
TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat Ha'Shavuah

[7] Divrei Menachem
Parshat Korach describes the well-known rebellion of Korach and his followers against the authority of Moshe. The haftara also deals with the question of leadership, with the prophet Shmuel acquiescing to the people's wish to set up a king.

In both situations the people are prepared to accept authority. In Parshat Korach, however, the rebels accuse Moshe's family of taking all the power and demand his removal. And in Shmuel I (8:5), the people prefer to anoint a king rather than adhere to the bidding of the aging judge and prophet.
Despite the fact that in neither instant are the personalities of the incumbent leaders attacked directly, both Moshe and Shmuel adopted defensive postures. They both declared some- what emptily that they never even "took one donkey from any of the people" (Bemidbar 17:16, Shmuel I 12:1-3).
Rav Issachar Jacobson explains that it was nevertheless imperative for both leaders to uphold their personal integrity. For only those who advocate the highest moral standards can stand up to the hidden and malfeasant designs of a doubting people. Perhaps, the leaders of our time would do well to imbibe this everlasting and unequivocal message.
Shabbat Shalom,
Menachem Persoff