MISC section - contents: Here's the story: Last week's Vebbe Rebbe question was about
SHE'HE'CHE'YANU during the Three Weeks. Since we had a page on that topic,
we went with the Matot- Mas'ei Vebbe Rebbe question on Kiddush before
Chatzot. That left us without a VRQ this week. So we are reprinting a timely
question (and answer) from two years ago. May we soon see the day when this
question and others like it will be completely outdated, BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINU,
AMEN. A The meal held in honor of a bar-mitzva is considered a seudat mitzva (a meal which it is a mitzva to partake in) (Yam Shel Shlomo, Bava Kama, 7:37). His main source is Kiddushin 31a, in reference to a statement by the blind amora, Rav Yosef. Rav Yosef said that if he would be convinced that the blind are obligated in mitzvot, he would make a seuda for his colleagues, because one who is commanded in mitzvot receives more reward for their fulfillment. If a celebration is in place just for finding out that one has always been obligated, all the more so is it appropriate when the obligations begin, when one becomes a bar-mitzva. Other sources in Chazal include Bereishit Rabba 53:10. This is certainly so when the party is held on the Jewish birthday itself (assuming the boy is sufficiently physically developed, which we are not required to check). The Magen Avraham (225:4) rules that even a bar-mitzva that is not on the birthday can be considered a seudat mitzva if the bar-mitzva boy publicly says diveri Torah. The apparent logic is that those present are reminded that this boy is indeed involved in the study of Torah, as he is now commanded, and they feel the cause for celebration. It is permitted to partake of meat and wine at a seudat mitzva even during the week of Tisha B’Av (Rama, Orach Chaim 551:5), and this ruling should apply to a bar-mitzva as well (Yad Ephraim, ad loc.) Some want to learn from the Shulchan Aruch’s silence on the matter that he does not allow meat at a seudat mitzva during the week of Tisha B’Av (see Kaf Hachaim, OC 551:33). However, most poskim are lenient in the matter even for Sefardim. Even a delayed bar-mitzva with divrei Torah may be done during the Nine Days, but it should not be delayed for that purpose (Yad Efrayim, ibid; Kaf Hachaim. Ibid:158 ) During the first part of the Nine Days, one may invite whomever they would normally invite to the seuda, but people who just happen to be around may not take part in the meat and wine. During the week of Tisha B’Av, one should invite only reasonably close relatives and a small group of friends (Rama, ibid; Taz, ad loc.: 12); Mishna Berura, ad loc: 77). Some suggest serving fish and thereby removing the complication this situation raises. Others are lenient with the guest list even on the week of Tisha B’Av (Maharam, quoted in Taz, ibid; Yalkut Yosef pg. 568; see Aruch Hashulchan 551:30), and there is room to rely upon those opinions. Participants at permitted bar-mitzva celebrations at this time may sing, but neither live nor recorded music should be played. Receiving an aliya to the Torah and the accompanying
ceremonies in shul on Shabbat are not problematic (see Igrot Moshe, Orach
Chayim IV, 112.1) 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
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Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel Contrast this with the end of the previous parsha, Matot, where inheritance is also a subject of concern. There the 2½ tribes are berated by Moshe. The tribes protest: they do not wish to abandon their people. They are simply happy in the lush pastureland on the east bank of the Jordan. They are, however, ready and willing to lead the battle for the conquest of Eretz Yisrael. These two episodes represent the dynamic tension that exists within so many of us. We want to have a portion of the Land of Israel; but we are also very comfortable outside the land. We have the things we want in life which have become the things we need in life. We are prepared to support Israel and send our children to learn there, but we continue to build ourselves homes and businesses that create more ties to the Diaspora. The Torah alludes to a way of resolving this tension: "These are the commandments and the judgments which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moshe…" It is very difficult to convince yourself to give up a good life-style. You can only do it out of a belief in God's commandment to Moshe that all Jews should live and flourish in the Land of Israel. Yaacov Peterseil, Jerusalem U'MA'AM',AR ESTHER KI'YEIM DIVREI HAPURIM HA'ELA V'NICHTAV
BASEFER: (Bamidbar 36:10) Moshe became angry with the military officers for sparing the women who had participated in the orgies. Then, comments Rashi, this anger caused Moshe to err in the matter of ruling on the exact way in which the foreign utensils could be prepared for use by Bnei Yisrael – for it was not Moshe but Elazar the Kohen who taught that, “This is the decree of Torah” (Bemidbar 31:21). Since Moshe did not actually give a mistaken ruling, the Lubavitcher Rebbe asks what was Moshe’s lapse? From the details ascribed to Elazar’s clarification, it seems that Moshe’s error was failing, at that moment of irritation, to distinguish between the ritual purification of the vessels and the purging of their non-kosher residues. The Rebbe extrapolates from this distinction to our own
service of Hashem. It is one thing to “purify” ourselves from external
influences. It is quite another to expunge those urges and deflective
influences that corrode our inner selves. It appears that avoiding anger
might be one way to reach the appropriate balance. [The Parshat Matot-Mas'ei Homepage]
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