MISC section - contents: Q Our son’s Pidyon HaBen (=PHB) (redemption of the firstborn) falls on Shabbat, and so we push it off until after Shabbat. Must we do it on Motzaei Shabbat, which is late this time of year, or may we do it the next day (before nightfall) when it is easier for our guests and us? A Mazal Tov! You seem to assume that Motzaei Shabbat is the halachically preferable time. Let’s first check that assumption, and then we will be more equipped to deal with your specific question. The Torah says that PHB is to be done from the time the child is a month old (Bamidbar 18:16). The Talmud is replete with references to its being done after 30 days. A basic question arises whether the key time factor is an astronomical month (which is slightly more than 29½ days) (Shach, Yoreh Deah 305:19) or whether a PHB is done on the 31st day of the child’s life, which, depending on the time of birth and the time of the PHB, could be anywhere from just over 29 full days after birth to just under 31 (Magen Avraham 339:8). Our clear minhag is never to do a PHB before day 31. However, it is less clear whether this is sufficient or whether we must also ensure that it be done when an astronomical month is complete. This may be the rationale for the Shach’s (ibid.:12) minhag not to do a PHB at night, as it is likely that the night of the 31st is not yet after the passing of an astronomical month (see Dagul Meir’vava on Magen Avraham 568:10). Although most Ashkenazim follow this minhag (Pidyon HaBen K’hilchato 6:7)¸ the rationale is not unanimous, and this is crucial for our case. The Shaarei Teshuva (568:8) says that we do a PHB during the day in order to better publicize the mitzva. This factor is less applicable today when people are more available to take part in such mitzva events at night than they are during the day. Other more spiritual, esoteric reasons are proposed, as well (see Pidyon Haben K’hilchato ibid.:(23)). One practical difference between the reasons for doing a PHB during the day is the case of a PHB delayed until Motzaei Shabbat. In this case, when the month is undoubtedly over, the first reason does not apply, and it becomes appropriate to do the PHB at night. This may also be preferable, at least if it solves other problems (Dagul Meir’vava, ibid.; Mishna Berura 568:20 - see their context). According to the other explanations, a delayed PHB is no different from a regular one. If we assume that it is fine to do the PHB on Motzaei Shabbat, is it preferable to do so, and, if so, how preferable? While the prompt performance of a Brit Mila is more pressing than that of a PHB, the Shulchan Aruch (YD 305: 11) does say to do a PHB “miyad (right away) and not let the mitzva be delayed”. His source (see Beit Yosef in the name of the Rosh) seems to understand the need for diligence as the general one not to delay mitzvot. While we do not want to under- estimate this factor, general diligence does not get most of us up by sunrise to do the various mitzvot of the day. Additionally, the importance of doing a PHB “right away” when it has already been delayed may be diminished (Tosafot, Moed Katan 8b; Magen Avraham 568:10). After seeing some of the sources, it is time to try to put things in perspective. Any time from Motzaei Shabbat to nightfall on Sunday is valid, and it is unclear whether it is preferable, all things being equal, to do a delayed PHB on Motzaei Shabbat or the next day (see Otzar Pidyon Haben 17:2, who claims that the minhag is on Motzaei Shabbat). Either way, the halachic difference is not a great one. It is prevalent nowadays that we do a regular PHB during the afternoon when it is easier to get a bigger crowd to publicize/celebrate the mitzva despite the delay of a few hours (see ibid. 16:(10)). Therefore, feel free to do what works best for you, based on religious but also personal considerations. As you are probably already experiencing, the birth of a firstborn brings much elation but also a fair share of fatigue and even emotional stress. May you experience the mitzva and simcha of PHB with as much peace of mind as possible. 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 info@eretzhemdah.org with the message:
Subscribe/English (for the english version) or Subscribe/Hebrew (for the hebrew
version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially
funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel "My friends", he told them, "when a person slaughters an animal,
he is to give the kohen three parts of the animal: the zero'a (arm), the
lecha'ayim (tongue with the cheeks), and the keivah (stomach). I too want to ask
these three gifts of you: the zero'a - that you should put on tefillin daily;
the lecha'ayim - that your tongue should not speak evil of others nor should you
shave your cheeks with a razor, and the keivah - that you should not eat
non-kosher food." There are many answers to this question, but perhaps the most significant is the resolution offered by Ramban. He argues that the spies’ report was essentially not sinful. Their terrible wrongdoing consisted of only one small segment of their account. They stated: “Efes ki az ha’am”, “But the people are strong”. Ramban understands that the word “efes” implies impossibility, that is to say, we cannot possibly overcome the mighty people of the land. Perhaps it would be difficult, or even logically inconceivable, but IMPOSSIBLE? That word does not apply to the Jewish people, for it is G-d who guides their destiny. This idea governs our present situation as well. Many aspects of our con- temporary plight may be perceived as difficult to overcome, and it may be illogical to assume that we will be successful. Yet we constantly overcome the most difficult obstacles that lie before us, because for the Jewish people, who place their trust in G-d, absolutely nothing is truly impossible, for He continues to guide our destiny. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Sosevsky, Har Nof, Jerusalem 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 Torah Tidbits captured the Holyland Series Championship Trophy,
pulling away from Cambridge Healthcare/Dri-Mark late in the game, with an 8-2
victory. Hundreds of fans celebrated with the players after the final out, well
past midnight... Cambridge took the early lead... but Tidbits third baseman
Moshe Ribiat turned a double play to contain the threat. Tidbits edged ahead 2-1
in the top of the second. The game remained tense and the score unchanged, until
a five-run fifth inning for Torah Tidbits... Pitcher Yitz Rubin earned the
victory..., Nachman Jacobovitch had 3 RBIs and went 3-for-3 at the plate... Kol
HaKavod Tidbits for a great season. Sloths eat, sleep, make babies and even give birth to their young ones in this position! But, don't they fall off when they fall asleep, one might wonder. They don't. That's because the sloth's muscles do not relax like ours do when we are sleeping. If they did, the sloth would fall off the tree. The muscles become fixed and relax only when the animal awakens. Sloths move about tree tops very slowly (They are the slowest mammals in the world.) . They use their hooked claws of both their toes and fingers to hold on to the trees. What is interesting about the sloth is that its body is made to suit this inverted lifestyle. It can actually turn its head round completely so that it does not see things inverted. And, its hair grows in a direction opposite to that of most other animals. It runs from the sloth's belly round to its back. This ensures that rain water runs off its back. It has a blunt nose and peg-like teeth. It has no tail. It eats leaves, buds and fresh twigs of trees. Sloths have green algae on their hair. As a result, they merge with the surroundings and look almost like a part of the tree. This helps them keep predators away. There are two main species of sloths. The Unau sloth and the Ai
sloth. While the Unau sloth has two toes on the front feet, the Ai sloth has
three. Male sloths are solitary, shy animals. Females sometimes congregate.
Sloths are nocturnal; they are most active at night and sleep all day. Rashi explains that these men were the leaders of the community, men of stature, some even greater than Moshe’s 2nd-in-command Hoshea Bin Nun. And, indeed, despite G-d’s promise to bring the people to “a good land”, these twelve good men go to “spy” that Land. From the term “V'yaturu” we might learn that what Hashem really wanted was that these initially righteous representatives would bring “Torah” to the Holy Land. It was as if G-d said that if you want to have your say regarding the character of the Jewish State, your criteria should be based on Torah values. In the last analysis only two of the leaders lived up to the challenge: Yehoshua was inspired by Moshe’s addition of the sacred letter “yud” to his name; Calev garnered personal spiritual resources as both men proclaimed faith in G-d. It seems that today, as Israel’s detractors abound, we are still in need of Yehoshua and Calev’s eternal legacy. Shabbat Shalom Menachem Persoff [The Parshat Sh'lach Homepage]
|
