MISC section - contents: Q On a day that we read from two Sifrei Torah, the chazan took the second Sefer as the first. The gabbai discovered this only when the Torah was opened up on the bima. Should we have rolled the Torah to the right place for the first reading (it was a significant distance in the Sefer) or have covered up the Sefer and replaced it with the correct Sefer for the first reading? A Remember this rule. Among the trickiest halachot to decide are those where there is a conflict between competing halachic preferences. While halacha requires us to act in manner A and in manner B, how do we know how to act in cases where A and B are mutually exclusive? One either has to find earlier sources that deal with the conflicting coincidence of the two issues or to decide (intuitively or otherwise) which issue should have precedence. There is a rule that one should not roll the Sefer Torah to the right place while the congregation waits because of the congregation's honor (Yoma 70a). For this reason, the Kohen Gadol would read the maftir on Yom Kippur by heart and not roll the Sefer from Acharei Mot to Pinchas. Nowadays, we do roll the Sefer Torah when there is a need, with the assumption that the congregation is willing to pass on its honor under the circumstances (Magen Avraham 144:7). Another rule found in that gemara is that one should not do anything that might imply that a Sefer Torah is pasul when indeed it is not. For that reason, they did not have a second Sefer on hand for the Kohen Gadol to switch to (see there why we can use multiple Sifrei Torah). While we have found no discussions among the Rishonim on a case where we have to choose between rolling a Sefer Torah and casting aspersions on it, Acharonim do discuss it. The common case is where the person who has peticha (opens up the Aron and takes out the Torahs) gives the chazan the wrong Sefer. In the siddur of Rav Yaakov Emden, two opinions are brought. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe, OC II, 37) says that it is hard to determine which factor takes precedence but says that if the congregation is willing to forgo its honor, the Sefer Torah should be kept out and rolled. He continues, in classic form, to say that if someone (not necessarily the rabbi) already gave instructions to return the Sefer Torah and there is fear that overruling him will cause dispute or embarrassment, then it is like a situation that the congregation does not withdraw its right to honor, and we return the Sefer. Our situation is different in two ways. First of all, it is
necessary to roll two Sifrei Torah, which takes longer and increases the chance
of disruptive discussion among congregants. More fundamentally, there should be
no disgrace or aspersions on the Sefer Torah we would "pass up." After all, it
will soon get its turnto be used as the second Sefer. This is probably the
rationale of the Sha'arei Ephrayim (a 19th century work on the laws of kriat
hatorah), who says that if one opens the Sefer for maftir instead of that for
Bereishit on Simchat Torah, he should close it and switch Sefarim (8:67) rather
than roll it. The Biur Halacha (on684:3) concurs with this analysis. 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
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Subscribe/English (for the English version)orSubscribe/Hebrew(forthe hebrew
version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially
funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel "That is a mistake," said Rabbi Yitzchak- Elchanan. "We do not
establish yeshivas to produce rabbis who can answer questions in halacha, but
rather laymen who will know when it is necessary to ask questions of a rabbi..." Frogs are members of the zoological class called Amphibia (DU-CHAI in Hebrew, referring to the fact that amphibians undergo a change from water-dwelling, gill-breathing tadpoles to lung-breathing land (more or less) adults. DU CHAI, two lives. Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrate (backboned) animals... one type of amphibianis called Anura or Salientia, (frogs and toads)... when we think of frogs, we generally picture what are called "True Frogs"... comprising more than 400 species... they have two bulging eyes, strong, long, webbed hind feet that are adapted for leaping and swimming, smooth or slimy skin... they tend to lay eggs in clusters. Frogs have variable kinds of eye types... the iris can be brown,
green, silver, red, bronze, and even gold. The pupils come in all kinds of
shapes... round: (just like us)... vertical pupils that look like a cats eye are
really good for night vision and respond quickly to changes in light...
horizontal: These are the more common pupil, good for normal day-vision.
heart-shaped: purpose is unknown... Some frogs have triangular pupils, and some
even have star-shaped pupils... Some frogs have tongues that are long and sticky
that can be used to catch bugs... Frogs with long tongues go by the "see it,
snap at it" technique of feeding. Toads, on the other hand, have tiny tongues
and have to snap at their food using their mouth. They often will stalk their
food, much like a cat... creeping up to it and then just as dinner is about to
take off, they will SNAP and eat their meal! When a frog swallows a meal, his
bulgy eyeballs will close and go down into his head...thus applying pressure to
push his food down his throat... There are about 6 to 14 species of tongueless,
aquatic African frogs too... Most frogs have teeth of a sort... a ridge of very
small cone teeth around the upper edge of the jaw... some have Vomerine Teeth on
the roof of their mouth... no teeth on lower jaw... swallow their food whole.
The so-called "teeth" are mainly used to hold the prey... Toads, however, do NOT
have any teeth... a frog's feet are adapted to specific activities: Tree frogs
have sucker-like adhesive disks, or Sticky pads, which aid in climbing, on the
tips of the fingers and toes. Aquatic Frogs have webbing between their toes that
aid in swimming. [Try this little experiment: Spread your fingers and run your
hand through a tub of water. Then place a plastic sandwich bag and place it over
your hand, spread your fingers and NOW run your hand through the water.] Frogs
that burrow into the sand to keep moist in the heat have stubby clawlike fingers
that are adapted to digging. Some frogs have parachute-like webbing on their
hands and feet which act as an air-brake when they glide from tree to tree or
leaf to leaf. These frogs are known as "Flying Frogs." Frogs can leap over 20
times their body length, making them among the best leapers in nature...Frogs
drink and breathe through their skin. Some frogs shed their skin as often as
once a day. MRMH According to Midrash Rabba, when Moshe agreed to go to Par'o, he under- stood that the redemption of the Jewish slaves was imminent: Moshe would present God's demand for emancipation and the slaves would summarily be released. Were Par'o to refuse, Moshe expected God to immediately unleash the plagues, one after another, and bring Par'o to his knees. When this didn't happen, Moshe complained to God about Jewish suffering and questioned his own role as God's messenger. In reply, God assured Moshe that the realization of the stated goal, i.e. redemption, would take place, but not with the immediacy that Moshe had envisioned. What was important was not to lose sight of the grand vision that God had promised to our forefathers - the emergence of a unique nation and its settlement in Eretz Yisrael. Throughout the ages, Jews never lost sight of the ultimate reality of "Am Yisrael B'Eretz Yisrael." No day passed without multiple mentioning of Jerusalem and "the land." The historic restoration of Zion was destined to be gradual rather than instantaneous. This classic model found expression when Jews returned to Eretz
Yisrael under the leadership of Ezra and Nechemiah to rebuild the Second Temple.
They contended daily with severe challenges, starting with the painful fact that
the majority of Jews at that time chose to remain in the Babylonian exile. But
the promise to our forefathers was ever present in the consciousness of Ezra and
Nechemiah, and the emergence of the glorious Second Commonwealth is testimony to
their faith and commitment. Aharon had previously accompanied Moshe at the court of Par'o, but now he was formally promoted to the leader- ship team. Interestingly, there is a sudden break in the narrative as the Torah begins to describe the descent of these two leaders from Levi, Ya'akov's third son (ibid 6:14-29). Rabbi S.R. Hirsch notes that as Moshe and Aharon's mission now begins in earnest, this family description helps us understand how close the two brothers really were to their compatriots. Rashi explains that despite the slaves' building frustration over their leaders' failed intercession with the Egyptian king (ibid ch.5),Moshe and Aharon will nevertheless be able to deal patiently with those who are essentially their cousins. Ramban also points out that there are three wives recorded in
this family description whose lineage was distinguished. Yocheved, mother of
Moshe and Aaron, was a daughter of Levi; Elisheva, Aharon's wife was from the
royal tribe of Judah; and Elazar's wife was a daughter of Putiel (associated
with both Yosef and Yitro). Moshe and Aharon, then, are more than just a
leadership team; their very background under- scored their suitability to
represent the Children of Israel. [The Parshat Va-eira Homepage]
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