A: At first glance, this is the same as one who starts a meal on Shabbat and does not finish it until afterward, with the question being about reciting R'tzei in Birkat Hamazon. The Beit Yosef (Orach Chayim 188) brings differing opinions on the matter. The Shulchan Aruch (188:10) rules that we follow the beginning of the meal and recite R'tzei even after Shabbat has ended.

However, in our case, the Acharonim rule differently. Many (including Shaarei Teshuva 188:7 and Birkei Yosef 188:13) cite the Ginat Veradim, who says that that when we recite things that do not seem to apply anymore because they applied in the beginning of the meal, it is only by hazkarot. That is, R'tzei and the similar Ya'aleh V'yavo are not full berachot but are additions to the existing text of Birkat Hamazon. However, we do not make individual berachot, like Sheva Berachot, after the week of festivities are over, just based on the beginning or even the end of the meal. (We should note that there are other questions that arise in regard to counting the seven days. We rule that it follows the time of the chupa (Rama, Even Haezer 62:6; see Acharonim). When there are multiple reasons to allow the berachot, it may be possible to accept a combination of opinions. Thus, for example, Rav O. Yosef (Yabia Omer V, EH 7) allows making Sheva Berachot at bein hashemashot (twilight) of the eighth night when the couple had not entered the yichud room until the night of their wedding.)

The Pitchei Teshuva (Even Haezer 62:12), after citing this Ginat Veradim, seems to be bothered by the following question. When a man and woman who were both previously married get married, there is only one day of Sheva Berachot (Shulchan Aruch, EH 62:6). There is a major dispute on what one day means (see Chelkat Mechokek and Beit Shmuel, ad loc.). Some say the first day refers to all the meals the couple partakes in on the halachic day of their marriage. Others say it applies to the first, festive meal that the couple partakes in, even if it is on the night after the marriage, which is very common in summer weddings. While it is questionable whether to make a beracha at the wedding meal that was held at night, the Ba'er Heitev (62:5) says that one makes Sheva Berachot that night if the meal began in the daytime. The Pitchei Teshuva apparently expected that the same thing should be true for a meal that began on the seventh day of normal Sheva Berachot and ended on the night of the eighth.

The China V'chisda (on Ketubot 7a) makes the following distinction. Even though there is only one day of Sheva Berachot for the previously married couple, there are three days of simcha. Therefore, the second night is not a totally inappropriate time to recite the Sheva Berachot. In contrast, after the seven days of a normal Sheva Berachot period, there is no place for the berachot, and the fact that the meal was begun (or even finished) during the day is not enough to enable berachot to be made after their time.

There is a difference between your question of reciting Sheva Berachot on the eighth night and that of reciting "Shehasimcha Bim'ono" in the zimun of (introduction to) Birkat Hamazon. The Ezer Mikodesh (on Shulchan Aruch ibid.:13) says that one does recite "Shehasimcha Bim'ono" in this case. His main reason is that the gemara (Ketubot 8a) says that when one makes a meal in honor of a wedding up to twelve months later one may recite this addition. Although we do not do this in practice, in a case like ours, where there are serious reasons to consider this a continuation of the Sheva Berachot period, it is appropriate to do so. Recent Acharonim caution that this is true only when people outside the household take part in the meal (see Nisu’im K'hilchatam 14:128).

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[2] Candle by Day
In certain situations we belong to the world; in others we belong to ourselves. We must learn to distinguish between these situations so that by acting in accordance with what we are at the time, we may make maximum use of ourselves.
From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[3] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
Parshat R'ei opens with a reminder to Am Yisrael that they are about to enter the Land of Israel, where they will be obligated in a series of seminal commandments. First and foremost is a command to locate two mountains - Har Gerizim and Har Eival - and to pronounce a B’rakha and a K’lala - a blessing and a curse. This commandment is expanded upon later on in Sefer Devarim (ch. 27), and, in fact, fulfilled in Sefer Yehoshua (ch. 8) after the successful capture of Yericho and Ai.

The Torah gives no particular reason for performing this ceremony, but it is clear from the reaction of the Canaanite nations that it was a ritual that had great significance. Immediately after the curses and blessings are presented the Navi reports two reactions. On the one hand, all those nations now join in a pact to fight "as one" against Am Yisrael (9:1-2). On the other hand, the Giv’onim choose to present themselves as coming from "a faraway land" to make peace with the Jewish People. While before the ceremony on Har Gerizim and Har Eival the Canaanite leaders were willing to let Yericho and Ai fend for themselves, now they understood that something out-of- the-ordinary was taking place.

It appears that this ceremony - in many ways a reenactment of Matan Torah in the Land of Israel - clarified to the Canaanites that this was not simply a new nomadic tribe that would settle amongst them. These people were coming with a new belief system that totally rejected the basic values of the lifestyle that the Canaanites held dear. They understood (as we must) that moving to Israel is not simply a geographic move, it is a statement of belief in HaShem and acceptance of a moral, ethical, principled way of life.
Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger, Ed.D, Alon Sh’vut

[4] A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit
R' Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, the Netziv, would never sit down to eat until he was assured that the chickens had been fed first, as it states: "And I will give grass in your fields to your animals, and you shall eat and be satisfied" (Devarim 11:15). The animals receive their grass before man can take up his meal.

Once, on Rosh HaShana, they had all come home after the long services, they could not find the key to the chicken coop. They looked and looked, to no avail. The Netziv decided that a non-Jew should be asked to break the lock. That meant that someone had to be sent to the other side of town to find a non-Jew who would come and perform the task.

Meanwhile it was getting later and later. No one had eaten yet that day. The Netziv was old and weak, and he too had not tasted a thing.
Finally a non-Jew was found, the lock was broken, and only then did the Netziv and his family sit down to make Kiddush and to eat.

Shmuel Himelstein has written a wonderful series for ArtScroll: Words of Wisdom,
Words of Wit; A Touch of Wisdom, A Touch of Wit; and" Wisdom and Wit" —
available at your local Jewish bookstore (or should be).
Excerpted with the permission of the copyright holder

[5] MicroUlpan
See that in the lower-right corner? It’s a washing cup - for Netilat Yadayim. Most people (who know Hebrew) call it a NATLAH. But not HaAcademiya LaLashon HaIvrit. They call it an ANTAL. And now you know!

[6] Parsha Points to Ponder - R’EI
1) When describing the blessings, the Torah simply states (11:27) THAT YOU LISTENED referring to G-D’s commands. Regarding the curses the Torah teaches (11:28) THAT YOU DID NOT LISTEN AND YOU TURNED AWAY FROM THE PATH. Why were these additional words necessary?
2) The Torah teaches that the purpose of the eating of the tithes in Jerusalem is SO THAT YOU SHOULD LEARN TO FEAR G-D (14:23). Why does it focus on LEARNING to fear G-d instead of simply stating that the mitzva imbues us with fear of G-D?
3) Why does the Torah mention rejoicing regarding the holidays of Sukkot (16:14) and Shavuot (16:11) but not for the holiday of Pesach?

Ponder the questions first, then read here - THESE ARE THE ANSWERS
1) The Malbim points to the teaching that G-D rewards for the thought to do a good deed as if he action was already performed. Thus, just listening to G-D and deciding to perform the mitzva is enough. However, with regard to sins, one is only punished for actually performing the sin. Thus, the words AND YOU TURNED FROM THE PATH were necessary before explaining the curses.
2) The Seforno explains that the Great Sanhedrin sits in Jerusalem at the CHOSEN PLACE where the tithes were to be eaten. This experience of coming to Jerusalem afforded the people the opportunity to learn about serving and fearing G-D from the great leaders in the court, aside from the messages inherent in the mitzva of the tithes.
3) The Tosefet Bracha suggests that perhaps since we are taught WHEN YOUR ENEMY FALLS DO NOT REJOICE (Mishlei 24:17), so the Torah does not specifically teach to be happy on the holiday commemorating our defeat of the Egyptians (although the mitzva of Simcha most definitely applies to Pesach as well as the other of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals - ed).

Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman of Beit Shemesh ppp@israelcenter.co.il

[7] Torah from Nature - E. Fruit Bat
ATALEIF PEIROT in Hebrew, the Egyptian Fruit Bat, a.k.a. the dog-faced bat, is Israel’s largest bat (although it is on the small side for a fruit bat). One of 32 species of bats found here, it is the only one with excellent night vision. It also has a highly developed sense of smell... they roost primarily in caves... use echo location... the only form of bat echo location that is audible to the human ear... they do not make the high frequency calls that most bats do in the larynx. Instead, their echo location calls are made by suddenly releasing the tongue upward away from the floor of the mouth... Signals from the lower end of this frequency range are perceived by the human ear as a staccato of harsh cracking sounds... they roost in large numbers (among the largest animal groupings in the world)... feed upon a huge variety of fruits of tropical shrubs and trees and are known to fly vast distances to find ripe fruit in season, particularly ripe figs...

Just to clarify (a little)... There are between 900 and 1000 species of bats worldwide. They divide into two main types - larger fruit bats and smaller insect-eating bats. There are three species of bats that feed on blood of animals and birds. They are known as vampire bats (and gave their name to the Dracula-type characters, rather than vice versa). No vampire bats live in Israel. (They are found in Central and South America.) Insect-eating bats are valuable to the ecology because of the number of insects they consume.

[8] Divrei Menachem
Parshat R'ei forces us to consider the realities of daily life. When socialist ideas are passé and divisions between rich and poor continue to grow, it is very sobering to consider the Torah's admonition that, "destitute people will not cease to exist in the Land" (Devarim 15:11).

The Torah demands of us to open our hands to our brothers in need and not to fear that we will suffer as a result. We should not ask if we can help but how much and in what way we can help. Our compassion for the poor is the way that we both fulfill the word of G-d and imitate His merciful attributes.

From the text that describes the destitute person, "among you… in your cities… in the Land," we learn that the extremely poor have preference over close relatives and that the penniless of your city precede the poor elsewhere.

The Torah tells us that the extent of the prevailing poverty is a function of our willingness to give loans close to the Shemita year, at which time loans are annulled - for this is a true test of faith in Hashem's providence. Today, sadly, there is a unique opportunity to put these laws into practice, as some of our displaced brothers are being relocated in our cities. And in the words of our parsha, if we respond accordingly, "Hashem will surely bless you in the Land" (ibid 15:4).

Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff