MISC section - contents:
[1] Vebbe Rebbe
[2] Touch of Wisdom; Touch of Wit
[3] Candle by Day
[4] From Aloh Naaleh
[5] MicroUlpan
[6] Torah from Nature
[7] Know Your Uncle
[8] Various STD's
[9] 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, headed by Rav Yosef Carmel and Rav Moshe Ehrenreich, founded by HaRav Shaul Yisraeli zt"l, to prepare rabbanimand 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...

Clarification: During our discussion of door knockers (last week's TT), we did not mention the practice of a knocker or bell that is specially put up for Shabbat. Indeed the Mishna Berura (338:7) mentions the practice, which Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchata (23:46) also justifies. As we had no recollection of ever seeing one,we concentrated on what we considered more common applications of the halacha. Our apologies to anyone who has such an apparatus or remembers one from their youth (and thanks to those who raised the issue).

Q Many people have a special, pareve bread knife. Is that halachically required?
A The application of the halacha in this matter has developed over time. After seeing relevant halachic sources, we can discuss the phenomenon of which this practice is a part.

A knife creates special kashrut concerns for two reasons. 1) The action of cutting involves friction, which aids in transferring taste between foods and utensils (see Chulin 8b). 2) It often has grease residue that is hard to detect and clean (see Avoda Zara 76b & Rashi, Chulin 112a). One or both factors are responsible for the need for a butcher to use three knives (Chulin 8b) and for the following passage in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 89:4): "It is forbidden to cut cheese (even if cold) with a knife that is usually used to cut meat. Furthermore, even bread that is eaten with cheese, you should not cut with a knife used for cutting meat. Rama: …However, by plunging [the knife] into hard earth it is permitted, but all of Israel already has the practice to have two knives and to mark one of them…"

What is halachically important is that one not cut the bread with a knife of the opposite type from that of the meal he is eating. One may cut bread for a dairy meal with a dairy knife and vice versa. (It is generally forbidden to bake milchig or fleishig bread (Shulchan Aruch, YD 97:1). However, in addition to several exceptions mentioned ad loc., there is generally no requirement that bread remain pareve until eaten.) However, more recent Acharonim, starting with the Pri Chadash 89:24 (300 years ago) and picking up steam since, cite and praise the practice of "those who are careful" to have three knives, including a pareve one to cut bread. Few sources discuss the exact reason, but we can mention a sampling among several, practical advantages. One does not have to remember what knife he used to cut the bread. There is no fear that after cutting off half a loaf at a dairy meal, he may eat the soiled other half at a meat meal. The exact reason can affect our application of the practice of using a pareve knife. While there is logic to trying to answer specific questions like whether one needs to use the pareve knife if he plans to finish the loaf in one sitting (as Badei Hashulchan on 89:4 attempts), it almost misses the point, as we will explain.

Our Rabbis throughout the ages have tried to create halachot to reduce chances that people will sin wantonly or accidentally. Their binding g'zeirot (injunctions) take on many forms. Yet there are areas of potential pitfalls in which, for various reasons, they decided not to legislate prohibitions. On the other hand, punctilious individuals or groups may develop practices and arrangements to avoid certain situations as a matter of policy, not halacha. This is the case with the pareve knife, which at this point in history, in our communities, is rabbinical encouraged but not mandated. In fact, it is possible that the practice developed from wise housewives rather than poskim. In general, the concept of pareve utensils is rarely mentioned in classical halachic literature. It is a logical kashrut convenience and precaution that developed, aided by changing socioeconomic factors. A similar thing can be said about switching all utensils for Pesach, rather than kashering. In kitchens that have every imaginable convenience, doesn't it make sense to have pareve knives to make careful compliance to the laws of kashrut easier?

The practical difference of viewing the issue of a pareve knife as policy rather than halacha is that it is up to the individual and that he also should use common sense to fit his situation. For example, it would be counterproductive to be "machmir" to keep a "pareve" knife in the middle of a fleishig table to make sure that no one cuts bread with a flesihig knife when children with grimy, fleishig fingers will make it dirty. More importantly, one should not look askance at someone who does not have or use a pareve bread knife. Apparently, the Rama didn't use one either.

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

[2] ArtScroll Series • Mesorah Publications Ltd.
A TOUCH OF WISDOM A TOUCH OF WIT by Shmuel Himelstein
A rabbi once wrote to R' Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor and complained:
"I have a tremendous problem with a certain sugya (topic) in gemara. I have struggled with it and cannot solve it. As a result, I am simply unable to continue further."

R' Yitzchak Elchanan sent him a short reply: "Look up Tractate Menachos, page so and so, the Tosafos that begins with words such and such."

The rabbi took out his gemara and checked the reference, but found that it was on a completely different topic.

Again he wrote to R' Yitzchak Elchanan: "I have checked the source you gave me and found nothing to help me with my problem. The Tosafos you indicated discusses an entirely different topic, asks a question, and does not answer it." I wonder if you possibly gave me the wrong reference."

R' Yitzchak Elchanan replied: "That was exactly what I meant. Even the Baalei Tosafos sometimes ask a question for which they had no answer. Yet as you can see, there is another passage of Tosafos immediately after this. They didn't stop their learning just because they were left with an unanswered question."

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

[3] Candle by Day
Our respect for a great person should not diminish when we consider that in his nature, too, there is an "animal" part. Our estimation of him should rather grow through a consideration of the heights to which he has risen in spite of that aspect of his nature. - From A Candle by Day by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein

[4] CHIZUK and IDUD (for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively)
Ba'al haTurim comments that the gematriya (numerical value of the letters) of the name Esav equals the gematriya of the word Shalom (peace).
While Ba'al haTurim's comment is certainly true (both Esav and Shalom equal 376), the obvious question is what Ba'al haTurim wants to teach us. After all, one hardly considers Esav to be a paragon of peace.
My father explained Ba'al haTurim's comment. To say that Ya'akov stands for peace is true and perhaps even self-evident. However, ultimately it is irrelevant. Peace depends on the aggressor's willingness to accept it. Until or unless Esav is ready for peace, Ya'akov alone cannot achieve peace. This is the significance of "Esav b'gematriya shalom".
It is clear and obvious that in Eretz Yisrael we are Ya'akov and the Arabs are Esav.
David Magence, 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

[5] MicroUlpan
How did you do with finding people who knew that the Hebrew word for internet was MIRSHETET? Okay, here's another word, in the same category. "What?", you will exclaim. "There's a word for that?!" You bet your sweet bippy there is, as they used to say on Laugh-In. How do you say world wide web in Hebrew? Ready for this one? MAARAG K'LLAL OLAMI or HA'MAARAG for short.

[6] Torah from Nature
TUATARA
rare medium-sized lizard-like reptile...oldest existing reptile, last survivor of its reptilian order which flourished before the rise of the dinosaurs. Also called SPHENODON... once lived throughout NZ but have survived in the wild only on some offshore islands. These islands are characteristically free of rodents and other introduced predators which are known to prey on eggs and young as well as compete for invertebrate food. The islands are usually occupied by colonies of breeding seabirds that contribute to the fertility and hence the richness of invertebrate and lizard fauna needed by tuatara... olive colored, yellow- speckled... up to 2 ft (60 cm) or more. very lizard-like in external form, with a crest of spines down its neck and back. However, its internal anatomy, its scales, and the attachment of its teeth are quite different... it possesses a vestigial third eye (pineal eye) on top of its head... probably not sensitive to light. Tuataras usually inhabit the breeding burrows of certain small petrels. They feed on small animals, especially insects, and reproduce by laying eggs... The female lays 8-15 eggs in a shallow hole in the ground. The eggs are not cared for in any way by the parents. It takes 12-15 months for the young to hatch. The female may only lay eggs every 3-4 years. Captive tuataras mature in about 20 years, and it appears that their life span may exceed a century...

[7] Know Your Uncle
The following comments about Eisav from the Talmud and Midrash are taken from the book ISHEI HATANACH by Yisrael Yitzchak Chasida
The Midrash says that Eisav greatly resembled Yitzchak physically.
The Gemara says that Eisav did not rebel during Avraham's lifetime (which was cut short by 5 years - 175 and not the 180 that Yizchak reached so that Avraham would not see Eisav's wickedness).
Targum Yonatan says that Eisav killed Nimrod (and took his special garment - some say it was the leather garment made by G-d for Adam & Chava).
The Midrash says that Eisav encouraged his grandson Amalek to take revenge against the children of Yaakov, since he did not succeed in vanquishing Yaakov.
The Zohar says that there was never a person who so honored his father as did Eisav to Yitzchak. This earned him domination in this world. Targum Yonatan adds that Eisav's honoring of Yizchak is what caused Yaakov to fear him, especially since he (Yaakov) spent so many years away from his father.
The Zohar says that Eisav's tears at losing the bracha caused Bnei Yisrael to go into Galut.
The Gemara says that he lived with two righteous individuals and didn't learn from their deeds.
The Midrash says that Eisav's male offspring were circumcised during Yitzchak's lifetime, but then they stopped observing Mila.

[8] Various SDT's
In last week's TT we referred to the dispute as to whether Avraham (and Sara) had a daughter or not. S'fat Emet (S'fas Emes) suggests that something in this week's sedra seems to say that they had a daughter. Yitzchak and Rivka "pose" as brother and sister. Avraham was well known. Especially to the people and king of Gerar. He would know if Avraham had a daughter or not. Since Avimelech apparently accepted Yitzchak and Rivka as brother and sister, until he discovered otherwise, it seems reasonable to support the opinion that Avraham (and Sara) were indeed blessed with a daughter.

When the Torah tells us that Yaakov gave his father wine to drink, the TROP note under the word LO (to him) is a MEIRCHA CH'FULA (double meircha). This rare note, suggests the Meshech Chochma reminds us of the proper way to drink a cup of wine - not gulping it down in one shot, but rather finishing it in two "installments".

[9] Divrei Menachem
Parshat Toldot introduces us to the life of our forefather Yitzhak Ben Avraham. While our rabbis clearly distinguish between the overriding qualities of Avraham (Chesed, Kindness) and Yitzhak (Gevura, Judgment), there is no question that Yitzhak's life is bound up very closely with that of his father.

One example that comes to mind is Yitzhak's decision to go down to Egypt, as did Avraham, in the face of a famine in Eretz Yisrael. For some time Yitzhak sojourns with Avimelech, king of the Philistines (as did his father). But now G-d appears to Yitzhak, saying, "Do not go down to Egypt!" (Bereishit 26:2).

Rashi explains that in the aftermath of the Akeida, Yitzhak was akin to an unblemished offering (Olah Temima) and it was thus not befitting that he should live outside the Land. Just as a burnt offering may not be removed from the Temple courtyard, so Yitzhak was forbidden from leaving the sacred soil of Eretz Yisrael.

Moreover, Hashem reiterates to Yitzhak the oath given to Avraham that his children will inherit these lands, while yet asserting that this gift is attributed to Avraham's loyalty in obeying His word (ibid 26:3-5). Thus Avraham and Yitzhak are inherently bound to Eretz Yisrael, each on his own merit. And now, 3700 years later, we fervently pray that Hashem will recall both His ancient promises and our forefathers' merits.
Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff