MISC section - contents: [1] Vebbe Rebbe [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 rabbanim and 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... Q: I run a hotel that has many guests for Pesach. Can we put a box of egg matzot on each table so that those who need them will find them easily or must we be concerned of the very likely possibility that some will, out of ignorance or lack of interest, take these matzot when it is not warranted? Would it be considered lifnei iver (placing a stumbling block before the "(blind)"? A: Although you are aware of the basic bottom line on egg matzot, it is worthwhile to review relevant sources. The gemara (Pesachim 35b) says that fruit juices do not leaven flour. According to most Rishonim this applies to eggs as well (see Tur and Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim 462). However, there are several problems with using this ruling to make various types of what we call egg matzot a simple Pesach solution. (Realize that different brands of egg matzos use different liquids other than water. We will call all of them egg matzot for simplicity's sake.) According to many Rishonim and the Shulchan Aruch (OC 462:2), if fruit juice mixed with water is kneaded with flour, not only can the dough become chametz, but it is expected to happen more quickly than with flour and water alone. Thus not only would a hashgacha have to make sure that the flour was not exposed to water before its preparation but also that no water was mixed into the dough. There is also a dispute between Rashi (stringent) and Tosafot (lenient) (Pesachim 35b) whether the gemara meant that egg matzot do not become chametz at all or just that their leavening is not complete enough for one who eats it to be chayav karet but that there is a lesser prohibition. Most Rishonim, including the Rambam (Chametz U'Matza 5:2) agree with Tosafot, but the Rama (OC 462:4) says that the minhag is like Rashi. The Rama's compromise is that only when there is a pressing need to be lenient, such as a sick or a very old person, may one eat egg matzot on Pesach. The Shulchan Aruch (ad loc.) is lenient, and thus the Sephardic practice is to allow eating egg matzot on Pesach (see Yechaveh Da'at 1:10). In any case, it would be wrong for healthy Ashkenazim to eat egg matzot on Pesach (They are allowed to possess them and eat them after Pesach- Mishna Berura 462:18). On seder night there is an additional problem. Egg matzot are matza ashira (rich matzot), which are not valid for fulfilling the mitzva of the night even it they are not chametz. Therefore, even Sephardim and the sick should not have egg matza where matza is required for the seder. (Other alternatives for those who don't chew or digest "regular matza" well exist but are beyond our present scope). It is a good question whether putting egg matzot on tables, knowing that some people who shouldn't be eating them will, is a violation of lifnei iver. (See Yechaveh Da'at (ibid.) who demonstrates that even a Sephardi, who may eat egg matza, may not give them to an Ashkenazi). If you are not aware of the status of the people at each table, then you could use the principle of t'liyah (see Yoreh Deah 251). This means that when it is quite possible that the object one is giving will be used properly, it is permitted to give it to another even though there is a good chance it will be used improperly. While this is a legitimate approach to take in cases with problems without easy solutions (e.g., someone who runs a large store and cannot keep track of who is buying what), it is not acceptable here. Firstly, what do you, your waiters, or your mashgiach do when he learns who is who and sees them acting improperly? Also, how could you allow those who were told the kashrut is good to make a mistake and eat that which was on the table? A simple solution is to have a table in the corner with egg matzot with a large sign that identifies the egg matzot as something that Ashkenazim may eat only when the situation is pressing. You may suggest that those with questions should ask the rabbi/mashgiach. [2] Candle by Day We exasperate ourselves trying to persuade our children to do things, that they would do without even being aware of it, if we merely began the activity and nonchalantly drew them into it, much as we cause someone to reach for something insticntively by merely holding it out to him. From "A Candle by Day" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein A Candle by Day - The Antidote - The World of Chazal by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein Now available at 054-209-9200 [3] CHIZUK and IDUD for Olim & not-yet-Olim respectively As we all know, the purpose of Parshat Tzav is to address the Kohanim regarding the performance of the korbanot, whereas Parshat Vayikra addressed the Nation regarding their obligation to bring them. The Kohein, after all, carried on his shoulders the responsibility of ensuring that the Korbanot were sacrificed correctly, according to the wishes of Hashem. It is interesting to note, therefore, that the first thing the Kohein is commanded to do in this Parsha is to remove the deshen, the ashes, of the previous day's korbanot. Vayikra 6:3,4 "The Kohein shall put on his linen garments and take up the ashes resulting from the burning of the Olah, and place them besides the Mizbei'ach. He shall then remove those garments, put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a pure place." The Sefer HaChinuch elaborates, teaching that the purpose of the mitzva is to enhance and beautify the sanctuary by keeping it clean, and thereby the fire of the korbanot will burn well. Also, it does not make sense for the Kohein to soil the garments in which he performs the regular service, therefore he must change to simpler garments. Why would the Torah give us such detailed instructions regarding something that would seem to be clear and self-evident to the ordinary housewife? There are two answers I would like to present: 1. Bahya, in his classic sefer Chovot HaLevavot, teaches that the Kohein is reminded, on a daily basis, of the need for humility. Though his role was so central, so important to the proper functioning of the daily service, symbolized by his very special garments, it also included lowly, mundane, clean-up tasks. The Kohein must remove his glorious garments when he takes away the deshen, thus reminding himself to remove any pride and haughtiness from his heart. 2. Hirsch teaches that though every day brings new zest and excitement in the performance of mitzvot, we must not neglect the need to clear away, clean up, complete, anything that is leftover from the previous day's work. The new day's tasks need to be carried out in a clean and renovated place. It is hard for us to imagine the importance of the service in the Beit HaMikdash because it has not existed for almost two thousand years. It is therefore necessary to emphasize the moral and ethical lessons that we learn from the korbanot and the avoda, so that we develop within ourselves a deep yearning for geula. Hopefully, this would bring more and more Jews to Eretz Yisrael in our time, thus bringing closer the building of the Beit HaMikdash BIMHEIRA B'YAMEINI AMEN. Pearl Borow , Jerusalem TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat HaShavu'a [4] Parsha Points to Ponder - TZAV 1) Our Sages teach that the word "Tzav" is used to begin this Parsha because it connotes zealousness and alacrity which is required here since the Olah sacrifice is completely burned which means a loss of money. This is puzzling, since the person bringing the Olah is doing so as a volunteer offering so he is clearly not concerned about a loss of money and the Kohein loses nothing since it was not his animal. So, what loss required the use of the word "Tzav?" 2) The first service described in the parsha is the Trumas HaDeshen where a shovelful of ashes was removed from the altar (6:3). What was the purpose of this service, considering the fact that it did not come close to cleaning all of the ashes from the altar? 3) The Parsha explains that if something impure touches the sacrifice then the sacrifice becomes impure (7:19). Why doesn't the purity and holiness of the sacrifice over power the impurity emitted from the impure object? Suggested Answers Ponder the questions first, then read here 1) The Netziv explains that the Torah did not necessarily desire zealousness because of a loss of money. Rather, this was a very difficult command to observe and it required a lot of focus. The Kohanim had to make sure that the wood was structured in a way that would allow for the sacrifice to burn all night but that the sacrifice would burn completely by morning. The word "Tzav" which connotes zealousness and alacrity served to focus them on the concentration and skill which this mitzva required on a nightly basis. 2) Rav Hirsch teaches that we learn a very important lesson from this service. We do not simply start a new day's service but we connect it to the precious day's service by acknowledging the ashes symbolizing what transpired the day before. This demonstrates that Judaism recognizes that everything we have and are today is predicated on what came before us and we always connect ourselves to the previous link in the tradition. 3) The Kotzker Rebbe answers that we can never know for sure that something is pure. As far as we can tell the sacrifice is pure but it could be that something happened along its processing to make it unholy and impure. The impure object, however, is definitely impure and, therefore, we must give that reality precedence thus rendering the sacrifice impure. Parsha Points to Ponder is prepared by Rabbi Dov Lipman, who teaches at Reishit Yerushalayim, Tiferet, and Machon Maayan in Beit Shemesh and RBS and is the author of "DISCOVER: Answers for Teenagers (and adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith",just re-published by Feldheim, ppp@ouisrael.org [5] Portion from the Portion by Rakel Berenbaum FEEDback to berenbau@actcom.net.il Heartfelt condolences to Rakel Berenbaum and family on the passing of her father Karl Josephy z"l - Shiva at 7 Hashla, Shaare Chesed (563-5398) Ed. note: Rakel submitted this column early last week from LA, before her father passed away. We print it in memory of her father and l'iluy nishmato in the merit of the Divrei Torah his daughter shares with the Torah Tidbits readership. KI B'CHIPAZON KI LO B'CHIPAZON The Jews of North Africa have a custom to start the section of MAGGID of the Seder with the sentence BI-VEHILU YATZANU MIMITZRAYIM. This is to remember the rush that we were in when we left Egypt, as the verse in D'varim (16:3) states: KI B'CHIPAZON YATZATA MEI-ERETZ MITZRAYIM. Because you left Egypt in haste. This is one of the reasons given for eating Matza - there was no time for the dough to rise because we were hurrying to leave the house of bondage. This idea of rushing is still found in the halachot of baking matza. Anyone who visits a matza baking factory will feel the tension of getting those matzot rolled out and baked in 18 minutes. Also the Jews in Egypt were instructed to eat the Korban Pesach in haste (Sh'mot 12:11) - "Thus shall you eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste..." This law of haste is not incorporated in the laws of the KORBAN PESACH of all generations - just for that first time. What is the significance of this haste in regards to Pesach in Egypt and throughout Jewish history? We all know that some Jews in Egypt were on the 49th level of impurity and were not much different of the Egyptians. Rav Zadok HaKohen in his book TZIDKAT TZADIK says that the first step to separate ourselves from all the immorality of Egypt begins with that moment of desire to get close to G-d. It It is not a question of not having enough time, but rather not losing that split second of inspiration. That is the type of CHIPAZON that was needed in Egypt to separate ourselves from the unholy nation that we had been a part of for many years. And though we find the importance of speed in the laws of Matza for the generations, we don't find the laws of hurrying with the Korban Pesach that we are to eat every year. Why not? This could be to remind us of the prophecy in Yeshayahu (52:12) KI LO B'CHIPAZON TEITZEI'U UVIMNUSA LO TEILEICHUN KI HOLEICH LIFNEICHEM HASHEM... For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for G-d will go before you... G-d promises that for the final redemption we will not be rushed on our way as our forefathers were, who like fugitives basically ran away from Egypt. Rather, we will walk on our way calmly following after G-d. Let us pray that this slow redemption will come speedily in our times. THE REDEMPTION that we are all waiting for will not be rushed like the one from Egypt, but will be slow. This recipe is special for a slow-cooker. Nowadays you can find slowcookers on sale everywhere and I highly recommend using one on Pesach. You put the ingredients in in the morning, set the cooker, go out with your family for a trip and come home to a hot cooked meal. Who says that you have to spend Pesach in the kitchen. This recipe will also use up some of your horseradish left over from the Seder. SLOW COOKER HORSERADISH BEEF ROAST 3-4 lb. boneless beef chuck roast (remove fat if desired) 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil (optional) 6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 5 medium carrots 1 large onion, chopped 4 ribs celery, chopped 2 parsnips, chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 5 oz. jar prepared horseradish 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 3 cups chicken broth or 2 cups broth and 1 cup apple juice or cider Rub meat with horseradish, salt, pepper, and garlic and place in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cover slow cooker and cook on low heat for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours until everything is tender. No stirring needed. [6] from Machon Puah The Octomom and the Halacha A couple of months ago the world was amazed at the news that a woman gave birth to eight children at once, all of whom appear to be healthy. The media dubbed her "Octomom" and she became an overnight celebrity. As the details of the case became known, the amazement turned to shock and these shockwaves were felt strongest in the fertility community of doctors, specialists and ethicists. I do not know all of the details but it appears that this woman underwent a fertility treatment in which a large number of embryos were implanted. This is contrary to the guidelines set down by all fertility organizations worldwide and are even legally binding in certain countries. In the past, the feeling was that the more embryos that are placed in the uterus during an IVF cycle the greater the chance of achieving a pregnancy. So once they used to put back seven or eight embryos. However, it did not improve pregnancy rates and modern practice is to put back one or two embryos and only on very rare occasions more. So really this case should never have happened, but it does raise important questions regarding such high risk pregnancies. The uterus is a fascinating organ that can expand to carry a pregnancy and then contract back to normal size quite soon after birth, but even the uterus has limits and cannot usually carry so many fetuses at once. In addition, the greater the number of babies, the less each gets from the source of nutrients - i.e. from the mother through the placenta, and so, while Octomom was able to carry these eight children to an almost fullterm and healthy birth, this is a rarity. It is much more common in such cases to lose all of the babies. The suggested treatment for multifetal pregnancies is reduction of some of the embryos to a number that the uterus can safely carry. This solution is questionable as it touches the weighty issue of abortions. Which is related to another issue; what is the halachic status of the unborn fetus? The Gemara (Yevamot 69b) states that the embryo is considered as like water before forty days. Of course, the embryo is not water - rather it is cytoplasm, but the idea is that the embryo is not yet life but is simply fluid. This implies that life starts after 40 days and that before this the embryo is not considered alive. The embryo is considered alive only after 40 days. However, in another source the Gemara (Sanhedrin 57b) includes abortion in the prohibition of a gentile committing murder, based on the verse "whoever spills the blood of a man within a man his blood will be spilt." Here the Gemara does not stipulate before or after 40 days and this teaches us that the law is more strict for a non-Jew than for a Jew in this area. But if the non-Jew is held responsible for killing a day-old embryo, then this suggests that such a being is alive, even though a Jew is not held culpable for killing him. A third source (Nida 8b) suggests that the end of the first trimester is when the pregnancy is called a pregnancy and thus this may be the beginning of life. So what is the halachic status of the embryo? More on this next week. The Puah Institute for Fertility and Gynecology in Accordance with Halacha is based in Jerusalem and helps couples from all over the world who are experiencing fertility problems. Puah offers free counseling in five languages, halachic supervision, and educational programs. Puah has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Paris. To contact the Puah Institute please call 1-800-071111 in Israel or in the US 718-336-0603. website: www.puahonline.org [7] Shabbat HaGadol The date of the first Shabbat HaGadol was 10 Nissan (as it is this year). And that is particularly significant, because one of the reasons we call it Shabbat HaGadol, has to do with events of the 10th of Nissan 2448. The Jews in Egypt were commanded - not a mitzva for the generations, but rather a one-time commandment - to take a lamb (or young goat) into their homes on the 10th of Nissan, four days before they were to slaughter it as the Korban Pesach. (In future years, halacha allows one to acquire his animal for K.P. even on his way to Har HaBayit on the afternoon of Erev Pesach. In practice, however, people did designate the lamb or goat as early as the 10th of Nissan, so it could be properly inspected for blemishes for the four days before its being brought to the Mizbei'ach. But it was required to take the animal on the 10th, only during that first, original Nissan.) The Midrash tells us of the unusual miracle that occurred on the original Shabbat HaGadol. The Egyptians asked the Jews what they were doing with the lambs. When the Jews told them that they were going to sacrifice them to G-d, the Egyptians would have been expected to react with outrage and anger at the "desecration" of their deity. But they didn't. They took the news calmly. This is considered one of the miracles of the whole Exodus experience, in addition to other miracles of that Shabbat day; this led to identify the day throughout the generations as Shabbat HaGadol. Since the people of Israel entered into the realm of mitzvot by fulfilling the command to take the KP into their homes, they changed their status from KATAN to GADOL, much like a Bar Mitzva boy does when he receives upon his shoulders the yoke of mitzvot. Hence, Shabbat HaGadol. Even after Moshe got Shabbat from Par'o for the people as a day of rest, when Shabbat ended, it saw the Jews back into slavery and oppression. Not so the Shabbat prior to the Exodus. That was truly a Shabbat HaGadol. The Torah calls the first day of Pesach Shabbat (because of the forbidden activities on Yom Tov, it qualifies to be called Shabbat, a day of rest), as in, "on the morrow of the Shabbat you shall begin counting". The Tz'dokim claimed that Shabbat refers only to Saturday. Traditional Judaism claims that there is a "minor" or small Shabbat (Yom Tov) in contrast with Shabbat HaGadol, when more Melachot are prohibited. It is the Shabbat right before the Yom Tov day in question that got the name Shabbat HaGadol - because of its closeness to the first day of Pesach, the contrast between the two Shabbats is highlighted. Of course, the famous pasuk in the Haftara, telling us that G-d will send Eliya(hu) HaNavi before the coming of G-d's Day, the great (haGadol) and terrifying one. Some say that the long Drashot on this pre-Pesach Shabbat, that sometimes continue into the night, serve to lengthen the day into a Shabbat HaGadol. Until this pre-Exodus Shabbat, Shabbat only possessed the aspect of acknowledging G-d for His Creation of the world. With the preparation for KP and for leaving Mitzrayim, Shabbat took on the extra dimension of commemorating the Egyptian experience and the Exodus. Shabbat increased in significance and scope and became then a Shabbat HaGadol. [8] MORID HATAL We stop asking for TAL U'MATAR after Mincha on Erev Pesach. This includes stopping to say VA'ANEINU for those who have continued adding the prayer for times of drought in Sh'ma Koleinu - if you haven't stopped yet, then stop when we all stop asking for TAL UMATAR. We continue to say MASHIV HARU'ACH in Maariv and Shacharit of the first day of Pesach. Then we say T'FILAT TAL and from Musaf of the first day of Pesach, we will be saying MORID HATAL. And at Maariv following Yom Tov, we will begin saying V'TEIN BRACHA in the weekday (and Chol HaMoed) Amida. Note that many congregations in Israel say "TAL" when they finish putting away the Torahs right before closing the Aron. Others follow the common practice of Chutz LaAretz and say TAL as part of the beginning of the Chazzan's repetition of Musaf. When TAL is said before the silent Amida of Musaf, then it - meaning the prayer for TAL, constitutes the announcement to the congregation to stop saying Mashiv HaRu'ach and to commence saying Morid HaTal. However, when TAL is said after the silent Amida, an announcement - in the form of a gabbai "kopping" on the shulchan and stating aloud "Morid HaTal" is required. Technically, if no one announces Morid HaTal, then we should continue saying Mashiv HaRu'ach one more Amida (Musaf) and begin Morid HaTal at Mincha (which, of course, is after T'filat Tal). This will not usually happen in large congregations with knowledgable members, but it can happen in a small minyan with a gabbai that falls asleep at the switch. Anyone can call out Morid HaTal (and usually, several people do) and that "authorizes" the switch for the congregation. (Something that really shouldn't be done - anytime - is to say things out loud in the middle of one's silent Amida. Many people think they are being helpful by saying Morid HaTal or Yaaleh V'Yavo or Al HaNisim or whatever aloud, but it should not be done. Nonetheless, if a gabbai failed to announce Morid HaTal and the person next to you wrongly said the words Morid HaTal aloud within his Amida, that too would constitute an announcement for you. Go figure.) BTW, in those congregations (Nusach Ashkenaz in Chutz LaAretz) where nothing is said in the place of Mashiv HaRu'ach, only T'filat Tal is considered the announcement for dropping MHUH, and therefore, when Tal is said as part of the repetition, MHUH is said in the silent Musaf and dropped from Mincha onward. If one mistakenly says MASHIV HARU'ACH U'MORID HAGASHEM [G] once we stop saying it, the Amida is considered invalid and must be repeated. Catching oneself within the second bracha of the Amida, requires backtracking to the beginning of that bracha and saying from there - ATA GIBOR... Forgetting MORID HATAL (but not saying [G] either) does not require repeating or even returning to say it. Asking for TAL UMATAR once we stop, also invalidates the Amida and requires repeating it. Catching the error while still in the Amida requires going back to BAREICH ALEINU and repeating from that bracha. [9] Divrei Menachem Parshat Tzav, as its name indicates, opens with specific commands to the Kohanim regarding various aspects of the sacrifices in the Mishkan. As we approach the holiday of Pesach, one of these many instructions is of particular interest. The Torah revisits the Mincha, the generic term for five kinds of meal-offerings that, in its simplest form, expresses Man's thanks to Hashem for his basic needs. This offering essentially consisted of finely ground wheat flour, oil, (water,) and frankincense that could be offered as natural products or oven-baked in the form of loaves or wafers. We are told explicitly that, if baked, the loaves must remain unleavened (cf. Vayikra 2:11). And in our parsha Aharon and his sons are told further that after causing part of the offering "to go up in smoke on the altar", they are to eat what is left, yet again, "unleavened" in a holy place. Why this emphasis on the unleavened state? Our rabbis tell us that the slow process of leavening implies sluggishness and that the leavened, bloated wheat ("Chametz") is associated with arrogance. Clearly, in olden times these traits were not appropriate to the service of G-d near an altar. And surely, in our times, in any place considered holy. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff [The Parshat Tzav Homepage]
|
