Monday, July 28, 2014

Dates of the Chasam Sofer , Tzrichim Limud

Mori V’rabi Hagaon R. Y.M. Hirschman shlita, told me the Chasam Sofer
writes  Befeirush in the Hagahos on O. Ch. 551, also in the Drashos 2: p331.
“After 9th Av a new month starts called Menachem.”

I leafed through the seven volumes of Shu”t  Ch. S. (1246 Teshuvos)
and found, there are aproximately 150 Teshuvous written by the Chasam Sofer
in the month of Av. All of them follow the rule of the TchebinerRav zt”l,
The ones dated Before 9th Av are dated as Av. The ones after 9th Av are dated as
Menachem.

However there are two days, the 13th and 15th of Av  where the Ch. S. dates them
Av, even though they are after 9th Av.

It is possible the 15th of Av being it is mentioned in the Mishna (end m. Ta’anis)
as Chamisha Asar B’av, he didn’t  want to change the Loshon of the Mishna*.
On the 13th of Av I have no explanation.

15th of Av                      13th of Av
O.Ch. 60                         O.Ch. 115
Y.D. 129                          O.Ch. 158
E.H. 2: 72                        Y.D. 43
Chelek 6 41
Chelek 7 18


*There is one Teshuva (E.H. 2 : 125) on the 15th  he dated as Menachem.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Is There Such A Thing As Half Kosher

How would it be possible for half a cow to be kosher, and the other half of the same cow is Treifah?

The sole reason one half is Treifah is because of a nail was pierced in the stomach.



The Pischei Teshuva (Y.D. 110 sk4) brings a story that actually  happened:


A  butcher Schechted 7 cows. All seemed to be kosher. He sent 2 ½ cows to the shop

(Yatkeh) and the rest he kept at home. After the 2 ½  cows were sent away (Porush) he

discovered one stomach(unknown from which cow) was pierced (Treifah)


There are two important rules in רוב .

כל קבוע כמחצה על מחצה

At the place where Safek originated  we don’t follow majority.

כל דפרוש מרובא פרוש

If the object left original place, you do follow majority. The two whole cows at the Yatkeh, (Porush) we follow majority (6 out 7 are kosher) and are kosher


The four whole cows at home, (Kavua) we don’t follow majority and are Treifah. The two Halves, we have a three way Machloke, if both are kosher or both are Treifah and the Pri Chadash who holds , the half at home (Kavua) is Treifah and the half at the Yatkeh is kosher.

How many מסעות are there in this weeks (Masai) Parsha ?

a) 39
b) 41
c) 42
d) 49

Rashi writes there are 42 מסעות in this weeks Parsha. If you count them, you will find only 41  מסעות 
The last Rashi in Chumash Shemos says:
“ the resting, at the way stations are also
called מסע(מקום חנייתם אף הוא קרוי מסע)”

1)If you count the way stations starting with Ramses and ending with Arvos Moav then you do have exactly 42.
2)There are those who answer that it says twice
ויסעו מרעמסס and  ויסעו בני ישראל מרעמסס
For some reason they are counted as two  מסעות

3)There are others, who answer , In this week’s Parsha you only have 41, but there is one more מסע in the times of Yehoshua.  

Special thanks to Mori V’Rabi Hagaon R. Y. M. Hirschman shlita

for being Meorer this Sheilo and answer

Monday, July 21, 2014

Where is שני this year ?

The Mishnoh Veruroh (428) quotes  the Magen Avraham in
the name of the Sefer Tzeror Hamor, “The 42  מסעות correspond
with the   שם מ"ב*  . therefore you should not be Mafsik  in the
middle of theמסעות  “.

In our Chumashimשני  is in middle of the מסעות. This year
(Matos & Masai are separate) many Shuls have the Minhag not to end the Kohens Aliyah at שני but to continue on until the end of the 42 מסעות .

There are other Shuls where they are Makpid also on the
Kriah of Shabbos afternoon, Monday & Thursday to continue on till the end of the  מסעות .

·         אבג יתץ קרע שטן etc.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

סוד מערכת המרכבה העליונה

The Ramban writes (Kisvei Ramban vol 2 p 468 Schevel) that the
Pasuk of עטרות ודיבון  contains the סוד מערכת המרכבה העליונה  
(secret of the upper chariot lineup ), therefore Unkeles should

have written  Targum on these two words.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

מכללתא ומלבשתא

Parshas Hashavua

Twice  a year, instead of שניים מקרא ואחד תרגום some are Machmir to do  שלשה מקרא ואחד תרגום 

When? 


1) The Gemoro ( Brochos 8a) says that a person shall always do  שניים מקרא ואחד תרגום even on עטרות ודיבון  .
Rashi explains , עטרות ודיבון has no Targum. In our Chumashim there is Targum on עטרות ודיבון.
( מכללתא ומלבשתא )
One of the answers the Meforshim give is that the original Targum had no Targum on these two words.
It was added on later and taken from the Targum Yerushalmi.
The Mishnoh Veruroh (285 sk 3) says, “since עטרות ודיבון has no Targum, you should read it three times.(מקרא )
Some are Machmir and add the Targum Yerushalmi ( מכללתא ומלבשתא )”
(3x עטרות ודיבון  1x מכללתא ומלבשתא )

2) Birkas Kohanim. (I will iy”h write, when Daf yomi is at Megillah 25 )


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Kabalistic Secrets-This Weeks Daf Megilah 3a

Daf Hashavua

Megillah 3a
 מי הוא זה שגילה סתריי לבני אדם, עמד יונתן בן עוזיאל – אני הוא שגליתי סתריך
----------------------------------------------
The Yavetz writes that the Targum does not contain any Kabalistic secrets etc. 
The Pshat in the Gemoro of סתריי   refers to unknown information.
 Similar to the Gemoro in Shabbos 96 where the Gemoro discloses who the  מקושש   was. (the Torah doesn't say who he was) The Targum also discloses  additional information not mentioned in the Pesukim.
 ..................................................................
יונתן בן עוזיאל never wrote a Targum on Torah only on Nach. Most Chumashim name it "Targum Yonoson Ben Uziel" which is wrong. It is a second version of Targum Yerushalmi. 
  Some claim The Targum Yonoson Ben Uziel printed on Nach* is also not from him.
*the one he did write was lost 

Monday, July 14, 2014

Times Have changed

On the 26th of Sivan 5673 (1913) R. Chaim Hirshensohn z”l
proposed at the Agudas Harabanim Asifa, to oppose
any translation of the Tanach into English, regardless how
authentic  and correct the translation was.

Only by the Goyim do you have a King James version for the
English and a  Luther for the Germans etc. For Yidden it is
against Ruach Yisroel (Jewish spirit).
The only translation we may have are the Targum and the
Meforshei Hatenach based on the Talmud.

The Agudas Harabanim accepted his proposal to oppose

any English translation of Tanach.  

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Chasam Sofer On Adoption

The Chasam Sofer ( Shu”t E.H. 76) discusses  if an adopted son may be called up to the Torah as the son of his adoptive father.
We see from the Ramban’s Girsa in the Targum Unkelesthat Serach was the daughter of Osher’s wife and not of Osher.(SEE HERE
The Torah still calls her Bas Osher.
The reason is, because, since he raised her, he is considered as the father. So too an adopted son can be called up as the son of his adoptive father.
On the other hand,  Tosfos  in Pesachim (54a), says
” We don’t find in the whole Torah , that a son of a wife
is called his son.”

The Knesess Hagedola holds, Tosfos is only where
the father has also biological sons.

The Chasam Sofer explains the reason is, because a person wants his Yerusha (inheritance) to go only to his own (biological) children. By calling him a son there is a danger he will end up inheriting together with his own children.
In a case where there are no children of his own, then he is called a son. (he probably wants the Yerushato go to him).
If they adopt a daughter, then even if the husbandhas sons of his own, being there is no danger of her inheriting with brothers, she is called a daughter.*
Therefore Serach is called Bas Osher even though Osher had sons.



*(could be where adoptive father was in  kesubah or Get,  kosher  b'dieved)

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה

DAF HASHAVUA

TA’ANIS 29a                                

In many Shuls and homes, משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה signs are hung up, in the month of Adar.

This statement is  Halachically incorrect*. 

The Gemoro (Ta’anis 29a ) In the name of Rav it was said, "the same way, when the month of Av comes in you reduce with Simcha, so too when the month of Adar comes in you add with Simcha".

The Rambam and Sh. Aruch bring the Halacha of M'shenichnas Av Mema'atin B'simcha.

They do not** mention M'shenichnas Adar Marbin B'simcha.

The obvious reason is, there is no such  Halacha to be Marbeh B’simcha when Adar comes in.

The Chasam Sofer (O.Ch 160) explains:


Since  we don't Pasken like Rav that Aveilas starts on Rosh Chodesh Av,(According to halacha it starts onon Erev T.B.***), therefore we also don't Pasken that Simcha starts on Rosh Chodesh Adar.

The Halacha in Shulchan. Aruch & Rambam of Mishenichnas AvMematin B’simcha applies to only one thing ,not to build a Binyan Shel Simcha. All other types of refraining Simchas
eating meat , drinking wine etc. start only on Erev Tisha Baav

On this halacha we can't say The same as when Av comes in you are not allowed to build Binyan Shel Simcha-- so too when  Adar comes in you may build a Binyan
Shel Simcha. You may build a binyan all year round not only in Adar.

* According to the Shulchan Aruch & Rambam
** The Magen Avraham does mention it
***3 weeks, 9 days & Shavua Shechal Bo are Minhag. 

Monday, July 7, 2014

What Was Serach Bas Oshers Father's Name

   What was her father’s name
1.      אשר
2.       ישוי
3.        בן של ישוי
4.       מלכיאל 

The Ramban (26:46) claims the Targum Unkeles
translates   ושם בת אשר שרח  , ושום ברת אתת אשר סרח
 The name of the daughter of Osher’s wife was Serach.
(She wasn’t Osher’s daughter but his wife’s daughter)
The Ramban explains , Serach’s mother was married and
had only one child (Serach)  Osher married her after her
husband died.
The Techeilas Mordechai (Kur Zahav) say that she was
the daughter of Yishvi the son of Osher. When Yishvi died ,
Osher married his daughter in law. (Issur D’Orysa)* A second
possibility is that she was the grand daughter
of Yishvi and Osher married his son Yishvi’s daughter in law
(Issur D’rabanan)
The Sefer Hayoshor** says she was the daughter of   
Malchiel ben Eilam, (Eilam son of Sheim)

*Kodem Matan  Torah

                  **Thanks to R. M.Appel Shlita (for Mareh Makom)

Avu es iz doh Toireh iz doh Chochmo

A dying person wrote in his Halachic will, If his pregnant wife will have a son, The son shall receive 2/3 of his assets and his wife shall receive 1/3 of  his assets.
If she will have a daughter, then, the wife shall receive 2/3 of his assets, and the daughter shall receive 1/3 of his assets.
His wife had twins, a boy and a girl.
How do you divide the assets?


Reb. Chaim Brisker solved this with a very simple solution. The dying husband wanted his son to receive twice as much as his mother. He also wanted the mother to receive twice as much as her daughter.
Therefore you divide the assets into seven parts. The son gets 4 parts, the mother gets 2 parts and the daughter gets 1 part.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Forcing angels in heaven

Daf Hashavua

Ta’anis 19a,23a

אלמלא חוני אתה גוזרני עליך נידוי (לנדות ב"ח)
Malochim (angels) acting as intermediates for the Tefilos , goes back
to the times of the Gemoro (Shabbos 12b).

Tefilos directed to the Malochim,* started in the times of the Gaonim. We find
in Selichos, some Pizmonim where we daven directly to the Malochim.

Kabbalists  had a  practice of  forcing an oath on the
Malochim.  ( משביעין את המלאכים ).
Hashem gives permission to the Malochim to do as they are commanded
(by the Kabbalist) even if the recipients  are not worthy and have no zechusim
for the favour. (Levush)

There used to be a Minhag for Chazanim to force an oath on the Malochim.
The Chazanim were concerned, an Ayin Hora will cause them to lose
their voice during Davening.  

The Chazanim had a Nusach they said, before saying Hamelech.(Yomim Noroim)
בשם שמעי' -------(שמות של מלאכים)---- אני פלוני בן פלוני משביע אני עליכם
שתסייעו לי שאתפלל היום בקול רם ונעים וערב ואל יחר גרוני ואל ילאה רוחי וכוחי
(In the name of the Malochim --- I Ploni the son of Ploni, place a Shevuah
on you (Malochim) that you will help me to Daven today with a voice
that is loud, pleasant  and sweet, and my throat shouldn’t anger (cough)
and my spirit and strength shouldn’t tire.)  
The Levush (O.Ch.584) was against this Hashba’ah (oath). He claims it
is wrong to force Hashem to accept your Tefillos**. The acceptance of
Tefillos is dependant on the Kavanos Halev,and you may not force it.

The second issue the Levush had against it, was, Hefsek, The Nusach was
said after Baruch Sheomar.(before Hamelech)
The Levush suggest to eliminate it altogether and if not possible, then it
should at least  be said before Baruch Sheomar.


*Many Poskim(Maharal, Vilna Gaon< Chasam Sofer etc.)
were against it, but weren’t successful,in stopping  it.
** loss of voice is a sign of non acceptance of Tefilos

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