Thursday, September 24, 2015

Amazing follow up to the amazing story

Someone who recently read The Story Of Reb Itikiel And The Holocaust Survivor  was at an event during Aseres Yemei Teshuva.

He repeated the story in front of  a group of people. How surprising it was, when a stranger(R. Chaim Kurtz) in the crowd  stood up  and said that this story happened to none other  but his own father R. Mendel Kurtz A”H .  

I contacted R. Chaim Kurtz from Union City  N.Y. (son) to check the accuracy of the story.  

He had one correction. Reb Mendel the Holocaust survivor told R. Itzikel zt”l this Pshat he had heard in concentration camp from the  Viyapoler Rav zt”l. (it wasn’t his own Pshat as I  originally wrote)

Reb Chaim also added   that this happened on Shabbos Parshas Beshalach (Shira) and R Itzikel was very upset hearing this sad story on Shabbos.

Did You Know (82)

According to the Shach ( Ch.M 386:sk4) : 
The heading of the Simanim in Shulchan Aruch were written by the Mechaber (Bais Yosef) himself.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Did you know(81)

Did you know(81)
According to Mori V’Rabi  Harav Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller Shlita:
Even if Kiddush on Yom Kippur  ein Tzerichos Kavanah (R.A.Eiger)
You still must be aware that the Bracha (מקדש ישראל ויום הכפוריםis  the Kiddush of Yom Kippur otherwise you are a Misasek and not Yotzei Kiddush.

Did You Know (80)

Did you know (80)
According to the Shulchan Aruch Harav it would seem, when saying בשכמל"ו (Baruch Sheim Kevod-)on Yom Kippur it is commendable to be said while standing. We imitate the Malochim by saying it loud and by standing. (in my shul it's not done)

Saturday, September 19, 2015

KAPOROS AT THE SEDER TABLE

The Chida describes his travels* to Tunis:

He celebrated the Seder at the Rosh Hakohol R.Yehoshua Hakohen Tanuji.  The servants  name was Rachamim. He raised the Seder plate and surrounded it three times over the heads of  all the men. Rachamim wasn’t sure how many times to do it for the women. The Chida told him there is a Pasuk

in Shoftim (5:30)   רחם רחמתים לראש גבר Rachem = 1 Rachmosaim =2 : 2+1 = 3 times.Only L’rosh Gever over the head of a man  and not for a woman.


The original Minhag is brought down in th Bais Yosef( O.Ch. 473) in the name of R. Yeruchem. ”The Minhag is to raise the basket over the heads of the children

and to say   לפיכך אנחנו חייבים –


מעגל טוב *

Friday, September 18, 2015

Only on Yom Kippur are you allowed to do this -WHAT IS THIS

It is forbidden to do it during the year.

The Aveirah is so severe, that in some cases
you put the person who was oiver in Cherem.

According to some Poskim he is Chayav Misa (Bidei Shomayim)

On Yom Kippur,  not only is it permitted some Poskim even consider it commendable.

This is the only thing that is allowed  on Yom Kippur and  forbidden all year round. 

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Do you have a Teretz ? - Kaparos

1)Pregnant women don’t eat extra Kezaisim of Matzah or drink additional four cups of wine on Pesach for the baby that is in her stomach.
Why  for Kaporos, we add additional chickens for the baby in her stomach?

2) Nobody buys an Esrog etc. for a 1 or 2 year old infant. Why do they get to have their own chicken for Kaporos? 

FOR ANSWER CLICK HERE 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Did you know (78)-KIDDUSH ON YOM KIPPUR

               Kiddush on Yom Kippur

Mitzvos  Deorysa (Min Hatorah) requires Kavanah. Kiddush on Friday night is Deorysa.

Kiddush on Yom Kippur is a Machlokes between R.Akiva Eiger who holds it is not Deorysa* and the Chasam Sofer (Hagahos O.Ch.271) who holds it is a Mitzvah Deorysa to  make Kiddush on Yom Kippur.

According to the Chasam Sofer when Davening the  Shmonah Esrei on Yom Kippur night you are required to  have in mind when saying

ברוך – מקדש ישראל ויום הכפורים 

to be Mekayam  (Yotzei)  Mitzvahs Kiddush.

*Yom Kippur that falls on Shabbos
even Reb Akiva Eiger will admit it's Deorysa
and needs Kavanah

מנהג של שטות

As with anything you read on line , this blog in no way is meant to pasken shailos or as a replacement to a rov. Only to bring forth a discussion. As with everything it is best to always check with a competent halachic authority for guidance 

The first eighteen editions of the Shulchan Aruch (first 4 during the life time of the Bais Yosef)  
Siman #605 had this header 

"Minhag Kaparos on Erev Yom Kippur is a Minhag Shtus"

Shulchan Aruch Mantova Edition 
Shulchan Aruch Krackow Edition 
This edition was printed in Venice 1565. The Bais Yosef was Niftar
1573-74   (no Rema)

Shulchan Aruch Siman #605


In the later editions they removed this header. It is unknown who decided to remove it.. 





Friday, September 11, 2015

סוד שופר -The Secret Of The Shofar


ר"ת  שרש פרה ראש ולענה- שפרו מעשיכם,- שופר
שפרו +1  בגמ' "כי היום הזה יום של מחילה"

בשופר יכולים לעקור את השרש פרה ראש ולענה (אמבצי)

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Did you Know (79)

Reason Ba'al Tokeah gets an Aliya on R.Hashana



According to the Levush (O.Ch.584 : 2 ) the
"Reason to give an Aliya to the Ba’al Tokeah is
because a person who gets an Aliyah is happy.
פקודי ה' ישרים משמחי לב.

A happy Ba'al Tokeah has more strength and

will blow the Shofar without interruptions


and mistakes."

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Malochim (angels) acting as intermediates -Allowed Or Not ???

The concept of Malochim (angels) acting as intermediates
for the Tefilos is mentioned in the Gemoro (Shabbos 12b).

Tefilos directed to the Malochim,* started in the times of the Gaonim. We find in Selichos, Pizmonim & Piyutim 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 humans) 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 that  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 writes that 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 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

יהיו לרצון אמרי פינו Why do we say it quietly

Everyday during Selichos we say the Pizmon of “Shema Koleinu”

The stanza of יהיו לרצון אמרי פינו  is said quietly by the Chazzan and the Kahal.


It is unknown why it is done so.

The Shu”t התעוררות תשובה  writes that we must find a reason for this practice. The answer he came up with, is being this Pizmon is in Loshon Rabim (plural) and the original Pasuk in Tehillim is in Loshon Yachid (אמרי פי – פינו ) We try not to change the Pasuk publicly.


We can ask on his answer that there are other Stanzas based on Pesukim which  are also changed from Loshon Yachid to Loshon Rabim*, yet is not  said quietly.


Perhaps we can come up with a more simple answer.

The Rema O.Ch. 123:6 writes The Pasuk of Yiyhu Leratzon is not said by the Chazan at end of Chazaras Hashatz.


The Mishna Verura explains because he will be saying Kaddish  with Tiskabal at the end of Davening therefore it is not necessary to say it twice.


The Shlah argues on the Rema and holds the Chazzan should say it. The Gra agrees with the Shlah to say it.


The Minhag of those who do say it is to say it quietly, not to offend the Psak of the Rema.


This exact reason can be applied to the Yiyhu Leratzon of S’hma Koleinu. The Chazzan at the end of Selichos says  Kaddish with Tiskabal. It is very likely here as well we will have the same Machlokes of the Rema and The Shlah, therefore it should be said quietly.



אמרי- אמרינו האזינו ה'*
 בינה הגיגי-הגיגנו
אל תשליכני- תשליכנו

ככלות כוחי-כוחנו

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The Secret Of The Long Face

There are places (Oberland & Germany) where the Minhag was for the Chazan who Davens Ma'ariv on Motzei Shabbos Selichos to sing the Vehu Rachum with a special Niggun.

The Imrei Pinchos says it is called "The long Vehu Rachum" based on the Sod of אריך אנפין  (long face) Kabalistic term for Hashem being patient
with us and giving us more time to do Teshuva.

Growing up as a child I do remember Der Lange Vehu Rachum and the Chometzdike Borchu. The Chazzan stretched out the Hu from Vehu and

(on Motzei Pesach) the Chu.from Borchu.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Hakaras Hatov-Naming After A Non -Frum Person

According  to  Mori V’Rabi Harav  Hagaon  R. Shlomo Miller Shlita:

It is  acceptable in naming a child after a  non Frum person. The main reason for naming after an individual is to honor  him. This is usually done as a  Hakaras Hatov to that person or people associated with the person. There are times when  Hakaras  Hatov   overrides the reasons of not naming  after a non Frum person.

We find Bnei Yisroel naming  their children "Alexander" after Alexander the (Great) Goy because of the  Hakaras Hatov they had for him.

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