The Bimah

Hi,

We have been learning about synagogue construction.

The bimah, on which the Torah is read, is to be in the center of the shul. [We are taught that this is to mirror the mizbeiach, the altar in the Beit haMikdash.]

For mystical reasons, there should be no more than six steps ascending to the bimah.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 150:5; Mishneh Berurah 150:12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The synagogue door

Hi,

We have been learning about synagogue construction.

The entrance to the sanctuary should be directly opposite the Aron [Ark], so that one who enters bows toward the Aron.

Therefore: Since we live west of Israel, and so we bow toward Israel, the entrance to the sanctuary should be on the west wall, and the Aron on the east wall.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 150:5; Mishneh Berurah 150:10, 11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Synagogue Zoning

Hi,

We have been discussing synagogue construction.

If a Jew is building near a synagogue in a way that his own building will deleteriously affect use of the synagogue - such as by blocking sunlight coming into the windows - the Jewish community is authorized to stop him.

(Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 150:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Height of a Synagogue

Hi,

We have been looking at synagogue construction.

The synagogue is supposed to be taller than any residence in town, per the verse (Proverbs 1:21), 'You (alternatively: "she") will call out at the tops of the noisy streets.' However, this is not an absolute requirement.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 150:2)

[Note: I have heard that churches are built with spires for the same purpose.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Synagogue interior design

Hi,

We have been discussing synagogue construction.

The bimah of the synagogue, where the Torah is read, should be in the middle of the sanctuary. As I have been taught, this is to parallel the mizbeiach (altar) from the Beit haMikdash.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 150:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Building a Communal Library

Hi,

Interestingly, in presenting the laws of building a synagogue the Shulchan Aruch includes an obligation to create a communal library, so that all will be able to come study.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 150:1; Mishneh Berurah 150:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Breakaway Synagogues

Hi,

Yesterday we began discussing the imperative for a community to construct a synagogue.

The Mishneh Berurah, citing Radvaz, says that this should, ideally, be a single synagogue for a geographic community. If there is strife, then the community should work to end the strife. Only if the strife is irresolvable, and fights are continually springing up, should they proceed to build a new synagogue.

(Mishneh Berurah 150:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

New Topic: Building a synagogue

Hi,

We are taught that members of a community who decide to build a synagogue may take up a mandatory collection for the construction, requiring all members of the community to contribute according to their means.

Ideally, this should be a building which is dedicated as a synagogue, but where that is not possible they should rent a building.

The definition of "synagogue" is, per Rambam, a building in which they will gather at each time of prayer.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 150:1; Mishneh Berurah 150:1-2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sh'mini Atzeret: Sitting in the Succah

Hi,

There are various customs regarding sitting in the Succah on Shmini Atzeret. On one hand, this day is considered part of the 7th day of Succot due to ancient calendar issues. On the other hand, this day is Shmini Atzeret, no longer part of Succot - and one is not allowed to add to the Mitzvah of sitting in the Succah for seven days.

Because there are conflicting customs, one who does not have an existing custom should follow the Code of Jewish Law and Mishneh Berurah, and sit in the Succah for the meals of Shmini Atzeret, but not recite the blessing associated with sitting in the Succah (Leisheiv baSuccah).

Either way, one must wait until the stars emerge in order to recite Kiddush on the night of Shmini Atzeret: Those who are not in the Succah must do so to avoid eating a meal outside the Succah on Succot. Those who are in the Succah must do so because they will not recite the blessing on sitting in the Succah.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 668:1; Mishneh Berurah 668:5-7)

Have a great Yom Tov,
Mordechai

Hoshana Rabbah circles

Hi,

During the "Hoshanot" on the morning of Hoshana Rabbah, we circle the synagogue's Bimah while carrying first the Lulav and Etrog, and then the "Hoshanot" bundles of willow branches.

There is some debate as to when one puts down the Lulav/Etrog and picks up the Hoshanot, and we don't want to overlap lest we add inappropriately to the Mitzvah. Therefore, standard Ashkenazic practice is to carry the Lulav and Etrog until we get up to specific prayers for rain, and then to put down the Lulav/Etrog and pick up the Hoshanot bundles.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 664:7, and Mishneh Berurah there)

Moadim l'Simchah,
Mordechai

Planting aravot

Hi,

One who wishes to plant his Aravot [the willow branches held with the Lulav] (and this is most commendable; the more bushes around, the merrier!) should not do so on Chol haMoed, because one is not supposed to plant on Chol haMoed. One may put the base of the Aravot in a water-filled receptacle, and plant them after Yom Tov.

Moadim l'Simchah,
Mordechai

Hoshana Rabbah

Hi,

On Hoshana Rabbah (which is Monday), we perform the normal Mitzvah of lifting/waving the Lulav and Etrog, and then during the "Hoshanot" we circle the altar with our Lulav and Etrog, before putting down the Lulav and Etrog and picking up a set of Aravot, also known as "Hoshanot." At the end of our prayers, we beat the Hoshanot against the ground.

This practice dates back to Temple times, and was created by the Prophets; it marks the height of our Succot prayers for rain.

There are various customs as to the number of times we strike the Hoshanot against the ground. One need not get all of the leaves off of the stems; that is not the purpose of the practice.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 664; Mishneh Berurah 664:19)

Moadim l'Simcha,
Mordechai

The first night of Succot

Hi,

On the first night of Succot, one is supposed to make a special effort to sit in the Succah. Just as there is a special Mitzvah to eat Matzah on the first night of Pesach, so there is a special Mitzvah to live in the Succah on the first night of Succot.

If it is raining, one is not truly "living in the Succah," since one is supposed to live in the Succah as one would in one's home. Therefore, we do not sit in the Succah in the rain.

If it rains at the start of the first night, but it may stop in the next hour or two, one should wait for the rain to stop. If it does not stop, one should make Kiddush in the Succah in the rain and eat an olive-sized amount of bread for 'HaMotzi,' all while planning to finish the meal in the house. One should then finish the meal in the house.

One who ends up making Kiddush and having bread in the rain in the Succah does not recite the blessing of "Leisheiv baSuccah," the blessing on dwelling in the Succah, since one is not truly dwelling in the Succah. One does recite the "Shehechiyanu" blessing (for the first night of Succot), though.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 639:5; Mishneh Berurah 639:35)

Have a great Yom Tov,
Mordechai

Lulav ownership

Hi,

In order to fulfill the mitzvah of lulav/etrog on the first day of Succot, one must use his own set.

However, one may receive a set from someone else as a gift; one is permitted to give a gift on Yom Tov, if the gift will be used for a mitzvah.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 658)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Sitting in the Succah

Hi,

One fulfills the mitzvah of sitting in the succah only if one is sitting directly beneath the schach roof material.

Therefore, one should make sure not to sit under decorations which are more than 1 square foot in area and hang more than a foot down from the schach.

Also, one who is sleeping in the succah should not sleep beneath a table, for the same reason.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 627)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Children on Yom Kippur

Hi,

Children are not obligated to refrain from eating and drinking, bathing or annointing their skin with oil. We do generally train children not to wear leather shoes, though, since this is not a hardship for them and it is an easy way to start sensitizing them to Yom Kippur.

Once children reach the age when they can understand Yom Kippur on a more mature level and when they are healthy enough to delay their meals somewhat - about 9 to 10 years old for most children - we start training them to fast by dealying their breakfast for an hour or so.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 616:1-2)

Have an easy and meaningful fast, and may we be sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai

Yom Kippur shoes

Hi,

One may not wear leather shoes on Yom Kippur.

One who requires these shoes for walking to a destination may use them while en route, such as to avoid muddying his feet or to protect them from harm. However, one certainly must remove these shoes when he arrives.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 614:2,4; Mishneh Berurah 614:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Washing on Yom Kippur

Hi,

Among the practices of Yom Kippur is a strict prohibition against pleasurable washing.

Therefore, upon rising in the morning one limits the ritual washing with a cup of water, pouring it over each hand the normal three times (Right-Left-Right-Left-Right-Left), but only up to the base of the fingers – one should not wash the whole hand.

Other than that, one may only wash to remove specific dirt or other unhealthy material.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 613:1-3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Havdalah after Yom Kippur

Hi,

One must perform Havdalah after Yom Kippur, before one may eat. This Havdalah rite contains three blessings - a blessing over wine, a blessing over a multi-wicked flame, and a blessing of "HaMavdil."

The blessing over the flame is meant to show that we were not allowed to make use of fire during Yom Kippur, and now we are permitted to use fire. Therefore, the fire must be lit from a flame which remained lit (but un-used) throughout Yom Kippur. Most people do this by lighting their Havdalah candle from a 24-hour candle, or from a pilot light.

One who does not have such a flame skips that blessing.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 624)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Candles for Yom Kippur

Hi,

The general custom is to light candles for Yom Kippur, as one does for Shabbat and for Yom Tov.

One should light candles at home. The candles' purpose is home-oriented (to illuminate the meal and to help create a proper atmosphere in the home), and that's where one recites the blessing. One should not recite a blessing on candles lit in the synagogue.

Note: Technically, one who recites the blessing on the candles automatically accepts the sanctity of the day with that blessing. Therefore, one who will have to drive to the synagogue should state, before lighting, "I am not accepting Yom Kippur with my act of lighting." Then one lights, goes to synagogue, and at the synagogue declares, "I am now accepting Yom Kippur."

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 610:1-3; Mishneh Berurah 610:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Beginning Yom Kippur

Hi,

One is supposed to cease eating somewhat before Yom Kippur begins, in order to add from the mundane to the sacred. In practice, this means somewhat before the sun sets; there is no fixed amount of time which must be added.

Just like for Shabbat, one does not formally begin Yom Kippur until one actually accepts Yom Kippur. This may occur through mental acceptance of the day, but the ideal is a verbal declaration.

Reciting the Birkat haMazon blessings after eating the pre-Yom Kippur meal does not automatically begin the fast, especially if one makes a verbal or mental statement that he is not beginning the fast. It is appropriate to make such a statement, in order to remove any doubt.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 608:1, 3; Mishneh Berurah 608:1-2, 12)

Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai