New Topic: Honor your parents

Hi,

Today we begin a new topic, one near and dear to my parental heart: The mitzvah of Kibbud Horim, honoring one's parents.

There are two main biblical passages mandating this mitzvah:

"Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be increased upon the land that HaShem, your Gd is giving you."
(Exodus 20:12)

"A person shall have awe of his mother and father, and guard my Shabbatot; I am HaShem your Gd."
(Leviticus 19:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Purim!

Hello,

As we begin Adar, it's time to review laws of Purim.

I have already posted many of the most-relevant laws; please go to the following pages to see them:

Al haNisim

Kriat haTorah (Torah reading)

Matanot laEvyonim (Gifts for the needy)

Megilah reading

Mishloach Manot (Sending food to others)

Purim Clothing

Purim Seudah (the Purim feast)

Taanit Esther (the fast of Esther)

If I am missing anything you would like to see, please email me.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Adar!!!

Hi,

[Those of you who also subscribe to the daily Torah Thought may recognize this from there - but the idea represented here is also a matter of Jewish law.]

Since today (Tuesday) is the 1st of Adar:

"When the month of Adar enters, we increase our joy!"

(Talmud, Taant 29a)

Adar represents joyous redemption, born unexpectedly out of the depths of despair - even though it has been building for a long time, with a Divine plan. We see this in the Purim story, but it is reflected in other Adar-related themes as well (stay tuned for more in this week's derashah in shul...)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Preparing to study Torah

Hi,

One is supposed to wash his hands ritually (right, left, right, left, right, left, from a cup) upon rising in the morning. One should certainly make sure to do this before learning Torah.

One who does not have water available should at least clean his hands with some other medium before studying Torah.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:14; Mishneh Berurah 47:33)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Nighttime blessings?

Hi,

We have been learning about Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

Although the blessings recited on any given morning are effective for all Torah study through the following night, one who sleeps and then rises while it is still night, even before first light, should recite these blessings when he rises.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

How long do blessings last?

Hi,

We have been learning about Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

Although one may spend significant periods of time on pursuits other than Torah study throughout the day, reciting these blessings in the morning is effective to cover any study one does throughout the day, and even the following night. All day, we expect to return to Torah study.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:10; Mishneh Berurah 47:19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Blessing, then learning

Hi,

We have been learning about Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

Although the blessings are routinely recited as part of birchot hashachar, the beginning of the morning davening, one should still make sure to study Torah right after reciting the blessings. In general, one immediately performs any mitzvah right after reciting its associated blessing.

Therefore, traditional siddurim print a section of Torah, usually the blessings of the Kohanim and a passage of Talmud, right after these blessings.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Did Gd choose me, or did I choose Gd?

Hi,

We have been learning about Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

The second blessing, "Asher bachar banu," thanks Gd for choosing to give our nation the Torah.

One might think that a person who has come to Judaism by conversion would not be able to recite this blessing, since that person actually was the one who did the choosing, but this is not so - one who converts to Judaism becomes a full member of the Jewish nation, and does recite this blessing.

(Be'er Heiteiv Orach Chaim 47:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A promise of on-going Judaism in a family

Hi,

We have been discussing Birchot haTorah, the blessings we recite before studying Torah.

The first blessing includes a paragraph asking Gd to make the Torah sweet within our mouths, and the mouths of our descendants. The text specifically includes our grandchildren, hinting at a promise that a family which has three consecutive Torah-embracing generations will never permanently lose its attachment to Torah.

(Mishneh Berurah 47:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Living the words of Torah

Hi,

We have been learning about the blessings of Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited upon Torah study.

The first blessing, as Ashkenazic communities word it, thanks Gd for instructing us "La'asok b'divrei Torah," "to involve ourselves in the words of Torah." Various commentators have explained that wording to refer to more than just studying the words of Torah, but also living those words even when we are not directly involved in their study.

(Mishneh Berurah 47:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Is Writing Torah considered a form of Study?

Hi,

Yesterday we noted that thinking words of Torah does not require reciting this blessing, because thought is not considered a substantive form of study. Speaking is considered a substantive form of study. What about writing?

Writing is an action, and it has certain lasting results; further, people often recite or mouth words as they write them. Therefore, one should recite Birchot haTorah, the blessings upon Torah study, before writing a Torah thought.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:3; Mishneh Berurah 47:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Birchot haTorah for thinking Torah?

Hi,

We have been discussing Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

One need not recite these blessigs before thinking words of Torah; thoughts are not considered a substantive form of study.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:3-4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What qualifies as "Torah"?

Hi,

We have been learning about Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

What qualifies as Torah to require these blessings? Biblical text (chumash, navi and ketuvim), as well as the legal comments of the Mishnah and Gemara (talmud), and the explanations and analyses found in classic Midrash.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 47:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What if I forgot Birchot haTorah?

Hi,

We have been discussing Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before Torah study.

One who forgets to recite these blessings but then prays the traditional morning prayers, may consider the blessing that precedes Sh'ma as the blessing upon Torah study, because that blessing includes a request that Gd provide us with understanding so that we may learn, teach and practice the Torah.

One who uses that blessing as the blessing upon Torah study should then learn some Torah immediately after morning prayers, so that the blessing will be associated with actual study.

(Mishneh Berurah 47:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Importance of Birchot haTorah, the blessings before Torah study

Hi,

The Talmud (Nedarim 81a) blames the destruction of the First Temple on carelessness regarding reciting Birchot haTorah, the blessings that precede Torah study. The commentators are stunned; how could omission of a blessing warrant the death and devastation associated with the Babylonian destruction of the Temple?

To which Rabbeinu Nissim (14th century) explained, quoting Rabbeinu Yonah of Gerondi (13th-14th century), that the point of the blessings is to identify Torah study as a unique spiritual enterprise, and not simply another field of intellectual study.

Per Rabbeinu Yonah, the Jews of the time, scholarly as many of them were, had lost that understanding, and this change - manifested in the omission of these blessings - affected the way they viewed Torah, the Jewish nation, and each other, to such a point that the Temple had lost its meaning, and thus it was destroyed.

Let us learn not only the laws governing these blessings, but also the value of these blessings.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Birchot haTorah - The Blessings recited before Torah Study

Hi,

Today we begin a new topic: Birchot haTorah, the blessings recited before studying Torah.

These blessings are supposed to be recited on a daily basis, generally in the morning, before one studies any Torah. One recitation suffices for the day. A text of the blessings may be found in a standard Artscroll Siddur on page 16.

The Talmud understands these blessings to be a biblical obligation, based on the verse, "When I declare the name of Gd, give praise to our Gd (Deuteronomy 32:3)." Moshe is about to teach the Jews a song of Torah, and he calls upon them to 'give praise to Gd,' reciting a blessing.

(Talmud, Berachot 21a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Lighting candles after Shabbat

Hi,

Some Jews have a custom of lighting candles after Shabbat, and singing various songs. This is part of escorting Shabbat as it departs, honoring Shabbat at its exit just as we honor it at its entrance.

(Mishneh Berurah 300:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tu b'Shevat

Hi,

Tu b'Shevat [celebrated on Monday February 9 this year] is the equivalent of January 1 in the Jewish tithing calendar for Israeli produce - it is the first day of the financial year. Therefore, tree-fruit which blossoms before Tu b'Shevat is tithed as part of one tithing cycle, and tree-fruit which blossoms after Tu b'Shevat is tithed in a different cycle.

To celebrate this day, and to express gratitude for the edible fruit of our trees, many Jews eat fruit on Tu b'Shevat.

(Mishneh Berurah 131:31)

[How do the different tithing cycles work? I'm glad you asked:
Each year's produce is tithed differently. In all non-shemitah years, 2% goes to the Kohanim and 10% to the Levites, but in certain years another 10% is brought to Yerushalayim to be eaten there, and in other years that last 10% is given to the needy.
Also: one may not tithe one year's produce using another year's produce.
Aren't you glad you asked?]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Seudah Shlishit vs. Melaveh Malkah

Hi,

The practice of eating a special meal after Havdalah is a good practice, but it is not obligatory. On the other hand, the practice of eating three meals during Shabbat is actually linked to biblical verses.

Therefore, a person who must choose between the two practices (such as one who would become so full from Seudah Shlishit that he could not eat Melaveh Malkah) should opt to have three meals during Shabbat and skip the meal after Shabbat.

(Mishneh Berurah 300:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

What constitutes Melaveh Malkah?

Hi,

It is ideal for one to base his post-Shabbat "Melaveh Malkah" meal on bread and meat. When that is not an option, such as when one is too full from Shabbat, then one should eat other grain-based products (cake, cookies), or at least fruit.

The key is that just as we honor Shabbat at its entrance, so we honor Shabbat at its exit. (For that same reason, one should eat this meal as soon after Shabbat as possible.)

(Mishneh Berurah 300:1-2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Melaveh Malkah

Hi,

One should arrange his table nicely and eat a meal after Shabbat is over, to escort out the Shabbat. This meal is commonly called "Melaveh Malka מלוה מלכא" or "Melaveh Malkah מלוה מלכה."

[The difference between the two names is that the former ends in an Alef, indicating escorting a king, while the latter ends in a Hei, indicating escorting a queen.]

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 300:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Before arranging Havdalah

Hi,

Before one sets up Havdalah, and particularly before lighting the Havdalah candle, one must recite a verbal declaration of Havdalah to mark the end of Shabbat. Otherwise, one would not be permitted to light the Havdalah candle or perform other acts of preparing Havdalah itself!

One may satisfy this requirement by reciting Maariv. Failing that, one may say "Blessed is the One who distinguishes between the sacred and the profane."

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 299:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Eating after sunset on Shabbat

Hi,

We have already noted that one may not begin a meal before reciting Havdalah, after sunset on Shabbat, even if one does not intend to end Shabbat for hours.

However, one who has not yet eaten Seudah Shlishit (the third meal of Shabbat) should start it even after sunset, until 30 minutes before the stars emerge (about ten minutes after sunset, depending on one's latitude and the time of year).

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 299:1; Mishneh Berurah 299:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A Havdalah Bulb?

Hi,

[Please note: I have edited the last line in yesterday's email on the Daily Jewish Law blog, for clarity. The edited post now reads:
For Havdalah, one may use a candle which was kindled before Shabbat started, but one may not use a candle which was kindled during Shabbat, unless it was kindled on Shabbat in a permitted circumstance, such as being lit as part of an effort to save a life.]

A flame is only valid for Havdalah if one can see the actual flame (and use its light). Thus a flame behind a translucent material would not be valid for Havdalah.

Some authorities even refuse a flame which is behind a transparent barrier. This is based on the Talmud's rejection of a "lantern" for Havdalah. These authorities would therefore reject any light bulb, due to the glass containing its vacuum.

Others, though, would accept an incandescent bulb with transparent glass. The heating of a metal to the point of luminscence has traditionally been considered 'fire,' dating back to the times of the Talmud, and the horizontal incandescent filament would be considered like a multi-wicked flame.

Note: A fluorescent bulb would not have the same status.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 298:15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai