Greetings in Elul

Hi,

"Maharash said: When Elul begins, one who writes a letter to his friend must hint at the beginning that he wishes for the other to have a good new year, along the lines of, 'You should be inscribed and sealed for a good year,' or, 'May the One who establishes the earth give you a good inscription and sealing,' and similar things."

(Maharil, Yamim Noraim 3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Elul is coming,,,

Hi,

"It is written (Yirmiyah 4:3), 'Plow a field for yourselves, and do not plant upon thorns.' Therefore, one must remove the bad roots and bad thoughts from his heart before day of judgment on Rosh HaShanah. One should accustom himself all through Elul to the practices of the ten days of Repentance. It is written in Orchot Chaim that all through Elul one should sit before meals and before sleeping and contemplate himself and investigate his actions, to admit his misdeeds during the coming days of repentance."

(Maharil, Yamim Noraim 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Endangering one's self

Hi,

We have been learning about the mitzvah of Maakeh.

In truth, one who fails to fulfill Maakeh is endangering himself most of all, and might think that this would be up to his own discretion. Nonetheless, one is not permitted to endanger himself, and Jewish courts are empowered to compel him to fulfill this mitzvah.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 427:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tenant Maakeh

Hi,

A renting tenant is obligated to set up a Maakeh.

(Pitchei Teshuvah Choshen Mishpat 427:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Modern Maakeh

Hi,

It appears that the reason many of us do not have a Maakeh on our rooves is that our rooves are not flat, and are not meant for people to walk on them. Were our rooves to be flat or otherwise amenable to traversal, we would require a Maakeh.

Decks and balconies do require a Maakeh.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Protecting visitors

Hi,

The requirement of placing a Maakeh around one's roof extends to remediating any dangerous situation in one's home; one is biblically responsible to shield people from any such situation.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 427:7-8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Maakeh design

Hi,

A Maakeh must be at least ten tefachim (36 inches, per Rav Moshe Feinstein) high, and strong enough that people can lean on it without it collapsing.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 427:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai