Washing on Yom Kippur, Part III

Hi,

Despite the prohibition against bathing on Yom Kippur, one who touches a part of the body that is normally covered, and therefore normally sweaty, must wash his fingers before prayer.

(Mishneh Berurah 613:6)

May we be inscribed and sealed for a great year,
Mordechai

Apology

Hi,

I would like to take a moment to ask everyone receiving this email feed for mechilah (forgiveness) for anything hurtful or offensive I wrote, or should have written and did not, or any ways in which I might have erred and mis-led people regarding a halachah, in the past year.

If there was anything at all, please let me know; I will grow by learning from my errors.

May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai

Washing on Yom Kippur, Part II

Hi,

Washing for pleasure is prohibited on Yom Kippur, but one must wash his hands in the normal ritual manner upon rising from sleep. One washes each hand in the normal three-part sequence, but only up to the end of the knuckles.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 613:2; Mishneh Berurah 613:3)

May we be inscribed and sealed for a great year,
Mordechai

Washing on Yom Kippur, Part I

Hi,

One may not wash his skin for pleasure on Yom Kippur; this includes rinsing in plain water.

However, one whose skin is dirty may wash it, explicitly intending that this is not for pleasure but for cleanliness. One who is sensitive to significant perspiration may count this as 'dirt' for the purpose of washing on Yom Kippur.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 613:1; Mishneh Berurah 613:1-2)

May we be inscribed and sealed for a great year,
Mordechai

Candle lighting for Shabbat and Yom Kippur

Hi,

This year, Yom Kippur occurs on Shabbat.

Before Yom Kippur begins, we light candles as we would on a regular Shabbat; the same candles double for both. The berachah includes both themes: להדליק נר של שבת ושל יום הכיפורים, "lehadlik ner shel shabbat v'shel yom hakippurim."

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 610:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Bikur Cholim on Shabbat

Hi,

Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai debate whether (Shabbat 12a) one may visit people who are ill on Shabbat; our practice is to visit, but one should not specifically time his visit for Shabbat, ignoring the ill patient during the week.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 287:1; Mishneh Berurah 287:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Bikur Cholim by telephone

Hi,

Clearly, 'visiting' the sick by phone does not fulfill the central goals of bikur cholim: Seeing the person's condition and so being motivated to pray for him, and seeing what his needs might be.

However, one who calls a person who is ill still fulfills some element of the broader mitzvah of chesed. See Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:223.

Have a great day,
Mordechai