Arriving by airplane on Shabbat

Hi,

Today we begin a new, summer-appropriate set of laws: Laws related to travel.

'Techum' refers to the boundary beyond which one may not travel on Shabbat. The boundary is 2000 amot, about 1 kilometer, outside of the community where one starts Shabbat.

One who travels by airplane with enough time to arrive before Shabbat, and then arrives on Shabbat only due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances, may disembark on Shabbat despite considerations of having passed beyond his techum, so long as he does not break any non-techum laws of Shabbat in disembarking. He may then travel up to 2000 amot in any direction, on foot, and if this brings him into a community then he may travel the entire area of that community.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 248:14)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzedakah on a Fast Day

Hi,

We are taught that the major reward for fasting comes from giving tzedakah, and so some people give tzedakah on fast days based on the amount they would have spent on food for that day.

(Mishneh Berurah 566:12)

Have an easy and meaningful fast,
Mordechai

The 17th of Tammuz

Hi,

Tuesday June 28th is the fast of the 17th day of the month of Tammuz, and it begins a three-week national Jewish mourning period.

On the 17th of Tammuz one neither eats nor drinks, but - unlike the fasts of Tisha b'Av and Yom Kippur - one may wear leather shoes and wash normally.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 550:2)

For more on the fast, click here; for more on the Three Weeks of mourning, click here.

Be well,
Mordechai

Text of the daytime kiddush

Hi,

The Friday night Kiddush fulfills a biblical obligation to verbally commemorate the entrance of Shabbat. The daytime Kiddush, on the other hand, is a rabbinic enactment intended to increase the honor of the day.

Technically, the daytime Kiddush is simply the "Borei Pri haGafen" blessing recited over wine. We add verses before that blessing ("Im Tashiv," "veShamru," "Zachor," and/or "Al Ken,") in order to give the Kiddush more substance. Technically, though, one who simply makes the appropriate blessing for the beverage and drinks it on the day of Shabbat, with a meal, has fulfilled his obligation.

(Mishneh Berurah 289:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Kiddush and Candles

Hi,

We have already mentioned that one should look at the Shabbat candles before reciting Kiddush on Friday night. According to one school, one must recite Kiddush in the room containing the Shabbat candles. This is a minority view.

In practice, it is preferable to eat in the room with the candles. Since the candles are there to provide enjoyment rather than pain, one may eat elsewhere if eating in that room would be difficult.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 273:7; Mishneh Berurah 273:32)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Multiple Kiddushes?

Hi,

Eating a small meal with kiddush fulfills one's obligation.

Therefore, if a person recites Kiddush, eats some food and then chooses to eat another meal in another room or another house, he does not recite Kiddush again. (One may recite the daytime Kiddush at as many meals as one wishes, but the nighttime Kiddush should not be repeated.)

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 273:2; Mishneh Berurah 273:9-10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Defining a 'meal' for Kiddush

Hi,

We have said that Kiddush must be recited where one will eat a meal.

For this purpose, 'meal' includes an olive-sized quantity of bread, or grain-based mezonot - pasta, cake or cookies, for example.

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 273:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai