Halachah Talk Zecher LeMachatzis HaShekel The minhag of giving coins in remembrance of the machatzis hashekel given during the time of the Beis Hamikdash is a very ancient and cherished custom, and is based on a mitzvah min haTorah. Additionally, as we will discuss later, Chazal tell us that it was in the merit of […]
Author Archives: Harav Avraham Rosenthal
Talmud Torah
Halacha Talk The Mitzvah of Talmud Torah In this week’s parsha we read that (Vayikra 26:3), “if you go in My statutes,” then Hashem will bestow on Klal Yisrael unlimited blessings. Rashi explains that this does not merely refer to the fulfillment of the mitzvos, as it also says in the possuk, “and if you […]
Children and the Mitzvos of Purim
Halacha Talk Children and the Mitzvos of Purim In general, the halacha is that although girls below the age of twelve and boys below the age of thirteen are exempt from observing mitzvos (Mishnah Avos 5:21; Niddah 52a), there is a Rabbinic obligation on the father to train his children to perform mitzvos (Chagigah 4a). […]
Washing Hands for Tefillah
Halacha Talk Washing Hands for Tefillah In this week’s parsha, we finally come to the culmination of the Bnei Yisroel’s efforts in providing a residence for the Shechinah in this world. One of the necessary preparations was the making of the kiyor, the vessel from which Aharon and his sons sanctified their hands and feet […]
Brachos Said in Vain and Unnecessary Brachos
One of the Aseres Hadibros, which we will hear in this week’s parsha, is the prohibition of “lo sisa es Sheim Hashem Elokecha lashav,” “Do not recite the name of Hashem, your G-d, in vain.” The Gemara (Shavuos) explains that this mitzvah relates primarily to the issur of swearing falsely or unnecessarily, as the classical type of oath is when one invokes Hashem’s Name. This mitzvah also includes more common situations of saying Hashem’s Name without a valid reason.
Although the topic of swearing and taking oaths is an important one, it is rare to find an observant Jew swearing an oath with Hashem’s Name. Therefore, in this week’s article we will discuss some of the more common applications of this mitzvah.
Kibbud u’Mora Av ve’Eim: Honoring and Fearing One’s Parents
The mitzvah of honoring parents (Shemos 20:12) has a unique distinction. The Yerushalmi (Kiddushin 1:7) refers to it as a “mitzvah chamurah min hachamuros” – a mitzvah that is most severe. In fact, Rebbi Yochanan, about whom the Gemara (Kiddushin 31b) relates that he never saw his parents, made the remarkable statement, […]
Shabbos Shirah
Shabbos Parshas Beshalach is called Shabbos Shirah – the Shabbos of the Song. This refers to the Shiras HaYam, the song of thanks that the Jewish nation sang to Hashem after crossing through the Red Sea on dry land and seeing their enemies drown. The name Shabbos Shirah appears in the Rishonim (Sefer HaMinhagim [Tyrnau], s.v., Shevat; Sefer Maharil, Hilchos Teves-Shevat-Adar, #7).
Cleaning Up Your Act on Shabbos
The Shabbos meal is over and now it is time to get to work. The table has to be cleared and the dishes washed. What is permissible to do on Shabbos and what is not? Let us review some of the relevant halachos.
Praising Hashem for All That We See: Birchos HaRe’iyah
Chazal instituted various types of brachos, some of which are recited more frequently than others. There are brachos that are part of davening which are said on a daily basis in all circumstances, while some brachos, referred to as birchos hanehenin – blessings of pleasure, are only recited when benefiting from food, drink and fragrances. […]
Pikuach Nefesh on Shabbos
Halacha Talk Pikuach Nefesh on Shabbos One of the basic foundations of halacha is that saving a life supercedes every mitzvah in the Torah, with the exception of forbidden relationships, murder and idol worship. In discussing this issue vis-à-vis Shabbos prohibitions, the Gemara (Yuma 85b) mentions several possible sources for this halacha. One of the […]
Medical Accountability and the Patient / Physician Relationship
When called to the Torah, two blessings are recited. In the second, we bless Hashem for “giving us a true Torah; and the life of the world you planted in our midst.” The Bet Yosef (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 139:10) explains the “True Torah refers to the Torah shebichtav (the written law) and the life […]
Halacha Talk, Davening on the Go
For most people, when one has a routine, things are easy. He knows what he has to do, when he should do it and how to go about it. When something comes up, whether through a voluntary change in routine or because of the unexpected, people tend to get lost and not know how […]
Halacha Talk, The Exotic Traveler
In my last article (“Davening on the Go,” Parshas Baha’aloscha), I discussed many halachos of davening that are relevant for one who is traveling. At the end of that article, I cited several scenarios of travel itineraries that could be halachically problematic for the frum traveler. This week, we will elaborate on those issues […]
Halacha Talk, Tefilas Haderech
On Shabbos Parshas Baha’aloscha we read how the Bnei Yisrael set up their camp and how they traveled in the desert. The intention was that in this formation, they would travel to Eretz Yisrael. Unfortunately, because of the sin of the spies, they were instead forced to wander in the midbar for forty years. I […]
Halacha Talk Eating on the Go
With the start of the summer season, I found it apropos in my last article to discuss the halachos of tefilas haderech. Keeping with that theme, it is worthwhile to review some of the halachos that apply when a person eats while traveling. Question #1: If one is traveling and does not have water available […]
The Prohibition of Chodosh
Halacha Talk The Prohibition of Chodosh The Zohar says, “Everything is dependent on mazal, even a sefer Torah in the Sanctuary” (Idra Rabbah, Naso, pg. 134a). In other words, just because the sefer Torah is there and available to use for krias HaTorah, does not necessarily mean that it will be used. It all depends […]
The Korban Pesach
Halacha Talk The Korban Pesach “Good evening, Rabbi. Sorry to bother you during this busy season. Can I discuss something with you?” “By all means, Reb Chaim. How can I help you?” “I know this is not exactly a practical halachic question, but, seeing how there are several references to the Korban Pesach during the […]
Customs (minhagey) of the Month of Nissan
Halacha Talk Minhagei Nissan Nissan – the month of redemption. Pesach, searching for chometz, leil haseder, matzah, maror, the four cups of wine. So much going on in one month! In fact, Nissan is so overwhelmingly Pesach-oriented that people tend to forget that there is more to this month than Pesach cleaning and matzah crumbs. […]
Tu Bishvat – More Than a Matter of Fruit
Unlike Pesach, Shavuot, and Sukkot, Tu Bishvat is not a Torah festival. And unlike Hanukkah and Purim, it is not even a rabbinic festival. However, as will be explained below, it has received partial festival status, and is commemorated by a number of fascinating customs. The day of Tu Bishvat, certainly for Jews in the […]
Kiddush HaChodesh: The Jewish Calendar
In this week’s parsha we read about the very first mitzvah given to Klal Yisroel: the mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh, sanctifying the month, which is the basis for our calendar. Fulfilling this mitzvah is necessary for the observance of many of our most important mitzvos, for without it there would be no Yomim Tovim. Let […]
Birchos Hare’iyah – Part II
In last week’s column, we discussed some background and common examples of birchos hare’iyeh – brachos recited when experiencing various natural phenomena. In particular, we focused on the brachos of “Oseh ma’aseh bereishis” – “Who makes the works of creation” and “She’kocho ugvuraso malei olam” – “Whose strength and might fill the world.” This week […]
Using the Secular Date
This week we will read in Parshas HaChodesh, “HaChodesh hazeh lachem rosh chadashim,” “This month will be for you the beginning of the months.” In the first mitzvah that Hashem gave the Jewish Nation, we are commanded to count the months from the month in which we left Mitzrayim. In other words, what we now […]