Shabbat and the Exodus from Egypt

Hi,

"We say in kiddush [that Shabbat is] 'a memorial for the exodus from Egypt,' as stated in Pesachim 117b; the Tur strained regarding this, for Shabbat commemorates Creation! He explained that the phrase refers to 'days of holy convocation' – [the line in kiddush should read: 'it is the first of the days of holy convocation, which are a memorial for the exodus from Egypt.'

"In the name of Rambam, the Tur wrote that Shabbat itself commemorates the exodus from Egypt, for in the exodus from Egypt it was clarified that He is Divine, first, creating, desiring and capable, and this is what Shabbat itself teaches.

"But Ibn Ezra wrote simply that Shabbat commemorates Creation, and the rest of the slave on Shabbat commemorates the exodus from Egypt. This is explicit in the second appearance of the Commandments (Devarim 5:14), 'So that your male and female slave will rest like you, and you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, etc.'"

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 271:27)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Fish for Shabbos?

Hi,

"Today there are also those who are careful to have fish in every Shabbat meal; this has a hidden reason."

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 242:43)

Is Rabbi Epstein referring to the way fish procreate prolifically? Or to their immunity to the ayin hara of others' jealousy? I suspect not, since both of those are well-documented in Jewish tradition. I don't know what the secret here could be.

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The language of a blessing

Hi,

Introduction: Blessings recited before performing a mitzvah traditionally begin, "Blessed are You... who sanctified us and commanded us to..." We switch from the first-person "You" to the third-person description of G-d "who sanctified us and commanded us." Why?

"Each blessing has both the direct 'Blessed are You' and the indirect 'Who sanctified us' because G-d is both revealed and hidden."

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 46:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The Story of Chanukah, Part 7

Hi,

(...continued)

"The name 'Chanukah' also contains a hint to the 25^th day [of Kislev] – Chanu [They camped] on kah [the 25^th].

"Another reason for this [eight day celebration] is explained the Book of Maccabees: Because of the Greek decrees, they did not bring offerings on the preceding Succot and on Shemini Atzeret. To remember this, they established eight days of Chanukah. Then, when Heaven showed them the miracle of the lighting [for eight days], Heaven showed them that they agreed to make an eight-day celebration.

"[This is also the meaning of the statement in the Talmud, 'The next year, they established these days' – meaning, after they saw that Heaven agreed with them to create an eight-day celebration, via the oil which lit for eight days. To remember the miracle, they established the lighting of lamps on Chanukah, as the Tur wrote.']"

ויש בזה רמז גם ליום כ"ה חנו - כה [ר"ן שם] ועוד טעם לזה מבואר בספר חשמונאי לפי שע"י הגזרות בטלו אז מלהקריב בחג הסוכות העבר ובשמיני עצרת ולכן לזכרון זה עשו שמנה ימים חנוכה וממילא כשהראו להם מן השמים הנס של הדלקה הראום שהסכימו על ידם לעשות שמנה ימים [וזהו שאמרו בשבת שם לשנה אחרת קבעום וכו' כלומר אחרי שראו דמשמיא הוא דאסכימו על ידייהו לעשות שמנה ימים ע"י השמן שהראו להם שדלק ח' ימים ולזכרון הנס הזה קבעו להדליק נרות בחנוכה כמ"ש הטור]: 

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:5)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The story of Chanukah, Part 6

Hi,

"The truth is that in Bamidbar Rabbah 13 we find that the work of the mishkan was completed on the 25^th of Kislev and they did not dedicate it until Rosh Chodesh Nisan, when the patriarchs were born, and G-d repaid [the month of Kislev] in the days of Matityahu. 

"Therefore, they prepared a dedication like that of the Mishkan, which was a period of seven days of miluim, and the eighth day was the completion of the start of the service in the mishkan via Aharon and his sons, as outlined in the Torah. And so regarding King Solomon, when he dedicated the Temple, Divrei haYamim II 7:8-9 says, 'And Solomon made the celebration, seven days… and on the eighth day an assembly.' 

"Therefore, to remember this, they also called this celebration 'Chanukah' [dedication], as in 'chanukat hamizbeach' [dedication of the altar] and 'chanukat habayit' [dedication of the house]."

והאמת כן הוא דבמדרש [במדבר פרשה י"ג] איתא שמלאכת המשכן נגמרה בכ"ה בכסלו ולא חנכוהו עד ר"ח ניסן שבו נולדו אבות והקב"ה שילם לו בימי מתתיהו [מדרש זה הובא במהרש"א שם]

ולכן עשו כמו חנוכת המשכן שהיו שבעת ימי המילואים וביום השמיני היה גמר התחלת העבודה במשכן ע"י אהרן ובניו כמבואר בתורה וכן שלמה המלך בחנכו את ביהמ"ק כתיב בדברי הימים [ב' ז, ח - ט] ויעש שלמה את החג שבעת ימים וביום השמיני עצרת ע"ש

ולכן לזכרון קראו יום טוב זה ג"כ חנוכה מלשון חנוכת המזבח וחנוכת הבית

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:5)

חג אורים שמח,

Mordechai

The Story of Chanukah, Part 5

Hi,

(continued...)

"The miracle was only for seven days, since the first day had sufficient oil for lighting. However, since only one-eighth of the oil burned, the miracle was also on the first day.

"Some have written that [we celebrate for eight days] because the Greeks prevented the Jews from fulfilling circumcision, which is done after eight days.

"And some have written that [we celebrate for eight days] because on the first day they dedicated the Beit haMikdash for the service that wicked Antiochus had halted."

ואף על גב שהנס לא היה רק לשבעה ימים דעל יום אחד היה בו להדליק אמנם כיון שלא נדלק ממנו רק חלק שמינית ממילא דהנס היה גם ביום ראשון [ב"י] ויש שכתב לפי שביטלו מהם מצות מילה שהיא לשמנה ימים [שלטי הגבורים בהגמ"ר שם] ויש שכתב לפי שאז חינכו הבית מעבודה שביטל אנטיוכס הרשע [שם]: 

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:4)

חג אורים שמח,

Mordechai

The story of Chanukah, Part 4

Hi,

"The meaning is this: When they purified the Sanctuary and all of them were impure from contact with death due to the war, they could not be purified until they would conduct the seven-day ritual of purification, and then take a day to produce pure oil. Further, pure oil was at a distance of four days' travel, so that the trip back and forth would require eight days. They did not have [pure] oil to light in the menorah.

"They were able to bring the daily offerings, because communal offerings override impurity. They could have lit the menorah under this rule, for lighting the menorah also overrides impurity… But they needed to obtain pure oil, for only impurity from death is overridden for communal offerings. Other types of impurity are not overridden, as we learn in Pesachim 67a, and the oil was contaminated with other types of impurity, and the store of cut olives was contaminated so that they needed attached olives. This would require eight days.

"They found this jug, sealed with the kohen gadol's seal and placed in the depths such that it had not been shifted and thereby contaminated – and [being in the depths was also important because] had they seen it, they would have taken it, thinking it contained gems. Gd performed a miracle for them; even though it would only have sufficed for one day, they lit from it for eight days, until they produced pure oil. Therefore, they established eight days of praise and thanks."

ביאור הדברים שכשטיהרו את המקדש והיו כולם טמאי מתים מהמלחמה וטמא מת לא יכול לטהר רק אחר ז' ימים בהזאת שלישי ושביעי ויום אחד להכנת שמן טהור [ב"י] ועוד שהיה שמן טהור בריחוק ד' ימים ועד שילכו ויבואו יעברו ח' ימים [ר"ן שם] ולא היה להם מה להדליק בהמנורה

וכל הקרבנות של התמידים הקריבו דקרבן ציבור דוחה את הטומאה ולכן גם היו יכולין להדליק את הנרות שבמנורה מטעם זה דגם הדלקת המנורה דוחה את הטומאה כדתניא בת"כ פרשה אמור [ספי"ג] יערוך את הנרות לפני ד' תמיד תמיד אף בשבת תמיד אף בטומאה ורק דשמן היה מוכרח להיות טהור דלא הותרה טומאה בציבור רק טומאת מת ולא שארי טומאות כמבואר בפסחים [ס"ז.] והשמנים נטמאו מטומאות אחרות ממגען וממשאן וכל הזיתים נטמאו עד שישיגו ממחוברים שאין מקבלין טומאה ויעברו הח' ימים

ולכן כשמצאו זה הפך החתום בחותמו של כהן גדול והיה מונח בעומק באופן שגם לא הסיטו אותו דאל"כ היו מטמאין בהיסט [תוס' שבת שם כ"א ד"ה שהיה] ועוד דאלו היו רואים אותם בוודאי היו נוטלין אותו שהיו מדמין שיש שם אבנים טובות [ר"ן שם] והקב"ה עשה להם נס שאע"פ שלא היה רק ליום אחד הדליקו ממנו ח' ימים עד שעשו שמן טהור ולכן קבעו ח' ימים להלל והודאה [עב"ח ולפמ"ש א"ש בפשיטות]: 

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan, Orach Chaim 670:3)

חג אורים שמח,
Mordechai

The story of Chanukah, Part 3

Hi,

(continued from Part 2)

"And the completion of the miracle was on the 25^th of Kislev. And they provided another miracle from heaven, via the lamp of mitzvah, Torah which is light, as the Talmud (Shabbat 21b) says, 'What is Chanukah? The sages taught: On the 25^th of Kislev, the days of Chanukah are eight, on which not to eulogize or fast. For when the forces of Antiochus entered the Sanctuary, they contaminated all of the oil in the Sanctuary. And when the House of the Hasmoneas became stronger and triumphed, they examined and found only one jug of oil marked with the seal of the high priest, and it contained only enough for one day. A miracle occurred, and they lit for eight days from that oil. In the following year, they established them and made them a holiday, for praise and thanks.'"

וגמר הנס היה בכ"ה בכסלו ועוד נס אחר הראו להם מן השמים ע"י נר מצוה ותורה אור כדגרסינן בשבת [כ"א:] מאי חנוכה דתנו רבנן בכ"ה בכסלו יומי דחנוכה תמניא אינון דלא למספד בהון ודלא להתענות בהון שכשנכנסו אנשי אנטיוכס להיכל טמאו כל השמנים שבהיכל וכשגברו בית חשמונאי ונצחום בדקו ולא מצאו אלא פך אחד של שמן שהיה מונח בחותמו של כהן גדול ולא היה בו אלא להדליק יום אחד נעשה בו נס והדליקו ממנו שמנה ימים לשנה אחרת קבעום ועשאום יום טוב בהלל והודאה: 

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The story of Chanukah, Part 2

Hi,

(...continued)

"The victory was not through a natural path, for the Hasmoneans, with the pious people, were very few, and Antiochus attacked them with a great nation, with many elephants, with chariots and charioteers. But Gd, who desires His nation Israel, gave the mighty into the hand of the weak, the many into the hand of the few, the impure into the hand of the pure, the wicked into the hand of the righteous. The wicked who joined Antiochus were killed as well, given into the hand of those who were involved in Torah.

"The Name of Heaven was then elevated and sanctified in the world, and the light of Torah appeared in its purity, and the name of Israel was elevated among the nations."

והנצחון היה שלא בדרך הטבע כי החשמונאים עם חבורת החסידים היו מעטים מאד ואנטיוכוס בא עליהם בעם רב ובפילים הרבה וברכב ופרשים אך ד' החפץ בעמו ישראל מסר גבורים ביד חלשים ורבים ביד מעטים וטמאים ביד טהורים ורשעים ביד צדיקים והזדים מישראל שנסתפחו לאנטיוכוס ג"כ נהרגו ונמסרו ביד עוסקי התורה ואז נתגדל ונתקדש שם שמים בעולם ואור התורה הופיע בעצם טהרתה ושם ישראל נתגדל בעמים

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The story of Chanukah, Part 1

Hi,

"During the Second Temple, the wicked line of monarchs named Antiochus issued decrees against Israel and halted their holy religion, not allowing them to involve themselves in Torah and mitzvot, and they sent their hand into the wealth of the Jews, and they took their daughters, and they entered the Temple and broke through barriers and contaminated pure items and pained Israel and oppressed them greatly. This went on until HaShem, Gd of their ancestors, had mercy upon them and saved them from the hands of the Greeks, and rescued them via the holy and pure sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, Matityahu and his sons, who battled Antiochus and triumphed."

בבית שני כשמלכו אנטיוכוסים הרשעים גזרו גזירות על ישראל ובטלו דתם הקדושה ולא הניחו אותם לעסוק בתורה ובמצות ופשטו ידם בממונם ובבנותיהם ונכנסו למקדש ופרצו בו פרצות וטמאו הטהרות והצירו לישראל ולחצום לחץ גדול עד שריחם עליהם ד' אלקי אבותיהם והושיעם מידם והצילם ע"י בני חשמונאים הקדושים והטהורים הכהנים הגדולים מתתיהו ובניו שנלחמו עם אנטיוכוס ויכלו לו 

(Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:1)

To be continued...

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Haggadah: Urchatz

Hi,

The title of the Haggadah's second section, "Urchatz", means "and wash". The section consists of washing before Karpas. Why are we washing?

When we have a Beit haMikdash, we wash before handling produce in order to avoid communicating impurity. In an era without a Beit haMikdash, most halachic authorities contend that we do not wash. (Rabbeinu Yonah, the Taz and the Vilna Gaon are notable in their disagreement.) Why, then, do we wash before handling karpas?

1. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, in his early 20th century Aruch haShulchan (Orach Chaim 473:18), says it's just another way we draw our children's interest to the events of the night. Varying our routine attracts the attention of our children.

2. Rabbi Mordechai Yafeh, in his 16th century Levush (Orach Chaim 473), says we wash because the karpas is being used for a mitzvah. The mitzvah warrants extra sanctity.

3. Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, in the introduction to his late-19th century haggadah Imrei Shefer, notes that several Seder practices are meant to take us back to the way things happened in the Beit haMikdash. Think of the Koreich sandwich, for example. Therefore, we wash for karpas in order to recall the way we washed in the Beit haMikdash.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The legitimacy of today's Kohen pedigree

Hi,

"I have seen someone write that in our day, when we don't have documented lineage for our kohanim, it would be appropriate for each kohen to be concerned that perhaps he may not be a kohen, and so he should return the redemption funds given to him in Pidyon haBen, and he may be obligated to separate money for himself for his own redemption. In my opinion, though, it is prohibited to hear such things, to reduce the level of the kohanim and cause their degradation. Gd forbid that one should say such a thing…."

[He then continues to bring halachic proof to his point.]

(R' Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Yoreh Deah 305:55)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Preparing for Shabbat during the week

Hi,

"The sages wrote that a person should sharpen knives in honor of Shabbat. This is hinted in the verse, 'And they shall prepare whatever – Et – they will bring;' 'Et' connotes knives and cutting implements.

"It is proper to clean spider webs from the walls. It is appropriate to taste Shabbat foods on Friday; 'Those who taste it, have merited life.'

"All of these acts are within the scope of honoring Shabbat; a person performs such acts in preparing to greet a great person. A person tastes the food and cleans the house, and sharpens knives to prepare for eating."

(R' Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 250:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tefillin: A Celebration

Hi,

The interesting opposition between Tefillin and Mourning:

"A mourner, on the first day of Shivah, is not permitted to don tefillin for the entire day - even after the burial.

"The verse [Amos 8:10] states, 'And its aftermath will be a bitter day.' Tefillin are termed 'glory' and should not be donned on a bitter day."

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 38:8, from Talmud, Moed Katan 21a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The unique love of Shabbat

Hi,

[Regarding the amidah for holidays which coincide with Shabbat:]

"We include the phrase, 'You have given us... with love, a day declared to be holy," referring to the uniqueness of Shabbat, which we accepted with love."

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 487:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The global mitzvah of reproduction

Hi,

[On the mitzvah of attempting to reproduce]

"Certainly, the entire human race is equally obligated. Granted that the mitzvah is not incumbent upon each individual person, the obligation to settle the world is incumbent upon the general human race, per Gd’s desire as expressed in blessing Adam, as well as Noach and his sons, with the blessing of bearing fruit and multiplying. Gd then instructed them, ‘And you shall bear fruit and multiply,’ meaning, ‘This is My desire.’

"For Jews this is established as a mitzvah for each Jew to fulfill, as we were instructed individually in all of the mitzvoth, but others, who were not instructed individually in all of the mitzvoth, were not instructed individually in this obligation. Rather, the Divine blessing of bearing fruit and multiplying, and the expression of Divine desire that they should be involved in settling the world, was upon the nation as a whole."

(Aruch haShulchan Even haEzer 1:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why celebrate for eight days?

Hi,

One of the longest-standing questions regarding Chanukah is this: If there was sufficient oil for one night, just not for eight, then there were really only seven nights of the miracle. So why do we light the menorah for eight nights?

R' Yechiel Michel Epstein, in his Aruch haShulchan, cites three popular answers:
1) Each night, only 1/8 of the oil burned.

2) The Syrian Greeks had prevented Jews from performing circumcision, so we celebrate for eight days to hint at circumcision, which is performed on the eighth day of a baby boy's life.

3) When the Chashmonaim recaptured the Beit haMikdash (Temple), they re-dedicated it for the service which the Syrian Greeks had halted. This is what we celebrate on the first day.

(R' Yechiel Michel Epstein, Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 670:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai