A prayer for healing

Hi,

Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 230:4

One who enters to let blood says, "May it be Your will, Gd, my Master, that this be a cure for me, for You heal at no cost." After he lets blood, he should say, "Blessed is the Healer of the sick."

Mishneh Berurah 230:6

And so in every healing endeavour he should say this, and not think that any particular entity will heal him, only the Creator. Via this prayer he will place his trust in Gd, and ask that this should heal him.

Rabbi Dr. Avraham Sofer Abraham, Nishmat Avraham Orach Chaim 230:1

Therefore, when one takes medication as well - even many times in a day – and for every medical action (i.e. putting in eye drops, smearing on a paste, or giving an injection), or for every surgical action, however minor, we must turn to Gd with this prayer, for Gd, and only Gd, is the true healer. Also before any exercise of any kind that one performs at the instruction of a doctor because of his illness, one must turn to Gd with this prayer. Even for something which seems to be minor, such as when a mother places a bandage on a child's small cut, she should be careful to recite with him this y'hi ratzon, for a cut can develop infection despite the bandage and [yet] some heal without anything at all – it is all in the hands of Heaven. And my mentor Rabbi Neuvirth said to me, "This is obvious." Further, with this she will take the opportunity to teach her child that it is not the bandage that heals, but it is Gd, and there is no other.

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The Tenth of Av

Hi, 

Although the prohibitions of Tisha b’Av end with Tisha b’Av, the practices of the Nine Days – refraining from meat and wine, not bathing for pleasure, not laundering or wearing fresh clean clothing and not attending celebrations – continue until midday the next day. 

This is because we are taught that the Beit haMikdash (Temple) burned until midday on the Tenth of Av. 

[Note that there is an exception to this rule: As we have discussed, when Tisha b'Av occurs on a Saturday night and Sunday, Havdalah after Tisha b'Av is done with wine/grape juice.] 

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 558:1; Mishneh Berurah 558:3) 

המצפה לישועה, 
Mordechai

The five tragedies of the 17th of Tammuz

Hi,

The fast day of the 17th of Tammuz, observed on Tuesday July 15th this year, commemorates five tragedies:

1. Moses descended from meeting Gd and receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, saw the Jews celebrating with the Golden Calf, and broke the two tablets Gd had given him.

2. The daily Tamid offering, which had been brought regularly in the Jerusalem Beit haMikdash [Temple] from the time the Jews built the Mishkan for over one thousand years, was halted during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem before the Beit haMikdash was destroyed.

3. The Romans invaded Jerusalem, prior to destroying the second Beit haMikdash. (According to the Talmud Bavli, the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem to destroy the first Temple on the 9th of Tammuz. According to the Talmud Yerushalmi, both invasions occurred on the 17th of Tammuz.)

4. A Greek or Roman official named Apostimos held a public burning of the Torah.

5. Idols were set up in the Temple itself; it is not clear what year this happened.

(Mishneh Berurah 549:2)

צום קל ומועיל,
Mordechai

Why stand for Kiddush?

Hi,

We stand when reciting kiddush on Friday night, at least for the first paragraph, because that paragraph serves as testimony to Gd's creation of the world and because the initials of the opening words spell out Gd's unpronounced Name, Yud-Hei-Vav and Hei (Yom Hashishi Vayechulu Hashamayim).

Some sit even for the first paragraph. Kiddush is supposed to be established in the location of one's meal, and one establishes a location by sitting down. Either custom is appropriate.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 271:10; Mishneh Berurah 271:45-46)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Forgive even if you can't forgive

Hi,

"Even if one declines to forgive in order to help the penitent, he must remove the hatred from his heart, since the penitent has sincerely asked for forgiveness."

(R' Yisrael Meir Kagan, Mishneh Berurah 606:9)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Forgiveness

Hi,

Yom Kippur canot atone for sins between one person and another, however
minor the offense, until the offending party has appeased the offended
party. The offender must pursue the offended, approaching him as many as
three times apologizing and requesting forgiveness. Each time, he should
bring different people with him to help him.

The offended party is not allowed to be cruel and withhold forgiveness. If
the offended party does not forgive after three times, the offender has
fulfilled his obligation.

There are exceptions to this rule:
1. One may withhold forgiveness if he does so to help the offender.
2. One may withhold forgiveness if the offense caused a bad reputation for
the offended party; all the people who heard about the bad reputation are
not present at the time when the apology is offered.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 606:1; Mishneh Berurah 606:1-11)

May we be inscribed and sealed for a happy and healthy new year,
Mordechai

The Chafetz Chaim on Chazzanut

Hi,

"Early authorites have already spoken at length about the disgrace of singers who extend and separate one letter from its neighbor and one word from its neighbor.

"This corruption is especially prevalent in the tunes at the end of a berachah, when the congregation replies Amen: Sometimes they answer before the chazan actually completes the berachah, and sometimes they extend the tune after the conclusion of the [last] word and they reply Amen after a great interruption."

(Mishneh Berurah 281:4, citing Pri Megadim)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

On Shabbat, keep the floor clean

Hi,

An oft-overlooked way to create honor for Shabbat:

"In order not to dirty the house, one should not allow anything to fall off the table at the Friday night meal, unless one will sweep the floor afterward in a permitted fashion. The same is true for the Shabbat morning meal, unless will sweep the floor afterward."

(Mishneh Berurah 262:3)

[Of course, this is easier said than done when one has small children...]

Have a great day,
Mordechai