Volume 25 Number 43
Produced: Sun Dec 15 23:28:36 1996
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Cranberries
[Tanya Scott]
Double Yod
[Fred Dweck]
Halacha for Lefties
[Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer]
Halacha for lefties (mail-jewish Vol. 25 #40 Digest)
[Yosef Branse]
Halachos Pertinent to Lefties
[Pinchus Idstein]
Holiness of Double Yud
[Nahum Spirn]
Origin of Daven
[Bob Werman]
Rabonim blessing children on shabbos.
[Arik Fischel]
Riddle (2)
[Perry Zamek, Saul Mashbaum]
Sedrah Explanation
[Rabbi Adam & Shosh Hill]
Trope Trivia
[Martin N. Penn]
Two Sifrei Torah
[Gershon Dubin]
What ever happened to the seventh Canaanite nation?
[Avraham Reiss]
Wheel-Chair Access Mikvahs
[Yaacov David Shulman]
Wheelchair accessible mikvah
[Idelle Rudman]
Yisa[s]char | What a Levi can't see (MJ 25:41)
[Andrew Marc Greene]
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From: Tanya Scott <SCOTTT@...>
Date: Mon, 02 Dec 96 11:30:00 PST
Subject: Cranberries
Is there any reason cranberries should be considered any differently from
other fruit? Someone posted an inquiry on this mailing list that I found
quite puzzling suggesting that they couldn't be eaten whole or raw. Does
eating cranberries that have been jellied or pureed really make a
difference? The substance is the same. In fact, I would have thought
that if anything the reverse is true. You can eat them in their natural
state, but not once they've been processed.
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From: <Fredd@...> (Fred Dweck)
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 22:35:49 -0800
Subject: Double Yod
The double yud comes from the "shiluv" (intertwining) of the "Havaya"
(Tetragramaton) and Ad-nai, thus giving the name "YAHDONHY" (the Y
representing the yod of the Tetragramaton-the A the alef of Ad-nai, the
H the he of the Tetragramaton, the D the dalet of Ad-nai, etc.) thus
giving us a yod at the beginning and a yod at the end. The double yod
was taken from that, for two reasons. It was a covert way of reminding
the mekubalim to concentrate on that name while at the same time
removing the problem of people being careless with the books. In answer
to the question by Akiva Miller as to whether a paper on which it is
written can be discarded or brought into a bathroom, the answer is; that
was the purpose of using it.
Fred E. (Yeshuah Ezra) Dweck
<Fredd@...>
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From: Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer <sbechhof@...>
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 23:59:29 -0600 (CST)
Subject: Halacha for Lefties
THe "Ish Eeteir" is not a separte sefer, it is several pages printed in
the Steipler's son's commentary on the minor tractates (Meseches Avadim,
tzitzis, Tefillin, etc.).
Earlier this year, the Chicago Community Kollel printed a pamphlet in
English on the topic, which is likekly available through them.
Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer
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From: Yosef Branse <JODY@...>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 9:43:04 +0200 (EET)
Subject: RE: Halacha for lefties (mail-jewish Vol. 25 #40 Digest)
Shalom,
Moss Ellenbogen asked:
>I have heard of a book called EESH EETAR--hebrew book on halacha for lefties.
The book is "Kuntres Ish Itar" by Rav Chaim Kanievsky (son of the
Steipler, zt"l). It was published in London in 5746 (1986) by Y. H. [in
Hebrew, yud-chet] Grussgott. It presents the relevant halachot according
to the order of the Shulchan Aruch.
This information is from our online catalog. Unfortunately, I don't have
details on the publisher's address.
I recall seeing some time ago a pamphlet sized publication, in English,
on the same topic. The author's name was Pesach something (Krohn?) and
he wrote it in honor of his left-handed son's Bar Mitzva.
>Remember left is right.
Not exactly. As my wife always reminds me when I ask her "Are you
alright?" - "No - half of me is left."
* Yosef (Jody) Branse (Left-handed systems librarian) Univ. of Haifa Library *
* Internet/ILAN: <JODY@...> *
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From: <RabbiI@...> (Pinchus Idstein)
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 00:38:59 -0500
Subject: Re: Halachos Pertinent to Lefties
In mail-jewish Vol.25 #40, Moss Ellenbogen asks for help in finding a
sefer about halachos pertinent to lefties. I do not know how to find the
one he asks about but Rabbi Paysach J. Krohn (The Mohel & author of the
Maggid series) put out a pamphlet in 1990 called, "Yad Eliezer" which
might be of assistance. HATZLOCHA!!
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From: Nahum Spirn <spirn@...>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 11:11:12 -0600
Subject: Re: Holiness of Double Yud
In MJ #40 Akiva Miller inquires as to the holiness of the Double
Yud as Hashem's name. The Rema in Yoreh De'ah 276:10 says it may be
erased if there is a need. The Shach adds "great" need. The Vilna Gaon
explains that though the double yud is not one of the seven Names of
Hashem, the first letter of a Name is also signigificant, and the yud is
the first letter in two Names of Hashem, Yud-Heh and
Yud-Heh-Vuv-Heh. This is a stringency, he concludes, but one which
should be observed except in cases of great need.
If it can be erased, it follows it can be discarded.
See also Shach Y.D. 179:11 who says the English name "G-d" can
also be erased. We view "G-d" as a kinuy (descriptive name for Hashem)
like "rachum v'chanun", and a kinuy may be erased. (This explanation
comes from Teshuvos R. Akiva Eger I:25, who also says that a kinuy *is*
still regarded as a Name for other purposes in halacha like swearing in
G-d's name or for blessings.)
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From: <RWERMAN@...> (Bob Werman)
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 96 12:20 +0200
Subject: Origin of Daven
Rather thorough discussion of the origin of the word "daven" [not really
known] can be found in the archives of mendele on the web. Mendele is a
Yiddish net group, mostly non- frum, but the level of discussion, except
on yiddishkeit, is rather high.
hag urim same'ah.
__Bob Werman
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From: <fischel@...> (Arik Fischel)
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 09:50:08 +0200 (IST)
Subject: Rabonim blessing children on shabbos.
Some yekishe shul's have still the nice minhag, where the Rov is
blessing the children of the kehila, one by one, at the end of Maariv on
Shabbos night. Does any one knows what is the origin of this nice
minhag, did any Posek gave a statement on this subject, Why is this
minhag slowly desappearing from most shul's nowadays?
I am trying to renew this minhag in my shul, but we are still looking
for better "mekorot", to convince our Rov.
Arik Fischel - Jerusalem
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From: Perry Zamek <jerusalem@...>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 08:21:30 +0200
Subject: Re: Riddle
Regarding the riddle "What can a Cohen and a Yisrael see etc.", and the
double-aliyah solution.
What would be the halacha if there were a Levi in shule, and at the time
that the second Aliyah is called, he is in the middle of the Amidah?
Would one have to wait (with the problem of Tircha de'Tzibura), or would
one call up the Cohen for a second time (since there would appear to be
no problem of p'gam -- suspecting the Levi of being a non-Levi -- since
everyone can see he is davenning)?
I seem to recall that, if we call up a Cohen, and he is davenning the
Amidah, we can call up another Cohen *by name*, since the problem of
p'gam does not arise. What if he is the only Cohen? Can we proceed by
calling up a Yisrael (or Levi), and have sheni and shelishi as
Yisraelim?
Perry Zamek | A Jew should hold his head high.
Peretz ben | "Even in poverty a Hebrew is a prince...
Avraham | Crowned with David's Crown" -- Jabotinsky
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From: <mshalom@...> (Saul Mashbaum)
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 12:11:45 EST
Subject: Re: Riddle
Art Werschulz and I (independently) answered the riddle
> "Name something that a Kohen can see and a Yisrael can see, but a Levi will
> never see."
with "his grandson's pidyon haben".
Several readers have pointed out that there is a case in which a Levi's
biological grandson is obligated in pidyon haben: the Levi had a child
by a gentile, and the child converted and had a son.
This is correct. It is clear, however, that the son (let's call him
Yisrael) is not the Levi's halachic grandson:
- Yisrael does not inherit the Levi, nor the Levi him
- Yisrael does not free the Levi's widow from the obligation of yibum
- The Levi is not required to teach Yisrael Torah as he is his
halachic grandchildren
- Yisrael is not counted for the Levi as partial fulfillment
of the mitzva of procreation
etc., etc.
A Levi's *halachic* grandson is never obligated in pidyon haben.
The answer "A Levi can never see a Cohen get two consequtive aliyas" is
essentially correct, but one must add the proviso that the Levi is an
adult; a child Levi (who is a full-fledged Levi regarding yuchasin, and
I believe regarding maaser) obviously can see this. Our solution does
not require adding this unstated qualification.
Saul Mashbaum
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From: <srni@...> (Rabbi Adam & Shosh Hill)
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 96 16:35:35 GMT
Subject: Sedrah Explanation
Does anyone know of a publication where each Aliyah is described separately.
I am often asked to give a brief precis of the coming aliyah and whilst
this is ok in Bereishit and Shemot it starts to get dire in Vayikra when
I'm left saying "More blood guts and gore!"
If there isn't . . . anyone care to write one with me?
Chanukah Sameach!
\\\\\\\\\ Rabbi Adam & Shosh Hill
~ ~ and the three hillocks!!
L <srni@...>
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From: Martin N. Penn <74542.346@...>
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1996 13:23:30 -0500
Subject: Trope Trivia
In a recent post, Russell Hendel posed a trivia question the gist of
which was: when is the only time in the entire Tanach where a Segol does
not follow a Zarka?
I presume Russell is excluding those instances where a Zarka is followed
by another Zarka. If this is the case, the only instance in the Tanach
is in Isaiah, Chapter 45, Possuk 1. Here, there are two Zarka's
followed by a Revi'i (revi'a for those who prefer the aramaic).
Shabbat Shalom,
Martin Penn
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From: <gershon.dubin@...> (Gershon Dubin)
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 10:19:28 PST
Subject: Two Sifrei Torah
Hello,
The halacha requires using two sifrei torah on days such as
today when the reading is from two different places. The reason is
"tircha detzibura" i.e. making the congregation wait while rolling the
one sefer to the second reading. I never understood why taking out a
second sefer, along with hagba/gelila for it, were not more of a tircha.
This morning, the gabbai asked if he could take out only one since the
readings were not far apart. I told him to ask the rabbi, who I was
sure would say take out two. He in fact said to take out one and quoted
the Chazon Ish (don't know if it's printed or not) who had them take out
one sefer for parashas shekolim since the maftir is close to the primary
reading.
Has anyone else ever heard of this or seen it mentioned in
halachic sources?
Gershon
<gershon.dubin@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Avraham Reiss <areiss@...>
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 09:39:59 +0200
Subject: Re: What ever happened to the seventh Canaanite nation?
> In Mail-jewish Vol. 25 #30, Rafi Stern accurately remembered a Jewish
> source that the seventh nation fled to Africa, and asked if anyone could
> locate it.
In connection with this, in Ovadiah (the Tanach, not the Shas chief)
Chapter one, both Ibn Ezra and Radak say that the Canaanites who fled
from Joshua made their way to "Allemagne" - Germany! - and that the
Germans are the descendants of the Canaanites.
This puts a whole new slant on the Holocaust, and suggests a reason for
why it occured davka when The Jews began returning to Eretz
Yisrael. There is a complete train of thought here, that I have never
before heard expressed anywhere.
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From: <YacovDovid@...> (Yaacov David Shulman)
Date: Mon, 09 Dec 1996 11:32:00
Subject: Wheel-Chair Access Mikvahs
A mikvah with a sling device for physically-impaired women opened
in Baltimore about two years ago.
Yaacov David Shulman
<Yacovdovid@...>
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From: Idelle Rudman <rudmani@...>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 09:15:58 -0500
Subject: Wheelchair accessible mikvah
I think that there is a wheelchair accessible mikvah in one of the New
Jersey towns, put in by Rabbi Macy Gordon a number of years ago.
[Rabbi Gordon was a Rabbi in Teaneck, so I would guess that is where he
would have put in a Mikveh - Mod.]
Idelle Rudman, Touro College
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From: Andrew Marc Greene <amgreene@...>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 11:04:16 -0500
Subject: Yisa[s]char | What a Levi can't see (MJ 25:41)
Re: Yisa[s]char
My unlettered (pun intended) assumption has always been that the
double-sin was originally in lieu of a dagesh forte, and that the vowel
really belongs under the second sin.
Re: What a levi can't see
Ah, but a Levi *can* see a kohen get two aliyot, if he (the Levi) shows
up to shul late and is in the middle of bircat Shma when the Kohen's
first aliya is completed. (OK, the Levy shouldn't let the kriya distract
him, so he shouldn't *see* it, but still....)
Another possiblity: the Levy might be visiting a congregation that
doesn't know he's a Levy and that calls the Kohen for a second aliyah
before the Levy can identify himself -- and once we've called someone
for an aliyah, even if it's in error, we let him take the aliyah.
My answer is "the outside of both his (the Levy's) own eyelids." Of
course, another Levy can see them as well as a Kohen or a Yisrael
could. :-)
- Andrew Greene (a Levy :-)
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End of Volume 25 Issue 43
