Volume 27 Number 39
Produced: Wed Dec 24 9:52:43 1997
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Bilhah and Zilpah
[Moshe J. Bernstein]
Chalav Yisrael
[Carl Sherer]
Dying men's hair
[Dr I. Balbin]
Living near cemeteries
[Israel Pickholtz]
Mishnah Berurah 330:2(8) [was 330:8]
[Shimon Lebowitz]
Name of Hashem in Local Language
[David Zinberg]
Spiritual level of the Avos
[David Preil]
star footnotes in the Mishnah Berurah
[Michael J Broyde]
The not so double Shins on the Tefilin
[Ezriel Krumbein]
Writing God's Name
[Hillel E. Markowitz]
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From: Moshe J. Bernstein <mjbrnstn@...>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 10:12:29 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Bilhah and Zilpah
Some of the material on bilhah in Bereshit Rabbati comes directly from a
Hebrew work called the Testament of Naphtali which just happens to be
found in the caves at Qumran (the dead sea scrolls to the uninitiate).
what is striking is that it appears that R. Moshe haDarshan had access to
something like that Hebrew original, and not to a Hebrew retranslation
from the Greek version in the (Christian modified at least) Testaments of
the Twelve Patriarchs which is one of the major works of the collection
loosely referred to as the Pseudepigrapha. [for argumentation, see M.
Stone in _Dead Sea Discoveries_ volume 3]
we don't know how that text got to him, but that's just the kind of
questions which scholars like to play with.
moshe bernstein
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From: Carl Sherer <sherer@...>
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 15:47:27 +0200
Subject: Chalav Yisrael
I'm embarrassed to admit how old this question is, but I haven't seen
an answer yet, so I'm sending one. In Vol. 26 Number 63, Lisa
Halpern asked:
> For individuals who live outside of Eretz Yisrael and will eat milk
> products only if they are "chlav yisrael", do they eat dairy
> products from Israel that are not marked "chalav Yisrael"? Are all
> dairy products from Israel chalav yisrael, or do they require a
> special supervision (beyond standard kashrut supervision)? What are
> the range of opinions and approaches on this practice?
The following is my English translation of what is written on Page 8 of
a booklet called "Kashrut HeChalav U'Mutzarov" (Kashrus of Milk and its
Products), which was published by Rabbi Zev Vitman, the Mashgaich of
Tnuva, about this time last year. Tnuva is the largest producer of milk
and milk products in Israel. For those interested in getting the
booklet, it is free, and should be available by faxing Rav Vitman at
972-3-562-7505:
"In any event, today, there is no use of non-Jewish milk in Tnuva
products. Even so, there are a number of products having regular
supervision (not Mehadrin) which may occasionally include non-Jewish
butter (whose Kashrus has been checked and verified by a Kashrus
certificate which ensures that it is butter which has been manufactured
from the milk of a tahor animal without any additives, and in vessels
which are used only for manufacturing this butter. This butter is also
melted into fat, which in itself constitutes a reason to be lenient, see
Rambam Maacholos Asuros 3:15-16, and in detail in Annex C [to the
booklet]); similarly there are other raw materials which are added to
milk - in products having regular [non-Mehadrin] Kashrus only - whose
source is non-Jewish milk powder or liquid cheese powder, such as
souring agents, casseinates and milk proteins, see Annex C [to the
booklet], and regarding the Kashrus of the souring agents, see Chapter 4
below). It should be noted that what is under discussion is always raw
materials that are added to milk which constitutes the main ingredient,
and that the basic milk is always Chalav Yisrael. But there are times
when there is a shortage of fresh milk, and then some of the products
are manufactured using milk powder, and in these cases the powder
becomes the main ingredient in the product; but in all of these
instances what is under discussion is Jewish milk powder which is
manufactured in Israel, and Tnuva does not currently use any milk powder
that is imported from overseas."
Those who do not use Chalav Stam (milk whose source may be
non-Jewish) should consult their local posek.
-- Carl Sherer
Thank you for davening for our son,
Baruch Yosef ben Adina Batya. Please
keep him in mind for a healthy, long life.
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From: Dr I. Balbin <isaac@...>
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 08:21:10 +1100
Subject: Re: Dying men's hair
> From: Sherman Marcus <shermanm@...>
> Could anyone direct me to modern discussions about whether men
> are permitted to dye their hair? A cursory glance at a Kitzur Shulchan
> Aruch indicates that it is prohibited under the category of "A man
> should not wear a woman's garment". The Yoreh Deah lists several actions
> that are prohibited for the same reason, but at least for one of them --
> removing hair from different parts of the body -- there is an opinion
> that it would be permitted in a place where it is customary for men to
> do so. Since nowadays it appears quite common for men to color their
> hair -- or at least so the advertisements for Grecian Formula xx would
> have us believe -- is there any posek who permits it? If not, would it
> be permitted to wear a toupee?
I recall reading a T'shuva on this from Rav Ovadia Yossef in Yabia
Omer. From memory, it is forbidden unless there are extenuating
circumstances. The extenuating circumstances included: getting/keeping
your job (where presumably this is an issue); getting a shidduch (I
would imagine though you'd have to mention it to your kalla before hand
otherwise it could be Kiddushei To'us (not to mention G'neivas Da'as!).
Dr I. Balbin, Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, RMIT
University,
124 La Trobe St. Melbourne, 3000. Australia. Fax: +613 96621617
mailto: <isaac@...> http://www.cs.rmit.edu.au/~isaac/
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From: Israel Pickholtz <p2o5rock@...>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 09:50:16 +0200
Subject: Living near cemeteries
> From: David Zucker <DAVIDIZ@...>
> I walk every morning. On the opposite side of the street where I walk is
> a small cemetery. I was wondering what kinds of requirements/
> obligations there were for Jews who live near, across or next to
> cemeteries. Personally I wouldn't like to wake up each morning to look
> at a cemetery across from my bedroom or living room window.
There is a neighborhood near the cemetery in Ashdod, which was
originally planned for the secular community. They didn't care to live
there and the present Haredi residents say they picked up the apartments
for a song, as they weren't at all bothered by the location. (At least
that's what I heard from someone who lives there.)
Israel Pickholtz
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From: Shimon Lebowitz <shimonl@...>
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 1997 10:34:40 +0200
Subject: Re: Mishnah Berurah 330:2(8) [was 330:8]
Michael J Broyde <mbroyde@...> wrote:
> I am in need of some help concerning the proper text of the mishnah
> berurah (MB) on 330:8, where the MB discusses violating shabbat, by a
> doctor, to save a non-jew. The text, and the star footnote, appears to
> have been changed, and differs from eddition to edition. In no
> edditions is the MB properly left and right justified, as it always is.
I looked for this, and I believe Rabbi Broyde is referring to the MB
on 330:2(MB par 8). In two editions that I have in my house (one
a fairly recent Israeli, and the other from 1955) the MB text is
justified right and left, the same as the rest of the page.
> In some edditions, the star footnote, which the MB sometimes uses to
> address contemprary issues in a mussar manner, is present in others
> (modern Israeli edditions) it is missing.
Do you mean the asterisk in the text of the Shulchan Aruch, referring
to the Bi'ur Halacha? At the beginning of 330:2, after the 'Bet' of the
paragraph, is a (dalet) reference to the Be'er Heiteiv, an asterisk
referring to 'kutit' in the Bi'ur Halacha, and then the (Chet) of MB
par 8.
> 3] Clearly, there are words missing, as the justification is
> incorrect. What words are missing?
I can find no signs of any missing words, unless someone totally
reformatted the page as a cover-up.
Bechavod,
Shimon
Please pray for my cousin:
Aharon Yitzchak ben Devorah Leah,
May G-d grant him a refuah shlema (full recovery)!
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From: David Zinberg <zinberg@...>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 07:28:01 PST
Subject: Name of Hashem in Local Language
Whether or not the story, quoted by Ed Ehrilch, of the Rav erasing "GOD"
from a blackboard is true (and there is no reason to doubt it), it
should not be considered an unusual or controversial action. No less of
an authority than the Shach (Yoreh De'a 179:11) ruled that "God" spelled
in a foreign language does NOT have the status of a "shem" and thus may
be erased, lehatkhila. In fact, the Rav always used "God" in all of the
publications which were reviewed by him during his lifetime. When one
chooses to use "G-d" he should also be aware that some of the greatest
"gedolim" thought it was unnecessary.
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From: <empreil@...> (David Preil)
Date: Sun, 07 Dec 1997 17:01:45 EST
Subject: Spiritual level of the Avos
I have recently been involved in several discussions regarding the
spiritual level of the Avos (regular men or beyond our comprehension). I
would appreciate it if you could please send me proofs, one way or the
other. Please, I don't need p'sukim quoted. Meforshim on chumash would
be best.
Thanks
David
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From: Michael J Broyde <mbroyde@...>
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 09:18:49 -0500 (EST)
Subject: star footnotes in the Mishnah Berurah
A number of people wrote to me about the * footnotes in the mishnah
berurah, wanting to know what I found.
Let re summarize what I now know. The * footnote in 330:8 was not in
the first edition of the MB; However, the * footnote in 2:9 was, as were
many others.
I do not have a firm sense of the various star notes. I am thus
undertaking the following project:
1] I am going through the MB to collect a list of all the * footnotes,
and to categorize them (in terms of what they say)
2] I am checking all of them against the first edition, the second
edition, and the edition put out by the MB's son in law, R Mendle Zacks
in 1946.
3] I will then report back what I find.
If anyone is interested in helping me in tasks one and two, I would most
appreciate it. Simply put, checking and doubel checking for * notes is
better done by a team of people.
Michael Broyde
Beth Din of America, 305 Seventh Avenue, 12 Floor
NYC, NY 10001
1 212 807-9042; Fax: 212 807-9183
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From: Ezriel Krumbein <ezsurf@...>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 1997 00:06:42 -0800
Subject: The not so double Shins on the Tefilin
> From: <MDGuenette@...> (Mark Guenette)
> Wrapping up my tefillah shel rosh a couple days ago, I noticed that the
> shin embossed on the bayit had four branches instead of the usual three.
> I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for this, but I've
> either forgotten it or never knew it.
So far I have found 4 reasons given. In essence it seems to be a
Halacha LMoshe MiSinai (see Shulchan Auruch 32:42 based on Menachos 35
A; see Tosafos about the number of arms on the shins); but, reasons are
given.
1)Eishel Avrohom by Rav Avrohom Dovid Warman - menorah : the 7 arms of
the 2 shins relate to the 7 lights of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash.
2)T"az - Luchos & Torah: The shin of 4 arms relates to the shin on the
Luchos, because the shin on the Luchos was formed by air. This means
the shin was totaly carved out of the Luchos and therefore the air space
remaining, was the shin. Here too, if there are 4 arms to the shin then
there are 3 air spaces between the arms, therefore the shin is found in
the air space of this shin. The shin in the Torah is formed by the
raised letter of ink therefore only has 3 arms.
3)Rav Yitzchak Abohav (on Tur) quoting Rav Natrunai - Taryag: The two
shins when read together make the word sheish = 6 the numerical value of
the two shins is 2x300 = 600 and the 7 arms of the two shins makes
6+600+7=613 or Taryag.
4) Chasam Sofer(I am not sure of the source) 7x10: The Chasam Sofer is
quoted as saying the heads of the shins are yuds the numerical value of
yud is 10 thus all the yuds together make 70 which is why the posuk says
about the nations of the world: 'and they will see that hashem's name is
upon you and they will fear you'; meaning the 70 nations will see the
value of 70 in the yud's on your tefilin and fear you.
Kol Tov
Ezriel
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From: Hillel E. Markowitz <hem@...>
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 15:24:48 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Writing God's Name
On Mon, 8 Dec 1997, Ed Ehrlich wrote:
> I just came upon the following story by Judith Wegner:
> >I learned recently from a colleague that the late revered scholar Rav
> >Soloveitchik (z"l) of Boston once walked into a senior class at the
[...]
> Can anyone verify this story?
A number of years ago, one of the students who had been in that class (and
is now in Israel) posted on soc.culture.jewish confirming the story.
| Hillel (Sabba) Markowitz | Im ain ani li, mi li? |
| <H.E.Markowitz@...> | V'ahavta L'raiecha kamocha |
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End of Volume 27 Issue 39
