Volume 49 Number 98
Produced: Thu Nov 10 22:43:07 EST 2005
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
156 pictures of Second Hakafot in Ma'aleh Adumim
[Jacob Richman]
Brit/giur
[Israel Caspi]
Chida's Viduy
[Baruch C. Cohen]
Daf Yomi Yerushalmi
[Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer]
Floods and Punishment
[Yisrael & Batya Medad]
Grammatical question
[Asher Grossman]
Jackets for Tefilah
[Frank Silbermann]
Munkaczer and Antizionism
[Ben Rothke]
Noah and Da Vinci Code
[Rabbi Ed Goldstein]
Separation of Church & State - Perspective
[David Charlap]
Shabbos/Yom Kippur.
[Immanuel Burton]
Shomer Shabbat Ketubah Witnesses
[Ari Trachtenberg]
Taamei Hamikra - share your Kerias Hatorah with the world!
[Dovi Jacobs]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Jacob Richman <jrichman@...>
Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 02:56:52 +0200
Subject: 156 pictures of Second Hakafot in Ma'aleh Adumim
Hi Everyone!
Tonight (Tuesday night after chag) I took pictures of the second hakfot
at S'deh Chemed in Ma'aleh Adumim. I posted 156 pictures on my website
at:
http://www.jr.co.il/ma/pic/ma063.htm
When the first page comes up, press the F11 key on the top of your
keyboard for a full page view. Use the icon buttons on the bottom of
each page to navigate.
I am aware that some of the pictures have red eye. I will be looking
for a graphic artist to fix them.
Have a good day,
Jacob
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Israel Caspi <icaspi@...>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 00:49:13 -0500
Subject: Brit/giur
When a non-Jewish infant is adopted, the procedure, based on the gemara,
is to perform brit milah as soon as possible and then to bring him to a
mikvah for conversion when he is older and the experience of being
completely immersed will be less traumatic. This is the procedure even
if the child is old enough for the mikvah -- i.e., brit milah first,
then giur. My question is how can the adoptive father say the b'rachah
"...v'tzivanu l'hachniso liv'rito shel Avraham Avinu"? Where are we
commanded to circumcise a non-Jewish child? And how can a non-Jewish
child enter the coveneant of Avraham Avinu?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: <Azqbng@...> (Baruch C. Cohen)
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 12:19:30 EST
Subject: Re: Chida's Viduy
From: <Dagoobster@...> (Chaim Shapiro)
Does anyone know where I can get a translated (preferably
transliterated) copy of the Chida's Viduy?
I recall that Rabbi Aaron Werner who lived in Yerushalayim in 1980-1981
and learned in the Chofetz Chaim Yeshivah in Sanhedria Murchevet,
translated the Chida's Viduy into English and published it. It is a thin
soft-covered pamphlet with a light blue cover with a tallis drapped in
the air. He also published a brilliant book on Yonah. It was called the
Three Beacons Series.
It's Hashgacha Pratis that Reb Chaim posted the question on MJ, because
I've misplaced my copy and have been looking for one ever since. The
post jarred my memory and my quest for the sefer. If anyone knows where
to buy it, please let me know.
Baruch C. Cohen, Esq.
Los Angeles, CA
e-mail: <azqbng@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer <ygb@...>
Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2005 11:29:21 -0400
Subject: Daf Yomi Yerushalmi
[This is dated, but if you are interested in joining, contact R'
Bechhofer for the details. Mod.]
We are looking to begin a Daf Yomi Yerushalmi shiur/chaburah in Monsey,
with the beginning of the new machzor, just before Rosh
HaShanah. Location and time have not yet been fixed. Please send me an
email or call 845.425.1991 and leave a message if you are
interested. Please tell a friend!
KT,
YGB
<ygb@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Yisrael & Batya Medad <ybmedad@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 18:07:50 +0200
Subject: Re: Floods and Punishment
1- G-d's promise about flooding the earth related to the entire earth,
not small portions. Of course to those affected, it feels like the
entire world, but it's not.
2- G-d's punishment, and reward, is/are in Olam Haba, the World to Come.
It is very dangerous and foolish to promise people reward in this world
for obeying commandments, and those rabbis who claim that tragedies are
direct punishment are also wrong. Who are they? G-d's CPA?
Batya
http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Asher Grossman <asherg@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 01:52:58 -0500
Subject: Re: Grammatical question
Israel Caspi (49/93) asks:
I am confused about the punctuation of the Kak/Chaf in the words
Birkat/Birchat Ha-mazon. If the former, why do we say "Birchot
Ha-shachar" and not "Birkot Ha-shachar"?
Actually, you are correct. "Birkot" is the correct pronunciation, as is
"Birkat". The Bet has a Chirik Chaser - a Tnu'a Kala, which renders the
Shva of the Reish a Shva Nach. Therefore, the Chaf gets a Dagesh Kal and
becomes a Kaf. the mistake is in the "Birchat" HaMazon.
Asher Grossman
<asherg@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Frank Silbermann <fs@...>
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005 15:53:20 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Jackets for Tefilah
<Smwise3@...> (S Wise)in V49 N79:
> ... The bottom line is we should make an effort to prepare ourselves
> and distinguish in some way how we stand before Hashem from others.
> Let's face it, Judaism is not a religion of convenience; when people
> dress in a way that is convenient to them, be it the weather, or a
> personal aversion, he is putting his considerations first.
>From this it follows that I should NOT wear a jacket UNLESS davening --
lest my davening clothes be too conveniently like my ordinary style of
dress.
Yet, I see a great many suit-wearing frum Jews who don't distinguish
their dress for prayer from their ordinary clothes. They _always_ wear
suits and ties -- even when engaging in activities which don't call for
them (perhaps out of laziness). The seeking of convenience is
apparently not limited to Jews who daven jacketless.
One unfortunate aspect of requiring jackets for weekday prayers is that
it places a greater-than-usual burden upon the poor. Here, I'm not
talking about the destitute, who can easily be given someone's discarded
suit jacket, but for the masses of frum blue-collar Jews (the ones who
earn their living as auto mechanics, construction workers, farmers,
sheriff deputies, and the like). We certainly do not wish to limit
yiddishkeit to one particular social class or economic niche.
Frank Silbermann Memphis, Tennessee (formerly of New Orleans)
P.S. I arrived in Memphis, Tennissee five weeks ago with three days of
week-day clothes, assuming I would return to New Orleans in a couple of
days. When the levies broke and I realized I wouldn't be returning
anytime soon, a prosperous Memphian gave me a suit to wear for Shabbas.
This suit was far nicer than any I had ever owned -- it felt like I was
wearing pajamas. By comparison, the suits I left in New Orleans were
like burlap sacks -- more appropriate for a Tzom (day of fasting). Oh,
well; nobody said the poor should have it easy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ben Rothke <brothke@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 10:42:29 -0500
Subject: RE: Munkaczer and Antizionism
Josh,
In the book, Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0226705781/104-7365542-5445531?v=glance&n=
283155&v=glance), Aviezer Ravitzky quotes the Munkaczer Rebbe ztz'l
extensively.
I am not sure if he is quoting the Rebbe from the Minchos Elozar
directly, or from other sources. But you may want to look in the book
for more details.
Ben
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: <BERNIEAVI@...> (Rabbi Ed Goldstein)
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2005 22:29:56 EST
Subject: Noah and Da Vinci Code
Da Vinci Code makes much of the 'fact' that Noah was an albino. Any one
familiar with a midrash that might say the same thing?
Rabbi Ed Goldstein, Woodmere NY
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: David Charlap <shamino@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 10:11:43 -0500
Subject: Re: Separation of Church & State - Perspective
Robert Sherer wrote:
>
> ... The problem comes when people try to use the Establishment Clause
> to establish atheism or something called "freedom from religion".
This problem stems from a (likely deliberate) omission from the First
Ammendment. It reads, in its entirity:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition
the Government for a redress of grievances.
The people trying to promote atheism (which is what "freedom from
religion" really is) all ignore the second half of the first clause: "or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof".
Government must not pass laws that show favoritism to any particular
religion, but they also must not pass laws that prevent religious
practices.
When a religion mandates that the community establish a place for
communal prayer (as Judaism does), government can not pass laws to
forbid this.
-- David
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Immanuel Burton <iburton@...>
Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 12:12:36 +0100
Subject: Shabbos/Yom Kippur.
The following thought came up in discussion with a friend recently:
When Yom Kippur falls on Shabbos, what is there to stop one from
starting Shabbos early, making kiddush, having a Shabbos meal, benching,
and only then bringing in Yom Kippur? What one gains from this is the
opportunity to make at least one Shabbos kiddush.
One problem with this procedure could be the lighting of the Yom Kippur
candles, but could this be achieved as follows: Light two sets of
candles, and say the Shabbos blessing over one of them. When the time
comes to start Yom Kippur, say the Yom Kippur blessing over the other
set.
Immanuel Burton.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ari Trachtenberg <trachten@...>
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 09:59:58 -0500
Subject: Re: Shomer Shabbat Ketubah Witnesses
> signed by invalid witnesses - it is invalid. The rules for valid
> witnesses are clear, and just as you wouldn't have a 1st degree relative
> signing the ketubba (e.g a brother or uncle) a non Shomer Shabbat
> witness is also not a valid witness.
What exactly does it mean to be shomer shabbat? How many violations
of shabbat does it take to be put in the categor of non-shomer-shabbat?
> If there is no valid ketubba it is not just a simple matter of not being
> allowed to live under the same roof. The Rambam in Hilchot Ishut 10,9
> makes it clear that they are not allowed to cohabit, and, if they did,
> it would be considered adulterous.
I don't understand this at all ... an adulterous relationship is one in
which the woman is married to another man; to whom would she be married
in this context?
Best,
Ari Trachtenberg, Boston University
http://people.bu.edu/trachten mailto:<trachten@...>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Dovi Jacobs <dovijacobs@...>
Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 07:40:21 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Taamei Hamikra - share your Kerias Hatorah with the world!
Hi. I would like to invite members of the Mail-Jewish community to use,
enjoy, and contribute to the "Vayavinu Bamikra" Project.
The Hebrew-language version of this project already lists well over 100
recordings of aliyot (including Yamim Noraim), haftarot, and megillot
(including several of Kohelet), all of them recorded for free download
and free use (for any purpose) by our contributors.
Anyone can upload their own recordings to the website. Every baal koreh
has his own unique style and expertise. Plus there is room for
recordings of taamei hamikra in all the pronunciations and melodies used
by Jewish communities around the world.
For the tech-minded among you, all audio files are uploaded in the
open-source Ogg Vorbis format. This can easily be converted to MP3 for
players (there are instructions in Hebrew and English at the website).
So come visit and enjoy. And feel free to record yourself and add
more. You can comment on other people's kerios, and get feedback on your
own. You can replace any of your recordings with a new, improved version
if you made a mistake the first time.
The Hebrew project can be reached directly simply by clicking on:
http://he.wikisource.org/wiki/Vayavinu_Bamikra
The Hebrew project now has well over 300 recordings of aliyot, haftarot,
and megillot. These include double recordings of 12 of the weekly
sidros, kerios for several chagim (including Yamim Noraim), and three of
the five megillos (including three full recordings of Koheles).
There is no limit whatsoever to the amount of recordings that may be
added to this project for free download and use by the whole
community. All are encouraged to contribute their own kerias hatorah,
haftaros, megillos. Every baal koreh has his own unique style, so if
your leining is something that others might appreciate - then share it
with everything for free!
Right now we only have Ashkenazi recordings. We would love to get
recordings of other traditions as well.
The English version of the project is still just starting. So if you
want to USE material go to the Hebrew one. If you want to help BUILD the
English one, which doesn't have much yet, then just click here:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Vayavinu_Bamikra
Kesivah vachasimah tovah to everybody,
Dovi Jacobs
----------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Volume 49 Issue 98
