Volume 52 Number 04
Produced: Thu May 4 6:15:07 EDT 2006
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
156 Educational Websites about the Holocaust
[Jacob Richman]
Birkat Kohanim and North/South issues
[David and Toby Curwin]
Gift Certificates for non-Kosher Restaurant
[Tzvi Stein]
Israel Independence Day at the J Site + 105 Hotsites
[Jacob Richman]
Jewish School taking Parents to Court
[Anonymous]
Lighted athletic shoes (2)
[ELPh Minden, Rabbi Meir Wise]
Minimum amounts at the seder
[Akiva Miller]
Minyan participant? Definition, please
[Stu Pilichowski]
Schlissel Challah
[Yisrael Medad]
Sheva Brachot for Married Couple at Friends Wedding
[Murray]
Women's hair covering - bein adam lamakom or bein adam l'chaveiro?
[Daniel Nachman]
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From: Jacob Richman <jrichman@...>
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 19:59:24 +0200
Subject: 156 Educational Websites about the Holocaust
Shalom.
Holocaust Remembrance Day is Tuesday, April 25, 2006. I posted on my
website 156 links to learn about the Holocaust. Site languages include
English, Hebrew, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. All
156 links have been reviewed / checked this week.
The web address is:
http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-holoc.htm
The top of the page should be dated April 23, 2006. If the page has an
older date, hold the control key and press the F5 key to refresh your
browser with the updated page.
Please forward this message to relatives and friends, so they can
benefit from these educational resources.
We must not forget.
Jacob
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From: David and Toby Curwin <tobyndave@...>
Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 22:06:25 -0500
Subject: Birkat Kohanim and North/South issues
I've noticed a couple of unusual connections between birkat kohanim and
the directions north and south.
a) At the end of Orach Chaim 128, the Shulchan Aruch quotes the Rokeach
(which I haven't seen inside) as saying that the kohen should turn south
and north when saying some of the words. This suggestion may make sense
when facing east (or west), but in synagogues that face north or south,
how does the kohen perform this without standing perpendicular to the
aron? And in any case, why doesn't the Rokeach simply say to turn left
and right instead of north and south?
b) The gemara in Sotah 38b says that if a beit knesset contains only
kohanim, the kohanim should still do birkat kohanim, to bless their
brothers in the fields. The Yerushalmi in Brachot has a very similar
piece, except that it mentions the brothers in the north, south, east
and west. The Rambam in Hilchot Tefila 15:9, says that the blessing will
go for the brothers in the north and south. Why does the Rambam only
choose those two directions?
Is anyone familiar with any explanations to either issue or certainly to
one that ties them both together?
David Curwin
Efrat, Israel
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From: Tzvi Stein <Tzvi.Stein@...>
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 17:17:37 -0400
Subject: Gift Certificates for non-Kosher Restaurant
It would seem that as long as the restaurant sells some things that are
not "meat and milk mixtures" then the gift certificates would be similar
to money, in that it can "buy" both "meat and milk mixtures" and other
items. Since that property does not make money assur to use, it would
seem the same would be true of gift certificates.
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From: Jacob Richman <jrichman@...>
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 00:31:01 +0200
Subject: Israel Independence Day at the J Site + 105 Hotsites
Hi Everyone!
Israel Independence Day is celebrated on the 5th day of the Hebrew month
of Iyar. This year (5766 / 2006) the 58th birthday of the establishment
of the state of Israel falls on Wednesday, May 3, 2006.
The J Site - Jewish Education and Entertainment
http://www.j.co.il
has several entertaining features to celebrate Israel's 58th birthday:
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Israel
What is the national emblem of Israel ?
"Pehsek Zeman" and "Egozi" are what type of Israeli foods ?
Who was the first president of Israel ?
What was the 1917 British Balfour Declaration ?
How long is Israel's coastline ?
What is Israel's Internet country code ?
What was "Operation Babylon" ?
Who were the first two countries to recognize Israel ?
What are Amos and Offeq ?
How many lanuages are engraved on Israeli coins used today ?
The above questions are examples from over 200 multiple-choice questions
about Israel that may be randomly selected by the online quiz. There are
two levels of questions, two timer settings. Both kids and adults will
find it enjoyable.
The Israel Geography Game
This Flash game will help you learn about the history and geography
of 101 locations in Israel. There is a learning mode and game mode.
Find out if you know more about Israel then Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and
Haifa.
Israel Clipart (including new ones added this month)
Whether you need a picture for your child's class project,
a graphic for your synagogue, Hillel or JCC Independence Day
announcement, the Jewish Clipart Database has the pictures
for you. You can copy, save and print the graphics in
three different sizes.
Israel Word Search Game
Enter the Multilingual Word Search game and choose the
language you would like to play in: English, Hebrew or
Russian. There is an easy mode for the kids and a harder
mode for us big kids. Each game is randomly generated.
Israel topics include:
Jerusalem, Biblical Cities, Kibbutzim, Presidents and Prime
Ministers, Writers, Singers and Israeli Foods.
You can even print out a blank game (and the solution page) for
offline playing.
My Jewish Coloring Book - Israel Pictures
Young kids love to draw and this online coloring book
is made just for them. Three different size "brushes"
and 24 colors to choose from. You can print the completed
color pictures or print black and white outlines to color offline.
My Hebrew Song Book - Over 200 Hebrew songs (with vowels)
for viewing and printing. All songs are in graphic format so you
do not need Hebrew installed to view or print them. Your camp fires
or sing-a-longs will never be the same.
The J site has something for everyone, but if that is not
enough, I posted on my website 105 links about Israel,
ranging from history and tourism to photographs and stamps.
All 105 links have been reviewed / checked this week.
The web address is:
http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdayil.htm
Please forward this message to relatives and friends,
so they can benefit from these holiday resources.
Happy Israel Independence Day!
Jacob
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From: Anonymous
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 16:58:19
Subject: Jewish School taking Parents to Court
I live in a small out of town community. The local day school has about
100 children enrolled and is struggling financially.
This past month, the school board decided to take a bunch of parent who
were not paying to civil court. I don't know if all these parents were
under severe financial duress or were just uncooperative in making a
payment plan. Among those taken to court are some who are really
struggling financially.
Is this allowed halachially? and what do other schools do in these
situations. Has anyone heard of a Jewish School taking parents to
court.
I, personally, am having difficulties of a Jew taking another Jew to
court. I have been told since there was a contract it was Ok.
thanks for any imput.
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From: ELPh Minden <phminden@...>
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:36:00 +0200
Subject: Re: Lighted athletic shoes
Israel Caspi wrote:
> Has there been any discussion -- or does anyone know of a psak -- with
> regard to Shabbos and Yom Tov, about childrens athletic shoes (sneakers)
> that flash lights when you walk ?
I should think this is parallel to fridge lights. (And just as allowed,
but don't tell anybody.)
ELPh Minden
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From: <Meirhwise@...> (Rabbi Meir Wise)
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 02:22:16 EDT
Subject: Re: Lighted athletic shoes
In response to Israel Caspi's question.
Rav Nachum Rabinovitch discusses the use of a "stick-light" by the army
on Shabbat in his sefer Melumadei Milchamah.
I'm not sure if the "lights" in the children's trainers are exactly the
same but the principles involved are discussed fully in the teshuva.
Rabbi Meir Wise
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From: Akiva Miller <kennethgmiller@...>
Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:21:20 GMT
Subject: Minimum amounts at the seder
In the post titled "Seder Start Time", Orrin Tilevitz wrote:
> I think the post-Art Scroll emphasis on measurement causes people to
> confuse ikar with tafel, basically missing the forest for the trees.
I do not understand why some people think that this is a new thing. The
Shulchan Aruch deemed it important enough to have it's own section,
number 486 to be specific. And the Mishneh Brurah on that section -
written about 100 years ago, long before ArtScroll - is 28 lines long,
not an insignificant amount of commentary!
> For example, the obligation to eat certain minimum amounts at the
> seder is an obligation to eat, not merely to consume.
This is true, but incomplete. One should also say that it is an
obligation to eat, not merely to nibble. And that is why we ask our
teachers where the line is between eating so little that it is a mere
nibble, and eating enough to count as eating.
Akiva Miller
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From: Stu Pilichowski <cshmuel@...>
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 17:49:18 +0000
Subject: Minyan participant? Definition, please
Eight day of Pesach in the States. I'm an Israeli. I daven a chol
Shemoneh Esray with the yom tov minyan. Am I davening with the minyan or
just in a minyan? Is my tefillah a tefillah Btzibur? After all, we're
praying two different tefillot. Does that matter?
How does this work?
If I daven shachris shemoneh esray on a regular shabbat while the
tzibbur is already davening musaf shemoneh esray..... what's the story
there as well?
Stuart Pilichowski
Mevaseret Zion, Israel
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From: Yisrael Medad <ybmedad@...>
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:55:43 +0200
Subject: Schlissel Challah
Thanks for all the posts that have enriched us all. Even OrthoMom blog
got in on it:
http://orthomom.blogspot.com/2006/04/schlissel-challah.html
And Rabbi Chaim Wasserman sent me a post but I don't know if it made
this list.
Last Friday, I spoke with a Belzer Chassid and I asked him if he was
having the Schlissel Challah, half in joke, and he said his wife had
already baked them in the shape of a key. I asked what the Rebbe does
and he said that the normal large challah was at the Tisch table but
with a smaller "key" version on top.
Yisrael Medad
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From: <Danmim@...> (Murray)
Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 18:51:59 EDT
Subject: Re: Sheva Brachot for Married Couple at Friends Wedding
A newly married couple during their sheva brachos week attend their
friends wedding. Can they someway fulfill their requirment of sheva
brachos at their friends wedding? If yes, what do they have to do?
murray
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From: Daniel Nachman <lhavdil@...>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 10:36:46 -0500
Subject: Women's hair covering - bein adam lamakom or bein adam l'chaveiro?
My wife and I were talking about the idea that Jewish feminists are
finding ways to talk about hair covering as a kind of women's observance
or piety, something done for the sake of God rather than something
imposed by men for the benefit of men. This quote from Hide and Seek:
Jewish Women and Hair Covering gives the general idea:
"The role of the Jewish woman is far subtler than the role of the Jewish
man. I want to feel closer to God in my own way, not by copying the ways
of Jewish men. By requiring me to make an unmistakably feminine,
explicitly Jewish decision every morning of my life, covering my hair
helps me stay connected to my identity as a Jewish woman, yearning for
holiness."
Rivkah Lambert Adler, Ph.D., Jewish educator and Rebbetzin
(http://tinyurl.com/9et4m)
My wife felt that this was something of a whitewash in that it ignores
an important asymmetry: a man's kippah is bein adam lamakom (a mitzvah
between humans and God), whereas a woman's head covering is bein adam
l'chaveiro (between humans, part of ethical conduct).
I said I wasn't so sure that hair covering is entirely bein adam
l'chaveiro. But then, what do I know? It seems like an interesting
question.
D. Nachman
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End of Volume 52 Issue 4
