Volume 61 Number 04
Produced: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:04:11 EDT
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
A question re: tephillin (3)
[Avraham Friedenberg Joel Rich Menashe Elyashiv]
BASH (2)
[Yisrael Medad Yisrael Medad]
Time to begin the fast
[Dr. William Gewirtz]
Waiting for the Rabbi (2)
[Frank Silbermann Yisrael Medad]
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From: Avraham Friedenberg <elshpen@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 26,2012 at 04:01 PM
Subject: A question re: tephillin
Carl Singer wrote (MJ 60#02):
> On those weekday occasions when I have Pesicha, Hagbah or Gelilah -- I
> rewrap my tephillin shel yad around my wrist, that is, off of my hand and
> fingers.
I wrap the retsua around my palm, not my wrist. Why? The first time I
ever had hagba, that's what the Rav told me to do. I never asked him why.
I've never had any problems with my grip.
Now you've got me wondering, and I'll have to pay more attention to see
what others do in that situation.
Avraham Friedenberg, KVS
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From: Joel Rich <JRich@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 26,2012 at 04:01 PM
Subject: A question re: tephillin
Carl Singer wrote (MJ 61#02):
> On those weekday occasions when I have Pesicha, Hagbah or Gelilah -- I
> rewrap my tephillin shel yad around my wrist, that is, off of my hand and
> fingers. I was recently asked why by a fellow congregant -- the primary
> reason is because I've always done it the way that I was taught (minhag
> avosainu) and the underlying reason (I think) is so that the leather from the
> tephilin straps never touch the Torah Aitz.
>
> I was wondering if others have this same minhag -- and also if anyone can
> provide further understanding of the underlying reason (if any) for same.
How unusual, I appear to be a minority of one :-).
Avi Mori Vrabbi ZLL"HH taught me that hagba was a matter of leverage, not
strength, and that unwrapping tfillin was a practical issue, not a halachic one.
See http://theyeshivaworld.com/weekly_torah.php?id=520 -
Removing Retzuos Before Performing Hagbah and Gelilah:
---
Many people remove the tefillin retzuos from the palm of their hand and their
fingers before performing hagbah and gelila. There is no halachic reason for
this, rather it is done because one can get a better grip on the sefer torah.
(35)
Footnotes
(35)Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Refer to Zer Hatorah 2:1, Bais Boruch 2:page
332:219. See Noam 10:pages 207-208 in depth.
---
I could pretend to be frum and say I don't want to lose the shaddai on my hand
by unwrapping it but the truth is I'm just lazy so I don't unwrap it at all.
She-nir'eh et nehamat Yerushalayim u-binyanah bi-mherah ve-yamenu,
Joel Rich
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From: Menashe Elyashiv <Menashe.Elyashiv@...>
Date: Fri, Jul 27,2012 at 02:01 AM
Subject: A question re: tephillin
Carl Singer wrote (MJ 60#02):
> On those weekday occasions when I have Pesicha, Hagbah or Gelilah -- I
> rewrap my tephillin shel yad around my wrist, that is, off of my hand and
> fingers.
Same for Birkat Kohanim. A Cohen will remove the straps so he can open
his shoe laces, and then wash his hands. Most, but not all, do Birkat
Cohanim without returning the straps
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From: Yisrael Medad <yisrael.medad@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 26,2012 at 04:01 PM
Subject: BASH
Steven Oppenheimer, writes (MJ 61:03):
> ...says the Tzitz Eliezer, most people don't concentrate today, especially
> not those uneducated people (hamonei ha'am) who block the aisles (or doorways),
> so you are really not interrupting their concentration and it is permitted to
> walk in front of them.
But that's in OH 98:2 already.
-
Yisrael Medad
Shiloh
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From: Yisrael Medad <yisrael.medad@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 26,2012 at 04:01 PM
Subject: BASH
The separation distance for passing in front, or on any side, of a person
engaged in prayer actually, is defined in OH 102:1 as 4 cubits.
The most minimal measure for a cubit is 44 centimeters, I think, and can go
up to almost 60. That would be 4 x 44 = 176 cms = 69.3 inches = 5 ft. 9 inches
or so.
Can I ask if the distance between rows in synagogues is more than that -
or, as I surmise, much less?
Which means, what?
--
Yisrael Medad
Shiloh
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From: Dr. William Gewirtz <wgewirtz@...>
Date: Fri, Jul 27,2012 at 02:01 PM
Subject: Time to begin the fast
In MJ 61:3, Shmuel Norin asks:
> This year the fast for Tisha B'Av is starting at sundown Saturday night.
> My question is why doesn't the fast start at darkness when Shabbot ends.
> Shouldn't we go with the rule "on a biblical question go strict and on
> a rabbinic question go lenient"?
There are a number of important halakhic issues/debates that impact on your
question, most fundamentally the extent to which some private elements of Tisha
B'Av are practiced even on Shabbat.
In any case, your question is not consequential. There is no obligation to eat,
under normal circumstances, close to the end of Shabbat. I suspect that if one
forgot to or could not eat seudah shlishit until, say, 10 minutes after sunset,
one could make a halakhic case to allow a quick meal. In every case, once the
earliest point at which Shabbat ends is reached (no more than 35 minutes after
sunset in the NY area), starting the observance of Tisha B'Av is clearly mandated.
One ought not show outward signs of mourning before then; however, not eating is
not a sign of mourning and does not conflict with Shabbat.
william gewirtz
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From: Frank Silbermann <frank_silbermann@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 26,2012 at 05:01 PM
Subject: Waiting for the Rabbi
Joseph Kaplan (MJ 61#03) writes:
> Martin Stern writes (MJ 60#02):
>> What I was trying to say was that WE should show
>> our respect to Him by being on time, and He deserved
>> more respect than the rabbi, whatever important holy
>> work he was doing. ... Waiting for him ... implies
>> we regard his honour as more important than that of HKBH
>> - surely this is incorrect.
> I don't think it's a question of respecting the rabbi more than God.
> I think most people feel that God would prefer that we show this
> type of kavod to the rabbi.
Besides, the rabbi is a very busy man, whereas HKBH has all the time in the world.
Frank Silbermann Memphis, Tennessee
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From: Yisrael Medad <yisrael.medad@...>
Date: Thu, Jul 26,2012 at 05:01 PM
Subject: Waiting for the Rabbi
Joseph Kaplan writes (MJ 61#03):
> I think most people feel that God would prefer that we show this type of
> kavod [honor; respect] to the rabbi.
And, of course, the Rabbi, as well.
--
Yisrael Medad
Shiloh
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End of Volume 61 Issue 4