Parsha Observation

I just noticed something, but I'm not sure what to do with it - all insights welcome. The mechanics of Kerias Yam Suf seem to follow the כבשן האש story. The hero demonstrates great אמונה entering what should naturally be a suicidal trip into the elements (fire/water) and is miraculously saved. The less worthy follower, assumes the נס will persist, enters, and is dramatically killed. Not sure it means anything though.

Re: Pants/Amusement Park/Bathing suit

While I can't answer this question from a halachic standpoint, as I do not know the different opinions off-hand, I want to take this opportunity to suggest an opinion that simply has to do with tznius hashkafically.

I feel that the laws of tznius are not just about following the technicalities (is my skirt below my knee, is my shirt to my elbows, or whatever it is, am I wearing a skirt to play basketball, etc). I think that in no small way, the laws of tznius are geared towards helping us as Jews develop an outlook and personality of modesty.

Yes there are hard and fast halachos that we are supposed to follow as best as we can-- and I don't mean to minimize those issues, nor the approach of looking at tznius in only that way. But I do also think it's important not to lose sight of the forest for the trees, and to remember the bigger picture.

That being said, if I may offer my personal opinion, even if it would be technically ok (again, I am not familiar with the halachos so I'm NOT saying that it is ok!) to wear a bathing suit in an amusement park where there are only non-Jewish males (also: while it may technically be ok to appear immodest in front of non-Jewish males) I'm not sure that a decision like that exemplifies the spirit of the laws of modesty.

I do recognize that my statement is perhaps indicative of behavior that is "just" a sensitivity or perhaps a chumra (I don't know the topic well enough to know if that is the case), but I still feel that there is something to be said for giving credence to the spirit of the law.

Halakha and Minhag

Leah Blum and Aviva Novick ask:

In today's times there seems to be a focus more on minhag haMakom and social Judaism more than halacha. People seem to decide what their minhag is before turning to the sources, and then try to make the sources fit with their shita. Because people make decisions about observance based on social pressures, they often end up stretching halachot. Many people and even poskim seem to have an "agenda" first and then look at the sources. How can halacha work this way?

I think this is a question that both poskim and lay people contend with on a regular basis, and that it's important for us as halakhic Jews to grapple with it. I would just point out that, as I understand it, this is not an issue related exclusively (or even mostly) to "today's times". Both Ashkenazic and Sephardic rabbis have, for many centuries, taken the idea of "ve-hayyitem ba-hem" as an important underpinning of piskei halakha, and this includes looking at minhag ha-makom and deriving certain aspects of halakha from it. In fact, I think that the significance placed on minhag is considered a hallmark of medieval Ashkenazic Jewish culture.

One source for this is the writings of the late, great Jewish historican Jacob Katz (and there are many others). Furthermore, Rav Haym Soloveitchik has a well-known article that discusses the textual focus of piskei halakha, as opposed to looking largely at minhag, as a particularly *modern* phenomenon (see the bibliographic information for his article in my "list" on this blog).

Of course, the ultimate arbiter of which aspects of minhag ha-makom are given the imprimatur of a p'sak, are rejected completely, or are modified to fit in better with the halakha as it exists has always been someone who is widely accepted by the community as a posek. I'm not sure if this answers the question of "how can halakha work this way", but I do think it's important to know that halakha has long worked this way.

Re: Pants

May I say that I feel so validated by what Mrs. Knoll wrote! I always felt the same way, even if I couldn't articulate why I felt that it was right.

Now I have a question, I was told that I could walk around an amusement park in my bathing suit if the only men there were non-Jews? Besides the obvious point that how can one possibly be 100% positive that all males are not Jewish - does tzniut only apply in front of Jewish men?

Re Medical Ethics

I just want to respond to Mrs. Herzog's excellent and insightful post about Rivka's questions. I'll repeat her disclaimer about not being a posek, and add that I also don't really get the science, so please correct me if it's appropriate. Two points: First, I think there is one major issue concerning organ donation that needs to be addressed. As many Juniors learn in Gemara class, after a person dies, his vital organs become useless very quickly. Therefore, most transplants of hearts, lungs etc. are taken from patients who are "brain-dead" - there is no more brain activity, and this is assumed to be irreversible. Much of the secular world has accepted brain death as an indicator of death, despite a functioning and beating heart. This is controversial within the world of halacha, and of course the stakes could not be higher. If brain-death is death, then pikuach nefesh would dictate that it is a great mitzvah to donate organs and for doctors to perform these potentially life saving procedures. If it is not, then donating the organs is a form of suicide, and the doctors removing them are murderers. My (limited) understanding is that there are able, responsible poskim on both sides of the issue (I think that the two poskim Mrs. Herzog mentioned at the end of her post, Rabbi Bleich and Rabbi Tendler, are on opposite sides, and vehemently so).

Donating non-essential organs (eyes, a kidney, blood, bone marrow), pose no such problem though they too are discussed in the context of endangering yourself to save another, and are generally less controversial.

The other answer I want to quickly supplement, is about stem-cell research. The Orthodox community is still in the formative stages of responding to this question. And while I think that the prevailing view is positive, as Mrs. Herzog accurately presented, there are some minority voices. I know that Rabbi Meir Soloveichik (Tradition Edition: Vol. 38 No. 1 - Spring 2004 - available by subscription only) wrote against it, making an extra-halachik argument about the value of life and experimentation.

Medical Ethics

What follows is a series of medical ethics questions submitted by Rivka Herzfeld.

1. Is IVF allowed?

Before I respond to any of this, I would like to this disclaimer to be known: I AM NOT AN HALACHIC AUTHORITY ON THIS TOPIC. I am sharing my knowledge based on research and personal experience.Yes, IVF is permitted by halacha.
a. If IVF is allowed, then is surrogacy allowed, and if so on who’s part? For example:
1. if Betty is a non-Jew, but we (somehow) are best friends and she can’t get pregnant, can she do IVF and I will be the surrogate?
2. If I am a Jew and I can’t get pregnant can I do IVF and she will be the surrogate?
3. If I am a Jew and my sister is a Jew and I can’t get pregnant can I do IVF and she will be the surrogate?
a1. The Jew/non-Jew issue is complex because it involves non-quantifiable parameters such as the kedusha of a neshama and the body in which it is housed. It seems pretty clear that the status of a non-Jew is different from that of a Jew. It also seems pretty clear that the status of a non-Jew is less "kadosh: than that of a Jew. As politically incorrect as that sounds, it is still the case. Therefore, I can imagine that to house a Jewish baby in a non-Jewish mother could be a problem. When a Jew is a surrogate for a non-Jew there may be two issues--that the Jew is housing the neshama of a non-Jew and that perhaps the "status" of that baby may be confusing because it WAS incubated by a Jewish mother.
With regard to the sister, the Jew/non-jew issue is obviously alleviated, but there may be a problem with arayot, as it is assur for a man to be married to two sisters (ever, even after one dies, except for yibum, which is no longer practiced [contrary to Hallmark movies.])

2. Is stem cell research okay with הלכה?

To the best of my knowledge, modern giants in science and halacha, including Rav Moshe David Tendler, have permitted stem cell research. The issue that troubles the "religious right" (by this I mean the Christians) is that these stem cells often come from aborted fetuses. In halacha. these are two separate things. Also, since there is clear puikuach nefesh involved, the research is encouraged. My understanding is that the research can be done and that this does NOT condone the abortion. Also, abortion is permitted under specific circumstances in halacha.

3. Can a Jew be an organ donor?

The issue with organ donation is Kavod HaMeit. The RCA has now issued "halachic organ donor cards" which (in some way, I don't know the details) instruct that the organs can be used, provided that they are 'harvested" in a manner that is in accordance with halacha. Again, the modern poskim hav e talked a great deal about this and the centrist Orthodox position is that, with kavod hameit respected, organ donation is permitted since the pikuach nefesh is also clear. a- Can a Jew be the recipient of an organ? Yes.

4. Can a Jew donate his body to science?

As far as I know, donating one's body to science is not permitted as the "pikuach nefesh " factor is not direct and the chances that the body will be improperly treated is very high.

5. I know that autopsies are not allowed, but why?

Under certain circumstance, autopsies are allowed. The issue. again, is kavod Hameit. Since the body was the "house" for the soul, it is considered sacrosanct and may not be defiled in life or in death. The process of preparing a body for burial (tahara) is very strict. Normal autopsies do not follow those guidelines. However, when there is a halachically acceptable reason for doing an autopsy (including certain criminal investigations and medical reasons) and the autopsy can be performed while adhering to halacha, then it is mutar. The Journal of Contemporary Halacha is a great resource for all of these questions, as is Tradition. Two of the major decisors of our generation is Rabbi Moshe David Tendler and Rabbi J. David Bleich.

עבודה שבלב Tefilla Contest winner!

The winners of our first contest were announced on Thursday - mazal tov to them all, and the many others who participated and received extra credit in Halacha. We are already into our second contest. This month's passage is "קרוב ד' לכל קוראיו לכל אשר יקראוהו באמת." Good luck to all.

Below, I have copied the winning poem, written by Ayala Schnaidman. I will post some other winners over the next few days. They were responding to "מודים אנחנו לך...על ניסך שבכל יום עמנו" Enjoy.

The Inquisitive Child

The inquisitive child,
A question he once asked
“Father,” he said
Why does G-d seem to be masked?
We learned in school
Of the manna the Jews ate
Why does food now
Not fall onto my plate?
And the victory of the Macabees
Who were oh-so small
Why do I see the masses
Rule over us all?
Such miracles as these
Haven’t been shown again
Does G-d not love us now
As he loved the Jews then?”

And the father looked at his son
And took his small hand
“My child,” he said
“Do you not understand?
It’s a miracle that
You can walk and play
G-d gave you muscles
So you can move today
And the fact the your brain
Has the power to learn
And you realized a problem
That gave you concern
So you may not see wonders
As those in the Holy Book
But the miracles are everywhere
If you know how to look

Must I Bless Even If I am Not Blessed?

Rivka Herzfeld asks: Must a blind person recite the beracha of poke’ach ivrim in the morning, thanking Hashem for giving sight to the blind, despite the fact that he cannot see?

Rabbi Prince responds: The Gemara Berachot, 35a, brings a source from the Torah, which obligates a Jew to recite a beracha before deriving hana’a (benefit or pleasure) from any food or other tangible (or sometimes even intangible) item. If he does not, warns the Gemara, he would be in violation of me’ila, unlawfully benefiting from something set aside for use in, or belonging to the Beit Hamikdash. Once one recites a beracha however, he is free to benefit from this otherwise permissible item. As a result of this rule, the Rabbis composed various berachot that are to be recited before different actions are preformed, such as; eating, putting on ones clothes, opening one’s eyes, etc.

The Gemara Berachot, 60b, lists 15 berachot which are to be recited by an individual as he goes about his morning routine. Theses berachot follow the order of events in a normal person’s morning schedule. So for example, when one arises he should recite, "elokei neshama" (thanking Hashem for restoring his soul); when one hears a rooster crowing- signaling the start of day, he should say, "asher noten l’sechvi (rooster) bina;" and when he straightens out his back he recites, "zokef k’fufim," and so on. Although these berachot are still recited nowadays, the custom has arisen to recite them aloud in the Beit Hakneset. This custom was instituted out of concern that one might recite them at home with unclean hands, Shulchan Aruch, 46:2.

While most everyone can find at least one thing in the Gemara’s list of 15 berachot to be thankful for, the question arises for the individual who unfortunately does not directly benefit from one or more of these things. Should a destitute person recite a beracha for the shoes he cannot afford? Can a deaf person really be thankful for the rooster he does not hear? Imagine the pain the blind person must feel every time he thanks Hashem for being a poke’ach ivrim, giving sight to the blind! For this reason, suggests the Tur, Orech Chaim, 46, if one does not have clothing to wear, or a belt or shoes to put on he should not recite the applicable berachot. This statement of the Tur is based on a Rosh, Berachot, 9: 23, which distinguishes between those things which Hashem provides for the benefit of the entire world, such as the crowing of the rooster, which signals the start of day, and those berachot which were composed for the individual to give thanks for what he has, such as his clothes, etc. These berachot, he suggests, should not be said if one does not personally have what to be thankful for. The Rambam, Hil. Tefilla 7:1 takes a similar approach to the Rosh, and did not feel it necessary for one to recite a beracha if he personally does not receive any direct benefit. The Hagahot Meimoniot (ibid.), suggests based on this Rambam that a blind person should therefore not recite the beracha of poke’ach ivrim.

The Kol Bo however, quotes a dissenting opinion of the Geonim who required that all these berachot be recited, even by those individuals who do to personally benefit. The Kol Bo argues, that even this individual must recognize that Hashem in general does provide the world with these gifts even if he personally may not be so lucky. The Ran and the Ramban, at the beginning of their commentaries on Pesachim, paskened along similar lines- obligating all fifteen berachot across the board. They cite the principle of "Minhag shel Yisroel Torah hi", once a custom has been accepted amongst the Jews it becomes as binding upon the individual as the Torah itself. Out of deference for the Rambam, yet acknowledging those Rishonim who disagree with him, the Beit Yosef, 46, recommends that if one does not benefit directly he should say the beracha leaving out the name of Hashem.

The Beit Yosef himself writes in his Shulchan Aruch, 46:8 that one who is not obligated to make a beracha, because he does not personally benefit, should still recite it but without mentioning Hashem’s name. The Rama however follows the opinion of the Ran and Kol Bo and for the same reason as them- out of recognition of Hashem’s kindness in general, even if he personally is not a direct recipient of this kindness. Although the Magen Avraham (ibid.) and others suggest that a blind person follow the Hagahot Meimoniot and not recite poke’ach ivrim, the accepted opinion seems to accord with that of the Rama: everyone, despite their situation, should recite all the birchot ha’shachar with Hashem's name.

Pants

Hi!! This is Daniella Grodko. so i once heard this and I wanted to know its true: If youre somewhere, for example a practice for the skirt league, where its known that only girls can be there, and a man comes in and your wearing sweatpants. Do you have to change and duck for cover or is it ok because he's the one whos 'intruding".


I (Mrs. Knoll) used to experience exactly this question all the time. Until a few months ago, we lived in Riverdale and I would go to women’s basketball night at the RJC (Riverdale Jewish Center, one of the major shuls in Riverdale) whenever I could. (I’m not any good, but it was still fun to play!) It was known that Monday was women’s basketball night, but even so, the shul custodian used to come in every so often, and worse, some of the men would sometimes cut through the gym on their way to Ma’ariv! I did play in sweatpants, and did not “duck for cover” when they came through. This was primarily because it is not clearly assur to wear sweatpants in the first place. There are two halachic issues involved with wearing pants: 1) begged ish and 2) tzniut. According to many authorities, pants are no longer begged ish now that it is clearly accepted for women in general society to wear them, and if the pants are baggy, which sweatpants are, then according to many authorities, they are not a tzniut issue either. I still do not wear pants in general, not even baggy sweatpants because a) I think once one starts wearing only baggy pants, it becomes very difficult to determine exactly what’s considered baggy or not, and one is likely to start wearing non-baggy pants, which are definitely a tzniut problem, and b) I think wearing skirts has become kind of like a woman’s way of showing that she is frum and seriously committed to halacha. However, since it’s not clearly assur to wear baggy pants in general, when a man would happen to come into the gym during women’s basketball, I would just continue playing. That being said, if someone wants to be machmir on herself and be particularly sensitive to these tzniut issues, I think that’s admirable; but she should be aware that it is a chumra and a sensitivity, not a halachic necessity.

Also, I do think the fact that the man is the one “intruding” makes a difference. In the paragraph above, I focused on the fact that wearing sweatpants is not clearly assur, and that’s why I don’t think you need to run for cover at your basketball practices. But let’s change the scenario: Let’s say you’re wearing a bathing suit at an all-women’s beach in Israel, and then a man walks onto the beach. Wearing a bathing suit in front of men is clearly assur. But I think that in this case, HE is the one doing what he’s not supposed to be doing and is where he is not supposed to be; that is his problem, his sin, not yours. Thus, even in this case, I do not think you have to run for cover. However, as above, one’s sensitivity comes into play, and one might want to cover up even if it is not her sin.

Bottom line: In your basketball example, I think there are 2 reasons why you do not have to run for cover: a) Wearing sweatpants in front of men is not clearly assur to begin with, and b) he is the one who should not be there (this assumes it is clearly known that it’s a “girl’s only” time).

Pondering Yemot Ha-Mashiah

Here's a question from Zahava Rothschild, an an attempt at one way of addressing it:

Nobody really knows what will be in the times of Mashiach, so people have all kinds of dreams of what life will be like when he comes. But if the Rambam is right, and the world stays as it is with just a general knowledge that Gd exists, then isn't that giving false hope to all those people that have incredible dreams of techiat hameitim and flying on eagles wings and gan eden life and everyone being healthy, etc.? It doesn't seem fair to give the Jews false hope after all that they've experienced!

This question is based on the very elemental problem that, at least as I understand our mesorah, it doesn't teach anything definitive - either descriptive, prescriptive, or proscriptive - about the future. Yes, we read the beautiful nevu'ot of Yishayahu etc., and we daven for the geulah, tehiat ha-meitim, shivat tzion, the re-building of the Beit Ha-Miikdash, and the re-institution of korbanot. But the nevu'ot and midrashim about the future, for all their glory, seem rather nebulous, and perhaps allegorical (for example, according to some interpretations of "al kanfei nesharim") -- and so they inspire hope, but they leave open the question of whether things in yemot ha-mashiah will be literally or figuratively according to their contents. Similarly, in our davening, we include bakashot based on the hopes that Tanakh and Hazal have given us, but since the sources are rather vague, so too are our bakashot open to individual interpretation. Finally, I do think it's relevant that, in a religion whose very foundation is a legal system that dictates our behavior in myriad ways, we do not have any halakhot about the undefined future - this, to my mind, underscores the unclear nature of it.

So, in our own lives, what we have to go on is hope, which is a very personal thing, and which is based not only on sources but also on one's theological/emotional bent. I imagine that for Rambam the rationalist, it made the most "sense", based on the sources available, to envision yemot ha-mashiah in natural - rather than supernatrual - terms, whereas the available sources seem to have led the parshanim with more emotive or Kabbalistic tendencies to the conclusion that there would, in fact, be other-worldly elements to yemot ha-mashiah. The reason all of this does not give me, personally, false hope, is twofold: (1) Since we cannot *know* about the future, my hopes, based on one or another interpretation, are valuable in and of themselves, and so they cannot be "false"; they give me inspiration, they remind me to be a better Jew, and there is nothing false about that; (2) Since, according to all understandings, yemot ha-mashiah will B"H be a wonderful time for the world and for Jews, if it turns out that my particular understanding of what it would look like was wrong, I don't think I will have lost anything by imagining it in my own version; it will, G-d willing, be wonderful regardless of the specifics. I know this answer is not satisfying on the level of what we can "know" - but I think that is precisely the point about this future period: we cannot know, and so we dream.

One final note: until very recently in historical terms, no one could have imagined the precise way in which Medinat Yisrael would be established and shivat Tzion, in its incipient form, would begin. People davened for it, probabaly had dreams about it, but surely no one predicted it to be exactly as it ended up occuring. And yet, despite the internal and external struggles in the State, it is a glorious thing, truly a nes galui be-yameinu. Did it happen through a man on a white horse, or literally on the wings of eagles? No, it happened through international negotiations, diplomacy, wars, sweat, and tears - but as religious Zionists, we believe that all that comprises our part, with Hashem's help, in bringing the geulah - and that, to my mind, is no less amazing than anything obviously supernatural that could have happened.

Ripping off tags on Shabbat-Daniella Grodko

Can you rip off tags on Shabbos? Thanks!
Daniella Grodko

Response from Mrs. Sinensky:
The potential issue here is makeh b’patish (putting the final touches on an object), as one might view the removal of clothing tags as "finishing" the product.
The Shulchan Aruch paskins that you cannot remove fringes left over from the weaving process because of makeh b'patish. If you think about, though, removing a price tag is different than removing fringes--the price tag is not attached to the garment as part of the manufacturing process and the fringes are. The price tag is actually added AFTER the garmnet is completed! So when you take the fringes off, you are completing the garment. When you take the price tag off, you are taking something off that was added to the garment AFTER it was already completed. Based on this, ripping tags off of clothing on shabbat would not be a violation of makeh b'patish.
What about ripping?
R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach says that you do not violate ripping on Shabbat because the tag was never intended to be permanently attached to the garment.
So bottom line: One can rip tags off of clothing on Shabbat

Challenge for all you bloggers: Based on what I wrote, why would it be a problem for you to rip the seems in a slit of a skirt on Shabbat?

An inspiring quote from the Rav by Zahava Rothschild

Here's a really interesting exerpt from Abraham's Journey by Rav Joseph Soloveitchik. I find that the way it is written and the thoughts that it provokes are realy inspiring. We don't always think of holiness as the true instigator behind our deeds. I think that these words that the Rav writes subconsciously resonate in every action and thought that the Jews experience."Kedushah fascinates; man in all his aspirations, hopes, visions, dreams and yearning is out to realize the idea of holiness, to find Gd and cling to Him. Kedushah has a strange quality; it frightens people, but it also pulls and attracts them. It is daunting with regard to those who refuse to think, to feel, to delve within themselves, to understand the mystery of man and his strange destiny. However, for those blessed with sweep of imagination, depth of perception, breadth of thought, and boldness of character, kedushah is the most fascinating experience, pulling them unconsciously and instinctually to the Creator. At times, it is hard to protect oneself against the onslaught of kedushah; it is hard to run away from the Creator, who trails behind man and challenges him to come back."

Brachah on Crispix

Another question from Rivka:

What ברכה do you say on Chex, since the 2 sides are technically 2 different ברכות?

First, I assume you mean Crispix, which is half rice & half corn, please let me know if I'm wrong. Generally for mezonos issues, it's easy. Anything with even a minority of the five major grains gets a mezonos (כל שיש בו...). However, even though we make a mezonos on rice, it is not one of those grains. The next thing we would do in a mixture is to see which is the majority, but over here it is really half & half (see story below), so the common recommendation is to make a mezonos on the rice side, take a bite from there & then make a ha'adama on the corn side.

Rabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik (a Rebbe at Landers College and the son of Rav Aharon Soloveichik)was once researching this question, and called the company and asked for the precise proportion of the two sides of the Crispix. The receptionist to whom he asked the question placed him on hold to go ask her supervisor. After a few moments she returned and said "You should make two blessings".

Student Comment to Women & Mitzvot

I just read Rabbi Rothstein's article about women and mitzvot, and it definitely made me think. This is an issue we've all dealt with, specifically my class, an the twelfth grade as a whole as we learn the issues of women and halacha. I definitely think some parts of the article should be included in the part of the curriculum as another view on women's roles in Judaism. It seems weird to me to say that we can figure it all out based on the reason we're exempted from tefillin and from that to talmud torah, but i guess it's an accepted way to learn that. Also it feels really strange to me to say that women's inherent rejection of defined roles that makes them exempt from certain mitzvot, bcause the point of mitzvot is that we have to do them just because we have to, and even if you're a person who doesn't like being told what to do, well you have to anyway. It seems to me like in Judaism women have had to figure out their own role because their is not defined by the Torah, not the other way around. Also I found the whole discussion of the mitzvah of talmud torah very interesting (and relevant to the issue of bitul torah we were discussing today, rabbi) but in the end I was even more perturbed by the fact that women are excluded from it. If the whole mitzvah is really about transmitting torah to the next generation, that makes me sad that women are not chosen to participate in it or receive it, especially because the one realm everyone agrees women rule in is the "raising children" category, so it's interesting that here specifically they're not obligated. I have to think more about this because there are so many issues involved, but I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the article and I think more people should read it.Thanks for posting it,

Rachel Weber

Student Questions

One of the main things we hope to accomplish with this blog is to give you all an outlet for the questions many of you have that we unfortunately don't usually have time to discuss in class. By sending them to questions@maayanot.org, we will have the chance to think about, discuss & research the questions & respond either here, through e-mail or in person. We've already gotten some questions, including a bunch from Rivka Herzfeld. We will be addressing them one by one - I'll start here. Rivka asked:

If a כהן marries and has a child with someone who is forbidden to him, why is the child punished? He didn’t do anything wrong, and it seems unfair that someone should be penalized for something his father did.

This is a hard question. We know that Judaism does not believe in vicarious liability ("לא יומתו אבות על בנים...איש בחטאו יומת"). The question can be expanded to anyone with restrictions based on their birth status, for a ממזר to עמלק. The question is also true in the reverse - why should we reap the benefits of the actions of אברהם אבינו, or כהנים be privileged because אהרון earned the כהונה?

Without fully answering the question, I hope to make it a bit easier to deal with and quote an excerpt from an article I wrote a while back for the Purim edition of Ma'ayanei Torah:

Perhaps the key to understanding this issue is the following distinction: Children are not punished for their parents’ actions. This is both intuitively unfair, and refuted by the pasuk cited above. However, no one disputes that the actions of parents can affect the circumstances into which their children are born, and in which they grow up. As an extreme case, a pregnant woman who smokes crack will harm her innocent child. The same with parents who choose to waste all there money on lottery tickets rather than properly feed their children, or who abuse their children. Actions have consequences that extend beyond the actors themselves to the people around them. It's still not "fair", but it at least puts it into a framework that is more recognizable. עמלק's children are condemned through no fault of their own, but that is just an inherited status based on the decisions made by their ancestors, the same way that our status as Jews is based on our parents response of נעשה ונשמע, or Avraham finding Hashem. Your circumstance won't determine whether or not you get to עולם הבא, just the challenges you'll have to face to get there.

A Letter from Rabbi Zev Reichman to His Congregation

Dear Friends,
I am writing to you at the end of a day that was truly thrilling and
inspiring. On my flight to Israel, I read the edition of Time
Magazine with the picture of the Star of David on the cover. It was
more than merely depressing. The magazine strongly implied it
believed that Israel would not survive. The article claimed that
there was no solution to Israel's problems. Between terrorists like
Hamas who try to attack us wherever we are and the fact that there
are more than five million Arabs in the land between the
Mediterranean and the Jordan, the magazine claimed that Israel cannot
survive as a democracy.
Today I experienced why the article is wrong.
I began the day in Alon Shvut. Rav Rimon and I joined Gabi Nachmani
from Livnot Ulihibanot and we set out to go south to give some love
to our soldiers who are fighting so bravely in Gaza. Rav Rimon has
invested tens of hours in this project. For the last week he has
constantly been on the phone with soldiers to try and determine what
they really need. He has heard from many units that they are cold.
Israel has historically waged its wars in the summer. The last war
in Lebanon was in July. The Six Day War was in June. Even the Yom
Kippur War was in October. Israel is not conditioned to a war during
winter. The soldiers in Gaza are reporting that they are very cold
at night Rav Rimon then found out that pairs of thermal, polartec
gloves and undershirts, as well as thermal neck warmers would really
make a difference for the soldiers. He found the manufacturer and it
turns out that the maker of these products has a son who is serving
in Gaza. This man, Aharon Gantz, was so moved by what we wanted to
do that he provided the products to us at cost. Our shul sponsored
the purchase, and Rav Rimon and I went with Gabi this morning to pick
up 1,000 pairs of thermal gloves, (the army typically only buys these
gloves for the most elite units), 1,000 pairs of thermal neck
warmers, 80 thermal socks, and 80 thermal undershirts. Aharon was
most moved by the fact that a shul in New Jersey would subsidize a
gift of such utility for soldiers. He said to me, "This is the nice
part of our nation. In times of crises we all come together.
Nothing can stand in the way of this unity. This strength is what
will defeat all our enemies."
We then headed down to Gaza. Gabi found a way for us to avoid the
military police and through back roads we arrived at a base about a
kilometer away from Gaza. When we arrived there we found the officer
in charge of logistics and we told him that we had brought gifts for
the soldiers - gloves, neck warmers, special cards with chapters of
Tehillim on them and packages that the children in our shul packed.
He was very happy with the gifts. He told us to follow him and he
actually took us to the staging grounds where the soldiers are
entering and leaving Gaza, about 400 meters from the fence that
Israel has broken through to enter Gaza city. We spent almost 4
hours with the hundreds of soldiers who are entering and leaving Gaza.
As we arrived, a group of thirty soldiers returned from Gaza. They
had been inside for 10 consecutive days. That is ten days with no
showers or changes of clothing. Ten days dodging mortars and
snipers. Ten days conquering territory and avoiding mines. For the
tankists it is ten days of not leaving a tank. Imagine what it would
be like to spend ten days in a row in a car without the ability to
leave it. Now imagine ten days in a tank. These soldiers were dirty
with sweat and mud. Many had battle paint on. The officer gathered
them and Rav Rimon and I spoke to the troops. The Rav gave them
words of encouragement. He pointed out that each of them is engaged
in a mitzvah activity protecting the Jewish people from enemies. He
pointed out how many miracles our nation is receiving. For example
think of the story of the soldier who woke up in the middle of the
night in a school and noticed a chord and saved 150 of his friends
and so many other stories that we must be thankful for. He then
introduced me to the soldiers. He pointed out that I had come from
the US in order to convey our community's love for the troops. I
spoke with the soldiers about the great unity that now fills our
nation. How in Englewood, New Jersey, in our shul our kids gathered
on Shabbat and each child prayed for one soldier. I told the
soldiers how we all bless them and pray that Hashem send his angels
to protect them and lead them to success. I told the soldiers how
God is one and whenever we become one here below we merit feeling the
presence of the One above. Finally we hugged each soldier and
thanked him for protecting all of us through his service. We then
started to hand out all our goodies. The soldiers were ecstatic.
They were so thankful for the gloves and the neck warmers. They
eagerly took our tehillim cards and chocolates, which now helping to
sweeten a very difficult time for thousands who are fighting for our
state. Undoubtedly, the favorite gift of all was the packages from
our kids. The handwritten cards were the most precious item. Each
handwritten letter meant so much. Soldiers told me they treasure
those simple displays of caring. As one told me, "The most wonderful
thing is the handwritten note. When we see that Jews elsewhere in
the world care and are writing to us it warms our hearts. This gives
us the strength and support." We could not leave. We spent hours
with the soldiers talking and davening, learning with them and giving
out thousands of thermal items, but we also were receiving a great
deal, more than words can ever describe.
We then went to Sderot. In Sderot, two officers came to meet us.
These soldiers are with a unit of paratroopers of very young
soldiers. They are still in their first year of army service. They
never expected to be sent into hostile territory. However, they are
deep inside Gaza and this unit of eighty soldiers has already had
five wounded members. One of their members, their commander, was
wounded by a mine. When the others went in to evacuate him, one of
the soldiers was hit with a sniper's bullet from a hamas terrorist.
The bullet penetrated his ceramic bullet proof vest and entered his
chest. They thought they had to do a surgery on him in the field
because they did not think he would survive long enough to arrive at
a hospital. In the end he was airlifted to Tel Hashomer and operated
on there. There was a great miracle. While the bullet broke through
the vest, it ended up flying through his body and missing his heart
and lungs. The bullet left his body and he is recovering nicely.
These boys are very young and are having a difficult time. For them
we got gloves, neck warmers, socks, and undershirts. Since they
still have two years of army service they wil certainly use these
gifts well after this war ends. They repeated their invitation to
Rav Rimon and me. When the war ends they plan to make a large party
of thanks to Hashem. They want us to come and speak at that meal
when the warriors will be honored.
We met with other units and we helped them as well.
Finally we loaded the car with fifty pies of pizza and headed back to
the front. We arrived at a base of paratroopers and tankists who
were returning from Gaza. By now it was dark out. We started to
distribute the pizzas to the soldiers; it became a yom tov. There
was such joy! Soldiers, who are really just kids, they are nineteen
and twenty years old, surrounded us and asked us to sing and dance
with them. They all had tehillim they had taken from Breslov
chassidim and they wanted to dance and declare that "Yisrael betach
bahashem, Israel trust God, ezram umaginam hu, He is their help and
protector, anachnu maaminim bney maaminim, we are believers sons of
believers, viain lanu al mi lihisha'ain elah al avinu shebashmayim,
and we have no one to rely on, we can only rely on our father in
heaven." Rav Rimon then jumped on a van and gave the soldiers a
short talk of encouragement. He then introduced me. I turned to the
soldiers and told them, "Today was Rav Rimon's birthday, he did not
even realize it but when he did, he said to me, `my present was
getting to spend an entire day running from group of soldiers to
group of soldiers to give them gifts and encouragement!'" When the
soldiers heard that they all burst into song. They pulled Rav Rimon
into a circle and from their depths of their being they sang
together, "Yisrael betach behashem ezram umainam hu anachnu maaminim
bney maaminim viain lanu al mi lihisha'ain ela ela al avinu avinu
shebashamayim!"
So let Time Magazine claim that Israel has no future. They have not
experienced Jewish unity. When Am Yisrael is together, when soldiers
are singing and dancing of their faith, we will survive, we certainly
will.
Zev Reichman

Our First Comment!

I posted this under the original post, but by now I wonder if anyone will see it, so I'm putting it here as its own post. Remember, you can comment by e-mailing questions@maayanot.org. Please let us know if we can post it with your name.

A pircha between hillel's situation and modern day America, is that the goal today is to "fix" the American economy, and so the solution needs to address the sources the crisis. Simply “bailing out wall street” can not be the only action taken for a long term solution. Hillel was forced to do what he did - there was no way to really address the root of the problem.

It is interesting that article raises how Hillel's solution and today's bailout are not "ideal" and were only instituted to be pragmatic. This reminds me of the gemara we did in your class, where Rava paskins that a “rodef achar rodef” is patur from paying for anything he might have damaged while chasing the rodef, because if he were to be chayav, people would not want to stop a rodef. I love when the Halacha accomadates for us being human. To me it really shows the greatness of the halachic system.

-Aviva Novick

On the Mitzrim, Not the Jews?

I don't have time to get into it in great depth, but just to plant an idea before Shabbos: I think that the first three מכות also targeted the Jews. Ibn Ezra first entertains the idea (he says that straight through, the Jews were spared from the harsher ones, but subject to those not as bad - an opinion I don't really understand). Can you figure out what in the text gives that impression, or think why that might be the case? If it's not true, how else would you explain the answer to the first question?

Have a great Shabbos.

(click the title for an audio bonus)

Thoughts on the Ballet "Coppelia"

As per Ms. F's suggestion, I went to see "Coppelia" on Motzei Shabbat. It was amazing in many respects--the dancing, the costumes, scenery, music, acting. The second act really impact me. In this act, a toymaker tries to make his toys come alive by "drawing the life" out of a young boy who attempted to sneak into his workship, and uses the boys life-force it to animate a doll. The "doll" (a dancer who does a fantastic job of playing dead) slowly comes to life, little by little. She picks her head up, then it drops down again. She picks it up again. Then she straightens her arms, etc. You see the whole process, until she is dancing around using her entire body and range of motion. While I was watching it, it struck me that this scene depicts exactly what God does for us every morning. He "brings us to life" and is the one responsible for every single part of us working in the complex and amazing way that it's supposed to. Watching this scene refreshed my appreciation of God's role in my daily physical functioning, and re-inspired me to take modeh ani, asher yatzar, elokei neshama, and birchot hashachar more seriously. This trip to the ballet also reminded me that we can gain something from every experience that we have in our lives, even when we enter into that experiences for the sole purpose of taking a break/having a vacation!

ויקם מלך חדש

For many of you, tomorrow will be the most historic day of your conscious lives. How old were you on 9/11/2001? I have to admit that until that day, I hadn't experienced much history either. I remember once, I must have been in college or graduate school, arguing with my friends about the most historic event that we had experienced, and the best we could come up with was the death of Princess Diana. When the Twin Towers were destroyed, I first appreciated what a ברכה it was to have lived in such trivial times.

Tomorrow is the evidence that historic doesn't have to mean tragic. No matter what your thoughts on the election, or even the president-elect, from at least one perspective, Barack Obama's inauguration is a glorious day for this glorious nation. At a Shabbos meal this week, I got into an argument with a virtual stranger. He was telling me how naive I am about America, and that it's just a matter of time before the latent anti-semitism that lurks deep in the hearts of the over-whelming majority of our neighbors reaches the surface. I argued that America is fundamentally different than any other nation in history, and that with the exception of fringes on the extreme, is sincerely accepting of all. As an example, I cited everyone who kept warning before the election that Obama would lose unless he were up by 10-12% due to the "Bradley Effect" - white voters who would not vote for a black man, but feel guilty enough to lie about it to pollsters. Straight through election season I thought that there would be no such effect because today's America had effectively chased racism to the fringe. Contemporary America has turned the page on its most shameful chapter, and can tomorrow celebrate what it has become, no matter what kind of President he turns out to be.

And we get to see it live.