Monthly Archives: ‍‍ Adar / Nisan 5770 - March 2010

WWRALD?

Posted on ‍‍9 Nisan 5770 - March 24, 2010 by micha

Today, the 9th of Nissan, is R’ Aryeh Levin’s 41st yahrzeit. A man who was called “The Tzadiq of Yerushalayim” at a time when Yerushalayim held such greats as Rav Kook, R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, R’ Zundel Salant, Rav Zvi … Continue reading →

Posted in Yahrzeits | 4 Comments

The Structure of Maggid

Posted on ‍‍9 Nisan 5770 - March 23, 2010 by micha

I recently reworked and expanded an older piece on the structure of the Seder as a whole, and why it comes in fifteen steps grouped by the cups of wine into four. This section is also a rewrite, reflecting parallel … Continue reading →

Posted in Pesach, Yom Tov | 3 Comments

Who knows four?

Posted on ‍‍8 Nisan 5770 - March 22, 2010 by micha

The number four appears in the seder so frequently that its presence is often commented upon: The four cups of wine — and the four terms of redemption and the four mentions of the word “cup” when the butler discusses … Continue reading →

Posted in Pesach, Yom Tov | 5 Comments

Dai- Dai- Einu…

Posted on ‍‍4 Nisan 5770 - March 19, 2010 by micha

Chassidim have a tendency of finding lessons in Jewish practices on the basis that “if they are not prophets, they are the ‘children of prophets’”. (“Children of prophets” is an idiom in Tanakh for those studying for prophecy.) Along those … Continue reading →

Posted in Yom Tov | Leave a comment

Qitzur Shulchan Arukh – 190:3

Posted on ‍‍2 Nisan 5770 - March 17, 2010 by micha

ג: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר בְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לְאַבְּדוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא לְקַלְקְלוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַזִּיקוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד”, כָּךְ צָרִיךְ לְהִזָּהֵר בְּמָמוֹנוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לְאַבְּדוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא לְקַלְקְלוֹ וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַזִּיקוֹ. וְכָל הַמְשַּׁבֵּר כְּלִי, אוֹ קוֹרֵעַ בֶּגֶד, אוֹ מְאַבֵּד מַאֲכָל אוֹ מַשְׁקֶה … Continue reading →

Posted in QSA 190: Railings, Personal Care, and Not Wasting | Leave a comment

Qitzur Shulchan Arukh – 190:2

Posted on ‍‍2 Nisan 5770 - March 16, 2010 by micha

ב: וְכֵן כָּל מִכְשׁוֹל שֶׁיֶשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת, מִצְוַת-עֲשֵׂה לַהֲסִירוֹ וּלְהִשָׁמֵר מִמֶּנּוּ וּלְהִזָּהֵר בַּדָּבָר יָפֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֩ וּשְׁמֹ֨ר נַפְשְׁךָ֜ מְאֹ֗ד”. וְאִם הִנִּיחַ וְלֹא הֵסִיר אֶת הַמִּכְשׁוֹלִים הַמְבִיאִים לִידֵי סַכָּנָה, בִּטֵּל מִצְוַת-עֲשֵׂה וְעָבַר בְּ“וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֤ים דָּמִים֙”., כְּגוֹן אִם סֻלָּם רָעוּעַ עוֹמֵד … Continue reading →

Posted in QSA 190: Railings, Personal Care, and Not Wasting | 1 Comment

Qitzur Shulchan Arukh – 190:1

Posted on ‍‍29 Adar 5770 - March 15, 2010 by micha

סִימָן קצ – הִלְכוֹת [מַעֲקֶה] שְמִירַת הַגּוּף וּבַל תַּשְחִית 190: Laws of [Railings,] Personal Care, and Not Wasting א:מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲקֶה לְגַגּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, “וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מַעֲקֶ֖ה לְגַגֶּ֑ךָ”. גֹּבַהּ הַמַּעֲקֶה אֵינוֹ פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה טְפָחִים, וִיהֵא חָזָק כְּדֵי שֶׁיִשָׁעֵן אָדָם עָלָיו וְלֹא … Continue reading →

Posted in QSA 190: Railings, Personal Care, and Not Wasting | 1 Comment

Two Tzadiqim on Loving the Evildoer

Posted on ‍‍28 Adar 5770 - March 13, 2010 by micha

I found the following on a web site called “Two Tzaddiks: The Teachings of Rebbe Pinchas of Koretz and His Disciple, Rebbe Raphael of Bershad”: “In his teachings, R. Pinchas preached universal love, even love of the most sinful people … Continue reading →

Posted in Ahavah, Anger | Leave a comment

Qitzur Shulchan Arukh – 189:6

Posted on ‍‍26 Adar 5770 - March 12, 2010 by micha

ה: בְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה שֶׁאֵרַע לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם שֶׁרַגְלֵי חֲמוֹרוֹ רָעוּעוֹת, אֵין בְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה רַשָּׁאִים לִפָּרֵד עִם חֲמוֹרֵיהֶם וּלְהַנִּיחוֹ לְבַדּוֹ בַדָּרֶך. אֲבָל אִם נָפַל חֲמוֹרוֹ וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל עוֹד לֵילֵךְ כְּלָל, רַשָּׁאִים לִפָּרֵד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְאֵין צְרִיכִין לְהִתְעַכֵּב בִּשְׁבִילוֹ יוֹתֵר מִדָּי. וְכֵן בְּנֵי חֲבוּרָה … Continue reading →

Posted in QSA 189: Unloading and Loading | Leave a comment

Qitzur Shulchan Arukh – 189:5

Posted on ‍‍25 Adar 5770 - March 11, 2010 by micha

ה: כְּתִיב, “כִּֽי־תִרְאֶ֞ה חֲמ֣וֹר שֹׂנַאֲךָ֗ רֹבֵץ֙ תַּ֣חַת מַשָּׂא֔וֹ” וְגוֹ’, שׂוֹנֵא זֶה לֹא מֵהַגּוֹיִם הוּא, – שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינָם בְּמִצְוַת טְעִינָה וּפְרִיקָה, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם צַעַר בַּעֲלֵי חַיִים, אֶלָּא מִיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהֵיאַךְ יִהְיֶה יִשְׂרָאֵל שׂוֹנֵא לְ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר, “לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ”. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, … Continue reading →

Posted in QSA 189: Unloading and Loading | Leave a comment