By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

The world owes a debt of gratitude to Rabbi Shmuel Honigwachs of Lakewood, NJ for bringing to light over 200 rulings from HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Miller shlita in a new sefer entitled, “HaElef l’Shlomo.”  Rav Miller, a talmid of Rav Aharon Kotler, is recognized as the leading Posaik in North America by tens of thousands of Bnei Torah.  Yet, unfortunately, his halachic oeuvre has not been made readily available to the Torah public.  Rabbi Honigwachs has helped resolve that with the publication of this sefer.  The Sefer includes a discussion of the underlying rationale in a section called, “Rechev Aish” – authored by Rabbi Honigwachs.  It is very well-researched (and also notes some dissenting views).

Parenthetically, this author’s first exposure to Rav Miller shlita occurred in the 1980’s when I discussed a Teshuvas Rabbi Akiva Eiger with him about the recitation of Hashem’s Name in vain and rectifying it.  He proceeded to recite, immediately and off the cuff, the Teshuvas Rabbi Akiva Eiger by heart.  My question was whether someone who employs the common expression, “On my _ – _-_!” should rectify the use of Hashem’s Name by reciting, “Boruch shaim kvod malchuso l’olam va’ed..”  His answer then was that, “Yes, that would be a good idea..”

The sefer was reviewed by Rav Miller himself, and also by a friend of mine, Rabbi Chaim Pass, shlita – a grandson of Rav Shach, among others.  What follows are some of the rulings that appear in the new sefer.  [PREDICTION:  This sefer will sell out before the next issue of the Five Towns Jewish Times will come out – so buy it now.]

LOST BRAKES

Recently, one of my children lost his brakes on his minivan, and was unable to stop. Boruch Hashem, nothing happened, but the thought crossed my mind as to whether he and his wife should bentch gomel.  When I first opened the sefer – that very question appeared in siman 27.  Rav Miller answers the question by distinguishing between whether the loss of brakes happened on a straight road (no need to bentch) or on a curved road (yes, bentch gomel).

ELECTRICITY ON SHABBOS

In Siman 129, Rav Miller’s view on electricity is discussed.  He holds that, with two exceptions, the use of electricity on Shabbos is a rabbinic violation of Molid.  There are two incidences when it is a biblical prohibition, however.  These are if a metal wire or filament becomes glowingly hot (mavir) or when the electricity causes a type of data storage – where he holds that this is considered makeh b’patish – the final act.

DERIVING BENEFIT FROM ELECTRIC COMPANY WORK

If the community under discussion is mostly Jewish and the electric company restores electricity on Shabbos is it always permitted to derive benefit from what the electric company had fixed? In Siman 120, Rav Miller distinguishes between a case when the company itself shut off the electricity to fix something, and when the wires were damaged by themselves.  In the latter cse, Rav Miller forbids deriving benefit from it – because it was done for the majority population of Jews.  The author imagines that this might turn out to be a controversial ruling if it was just read by itself.  However, in the context of Siman 119 – where the needs of children are discussed, it seems that it would be permitted.  [I seem to recall that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l ruled leniently once regarding this issue.]

TRAPPING ANTS

The question was posed as to whether trapping ants on Shabbos would be permitted because they are relatively slow-moving and may be considered as if they are trapped (See MB 316:2 regarding a lame deer) and only a rabbinic violation which could possibly be on account of a concern for non-lame deer.  Rav Miller answered that one of the 8 sheratzim, the chomet, is a slug, and the Mishna in Shabbos 107a still rules that it is forbidden to capture it. Rav Miller extends this to ants as well. Although Rav Saadya Gaon rules that a chomet is a lizard, Rav Miller’s proof is that Rashi translates it as limax which means slug.

TEA BAGS THAT WERE IN BEFORE SHABBOS – IS IT BORER?

Some Poskim are of the opinion that it is forbidden to remove a teabag from tea (that was there before Shabbos began) on account of the prohibition of borer, since the good tea-sense comes out of the bag that is psoles and you are removing the psoles.  Rav Miller responded (Siman 179) that since he doesn’t intend for it at all.

BORER IN SEFORIM

Rav Miller ruled (siman 180) that the only Borer in Seforim (obviously not when it is for immediate use which would be permitted) is when the “mixture” is between similar looking seforim such as a nusach sefard siddur among a nussach ashkenaz siddure, but when they are openly different there is no problem of borer.

LOSH WITH MAYO AND CHREIN

Rav Miller rules in Siman 185 that there is no problem of Losh, kneading, regarding combining horseradish chrein with mayonnaise, it is just considered to be softening the chrein.  He attributes this leniency to Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l as well in Igros Moshe OC Vol. IV #74.  As Rabbi Honigwachs points out in the footnote (#295) Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach forbade it.

THE FUTURE

It is most exciting to read that Rabbi Honigwachs has a number of other volumes in the pipeline.  It should also be noted that Rbbi Honigwachs is a noted scholar and posaik in his own right and runs the well-respected Bais HaVaad of Lakewood.  Rav Miller shlita splits his time between his Kollel in Toronto and Lakewood, New Jersey.

The reviewer can be reached at [email protected]