Sam2

It says they would threaten those who would leave the Beis Medrash with beheading. I don’t think they were able to work.

That’s a very vague question. Has to? No. The letter of the law is the letter of the law for a reason. There are many times, particularly in money issues, where a Jew should go Lifnim Mishuras Hadin. But he can’t be obligated to. In Bein Adam Lamakom issues saying that a Jew has to do more than what Halacha requires of him could be an Issur D’Oraisa of Bal Tosif, depending on the specific issue.

MichaelC: I’m not sure where that came from (or what you’re defending against), but without Middos Chassidus you are not a Jew? Do you know what Middos Chassidus means? And acting Lifnim Mishuras Hadin means in regards to money/Bein Adam Lechaveiro issues.

The Halacha technically is that you can’t touch even a full sibling at all. For a few reasons discussed, most (maybe not most, but many) are Noheg that it’s okay. There is no reason for a half-sibling to any different than a real sibling in both regards.

Why would learning Torah ever be a Bizayon of Torah? The Bizayon would be to not learn when you can.

Rav Schachter says that we can’t lose Eretz Yisroel again. He proves it from a Gemara and a Ramban Al Hatorah (quoting Rav Hertzog). So even though it’s not Al Pi Halachah, it’s still in Jewish hands and we’re Muvtach from HKBH that it won’t leave.

Interesting. I was not aware of 228:3. Hedyotos still means that they have to know something about being Mattir Neder, I would think. I know you don’t need Mumchim, but I don’t think that random people count as even Hedyotos (I haven’t learned this at all though so I could easily be wrong; if you provide a source I will concede this). The SH”A meantions Hataras Nedarim in Orach Chayim, right? So according to him, what does it do? It was never meant to be an actual Hatarah. I would think that is decently clear. The main part of it is to be Moser Moda’ah that all Nedarim we take for the next year won’t be Chal.

Skiaddict, how have you missed the tremendous amount of “MO” bashing that goes on here? Usually it’s the posts defending “MO” (whatever that means, and no we shouldn’t discuss it here) that aren’t let through. Reform and Conservative are Yidden too, but no one would dare defend what they do.

Mik5: That’s not Kavanah. If you are required to answer Amen during Ashrei then you are required to answer Amen. If you have so much Kavanah during Ashrei that you wouldn’t notice the Bracha then you probably shouldn’t be saying Ashrei at a time when you need to answer Amen.

DaasYochid: The Hataras Nedarim we do on Erev Rosh Hashana does nothing. It is not Mattir any Neder. We even admit to that in the Nusach itself. It’s a nice, fake Hataras Nedarim to do to show that we are going to start the year off with no pre-existing things holding us back.

The only part of that Hataras Nedarim that might have any Halachic validity is the very last paragraph.

Stop. Please stop. If you want to cite actual Gemaros/Halachos/sources then fine. That’s great. That’s what we should be doing. Can we please stop trying to learn out a Halacha from the Lashon of something which has no Halachic status?

Wolf, look there in Siman 288. If being sad makes you feel better then maybe it’s okay. Also, being sad wouldn’t make you a Mechalel Shabbos. You would be, at worst, Mevatel an Asei D’rabannan of Oneg.

Yungerman: If Devarim Shebilev are obvious then they still count. I can’t say anything for sure because I honestly don’t know the demographics of people keeping CY Lechumra and why and such. Also, are you sure Devarim Shebilev applies to something that you were Noheg 3 times?

And can we please not be Medayik Halachos from the Lashon of a “Hataras Nedarim” that has no Halachic validity whatsoever?

It was a just in case thing. I don’t think one has to be Mattir Neder here, especially because she points out that had it not been readily available then she never would have thought of keeping CY Lechumra. Thus, when she is somewhere where it is not readily available her “just in case” stringency probably wouldn’t apply.

Even if you would have to be Mattir Neder, you have to look at this two ways. Yes, it shows a submission to a physical desire. But we are human beings with physical desires and Muttar ways to fulfill those desires. If having this physical desire is actually harming your daily function and your Avodas Hashem, then it would be quite improper for you to avoid doing something Muttar.

What’s the problem? I really don’t get the naivete on this site assuming that everyone is always completely honest. As long as each thread makes sense and actually leads to the discussion of an issue, who cares what the person who started it was up to?

No one, as far as I know, holds that you can say Az Bekol or Nekadesh during Elokai Netzor. The contradictory part was where you said if you say the second Yihyu Leratzon but are still in Elokai Netzor. That is by definition delf-contradictory. And I find it very hard to believe that any mainstream Shittos hold that you can’t respond in the middle of Ashrei. I don’t claim to know anywhere near everything (or anything), but such an opinion is not found in the mainstream Poskim anywhere.

There are many SHU”Tim saying that it’s perfectly fine and you are of course Yotzei no matter what (assuming the only pronunciation issues are Taf versus Saf and maybe how letters are slightly pronounced). I have seen that the Chassidish pronunciations might be more of a problem because they really change the meaning according to how others pronounce it. But the Poskim quote the Misrash that each Shevet had their own path through the Yam Suf to show that everyone is Yotzi with the different pronunciations.

I personally find it ridiculous and offensive (not to me, but to others) when people who aren’t Makpid on proper Dikduk decide that they have to correct when someone says a Taf instead of a Saf. He’ll change the meaning of every word in Davening but Chas Veshalom if someone makes an inconsequential difference that this person feels defines who he is.

Bezalel, I think that’s the point of pretending it’s sort of an Eidus. We do know firsthand that HKBH created the world, even if we didn’t physically see it ourselves.

The real question is what is the Issur? The answer is nothing. We are supposed to avoid Simcha during Sefira and the 3 weeks. Music is not one of the things mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch. Dancing is mentioned in the Magen Avraham. So everything to do with music, or recorded music, or just a capella, is dependent on Minhagim. There are many different Minhagim. Most Chassidim actually have the Minhag that makes the most sense. They will listen to slow songs but not fast songs (since we assume that the issue with music comes from the Issur of dancing), regardless of a capella or instrumental.

There is little reason in the Halachic literature (aside from a Teshuvah in the Shevet Halevi, who has a great Svara but it’s not mentioned in the earlier Poskim on this issue) to differentiate between listening to a capella music and singing to oneself. That’s just something to keep in mind.

Lema’aseh, it’s very hard for anyone to give an actual P’sak on this. The best Eitzah that could be given is that if it causes you actual Simcha then you should probably have the Seichel to avoid it. (Simcha is very different than happiness. I once had someone complain to me that they find it very hard to be inspired during the 3 weeks because they can’t listen to inspiring music because that makes them happy. The goal is not to avoid any happiness or inspiration. The word “Simcha” should more accurately be translated as “joy”. We are supposed to avoid things that make us exceedingly happy or joyful.)

Shalsheles 1 for me. If you want a soloist then Shwekey has a lot of great stuff. Old Miami Boys Choir has some amazing songs too.

I’m not sure about Havanah, but I find that I remember it better (everything, not just Gemara) when I see it in English rather than Hebrew/Aramaic.

SG: It’s not an issue of the secular date. V’Sein Tal Umatar in CHU”L goes by a solar date. We just happen to live in a world where the secular calendar is solar.

GM: They say it’s a problem but a Rebbe of mine once gave a great proof from a Gemara in Sukkah why it should be okay.

GAW: It’s a Machlokes between Tosafos and the Rambam whether or not Niddah is an Ervah.

I once saw someone burn an Artscroll Gemara. I tore Kriyah.