WolfishMusings

Rusty ran really, really, really…… (insert an infinite number of reallys) rapidly.

I win.

The Wolf

I think you’re thinking of Yetziv Pisgam in the Haftarah of the second day. Reading Akdamus during the leining should be a Hefsek.

No, he’s not mistaken. There was an older, alternate minhag to read it after the first pasuk was lained, although I don’t know if I’d say that “many” places still perform it that way.

The Wolf

< old-time radio announcer voice >

This sounds like a job for… LOR MAN!!!

< /old-time radio announcer voice >

The Wolf

With all the debate about exactly what constitutes darchei ha-emori and playing by the rules,

Which, apparently, you’re going to ignore because you don’t have any answers.

Again — how is following a game of chess, backgammon (or any other game) by the rules a violation of “bchukoseihem” as you implied?

The Wolf

True story:

I used to learn during Chazaras HaShatz. One day, as I was davening, I caught my 14-year old son reading a novel during Chazaras HaShatz. When I told him that it was inappropriate to do so, he responded that since I read, there was no reason that he shouldn’t do so as well.

I tried to justify my actions by stating that at least I was learning and such, but, in the end, I had to concede that he was correct and that my actions were just as wrong as his.

Since then, I follow along in the siddur during Chazaras HaShatz. And my son no longer reads then as well.

The Wolf

chaimboruch: Learning Torah is greater than saving a life.

Obviously not. If a person were choking next to you while you were learning, would you ignore him and continue with your Tosfos and let him die on the grounds of “Learning Torah is greater than saving a life?”

The Wolf

Someone once had the Chutzpa to tell me that if so, I’m not ever M’kayim Talmud Torah.

I wouldn’t be surprised if some people tried to say that about printed seforim circa 1500.

Someone once tried to tell me that Osios Machkimos doesn’t apply when learning electronically, but I’m not sure why that would be true.

And so what? We’re talking about Torah SheB’al Peh here, right? Considering that, ideally, we should be learning it by heart, what’s the point of stressing concepts such as “Osios Machkimos?”

The Wolf

Wolf, Squeak, etc., I used bowling as a mashal because it was the one we had to deal with in shul. Other sports (in fact, the whole modern amusement industry) come with the same issues. Darchei ha-emori doesn’t relate to the game itself but to the customs that come along with it.

Oh no, you don’t. You didn’t answer my question, you deflected away from it.

I challenged your statement that adhering to the rules of bowling is a violation of the lav of “u’vchukoseihem lo teileichu.” I said nothing about the lav of “darkei HeEmori.” Please answer the challenge I raised and not the one I didn’t. To wit:

Please explain why adhering to the rules of bowling is a violation of “bechukoseihem…” but adhering to the rules of softball, soccer, basketball, etc. (as occurs in camps every summer) and chess, backgammon and other games (which occur in numerous yeshivos all over the world) is not?

The Wolf

writersoul: No. (The reason of the halacha is not because he is the breadwinner.) Her paycheck still belongs to him.

Technically true. But she’s also free to say “I’ll pay for my own upkeep and keep my earnings.” If she’s the sole earner in the family, it then makes perfect sense (from a strictly financial standpoint) to do so.

The Wolf

Its assumed if there is Kiddushin, there is biah

Not to nitpick, but it’s probably more correct to say “… if there is n’suin,…”

The Wolf

The men can tell their wives and daughters.

And single mothers have no need to instruct their kids about the proper use of the internet? And what about people where the father, for whatever reason, cannot (or will not) attend, but the mother can?

The Wolf

The two exceptions are a Siddur and a Lulav

So, I guess when I’m holding the Esrog, I’m in violation of the S”A?

The Wolf

It’s so funny how the asifah is about I_ _ _ _ _ _ _ and the asifah is being streamed live on the I_ _ _ _ _ _ !!!! Go figure…

1. Is that true? I didn’t see any indication that it was going to be streamed.*

2. Assuming the message isn’t simply a blanket ban, why should it be funny that it’s being streamed?

The Wolf

* Yes, I know that my failure to see any indication does not constitute proof of lack of said indication.

I don’t have a particular favorite. And that even includes from non-Jewish music.

The Wolf

1. Incorrect. Emergency vehicles get through fine in EY where the roads are closed. It in fact probably assists them in getting through quicker.

Please explain to me how it is possible that an emergency vehicle can get through an obstructed street faster than an unobstructed street.

2. Its a small inconvenience affecting a small number of people.

No, it’s not. It affects anyone who takes a bus, taxi or bicycle through Boro Park and now must veer far out of their way. For a bus ride, that can easily add a half hour to the trip each way. That’s not a minor inconvenience.

And, furthermore, even if it *is* a minor inconvenience, so what? What gives you the right to inconvenience them with your religion — especially when, according to the Torah, they don’t have any obligation to avoid driving through Boro Park (or anywhere else) on Shabbos?

3. I don’t believe you are correct on this point about the number of non-frum residents. It is almost negligible. Take a stroll through inner BP.

It doesn’t matter if it’s even one. The streets are a public accommodation and belong to all members of the public.

4. If it were a virtually 100% Pakistani neighborhood, then yes, I’d have no objections.

I highly doubt that.

5. I disagree. It would be spent wisely on this initiative.

Why do you feel that this is so imperative that it outweighs other needs?

The Wolf

Considering that inner Boro Park is today virtually 100% frum, Baruch Hashem, I believe the time is ripe to follow our brethren in Yerushlayim Ir HaKodesh in closing Boro Park’s streets l’kovod Shabbos Kodesh. It will truly enhance Kedushas Shabbos.

Let’s leave aside, for the moment, the fact that this idea will never actually fly. Instead, I’d like to focus on the request itself.

Av,

Why do feel that it is right to actually close the streets for Shabbos in the United States? Have you actually considered some of the practical applications?

1. As mentioned above, emergency vehicles would be unable to get through in a timely manner. Do you feel that the increase in response time (which could be the difference between life and death) is worth closing off the streets?

2. There are plenty of people who pass through Boro Park (via private or public transportation) who, being not Jewish, have no interest in (or obligation to enhance) kedushas Shabbos. Why should they be inconvenienced? Why should they have to sacrifice their extra time (which can be significant in the case of re-routing buses around Boro Park instead of through it)?

2a. Of course, the same applies to emergency vehicles that need to pass through Boro Park to get wherever they are going.

3. Despite your assertion that it is “virtually 100% frum,” the fact remains that there probably quite a few people who live in the neighborhood who are, in fact, not Jewish. Why should they be “trapped” (as in, unable to leave with their cars) on Shabbos when they have no obligation to kedushas Shabbos?

4. Lastly, consider people who live in other areas. There are parts of Midwood/Kensignton, for example, that have a very strong Pakistani population. Should they increase their numbers to become a strong majority (as Jews are in Boro Park), would you favor their requests to close off the streets for Fridays (or daily during Ramadan) if they claimed that it enhanced their appreciation of their holy days? What about Jews who live in areas that are otherwise nearly 100% Christian? Would you favor their being “trapped” in their towns on Sunday?

5. Lastly, there is the idea of political capital and spending it wisely. There are only so many things that we, as a community, can ask for from the government and the general populace. We therefore, need to assign priorities to the things we want and/or need. Is this a wise thing to be spending our political capital on when there are probably plenty of better issues with a larger benefit to the Orthodox Jewish community at large than this?

Please respond to each of these questions.

Thanks,

The Wolf

Kapusta, OneToMany, Mod-42, Sam2,

May HKBH fulfill all of your wishes, dreams and desires for good.

The Wolf

I guess I’m just not good enough. So much for “Lo T’hai birchas hedyot kallah b’ainecha…”

The Wolf

If a woman is hospitalized for a birth or illness, and no one lit for her at home or anywhere, does she have a knas for missed weeks?

You mean if she lives alone? Why should she be punished for that?

The Wolf

Wolf: See the Rambam who explicitly states that this doesn’t apply to one’s wife.

True, true.

But you can also make the case that if you’re not allowed to talk with your wife for pleasure (see: Al Tarbeh…) then certainly you can’t look at her for pleasure.

The Wolf

In times gone by, the new mother would stay in hospital for a number of days following birth, and would generally not be in a position to light ??? licht the first ??? following the birth of a child. Therefore the mother has a din of one who forgot to light, for which the ???? is that they must light an extra candle every week for the rest of her life!

I’ve always had difficulty with this idea.

The general rule, of course, is oneis rachmana patrei — if a person is in an unavoidable circumstance, he or she is exempt from the mitzvah — and there is no punishment. A classic example would be someone who is stranded on a deserted island and cannot get matzah for pesach. Since he cannot get matzah, he is an oneis and is patur.

I would imagine that being stuck in the hospital is also a situation of an oneis, whether it’s because one had a baby, or for any other life-threatening situation. As such, I don’t see how she should be subject to a kenas for failing to light.

Furthermore, the mitzvah to light is primarily on the household, not on the woman herself. If a man lives alone, for example, he is required to light. As such, if she’s in the hospital and her husband lights for her, I furthermore cannot see how she should be liable for a penalty.

That’s not to say that the practice of adding an additional light when a child is born is not proper. It is a custom that has gone back centuries or more. I think, however, it’s possible to look at this phenomenon of adding a light for having a baby or forgetting to light as two separate events:

1. There is a custom that if a woman forgets to light (through negligence or willful misconduct), then she should add a light as a penalty/reminder.

2. If she has a baby, she should add a light — not as a penalty, but rather because there is a custom to do so.

The Wolf

I think that using characters from guiyish subjects is wrong

So don’t do it.

The Wolf

it is based on some kind of minhag

Which is based on one incident in Ya’akov’s life while disregarding all the rest of the times he traveled.

The Wolf

Who was sarcastic?

About road travel and yes a fire in the house c’v

If you feel they were sarcastic, please enlighten me about it. My questions were 100% sincere and not sarcastic.

The Wolf

Everyone who jumped up with their sarcastic comments

Who was sarcastic? I thought my question (especially the one that pointed out that, that specific episode aside, Ya’akov’s family traveled together) was a valid one, as was my pointing out that the dangers of a fire at home are far greater than those of traveling by plane.

The Wolf