By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times
Klal Yisroel has lost an irreplaceable gadol with the passing of Rav Belsky zt”l. Aside from his mastery of Torah sources, he was a font of halachic practice. Notwithstanding his loss, we do have thousands of hours of taped shiurim as well as a sefer entitled, “Shulchan haLevi” comprised of his responsum. Below is a short overview of some of his rulings in that work.
The first chapter of Shulchan haLevi he deals with morning practices. In regard to negel vasser water by the bedside, although he cites lenient opinions of relying on one roof as a continuum of dalet amos – he concludes that from the fact that the Mishna Brurah begins with how severe the issue of not walking 4 amos without washing actually is, Rav Belsky advised not to be lenient.
He further deals with the concern about donning to items of clothing at the same time and asks whether there is a similar concern in taking off two articles of clothing simultaneously. He cites the Mogen Avrohom 2:3 who just mentions the former as being kasheh l’shikcha – causing forgetfulness.. Since the latter is not mentioned anywhere he concludes that there is no concern whatsoever. Although the Sefer Yoseph Ometz does say (OC 201) that one should not take off two articles of clothing as well on account of a concern that he may forget and put them on at the same time as well, Rav Belsky perhaps felt that this is no longer a concern. In terms of wearing Tzitzis during times that one is technically exempt, Rav Belsky ruled that it is improper for a Ben Torah to be lenient in these matters. He also ruled that fishnet tzitzis are not considered a halachic article of clothing – consequently, one does not fulfill the Mitzvah of Tzitzis with it. He also states that the gigantic taleisim that are used for Kol HaNe’arim on simchas Torah and for chuppahs are not obligated in Tzitzis. He advised that they not be produced with black stripes so that people will not err and think that they are, in fact, obligated in Tzitizs.
In terms of Tefillin where a person was left-handed but was trained as a righty when he writes, he ruled that he should put tefillin like a lefy. He ruled that one may not talk between tefillin of shel yad and shel rosh even when putting on abbeinu Tam tefillin without a bracha. In working the tefillin boxes the battim, all activity should be done by the Jew even when the leather is still in the chemicals.
He ruled that when one travels to Australia and loses a day, nonetheless, he should not put Tefillin on at night to get the lost day.
He concludes that chapter with a discussion of the cubeness of Tefillin that even though it is ideal to have it a perfect cube, it is only a hiddur and is not an absolute requirement.
This chapter is an overview of the types of questions that Rav Belsky zatzal dealt with on a daily basis.
This author personally reported to Rav Belsky on the situation with Tefillin straps that appeared to be plastic tape. In reality it was a production issue involving chemicals.
The author can be reached at [email protected]
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8 Responses
The Psak of traveling to Australia.
It’s a difficult subject, because the Chazal never accepted this notion that the earth has various time-zones. They held that during the day it’s daytime for all of civilization; and at night the sun travels above a non-transparent blanket (called Shomayim) from west to east. At night, while the sun is hiding from all of us above this blanket, the moon is below this blanket and shines onto us with its own light.
The moon eclipse, has nothing to do with being blocked from sunlight, it’s just a punishment from Hashem.
Why was comment #1 let through?
It seems to be intended to imply that since the science in Chazal is seemingly outdated, there are Halachas that may not be relevant. This is against one of the Ani Ma’amins (number 9).
#1 – interesting you are bringing up that point, (although you’re not interested in any answers, nor should we discuss it with you) it happens to be, that I was once by a Shiur of the very Rav Belsky and he did indeed explain these Talmudic statements (Pesachim and Shabbos) very well according to modern science…
For a little further reference, regarding ‘eclipses, you should read the Marhal’s work Be’er Hagolah Be’er 6.
#2 & #3: Commenter #1 (Yira) has been spewing apikorsus as long as he’s been posting here. See this, for example:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/ywn-videos/345229/watch-dozens-protest-against-kaporos-at-midnight-without-permit-in-boro-park-on-sunday-night.html#comment-981958
To 2 & 3
What he’s asking, is currently being asked by thousands of Mesivta Bochrum.
Instead of giving a concise and straightforward answer, you’re just criticizing the question.
Since when did Yiddishkeit become hush hush, don’t dear to ask?
#3 well, from the tone of his question one must be quit naive to say he’s “just asking”, his intentions are self evident… N that chazal did say “don’t engage”…
In any case, I did reference that the very question has been posed by the Marhal 400 yrs ago, and basically it goes back to the old rule, that these saying are not to be taken literally, rather, are metaphorical statements and,while the church did have issues with the Copernicus model, i.e. p’sukim contradicting or rather sounding, as if the sun revolves around the earth etc, we know דברה תורה כלשון בני אדם and never had an issue..
To #6
Please see Gilyon Hashaas Pesochim 94b, that the Ritvah quotes the Rebeinu Taam, that even though the Gemoro says that the Chachomim were Moideh to the Chachmei Umos, In truth they really held on to their Shita that at night the sun travels over the sky.
Rashi in Rosh Hashana 24a 10th line says clearly that at night the sun travels over the sky.
Please note that, that was the opinion of many secular scholars in those years.
#7 The Rebeinu Taam is clearly not like the Rambam and other gaonim/rishonim,there seems to be different versions in the above passage in Pesachim (see Morah Nevuchim 2:8, Be’er haGolah 6, Responsa Maharam Alashkar – 96, Tosfot Rid (Shabbos 34).