Berochos

In summer camps the following foods are often offered for sale, therefore, it is noteworthy to mention them. Regular knishes – regular knishes that have a thick potato filling surrounded by a thin covering requires two berachos. However, Mom’s knishes which have a much thinner potato filling and are completely surrounded by a thick covering require only a mezonos. Hot pretzel- If a pretzel tastes like bread even though it is made from mostly fruit juice it is a Hamotzei. If it tasted like cake then one recites a mezonos.³ 

Playing Ball On Shabbos

There is a discussion in the poskim whether or not a ball is muktzah. Many poskim say that today’s balls are made to be played with and are not muktzah. The Yerushalmi says that a town was destroyed because of ball playing. The commentaries say it was referring to ball playing on Shabbos Furthermore playing ball takes ways from the time that a person is supposed to be learning Torah. The Yerushalmi says that Shabbos and Yom Tov were given to us to learn Torah. It has become widespread to play all types of ball games on Shabbos especially in Camps and Bungalow colonies. However, it is only permitted for young children. Boys over bar-mitzvah and girls over bas-mitzvah should not be playing ball on Shabbos. Even if one will not be spending his time learning Torah on Shabbos, nonetheless ball playing should not be done. The Kaf Ha’chaim says any one who fears Hashem should not waste his precious time with ball playing. Some poskim permit the playing of Ping Pong for young children on Shabbos. Even those who do play ball on Shabbos must be careful that they do not play in an area that the ball will not roll out of the eiruv or in Reshus Harabim. One should not watch a ball game of the goyim on Shabbos.

Compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits who can be reached at[email protected]

Reviewed by Rabbi Ben-zion Schiffenbauer Shlita

All Piskei Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita are Reviewed by Harav Yisrael Belsky Shlita