Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 15
January 25, 2006
Mitzvah 16: The Mitzvah being attached to Torah Scholars and their disciples.
Mitzvah 16 – It is a positive commandment to be attached to Torah Scholars and their disciples.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “And to Him shall you cling” (Deut. 10:20) which the sages explain to mean “Whoever adheres to Torah scholars, it is as though he were attached to the Shechina (the presence of G-d)” Therefore a person should marry a daughter of a Torah scholar, and he should give his daughter in marriage to a Torah Scholar. He should eat with him, and have him benefit from his wealth. He should wallow in the dust of the feet of Torah scholars and drink in their words thirstily. It applies everywhere and at all times, for both men and women.
Before we begin to understand this Mitzvah, we need to understand who is a Torah Scholar. In its simplest form, it means someone who has studied Torah, the Five Books of Moses. This is a kind of study that is open to everyone all the time. It only requires that we pick up a Torah Commentary and study the words of those who have come before us. The Hafetz Hayim, however, refers to “Torah Scholars” in the widest sense, that is someone who is well versed in the Bible, Talmud, Legal codes and Midrash. A Torah scholar in this sense is not “just” a rabbi, but one who’s scholarship is also well known and admired. This is the kind of scholar that deserves our support. Such a person has given his or her life to understanding the words that G-d has shared with us and the interpretation of those words as understood by sages in every generation. These scholars provide our best link to the past and help to keep Judaism alive, fresh and an important part of our life.
Little wonder, then, that we should want to have such a scholar in our family. That we should want to raise our children to be such scholars, to have them marry a such a scholar and to have such scholars in our social circles. (this is the implication of “wallowing in the dust of their feet”) We should make every effort to listen to what they teach us and even if we don’t always understand their lessons, if we drink in their words, understanding will inevitably come.
This is not a mitzvah created by the Sages of antiquity to garner support for their profession. I don’t think they saw it as self serving at all. It is a mitzvah that grows out of the understanding that not everyone can be a scholar and that the world does need others to provide the necessities of life. This mitzvah allows everyone, however, to benefit from the work of scholars and helps to bring greater understanding and light to our world. It is a great mitzvah for both men and women to be a scholar, but if that is not possible, to at least bring scholars into their family and to treasure their learning.
Next week: Mitzvah 17: Respect for the Aged and for Scholars
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Monday, January 16, 2006
HMS Volume 2: Number 14 - Mitzvah 15: The Mitzvah of writing a Torah Scroll
Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 14
January 16, 2006
Mitzvah 15: The Mitzvah of writing a Torah Scroll
Mitzvah 15 – It is a positive commandment that everyone in Jewry should write a Torah scroll for himself.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “Now therefore write this song” (Deut. 31:19) which the sages explain to mean “Write a Torah that contains this song.” One should not write a Torah in separate sections. If he writes it with his own hand it is as if he received the Torah at Sinai. If this is not possible, he should hire someone to do it for him or buy a Torah scroll. If he inherits a Torah Scroll, he still needs to write one for himself. However if he corrects one letter it is as if he wrote the whole scroll. Rabbenu Asher (who wrote the law code, the Tur) wrote that this applied to earlier generations when they would write a Torah Scroll and study from it. Today…It is a Mitzvah for everyone who has the means to buy humashim (printed bibles), Mishna, Talmud and their commentaries so that he and his children may study from them. For the religious duty of writing a scroll is to study from it so one will know the Mitzvot and the laws thoroughly. Therefore these are the volumes a person should write or have printed. Whoever has it in his power to do both, to write a scroll and to buy printed Humashim should follow both interpretations of this commandment if he has the means. It applies everywhere and at all times, for men but not for women.
This Mitzvah is pretty straight forward but I have just a few comments on it. First of all, since the writing of a Torah scroll involves skills that are no longer a real part of our lives, the writing of these scrolls has been given over to a trained Sofer (scribe). These Sofrim (scribes) can produce a Torah scroll in about a year. They are commissioned by those who want to fulfill this mitzvah, who pay them for their labor. They also, usually, leave the last few lines unfinished. They outline the letters but do not fill them in, so that when they are done, there can be a “Siyyum” a ceremony for finishing a Sefer Torah. This Siyyum involves the person who commissioned the work to actually fill in some of the letters and to let others fill in letters so that everyone can say that “I wrote a Sefer Torah” since filling in one letter is the same as writing the entire scroll.
When an organization or synagogue commissions the Torah, they will raise money for the organization by having members or the organization and others in the community to sponsor the writing of a Parsha, paragraph, chapter, book, sentence or letter. In this way, everyone has a hand in writing this scroll. On can fulfill this Mitzvah when one participates in a Siyyum ceremony.
It is also important to buy a Humash, and other copies of Rabbinic texts for our homes so that we can study from them. Every Jewish home should have a printed Torah, Talmud, and law codes so that they can use them as reference books to understand their faith. Many online E-mails (like this one), websites, blogs and podcasts are designed to help us read and understand these important Jewish Texts. If we don’t have them in our homes we will never read them and will not come to value our heritage and our faith. This is more than just supporting the Jewish publishers of these texts, it is crucial to our growing in our understanding and commitment to Judaism.
The Hafetz Hayim may have lived in a time when women did not participate in this Mitzvah, indeed, women in his day never really studied Torah at all. In our day, however, women are equally commanded to study and they are equally commanded to write and purchase a Sefer Torah as described above.
Next week: Mitzvah 16: The importance of Torah Scholars
Volume 2: Number 14
January 16, 2006
Mitzvah 15: The Mitzvah of writing a Torah Scroll
Mitzvah 15 – It is a positive commandment that everyone in Jewry should write a Torah scroll for himself.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “Now therefore write this song” (Deut. 31:19) which the sages explain to mean “Write a Torah that contains this song.” One should not write a Torah in separate sections. If he writes it with his own hand it is as if he received the Torah at Sinai. If this is not possible, he should hire someone to do it for him or buy a Torah scroll. If he inherits a Torah Scroll, he still needs to write one for himself. However if he corrects one letter it is as if he wrote the whole scroll. Rabbenu Asher (who wrote the law code, the Tur) wrote that this applied to earlier generations when they would write a Torah Scroll and study from it. Today…It is a Mitzvah for everyone who has the means to buy humashim (printed bibles), Mishna, Talmud and their commentaries so that he and his children may study from them. For the religious duty of writing a scroll is to study from it so one will know the Mitzvot and the laws thoroughly. Therefore these are the volumes a person should write or have printed. Whoever has it in his power to do both, to write a scroll and to buy printed Humashim should follow both interpretations of this commandment if he has the means. It applies everywhere and at all times, for men but not for women.
This Mitzvah is pretty straight forward but I have just a few comments on it. First of all, since the writing of a Torah scroll involves skills that are no longer a real part of our lives, the writing of these scrolls has been given over to a trained Sofer (scribe). These Sofrim (scribes) can produce a Torah scroll in about a year. They are commissioned by those who want to fulfill this mitzvah, who pay them for their labor. They also, usually, leave the last few lines unfinished. They outline the letters but do not fill them in, so that when they are done, there can be a “Siyyum” a ceremony for finishing a Sefer Torah. This Siyyum involves the person who commissioned the work to actually fill in some of the letters and to let others fill in letters so that everyone can say that “I wrote a Sefer Torah” since filling in one letter is the same as writing the entire scroll.
When an organization or synagogue commissions the Torah, they will raise money for the organization by having members or the organization and others in the community to sponsor the writing of a Parsha, paragraph, chapter, book, sentence or letter. In this way, everyone has a hand in writing this scroll. On can fulfill this Mitzvah when one participates in a Siyyum ceremony.
It is also important to buy a Humash, and other copies of Rabbinic texts for our homes so that we can study from them. Every Jewish home should have a printed Torah, Talmud, and law codes so that they can use them as reference books to understand their faith. Many online E-mails (like this one), websites, blogs and podcasts are designed to help us read and understand these important Jewish Texts. If we don’t have them in our homes we will never read them and will not come to value our heritage and our faith. This is more than just supporting the Jewish publishers of these texts, it is crucial to our growing in our understanding and commitment to Judaism.
The Hafetz Hayim may have lived in a time when women did not participate in this Mitzvah, indeed, women in his day never really studied Torah at all. In our day, however, women are equally commanded to study and they are equally commanded to write and purchase a Sefer Torah as described above.
Next week: Mitzvah 16: The importance of Torah Scholars
Monday, January 9, 2006
HMS Volume 2: Number 13 - Mitzvah 14: : The Obligation to Learn and Teach Torah
Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 13
January 9, 2006
Mitzvah 14: : The Obligation to Learn and Teach Torah
Mitzvah 14
It is a positive commandment to learn Torah and teach it.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “and you shall teach them diligently to your children.” (Deut. 6:7) It is our duty that the words of Torah should be sharp in our mouths and we should not stammer over them. No matter if a person is rich or poor, young or old, suffering, poverty stricken or sustained by charity, we are duty bound to set a fixed time to study Torah every day until the day of our death. It is a religious duty for a father to sit and teach is son and the son takes precedence over others. The father also has a duty to study with his grandson. Children should begin to study when they begin to speak. If the father can not teach his son, he has the responsibility to hire a teacher for his son. A woman is free of the obligation of Torah study but she should make sure that her sons are not ignorant. The study of Torah is equal in importance to all the Mitzvot, since learning leads to action. It applies everywhere and at all times.
It is hard to overstate the fact that learning Torah is the single most important Mitzvah a Jew can do. As the Hafetz Hayim says, “learning leads to action”. The entire purpose of learning Torah for all Jews is so that we may know what our Creator requires of us.
First of all, let us be clear by what we mean by “Torah”. Torah is not just the Five Books of Moses, but the entire library of Jewish Law. It begins with the Five Books of Moses, but also includes the other books of the Bible, the Talmud, Codes and Midrash. There is no end to what we can study and this is why study is a life long endeavor. It is not for any one social class or age group. Study is for all Jews all the time.
While the Hafetz Hayim excludes women from the obligation to study Torah, he does this because it is a positive Mitzvah that is time bound. Women, in general, are free from Mitzvot that are positive and time bound since they have other duties that may make their participation impossible. Conservative Judaism finds these exemptions less then compelling today and has declared that women too have the obligation to study Torah in its widest sense and also are obligated to teach it to their children, both sons and daughters. Judaism is just too important to be the realm of just men/boys in our modern age. I am not away of any level of study that is closed to women in Conservative Judaism.
Parents thus have an obligation to teach their children. The rule is that if one can only afford one teacher, either for the parent or for the child, the parents must hire a teacher for themselves, and they, in turn, should teach their children. If for any reason a parent did not fulfill this obligation and did not teach Torah to his or her children, then, beginning at age 13, the child must arrange for their own education. There is no excuse for not learning. Even if one has to beg from door to door, one must study. It is said that the greatest of the Sages, Hillel the Elder, when he was a student, was so poor he could not pay the entrance fee to the school. He then climbed on the roof and put his ear to the skylight to hear the lesson being taught below. Once he almost died up there when it snowed and he was buried while listening to the lesson. One of the teachers, concerned about the poor lighting, looked up, saw the figure of a man on the skylight and ran to the roof to save Hillel. I should also note that from that time on, they abolished the entrance fee. To this day, in order to study, most institutions will do all they can to make it affordable for all who are in need. Rabbi Eleizer, a brilliant mind, was disinherited because he wanted to study. He studied anyway. Rabbi Akiva was illiterate until he was over 40 years old, but went to school with his son and became one of the greatest sages.
It is encumbent upon all Jews, to set a time every day to study Torah. There are no exceptions or excuses allowed. (For the record, reading this E-mail counts for today’s study, now find something to study tomorrow!)
Next week: Mitzvah 15: The Mitzvah of writing a Torah Scroll
Volume 2: Number 13
January 9, 2006
Mitzvah 14: : The Obligation to Learn and Teach Torah
Mitzvah 14
It is a positive commandment to learn Torah and teach it.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “and you shall teach them diligently to your children.” (Deut. 6:7) It is our duty that the words of Torah should be sharp in our mouths and we should not stammer over them. No matter if a person is rich or poor, young or old, suffering, poverty stricken or sustained by charity, we are duty bound to set a fixed time to study Torah every day until the day of our death. It is a religious duty for a father to sit and teach is son and the son takes precedence over others. The father also has a duty to study with his grandson. Children should begin to study when they begin to speak. If the father can not teach his son, he has the responsibility to hire a teacher for his son. A woman is free of the obligation of Torah study but she should make sure that her sons are not ignorant. The study of Torah is equal in importance to all the Mitzvot, since learning leads to action. It applies everywhere and at all times.
It is hard to overstate the fact that learning Torah is the single most important Mitzvah a Jew can do. As the Hafetz Hayim says, “learning leads to action”. The entire purpose of learning Torah for all Jews is so that we may know what our Creator requires of us.
First of all, let us be clear by what we mean by “Torah”. Torah is not just the Five Books of Moses, but the entire library of Jewish Law. It begins with the Five Books of Moses, but also includes the other books of the Bible, the Talmud, Codes and Midrash. There is no end to what we can study and this is why study is a life long endeavor. It is not for any one social class or age group. Study is for all Jews all the time.
While the Hafetz Hayim excludes women from the obligation to study Torah, he does this because it is a positive Mitzvah that is time bound. Women, in general, are free from Mitzvot that are positive and time bound since they have other duties that may make their participation impossible. Conservative Judaism finds these exemptions less then compelling today and has declared that women too have the obligation to study Torah in its widest sense and also are obligated to teach it to their children, both sons and daughters. Judaism is just too important to be the realm of just men/boys in our modern age. I am not away of any level of study that is closed to women in Conservative Judaism.
Parents thus have an obligation to teach their children. The rule is that if one can only afford one teacher, either for the parent or for the child, the parents must hire a teacher for themselves, and they, in turn, should teach their children. If for any reason a parent did not fulfill this obligation and did not teach Torah to his or her children, then, beginning at age 13, the child must arrange for their own education. There is no excuse for not learning. Even if one has to beg from door to door, one must study. It is said that the greatest of the Sages, Hillel the Elder, when he was a student, was so poor he could not pay the entrance fee to the school. He then climbed on the roof and put his ear to the skylight to hear the lesson being taught below. Once he almost died up there when it snowed and he was buried while listening to the lesson. One of the teachers, concerned about the poor lighting, looked up, saw the figure of a man on the skylight and ran to the roof to save Hillel. I should also note that from that time on, they abolished the entrance fee. To this day, in order to study, most institutions will do all they can to make it affordable for all who are in need. Rabbi Eleizer, a brilliant mind, was disinherited because he wanted to study. He studied anyway. Rabbi Akiva was illiterate until he was over 40 years old, but went to school with his son and became one of the greatest sages.
It is encumbent upon all Jews, to set a time every day to study Torah. There are no exceptions or excuses allowed. (For the record, reading this E-mail counts for today’s study, now find something to study tomorrow!)
Next week: Mitzvah 15: The Mitzvah of writing a Torah Scroll
Monday, January 2, 2006
HMS Volume 2: Number 12 - Mitzvah 13: Birkat HaMazon
Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 12
January 2, 2006
Mitzvah 13: Birkat HaMazon
Mitzvah 13
It is a positive commandment to say the blessing of Birkat HaMazon after eating bread.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “and you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your G-d.” (Deut. 8:10) According to the Torah one does not have to say the blessing unless he has eaten his fill. But the Sages enacted the law to say that even if he has eaten an olive’s amount of bread he is duty-bound to say afterwards the Birkat HaMazon. We infer this by the logic (kal v’Homer) that if a person says a blessing when he is full, how much more should he bless G-d when he is hungry. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men. For women, there is disagreement if they have the obligation to recite the Birkat HaMazon or not.
In Judaism, there is a blessing for everything, and as we see from the passage in Deuteronomy, we have to bless G-d when we have eaten our fill. This passage has been interpreted to mean that we should recite the Birkat HaMazon. It is not just recited at the end of a meal, but anytime that we eat more than just a few crumbs of bread.
Bread is the key to understanding how our Sages looked at food. There are blessings for almost every kind of food. For fruits, vegetables, nuts and most drinks. As we eat each food, we are supposed to say the proper blessing. The Sages understood, however, that bread was different. Bread is the key food that makes up most meals. Therefore it was determined that if one was eating bread and said HaMotzi, than that would also cover any other foods that were being consumed and of the three different blessings after the meal, the Birkat HaMazon was the only one required. In short, the eating of bread defines the meal and thus it trumps all the other foods that may also be served.
Birkat HaMazon consists of three blessings. “who sustains all life”; “for the land and for nourishment”; who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem”; and “our Father, our King, our Creator and our Redeemer…”. These four make up the core of the blessing. Other prayers have been added to acknowledge holidays and other special occasions. There is a special introduction to the blessing if there are three or more present at the meal. We also make an addition when there are ten present at the meal. The Birkat HaMazon should be recited at the table where you eat the meal. If you end your meal at a different table than where you started, if possible, you should return to the first table for the blessing. Since the table is considered an alter, there are some who will remove knives from the table (instruments of violence) before reciting the blessings.
While the Hafetz Hayim notes that there is a dispute as to whether or not women are obligated to recite the Birkat HaMazon, in reality the dispute is over whether or not this obligation is from the Torah or is it an enactment of the sages (Midioraita or Miderabbanan) almost everyone agrees today that women are obligated to say Birkat HaMazon. The issue over the source of that obligation determines the ability for a woman to lead the recitation of the Birkat HaMazon, especially the introductory passages when three or ten are present. If the obligation is from the Torah, than a woman can lead others in the Birkat HaMazon. If her obligation is from the Sages, than a woman could not lead men in the prayer who certainly have a different, higher obligation. Egalitarian Conservative Jews consider women equally obligated for Birkat HaMazon and women, in fact, do lead the prayer when a quorum of three or ten are present.
Next week: Mitzvah 14: The Obligation to Learn and Teach Torah
Volume 2: Number 12
January 2, 2006
Mitzvah 13: Birkat HaMazon
Mitzvah 13
It is a positive commandment to say the blessing of Birkat HaMazon after eating bread.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “and you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your G-d.” (Deut. 8:10) According to the Torah one does not have to say the blessing unless he has eaten his fill. But the Sages enacted the law to say that even if he has eaten an olive’s amount of bread he is duty-bound to say afterwards the Birkat HaMazon. We infer this by the logic (kal v’Homer) that if a person says a blessing when he is full, how much more should he bless G-d when he is hungry. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men. For women, there is disagreement if they have the obligation to recite the Birkat HaMazon or not.
In Judaism, there is a blessing for everything, and as we see from the passage in Deuteronomy, we have to bless G-d when we have eaten our fill. This passage has been interpreted to mean that we should recite the Birkat HaMazon. It is not just recited at the end of a meal, but anytime that we eat more than just a few crumbs of bread.
Bread is the key to understanding how our Sages looked at food. There are blessings for almost every kind of food. For fruits, vegetables, nuts and most drinks. As we eat each food, we are supposed to say the proper blessing. The Sages understood, however, that bread was different. Bread is the key food that makes up most meals. Therefore it was determined that if one was eating bread and said HaMotzi, than that would also cover any other foods that were being consumed and of the three different blessings after the meal, the Birkat HaMazon was the only one required. In short, the eating of bread defines the meal and thus it trumps all the other foods that may also be served.
Birkat HaMazon consists of three blessings. “who sustains all life”; “for the land and for nourishment”; who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem”; and “our Father, our King, our Creator and our Redeemer…”. These four make up the core of the blessing. Other prayers have been added to acknowledge holidays and other special occasions. There is a special introduction to the blessing if there are three or more present at the meal. We also make an addition when there are ten present at the meal. The Birkat HaMazon should be recited at the table where you eat the meal. If you end your meal at a different table than where you started, if possible, you should return to the first table for the blessing. Since the table is considered an alter, there are some who will remove knives from the table (instruments of violence) before reciting the blessings.
While the Hafetz Hayim notes that there is a dispute as to whether or not women are obligated to recite the Birkat HaMazon, in reality the dispute is over whether or not this obligation is from the Torah or is it an enactment of the sages (Midioraita or Miderabbanan) almost everyone agrees today that women are obligated to say Birkat HaMazon. The issue over the source of that obligation determines the ability for a woman to lead the recitation of the Birkat HaMazon, especially the introductory passages when three or ten are present. If the obligation is from the Torah, than a woman can lead others in the Birkat HaMazon. If her obligation is from the Sages, than a woman could not lead men in the prayer who certainly have a different, higher obligation. Egalitarian Conservative Jews consider women equally obligated for Birkat HaMazon and women, in fact, do lead the prayer when a quorum of three or ten are present.
Next week: Mitzvah 14: The Obligation to Learn and Teach Torah
Monday, December 19, 2005
HMS Volume 2: Number 11 - Mitzvah 12: Affixing a Mezuzah on the Door
Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 11
December 19, 2005
Mitzvah 12: Affixing a Mezuzah on the Door
Mitzvah 12
It is a positive commandment to affix a mezuzah at the entrance to a home.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut. 6:9). In the mezuzah, on a small piece of rolled up parchment, two sections of Scripture are written, these are the first two paragraphs of the Shema. Each person has a duty to take care of a mezuzah so that every time he or she enters or leaves the house he will encounter the unity of G-d and remember the love of G-d as written on the parchment. This awareness will awaken the person from their slumber and from their errors in the vapid empty matters of the present; and he will realize that nothing endures forever and ever except the knowledge of the Divine Rock – the foundation of the world. Thus that person will return at once to good sense and walk in the straightforward path of decency. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for both men and women.
The first thing we notice is that the mezuzah is NOT an amulet. It is not a good luck charm or some other kind of instrument that protects a home or the family that lives inside. These are pagan notions and not part of the Jewish understanding of the way the world works. In keeping with standard rabbinic practice, it is a “sign” or a “reminder” of our obligations as Jews and it points to the importance of G-d in our lives.
First some technical points: The essence of the Mezuzah is the handwritten parchment inside. The outside case can be as beautiful or plain as one desires (although you gets points for “hiddur mitzvah” or “beautifying a mitzvah” when you choose a nice case) just as long as the parchment inside is “kosher”. It should bear the seal of the rabbinic authority that is certifying the scroll. It does not matter if the mezuzah is place on the inside or the outside of the actual door as long as it is installed on the doorpost, that is, the upright part of the door that supports the lintel. It should be on the right hand side as one enters the room and it should be attached on the upper 1/3 of the doorpost. There is a blessing that is recited when a mezuzah is attached but if one is attaching many mezuzot at one time, one blessing is enough for the entire operation. A mezuzah should be affixed to every door that has doorposts over 3 feet high in the house with the exception of closet doors and the bathroom door.
The Rabbis argued over whether it should be attached vertically or horizontally, so the compromise is that we attach it at a 45-degree angle with the top pointing into the room.
This may sound like heresy but notice also that the Hafetz Hayim says that one needs to “see” the mezuzah, not touch it or kiss it. There is no mitzvah to kiss a mezuzah.
A spiritual note: Doorways are always a place of mystery. One world ends and another begins. As we make that transition, having words of Torah at our right hand is a great comfort and helps us to know that wherever we go, we are never far from our Creator.
It is not often easy to know which side is “the right side as one enters the room” especially for a hallway or a room with multiple entrances. When in doubt, a Rabbi should be consulted. Only once did I see a mezuzah on the left side of a door between the outside and inside of a building. It was on a supermarket in Israel, the door was an automatic exit door and entering from that doorway was difficult to impossible. It was “exit only” so it went on the right side as one exited the store. The entrance only door had the mezuzah in its customary place.
Next week: Mitzvah 13: Birkat HaMazon
Volume 2: Number 11
December 19, 2005
Mitzvah 12: Affixing a Mezuzah on the Door
Mitzvah 12
It is a positive commandment to affix a mezuzah at the entrance to a home.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut. 6:9). In the mezuzah, on a small piece of rolled up parchment, two sections of Scripture are written, these are the first two paragraphs of the Shema. Each person has a duty to take care of a mezuzah so that every time he or she enters or leaves the house he will encounter the unity of G-d and remember the love of G-d as written on the parchment. This awareness will awaken the person from their slumber and from their errors in the vapid empty matters of the present; and he will realize that nothing endures forever and ever except the knowledge of the Divine Rock – the foundation of the world. Thus that person will return at once to good sense and walk in the straightforward path of decency. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for both men and women.
The first thing we notice is that the mezuzah is NOT an amulet. It is not a good luck charm or some other kind of instrument that protects a home or the family that lives inside. These are pagan notions and not part of the Jewish understanding of the way the world works. In keeping with standard rabbinic practice, it is a “sign” or a “reminder” of our obligations as Jews and it points to the importance of G-d in our lives.
First some technical points: The essence of the Mezuzah is the handwritten parchment inside. The outside case can be as beautiful or plain as one desires (although you gets points for “hiddur mitzvah” or “beautifying a mitzvah” when you choose a nice case) just as long as the parchment inside is “kosher”. It should bear the seal of the rabbinic authority that is certifying the scroll. It does not matter if the mezuzah is place on the inside or the outside of the actual door as long as it is installed on the doorpost, that is, the upright part of the door that supports the lintel. It should be on the right hand side as one enters the room and it should be attached on the upper 1/3 of the doorpost. There is a blessing that is recited when a mezuzah is attached but if one is attaching many mezuzot at one time, one blessing is enough for the entire operation. A mezuzah should be affixed to every door that has doorposts over 3 feet high in the house with the exception of closet doors and the bathroom door.
The Rabbis argued over whether it should be attached vertically or horizontally, so the compromise is that we attach it at a 45-degree angle with the top pointing into the room.
This may sound like heresy but notice also that the Hafetz Hayim says that one needs to “see” the mezuzah, not touch it or kiss it. There is no mitzvah to kiss a mezuzah.
A spiritual note: Doorways are always a place of mystery. One world ends and another begins. As we make that transition, having words of Torah at our right hand is a great comfort and helps us to know that wherever we go, we are never far from our Creator.
It is not often easy to know which side is “the right side as one enters the room” especially for a hallway or a room with multiple entrances. When in doubt, a Rabbi should be consulted. Only once did I see a mezuzah on the left side of a door between the outside and inside of a building. It was on a supermarket in Israel, the door was an automatic exit door and entering from that doorway was difficult to impossible. It was “exit only” so it went on the right side as one exited the store. The entrance only door had the mezuzah in its customary place.
Next week: Mitzvah 13: Birkat HaMazon
Monday, December 12, 2005
HMS Volume 2: Number 10 - Mitzvah 11: Reciting the Shema Twice a Day
Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 10
December 12, 2005
Mitzvah 11: Reciting the Shema Twice a Day
Mitzvah 11
It is a positive commandment to recite the Shema morning and evening.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “and you shall speak of them… when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7). This means at the time you lie down and the time you rise up. Reciting the Shema consists of three sections of Scripture: Deut 6:4-9; Deut. 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. The first section is about love of G-d and the study of Torah, which is the peg upon which everything depends. The second section is the acceptance of the yoke of the other commandments while in the third section, there is the mention of the Tzitzit, the command to remember all the commandments and the religious duty to remember the Exodus. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men but not for women.
While the Hafetz Hayim is correct in his understanding of why we recite the Shema, it is not really very helpful in explaining why these three sections are recited. We have an entire Torah of verse, why are these three so important. We know that they were not randomly selected since they are listed out of order, implying that there must be a reason not only for their selection, but also as to why they are in the order in which they are.
The first paragraph is about love. If you look it up, however, you will see that it does not say that we “Should” love the Lord our G-d” rather it is the command that we must “Love G-d”. How is it possible to command someone to love another? Well, we do it every day when we love our parents. We don’t get to choose our parents; we just have to love them (and there is a whole lot of mental illness when we try to love parents who are not worthy of that love). This “parental” kind of love of G-d is the result of G-d being our creator (the same source of our love for our parents.) The theme of this paragraph, therefore, is Creation.
The second paragraph, talks about reward and punishment for the commandments, but the only reference to which commandments are rewarded is the phrase, “which I command you this day”. What day is referred to? The day the commandments were given at Sinai. Thus we need to do all the commandments given at Sinai. This is a very difficult passage since the punishments listed are all communal punishments for the sins of an individual. Some Reform Congregations thus leave this passage out, but if we look at it from an Ecological point of view, that when one person pollutes this world, the entire planet suffers, we may understand what the point of the paragraph is all about. Because it deals with the events at Mt. Sinai, we say it refers to Revelation.
The third paragraph, as noted by the Hafetz Hayim, is about the Exodus from Egypt. This is the biggest event in Jewish History. We say that it refers to redemption.
According the Tradition, G-d creates the world; G-d reveals to Humanity the Torah and thru the Torah, Humanity redeems the world. Thus the three paragraphs about Creation, Revelation and Redemption, are also about the relationship between G-d, Humanity and the World. If each triad is charted as a triangle, than if you intersect the two triangles, you get the Star of David. (This was first explained by Franz Rozenweig in the 1800’s in his book “Star of Redemption”)
In short, these six concepts are the core of what Judaism is all about. Saying the Shema is similar to saying “This is what I believe about the world” and is an appropriate “pledge of allegiance” to the Jewish People and to Judaism. This is why this prayer is so very important and why it is recited twice a day.
I have some questions from last week’s lesson on Tallit and Tzitzit:
J. Weiss writes: I met someone a few weeks ago who told me that he came to Sinai one Shabbat morning to see what our shul is like. He follows this custom that you mentioned, (about not wearing a Tallit until one is married) and he told me that the ushers at Sinai insisted he wear a Tallit despite his personal practice. Is this a custom that would be kept by individuals/families or is it more community wide?
I respond: The usher was in error. Alas sometimes we all get too involved with the rules. No, a person with the custom of not wearing a Tallit until married does not have to wear a Tallit to shul unless he is called to the bima. On the bima, he should wear a Tallit. It should also be understood that such a man would also be wearing a Tallit katan. If he does not wear a Tallit katan, than he is in violation of the mitzvah of Tzitzit
I wrote last week: Scripture makes this commandment the equal of all the other commandments when it says; “you shall see it and remember all the commandments of G-d”. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men but not for women.
Marjut Herzog writes: I have read that historically women wore tefillin, but historically did women also have the option of placing Tzitzit on their robes/dresses? Is it possible to take this mitzvah on by wearing the Tallit katan so that even though I cannot come to the synagogue and pray easily (with a small child) I can fulfill this mitzvah at home (while I am doing the spiritual duties of raising a child and keeping a home also supposedly equal to men’s Mitzvot). I really think this may be a lovely way to feel more connected – have other women considered this – I am not so thrilled with that last sentence because it sounds like man is putting word’s into Hashem’s commandment…
I respond: I have not seen anywhere that women put fringes on the corner of their garments. There is an article on mens and womens garments in Yigdal Yadin’s book on Massada. There is no reason in Jewish law that prevents a woman from wearing the Tallit Katan but I have not ever seen it done. If it is meaningful to you, than by all means you should give it a try. As for the men vs. women at the end of each Mitzvah, This is a reflection of the Rabbinic law that states women are excused from most Mitzvot that are positive and time bound. That is all positive commandments that must be performed at a set time. (There are exceptions, however, like candle lighting) “Excused” does not mean “prohibited”, so if you wish, the Mitzvah is open to you and to other women.
Finally, an item sent to me by R.diCapua that I will share with you without comment because, honestly, it is interesting but not relevant to the Mitzvot. I should note that the dye from the Murex snail is traditionally the source of the blue that was used in making Tzitzit in ancient times. There is a movement today to bring the dye back into use and you can see Tzitzit today with a blue thread (I myself wear them on weekdays)
A recent article by two Belgian scientists has revealed a fascinating "coincidence." J. Wouters and A. Verhecken studied the characteristics of the different dye molecules obtained from the Murex trunculus snail. One of the measurements was the absorption spectrum of the molecule. Light is made up of many colors (the spectrum) measured in units of nanometers (nm). Our eyes perceive color in a complex fashion based on the various combinations of colors of light that strike it. For example, gold absorbs blue light and reflects the rest. When our eye sees all the colors of the spectrum with blue taken out, it perceives the color as gold. Ultimately, however, the color we see is determined entirely by what colors something absorbs and what is reflected. The tekhelet molecule (indigotin) gets its color from a strong absorption peak centered at 613 nanometers!
Next week: Mitzvah 12: Affixing a Mezuzah on the Door
Volume 2: Number 10
December 12, 2005
Mitzvah 11: Reciting the Shema Twice a Day
Mitzvah 11
It is a positive commandment to recite the Shema morning and evening.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “and you shall speak of them… when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7). This means at the time you lie down and the time you rise up. Reciting the Shema consists of three sections of Scripture: Deut 6:4-9; Deut. 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. The first section is about love of G-d and the study of Torah, which is the peg upon which everything depends. The second section is the acceptance of the yoke of the other commandments while in the third section, there is the mention of the Tzitzit, the command to remember all the commandments and the religious duty to remember the Exodus. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men but not for women.
While the Hafetz Hayim is correct in his understanding of why we recite the Shema, it is not really very helpful in explaining why these three sections are recited. We have an entire Torah of verse, why are these three so important. We know that they were not randomly selected since they are listed out of order, implying that there must be a reason not only for their selection, but also as to why they are in the order in which they are.
The first paragraph is about love. If you look it up, however, you will see that it does not say that we “Should” love the Lord our G-d” rather it is the command that we must “Love G-d”. How is it possible to command someone to love another? Well, we do it every day when we love our parents. We don’t get to choose our parents; we just have to love them (and there is a whole lot of mental illness when we try to love parents who are not worthy of that love). This “parental” kind of love of G-d is the result of G-d being our creator (the same source of our love for our parents.) The theme of this paragraph, therefore, is Creation.
The second paragraph, talks about reward and punishment for the commandments, but the only reference to which commandments are rewarded is the phrase, “which I command you this day”. What day is referred to? The day the commandments were given at Sinai. Thus we need to do all the commandments given at Sinai. This is a very difficult passage since the punishments listed are all communal punishments for the sins of an individual. Some Reform Congregations thus leave this passage out, but if we look at it from an Ecological point of view, that when one person pollutes this world, the entire planet suffers, we may understand what the point of the paragraph is all about. Because it deals with the events at Mt. Sinai, we say it refers to Revelation.
The third paragraph, as noted by the Hafetz Hayim, is about the Exodus from Egypt. This is the biggest event in Jewish History. We say that it refers to redemption.
According the Tradition, G-d creates the world; G-d reveals to Humanity the Torah and thru the Torah, Humanity redeems the world. Thus the three paragraphs about Creation, Revelation and Redemption, are also about the relationship between G-d, Humanity and the World. If each triad is charted as a triangle, than if you intersect the two triangles, you get the Star of David. (This was first explained by Franz Rozenweig in the 1800’s in his book “Star of Redemption”)
In short, these six concepts are the core of what Judaism is all about. Saying the Shema is similar to saying “This is what I believe about the world” and is an appropriate “pledge of allegiance” to the Jewish People and to Judaism. This is why this prayer is so very important and why it is recited twice a day.
I have some questions from last week’s lesson on Tallit and Tzitzit:
J. Weiss writes: I met someone a few weeks ago who told me that he came to Sinai one Shabbat morning to see what our shul is like. He follows this custom that you mentioned, (about not wearing a Tallit until one is married) and he told me that the ushers at Sinai insisted he wear a Tallit despite his personal practice. Is this a custom that would be kept by individuals/families or is it more community wide?
I respond: The usher was in error. Alas sometimes we all get too involved with the rules. No, a person with the custom of not wearing a Tallit until married does not have to wear a Tallit to shul unless he is called to the bima. On the bima, he should wear a Tallit. It should also be understood that such a man would also be wearing a Tallit katan. If he does not wear a Tallit katan, than he is in violation of the mitzvah of Tzitzit
I wrote last week: Scripture makes this commandment the equal of all the other commandments when it says; “you shall see it and remember all the commandments of G-d”. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men but not for women.
Marjut Herzog writes: I have read that historically women wore tefillin, but historically did women also have the option of placing Tzitzit on their robes/dresses? Is it possible to take this mitzvah on by wearing the Tallit katan so that even though I cannot come to the synagogue and pray easily (with a small child) I can fulfill this mitzvah at home (while I am doing the spiritual duties of raising a child and keeping a home also supposedly equal to men’s Mitzvot). I really think this may be a lovely way to feel more connected – have other women considered this – I am not so thrilled with that last sentence because it sounds like man is putting word’s into Hashem’s commandment…
I respond: I have not seen anywhere that women put fringes on the corner of their garments. There is an article on mens and womens garments in Yigdal Yadin’s book on Massada. There is no reason in Jewish law that prevents a woman from wearing the Tallit Katan but I have not ever seen it done. If it is meaningful to you, than by all means you should give it a try. As for the men vs. women at the end of each Mitzvah, This is a reflection of the Rabbinic law that states women are excused from most Mitzvot that are positive and time bound. That is all positive commandments that must be performed at a set time. (There are exceptions, however, like candle lighting) “Excused” does not mean “prohibited”, so if you wish, the Mitzvah is open to you and to other women.
Finally, an item sent to me by R.diCapua that I will share with you without comment because, honestly, it is interesting but not relevant to the Mitzvot. I should note that the dye from the Murex snail is traditionally the source of the blue that was used in making Tzitzit in ancient times. There is a movement today to bring the dye back into use and you can see Tzitzit today with a blue thread (I myself wear them on weekdays)
A recent article by two Belgian scientists has revealed a fascinating "coincidence." J. Wouters and A. Verhecken studied the characteristics of the different dye molecules obtained from the Murex trunculus snail. One of the measurements was the absorption spectrum of the molecule. Light is made up of many colors (the spectrum) measured in units of nanometers (nm). Our eyes perceive color in a complex fashion based on the various combinations of colors of light that strike it. For example, gold absorbs blue light and reflects the rest. When our eye sees all the colors of the spectrum with blue taken out, it perceives the color as gold. Ultimately, however, the color we see is determined entirely by what colors something absorbs and what is reflected. The tekhelet molecule (indigotin) gets its color from a strong absorption peak centered at 613 nanometers!
Next week: Mitzvah 12: Affixing a Mezuzah on the Door
Monday, December 5, 2005
HMS Volume 2: Number 9 - Mitzvah 10: To put fringes on the corners of our garments
Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai
Volume 2: Number 9
December 5, 2005
Mitzvah 10: To put fringes on the corners of our garments
Mitzvah 10
It is a positive commandment to make fringes at the corner of their garments.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “that they shall make themselves fringes on the corners of their garments” (Numbers 15:28). It must be a garment worn by day, which has four corners or more and it is large enough for a small boy who is old enough to walk in the street without someone to watch over him. It should be able to cover the head and most of the body and it should be made of wool or linen. Then it requires the fringes on the corners according to the Torah. The Sages expand this law to include garments made of other kinds of cloth. A child who knows how to wear the garment, that is, with two fringes in the front and two in the back, has this obligation to wear fringes. Scripture makes this commandment the equal of all the other commandments when it says; “you shall see it and remember all the commandments of G-d”. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men but not for women.
Clearly the Hafetz Hayim is talking about a Tallit, a four-cornered garment that has special fringes on the corner. He is also talking about what is called a “Tallit Katan” or a small Tallit, usually worn under the shirt all day every day, including Shabbat and Holidays. Some wear it with the fringes hanging out; others wear it with the fringes inside. All boys old enough to know how to wear it wear the Tallit Katan. The Tallit is often only worn by adult males (older than 13 years old). There is also an old custom that the Tallit should only be worn by adult males who are already married.
The key to the garment are the fringes. These fringes are the symbol of the commitment to all of the Mitzvot. How is this done? The fringe itself is four white threads (sometimes one of these is ½ blue) One of the threads is much longer than the other three. (If there is a blue thread, this will be the long one) The ends are pushed through the hole in the corner of the garment and the ends are all put together, the bundle is folded so that seven ends are all equal. The longer thread is then wound around the bundle. First there is a double knot, then the cord is wound around the bundle 7 times, another double knot, then it is wound eight times, another double knot, then it is wound around 11 times, another double knot and then it is wound 13 times around the bundle and is finished with a final double knot. The double knots are tied with all four strings. This leaves you with eight fringes (only one of which is blue) and five double knots. The word for “fringes” in Hebrew is “Tzitzit”; it is spelled with a tzadik, yod, tzadik, yod, and tav. Each Hebrew letter stands for a number. The tzadik is 90, the yod is 10, and the tav equals 400. Add them all together (90 + 10 + 90 + 10 + 400 = 600) add to this the five knots and the eight strings and the total is 613, the traditional number of Mitzvot in the Torah.
Fringes are only worn during daylight hours, this is because you have to see the fringe to remember the Mitzvot, and you can’t see them at night. The only time a Tallit is worn at night is at Kol Nidre services since the Yom Kippur service is considered one long service, so the Tallit is put on before sunset and left on all night, then put on again in the morning and left on all day. There is a blessing that is recited when the Tallit or Tallit Katan is put on. You only have to say it once a day as long as you intend to put it back on when you take it off (for example, to go to the bathroom, where it would not be proper to wear a Tallit). Some people wrap the Tallit around their heads while reciting the blessing, to fully wrap themselves in the Mitzvot. Some also use that time, enwrapped in the Tallit for personal meditation and prayer.
Next week: Mitzvah 11: Reciting the Shema twice a day
Volume 2: Number 9
December 5, 2005
Mitzvah 10: To put fringes on the corners of our garments
Mitzvah 10
It is a positive commandment to make fringes at the corner of their garments.
Hafetz Hayim: Scripture states, “that they shall make themselves fringes on the corners of their garments” (Numbers 15:28). It must be a garment worn by day, which has four corners or more and it is large enough for a small boy who is old enough to walk in the street without someone to watch over him. It should be able to cover the head and most of the body and it should be made of wool or linen. Then it requires the fringes on the corners according to the Torah. The Sages expand this law to include garments made of other kinds of cloth. A child who knows how to wear the garment, that is, with two fringes in the front and two in the back, has this obligation to wear fringes. Scripture makes this commandment the equal of all the other commandments when it says; “you shall see it and remember all the commandments of G-d”. It is in force everywhere and at every time, for men but not for women.
Clearly the Hafetz Hayim is talking about a Tallit, a four-cornered garment that has special fringes on the corner. He is also talking about what is called a “Tallit Katan” or a small Tallit, usually worn under the shirt all day every day, including Shabbat and Holidays. Some wear it with the fringes hanging out; others wear it with the fringes inside. All boys old enough to know how to wear it wear the Tallit Katan. The Tallit is often only worn by adult males (older than 13 years old). There is also an old custom that the Tallit should only be worn by adult males who are already married.
The key to the garment are the fringes. These fringes are the symbol of the commitment to all of the Mitzvot. How is this done? The fringe itself is four white threads (sometimes one of these is ½ blue) One of the threads is much longer than the other three. (If there is a blue thread, this will be the long one) The ends are pushed through the hole in the corner of the garment and the ends are all put together, the bundle is folded so that seven ends are all equal. The longer thread is then wound around the bundle. First there is a double knot, then the cord is wound around the bundle 7 times, another double knot, then it is wound eight times, another double knot, then it is wound around 11 times, another double knot and then it is wound 13 times around the bundle and is finished with a final double knot. The double knots are tied with all four strings. This leaves you with eight fringes (only one of which is blue) and five double knots. The word for “fringes” in Hebrew is “Tzitzit”; it is spelled with a tzadik, yod, tzadik, yod, and tav. Each Hebrew letter stands for a number. The tzadik is 90, the yod is 10, and the tav equals 400. Add them all together (90 + 10 + 90 + 10 + 400 = 600) add to this the five knots and the eight strings and the total is 613, the traditional number of Mitzvot in the Torah.
Fringes are only worn during daylight hours, this is because you have to see the fringe to remember the Mitzvot, and you can’t see them at night. The only time a Tallit is worn at night is at Kol Nidre services since the Yom Kippur service is considered one long service, so the Tallit is put on before sunset and left on all night, then put on again in the morning and left on all day. There is a blessing that is recited when the Tallit or Tallit Katan is put on. You only have to say it once a day as long as you intend to put it back on when you take it off (for example, to go to the bathroom, where it would not be proper to wear a Tallit). Some people wrap the Tallit around their heads while reciting the blessing, to fully wrap themselves in the Mitzvot. Some also use that time, enwrapped in the Tallit for personal meditation and prayer.
Next week: Mitzvah 11: Reciting the Shema twice a day
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