09-5767 Mitzvah 38

Talmidav Shel Aharon
09-5767 Mitzvah 38
December 25, 2006

Mitzvah 38 – It is a positive commandment to give to the poor
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “Your shall surely open your hand etc.” (Deut. 15:8) and the Sages interpret this to mean even many time when necessary. And Scripture says further, “then you shall uphold him, the stranger and the sojourner (referring to the non-Jew who follows the 7 laws of Noah) that he may live along with you” (Lev. 25:35) and it states further “That your brother may live along with you” (Lev. 25:36)
One has to give according to what is suitable for the needy person and according to what he is lacking. If he as no clothing, his is to e clothed, and so provided with other things that he needs. If the donor’s means are not enough, he is to give him as he is able to: even a poor person who is sustained by charity has a duty to give charity to someone else.
A poor man who is related to him takes precedence over everyone else. The poor of one’s house take precedence over the poor of the town; the poor of his town take precedence over the poor of another town for Scripture says: “you shall surely open your hand to your brother, your poor man, and to your needed person in your land.” (Deut. 15:11)
If someone sees a penniless person seeking alms and he hides his eye from him and give him no charity, he disobeys this positive mitzvah and violates a negative commandment. It is a very severe transgression and he is called a scoundrel, a sinner and a wicked person.
We are duty bound to be more careful of the Mitzvah of charity than about all the other positive commandments; for charity is a distingu9ishing characteristic of the descendants of Abraham. The throne of Jewry is not properly established, nor can the faith of truth endure except though charity, since Scripture says, “Zion shall be redeemed with Judgment and those of her that return, with charity.” (Isaiah 1:27) So if anyone is merciless, his lineage has to be suspected; for the cruel lack of mercy is found only among the idolaters as Scripture says, “they are cruel and have no compassion” (Jer.50:42” All members of Jewry are as brothers (see Deut. 14:1) and if a person won’t have compassion on his own brother, who will take pity on him? To whom should the poor in Jewry life up their eyes beseeching help – to those who hate and persecute them? So their eyes look only to their brethren.
Now, it is necessary to give charity with a cheerful face, happily. Nothing bad ever results from charity. No one becomes poor from giving it, as Scripture says, “the work of righteousness shall be peace.” (Isaiah 32:17)It is necessary to calm and cheer a poor man and it is forbidden to rebuke him or raise one’s voice to him in shouting, because his heart is broken. And woe to anyone who shames a poor person.
If a person coerces other to give charity, his reward is greater than the reward of the one who gives. And whoever acts with compassion will be treated with compassion (see Deut 13:18) As for redeeming people in captivity, there s no greater religious duty than that. Whoever hides his eye from that transgresses many positive and negative commandments.
This is in effect at all times and it every place for men and for women.

In this lengthy message, the Hafetz Hayyim tries to stress the importance of Tzedaka, Charity. As we can plainly see, there are many quotes from Scripture that relate to acts of Tzedaka, to note the reward for giving and the punishment for closing one’s hand to the poor.
While the translator equates Tzedaka with “charity”, there really is a difference. Charity implies giving when one is moved to give. Tzedaka is based on the word for “justice”, and implies that we have an obligation to give, not just because our heart is willing.
Since the Hafetz Hayyim has gone on so long with the details of giving, I will keep my remarks short. He has clearly outlined the responsibility for every Jew to give. What he does not say is where the money should go. He notes that one should support one’s own family first and then the causes in one’s own city. Only then should we be concerned with needs elsewhere. He also notes that Jewish causes should come before secular ones since it should not be expected that non-Jews should give to Jewish causes.
One should give cheerfully, and never, ever embarrass a poor person. This is equal to killing the one embarrassed and is a serious crime. One should not be mean or cruel to the poor, but helpful and supportive. Note also that, according to Maimonides, the highest form of Tzedaka is to help a person get a micro-loan or a job so that they will break out of the cycle of poverty that keeps them begging for money.
Finally, collecting funds to redeem a captive is one of the highest forms of Tzedaka. This reflects the ancient practice of kidnapping a person and selling them into slavery. To this very day, the State of Israel will do whatever it can to bring home captive soldiers. The only limit to this is that the Sages warn not to pay too much or offer too much to redeem a captive lest the captors make a career kidnapping and ransoming Jews.
In sum, we all have an obligation to support those who are in need. We can choose who we will support, but we can’t turn our eyes away from the poor. This is one of the Mitzvot that point to the very essence of being a Jew: At the end of the day, we help and support each other.

08-5767 Mitzvah 37

Talmidav Shel Aharon
08-5767 Mitzvah 37
December 18, 2006

Mitzvah 37 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the day of Shemini
Atzeret.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the eighth day there shall be a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:36) The Law is the same as for the first day of Pesach. This is in effect at all times and it every place for men and for women.

While the Hafetz Hayyim is correct, that the laws of Shemini Atzeret are the same as the laws for the first day of Pesach (except we are allowed to eat Hametz and not restricted to Matzah). Shemini Atzeret is a full festival and all the laws that relate to working and praying on Festivals apply to Shemini Atzeret as well as Pesach and Shavuot.
But we would be doing a great disservice to Shemini Atzeret if we described it only as “just another festival”. In spite of the fact that it comes the day after the last day of Sukkot, it is not the same as Sukkot. You do not wave a Lulav and Etrog, and one is not required to live in a Sukkah. Its purpose is as enigmatic as the purpose of Shavuot. Shavuot, if you remember, is the holiday that follows 7 weeks after the beginning of Pesach and has not special rituals nor historical explanation. Later Rabbis did some math and determined that Shavuot was the day the Torah was given at Mt. Sinai. Shemini Atzeret suffers from the same problems. It comes on the eighth day after a seven day festival and also has no historical explanation. Sukkot is all about the harvest but what is the meaning of Shemini Atzeret? Noting that Sukkot is an international holiday, with rituals on behalf of the other nations of the world, The Sages of the Talmud saw Shemini Atzeret as the day after the festival, when all the other people have been sent home and we ask our “family” to say behind and join us for another day.
Since all holidays celebrated outside of the Land of Israel, get a day added to make sure there are no Calendar issues, Shemini, a one day holiday, takes on a second day. The second day, however, has taken on a life of her own. The second day of Shemini Atzeret is called Simchat Torah, and it is designated as the day we complete our annual reading of the Torah and start it over again. It seems that whenever the Rabbis are in doubt as to the meaning of a holiday, the just assign it some importance in relationship to Torah.
We are not even sure what the term “Atzeret” actually means. It is generally defined as a Festival, a holy convocation, a time to gather for a holy purpose. We have no idea why the two biggest festivals on the Calendar, Pesach and Sukkot, have an Atzeret following them, for Sukkot, the additional holiday comes right away, but for Pesach, it comes seven weeks later. In spite of all the mystery, we celebrate Shemini Atzeret. There is a Yizkor memorial service on the first day, and the wild and crazy celebration of Torah on the second day. After a month full of holidays, it will be the last full festival until Pesach. Only the minor holidays of Hanukah, Tu B’Shevat, and Purim will interrupt the winter.

07-5767 Mitzvah 36

Talmidav Shel Aharon
07-5767 Mitzvah 36
November 27, 2006

Mitzvah 36 – It is a positive commandment to take up the four species on Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of thick trees and willows of the brook.” (Lev. 23:40) This means on Lulav (palm branch), one Etrog (citron), three myrtle branches and two willow branches. One must hold them in the same position that they grow. Once he has lifted them, he has fulfilled the Mitzvah. The entire day is the proper time to take them up. The Sages have declared that they are taken up each of the seven days of the festival, not just the one day that the Bible requires. We do not take the species up on Shabbat, the Sages have forbidden this even if the first day is Shabbat for fear that one may carry them which would be a full violation of Shabbat. If one of the four species is disqualified or missing, the entire set can not be used. You cannot use a borrowed set on the first day of Sukkot but you can on the other days. A stolen set is always disqualified. A child who knows how to wave them properly should wave them even if he is under legal age in order to train him in the Mitzvot. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.

A Lulav and Etrog set are known as “The Four Species” and that is the better name since the set includes more than just a palm branch and Etrog. The origin of these branches is a big mystery. The bible requires them, but is unclear just which species are included (thick trees? Splendid trees?) The Etrog is particularly a problem since it is not native to the Middle East. It came through trade to Babylonia in the seventh century and was probably picked up by the Israelite exiles there and brought back to Israel when the exile was over in the sixth century. The book of Nehemiah seems to think that the fruit of splendid trees was olive branches. That would make a lot of sense. Perhaps, in the Greek period, when olive branches were used in pagan rituals, the Etrog was substituted for the olive.
They are held together with the braches down and the leaves pointing up, which are the way they grow naturally. The palm branch is in the middle and with the spine of the palm branch facing you; the myrtle branches would be on the left and the willow on the right. These branches are bound together and held in the left hand. The right hand holds the Etrog, with the stem down and the pitom (the remnant of the Etrog flower) up. When we take up the set for the first time each day, we recite the blessing. Since we can not take the set until we say the blessing and can’t say the blessing without the set, we take the set but hold the Etrog upside down (pitom down) say the blessing and then turn it over before we wave it in the six directions: East, South, West, North, Up and Down. We shake the Lulav three times in each direction, not more, not less. On the first day one also recites the Shehechiyanu.
While one can take the Lulav up all day, it is used on Sukkot in the morning service for Hallel and Hoshanot. It is waved during the recitation of Psalm 118 at the beginning and near the middle and near the end. It is not waved but paraded around the synagogue during Hoshanot. Once each day of Sukkot it is paraded around the synagogue and then it is paraded seven times on the last day, Hoshana Rabba.
It is particularly praiseworthy to have a beautiful set and to carry the Etrog to and from the synagogue in a beautiful carrying box. You should own your own set but you can borrow a set if you do not own one. One can’t use a stolen set at all.
Children who are old enough to use a set, should have a training set to get used to fulfilling the Mitzvot, but they are not obligated to wave the four species until after Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
The Hafetz Hayyim may not require women to wave the four species as it is a time bound mitzvah for which women would be exempt, but Conservative Judaism does require women to wave the four species and women should have their own set.

Hillel Konigsburg asks: Is it one should be able to see the stars or that one has to see the stars? (when standing in the Sukkah). I was always under the impression that it is suggested but not required.Rabbi Replies: You are correct, it is a sign that the top has been arranged properly, it is not a requirement to see the stars.

06-5767 Mitzvah 34 & 35

Talmidav Shel Aharon
06-5767 Mitzvah 34 & 35
November 20, 2006

Mitzvah 34 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the first day of Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the first day, a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:35) The law is the same as the law for the first day of Passover. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.

As I wrote then: “Resting on Holidays is not the same as resting on Shabbat. The rest of Shabbat is more comprehensive than that of festivals since Shabbat can be only one day and a festival can be two or more days long. Cooking, spreading an existing flame and carrying from one domain to another are forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on a Festival.”

Mitzvah 35 – It is a positive commandment to dwell in a Sukkah all seven days of the festival..
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “You shall dwell in booths seven days.” (Lev. 23:42) The entire seven days of the festival, on should eat, drink and live in the Sukkah both by day and night. All the seven days a man is to make his home an occasional place and his Sukkah his fixed place. It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the Sukkah; on the first night it is a duty to eat at least an olive’s amount of bread in the Sukkah. Thereafter, if one wants to eat bread, he is to eat it in the Sukkah; if he wants to eat fruit, he may eat it outside the Sukkah. A young child who as reached the age of training has the obligation by the law of the Sages. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.

A Sukkah is a booth constructed for the purpose of living in it for the duration of the Sukkot holiday. The shape of the building is like the letters of Sukkah (Samech, Chaf and Hey) that is, it can have four walls (and a door); three walls or two and one-half walls. The walls can be constructed of any material at all, even attached to a permanent structure. What is crucial, however, is the roof. It must be constructed of branches that let sunlight in by day, and allow one to look out at night. By day, there should be more shade than sun on the floor of the Sukkah; by night one should be able to see the stars. The material used must be branches or some other natural material not constructed by human hands. One can use corn stalks, evergreen branches, palm branches or any other natural material cut from its roots or trunk. The branches must actually be cut: a Sukkah cannot be built under a tree to use the growing branches as a roof. One is allowed to beautify the Sukkah in any way that will enhance the beauty of the holiday.
We build a Sukkah in order to use it. We should, minimally, sit in the Sukkah and say the blessing at least once a day. Better, one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah. If possible, one should even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven days of the festivals. While one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah, one can snack anywhere during the festival, as long as it is not a formal meal. (For the Sages, this usually required bread to be served.) The first night of Sukkot, it is required to eat in the Sukkah. Once this minimum is observed, if one only snacks for the other six days and never eats bread until after the holiday is over, he has still fulfilled his obligation to eat in the Sukkah.
The symbolism of the Sukkah is that our ancestors wandered 40 years in the desert with only the clouds of G-d to shelter them from the sun and the elements. We also show our faith in G-d by dwelling in these temporary booths and trusting G-d to protect us. I should note: it is not permitted to sit in the rain or any inclement weather during the festival. In Israel, we can be sure that it will not rain on Sukkot and the weather will be nice. In the rest of the world, we can not be so sure. We should try to eat in the Sukkah, but if the weather is not permitting us to eat there, we cannot endanger our health by sitting there in bad weather.
Every year, in December, I am asked if Jews can decorate their homes and their trees with beautiful lights like our Christian neighbors do. The answer is no. This is their season to decorate, it is their holiday, not ours. We can look at their decorations, but it would be poor taste to imitate it ourselves when it is not our holiday. We can however, decorate our Sukkot in September, with lights, pictures and all manner of decorations in honor of our holiday. Ask your rabbi for Sukkot decorating tips.
The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that a child should be trained in observing the mitzvot before the child becomes obligated. All Jews are obligated to perform all the mitzvot when they reach their thirteenth birthday. The Sages, however, insist that children nine years old and older begin practicing the mitzvot. They should fast a half day on Yom Kippur and eat their meals with the adults in the Sukkah. While there is a long history of Women being exempt from the Mitzvah of living in a Sukkah as it is a “time bound” mitzvah, that women are exempt from performing, today, in the community of Conservative Judaism, woman should also eat and sit in the Sukkah. November 20, 2006

Mitzvah 34 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on the first day of Sukkot.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “On the first day, a holy convocation.” (Lev. 23:35) The law is the same as the law for the first day of Passover. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.

As I wrote then: “Resting on Holidays is not the same as resting on Shabbat. The rest of Shabbat is more comprehensive than that of festivals since Shabbat can be only one day and a festival can be two or more days long. Cooking, spreading an existing flame and carrying from one domain to another are forbidden on Shabbat but permitted on a Festival.”

Mitzvah 35 – It is a positive commandment to dwell in a Sukkah all seven days of the festival..
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “You shall dwell in booths seven days.” (Lev. 23:42) The entire seven days of the festival, on should eat, drink and live in the Sukkah both by day and night. All the seven days a man is to make his home an occasional place and his Sukkah his fixed place. It is forbidden to eat a regular meal outside the Sukkah; on the first night it is a duty to eat at least an olive’s amount of bread in the Sukkah. Thereafter, if one wants to eat bread, he is to eat it in the Sukkah; if he wants to eat fruit, he may eat it outside the Sukkah. A young child who as reached the age of training has the obligation by the law of the Sages. This is in effect at all times and it every place for males but not for females.

A Sukkah is a booth constructed for the purpose of living in it for the duration of the Sukkot holiday. The shape of the building is like the letters of Sukkah (Samech, Chaf and Hey) that is, it can have four walls (and a door); three walls or two and one-half walls. The walls can be constructed of any material at all, even attached to a permanent structure. What is crucial, however, is the roof. It must be constructed of branches that let sunlight in by day, and allow one to look out at night. By day, there should be more shade than sun on the floor of the Sukkah; by night one should be able to see the stars. The material used must be branches or some other natural material not constructed by human hands. One can use corn stalks, evergreen branches, palm branches or any other natural material cut from its roots or trunk. The branches must actually be cut: a Sukkah cannot be built under a tree to use the growing branches as a roof. One is allowed to beautify the Sukkah in any way that will enhance the beauty of the holiday.
We build a Sukkah in order to use it. We should, minimally, sit in the Sukkah and say the blessing at least once a day. Better, one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah. If possible, one should even sleep in the Sukkah during the seven days of the festivals. While one should eat all their meals in the Sukkah, one can snack anywhere during the festival, as long as it is not a formal meal. (For the Sages, this usually required bread to be served.) The first night of Sukkot, it is required to eat in the Sukkah. Once this minimum is observed, if one only snacks for the other six days and never eats bread until after the holiday is over, he has still fulfilled his obligation to eat in the Sukkah.
The symbolism of the Sukkah is that our ancestors wandered 40 years in the desert with only the clouds of G-d to shelter them from the sun and the elements. We also show our faith in G-d by dwelling in these temporary booths and trusting G-d to protect us. I should note: it is not permitted to sit in the rain or any inclement weather during the festival. In Israel, we can be sure that it will not rain on Sukkot and the weather will be nice. In the rest of the world, we can not be so sure. We should try to eat in the Sukkah, but if the weather is not permitting us to eat there, we cannot endanger our health by sitting there in bad weather.
Every year, in December, I am asked if Jews can decorate their homes and their trees with beautiful lights like our Christian neighbors do. The answer is no. This is their season to decorate, it is their holiday, not ours. We can look at their decorations, but it would be poor taste to imitate it ourselves when it is not our holiday. We can however, decorate our Sukkot in September, with lights, pictures and all manner of decorations in honor of our holiday. Ask your rabbi for Sukkot decorating tips.
The Rabbis of the Talmud teach that a child should be trained in observing the mitzvot before the child becomes obligated. All Jews are obligated to perform all the mitzvot when they reach their thirteenth birthday. The Sages, however, insist that children nine years old and older begin practicing the mitzvot. They should fast a half day on Yom Kippur and eat their meals with the adults in the Sukkah. While there is a long history of Women being exempt from the Mitzvah of living in a Sukkah as it is a “time bound” mitzvah, that women are exempt from performing, today, in the community of Conservative Judaism, woman should also eat and sit in the Sukkah.

05-5767 Mitzvah 33

Talmidav Shel Aharon
05-5767 Mitzvah 33
November 13, 2006

Mitzvah 33 – It is a positive commandment that a sinner should turn back from sin and should confess the misdeed before G-d.
Hafetz Hayyim: As it says in Scripture: “When a man ore woman commit any sin … then they shall confess their sin (Bamidbar 5:6-7) This means an avowal in words before G-d. He is to say from the depths of his heart, “I beseech you G-d: I have sinned, done wrong, and acted criminally before you. This-and-this I did (and here one describes the sin in detail) and here I have regretted my deed and become ashamed of it. Never will I go back and do this again” The main element is remorse in the heart, over the past and one must take it upon himself not to do such a thing ever again. This confession is the essential part of repentance; but the more one confesses, the more praiseworthy he is. Even death and the confession on Yom Kippur, however, bring no atonement and forgiveness unless they are with repentance. This is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.

This is the kind of Mitzvah, confessing sins, that most people don’t really attach themselves to and prefer not to think about. It is easy to see why. We don’t like to admit our mistakes and we don’t like to say out loud that we may be wrong, let alone confess that we really messed up. We would rather our errors disappear and be forgotten and we thus would not have to face them and worry about them ever again. I was once told that Oliver North, the man behind the Iran-Contra scandal during the Regan Administration, tried very hard to cover his tracks while he was diverting money against the directions of Congress. He thought that he had erased all record of the transactions from his computer, never knowing that the National Security Agency had a mainframe computer in the basement that recorded and stored all transactions made on the agency’s computers. Oliver North commented during the trial that “We thought we had eliminated all traces of our work, clearly we were wrong” In a similar way, we have this almost childish dream that no one will notice our mistakes and we will not have to face up to them. The fact is that we do have to face them, and we need to face our Creator too, as if G-d were an eternal parent.
The anatomy of repentance involves many steps. First there must be a realization that we have done something very wrong. We have to first admit to ourselves that we have made a mistake and we need to take action to repair what we have done. Second we need to confess to the person we have offended or hurt directly and honestly. We need to make a formal apology and make whatever restitution is necessary to secure that person’s forgiveness. (We also need to be forgiving of others who may have offended us. Judaism says we have to ask for forgiveness three times. If we are turned away without it three times, the problem becomes one of holding a grudge, a serious sin, on the unforgiving party) We can not have G-d forgive us if we have not faced the offended party. Once the person we have offended has forgiven us, we need to be forgiven by G-d. We need to make our oral confession, not for G-d’s sake; G-d already knows the sins we have done; rather we need to confess out loud our sins and resolve never to do them again as part of a regimen that will help us keep from repeating our mistakes. G-d is compassionate and we can be assured of being forgiven unless we go back and do the same sin over and over again. If we keep doing the same sin and then confessing before we do it again, eventually G-d will figure out that our confession is not sincere.
One should confess sins every day, so that we do not carry a burden of sin with us wherever we go. The two most important times for this kind of confession is on Yom Kippur and on the day of our death. Both have a special confession that should be recited to make sure that all sins, even those we may have forgotten, are properly addressed so we can move forward, in this world and in the world to come, without the baggage of sins weighing us down.Remember, confessing and repenting our sins is not just for others or for G-d. It is something we can do for ourselves to put our past behind us, to confront our mistakes and the times we delude ourselves into thinking that what is wrong could be right, and then move on with our lives free from the worry that someday, our past will catch up with us.

04-5767 Mitzvah 32

Talmidav Shel Aharon
04-5767 Mitzvah 32
November 7, 2006

Mitzvah 32 – It is a positive commandment to fast on Yom Kippur.
Hafetz Hayyim: As the Torah says: “On the tenth day of the seventh month there shall be a day of atonement … and you shall afflict your souls” (Lev. 23:27). It is necessary to fast from evening to evening and end the fast a bit after the end of the day. If one eats more on the day before Yom Kippur, it is as though he fasts on both the ninth and tenth of Tishrei (the day of Yom Kippur and the day before). It is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.

“Afflicting your soul” on Yom Kippur implies five deprivations. 1. Eating; 2. Drinking; 3. Anointing; 4. Wearing leather soled shoes and 5. Sexual relations.
Because the day is spent seeking atonement for all the sins we may have incurred in the previous year, we do not want to be distracted from our duties. If our very life in the new year is at stake, than we can abstain for a day from sexual relations with our spouse. Leather soled shoes are not about the leather, but about luxury. We do not want to show off our most expensive clothing, but we dress simply, this implies non-leather shoes and plain white clothing. Even the High Priest in the Temple of Jerusalem, would put aside his highly ornamental robes for plain linen ones for Yom Kippur. In a similar vein, we don’t wear makeup or cologne or any other form of decoration that is purely ornamental since we are being judged on who we are, not how we appear. There is no deception in the Heavenly Court. Still, the most recognized deprivation for Yom Kippur is the refraining from eating and drinking for the 25 hours of the fast.
On the one hand, the reason for the fast is that we are trying to imitate the angels in the Heavenly Court who neither eat nor drink. If we can emulate them, we can be assured of being judged favorably in the new year. On the other hand, when our lives are in danger, who would stop to eat or drink? Yom Kippur is a day of great danger, since our lives are in the balance, but Yom Kippur is also a joyful day, since we know that our fast will be successful and we will find forgiveness on this day. Most physicians agree that there should be no problem with a healthy person fasting for one day. Still there are some rules for fasting.
One should prepare for the fast by eliminating those foods that may have side effects if they are suddenly suspended. It is a good idea to stop drinking caffeine a few weeks before the fast so there will not be withdrawal which can cause a headache or worse if you ingest daily a significant dose of caffeine. The day before Yom Kippur, it is important to have a good meal, not a spicy, heavy meal, but a plain meal that is well balanced but not too heavy. A good dose of protein and carbohydrates will help get through the fast but beware, too many carbs may cause you to burn out early. Medications that are taken daily should be taken with this meal and try and drink just plain water (not coffee or tea, certainly, and sugar drinks are also not helpful) If one eats properly before the fast, than it is as if you have fasted two days instead of one. The meal on one day makes the second day possible.
Because of the ban on anointing, some refrain from washing the next morning. You can wash hands and face. The original ban only included visiting a spa (hot springs or hot tub) on Yom Kippur and that the issue is not washing at all. Still some keep the washing to a minimum. One should take morning medications if they are necessary for health. If you are not sure, ask your doctor. Do not skip a day on medications without a doctor’s permission. Pregnant or nursing mothers, the ill and infirm do not fast on Yom Kippur. Children under the age of 13 are not required to fast but it is a good idea that a child older than nine should practice fasting by not eating for half the day. Each year he or she can fast an extra hour until they can go the whole day. One is not allowed to endanger their life by fasting so if you feel ill, one is supposed to eat. We err on the side of caution when it comes to fasting. If one passes out from hunger and says, “I need to eat” and a doctor is present and says, “no you don’t need to eat” we ignore the doctor and feed the patient. If the doctor says the person needs to eat and the person said, “no I don’t” we ignore the person and feed the patient. In times of medical emergency or plague, and the entire community could be endangered by fasting, than the whole community must eat. Saving a life takes precedence over fasting on Yom Kippur.
A post-fast break-the-fast should be like a breakfast with breakfast type foods. Yom Kippur will never fall on a Friday or Sunday so that we don’t have to deal with fasting and the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat.
Since being in places where we could get hungry would be a bad idea, some spend the day at the synagogue so that the usual hunger cues will not be triggered. One does not talk about food on the day as this will only make the fasting harder. One should concentrate on the prayers of Yom Kippur and the hunger will pass. Conservative congregations also support Project Isaiah, where the food we don’t eat is donated to food shelf/pantry projects so that those who don’t eat on a daily basis will have food for themselves. Canned or non-perishable foods are brought to the synagogue and donated to local food programs. This is a great way to make our fast even more meaningful.

03-5767 Mitzvah 31

Talmidav Shel Aharon
03-5767 Mitzvah 31
October 30, 2006

Mitzvah 31 – It is a positive commandment to rest from work on Yom Kippur.
Hafetz Hayyim: As the Torah says: “it shall be for you a day of solemn rest” (Lev. 23:32). Whoever does work on Yom Kippur disobeys a positive commandment and violates a negative one. If it is done willfully, the punishment is Karet; if unintentially, a sin offering must be brought. Whaever labor is forbidden on the Sabbath is likewise forbidden on Yom Kippur. It is in effect at all times and it every place for both males and for females.

We will deal with the special restrictions on Yom Kippur at a future date, but this matter of “rest” on Yom Kippur is, in reality, a big part of what Yom Kippur is all about. Shabbat is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur, however, is called in the Torah “Shabbat Shabbaton” the Sabbath of Sabbaths. This means that the holiday must be at least as important as Shabbat, possibly more important. The more important part of the day involves the fasting that we will take up another day, but the rest from work can not be overlooked. Whatever is forbidden on Shabbat is not permitted on Yom Kippur and the punishment is exactly the same.
If the violation is done willfully, that is, it is done with the full knowledge that the action in question is forbidden and the person performs the action anyway, then the punishment is “karet” which means that “the soul is cut off”. What does this mean? Maimonides defines this punishment as the extinction of the soul, in both this world and the next. In other words, what would be the point of attaining eternal life in the world to come if one can not observe the most important commandments in this world? It should, however, be noted that this punishment is reserved for G-d. Human Beings do not enforce a punishment of karet.
On the other hand, violations done by mistake, without premeditation, can be corrected through bringing a sin offering to the Temple in Jerusalem. The Hafetz Hayyim knew, even in his day, that this is now impossible. Since the year 70 CE, the Temple of Jerusalem has been destroyed and the sacrifices have been discontinued. The Hafetz Hayyim may be thinking that when the Messiah comes and the Temple is rebuilt, a violator of Yom Kippur would be liable to bring a sin offering. This is part of a debate that has been going on for a long time. There are some who insist that sacrifices are the only way one can really feel close to G-d. This is why they are called, in Hebrew, “Korbanot” because the make one feel near to the Holy One. There are others, however, who follow Maimonides and many other important scholars who teach that the sacrifices were once a part of our worship because that was the form of worship in vogue so long ago. The sacrifices have ended and they will not be restarted because we have grown in our spirituality and no longer need such a physical ritual to feel closer to G-d.
Since the destruction of the Temple, Prayer, especially the Amida, the personal prayer that is recited individually, has taken the place of animal sacrifices. I myself believe in this approach and do not, in any way, advocate a return to the sacrificing of animals as a Jewish ritual. According to this approach, anyone who violates the rules of rest on Yom Kippur by mistake, should pray that day that his or her sin should be forgiven. The prayer itself is the sacrifice. In other words, we should resolve to try harder to rest the next Yom Kippur. The only warning is that one can not rely on Yom Kippur to atone for sins that are performed with premeditation and foreknowledge. You can’t sin and think that, “Oh well, G-d will forgive me on Yom Kippur” We are specifically taught that such sins will not be forgiven and the punishment is karet.