Maseches Menachos Daf 42: Daf 43: Daf 44: Daf 45: Daf 46: Daf 47: Daf 48: … [Read more...]
THE SUKKAH: KEEPING IT UP
TAKING DOWN A SUKKAH DURING SUKKOT I will be going away for the last days of Sukkot, and I do not need my Sukkah anymore. Can I take it down on Hol Hamo’ed before I leave? The Gemara (Sukkah 9a) derives from the verse (VaYikra 23:34) “The Hag of Sukkot shall be seven days for Hashem” that just as a Korban Hagiga (alluded to by the word “Hag” which is seemingly … [Read more...]
Bet HaVaad on the Parasha: Ha’azinu Birkot HaTorah: A Scriptural Benediction or Oral Tradition?
Highlights of a shiur by Dayan Yehoshua Grunwald כי שם ה' אקרא הבו גדל לאלקנו When I call the name of Hashem, ascribe greatness to our G-d. (Devarim 32:3) According to the Ramban, this Passuk is the source of the Mitzva of Birkat HaTorah, reciting a blessing before studying Torah. The Rambam, though, doesn't reckon Birkat HaTorah among the Taryag Mitzvot. Why not? One … [Read more...]
An Etrog or a Lemon?
The Halachic method for identifying a real Etrog By Rav Mordechai Lebhar, Posek for the SHC, Rosh Kollel LINK Los Angeles, and author of Magen Avot If you haven’t done so yet, chances are that you are searching for a proper set of Arba Minim for the upcoming holiday of Sukkot. Surely, you seek out a beautiful Etrog with which to fulfill this precious Mitzvah. You look at … [Read more...]
Hurricane Housing: When a Storm is the Norm
Halachic considerations of residences in risk prone areas By Rav Yitzhak Grossman In the wake of the recent Hurricane Florence, and reports of residents who remained at home and did not follow orders to evacuate, we explore in this article the halachic considerations of lifestyle choices and activities that carry an elevated risk of death. The 2016 Central Italy … [Read more...]