HaRav Yishai Natan - Hilchot Rosh Hashanah Understanding Halachah and Minhag When it comes to Rosh Hashanah, it is important to understand what is actual halachah, what is a minhag, what is a chumra, and what is simply a good practice. Sometimes people assume that everything they have heard must be done, which can create unnecessary pressure and friction in the … [Read more...]
Nitzavim/VaYelech – Standing for Kaddish and Torah Reading
HaRav Yishai Natan - The pasuk says at the beginning of Parashat Nitzavim, "Atem nitzavim hayom kulchem" — “You are all standing today.” The pasuk is obviously not speaking about the halachot of when we have to stand in the Bet Knesset. However, since the pasuk speaks about standing, we will use the opportunity to discuss some of the common situations in which people … [Read more...]
Hilchot Hagba’ah
HaRav Yishai Natan - The Source for Hagba’ah The pasuk in Devarim (27, 26) says: “Arur asher lo yakim et divrei haTorah hazot” — cursed is the person who does not uphold the words of this Torah. The Yerushalmi in Sotah (7:4) says, “Rabbi Shimon ben Yakim omer: zeh hahazzan” — this refers to the hazzan. The Ramban explains that the hazzan refers to the magbiah, the … [Read more...]
Washing Cup After Using the Bathroom
HaRav Yishai Natan - The pasuk says, “Veyated tihyeh lecha al azenecha.” When going out to war, a person was required to take a shovel with him. Why would someone need a shovel when going to war? A sword makes sense, but why a shovel? The pasuk explains, “Vechisita et tze’atecha.” After going to the bathroom, a person had to cover up his waste. We won’t discuss the … [Read more...]
CUTTING DOWN A FRUIT TREE
HaRav Yishai Natan - The Torah says: “When you besiege a city for many days to wage war against it and capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them, for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down.” (Devarim 20:19) The Torah tells us that when laying siege to a city, we may not cut down its fruit trees. Since the trees provide … [Read more...]