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Have a question? Send it in! Questions are answered by Rabbi Bartfeld.
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# 2477 In The Right Place
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Q. In a shul that usually the menorah is placed on the south side and the one lighting the menorah stands in the back of the menorah facing north and begins lighting from the west towards the east.
If for some reason they began this year lighting from east to west, since the one lighting the menorah was facing south, should the now change?
A. Mishna Berura (671: 43) quoting Chassam Soffer (186), rules that indeed the menorah should be placed on the south side of the shul. The one lighting the menorah should stands at the back of the menorah, between the menorah and the southern wall, facing north and he should begin lighting from the west towards the east. The first light is thus at the mizrach, by the Aron Hakodesh.
However, there are some dissenting views that maintain the menorah should be placed next and close to the southern wall without any space in between, while the one lighting faces the southern wall and begins lighting from west towards east (See Piskei Teshuvos 671: 13). Nevertheless, since the minhag of that shul was already to follow the Mishna Berura's opinion, even if the started this year differently, they should return to their minhag.
Divrei Yisroel (ibid.) and Mahari Bruno (39) opine that even congregations that follow the dissenting minhagim, should change to the opinion of the Chassam Sofer, since it is main.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that they should return and set the menorah as they always did, since the minhag of the Chassam Soffer and Mishna Berura is mostly accepted.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/29/2019 12:51 PM |
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# 2476 Better Late Than Whatever
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Q. I'm invited to a Chanukah party in another section of town and I'm being picked up about a half an hour before the shekia to be able to attend. Should I light candles before I leave or after I come back around 10 PM? Can I just light or participate with some money with my host?
A. On question 421 regarding lighting Chanuka candles before sunset we wrote: "Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 672: 1) rules that “you do not light the menorah before the shkiah – and one opinion is that in need you may light after plag hamincha” [one and a quarter hour (zmaniyos) before nightfall]. Mishna Berura (ibid. 3) adds that you can light with a brocho.
Nonetheless Shevet Halevy (4: 66) advises that it is better to light using an agent and on the right time rather than lighting oneself before the shkiah (after plag). A few Poiskim also maintain that you should avoid kindling before the shkia and if you have too you should not recite a brocho (Piskey Teshuvos ibid.Nitey Gavriel, Chanukah 3: 11).
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is in general to avoid kindling before shkiah unless it is utterly necessary, such as Erev Shabbos when we do recite a brocho."
The Rov's opinion is that in your case it is better to light at night, when you return home at night.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/29/2019 12:21 PM |
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# 2475 Make Yourself At Home
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Q. One who is invited Shabbos Chanuka to a friend's simcha and will be eating with them at the night seuda, while he will be sleeping with another family and eating the day's seuda in the shul's banquet hall, where should he light the Chanuka menorah?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that he should light at his main host, which is baal-simcha, and provider of the Shabbos Friday-night seuda.
The reason is that his overnight stay at another's family home, was likely arranged by his host and they are just being their shluchim or representatives. Had his host had the capabilities, he would have invited them to stay in his own home.
He can light his own menorah or contribute some money to share with their host.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a.
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Posted 12/27/2019 12:13 AM |
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# 2474 Easy Money
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Q. How much is the amount of money to be contributed when one is yotze menorah lighting by joining his host?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that the minimum amount would be a nickel which is the smallest coin that can be still used in Canada. It may be different in the United States where a penny is still viable currency. However,
the Rov stressed that one should treat his mitzva contribution with
the expected dignity and honor.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/27/2019 12:10 AM |
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# 2473 Not Sleeping Away
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Q. If a person is not eating or sleeping on one of the nights of Chanukah, (he is staying up the whole night learning in a beis medrash), does he still light in his house, even though he is not using his house?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that he has to light in his home before he goes to spend the night in the beis hamedresh.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/26/2019 11:58 PM |
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# 2472 There Is No Place Like Home
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Q. I have three options of where to light erev Shabbos Chanuka:
1. by my parents, with whom I live during the week
2. by my Shabbos host where I will be eating the Friday night seuda
3. by my host where I will be sleeping Friday night, as I do not sleep with my parents Friday night since they are mechallelei Shabbos and I sleep in a different house to avoid seeing chillul Shabbos.
Which is best?
If I should light by one (or both) hosts, could I just give them a quarter instead?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that you should light in your parents home which is your principal residence, after plag before Shabbos and then travel to your Shabbos host.
The Rov pointed out that lighting at the parents home, may have a good influence on them.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/26/2019 11:42 PM |
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# 2471 How Did That Turn Out?
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Q. We usually extinguish the Chanuka lights in shul after maariv since people go home and it may be dangerous to leave lighted candles on. Is it better to ask the security man to extinguish them after a half an hour?
A. On question 422 we wrote: "Some Poiskim maintain that in a shul you do not need to leave the candles lit for a half an hour, it suffices for them to be on as long as the mispaleleim are there. It is different from a private dwelling were the publicizing is done for the people in the street and originally when this mitzvah was established, they were there for a half an hour. (Binyan Av p.46, Leket Hachanuka p. 183, Rivavos Efraim 59) Others agree in principle with the above, but suggest that lekatchila, on the onset one should put enough oil and if possible maintain them lit for a half an hour (Teshuvos Vehanhogos 4: 171,Yalkut Yosef, Moadim p.203, Netzach Yosef p.160). Melamed Lehoil (1: 121) adds that you may complete the missing time by kindling in the morning during shacharis. Other Poiskim are more stringent and permit extinguishing the lights only when there is a fire danger or other significant need. (Shevet Halevy 8: 156,)
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit'a opinion is that if possible one should maintain them on for the full half an hour, however if no one is going to be there you may put out the lights or at least leave one on."
Horav Shlomo Miller's opinion is that if one can instruct the security person or any other Gentile that stays, to extinguish the candles after a half an hour one should do so.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/26/2019 11:26 PM |
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# 2470 Enlightening the Lighting
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Q. We will be traveling during Chanuka, and we are taking with us a few small tin menorahs with candles, for myself and the children. Can we on Shabbat use one of those menorahs to light the Shabbat candles? We would set that menorah separate from the others and with only two candles lit on it, as opposed to the six candles the others will have. Is that permitted? Could we use the shamashim of all the menorahs as Shabbath candles instead?
A. As mentioned in question 2462 above, Mishnas Sochir (O.H. 2: 205), Kinyan Torah (6: 47) and others, permit the use of a menorah that was used for Chanuka candles for another mitzva use, such as Shabbos candles, a seudas mitzva or learning Torah. However they should not be used for non- mitzva activities.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one should light the menorahs first using the shamoshim as always. After the Chanuka candles were lit, the shamoshin should be turned off and then placed in their usual location by each menorah. They should then be lit as Shabbos candles, by the spouse or daughters as they usually do.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/22/2019 9:49 PM |
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# 2469 Scanning the Scan Room
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Q. When undergoing an X-ray or cat-scan which requires being alone in a room with the female technician, what should one do to avoid transgressing the prohibition of yichud? Even if one's wife or friend is with him, they cannot be in the actual room due to harmful radiation.
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one may be lenient, since the procedure can usually be examined by others via the observation window and video cameras are also common in hospitals in our days. Besides doctors and technicians often go by and may just view the proceedings via an open or partially open door.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/22/2019 9:17 PM |
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# 2468 Praise the End
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Q. One that underwent a prostate operation and bleeds from his member, does he have to recite asher yotzar when he stops bleeding?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that if there was no urine discharge at all, no asher yotzar should be recited.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/22/2019 8:58 PM |
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# 2467 The Blessed Fruits
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Q. What brocho does one recite on dried cranberries?
A. On question 1239 we wrote: Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 203: 2) rules that one recites hoadama on berries grown on bushes that yearly loose their trunk and only the roots remain next year. Therefore on strawberries the correct brocho is hoadama and so rule many Poskim (See Mishna Berura ibid.3, Igrois Moishe 1: 86, Maharsham 1: 196, Vesein Bracha p. 392-394, Shaarei Bracha P. 707 n.758 et. al.)
If the plant grows within 3 tefachim (9 inches) of the ground, such as cranberries, we treat them as bushes and thus we recite on them hoadama. (Vesein Bracha p. 392-394, Shaarei Bracha P. 437 n.758 et. al.) The Halachos of Brochos quotes the psak of Horav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, z’tl, “Cranberries grow on creeping vines which grow along the ground. Although the plant produces fruit year after year, nevertheless, since cranberries grow within nine inches of the ground, its brocho is hoadamah.” Rav Belsky, zt”l (quoted in OU Kosher) ruled that the bracha on dried cranberries is hoadama. Although the cranberry plant survives from year to year, and in fact can live for over a hundred years, since the berries grow on or near the ground.
However, the Laws of Brachos by Rabbi Binyomin Forst, writes that the brocho on cranberries is haeitz. Shaarei Brachah (p. 565); Pinas Hahalacha Uminhag, (1309). Pischei Halacha (p. 283) and others maintain that although cranberries as we know them grow on low-lying vines, there are some cranberries that grow on 15 feet high plants. It seems that all cranberries were originally grown higher, but are now grown close to the ground to make the fruit easier to harvest. Therefore, many consider the cranberry a fruit, on which the blessing hoetz should be said.
In Halacha, when the proper brocho is hoadama, the recitation of haeitz would be incorrect, and would result in a bracha levatala and in effect no first bracha having been recited on the food at all. If one recited haeitz, some Poskim maintain that he should take a small bite and then out of doubt, make hoadama on a vegetable or similar. (Vesein Bracha p. 392-394, Shaarei Brocho 17 3 n. 4).
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that, the correct brocho on both strawberries and cranberries is hoadama. However, on strawberries even bedieved, after the fact, the haeitz recited on them is levatala (on vain), and a new hoadama blessing should be recited. For cranberries, after the fact, one should follow the last above mentioned opinion.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
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Posted 12/22/2019 8:32 PM |
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# 2466 Up In The Air?
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Q. What brocho does one make on hydroponically or aeroponically grown vegetables?
A. Poskim disagree on what brocho one recites on fruits and vegetables grown in non-perforated soil pots. Chayei Adam (51: 17), maintains that the brocho is shehakol, since they are not nourished by the soil in the ground. (See also Nishmas Adam 152: 1, Kaf Hachaim 168: 77, Shearim Metzuyanim B. 41: 1, Tzitz Elezer 9: 12).
Although some Poskim disagree with the Chayei Adam many agree reciting shehakol on vegetables grown in water, which is even further distinguished from earth-grown vegetables. Pischei Halacha also recommends to recite shehakol on hydroponics (See also Yechaveh Da’as 6:12, Machazeh Eliyahu 28 and others.
However, Chazon Ish, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Vezos HaBracha, Birur Halacha #24), Shevet HaLevi (1: 205), Teshuvos V’Hanhagos 2: 149, and Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky (Kovetz Halachos, Pesach 24:6), ruled that the proper bracha rishonah should be borei pri ho’adamah.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is also borei pri ho’adamah, including the aeroponically grown vegetables.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
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Posted 12/21/2019 10:27 PM |
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# 2465 Intent Coffee
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Q. We know that one can drink water, coffee or tea before davening shacharis to help concentration, even with milk and sugar. My question is; if a person is accustomed to drinking black coffee, is it mutar to decide to drink a coffee with milk and sugar before davening shacharis? Or would this be improper? Shkoyach
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that it if it helps to concentrate better and have more kavana, it is permitted.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
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Posted 12/21/2019 10:08 PM |
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# 2464 Quiet Please
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Q. Does the issur of lashon hara apply to something that is public knowledge and that a person himself "shouts from the rooftops," so to speak? For example, a person who constantly walks around in the street smoking wherever he goes, is it lashon hara to mention that he smokes?
A. A mentioned in question 2244 even when repeating facts well known by all there may be a prohibition of lashon haraa, as it still has to meet all the requirements that the Chofetz Chaim cites, to be able to further disclose in such a case, the information to others. (See Shemiras Haloshon klal 2), see also question.1554.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
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Posted 12/21/2019 9:34 PM |
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# 2463 Is That Really True?
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Q. If loshon harah is spoken but the listener doesn’t believe the information to be true does this make the speech non loshon harah?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that it is lashon harah and prohibited as mentioned also by other Poskim.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/21/2019 9:05 PM |
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#2462 Many Happy Chanuka Returns
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Q. My son is going to have his ninth birthday a few days after Chanuka and we want to give him as a present a silver menorah. Can he light that menorah during chanuka and then light it again during his birthday party, (all nine lights), when he is also making a siyum?
A. Chashukei Chemed (Shabbos 22a) writes of a similar shaila, to permit the use of the family menora by their non-Jewish cleaning lady for the eight birthday of her daughter. She requested it, because she was very impressed by the family ceremony and all the children singing together.
He quotes Mishnas Sochir mentioned on prior shaila, that would prohibit the use of a menora in a Gentiles birthday party, since it is not a mitzva.
In addition he depends his case on the disagreement between the Bach, who prohibits the use of a shofar after Rosh Hashana if it stands to be used next year, and the Magen Avraham who permits. (Mishna Berura 21: 4 and Biur Halacha ibid. D"H Abal).
Chashukei Chemed further debates if the menora is only a hechser mitzva, or a permitter of a mitzva, but not the mitzva itself and not the same as a shofar or a lulav. He also adds the factor of maintaining good relations, similar to the selling of a mezuza to a Gentile, when refusal may create insult and hostility.
In our case, since a siyum and a seudas mitzva is also involved, it stands to reason it should be permitted. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is it is permitted.
Rabbi Abraham Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/20/2019 4:08 PM |
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# 2461 Wow! Is That a Real Menorah?
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Q. Can one light a menorah made of sculptured ice, (the oil cups are glass)?
A. In principle a menorah is not essential in complying with the mitzva of Chanuka, as long as lights are lit in a proper utensil and it is able to stay lit for at least a half an hour.
Therefore, a sculptured ice menorah, that would likely survive several hours and hold in place the glass cups containing the oil or candles could be used. See question 2447, regarding a suka igloo, and 1015 on making or melting ice cubes during Shabbos.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is similar
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/17/2019 2:42 PM |
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# 2460 Nice and Quiet
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Q. Can one hug and kiss a young child that fell and hurt himself while in shul, to calm him and keep him from crying, when it is difficult to take him out somewhere else?
A. Horav Y. Zilberstein Shlit'a (Aleinu Leshaveach - Shemos p. 579) prohibits kissing a bar mitzva boy in shul after he finishes the haftora or reading the Torah etc. (See question 2459 above).
However, he permits kissing a young child that fell and hurt himself while in shul, since it is not done as a loving act, but just to calm down and tranquilize the infant.
Horav Shlomo Miller's opinion is similar.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/17/2019 2:32 PM |
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# 2459 Goodbye to Kiss
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Q. Since it is prohibited to kiss children in shul, since we should only show in Hashem's house love to Him, why do chasidim kiss the hand of their rebbes when in shul?
A. Remo (O.H. 98: 1) indeed rules that one should not kiss his young children when in shul. in order to establish and promote in his heart that there is no loves as great as the one we must have for Hashem.
Poskim mention that this rule applies not only to small children, but even to grownups. (Sefer Chasidim 255, Binyomin Zeev 163, and others).
However, Poskim permit kissing as a demonstration of honor and kavod to a Rov or a Torah teacher or a Talmid Chacham. (Avos Derav Nosson 6, Maseches Kallah 1: 21, Orach Mishpot 22). Ben Ish Chai (Vayikra 11.), Yechave Daas (4: 12) and other permit kissing their hands.
See also Talmud Nedarim (9b) regarding Shimon Hatzadik kissing a nazir at the Beis Hamikdash and Moshe kissing his brother Aharon when meeting him on Har Hoelokim (Shemos ).
Horav Shlomo Miller's opinion is that it is permitted
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/17/2019 2:30 PM |
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# 2458 No Returns Accepted
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Q. Re question 2450 above. - One who forgot to request mashiv haruach, and he already passed the bracha of Retzei, and then went back only to Shema Koleinu and mentioned it there, is he yotzi?
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that even bedieved, if after forgetting to mention mashiv haruach at the second brocho, one did not return to the beginning of the amida as required, even if one mentioned mashiv haruach at shema kolenu, one does not comply.
The reason being is that, as opposed to "vesen tal umotor," that is a request and part of the tefilos included in shema kolenu, mashiv haruach is not. It is only a hazkara or testimonial praise to Hashen, that does not belong in shomea tefila.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
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Posted 12/17/2019 1:48 PM |
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Important Numbers
