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Have a question? Send it in! Questions are answered by Rabbi Bartfeld.
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#4 - Megule in the Refrigerator Over Night
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Q. B"H Dear Rabbi, A person had opened a
soda can and I put it (somewhat opened) in the refrigerator over night. What is
the halachic status of the soda can drink regarding "Megule"?
A. The prohibition of “Gilui”
or uncovered is a rabbinic injunction mentioned in Mishnayot Terumoth 8:4,
Talmud Chulin 9b, Avodah Zarah 30, and other places, and was instituted as a
protection for fear that a snake drank from the liquid while it was unguarded
and cast its venom into it. This prohibition applies to wine, water and milk
that were left uncovered without supervision long enough for a snake to come
out of a hole nearby, drink from it and return to its hole unobserved. The
sages issued this prohibition based on the Biblical command of “Greatly beware
for you soul’ (Devarim 4:9). The Gemara in Chulin (ibid.) adds that a
prohibition instituted because of fear of danger has to be treated more
strictly than an ordinary prohibition. Tosafot on Avodah Zarah 35a comments
that in our days when snakes are not prevalent in settled areas, this
prohibition does not apply anymore. Based on the above, Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh
Deah 116:1, states that: In our days when snakes are uncommon it is permitted”.
However, Pischei Teshuvah
(ibid.) quotes the opinion of the Shelah that a careful person should distance
himself from them as they (Gilui prohibitions) are all mentioned in the Tur. He
mentions too that the Gaon of Vilnah was extremely cautious on this
prohibition.
P’as Hashulchan2:32, adds
that they are other hidden reasons to Gilui besides the one quoted in the
Talmud. The Be’er Moishe (Rav Moishe Stern) p. 230, mentions that nowadays only
“Yechudei Segulah” are stringent on this prohibitions, yet his own mother was
very careful not to drink water that was left uncovered all night, and that in
Eretz Yisroel in certain places (where snakes are common) the prohibition
applies. In sefer Shaarei Torath Habais p. 313, after mentioning that the Gaon
of Vilnah and the Chazon Ish were stringent, and it is indeed a quality of “Chasidut”
to do so, however it is not for everyone, and if someone is unaware of the
details of this Halacha, he should not be stringent and discard good usable
food or drink, because of the inherent prohibition of “B’al Tashchis”
(destroying usable items) which is more severe.
It should be mentioned that
in regards to Kidush on Shabbat, Mishne Berurah 272:3 mentions that wine that
was left uncovered for a long period should not be used for Kidush. Not because
of the Gilui prohibition as above, but because it is not anymore of the prime
and highest quality of wine that should be used preferably for Kidush.
As is, originally Gilui
prohibition applied only to the drinks mentioned above, even wine is only
prohibited when it is not bubbly (as during fermentation, see Tur ibid.), Even
if the type of bubbles may be different, so there should be no reason to be
stringent on a partially uncovered can of soda (as is the nature of the opened
cans today), specially when it was left inside a refrigerator. Notwithstanding
the above, it is worthwhile to mention that I know of a case were someone left,
during the summer days, an uncovered can of sweetened drink, and when he later
drank from it, he was painfully stung by a bee on the inside of his mouth.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld - Revised
by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
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Posted 1/20/2009 12:00 AM |
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#3 - Wearing (carrying) glasses on Shabbat in Reshus Harabim vs hearing aides w/batteries both medical
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Q. Wearing (carrying) glasses on Shabbat in Reshus Harabim vs hearing aides
w/batteries both medical. Are both they allowed?
A. Wearing prescription glasses when needed is permitted in a Reshus harabim.
Hearing aids for people who need them critically (as in hearing the incoming
traffic on the street) are permitted when turned on before Shabbos. It is
preferable to use hearing aids that fit snugly in the ear and are constantly
used and seldom removed. Hearing aids that are part of glasses are permitted as
above (Rav Shlomo Z. Auerbach Zt”l quoted in Shmirat Shabbos 32-28 and Rav
Shlomo Miller Shlit”a.
From Rabbi a. Bartfeld - Ask The Rabbi - Frum Toronto
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Posted 12/31/2008 12:00 AM |
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#2 - Are Full Throttle energy drinks Kosher in Canada?
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Q: I was recently in Vancouver and ate at the JCC which is under the BCK.
I noticed that they were selling Full Throttle energy drinks (made by
Coca Cola) but not bearing any hechsher. I do know that these drinks DO have
an OU on them in most places in the US. Is Full Throttle kosher in
Canada?
Thank you.
A: All of the Full Throttle Energy drinks (including the ones sold in
Canada) are produced in the US.
I spoke to Rabbi Morrison at the OU and
verified the flavours sold at Navas in the JCC are indeed certified kosher
even without the OU on the can.
Rabbi Mendy
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Posted 12/31/2008 12:00 AM |
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#1 - Can you explain the Akaida Yitzchok to me?
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Q: Can you explain the Akaida Yitzchok to me? I heard he did die but didn’t go to shamayim and came back to Avraham years later.
A: In Vaikrah 26-42 the verse says: ”Then I
will remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also
My covenant with Abraham I will remember”. A Midrash and Sifra quoted in
Rashi explain: “Why was there not stated “remembering” in reference to Isaac?
However the ashes of Isaac appear before Me, heaped up and lying on the altar”.
There is another version to the Sifra
which includes the word “Keilu”, “as if” it were heaped, but not in reality, as
Isaac survived the ordeal (see: Beur Stumoth Rashi p.219). Another more common interpretation is that it
refers to the ashes of the ram, who took Isaac’s place as an offering on that
altar. Some add that: “Shelucho shel odom kemoto”, “An agent acting on ones
behalf, is like oneself” (ibid.) so the ram was seen as Isaac himself, though
it would be questionable to apply that principle to animals.
Another Halachick principle quoted is “Kol
Haomed Lisrof Kesaruf Domi”, “Anything that stands to be consumed by fire is
like it has been consumed already” (Ikahen Peer, Vayerah). A term used thorough
the Talmud, so halachakly, Isaac was seen as already consumed by the fire.
A more spiritual interpretation is given in
the Zohar: “When Isaac was offered on the altar his Neshamah (soul) of this
world departed. But as Abraham recited the Bracha of “Mechaiei Hametim”, a new
Neshamah of the World to Come was given to him”. So in that sense, Isaac did
depart partially from this world. (Bosee Learmonee p. 100)
On that line, Maharam M’pano (Chikur Hadin
2-8) adds: that from the departing soul of Isaac the ram acquired a physical
entity. As this ram was formed at the
very end of the days of creation (see Pirkei Avoth ch. 5), it originally had
only a potential existence, it materialized during the Akeidah in conjunction
with the departing Neshamah of Isaac, so the ashes were in that sense actually
Isaacs. This gives special meaning to the Midrash quoted by Rashi (Bereshit
22-13) that: “On every service (on the ram done by Abraham), he would pray and
say: let it be Your will, that this (service) should be considered, as if it
was performed on my son”
Rabbi Boruch M. Ezrahi (Birchas Mordechai –
Bechukotay) construes the following elucidation: “This (the ashes of Isaac that
appear before Hashem) teaches us that sacrifice creates its own reality. Isaac’s selflessness, abnegation, and will to
sacrifice, even if it did not materialize, generated a new certainty by
itself. It is that spiritual
reality what appeared before Hashem.
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Posted 12/26/2008 12:00 AM |
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Important Numbers
