Thursday; 6th Day of Chanukah
December 17th 2009
1st Day Rosh Chodesh Teves 5770
Today's Halachos are Dedicated by a daily reader, J.S., as a Zechus Refua Shleima for Chaya Rivka bas Aviva Basya, an infant who was born 3 months premature and only weighs 2 pounds.
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1) It is forbidden to gaze at a rainbow for an extended period of time as it is a Siman Klala, a sign of Hashem's wrath that He really wants to destroy the world.
Rather if it is seen the Bracha should be recited, and it should not be looked at again. (Based on Talmud Chagiga 16a that one who gazes at a rainbow will go blind, quoted in Mishna Berura 229:5 and Be'er Heitev S"K 2 quoting the Shl"a Hakadosh. See also MaHarsha in Chidushei Agados to the aforementioned Gemara in Chagiga where he writes that gazing at a rainbow is tantamount to gazing at the Holy Shechina's presence and thus just as one who gazes at the Shechina must die, so too one who gazes at any manifestation of the Shechina is punished with blindness which is likened to death)
Furthermore, if one sees a rainbow, he/she should not say to another person "Look, there is a rainbow in the sky!" (Mishna Berura 229:1 quoting the Chayei Adam that doing so violates the principle of "Motzi Dibah Hu Kesil- One who utters bad tidings is a fool" (Mishlei 10:18), a scriptural warning against talking badly about the world)
Some Poskim allow telling your friend in a roundabout way "It is now possible to recite the Bracha on a rainbow". (Sefer Sha'arei Bracha page 479)
2) This Bracha is recited for every [new] rainbow that is seen, even if it is less than 30 days between sightings. (Mishna Berura 229:2)
Only a rainbow in the sky is a "sign" and would require a Bracha, and not a rainbow that is formed from the sun's shining on the water and causing a prism effect etc. (such as is visible on Niagara Falls or often times after a rainstorm such "rainbows" are visible on the ground)
Similarly, there is no prohibition to gaze at such a "rainbow" as it isn't considered a rainbow rather something that looks "rainbow like" (See Drashos HaRan, Drush 1 Dibur Hamaschil V'Zeh Hu Inyan HaKeshes where the great Rishon Rabbeinu Nissim discusses at length the nature of the rainbow and discusses some of the questions as to its origin etc.)
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A FREILICHEN CHANUKAH!
On Chanukah we spin the dreidel by holding the post on top of the dreidel. On Purim, we hold the gragger (the noisemaker) by the handle that is beneath it. The two ways of holding exemplifies the two types of salvation Hashem brings to the Jewish people.
On Chanukah we spin the top part of the dreidel, showing that salvation came "from Above" , as stirred by HaShem's compassion. But on Purim the gragger is held from below, an indication of how Hashem's mercy was aroused "from below". In the merit of the Jewish people on earth.
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