Today's Halachos are dedicated by a daily reader, Y.H.L., L'Zecher Nishmas his grandfather, R' Moshe Leib ben Rav Yerucham Haleivi, Yahrtzeit today 14 Menachem Av. May his Neshama continue to rise in Gan Eden and may he be a Meilitz Yosher for the entire Mishpacha.
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1) When cleaning the hands, the right hand should be washed first. (Mishna Berura Siman 2:7)
When showering or otherwise washing the entire body, the head should be washed first, as it is the king of all the limbs, and is then followed by the right hand, left hand, right foot left foot. (ibid. and Halichos Shlomo, Tefilah, Perek 2 footnote 30 in Dvar Halacha. See also Rambam Hilchos Dei'os Perek 4:16)
2) All of the aforementioned Halachos apply equally to righties and lefties. (See Mishna Berura Siman 2:6 and Siman 4:22. See also Shu"t Be'er Moshe Vol. 1 Siman 3:1)
Many Poskim are of the opinion that today's days it is not necessary to wash in any particular order. However, many Poskim do say that if possible to stick to this order it is still praiseworthy. (See Mogen Avraham Siman 2:4, Halichos Shlomo ibid.)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
If throughout the day I constantly drink (sometimes sipping and sometimes a large amount) water and other liquids (minimum of several times per half hour), when do I (or should I) make a bracha acharona of borei nefashos?
Answer:
This is a very common, and complicated, situation which affects almost all people on a daily basis.
Here are a few basic guidelines with which to determine your personal status:
1) Borei Nefashos is only made if one eats a kzayis of food or a revi'is of beverage (except wine or grape juice, which needs a Al HaGefen), within a certain time span (between three and six minutes, depending on different Poskim)
2) Borei Nefashos should ideally be said in the place where you ate/drank immediately following the eating/drinking, but may be said in a different location as well, and up to 72 minutes after consuming food [though you have significantly less time after drinking. According to Rav Scheinberg Shlita you ony have 30 minutes after a drink, unless you have become thirsty again, in which case the first drink is no longer satisfying you, and then you cannot make a Borei Nefashos anymore, even if it's less than 30 minutes since you drank].
3) If one is not sure if he/she is required to make a Borei Nefashos, since it is M'Drabanan, it is best to not say it. (this applies to one who forgot if it was already said as well as to one who is uncertain if he ate/drank the minimum needed in the right amount of time to qualify for requiring the Bracha Achrona)
4) In the above case, where you aren't going to say Borei Nefashos, try one of the following things instead: 1) Eat another Kzayis of food/Revi'is of drink and then make Borei Nefashos on everything. 2) Ask someone else who is making a Borei Nefashos,to be Motzi you, and answer Amen 3) Think the words of the text in your mind without saying them, as this is acceptable according to the Chazon Ish based on the Rambam.
I hope these guidelines help you determine the right thing to do in your situation.
For a more lengthy treatment of this topic see "Halachos of Brochos" by Rabbi Yisroel Pinchos Bodner, an excellent Sefer that I think every Jewish home should posess.
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CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short Chizuk thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
קוה אל ד', חזק ויאמץ לבך, וקוה אל ד'
Chizuk For Today:
In his book on mourning practices, Gesher Hachaim, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Tukachinsky used the following parable to explain the Jewish view on life after death:
Twin brothers, fetuses in their mother's womb, enjoyed a carefree life. Their world was dark and warm and protected. These twins were alike in all aspects but one. One brother was a 'believer': he believed in an afterlife, in a future reality much different from their current, miniature universe.
The second brother, however, was a skeptic. All he knew was the familiar world of the womb. Anything besides what he could feel and sense was only an illusion. The skeptic tried to talk some sense into his brother. He warned him to be realistic, but to no avail. His naive brother insisted on believing in an extraordinary world that exists after life in the womb, a world so immense and fantastic that it transcends their wildest dreams.
The months passed, and the fatal moment arrived. Labor began. The fetuses became aware of tremendous contractions and shifting in their little world. The freethinker recognized that 'this is it.' His short but pleasant life was about to end. He felt the forces pressuring him to go down, but fought against them. He knew that outside the womb, a cruel death awaited, with no protective sack and no umbilical cord. Suddenly, he realized that his naive brother was giving in to the forces around them. His brother was sinking lower!
"Don't give up!" he cried, but his twin took no heed. "Where are you, my dear brother?" He shuddered as he heard the screams from outside the womb. His poor brother had met his cruel fate. How naive he had been, with his foolish belief in a bigger, better world!
Then the skeptic felt the uterine muscles pushing him out, against his will, into the abyss. He screamed out ...
"Mazal Tov!" called out the doctor. "Two healthy baby boys!"
Submitted by C.S.
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Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות
- one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (Talmud Niddah 73a)
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