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Thank you and Tizkeh L'Mitzvos!
If you are just joining us today, please see ARCHIVES so you can review the previous Halachos on this and other topics.
1) It is a Mitzvah for Jewish males to hold their Tzitzis in their left hands, near the heart, during the recitation of Krias Shma [of Shacharis]. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 24:2)
The reason for their being held in the left hand is due to the Posuk (Devarim 6:6) V'Hayu HaDevarim Ha'eileh...Al Levavecha, and these words...on your heart" (ibid.)
2) The Tzitzis should be held between the pinky and the ring finger for the entire Shma, and when reciting the Parsha of Tzitzis (V'Yomer) it should also be held with the right hand and gazed upon. (Mishna Berura Siman 24:4)
They should be held in this position until after the words "Ne'emanim V'nechemadim La'Ad" [in V'yatziv] are said. They should then be kissed and released from both hands. (Mishna Berura ibid. quoting the Arizal)
Since the reason for the left hand is due to its proximity to the heart, there is no difference in this Halacha between righties and lefties.
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:
You stated [in the halachos for Nov. 14 2008 ] that the feet must be together [after Kedusha] until Hakel Hakodesh. What is source for this? Most people move the feet after Yimloch.
What is your position on Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur? There are many paragraphs between the end of Kedusha and Hamelech Hakodosh. Must feet be together throughout until the end of the beracha?
Answer:
See Elya Rabba Siman 95:6 and Aruch Hashulchan Siman 95:5.
Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal (Halichos Shlomo, Tefilah, Perek 8: Ha'arah 60) maintains that on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur when there is a long time between Kedusha and HaKel Hakadosh, it isn't necessary to stand until HaKel hakadosh.
I heard in the name of Rav Joseph D. Soloveitchik Zatzal that he held that even on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur one must stand the entire time until HaKel HaKadosh, though I havent seen this in print and havent verified this yet.
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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:
The Torah tells us that our matriarch Leah thanked Hashem when her fourth son, Yehuda, was born, saying "HaPam Odeh Es Hashem, This time I will thank Hashem"
Why does Leah only thank Hashem for Yehuda?
Was she not thankful for her first three sons?
The explanation can be as follows:
The four wives of Yaakov Avinu knew B'derech Nevuah (via prophecy) that Yaakov was going to have 12 sons. So they all just assumed - four wives, 12 sons... 12 by 4 is 3 so that's three sons each.
When Leah had Yehuda, and saw it was a son, and saw that she now had FOUR sons, she realized that there was no such accounting in play.
With four sons to Leah, there was definitely going to be at least one wife with only two. And once there's no equal cheshbon, Hashem could just as easily gone with 6-6-0-0 or 5-4-3-0 or 4-4-4-0 (etc.)
And she could just as easily have been the mother of 0. Instead she was now the mother of 4.
So only with Yehuda did she truly realize that ALL of her sons were "gifts."
Until Yehuda, there was a part of her that saw her sons as something she was "due," but with Yehuda she realized retroactively that she had to give Hoda'ah (thanks) to Hashem even for things that seemed "natural".
Submitted by Ben M.
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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)
Please visit my website www.HalachaForToday.com for archives, Kosher links, Questions and Answers,and other features. Halachos are for study purposes only, and should not be relied upon for final Psak. See Halacha L'Maaseh Disclaimer Here. I welcome all questions on any topic, anytime! Help spread the word of Hashem!
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