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1) When taking out, handing over, holding or carrying a Sefer Torah, it should be held with the stronger hand, thus a right handed person should carry it so that it leans on his right shoulder and he grasps it with his right hand, and vice versa for a left handed person. (Pri Megadim, Aishel Avraham, Siman 134)
Some Poskim, however, rule that even left handed people need to take it out and hand it over with their right hand, as it is more respectful for the Sefer Torah to be held on the right side. (However, it is possible that they rule this way only for taking out and handing over of the Torah, but not necessarily the entire time it is being held)
Another reason cited is based on the Posuk (Devarim 33:2) "MiMino Aish Das Lamo" which means that the Torah was written with Hashem's right hand and given to us by Hashem with His right hand. (See Darchei Moshe Siman 134 quoting MaHaril ,Sha'ar Ephraim Sha'ar 10:2 and Mishna Berura Siman 282:1 and Sha'ar HaTziun Os 2.)
2) All agree that if by holding it on his right side with his right hand it is in jeopardy of falling, that it be held on the left side with the left hand. (Sha'ar Ephraim ibid.)
There is no problem if the weaker hand is used to assist the stronger hand in taking out, handing over and carrying a Sefer Torah. (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:
[You wrote:] "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)"
Do you have any information as to what a male does if his heart is on the right side rather than the left side? Situs inversus totalis is a medical condition in which there is complete right to left reversal (transposition) of the thoracic and abdominal organs including the heart?
Answer:
The Poskim do indeed discuss this , and do not conclusively rule either way if he does things according to his heart or according to the side where most people's hearts are.
In the rare instance where this will come up, a Rav needs to be consulted for Halacha l'Ma'aseh. (See Shu"t Mishneh Halachos , Mahadura Tinyana, Orach Chaim Vol. 1 Siman 33 and Shu"t Avnei Nezer Yoreh Deah Siman 32:9. See also Shu"t Kanfei Yonah (printed in Prague 1812) Siman 46 where he discusses this phenomenon)
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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:
Rabbeinu Moshe Ben Maimon Zatzal, The holy Rambam
THE NATURE OF A PERSON IS TO BE PULLED BY THE THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS OF HIS FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES AND TO BEHAVE ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMS OF THE PLACE WHERE HE RESIDES, THEREFORE A MAN MUST ASSOCIATE WITH TZADDIKIM AND SIT NEXT TO THE WISE SO HE CAN LEARN FROM THEIRACTIONS. AND HE SHOULD DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM EVILDOERS THAT WALK IN DARKNESS SO THAT HE WILL NOT LEARN FROM THEIR ACTIONS. (Rambam, Hilchos De'os, Perek 6:1)
THE ONE WHO SANCTIFIES G-D'S NAME IS THE ONE
WHO AVOIDS SIN FOR G-D'S SAKE
He who refrains from sinning not for any reason in the world: fear, shame, honor but only because thus commanded the Creator Blessed be His Name, he is one that sanctifies the Name of G-d. (Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah Perek 5:10)
Rabbeinu Moshe Sofer Zatzal, The holy Chasam Sofer
The Holy Chasam Sofer ZTK'L wrote the following (in Taharas Yom Tov 8:9) "This aspect of this final Exile whereby it is harder than all other exiles and there's no day that doesn't bring worse curses than the prior day, this is because in the prior exiles there was no indecency or immodesty in women's dressing, nowadays however it is not thus, due to our many sins immodesty is common among women, which is a graver sin than all others in the Torah
Submitted by Gedalia
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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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