Thursday
August 19 2010
9 Elul 5770; 21 Days to Rosh Hashana 5771
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Today's Halachos are dedicated by a daily reader, Hindy, as a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of Avraham Moshe ben Miriam Tova B'Soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, a 4 year old boy who is afflicted with the dreaded disease which has spread to his brain and his spine R"L . Please daven and learn and give Tzedakah in his merit.
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1)On Pesach, at the Seder, there is a Mitzvah to eat while leaning (B'Heseiva) to demonstrate Cheirus, freedom. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:2)
The leaning should not be forward, backward or to the right side, rather it must be done on the left side. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:3)
The reason for not leaning forward or backward is that doing so is not considered the way of Cheirus, freedom. (Mishna Berura 472:9)
There are two reasons for not leaning to the right side. One reason is that doing so will prevent the person from eating comfortably with his right hand. (Mishna Berura ibid. S"K 10)
According to this first reason alone, we may think that a left handed person would need to lean to the right side.
However, there is another [and more important] reason for leaning to the left, because a person's food pipe (trachea) is to the right and the air pipe is to the left, and when leaning to the right there is a chance that the cover of the air pipe will open and the food may get lodged in the wrong pipe and cause choking Chas V'Shalom. (Mishna Berura ibid.)
Therefore, there is no difference between lefties and righties and both need to lean to the left. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:3 and Mishna Berura S"K 11)
2) If a left handed person leaned to the right, B'dieved he has satisfied his obligation. (Mishna Berura ibid.)
If a right handed person leans to the right, according to some Poskim it is acceptable B'dieved, and according to others even B'dieved he has not satisfied his obligation. (Mishna Berura ibid. See also Kaf HaChaim Siman 472:23 and 48. See also Shu"t Hisorerus Teshuva Vol. 2 Siman 49)
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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:
I know that it is forbidden to call your parents by their first name, or even to refer to them by first name in conversation.
I, unfortunately, must daven for my sister, who was diasgnosed with [a disease], and my brother, who has just lost his parnasa, and I was wondering if I'm allowed to daven for them with my mother's name, or if there is something else I ought to say?
Answer:
When davening for a parent, the name of the parent should be said, just as Shlomo Hamelech prayed for his father saying "Dovid Avi, Dovid my father" (See Hagahos Rav Akiva Eiger to Shulchan Aruch 119:1)
Thus, when davening for a sibling, the mother's name may be said as well.
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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 Talmud (Rosh Hashana 17b) relates that Hashem Himself in all His glory wrapped Himself in a Tallis like a Ba'al Tefilah and appeared to Moshe Rabeinu and showed him the appropriate way for Klal Yisroel to pray (and earn the forgiveness of Hashem).
It was then that Hashem revealed to Moshe the "Yud Gimel Middos Shel Rachamim" (Tefilah containing the 13 attributes of mercy of Hashem), which we will say countless times in the Selichos , and is perhaps the most exalted and powerful prayer known to mankind.
Hashem told Moshe that whenever Klal Yisroel sins, they should pray for forgiveness using the expressions included in the 13 Middos Shel Rachamim, and He will forgive them! (see the above Gemara and Rashi at length for further details)
The following is a (loose) translation of the 13 Middos Shel Rachamim taken from the Sefer HaToda'ah by HaRav Eliyahu Ki Tov Zt"L based on the Gemara above. (There are many other interpretations by Rishonim , Acronim, and Mekubalim,on many different levels, but the following is the simplest and most concise way of understanding them.)
1) Hashem: "I am Hashem the merciful one before man sins, even though I know he will eventually sin"
2) Hashem: "I am the merciful one even after man sins [and repents] "
3) Kail: Kail is another expression of Hashem's Midas HaRachamim (attribute of mercy)
4) Rachum: "I have mercy on poor people"
5) V'Chanun: "and I have compassion for affluent people as well"
6) Erech Apayim: Hashem delays his anger and punishment and patiently awaits our Teshuva (repentance)
7) V'Rav Chesed: Hashem acts with compassion even to those without much of their own merits
8) V'Emes: Hashem rewards those who do His will
9) Notzer Chesed L'Alafim: Hashem remembers the Chesed that man does, for thousands of generations
10) Nosei Avon: Hashem carries mankind's sins (that were done intentionally) and holds on to them. (Doesn't punish right away)
11) V'Pesha: Hashem also carries mankind's defiant sins (that were done in rebellion)
12) V'ChaTa'ah: Hashem also carries mankind's unintentional sins (that were done inadvertently)
13) V'Nakeh Lo Yenakeh: Hashem wipes the slate (of sins) clean for those who repent, but not for those who remain unrepentant.
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Important Numbers
