Wednesday
September 1 2010
22 Elul 5770; 8 Days to Rosh Hashana 5771
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1)The Mezuzah, besides for being a commandment in the Torah to place on the doorpost, is also a Shmira, protection for the home from harmful elements. (See Talmud Menachos 33b and Rashi there Dibur Hamaschil D’Tintarei. See also Rashi ibid. 32b Dibur Hamaschil Sakanah and Rashi to Pesachim 4a Dibur Hamaschil Chovas. See also Talmud Yerushalmi Peah Perek 1:1. ). According to the Rambam (Hilchos Mezuzah Perek 6:13, based on Talmud Menachos 43b) it is also a protection to prevent from sinning.
The Talmud (Avoda Zarah 11a) relates the story of how the Roman Caesar sent his soldiers to capture Onkeles (Who was the nephew of the Roman Caesar who became a convert to Judaism and subsequently one of the greatest Jews who ever lived. His Targum (translation) of the Torah is printed in virtually every Chumash and each week all male Jews are required to read the Torah of the week twice with his translation once) and each time as they tried to take him out of his home he placed his hand on the Mezuzah upon leaving and upon explaining his actions to the guards that he trusts in Hashem who protects His people, they converted as well.
Every Mezuzah has the name Shin Daled Yud written on the outside, which besides being a name of Hashem is an acronym for "Shomer Diras Yisroel, protector of Jewish dwellings" (Darchei Moshe Yoreh Deah Siman 288:3 quoting the Kol Bo. Similarly, in the Siddur of the Arizal it is written that it stands for "Shomer Dalsos Yisroel, protector of Jewish doors". See also Zohar Parshas V’Eschanan page 266b in the old prints)
The Rama (Yoreh Deah Siman 285:2, based on the Gemara above as well as on a Midrash Bereishis Rabbah end of Perek 35 )writes that when one leaves their home or enters their home they should place their hand on the Mezuzah and say a certain Posuk for shmirah.
Some people have the Minhag, before going to bed, to go to the door of their room, place their hand on the Mezuzah and say certain Pesukim for Shemirah. (See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 71:4)
Most Poskim do not write anything about "kissing" the mezuzah and simply write that it is a good thing to place one’s hand on it, as in the story of Onkelos it makes no mention of any kissing.
However, the Chida (in Birchei Yosef to Yoreh Deah 285) quotes the Arizal that "one should place a finger on the ’Shin Daled Yud’ that is on the mezuzah and kiss the finger and daven to Hashem for protection and to be saved from the Yetzer Hara", and seemingly many people have adopted this minhag (at least the kissing the finger part)
The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 11:24 also writes that the Mezuzah should be kissed when entering and leaving the home. However in Siman 71 that we referenced earlier regarding touching the Mezuzah before bed, he does not write anything about kissing it and only writes to place the hand on it so seemingly he holds that kissing is only necessary when entering or leaving the room.
2)A right handed person should touch [and kiss] the mezuzah with his/her right hand. (See Yesod V’Shoresh H’Avodah Sha’ar 2 Perek 8)
A left handed person should touch [and kiss] the Mezuzah with his/her left hand.
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question
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 have a question concerning the Halacha of adding requests during Shema Koleinu.
Does it have to be in Loshon Hakodesh?
I once heard that Tefillos in Loshon Hakodesh and Yiddish(!) are preferable than any other language... is it true? and would it be possible to know where its brought down?
Answer:
Though the best language to daven is Lashon Kodesh (See Mishna Berura and Biur Halacha Siman 62 and Aruch HaShulchan Siman 101:9), Tefilos may be said in any language that you understand, as long as they are heartfelt Tefilos from the heart (See Mishna Berura Siman 122:8).
This is true for all Tefilos no matter if they are B’Tzibur or B’Yechidus.
The only exception is the Aramaic language , as Tefilos may not be said in Aramaic unless one is davening B’Minyan (Therefore B’Yechidus one doesnt say Yekum Purkan, Brich Shemei or other Tefilos that were written in Aramaic).
Yiddish is no better than English or French regarding these Halachos. There are 3 categories: 1) Lashon Kodesh 2) Aramaic 3) ALL other languages.
For a more in depth treatment of these halachos see archives of Hilchos Tefilah, beginning with the halachos of Oct. 20 2008.
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rAV sHACH SPEAKING
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:
HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THE WORLD TODAY
* Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20 percent of all fatal accidents.
* Do not stay at home because 17 percent of all accidents occur in the home. (That’s 37% already)
* Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14 percent of all accidents occur to pedestrians. (Now that’s 51%)
* Avoid traveling by air; accidents involve these forms of transportation. (That’s 67%)
* Of the remaining 33 percent, 32 percent of all deaths occur in hospitals. Above all else avoid hospitals.
You will be pleased to learn that only 0.01 percent of all deaths occur in a synagogue, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders.
Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is in Synagogue services. Torah Study is even safer. The number of deaths during Torah Study is too small to register.
For safety’s sake, go to Shul as often as possible, and attend Torah Study. It could save your life!
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)
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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