Erev Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Mishpatim; Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Adar 1;Rosh Chodesh will be next Erev Shabbos and Shabbos Kodesh.
23 Shvat 5771
January 28, 2011
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DOUBLE PORTION L'KAVOD SHABBOS KODESH
Halachos for Erev Shabbos Kodesh
1) If one has a basket of apples that contains in it one apple that is rotten to the point that it isn't edible, or is only edible B'Sha'as Hadchak, in extreme circumstances, that apple is considered P'soles and may not be removed from the basket.
2) If the apple in question is half rotten and half edible, if the edible part will be eaten immediately it may be removed, even if the "real" purpose and intent of doing this is to have the rotten part removed from the mixture.
Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh
1) It is prohibited to separate moldy inedible lettuce leaves from fresh edible leaves.
If, however, it isn't moldy to the point of being inedible, rather some of the leaves are simply a little dried out, they may be removed.
2) It is permitted, right before the time of eating, to remove the outer, inedible leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage in order to reach the inner edible leaves, as this outer layer is deemed like the peel of a fruit which may be peeled, as we will discuss B'Ezras Hashem in a few days. (See Biur Halacha Siman 319:1 Dibur Hamaschil Min Ha'Alin)
If, however, the inner leaves can easily be reached without removing the outer leaves, it is best to remove the inner leaves only.
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've heard that a woman should not make Havdalah for herself, but none of my neighbors are frum, so going to a neighbor is not an option.
I've been making Havdalah for myself.
Which is a better option...for me to continue making Havdalah for myself or for my son to call me and make Havdalah over the phone?
I know someone who did that for his mother, A"H, but at the time someone said it's not really acceptable. Any thoughts?
Answer:
Hearing Havdalah over the phone is a very last resort, as many Poskim maintain that it isn't acceptable.
It is better to make Havdala yourself and drink the cup of wine (as your obligation to hear/make a valid havdala takes precedence over the minhag of women not drinking the wine of Havdalah, or even to make it on coffee, tea or other aceptable bevarages if you can't drink wine, rather than hear it on the phone.)
If for whatever reason the woman cannot make her own Havdalah and will not have someone to say it for her before Tuesday evening (See Shulchan Aruch Simam 299:6), she can then rely on hearing on the phone as a last resort. (See Mishnah Berurah Siman 296:35, Aruch HaShulcha Siman 296:5,Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol.2 Siman 108 and Vol. 4 Siman 91:4 and Shu"t Tzitz Eliezer Vol.8 Siman 11)
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 inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR THIS SECTION, PLEASE EMAIL IT TO ME. THANK YOU AND TIZKEH L'MITZVOS!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk For Today:
QUESTION:
Wouldn't it be beneficial in a spiritual sense for a person to strive to gain wealth in order to help those who are needy, to support Torah institutions, and also to allow him to retire early and spend the rest of his life learning Torah?
ANSWER by HaRav Avigdor Miller Zatzal:
Now if a person actually had that in mind and no other motive, he certainly is justified. I'll tell you a little anecdote. There was once a Bochur in Yeshiva Chaim Berlin, a nice boy, good character, and also Frum. He was married; he went into some kind of business in Manhattan. I spoke to him once and said, "When will you sit down and start learning?"
He said, "I am working my way up to it, I hope to retire at forty and sit down to learn." He never made it, he didn't live to forty. I was at his death bed; I was thinking, the poor fellow, good boy. Had he begun learning right now, it could've been he wouldn't have died young. He gave his whole life to making money, with an ideal; at least he said that ideal, with the purpose 'at forty I'm going to retire.' Unfortunately he never made it, he died young and his wife married someone else, and he's long forgotten.
And so it's too perilous to postpone. So if you wish to make money for a good purpose, why not? Nothing wrong in gaining wealth, but at the same time don't neglect yourself right now. Strive to be a righteous man, an Eved Hashem right now. Strive to learn Torah, there's time, there's time. There's Shabbos, sometimes all day Sundays, evenings, people can utilize a great deal of their time, their vacations. Don't waste your life, life is valuable right now too, not only what's going to be later. Right now live as a decent and successful servant of Hashem, and it could be some day you will become wealthy enough to retire.
But don't postpone your spiritual achievements for some future date, just in the hope that then you'll be able to do more.