Tuesday
8 Nisan, 5771; 7 Days until Pesach
April 12 , 2011
1) It is a Mitzvah to use red wine for the Arba Kosos, the four cups at the Pesach Seder. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:11)
It is ideal for men not to use Grape juice for the Arba Kosos.
If someone cannot drink wine, it is best for some wine to be mixed into the grape juice to the point that the wine can be tasted.
Of course, if due to health or other reasons, one is unable to drink even a little bit of wine , then grape juice should be used, and the obligation of the Arba Kosos will be fulfilled L'Chatchila. (See Shu"t Teshuvos V'Hanhagos Vol. 2 Siman 243 where he writes that the Chazon Ish, Brisker Rav, Techibiner Rav Zichronam L'Vracha and other Gedolim used grape juice at the end of their lives when they were unable to drink wine.)
Women and children can use Grape Juice L'Chatchilah.(ibid.)
2) If one has white wine that is a better quality wine than the red, it's better to use the better wine. (Rama Siman 472:11)
One of the reasons for opting for red wine is to commemorate the "Jewish blood" that was spilled by Pharaoh in Mitzrayim. (Mishna Berura Siman 472:38)
Thus, what many people who want to drink white wine do, is to add some red wine to it to turn the mixture red.
However, adding red wine or grape juice to white wine for the purpose of coloring the white wine is problematic, as even though the prohibition of "coloring" on Shabbos and Yom Tov usually does not apply to food, here where the whole purpose of the mixing is to "color" the drink, it may indeed be a prohibition of Tzvia, coloring. (See Halichos Shlomo, Pesach, Perek 9:5 and footnote Dvar Halacha 11)
The better option when doing this is to pour in the red wine first and then add the white wine to the red. (Based on Sha'ar HaTziyun Siman 318:65 where he writes that when done this way, according to all opinions, it isn't considered coloring.)
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:
What is the general rule regarding brushing ones teeth on shabbos ?
Answer:
If the teeth need to be brushed, it may only be done softly, with a dry brush which is designated for shabbos use. (according to some authorities, it has to even look different than the regular weekday toothbrush. (See Shu"t Minchas Yitzchok Vol. 3 Siman 50 ), in a way that will not cause bleeding.
Toothpaste may not be used according to Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal ( Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 1 Siman 112) and most contemporary Poskim.
They do have some sort of new Shabbos Toothbrush/tooth wash on the market which is OK, if necessary.
Mouthwash is OK to use.
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 תזכו למצות!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk Corner
WEEKLY "DAVENING CORNER" FEATURE!
This segment was compiled by daily readers of "Halacha For Today", Moshe Weiss, S. Weiss, and E. Willner of Brooklyn, NY.
Approximately 250 years ago, the Yesod VeShoresh HaAvoda wrote a will wherein he discussed the importance of davening correctly. He wrote that Eliyahu HaNavi attributes the length of the exile to the fact that we, as a nation, are not careful to enunciate the words of our tefillos properly.
He explains that our prayers, which offer praise to HaShem, when not pronounced correctly, are not complete and never really leave our mouths properly. The words of our davening are exact, and are intended to be pronounced accurately. Just as when speaking to a human being we are careful to use proper diction, so, too, and how much more important it is, to say the words the sages intended us to use carefully and properly.
Further, often the words that are mispronounced, sometimes entirely change the meaning of what we are saying. Punctuation, as well, can change the meaning of our words and phrases, so that putting a pause, or comma, in the wrong place can also change the meaning of the tefillah.
GENERAL RULE: Emphasis (shown here by bold and italics) is usually on the last syllable. Look for a vertical line in (most) siddurim if the emphasis is on a different syllable.
WEEK FOUR:
In shemoneh esrei, it is "mi chamocha ba-al gevuros. . .", Who is like you, Master of strength. If we mispronounce "ba-al" as one syllable (bal), it means without strength (chas veshalom). Similarly, we should be careful to say ba-al properly wherever the word appears in davening, such as at the end of Retzei in birkas hamazon (twice).
Previous Lessons
WEEK ONE:
Modeh (fem. = modah) ani lefanecha, melech chai vekayam, shehechezarta bi nishmasi bechemlah. (Pause) Rabah emunasechah.
Translation: You have returned my soul within me with compassion. (Pause) Abundant is your faithfulness! These last two words form an independent phrase. If you attach Rabah to the previous phrase, then you have the last word alone which doesn't mean anything by itself. So the full meaning is: I thank you HaShem for returning my soul with compassion. Why did you do it? Because your faith in me is great that I will spend my day productively doing the right thing and sanctifying Your name.
WEEK TWO:
The word/name is Yisraale (not Yisroel). It has a kamatz, not a cholam. As with most words in Leshon HaKodesh, the emphasis is on the last syllable. Note, too, that the nekuda under the aleph is a tzeirei [ai sound] and not a segol [eh sound]).
WEEK THREE:
Sometimes the emphasis actually changes the meaning of a word.
Example: VeAhavta - and you shall love, future tense vs. mispronunciation VeAhavta - and you loved - past tense. Emphasis is on last syllable. In Shema, this is a command for the future. You shall love HaShem with all your heart and soul. We would never mean to say chas veshalom, that we loved HaShem in the past. Note: the word after VeAhavta is ais (tzeirei), not es (segol).
For questions and comments on this segment please contact mw@mosheweiss.com
Important Numbers
