Tuesday
5 Sivan 5771; 49th Day of the Omer; Erev Shavuos;1 Day to Kabolas HaTorah!
June 7, 2011
SPECIAL TRIPLE PORTION L'KAVOD CHAG HASHAVUOS
Halachos for Tuesday, Erev Shavuos
1) It is permissible to spread fruit jam that has pieces of fruit in it, onto a piece of bread provided that the pieces of fruit are significantly soft (as is usually the case)
2) There is a debate amongst the Poskim if the prohibition of Tochen applies to a fruit or vegetable which when mashed does not separate into individual pieces but rather just changes shape but remains one large mass.
An example of this is bananas and avocadoes, which when mashed do not separate, rather the entire mixture stays bound together.
The Chazon Ish (Siman 57 Dibur Hamaschil L'Inyan) rules that it is still subject to the prohibition of Tochen, and may not be mashed in the regular manner..
Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal (Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 4 Siman 74;Tochen:2) rules that they are not subject to the prohibition of Tochen and may be mashed in the regular manner.
It is best to be stringent and mash these fruits in an irregular manner (as we shall discuss shortly)
Halachos for Wednesday, first day of Shavuos
1) Foods that do not grow from the ground, such as meat, eggs, cheese etc., are not subject to the prohibition of Tochen and may be cut into very small pieces [for human consumption]. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 321:9)
However, if cutting up meat, or other foods that do not grow from the ground, to feed an animal that would otherwise be unable to eat the large pieces, it is indeed subject to the Melacha of Tochen, and only permitted immediately before feeding them. (Rama ibid. See also Mishna Berura S"K 33 and 34 that some Poskim rule leniently and allow it in all situations.)
2) The leniency of permitting to cut non growing items to be cut as small as desired is only when they are being cut by hand or with a knife.
However, a specialized utensil (e.g. egg or cheese slicer, meat tenderizer, grater etc.) may not be employed to cut these foods, as doing so is a transgression of "Uvda D'Chol, weekday activity". (See Mishna Berura Siman 321:36)
Halachos for Thursday, second day of Shavuos
1) Usually in regard to Melachos of Shabbos, if one transgressed them in an unusual manner (Shinui) although it would not be a biblical transgression, there would still be a rabbinical transgression.
However, in regard to the Melacha of Tochen, Chazal teach us that if it is done in an unusual manner, the Melacha has not been transgressed at all, even rabinically. (See Talmud Shabbos 141a and Tosefta Beitza Perek 1 quoted in Bais Yosef Siman 321)
2) One who grinds a spice into a powder on Shabbos using a mortar and pestle, a spice mill or a similar device which is usually used to grind spices, has transgressed the biblical transgression of Tochen. (See Rambam Hilchos Shabbos Perek 8 Halacha 15 and Mishna Berura Siman 321:23)
However, if one grinds the spice using the back of a knife or fork and grinds it onto the table or into another non specialized dish, it is permitted, provided that the spices being ground are for use for this Shabbos. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 321:7 and Mishna Berura S"K 24)
The same principle applies to all fruits and vegetables, and if they are cut up using a Shinui, an irregular manner, such as doing it with the back of a knife or spoon it is permissible to cut them up or crush them into very small pieces.
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:
Why do they say that each Jew is represented by one letter in the Torah, and there are 600,000 Jews and 600,000 letters in the Torah, whereas all the Chumashim say the count of letters in the Torah is only 300,000?
Answer:
One of the many ways to deal with this "problem" is as follows:
Although there are only a little more than 300,000 letteres in the Torah, kaballistically there are more as certain letters are broken into 2 and many of the Tagim, crowns of the letters, are used as well.
Just as there are more Jews than 600,000 yet they are all somehow a part of only 600,000 souls, so too there are 300,000 letters that are somehow broken up into 600,000 parts to correspond kabalistically.(See Zohar HaChadash to Shir HaShirim 74:4, Megaleh Amukos 186 and Shu"t Chavos Yair Siman 235)
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 HALACHAFORTODAY@YAHOO.COM
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk Corner
The following story was recounted by Chacham HaRav Ovadiah Yoseph Shlitah in a recent Shiur. He heard it from HaRav Ezra Attiyah Zatzal, Rosh Yeshiva Poret Yosef in Yerushalayim:
Rav Aharon, a G-d fearing man from Halab (Aleppo) Syria, held a daily in-depth learning schedule after Shacharis in Sefer Chok L'yisrael and afterwards would learn Shulchan Aruch in depth. After his late morning pas shacharis he would bench, leave home and head to his jewelry store in the city. Rav Aharon dealt with a wide range of gemstones and his fame spread as a very trustworthy honest businessman. His wife would point out that he was getting to the office awfully late every day and questioned him as to where his parnassah would come with his limited time at the office. He firmly believed that Hashem would make earning a livelihood easy in the merit of his Torah learning.
One day, as he was opening the office, an Arab from Chevron was sitting waiting by his office for him. When R' Aharon asked him what he was looking for, the arab replied: "please open your office and we'll talk there". After Rav Aharon opened, the Arab entered, took off his extensive head gear and slowly removed one stunning masterpiece of a jewel to hear R' Aharon's opinion on the piece. R' Aharon, inspected it and remarked of the piece's unique value, probably worth more than $100,000 (todays value: $700,000). Rav Aharon assured the arab that he'd inquire of the merchants to see if there was an interested buyer. The Arab replied: "Ok, I'll be in such-and-such an Inn" hoping that he'd hear back from the honest R' Aharon.
The next morning, after the R' Aharon completed his daily learning schedule, finished his breakfast and was on his way to the office, he noticed a commotion outside the hotel where the arab was staying. He inquired within and was told that an Arab from Palestine stayed in the hotel for 7 days, ate, drank, lodged, but never paid his due. Yesterday evening, he suddenly got a heart attack and died. The owner of the Inn filed a bill/lien at the police station against the arab and the Police were auctioning off his belongings in order to pay off the owner of the Inn.
R' Aharon waiting to see if Hashem would make him successful and stayed for the auctioning. When they announced the sale of the arab's head gear R' Aharon got up and bid 20, another bid shouted +15, R' Aharon: +18. Luckily there was no one else interested in the head gear. "Once, twice, SOLD [to R' Aharon]". R' Aharon paid, took the headgear to the office, opened it up and sure enough found the incredible gem. He eventually sold the gem, and made a huge sum of money from the sale.... Hashem takes care of those who trust in Him and study and keep His holy Torah.
Translated from the original Hebrew and submitted by daily reader, G.B.
Important Numbers
