We are currently in the three week period between 17 Tamuz and 9 Av. The Bais Hamikdash was destroyed due to Sinas Chinam, senseless hatred of Jews to one another. Let's instead practice Ahavas Chinam, loving our fellow Jews, just because! Regardless of their backgrounds, color of shirt or hat, or any other "differences".
Let's love and respect one another simply because we are ALL children of ONE Father in heaven. If we do this, we will merit the arrival of mashiach and the rebuilding of the Bais hamikdash VERY soon.
1) A male who is in the presence of a female that is dressed immodestly (including her head uncovered if she is married) may not recite any Brachos, Tefilos or words Torah if he can see her. (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 75:1)
This applies even if the female in question is one that he is otherwise permitted to see dressed as such (e.g. his wife) (ibid.)
There is a debate amongst the Poskim if the aforementioned Halacha applies only when gazing at her or if it even applies if he can simply see her. (See Be'er Heitev Siman 75:2. See also Bach Siman 75)
It is best to be stringent, and if one finds himself in such a situation (e.g. at a Shabbos table with as yet unobservant guests who aren't dressed modestly and he needs to recite Kiddush or Birchas hamazon or say Divrei Torah) he should turn his head and close his eyes, or if he cannot turn away, at least close his eyes, while reciting the Brachos, Tefilos or Torah. (See Biur Halacha Siman 75:1 Dibur Hamaschil B'makom that L'Chatchila closing the eyes alone is not adequate)
2) One who does recite Brachos, Tefilos or speaks words of Torah when he sees such an immodestly clad female is considered to have transgressed a sin and causes a spiritual darkness in the upper worlds. (See Sefer Geder Olam from the Chofetz Chaim Perek 6)
Moreover, no holiness whatsoever is ascribed to the words he has uttered, as they were uttered against the will of Hashem. (Geder Olam ibid. If he simply saw her, the Bracha isn't repeated, but if he was gazing at her, it needs to be repeated. See Mishna Berura Siman 75:4)
One who regularly recites Brachos, Tefilos and Torah while able to see immodestly clad females, brings poverty and other bad things upon himself. (Chofetz Chaim based on Talmud Nedarim 7b)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are 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 bracha and bracha acharona for kasha? Is it mezonot and al hamichya like a regular grain or is it borei nifashot like rice?
Answer:
Kasha, buckwheat, contrary to popular belief, is not a grain. Its Bracha is HoAdama and its after Bracha is Borei Nefashos. (See Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 1 Siman 65 and Yoreh Deah Vol. 2 Siman 25)
Please support our sponsors!
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmas the late Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Yaakov ben Rav Binyomin Moshe Stein Zatzal.
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!
זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה
How can one believe in Hashem after this tragedy?
You want to know how one can believe in Hashem after such a horrific story. I have a different question for you. How can one not believe in Hashem after this?!
Only Hashem, who is way above and beyond our understanding could make something as crazy as this happen. If Hashem were just a friend who we can sit down with and have a conversation with and try to understand the way He works, then He would not be a G-d. A G-d is someone who is by definition above our understanding and so there will be times when we will not be able to get clear answers as to why things happen.
It's hard.
But it's the reality of life and the definition of what a G-d really is.
Only Hashem could have caused such a crazy story such as this one to happen. We try to understand, we try to figure out if there is someone to blame, something that could have been prevented and we come up with nothing.
These parents were so careful with the safety of their child. This was the first time they let him walk alone and planned the route with him so they'd meet up at the right time and place.
But it was not meant to be.
When Hashem gave the job to the malach hamaves, the Angel of Death, he didn't want to do it. He said, "I don't want a job that will make people look down upon me." So Hashem told him, "Don't worry. Every time you do your job, whenever you take someone's life away, people wont even realize that it was you who did it." And that's why when someone passes away, people are always finding someone, some reason, some piece of negligence, some other excuse as to why the person died the way he did. People blame the driver who was driving too fast, the doctors who could have done something else, the illness...but in this case there is nothing and no one to blame! It is obvious and clear that this is the work of a very scary Angel of Death and the work of G-d and G-d alone.
No one else could have made this happen but Hashem.
And that is why I can say I still believe in Him, even after such a horrible story.
After such a story, it is still very important to strengthen our trust and belief in Hashem and I can understand that this shook you up and gave you some questions to think about.
But if you know that only Hashem could have caused it, you are already a step in the right direction.
What you need to remember is that we have a long history with a proven track record of trust in Hashem as our G-d, our King and our Savior.
Hashem created the world and everything in it, from the tiniest ant, to the little worm, to the dog and cat and elephant and everything in between.
He created the first person who existed in this world and every person who came after him.
He's the one behind the story of Yosef and the brothers and He caused 70 people to go down to mitzrayim and endure suffering there. And then He redeemed us, a nation that grew to over one million people, through unbelievable miracles, such as the 10 makos, from when water turned into blood up until the death of the firstborn of each Egyptian household. He led us out of the land that we suffered in-Egypt-and then through His miracles we crossed the sea and our enemies drowned.
He kept us alive throughout the 40 years we spent in the dessert by keeping us nourished through the mon and well hydrated with the water from the well of Miriam. We were also protected by the heavenly clouds on all sides so no nation or animal could attack us.
He brought us into the holiest land, Eretz Yisroel, and kept us going even after the first and second Bais Hamikdosh were destroyed.
Throughout our long and bitter exile, whenever any nation tried to destroy us, we have remained alive and they have not been able to wipe us out.
And one person, one murderer, who brutally took the life of a precious and innocent Leiby Kletzky a"h, is going to shake our rock solid faith in Hashem, who did so much for us as a nation and does so much for each of us as an individual?!
How can any of us let this one person, this murderer, cause our emunah in Hashem to crumble?!
Hashem wakes you up every morning.
Every second of the day that you are alive and breathing is because Hashem is blowing air into your body and keeping your heart pumping blood through your veins.
You are able to see because Hashem wills it so.
You can read and understand what this says only because that is the will of Hashem, because
He is your Loving Father and wants you to know that this one story cannot shake the belief we all have in Him.
He does so much good for you.
We cannot let one monster get rid of the everlasting belief we have in Hashem, who brought us into this bitter exile and kept us alive throughout all these years and will redeem us with miracles - miracles that are greater and more awe-inspiring than the miracles He performed in Mitzrayim.
Important Numbers
