1) It is extremely important to be extra careful to not touch one's private areas or to wear clothing or engage in activities that cause the privates to be stimulated, as doing these things can ultimately lead (either right then or even later on) to the terrible sin of Motzi Zera L'Vatala (MZ"L), spilling seed in vain, a sin that is considered worse than any other sins mentioned in the Torah. (See Talmud Nidah 13b and Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer Siman 23:1. See Bais Shmuel's commentary regarding it being the worst sin; actually having relations with a woman other than one's wife or with one's wife when she is unclean is a worse sin.)
2) One who [deliberately] causes himself to be MZ"L is deserving of excommunication and is considered to have "spilled human blood". (Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer Siman 23:2, Rambam Hilchos Isurei Biah Perek 21:18 based on Talmud Nidah 13b)
Furthermore, one who is MZ"L has transgresses a biblical transgression (and one of the Ten Commandments) of "Lo Tin'af" as well as other biblical transgressions and is considered a Rasha. (See Talmud Nidah 13b and Chochmas Adam 127:1 and 2)
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.
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Reader's Question:
What is the reason for kissing the mezuzah when walking by?
Answer:
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 Ceasar 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. See the Talmud for the entire exchange and the story.
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 Soman 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 Deh Siman 285:2 writes, based on the Gemara above as well as on a Midrash Bereishis Rabbah end of Perek 35, that when one leaves their home or enters their home they should place their hand on the Mezuzah and say a certaim 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 hte Mezuzah before bed, he does not write anything abot 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.
CHIZUK CORNER
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זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה
Last week's Parasha, Parshas Eikev tells of the special mitzvah to love converts.
Converts hold a special status in Jewish life, since they did the heroic deed of leaving their familiar surroundings, and casting their destiny with the Jewish people.
Many of our greatest ancestors - Abraham, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel - were all converts!
Also the great Talmudic sages Shemaya and Avtaliyon were converts. As was Onkelos, who wrote the Aramaic translation that is printed in virtually every Hebrew Bible.
So why does the Torah require us to be especially nice to converts?
The commentators explain that a born Jew has relatives who will defend him; the convert does not, and that makes him particularly vulnerable.
On a deeper level, though, God Himself protects the convert directly. That's why this parsha says to love the convert "because you were strangers in the land of Egypt." Just as the Almighty guarded us and rescued us in Egypt, so too God defends the convert.
There is a fascinating kabbalistic idea that converts already have a Jewish soul, and even stood with the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. It is said that although the non-Jewish nations originally rejected the Torah, individual members of those nations sought to accept it. And the souls of these individuals appear in every generation as converts.
By the way, this idea of "future converts being present at Mount Sinai" helps explain why one of the primary requirements for conversion to Judaism is a commitment to keep the 613 mitzvot - just as the Jews did at Mount Sinai.
Submitted by a daily reader; Taken from www.Aish.com
Important Numbers
