Today's Halachos dedicated by daily reader, N.R., in loving memory of her dear father Yechiel Michael ben Shmuel Hirsh A"H,whose Yahrtzeit is today, 19 Elul. May his Neshama continue to climb higher and higher in Gan Eden.
CURRENT TOPIC: HILCHOS YOMIM NORAIM
We will take a little break from our current topic and begin discussing some relevant Halachos of Yomim Noraim.
1) From Rosh Chodesh Elul until Shemini Atzeres we add Tehilim (psalms) Chapter 27, "L'Dovid Hashem Ori" to our davening each morning (after Shacharis) and each evening (Nusach Ashkenaz adds it after Maariv while Nusach Sefard adds it after Mincha). (Mishna Berura Siman 581:2)
Throughout the month of Elul, the Shofar is blown each morning after Shacharis to awaken people to do Teshuva. The Shofar is not blown on Erev Rosh Hashana. (Rama Siman 581:1 and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 128:2)
2) It is a worthwhile minhag when signing off a letter to a friend, or even a phone call or any conversation from Rosh Chodesh Elul until after Yom Kippur to add a blessing for the inscription in the book of life.
The accepted words to use until Rosh Hashana are "Kesiva V'Chasima Tova- [may you be] inscribed and signed for life". From Rosh Hashana until Yom Kippur the accepted custom is to use the words "Gmar Chasima Tova- [may you merit] a final signature for life" (See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch ibid.)
Reader's Question:
I hope you don't mind me asking you silly questions, but since we don't know each other I feel comforable.
I know of a minhag that ladies don't sew on Motzei Shabbos. There may be other things as well. Also, I don't know if this question applies to men as well, like not cutting hair or nails on Motzei Shabbos.
My question is, until when is it still considered Motzei Shabbos? Does it end at midnight/chatzos? Does it end at the Alos? Do you need to go to sleep, and wake up, to be mutar?
Answer:
First of all, no question is silly, and no question should be refrained from being asked regardless if we know each other or not. It's Torah and if it needs to be known, it needs to be asked, as the Mishna in Pirkei Avos teaches us "Ain Habaisan Lomed, one who is embarrassed to ask cannot learn [Torah]".
The Mogen Avrohom Siman 299:15 quotes the Avudraham who brings a Talmud Yerushalmi that work that is done before Havdalah on Motzei Shabbos will never bear positive fruit (Aino Roeh Siman Bracha L'Olam) and he writes that although the Yerushalmi seems to say that any work that is refrained from being done after Havdalah is not the proper way, still it is a minhag for women to refrain from doing work the entire Motzaei Shabbos.
If this is indeed your minhag, I would surmise that just as melava malka is ideally eaten before Chatzos (See Mishna Berura Siman 300:2) so too this minhag of not working is in effect until Chatzos.
However, a Rav should be consulted for Halacha L'Ma'aseh.
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.
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THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה
Question:
Tefilah for a Niftar (deceased person), what does it accomplish?
Answer by HaRav Avigdor Miller Zatzal
It states, I think it's a Sifri, that Mikan Shyeish Kaparah L'meisim, he learns it from a Posuk, there's Kaparah L'meisim. Even if somebody is dead it's possible to add Kaparah to him.
Therefore, anything good that you do for the Zechus of the Niftar will help him in his matzav in the world to come, even years and years after he passed away. Even long after his Din was Up'gepaskened Ba'Shomayim, you can still add to him.
Therefore it's a wonderful Minhag if you'll drop a nickel in theTzdoko Pushka and say it's a Zechus for this and this person Alav Hashalom. A very great favor, he'll love you. From Gan Eden he would like to send a message to you. You can't appreciate how much he is grateful to you, there's a Kaparah forMeisim, yes!
Kapeir L'amacha Yisroel, Eiluy Hachaim, Asher Pudisa Hashem, Eiluy Hamiesim, so you see from this lesson, there's Kaparah forMeisim. Now we have to know, Tefilos for Meisim help, Tzdoko for Meisim help, another thing, children of Meisim, Broh Mezakeh Abba. If you put on your Tefillin, you're helping your dead parents, if you learn Torah you're helping your dead parents, anything you do even if you're not Mechavain (have in mind); and ifyou're Mechavain, even better.
So if a person has good children, it's the best investment for him, because in the Next World he's going to sit and receive parcels of Zechus, that are being mailed to him everyday by his children. All the Mitzvahs that your children do are going to be mailed to you. This is a package from your son, from your daughter, from your grandson, your great grandson, great great grandson, forever and ever you're going to get parcels. It's a tremendousZechus, Broh Mezakeh Abba.
Important Numbers
