1) It is prohibited to fold papers on Shabbos to produce distinct shapes, such as airplanes, birds or ships or other such shapes.
Likewise, it is prohibited to fold napkins into distinct and complicated shapes or designs in order to beautify the table on Shabbos, as doing so is likened to building.
However, simply folding them in half or in a simple shape [that isn't in the form of any particular item] is permitted. (Ruling of Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal quoted in Shmiras Shabbos K'Hilchaso Perek Perek 11:40 and Perek 16:19)
2) Snowballs or snowmen may not be formed on Shabbos, as doing so is a transgression of the Melacha of Boneh. (See Shmiras Shabbos K'Hilchaso Perek 16:44. Some Poskim rule that snow is Muktzeh to even touch in the first place, but Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal and others rule that it is not. We shall discuss this more at length when we cover Hilchos Muktzeh B'Ezras Hashem)
Snowballs that were formed from before Shabbos, according to some Poskim should not be thrown on Shabbos as doing so may be a transgression of Soser. (ibid. footnote 109.)
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@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
If I am already chewing on a piece of gum and I later put another piece in my mouth for taste, do I make another brocha?
Answer:
No, as long as the item you made the original Bracha on is still being eaten, no new Bracha is recited on another of the same food of that Bracha, be it another piece of gum or another similar SheHakol.
If it is a totally different item, however, from the original item(such as gum and chicken), then another Bracha is required unless you specifically had in mind at the time of the Bracha that you would also be eating the new item. (Mishna Berura Siman 206:21 and Shulchan Aruch HaRav Siman 206:9, See also Shu"t Be'er Moshe Vol. 1 Siman 10)
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal and the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal. May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they both be Melitzei Yosher for all of Klal 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@Gmail.com
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה
At the beginning of Parshas Chayei Sarah, we find Avraham in an extremely difficult situation. He has just gone through the enormous stress of binding his son Isaac on the altar, followed by the emotional release of God's instruction not to go through with it in the end!
To compound his stress, Avraham returns home to find that his beloved wife Sarah has passed away. And on top of it all, Avraham now has to buy a gravesite from a man named Efron, who takes advantage of Avraham and charges an exorbitant price.
This is the epitome of a "bad day." And Avraham has every excuse in the world to be aggravated, to lose patience, and to lash out at Efron.
But Avraham - the expert in kindness - treats Efron with all the honor and dignity. Avraham understood that just because you're in pain, it doesn't give you the right to make the other person suffer.
The Talmud says that God gave Avraham 10 tests of character. It is generally understood that these tests were all designed to go against Avraham's natural inclination toward kindness - in order to strengthen his "weaker side" of strictness.
Thus the ultimate test was the antithesis of kindness, the binding of Isaac.
But one commentator, Rabbeinu Yona, says that buying the gravesite from Efron - where Avraham reached super-human heights of patience and kindness - was actually Avraham's greatest test of all.
The idea is that to become a truly great person, besides working on our weak areas, we mustn't forget to build our unique strengths, too.
Submitted by a daily reader; taken from www.aish.com
Important Numbers
