15 Iyar 5772; 30th Day of the Omer; 20 Days Until Kabolas HaTorah
May 7, 2012
CURRENT TOPIC:
HALACHOS OF ROSH CHODESH
1) It is permitted to do Melacha (chores) on Rosh Chodesh. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 417:1)
Some women have the custom to refrain from doing Melacha on Rosh Chodesh, and this is a commendable minhag. (ibid.)
In some communities, women refrain from doing only certain Melachos on Rosh Chodesh and it is an acceptable minhag to follow. (Rama Siman417:1.)
The minhag in Yerushalayim is for women to refrain from doing laundry, sewing and knitting on Rosh Chodesh. (See Sefer Rosh Chodesh page 261 where he brings a machlokes if laundry nowadays with washing machines must be avoided as well. See also Shu"t Shevet Haleivi Vol. 10 Siman 50.)
One of the reasons cited for this is that as a reward for the women in the Midbar not acquiescing to remove their jewelry to be used in the formation of the Egel HaZahav (the golden calf), they were given each Rosh Chodesh as an exclusive Yom Tov for them. (Tur quoted in Mishna Berura Siman 417:3)
2) According to many Poskim, there is no reason for men to refrain from any Melacha on Rosh Chodesh, as its status as a Yom Tov is applicable to women only, and any man that refrains from Melacha is not fulfilling any minhag whatsoever. (Ruling of the Mishna Berura Siman 417:2, quoting the Pri Chadash, Chida in Birchei Yosef and the Sha'arei Teshuva in the name of Rabeinu Chananel. However, see Siddur Ya'avetz Sha'ar HaChodesh Pesach 7:1 where he quotes Rav Ovadia M'Bartenura that men as well should refrain from Melacha on Rosh Chodesh, though he writes that the stringency of this applies to women more strongly. Everyone should follow their own community's custom.)
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
Question:
I read an article and have heard on other occasions that the chofetz chaim says that one who answers yehai shmai rabba aloud and with kavana can annul many bad decrees.
My question is, does this apply to women too or do Tznius considerations override this, calling for women not to answer out loud (whereby they may be heard by the men in shul)?
Answer:
Those arent the Chofetz Chaim's words...they are the words of the Talmud! (Shabbos 119b)
The Gemara says one who answers Amen Yehei Shmay Rabbah with all his strength annuls bad decrees and gets Mechilah for his sins.
According to one opinion in Tosefos "all his strength" means saying it loudly. According to Rasi and the first opinion in Tosefos it means saying it with as much Kavanah as possible (which is more important than simply screaming the words)
Therefore, if a woman answers it loudly where men will be able to hear her, it isn't proper. However, she can, and should, still say it with as much Kavanah as he can! And also as loud as she can say it without any men hear her
CHIZUK CORNER
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This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal , the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal and the Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Ohr, the great Posek HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Zatzal.
May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they 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
Question:
What specifically is holiness, Kedusha?
Answer by HaRav Avigdor Miller Zatzal:
Kedusha means to be like Hashem. Ata Kadosh, and anything connected with Hashem is Kadosh. What does Kadosh mean? It means perfect, shleimus. All good things are in the Kedushas Hashem.
Therefore when it states Kedoshim Tehiyu, you should be Kedoshim, it means shleimim tehiyu, you should be perfect.
You should have good midos, you should be in control of yourselves; not to yield to any lusts or to any wrong inclinations.
Kedoshim means to be perfect in seichel and perfect in character.
And Hakadosh Baruch Hu since He is the One who is most perfect, therefore He is the One who deserves the name Kadosh.
Important Numbers
