September 11th 2009 (8th anniversary of the horrible terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001. May the Neshamos of those murdered on that day continue to go higher and higher in Gan Eden)
Short, reader submitted Chizuk Thought of the Day for Elul:
A lot of people think, as they examine themselves and their lives, that they really have nothing to do tshuvah about.
They don't do any serious sins, they daven, keep kosher and other mitzvos, are nice to their family and spouse, don't steal, do what's expected of them, etc.
And most people go through a day thinking they have no real problems - and when a problem does occur, they assign the blame to someone other than themselves. That's because we each have a natural, inborn tendency to deny our own faults, and to readily and easily see the faults of other people - Hashem made us that way.
But the Baal Shem Tov taught that we only see a fault in someone else if we have that same fault ourselves. A perfect tzaddik, someone who has no faults, sees no faults in anyone else. Therefore, an easy way to figure out your own faults, so that you can know what it is you have to do tshuvah on, is to figure out what faults you can see in other people. Then, for each fault in someone else you come up with, say to yourself, "That's what I'm like," or, "That's what I do," etc. And even though you will probably deny it at first, take it to heart, examine yourself closely in many situations, and you'll see that you do have that same fault yourself. And then you can work on removing that fault from your own repertoire. Along these lines, we think that an actual product should be produced called The My-Own-Faults Finder. It would be a simple handheld computer. You type in your complaint about someone or the fault you see in them, press the "Find My Fault" button, and the computer automatically changes every "he", "she" or "they" to "I"; and every "me" to "him," "her" or "them." For example, if you type in "He's so arrogant," and press the "Find My Fault" button, the screen will instantly display, "I'm so arrogant." "She's so mean" will yield "I'm so mean." Type in "They don't like me," and you'll get "I don't like them." And so forth.
(The above was written by a daily reader, who is behind the website called The Geulah Company)
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Today's Halachos are sponsored by a daily reader in honor of the Yahrtzeit of her mother, Chana Hinda bas Reb Yaakov Hacohen, whiich falls out on this Shabbos 23 Elul. May the merit of all the Torah learned today in her memory serve as a zechus for her Neshama continue to have an Aliya in Gan Eden for all eternity
DOUBLE PORTION L'KAVOD SHABBOS KODESH
Halachos for Erev Shabbos Kodesh
1) As we discussed in yesterday's Halachos, a child in the home together with the man and the woman can be a suitable Shomer to prevent the prohibition of Yichud.
The Poskim debate from what age a child becomes eligible to serve as a Shomer (i.e. from what age will the child understand if something inappropriate takes place and tell people about it, thus be able to serve as a deterrent to ensure it doesn't happen in the first place. See Rashi to Kidushin 81b)
The Chazon Ish ruled that any male child between the age of 6 and 9 can be a Shomer.
Once the boy turns 9 he may no longer serve as a shomer as he himself is now subject to the prohibition of Yichud.
Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal ruled that a boy had to be 7 years old in order to be an adequate Shomer. (Chazon Ish quoted in Sefer Dvar Halacha Siman 4:3. See also Chochmas Adam Klal 115:9 and Shu"t Poras Yoseph Vol. 1 Siman27:3. See also Shu"t Chasam Sofer Even HaEzer Vol. 2 Siman 96. See Sefer Children in Halacha from Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen shlita page 47 footnote 37)
2) A female child can be a Shomeres from the age of 5 until the age of 9. (See Chochmas Adam ibid. and Shu"t Or Sameach Vol. 1 Siman 4)
Some Poskim allow children to be shomrim until they reach Bar/Bas Mitzvah, and many contemporary Poskim rule that in cases of great necessity this leniency may be relied upon. (See Shu"t Tzitz Eliezer Vol. 6 Siman 40; Perek 16:2. See also see Sefer Hamakneh to Kidushin 81b Dibur Hamaschil B'Gemara Mai Tama. See also Children in Halacha page 46 footnote 34) Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh
1) During the daytime hours, one shomer is adequate. Therefore, during the day, a man may be alone with a woman and her child.
During the nighttime, however, two Shomrim are required.
Nighttime does not begin at sunset or Tzeis HaKochavim, rather at the time when children usually go to sleep, as from that time we are worried that one of the children may fall asleep and not be able to be a Shomer anymore.
However with two children, as long as the door to the room is open, even if both children fall asleep there is always the fear that one of them will awaken. (See Shu"t Chasam Sofer Even HaEzer Vol. 2 Siman 96, Aruch HaShulchan Even HaEzer Siman 22:6, Shu"t Panim MeIros Vol. 2 Siman 131.Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen shlita quotes Rav Yechezkael Roth shlita that the door to the room needs to be open)
2) When an adequate Shomer is present, Yichud is permitted even when it is "Libo Gas Ba" , when the man and woman are close to one another and have a personal relationship, as we detailed in this past Wednesday's Halachos. (See Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer Siman 148:2)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Todaywebsite.
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.
With regard to Ikar and Tafel, you gave an example of eating cheerios with milk and stated that one only says Mezonos. What if one is generous with the milk and will drink the remaining milk after the cheerios have been eaten (whether actually drinking or spooning the milk after the cheerious were already eaten).
In such a case would one make a shehakol after the cereal was finished and before eating/drinking the milk?
Answer:
If the extra milk was put in initially because it was specifically wanted as a drink, it will require its own Bracha of SheHakol and won't be a Tafel to the cereal in the first place.
If however the milk was put in as a Tafel to the cereal, then he leftover milk may be drunk, and no new Bracha is required, as it retains its status as a Tafel even after the Ikar has been consumed.
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
Important Numbers
