Sunday
September 5 2010
26 Elul 5770; 4 Days to Rosh Hashana 5771; First Day of Selichos
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For the next few weeks, before beginning a new topic, we will revisit some timely halachos relevant to the month of Tishrei and its many Yomim Tovim.
1) In anticipation of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, special prayers, known as Selichos, are said in the early hours of the morning (Preferably at the end of the night, before Alos HaShachar,daybreak, although most Shuls say it a half hour or so before the regular time for Shacharis) to beg Hashem for forgiveness for our sins of the past year, and to beseech Him to inscribe us all in the book of the Tzaddikim Gemurim, for life.
Some communities (including the Sephardim) have the custom to begin to say Selichos from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur.
Others begin saying Selichos from the 15th of Elul until Yom Kippur.
The prevalent Minhag, however, is to begin saying Selichos from the Sunday (or Motzai Shabbos as is the custom in many Kehilos) before Rosh Hashana.
The reason for this is that we require at least 4 days of Selichos before Rosh Hashana. A Korban (sacrifice) in the Bais HaMikdash required 4 days of examinations to ensure it was blemish free and acceptable for the Mizbeach (altar).
So too each Jew should consider themselves as a Korban Olah on Rosh Hashana and be ready to sacrifice themselves in atonement before Hashem, and thus utilize these 4 days (or more) to examine their deeds and do Teshuva for their sins (blemishes) and thus be pure when approaching Hashem on Rosh Hashana.
2) When one rises early for Selichos, even though it is still before daybreak, he must still wash his hands and recite the blessing of "Al Netilas Yadayim" as well as the rest of Birchas HaShachar. (Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zt"l and others mantain that if one knows that he will need the bathroom after Selichos, before Shacharis, he may wait until then to recite "Al Netilas Yadayim")
Birchos HaTorah should also preferably be said before Selichos, as many of the Selichos contain references to Pesukim.(Some Poskim maintain that even though we are saying Pesukim, it isn't considered Torah learning, rather prayers, and thus no Birchos HaTorah is required. It is best to be stringent)
After Selichos (which was started before Alos HaShachar) one must re-wash their hands like Negel vasser again, without a Bracha.
3) One who cannot make it to Shul (or one who came late, and missed the minyan) may say Selichos on his own. However, the "Sh'losh Esrei Middos- the Tefilah enumerating the 13 attributes of Hashem's mercy" as well as any Selichos that mention them (e.g. U'Zchor Lanu HaYom Bris Sh'losh Esrei...") may not be said without a Minyan.
However, if they are read with the tune (Trup) used to read the Torah, then they may be said.
Women who say Selichos at home, should never say the Sh'losh Esrei Middos, as they aren't usually familiar with the tune used to read the Torah (Psak of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv Shlita)
Likewise, any parts of the Selichos that are written in Aramaic (e.g. Machei U'Masei..., Maran Di B'Shmaya...) should not be said without a Minyan. Saying these with the tune used for Torah reading wouldn't help, as they aren't Pesukim in the Torah.
One who is an Avel (a mourner during the first week after the passing of a close relative) may not leave his home to go to Shul for Selichos, and should recite it alone, or with a Minyan that comes to his home. (except for Erev Rosh Hashana, when he may go to Shul, if he cannot get a Minyan to come to his home).
question
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 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@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
May one make a Jigsaw puzzle on Shabbos?
Answer:
Some Poskim (including Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal and YBL"T Rav Yosef Shalom Elyasiv Shlita) rule that all puzzles are prohibited to make on Shabbos.
Other Poskim allow all puzzles to be made on Shabbos. (See Shu"t Ohr L'Tziyon Vol. 2 Siman 272 and Shu"t Be'er Moshe Vol. 6 Siman 26; This is also the opinion of Rav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg Shlita as quoted in "Children in Halacha" Page 140 footnote 25).
Other Poskim differentiate between puzzles that are in a frame and are stuck together very tightly, which they prohibit, and puzzles thathave no frame and are looser, which they permit.(Opinion of Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal quoted in Shemiras Shabbos K'hilchasa Perek 16:23)
I have also seen an opinion in the Poskim that prohibit puzzles that form words and permit puzzles that form pictures.
For Halacha L'Ma'aseh a Rav must be consulted.
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rAV sHACH SPEAKING
CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short Chizuk thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
קוה אל ד', חזק ויאמץ לבך, וקוה אל ד'
Chizuk For Today:
Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, learning Torah while traveling.
Question:
What is the fastest acting spiritual vitamin one can take for an instant spiritual pick-me-up?
Answer by HaRav Avigdor Miller Zatzal:
The Gemora says, Im Roeh Adam Sheyitzro Misgabair, if a man sees that his Yetzer Horah begins to overpower him, he should do this: he should learn Torah... Nitzcho, if it helps, Mutav, good, if not he should do something else. Finally after nothing helps, Yazkir Lo Yom Hamoves, he should remind himself of the day of death. So the day of death is the most effective means of combating the Yetzer Horah.
Lev Chachomim B'bais Ha'aivel, the heart of the wise is in the house of the mourners. He doesn't have to be there, but his heart, his mind is there. And therefore, sometimes it's necessary to use the most extreme methods.
L'chatchila, the Torah doesn't want you to think of the day of death, because the day of death has side effects. Sometimes when people think of death they say it's no use learning, why should I start learning? I won't be able to finish the Mesechta, if I die I'll take it into the grave with me, and you'll forget about Olam Habah.
Death you know is a big Stira(contradiction) to Olam Habah in Emunah, so therefore it's not necessarily good to think of the day of death.
Only, when somebody is in an emergency, he wants a quick pick me up, so he should go to the cemetery and stand there and look at the graves. It has a very good effect on people to give them a recognition of the transitory nature of the things of this world.
However, it doesn't mean it's the best thing.
The best thing is to get a Sefer of Midos, or a Sefer of Yiras Shamayim and get the vitamins that teach you how to live properly, without recourse to thinking of morbid things like death.
From the weekly "A moment with Rav Avigdor Miller" email
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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. (Talmud Niddah 73a)
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