Avodah Mailing List
Volume 25: Number 217
Sun, 08 Jun 2008
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Message: 1
From: Cantor Wolberg <cantorwolberg@cox.net>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 21:44:37 -0400
Subject: [Avodah] Shavuos Five Times
Shavuos is mentioned in the Torah five times, perhaps to allude to the
giving of the five books of the Torah on that day. In Shmos 23:16 it is
called "chag hakotzir," in Shmos 34:22 and D'vorim 16:10 "chag
Shavuos," in
Bmidbar 28:26 "yom habikurim," and most interestingly in Vayikra 23
Shavuos
is discussed from verse 16 through verse 21, yet no name is mentioned
here
and no calendar date is given for the holiday anywhere in the Torah.
It is
written in the name of the GR"A that the letters of Shavuos, Shin-Beis-
Ayin-Tof
when spelled defectively, are an acronym for the names of
Shavuos. Shin = Shavuos; Beis = Bikurim; Ayin = Atzerres; Tof = (Matan)
Torah. Actually the Torah also calls Shavuos "chag haKotzir" in Shmos
23:16
and "yom hakohol" in Dvorim 9:10.
The Ram'o in O.Ch. #490:9 says that we have the custom to read Rus on
Shavuos.
1) The Yalkut Shimoni Rus #601 says that Rabbi Z'eiro says, "This
megilla
does not contain laws of purity and impurity, nor laws of what is
permitted
and what is prohibited. It only contains the lesson of the reward for
those
who do acts of KINDNESS." Since the main thrust of the Torah is to
teach us
to refine our characters and be kind, as is stated in Mishlei 31:26,
"V'soras CHESED al l'shonoh," we therefore read it on Shavuos.
(Rokei'ach
and Medrash Lekach Tov).
Chag Sameach.
ri
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Message: 2
From: Cantor Wolberg <cantorwolberg@cox.net>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 21:57:17 -0400
Subject: [Avodah] Behaaloscha Menorah's Different Symbols
"When you kindle the lamps, toward the face of the Menorah shall the
seven lamps cast light" (Numbers 8:2). As explained in Shmos 25:37,
the three wicks on the right and the three on the left were all
directed toward the Menorah's central stem, thus concentrating the
light toward the center. Because its light was not spread out, the
Menorah symbolized that God the Source of all light, did not need it
to illuminate His Tabernacle. (Rashi).
What do the six outer lamps represent, and why must they all face the
seventh center stem?
The commentators explain that the six outer branches represent the six
fields of knowledge: medicine, physics, mathematics, art, psychology
and sociology. These are essential fields of scholarship. They enable
us to live our lives with the ability to conquer all the problems
facing existence.
But the Torah is telling us that society cannot rest on knowledge
alone. Unless this information is focused and directed toward the
center stem - symbolizing God, Torah and spirituality - then this
wisdom is for naught. Or worse, destructive, through its misuse.
ri
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Message: 3
From: Yitzhak Grossman <celejar@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 22:05:56 -0400
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Cause of action?
On Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:22:46 -0400
Zev Sero <zev@sero.name> wrote:
> A friend sent me this question:
>
> > Who knows Choshen Mishpat?
> > Assume A has a claim against B. B believes the claim is invalid.
> > A doesn?t sue B, but rather keeps threatening B that he will sue,
> > and that he will tell people about it and cost B his reputation.
> > B wants to go to Beis Din, but is frustrated because A neither sues
> > him in court nor sends him a hazmanah. B wants to take A to beis din
> > to clear his name. A beis din told me today that until B is actually
> > sued the beis din can?t send A a hazmanah. True?
>
> I answered:
> Given the same facts, what cause of action would B have in court?
> If A actually does tell people about it, then B has a cause of
> action for defamation, but if he only threatens to do so, what
> recourse do *you* think he should have?
>
> I now put the question before the chevra, especially those with
> experience in ChM. *Is* there some recourse this person should have,
> to resolve the matter one way or the other? Is there some way he
> can force the other person to put up or shut up?
A very similar question is discussed in Responsa Divrei Haim (of R.
Haim Tuvia Melenik, not the Sanzer Rav) #34, available from the
wonderful HebrewBooks.org:
http://hebrewbooks.org/161 [page 64 of the PDF]
> Zev Sero Something has gone seriously awry with this Court's
Yitzhak
--
Bein Din Ledin - bdl.freehostia.com
An advanced discussion of Hoshen Mishpat
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Message: 4
From: "Rich, Joel" <JRich@sibson.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 22:51:44 -0400
Subject: [Avodah] Translation Help Before Shavuot if possible
Translation Help Before Shavuot if possible - The S"A in C"M 2:38
quoting the Rosh discussing 7 tuvei ha'ir uses the phrase tuvei ha'ir
shehimchum (shin heh mem chuf vav mem) bet din aleihem. What is the
exact root and meaning of himchum?
KT
Joel
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Message: 5
From: yzkd@aol.com
Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2008 00:17:56 -0400
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Translation Help Before Shavuot if possible
Translation Help Before Shavuot if possible - The S"A in C"M 2:38 quoting
the Rosh discussing 7 tuvei ha'ir uses the phrase tuvei ha'ir shehimchum
(shin heh mem chuf vav mem) bet din aleihem.? What is the exact root and
meaning of himchum?
The proper spelling (C"M 2:1) is shin heh mem CHES vav mem, according to the Oruch the words means placed, it's Mokor? is found? in Ezra 6:11
Gut Yom Tov, v'Kol Tuv
-----Original Message-----
From: Rich, Joel <JRich@sibson.com>
To: A High-Level Torah Discussion Group <avodah@lists.aishdas.org>
Sent: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 10:51 pm
Subject: [Avodah] Translation Help Before Shavuot if possible
Translation Help Before Shavuot if possible - The S"A in C"M 2:38 quoting
the Rosh discussing 7 tuvei ha'ir uses the phrase tuvei ha'ir shehimchum
(shin heh mem chuf vav mem) bet din aleihem.? What is the exact root and
meaning of himchum?
KT
Joel
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Message: 6
From: "kennethgmiller@juno.com" <kennethgmiller@juno.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 03:44:34 GMT
Subject: Re: [Avodah] D'rabanan vs. D'oraita
R' Joel Rich wrote:
> Now, what happens if Rabbi X says kosher and Y says treif &
> followers of each eat from the same pot - I suppose the effect
> (here and bashamayim) is different even though the molecules
> are the same.
I would that that this applies only if both were Real Rabbis, that is to say, with Real Semicha -- which we do not have today.
Today, they would both be affected the same way, though were can't be certain whether it was Rabbi X or Rabbi Y who was correct.
Akiva Miller
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Message: 7
From: "kennethgmiller@juno.com" <kennethgmiller@juno.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 03:57:18 GMT
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Hashavat Aveida or Lifnei Iver?
R' Liron Kopinsky wrote:
> However there is only so much halachik information a person
> can take in at one time. Slamming someone newly introducted
> to Halacha with the full gamut of 613 is probably going to be
> overload. Is there an idea that you should only be teaching the
> person halachot that they can reasonably do? For example,
> someone becoming shomer shabbat, may be comfortable with
> stopping driving/listening to music etc., but may not be
> capable yet to shower l'halacha.
Oh, yes, this definitely puts the question in a different light. I'm
confident that no matter who you'd ask in the kiruv world, they'd answer
NOT to "slam" the person with all 613 at once. If you want a reference in
the classic sources, I think it is simple enough to draw a precedent from
that fact that we do not slam a ger with all 613 at once, even after the
conversion.
In the current case, I think the best thing to do would be to return it to
him, with an explanation about TWO halachos. Don't just get on his case
with the issur of shaving, but use it as an oppotunity to teach about
Hashavat Aveida!
I'd probably say something like, "I found this in our room at the hotel,
and I think it might be yours. One of the mitzvos is to return lost
objects, so I figured I probably have to return it to you. [Give it to him
at this point.] But I have to be honest, I wasn't really sure if I should,
because you may not realize it, but there are some pretty strict halachos
about shaving. Whenever you're ready, let me know and I'll tell you about
them." This clues him in to the idea that shaving is probably assur, but
also allows him to stay in the sort-of-shogeg category if he is not yet
ready to stop using the razor.
Akiva Miller
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Message: 8
From: T613K@aol.com
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 00:30:17 EDT
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Hashavat Aveida or Lifnei Iver?
From: "Liron Kopinsky" <liron.kopinsky@gmail.com>
I don't know whether you have a mitzva of hashavas aveida here, but you
definitely have an obligation to tell him, as nicely as possible, that
shaving with a razor is assur [--TK]
>>However there is only so much halachik information a person can take in at
one time. Slamming someone newly introducted to Halacha with the full gamut
of 613 is probably going to be overload. Is there an idea that you should
only be teaching the person halachot that they can reasonably do? ... <<
>>>>>
Shaving is a d'Oraisa, and if the person has already decided to become frum,
he should be taught d'Oraisas as soon as possible. Not shaving with a razor
happens to be one of the easier ones, because there is a reasonably
acceptable alternative -- the electric shaver. It's not as if he has to change
anything in his routine or his appearance in order to take on this mitzva. He
shaved yesterday and he can shave tomorrow -- but tomorrow and for the rest of
his life, he can gain schar in Shamayim every time he uses a shaver. Easy
brownie points. Be sure and tell him that. (If he decides to become a chossid
and stops shaving altogether, he can probably get even /easier/ brownie
points every day, just by waking up and not shaving :- )
--Toby Katz
=============
**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with
Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.
(http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4?&;NCID=aolfod00030000000002)
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Message: 9
From: Arie Folger <afolger@aishdas.org>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 08:42:22 +0200
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Hashavat Aveida or Lifnei Iver?
R. Liron Kopinsky wrote:
> Are there halachic parameters for what and how much to tell
> people re: halacha? Is it just "have a good sense of the person"? Is it
> just practice?
May I suggest Hil. Gerut, where the halakhah is that once someone converted
with no ulterior motiv, ein medaqdeqin 'alav. What does that mean, if not
that we expose him only gradually to that, which is still not known to him?
--
Arie Folger
http://www.ariefolger.googlepages.com
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Message: 10
From: David Riceman <driceman@att.net>
Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:42:49 -0400
Subject: Re: [Avodah] Cause of action?
Zev Sero (citing a friend) :
> Assume A has a claim against B. B believes the claim is invalid.
>> A doesn?t sue B, but rather keeps threatening B that he will sue,
>> and that he will tell people about it and cost B his reputation.
>>
> RZS:
> Given the same facts, what cause of action would B have in court?
> If A actually does tell people about it, then B has a cause of
> action for defamation, but if he only threatens to do so, what
> recourse do *you* think he should have?
It's not clear to me that defamation requires the presence of a third
party. See HM 420:38, SMA ad. loc. SK 49, and see Tshuvoth Havoth Yair
#62, especially the final paragraph.
David Riceman
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Message: 11
From: "Prof. Levine" <llevine@stevens.edu>
Date: Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:10:31 -0400
Subject: [Avodah] RSRH on Shavuous
I have posted RSRH's Essay Sivan I
at http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/sivan_1.pdf . It comes
from the Collected Writings of RSRH, Volume I.
This essay gives many insights into Shavuous. I recommend it highly
to anyone who wants to gain an understanding of the significance of
Shavuous, what Torah really is, why Judaism is not a religion,
theology, and many other interesting topics. This essay begins with
The Festival of Revelation and the Uniqueness of the Torah.
On the sixth and seventh of Sivan we celebrate the Festival of the
Giving of the Law (Zman Matan Torahsainu). Where are the symbols of
this festival? Where is the significance of Shavuoth as the Festival
of Revelation mentioned in the Torah? Why is this festival of
Shavuoth so short and so fleeting? Pessach has its Matzoth, the
festival of Succoth its Tabernacle and its Lulab, Rosh Hashanah its
Shofar, Yom Kippur its Fast. But where are the symbols of Shavuoth?
We know how clear and precise is Scripture with regard to the
conception and significance of all the other festivals; but you will
search the Torah in vain for a designation of Shavuoth as the
festival of the Giving of the Law. To the redemption from Egypt we
dedicate a festival which lasts a whole week; it takes a whole month
for its preparation and completely transforms our domestic life. To
the miracle of our preservation in the wilderness we dedicate another
week, the whole of which we distinguish by our living in the Succah.
But to the Giving of the Law, to the Revelation of the Torah, to this
most holy transcendent event from which our whole existence derives
its meaning and purpose, to this festival of all festivals, we devote
only one brief and placid day! Why this brevity and quiet, why this
lack of pomp, this paucity of symbols?
Good Yom Tov!
Yitzchok Levine
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