It is reported that HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, Shlita, has been hospitalized. Please daven for Chaim Pinchas ben Yospa.
Hakhel Note: HaRav Scheinberg, Shlita, was once asked if he could provide “hadracha”, or guidance, in how one could better study Torah. He provided a two-word response: “Learn more.” HaRav Scheinberg is also said to respond to some who request a Brocha for themselves or their children in Torah study, “I will give the Brocha--but they have to do their part--will they take upon themselves to study a few extra minutes a day?” In fact, the Sefer Orchos Tzadikim (Shaar HaZerizus) writes that “...for “sha’ah achas”--one hour of Torah study, even if it is only to learn one teaching or lesson, is better than anything else in the world....”
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B’EH This Monday morning, May 30 (Memorial Day), Hakhel will be hosting a Yarchei Kallah at Agudath Israel of Madison Zichron Chaim Tzvi, 2122 Avenue S in Flatbush. Shacharis will be 8AM, followed by refreshments. At 9AM, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Shlita, Rav of Agudath Israel of Madison, will speak on “Sefer Tehillim: The Songs of Dovid HaMelech.” At 10AM, Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, Shlita, Rav, Agudas Yisroel, Bais Binyomin, will speak on “The Royal Lineage-Past, Present and Future.” At 11AM, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky, Shlita, Rosh Yeshiva, Torah Vodaas and author of the recently-published volume of Shailos and Teshuvos entitled Manos HaLevi, will answer many Shailos, including those in the areas of tochacha, mechilah, relying on hasgacha at a catering hall, light grape juice, slurpees, Hilchos Yom Tov, and what to put in a will. Free admission, for men and women. For more information, please call 718-253-5497 or 718-258-2210.
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Madison Commercial Real Estate Services, together with the Business Halacha Institute, is presenting an exclusive shiur to New York area loan officers, mortgage brokers and attorneys. Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas and author of The Laws of Ribbis by Artscroll, will address the topic “Hilchos Ribbis as it pertains to Real Estate Mortgages”. Q&A Session to follow. Questions can be emailed in advance to asteinberg@madisoncres.com Refreshments served. Date: Tuesday, May 31, 2011. Time 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM. Location: Glatt a la Carte, 5123 18th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11204. RSVP asteinberg@madisoncres.com or call 732-333-2263.
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Special Note One: Relating to yesterday’s Note on all that occurs is by the Hand of Hashem, with nothing--absolutely nothing--by chance or by accident, a reader pointed out that the letters of ‘Mikreh’(chance) can be rearranged as ‘Rak MeiHashem.’ We add that a commonly used word in last week’s Tochacha was ‘Keri’ (happenstance)--seeming to indicate that a fatal cause of Tochacha is the attitude of ‘BeMikreh’--it was happenstance, chance, etc.--not recognizing the Yad Hashem in the 'news' of your day...or the world's day. Let us keep the BeMikreh words off our lips and out of our thoughts--or at least rewrite and rethink them to…Rak MeiHashem!
Special Note Two: We received the following from a reader: “HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, Shlita, was asked what American Jews should do in order to improve their difficult situation relating to illnesses, Chinuch problems, and Parnassah, and in general how the ‘charon af’ apparent in the world could be removed. HaRav Kanievsky responded as follows: ‘Ya’asu Yom Kippur Koton’--they should organize and participate in Yom Kippur Koton gatherings. At this crucial point in history, with worldwide turbulence in many areas, and with the ‘friendship’ of the Malchus Shel Chesed on shaky ground, we note that Yom Kippur Koton next week is on Thursday, June 2nd. If it is as all possible for one to find his way to a Yom Kippur Koton Minyan, he would certainly be demonstrating a level of care and concern--and following the advice of HaRav Kanievsky on what to do about it! If one can organize a special Yom Kippur Koton Minyon in his office or workplace minyan, he will clearly be Mizake all of those around him as well. It is only approximately an additional one-half hour--and the results are boundless! Artscroll has published a special pamphlet (The Sohn Edition Yom Kippur Koton Service) which is available in Seforim stores, or online at www.artscroll.com. Once again, if at all possible--join or organize Yom Kippur Koton at Mincha this coming Thursday! Help make yourself a better person...and the world a better place!
Special Note Three: As we have just completed a cycle of daily study of the Sefer Chofetz Chaim and commenced the last daily cycle of the 5771 year to end on Erev Rosh Hashanah, we provide by the following link a summary review of the Seven Prerequisites that are necessary in order to permissibly relate what would otherwise be considered Lashon Hara http://tinyurl.com/3n7kbk2 You can print it out, cut it into the size of a card, and leave it in your wallet. On the other side of the card, you can put the following notation: “Any questions--call the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation Shemiras HaLashon Shailah Hotline: 718-951-3696, 9:00 to 10:30 PM, EST.
Hakhel Note: There is a meaningful Mashal given by the Chofetz Chaim. He tells of the wealthy person who became more miserly as he got older, and decided that he could get by eating a little less and a little less every day. Each month he saved a little more…five rubles…then ten rubles…then fifteen rubles. By the fourth month, however, he was so weak that he had to spend money to go to the doctor. After reviewing his situation, the doctor advised him that his was in real danger of starvation--and that it would cost 200 rubles for medicine to heal him. The elderly man's plan to save a few rubles resulted in a huge and disastrous expense. The Nimshal is to a person who raises a Machlokes because of a few dollars here, or speaks Lashon Hara because of a few dollars there. He may be upset and concerned about --and even ultimately save the money here and there--but the severity of the machlokes and the deleterious effects of the Lashon Hara will far, far, far, exceed the gain from the few dollars or even ‘the principle of the thing.’ We therefore must urge ourselves on to look at these Seven Prerequisites, and to ask a Shailah when in doubt…in order to save much more than those 200 rubles way down the line--in Olam HaZeh and Olam Haba!
Special Note Four: The following is excerpted from Praying with Fire, by Rabbi Heshy Kleinman, Shlita, Day 50: “Rav Elimelech of Lizhensk would say the following words before entering a Shul to pray: ‘Know where you are entering; What you will do there; Who is in this house; Whose house it is; and Who empowered you to enter this house.”
Hakhel Note 1: Even if we don’t have these words committed to memory, we can and should readily think of similar thoughts in order to better appreciate the great opportunity before us. Some recite the Posuk “VeAni BeRov Chasdecha Avo Veisecha Eshtachaveh El Haichal Kadshecha BeYirasecha” (Tehillim 5:8) as they bow and enter into Shul.
Hakhel Note 2: Just as the way we enter Shul is an important portal to how we will conduct ourselves there, so too, will Kavanna in the first Bracha of Shemone Esrei put us on the appropriate track for the remainder of our Meeting with Hashem in Shemone Esrei. The Tur writes in the name of his brother (Rebbi Yechiel, Z’tl) that the first Bracha has 42 words, which corresponds to Hashem’s Name of 42 letters (see Kiddushin 71A). With this, we should appreciate every words of the first Bracha for each word is an inherent part in the formation of the Sheim Hashem. An astonishing allusion to this, is that the Bracha begins with a ‘bais’ (the numerical equivalent of two), and ends with a ‘mem’ (the numerical equivalent of 40)--adding up to 42 as well--every word and indeed every letter is permeated with Kedusha!
Special Note Five: We continue with our Erev Shabbos Halachos of Shabbos Series:
A. We are instructed to always emulate the ways of Hashem. One of Hashem’s traits is ‘LeHachayos Lev Nidkaim’--to give spirit, to give life to those who are downcast. Certainly on Shabbos Kodesh we should be ever vigilant to uplift one who appears down--as on Shabbos one is not himself permitted to have thoughts or undertake actions which will lead him to be sad. Let the day be one of Oneg--for everyone you encounter!
B. Every Wednesday, HaRav Yisroel Dov Webster, Shlita, noted Posek , Dayan Shaarei Mishpat, and author of The Halachos of Pregnancy and Childbirth, gives a Hakhel Shiur to women in Boro Park attended by approximately 100-125 woman. This past winter he gave a series of Shiurim on Hilchos Bishul, and at the end of the series the women were given a bechina of 100 questions. Questions 16-20 were covered last week. We now continue with a summary of those questions:
Bishul Achar Bishul - Cooking After Cooking
Liquids
There is a dispute among the Poskim as to whether a liquid that has been cooked and then cooled is subject to the laws of Bishul. Some Poskim say that if the liquid has cooled below Yad Soledes Bo, it is subject to Bishul, and others argue that once the liquid has been cooked, it is no longer subject to the laws of Bishul even if it is now cool. Somewhat of a compromise is reached in the final ruling, as follows:
In general we apply the principle of "Yesh Bishul Achar Bishul BeDavar Lach" - there is cooking after cooking in the case of a liquid. It would therefore be prohibited to reheat cold chicken soup. However, if the liquid is still warm enough to be considered appreciably warm/hot, even though it is not Yad Soledes Bo, then the Poskim are lenient and Bishul does not apply. Therefore. it would be permitted to reheat warm chicken soup even though it is not Yad Soledes Bo.
Solids
With cooked solids, however, we apply the rule, "Ein Bishul Achar Bishul BeDavar Yavesh--there is no cooking after cooking with a dry solid. Therefore, a solid food that has been fully cooked but has since cooled may be reheated on Shabbos by placing it in a Keli Rishon that has been removed from the fire. It is however forbidden to place the solid in a Keli Rishon standing on the fire--since to the onlooker this appears to be an act of cooking.
Why the difference between solids and liquids? There are two elements to the cooking process:
Heating
Cooking
In the case of a liquid, the main function of Bishul is heating, and therefore Yesh Bishul Achar Bishul BeDavar Lach. With a solid, the main aspect of Bishul is the transformation of a solid from a raw, inedible food into an edible, cooked food. Once this has been achieved, reheating is not considered Bishul - Ein Bishul Achar Bishul BeDavar Yavesh!
Special Note Six: As we move closer to Shavuos, we begin to sense a greater closeness to climbing the mountain itself. During this special period, the Yetzer Hara may be at serious work, actually attempting for us to have a yerida, rather than an aliyah. He has many techniques and trials available to challenge you with at this time: This may go wrong with davening, that may go wrong with learning. This may go wrong at work, that may go wrong at home.... We must especially bolster ourselves, and if there is, in fact, a yerida, we should try to make sure that it instead takes us to a further aliyah. Rather than stumbling, or even despairing from any new, unique or strange pre-Shavuos circumstances or situations--we should use it to propel us higher up the mountain. As Chazal teach, Lefum Tza'ara Agra--according to the necessary effort (such as a steeper mountain) is the fruit born.
In this important regard, Rabbi Eliyahu Schneider, Shlita, provides a great observation. He explains that Pesach and Sukkos may, at least in theory. begin on their own simply by closing your doors at home, driving to a hotel, handing them your credit card, and taking pleasure in the days of Yom Tov. No, preparation, no sweat in advance--and hopefully enjoying Oneg and Simchas Yom Tov with family and/or friends! Shavuos, however, is very different, as its name indicates. There is no Matzah or Seder as there is inherent in Pesach, nor is there a Sukkah to dwell in or a Lulav and Esrog to take, as is part and parcel of Chag HaSukkos. Instead, the essence of the Yom Tov is the ‘Shavuos’--the weeks that precede it--that lead up in preparation to the Yom Tov. Only after, as the Torah refers to it, the Sheva Shabbosos Temimos, can we celebrate Shavuos! There are no particular Mitzvah or Mitzvos associated with this Yom Tov at all, because the preparation for our Kabbalos HaTorah is the essence of the Yom Tov--and the climax is in our hands reaching up and out as we reach the top of the mountain!
We should take the time this Shabbos to reflect upon our preparation and where it will be going over the next 10 days. What will I begin that is new? What is it that I will reinforce? How can I make sure that I will enter Shavuos with the term properly referring to is as Shavuos? Hashem has blessed us with a mind to use. Let us use it for this most sublime and lofty of purposes--which literally fulfills our lives, and even more literally fulfills the world!
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Hakhel MIS
Important Numbers
