Tuesday
23 Kislev 5771
November 30 2010; 2 Days until Chanukah
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If you are just joining us today, please seeARCHIVES so you can review the previous Halachos on this and other topics.
1) On all 8 days of Chanukah, the complete Halel is recited following Shacharis. The Bracha of "Baruch Ata Hashem...Likro Es Hahalel" is recited before the recitation of the Halel.
There is no Tefilas Mussaf on Chanukah (besides for Rosh Chodesh and Shabbos), as there was no special Mussaf offering on Chanukah in the Bais HaMikdash.
2) If one is in middle of Halel, and hears a Bracha or Kedusha, he/she has the status as if they were in the middle of Birchos Krias Shema.
Thus, in middle of a chapter, one may only interrupt for the first "Amen" of Kadish, "Amen YeHei Shemei Rabbah", "Amen" of "D'Amiran B'Alma V'Imru Amen", the verses "Kadosh" and "Baruch" in Kedusha, The "Amen" of " HaKel HaKadosh" and the "Amen" of " ShoMea Tefilah".
If one is between 2 chapters, he/she may answer "Amen" to all Brachos. (We discussed these Halachos more at length in Hilchos Tefilah: Halachos of Krias Shema. See Archives Here)
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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:
Is it permissible to take vitamins on Shabbos? e.g. calcium for bone health?
What about taking a baby aspirin on Shabbos - prophylactically - to prevent head aches, strokes, and for heart strength, etc.?
Answer:
If the vitamins are being taken as a supplement for food, they are permitted.
If it is being taken to fortify the body or to combat certain medical symptoms. however, Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal (Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 3 Siman 54) and other Poskim are stringent, while the Tzitz Eliezer (Vol. 14 Siman 50) and others are lenient.
A Rav should be consulted for Psak Halacha.
Preventative medicine may also be permitted in certain instances.
A Rav should be consulted for each specific situation.
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 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 ME. THANK YOU AND TIZKEH L'MITZVOS!
אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk For Today:
David Miller [name changed to protect privacy], an observant Jew, was at
Logan Airport getting ready to board United Flight 175. He was going to LA on an important business trip and had to make this flight. A lot depended on it.
He boarded the plane and sat down as the doors closed.
Suddenly he remembered that he had left his tefillin (phylacteries--ritual boxes with straps worn by Jewish men in prayer) in the terminal boarding area. He politely asked the stewardess if he could go back and retrieve his tefillin, which were sitting just a few feet from the gate.
She told him that once the doors closed, no one was allowed off the plane. He asked to speak to the pilot to obtain special permission, but the pilot simply restated the policy.
David was not about to lose this precious mitzvah, or let the holy tefillin get lost, so, not knowing what else to do, he started screaming at the top of his lungs, "I am going to lose my tefillin!"
The crew asked him to be quiet, but he refused. He made such a tumult that the flight crew told him that they would let him off the plane, but even though it would only take about 90 seconds to run out, grab his tefillin, and run back - they were not going to wait for him.
No matter. David was not about to lose his tefillin, even if it caused him great inconvenience or cost his business a loss.
He left the plane, never to re-board.
This was United flight #175, the second plane to reach the World Trade Center. The date was September 11 2001.
David's devotion to a mitzvah saved his life, but the consequences of his actions do not end there.
Originally, the terrorists wanted both towers struck simultaneously to maximize the explosive carnage. Later it was learned that due to David's intransigence, the takeoff was delayed, causing a space of 18 minutes between the striking of the two towers.
The delay made it possible for thousands of people to escape alive from both buildings--because one Jew would not forsake his beloved tefillin!
Submitted by Tova L.;This Story is documented in "Even in the darkest moments" by Zeev Breier