Monday
2nd Day Rosh Chodesh Adar II, 5771
March 7 , 2011
Today's Halachos dedicated by Y. Dobelsky L'Ilui Nishmas her mother, Leah bat Pinchas Yecheskel, whose Yahrtzeit is today Rosh Chodesh Adar. May her Neshama continue to climb higher and higher in Gan Eden and may she be a Meilitzah Yosher for her entire family.
1) The obligation of Megilah for women is different than the obligation for men, in that women are only obligated to "hear" the Megilah, whereas men are obligated to "read" the Megilah.
In fact, according to many Poskim, when a man reads the Megilah for a woman, or if a woman reads the Megilah herself, the Bracha she recites is not "Boruch Ata Hashem...Al Mikra Megilah- on the reading of the Megilah" rather she says "Boruch Ata...LiShmoa Mikra Megila- on the hearing of the reading of Megilah" (Ram"a Siman 689:2 and Mishna Berura S"K 8. This is also the opinion of the Chayei Adam. However, the opinion of the Gaon of Vilna quoted in Ma'aseh Rav, as well as the Pri Chadash 689:2 and others is that even women make "Al Mikra Megila")
Being that the obligation of women is not the same as men, a woman may not read the Megila for men.She may, however, read the Megilah for another woman. (Mishna Berura ibid. S" K 7).
However, according to some Poskim, a woman may not read the Megilah for an entire group of women. (Sha'ar Hatzion ibid. Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach, however, allowed a woman to read for a group of women; see Halichos Shlomo page 330 in footnote 4)
L'Chatchilah, however, a woman should not read the Megila herself, rather she should hear it from a man, if at all possible. (Mogen Avraham quoted in Mishna Berura ibid. S" K 8)
2) All the Halachos of reading the Megila (many of which we will iy"H learn in the near future) that apply to men, apply to women as well. Therefore, a woman who went to Shul to hear the Megilah but could not hear clearly, and missed a few [or more] words, should hear it again when she gets home [from a man reading from a kosher Megilah].(Though, If she says the missed words on her own from a Chumash, and catches up to the Ba'al Koreh, that is fine, and it isn't necessary to hear the Megilah again)
Alternatively, if the women possesses a kosher Megila, she should bring it to Shul and quietly read along as the Ba'al Koreh is reading, thus ensuring that she doesn't miss even one word from a Kosher Megilah. (Pri Megadim, Aishel Avraham, Siman 689:11.)
However, one (man or woman) that does not have a kosher Megilah, and is following along in a printed Megilah, should not read along with the Ba'al Koreh. (Chayei Adam Klal 155:17)
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 there a halachic basis for a kallah having a shomeret on the day of her wedding?
Is the kallah not allowed to be alone at all on her wedding day? Does one specific person have to be designated as a shomeret or as long as she is with someone (ex: hairdresser, mother, sister) then its ok?
Answer:
Yes, indeed there is a halachic as well as a Kabbalistic basis that necessitates a shomeret for a Kallah (and a shomer for a Chasan) on the day of the wedding (and possibly the entire week of Sheva Brachos).
It doesn't have to be the same person, as long as someone is around, she isnt alone.
She may be alone in her room if other people are home. But she shouldn't be home alone or go out in the street alone.
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:
Bitachon
Many people think that bitachon (trust in Hashem) means; I'll pray to G-d then sit back and G-d will do the work for me.
That isn't bitachon...that is laziness. Bitachon means that one takes responsibility for one's life, and accepts Hashem's response as correct and healthy for them, whether or not on the face of it the response appears to be correct and healthy.
I know that often I have lacked faith in Hashem; things have gone "wrong" and try as we might things continued to go "wrong". I would become angry, did not want to pray, felt that life was horrific and we were abandoned by G-d.
And then I would let go...of the anger and the fear. Okay, this is the way Hashem wants it. Deep breath. Not getting paid for months at a time ended up with my being paid at just the moment that we needed to be paid. The fridge dying ended up at the perfect time for us to get a new fridge.
I trust Hashem. That is where I put my faith. I do not put my faith in the governments or in any political party or leader. I trust Hashem. That doesn't mean I lie back and wait for it. I'm in a partnership here.
I work. I put my nose to the grindstone. I heave and ho and I struggle.
But what I mean by bitachon is I give up the fear and the anger and the worry and the concern...and trust that what is happening is for my good no matter how bleak it appears at the moment.
Bitachon is not a work free life; it is not a life free of thought or consideration. It is a life free of fear.
Important Numbers
