Monday
4 Sivan 5771; 48th Day of the Omer; 2 Days to Kabolas HaTorah!
June 6, 2011
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תזכו למצוות
If you are just joining us today, please see ARCHIVES so you can review the previous Halachos learned.
1) A fruit or vegetable that was cooked or baked and thus became soft due to the cooking or baking may be crushed or mashed, as it is no longer subject to the prohibition of Tochen. (Based on Rambam Hilchos Shabbos Perek 21:13)
Thus, for example, potatoes that have been cooked may be mashed in the regular manner with a fork on Shabbos (though not with a specialized mashing utensil as we will B'Ezras Hashem discuss in the near future.)
2) The above only applies if the items in question were fully cooked to the point of being totally soft.
If they are not fully cooked and thus not sufficiently soft the above leniency will not apply and they will still be subject to the prohibition of Tochen. (See Shmiras Shabbos K'Hilchaso Perek 6 footnote 21 quoting HaRav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal)
Additionally, this leniency only applies if the vegetable became soft due to cooking or another action; if it became soft on its own due to being overripe, such as an avocado, this leniency will not apply. (See Chazon Ish Siman 58:9. See also Shmiras Shabbos K'Hilchaso Perek 6:7.)
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:
Why can't a girl marry a boy with the same name as her father?
Answer:
This is based on the Tzava'ah (will) of Rav Yehuda HaChasid (Tzava'ah 23) and applies to men and women equally. Apparently the reason had to do with sakana, danger, and is definitely based on kabalistic sources. The Arizal was known to be extremely cautious about this as were the Ba'al HaTanya and other great Torah giants. (See Shu"t Tzemach Tzedek Even HaEzer Siman 143)
Volumes upon volumes have been written to deal with this issue and to find some way to explain it, and determine if it is indeed something that we need to avoid today. This is not the forum for an extensive presentation of both sides.
Many Poskim ruled that the Tzav'ah of Rav Yehuda HaChasid which contains many such directives (such as not cutting hair on Rosh Chodesh, not visiting the same grave twice in one day etc.) is only applicable to his decendants and not mandatory for all of Klal Yisroel. (See Shu"t Noda B'yehuda , Tinyana, Even HaEzer Siman 79)
One thing seems clear from the majority of the Poskim, that if there is even a small difference in one of the names, then it is OK and not a problem at all (e.g. one is names Moshe and the other is named Moshe Tzvi, or one is Faiga and one is Faigel) (See Hanhagos of the Chazon Ish printed in the back of Sefer Ta'ama D'Kra from Rav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, Os 31, that one who has 2 names it is considered one long name. He also writes there that parents should not name their child a name that is out of the ordinary that will cause the child embarrassment when he/she grows up)
Certain Poskim were extremely makpid on this while others were not. (Case in point: It is a well known fact that Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal, the Posek and Gadol Hador, had two sons in law with the same name as him!)
If this is something that comes up, a Rav must be consulted to determine if it is a problem, and if it is, how to fix it (i.e. add a name, change the name etc.)
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.
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אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk Corner
Question:
How does one bring peace to his family, especially where in-laws are involved in the conflict?
Answer by HaRav Avigdor Miller Zatzal:
Number One: Each partner should tell his or her father and mother, "Pa, Ma, stay out of it. Don't talk to me one word against my husband or against my wife." Lay down the law, don't be afraid; your wife comes first. Al Kain Ya'azov Ish Es Aviv V'es Imo, a man should forsake his father and his mother, V'dovak B'ishto, and be loyal, cling to his wife. It's the most stupid thing for a parent to talk to a child against the child's spouse. If the parents are so stupid, you have to tell them, "Either you stop talking about them or I won't talk to you any more." Don't be afraid. "I'll talk about everything but not about my spouse." That's the first thing to lay down the law.
Secondly: A husband and wife should never criticize each others parents. Don't criticize your husband's brothers or sisters. Never do that! It's bad manners and it's bad diplomacy. Now that's elementary, and very many people understand that by common sense, but some people must be told. Now, sometimes it already has commenced, the war is on. What do you do? You must stop it. Of course it's not easy because they're already angry at you. There's a back and forth, they want to get revenge for what you did in the past, so you have to find ways and means of making up. Start sending little gifts to your mother-in-law, little gifts to your sisters-in-law, to your brothers-in-law, find ways and means of being nice to them. They'll continue to barb you, to needle you; but if you won't react, little by little it'll die out and after some time peace will be restored.
Of course if you start out on the right foot, it's still better. When you get married, start with wisdom, make up your mind that you are going to be the very best to your husband or your wife's family that you're able to be. Of course, don't have your mother-in-law around too much. A mother-in-law should not settle in her daughter-in-law's house. If she has to live with a child, she has to live with her daughter, but never with a daughter-in-law, because a mother-in-law has to be an angel to keep her mouth shut, and the daughter-in-law has to be an angel to suffer her mother-in-law.
Now there was a case, I had a member here whose mother was a widow and she lived with him, and they lived in tranquility; it was a remarkable story. Many years passed by and never was there a whisper of distention; but it wasn't something that should be done if it's possible to avoid.
Important Numbers
