1) On the Eve of the 14th of Nisan, Erev Pesach (This year, Thursday April 5th ), every Jewish homeowner is required to perform "Bedikas Chometz- The search for unleavened bread".
This search must be done at the beginning of the night (according to some opinions soon after sunset, and according to other opinions after Tzeis HaKochavim, the emergence of 3 stars).
2) From half an hour before sunset, no eating or other chores may be started.
The Bedikas Chometz must be done via the light of a single wick candle and not with a cluster of candles or a torch.
Nowadays it is permissible to use a single beam flashlight for Bedikas Chometz, and this may even be better than using an actual candle, as many people are afraid to go to close to the place they are searching with a candle, and thus will do a more thorough job with a flashlight.
However, the Bracha on Bedikas Chometz should be made while holding a candle and the search should begin with the candle for a bit and only then switch over to the flashlight. (Psak of Rav Moshe Feinstein and Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zichronam L'Vracha and others. Maran HaRav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv shlita, however, maintains that in places where one isn't afraid to use a candle, L'Chatchilah it is better to use a candle the entire time and not a flashlight as not to change from the Minhag Yisroel.)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are 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@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
Why is there no Kashrus , Basar B'Chalav and Chometz concerns with metal braces? Why is it any different than metal cutlery?
Answer:
I once asked this question to a prominent Posek and he answered that it is considered as part of the mouth, like a tooth, and thus doesnt require Kashering. Of course, any components that are removeable, must be cleaned and kashered for Pesach.
A Rav must be consulted in each specific situation to determine what components are considered removeable.
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal and the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal. May we all strive to follow in their ways and may they both be Melitzei Yosher for all of Klal 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 HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
THANK YOU AND תזכו למצות!
זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה
Question:
If artwork is a waste of effort, then why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu give some people that talent? Doesn't that demonstrate that He wants it to be utilized?
Answer by HaRav Avigdor Milelr Zatzal:
People must make a living, so if you're capable of earning your parnassa from artwork, that's your answer. As a result of your artwork you'll be able to send your children to yeshivos, and you'll support Torah institutions. Or it may be, some of your artwork might be utilized for mitzvos, like making ornamental decorations on things of mitzvos, could be. But in itself - it's considered a waste of effort.
It's like saying, here's a man who has a talent in computers. So therefore you say it's an ideal in life he should sit all his life and continue to tinker with computers? No, his talents should be utilized in order to earn an honest livelihood, and maybe he'll retire in due time to go into a kollel before he's too old, and even before that he can sit and learn, so therefore he's utilizing it. But it doesn't mean that computers in itself is an ideal existence - for people to spend their lives punching keys.
The fact that people have certain talents doesn't mean that these talents are an ideal in themselves. Here's a man who's an expert barber, so it means all his life he has to be a barber? Of course it's no aveira to be a barber, and you shave people's heads l'kovod Yom Tov, L'kovod Shabbos, and you're careful not to use a razor blade on their payos, certainly it's a good thing, but it doesn't mean that barbering is itself an ideal.
People have certain talents that can be utilized for the eventual ultimate service of Hashem.
Important Numbers
