1) It is a Mitzvah to use red wine for the Arba Kosos, the four cups at the Pesach Seder. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 472:11)
It is ideal for men not to use Grape juice for the Arba Kosos.
If someone cannot drink wine, it is best for some wine to be mixed into the grape juice to the point that the wine can be tasted.
Of course, if due to health or other reasons, one is unable to drink even a little bit of wine , then grape juice should be used, and the obligation of the Arba Kosos will be fulfilled L'Chatchila. (See Shu"t Teshuvos V'Hanhagos Vol. 2 Siman 243 where he writes that the Chazon Ish, Brisker Rav, Techibiner Rav Zichronam L'Vracha and other Gedolim used grape juice at the end of their lives when they were unable to drink wine.)
Women and children can use Grape Juice L'Chatchilah. (ibid.)
2) If one has white wine that is a better quality wine than the red, it's better to use that white wine. (Rama Siman 472:11)
One of the reasons for opting for red wine is to commemorate the "Jewish blood" that was spilled by Pharaoh in Mitzrayim. (Mishna Berura Siman 472:38)
Thus, what many people who want to drink white wine do is to add some red wine to it to turn the mixture red.
However, adding red wine or grape juice to white wine for the express purpose of coloring the white wine is problematic, as even though the prohibition of "coloring" on Shabbos and Yom Tov usually does not apply to food, here where the whole purpose of the mixing is to "color" the drink, it may indeed be a prohibition of Tzvia, coloring. (See Halichos Shlomo, Pesach, Perek 9:5 and footnote Dvar Halacha 11)
The better option when doing this is to pour in the red wine first and then add the white wine into the red. (Based on Sha'ar HaTziyun Siman 318:65, where he writes that when done this way, according to all opinions, it isn't considered coloring.)
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:
I want to know if its against the halacha to copy music from other people. Some people claim it's not, since you're not actually stealing something.
Answer:
Firstly, according to Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal and other Poskim (including Rav Shmuel Wosner Shlita, Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Zatzal and Rav Chaim Yisroel Belsky Shlita) , you are prohibited from copying any item that has been created by someone else, if that person is selling it. This would apply to jewelry, art, Sefarim...and copying Torah or music tapes as well. The reason is that doing so will cause the creator of the item to lose sales, and thus lose money due to your action and is Gezeilah (See Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 4 Siman 40:19)
Therefore, many of today's Poskim pasken that if you bought the tape, CD or music download and you want to make an additional copy for yourself (let's say to keep one at home and one in the car) it would be permitted, as most people don't, and wouldn't, buy two copies, and making the second copy for yourself is not causing the creator to lose a sale. But to copy someone else's CD for your own use is prohibited.
The fact that a song is an "intellectual creation" makes no difference, and one who steals it is guilty of the sin of stealing. This is especially true if the music CD in question is specifically sold on this condition (as most are today) which in most cases can withhold certain "rights" from the buyer, thus one cannot claim that "I bought it, and it is now mine to with as I please, including copying etc.)
Furthermore when there are copyright laws in effect which prohibit the copying of the music, it would also be prohibited Halachically based on the concept of "Dina D'Malchusa Dina- that a Jew must obey the civil laws of the host country he/she resides in" (See Shach Yoreh Deah 165:8)
Although certain Rabbanim have ruled that even for personal use (as a second copy) is prohibited, one may rely on the above Poskim and indeed make a copy for personal use. However, one who relies on "Heterim" to initially copy a music CD or download is probably transgressing a "D'Oraisa" of Geneiva. (Is it really worth becoming a thief to save $14.99?)
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This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmos the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Chaim Yaakov Stein Zatzal , the Mir Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Noson Tzvi Finkel Zatzal and the Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Ohr, the great Posek HaRav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg Zatzal.
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זכר צדיקים וקדושים לברכה
Chazal say: One should always heed the counsel of elders. Even if the elders advise one to demolish and the youth advise one to build, one should listen to the elders, for the "demolition" of the elders is ultimately "building," whereas the "building" of the youth will ultimately bring about destruction.
In this context they point to the following story:
After the passing of Shlomo HaMelech, his son Rechavom ascended the kingly throne. A delegation of Yidden soon approached him, asking that he treat them gently and not overburden them with taxes. Rechavom told them, "Return in three days and I will answer you."
He then turned to seek the advice of the elders who had stood before his father. They told him, "If you treat the people gently, they will serve you faithfully throughout all of their days."
Dissatisfied with this approach, the king then consulted some young friends and they told him, "Be firm with the people. Tell them that you will be even more demanding than your father."
At the end of three days the people returned, and the king answered them as his young friends had advised. Infuriated, the people rebelled against him and chose Yerovam as their king.
(מלכים א' יב, לקח טוב שמות ד,כח, מגילה לא ע"ב)
Important Numbers
