20 Nisan 5772; 4th Day Chol HaMoed Pesach; Erev Shvi'i Shel Pesach; Eruv Tavshilin
April 12, 2012
CURRENT TOPIC:
HALACHOS OF SEFIRAS HA'OMER
TRIPLE PORTION L'KAVOD YOM TOV AND SHABBOS KODESH
Halachos for Thursday, Erev Shvi'i Shel Pesach
1) Sefiras HaOmer, the counting of the Omer, began on the second night of Pesach, and continues for 49 days until the Yom Tov of Shavuos.
L'Chatchila, the Bracha on the Sefirah, as well as the counting should be recited while standing. (See Mishna Berura Siman 489:6).
2) If the Sefirah was said while sitting, B'Dieved it is acceptable, and no re-counting is necessary.
This halacha applies to men and [those] women [whose minhag it is to count Sefirah,] alike. (In a few days we will discuss in more detail, whether women are obligated in this Mitzvah or not
Halachos for Erev Shabbos Kodesh, Yom Tov of Shvi'i Shel Pesach
1) The counting of the Omer should preferably be done as soon as possible after nightfall (preferably the same amount waited after sunset after Shabbos to do Melacha, should be waited for the counting of Sefirah as well)
If one davens Maariv early, before the counting of the Omer will be possible, he should be extremely careful to have a system set up whereby he will remember to count the Sefirah when the proper time arrives.
2) It is a good idea to always count the Sefirah again during the day [without a Bracha], thus even if the counting was forgotten the night before, the day counting will suffice for the total counting of the 49 days and keep you "on track".
Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh
Yom Tov Achron Shel Pesach (Isru Chag in Eretz Yisroel)
1) During the first week of Sefirah, if it's after Sunset, and before you counted Sefirah, someone asks you "What night of Sefirah is it tonight?" you should respond by saying "yesterday's count was such and such" (e.g. on the 5th night of Sefirah say "yesterday was the 4th day of the Omer").
If you mistakenly answered "Tonight's count is such and such" , you may no longer recite that night's count with a Bracha, as your response to that person is considered an adequate "counting". (See Mishna Berura Siman 489:22, and Sha'ar HaTziyun Os 23 and 26)
The above applies even if you just said "Tonight is 6", and didn't say "Tonight is the 6th night of the Omer". (Mishna Berura Siman489:21)
2) However, if someone asks you the count, and you simply respond by saying "6", and don't preface it by saying "Today is", it isn't considered a count and you may go ahead and count again with a Bracha. (Mishna Berura 489:20
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:
Is one allowed to drink pure orange juice without a hechsher (Kosher Certification)?
Answer:
Although it is best not to eat or drink any processed product that does not have a Hechsher, according to many Kashrus agencies, 100% pure Orange Juice made in the USA doesn't require a Hechsher, due to the fact that if it wasn't 100% pure orange juice, it would not be able to be called "juice" according to USDA standards.
It is still best to seek out a brand with a Hechsher and not rely on this, as it is hard to know which machines it was packaged in etc
CHIZUK CORNER
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.
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
The gemara (Succah 51) say that the Yetzer Hara is so powerful that without Hashem's help we could not overcome him. This is almost incomprehensible. If we are put in this world to fight the Yetzer Hara how could it be that without divine intervention we are destined to lose? Isn't the whole point of Bechira that we can, and must, win?
Rav Itzele Peterburger (Kochvei Ohr 9) explains that our mission in this world is to recognize Hashem in every aspect of our lives and make ourselves totally dependent on His help. When it comes to material help it is clear to us that we are powerless. After being around a little bit in this world, everyone with at least one eye in his head knows beyond the shadow of a doubt that Parnassa, health, and children are all the domain of Hashem alone, and all our effort cannot change anything.
However when it comes to Ruchniyos, spiritual survival and growth, humans are born with bechira or choice. We can choose to do the right thing or we can choose to do the wrong thing. We are like Hashem in that respect. Given this, a person will naturally come to view himself as independent of Hashem regardless of whether he chooses right or wrong. This goes against everything Hashem wants for us for our own good. It creates a separation between us and Him. Therefore Hashem created a Yetzer Hara that we cannot fight on our own. In order to win we must once again turn to Hashem and connect ourselves to Him through tefila, begging for assistance in this unwinnable battle. True we have a choice but even if we choose the side of good, we still need help and we will get it if we daven.
Oftentimes we see both in our own and in our children's lives that everything is going wrong. At every turn we are hit with bad "luck", driving either us or our children from the course we've chartered. Things seem to spiral out of control and we have no way out, a the Yetzer Hara has us bound and gagged. Left on our own devices we are doomed to falling through the abyss. Yet there is one place to turn, to Hashem. Just as Hashem set the table for our downfall, so too can he orchestrate our salvation.
No situation can't be undone with a few good moves on the chessboard. We can suddenly hear the magic words of inspiration, "find" the right mentor, or catch some other "lucky" break for a change, and just like that we pull ourselves out of the mud.
What's most heartening is that while we watch others fall and we think we are powerless to help, according to Rav Itzele's words this is completely wrong. If the key is Tefila and the other person has fallen too far to even daven for himself, we can can do it for him. Don't sit back and cry tears that fall to the ground. Send them up, and with these tears Hashem can very quickly turn things MeiAfeila L'Orah from darkness to light, U'Mishibud L'Geula and from being a trapped and lost soul to being free to soar. You can set the spark that will ignite a brilliant glow thar rises from the ashes.
Important Numbers
