העורך Editor

Someone once came to the Chazon Ish on Shabbos from Tel Aviv. The Chazon Ish asked how he came from outside Techum Shabbos? The visitor answered, “people say” new buildings have already been built in the gap. Upon which the Chazon Ish asked the visitor to refrain from touching the wine…

Rule: If you don’t know that an action is permitted, then for you it isn’t.

Have you ever used a business located in a residential building (kindergarten, Kippah store, barber, etc.)?

Was the establishment several floors up?

What gives you the right to use the elevator on your way there?

Perhaps you assume the business pays a larger share in elevator expenses (ha!). Well, what gives you the right to “assume”?

Were you then asked to serve as a witness at a wedding?

Did you say yes?

Eh?

The Gabbai of Rabbi Steinman zatzal once told me people do this. There is a famous letter by the Ba’al Hatanya asking his followers to cease with similar behavior. But this is not Derech Eretz.

First do research into the facts, investigate and evaluate, then seek advice.

Breishis Rabba 63:6 for individuals:

ותאמר אם כן למה זה אנכי רבי יצחק אמר מלמד שהיתה אמנו רבקה מחזרת על פתחיהן של נשים ואומרת להן הגיע לכם הצער הזה בימיכם אם כך הוא צערו של בנים והלואי לא עיברתי.

Only then did she go to Shem and Ever.

The same for the public, Brachos 3b:

אמר להם לכו ופשטו ידיכם בגדוד מיד יועצים באחיתופל ונמלכין בסנהדרין ושואלין באורים ותומים.

First, they drew up a working plan with Achitofel, and “got the votes”. Then, and only then, would they consult the Urim Vetumim.

A word to the wise…

Check out the book mentioned here for more.

So, another murder of a Jew by a non-Jew in Israel. Ho hum. What I don’t understand is the attempt by “rightists” to get this or that murder declared as a nationalistic crime. Why? All this does, is encourage more of the same. If it’s “terror”, a prisoner exchange is all it takes for the state to free the man to murder more Jews (surprise, surprise!). Criminal murderers, on the other hand, are not exchanged. (Although, hey, perhaps the Arabs decide who they want back. I don’t know.)

The same thing occurs with “Jewish Terror“. Instead of making vandals pay the owner for the paint to cover graffiti, the state actually reads the graffiti and checks whom>who, where.

Of course, “terror” should not exist as a legal category. Murder ought to be punished the same way, regardless of uniforms or mind-reading, or electoral calculations.

And Decriminalize Jewish Self Defense Now!

I heard in the name of one of the Achronim one may pass in front of someone praying Shmoneh Esrei (at least בשעת הדחק, which means: when you want to), since today no one has perfect Kavanah, even during Avos. This was quoted in the name of Shut Tzitz Eliezer vol.7 23:6, but he doesn’t say that at all (read it here on HebrewBooks). But it appears someone said it.

Now, first of all, this nonsense is far worse than it appears. What this means is no one need pray at all, since our prayers are all invalid. This is a misunderstanding of the Gemara (even assuming the description of reality is correct). But what’s worse, is the need to find a Heter, at all.

Now, I can understand why the Achronim felt the need to search for a Heter for holding on to Chametz on Pesach since circumstances actually changed from the time of Chazal. The law disallowing alcohol production for non-Jews, but not Jews, did not exist in Naharda’ah. So if a valid sale could be constructed whereby nothing changes, the quest would be validated. Now, as it happens, it cannot be, but the attempt was still valid.

But here, what has changed from the time of Chazal? I assume there were Jews whose prayer took more time, and Jews whose prayer took less time then, too.