KINS ZOOM ROOM ID 861 811 9980 Password 7614000 Shabbat, July 10, 2021 during seudah shlishit RABBI LEONARD MATANKY An Update from Israel - Religious Zionism at a Crossroads
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 DAYTIME DIALOGUES with JEREMY J. FINGERMAN
HALACHA OF THE WEEK: Havdalah During the Nine Days While the Talmud records that there is a prohibition against eating meat and drinking wine only during the final meal before Tisha B'Av, by the time of the Shulchan Aruch, this prohibition was extended to the entire period between Rosh Chodesh Av and Tisha B'Av (the "nine days") [Taanit 26b, Orech Chaim 552:1].
But what about wine for havdalah? Rabbi Yosef Karo ruled that the prohibition of wine and meat never included these items when used for a mitzvah, such as Birkat haMazon and havdalah [551:10]. However, the Rema disagreed and ruled that Ashkenazim should not drink the wine for havdalah, giving it instead to a child. However, he does add that at a Seudat Mitzvah (e.g., a brit, pidyon haben, or siyum), wine and meat are permitted.
As noted in the Shulchan Aruch, the basis of the Rema's stringency is a responsum of the Maharil [#106]. But interestingly, this stringency is not found in that responsum. Rather, the Maharil writes that he never saw his teachers refrain from drinking wine for Havdala.
While several answers are offered to this dilemma, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, z "l explained that the Rema's restriction was because, in his day, wine was a rare commodity. As a result, it was rare to use wine for havdalah, and to choose to do so during the nine days was inappropriate. However, nowadays, wine is commonly used for havdalah, and the practice is for an adult to drink the wine even if a child is present.
Despite this ruling of Rabbi Feinstein, many still follow the ruling of the Rema and give the havdalah wine to a child (or use an alternative beverage for havdalah). However, the Mishna Berura raises one more difficulty, and that is that the child who is drinking the wine must be old enough to understand the bracha but not yet reached the age of mourning over Yerushalayim [Mishna Berura 551:70].
As a result, Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzhal reported that Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach would drink the wine himself [Yerushalayim B'Moadeha, The Three Weeks, #167].
DVAR TORAH This week’s second parasha, Matot, begins with the laws governing nedarim - vows. However, unlike most commandments that Moshe communicated to the people. this command was given to the Roshei HaMatot - the heads of the tribes (Numbers 30:2-3). Why was this mitzvah not transmitted in the normal fashion, first to Aharon, then his sons, then the elders and only then to the rest of the people? Why start with the leaders of the tribes?
According to Rashi the reason was to grant honor to the leaders because they play a vital role in the laws of vows. For unlike other judicial actions, the of annulment of vows was done by individuals who are experts, such as the leaders of the tribes.
On the other hand, the Ramban suggested that these laws were given to the Roshei HaMatot, because only they could be trusted to deal with the annulment of vows with the level of sophistication and reverence that it deserves.
However, Rabbi Akiva Eiger suggested that perhaps the reason Moshe commanded the leadership because he wanted to reiterate the importance of a leader's adherence to commitment. “Chachamim hizharu b’divreichem” - wise men should be careful with their words - because the eyes of a nation are focused on their words, their promises, and their commitments. Therefore it is fitting that the leadership who are faced with the greatest challenge to meet their commitments were granted first the mitzvah which deals with words.
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MAZAL TOV *to Mark and Rachel Lebowitz on the birth of a grandson. The proud parents are Shira and Eli Jerenberg (Israel) REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Etai Rimel – Etai Yaakov ben Tzipporah, who is recovering in rehab.
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