HALACHA OF THE WEEK: YOM HAMEYUCHAS The day after Rosh Chodesh Sivan is known as Yom HaMeyuchas. What is Yom HaMeyuchas, and why is Tachanun omitted?
According to tradition, for three days before the Torah was given, Mt. Sinai was blocked off and therefore is called the "Sheloshet Yemei Hagbalah." These days begin with the 3rd of Sivan, and Tachanun is omitted. As a result, the 2nd of Sivan is "sandwiched" between two days when Tachanun is omitted (Rosh Chodesh and the first of the Shloshet Yimei Hagbalah) and Tachanun is omitted too. This relationship to the other two days is the 2nd of Sivan's "yichus," hence the name Yom HaMeyuchas.
However, HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik believed this reasoning to be flawed because the Sheloshet Yemei Hagbalah never included the 3rd day of Sivan!
Rather, there is a dispute in the Talmud [Shabbat 86b] between Rabbi Yossi and the Rabbis. Rabbi Yossi maintained that the Torah was given on the 7th of Sivan, preceded by three days of preparation (Sivan 4, 5 & 6). While the Rabbis ruled, the Torah was given on the 6th of Sivan and preceded by only two days of preparation (Sivan 4 & 5).
Therefore, the Rav had a different answer for why Tachanun is omitted on the 2nd of Sivan. He explained that we want to avoid disputes on Shavuot, which is the anniversary of Jewish unity (k'ish echad b'lev echad). To do so, Chazal created a calendar that respected both the Rabbis and Rabbi Yossi, weaving both opinions into our observance.
On the one hand, we observe Shavuot on the 6th of Sivan per the opinion of the Rabbis, who held that there were only two days of Hagbalah. But we also commemorate the three days of Hagbalah as stipulated by Rabbi Yossi. These three days are Sivan 3, 4, and 5.
This one day between Rosh Chodesh and the compromise dates of the giving of the Torah is a meyuchasdika" day. It reminds us that the Rabbis developed our calendar so that there would always be shalom, just as they reconciled the Rabbis' views (Sivan 6) and Rabbi Yossi (three days of hagbalah). DVAR TORAH The Torah writes: "You shall not hurt the feelings of one another, and you shall fear the Almighty." (Leviticus 25:17)
Why does the verse end with the words, "and you shall fear the Almighty"?
According to Rabbi Shlomo Kluger the answer is that unfortunately, some people are careless with the feelings of other people; they think that they only must be careful to observe the mitzvot which involve man's obligation to G-d.
However, what this verse is teaching us is that if a person is not careful with his obligations to others and speaks against them and hurts their feelings, he will eventually be careless with the commandments between man and G-d. Therefore, the Torah adds the admonition to fear the Almighty at the end of the verse. Failure to observe the first half of the verse will lead to failure to observe the latter half of the verse. .
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MAZAL TOV * to Tzvi and Orah Frankenthal on the Bar Mitzvah of their son Ariel. Mazal Tov to grandparents Elchanan and Annette Frankenthal and Israel and Ethel Starck. * to Susie Robinson on the engagement of her grandson. Yaakov son of Ranan and Mimi Robinson to Rochel Levin. * to Chaver Moshe and Shoshie Kahn on the recent Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter, Daniella Brenner, daughter of Naftali and Menucha Brenner. * to Rabbi Hillel and Faye Meyers on the engagement of their son Avraham to Shira Feldman from Beit Shemesh, Israel. * to Dr. Shmuel and Chana Goldstein on the engagement of their son, Tuvia to Ilana Niknom. * tto Dr. Avy and Yisraela Dachman on the birth of a grandson. Proud parents are Yitzy and Faige Dachman.
REFUAH SHLAIMA * to Etai Rimel – Etai Yaakov ben Tzipporah, who is recovering in rehab.*to Mrs. Marion Reiss who is recuperating at Hadassah Hospital (Ein Karem). * to Sheldon Galowich who is recuperating at home.
CONDOLENCES *to Jenny and Kenny Landsman on the passing of Jenny's brother, Jason Levine, z"l. The funeral will be on Friday in New Jersey. Shiva will be at 14 Hanover Dr., Manalapan, NJ from Friday-Monday and will continue in Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Landsman residence, 2627 W Jarlath, from 10 AM to 10 PM. The family requests no visitors between 12:30 and 1:30pm and 6:30 and 7:30 pm.
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The week of learning, May 29-June 4, is sponsored by Juli and Dr. Dean Bell and family, in loving memory of Brett Scott Harrison, Chaim ben Dov Baer v' Rochel, z"l, on the occasion of his Shloshim. Main Minyan Kiddush is sponsored by Tzvi and Orah Frankenthal in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Ariel.
Early Minyan Kiddush is sponsored by Jim and Meira Mainzer in honor of Shabbat Mevarchim
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SHABBAT WOMEN'S SHIUR – 5:00 pm
TALMUD CLASS – 45 minutes before mincha
