Making a "לישב" On Only One Brownie?!

Rav Chaim Cohen

There is an interesting practice that takes place on Sukkos. Very often a person stops by his friend's sukkah and is offered a piece of cake or a brownie in order to make a bracha of לישב בסוכה.  This is a beautiful expression of hospitality, however we need to examine whether this is halachically correct. 

The Shulchan Aruch writes that a a person is only obligated to eat in a sukkah if he eats a כביצה or more of bread, or has an amount of mezonos that would be considered a meal (much more than a כביצה!). The Mishnah Berurah quotes poskim who dispute if a person can make a beracha if he eats an amount of mezonos which is more than a כביצה but less than the amount considered a meal. The Mishnah Berurah concludes that one CAN make a bracha in this case and he should also make sure to have כוונה on the actual sitting in the succah.

What is the halacha when one eats less than a כביצה of mezonos, such as one brownie or a small piece of cake.  This is a very common case, and seemingly the common practice is to make a beracha.  The explanation might be the following: 

There is a dispute if a person plans to be in a sukkah for an hour or two but doesn't plan on eating at all.  Can he make a bracha of לישב בסוכה? The Mishnah Brurah agrees to the opinion of the חיי אדם that allows a bracha to be made. 

In addition, the שער ציון says that the amount of כביצה is only needed for a person in his own sukkah, but when visiting a friend there is no assumption that he will receive a large portion of mezonos. 

Based on these two ideas we can suggest that really a person is really making the bracha on the actual sitting in the sukkah and doesn't really need to eat anything. However since the minhag is to make the bracha on food, it became the practice to take a little mezonos and make the bracha of לישב בסוכה. 

Accordingly, our custom is correct and a person can visit his friend's sukkah and make a bracha of לישב בסוכה even if he eats just a small amount of mezonos. (if a person can eat a כביצה of mezonos that would obviously be ideal).

Wishing everyone a chag sameach!

Eat to Your Heart's Content

Eat to Your Heart's Content

Rav Chaim Cohen

The Gemara teaches us that there is a mitzvah from the Torah for a person to eat on Erev Yom Kippur. This is deduced from the language of the pasuk that teaches us that the fast really begins on the ninth of Tishri. This is a special bonus that Hashem considers our eating on Erev Yom Kippur as if we were actually fasting, and it is a big chesed for bnei Israel on the day before our judgement is sealed for the next year.

There are two major opinions to explain this mitzvah. 

1. Some explain that the eating on Erev Yom Kippur is in order to prepare ourselves physically to be able to manage the fast on Yom Kippur itself. 
2. Others explain that this is an independent mitzvah of eating and not connected to Yom Kippur directly.  For instance, Rabbenu Yonah suggests that eating is in order to replace the Yom tov meals of Yom Kippur. 

There are several differences based on these two approaches. Such as the question of whether women are obligated in this mitzvah, or if the mitzvah is only during the day or also at night, or if a person who is sick and will not be fasting is obligated in the mitzvah to eat.

There are two other important issues that might be connected as well. The poskim discuss if a person has to eat a significant amount each time he eats on Erev Yom Kippur or if even a small amount is sufficient. If we say that the eating is a preparation for Yom Kippur then maybe one has to eat a halachik shiur each time (kazayitz) but if we say that it is just a mitzvah to eat, then any amount is good. 

Another question is what type of foods should be eaten.  If we say that the eating is a preparation for the fast then we should specifically eat foods like bread and mezonos foods that are very filling and a person won't feel hungry. However, if we are of the opinion that there is just a mitzvah to eat, then any food would be sufficient. (It is recorded that the Ktav Sofer used to walk around and eat raisins the entire day.)

Wishing everyone a meaningful fast and a gmar tov.

Halacha: Kisui HaDam - Part 2

Rav Chaim Cohen

Last week we discussed the reasons and meaning behind the mitzvah of covering the blood of a bird or non-domesticated animal after it is slaughtered. This week I would like to analyze the mitzvah from a halachik perspective and to understand the relationship between the covering and the slaughtering. The Gemara tells us that because the two words of ושפך וכסה are in the same pasuk , we learn that the person who does the שחיטה should do the כיסוי. The obligation is incumbent on the שוחט and if another person preempts him then he needs to pay ten gold pieces to the שוחט. The question is how linked are these two activities and mitzvot.

There is a very interesting machloket brought in the Rosh in chulin concerning when to make the bracha on covering the blood. The בה"ג says that the שוחט should make the bracha after he finishes covering the blood. He explains that although most brachos are recited before we perform a mitzvah,this case is different and an exception. The reason we can't make the bracha before the covering is because we are in the middle of a mitzvah because the covering is the end of the slaughtering process. Therefore we can't interrupt the mitzvah in the middle so the bracha is said at the end.  The Rosh argues on the בה״ג and says that the bracha is made prior to covering the blood like by all other mitzvot.

A possible explanation of the machloket is that the בה״ג thinks that the pasuk linked together the covering and the slaughtering and they comprise one extended mitzvah. Therefore the bracha can only be made after the covering. The Rosh understands that although slaughtering is necessary to create the mitzvah of covering, they are still two separate actions and two mitzvot and therefore the bracha is made prior to the covering.

 Another halachik difference is whether a person can speak between the slaughtering and the covering. According to the בה״ג it would be prohibited but according to the Rosh it would be permitted.

Challenging question: according to the בה״ג that the two actions are part of one process, then why is there a bracha  at all on the covering. It would make sense that if the covering is the end of the process of slaughtering, that it should not require a separate bracha.  If anyone has an answer please let me know or add a comment below.

Parsha: Values Through Symbols

Rav Cohen

In this weeks' parsha we have the story of Eliezer going out to find a wife for Yitzchak. After he arrives at the well and meets with Rivka, she does a great act of chessed and gives Eliezer and his animals to drink water. Then Eliezer takes out a few gifts to give to Rivka. The pasuk says that he gave her a נזם זהב בקע משקלו ושני צמידים.  What is the message behind these specific presents and what is unique about the word בקע? 

The Kli Yakar explains that the word בקע means split or chopped. It refers to something that was once whole but is now broken and only a half. However the word צמידים which are bracelets are actually made by taking separate strands and then spinning and twisting them together to make one object.  In other words these two gifts were symbolizing and displaying opposite characteristics.

The בקע relates to regular monetary possession. Money is something that no matter how much a person has, they would always like to have more. Therefore the Torah uses the word בקע, which is a half, to show that we will always desire to have more. 

The צמידים relate to Torah and mitzvos.  Although we learn different types of Torah and do many different mitzvos, all of them are intertwined and joined together to make one rounded ben Torah and become part of ones essence.

These characteristics can be seen in two other areas as well. Money very often can be the source of strife and fighting and creating a rift and separation between people (the idea of broken mentioned above).  Torah has the opposite effect, as it promotes and generates peace and harmony in Am Yisrael. Also, Torah and mitzvos are something that become attached and joined to a person and will never leave him even after he dies, where as money eventually will be separated from a person when he leaves this world.

In essence, the gifts that Eliezer was giving to Rivka where expressing a deep point about Jewish values. Our time and energy should be invested in actions that will be everlasting and create peace and less focused on material gains, which can lead to conflict and will ultimately not escort a person after he leaves this world.

Good Shabbos!     

Halacha: Care for a Drink?

Rav Cohen

I recently attended two different bar mitzvahs where I saw a new minhag. During Kriyas hatorah the bar mitzvah boy was drinking a bottle of water in order to clear his throat and strengthen his voice. 

Being that this took place before kiddush, I wondered: Is this permitted?  

There are two issues that we need to clarify: 

1. When does the obligation of kiddush shabbos morning begin?
2. Is there a prohibition of drinking water before kiddush in the morning?

The Shulchan Aruch in Siman 289 says that there is a prohibition to eat or drink anything, including water, before a person makes kiddush in the morning. However, in Siman 286 he says that although it is prohibited to eat a meal before Mussaf, one may "taste" food before Mussaf, i.e. eat fruit or bread in an amount less then a ke-betizah.  The Mishnah Brurah explains that this allowance to "taste" food before Mussaf is only applicable to one who makes kiddush after Shacharis. The Mishna Berura's ruling is based on the opinion of the Bach and Magen Avraham that the obligation for kiddush begins after Shacharis. According to this understanding the only way for the bar mitzvah boy to drink water would be if he would make kiddush prior to Kriyas Hatorah .

There are two important opinions that could possibly be used to explain this practice of eating without first saying kiddush.  

1. The first is expressed by Rabbenu Dovid, the Meiri and the Raavad.  They are of the opinion that there is no special significance to kiddush shabbos morning and therefore there is no prohibition to eat or drink before kiddush in the morning. They claim that the cup of wine and bracha are just to make the meal more important, but that don't create an actual prohibition.
2. In addition there is the opinion of the Maharshal (and other achronim) who argue with the Magen Avraham.  According to them the obligation for kiddush only begins after Mussaf, and therefore one would be able to drink water after Shachris just like it is permitted before davening.

These two opinions are relied upon to permit a weak person to eat after Shacharis, even without kiddush, when wine is unavailable.  Similarly, Rav Ovadiah Yosef (Yabiah Omer V) permits a Ba'al Koreh who will be reading in a few shuls on shabbos morning, to drink water without kiddush.

In conclusion, the opinion of the Mishna Berura is that a a bar mitzvah boy should make kiddush first if he wants to drink water during leining.  However, there are opinions to rely upon that  allow drinking in certain cases even before making kiddush.

Parsha: Double Your Pleasure

Rav Cohen

In this weeks parsha there is a beautiful insight by the Kli Yakar that relates to the unique qualities of Eretz Yisrael. In two separate pasukim, Hashem describes to אברהם אבינו the process of acquiring Eretz Yisrael.  The two pasukim are similar, yet contain subtle differences. 

In the first pasuk, Hashem tells אברהם אבינו to look at the land.  What he sees will become his possession. The pasuk also mentions that ownership of the land will not only be for אברהם אבינו, but  will also be for all of his future generations - לזרעך עד עולם. 

In the second pasuk, ה׳ tells אברהם to acquire Eretz Yisrael by walking on it and along it׳s borders. The pasuk also implies that this will only be for Avraham - לך אתננה - and not for his children. 

What is the reason for these differences?

Halacha: Focus on the Present or Look at the Big Picture?

Focus on the Present or Look at the Big Picture? 

Should One Fast on צום גדליה if it Will Prevent Him from Fasting on יום כיפור?

Rav Chaim Cohen

There is a fascinating question that the poskim deal with that connects צום גדליה and יום כיפור. Should a person fast on צום גדליה knowing that he will then be too weak to fast on יום כיפור or should he eat on צום גדליה so that he will have strength to fast a week later on יום כיפור.  This is a very fundamental question if a mitzvah which one is obligated to do right now, should be performed regardless of its future ramifications, or does a person need to see the big picture and decide which mitzvah takes precedence. In our case if the person fasts on צום גדליה he will be putting himself in a situation that he will have to eat on יום כיפור which is punishable with כרת.

There are two cases in halacha that are similar to our case.

1.       The בעל המאור says that a person is allowed to go on a boat trip three days before שבת even though when שבת comes he will need to be מחלל שבת.  Although the Shulchan Aruch doesn't bring this opinion by the boat trip, he does agree to this reasoning by a person who is going on a trip to the desert and will need to be מחלל שבת due to the danger of his surroundings. In both of these cases we see that a person only has to look and plan three days ahead before he decides to do an action that eventually will bring him to need to do an עבירה.

2.       The בעל המאור and רמב"ן argue if a person would be allowed to perform a ברית מילה on שבת even though he knows that immediately afterwards he will need to heat up hot water for the baby, which would be a violation of שבת. The רמב"ן says that a person is allowed to do the ברית מילה because we do the mitzvah that is in front of us at this moment.  If we need to heat water afterwards that will not be a problem because פיקוח נפש דוחה שבת .

According to these two cases we can argue that although צום גדליה is a lower level obligation than Yom Kippur, we may still tell a person that he should do the mitzvah that is in front of him and not worry about the future. However, there are poskim who disagree and say that it is better in this case to fast on Yom Kippur and eat on צום גדליה.

Gemar Tov!