On the Whole Heter to Fly To Saudi Arabia On Shabboskoidesh Thing

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On the Whole Heter to Fly To Saudi Arabia On Shabboskoidesh Thing

Rabboisai,

What the Tashmish HaMitah!!

There is a great deal of speculation out there about who gave the Psak Halacha to Jared and Ivanka enabling them to take off in a plane on a Friday and arrive on Shabboskoidesh to Saudi Arabia. The speculation can end. It was me, the Rabbinic Advisor to President of the United States Donald Trump SHLITA.

(And by the way, I have also been given a second title: Christ Killer Advisor to Vice President Mike Pence.)

People wonder about the legitimacy of the travel Psak. They wonder about the Halachic elements in the decision. The worry about the precedent it sets in the mind of the Gentile public re: Sabbath observance. And they contemplate how to get a similar Heter next time they go on vacation.

Shoyn.

I know that such people are asking these questions Lishmah. However, I fear they may also be subconsciously driven by dislike for President Trump SHLITA, and are applying their ire to every aspect of the current Administration, professional and personal. Why, some even wonder if President Trump was born in this country, and insist on seeing a birth certificate, given the fact that his father was from Kenya and he was educated in a Midrassa in Indonesia. Who ever heard of such a thing?!?!

Yes, some of my friends, friends with whom I share many sensibilities and a similar world-view, in seeking "personal scandals" such as whether Jared Davened towards Mecca or Jerusalem while in Saudi Arabia, have begun to sound like a progressive version of Fox News. Only without the sexual harassment. I hope.

Indeed, I did give a Heter to Jared and Ivanka to fly on Shabbos. And I would do it again. Here is my Halachic reasoning:

In Beraishis, at the beginning of Parshas Vayayra (Genesis, Chapter 18), Avraham Avinu receives guests. And how does he entertain them? Does he offer them Meal Mart food? Does he order in from the Koisher Dunkin Donuts? No, you Mechutziff!! Shtayt in Passuk, "VaYikach Chem'ah V'Cholov, OoVen Ha Baker Asher Usuh, VaYitain, Lofneihem; Ve'Hoo Oimaid Aleihem Tachasssss HuAitz, VaYoicheilu". "And (Avraham) took butter and milk, and the calf that he had prepared for them, and set it before them; and he stood by them under a tree, and they ate." (Pasook Chesssssss; Verse 8).

Now, as it turns out, these three "guests", we soon find out, are messengers of the Reboinoisheloilum. And how do they respond to the fact that Avraham Avinu served them Basar and Cholov, milk and meat? Did they accuse Avraham of being a bad Jew? Did they abandon their mission on behalf of Hakadoishboruchhu? Do they - not so politely - refuse the food, and ask for uncut vegetables on a paper plate and plastic cutlery? No, you Menuval! The three messengers ate the food, and they enjoyed it!

Does anyone suggest that Avraham was not really observant? No, you Mechutziff! Members of Klal Yisroel cite this story all the time as a role model for behavior - Hachnassasss Orchim, showing hospitality to guests, even strangers. They also refer to the story as the best way to convene an Amway gathering.

We see from here that there is flexibility when circumstances call for it. The interests of humanity, in this case offering hospitality to strangers, can take precedence over Halachic minutia. Does anyone in CHAZAL ever question who gave a Heter to Avraham Avinu? No, you Vilda Chaya! They celebrate Avraham's selflessness, and go so far as to suggest that this meeting occurs as Avraham Avinu and his son Yismael are recovering from having Bris Milahs performed on their... errr... Bris Milahs.

There is certainly no doubt that the Toirah recognizes and respects that even within the boundaries of Halacha there are moments of exception. The Gemara tells us that a person is permitted to be Mechalel Shabboskoidesh to save a life. A person can be Mechalel Shabbos to go to war. A person can be Mechalel Shabbos to take a suffering child to the doctor, even if the child's life is not in danger. Etc. And, of course, a person can be Mechalel Shabbos if there is an important playoff game that night.

So when it comes to affairs of state, for someone who is Karov LeMalchuss, someone who is in a position of power and influence, and whose actions may have impact on lives, it should come as no surprise that the Halacha can be the subject of "creative flexibility".

It is indeed ironic that some of those most open to the application of "creative flexibility" to Halacha, who are critical of the rigidity of some elements of the Orthodox world, and who are active supporters of change-for-the-better in Orthodoxy, including on issues such as conversion, Agunot, and the role of women, have all of the sudden decided to join the Chareidi world in the most black and white interpretations of Halacha and practice with regard to Jared and Ivanka’s travel habits.

Indeed, in our own backyards there are many observant people who are Mechalel Shabbos with a Heter for the benefit of the greater good. Doctors carry phones to Shul on Shabbos, take calls, and travel to the hospital or their offices to see patients or do rounds. Hatzallah and other Observant EMTs use radios and travel on Shabbos, for both emergencies and routine staffing. Soldiers in Israel go to battle or stand on guard duty, even when there is no known threat. And even outside of Israel, an increasing number of Orthodox Shuls have members that engage in guard duty, using phones, walkie talkies, and cameras due to the outside risk that maybe, perhaps, there will be a terrorist attack, despite the very low probability of such event occurring in many of our communities. Why does mainstream Halacha permit such behaviors? Because we live in the world of reality, and reality is not a fantasy book that idealizes our existence in ancient Israel and in all of the countries of the Diaspora in every generation. Reality is here and now.

Klal V'Choimer when we are speaking of affairs of state in which lives are at stake - perhaps not today, but in the medium and long term. When we speak of Saudi Arabia, a country which borders on Iran and which is a significant influencer on the Sunni Moslem world, we speak of a country that has serious relevance to Israeli and American lives, as well as the lives of others in the region. Would a public reapproachment between Saudi Arabia and Israel potentially save lives? Would influencing the funneling of Saudi money away from Hamas, Al Quaida and other extremist groups potentially save lives? Would establishing more robust defense capabilities in Saudi Arabia potentially save lives? Would increased intelligence cooperation in the struggles against Iran and ISIS potentially save lives, especially if President Trump does not reveal these intelligence sources to the Russians, or to the general public in a 3:00 am tweet?

Of course! You do not need to be a brilliant Toirah scholar like me to acknowledge the above.

So if the presence of Jared and Ivanka has relevance to and impact on such meetings, then it is a no brainer that there is flexibility in the Halacha. I know it may be hard for you to accept or to admit. But please do not hurt yourself trying to follow the logic.

I am reminded of a Maiseh Shehoya. The RAMBAM, as is well known, was a great Rabbinic scholar who lived for most of his life in Egypt. He was also a philosopher and a doctor, a skill he learned from reading the Gemarra and studying while in the Bais HaKeesay. His prominence and expertise as a doctor resulted in his being the personal physician to the Vizier, the equivalent of Prime Minister, to Sultan Salah A-Din.

One Shabboskoidesh, as Salah A-Din was in the throes of battle to regain the Holy Land from the Crusaders, a royal chariot led by two horses came to the RAMBAM's Shul right after Leyning, and the RAMBAM was summoned to come into the chariot and travel to Salah A-Din's castle. He did so immediately.

The next day at Shacharis, one of the RAMBAM's congregants, Menachem Mendel Goldstein, came up to him and asked, "Rabbi RAMBAM, how come you traveled on Shabboskoidesh? You were Oiver on many Melachois!"

RAMBAM smiled a broad smile, extended his arms to Menachem Mendel, and pulled him closer to hug him. While clenching Menachem Mendel, the RAMBAM kneed him in the groin with all of his strength. Menachem Mendel fell to the ground, doubled over and sobbing. "But Rebbe", Menachem Mendel protested, "All I want is the truth!"

RAMBAM bent over to where Menachem Mendel was lying in a fetal position and spoke to him softly, in a barely audible voice, "You can't handle the truth! You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to." (Talmidim: Extra credit to anyone under the age of thirty who gets the reference.)

Shoyn.

V'Ee Taymah, and if you want to claim, that Jared and Ivanka's actions, well intentioned or not, have a negative impact on Sabbath Observant Jews everywhere and threaten to chip away at the legal protections earned for Sabbath observers in the workplace over the last 70 years, I would suggest that Jared and Ivanka’s actions will not be perceived as representative in any way. That sort of thinking is similar to those who fear walking in the streets of Manhattan wearing a Yarmulke. It is a ghetto mindset.  We no longer live in Eastern Europe, although I am sure that you, you Mechutziff, like to make believe you do, particularly when you try to convince your wife that you cannot take the time to bring her to her... ummm... Makeh B'Patish because the Cossacks might be attacking any minute.

Now, I know that not everyone agrees with my Psak or with my perspective. One such person is my beloved rabbinical colleague, the RADAMN. On this topic he has publicly stated, "The problem with the counter-factual you present is that it attempts to apply a subjective standard to what is most certainly governed by an objective reasonable person test. The question is not what any one person would do. The question is simply does the act or decision allow or preclude Sabbath observance in general in the work place, school or event. Again, I am not advocating for personal preferences as to how to observe but simply the right to observe. (By way of analogy, the constitutional distinction w/r/t voting is whether the governmental act precludes the right to vote at all versus the right to an informed vote. Generally a governmental act impact the former will be deemed unconstitutional whereas the latter is presumed constitutional).”

I must admit: I have absolutely no idea what he is talking about. You see, he went of Princeton, and they apparently speak a different dialect of Aramaic.

In any case, I personally believe that President Trump SHLITA is off to a perfect start. However, if one wants to find fault with his administration, I am sure that there are one or two things that some may find objectionable, such as:

-- An emerging pattern of secret contacts with the Russians amongst many in his inner circle

-- Firing the head of the FBI during an investigation of the Russia connection

-- A pattern of irresponsible tweets, including a tweet accusing Former President Obama of bugging Trump Tower, which has been debunked at all levels of the security establishment

-- Failure to produce an alternative to Obamacare that ensures coverage of the existing ensured

-- An ill-thought out wholesale ban on travelers to the country

-- Lowering of business taxes without a viable plan for replacing revenues, while at the same time promoting increased spending on defense and private prisons

-- Signaling to NATO leaders a less than full commitment to NATO, which has been the lynchpin of military stability in Western Europe since WWII.

In addition, he performed a sword dance with the Saudis, and did not even know the right dance steps!!

So, Mistama, there may be a little room to criticize President Trump. But the Sabbath travels of Jared and Ivanka are arguably legitimate from a Halachic standpoint, and are, frankly, irrelevant, to any broader concerns about President Trump SHLITA.

Ah Gutten Yuntif You Menuval

---------

Rabbi Pinky Schmeckelstein
Rosheshiva
Yeshivas Chipass Emmess

NEW -- Chadash Assur Min HaToirah

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Chadash Assur Min HaToirah

Rabboisai,

This week I had been planning to share with you the ultimate key to bringing Moishiach, the Shaym HaMephoirash, the ineffable name of Hakadoishboruchhu that has been passed down in my - MY - family, as I am the direct descendant of Moishe Rabbeinu, Eli HaKoihaon, and Yirmiyahi HaNavi. And in invoking the Name in this Drasha, in this large virtual Kehillah, I was going to trigger the Yemai HaMashaich, the Messianic Era and the End Of Days. It's about time, don't you think?

In my role as President Donald Trump's Advisor For Spiritual Afffairs this week, I discussed my plan with President Trump SHLITA, and he though the idea was "Terrific!" He even wanted to know if we could brand the Third Bais HaMikdash as the "Trump Temple".

However. President Trump inadvertently shared the Shaym HaMephoirash with the Russian Foreign Minister and Ambassador a week ago, and as they tried to use this ultimate weapon in their Zil limousines on the way back to the Russian Embassy, they upset the Reboinoishoilum, who only allows the use of the Shaym once in a generation. So Moshiach-Tzeit, the era of the Moshiach, will have to wait.

Damn.

But the good news is that some of my investments in Canadian real estate, the defense industry, and privately run prisons will now have time to grow in value. Baruch HaShem.

Shoyn.

----

We start today's Drasha with a series of questions. Please bear with me; I know that you have the attention span of a Goilem who just drank six Espressois... errr... espressos.

----

-- The Mishnah asks: "Ma'Amusai Koirin Ess Kriyas Shma Ba'Arvin?" From what point can we start reciting Kriyas Shma at night? I am not going to recite to you the entire Machloikess; if you are not intimately familiar with this very basic Mishnah, you should probably stop calling yourself a Jew and start worshipping Yushka, since you are an Am Ha'Aretz and add no value to Klal Yisroel whatsoever. Unless of course you are willing to write a big check, and then we will praise your value as a supporter of Toirah and Klal Yisroel and as a communal leader. Kenayna Hurrah!!

-- We also have an adage in Klal Yisroel that begins, "Tuhdeer V'She'einoi Tuhdeer..." - When one has to prioritize the order of a liturgy, which comes first - the common or the uncommon? Again, I am not going to tell you the answer. You should know the answer, otherwise you should not be reading this Drasha, because you are not qualified to be a Jew. Instead, you should be fixing cars and doing projects that require sheetrock.

-- When someone has a son, he has the opportunity to engage in the greatest Mitzvah in Klal Yisroel - LeHachnisoi Ess Bnei LeBrisoi Shel Avraham Avinu - to connect his son to the eternal covenant that Avraham Avinu forged with the Reboinoisheloilum. How does one do this? By having a Moihel perform a Bris, a circumcision, on the eighth day of life, or as soon after as possible in the event of medical complication. And what does the Bris include? The key ingredients are: Circumcision, Metzitza BiPeh, and and serving bagels and lox.

You may raise concerns about the practice of Metzitza BiPeh, a practice during which the Moihel draws blood from the site of the circumcision with his mouth. Opponents of this practice point to several incidents in which a Moihel with oral herpes passed along this minor disease to the eight day old baby who has no immune system. This has occasionally resulted in the deaths of such children. You may argue that this practice should be waived and possibly be ruled illegal in civil law. But whoever would argue such a thing is either an agent of Yishmael or the embodiment of the Amalek in our day.

-- When a boy or a girl on the Kehillah is sexually abused by a rabbi or a respected community member or even a member of their own family, we must express sympathy for the victim. And we must do everything in our power - EVERYTHING - to make certain that the perpetrator is not reported to the police. After all, "Lama Yoimru BaGoyim, Ayeh Nuh Eloikaichem". What will the Goyom say?

So what if the abuser goes out and abuses again and again? Hey, the kids will get over it! Or maybe they will leave the community or even commit suicide. That will make the problem go away!

And let's face it, there are a lot worse Aveirois than sexual abuse. Such as Shatnez, shaving with a blade, and, of course, using a smartphone, especially during Chazarass HaSHATZ.

-- When a married person loses his or her faith, Chass V'Sholom, what should we as a community do? How should we respond to someone who goes - what is the expression? - OTB?

Well, we must of course show sympathy and understanding as a community, by banding together socially and economically and ensuring that the Frum parent gets sole custody of the children, and that the non-Frum parent gets visitation, of course - a half an hour a week, max, supervised.

And what if the Frum parent is physically, sexually, or emotionally abusive, or denies giving an Off The Derech wife a Gett? These our not our concerns, as the well being of the children in the Oilum HaZeh is pure Gashmiyus, materialism; as Frummah Yidden we must only worry about Ruchniyus, the Neshamas of the children in Oilum HaBah. And if the Frum parent's treatment of the children leads to their suffering, descent into despair, substance abuse, and early death, why that only means that they will be able to join the Aimishteh in Gan Eden sooner that they otherwise would have. What a Mitzvah we can do as a community!!

You're welcome.

-- Why did the Holocaust happen? Why, that is simple: Because the Reboinoisheloilum was punishing Klal Yisroel. And we know this because the punishment is foretold in the Toirah. Why did Hakadoishboruchhu slaughter all our ancestors? Once again, if you are asking such an obvious question, you do not belong as a member of Klal Yisroel.

The general point is as follows: If you do not agree with such "normative" definitions and prescriptions, you are a Menuval; even worse, you are a self hating Jew. In fact, you are more like a Judenrat. Or even worse, a Democrat.

Had you been in Egypt, you would not have been let out. Your sons would today be members of ISIS, and your daughters would be belly dancers.

---

Rabboisai - We are suffering from a plague. What is this plague? People thinking for themselves.

This is a terrible thing which undermines rabbinic political and economic power.. errr... which undermines belief in the Reboinoisheloilum and Hashgacha Pratis, Divine engagement in the world.

Rabboisai, the advent of people having access to the internet on their personal phones echoes the earlier introduction of the internet, which followed the phenomenon of television, the invention of radio, and the root of all evils, the printing press. In general, literacy is causing people to do Aveirois -- that is: Exchange ideas,  develop questions, and seek answers. This sometimes leads to people going OTD, or becoming a Meshumad, or leading a secular lifestyle, or being a secular humanist, or affiliating with the Reform or Conservative movements.

Or, the worst, remaining engaged in the Orthodox community and challenging the community to address areas of concern on the philosophical, theological, social, practical, and Halachic dimensions.

Our nation is called "the People of the Book". What book does this refer to? I assure you, it refers to Toirah Moshe Rabbeinu, not the works of Darwin or Einstein or Watson and Crick, or Marc Shapiro, or The Economist, or National Geographic, or the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. It refers to the writing of RASHI and Toisfois, not The Toirah.Com. It refers to the publications of ArtScroll, not to the publications or the Hebrew Union College or the Jewish Theological Seminary, or Koren Publishing or Yeshivasssss Choivevei Toirah, Chass V'Sholom.

Orthodox Judaism is called "Orthodox Judaism" because is contains "orthodoxies", basic beliefs. And if you do not  subscribe to those basic beliefs, especially as espoused by me and my rabbinic colleagues, then you may as well by building the next Auschwitz because you are promoting questioning which will lead to efforts to change our way of life, to assimilation, and to Shmad. Assimilation is the Holocaust in our generation; I know so, because I saw on Facebook that some rabbi said so. So it must be true.

How does one confront this challenge to the religious hegemony of our Gedoilim? There is a Machloikess on this:

According the Reb Shmiel Kalbasavua, such voices must simply be ignored. Unless of course the proponents of new ideas do not look or smell like us, in which case they should be challenged to a pissing contest, typically next to a fire hydrant.

Reb Yehoishaphat Catahoula, a rising rabbinical star, holds that we should attack anyone and anything that blocks our path, and tear away at their foundations of credibility as if we were ripping out the insoles of their shoes with our teeth, pulling out their stuffing, and biting at them to make them harmlessly squeak.

Maharat Avigail Katievsky holds Farkert, that we should sit calmly around such people, but strike at them with outstretched claws when they least expect it.

But her brother Reb Asher Katievsky believes that we should keep our community as far away from such influences, protecting ourselves and our community as much as possible by hiding in hard-to-find places, though occasionally coming out to engage as long as we are properly acknowledged by being stroked behind the ears.

Finally, Reb Betzalel Kupkayk holds that we should observe such people by lying in wait, quietly and stealth-fully, until we POUNCE and capture those annoying creatures, torture them, kill them once we get bored, and leave their carcasses on the front steps of the Rebbe's house, as a gift.

----

Rabboisai, Shloimoi HaMelech once wrote that "Ein Chadash Tachassss HaShemesh", "There is nothing new under the sun". So who are these people who would have the Chutzpah to argue with Shloimoi HaMelech?

Some may suggest that there are many factors that should be considered in the modern era that should influence our approach in practicing our faith, such as:

-- Knowledge of science, including modern medicine

-- Modern social perceptions, such as the recognition of the fundamental equality of the intellectual capabilities of women

-- Better understanding of the behavior and the brain, including the lifelong negative impact of trauma

-- The rapid evolution of technology and communications.

People who cite such factors may be proud of themselves. They probably overheard conversations while sitting in a public Bais HaKeesay or while on line to register for welfare and unemployment benefits.

But we know better.

As the Chassssam Soifer said, "Chadash Assur Min HaToirah", nothing new is permitted by the Toirah. And he knew what he was talking about. He was a modern man, a man of our world; why, he died only a couple of years ago. In 1839. Compared to him, Einstein had the mind of a child, and Mark Zuckerburg was a shoemaker.

"Chadash Assur Min HaToirah" means that there have been zero changes in Yiddiskeit since Moishe Rabbeinu drank Espressois with Hakadoshbaruchhu on Har Sinai. He Davened using the liturgy of today, out of an Art Scroll Siddur. He wore a Shtreimel. He used filters on his water tap to keep out microscopic organisms. He used three filters on his iPhone, which he of course needed for professional purposes. He had two dishwashers in his kitchen, plus had a second kitchen for Pesach. He refused to sit next to women every time he sat on a plane. And he had a Nidah App on his iPhone to monitor his wife’s cycle and Mikvah habits.

And while according to the Toirah he preached the importance of honesty in judges and testimony, he made sure that such judges would always favor sexual abusers over their victims, and would deny parental access to children if a male parent decided that he liked to shave with a blade, or a female parent liked to eat Tarfus.

"Chadash Assur Min HaToirah."

So next time you hear of radical ideas, or have philosophical or theological questions, or worry about the well-being of human victims of Orthodox fundamentalism, get those ideas out of your mind. You have better things to be concerned about, such as Zman Kriyas Shma, which Shmineh Esrei to say first when reciting a Tashlumim, or how much suction to use when performing Metzitza BiPeh.

Ah Gutten Shabbos, You Minuval

---------

Rabbi Pinky Schmeckelstein
Rosheshiva
Yeshivas Chipass Emmess

Parshas Emor

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Parshas Emor

Rabboisai,

I strongly suggest you read this week's Parsha at your own risk. "Why?" you ask, you Minuval. Because a month hasn't even passed, and we are back at Pesach again. Reboinoisheloilum, I am still recovering from throwing my back out while removing the car seats from the minivan. It's a good thing too I cleaned under the seats in the car -- my Yetzer Hara might have tempted me to break into the car after the second Seder to snack on the two crushed M&Ms on the floor.

Why do we prepare so intensively for Pesach? According to Rabeinu Tam, we commemorate slavery in Egypt by spending six hours marching up and down the stairs to the attic to bring down the Pesach dishes while our wives stand over us barking orders (those Amharatzois).

Meanwhile, Rachmana Litzlan, our wives absolutely exhaust themselves watching the cleaning lady prepare for Pesach. Uchinvei!

The RAMBAM in Mishnah Toirah asks an incisive question: Instead of selling our Chametz to a Goy, why can't we just temporarily sell our religion to a Goy? This way, he can have the opportunity to get the Mitzvah of celebrating Yetzias Mitzrayim, while we get to eat a little Traifus, paint easter eggs, and have relations with a hot Shiksa for seven days (eight days in Chutz La'aretz). 

But the RAMBAM concludes that if a Goy had to eat Matzah for eight days, he would end up hating the Jews even more than he already does.

In truth, why do we stop our Pesach cleaning at our abode and our cars? A Gemarrah In Masheches Peshachim Daf Chuff Aleph, Amud Baiz asks: Why don't we clean out our bodies of the Chometz we pump into them 51 weeks a year? Indeed, Rav Ashi holds that this is the reason that Bechorim fast Erev Pesach, and that to get the full Mitzvah, people should stick their finger's down their throats during Bedikas Chometz.

But further in the Gemarra, Rav Yoisi disagrees, saying "Ain Oichel Achar Oichel", that since the food is already eaten, we hold that food cannot be eaten a second time, so there is no such requirement. However, Rav Yoisi does go on to tell a story of how one year he told his wife that he needed her help cleaning for Pesach, since Halacha required him to expel ALL possible bodily fluids. And due to her extreme gullibility, she helped him three times that night. What an Aishess Chayill! 

Unfortunately, he slept through much of the Seder the next night, so he never dared to do it again.

My personal belief is that celebrating Yetzias Mitzrayim is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the Einiklach. Beyond cleaning, you get the Mitzvah of preparing the Matzois and the Ka'arah. During the Seder you are unified with all of Klal Yisroel in celebration. And after the Seder, while cleaning up, you lament the fact that your damn mother-in-law wasn't accidentally left in Mitzrayim.

But the timing of this week's Parsha raises a key question about the overall structure of the Parshiyois of the Toirah: Why don't they follow a more intuitive order? Why does the Toirah place individual sections out of chronological order, as well as offer multiple repetitions of various episodes and sections?

The standard answer, given by Rashi, is that Moishe Rabeinu, like any good representative of Klal Yisroel, never went anywhere without his cellphone. And as the Reboinoisheloilum was dictating the Toirah, his Minuval brother Aron HaCoihain kept on calling. "Moishe, should I have the people pray?" "Moishe, should we circle Har Sinai?" "Moishe, white makes me look fat; can you ask the Aimishteh to change the color of the Koihain Gadol's garments?" Well all of these constant distractions threw Moishe off, and he got the order of the Reboinoisheoloilum's dictation all confused.

I would humbly like to offer a new Pshat. I remember as a young Talmid I asked my Rebbe Muvhak, Rabbi Mordechai Willig, why we learn Mussar in the morning, Gemarra all day, and NACH with Mepharshim at night? Shouldn't we study in the reverse order, reflecting the development of Toirah and Lumduss? Rabbi Willig glowingly gave me a hug, led me by the hand to the front of the Bais Medrish, and then slammed my head against the top of his Shtender. "Until you know the answers yourself, don't ask me such stupid questions, you Vilda Chaya" he then said. He then called up his good friend Baruch Lanner and bought a few shares in banks going IPO.

After pondering this comment for thirty years, I now understand my Rebbe's wisdom. Mimunifshuch, if everything in life made sense, we wouldn't have to Daven three times a day. Life is confusing. And those of us who don't fall into the trap of seeing everything in black and white must spend our lives struggling with shades of gray. So the Toirah has a few mysteries. If everything was crystal clear, faith wouldn't be a challenge. The Reboinoishelolum wants to keep us guessing and asking questions. And at the same time, he intends the Toirah to serve as our road map. 

So don't complain next time you have to vacuum the inside of the car and don't know why. At least as a member of Klal Yisroel you are never expected to change a tire by yourself.

Ah Gutten Shabbos, You Minuval

---------

Rabbi Pinky Schmeckelstein
Rosheshiva
Yeshivas Chipass Emmess

Ask Rabbi Pinky: Al Sfiras HaOimer

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Ask Rabbi Pinky: Al Sfiras HaOimer


Baruch Ata Idon’tknow,

Heywhereareyou Melech HaOilum,

Asher Kideshanu BeMitzvoisav Vetzivanu,

Al Sfiras HaOimer.

HaYoim Shmoinah Esrei Alaphim U’Masayim Chamishim Yoim,

SheHaym Alpayim Shaish Maois Va’Sheva Shavuois, VaEchad Yamim LaOimer.


Rabboisai,

Unlike you, you Minuvals, I have not lost count of the Oimer, ever since I was a Kleinikel. I count Sefirah with a Bracha every day, never missing except for that one time in college when I got lucky with that hot shiksa (Boruch Hashem for tequila!). But, thankfully, I was able to count Sefirah the next morning without a Bracha, as I was putting on my Tefillin in Christine’s apartment.

Which brings us the Shailah I address this week:

Yoineh Vuv asks: “Rav Pinky -- May a woman shave her Makom HaErva during Sefirah?”

Yoinelah – This is a Gevaldikkah Shailah! You are Mechavayn to the exact question asked by the RALBAG, the great Medieval Talmidist, Mathematician, and dispenser of at-home Brazilian services to the housewives of Avignon, France.

Before I address your Shailah, Halacha Lemaiseh, I would like to address the overall topic of Sefiras HaOimer.

What is Sfiras HaOimer? We know that from the perspective of the Toirah, we are required to count seven weeks from Pesach to calculate the start of Shavuois, Zman Matan Toirasainu. According to Rabbi Yoichanan, cited in a Braisah brought down in a Gemara in Makkois, this is because 49 days is the length of time required for matzah constipation to be flushed out of the system, so we can be fully prepared for the lactose intolerance brought on by cheesecake on Shavuois. 

But according to Rabbi Yishmael, as mentioned in a Tosefta in Moiaid Kattan, seven weeks is the amount of time it takes for a man to be able to come home from a hard day’s work without having to worry about his wife waiting at the door, barking orders at him about bringing those last three pieces of stray Pesach china up to the attic.

The Oimer was originally grounded in the agrarian cycle of Eretz Yisroel. Later, it came to represent the period of time between Yetzitas Mitzrayim, the Exodus, and the giving of the Toirah. But of course it has also taken on a whole latter day symbolism of semi-mourning. A Gemara in Avoidah Zorah tells us that during Sefirah, we mourn the deaths of 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva. There is, however, a machloikess as to why they died.

According to Rav Huna, they died of a plague brought upon them because they lacked Derech Eretz – they did not respect each other. They insulted each other with harsh words and dismissive language, the kinds of things you do all the time, you good-for-nothing Minuval Vilda Chayas.

However, according to Rav Sheyshess, Rabbi Akiva’s students actually died fighting in the failed Bar Kochba Revolt, the second rebellion against the Romans from 131-135 CE. Rabbi Akiva is quoted in the Yerushalmi in Tainis as pronouncing Bar Kochba to be the Moishiach (this is true, by the way). Many of his students enlisted to support the military effort, and to get the government sponsored tuition assistance needed to pay for Rabbi Akiva’s Yeshiva, Yeshivas Ohr HaMaskoiret.

Finally, Rav Puppa holds that the students died in an unfortunate accident. LeOilum, in reality, the Reboinoisheloilum only put in an order to kill 1,000 students. But due to a programming glitch in Hakadoshboruchhu’s Persecution Trading System (PTS), the kill off swelled to 24,000 dead before the system’s safeguards kicked in. A similar thing happened in 1938, but due to a weak regulatory environment, the safeguards did not automatically kick in until there were much heavier losses in the market.So, to commemorate the deaths of so many of Rabbi Akiva’s Talmidim, we take upon ourselves some of the rituals of mourning. 

There was great debate amongst the Rishoinim about which Sefirah-related proscriptions an individual should follow. During Sefirah:

-- The Roish would not shave

-- The Ran would not bathe, except on Erev Shabboskoidesh

-- The RIF would not go to the bathroom. This also enabled him to save a lot of money on food and toilet paper.

These differences of Minhag are reflected in the various Sefirah practices in place in the modern Yeshiva World:

-- In Yeshivas Punuvitch in Eretz Yisroel, the Talmidim do not attend live musical performances

-- In the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, the Talmidim do not listen to music, live or recorded

-- In Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim in Queens, the Talmidim do not read or write or speak to each other; they just say Tachanun all day and play with the buttons on their little Hatzalah walkie talkies

-- In Yeshivas Toiras Yoisiaph Smith in Utah, the Talmidim do not drink coffee or smoke cigarettes, and are not Mezaneh with more than three of their wives on any given night.

With regard to your specific Shailah, Reb Yoineh, this is linked to a Pesak of Reb Moishe. Reb Moishe ruled that while the laws of Sefirah requires a man to abstain from shaving as a sign of mourning, if someone makes his Parnassah in the professional world, and his situation requires him to be well groomed, then he is allowed to shave. Notes Reb Shmiel Kalbasavua: We can apply this same rule to women as well. A woman should not shave her Erva during Sefirah. However, if she is required to be well groomed for professional reasons, for example, is an exotic dancer or a Victoria’s Secret model, then she is indeed allowed to shave.

Reb Yoiseph Katski is even more Meikel. He agrees that in principle, a woman should not shave her Erva during Sefirah. However, this should not in any way interfere with any aspect of her life, professional or personal. States Reb Yoisaiph, “If a woman’s overgrown forest is harming her normal patterns of marital activity because her husband cannot find a path through the trees in order to launch his canoe, then she is indeed entitled to clear a path to the lake, though must be careful not to engage in complete deforestation.” Unquote.

Rabboisai, the laws of Sefirah are not simple ones. And too many people in our community do not pay the proper attention to observing this wonderful opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the Aimishteh by counting to forty nine and looking like a vagrant. At a cosmic level, Oimer makes us closer to the Reboinoisheloilum by preparing us for the Kedushah of Kabbalas HaToirah. How does the Oimer do this? I admit that I cannot tell you exactly. But this is a point of Mesoirah – it is our tradition of 3,500 years, handed down over many generations, as a Halacha Le-Art Scroll MiSinai.

 Ah Gutten Shabbos, you Minuval.

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Rabbi Pinky Schmeckelstein
Rosheshiva
Yeshivas Chipass Emmess