Intellectual development and spiritual development

Today is the 21st day of Iyar, 5771/ 36 days of Omer (5 weeks, 1 day)
Maimonides tells us that we should care for the intellectual development of our children, instructing them in the principles of our faith. For Maimonides, intellectual development, is a prerequisite and the key for the right spiritual development.
“We must teach our children that God is One, which means among other things, that we must not serve or consider the existence of any other supernatural power. God Almighty is the only one to Whom we should direct our prayers….”
“Then, we teach them that God Almighty does not posses a body, and that there is no resemblance whatsoever between Him and His creatures.”
“We should expect our children to challenge this last assumption, because in the Torah and Prophets there are verses which seemingly imply that God has a body (=the Torah mentions: “the Hand of God; and God saw; and God appeared, etc.”). We must clarify to them that certain words in the Torah should be understood in a metaphorical way. And certain terms should be understood as mere homonyms (=words that are written the same way, but have a different meaning)…”
“Our children should learn to follow the teachings of the Oral Law, found among other books in the “Targum Onkelos” (=the official Jewish translation of the Torah–to Aramaic– written almost 2000 years ago, which Maimonides considered an integral part of the Jewish Oral Law or Torah shebe’alpe)”

Adapted from MORE NEBUKHIM, Section 1, Chapter 35 -36.

Click HERE to watch Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the US Congress (May 24th, 2011)


BERIT MILA: Circumcision on the Eighth Day (Part 2)

Today is the 19th of Iyar, 5771/ 34 days of Omer (3 weeks, 6 days)

Last week we explained the importance of Berit Mila, the signal of Jewish identity of a Jewish male, in its reproductive organ. (The Jewish female, says rabbi Melamed, is herself –or her womb– the symbol of Jewish identity. Because Jewishness is transmitted/”reproduced” exclusively via the mother :only when the mother is Jewish, the baby is Jewish as well).
The Berit Mila is performed eight days after the baby is born. It is critical to know at what time exactly the baby was born. Illustration: Sunset (sheqia) in NYC is today at 8.13PM. If a baby is born before 8.13 PM the brit Mila will be done next Monday. But if is born after 8.42PM–(nighttime, 3 stars in NYC, for most opinions) the Berit Mila will be next Tuesday. Now, if the baby was born in between sunset and nightfall (twilight, ben hashemashot), a Rabbi or an expert Mohel should be consulted to establish if the Berit Mila should be performed Monday or Tuesday.
The Berit Mila ceremony should take place only during daytime, since the Torah specifically indicated bayom hashemini,.. “on the eighth day” (=daytime). Even when the Berit Mila is postponed, and not done on the eighth day, it should be done during daytime.
Ideally, the ceremony should be scheduled early in the morning, after Shacharit service. Jewish tradition says that one should be eager to perform a Mitzvah (zerizim makdimim laMitzvot). This is the standard Sephardic Minhag. Other Rabbis would say that the Berit Mila could be done in the afternoon, anytime before sundown, if more people -especially close relatives- will be able to attend the ceremony.
What is circumcision? by Aish


BERIT MILA: Circumcision on the Eighth Day

Today is the 12th day of Iyar, 5771/ 27 days of Omer (3 weeks, 6 days)

Berit Milah, means the “covenant of circumcision,”. It is the first Mitzva commanded to our patriarch Abraham (Bereshit 17:14) and the most important sign of Jewish identity of a Jewish male.
The Berit Mila is performed on a baby boy, usually eight days after he is born. It involves the removal of the foreskin by a Mohel, a ‘circumcision surgeon’, specially trained to safely perform the procedure.
The Berit Mila is called popularly by one word. In Yiddish they call it: “Bris” and in most Sephardic communities: “Mila”.
If the eighth day falls on a Shabbat, the Berit Mila is still performed. According to our tradition the performance of Berit Mila in its due time, overrides Shabbat. Still, except for what is needed for the actual performance of the circumcision, the rest of the Laws of Shabbat are not suspended.
Sometimes circumcision must be delayed and in extreme cases (hemophilia), suspended. If a doctor or an experienced Mohel considers that the baby is still not physically ready for the circumcision, the Berit Mila needs to be postponed until the baby is physically fit for it.
Examples:
The typical case of delayed circumcision is when the baby is premature and or less than 6 pounds (this criteria varies slightly according to different schools). Other common reason to delay the circumcision is jaundice, (yellowish skin) a temporary disease, that might affect as many as 60% of all newborn babies.
A doctor should be always consulted as to when the circumcision might be done.

READ Circumcision and the Eight day,By Daniel Eisenberg, MD
http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48964686.html




YOM HAZIKARON: Israel’s Memorial Day

Today is the 5th day of Iyar, 5771/20 days of Omer (2 weeks, 6 days)

Israel Independence Day celebrates the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel. Today, YOM HAZIKARON, the day preceding this celebration, is devoted to the memory of those who gave their lives for the achievement of the country’s independence and its continued existence.

The total number of soldiers and security personnel who fell since the War of Independence is 20,424.

The total, including those who fell in the struggle for the State before 1948 is 22,867.

This number includes disabled IDF veterans who later died from their wounds and non-IDF personnel who fell in the line of duty.

183 soldiers were killed since last Yom Hazikaron – 5771.

On This Day, We Honor The Memory of the Young Men & Women Who Gave Their Lives For The Creation And Security of The Jewish State.

Names and faces, of some of the young Israeli soldiers that fell in the last war in Lebanon, z”l http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2XkzTPhQvo&feature=related

SHIR LAMAALOT, images of operation cast lead in Gaza Strip (2008-2009) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aR_ux9Z90A&feature=related

DON’T MISS the celebrations of Yom haAtzmaut in our community. Tonight, Monday, May 9th, at 7:30 PM in YMJC (130 Steamboat Road).

See our program here: http://www.kanissanews.com/yomhaatzmaut63.pdf

A VERY SPECIAL HATIKVA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syUSmEbGLs4&feature=related

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



YOM HAZIKARON/YOM HAATZMAUT: the impossible (but reasonable!) transition.

Today is the 2nd day of Iyar, 5771/ 17 days of Omer (2 weeks, 3 days)

This coming Sunday night we will commemorate Yom haZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. The day in which the citizens of Israel and the Jews all over the world remember the fallen soldiers, those who sacrificed their lives so we can have a Jewish State: Medinat Israel.

The day is dedicated to honor the memories of more than 22,000 young soldiers who died since the Independence war in 1948 until today. They were our heroes, and as Nathan Alterman called them: “The silver platter on which the State of Israel was given to us”

Read his beautiful poem here: http://zionism-israel.com/hdoc/Silver_Platter.htm

In Israel, thousands of people, attend cemeteries to mourn their children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents who fell on the wars. Har Hertzl, in Yerushalaim, the most important military cemetery, is where most of the official ceremonies take place.

Most Israelis would spend the rest of the day at home watching on Israeli TV the short movies prepared especially for the occasion in which they show the lives, the bravery and heroism of the fallen soldiers, especially those who perished this year. We present here one short movie about Roi Klein, z’l. http://www.aish.com/h/imd/Heroes_of_Israel_Roi_Klein.html

Yom haZikaron ends Monday evening, and that same night we start the celebrations of Yom haAtzmaut, Israel independence day. To me it has always been an emotionally impossible transition: from the deepest pain to the highest happiness. But I think that this transition captures the essence of our times: honoring our fallen soldiers with sadness and respect, but honoring them, mainly, celebrating the triumph of their ultimate cause.

Shabbat Shalom!!!!

Candle lighting in NYC: 7:37 PM

DON’T MISS the commemoration of Yom haZikaron in our community.

This Sunday night, May 8th, at 7:30 PM in YMJC (130 Steamboat Road).

We will have a VERY SPECIAL and famous guest Speaker:

Dr. Mordechai Kedar.

Watch Mordechai Kedar’s famous remarks in Aljazeera TV, a very rare interview (the
only one I know so far!) Aljazeera had with a Pro-Israel Israeli scholar.

Watch what happens when someone with bravery and enough knowledge about Koran, Islam
and our rights to Israel, FINALLY says the truth!!!

Enjoy this amazing video!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHpMhAzj-Tk

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



ROSH CHODESH IYAR: We and the moon

Today is the 30th day of Nisan, 5771 ROSH CHODESH IYAR 15 days of Omer (2 weeks, 1 day)

The Jewish year and the Jewish day follow the sun. But the Jewish month follows the moon’s cycle of 29 days and a half. This is why sometimes we have one day of Rosh Chodesh and sometimes two. Our rabbis mentioned a long time ago that there is a remarkable resemblance between the cycle of the moon and the cycle of renewal, furthermore, the cycle of renewal of the Jewish people.

“Whereas the sun is the symbol of unchanging nature, rising in the east, setting in the west, day in and day out every day of the year, the moon changes and it seems to be telling us something: You can be small and you can diminish until you almost disappear, but then, when things look their darkest, hope springs eternal. You can start looking up again. You can change a situation and yourself for the better, no matter how bad it seems. Nothing is static or set in stone. Human beings have free will and therein is their power of renewal — an ever-present struggle against the steady, cyclical, repetitive and predictable march of time and nature.

The solar system determines the year, in Hebrew “shana,” which comes from the same root as “to repeat, to go over,” whereas the moon sets the months, “Chodesh” from the Hebrew root “chadash,” — new, change, different.

The Jewish people are compared to the moon. Though they are small, and suffering has been an integral part of their history among the nations, the Jew knows never to give up. As an individual and as a nation, he will rise up again and light up the night”.


Adapted from “Rosh Chodesh”, an article by Dina Coopersmith
To see the whole article click here: http://www.aish.com/jl/hol/o/48972041.html

Mazal Tov to Jacob Bitton and Rivka Souleimani!

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



SEFIRAT HAOMER: More on the Mitzva of Counting the Omer

Today is the 29th day of Nisan, 5771, 14 days of Omer (2 weeks)

The days of the Omer need to be counted at night. As you already probably know, for us the new day starts at night. Like Shabbat which starts Friday night.

At what precise time the new day starts is a controversial complicated technical Halakhic matter. But very briefly: there are two possible astronomic indicators for the new day:
1. Sunset. 2. The appearance of stars in the dark sky. All Rabbis agree that before sunset it is still considered day # 1 and after the stars are visible it is considered day #2. The time in between sunset and the stars (twilight zone or ben hashemashot) fluctuates between 15 min (13 ½ to be precise!) to 30 minutes or more depending on many variables (geographic location, year’s season, etc.). Regarding Shabbat, for example, we take the stringiest stand: we receive Shabbat before sunset and we end Shabbat the next day, after the stars are visible.

Regarding the counting of the Omer, according to Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Hayim the starting time to count the Omer will be 13 ½ minutes after sunset. For a Minyan one could be more lenient but never before sunset.

Children, although formally exempt from the Mitzvah of counting the days of the Omer until Bar or Bat Mitzva, should be encouraged to count every night including the recitation of the berakha, because the rules of berakha lebatala (saying a formal blessing unnecessarily) does not apply for children.

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



SHABBAT: Juice and snow

Today is the 7th day of Adar I, 5771

One of the 39 prohibited tasks of Shabbat is threshing, in Hebrew ‘dash’. Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of cereal grain from the scaly, inedible chaff that surrounds it. It is the step in grain preparation after harvesting and before winnowing, which separates the loosened chaff from the grain.

As we’ve explained, every melakha includes also similar operations. But it is a little tricky to establish (or knowing) what is included and what not, within the principles of each melakha.

In the case of ‘threshing’, it includes all actions where ‘food’ is intentionally extracted from its natural inedible container.

A few examples:

Squeezing a fruit on Shabbat is forbidden. We can not make orange juice, either by hand, or by a juice squeezer. But lemon is considered an exception, because is only used as juice. So, it is permitted to squeeze lemons by hand for lemonade, salad dressing, etc.

It is forbidden to ‘melt’ snow on Shabbat when the intention is drinking the water. That will be an action similar to extracting juice from a fruit. However (if needed) it is permitted, to apply melting salt on snow or ice on Shabbat, because we don’t need the water, we just need to get rid of the snow. (Yalkqut Yosef, Shabbat 3, 358).

It is also permitted to use ice on a drink, because the melting happens by itself, there is no ‘extraction’.

Shabbat Shalom!!!

Candle ligting in NYC: 5:07

Shabbat ends in NYC: 6:16

 

Dear readers.

Halakha of the Day will be momentarily suspended. It will resume B’H in a few weeks.

For websites with daily Shiurim or Halakhot, check the mega portal:

http://www.babakama.co.il/en/

 

 

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



KASHRUT: Meat and milk, the Minhaguim.

Today is the 5th day of Adar I, 5771

Besides the prohibition of eating together meat and dairy, our Rabbis indicated that it is necessary to wait between eating meat or a meat product and eating milk or a diary product.

The general Sephardic Minhag (tradition, custom) is to wait six hours between meat and dairy. This rule applies equally after eating red or white meat.

If necessary, one could be lenient with a child, especially an infant, and allow him or her to have milk or dairy one or two hours after eating meat (R. Obadia Yosef).

There are other Minhaguim (traditions) which indicate that the waiting period between meat and milk is 3 or 4 hours. This is mainly the Ashkenazi custom as well as the tradition of some families in our Mashadi community. The general rule in Minhaguim is that everyone should follow the custom of his parents and families, and also be respectful of other’s Minhaguim.

On a similar note, the general Sephardic Minhag is not requiring a waiting period from dairy to meat. After eating dairy you 1. wash your hands, 2. wash your mouth or drink water or soda, and 3. eat a solid Parve food (such as bread or a fruit etc) before eating meat. Many families in our community, however, still hold the Minhag to wait three hours after eating dairy before eating meat, especially after eating hard cheese.

As we’ve already explained, everyone should keep and follow his or her own family Minhaguim.

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024



KADDISH: The basics

Today is the 3rd day of Adar I, 5771

Although the Kaddish is recited during the first eleven months following the death of one’s parent or after the decease of other relatives, there is no reference, no one word even, about death in this prayer (with the exception of the Burial Kaddish, -a.k.a. dehu atid- which is said only at the time of burial and on Tisha beAv.).

The theme of Kaddish is, rather, the Greatness of God, Who conducts the entire universe, and especially each individual human being, with careful supervision.

In this prayer, we also pray for peace – from the only One Who can guarantee it – peace between nations, peace between individuals, and peace of mind.

Praising God, having Him in mind is paradoxically the only true comfort in the case of the loss of a loved one. That is, to be able to view the passing of the beloved individual from the perspective that that person’s soul was gathered in, so to speak, by the One Who had provided it in the first place.

As Beruriah, the wise wife of Rabbi Meir, consoled her husband, upon the death of their two sons, with words to this effect, “A soul is comparable to an object which was given to us – to each individual, to his or her parents and loved ones, to guard and watch over for a limited time. When the time comes for the object to be returned to its rightful owner, should we not be willing to return it? With regard to our sons, let us therefore consider the matter as ‘The Lord gave it, and the Lord took it back, may the Name of the Lord be Blessed for ever and ever!’

LeYilui Nishmat: CHANUKA BAR YTZCHAK

 

Click to see: I’m ISRAEL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4bM2QG3r-I

(Thanks to Michael Gindi)

 

Rabbi Yosef Bitton. YMJC | 130 Steamboat Rd. | Great Neck | NY | 11024