It is forbidden to gaze at an idol or its decorations.
Our Sages have designated the 15th of Shvat - Tu B'Shvat - as the boundary between one year and the next for trees, since (in most years) most of the rain of the winter has already fallen by then.
Any new growth of fruit after this day, is the result of the blessing of the new year.
Tu B'Shvat is the New Year as far as tithing fruits is concerned:
- Fruit from trees that blossomed before Tu B'Shvat belong to the previous year's Trumot & Ma'aser quota.
- Fruit from trees that blossom after Tu B'Shvat belong to the current year's Trumot & Ma'aser quota.
Since Tachanun is omitted on Tu B'Shvat, therefore on Shabbat we will not say אָב הָרַחֲמִים before Mussaf, nor צִדְקָתְךָ צֶדֶק at Mincha.
The custom is to eat more fruit than usual on Tu B'Shvat.
It is customary to pray for a beautiful Kosher Etrog on Tu B'Shvat.
Source: The Book of our Heritage, Vol I, page 346-349, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 22:8, 139:26. Rosh Hashana Mishna 1:1.
Shabbat Shalom
- Danny
Thursday, 13 Shvat 5773
House pets or any other animals that depend on you for their food, must be fed on Shabbat before one starts eating.
Animals that do not rely on humans for their food may not be fed on Shabbat, and one may not even throw them leftovers, with the exception of stray dogs.
One may not feed pigeons as they are capable of fending for themselves.
The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch holds that the custom to put out grain for the birds on Shabbat Shira (this week) is incorrect since birds do not rely on humans for their food. He allows one to put out grain for them before Shabbat.
Other Rabbis disagree, and allow the Minhag of feeding birds on this Shabbath.
One may feed silkworms on Shabbat.
Source Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 87:18
- Danny
Wednesday, 12 Shvat 5773
Aruch Hashulchan:
This Shabbat will be Tu B'Shvat and customarily lots of fruit will be served.
Which fruit should you choose as the one to hold and make the Bracha on?
- If one has a favorite fruit and it's being offered, it should be used to make the Bracha on.
- If one has no preference then one of the "7 species" has preference.
- If there are none of the 7 species, then one should pick a whole fruit, as opposed to a cut one.
- A Boreh Pri Ha'Etz has precedence over Boreh Pri Ha'Adama (e.g. strawberries and bananas)
The 7 species are (in order of Bracha-precedence): Bread from wheat, cakes from wheat, Wine, Olives, Barley (baked or cooked), Dates, Grapes (in solid form), Figs, Pomegranates.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 55:1 - 3
- Danny
Monday, 10 Shvat 5773
One may not benefit from anything related to idols, including its decorations, utensils and sacrifices.
Orla is the Torah prohibition of eating fruit from trees less than 3 years old. In the 4th year the fruit is called "Neta Reva'i" and needs to be "redeemed" by transferring its status onto a coin, before it can be eaten.
The coin needs to be worth at least a "peruta" (0.025 grams of pure silver; currently a few 2 US pennies.)
One says "I am redeeming the Neta Reva'i into this coin".
The coin is then destroyed and disposed of. Instead of a coin one can use fruit worth a few pennies, which then need to be destroyed.
After redeeming the fruit, the "Neta Reva'i" (4th year fruit) can be eaten, anywhere by anybody.
When in doubt if the tree is less than 4 years old:
In Israel the fruit is forbidden. (This is one of the many reasons that fruit needs Rabbinic Supervision in Israel.)
Outside of Israel the fruit is allowed, as long as you didn’t pick it yourself. This is the way Moshe was given the Halacha at Har Sinai.
Sources: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 173:2, Mishna Orlo, 3:9
- Danny
Wednesday, 5 Shvat 5773
It's a Torah prohibition to graft trees with branches from a different type of tree or plant.
The Torah commands us to put a Mezuza on all our doorposts except for the washroom.
The Torah prohibits using different species of animals at the same time. This is called Kil'ay Beheimah.
Rosh Chodesh of Tevet is on Shabbat. Remember to add יַעֲלֶה וְיָבוֹא into Birkat Hamazon and the Amida.
On Shabbat we will will take out 2 Sifrei Torah after Hallel. In the first one we will call up at least 7 people to read from the weekly Parsha; וָאֵרָא.
Then - after Kaddish - we call up the Maftir to read from the 2nd Sefer Torah: וּבְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת and וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם from Parshat פִּינְחָס.
The Haftara this week is הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי for Shabbat-Rosh Chodesh, consisting of the last chapter in Sefer יְשַׁעְיָהוּ.
For מוּסַף one says the אַתָּה יָצַרְתָּ version (usually found at the bottom half of the Shabbat מוּסַף pages) which includes both Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh.
Source: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 425
Chodesh Tov and Shabbat Shalom
- Danny
Thursday, 28 Tevet 5773
Some people have the custom of adding the Yom Kippour Katan prayers during Mincha on the day before Rosh Chodesh.
Some even fast on Erev Rosh Chodesh to atone for the sins of the past month.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 97:1
When Rosh Chodesh is on Shabbat (like this week) or on Sunday, the custom is to have Yom Kippour Katan on Thursday. That would be tomorrow.
- Danny
Wednesday, 27 Tevet 5773
The Torah forbids mating animals and birds of different species - this is part of Kil'ay Beheima. However there is no obligation to prevent them from mating naturally.
If no cup is available for washing one's hands, one can immerse them into a river or into snow, if there's enough snow on the ground to fill a Mikve. (About 500 litres/130 gallons of water.)
A father must educate his children to do all Mitzvot (Torah and Rabbinical) that are appropriate to their age.
One also needs to prevent a child from doing any sin which they are capable of relating to, starting with telling the truth, eating only Kosher and not carrying things on Shabbat (in areas where one may not carry, i.e where there is no Eruv.)
A child who stole must return the theft if it exists. If it no longer exists then they needn't return its value even after they becomes an adult. However, in heaven they will be required to account for the theft, so it's recommended to make amends.
Source Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 165:1-6
- Danny
Sunday, 24 Tevet 5773
It's a Mitzva to bathe on Friday with warm water; or at least to wash one's face, hands and feet. It's also a Mitzva to shampoo one's hair, cut one's nails and have a haircut if needed.
A Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar) has preference over a Cohen. Everybody else needs to give preference to the Cohen; he gets called first to the Torah and gets to speak first at functions. At meals the Cohen gets served first and leads the Zimun.
In a business partnership a Cohen does not get preferential treatment.
Honoring parents includes feeding them, clothing and covering them as well as accompanying them.
When visiting the sick one may not sit on a chair if they are lying on the floor, in deference to the Shechina which is above the sick person's head.
It's a Mitzva to visit sick people irrelevant of the social standing of the visitor or the patient.
Close friends and family may visit immediately, but others should wait until the 4th day, so as not to aggravate his Mazal and give his the "sick" status.
However, if a person becomes very ill very suddenly then everybody may visit immediately.
One may visit numerous times a day - as long as it doesn't bother the patient.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 193:1
- Danny,
Sunday, 17 Tevet 5773
It's a Mitzva to review the weekly Torah Reading by reading it twice in the original and once with the (Aramaic) Onkelus translation.
One who doesn't understand (or appreciate) Onkelus may read Rashi instead or even an English translation.
One may start on Sunday already and one should finish before the Torah is read on Shabbat morning.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 72:11
Shabbat Shalom
- Danny
The Torah gave permission to doctors to heal. Therefore someone who is not feeling well may not rely on a miracle, but must go see a doctor and follow his instructions.
One who ignores medical advice is not only endangering their life but is also considered to be arrogant; one should use the top expert in the field.
That said, a person needs to realize that the actual cure comes from The One Above and should pray that their doctor be a successful messenger to heal them.
The same way it’s a Mitzva to preserve one's health , so too it’s a Mitzva to look after one's possessions; not to lose, break or waste them.
One who breaks vessels, tears clothes, wastes edible food, wastes money or throws away objects that other people could use has done the Aveira of לֹא-תַשְׁחִית as it says in דְּבָרִים כ:יט:
It’s a Torah prohibition to cause pain to animals – and it's a Mitzvah to prevent such pain and to cure animals (even if they don’t belong to a Jew).
However, if an animal is causing harm to humans, or can be used to help cure humans then one may kill it (as humanely as possible) for we see that the Torah allows one to eat meat.
It’s a Mitzvah to help horses that are pulling a wagon and are struggling due to the incline or the rough terrain – even if they don’t belong to Jew. One should prevent the rider from whipping them unnecessarily to try get them to pull more than they can.
One may not tie the legs of animals in such a way that they are in discomfort.
One may not force a bird to roost on eggs from a different type of bird.
Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 191:1,2,3
- Danny
Tuesday, 12 Tevet 5773
The Torah says in דברים פרק כב:ח:
The prophet יְחֶזְקֵאל was told to record the 10th day of the 10th month (Tevet, counting from Nissan) as the day the the siege started:
From the Pasuk זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת - "Remember the day of Shabbat" ( שמות כ:ז) we learn that it's a Mitzva to keep Shabbat in mind all week; all special food should be reserved for Shabbat.
