Announcements

Taanit Asara Betevet

Tomorrow Thursday 28 / 12 / 17

Taanit commences 6:27 am

Shacharit 8:00 am

Mincha – To be confirmed on the Moor Lane WhatsApp group

(if you are not on the WhatsApp

group please contact a member of the Mahamad for further information)

Taanit Finishes 4:48 pm

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SHABBAT

Shabbat Times

לוח זמני תפלה לחורףתשע"ח

Winter Timetable 5778 – 2017 / 18

Shabbat Services

Children’s Service From 10am Every Shabbat morning

Children’s Tehilim straight after Musaf

Anyone wishing to donate a Kiddush Please email Moorlanenews

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Q & A on Parashat Vayechi

All references are to the verses and Rashi’s commentary, unless otherwise stated.

1. Why is kindness towards the dead called "chesed shel emet" — kindness of truth?
   47:29 – Because the giver expects no reward from the recipient.
2. Give three reasons Yaakov didn’t want to be buried in Egypt.
   47:29 – a) Egypt’s ground was to be plagued with lice; b) At the time of the resurrection, those buried outside Israel will suffer; c) So the Egyptians wouldn’t make him into an idol.
3. How do you treat a "fox in his time" (i.e., a commoner who rules)?
   47:31 – Bow to him.
4. "When I was coming from Padan, Rachel died on me… I buried her there on the way to Efrat…" Why did Yaakov say all this to Yosef?
   48:7 – Yaakov thought Yosef harbored resentment since Yaakov had not buried Yosef’s mother, Rachel, in the Ma’arat HaMachpela.
5. Initially, why was Yaakov unable to bless Efraim and Menashe?
   48:8 – The Shechina departed from him.
6. What does pillalti mean?
   48:11 – "I thought."
7. What does "Shechem" mean as used in this week’s parsha? (two answers)
   48:22 – a) The actual city of Shechem; b) A portion.
8. Which individual is called "the Emori"? Why? Give two reasons.
   48:22 – Esav. a) He acted like an Emorite; b) He trapped his father with words (imrei pi).
9. What did Yaakov want to tell his sons but was unable to?
   49:1 – When mashiach will come.
10. What privileges did Reuven lose due to his rash actions?
    49:3 – Priesthood and Kingship.
11. What congregation from Yaakov’s offspring did Yaakov not want to be associated with?
    49:6 – Korach and his congregation.
12. What did Yehuda do after he heard Yaakov rebuke Reuven, Shimon and Levi? Why?
    49:8 – He drew back. He was afraid that Yaakov would rebuke him for the incident with Tamar.
13. What does milk do to teeth?
    49:12 – It makes them white.
14. Why is Yissachar like a "strong-boned donkey"?
    49:14 – Just as a donkey bears a heavy burden, so the tribe of Yissachar bears the yoke of Torah.
15. With what resource did both Yaakov and Moshe bless Asher?
    49:20 – Oil-rich land.
16. In Yosef’s blessing, Yaakov said, "They embittered him…" Who are "they"?
    49:23 – Yosef’s brothers, Potifar and his wife.
17. Which descendants of Binyamin "will divide the spoils in the evening"?
    49:27 – Mordechai and Esther.
18. From whom did Yaakov buy his burial place?
    50:5 – From Esav.
19. What oath did Yosef make to Pharaoh?
    50:6 – Yosef swore not to reveal Pharaoh’s ignorance of Hebrew.
20. Which two sons of Yaakov did not carry his coffin? Why not?
    50:13 – Levi, because he would carry the aron (holy ark). Yosef, because he was a king.

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Halachot from Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Ztz’l

תענית עשירי בטבת

ביום עשירי לחודש טבת, סמך מלך בבל על ירושלים כדי להחריבה, כמו שנאמר בספר יחזקאל (פרק כד) ויהי דבר ה’ אלי בשנה התשיעית בחודש העשירי (הוא חודש טבת) בעשור לחודש לאמר, בן אדם כתב לך את שם היום הזה את עצם היום הזה סמך מלך בבל אל ירושלים.

ולפיכך אנו מתענים ביום עשירי בטבת, כדי להכניע לבבינו לשוב בתשובה שלימה, ולהתחנן לפני אלוקינו שירחם עלינו וישוב לגאלינו גאולת עולמים. וכמו שכתב רבינו הרמב"ם, שכל ישראל מתענים בימים שאירעו בהם צרות לישראל, כדי לעורר הלבבות ולפתוח דרכי תשובה, ויהיה זה זיכרון למעשינו הרעים, ומעשה אבותינו שהיה כמעשינו עתה, עד שגרם להם ולנו אותן הצרות, שבזיכרון דברים אלו נשוב להיטיב, שנאמר והתודו את עונם ואת עון אבותם.

הכול חייבים להתענות ביום עשירי בטבת, ופורץ גדר ישכנו נחש, אבל קטנים, דהיינו בן שעדיין לא מלאו לו שלש עשרה שנים ויום אחד, ובת שלא מלאו לה שתים עשרה שנים ויום אחד, פטורים לגמרי מן התענית, ואינם צריכים להתענות אפילו כמה שעות, ואפילו אם יש בהם דעת להתאבל על חרבן ירושלים, כל שלא הגיעו למצוות הרי הם פטורים מתעניות אלו. ואפילו אם רוצים להחמיר על עצמם ולהתענות יש למחות בידם שלא יעשו כן.

מעוברות (נשים בהריון) ומניקות, פטורות מלהתענות ביום עשירי בטבת. ואינן רשאות להחמיר על עצמן ולהתענות. ולעניין זה נקראת מעוברת כל שהוכר עוברה, כלומר שחלפו כבר שלשה חדשים מתחילת הריונה. ואם היא סובלת ממחושים והקאות פטורה מן התענית מתחילת הריונה, ובפרט אם חלפו כבר ארבעים יום מתחילת הריונה.

ומעוברות ומניקות פטורות מלהתענות בשבעה עשר בתמוז, בצום גדליה ובעשרה בטבת. (ולענין תשעה באב נתבאר בזמנו). ואפילו אם רוצות להחמיר על עצמן ולהתענות יש למחות בידן.

ולענין זה נקראת מעוברת כל שהוכר עוברה, דהיינו שעברו שלושה חודשים מתחילת הריונה. ואם סובלת ממחושים והקאות פטורה מכל התעניות הללו גם קודם עבור שלושה חודשים מתחילת הריונה, ובפרט אם עברו כבר ארבעים יום מתחילת הריונה.

ומינקת שאמרו שפטורה מתעניות אלו, כתב מרן הרב עובדיה יוסף שליט"א שאפילו אם פסקה להניק את בנה, כל שהיא תוך עשרים וארבע חודש ללידתה, ומרגישה חולשה יתרה הרי היא פטורה מלהתענות. אבל אם היא אינה מרגישה חולשה יתירה וסחרחורת וכדומה, נכון להחמיר שתתענה גם היא. וכן פסק הגאון רבי מאיר מאזוז שליט"א ראש ישיבת "כסא רחמים". ויש מיקלים לכל אשה שהיא בתוך עשרים וארבע חודש מלידתה שלא תתענה, מפני שדרך כלל היא עסוקה בעניני הבית, ונחלשת מאד מחמת התענית

The Fast of the Tenth of Tevet

On the tenth day of the month of Tevet, the king of Babylon surrounded the city of Jerusalem in order to destroy it, as the verse in Yechezkel (chapter 24) states: “The word of Hashem was upon me on the tenth month (Tevet) of the ninth year saying, ‘Son of man, write for yourself the name of this day, for on the essence of this day did the king of Babylon besiege Jerusalem.’”

We therefore fast on the Tenth of Tevet in order to humble our hearts into repenting fully and to beseech Hashem to pity us and redeem us completely. The Rambam writes: “The entire Jewish nation fasts on days which tragedy has befallen Israel in order to awaken their hearts and open the pathways of repentance for them. This in turn will serve as a memorial of our grievous actions and the actions of our forefathers to which our current behavior can compare; and this eventually caused suffering to befall them and us. When we recall these things, it will cause us to return to the proper path, as the verse states, ‘And they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers.’”

Everyone is obligated to fast on the tenth of Tevet, and no one may exclude himself. However, children, meaning boys under the age of thirteen and girls under the age of twelve, are completely exempt from this fast and they are not even obligated to fast for several hours. Even children who are intelligent enough to mourn over the destruction of the Holy Temple are exempt from these fasts as long as they have not yet reached the age of Bar/ Bat Mitzvah. Even if they would like to be stringent and fast, their parents should object to them doing so.

Pregnant and nursing women are exempt from the fast of the Tenth of Tevet and they may not be stringent and fast. The definition of “pregnant” regarding this Halacha is when the woman’s pregnancy is recognizable, meaning when at least three months have elapsed from the beginning of her pregnancy. However, if the pregnant woman suffers from pain and vomiting, she is exempt from the fast even in the beginning stages of her pregnancy, especially if forty days from the onset of her pregnancy have already elapsed.

Pregnant and nursing women are also exempt from the fasts of the Seventeenth of Tamuz and the Fast of Gedalya (their obligation to fast on Tisha Be’av will be explained at the appropriate time, G-d willing). Even if they wish to be stringent and fast, one must object to them doing so. Regarding this Halacha, “pregnant” is defined the same way as above, i.e. when three months of pregnancy have already elapsed. However, if she suffers from vomiting and pain, she is exempt from all of these fasts even before three months have passed, especially if forty days of pregnancy have elapsed.

Regarding the exemption of a nursing woman from these fasts as was mentioned above, Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef Shlit”a writes that even if this woman is no longer physically nursing her child, if she is within twenty-four months of giving birth and she feels immense weakness, she is exempt from these fasts. However, if she feels no unusual weakness or dizziness and the like, it is proper for her to be stringent and fast. Hagaon Harav Meir Mazuz Shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivat Kisseh Rachamim, rules likewise. Nevertheless, there are those who rule leniently regarding any woman who is within twenty-four months of giving birth, even if she does not experience any special weakness, that she is exempt from these fasts because she is usually busy dealing with matters of the house and the fast may weaken her

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