Newsletter – Parashat Chukat

Announcements

NEW THIS Shabbat EVENING

Why not come and hear 

our young boys share some 

Divre Torah

before Shabbat goes out

This WEEK

Divre Torah 10:50 pm

Motzae Shabbat 11:00 pm 

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SHABBAT

Shabbat Times

לוח זמני תפלה לקיץ תשע"ח

Summer Timetable 5778 2018

מוצאי שבת

ערבית

)מוצ"ש(

סוף זמן קראת שמע

זמן שבת

פלג מנחה (לבוש)

מנחה וקבלת שבת

תאריך

שבת פרשת

Shabbat

Ends

Arbit

Shema to be read before

Candles to be
lit by

Earliest Candle lighting

Minha & Kabbalat Shabbat*

Date

Parasha

PM

PM

AM

PM

PM

PM

 

 

11:00

10:55

8:55

9:27

7:56

7:40

22/23 June

חקת

 

*    For those not in synagogue, but wishing to bring in Shabbat with the community, candles should be lit about 30 minutes after the time listed for Minha and Kabbalat Shabbat. (Unless the time listed in the ‘latest candle lighting’ column is earlier, when candles should be lit by that time, in all cases.)

Mincha 6:00 pm

Followed by Shiur

Children’s Tehilim straight after Musaf

Anyone wishing to donate a Kiddush Please email Moorlanenews

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Q & A on Parashat Chukat

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

  1. "Take a perfect Para Aduma (red heifer)." What does the word "perfect" temima mean in this context?
    19:2 – Perfectly red.
  2. How many non-red hairs disqualify a cow as a Para Aduma?
    19:2 – Two.
  3. man dies in a tent. What happens to the sealed metal and earthenware utensils in the tent?
    19:14,15 – The metal utensils are impure for seven days, even if they are sealed. The sealed earthenware vessels are unaffected.
  4. What happens to the one who: a) sprinkles the water mixed with the ashes of the Para Aduma; b) touches the water; c) carries the water?
    19:21 – a) Remains tahor; b) He, but not his clothing, contracts tumah; c) He and his clothing contract tumah.
  5. Why was the mitzvah of the Para Aduma entrusted to Elazar rather than to Aharon?
    19:22 – Because Aharon was involved in the sin of the Golden Calf.
  6. Why does the Torah stress that all of the congregation came to Midbar Tzin?
    20:1 – To teach that they were all fit to enter the Land; everyone involved in the sin of the spies already died.
  7. Why is Miriam's death taught after the law of Para Aduma?
    20:1 – To teach that just as sacrifices bring atonement, so too does the death of the righteous.
  8. During their journey in the midbar, in whose merit did the Jewish People receive water?
    20:2 – Miriam's.
  9. Why did Moshe need to strike the rock a second time?
    20:11 – After he hit it the first time, only a few drops came out since he was commanded to speak to the rock.
  10. When Moshe told the King of Edom that the Jewish People would not drink from the well-water, to which well did he refer? What do we learn from this?
    20:17 – To the well that traveled with the nation in the midbar. This teaches that one who has adequate provisions should nevertheless purchase goods from his host in order to benefit the host.
  11. The cloud that led the Jewish People leveled all mountains in their path except three. Which three and why?
    20:22 – Har Sinai for receiving the Torah, Har Nevo for Moshe's burial, and Hor Hahar for Aharon's burial.
  12. Why did the entire congregation mourn Aharon's death?
    20:29 – Aharon made peace between contending parties and between spouses. Thus, everybody mourned him.
  13. What disappeared when Aharon died?
    20:29 – The clouds of glory disappeared, since they sheltered the Jews in Aharon's merit.
  14. Which "inhabitant of the South" (21:1) attacked the Jews?
    21:1 – Amalek.
  15. For what two reasons did G-d punish the people with snakes specifically?
    21:6 – The original snake, which was punished for speaking evil, is fitting to punish those who spoke evil about G-d and about Moshe. And the snake, to which everything tastes like dust, is fitting to punish those who complained about the manna which changed to any desired taste.
  16. Why did the Jewish People camp in Arnon, rather than pass through Moav to enter Eretz Canaan?
    21:13 – Moav refused them passage.
  17. What miracle took place at the valley of Arnon?
    21:15 – The Amorites hid in caves in the mountain on the Moabite side of the valley in order to ambush the Jews. When the Jews approached, the mountain on the Eretz Canaan side of the valley moved close to the other mountain and the Amorites were crushed.
  18. What was the "strength" of Amon that prevented the Jewish People from entering into their Land?
    21:24 – G-d's command, "Do not harass them" (Devarim 2:19).
  19. Why was Moshe afraid of Og?
    21:34 – Og had once been of service to Avraham. Moshe was afraid that this merit would assist Og in battle.
  20. Who killed Og?
    21:35 – Moshe.
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Halachot from Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Ztz'l

סגירת גגון העגלה

שאלה: האם מותר בשבת לסגור את הגגון שמותקן על גבי עגלת תינוק?

תשובה: אחת המלאכות האסורות בשבת, היא מלאכת "בונה". ובכלל מלאכת בונה, יש איסור לעשות אהל בשבת. ועשיית אהל קבוע אסורה בשבת מן התורה. ועשיית אהל ארעי, כלומר שאינו קבוע, אסורה בשבת מדרבנן, (כלומר, רבותינו גזרו שלא לעשות אפילו אהל ארעי בשבת). וכשם שאסור לעשות אהל בשבת, כמו כן אסור לסתור (להרוס) אהל בשבת.

ולפי זה נראה לכאורה, שהגגון שעושים לעגלות תינוק, כדי להגן על התינוק מפני החמה או מפני הרוח וכדומה, דינו כדין אהל ממש, ואסור לפתוח אותו בשבת, משום עשיית "אהל".

והנה בדורות הקודמים (עד לפני כשבעים שנה), נהגו היהודים הנכבדים בעיר בגדאד שבבבל (עיראק) לגדל איילים וצבאים וכדומה בחצר ביתם. ובגמרא במסכת עירובין (קב.) מובא, שהיו לו לרב הונא איילים כאלה, והיו האיילים צריכים צל למשך שעות היום, ואילו בלילה היו צריכים אויר. ולכן במשך כל ימות השבוע, היו פורסים מחצלת מעל החצר כדי להגן על האיילים מפני החמה (השמש), ואילו בלילה היו מגלגלים את המחצלת בחזרה כדי שיהיה לאיילים אויר. ושאל רב הונא את רב, האם יש אופן שיוכל להמשיך במנהגו גם ביום השבת.

והשיב לו רב, שכאשר הוא כורך (מגלגל) את המחצלת בלילה, ישאיר בסופה טפח (כשמונה סנטימטר) שאותו לא יגלול.  ולאחר מכן בבוקר, יוכל לחזור ולפתוח את המחצלת להגן על האיילים מפני החמה. (והטפח שיש להשאיר, הוא חוץ מהחלק של המחצלת שמגולגל).

ומכאן למדנו שאהל שהיה עשוי כבר מערב שבת (לפני שבת), והיה בו שיעור "טפח", מותר בשבת להוסיף על האהל ולפרוס אותו כרצונו. הואיל ותוספת אהל בשבת מותרת. וכן פסקו הפוסקים, הרמב"ם (פכ"ב מהל' שבת הלכה כז) ומרן השלחן ערוך סימן שטו סעיף ב).

ולפיכך פסק מרן רבינו עובדיה יוסף זצ"ל, שבעגלות תינוקות שיש עליהם כעין סככה הנמתחת ומתקפלת, יש לפתוח את הסככה מערב שבת בשיעור "טפח", כלומר, שיהיו שם שמונה סנטימטר מהגגון פתוחים מערב שבת, ולאחר מכן בשבת יהיה מותר לסגור את הגגון כפי שירצו, שאז יהיה זה ממש כדין תוספת אהל שמבואר בגמרא שמותר לעשותה בשבת.

ואף על פי שהגאון החזון איש (סימן נב אות ו) כתב להקל בזה לגמרי, משום שהגגון קבוע תמיד בעגלה, וממילא במקרה כזה דינו כדין דלת שפותחים וסוגרים תמיד, וכדין כסא מתקפל, שמותר לפתוח אותו בשבת. מכל מקום מאחר ורבים מאד מגדולי האחרונים חולקים על דברי החזון איש בזה, והביאו ראיות שגגון העגלה אינו דומה לכסא ולדלת, לכן להלכה נכון לעשות כמו שפסק מרן זצ"ל שיש להשאיר טפח אחד בגגון העגלה שישאר סגור (כלומר, לא מקופל) מערב שבת, ולאחר מכן בשבת יהיה מותר לפתוח אותו לגמרי. (חזון עובדיה ח"ה עמוד שב).

Opening a Baby Stroller’s Canopy

Question: Is it permissible to open the canopy attached to the top of a baby stroller on Shabbat?

Answer: One of the thirty-nine forbidden works on Shabbat is building. Included in the forbidden work of building is the prohibition to creating a tent or awning on Shabbat. Making a permanent tent on Shabbat is a Torah prohibition. Making a temporary tent or awning on Shabbat, however, is prohibited by virtue of a rabbinic injunction. Just as it is forbidden to make a tent on Shabbat, it is likewise forbidden to demolish or take down a tent on Shabbat.

It would seem that a canopy attached to a baby stroller, which is meant to shade the baby from the sun, rain, and the like, should be considered like an actual tent and it will be forbidden to open it on Shabbat due to the prohibition of making a tent.

Indeed, in earlier generations (until approximately seventy years ago), the more affluent Jews in the city of Baghdad would raise deer in the courtyards of their homes. The Gemara (Eruvin 102a) states that Rav Huna had such deer in his possession. These deer would need shade during the daylight hours and fresh air during the night. During the rest of the week, they would spread a mat over the courtyard during the day to shade the deer from the hot sun and during the night, they would roll the mat back so that they would have fresh air. Rav Huna therefore asked Rav if he could continue to do so on Shabbat.

Rav replied that when he rolls back the mat at night, he should leave an area of a “Tefach” (approximately 3.1 inches) unrolled. Then, on Shabbat morning, he would be able to unroll the mat again to protect the deer from the sun. (The Tefach that must be left open is besides for the part of the mat that is rolled up.)

We see from here that a tent or awning that was opened before Shabbat to at least the area of a Tefach may be opened even more on Shabbat since adding onto a pre-existing tent or awning is permissible. The Rambam (Chapter 22of Hilchot Shabbat, Halacha 27) and Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 315, Section 2).

Thus, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l rules that the foldable canopy on top of a baby stroller should be opened before the onset of Shabbat the amount of a Tefach and in this way, it will be permissible to open it all the way on Shabbat, as this is exactly the law of adding onto a pre-existing awning on Shabbat which the Gemara permits.

Although Hagaon Chazon Ish (Chapter 52, Section 6) rules completely leniently in this regard since the canopy is always attached to the stroller and it therefore resembles a door which is constantly opened and closed on Shabbat and a folding chair, which may be opened as usual on Shabbat, nevertheless, since many great Acharonim disagree with the Chazon Ish’s opinion on this matter and bring several proofs that a stroller’s canopy is not comparable to a chair and door, it is therefore halachically preferable to follow the ruling of Maran zt”l and leave at least oneTefach of the canopy open before the onset of Shabbat and in this manner, it will be permissible to open it completely on Shabbat. (Chazon Ovadia-Shabbat, Volume 5, page 302)



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Shabbat Shalom


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