Announcements

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Mazal Tov 

to 

Dr & Mrs Marshall

on celebrating the chatuna of their grandson

Yehuda Zeev Arenias

(son of their daughter Naomi)

& 

celebrating the Chatuna of their granddaughter

Chava Marshall

(daughter of their son R'Daniel)

May they be zoche to bone bayit neeman beyisrael

Mazal tov to ALL Family Marshall

May they go from simcha to simcha Beezrat Hashem

with Beriut, Mazal & Hatzlacha

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New Opportunity for learning

The Avrechim of the Kollel are able to learn with the Kahal 

from 6.50 til Arbit at 7.30 every evening

Need a partner?

contact Rabbi Stamler

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SHABBAT

Shabbat Times

לוח זמני תפלה לחורף תשע"ט

Winter Timetable 5779 – 2018 / 19

Shabbat Services

Children’s Tehilim straight after Musaf

Anyone wishing to donate a Kiddush Please email Moorlanenews

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Q & A on Parashat Bo

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

1. What was Pharaoh's excuse for not releasing the Jewish children?
   10:11 – Since children don't bring sacrifices there was no need for them to go.
2. How did the locusts in the time of Moshe differ from those in the days of Yoel?
   10:14 – The plague brought by Moshe was composed of one species of locust, whereas the plague in the days of Yoel was composed of many species.
3. How did the first three days of darkness differ from the last three?
   10:22 – During the first three days the Egyptians couldn't see. During the last three days they couldn't move.
4. When the Jews asked the Egyptians for gold and silver vessels, the Egyptians were unable to deny ownership of such vessels. Why?
   10:22 – During the plague of darkness the Jews could see and they searched for and found the Egyptians' vessels.
5. Makat bechorot took place at exactly midnight. Why did Moshe say it would take place at approximately midnight?
   11:4 – If Moshe said the plague would begin exactly at midnight, the Egyptians might miscalculate and accuse Moshe of being a fake.
6. Why did the first-born of the animals die?
   11:5 – Because the Egyptians worshiped them as gods, and when G-dpunishes a nation He also punishes its gods.
7. How did Moshe show respect to Pharaoh when he warned him about the aftermath of the plague of the first-born?
   11:8 – Moshe warned that "All these servants of yours will come down to me" when, in fact, it was Pharaoh himself who actually came running to Moshe.
8. G-d told Moshe "so that My wonders will be multiplied" (11:9 ). What three wonders was G-d referring to?
   11:9 – The plague of the first-born, the splitting of the sea, the drowning of the Egyptian soldiers.
9. Why did G-d command the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh to Aharon, and not only to Moshe?
   12:1 – As reward for his efforts in bringing about the plagues.
10. Up to what age is an animal fit to be a Pesach offering?
    12:5 – One year.
11. Prior to the Exodus from Egypt, what two mitzvot involving blood did G-dgive to the Jewish People?
    12:6 – Circumcision and Korban Pesach.
    
12. Rashi gives two explanations of the word "Pasachti ." What are they?
    12:13 – "I had mercy" and "I skipped."
13. Why were the Jews told to stay indoors during makat bechorot?
    12:22 – Since it was a night of destruction, it was not safe for anyone to leave the protected premises of his home.
14. What was Pharaoh screaming as he ran from door to door the night of makat bechorot ?
    12:31 – "Where does Moshe live? Where does Aharon live?"
15. Why did Pharaoh ask Moshe to bless him?
    12:32 – So he wouldn't die, for he himself was a first-born.
16. Why did the Jewish People carry their matzah on their shoulders rather than have their animals carry it?
    12:34 – Because the commandment of matzah was dear to them.
17. Who comprised the erev rav (mixed multitude)?
    12:38 – People from other nations who became converts.
18. What three historical events occurred on the 15th of Nissan, prior to the event of the Exodus from Egypt?
    12:41 – The angels came to promise that Sarah would have a son, Yitzchak was born, and the exile of the "covenant between the parts" was decreed.
19. What is the source of the "milk and honey" found in Eretz Yisrael ?
    13:5 – Goat milk, date and fig honey.
20. The only non-kosher animal whose first-born is redeemed is the donkey. What did the donkeys do to "earn" this distinction?
    13:13 – They helped the Jews by carrying silver and gold out of Egypt.

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Halachot from Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Ztz'l

 מהי המשמעות של יום ט"ו בשבט?

יום ט"ו בשבט הוא ראש השנה לאילנות (ראש השנה דף ב.), ומקובל לחשוב, שכשם שביום א' בתשרי שהוא יום ראש השנה, דנים את כל באי עולם, לחיים או למוות, לעושר או לעוני וכדומה, כמו כן ביום ט"ו בשבט, דנים בשמים על האילנות וקובעים מה יהיה גורלם במשך השנה הקרובה.

אלא שבאמת, כתב מרן הרב עובדיה יוסף שליט"א, שהדבר אינו כן, וביום זה לא דנים כלל על האילנות. וכן כתב הגאון רבי אברהם חיים נאה זצ"ל (רב שכונת הבוכרים בירושלים לפני כחמישים שנה), שהמוני העם טועים וחושבים שיום ט"ו בשבט הוא יום הדין לאילנות, וזה אינו, שהרי שנינו במשנה במסכת ראש השנה (דף טז.) שבחג השבועות דנים על פירות האילן, ולא ביום ט"ו בשבט כלל, אלא נראה שהטעם שנקבע יום ט"ו בשבט ליום ראש השנה לאילנות, הוא מפני שאז כבר ירדו רוב גשמי השנה, כמו שאמרו בגמרא במסכת ראש השנה (דף יב.) וכתב שם רש"י, שביום ט"ו בשבט, כבר עברו רוב הגשמים, והשרף עולה באילנות, ונמצאו הפירות חונטין מיום זה. (ופירוש המילה "חונטין" היא מצב שבו הפירות עברו חלק ניכר מתהליך גדילתם, ונחלקו הראשונים בשיעור זה כמה הוא בדיוק.)

ומכל מקום יש לעניין יום ט"ו בשבט משמעות הלכתית רבה לכמה דינים בענייני תרומות ומעשרות וערלה, ורק לשם דוגמא נזכיר אחד מהם.

כתוב בתורה (ויקרא יט. כג.): כי תבאו אל הארץ ונטעתם כל עץ מאכל, שלוש שנים יהיה לכם ערלים, לא יאכל. ופירשו חז"ל: שצריך למנות שלוש שנים מעת נטיעת האילן, ורק אז יהיו הפירות מותרים באכילה, אבל הפירות שגדלו באילן בתוך שלוש השנים הראשונות, הרי הם אסורים בהנאה לעולם.

אולם אין למנות שלוש שנים אלו מיום ליום, דהיינו שלוש שנים ממש, אלא הולכים בהם אחר שנות העולם. כיצד? נטע נטיעה קודם יום ט"ז באב של שנת תשס"א, שיש ארבעים וארבעה ימים עד לראש השנה תשס"ב, עלתה לו שנה לנטיעתם, כי שלושים יום בשנה הראשונה חשובים שנה, ועוד ארבע עשרה יום יש להוסיף לקליטת הנטיעה באדמה, ולפיכך צריך ארבעה וארבעים יום בשנה הראשונה, ומונה עוד שנתיים להשלמת שלושת השנים, דהיינו, שאם נטע את האילן בשנת תשס"א כנ"ל, מונה שנתיים, תשס"ב ותשס"ג, ובשנת תשס"ד הפירות מותרים באכילה. אלא שיום ט"ו בשבט הוא ראש השנה לאילנות, ולכן אף בשנת תשס"ד שהיא השנה הרביעית, הפירות שנמצאים על האילן עד יום ט"ו בשבט תשס"ד אסורים בהנאה, ורק הפירות שגדלו אחרי ט"ו בשבט מותרים באכילה אף בלא הפרשת תרומות ומעשרות (אבל נקראים פירות "נטע רבעי", שמותר לאכלם אחר שיחללו את קדושתם על פרוטה לאחר שיתלשו הפירות, והפודה פירות רבעי מברך: ברוך אתה ה' אמ"ה אקב"ו על פדיון (נטע) רבעי, ולוקח פרוטה שהיא הפחות של מטבע היוצא, כגון עשר אגורות בארץ ישראל, ואומר, כל קדושת הפירות הללו וחומשם מחוללים על שווה פרוטה זה, וטוב שיאמר כן שלוש פעמים, ואחר כך הפירות מותרים באכילה, ואינם חייבים בתרומות ומעשרות.)

ומכל מקום, אף שביום ט"ו בשבט לא דנים ממש מה יעלה בגורלם של האילנות באותה שנה, מכל מקום כתב רבינו יוסף חיים מבבל, שידוע הוא, שיש קבלה ביד חכמי אשכנז ז"ל, שצריך לבקש ביום ט"ו בשבט באופן מיוחד על האתרוג, שיזדמן לישראל אתרוג טוב ויפה בחג הסוכות

What is the Significance of Tu Bishvat?

The Fifteenth day of Shevat is the Rosh Hashanah for trees (Rosh Hashanah 2a). Most people commonly think that just as on the First of Tishrei which is the day of Rosh Hashanah, all creations are judged for life or death, for wealth or poverty, and the like, so too, on Tu Bishvat, the trees are judged in Heaven and their fate for the coming year is decided.

However, Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef Shlit”a writes that this is not the case, for on this day, the trees are not judged at all. Similarly, Hagaon Harav Avraham Chaim Na’ehzt”l (Rabbi of Jerusalem’s Bukharian Quarter approximately fifty years ago) writes that many have a misconception that Tu Bishvat is the Judgment Day for trees when in fact this is not the case, for the Mishnah in Masechet Rosh Hashanah (16a) writes that fruit trees are judged on the holiday of Shavuot, not on Tu Bishvat at all. Nevertheless, it seems that the reason why Tu Bishvat was established as the New Year for trees is because at this point, most of the rainfall of the year has already fallen, as the Gemara in Masechet Rosh Hashanah (12a) and Rashi (ibid.) state that by the day of Tu Bishvat, most of the rainfall has already passed, the sap rises through the tree, and the fruits have reached a noticeable stage of development by this day.

Nevertheless, the day of Tu Bishvat poses certain halachic implications regarding the laws of Terumot and Ma’asrot (tithing of produce) and Orla (fruits grown within three years of the tree being planted which are forbidden to benefit from). Just to illustrate this, let us discuss one such example.

The Torah states (Vayikra 19, 23): “When you shall come to the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, for three years shall it be considered forbidden and may not be eaten.” Our Sages explain that these three years must be counted from the time the tree was planted and only after this point will the fruits become permissible. However, the fruits that have grown on the tree during its first three years since being planted are forbidden forever.

However, these three years are not counted as three exact years; rather, we follow the years of the world. This means that if one planted a tree before the Sixteenth of Av of the year 5761, which is forty-four days before Rosh Hashanah of the year 5762, this counts as one year since being planted, for thirty days of the first year are considered one year and another fourteen days are added to compensate for the time it takes the sapling to take root in the ground; thus, a total of forty-four days is necessary for this to be counted as the first year. One must then count another two years for the completion of the three years, for instance, if one planted the tree in the year 5761, one counts an additional two years, 5762 and 5763, and in the year 5764, the fruits become permitted for consumption. However, since Tu Bishvat is the Rosh Hashanah for trees, thus, although 5764 is the fourth year, any fruits that are on the tree until Tu Bishvat of 5764 are forbidden to benefit from. Only the fruits grown after Tu Bishvat of the year 5764 are permitted for consumption, even without separating Terumot and Ma’asrot (for these fruits are called “Neta Reva’i” and are permitted for consumption after their sanctity has been transferred onto a coin after the fruits have been harvested. The one redeeming the Neta Reva’i fruits recites the blessing: “Baruch Ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu Al Pidyon Neta Reva’i.” One then takes a “Perutah,” which is a coin of minimal value, such as the ten-Agora coin in Israel and states: “All of the sanctity of these fruits and their fifth is transferred onto this coin which is worth a Perutah.” It is preferable for one to recite this text three times. After performing this procedure, the fruits are permitted for consumption immediately and Terumot and Ma’asrot need not be separated).

Although the actual fate of the trees for that year is not decided on Tu Bishvat, nevertheless, Hagaon Rabbeinu Yosef Haim of Baghdad writes that there is an accepted tradition from Ashkenazi sages that one should recite a special prayer regarding the Etrog (citron) fruit so that the Jewish people will merit obtaining beautiful Etrogim for the Sukkot holiday

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