[Don’t forget to see the Halacha
Encounters below!]
Chanukah is the celebration of our victory
over the mighty Greek army. Our
sages tell us that the goal of the Greeks was not to destroy us
physically but rather to change our essence, who we were and what
we stood for. Right in the beginning of the Torah the verse
states “Viha’aretz Haysa
Tohu Vavohu Vichoshech Al Pnei Tihom,” (Bereishis1:3) “And
the land was empty and desolate and there was darkness on the
face of the earth.” The Midrash describes this verse as a precursor
to the four exiles destined to befall the Jewish people. Tohu
refers to Babylon, Vavohu
is the exile of Media, Choshech
is Greece, and Al Pnei Tihom
is the exile of Edom. Our
sages define the culture of Greek as Choshech
- Darkness. This is a rather interesting description, considering
that Greek culture is viewed by the world as enlightening. What about the culture of Greece prompted our
sages to refer to it as darkness in direct contrast to the secular
view of Greece?
I heard the following insight from my
father, R’ Yonah Weinrib. When
the Jews miraculously crossed the Red Sea, they proclaimed “This
is my G-d and I shall exalt Him.”
The Talmud, [Shabbos 133b] based on this verse, teaches
us that when one performs a mitzvah it should be done in the most
beautiful way. One should
have a beautiful Torah scroll, use an exacting scribe and cloak
it with attractive silk coverings.
For this holiday of Chanukah many will spend a large sum
on the purchase of a beautiful candelabra.
The question we must ask is “In what way is this different
from Greek culture, which also placed great emphasis on art and
beauty?” In what way is
our beautification of mitzvos different than the Greek view of
beauty?
The difference is the ultimate goal.
Greek culture sees art and beauty as a
function in and of itself. Art
for art’s sake and beauty for beauty’s sake.
Nothing beyond that which meets the eye. Our view, in contrast, is of beauty seen only as a means to an end.
When we beautify a mitzvah, the beauty itself is of no
value. Only if we see
it as a conduit to bring us closer to G-d does it have real value. The intrinsic value of a beautiful silver menorah
is not for those present to “ooh” and “aah” over the intricate
designs. The focus is
that the place where one is willing to spend a small fortune is
in the servitude of G-d. Through spending money and beautifying a mitzvah
one feels a deeper attachment to the mitzvah and ultimately to
G-d. Jews throughout the
ages who lived the simplest of lives would make sure to have beautiful
candlesticks for Shabbos and a lovely menorah for Chanukah.
Unfortunately, there are people whose homes are decorated
with the most beautiful external trappings, yet when it comes
to buying a beautiful esrog (citron fruit used on the holiday
of Sukkos) they will complain about the $100 they have to spend
for it. This is the effect
of Greek culture on all of us.
One can have the most beautiful cases for his mezuzah but
if it is empty on the inside it degenerates from a beautiful mitzvah
into an empty case. The external trappings are there to raise the
mitzvah to a higher level, showing our value and appreciation
of G-d’s commandments.
This is why Greece is referred to as darkness.
By focusing on the external without a glimpse of the deep
meaning behind it, the Greeks were blotting out true perception
of what is really valuable.
The Sefer Emes gives us a beautiful insight
into the miracle of the oil burning for eight days. He explains that the single pure flask of oil
represents the deep inner spark inside each as every one of us. Unfortunately, too often the spark is covered
and not allowed to shine through to light up our lives. When the Jews of that time were willing to
sacrifice their lives for the sake of their inner sparks, they
realized that the externals of this world are only there to elevate
that spark. Thus, G-d showed them the power of those sparks and
made them burn for eight days and nights.
May we too merit shunning the darkness of Greece - the
external trappings with empty insides, and allow our own sparks
to shine through and light up our lives.
Rabbi
Weinrib is a full-time member of the Kollel.
Halacha Encounters
“V’sain Tal Umatar L’vrocha”
Rabbi Ephraim Friedman
With December 4th now behind us, Jews
in all areas of the world are davening for rain by reciting v’sain tal u’matar l’vrocha in the ninth brocha
of each weekday Shmoneh
Esrei, Birchas Hashonim. An interesting halachic dispute surrounds the
circumstance of an individual who neglects to recite this
phrase in its proper place and realizes his error immediately
upon concluding the brocha. Let us
examine the background of this dispute.
The Rosh in Mesechta Taanis (1:1) cites
the view of the Ravyah that when one omits a critical phrase from
a brocha of Shmoneh Esrei and realizes his omission
only after concluding that brocha, but before beginning the next
one, he need not repeat the first brocho.
Rather he should recite the omitted phrase at that juncture
between the two brochos and then proceed with the next brocha
as usual. The underlying
principle behind this view is that one is not considered to have
fully completed the previous brocha until he has begun the subsequent
one, thus allowing him the latitude to make certain necessary
corrections.
The Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 114:6) rules
in accordance with this view with regard to the recital of mashiv
haruach u’morid hagoshem during the winter season. Although
omitting it invalidates one’s Shmoneh
Esrei (unless morid
hatal was recited in its place), one who has completed the
brocha of michayei hameisim need not necessarily return to the beginning of
Shmoneh Esrei. If the next brocha (Atoh Kadosh)
was not yet begun mashiv
haruach u’morid hagoshem should be recited immediately and
Shmoneh Esrei should countinue as usual
with Atoh Kadosh. Similarly, with regard to Ya’aaleh Viyavo on Rosh Chodesh, the
Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 422:1) rules that at Shacharis and Mincha
when the inclusion of Ya’aaleh
Viyavo is critical, one who upon completing “hamachazir
shechinaso liTzion” realizes he omitted Ya’aaleh
Viyavo, should recite it immediately and then proceed as usual
with modim.
With regard to v’sain tal u’matar l’vrocha, however, the position of the Shulchan
Aruch is not entirely clear.
We find in the Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 117:5) that one
who omits this phrase from Birchas Hashonim can rectify his error
by reciting it in the brocha of Shma
Koleinu before saying “key
atah shomayah.” The Shulchan Aruch further states that if one forgot to say
it there as well, and realizes his error immediately upon
completing the brocha “shomayah
tefila,” he should recite v’sain
tal u’matar l’vrocha right there before beginning Ritzei.
This ruling is based of course on the view of the Ravya. However, the Shulchan Aruch does not mention
that if one originally realizes he omitted v’sain tal u’matar l’vrocha upon completing Bircas Hashanim before beginning Tika BiShofar, that he should recite it there. Is this an intentional omission on the part
of the Shulchan Aruch and, if so, what is the reason behind it?
This question was posed to the famous
Gaon, Rav Yechezkel Landau zt”l
by a member of his community (as recorded in Teshuvos
Nodeh B’Yehuda [vol II O.C.
9]). The questioner wished
to suggest that the Shulchan Aruch’s omission was indeed intentional. Being that one still has an opportunity to
include v’sain tal u’matar
within the text of a brocha
(i.e. in Shma Koleinu), perhaps it would be preferable
to wait for that brocha, than to rely on the chiddush of the Ravya
and recite it between the brochos.
Only if the individual forgot once again and omitted it
from Shma Koleinu would he be advised to recite it between the brochos,
before beginning Ritzei.
The Nodeh B’Yehuda responded by completely
rejecting this theory. Why,
he asks, should one hesitate to rely on the ruling of the Ravya,
particularly in light of the fact that many other Rishonim are
in agreement with his position?
As for the Shulchan Aruch’s omission of this ruling, the
Nodeh B’Yehuda contends that the Shulchan Aruch saw no need to
mention it, having just taught us the very same concept a few
chapters earlier with regard to mashiv
haruach u’morid hagoshem. Only
when one forgets v’sain
tal umatar in Shma Koleinu as well, did the Shulchan
Aruch deem it necessary to mention that it can be recited immediately
after the brocha, before beginning Ritzei,
although that is not its primary location.
However, to recite it immediately after Bircas HaShanim before Tika
B’shofar is obviously an acceptable – and therefore recommended
– course of action for one who forgot to mention it within the
brocha. In support of his ruling, the Nodeh B’Yehuda
cites the Magen Avraham (117:5) who also rules this way.
The Chofetz Chaim, however, approaches
this issue very differently than the Nodeh B’Yehuda. In the Be’ur Halacha (114:6 s. v. B’lo Chasimah) he writes that in fact many Rishonim – and some very
prominent Achronim – disagree with the Ravya on this matter, and
hold that reciting any vital phrase in between brochos of Shmoneh Esrei is unacceptable. Therefore,
concludes the Be’ur Halacha, although one should not veer from
the explicit ruling of the Shulchan Aruch with regard to mashiv haruach u’morid hagoshem and Yaale V’yavo, nonetheless, in the case
of v’sain tal umatar l’vracha,
the proper course of action for one who omitted this phrase
from Bircas Hashanim would be to include it
in the brocha of Shma Koleinu,
rather than reciting it in between the brochos, before Tika B’shofar. This psak
halacha of the Chofetz Chaim is reiterated in the Mishna Brura
117:15 where he also cites that the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (19:6)
rules this way as well.
There is one final point to consider.
One who forgot to recite v’sain
tal umatar in its primary location, i.e. Bircas
Hashanim, is probably a likely candidate to forget as well
to include it in Shma Koleinu
where it is not a regular feature.
For this reason, one who realizes his error before saying
Tika B’shofar may be
best advised not to pass up the opportunity for reciting it there.
To comply with the psak of the Mishna Brura, he may recite
it again upon reaching Shma Koleinu if he should in fact remember to do so. [See Sefer Shgios Me Yavin chapter 13, note 12.]
Other Related
Halachos
·
One who realizes
that he omitted v’sain tal
umatar after uttering Hashem’s name in the concluding brocha
of Shma Koleinu (i.e. “baruch atoh Hashem... Shomei’ah tefillah”) should, according to the
Mishna Brura (117:19) recite immediately “lamdeini
chukecha,” then continue with “v’sain
tal u’matar [l’vrocha] key atah shomei’ah tefilas…”
Note: Some Gedolai
haposkim do not allow saying
“lamdeini chukeycha” in
Shmoneh Esrei. (See for example Igros Moshe O.C. 4:93) Time
and space constraints do not allow for an elaboration on this
issue currently.
·
One who realizes
his omission after beginning Ritzei
must return to the beginning of Bircas
Hashanim (i.e. Bareich
Aleinu) and continue from there.
·
One who realizes
his omission only after completing Shmoneh
Esrei must repeat the entire Shmoneh
Esrei (see Shulchan Aruch 117:5 and Mishna Brura 18 for exact
details as to when Shmoneh
Esrei is considered complete).
In
addition to leading the Kollel’s Yoreh Deah Night Chaburah and
being the Moreh Hora’ah at Bais Medrash Mikor HaChaim, Rabbi Friedman
learns full time in the Kollel and is a frequent contributor to
Halacha Encounters.