Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi
Volume 2 Number 41
The first mitzva in the Torah given to the
Jewish people as a nation was Kiddush Hacho-
desh. Why this particular mitzva? The
Seforno explains that slaves have no clear
concept of time because their time is not their
own. A slave is not obligated in time related
mitzvot because he lacks time consciousness.
Only free men, who are in control of their time
and can fill it with spirituality, can understand
the essence of time. Sanctification of time and
freedom are bound together. Therefore, to
mark the Jewish people’s emergence as a
liberated nation, they were given the mitzva of
Kiddush Hachodesh.
Creation exists in the dimension of time. It
continually evolves and reshapes itself.
However, only man can sense the passage of
time and appreciate its beauty and
significance. There are three dimensions of
time: retrospection, anticipation, and apprecia-
tion. Retrospection is when the past becomes
the present. One can relive and retell an experi-
ence long gone as if it was happening at the
moment. Anticipation is man’s projection of
visions and aspirations into the future. This
takes us beyond the present and moves us
forward into a future vision. Appreciation
embraces the present as inherently worthy.
These three aspects come to the fore on the
Seder night. The first part of the hagada
focuses on retrospection. We are commanded
to see ourselves as if we were leaving Egypt.
Hallel is a song of appreciation, in which we
rejoice in the present moment. The Seder
culminates with anticipation of the future
Excerpted from Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller’s Question and Answer series on Naaleh.com
Question:
I've heard you discuss a few times the respon-
sibility of health and safety. I understand that
this falls under the Torah commandment of
“Vnishmartem me’od.” What about good
nutrition? Is this optional or praiseworthy?
Answer:
Nobody really knows what good nutrition is.
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Parshat Bo: Creation of Self
Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles
redemption and the hope of returning to our
land.
The second aspect of Kiddush Hachodesh is
that we have the ability to rejuvenate and renew
ourselves, like the moon. Its waxing and
waning reflects a dimension within us. Just as
we sanctify the moon, we must sanctify
ourselves. The Sefat Emet notes that the
beauty of Judaism is that no thirty days can go
by without rejuvenation. Kiddush Hachodesh is
our monthly reminder, prompting us to ask
ourselves, “Where are we? What have we
done to transform our lives? How have we
become different?” It is the power of change
and reflection. Rav Wolfson notes that every
month is connected to Nisan, the first month,
whose definition is chidush, renewal. Kiddush
Hachodesh as the first mitzva tells us that the
foundation of all mitzvot is performing good
deeds with hitchadshut. Our challenge is to
take every mitzva and attach it to the first
mitzva which commands us to grow, change,
and re-energize our lives.
Rav Tatz asks, Hashem took us out in haste
because we were almost at the fiftieth level of
impurity. However, we find that at the culmina-
tion of the exile, the Jews were busy with
mitzvot such as brit milah and korban Pesach.
How can we say that they were at such a low
level? The Maharal explains that spirituality is
contradicted by unnecessary expansion of
physical dimension in time and space. If one
moves fast one can overcome its stifling
affects. Therefore, Chazal say, “Zrizim
makdimim l’mitzvot.” One should perform
Achieving Balance: Class #4
When I was in elementary school we all knew that
balanced nutrition consisted of meat, milk, a
green and yellow vegetable, and fruit. Butter was
the health spread, margarine was iffy. Times
changed by the time I reached my early teens.
Butter, red meat, and olive oil were all black listed.
Margarine became the health spread. We were
told there was no difference between fresh,
canned, and frozen vegetables. Time moved on.
mitzvot with alacrity, because otherwise
physical aspects will present themselves to
prevent one from fulfilling a good deed. The
problem with more time in Egypt was not the
effects of impurity. It was time itself. At the
moment of conception, the Jewish nation had to
rise above nature. The redemption had to be in
the blink of an eye so that no physical forces
would overpower them.
The definition of a Jew is Kiddush Hachodesh.
It is a mitzva that taps into the dimension of time
and creates newness. The way to create
vibrancy is not to get caught in the sluggishness
of the moment but to grab the opportunity.
Similarly, the difference between chametz and
matza is a difference of time. Chametz left to
age will spoil. Matza, in contrast, has staying
power. Allowing the dimension of time to take
affect, means inviting the limited forces of
nature into our lives.
Judaism is about expressing time. A difference
of a few minutes can alter the status of the
same action. If one studies Jewish law, he can
become sensitive to a time-conscious relation-
ship with Hashem. How do we tap into the
power of chiddush? The key is the first halachic
obligation of a Jew in Shulchan Aruch,
“Hitgaber k’ari.” Strengthen yourself like a lion.
Arising each morning with vigor, like the king of
beasts, will transform our day into one that is
spiritually elevating and everlasting.
Today olive oil is healthy, milk and margarine are
not. Meat and fish barely make the grade. Fresh
fruits and vegetables have staying power, but
even fruit s, we are told, should be consumed
within limitation. So I quote the Rambam’s
cardinal rule: “Don’t overeat and don’t eat when
you are not hungry.” Even if you don’t eat
correctly, if you exercise and eat in moderation,
you’ll probably avoid most illnesses.
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Volume 2 Number 41
Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Michael Taubes
In Parshat Vayakhel, the Torah tells us, “Six
days you shall work and on the seventh day
you shall rest.” When does the seventh day
actually begin? Can one accept Shabbat
early? The earliest time when one can
voluntary accept Shabbat is plag mincha,
approximately one and half hours before
sunset. It has become accepted in many
communities to have an early minyan for
Kabbalat Shabbat, especially during the long
summer days when nightfall is very late. If the
Torah specifically says that Shabbat begins
on the seventh day, and since in Jewish law
the next day is only counted from nightfall,
how can one accept Shabbat when it is still
day?
The origin of accepting Shabbat early is a
verse in Parshat Emor that relates to Yom
Kippur. “V’initem et nafshoteichem… You shall
afflict your soul on the ninth of the month in
the evening.” The Gemara asks, if Yom Kippur
begins on the ninth day at night then shouldn’t
the Torah refer to it as the tenth day. Why
mention the ninth? The Gemara answers,
“Mosifin m’chol al kodesh. The weekday is
added to the holy day.” We begin fasting while
it is still day. Indeed, most shuls commence
Kol Nidrei before sunset. The Gemara adds
that all holy days during which we refrain from
work fall under the category of mosifin, we
begin early and end late.
The Rambam, however, records this law with
regard to Yom Kippur only and does not
mention it in relation to Shabbat and Yom Tov.
The Kesef Mishna explains that the Rambam
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Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi
Adding to Shabbat
held that tosefet Shabbat was neither a
d'oraita nor a d'rabanan obligation. The
Radvaz disagrees and explains that the
Rambam did hold that this law applied to
Shabbat. He only mentions it in relation to Yom
Kippur because it is implicit that since Shabbat
is holier than Yom Kippur it would most
certainly apply to Shabbat. L’halacha, there
are significant opinions that hold that one
should add on to Shabbat and one may
certainly do so if one wants to.
The Maharshal asks, if one davened Maariv on
Friday night while it was still daylight, can one
still count the Omer? He answers that
something related to Shabbat can be done
after accepting Shabbat even though it is still
daylight. However, something dependent on
actual nightfall like Sefirat Haomer, must be
done after tzeit hakochavim. Similarly, if one
davened Maariv while it was still day, he is
obligated to repeat Shema after nightfall.
The Maharshal rules that one should not
accept Shemini Atzeret early, since the two
competing days would raise a problem of
whether to recite a bracha before eating in the
Sukkah.
The general consensus among many poskim
is not to accept Shavuot early as the verse
specifically states, “sheva shabotot temimot,”
seven complete weeks. However, the Taz
disagrees and counters that once one accepts
the Yom Tov it automatically becomes seven
complete weeks.
There is a disagreement among the Baalei
Hatosfot if one can accept Pesach while it is
still day. One opinion allows it. Others disagree
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based on the verse, “V’yochlu et hapesach
b’layla hazeh.” The sacrifice must be eaten at
night. Since matzot and marror have the same
halacha as korban Pesach it must be eaten
after dark. Can one still accept Pesach early if
he argues that it will take untill nightfall to eat
the matzot and marror? According to the
Terumat Hadeshen anything unique to Pesach
must be performed in the evening. This would
include Kiddush and the four cups of wine.
Technically, one can daven earlier, but the
Seder must begin when it is definitely nightfall.
Similarly, one cannot accept Sukkot early
because the Gemara draws a correlation
between the first night of Sukkot and Pesach.
The Taz notes that the obligation to eat three
meals on Shabbat is derived from the verse
that repeats the word hayom, this day, three
times. The question then arises, does tosefet
Shabbat allow a person to eat the Shabbat
meal when it is still day, or does it only permit
one to pray the Shabbat davening? Some
opinions hold that one can eat the meal and
others disagree. The Mishna Berura suggests
that one extend the meal into the night and eat
a kzayit after dark.
To summarize, one can accept kedushat
Shabbat and Yom Tov earlier, as tosefet
Shabbat has the power to transform a
mundane weekday into a sanctified day.
However, it does not transform the astronomi-
cal aspect of the day and therefore, any mitzva
that is connected to nightfall must be
performed after the stars emerge.
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