Saturday, August 28, 2010

Rules for Halachic Decisions


Talmud Yerushalmi Terumot chapter 3 (15a):

רבי בא בר כהן בעי קומי רבי יוסי לא כן אמר רבי חייא בשם רבי יוחנן רבי וחביריו הלכה כרבי ואמר רבי יונה ואפי' רבי אצל ר"א בר"ש א"ל בגין דתני לה רבי ישמעאל ב"ר יוסי משום אביו ואמר ר' יוסי בשם ר' יוחנן רבי יוסי וחביריו הלכה כרבי יוסי דלא תסבור למימר אוף הכא כן לכן צריכה מימר הלכה כרבי רבי זעירא ר' יעקב בר אידי בשם ר' יוחנן ר"מ ור"ש הלכה כר"ש ר"ש ור' יהודא הלכה כר"י אין צ"ל ר"מ ור' יהודא שהלכה כר"י ר' בא ר' יעקב בר אידי בשם ר' יונתן ר' מאיר ור"ש הלכה כר"ש ר"ש ור"י הלכה כר"י ואין צ"ל ר"מ ורבי יהודא ור"ש הלכה כרבי יהודא ומינה את שמע ר"ש ורבי יהודא הלכה כרבי יהודא

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Special Blessing for Health Water?

ירושלמי ברכות פרק ו', הלכה ח:

אכל תאנים וענבים ורימונים מברך עליהן שלש ברכות דברי רבן גמליאל.  וחכמים אומרים ברכה אחת.  ר' עקיבה אומר אפילו אכל שלק והוא מזונו מברך עליו שלש ברכות.  השותה מים לצמאו אומר שהכל נהיה בדברו.  ר' טרפון אומר בורא נפשות רבות וחסרונן.

גמרא: א"ר יונה חוץ ממי דקרים.  א"ר יוסי ולכל מים שהוא צמא.  א"ר אבון השותה מי דקרים מהו אומר? ברוך שברא מי רפואות.  אית תניי תני מי דקרים, ואית תניי תני מי דקלים. מאן דמר מי דקרים, שהן דוקרין את המרה.  ומן דמר מי דקלים, שהן יוצאין מבין שני דקלים.

The Gemara says that all water is for thirst (and therefore one makes a she'hakol blessing) except for certain ones which are for health purposes.  Now the Gemara gives two versions of the name of the drink which is the exception, implying that only that one drink has this special blessing.  Since the Gemara does not say that both fall under the same medical category, that we shouldn't actually draw a general rule from here that this applies to all water that one drinks for health benefits.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Yerushalmi Brachot - Brachot of Kriat Shema

After pondering the issue, I have come to an interesting conclusion as to the Yerushalmi's take on the blessings before and after Kriat Shema.  It goes as follows:

  • From Alot haShachar to MisheYakir one says the second blessing (birkat haTorah), and then Shema, and has fulfilled his obligation if it is sh'at hadechak.  (ראה אמר להם הממונה) He doesn't say the first blessing before the Shema because it is too light and not relevant to say "Creator of the heavenly lights".  Presumably one would say this blessing later.  Also presumably, one would pray Shmoneh Esreh after saying Shema.
  • From MisheYakir until the end of 3 hours, one would say Kriat Shema as it needs to be, followed by Shmoneh Esreh.
  • If one is to pray after 3 hours, one says Kriat Shema with the blessings, and then when it is time to pray, one then repeats the 3 paragraphs of Kriat Shema and then immediately starts the prayer.  Geulah does not precede Tefilla.  (אומר ק"ש כדי לעמוד בתפילה מתוך דבר של תורה, ולא מוזכר סמיכת גאולה לתפילה)
  • At night, Maariv is recited before Tseit haKokhavim, this is standard practice, evidently.  Kriat Shema is recited without blessings.    (אומר ק"ש כדי לעמוד בתפילה מתוך דבר של תורה, ולא מוזכר סמיכת גאולה לתפילה)
  • Kriat Shema is recited at home between Tseit haKokhavim and halachic midnight with blessings.  If one plans on staying up to learn after this point, Kriat Shema should be recited first, with blessings.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Hilchot Purim

I have finished the first 2 chapters of Megillah, the sections immediately relavant for Purim.

I recommend going through this, and then going through the Mishneh Torah on Purim, you should notice a few differences.

Check it out here.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

מעין המאורע

In chapter 2 of Taanit Yerushalmi (I think it is halachah 2, but maybe 3)it is mentioned that during a Taanit, as on other special days, we must mention מעין המאורע, what is special about the day.  A rule is given:
  • If we are talking about something in the past, the mentioning goes in Hodayah, where we mention Chanukah and Purim.
  • If we are talking about something for the future, the mentioning goes in Avodah, where we have Ya'aleh v'Yavo.  This includes Tishah B'Av, where we daven for the future.
This is obviously different from the accepted halachah today, wherein the additino for a taanit goes in שומע תפילה.

It should be noted that this is the maskanah after a machloket, and none of the other opinions are akin to what we do, though I can give a little pilpul:

One opinion is that we mention like we do on the night and day of Shabbat.  That is to say, the middle brachah.  This is taken in the mefarshim to mean the 4th brachah, the first of the middle set.  What if it means the last of the middle set, in which case that would be שומע תפילה.  Just a thought.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Taanit chapter 1

I've started Masechet Taanit.  There are some surprising differences l'halachah here.  G-d willing in the future I will detail.  In the interim, here is my summary text, in the style that I did for Sukkah.

Here you go.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Siyum Yerushalmi Sukkah

Baruch Hashem, on Rosh Chodesh Kislev I was able to make a siyum for my grandfather's 25th yartzheit with a siyum on Masechet Sukkah of the Talmud Yerushalmi, and at the same time, finish the document that I've put together up until now.  I'm not sure if I'll be posting the completed document at this time, though I might be send it out to anyone who emails me a request.