Do we have to bring in Shabbat early if everyone else is?

A few months ago I wrote a post about Early Shabbat. One of the important outcomes of that blog post was to note that one cannot bring in Shabbat earlier than the time listed. For example if candle times are listed as 7:28-8:49pm, if one lit Shabbat candles at 7:15pm and made a beracha on them not only would one not be taking on Shabbat it would also be a beracha levatala - Taking Hashem's name in vain since it is too early to bring in Shabbat the blessing cannot be said at that time. 

(There are a few poskim that allow candle lighting before Pelag under certain conditions but they are not mainstream positions and are only relied upon in extremely northern latitudes.)

One area we didn't touch upon was, can individuals, families, or groups bring in Shabbat later/on time if the majority of the community is bringing in Shabbat late? What happens if there is no minyan in the community praying at the normal time (18 minutes before sunset) does that mean a person has to taken in Shabbat early? Are they forced to comply with the rest of the community?

The Mordechai is the first person to address this question. Hew writes that if the majority of the community has accepted Shabbat (early) the minority must follow them regardless." This position is brought by Rav Yosef Caro in his commentary Bet Yosef (O.H. 263.12) to the Tur and He codifies it in the Shulkhan Arukh in paragraph 12 of that same Chapter.

The Kaf HaChaim (O.H. 263:76) and Mishna Berura (O.H. 263:51) quote the Magen Avraham who limits the scope of Rav Caro's ruling writing "Where there are many synagogues in a city, one synagogue need not follow the practice of any other, even if one of them consists of the majority of the community." 

This implies as long as there is a synagogue minyan praying at the regular/late time individuals can bring in Shabbat at that time even if the majority of the community decides to bring Shabbat in early. However, the Mishna Berura and Kaf HaChaim quote the Hayei Adam that "If one gathers a minyan and holds services in his home, even if it is a regular minyan, they are subordinate to the majority and must follow their practice." 

Rav Moshe Feinstein writes (Igrot Moshe O.H. 5:15) that a congregation with two minyanim can have a later minyan in the Summer time even when the majority is praying at the earlier time. The question was asked about Bridge Lane Beth HaMedrash in London.

The bottom line is that there needs to be at least one synagogue minyan that prays late/regular time in the Summer in a community. In Seward Park we find the situation where there is only one late minyan at BCMH and the numbers are tight. We should make every effort to support it especially if you are a person who likes to bring in Shabbat at a later time in the Summer.

Birkat Cohanim in the Diaspora

One of the things that Ashkenazim notice when they go to Israel is that they do Birkat Cohanim every day in Israel, whereas in the diaspora Ashkenazim only do it at the Musaf of Yom Tov. There are also several Sephardic communities that did not/do not do Birkat Cohanim outside of Israel too. 

When we look at the formulation of the mitzvah of Birkat Cohanim it looks very clearly that it is a mitzva De'oraita - a positive mitzvah from the Torah for the Cohanim to bless the Jewish People every day. This is how it is codified by the Sefer HaHinuch. So how did the custom of not doing Birkat Cohanim daily start in the Diaspora? 

There are three main reasons brought by Ashenazic Rabbis. The first reason cited by the Agur is that the custom was to immerse in a mikveh before doing Birkat Cohanim. This was very hard to do in the Winter in Eastern Europe so they stopped doing it every day. 

Rav Yosef Caro comments on this custom and explains that this is completely illogical. Blessing the people is a Torah commandment and going to the mikveh in order to bless the people is a custom not even mentioned in the Talmud. He writes it would make far more sense just to bless the people without going to the mikveh!

The second and third reasons are brought by the Rema - Rabbi Moshe Isserles. He wrote that "It has become the practice in all these states that the Cohanim do not raise their hands in blessing except on Yom Tov, as then they are in a state of happiness because of Yom Tov and a person who is in good spirits should administer the blessing. They are not in a state of happiness on other days even on Shabbatot as they are preoccupied with thoughts concerning their sustenance and over the cessation of their work. Even on Yom Tov they only do it at Musaf as then they are about to leave synagogue and rejoice in the celebration of Yom Tov."

So basically the Ashkenazim in the 1500s were in a depressed state because of the difficulties in their lives. As in those times they were exceedingly poor and their was always a threat of Antisemitism in the air. The only time they were really happy was on Yom Tov and since Birkat Cohanim needs to be done with joy Ashkenazim stopped doing it daily.

In the 1700s the Vilna Gaon and Rav Chaim Volozhin made a decision that they wanted to try and restart daily Birkat Cohanim. The day before it happened the Vilna Gaon was imprisoned and half the town of Volozhin burned down! The two Rabbis decided it must be that a Bat Kol - heavenly voice has decreed that Birkat Cohanim cannot happen outside of Israel. When the Vilna Gaon's students made aliyah to Israel they did set up daily Birkat Cohanim hence the practice found today in Ashkenazic synagogues in Israel.

Now the Sephardic communities too are not uniform on Birkat Cohanim. Despite the fact that Rav Caro writes that it should be done daily not all Sephardic communities follow that. Rav Shem Tob Gaguine notes in his books on customs - Keter Shem Tob that "in London Birkat Cohanim is said only on Yom Tov, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The Amsterdam custom is that the Cohanim do it every Shabbat and this is the custom in Moroccan cities too. But in Israel, Syria, Turkey and Egypt the Cohanim do it every day."

Yet a teacher of mine, Rabbi Mordechai Lebhar, notes some different Sephardic customs. "The Moroccan minhag is to say Birkat Kohanim every day, in contrast to the custom in some other communities. However, several Sefaradi communities traditionally did not have the practice of saying Birkat Kohanim every day, among them the Jews of Izmir in Turkey, who said Birkat Kohanim only on days where the Torah is read, the communities of Italy and Amsterdam, who did so only on Shabbat and the Jews of Algeria, who said this blessing only during Musaf on Shabbat."

So we don't find a unified position for Sephardic communities. We have Rav Gaguine saying in Turkey they said it every day, Rabbi Lebhar noting the custom in Izmir was when the Torah was read and here in Seattle, the tradition was that in Tekirdag,Turkey they didn't do Birkat Cohanim except on Yom Tov. So why are there different Sephardic customs on this?

One answer is that Ashkenazic Pesak had an influence on some Sephardic communities. Another answer brought by the Keter Shem Tob is that they didn't always have a minyan during the week so they couldn't do Birkat Cohanim. Another answer he gives is that his community was very secular and assimilated. They wouldn't always have Cohanim present on a regular Shabbat and even if they were present they wouldn't necessarily have the ability to know how to bless the congregation!

Rav Gaguine then goes into a fascinating history of the failed Mashiach - Shabbatai Tzvi. One of the things he brought into focus was an emphasis on doing Birkat Cohanim daily. It may have been that some communities were already doing Birkat Cohanim daily but after he converted to Islam, the leading Sephardic Rabbis of the day tried to back away from anything that looked like Shabbatean practice. They went from daily Birkat Cohanim to just on Yom Tov. In Amsterdam they compromised and did Birkat Cohanim on Shabbatot only. 

In Seattle, my synagogue did not do Birkat Cohanim until 25 years ago. Some say because we didn't have Cohanim in the congregation who came daily or even on Shabbat. Some say because in Turkey they didn't do it because of Shabbatai Tzvi as it was in Turkey where he converted to Islam, so there the communities would most want to distance themselves from his teachings. Either way we now have several Cohanim who bless us daily and on Shabbat and it is a wonderful thing to be blessed by Hashem through the Priestly Blessing.

This write up is based on a short presentation I gave this past Shabbat Parashat Naso. Here is a link to the source Sheet. Here is the link (in Hebrew) to Rav Gaguine's piece to read. (see pages 245-247).


Here is a postscript from Rabbi Yossi Azose (Hazzan Ike Azose's son) 

It’s worth noting, as it relates to the Seattle Sephardic community, that in Shu”t Tzitz Eliezer (7:6) Rabbi Avraham Shalem submitted a query on the subject to his teacher R’ Eliezer Waldenberg in 1960, shortly after he was hired as rabbi at Cong. Ezra Bessaroth in Seattle. (As an historical aside, In the beginning of his teshuva Rabbi Waldenberg writes:

“I was especially pleased to learn that, with G-d’s blessing, he (Rabbi Shalem) has found a new position that he was yearning for, a wholesome and fervent congregation (Ezra Bessaroth) that thirsts for the word of G-d….”)

When Rabbi Shalem came, he found that Ezra Bessaroth did not do birkat cohanim daily, despite the presence of cohanim, and he very much wanted to reinstitute the practice. And so he sent a letter to R’ Waldenberg for his opinion. Rabbi Shalem asked his predecessor, Rabbi Isadore Kahan, why he did not encourage the practice of birkat cohanim, and he responded that in any event, since the cohanim at his kehilla were not Shabbat observant, it wasn’t proper for them to do nesiyat kapayim. 

(Rabbi Shalem disagreed with Rabbi Kahan on this point. It should also be noted, that for a brief time, Rabbi Kahan held the position as rabbi of both Ezra Bessaroth and Bikur Holim). Rabbi Waldenberg explored all these issues in the above-cited teshuva, including the tidbit about Shabetai Zevi, and concluded that indeed, birkat cohanim on a daily basis should be encouraged.

Looking to Shavuot

Shavuot is the holiday where we celebrate Hashem giving us the Torah at Mount Sinai over 3300 years ago. One would surmise that this would make for a remarkable holiday. But it is noted more by its absence of any unique mitzvot than by anything active. There is no matza, no lulav, no frantic cleaning beforehand and no building of a sukah. Although we do have is a series of customs that have developed over the years, Shavuot is unfortunately the forgotten holiday.

Most people, when asked about Shavuot, will give one of three answers. Dairy food, staying up late, or 'did I miss that holiday?' Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote a very thought provoking article recently where he touched upon Jewish continuity and identity.

“Throughout a century of reflection on how to sustain Jewish identity in an open, secular society, the case has often been made that we need to make Judaism easier. Why make the barriers so high, the demands so steep, the laws so rigorous and demanding? So, one by one, the demands were lowered. Shabbat, kashrut and conversion were all made easier. As for the laws of taharat ha-mishpacha (family purity), in many circles outside Orthodoxy they fell into abeyance altogether. The assumption was that the less demanding Judaism is to keep, the more Jews will stay Jewish.

To show that this is a fallacy, I once asked a mixed group of observant and non-observant Jews to list the festivals in order of difficulty. Everyone agreed that Pesach was the hardest, Shavuot the easiest, and Sukkot somewhere in between. I then asked, which festivals are kept by the greatest number of Jews. Again, everyone agreed: Pesach was kept by most, Shavuot by the least, with Sukkot in between. There was a pause as the group slowly realized what it had just said. It was counterintuitive but undeniable: the harder a festival is, the more people will keep it. The proof is Yom Kippur, by far the most demanding day of all, and by far the best attended in synagogue.”

In essence Rabbi Sacks was saying in order for us to foster the next generation of Jews who are engaged in Judaism we should not be lowering the standards at all! All that does is dilute things and cause more apathy. Rather we should be looking for ways to teach, explain and inspire about the depth of Judaism.

On Shavuot we read the book of Ruth which tells the story of Ruth a non-Jew accepting the God of the Jews as her God and the Jewish people as her own. She says the famous words “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.”

Ruth is the quintessential convert to Judaism and her inspiring words are the basis for the intricate halakhot of conversion that a person must totally accept the yoke of heaven. She is an inspiration to aspiring Jews and Jewish-born people alike. She embodies the lesson that Judaism isn’t a series of half measures and quaint customs but something, rather it is part of our very essence and being.

There are several reasons why we read the book of Ruth on Shavuot – both Shavuot and the book of Ruth take place in the harvest time, King David who is the great grandson of Ruth died on Shavuot. But I think there is a much more powerful reason and that is on Shavuot we affirm and commit ourselves to the Torah, an act which our ancestors did 3300 years ago at Mount Sinai. Ruth, as the righteous convert, totally accepts the Torah too, showing us, whether we are born to Judaism or we choose Judaism it is something that we must strive to do wholeheartedly.

What's really behind Lag LaOmer

What is Lag LaOmer all about? (Sephardim call it Lag LaOmer and Ashkenazim call it Lag BaOmer.)

As a child growing up in Manchester my Elementary School always took us out on hikes on Lag LaOmer. In other times in my life we would have bonfires and barbecues. But I didn't realize the significance behind these activities till I was older.

Lag LaOmer is most commonly connected to three personalities Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and Bar Kochba. Rabbi Akiva was Rabbi Shimon's teacher for many years and their are several stories in the Talmud and Kabbalah about their relationship. These personalities lived 60 years afters the destruction of the Second Temple.

The Talmud (Yevamot 62b) tells us that Rabbi Akiva had 12,000 pairs of students and all of them died in one period of time because they did not conduct themselves with respect towards one another. They all died between Pesach and Shavuot. The main rabbinic tradition has been to use this time period as a time to work on our relationships. According to the Rabbis of the Geonic Period the day when Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying was on the 33rd day of the omer what we call Lag LaOmer. 

Rabbi Akiva went on to teach 5 more students one of whom was Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The two great scholars would teach and learn Torah in secret against the ruling of harsh Roman decrees. Rabbi Akiva was the leading rabbi against the Romans and started a rebellion against the Romans which was led militarily by Bar Kochba.

At first there was great success and the Jews established their own sovereignty over the land of Israel and even minted their own coins. But for a number of reasons the revolt failled and the Romans came to put down the rebellion. 

According to some commentators and historians Rabbi Akiva's 24000 students actually died fighting in this revolt against the Romans. It actually makes a lot of sense to say this because after the Romans put the revolt down around 135 CE, there was no major Jewish presence in the land of Israel until the late 19th Century. So the sad part of the Omer is really a mourning of the end of Jewish sovereignty in Israel. 

Rabbi Akiva was also tortured by the Romans and killed. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai as the leading disciple of Rabbi Akiva went into hiding with his son. The two of them spent 13 years in a cave learning Torah. It was during this time that Rabbi Shimon learned the mystical secrets to the Torah - the Kabbalah. 

On the day of his death Rabbi Shimon revealed the Kabbalah to his students. That day was Lag LaOmer. The Bonfires we light symbolize the light of the Kabbalah being revealed to the world. The Bows and Arrows remind us of the great revolt led by Bar Kochba. Although the rebellion failed and we mourn that failure with the first half of the Omer, we still celebrate the positive aspects on Lag LaOmer and the revealing of the Kabbalah.

Happy Lag LaOmer!

Saying Hallel on Yom HaAzmaut

Today is Yom HaZikaron and tomorrow is Yom HaAzmaut. Two more diametrically opposed days you will not find in the calendar. They are both extremely emotional days and both strengthen our pride for Israel. But Yom HaZikaron is the saddest day in the Israeli Calendar where we remember the fallen all of our brothers and sisters who died so that we can live in Israel. Whereas Yom HaAzmaut is the great party to celebrate the State of Israel and all its accomplishments. Before I get into a discussion about the halachic nature of saying Hallel on this joyous day. I'd like you to watch a video clip about Yom HaZikaron and try and appreciate the sacrifice that so many have given for our country.  

As we turn to celebrating Yom HaAzmaut is there a religious way of celebrating this milestone too? Many congregations omit tahanun prayers and say Hallel - psalms of praise to God. But should we say this Hallel during the tefillah or at the end, with or without a beracha? The majority of Jews were not living in Israel at the time of the Declaration of the State of Israel and the subsequent War of Independence. Is that significant? 

These questions are addressed by Haham Ovadia Yosef zt"l in great detail (Yabia Omer 6:41). Click here to see the source sheet. He notes the importance of saying Hallel to recognize Hashem's miracles in our lives. Indeed the righteous king Hizkiyahu was not made the Mashiach because he did not praise Hashem enough (Masekhet Sanhedrin 94b). But at the same time he notes that someone who says Hallel all the time is considered a blasphemer (Masekhet Shabbat 118). So great care must be taken not to devalue the saying of Hallel.

Rav Ovadia notes the times when Hallel is said even by an individual with a beracha. The Talmud (Arachin 10a) relates that there are 18 times in Israel and 21 times in the diaspora. They are the 8 days of Sukkot, the 8 days of Hanukah, 1st day of Pesah and the day of Shavuot. (The extra 3 days in the diaspora are the extra day of Pesah, Sukot and Shavuot). The talmud (Pesakhim 117a) notes that on top of these days there are days where Hallel is said when one is saved from tragedy or when one is redeemed.

The early commentators on the talmud (the rishonim) argue on the status of the gemara in Pesakhim. Most note that Hallel should only be mentioned if the majority of Jews are involved in the miracle. The Meiri holds that if it is a minority of Jews Hallel is mentioned just without a beracha.

For Sephardim there is an issue of changing the order of tefillah or adding extra things in the middle. As according to the Zohar this can be very damaging to the efficacy of our prayers. So the Chida notes that it is better to add Hallel at the end of tefillah. Therefore Hacham Ovadiah recommends Hallel to be recited at the end of tefillah without a beracha. 

Hacham Ovadiah writes "and now where we have seen such great miracles done for us in the War of Independence that Hashem saved us from our enemies who were plotting our destruction, and Hashem muddled up their thinking and in his kindness we prevailed. But since this miracle did not happen to all of the Jewish people it is correct to say Hallel but without a beracha."

This will be what is done at Sephardic Bikur Holim tomorrow morning. This is in line with our current custom of omitting tahanun. We will be adding to our current custom with the addition of Hallel at the end of tefillah. 

Whether you say Hallel with or without a beracha may we all celebrate this wonderful day in our calendar and may we hope for the complete redemption. For more on saying Hallel and Sephardic practice. Please see my good friend Rabbi Ilan Acoca's piece on the Sephardic Responsa Forum. 

Moadim Lesimha L'geula Shelema  מועדים לשמחה לגאולה שלמה

Am Yisrael Hai עם ישראל חי

Sephardic Practices During the Omer

A lot of people have been asking me to write a blog about Sephardic practices during the omer. 

But before I do that I think it is important to talk about the original point of the omer period. Originally the Jewish people were commanded to count from the day after leaving Egypt (the 2nd day of Pesah) to the day that they received the Torah (Shavuot). The 49 days in between were supposed to be a happy time and a spiritually uplifting one too. As we went from being physically free from Egypt to the ultimate goal of receiving the Torah from God on Mount Sinai. 

We still count the Omer and look forward to Shavuot but how did it become a time of semi-mourning? The Talmud (Yevamot 62b) tells us that Rabbi Akiva had 12,000 pairs of students and all of them died in one period of time because they did not conduct themselves with respect towards one another. They all died between Pesah and Shavuot. 

Rav Yosef Caro (O.H. 493:1) writes that we have become accustomed for the first 33 days of the omer not to have weddings because of the students of Rabbi Akiva who died, however it is permitted to get engaged. In the very next paragraph (O.H. 493:2) he writes that haircuts are forbidden until the 34th day of the omer in the morning since that is when the students stopped dying. 

Rav Moshe Isserles notes (O.H. 493:2) that the Ashkenazic practice is to permit haircuts on the 33rd night which means Ashkenazim can have haircuts about a day and a half before Sephardim. He also adds that if there is Berit Milah the father of the baby, the sandak and the mohel can all have haircuts for the occasion. Rav Ovadiah Yosef notes that women are not included in the custom of abstaining from haircuts but if they wish they can be strict on themselves and refrain from haircuts. 

Shaving is not explicitly mentioned in the Shulkhan Arukh but it is implied with the hair cutting. Rav Ovadiah Yosef writes those who are truly God fearing customarily abstain from shaving their beard during the Omer period as well. However, there are those who rule leniently for individuals who are truly distressed as a result of not shaving their beard, for the Radbaz writes regarding such matters which are not actual obligations as a result of an edict of our Sages and is merely a custom, in a case of such distress, there is room for leniency. Nevertheless, it is indeed correct and proper to follow this custom which was observed by our ancestors for many generations with regards to refraining from shaving one’s beard during the Omer period.

I don't shave until the 34th day of the omer (except for before Yom Ha'azmaut but I'll write more about that next week.) Many people rely on a leniency to shave for work as they cannot look scruffy which is certainly permitted. Others follow the custom to shave every Friday evening in honor of Shabbat. When it comes to trimming a beard and mustache, if it interferes with eating it is permitted and if it becomes very uncomfortable there is room to be lenient. I was also asked about a man dyeing his hair during the omer and that one is worthy of its own blog piece so I will wait on that one. But the question is more if a man can dye his hair at all.

During this period it is customary to avoid listening to live music like going to concerts. Some halakhic decisors include recorded music as being forbidden too, but I have always acted leniently on this matter. Live music is permitted on Lag La'omer itself (more to come on this event too). 

We are also accustomed not to wear any new clothes that require a shehekheyanu berakha. So a new undershirt can be worn during this period without concern. Similarly shoes made of leather can do not get a shehekheyanu so they could be worn in this time period too but preferably should wear them for Shabbat. Otherwise new items should be avoided during this time. 

During this time period of semi-mourning we should use it to work on our relationships and try and treat all of those around us with honor and dignity at all times.

What really needs to be Kosher for Pesah (At least for Sephardim)

It's that time of the year again when I get the following questions. Does butter really need to be kosher for Passover? Do my dogs really need to have non-hametz dog food? Is it true that I need to boil my candle sticks for Pesah use?

Many people suffer from Pesah neuroses. I do too for example the word is Pesah not Paysach. There is a segol under the letter פ so it can only be Pesah. But I understand that some things will not be able to be changed. And that's just one word that I can't stand.

But I'm not referring to that or even to the pathological fear of kitniyot. I'm talking about the need for absolutely everything in the house to be boiled or blow torched and every item must have a KLP - kosher for Pesah symbol on it.

Well the truth is that when it comes to kashering of things for Pesah not everything needs boiling water and certainly no blow torching is required. Candle sticks which are placed on the Shabbat table do not need to be immersed in boiling water. Even kiddush cups only need to be cleaned and polished since they were only drunk when cold and only wine or grape juice went into it. You don't need a new kettle for Pesah it only boils water but you do need to clean the outside of it. 

The stove top is kashered by pouring boiling water over it as are the sinks and the bench tops. For the burners themselves clean thoroughly and turn on highest setting for 15 minutes. For the oven if it's self cleaning just run the cycle and you are good to go. If it isn't clean it with an oven cleaner and then leave it for 24 hours then put it on it's highest setting for 1 hour. For dishwashers run it through unused with soap and it is fine to use for Pesah. For tables just cover with freshly laundered tablecloths. Replace table covers if they have food stains on them.

Now for food products remember Pesah is only 8 days. All you really need is matza, wine/grape juice, meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. There are many things that are available on the Seattle Vaad list. It is very comprehensive and has many things for Sephardim to buy. For any specific question on food products just let me know.

On medicines, any tablet pill that has no taste is permitted on Pesah e.g. blood pressure medication. Any medication that is a liquid or has a sweet coating should be sold for Pesah. If there is a real need please call me directly.

Just one small note on pet food. All kashrut agencies recommend the purchase of pet food which is hametz free. Not because the animals need it but because we cannot own hametz even hametz which only a dog would eat. 

Wishing you all a wonderful Pesah and hopefully not too stressful a time in the lead up.