Podcasts about rosh hodesh

Welcome to our Bitachon class. We now discussing the Haggadah of Pesach. We're in the stanza of Yechol Rosh Hodesh, that we might have thought that the right time for the Seder is Rosh Hodesh. And the pasuk says, ב יום ההוא, B'Yom HaHu/on that day. Well, that day , may mean during the day . And as we said last class, anytime we have a thought, there has to be a basis for it. We don't just say maybe. The fact that we even thought that the Seder should be on Rosh Hodesh Nissan means there's a strong reason to think so. And the fact that we thought that the time to do it is during the day and not the nighttime means there's a strong reason to think that as well. So what happened during the day of the 14 th of Nissan that would warrant saying the Hagaddah of Pesach during the day ? The answer is, that's the day when they slaughtered the Korban Pesach. What was the ultimate revelation that caused the need to do the Haggadah? You might have thought it was the Korban Pesach. So exactly what does the Korban Pesach symbolize and teach us? This is very important information-The Egyptians worshipped the sheep. That's why it was considered an abomination to be a shepherd in Egypt, as is clearly stated in the pesukim. Furthermore, Moshe told Paroah that they could not slaughter the sheep in the local town of Egypt; they'd have to go out to the desert, because they'd be stoned if they were seen slaughtering sheep, the Egyptian god. Why did the Egyptians worship the sheep? It wasn't random. There are 12 symbols in the horoscope. These 12 symbols are not just for palm readers or the newspaper horoscope column. These are real concepts rooted in our Torah literature. The Ramban, for example, tells us that the symbol of Tishre, Libra is a scale , which he says is a sign in the heavens that we're being judged that month. And the Mazal of Adar is a fish, or Pisces, as fish are above the Ayin Hara.. The Mazal of Elul אלול אני לדודי ודודי לי, I am to my beloved, and my beloved to me is Virgo, which is a young maiden. All of these symbols are real and have to do with specific times. The sheep is the head of all 12 Mazalot . That's why Rabbenu Bachye says this month is called Aviv/ אביב is a contraction of אב י"ב, the father (or chief) of the other 12. Therefore, the Egyptians worshipped the sheep as the so- called Bechor , or first born of the Mazalot . (After the sheep comes the ox, the Taurus. One of the commentaries say the reason why the Jewish people worshipped the golden calf was because they said Now that we brought down the sheep, we have to go on to the next symbol, which is the ox. ) So the Egyptians worshipped the sheep and felt it had a power in the heavens and when we slaughtered the sheep, our actions down here were impacting the mazal of the sheep in heaven. We were going to overcome the mazal , based on the principle of אין מזל לישראל/ We Jewish people are not impacted by the horoscope. We're not impacted by any of these signs. As Hashem told Avraham, Go outside. Says Rashi , this means leave your soothsayers, leave all of that stuff. We the Jewish people are above all that. God tells Avraham, Go in front of Me and you will be perfect. And that's the Brit Milah. And there's another Mitzvah later on, which is תמים תהיה,Tamim Tihyeh be perfect with Hashem and go away from all the soothsayers and stargazers. So the Brit , the deal that we made with Hashem was to be Tamim , to be complete with Him , to rely on Him and to be above all that nonsense. We're above nature, we don't follow nature. Today we'll call mazal nature . So that was the symbolism. We slaughtered the sheep down here and the mazal of the sheep in the heavens comes down and everything falls with it. Additionally, the Jewish people tied the Korban to the bedposts on the 10th of Nissan, which was Shabbat HaGadol. It was a miracle, it says, that the Egyptians did not kill them when they did that. The midrash says further, quoted by Tosafot, that the pasuk in Tehilim lומכה מצרים בבכוריהם / Hashem hit the Egyptians with their firstborn. Shouldn't it be, He hit the firstborn Egyptians ? Tosafot explains that when Moshe announced that we'd be slaughtering the sheep, a civil war broke out among the Egyptians. The Egyptian first- borns all said, Let them out already! What are you doing , and there was a civil war between the firstborn and the rest of Egypt, about whether they should let them out before the 14th, before they slaughter the sheep. Why were the firstborn so concerned? The Maharsha says, because there was a connection between them, almost like the concept of a voodoo doll , a little doll that is supposed to resemble a particular person and if you stuck pins in the doll's ankle, suddenly that guy would get a pain in his ankle. Likewise, the firstborn sheep was like a voodoo doll of the First born Egyptians. How so? When you slaughter the sheep down here, it impacts the mazal in the heavens of the firstborn, and the firstborn would die. That's why slaughtering the sheep was actually the impetus of Makat Bechorot . That's why the firstborn said, Don't let them slaughter the sheep! It's going to bring us down. And that was what the war was about. So Korban Pesach illustrated, in a very vivid way, the power of the Hashem over the mazal, but En Mazal L'Yisrael. We ignore Mazalot . The Ramban, in many places, discusses the important rule of תמים תהיה. In Bereshit 17,1, he quotes the pasuk in Devarim 18,13, and says that This is one and the same, which is, יאמין בלבו, believe in your heart. כי הקדוש ברוך הוא לבדו, הוא בעל היכולת בתחילה ובסוף,. הוא יכול לעשות, לבטל. Only God is in charge. He can do or annul. And therefore, when you hear any soothsayer or any predictor, לא יאמין שיבואו דברים על כל פנים, don't say it has to happen. When you hear predictions, financial, health or otherwise, you should say in your heart, הכל ביד עליון, עליונים. It's all in the power of God. And he says, וכפי שיתהלך אדם לפניו, and the more I connect to Him, מפרוטות, I will undo these signs , and he says that's what it means when Hashem told Avraham Avinu, in Shabbat 156a, Leave the soothsayers. He repeats this in Devarim 18,13, where he says, When you hear what they say (tariffs or anything else), you know what your response should be? הכל בידי שמים, it's up to God. הוא אלוהי אלוהים, He's the God above all, עליון על הכל. And believe, שכל הבלות תהיינה, everything that happens to me is כפי יתקרב אדם לבדו תול, the more I connect to God in His service. This is an important rule, and this is the message of the Korban Pesach. And lastly, he says this in his השגות on the Sefer Mitzvot , Mitzvat Aseh 8, where he discusses things that he believes should be on the list, that the Rambam left out, and he believes that תמים תהיה was one of the 613. We have to believe that He alone does everything, He knows what's going to happen in the future, and if we have a problem, we look to Him. He says, שכל הכל תהיינה, We have to believe that all forces happen, as we connect to Him. And this is why we might have thought, מבעוד יום, " The message of the Korban Pesach? wow, we should make the סדר right then and there!"

Welcome to our Daily Bitachon class. Today's piece is about figuring out the right date and the right time for the seder. One might think it's from Rosh Hodesh because that was the first Mitzvah the Jewish people were told. החדש הזה לכם. This month is the month of the Jewish people, ראש חודש Rosh Hodesh Nissan. ראשון הוא לכל חודש השנה, the first interaction with God. And there is also the message of the moon, which is a powerful and important lesson of Bitachon. There is a famous story about Rav Chaim Shmulevitz. He once met a Holocaust survivor and asked, " How did you survive in the camps? What kept you connected to God? You had no siddur, you had no Tefilin….What did you have? " The survivor said, " There was one religious item that the Germans could not take away from us- the moon. We kept count of the days so knew when Rosh Hodesh was coming and we were able to say the blessing on the moon every single month. We looked up to the moon and we saw the moon get larger and smaller, but the moon remained. " That symbolizes the Jewish people, it waxes and wanes, but never disappears. We count to the moon, we don't count to the sun. The moon is all about Hodesh , which is Hadash/new and renewal . The Jewish people are resilient. They constantly renew themselves, just like some businesses that are successful for generations because they know how to renew themselves. Kodak didn't renew. Blackberry, Research in Motion, didn't renew. It seems that Apple is renewing itself. Samsung is having some struggles with AI. But the bottom line is, you need to have that ability called התחדשות and that's the Jewish ability. We are constantly renewing ourselves. We're still here. The goyim count to the sun. The sun's year is called שנה /Shana/year which is לשון שונה , which means to repeat something. ראשון, שני, the second time- it's just repetitious. The sun goes up, the sun goes down. You don't see any changes in the sun. It's the same basic cycle, whereas the moon renews itself. It gets bigger, and smaller, but it's always there. I once heard from Rav Moshe Shapiro that if you got up in the morning and the sun wasn't there, you'd know the world is over because the sun isn't there. If it's not there, it's over, because it doesn't have the ability to go up and go down. It's the same with the nations of the world that count by the sun. When they drop out, the Greeks, the Aztecs, the Romans, they don't come back again. But the Jewish people are like the moon. When the moon disappears, you don't say, " Oh no, the moon is gone!" No, it's coming back. It might have a little bit of a dip, or a little low, but it's going to come back strong. We saw that post Holocaust. People wondered what was going to be with the Jewish people. But we came back with a vengeance. The same thing happened with the Sephardic world in Israel. When they originally came, due to various challenges and struggles a lot of them lost their religion, but they came back with a vengeance. There are dozens or hundreds of Sephardic Yeshivot and Kollelim. They came back. Like the famous line of Hacham Ovadia, who wanted to Return the crown to its old ways. And they came back. The Jewish people don't disappear. And the power of Rosh Hodesh is such an important lesson that one might have thought the right time to say the whole Seder is not on the 15th of Nissan, but on Rosh Hodesh Nissan. Interestingly, it says, HaHodesh Ha zeh Lachem/ this month is yours. And in the Haggadah, it says Baavur Zeh / because of this, (which actually refers to Matzah and Maror something we can point to). Furthermore, the Mekubalim say that זה/this indicating something to point to, refers to the Shechina. Like it says, זה אלי ואנוהו, This is my God, and I will beautify Him. בעבור זה So when we point to the Matzah and Marror, at the Seder, the Shechina is there. And the same thing is true on Rosh Hodesh. We say in our blessing of the moon, that if the Jewish people only received the Shechina once a month, it would be enough. We say the blessing on the moon standing, because when you bless the moon, you see the Shechina. You see God's hand in nature. The moon gets bigger, and the moon gets smaller and that's the power of זה . החדש ה זה לכם, זה אלי ואנוהו . So one might have thought that this is the זה we're trying to get to- the revelation of the Shechina, the זה , that happens on Rosh Hodesh. But we're going to see from the pesukim that no. We are talking about the revelation of the זה / zeh / this that happens with the Matzah and the Marror, that the Shechina revealed itself on the night of Yetziat Mitzrayim , like the Hagaddah says, that God revealed Himself. It says, ובמורא גדול , we're going to say later on, with the great revelatio n, זו גילוי שכינה , We say in the piece of Matzah Zu לא הספיק בצקם של אבותינו להחמיץ, Their dough did not have the chance to rise, עד שנגלה עליהם, until it was revealed upon them, מלך מלכי המלכים, the great King Hashem . So there's a revelation on the night of the Seder. There's a revelation at Keriat Yam Suf, and there's a revelation that happens every single Rosh Hodesh. There is also a זה revelation in Shir HaShirim 2,8, where it says, הנה זה עומד אחר כתלנו, Behold this stands behind our walls, משגיח מן החלונות , supervising from the windows, מציץ , squinting , looking through, מנחרכים, the cracks . In the Midrash Raba Shir Hashirim 2,26, it says, What does it mean Hashem is standing behind the wall? Behind the Kotel HaMaravo of the Bet Hamikdash, that God swore would never be destroyed. The Midrash continues with an interesting line. The next pasuk says, ענה דודי ואמר לי, My beloved responded to me and said somethin g. And the same Midrash says, מה אמר לי, What did God say to me? החדש הזה לכם ראש/He said to me HaHodesh Ha zeh . It's quite clear from this midrash, there's a connection between הנה זה , the Shechina is still standing by the Kotel Hamaaravi , and HaHodesh Hazeh Lachem the month is still yours . Even in the Galut, even in the darkness, we still have the moon, that is telling us the Shechina is with us. And that's why we would have thought that יכול מראש חדש the Seder might have been on Rosh Hodesh

**Today's Halacha is dedicated f or the refuah and haslacha of Ronnie, Sharon, Eli and all the children of CARE** The widespread custom among all Sephardic communities is to recite "Viduy," or confession, immediately following the Amida both at Shaharit and at Minha. This custom is based upon passages in the Zohar (the principal text of Kabbala) and the writings of the Arizal (Rabbi Yishak Luria, 1534-1572). We introduce "Viduy" with the recitation of "Ana Hashem Elokenu V'Elokeh Abotenu…" After "Viduy," we proceed to the recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy ("Hashem, Hashem…") and Nefilat Apayim ("Le'David…"). The Arizal instructed that the "Viduy" should be recited according to the sequence of the Hebrew alphabet. We thus begin with "Ashamnu" – a word that starts with the letter "Alef" – followed by "Bagadnu," and so on. When we come to the letters that take on a different form when appearing at the end of a word ("Kaf," "Mem," "Nun," "Peh" and "Sadi"), we recite two words with that letter. Thus, for example, for "Kaf" we recite "Kizabnu" and "Ka'asnu," and for the letter "Mem" we recite "Maradnu" and "Marinu Debarecha." This was the position of the Arizal, and the custom in Yeshivat Bet El, as documented by the Ben Ish Hai (Rabbi Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Ki-Tisa. The entire confessional text in recited in plural form. For example, we recite "Ashamnu" ("We bear guilt"), as opposed to "Ashamti" ("I bear guilt"), and so on. The Sha'ar Hakavanot writes that one must recite the entire "Viduy" even if he knows with certainty that he has not transgressed one or several of the violations enumerated in the "Viduy" text. It is possible that he has transgressed the given violation in a previous Gilgul (incarnation of the soul), or that a person whose soul is connected to his soul is guilty of that transgression. He may have also unwittingly caused others to violate the sin, or perhaps violated a sin resembling the transgression in question. For all these reasons, one should not skip any part of the "Viduy" even if he thinks he has not violated one of the sins mentioned. "Viduy" must be recited while standing (Masechet Yoma 87). During the "Viduy" recitation, one may not lean on a wall or piece of furniture in a manner such that he would fall if that object would be suddenly moved. While reciting the list of sins ("Ashamnu…"), one should bow slightly as an expression of humble submission. It is customary for both the Hazan and the congregation to recite "Viduy" in a whisper, rather than in a loud, audible voice. Even a person praying privately, who does not recite the Thirteen Attributes, recites "Ana" and the "Viduy." If a person who had already recited "Viduy" happens to be present in a synagogue when the congregation recites "Viduy," he is not required to join them, though it is proper for him to recite the words, "Hatati Aviti Pashati" while they recite "Viduy." One may recite "Viduy" during the nighttime hours, except on Mosa'eh Shabbat, until Hasot (midnight as defined by Halacha). In fact, according to Kabbalistic teaching, one should recite "Viduy" before he goes to sleep, along with his recitation of the bedtime Shema. The Kaf Ha'haim (Rabbi Yaakov Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) cites this custom (in 239:2) in the name of the Arizal. It is customary, however, not to recite "Viduy" with the bedtime Shema on a night following a day when Nefilat Apayim is omitted. Thus, for example, on the night following Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh or holidays, one should not recite "Viduy" with the bedtime Shema. The Ben Ish Hai mentions this Halacha in Parashat Ki Tisa (7). This discussion relates only to the recitation of "Viduy," and not to the Thirteen Attributes or Nefilat Apayim, which one should not recite at nighttime. Needless to say, "Viduy" should not be recited on Shabbat or holidays.

As Eliot notes, Parashat T'rumah [Exodus 25:1-27:19] begins the 2nd half of the Book of Exodus and is concerned mostly with the planning for and construction of the mishkan, the portable tabernacle which accompanies the people in their wandering in the wilderness. The purpose of the mishkan and how it fits into the larger religious life of the people is the basis of part of our conversation. We also take up the plans for the ark and its symbolism. We consider the roles of Moses, who conveys the plans for the mishkan to the people, and B'tzalel and Oholiab who actually construct it. This Shabbat is Rosh Hodesh Adar [the second day of Rosh Hodesh but the 1st day of the Hebrew month of Adar]. It is also Shabbat Sh'qalim, the 1st of the 4 special shabbatot preceding Passover. It is the official beginning of the Passover season, with all that implies. In this difficult week for Israel and the worldwide Jewish community we are ever mindful of the hostages, both dead and alive, and the need for their return to their families now, and of the soldiers who defend Israel as part of the Israel Defense Forces, may they be removed from harm's way. Shabbat Shalom, Hodesh Tov. With the onset of Adar, the month in which the joyous holiday of Purim is celebrated, it is said that simchah, joy, should increase. May it be so.

The first day of Adar can fall on either Shabbat, Monday, Wednesday or Friday; these are the only days of the week on which the first of Adar can occur. These four days are represented by the acrostic "Zabdu," which consists of the letters Zayin (referring to Shabbat), Bet (referring to Monday), Dalet (referring to Wednesday) and Vav (referring to Friday). This year (5785/2025), of course, the first of Adar falls on Friday. Our Hachamim teach us that the twelve months correspond to the twelve possible configurations of the divine Name of "Havaya." This Name has four letters, which can be arranged in twelve different sequences. Each of the months is under the influence of one such configuration. The Arizal (Rav Yishak Luria of Safed, 1534-1572) taught that when one recites the middle Beracha of the Amida of Musaf on Rosh Hodesh – the Beracha that concludes, "Baruch Ata Hashem Mekadesh Yisrael Ve'Rasheh Hodashim" – he should have in mind the configuration that corresponds to that month. The configuration of the month of Adar is Heh-Heh, followed by Yod-Vav. This sequence is alluded to in Yaakob's blessing to his son Yehuda before his death, in which he says, "Oseri La'gefen Iro Ve'la'soreka Beni Atono" (Bereshit 49:11). The final letters of the words "Iro Ve'la'soreka Beni Atono" are "Heh," "Heh," "Yod," "Vav," alluding to the configuration of God's Name that corresponds to the month of Adar. One should have this configuration in mind when reciting the middle Beracha of the Amida of Musaf on Rosh Hodesh Adar. This Kavana (intention) is especially significant. The Hachamim teach us that the two Heh letters in the divine Name represent the attribute of "Din" (judgment), which is the "female" aspect of the Name. The other two letters – Yod and Vav – signify divine Mercy, the "male" aspect. When a month's configuration begins with the two Heh letters, that month is, in its purest form, under the influence of "Din." Therefore, the month of Adar, which is under the influence of Heh-Heh Yod-Vav, is, at its core, under the power of divine judgment. However, as we know from the Megila, there is the possibility of "Ve'nahafoch Hu," of reversing the power of harsh judgment to mercy through prayer, repentance, fasting and charity. Even though the essence of Adar is under the influence of "Din," it is within our power to reverse the influence to that of divine compassion. This concept is alluded to in Megilat Ester, in the seemingly peculiar decree proposed by Memuchan, an advisor of King Ahashverosh. After Vashti disobeyed the king, Memuchan – who, according to one view in the Gemara, was the prophet Daniel – suggested that the king issue a decree that all husbands in the empire should assert authority in their homes: "Lihiyot Kol Ish Sorer Be'beto" (Ester 1:22). It is possible that Daniel saw through his prophetic vision that the attribute of "Din," which is the "female" aspect of the divine Name, was gaining strength and posed a threat to the Jewish people. He sought to reverse this dangerous situation by requiring the husbands, the males, to assert their authority, thus bolstering the power of the "male" aspect of the Name, the attribute of kindness and compassion. Sure enough, his efforts were successful and the harsh judgment of Adar was transformed into mercy for the Jewish people. Thus, although the month of Adar is represented by a configuration beginning with Heh-Heh, and should therefore be a month of judgment, we are able to transform the nature of this month and bring upon ourselves divine compassion through our repentance and good deeds.

The holiday of Hanukah begins on the 25th of Kislev and continues for eight days. As the Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (21) relates, on the 25th of Kislev the Hashmonaim defeated the Greek oppressors and rededicated the Bet Ha'mikdash. As part of this process they kindled the Menora with the only jug of pure oil they found, and the candles of the Menora miraculously burned for eight days. The Bet Yosef (commentary to the Tur by Maran, author of the Shulhan Aruch) raised the question (in Orah Haim, 670) of why we celebrate this miracle for eight days. The Gemara clearly states that the jug contained enough oil to sustain the candles for one day. If so, then the first day's burning was not miraculous at all, and the miracle was in fact only seven days. Why, then, do we celebrate Hanukah for eight days? The Bet Yosef suggests three answers. First, he writes that the Kohanim anticipated that it would take eight days for new pure oil to arrive, so already on the first day they divided the small jug of oil into eight parts, and lit the candles with one part each day. The miracle was thus that each day, one-eighth of the jug of oil sustained the candles for an entire day, a period that normally required an entire jug. Hence, the miracle in fact spanned the entire eight-day period. Secondly, the Bet Yosef suggests that when the Kohanim entered the Mikdash each morning, they noticed that the jug remained full – even though they had used all its oil for kindling the Menora the night before. This occurred each morning for eight days, and thus the miracle was indeed an eight-day event. Finally, the Bet Yosef writes that perhaps the lamps of the Menora remained filled with oil each morning, and the miracle was thus that the oil in the lamps burned without being depleted. This, too, would account for the eight-day celebration. The holiday of Hanukah was enacted by the Sages, and thus does not have the status of a Torah obligation. For this reason, we do not add a ninth day to this holiday in the Diaspora, the way we add a day to other holidays. This extra day is observed only in conjunction with holidays established by the Torah, as opposed to the Rabbinically-ordained festivals of Hanukah and Purim. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 670:1; listen to audio recording for precise citation) writes that it is forbidden to fast or eulogize on Hanukah. Working, he writes, is permissible, though there is a custom for women to desist from working while the Hanukah candles burn (or at least during the first half-hour after they are lit). The Magen Abraham (Rabbi Abraham Gombiner, Poland, 1637-1683) explains that this custom commemorates the story of Yehudit, a Jewish woman who heroically killed a Greek general. (Some sources indicate that the story of Yehudit did not occur during the Jews' battle against the Greeks, but rather earlier, during the period of Greek oppression. Either way, her heroism is certainly worthy of commemoration on Hanukah.) By contrast, the Maharil (Rabbi Yaakov Halevi Moelin, Germany, 1355-1427) held that both men and women should refrain from work while the candles burn. The Bet Yosef explained that this practice serves to demonstrate that the candles were lit to publicize the miracle, and not for personal use. By abstaining from work while the candles burn, we show that we did not kindle them to provide light for our normal activities, but rather to commemorate the great miracle of Hanukah. Additionally, this custom helps ensure that a person spends some time reflecting on the Hanukah miracle. It is thus proper after lighting the Hanukah candles not to immediately return to one's normal affairs, but to instead sit and spend time celebrating the miracle. The Kaf Ha'haim (Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) comments (670:10) that there are women who vow during times of danger to refrain from working while the Hanukah candles burn. Many women, he writes, have earned salvation by taking such a vow. It is thus a valuable and worthwhile custom to refrain from work while the Hanukah candles are lit, at least for some of the days of Hanukah. The Shulhan Aruch rules that there is no obligation to eat festive meals on Hanukah, since this holiday celebrates a spiritual, rather than physical, victory. The Greeks sought not to destroy the Jewish people, but rather to destroy the Jewish religion. This is as opposed to the Purim story, when Haman sought to annihilate us as a people. The physical salvation of Purim is thus celebrated through festive eating and drinking, while Hanukah is observed as a mainly spiritual victory, rather than a physical triumph. Nevertheless, some authorities write that it is admirable to have festive celebrations on Hanukah, to commemorate the completion of the Mishkan's construction in the wilderness, which took place on Hanukah. The Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles, Poland, 1525-1572) writes that if these meals contain words of Torah and songs of praise to God, then they certainly have the status of a "Misva meal." Of course, on Rosh Hodesh Tebet (which falls on Hanukah) one should have a special meal, just as on every Rosh Hodesh. This obviously applies to Shabbat Hanukah, as well. The Ben Ish Hai (Rabbi Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) records a custom to light a special candle on Rosh Hodesh Tebet in memory of the famous Tanna, Rabbi Meir Ba'al Ha'nes. There is a custom to eat cheese and other dairy products on Hanukah, since Yehudit (in the incident mentioned above) fed the general dairy products which eventually led to him going to sleep, whereupon she succeeded in assassinating him.

There is an obligation to recite the entire Hallel service on each of the eight days of Hanukah. This obligation applies regardless of whether one prays privately or with a Minyan; in either case, one is required to recite Hallel. Before reciting Hallel, one recites the Beracha, "…Asher Kideshanu Be'misvotav Ve'sivanu Li'gmor Et Ha'Hallel," and after the recitation, one recites the concluding Beracha of "Yehalelucha." If one mistakenly recited the "half-Hallel" on Hanukah – meaning, he omitted the sections of Hallel that are not recited during Hallel on Rosh Hodesh – then he must repeat the Hallel. However, he does not recite a Beracha before or after his repetition of Hallel. Women are exempt from the obligation of Hallel. Even though they are included in the obligation of the Hanukah candle lighting, they are nevertheless exempt from the Hallel obligation, just as they are not required to recite Hallel on the Yamim Tobim (Pesah, Shavuot and Sukkot). A woman who wishes to recite the complete Hallel on Hanukah may certainly do so, but she should not recite the Berachot before or after the Hallel. One may not make any interruptions during the recitation of Hallel. One should not speak at all during Hallel, or use any gadgets – such as cell phones or Tablets – during Hallel. (Of course, one should not be using these gadgets at any point during the prayer service, as this is very disrespectful to the service.) However, if a person hears somebody recite a Beracha while he recites Hallel, he should answer "Amen" to the Beracha. Likewise, one may respond to Kaddish, Kedusha or Barechu during the Hallel recitation. It occasionally happens that the congregation completes Hallel and the Hazzan begins Kaddish before some congregants completed Hallel. They may interrupt their recitation of Hallel in order to answer to Kaddish. It is interesting to note that there is a verse in the Torah which alludes to the twenty-one days when we recite the complete Hallel. The Torah writes that before the flood, "Shenayim Shenayim Ba'u El Noah" ("two of each [animal] came to Noah" – Bereshit 7:9). The first word, "Shenayim" ("two"), alludes to the first two days of Pesah, when Diaspora communities recite the complete Hallel (as opposed to the other days of Pesah, when the half-Hallel is recited). The second "Shenayim" alludes to the two days of Shabuot, and the word "Ba'u" ("they came") has the numerical value of nine, referring to the nine days of Sukkot, Shemini Aseret and Simhat Torah. Finally, Noah's name in the phrase "El Noah" may be read as an acronym for the phrase "Ner Hanukah," thus alluding to the eight days of Hanukah, when we recite the full Hallel. Summary: Men are obligated to recite the complete Hallel on each day of Hanukah; women who wish to recite Hallel may do so, but without the Berachot. One who mistakenly recited "half-Hallel" on Hanukah must recite the whole Hallel, but without the Berachot. One may not make any interruptions during the Hallel recitation, except to answer "Amen" to a Beracha, or to respond to Kaddish, Kedusha or Barechu.

If one forgot to inset "Al Hanisim" in the Amidah, he does not have to repeat the Amidah. However, if he remembers before the completion of the Amidah, he should insert it after "Yeh'Yu L'Rason," before "Oseh Shalom." This applies even if he remembered after saying "Baruch Atah Hashem," before concluding "Ha'tov Shimcha." He should not quickly conclude "Lamdeni Hukeha," but should finish the Beracha and insert "Al Hanisim" before Oseh Shalom. There is a disagreement as to how to formulate the "Al Hanisim" at that point. Everyone agrees that if he forgot "Al Hanisim" in the Birkat Hamazon, he does not repeat Birkat Hamazon and should insert it as a "HaRahaman" prayer in the "HaRahaman section, as brought by the Rema in Siman 682. The Mishna Berura there teaches that the same is true in the Amidah-it should be inserted in the form of a supplication. However, the Ben Ish Hai in Hilchot Purim rules that it should be recited in its original form-"Al Hanisim…" If one began a meal at the end of the last day of Hanukah and concluded it after nightfall, according to Maran, he should say "Al Hanisim." It is no different than Birkat Hamazon on Mosa'eh Shabbat, Mosa'eh Yom Tob or Mosa'eh Rosh Hodesh, in which the Birkat Hamazon is defined by the beginning of the meal. Although the Ben Ish Hai understood that this is not the case on Hanukah and Purim, The Minhag of Yerushalayim, Hacham Atiya, Hacham Ovadia and Hacham Bension all agree that one should say "Al Hanisim" after nightfall, preferably if he ate a Kezayit before sunset. In Birkat Hamazon, the word "Migdol" supplants "Magdil" on a day on which there is Musaf. Although Hanukah and Purim do not have Musaf, the Ben Ish Hai rules that on Purim "Migdol" is said, because there is a special "He'arah" (spiritual illumination) on that day. Nevertheless, that would only apply to Purim, whereas on Hanukah the "He'arah" is only during the candle lighting, and therefore "Magdil" is said. The full Hallel is recited all eight days. The Pele Yoes and others emphasize that since the Hallel was one of the primary institutions of Hanukah it should be recited slowly with melody and intent. Even on Pesah, the full Hallel is not recited all eight days. This indicates the magnitude of the Misva of Hallel on Hanukah. The Rambam indicates that women are not obligated to say the Hallel, and although they can recite it, they may not say a Beracha. SUMMARY If one remembered to say "Al Hanisim" after the proper place: In Birkat Hamazon, he should insert it as a "HaRahaman" in the "HaRahaman" section, and in the Amidah, he should insert it before "Oseh Shalom" in its original form. If one started a meal at the end of Hanukah, he should recite "Al Hanisim," in the Birkat Hamazon, even if he concluded after nightfall. In Birkat Hamazon, "Magdil" is said, not "Migdol." Women who chose to say Hallel do not recite the Beracha.

In Siman 682, The Shulhan Aruch outlines the Halachot of inserting the special Hanukah addition of "Al Hanissim" in the Tefilot and Birkat Hamazon. One issue is whether it is permissible for the Shliah Sibbur to remind the congregation to insert "Al Hanisim" in the middle of Arbit. Does announcing "Al Hanisim", after the Kaddish before the Amidah, constitute a Hefsek (interruption) of the Tefila? In Siman 236:2, Maran rules that it is permissible to do so for "Ya'aleh V'Yavo" on Rosh Hodesh. The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) there adds that this applies to "Al Hanisim" on Hanukah as well. The Ner Sion, agrees with this, according to the letter of the law, since it is done "L'sorekh Tefila"-for the purpose of prayer, it is not considered a Hefsek (interruption). The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) in Parashat Pekudeh brings down that this was the custom of some communities. However, the accepted custom is not to announce "Al Hanisim," but rather, the first person to reach "Al Hanisim" in the silent Amidah raises his voice to remind the rest of the congregation. If one forgot to insert "Al Hanisim" in the Amidah, he is not required to repeat the Amidah. The Poskim discuss whether it is better to skip "Al Hanisim" in order to complete the Amidah in time to recite the "Nakdishach," which according to some authorities is a fulfillment of the Torah obligation to sanctify God's name. Their conclusion is that one should continue to pray the full text of the Amidah and not skip "AL Hanisim" since that is the Misva that he is currently engaged in. If one inserted the "Al Hanisim in the wrong place, for example he said it in the beracha of "Reseh," where Ya'aleh V'Yavo is usually inserted, he must say it again in the correct place-the Beracha of "Modim." The Sha'ar Ha'siyun (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) in 682:2 rules that the insertion of "Al Hanisim" in the wrong place does not constitute a Hefsek (interruption) that would require him to repeat the entire Amidah. The Hachamim did not institute a Hanukah insertion in Beracha "Me'en Shalosh"-the Beracha after snacks, and there is much discussion as to why that is. There are numerous variant versions of the text of the "Al Hanisim." Hacham Ovadia held that it should begin "V'Al Hanisim," whereas Hacham Bension held that the custom is to say "Al Hanisim." Some have the custom to say "Bimeh Matityah," without a Vav, instead of MatityahU. Some say "Matatyah," as is written in the Siddur "Kol Yaakov." However, our custom is to say "Matityah," which is the prevailing version. Some have the reading "L'Hashkiham," instead of "Le'shakeham." Some say "Toratach," as opposed to those who say, "MiToratach." Some say "Hashmona'ee," as opposed to those who read "Hashmonai." Each person should follow his tradition. SUMMARY One should not announce "Al Hanissim" during the Tefila to remind the congregation. "Al Hanisim" should not be skipped in order to finish the Amida in time to answer Nakdishach. If one inserted "Al Hanisim" in the wrong place, he must say it again in its proper place. There are many variant versions of the text of "AL Hanisim," and everyone should follow their tradition.

The custom among the communities hailing from Aram Soba (Aleppo) is to sing special Pizmonim (hymns) on Rosh Hashanah when the Torah is taken from the ark. Some have the custom to sing, "Ozrenu Kel Hai," a song that relates to the period of Aseret Yemeh Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance), which begins on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. On the second day, some congregations sing, "Rabat Sab'a Lah Nafshi." Several different customs exist regarding the singing of Pizmonim, and every congregation should follow its custom. When the Torah is shown to the congregation, one should try to get close to the Torah so he can read the words, because he will then be affected by the powerful spiritual light which emanates from the Torah. It is beneficial for one to find in the Torah a word that begins with the first letter of his name. One should bow in front of the Torah, and special verses are recited. It is proper to bow according to the number of Aliyot that are called to the Torah that day – three on weekday, four on Rosh Hodesh and Hol Ha'mo'ed, five on Yom Tob, six on Yom Kippur, and seven on Shabbat. On Rosh Hashanah, like on other holidays, we call five Aliyot to the Torah. On the first day, we read the section that tells of Sara's conception and the birth of Yishak, because, as the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 10) teaches, Sara's prayers for a child were answered on Rosh Hashanah. When a person is called for an Aliya, he should first look at the point in the text where the reading will begin. Some have the custom to place the Sisit strings on that spot in the Sefer Torah and then kiss the Sisit, to show love for the Misva. If the person receiving the Aliya is not reading aloud for the congregation, he must read quietly along with the reader, as otherwise his Beracha would be considered a Beracha Le'batala (blessing recited in vain). He must ensure to read quietly, in a soft voice. He may not speak until after reciting the Beracha following the reading. It is customary for the person receiving the Aliya to kiss the Sefer Torah again after the Aliya. Our custom is to leave the Sefer Torah open in between Aliyot, and to cover the text with the cloth, following the view of the Shulhan Aruch. Our community's custom is to permit adding Aliyot on Shabbat if necessary, such as when a joyous occasion is celebrated in the synagogue, though it is preferable not to add Aliyot if there is no need to. Our custom is to permit adding Aliyot when necessary even on Yom Tob, following the ruling of the Shulhan Aruch (based on the view of the Rambam). The custom of Yeshivat Bet-El was never to allow additional Aliyot, but our custom does not follow this practice. It is customary for the Toke'a (the one who will blow the Shofar) to receive an Aliya on Rosh Hashanah. The generally accepted custom among Sepharadim, following the practice of the Arizal, is to sit during the reading of the Torah. The entire period of the Torah reading, from the moment the reading begins until the end of the final Aliya, is an auspicious time for accessing G-d's mercy, as the Gates of Heaven are open during this period. Any request that a person has should be made during this time when the Torah is open. This is why "Mi She'berach" prayers are recited for the people who receive Aliyot, and why they pledge charity after their Aliyot. This is also when Hashkaba prayers are recited for the deceased, and a special prayer is recited for the ill, for the same reason. It is recommended that one who receives an Aliya make any requests he have after his Aliya, in addition to the "Mi She'berach" prayer recited on his behalf. It goes without saying that speaking is forbidden during the Torah reading. This not only violates a strict Halachic prohibition, but also squanders the precious opportunity afforded by the Torah reading.

The conversation revolves around the significance of the upcoming Jewish holidays, particularly the Days of Teshuva and Sukkot. Scott and Shari reflect on the importance of rest and feasting, the transition from summer to fall, and the joy of gardening. They discuss the impact of social media on societal judgment and the need to avoid drawing conclusions about others' guilt or innocence. They  share personal testimonies of healing and reconciliation through prayer and surrender. They emphasize the importance of seeking God's guidance and moving from a poverty mindset to one of plenty. The conversation concludes with reflections on the significance of the Rosh Hodesh gathering and the theme of redemption.

OH_427 Ecriture de Rosh Hodesh dans un acte by Shiour Yomi

OH_425 Rosh Hodesh tombant Shabbat by Shiour Yomi

OH_424 Birkat Hamazon de Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

OH_423 Lecture de la Tora et Moussaf de Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

OH_422-02-03 Hallel à Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

Latest episode of the podcast. Please consider sponsoring a class online in someone's merit, memory or refuah shelemah. You can donate here in the app or send us an email at info@ejsny.org with the dedication you want to make. Thanks! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rabbifarhi/support

OH_420 Lamentations à Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

OH_421 Lecture du passage de Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

OH_419 Repas de Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

OH_418 Interdiction de jeûner à Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

OH_417 Travaux à Rosh Hodesh by Shiour Yomi

This is a beautiful hymn to the magnificence of our world. We recite "Borchi Nafshi" on Rosh Hodesh, possibly because it mentions the moon, possibly because it speaks of renewal - ותְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה - and Rosh Hodesh is about the renewal of the moon.

Hacham Moshe Rahamim Shayo, in his Mehkerei Eretz (v. 8 Orah Haim 41), discusses the following question: Is a person who prays a different prayer with the congregation considered to be praying with the community (tefilla b'tzibur)? The Shulhan Arukh (Orah Hayim 90:9) writes that "A person should do his best to pray in the Beit Kenesset with the community." What if the person is saying a different Amida than the community? For example, what if on Rosh Hodesh, the community is praying Musaf and he is praying Shaharit (or the opposite)? Similarly, often during the summer, a person comes late to synagogue, and wishes to pray Minha while the community is praying Arbit. Is that considered to be communal prayer? Hacham Shayo cites the rest of the passage from the Shulhan Arukh, cited above, which teaches that if a person is unable to come to synagogue, he should pray at the time at which the community prays. If the community says the Amida each morning at 9:00am, then one who prays at home should also try to say his Amida at 9:00 am. However, the Magen Avraham (17) comments that if one prays Musaf while the congregation is praying Shaharit, that is not considered to be similar to one who prays at the same time that the congregation prays. Although one might infer from this Magen Avraham that one who prays a different Amida than the community is not considered to be praying with the community, the Mishna Berura explains that if one is actually praying Musaf in the synagogue with those who are praying Shaharit, that is indeed similar to one who prays at the same time as the community. Hacham Shayo initially suggested, based upon this Mishna Berura that one who prays a different prayer than the community is considered to be part of the communal prayer (tefilla b'tzibur). The questioner, however, challenges Hacham Shayo and insists that while he may be considered like one who prays at the same time as the community, which is itself a higher level of prayer, his prayer is not considered to be communal prayer. Hacham Shayo accepts this argument and concludes that while not actually considered to be tefilla b'tzibur, there is a value of praying, even a different prayer, while the community is praying. Afterwards, he cites the Slah (R. Yehezkel Landau, known as the Noda BiYehuda), in his commentary to Berachot 6a, who explains that if an individual prays in a synagogue while the tzibur is still there, even if they have concluded their prayers but they are still saying praises to God, such as Ashrei and Uva LeSion, "the prayers of the individual who prays there are heard." He writes, based upon the verse "lishmo'a el harina ve'el hatefilla" (to hear the praise and the prayer), that once God hears the praises of the community, He also hears the prayers of the individual. He concludes by adding that "this is certainly true regarding one who prays Shaharit in a synagogue why the congregation is saying Musaf." In conclusion, we see that even one who wakes up late, or is late for prayers, should still come to synagogue and pray while the congregation is saying other prayers, as this is considered a higher level of prayer (even if it is not actually considered to be tefilla b'tzibur).

“Chodesh Av,” the Month of Av, is referred to in the TORAH as the “Fifth Month,” counting from Nisan, the “First Month.” There is a Biblical reference in BaMidbar (33:38), where we find “And Aharon the Priest went up to Hor Hahar at the command of G-d, and he died there in the fortieth year after the Jewish People had left Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first of the month.” (BaMidbar 33:38). This is the only Yahrzeit mentioned in the Torah specifically with a date. The kavana and permutation of Hashem's name which we have in mind during the blessing of the month on Rosh Hodesh in the Amidah of Musaf is ה ו י ה It comes from the pasuk in Devarim ט) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶ֥ל כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הַסְכֵּ֤ת ׀ וּשְׁמַע֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ נִהְיֵ֣יתָֽ לְעָ֔ם לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ (9) Moses spoke, and the levitical priests, to all Israel, saying: Hasket! Hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of your God יה - - וה: Rav Yisrael Simcha Schorr quotes an Agra d'Kallah (from the Bnei Yissaschar) that cites a Zohar at the end of Parshas Pinchas which states that Yaakov and Esav divided the months between themselves. Yaakov symbolizes the middas harachamim, compassion, while Esav symbolizes the middas hadin, justice. Certain months are connected more to din and others are connected to rachamim. Esav wanted to take all the summer months, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. As we know, Tammuz and Av are difficult months for us, times of din. However, Yaakov would not allow Esav to take the month of Elul, as it would be too hard on Klal Yisrael to come into the din of Rosh Hashanah without the rachamim of Elul. We need Hashem's compassion for a full month in order to face the great Day of Judgment. Esav complained that Yaakov has tricked him twice, that he had taken away from him those two months. Every year during the month of Elul, this struggle between Yaakov and Esav is renewed. Esav wishes to retrieve the month for himself. Yaakov in seeking ways to sweeten jusgment with lovingkindness, Ya'akov managed to liberate the second portion of Av from Esav. (This took place when he defeated the Sar of Esav in the 'wrestling' match. The result is that now the second half of Av is joined with the entire month of Elul, the month of Teshuvah, the best time for getting back into alignment with the Divine will. Indeed, the Holy Qedushat Levi, Rebbe Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev, noted that Av is an acronym for Arur (cursed) and Barukh (blessed). The blessing part of Av begins with this parashah and reaches its height on the 15th of Av.

Parashat Pinhas is almost always read on the first Shabbat of the period known as “Ben Ha'mesarim,” the three weeks between Shiba Asar Be'Tammuz and Tisha B'Ab, when we mourn the destruction of the Bet Ha'mikdash. With very rare exceptions, the first Shabbat after the fast of Shiba Asar Be'Tammuz is the Shabbat when we read Parashat Pinhas. We might therefore expect to find some connection between this Parasha and the period of mourning for the loss of our Mikdash and our banishment into exile. I would like to suggest a possible point of connection, by way of a concept that emerges from a halachic discussion in the Gemara concerning our three daily prayers. The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (27b) brings a debate among the Tanna'im regarding the status of the evening Arbit prayer, whether it is obligatory or optional. According to Rabbi Yehoshua, “Tefilat Arbit Reshut” – Arbit is optional. Whereas the recitation of Shaharit in the morning and Minha in the afternoon constitutes an outright Halachic obligation, one is not required to recite Arbit. Halacha actually follows this opinion, in principle, though in practice, the Jewish Nation has accepted the Arbit prayer as an obligation. What is the difference between the Arbit prayer and the other two daily prayers? Why would Arbit be optional, while the others are obligatory? Earlier (26b), the Gemara brings a different dispute, as to the origin of the daily prayers. According to one opinion, “Tefilot Abot Tiknum” – the prayers were instituted already by our patriarchs. Abraham Abinu established the morning Shaharit prayer; Yishak introduced the afternoon Minha prayer; and Yaakob instituted Arbit. It has been suggested that these three symbolize three different sets of circumstances. Abraham Abinu is associated with morning because he enjoyed a great deal of blessing and good fortune. And, like the morning sun, his success grew brighter with time. As he aged, he attained greater wealth and earned greater prestige. Yishak, by contrast, resembled the afternoon, as he, too, enjoyed great wealth and prosperity, but then his “light” of good fortune began declining. As he aged, he endured adversity at the hands of the Pelishtim, and lost his vision. His life thus resembles the waning afternoon sunlight. Yaakob Abinu instituted the evening Arbit prayer because his life was, to a large extent, characterized by “darkness.” He endured numerous travails, as he was pursued by his violent brother, and forced to flee and live with his wily, corrupt uncle. Later, his daughter was abducted and defiled, and one of his sons was sent away as a slave by his other sons. His family then suffered terrible famine. The Arbit prayer, established by Yaakob Abinu, represents the prayers recited during the “night,” in periods of darkness and hardship. And precisely for this reason, some have explained, this prayer is (in principle) optional. We believe that all periods of darkness are temporary and fleeting. Halacha does not, strictly speaking, require reciting the nighttime prayer because “nighttime” does not last; whatever adversity we currently face will soon give way to the light of joy and good fortune. There cannot be a strict obligation to recite Arbit because this prayer will not always be needed; any darkness that we and the world experience is temporary. With this in mind, let us return to Parashat Pinhas. The latter part of this Parasha is devoted to the special sacrifices required during the holidays in the Bet Ha'mikdash. The Torah here goes through all special occasions – Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Pesach, Shabuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Shemini Aseret – detailing the sacrifices that are to be offered on each occasion. Of course, the occasion of Tisha B'Ab does not appear in the Torah, because this occasion was not supposed to be established; we were expected to always be worthy of the Bet Ha'mikdash, such that it would never be destroyed. Perhaps, we read this Parasha during the period of Ben Ha'mesarim to remind ourselves that although we observe Tisha B'Ab every year, this observance is temporary. We read this Parasha specifically so we take note of the fact that Tisha B'Ab is “missing,” that this day is not meant to be an annual occasion. This reading thus assures us that the darkness of our current exile will soon give way to light, that the adversity that we and our nation face will end, and we will experience the joy and elation of our final redemption, may it arrive speedily and in our times, Amen.

If a person, for whatever reason, did not recite Musaf on Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh or Yom Tob, and the day ended, he cannot make up the missed prayer. When it comes to Musaf, we apply the rule of "Abar Zemano Batel Korbano" – "Once the time has passed, the sacrifice is void." Once the day has passed, the Musaf prayer – which commemorates the Musaf sacrifice – can no longer be recited. If a person forgot to recite Shaharit but recited Musaf – such as if he arrived in the synagogue late and joined them for Musaf, forgetting to recite Shaharit – he may still recite Shaharit. As long as the final time for Shaharit has not passed, he may recite the Shaharit prayer, even though he has already recited Musaf. Of course, Shaharit should be recited before Musaf, but if one mistakenly recited Musaf before Shaharit he may still recite Shaharit, as long as the final time for Shaharit has not yet passed. If a person did not recite Shaharit or Musaf until Minha time, such as if one was ill and did not get out of bed until the afternoon, he should first recite Minha, the prayer that is required at that time of day. He should then recite Musaf, followed by the Tashlumin (make-up prayer) for Shaharit. This is the ruling of the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806) and the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909). Summary: One who missed a Musaf prayer cannot make up the prayer once the day has passed. One who mistakenly recited Musaf before Shaharit may still recite Shaharit. One who did not pray Shaharit or Musaf until the afternoon should recite Minha, followed by Musaf, and then the make-up prayer for Shaharit.

Is Hallel recited in a mourner's home on Rosh Hodesh? Of course, we recite Hallel as part of the Rosh Hodesh prayer service, but the question arises whether this festive recitation should be omitted in a house of mourning. The work Meir Or, which documents the customs of mourning practiced by the Syrian Jewish community, comments (on p. 62) that Hallel is recited in a house of mourning on both Rosh Hodesh and Hanukah, despite the festive nature of this recitation, for a number of reasons. First, the private mourning does not override the public festivity of Rosh Hodesh. Additionally, if Hallel was not recited in a house of mourning, people might not wish to pray there, and the mourner would thus not have a Minyan. However, as Rav Shemuel Pinhasi (contemporary) notes in his work Haim Va'hesed (p. 144), the mourners themselves do not recite Hallel on Rosh Hodesh, and should step out into a different room during the Hallel recitation. And thus although the people praying in the house of mourning recite Hallel, the mourners themselves do not. Summary: Hallel is recited in a house of mourning on Rosh Hodesh, but the mourners themselves do not recite Hallel.

Throughout the eight days of Hanukah, one is required to add the section of Al Ha'nisim in every Amida prayer. Al Ha'nisim is added in the Modim section of the Amida, before the words "Ve'al Kulam." There is some discussion as to whether one should recite "Al Ha'nisim" or "Ve'al Ha'nisim." According to Halacha, it is more proper to recite "Ve'al Ha'nisim," with the conjunction "Ve" ("and"), since this sentence continues the text of Modim. In the Modim section, we declare that we thank Hashem for all the wondrous acts of kindness which He performs for us, and we then add that we thank Him as well for the miracles He performed at the time of Hashmona'im. It is therefore proper to recite "Ve'al Ha'nisim," rather than "Al Ha'nisim." If a person forgot to recite Al Ha'nisim, and he realized his mistake before he said Hashem's Name in the concluding Beracha ("Baruch Ata Hashem Ha'tob Shimcha…"), then he should recite at that point, "Modim Anahnu Lach Al Ha'nisim…" and then continue as usual. If he did not realize his mistake until after he recited Hashem's Name, then he simply continues with the Amida. He should not recite Al Ha'nisim after the Beracha, before "Sim Shalom," as this would constitute an unwarranted interruption in the Amida. Preferably, one who forgot to add Al Ha'nisim should recite, "Modim Anahnu Lach Al Ha'nisim…" at the very end of the Amida, before reciting "Oseh Shalom." If a person forgot to recite Al Ha'nisim during the Amida, and then, mistakenly thinking that he must repeat the Amida, began reciting the Amida again until he realized that he should not repeat the Amida, he must stop immediately. Any subsequent Beracha that he recites is a Beracha Le'batala (Beracha recited in vain), and he must therefore stop wherever he is and not even complete the Beracha which he currently recites. If a person mistakenly recited Al Ha'nisim in the section of Reseh, in the place where Ya'aleh Ve'yabo is recited on Rosh Hodesh and festivals, and he realizes his mistake during the Modim section, then he should simply recite Al Ha'nisim as usual in Modim. His prayer is valid despite the fact that he made an unwarranted interruption by reciting Al Ha'nisim in Reseh. A person should not skip Al Ha'nisim for the purpose of completing the Amida in time to recite Nakdishach or Kaddish with the congregation. One might have thought that since the Amida is valid even if one forgot to add Al Ha'nisim, it is preferable to skip the prayer in order to be able to join the congregation for Nakdishach or Kaddish. In truth, however, one should recite Al Ha'nisim as the Sages enacted, even at the expense of joining in the recitation of Nakdishach or Kaddish. Summary: One must add Al Ha'nisim in the Modim section of every Amida prayer recited throughout the eight days of Hanukah. If one forgot to add Al Ha'nisim and realized his mistake only after reciting Hashem's Name in the concluding Beracha of Modim, he simply continues reciting the Amida, and does not repeat the prayer. Preferably, he should add Al Ha'nisim before "Oseh Shalom" at the very end of the Amida.

There is an obligation to recite the entire Hallel during the Shaharit service on each of the eight days of Hanukah. This obligation applies to both individuals praying privately, as well as to congregations praying together in the synagogue. Before one begins the actual recitation of Hallel he recites an introductory Beracha. The text of this Beracha, according to the practice of the Sepharadim, is "Baruch Ata Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha'olam Asher Kideshanu Be'misvotav Ve'sivanu Ligmor Et Ha'hallel." This text differs slightly from the text recited by the Ashkenazim, who conclude this Beracha with the words "Likro Et Ha'hallel" ("to read the Hallel"), rather than "Ligmor Et Ha'hallel" ("to complete the Hallel"). If one mistakenly recited "Likro Et Ha'hallel," must he repeat the Beracha? Hacham Ovadia Yosef addresses this question in his work Hazon Ovadia (Laws of Hanukah, p. 209), and rules that a person in such a case is not required to repeat the Beracha. He notes that the Maharam of Rotenberg (Rabbi Meir Ben Baruch, Germany, 1215-1293) held that it is actually preferable to recite the text of "Likro Et Ha'hallel." If one recites "Ligmor Et Ha'hallel," which means "to complete the Hallel," and he mistakenly omits a word from the Hallel recitation, then the Beracha that he recited would thus be rendered a "Beracha Le'vatala" (Beracha recited in vain). The Maharam therefore preferred reciting "Likro Et Ha'hallel" so that the Beracha would remain valid even in the event that somebody mistakenly omits a word. Hacham Ovadia contends that although Sephardic custom does not follow this view of the Maharam, nevertheless one who did recite "Likro" may, after the fact, rely on this position and thus is not required to repeat the Beracha. If a person began reciting Hallel without reciting a Beracha at all, and realized this mistake at some point during Hallel, should he recite the Beracha at that point? Hacham Ovadia (ibid.) rules that one should, in fact, recite the Beracha at the point where he realized his mistake. Even though the phrase "Ligmor Et Ha'hallel" is generally understood to mean "to complete the Hallel," and in this case the individual will not complete the entire Hallel after reciting the Beracha, he should nevertheless recite this text. As Hacham Ovadia cites, the Hida (Rabbi Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1807), in his work Birke Yosef (683), claims that the word "Ligmor" can also mean "to read." In Masechet Berachot (9b), for example, the Gemara speaks of the custom to recite Shema immediately before sunrise, and refers to the Shema recitation with the term "Gomerim." Thus, the text of "Ligmor" is appropriate even if one recites the Beracha after having already recited part of the Hallel. After reciting the Hallel, one recites the Beracha of "Yehalelucha," which concludes with "Baruch Ata Hashem Melech Mehulal Ba'tishbahot." If one mistakenly recited Hallel on Hanukah "Be'dilug," meaning, omitting the sections that are omitted on Rosh Hodesh, he must repeat the Hallel but does not recite the introductory or concluding Beracha. Are women included in the obligation to recite Hallel on Hanukah? With regard to the obligation of the Hanukah candles, the Sages teach that since the Hanukah miracle affected both men and women alike ("Af Hen Hayu B'oto Ha'nes"), the obligation likewise includes men and women. As for Hallel, however, it appears that this recitation was instituted only for men. The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204), in Hilchot Hanukah (3:12), writes that if a man is unable to recite the Hallel by himself, he can fulfill his obligation by listening to a woman reciting Hallel and repeating each word after her. Clearly, the Rambam felt that a man does not fulfill his obligation of Hallel by simply listening to a woman's recitation. Presumably, this is because women are not included in the obligation of Hallel. Hacham Ovadia Yosef (Hazon Ovadia – Laws of Hanukah, p. 213) thus rules that women are not required to recite Hallel on Hanukah. A woman who nevertheless wishes to recite Hallel may certainly do so, though without reciting a Beracha. Summary: Before reciting Hallel one recites the Beracha "Ligmor Et Ha'hallel." One who recited the text "Likro Et Ha'hallel" does not repeat the Beracha. If one remembered during Hallel that he had not recited a Beracha at all, he should recite the Beracha of "Ligmor Et Ha'hallel" at the point where he realized his mistake. If one recited Hallel on Hanukah and mistakenly omitted the sections that are omitted on Rosh Hodesh, he should repeat the Hallel without a Berachah. Women are not obligated to recite Hallel on Hanukah; a woman who wishes to recite Hallel may do so, but without a Beracha.

Sefer Torah - Rosh Hodesh et Hanouka - 2 halakhot pour être Ben Olam Aba by Rav David Touitou

The Forgotten Meaning Of Rosh Hodesh by Rabbi Joshua Maroof

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The Torah never directly commands sounding the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Instead, it tells us, in Parashat Emor (Vayikra 23:24), that we must observe the first of Tishri as a “Zichron Teru'a” – literally, “the remembrance of a Shofar blast.” What exactly does this mean, and what might this reflect about the nature of the Rosh Hashanah celebration? Rashi explains that on this day, we recite in our prayers verses that relate to theme of “Zichronot” – G-d's remembering all past events, and that relate to the sounding of the Shofar. For this reason, Rosh Hashanah is called a day of “Zichron Teru'a.” The Ramban, after a lengthy discussion of Rashi's comments, offers a different explanation. He writes that on this day, we sound the Shofar in order that we be remembered favorably before G-d. Rosh Hashanah is a day of “Zichron Teru'a” in the sense that we sound the Shofar in order to arouse G-d's mercy and compassion, so that we are remembered favorably as we stand trial on this day of judgment. On every Rosh Hodesh and holiday, we add the “Ya'aleh Ve'yabo” paragraph in the three daily prayers, and in Birkat Ha'mazon. In “Ya'aleh Ve'aybo,” we ask that our “remembrance” (“Zichronenu U'fikdonenu”) should come before G-d favorably, meaning, that He should view us in a favorable light. We recite “Ya'aleh Ve'yabo” on Rosh Hashanah, just as on all holidays, but there is a fundamental difference between its recitation on Rosh Hashanah and its recitation on other occasions. On Rosh Hashanah, this prayer expresses the essence of the day, what this celebration is all about. Rosh Hashanah revolves around the notion of “Zikaron,” that G-d remembers us and thinks of us favorably on this day of judgment. The essence of Rosh Hashanah is not the judgment itself, but rather the “Zikaron,” the fact that by observing this day properly, through our prayers, repentance and the sounding of the Shofar, we are judged favorably. And thus the “Ya'aleh Ve'yabo” recitation assumes special significance of this day, as it expresses the core essence of the Rosh Hashanah celebration. This insight answers a very basic question that we might have otherwise asked about Rosh Hashanah. All the holidays and other events on the Jewish calendar commemorate events that are unique to our nation. Pesach celebrates the Exodus from Egypt; Shabuot celebrates Matan Torah; Tisha B'Ab mourns the tragedies that have befallen our people; Sukkot memorializes our ancestors' experience while traveling through the desert, and so on. Rosh Hashanah, however, appears – at first glance – to have no specific connection to the Jewish People. It marks the beginning of the new year, the anniversary of the creation of Adam, the father of all humanity, and it is the day when the entire earth – not just Am Yisrael – is judged. Seemingly, this special day has no unique significance for us, the Jewish Nation. Moreover, I am sure everyone has often wondered why we observe Rosh Hashanah as a day of festive celebration, enjoying lavish meals and scrumptious foods, if our fate is being determined on this day. Why would we joyously celebrate on the day when our lives are literally being held in the balance? The Ramban's comments provide us with the answer to these questions. We celebrate Rosh Hashanah as a day of “Zichron Teru'a,” a day when we are able to earn Hashem's favor and compassion. We rejoice on this day because He has shown us, His treasured nation, the way to be judged favorably. While Rosh Hashanah is, on the one hand, a frightening day, it is also a joyous day – because Hashem has taught us how to earn His mercy. May we all use this precious opportunity to make a sincere commitment to strengthen our connection to Hashem, and truly celebrate the special privilege we have been given to forge this relationship, through which we become worthy of being inscribed for a year of health, happiness, prosperity and fulfillment, Amen.

A Segulah for Protection Theportion of Pinchas includes the readings of all of the holidays of the year.The renown Gaon and MeKubal , Rabbi Chaim Palagi in his sefer Refuah VeChaim12/46 – (Healing and Life) brings an incredible segulah. The Rabbi explainsthat the reading of these perekin 28 and 29 is a protection against judgment, andspecifically with regard to court and legal cases especially from the nationsof the world. Whowas this great Rabbi: Rabbi Chaim Palagi was a prolific author. Seventy-two ofhis works are known, but it also is known that some of his manuscripts were destroyedin the great fire which struck Izmir in 1841. Every time R' Palaji published anew book, he made a festive meal and ate a new fruit, on which he would recitethe blessing of 'She'he'cheyanu Inone of his works, R' Palagi describes his own life as follows: I call heavenand earth to testify that from the age when I could control my faculties untilI was 20, I used to devote myself single-mindedly to Torah study, day andnight, with no wasted time. I had no involvement with worldly matters. From age20 to age 40, when my children were dependent on me, I dealt with worldlymatters as a broker. Nevertheless, whenever I had no work, I did not turn tofrivolity and wasteful things, but rather I returned to my studies. From age40, when I was appointed to be a rabbinical judge and teacher and to handlematters of concern to the public, until this day, there is not a minute when Iam not surrounded by litigants or by public affairs. These matters come bothfrom this city and its environs, and also various decrees of the governmentkeep me busy with matters affecting the public. Therefore my heart worrieswithin me that I do not spend sufficient time studying. I, therefore, forcemyself to use the limited time that I have for studying, and may others see meand do the same; may they learn from me that when distractions come along,whether they come from public or private matters -- for one's eyes and heartsearch for a spare moment -- that spare time, when it comes, should not bewasted. If one lives thus, his Torah studies will be blessed. R' Palagi's son wrote of him: His behaviorwith his family and the excellence of his character traits in dealing with themwas unique in the world. He never became upset about any household issue; tothe contrary, he always made peace overtures. He never became upset at thechildren's noise. He used to call them to him each morning to recite themorning blessings, and they prayed out loud. Very patiently, every day, heperformed the mitzvah of 'You shall teach them to your children.' Hewould instruct his children in fearing Hashem . . . and never to make fun ofany person. Once, a member of his household offended another person, and he[i.e., R' Palagi] did not rest until that person had been appeased. A number oftimes, he even gave money to a person who had been offended. Acouple of weeks ago, a friend who is dealing with issues exaggerated againsthim by seemingly overzealous government employees asked about a Kameyah writtenand segulot which might come to assist in his defense against these malevolentforces. As these subjects are way above my rabbinical paygrade, I spoke withsome rabbis who frequent these worlds to understand the power behind thekameyah and suggested some tefilot and actions to add. I also employed mybrother Victor who I can depend on to always explain to me difficult tounderstand kabbalistic concepts and he too gave me some tools. Earlier thisweek Victor was excited to share the words of Rabbi Chaim Palagi as recalled byRabbi Daniel Gladstein from the Sefer quoted above. Itis our custom every day to begin Mincha with Lamnaseyach and before the ketoretto recite the first 8 verses from Bamidbar Chapter 28 recalling the dailingTamid offerings. In another sefer, Moed LeKol Chai, Rav Palagi mentions that itwas his own custom to not stop at 8 pesukim but to continue at mincha gedolahto read these two chapters in full beginning with Shabbat through the 21 daysof holidays culminating with the sacrifices brought each day of sukkot, the 70offerings brought on behalf of the 70 nations. Rabbi Palagi who dealt withgovernment entities each day explained that through the reading of theseofferings, there is a reduction in spiritual power against us for thosenations. He continues and he elucidates that anyone who has a claim againstthem from the nations of the world, whether a government or court should employthis method as a segulah to protect themselves. TheRabbi brings a story of a man would been incarcerated on an inflated charge inIzmir, and he suggested to the man to read every single day in the afternoonprayer these two chapters. Thisoccurred during the month of Elul and miraculously and without explanation, theman was released on Sukkot. Thepower of these verses is not limited to Sukkot and in fact during our period ofben hametzrim they can be a very commanding protection activating theincredible power hidden within this portion of Pinchas. Reading of a portioninfluences the time of the year, especially now when we go into this difficultperiod of the three weeks when we caution against court cases againstadversaries. Hashem brings this to assist us. Continuingon this path, if we examine the reading in this portion where we see thelisting of all of the holidays, we see in the chumash that between all of theholidays, there is the letter samach. For example between Passover andShevauot, there is a samach and between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and YomKippur and Sukkoth through each day of the festival, but between the new yearand the day of atonement there is a letter S and then another one before thefestival of booths . But between Shavuot and Rosh Hashana there is only a Peh,take a look and ask why? What could bethe significance of this? TheApter Rav suggests that this period of Ben HaMesarim which we call the threeweeks is comprised of 21 days, relating to the 21 holidays we mention in thesechapters of Pinchas. They are Shabbat, Rosh Hodesh, Pesach(7), Shavuot, RoshHashana (2), Yom Kippur and Sukkot (8). And there is a reason in reading aboutthem at the start of this period. Thehint in the word ACH, we say Ach Tov – just good. The good for Yisrael is inthe Ach, which has the numerical equivlent Aleph and Chaf of 21. Tov of goodcan be found in these 21. And these 21 holidays are rooted in the 21 days ofthe Three Weeks. Soone must ask a question, why would all our holidays all be rooted in the 21days of Ben HaMesarim? Wemust remind ourselves of what Rabbi Abittan taught. These 21 days should'vebeen a very special period. We recall that the day Moses came down with theluchot was the 17th of Tammuz. That should have been an incredible holiday. Andthe day the spies returned and we could've made the decision to go marchinginto the land was the ninth of Av. We reversed the dynamic of these days. Wecut the wires holding incredible power and turned the great spiritual energyinto great spiritual danger. But the potential remains. RabbiGladstein also suggested that all of the fast days represent the root of theDavidic dynasty. We are taught that the Mashiach was born on the ninth of Av.And the 17th of Tammuz is the wedding night of Ruth and Boaz when theconception of Oved occurred. We also have the 10th of Tevet, 9 months prior tothe 9th of Av, as the conception date of the Mashiach. These21 days are really festive days at a higher plane, but because of our actions,we have dimmed them and we await the reconnection of the wires, the restorationof that energy and light that will transform these 21 days of mourning to 21days of a festival of joy. And the greatest holiday will be the one on the ninthof Av. Therefore,as we begin these 21 days, it is important to read about the 21 days ofholiness. TheBenai Yissaschar asked, why do we (other than in a leap year) always double upthe last two portions Matot and Masei of the book of Numbers? Why not double upthe two portions of Chukat and Balak as we read last week in order to catch upwith Israel? He answers that it's important for us to read the portions ofPinchas, Matot and Masei now as they discuss the distribution of the land ofIsrael especially during this time when we read about or we live through theaspect of exile. Andas we explained in the class we posted earlier this week, “Incapacitating theAngel of Death”, we have to remember that Pinchas as explained by Rabbi PinchasFriedman, is Eliyahu and Eliyahu will announce the coming of the messiah. Thiswas also the claim Moses made against Hashem at the burning bush, shelach beyadtishlach, when he told Hashem to send instead, Eliyahu, who would usher in thefinal redemption as Moses did not want to be the guy to bring in a halfredemption. Hashemalways gives us the cure before bringing the malady. We can suggest thatPinchas is the cure being Eliyahu, which we read at the outset of the threeweeks in order to show us as we go into the three weeks that the cure isalready there, and Eliyahu is waiting for us, and we just need to bring thecure. Thenwe have the distribution of the land, showing us that, even though we are in aperiod where we recall the exile, and we are living within this very longexile, just as the land was distributed for us back then, the land is for useven now, and into the future. Andfinally, we can allude to the 21 days of holidays that are mentioned as the 21days of holidays we have, and the source for those 21 holidays and the factthat these 21 days Ben HaMEsarim, will be transformed into a great holidayculminating with, the great festivity of The new Tisha BeAv Returningto our original question where we asked why there is a Samach between all ofthe holidays with the exception of between Shavuot and Rosh Hashana, we canthat Hashem reserved for us another holiday to fit into that time slot betweenJune and September, and that is the 21 day holiday to be re-introduced into thesystem, leatid lavoh. We've mentioned often that the original plan was to havea holiday each month and when we messed it up with the Golden Calf and with theSpies, everything got pushed. But we are hoping that with the imminent arrivalof Mashiach we will be blessed to celebrate these 21 days in joy together withthe rebuilding of the Mikdash speedily in our days. ShabbatShalom DavidBibi

Can we shave/haircut this year on Friday (Rosh Hodesh)

On Hanukah, there is a special Torah reading throughout the Holiday. The selection, found in Parashat Naso, relates the Korbanot (offerings) of the Nesi'im (Princes) at the dedication of the Mishkan. The connection to Hanukah is based on the Midrash Pesikta that states that the Mishkan was completed on the 25th of Kislev but was dedicated later in the month of Nisan.The Sephardic custom differs from the Ashkenazim in a number of ways. First, the reading begins with the passage of Birkat Kohanim (Preistly Blessing), since the miracle of Hanukah happened through the Kohanim. The proper custom is not to stop the first Aliya at the end of Birkat Kohanim, but to proceed into the next passage in order to connect each Aliya with the topic of the Nesi'im. Hacham Ovadia rules that if someone did stop there, B'diavad, it is not a Beracha L'vatala.The second difference is that the Sephardic custom is to read only one Nasi per day, whereas the Ashkenazim read the current day and the next day. For example, on the second day of Hanukah, only the passage of the second Nasi is read and repeated in order for there to be enough Pesukim for all of the Aliyot.A third difference concerns how to break up the reading on the final day of Hanukah. The custom is to read the eighth day of the Nesi'im by the Kohen and Levi, and then the Yisrael goes back and reads the eighth day from the beginning through the beginning of Parashat Baha'alotha.The Halachic principle on Hanukah states, "En Mashgihim B'Hanukah"-The Halacha is not particular about mistakes in reading the Torah on Hanukah, as long as three Aliyot were read. If they inadvertently read the wrong day, B'diavad, they do not have to go back and reread the correct day. Moreover, even if they read the regular weekly Parasha, they fulfilled their obligation. This also applies to a case in which they began reading from the correct place, but then continued the details of the Korbanot from a different passage, according to R. Svi Pesah Frank and Hacham Ovadia.Every Hanukah also has Rosh Hodesh. On that day, two Sifre Torah are read from, the first for Rosh Hodesh and the Second for Hanukah. When Rosh Hodesh falls on Shabbat Hanukah, three Sifre Torah are read from. Six Aliyot are read from the regular Parasha; One Aliya from the Rosh Hodesh passage and the Maftir is for Hanukah. This follows the principle of "Tadir Kodem"-the more frequent Misva is performed first. Also, Hanukah is read last in order to connect it to the Haftora of Hanukah.

Women have a special connection to Chanukah. The Shulhan Aruch (siman 670) brings down a custom that women do not engage in melacha activity while the Chanukah candles are burning. This refers to the first half hour after lighting, which is the primary misva. This minhag is also quoted by the Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) in parashat Vayeishev, Hacham Ovadia and Hacham Ben Sion Abba Shaul (Israel, 1923-1998). The primary melacha that should be refrained from is laundry. This includes drying the laundry, weaving, sewing and needlepoint. It is permissible for women to bake, cook and fry. Washing dishes is also permissible. Furthermore, Hacham Ovadia writes in Chazon Ovadia that it is permissible for them to write during the half hour period. Hacham Ben Sion was asked whether women are allowed to activate a washing machine during the first half hour. He tends to be lenient, but then he writes that since the custom applies for only one half hour, it is better to refrain.According to the Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933), the reason for the custom is to prevent women from using the light of the candles, which is prohibited. Refraining from melacha serves as a reminder to abstain from their light. The Ben Ish Hai presents a different reason according to the Kabballah. Rav Haim Palachi (Turkey, 1788-1869) cites a different custom, according to which, women were careful not to work the entire first and eighth day of Chanukah. Hacham Ben Senyar, in his sefer Ner Sion (Ch.3, Halacha 29), writes that women should wear special clothes on Chanukah, like they wear on Rosh Hodesh and Purim. He adds that if they have gold jewelry, they should wear it during these days. Obviously, women must still be careful about the laws of modesty when dressing up. He cites the Pele Yoetz who promises that a woman who is careful about modesty merits to have upright and holy children, and will reach a ripe old age in health and happiness. Finally, the Ben Ish Hai brings down a minhag told to him by Rav Eliyahu Mani: It was a custom of women, if, G-d forbid, they found themselves in a dangerous situation, to vow to refrain from melacha on Chanukah for one or two days; and in that merit they should get saved from harm. This clearly still applies today. SUMMARY:1. The custom is for women to refrain from doing laundry during the first half hour after candle lighting for all eight days of Chanukah.2. It is permissible for women to cook and write during this period.3. It is appropriate for women to wear nice clothing and jewelry during Chanukah, within the guidelines of modesty.