Hebrew | Francais

Shabbat Parashat Sukkot| 5771

Succot | 17 Tishrei 5771 | 19/09/2010

Parashat Hashavuah: Exile?

What is the idea of the festive mitzva of going out to the sukka at this time in the calendar? The Yalkut Shimoni (Emor, 643) has a surprising explanation: “On Rosh Hashana, Hashem sits and judges the world, and on Yom Kippur He seals the judgment. Perhaps Israel’s ruling was for exile, and by making a sukka and going into exile from their houses, Hashem considers it as if they were exiled to Bavel.”

Ask the Rabbi: Drinking on Chole Hamo'ed

I have heard that one should drink wine on Chol Hamo’ed, but not all religious people do so. I enjoy drinking wine occasionally but it doesn’t particularly “speak to me.” Should I be careful to drink it on Chol Hamo’ed, and, if so, how often and how much?

Ein Ayah: The Nesi’at Kapayim of a Kohen Who Murdered

Rabbi Yochanan said: Any kohen who took a person’s life should not raise his hand [to do Birkat Kohanim (duchen)], as it says: “Your hands are filled with blood” (Yeshaya 1:15).

P’ninat Mishpat: Payment for a Polygraph Test

Beit din, in the context of divorce proceedings, instructed a couple to each be tested at a polygraph (“lie detector”) testing center (=pl), which enables most accurate results. The man (=def) was told to pay initially; eventually, whoever was indicated to not be telling the truth would pick up the charges. Pl set the testing for a certain date, with the wife being tested first, to be followed later by def...

Hemdat HaDaf Hayomi: Blessed is he who Gave his World to Guardians (Avodah Zarah 40b)

This week in the Daf Hayomi, the Gemara continues to deal with the decrees the Sages instituted in order to distance us from idol worshippers. Even though the Sages prohibited wine made by gentiles, the Gemara (40b) states that it is permitted to drink wine made from apples even if it was produced by gentiles.

This week’s Hemdat Yamim is dedicated in loving memory of
Harav Hagaon
Moshe Botschko zt”l,
who passed away on Yom Kippur.

and
R' Meir ben
Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld
o.b.m

Hemdat Yamim is endowed by
Les & Ethel Sutker of Chicago, Illinois in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker and
Louis and Lillian Klein, z”l.

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).