Changing To ‘Morid Hatal” on the First Day of Pesach; Conducting a "Se'udat Ester" on the Second Day of Pesach
On the first day of Pesach, we recite before Musaf the special "Tikun Tal" service, marking the transition to the new season in which we recite "Morid Ha'tal" in place of "Mashiv Ha'ru'ach" in the Amida. We begin reciting "Morid Ha'tal" during Musaf on the first day of Pesach. Somebody who mistakenly recited "Mashiv Ha'ru'ach" instead of "Morid Ha'tal," and realized his mistake only after concluding the Beracha of "Mechayei Ha'meitim," must return to the beginning of the Amida.
If somebody is uncertain whether he recited "Morid Ha'tal" or "Mashiv Ha'ru'ach," then during the first month after the first day of Pesach he must assume that he recited "Mashiv Ha'ru'ach," and must therefore repeat the Amida. One can avoid this situation by reciting on the first day of Pesach the passage "Mechayei Meitim Ata Rav Le'hoshi'a Morid Ha'tal" ninety times, thereby training his tongue to recite "Morid Ha'tal." One who trains his tongue in this fashion may then assume that he recited the proper text and will thus not be required to repeat the Amida if he cannot remember which text he recited.
Preferably, one who wishes to employ this technique should repeat this passage a hundred and one times, rather than just ninety. The Gemara in Masechet Chagiga (9) comments that studying material one hundred and one times ensures that it will not be forgotten, and thus here, too, reciting the correct text of the Amida a hundred and one times helps guarantee that one will recite the Amida properly. Furthermore, since familiarity is obtained after a month of reciting the new text, it is preferable to recite it one hundred and one times to include not only the ninety daily Amida recitations, but also the recitations of Musaf on Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh.
Throughout the festival of Pesach, including Chol Ha'mo'ed, one adds "Ya'aleh Ve'yavo" in Shacharit, Mincha and Arvit. One who forgot to add this paragraph and realizes his mistake only after concluding the Amida must repeat the entire Amida.
Hallel is recited throughout the festival of Pesach. However, after the first two days of Pesach (or after the first day in Israel), Hallel is recited "Be'dilug" – meaning, omitting the sections that are omitted on Rosh Chodesh – and without a Beracha.
Musaf is recited on each of day of Chol Ha'mo'ed; however, when reciting Musaf on Chol Ha'mo'ed – as opposed to Yom Tov – the words "Yom Tov" are omitted from the phrase, "Yom Tov Mikra Kodesh Ha'zeh." Nevertheless, one who mistakenly recited "Yom Tov Mikra Kodesh Ha'zeh" on Chol Ha'mo'ed is not required to repeat the Amida.
The second day of Pesach, or the 16th of Nissan, is the day on which Haman was killed during the Purim story. It is therefore proper to make some commemoration of this event during one's meal on this day, a practice often referred to as "Se'udat Ester." At this meal one should speak words of Torah relevant to Ester and the Purim story, to commemorate the Jews' miraculous salvation that took place on the 16th of Nissan.
(Based on Chacham Ovadia Yosef's rulings in Chazon Ovadia – Laws of Pesach, p. 247-249)
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
in the early morning part 4
Let me state unequivocally, the path of ascent is not some form of astral projection.
When we perform our rituals, we are not going anywhere, not in body and not in spirit.
Our travel is metaphorical only. We are traveling in our minds, and where the
imagination takes us, this has no end. It is through the process of our minds that we
can go anywhere in any universe and at any time.
Being that this metaphorical travel is highly personal, happening as it is within the mind
of the single individual, the imagery imagined in the mind will be equally highly personal.
What the individual sees or experiences must be interpreted within the individuals own
psyche and psychological parameters. This is the way spiritual experiences have
always been. This is how it was with the Biblical prophets and the Talmudic Yordei
Merkava. This is why the Mishna Hagigah states that Ma’aseh Merkava can only be
taught one on one, on an individual basis, and then only to one who already has the
ability to understand.
I can teach you all the techniques in the world how to alter your consciousness and how
to experience spiritual things, but if you do not know how to recognize what you see and
how to interpret what you experience, what good is it for you to learn in the first place?
This has always been the problem facing teachers, it is not easy finding ready and
worthy souls who are willing to let go of their preconceptions and surrender to see truth
for what is really is. This being said, please accept it as my warning, that unless you
sincerely surrender your hearts (and not just your minds) to Torah and mitzvot, you will
never be able to satisfactorily accomplish any sincere spiritual growth.
Let me begin here by teaching you one of my favorite initial methods of mental training.
This can be used as a meditative device for training the mind to concentrate and to
focus. In and of itself, this tool can help you focus on your Torah learning and it is also
good to do before going to sleep; it can help guide your dreams. Yet, the best time to
perform this is at the beginning of midnight rituals, before one meditates upon the holy
Names.
This meditative technique is outlined in many old sources and it is based upon the Sefer
Yetzirah. This is a process of uniting all the Hebrew letters one with another. It is a
mental exercise performed with your mouths closed. The entire focus must be mental.
One begins (as the Sefer Yetzirah says) by uniting the letter Alef with all the letters of
the Alefbet. One actually recites this mentally.
One begins…
Alef Alef, Alef Bet, Alef Gimel, Alef Dalet, Alef Hey, Alef Vav, Alef
Zayin, Alef Het, Alef Tet, Alef Yod, Alef Kaf, Alef Lamed, Alef Mem,
Alef Nun, Alef Samekh, Alef Ayin, Alef Pey, Alef Tzadi, Alef Kuf, Alef
Resh, Alef Shin, Alef Tav.
When we perform our rituals, we are not going anywhere, not in body and not in spirit.
Our travel is metaphorical only. We are traveling in our minds, and where the
imagination takes us, this has no end. It is through the process of our minds that we
can go anywhere in any universe and at any time.
Being that this metaphorical travel is highly personal, happening as it is within the mind
of the single individual, the imagery imagined in the mind will be equally highly personal.
What the individual sees or experiences must be interpreted within the individuals own
psyche and psychological parameters. This is the way spiritual experiences have
always been. This is how it was with the Biblical prophets and the Talmudic Yordei
Merkava. This is why the Mishna Hagigah states that Ma’aseh Merkava can only be
taught one on one, on an individual basis, and then only to one who already has the
ability to understand.
I can teach you all the techniques in the world how to alter your consciousness and how
to experience spiritual things, but if you do not know how to recognize what you see and
how to interpret what you experience, what good is it for you to learn in the first place?
This has always been the problem facing teachers, it is not easy finding ready and
worthy souls who are willing to let go of their preconceptions and surrender to see truth
for what is really is. This being said, please accept it as my warning, that unless you
sincerely surrender your hearts (and not just your minds) to Torah and mitzvot, you will
never be able to satisfactorily accomplish any sincere spiritual growth.
Let me begin here by teaching you one of my favorite initial methods of mental training.
This can be used as a meditative device for training the mind to concentrate and to
focus. In and of itself, this tool can help you focus on your Torah learning and it is also
good to do before going to sleep; it can help guide your dreams. Yet, the best time to
perform this is at the beginning of midnight rituals, before one meditates upon the holy
Names.
This meditative technique is outlined in many old sources and it is based upon the Sefer
Yetzirah. This is a process of uniting all the Hebrew letters one with another. It is a
mental exercise performed with your mouths closed. The entire focus must be mental.
One begins (as the Sefer Yetzirah says) by uniting the letter Alef with all the letters of
the Alefbet. One actually recites this mentally.
One begins…
Alef Alef, Alef Bet, Alef Gimel, Alef Dalet, Alef Hey, Alef Vav, Alef
Zayin, Alef Het, Alef Tet, Alef Yod, Alef Kaf, Alef Lamed, Alef Mem,
Alef Nun, Alef Samekh, Alef Ayin, Alef Pey, Alef Tzadi, Alef Kuf, Alef
Resh, Alef Shin, Alef Tav.
in the early morning part 3
common purpose and common cause. We embrace no common destiny; we do not act
with any sense of national good. We are all a bunch of loud mouth arrogant little
soldiers each running our own little wars, without the service of a general to unite us.
Any real military commander knows that such is the recipe for massive failure and
destruction on the battlefield. Yet, share this publicly and still most will look at you with
glazed over eyes, oblivious and uncaring as to their future. Their only concern is the
pleasures and pursuit of today and now. Tomorrow is viewed as just an inconvenient
abstract that will be dealt with when it comes. There is no sense of future, no
awareness of the need to prepare, no common sense, no grasp of reality. Everyone is
in their own little world running around.
I will not waste my time and yours by discussion what we need in the national political
arena is order to bring about successful changes in society that can save us from the
brink of disaster. No one wants to listen to what I have to say, and less than no one
would ever want to carry it out. “We want Mashiah now” are such nice words, but in
truth, NO ONE wants Mashiah now, or ever! Simply said, having Mashiah come is way
too inconvenient. He will bring too many changes and frankly, the public does not like
change, especially if it is uncomfortable and requires efforts on behalf of the public.
Luckily, for us, human history is not under the direction of human hands. Our world is
being guided at the most intimate of levels. Indeed, Mashiah will come, eventually. Yet,
long before his coming to pick up the pieces of our mess, our present world order will
come to a crashing end. And all the little soldiers will all crash their little tanks and then
they will all cry because they have no more toys. Only then, will the wave come and
silence them all putting them out of their misery. Frankly, for such wayward and
undisciplined children I neither see nor want any other end for them. One must tear
down first in order to make space for the new building to arise.
This all being said and done. Let me turn my direction to address those of you who truly
want direction and instruction. While I will not be pulled into discourse about politics or
social issues, I will instead be teaching what I believe the individual needs to learn, so
that the individual can make a difference, all the while knowing that there is no collective
for the individual to join. I am forgetting the needs of the many and focusing entirely on
the needs of the one. If you are that one, then today is your “lucky day.” So now, let us
get busy and discuss some practical things you can do.
I have seen in my dreams as many others before have that it is imperative that there be
instructions made available to those who wish to make what we call the “path of
ascent.” Yet, in order for this path to be traversed properly, it is equally imperative for
one to first understand exactly what it is and what it is not.
with any sense of national good. We are all a bunch of loud mouth arrogant little
soldiers each running our own little wars, without the service of a general to unite us.
Any real military commander knows that such is the recipe for massive failure and
destruction on the battlefield. Yet, share this publicly and still most will look at you with
glazed over eyes, oblivious and uncaring as to their future. Their only concern is the
pleasures and pursuit of today and now. Tomorrow is viewed as just an inconvenient
abstract that will be dealt with when it comes. There is no sense of future, no
awareness of the need to prepare, no common sense, no grasp of reality. Everyone is
in their own little world running around.
I will not waste my time and yours by discussion what we need in the national political
arena is order to bring about successful changes in society that can save us from the
brink of disaster. No one wants to listen to what I have to say, and less than no one
would ever want to carry it out. “We want Mashiah now” are such nice words, but in
truth, NO ONE wants Mashiah now, or ever! Simply said, having Mashiah come is way
too inconvenient. He will bring too many changes and frankly, the public does not like
change, especially if it is uncomfortable and requires efforts on behalf of the public.
Luckily, for us, human history is not under the direction of human hands. Our world is
being guided at the most intimate of levels. Indeed, Mashiah will come, eventually. Yet,
long before his coming to pick up the pieces of our mess, our present world order will
come to a crashing end. And all the little soldiers will all crash their little tanks and then
they will all cry because they have no more toys. Only then, will the wave come and
silence them all putting them out of their misery. Frankly, for such wayward and
undisciplined children I neither see nor want any other end for them. One must tear
down first in order to make space for the new building to arise.
This all being said and done. Let me turn my direction to address those of you who truly
want direction and instruction. While I will not be pulled into discourse about politics or
social issues, I will instead be teaching what I believe the individual needs to learn, so
that the individual can make a difference, all the while knowing that there is no collective
for the individual to join. I am forgetting the needs of the many and focusing entirely on
the needs of the one. If you are that one, then today is your “lucky day.” So now, let us
get busy and discuss some practical things you can do.
I have seen in my dreams as many others before have that it is imperative that there be
instructions made available to those who wish to make what we call the “path of
ascent.” Yet, in order for this path to be traversed properly, it is equally imperative for
one to first understand exactly what it is and what it is not.
in the early morning part 2
The chosen words will automatically arouse other corresponding thoughts in one’s
head, enabling one’s mind to race through a number of issues, often taking one into
visions of the future and into realms hidden and concealed. The message should open
one to see these things with surety and conviction. This is how it was done by the Ba’al
Shem Tov and many others. In this way were they able to see things beyond the
boundaries of physical sight in present time. (Reference, Sefer Ba’al Shem Tov, Bereshit 27 and
the Mekor Mayim Hayim commentary, note 23).
What I was shown hit me hard, hard enough to write this essay, hard enough to share
with you this section of the Zohar.
“Just as one is punished for speaking evil speech, so is he punished for not
speaking appropriate good speech where there is the opportunity and he does
not speak. He blemishes the spirit of the speaker, who is prepared to speak both
above and below, all in holiness. All the more so when the nation is following a
crooked path and he is able to speak to them to admonish them, yet he remains
silent and does not speak…” Zohar 3, 46b (Tazria, Vol. 7, page 262)
There is a Torah obligation to admonish those who do wrong in our community. There
is also an obligation to properly instruct and guide anyone wanting to perform a mitzvah
how to do it correctly. Many leaders in our Torah community are however unfortunately
most unqualified to teach and direct others in a large number of spiritual matters. Not
only do these leaders themselves not practice any form of meditation or similar Torah
exercise, not only do they have no knowledge about how such practices are properly
performed, these self same so-called leaders often exhort others to dismiss any interest
or pursuit of these sacred spiritual practices, considering them irrelevant and not a
necessary investment of one’s time and spiritual energy. Experience teaches us that
when the blind lead the blind this only serves to get even more people very very lost.
I have realized over many years that there really is no way to convince people as to
what is truth and what is falsehood. Everyone has their own points of view and their
preferences. Everyone believes what they want and justifies their beliefs with abundant
amounts of information and proofs that may or may not make sense. In the end, people
create their own little worlds of reality and surround them by walls of convictions. What
we have in the end therefore are many orbiting worlds, but no central sun to unite them
all. Everyone is more concerned about the good of the individual over the good of the
collective. The rule today states how the needs of the few, even the need of the one
outweighs the needs of the many.
When all the world is full of such selfish, self-centered individuals, we have a world that
is doomed for destruction. United we stand, divided we fall. This ancient lesson is
honored in word and forgotten in deed. We share no sense of bonding, no sense of
head, enabling one’s mind to race through a number of issues, often taking one into
visions of the future and into realms hidden and concealed. The message should open
one to see these things with surety and conviction. This is how it was done by the Ba’al
Shem Tov and many others. In this way were they able to see things beyond the
boundaries of physical sight in present time. (Reference, Sefer Ba’al Shem Tov, Bereshit 27 and
the Mekor Mayim Hayim commentary, note 23).
What I was shown hit me hard, hard enough to write this essay, hard enough to share
with you this section of the Zohar.
“Just as one is punished for speaking evil speech, so is he punished for not
speaking appropriate good speech where there is the opportunity and he does
not speak. He blemishes the spirit of the speaker, who is prepared to speak both
above and below, all in holiness. All the more so when the nation is following a
crooked path and he is able to speak to them to admonish them, yet he remains
silent and does not speak…” Zohar 3, 46b (Tazria, Vol. 7, page 262)
There is a Torah obligation to admonish those who do wrong in our community. There
is also an obligation to properly instruct and guide anyone wanting to perform a mitzvah
how to do it correctly. Many leaders in our Torah community are however unfortunately
most unqualified to teach and direct others in a large number of spiritual matters. Not
only do these leaders themselves not practice any form of meditation or similar Torah
exercise, not only do they have no knowledge about how such practices are properly
performed, these self same so-called leaders often exhort others to dismiss any interest
or pursuit of these sacred spiritual practices, considering them irrelevant and not a
necessary investment of one’s time and spiritual energy. Experience teaches us that
when the blind lead the blind this only serves to get even more people very very lost.
I have realized over many years that there really is no way to convince people as to
what is truth and what is falsehood. Everyone has their own points of view and their
preferences. Everyone believes what they want and justifies their beliefs with abundant
amounts of information and proofs that may or may not make sense. In the end, people
create their own little worlds of reality and surround them by walls of convictions. What
we have in the end therefore are many orbiting worlds, but no central sun to unite them
all. Everyone is more concerned about the good of the individual over the good of the
collective. The rule today states how the needs of the few, even the need of the one
outweighs the needs of the many.
When all the world is full of such selfish, self-centered individuals, we have a world that
is doomed for destruction. United we stand, divided we fall. This ancient lesson is
honored in word and forgotten in deed. We share no sense of bonding, no sense of
In the early hours
In the early hours of Friday morning, 12
Adar (2 March), I awoke and performed
my morning rituals as usual. This
morning I saw something unusually clear
and precise.
I saw before me in a dream vision a rather
ornate bookshelf in what appeared to be
some type of library. This bookshelf had
only three shelves and only one book on
each of the shelves. I intuitively
recognized these as being the three
volumes of the Zohar HaKodesh (the
Vilna version of the Zohar printed in three
volumes set the standard for Zoharic page
numbering).
I heard a voice tell me, take Volume Three and open it for a Goral. I knew that this was
the way I was to receive a very important message. Now, aside from the standard Vilna
version of the Zohar, I more commonly use the ten-volume Aramaic/Hebrew translation
version. I had just been studying a section belonging to the Vilna Volume Three and
asked in my dream if I could use the volume I had in mind. I was told I could.
I then awoke, knowing that I had a task to accomplish. I took the volume off the shelf
and sat with it in my lap. The way a Goral is performed is for one to first clear one’s
mind of distractions and then to ask Heaven to allow one to open the book to that place
which will contain whatever message it is that one is supposed to receive. Then one
closes one’s eyes and opens the book randomly, without any previous thought or intent.
What one seeks will be found somewhere on the two open pages.
One must then read them well, praying and asking Heaven what specifically is one
supposed to be getting out of this exercise. As one is reading, some words or another
should, as if, jump off the page and smack one cross side the head. Yes, the words
should be so touching and convincing it should be as sure as if one really was struck
broadside.
Adar (2 March), I awoke and performed
my morning rituals as usual. This
morning I saw something unusually clear
and precise.
I saw before me in a dream vision a rather
ornate bookshelf in what appeared to be
some type of library. This bookshelf had
only three shelves and only one book on
each of the shelves. I intuitively
recognized these as being the three
volumes of the Zohar HaKodesh (the
Vilna version of the Zohar printed in three
volumes set the standard for Zoharic page
numbering).
I heard a voice tell me, take Volume Three and open it for a Goral. I knew that this was
the way I was to receive a very important message. Now, aside from the standard Vilna
version of the Zohar, I more commonly use the ten-volume Aramaic/Hebrew translation
version. I had just been studying a section belonging to the Vilna Volume Three and
asked in my dream if I could use the volume I had in mind. I was told I could.
I then awoke, knowing that I had a task to accomplish. I took the volume off the shelf
and sat with it in my lap. The way a Goral is performed is for one to first clear one’s
mind of distractions and then to ask Heaven to allow one to open the book to that place
which will contain whatever message it is that one is supposed to receive. Then one
closes one’s eyes and opens the book randomly, without any previous thought or intent.
What one seeks will be found somewhere on the two open pages.
One must then read them well, praying and asking Heaven what specifically is one
supposed to be getting out of this exercise. As one is reading, some words or another
should, as if, jump off the page and smack one cross side the head. Yes, the words
should be so touching and convincing it should be as sure as if one really was struck
broadside.
purim
By Joseph Mosseri
Maran Ribi Yosef Karo in his Shoulhan Aroukh siman 695 discusses the laws of Seoudat Pourim. He himself mentions nothing about Pourim on Ereb Shabbat, but Mouram Ribi Mosheh Isrelish says in Seif 2 that in such a case the Seoudah should be in the morning due to the honor of Shabbat. It seams that his only source for this is Sefer HaMinhagim of Maharil.
Shoulhan Aroukh first printed in 1564 , Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575)
Hagah first printed in 1578, Rabbi Mosheh Isrelish (1525-1572)
Sefer Maharil first printed in 1556, Rabbi Yaaqob HaLevi (1357-1427)
Now comes along a great Hakham whom I will term "our Sefaradi Hagah", his name is Ribi Yaaqob Castro, better known as Mahariqash. He lived from 1523-1610 but his book of hagahot, Erekh Lehem was not published until 1718. In it he writes, that when Pourim fall out on Ereb Shabbat, you make Seoudat Pourim while it is still day and when night falls you make Qidoush and continue to eat. Then he also mentions that there are those who make their Seoudah in the morning and everyone should follow their minhag.
The prolific writer and genius Ribi Haim Yosef David Azoulai (1724-1806) who wrote so much on every subject does not seam to have mentioned a word about this situation. I have checked all his halakhah books and have come up empty handed, maybe I've missed something, let me know.
Rabbi Hayim Palaggi (1787-1868) who was Chief Rabbi of Turkey wrote in his Moed Lekol Hai (1861) chapter 31 item 45 that on a Friday Pourim the most correct time is to have the Seoudah in the morning after Shahrit or at the very least prior to Hassot (mid-day). He also is of the opinion that the Seoudah should always be in the morning no matter what day of the week it is.
Nehar Missrayim (1908) by Hakham Refael Aharon Ben Shimon (1847-1928) who was chief rabbi of Egypt from 1891-1921 wrote that regarding the time of Seoudat Pourim. There are those who make it early and those who do it late, but most god fearing people make the seoudah after hassot closer to the evening. That is the time that the poor stop making their rounds for charity and no one makes the seoudah in the morning. He then goes on to quote HaRambam Hilkhot Megilah Pereq 2 Halakhah 17 who stresses the importance of spending the earlier and better part of the day engaged in Matanot LaEbyonim and Mishloah Manot. He then continues that when Pourim falls on Ereb Shabbat the nice and pleasant minhag is to make the Seoudah after Minhah when it is almost night (before sunset). In the middle of the meal (once it becomes shabat) you should spread a clean tablecloth say qidoush and resume eating, what is now your Seoudat Shabat. For this he quotes Mahariqash. Then once the meal is complete you say Birkat Hamazon with Al HaNisim (and Resseh VeHaHalissenou). Then you should pray Arbit of Shabbat. And this way is the most correct and straightforward path! This is how we conduct ourselves and such is the custom of many who awe god.
Now I recently found in a book I've had for a number of years a teshoubah on this exact subject. The book is entitled VaYaan Shemouel and printed in Jerusalem in 1959. The author is Rabbi Shemouel Marssiano who was originally from Dobdou, Morocco and in 1959 he was in Lod, Israel. There is a picture of him in the book in which he looks very old and "holy". The Haskamot by very prominent Rabbis of the day also refer to him as the great saintly and old from a great line of rabbis etc.... In any case on page 18 siman 29 he discusses the situation at hand and first he quotes the Baer Hateb (by Rabbi Yehoudah Ashkenazi) siman 695 seif qatan 6 "and I found written in the Mordekhi, that he would eat seoudat Pourim on Ereb Shabbat, pray arbit, spread a tablecloth, make qidoush, and say al hanisim in birkat hamazon." He then continues and says that others wrote that no he did not pray arbit at that point, for if he did, he would not be able to say al hanisim in birkat hamazon. Maharil wrote therefore it seems to me that he should say birkat hamazon first then pray arbit in order that he shouldn't run into any problems. Now Maran in siman 271 seif 4 writes that it is forbidden to even taste anything even water before qidoush, if he began prior to shabat he must stop, spread a tablecloth and say qidoush. There the Baer Heteb in seif qatan 5 writes that obviously he need not pray arbit
yet since he is spreading the cloth and saying qidoush, because he has begun with something permissible. Maran also writes in the same place that if they were drinking wine before hand they must still make qidoush but not birkat hayayin (bore feri hagefen) and then say birkat hamossi. And see Baer Heteb seif qatan 7 on that. From all he wrote in this teshoubah it would seem that he also agrees with Nehar Missrayim and Mahariqash to make Seoudat Pourim close to Seoudat Shabbat, saying Qidoush in the middle of the meal, saying birkat hamazon with both al hanisim and resseh, and praying arbit after birkat hamazon is over.
I've been looking high and low for any posqim who discuss this issue of Seoudat Pourim when Pourim falls out on Ereb Shabbat. Thank God I just found two more sources and they both seem to concur with the idea as originally laid down by Mahariqash (Hakham Yaaqob Castro).
They are :
1) Hakham David Cohen Saqli (1862-1949) he was Ab Bet Din and Chief of all Rabbis in Oran, Algeria for over 40 years. His She-elot ouTshoubot entitled Qiryat Hannah David was published in 2 volumes in Jerusalem in 1935 & 1936.
It carries the haskamot of the Rishon Lession Hakham Yaaqob Meir as well as the leading rabbis of North Africa and that of the Chief Rabbi of Paris Dov Halevi Englander.
In Volume 2 siman 90 he writes about our case and says "sarikh" you have to start the Seoudah prior to Shabbat and when Shabbat arrives pores mapah and make qidoush, etc... continue eating, say birkat hamazon with al hanisim and resseh then pray arbit. He also mentions that since both hagefen and hamossi were recited prior to Shabbat while it was only pourim, since it's all one big meal, to not say birkat hagefen in qidoush nor to say hamossi afterwards. Just make qidoush and continue eating, etc.
2) Hakham Baroukh Abraham Toledano who was born in Meqnes, Morocco and was Rosh Ab Bet Din there for well over 30 years, he passed away sometime after 1974 but I'm not as yet sure exactly when. His son Rabbi Pinhas Toledano who is a Dayan in London has begun publishing his fathers works and in his responsa Sha-alou LeBaroukh (Jerusalem 1993) he writes in siman 76 concerning the minhag when Pourim falls on Friday when is the proper time to eat the Seoudah. He says that the custom of "the rishonim" was to start the meal prior to Shabbat and once Shabbat arrives to spread a cloth, say qidoush and continue with the meal. In Birkat Hamazon say Al HaNisim and Resseh then pray Arbit. And this is what I saw my fathers do and it seems to me to be the correct way to practice.
So far if we just say majority rules it would seem that the above mentioned system is in the lead as stated by Erekh Lehem, Nahar Missrayim, VaYaan Shemouel, Qiryat Hannah David, and Sha-alou LeBaroukh.
Before I continue, please allow me to share a scenario with you. This is very common if not the norm for most people that I know.
Here we are Friday morning of Pourim. You get up to join a minyan for Shaharit, sefer torah, megilah, etc.. you finally finish the prayers and it's later than usual. You have to go running off to work. It's a Friday of course so for many people (especially retailers whom are closed on Shabbat) it's a very busy day. As it is it's Ereb Shabbat and that doesn't leave you much time to dilly dally, either to get to work late or have a long lunch, or to leave earlier than you would normally have to on a short Friday. Some may suggest getting together with friends at a restaurant for a longer than usual festive lunch, the only problem is that most better restaurants in Brooklyn or Manhattan are closed on Friday. If you plan on having the Seoudah in the morning while drinking wine you may be better off not getting on the road. Or for that matter for driving all around town with mishloah manot. If you have time to get together with your family for a late morning meal or an early afternoon lunch then you're probably off from work and all of this doesn't make much difference to you. As a side note, when Pourim does not fall out on Friday, I do not work on pourim day and I do my best to convince others not to as well, it's not a day for working. When it's Friday it's a whole different issue.I have no choice but to work and so do many others who have deadlines to complete projects before the weekend.
The only feasible plan would seem to be: Get a minyan together at someone's home, pray Minhah about 1 hour before sunset then begin seoudat pourim (recall that on a "normal" year most of us begin our Pourim Seoudah about 1 hour before sunset), before sunset light candles, at sunset "pores mapah" and make qidoush, then continue the meal. At the meals end say Birkat hamazon with al hanisim and resseh vehahalissenou then pray arbit shel Shabbat.
One small question here is: When should Qabalat Shabbat (which includes bameh madliqin) be recited...
a)before candle lighting?
b)before qidoush?
c)after birkat hamazon before arbit?
Now, it should be remembered that the whole custom of qabbalat Shabbat was begun by the AR"I HaQadosh, and only gradually spread out from Safed to other communities. Thus, it is very possible that MaHaRiQaSh did not have this problem.
Incidentally, the custom of having a leisurely late-Friday-afternoon meal, then "prisat mappa" followed by kiddush etc. and only finally Shabbat prayers -- was the normal custom every week in 15th century Alexandria, as related by Rabenou Obadiah MeBertenura in his accounts of his travel to Eress Yisrael!
Finally I have just had the opportunity to do more research on this subject and lo and behold look what turns up. Rabbi Obadiah Yosef in his Yehaveh Daat (1st edition, Jerusalem 1980) volume 3, siman 55, page 171 in the footnotes. He cites Rabbenou HaMe'Iri, on Ketubbot 8a, who writes:
"It is our custom, and that of our fathers, that when Pourim falls on Friday, we begin the Seoudat Pourim in the late afternoon, and when the day becomes sanctified [= i.e., Shabbat begins] we spread a mappa, and make kiddush, and complete our seoudah, and say birkat ha-mazon and mention therein "'al ha-nissim".
So, this custom known to MaHaRiQaSH is actually a custom of the Rishonim.
From the context, it seems that Rabbi Obadiah Yosef may agree with this, although he is quoting it in the context of another issue under discussion.
Your insight and comments are greatly desired
Maran Ribi Yosef Karo in his Shoulhan Aroukh siman 695 discusses the laws of Seoudat Pourim. He himself mentions nothing about Pourim on Ereb Shabbat, but Mouram Ribi Mosheh Isrelish says in Seif 2 that in such a case the Seoudah should be in the morning due to the honor of Shabbat. It seams that his only source for this is Sefer HaMinhagim of Maharil.
Shoulhan Aroukh first printed in 1564 , Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575)
Hagah first printed in 1578, Rabbi Mosheh Isrelish (1525-1572)
Sefer Maharil first printed in 1556, Rabbi Yaaqob HaLevi (1357-1427)
Now comes along a great Hakham whom I will term "our Sefaradi Hagah", his name is Ribi Yaaqob Castro, better known as Mahariqash. He lived from 1523-1610 but his book of hagahot, Erekh Lehem was not published until 1718. In it he writes, that when Pourim fall out on Ereb Shabbat, you make Seoudat Pourim while it is still day and when night falls you make Qidoush and continue to eat. Then he also mentions that there are those who make their Seoudah in the morning and everyone should follow their minhag.
The prolific writer and genius Ribi Haim Yosef David Azoulai (1724-1806) who wrote so much on every subject does not seam to have mentioned a word about this situation. I have checked all his halakhah books and have come up empty handed, maybe I've missed something, let me know.
Rabbi Hayim Palaggi (1787-1868) who was Chief Rabbi of Turkey wrote in his Moed Lekol Hai (1861) chapter 31 item 45 that on a Friday Pourim the most correct time is to have the Seoudah in the morning after Shahrit or at the very least prior to Hassot (mid-day). He also is of the opinion that the Seoudah should always be in the morning no matter what day of the week it is.
Nehar Missrayim (1908) by Hakham Refael Aharon Ben Shimon (1847-1928) who was chief rabbi of Egypt from 1891-1921 wrote that regarding the time of Seoudat Pourim. There are those who make it early and those who do it late, but most god fearing people make the seoudah after hassot closer to the evening. That is the time that the poor stop making their rounds for charity and no one makes the seoudah in the morning. He then goes on to quote HaRambam Hilkhot Megilah Pereq 2 Halakhah 17 who stresses the importance of spending the earlier and better part of the day engaged in Matanot LaEbyonim and Mishloah Manot. He then continues that when Pourim falls on Ereb Shabbat the nice and pleasant minhag is to make the Seoudah after Minhah when it is almost night (before sunset). In the middle of the meal (once it becomes shabat) you should spread a clean tablecloth say qidoush and resume eating, what is now your Seoudat Shabat. For this he quotes Mahariqash. Then once the meal is complete you say Birkat Hamazon with Al HaNisim (and Resseh VeHaHalissenou). Then you should pray Arbit of Shabbat. And this way is the most correct and straightforward path! This is how we conduct ourselves and such is the custom of many who awe god.
Now I recently found in a book I've had for a number of years a teshoubah on this exact subject. The book is entitled VaYaan Shemouel and printed in Jerusalem in 1959. The author is Rabbi Shemouel Marssiano who was originally from Dobdou, Morocco and in 1959 he was in Lod, Israel. There is a picture of him in the book in which he looks very old and "holy". The Haskamot by very prominent Rabbis of the day also refer to him as the great saintly and old from a great line of rabbis etc.... In any case on page 18 siman 29 he discusses the situation at hand and first he quotes the Baer Hateb (by Rabbi Yehoudah Ashkenazi) siman 695 seif qatan 6 "and I found written in the Mordekhi, that he would eat seoudat Pourim on Ereb Shabbat, pray arbit, spread a tablecloth, make qidoush, and say al hanisim in birkat hamazon." He then continues and says that others wrote that no he did not pray arbit at that point, for if he did, he would not be able to say al hanisim in birkat hamazon. Maharil wrote therefore it seems to me that he should say birkat hamazon first then pray arbit in order that he shouldn't run into any problems. Now Maran in siman 271 seif 4 writes that it is forbidden to even taste anything even water before qidoush, if he began prior to shabat he must stop, spread a tablecloth and say qidoush. There the Baer Heteb in seif qatan 5 writes that obviously he need not pray arbit
yet since he is spreading the cloth and saying qidoush, because he has begun with something permissible. Maran also writes in the same place that if they were drinking wine before hand they must still make qidoush but not birkat hayayin (bore feri hagefen) and then say birkat hamossi. And see Baer Heteb seif qatan 7 on that. From all he wrote in this teshoubah it would seem that he also agrees with Nehar Missrayim and Mahariqash to make Seoudat Pourim close to Seoudat Shabbat, saying Qidoush in the middle of the meal, saying birkat hamazon with both al hanisim and resseh, and praying arbit after birkat hamazon is over.
I've been looking high and low for any posqim who discuss this issue of Seoudat Pourim when Pourim falls out on Ereb Shabbat. Thank God I just found two more sources and they both seem to concur with the idea as originally laid down by Mahariqash (Hakham Yaaqob Castro).
They are :
1) Hakham David Cohen Saqli (1862-1949) he was Ab Bet Din and Chief of all Rabbis in Oran, Algeria for over 40 years. His She-elot ouTshoubot entitled Qiryat Hannah David was published in 2 volumes in Jerusalem in 1935 & 1936.
It carries the haskamot of the Rishon Lession Hakham Yaaqob Meir as well as the leading rabbis of North Africa and that of the Chief Rabbi of Paris Dov Halevi Englander.
In Volume 2 siman 90 he writes about our case and says "sarikh" you have to start the Seoudah prior to Shabbat and when Shabbat arrives pores mapah and make qidoush, etc... continue eating, say birkat hamazon with al hanisim and resseh then pray arbit. He also mentions that since both hagefen and hamossi were recited prior to Shabbat while it was only pourim, since it's all one big meal, to not say birkat hagefen in qidoush nor to say hamossi afterwards. Just make qidoush and continue eating, etc.
2) Hakham Baroukh Abraham Toledano who was born in Meqnes, Morocco and was Rosh Ab Bet Din there for well over 30 years, he passed away sometime after 1974 but I'm not as yet sure exactly when. His son Rabbi Pinhas Toledano who is a Dayan in London has begun publishing his fathers works and in his responsa Sha-alou LeBaroukh (Jerusalem 1993) he writes in siman 76 concerning the minhag when Pourim falls on Friday when is the proper time to eat the Seoudah. He says that the custom of "the rishonim" was to start the meal prior to Shabbat and once Shabbat arrives to spread a cloth, say qidoush and continue with the meal. In Birkat Hamazon say Al HaNisim and Resseh then pray Arbit. And this is what I saw my fathers do and it seems to me to be the correct way to practice.
So far if we just say majority rules it would seem that the above mentioned system is in the lead as stated by Erekh Lehem, Nahar Missrayim, VaYaan Shemouel, Qiryat Hannah David, and Sha-alou LeBaroukh.
Before I continue, please allow me to share a scenario with you. This is very common if not the norm for most people that I know.
Here we are Friday morning of Pourim. You get up to join a minyan for Shaharit, sefer torah, megilah, etc.. you finally finish the prayers and it's later than usual. You have to go running off to work. It's a Friday of course so for many people (especially retailers whom are closed on Shabbat) it's a very busy day. As it is it's Ereb Shabbat and that doesn't leave you much time to dilly dally, either to get to work late or have a long lunch, or to leave earlier than you would normally have to on a short Friday. Some may suggest getting together with friends at a restaurant for a longer than usual festive lunch, the only problem is that most better restaurants in Brooklyn or Manhattan are closed on Friday. If you plan on having the Seoudah in the morning while drinking wine you may be better off not getting on the road. Or for that matter for driving all around town with mishloah manot. If you have time to get together with your family for a late morning meal or an early afternoon lunch then you're probably off from work and all of this doesn't make much difference to you. As a side note, when Pourim does not fall out on Friday, I do not work on pourim day and I do my best to convince others not to as well, it's not a day for working. When it's Friday it's a whole different issue.I have no choice but to work and so do many others who have deadlines to complete projects before the weekend.
The only feasible plan would seem to be: Get a minyan together at someone's home, pray Minhah about 1 hour before sunset then begin seoudat pourim (recall that on a "normal" year most of us begin our Pourim Seoudah about 1 hour before sunset), before sunset light candles, at sunset "pores mapah" and make qidoush, then continue the meal. At the meals end say Birkat hamazon with al hanisim and resseh vehahalissenou then pray arbit shel Shabbat.
One small question here is: When should Qabalat Shabbat (which includes bameh madliqin) be recited...
a)before candle lighting?
b)before qidoush?
c)after birkat hamazon before arbit?
Now, it should be remembered that the whole custom of qabbalat Shabbat was begun by the AR"I HaQadosh, and only gradually spread out from Safed to other communities. Thus, it is very possible that MaHaRiQaSh did not have this problem.
Incidentally, the custom of having a leisurely late-Friday-afternoon meal, then "prisat mappa" followed by kiddush etc. and only finally Shabbat prayers -- was the normal custom every week in 15th century Alexandria, as related by Rabenou Obadiah MeBertenura in his accounts of his travel to Eress Yisrael!
Finally I have just had the opportunity to do more research on this subject and lo and behold look what turns up. Rabbi Obadiah Yosef in his Yehaveh Daat (1st edition, Jerusalem 1980) volume 3, siman 55, page 171 in the footnotes. He cites Rabbenou HaMe'Iri, on Ketubbot 8a, who writes:
"It is our custom, and that of our fathers, that when Pourim falls on Friday, we begin the Seoudat Pourim in the late afternoon, and when the day becomes sanctified [= i.e., Shabbat begins] we spread a mappa, and make kiddush, and complete our seoudah, and say birkat ha-mazon and mention therein "'al ha-nissim".
So, this custom known to MaHaRiQaSH is actually a custom of the Rishonim.
From the context, it seems that Rabbi Obadiah Yosef may agree with this, although he is quoting it in the context of another issue under discussion.
Your insight and comments are greatly desired
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)