Daf Yomi - Chagigah 22

The sugya currently under discussion is that of "Chullin She'Naasu Al Taharas Hakodesh", ordinary non-sacrificial food that is prepared and eaten with the strict guidelines of Kodoshim.

 

Why would anyone want to impose those complex rules upon himself?

 

Rashi offers an explanation at the bottom of 19B.  He suggests that there are people who frequently eat Kodshim and wish to remain in the habit so that their families will be careful to maintain the Taharah required to eat Korbanos.

 

I can understand that Kohanim would wish to maintain this standard.  Why would people outside of Yerushalayim or after the Churban want to keep these rules, which are elective?

 

Furthermore, why would the Chachamim ratify this chumrah by giving it halachic parameters? 

 

There is much history that must go into answering all these questions.  Other issues that need to be addressed is how such a massive sub-stratum of society as the "Am Ha'Aretz" group came to be.  These people were ostensibly observant in all other respects of halacha except for Maaser and Taharah.  This division between Chaveirim, those who were knowledgeable in the laws of Taharah, and Amei Haaretz who were not, must have been jarring.  Imagine a group of Jews who refuse to come anywhere near other Jews.  This goes beyond not accepting certain hechsheirim, which is the closest modern manifestation of the Perushim-Am Haaretz divide. 

Shabbos Parshas Acharei-Kedoshim 5767

We had a wonderful Shabbos. 

 

At the 8:30am Chumash shiur, we spoke about the relationship between the deaths of Aharon's sons to the rest of Acharei Mos, namely the Avodah of Yom Kippur, the prohibition against offering korbanos outside the Ohel Moed, serving satyrs, drinking blood and incest. 

 

The drasha covered the sefira-timely topic of Netzach, and man's role in the universe to be proactive and decisive even though the world can be so patently unjust, according to the Medrash Rabba on the parsha.  We have two options.  1) Doing something about the injustices that upset us or 2) doing nothing.  Either one is a choice, and there is no room to complain beyond some necessary comfort.  When we are forced into option #2, then we grin and bear it. 

 

The afternoon Navi shiur started Yehoshua Chapter 18.  We spoke of it as the beginning of the end of Yehoshua's reign and the prelude to the dissolution of Klal Yisrael into a loose confederation. 

 

At Shalosh Seudos, we discussed Shimon Hatzaddik's revolutionary role in establishing priorities for the Jews in the shadow of Alexander's conquering of Eretz Yisrael.

 

Shavua Tov

 

RD

Shul Info: April 27 - May 4.

Hello everyone,

The schedule for the coming week follows the announcements. Please read the announcements. It's not just the usual.

• Early Friday evening davening begins this week. Mincha this Friday is at 6:45pm sharp. Please remember to count sefira at home after dark.

• Mincha-Maariv throughout the week will be at 8:05PM, preceded by Daf Yomi at 7:20PM. We would love to see you there. Why daven elsewhere?

• The shul is having a Lag B'Omer picnic this year, on Sunday May 6 from noon to 3pm, at Purvis Park behind the shul. Please, please, PLEASE leave a message at the shul office at 382-1958 or email the office at office@hjcs.org to make your reservations. Invite a friend too. The people who are preparing everything need a tally by Monday April 30 to get a sense of what they need to buy. Great food for sale and music, activities and games for the kids.

• The shul's website http://www.hjcs.org/ is up and running, with information updated constantly by the shul's webmaster, Neil Parks.

• The shul is also starting a blog, accessible via the website at http://blog.hjcs.org/ or thru http://heightsjewish.blogspot.com.

• Halachic good news: Since Lag B'Omer is on Sunday this year, one may get a haircut on Friday May 4; two days earlier, L'Kovod Shabbos. (SA OC 493:2 Rama)

• Thinking ahead to Shavuos: Of course, the shul is open Shavuos night for learning. I would love to hear from anyone who has ideas for topics for Shiurim. Please email me any suggestions you may have.

Have a Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Davidovich

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Friday evening, April 27
Early candle lighting 6:53 PM
Regular candle lighting 8:01 PM
Mincha-Kabalas Shabbos 6:45 PM

Saturday, April 28 (Acharei Mos-Kedoshim)
Parsha class 8:30 AM
Shacharis 9:00 AM
Latest Shema 9:56 AM
Navi class 7:25 PM
Mincha-Shalosh Seudos-Ma'ariv 7:55 PM
Shabbos ends 9:10 PM

Sunday, April 29
Daf Yomi catch-up 7:15 AM
Shacharis 8:00 AM
Daf Yomi 7:20 PM
Mincha-Ma'ariv 8:05 PM

Monday-Thursday, April 30-May 3
Gemara class 6:15 AM
Shacharis 6:55 AM
Daf Yomi 7:20 PM
Mincha-Ma'ariv 8:05 PM

Friday, May 4
Gemara class 6:15 AM
Shacharis 6:55 AM

First real post

Welcome one and all to HJC's new blog. It will be a mixture of shul announcements and personal thoughts, the occasional dvar Torah and insight on whatever interests me. Thanks to Neil Parks, the shul's webmaster, for his work on the website hjcs.org and this new blog. Your comments are welcome at rabbi@hjcs.org.