Avodah Mailing List

Volume 18: Number 3

Mon, 28 Aug 2006

• 1. Re: Putting oneself in danger (Danny Schoemann)
• 2. me-rakdim (SBA)
• 3. Re: BLC (Rich, Joel)
• 4. idols in museums (Lisa Liel)
• 5. Re: Putting oneself in danger (Rich, Joel)
• 6. Hakhel Email Community Awareness Bulletin-Father of Compassion (Rich, Joel)
• 7. Re: RYBS and chazakah tav l'meitav (Rich, Joel)
• 8. Re: Whether a super-rich person may give more than 20% to charity (Rich, Joel)

>I thought that i had read that under certain circumstances, yes. for
>example shimon in the middle of battle falls into a panic, starts
>screaming that they are going to be killed, and starts running away. he
>can be shot. however I can't a source for this.

It's a Rashiin last week's parhsa: http://www.answers.com/topic/deuteronomy-20

9:  And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking
unto the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead
the people.

According to tachas.org - http://tinyurl.com/emp3b Rashi says:

Army commanders.
To station disciplinary officers at the front and to the rear,
carrying iron spears.
If anyone attempts to retreat, they are empowered to cut off their legs.
"Disciplinary officers," lit. "those who lift up"--- men who are
stationed at the edge of the battlefield to "lift up" those who
falter, and encourage them by saying, 'Get back to the battle, don't
run away!
Running away is the beginning of downfall!' (Sotah, 44:a)


- Danny

From: "Eli Turkel" <>
I recently saw R. Leff at a wedding and asked him to translate
"kezad merakdim lefnei hakallah". He insisted that merakdim means
to dance. As to Rashi and the answers he interpreted that as "body 
language" so that the dancing implied or included some attitudes.
>>

In reply to the question of "Keitzad merakdin'', the gemara 
brings machlokes BH and BS ie, 'kallah na'eh vechasida' and 
'kalla kemos shehi'.

How do we understand this, if the question was simply talking 
about body and language and dancing?

SBA

> Based on what theory? Perhaps that it's impossible to have such thoughts
> without acting on them in some way?
> Joel Rich

The /Doleh U'Mashkeh/ says he asked R' Chaim Kanievsky if someone
who has negative */thoughts/ *about another person needs to ask him
/mechilah/. RCK said that it may well be so.

I don't know if anyone here has been to the archaeology museum in
Jerusalem. It's a fascinating place, and seeing actual pieces of the
history of Eretz Yisrael is just inspiring.

What I'm wondering, though, particularly as someone who does a lot
of research into ancient history, is whether there's any heter for
not destroying the idols that are on display at a place like that.
When Hashem commanded us to destroy all of those idols, was there an
exception for idols we put in museums? I mean, some of those artifacts
are priceless, and are extremely valuable from a historical perspective.
But does that matter?

I was wondering if anyone knew if the question had been addressed.

Lisa

RJR wrote:
> ... the "halachot" of war differ from what's found in shulchan 
> aruch/poskim on seemingly related issues ....

> ... R' Ro-ie H"YD he was a ben torah and talmid chacham. Thus his 
> instincts were most likely informed by the "lev shel torah" ....

[R' Chaim Manaster:]
> If we accept your assertion (which I believe many poskim follow)

Just to be clear-I was quoting one of my HS Rabbeim (although I have
never heard anyone contradict his statement and believe it to be
accurate

> that these dinim are different in time of war, then the question is how
>far do they take that? Normally this refers to eating treifos and chilul
>Shabbos etc., as well as killing the enemy and subjecting yourself to
>pikuach nefesh. You are adding suicide to this list. 

not really since I don't know the facts of the case, it may have been
that R' Roi believed he was going to die from the grenade in any event and
the question was should he save others. In any event your question stands
and I think the answer may still well be a nuanced yes depending on the
facts and circumstances of each case as you outlined in your continuation.
May HKB"H save us from ever having these lmaaseh.

KT
Joel Rich

We've had discussions of the appropriateness of a day other than tisha
b'av to commemerate loss (e.g Yom Hazikaron). I thought the groep might
find this of interest as far as a RW approach.

KT
Joel Rich

From: Hakhel MIS [mailto:postmaster@hakhel.info] 
FATHER OF COMPASSION

In the Kinoh we recite on Tisha B'Av over the Shoah written by HaRav
Schwab, Z'TL, we plead to Hashem that He "remember the moans and
tumultuous screams...every tremble, every groan, every piercing cry",
and that not even one of the billions of atrocities committed against our
people during the Shoah be forgotten or forgiven by His court of judgment.

Today is the third anniversary, more appropriately--the third Yahrtzeit,
of the #2 bus bombing in Yerushalayim, in which men, women and children
who were already Kedoshim and Tehorim became even greater Kedoshim and
Tehorim as they left this world.

In order to more appropriately remember, we provide below the English
translation (as set forth in the Artscroll Siddur, Ashkenaz Edition Page
455) of the Av HaRachamim which we recite on Shabbos morning before the
Mussaf Shemone Esrei. Once we take these words and apply them to the
memories we all have of that horrifying day, we should take the lesson
to recite Av HaRachamim every Shabbos with a level of Kavanah which is
befitting the Kedoshim throughout the ages--those great individuals,
young and old, man and woman, Rav and layman, who left this world in the
holiest and purest of circumstances. We should revere their memories, and
we should recognize that their passing while sanctifying the Name of G-d
brings unfathomable and eternal zechuyos for them and all of Klal Yisroel.

AV HARACHAMIM
Father of compassion, Who dwells on high, in His powerful compassion may
He recall with compassion the devout, the upright, and the perfect ones;
the holy congregations who gave their lives for the Sanctification of
the Name--who were beloved and pleasant in t
death were not parted [from G-d]. They were quicker than eagles and
stronger than lions to do their Creator's will and their Rock's desire.
May our G-d remember them for good with the other righteous of the world.
May He, before our eyes, exact retribution for the spilled blood of
His servants, as is written in the Torah of Moses, the man of G-d:
"O nations, sing the praise of His people for He will avenge the blood
of His servants and He will bring retribution upon His foes; and He will
appease His land and His people." And by Your servants, the prophets,
it is written saying: "Though I cleanse [the enemy]--their bloodshed I
will not cleanse when Hashem dwells in Zion." And in the Holy Writings it
is said: "Why should the nations say, 'Where is their G-d?' Let there
be known among the nations, before our eyes, revenge for Your servants'
spilled blood." And it says: 'For the Avenger of blood has remembered
them; He has not forgotten the cry of the humble." And it says: "He
will judge the corpse-filled nations, He will crush the leader of the
mighty land. From a river along the way he shall drink--therefore he
may proudly lift his head."

The outstanding note in the Artscroll (ibid.) points out: "We do not pray
that we be strong enough to avenge our martyrs; Jews are not motivated by
a lust to repay violence and murder with violence and murder. Rather we
pray that G-d choose how and when to atone for the blood of His fallen
martyrs. For the living, decency and integrity remain the primary goals
of social life. (R' Hersch)."

Before we go back to continue our tasks, we should take an additional
moment to feel the pain of all of the families affected by this mass
murder--and set aside some charity as a zechus for all of the niftarim,
and their families that have remained with us in this world.

> RAL answered (27:40 on the MP3) that not all chazakos of chazal are
> eternal and that RYBS spoke merely about this sort of chazakah, which
> describes how Hashem created women (i.e., it is ontological).
> Moshe

IIRC in the original talk R'YBS made this point based on this being
clearly stated in the torah "and thy desire shall be to thy husband"

KT
Joel Rich

> Interesting - permitted versus what does HKB"H want from me?
> Any sources (should one on his deathbed give it all away for his zchut
> and let his children do their best for themselves?)
> Joel Rich

According to S"A YD 249:1: One should not give more than 20% of his
earnings, lest he become poor and dependent upon the community. However,
he is permitted to give away as much as he wishes at the time of his
death, because at that point, that fear no longer exists. (This is also
implicit in Kesubos 67b.)

A number of achronim have written that a super wealthy individual
("ashir muflag") is not bound by the 20% limit, because he has no fear
of becoming poor.

Kol tuv,
Moshe


------------------------------


Avodah mailing list
Avodah@lists.aishdas.org
http://lists.aishdas.org/listinfo.cgi/avodah-aishdas.org


End of Avodah Digest, Vol 1, Issue 3
************************************
Send Avodah mailing list submissions to
	avo...@lists.aishdas.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://lists.aishdas.org/listinfo.cgi/avodah-aishdas.org
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	avodah-requ...@lists.aishdas.org

You can reach the person managing the list at
	avodah-ow...@lists.aishdas.org

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Avodah digest..."