יום חמישי, י״ח חשוון תשפ״זThursday, October 29, 2026
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By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
A Matter Of Resolve ‘The One Who Searches Recites A Berachah’ (Pesachim 7a)
Andrew Connor was not born Jewish. He grew up in the Midwest, with almost no Jews around, so Judaism was the farthest thing from his mind. In the course of his military career, though, his unit was served by a Jewish chaplain, Rabbi Hillel. After being seriously wounded and coming close to dying, Andrew had numerous opportunities to discuss the meaning of life with Rabbi Hillel.
Question: When called to the Torah for an aliyah, may one recite the berachot silently?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Out Of The Box ‘All May Enter The Heichal To Build, Repair…’ (Eruvin 105a)
As we start Pesachim in the study of Daf Yomi, we see that the Torah commands us to remove leavened bread, chametz, on Erev Pesach, in order to ensure that chametz will be neither seen nor found on our premises during the Yom Tov. The removal of chametz is achieved either by renouncing one’s ownership over it, bitul, or by physically destroying it, biyur. The rabbis established a procedure that combines both bitul and biyur.
Noam had been driving his Toyota Camry for ten years and decided it was time to sell. The car was in good condition overall, but its age was beginning to show. There was a slow leak in the water, which had to be added to once a month; the padding on one of the seats was wearing through; the car had been in two accidents and the trunk door had been replaced; a seat belt was missing’ there were assorted dents and scratches on the outside; the tires and break pads were showing signs of wear and would soon have to be replaced; and the air conditioning was not as powerful as it used to be and there was a rattling sound when it was turned on, but Noam wasn't sure if there was a real problem there.
"I saw an advertisement for group swimming lessons during the summer," Mr. Leiner said to his wife. "I think it would be good for our Pinchas."
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin ‘Transgressing Bal Tigra’ (Eruvin 100a)
According to biblical law, once an area has been converted in to a reshut hayachid by enclosing it with a halachically acceptable eruv, one may carry inside the enclosed area. But according to rabbinical law, it is simply not enough to enclose an area in which one wants to carry with an eruv. This alone will not permit carrying from the home into the street or vice versa. Neither will it alone permit carrying from a condominium apartment into the lobby or other common areas.
Yidsville had a small but dedicated Jewish community. There was one Orthodox synagogue, led by Rabbi Well, a day school, women's mikveh, kosher butcher shop, pizza store and restaurants.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Elevated Train Tracks And Eruvin (Eruvin 94b)
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Whose Fridge? ‘If the Owner Retains a Holding There’ (Eruvin 85b)
Tradition has it that a bat kol declared that we follow Beit Hillel’s rulings over those of Beit Shammai.
Samuel Scherr was a very successful businessman. He also was generous and would share of his wealth with others. In this way, he became the uncle of favor to his nieces and nephews, whom he would frequently shower with gifts.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Detached Or Unrelated ‘He Made An Asheirah Tree Into a Ladder…’ (Eruvin 78b)
One of the thirty-nine prohibited melachot on Shabbat is carrying an object from a private domain, reshut hayachid, to a public domain, reshut harabim, or carrying an object a distance of four amot, six to eight feet, in a reshut harabim. The Torah does permit, however, carrying within the reshut hayachid itself. The definition of a reshut hayachid and a reshut harabim is crucial, therefore, to the laws of carrying on Shabbat.
Question: The Midrash notes that the song the Jews sang after they crossed the Red Sea (“Az Yashir”) was unique; its likes had never been heard before in the world. Our Sages even refer to it as a shirah chadashah, a “new song.” What made “Az Yashir” so unique and in what sense was it a “new song”?
In order to carry from one's home into the street (even when the area is enclosed by a properly constructed eruv), the eruvin ceremony must be performed. This ceremony involves the placing of food in one designated home on behalf of all Sabbath observers in the enclosed area. In order for the eruvin ceremony to be valid, however, it must be performed on behalf of all owners of streets and homes in the enclosed area.
Hymie was visiting Israel and enjoying an afternoon with his grandchildren in the park. After pushing them on the swings and watching them slither down the slides, he went to sit down on a bench in the corner of the park.
Question: On Friday night the chazzan in many shuls ascends the bimah for Kabbalat Shabbos but goes to the amud starting for Barchu. Why?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Summer Eruvin ‘A Separate Contribution From Each’ (Eruvin 72b)
Question: Is there anything special that one should do on Yom Yerushalayim?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Spreading the Wealth ‘Giving to Only One Poor Person’ (Eruvin 63a)
The purpose of the eruv is to enclose on all sides the area in which one wants to carry, so that it becomes a private domain, a reshut hayachid. If the area in question is a karmelit, a space that qualifies neither as a public domain nor as a private domain, gaps in the eruv structure may be bridged by means of a constructive or symbolic doorway called tzurat hapetach. A tzurat hapetach is made up of two posts, each called a lechi, and a crossbeam or overhead wire called a korah.
The winter was over, and the days began to get longer and warmer. The sun shone brightly in clear skies, grass and flowers were blooming, and the trees were producing layers of green foliage.
Question: Upon the birth of a son, common custom is to hold a Shalom Zachor on Friday evening for family and friends. But what about the birth of a girl? Some Modern Orthodox families hold a Simchat Bat on Friday night, but there doesn’t seem to be a source for this in Jewish literature. Are these Jews acting properly?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
A Sage View ‘It Needs A Partition To Divide It’ (Eruvin 47b-48a)
Pleasantville was a quiet suburban town with large properties and curving roads that wound around them. Mr. Feder lived just behind the local shul. Since the road wound around his property, people coming to shul on Shabbos would often take a shortcut through his property to walk to shul. The treaded area of earth marked the place where people made their way weekly. The through traffic did not bother Mr. Feder, as his house was on the other end of the property. He never made a fuss about it, but had never officially sanctioned this public shortcut.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Twin Cities ‘A City Is Given A Karpif’ (Eruvin 57a)
Betzalel was a "fix-it" man who enjoyed carpentry as a hobby. He did many home improvements himself, which he found both economical and enjoyable. He was now building a swing set for his children, happily sawing, drilling, hammering, and bolting the pieces.
Question: Why do we interrupt sefirah mourning on Lag B’Omer? When a person observes a personal mourning period (for the loss of a loved one), he never takes a “break” no matter what. Why should sefirah be different?
“On Shabbat, every person must remain in his residence,” said Moshe to the people, forbidding them to walk more than a certain distance beyond their desert encampment. This distance, which measures two thousand amot – about two thirds of a mile – is known as techum Shabbat. It is the same distance that stretched from the perimeters of the Levite cities to their outlying suburbs.
Question: Why do we interrupt sefirah mourning on Lag B’Omer? When a person observes a personal mourning period (for the loss of a loved one), he never takes a “break” no matter what. Why should sefirah be different?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
An Early Navigational Instrument ‘Rabbi Gamliel Used His Tube To Measure…’ (Eruvin 43b)
In the movie “The Paper Chase,” a Harvard student rips out a page of the law report so that his fellow student will be unable to read it and will come to the lecture unprepared. About 2,000 years earlier a student lay feverishly ill in the academy of Rabbi Akiva in Bnei Brak. So caught up were the other students in the competitiveness of their learning that they found no time to visit him or take care of him. As the student lay dying, Rabbi Akiva himself entered the sick room, fed him, made him comfortable and swept the dust from the floor. The sick student survived. His peers did not.
For a number of years Mrs. Baum hadn't worked but instead stayed home watching her young children. As their youngest child approached pre-school age, she decided to enter the work force again. Half a year before she planned to return to work, she began sending out resumes, networking and speaking with potential contacts.
"Tonight is Bernie's birthday," Jeremy said to his friend, Adam. "We're planning a surprise birthday party for him. Would you like to join?"
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Just Like Carrying In A Karmelis ‘Tithing When Night Falls’ (Eruvin 36a)
Question: Is it preferable to pray at great length or with much brevity?
Football’s 49ers rarely drop the ball. But how many of us make it through 49 nights from the second night of Pesach all the way to Shavuot without losing count? Sometimes we never even make it to the first yard line. We are so busy preparing for second night Seder that we miss evening prayers in shul and forget to count Day One.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Ready And Able ‘Unripe Dates Are Unsuitable For An Eruv’ (Eruvin 28)
Question: When a person buys tefillin, the shel yad often comes with a cover within the cover, which many people leave on during davening. Is this proper?
Congregation Toras Yisrael decided to hold a learning program on Friday morning, Chol Hamoed Pesach. Two weeks before Pesach, the gabbai in charge of the program discussed possible guest speakers with the shul rabbi, Rabbi Brick.
What is chametz? What are the various categories of chametz? Does the prohibition of chametz on Pesach apply also to non‑food products? Can medication containing chametz be taken on Pesach? Can vitamins produced with no Pesach supervision be used? What about liquid medicine such as cough mixture? Can non- supervised body soap or liquid detergent be used? What about toothpaste? May one use rubbing alcohol? May one eat egg matzah?
Taste is everything – ta’am ke’ikar. The taste of forbidden food is treated in halacha as the forbidden food itself and is equally forbidden. If the taste of forbidden food has been absorbed into a cooking vessel, such a vessel may not be used on Pesach unless it undergoes a process known as hechsher or hagalat keilim - popularly referred to as kashering.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
A Gadol’s View Confirmed ‘Majority Rules’ (Eruvin 16a)
Question: May one use grape juice for the arba kosos?
Mr. Lazer ran a successful restaurant. He employed close to twenty people: a chef, cooks and a baker; waiters and waitresses; supply and maintenance personnel; and two cashiers. At the end-of-year accounting, something seemed amiss. There was a small but noticeable discrepancy in the cash receipts of his enterprise. In the following semi-annual account, a similar discrepancy was noted.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
The Kotel And The Mall ‘Sratya u’Platya’ (Eruvin 7a)
Question: Does it matter where one pauses when one recites the daily prayers?
“You must sanctify yourselves and be holy,” the Torah tells us, “for I, the Lord your God, am holy.” The service of God in our lives should simulate the service of God in the Temple. Just as the kohen, the priest, was required to enter God’s Temple in a state of taharah, spiritual cleanliness, we are required to enter God’s world in a state of taharah.
Visiting the sick, bikur cholim, is one of the mitzvot listed in the prayer “Eilu devarim she’ein lahem shiur” – “These are the things that have no measure.” According to our sages, the Torah itself stresses the importance of bikur cholim in several places.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Waiting For Kiddush ‘Mazal Bears No Influence…’ (Shabbos 156a)
Question: Must a Jew’s tzitzit strings hang on the outside of his pants?
"Look at this sefer," Yoel said to his friend Menashe. "It's written by Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, zt"l." "I've seen that sefer," replied Menashe. "It's very good. I was thinking of buying it." "That's not all," added Yoel. "Look inside..." Menashe opened the sefer. Inside he saw a signed inscription by Rav Eliyahu. "Wow! How did you get an inscribed copy?" he asked.
If you took a bus to synagogue on a rainy Shabbat or Yom Tov day, with umbrella in hand, would that be OK? There is no melachah involved because you are not driving. There is no amira le’nochri (asking a non‑Jew to perform a melachah on your behalf) involved because you are not asking the non‑Jew to drive for you. He is driving of his own accord for other non‑Jews. There is no violation of techum Shabbat (the prohibition not to travel on Shabbat or Yom Tov more than 2,000 amot beyond one's residence), because the bus travels only in the city.
The Golds were planning a two-week vacation. Mrs. Gold did not want to travel with her jewelry, but was concerned about leaving it in their apartment while they traveled.
Question: The Talmud (Ta’anit 29a) notes that we should be more joyous starting from the beginning of Adar. Does this period of joy continue after Purim?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Out On A Limb ‘One May Reset A Fracture’ (Shabbos 148a)
Question: Why did Mordechai refuse to bow to Haman, thus endangering the entire Jewish people? Couldn’t he have simply fled Shushan?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Treifa Cow’s Milk? ‘A Toldah Of Dash’ (Shabbos 144a)
If you eat mayonnaise with everything, or you attended Breuers, or you wash your hands before Kiddush, you are probably of German Jewish descent. The first two inferences are understandable. Where does the third one come from?
"Today we will continue learning about oaths," Rabbi Dayan began his shiur. "Does anyone remember what we learned last lesson? How many cases are there in which the Torah imposes an oath in beis din?"
Just because God has given us a weekly lifetime subscription to paradise, we should not take Shabbat for granted. No gift should go unacknowledged and no giver should go forgotten.
"Today we will learn about oaths," Rabbi Dayan announced to his shiur. "There are many sugyos [passages] in the Gemara that deal with imposing an oath."
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Circumcised At The Hand Of Heaven? ‘A Drop Of Blood Must Be Taken’ (Shabbos 135a)
Question: When may a Jew rely on Hashem and when must he engage in activities to secure his own needs?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Damsel In Distress ‘A Woman In Labor Is Considered Critically Ill’ (Shabbos 129a)
Avrumi perused the signs posted on the bulletin board of his yeshiva. He had seen most of the notices before, so he glossed over them quickly. Then he saw a new sign posted by the office: "We have arranged a 10% discount for our talmidim at the local seforim store. Please register at the store to get your discount card."
Question: What should someone do if he forgot to say Ya’aleh V’yavo in Shmoneh Esreh?
If you yourself may not perform a melachah, you may not ask a non-Jew to perform it for you. This is true both for biblically prohibited acts, melachot de’oreita, and rabinically prohibited acts, melachot de’rabbanan. This applies even if the non-Jew was instructed before Shabbat to perform the melachah on Shabbat.
Question: Is it proper to recite prayers for a non-Jewish government during davening?
A group of fifth-grade boys was playing ball in the park one afternoon. Yosef zoomed into the park on his rollerblades, with a broad smile on his face.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Neighbors To The Rescue ‘He May Tell Others: Come, Save For Yourselves’ (Shabbos 121a)
There is also an additional category of muktzah, applicable mainly to food on Yom Tov, known as muktzah mechamat hachana, which means muktzah because one had no intention on Erev Yom Tov to eat such food on Yom Tov.
"We're flying to Israel tonight for a month to visit our children who live there," Mr. Hirsch told his neighbor, Mr. Feiner.
Sunday. Many of us do not go to work. There is, however, so much to do at home. How many of us have the self-control to make Sunday a voluntary day of rest and refrain from balancing our checkbooks, paying our bills, clearing out the attic, or mowing the lawn?
Question: Many chazzanim say the words “ga’al yisrael” before shemoneh esrei quietly. Is this practice proper?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
The Carpenter’s Folly ‘All Holy Writings…Require Geniza’ (Shabbos 115a)
Whereas a person may not cook food on Shabbat, there is no biblical prohibition against food cooking itself on Shabbat. Therefore a person may place raw meat in a pot on Friday afternoon Erev Shabbat before sunset and allow it to cook through until the following day for the Shabbat lunch meal.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
By All Means Rescue! ‘If One Removes A Fish From The Sea’ (Shabbos 107b)
Outside the beis medrash of Yeshiva Gedolei Yisrael, Mr. Gross sold framed pictures of many gedolim. Dani loved to stand and admire the pictures as he walked in and out of the beis medrash. Looking at him were the Sages of the previous generation: Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt"l, Rav S.Z. Auerbach, zt"l, Rav Y.S. Elyashiv, zt"l, and many others.
Question: Should one stand or sit during chazarat hashatz?
Dan and Shai were standing in the train station. They had just finished a shopping spree and each carried a bag, which they put down next to them. "I got a gift for my parent's anniversary," said Shai. "It cost quite a lot, but it's a very special occasion."
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
A Murky Dispute ‘Water Does Not Affect Its Status’ (Shabbos 100a)
Question: Must one wear a hat during Shabbat meals?
One may not bathe in, wash or shower with water heated on Shabbat. Whether one may perform these activities with water heated before Shabbat is debated by Rav, who maintains that one may wash one’s entire body, limb by limb, in such water, and Shmuel, who maintains one may only wash one’s face, hands and feet in such water.
Rabbi Dayan received a phone call from his nephew, Rabbi Federman, who had recently taken his first position as a pulpit rabbi. "Sholom aleichem," Rabbi Dayan greeted him. "How is the new Rav managing?"
Question: What is the purpose of reciting korbanot in the morning?
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Satisfaction Guaranteed ‘The Divine Presence Rests Only On One Who Is Wise, Strong…’ (Shabbos 92a)
Mr. Farber looked out his kitchen window and admired the snow all around. It had piled up during the night, covering everything with a beautiful blanket of white. While he was eating breakfast, Yaakov and Elisha knocked on his door. "Do you want your snow shoveled?" asked Yaakov.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Size Is Indicative Of Importance ‘He Took Out Wood to Cook an Egg…’ (Shabbos 89b)
Question: Must a bar mitzvah boy buy a mirror to ensure that his tefillin are perfectly center on his head?
Yaakov had spent Shabbos at his yeshiva for a few weeks running. "Don't forget to bring your suit in to the cleaners," said his mother, before he returned home. "It's been a while since it was cleaned."
Many years ago, I was offered two rabbinical positions. One was to serve as assistant rabbi at a prominent congregation in Manhattan. The other was to start a new Orthodox congregation in West Orange, New Jersey.
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
Sow The Seeds Of Repentance ‘This Potted Plant’ (Shabbos 81b)
"A bunch of us are getting together on Motzaei Shabbos for a Chanukah party," Shraga told his friend Pinchas. "Would you like to come?"
By Rabbi Yaakov Klass and Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum
A Matter Of Intention? ‘The Primary Labors Are Forty Less One…’ (Shabbos 73a)
Using one’s creative powers seven days a week may lead one to believe in oneself as a Creator. This danger is averted in Judaism by the institution of Shabbat, during which one refrains from melachot. Melachot are defined by my father, Dayan Grunfeld, zt”l, in his book on the Sabbath, as acts that demonstrate one’s mastery of the world by means of the constructive exercise of one’s intelligence and skill. For just one day a week, we are asked to lay aside our skills and acknowledge the real Creator.
October 30, 2026 
