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Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Katz Zt”L: the Daily Song of Miracles

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• NITZACHONניצחון Adas Torah Journal of Torah Ideas Dedicated in memory of Saeed Manoucheri יצחק בן אברהם זצ"ל VOLUMEVOLUME 5:2 5:2 • SPRING-SUMMER• SPRING-SUMMER 5778 5778 • •LOS LOS ANGELES ANGELES Nitzachon Adas Torah Journal of Torah Ideas Volume 5:2 Spring-Summer 5778 Adas Torah 9040 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90035 www.adastorah.org [email protected] (310) 228-0963 Rabbi Dovid Revah, Rav and Mara D’Asra Alan Rich, President Nitzachon Editorial Team Michael Kleinman, General Editor Yaakov Siegel, General Editor Yaakov Rich, General Editor Rob Shur, Design and Layout www.rbscreative.com VOLUME 5:2 • SPRING-SUMMER 5778 ראש וראשון Rabbi Dovid Revah: Why Shavuos is All About You ..................................................................................... p. 15 Rabbi Jason Weiner: Guest Contributor Is One Permitted to Daven in the Chapel at Cedars-Sinai? ..................................................................................... p. 19 שפתי ישנים Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Katz zt”l: The Daily Song Of Miracles ..................................................................................... p. 29 PESACH Rabbi Yaakov Siegel: Does the Ramban Really Believe There’s No Such Thing As Nature? ..................................................................................... p. 33 Michael Felsenthal: Sh’foch Chamascha: To Say, Or Not to Say? ..................................................................................... p. 49 Dr. Izzy Korobkin: Hallel: A Shira Of Sorts ..................................................................................... p. 55 Renina Lifshitz: Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters ..................................................................................... p. 59 Robert Millman: My Mother’s Greatest Gift ..................................................................................... p. 63 SEFIRAS HAOMER Yaakov Zuber: Sefiras Ha’Omer: A Mitzva of Constancy ..................................................................................... p. 71 J.D. Lifshitz: Making It Count: Getting the Most Out of Sefira ..................................................................................... p. 75 3 ניצחון • NITZACHON VOLUME 5:2 • SPRING-SUMMER 5778 SHAVUOS Eli Snyder: Sefiras Ha’Omer: Thoughts on Morality Part I ..................................................................................... p. 81 Zev and Daniel Wiesel: To Tree Or Not To Tree, That Is The Question: Decorating Our Shuls And Houses On Shavuos ..................................................................................... p. 89 Zack Glastein: Bikurim as an Exercise in Hakaras Hatov ..................................................................................... p. 93 TISHA B’AV Adiv Pachter: Achdus within Klal Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael: The Necessary Ingredient to Pleasing Hashem ..................................................................................... p. 99 Stephen Kirschenbaum: Traveling By Air On Fast Days ..................................................................................... p. 103 HALACHA AND MACHSHAVA Henry Manoucheri: The Invasion of Smart Phones in Our Lives ..................................................................................... p. 117 Dr. Morris Silver and Evan Silver: Health and Halacha ..................................................................................... p. 123 Dr. Michael Kleinman: Kashrus of Fish ..................................................................................... p. 131 Zac Grodzinski: Halacha L’Sha’a, Temporary Halachos: A Case Study in Peshuto Shel Mikra ..................................................................................... p. 137 ניצחון • NITZACHON 4 VOLUME 5:2 • SPRING-SUMMER 5778 Editors’ Preface With Hashem’s help, we are pleased to present you with Volume 5:2 of Nitzachon, our ninth volume since we’ve started way back in 2014. As you browse the table of contents, you’ll see the names of some familiar authors, including the four members who have contributed to all nine of the volumes. But you will also see the names of many first-time authors and new members to our shul. As akehilla , it has been especially gratifying to see so many new families joining the shul and right away jump into the pilpul chaveirim and serious Torah learning that has always been a hallmark of Adas Torah. Halevai vayter! Michael Kleinman Yaakov Siegel Yaakov Rich 5 ניצחון • NITZACHON VOLUME 5:2 • SPRING-SUMMER 5778 This edition of Nitzachon is dedicated l’iluyi nishmat Saeed Manoucheri יצחק בן אברהם זצ"ל ur late esteemed father, who left us four years ago during the first days of Chol Hamoed Pesach, had a lasting effect on my thought process and life’s goals and ideas. OHe was born in Hamedan (Shoushan), Iran, 88 years ago. Our grandfather was a merchant, businessman and a devout Jew and had a tremendous name in the community. Our father, Mr. Saeed Manoucheri, was one of the first thirty to forty Jewish Iranian young men who came to New York in the early 1950’s seeking a better western education. He graduated NYU in the mid-1950’s, returned to Iran and married my mother, Pari, who was only 16 years old. Shortly after, they moved to New York in search of a better life in America. After a third miscarriage, my Mom had me when she was only eighteen years old, and then had two more sons, Philip and Simon. Our father’s business endeavors rapidly progressed in Iran as he became one of the premier importers of cosmetic brands from the US and France. He built factories, retail stores, and distribution centers, and underwrote progressive advertisements in magazines, newspapers, television and movie theaters. He always loved traveling and was especially fond of America. In 1978, after living in Iran for another fifteen years and building a successful business, he moved us all to the US in pursuit of a better education for ניצחון • NITZACHON 6 VOLUME 5:2 • SPRING-SUMMER 5778 his children and to live the American dream. Unfortunately, in 1979, the Iranian Revolution caused a total loss of his business and properties. He had no choice but to start his life all over again from nearly zero. He was very proud and fond of his three sons who helped him start a new life and business, which led to a renewed life of comfort and success. All his sons became frum and got married and had families. He was always there for us as a beacon of hope and as a father who strongly believed in us. When I was a little boy, he took me around to enroll me in the best available Jewish elementary school in Tehran. I can never forget his famous words to all the principals: “Our Henry is a gifted young boy who will go to good places in life. He has a bright future. Please help him get there.” Little did he know that his dreams came true. We lost him when he was nearly 84 years old. In 2007 he retired. Our father left an incredible love for Torah learning which is carried forward by his family, a beautiful wife (who is a grandmother and great-grandmother today), three sons, fourteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. It is with great pride that we celebrate his life of achievements by dedicating this issue of Nitzachon to his everlasting memory. Henry & Lisa Manoucheri Tova, Avi, Aaron, Elisheva, Yosef, Tehilla, Yehuda and Estee With Shlomie Mosbacher, Shana (Klein) Manoucheri, Shua Schick His sons: Philip, & Simon Manoucheri plus his great-grandchildren Avrumi, Rachel, Yitzchak, Ahuva, Elisheva and Tinok ben Rachel Kein Yirbu March 2018 May his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren merit to be worthy of spreading Torah and mitzvot throughout the world to elevate his neshama in the Olam Ha’emet. 7 ניצחון • NITZACHON In loving memory of our Grandmother, Eva Hillel z”l הדס חיה בת דב בער ז״ל whose support of Torah, love for Israel, and dedication to family continues to inspire us everyday - and - In loving memory of our Grandmother, Althea Goldstein z”l, אלטע שולמית בת ברוך שאול הלו ז״ל whose infectious smile, love of life, and dedication to family we sorely miss. We miss you Savta and Grammy. • Daniel and Annie Nagel In Memory of Our Dear Parents שמואל בן יצחק ע"ה - Sydney Kleinman On his 22nd Yahrtzeit, 6 Nissan חנה בת באנדאט ע"ה - Ilse Kleinman On her 6th Yahrtzeit, 3 Iyar אפרים בן אליהו ליב ע"ה - Effie Gross On his 17th Yahrtzeit, 3 Nissan In Memory of Our Beloved ראובן ליב בן יצחק ע"ה - Dr. Ronald Kleinman On his 19th Yahrtzeit, 16 Tammuz חוה בת אברהם ע"”ה - Evie Kleinman On her 3rd Yahrtzeit, 28 Nissan May the inspiration from this journal be a zechus for their neshamos • Lesley and Brian Kleinman Dedicated in Loving Memory of Jacob Siegel יעקב בן צבי הלוי Rose Siegel שרה ראסא בת רפאל Manfred Raphael Lehmann רב מנשה רפאל בן החבר ר' חיים ופייגא Sara Anne Lehmann שרה בת ר' יצחק משולם פייש וחיה חנה איידל Jamie Lehmann חיים מנחם בן ר' מנשה רפאל ושרה • Yitzchok and Barbara Lehmann Siegel and Family Sponsored Anonymously לעילוי נשמת אבי מורי הרב שמואל קופל בן הרב שלום פנחס ז"ל • Daniel and Eileen Wohlgelernter ראש וראשון • Rabbi Dovid Revah Rabbi Jason Weiner Guest Contributor RaBBI Dovid Revah Why Shavuos is All About You RABBI DOVID REVAH • he gemara in Pesachim 68b says: הכל מודים בעצרת דבעינן נמי לכם, מאי טעמא יום שנתנה בה תורה TEveryone agrees that on Atzeres (Shavuos) you also need ‘lachem’ (material pleasure). Why is this so? Because it is the day that the Torah was given. There is a debate about how to fulfill themitzva of simcha on the yamim tovim of Pesach and Succos. One opinion requires a festive
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  • Rabbi Tanchum Cohen

    Rabbi Tanchum Cohen

    National Tragedies Rabbi Tanchum Cohen and Individual Rebbe, Yeshiva University High School for Boys Suffering Director / Rosh Chabura, The Undergraduate Chabura, Yeshiva University Assistant Director, Masmidim Program, Yeshiva University Assistant Rabbi, Congregation Beth Abraham, Bergenfield, NJ PORTAL TO PROFUNDITY:¹ A FIRST INTRODUCTION TO RAMBAM’S LETTER ON TECHIYAS HA-MEISIM, AND SOME OF THE DOORS IT OPENS TO EMUNA DEPTH ince the days of the Rishonim, The Narrative Background The thirteenth principle is techiyas ha- discussions of aveilus have often meisim. I have already explicated it above.6 One of the most direct formulations included a hashkafic look at life Earlier he also stated, succinctly and Safter death.2 The tragic experience of emuna principles throughout unambiguously, that techiyas ha- of personal loss and often mishna appears near the end of aveilus meisim is a cardinal principle of the Masseches Sanhedrin, in which the awaken many questions about the Jewish faith: details of the postmortem state of the first individual identified as losing ּותְחִ יַת הַמֵתִ ים הוא יסוד מיסודי תורת משה -neshama, as well as the specifics and his footing in Olam ha-Ba, the world רבנו עליו השלום, ואין דת ולא דבקּות בדת reality of techiyas ha-meisim, the future to-come, is one who denies techiyas יהודית למי שלא יאמין זה ... :resurrection of the deceased. ha-meisim, future resurrection Techiyas ha-meisim is a cardinal ואלו שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא: האומר אין A particularly intriguing conversation 5 principle of Toras Moshe, a necessary תחיית המתים, … on this topic appears in a lengthy belief for one who wishes to subscribe to letter3 penned by Rambam in 1190- The following have no portion in the the Jewish religion.