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Shavuot Self-Guided Torah Study Experience

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Shavuot Self-Guided Torah Study Experience The Orthodox Union’s Shavuot Self-Guided Torah Study Experience Created by Community Rabbis from across the country Compiled by Rabbi Yechiel Shaffer & The Synagogue Services Department of the Orthodox Union Editor's Note: Contained within this packet are 10 self-guided studies for an enjoyable and engaging Torah study experience. Each topic will offer a unique Torah study experience, with some of our authors offering more specific guidance, and other’s leaving the subject-matter more open to your reflection and interpretation. The essential style, structure submitted by each Rabbi has been maintained to offer a differentiated learning experience, and to celebrate the diversity of Limmud Torah approaches in Batei Kanessiyot across the country. Should you wish to submit any reflections, or ideas following the conclusion of Shavuot, please contact Rabbi Yechiel Shaffer ([email protected]), the editor/compiler of this issue. www.ou.org Index of Articles with categorizations of different style learning experiences: Why do we wave at the Shabbat Candles? by Rabbi Yechiel Shaffer, Orthodox Union and Pikesville Jewish Congregation, Maryland ● This study guide offers an array of Halachik sources to help shape an understanding to Shabbat candles. Analysis of the Role of the Oral Torah by Rabbi Elisha Friedman, Kesher Israel Congregation of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania ■ This is a study-guide written in an essay form, analyzing the reasons behind the structure of Torah requiring an Oral law. To Rebuke or Not to Rebuke: That is the Question by Rabbi Jonathan Muskat, Young Israel of Oceanside, New York ■ An examination of when to give rebuke and when not to, this article is a combination of self-guided study through the sources, with an in-depth conclusion. What Happened at Sinai? by Rabbi Hershel Becker, Young Israel of Kendall, Florida ■ Written in essay form, this study guide offers a number of different approaches to the events at Mt. Sinai. A Brief discussion of Tikkun Leil Chatzot by Rabbi Dovid Asher, Knesseth Beth Israel, Richmond, VA ■ This study guide presents the sources, and some major questions to consider further in light of the source’s comments. Why do we read Megillat Ruth on Shavuot? by Rabbi Dovid Kaplan, Congregation Ohav Zedek, Wilkes-Barre, PA ■ Written in Essay form, this guide offers a fresh approach on this ancient story. Measuring Success Jewishly by Rabbi Dr. Mordecahi Schiffman, Kingsway Jewish Center, New York ■ In analyzing ideas, this study guide offers varying perspectives on Jewish knowledge Re-examining Chavruta Learning in the Era of Social Distancing by Rabbi Dovid Zirkind, Riverdale Jewish Center, New York ● This study guide offers a fascinating approach on a number or ideas about Torah study Angels and Demons by Rabbi Avi Heller, Orthodox Union, New Jersey ● This study guide offers a unique understanding of humanity, through sources and guiding questions Out of This World: The Value of Higher Goals in Judaism By Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Incoming Executive Vice President, Orthodox Union ● ou.org Page 1 Waving at the Shabbat Candles: Why? By Rabbi Yechiel Shaffer, Rabbi, Pikesville Jewish Congregation, Regional Director, OU Midatlantic Introduction: There are two customs that relate to the beginning of Shabbat, that is specifically observed by women, and raise some significant questions about the observance of Shabbat and other Halachot. The custom for women to light candles, to welcome Shabbat, on Friday evening is far reaching, and widely observed. Major Questions on the practice to light Shabbat candles: ○ Why do we light these candles? ○ Why is there a custom to light 2 candles? ○ Why does Shabbat begin with the lighting of candles? ○ Why do women have the custom to wave their hands before the Neirot Shabbat? Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 263:2 חרוא יח םי סר ״ג:ב׳ An individual man or an individual women must have in .2 דחא אה ישנ ם ו דחא ה ישנ םח י םיבי םיבי י םח their houses an ignited lamp on the Sabbath; even if they have יהל תו םהיתבב רנ קולד תבשב יפא ' 'יאתש ודר התבת ה not what to eat they must beg at doors and take oil and light יא ן ול המ שלכאי לאו לע םיחתפה םיחתפה לע לאו שלכאי המ ול ן יא the lamp because this is within the generality Sabbath ולוחק ןמש קילדמו תא רנה הזש ללכבלכ .Enjoyment וע גנ תבש אוה : Questions to Consider: ○ According to the Shulchan Aruch is the purpose of Shabbat candles to add to the honor (Kavod) of Shabbat or the joy (Oneg) of Shabbat? ○ What do you think the differences are between Oneg and Kavod Shabbat? Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 263:1 חרוא יח םי סר ״ג:א׳ Be particular to make a beautiful candle and some have the היא ריהז תושעל רנ הפי ו שי וכמ ו נ םי םי נ ו וכמ שי ו הפי רנ תושעל ריהז היא intention to make two wicks one corresponding to Zachor תועלש יתש תוליתפ דחא נכ דג רוכז רוכז דג נכ דחא תוליתפ יתש תועלש and one corresponding to Shamor דאוח דגנכ :רומש This Shulchan Aruch explains why we have two Shabbat candles - to celebrate two features of Shabbat - Zachor and Shamor. Questions to Consider: ○ This explains the reason behind we have the custom to light two candles. Does it add anything to our understanding of the Kavod vs. Oneg Shabbat? ○ Is the Mitzvah to light Shabbat candles a fulfillment of Kavod Shabbat or Oneg Shabbat? Mishneh Torah, Sabbath 5:3 שמ נ ה הרות , כלה ו ת בש ת ה :׳ ג׳ The Sabbath lights should be lit during daytime, before קְצלַדַהמּ [לָרִי קְמְלִַהדי ִוֹםקדעבִּי י םְֹדוֹ ֶ םְֹדוֹ י ִוֹםקדעבִּי קְמְלִַהדי [לָרִי קְצלַדַהמּ ,sunset. This duty is assigned to women rather than men התִיﬠְשׁק .הַמַּחַ וָ מִשׁםְנ ﬠוֻּתְָצי דּלוֹ רָבַ הזָ ֶ הזָ רָבַ דּלוֹ ﬠוֻּתְָצי מִשׁםְנ וָ .הַמַּחַ התִיﬠְשׁק ou.org Page 2 .because women are usually at home doing housework וֹית ֵמר הןִ ָא ֲ נ ָשׁ לםיִ ְפ ישִׁ ֶה ֵ מן צת וֹיוְּ צת מן ֵ ֶה ישִׁ ְפ לםיִ ָשׁ נ ֲ ָא הןִ ֵמר וֹית Nevertheless, the man should caution them, asking them ַבּםוָבּתּ ןﬠתמְִהבּיה קֵ ְיתַבּאֲִכוָּסהלוֹ .ֶַתֶ ִ .ֶַתֶ ְיתַבּאֲִכוָּסהלוֹ קֵ ןﬠתמְִהבּיה ַבּםוָבּתּ about it, and telling them and the other members of his ְוַאף ַﬠל ִיפּ ְַלִהזָיהןר ֵןכ ִָציר[ ִָהיאשְַׁלהָהר household, every Friday before it gets dark: "Light the ְוִל רמאלהל כּןוּשׁ [ָנו יְֶﬠתלוֹ ל ֵןָוַַֹ קדְְַָּא ְֹב קדְְַָּא ֵןָוַַֹ ל יְֶﬠתלוֹ [ָנו כּןוּשׁ רמאלהל lights!" If it is doubtful whether darkness has already fallen רֵבּתוֹשׁתשׁﬠק ד חֶֹבםָבּיתּ ֶֶ[ֶֶַהשׁ וְּקלְַַד ִי וְּקלְַַד ֶֶ[ֶֶַהשׁ חֶֹבםָבּיתּ ד רֵבּתוֹשׁתשׁﬠק or not, whether the Sabbath has or has not begun, the lights תה .רסַנֶּא קשׁחפֵ הֲֵכְ ָוֵ סְשּׁהנִכְנ ַתסַבּ קַָפ ֵָ קַָפ ַתסַבּ סְשּׁהנִכְנ ָוֵ הֲֵכְ קשׁחפֵ .רסַנֶּא תה .may not be lit ֹל א ִכ נ נְ סַ ןיֵא ַדמ ְל ִ :ןיִקי Mishneh Torah, Sabbath 30:5 שמ נ ה הרות , כלה ו ת בש ת ל :׳ ה׳ One should spread his Sabbath table on Friday, even if he תףבּאשׁו ָבַַרְחﬠלבּשׁ נֻוֹא םד רדְְֶָּס ְֵֶַָָמ רדְְֶָּס םד נֻוֹא ָבַַרְחﬠלבּשׁ תףבּאשׁו requires no more than an olive's bulk of food; so too, he should שַׁﬠלפּ ִיא וֵֹנציֶ י[ָאר ֶאִללּ ְזִכָ ו.תיַ ֵןְכִ ֵןְכִ ו.תיַ ְזִכָ ֶאִללּ י[ָאר וֵֹנציֶ ִיא שַׁﬠלפּ set his table at the end of the Sabbath, even if he requires only לﬠ ףתבּאשׁו ַיְַחמוֹלבּשַׁאצ נֻוָֹסָ רדֵּ ְְְָמ ֵַ ְְ דּ ַַָָֻחוֹבַּצ תאול a minute amount of food, in order to honor the Sabbath both אלִּזדאכּכל יְ .צתְַי [ֵָרֶ נוָֹיִאשׁ ִֵֶי יִפּ יִפּ ִֵֶי נוָֹיִאשׁ [ֵָרֶ .צתְַי יְ אלִּזדאכּכל at its entrance and departure. One should also set the house in וִּנַוֹדבְּלככבּ יוֹתְסְ ִָ [רצו ת.אוְֹצי ִִָיִביָ ת.אוְֹצי [רצו order on Friday before sunset in honor of the Sabbath. A lamp תמםפּמ דְדְלבּבּקּוֹכִּינ ב וֹוֹעתוֹ ןַיֵ ִי ְְֵֵ ִי ןַיֵ וֹוֹעתוֹ ב דְדְלבּבּקּוֹכִּינ תמםפּמ should be lit, a table spread, and a bed properly arranged. All ו.ַתַהבּשּׁ ָ נהְיִהְי רדֶּ ולֵק [ָןﬠְחְֻלָשׁוּ ר ָוּ ר [ָןﬠְחְֻלָשׁוּ ולֵק רדֶּ נהְיִהְי ָ ו.ַתַהבּשּׁ .these are marks of respect for the Sabbath וּכלמֶלא ִהמֱטּ כּתַﬠשָֻׁצּ לֶַא וּללָּ וֹדבִכֵ ְ וֹדבִכֵ וּללָּ לֶַא כּתַﬠשָֻׁצּ ִהמֱטּ וּכלמֶלא ָהתַשׁבּ :ןֵ The Rambam offers some context to why women have adopted the custom to light the Shabbat candles. Questions to Consider: ○ What is the Rambam inherently saying about the role of these candles? ○ How would the Rambam classify the Shabbat Candles, as Kavod or Oneg Shabbat? Mishneh Torah, Sabbath 5:1 שמ נ ה הרות , כלה ו ת בש ת ה :׳ א׳ The lighting of Sabbath lights is not of free choice, to light or ָקְלַהד ]ת[ נ שׁרבַּ ְַתאבֵּ שׁהּתראֵניָ ָםוּ ִ ְִָוּ הּרֵי ְאֵשׁבּ ת קלה not to light as one chooses, nor is it the kind of religious ִַידלמק. ֵינוֹאְ ָָרצה ואם ִַיִדלְמק ָָרצהְ ִַיִדלְמק ואם ָָרצה ֵינוֹאְ ִַידלמק. performance that an individual is not called upon to make a ה ֲֶאחירָ ַ ְִלֹרדּף ַָיּחב ְָמוצה ֵֶשׁיאנוִֹ ְוֹלא ִ ְָמוצה ֵֶשׁיאנוֹ ַָיּחב ְִלֹרדּף ַ ֲֶאחירָ ה special effort to render, such as preparing an eruv in ַﬠדשׁ ֲַשׂﬠֶיּ בהֶכּנ ןְחוֹגֵﬠוָּר צאֵי וֹ רתֲ ֵוֹ רתֲ וֹ צאֵי ןְחוֹגֵﬠוָּר בהֶכּנ ֲַשׂﬠֶיּ ַﬠדשׁ courtyards or washing the hands before eating. It is rather a ייםד ְִנַיטִלַתָ זאהֲאכַלא ָל הֶהוִֹחביָלּ .ֶ ָ .ֶ הֶהוִֹחביָלּ ָל זאהֲאכַלא duty, binding on men and women alike; they are obligated to ְליהוֹת ִַָיּחיבןִ ְוֶָאחדִָנישׁם ֲִָאנישׁם ְוֶָאחד ֲִָאנישׁם ְוֶָאחדָ ִנישׁם ִַָיּחיבןִ ְליהוֹת have lamps burning in their homes on Sabbath eve. Even if וֹאא וּשׁפל תןבּלּ .י קתּבְִַָבֲֵּ ןלניוְּבּדּה ר ֵֵֶָָ ר ןלניוְּבּדּה קתּבְִַָבֲֵּ .י תןבּלּ וּשׁפל וֹאא one has nothing to eat, let him go begging at the doors, buy וֹהשׁיּהﬠא ֹלאלַמכ פּ ֵַל ָםוְחַַת ְֵחוִֹליק ַ ְֵחוִֹליק ָםוְחַַת ֵַל פּ ֹלאלַמכ וֹהשׁיּהﬠא oil, and light a lamp, forming an integral part of Sabbath ןֶֶשׁמ מוּ דַ לְ קיִ תֶ א נַּה רֵ זֶּשׁ הֶ כִ בּ לַלְ נֹ ע גֶ גֶ נֹ ע לַלְ כִ בּ הֶ זֶּשׁ רֵ נַּה תֶ א קיִ לְ דַ מוּ delight (oneg shabbath).
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