SHAAREI ORAH Newsletter the Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck • 1425 Essex Road, Teaneck NJ, 07666 • 201-833-0800 •
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בס״ד SHAAREI ORAH NEwSlEttER The Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck • 1425 Essex Road, Teaneck NJ, 07666 • 201-833-0800 • www.sephardicteaneck.org Zmanim & Services Rabbi Haim Jachter PARASHAT VAYETZE Rav Ben Zion Abba Shaul - The Quintessential Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva Friday Night A review of contemporary Sephardic Halacha is not complete without including the great Hacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul. Of the great Sephardic Poskim of the second half of the twentieth century, he may be regarded Shir Hashirim 4:10 pm as the quintessential Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva. In contrast to his peers, the three great Sephardic Poskim of his time, Rav Ovadia Yosef, Rav Shalom Messas and Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, Hacham Ben Zion did not serve as a Candle Lighting 4:19 pm longtime member of an established Beit Din. Rather, Hacham Ben Zion entered the iconic Sephardic Yeshiva Minha 4:20 pm Porat Yosef (located in Jerusalem’s Old City) at the tender age of eleven and never left until the day he left this world at the age of seventy-four. He also, unlike his peers, never served in an official rabbinic capacity. Rather followed by Kabbalat Shabbat / he died as the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Porat Yosef and this is what characterized him and established his Arvit specific niche in the world of Sephardic Halacha. Not surprisingly, the Sephardic Haredi community has a special affinity for Hacham Ben Zion’s rulings. For example, the Lakewood Yeshiva trained Rav Eli Mansour, Shabbat Morning a Haredi leader in the Syrian Jewish community of Brooklyn, New York very frequently cites and follows the rulings of Hacham Ben Zion. Shaharit 8:30 am Latest Shema 9:13 am A Stricter Approach in Halacha: In general, he adopted a stricter (and one might say less pragmatic) Minha 4:05 pm approach to Halacha than his peers as would typify one who spent his entire life in the Yeshiva. A case in point is the stance Hacham Ben Zion adopts towards the Heteir Mechirah. The Heteir Mechirah refers to the highly Arvit 5:03 pm controversial sale of Israeli farmland to sidestep the restrictions of the Shemittah year. While Rav Ovadia Yosef Havdala 5:13 pm (Teshuvot Yabia Omer 10 Yoreh Deah 37-43) vigorously defends the validity of the Heteir Mechira, Hacham Parent Child Learning 7:00 pm Ben Zion does not accept its validity (introduction to Teshuvot Ohr L’Tzion Hilchot Shevi’it). Although, Rav Ovadia notes that the Sephardic tradition of the past hundred years has been to uphold the validity of the Heteir, Weekly Schedule Hacham Ben Zion was very much influenced by the Hazon Ish, who strongly rejected the Heteir. Another example is Hacham Ben Zion’s firm insistence that males must wear a hat in addition to a Kippah during Birkat Shaharit HaMazon (Teshuvot Ohr L’Tzion 2:13:3). This contrasts with Rav Ovadia Yosef and Rav Yitzhak Yosef who believe that while it is preferable to do so, strictly speaking, it is not necessary. Sunday 8:00 am A Balanced Approach to Strictness: However, Rav Ben Zion did not always adopt the strict stance to Halachic issues. In fact, Rav Shmuel Khoshkermann reports that Hacham Ben Zion did not fully subscribe to Mon/Thu 6:20 am Rav Ovadia’s prohibiting married women from wearing a wig/Sheitel (see Teshuvot Yabi’a Omer, 5 Even Tue/Wed/Fri 6:30 am HaEzer number 5).Moreover, whereas a dominant approach in the Ashkenazic Haredi community is that the current generation must adopt a stricter approach than was done in prior generations, Rav Ben Zion does not subscribe to this approach. For example, while it is accepted within Ashkenazi circles to adopt a strict approach Minha/Arvit to folding clothes and Talit on Shabbat, Hacham Ben Zion sanctions following the accepted Sephardic custom to adopt the lenient approach to this matter (Teshuvot Ohr L’Zion 2:24:3-4). Another difference between Rav Ben Sunday 4:15 pm Zion and Ashkenazi Haredim is the relationship to non-observant Jews. For Sephardic Jews, family connections are overwhelmingly important and even Haredi Sephardic Jews will maintain warm connections with non- observant relatives (and vice versa). Thus, it is not surprising for Rav Ben Zion to permit giving an Aliyah to a non-observant relative at a family Simha (which would be anathema at an Ashkenazic Haredi event). Rich Disagreements with Rav Ovadia: Rav Ben Zion often disagreed with Rav Ovadia on a wide variety of topics. These disagreements serve as a springboard for rich Halachic analysis. A locus of the disagreements is Teshuvot Yabia Omer 9: Orah Haim 108 where Rav Ovadia devotes no less than 42 pages explaining at length no less than 195 (!) disagreements with Rav Ben Zion on a wide variety of issues. On a personal note, Rav Ben Zion was classmates with both Rav Ovadia and Rav Mordechai Eliyahu and maintained a warm relationship with both of his great peers throughout his lifetime. Conclusion: Tuvia Macklin, a thoughtful student at Torah Academy of Bergen County remarked to me that Moshe Rabbeinu’s humility convinces him of the authenticity of the Torah. It is fair to compare Rav Ben Zion Abba Sha’ul to Moshe Rabbeinu in this regard. Rav Ben Zion’s humility was stunning. For example, Rav Ben Zion never pushed to advance to the role of Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef and even declined the position when offered to him, while his Rebbe Rav Yehuda Tzadka remained alive. In addition, he declined to publish his Sefarim until he became seriously ill (introduction to the first volume of Teshuvot Ohr L’Zion). Hacham Ben Zion’s humility convinces me of his authenticity as a true Gadol (great Torah leader). His dignified endurance of his long years of illness bears witness as well to his tremendous and authentic devotion to Hashem, Torah and his many students (who have in their own right continue to make a major and ongoing contribution to the Torah world). The Sephardic community Congregation Shaarei Orah is an inclusive kehillah, all are welcome regardless of edah or level of observance. בס״ד SHAAREI ORAH NEwSlEttER The Sephardic Congregation of Teaneck • 1425 Essex Road, Teaneck NJ, 07666 • 201-833-0800 • www.sephardicteaneck.org rightfully takes enormous pride in Hacham Ben Tzion, who rightfully takes his place astride the great Sephardic Posekim of his time, Rav Ovadia, Rav Eliyahu and Ribi Shalom. Announcements Our heartfelt condolences to our member, Josh Murand on the loss of his uncle, Maurice Murad. Motzei Shabbat through Monday morning, Josh's father will be sitting shiva at 5445 Netherland Ave. Apt F24, Bronx NY 10471. We wish the entire Murad family Nehama and Besorot Tovot. Kiddush this Shabbat is sponsored by the Kiddush Fund. .ראובן ניסים בן משיח ,יצחק בן שמואל בנימין זאב Seudah Shelishit this shabbat is sponsored by sponsored by Joyce and Carmi Mizrahi in memory of their fathers Thank you to the Kiddush Fund for sponsoring Kiddush last week and thank you to Vivian and Ezra Ghazal for sponsoring Seudah Shlisheet last week. Our shul is once again participating in the 26th Annual Bergen County Chanukah Toy Drive. We are collecting new and unwrapped toys and gifts for children and young adults going through trying times. Please drop off your donations at the home of Douek Residence, 691 Ogden Ave, from now until Friday, November 23rd. Your donations will help us share the excitement of Chanukah with thousands of children and young adults. This is a great opportunity to involve your children in the mitzvah of tzedakah! This Motzei Shabbat will be the start of our popular Family Learning Program Torah, Great Prizes, Fun, Pizza, Friends All Parents and children are invited 7pm begin learning in Social Hall followed by Dvar Torah given by youth member and then raffle with prizes, pizza & friends time! ***We will start on time. Please arrive promptly! ***Great Opportunity to begin learning and exposing your child(ren) to the joy of Torah. No Age Limits. Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Grandparents, Uncles, and Aunts...all family members and friends qualify. For more information please contact Ehud [email protected]! Happy Birthday to Alain David Amar (9 Kislev), Michael Chernick (11 Kislev), Noa Cohen (Nov 17), Sophia Esses (Nov 16), Elimelech Pinchas Fink (12 Kislev), Dvir Levy (11 Kislev), Evyatar Levy (Nov 18). Come and participate in our wonderful classes. See details below. Shorashei Orah Father-Son Flag Football Game: SHAAREI ORAH GIANTS VS. JETS: Coming up this Thursday morning! Pre-game tailgating party starts at 10AM. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! Zumba for Girls and Fitness Dancing for Women/Teens are in session! Zumba on Thursdays at 530pm will continue for another 1 session. Fitness dancing on Mondays at 7pm will continue for another 5 sessions. All classes are held in our social hall. Come join the FUN!! Females only, no photography permitted. Shorashai Orah is most grateful for our women, especially the ones who get involved! See Erica Ohayon or email [email protected] if you are interested. Shaarei Orah Inaugural Dinner SAVE THE DATE: Dear Members and Friends, It is our pleasure to announce that the Inaugural Shaarei Orah Dinner will take place on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at 5:00pm at Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, New Jersey. We are very excited to recognize the exceptional dedication and meaningful contributions of our Honorees and Awardees. Our Dinner is also an opportunity to celebrate the past, present and future of our wonderful Synagogue and Sephardic community. We hope you will join us in expressing our gratitude to our outstanding Honorees and Awardees and to celebrating Shaarei Orah as the center of the Sephardic community in Teaneck.