1 CROWN HEIGHTS NewsPAPER ~June 20, 2008 כאן צוה ה’ את הברכה CommunityNewspaper פרשת שלח | יז' סיון , תשס”ח | בס”ד WEEKLY VOL. I | NO 31 JUNE 20, 2008 | SIVAN 17, 5768 Every Jew should act like the sun. Solar Energy in Jewish Thought Page 6 Is the Shadchan the only way ? Find out on Needle in a Haystack Page 6 Beis Din of Crown Heights 390A Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Tel- 718~604~8000 Fax: 718~771~6000 Rabbi A. Osdoba: ❖ Monday to Thursday 10:30AM - 11:30AM at 390A Kingston Ave. ☎Tel. 718-604-8000 ext.37 or 718-604-0770 Sunday-Thursday 9:30 PM-11:00PM ~Friday 2:30PM-4:30 PM ☎Tel. (718) - 771-8737 Rabbi Y. Heller is available daily 10:30 to 11:30am ~ 2:00pm to 3:00pm at 788 Eastern Parkway # 210 718~604~8827 ❖ & after 8:00pm 718~756~4632 Rabbi Y. Schwei, 4:00pm to 9:00pm at 796 Montgomery St. ☎ 718~773~3146 Rabbi Y. Raitport is available by appointment. ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 39 ☎ Rabbi Y. Zirkind: 718~604~8000 ext 39 Erev Shabbos Motzei Shabbos Rabbi S. Segal: ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 39 ❖ Sun ~Thu 5:30pm -9:00pm or ☎718 -360-7110 Rabbi Bluming is available Sunday - Thursday, 3 -4:00pm at 472 Malebone St. ☎ 718 - 778-1679 Rabbi Y. Osdoba ☎718~604~8000 ext 38 ❖ Sun~Thu: 10:0am -11:30am ~ Fri 10:am - 1:00 pm or 8:12 9:21' ☎ 718 -604-0770 Gut Shabbos Rabbi S. Chirik: ☎ 718~604~8000 ext 38 ❖ Sun~Thu: 5:00pm to 9:00pm 2 CROWN HEIGHTS NewsPAPER ~June 20, 2008 The Vaad Hakohol May one instruct a non-Jew on Shab- bos to wheel a baby carriage in the street? Dear Editor, I would like to add to the “Our Heroes” column of June 6th By Rabbi Shlomo Segal lenient in the eyes of people and they written by Reb Michoel Seligson, about the chosid Rabbi might begin doing work themselves. Michoel Dworkin, z”l. Member of the Bais Din of Crown As result of the above-mentioned three Reb Michoel lived in my grandparents apartment at 1018 Park Heights reasons, our sages are very stringent Place. In fact, that is where he passed away. My grandfather, regarding instructing a non-Jew to do Reb Menachem Mendel Maizes z”l and my grandmother Question: work for a Jew on Shabbos and have Basya Maizes a”h (daughter of Reb Meir Simcha Chein), instituted decrees: 1) Even when the welcomed him into their home. May one instruct non-Jew is doing the work on his own a non-Jew on for a Jew, although the Jew did not My mother, zol gezunt zein, Rebetzin Rivka Zajac, remem- Shabbos to wheel transgress any prohibition, the Jew is bers Reb Michoel walking into the apartment with just a a baby carriage not permitted to benefit from the work. small sack with all his wordly belongings in one hand and in the street when the parents want This also applies to Motzoei Shabbos his tallis and tefillin in the other hand. He walked through to visit friends or family and eat the that one cannot benefit from this work the apartment and chose the last bedroom for himself. He seudas Shabbos there or they wish until after the duration of time of the said: “Basske, dos iz mein tzimer.” to participate in a Bris, Bar Mitzva or work. For example, if the job was done My mother remembers his perpetual smile. He was like the something similar? in one hour, the Jew cannot benefit from zeide in the house, always singing and telling beautiful stories. this job until an hour after Shabbos, In fact, she often reminisces about that time in her life. Answer: because on another occasion, he might directly instruct the non-Jew to do this On Erev Shavuos of 1949, after having gone to the mikve, The prohibition of instructing a non- job for him (see Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Reb Michoel came back to the apartment holding cherries. Jew to do work for a Jew is explained Aruch 243:2). My grandmother was busy in the kitchen. The house was in great length in the Alter Rebbe’s spotless. Reb Michoel laid down on the couch and asked my Shulchan Aruch in many different TheA lter Rebbe also cites this concept mother to bring him a shissel. He was not feeling well and chapters including the comments in in Hilchos Yom Tov (chapt. 515:1), did not want to dirty the floors. He was very considerate and the footnotes. “The same applies on Yom Tov--our kind. My mother, who was 10 years old at that time, ran and Sages are concerned that if they will brought it to him. He started making throaty sounds. His Three reasons are given for this allow one to benefit from a non-Jew’s eyes and face turned upwards. My mother had the feeling prohibition: job done on Yom Tov immediately on that this is what happens before a neshomo goes back to its Motzoei Yom Tov, he might instruct source, and started to say shma yisroel. She felt awe and was 1) When a non-Jew does work for Jew, the non-Jew to do something for him afraid as his eyes rolled over, and then he went quiet. because he was instructed by him, it is on Yom Tov in order to have it ready considered as he is his shliach, emis- for Motzoei Yom Tov. Additionally, sary, and an emissary is considered as instructing a non-Jew has become very the person who has instructed him. casual and is treated lightly by people; Although, we do not use this prin- therefore, our sages have decreed not ciple according to Torah unless it is an to benefit from the jobs done until after instance of one Jew doing a something the time duration of the work, in order My mother ran into the kitchen to call her mother. My for another Jew, still our sages have one would not benefit from a job done grandmother ran to the living room, clasped her hands considered a non-Jew doing work for a on Yom Tov. together, started to cry and then phoned my zeyde to come Jew as a shlichus, serving as an emissary back from work. My zeyde came in with the chevra kadisha. for the Jew. We also find that our sages are stricter The tahara was done in the apartment. in this matter and even more than a pro- As there were no yorshim, my grandfather really wanted to 2) There is an allusion to this prohibi- hibition of Torah as stated in Shulchan keep the tefillin of this great tzaddik and chossid. He felt that tion on Shabbos and Yom Tov in the Aruch (chapt. 318:1): “When one cooks it should belong to him. Merkos Leinyonei Chinuch also had Torah (Shmos 12:16), “On Yom Tov on Shabbos or does other melochos, the an interest in the tefillin, but in the end it was decided that work should not be done”, implying that food is permitted to be eaten by other my grandfather should have them. even by someone else. If this prohibi- people on Motzoei Shabbos without He treasured these special tefillin tion is relevant on Yom Tov, it is surely waiting until after the time duration the rest of his life. effective also on Shabbos. of the work, although it was cooked for these people. But regarding the My mother always remembers Reb 3) In order that Shabbos should not be instructing a non-Jew to do work for Michoel fondly, and I am proud to a Jew--if we would allow him to use be able to give some insight into the Newspaper it immediately on Motzoei Shabbos, past column on this truly remark- Community there would be a suspicion that he might able chossid. instruct the non-Jew to do the work on 392 Kingston Avenue Shabbos in order in order that he would Brooklyn, NY 11225 have it ready for Motzoei Shabbos. Nechama Barber Published & edited weekly by the Vaad Hakohol Therefore, our sages have decreed that of Crown Heights. even when the job is done for others, Moshe Rubashkin, Rosh Hakohol one should wait until after the time Dr. Tzvi (Harvey) Lang, Chairman duration of the work. Rabbi Plotkin, Secretary in a shul. If it is through a karmelis, a should be stringent in our type of public Layout: SimplyUnique ([email protected]) specific domain, there are those who domain. Although 600,000 people do This also applies in an instance of a All material in this paper has been copyrighted. It permit carrying the child in order that not pass in it every day, it is considered is the exclusive property of this newspaper, unless Mitzva. In Shulchan Aruch (chapt. a large crowd could attend. a public domain from the Torah. And in otherwise attributed., and cannot be reproduced 306:5) is cited, “One is not allowed to without the consent of the publisher. a status of public domain, one cannot do work through a non-Jew even if it Composition responsibility: This newspaper will not Therefore, from all the above, it is permit it even if it was for the sake of is for the sake of a Mitzva and he was be liable for errors appearing in advertising, beyond obvious that instructing a non-Jew a Mitzva.” the cost of the space occupied by the error.