1 CROWN HEIGHTS ~January 11, 2008 כאן צוה ה’ את הברכה CommunityNewspaper פרשת בא | ד שבט, תשס”ח | WEEKLY VOL. I | NO 10 JANUARY 11, 2008 | SHEVAT 04, 5768 SPEC YUD SHEVAT IAL YUD SHEVAT EDITION ❖ The Histalkus of the Rebbe Rayatz Page 6 ❖ Yud Shevat and Its Lessons Page 8 ❖ Directives and Customs Page 8 6 Pages on Yud Shevat! Don’t miss our weekly columns and the continuing excerpt From Shedlitz to Safety Crown Heights.info Rabbi Yossi Jacobson dazzles the crowd at NIGHTLIFE with insights A Hero and a Heroine on shidduchim and marriage Page 24 UNDERGROUND SHOCHET RABBI UZIEL CHAZANOV NEVER GAVE UP A PROFILE OF HIS AMAZING LIFE Page 4 Mumme Mussia cooked for the bochurim with lots of love and devotion in London and New York RABBINICAL SPOT PAGE 2 Page 16 Mrs. Chana Ginsburg: Mission Impossible? Part 1 Page 12 Candle Lighting Jan. 11 Lighting Jan. 18 Lighting Brooklyn 4 : 30 Brooklyn 4 : 37 Yerushalayim 4:14 Yerushalayim 4 :20 Brooklyn, NY 11225 NY Brooklyn, This Week: (from Chabad.org) l According to Rabbi Judah (cited in the ירמי’ מ”ו ~ Kingston Avenue Kingston 390 Talmud, Bava Metzia 106b), Tevet 29 marks 390 the end of winter. הדבר אשר דבר l Community Passing of R. Yitzchak Kaduri (1898 /2006) Newspaper Talmid of “Ben Ish Chai” 2 CROWN HEIGHTS ~January 11, 2008 The Vaad Hakohol sidered as if he killed with his own hands. Rabbi Yitzchak From this we understand that killing Rabbi Segal on buying Israeli with Hashem’s name is not considered Raitport “death from heaven”? produce Member of the Bais Din of Crown By Rabbi Shlomo Segal as the Rambam states in the Laws of 3) The question becomes more difficult Heights Shmita and Yovel 6:5. Instead, one with the Rambam contradicting himself Member of the Bais Din of Crown should purchase them on credit or buy from what he writes in laws of Chovel and “He turned here and there, and (when) Heights them with other fruits that do not have Mazik 5:3: “A non-Jew who hit a Jewish he saw there was no person there, he hit the sanctity of Shmita, paying a sum total person is punished with death as it says, the Mitzri (Egyptian) and hid him in Question: Do for the non-Shmita fruits that takes into “He turned here and there . and he hit the sand”(Shmos 2:12). Rashi explains people who are account the total value of all the fruits the Mitzri.” From the Rambam’s words the words, ‘He saw there is no person’ living outside of (Havla). “he is punished with death”, omitting to mean that not one of the Egyptian’s Israel, where the the words “but he is not killed” [as he Also a person needs to treat and preserve descendants will convert to Judaism. Mitzva of Shve’is is writes in the above quote from Hilchos all the fruits with sanctity: “Something not applicable, need Melochim], seems that the Rambam has that is usually eaten cooked is not eaten The GRi”Z of Brisk asks: “If the Egyptian to be careful when the opinion [here] that he does receive raw, and something that is eaten raw is was to receive a death punishment, why purchasing fruits the death punishment. not eaten cooked” (Laws of Shmita and is there a need to verify whether any of and vegetables this Yovel 5:3). The leftover food that is still his descendants will convert?” Therefore, it seems we must answer year, a Shmita (Sab- edible needs to be preserved until it GRi”Z question in a different way: batical) year? perishes on its own and not thrown in The GRi”Z of Brisk explains with this TheR ambam’s words (in laws of Chovel the garbage. introduction: “Rashi explains on the Answer: There are many stores which and Mazik 5:3) relate to laws of the verse (2:14), ‘Do you want to kill me as sell fruits and vegetables that are shipped There are additional laws relating to Jewish nation and every Jew is obligated you have killed the Egyptian’-- from this from Israel. A person needs to be careful disposing the fruits. Shmita fruits can to conduct himself in accordance with we derive that Moshe killed the Egyptian not to buy these fruits this year or next only be eaten as long as fruits remain these laws. When a non-Jew hits a Jewish with Hashem’s name.” year. in the field. After this time period, the person, he surely is to be punished with fruits need to be disposed of. The question arises: Why? death, and it is permitted for every Jew Many people who have purchased fruits to kill the goy. This is also the reason that This could be answered with what the with a stamp “Jaffo” or “Carmel” have In summation: A person needs to be care- Moshe killed the Egyptian. Rambam writes (Laws of Melochim already turned to the Badatz inquiring ful to not buy raw fruits and vegetables 10:6): “A Non Jew who killed a Jew, even what they need to do. [Although it is in that are shipped from Israel this year and With this explanation, all the different if it was a child, although the non-Jew the beginning of the Shmita year, and next year. Regarding preserved fruits, commentaries which address how he is to be punished with death, he is not it is most probable that these fruits are fruit juices in cans, etc., a person needs killed the Egyptian, either with a fist or killed”. This means that he is to receive from the previous year’s harvest, which to be cautious every year (not just this with Hashem’s name, could be applied. death from heaven. This is also the mean- does not have a Shmita issue.] year or next year) and use only fruits The Egyptian was to be punished with ing of “Moshe killed him (the Egyptian) and vegetables and products that were in death for his criminal act. with Hashem’s name”. But the fruits that will be purchased in sealed cans or bottles with an appropri- the future, both this year and next year, ate hechsher from Rabbis that are very But the Rambam in (Laws of Melochim With this, it is clearly understood. Since need to have proper kosher supervision particular to only use fruits from the 10:6) writes, “He is not actually killed.” his death is from heaven, and in the death and a good hechsher from a reputable sixth year and not Shmita fruits. The reason for this is that the laws in this punishment from heaven, there is a Bais Din. Examples of reputable Bais chapter relate to the non-Jews. When a consideration for calculations. Therefore Dins include “Rabbi Landa”, “Badatz It is also the responsibility of the fruit non-Jew sees another non-Jew killing a Moshe needed to see if there will or will of Eda Hachareidis- Jerusalem”, “Chug and vegetable dealers not to sell these Jewish person, the non-Jew does not kill not be descendants who will convert to Chasam Sofer”, and “Rabbi Rubin”, all fruits because the main prohibition the killer. The reason for this is because Judaism” (quoted from the GRI”Z of of whom are very particular about the applies to the seller; therefore, all fruits a non-Jew is not obligated to kill his Brisk). Shmita laws and have advised to buy only coming from Israel need to have reliable friend unless he was sentenced in a court. fruits that are from the sixth year or from supervision—one should not rely only But all this applies only to non-Jews, as But to me it is still unclear: non-Jews. Otherwise, a person should on the general Rabbinate of Israel. mentioned. avoid buying fruits from Israel. 1) There is an opinion (ShmosR aba 2:12) “He (Moshe) went out on the second ❝In summation: A person that he killed him by hitting him with Regarding vegetables, there is a greater day and he saw two people arguing and his fist and not with Hashem’s name; stringency--the prohibition of “sfichim”. needs to be careful to he said to the wicked person: ‘Wicked therefore, the above mentioned question All vegetables that grow (“sprout”) on person why are you hitting your friend’”? not buy raw fruits and remains? their own or that are planted in the (shmos 2:13) Shmita year are forbidden to be eaten, vegetables that are shipped 2) It is quoted in the Talmud that when as the Rambam cites (Laws of Shmita Rashi, referring to the word “friend”, from Israel this year and one kills with Hashem’s name, it is con- and Yovel 4:3): “But the vegetables that explains “Rosho (wicked) like you” (that next year. Regarding most people plant....are forbidden from your friend is as wicked as you). our Sages, and one that collects them preserved fruits, fruit juices Newspaper receives a Rabbinic punishment.” Community The question arises: Our sages derive in cans, etc., a person 290 Kingston Avenue, from this verse that a person who raises Also, although fruits from a tree are needs to be cautious every Brooklyn, NY 11225 his hand to a friend is considered a rosho. 718 771 9000 permitted to be eaten (see Rambam, year (not just this year or How do we derive this point from the Published & edited weekly by the Vaad Hakohol ibid), a person does need to uphold the verse if the person that he raised his hand next year) and use only of Crown Heights.