Q & A
SHAVUOS
If I stay up all night on Shavuos,
may I make the morning brachos when I daven shacharis?
- The brachas of Elokay Ne'shama & Ha'maavir Shayna shouldn't be said if one is up
all night. The same is true for the Birchat Ha'Torah. - However, many authorities allow these brachos to be recited even if you just dozed off
for a very brief period (a minute or two). - Another suggestion offered is that one person should sleep for a brief period & then
recite these brachas out loud for everyone else to listen to them & have it deemed as if
they said it by having listened to the brochas being said. - These matters are discussed in M.B.O.C. 47:28 & in S.T.O.C. 46:12
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Is there a requirement to eat meat at each Yom Tov meal?
- Rambam (Y.T. 6:18) rules that the Mitzvah of Simchat Yom Tov is fulfilled through
consumption of meat & wine. - Beit Yosef (529:2) notes, however, that the Talmud (Pesachim 109a) applies this
only during the time of the Beit HaMikdash, while nowadays wine alone suffices.
- Sha’agat Aryeh (Siman 65), suggests that Simchat Yom Tov is fulfilled by what is
subjectively considered enjoyable by each person.
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Why do people have a custom to eat dairy foods on Shavuot?
- Olelot Efraim (Ma’amar 141) offers that eating dairy on Shavuous parallels the Talmud’s
(Eiruvin 52b) comparison of learning Torah to a baby suckling milk: just as a baby always
finds a new & sweet taste in the milk, so too, the learner should always experience a new
& sweet taste of Torah - Rabbi Moshe Isserles, the Rama, (O”C 494:3) records the well known custom to eat
dairy foods on Shavuot.
1. The Rama suggests that this custom developed to remember rhe unique sacrifice
offered on Shavuot which consisted of two loaves of bread.
2. Thus we begin our Yom Tov meal with one loaf of bread & dairy foods & subsequently
bring out a new loaf of bread to accompany the meat food - The Mishnah Berurah explains a different reason for the custom.
1. He writes that when Moshe came down from Sinai & gave the Jewish people the Torah,
the Jewish people were suddenly confronted with the laws of Kashrut including the
intricate laws of preparing Kosher meat which can often take a great deal of time to
prepare.
2. While the necessary & lengthy preparations were underway, Bnai Yisrael consumed milk products which were more readily available
3. Thus we eat dairy foods on Shavuot to remind ourselves of the foods the Jewish people
ate immediately upon receiving the Torah.
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Does one have to eat an entire Milchig meal?
- It is enough to have one dairy food.
- And it is then possible to wash out one's mouth, wash one's hands & clean the table &
have a Fleischig meal (Or Le-Tzion 3:196). - The Steipler Gaon would only have a Milchig meal at night (Orchot Rabbenu vol. 1,
p. 98).
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It is preferable to eat meat at the Yom Tov meals.
While some consider this to be an obligation,
others hold that there is no technical requirement to do so.
- The Rambam Yom Tov 6:18) rules that the Mitzvah of Simchat Yom Tov is fulfilled
through consumption of meat & wine. The Beit Yosef 529:2 asks why the Rambam
codifies the consumption of meat on Tom Tov when the Gemara (Pesachim 109a
states clearly that the mitzvah of Simcha is fulfilled through eating meat only during
the time of the Beit HaMikdash, while nowadays the mitzvah is fulfilled through wine alone. - Accordingly, the S”A 529:1 writes that one must have wine at each Yom Tov meal &
makes no mention of the consumption of meat. - The Eliyah Rabba 529:6 & Bei’ur Halacha 529 s.v. Keitzad explain that Shulchan Aruch intentionally omitted the obligation to eat meat because of his question in the Beit Yosef.
- The Yam Shel Shlomo (Beitzah 2:5) answers the Beit Yosef’s question by reinterpreting
the Gemara to mean that nowadays, one must have wine in addition to meat, as opposed
to the times of the Beit HaMikdash when one could fulfill the Mitzvah through meat without
wine. Thus, Mor U’Ketziah 529, Kitzur S”A 103:7, Aruch HaShulchan 529:5 & Chazon Ovadia Yom Tov, p. 319) rule that it is an obligation to eat meat on Yom Tov. - The Bach 529, explains that although there is no obligation to eat meat nowadays, there
still is a mitzvah to do so & one would fulfill the Mitzvah of Simcha thereby. The Magen Avraham 529:3, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 529:7, Mishna Brurah 529:11 & Kaf
HaChaim 529:28 agree. - See also the Sha’agat Aryeh (Siman 65), who argues that Simchat Yom Tovdoes not
obligate one to eat meat in particular; rather, it is fulfilled by what is subjectively considered enjoyable by each person (see Pesachim 109a). Birkei Yosef 529:4 agrees. Darkei Teshuva 89:19 quotes Rav Chaim of Sanz as disagreeing with the Sha’agat Aryeh.
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It is preferable to have meat both at the nighttime
& daytime meal of Yom Tov.
Those who have a practice to eat one dairy meal,
however, have what to rely on.
- The Darkei Teshuva (89:19) mentions a number of minhagim:
A. Some people eat only dairy on Shavuot in order to fulfill the minhag. The Darkei
Teshuva disapproves of this practice because he accepts the view of the Rambam
that there is an obligation to eat meat on Yom Tov..
B. Some people eat dairy for the nighttime meal and meat for the daytime meal.
C. Such was the minhag of the Steipler (Orchot Rabbeinu v. 2 p. 98). - The Darkei Teshuva comments that this is reasonable according to the Sha’agat
Aryeh’s (Siman 68) view that Simchat YomTov is only d’rabanan at night; however,
others disagree with the Sha’agat Aryeh.
- Otzrot Yosef (Rav Dovid Yosef 13:7) quotes this as a minhag.
- Rav Hershel Schachter (Bikvei HaTzon p. 81) suggests that Simchat Yom Tov
follows the schedule of Korbanaot for which the night follows the day, implying that eating
meat for Simchat Yom Tov does not apply the first night. Therefore, he said (oral
communication) that if one enjoys dairy, one may have a dairy meal for the night of Yom
Tov. This approach is supported by the Sfat Emet (Sukkah 48a), who writes that Simchat
Yom Tovv can be fulfilled with one meat meal, either during the night or day. B agrees with
this reasoning. - Tangentially, Rav Ovadia Yosef in Meor Yisrael (Beotzaj 36b v. 2p. 313) writes that Shulchan Aruch 546:3 might also hold that simcha at night is only derabbanan. Pitchei Teshuva YD 341:13 quotes the VShav Hakohen 95 who argues that there is a mitzvah
of simcha deoritta even at night. He proves his contention from Rambam (Chagiga 2:13)
unlike the Maharik ad loc. Rashbam (Pesachim 108b s.v.yedey yayin yatzah (1) implies
that he agrees with Rambam(Pesachim 108s.v. yedey yayin yatzah (2)) implies that he
agrees with Rambam. - Some eat a dairy meal & then a meat meal. The Torat Chaim Chullin 83a writes that it is
better to abrogate the minhag of eating dairy rather than have meat after eating dairy,
which is forbidden according to the Zohar. The Darkei Teshuva responds that in order
to fulfill this minhag, one may be lenient against the Zohar. Mishna Brurah 494:16 notes
that one need not make Birkat HaMazon as long as he cleanses his mouth with bread
& water as well as washes his hands (S”A Y D 89.2). - Some eat a dairy Kiddush, wait an hour & then have a meat meal. The Darkei Teshuva
finds this to be the most preferable minhag.
Why is the Book of Ruth read on Shavuos?
- Ruth, a Moabite woman who wished to join the Jewish people, describes the essence of
what it means to be a Jew.
- She accepted Judaism with the simple statement, 'Your people shall be my people & your
God my G-d.' - Her devotion is considered a model for a Jew’s loyalty to the Torah.
- King David, a descendant of Ruth, was born on Shavuos & he died on Shavuos.
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As a Moabite, why was Ruth allowed to convert to Judaism, given
the biblical injunction against accepting converts from the Moabite nation?
- The Torah does not exactly forbid a Moabite to convert, only to 'enter the assembly of God' (Deut. 23:4).
- This is understood by the Talmud to mean that they may not marry a pedigreed Jew
(Yevamot 77b). - Thus, a Moabite may in fact convert, but may not subsequently marry into the Jewish people, but must rather marry another convert or a Jew of poor lineage.
- Although a Moabite may personally become Jewish & observe the mitzvot, as a result of
the historic cruelty they showed to the Jewish people, the Torah did not permit their truly becoming a part of the nation (v. 5). - The question is not how Ruth could have converted, but how she could have subsequently married Boaz.
- In fact, Ruth's descendant, the illustrious King David, was hassled by some of the greatest scholars of his time claiming that Ruth's marriage had never been permitted & so David
was not fit to rule. - However, upon closer inspection we see that the Torah was precise in writing the word
'Moabite' in the masculine form, indicating that only Moabite males are forbidden to marry
in, but Moabite females are allowed to - .Initially her name was Gilith, but she changed it to Ruth when she married.
- The Hebrew name Rut (for Ruth) spelled backwards is "tur" which means dove.
- A dove is a bird that is allowed to be offered on the altar,symbolizing that Ruth was
permitted to fully become a part of the Jewish people. (Sources: Talmud – Yevamot
77a; Zohar Chadash – Ruth 78a)
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