Posted on Apr 20, 2015 |
Question submitted to “Ask the Rabbi” by: Name: drkae Profession: CE Full Question: “how do Jews who are meambers of peta and/or vegans handle Passover lamb slashing?????????????” Rabbi Tully Bryks responds: While there may be some observant Jews who are vegetarians or vegans, such a choice is perfectly acceptable due to health reasons or personal taste preference. However, meat should not be rejected due to any moral stance against eating animals. As believers in G-d and the Divine origin of the Torah (Bible), our sense of right and wrong is not determined by the (often changing) subjective values of a particular society or generation. Rather, we believe that the Torah is the absolute source for morality. As such, Jewish law is very clear that both animal sacrifice (in Temple times) and animal consumption are permitted, and sometimes even commanded. For more details about this topic, please see my article on Animal Sacrifice. Regarding Shabbos (the Sabbath), we are supposed to eat foods that we enjoy. As such, meat and fish are recommended. However, if someone does not like the taste of meat at all, it may be permitted for them to consume alternative foods. On Yom Tov (Holidays), it could be that the meat requirement is not dismissed as easily simply due to subjective taste preferences. But even then, if there are potential serious health issues, ensuring one’s safety would take...
Read More »
Posted on Apr 2, 2015 |
Question submitted to “Ask the Rabbi” by: Name: Anonymous City: Minneapolis, MN Full Question: “I am looking the reasons why we search for Hametz in our home before Pesach, and what are the reasons we do those rituals? Thank you for your Help.” Rabbi Tully Bryks responds: The prohibition of Chametz (unleavened bread) on Pesach is not limited to eating it. We are also not allowed to own any Chametz or benefit from it in any way during Pesach. So to this end, we are required to search our house for Chametz the night before Pesach. We are only required to search rooms where Chametz might be found, so bathrooms in most homes would be exempt. Since a proper search of the whole house usually requires more than one night, it is advisable to start cleaning and searching many days, or even weeks, ahead of time. The climax of that cleaning effort would then take place on the night before Pesach. A Bracha (blessing) is recited and the search begins. There is a rule that we are not allowed to recite a Bracha in vain, as it contains G-d’s name. So what if someone cleaned their house really well in advance, recited the Bracha at the proper time on the night before Pesach and then could not find any more Chametz? In such a case, they would have said G-d’s name in vain. To avoid this issue, we place 10 pieces of bread around the house before the search begins. As a result, even if someone did not succeed in finding any more Chametz, they would still “find” the 10 pieces of bread and the Bracha would not be in vain. It is important that a person does not get mixed up and focus their search on the 10 pieces of bread and not on any hidden Chametz that might have been missed in the earlier cleaning effort. Contrary to what some might think, the main goal is to find unknown Chametz, while the 10 pieces of bread are only there as a precaution. Wishing you and your family a Chag Kasher and Chametz-free...
Read More »
Posted on Mar 31, 2015 |
Question submitted to “Ask the Rabbi” by: Name: Jonathan Stadler City: Lincoln, NE Full Question: “This yr is 5775. Is that computed from Noah or Abraham?” Rabbi Tully Bryks responds: Neither. Noach (Noah) was born in the Jewish year 1056 and died in 2006. Avraham (Abraham) was born in 1948 and died in 2123. 5775 years is the count since Adam and Chava (Eve) were born, which was towards the end of the 6th “day” of creation. So on the first day of the current year, the age of the universe was essentially 5775 years old plus 6 1/2 “days”. For potential definitions of those original “days” and a few different approaches to computing the age of the universe, please see my article on Science and...
Read More »
Posted on Mar 29, 2015 |
Question submitted to “Ask the Rabbi” by: Name: Hope City: Bakersfield Full Question: “We have been discussing the first sin. The English version of the Torah states that Eve gave to Adam who was with her in Genesis 3. Was Adam present with Eve during the conversation between Eve and the Snake (Satan).” Rabbi Tully Bryks responds: Adam was not present during the conversation between Eve and the snake. Once she had eaten from the tree, she brought the fruit to Adam to eat as well. In terms understanding the meaning of, “She gave it to her husband who was with her,” some of the commentaries explain that the Torah is conveying that Adam was “with her” in guilt. He shared the blame and the consequences for committing the first sin. For more information about the first sin, please see my article on Adam and...
Read More »
Posted on Mar 26, 2015 |
Question submitted to “Ask the Rabbi” by: Name: Ary Kempler City: New York Full Question: “Did the Jews in their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness eat Matzo on Pessach? If so how did they get the wheat? Do you have a source for your answer? Thanks in advance!” Rabbi Tully Bryks responds: Once the Torah (Bible) was given at Mount Sinai, the Jews were already obligated to observe the 613 Mitzvos (commandments). There were some exceptions, and the Korban Pesach (Paschal offering) may have been one of those exceptions, as some commandments could only be observed in Israel or with a Temple or in a state of purity. But the rest of the laws of Pesach were still in effect, including the Mitzvah to eat Matzah. Regarding your question about wheat, the question can really be asked about food in general. How were 3 million people, limited to the technological achievements from over 3,000 years ago, able to feed themselves while wandering in the wilderness for 40 years? The answer is that G-d sustained us with “Man” (manna). G-d provided us with a miraculous daily food source that had the ability to taste like anything we wanted. So just as the Man could be eaten every Shabbos and fulfill our obligation to eat bread, I would suggest that the Man could also be used on Pesach to satisfy our obligation to eat Matzah. *Some suggested sources: Korban Pesach in the wilderness – See Tosafos and the Chiddushay Harim on the Talmud Kiddushin 37B and see Rashi on Shemos 12:25 Man – See Shemos 16:14 and the commentaries...
Read More »
Posted on Mar 23, 2015 |
Question submitted to “Ask the Rabbi” by: Name: Baila City: Columbia, Missouri Age: 17 School: Public school Full Question: “I heard that during pesach you can’t even touch chometz. I work at a grocery store as a cashier. I took off for the Yom tovs of course, but am I allowed to work on the days in between the Yom Tovs? All the food except fresh produce is always in packages.” Rabbi Tully Bryks responds: There are three potential issues working in a grocery store over Pesach (Passover): Handling bread products – You are correct that one is not allowed to even touch chametz (food containing bread) during Pesach, even if one does not own it. The concern is that a person may inadvertently eat it, since, unlike non-kosher food, chametz is food that we regularly eat the rest of the year. As long as you only handle the packages that contain the food and never touch the chametz itself, then you would avert this concern. Benefiting from Chametz – A potentially much more serious issue is the biblical prohibition of benefiting from chametz during Pesach. Feeding chametz to your pets, decorating your room with chametz, creating incense from chametz or selling chametz for profit, are just a handful of examples of “benefit”. So even though you are not the store owner, if the store was a bakery, then the wages you earn would be ultimately be considered a benefit from chametz. However, as long at the majority of products being sold in the grocery store are not chametz, then we can assume that your wages came from the profit of the non-chametz products that were sold. Work during Chol HaMoed – It is best not to work at any time during Pesach, even when it is not Yom Tov, as the days of Chol HaMoed (intermediary days) are still considered holy. If one needs to work during Chol HaMoed in order to support oneself, or if one would lose their job if they did not work, then it would be permitted. But even in such a case, one should study the laws of Chol HaMoed ahead of time so that you would know how to deal with melachos (creative activity), such as writing, which may need to be done with a shinui (in an unusual way). Bottom line – While it is better not to work at all during Pesach if possible, it is still permitted. In such a case, even working in a grocery store would be permitted, provided that the majority of products being sold are not actual chametz and that you try to avoid handing the chametz directly. Wishing you and your family a Chag Kasher v’Sameach (Kosher and Happy...
Read More »
Recent Comments