Ariel Evan Mayse – Kindler of Hearts and Illuminator of Letters

Ariel Evan Mayse – Kindler of Hearts and Illuminator of Letters

Kindler of Hearts and Illuminator of Letters: An Essay in Memory of Reb Levi Yitzhak ben Sara Sasha of Berdyczów by Ariel Evan Mayse For my wife Adina, whose illuminating words never fail to inspire. Relatively few Hasidic masters have enjoyed the enormous and enduring popularity of Reb Levi Yitzhak ben Sara Sasha of Berdyczów (1740-1809), perhaps with the exception of the Ba’al Shem Tov himself. Beginning in the nineteenth century and continuing to the present day, written texts and…

Read More Read More

New Book On the Kashrut of Modern Etrogim

New Book On the Kashrut of Modern Etrogim

On the Kashrut of Modern Etrogim Sukkot is fast approaching. For many this means selecting a “mehudar” etrog. Depending upon where one is this task can involve not only selecting an etrog with or without a pitum, bumpy or smoother, with or without a gartel, or a host of other considerations, but also selecting which type, Berman or Hazon Ish. Indeed, today, there are variety of types of etrogim identified by the farm or personalities that have ostensibly certified them…

Read More Read More

Some Recently Published Seforim

Some Recently Published Seforim

Some Recently Published Seforimby: Eliezer Brodt Here is short list of some recently published seforim on the market. This is only a partial list but we wanted to highlight some notable seforim. 1. The Safari commentary, Mishnayot Mishnat Eretz Yisroel, on Meschect Yoma. This is but one of the many new volumes of this commentary that are coming out at a rapid speed. I hope they continue coming out at such speeds.2. Zohar Amar’s Esrogei Eretz Yisroel. This volume is…

Read More Read More

No Hell Below Us? The Controversy Over Rambam’s Stance On Punishment In the Afterlife

No Hell Below Us? The Controversy Over Rambam’s Stance On Punishment In the Afterlife

No Hell Below Us? The Controversy Over Rambam’s Stance On Punishment In the Afterlife by Yitzhak, of בין דין לדין   From this morning’s סליחות: עזב-נא בן-אדם עזב-נא. עזב יקר עולם נודד נדוד. כי ערוך תפתה, בכל להב וכידוד. … עזב-נא בן-אדם עזב-נא. עזב נחת העולם הזה ושמחה. בטרם נוד רוחך, בכל פנה ורוחה. ועיניך תראינה גיהנם פתוחה. ושם תהיה נפשך שרופה וגם כסוחה. … Rabbi Natan Slifkin recently claimed: (By the way, according to Rambam, there is no such…

Read More Read More

מנהג אכילת ה’סימנים’ בליל ראש השנה וטעמיו

מנהג אכילת ה’סימנים’ בליל ראש השנה וטעמיו

מנהג אכילת ה’סימנים’ בליל ראש השנה וטעמיו* מאת אליעזר בראדט מנהג אכילת ה’סימנים’ בליל ראש השנה נפוץ ומוכר בכל קהילות ישראל[1]. וכבר נתנו בו רבותינו הראשונים כמלאכים טעמים: בעלי התוספות מסבירים: “ראש השנה, מפני שהוא תחילת השנה, מרבים בסעודה לעשות סימן יפה, וכמה ענינים עושים בו לסימן יפה, כדאמרינן במסכת הוריות וכריתות”[2]. ומהפנייתם למסכתות הוריות וכריתות ברור, שכוונתם לתת טעם למנהג ה’סימנים’. אולם גם לאחר דבריהם עדיין לא מובן מדוע ראיית ירקות וזרעונים מסויימים או אכילתם מביא ‘סימן יפה’ לכל…

Read More Read More

New Sefer Announcement

New Sefer Announcement

New Sefer Announcement by: Eliezer Brodt I just printed a small sefer, Likutei Eliezer, it is 120 pages and paperback. The sefer consists of four chapters each with many parts. Although portions of each chapter appeared on the blog, each has been significantly expanded – over double the amount of new material – as well as corrections and updates. All the pieces are in Hebrew. The first chapter starts out with a discussion of various possible sources regarding the well-known…

Read More Read More