Rephael Cattan

We are continuing with the halachos of the four parshiyos, and today we will discuss Parshas Zachor.   The chiyuv was established that Parshas Zachor should be read on the Shabbos immediately preceding Purim, because Klal Yisroel were successful in eliminating some of Amalek through the Purim story. Therefore, the zechira (remembering) is placed adjacent […]

We have finished the halachos of ervah, and will discuss the four parshiyos. The four parshiyos, Shekalim, Zachor, Parah and Hachodesh, are read in conjunction with the month of Adar. There are occasions where parshas Shekalim falls out on Rosh Chodesh, but it is never later than Rosh Chodesh Adar. Parshas Hachodesh is always before

We are continuing in siman 12. Yesterday, we learned that the Taz and Shach hold that shomeah k’oneh applies even when one does not have intent to fulfill an obligation.    If we look at the language of the Taz, he says that shomeah k’oneh applies when one individual is focusing on listening to the

 We are continuing in siman 12, discussing the opinion of the Chayei Adam that one can listen to words of torah while in the presence of ervah, but cannot fulfill any obligations which would require shomeah k’oneh.  The source for the Chayei Adam is the Magen Avraham in siman 85. However, the Shulchan Aruch Harav,

We are beginning siman 12, which discusses hirhur in the presence of ervah. The Chayei Adam writes that when one is in the presence of ervah, they are allowed to perform hirhur, to think in learning. Ervah is different than tzoah, where we learned that hirhur is assur in the presence of tzoah. Although hirhur

 We have finished siman 10, and we need to return back to a point we discussed previously. We have learned that the issur reiyah, to see ervah, applies to the eyes and heart. We need to discuss whether the issur applies specifically to seeing a live person, or whether it applies to digital renderings, such

 We are beginning siman 10. We have learned about the concept of libo roeh es ha’ervah, that there must be some type of separation between one’s heart and the ervah in order to recite devarim shebikedusha. The Chayei Adam clarifies that there is no issue with other parts of the body being visible to one’s

 We are continuing in siman 9, learning about the concept of libo roeh es haervah. We learned that when one is standing in the water, with their heart above the water and the ervah below the water, it is an acceptable separation and one could recite devarim shebikedusha. The Chayei Adam clarifies that if one’s

 We are beginning siman 9. Until now, we have discussed the concept of seeing ervah with one’s eyes. Today, the Chayei Adam will introduce the concept of a person’s body being exposed to ervah, even though they do not see it with their eyes.  The Chayei Adam writes that the Torah makes the concept of

 We are beginning siman 8. The Chayei Adam writes that the same way a man has an issue of ervah in front of a woman who is uncovered, a woman has an issue of ervah in front of another woman as well. However, this issur only applies regarding the primary ervah. Regarding other parts of

  We are beginning siman 7. We have already touched on many of the points in siman 7, but we will nonetheless review them.   The Chayei Adam writes that there is no difference between one’s own wife and other women when it comes to devarim shebikedusha, both regarding an ervah derabanan or deoraysa. In

  We have finished siman 6, and are discussing zmiros on shabbos. Today, we will discuss the question of reciting Hashem’s name in zmiros. The Chayei Adam himself, in Klal 5 siman 2, writes that one does not need to recite an entire pasuk in order to recite shaim Hashem, but as long as one

  We have finished siman 6, and are discussing zmiros on shabbos. We mentioned the Gemara in Sanhedrin which teaches us the issur of reading pesukim in a lighthearted, joking manner. Today, we will learn the language of the Gemara and Rashi.  The Gemara says that one who recites pesukim of Shir Hashirim as a

  We have finished siman 6, and are discussing zmiros on shabbos. Today, we will address the issur of zimra. The Shulchan Aruch, in siman 560:3, writes that part of the zecher l’churban of Yerushalayim is a gezeirah from Chazal against playing music. This issur applies all year. The Rema clarifies that some hold the

 We have finished siman 6, and are discussing zmiros on shabbos. Today, we will discuss reciting shaim Hashem in zmiros. The discussion of reciting shaim Hashem out of the context of a pasuk is discussed by the Mishnah Berurah in the Biur Halacha in siman 188. If a person forgot to recite Yaaleh Veyavo in

  We have finished siman 6, where we discussed kol isha, and touched on the topic of zemiros. We are going to go off topic to understand some of the hashkafic and halachic aspects of zemiros shabbos. We will begin with an introduction.    There is a sefer about minhagim of Klal Yisroel known as

We are continuing in siman 6, discussing the halachos of kol. There is a Gemara in Pesachim which discusses hana’ah haba’ah lo l’adam ba’al korcho. When a person is in a situation where a prohibited pleasure comes to them against their will. Examples include the smell of chometz on Pesach, the smell of basar b’chalav,

  We are continuing in siman 6, discussing the halachos of kol. Today, we will discuss a man hearing his wife sing when she is a niddah.   As we have learned, this question will apply both in the context of hearing her sing in general, and to zemiros. The Pischei Teshuva, in Hilchos Niddah,

  We are continuing in siman 6, discussing the halachos of kol. Specifically, we are discussing the halachos of a woman or women singing zemiros in the presence of men.    There are four scenarios where this question applies: A family singing, so the question regards close relatives (brother/sister, mother/son, father/daughter). We have learned that

  We are continuing in siman 6, discussing the halachos of kol. We mentioned the possibility of there being a difference between hearing a woman sing in person versus a recording or live transmission, such as radio. Rav Ovadia Yosef has a teshuva in Yabia Omer (vol. 1) on this question. He first discusses whether