Rephael Cattan

 We are beginning siman 20. The Chayei Adam writes that one should seek out to perform a mitzvah which people do not generally perform, because the mitzvah feels bereft. The Chayei Adam compares such a mitzvah to a meis mitzvah, a person who is niftar and does not have anyone to bury them. The mitzvah […]

 We are continuing in siman 19, discussing the halachos of spending money on mitzvos.   We have mentioned that one spends more than one fifth on pidyon haben (shiur 1444) and pirsumei nisa (1438). The Maharam Shik explains that when one has responsibility to another, such as giving money to the kohen, it generates a chiyuv

We are continuing in siman 19, discussing the halachos of spending money on mitzvos.  The Chofetz Chaim writes in Ahavas Chessed that the one fifth limitation does not apply to learning or supporting torah. In one of the versions of the Sefer, the publisher points out in his notes that the Chofetz Chaim brings a

 We are continuing in siman 19, discussing the halachos of spending money on mitzvos.  Regarding tzedakah, the Chofetz Chaim points out in Ahavas Chesed (which deals with tzedakah, maaser and other similar topics) that the Rambam seems to indicate that a person would be allowed to give more than one fifth of their money to

 We are continuing in siman 19, discussing the halachos of spending money on mitzvos. We have learned that one may refrain from performing a mitzvah (shev v’al taaseh) when the mitzvah will cost more than a fifth of their money, and must give up all of their money in order to avoid an aveirah. In

 We are continuing in siman 19, discussing the halachos of spending money on mitzvos. The Shulchan Aruch, in Yoreh Deah siman 157, paskens that one may refrain from performing a mitzvah (shev v’al taaseh) when the mitzvah will cost more than a fifth of their money, and must give up all of their money in

 We are continuing in siman 19, discussing the halachos of spending money on mitzvos. We learned about investing tircha into a mitzvah, and now we will return to discuss the monetary aspect. The Bavli never directly states that the takana of Usha, which states that one should not give more than one fifth of their

 We are continuing in siman 19, which discusses spending money for mitzvos. We left off discussing the chiyuv of an individual to travel for a mitzvah, and the question of the Chayei Adam whether a person is chayav to travel before the zman of the mitzvah has begun. The Chayei Adam brings a Gemara in

  We are continuing in siman 19, which discusses spending money for mitzvos. We learned that a person is chayav to spend even up to one fifth of their money to perform a mitzvah.    The Chayei Adam moves to discuss the extent of the tircha, the effort, that one must put into mitzvos. Generally,

 We are continuing in siman 19, which discusses spending money on mitzvos. We learned that one is chayav to spend up to one tenth, or one fifth, to fulfill a mitzvah. The Chayei Adam clarifies that this spending limit applies to fulfilling a mitzvah. To avoid transgressing an aveirah, the Chayei Adam writes that one

We are beginning siman 19, which discusses spending money on mitzvos. The Chayei Adam writes that a person must perform a mitzvah even if the mitzvah will cost a large portion of what they own. The Chayei Adam starts by saying that one must spend up to one tenth of their money for a mitzvah,

 We are continuing in siman 18, where the Chayei Adam discusses performing mitzvos out of yirah. We will clarify a few points. The concept of yirah is the idea of holding back. When one is in awe, they recognize their limitations, so they pull back. The Maharal points out that we use the phrases ahavas

 We are beginning siman 18, which discusses doing mitzvos out of yirah. The Chayei Adam writes that a person should perform mitzvos out of yirah. Even mitzvos which supposedly make sense logically should be performed out of yirah and not due to a person’s logical conclusions. A person should not perform a mitzvah or refrain

 We are continuing in siman 17, which discusses the concept of doing mitzvos out of ahavas Hashem.   The MIshnah in Pirkei Avos (1:3) teaches us that a person should not serve Hashem for reward, but out of love for Hashem. If a person serves Hashem for the purpose of the reward, they have still fulfilled

  We are beginning siman 17, where the Chayei Adam discusses performing mitzvos out of ahavas Hashem. The Chayei Adam writes that a person should perform mitzvos due to their love of Hashem, and not because of any direction or benefit. In the same way that in the relationship between a parent and child, or

We are beginning siman 16. In siman 15, we discussed the level of responsibility one has to a mitzvah prior to the mitzvah, such as taking tallis and tefillin on a trip even if the trip is not expected to require it. We will discuss other applications of this idea in siman 19, and how

 We are beginning siman 15. The Chayei Adam discusses the concept of anticipating and waiting for the opportunity to perform a mitzvah. Included in this concept is the idea of a person trying to bring themselves to become chayav to perform a mitzvah.  The Chayei Adam writes that a person should anticipate the opportunities to

 We are beginning siman 14, where the Chayei Adam discusses running after a mitzvah. The pasuk says nei’de’ah nirdefa la’daas es Hashem, we should run to gain our awareness of Hashem (Yehoshua 6:3). Another pasuk says derech mitzvosecha arutz, I will run towards your mitzvos (Tehillim 119:32).  The Gemara says that generally, one should not

 We are beginning siman 13, which discusses performing a mitzvah with simcha. The next few simanim all discuss the appropriate manner in which to do a mitzvah, such as running after mitzvos, anticipating mitzvos, spending money for mitzvos, doing mitzvos out of love of Hashem, and doing mitzvos out of fear of Hashem.   The Chayei

 We are beginning siman 12. The Chayei Adam writes that a person should be careful to perform a mitzvah with all of its details. The Chayei Adam quotes the Gemara which discusses the different places in which the blood of a korban must be placed on the mizbeach. For example, the blood of a chatas