D'var Halacha

We have been discussing the halachos of hair, and we will recap and summarize what we have learned. There are two related but different halachos regarding hair. One regards a woman’s general chiyuv to cover her hair, and the second regards the issurim of ervah for kriyas shema, learning, and other devarim shebikedusha. These are […]

 We are continuing in siman 5, discussing the halachos of covering hair. We have discussed the opinion of Tosfos regarding the places and situations in which a married woman must cover her hair. Today, we will discuss the opinion of the Rambam.  The Rambam can be found in Hilchos Ishus, 24:11-12. In halacha 11,  the

We are continuing in siman 5, discussing hair. The Rema in Orach Chaim (siman 72) quotes the Rashba, who writes that even though there is an issur to recite shema (i.e., devarim shebikedusha) in the presence of the uncovered hair of a married woman, however, that just like the hair of someone who is not

 We are continuing in siman 5. We learned that the issur of histaklus requires a woman to cover any ervah, even if it is less than a tefach. The shiur of a tefach only applies specifically to reciting devarim shebikedusha, in that one can recite devarim shebikedusha if less than a tefach is uncovered and

We are continuing in siman 4. We learned about the issur histaklus, that it is assur for a man to look at a woman for enjoyment. Today, we will continue that discussion In siman 75:7, the Mishnah Berurah quotes the Pri Megadim who writes that reiyah, happening to see a woman without intent to gaze,

 We are beginning siman 4. The Chayei Adam still has not given us a shiur of the amount of hair which is problematic for devarim shebikedusha, and, in general, how much hair must be covered when a woman is obligated to cover her hair. We will return to these questions after we learn siman 4. 

 Today, we will clarify the issur of lifnei iver in general, and how it applies to our discussion about tznius.  The Torah says lifnei iver lo sitein michshol (Vayikra 19:14). Chazal understand that the pasuk cannot be understood literally, as the Torah should have written sasim, to place, rather than the word sitein, to give,

 We are continuing in siman 5, learning about the chiyuv a woman has to cover certain parts of her body. Yesterday, we learned about the chiyuv deoraysa to cover hair, and left off with the question of whether we can  extend this chiyuv to other parts of the body.  The sefer Levusha Shel Torah quotes

 We are beginning siman 5, and return to siman 4 later. The Chayei Adam writes that a woman’s hair is considered ervah, and one cannot recite devarim shebikedusha in the presence of uncovered hair. However, the Chayei Adam clarifies it only applies to the hair of a married woman, for whom it is assur to

We are beginning siman 3. We have learned that there are two types of ervah, the primary ervah, and ervah which Chazal prohibited because they were concerned it would come to hirhur and distraction. As it pertains to davening and learning, Chazal did not forbid learning and davening in the presence of non-primary ervah because

 We are beginning siman 3. The Chayei Adam writes that the issue of ervah being uncovered is a problem even if the person davening or learning is not looking directly at the ervah. It is also a problem even if it is covered with a thin garment through which the skin is still visible, behind

 We are continuing in siman 2. The Chayei Adam mentioned that the shiur of (non-primary) ervah which creates a problem is a tefach.. The Chayei Adam will discuss this shiur further in siman 7. The Chayei Adam holds it applies equally to one’s wife as it does to other women. However, the Rema brings an

 We are beginning siman 2. The Chayei Adam writes that any part of the body which is normally covered is considered ervah. Therefore, if a tefach or more is uncovered, one cannot recite torah or tefillah in its presence. The definition of a tefach is a tefach by a tefach; i.e., three inches by three

 We are continuing in siman 1. The Chayei Adam writes that the ervah of an individual creates an issur for a boy from 9, and for a girl from age 3. The Shulchan Aruch is machmir, and holds even from one day old is assur. However, the Rema holds of the ages mentioned above, because

 We are beginning Klal 4, where the Chyaei Adam discusses the issur of speaking divrei torah in front of ervah. This issur is independent of the problem of a person visualizing someone who is improperly dressed, as that is assur at any time, even when not davening or learning.   In the context of Klal Yisroel

 We are beginning siman 36, where the Chayei Adam continues the discussion about what is permitted to say in a beis hamerchatz (or any other place where it is assur to learn). The Chayei Adam writes that there is no issur to talk in a beis hamerchatz (about things which are not Torah). However, in

 We are continuing in siman 35, where the Chayei Adam discusses giving a psak halacha to prevent another from doing an aveirah in a place where it is assur to learn Torah. The Chayei Adam writes that one cannot prevent a person with language of psak, but should rather say “we do not do that”,