{Yevamot 116a}I wrote in an earlier post about how halacha sometimes considers the possibility of miracles in determining halacha. Thus, perhaps there is kefitzat haderech, or a flying camel. This is related to the attempt in Eruvin to show that there is no techum over ten tefachim, because the 7 rulings came from Sura to Pumpedita in one day, when travel past techum was forbidden, so it must have been Eliyahu haNavi over ten handbreadths, with the rejection that perhaps it was Yosef the demon. Here, too, we have two miraculous possibilities, though with a concluding possibility entirely within the realm of derech hateva. (I wonder where the end of Abaye and Rava's statement is, though, and if there is any setamaitic elaboration, especially since three alternatives are given within Rava's statement.)ההוא גיטא דאישתכח בסורא וכתב ביה הכי בסורא מתא אנא ענן בר חייא נהרדעא פטר ותריך ית פלוניתא אינתתיה ובדוק רבנן מסורא ועד נהרדעא ולא הוה ענן בר חייא אחרינא לבר מענן בר חייא מחגרא דהוה בנהרדעאThere was a certain get that was found in Sura, upon which was written as follows: In Sura the city, I, Anan bar Chiyya of Nehardea, release and divorce Plonit my wife.
ואתו סהדי אמרי כי איכתיב האי גיטא ענן בר חייא מחגרא גבן הוה בנהרדעא
אמר אביי אפילו לדידי דחיישינא הכא לא חיישינא
הא קאמרי סהדי דההוא יומא כי איכתב האי גיטא ענן בר חייא מחגרא גבן הוה בנהרדעא מאי קא בעי בסורא
אמר רבא אפי' לדידי דלא חיישינא הכא חיישינא
דלמא בגמלא פרחא אזל
אי נמי בקפיצה
אי נמי מילי מסר
כדאמר להו רב לספריה וכן אמר להו רב הונא לספריה כי איתינכו בשילי כתובו בשילי ואף על גב דמסירי לכו מילי בהיני וכי איתינכו בהיני כתובו בהיני ואף על גב דמסירי לכו מילי בשילי
והלכתא כרבא
And the Rabbis searched from Sura until Nehardea and there was no other Anan bar Chiyya except for Anan bar Chiyya of Chagra {so in other words there was this one other person}, who was at that time in Nehardea. And witnesses came and said, "when this get was written, Anan bar Chiyya of Chagra was with us in Nehardea."
Abaye said: Even according to me that I worry {about another Yitzchak} here, I do not worry. For witnesses have says that on that day, when this get was written, Anan bar Chiyya of Chagra was with in Nehardea, so he could not have been in Sura {which usually would take two days' journey}.
Rava said: Even according to me, that I do not worry, here I do worry. Lest he traveled by flying camel. Alternatively, with a {miraculous} leap. Alternatively, perhaps he gave over words {instructions to do so}. As Rav said to his scribes, and so did Rav Huna say to his scribes, "when you are at Shili, write "in Shili," even though you received the instructions in Hini. And when you are in Hini, write "in Hini," even though you received the instructions in Shili.
And the halacha is like Rava.
SAID R. MEIR: IT ONCE HAPPENED THAT A MAN FELL INTO A LARGE CISTERN etc. It was taught: They said to R. Meir, 'Miracles cannot be mentioned [as proof]'. What [did they mean by] 'miracles'? If it be suggested because he neither eats nor drinks, surely [it may be pointed out], It is written in Scripture, And fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink [three days]! — Rather because he does not sleep. For R. Johanan stated: [A man who said]. 'I take an oath that I will not sleep for three days' is to be flogged and he may sleep at once. What then is R. Meir's reason? — R. Kahana replied: There were arches above arches. And the Rabbis?— They were of marble.So it seems that we do not consider the possibility of miracle when deciding halacha.
{Yevamot 114b}What is the basis for this requirement that the woman appears in mourning when telling over her loss? What is the basis for coming from the harvest? What is this famous incident?
Mishna:האשה שהלכה היא ובעלה למדינת היםBet Hillel say: We only heard regarding one who came from the {wheat?} harvest.
שלום בינו לבינה ושלום בעולם באה ואמרה מת בעלי תנשא מת בעלי תתיבם
שלום בינו לבינה ומלחמה בעולם קטטה בינו לבינה ושלום בעולם באה ואמרה מת בעלי אינה נאמנת
רבי יהודה אומר לעולם אינה נאמנת אא"כ באה בוכה ובגדיה קרועים
אמרו לו אחת זו ואחת זו תנשא:A woman who went with her husband to an overseas country.בית הלל אומרים לא שמענו אלא הבאה מן הקציר בלבד
If there was peace between them and peace in the world, and she comes back and says "my husband died," she may remarry, or "my husband died," {and there are no children} she may undergo yibbum.
If there was peace between them and war in the world, or arguments between them and peace in the world, if she came back and said "my husband died," she is not believed.
Rabbi Yehuda says: She is never believed unless she comes crying, with her clothing ripped.
They said to him: Both this and that may remarry.
{Yevamot 116b}
אמרו להן ב"ש אחד הבאה מן הקציר ואחד הבאה מן הזיתים ואחד הבאה ממדינת הים לא דברו בקציר אלא בהווה
חזרו ב"ה להורות כדברי ב"ש:
Bet Shammai say: Whether the one who comes from the harvest, or from the olives {picking}, or who came from an overseas country. They only spoke regarding the harvest because of the common case.
Bet Hillel retracted in order to rule like the words of Bet Shammai.
| א וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶת-הָעָם לֵאמֹר: שָׁמֹר, אֶת-כָּל-הַמִּצְוָה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם, הַיּוֹם. | 1 And Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying: 'Keep all the commandment which I command you this day. |
| א וַתְּדַבֵּר מִרְיָם וְאַהֲרֹן בְּמֹשֶׁה, עַל-אֹדוֹת הָאִשָּׁה הַכֻּשִׁית אֲשֶׁר לָקָח: כִּי-אִשָּׁה כֻשִׁית, לָקָח. | 1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. |
How odd of God / To choose the Jews1.Perhaps we can use this as a good summary of the message of the following section in parshat Ki Tavo, where we are to be the am segulah:
It wasn't odd /The Jews chose God2.
When Rif cites this, instead of having וא"ר יוחנן, he just has א"ר יוחנן. This could make some sort of difference, since with the vav it seems part of Rava's answer, and supports this position in the brayta. But without the vav, it could stand on its own.בש"א נר ומזון וכו':"Bet Shammai say: ner and mazon...":
רב הונא בר יהודה איקלע לבי רבא חזייה לרבא דבריך אבשמים ברישא
א"ל מכדי ב"ש וב"ה אמאור לא פליגי דתניא בש"א נר ומזון בשמים והבדלה ובה"א נר ובשמים מזון והבדלה
עני רבא בתריה זו דברי ר"מ אבל ר' יהודה אומר לא נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה על המזון שהוא בתחלה ועל הבדלה שהיא בסוף על מה נחלקו על המאור ועל הבשמים שבש"א על המאור ואח"כ בשמים ובה"א בשמים ואח"כ מאור
וא"ר יוחנן נהגו העם כב"ה אליבא דרבי יהודה
Rav Huna bar Yehuda visited the house of Rava. He saw Rava bless on the besamim first.
He {Rav Huna bar Yehuda} said to him: Let us see. Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel do not argue regarding the light, for they learn {in a brayta}: Bet Shammai say: ner and mazon, besamim and havdalah. And Bet Hillel say ner and besamim, mazon and havdalah.
Rava answered after him: These are the words of Rabbi Meir, but Rabbi Yehuda says: Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel do not argue regarding the mazon that it is first and regarding the havdalah that it is last. On what do they argue? On the light and on the besamim. That Bet Shammai say: on the light and afterwards on the besamim. And Bet Hillel say: On the besamim and afterwards on the light.
And Rabbi Yochanan said: The people are accustomed to act like Bet Hillel according to Rabbi Yehuda.
Mishna:Regardless of all of the above, perhaps we can ignore both Rabbi Yochanan and Rav and look just to the brayta. If the other position is that of Rabbi Meir, and these braytot are like Rabbi Yehuda, we should rule like Rabbi Yehuda. And within Rabbi Yehuda, in a dispute between Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel, we should rule like Bet Hillel.
BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT [AFTER THE MEAL] THE FLOOR IS SWEPT BEFORE THE WASHING OF THE HANDS,
WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY THAT [THE DINERS] WASH THEIR HANDS AND THEN THE FLOOR IS SWEPT.
Gemara:
What is the reason of Bet Shammai?
Because of pieces {crumbs of bread}.
And Bet Hillel holds: here we are dealing with an attendant who is a scholar, who leaves alone pieces less than an olive's measure, and takes away pieces which have in it an olive's measure.
This supports Rabbi Yochanan, who says that pieces that do not have in them an olive's measure, one is permitted to destroy them by hand.
In what do they argue?
Bet Shammai hold it is permitted to make use of an attendant who is an ignoramus, and Bet Hillel holds it is forbidden to make use of an attendant who is an ignoramus.
Rabbi Yitzchak son of Rabbi Chanina cited Rav Huna: In all chapters the halacha is like Bet Hillel, with the exception of this one, where the halacha is like Bet Shammai.
The gemara cites a brayta which explains the respective reasonings of Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai of the Mishna:ב"ש אומרים נר ומזון בשמים והבדלה וב"ה אומרים נר ובשמים מזון והבדלהBETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT [THE PROPER ORDER IS] LIGHT, GRACE, SPICES, AND HABDALAH,
WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY: LIGHT, SPICES, GRACE, AND HABDALAH
This establishes that Bet Hillel holds that the wine has precedence over the day (because of being more frequent), while Bet Shammai hold that the day has precedence over the wine.תנו רבנן דברים שבין ב"ש וב"ה בסעודה ב"ש אומרים מברך על היום ואח"כ מברך על היין שהיום גורם ליין שיבא וכבר קדש היום ועדיין יין לא בא וב"ה אומרים מברך על היין ואח"כ מברך על היום שהיין גורם לקדושה שתאמר דבר אחר ברכת היין תדירה וברכת היום אינה תדירה תדיר ושאינו תדיר תדיר קודם והלכה כדברי ב"הOur Rabbis taught: The points of difference between Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel in relation to a meal are as follows: Beth Shammai say that the blessing is first said over the [sanctity of] the day and then over the wine, because it is on account of the day that the wine is used, and [moreover] the day has already become holy before the wine has been brought. Beth Hillel say that a blessing is said over the wine first and then over the day, because the wine provides the occasion for saying a benediction. Another explanation is that the blessing over wine is said regularly while the blessing of the day is said only at infrequent intervals, and that which comes regularly always has precedence over that which comes infrequently. The halachah is as laid down by Beth Hillel.
According to this brayta, by saying havdalah last, he is thus putting the day after the wine!וסברי בית שמאי דברכת היום עדיפאBut do Beth Shammai hold that the blessing over the day is more important, seeing that it has been taught:
והתניא הנכנס לביתו במוצאי שבת מברך על היין ועל המאור ועל הבשמים ואחר כך אומר הבדלה ואם אין לו אלא כוס אחד מניחו לאחר המזון ומשלשלן כולן לאחריו
'When one goes into his house on the outgoing of Sabbath, he says blessings over wine and light and spices and then he says the habdalah [benediction]. If he has only one cup, he keeps it for after the meal and then says the other blessings in order after it?'
Thus, we establish the anonymous brayta as the view of Bet Shammai, according to Rabbi Yehuda.והא ממאי דב"ש היא דלמא ב"ה היאBut how do you know that this represents the view of Beth Shammai? Perhaps it represents the view of Beth Hillel? — Do not imagine such a thing. For it mentions first light and then spices; and who is it that we understand to hold this view? Beth Shammai, as it has been taught: R. Judah says: Beth Shammai and Beth Hillel concurred in holding that the grace after food comes first and the habdalah [benediction] last. In regard to what did they differ? In regard to the light and the spices, Beth Shammai holding that light should come first and then spices, and Beth Hillel that spices should come first and then light.
לא ס"ד דקתני
מאור ואח"כ בשמים ומאן שמעת ליה דאית ליה האי סברא ב"ש דתניא א"ר יהודה לא נחלקו בית שמאי וב"ה על המזון שבתחלה ועל הבדלה שהיא בסוף על מה נחלקו על המאור ועל הבשמים ב"ש אומרים מאור ואחר כך בשמים וב"ה אומרים בשמים ואחר כך מאור
Thus, in the Mishna, which is Rabbi Meir, we have LIGHT, SPICES, GRACE, AND HABDALAH, while the anonymous brayta maintains the aforementioned order, that is the order in the anonymous brayta but after GRACE, which would then be GRACE, WINE, LIGHT, SPICES, HAVDALAH. This would then have GRACE in the wrong place. Thus, we do not establish the anonymous brayta like our Mishna, which is Rabbi Meir, but rather like Rabbi Yehuda, and it is the opinion of Bet Shammai.וממאי דבית שמאי היא ואליבא דרבי יהודה דילמא בית הילל היא ואליבא דרבי מאירAnd how do you know that this represents the view of Beth Shammai as reported by R. Judah? Perhaps it represents the view of Beth Hillel as reported by R. Meir!
לא ס"ד דקתני הכא במתניתין
בית שמאי אומרים נר ומזון בשמים והבדלה ובית הלל אומרים נר ובשמים מזון והבדלה והתם בברייתא קתני אם אין לו אלא כוס אחד מניחו לאחר המזון ומשלשלן כולן לאחריו
שמע מינה דבית שמאי היא ואליבא דרבי יהודה
Do not imagine such a thing. For it states here, BETH SHAMMAI SAY, LIGHT, GRACE AND SPICES, AND HABDALAH; WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY LIGHT, SPICES, GRACE, AND HABDALAH, and there in the Baraitha it says, 'If he has only one cup he keeps it for grace and says the others in order after it'. This shows that it represents the view of Beth Shammai as reported by R. Judah.
In any case there is a difficulty? — Beth Shammai hold that the entrance of a [holy] day is different from its outgoing. At its entrance, the earlier we can make it the better, but at its exit, the longer we can defer it the better, so that it should not seem to be a burden on us.And this works. But the question, at least as arranged by the setama digmara, is more readily resolved by saying that the girsa of Rabbi Yehuda's brayta is that of the Yerushalmi rather than that of the Bavli.
BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT THE BENEDICTION IS FIRST SAID OVER THE DAY AND THEN OVER THE WINE,This appears to be a general principle of precedence. The brayta in the beginning of the gemara, discussing the reasoning of Bet Shammai and Bet Hillel goes on that portion of the Mishna.
WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY THAT THE BENEDICTION IS FIRST SAID OVER THE WINE AND THEN OVER THE DAY.
BETH SHAMMAI SAY THAT [THE PROPER ORDER IS] LIGHT, GRACE, SPICES, AND HABDALAH,Since it does mention wine in this list, it is unclear whether they mean wine before the havdalah or wine after the havdalah. After all, the earlier portion of the Mishna was talking about a meal at the entrance of, say, Shabbat, and so when do we sanctify the day. For Bet Hillel and Bet Shammai, the leap is apparent, that we should transfer the blessing on the wine to the appropriate spot. Thus, even though this is Rabbi Meir's account of the respective orders, we would place wine in its appropriate spot before or after havdalah.
WHILE BETH HILLEL SAY: LIGHT, SPICES, GRACE, AND HABDALAH.
Rabbi Chaim Vital apparently married at a young age. According to one legend, his first wife was Hannah, the daughter of a certain Moses Saadia. It was an unhappy marriage[.]The following I excerpt from the post at DreamingOfMoshiach, itself summarizing the contents of a passage in Rav Chaim Vital's Sefer Chizyonot.
It was Friday night, 8 Tevet when I said Kiddush and sat to eat. Tears were flowing from my eyes because 2 months ago, 10 Cheshvan, I married Chana and she performed witchcraft on me. I asked HaShem thru 'dream question', how is it that I got this tremendous trouble, especially because she's causing me to bitul Torah (waste precious time from learning Torah). From so much worry, I could not eat or think. I would lay in bed crying till I'd fall asleep. While sleeping, I had a dream within a dream.Thus, he believes that his wife is a witch who performed witchcraft on him. This could well stem from the fact that he has an unhappy marriage. Then again, I would not discount it. After all, Rav Chaim Vital has mystical leanings, which find expression in his dreams and in his study of kabbalah. His wife might have similar mystical predilections, and if she delved into practical folk mysticism (much like some modern day segulas), it is quite possible that she performed witchcraft on him. Or perhaps he happened to spy her when she went to the mikveh and saw that she could not submerge under the water, because she floated, because ... she weighed the same as a duck. Regardless, we know her name and her family, so I wonder what this is in terms of spreading this lashon hara about her that she is a witch. Now, many years after the fact, it is not such a problem. But back then, such an allegation... well, the dream apparently has some connection to shiluach haken, in parshat Ki Teitzei. But parshat Ki Teitzei also has the chapter of motzi shem ra al besulas yisrael.
I was weeping very hard and suddenly I see a beautiful important woman standing on top of the ladder and I thought to myself, 'this is my mother'. And she said, "What are you doing Chaim, my son, why are you crying? I heard your weeping and came to help you." She reached her right arm and raised me to the top of the ladder. In Heaven, I saw a big round window and big fire flames coming out and entering this window, it was like lightening (sic) and extremely hot. I understood that this is the hot burning sword placed at the entrance of Gan Eden. I bitterly cried again for my mother to help me enter inside Gan Eden. "My mother, my mother, help me so the hot burning sword will not burn me." My mother said that she can't stop the hot burning sword but she can advise me how to enter inside Gan Eden, "Put your hand to your head and you will find cotton, white as snow. Place the cotton on the window and quickly pass thru to enter inside Gan Eden." I did as my mother advised and put my hand on my hair. I was young and the color of my hair is black but miracoulsy, it turned into white cotton, in the secret of ושער רישיה כעמר נקא, (Daniel 7;9).So in response to his marital difficulties with his wife, he has a dream about a beautiful woman, who is his mother. His mother, in contrast to the witch he married. Does this seem Oedipal to you yet?
Letting whoever is interested know about a segulah that worked for me. I took upon myself to say shir hashirim for 40 days so that a specific bakasha should be fulfilled. If it were to work, I would publicize that the segulah worked. B"H I am happy to report that my bakasha was answered. Hatzlacha raba!Alas, we do not know what the bakasha, request, was. The implication one will probably draw from this, and what was probably intended by the author here, is that this is not a segula for purpose X, but rather, a general, all purpose segulah. Thus one may just commit to doing this instead of, say, following Rebbetzin Kanievsky's advice from the previous post to learn two halachot of Shemirat HaLashon a day.
The gemara, by the way, says:סעיף כ ההולך בדרך והגיע למלון מבעוד יום ורוצה ללון שם אם יש לפניו בדרך שצריך לילך במרחק ד' מילין מקום שמתפללין בעשרה ויכול לבא שם בעוד יום ושלא יהא צריך ללכת יחידי בלילה צריך לילך לשם להתפלל בצבור ויותר מד' מילין לא הטריחוהו חכמים אף שצריך לילך בדרך הזה אבל כשצריך לחזור לאחוריו או לצדדין אינו מחויב לילך אלא עד מיל ולא עד בכלל וכן הדר בישוב תוך מיל למקום שמתפללין בעשרה חייב לילך בכל יום בוקר וערב להתפלל בצבור ושיעור מיל הוא פרסה רוסי"ת שקורין ווייארסט ופשיטא שלא ישכים אדם לילך בדרך לדבר הרשות מעיר שיש שם בהכ"נ ואפילו ילך קודם אור הבוקר וזה שאין אנו נזהרין בזה משום שאנו הולכין בדרך לפרנסתינו ונחשב זה לדבר מצוה שהרי מצוה לפרנס אשתו וזרעו דאשתו חובה לפרנסה ובניו ובנותיו אמרו חז"ל דעל זה נאמר עושי צדקה בכל עת [כתובות נ'. וכ"מ במועד קטן רפ"ג ע"ש] ועוד דזהו דוקא כשיכול לבא למחוז חפצו מבע"י כמ"ש בש"ע סעי' י"ז:
Thus, it is obvious that one should not get up early to go on the road for a voluntary purpose {devar reshut} from a city which has a synagogue {such he can pray with a minyan, and instead pray without a minyan}, and even if he leaves before the light of morning {such that the obligation of Shacharit did not yet impose itself}. And this that we are not careful in this is because we are going on the road for our livelihood, and this is reckoned as a matter of mitzvah, for it is a mitzvah to provide for his wife and children, for as regards his wife, it is an obligation to provide for her, and as for his sons and daughters, Chazal say (Ketubot 50a) that on this it is written{perhaps because his work on their behalf to provide for them is considered tzedaka, righteousness, and thus it is at all times.}
ג אַשְׁרֵי, שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁפָּט; עֹשֵׂה צְדָקָה בְכָל-עֵת. 3 Happy are they that keep justice, that do righteousness at all times.
And further, this is where he is able to arrive at his destination while it is yet day, as is written in Shulchan Aruch seif 17.
1) Like a true golem, I will react to last things first. Thus, the last portion of the letter, which states thatDear women and girls! We need you to help us in prayers! The situation in
Eretz Yisrael is very difficult. Lately we are suffering terrible losses,
many orphans and widows from different diseases. My husband, The Rabbi, was
asked what could be the reason for all these tragedies. The Rabbi opened a
Gemara and said it's because of foul language. And how can we correct
ourselves? Only by watching what we say.
I read an article written by Rabbi Segal from Manchester who writes: "Never
did I see a person who learned 2 Halachot of Shemirat Halashon every day and
didn't see salvation from above, whether in children, in shidduch, good
health, parnasa or bringing up the children. He had promised that whoever
will learn the Chafetz Hayim, he will be his defender in Heaven." And we
witnessed miracles that happened to people who took upon themselves two
Halachot every day and saw Yeshuot. While I was reading the article a woman
walked in crying and said she has a number of aging daughters that are still
not married. I showed her the article and immediately she said she will
learn two Halachot of Shemirat Halashon every day. Within three days one
daughter got engaged. Two months later her second daughter and ba"h this
woman saw many Yeshuot. Like her, hundreds of girls who took upon
themselves the Shemirat Halashon got married.
A different story is about a woman who came to us about a year ago with
great sorrow saying that she'd been married for 20 years and she didn't have
children. I advised her to learn two Halchot every day and B"H she
conceived and now has a month old baby boy.
And another story: A few weeks ago a woman came to me, broken and crying,
and said that her mother is in the hospital with a growing tumor. She
asked what she could take upon herself to help. Again, I advised that the
entire family learn two Halachot of Shemirat Halashon every day. Two days
later she returned and asked of me to tell her story and the miracle that
happened. She said that the entire family gathered and decided to learn two
Halachot daily and two days later they received a phone call from the
hospital saying to come and pick up the mother, the tumor is gone and she is
in good health.
I hear many miracles such as these.
And now, we should all take upon ourselves, bli neder, to learn two Halachot
of Shemirat Halashon every day and pray with great kavana. A prayer that
comes from the heart through a holy mouth is immediately accepted by
Boreh-Olam and prevents many troubles and tragedies and brings Yeshua to the
world. In the future, each one of us will be shown how many wonderful
doings, how many people we saved. And thanks to you, my dear righteous
women and girls, we will have the Zechut to bring Mashiah Tzidkeinu soon in
our days.
Yehi Ratzon that Hashem will fulfill all of your wishes for the best,
B. Kanyevsky
For Zikui Harabim,
Each one who receives this letter should try to make at least 50 copies and
spread them for your own success, and you shall be blessed by Hashem, amen
An[d] whoever exceeds that amount will be blessed directly from the mouth of
Hashem.
is a bit over the top. First, I should note that it appears below Rebbetzin Kanievsky's signature, without a P.S., and so quite plausibly came from someone else. This postscript is essentially a segulah for success and blessing from Hashem for forwarding the email to everyone in your Inbox. Not that the letter itself does not contain segulah content, but that was for learning Chafetz Chaim and for guarding one's speech, not for forwarding a chain letter.For Zikui Harabim,
Each one who receives this letter should try to make at least 50 copies and
spread them for your own success, and you shall be blessed by Hashem, amen
An[d] whoever exceeds that amount will be blessed directly from the mouth of
Hashem.
Of course, here there is a plausible reason for this -- by forwarding this, or photocopying and mailing/distributing it, you are being mezake the rabbim. But the claims being put forward -- that you will be blessed by Hashem, and for mass-spamming it, will be "blessed directly from the mouth of Hashem" is a bit excessive. Whoever wrote this, whether is was the person who began distributing it or Rebbetzin Kanievsky, cannot make such promises of a blessing directly from the mouth of Hashem.An[d] whoever exceeds that amount will be blessed directly from the mouth of
Hashem.
Stating knowledge of the why of various tragedies is not my own personal cup of tea, coming from a more rationalist and less mystical background, but there are surely support for such, as we find in various gemaras explaining reasons for various tragedies, and find various personalities throughout Jewish history making such claims about the reason for tragedies.Dear women and girls! We need you to help us in prayers! The situation in
Eretz Yisrael is very difficult. Lately we are suffering terrible losses,
many orphans and widows from different diseases. My husband, The Rabbi, was
asked what could be the reason for all these tragedies. The Rabbi opened a
Gemara and said it's because of foul language. And how can we correct
ourselves? Only by watching what we say.
I know of a litvish lady that was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She went with her husband to the Skulaner Rebbe that promised her that if she shaves her hair, she will be helped. She did it that night and when the time came for her to have surgery, lo and behold, her tumor was gone. Needless to say, all her siblings shave their hair since then.Thus, shaving the head (together with other head coverings such as a tichel) has now become a general segulah for warding off cancer.
He bases his causal analysis on the fact that the troubles of those times gave rise to a feeling that Hashem had chas vesholom forsaken and abandoned His people to the wicked devices of their enemies. The only place where the Torah writes the frightening words "Hashem will forsake you" is in conjunction with pritzus, as the Torah writes: "Velo yeiro'eh becho ervas dovor veshov mei'acharecho - - Hashem shall not see nakedness on you, [for if He does] He will forsake you" (Devorim 23:15). The Chofetz Chaim therefore pointed an accusing finger at pritzus as the cause for the severe troubles that befell Klal Yisroel in those times.
We are at present in the throes of a seemingly endless string of tzoros that threaten to engulf the yishuv in Eretz Yisroel. The nature of these troubles is such that we once again feel totally abandoned and helpless. In line with the Chofetz Chaim's words just quoted, we must assume that a serious lack of tznius is at least one of the main underlying causes for the present condition.
Nowadays, Orthodox women certainly do not leave their hair uncovered. However, many wear hair-coverings that are totally inappropriate and, according to a wide range of poskim, constitute an issur min haTorah.
This is an extension of the Chafetz Chaim who was talking about not covering hair at all, and we do not know that the Chafetz Chaim would say this even today. But it all comes down to lashon hara and/or tznius.
Regression toward the mean refers to the fact that those with extreme scores on any measure at one point in time will probably have less extreme scores the next time they are tested for purely statistical reasons. Scores always involve a little bit of luck. Many extreme scores include a bit of luck that happened to fall with or against you depending on whether your extreme score is extremely high or extremely low.The people coming to a Rebbe or a Rebbetzin for brachot are at the extreme. They self-select for that, since people who are doing just-fine, thank you, or just fabulous, do not come for a bracha or segulah.
