Rabbi Cowen's Corner (Notes on the Parsha)
MIKVEH CAMPAIGN AND AWARENESS
Myths about Mikveh:
Myth: None of my friends use it.
The truth is: When a Jewish woman goes to the mikvah, her friends shouldn't know. Only her husband and the mikvah attendant know. The entire experience is extremely private and dignified. So there's no way to know for sure that your friends don't go. Some of them may very well use the mikvah. In fact, using the mikvah is so private, even your mother might have gone. And you never knew.
Notes on the Parsha
It is two years later since last week's Parasha. Pharaoh has a dream. He is unsatisfied with all attempts to interpret it. Pharaoh's wine steward remembers that Yosef accurately interpreted his dream while in prison. Yosef is released from prison and brought before Pharaoh. He interprets that soon will begin seven years of abundance followed by seven years of severe famine. He tells Pharaoh to appoint a wise person to store grain in preparation for the famine. Pharaoh appoints him as viceroy to oversee the project. Pharaoh gives Yosef an Egyptian name, Tsafnat Panayach, and selects Osnat, Yosef's ex-master's daughter, as Yosef's wife. Egypt becomes the granary of the world. Yosef has two sons, Menashe and Ephraim. Yaakov sends his sons to Egypt to buy food. The brothers come before Yosef and bow to him. Yosef recognizes them but they do not recognize him. Mindful of his dreams, Yosef plays the part of an Egyptian overlord and acts harshly, accusing them of being spies. Yosef sells them food, but keeps Shimon hostage until they bring their brother Binyamin to him as proof of their honesty. Yosef commands his servants to replace the purchase-money in their sacks. On the return journey, they discover the money and their hearts sink. They return to Yaakov and retell everything. Yaakov refuses to let Binyamin go to Egypt, but when the famine grows unbearable, he submits to the request. Yehuda guarantees Binyamin's safety, and the brothers go to Egypt. Yosef welcomes the brothers lavishly as honored guests. When he sees Binyamin he rushes out of the room and cries. Yosef instructs his servants to replace the money in the sacks, and to put his goblet inside Binyamin's sack. When the goblet is discovered, Yosef demands Binyamin become his slave as punishment. Yehuda interposes and offers himself instead, but Yosef refuses. descendants.
Essential Halachot of Chanukah: A Quick Guide for Lighting Right:
1. The preferred time for lighting the Chanukah candles is fifteen minutes after sundown. This time of year, sunset occurs at approximately 5:20pm, and so one should preferably light the Chanukah candles at 5:35pm (the exception is on Motzei Shabbat when one lights after Shabbat is over which is 6:05 PM on the first night December 8th and after 6:06PM on the 8th night of Saturday night Dec. 15th). If one is able to come home from work to light at this time, he should do so. If not, then the candles may be lit later. It must be emphasized, however, than on Sunday, for example, when most people do not have to work, the candles should be lit at the ideal time even if on weekdays this is not possible. According to some Poskim, lighting later than the preferred time is allowed only on the level of "Bedi'avad" ("after the fact"), and therefore every reasonable effort must be made to light at that time.
2. Ideally, the candles should be lit outside by the doorway to one's home, on the side opposite the Mezuzah. The practice to light indoors was begun because it became dangerous to light outside, where the candles would be seen by hostile gentiles. The more conventional practice, however, is to light indoors, and this is the practice of even many great Torah leaders, and there is certainly a legitimate Halachic basis for this custom of lighting indoors by a window that faces the public domain.
3. The choicest way of performing the precept of the lighting of the Chanukah lights is through the use of olive oil. However two types of lights may not be mixed (such as olive oil and wax candles) as it should not appear that two people lit them.
4. On each night of Chanukah, from when the time for lighting arrives, we are not permitted to eat or even study Torah till the lights are actually kindled.
5. In accordance with the teachings of Sephardic Torah Scholars, z"l, only the head of the household may light Chanukah lights in each household. The other members of the family stand beside him and watch. There are those who have the minhag that each member of the household lights their own Menorah.
6. We may not benefit from the light of the Chanukah candles; we may only observe them to remember the miracle. Thus, an additional candle, the one that appears higher or different than the rest on a Menorah, is lit each night. Sephardic custom is to NOT use the Shammash to light the other candles, but rather matches or a separate candle. This is because the Shammash is generally considered to have some Mitzvah attached to it. The Shammash should be lit last and should not be used to light the other lights. Thus, Sephardim use another candle (or other device) to light all the Chanukah candles and then when all are lit, light the additional light (Shammash) LAST. It is placed in a slightly different position to the other candles.
7. On the first night of Chanukah, one lights the rightmost candle on the Menorah, and then on each subsequent night one adds a candle to the left. The lighting is done from the leftmost candle rightward (the direction of writing in English).
8. Before lighting the Chanukah candles, one recites two Berachot: "Le'hadlik Ner Chanukah," and "She'asa Nissim La'abotenu Bayamim Ha'hem Ba'zman Ha'zeh." On the first night, we add a third Beracha – "Shehehiyanu." It should be emphasized that the custom of the Sepharadim is to recite for the first Beracha the text of "Le'hadlik Ner Hanukah," and NOT "Le'hadlik Ner Shel Hanukah." This Beracha differs from the Beracha recited over the Shabbat candles, when we indeed include the word "Shel" ("Le'hadlik Ner Shel Shabbat"). Sepharadim should thus recite "Le'hadlik Ner Hanukah," and NOT "Le'hadlik Ner Shel Hanukah."
9. One should not begin lighting the candles until after he has completed reciting all the Berachot/Blessings. As soon as one lights the first candle, he should recite "Ha'nerot Halalu." One should not begin reciting "Ha'nerot Halalu" before the first candle is lit, but he does not have to wait until the other candles are lit.
10. The story of Yehudith, daughter of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest), Yohanan, bears some similarities to the events that are commemorated in Chanukah, and is also remembered during these days. As is written in "Hemdat Yamim", the cruel Greek Assyrian ruler desired Yehudit and had her brought before him. She fed him dairy foods and wine until he fell asleep and then killed him. At the sight of their leader's death, the enemy soldiers fled. Thus, Chanukah is of specific importance to women. And it is important that they do no Melacha (work) while the lights are burning each night, – i.e. for the half hour that they are required to be alight. It is appropriate also, for a woman whose livelihood does not depend on it, to abstain from doing any Melacha on the first and last days of Chanukah.
11. Chanukah is the holiday of the Oral Torah, since it is the first Rabbinic holiday, ans since it also symbolizes the importance of intensifying one's dedication to the learning of the Oral Torah (Mishnah and Talmud). Thus, It is proper after lighting the Hanukah candles to pray for one's and one's children's success in Torah learning and religious observance. Furthermore, it is proper to spend some moments gazing at the Chanukah candles after the lighting; one should not simply light and then walk away. Although it is forbidden to make personal use of the light of the Chanukah candles, one should spend a few moments looking at the light, as it is invested with special spiritual power that is capable of elevating the soul.
May we merit to see the Canukah (dedication) of the third Temple, speedily in our days. Amen.
