eShabbos weekly
Parshas Matos-Masei
28 Tamuz, 5777
   July 21-22, 2017
Shalom and hello everyone! I hope you are doing well.

SHABBOS MEVORCHIM! 
This week is shabbos mevorchim Av and rosh chodesh Av is on Monday, July 24. Join Ohav Sholom on shabbos day f
or special tefilos that mark this important date. 

Please carefully review the Nine Day Primer below and become familiar with the intricate laws of the Nine Days. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you might have. 

Ah gut chodesh to you! 

RABBI AVRAHAM FARBER, ZT"L 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a local legend,  Rabbi Avraham Farber, zt"l

Rabbi Farber was the celebrated cantor at Ohab Zedek on the West Side and a Rebbe at Breuers Yeshiva in Washington Heights for many decades. He delivered erudite shiurim at Congregation Heichel Moshe (Rabbi Vorhand's shteibel on the UWS) and in Tannersville, NY, where he owned and operated a camp for 50 years. 

Rabbi Farber was a great Torah scholar who "raised many students" in various arenas and his warmth and humanity was felt by thousands. His steady leadership and wisdom will be missed and he leaves a Jewish community bereft of a sagacious and benevolent elder statesman. May his neshama have an aliyah in gan eden. Amen.  

MAZEL TOV TO DAF LEARNERS!

Congratulations to the Ohav Sholom daf yomi chaburah upon completing mesechta Baba Basra and the commencement of mesechta Sanhedrin this past Tuesday! May we continue to learn and finish the entire shas. If you are interested in joining our shiur please contact me for more information. Mazel tov! 

KIDDUSH SPONSOR

Thank you to our gala kiddush sponsor this shabbos, Vice President Ron Goldofsky, in commemoration of the yahrzeits of his grandparents and Aunt - whose yahrzeits the family observes on the 2nd day of Av: Eliyahu Ben Yitzchak, h"yd, Geula bas Sora, h"yd, and Tova Rachel bas Eli, a'h.
 
May the neshamos of these kedoshim enjoy an aliyah in gan eden! Amen. 

IMPORTANT YAHRTZEIT THIS SHABBOS - 28 TAMUZ  

PASSING OF THE KITZUR  SHULCHAN ARUCH 

Rabbi Shlomo Ganzfried (1804-1886) was born in Uzhhorod (Ungvar) in the Carpathian region of the Habsburg Empire (now Ukraine). When he was eight years old, Shlomo's father, Rabbi Yosef, passed away, and Ungvar's chief rabbi, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsh Heller, assumed legal guardianship of Shlomo. 
In 1830, he abandoned his work as a wine merchant and accepted the position of Rabbi of Brezovica (Brezevitz). In 1849, he returned to Ungvar to serve as a rabbinical judge. Realizing that the average Jew required a basic knowledge of practical halachah, Rabbi Ganzfried compiled the  Kitzur Shulchan Aruch , an abbreviated digest of Jewish law. To this day, the  Kitzur Shulchan Aruch remains a classic halachic work, and it has been translated into many languages.
In addition to the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, he authored many works including
Kesset HaSofer, a halachic primer for scribes, and
Pnei Shlomo, a commentary on the Talmud.
(source: chabad.org)

NINE DAYS PRIMER 5777
By: Rabbi Aaron D. Mehlman
Congregation Ohav Sholom

Last week, we discussed the laws of bein hametzarim , the three weeks .

This week's primer is devoted to rosh chodesh av and the nine days.

The nine days begin Sunday evening, July 23, 2017, at nightfall, 9:07 pm .

Rosh Chodesh Av is included in these restrictions and the eve of rosh chodesh is likewise included. Generally speaking, the laws of the nine days initiate at nightfall. However, if one davens maariv early (even before sunset but after the plag hamincha) the restrictions of the nine days are in full effect.  

During the nine days we generally decrease our joy and simcha in a collective effort to mourn the loss of our beloved Temple and the exiling of the Divine Presence and the Jewish People from eretz yisroel.

Marriage is prohibited but one may "get engaged" during this period.

We avoid decorating or beautifying our homes during the nine days. Essential repairs are permitted.

Construction projects started before the nine days may continue if a) the contractor is a non-Jew and b) if the project is halted, the Jew will incur financial loss.

A Jewish contractor may work on a Gentile's project if it is known to all that the property/project belongs to a non Jew.

We do not plant trees or flowers during the nine days.

Even if one purchased new furniture before the nine days, it is forbidden to bring those items into the home during this period.

It is forbidden to purchase new clothing during the nine days, even to put the clothes on hold until after the nine days. However, if there is a big sale that will conclude during the nine days, one may purchase these sale items during this period.

One may purchase tisha b'av shoes during the nine days.

One may mend "old" clothing during the nine days. This includes sewing on buttons and the like.

We do not wear freshly laundered clothing during the nine days, with the exception of shabbos.  One should wear the laundered clothing before the nine days if possible but if one forgot, they should first be placed on the floor so as to remove freshness.

This rule applies to outer clothing only; socks, undergarments, etc. are excluded.

Clothing of children over six years of age are included in this prohibition (some authorities are lenient until bar/bas mitzvah)

We do not launder towels or put on fresh bed sheets or tablecloths during the nine days. However, for shabbos, fresh tablecloths are permitted, bed sheets are not.

If a guest stays in your home, one may put out freshly laundered bedsheets for the guest.

One cannot wash laundry or bring clothes to the cleaners even with the intent to "pick up" after tisha b'av.

There are poskim who permit bringing clothing to a non Jewish cleaner with explicit instructions to launder them after the nine days.

One may use shoe polish to shine shoes but one should not brush them during the nine days.

To commemorate the disruption of animal sacrifices and ceremonial wine libations in the Temple, we do not eat meat or drink wine during the nine days, with the exception of shabbos.

Children over the age six should refrain from consuming meat products.

One may cook with/add wine to a dish if there is a 60/1 food to wine ratio or if one cannot detect a wine flavor - even if the wine improves the overall taste of the food (and one may taste the food to determine this.)

Grape juice is included in this restriction but one may ingest/consume/use wine vinegar.
 
Food cooked in a fleishig pot may be eaten during the nine days.

One may drink beer or port during the nine days.

The wine/grape juice of havdalah is customarily given to a child; if none are present, one may drink the wine.

We do not bathe or swim during the nine days. Children under the age of six may bathe in hot water.

If one regularly goes to the mikveh before davening or on erev shabbos, it is permitted to continue this practice during the nine days.

One may wash parts of the body, the face, hands and legs with cold water during the nine days.

If one perspires heavily or feels unclean it is permitted to bathe the soiled area or if need be, the entire body. If the removal of dirt and perspiration requires soap and hot water, one may do so.

If hot water isn't necessarily required to remove the perspiration, etc, lukewarm water may be added in order to take the chill out of the cold water. The water should be cold enough that one doesn't derive pleasure from the warmth of the water.
 
If you have a specific shailah regarding rosh chodesh, the nine days, shabbos chazon or tisha b'av, please do not hesitate to contact me.   
 
May we merit to see the final redemption speedily in our days, Amen.


Have a wonderful shabbos and chodesh tov!

Rabbi Aaron D. Mehlman
Erev shabbos kodesh matos massai 5777


Shabbos Timetable
Erev Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Matos-Masei

Early Mincha/Kabbalos Shabbos
6:45 pm
Early Candle Lighting 6:55 pm
Candle Lighting
8:03 pm


Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Matos-Masei

Shacharis
9:00 am
Gala Hot Kiddush 
11:30 am
Mishna Brura / Pirkei Avos Shiur
7:40 pm
Mincha 8:00 pm
Daf Yomi  (Baba Basra)

Maariv/Shabbos ends 9:09 pm
Ohav Sholom | (212)877-5850 | o ffice@osnyc.org | w ww.osnyc.org

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