Blog/May 2009/May 22nd
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עברית
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If ye walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them (Lev 26:6)
If we keep God's commandments, and obey His prophets and His sages, we will receive a bounty of blessings. "If ye walk in My statutes" is the beginning of a conditional promise, which if we keep the condition, the promise will be fulfilled.
In halacha: A Torah scroll, tefillin or mezuzot… upon skins which were not properly processed, or if he wrote a Torah scroll or tefillin on skins which were not processed for the sake of the mitsva -- they are invalid (Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and Torah scrolls 1:14). The proper processing is detailed there, halacha 6 -- and copied from the Talmud Bavli shabbat 79a, see there. But today almost no-one processes the skins according to halacha, except a very few individuals -- and the consequences of this are that the majority of Jews in the entire world make blessings over Torah scrolls which are invalid from the very beginning, and have invalid mezuzot on their houses. And why do we use the "new method" for processing skins? Because it is cheaper and quicker.
In halacha: One who slaughters [an animal for food] must check the knife on the edge of the blade, and on both sides of the blade. And how does he check? He must draw it to and fro on the skin of his finger, and draw it to and fro on his fingernail, on all three sides, which are the edge and the two sides of the blade -- in order that there not be any defect whatsoever in it; and afterwards he may slaughter with it (ibid 19). Likewise in the Bavli Hullin 17b, see there. And why does almost no-one but a few individuals check in this manner? Because this exacting examination is expensive and slow, and diminishes profits from the slaughtering operations.
In halacha: Carrying an object from one "domain" to another is a forbidden labor [on shabbat] (Laws of Shabbat 12:8). The "public domain" is defined: What is a "public domain"? The wilderness and forests, and roads leading to them: but only if the width of the road is sixteen amot (approx 24 feet) or wider, and they are not covered with a roof (ibid 14:1), and see Bavli Shabbat 99a. It is impossible to make an eruv between a private and a public domain. And why do we "carry" in "eruvim" which are not eruvim? Because it is more pleasant to believe one who is lenient regarding that which we wish to do, than to obey our Sages commandments.
The Torah also cautions us regarding what will happen if ye shall reject My statutes, and if your soul abhor Mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant (Lev 26:15). May it be His will that we return to Him, and to the words of His prophets and Sages.
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