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Ask the Rabbi
"Ask the Rabbi" is a new feature providing you with an opportunity to ask Rabbi Benzaquen questions
that pertain to any aspect of Judaism.
Please send your questions to Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation, 6500 52nd Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98118,
or e-mail 
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Question: Rabbi, I've noticed that on Shabbath, some people use the Eruv (carry in public)
while others do not. Can you explain what an Eruv is and second, what the rationale is for its use or for not
using it? If one does use the Eruv, are there certain items that should not be carried?
Answer: I'm aware that these highly charged questions have been asked for some time. They are
highly charged questions because at the outset they are themselves controversial in nature, and to answer them
directly would only reflect one side of the argument. This is a very sensitive and complicated issue. I want to
avoid any answer that would appear to be too lenient or too strict, giving the impression of holier than thou,
or not caring at all. Therefore, my answer will need to be in detail so that both sides of this issue are understood
and respected.
First, every community that establishes an Eruv is a privileged community. Even those who don’t rely on an Eruv (to
carry in public on Shabbath) acknowledge that it is important to have an "established" Eruv in a community.
What I ask from you, the interested reader of this column, is to be patient for the answers you are looking for because
it will take several explanations on the subject of Eruv on Shabbath so that the reader can best appreciate the meaning
and value, and both sides of the issue.
So the question is not whether to have or not to have an Eruv, but rather whether or not to USE the Eruv on Shabbat. Let
me say that in this article I will not decide which Halachic opinion one should follow. I will only present the various
opinions of the Poskim (legislators) regarding the issue of Eruv. Depending on your personal circumstances you can ask
me privately if you should use the Eruv or not.
Let me explain a few concepts of Eruv. An Eruv allows a person to carry from a private domain to a public thoroughfare,
or vise versa, from a public domain to a private domain, or to carry an object in a public domain after lifting it up in
the same public domain. For this, we have to define Halachicly what a private domain is and what a public domain is.
"Private Domain" is defined in Halacha as a place surrounded by four walls, i.e., our own houses. For example, a garden
that has no roof, but is surrounded by a fence that is over forty inches (3'-4") high, is considered a private domain.
Other examples are a fenced-in tennis court, or even a shopping mall. The reference of private does not necessarily mean
privately owned, but enclosed by walls, so that even an airport terminal as big as it is, if it has doors and four walls,
is also defined as a "private domain".
"Public Domain" is defined in Halacha as a place that lacks the fencing aspect of the place. It also has to cover a large
area, over 25 feet wide - for example, a street. It is forbidden to carry items a distance of over seven feet at a time in
a public domain on Shabbath, or to take an object from a private domain to a public domain or vice versa. This we learn
from verses in the Torah and in the Prophets. The Torah says, "Moshe commanded that they proclaim throughout the camp, saying,
Man and woman shall not do more work towards the gift for the sanctuary, and the people ceased bringing". Ex 36:6
Also, the Prophet Jeremiah said, "So said the L-rd, beware for your souls and carry not burden on the Shabbath day nor bring
unto the gates of Jerusalem". Jeremiah 17:21. "Neither shall you take a burden out of your houses on the Shabbath day nor shall
you perform any labor and you shall hallow the Shabbath day as I commanded your forefathers". Jeremiah 17:22
From these verses we learn that the Torah considers carrying items to the sanctuary as labor, as work that involved carrying
items needed for the building of the sanctuary from one domain to another. The uniqueness of this labor is that even if carrying
does not require any physical, hard, work, the Torah still regards it as forbidden and as one of the 39 categories of manual
constructive labor.
Question: I get terribly flustered when I'm called to the Torah. I'm uncertain about how
to say the prayer, where and how to stand or place my hands. Once I say the prayer, am I supposed to be doing
something while the Hazzan reads from the Torah? Also, how did the portions get divided among the weeks and
holidays?
Answer: Good questions. From time to time, I sense nervousness when one is called up to the
Torah. The nervousness may stem from the unexpected aliyah, or an apprehension of having forgotten some words
from the blessings, or even feeling uncomfortable for fear that the portion is going to be lengthier than
average. And then there’s the question some may wonder about — @what do I do now?@ It's important to understand
the entire concept of reading the Torah in order for all of us to appreciate how one behaves at the moment of
being called to the Torah.
An essential feature of the morning Shabbath service is the reading from the Torah, Keriat Hatorah,
and the Prophets, Haftara. A periodic public reading from the Torah is found in Deuteronomy 31. 10-13).
Moses commanded them, saying, "At the end of seven years, at the time of the Sabbatical year, during the Succoth
festival, when all Israel comes to appear before Hashem, your G-d, in the place that He will choose, you shall read
this Torah before all Israel, in their ears. Gather together the people - the men, the women, and the small children,
and your stranger who is in your cities - so that they will hear and so that they will learn, and they shall fear
Hashem, your G-d, and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah. And their children who do not know - they
shall hear and they shall learn to fear Hashem, your G-d, all the days that you live on the Land to which you are
crossing the Jordan to posses it."
Question: One Saturday night out of each month, our synagogue says a prayer (Birkat HaLevana)
outside in front of the moon. Why do we say this prayer? Why outside? How do we know which night to say it?
Can it be said on any night of the week or can it only be said on Saturday night? Some people jump while saying
it — what's that all about?
Answer: To answer these questions, we first have to understand the background for this behavior
that we find occurring every month. It has to do with the essence of our calendar. The Jewish calendar is a lunar
calendar, i.e., the time taken by the moon to rotate around the earth, unlike the Gregorian calendar which is used
Internationally and is a solar calendar.
"Molad HaLevana" represents the moment of the Lunar Crescent, the birth of the moon. It takes precisely 29 days,
12 hours and 793 seconds for the moon to rotate around the earth, hence our calendar has necessary adjustments to
the Solar calendar to reflect the Torah commandment of holidays in a permanent fixed season.
According to our Torah in Exodus 12.2, the power to pronounce the new moon (Rosh Hodesh) was given to the maximum
religious authorities, the "Sanhedrin". Two witnesses would come forward to announce in front of the "Sanhedrin"
that they saw the crescent of the moon or the "Molad" i.e. the "birth of the Moon".
After the examination of the witnesses, if the "Sanhedrin" had satisfied themselves by mathematical calculations as
to the accuracy of the report, then the head of the three members of the "Sanhedrin" who conducted this inquiry
solemnly, declared that the new moon was sanctified, "Mekudash". Everybody would then answer twice "Mekudash", and
then they would dispatch authoritative messengers to all the outlying districts of Israel.
Beacons were kindled on the Judean Hills so that all should know that a new moon had been fixed. This way all would
know when the festival occurred during all the months of the year. This primitive procedure of communicating news
was eventually abolished for political reasons and was also made impossible by the interference of Samaritans and
other enemies of Israel.
It was in the 4th century (360 CE) that a great mathematician rabbi arose, (his name was Hillel II, the Nasi, president
of the Jewish community) who, invoking the aid of astronomy, was the first to give definite and accurate shape to
our Jewish calendar. Its accuracy is remarkable. It is a pleasant surprise to realize that the Jewish year exceeds
the Gregorian by just over six and a half minutes.
Now that we do not have the "Sanhedrin" to fulfill the commandment of the Torah to sanctify the new moon as soon as
it is seen by witnesses, we rely upon the accurate calendar established by Hillel II. Later, in Babylonia, our
Rabbis established "Birkat HaLevana", the blessing of the new moon, in memory of the ancient tradition of
sanctification of the new moon.
Since everyone is supposed to utter this blessing, it is not done at the birth of the new moon by individuals,
but only when the moon is extra clear to the eyes, when a person can derive benefit from its glow. Preferably it
is said with a quorum (Minyan). Our rabbis calculated this to be three days after its birth and continuing until
it is a full moon. This is, according the interpretation of the Rabbis of Nehordea, until the 16th of the month.
Because of this, the blessing of the new moon was established only at night when we can see the moon clearly.
It must not be covered by clouds so it is preferable to bless the moon outside.
The content of the blessing, according to the Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin 42, is "Blessed be He, who with His
utterance created the (heavens) galaxies and with the breath of His mouth all its hosts. And gave a statute and
a season so as not to change their (orbit) purpose. The hosts are happy and joyous to do the will of the Master
of the Universe. They do G-d’s bidding in truth. Their functions are truths and the moon one of the hosts; He
declared that it should renew itself each month as a glorious crown of splendor, for those who are born (by Him)
from the womb, who are destined to renew themselves like it. The renewal of the moon for which a crown of splendor
is an evocative metaphor, is a sign of the Jewish people that they, too, will eventually be restored to their
former grandeur. The Jews are called (Isaiah 46:3) 'Those born by G-d from the womb'. In the future the Jews will
be renewed just as a child is born from the womb (Maharsha) and to glorify their Maker for the name of His glorious
kingdom, blessed are you Oh L-rd, who renews the moons".
To G-d exalted, who renews the months, the people of Israel who are hoping for salvation and grace from heaven are
in prayer that G-d should renew their days as of old. This blessing over the moon became very popular and loved
among the people of Israel. Our rabbis established in principal, to utter the blessing over the moon only at the
termination of Shabbath, when everyone is still dressed up with Shabbath attire, and when people used to perfume
themselves and their clothes, something which was not permitted to be done on the Shabbath itself. The blessing
over the moon became so popularly loved and practiced in a public forum that the great rabbis of the Talmud,
such as Rabbi Yohanan interpreted this moment to sanctify the moon as "anyone who blesses the new month by blessing
the new moon in its proper time is as though he greets the Divine Presence". Rabbi Ishmael thought that if the
people of Israel were privileged to receive the glory of the Shechina only once a month it would be sufficient
reason for them to praise G-d for their lot.
Abaye said, therefore, we should recite the blessing standing. Since blessing the moon involved greeting the
Divine Presence, it is proper to recite the blessing while standing as a sign of respect.
In time, additional prayers were included to the blessing for the moon, by reciting three times, "May it be a good
sign for the people of Israel". "Blessed is He who fashioned you (the moon), who made you, who owns you, Blessed
is He who created you", and in utter joy should jump three times facing the moon and recite three times, "in the
same manner that we jump in front of you and I cannot touch you, so if others should jump before us to harm us,
they should not succeed. They should not be able to touch us. Fear and tremble may fall upon them". We
enthusiastically repeat every terminology of affirmation twice, by uttering, Amen, Amen, Netzah, Netzah, Selah,
Selah, Vaed, Vaed. We also conclude with the hope for peace for the people of Israel by culminating Birkat
HaLevana with Shalom Alechem.
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