This past Shabbos was a big day for me. First, 16 Av is the anniversary of my גרות; this makes 28 years. I try to commemorate the occasion appropriately. This year it was by completing my review of the second volume of the Dirshu Mishna Brura; including and and every ביאור הלכה and each and every שער הציו. (I highly recommend checking those out; you'll even find the occasional medrash down there.) Frosting on the cake, though, was finding a ביאור הלכה that addressed a question I have had for some time. In fact, it was a sort of redemption, as I had been told the question was so uninteresting that it wasn't even worth contemplating.
In order for you to experience some semblance of the flush of redemption I felt, I'll first explain my question. To do that, I need to give you some background. The mitzvah of ציצית cannot be fulfilled when it is "too dark" outside. One definition of "too dark" is that you could not recognize an acquaintance more distant than four cubits (about six feet). Another is too dark to be able to discern the difference between two particular shades of blue. It's pretty difficult to determine that time precisely in the city because there is so much "light pollution"; that is, artificial sources of light. R' Moshe Feinstein determined that time in NY and Chicago (which are at approximately the same latitude) is 35 to 40 minutes before sunrise.
Now... the Chicago vasikin minyan starts Shabbos morning at 40 minutes before sunrise. I would like to put on my tallis just as davening starts, so I am fully suited up for davening before the prayer leader begins. (Oh, by the way, we start on time and with a minyan. Funny that minyanim that start much later have trouble starting with a minyan. Just saying.) That's my question: Am I allowed to make the bracha on the tallis at a time that is too early to actually fulfill the mitzvah of ציצית? By the time I wrap myself in the ציצית, mind you, it will be light enough to fulfill the mitzvah. So they question really comes down to this: Can the bracha only be recited when the mitzvah can be fulfilled, or is it good enough that the mitzvah itself is performed at an appropriate time?
Yes, yes, I know I could just wait a few seconds. Yes, yes, I know I could put my tallis on early and then adjust it later in order to make the bracha then. Yes, yes, I know the timing is not that precise and one likely should use that last option. Yes, yes, yes. Not the point. My question stands.
Ahem... all you "that's not even interesting enough to contemplate"-sayers. Check out the first ביאור הלכה on siman 239, dh "on the verge of sleeping". The ביאור הלכה muses if one is allowed to make the bracha of המפיל before dawn (approximately 72 minutes before sunrise) when he know full well that he won't fall asleep until after dawn. Precisely the contrapositive of my question! That is, here the bracha is at an appropriate time, but the action will take place at an inappropriate time! Yes!
They answer? Oh... there isn't one. The ביאור הלכה also doesn't come to a conclusion. Redemption is not about knowing everything or even being right. Redemption is about being on the same team as those who strive to know HaShem.
In order for you to experience some semblance of the flush of redemption I felt, I'll first explain my question. To do that, I need to give you some background. The mitzvah of ציצית cannot be fulfilled when it is "too dark" outside. One definition of "too dark" is that you could not recognize an acquaintance more distant than four cubits (about six feet). Another is too dark to be able to discern the difference between two particular shades of blue. It's pretty difficult to determine that time precisely in the city because there is so much "light pollution"; that is, artificial sources of light. R' Moshe Feinstein determined that time in NY and Chicago (which are at approximately the same latitude) is 35 to 40 minutes before sunrise.
Now... the Chicago vasikin minyan starts Shabbos morning at 40 minutes before sunrise. I would like to put on my tallis just as davening starts, so I am fully suited up for davening before the prayer leader begins. (Oh, by the way, we start on time and with a minyan. Funny that minyanim that start much later have trouble starting with a minyan. Just saying.) That's my question: Am I allowed to make the bracha on the tallis at a time that is too early to actually fulfill the mitzvah of ציצית? By the time I wrap myself in the ציצית, mind you, it will be light enough to fulfill the mitzvah. So they question really comes down to this: Can the bracha only be recited when the mitzvah can be fulfilled, or is it good enough that the mitzvah itself is performed at an appropriate time?
Yes, yes, I know I could just wait a few seconds. Yes, yes, I know I could put my tallis on early and then adjust it later in order to make the bracha then. Yes, yes, I know the timing is not that precise and one likely should use that last option. Yes, yes, yes. Not the point. My question stands.
Ahem... all you "that's not even interesting enough to contemplate"-sayers. Check out the first ביאור הלכה on siman 239, dh "on the verge of sleeping". The ביאור הלכה muses if one is allowed to make the bracha of המפיל before dawn (approximately 72 minutes before sunrise) when he know full well that he won't fall asleep until after dawn. Precisely the contrapositive of my question! That is, here the bracha is at an appropriate time, but the action will take place at an inappropriate time! Yes!
They answer? Oh... there isn't one. The ביאור הלכה also doesn't come to a conclusion. Redemption is not about knowing everything or even being right. Redemption is about being on the same team as those who strive to know HaShem.
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