Michael el Chayil

Since the horrifying massacre of October 7, my wife and I have started a regular daily seder in hilchos Shabbos. We are using the s'farim and schedule from the Shabbos Daily project. Review is always valuable in any area of halacha, but it is absolutely essential to proper Shabbos observance. You are, after all, going to be thrown into Shabbos each and every week; Baruch HaShem. Given that frequency, you are bound to hit some uncommon situations at some point and you want to be prepared ahead of time. Here's an uncommon situation (for us rich Americans): Imagine you have only enough wine for two ceremonies and you have no other liquid refreshment other than water. Water can be used for neither kiddush nor havdalah, so you are going to have to make a decision about which two ceremonies of the three required -- kiddush Friday night, kiddush Shabbos morning, and havdalah -- you are going to be able accomplish. Let's review the issues. Kiddush at night certainly ...

Here's another cookie bracha issue. (Another? Yes; the one to which this is another is TftD: Coolest Cookie .) I found these delicious cookies: Thinster's Coconut CookieThins. Really delicious. What's the problem? What's the bracha -- both before eating and after finishing. What is the doubt? The cookies contain wheat flour. The rule is that any time a recipe include wheat (or barley, rye, oat, or spelt) flour, then the bracha is always בורא מיני מזונות because the five grains are never subordinate. That is, except when the flour is added only to give structure/consistency to the food but not taste. If the flour is only added for the structure, then the bracha is שהכל נהיה בדברו. Twizzlers is the famous example of that. However, how do you know if they use flour in a product for taste or simply to give structure? In fact, they may not know themselves. They add the flour according to their secret recipe. Why do they add it? Because it sells. The Star K has a criterion th...

I recently (that is, relative to when I wrote this; check the publication date) wrote about an insight I had a few minutes before I started by learning for Shas4Shidduchim 5784. The idea was, essentially, that since I had made a stretch goal commitment of folios of gemara that I needed to learn over the next 24 hours, I was very much feeling each passing minute and keeping a mental record of whether I was on/ahead/behind schedule. I saw a friend with whom I really wanted to catch up, but realized that would put me (further) behind schedule. Then I thought, "Hey... what do I think that I usually have all the time in the world." That was the gist. Some of my best friends took umbrage and noted that saying hello and even shmoozing can be positive. In fact, to be religious about it: דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה/ proper behavior precedes the Torah. So... am I wrong? I think not, but I believe that I have not communicated the idea clearly . (It could also be due to my personality...

Yesterday afternoon I was feeling very good about myself. I had gone to make a shiva call to good friends whose mother had just left this world. I know the family well and also knew the mother. I felt I had done a good job in comforting the mourning. I was on my way to Shas4Shidduchim, where I had a significant block of gemara to learn over the following 24 hours. As I was driving over, I was listening to a Spanish podcast that is at a good level and pace for me. The discussion is usually about places and customs of the Spanish speaking world. I heard: La idea de que tienen tiempo es una de las ideas más peligrosas. No sabes cuánto tiempo tienes. For you monolinguals:  The idea that they have time is one of the most dangerous ideas. You don't know how much time you have. That was running through my head on a continuous loop as I approached the venue where I would be spending most of the next 24 hours. We started with mincha and ma'ariv. After ma'ariv I saw a good...

Moshe Rabbeinu's encounter with HaShem at the burning bush is filled with drama. This year, though, I noticed a puzzling sequence of events. Moshe (Shmos 4:1) proposed that Klal Yisrael will not pay attention to his claims. HaShem responds by giving Moshe Rabbeinu two signs that he can use to prove who sent him. First, his staff is turned into a snake and then back to a staff. Second, Moshe Rabbeinu is stricken and then cured of tzara'as on his hand. As Rashi notes, both of these signs are associated with lashon harah. The sages of Klal Yisrael will recognize that as a response to Moshe saying lashon hara about Klal Yisrael and then they will believe him. I am good with all that. (I know, HaShem is thrilled that I agree... what a ba'al gaivah I am.....) The details of the snake sign, though, are puzzling to me. First HaShem directs Moshe Rabbeinu to confirm that it really is a staff he is holding. Moshe Rabbeinu affirms. Moshe Rabbeinu is directed to throw the ...