We are starting the Aruch Hashulchan, and today we are learning Siman Resh-Samech: Hachanat harchitzah vehachafifah lichvod Shabbat, uvo zayin se'ifim (preparing for bathing and washing the hair in honor of Shabbat, with seven sections). Preparation for Shabbat: the rechitzah, the bathing, the chafifah, the washing or the cleaning of the hair.
Alef. It says, “Vatiznach mishalom nafshi, nashiti tovah” (My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten happiness). It’s a verse in Eichah (Lamentations). The Sages expounded on it in Shabbat: “Vatiznach mishalom nafshi”—the peace was taken away from me. This refers to lighting Shabbat candles. That’s referring to Shabbat. The candles are an aspect of peace. “Nashiti tovah”—I forgot the good things of life. What were the good things of life? Going to the bathhouse, or washing the hands and feet with hot water on Erev Shabbat. So you see there’s an aspect of peace and an aspect of goodness. Peace is the candles; goodness is the bathing.
Therefore, most of the Jewish people became accustomed to going to the bathhouse on Erev Shabbat in honor of Shabbat. In the olden days, you have to remember, they didn’t have showers in their houses; they had to go to the public bathhouse. The Bi'ur Halachah brings down that even somebody whose Torah study was his entire occupation, learning Torah all the time, would close the book on Erev Shabbat in order to bathe in honor of Shabbat. Some have the custom to immerse in a mikveh (ritual bath) on Erev Shabbat because of the holiness of Shabbat. Fortunate are those people who do that, because in this way they draw an abundance of holiness upon themselves from the holy Shabbat. They also wear a white undergarment in honor of Shabbat.
Okay, that’s the alef. Who’s reading bet? Somebody, one of us. Yes, sir.
This is what the haTur and the Shulchan Aruch wrote: “Mitzvah al kol adam lirchotz kol gufo bechamin be'erev Shabbat, ve'im i efshar lo, yirchatz panav yadav veraglav” (It is a mitzvah for everyone to bathe the whole body in hot water on Erev Shabbat; if that is not possible, he should wash his face, hands, and feet). So the halachah says that he should wash his whole body. Then it says that if he can’t wash his whole body, at least his face, hands, and feet.
So the Aruch Hashulchan says, “Uvagmarah lo hizkiru panim” (The Gemara did not mention the face). Interesting. The Gemara doesn’t mention the face. All it says is that this refers to washing the hands and feet, but it didn’t mention the face. So where did they get this idea of washing the face, hands, and feet? The Gemara says, “Nashiti tovah, zo rechitzat yadayim veraglayim” (I have forgotten happiness; this refers to washing the hands and feet). Then the halachah comes along and says face, hands, and feet. So he’s asking: where did they get the face from?
He says, “Vezehu milta dipshita (obvious matter), sheharei belav hachi shaninu sham: ‘Rochetz adam panav yadav veraglav bechol yom bishvil kono’” (This is an obvious matter, since we learned there: “A person washes his face, hands, and feet every day for the sake of his Creator”). So he’s saying it’s obvious; I don’t have to tell you about the face. Every day you have to wash your face. There’s another Gemara that says you have to wash your face, hands, and feet every single day in order to stand before your Creator. Therefore, it goes without saying that on Erev Shabbat the face is included; it’s obvious.
He also says, “Amar Rebbi, Rebbi Yehudah shebechol erev Shabbat mevi'im lo arivah mele'ah chamin, verohetz panav yadav veraglav” (Rabbi said that every Erev Shabbat they would bring Rabbi Yehudah a full tub of hot water, and he would wash his face, hands, and feet). So you see that the Gemara also says about Rabbi Yehudah that every Erev Shabbat they would bring him a bucket of hot water, and he would wash his face, hands, and feet.
So why, when the Gemara said “Nashiti tovah,” didn’t it mention the face? It wasn’t because washing the face is a remedy; rather, the face isn’t included in the goodness, as it were. Washing the hands and feet with hot water in the evening is a remedy, as we say there: “Tovah, pat shacharit, rechitzat yadayim veraglayim bechamin be'arvit yafah mikol shikuyim sheba'olam” (Better is breakfast bread and washing hands and feet in hot water in the evening than all remedies in the world).
Ah! The Gemara said that bathing the hands and feet in hot water is a remedy. It’s healing. It says that if you want to cure your body, every single night, bathe your hands and feet in hot water. That’s why, when the Gemara said “Nashiti tovah”—“the good was taken away from me”—it only mentioned the hands and feet: there’s a segulah (special spiritual remedy) for healing in the hands and feet. That’s why it didn’t mention the face. The face is obvious, but they were talking about the goodness it does for the body by healing it. That’s why it mentioned the hands and feet.
The verse says this about Erev Shabbat—right, so it’s not even talking about Erev Shabbat. “Nashiti tovah” is talking about a good thing. Therefore, it didn’t say “face.” Beautiful.
Now, it’s certainly—no, not certainly—that going to the bathhouse, meaning bathing the whole body, is a greater mitzvah than washing the face, hands, and feet. That’s right; it’s definitely much better to go to the bathhouse and bathe the whole body. No question about it.
He has a question about Rabbi Yehudah: why didn’t he bathe? We just read that Rabbi Yehudah would ask for a bucket of water and would only wash his face, hands, and feet. Why didn’t he do more than that? So he has an answer. The Ya'arot Devash tried to explain it. He’s going to give an answer now: the reason was simple. Rabbi Yehudah had a headache. In Nedarim, it says that Rabbi Yehudah had a headache. So we know that a person who has a headache can’t go into the bathhouse because it’s very hot. So, plainly, he had an excuse.
Okay, beautiful. Charlie, amrinan beShabbat: “Keshehu rochetz, rochetz shel yamin ve'achar kach rochetz shel semol. Ucheshehu sach, sach shel yamin ve'achar kach shel semol” (When he washes, he washes the right side and then the left; when he applies oil, he applies it to the right side and then the left). Always, always, when you wash, right first and then left. When he puts on oil or perfume, right, then left. But if he’s applying oil to his whole body, he applies it to his head first, because it is king over all the limbs. That’s right; the head is the king of the body.
So, when washing the whole body, he also has to wash the head first for this reason. That’s right. The head always goes first when you’re washing your whole body. If you’re not washing your whole body, if you’re just washing body parts, then it’s the right-left rule. But once the head is involved, the head goes first.
Why didn’t he mention this regarding washing? It seems to me that most bathing in the time of the Talmud was in a bathtub. In the olden days they used to go into a bath; they didn’t have showers. When you take a bath, the first thing you wash is automatically your feet, because you put your feet into the bath, into the water. Therefore, you can’t use that system to wash the head first, because the feet automatically go first. As we learned in Nedarim: “Berochetz imo be'ambati” (When bathing with him in a bathtub). Accordingly, the feet necessarily enter the water first.
Therefore, when washing just the hands, it says to wash the right and then the left. Why did it mention the hands first? Because there you put your feet into the bathtub first. So then they say: okay, right and then left.
But, accordingly, someone who bathes without a bathtub—for example, a person taking a shower, as we do on Erev Shabbat—should wash the head together with the face first. So the rule is like this: first, when you take a shower, the head, and then the face. And then what? And then the heart. Wow. Then the heart, because it is higher in rank than all the limbs. And after that, the head—then the right hand, then the left, then the right foot, and then the left. He should do the same when applying soap. Soap is what they call zeif. When you’re lathering up: head, face, heart, right, left, right, left. So it has to get wet in that direction, and then soap in that direction? Yeah, always when they—I guess they would wet themselves first, right? Then lather. It seems like the wetting of the left leg comes before the shampoo. Can you imagine? They never go like this without the soap first, just to get the water on their body, and then they would take the soap and soap themselves up, and so on and so forth.
Okay, who’s up for Nedarim? Charles? No? Eli, are you reading? I’ll read for you. We say in Nedarim: “Arbuvita derisha matya lidei avira, arbuvita demanei matya lidei sha'amumita, arbuvita degufa matya lidei shichnei vechivei” (Neglect of the head leads to blindness, of clothes to confusion, and of the body to boils and sores). Listen to this Gemara. What is it talking about? He explains: when a person doesn’t comb his hair constantly, it can lead to blindness, God forbid. If he doesn’t regularly launder his clothes, it can lead to sweat and smell, and to confusion. If he doesn’t bathe his body regularly, it can lead to boils.
In Pesachim, they say: “Mi shemesarek rosho yavesh yavo lidei ivaron” (Someone who combs his hair when it is dry leads to blindness). Somebody who combs his hair when it’s dry leads to blindness. And somebody who puts on his shoes while his feet are still wet also leads to blindness.
Therefore, all of Israel became accustomed to bathing the body on Erev Shabbat and combing the hair after bathing. So the custom on Erev Shabbat is to comb your hair after you come out of the shower while it’s still wet, in order to fulfill this, and to put on a freshly laundered garment, in order to fulfill the instruction about laundering. That protects a person from all three bad things. Since these three things are dangerous, we wash our bodies, comb our hair, and put on freshly laundered clothes in order to be protected from them, and that’s considered oneg Shabbat (Shabbat delight). You get these health benefits too: freshly laundered clothes, a freshly washed body, and the comb. “In the shower, leave us alone.” No, I called the shower then. He’s in the shower then. Everything’s all right, yeah. Rabbi, it’s all halachot.
It’s good to cut the nails on Erev Shabbat, and vezeh ha'aroch shetzarich lekach. One should get a haircut or cut the nails on Erev Shabbat. If the time for Minchah (afternoon prayer) has arrived, still—The Rosh wrote in which section, Resh-Lamed-Bet—
He’s saying that you should cut your nails on Erev Shabbat, and you should also get a haircut if you need one, in honor of Shabbat. You should try to do it before Minchah time. Vegam bemerchatz lizkot... Also, you should try to go to the bathhouse before Minchah time. But people are lenient about this. Today people go to the bathhouse all day long. They’re not particular about checking the time if it’s Minchah. In the olden days, you weren’t allowed to go to the bathhouse at Minchah time. They were worried that the person would go to the bathhouse, faint there, and miss Minchah.
However, today they’re not careful about this. Why? Because our bathhouses aren’t like theirs, which had a great deal of heat. In the olden days, the bathhouses were very, very hot. They used to have the heat underneath the ground and all that, so it was very serious. Today the bathhouses aren’t that serious anymore.
Earlier, in Resh-Lamed-Bet, Rabbeinu haRama wrote about eating on Erev Shabbat. We wrote there, in se'if Tet-Zayin, that even al pi the Yerushalmi (Jerusalem Talmud)—So, in any case, the same law applies to bathing, even if we don’t distinguish between our bathhouses and theirs. Basically, that’s why they’re lenient today: you can go to the bathhouse or the mikveh even at Minchah time. You don’t have to worry about that. But basically, he’s telling you to cut your nails and get a haircut.
Okay, Yosef Saad, are you ready? I want to claim—Oh, Benny first. Some wrote, al pi (according to) the testament of Rabbeinu Yehudah heChasid, that one should not get a haircut or cut one’s nails on Rosh Chodesh (new month). These famous testaments of Rabbeinu Yehudah heChasid: he wrote some of these last wills and testaments to his family. Some say he wrote them for all Klal Yisrael (the Jewish people). In the testaments he writes that you shouldn’t get a haircut and you shouldn’t cut your nails on Rosh Chodesh, even if it falls on Erev Shabbat. Even if Rosh Chodesh comes out on Erev Shabbat, one should not do that then. Venehei sakanah. He says it’s sakanah.
There’s a whole question whether we accepted Rabbeinu Yehudah heChasid’s rulings. Some say he wrote them only for his family, and not for all of the Jewish people. It’s a big question: what are you going to do in a case where Rosh Chodesh falls on a Friday? In practice, we probably didn’t accept the testaments of Rabbeinu Yehudah heChasid. But that’s what he said.
Some wrote that one should not get a haircut or cut one’s nails on the same day. Yom Rishon? Oh, I’m sorry, I skipped a line. Some say you shouldn’t cut your nails on the same day, your fingernails and toenails on the same day. You should do the fingernails on Thursday and the toenails on Friday, or vice versa. You shouldn’t do them on the same day. Some say that.
Some wrote that one should not get a haircut or cut one’s nails on Thursday. Why? They start to grow on Shabbat. It takes three days for them to start to grow. So it’s not in honor of Shabbat for them to start growing on Shabbat. Therefore, Thursday, Friday, Shabbat—that’s the third day. So they will—No, no, no. The Aruch Hashulchan says, “I don’t go for this.” It’s against an explicit Mishnah in Taanit. The people of the priestly watch used to get haircuts every Thursday. Correct. We learned in the Gemara, in the Mishnah, that in the times of the Beit Hamikdash (Temple), the people who worked in the Beit Hamikdash all week used to get haircuts on Thursdays. Right. So how could you tell me that you can’t get a haircut on Thursday? It’s an explicit Mishnah. That was the custom; they used to get haircuts on Thursdays.
And what prohibition is there in their starting to grow on Shabbat? Yeah, what’s the prohibition? So let the hair start growing on Shabbat. What’s the big deal? What’s the problem? Is that a transgression? Is that muktzeh (set aside from use)? Rather, it’s better, for the honor of Shabbat, to get a haircut on Erev Shabbat. Okay, fine, no problem. I understand why Friday is better, because it’s closer to Shabbat and therefore shows that it’s more in honor of Shabbat. We agree on that. But don’t tell me it’s forbidden on Thursday.
However, if he knows that on Erev Shabbat he won’t be able to get a haircut or cut his nails easily, for whatever reason—he’s busy on Friday, or it’s a short Friday—then for sure, let him do it on Thursday. For sure. No problem. In general, there’s no problem cutting them on Thursday.
They also wrote that when you cut your nails, you shouldn’t cut them in order. Is that another thing? That when you cut your nails, you shouldn’t cut them in order; you have to follow a certain order. Start on the left with the kmitzah finger, and on the right with the index finger. That means on the left hand you start with the kmitzah finger, this finger here, and on the right hand you start with the index finger. They give you a mnemonic to remember it: davhaga on the left. What is davhaga? Dalet, bet, heh, gimel, alef. Davhaga. Four, two, three, five, one. No. Davhaga. Yeah. Okay, whatever. Davhaga. You get the point. And on the left and—where was it? On the left and—on the left with de'agah. De'agah, yeah, de'agah. Bet, this is the right, bet, dalet, alef, gimel, heh. We don’t do this.
Okay, fine. Some bring it down. Chochmat Adam brings it down. But haArizal said we don’t worry about this at all. They wrote that haArizal wasn’t particular about it. Not only that, he made fun of it. He said, what is de'agah? What, that? You don’t do it. Cut your nails whatever way you want. There’s no matter of order and system like that. As you wish.
In any case, the Magen Avraham says it’s worthwhile to be careful about it initially. Okay, but since haArizal wasn’t careful about such a thing, you don’t have to make yourself crazy over it. All these things have no place in the law. Whoever is particular is particular, and whoever isn’t particular isn’t particular. All these things are, you know, heebie-jeebie things: cutting them on the same day, and this and that. If you’re not scared about it and it doesn’t bother you, don’t worry about it.
He should cut the nails on the right hand first and then on the left. Okay, that we agree on. You should always cut your right hand first and then your left. Okay. I thought you said we weren’t particular at all—Okay, fine, but this we are particular about. Yeah, whatever you do, right, left. No, but it always says to go to the right. No, that’s for that kind of thing, when you’re going toward something; each one stands on its own. You’re cutting the right hand and the left hand. It’s not a matter of going toward something. We do it with the hands too. Always the right hand first, or whatever like that, yeah.
Some say the Kol Bo brought the opposite, to cut the left hand first. He didn’t know the reason. That’s your reason. That’s right.
He should be careful not to throw the nails on the ground. After you cut your nails, don’t throw them on the floor. Why? “Rasha. Deshema ta'avor ishah ubarah vetapil vetapil” (Perhaps a pregnant woman will pass over them and miscarry). Maybe a pregnant woman will walk over the nails and have a miscarriage.
But that’s only where there are women. Let’s say you’re in the beit midrash cutting your nails. A man could cut his nails and put them on the floor; big deal. There are no women coming into the beit midrash except for the Thursday class. So during the week, there’s no problem cutting them and throwing them on the floor. In a place where women aren’t found, such as a beit midrash, this concern doesn’t apply. Exactly. There’s no big concern about nails on the floor. That means you only have to be concerned where women are walking. Where no women are walking, throw them on the floor. Yeah. Why do you have to burn them? The whole reason is that a woman might walk over them. If a woman isn’t going to walk over them, and there’s no place where there are women, then what do you need? The men’s room, exactly.
And if the nails moved from the first place where he threw them, this concern also doesn’t apply. Exactly. That’s what the Chida said too: you moved them. They landed in a certain spot, so they’re only damaging in the place where they landed. But once you sweep them or move them a little, that already takes away the danger. This concern also doesn’t apply.
And if, after throwing away the nails, he cuts something with the knife, the concern is also gone. Now you hear what the Gemara said? If you use the knife that you cut your nails with to cut something else, the damage from the nails is already gone. Huh? So there are ways to get around it.
They say there about nails: “Chasid sorfan, tzaddik koveran, verasha zorkan” (The pious burn them, the righteous bury them, and the wicked throw them away). The Gemara says that a pious person burns them, a righteous person buries them, and a wicked person throws them away. Okay, now what does that mean? Of course, all the words of the Sages are trustworthy. They’re matters of seguliyot that have been hidden from us by our limited understanding. We don’t know what this means. Why is there an idea to burn the nails? We don’t know what it means. It must be some kind of segulah to burn the nails, because why else should you have to burn them? He’s telling you that once you’ve gotten rid of them, the concern about the woman is taken care of. The Sages must have had some special spiritual matters beyond reason, explaining why a pious person would burn them and so on. But okay, accept it; no problem.
It’s simple: all these things—bathing, cutting the nails, and getting a haircut—are better to do after chatzot, because then it’s more evident that it’s in honor of Shabbat. Right, it’s better to do all these things after chatzot: washing the hair, washing and bathing, haircuts, and all that. Why? Because it’s closer to Shabbat, so you’re showing that you’re doing it in honor of Shabbat. In any case, if he did it before midday, that’s also good. Yeah, don’t get crazy. Some people are particular: “Oh, wait until midday, midday.” Come on. If you do it before midday, why are you doing it? In honor of Shabbat. It’s also good. Don’t get crazy with it.
For anyone who does it on Erev Shabbat, it’s evident that it’s in honor of Shabbat. Some say—see there. See there. Some delay going to the bathhouse and the mikveh, saying that this is al-pi Kabbalah. Yeah, they found some Kabbalah that they think supports it. They go to the mikveh right before Shabbat. Really right before; they go to the mikveh. They’re mistaken. There’s no such thing. They have it backwards. On the contrary, if it’s only after midday, it’s a mitzvah to do it earlier. Exactly. Once midday has arrived, zerizim makdimim—the earlier is good also. What are you waiting for, going right before Shabbat? Earlier is good too. Rabbeinu haAri, we told you, said you could even go an hour before midday. Right? If you did shenayim mikra ve'echad targum (reading the Torah portion twice and its translation once), you don’t have to wait until midday; you can even go an hour before midday. We don’t want to publicize that, because all the mikvaot will be full.
We learned in the Mishnah: “Sheloshah devarim tzarich adam lomar betoch beto erev Shabbat im chashechah” (Three things a person must say in his home on Erev Shabbat as it gets dark). That’s the Mishnah: “Isartem? Eravtem? Hadliku et haner” (Did you tithe? Did you prepare the eruv? Light the candle). You have to tell the wife, “Did you take ma'aser? Did you prepare the eruv? Light the candle.” Why don’t you ask, “Light the candle, did you light the candle?” Why don’t you ask that question? There you go: this isn’t something you ask, because you can see that they didn’t light. When you look at the fruit, you don’t know whether she took ma'aser or not. You’re not a prophet. So you have to say, “Did you tithe?” But when you come and see the candles aren’t lit, you have to say, “Light the candle.” It’s time, 18 minutes before sunset.
For us, we should say, “Hifrashtem challah?” (Did you separate challah?). You have to add a question, because we have challah too. “Did you separate challah?” Okay. Does anybody have the custom of doing this? No. It’s halachah.
We learned in the Mishnah these three things: “Sheloshah devarim tzarich adam lomar betoch”—in his home on Erev Shabbat. We say it in shul. We say it in shul! In his home, but, yeah, now in the synagogue. So, does anybody here do this, including me? I never did this on Erev Shabbat. I say, “Did you tithe? Did you prepare the eruv? Light the candle?” What—no, “Light the candle,” it’s Shabbat, like candle lighting, it takes—and yeah, you say it in your house. Yeah, like when I go to other people’s houses, I tell them. Did he call and then say to his wife, “In his home at his friend’s house”? There’s no opinion like yours, David. There’s no opinion like yours, “in his friend’s house.” In his friend’s house.
Anyway, the Mishnah Berurah says: “Vecha'et ein nohagim lish'ol zeh” (They do not ask this). Nowadays we don’t have this custom anymore. So the Mishnah Berurah says we don’t do this anymore. Calm down. Our women don’t wait for their husbands to ask them. The women, thank God, are zealous. This is true. You have to say everything gently and calmly, in a soft way. You also have to warn them to stop working. Okay, you have to tell everybody, “Rabotai, no more melachah (prohibited labor); Shabbat is coming.”
The eruv—you don’t have to do the eruv every week? Eruvei chatzerot (courtyard eruvs), sometimes. Why? I have an eruv with my neighbor. I mean, we don’t do it once a week. Yeah, the eruv is done; you make the eruv if you need it. An eruv of courtyards, when necessary, a person makes it himself and doesn’t rely on others.
I was once in a shiur with Chacham Asher, and he gave us a leniency for Chutz La'aretz (outside the Land of Israel), explaining why we don’t say Chutz La'aretz. He said that in Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel), these things, like “Did you tithe?”—he says we can fix it. You can eat it and then leave some for after Shabbat. So since you can do that, you don’t need to ask, because even if she forgot, she can fix it. Yeah, she can fix it. So he says that’s why we’re not accustomed to ask.
Ah, so we don’t ask about anything. About anything. He says—and then it was very interesting—there was one rabbi who said that if you have Erev Pesach that falls on Shabbat, where you’re eating challah and can’t fix it afterward because afterward it’s Pesach, you should ask. Because you can’t fix it. You can’t fix it. Your whole—wow. He gave a whole pilpul about why we don’t ask. We don’t ask, bottom line. We don’t ask. What’s the difference if the fruit comes from Eretz Yisrael or if you eat the fruit in Eretz Yisrael? Eretz Yisrael—there are laws about that. Still, no communal obligation. It’s a law.
Okay, Resh-Samech-Alef. Let’s read Resh-Samech-Alef. Thank God, we got it in the back. Resh-Samech-Alef: “Zeman hadlakat nerot uvo yud-zayin se'ifim” (The time for lighting candles, with seventeen sections). Now we’ll discuss the time for lighting the candles. You know what would be proper, since we’re doing this? We should get the Mishnah Berurah. Want to get the Mishnah Berurah, boys? Anybody want to get it, Michael, Sal? Bring six or so, just so we can read the Shulchan Aruchs together with these. We should read what Maran said in all of these. Once you read the Aruch Hashulchan in all these cases, then you read Maran and it goes nicely; it flows. So we should get Maran’s wording as well.
Let’s read Resh-Samech-Alef: “Zeman hadlakat nerot.” It is taught in the Mechilta: “Zachor veShamor, zachor milfanav veshamor me'acharav” (Remember and observe). “Zachor” is Erev Shabbat, and “shamor” is after Shabbat. “Mikan ameru: mosifim mechol al hakodesh. Mashal leze'ev shehu toref milfanav ume'acharav” (It is like a wolf that attacks in front of it and behind it). What does that mean? It’s a parable about a wolf that attacks in front of it and behind it. “Ad kan leshono” (That is its wording).
This is its explanation: the way a wolf attacks an animal is not by attacking it in the middle of the body, but either in front, at the neck, or behind, at the back of the animal. Just as the wolf can kill the whole animal by attacking it from the front or the back—But it kills the animal!—so too, if a person doesn’t add from the weekday to the holy before and after, it’s as if he desecrated the whole Shabbat. That’s the novelty: just as an attack at the front or back kills the whole animal, so the beginning and end of Shabbat kill the whole Shabbat. That means if a person doesn’t accept Shabbat early and doesn’t keep it later, he didn’t cover the ends, and so he ruined Shabbat itself. Therefore, the Torah warned about this.
Similarly, we say in Midrash Rabbah: “Basar vadam she'eino lo yode'a lo ito velo rega'av hu mosif mechol al hakodesh” (A human being does not know its exact time, so he adds from the weekday to the holy). Exactly. God knows the exact time, but we don’t know the exact time. We’re not perfect about the time. Therefore, you have to add a little going in and a little going out.
In Yoma, regarding the additional time for Yom Kippur, we say: “Minayin degam Shabbat veYom Tov tzarich tosefet mechol al hakodesh?” (From where do we know that Shabbat and Yom Tov also require adding from the weekday to the holy?) How do you know from the Torah that you have to add? It is taught: “Tishbetu shabtatchem” (You shall rest on your Sabbaths). You learn from this that wherever the word “shevut” is said—“shevut” means ceasing work, that is, cessation—we add from the weekday to the holy. Okay, leave the parentheses over there. So there’s a great matter to be mosif mechol al hakodesh. It’s telling you that if, God forbid, you don’t add from the weekday to the holy, it’s considered as if you ruined Shabbat itself.
Okay, we’re going to read Maran in a second. Read halachah bet, David: “Vezehu shekatav”—Wait, where’s the Aruch Hashulchan? What, you don’t know? Why doesn’t anybody—Oh, you don’t have a book. “Mazal off,” bechavod. “Vezehu”? Section bet: “Yesh omrim shetzarich lehosif mechol al hakodesh.” So Maran writes in section bet that there’s an inyan to be mosif mechol al hakodesh.
He wrote “some say” because the Rambam and the Tur mentioned this only regarding the additional time for Yom Kippur, concerning the affliction, as he wrote at the beginning of the laws of Yom Kippur. This depends on the discussion in Yoma. So why did Maran write only “some say,” if he’s just giving you the whole introduction here? He says it’s because the Rambam’s position only mentioned the additional time in the context of Yom Kippur. This depends on the discussion in Yoma. Therefore, out of respect for the Rambam, Maran just wrote “some say,” because according to the Rambam, the additional time is really a matter of Yom Kippur.
However, our Rabbis the Bahag, the Rif, the Rosh, the Semag, the Semak, the Yere'im, the Ran, and the amudei mishpat ruled that there is a Torah requirement to add time for Shabbat and Yom Tov. Okay. They hold that adding time for Shabbat is from the Torah. Simply put, it’s a Torah matter to add from the weekday to the holy, rabotai. It’s a big matter, because many people don’t do that, especially in the winter. In the winter, they pray Minchah, and bingo, it’s already sunset. Lecha Dodi is said at sunset. Therefore, Shabbat comes in automatically without any added time. So it’s a big matter to add from the weekday to the holy.
Wait, Rabbi, just the fact that he’s not doing melachah at that time—isn’t that like he’s—He has to accept it! He has to accept the additional time, just as you have to accept the additional time for Yom Kippur. It’s not only about not eating. You have to accept it. You have to say, “Hineni mekabel alai tosefet Shabbat” (I hereby accept the additional time of Shabbat). Before you go to shul? When we pray Minchah, right after Nakdishach, say, “Hineni mekabel tosefet Shabbat.” Also after Nakdishach? Yeah, right before Nakdishach, before the Amidah. You can’t say Nakdishach on Shabbat. Not before Amidah. Not before the Amidah, of course, then you can't pray the Amidah. Okay, three minutes, three minutes, two minutes, three minutes, three minutes. Sounds like hearing Barechu at the Kotel. Okay, I don’t know Barechu.
Can’t say, “Omnam dedina”? In any case, it seems to me that even according to the law, it’s obvious that one must stop working a little before sunset, because otherwise a human being doesn’t have the ability to be exact. Right, he said, listen, you have no choice but to do this halachah. Even if you want to tell me there’s no obligation to add time, like the Rambam, you still have to stop a couple of minutes before sunset, because you don’t know exactly. What, is your watch synchronized with Hashem’s clock? Do you know exactly? Shabbat, rabotai, starts at 4:28, and you look at your clock and know it’s exactly 4:28? Maybe it’s 4:27; maybe it’s 4:29. Your clock—today time is perfect. Oh, your time is perfect today? No, once in one second, in two seconds, what is it? Because the satellite—because the satellite said we have the best time, does that mean it’s the best time? What is the satellite basing it on? Besides, it’s 4:28 here, but not there. Come on, follow me. Because they sold you a clock that says it has the most accurate time, does that mean it’s the most accurate time? Okay, that’s what it is. And, excuse me, David, does everybody have a nuclear clock on his wrist? Atomic—everyone has atomic time.
So, i efshar letzamtzem. It depends; Brooklyn—Oh, I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn. I’m in Brooklyn, and I’m in Brooklyn. I know the time is 4:27. I know the time for Brooklyn, New York, by longitude and latitude. But they still tell you, “Ooh, maybe your watch is off by a minute or two.” So anyway, practically speaking—and the truth is, exactly. A person could stay at sunset, watch the sun go down, and know exactly. He’ll know exactly. He’ll see when it sets, exactly. He’ll know. He’ll know; he’ll see it. In his time, it definitely wasn’t exact. They didn’t—How does he know how to—How do you judge the sun? It sets—once the sun goes down, that’s it; he sees it. But from where? From where? From his vantage point? From the mountain? From the—He’s on the ocean. I’m saying, in Deal you watch the thing go down, and at this time Shabbat starts? Okay, in this—He’s not saying that. He’s not saying that. Who’s doing that? That’s my point. No one’s doing that. But you’re so shrewd. Even today you’ve got watches—everybody’s watch is—My watch is never right. What are you talking about? My wife always... this clock over here... every week. Continue.
Since a person cannot be exact, he has no ability to do so, as the Midrash says. Once bein hashemashot (twilight) comes, you’re in the safek sekilah zone. Someone who does melachah during both bein hashemashot periods, on Erev Shabbat and after Shabbat, at one time, mimah nafshecha (whichever way you look at it), is obligated to bring a chatat (sin offering). Exactly. That means if a person did melachah during twilight going into Shabbat and during twilight going out of Shabbat, he definitely desecrated Shabbat. Even if you want to say it’s doubtful whether it’s day or night, if you say it’s doubtfully day, then he desecrated Shabbat on the way out. If you say it’s doubtfully night, then he desecrated Shabbat on the way in. Whichever way you look at it. Therefore, a person has to be careful to stop working before sunset.
And so the Rambam ruled. In that case, since he stops working before sunset, there is also an added time. Now, the Mishnah Berurah says—I’m reading at the bottom—“Detosefet havei al yedei dibur o al yedei amirat Barechu, ve'ishah al yedei hadlakat haner, ve'i mahani al yedei kabalah balev” (The additional time is effected through speech or saying Barechu; for a woman, through lighting the candle; whether acceptance in the heart is effective is a separate discussion). That’s a whole discussion in itself, he says. So you have to do something. That means either say it, light a candle, or say Barechu. The Aruch Hashulchan says there’s no fixed amount of time for the addition, and the Mishnah Berurah says that just adding any amount isn’t enough; it has to be a little more.
Okay. So you need something—five minutes, three minutes, two minutes—but not one second before 59 and, okay, additional Shabbat time. Is there a nafka minah (practical difference)? What is the person going to—It’s absolutely—It’s impossible. What do you mean? Right. So we have to accept a couple of minutes before, obviously. That’s a big matter people aren’t particular about. That’s why in those shuls that pray Minchah, they go straight into Shir Hashirim. So Rabbi Ben Haim is a wise man. He gets up before Shir Hashirim: “Rabotai, accept upon yourselves the additional time of Shabbat.” He says it every Friday night, and they say, “Okay,” and then they go into Shir Hashirim. Okay, he’s cognizant of the halachah. But most places don’t do that. What they do is say, “Bo'i Chalah.” “Bo'i Chalah!” Very good. Perfect. Perfect. Everybody says, “Shabbat Shalom,” that’s it, no problem. That’s good. Who said that? Isn’t that in Shir Hashirim? Who’ll get up and say “Bo'i Chalah”? Yeah, that’s for Aleinu. They do—everybody turns around, they do “Bo'i Chalah,” then they do Shir Hashirim. Perfect. Perfect. That’s the best way. Ours does that. That’s the best way. Achi'ezer? We should’ve done it in Achi'ezer? Right, they do. We used to do Kabbalat Shabbat halfway, then Shir Hashirim, and then that. Now we do it before, because, okay, we have a drash and stuff, but that’s the best way.
Okay, let’s go to another halachah, gimmel. In fact, regarding the exact time of bein hashemashot, there’s a dispute among the halachic authorities. We all agree that Shabbat begins at bein hashemashot; that’s not the argument. The question then is: when is bein hashemashot? As explained from the Gemara, the time of bein hashemashot is the length of walking three-quarters of a mil after sunset. It sounds from the Gemara in Shabbat that the measure of twilight is three-quarters of a mil, three-quarters of a mil after sunset. Let’s say a mil—we’re going to argue now, because there’s a dispute about what a mil is—but let’s say a mil is 18 minutes. So three-quarters of 18 minutes is how much? 13 and a half. 13 and a half. So that’s where you get the measure of 13 and a half minutes: the Gemara says twilight is three-quarters of a mil, and a mil is 18 minutes. Therefore, the first 13 and a half minutes after sunset is that quasi-quasi area. After that, it’s night. Since we calculate the walking of a mil as 18 parts of a 60-minute hour, havyan gimmel chalakim yud-gimmel yud-gimmel chalakim vachatzi; that comes to 13 and a half minutes. Perfect. 13 and a half minutes.
The Gemara also says: “Kochav echad yom, shenayim bein hashemashot, sheloshah lailah” (One star is day, two are twilight, and three are night). The Gemara gave another sign: one star is still day, two stars are twilight, and three stars are already night. Not large stars that are visible during the day, and not small ones that are visible at night, but medium-sized stars. David already knows what these star sizes are. He can tell you the difference between a big star and a small one. I wouldn’t be able to tell you what’s considered medium-sized and small. I don’t have a tradition that tells me exactly.
This is the wording of the Rambam: “Mishetishka hachamah ad sheyera'u gimmel chochavim benoniyim hu hazman hanikra bein hashemashot bechol makom. Vehu safek min hayom safek min halailah, vedanim bo lehachmir. Vechochavim elu lo gedolim” (From sunset until three medium-sized stars are seen is the time called twilight everywhere. It is uncertain whether it is day or night, and we rule stringently; these stars are not large). That is his wording.
So again, look at the Rambam’s wording. He’s going to make a big deal out of this Rambam here. “Mishetishka hachamah,” meaning, again, the wording of the Rambam: “From sunset until three medium-sized stars are seen”—until you see the medium-sized stars—“is the time called twilight.” And therefore, what is twilight? Doubtfully day, doubtfully night.
The Aruch Hashulchan says, “Udvarav einam muvanim” (His words are not understood). Why? The Gemara says that when you see one star, it is day. Necessarily, it isn’t referring to the stars that are visible during the day. Obviously, when it said, “Kochav echad yom” (One star is day), it meant that you saw a star after it started to get dark. We’re not saying you saw a star at two in the afternoon. It explains afterward: “Velo chochavim gedolim hanir'im bayom” (Not large stars that are visible during the day). The Gemara itself said clearly: not the big stars that you see during the day. So it seems there are stars that you see during the day, and then there’s a star that you see later on, and that one star is still called day.
Necessarily, it’s referring to medium-sized stars. Oh, that must be what the Aruch Hashulchan means: the medium-sized stars, if you see only one, are still considered day. That’s the novelty here: the medium-sized stars, if you see only one of them after sunset, are still day. “Avinoniyim ka'i, hanir'im achar hashki'ah, ve'adayin yom hu” (It is referring to medium-sized stars, seen after sunset, and it is still day). And the ruling—And how could he rule that from sunset it’s twilight? There’s the Aruch Hashulchan’s question. How could the Rambam say twilight starts at sunset? What are you talking about? The Gemara clearly said that after sunset, if there’s one star, it’s still considered day. You need three medium-sized stars for it to be considered night. So there’s a point where, even after sunset, it’s still day. Then, after that one star—whatever time that is—you enter twilight. How could the Rambam say that twilight begins automatically once sunset comes? Why? The Gemara implies that even after sunset, one star is still considered day. They already wondered about this.
How does he know it’s after sunset? Maybe seeing it before sunset? No, because his proof, whether it’s a proof or not, is that the Gemara says, “Velo chochavim gedolim hanir'im bayom.” Fine, but then you ask the same question. “Bayom” means before sunset, but he’s calling it day after sunset. No, no, no. He’s saying that the one star that’s still considered day must be a star after sunset, because the Gemara says it’s not the large stars seen during the day. No, it says “during the day.” I’m saying the statements are contradictory. I mean, it says that he’s bringing—No, but why is he taking one side? It’s contradictory for him too.
If I can see it—if I have one medium-sized star, and you tell me that I can see that medium-sized star during the day, then how can you tell me that medium-sized stars aren’t seen during the day? He’s saying only the large ones—not the large stars that you can see during the day. Right, so no, but one—Rather, there must be large stars of the day, and this one star that’s still considered day isn’t one of the large stars you can see during the day. Rather, it must be a medium-sized star. Now, when are medium-sized stars seen? Medium-sized stars are seen after, not during, the day. You only see large stars during the day. But no, here the Gemara told us that there’s a medium-sized star you see during the day. How are you going to get three medium-sized stars? No, the other ones are large stars. No, one, one. If you see one—Oh, it’s during the day. Now see, he’s not understanding it that way. He’s saying you only see large stars during the day, because the Gemara said, “Not the large ones that you see during the day.” So there’s no such thing as a medium-sized star during the day. There are large ones during the day. It must be because during the day it’s very, very light, so you have to see a bigger star. We never saw a star during the day anyway, but that’s right, assuming there’s a big star you can see during the day. Fine. So we’re not talking about the big stars that are seen during the day. Rather, when it says, “Kochva chad yom,” it must be talking about one of these medium-sized stars. Oh, but, Remi, I thought you said that if you have three medium-sized stars, it’s night? You’re right, that’s three medium-sized stars, but one medium-sized star is still day, and that must be referring to when the medium-sized stars come out.
Okay, so you make a whole pilpul. From that, he wants to ask on the Rambam: how can you tell me that right after sunset is twilight? It sounds like there’s still a time that’s day.
Listen to the way he asks this question: “Ve'od lamah hishmit ha degimmel riv'ei mil?” (And furthermore, why did he omit the three-quarters of a mil?) That’s a regular question; everybody asks it about the Rambam. How come the Rambam didn’t give me the time? Why didn’t he tell me three-quarters of a mil? That’s what the Gemara says: twilight is three-quarters of a mil. Why did he only give me the number of stars? You can’t say they disagree; seemingly, the three-quarters of a mil just explains when this happens. The Rif brought both measures, the stars and the three-quarters of a mil. That implies that one explains the other. We learn from this that they don’t disagree.
Perhaps the Rambam deliberately wrote it this way because this matter was given to the public, to women, and to unlearned people. Who’s going to make all these calculations? Women, unlearned people, children—everyone has to know sunset, everyone has to know all these things. Who knows how to calculate the measure of three-quarters of a mil, or distinguish between large, small, and medium-sized stars? Who’s going to know how to make this calculation? Besides that, how are you going to know how to calculate three-quarters of a mil? Everybody knows what a mil is; everybody knows what three-quarters is—I don’t know—everybody knows stars.
Therefore, he stated the straightforward matter, which is that everybody recognizes sunset. He didn’t want to get involved. The Rambam is telling you: you know something? Once sunset comes, that’s it, goodbye. It could be that there’s a time after sunset that’s really still day. But why would you go and tell someone about large stars, small stars, and medium-sized stars? Who knows these things? Therefore, immediately at sunset it’s bein hashemashot and melachah is forbidden, and three stars mean it’s definitely night. The nafka minah (practical difference) is for someone who wants to recite Keri'at Shema at night, which he has to recite at night, or kiddush Friday night. Even though not everyone is expert in stars, there’s no problem with this. Regarding Keri'at Shema and kiddush, where you aren’t committing a transgression by reciting Keri'at Shema or saying kiddush, then you’re right: we’re not worried about whether you’ll use stars and things like that. But regarding Shabbat and things like that, don’t start using stars. Who says you’re an expert?
However, after Shabbat, you necessarily have to know the medium-sized stars and not mistake them for the large ones. On motza'ei Shabbat, you have to know the medium-sized stars, because otherwise you might end Shabbat when the stars are still large. So going into Shabbat, just say, “Stop at sunset.” Want to be cautious? Stop at sunset. Make it easy. I don’t know why, but no stars, no nothing—stop at sunset. But, Rabbi, the Gemara implies that even after sunset there’s a star that’s called day. Leave it. Once sunset comes, goodbye. Okay, that’s no problem. But going out of Shabbat, you're not going to know when you look outside.
I know a Syrian guy who, when he goes away on a winter vacation, goes to one of these islands. He says he doesn’t know what time it is, he doesn’t get the newspaper, and he goes outside and looks at the stars. What do you know about stars? What are you looking at? “If I see three stars, then we make Havdalah.” Okay, all credit to him.
In the Yerushalmi perek kama de-Verakhot, it says that the three stars have to be gathered together, not scattered. This is the wording of the Yerushalmi: “Uvelvad deyitchamyan telata kochavin dedamyan kechada kochavta” (They must be seen together, resembling one star). They have to be next to each other, so it looks like one star. Therefore, after Shabbat you have to be careful about this sign. After Shabbat, you have to be careful, because then you have to make sure. We’ve already established a time for this, because we don’t know the stars. So we established a time: 42 minutes, 72, whatever times people follow.
That’s what the Mishnah Berurah says: “Vehu hadin keshenir'u elu sheloshah chochavim ketanim she'einam retzufim umamtin me'at achareihen mutar la'asot melachah” (The same law applies when these three small stars are seen separately: wait a little afterward, and it is permitted to do melachah). Even if you saw three small stars, but they’re scattered, the Mishnah Berurah says they are like three benoni stars that are together, so wait a little afterward before doing melachah.
Okay, so that’s that. Now let’s just read the Shulchan Aruch, all the halachot we’ve read up to today. Open Resh-Samech. Twilight between Chutz La'aretz and Eretz Yisrael is a big—Read, read Resh-Samech. Just, just, just read.
Resh-Samech: “Dinei hachnasat Shabbat uvo bet se'ifim. Mitzvah lirchotz.” (The laws of bringing in Shabbat, with two sections. It is a mitzvah to bathe.) The gloss says: “Kol gufo. Ve'im i efshar lo, yirchatz panav yadav veraglav bechamin be'erev Shabbat. Umitzvah lachof harosh ulegale'ach hatzipornayim be'erev Shabbat” (The whole body. If that is not possible, he should wash his face, hands, and feet in hot water on Erev Shabbat. It is a mitzvah to wash the head and cut the nails on Erev Shabbat). The gloss says: “Im hayu sa'arot rosho gedolot, mitzvah legalchan. Uchshehnotel tzipornav, lo yitol otam kesidran, veyatchil bismol bekmitzah, uveyamin be'etzba, vesiman lazeh davhaga bismolo, uveda'agah biyemino,” Avudarham (If the hair on his head is long, it is a mitzvah to cut it. When he cuts his nails, he should not cut them in order; he should begin on the left with the kmitzah finger, and on the right with the index finger. The mnemonic for this is davhaga on the left and de'agah on the right).
Bet: “Kesheyihyeh samuch lachashechah, yish'al le'anshei veito bileshon rakah: asartem? Eravtem? Hifrashtem challah? Veyomar lahem: Hadliku et haner. Uvimkom she'ein me'asrin, ein tzarich lomar asartem” (When it is nearly dark, he should gently ask the people of his household: Did you tithe? Did you prepare the eruv? Did you separate challah? And he should say to them: Light the candle. In a place where they do not tithe, he need not say, “Did you tithe?”).
Resh-Samech-Alef: “Zeman hadlakat nerot Shabbat. Safek chashechah, vehu bein hashemashot”—in parentheses—“vehainu kedei shi'ur hiluch gimmel riv'ei mil achar sheki'at hachamah, veshi'ur mil hu shelish sha'ah pachot chelek lamed.” (The time for lighting Shabbat candles. The uncertain time of darkness is twilight, namely, the measure of walking three-quarters of a mil after sunset; a mil is one-third of an hour minus one-thirtieth.) 18 minutes. Okay, that’s all it says here. We didn’t get to this halachah. We saw halachah bet: “Yesh omrim shetzarich lehosif mechol al hakodesh.” Beautiful. Now, why did we say “some say”? He says because of respect for the Rambam’s opinion, even though everybody else says you have to add time. Okay, we’ll start and continue this next Erev Shabbat. “Baruch Hashem le'olam amen ve'amen.”