Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Masheev Haruah Umoreed Hageshem

Masheev Haruah Umoreed Hageshem
Day: Wednesday
Date: October 26, 2016
Parshat: Bereshit
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 114


On Shemini Atzeret we began saying Masheev Haruah Umoreed Hageshem instead of Moreed Hatal. With Gd's help we will continue until we switch back on Pesah. If one forgot to say Masheev Haruah and instead said Moreed Hatal, he should go back and say it again if he hasn't said HaShem's name yet. Once he said HaShem's name at the end of the beracha he need not and may not go back. This is true only for those who for the rest of the year say Moreed Hatal.
However, those who normally don't say Moreed Hatal must go back and say Masheev Haruah. If such a person said Baruch Ata HaShem at the end of the beracha and remembered at that point, he should say "Lamdeni Hukecha" and go back to Masheev Haruah. If he finished the beracha but did not start the next beracha he should say Masheev Haruah at that point and continue on with Ata Kadosh. Once he started the blessing of Ata Kadosh even if he only said the word "Ata" he must go back to the beginning of the Amida.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Haircuts and Shaving During Hol Hamoed

Haircuts and Shaving During Hol Hamoed
Day: Sunday
Date: October 23, 2016
Parshat: Vezot Haberacha
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 531-2


It is forbidden for men and women over Bar/Bat Mitzvah to get haircuts during Hol Hamoed. Men may not shave or trim their beards either. However, one may trim his mustache even if it doesn't get in the way of his food. One may brush or comb his hair even though some hairs will fall out by doing so. Likewise, one may also cut his nails during Hol Hamoed. Ashkenazim are more strict and do not cut their nails during Hol Hamoed


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Friday, October 21, 2016

Doing Laundry During Hol Hamoed

Doing Laundry During Hol Hamoed
Day: Friday
Date: October 21, 2016
Parshat: Vezot Haberacha
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 534


Our Hachamim forbade us from doing laundry on Hol Hamoed in order to discourage us from not doing it before the holiday. However a person who has only one shirt may wash it on Hol Hamoed even if he had the opportunity wash it on Erev Yom Tov but didn't. Towels, little children's clothes, and other such things that are constantly used and get dirty quickly may be washed. Undergarments may also be washed during Hol Hamoed if one has no clean ones left. One who is washing any of the aforementioned items might think that since the washing machine is running anyways, and it doesn't require extra effort, it may be okay to add other items that are not needed for the holiday. In reality however, one may not add anything other than the items previously mentioned. Spot cleaning and ironing are both not considered laundry and are allowed on Hol Hamoed.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Shemini Atzeret

Shemini Atzeret
Day: Thursday
Date: October 20, 2016
Parshat: Vezot Haberacha
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 668


Outside of Eretz Yisrael the holiday of Shemini Atzeret is treated as a safek since it may possibly be the last day of Succot. Therefore on Shemini Atzeret we eat in the Succah as we do on Succot however we do not say the beracha of Lishev BaSuccah. On the next day we read parshat Vezot Haberacha and we celebrate Simchat Torah with the hakafot, dancing, singing, and clapping. Musical instruments however should not be used since it is Yom Tov. After Succot is over we do not say Viduy or Nefilat Apayim (Tachanum) until after Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

The Proper Way to Live in the Succah

The Proper Way to Live in the Succah
Day: Wednesday
Date: October 18, 2016
Parshat: Vezot Haberacha
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 639


The proper way to fulfill the mitzvah of the Succah is to do everything in the Succah that one normally does in the house. During the seven days of Succot the Succah should be a person's main home and the house should be secondary. The way one lives in the house should be the same way one lives in the Succah. It is proper to bring into the Succah nice dishes and furniture and to leave the pots and pans outside. Used dishes should be removed and not left out for more than necessary. Even a woman who normally brings pots and pans to the table should not bring them into the Succah. Serving trays and platters may brought into the Succah since it is normal to bring them to ones table even inside the house.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, October 16, 2016

The Succah Decorations

The Succah Decorations
Day: Sunday
Date: October 16, 2016
Parshat: Vezot Haberacha
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 638


It is a mitzvah to decorate the Succah and make it look nice. Therefore one should hang nice drapes, posters, and fruits to make it nice. The more a person decorates the Succah the more praiseworthy he is. Decorations that were made to be used for non Jewish holidays such as xmas or others may be used for the sukkah. The hanging decorations must be entirely within four tefachim of the scach. There are just over three inches in a tefach which makes the total approximately 12 and a half inches. The paper chains that are commonly used in many sukkot as decorations, ideally should also be within the same space but if not the Succah is still kosher and one may still eat and sleep under that spot.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Friday, October 14, 2016

Using an Overhang as a Succah

Using an Overhang as a Succah
Day: Friday
Date: October 14, 2016
Parshat: Ha'azinu
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 635/636


In order for a Succah to be kosher it does not need to have been made specifically to be a Succah. However it does at least need to have been made for the purpose of providing shade. A Succah that was made more than thirty days before Succot is not automatically considered to have been made for the purpose of a being Succah. Even though, as mentioned above, such a Succah is kosher, it is best to add something special for the holiday. A Succah that was made within thirty days of Succot is automatically considered to have been made for Succot and nothing further is needed. A Succah that was made specifically for Succot does not need anything new to be done to it even if it was made for a previous year. Therefore, a Succah that stays standing from year to year, or an overhang that had scach put on it for Succot a previous year may be used for Succot with no changes.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Succahs Made From Metal Poles and Tarps

Succahs Made From Metal Poles and Tarps
Day: Thursday
Date: October 13, 2016
Parshat: Ha'azinu
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 629-630


Ideally the scach should not rest directly on anything that cannot itself be used as scach. However if one built his Succah in that way and only realized after it's too late to fix it, the Succah may still be used. Therefore a person who has a Succah with a metal frame should not put the schach directly on the frame since metal cannot be used as schach. Instead he should put a piece of wood on the frame and put the scach on the wood. A person who is nervous that the schach might blow away may tie it down using vines or reeds. A Succah that was made under telephone wires or clotheslines may be used.

In order for a Succah to be kosher it needs to have two complete walls and at least a partial third wall. The walls can be made out of anything rigid enough to withstand a normal wind without moving. A wall that will move in a normal wind invalidates the Succah and eating inside of such a Succah is the same as not eating in a Succah at all. For that reason, one may not say a beracha on such a Succah. Therefore, Succahs with cloth or tarps for walls should not be used unless they are secured extremely well and the Succah is in a place where it will not be affected by the wind.



DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

The Criteria for Scach to be Kosher

The Criteria for Scach to be Kosher
Day: Tuesday
Date: October 11, 2016
Parshat: Ha'azinu
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 629


In order for something to considered Kosher for use as scach on the Succah it needs to meet three conditions.
1. It has to have grown from the ground.
2. It needs to currently be detached from the ground.
3. It cannot be able to become tameh.
Therefore, one cannot use for the scach anything made out of metal, leather, or even plastic since these have not grown from the ground. Vines and branches cannot be used unless they have been cut from their source. Fruits, utensils and furniture, even if made from wood, cannot be used either since they are able to become tameh. Plants who's leaves are used whole as spices are considered to be food and cannot be used either. What can be used is any branches or sticks of wood or leaves that are no longer attached to their source. It is unclear whether plants grown in a planter are considered to have grown from the ground in this case and therefore such branches should not be used as scach while still attached. Once they have been detached however, they may be used.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, October 10, 2016

The Reason Succot is Celebrated in Tishre and not Nissan

The Reason Succot is Celebrated in Tishre and not Nissan
Day: Monday
Date: October 10, 2016
Parshat: Ha'azinu
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 625


HaShem gave us the mitzvah of Succah to commemorate the Ananei Hakavod, the protective clouds that surrounded us in the desert after we left Egypt. The Tur (Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher, apprx. 1269-1343) explains the reason why we fulfill this mitzvah during the month of Tishre and not during Nissan when we actually left Mitzrayim. He points out that during Nissan, which is in the spring, the weather starts becoming warmer and more pleasant. It is very common during that time for people to spend more time outside their homes. If we were to celebrate Succot in the spring, it wouldn't be obvious that we are in the Succah because HaShem commanded us to be there. It would seem as though we are there to enjoy the beautiful weather. However, Tishre is usually much colder and most people prefer to stay indoors during this time of year. Therefore it is obvious that we are in the Succah only because that is what we were commanded to do. Many people start building the Succah immediately after Yom Kippur in order to go directly from one mitzvah to another.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Visit us online at sephardichalacha.org