BSD

Brochos – 15a

Mar Cheshvan 23, 5787.  11/04/2026

Short notes on some of the topics.

1 – Regarding the saying קריאת שמע in the morning without תפילין we spoke about the letter from the Previous Rebbe to Reb Nissan Nemenov ע”ה, that one should say קריאת שמע only with תפילין.

R Nissan Nemnov ע”ה

אגרות קודש של הרבי הקודם (הריי“ץ), חלק י, אגרת ג’שב (3302)

However, the Rebbe spoke about this at length in 1952 that the מנהג of Chassidim is to say it without תפילין.

The Rebbe continues to discuss if there is a need of wearing תפילין when saying קריאת שמע after Davening – throughout the day and even during קריאת שמע of מעריב!

2- Our גמרא mentions the washing of hands prior to Davening. For sake of clarity we classified this as follows:

There are 3 types of נטילת ידים, listed by the order of the day.

a – נטילת ידים after sleeping the night. (some say, it applies to sleeping during the day as well). OC Siman 4.

The purpose is to remove the רוח רעה that remains only on the hands upon waking.

We spoke about the fascinating story of the Ger Tzedek Reb Avrohom ben Avrohom that his קידוש השם caused for some to believe that this טומאה has been lessened and degraded!

Grave of Avrohom ben Avrohom – Graf Potocki

See this previous shiur and here.

b- The second one is the idea that hands are generally unclean due to touching the body or other unsanitary objects. Thus, before Davening, one must ensure that his hands are clean.

Preferably with water and water that is unavailable, a dry towel works as well.

However, one needs to walk up to .6 miles to find water.

c –  Prior to Davening writes the רשב”א, we copy the עבודה of the כהן who washed his hands from the כיור.

3 – We mentioned the topic of washing ones… before Davening. See משנה ברורה OC 86, 18.

Some say that there is actually a מנין של מקונחים somewhere……

4 – As an introduction the next week’s shiur, we spoke about the famous אלדד הדני who made his appearance in the 9th century, and to be be from שבט דן.

the river Sambatyon

His numerous הלכות are quoted in the ראשונים who not necessarily accepted them.

See here, here and in English, more.

To be continued.

1- New topic of moving a ladder on Yom Tov to a bird coop (for the purpose of taking a dove to be consumed on Yom Tov) using a small ladder as opposed to an “attic ladder” which is longer and heavier.

Beis Shamai prohibiting and Beis Hillel permitting. The issue here is that moving any type of  ladder on Yom Tov gives the appearance of a person on the way to repair a roof which of of course prohibited. The simple explanation to Beis Hillel’s ruling is that a ‘coop ladder’ is not used for roof repairs.

The Gemara questions if Beis Shamai would permit the use of this ladder in an area where no one is around – like a closed off courtyard.

2- Gemara discusses the concept of Mar’is Ha’ayin – Anything prohibited by the Rabanan because of Mar’is ha’Ayin is prohibited even in the innermost chambers. The example cited is hanging wet clothes out to dry in the sun where one can mistakenly think that they were washed on Shabbos. .

3- Story of the children of Reb Chiya that while on a business trip were asked to rule in regard to a ladder on Yom Tov. Upon their return their father tells them that their ruling was incorrect.

We mentioned that the Gemara in Brochos mentioned that they forgot some of their learning due to their immersion in the world of business!!!

4-  Having concluded the lengthy Gemara (2a-9a) that extended from the first Mishna (Beitza Shenolda Byom Tov) we spoke about Reb Yisroel Iserlin, known as the Terumas Hadeshen,  the great rabbi who is the source of many Halachos and Minhagim we observe today.

One of his students, author of the Leket Yosher,  Reb Joseph (Joselein) writes that 3 times a year his teacher, Reb Yisroel, would invite his student to his meal where he would pose a Torah riddle.

Here is one riddle:

If a chicken flew over a tree on Yom Tov and caused an apple to fall off, that apple would be prohibited to eat. But, if at the same this chicken laid an egg, then both the apple and the egg would be permitted!

 

How is that possible?

 

The answer, in short-  If this chicken shook a tree during ‘bein hash’moshos’ (sofek yom, sofek lai’lo) the apple cannot be eaten because perhaps it was already Yom Tov. Now, as we learned on Daf 7a, (Fertilized) Chickens never not lay eggs during daylight hours.

 

Thus, if simultaneously with the fall of the apple the chicken laid an egg…. it must have been still day (not night) . Therefore we can be certain that the apple too fell off the tree NOT on Yom Tov.

 

We mentioned that some took exception to this idea. “Something like ‘bein hash’moshos’ that all scholars have established as a ‘sofek’ cannot resolved by a chicken laying an egg…….”