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A Window into the Chareidi World

16 Kislev 5761 - December 13, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS
OPINION & COMMENT
HOME & FAMILY
IN-DEPTH FEATURES
VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR
TOPICS IN THE NEWS
PREVIOUS ISSUES

CALENDAR FOR
Parshas Vayeishev, 5761

Sunday, 20 Kislev - Shabbos, 26 Kislev
(Dec. 17-23, 2000)

DAF HAYOMI
Bavli:
Nozir, 61-Sotah, 2
Yerushalmi:
Bova Basra, 26-32

MISHNA YOMIS
Yevomos, 11:1-13:1

HALACHA YOMIS
Orach Chaim 3345:14-352:5

Molad: Tuesday 3:29 A.M.

Chanukah starts on Friday, 25 Kislev (Dec. 22) and ends on Friday, 3 Teves (Dec. 29). We must we on the alert in regards to fire safety and not light the neiros near inflammables. Small children should not be left alone near the neiros.

CANDLE LIGHTING
in Eretz Yisroel:

Parshas Vayishlach
Yerushalayim:
4:02 P.M.

Bnei Brak:
4:16 P.M.

London:
3:36 P.M.
Johannesburg:
6:15 P.M.
Melbourne:
8:20 P.M.

Parshas Vayeishev
Yerushalayim:
4:05 P.M.

Bnei Brak:
4:19 P.M.

London:
3:38 P.M.
Johannesburg:
6:15 P.M.
Melbourne:
8:24 P.M.

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Shema Yisrael Torah Network



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At The Center of the Universe
At The Center of the Universe
by Mordechai Plaut

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

REFORM & CONSERVATIVES

GRAVES

LIVING JUDAISM

WOMEN IN
JUDAISM

GIYUR
LEGAL ISSUES
YESHIVA DRAFT
CULTURE WARS
-MISCELLANEOUS
CULTURE WARS
-MONEY
CULTURE WARS
-SHABBOS
SHMITTA

NEWS


High Court: We Will Not Protect the Rights of the Chareidi Community
by B. Kahn and M. Plaut

On Monday, 14 Kislev, High Court Justice, Mishael Cheshin said that as long as the chareidi sector doesn't recognize the High Court, the judges will not protect its rights. Shocked by the remark, MKs Ravitz and Gafni said that Cheshin should not continue on the High Court.


Knesset Turmoil: Will there be Knesset Elections? Will Netanyahu Run for Prime Minister?
by M. Plaut and Yated Ne'eman Staff

Almost everyone expects a contest for the office of prime minister between Ehud Barak and Binyamin Netanyahu, but it remains unclear whether Israelis should prepare for special direct elections for prime minister in 60 days (perhaps even without Netanyahu) or, following the passing of the bill next week dissolving the Knesset, for general elections in 90 days or sometime in May (almost certainly with Netanyahu).

Temporary Draft Law Postponed at Last Minute
by Eliezer Rauchberger

At the last minute, the Knesset plenum refrained from voting on the first reading of the temporary law to continue the current arrangements for the drafting of yeshiva students for a year. UTJ's representatives had no choice but to agree to the postponement of the voting.


Shmittah Update
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

Since Maran the Chazon Ish ruled that one should be machmir with regard to any doubts as to the boundaries of Eretz Yisroel, and since this is also the opinion of the gedolei haposkim, shlita, the northern part of the Aravah (in the Negev) should be considered within the boundaries of Eretz Yisroel with regard to shmittah with all that entails.

U.S. Court Stops Use of Educational Vouchers in Ohio; Agudath Israel Responds
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

In a decision that has a big impact on the efforts of the American Jewish community to pass legislation allowing parents the use of vouchers to decide how to educate their children, a federal appeals court declared a Cleveland school voucher program unconstitutional on Monday. Their decision confirms a lower court ruling that using public funds to pay for thousands of children to attend parochial schools breaches the First Amendment's requirement of separation between church and state.

British Minister Meets with Chareidim
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

A delegation of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregationƒ met with the Home Secretary the Right Hon. Jack Straw to appraise him of the growing size and activities of the chareidi community in the U.K.


OPINION & COMMENT

Reflections on Prime Minister Barak

After announcing less than a week ago that he wanted new general elections and then working the rest of the week to avoid them, Prime Minister Barak finally decided -- without consulting any of his ministers or senior politicians or advisors -- that he will resign and thereby cause new elections for prime minister but not for the entire Knesset.

Politica

by E. Rauchberger

Barak and the Arab Vote

Barak has made clear signs that although he has unequivocally supported direct prime ministerial elections for years, he is now beginning to lean in favor of doing away with them. Barak used to say that without direct elections he would have had no chance of being elected prime minister, since voters would have voted according to party lines as in the past, resulting in the traditional tie in the Knesset with a slight tilt to the right, which would have given the office of prime minister to Binyamin Netanyahu.


HOME & FAMILY


The Power of Tehillim
by Yocheved Hochman

"We don't need big miracles, dangerous diseases or terrible tragedies to awaken us to Teshuva. When we are able to flex a finger, bend a knee or wink an eye, these, too, are major miracles and kindnesses from Hashem each moment to alert us to the guiding Hand in our day to day lives.


IN-DEPTH FEATURES

The "First" Shmittah: The Chazon Ish's Role In The Renewal Of Shmittah Observance
Compiled by Moshe Musman


Additional Luach Information

The earliest time of Kiddush Levonoh -- Teves

The time of Kiddush Levonoh everywhere in the world begins on Friday, 3:11 A.M., the eve of 3 Teves (Dec. 29), in Eretz Yisroel. In west U.S.A. and Canada Kiddush Levonoh can be made from the beginning of the night according to the difference in time zones in comparison to Eretz Yisroel. In the rest of the world it is impossible to make a berochoh this night because the moon sets before the earliest time, and their actual time is from the beginning of Motzei Shabbos, the eve of 5 Teves.

A solar eclipse invisible in Eretz Yisroel will take place this month on Monday, 28 Kislev. The eclipse's peak is at 12:35 P.M. (New York time), and the astronomical new moon precedes it by nine minutes and is at 12:26 P.M. It would seem that the astronomical new moon denoted by the solar eclipse should indicate the beginning time of Kiddush Levonoh to be seven hours and three quarters earlier, but since this month for the three days after the molad the moon passes its apogee (its highest point) and advances slowly the influence of the astronomical new moon's early appearance is canceled.

(Birur Halocho, IV, Orach Chaim 426)

Chanukah lighting time according to the Chazon Ish

The Chazon Ish zt'l lit the Chanukah lights on weekdays twenty minutes after sunset. On Motzo'ei Shabbos, however, he lit them only after ma'ariv (which he davened approximately three quarters of an hour after sunset) and making havdoloh. [The report in Tohoras Habayis (part 2, p. 273) that the Chazon Ish lit Chanukah lights twenty minutes after sunset even on Motzo'ei Shabbos--from which the author deduces that melochos may be done this soon after sunset when there is a pressing necessity--is erroneous].

The source of the minhag of the Chazon Ish when to light Chanukah lights on weekdays is found in the Bei'ur HaGra in Yoreh Dei'ah, hilchos Milah chap. 266:17, who explicitly mentions Chanukah lights!

The Chazon Ish based his reasoning on the fact that there must be some darkness for Chanukah lighting, since "what good is a candle during the day?" In central Eretz Yisroel we light 20-21 minutes after sunset (depending when Chanukah falls according to the solar calendar). The sun is at that time 4.8 degrees below the horizon.

Using the sun's position below the horizon as our criterion, these are the times to light Chanukah lights in selected cities worldwide according to the Chazon Ish: Zurich 27-28 minutes after sunset; Vienna 28-29 minutes; Sydney 22 minutes; Strasbourg 28 minutes; Stockholm 43-44 minutes; Rome 24-25 minutes; Paris 28-29 minutes; New York 23-24 minutes; Gateshead 35 minutes; Melbourne 23-24 minutes; Manchester 33 minutes; Los Angeles 21-22 minutes; London 31 minutes; Johannesburg 20 minutes; Cleveland 24 minutes; Chicago 24-25 minutes; Buenos Aires 22-23 minutes; Amsterdam 32 minutes.

See Birur Halocho Teliso'oh, Orach Chaim 772.


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