Rabbi
Mordechai Eisenbach
IThe Shulchan Aruch [ Orach Chaim 187]
explains that if one forgets to say “Al Hanisim” on Chanukah in
its proper place in bentching, one should then say it at the end
of bentching as a request. “ Harachaman hu ya'aseh lanu nissim
vinifla;'os ka'asher asoh la'avosaynu bayamim haheim baz'man hazeh. ”
An obvious question then follows, namely “Why
do we ask for nisim from Hashem only on Chanuka and Purim and
not on Pesach, Sukkos and Shavuos, holidays which are a rememberance
of all the nissim that
Hashem did for us in Mitsrayim? We can compound the question by
asking why we ask for nissim at all. [See Sha'arei
Teshuva at the end of siman 187.] Do we want to
ask Hashem to use up all of our z'chusim , merit, in order
to perform a miracle for us? Additionally, in this case, is there
a specific miracle we are asking for from Hashem? Rav Akiva Eiger
[ Orach Chaim siman 231] explains regarding asking for
a refuah sheleimah, that one may not ask for a miracle
to happen in order to change the status of one's friend [only if
it is possible through nature, for the Gemora tells us that even
if a sword lies on one's neck may he ask for a salvation as that
does not require a miracle].
The Maharal explains that there were two nissim that
were bestowed upon Klal Yisroel during Chanukah. The Jews won the
war against the Yivonim, and the oil of the menorah kept burning
for eight days. The Maharal explains that the main miracle of Chanukah
was the military victory, as we mention in “ Al Hanisim .” Only
at the end of this tefillah do we make mention of the menorah [according
to our nusach ]. The message here is subtle, yet powerful.
One may study the Chanukah story and come away thinking that the
reason why the war was won by the Chashmonaim was merely the fact
that they had better tactics of war. It looks like “ kochi
votzem yodi ,” that the victory of the Chashmonaim could have
been carried out by any military group passionately defending its
culture. The miracle of the menorah ensures that we do not so grossly
misinterpret the miracle of the war. By making the openly miraculous
burning of the oil, Hashem showed Klal Yisroel that He is in control
of all and that He alone was the cause of the nitzachon ,
victory, in the war, just as He so blatantly caused the miracle
of the menorah.
From the Maharal we learn that the chag of
Chanukah is to commemorate the miracle of the war that was won
through the power of Hashem, which translates into a “ neis al pi teva ,” a
miracle through nature. So when we say “ Harachaman hu ya'aseh lanu
nissim vinifla;'os ,,,” we are asking Hashem to continue
to shower us with His miracles of nature. We breathe the air, we
walk the streets, and thus we encounter miracles every moment that
we live. We must take the lesson from Chanukah that Hashem is the
One in control. We breathe because Hashem allows us so, and we
walk because Hashem allows us to do so.
With this we can answer the Bais Yosef's famous question: If the
Jews had enough oil for one day, the miracle was only a seven day
miracle. Why then do we celebrate Chanukah for eight days? The
answer is that the first day was also a miracle, because all of
nature is miraculous. The mere fact that oil with a wick will burn
is in itself a miracle.
With the above Maharal we can also answer
the Pnei Ye'hoshua's question: Chazal, he says, rule that “ tumah hutra b'tzibbur ,” the
laws of ritual impurity do not apply if they affect the entire
congregation [this is similar to Korban Pesach , where
if most members of Klal Yisroel are tamei we nevertheless
bring a KorbanPesach and do not wait until Pesach
Sheini ]. If so, even oil that was tamei should
have been permissible to use under the Chanukah circumstances.
Why, then, did Hashem need to perform a miracle for the Jews to
have Chanukah oil? According to the Maharal we now understand that
Hashem wanted to make a neis nigleh , an open miracle,
in order to reveal that He is the one is in control over nature.
The Rambam writes “when you light the menorah, it is to show off
and to reveal the miracle.” To “show off” the miracle addresses
the mitzvah of pirsumei nisa , but what does the Rambam
mean when writes “to reveal?” According to the Marahal it means
that when one lights the menorah, he must try to reveal the lesson
that Hashem is in control of all, and that one is powerless without
Hashem's help. May we all be zocheh to incorporate this
lesson into our lives, and fully feel that everything we do is
under Hashem's control. For the more we let ourselves feel His
control, the more we will be zocheh to feel His help.
Rabbi
Eisenbach learns nightly in the Kollel as the Rosh Chaburah
of the Zichron Aharon Mechanchim Kollel.
Halacha Encounters
Proper
Preparation for Tefilla
Rabbi Ephraim Friedman
To stand before Hashem in tefilla requires both physical
and mental preparation. The mental preparation is discussed
in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 93 and in other sources.
The physical preparation includes an obligation to ascertain
that one's innards are clean; i.e. that one is not currently
experiencing an urge to relieve oneself. Failure to meet
the requirements of the halacha in this matter can sometimes
result in an invalidation of the tefilla which was recited,
although in many cases it will not. Let us elaborate on
this theme and attempt to clarify the matter. (Note: The
halachos with regard to shmoneh esrei are more stringent
than they are with regard to other sections of davening.
Our focus will be on the halachos of shmoneh esrei.)
It is forbidden to begin davening shmoneh esrei when the
urge to relieve oneself exists. Rather, one must first
respond to this urge and only then proceed to daven. This
applies even if it will result in the individual missing
tefilla b'tzibur. If one ignores the urge and does begin
davening, whether or not he is yotzei b'dieved will depend
upon the following. If at the start of shmoneh esrei the
urge was significant enough that he would not be able to
ignore it for seventy-two minutes, the shmoneh esrei recited
is invalid and must be repeated. If the urge was less pressing,
the shmoneh esrei recited is valid b'dieved. (According
to the Ginas V'radim cited by Chidushei Rabbi Akiva Eiger
and quoted in the Beur Halacha, only if the individual
assesses that he would be able to walk seventy-two
minutes without relieving himself is the shmoneh esrei
valid, even b'dieved.) In any case, l'chatchila one may
not begin shmoneh esrei while experiencing the urge to
relieve himself – with the following exceptions. 1) If
the urge is of a less pressing nature (as defined above)
and to relieve oneself first would result in missing sof
z'man tefilla, one should daven shmoneh esrei first and
afterwards tend to his needs. 2) A shaliach tzibur may
begin the repetition of shmoneh esrei without responding
to the urge to relieve himself since walking out at that
point could cause him embarrassment. (The Beur Halacha
is uncertain if this applies even if he is experiencing
a pressing urge.)
According to the Magen Avraham and
Chayei Odom, only if one were experiencing an urge for
g'dolim (a bowel movement) at the start of shmoneh esrei – and the urge was a strong
one as explained above – would his shmoneh esrei be rendered
invalid. If, however, one only experienced an urge for
k'tanim (to pass water), although he is not permitted to
begin shmoneh esrei without first responding to that urge,
if he were to daven in that state he would be yotzei b'dieved.
According to the Eliyahu Rabah and Derech HaChaim no such
distinction exists, and in both cases he is not yotzei
b'dieved and must repeat shmoneh esrei. The Beur Halacha
writes that he is unable to offer a decisive psak in this
matter since there is basis for both views in early sources.
This being the case we remain with a sofeik as to whether
or not the tefilla should be repeated. The governing rule
for such situations is sofeik brochos k'hakeil, and one
would not repeat the tefilla. Further support for the decision
not to repeat shmoneh esrei can be drawn from the Aruch
HaShulchan who cites only the view of the Magen Avraham
in this matter. (For further discussion on this point see
Da'as Torah, Leket HaKemach HaChodosh, and Emes L'Yaakov,
all at Orach Chaim 92:1.)
It must be understood that this entire discussion involves
one who feels the need to relieve himself when he wishes
to begin shmoneh esrei. One who feels no such
need may daven. Even if upon concluding shmoneh esrei he
ends up relieving himself immediately his shmoneh esrei
is still valid. Furthermore, even one who improperly began
shmoneh esrei while experiencing a slight urge believing
that he could hold back for seventy-two minutes, and subsequently
relieves himself shortly after concluding shmoneh esrei
(within seventy-two minutes of when he began) is yotzei
b'dieved.
If in the course of davening shmoneh
esrei one begins to feel an urge to relieve himself,
he should not interrupt his tefilla if at all possible.
Even if the urge is pressing enough that he will not
be able to disregard it for seventy-two minutes, and
even if it reaches a point at which one would normally
be in violation of bal t'shakatzu by ignoring it, shmoneh
esrei should best not be interrupted (see Mishna Berurah
92:11). If one finds it impossible to continue davening
he should stop and tend to his needs, taking care not
to speak. Even the brocha “Asher Yotzar” should not
be recited until after completing shmoneh esrei. Upon resuming
davening it is not necessary to repeat any part of shmoneh
esrei which was already recited; rather, one resumes davening
from the point at which he left off. There is one exception.
If he was forced to interrupt shmoneh esrei for a length
of time as long as it would generally take him to recite
the entire shmoneh esrei from start to finish he is required
to start over from the beginning.
Be'ezras Hashem on another occasion we shall address this
halacha as it relates other areas of tefilla, to reciting
brochos, and to learning Torah.
Rabbi Friedman is the Moreh Hora'ah for Beis Medrash Mekor
Hachaim and is a frequent contributor to Halacha Encounters.
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