July 29, 2000 / 26 Tammuz 5760; Issue #283

Contents:

• Yahoo!
• The Rest Of Shabbat
• Wedding Time
• Return Of Yiddle Riddle!
• Final Edition of "Who Knows ...?"
• Public Domain
• Subscription Information
• Back issues are indexed both by issue no. and by subject
• Ohr Somayach Home Page

  This publication is also available in the following formats: Explanation of these symbols

Contents

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Fuentes,

The Hebrew word Yahoo (or Yahu) is a name of G-d. It is commonly found at the end of people's names. It represents a Divine attribute added to the name. For example, Yeshayahu (Isaiah) means "G-d's redemption," Yirmiyahu (Jeremiah) means "Fear of G-d."

I sometimes wonder if the internet company Yahoo! became such a major success simply because G-d likes the name they chose!

Contents

Dear Matt,

The Torah tells us not to do "melacha" on Shabbat. Melacha is sometimes defined as "work," but that's not a good definition. What is melacha?

Melacha means "creative act." By refraining from creative acts, we recognize G-d as the Ultimate Creator.

Melacha is any act which represents the uniquely human ability to put our intellect to work and shape the environment. Thus, switching on a light is a melacha. Among other things, it can be considered "building" a circuit.

Specifically, a melacha is anything that fits into one of 39 categories of activities listed in Tractate Shabbat page 73a. This list includes activities such as seeding, uprooting, building, writing and burning.

I recommend the following books to start: Shabbos: Day of Eternity by Aryeh Kaplan.(available at http://www.artscroll.com/ohrsomayach/), The Shabbat by Dayan Isadore Grunfield, 39 Avoth Melacha of Shabbath by Rabbi Baruch Chait; illustrated by Yoni Gerstein, and The 39 Melochos by Rabbi Dovid Ribiat (all available at http://www59.hway.net/feldhe/cgi-local/affiliate.cgi?ID=OhrSomayach&URL=/), and

Contents

Dear Mrs. G.,

The Mishna says "Ben shemona esrei l'chupa" -- an eighteen year old to the marriage canopy. The Talmud says that if the young man isn't married by 18 "G-d waits for him until he's twenty, and if he's not married by 20, then G-d says 'blast his bones.' " (free translation)

But there's a joke making the rounds these days: "What's the difference between men and 30 year bonds? Bonds mature."

There's truth in jest. In our day, many people -- women as well as men -- seem too immature to wed at 18.

But in the ideal world, an 18 year old would be mature enough to marry. By then, both boy and girl should have learned that life is about giving, which is the secret for a successful marriage. Indeed, in lots of orthodox circles 20 is the age when many marry, and even before, and these "youngsters" create dynamic, successful links in the chain of Judaism.

Certain health defects make an animal into a "treifa." A treifa is not kosher; it may not be eaten. In what case does an animal's being a treifa cause its offspring to be kosher (or, more exactly, prevent its offspring from automatically being non-kosher.)

Answer next week ...

Here is the "final" installment of readers' answers:

13 are the midot (attributes) of Hashem. Being that Hashem is omniscient, omnipresent, etc., His midot seem to be inclusive of everything beyond what is part of the song. Furthermore, the song begins with Hashem ("One is Hashem") and ends with Hashem (the 13 midot) so the whole song seems to be balanced well. As for the number 20 which you asked about, it says in Pirkei Avot that 20 is the age at which one begins to pursue (a career).

A complete set of Talmud is usually published in 20 volumes. Although a person becomes legally liable at 12 or 13 years of age, he is not really held fully accountable by G-d until age 20. If I remember correctly, Yaakov lived with Lavan for 20 years (7 years for Leah, 7 for Rachel, and 6 to earn his livelihood).

20 planks on both the north and south sides of the Mishkan; 20 pieces of silver that Joseph was sold for by the brothers; 20 is the number at which people began to be counted for military service; 20 is the age at which a person suffers heavenly punishment.

20 amot is maximum height for Chanuka menorah, succah, and mavoi.

Contents

In the Parshas Korach issue, you responded to a reader that in messianic times you hope that the internet will be used for good things. I strongly take issue. You are implying that today, in pre-messianic times, the internet is not used for good things. That is patently false. You should be informed that there are many excellent sites on the web today, and if you don't believe me you have obviously never heard of a web site called "Ohrnet." Indignantly,

Ohrnet Responds: Thanks for the criticism...er...I mean the compliment!

You wrote: "Hava Nagilah was composed by Klausenberg Chassidim."

This isn't accurate. It was a Radomsker version of Yismichu B'malchuskha, a Shabbat song. It was composed by an unknown Radomsker Chassid between 100 and 150 years ago.