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Shabbat Parashat R'ei 5781

R'ei | 29 Av 5781 | 07/08/2021

Parashat Hashavua: The Parasha’s Insights on Dealing with Societal Crisis

This was written a year ago, but the topic is still relevant, albeit not as acutely. The language has been changed slightly to more closely reflect the current situation.] The Coronavirus pandemic is certainly a health issue; it is important to avoid contracting or transmitting it, which are Torah obligations. But the period has been challenging for us in two other ways.

Ask the Rabbi: Playing Darts on Shabbat

Can we play darts on Shabbat? (Additional information requested – the darts are classic ones that pierce the board’s surface; the board hangs loosely from a nail in the wall; in between uses, the darts often stay on the board.)

Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook: The Reason to Write Philosophical Pamphlets – Letter #43

[This a response to an apparently critical letter to Rav Kook by Rav Orenstein.] I was not sure whether to respond because I was concerned it might upset you, and why should I upset such a venerable rabbi? I decided to write in brief, and maybe Hashem will enable my words to enter your ears and you will not have as much pain from the existence of the pamphlets. Saving you from pain and concern would be rewarding to me.

P'ninat Mishpat: When Does the Designer Finish her Job?

The defendant (=def) hired the plaintiff (=pl) to do the interior design of his new house. The contract provides a base price of 19,890 NIS including VAT with a payment schedule based on progress, including 20% after choosing materials and 15% at the end of the job. It also calls for a 1,000 NIS extra charge for each “day of choosing materials,” of which both agree there was one normal day. Def asked for an additional, especially long day of choosing materials (8 hours in the north of the country), for which pl demanded 2,500 NIS and def paid 2,300 NIS. All agree that pl did a lot of work, including some level of plans for all relevant parts of the house, inspection services, and involvement in choosing materials. After some disagreement over how much was already due to pl and after 15,800 NIS had been paid, the two parted ways, and def did the last part of choosing materials himself. Pl claims she completed her responsibilities and demands remaining pay of 7,390 NIS (she agreed during the hearings to a reduction of 500 NIS in recognition of two matters she did not do). Def claims that pl did only around 45% of her job, as several of the plans she drew up were incomplete, especially in regard to carpentry, and because she did not help in choosing materials for several parts of the house (as extra pay is only when she comes along to choose, whereas oral advice was required for free). Def demands a return of 3,580 NIS including for overpaying by 300 NIS for the long material-choosing day.

R'ei 5781

R'ei 5781

We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for:

Nir Rephael ben Rachel Bracha
Yisrael ben Rivka

Rivka Reena bat Gruna Natna

Arye Yitzchak ben Geula Miriam

Neta bat Malka

Meira bat Esther

Together with all cholei Yisrael

Hemdat Yamim is dedicated

to the memory of:

Those who fell in wars

for our homeland

Eretz Hemdah's beloved friends

and Members of

Eretz Hemdah's Amutah

Rav Shlomo Merzel z”l
Iyar 10, 5771

Rav Reuven Aberman z"l

Tishrei 9 ,5776

Mr. Shmuel & Esther Shemesh z"l

Sivan 17 / Av 20

Mr. Moshe Wasserzug z"l

Tishrei 20 ,5781

R' Eliyahu Carmel z"l

Rav Carmel's father

Iyar 8 ,5776

Mrs. Sara Wengrowsky

bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h.

Tamuz 10 ,5774

Rav Asher & Susan Wasserteil z"l
Kislev 9 / Elul 5780

R' Meir ben

Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld z"l

Mrs. Sara Brachfeld z"l

Tevet 16 ,5780

R' Yaakov ben Abraham & Aisha

and

Chana bat Yaish & Simcha

Sebbag, z"l

Rav Yisrael Rozen z"l
Cheshvan 13, 5778

Rav Benzion Grossman z"l
Tamuz 23, 5777

R' Yitzchak Eizik

ben Yehuda Leib Usdan a"h,

Av 29

R' Abraham Klein z"l

Iyar 18 ,5779

Mrs. Gita Klein z"l

Av 4

R' Yitzchak Zev Tarshansky z"l

Adar 28, 5781

Hemdat Yamim
is endowed by Les z"l & Ethel Sutker
of Chicago, Illinois
in loving memory of
Max and Mary Sutker
& Louis and Lillian Klein z”l

A weekly divrei Torah leaflet: A Glimpse at the Parasha, Ask the Rabbi, From the writings of Harav Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook, zt”l, Pninat Mishpat (Jewish Monetary Law).