Arukh HaShulchan ערוך השולחן YU Torah miTzion Beit Midrash http://www.torontotorah.com Arukh HaShulchan Orach Chaim Siman 1 Siman 2 Siman 3 Siman 4 Siman 5 Siman 6 Siman 7 Siman 8 Siman 9 Siman 10 Siman 11 Siman 12 Siman 13 Siman 14 Siman 15 Siman 16 Siman 17 Siman 18 Siman 19 Siman 20 Siman 21 Siman 22 Siman 23 Siman 24 Siman 25 Siman 26 Siman 27 Siman 28 Siman 29 Siman 30 Siman 31 Siman 32 Siman 33 Siman 34 Siman 35 Siman 36 Siman 37 Siman 38 Siman 39 Siman 40 Siman 41 Siman 42 Siman 43 Siman 44 Siman 45 Siman 46 Siman 47 Siman 48 Siman 49 Siman 50 Siman 51 Siman 52 Siman 53 Siman 54 Siman 55 Siman 56 Siman 57 Siman 58 Siman 59 Siman 60 Siman 61 Siman 62 Siman 63 Siman 64 Siman 65 Siman 66 Siman 67 Siman 68 Siman 69 Siman 70 Siman 71 Siman 72 Siman 73 Siman 74 Siman 75 Siman 76 Siman 77 Siman 78 Siman 79 Siman 80 Siman 81 Siman 82 Siman 83 Siman 84 Siman 85 Siman 86 Siman 87 Siman 88 Siman 89 Siman 90 Siman 91 Siman 92 Siman 93 Siman 94 Siman 95 Siman 96 Siman 97 Siman 98 Siman 99 Siman 100 Siman 101 Siman 102 Siman 103 Siman 104 Siman 105 Siman 106 Siman 107 Siman 108 Siman 109 Siman 110 Siman 111 Siman 112 Siman 113 Siman 114 Siman 115 Siman 116 Siman 117 Siman 118 Siman 119 Siman 120 Siman 121 Siman 122 Siman 123 Siman 124 Siman 125 Siman 126 Siman 127 Siman 128 Siman 129 Siman 130 Siman 131 Siman 132 Siman 133 Siman 134 Siman 135 Siman 136 Siman 137 Siman 138 Siman 139 Siman 140 Siman 141 Siman 142 Siman 143 Siman 144 Siman 145 Siman 146 Siman 147 Siman 148 Siman 149 Siman 150 Siman 151 Siman 152 Siman 153 Siman 154 Siman 155 Siman 156 Siman 157 Siman 158 Siman 159 Siman 160 Siman 161 Siman 162 Siman 163 Siman 164 Siman 165 Siman 166 Siman 167 Siman 168 Siman 169 Siman 170 Siman 171 Siman 172 Siman 173 Siman 174 Siman 175 Siman 176 Siman 177 Siman 178 Siman 179 Siman 180 Siman 181 Siman 182 Siman 183 Siman 184 Siman 185 Siman 186 Siman 187 Siman 188 Siman 189 Siman 190 Siman 191 Siman 192 Siman 193 Siman 194 Siman 195 Siman 196 Siman 197 Siman 198 Siman 199 Siman 200 Siman 201 Siman 202 Siman 203 Siman 204 Siman 205 Siman 206 Siman 207 Siman 208 Siman 209 Siman 210 Siman 211 Siman 212 Siman 213 Siman 214 Siman 215 Siman 216 Siman 217 Siman 218 Siman 219 Siman 220 Siman 221 Siman 222 Siman 223 Siman 224 Siman 225 Siman 226 Siman 227 Siman 228 Siman 229 Siman 230 Siman 231 Siman 232 Siman 233 Siman 234 Siman 235 Siman 236 Siman 237 Siman 238 Siman 239 Siman 240 Siman 241 Siman 242 Siman 243 Siman 244 Siman 245 Siman 246 Siman 247 Siman 248 Siman 249 Siman 250 Siman 251 Siman 252 Siman 253 Siman 254 Siman 255 Siman 256 Siman 257 Siman 258 Siman 259 Siman 260 Siman 261 Siman 262 Siman 263 Siman 264 Siman 265 Siman 266 Siman 267 Siman 268 Siman 269 Siman 270 Siman 271 Siman 272 Siman 273 Siman 274 Siman 275 Siman 276 Siman 277 Siman 278 Siman 279 Siman 280 Siman 281 Siman 282 ... The Levush seemed to say that it is good toadd to the number of people called to ‎the Torah [a.k.a. “hosafot”]; he wrote regarding addition, “We ascend in sanctity.” It does not ‎appear so, though, from all of the authorities; it seems that they only permitted addition[and did ‎not encourage it]. According to Rashi, one may add because adding will not keep people from their ‎work. According to the Ran adding is permitted because Shabbat has great sanctity… Some say that the mishnaic permission to add ascendants ‎referred only to the time of the mishnah, when the middle ascendants‏ ‏did not recite blessings. ‎Today, when each ascendant recites blessings, adding‏ ‏ascendants adds blessings, and is close to‏ ‏introducing purposeless blessings. These‏ ‏blessings were never instituted. This‏ ‏argument is correct, ‎but this opinion has never been accepted. Most authorities did not‏ ‏agree to it, for even in the time ‎of the gemara‏ ‏each ascendant recited blessings, and yet‏ ‏early authorities all wrote that one may ‎add. This is the custom which has spread.‎ The same ‎permission extends to Yom Kippur, when it occurs on Shabbat. Some are careful not to add ‎ascendants on Yom Kippur even if it occurs on Shabbat, though; the beginnings of each portion are ‎about atonement, and so it is good not to change them. However, what can we do? The people ‎will not listen to us, saying that they must add ascendants due to complaints by the laity who wish ‎to ascend to the Torah. Since there is no prohibition‏ ‏involved, it is not worthwhile to stand in ‎argument against it and to protest. Siman 283 Siman 284 Siman 285 Siman 286 Siman 287 Siman 288 Siman 289 Siman 290 Siman 291 Siman 292 Siman 293 Siman 294 Siman 295 Siman 296 Siman 297 Siman 298 Siman 299 Siman 300 Siman 301 Siman 302 Siman 303 Siman 304 Siman 305 Siman 306 It is written, "If you will restrain your feet‏ ‏on Shabbat; refrain from accomplishing your own needs ‎on My holy day…and you will honour it by not engaging in your own‏ ‏affairs, not seeking your own ‎needs, not‏ ‏discussing matters." (Isaiah 58:13) One‏ ‏may not perform on Shabbat any business‏ ‏or ‎commercial activity, even if there is no‏ ‏violation of an‏ ‏av melachah‏ ‏‎[one of the‎‏ ‏thirty-nine ‎categories of prohibited‏ ‏activities]. This is what the verse refers to‏ ‏as "your own needs," as if to ‎say weekday‏ ‏needs. The Torah warned us about acting‏ ‏out our business, as well as speaking‏ ‏about ‎it. The Sages expounded that speaking [about‏ ‏business] is forbidden, but thinking about‏ ‏it is ‎permitted (Shabbat 150a); one may‏ ‏think about his business in one’s heart.‎‏ ‏Nevertheless, on ‎account of oneg Shabbat (pleasure on Shabbat), there is a‎‏ ‏commandment to not think about it at ‎all,‎‏ ‏and his work should appear completed in‏ ‏his eyes. The Sages only permitted [business]‎‏ ‏thought which will not cause a discomfortof the heart and worrying. An example of this occurs ‎when a person’s business is‏ ‏going well and is successful, and there is‏ ‏no scattering of the soul. ‎However, thinking which causes worrying and discomfort of the heart is forbidden, for there could ‎be no‏ ‏greater abdication of oneg Shabbat.‎‏ ‏A midrash (Mechilta Shemot 20:9) on the‏ ‏verse, "For six ‎days you shall work and‏ ‏perform all of your work", explains that all‏ ‏of a person’s work should ‎appear‏ ‏completed in his eyes when Shabbat‏ ‏arrives. It is impossible for a person to‏ ‏complete all of ‎his work in one week.‎‏ ‏Rather, it should‏ ‏appear to a person on‏ ‏each Shabbat as if he had completed ‎all of his work. There could be no greater‏ ‏oneg Shabbat than this. (Tur)Similarly, we say in davening ‎‎[Shabbat‎‏ ‏minchah] "a rest of peace and tranquillity,‎‏ ‏calm and security, a complete rest that You‏ ‏desire." Also, in the blessing after meals we‏ ‏say, "there should be neither distress nor‏ ‏grief on our ‎day of rest." (Beit Yosef in the‏ ‏name of the Ri) There is great reward for observing this.‎‏ ‏Even in this ‎world, a person is rewarded in‏ ‏his livelihood, as recorded in a Talmudic braita: A righteous person‏ ‏had a breach in his field's fence, and‏ ‏he decided to fix it. He then‏ ‏remembered that it was Shabbat, ‎and‏ ‏he refrained from fixing it. (He did not‏ ‏fix it during the week, either, as a self-imposed penalty ‎for thinking about‏ ‏fixing it on Shabbat.) A miracle‏ ‏happened, and a caper bush grew [in‏ ‏the ‎breach], and from this plant he‏ ‏received enough livelihood to support‏ ‏him and his family (Shabbat ‎‎150b).‎ Siman 307 Siman 308 Siman 309 Siman 310 Siman 311 Siman 312 Siman 313 Siman 314 Siman 315 Siman 316 Siman 317 Siman 318 Siman 319 Siman 320 Siman 321 Siman 322 Siman 323 Siman 324 Siman 325 Siman 326 Siman 327 Siman 328 Siman 329 Siman 330 Siman 331 Siman 332 Siman 333 Siman 334 Siman 335 Siman 336 Siman 337 Siman 338 For some decades, due to our great sins, leprosy has spread among cantors. These cantors hold a ‎small silver fork or a lump of iron (termed‏ ‏kamar tone) when standing before the platform on ‎Shabbat and Yom Tov, for setting the song’s pitch. The cantors place the fork between their teeth, ‎and they hear a musical sound; they then know how to arrange the song.‎ This is, literally, a musical instrument, designed to produce music. We do not have the power to ‎protest their claims that they cannot generate music without these instruments. Due to our great ‎sins, our generation is loose and the masses support these cantors. Not only are we unable to ‎protest, but even exiting the synagogue causes a fight, as is known. Perhaps we could suggest that ‎this device is not among the “musical instruments” which our sages prohibited, for the following ‎reasons: The sound of this music is not heard other than from the cantor’s mouth to his ear, the ‎sound is only momentary, and the purpose is to generate vocal song, which was never forbidden. ‎This matches what we have written regarding whistling and placing one’s hand in one’s mouth [on ‎Shabbat]. We need to justify this; it would be disgraceful to say that the Jewish nation would ‎stumble in a Shevut, all the more so when standing in prayer before the King of Kings, G-d Himself!‎ Further, regarding the practice of saying words, and repeating them twice and three times, and ‎spreading notes before the platform to sing in the style of a performance‏ ‏‎– all who have awe of ‎heaven are pained by this, and they cannot protest, for the masses are undisciplined, and they will ‎not listen to the words of the sages in this matter! They say that this is their enjoyment of Shabbat ‎and Yom Tov! In truth, perhaps there is no prohibition in this, but one who is good before G-d will ‎flee therefrom. We have come to justify the actions of the sanctified descendants of Israel, whose ‎eyes are sealed. Perhaps, from the fact that our Sages said that one‏ ‏silences a cantor only for ‎repeating the word “Shema,” we may say that this is not‏ ‏true for other words that they repeat ‎twice and three times. As to the notes they spread before the platform, we cannot present a ‎reason to state a clear prohibition‏ ‏here, and so, “Let Israel practice as it will; better for them to ‎practice in error, etc.”‎ ‎[Further, regarding the practice of saying words, and repeating them twice and three times, and ‎spreading notes before the platform to sing in the style of a performance‏ ‏‎– all who have awe of ‎heaven are pained by this, and they cannot protest, for the masses are undisciplined, and they will ‎not listen to the words of the sages in this matter! They say that this is their enjoyment of Shabbat ‎and Yom Tov! In truth, perhaps there is no prohibition in this, but one who is good before G-d will ‎flee therefrom. We have come to justify the actions of the sanctified descendants of Israel, whose ‎eyes are sealed. Perhaps, from the fact that our Sages said that one‏ ‏silences a cantor only for ‎repeating the word “Shema,” we may say that this is not‏ ‏true for other words that they repeat ‎twice and three times. As to the notes they spread before the platform, we cannot present a ‎reason to state a clear prohibition‏ ‏here, and so, “Let Israel practice as it will; better for them to ‎practice in error, etc.” In truth, perhaps there is no prohibition in this, but one who is good before ‎G-d will flee therefrom. We have come to justify the actions of the sanctified descendants of ‎Israel, whose eyes are sealed. Perhaps, from the fact that our Sages said that one silences a cantor ‎only for repeating the word “Shema,” we may say that this is not true for other words that they ‎repeat twice and three times. As to the notes they spread before the platform, we cannot present ‎a reason to state a clear prohibition here, and so, “Let Israel practice as it will; better for them to ‎practice in error, etc.”]‎ Siman 339 Siman 340 Siman 341 Siman 342 Siman 343 Siman 344 Siman 345 Siman 346 Siman 347 Siman 348 Siman 349 Siman 350 Siman 351 Siman 352 Siman 353 Siman 354 Siman 355 Siman 356 Siman 357 Siman 358 Siman 359 Siman 360 Siman 361 Siman 362 Siman 363 Siman 364 Siman 365 Siman 366 Siman 367 Siman 368 Siman 369 Siman 370 Siman 371 Siman 372 Siman 373 Siman 374 Siman 375 Siman 376 Siman 377 Siman 378 Siman 379 Siman 380 Siman 381 Siman 382 Siman 383 Siman 384 Siman 385 Siman 386 Siman 387 Siman 388 Siman 389 Siman 390 Siman 391 Siman 392 Siman 393 Siman 394 Siman 395 Siman 396 Siman 397 Siman 398 Siman 399 Siman 400 Siman 401 Siman 402 Siman 403 Siman 404 Siman 405 Siman 406 Siman 407 Siman 408 Siman 409 Siman 410 Siman 411 Siman 412 Siman 413 Siman 414 Siman 415 Siman 416 Siman 417 Siman 418 Siman 419 Siman 420 Siman 421 Siman 422 Siman 423 Siman 424 Siman 425 Siman 426 Siman 427 Siman 428 Siman 429 Siman 430 Siman 431 Siman 432 Siman 433 Siman 434 Siman 435 Siman 436 Siman 437 Siman 438 Siman 439 Siman 440 Siman 441 Siman 442 Siman 443 Siman 444 Siman 445 Siman 446 Siman 447 Siman 448 Siman 449 Siman 450 Siman 451 Siman 452 Siman 453 Siman 454 Siman 455 Siman 456 Siman 457 Siman 458 Siman 459 Siman 460 Siman 461 Siman 462 Siman 463 Siman 464 Siman 465 Siman 466 Siman 467 Siman 468 Siman 469 Siman 470 Siman 471 Siman 472 Siman 473 Siman 474 Siman 475 Siman 476 Siman 477 Siman 478 Siman 479 Siman 480 Siman 481 Siman 482 Siman 483 Siman 484 Siman 485 Siman 486 Siman 487 Siman 488 Siman 489 Siman 490 Siman 491 Siman 492 Siman 493 Siman 494 Siman 495 Siman 496 Siman 497 Siman 498 Siman 499 Siman 500 Siman 501 Siman 502 Siman 503 Siman 504 Siman 505 Siman 506 Siman 507 Siman 508 Siman 509 Siman 510 Siman 511 Siman 512 Siman 513 Siman 514 Siman 515 Siman 516 Siman 517 Siman 518 Siman 519 Siman 520 Siman 521 Siman 522 Siman 523 Siman 524 Siman 525 Siman 526 Siman 527 Siman 528 Siman 529 Siman 530 Siman 531 Siman 532 Siman 533 Siman 534 Siman 535 Siman 536 Siman 537 Siman 538 Siman 539 Siman 540 Siman 541 Siman 542 Siman 543 Siman 544 Siman 545 Siman 546 Siman 547 Siman 548 Siman 549 Siman 550 Siman 551 Siman 552 Siman 553 Siman 554 Siman 555 Siman 556 Siman 557 Siman 558 Siman 559 Siman 560 Siman 561 Siman 562 Siman 563 Siman 564 Siman 565 Siman 566 Siman 567 Siman 568 Siman 569 Siman 570 Siman 571 Siman 572 Siman 573 Siman 574 Siman 575 Siman 576 Siman 577 Siman 578 Siman 579 Siman 580 Siman 581 Siman 582 Siman 583 Siman 584 Siman 585 Siman 586 Siman 587 Siman 588 Siman 589 Siman 590 Siman 591 Siman 592 Siman 593 Siman 594 Siman 595 Siman 596 Siman 597 Siman 598 Siman 599 Siman 600 Siman 601 Siman 602 Siman 603 Siman 604 Siman 605 Siman 606 Siman 607 Siman 608 Siman 609 Siman 610 Siman 611 Siman 612 Siman 613 Siman 614 Siman 615 Siman 616 Siman 617 Siman 618 Siman 619 Siman 620 Siman 621 Siman 622 Siman 623 Siman 624 Siman 625 Siman 626 Siman 627 Siman 628 Siman 629 Siman 630 Siman 631 Siman 632 Siman 633 Siman 634 Siman 635 Siman 636 Siman 637 Siman 638 Siman 639 Siman 640 Siman 641 Siman 642 Siman 643 Siman 644 Siman 645 Siman 646 Siman 647 Siman 648 Siman 649 Siman 650 Siman 651 Siman 652 Siman 653 Siman 654 Siman 655 Siman 656 Siman 657 Siman 658 Siman 659 Siman 660 Siman 661 Siman 662 Siman 663 Siman 664 Siman 665 Siman 666 Siman 667 Siman 668 Siman 669 Siman 670 The increasing of the number of meals that we partake in [on Chanukah] are ‘voluntary meals’ [as opposed to meals which are a mitzvah], because [the Sages] did not set [the days of Chanukah] for drinking and rejoicing, as they did on Purim. [This is because] the decree of Haman was on the body, to destroy, kill, and wipe out [all of the Jews] (Esther 3:13), therefore, we need to celebrate with our bodies. But the decree of Antiochus was abolition of Torah learning and mitzvot, and even though this is worse than a decree of physical [annihilation], nevertheless, they were decrees against our souls. Therefore, we need to gladden our souls with Hallel, thanks, melodies, songs and praises, and the body has no connection to these [methods of rejoicing]. (And this also answers the question of the Taz 670:3 [who asked that if it is worse to cause one to sin rather than kill him per Rashi Devarim 23:9, why do we not celebrate this holiday more than, or at least equally to, Purim?]) However, there are those who say [Rama Orach Chaim 670:2, in the name of Rabbi Avraham Kara of Prague] that there is a slight mitzvah to increase the number of meals, first, because celebration of the soul is somewhat dependent on the happiness of the body, as we can sense. Additionally, [we rejoice physically] to remember the dedication of the Mishkan, which was set as [a holiday of] drinking and rejoicing. One should also sing songs and praises at these meals, and then it will certainly be considered a ‘mitzvah meal’. But those who play with cards-their punishment is great, and due to our many sins, this plague of tzara’athas spread through the house of Israel. Woe to us that this has happened in our days, and many types of sins are caused by this activity! And may He, the merciful, forgive sin, and one who has the ability to abolish this [practice], his merit will be very great. Yoreh De'ah Siman 1 Even HaEzer Siman 1 Seder HaGet Seder Chalitza Choshen Mishpat Siman 1