Simanim 2-3 Getting Dressed
Mishna Berura
Yeshivat Har Etzion
SHIUR
#2: Simanim 2-3
Pages
11-15
by
Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon
SIMAN
2 - GETTING DRESSED
S.A.
2:4 - Putting On and Lacing Shoes
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The primary source is Shabbat 61a:
As R. Yochanan said, "Like tefillin, like shoes - just as [when donning]
tefillin [we begin] with the left, so too shoes [we begin] with the
left."
An objection was raised: "When one dons his shoes, he must put on his
right and afterwards his left?!"
Said R. Yosef, "Now that we've learned that this beraita said one thing,
while R. Yochanan said otherwise, one can legitimately act according to either
opinion."
Said R. Nachman bar Yitzchak, "A God-fearing person would act in
accordance with both opinions! And
who is [such a person]? Mar the son
of Rabana. How did he act? He put on his right [shoe] but did not
tie it, then put on his left shoe and did tie it, then went back and tied his
right shoe."
Said R. Ashi, "I witnessed R. Kahana not being
particular."
This sugya presents a contradiction between R. Yochanan's statement and
the beraita. How does R. Yosef
rule? How does R. Nachman bar
Yitzchak rule? Read his opinion
carefully: does he believe it is strictly obligatory or just a chumra (extra
stringency)? With which of these
does R. Ashi side?
Whose ruling is generally accepted as halakha in a situation of this
sort? Tosafot (Bava Metzia 48b
"alma Rav Ashi ... ve-hu batra," found adjacent to R. Chananel) say of R. Ashi
that he is "greater in wisdom and in stature and [has the added advantage of
being] later," the implication being that we should rule according to him. (See the Encyclopedia Talmudit vol. IX,
p. 309, for more on disagreements between R. Ashi and R. Nachman bar
Yitzchak.) And in fact, R. Nachman
bar Yitzchak's statement is omitted by all the poskim with the exception of
Rabbeinu Yona and the Tur.
One might further argue that R. Nachman bar Yitzchak's logic is difficult
to understand, for if R. Yochanan said that the left shoe should be put on
first, how does his solution help?
(The Beit Yosef explains that R. Yochanan was indeed referring to tying,
for tefillin are tied on the left hand.)
The Beit Yosef, in his introduction, wrote that he based his work on
three major halakhists - the Rif, the Rambam, and the Rosh - ruling always with
the majority among these. The
Darkhei Moshe (in his own introduction) noted that the Beit Yosef strayed
occasionally from this golden rule and brought two examples. Does our instance qualify as a
third?
S.A.
2:6 - Wearing a Kippa
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The primary source is Kiddushin 31a:
"R.
Huna would not go even four cubits with a bare head, saying, 'The divine
presence is above my head.'"
See also 29b "mishtabach ... ad de-nasavt" (3 lines), from which we can
see that not everyone covered their heads - R. Huna's criticism of R. Himnuna
was that he was unmarried, not that his head was bare!
Reasons for wearing a kippa are as follows:
a)
Modesty. The Rambam in Hilkhot
De'ot 5:6 writes: "Torah scholars must practice great modesty. They must not demean themselves and they
must not uncover their heads nor their bodies."
b)
Fear of God. The gemara in Shabbat
156b ("de-imai ... di-shemaya ...") relates that the mother of R. Nachman bar
Yitzchak was told by stargazers that her son was destined to be a thief. Her solution? She had him cover his head in order that
the fear of God be upon him.
c)
Nowadays. M.B. 2:11 "aval ...
be-veito" (one line) - "and the Taz has written in siman 8 that in our day it is
strictly forbidden to leave one's head uncovered, even at
home."
See the Taz 8:3, who explains that the reason is in order to avoid
imitating Gentile customs. For
elaboration see Igrot Moshe, the first responsum in OC vol. 1; Yechaveh Da'at
vol. IV, 1; Chatam Sofer CM 191. In
the Igrot Moshe it is explained that according to this reasoning, it is
forbidden nowadays even to walk less than four amot with a bare
head.
Fur further study regarding a kippa with holes (a kippa seruga?), see
Terumat Ha-deshen 10; Chatam Sofer vol. VI, 2.
Siman
3: Bathroom
Etiquette
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N.B. There are certain matters in which the
reality reflected in the Shulchan Arukh appears to differ from that which we
experience nowadays. Be that as it
may, the message imparted by this siman is, "One should conduct himself with
modesty [even] in the bathroom" (se'if 2).
It is this guideline which should direct our behavior at all times in an
honest and straightforward fashion.
Regarding bathrooms, it must be noted that there are those who at various
times and places (such as summer camp or the army) deem them unnecessary. The Bi'ur Halakha, se'if 2, s.v. Yehei
Tzanua, comes out strongly against this practice.
Although the Shulchan Arukh (3:10) prohibits the use of the right hand in
order to cleanse oneself, Tzitz Eliezer vol. VII 2 is lenient, at least when
this would result in a more thorough cleaning.
(This
shiur was translated by Pnina Ra'anan.)