Halakhic Positions

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler “Veloh Tisov Nachala Mi’mateh L’mateh Acher”-“And no heritance will be transferred from one tribe to another”.(Bamidbar 36;9). Elisha ben Abuya, known as “Acher”, was a Tanna who adopted false theological beliefs. The Gemara Chagiga (15a) recounts how he (allegedly) heard a voice from heaven, encouraging everyone to do Teshuvah ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler According to Rav Soloveitchik, the Written Torah was given to us by HaShem, and therefore we are permitted to recite any Biblical passage aloud. This license is the basis of our ability to communally recite the Kedushah, depicted in the Bible as the song of the Malachim (angels), see ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler Many congregations have the custom of ending the Shabbat or Yom Tov Ma’ariv (Arvit) services with the recitation or singing of Yigdal. The idea behind this minhag  is based on the fact that with the conclusion of Tefilah  we should not rush out of the synagogue like school children ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler Rav Soloveitchik noted that the Gemara Brachot 49a articulates the rule that the phrase which ends any Bracha of Shmoneh Esrei just before its concluding formula must contain the same theme as does the concluding formula itself. For example, the Bracha of Bareich Aleinu in the weekday Shmoneh Esrei ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler In Sefer Shemot, beginning of Parashat Be’ha’alotecha (8:1) HaShem commands Aharon [HaKohen] to light the Menorah. This Mitzvah follows right after the dedication ceremony of the Altar in the previous parasha and Rashi tells us that this Mitzvah was meant to console Aharon for not having participated in the ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler When Moshe Rabbeinu revealed the mystery of Shabbat to the people, he told them “Remain every man in his place; no man should go out of his place on the seventh day” (Sh’mot 16:29). Man remains alone, and he should experience the Shabbat as a lone being. Rav Soloveitchik ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler In the Aseret HaDibrot, GD asks us to “Zachor  Et Yom  HaShabbat” (Shemot 20:8) to remember the Shabbat and sanctify it. Rashi comments, that this applies not only on Shabbat, but rather, during the entire week. He cites the practice of Shammai the Elder, who, when he would come ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler The Radziner Rebbe, Rav Gershon Chanoch Leiner (Poland 1839-1891) declared that he had discovered the true Techelet. R. Leiner was a brilliant talmid chacham. He was also knowledgeable in chemistry, engineering and medicine. He proposed that the Chilazon was a type of squid known as the cuttlefish. He travelled ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler Rav Soloveitchik often said that halacha demands that we develop our eyes to be discerning and our hearts to be sensitive to what we see in this world. We see from Moshe Rabbeinu, his first encounter with HaShem was with a “Sneh”, a burning bush. The Torah records that ...

Halakhic Positions of Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik by R. Aharon Ziegler Rav Soloveitchik analyzed and compared the emotional and halachic experience of losing a relative and losing a relationship with GD. The laws of aveilut [mourning] are divided into two parts: Aninut and Aveilut. Aninut is the stage of mourning where one has not yet buried his deceased relative. He ...