Rabbi Eytan Hampton

BSD Hakham Shalom Buzaglo brings in Mikdash Melekh a tradition from Arizal that after geula we will hold by the humrot of Bet Shammai four hasidim. His explanation for this is kabbalistic and beyond what is relevant to explain here. There is also a sugya in Masekhet Eruvin which states one who holds exclusively by Bet Shammai or exclusively by Bet Hillel may do so, though the established halakha is usually according to Bet Hillel; the Gemara then explains this would apply to any subsequent mahaloket leShem Shamayim, such as the mahaloket between the Tosafists and the Kairouan tradition. Nevertheless, in Masekhet Berakhot the Gemara states one who holds by Bet Shammai is hayav mita. It seems we are left to square this circle, but the Mishna in this sugya along with Mikdash Melekh offer an explanation.  In the Mishna, R Tarfon explains that he held by Bet Shammai to lie down for Keriyat Shema of Arvit, and by doing so he was in danger from being attacked by robbers. The Tannaim told ...

 B"H Recently some very harrowing incidents have occurred in Erets Yisrael.  A terrorist attack left four martyrs, Hashem yikom damim.  While families and friends buried these martyrs, Arab mobs gathered to harass the burials.  They shouted pejoratives and threats at the Jews present.  Some Jews reacted violently and vandalized some Arab villages.  The result has been reciprocating fighting with some Jews being arrested for the fighting and some rabbanim, including Rabbi Yaakov Medan, insisting that Jews must refrain from these violent actions.  While the media attention has been imbalanced and hostile, for Jews to allow ourselves to be dragged into such reactions over verbal instigation is beneath the dignity befitting a Jew and infringes on the prohibition of hillul Hashem. In Parashat Hukkat Balak we see Balak hire Bilaam to curse Am Yisrael.  This fails, as Am Yisrael is upright, so Bilaam is forced to bless Am Yisrael.  Balak learns that...

 B"H In Shaare Kedusha, R Hayim Vital warns us about kabbala maasit.  He mentions severe judgments which occurred because of those who engaged in kabbala maasit.  This week's sidra has a similar instance. Parashat Naso says the woman accused of being a sota has the guarantee of having children if she is vindicated.  This seems like a quick and easy segula.  However, to do so she must risk her life and test having a terrible fate in the case that she behaved improperly.  Of course in the case she has not committed adultery this is no problem.  Furthermore, even if she has committed adultery, but her husband has as well the sota ritual is ineffective; she neither dies nor merits the segula.  Additionally, even if she has some merit to buy time so that she does not die immediately sota ultimately results in the death of the guilty parties in a case of actual adultery. Likewise, we cannot be so certain to test ourselves by other instances of kabbala m...

 B"H Once a Habad shaliah in Casablanca sent a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe zsl asking what he should do about the fact that Jews in Morocco used etrogim on Sukkot which were not in accordance with Shulhan Arukh haRav. The Rebbe responded that Jews in Morocco had a strong tradition built by estimable hakhamim on which to rely, and Habad should not dare interfere.  In this week's sidra we see Am Yisrael divided into tribes, and each tribe carries it's own flag and has it's own leaders. However, this is done during the lifetime of Moshe Rabbenu. In this instance there is a clear Gadol haDor; this is Moshe Rabbenu who even hears Torah directly from G-d. However, G-d still sees it as appropriate for the tribes to have their own leaders apart from Moshe. This has a profound lesson for us.  Today there are numerous nosahim. There is Nosah Ashkenaz, Nosah Sefard, Nosah Edot haMizrah, Nosah Livorno, Nosah Romani, Nosah Temani, etc. Furthermore, there are different variation...

B"H Today is an eventful day for Lubavitchers.  Those who learn one perek of Mishneh Torah per day, completing Mishneh Torah at a rate of about once every three years, today began learning Mishneh Torah again.  This is a wonderful occasion.  While most Lubavitchers learn three perakim per day rather than one (it was the custom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe zsl to learn three perakim per day), it is always good to celebrate completing mitsvot and new beginnings in mitsvot.  While I am not Lubavitcher, and I do not learn Mishneh Torah according to a schedule, I feel there is something to gain by joining the applause of this major achievement.  However, in a sobering act during this joyful moment I must ask what the goal is when learning Mishneh Torah.  It is on this that I would like to elaborate. The Lubavitcher Rebbe says in geula Mishneh Torah de facto will be established halakha.  He says this is inevitable, because Mishneh Torah is the only written work ...

B"H There is a great deal of misinformation on the Maimonidean shita and its current status.  For this reason some clarifications are in order.  IYH this will help readers have a clear understanding of the direction Maimonidean Judaism has taken to the modern day and to have appropriate discernment in assessing Maimonidean spaces in the sphere of Jewish thought.  To be sure there is a constant Maimonidean mesora, and it does actually exist in the real world and not only online or in WhatsApp.  However, to get a better understanding of this we must first clarify what continuity is for the sake of understanding a mesora. Masekhet Avot describes the basic premise of mesora.  Moshe Rabbenu received the Torah at Har Sinai.  He taught Torah to Yehoshua bin Nun among others.  Yehoshua bin Nun taught the Shofetim who taught the Prophets who taught Anshe Keneset haGedola who taught the Tannaim who taught the Amoraim who taught the Savoraim who taught the Geonim...