העורך Editor

How to Add Personal Prayer in Shmoneh Esrei

Mishna Berurah 122:8:

… כתב הח”א נכון וראוי לכל אדם להתפלל בכל יום ביחוד על צרכיו ופרנסתו ושלא ימוש התורה מפיו וזרעו וזרע זרעו ושיהיו כל יוצאי חלציו עובדי ה’ באמת ושלא ימצא ח”ו פסול בזרעו וכל מה שיודע בלבו שצריך לו ואם אינו יודע לדבר צחות בלשון הקודש יאמרנה אף בלשון אשכנז רק שיהיה מקירות לבו.

וטוב יותר לקבוע תפלות על כל הענינים הצריכים לו אחר שסיים כל הי”ח מלקבעם בברכת שומע תפלה כדי שכשיצטרך לענות קדיש או קדושה יהיה יוכל לענות אחר אמירתו יהיו לרצון לכו”ע.

The Chazon Ish O.C. Chap. 39 (end) disagrees with the concern for Kaddish and Kedusha since you’re “Osek bemitzvah” already *.

Chayei Adam 24:26-27 endorses saying the verse of “Yeheyu leratzon” twice, starting personal prayers after the first time, and then keeping an ear open so you can say it if the Chazan approaches K/K and cease being “Omed lifnei hamelech”. With all of my great respect, Halacha should not be that complicated!

Also, why save everything for Shome’ah Tefillah, as opposed to the specific Brachos? Because the Chayei Adam (24:19) thinks it likely one will come to add additional requests not related to the Bracha at hand.

Me, what do I know? But Jews did manage fine with that problem for quite a few years…

By the way, maybe the MB omits “ושיהיו כל יוצאי חלציו עובדי ה’ באמת” since it didn’t fit the time period.

* A friend says that’s the exact spot that finally convinced him into being a Chazon Ish student.

Where Bituach Leumi Money Goes and Goes and Goes…

An excerpt from a recent article by Moshe Feiglin:

Social Security is the most draconian tax that exists in Israel. The first thing that every person has to do after he finishes his army service is to begin paying Social Security. Where does the Social Security money go? Does it accrue interest in some account of the Social Security Company? Do they buy gold with it? Do they invest in the international stock market?

More than 80% of this money simply goes to the government budget. It is a head tax. Of the 100% of funds collected by Social Security, less than 20% returns to the citizens. Of this less than 20%, approximately 60% goes to the Arab sector, whereas the collection from that sector is approximately 5%.

Continue reading the original article here.

There Are Three Levels of Hashem’s Will

Yirmiyah 19:5:

ובנו את במות הבעל לשרף את בניהם באש עלות לבעל אשר לא צויתי ולא דברתי ולא עלתה על לבי.

  1. Commandment.
  2. Mention.
  3. Thought. (If you know and care about someone, you can know some of their thoughts)

(When this expression is shortened in Scripture, the middle category is omitted.)