העורך Editor

וכל אדם יהיה גדול ממך בעיניך, אם חכם או עשיר הוא, עליך לכבדו. ואם רש הוא ואתה עשיר או חכם ממנו, חשוב בלבבך כי אתה חיב ממנו והוא זכאי ממך, שאם הוא חוטא הוא שוגג ואתה מזיד.

Hyehudi has published over one thousand posts. Now you have what to do with your time…

Mazel Tov!

Without going into much proof and needed detail, it seems to me there is no difference between Sefardi and Ashkenazi Jews in following the Rama, like the Ben Ish Chai implies. The same position appears in responsa Shevet Halevi volume 3, chapter 1. If Tosafos have a valid point on Gemara, why not apply this to halacha, as well? The Rama is largely a compilation of Tosafos and a summary of those who did the same.

Sure, there are various communal customs in prayer, and occasionally real dispute between Rama and Beis Yosef. That is not what I speak of. And even Ashkenazim don’t always follow the Ramah when he is disputed by, say, the Magen Avraham.

See also Bi’ur Halacha (on Mishna Berurah) chapter 219 s.v. Utrei.

The true will of every Jew is solely to serve God. As it says in this prayer from Likutei Tefillot (121):

מלא רחמים, עשה רצוני כרצונך, שאזכה לבטל רצוני לגמרי מפני רצונך. ולא יהיה לי שום רצון של עצמי כלל, רק כל רצוני יהיה שיהיה הכל כרצונך באמת…

Here is a song to these words:

From YouTube, here.

Good news for real Judaism! Rabbi Brand’s people have disseminated a printed version of his latest lesson. Let’s hope the funding doesn’t dry up. The front cover looks like this (already summarized on Hyehudi, here):

See the rest of Rabbi Brand’s oeuvre here.