Dose of Halacha

Question: I know that we do not normally daven maariv on the first night of Shavuos until nacht . Can we make an earlier minyan ? Answer: The Shelah (Shavuos 1) states that one must not recite kiddush or begin the Yom Tov meal on the first night of Shavuos until it is nacht (nightfall). As the Torah writes that one must count seven complete weeks of the omer , bringing Yom Tov early would diminish this. The Magen Avraham (494:1) and Pri Chadash (OC 494:1) also write that one must wait until nacht on the first night of Shavuos to recite kiddush . However, the Yosef Ometz (850) notes that he never witnessed anyone in Germany wait until nacht to recite kiddush . He argues that waiting until nacht reduces the time available for learning on Shavuos night. Similarly, the Korban Nesanel (Pesachim 10:2) states that it is not necessary to wait until nacht to recite kiddush and begin the meal. The Mishna Berura (261:19; Biur Halacha 261:2) discusses a machlokes about whether the mitzva...

Question: In the shul that I used to attend, they were adamant not to decorate the shul with flowers on Shavuos, yet the shul I daven in now does decorate the shul . Which is right? Answer: The Rema (OC 494:3) writes that many have the minhag to place herbs in shuls and their homes over Shavuos to commemorate the giving of the Torah. The Mishna Berura (494:10) explains that there was grass or herbs on Har Sinai (See Kaf Hachaim OC 494:53) . The Magen Avraham (494:5) extends this minhag to trees, writing that as we are judged on Shavuos over the fruit, the trees should remind us to pray for a good produce (See Shulchan Aruch Harav 494:15). R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 4:33) quotes midrashim to explain why people place flowers. The poskim (Chayei Adam 2:131:13, Mishna Berura 494:10; Igros Moshe YD 4:11:5) quote the Vilna Gaon who decried the practice of placing trees in shuls as it has become the practice of idolaters. Thus, some shuls do not place any plants in th...

Question: If I stay up all night learning on Shavuos, what should I do about birchos hatorah ? Answer: The Magen Avraham (494:1) quotes the midrash that relates how the bnei Yisrael slept in on the morning of kabbalas hatorah and had to be woken up. To rectify this, we stay up each Shavuos night, learning Torah, preparing ourselves to receive the Torah anew. The Mishna Berura (47:28) addresses the issue of whether one who has not slept may recite birchos hatorah . Given the machlokes on this matter, one should either listen to someone else (who has slept) recite the berachos or have the intention to fulfil the beracha while saying ahava rabba , and then learn immediately after shacharis . R' Akiva Eiger maintained that one who had slept in bed during the day for at least half an hour is considered to have slept and may recite all the berachos as usual. Many Sefardim follow the rulings of the Kaf Hachaim (OC 46:49) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 5:6; Yechave Daas ...

Ask anyone what Shavuos reminds them of, and they’ll likely respond eating cheesecake. This minhag seems to have been first mentioned by the Rema (OC 494:3) who explains that the extra dairy dish commemorates Shavuos’s unique Korban, the Shtei Halechem. Sefer Metaamei Moshe lists 149 different reasons for this minhag ! The Maharam Mirottenburg (615) related that after eating hard cheese, he could taste it hours later. The Rema (YD 89:2) paskens that it is appropriate to wait after eating hard cheese before eating meat, just as one must between meat and milk. R’ Moshe Feinstein (YD 2:26) points out that this is only a stringency. Interestingly, the Maharshal (see Shach YD 89:17) dismisses this custom as heresy as the Gemara (Chullin 105a) writes that there is no need to wait between cheese and meat! The Gra disagrees, saying that it is similar to adopting other personal stringencies. Nonetheless, this has become the accepted practice for Ashkenazim (See Chochmas Adam 40:13 ). Sefar...