9pm, Motzei the first holiday. The workers of Lavi Hotel have finished cleaning the large sukka from the sukkos meals. but for some reason in the corner of the sukka they set one table in holiday celebratory style with wine and challa.
And then in comes this couple and makes kiddush. Happy second day of the holiday to you, and welcome to the Holy Land.
There is really nothing special about this. All over the country, especially in my neighborhood, people are doing this every holiday. But there is something about the way he puts it, the empty hotel dining room (aka sukka) with them doing it all alone, the image of them celebrating all alone in the large room, that is somewhat enchanting..
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They certainly don't look very galuti. They're free to dress how they want, of course, but in my experience the people who make a big deal about keeping a second day don't dress like that in any event. The streets of Jerusalem are full of people in suits, ties, and hats on day two. (And I'm reminded of how R' Aharon Lichtenstein- or maybe R' Amital- made overseas students dress on Shabbat the way they would in their home countries.) And should I be uncharitable enough to point out- as R' Amital would- that it's a bracha l'vatala?
ReplyDeleteIs it possible they're making havdalah? Chag havdalah doesn't involve a candle or spices...maybe they wanted a little Simchat Beit HaShoeva.
Even on the first night of Chol ha Moed, doesn't anyone eat supper? Strange that the sukkah would be empty.
ReplyDeleteAnd should I be uncharitable enough to point out- as R' Amital would- that it's a bracha l'vatala?
Given that many great poskim hold that one should keep two days if one is merely visiting EY, it would be quite foolish to make that comment.
And many poskim don't.
DeleteWhich can be followed, but you should not disparage those who follow the other poskim. Which is what you did.
DeleteDid I?
DeleteThe Chacham Tzvi allowed one day for tourists. Otherwise, virtually all established poskim disagree. This is anothrt example of why the DL is bankrupt. Their "psak halacha" has nothing to do with halacha.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if you didn't allow your hate to so illustrate your ignorance. The same opinion was held by Rav Kook, Rav Soloveitchik (and pretty much the whole Brisker dynasty), Ovadia Yosef, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe (based on the Alter Rebbe). So that covers the Dati Leumi world, Modern Orthodoxy, non-Ashkenazi Jews, and Chassidim. If anything, that leaves two-day keepers (yeshivish Ashkenazi charedim?) in the distinct minority.
DeleteThe only original authority who says two days is the Shulchan Aruch, who of course is important enough that it must be considered and even followed. (Although the Chacham Tzvi is not to be sneezed at, not to mention that he reflects plain common sense and a simple interpretation of Chazal's failure to mention the point*.) But don't start making up facts just because you dislike anyone who doesn't look like you.
*As my own rebbe points out, we know from the Gemara that people were oleh regel from chutz laaretz in the time of the Mikdash, and we know they kept one day. Why? First, because Chazal never mention keeping two days. Second, because when you have a Sanhedrin telling you what day it is, it's probably a big avera to do otherwise. And finally, if you showed up with a lamb on the first day of Pesach to sacrifice for a second seder, they'd throw you out.
Rav Ovadya did not hold that tourists keep one day. And the time of the Beis Hamikdash is irrelevant. Than, yom tov sheini was kept in places where there was a real safek that particular yom tov, and there was no din of מנהג המקום. If one happened to be in a place where there was a safek, they kept two days, and if not, then one day.
DeleteThat is a good point.
DeleteOn the other hand, there is no safek at *all* today. Which may prove your point, or may prove the opposite. It's something to think about.