MHA-FYOS Dean's Blog

Our chachamim , in masechet Kiddushin, teach a general halachic principle: mitzvot aseh she'haz'man gerama nashim peturot – women are exempt from positive, time-dependent commandments. Generally, women may perform, but are not obligated to perform, those commandments that become obligatory only at a defined time. For example, the holiday of Sukkot occurs on the fifteenth day of the month of Tishre. The mitzvah of lulav is obligatory only during Sukkot. Since this mitzvah is time-dependent – it can only be performed during a specific window of time, women are exempt. Of course, should a woman choose to perform the mitzvah of lulav she may do so and it rewarded for doing so. This Shabbat we celebrate the fourth day of Chanukah – chag ha’oorim . As is well-known, on each night of Chanukah we light a set number of candles corresponding to the number of nights of Chanukah that have elapsed. On the fourth night of Chanukah, we light four candles. Clearly, the mitzvah of Chanukah can...

Chanukah commemorates the miracles that Hashem did for the Jewish People in saving them from the hand of Antiochus and the Syrian Greeks. This miracle created the opportunity for our people to subsequently rededicate the Second Beit HaMikdash. The rabbis of that generation created the holiday of Chanukah to serve as a time dedicated to reflecting on those miracles and praising and thanking Hashem for His miracles. HaRambam, Maimonides, teaches, “the commandment of Chanukah candles is a very beloved and precious mitzvah. A person must be careful to publicize the miracle and add praise and thanks to Hashem for the miracles that He did for us. Even if the subsistence of a person comes from charity, he or she must borrow money or sell his or her clothes to buy oil and candles in order to light Chanukah candles.” The last portion of HaRambam’s law is surprising. On what basis does the halacha demand that a person borrow money or sell his clothing to fulfill this mitzvah ? This law is partic...

Last week, we welcomed our teachers back to school and, this week, we welcomed our students back to school. A fresh beginning, new teachers, new classmates, new ideas. The first day back is so exciting! This year, there was even more excitement than usual as we began using our newly remodeled and transformed Cooper Yeshiva High School Beis Midrash. The sefarim waiting to be opened. The intricate stone-work. The magnificent wooden shelving and furniture. The bright lighting. The warmth conveyed by the new windows. The tile floor and welcoming arch – reminiscent of Yerushalayim. In a word, the beis midrash is stunning. It is the product of a vision to create a showcase for Torah and to project to our students and families the high value that our community places on Torah learning and davening . This project is even more special because it is the result of a cooperative effort between multiple donors and multiple volunteers – each contributing to this holy endeavor. At the end of thi...