Chol HaMoed Laws

Celebration of Joyful Events...
This is the real stuff...

The Principle of "we may not intermingle one Joyous occasion with another" teaches us that we should not be celebrating simultaneously two major joyful occasions; simply because they would interfere or distract with or from one another.

Okay.

So: we may not get married on Chol HaMoed. It would distract from the festival (the festival was 'in place' before you set your wedding date). Or the festival may distract you from the joy and festivities of the wedding. It does not even matter if the woman was previously married or not.

AH.
But you are permitted to remay your divorcee on Chol HaMoed......since the joy is not at great as that of taking a new wife!!!!!

You had better check with your rabbi, or other local authority though because you may or you may not be able to serve a meal after the wedding (you can do that on the following day however. I guess the joy is not as great on the second date).

And what other prohibitions may be in place following this wedding, we will not even consider!

Now That's funny.

from

A Comprehensive review of the Laws of the Intermediate Days of the Festivals

.

Trying to see the forest for the 3's

Da’ Trees (as we say in Chicagoees)
As In: Ø
Over: A Tree

Which in Chicago gives you the tempature: 3 Below Zero



Actually… last week we looked at a certain aspects of 7’s. Nancy, in her studies has been learning about 10’s, and this time we will learn about: 3’s. Or rather: Gimmel; and the gematria of gimmel. We know that the letter [g] Gimmel is the third letter in the Hebrew Alef-Bet and has the numerical equivalent of three (3). So.

Alef, Beit & Gimmel – The Three Pillars, and they are explained thus:
a Alef stands for Torah study [as “I shall teach you wisdom.” _Job 33:33]
b Beit stands for the service of the Beit HaMikdash
g Gimmel. Gimmel represents the acts of kindness which form the basis of human society. For we certainly have learned that the world stands on three pillars: Torah, Divine Service & Acts of Kindness.
Three.

Now Gimmel has the gematria, as we have said, of three – a number alluding to the concept that two differing, or opposing factors (concepts, ideas, concerns…) must blend and form a third entity to become reconciled and thus a more perfect entity. The Maharal attempts to give us a better understanding by saying that as Alef represents and denotes the singularity – the “Oneness”, the ultimate perfection that only exists with HaShem, and the twosomeness or duality implicit in Beit implies diversity and multiplicity, or incompatibility, but it is gimmel that offers the opportunity and the

capacity to unite these differing ‘forces’ into a whole [shalam] complete and lasting unit.


This we see when we consider our three Patriarchs:
Avraham was known for his kindness. This indeed was his persona, as is shown in his receiving the (3) visitors/messengers at his tent – dcx.
Isaac showed us justice. Uncompromising justice – [yd:
But Jacob epitomized truth – tma.
These principles, demonstrated by our forefathers, could not, on their own, sustain the world. For a world built on kindness and justice alone would not stand. They would sooner or later – clash. And like a stool with only two legs it would fall. The third leg of the stool that gives the stability is that of truth – tma. For is it not “truth” that decides when to use kindness and when to ‘impose’ justice? Three concepts, three men of HaShem, three principles; a combination which gives beauty, meaning and permanence [another “3”]. And so the three Patriarchs complemented one another to establish the foundation of Israel – of Judaism. And as it is truth which joins and unites the differing concepts we should look at the three-letters which make up the word tma. Each of these letters has a firm base (graphically) and so visually it will stand on its own without falling. Moreover you have the first, the middle and the last letters of the Alef-Bet showing that the three letters unite the Alef-Bet in truth… in tma. And our Hebrew Alef-Bet is then one of truth.

Let’s consider another aspect here of joining the three into one. It takes three partners to do this: the father (giver), the mother (receiver) and HaShem who makes it happen.

Or, look at a different level, or plane; the spiritual. Man (people) has three different elements. There is the spn “animal” which is life; there is the xvr or “soul” that raises us above simple animal life; and there is hmsn the “transcendent soul” which embraces all of Israel and goes beyond this earthly life. [Once more the “3”]




And, of course, we have a) The Written Law – Torah, Prophets & Writings, b) The Oral Law – Talmud, Halachah & Aggadah, & c) The Emissaries [who took us from slavery to freedom – the Narrow Place to Sinai] – Moses, Aaron and Miriam. Then we also have our daily prayer cycle – evening, morning, afternoon. There are the Three-fold Sanctifications (of HaShem, by the Nation of Israel as well as by His angels – svdq svdq svdq. And our Jewish congregation itself is comprised of three: Kohan, Levi, Israel.

Perhaps the Zohar sums up that which may be call the ultimate threesome/triad (denoting “harmony” in musical terms)/ (?) asdvq dx larsyv atyyrva avh jyrb - consisting of The Holy One, Baruch Hu, Torah, and Israel – which are but One. It is said that The Torah is HaShem’s wisdom which Israel translates and converts into the human experience. We see that when we observe the three pilgrimages each year.

For this discussion; I an indebted to comments made by Rabbi Michael L. Munk in his book The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet. I drew upon this well of knowledge and suggest that this book will make a great addition to your personal library.

Shalom

____26 Iyyar 5769 – 41st day in the Omer


I'm sorry, it seems that the blog-people do not allow for Hebrew lettering so some of the nonsense "words" in the text need to be converted to "Lashon Tov" font.