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Rambam Hilchos De'os Chapter 5 - Q & A

30 min

Class Summary:

This is the Q&A segment of class, in Rambam the Laws of De'os, Chapter Five, which was presented on Monday Parshas Eikev, 13 Av, 5780, August 3, 2020, streaming live from Rabbi YY Jacobson's home in Monsey, NY

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  • SM

    Sara Metzger -3 years ago

    Questions from Chapter 5

    Moshe

    A Talmud chocham without the Talmud. A non-Jewish Talmud Chocham?

    What if there was a person who conducted himself entirely consistent with all the 10 requirements in this chapter but, like many of the poor in history, never had the opportunity to learn any Torah? Is he a Tamud Chocham?

    Similarly,  if an "aydel" nonjew naturally behaves in all the ways described in  this chapter is he a Talmud chocham? 

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    Sara

    Rambam's order of marriage, getting a job, buying a house sounds like what the secular world, the children of today believe very strongly. Don't have a wife or kids until you can financially take care of them. 

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    Kaila C Stempel

    Question for Rabbi YY

    An answer to my own question: something you said previously: After the holocaust, our response to incredible evil has to be a life filled with Torah - taken to an extreme.

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     Mordechai Litzman

    Marriage, parnassa etc

    Pirke Avos: 18 marriage, 20 pursuing a livelihood

    Why is the Rambam of a different opinion than the Mishna?

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    Anonymous

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    ALizah Hochstead

    Maybe a parent has a responsibility to educate their children to face marital responsibility, get married and work

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    Anonymous

    Question for Rabbi YY

    LeChvod HaRav , Re Boaz , If there were thieves how would an old man asleep be able to prevent them ? Especially as he didn't even wake up initially when Rus walked in and he became initially startled by her presence

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 9

    מלבושתלמידחכםמלבושנאהונקי. ואסורלושימצאבבגדוכתםאושמנוניתוכיוצאבהן

    It seems a talmid chacham cant violate this prohibition because a talmid chacham is someone who reached the peak and fufills theses halachos so if he has a stain he is not a talmid chacham!

    perhaps this is a proof to lose the name of a talmid chacham have to be ragil to violate these halachos ( yesh leayen in each halacha

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    Kaila C Stempel

    Question for Rabbi YY

    In the religious world, we get married, then get a job, and then a house - or we will be in a shidduch crisis! Wouldn't keeping Rambam's order reduce the number of children we have ? Today, aren't we looking down on those who choose to work?

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     Anonymous

    Is a leader of the community at Talmud Chacham

    If he doesn't follow this and how does that affect our respect for him. Aren't we obligated to respect our leaders.

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    MZ

    Question for Rabbi YY

    Maybe the Rambam is telling us that it is improper for children (especially those who work) to feel or expect it is parents duty to buy them a house -- seemingly part of the ever growing "children entitlement bundle"

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     MZ

    Question for Rabbi YY

    I would like to appear live at this event

    this seems to be a paradigm shift with regard to children. The word is "yechabed" which really means respect -- and possibly means that parents SHOULD RESPECT their kids. obviously not to undercut chinuch but it is an idea not commonly seen in Torah lessons - can you please respond

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     Anonymous

    Question for Rabbi YY

    Is that why Boaz was sleeping overnight in the granary rather than going home after the winnowing ? Re Talmud chochom should not walk alone at night Todah rabba

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 11

    Why here use the lashon baal deah and not talmid chacham”

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 7

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    Anonymous

    Halacha 11

    Daas Umachshava

    שנאמרומיהאישאשרנטעכרםולאחללו. דבריהרמב"םתמוהיןוצע"גשמהפךהפסוקים, שבפרשה (דבריםכ, ה) מתחילבביתואחרכךכרםואחרכךאשה, והרמב"םמביאכאלוהסדרבפסוקכרםביתאשה, ומהפךהכתובים, עייןבמעשהרוקחודבריוצ"עשמ"מאיןראייהמהפסוקלדבריהרמב"ם, ולמהמביאהסדרבפסוקיםלהוכיחכדבריו. ונראהשהרמב"םמביאמהפסוקיםרקשאלוהדבריםנחוציםמאדולכןחוזריםעליהםממלחמה, ונקטכפיששכיחיםומצוייםביותר, והסדראינומוכחמהפסוקים, אלאזהודרךארץודרךבעלידעהוכמושמתחילבהלכהזאת, והביאהפסוקיםרקלהוכיחנחיצותדבריםאלו, וצ"בשאיןכןמשמעותלשונו.

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     Anonymous

    - 1 month ago

    avodas hamelech

    דרךבעלידעהשיקבעלואדםמלאכההמפרנסתאותותחלהואח"כיקנהביתדירהואח"כישאאשה, שנא' וכו'. עי' במדרשרבהבראשיתפכ"אאמררבהונאהרישקנהשדהוקנהכרםקרויאישוקרויאדםואמרמיהאישאשרבנהוכו' ודברירבנומופלאיםשהםנגדהכתוביםונגדדרשתרז"לעליהםוכלמהשנאמרבזהאינואלאדרךחידודוהפשוטדרבנולאכווןכללשנטיעתהכרםהיאהפרנסההקבועהוללמודמזהשפרנסהקבועהקודמתלבית, דהריזהבאמתאינוצריךלימוד, דמאיןיקחלולבנותביתאםלאיהיהלופרנסהלזה, אלאשעיקרהלימודדקנייתביתקודםלנשואיןומובןממילאשצריךלקבועלופרנסהתחלה, והרואהבתוספתאפ"זדסוטההי"גהריזהלשונהלמדהתורהדרךארץ, נתמנתהלאדםפרנסהיקחלוביתחזרנתמנתהלויקחלושדההרילהדיאדבעישנתמנתהלופרנסהואח"כיקנהביתושדהועי' חוליןפ"דדימכורשדהויקנהעתודיםוכלזהמשוםפרנסה, וקיחתאשהלבסוף, והדבריםמתאימיםעםדברימרןהכ"מעי' עליהם, (ואילאודמסתפינאהו"אדהאדדרשינןשםבגמ' ובספרי, אשרבנהאיןליאלאאשרבנהלקחוירשונתןלובמתנהמניןת"למיהאישועי' פרש"יז"למהשנדחקבדרשותואפשרדאםנטיעתכרםהואהפרנסה, א"כיליףמהאדהקדיםבנהביתלנטיעתכרם, והריפרנסהקודמתלבניןהביתויליףמזהירשוניתןלובמתנהשזהבודאיאפשרשיהיהלוביתקודםנטיעתהכרם, ואח"כדרישכןגםבנטיעתכרםדה"הירשוניתןלובמתנהמרבויאדומיהאיש, ובאמתבדרשתםז"לעלהכתובנקייהיהלביתושנהאחתושמחאתאשתו, הקדימושמהנקייהיהזהכרמולביתוזהביתו, ומזהמוכחכמ"שלעילדבזהאיןנפק"מ

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    Sara

    the Ideal

    To live like this is honorable to be sure. To work ont his daily try to achieve these ways of living and being is honorable. And I don't want to be a skeptic. And we should all strive to be like this. But this is really, truly the ideal. And who among us is the ideal? You gave examples of Aristotle and Russell. It's not just them, it's all of us, no? Can you tell me one human being who has reached this ideal.  So I guess the lesson is, we need to keep trying. We need to be aware, We need to work on it. 

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     mz

    Question for Rabbi YY

    for DNA to reflect a persons Torah achievement and attendant behavior, as science currently understans it -- we enter EpiGenetics

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 8

    Avodas Hamelech

    לאילךתלמידחכםבקומהזקופה. בכת"יאברבנאללאילךבקומהזקופה, ולכאורההיאנוסחאצודקתדהאלהלךבקומהזקופההואאיסורלכלאדםכמבוארבקדושיןל"אאבלאפשרלומרדבאמתבקדושיןשםאמרר' יהושעבןלויאסורלאדםשיהלךבקומהזקופהד' אמותשנא' וכו' וא"כאפשרדהחידושהואבת"חדלאילךבקומהזקופהכללאפילופחותמד' אמותולהכיבברכותמ"גדמנימדותת"חלאהזכירד' אמות, וכןמשמעלימדברירבנונסיםגאוןז"לשםבברכותדמחלקביןת"חלשארכלאדם, ומעתיקלהאדקדושיןדדוקאד' אמותבשארכלאדם, אולםעי' בערוךהשלחןבסי' ב' ובמרןהגר"אז"לשםע"פגירסתהרי"ףוהרא"שבברכותמ"גואליהלךבקומהזקופהדכתיבמלאכלהארץכבודוומחקולהאדאמרמרשםעי"שוכןהואבאמתבכמהכת"יהובאובדקדוקיסופריםובביתנתןולפי"זהאיסורבכלאדםג"כבפחותמד' אמותוראהזהבעשרהמילידחסידותאשהיהרבנוהגבהםאיתאגםשלאהיהמהלךבקומהזקופהד' אמות, והואתמוהדזהבודאיאסורלכלאדםואיןזהחסידותלרב, וכברעמדע"זהמגיהבס' האורה, והגיהבדבריםע"פספרהאחרוןואכ"מלהאריךבזה

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     MZ

    Question for Rabbi YY

    I would like to appear live at this event

    Does the mean that a seriously obese person is not either a "chocham" or "talmid chocham" understanding that every obese person will have some excuse why this does not apply to them, the same as people rationalize.

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 7

    What is Rambam adding with the line of

     אם רואה שדבריו מועילים ונשמעים אומר ואם לאו שותק that he did not say already in perek 2 hilchos deos

    לעולם ירבה אדם בשתיקה ולא ידבר אלא או בדבר חכמה או בדברים שצריך להם לחיי גופו

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 5

    כלהנוהגמנהגזהלאדילושקדשנפשווטהרעצמוותקןדעותיואלאשאםהיולובניםיהיונאיםוביישניםראויןלחכמהולחסידות. וכלהנוהגבמנהגותשארהעםההולכיםבחשךיהיולובניםכמואותםהעם

    This is a halacha sefer - why is the rambam telling us what his children will look like?

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 4

    lechem mishneh

    אע"פשאשתושלאדםמותרתוכו'. בגמראברכות (דףכ"ב.) אמרינןשלאיהאת"חמצויאצלאשתוכתרנגולולאודוקאת"חובפכ"אמהל' איסוריביאהכתברבינואיןדעתחכמיםנוחהלמישמרבהבתשמישוכו'. ולכךישלתמוהקצתעלרבינובדיןזהוקצתדיניםאחריםאשרבפרקזההםנוהגיםבכלכגוןלאיהיושניהםשכוריםולאעצלניםוכו' כלזהכתבג"כבפכ"אמהלכותאיסוריביאהולאהיהראוילכתובכאןאלאהדבריםהמיוחדיםלת"חכמושהתחילבתחלתהפרקכשםשהחכםוכו' דמשמעדכלאלוהםדבריםמיוחדיםלת"ח. ואוליי"לדאפילוהדבריםהנוהגיםבכלשארהעםהנזכריםכאןכתבםגבית"חמפנישהואצריךלהזהרבהםביותר

    it seems only perhaps because a talmid chacham is obligated in the same way as every person- where is the source he is obligated more -the same obligation to take lulav that was said to moshe rabenu was said equally to all of klal yisrael along with the rest of the mitzvos

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     Anonymous

    Halacha 3

    Shikor choteh

    Whats is the source?

     What is the sin?

     Avodas hamelech

     וכל המשתכר הרי זה חוטא ומגונה. מאמרם בברכות כ"ט ב' לא תרוי ולא תחטי

     The way rashi learns the gemara no proof

     Brachos 29b

    לא תרתח ולא תחטי. לא תכעוס שמתוך הכעס אתה בא לידי חטא: לא תרוי. לא תשתכר ביין

     Means through this will come to sin not that it is the sin itself

     Hilchos yom tov 6:20

     כשאדם אוכל ושותה ושמח ברגל לא ימשך ביין ובשחוק וקלות ראש ויאמר שכל מי שיוסיף בזה ירבה במצות שמחה. שהשכרות והשחוק הרבה וקלות הראש אינה שמחה אלא הוללות וסכלות ולא נצטוינו על ההוללות והסכלות אלא על השמחה שיש בה עבודת יוצר הכל שנאמר תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' אלהיך בשמחה ובטוב לבב מרב כל. הא למדת שהעבודה בשמחה. ואיאפשרלעבודאתהשםלאמתוךשחוקולאמתוךקלותראשולאמתוךשכרות:

     Perhaos this is the source that is a bitul of the pasuk bechol deracheha daehu can't serve hashem when one is shikur.

     or

     similiar to tana dvey eliyahu which some say is source for halacha 2

     ובתנא דבי אליהו שכל האוכל לחם עם עם הארץ על השלחן כאלו עובד עבודה זרה ואםתלמידחכםהואמזלזלאתתורתוומחללשמושלאביושבשמים ע"ש 

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     Sara

    included in manner of walking and dressing

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    Anonymous

    Halacha 1

    The Rambam is astounding

    ולאיהארודףלמלאתבטנוכאלושמתמלאיןממאכלומשתהעדשתיפחכריסם. ועליהםמפורשבקבלהוזריתיפרשעלפניכם. אמרוחכמיםאלובניאדםשאוכליןושותיןועושיןכלימיהםכחגים. והםהאומריםאכולושתהכימחרנמות. וזהומאכלהרשעים. ושלחנותאלוהםשגינההכתובואמרכיכלשלחנותמלאוקיאצואהבלימקום. אבלהחכםאינואוכלאלאתבשילאחדאושניםואוכלממנוכדיחייוודיו. הואשאמרשלמהצדיקאוכללשובענפשו

    Starts saying  a chacham should not be a rasha- of course! The main point is the end that a chacham should eat one or 2 tavshilin etc. ?

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    Moshe

    [Comments from yesterday] THE RAMBAM WAS ALSO A DOCTOR

    The stated purpose of  the MT was to be a book of organized halachas extracted from the gemora leaving aside debate, discussion,  rejected opinions, stories (aggadita), etc. 

     So why is there medical and nutritional advice therein? Was it all hung on a posuk to guard our health? 

      Recently with the pandemic poskim came out with various rules as to how to conduct ourselves, minyonim, etc. But these poskim deferred to the majority of current medical opinion,  never on one doctor.  

      The Torah already stated that the mann didn't taste like a few foods which were harmful to infants. What gave the Rambam the right to add to that list? And to prescribe other medical and nutritional advice? Did the Rambam himself adhere to all his advice and live long and healthy? Did he sleep as long as he prescribed or did he overwork and go on little sleep while he the doctor and leader? 

      Doctors, scientists etc differ from each other and certainly the current state of each field evolves over time. Did the Rambam elevate his opinion at that time about certain medical advice over others, certain nutritional advice over others, into halacha such that to follow his advice  in  these matters constituted a mitzvah and not following was an aveirah? 

      We are always told to be careful not to confuse doritas derabbonins, minhagim, and the "dust of minhahagim". Did the Rambam here inject his personal professional medical opinions into a book of halacha that could also confuse people as to the source,  the relative importance, and the consequences of following his advice or not? 

      What if the Rambam hadn't been a doctor? Would all this advice have been included? What if he had another profession? If he was a personal body trainer would he have legislated a certain number of  push-ups? If he was a builder would he have dictated construction rules? If he was a shepherd would he have dictated rules of animal husbandry? Etc. Etc. 

      The point is he happened to have a profession as a doctor apart from being a Talmud Chocham  and, as a doctor, he had selected one set of medical and nutritional opinions over others  Did  he then, with all due respect. elevated his secular professional opinion and incorporated them into a book of  halacha for all time, as he states his work is meant to be. 

      

     

     

     

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Rambam Mishneh Torah Q & A

Rabbi YY Jacobson

  • August 3, 2020
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  • 13 Av 5780
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Dedicated Ronald Stein in honor of the birth of his newest Grandaughter Tzipora Rachel bas Zev Dovid and Chaya Nachama (Wes and Julie Sherman) born on 4th of Av.

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