5781 - An Exceptional Year - Part III
5781 is a year that is chock-full of rare calendar phenomena that we will iyH be witnessing, or, more accurately, taking an active part in. Let us continue exploring what is in store for us.
Shemini Atzeret or Simchat Torah?
Another interesting calendar quirk that distinguishes between Eretz Yisrael and Chutz La’aretz is that as Simchat Torah is on Shemini Atzeret in Eretz Yisrael, and this year it fell out on Shabbat, at Mincha the Torah reading of the upcoming Parshat Bereishet was read. This is an occurrence that is impossible in Chutz La’aretz. Since it was still Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah only started that evening, this meant that the Torah cycle had not yet concluded in Chutz La’aretz. Therefore, at that Shabbat Mincha Torah reading, the next parshah in the on-deck circle, V’Zot HaBracha, was read.
There was another potential distinction between Eretz Yisrael and Chutz La’aretz this year. In Eretz Yisrael, as Simchat Torah is Shemini Atzeret, it was observed on Shabbat this year, as opposed to Chutz La’aretz, where Shemini Atzeret was Shabbat, and Simchat Torah was on Sunday. Classically, on Simchat Torah, aside from certain halachic dispensations such as dancing and clapping, due to the tremendous simcha of the mitzvah engendered by the day, there have also been certain “minhagim” (or, more accurately, liberties taken) that have been tolerated over the generations in the name of “simcha,” ostensibly due to the Rabbinic nature of the Yom Tov. These include children burning down succahs and setting off firecrackers! Although there is no lack of admonishment in halachic literature discouraging such extreme forms of “merriment,” extra vigilance is needed. However, this year in Eretz Yisrael many of these “minhagim” did not apply at all since Simchat Torah was on Shabbat, and, as opposed to a regular Yom Tov, transfer of a flame is strictly prohibited.
What to Use for Kiddush
A flip side of this: perhaps this year, the common minhag in Yeshivas to make Kiddush on Mezonot (as the ‘Seudah’) on Simchat Torah Night as per the Chazon Ish may not have equally applied as it was Shabbat, since the Leil Shabbos Kiddush is mandated m’Deorayta, as opposed to Leil Yom Tov Kiddush, which is d’Rabbanan. Hence, many more were careful to make this Kiddush specifically with a full Hamotzi Seudah.
This issue is basically a dispute between the Magen Avraham and the Vilna Gaon as to whether or not the requirement of Kiddush being made B’makom Seudah can be fulfilled with Mezonot or if a full bread seudah (Hamotzi) is mandated. Although “Minhag Yisrael” is to be lenient, due to the strength of the opposition several Acharonim, including Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spektor and the Chazon Ish, maintained that when the Kiddush is mandated m’Deorayta (such as the Friday nightKiddush) it is preferable to be strict and make Kiddush only with Hamotzi, whereas when the Kiddush is m’Derabbanan (such as Shabbat Day Kiddush or Leil Yom Tov Kiddush) one may be lenient. Hence, many Yeshivas, following the Chazon Ish’s precedent based on this approach, generally speaking do make Kiddush on Simchat Torah night on Mezonot, since the Kiddush on Yom Tov, even at night, is also d’Rabbanan. But this year, as in Eretz Yisrael Simchat Torah was on Shabbat, the night Yom Tov Kiddush is Deorayta, and so, perhaps, the general Kiddush custom changed.
Haftarat Miketz
This year, as the eight-day holiday of Chanuka will start on a Friday, it will end on a Friday as well, right before Miketz. This affords us a rare opportunity to read Miketz’s actual haftarah, as the vast majority of the time it is Shabbat Chanuka, which pre-empts it for one of the special Shabbat Chanuka haftaras. This haftarah, last publicly read twenty years ago back in 5761, discusses the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech, featuring the famous story of his ordering to cut the baby in half in order to determine its real mother. This is actually the second rarest haftarah that Ashkenazim read, just 24 times over the Tur’s entire 247-year cycle.
To be continued…
Written l’zechus Shira Yaffa bas Rochel Miriam v’chol yotzei chalatzeha l’yeshua sheleimah teikif u’miyad.
This author wishes to acknowledge Rabbi Shea Linder’s excellent article on this topic.
Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive guide, rather a brief summary to raise awareness of the issues. In any real case one should ask a competent Halachic authority.
L'iluy Nishmas the Rosh HaYeshiva - Rav Chonoh Menachem Mendel ben R' Yechezkel Shraga, Rav Yaakov Yeshaya ben R' Boruch Yehuda.
