Vayeishev. From the Kollel Hora'ah of America

Without any influence of negiyus, I think the vort about leisheiv b'shalva is excellent.

ביקש יעקב לישב בשלוה R' Moshe Eisenberg ביקש יעקב לישב בשלוה, Yaakov sought to live in tranquility. השם said, "Is it not enough for צדיקים what awaits them in עולם הבא, that they seek tranquility in this world?", whereupon Yaakov was beset with the distressing episode of מכירת יוסף. On consideration of this statement, two questions arise: First, the גמרא in בבא בתרא says that השם did, in fact, grant יעקב the experience of עולם הבא during his lifetime. Second, is it tranquility that awaits צדיקים in עולם הבא? The גמרא in ברכות says that תלמידי חכמים have no מנוחה in עולם הבא. The answer lies in the מהרש״א's explanation of the גמרא in ברכות. Of course, says the מהרש״א, there is מנוחה in עולם הבא, as we say יום שכולו שבת ומנוחה. On the other hand, the specific definition of מנוחה is rest from a task completed, "when the job is done." Those, then, who had spent a life in spiritual pursuit and merited thereby the experience of צדיקים יושבין כו׳ ונהנין מזיו השכינה- which the מהרש״א terms עיון שכלי- their work is never done, because עיון שכלי is eternal. As such, we derive that the purpose of עולם הבא is עיון שכלי- from which there can be no מנוחה, no end- which is facilitated by מנוחה from all other things. Now, it is logical that the ability to focus solely on spiritual advancement, without any disturbance, would be desirable even in עולם הזה. After all, such is the experience of עולם הבא. But השם says, "Is it not enough for צדיקים what is מתוקן, what is proper and right, in עולם הבא, but they desire that freedom also in עולם הזה." But such freedom is not always מתוקן, proper, in this world. Ease can lead to languor, and from there to indolence and even decadence. Rather, וירא מנוחה כי טוב- having glimpsed the ultimate tov of olam habah- ויט שכמו לסבול, use any agitation and unrest of life in this world as tools for self improvement. Indeed, Yaakov merited עולם הבא during his lifetime. But at what juncture of his life did this take place? חז״ל deduce this from Yaakov's statement כי יש לי כל, which was said at a time when he had fled for his life from לבן, into the arms of עשו, and yet- יש לי כל. In עולם הבא, I will be free from any distraction; but in this world, the turmoil itself helps me to achieve the same purpose, דביקות בה׳.  Such was Yaakov's attitude when he faced the challenges of his life. May we all merit such clarity.

יורה דעה R' Shmuel Katz

Question: I bought a new set of dishes for use with fleishigs. May I designate the mugs that come with the set for use with milchigs? Answer: The רמ"א [a] writes that in order to be able to differentiate the milchig and fleishig knives, the מנהג is to make a mark on the dairy ones. This מנהג was to etch three grooves into the handle [b] of the dairy utensil. The מנהג was universal to the extent that the פמ"ג [c] says that if one were to find a knife with these grooves on the handle on a Jewish street, the knife is definitely milchig. The דרכי תשובה [d] quotes from the אדני פז that even if the knives have recognizably different handles, one should still make three grooves in the milchig handle. He understands that it is proper to make a universally recognizable sign, so others using your knives will also be able to tell the difference. The ערוך השלחן [e] on the other hand, suggests having visibly different sets of dishes for milchig and fleishig, to avoid confusion, even if it’s not a universally recognizable design. He seems to understand that we are only concerned that the owner and his family know which is which. The general custom today is to follow the opinion of the ערוך השלחן. This is evident from the fact that we are not careful to have dishes that are universally recognizable as milchig or fleishig. In fact, many have never heard of חריצי חלב, the three grooves, which were ubiquitous once upon a time. However, even the ערוך השלחן [f] agrees that if there is a universal way of designating dishes, one should not do the opposite i.e. one should not use three grooves as his personal way of labeling his fleishig dishes. Consequently, one may not use and label dishes in a way that will confuse others, even if the owner and the owner’s family are aware of this. In our case, it is almost universal that all the matching dishes from a set, are used together as a set, and splitting them may lead others to use them improperly. Therefore, in conclusion, if one wishes to split a set of dishes, one should label the mugs as dairy in a way that even an outsider who knows that the rest of the set is fleishig will realize that the mugs are not to be used with the set, as they have been separated to be used with milchigs.

אורח חיים Rabbi Shmuel Goldstein

Question: I am going away for Shabbos Chanukah. Where should I light the Menorah? Answer: If one is staying away from their normal house for a day or two during Chanukah, and they are eating and sleeping in a different house, then they should light in that place, because it is considered to be their house for the duration of their stay [a]. If one is leaving their house after sunset, (obviously not on Friday), it is best to light at home [b]. If one lit in the other place, they still have fulfilled their obligation [c]. When returning home, if one will be back before זמן שתכלה רגל מן השוק, (the time when people stop frequenting the streets in that neighborhood), then it is better to wait and light at home. If this is too difficult, one may light in their temporary house, but then they should eat a meal there too [d]. If one will not return home until after זמן שתכלה רגל מן השוק, then it is better to light in their temporary house, and here too it is preferable to eat a meal there [e]. If one will return after dawn, then they must light in their temporary house, but still it is preferable that they a meal there as well [f]. If one is going away, and will be sleeping in one place but eating in another place, it is better to light in the place where they are eating [g], unless either they will also eat a meal that day in the house that they are sleeping [h], or if the place where they are sleeping is more privately theirs’ than the place where they are eating, (such as if they are eating in a Shul) [i] [j]. If a man is lighting away from home and his wife is lighting at home, he can make the Brachos only if he is lighting before she does, (since she may be fulfilling his obligation). According to some פוסקים he may say the Brachos if he specifically has in mind, before the time that his wife lights, that he does not want to fulfill his obligation with her lighting [k].

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