Latest round of questions

Asked by Jeff Duitch · August 25, 2003 · Other

Question

Here comes my latest round of shailos: 1. You mentioned in a post that Sephardim have the minhag to pronounce G-d's name as "Adonay". Would that be "Adonay" as in "pay" or would that be with a long I sound at the end? I'm curious because the couple of Sephardim we have here in Des Moines pronounce it "Adonai" as in "pie". 2. When it comes to that statement made in Sofrim 14:16 "Minhag ikar halachah", (a book I read long ago translates this phrase as "custom overrules law") is it correct to say that this only applies to minhag kadmonim and community tznius standards? 3. How much truth is there to the idea of being a little more strict in Torah observance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? I've heard/read quite a few shiurim over the last few years that push being a little more machmir (e.g. insisting on the bread we eat to be made by a Jew/Pas Yisroel) during the Aseres Yomim B'teshuvah. What's the real halachah on this? If this is true, what specific changes in behavior are required during this 10 day period? 4. Besides right before eating bread and after getting up from sleep, what other situations REQUIRE washing WITH A CUP? You mentioned a while back that it isn't required after using the bathroom (and that's one of the many many situations I was told long ago I had to wash with a cup afterward). 5. On the issue of singing pesukim: Would it be permitted to sing as a song Mizmor L'Dovid (Tehillim 23) during Shalosh Seudos on Shabbos? I wasn't sure if this was included in the heter of "in it's time." Thanks as always. I send regards to your father and the entire mishpacha. Jeff

Answer

Answered by Aaron Abadi

1) like Ashkenazim say a Patach. A-dough-nahy. 2) People like taking a quote like that & applying it where they need it. It clearly only works where it was written. 3) God won't be fooled if we act real good for 10 days. Then we'll come to Yom Kippur & he'll say, "Wow, these guys are great! They stopped all those usual sins." Then the next morning they're back in business and boy was he fooled. Let's just do Teshuva (repentance). Let's just commit, or set goals to reach, to be following the exacy laws, no more no less, to the letter. If within that process, being a bit more strict would give you more momentum, then go for it. 4) The nails, and family relations, and the ones listed, just need thorough cleanliness. not a cup. After a visit to the cemetary, a cup is needed. 5) If it's sung as praise, not to show off or whatever, then it should be OK, because it fits the time. AA