Notes and Corrections for HW1:

  1. VA’EIRA: The Sefer Halichos Shlomo claims that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach never actually said a Berachah Acharonah on the first cup, but rather contemplated doing so and then retracted his plan. It says that he often used to drink water during Magid in order to prolong the amount of time he had to say the Berachah Acharonah, which would eventually lead him to fulfill the Berachah Acharonah through Birkas ha’Mazon. While the Mishnah Berurah holds one should not drink at all during the Seder as it is a Hefsek, Rav Shlomo Zaman held that in order to prolong this amount of time it is permitted. It is also possible that it is not a Hefsek because one talks quite a bit during Magid, and this aids his voice to be able to continue the Mitzvah of Sipur Yetzias Mitzrayim.
  2. BO: The second opinion is actually that of Rav Chaim Tzanzer, not that of the Rav Chaim (Halberstam) from Tzanz who wrote the famous Divrei Chaim.
  3. EMOR (2): After the book was published, Rabbi Kaganoff mentioned to me that it is possible that the way the cadaver bone is prepared causes it not to have the impurity of Tumas Mes.
  4. BEHAR: See Halachic World 2 on Parshas Devarim regarding the Halachic status of Eilat.

Notes and Corrections for HW2:

  1. HA’AZINU: A similar article appeared in volume 1. Sorry about that!

Notes and Corrections for HW3:

  1. BEREISHIS: It has been pointed out to me by a certain Talmid Chacham that the Magen Avraham (268:10) discusses the law of the Tur by using Hilchos Eidus. This Talmid Chacham maintains that this is the Mishnah Berurah’s source for requiring two people to say Vayechulu. While explaining the Magen Avraham in its entirety is beyond the scope of this forum, I will suffice by saying that I do not believe that this is the intent of the Magen Avraham. Rather, it appears to me that the Magen Avraham views Vayechulu as a Tefilah (just as it is situated in between two Tefilos without Kadish interrupting between them) which was instituted based on Hilchos Eidus. Tefilos either must be said with a Minyan (i.e. Davar she’Bekedushah), should be said with a Minyan (Shemoneh Esrei), or can be said by an individual (most Tefilos). Accordingly, the Magen Avraham is questioning why Vayechulu should be said with ten people. This is also supported by the fact that the Mishnah Berurah did not quote this Magen Avraham as a source for his statement that two people are required. Accordingly, while the custom clearly follows the Mishnah Berurah, in my humble opinion it still appears to me that the Mishnah Berurah is the greater Chidush (over the understanding of the Chazon Ish).
  2. BEHALOSCHA: The phrase “a Sefer with all of Tanach” (in Opinion 2 and 3) should read “a complete Sefer,” as that is all that is required according to these opinions.