Daily routine according to Halacha

ForeverYoung
Guest

Sun, May 08 2005, 11:51 am

Chana, I was thinking about you this Shabbos Smile

and realized, that most of the Jewish seforim need to be learned with Havrusa - a study partner.

There is a reason why we have the Oral Law - b/c the written Torah is like notes from a one big lecture, and the Oral Law explains them in more detail.

I think using Artscroll Rashi chumash you can tackle it on your own, but even that can be confusing.

More so the other sefarim - Neviim, Kesuvim (including megilos) need more of an explanation.

Nowadays, Artscroll has most of these seforim available in English wih commentaries in English.

As far as any esoteric book goes - I think they are not sefarim for a beginner, or something to be studied alone - I've learned it - and say this from my personal experience.

Get in touch with people around you (and a local orthodox Rav) - I'm sure they will be more than happy to help.

gryp

Sun, May 08 2005, 5:39 pm

Quote:

As far as any esoteric book goes - I think they are not sefarim for a beginner, or something to be studied alone - I've learned it - and say this from my personal experience

but this is also youre own personal opinion on whether or not beginners should be learning Tanya. I think it is up to the "beginner" to decide by himself with his Rav/Mashpia. I myself have learned Tanya with many "beginners" using the book "Lessons in Tanya," and they enjoyed it very much. They insisted to me to keep learning chapter after chapter, and couldnt thank me enough. im nowhere near an expert on Tanya, but with "Lessons in Tanya" you dont need to be, its all explained very clearly there.

meesi

Sun, May 08 2005, 6:04 pm

Thank you, everyone. I have printed out a list of all of the volumes that you have recommended and I will be checking for them at the library where my mikvah is (the shul it is attached to has a library) and I will order whatever I can't find there online. I am so grateful for all of your help. Thankfully, I do not consider myself a complete beginner because I have already studied Torah and Nevi'im in school and my Hebrew is pretty fluent, so I don't need translations and I have a pretty decent grasp of reading Rashi, etc. It is more the "practical" side of Judaism where I am lacking. Of course, I will continue to study the texts, but I feel that I really missed out on a lot of the "day to day" beyond what "secular" Jews do. Does that make sense?

Thanks again, everyone. Please keep the suggestions coming!

Chana Smile

gryp

Mon, May 09 2005, 6:28 am

hi CanadianChana,
I understand what you mean by a daily schedule. freilich wrote a pretty good one, but if you would like to actually learn it inside, I would recommend reading through the kitzur shulchan aruch. its an abridged version of all the halachos and laws we try to follow, and written in a very simple hebrew. I think it is even translated into english. this might be very bad advice because there is so much information in there about every topic, but it is divided into chapters with a table of contents, so you can skim through and concentrate on the topics you want to read about first. in the beginning it goes through the daily schedule, and then goes on to different topics. this is if you want to actually learn the daily schedule inside, if you want to follow what freilich does, thats good too Very Happy

you are lucky to know hebrew and even yiddish! thats more than I know. and youve already had some background in the Chumash and Neviim with Rashi. so I would say you are way past beginner stage, more than many people I have met. the "beginners" ive spent time with didnt know what "mazal tov" means or what a "yarmulke/ kippah" was...

meesi

Mon, May 09 2005, 6:51 am

Thank you, RG. It seems that the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch is what I am looking for. I am sad that after all my years of Hebrew schooling, I did not know that that was what I needed. The Rebbetzin who is teaching me T"H said that she has an extra copy to lend me, so I will pick it up from her this week and start studying. I will probably buy my own the next time I go to the Judaic book store (It is a little far from me, but I will get there in the next month or so).

Thank you!!

Chana Smile

gryp

Mon, May 09 2005, 7:05 am

good luck with your learning. I actually like to read through the kitzur shulchan aruch every so often to review things I might have forgotten, and to read about different topics.

I dont know what school you attended, but you do have a nice background in basic studies. I probably would not know about the kitzur shulchan aruch either, if I hadnt learned it way back in elementary school.

if you have any questions or need any help, feel free to PM me anytime.

ForeverYoung
Guest

Mon, May 09 2005, 7:16 am

RG wrote:

but this is also youre own personal opinion on whether or not beginners should be learning Tanya. I think it is up to the "beginner" to decide by himself with his Rav/Mashpia.

Being TAUGHT is very different from being READING ON YOUR OWN.

Last edited by ForeverYoung on Tue, May 10 2005, 1:04 pm; edited 2 times in total

ForeverYoung
Guest

Mon, May 09 2005, 7:24 am

Chana,

there is a book called Hilchos Bas Yisroel, a compilation of all the halachos that pertain to a woman.

It also includes dfferent minhagim & explains who keeps them (ie sefardim, chasidim, litvaks, etc)

http://www.feldheim.com/cgi-lo.....I?107|129|The+Jewish+Woman

10% discoint offered right now Wink

ForeverYoung
Guest

Tue, May 10 2005, 7:14 am

Another idea here Smile

Sefer HaTodaah - The Book of Our Heritage by Eliyahu KiTov.

This is a comprehencive 'yearly routine' - the author cover every significant date very thoroughly.

Just be careful - he lists ALL (or most Wink

) of humros & minhagim, without specidying who adheres to them and who does not (ie litcish, chasidish, sefardim, etc).

Have fun! Smile

meesi

Tue, May 10 2005, 9:38 am

Thank you, everyone! I just got the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch this morning(our Rav lent it to me). I am starting volume one today! Very Happy

My plan is to read through all five volumes on my own and take note of any questions I have along the way. I will then go back to the Rav with my questions. I also like the idea of the Hilchos Bas Yisroel and will try to order that.

Keep those recommendations coming- I am keeping a running list! Very Happy

Chana

lucy

Wed, May 11 2005, 7:45 pm

Hilchos Bas Yisroel = excellent book. There is another which is called (sorry if I'm using the wrong title) "Our Prayer". Which can be very helpful.

ForeverYoung: Sorry, but I really don't agree with you, Lessons In Tanya can & is used buy many people successfully to be learnt alone.

Canadian Chana: if you would like a philosophical (deep) study on the mysticisms of Judaism then I would suggest to you to pick up this serries.

Horray for you, your knowledge is growing - your the first "beginner" I know who can read Rashi! Good for you, hatzlacha!

meesi

Wed, May 11 2005, 8:09 pm

Lucy,

Thank you for your words of encouragement. I guess I am not a "beginner" in the study of Torah (have 13 years of experience in that department), but more in the daily "rituals" of living Jewishly. I have always kept kosher, lit candles, celebrated all of the holidays, etc. But it is only now that I am learning the details of daily life, keeping Shabbat, Taharat Hamishpacha, etc.

Please keep sharing! I am still interested in hearing about daily routines. I am sure that each of you does things a little bit differently, so I can learn from all of you.

Thanks again for your help, everyone.

Sincerely,

Chana

queenie

Thu, May 12 2005, 2:48 pm

Hilchos Bas Yisroel is a good book and well written. But, you have to be careful, it's a bit of a chumra book. When I first came back from seminary many many years ago I bought that book. My friends who I thought were sooooo frum actually told me not to buy it.

You can't follow everything a book says. It is best to learn it or read through it with a friend. You have to know what's acceptable in your community too and what the standards are.

Learning Tanya or other books of mysticism are great and we need that to keep us inspired. I just think we have to make sure that we all have a firm grounding in halacha and have a strong hashgacha too so tht we can deal with our families and lives and make decisions properly.