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Case: Yaakov’s children died, and when he subsequently had another son (Reuven), he "sold" his son to the Chevra Kaddisha for five gold coins. The condition was that if Reuven lived and merited to get married, Yaakov would give the Chevra Kaddisha ten gold coins to "buy him back." Yaakov also promised to give the Chevra Kaddisha a small amount of money on a weekly basis throughout his son’s lifetime. Reuven is now twenty seven years old, Yaakov has been dead for some time, and nothing has been given to the Chevra Kaddisha. Reuven now wants to get married, but the Chevra Kaddisha is protesting his right to get married until he pays them. Reuven points out that Yaakov died without enough money to even pay Reuven’s mother’sketuba so that he has not inherited any money from which to make payment for his father’s promises.
Ruling: If Yaakov had left an inheritance, then the matter would be the subject of a machloket between the Rambam, who rules that the sons must use it to pay their father’s oaths, and the Mordechai who says that he does not have to. However, if he did not leave behind any real estate from which payment can be taken, it is clear that the sons are not obligated to pay their father’s oaths. Therefore, the promise of weekly payments is certainly not Reuven’s issue.
P'ninat Mishpat (829)
Various Rabbis
345 - Straying from a Father’s Instructions on Supporting Torah Study
346 - Buying Oneself Back from the Chevra Kaddisha
347 - What to Do with Abandoned Jewelry
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Even when a father "redeems" his son by payment to a kohen, he is not buying him back but fulfilling a mitzva to pay money in that setting. If no one redeems the boy, he is not owned by the kohanim and is not holy in any way. Although in the narrative of a pidyon haben, we ask the father if he would prefer to have his son or leave him as is, that is just to show love of the mitzva, as halachically there is no choice to make (see Rama, Yoreh Deah 305:10).
The minhag to sell the child in Yaakov’s circumstances is a practice that emanates from the fear that there is a decree that his children will die. This "sale" is to make the children attributable to someone else to extricate them from the decree. We find people who were attributed to people who were not their parents (e.g., Serach bat Asher was Asher’s step-daughter).
So, if Yaakov did not "buy back" Reuven, he can be "considered the child" of the chevra kadisha. However that does not mean that theChevra Kaddisha can prevent Reuven from getting married, just as a father cannot prevent his son from doing so (see Rama. YD 240:25). It would be a sin for the Chevra Kaddisha to try to delay a marriage for even a short time. On the other hand, since the Chevra Kaddisha helped to protect Reuven and enable him to reach the time of his marriage, he should try to show his thanks with payment according to his capabilities after he marries.
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Return of Down Payment Due to War – part III
based on ruling 84044 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Multiple Agreements and Parties – part III
based on appeal of ruling 80082 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Return of Down Payment Due to War – part II
based on ruling 84044 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
P'ninat Mishpat P'NINAT MISHPAT: A Mess of Loans, Repayments and Grievances – part II
based on ruling 83033 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
