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Beit Midrash
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Yosef raised his foot, brought it down over the glass, and… nothing! Rather than a resounding crash, Yosef’s footfall was met with silence. All he had managed to do was slide the glass over on the floor. He nudged the glass back into place, and picked up his foot again, determined to break the glass this time. As his foot hit the floor, Yosef began to feel a little silly. A third and then fourth attempt brought no results, either.
The hall began to fill with attempts at unobtrusive whispers, as guests shared with each other tips on how best to break a glass, anecdotes about similar events, and speculations as to the significance of a chatan being unable to break a glass on the first four tries. The mesader kidushin’s gaze shifted to Yosef’s face, and then back at the glass on the floor. Something had to be done, quickly.
The mesader kidushin turned to Rabbi Menachem, who was serving as one of the marriage witnesses. As discretely as possible, the mesader kidushin whispered urgently "please find something else for him to break!" Rabbi Menachem hurried out of the room, and looked around the hall. The drinking glasses were no help. They were made of thick glass. That was probably why Yosef was having so much trouble, in the first place! Rabbi Menachem looked around again, and then it came to him. He pulled a ladder over, deftly climbed toward the ceiling, and unscrewed one of the light bulbs. He grabbed a napkin off the table, wrapped the bulb, hurried back into the chupa room, and adroitly placed the package at Yosef’s feet. Yosef brought his foot down once more, and, much to his relief, and everyone else’s, the glass broke. The guests called out "mazal tov," as the last few agonizing minutes melted into a sea of hugs and good wishes.
Was Rabbi Menachem allowed to take the lightbulb, without prior permission from the owner of the hall? Also, was it permitted for the chatan to break a lightbulb, in place of the ancient tradition of breaking a cup?
Answer of Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, shlita:
Regarding the first question, Rabbi Menachem acted properly. There was no concern of theft, however, he is obligated to pay the hall for the cost of the bulb.
The reasoning is as follows:
According to the Sha"ch, a person is permitted to borrow an object from his friend, if the borrower is completely certain that the owner will be fine with it, when he hears that the object was borrowed. Tosafot disagree, and maintain that this is forbidden, because, at the time that the object is borrowed, the owner has not yet agreed. (See Choshen Mishpat 358, Sha"ch, se’if katan 1)
In our case, even Tosafot would agree that Rabbi Menachem was allowed to take the lightbulb. This is because the hall owner will benefit from this action, because the hall owner desires that people receive good service and have a positive experience when using his hall.
Regarding the second question, it is true that the custom is to break a cup, as Rav Ashi did at the wedding of his son (Brachot 31a). Nonetheless, in this situation, when there was no usable cup, it was certainly proper to use a lightbulb instead.
In summary:
Rabbi Menachem acted properly, however, he is obligated to reimburse the hall for the lightbulb.
Note: In the original story, Rabbi Menachem received permission from the hall owner to take a lightbulb, and didn’t simply take one on his own. "Rabbi Menachem" in the story was actually Rabbi Menachem Borstein, shlita, and the mesader kidushin who sent him was none other than Rabbi Avraham Shapira, zt"l. Incidentally, until this day, the chatan has no idea that the glass that he broke was actually a lightbulb.
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.
