Riddles of the Week – Devorim and Tisha B’Av

Riddles of the Week – Devorim and Tisha B’Av

(For answers see inside)

1. Moshe commanded the judges (Devorim 1:17) not to fear any potential litigant. If a judge fears that one of the litigants may kill him, is he permitted to recuse himself in order to protect himself?
2. As Moshe recounted the history of the Jewish people in the midbar, he mentioned that due to their abundant numbers, he was unable to carry them singlehandedly, so he appointed wise men to assist him in guiding and judging the people, commanding them to hear disputes between feuding parties and judge the litigants justly (Devorim 1:16). Rashi in Kesubos (106a) cites Moshe’s words as the source for the mitzvas aseh [positive commandment] for judges to adjudicate cases that come before them. Why don’t judges recite a berachah when doing this mitzvah?
3. Is it forbidden to skip a queue, and if so, what is the source of the prohibition?
4. The halachah is (Orach Chaim 561 and Yoreh Deah 340:38): הרואה בית המקדש בחורבנה חייב לקרוע – “If one sees the Beis HaMikdosh in its destructed state he is obligated to tear his garments”. The minhag is, that on days that we don’t say tachanun, we don’t tear garments when seeing the place where the Beis HaMikdosh used to be. On Tisha B’Av we don’t say tachanun as it is called a Mo’ed. Does this mean that on Tisha B’Av one shouldn’t tear his garments when seeing the place of the Beis HaMikdosh?
5. The Gemara in Yoma (9b) says: The Beis HaMikdosh was destroyed because of sinas chinam [baseless hatred]. How does this fit with the pasuk which says that the churban came because of: עזבתם את תורתי – “you forsook my Torah”?
6. Is one allowed to hold a child on his lap on Tisha B’Av?
7. If one takes tablets with water on Tisha B’Av, should the berachah of shehakol be recited?
8. On Tisha B’Av there is a halachah that one shouldn’t greet another person (554:2). Is it ok to wish one mazel tov?
9. The Gemara in Bava Basra (3b) teaches: לא ליסתור איניש בי כנישתא עד דבני בי כנישתא אחריתי – “One shouldn’t destroy a shul, until a new one is built in its place”. The Yerushalmi in Rosh Hashanah (Perek 1) teaches: “A normal king makes decrees and if he wants to keep them he does, and if he doesn’t want to he doesn’t, however, Hakodosh Boruch Hu is different and he only makes decrees that he himself keeps”. We see that Hashem keeps the mitzvos, if so, how was He allowed to destroy the Beis HaMikdosh, without first building a new one in its place?