Riddles of the Week

Riddles of the Week

(For answers see inside)

1. If three adult Jewish men eat a bread-based meal together, they are required to recite Birchas HaMazon (8:10) together, with one of them leading the group by inviting the others to join him. Generally, this honor is accorded to a Kohen, and in the absence of a Kohen, it is given to the most educated or pious member of the group. Under what circumstances would the most lenient of the men be required to lead the group?
2. In this week’s parsha we have the special mitzvah of Birchas HaMazon. The Gemara in Berachos (51b) teaches, that Birchas HaMazon should be recited whilst sitting down. Tosfos explains that Birchas HaMazon is de’O’raisa, therefore, Chazal are stringent and require one to sit down. Tosfos brings a hint to this from the words "ואכלת ושבעת" – "you shall eat and be satisfied" from which we learn the obligation to recite Birchas HaMazon from. Tosfos writes that ואכלת ושבעת stands for שב עת ברכת המזון וברכת – "sit at this time and recite Birchas HaMazon."
   The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 183:9) rules accordingly: “One must sit when bentching, whether one was walking around his house when he ate, or standing, or leaning. When bentching one must sit, so that he is able to concentrate better. One should also not lean, as doing so is haughty - one should sit with fear”.
   The question is, it’s very common to find at a chassidishe tish 100’s sometimes 1000’s of chassidim who bentch whilst standing up, what is the heter for this, surely they should all be required to sit down?
3. In this week’s parsha we learn that whilst Klal Yisroel were in the Midbar: "שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך" - ”Their clothes did not wear out” (8:4). The question is, why not?
4. When would a person put his tefillin shel rosh on his head before placing the tefillin shel yad on his arm, even though he has not touched either of them?
5. What four items enumerated in the Gemara are not included in the annual income allocated to an individual on Rosh Hashanah; (i.e., if you spend money on these items they are over and above your heavenly preset income allotment) and where is there a remez in this week’s parsha?
6. When is there a custom not to eat grapes? Halachah or just sour grapes?
7. If one has before him wine and cake, which berachah does he make first?
8. There are six constant mitzvos, yet the only time we ever find the Torah tell us that a mitzvah applies, "בשבתך בביתך ובלכתך בדרך ובשכבך ובקומך" – "when you are sitting at home, or traveling on the way, when you are lying down or getting up" (Devorim 11:19) i.e. constantly, is by Torah, which is not even one of the six constant mitzvos, what is the explanation behind this?