Note: These Halachos are just as important for men to learn and know, as they are for women.
When Reading in Shul, DO NOT Read During Davening or Krias HaTorah
...Continued from previous week
1) It is best for women to not recite Havdalah for themselves; rather they should listen to a male recite the Havdalah and be exempted that way. (See Shulchan Aruch and Rama Siman 296:8)
2) In the event that no male is available to exempt her with Havdalah, she should indeed recite it herself and also drink the wine afterwards. (See Mishna Berura Siman 296 S”K 35)
3) When reciting Havdalah for herself, there is a debate among the Poskim if a woman may recite the bracha over the fire.
Some Poskim say she should omit that bracha, as that bracha is not part and parcel of Havdalah, rather a bracha commemorating the creation of fire, which was created on the first Motzaei Shabbos, and as such is a time-bound Mitzvah in which she isn’t obligated. (See Biur Halacha Siman 296 Dibur Hamaschil Lo)
4) Other Poskim allow her to recite the Bracha as since it has been inserted into the text of Havdalah it is thus considered part of it (See Shu”t Tzitz Eliezer Vol. 14 Siman 42). For Halacha L’Ma’aseh, a Rav must be consulted.
5) If a woman is ill or otherwise cannot recite Havdalah herself or hear it live from a male, may she hear it over the telephone?
There is a huge debate in the Poskim whether Brachos that are heard via the telephone or via a microphone [or on the radio] are considered as if you heard the Bracha or if what you are hearing is a digitally reproduced voice that sounds like the person speaking but in reality isn’t his/her voice at all.
Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal (in Shu”t Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 2 Siman 108 and in Vol. 4 Siman 126) writes that Brachos heard via a microphone do not suffice. Thus it is best to be close enough to the one making the Bracha to hear his voice directly. (Many Rabbanim at weddings insist on having a Minyan of men close enough to the Chupah to hear the entire Kidushin and Sheva Brachos not via the microphone)
6) Regarding Havdalah or any other Brachos on the telephone, Rav Moshe Zatzal writes (Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 4 Siman 91) that B’Sha’as Hadchak, in extreme situations, it’s acceptable. (See also Shu”t Minchas Yitzchak Vol. 2 Siman 113 and Vol. 3 Siman 38)
However, most Poskim agree that when hearing a Bracha via phone or microphone, Amen may and should be answered. (See Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Vol. 4 Siman 91, Halichos Shlomo Perek 22:15 and Shu”t Minchas Elazar Vol. 2 Siman 72). For Halacha L’Ma’aseh, of course, a Rav must be consulted in every situation.
7) The Seudah of Melave Malka, though very important, is not the level of obligation as the three meals on Shabbos itself, as the three meals on Shabbos are obligatory based on a biblical verse (Asmachta D’Kra), whereas the Melave Malka is a Mitzvah not derived from a verse, rather something instituted by the Chachamim. (Mishna Berura Siman 300:2)
The practical application of the aforementioned distinction is for instances where on one cannot eat both Melave Malka and the three (or one of the three) Seudos of Shabbos; it is then better to skip Melave Malka rather than skip any of the Shabbos Seudos. (ibid.)
Additionally, if one has a limited quantity of food, or of a certain special food, he should rather use the food, or that special food for Seudos of Shabbos rather than for Melave Malka. (See Sha’ar HaTziyun Siman 300 Os 9)
8) It is proper for women to also partake of the Melave Malka meal. (See Pri Megadim Aishel Avraham Siman 300:1. See Mogen Avraham Siman 299:15 quoting the Abudreham, that there was a minhag that women did not do any [real] chores on Motzaei Shabbos.)
The Seforim write in the name of the Rebbe Rav Elimelech of Lizensk Zatzal, that eating Melave Malka, for women, is a good Segulah for an easy labor.
9) The Gaon of Vilna was extremely stringent with the eating of Melave Malka for men and women alike. Once, the wife of the Gaon accepted upon herself a fast immediately after eating Seudah Shlishis, and went to sleep right after Havdalah, without eating Melave Malka. When this became known to the Gaon, he sent someone to wake her up and tell her that her entire fasting would not be able to rectify what she will lose by missing one Seudas Melave Malka. She immediately awoke and ate. (See Tosefes Ma’aseh Rav 39)
...To be continued B’Ezras Hashem next week
