Rabbi David Sutton & Dr. David Katzenstein, LCSW-R 

If we watch an exciting and engaging video for two hours, during that time we’re so engrossed, so detached from reality, that none of the thoughts that usually run through our mind are present. Our brain is, in a way, shut off. It is basically not working. We are no longer aware of reality, and are aware only of the images flitting across the screen. As we watch and listen, we are using two of our senses, hearing and seeing.  

Imagine a more advanced types of movie, which causes us to use more of our senses, where we can smell or perhaps even taste the popcorn the characters are eating, or even feel what’s taking place on the screen. For example, our chair may shake during an earthquake in the movie.  

But we still have our mind. 

Now, imagine if the movie is so advanced that when the characters were scared we would feel fear. The movie would be in full control of our brain. 

That’s Life 

That’s life. We get drawn into it as if into a movie, but actually it is only our perception. In reality, life is merely a video, where nothing is really happening. We can choose to pull out and ignore everything. We can choose to not allow the screen to take command over us, to not become emotionally involved.  

In life, we can pull back.  

Increasing Awareness 

Developing increased awareness of our thoughts and emotions can be a powerful tool for self-improvement and personal growth. One way to start is through the practice of mindfulness. This involves focusing on the present moment, without judgment, and paying attention to our internal experiences.   

Another way to increase awareness is through journaling and self-reflection. Writing down our thoughts and emotions can help us gain insight into patterns and habits, and can help us to  understand the root causes of our feelings 

Most of us have heard stories of great rabbis who remained totally engrossed in their learning or their prayers while the world was collapsing around them. They had total focus on their avodat Hashem, not on what was going on around them.  

Along similar lines, people employ breathing techniques to effect natural pain relief, such as using the Lamaze method in childbirth. By concentrating on her breathing, in and out, in and out, the laboring woman distracts herself from the pain.  

Identifying with Things Outside of Ourselves 

There are multiple ways of identifying ourselves with factors that are not really us.  

Rav Wolbe tells a story that took place decades ago in Israel. The government wanted to incentivize the ultra-Orthodox to join the army – or to punish them for not joining. At a certain point, a young man could not receive his driver’s license unless he served in the army. Obviously, this caused quite an uproar in the yeshivah world. The yeshivah boys wanted to be able to obtain their licenses, and eventually, the law was rescinded. 

While all this was going on, Rav Wolbe was thinking, What’s the big uproar? What’s the great need for licenses? In his view, yeshivah bachurim have no need to drive a car. They could take a bus or ride a bicycle. What is the need for a car? With his philosophical approach, Rav Wolbe posited that when a person drives a car, he identifies with his car. His self becomes larger. When you sit behind the wheel in a small sports car and go from zero to 60 in a few seconds, that surge of energy somehow identifies with you. 

It is a fascinating concept when you think about it, though it is basically false. When people go on vacations and rent luxury cars, sitting behind the wheel of a Rolls Royce or a Bentley, they suddenly feel more important. They identify themselves with that car.  

Pleasure Points vs. True Happiness 

There is a significant error in this type of thinking, as it is based on a vital misconception between two distinct experiences: pleasure points and true happiness. Pleasure points are temporary moments of enjoyment or satisfaction that come from external factors, such as driving a fancy car, eating a delicious meal, buying a new item, or experiencing a thrill. They bring a momentary boost in excitement and pleasure, which can be mistaken for happiness. But they do not create a lasting sense of fulfillment.  

On the other hand, true happiness is a deep-seated and enduring sense of contentment and fulfillment, which comes from within. It is most often related to a sense of purpose, meaningful relationships, and personal growth. True happiness is not dependent on external circumstances, and can be sustained even in the face of challenges and difficulties. 

We can identify ourselves with many things. And just like we can become engrossed in that movie, we can become engrossed in the movie of life, instead of peeling away the layers of the onion, so to say, to get to who we really are. 

Victor Cohen 

On September 29th, Hacham David Yosef, shelit”a, was appointed by a statutory election committee to be the new Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, following in the footsteps of his brother, Hacham Yitzhak Yosef, shelit”a, and, of course, his late father, Maran Hacham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l. He will serve in this position for the next ten years, succeeding his brother, whose ten-year term ended last year. 

Israel’s Chief Rabbi is charged with making decisions on a wide range of important public policy issues, and, by virtue of his stature, has the opportunity to be a strong and influential advocate for the needs of Jews both in Israel and around the world.  One example of the great significance of this position is the effort made by Hacham David’s father, Hacham Ovadia, after the 1973 Yom Kippur War to help wives of soldiers who did not return from battle. Hacham Ovadia worked tirelessly to study the details of each and every case, and analyze the relevant halachic source material, in order to determine that, there were sufficient grounds to presume death, such that the wives were permitted to remarry. The Chief Rabbi bears the responsibility to address critical and consequential matters such as these, and thus only accomplished scholars with vast knowledge, and years of experience in halachic decision-making, are considered to have the broad shoulders necessary for this important role. 

And there is little doubt that the newly-appointed Chief Rabbi has all the credentials needed to competently fulfill these duties. 

A Giant and Son of a Giant 

Hacham David – the ninth of the 11 children of Hacham Ovadia and Margalit Yosef – was born in Jerusalem on August 10th, 1957. As a youngster, he attended Yeshivat Or Yisrael, and then spent a year in the elite Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, before enrolling in the Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem.  

Hacham David Yosef not only belongs to an illustrious rabbinic family, but is also an accomplished scholar and leader in his own right. For 30 years, from 1990 until 2020, he served as Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem’s tight-knit Har Nof neighborhood, which is home to some members of our community who made aliyah. Additionally, he leads a kollel named Yehaveh Da’at which trains rabbis who go on to serve communities both in Israel and around the world. Hacham David has also been involved in the Shas Party, which his father founded and guided, and which works to advance the causes of observant Sephardic Jews in Israel. 

Halachah Berurah  

Beyond his leadership experience, Hacham David is renowned throughout the Torah world as an outstanding halachic scholar, best known for authoring Halachah Berurah, a monumental work on practical halachah. To date, this series consists of 26 volumes. Hacham David masterfully presents for us the halachot in a clear, concise fashion, providing extensive annotation where he goes through the relevant source material underlying his conclusions. 

My first experience with Halachah Berurah came on the night of Shavuot when I was studying at Moreshet. One of my advisors delivered a memorable class to the kohanim (including me) on the laws of birkat kohanim – the special blessing that kohanim confer upon the congregation each day.  He covered the topic extensively, going through minute details such as how kohanim are to position their hands, feet and shoulders while reciting the blessing. The text he chose for this comprehensive presentation of the topic was Halachah Berurah. 

This work follows the sequence of the Shulhan Aruch, the famous halachic code authored by Rabbi Yosef Karo in the 16^th century that has since become the authoritative halachic text. The format of Halachah Berurah resembles that of Mishnah Berurah – the classic work by the Hafetz Haim (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan, 1839-1933), which presents a running commentary on the first section of the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim), explaining the text and citing opinions of later authorities. Like in the Mishnah Berurah, the primary text of Hacham David’s work elucidates the halachot according to the sequence of the Shulhan Aruch.  A separate text, entitled Berur Halachah, features lengthier, more intricate essays on questions related to the Shulhan Aruch’s ruling, corresponding to the Hafetz Haim’s essays in the Be’ur Halachah section of his work.  And, like the Mishnah Berurah, Hacham David includes a section called Sha’ar Hatziyun briefly referencing the sources of the information he presents in the main body of the book. 

At the end of the book, the rabbi appended a series of in-depth halachic responsa, entitled Otzerot Yosef. 

The clarity of Hacham David’s writing style, and his comprehensive mastery of the material, citing numerous sources from the Geonic period through recent and even contemporary sages, have made Halachah Berurah an instant classic, and a priceless resource for both scholars and laymen alike. He thus brings to his position many years of outstanding scholarship, deep respect for the great rabbis of yesteryear, and a keen understanding of how to accurately apply our ancient, sacred halachic system to our ever-changing world. 

Leadership in a Time of Complexity 

The difficult challenges currently facing the State of Israel, which has been waging a war against several enemies for over a year, and is beset also by numerous internal struggles, require a competent leader who can navigate these complex issues and make the right decisions.  There is little doubt that Hacham David Yosef is well-suited for this role.  

In recent months, he has already expressed his opinion on several important issues of national import. For example, while sternly insisting upon an exemption from military service for yeshiva students, he stated that young men who, for whatever reason, are not learning in yeshiva must enlist in the Israel Defense Forces.  And, shortly after his appointment, Hacham David ruled that IDF soldiers participating in combat are forbidden from fasting on Yom Kippur, as they must ensure to be in peak physical condition in order to carry out their vital mission to protect the Jewish State. The Hacham added that the soldiers must not even eat shiurim – meaning, small amounts in intervals, as ill patients are generally told to do on Yom Kippur – and should instead eat normally to maintain their strength. As for soldiers who are involved in the war effort but not in active combat, Hacham David said that if such a troop fears that fasting could compromise his ability to properly concentrate on his tasks, he should consult with his military rabbi for guidance. 

Baruch Hashem, our generation has been blessed with great Torah leaders who can guide, inspire, and represent the Torah with nobility, thus bringing honor to the Torah and the Torah world. With Hashem’s help, Hacham David Yosef will lead the Jewish People to a period of peace and prosperity, and will help advance the timeless principles of our Torah and continue the chain of our glorious spiritual heritage.

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas 

Sara gave birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy. She was excited that her brother Yosef, a mohel, arranged to fly in from Israel to New York and had agreed to perform the brit mila for his new little nephew. Yosef arrived the day before the brit mila was to take place.  

He looked at the baby and shook his head. “Sara, Mabrouk! But the baby is yellow and I cannot perform the brit mila unless the color clears up by tomorrow.” Sara responded, “But the baby is healthy!” She called her doctor to confirm that the baby was, indeed, perfectly healthy. Dr. Walter Smith had checked the baby and reiterated that  he was, indeed, perfectly healthy.  

When Yosef told Dr. Smith that it was possible to treat jaundice with doves, the doctor was incredulous. “Using doves to heal jaundice?!” he responded. “Is there scientific evidence to support this?!”  

According to Jewish tradition, the “pigeon treatment” has been employed successfully for generations. 

When a Baby Is “Yarok” 

Physiological jaundice in a newborn is not usually considered a medical risk even if the baby has a yellowish appearance. However, the Gemara (Shabbat 134a) notes that a sick child should not undergo a brit mila until he recovers and this includes if a baby is “yarok,” meaning he has a greenish or yellowish appearance. Such a baby should not have a brit mila until he loses the “yarok” complexion. Even though there may not be any medical reason to delay the brit mila, the Rambam (Mila 1:17) and Shulchan Aruch (YD 263:1) rule that one may not perform a brit mila on a baby who is “yarok.” 

The Dove Treatment  

Hacham Ovadia, zt”l, has a responsa (Yabia Omer YD, 9:32) discussing the halachic implications of the healing power of doves in treating jaundice. He quotes a segula from Taamei Haminhagim, where the treatment for curing jaundice (often seen in hepatitis patients) is to place a male pigeon on the navel of a male, or a female pigeon on the navel of a female. Hacham Ovadia, also notes anecdotal evidence of cases in which the pigeon dies and the patient is healed. The claim is that the pigeon draws the jaundice out from the patient, thus eliminating the jaundice. Dr. Walter saw no medical need or benefit to do this ancient “treatment” and even claimed that it should qualify as animal cruelty. 

Hacham Ovadia acknowledges that the doctors question this form of intervention and understands that it may not cure all patients from jaundice. However, Hacham Ovadia recognizes that many patients have been cured this way. 

Rulings of Hacham Ovadia and the Rambam  

Hacham Ovadia further explains that in this instance there is no concern of animal cruelty – tzaar baalei haim, even though this procedure causes the death of the doves. While there are many sources that argue that tzaar baalei haim is a Biblical prohibition according to most poskim, this prohibition is waived when the action is necessary for human benefit. In other words, tzaar baalei haim does not apply when there is human gain. Hacham Ovadia applies this concept to using doves as a segula for health reasons, even if there is no scientific explanation for the phenomena. 

In a different responsa, Hacham Ovadia (Yabia Omer OC, 8:37) discusses using a segula as a treatment for an illness that involves hilul Shabbat. When quoting different opinions among the poskim whether this is permitted, he elaborates on the Rambam’s position. In his Pirush Hamishna (Yuma 8:6), the Rambam explains that you may not use a segula that involves a prohibition unless it is has a proven medical efficacy. In Moreh Nevuchim (3:37) the Rambam explains that the we do find Hazal using segulot that cannot be explained scientifically, but as long as experience demonstrates their efficacy, they may still be used. Therefore, even though using doves to treat jaundice qualifies as segula without scientific basis, Hacham Ovadia writes that it works and it is permissible to use this treatment.  

Hacham Ovadia is confident that regardless of the Rambam’s position vis-à-vis segulot, the Rambam would still permit using doves to cure jaundice as he (the Rambam) rules that tzaar baalei haim is only a rabbinic prohibition and should be permissibly violated for human benefit. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, a brit mila may not be performed on a baby who is “yarok.” But since there is no medical illness, the brit mila may be performed as soon as the baby loses his “yarok” complexion. The Rishon Lezion, Hacham Yitzhak Yosef, explains (Sova Semahot 2:16:3) that even though we must usually wait a full seven days for a baby to recover from an illness, since physiological jaundice is not considered a classic medical illness, one does not need to wait seven days in this instance. He also rules that it is permissible to use doves to try to cure the jaundice. 

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas is a worldwide expert, lecturer, and author on Medical Halacha. He heads the Torat Habayit Medical Halacha Institute. His latest book is “Brain Death in Halacha and the Tower of Babel Syndrome.” To contact Rabbi Finchas, email rabbi@torathabayit.com.