Halacha for Wednesday 7 Iyar 5784 May 15 2024

If One Must Rise Before a Rabbi Every Time He Enters the Room

Question: The custom in our community is to rise every time the rabbi of the synagogue enters the sanctuary. Even if the rabbi enters the synagogue several times, we rise for him every time. Recently though, one of the members of the synagogue raised issue with this and said that the more observant members of the synagogue should not rise for the rabbi more than twice a day. Is this indeed correct?

Answer: Yesterday, we explained the general obligation to rise before Torah scholars. However, we did not discuss how many times a day one must do so.

The Opinion of Rabbi Yannai
Indeed, the point raised by this member of the synagogue has roots in the Gemara in Masechet Kiddushin (33b): “Rabbi Yannai said: A Torah scholar may only rise for his rabbi once in the morning and once in the evening so that the fear of one’s rabbi does not surpass one’s fear of Heaven.” This means that one should only rise for one’s rabbi twice a day similar to how we accept the yoke of Heaven upon ourselves twice a day by reciting Keri’at Shema. It is therefore improper to show greater respect for one’s rabbi than the respect one affords Hashem. The Rambam rules likewise (in Chapter 6 of Hilchot Talmud Torah).

The Opinion of Rabbi Elazar and the View of the Rif
On the other hand, the Rif (Rabbeinu Yitzchak Alfassi, one of the chief halachic authorities among the Rishonim) completely omits the opinion of Rabbi Yannai. He only quotes the continuation of the aforementioned Gemara: “Rabbi Elazar said: Any Torah scholar who does not rise before his rabbi is considered wicked, shall not merit longevity, and shall forget what he has studied.”

The Rosh writes that the reason why the Rif omits the opinion of Rabbi Yannai and only quotes the opinion of Rabbi Elazar is because he understood that Rabbi Elazar disagrees with Rabbi Yannai’s view and he rules halachically in favor of Rabbi Elazar. This is especially true since in the Gemara in Masechet Pesachim (22b), Rabbi Akiva equates the fear of one’s rabbi to the fear of Heaven by saying, “May the fear you have for your rabbi be tantamount to your fear of Heaven.” If this is the case, one must indeed rise for one’s rabbi even several times a day.

The Opinion of the Rama
The Rama writes in his notation on the Shulchan Aruch that even according to the Rambam, there is no prohibition to rise several times a day for one’s rabbi; rather, there is just no obligation to do so.

The Bottom Line
Halachically speaking, Maran Ha’Chida writes in his Birkei Yosef (Yoreh De’ah, Chapter 242, Subsection 21) that Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch actually intends to rule in accordance with the view of the Rif and the Rosh, especially since this follows the ruling of the Rashba as well. It is for this reason that Maran omits the opinion of Rabbi Yannai from his Shulchan Aruch.

Maran Ha’Chida concludes this law as follows: “We, in Israel and Egypt, who have accepted upon ourselves the rulings of Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch, must rise constantly in honor of a rabbi.” Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l rules likewise in his Ma’or Yisrael (commentary on the Rambam, page 18).

8 Halachot Most Popular

Parashat Ki Tetze

Gathered from the teachings of Maran Rebbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztzvk”l (from the years 5744-5772) (written by his grandson HaRav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a) (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK) Ellul is the Time to Engage in Battle Against the Yetzer Hara, ......

Read Halacha

Eating and Washing Oneself on Yom Kippur

Regarding the custom of Kapparot, we have discussed in the past that this custom may be fulfilled through money. A bill is taken ($10, $20, etc.) and circled around the head of the atoned party three times, and the following text is recited: “This money is in your stead, your substitute, and y......

Read Halacha

Eating Cake on Shabbat Morning

Today's Halacha is dedicated for the merit and protection of All Our Dear Soldiers May Hashem give them strength and courage to vanquish our enemies and may they return home safe and sound amid health and joy. May Hashem protect all the captives and have mercy upon them so that no harm befalls......

Read Halacha

The Laws of Blood Found in Eggs

Blood in Eggs Blood found in eggs is forbidden for consumption, for this blood indicates the beginning of the embryotic development of the chick and this chick has the halachic status of “fowl” whose blood is forbidden for consumption by Torah law; thus, the opinion of the Rosh and Tosa......

Read Halacha


 The “Shehecheyanu” Blessing

Our Sages teach us (Eruvin 40b) that one should recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing upon seeing a new fruit that renews once a year. Even if one sees this fruit in the hands of another person or on the tree, one should recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing. Nevertheless, the P......

Read Halacha

Parashat Terumah

From HaGaon Rav Zevadia HaCohen Shlit”a, The Head of the Batei Din in Tel Aviv (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK) The Difference Between Moshe and Betzalel [Understanding Why Betzalel Was Able to Make the Menorah, Whilst Moshe Couldn’t] This Sh......

Read Halacha

The Holiday of Sukkot

The Gemara (Sukkah 11b) explains that the Mitzvah of Sukkah is in commemoration of the clouds of glory that surrounded our ancestors when they left Egypt. The Gemara (Ta’anit 9a) states: “Three great leaders arose for the Jewish nation: Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam. Hashem gave the Jewis......

Read Halacha

So that We May Refrain from the Injustice of Our Hands

During the Ne’ilah prayer, the prayer that culminates all the Days of Awe recited towards the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we state: “And You, Hashem our G-d, have given us this Yom Kippur etc. for pardon, forgiveness, and atonement so that we may refrain from the injustice of our hands and......

Read Halacha