יום ה Date: 13 Cheshvan, 5774 (11/6/14) – Yevamos#33 {Eliezer}

RETROACTIVE RESULTS

[33a bottom] Gemarah: When one cuts his finger with an impure knife, it is questionable if this is a case when one action causes two simultaneous results (impurity and disqualification). However, in reality, first the knife is picked up and only afterwards is the cut made.
Tosephos Yeshanim: The amount of time is so minimal (before the cut) that it is considered as if it is the same “time” within the increments. Ritva: Toch’ K’dei Dibur [the amount of time it takes to say, “Shalom Aleichem Rebbe”] is the amount of time within when one may go back and fix an error made in speech (ie: a Bracha). This timeframe is applied in our case as well (to join actions together) [based on GM’ Nedarim 89: Even if one tore garments (thinking a relative passed away) before an actual death, but then the relative passed within the Toch K’dei Dibur timeframe, it is considered a valid Mitzvah of tearing].

D-E-ep Thoughts: Many times we plan on doing Mitzvos and good deeds, but the results do not always occur in practicality. Some times in Halacha (Jewish law), there are ways for the commandments to have actually been fulfilled even after the fact! But, Hashem always gives us credit for doing the good deeds if we had the correct intentions to perform them. We must recognize that everything that happens in the world is ONLY a direct result of G-d’s Will, and we can only have the intention for actions to be fulfilled if He wishes for them to actually be.