יום ג Date: 2 Iyar, 5775 (4/21/15) – Kesuvos#78 {Eliezer}

DETRIMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS

[78a top] Mishnah: If an engaged woman acquires property, Beis Shammai: She may sell them (without needing consent of her future groom), Beis Hillel: She may not sell them (on her own).
Tosephos: This argument between Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel is not recorded as one (of the few times) in which Beis Shammai maintains a lenient opinion. It is an exception because since two people (the bride and the groom) are involved, when it is a leniency for one, it is also at the same time a stringency for the other person.

D-E-ep Thoughts (based on R’ Rosner): Whenever we create stringencies for ourselves, we must make sure that they do not create a leniency (a lacking) in another area [in either our own observance or at the expense of someone else]. Chofetz Chaim: It is great to stay up all night learning Torah, but is it at the expense of a neglect or a loss of concentration for our morning services? We must strive to always improve our ways, while recognizing the effects that we have on the world around us.