יום ה Date: 3 Nissan, 5774 (4/3/14) – Beitzah#4 {Eliezer}

DISAPPEARANCE –

Gemarah [4a top]: Mixtures involving permitted foods and of small amounts of prohibited items are permitted due to Bitul. What does it mean to have something become Batul? Of course, it means that the item becomes insignificant within a mixture and the sum is thereby Halahically (lawfully) permissible. But the prohibited item is still PHYSICALLY there! There is no doubt a “non-Kosher” item will ultimately be consumed?! Halacha, in actuality, always defines reality. Because it is viewed as spiritually Kosher when Batul-ized, that becomes the physical realness.

E’s Lesson#1: We Jews are never “bound” by the physical world. Hashem taught us this lesson when He took us out of Mitzrayim (Egypt). Now-a-days, we are not worthy of outright “revealed” miracles, but we are always being blessed with “hidden” miracles. Just because a boss, judge, or doctor says something is so, that does not mean that it is ever conclusively determined one bit. Hashem is always in control and with proper Emunah (faith) the ‘impossible’ becomes possible.

No EGGScuses –

R’ Ashi [4a middle]: If an egg (or the chicken from which it came) was not set aside for YomTov the egg is prohibited, but if it was it is permitted. But what about for non-Jews?
R’ Rosner: Ever Min Hachai (ripping a limb off of a live animal to eat) has stricter ramifications by non-Jews than Jews (this is because Jews have an applicable oral law which legally allows more than just blanket prohibitions, but non-Jews only have the concrete 7 Noahide laws).
Chassam Sofer (Beitzim in Yoreh Daiya): This prohibition applies to eggs as well. Non-Jews may not ever eat eggs (according to the Chassam Sofer’s view) and Jews may not sell eggs to non-Jews because it would be “Lifnei Iver lo Setain Michshol” (one may not place a stumbling block before a blind person, ‘causing one to sin more easily on your account’).

E’s Lesson#2: We may not always be able to stop someone else from sinning (due to physical limitations, or unwillingness by the opposite party to listen). However, it IS incumbent upon us not to give someone else the open door opportunity, knowing that he/she will likely walk through it [ie: do not talk about someone who the other person hates (even in good terms), because they will most likely come to speaking evil about the individual]. Do our best within our own means to prevent sin emanating from ourselves, and shield others from having the opportunity to fault when it is within your appropriate means.