Episode Details

🔥 Brushing teeth on Shabbos – four primary halachic approaches  

 – Issue is multi-faceted: **Memareiach**, **Sechitah**, **Hachanah**, **Refuah**, **Melabein**, **Uvdin d’chol**, **Chavalah** are all discussed in the literature.  

 – **View 1 – Rav Soloveitchik / Rav Hershel Schachter**:  

  – Permits **normal toothbrushing** on Shabbos with:  

   – Regular toothpaste  

   – Wet toothbrush  

   – Rinsing the toothbrush afterward  

  – Memareiach: Unlike smoothing a surface, brushing does not **grind down/smooth the teeth themselves**, only removes plaque.  

  – Hachanah concern (washing toothbrush “for after Shabbos”):  

   – Rav Schachter said it is **for cleanliness and Shabbos oneg**, not to prepare for after Shabbos (e.g., to avoid spouse being upset at a messy bathroom on Shabbos).  

 – **View 2 – Rav Ovadia Yosef**:  

  – Allows **wet toothbrush** and **regular toothpaste**.  

  – Requires a **designated Shabbos toothbrush** to avoid **Uvdin d’chol** (weekday-like behavior).  

  – Advises **not washing the toothbrush** afterward due to **Hachanah** concerns.  

 – **View 3 – Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach / Rav Elyashiv (Rav Elyashiv Weinberg cited)**:  

  – Forbids **regular toothpaste** due to **Memareiach**.  

  – Allows **liquid toothpaste**.  

  – Not particularly concerned with **Sechitah** when using liquid toothpaste.  

 – **View 4 – Rav Moshe Feinstein** (followed by Rav Willig in practice):  

  – Forbids using **any paste/gel** due to **Memareiach** when the paste is spread over the teeth.  

  – Squeezing toothpaste from the tube is **not the issue**; the issue is smoothing it on the teeth.  

  – Forbids **wetting the toothbrush** before brushing because of **Sechitah**.  

  – Forbids **washing off the toothbrush** afterward because of **Hachanah** (preparation for post-Shabbos use).  

  – Recommended method:  

   – Put **mouthwash** in the mouth.  

   – Use a **dry toothbrush** to brush while the mouthwash is in the mouth.  

   – Avoid turning on **hot water** (Bishul concerns).  

   – Do **not** rinse off the toothbrush after.  

💼 Office Mincha with a Gerer chassid who skips Tachanun at Mincha  

 – **Gerer minhag**: Not to say **Tachanun at Mincha** (ever).  

 – If the **minyan location “belongs” to the Gerer** (e.g., his office, or he “owns/runs” the place):  

  – “Ba’al habayis, minhago” – he can set the **minhag of that place**.  

  – Others generally follow that minhag, as with a Sefardi-run minyan factory where **Birkat Kohanim is daily**; Ashkenazi Kohanim participate since the hosts’ minhag governs.  

 – If it is **not his space** and the minyan is more “neutral”:  

  – One person’s private minhag (e.g., a single Gerer) **should not override** the general minhag of the group.  

  – It is appropriate to have others **daven for the amud** so Tachanun is not regularly dropped.  

 – Distinction from Rav Shlomo Zalman:  

  – If a place has a **real minhag not to say Tachanun**, one follows that minhag.  

  – If Tachanun is skipped **simply to shorten davening** with no minhag basis, one should **say Tachanun** anyway.  

🕍 Wearing a tallis over the head – who, when, and where in davening  

 – **Source and status of Atifa (covering the head with tallis)**:  

  – Gemara in Kiddushin and Magen Avraham:  

   – **Unmarried men** do **not** do **Atifas haRosh**.  

   – Atifa originally associated with **Talmidei Chachamim / distinguished people**.  

  – Gemara in Berachos: **Kos shel beracha with zimun** requires Atifa.  

   – By **kal vachomer**, **devarim shebikdusha** (which require a minyan) should also have Atifa.  

  – Common practice:  

   – **Shemoneh Esrei** and **Kaddish / Borchu / Kedusha** said with **