Thursday 16 January 2014

Great Expectorations - Questions

Re: Spitting in Shul

Background Sources:
1. S"A O"Ch 151:7
2. B'er Haggolah 30 citing both Bavli and Y'rushalmi
3. Ba'er Heiteiv 9
4. M"B 24
5. Sha'ar Hatziyyun 15

Summary of Sources:
1. M'chabeir one may spit in shul provided that -
A. Either One rubs it out with one's feet
B. Or that One spits into "guemmee" so it it is invisible.

2. Bavli Y'rushalmi permits

3.
A. Davka not during T'filah
B. The Arizal never allowed it even NOT during T'fillah

4.
A. Not during T'filah
B. One should be careful not lest chaveiro will be disgusted [citing Hagigah 5]
C. The Arizal was nizhar

5. The Arizal was apparently advocating Middat Hassidut because the G'mara permits it.
Then we wonder re: "Asheereem" who never spit in their homes, if so the same should apply to the shul or Beis Midrash

Questions:
1'. Due to sources 4B and 5 re: the well-to-do, would the heter of the Talmud no longer apply in our society, because we do not spit in our homes?

Or since the Talmud + S"A permit, it's still OK?

2'. Based upon 1B would using "spitoons" nowadays make it OK ?


Kol Tuv,
RRW

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