By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com It is no longer the 50’s and 60’s.  Much like other things in Jewish consumerism (such as $180 Mezuzah cases, $6000 wedding gowns, and $800 Tallis bags and $250 makeup sessions) –  the shul candyman’s inventory, in many shuls, has, well, evolved. In the fifties and sixties the shul candyman had maybe a dozen lollipops and that was it, now many candy men have bags and bags of various candy with all the bells and whistles.  Would it be possible to write an entire sefer on the topic of “the shul candyman?”  Before this topic gets attacked for being excessively frivolous, the reader should be aware that these types of articles do serve to shed light on numerous halachic areas.   What possible topics might be included in such a sefer? In this article we will attempt to explore the following areas of halacha: Is money spent on candy to give out in shul included in “hotzaos Shabbos?” Is money spent on an impressive array of choices of candy also included in hotzaos Shabbos? Is hotzaos Shabbos limited to your own food or would it include others as well? Is it a Mitzvah to give out candy to children to get them to like coming to shul? Is it forbidden because Is it causes children to eat before kiddush? Is there a lifnei Iver (halachic stumbling block) in accustoming children to take part in sweets? Is there lifnei Iver in causing children to walk in front of people that are davening? Is there a lifnei Iver in causing children to lie and steal to get what they want? Is there a lifnei Iver in causing children to throw wrappers on the floor and not pick them up? Is there a lifnei Iver in causing children to talk during shul? HOTZAOS SHABBOS The Gemara (Beitzah 15b) tells us that money we spend for Shabbos and Yom Tov is excluded from the predetermined sum we are destined to make that year. In other words, Hashem covers these expenditures.  The Gemara previously (Beitzah 12a) uses the expression, “Borrow on My account and I shall pay–lavu allai v’ani porei’a.” Hashem covers these expenses and He underwrites the costs. But what does this exemption include?  Is it only food for Shabbos meals? Or does it include other expenses too? TWO VIEWS Rav Meir Brandsdorfer, zt’l, a dayan of the Eidah HaChareidis, in his Knei Bosem (Vol. III #13) writes explicitly that only food and drink are included. He cites as proof that the verse in the eighth chapter of Nechemia only mentions food and drink, and this verse is the source of the entire ruling.  The halachos of the Purim Seudah that the Mitzvah is only during the Seudah may illuminate Rav Bransdorfer’s view too. On the other hand, the Shitah Mekubetzes (Beitzah 15b) cites the Ritva’s view that all expenditures for mitzvos are included within this exemption. In other words, according to the Ritva, you get back any money that you spend on any mitzvah – which would likely include getting children to come to shul and enjoy it. The Gemara itself extends the exemption to expenses for talmud Torah for one’s children and also rosh chodesh as well. Perhaps this might give precedent to be more inclusive of […]

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