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From: Russell Hendel <rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu>
Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 13:11:44 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Are men raising children exempt from Time-bound commandments?

Stuart Wise asked the above question in Vol 28#62. I think most people
would regard it as clear that such a person is NOT exempt and the real
point of Stuarts question is for a source.

I found an obscure Rambam on a similar question that arises in Witness
Law: Relatives are invalid as witnesses, so e.g. a brother cannot
testify that his brother made a loan. Presumably the reason might be
because of the strong emotional bond between relatives.

The Rambam answers this in Witnesses 13:15. Presumably the same logic
would apply to Stuarts question:

>>The invalidation of relatives as witnesses is NOT because
>>they are presumed to like each other. Indeed,the invalidation
>>holds whether the relative testifies FOR or AGAINST. Rather
>>the proper perspective is that this invalidation law is
>>a **Divine Decree(without further reason)**. Furthermore
>>it would follow that a close friend or strong enemy are
>>**valid** witnesses even though frieds and enemy's are
>>invalid for being Judges. For the Torah only decreed
>>(witness) invalidation on relatives.

Russell Jay Hendel; Phd ASA RHendel@mcs.drexel.edu
Moderator; Rashi Is Simple; http://www.shamash.org/rashi/