So, next shabbos, the Monsey community will be the recipient of chizzuk, courtesy of the Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva. This is the second year that Beis Medrash Govoha has done this, and they did this program in Brooklyn as well. This is, of course, a thinly veiled fund-raising event, but I have a couple questions surrounding this concept.
1) Why should the Monsey Jewish Community be made to feel as if we need Lakewood in order to get chizzuk? We have our own rebbeim and roshe yeshiva.
2) The concept of tzedakka. No one is saying that supporting torah isn't important. But, mosdos in Monsey are struggling - the chedarim, shuls, schools, and tzedakka organizations that support our community. Why should I give money to Lakewood? It's not "aniyei ircha kodem" and it's not Eretz Yisroel.
I believe that the Rabbonim of the 5 Towns instituted a policy that communal money should stay and support local mosdos. All communities should do the same thing. I fail to see the importance of financially supporting out-of-town yeshivos, which Lakewood is albeit on a larger scale, while local mosdos are struggling. Communal money, as a klal, needs to stay local.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A Poem and A Message
My cousin is a doctor, a military reservist, and currently on a 3 month tour of duty in Iraq. This was part of his latest e-mail:
I am honestly not trying to be modest, but I want everyone to know that I am simply doing what we should all be doing as observant Jews. We should be engaging the world we live in, and sharing with all people in every part of our lives what we know to be Torat Emet. As Frum Jews, we need to change our perspective and focus outward. We will not be able to bring Moshiach by focusing on ourselves alone. And the way to do this is not to "do kiruv" by intentionally trying to be "mekarev" people. It is by doing what we do every day while being conscious of the fact that people are looking at us and taking "notes", they want to know the right path, and if our path is seen as darchei Noam, then we will win. If our path is seen as selfish and insular and unconcerned with the welfare of others, then we will lose, and worse, The Torah will lose.
I recently received a poem from my Uncle Abe Sharp which I thought was one of the best commentaries i have ever seen on the state of orthodoxy today. Please forgive me if I quote it here, and again, feel free to skip it if you are not interested in a drasha right now.
Twas the night before Cratzmach—Nittel Nacht, as it’s known,
And as my wife cleared the table, and I sat alone,
I pondered how to spend this long Friday eve,
Torah learning being forbidden on this annual reprieve.
That new Halacha Sefer would just have to wait,
And I hoped that in the meantime I didn’t violate,
One of the many prohibitions, an ever-growing list,
In that tome so heavy it could snap off your wrist.
It seemed as if each week a new Chumrah emerged,
Another vegetable outlawed or triple-washing urged;
A book or a song or technology banned,
By some Kol Koreh or Rabbi’s command.
Did we really need Hechshers on water and ice?
(And even if we did, wouldn’t one suffice?)
There were bans on music—both Jewish and non,
Bans on the sites to which we could log on.
Bans on produce and on non-Kosher phones,
(Although the ban on tax fraud seemed to be postponed.)
Bans on what views qualified as Mesorah,
All duly determined by omniscient Daas Torah.
When will it end, I thought to myself,
And as I gazed at my Seforim, asleep on their shelf;
I set aside these thoughts; they must be a test,
After all, our Gedolim surely know best.
I dimmed my KosherLamp and headed up to bed,
While visions of Kefirah danced in my head;
When all of a sudden, the stillness was shattered;
I ran to the window to see what was the matter;
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a flying old wagon, pulled by eight reindeer;
The wagon had seen better days, and it showed,
And there on its side blinked a light—“Sabbath Mode.”
Like eight soaring eagles, his reindeer they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Shmuel! now, Amos! now, Yona and Yeshayahu!
On, Nachum! on, Micha! on, Chagai and Yirmiyahu!
As I watched in amazement they circled my roof,
And gracefully landed on padded split hoofs.
I had heard all the legends but still was confused,
Since when did Santa start visiting Jews?
But it soon became clear that this wasn’t Saint Nick,
It was the prophet Elijah, his beard long and thick.
“So sayeth the Lord,” boomed my surprise late-night guest.
He’s sent me to tell you that He’s none too impressed.
While Chumras proliferate and bans, they abound;
His eternal message remains to be found.
Treat all of your fellow creations with respect,
Whether or not you share the same sect.
Be honest and true—yes, even with Goyim,
And those fruits and those veggies, go ahead and enjoy ‘em!
Don’t be a KosherLamp, hoarding its light,
But an Or LaGoyim, showing everyone what’s right.
The letter of the law is nothing without its spirit,
And let me tell you something, buddy, you’re nowhere near it.
You think He’s proud of Minyanim in jail?
Of religious Jews by the hundreds on bail?
Of scammers and thieves proudly wearing black hats?
Does the third Hechsher on your dish soap make up for that?
Before I could open my mouth to reply,
He turned his back and yelled “Gotta fly!”
I just stood there in shock, and watched him take flight,
And as the reindeer-drawn wagon faded into the night;
I stared up at the sky and wondered, confused,
Were we on the wrong track, as people, as Jews?
So caught up in the details, but missing the big picture,
Seeking God only through stricture after stricture?
Maybe it was time to take a step back,
To open up to the world around us, just a crack.
Not every development needs to be banned,
Not every new idea dismissed out of hand.
There are many types of Jews, of all different stripes,
And perhaps our shared bond should overshadow the gripes.
Could this be the message of this one night each year?
To step away from Torah, and our senses to clear?
Maybe, just maybe, it will all be allright,
HAPPY NITTEL NACHT TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
I am honestly not trying to be modest, but I want everyone to know that I am simply doing what we should all be doing as observant Jews. We should be engaging the world we live in, and sharing with all people in every part of our lives what we know to be Torat Emet. As Frum Jews, we need to change our perspective and focus outward. We will not be able to bring Moshiach by focusing on ourselves alone. And the way to do this is not to "do kiruv" by intentionally trying to be "mekarev" people. It is by doing what we do every day while being conscious of the fact that people are looking at us and taking "notes", they want to know the right path, and if our path is seen as darchei Noam, then we will win. If our path is seen as selfish and insular and unconcerned with the welfare of others, then we will lose, and worse, The Torah will lose.
I recently received a poem from my Uncle Abe Sharp which I thought was one of the best commentaries i have ever seen on the state of orthodoxy today. Please forgive me if I quote it here, and again, feel free to skip it if you are not interested in a drasha right now.
Twas the night before Cratzmach—Nittel Nacht, as it’s known,
And as my wife cleared the table, and I sat alone,
I pondered how to spend this long Friday eve,
Torah learning being forbidden on this annual reprieve.
That new Halacha Sefer would just have to wait,
And I hoped that in the meantime I didn’t violate,
One of the many prohibitions, an ever-growing list,
In that tome so heavy it could snap off your wrist.
It seemed as if each week a new Chumrah emerged,
Another vegetable outlawed or triple-washing urged;
A book or a song or technology banned,
By some Kol Koreh or Rabbi’s command.
Did we really need Hechshers on water and ice?
(And even if we did, wouldn’t one suffice?)
There were bans on music—both Jewish and non,
Bans on the sites to which we could log on.
Bans on produce and on non-Kosher phones,
(Although the ban on tax fraud seemed to be postponed.)
Bans on what views qualified as Mesorah,
All duly determined by omniscient Daas Torah.
When will it end, I thought to myself,
And as I gazed at my Seforim, asleep on their shelf;
I set aside these thoughts; they must be a test,
After all, our Gedolim surely know best.
I dimmed my KosherLamp and headed up to bed,
While visions of Kefirah danced in my head;
When all of a sudden, the stillness was shattered;
I ran to the window to see what was the matter;
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a flying old wagon, pulled by eight reindeer;
The wagon had seen better days, and it showed,
And there on its side blinked a light—“Sabbath Mode.”
Like eight soaring eagles, his reindeer they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Shmuel! now, Amos! now, Yona and Yeshayahu!
On, Nachum! on, Micha! on, Chagai and Yirmiyahu!
As I watched in amazement they circled my roof,
And gracefully landed on padded split hoofs.
I had heard all the legends but still was confused,
Since when did Santa start visiting Jews?
But it soon became clear that this wasn’t Saint Nick,
It was the prophet Elijah, his beard long and thick.
“So sayeth the Lord,” boomed my surprise late-night guest.
He’s sent me to tell you that He’s none too impressed.
While Chumras proliferate and bans, they abound;
His eternal message remains to be found.
Treat all of your fellow creations with respect,
Whether or not you share the same sect.
Be honest and true—yes, even with Goyim,
And those fruits and those veggies, go ahead and enjoy ‘em!
Don’t be a KosherLamp, hoarding its light,
But an Or LaGoyim, showing everyone what’s right.
The letter of the law is nothing without its spirit,
And let me tell you something, buddy, you’re nowhere near it.
You think He’s proud of Minyanim in jail?
Of religious Jews by the hundreds on bail?
Of scammers and thieves proudly wearing black hats?
Does the third Hechsher on your dish soap make up for that?
Before I could open my mouth to reply,
He turned his back and yelled “Gotta fly!”
I just stood there in shock, and watched him take flight,
And as the reindeer-drawn wagon faded into the night;
I stared up at the sky and wondered, confused,
Were we on the wrong track, as people, as Jews?
So caught up in the details, but missing the big picture,
Seeking God only through stricture after stricture?
Maybe it was time to take a step back,
To open up to the world around us, just a crack.
Not every development needs to be banned,
Not every new idea dismissed out of hand.
There are many types of Jews, of all different stripes,
And perhaps our shared bond should overshadow the gripes.
Could this be the message of this one night each year?
To step away from Torah, and our senses to clear?
Maybe, just maybe, it will all be allright,
HAPPY NITTEL NACHT TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Many moons ago, when I worked at the Bonkers Bagels store in Har Nof, some of my younger co-workers were blasting rock music from behind the counter. A ba'al habas asked us to please shut it off stating, and it's something that has stayed with me, that a hechsher on an establishment goes beyond the kashrus of the food. It goes to the environment of the store as well, and the envirronment w/ the rock music was not fitting to have a hechsher.
Over the past 10 years or so, the concept of going away for Pesach (all yom tovim at this point, actually) has exploded in popularity for numerous reasons. While I, personally, would not go, I understand others that do. My questions are as follows:
1) If the whole hotel isn't taken over, the non-jewish atmosphere remains. Can that have a hechsher?
2) Where is the chinuch better - at home or a hotel?
I bring this up now b/c of this, from a post on Life In Israel:
The frum newspapers are always full of advertisements for frum vacation packages, also known as "chufshat mehadrin". They go all sorts of places, from taking over hotels in Eilat, Tiberias, Safed, and even locations outside of the country such as in Turkey, Italy, Switzerland and other places. They advertise that they "kasher" the hotel and make it mehadrin for the duration of the vacation package.
That all might be coming to an end.
The Rabbinic Committee for Vacation Atmosphere (what don't they have a rabbinic committee for??) has decided to put an end to such vacation packages billing themselves as mehadrin. They have gone to Rav Wosner and presented before him the facts of a vacation package billing itself as mehadrin claiming to have created a mehadrin vacation for women in Eilat. They have shown Rav Wosner that there is nothign mehadrin about the vacation except perhaps the food.
The hotel is not taken over completely by the group, but there are other guests there as well, in there immodest attire. In addition, there are televisions in the rooms. Along with other problems such as people's behavior in the area and being outside where the atmosphere is far from mehadrin.
Based on their testimony, Rav Wosner has decided to publish a letter saying that these packages should not be considered mehadrin and people should avoid them.
I've always wondered what took the rabbonim so long to not speak about going away to hotels as a problem and I've always wondered why hechsher organizations provide hechsherim to these packages.
Over the past 10 years or so, the concept of going away for Pesach (all yom tovim at this point, actually) has exploded in popularity for numerous reasons. While I, personally, would not go, I understand others that do. My questions are as follows:
1) If the whole hotel isn't taken over, the non-jewish atmosphere remains. Can that have a hechsher?
2) Where is the chinuch better - at home or a hotel?
I bring this up now b/c of this, from a post on Life In Israel:
The frum newspapers are always full of advertisements for frum vacation packages, also known as "chufshat mehadrin". They go all sorts of places, from taking over hotels in Eilat, Tiberias, Safed, and even locations outside of the country such as in Turkey, Italy, Switzerland and other places. They advertise that they "kasher" the hotel and make it mehadrin for the duration of the vacation package.
That all might be coming to an end.
The Rabbinic Committee for Vacation Atmosphere (what don't they have a rabbinic committee for??) has decided to put an end to such vacation packages billing themselves as mehadrin. They have gone to Rav Wosner and presented before him the facts of a vacation package billing itself as mehadrin claiming to have created a mehadrin vacation for women in Eilat. They have shown Rav Wosner that there is nothign mehadrin about the vacation except perhaps the food.
The hotel is not taken over completely by the group, but there are other guests there as well, in there immodest attire. In addition, there are televisions in the rooms. Along with other problems such as people's behavior in the area and being outside where the atmosphere is far from mehadrin.
Based on their testimony, Rav Wosner has decided to publish a letter saying that these packages should not be considered mehadrin and people should avoid them.
I've always wondered what took the rabbonim so long to not speak about going away to hotels as a problem and I've always wondered why hechsher organizations provide hechsherim to these packages.
Do you think it's a problem?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Rabbinical Proclamations and the Need for Restraint
While I doubt the topic will engender any real deabte, I think most of you will agree with me, I'll post it anyway.
There has recently been two publicly debated kol korehs, one in Israel and one in the USA. I refer to, of course, the ban on VosIzNeias and the ban on Selling Apartment to Arabs. On one of the blogs I frequent, Emes Ve-Emunah, he closes with the following:
"I say the following with the greatest amount of respect. I say it precisely because I do believe these people are leaders despite their repeated mistakes– and that their voices should be heard.
In my view all future requests for bans be rejected. If for example they perceive a problem with a website they should speak out. They should explain objections and the Halachic and Hashkafic issues. But in no way should they ever put their names to anything like this ever again if they want to maintain whatever credibility they have left. Perhaps by doing so they will be able to rebuild their stature as effective rabbinic leaders to even greater numbers of people."
I wholeheartedly agree with this. There's an old saying amongst lawyers "Never write what you can say, and never say what you can communicate with a wink and a nod." Or something along those lines. My problem with the ban on the apartments, for example, was not the p'sak halacha per se, but the fact that it was publicized. For an individual to ask a shaila and obtain that same p'sak is no problem whatsoever. But not every p'sak needs to be published for the whole world to read and hear, and certainly not to have various rabbonim sign their names to it. Things must be done with an eye towards public perception as well.
As well, I was under the impression that rabbonim don't pasken shailas that won't be listened to by the masses. Or, rather, I thought that was so in Talmudic times. I question whether the ban on VIN doesn't fall under such category. I would think that there are few people that go on the internet who would also listen to this p'sak. I could be wrong, but I tend to doubt it. In fact, I think this is more of a case of bad publicity is better than no publicity. By publicly issuing this ban, more debate about and, one would thing, more web traffic has gone to, VIN than ever before.
So, the question I pose is when and under what circumstances is a public proclamation called for?
There has recently been two publicly debated kol korehs, one in Israel and one in the USA. I refer to, of course, the ban on VosIzNeias and the ban on Selling Apartment to Arabs. On one of the blogs I frequent, Emes Ve-Emunah, he closes with the following:
"I say the following with the greatest amount of respect. I say it precisely because I do believe these people are leaders despite their repeated mistakes– and that their voices should be heard.
In my view all future requests for bans be rejected. If for example they perceive a problem with a website they should speak out. They should explain objections and the Halachic and Hashkafic issues. But in no way should they ever put their names to anything like this ever again if they want to maintain whatever credibility they have left. Perhaps by doing so they will be able to rebuild their stature as effective rabbinic leaders to even greater numbers of people."
I wholeheartedly agree with this. There's an old saying amongst lawyers "Never write what you can say, and never say what you can communicate with a wink and a nod." Or something along those lines. My problem with the ban on the apartments, for example, was not the p'sak halacha per se, but the fact that it was publicized. For an individual to ask a shaila and obtain that same p'sak is no problem whatsoever. But not every p'sak needs to be published for the whole world to read and hear, and certainly not to have various rabbonim sign their names to it. Things must be done with an eye towards public perception as well.
As well, I was under the impression that rabbonim don't pasken shailas that won't be listened to by the masses. Or, rather, I thought that was so in Talmudic times. I question whether the ban on VIN doesn't fall under such category. I would think that there are few people that go on the internet who would also listen to this p'sak. I could be wrong, but I tend to doubt it. In fact, I think this is more of a case of bad publicity is better than no publicity. By publicly issuing this ban, more debate about and, one would thing, more web traffic has gone to, VIN than ever before.
So, the question I pose is when and under what circumstances is a public proclamation called for?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Looking for Yad HaShem
Events happen. Life happens. Seemingly at random, but HaShem is the One who is guiding it all, even as it unfolds. It is only when we look back upon the events that occurred can we begin, maybe – if we are lucky – to see how that which has happened was no mere accident. How that which was seemingly bad was for our benefit. How it is truly Yad HaShem that was involved in the events that “happened.
On December 31, 2008, my wife gave birth to triplets. Having been on bed rest, both at home and in the hospital, my employer had been very gracious up until that point allowing me to come in late and leave early to be home for my older children. But, in February of 2009, I was let go ostensibly b/c of the low amount of work volume coming in – a result of them then current economic conditions in the nation. How was I to pay bills? How was I to maintain health insurance, especially important with children who required medical intervention, surgeries, hospital stays, and critical care. As a part of the government stimulus plan, the federal gov’t agreed to pay 65% of the costs of COBRA health insurance coverage for those people who were terminated from employment for a 9 month period. I qualified.”
Over the next few months, as I began looking for work, I was also available to help my wife and children at a moment in time when I was needed around the house more than ever. Fortunately, I was able to find “temporary” work, at a location extremely close to my house. Paid by the hour, there were no guarantees, but there was at least some income. And would a regular, steady, “full-time” position have allowed me the flexibility needed to leave as-needed to go home or the hospital for a full year? I hardly think so.
While the project for which I was initially hired to do has long since been over, I am still there, at the “temporary” place of employment, working on other projects. However, with the federal gov’t COBRA period of 9 months ending, how am I going to afford health insurance, a much needed item? In December 2009 the gov’t extended the 65% plan for another 6 months.
I don’t know what the future will hold, but in looking back I can clearly see Yad HaShem in everything that has occurred and that where I am is where I am supposed to be.
On December 31, 2008, my wife gave birth to triplets. Having been on bed rest, both at home and in the hospital, my employer had been very gracious up until that point allowing me to come in late and leave early to be home for my older children. But, in February of 2009, I was let go ostensibly b/c of the low amount of work volume coming in – a result of them then current economic conditions in the nation. How was I to pay bills? How was I to maintain health insurance, especially important with children who required medical intervention, surgeries, hospital stays, and critical care. As a part of the government stimulus plan, the federal gov’t agreed to pay 65% of the costs of COBRA health insurance coverage for those people who were terminated from employment for a 9 month period. I qualified.”
Over the next few months, as I began looking for work, I was also available to help my wife and children at a moment in time when I was needed around the house more than ever. Fortunately, I was able to find “temporary” work, at a location extremely close to my house. Paid by the hour, there were no guarantees, but there was at least some income. And would a regular, steady, “full-time” position have allowed me the flexibility needed to leave as-needed to go home or the hospital for a full year? I hardly think so.
While the project for which I was initially hired to do has long since been over, I am still there, at the “temporary” place of employment, working on other projects. However, with the federal gov’t COBRA period of 9 months ending, how am I going to afford health insurance, a much needed item? In December 2009 the gov’t extended the 65% plan for another 6 months.
I don’t know what the future will hold, but in looking back I can clearly see Yad HaShem in everything that has occurred and that where I am is where I am supposed to be.
Tatty, I'm Here
"My 5 year old son still comes into my bed almost every night. A lot of the time I'm so deeply asleep I don't even feel it. But, sometimes, like last night, I was slightly awake when he came in and whispered 'Tatty, I'm here.'
He has said that before when he comes in, and I don't know why. Is it to let me know to move over, to make room for him? Is it because he wakes up and imagines that I am lonely at 3:30 in the morning, and he's letting me know that it's ok - that he's there?
And, isn't that what we want to tell HaShem, our Tatty? Tatty, we are here. You're not alone in this golus, in this night.....and if You'll only move over and let us in next to You, we will come in?
Tatty, we're here."
He has said that before when he comes in, and I don't know why. Is it to let me know to move over, to make room for him? Is it because he wakes up and imagines that I am lonely at 3:30 in the morning, and he's letting me know that it's ok - that he's there?
And, isn't that what we want to tell HaShem, our Tatty? Tatty, we are here. You're not alone in this golus, in this night.....and if You'll only move over and let us in next to You, we will come in?
Tatty, we're here."
Monday, December 21, 2009
Hindsight is 20/20
In February of this year (2009), I was laid off. Boruch HaShem, I was able to locate a temporary position extremely close to my house. Supposed to only last 1-2 months, the time keeps extending. Only now, looking back over that time, can I see what a blessing it was.
Over the past year, we were zoche to bring our babies home from the hospital and the going has not only been easy. My son has been in and out (mostly out) of the hospital with in-patient treatments, surgeries, and extended stays in rehab centers. Although leaving work also means losing out on money - as a temp employee I get paid by the hour so no work = no pay - it also means I have the flexability to take off as I see fit as long as I also get the job done. A "real" position would have meant that I cannot go over my alloted vacation/holiday/sick days.
Although health insurance is still a big question, overall, I have enjoyed the time I've speant at the place of employment where I've been. I guess it is true....hindsight is 20/20 and, more importantly, HaShem knows what He is doing when He causes events to occur.
Over the past year, we were zoche to bring our babies home from the hospital and the going has not only been easy. My son has been in and out (mostly out) of the hospital with in-patient treatments, surgeries, and extended stays in rehab centers. Although leaving work also means losing out on money - as a temp employee I get paid by the hour so no work = no pay - it also means I have the flexability to take off as I see fit as long as I also get the job done. A "real" position would have meant that I cannot go over my alloted vacation/holiday/sick days.
Although health insurance is still a big question, overall, I have enjoyed the time I've speant at the place of employment where I've been. I guess it is true....hindsight is 20/20 and, more importantly, HaShem knows what He is doing when He causes events to occur.
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