Ta Shmah

The State and Holocaust Survivors

2007-08-15T07:03:00.000-04:00

In the past few weeks there has been a recent reports on how well or poorly Israel treats its Holocaust survivors. This is a recent JPost article on the matter. Its been reported that the government will give each survivor 85NIS per month. I've never been able to figure out how they came up with that figure coming to about $20/month. It's a ridiculously low number.

It seems to me that Israel has an obligation to provide for these people. The Nazi's brought them to the lowest of the low, a government dehumanized them; here in Israel, the Jewish state, we should re-humanize them. We should pay them whatever it should take just to survive. If it's 1500NIS/month then they should get it without any qualifications.

It occurred to me that we should also ask them to help Yad Vashem - tell their stories, whatever they can do to keep the historical account up to date and accurate. Write letters to convince others to tell their stories or speak to tourists. Do this and we'll give you another 500NIS/month. It's not a job, its a right that they get just for being who they are.

Anything less than giving them full support is tantamount to do what the Nazis did, dehumanized them.

So I've been in Israel for a Week

2007-08-06T08:45:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm posting from Israel I guess that makes me an Israeli blogger - but since I'm not an Oleh, oh well, maybe not.

Anyway, the past week has been full of crazy adventures. Somethings don't sound so crazy, but with out lack of comfort with Hebrew they turn out to be. We bought an oven from this guy in Mea Shearim and had it delivered to Efrat. We bought some furniture from a couple leaving the Kollel, however, it was so heavy four Kollel guys couldn't move the lightest piece. We hired two Arab workers to move the three pieces for 100 shekels total. Insane.

My wife had interviews - for this year and next - at Midreshet Rachel and Pardes. I was impressed with both places but for very different reasons. I hope it all goes well for her there.

Israel's been really great, the adjustments are sometimes hard. We had no furniture in our apartment when we arrived and our lift is still tw0-weeks out so we've had to buy things one at a time. Dealing with Bezeq setting up DSL and then finding an internet provider. Next thing is to find bookshelves and start reading blogs again and then in two weeks class starts.

It's stress, but good stress. And I love the breeze here in Efrat.

Tisha B'Av and Moving to Israel

2007-07-23T18:34:00.000-04:00

Tonight is erev Tisha B'Av. It's always been a very hard day for me; to understand the imagery that we find in Eicha. Two years ago I sat at the Kotel all day trying to feel the destruction - but I can't - it's so much easier for me to feel the destruction of the nation through the Holocaust, the descriptions provided in the megillah of what the populace went through during the siege. This is why most shuls watch Holocaust movies - because we cannot connect to the Temple - despite our best efforts most of us cannot do it.

XGH says that this phenomenon is proof that we don't really want the Temple back; I don't think so, it's been 2,000 hard years and we - today's Jews - don't really get it. So we take other aspects of Tisha B'Av the other calamities that have befallen us on this day and connect to those.

Is it bad to do so? No, I don't think so, since it's also an integral part of the day. But this year I'm going to make a concerted effort - like I've done in the past - to think about the Avoda in the Beit HaMikdash and what the Churban really was.

I found RWAC's post to be truly moving, because I feel that I will come out of Tisha B'Av feeling very like that. Today I will accept God's judgment, but I'm moving to Israel in a week. I have the pain of packing and moving boxes in my arms and legs; I can't forget that. There is a day after Tisha B'Av and on Tu B'Av I will move to Israel.

This year's Tisha B'Av promises to not be the average Tisha B'Av. It will be hard and special in it's own way.

Alan Dershowitz on Jimmy Carter

2007-07-18T15:12:00.000-04:00

As I start Rabbinical School in less than a month I'm writing a number of posts on American politics so that I can exhaust that section for a while. Torah will become the focus of this blog soon.

This post is copied from The Huffington Post's blog:

When Jimmy Carter used the word "apartheid" in the title of his book, Palestine Peace Not Apartheid, he knew it would deeply offend many Israelis, Jews and other supporters of Israel's efforts to make peace with its Arab neighbors. Yet he deliberately chose that deeply offensive word precisely in order to provoke. As Jeffrey Goldberg of The Washington Post said, it was a case of "bait and switch," since in the text of the book, the word apartheid appears only three times and Carter goes out of his way to explain that what he believe Israel is doing "is unlike in South Africa -- not racism...."
Carter was cautioned by friends not to use the inaccurate and provocative word apartheid, but he insisted on putting it in his title, knowing full well how deeply offensive it would be to so many.

Contrast Carter's insensitivity toward his Jewish readers with his extraordinary oversensitivity toward Muslim readers of Salmon Rushdie's controversial book, The Satanic Verses. When Rushdie was sentenced to death in absentia by the Ayatollah Khomeini, and when Khomeini offered "paradise" to anyone who would murder Rushdie, Carter did not leap to the defense of the threatened author. Instead, he condemned him for his "direct insult to the millions of Muslims whose sacred beliefs have been violated and are suffering in restrained silence..." To be sure, Carter recited the obligatory defense of freedom of speech ("while Rushdie's First Amendment freedoms are important ...), and the obligatory criticism of Khomeini ("it is our duty to condemn the threat of murder....), it is clear that his true sympathies lie with the offended Muslims. This is what he wrote in his article entitled "Rushdie's Book Is An Insult:"

"This is the kind of intercultural wound that is difficult to heal. Western leaders should make it clear that in protecting Rushdie's life and civil rights, there is no endorsement of an insult to the sacred beliefs of our Moslem friends.

We must remember that Iranian and other fundamentalists are not the only Moslems involved. Around the world there are millions of others who are waiting for a thoughtful and constructive response to their concerns."

Carter was relatively silent when millions of Muslims were on a rampage against the Danish cartoons that depicted Mohammed (some positively, others negatively).

His sensitivity seems limited to Muslims and Christians. This is what he said about the film, The Last Temptation of Christ:

...the sacreligious scenes were still distressing to me and many others who share my faith. There is little doubt that the movie producers and Scorsese, a professed Christian, anticipated adverse public reactions and capitalized on them.

Yet Carter fully "anticipated" and "capitalized" on the deliberately offensive title of his best-selling book. Nor do I recall any condemnation by him of Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, that was deeply offensive to many Jews.

Jimmy Carter's sensitivities seem to have a gaping hole when it comes to Jews. There is a term for that.

It's a little late; okay, a lot late, but I think his observations are right on the money. It's errors of obmission that have plagued Carter's policies since he took the oath of office. Presidents and other politicians, however, are no super-humans they are allowed to make mistakes; but every so often they need to admit to them.

Carter - and I wrote my thesis on his public speeches regarding the Camp David Accords - has never tried to put Israel's interests first. It was always what would Israel give up to get Peace - as if peace was only desired on one side. During the Accords there was a lot of rhetoric tossed around trying to get Sadat to come to the table without looking weak, very little desire to court Begin. Carter never cared about what was good for Israel or the Jews; should we be surprised then that his book only cared for one side and not an honest look for the truth?

Al Gore: Soothsayer of Truth...

2007-07-05T18:45:00.000-04:00

Al Gore: Soothsayer of Truth...
by Michelle Kraus

The debacle of the Scooter Libby conviction and sentence commutation further "assaults" our Democracy

The popularity of Barack Obama finally makes sense after this week's Scooter Libby events. Al Gore is right again. There is an "assault on reason." We are living in a country starved for a vision: one of democracy and hope.

The stage is set for Barack Obama: Speaker for the Gospel of Hope. He speaks the words that call the discouraged and disheartened to contribute to him empowered to hope one more time. His voice has truly become the Voice of Hope, as Al Gore's is the Voice of Reason. It is in this context that his broad popularity finally makes sense. His words nourish those starving for these words.

As we listen to these two great men, a possible and hopeful future takes shape in stark contrast to the bleak and amoral present -- an America whose people are reeling from the daily "assaults" on our morality from the war on the Constitution and, in particular, our Constitutional rights, or the insane war on terror with its huge daily costs in green dollars and spilled red blood.

Democrats and Republicans alike, now is the time for you to stand up and speak the Truth from your hearts and minds. The only candidate to talk about the loss of the Constitution in the last series of debates was Senator Chris Dodd.

Where were you all before this week?

Inspire. Give voice to those who hunger for it.

Bring power back to the American people. Let them believe again!

It is time to hear all the voices of the Democratic candidates for President and for the media to encourage them to be heard.

It time for our candidates to stop politicking and posturing, and talk to the American people. Give them a vision. Give them hope. Show them the roadmap back to prosperity. Return their dignity.

Why is Obama the only one who has figured out how to give voice to the thirst of the American people for what is truly "right"?

Why is Ann Coulter still on the air? She's a purposeful and inflammatory distraction.

Are we missing the basics or being so distracted that the people are not really hearing the voices of Senator Hillary Clinton, former Senator John Edwards, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Joe Biden, Senator Chris Dodd and all of the others?

Alas, why is Gore still the only soothsayer of the truth?

That's really it for me; America has lost it's vision. We've been lead astray - unpurposefully IMO - by Presidents, unmotivated Congressman, and even political commentators. I don't necessarily think that Obama is the hope that America needs, but that's only one small facet of her column. The crazy thing is that a first term Senator from Illinois is one of the two frontrunner's for the Democratic ticket.

All I know is this, with the current state of affairs in the US, it's time for a change. I don't care if you like Hillary or not, but if she's elected it will be 28 years of Bush-Clinton rule. America doesn't need that.

Alan Johnston is Free

2007-07-05T00:27:00.001-04:00

Alan Johnston, the BBC reporter who was taken hostage in Gaza, has been freed by Hamas forces. I truly believe, and CNN speaks of it, that the only reason Hamas decided to do something was that they sorely need some good publicity.

The captors - the Army of Islam - have been connected to Fatah; which is curious since Abbas was not able to do anything about it.

Either way, I'm glad he's safe and unharmed.

Michael Moore's new film SiCKO

2007-06-25T11:47:00.000-04:00

Visual Vendetta has Michael Moore's new film online so you can view it here.

It boggles my mind why we can't have Socialized Health care. I think Moore's point is long overdue. Al Gore after you're done with The Assault on Reason do you think you can take on American and give us real democracy - a democratic health care?

I'm moving to Israel and as a non-citizen I have to pay for health care - $1 a day. That's insane. My wife and I pay over $200 a month. Do that math. I pay nearly $4 a day in the US and still have deductibles and co-pays; all in a country that I'm a taxpaying citizen of.

I'm not some crazy socialist, in fact I have arguments with my Marxist kibbutznik cousins all the time, but democratic health care seems like a basic human right to me.

No health care system is going to be perfect; it can't be. But after needing an emergency room visit on the second day of Shavuot for an infection I shouldn't have to pay hundreds of dollars after I pay my monthly bill.

Watch the movie. It's well worth your time.

What to do with Hamas? Part IV

2007-06-24T23:31:00.002-04:00

Charles Krauthammer wrote a very interesting OpEd in Friday's Washington Post. Instead of crying about the situation in Gaza he provides, what seems to be, a good solution.

With Hamas now clearly in charge, Israel should declare that it will tolerate no more rocket fire -- that the next Qassam will be answered with a cutoff of gasoline shipments. This should bring road traffic in Gaza to a halt within days and make it increasingly difficult to ferry around missiles and launchers.
If that fails to concentrate the mind, the next step should be to cut off electricity. When the world wails, Israel should ask, what other country on Earth is expected to supply the very means for a declared enemy to attack it?

What do do with Hamas? Show them who's boss. If they really are there to provide leadership for the Palestinians, then now that they've consolidated power there, let them do something. If the attacks continue, cut off gas and then electricity.

What Krauthammer fails to mention - though I'm sure he knows - is that no matter what Israel does they're always blamed. But at least it's a plan that deserves thought.

I also found this interesting: "Historian Michael Oren points out that the Palestinian Authority has received more per capita aid than did Europe under the Marshall Plan." If true, than that's pretty telling of the political situation in Gaza. If there are still Hamas supporters out there, I think it's time for them to wake up.

Nathan's Kosher HotDogs

2007-06-13T23:50:00.000-04:00

There's been a lot of activity on a certain e-mail list attached to a shul regarding the Kosher status of Nathan's Kosher Hot Dogs. While I certainly do not mind people talking about items with a hechsher they are unfamiliar with it seems that what has created a hoopla is that the has the chutzpah to give a hechsher to a piece of meat that is not glatt.

The e-mailer then went on to say that he is very happy that he did not eat it and will from now on only shop at kosher certified supermarkets because his trust in hechsherim has disappeared.

On a Halachic level only Sephardim are required to eat Glatt Kosher. And Secondly it is quite possible that our Glatt kosher standards don't even fulfill the requirements for Glatt. This is why products are labeld Glatt Beit Yosef.

Secondly, this Hechsher - a reliable one - has every right to certify non-Glatt meat.

What really ticks me off about all of this is that the guy had no idea that kosher meat wasn't always Glatt. And "oh my gosh" if it's not Glatt it's not Kosher enough for me. Listen, don't buy the meat again if you don't want to, but don't go getting people in a frenzy over a respectable and reliable Hechsher because of your Chumrah.

On the Libby Verdict

2007-06-06T11:54:00.001-04:00

Scooter Libby has been sentenced to 30 months in jail and fined $250,000 for lying under oath to a Grand Jury. I've been reading the newspaper and listening to the radio and I've heard some really disturbing notions. One, the verdict is not harsh enough. Two, that Bush should pardon him.

The case revolves around the leaking of a CIA operatives name to the press and a cover up of the leak. Some commentators would like Libby to serve a life sentence or to be hung for treason. I don't understand what people can't get their heads around - he was not charged nor convicted of treason. He lied to FBI Investigators and the Grand Jury. 30 Months is a lot of jail time - a lot more time than other similar cases that have happened in the past.

My disdain for Bush would grow tremendously if the President pardoned Libby. Presidential pardons can happen for any number of reasons, usually for some failing of the judicial system or other external factors. Libby was trying to protect the Vice President and lied to do so. It would reek of partisan corruption for Bush to pardon or otherwise commute the sentence. For the health of the nation and our ability to re-instill trust in our Government I truly hope Bush will ignore the Libby's pleads for a pardon.

Al Gore and Why I'd Vote for Him

2007-05-27T01:50:00.000-04:00

I was too young to vote in the 2000 Presidential Election but I do remember liking Gore much more than Bush, I don't remember why. What I do remember is thinking that Bush was acting like a whiny 7 year old in contesting the election. That is the past - and I haven't really checked up on Al Gore's actually politics but my initial reaction is that America needs a President who is
1. Presidential
2. Articulate
3. Well Read
4. Trustworthy

For the most part American Politicians have been sorely lacking in these fields for some time. We have a few in the past 40 years that hit on most of these but not all. My gut reaction when I think of Al Gore and the image he's presented himself in the past eight years is all of these things.

I'd almost vote for him on that basis alone. I never expect to find a faultless politician and attempts at mudslinging are just foolish. We are human, not perfect, why do we expect that our leaders are faultless? What we do/should expect from our leaders is that they exemplify what we try to be. We deserve a President who tries his best to do the difficult job a head of him with the most common sense. It isn't a Republican vs. Democrat issue here for me, I'd be just as likely to vote for a Republican fulfilling all of these criteria as a Democrat.

On a side note, I have a relative who has started a "Write in Al Gore" blog.

Dairy during Shavuot

2007-05-27T01:18:00.000-04:00

For the past two years when Shavuot comes up my wife and I have a whole argument about eating only dairy on Shavuot. She inevitably wins due to either a. "I'm cooking" or b. "We're going to my parents and they only eat dairy". I've tried to convince her that the custom doesn't meant only dairy during the holiday, but to no avail.

I'll show her this post by Harry, but I really don't think that it will have any effect. The next objection will be "But it's my family's minhag and I'm cooking". What can I do?

Well for the next few years we'll be in Israel and there'll only be two dairy meals but I'm lactose intolerant though that doesn't seem to be a reason to stop a minhag. If Harry's post is accurate (I'm assuming it is) most Jews I know are following a mistaken minhag of only having milhig meals and not having both.

I still wont win.

Halacha vs. Kabbala

2007-05-22T10:22:00.000-04:00

I found a shiur given by R' David Fink rather enlightening and decided to share it hear. Nothing that follows is my own idea, only Rav Fink's. The original shiur can be heard here. As I only heard the shiur online I do not have any source notes unless Rav Fink said them.

What happens when Kabbala and Halacha tell you to do two different things?

The Tur: Put on Teffilin shel Yad and Barech (l'haniach tefillin), then shel Rosh and make a second Beracha (al mitzvat tefillin).

R' Yosef Karo not only wrote the Beit Yosef and the Shulchan Aruch but was also a noted Kabbalist. He lived in Sfat during the time of the AriZal - in fact, he was his neighbor - and is the author of the Magid Meisharim. This work is a compilation of statements made by R' Karo while in a trance and a Magid spoke through R' Karo. There are times that the Magid and the R' Karo disagreed with each other. Of couse, R' Karo poskens in the Beit Yosef against the Magid. R' Yaakov Emden assumes this because R' Karo was a greater talmid chacham than the magid.

Rav Fink has heard of authors of fiction expressing similar methods. They go into a trance and the characters in the book speak to them and they authors write down the dialogue as they hear it in their minds. Unfortunately this gift is never given to writers of non-fiction. These authors have to work out their solutions rationally unlike the fiction authors that just let it flow.

The halachic R' Karo depended on his reason when writing the Shulchan Aruch, the mystical R' Karo reported his mystical periods in the Magid Meisharim. Whenever there is tension for R' Karo halacha is in accord with the rational reasoning in the Beit Yosef as poskened in the Shulchan Aruch.

Back to the Berachot of Tefillin:
Sefer HaAgur: I found in the Zohar from a saying of Rashbi - a single beracha is to be said on both tefillin together. The teffilin shel rosh on the head correspond to Zachor and teffilin shel yad next to the heart correspond to Shamor. Just as we say Shamor and Zachor were said together at Matan Torah a single beracha covers both tefillin. One should not wait between the two tefillin, one should do both without a hefshek. I am amazed that these great Rabbanim disagree with Rashbi in the Zohar, if the Poskim knew what was said in the Zohar, why did they disagree with it? In any case, the minhag is to make two beracha, but the right thing to do is to make one beracha.

R' Karo: I don't know why the Sefer HaAgur was mystified on this question. There are plenty of other examples between the gemara and the zohar, why is it this one that he's so interested in? In every case the poskim follow the gemara and never the zohar. Even if the poskim knew the zohar they wouldn't care - the reason the poskim say to make two berachot is because that's what it says in the Gemara. All the more so, in the days of the Reshonim the Sefer HaZohar was not yet known. It was transmitted it Rebbe to Talmid for generations and only surfaced published much later. Furthermore, the passage in the Zohar (quoted by the Sefer HaAgur) does not necessarily mean only to make one beracha for both tefillin. What it might mean is that the first beracha applies to both teffilin and therefore one should not interrupt between them, the teffilin shel rosh needs its own beracha. Bottom line - two berachot on Tefillin regardless of what the Zohar says.

We see here one clear example where we follow the Gemara and the Poskim regardless of the Zohar.

The Magen Avraham was the first of the great poskim to systematically apply kabbalistic sources in his halachic discussion. Previous to him people related to the Zohar as a body of matterial that explained to us the inner workings of Torah, the world, and the universe we live him. A philosophical insight into the world. He was therefore bothered between the tension between the Zohar and the Halachic material. He quoted the the Kenesset HaGedola: wherever theres a conflict between the kabbala and the halacha - the halacha is always in accordance with the poskim. He seems to be referring to a situation where all the poskim are on one side and the zohar is on the other side. If the kabbalists are stricter than what is required by the poskim we can be machmir like the kabbalists. any issue that is not mentioned in the poskim - no source in the gemara but does in the zohar - we have no authority to impose the practice upon the people. Only halacha can be forced upon the people, we can try to convince people to follow the kabbalistic method but that's it.

Sometimes people asked R' Moshe Feinstein what is the meaning or reason why so and so poskend this way found in other places. Someone asked R' Feinstein (found in the Iggrot Moshe) why did the Mishna Berurah posken that one who stays awake all night without sleep that he does not make the berachot Bircat haTorah etc.. Whenever there is a machloket amongst poskim and the weight of the Zohar and Kabbalists determine the outcome. In this case the Mishna Berurah should have followed the AriZal to make the beracha. So why did he reject this position? Answer: It's obvious that the idea that the Kabbalists always prevail wherever there is a machloket amongst the poskim that idea only pertains to material in the zohar itself - that prevails. Why? That material comes from the time of the Mishnah. But the works of the later Kabbalists - the AriZal and others - does not have the same weight of the Zoharic literature. Therefore one can poskin the AriZal just like one can poskin against one other posek.

Rav Fink finds it mysterious: The Iggrot Moshe speaks with a very clear voice. He never applies this above rule not even once.

The Chacham Zvi (who was a great Kabbalist in addition to being a noted Posek) when speaking about the Machloket about how one should position his bed (Kabbalists Head West / Feet East vs. Poskim Head North / Feet South) says in a situation where the Zohar is opposed to the Gemara and Poskim - we never abandon the poskim in favor of the position of the Zohar. When in comes to Halacha we ignore the Zohar and rely on the Poskim. However, in a situation where the Poskim are divided it is correct (note: he does say must) to follow the Kabbala.

His son, R' Yaakov Emden, even though he denied the antiquity of the zohar in Mitpachat Sefarim, was a major Kabbalist. I remember that my father zt"l lived across the street from the non-Jewish orphanage; his bed was oriented like the mekubalim say and not like the poskim. He himself wrote one should follow the poskim and not the kabbalah, but I saw in practice he did the opposite from what he wrote. In order for there to be a machloket people need to be in each others presence, it is improper to say two people who are unaware of each others opinion it is not proper to call this a machloket. Did the poskim know the words of the Zohar becasue it was being transmitted secretly and these poskim are outside of the chain of tradition. Perhaps they would have changed their mind had they known. We should not be concerned that we reject mystical ideas in Halacha - elu v'elu divrei elokim chaim. [R' Emden rejected its antiquity not its significance]. The purpose of the Zohar is not to tell us what to do or not to do, but to explain to us the inner workings of the universe. In a case where the words of the Talmud can be understood many different ways the commentaries have their back to the wall and cannot explain the words of the Talmud - in these cases they didn't know the words of the Zohar - we see a different understanding of things. It's not that the Zohar has a different idea it's that the Zohar can be used to explain the gemara and if the two can be brought into accord with each other then we should do it. In the end we are poskining like the Gemara.

How does this come down in the more recent poskim?

The Munkatcher Rav (R' Elazar Shapira) - a noted posek and mekubal - it's important to bear in mind the difference between nigleh and nistar (revealed and secret wisdom). When I study the Zohar and words of the great Kabbalists I think of myself as learning nigleh - revealed wisdom. When I study Gemara, the Rambam, the Tur, and the Shulchan Aruch I think of myself as learning nistar - the secret wisdom of Torah. The works of the kabbalists talk about Olam HaSefirot they say they talk about the mystical reality of Sefirot and they are. The Halchic literature does not say they are talking about the mystical reality but indeed they are this is why I call them Nistar - hidden.

The Shulchan Aruch HaRav - whenever there is a disagreement between the kabbalits and the poskim - you should posken like the gemara and the poskim. Make two berachot on tefillin. The Baal HaTanya accepts the position of the Magen Avraham , we can require people to follow the gemara and no the Zohar. Halacha and Halachic sources always prevail over the Zohar and Kabbalistic sources.

Rav Fink notes that Chabad Chassidim do not follow this position. In every conflict between the Gemara and the Zohar they follow the Zohar instead of the ruling of the Baal HaTanya and make one beracha on tefilin. The Shaar HaKollel - R' Avram David Livat - I heard from a Chasid before he died that the Baal HaTanya had been asked about this question. Our minhag is to follow the Mekubalim instead of the poskim. Why then did you write in Shulchan Aruch HaRav to follow the poskim? I only wrote that because the poskim write to follow the poskim, but the mekubalim all write to follow the Zohar. It cannot be that the mekubalim would not follow the gemara and therefore the question doesn't make sense. This is what I heard from that Chasid before he died.

This is a tradition starting three generations after the Baal HaTanya. This is the reason the Baal HaTanya started to write a second edition of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav but only got a few pages in where he surely would have poskened like the mekubalim against the poskim.

Rav Fink: We find many stories (folk literature) that a major posek changed his mind on their deathbed. These stories are possibly true and it surely does happen and I doubt that it happens every time it is reported.

The traditions of the Gra weigh heavily on the Aruch HaShulchan and writes: When there is a machloket between the Zohar and the Poskim we of course follow the Poskim. It is correct to be machmir like the Zohar when they are machmir. One cannot require one to follow the Zohar. I have a tradition (from the Gra) that is impossible that there is a true conflict between the Gemara and the Zohar unless of course there are multiple opinions in the Gemara and the Zohar is holding like one opinion there. People have an incorrect understanding of the Zohar if they think there is a machloket between them

I'm Back (with a few musings)

2007-05-15T14:09:00.000-04:00

Well I'm back, I didn't go anywhere, I just needed a break from Blogging. It's a very weird thing not blogging - I'll have these thoughts: "Gee, that'd be a great topic to blog about" - but by not doing it I actually think I'm doing a disservice to myself.

As ADDeRabbi once said to me: blogging forces you to boil down your thoughts into a rational idea. Its rather therapeutic and since I've taken nearly two months off I've done myself a disservice.

I'm moving to Israel soon and we've got a lot to do still, no place to live yet, though that's hopefully coming soon. My wife is very nervous about things - she's very used to everything just working normal here in America and gets frustrated just from hearing stories about how inefficient banks are in Israel. Most people just laugh and say "Well that's Israel" - Naomi can't seem to do that - probably because she's never spent any serious time there.

I just finished reading Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat. What an eye opener. The book was fantastic - though I feel a little left out since I don't do computer programing or live and breathe Wall Street. I highly recommend people to read it.

Well that's it for now, I'll likely write a few more posts now that my job's done and I have some more free time during the day. So stay tuned.

U'Shmuel B'korei Sh'mo

2007-03-27T08:23:00.000-04:00

This review is long overdue.

As much as I love music in general, Jewish music usually comes up in the "What were you thinking?" department similar to Milli Vanilli and Vanilla Ice. Since the late 90's we've started to see a new trend in Jewish music and this past year was a landmark year. I purchased four albums this past year that blew me away, in their musicianship, the song writing, the producing (something that has been sorely lacking) - but it really just comes down to this: They cared.

MOChassid published U'Shmuel B'korei Sh'mo in honor of his late father Shmuel. If I were him I'd be truly honored by this - there is not one thing about this album that is not done well. Some things are done better than others, but all done well.

Even though I have tons of music on the computer - mp3's, Shn's, and FLACs - I love being able to hold the CD in my hand and read the linear notes while listening to the CD [as I'm doing now]. The CD is visually stunning - the artwork is respectful and tasteful though not sad in anyway. After reading the dedication on the inside cover I cannot help but be reminded of a celebration of life instead of a mourning of death. Truly a fitting memory

The music is beautiful. The musicians - most of whom I've met and own CD's of - are world class. I particularly like the fact that none of these songs appear on other albums. The list of musicians that appear is enough to make my jaw drop: Chaim David, Shlomo Katz, Eitan Katz, Nochi Krohn, Avraham Rosenblum, Yosef Karduner, Ben Zion Solomon, and Aron Razel. I started off this review by listing the change in the past decade - these are the artists that have been at the forefront of this change. Except for Avraham Rosenblum and Ben Zion Solomon (if you don't know both of these guys were in Diaspora Yeshiva Band). This is truly a collection of the gedolim of Jewish music.

I'm tempted to list my favorite tracks, but that would be very time consuming since they really are all fantastic. Only one song I don't think fits and that's Chaim Dovid's "Brach Dodi". Listen, it's good but not great and the placement is not great. "Brach Dodi" is the segue between Shlomo Katz's "Shuvi Nafshi" and Aron Razel's "Yom Shaboson" which are both up tempo sing-a-long's.

The only real criticism that I have is the number of times each artist appears on the album. Shlomo Katz appears 3 times, Chaim David Nochi Krohn and Aron Razel each appear twice. Yet Ben Zion Solomon, Yosef Karduner, and Avraham Rosenblum only appear once. There will aparently be a follow up album and I look forward to it's release - hopefully many of these same artists will reappear.

The Haggadah, Rosh Chodesh, and Denzel Washington

2007-03-20T16:10:00.000-04:00

Since it's Rosh Chodesh I thought this was appropriate:

The Hagaddah Reads:

It could be from Rosh Chodesh, but the verse says, "On that day." If on that day then it may be during the day, the verse says, "Because of this." Because of this I only said at the hour when matzah and maror are before you.

Light of Redemption: A Passover Haggadah Based on the Writings of Rav Kook:

The Midrash Mechilta (Bo 17) from which this passage is taken suggests that we should be able to fulfill the mitzvah of relating the story of coming out of Egypt from the beginning of the month of Nisan. This is due to an interpretation of the verse in the Torah that commands us to relate the story of the exodus from Egypt to our children. This verse is a crucial source for the entire mitzvah of the Seder night.

"You shall tell your son on that day, 'Because of this God did this to me when I left Egypt' " (Shemot 13:8). The midrash suggests that theoretically we could perform this mitzvah starting from Rosh Chodesh Nisan.

This is because the redemption from Egypt actually started on the 1st of Nisan. On this day the Jewish people recieved the first mitzvah, that of establishing a lunar calendar (see Shemot 12:2 adn Rashi on the Torah, BeReishit 1:1). At this point the Jewish people introduced their own way of counting time and had control of their time; they started to be free from the slavery of Egyptians.
p.28

Rav Kook continues to go on and explain why Rosh Chodesh could not be the time, but the point here is beautiful. We became free when we were given the mitzvah of Rosh Chodesh, we were no longer slaves. We looked like slaves, we acted like slaves, but in our minds we were not. We made our own time.

This reminds me very clearly of a scene in The Hurricane where Denzel Washington's character Hurrican Carter refuses to act like an inmate.

I will bend time to my own clock.
When the prison is awake, I will sleep.
When they sleep, I will wake.
I will live neither in their cell...
nor in my own heart,
only in my mind...
and my spirit.

It works, when we control our own time we are no longer their slaves.

We're Moving to Israel

2007-03-20T01:24:00.000-04:00

Well now it's official. Naomi and I are moving to Israel on July 30th. We bought our plane ticket today; they're one way. It's a very strange feeling, I've never gone to Israel before without known when I'd be leaving.

It's not "Aliyah" - she's only been there for a total of 20 days, so right now it's for one year to see how it goes likely it'll last about 4-5 years before we move back to the States. I'd like to stay in Israel and I'm hoping that after 4 years so will she.

We're going to a new program run by Darche Noam / Midreshet Rachel - their Married Couples Program. 12 Couples coming together and learning for the year. We know 3 other couples planning to do it and their mostly UMD graduates too, so watching the NCAAs next year should not be a problem.

After that year I'm planning to continue for Smicha, while Naomi's not quite sure just yet. She's got ideas of going to grad school there or continuing to learn someplace else (Nishmat?). We'll see, but July 30th is only 133 days away but who's counting?

Kosher for Passover Gasoline

2007-03-18T00:53:00.000-04:00

There is a certain e-mail circulating around the Jewish e-mail world right now that is supposedly an article written in the Bergen County Jewish Times suggesting that ethanol-free gasoline will be made available for people who do not wish to use a derivative of corn on Pesach.

My wife is subscribed to a community based list-serve where she was sent a copy of this e-mail. This list-serve has dozens of e-mails going back and forth discussing the various halachic reasons why such a product would be good to use on pesach. Only a few people have realized that this is a joke.

Here is the text of the e-mail:

Bergen County Jewish Times
By Danielle Wolfberg and Henry Lorman
Teaneck, New Jersey
March 1,2007

Yaniv Ban-Zaken, a local gas station owner, will be selling Kosher for Passover gasoline during the holiday this year. The move, Ben-Zaken says, has become necessary due to the increased ethanol content in gasoline required by the government. The ethanol is typically derived from corn, which is a forbidden food for Jews on Passover. And, according to Ben-Zaken, underJewish law, it is also forbidden to derive any benefit from corn.

"We will be providing a number of services to anyone interested in making their motor vehicle Kosher for Passover," Ben-Zaken says. Services will include siphoning off the non-Kosher gasoline and replacing it with the Kosher gasoline. The entire process will be supervised by Rabbi Yitzchok Mendelbaum. A special exemption to the EPA rule regarding the plant ethanol content of gasoline had to be obtained from the government to allow for the use of this gasoline.

The move has created some controversy among local community leaders. Rabbi Shalom Silver, of Congregation Ohel Emeth in Teaneck, has recommended to his congregants that they not buy the gasoline. "Although Jews of Ashkenazi descent are not permitted to eat corn on Pesach, they are permitted to derive benefit from corn byproducts, such as gasoline with ethanol additives," he said.

However, Rabbi Mordechai Silver (no relation to Shalom Silver), of Yeshivas Torah Ohr in nearby Englewood, disagrees, and maintains that while it might technically be acceptable to use mass-produced gasoline, those who can afford to purchase the new alternative should. "In Jewish law, we have a principle of lifnim mshuras hadin--going above and beyond the basic requirements of the law," he explained in an email. "Thank G-d, many people in the area can afford to do so in this case."

Some local Jewish leaders have also complained about the high price of the ethanol-free gas, which Ben-Zaken estimates will be $9.69 per gallon, but Ben-Zaken insists that it is necessary. "The Kosher gas is made in small quantities and not mass produced, so the costs are high." In fact, Ben-Zaken, an immigrant from Israel who is not himself religious, claims that he will not be making any profit on the sale of the Kosher gas. "I'm doing this more as a community service. My hope is that people will be more likely to patronize my station the rest of the year." Julio Sanchez, one of Ben-Zakens employees, also expressed some concern over the high price, explaining that it might drive away customers and reduce his income from tips. Co-worker Naveen Samhari disagreed, because, as he says, "Orthodox Jews are among the best tippers in the area."

Ben-Zaken also says he will be contracting with a local car rental agency to provide customers with a Kosher for Passover car if they would prefer not to use their own. This will also save the time of having to clean chametz from the car before Pesach--time that many local two-income families do not have. "Jews use different dishes for Passover. They ought to be able to use a different car, as well." Ben-Zaken says.

There is no such newspaper as the "Bergen County Jewish Times" and the people named in the article only show up (in a Google search) as being linked to this article.

What bothers me is not that someone is still having some Adar fun, but that people are actually believing this. Some of the people responding to the original e-mail are suggesting that this is some sort of Government plot to lift the embargo on Cuba, as well as discussing the halachic problems of eating peanuts on Pesach - since they might be Kitnyot. And even if they are we shouldn't be using derivatives of Kitnyot on Pesach.

[No one seems to remember that until a few years ago only Peanut Oil was Kosher L
L'Pesach when finally other Pesachdik oils came out.]

The discussion came to new hights when raui la achilat kelev was brought up and someone suggesting that we take a bowl of gasoline and give it to a dog.

Well someone has certainly had their fun, but I seriously hope that no one takes this too seriously and next year we actually see this type of nonsense.

Another Historic Cover-up: The Ben Ish Chai

2007-03-12T23:54:00.000-04:00

In the recent issue of Hakirah, Dan Rabinowitz wrote a very interesting essay regarding the Halachot of wearing a Yarmulke. He goes on to discuss the trend within the past 50 years that completely removes any discussion regarding the obligation to keep one's head covered at all times.

Rabinowitz printed three photographs to help prove his point (two where the subject's head is uncovered and one where one of the previous photos has mysteriously grown a kippah). He also spoke about - though unfortunately did not provide the picture - that a common photograph of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that originally had him without a kippah.

I find it interesting that we try to re-write history to remove any of that evil "C" word (change). I noticed two months ago a similar revising of history.

This is the Ben Ish Chai, R'Yosef Chaim Baghdadi (1832-1909):
This is the only picture of him that ever existed. As the story goes he refused to have his picture taken, until the rich supporter of his Yeshiva requested one, and he relented. If you notice there is a black stripe on the right side - yes, he wore Tefillin all day long.

This is the cover of Peninei HaBen Ish Chai published by Feldheim.

If you notice he has suddenly grown a Peyah on his left side. I'm pretty sure that he did in fact have peyot, but this is clearly an addition to the photograph. I'm stumped as to why someone would want to add this, the man wore Tefillin all day long, it isn't like there are no signs that he is frum. A friend of mine suggested that the artist who colored the picture may have thought he saw one and drew it in, but until I bought this book I never thought there was a peyah there, if anything the beard in the original just needed to be combed.

This is nowhere near the "scandal" that Rabinowitz speaks about, but peyot are not even Halachikly mandated which is why is seems so strange to me that, of all things, it would be added.

Fine Line: Criticizing Israel Without Anti-Semitism

2007-02-25T02:19:00.000-05:00

[I'm in the middle of writing down my thoughts on the diaspora community - especially the frum community - stifling debate on Israel. This seems to be part one of a series (not sure how long) on this topic.]

Adin Steinsaltz

Fine Line: Criticizing Israel Without Anti-Semitism

The term “anti-Semitism” is itself a euphemism for "anti-Jewishness," and it is therefore easy to replace it with other words that may have a similar meaning. In many places, to be “anti-Semitic” has become unacceptable and has thus been replaced with “anti-Zionism” or anti-Israel stances, which are easier to condone.

In my view, anyone, Jew and non-Jew alike, may criticize the State of Israel without being anti-Semitic, but it is walking a fine line. One’s criticism of Israel should be of a certain nature.

The critique must be honest and without other agendas. The first step in making such a critique, as in any other criticism, is to verify the facts. Misinformation and negative propaganda are in abundance today, particularly in this day and age of the Internet. Furthermore, anti-Semitism is not confined only to non-Jews; Jews can be - and sometimes actually become - quite anti-Semitic. Therefore, Jewish, and even Israeli, sources may be as unreliable as Iranian or Syrian sources. When criticizing Israel, one must be careful about truth vs. misinformation, reality vs. prejudice.

In addition to the issue of factuality, there are other, more subtle elements involved here. Anti-Zionism and anti-Israel positions may be a covert expression of a desire to eradicate any concentrated Jewish existence. This desire may not manifest itself in killing Jews physically, but merely as a wish that, somehow, the Jewish people should disappear. A critique of Israel with this intent is, by its very nature, an expression of anti-Semitism.

In a certain way, there is a widespread belief, even sometimes reluctant, in Jewish “superiority,” not only in mundane matters, but also in morality. This results in an attitude that holds Jews, and by extension, the Jewish state, to standards that are not expected of any other nation. One must be aware of this tendency when making a critique of Israel.

Within these limits, anyone – including a faithful Jew – has the right to criticize Israel, even if sometimes the criticism may not be completely right.

On Faith: Washington Post Online February 24, 2007

The Mishkan and Why We Needed to Build it

2007-02-22T23:57:00.000-05:00

There is a machloket among the meforshim as to whether the detail given regarding the mishkan had a specific purpose. The two sides basically fall between the Abarbanel, who states that they must have a more important meaning than the pshat, and the Rambam, who believes that the specific details are just that - the blueprints for the more important part, the mishkan - and that we shouldn't try to understand each minutiae.

Nechama Leibowitz's comments in "Terumah 4" present both sides and give supporting evidence and other meforshim who agree with each. In my view I find the opinion of Abarbanel more convincing. It seems to me that if the minutiae meant nothing then why include them? The Torah spends very little time explaining the lives of the avot and goes in to great detail here (and other mitzvot). We have a Torah sh'baal peh to help us understand what is not written down - it seems that God did not want us to forget the detail.

The Midrash Raba on Parshat Terumah begins by saying that v'yichu li - take for me - as opposed to v'yitnu - give to me - means that we have the ability to acquire God through talmud torah. By contributing to the building of the mishkan we are acquiring Hashem. The midrash goes on to describe a parable about a King and his daughter's new husband who wants a room in the new couples house to stay close to her. The midrash says that this is similar to the purpose of the mishkan, that we need to build a place for Hashem so that he can be close to the Torah (the daughter). According to this Midrash asu li mikdash does not just mean build for me a mikdash, but rather as a plea to us - when we learn Torah we are giving Hashem a place to dwell. Talmud Torah is not just a necessary endeavor in the life of a Jew but is k'neged kulam the greatest venture we can take.

The building of the Mishkan has a purpose, in fact it has multiple purposes, to continue the revelation at Sinai, to give korbanot, to make atonement for our sins, but the primary purpose that we built the mishkan and it didn't just fall from the sky was so that we could work for it, to toil in the details. That in order to make a makom for God on earth we must strive and toil to make it perfect, it's an allusion to our selves. In order to make ourselves godly - kadosh - we must make a concerted effort to get there.

Parshat Terumah

2007-02-22T15:51:00.000-05:00

Last year I wrote this Dvar Torah on the purpose of the Mishkan. It's still one of my favorite posts.

The Torah of Eretz Yisrael

2007-02-15T08:43:00.000-05:00

Rav Kook on Bereishit 2:12:

"And the gold of that land is good" [Gen. 2:12].

Why is the Torah suddenly interested in the quality of gold? Was this verse written for prospectors of rare metals?
The Midrash explains that the land referred to is Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel), and the precious commodity is none other than the Torah itself. The Midrash then declares,
"This teaches that there is no Torah like the Torah of the Land of Israel" [Bereishit Rabbah 16:4].
This is a pretty remarkable statement. Is there really a different Torah in the Land of Israel? And in what way is it superior to the Torah outside of Israel?
Details and General Principles
According to Rav Kook, the Torah of Eretz Yisrael is fundamentally different in its method and scope. The Torah of the Diaspora focuses on the details — specific laws and rules. The Torah of the Land of Israel, on the other hand, uses a more holistic approach. It connects those details with their governing moral principles.
This approach is particularly needed in our time of national renascence. We must reveal the truth and clarity of our Divine treasure. We must demonstrate the beauty and depth of practical mitzvot, by endowing them with the light of the mystical and philosophical side of the Torah. And the true depths and foundations of Torah can only be experienced in the Land of Israel.

Naomi is applying for scholarships to help us finance our move to Israel, one particular one asked why she'd rather study in Israel and not in the US. We had discussions about it and I could not explain myself to her. Much like a conversation I had with a woman waiting by the trempiada on the way to Gush Etzion at 3am. All I could say was unintelligible sentences about Torah feels different in Israel. I think this statement by Rav Kook (as Rav Morrison explains) explains exactly what I was feeling.

Seforim Sale (Year Three)

2007-02-12T22:33:00.000-05:00

This was the third year in a row that I've made the trek from Maryland to YU for the Seforim Sale. I was not as "successful" as I was last year, but I did pick up a few seforim that I'm really excited about.

Nechama Leibowitz Studies on the Torah
Rav Soloveitchik Days Of Deliverance: Essays on Purim And Hanukkah
Rav Soloveitchik Festival Of Freedom: Essays on Pesah and the Haggadah
Aish Kodesh by R' Kalonymus Kalman Shapira of Piasetzno
Gold From the Land of Israel - Rav Kook onParshat HaShavua
[The book and more can be found online here]
Naomi bought a few cookbooks for herself

Some comments from the trip:

They only had one volume of Ayin Aiyeh and it was $42 - I think I'll wait till Israel
I've been looking for a good printing of Aruch HaShulchan for a while and I found one (the Oz V'Hadar one) but I didn't get it, but noticed that it's printed with "Opinions of the Mishna Berurah". Same thing for new printings on the Chayei Adam. Since when were we not good enough to look at either of these two seforim without knowing what the Mishna Berura ruled.
I've got two other books of the Rav Soloveitchik series above (Family Redeemed and Worship of the Heart) both are fantastic. There's an article on the Amidah in Worship that is worth the price alone. Absolutely incredible stuff.

Blue 32, Blue 32, Hut - Hut... Reflections on the Parsha

2007-02-03T22:30:00.000-05:00

[I wrote this pre-Shabbos but didn't have enough time to post it]

Shmot 13:18:

But God made the people take a round-about way, the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea

This reversal of B'nei Yisrael (or rather their route) is rather odd. Why not take them directly to Yam Suf? Why do they have to wait there? Why send them on one path only to tell them to turn around and go another way? Shouldn't God have just said "Go to Yam Suf"? Yitziat Mizrayim is the seminal event in Jewish history but wouldn't the Exodus have been "good enough" with the Jews leaving, why did God have to drown Pharoah? If as the Rambam suggests that God cannot change his mind what is going on here? Clearly God must have done this on purpose.

The Ben Ish Chai - R' Yosef Chaim Baghdadi - says that Pharaoh is a man who uses trickery and deception and God does this to turn the tables on him. God couldn't just let B'nei Yisrael go without doing something to punish Pharaoh and his soldiers. The reversal of B'nei Yisrael's route was all part of God's plan to convince Pharaoh to send his army out after them - think smoke and daggers.

Maybe I had the Super Bowl on my brain - sorry ADDeRabbi, I'm not having a Super Bowl party this year, the Steelers and Eagles aren't playing - but it seems to me that this sounds like a football play. Fake right draw them into the back field and we'll head left and they'll never know what hit 'em.

Gut Voch.

Marc Shapiro on R' Ovadiah Yosef

2007-01-31T21:13:00.000-05:00

Prof. Marc Shapiro wrote a very interesting article on three recent biographies on Rav Ovadiah Yosef. I am a big fan of Rav Ovadiah's and Shapiro provides substance to my feelings. He has entitled the article "Mi-Yosef ad Yosef Lo Kam ke-Yosef" which after reading it I think is a very appropriate title. The article almost makes me want a full biography by Shapiro - like the one he did on the Sridei Eish - on Rav Ovadiah.

Shapiro's exaltation of Rav Ovadiah is nearly perfect until he gets to the section on comparing him to an academic scholar. I think he makes his point very well and I never really thought of it until now but Rav Ovadiah's talents would make him a very poor academic. Photographic memory and an Encyclopedic knowledge are not necessary for success in academia.

As a few of you know I don't particularly like Rabbis getting involved in politics and Rav Ovadiah is the proof text for my reasons. But, as Shapiro mentions, he got involved in politics and stayed involved because he thinks it's the right thing to do despite the fact that his name as a Rav may become tarnished. He's intelligent, committed, head strong, among a thousand other ways to describe him. I truly believe that Rav Ovadiah is the last true Gadol we have. I hope that another generation can produce a person with half the stature of Rav Ovadiah.

If you're a fan of Shapiro (like me) check it out and like wise if you're a fan of Rav Ovadiah (again, like me) check it out.

(Hat Tip: Gil)

You Can Believe in Anything You Want Except...

2007-01-23T08:46:00.000-05:00

Steven at Canonist has a nice post about the differences between each movement's theology and what's a no-no for each one. The money quote is this: "An Orthodox Jew saying “the Torah is inspired by God” would most likely be characterized a heretic for his liberal views. This is a good example of how many Christians don’t understand just how right-wing Jewish theology is." I think he's right on.

He's also right on here:

3) No, you can’t believe Jesus is the Son of God in Conservative Judaism, though that has far less to do with Conservative Judaism stating a positive theological doctrine, than with the absolute negative in pretty much every major segment of Judaism declaring Jesus the big no-no. And this is probably a good statement of what mainstream Jewish belief means today: you can believe whatever you want, except for Jesus.

Though I'd probably amend that last sentence with this:
You Can Believe Anything You Want, Except for Jesus and go to Holocaust Denial Conferences.

That's a statement that would pretty much describe Judaism today. All three movements (I don't consider Reconstructionist a movement) have come out and publicly said that Jews for Jesus and the Neturei Karta (well specifically those who went to Tehran) are outside of the fold. If the CJLS and the Reform Movement practiced it today you can bet that the Neturei Karta would have been placed in Cherem. That would have been interesting. Oh well, maybe Joel Roth and reinstitute that.

Wedding D'var Torah - The No Longer Lonely Man of Faith

2007-01-21T21:02:00.000-05:00

At the Chatan's Tisch I was unable to give my D'var Torah due to time restrictions. We could not find the Rav who was honored with reading the T'naim for - what seemed like - fifteen minutes so I did not have time to share my speech then.

I wrote this speech in ten minutes sometime the week before the wedding at work and never saw it again until the day of the Chatanah. I thought that some of you might like to read it - though a few of you already have.

In Genesis 2:18 the Torah tells us "Lo Tov Hiyot HaAdam L'vado", which is usually translated as "It is not good for man to be alone." This verse is often used when speaking about marriage. However, the verse seems to be misunderstood. Rav Soloveitchik explains that the word would be translated as loneliness or aloneness. Preferring the translation "It is not good for man to be lonely", the Rav shows us that man needs more than a helper- that two can accomplish more than one. Man cannot be lonely. Man cannot live up to his potential - again, not a utilitarian purpose - but for ontological reasons - without an Ezer K'negdo - without a soul mate. This is what soul mate really means, a person with whom we achieve more, a person who gives life meaning and direction. A marriage is always greater than the sum of its parts.

Lo Tov Hiyot HaAdam L'vado - It is not good for man to be lonely. I am no longer lonely.

It was a wonderful wedding, more than I could have ever wished or asked for. This past week of Sheva Brachot has been the most exhausting week ever. We've been up and down the east coast (my parents are making "East Coast Tour" t-shirts). Now it's time to go back to work and finally settle in.

And it begins...

2007-01-11T23:16:00.000-05:00

I don't know when I'll be able to post again but I wanted to share with you the picture of the Ketuba. It was made by Rosie Weisel of Kibbutz Sa'ad, she was my Kibbutz Mom while I was living there.

If you can't read the Possuk on top here it is:

My soul yearns, yea, it pines for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh pray fervently to the living God.
Psalms 84:3

There's a couple connections between our names Naomi Liba and Natan Chai within the possuk, I don't remember them all but Rosie was very excited while explaining it to me. Besides the Sheva Minim and the Beit HaMikdash there are two pictures in the Ketuba with meaning for us. The top flowers on either side are alstroemeria which Naomi chose for the wedding. On the bottom left is the dugma for the wedding. It is two Nun's creating a candlestick and a Fey that becomes the flame of the candle for the last name.

Anyway, I hope to post again sometime next week but I will not promise anything.

It's been One Week...

2007-01-07T22:44:00.000-05:00

As ADDeRabbi mentioned, he is the Mesader Kedushin at my upcoming wedding. I've made very few comments about the wedding on the blog because I started the blog after we were engaged and until now there hasn't been anything all that important. (For those keeping track we've been engaged for 13 months - please don't let your own engagement last longer that 6 months).

Since the wedding is this coming Sunday, Naomi and I will not be seeing/speaking/IMing/whatevering until the Bedeken. I will take this oportunity to mention that there is no halachic basis for this minhag.

Two of my Rebbeim have debated this minhag, Rav Blau saying "there's no basis and I didn't do it" while Rav Brovender says "It's nice". I seem to fall somewhere in the middle on this issue. I feel no compulsion to follow it, but it is nice. Especially since Naomi deems it necessary here I am talking to the computer. I thought I had a copy of this shiur on my computer but unfortunately I do not, if I can find it I'll post it. It's quite funny, two giants of Torah debating such a seemingly silly topic.

I hope this week goes by quickly.

Gan Eden and Olam HaBa: Immortality and Omniscience

2007-01-04T08:35:00.000-05:00

Back in April I wrote a post entitled Adam and Eve: Is Gan Eden Really Our Goal? I argued that the planting of the two trees inside the garden and the subsequent eating of the Etz HaDa'at Tov u'Ra was equal to the choosing of knowledge over life. And thus when God expels Adam and Chava from the garden they are forced to remember how tough life is an eternal remembrance of that choice.

I'd like to revisit that discussion.

God purposely planted the Paradise for man, who was called upon to cultivate and guard it. Man is encouraged to build, to plant, to beautify his life, to enjoy his life as much as he can. 'And the Lord God planted a garden eastward, in Eden, and there He placed man whom He had formed; and the Lord God made grow out of the ground every tree delightful to the eye and good for food...' (Gen. 2:8-9). But two horrible fears haunt man steadily, trailing him like an everlasting shadow: the fear of nihility, of nonbeing - death - and the fear of ignorance. Man wants to live and to know. He is eager to lead an intelligent, enlightened, inextinguishable existence. His greatest aspiration, his most fascinating dream is to defeat death and to grasp the mysterium magnum, the great mystery of creation. God did plant the garden with trees pleasant to look at and delightful as far as taste is concerned. And in the middle of the garden grew the two mysterious trees representing the two basic aspirations of man: to live and to know. Yes, God planted the garden in Eden in order to place there the man whom He formed, for man is entitled to desire, to quest, to long for and be fascinated by something great and wonderful - immortality and omniscience.

Rav Joseph B. Soloveitchik Family Redeemed p. 10-11

The Rav would have likely amended my conclusion by stating that God was punishing Adam and Eve not because she ate of the tree - it was only a manifestation of the desire for immortality and omniscience - but rather because she chose one of those desires over the other. We live in a world where immortality is out of our reach, we will never be able to find that "Fountain of Youth" to give us immortality. Likewise, we will never be omniscient. Despite our best efforts to record all of human intelligence - as the encyclopedia was originally intended by the French after the French Revolution of 1789 and wikipedia - we will never be omniscient.

An interesting side point: How does this fit in with the Rambam? Rambam realized that there can never again be the combination of immortality and omniscience as there was in Gan Eden. In describing Olam HaBa he speaks about the immortality of the mind because - well for one thing, his Aristotelian foundation - but also because he cannot fathom that Gan Eden was anything more than a dream. I believe that the Rambam would argue - not that creation did not happen - but rather that Gan Eden was not the earth that we understand. It was not a physical place, you cannot go to the spot where it was. Omniscience, by definition for the Rambam, excludes a physical body because God is omniscient and if/when people become omniscient we cannot have a body either.

I'd like to point out that I don't believe that the Rambam would suggest that the human mind could, in Olam HaBa, achieve the same omniscience that God has, but rather that during our lives we strive for that goal. We do everything we can to achieve that omniscience because we have an eternal desire for what was lost in Gan Eden - immortality and omniscience.

Hasidic Police Officer Joel Witriol

2007-01-03T00:55:00.000-05:00

I'm sure many of you have heard that NYPD graduated its first Hasidic Police Officer, Joel Witriol, this past month. I, like many of you, read about it - said "cool" - and moved on to more important stories than your run-of-the-mill human interest story. That was until New Years Eve.

As my sister and I were traveling to a concert at Radio City Music Hall (great place to see a show), we got off the C line at 50th and 8th Ave. It turns out that 50th was blocked off and the Police there told us to walk to 52nd and cross. At 51st we over heard the Officer telling people that only those with tickets could cross. I didn't know what tickets they wanted, but we had two so I flashed them and through the barricade we went - crossing 5 more until we came to 6th Ave.

As we crossed the barricade I noticed that the Police Officer standing next to me had peot tucked behind his ears. I glanced quickly to see the name tag and it read "Witriol". I told Bethany (my sister) to wait a minute as I got inline to speak to him. Finally my time came.

He noticed my kippah, but didn't mention anything. I asked him if he had just graduated - he responded yes - then I said "You're the one that I read about in the papers?" "Yes". "Awesome, great job." To which he said "Thanks". And I walked away.

I really should have mentioned how great of a Kiddush Hashem he was doing and that despite the fact that many people disaprove of his profession there are those of us frum yidden who care. I didn't know at the time that it was his first duty assignment either - he looked spiffy in his brand new Police uniform and (blue PO) hat.

Joel, wherever you are, sh'koyach and keep up the good work.

The "Real" Miracle of Chanukah?

2006-12-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

I went back to UMD this past Shabbat and the student who gave the D'var Torah at Shalosh Shiddus asked an important question: "Why in all of the nessim of Chanukah do we commemorate the event by lighting a menorah?" His answer, which came after some proofs, is that by acknowledging a small nes it allows us to appreciate the larger ones more.

Unfortunately I don't know his name, but I think he's right on target.

Rav Shlomo Aviner points out that when there's no Shemen Tahor it is possible to light the menorah with Shemen Tameia. When Rov Am Yisrael is Tamei it is still possible to bring the Korban Pesach and to build the Temple. The same din is applied when there's no Shemen Tahor; it is mutar to light the menorah with Shemen Tameia because it's a communal activity. (Tal Hermon vol. 2 p. 85)

So, if there is the case, why the big deal about finding a flask of pure oil and, more importantly, why did HaShem deem it necessary to make it last for eight days? Rambam tells us that this is how long it takes to produce Shemen Tahor, but why does any of this matter if they can use the Shemen Tameia instead? Why the נס פך השמן?

I think the answer comes back to the student's original question. "Why in all of the nessim of Chanukah do we commemorate the event by lighting a menorah?" It is the seeming triviality of the nes that makes it important. The Jews in the Temple went out of their way to find the Shemen Tahor and their actions were rewarded with a nes.

If this idea is accurate then HaShem davka made the נס פך השמן so that we would appreciate the Chag more. Instead finding us celebrating the נס הניצחון הצבאי in some other way, we are found at home bringing light into the world with our families.

Chag Orim Sameach

On the Bus Beating

2006-12-10T02:39:00.000-05:00

ADDeRabbi and Harry have posted great comments on the recent Bus Beating. I don't think she was doing - as Harry termed it - a Rosa Parks style sit-in. First off, she wasn't doing anything contrary to the signs on the bus. Rosa was a hero, this woman did even more.

I am copying the comments I left on Harry's post because I feel very strongly that this needs to be spread to as many people as possible so that the outrage becomes known; to hopefully prevent this Chillul HaShem from ever happening again.

There are many comments in this thread that as an Orthodox Jew I find truly disturbing. It is no wonder that the Chiloni world hates Charedim so much. For all of the Ahavas Yisroel that we're supposed to have we can't even treat a woman - who may or may not be in the wrong -with simple Kavod HaBrios. Explain to her why the community has the feelings it does, talk to her. Treat her with dignity - she'll listen.

Egged is not a Halachic company - it is however a company that will abide by Halacha if the community demands it. If the bus wasn't a Mehadrin bus then it wasn't a Mehadrin bus and the Community obviously doesn't care enough to go through the process of getting it fixed.

That's the end of the story. Whatever wrong she did shouldn't even be discussed; the community has decided it doesn't care enough to prevent something like this from happening.

On the CJLS decision

2006-12-08T08:14:00.000-05:00

I received an e-mail from a commenter asking me about my opinion regarding the recent CJLS decision to permit Homosexual marriages and Rabbinic Ordination. So I'll try to take a stab at it:

In my opinion the CJLS has reniged on it's charter - that to be the Halachic deciding body of the Conservative Movement - there is absolutely no way (as Joel Roth's tshuva said) to allow this al pi HaHalacha. As a self-described Halachic movement, I fail to see how they could allow this.

I have been told by a Conservative Rabbi (she's the mother of a friend) that this decision - in April she knew it'd pass - had less to do with Halacha than it does with trying to save the population slide within the Movement. While I think that has a lot to do with the decision, it still does not make sense; the long term survival of the movement does not need to permit this.

Two of my former roommates are currently at JTS now. While they disagree to the level that Homosexuals should be active within the Movement, they both agreed that it was absolutely the right thing to do and nearly 90% of the Student population agreed. It bothers me, that the students at JTS believe that driving on Shabbat is assur yet Homosexual marriage and ordination (let alone the Homosexual act) should be permitted by Halacha.

As you may have read, Roth and Rabinowitz - two of the major forces within the CJLS - have both resigned following the decision. I fully support their decision. Elliot Dorff, one of the authors of the decision to allow Homosexual marriage and ordination, said “Celibacy is a cruel option.” If it is cruel we still must be aware that the Torah demands it. We cannot pretend that it does not.

I will take this opportunity to post a quote from an article that I read regarding the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem.

Judaism looks negatively at homosexual activity, but not at the homosexual nature, whether it is genetic or acquired (the Torah does not express any view on the matter), is immaterial. This nature in no way diminishes or affects the Jewishness of a homosexual. He is as beloved in G-d's eyes as any other Jew, and is as responable as any Jew in all the mitzvos. He is obligated to achieve life's goals by directing his life towards spiritual growth, sanctity and perfection of his character - no less than is any other Jew. He will merit the same share in the World to Come which every Jew merits, minimally by being the descendant of Avraham Avinu and maximally by totally devoting his life towards the service of G-d.

Rav Aharon Feldman (quoted by Rabbi Moshe Hauer in "Horror, Sadness, and Concern" in the Baltimore Jewish News 11/24/06)

I think this is the proper response to the issue. This is where the joke Im tirtzu ain zo Halacha - If there's a Rabbinic Will there's a Haalchic way ends. There is no way to change the Torah and two thousand years of Rabbinic legislation.

Two Men and a Movie

2006-11-28T08:34:00.000-05:00

It's been a tradition in my family for quite some time now that we all go catch a matinée on the Friday after Thanksgiving. When we were younger it was always whatever new Disney movie was out, but this year we went to see Bobby. If you haven't heard, Bobby is Emilio Estevez's new movie about the assassination of Bobby Kennedy in 1968.

The reason that I bring all of this up is that it's a fantastic movie. Unlike most movies about a single event, Bobby is focused on 22 characters who are in the Ambassador Hotel on that day. There are politicians, a young couple on the day of their wedding, superstars, cooks, and managers. But the overall theme, and Estevez was particularly good at getting this across, was what Bobby Kennedy meant to people in 1968 - the hope that he promised.

I could not but help think at the end of the movie that there really needs to be a movie about Yitzhak Rabin made in a similar format. When Rabin was assassinated twelve years ago I was too young to understand his politics, but I saw the look on my mother's face when we heard that he had died. I do not agree with Rabin's politics - and neither did my mother - but on that day, as in 1968, the hope was killed a long with the person. I'm not totally sure that it can be regained either, well not very easily at least.

Do yourself a favor, go see Bobby.

David Brown goes back to work

2006-11-21T23:25:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the enormous outpouring of support for David, Towson University reached an agreement with him to allow him to return to work as a University Police Officer. If you don't live in the Baltimore/DC area you probably haven't heard about him, and if you do I'd be shocked if you haven't.

David Brown has been in the Jewish Times, Campus Newspapers, Local TV, and on the radio. The Jewish community put aside their differences and came out and supported him and forced Towson to rethink their strategy.

Here's the Baltimore Sun's article:

But while Brown was celebrating the Sabbath, he was also missing shifts with the Towson University police department. In a dispute that inspired protests and petitions from students, Brown accused the school of religious discrimination, while the school suspended him from his job.

Yesterday, a day before a hearing that Brown feared would have led to his termination, he reached an agreement with the university. Although supervisors will still assign Brown to work during the Sabbath, they will give him more freedom to find other officers to cover his shifts, and even allow him to skip some.

Towson is allowed to save face though Brown does not get everything he wanted and deserved it's still a win in his eyes. It's times like these when I see communal support that books like Jew Vs. Jew are not 100% accurate. Jews are still - despite their religious, political, philosophical differences - Jews, willing to help each other out when it's necessary.

Jack Abramoff starts his prison sentence

2006-11-15T08:50:00.000-05:00

CNN is reporting that Jack Abramoff started his six-year prison sentence today:

CUMBERLAND, Maryland (AP) -- Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, convicted of federal charges after using expensive gifts, campaign donations and exotic trips to win access to the powerful in Washington, went to prison Wednesday.
Abramoff arrived at about 6:30 a.m. EST at a relatively secluded prison facility in western Maryland and began to serve a nearly six-year prison sentence for a fraudulent deal to buy a fleet of casino ships in Florida.
Abramoff was delivered out of sight of waiting reporters and camera crews and his arrival was announced in a two-paragraph statement by a prison representative.
The part of the camp where Abramoff will be kept is a 334-bed minimum security facility located near an industrial park along the north branch of the Potomac River.
The camp is all male. It consists of a number of two-story dormitories that are light red cinderblock structures. Each dormitory contains a number of six-bed cubicles, and Abramoff was being assigned to one of those. The prison is nearly surrounded by Appalachian Mountain ridges rising along either bank of the Potomac on the Maryland and West Virginia sides of the river.

A friend of mine recently spent Shabbos with then and had nothing but rave reviews of Jack and his family - he was quite pleased with the food. To Jack, I hope you will come out of this a better man.

Parshat Chayei Sara: The Transition Begins from Avraham to Yitzhak

2006-11-15T00:42:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of Parshat Chayei Sara, Avraham buys a plot of land in Hevron to bury her. While this is very clearly l'cvodah it also has very important ramifications for Yitzhak. I think the following quote does a great job explaining why.

Ownership of burial land is crucial for both familial and political reasons. Sarah would have received a decent burial regardless of whether Abraham had purchased the cave. But Abraham has in mind also and especially on what is needed for future generations, beginning with Isaac. By purchasing a family burial site, Abraham provides as a permanent holding a special place where the ancestors may always "dwell" among the living, a place of memory and filial piety. Indeed, Abraham is arranging his own place of internment and safeguarding it in advance through purchase so that his son will have a secure place to bury him, side by side with Sarah, his wife and Isaac's mother. Isaac will not need to go begging for burial in Hittite sepulchres; Isaac will not need to bargain as Abraham had done; Isaac will know where his loss should lead him: back to his ancestral roots. Even without further instruction, Isaac at the time of his father's death will be directed to reunite his father with his mother and to recognize in their union the wondrous source of his being. He will be moved to recall their deeds. He will be encouraged to try to walk thereafter in their ways... The burial arrangements that Abraham makes today for Sarah (and himself) will speak for him to Isaac after Abraham has died, precisely when Isaac will need to hearken.

Leon R. Kass, The Begining of Wisdom: Reading Genesis p.366

Even in grief Avraham has his wits about him to recall what his goal in life truly is: to found a great nation. That end goal cannot be forgotten even for one moment, by the end of his life Avraham has developed into the great father that we needed for the new nation.

Even with the best training and the best teachers in the world, the student (Yitzhak) needs to be receptive to the transmission. After Sara's death, Yitzhak is so grief stricken that Avraham is forced to find ways to help him deal with the pain and move on. This is a two step process: 1. Bury Sara 2. Yitzhak shall be married.

Thus we see that despite the fact that Yitzhak never sees his father again from the time of the Akeidah to Avraham's death, Yitzhak will clearly understand (if he has not understood it already) that Avraham was preparing him to perpetuate the nation.

Shmuley Boteach on Evangelical Politics

2006-11-13T08:53:00.000-05:00

Shmuley Boteach wrote an Op-Ed piece for the Jerusalem Post on the need to bridge the gaps between Jews and Evangelical Christians with regards to Israel. It's a very well written article arguing that we should get past our dislike for their ulterior motives, it is "the survival of God's chosen people" that we should ultimately be concerned with and therefore accept Evangelical support with open arms.

The thing is that this argument makes too much sense. I've posted before about this issue and my dislike for the Evangelical movement. I don't believe that their ultimate desire - for the conversion of Jews and acceptance of Jesus - fits in very well with our system of beliefs.

Israel could use a good friend, money is always a good thing, but this isn't 1952 with a poor Israel, we are talking about the most advanced economy in the Middle East. Israel's economy is doing very well and while some of that has to do with Evangelical money, we should not be doing what Shmuley Boteach is preaching - proactively looking for their support. I would not suggest divesting from them, not only for practical reasons, but mainly because I think their delusional and that their understanding of Armageddon will not come true.

It is an Arab proverb that states "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". Until someone shows me that verse in Mishlei I don't think we should be accepting any more help.

The Elections and Musings on Politics in General

2006-11-09T02:01:00.000-05:00

I knew that these elections would stir things up, but I didn't quite expect them to be as interesting as they've become. Rumsfeld's resignation was unexpected, though I have to give Bush credit for waiting till after the election to announce the news, it would have been seen as a political move. Now for sure, it could be viewed as, "Well, we did poorly in the election, time to show the world we're moving on too". And it may be, but I don't believe that to be the primary reason - in my honest opinion Bush knew even before the elections took place that Rumsfeld needed to go.

I was unable to vote in this election, I forgot to change my voter registration address in time and also forgot to request an absentee ballot. I take voting very seriously and I feel ashamed for not voting. It is a civic duty and those that do not vote should have little say in the repercussions of the elections (unless of course for no fault of their own). Therefore, I hope I can live up to my own principles and keep my critiques to a minimum. It's a good thing that the people I would have voted for won anyway.

For those that are interested I wanted Martin O'Malley and Ben Cardin to win - they did. Even though I am no longer a resident of Pennsylvania I would have voted for Rendell over Lynn Swan (despite the fact that I am a die-hard Steelers fan); I am ecstatic that Bob Casey defeated Rick Santorum.

Harry has a great post on the elections. I don't like the post title, though I think his commentary is quite good. I am not a fan of one issue politics - the effects of elections are greater than any one single issue, Israel included.

What also disturbs me is Haaretz's Israel Factor page. It's a ranking on which candidates are more pro-Israel than the other. What describes one as better than another, and can you really put that into a point total? Is a candidate that would blindly support Israel under all circumstances really what we want? Sure it might be if you're the guy in charge, but if you don't happen to support Olmert 100% then you shouldn't support blind support.

What we need is responsible support. An American President to tell Olmert when he's not acting appropriately. One with the intelligence to understand that he'd act the same way if he was the Prime Minister of Israel. Also one to know when certain actions are out of line (e.g. Amona) though also to know the balance between friendly advice and over reaching. These are among the reasons why I do not understand why people believe Bush was good for Israel. Good how? No, he was the blind supporter. We do not need that.

Sometimes I wish I could vote Bartlet.

The Conservative Movement and Homosexuality

2006-10-27T02:54:00.000-04:00

In March the Committee for Jewish Laws and Standards (CJLS) of the Conservative Movement postponed their decision on the allowance of Homosexuality in the movement to December. I posted a few times previously regarding my feelings on the issue (here, here, and here).

In deference to a few former roommates and friends that currently attend JTS (one of whom is a very outspoken supporter of the proposal) I try to be as civil as I can. In short I think the issue is very clear: accepting Gays and Lesbians into Rabbinic positions is tantamount to rewriting the Torah.

I re-stumbled across KeshetJTS's website (the Pro-Gay group at JTS) and noticed this article entitled: Does the Old Testament Really Condemn Homosexuality? by Rabbi Michele Brand Medwin of Binghamton, NY.

Quoting the obvious psukim (Vayikra 18:22 etc.) she looks at how the word Toeva (abhorrence) is used in other contexts. They all seem to deal with Avoda Zara. Since, she concludes, "Homosexuality was used as a pagan ritual. God was not condemning the act of homosexuality itself. God was condemning the pagan ritual act of homosexuality and all that is associated with it." But the homosexual act is actually allowed according to Brand.

"In today’s world this prohibition now has no meaning. We are no longer threatened by Canaanite pagan religion and homosexuality today is not a pagan ritual. Homosexuality in Biblical terms is no longer an issue for us today."

I'm sure it's clear that I think she's completely off base here, but this has always been the problem of finding Ta'amei HaMitzvot (reasons for the commandments) - once you "find" the reason, if it no longer applies then what good is it? As was pointed out to me once (maybe in the name of Rav Hirsch) that Ta'amei Hamitzvot really should be translated as flavors of the Commandments. Instead of trying to figure out what God was commanding this for, we've come to understand what the mitzvah means to us. A subtle but importance difference.

Rabbi Brand believes she's figured it all out, and in only four pages too, something that no other Torah scholar in the previous three thousand plus years has been able to do either. Sorry for the sarcasm, but I don't know how else to react.

NJ Rules in favor of Gay Marriages

2006-10-25T22:55:00.000-04:00

CNN is reporting that the New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that the state must change its laws within six-months to provide for same sex marriages.

TRENTON, New Jersey (CNN) -- In a decision likely to stoke the contentious election-year debate over same-sex marriage, the New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that state lawmakers must provide the rights and benefits of marriage to gay and lesbian couples.
The high court on Wednesday gave legislators six months to either change state marriage laws to include same-sex couples, or come up with another mechanism, such as civil unions, that would provide the same protections and benefits.
The court's vote was 4-to-3. But the ruling was more strongly in favor of same-sex marriage than that split would indicate. The three dissenting justices argued the court should have extended full marriage rights to homosexuals, without kicking the issue back to legislators.

I'm not going to get into a Halachic debate on this one, but rather that I 100% support this decision. It's clear what the Torah's position is on homosexuality and studies showing that kids need a mother and a father don't really matter in this debate - this is about the law.

Reread the second paragraph from the article. New Jersey must create same sex marriages or "come up with another mechanism, such as civil unions, that would provide the same protections and benefits." This is the position that I've been advocating for years. Marriage, I believe, can only be between a man and a woman but in a society that has removed the inherent religiosity from the equation by allowing a Justice of the Peace to marry two people then we must allow same sex unions - Civil Unions - to include homosexual couples.

I also believe that this is fundamentally a state's rights issue and that a state (e.g. Texas) does not have to allow these unions if the legislature and judiciary decide not to. But - in defiance of the Defense of Marriage Act - I do not believe that states can ignore the Constitutional Full Faith and Credit clause. That law - signed by Clinton in 1996 - is wrong and should never have been allowed to pass. Where's Judicial Review when you need it?

Nach Yomi?

2006-10-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

What ever happened to the Nach Yomi blog? It was going strong until July and since then no new posts. Anyone know anything?

M'Yamino Aishdat Lamo

2006-10-13T00:25:00.000-04:00

We spend the entire month of Tishrei renewing and rejuvenating ourselves - spiritually and physically. After Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot we end the month with Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. I find it quite telling that the last thing we renew is the Torah. Our guide to life renews itself along with us.

In the last section of the Torah that we read we come across a strange phrase M'Yamino Aishdat Lamo(33:2). Specifically the word Aishdat is curious - Rashi explains that this phrase means that the Torah came from the fire. It is this immagery that Moshe is providing for us here - the Torah came from God through the fire. The Torah was forged in the fire of God providing us with a gift that is strong and lasting.

This is what Moshe is driving at by using the word Aishdat. Bnai Yisrael know by now that Moshe is leaving and Yehoshua is taking over. "I'm moving on; Yehoshua will be with you - yet the Torah that God gave to us will always be with you".

Rav Hirsch tellsu s that Dat is "the cosmic conception of the Torah" and Aish is "the power which gives movement...the dark invisible fire by which the eternal God-given laws of nature in all his creations". This is very similar to the Rambam's philosophy - that part of God's existence is the primordial mover, which provides the locomotion for the universe to function.

Moshe here is telling us that the best way we can understand the essence of God is through fire - not in the Zoroastrian sense - but through Aishdat. Moshe makes it very clear in combining these two words that we are not to separate these ideas, that they are intrinsically intertwined and that the best way to gain the true understanding of God is through the Torah.

And you thought the only good jokes were Polish ones...

2006-10-12T22:43:00.000-04:00

This is hysterical:

OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) -- Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy -- almost impenetrable forests of marijuana plants 10 feet tall.
General Rick Hillier, chief of the Canadian defense staff, said Thursday that Taliban fighters were using the forests as cover. In response, the crew of at least one armored car had camouflaged their vehicle with marijuana.
"The challenge is that marijuana plants absorb energy, heat very readily. It's very difficult to penetrate with thermal devices. ... And as a result you really have to be careful that the Taliban don't dodge in and out of those marijuana forests," he said in a speech in Ottawa, Canada.
"We tried burning them with white phosphorous -- it didn't work. We tried burning them with diesel -- it didn't work. The plants are so full of water right now ... that we simply couldn't burn them," he said.
Even successful incineration had its drawbacks.
"A couple of brown plants on the edges of some of those [forests] did catch on fire. But a section of soldiers that was downwind from that had some ill effects and decided that was probably not the right course of action," Hiller said dryly.
One soldier told him later: "Sir, three years ago before I joined the army, I never thought I'd say 'That damn marijuana'."

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/10/12/canada.troops.marijuana.reut/index.html

Moshe Ish Elokim

2006-10-10T22:45:00.000-04:00

In Parshat V'zot HaB'racha Moshe is called Ish Elokim. Frankly it's a strange phrase, it appears only once in the entire Torah, and the normative description Eved HaShem is nowhere to be found.

Rabbeinu Bachya in his commentary on this pasuk (33:1) notes the uniqueness of the phrase and that what should have been written was Eved HaShem, but since Moshe is clearly an Eved Hashem everything's okay. But that doesn't really answer his own question. Why use Ish Elokim? Are we just supposed to, as I think Rabbeinu Bachya believes, say 'Oh, Moshe was the greatest Eved HaShem'? That doesn't sit well with me - there's more to this statement than that.

To get at the answer we need to look at the differences between Ish Elokim and Eved HaShem. The first difference between them - is Ish vs. Eved. This one is obvious - man vs. servant. A servant knows his place; an Eved is someone who serves his master at the pleasure of the master. Halachically an Eved Ivri is someone repaying a debt to the master - since Eved HaShem is usually the greatest title that can be placed upon a person - it's quite interesting what that shows regarding the relationship that we are supposed to strive for with God.

But why not Eved Elokim? And Ish is a person, with free will, with the choice to be wherever he wants. This status is completely different than an Eved.

Secondly, there is a big difference between Elokim and HaShem. There are many interpretations on the usage of Elokim and HaShem basically the latter being the suppreme, real, and unknowable aspect of God. When we are Ovdei HaShem we are servants to the unknown, we serve God because that's what God wants of us. When Moshe is called an Ish Elokim he is not serving God like this - he is, as Rav Hirsch (p.663) puts it, "an organ of God".

At the end of the Torah, God calls the ultimate Eved HaShem an Ish Elokim, as tribute to a life well lived. Even with the negative parts of Moshe's life, God is declaring that through all of it Moshe was the organ that allowed B'nai Yisrael to get where it is today.

Rosh HaShana

2006-09-22T02:04:00.000-04:00

As we are rapidly approaching Rosh HaShana it occurs to me that many times during the next week and a half we will think about life - we will wish each other good and sweet years; to enjoy life; to experience only simchas; and finally to live to the next Rosh HaShana. Every year on Rosh HaShana I get reminded of the cliché "Every day is a gift that's why it's called the present".

It may be over used and rather simple - but I think there is elegance in the simplicity. We never know what is in store for us, we don't know if we will live to see another Rosh Hashana, another Yom Kippur, or another Sukkot. One of the things that I don't do nearly enough, not nearly enough* is taking advantage of each day.

At my previous job, the owner would forcefully remind us that we should use two hands to be twice as productive. One of the other employees remarked, "There's a method to his madness, I always remind myself that God gave me two hands, and if I'm not using both of them for a task that could use them then I'm not using God's gift to it's fullest potential". In this time of tshuva we need to remember that each day is a gift and that we need to grab each day by both hands and use it to the best of our abilities.

*- Who, besides Avi, got the The West Wing reference?

New City, New Job, Broccoli and Heksherim

2006-09-14T00:14:00.000-04:00

I've been very busy lately in the past month I moved to a new city (Baltimore) and found a new job, then left that one for another new job. I was asked to become the Mashgiach at Johns Hopkins University which is great except I've been putting in 12-13 hour days regularly. So it pays well but leaves very little time for blogging. I've even got this nifty name tag that says "Mashgiach" apparently nobody cares about my name just my position.

What I really want to write about is Heksherim. I've been a big proponent of Shlomo Aviner's "If you don't have a reason to doubt a heksher, don't" (paraphrased from B'hava u'Emuna found in English thanks to google here). Meaning unless you know for sure that this specific Heksher is not trustworthy then you should trust it. And since I'm certified by two va'ad hakashrut organizations I've got a lot of experience in which heksherim they trust and which they do. Part of me always believed that it wasn't all together right...How do you decide? I never wanted to believe that it came down to money. And I'm now convinced that there is a method to the madness.

All of my salad bar ingredients went bad today so along with the whole process of getting the food prepared I now had the major task of checking a lot of vegetables to get this salad bar up and running. Celery, check. Cabbage, check. Lettuce, check. Then came the broccoli.

Instead of store bought whole broccoli, Dining Services gave me pre cut and presumably pre-washed (industrial not bedika) broccoli. So I go ahead and start washing it. While checking the water I notice a brown aphid*. That's not unexpected. The next glance, there's three more. I take this opportunity to show the managers my find and tell them I hope they're washing the broccoli too - of course. Time to rewash. Geez, still more aphids, all of them brown. A lot of them. Next wash, okay this is getting ridiculous, still more brown aphids.

That makes three, got to scrap the whole bag. It was at this point that I noticed a heksher on the bag. What? Some company decided that this was kosher? I'm still in shock. I've never seen more aphids in one handful of broccoli in my life. This heksher (do is still call it that?) is not on this list of Star-K approved heksherim (thank God), but it now occurs to me that this is why they don't accept this one and that there must be a similar reason to not accept the others.

* - Aphids are normally light green or white and parboiling turns them brown [according to the OU Guide to Preparing Fruits and Vegetables]. This heksher went through the trouble of parboiling the broccoli but forgot to check it completely. Unbelievable.

UN Ambulances

2006-09-03T23:06:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen these two videos that have recently surfaced (thanks to JoeSettler for bringing them to my attention) showing UN Ambulances involved in transporting Hezbollah terrorists to and from the staging areas for rocket attacks.

Here is a direct link to the first one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqGjz7iJTns

And the second:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmk3BEKziJU

While it is easy to attempt to negate the evidence portrayed in the videos - be they fakes or stolen UN vehicles - what is necessary is to try to create a situation much like the falsified Reuters photos where an investigation is necessary. To create enough notice that the UN looks into them. If they are stolen - an answer that I can accept - the UN should have reported that day if not the next that an ambulance was stolen and possibly used for attacks against Israel. If they are fakes then shame on the people that made them.

As a historian this gets me into an area that I wish I knew more about - how do we know that anything really happend?. I hope to post on this eventually as my thoughts come together and I do some more research. Sufice it to say that the argument regarding the dinosaur bones, ma'aseh bereshis and testing our emunah will be discussed.

Creationism Explained by Soda and Bananas

2006-08-15T18:48:00.000-04:00

Watch the video first:

If that is the basis of belief in Creationism or God in general I'm going to cry. It's not only sad that people believe people like these two - but enough people believe it that they make a TV show about it. I also found it interesting that William Paley's famous watchmaker proof (If you find a watch in the desert there must have been a watchmaker...) is re-invented to soda. And yes, that's Kirk Cameron of Growing Pains (and brother to Candice Cameron of Full House).

Israel's War

2006-08-06T01:55:00.000-04:00

I loved Charles Krauthammer's recent Op-Ed called 'Disproportionate' in What Moral Universe? I've been reading a lot of negative critiques (not just by those who would be labeled anti-Israel) that the military response to Hezbollah is disproportionate. I could not disagree anymore with them anymore.

When the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor, it did not respond with a parallel "proportionate" attack on a Japanese naval base. It launched a four-year campaign that killed millions of Japanese, reduced Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki to cinders, and turned the Japanese home islands into rubble and ruin.
Disproportionate? No. When one is wantonly attacked by an aggressor, one has every right -- legal and moral -- to carry the fight until the aggressor is disarmed and so disabled that it cannot threaten one's security again. That's what it took with Japan.

It would be easy to respond that indeed WWII was one big Human rights violation by today's standards. Dresden, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, etc. These are notorious for Allied bombings that killed thousands of civilians, but the Allied Forces believed that it was necessary to purposefully inflict these damages to end the war.

Even if Israel is purposefully inflicting civilian casualties they might be justified according to Krauthammer, but I refuse to believe that the IDF would do that. We've seen evidence for the last four years (Jenin, Gaza, etc.) that shows that the IDF is willing to risk the lives of their soldiers to prevent civilian deaths. As Krauthammer explained we're dropping leaflets warning of an impending attack giving Hezbollah time to evacuate, but we must be the or l'goyim - we must show the world how to properly deal with terrorists cowardly hiding among civilians.

So is Israel disproportionate? No. It seems to me that Israel has a stronger moral backing than the Allied forces had in WWII. It will not be easy and more soldiers (like my friend Michael Levin) h"vs will be killed, but we must defend ourselves.

What Olmert needs to explain to the world that we cannot give up while our civilians are still being attacked. If it takes another week to destroy Hezbollah, go for it. But do not stop this campaign until the threat is finished.

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

2006-08-01T21:47:00.000-04:00

I received word tonight from my sister that a friend of mine (I'm closer with his twin sister - who was working with my sister at the time) was killed today in Lebanon in the village of Aita al-Shaab. He is one of the (so far) unnamed Sanchanim that were killed today in His name has not been released by the IDF (though the family has been contacted) yet - I assume because he is a Chayal Boded.

I have not seen my friend in nearly two years since I randomly ran into him on Ben Yehuda Street a year after he made Aaliyah and joined the army. He could not have been happier then when he was fighting for his country. The only consolation I can offer his family is that he died doing exactly what he wanted to do with his life. I truly believe that had he known what was going to happen to him - to be killed by Hezbollah defending his country - he would have joined the army anyway.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153292058280&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Qana: Who is this Man? What really happened?

2006-07-31T23:18:00.000-04:00

In the wake of the Qana catastrophe there have been lots of reports of dead children due to the Israeli airstrike there. While Israel has accepted the responisbility for this attack it seems that there is something fishy going on.

EU Referendum posts about this man:

He seems to be everywhere in Qana, a super-man of sorts, or is he?

Bluke posts about an article he read regarding the "catastrophe" - I'm not exactly sure what happened in Qana, but it is definitely not what was reported by the media nor accepted by Israel. AlanLaz responding to Bluke's post suggests that Israel need not appologize for anything, whiel I understand his sentiment, I disagree - Israel should appologize for every civillian killed - but that should not stop them from doing what is necessary for the good of the country.

Hebrew National...A better commercial

2006-07-27T23:47:00.000-04:00

For all of the stigma that is associated with Hebrew National I have to say that their recent ad campaign is just brilliant. I came across this commercial while watching the History Channel and none of my roommates picked it up - but being a Kashrut dork - I did.

The commercial says: "They might just be the best hotdogs on earth, no ifs ands or butts about it". Of course this is due to the issur d'orisa from Bereshit 32:33 regarding the gid hanasheh (Sciatic Nerve) and the relevant parts if it's not removed.

I don't think one should have to be a Kashrut dork to notice it; they should have. Nonetheless, my level of respect for Hebrew National has risen tremendously, that doesn't mean that I will be eating their meat just yet but that's a cool commercial.

I'm sure Rav Ralbag is a reputable rov and a good mashgiach, but I'm not going to start buying their meat without some Rabbinic support. ADDeRabbi?

One Day in a Pizza Shop

2006-07-26T22:41:00.000-04:00

I went home to visit my parents in Philadelphia yesterday - a pre Rosh Chodesh BBQ was in order - and had a wonderful visit. This afternoon while running errands with my mother we stopped in a Pizza Shop in the North East (not hard to figure out which one if you know Philly) to get some lunch. I looked over at the community bulletin bord and noticed a Tzeddaka campaign for a chasid whose dying and has ten children to take care of. It's a heart-wrenching tale in a beautiful brochure with full color pictures of the children*.

However, eight of the children have their faces blurred out. Which eight? All of the girls. Much like the recent Feldheim scandal, Charedim have decided that pictures of females are completely assur even if they are newborns (check out what the Shulchan Aruch says about clothing your children) and dressed tzniusly.

What is the point of our tzniut standards if they are not good enough? We are telling our women that we really want them wearing burqa's if they ever need to show their faces. But why stop there? It should be assur to take pictures of women even if we can't see them, because men will imagine them and that's assur - even though it's not written anywhere it's still assur. But that's okay because our women don't learn anything but how to pray, read a chumash, cook, and maybe a few necessary mishnayot; so they'll never learn the difference.

*- It occurs to me that maybe the money spent on this brochure could have been better allocated to the children in need.

One Israeli's View

2006-07-21T09:19:00.000-04:00

I came across this article and I immediately thought I needed to copy it in it's entirety. Read and enjoy.

One Israeli's View

The great Yogi Berra once said, "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is."

I am not a columnist - just an ordinary American citizen living in Israel - but I have gained some insight into both cultures, some might say mentalities. Here is what many Israelis are feeling nowadays.

The first point concerns some unwritten American values I grew up with:

* Problems are solvable.
* Good will is returned in kind.
* In general, favor the underdog over the top dog (unless you're the top dog).
* If two sides are fighting, they must both have some justification.
* Be reasonable; split the difference.

But what if you are living in a neighborhood where they are not quite as reasonable as you? Where your attempts to reason and split the difference backfire? Or worse, where concession is laughed at as weakness.

The second point concerns Israel in particular. We are 6.6 million people, toughened but pragmatic. At 8,020 square miles, we have an area 25% smaller than Maryland. The difference is that, unlike America's vast power, with oceans and peaceful neighbors on all sides, the Jewish state is surrounded on several sides with people who actually want to kill us. Not subdue us - destroy our country.

It would be convenient to think that this must be because of something we did. But Hamas and Hezbollah say it out loud and crystal clear. The "occupation" is the whole works. Their final solution is the total destruction of Israel. Iran, a member state of the UN, holds conferences called "A World Without Israel."

This is the backdrop against which most civilized countries would have us turn the other cheek. As social writer Eric Hoffer once said, "We really do expect the Jews to be the only good Christians in the world."

To put things in perspective, imagine, if you can, that Arlington lobbed 1,000 shells at Georgetown. Or sent suicide bombers. How exactly would you react? Imagine that Mexico was calling for the destruction of the United States, backing it up with cross-border raids and missiles.

The third point is that Israel already withdrew from every last inch of southern Lebanon and Gaza, as the international community demanded. But the provocations and terror - violence aimed intentionally against civilian targets - continued. This is why we entered this conflict. Enough is enough.

This is a horrible situation to be in, fighting Hezbollah behind its human shields. But before bombing southern Lebanon and the Hezbollah neighborhoods of Beirut, Israel dropped leaflets encouraging evacuation. Confronted with terrible choices, we are trying to fight while minimizing civilian casualties.

It was wishful thinking to hope that joining the government would make Hamas and Hezbollah more responsible. Sometimes putting the bully in charge of the playground works, and sometimes it doesn't.

The operative emotion in Israel right now is sadness, sadness for what is being done to us, sadness for what we must do to defend ourselves. The missiles shot at Haifa landed a few miles from the research labs of Intel, IBM, Microsoft and Google. Israelis would much rather continue working on desalination, stroke treatment, and alternative fuels (see www.israel21c.org). We would rather that our adversaries developed their own economies pragmatically.

We hate this conflict, but we will not commit suicide. As Golda Meir said, "We will have peace when our enemies love their children more than they hate ours."

My father was a survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, was the most optimistic person I ever knew, but he once taught me, "Above all else, when someone threatens to kill you or your loved ones - just believe him!"

The lesson for America is simple. Do not hide from international responsibility. Do not assume the oceans offer protection. Iran is behind Hezbollah, Hamas, Syria, and, of course, the insurgents in Iraq. If Iran gets nuclear bombs, do you want to bet they won't sponsor a radical Islamic group to eradicate American cities?

You want to know what Israelis are thinking? Theory and practice are intertwined. We are on the front line, but we will show patience and strength. That's why 89% of Israelis, Left, Right and Center, support the army right now. A mere 61 years and 10 weeks after V-E day, we know that evil and blind hatred exist. And that they can be beaten.

-- Bob Rosenschein is CEO of Answers.com (NASD:ANSW); he can be reached at rrosenschein at gmail.com; this piece reflects his own views

This post originally came from rishon-rishon.com and is also featured on The Washington Post.

B'not Tzlophchad: A radical feminist claim and Poor Divrei Torah

2006-07-17T23:47:00.000-04:00

[This is a week late, but the message is still important.]

At the end of Parshat Pinchas we read about B'not Tzlophchad who ask, "Why should we be left out" Lama Negara? Because our father died and left no sons. So what is the overall message of the story of B'not Tzlophchad? Is it a radical feminist ideology hidden within the text or a claim that those who feel outside of B'nai Yisrael should be included?

Rav Menachem Schrader believes the overall message of this story is that a superhuman effort should be made to make those who feel excluded from B'nai Yisrael to feel included. Consideration is made for these daughters, we understood the pickle that they were in and Moshe decided that he had to go up the lader and find out what could be done. This is how we should treat those Jews who feel marginalized, understand them and try to find a kula. We should not, Rav Schrader warns, perform halachic summersaults when we cannot - Halacha can only be stretched so far.

This same story is used by some to show a radical feminist ideology in the Torah. A careful reading of the text shows that their wish is not "The Torah's laws are unjust and women also should inherit", but rather "Our father should have a right to inherit, and because daughters cannot inherit, he has no representation in Eretz Yisrael". Their point is not that they should inherit, but our righteous and holy father should not be excluded from the people.

This also brings me to point out this d'var torah on MyJewishLearning.com - a website that could be a great resource but tries to be to much and fails at all of it. The d'var torah isn't so much the feminist ideology, but rather just a poor d'var torah. Instead of trying to grapple with the message of the text the parsha of B'not Tzlophchad is hijacked by their idea into something that it's not. Divrei Torah should try to understand what the text is saying not making the text say what we wish it to it is false scholarship.

To Judge or Not to Judge?

2006-07-16T22:57:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned before I work in a restaurant, but today was the most memorable day in a while. I've been on vacation for the weekend and even though I normally work on Sundays I came in only at 5pm (till 10). Anyway, tonight a certain infamous celebrity walked in with his family. All of the employees recognized him but couldn't place the name (neither could I at first), until his wife came to the counter to ask for help and the proprietor said "You husband looks very familiar". To which she laughed and said, "Yeah from the newspapers. Jack Abramoff."

Knowing what I do about the situation and living in the area that I do, I know many people that have had less than spectacular dealings with this man, but tonight he and his family looked like every average joe that walks in. Happy, enjoying life, etc.

I spoke to my (soon to be) mother-in-law and she was shocked that he came here, but unlike her I wasn't. As a professional it's my duty to treat everyone equally and to try as hard as I can to not pass judgment on them.

Anyway, that was the one cheerful thing that happened tonight when we weren't discussing the news in Israel and the checking of parsley.

On the Horizon

2006-07-13T17:14:00.000-04:00

So it looks like war is on the horizon or at least that's what the American news is making the developing situation seem to be. Katusha's in Haifa and Sfat. I can hardly believe that the day came so quickly when that sentence is true.

Since I wrote the previous post Hizbu'allah (after threatening just that they're not denying it) has escalated the violence. What else can Israel do but attack? Yet the UN, the EU, and the Japanese Prime Minister are telling Israel to be careful. Right, if those North Korean rockets landed in Japan I doubt the Japanese would be restraining themselves.

It seems that Iran is more likely to be behind this Hizbu'allah attack then Assad. Or maybe it's Iran through Assad but either way Matt may have been correct.

HaMatzav

2006-07-13T01:14:00.000-04:00

Israel is in turmoil right now. Hizbu'allah has kidnapped two soldiers, killed eight more and we're invading Lebanon in retaliation. Am I disputing the need to do so? No. It is painfully clear that Hizbu'allah is attempting to take the focus off of Gaza and force Israel - actually Olmert and the Army - to make a painful decision. Gaza or Lebanon?

The problem is that it won't work. Olmert already sent in the Northern Command into Lebanon and seems to be intensifying the operation in Gaza to free Gilad. For that I am thankful, it is exactly what he should do. If, as my friend Matt is suggesting, Assad starts attacking Israel within the next few days we might just have a new war on our hands.

I don't believe it will go that far. Assad may be irrational but I don't believe he will start a war that he cannot win coupled with the knowledge that you don't attack a superior enemy when they are operational. You attack when they least expect it - like the Yom Kippur War.

Getting back to the point - I don't believe Olmert's "restrained, but painful" response will be restrained at all. They'll attack and attack hard because the Army won't put up with anything else. They'll go in hard and fast until the world opinion (or just the US) says "Okay, breathe. If they start up again, then do it all again". Olmert may not be the best Prime Minister ever, but he is not stupid. The Israeli public will not put up with the Hizbu'allah antics and so he will use the Army for reeking retribution upon Lebanon. Gaza. And Syria too if they don't want to play nice, and yes if Assad so much as lifts a finger expect to see more than a fly-by of his palace - but I don't believe it will get to missiles.

Anyway, tzom tov.

What to do with Hamas? Part III

2006-07-05T13:28:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I posted regarding Hamas (I, II); basically, I advocated a position that the elected officials of any group of people should be regarded as the legitimate governing body of that population regardless of their past history. That is not an easy position to argue when talking about Hamas.

Since then, Hamas has clearly lapsed back into their previous modus operandi. Instead of believing that we need to give them a second chance, they have clearly relapsed into terrorism and kidnapping because they are incapable of being the government they pretended to be. In my opinion the IDF's current operation in Gaza is perfectly justified and a necessity.

Unlike bluke (who, while providing good analysis, is overly pessimistic), I think the current situation is one of strength. I have yet to hear of the world criticizing Israel for their operation, we went in hard, stopped to allow negotiations, and when those failed went back in-all the while maintaining our determination and position of strength. I, like Harry (with whom I agree with on many issues), am very proud of Israel right now.

Korach: "We've Got it Good and We Don't Want to Leave"

2006-06-26T11:45:00.000-04:00

The story of Korach and his rebellion gets a lot of attention in Rabbinic literature and deservedly so. It's a story that is hard to comprehend and it has major ramifications on our understanding of Moshe. On the face of it, Korach and his merry men come to Moshe and said "We too are holy, why are you restricting power to yourselves?" A strong statement that results in the death of Korach's band.

What was Korach's problem with Moshe? In verse four we are told that Moshe "falls on his face".

רש"י על במדבר פרק טז פסוק ד
(ד) ויפול על פניו - מפני המחלוקת
Because of the question that Korach asks.

Whatever this question was it was dumbfounding; it was such a good question that Moshe is struck by its potency. Rashi, on the first posuk of the parsha, informs us what the machloket between Korach and Moshe is:

רש"י במדבר פרק טז

והלבישן טליתות שכולן תכלת. באו ועמדו לפני משה. אמרו לו טלית שכולה של תכלת חייבת בציצית או פטורה. אמר להם חייבת. התחילו לשחק עליו, אפשר טלית של מין אחר חוט אחד של תכלת פוטרה, זו שכולה תכלת לא תפטור את עצמה:

The Midrash Tanchuma tells us that the issue that Korach really brings up to Moshe is the question of Techelet. They asked if a garmet composed completely of Techelet needed Tzitzit. Moshe response is "Chayavet" - Yes, it does. Korach laughs at Moshe, what a ridiculous statement.

But is it?

Moshe doesn't explain himself but his thought process is easy to understand. What does this question have to do with anything? Only five psukim before this episode the mitzvah of tzitzit is given:

Speak to the children of Israel and you shall say to them that they shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they shall affix a thread of blue on the fringe of each corner.

Moshe thinks 'Why would a beged of Techelet be any different? Of course it needs tzitzit'. Korach's question is based on a Kal V'Chomer, it's a logical response but is based on an incorrect premise.

The Rambam, in Hilchot Tzitzit, tells us that the Techelet wraps around the white strings to remind us about God's (the blue) dominion over the world (the white). Korach's question about tzitzit then is a moshol for B'nai Yisrael going into Israel. Just as the the Techelet/Hashem wraps around the White/Olam HaBa; the desert is a place where B'nai Yisrael live with God. Every day they eat Man, the Annan HaKavod protects them, their clothes never wear out either. God takes care of their every need, why would they leave?

The giving of the mitzva of tzitzit was an indication to Korach that this perfect civilization was coming to an end. They'd have to face the real world. Why would we want this? It's better to live in the talit sh'kulan techelet your whole world is God.

This, however, is not Jewish. Moshe is leading the people to Israel to put into practice these great ideas. Korach wants to live in the Ivory Tower (okay maybe it's Blue this time), he wants to be an European intellectual always talking and never doing. This isn't Jewish, but the question is so great that Moshe is incapable of answering. Judaism is about bringing the techelet down to the white, not wrapping ourselves completely in it. Korach, after living through Yitziat Mitzrayim and Matan Torah, still could not understand what it was all about.

Oh the Joys of Parsley

2006-06-22T09:59:00.000-04:00

I work as a Mashgiach in a nearby restaurant and recently we switched from small produce supplied parsley to a Supermarket bought variety. We made this switch because it is a superior product at a similar price (I believe we get a discount from the Supermarket). Even though I spend nearly my whole day with those vegetables I have very little influence on that decision. These Supermarket vegetables (parsley, cilantro, and a few others) are a better quality product but are not anymore cleaner nor bug free. Now, except at Pesach, I never eat parsley at home so I can't really say if this is a fluke or not, but I doubt it.

The other Mashgiach there (different shifts) and I hate checking parsley as it is consistently the dirtiest vegetable and is always infested. The Vaad I work for requires the use of salt and/or vinegar (depending on the vegetable being checked) for the checking. Al Pi HaHalacha it is not necessary to use either of those but as long as you are not using that much it shouldn't hurt the vegetable. [The standard we use is that if you can taste the salt/vinegar in the water (before the vegetable is placed in the bucket) it is enough].

Anyway, the parsley. I hate parsley, even after two pre-washings and two bedikot I still find bugs and this is the Supermarket variety. So if you're not washing your vegetables well please do yourself a favor and start. I know you can't find commercially pre-checked parsley/cilantro, but after you've seen the bugs in vegetables that I see everyday (ugly ones that scowl at me) will always give your vegetables the checking they deserve.

Coincidentally, I find it interesting that the topic of shratzim is usually the last (if covered at all) topic in a Kashrut shiur. This is an issur d'oraita where many people are lax but are machmir on minhagim, but I don't think I'll ever understand them.

Vehakohanim

2006-06-15T15:04:00.000-04:00

Shlomo Katz has released his latest CD Vehakohanim and I cannot illustrate how amazing this album is. I've been a fan of his (and his brother Eitan) for a while now since their duet album came out a few years ago.

In Vehakohanim, Shlomo creates a great Jewish album. If you've read this blog before you'll notice that I love music. I've been to hundreds of concerts and own hundreds of CDs on top of thousands of live shows. Jewish music as a whole does not even attempt to produce itself in the way the secular world does. Blue Fringe among others have tried to force Jewish music to move past that state. Shlomo Katz does it, and does it well.

The entire album is beautifully done, the arrangements are outstanding, the band is great too. My favorite song has to be Yismechu, which should become a staple zemer for shabbos. I had the opportunity to sing this song with Shlomo at a seudat shlishit this passed summer and the song spoke to me then and I still remember that event like it was yesterday.

So, I highly recommend that you all buy the album. You will undoubtedly be as pleased as I am.

Is Chabad part of Orthodox Judaism?

2006-06-13T00:25:00.000-04:00

It seems that the town of Elkana is in the midst of a debate that has been bugging me for a while. Is Chabad part of Orthodoxy? YNet reported on May 29th that the Rabbanut of Elkana is refusing to adjust their mikveh to Chabad standards because "the Chabad movement is not part of the Jewish Orthodox group and therefore it can not use the facilities of this group".

Them be fightin' words.

The Rabbanut never said such any such thing; they're just thinking it. "Obviously they are kosher Jews, until they begin acting in a compulsive way, all the while refuting the authority of the community rabbi," said Motti Minzer the representative of the Rabbanut.

The problem here is that any small group (Ashkenazim/Sefardim/etc.) are not going to give up and use a mikveh they deem inadequate. The Rabbi feels no obligation to give in - the local rabbanut is the local rabbanut - it's their call.

I agree, but that brings us to the original question. Is Chabad Orthodox?

In short, I'd say no. And so would they. Chabad doesn't call itself Orthodox, they call themselves Hasidic and Jewish, but the label "Orthodox" appears nowhere on their webpage.

If being Orthodox is nothing more than just a label, why does it matter? I personally hate the term, I'm not religious to be Orthodox, I'm religious because it's what Jews do and what Jews believe. If that makes me Orthodox, then fine - I couldn't care less.

What the label provides is a litmus test to gauge everybody else by. That gauge may or may not be the 13 Ikkarim, it may be some other "test". But it seems that whatever the test should include, at the very least more than one group of those calling themselves Orthodox should adhere to it.

Thus, saying strict adherence to R' Teitelbaum is not accepted since nobody outside the Satmar Community would agree. Torah Min HaShamayim probably would go on the test. So what about the Chabad claim that Rebbe as Moshiach? Is this something that can be written off like the followers of some other movements?

I don't believe so. Messianic claims are too important to the klal to be accepted by any part and not the whole. Thus, Chabad (since it cannot seem to differentiate the elements within itself) has eliminated itself from normative Orthodoxy. It is possible, that if Chabad could purge the Messianic elements from its ranks that it could regain its former status. But if, as some scholars have suggested, most Chabad Rabbis are Meshichi or at the very least accept it as a legitimate belief; then no, Chabad cannot be part of the Orthodox community.

So what now? Chabad isn't Orthodox. It's Chabad and I think they're just happy with that. It doesn't necessarily mean to cut off all ties (it may for certain elements); but these Lubavitchers in Israel should either use the current Mikveh or build their own.

On Documentary Hypothesis

2006-06-05T22:32:00.000-04:00

Documentary Hypothesis has been the topic of conversation on some major blogs of late. So when the following quote caught my eye I thought it should be posted.

...The academic study of the Bible has raised major methodological questions, not least about whether the Bible - and even the single book of Genesis - is in fact a coherent and integral whole. The so-called documentary hypothesis argues that what we call the Bible is in fact a latter-day compilation of disparate materials, written by different authors at different times, having different outlooks and intentions, even employing different concepts of and names or God. But even granting that the material compiled in Genesis came, to begin with, from different sources, one must still consider what intention or idea of wholeness governed the act of compilation that produced the present text. Must one assume that the redactor was some pious fool who slavishly stitched together all the available disparate stories without rhyme or reason, heedless of the contradictions between them? Or should we not rather give the redactor the benefit of the doubt and assume that he knew precisely what he was about? Could he perhaps have deliberately juxtaposed contradictory stories to enable us to discover certain contradictory aspects of the world thereby made plain? True, finding a coherent interpretation of the whole does not guarantee that one has found the biblical author's (or redactor's) own intention. But it should give pause to those who claim that the text could have no such unity. Besides, knowing the historical origins or sources of the text is not substitute for learning its meaning; to discover the meaning, a text must be studied in its own terms.

Leon R. Kass The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis. p. 13-14.

This book was given to me by a good friend and I found the above quote to be rather astute for a non-religious insight. I do not know the author, though a guest for a Shabbos lunch knew quite a lot about Kass (the guest's brother apparently works with Kass and speaks quite highly about him). I'm quite interested in what Kass has to say about Bereshit, I'm sure I'll blog about it in the future.

I too am a Lonely Man of Faith

2006-05-30T02:48:00.000-04:00

Doubleday has recently published Rav Soloveitchik's classic work Lonely Man of Faith (it may be the best $10 you'll ever spend). I haven't read the work in years and I'm only just starting it again, but I'm reminded of a topic that I think is really important.

Soloveitchik believes that people of faith are alone in the modern world; that contemporary society forces people who believe to feel like outsiders. Modern academic scholarship is foreign to the faithful.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with Steg's brother. Jews are different. Jews have a different set of dilemmas than the rest of humanity does. Philosophic and moral issues for the rest of the world just aren't for Jews. Maybe that's because our tradition has dealt with these issues previously (i.e., Talmud) but I believe it to be more of akin to a separate reality. Our issues revolve around relating to HaShem, Halachik requirements and Bein adam l'chavero issues.

As Soloveitchik writes:

I have never been seriously troubled by the problem of the Biblical doctrine of creation vis-à-vis the scientific story of evolution at both the cosmic and the organic levels, nor have I been perturbed by the confrontation of the mechanistic interpretation of the human mind with the Biblical spiritual concept of man. I have not been perplexed by the impossibility of fitting the mystery of revelation into the framework of historical empiricism. Moreover, I have not even been troubled by the theories of Biblical criticism which contradict the sanctity and integrity of the Scriptures rest. (p. 7)

These are the things that do not bother the Rav, some of them bother me, some of them don't. Some may bother you, some may not. What is important is the overall message, what secular society deems important just isn't for the faithful. Even if Richard Elliot Freedman is correct, even if Spinoza is, it does not really affect me. I find it interesting, but they do not trouble my faith.

Other things may, but not this.

Rav Shmuel

2006-05-24T01:10:00.000-04:00

I came across a live recording of Rav Shmuel and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. He's a fantastic story teller, one-man show in the Carlebachian show - though it's not Carlebach music. Give it a listen; let me know what you think. It's a great show, I'd probably check him out if he came to town.

[Rav Shmuel homepage]

If you've never heard of Rav Shmuel he started an organization called Gefilte Fish, where he went on Phish tour setting up shop in an RV in the parking lots prior to shabbos and invited kids over. My friend Zev recalls one Erev Shabbat where he met Rav Shmuel and proceeded to go to the show, only turning around at the door handing his ticket to some unsuspecting fan and made shabbos in the parking lot.

I've met Rav Shmuel a few times (at Phish shows, go figure) and he always seemed like a great guy. Another friend Leib , who introduced me to Rav Shmuel, mentioned that (if I remember correctly) that he taught at YU - the website says he taught at various Universities, but no way to confirm this info.

Anyway, since it's on the LiveMusicArchive you can download it, burn it, give it to your friends legally and for free. The LaMA allows bands who agree to the service to upload live recordings - there are hundreds and thousands of them (Grateful Dead, Matisyahu, etc.). Here's the full band list.

I must apologize for the lack in posting recently, I've been rather busy. Hopefully, I'll be able to post some more shortly.

Meanwhile in Princeton...

2006-05-18T01:43:00.000-04:00

This week's episode of House:

While discussing the merits of potential sperm donors...

Cuddy: "I'm leaning towards 613"
House: "Oh sure, go with the Jewish number"

Spinoza and the Hebrew Theocracy

2006-05-09T01:58:00.000-04:00

In Chapter XVII of the Theologico-Political Treatise Spinoza argues that the original Hebrew Theocracy is nearly a perfect government. The election of Moshe to be the intermediary between the people and God is fundamentally, Spinoza claims, a decent way for society to be governed; they transferred power (the covenant) from God to Moshe to be the “sole promulgator and interpreter of the Divine laws”. When the people can be sure where the rules are coming from; there is no corruption in power.

What is really interesting is what Spinoza has to say about why the government collapsed. Chet HaEgel is fundamentally what brought down the Hebrew Theocracy; prior to that monumental event the priests were to be the bechorim spread evenly among the entire nation. Afterwards, the levi’im where chosen to be the priests as reward for their refusal to take part in the Chet HaEgel. The levi’im, according to Spinoza, became a bourgeois class; an envied group that ultimately grew to powerful and corrupted the State from the inside out. [This critique could have come from Hegel and Marx; which is probably one of the reasons why the Theologico-Political Treatise was one of the most popular books in Communist Russia.]

The final chapter of the TPT (or TTP in Latin) discusses what the proper government (Democracy) needs to be founded on. Spinoza, uses a critique of Moshe’s government to show how modern kings have faults:

Moses, not by fraud, but by Divine virtue, gained such a hold over the popular judgment that he was accounted superhuman, and believed to speak and act through the inspiration of the Deity; nevertheless, even he could not escape murmurs and evil interpretations. How much less then can other monarchs avoid them!

Even Moshe could not make a perfect government and he was really supported by God. In a backhanded way Spinoza’s making sure everyone knows that modern monarchies are not supported by God (they’ve got more issues than Moses’ did).

Spinoza may have been a heretic, but he’s got some really interesting views on the Torah – he, at the very least, takes knowledge of Torah very seriously.

Constitution by Consensus

2006-05-08T16:25:00.000-04:00

JPost is reporting that IDI (Israel Democracy Institute) has released a draft of what it believes should be Israel's Constitution. I have not been able to find a full text of that document, but I'm eager to read it. Israel needs a Constitution, for the same reason America and the rest of the world did; to show consensus on the form of Government. Israeli Democracy has issues.

It occurs to me that they've done nothing to fix a problem with the democratic nature of the country - namely the need to break Israel up into districts (similar to American States) so that parties with a few thousand votes don't get too much say in the government (I blogged about that before). Nor does the Post mention anything about Amendments to this Constitution.

On the plus side, this Constitution bans torture and limits the number of ministers to 18. Two things that I think are crucial; a statement about the Death Penalty would be welcome too. However, that the Constitution "does not...specify which territory constitutes Israel" is problematic. It wasn't an issue for the US Constitution for it was an Union of sovereign states forming a more sovereign federal government. For Israel, the borders are an issue; one that needs to be in the Constitution. It was not up to these scholars what the borders should be, so the omission was probably pragmatic, but a clause stating the "final borders of the State of Israel will be decided by Amendment".

I wholeheartedly welcome the prospect of an Israeli Constitution, and this one sounds good. There are kinks to work out, but that's Democracy in action.

Shaving During Sefirah

2006-05-05T18:08:00.000-04:00

Hence, since kevod Shabbat takes precedence over mourning customs of the Omer (based on Ta'anit 26b), it is not only permissible, but obligatory to shave before Shabbat.

- Harav Aharon Lichtenstein


"Shaving in Honor of Shabbat During the Omer"

What a Shidduch....Rambam and Torquemada

2006-05-02T22:27:00.000-04:00

Maimonides is a regular Torquemada when it comes to heresy...When you've got the wrong opinions you're dammed to hell forever.

Dr. Charles Manekin

The Darfur Rally

2006-05-01T13:55:00.000-04:00

If you weren't there, you missed out on something special. I've never been to another rally of this size so I can't compare it to (I was in Israel for the Spring 2002 rally, and my parents never took me to the Soviet Jewry rallies). I'm not going to take a guess on the number of people there, but whatever it was I think about half (if not more) were Jews. There was the expected Reform groups, a good showing from the Conservative crowd, but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Orthodox there - Day Schools, YU, some Schules - it seemed like there was just a bunch of groups-without-name (friends and families) there together.

I was not able to stay the whole time, but I did get to hear Elie Wiesel speak - something I have not had the opportunity before.

These t-shirts were being sold by the SaveDarfur organizers. I cannot express how offended I was by these shirts, people with the audacity to wear them inside the Holocaust Museum too. When will people learn that it doesn't matter where your context comes from when trying to stop a genocide, be it the Holocaust, any of the numerous other genocides, or your humanity - it's all the same when it comes to the people of Darfur. They just want our help.

It should have read "While remembering one genocide, there's another that you can stop". I would have worn that.

Yom Ha'atzmaut and the Hitnatkut

2006-05-01T13:10:00.000-04:00

With Yom Ha'atzmaut just around the bend I am curious how the Hitnatkut will change the way Israelis celebrate their Independence. Does the disengagement from Gaza change the way that Israelis relate to their state? On a political level, Israel is a democracy and citizens must accept the decisions of the state, even the ones they hate and move on. What about on a religious level? How does it feel to say reishit smichat geulateinu after being evicted from your home by the Israeli Army? Did the Hitnatkut change anything? For Rabbi Shear-Yashuv Cohen (Chief Rabbi of Haifa) has already started to publicly say: "Bless the State of Israel, so it will be the beginning of the flowering of our redemption."

This little semantic change has major implications, this isn't just a statement about Gush Katif, this is Israel has never been the "dawn of the redemption". Nothing Israel has done up till now, for R' Shear-Yashuv, has been part of the redemptive process. That a major theological statement. One that I don't think is shared by many of the Da'ati Leumi.

I think R' Shlomo Aviner's statement here sums it up:

But Rabbi Shlomo Aviner of Beit-El refuses to give up. He addressed these teenagers in a brief article entitled: "I say a prayer for the state's wellbeing." Aviner wrote that despite the state's desecration of the Sabbath and the sanctity of the land, he would never stop praying for its wellbeing, "because this is my state. I have no other, and I love it the way it is." And though the government causes him great distress, it is his government and he will "continue to pray for it with all my heart," and take pride in the fact that the Jewish people governs itself and is no longer subject to others.

The vast majority of religious Zionists are still of Aviner's mind. Even the Yesha rabbis' committee has called for celebrating Independence Day, adding that the state's very existence is a central pillar in the redemption process. But for many the celebrations will not be wholehearted.

I hope that last sentence is wrong. This is still Israel, still the reishit smichat geulateinu, if Gush Katif was supposed to be part of the State then sometime in the future it will become re-inhabited when the time is right. So, enjoy your Yom Ha'atzmaut (but please don't forget about Yom HaZikaron either).

Oh Those Witty Satmars

2006-04-30T01:23:00.000-04:00

I couldn't ignore DovBear's comment here:

My all time favorite bit of Satmar wit. When the Lubovitcher Rebbe died, the Satmar paper ran a eulogy which ended with the words “Hamokon Yerachem Aleichem.”

(Traditionaly we tell dead people: The Lord will confort you. In this eulogy the Satmar punned it into The Lord pities you.)

Haftorat Shabbat Rosh Chodesh

2006-04-28T08:39:00.000-04:00

[Please forgive my lapse in these weekly torahs on the Haftorah, I am doing a lot of research at the moment and currently have very little time to devote to blogging.]

In this week's Haftorah we read about Yeshaya's message to the people of Israel. We begin the Haftorah with a very powerful statement from God: "The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What house could you build for me, what place could there be for me to rest in?" (66:1).

This rhetorical question, the Radak explains, is to make sure that B'nai Yisrael understand that the Beit HaMikdash is not God's house. The Radak tells us that the purpose of the Beit HaMikdash is that there needs to be a special place for prayer and for korbanot. In other words, "Don't think that you could ever actually build a house for me; I live in the Heavens and earth is only the place for my feet". Even that metaphorical footstool is so kadosh that we must erect a special building just for that purpose.

Contrast this view of the Beit HaMikdash with a previous view on The Purpose of the Mishkan. The Mishkan's purpose was to continue the ongoing revelation of Sinai. Why then the difference between the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash? The Mishkan is a moving caravan of nevua while the Beit HaMikdash is the home of the kedusha.

In Hilchot Yisodei HaTorah, the Rambam speaks about navua as a process. Even for Moshe who had no need for sleep, dreams and parables, or an angle - he still had to prepare himself for the nevua. Thus it seems that Moshe needed to have a moving place for this revelation, so that he could function as the leader, bringing BÂnai Yisrael through the desert, and a the navi at the same time.

The Beit HaMikdash, on the other hand, it is easy to keep it distinct (kadosh) from the rest. Yeshaya's message here is to prevent the people from viewing the Beit HaMikdash has one would view a King's Palace. This is not the place where God dwells, this is only the place where my feet are and that place is kadosh enough to bring sacrifices to.

Judaism and Democracy

2006-04-27T01:53:00.000-04:00

Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth in Torah U'Madda Volume 2: 1990 writes an interesting article on “Judaism and Democracy” (actually a speech given at YU). It seems to me that R’ Roth misunderstands the Declaration of Independence and where freedom comes from.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

To which R’ Roth says “Liberty, by virtue of this declaration, is granted as a right to each American citizen…Hence, for the Jewish people, freedom is associated with a transforming event rather than a congressional decree”.

Freedom is not granted to citizens by virtue of this declaration, but rather by virtue of their own humanity; no congressional decree could create or destroy this right.

The idea of an inalienable right is not one that a person can ever give up; under no circumstance may a person waive their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. One of the many reasons that a person may not sign a document to be killed, it is an unalienable right – you have no choice in this matter. Much like a person’s Jewishness, it can never be washed away, convert to thirty different religions, you will always be a Jew.

Rabbi Roth does however make a very interesting point about the difference between “western” freedom and the Jewish concept of freedom. The social contract theorists believe that freedom is a personal endeavor, while “freedom, in a Jewish sense, is applicable primarily to the people, not to each individual”. The ancient Athenians had a very similar idea of democracy.

The rest of the article I happen to agree with full-heartedly, it can be found here.

I'll Be There Too

2006-04-24T09:56:00.000-04:00

I will be attending the Save Darfur rally this coming Sunday in Washington, DC. Will You?

I have been active in Darfur related events and groups for over a year and a half now and I have to say that I am very impressed by the response the Jewish community has to the crisis in Darfur. Unlike many social issues of the past the entire community has come together, a statement of unity that has not happened for many years – likely not since the Soviet Jewry crisis. Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist all have links on their web pages speaking about the necessity of Jewish support.

Interestingly, the OU nearly calls it a mitzvah (I would). It is times like these that makes me think that achdus can be a reality.

"In a free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty, all are responsible" ~ Abraham Joshua Heschel

I am leading a group of elementary to High School students (and their parents) to the Holocaust Museum and then on the rally. I don’t think that it was planned but the timing (5 days after Yom HaShoa) really places the genocide into perspective.

So, will you be there?

יהודי מקרב יהודי

2006-04-23T01:50:00.000-04:00

This photo was taken this summer (late July) in Mea Shearim; I haven't taken the time to translate the text, but I will someday. It's an interesting spoof on the Yehudi Lo Miragesh Yehudi theme and when I walked past it 30 minutes later it had already been ripped down. Just thought I'd share.

Adam and Eve: Is Gan Eden Really Our Goal?

2006-04-16T16:14:00.000-04:00

Adam and Eve have a relationship with God that is completely unlike anything that we can understand; they do not understand God’s acts, all they know is God as creator.  After Adam and Eve eat the fruit of Etz HaDa’at Tov u’Ra they can appreciate what God has given them.  The breaking of God’s command now gives them a frame of reference upon which to compare what they have.  A new relationship with God has been formed.

“From the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you shall not eat for you will surely die” Genesis 2:17.  In the next verse, God creates Eve (well woman, she’s not called Chava until 3:20) yet Adam does not know how to understand what God has told him.  When Eve speaks to the snake she understands the verse differently; “lest you die” (3:3).

Look at what the snake replies to Eve: “You will not die immediately.  For God knows that on the day you eat from it, your eyes will become open and you will become like Gods; knowing good and evil” (3:4-5). The snake is telling her, ‘If you choose this tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you will not die yet, but it will make you like God, a creator”.  Choose knowledge and you’ll understand God in a different way – a better way – but you will eventually die.  Knowledge is better than eternal ignorance.

At the end of Chapter 3, God punishes Adam and Eve as well as the snake.  These “punishments” do not really seem like punishments.    God placed two trees in the forest the Etz Chayim and the Etz HaDa’at Tov u’Ra, while he only commanded them not to eat from the latter it seems that there was a choice to be made: eternal life or knowledge?  They choose knowledge and God “punishes” them for not appreciating life – now anytime Adam and Eve (and the rest of humanity) bring life into the world it will hurt, to remind them that life needs to be appreciated.

Is Gan Eden supposed to be the pinnacle of existence?  It is an existence of bliss but one without the understanding of that bliss.  There was no frame of reference, no understanding of how good they had it.  The rabbinic literature is full of references of getting back to Gan Eden but is it really something that we should want?  The answer is yes, but…  That’s what the snake taught Eve, you’ve got it great here, but knowledge is better.  And once you understand what you’ve lost you’ll spend the rest of your life trying to get it back.  It’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

New Chancellor at JTS

2006-04-09T16:46:00.000-04:00

According to the NY Times, JTS will announce that the search committee has voted on the new Chancellor for JTS; Dr. Arnold Eisen. It's a very odd choice, a) he's not a Rabbi b) he was picked over a few very qualified people c) I'm not sure he's had any official contact with JTS before.

Dr. Eisen, once he's confirmed, among his many duties is to pick the mara d'atra of JTS; meaning he will have an enormous influence on the upcoming CJLS rulings on allowing homosexual candidates into Rabbinical School. [Which I've blogged about before, here and here.]

Just like to point a few things out:

Dr. Eisen, a professor of Jewish culture and religion, did not return calls to his home and office yesterday, and officials at the seminary, which is in Morningside Heights, declined to say anything about the selection, which would still need to be confirmed by the seminary's board.

Gee, Friday afternoon. Might he be getting ready for Shabbos?

Rabbi Gordon Tucker of Temple Israel Center in White Plains, N.Y., who was widely believed to be another candidate for the position, has been outspoken on lifting prohibitions on homosexuality.

On a side note; Tucker's tshuva allowing Homosexuals into Rabbinical School (again not accepted, just his opinion) has been read by his students at JTS. According to my info, he's very upset that the CJLS has voted to make this upcoming vote a takana and not a tshuva. The practical difference is the number of votes needed to be passed.

The CJLS is a 25 member committee, which means that a tshuva to become the majority opinion needs 13 votes to pass, yet 20 votes to be revoked from majority status (I'm not positive if this has ever happened). A takana, which has never happened before, would need 20 votes to even pass; removing the ability for an opinion to even be awarded minority status. Tucker is upset because he knows his tshuva will never receive the necessary 20 votes; he was counting on it becoming a minority view (which according to CJLS bylaws can be put into practice; see the tshuva on driving on shabbos).

Ben Folds and Shir HaShirim

2006-04-07T03:55:00.000-04:00

I regard concerts as a nearly religious experience. Not all concerts are, but there are those which can be described in religious terms - just ask any Deadhead. Earlier tonight I saw Ben Folds play live, and I can only describe it as intense. The way a night hike with a full moon in the Negev is intense - you can come up with other descriptions, but intense covers it all.

I was watching Ben play his piano with the same erotic intensity that describes. I've been a long time denier of the religious nature of Shir HaShirim, until I realized that, for me, it was written like a concert. The author of Shir HaShirim (Shlomo or otherwise, it doesn't really matter to me; it's still a great work) is describing his relationship with God in the only way he can, by describing an erotic relationship. Everyone will, or will eventually, be able to comprehend this message. It is a beautiful book full of tension and release, hills and valleys; I see concerts it much the same literary fashion.

Not everybody understands Shir HaShirim, for some people the description gets lost "in translation". When I was 15 I learned it in school, you'd think a 15 year old adolescent with raging hormones would love this class - I found it boring - it was lost on me. I've been to at least 144 concerts (yes, I've got a list) some were bad, some were great, most are just alright. But I see music as another vehicle to express a relationship with God, even if the musician and the audience do not even see it as such.

As Jews we understand this, from the Levi'im in the Beit HaMikdash to Nigunim, we sing. We put on concerts, now granted most Jewish music is down right bad. But it does not change the fact that it is a communication with the divine. Not every shiur is supposed to be life changing, nor every Rabbi. There are those of us who cannot fathom going to 5 concerts let along 144 (or the 288 Grateful Dead shows that a Lubavitch friend of mine has), but that's okay, there is something out there that connects you to the divine. If it's Kabbalah - great. If it's minute details in Halacha - even better. Whatever it is, whatever extra piece of life gets you going, run with it; just remember to use it constructively and don't let it take over your life either.

Yom Tov Sheini - Part II

2006-04-06T01:14:00.000-04:00

In Part I, we reviewed the Gemara in Betiza which says we should hold two days of Yom Tov since it is the custom of our ancestors (in Chutz L’aretz) and a Gemara in Pesachim which depending on intent to return (da’at l’chazor) you should hold the restrictions of the place you came from and the place you left. So far it seems that a person visiting Israel from Chutz L’aretz should hold two days of Yom Tov unless he intends to return.

No we need to see how this idea is codified in the Halachic literature

רמב"ם הלכות יום טוב פרק ח

ההולך ממקום שעושין למקום שאין עושין לא יעשה ביישוב מפני המחלקות אבל עושה הוא במדבר, וההולך ממקום שאין עושין למקום שעושין לא יעשה, נותנין עליו חומרי מקום שיצא משם וחומרי מקום שהלך לשם, ואע"פ כן לא יתראה בפניהם שהוא בטל מפני האסור, לעולם אל ישנה אדם מפני המחלקות, וכן מי שדעתו לחזור למקומו נוהג כאנשי מקומו בין להקל בין להחמיר, והוא שלא יתראה בפני אנשי המקום שהוא בו מפני המחלקות.

The Rambam codifies the ruling of the Mishna in Pesachim that we place on the traveler the customs of the place he left and the place he is. Though if he has da’at l’chazar (intent to return) he should hold like his place. So in our situation, a traveler to Israel should hold two days of Yom Tov unless his intent is to never return. Seemingly the Rambam would allow a new oleh the ability to hold one day of Yom Tov even if he arrived shortly before.

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן תצו
סעיף ג
בני ארץ ישראל שבאו לחוצה לארץ, אסורים לעשות מלאכה ביום טוב שני ביישוב, אפילו דעתו לחזור; וכל זמן שלא הגיע ליישוב, אפילו אין דעתו לחזור, מותר, לפי שעדיין לא הוקבע להיות כמותן. אבל אם הגיעו ליישוב, ואין דעתו לחזור, נעשה כמותן ואסור בין במדבר בין ביישוב. וכל חוץ לתחום אין נותנין עליו חומרי מקום שהלך לשם.

According to the Mechaber people from Israel who go outside the land to live, it is forbidden to do melacha on Yom Tov sheni in public (i.e., Israelis living in America need to hold two days, at least publicly), even if they intend to return. The last line of the seif is interesting, if you’re outside of the tchum (city limits) [i.e., camping, etc.] we’re not going to tell you to hold two days, since they’re not going to see you perform melacha. It seems that ma’arit ayin is what R’ Karo is relying on to rule this way.

It’s not as obvious what the Mechaber would say about a ben ChoL visiting Israel on Yom Tov. He would probably rule similar to the Rambam that a new oleh can and should hold only one day of Yom Tov; though a visitor with da’at l’chazor to Chutz L’aretz still needs to hold two days.

We will now see what some of the commentators (since they speak about this issue directly) have to add to this discussion.

ערוך השולחן אורח חיים סימן תצו סעיף ד
בני א"י שבאו לחו"ל אע"פ שדעתם לחזור ולא חלה עליהם חומרי מקום שהלכו לשם מ"מ אסורים לעשות מלאכה ביו"ט שני בישוב מפני המחלוקת כמ"ש בסי' תס"ח וי"א דדווקא בפרהסיא אבל בצינעא מותר דהא בצינעא ליכא מחלוקת אבל י"א דמלאכה אסור בכל עניין דא"א לעשותה בצינעא כל כך [מג"א סק"ד בשם התוס'] ועוד דזהו פריצת גדר בדבר שקבלו כל הגולה ואסור מדינא וכן עיקר אך כל זמן שלא הגיעו לישוב והיינו שלא באו עדיין בתוך תחום העיר מותרים בכל דבר אפילו אין דעתם לחזור לפי שעדיין לא הוקבעו להיות כמותן ואם הגיעו לישוב והיינו תוך התחום ואין דעתן לחזור אפילו עיר שאינה של ישראל נעשים לגמרי כבני חו"ל לכל דבר אפילו שלא לעניין מלאכה וחייבין לנהוג קדושת יו"ט שני גם בתפלה וקידוש וברהמ"ז:

Israelis who go to Chutz L’aretz even though they intend to return we don’t place on them the chumrot of the place they go to, in any case, it is asur for them to do melacha on Yom Tov sheini in the community due to different opinions…definitely [asur] in public, although in private everybody agrees [that it is okay to do melacha]. There is an opinion that melacha is asur even in private (Tosafot cited by the Magen Avraham). The same for Benei Chutz L’aretz even they cannot perform melacha and they are chiyuv to observe the kedushah of Yom Tov sheini in Tefillot, in Kiddush, and in Bentching.

This is a description of Yom Tov sheini that we will come back to, R’ Epstein is explicit that this is two full days of Yom Tov. They cannot perform melacha, it might be possible that an Israeli could perform melacha for them (without asking), but we still preserve the kedusha of the day.

משנה ברורה סימן תצו ס"ק יג
ובן חו"ל שבא לא"י אם דעתו לחזור למקומו צריך לעשות שני ימים יו"ט … אכן אם דעתו שלא לחזור למקומו לעולם יתנהג כבני א"י

A ben chol that goes to Israel with the intention of returning needs to observe two days of Yom Tov... If he never intends to return he can take Israeli minhagim [and observe only one day of Yom Tov].

The Chafetz Chaim continues to discuss what intent to return means, not something that I want to get into, talking about one’s family still there, etc. He does not explain what two days of Yom Tov means (see how the Aruch HaShulchan describes it above) but it seems to me that due to his brevity he meant one of two things a) two full days or b) he intentionally kept it ambiguous because he couldn’t decide – the former seems more likely.

שולחן ערוך הרב אורח חיים סימן תצו
בני חוץ לארץ שבאו לארץ ישראל אע"פ שדעתן לחזור אין עושין אלא יום אחד כבני ארץ ישראל ויש חולקין.

Benei Chol that go to Israeli even though they intend to return they don’t do [two days] rather only one day [of Yom Tov] like the Israelis and their differences.

The Ba’al Tanya makes cavalier statement and rules like the Chacham Tzvi (which we’ll see later) and states that when a visitor goes to another location they should follow the minhagim of that place. This is a very popular position, though most people who agree with the Ba’al Tanya and the Chacham Tzvi cannot bring themselves to rule against Rov HaPoskim.

As it stands now the Halachic literature is clearly in favor of two full days of Yom Tov for a visitor to Israel, except for the Ba’al HaTanya who states the exact opposite of Rov HaPoskim.

To be continued...

Yom Tov Sheini - Part I

2006-04-03T20:09:00.000-04:00

Living in the community that I do, there is much confusion over what to do on Yom Tov sheini; even I am conflicted when it comes to spending Yom Tov in Israel. What are we supposed to do when traveling to Israel for the year or for chag?

All discussions start with the Gemara in Beitza (4b):

מאי טעמא עבדינן תרי יומי? - משום דשלחו מתם: הזהרו במנהג אבותיכם בידיכם, זמנין דגזרו שמדא ואתי לאקלקולי

Why do we observe two day? Because they sent word from there (Palestine)*. Give heed to the customs of your ancestors which have come down to you; for it might happen that the government might issue a decree and it will cause confusion (in ritual observance).

*- [Before the destruction of the Temple when Rosh Chodesh was determined the news was sent from the Beit Din to the out laying communities; this sometimes took longer than 15 days which would have been a problem for Pesach and Sukkot which both fall on 15th, so the CHoL (Chulz L’Aretz) communities enacted Yom Tov sheini to prevent this problem]

The Gemara is curious, why should we observe Yom Tov sheini if we have a fixed calendar system? The Gemara answers, because it is a minhag of your fathers. We (in ChoL) observe Yom Tov sheini then out of doubt (safek) of when Rosh Chodesh starts in Jerusalem.

Even if we know when Rosh Chodesh starts, according to the Gemara, we should still follow the minhag of Yom Tov sheini because we’re worried about a Government decree. What is this decree the Gemara is talking about? It could be the forbidding of some ritual aspect of the holiday (Rashi seems to think so); in a more contemporary setting, out of fear that the Governments have the calendar wrong which would still cause mass confusion.

So when we travel from Chutz L’Aretz to Israel what do we do?
This answer also begins with a Mishnah (Pesachim 4:1):

משנה. מקום שנהגו לעשות מלאכה בערבי פסחים עד חצות - עושין, מקום שנהגו שלא לעשות - אין עושין. ההולך ממקום שעושין למקום שאין עושין, או ממקום שאין עושין למקום שעושין - נותנין עליו חומרי מקום שיצא משם, וחומרי מקום שהלך לשם. ואל ישנה אדם מפני המחלוקת.

In a place whose custom is to do melacha until chatzot on erev Pesach, do it. In a place [where melacha] is not done, don’t do it. [If you] Travel from place where they perform [melacha] to a place they don’t [perform melacha] or vice versa; We place on him the restrictions of the location from which he departed and the restrictions of the place he as arrived.

It seems from this Mishnah that a visitor should follow his normal minhagim, as well as minhag hamakom.

The Gemara (Pesachim 51a) adds:

דתנן נותנין עליו חומרי המקום שיצא משם וחומרי המקום שהלך לשם. אמר אביי הני מילי - מבבל לבבל, ומארץ ישראל לארץ ישראל. אי נמי - מבבל לארץ ישראל. אבל מארץ ישראל לבבל - לא, כיון דאנן כייפינן להו - עבדינן כוותייהו. רב אשי אמר אפילו תימא מארץ ישראל לבבל. הני מילי - היכא דאין דעתו לחזור, ורבה בר בר חנה דעתו לחזור הוה

We learned: We place on him the restrictions of the location from which he departed and the restrictions of the place he as arrived. Abaye said: That is only [when traveling] from Babylonia to [another town in] Babylonia, or from Palestine to [another in] Palestine, or from Babylonia to Palestine; but not [when traveling] from Palestine to Babylonia, since we submit to them, we do as they. R. Ashi said: You may even say [that this is also true when a man goes] from Palestine to Babylonia; this is, however, where it is not his intention to return; but Rabbah b. Bar Hanah had the intention of returning.

The Gemara is describing a situation where Rabbah bar Bar Hanah is accused of eating stomach fats that were asur in Babylonia, but since he had the intention to return (to Israel) it was okay for him to do so. But the important part for us, is that things (minhagim) can change based on da'at l'hazar - intention to return.

Interestingly, the next section has Rabbah bar Bar Hanah telling his son that he cannot eat the fat for it is not his minhag (interesting sidepoint that many children of Israelis who have made yeridah still keep their parents minhagim, maybe they should not, this Gemara is pretty explicit that they shouldn’t).

To be continued… [We will be moving into the Halachic material and then Shut on this issue].

What to do with Hamas? Part II

2006-04-02T00:14:00.000-05:00

Almost a month ago I posted about our need to recognize Hamas as the government of the Palestinian people. In short, it seems to me that due to the democratic process we cannot approve of the elections without approving of the elected; however, what I left out was that there are some things that Hamas needs to do in order to keep that approval.

Former President Clinton, reported by Haaretz, probably feels the same way, yet I find his needs to be a little off base.

So if Hamas would say, suppose they say, 'OK, look, we can't change our theory, we can't change our document, we can't change our history, but we're in government now and the policy of the Palestinian government is no to terror and yes to negotiations. As long as we're in government, we'll honor that policy.' If they did that, I would support dealing with them," Clinton said

What I don't like about Clinton's statement is that, as soon as Hamas leaves power he's okay with them resorting to terror. He's also okay with them leaving their Constitution the way it is. I'm not; I don't think Hamas needs to change it as a precursor to dialogue, but they are under obligation to do so. And once you're a peaceful political party then you are going to be just that forever.

Nach Yomi Starts Today

2006-03-30T10:35:00.000-05:00

Chodesh Tov!

Just a reminder that Nach Yomi starts today, not sure if I'll be blogging about it or not (I probably will once in a while) but hatzlacha rabah to those starting. I've received a few e-mails from outside sources announcing the project, there seems to be quite a buzz around for this. Not only because Rav Norin, though I don't know him, seems to be quite a respected person but also that the idea is a beautiful one.

The Elections

2006-03-29T18:59:00.000-05:00

The blogsphere has been very active with comments on the elections and I'd like to share my $.02. I think Harry is onto something, the Israeli public for better or for worse feels that it's time for a dramatic change. Most of the Israeli voting population wants an end to the Settlements, a very difficult decision to be sure.

While driving to Efrat this summer with a cousin of mine whose family is entirely left wing we had a discussion about the Fence; he said "I hate the fence, but it works. It's time for change". I have to whole heartedly agree.

I hate that our land must be divided and re-divided, but it must be. The number of terrorist attacks has gone down dramatically in large part due to the wall. I don't know what the route should be, I don't know how I feel about excluding/including Ariel and other towns. All I know is that it's what Israel needs to do.

Shulchan Aruch Project

2006-03-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

One of Wikipedia's sister sites has embarked on the Shulchan Aruch project. This is an attempt to translate the entire Shulchan Aruch (side by side with the Hebrew). I've started to help, but they definitely need more volunteers.

You don't need to be able to type in Hebrew to help, just do the translation and someone else will come in to fix it up after you.

The Shulchan Aruch has never been translated into English in its entirety, though parts of it have (especially Orach Chaim). None of the partial translation are free to use (i.e. free content or in the public domain).

The Hebrew text is online here. The goal of this Wikisource text project is to copy that Hebrew text here (it is in the public domain), and add English translations, section by section, as people look up and learn the various simanim.

Thanks for your help with this project!

We all learn some SA at some point, just come in and add it to the website. Some simanim in the The Hebrew Project have the Mishna Berura too.

Haftarat Parshat HaChodesh

2006-03-24T11:33:00.001-05:00

This week's Haftorah is the prophecy regarding the building of Beit Shlishi, Yechezkel's vision for the future. As part of the redemption of B'nai Yisrael the new Temple will be the Temple that lasts forever, a בית עולמים.

The Radak tells us that the coming redemption will also occur on Rosh Chodesh Nissan. The story of Pesach is above all the story of the founding of a nation. Leading up to Pesach we learn about a different aspect of the founding of the nation; the purification, the census, and our common history. Now we have the future, the building of the Temple just like the building of the משכן in the desert; a place for the on going revelation from Sinai.

Rav Hirsch points out that this is not a coincidence. We specifically read this section of Yechezkel to remind us of the future, to give us "the Divine instructions for the service at the Temple which is to be consecrated on that day". The message here is hope, there is a future. Pesach makes us a nation, it tells our history, now we're reading about our future.

Rosh Chodesh Nissan is not only the date of the redemption from Mitzrayim, but will also be the date when we return from exile. We may be moving back to Eretz Yisrael now, but until we have Beit Shlishi we are not redeemed.

One More for the List

2006-03-22T14:18:00.000-05:00

A little over a month ago ADDeRabbi posted about Women's seminaries headed by women.

Well there's another one to add to the list: Mrs. Shani Taragin has been named the new Rosh Beit Midradsh at Midreshet Lindenbaum.

Nach Yomi

2006-03-21T09:02:00.000-05:00

I will be (i"yh and b"n) starting the Nach Yomi project on March 30th. I do not know who Rav Avraham Norin is, but his idea is a great one. I have many issues with Daf Yomi one of them being the retention rate in your average hour-long shiur. Daf Yomi, while a great way for not-often-studied Masechtot like Zevachim to get learned once in a while and for serious scholars to review their knowledge; for most people in the shiurim the time could be better spent. The TaNaKh is the source of our history and the TaNaKh knowledge among Jews is disgusting, a Nach Yomi cycle would positively affect the community at large more than the Daf Yomi cycle is.

I hope that I am able to complete this and I hope even more so that Nach Yomi is successful.

Matisyahu

2006-03-17T02:28:00.000-05:00

Alright this bugs me

While looking through pictures of my sisters current trip to Israel I noticed this hanging on her apartment wall. I really like Matisyahu, but you don't spell his name that way in Hebrew. Argh.

Haftarat Shabat Parah

2006-03-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

[This is the third in the series of weekly Haftorah posts; please forgive my lapse last week, I was away for shabbos]

This week's Haftorah comes from Yehezkel, a section dealing with national purity. The connection between this Haftorah and Parshat Parah is the way that Yehezkel describes the purification process, but the Haftorah itself is describing more than just purification.

The Haftorah divides itself neatly into three parts 1: the purification process 2: the goal and the way it is to be attained 3: God will purify Israel even though it's failed so far in the task.

A great deal is written on the first two segments so I'll deal with part three. This section is describing a forced purification one that is not supposed to happen unless there is a great need. This prophecy is describing a time when the Jewish people are so impure that God has to take it upon himself to fix the situation. Sometimes you find parents fixing the mistakes of their children when they've fallen to a point that they can't pull themselves out of. This is not one of those times.

Not for your sakes do I do it, says my Lord, the God who revealed His Love in dealing out justice, be it known unto you, be ashamed and confounded for your ways, the children of Israel. (36:32)

Then the nations that are left round about you will recognize that I, God have built up the ruined places and have planted the deserted ones, I, God have spoken it and I will do it.(36:36)

God here is telling b'nai Yisrael that "I'm going to fix everything you did wrong, I'm going to purify you, rebuild your cities, replant your land; but the nations will know that I did it, not for you, but for myself for you disgraced my name". This action of God's is not selfish, but rather Israel forgot about marit ayin how their actions are perceived. B'nai Israel forgot what ohr l'goyim means, how they're supposed to be the "priests of mankind" (as Rav Hirsch describes them). Sometimes it is necessary to take things into your own hands and fix it - not often, but on occasion - in such a scenario the teacher/parent should explain his actions and that is what God does here in the previous sections. How purity works, what should be, and why I'm in this one situation not doing that.

הטוב והמיטיב

2006-03-15T15:00:00.000-05:00

What does it mean to describe God as "good"? In a philosophical light, to describe God as good is trivial it doesn't tell us anything about God. This is one of the major problems brought up in Ethical Philosophy and the Euthyphro Problem.

If it doesn't tell us anything about God, then why do we refer to God as good? Probably because it can tell us something about our relationship to God. God is the source of everything, good and evil.

...If we take the position that God's actions are just and good, then can we not infer something about the author of these actions, that His nature is just and good, or... Something that can be described as "just" and "good"? Maimonidies would respond that we can make the inference, but we haven't really learned anything new about the divine nature, just as we haven't learned anything new about fire's nature to burn when we observe that fire burns. What we want to know is the explanation why fire burns; we want to understand what it is about fire that, given the right conditions, it must burn. While we may be able to do this in the case of fire, we cannot explain God in that way.
Charles Manekin "On Maimonides" p.28

In other words, we want to know why God is good. Is good a term that we describe ourselves with and apply it towards God?

God's oneness implies not merely unity or simplicity but uniqueness. There is no relation between God and his creatures; hence He shares nothing in common with them...If that is the case, continues Maimonides, then

the terms "knowledge","power","will", and "life", as applied to Him, may He be exalted, and to all those possessing knowledge, power, will, and life, are purely equivocal, so that their meaning when they are predicated of Him is in no way like their meaning in other applications (1.56, p. 131).
It is not sufficient to say, for example, that God is infinitely wiser than we are. For that still implies that God and we share something in common called "wisdom" (although He has a lot more of it than we have!) So when we describe God as "wise", we have to add something like the qualifying phrase, by "wise" we mean something entirely different from what we mean when we use "wise" with reference to us.
Manekin p.29

So in describing God as being good, we're relating to God the way we would relate to each other, but this is only because of our limited capability in comprehending God. In reality God's goodness is far beyond anything that we could imagine.

Shechita Pictures

2006-03-14T23:20:00.000-05:00

One of my "interests" is shechita, I don't think I would ever do it, but I like to really know what goes on. I came across this website (graphic) which shows a step-by-step trip to a slaughterhouse. It is graphic, but also very informative; complete with Shulchan Aruch references. I don't know enough about Shechita to understand all the halachot but I get the general idea for most of the actions.

While I'm on the subject of Shechita, the Rubashkin's shechita scandal has been bothering me for a long time. I'll post more about it at a later time, but I did ask a friend (a Rav) of mine who is a shochet and mentioned that nothing in the PETA video is "wrong". Just old fashioned or using leniencies that he would advise against. Okay, maybe it isn't treif, but I still won't eat it.

The Evangelical Connection

2006-03-13T01:20:00.000-05:00

There is a strong sentiment in the Zionist bloc that evangelical Christians "may be crazy, but they're our friends".

You clearly have never heard them speak.

I was recently flipping through the TV and came across Zola Levitt, an evangelical missionary who lives in Dallas and takes people on tours of Greece and Israel. Zola went into a tirade about the current situation with the Palestinians commenting that "Israel can handle them". Then Iran would attack Israel "Israel could handle them too. If the entire Arab world attacked, Israel could handle them too. It would bring the war of Gog and MaGog."

Yes, they've got money. Yes, they want to bring that money to Israel. I like Israel and I like Israel having money, but not when the people giving the money don't want peace. They want Armageddon. Evangelical Christians are not people that we want to be in bed with. They want to convert us and want to bring about a war to which they will not fight in.

הוֹשִׁיעָה אֶת עָמֶךָ

CJLS Tables Discussion

2006-03-11T19:41:00.000-05:00

On Friday, the CJLS decided to table discussion on the "admittance of homosexuals to Rabbinical/Cantorial School" until December.

I hear from a friend who is a rabbinical student at JTS that nearly 80% of the school thinks they should allow it in some form or fashion. He also does not believe that it will cause a fragmentation of the Conservative Movement, but we'll see.

Kotel Outside of the Old City walls?

2006-03-10T00:42:00.000-05:00

GH post a Jerusalem Post article about a Haredi plan to build a section of the Kotel outside of the Old City walls to keep men and women separate.

I get it, Haredim are turning all of us into Opus Dei.

"Sometimes I feel like they're in a different religion." - P.F [re: The Lakewood Takanot]. I think it's applicable here too.

Yes yes, I know that part is a spoof - in reality they're planning to extend the "prayer area" by 600 square meters. I still find it ridiculous.