Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Rushishonoh's In the House



Who says being frum and wearing a white shirt can't be fun?!

I've sort of become immune to displays such as these. A few years ago I'd be upset at such videos, no matter whom it came from. Chabad especially. But now, after years of being exposed to this on Chabad and other "KIRUV" sites, I'm not upset anymore. I guess that's what you call being "desensitized." I'm not in the "kiruv" or "shlichus" business, so I don't know what it's like out there. People that ARE in the biz say that you need to be 'hip" and "cutting edge" to get people, especially young people, involved with Yiddishkeit, otherwise you can talk to the wall. It's also very easy to sit in Monsey or Brooklyn and criticize those that "do," so I guess I should hold my tongue. Maybe I'll join some kind of dance class and learn to make my "thing" like they do. I sure could stand to lose the weight, and maybe my kids will think me "cool."

Lyrics Here

38 comments:

גרונם said...

הנני מוחה בכל התוקף על חילול בית המדרש ועיר הקודש והמקדש. כל מי שיש סיג של יהדות נוגע בליבו יקיא את אלו מקרבנו. ובודאי ימחה אצל משרדם ותומכיה לבל ניתן חילול שם שמים נורא כזה לעבור בשתיקה ר"ל

Anonymous said...

everyone whom this bothers should go to the aish website and submit a comment expressing distaste for the video...

ממני יראו וכן יעשו
הק' שמואל גרונם

Anonymous said...

u cant sing dip the apple with grown ups so they rock away to rock music by the way its the bresslever chasidim who initiated that rosh hashanah is party time ,aish keep up ur good work.

Anonymous said...

!אש היצה"ר

ביבש קצירה תשברנה - כשתכלה זכות שבידן וייבש לחלוחית שלהן אז ישברו

"Fire" Extinguished said...

I watched it and felt sad for Klal Yisrael. Let me explain.

Do Jews do pop and reggae tunes? Sure. I am familiar with Matisyahu etc. I can get some shlock rock on.
Have people been producing video pieces of candy to remind people about an upcoming YomTov? Sure, they're short, innocent enough, like the one of the fellow who blows his shofar to open his garage door.

This one made me feel empty inside. I think its intended purpose is to exciting people about Rosh Hashana. But the words are meaningless because the actual message of the video is actually false. The rastafarian Aish newbee points out that Rosh Hashana is boring. According to his standards, after the three minute dance clip, it will still be boring. The attempt to grab my attention is just so absurdly transparent that I felt used. Just because these half a dozen bochurim (or guys dressed like bochurim) do these dance moves does not make Rosh Hashana any more interesting or exciting. Is rockin' and breakdancing what we should be doing on RH itself? well, no. So all we're left with is a case of "Look at these cool moves I learned before I was frum/from a BT." Seriously, is anyone expected to walk away from that video appreciating Rosh Hashana or even looking forward to it on any level?

Even that suggestive Shabbat.com video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2C-fIir7n0 while inappropriate from an honest Tznius standard, did convey that Shabbos is, or should be beautiful. Pure performers grasp this. Matisyahu is not committed to Klal Yisrael's education. He's a performer. Yet even his lyrics inspire. Another case in point: The trendy and meaningful card was played masterfully by the Maccabeets last Chanuka, as millions know. Could that not have been attempted? If Aish could not pull that off because the skill was just not there, then is this substitute worth it? Nope. And this is AISH. They're not supposed to be cool to be cool. There is supposed to be a point!

What did this RH video do for God, Torah, Mitzvos, enhanced Rosh Hashana meaning, or even the very very low-ball goal of Jewish pride? Nothing at all. People, myself included, have defended Aish against all sorts of conversational attacks for years. The argument has always been that the packaging might be all "Look! We're trendy and sexy.", and that might and should be a turnoff to already frum people who disdain the fleeting and often-trashy trends of the modern world-at-large. But at least when you opened the packaging, i.e. removed the gloss, there was actually a message, small though it might be because they don't want to overwhelm the systems of their uber-assimilated target audience. But this? There is nothing underneath except more wrapping paper. The wrapping is toxic and there is no gift. I have the capacity to appreciate the policy of some in the kiruv world that "Yatza Hefseido B'Scharo", "The Loss is offset by the reward". But give me some reward!

Anonymous said...

Well I guess the litvak rabbis will be all over aish, just like when a shaliach puts tefillin on a guy in shorts and a t shirt at the superbowl.

Anonymous said...

LOVE IT!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

At 1:05 he takes his yarmulka off, what's that all about?

Anonymous said...

this is why i hate bts

BelzFinAMool said...

Tantzerei is a modern-day Fiddler

Hello? said...

Are you guys living in some bubble that is separated from reality? You're concerned with nonsense while Turkey,Iran,Egypt,and the so called Palestinians are preparing to wage war on the am hayoshev betziyon? Do you read what Erdogan is saying? Do you know what happened in the Israeli Embassy in Cairo this weekend?Do you know what the Palestinians are preparing in the UN? All you care about is the tomfoolery of an Aish video? Doesn't anyone understand how dangerous things have become?Do you understand how Israel's security situation has drastically deteriorated in the last several weeks?How can anyone listening to Erdogan care about a bunch of clowns in a video?

Anonymous said...

I saw this video this morning on another site and sent it to some people with the words, shehivdilonu min hato-yim. Besides the taking off the yarmulke and the yarmulkeh on the floor as they keep on dancing! and the bochur? saying RH is a time for introspection and then going into break dancing and something about christians and as someone mentioned who even knows who these people are, the entire image portrayed by an orthodox org. for RH is nothing less than an offensive smack in the face of vegilu biro-do.

Shmuel said...

It's a cute video.
It's meant to show that you can be frum and normal.It's not some deep Likutei Torah or something, so chiil, guys

Anonymous said...

shmuel,
i guess that depends on your definition of normal. btw, if you want to tell anyone to chill, tell it to that nervous guy screaming about edrogin.

Fed Up In Peoria said...

Hello? said...

"Are you guys living in some bubble that is separated from reality? You're concerned with nonsense while Turkey,Iran,Egypt,and the so called Palestinians are preparing to wage war on the am hayoshev betziyon?"

This is what Satmar and its satellites have been waiting for.
The end of the medina.

Anonymous said...

Keep squashing these people and watch what happens next. יצא שכרו בהפסדו

"Fire" extinguished said...

pitputim,

I don't want to squash them. But why do we have to become them?

Anonymous said...

fech un ekeldik-
and i'd say the same no matter which organization was behind it

"Fire" extinguished pretty much nailed it

Anon3 said...

Worthy of FrumSatire or better yet KrumSatire.

Anon3 said...

After watching this for a second time I came to the following conclusions.
From a musical perspective it deserves winning a Grammy award.It's an "Ode to Joy" ala Beethoven and is a cornerstone in the great tradition of western musical tradition.A sublime outpouring of musical magnificence that will take it's place in the pantheon of mankind's greatest moments.
From a spiritual perspective it's a mystical experience par excellance and propels one to the highest realms of the Spherois as propounded by the Kabbalistic masters.The fact that it takes place in Yerushlayim brings to mind "Oid Yeshoma beorai Yehudoh uvichutzois Yerusholoyim" and reminds me of the dances of the the Islamic mystical sect known as the Suffis.In a word "magnificent". Seriously!!!

Anonymous said...

Cancelled my shul resi for Rosh Hashana. Didn't realize shul was just another way of saying gay nightclub.

Anonymous said...

The dancers are from an agency in Tel Aviv, Aish is just using them...
Something about that feels a little dishonest

Check it out:
http://www.s-a-p.co.il/

Anonymous said...

Great pictures of the future Jewish Affairs ministry of Palestine.

Anonymous said...

Anon3 - your sarcasm is excellent.

Actually, this is one of the most annoying excuses for music I've heard in a long time. If Aish wants to do cool presentations, they should at least reflect talent and good taste.

BelzFinAMool said...

Its a great thing that many readers of this blog live in Crown Heights, so that they are exposed to and understand Perush HaMilos of Rap.
I personally have a hard time in Havuneh, let alone Hasbureh

Anonymous said...

HERE IS AN ANSWER FROM THE rOSH yESHIVA WHO SIGNED OFF ON THIS PROJECT

http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4121859,00.html

Anonymous said...

my comment on aish of course wasnt posted...

Anonymous said...

http://grainom.blogspot.com/2011/09/he-must-have-started-mincha-with-hodu.html

hasofer said...

i think its a little tochenless and missleading too. someone will go to aish on rosh hashone because it looks fun and cool and whatever, but hes not going to find that there! hell just find a bunch of guys, some crying over there avieros, but most of them just trying really hard to be serious, and im not really trying to bash them or anything, i actually was in the old city for yom kippur 2 years ago, and during the break between musaf and mincha etc i went for a little walk around the old city, i met a large group of guys who were visiting aish for a few weeks or a few months, and during musaf they were just sitting outside bored, because what was going on inside didnt really apeal to them. so whats the point of attracting them if u can not apeal to them?
just get over yourself and send them to chabad where they will come out inspired and not draged out and turned off by trying so hard to be serious when u dont even know what u are being serious abt etc.
vehamievin yovin...

she'aleh der katz said...

I can't get enough of this video.
I"m addicted to it!
Shkoyach for posting,Hirshel

Arthur said...

"Anon3 - your sarcasm is excellent"
So I guess that you didn't take "seriously"seriously.

An Ailmesher said...

Looks nutty to me. So does chassidus. But if it gets someone to keep shabbos, I'm all for it. I would even go so far as to say that if becoming a Lubab will make him keep shabbos, then let him do that too.

Anonymous said...

how many time i do not do what i want to do but do what i dont want to do

Fed Up In Peoria said...

Mr. Kotter , please complain about the sour milk. today is the 19th , this post is from the 13th
If you keep this up it's going to drive us to YWN

Anonymous said...

check out the yarmelkas fall as they go!!!!! one by one

Fed Up in Peoria said...

Students face withdrawal, distress when cut off from Internet

University students faced with a sudden Internet and media blackout begin to feel withdrawal symptoms after 24 hours, according to a study conducted by the University of Maryland's International Center for Media & the Public Agenda. The study followed the reactions of 1,000 students around the globe after they were asked to abstain from all forms of media for a day, leading the researchers to believe that Internet addiction is a real phenomenon, even if there's debate about it as a clinical diagnosis.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/04/hand-over-the-gadgets-students-distressed-isolated-without-internet.ars

Fed Up In Peoria said...

The Story of Herschel Tzig

The following story illustrates the importance of helping new mothers, as it was revealed from above to the Baal Shem Tov (related in Seifer HaMaamarim 5709, Kuntres 64):

When the Baal Shem Tov was about twenty years of age, he and other hidden tzaddikim arrived in the city of Brody. On the third day there, he saw a simple porter walking along, bent under his load, whose head was encircled by a halo of light. The man’s clothes were tattered and worn.

When the people in the marketplace caught sight of him, they laughed at him and called out, “Herschel Tzig, trog gezund (Herschel Goatman, carry your load in peace).” The Baal Shem Tov inquired and was told that Herschel was a simple man, a widower for ten years. He had sent his two sons to study in yeshiva, and he earned his living as a porter, but all his earnings were used to sustain his four goats. People laughed at his great love for goat’s milk, knowing that he spent a considerable sum on goat feed while he lived in a hovel at the edge of the city.

The Baal Shem Tov asked that Heaven enlighten him with the secret behind Herschel Tzig’s radiance, which was like the rays emanating from the face of Moshe Rabbeinu. But his request was denied. He grieved over this and fasted for three days until finally his prayers were answered.

After davening Mincha on the third day of his fast, the Baal Shem Tov met Herschel Tzig. The Baal Shem Tov told Herschel that he was hungry, and asked for a drink of goat’s milk. Herschel rejoiced at the request and said he was willing to provide a cup of milk at no charge, and he took the Baal Shem Tov to his home, which was about an hour’s distance.

After drinking the milk and sleeping the night, Herschel told the Baal Shem Tov that he had lost his wife ten years ago. She had visited the sickly among the poor, as well as poor new mothers. “During the mourning period,” said Herschel, “my wife appeared to me in a dream and told me about the great reward she was given for the mitzva of visiting the sick and poor new mothers.”

“I had heard a lot from the maggidim [itinerant preachers],” she began, “about the tribulations awaiting us in the next world, but when I died they asked me my name and I answered, ‘Rochel Leah.’ Then they took me to the Heavenly court, where I met the souls of all the men, women, and children whom I had helped for 27 years when they were sick or had just given birth. These souls spoke on my behalf, and I was taken straight to Gan Eden. Now Herschel,” she concluded, “take my advice. Since here in Heaven they love those who help another Jew, and since you do not know Torah, get involved in healing the sick and helping new mothers, and try to ensure that no one knows about it.”

“Since that time,” said Herschel to the Baal Shem Tov, “I have purchased goats and I take good care of them. I bring their milk to sick people and new mothers, and with G-d’s help they are healed.

“Last night my wife came to me in a dream and said that if I meet a poor man tomorrow after Mincha who asks me for something, I should invite him home and give him goat’s milk, and tell him the secret, for through him I will be saved with eternal salvation.”

The Baal Shem Tov enlisted Herschel in his Chevra Kadisha, and one of the tzaddikim taught him Tanach, Mishna, and Gemara for a number of years. Herschel’s mind opened and he became elevated in sanctity and Chassidus. He became great in Torah, and with his prayers and segulos he healed hundreds and thousands of sick people

http://www.beismoshiach.org/Misc/philanthropy278.htm

Walter A. said...

What a sick and stupid production. Typical AISH - lots of noise, publicity, but almost no focus on Torah and mitzvot. They should start learning from Chabad - i.e using a bit of fun to focus on a lot of Torah, and not the other way around.