אדמו"ר רבי מאיר'ל לייפער זצ"ל - קליוולאנדער רבי

Reb Meir Leifer was the son of Reb Ber'tche of Satmar, son of Reb Mordche'le Nadvorner, zt"l. He passed away on 12 Nissan 5701. Truth be told I did not know that Reb Meir (Hagadol) of Premishlan - not to be confused with Reb Meir'l Premishlaner - was niftar that long ago. Way back in 1773! I mention that because the Klihvlahnder was his descendant and namesake. Why do I post this now, when there's no real occasion for it? Probably because I was having a hard time finding time for anything else... (funny how even Cleveland can be made to sound so holy and old-time'ish.)

Klihvlahnd. 

His brother Reb Sholom Leifer was the Nadvorner Rebbe of Brighton Beach who passed away on 19 Teves 5740. That would the current Nadvorner in Boro Park his nephew.

His Matzeivoh

Yohrtzeit - Reb Mottel Bryski (Chmielniker)

Yesterday, 14 Teves, was the first Yohrtzeit of Reb מרדכי מאיר (Mottel) Bryski, o"h, of Crown Heights. Since I am not of Russian extraction, as most of you know by now, I tend to like and "koch zich" in the outer trappings of people, often giving it way too much credence. His family took this opportunity to write a Sefer Torah in his honor and לעלוי נשמתו and will be מכניס it into the Chabad Center in Agoura Hills, CA, where his son Reb Moshe, is the shliach. The websites also took the opportunity to publish pictures of the niftar and his family, starting from when Reb Mottel was a bochur-tomim in Poland till very recently. His picture as a bochur is what caught my eye - which is why I share this with you today.

An article written at the shloshim last year.

 זאל ער זיין א גוטע בעטער פאר די גאנצע משפחה, און זאל די נשמה האבען אן עליה

 תנצב"ה

הגאון אדר"ת זצ"ל מדבר על מסירה לשלטונות בשנת תרנ"ו

The responsa we bring you here is telling in at least two ways. The first way tells us that hanky panky was going in a shtetl in the Old Country way back in 1896. It isn't necessarily "news," but it's disheartening, it's not something you want to hear. And then there's the question of "mesirah," which I'm sure will rile some of you up. For some reason when it comes to the issue of abuse we've decided that the first thing we need to do is go to the police. I'm not sure when it happened; but it seems like the inaction on the part of mosdos, etc. is what caused our people to lose all trust in Rabbonim and Botei Din. They also do not believe that even if said Rabbonim and Botei Din do something that it would be sufficient. After all, Beis Din can't sentence you to life in prison...But having said that, the Aderes was a Litvak, the shver of Rav Kook, not some Williamsburg Hasid. But do we throw out all tshuves pertaining to issues like these and just use the secular courts? Do we just say נשתנו העתים because this isn't Czarist Russia 1896? Please tell me based on what we've decided to do this. Is Rikers Island or some State Penitentiary any better when we're talking about violent crimes? I don't know. YOU learn the tshuveh and decide. Also maybe read up on what happens to people like NW who are convicted of violent crimes against minors, what happens to them in jail these days... And realize, this crime in the tshuveh was alot worse than abuse, but for some reason the Aderes saw Chilul Hashem as overriding. The second half of the tshuveh is about whether or not her BF needs to marry her or not, so it's not relevant to our discussion, but feel free to read/learn it, it'll give you a glimpse into what Rabbonim dealt with...

בכלל the witch hunt that's going concerning skeptics (not to mention defenders of Nechemya) is a little alarming. I would not be surprised if I was next in line, since I'm perceived as not "strong enough" on this issue. They're talking about boycotting any and all Satmar-owned businesses (!) since they ultimately support Satmar and "Satmar" is defending NW, sent "problematic" kids to him all these years, and still harbors abusers. Ami magazine is the subject of a boycott because he's a skeptic - or a defender, as they see him - and interviewed NW's lawyer; and G-d knows who's next. I may be next for daring to publish this tshuveh. But realize that I too have kids, b"h, that I love and cherish and care about no less than a total stranger who say he's looking out for them. I've been getting all kinds of looks and messages from good friends for what they perceive as me defending NW... It looks like people stop practicing reading comprehension when it comes to this case.

Was the Aderes a mean old man for not allowing the מאנסים to be thrown into a Czarist Russian jail? I don't think many of you would say that, no matter how far you've strayed from the path, or how much of a victim's advocate you are. Most of you would say that the times have changed and we cannot pasken like that anymore, but that the course of punishment was befitting 1896. I don't know what made you decide that, but I'll accept that argument. I'm sure you'd agree that Aderes was having her best interest in mind by taking care of her physically as well as monetarily by having her marry her suitor and having the villains pay a huge sum. All that may be lacking here - in the Mir case -  is the punishment that many so desire. The "sharing a cell with some murderer who will have his way with them," That's what seems to be missing here. I guess Aderes didn't deem that suitable punishment, otherwise chilul hashem be da--ed, throw him to the dogs! So try and wrap your brains around the concept that the fact that some people either don't believe that he did it or don't want to see him thrown into jail may not be because they're monsters; it's not a "you're either with us or against" situation. People can have different ideas than the self-proclaimed advocates and still want abuse to stop! Enough with the witch hunt!

(Wikipedia Photo)

דער ליובאוויטשער בחור וועלכע האט צונומען הגאון ר' יחזקאל אבראמסקי'ס שיעור אין ליובאוויטש אויף פראבע

Shturem. A recent sefer published by the Plotkin family about their illustrious zeide gives us a glimpse into the life of HaGaon Reb Cheskel Abramski z"l. Funny how davka in Lubavitch did Rav Abramski get the respect he deserved, as he so eloquently puts it here. And wouldn't you know, such respect gets remembered for a very long time. Note: It was pointed out here that the story is NOT from RYA's handwriting, but rather from the memoirs of R' Chaikel Chanin, a Lubavitcher chossid, to whom RYA recounted the story.

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Addendum - Letter from the FR about the הקריאה והקדושה article

One might say that after this letter is כל מילה מיותרת... And if it's ever brought up again בין הסדרים or whenever in your Yeshiva/Kolel/Mikvah/Shtiebel you'll know what to say and you'll sound so knowledgeable too! It seems like the Rebbe wrote to Levitt as if he and Segal were not one and the one same - so as not to hurt his feelings.

תודה להמשלח

The whole schism between Chabad and the rest of the (ultra) frum world - Was it all based on a misunderstanding???

In the world of "Yeshivishe hock" much has been said - and by now written as well - about the article(s) in HaKriah veHakedushoh that elicited very strong responses from Rabbinic personalities outside the Chabad world. Supposedly the Frierdige ליובאוויטשער Rebbe  כ"ק אדמו"ר רבי יוסף יצחק נ"ע was to have made "derogatory statements" about the study of גמרא. The truth is the articles were not written by the Rebbe, as is clear from the pen name here, but I he was "to blame" because the publication was under his auspices. Some people would tell you that this is what started the divide between Chabad and the rest of the Charedi world here in America, and by extension in Israel and the rest of the world too. Some of the notables that were supposedly irked by the article were RAK and Rav Shlomo Heiman, the latter asked RJBS to pen a response to the article, which was supposedly not to his liking anyway. This according to MOAG by R. Nosson Kamenecki. That would make sense, since Reb Yoshe Ber and the FR enjoyed a very good relationship...

 


מכתב חריף מהרה"ג ר' מרדכי ארי' האבערמאן ע"ה - קרעדיט להרוצה בעילום שמו
Rav Haberman was a great gaon and a Rov in Galicia and a dayan in Vienna before coming to New York in the 30's. IIRC he was a Belzer chossid. Here in the US he was Rov in Brownsville in the Rayim Ahuvim shtiebel, which, ironically, is now in Crown Heights... He threatens the editor of HaKveHa"K that if they do not desist from publishing articles like these he will have no choice but to publicly denounce them. I guess his Chassidishe background is what made him give them "another chance," whereas those who had an ax to grind even before the article...The letter is from his manuscripts and may have never actually been sent, but nevertheless makes for a good read. You might say that this too is a "פרסום ראשון".



?על מה יצא הקצף - I see not many of you read this....



ע"ד זהותו של א.י. סגל

קצת אודות הרב האבערמאן -  more


Thanks to Rabbi Shia Mondshein we now know that Aron Levitt had very little - if any knowledge of Chabad, its history or its torah/shittos! The fact that the journal was published "תחת הסכמת הרבי מליובאוויטש" not withstanding. The letter that we link to here - written by the chossid Reb Shaul Ber Zislin, ע"ה, illustrates that very nicely. Here's one paragraph in which he makes his point (for those who can't be bothered to read the whole thing...) אבל מדברי כב' יוצאת מסקנא שאיננה צודקת בהמציאות (פאקטיש). אני יכול להעיד, הישיבה הקדושה "תומכי תמימים" נתייסדה בעיקרה על היסודות הקדושות "חסידות חב"ד". בזמני למדו ועברו בהישיבה תלמידים למאות ב"ה, מופלגי תורה, למדו ש"ס ופוסקים, מפרשים, תשובות, ראשונים ואחרונים, התפלפלו הרבה ביניהם, גדולי התורה מהחסידים בחנו אותם, סמכו אותם, ולא שמענו ולא ראינו אף פעם שהתעסקו בשיטת לימוד כזה באיזה סוגיא בש"ס חמורה או קלה כמו שכב' מתאר. Reb Shaul Ber was גאון הגאונים and a Rov in several Russian cities before leaving for Israel in the 30's. What he's saying here is not just "damage control" and partisan politics. I assure you.

הגה"ח ר' שאול דובער זיסלין ע"ה

See more about the controversy here. In his talk with the Belzer Rebbe the Rebbe mentioned the fact that Reb Chaim Vital writes very strong words about he who learns המחליף פרה בחמור כפשוטו, and that FR said these words soon after his arrival to these shores. The Rebbe goes on to speak about the tummel that ensued and  that the FR clarified that he was only repeating the words of RCV.

attention shul: ביטא נישט דאוונען ביז נאכן געבן צדקה

Your California shul may be all hip and "cutting edge," but it's only in your imagination. It's not cutting edge to think that your 20 minute shachris is more important than this poor shnorrer who came all the way from Yerushalayim - his children's food and clothing. Or wedding. He can't wait around until you're gracious enough to throw him a buck. Just ban all collectors, while you're at it, don't embarrass the intelligence of your fellow Jews. Your tzedokoh-free shachris is not necessary; we'll do just fine without it. The Yiddish sign is condescending, besides for the fact that it wouldn't kill you to take the time to figure out how to spell "bitte." It's a 4 letter word, for crying out loud! This reminds a student of history of how German Jews were so disgusted by the "Ostjuden" with the dirty kapotes who made them look bad.

(Dis)honorable mention from Rabbi Aron Rakeffet

He mentions us in sort of a negative way in his latest lecture/shiur. No calling us out by name, but it's pretty clear who he means. We had discussed the fact that he had nary a negative word to say about RAK, despite the ideological differences. Skip ahead to minute 31:30 ותמצא נחת.

:מה שנוהגים שלא ללמוד בניתל

שמעתי מאאמו"ר הטעם, שהוא כדי שלא להוסיף חיות. פעם אמר אאמו"ר: די מתמידים וואס די אכט שעה איז זיי נוגע בנפש, האב איך ניט האלט. והוא רק עד חצות לילה.

 היום יום" - י"ז טבת" 

און אז דער רבי, נ"ע, דער גרויסער אוהב ישראל, האט אייך ניט האלט איז א סימן אז.... 

דער רבי וועלכע איז געפארען צו די ווייטע פלארידע מבקר חולה זיין א קריסטליכע מיידל

Edwarda O'Bara died on November 21st of this year after 42 years in a coma. She was cared for by her father, mother and then sister with the utmost sensitivity and devotion. In this photo Rabbi Shlomo Friedlander, the Lisker Rebbe, who lived in the Bronx and Manhattan and passed away in 1980, visits her and seemingly blesses her. Source, and more about the Lisker Rebbe on Ivelt

פרסום ראשון! גילויים חדשים מזקני החסידים

The clip we bring you here makes its debut here on the blog. These are recordings of telephone conversations that the interviewer - שלא מאנ"ש - had with Reb Avrohom Mayorer. The first 15 minutes of the recordings that we have. RAM had a shaychus with many non-Lubavitchers, as you know. Reb Avrohom's Yiddish could be difficult to understand at times, but it gets easier with time. Truth be told, the conversation could be difficult to listen to at times, because some of the questions are not what a young Lubavitcher would ask from RAM were he to have the opportunity. But ultimately, these questions needed to be asked, no? This is a 15 minute sample of many hours. There are more of these discussions with other Chassidim as well. So, go out and buy your copy now!

Please enjoy.

The following press release was issued by Rabbi Chaim Dalfin:

We release never before historical information about what happened in Lubavitch 100 years ago. The information is related by the venerable Chasid, the Mashpia, Reb Avrohom Drizin-Mayorer who learnt in Lubavitch during those years. Reb Avrohom says it the way it was without holding anything back. To truly understand Lubavitch today these CD recordings are crucial to listen too.

ראיון עם ר' אברהם דריזין-מאיאר

 *סיפורו של אליעזר שטיינמאן *ר' אברהם ור' שלמה חיים *ר' חיים יונה רצה שר' אברהם תהי' ממקושריו אבל לא הסכים

*ר' חיים יונה ידע אמרי בינה, כוח המשיכה שלו, חוש בנגינה *הלל'קע למד בחברותא עם אלתר והשפיע לו הטעם וריח מר' מיכאל דער אלטר *מס"נ של ר' אברהם לאדמו"ר מהריי"ץ *זלמן פלדמן אביו של זעליג פלדמן, צבי הירש גורארי', נטע פינסקי

*הרש"ב לא רצה שהרד"ץ יסע לא"י מפני החיצוניות של הירושלמים *בחב"ד כל רבי הוא קודש הקודשים אע"פ שיש סדר בזה

*דרכו של ר' אברהם בהנהגת הישיבה בלוד שונה לגמרי מהנהגת הישיבה של ר' שאול ברוק *החילוק בין ר' משה מרדכי עפשטיין ור' ברוך בער, הקאמינעצער ראש ישיבה *ר' ברוך בער חשב שלאחר פטירתו של הרש"ב החסידים יקבלו אותו לרבי!

*הרב שמריהו גורארי' בליובאוויטש ובפאקינג *מעלות ר' ניסן נעמענאו ועבדתו, שמר עצמו במחשבה דיבור ומעשה

*ר' אברהם אמר על ר' יואל כהן שהוא "א קאפ, א גאון ומסר לגמרי לאדמו"ר" תפלתו של ר' יואל כמו גרונם שעיקר עבודתו בידיעת החסידות *הרה"ח ר' שמואל גרונם אסתרמאן: מעלותיו וחסרונתיו בעיני תלמידיו *

To purchase CD’s www.jewishinfo.org – info@rabbidalfin.com

The many, many hats of Reb Yitzchok Frankfurter

I don't think I'd able to do his job. He defends and attacks - well, maybe "attacks" is too harsh a word, he allows attacks to be published - the same groups at the same time! One week it's Lakewood, the next week Lubavitch, the next week Satmar, he'll write nice things about them, that is. Then he's out there, both in Ami and on the radio, defending Charedim against claims of abuse, even if it is terribly unpopular. Then he profiles Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes - I guess he went there trying to ask him tough questions about why he all of a sudden picks on us - in the end what we get is Hynes talking down to the frum, telling them how they're not in the 19th century anymore and he'll throw us all in jail if we don't squeal to him... If this was me my head would spin off my shoulders! But we thought we could at least rely on his Chassidic background and upbringing to defend his people from nastiness like was said by Rabbi Noah - a Slonimer eynikel himself... Now even that gets published and defended by Reb Yitzchok.... Nobody's safe - except maybe Satmar? I don't think Satmar was included in RNW's remark - at least not in Reb Yitzchok's mind, they're the good Chassidim - so technically he still has a clean record with the Satmorim. Thanks, but no thanks, we don't need Rabbi Noah lecturing us from the grave. We're good.

  Interestingly enough Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky - shliach in Queens - is a grandson of Reb Zalman Blesofsky, who was once a member of Nesivos Olam-Malochim in Williamsburg, but later joined Lubavitch, and was גבאי in the Rebbe's shul/770.. RZB's father himself was Reb Avrohom haCohen Blesofsky, a Karliner chossid whom the Stoliner Chassidim refer to as "Reb Avrohom כהן.

...א וויזשניצער ליינען

אז ער קען שוין יא אזוי גוט, טא פארוואס ליינט ער נישט אליין? א רחמנות אויפ'ן בעל קורא

50 years since the fire in Telshe-Cleveland

Mishpacha



  Ami

סאטמארער יורש העצר - (עלטסטער) זון פון ר' מענדל בן ר' אהרן - צינדט א ליובאוויטשער פאבליק מנורה - דבר שלא שערום אבותינו

ביי די פארט העמילטאן ארמארי

כ'מיין נישט צו טשעפען אדער מאכען צו שפאס. פארקערט, גאר! אשרי חלקו אז ער האט א חלק אינעם פרסומי ניסא.

YU takes it on the chin but keeps on smiling (NOT Abuse)

Yeshiva U's tribute to Rav Aron Kotler on his 50th Yohrtzeit.

 You see it all time. Yeshivos from the Dati Leumi stream of Orthodox Judaism that are packed with seforim of many of the Roshei Yeshiva that were outspoken against them. That wouldn't give them the time of day. That called them minim veApikorsim and worse. But they know no academic prejudice; if the seforim are good and useful they'll learn it. Maybe ויואל משה is the sole exception, and only because of the topic discussed. The same goes for recognizing history and accepting accomplishments of their adversaries. They're objective enough to see that even people who so disagreed with them with instrumental in building Torah chinuch to these shores, as well as to the shores of the holy land. You might be correct in saying that Rabbi Rakeffet sometimes gets his facts a little mixed up, especially so many years after some of the stories he's telling, but at least he tries. In the interest of full disclosure I will tell you that I did not listen to the speech linked here! But if it's anything like his others we can assume what he's saying here as well. I doubt Ponovezh or Mir had any tribute to Rav Kook on his 50th or 70th Yohrtzeit.  Kudos to YU and Rabbi Rakeffet for this tribute! I'll take the liberty here of including YU in the DatiLeumi camp, despite the fact  that it could be a bit of a stretch.

Photo courtesy of Hirhurim blog

אין בעלזא גייען דעם טראכטער'ל מיט'ן מיקראפאן האנט אין האנט

דער בעלזער רבי שליט"א איז באקאנט אלץ איינער וועלכע פארמיידט זיך פון אלע מאדערנע אנטוויקלונגען. א העמד גייט ער אהן קנעפלעך - אפשר דער איינציגער אויף דער וועלט - פונקט ווי פאר 100 יאר צוריק און מער. און נאך ענדליכע זאכען. אבער דאס אז א זייגער - נישט קיין האנט זייגער חלילה - א גרויסע רבי'שע זייגער מיט א זילבערנעם געשטעל - דאס איז אויך שוין מאדערן? קען אזא זייגער נישט אנווייזען ווען די האלבע שטונדע ענדיגט זיך, אז מ'דארף דערצו נאך האבען א טראכטער'ל אויך? און אפשר דארף די זאמד אינעם טראכטער'ל זיין דוקא מאדמת הר סיני? אבער דער מאדערנעם מיקראפאן - נאך אזא שמאלע אויך, וואס איז פאחאזשע אין שמאלע הויזען און שמאלע געפאסטע קליידער - דאס יא??

גם חסידי פוניבז' אוכלים ג' פשטידות בשבת ר"ח חנוכה - ושאר מנהגי פוניבז' לחנוכה

בארא פארק ניקלשבורג'ער רבי פארגעסט נישט פון די אידן אין די קעטסקילס בערג

!אשריך ר' משה לייזר

l-r: Reb Gershon Neuman, RMLZ and the Pupa Rebbe of Boro Park 

Reb Moshe Lazer Zigelman, who was jailed for not willing to testify against a fellow Jew, was finally released on Monday, after spending 7 months in Federal prison. The prosecutor had jailed him for contempt, but finally released that keeping him locked would do no good. This after already spending some 2 years behind bars for his role in the Spinka debacle. At his home a little celebration was prepared for him, where he donned his shtreimel as a sign of joy. The next day Stoliner Cheder in Boro Park celebrated with RMLZ. They had davened for his release every day for months and he came to thank them for their tefillos.

First a few words about Reb Moshe Lazer himself. Being a Spinka talmid I can tell you that I've known him for close to 30 years. He's a real gentleman, and that we need more people like him, people who practice what they preach. As far as I know he was א זעקס און פופציגער that came to the Holy Land from Hungary as a boy and either he or his family were part of the מורדים who were chucked from וויזניץ by the late Rebbe once when his father was out of the country. Ask your local yenta what that was about. רעדט א פיינעם אונגאריש, אויב איך געדענק גוט. That being said, Reb Moshe Lazer's kanous was on his own cheshbon, not on yenem's. He adopted the Yerushalmi dress, more or less, but is quite "cosmopolitan," to borrow a term from the hippies. At first he had a job in the gashmius of the yeshiva, and then later, when the current Rebbe ascended to the his position after his father passed away on Chol haMoed Pesach 5747, RMLZ was asked to become gabbai. You might say it was a fine choice. Most - if not all - of his father's gabboyim were Israeli, since he lived in Israel for most of the year, so the Rebbe needed a local gabbai. Being a vareme chassidisher yid, as well as a talmid chochom you might say that he increased Spinka's stature in the world of Chassidus. I do not know when he got involved with any money matters, so I cannot comment on why he was first incarcerated, but I'd guess that he had little if any טובת הנאה from the crime that sent him to jail in the first place.

בכל אופן, what we want to discuss here is the "crime" that sent him to jail the second time, and what we can all learn from this. He was willing to sit in jail for as long as it takes, anything, really, all he asked is that he not be forced to testify against his fellow Jew. How many of us would stand up to that pressure? Not many. You don't like me speaking for you, then I'll speak for myself. I highly doubt that I'd be able to. The haters - who B"H have plenty to write about us these days - pile on him, and the Munkatcher Rov, for the little celebration the MR had for him the after he was released. They cannot relate to celebrating another Jew - or any man's  - simcha, because they are miserable people. All they know is misery, and that's what they wish on others, so that their miserable existence isn't as bad in comparison. They also cannot relate to helping a fellow who has fallen on hard times, be it financial or legal. So this too is a crime. And they sure as heck cannot relate to going to jail to protect another man who may very well be guilty! A noble like act like that is BEYOND them, because they're so concerned about "justice," you see? Celebrating a brother's release from prison is now a crime somehow. I guess we tuck tail and quietly just go away? And when I say haters I don't just mean the obvious ones. You who lectured to us and told us how to care for our kids (even though you have none of your own, or you left your wife and kids when you decided that OTD is the way to go...) דיר מיינט מען אויך. Yes, there is a need for change, but spare us the righteous indignation, thank you very much.

Chaim Berlin Tragedy's take on yesterday's verdict (GUEST POST) and some of my thoughts as well

DailyNews Photo (cropped)

Dear readers: I had in mind to write a lengthy piece as soon as I heard the verdict. I did not feel good about it, not because I was so convinced that he was innocent, but because it didn't seem anything was proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and also because of who was on the other side.  I'm sharing with you what my initial feeling was at that time. Ultimately it seemed like I could not be excited that he was found guilty when so many of those who really despise frum Jews were out to get him. They have hijacked this cause and now make it seem like they care about our kids more than we do. And we are to blame for this. Once we deal with this in a sane and just manner we will gain back some control of our communities. And the more we close our eyes to this the greater the damage. I realize that for the older generation it may be difficult to believe that stuff like this happens, especially at the hands of "pious" and "good" people, but we've been seeing this over and over again. Then I was privy to new information about Nechemia, and it wasn't good. Not from any self-proclaimed "child advocate," but from a close relative of another alleged victim. Someone who is very part and parcel of the establishment. He has no bones to pick, until now. Now NW is a monster to him too. Upon hearing this I decided that I could not in good faith write any words in his defense, even if it's just that the trial was skewed against him. So what we're left with is Chaim Berlin Tragedy's harsh take on reality. Truth be told I would not write some of the "terms of endearment" that he does, but sometimes I have no choice.

Hi, Tzig; ah freilichen Chanuka.

koidem kol, may all the sonei Yisroel have a mapola bimheira! And may the ohr haTorah and ohr haGeula finally shine all over the world! Ich zog, like that song, "that the times they are a changin'," and that all Charedi communities should wake up and see that the days of getting free passes and pleading for "rachmonus" because they are a "minority" or the "poor victims" are long gone. We are all big boys now and we must take it on the chin like men, and not act like cowards and crybabies. Charedim must start to practice the Torah mamash--- not just rebbisha bobba meises-- but real mitzvos like lo tinaf, lo tignov, lo tachmod, lo tirtzach etc. etc. etc., and like tzedek tzedek tirdof, etc. etc. etc. having rachmonus on the weak and defenseless and stop being money grubbing great greedy guts, worshiping the avoda zora of gelt, gelt, un noch gelt.

I hate to say it but we have a guy like Weberman who will be going to jail for not being careful with gilui arayos, the hoiz bucher of the Skverer Rebbe who is in jail for attempting shefichas damim, and sadly David Schick and many more in jail for geneiva, I would say to all of them sitting in jail "it's in the aseres hadibros stupid!" In the "good old days," when the media did not discover the Charedim yet, when there was no Internet, when no one could care less about children's rights and women's rights, when the Mafia was all powerful, none of this stuff was ever dealt with. If a teacher molested a kid there was nowhere to run to, now the child advocates and the courts make sure that people go to jail and pony up tens of millions, even hundreds of millions like in the Catholic church. It's the same yetzer horas but the world around has changed. You guessed it, it's the Modern world, with gizmos galore. In past time guys like R. Aron Schechter could have gotten away with okaying the expulsion of kid to disappear and even sell him off to the cantonists, but in today's word of instant communications on the web and instant people power, the tables are turned and the weak become the strong.

 It's actually a very Yiddishe thing if you think about it, when did Bnai Yisroel become "strong" in Mitzrayim? When they were at their weakest and lowest point, Hashem empowered them and gave them a manhig like Moshe. And when the Yidden were in golus in Persia and were weak and defenseless and about to be killed out, it was the a Yiddishe meidel of all people, Esther HaMalka who was the po'el the geulah. And obviously on Chanukah it was the part of the nes, the weak became strong -- and right now too many Charedim are acting like arrogant bullies with big fat bellies with corrupt leaders who care about donations and not about din vemishpat. So it will be the goy'ishe courts through which HKB"H is teaching us that he still has ways to make those who hurt others pay, and they will now go to jail and sit with gangsters who beat them up, ra-e them and do to them what they did to other innocent people.


Did you hear about Rav Aron Teitelbaum's reaction to the Weberman verdict? He says that all the Satmar off derech kids should be sent to other countries!!! Now how crazy and evil is that??? Maybe he can take lessons from R. Aron Schechter how to send OTD kids to gulags like he helped with his talmid Michael Hersh who sent his kid Isaac to "Tranquility Bay" on far island of Jamaica in the Bahamas. Maybe R. Aron Teitelbaum wants to send his troubled teens to Uganda or Madagascar like the Europeans who were bothered by the "Jewish Problem" wanted to do a 100 years ago? So is there any surprise that a guy like Weberman gets enabled by a gangster Mafia don like R. Aron Teitelbaum? If R. Aron Teitelbaum were smart he would SHUT UP, or he will also find himself facing a jury. Seems his kid brother R. Zalman Leib is smarter --- he is keeping a low profile and not saying stupid things in public like his arrogant big bro' Aron when he shoots off his mouth. Likewise in the ikvese d'meshicha, it is the weak Jews after the Holocaust who gain a medina in Eretz Yisroel, not perfect but still the beginning of a new tekufa. And in society it is no longer physical force that matters, it is brains and "the feminine side" (females and their kids) that have "power," and Charedim need to get their minds around that and embrace and work with that, as many do in any case, since most are just ehrliche hard-working people fighting to support their families.

 While there are far too many rotten apples that are getting away with gilui arayos geneiva and even shefichas damim, r"l, Charedim still think they are still living in Poland or the Ukraine with the bulvans, or in Rusland with poeren and Cossacks. In short the mind-set is still of people who think they must act like they are in Czarist times or are still living in Stalin's gulags or in Nazi concentration camps, when we are all instead enjoying THE BEST OF TIMES IN ALL WAYS, yes sirree right here in the US of A, the joys and freedoms of an open and free democracy with equal rights for everyone in the best that Western society has ever offered (for how long is an open question ...). Too many Charedim are kofi toiv and are not thinking, they like America's as a malchus shel chesed but they also mock it's laws as hilchos sedom, like too many Muslims who are still on jihad still don't get that, and then just resort to plain old hefkerus ish asher yashar be'einav ya'aseh Just some thoughts. There is lots more to say. It is all very sad that it has come to this.

Have a Freilichen Chanuka and best wishes always,

CBT

רבי ירוחם אויף חנוכה

l-r: Reb Yeruchem Garelick, Reb Boruch Ber, and Reb Henoch Eigesh (בעל המרחשת)

גארעליק, ניט ליוואוויטץ

דער ראש ישיבה אין ישיבת רבינו יצחק אלחנן און "מקים עולה של תורה" אין די בראנקס הערט מען דא ריידען ביי א חנוכה מסיבה אין ישיבה אין יאר תשי"ט. געשמאק און מוסר'דיג . אמאליגע ליטווישע רבנים און ראשי ישיבה האבען געקענט זאגען א גלייך ווערטל, אויך. ובפרט על חשבון החסידים. דער עולם האט זיך געהאלטען ביי די זייטן נישט איין מאל, און האט געהערט א שמועס פון איבער א שעה צייט. גאנץ נישקשה.

א דאנק הניק החוקר הנפלא "ישבב הסופר" שזיכנו

!א ליכטיגן חנוכה

enjoy Chilik Frank's sweet clarinet.

If only I'd speak Yiddish... Oh, well.

HaRav Reb Yoel Kahan shares a gleich vertel with the Rov of Kfar Chabad, Harav Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi, at the Yud Tes Kislev farbrengen in Kfar Chabad. בתיווך נראה הראשון לציון הרב ר' משה שלמה עמאר. The Rov is one who appreciates a good joke, I'm told.

...את אחי אנכי מבקש

HT: Chakira Blog I would think that these thoughts crossed the mind of these Yidden rounded up for forced labor in 1939. How appropriate that I was sent this picture on this week, where יוסף הצדיק utters these same words.

חסדי ה' כי לא תמנו.... בך בטחו אבותינו.... אליך זעקו ונמלטו

זכרונות של הגה"ח ר' ישראל (טעפליקער) אולידורט ע"ה

Reb Yisroel was a Skverrer/Rachmistrivker Chossid who left the Soviet Union in 1971 and passed away in 1994. He authored the sefer מבט המצוות. His eynikel is the well-known Chabad researcher (FLOABT) Reb Dovid Olidort. His connection to Chabad started  - like many others - with his children learning in Chabad underground Yeshivos in the USSR because that's all there was. He was "לאו דוקא" a Lubavitcher Chossid, even later in life. It's interesting how the Rebbe encouraged him to publish record his memoirs, even if it does highlight the work of others than Lubavitch in the USSR. Many thanks to his eynikel Reb Dovid Olidort of Crown Heights for sending us this treasure.

 

The next Lubavitcher "hit" you'll hear at every simcha, courtesy of Sruly Werdyger

In a modern arrangement, but without losing much of the original flavor. From the new אודה לקל CD.

?וואו נעמט מען דאס היינט

וואס האבען אונזערע קינדער געזינדיקט אז זיי קענען נישט אנטייל נעמען אין אזא דערהויבענעם מעמד? און וואס האבען מיר שוין געטוהן אז מ'האט יע זוכה געווען דערצו? פינף און פערציג יאר צוריק, סך הכל. און ס'איז געווען אזעלכע מאמענטן שפעטער אויך. טאמער זענט איר נישט געווען דערביי און איר האט געוואוינט ווינציגער פון 100 מייל אוועק... שוין. שטעלט אייך פאר וואס פאר א טעם גן עדן מ'האט דארט געשפירט! איי, דער זייגער? דער "באס" מארגען וועט שטיין און ווייזען אויפ'ן זייגער? אה! וואס פארשטייט ער אין א טעם גן עדן, צו א רבי, צו א י"ט כסלו. אבער ס'איז מעגליך נאך היינט צו טאג, אפילו אויב מ'קעו מיטן רבי'ן נישט זיצען אזוי ווי דעמאלט. אונזערע קינדער באווייזען ווי דאס איז מעגליך, און אפטמאל נאך בעסער ווי דער פריערדיגער דור

שווה קריאה

?האם כדאי לזרוק בחור מישיבה

"Andy Statman's search for G-d in music"

א נייע סאלאווייטשיק "ראש ישיבה" אין YALE

Here's how the family tree grows, as I understand it:

First there was Joseph Ha-Levi Soloveitchik of Slobodka and Kovno. He had a son Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Moses and Abraham. Moses had a son, Joseph, who was the rabbi of Kovno and was married to the daughter of Chaim Volozhin. Joseph had two sons, Isaac Zeev and Elijah Zevi. Isaac Zeev was the father to Joseph Ber (Beis Ha-Levi). His son was Chaim Brisker whose sons included Velvele Brisker and Moses. Moses was the father of The Rav, Joseph Dov (Ber) Soloveitchik. Meanwhile, back to Elijah Zevi. He had a son Simcha (The Londoner), who had a son Zalman Yosef, who had a son Yitzchak Lev (Isaac Louis, my grandfather, who changed the name from Soloveitchik to Salovey when he immigrated to this country from Jerusalem), who had a son Ronald (Azreal), who fathered three children, one of them me! So, my great-great-great grandfather (Elijah Zevi) and Joseph Dov (Ber) Soloveitchik (The Rav)'s great-great grandfather were brothers. That should clear things up, no?

My sources for this are the Encyclopedia Judaica; Shulamith Soloveitchik Meiselman's excellent book, The Soloveitchik Heritage: A Daughter's Memoir; and family legend.

 Thanks for the interest in my family.

 Peter Salovey

Hattip:hashemrunstheworld@yahoo.com

The image problem we have [Weberman trial] (GUEST POST)

"I have mixed and conflicted feelings about this case. I am absolutely convinced that a Hasidic looking man cannot get a fair trial anywhere when accused of such crimes, but in this case I have my doubts as to Weberman’s guilt. That’s all, “doubts,” and doubts does not mean convinced, no need to jump on me. No competent criminal lawyer permits a police abuse case or a Hasid sex case (or even fraud case) to stand before a jury and counsel often chooses a bench trial. (Why Weberman’s lawyer let his client go before a jury should give us pause - and we should speculate as to why). I don’t know Weberman personally but he is a distant cousin, so when I asked numerous mutual cousins that I share with him and know him personally they all told me that if he is guilty he should rot in jail. Since the term “if” has come into the conversation so many times, that tells me that my “doubt” is shared by a great many others.

We in the Hasidic community must look inward why we're looked upon so unfavorably. Of course there is the age old problem of antisemitism, as well as the hate of the secular for the frum, (repulsed is a better term) added to the general worldwide dislike of the overly devout, of every religion. As more and more of our people get caught up in the Justice system, avoidance of this problem and blaming others is not an option. We must face juries that are selected out of the general population. From my own observation on how our community has developed socially and politically I get the feeling that the social attitude our community projects outwardly towards our neighbors and fellow citizens has - especially in New York - poisoned the jury pool. We live in one of the most tolerant and generous cities in the world, but what do most of the residents of the City know about us and our way of life? I would venture to say that millions of people around the Metropolitan NYC area know us for just a few things; we are opposed to gay marriage. Oh yes, let me add and we support Israel. On both issues we come off as strident, brooking a no nuanced approach; no "live and let live." No, we come off as angry and suspicious (no president named Hussein will defend Israel) The electoral graphic map published by the NY Times says is all. The red dots of Romney voters stand out as one solid core of naysayer's in opposition to the cultural and political sensitivities of most New Yorkers. By our votes and our interactions with local politicians we have projected an image of a community that is intolerant and one that does not care about the more vulnerable ones living side by side with us.

Then there are the simple day to day interactions; how do we tip the taxicab driver, the grocery delivery boy, our workers, our cleaners? These people, their children and members of their family end up as jurors of people like Weberman and they will be charged to decide his fate. I have long detected a strong attitudinal shift, especially among the young in our community, from a feeling of mutual communal responsibility combined with traditional fear of “what will the goyim say,” to an attitude of triumphalism and of an arrogant projection of entitlement. Correct me if I’m wrong, but whenever I bring up these issues among my young acquaintances I get the look as if I fell off the moon. I have no doubt that one day we will have to take on these dire issues, that if not dealt with in a sensible way will grow worse and worse, until we will have no choice. Of course we might avoid giving any thought to this issue and suffer without the benefit of self analysis to re-examine our place in this country. Even if Weberman is guilty of some criminal improper behavior within the indictment there is a strong possibility that he is not guilty of the more severe charges. This is where a socially poisoned jury really matters. It is reasonable to doubt and suspect that Weberman is guilty of some of the charges, likewise it also reasonable to speculate that the girl and her supporters have an incentive to pile on charges. For a victim it might be easy to morally rationalize the piling on of more accusations, in order to make at least something stick. Brooklyn’s DA Charlie Hynes office is so politicized and his integrity is so compromised that it makes me share Tzig's doubts. This trial gives me the shivers, not only about what might be the outcome for those directly involved, but I tremble about what the outcome will bring and what effect it will have on the rest of the Haredi community here and around the world."

  Yosef 718

So... you wanna know what I think about the Weberman trial, eh? One thing's for sure, a fair trial he'll never get, even if it is being judged in court! And I could care less what Yankee Horowitz says.

All the supporters of the victim already decided that he's guilty, just because. The press is calling him a "monster-Rabbi." The allegations are already fact. So what chance does he REALLY have. IMVHO it's only a question of how much time he'll get, not whether or not he'll get time. And I really don't know if he did it or not.

I had to turn on word verification in the comments. Too much spam lately.

Just read it... and if you can, read between the lines too....

....א ווארט פון א פרומע אידענע ווערט היינט תורת משה

Sholom Ber and Rochel Pewzner arriving at Ellis Island, 1950

הרה"ח ר' שלום דובער בן הרה"ח ר' שמואל הי"ד פעווזנער איז געווען אן איידעם ביי הרה"ח המשפיע ר' ניסן נעמענאוו ע"ה



כאטש אז רשד"ב האט געהאט פאפירען איז עפעס וואס נישט געווען אין ארדענונג, אזוי אז מען האט אים אפגעהאלטען אינעם "עליס איילאנד" ביז מ'האט עס איינגעארדענט. העומד ביניהם איז מעגליך א אידיש איבערזעצער





 ?וואס וועט דא זיין אין די אמעריקע

 ער אין א מאמענט פון דביקות און זי טראכט אפשר פון טאטע מאמע אין אייראפע

מיט עטליכע יאר שפעטער איז רשד"ב ע"ה געווארען א שותף מיט ר' מאטל שוסטערמאן ע"ה אין דפוס "עזרא-בלשן" אין ברוקלין. ר' שד"ב איז אוועק בדמי ימיו, אין אייר תשמ"ז, לאזענדיג זיין אלמנה, מרת רחל תחי'.  צווישן זיינע קינדער זענען באקאנט הרה"ח ר' יי"צ (פיטשע) פעווזנער, א משפיע אין ישיבת אהלי תורה אין קראון הייטס, און הרה"ח ר' מנחם מענדל פעווזנער , א שליח און "רב הראשי" אין

 פעטערבורג, רוסלאנד 

Life Magazine Photos

קטע מתוך זכרונותיו של ר' מרדכי שוסטערמאן ע"ה

פטירתו של שותפי רשד"ב ז"ל

 אודות פטירת שותפי אין ברצוני להרחיב הדיבור. ... ובקיצור — באחד מימי חודש" אייר תשמ"ז קבלנו הזמנה לחתונת קרובתנו רחל רבקה בת הרב משה ז"ל הילדסהיים מקליבלנד. כמובן שהזמנתי כרטיסי טיסה לקליבלנד בעוד מועד. המטוס הי' אמור להמריא בשעות הצהרים, והחתונה היתה צריכה להיות באותו יום לפנות ערב. שותפי רשד"ב ז"ל סבל הרבה שנים מ'אלסער' (אולקוס) והרבה פעמים היו לו התקפים מזה. זמן קט קודם עזבי את ביתי לשדה התעופה, טלפנה לי רחל תחי' — אשת רשד"ב — שתקף אותו כעת ה'אלסער' ואינו יכול ללכת לעבודה לדפוס. אבל כמובן, שלא יכולתי לבטל את הנסיעה לחתונה. הגעתי לקליבלנד לחתונה ובין החופה לסעודה צלצלתי לבית רשד"ב להיוודע משלומו. וענתה לי אשתו כי עדיין אינו מרגיש טוב. למחרת, כאשר חזרתי הביתה לערך בשעה חמש בערב, לא רציתי לטלפן לבית-הדפוס כי השעה דחוקה אז בדפוס כי העובדים נחפזים ללכת הביתה. עדיף שאצלצל אחר בואם הביתה. בשעה 7-8 צלצלתי לבית רשד"ב — ואין עונה! צלצלתי עוה"פ ועוה"פ ואין עונה — הדבר היה מאוד חשוד בעיני וצלצלתי לבית הדפוס. והנה אומרים לי שכבר לאחר המעשה הערה: במחשבתי שאין הוא דבר פשוט כלל וכלל שלא הייתי נוכח בפטירתו כי לא הייתי אפילו בנ.י. ואת הכרטיסים לחתונה הזמנתי לפני זמן רב! אכן בהלוי' השתתפתי — כמובן. ספרו לי שבאותו יום ביקר אצל הרופא שלו, והרופא אמר לו שאין הוא רואה בו שום דבר, ויכול הוא לקחת את הבאס ולנסוע לעבודה — וכך עשה! אך כבואו לביה"ד חש ברע והזעיקו אמבולנס אך הי' כבר מאוחר— תנצב"ה.

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