ווי קען מען שרייבען אין אזא צייט ?

I remember as a 9 year-old kid seeing Fiddler on the roof, starring Topol. The scenes are etched in my mind, never to be forgotten. (goes to show you what improper movies can do to a child)

I remember crying bitterly at the scenes of the Jews of Anatevka being evicted from their homes by the apologetic soldiers who insisted that they were "just following orders". Paul Harvey, a 90 year-old GOY from middle America, said it best yesterday when he said that, for him, it conjured up memories of the film. "THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THAT THOSE WERE THE CZAR'S SOLDIERS".

Most Israeli soldiers have acted in a noble and respectful manner, I'm not implying that they haven't. Some seemed a little too eager to carry out those orders. The same goes for the leftist press in Israel, where the press is probably more blatantly anti-religious than in any other country.

For those who follow the teachings of Harav Kook zt"l the evictions have more severe consequences, with the foundation of the State of Israel being a part of the redeeming process. Their courage, faith, trust in Hashem, and steadfastness is to be commended and forever remembered.

The Palestinian Jews of occupied Williamsburg have outdone themselves again. Their joy at the expulsions and total disregard for their brothers is amazing even to somebody who thinks he's seen it all. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at anything.

For most others the disconnect is heartbreaking. They have very little feelings one way or the other. Some see it a cost-saving move, making good economic sense. After all, all that money and manpower being spent on 8,000 Jews? "פארוואס דארפען זיי וואוינען דארט צווישען די אראבער?"

You think somebody will wake up when they come for Kiryat Sefer, Beitar, Modi'in and the other Charedi towns?

I wonder....

The Ingrates

in·grate
An ungrateful person.

No, this isn't the name of a new novel or movie, it's a class of people that are just that, ingrates. "Bite the hand that feeds you" is the understatement of the year. These are people who owe whatever their (pathetic) lives are now to Lubavitch and the Rebbe. If not for Shluchim giving them the time of day and a place to feel welcome they would die in obscurity, if you'll excuse me, without their pitiful existence ever being noted. Yet they choose to besmirch the only people that were ever decent to them.

I've spoken to some of their "Bakante" and asked them about it, and they try and explain it. "You need to understand where they're coming from", "they feel like they've been lied to", yada, yada, yada. I'm sorry, but I choose not to be so understanding.

Every person has been lied to or had some truth concealed from him, it's a fact of life. I DO NOT SAY THAT THIS WAS THE CASE, but even if it was it happens, and it's not like he just found out that his father was Pol Pot's executioner. For some reason these "pure souls" are shocked to the core that not everything was revealed to them when they were נתקרב and now they're "exposing" the hidden truths. Excuses are good for a one-time crime or wrongdoing, not for a constant barrage of cut and paste excerpts from a book written by a two-bit loony whose only claim to fame is that he fights Lubavitch for whatever reason.

I do not claim to be a psychoanalyst, but I do know that some of the readers are. I'd like to analyze the need of these people to do what they do. Claiming to be on a quest for "the truth" doesn't cut it either.

Don't push!

As a bochur I attended a Yeshivah camp that had 4 or 5 "litvishe" Yeshivos staying together. One מוצאי תשעה באב after Maariv the guys all charged into the lunchroom to push and shove on line to get their not so great food. What would cause them to push for fried fish and sloppy mashed potatoes is beyond me, but that was the case.

One of the Maggidei Shiur, I believe from Mirrer Yeshivah, could not take it, he could not fathom how young boys can push for food, so he got up and cried out from the depths of his heart "it was just Tishah B'Av"!, meaning how can you push for food at a time like this. The cry went mainly unheeded due to the fact that most boys were still quite hungry, but I remember the story 13 years later.

What do we expect of Tishah B'Av, and what is its main purpose? Is it

1) Tshuvah
2) lamenting the Churban
3) refraining from Loshon Horah
4) Holocaust rememberance

OK, the latter 2 are just to be inclusive of all types, I basically mean the first 2 choices. The other תעניות are basically meant for Tshuvah, although they recall tragedies in the timeline of the Jewish people. Tisha B'Av by virtue of the fact there is lots to say with most of the Kinos lamenting the Churban Beis HaMikdosh and the Crusades is meant to cry for tragedies. So the question arises: are we meant to lament the Churban as a means to bring to Tshuvah which will bring about the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdosh, or is it a reason to cry in and of itself?

If the answer is the former then we have lots of work to do. How is it expected of us in these days to cry over something we've never seen, and all we know of it is that it was a messy slaughterhouse, ח"ו? (a story of the Kotzker and Reb Shlomo Eiger is the source for that quote, so don't get into a huff about it). We do not stress the fact that it was a מקום השראת השכינה so most people don't see it as such, so why cry for it? In the old days we cried for the Beis Hamikdosh because we couldn't bear the pressures of everyday life. The pogroms, the persecutions, and the economic dead end that was the road of most Jews was enough to arouse great yearning for those great days, but what now?

Yom Kippur is different because of the Yom Tov atmosphere, the Davening which speak of Tshuvah and the Yom HaDin, concepts that people can relate to very easily, but Tishah B'av is a day that we can't wait to get over, either by sleeping through it or just by wasting time. I understand Kinos is said with more sincerity due to easily available translations of Kinos and Midroshim, but how does all of that translate into wanting the Bais hamikdosh?

Maybe I'm missing the point here, but it seems that one of the points was Tshuvah. The Chasam Sofer would give a Droshoh every year on Zayin Av, a tradition carried on to this day in Kehillos like Adas Yereim, Chasan Sofer, etc. where the minhogei Chasam Sofer are practiced. I seem to remember hearing that in that Droshoh they mention the names of all people of the community that passed away over the year, especially Rabbonim and Tzaddikim, in order to bring the community to tears. That would seem to make the point of the day as Tshuvah.

You follow me here?

Any thoughts?

What have we here?

Oops!, I forgot, he's allowed to, he's not Chabad.

Bite YOUR nose!

I wonder what it is that causes Lubavitchers to besmirch all that is good and pure about their movement just to get back at an adversary. They do not care that they take down with them 2 or 3 generations of Baalei Mesiras Nefesh, or even the Rebbe and all his work.

Case in point: Aussie echo
He claims to be upset about the Chinuch situation in Melbourne, something that really needs to be fixed, but he goes about it all wrong. The buzzards out there, and you know who you are, loom above cyberspace looking for fresh dead meat, and The Aussie is fair game.

Let's not kid ourselves, every movement has its share of good and bad, others have more for some reason, but others deal with it in better ways. The fact that Lubavitchers have been taught, and rightfully so, not to be afraid to ask questions has come back to haunt some of us because our disgruntled kids are speaking publicly now. When others see young people and others "exposing" the truth about Lubavitch they buy it lock, stock and barrell and are "shocked", not knowing any of this before.

Aussie: Lubavitch is fair game and ready to be had by the rhodents coming out of the woodwork, they have many willing acquaintances ready and willing to do the dirty work for them. Even within the people don't see the harm they do. Please don't be the one to do the job for them.

Good luck otherwise!

א חסידישער בעה"ב

Photo:COL

Reb Nosson Gurary passed away last night. He was the son of ר' חיים שמריהו, the brother of זלמן. He was a successful businessman who carried a lot of clout in the community and was someone to be reckoned with, besides for his Chassidishe qualifications.

I last saw him last year when he came to be מנחם אבל Reb Yoel Kahan who wa sitting Shiva for his sister (the wife of Reb Boruch Paris). Reb Yoel and Nosson had been classmates and friends in Tel Aviv many years ago, a time that needs to be studied on its own.

Nosson and Reb Yoel had not seen eye to eye in recent years, with each one taking different sides in the local CH disputes. However, the חסידישער אהבת ישראל that I witnessed that night was a sight to behold and a lesson for the ages. Each one sat and reminisced about the old days, recounting fond memories of a very special childhood, a time when they would go be משלים the Minyan for the Belzer Rov zt"l, or ride on the bus with the חזון איש.

This aspect of Lubavitch is what shows you the sincerity with which Chassidim take the concept of Ahavas Yisroel. It does have its shortcomings, but, as is quoted in the name of כ"ק המגיד ממעזריטש נ"ע Ahavas Yisroel needs to be for everyone, no matter his level of observance or difference of opinion. I just wish people would love each other without letting the bad ones take advantage of the love.

Why the hate?

I've always wondered why Lubavitch is he most hated of all frum/Chassidishe groups. I mean, you can have two archenemies from two of the fighting factions in any group going at each other like cats and dogs, mention Lubavitch and they drop everything. They suddenly remember that fighting the "real enemy" is more important.

We can do this very slowly and examine all possibilities.

1) Old world hate from non-Chassidic groups, i.e. Litvishe.
people like this are usually hateful from lack of understanding, and 200 years of lies. They think that Lubavitchers either learn Tanya all day or don't keep Torah and Mitzvohs. When they find out or meet a Lubavitcher Yungerman וואס קען לערנען they're shocked and reconsider. The real hardliners negate that too by telling themselves that deep down this guy's an Apikores. Others will degrade by using names like "Lubabs and Chabadskers", thereby totally disregarding them or anything they do.

TO BE CONTINUED....

Is this all that's left?

Photo credit: Consultmi.com/bobov


Is this what were supposed to believe is the continuation of Sanz and the Divrei Chaim zt"l?!

Are people so dense as to believe that that's all it takes?

How much time does the man spend in front of the mirror?

Believe me it's nothing personal against the man, I just can't take it anymore.

Where's the prayer?

Believe me friends, it hurts me too. I shudder to think what'll happen if and when the Disengagement happens. However, I do wonder if we're not missing the point here.

Sharon is running the country like an absolute dictator, he could care less about what anybody thinks. His party votes against it, he doesn't care. The referendum would strike it down, he doesn't care. He's negotiating and unilaterally pulling out under fire, he doesn't care. It's a banana republic, friends.

I can understand the idea of trying to go in there and disrupt the police from trying to carry out the evictions, that's a practical and common sense plan of action, but what's with all this political activity? What can be accomplished?

There will be no vote, even amongst the party members, all votes are done in cabinet only. Everything is in place, ready to go, so there is no natural way out of this, so why all this demonstrating and marching? Where's the cry out to Hashem, the Kapitlech Tehillim?

Way to go kid

Eliyohu Yakobovitch is a student at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in לוד

He's 15 years old.

He finished ש"ס

Source: COL

Sell my soul for hits?!

The easiest way to generate publicity and comments on your blog is to be controversial. Criticize, condemn, berate, accuse and "expose" are always sure winners.

If you're a guy like TA you'll do anything, after all didn't somebody once say "The truth will set you free"? and who's more anxious to taste that freedom than a lonely old commie.

I will not sell my soul to the devil, I will take the high road.

PEACE.

לדוברי עברית

a very moving video clip, brought to you by

Amshinover.

Watch here

Curly what?!

(not an actual photo of Curly)

This may be hard to believe for some of you, but I don't relish this story. It comes to us from our friend Chabakuk Elisha.

Act One. That's Funny, You Don't Look Jewish. Chaim and Billy both lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just blocks away from each other, in worlds that almost never collided. Chaim was a Hasidic Jew, he'd never heard pop music or watched MTV. Billy Campion, known as the rocker Vic Thrill, was the star of an underground band. Billy put Chaim, who took on the name Curly Oxide, into the band, and in just one year, he leapt from the 19th Century into the 21st.

You can hear it HERE after the first 8 minutes.

Source: NPR's "This American Life"

What gets me is this kid decided to come back! He lives in Kiryas Joel and probably argues for/against Aron and Zalman Leib all the while knowing that it's all nonsense. He has told his wife and regrets it now and has this dormant gnat gnawing away at his insides. Here's a guy who spent years leading a double life, doing כל דבר אסור and lives as if he's one of the guys in Satmar.

What about the fact that his parents decided to marry him off quickly and that's what got him out of there,

Are we to believe that he's totally rid of his old desires and can now raise a religious/chassidish family?

Is it good for a young boy/girl to act out their desires whilst young so as they don't fight them for the rest of their life?

Can parents really expect that getting him married is the cure to all problems?

In case you wondered

For those of you out there, and we know there are plenty, who think that a certain group in Williamburg represents the continuity of Chabad take a look at this dude. He's the son of Big Chief Weberman of the Malochim tribe in Williamsburg. This is what becomes of those who have no Mesorah in Chabad and read the Seforim on their own. The picture was taken at a counter-rally at the Salute to Israel parade or maybe a rally in support of "Palestine". Makes a pretty picture, no?

(Hey, it's been like a month already since we've spoken about these clowns)

Not this time

Usually when tradegy strikes within the Chassidic-Charedi community the first to feel the pressure are the women. They're told that they are to blame for all that goes wrong. The Rambam says that that if one the group passes away all בני החבורה need to be מפשפש במעשים but we know better. After all, our knees and elbows are covered and we don't wear neither long sheitlach nor tight-fitting clothes. (The Yeshivish types, to their credit are less apt to limit the blame to women).

Was I surprised that after the latest round of "premature deaths" at least within the forum and blog communities there had been no such talk! The questions abound and the answer and many and diverse, but the blame is not there.

Is it the fact that people realize that women can't always be to blame, or am I just taking a sample of the wrong segment of society? Do the masses still blame knees and elbows?

Here to stay

Anonymous asked if I'm done with blogging, heaven forbid! with the job change I have not yet gotten used to the new schedule, hence the lack of concentration necessary in kepping those new posts coming. I will try to post more frequently, but I find that keeping hot topics at the forefront works wonders for the counter! :)

The Rat Race

As many of you know I have recently started a new job within my original profession. It involves getting up early every day, davening early, and rushing off to work, something I was not used to doing. I am not a what you call a sheltered person but I'm shocked at what I see, seemingly the whole world has gone crazy.

For those people, myself somewhat included, doing the 9-5 city thing doesn't sound like that big of a deal, even if it is in "Corporate America". You're a settled guy whose not easily swayed or tempted, so you've got nothing to worry about, right?

But what about those sheltered young men who rarely if ever stepped out of their communities, maybe to travel to the Catskills or to Monsey was their only trip out of town, do we not think that their education is losing its luster? Does he stand a chance in his heavy Levush in the summertime?

I'm obviously not saying that Chassidishe Yungeleit are leaving the fold in droves, it's what inside that doesn't tell the whole story. Is the culture shock (for lack of a better term) really necessary, or should the education process somehow include relating to the real world in an Halachically permissible way? Is the Chassidic community correct in sheltering their members so strongly from any outside influence, so much so that a Yungerman can't conjure a sentence in English without losing his teeth, let alone deal with non-religious or even religious non-Chassidic people?

ג' תמוז תשס"ה

Today's needs

Poster N writes in regards to why we need vacations these days:

(excue the lack of grammar)

smargoner,
material standards and 'needs' have gone up. but never mind that, big topic for now...

Consider even a non material type family...the dynamics of life are simply pressured.
A tiny example: send kids off in the morning to yeshiva. a mother has to pick out clothes, get a kid(s) dressed, fed, knapsack in order, homework signed off, make sure that she is dressed appropriately, run down from the 3rd or 4th floor maybe no elevator, leave screaming toddlers alone while she takes other kids to the bus.

She may have to wait twenty minutes worrying about welfare of baby/toddlers upstairs out of site.. maybe leave a three year old on the sidewalk while crossing the street to load the five year old meanwhile apprehensive about the three year old staying put on the sidewalk instead of following her into the street...etc. the possible tension of a simple non event takes its toll and can be expounded upon with no embellishment....

What were the old days? leaving the house for cheder didn't necessarily mean feeding anybody (who had food), getting dressed (you slept in the same set of clothes that you wore all week), signing off homework or assembling a knapsack( paper was a real commodity and no one brought a breifcase to cheder), and walking out the front door to cheder alone without mommy or a bus. Cheder was in the neighborhood and it was a given that a five year old walks there by himself..pretty relaxing for the mommy compared to today....etc, etc...
עד כאן לשונו הטהור

However, to their credit, people worked a lot harder in those days, and had the local Goyim to worry about besides for Parnosoh. So, I would tend to disagree.

היכי דמי חילול השם

We did what many others do. We packed the kids into the car and headed to Wal*Mart in Monticello. When we got there it was like walking into Boro Park/Williamsburg, full of Yiddelach, clogging up the aisles, doing what they do best. It's times like these that make you want to bury your head in shame.

Let me preface this by saying that I do look like all other Charedim/Chassidishe. White shirt, dark pants, beard and peyos, but for some reason I do know how to behave around non-Jews, it's something I've been careful about my whole life. Most "Frummies" however, have NO IDEA how to act, which basically means that it's no better in their own neighborhoods, but there people are used to it. I'm talking about clogging up the aisles, bumping into other people without excusing themselves, cutting into checkout lines, etc.

I was standing in one line and this young man is ahead of me, behind me is a local Yokel who's getting very impatient that the line isn't moving because the young girl at the register has never seen so many people buying so much stuff. All of a sudden this yungerman's wife pulls in with another full cart and positions herself behind him. The local guy sees all these Jews ahead of him and says "HOW MANY CARTS ARE GONNA CUT INTO THIS LINE, THIS IS BEGINNING TO BE FELONIOUS!,"I THINK I'LL GO TO THE PALESTINIAN LINE!".

I do understand that the locals are ingrates who owe their existence to the summer vacationers, but you don't have to flaunt it. People come in to these stores dressed to kill, as if they're going to some kind of function, while the locals can't afford a pair of pants.

Another example: we were standing in line with a bunch of kids and a wagon full of stuff. Next to us in the adjacent line stood a man from BP/Williamsburg in his 40's holding 2 items. After 10 minutes in line the cashier says she's closing the line. The man goes ballistic, he says to his wife איך שטיי שוין דא א האלבע שעה! Then he runs up to the cashier and loudly tells her "I'm oreddy heer 45 minits, u cent close di lein!". The poor girl may have been there for 10 hours earning minimum wage, and maybe she wanted to go home to her kids, but this guy can't be bothered to go to another line with his 2 items and let's everybody know about it.

It's sickening to watch.