Jakey takes on Vizhnitz

From the Algemeiner

Hard-Hitting questions include:

וויזשניץ באַרימט זיך מיט דעם בעל "אהבת ישראל"; אָבער וואָס וואָלט דער אהבת ישראל געזאָגט וועגן וויזשניץ היינט צו טאָג

?וואָס וועט זיין די צוקונפט פון וויזשניץ

I'm sure he looks inward at Lubavitch and asks the same question, just not in this article. Then again, scrutinizing others is a far easier task than doing it to yourself.

Baranovitcher Bombers

See this and more at Eilat Gordin Levitan's site

To all you "myth-busters" and Kool-Aid drinkers: I guess when they taught you about Reb Elchonon HaYaD being the Rabbon Shel Kol Bnei HaGolah, and at least in full control of Baranovitch, and Lita being chock full of Shas Yidden wasn't qute true. Some slipped through the cracks. Actually some DIDN'T slip through the cracks, most did. About 85 percent of them. So, just a block or two from the Yeshivah Ohel Torah in Baranovitch, where Reb Elchonon gave shiurim and wrote the Kovetz Shiurim material, and where Reb Yisroel Yaakov Lubchansky preached Mussar to the Bochurim, this is was what going on. Shirtless lads were doing their best young Abe Lincoln impressions, splitting logs like nobody's business. If that's what you call control then so be it.

LeChaim.

Cossack Jews stealing Shuls

Vilna in the news

The Cossack Chaim Burshtein, a despicable excuse for a Jew, wants it all. He won't be happy till Krinsky is a thousand miles away, and Vilna is Chassidimrein. I just don't understand why there's no money for Krinsky, when the rest of the FSU seems to be doing just fine. I guess that's explained somewhat later in the article, with Krinsky's status still upin the air as far as Chabad FSU HQ is concerned. In any case the hypocrisy of the Chossid haters screams out to the heavens. The self-righteous act they put on still seems to work however, no matter how lying and hypocritical it may be. I guess when you have an all-powerful newspaper doing your dirty work, and with the help of untouchable old Roshei Yeshivah, the Eylem Geylem will buy anything you sell.

Mezhibuzh now

Photos from BeChatzreys HaChassidim

The shul was recently restored to look like it did in the old days, with a modernized look of course. Which reminds me of a conversation I overheard about recent attempts by elements within the Snag community to paint the Besh"t as someone who Poshut didn't know how to learn. These guys think that a RaM in a Yeshivah in New Jersey, who "learned by Reb Berel", really could dissect a Shtikkel Gemoroh better than the Kodesh HaKodoshim. Zol zei voyl Bakimmen. As if the Maggid of Mezritch and the Toldos Yaakov Yosef would ever join the ranks without the basis for it all being Torah. Which leads me to believe that serious brain damage is what's in these days. The more damaged you are, the higher up the totem pole you are.


(exterior of the Besht's shul)


(Aron HaKodesh)


(interior)

Is this the mentalblog influence?

It seems to me that recently pictures have been published, and biographies printed by the "unofficial official" Chabad websites that we would not have seen years ago. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that outside authors, professors, and historians have been digging deep and publishing their finds. This in turn has made Chabad look like a bunch of coverup artists. The best response to accusations like this is usually to publish these finds yourself, and COL has been doing it lately with the help of Yosef Y Kaminetzky of Kfar Chabad, who found many photos and artifacts related to the Rebbe and his family. Above is the latest find, a heretofore unnamed person, who judging from recent other pictures they published, is probably the Rebbe's first cousin, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, son of his uncle Reb Shmuel.

Next "scandal" in Chabad

Shturem.net: Millions in damages to the Rebbe's Library

A very worrying and unprecedented oversight occurred at the Lubavitcher Library in N.Y. Following a thorough investigation by Shturem.net staff we are now disclosing a very painful and disturbing incident that concerns Lubavitcher chasidim the world over. The treasured seforim that belongs to the Rebbes were stored in a a room without proper supervision and careless neglect...

What can I say? I've become a skeptic. Berl Levin is accused in the article as being careless and neglectful, something I find hard to believe. He's also happens to be away in Holland now, at the wedding of his son. Maybe it's payback for that Jackson whatever law that they're trying to push in Moscow against the wishes of the World Agu"CH and Berel Lazar. Epes shmekt mir nisht....

Careful where you go

Big Brother is watching.....

California Chazerei

I didn't know Rabbi Avrohom Levitansky personally, although I saw him a few times in 770 years ago. I would hear stories about him being the ultimate Shliach, the one who never changed his way of life, and who stayed true to the Rebbe till his very last day. I don't doubt that for a second. What I don't understand is the "revenge" that some of his family and friends - that are so worried about the image that Lubavitch portrays in the world - are dishing out on his behalf onto Shlomo Cunin and family. Of course the who-- (sorry about that, I couldn't think of a better term) here is Tzemach Atlas, who although he knows zero about the man or about his history still finds it necessary to make his blog the harbinger of more hate against people in general and Lubavitch in particular. Yes, I know all about me and my Agudah-bashing, but those are fair game, and they don't attack anybody's family personally, or delve into their business practices, especially after a death like that.

I would therefore make the following assumption: If you respect Reb Avremel, and you hold him in such high esteem, and you realize that it's still within the Shivah period, then realize that he'd want you to stop writing on his behalf. Especially since the ultimate victim here is not Shlomo Cunin, but the Meshaleach, and the preceding six generations of Rebbes. I know that many of you care very little about Lubavitch and the Rebbe, and it's all about your petty little Shtelles in California, so I don't address you, simply because you'll make it about Kotlarsky and Krinsky again. Somehow they always get the blame. But for those of you who're worried about guys with banged up hats waving yellow flags, and children with writing on their Yarmulkes, I speak to you. What you're doing here is no better, and is actually much worse, because there's no excuse for Chilul Hashem like that.

While on the subject; Can somebody tell me if the Niftar ever learned in Telzer Yeshivah?

Is that better, DD?

Vacation over, back to work.

I took some time off from blogging, (those short posts like voting and the name in lights not withstanding) although I didn't plan it in adavance, it just happened. Maybe it was all those personal attacks against me made by the well-meaning Bnei Torah here, telling me what a nasty boor I was. Maybe it was the Yom Tov of Shavuos and the true meaning of Kabbolas HaTorah that I experienced in Lubavitch, while others didn't. Or maybe it was just me rethinking my priorities, and realizing that those people are just not worth my precious time. I may have lots to share, but I need to find a more friendly and hospitable venue. In any case the necessary intellectual fortitude needed to compose hard-hitting threads and posts just wasn't there over the last week, so I took it easy. I'm sure some of you appreciated that too. Now I realize that in some ways I've become tied down ("addicted" is such a harsh word) to blogging and all its negatives and positives, and I can't walk away from it, at least not now.

While on vacation the following episode taught me why I need to continue: A Yeshivisher friend of mine was on the phone speaking to a person about "Being Mekabel Shabbos early," "accepting Shabbos at 6:30 or so." After hanging up the phone he tells me proudly that he just got off the phone with a person "I made religious." "They were living BeIssur," he says, "and now they're married and have two kids." He went on to say how some guy at Aish asked him to get involved with Kiruv and how he was very hesitant at the outset, but started anyway. He learned with him and put on Tefillin with him. He was constantly asking Rabbonim about what he was allowed and forbidden to do. How the guy asked him to learn with his wife and he refused. In short, he was beaming from ear to ear, really proud of himself. "He puts on Tefillin every day!"For a while I too was impressed, not so much with his story, which was cute, but with myself for not reacting quickly, and letting him get his two minutes of fame. I did have one point to make at the very end.

I reminded my friend about the Halochos of Tefillin, and the din of guf noki, asking him if he checked properly before putting on tefillin with him. He laughed. I reminded him about how Lubavitch was lambasted by the other frum groups for putting on Tefiilin with irreligious people, which is what he did. he thought for a split second and then said: "They put Tefillin on Goyim." I did not jump out of my seat, and I didn't tell him what a horse's behind he was, all I said was "You sound like a Goy talking about Jews." Of course he backed off and stood there with his foot in his mouth, but had I not mentioned it this frum, Yeshivisher guy would have kept that belief for years to come. Nice to see what all that tuition his father paid went to fund. Why did he make that statement? Does he really believe that Lubavitchers willingly do that? Maybe. Stories like that tell me that I can make somewhat of a difference in this PR war we fight. I may not have the circulation power of the Yated, but the word gets out, just like the negative side does in all kinds of publications, both online and in print.

Vote here, please.

Should I reveal my true Identity?
Never! that would miss the point.
Yes! Most people know you already.
Stop blogging altogether.
It's your call, Tzig.
Who cares?


(View Results)

Create a Poll

Shameless self-promotion

My name in lights

A Shavuous Message

From Yated editor R' Pinny Lipschutz

"We must internalize the teachings of the Torah and make ourselves better people. Torah must touch our souls and impact our actions. If we stay up all night learning, but then come home and carp at our wife because she didn’t have breakfast ready for us before we go to sleep, then we have failed in our mission of forging ourselves into true Bnei Torah."

(click on the above link for the complete article)

There's more talk in the article about becoming good Bnei Torah with good Midos, not just ivory tower learning. I guess that means learning with others as well. That's a nice idea. There's the idea of accepting all GOOD Jews who follow Halochoh, even if they daven a different Nusach than you, and other feel good topics you'd hear at a Mussar Shmuess to BaaleiBatim. He even mentions Nusach Ari as one of the acceptable Nuschoy'es, so I guess Lubavitchers are about to be accepted back into the fold. I can dream, right? Where else would we hear these groundbreaking ideas if not from the Yated? Thank G-d. There also lots of talk about how great Yidden are (as compared to the other nations) and other ideas that are supposed to make Yiddishkeit appeal to us.

Maybe it's me, but I think he misses the point here. What one takes from Shavuos according to this is that it's really nothing different than Rosh Hashonoh, except for the fact that there isn't the Tshuvah factor on Shavuos. On Shavuos it's the Torah factor. Otherwise it's just another time of reflecting on making ourselves better people, with the emphasis on Torah rather than Tshuvah. I realize that the Litvishe Hashkofoh is not just dependent on Pinny Lipschutz, and that there is a bit more to it, but it's still incredibly lacking, as if to say that there's no real reason why we celebrate Shavuos, other than to learn better. And to have a Artscroll Rus published too. I guess that works well for some people, they're content with just being Baalei Kabbolas Oyl. Others will be Kabbolas Oyl'nikkes, but have a thirst for knowledge too.

For those of you who do care to know what happened during Kabbolas HaTorah at Har Sinai, and why the Am HaNivchar is really Nivchar, and what true Ahavas Yisroel is about, start learning Chassidus. Tanya, Likkutei Torah, Derech Mitzvosecho, the "old Chabad" if you will. It'll open your eyes, and teach you what you as a Jew are all about. It'll complement your Nigleh learning like never before, and take it to new heights. Never before will you think of yourself as the same, and never will you see Hashem with such simplistic notions. How do I know? me the nasty Am Ho'Oretz? well, some of my best friends have told me what it's like, and I can't wait to join in this monumental task one day. Until then I can only hope to be a Chabadsker. There's a lot more to say, and maybe if I had more time the post would look better, but I don't. Have a great Yom Tov.

קבלת התורה בשמחה ובפנימיות

Look who's talking

From Dry Bones Blog

Poetry Corner

Radloh sent me this, asking me to post a poem he composed. I have an Ungarishe Kup, and I have no idea why I'm supposed to appreciate it. Can you help?


אין חבוש מתיר את עצמו

HAIKU

The fly flew, squeezed by

the little hole in the screen,

but could not get back through.

-radloh

Frumme Yidden in the (bad) news

(remember these?)

This is the second time in the past week that the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper published a story about frum people being busted for Medicaid/Section8 fraud. Last week was only half bad, with no mention of the busted couple's assets, only that that they collected federal assistance when they weren't entitled to it. But this week was terrible. They write of a couple who's 2003 annual income is in the mid-six figures, (working at a funeral chapel, that's what the bereaved pay for in their time of grief, frauds) and who has liquid assets (קע"ש בלע"ז) of well over a Million dollars. They still found it necessary to apply for Medicaid benefits, (I imagine free health care, including dental and vision, not a one-time emergency type of coverage) I guess to pay for the summer bungalow and new Yom Tov clothes. It's tough to live on a Hundred and Fifty Grand plus a million in cash these days!

I guess the time has come. There are no more free lunches. It seems like either all federal computer systems have been linked to one another, or some reporter/journalist is out to get the Jews. Either way things have got to change. From now on if you apply for Medicaid etc. please make sure that you haven't told another federal agency like the IRS of FDIC that you have ten times as much annual income, and have a thousand times more assets in the bank. No longer will the lifestyles of the frum and Chassidish be the same, it's crunch time people. New clothes once a year, not twice, and maybe not even that. Bungalow colonies will need to fold like a deck of cards, and Italian shoe stores, and French baby clothes shops will need to go the way of the horse and buggy. Either the Brooklyn housing market will crash, or we'll all have to move to Scranton. Either way, change is coming, the question is how we'll adapt to it.

Via Yiddish Wiki

"Treating" kids to Mitzvos the hard way

Another Misnagdishe story that I have a hard time understanding. Maybe one of you can enlighten me here. It's stories like these that mark lines in the proverbial sand between Chassidim and Misnagdim, Chassidishe Mayses, whether embelished or not, seem to have a very clear moral and lesson, even if they're about the greatness of a Tzaddik. Misnagdishe Mayses sometimes seem to make no sense, and they seem to teach the opposite of good Midos and proper dealings between people. Case in point: The Jewish Press in Tovia Preschel's column this week, reviews Shlomo Lorincz's memoirs. We discussed the book and some its choice stories there in the past, and why the Yated choose to publish some of them before last year's Israeli Knesset elections, but we'll focus on another story of another personality.

There was this one time where the Ponovizher Rosh Yeshiva (aka the Vaboylniker Tzaddik) came to learn with the Brisker Rov, Reb Velvel. While learning there he called his daughter, Rivkah, to prepare a cup 'o' tea for himself and his study partner. She entered the room and placed the tea on the table, adding a plate of sugar as well. After she left the room her father called her back and told her to add some sugar to the cups, which she did. She then left the room. He then called her back a second time and told her to stir the sugar for him and his Chavrusah. After all this the Rosh Yeshivah asked the Rov: Why did you harass your daughter like that; couldn't you just do it yourself, or at the very least, ask her all at once without making her come back all those times? The Rov answered (and I paraphrase) Ihr mezakeh zein mit a Mitzvah is a shlechthe zach? He did it all for her sake, to give her Mitzvos.

I fail to understand stories like these, and they turn me off, even after I try and keep an open mind about adversaries of Lubavitch and the Rebbe. What is the point of publishing this and very such story? are we supposed to do the same with our children, is this the way that kids will appreciate their parents, by having them slave away for them like that? Help me out here. While we're at it let's try and understand the whole approach the BR took to educating his kids; the tough stance on everything, making Yiddishkeit seem like a long list of nos and of difficulties. That seemingly worked as far as his own family is concerned; there seem to be no failures in his offspring, VeAderaba, but I still don't get it. Might they have not turned out that way had they been raised with a dash of joy sprinkled in to their education?

Photo Galleries - Chabad in action

Teaching Jewish Inmates
Teaching Jewish Children in Tunisia
Being taught by Rav Menashe Klein

Enjoy!

more signs of achdus

A little blurb on COL today caught my eye. There was apparently a regional Kinus Hashluchim in Seattle recently, where Shluchim from the North/South/Southwest/Northwest attended. They met to discuss all kinds of issues affecting them and their communities, both with fellow Shluchim and with some of the leadership of the Chabad Shluchim institutions. One of the featured speakers at the weekend get together was Rabbi Moshe Klitnick, Rov of the ביקור חולים מחזיקי הדת shul in Seattle. Things like that warm the cackles of my heart, they tell me that we CAN all get along together, especially if we work towards a common goal. I realize that stories like these don't "do it" for us like a story of a full-blown war in Seattle would, but sometimes we do need to hear good news as well.

Don't get me wrong here, there's much to be done. The polarization process, blame it on whomever you wish, has taken hold in all sides here. The only difference is that those in control don't see it that way since it's all their group or Kreiz running the show. It's those that are not in control that feel the need to have everything of their own making and doing. In other words, a Satmarer doesn't feel like he's cut off from the rest of the world since there are so many of them, and they're "In charge" of Charedi Yiddishkeit, at least in the New York area. The fact that were it not for fear of reprisal he too would be marginalized is another matter. The same goes for the Yeshivishers. Now if only there were more of us, enough to write our own rules without worry, maybe then we'd be more respected. Until then let's all be friends and sing together....

New Beginnings

The NYT on Waterbury

A Simchas Torah many years ago

Elie Wiesel tried to keep up with the Rebbe's drinking once: "[At m]y first visit to the [the Rebbe's] court...I had informed him at the outset that I was a Chasid of Vishnitz, not Lubavitch, and that I had no intention of switching allegiance. 'The important thing is to be a chasid,' he replied. 'It matters little whose." .. "One year, during Simchas Torah, I visited Lubavitch, as was my custom... 'Welcome,' he said. 'It's nice of a chasid of Vishnitz to come and greet us in Lubavitch. But is this how they celebrate Simchas Torah in Vishnitz?' 'Rebbe,' I said faintly, 'we are not in Vishnitz, but in Lubavitch.' 'Then do as we do in Lubavitch,' he said. 'And what do you do in Lubavitch?' 'In Lubavitch we drink and say lechayim.' 'In Vishnitz, too.' 'Very well. Then say lechayim.'

He handed me a glass filled to the brim with vodka. 'Rebbe,' I said, 'in Vishnitz a chasid does not drink alone.' 'Nor in Lubavitch,' the Rebbe replied. He emptied his glass in one gulp. I followed suit. 'Is one enough in Vishnitz?' the Rebbe asked. 'In Vishnitz,' I said bravely, 'one is but a drop in the sea.' 'In Lubavitch as well.' He handed me a second glass and refilled his own. He said lechaim, I replied lechaim, and we emptied our glasses. After all, I had to uphold the honor of Vishnitz. But as I was unaccustomed to drink, I felt my head begin to spin. I was not sure where or who I was, nor why I had come to this place, why I had been drawn into this strange scene. My brain was on fire. 'In Lubavitch we do not stop midway,' the Rebbe said. 'We continue. And in Vishnitz?' 'In Vishnitz, too,' I said, 'we go all the way.' The Rebbe struck a solemn pose. He handed me a third glass and refilled his own. My hand trembled; his did not. 'You deserve a brocha,' he said, his face beaming with happiness. 'Name it.' I wasn't sure what to say. I was, in fact, in a stupor. 'Would you like me to bless you so you can begin again?' Drunk as I was, I appreciated his wisdom.... 'Yes, Rebbe,' I said. 'Give me your brocha.' He blessed me and downed his vodka. I swallowed mine--and passed out."

"All Rivers Run to the Sea", Elie Wiesel, pp. 402-4

(I hope not to see the idiotic comments I've come to expect from many here....)