FrumTalk

Amusement Parks

2007-05-13T23:35:00.000-04:00

Took the kids to a mini-amusement park today. What a blast! There is nothing like seeing the face of kids at an amusement park! It just so beautiful.

I was exceptionally happy to see my eldest displaying no fear at all on any and all rides (unlike her wimp-ish father....)

I think back to my Yeshiva days and remember my Rebbe saying how there is no word in Hebrew for 'adventure' nor 'excitement'. Point being - only those who don't have Real Life (e.g. all non-Bnei Torah) need adventure and excitement. I really believed in it. Wow.... I guess if i had gotten married earlier in life and had kids earlier in life i could have learned the truth about life by living it, instead of learning from theoretical mussar shmoozen having nothing to do with reality (or to be charitable, mine and 5.5 billion other Earthling's reality.) "Boruch ShePatrani Mey Unsho Shel Zu" and I can live life as God meant us to.. to enjoy it! (Although i did hear this exact message from a Mashgiach in one of the yeshivos that I attended, that children appreciate the world in the way that Hashem intended us to - enjoying it, so just goes to show....but he too wasn't a big proponent of Amusement parks :)

YU - Reconciling Institutional Divides

2006-09-12T10:50:00.000-04:00

There is very interesting article in the new issue of YU's The Commentator .

It recaps a moderated discussion between Rav Herschel Schechter and a Dean of Yeshiva College, Dr. David Srolovitz. They clearly have very different views about what YU should be like - particularly its academic programs.

To deal with the divide, I have the following proposal. But first, a recap of the problem.

The University at YU wants to maintain an educational institution of the highest caliber. This will attract Jewish students who might otherwise go to Ivy League colleges. That is an admirable goal.

The Roshei Yeshiva at YU want to maintain a Yeshiva atmosphere of the highest levels of Yirat Shamayim and shmirat haMitzvot so that 'the best and brightest' across the Orthodox spectrum will feel comfortable learning at YU and all the bochurim will benefit in their Avodat Hashem. That too is an admirable goal.

To make everyone happy, maybe YU should start an evening program on campus which will be more 'parnasa-training' oriented, ala Touro. It would be a separate division, so its more limited (and censored) courses would not detract from YU's overall academic standings. For the 'serious' bochur who is more into "Torah u'Parnasa" (as RHS coined it) than "Torah u'Mada", they would be able to learn for two Sedarim (morning and afternoon) and take college courses and study at night. They would receive credits for their learning so that they could focus exclusively on their majors. This would be a similar program to what we had at Ner Yisroel (and still have.. just barely.. stay tuned to see if the new NIRC RY (Rav Aharon Feldman) shuts down the college option). Boys in the 'night college' program would be able to take a course or two in the day program on an exceptional case-by-case basis. The program should be open for summer school as well, to help the guys finish their degree in a reasonable time frame.

This idea would make everyone happy. The only danger would be in opening the schisms between the varied and diverse student body more than it already is. But from a relative of mine who attended YU recently it seems that the student body is already self-segregated along 'religious' lines.

Orange Kippah sighting

2006-07-30T23:48:00.000-04:00

I saw an orange kippah at a Bar Mitzvah yesterday worn by a teenager. It had the following words knitted on it:
"Loh Nishkach, vLoh Nislach"
(for those in Rio Linda California, as my old and discarded Rebbe Rush would say, that means "We won't forget and we won't forgive")

I can think of fewer more distasteful messages to put on a kippah - the symbol of humility before the Creator. (I guess the kippah with the Rolling Stones trademark tounge would be in the running)

Granted I was (and are) on the pro-disengagement side of the debate - but still - this is ridiculous for a Kippah. Especially in light of our current war in Lebanon.

Lakewood Internet Ban - Moving to Monsey

2006-05-15T10:14:00.000-04:00

Latest scoop in the Internet Ban wars!!!

Inside information has it that Monsey is next on the communities to ban the internet as a prerequisite for letting one's kids attend the local schools.

Stay tuned....

Just between us, when we where kids back in the 70s and 80s, there was no shortage of access to all materials inappropriate; be it the library, the local candy store, newstand and who can forget the barber shop magazines. So banning the Internet doesn't solve the problem...

Lakewood Internet Ban

2006-03-29T23:19:00.000-05:00

I have done a little research and while I can't be sure about this, my sources are telling me that the Internet ban in Lakewood is not being enforced and is being privately disregarded by some in the community but not publicly. I do not have sources telling me that it is being widely disregarded, but I am being told that people who want to can have Internet access without any reprecussions. Let me know if you hear the same or if you hear otherwise

Israeli Election Results - Political perspective re Disengagement

2006-03-28T21:08:00.000-05:00

Today's election in Eretz Yisroel points to the absolute division within Israeli society regarding security issues.

The Hard Left (Labor/Meretz) got 20% of the vote
The Hard Right (Likud, Yisrael BeItanu, Nat'l Union) got 25% of the vote
The Center - Kadima - got 24% of the vote.

The remaining 30 percent is divided amongst single issue party blocks: (in order of largest voting) Chareidim (Aguda and Shas), Arab Parties and the Pensioners party (whose members are free to vote their conscience on Security issues).

One could argue that there IS a consensus about what Israeli's DON'T believe. A majority of Israelis (the Center and Hard Right) who voted for the ideological parties DON'T believe that it is possible to make peace with the current Palestenians - whether in Fatah or Hamas. A majority of Israelis (the Center and Hard Left) who voted for the ideological parties DON'T believe in the concept of Greater Israel and are willing to make territorial compromises. And it also seems that there is a begrudging consensus from this group to make unilateral concessions. However, this does NOT represent a majority of the Jewish electorate.

So contrary to earlier reports in the media (and contrary to what I thought), the majority of Israeli Jews do NOT support unilateral disengagement (only 48%.)

The above is true only if you assume that: a) the Pensioners Party has no opinion on Security Issues and b) althought the Chareidim believe in land for peace in theory, in practice, in the current geopolitical climate, they do not.

But if you argue that the Pensioners party is basically a left wing party and its members would mostly have voted for Kadima, Labor or Meretz, then there IS a slim but not tiny majority of the Jewish electorate in support of unilateral disengagement (54%.)

So like all things political, it depends on the spin.

An Open Letter to My Rav

2006-03-28T00:29:00.000-05:00

Dear Reb ________:
I have the utmost respect for you as our Rav, my Rebbe, as a role model and as moral compass. However I have a few questions:

1- All your Speeches, Divrei Torah and Shiurim deal with Torah in the abstract and almost never deal with the moral, halachik and theological issues of the day. Am I the only one in our shul who cares about
a) how to view the State of Israel 50 years after its founding
b) how to deal with the tension of having our Gedolim seeming to be drifting out of touch with the rest of us (e.g. Slifkin Ban, Internet Ban, College Ban, (effectively) working ban, etc.)
c) How does our conception of 'Moshiach' change due to 'a'
d) How do we live in an accepting and pluralistic society where we take all the benefits of pluralism and democracy but give none back (e.g. We would sue if a goy won't sell us a house in his neighborhood, but we won't sell a goy a house in our neighborhood.) In other words, do these halachos change now that we are living in America?

2- We have been hearing shiurim in Maseches Sanhedrin from you and we now know lots of chakras and yedios in many parts of Shas. But here is what we learned and what we don't know:
a) Let be honest about the stature of Batei Din nowadays and discuss why this is so and how it can be remedied.
b) At the beginning of the Masaches we learned that Chazal relaxed Torah law regarding requirements of witnesses and testimony in order to encourage lending. How should that apply nowadays regarding women testifying? How does this affect our understanding of how Batei Denim and Jewish 'civil procedures' have and should continue to evolve?
c) We learned about the official Jewish Courts in Syria which did not necessarily rule based on Torah law but where legally binding. How does that reflect on the High Court in the State of Israel?
d) We learned many chakiris and machlokeses regarding 'Yefas Toar' but did not discuss the moral ramifications of this mitzvah and the tension generated by realizing that this is no longer considered acceptable behavior (I am not saying that it doesn't happen.)
e) We learned about 'milchemes mitzvah' vs 'milchemes Resus' but we never discussed how these halachos apply to the IDF nor did we analyze the moral implications of 'milchemes resus' which according to some included fighting wars to conquer lands for the kings honor and to make a name. Again, this is not considered acceptable by today's standards.

3- While we don't expect our Rav to be a political scientist nor to be a political commentator, it would be reassuring to know that the world is actually happening outside when you speak. That we did pull out of Gaza. Sharon did have a stroke. That Hamas did win an election. It almost seems as if the world outside does not even exists.

I hope that there are some great and honest answers to the questions above and I look forward to hearing you talk about these issues in the near future.

Sincerely,

Jewish Music, Ruchniyus, Avodah and Emotion

2006-03-28T00:12:00.000-05:00

In an earlier post titled 'Michal's Revenge', I bemoaned the lack of energy in our Batei Kenesios during Tefilah. Especially during Hallel which is basically dirged through without any joy nor emotion. People don't clap - except by some Chasidim - and although on Shabbos there are halachik issues involved in clapping - there are none on Chol HaMoed nor on Rosh Chodesh - so why no emotion during Hallel? Have you ever witnessed a rock concert (not in person, c'v)? Have you seen the energy? Is that all the 'Koach HaTumah'? Why can 'they' get so emotional about their narishkeit and we can't about communicating and giving 'Thanksgiving' to the Creator?

On the other hand, take a look at these two links:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1190973115879532046&q=Chevra&pl=true

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9127438340780067835&q=Chevra&pl=true

It is a seemingly emotionally charged rendition of The Chevra's two hit songs, sung with great Hislahavus and Deveykus. There is on problem.....The guy is not Jewish and admits that he doesn't have any clue what the words mean but he loves the song. What do you make of this? Is this a Stira to my above posted opinion? Does it show that the whole thing is narishkeit and fake?

Being Mevatel everything outside of the Torah

2006-03-24T01:14:00.000-05:00

Being Mevatel everything outside of the Torah
The biggest criticism I have regarding the chinuch that I received in my b'h lengthy Yeshiva days is that which we where taught to be mevatail and denigrate anything outside of Torah and the Torah world. It is such a jaundiced and dangerous outlook! Any criticism of our community, no matter how valid, was always viewed as an attack that must be defended by going on the offensive to show that, pum fahkehrt, just the opposite, the criticisms of our critics shows their krumkeit. As by definition, whatever we do MUST be right and correct.A particular danger of this approach is that we lose the advise of 'chazal' of 'Eyzehu chacham halomeid meKol Adam'. Since we are not perfect, we lose the ability to improve ourselves by accepting valid criticisms and by seeing what other's are doing right.A Rebbe of mine (who I still love and respect) once during a shmooz, was very critical of noted humanitarian (Dr. Schweitzer) who raised money for his clinic in Africa by giving concerts around the world. My Rebbe claimed that he could have spent the whole year giving concerts which would have raised more money to send 100 doctors to Africa - but he wanted to be the hero doctor, so he would rather stay in Africa most of the year and fundraise just to support his clinic. He attributed this to Gayvah.The criticism might be correct - but does this make Dr. Schweitzer worse than the rest of us who just stay home and do nothing? Not raise money nor go and heal people? So instead of looking to Dr. Schweitzer as a source of inspiration, all we are left with is denigration and no chance for inspiration to follow in his footsteps (or those of the famed Dr. Wallach of Sha'arei Chesed hospital.)

Is College necessary for Parnasah

2005-12-25T19:26:00.000-05:00

At a Shalom Zachor this past Friday night the father of the new baby was discussing High School choices for his eldest son with a few of us who where left at the end.

Someone made the point that the choice of High School was probably the most important choice for a frum kid's life as his whole future is dependant on this choice. This person - who is a wonderful man - is a Yeshiva graduate who later went for an MBA. He made the point that while in his youth he felt that it was important for parnasa to have his kids get an education so that they could go to college, he no longer believed it. Based on observation of his friends in the community - most of whom did not go to college right away, he felt that either one does not need college - as business is a fine way to go, or you can always go later.

I made some counterpoints; with the incidents of scandal in our community, could it be the pressure of making a living without skills leads to great temptations for 'shtick' and dishonesty? Also, my experience in Yeshiva was that a whole 'chevra' of guys went to college (at night) at the same time, and one by one decided to stay in learning and/or go into Chinuch. So we see that going to college right away is not me'akeiv staying in learning - just like learning full time right away is not 'me'akeiv' going to college later. But bypassing a true HS education and no college for years will not make it easy to go to college later - unless you are very bright (b'h we have lots of those:)

Who is right? Please respond with lots of non-scientific anectodal information an tidbits - like this one:
The first kid from my grade school and Yeshiva to face jail time (unless his father takes the rap for him) DID go to college AND grad school, as did his dad. So that might refute my point above... (oh, and ironically, his dad did not think that I was a good influence on his son!!! How's that for a laugh!)

I would love for a sociologist to do a study of the Orthodox community to see what correlation there is between education level and income - as has been done in the general population (where the direct correlation is very stark.)

Talk Radio and Frum Jews - Part II

2005-12-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

I used to be a talk radio junkie. As a kid, with only an AM radio in our car (ember those days?) I grew up on Bob Grant and Barry Farber (I could not believe it when I found out that Barry Farber was "a proud Conservative Jew" and not Orthodox as I always pictured him.) I listened to Rush Limbaugh during is first year on WABC. I was SURE that his name was made up as who could have such a name! When I was in Yeshiva I became a true ditto head and believed that everything that he said was emes.

I believed in the late 70s and early 80's that America was about to collapse. It was falling apart because of Hispanic immigration. After all, Bob Grant said so, most eloquently, day in and day out. I believed that we where going into a massive recession in 1993 because of the Clinton tax increase, because (Bob Dole and) Rush Limbaugh predicted it. And Rush is right 98% of the time in his own humble admission. I believed that the American soldiers would soon come home in body bags from Bosnia in large numbers. Yes, I believed it all. And how I hated liberals passionately! How could they do this to my beloved country!

But as we know, America did not collapse. Just the opposite. It grew stronger. The country boomed under Bill Clinton, there was no recession as was predicted. And talk radio kept saying that the country was going to hell, but it wasn't.

Then some funny things started to happen, I started seeing Republicans mismanage. I saw them bankrupt both Orange County, CA and Nassau County, NY. Not through ideology, but through good old fashioned corruption and incompetence. And I honestly thought that only democrats could be incompetent and corrupt.

Then I heard Bob Grant tell a black caller who made his liberal case respectfully, "Get off the phone!! Go back to washing the floor!!" and I realized that 'they' where right! Bob Grant actually was a racist bigot.

Then came 9/11 and the Iraq war and Guiliani an Bloomberg and I started to realize that Government has often little to do with ideology but everything to do with competence. A competent liberal will be much better for this country than an incompetent conservative. And better yet, a competent non-ideologue - who understands that in the great debates between conservatives and liberals, BOTH ARE RIGHT!! IT JST DEPENDS ON THE TIME AND PLACE!!

In the South before civil rights, the liberal solution was correct. With our rivers and lakes and air being poisoned by pollution in the 60s the liberal solution was correct. With crime out of control and welfare becoming a way of life in the 70's, and high taxes crippling business, the conservative solution was correct.

I could go on for hours, but I have probably lost everyone by now, but hey, its my soapbox and I find this cathartic.

Talk Radio and Frum Jews - Part I

2005-12-24T21:25:00.000-05:00

In a previous posting called Frum Jews and Republicans a healthy debate about frum Jews and talk radio began which I would like to expand upon. This first posting will be a response to my dear and loyal dissenting poster 'CM's comments to my posting.

Talk Radio has made, in my opinion, many people conservative instead of liberal. While it's a regrettable situation, I would rather that these people be conservative than liberal. Therefore, I like talk radio because without it people would not suddenly begin to think clearly about issues or debate them. Rather they would simply buy into the opposing view who uses the same tactic.

IMHO this is not correct. What talk radio did is make politics into a team sport. Conservative and Liberal where no longer ideologies but rather 'teams'. Talk radio created a 'team' and turned a large segment of the country into members of the this Conservative/Republican team. Like any 'team', or like color war in camp, you have to build the enthusiasm. This is done by feeding the team the same message over and over ("the liberal have in the past, are currently, and will in the future destroy this country!") building up their anger against "the liberals" - so even know that Cons/Repub control the White House, the Senate the Congress, the Supreme Court and the majority of the Governorships, talk radio still continues to preach that "liberals" are ruining this country - as if Conservatives are still in the opposition!

So you are correct when you said earlier in your post that we have become a sound bite nation and not having red hot talk radio won't cause people to suddenly think clearly. But there is an alternative that you might not have thought of - that they will keep an open mind and not blindly apply the conservative solution to every problem in every time and every place. And more importantly, they might keep an open mind about the honesty and integrity of Cons/Rep office holders and hold ALL office holders to the same standard - regardless of their ideology. None of these can happen in the current climate. Because since they are on the 'team', they must support the team all the time always (with one exception - if a 'team' member G-d forbid compromises with a liberal, oy vey!, or if a 'team' member G-d forbid pushes a liberal idea as being a solution in some exceptional circumstance, then "read my lips".

More later.

Teaching Children Midrashim as fact

2005-12-19T23:11:00.000-05:00

My Shabbos table has now (b'h) been transformed as my 5 1/2 year old daughter wants to talk about the Parsha on Friday nights as she is learning a lot about it in school. This puts me in a bit of a bind. Since they are not studying Chumash yet, what they are taught is a tapestry woven up between the actual stories of the chumash and the midrashim - most often those quoted by Rashi - but not exclusively. It is all woven together with no distinction.

Am I the only one who has problems with this method?

I don't take most of the Midrashim literaly but rather figuratively. Did Eisav really try to bite Yaakov's neck when he hugged him but Hashem turned it into stone? Seems to fly against the peshuta shel mikra which indicate that Yakov's approach of submission seemed successfull in turning Eisav's heart. Are Chazal telling us that deep down Eisav still hates Yakov (Halacha Eisav Sonei as Yakov) and only Hashem's intervention can save us? This is conveyed by Eisav biting Yakov but being saved miraculously - percisely at the time of raproachment?

So when my daughter tells me over the literal version of this and asks "isn't that right, Tati?" I want to reassure her 'yes', but I just can't do it. I can't say "yes, that's what happend" when I don't believe it. But she is too young to understand the nuance of Peshat vs Drush so I can't explain that to her yet. So I wish that they would just tell the story as the Torah tells it and save the Midrashim for later so I would not have to be put into this uncomfortable situation of having to chose between truth as I believe and trying to keep my kid on the same page as her teachers.

For those of you who don't get Newsweek; George F. Will on Bush

2005-12-14T00:32:00.000-05:00

As a public service to those who do not get Newsweek, I would like to quote George F. Will's column in this week's edition where he discusses Bush's performance this past year. This is important for all my Bush/Republican apologist readers out there - for George F. Will is one of the country's leading conservative intellectuals and writers. I quote:

"At home, the president's and the nation's disagreeable year can be summarized by three female names: Terri Schiavo, Harriet Miers and Katrina. The first (Schiavo) involved grotesque overreaching by the federal government, undertaken by self-described conservatives whose action refuted their description. The second (Miers) involved indifference to competence. The third (Katrina) displayed the consequences of incompetence. Abroad, Iraq illustrated one, two and three."

Period, end of story.

Frum Jews - stop being apologists for Bush. Be thankful for his support for Sharon, but don't follow him blindly, as our grandparents did FDR. Keep your eyes and minds open and watch your back, as "Ein Lonu LeHishaen Elah al Avinu SheBashamaim"

Michal's revenge - why shuls can be so dull

2005-12-07T00:02:00.000-05:00

I find it very frustrating sometimes in Frum shuls as the davening can be ... so boring! I am really perturbed on Chol HaMoed and Rosh Chodesh when we say Hallel, but we just .... say Hallel! No emotion. No singing joyously. No clapping. Have you ever been to a concert? The place rocks. Ones whole body gets involved - singing, clapping, etc. I understand that there are halachik issues regarding clapping on Shabbos, but what about Rosh Chodesh? 'Hah Teinach' when it falls on a weekday and everyone is in a rush to get to work, but what about when it falls on a Sunday? Why is Hallel said as a 'dirge'? I once had an Iranian chavrusa in Yeshiva and he complained to me that when they said Hallel in Yeshiva he would get depressed!

Aside from sometimes during Kedusha on Shabbos, when was the last time that your shul rocked?

I call this 'Michal's revenge'. Michal bas Shaul who criticized her husband Dovid HaMelech for dancing raucously and joyously before the Aron HaShem and was severely rebuked by Dovid over it. Well based on our behavior nowadays in shul, it looks like Michal got the last laugh.

Mishpacha Magazine and Segulas, Round II

2005-12-05T23:45:00.000-05:00

Based on all this talk regarding Segullas - I have the following question to ask. The Gemara is bothered by the story in the Chumash regarding the golden snake that Moshe made during a plauge. The posuk said that when the Benai Yisroel looked at the snake that Moshe raised aloft on a staff, they where cured from the plauge. The Gemara asks:"Does the (golden) snake give life or take life?" The Gemara answers, that by looking at the snake raised high on the staff, the Jews turned their eyes towards Heaven and prayed to Hashem and where thus saved. What is the Gemara's kasha? Maybe the Golden Snake was a Segullah? What better Segullah than a Segullah direct from Moshe Rabeinu?

Mishpacha Magazine and Segulas

2005-11-29T20:59:00.000-05:00

Just read an article in Mishpacha magazine about 'Segulas'. From the cover I thought that there would be a ballanced article, but instead it was all one sided: Quoting practitioners of all sorts of shtusim v'havalim and quackery labeled 'Kabala, segulas, etc.' What was really galling was a certain practitioner who applied Rambam's medicinal writings as well as segulas. Poor Rambam! The Rambam was the ultimate Rationalist and thought that all this stuff was nahrishkeit (and wrote so!) and his medicine was cutting edge... for his day. It was not based on Kabala or the Gemara. So the last thing tht he would want would be to follow his medicinal prescriptions as a 'chok' for all times and ignore the current thinking in modern medicine. So this fellow takes the Rambam's medicinal writings literaly and ignores his anti-segula/kamiah/superstition position. I would say that this is 'Tarti D'Sasri'.

Yidden! The Torah says "Tomim Tihiyeh Im Hashem". Don't follow quackery and shtusim in the name of 'kaballah'. The only segullah is limud HaTorah uMitzvos.

I will end with my favorite Amuka story which was related to me by one of the three guys in the story: Three fellows in their 30's who where still single where in Eretz Yisroel one summer. One suggested that they should all go to visit Amuka as a segullah. They all agreed, but the third backed out at the last moment as he had instead made plans to visit and spend time with his 'camper' from the previous summer at Camp Simcha who was Israeli. Guess which of the three became engaged that year? :) You guessed it! The one who performed an actual Mitzvah D'Oraysa of the highest caliber - "Ma Hu Mivaker Cholim, Af ata Mevaker Cholim".

Frum Jews and Republicans

2005-11-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

How did all Frum Jews become card-carrying shock troops for the Republican Party? If you criticize George Bush or the war in Iraq in shul, you won't hear the end of it! I understand that there is an affinity towards Republican 'traditional values' amongst frum folks, but what does that have to do with running a country, or mis-running a war. But that is another topic for another day. We should all remember that the Republican Party is a political party and like all parties that get too much power, they become less interested in ideals and more interested in consolidating their power. The best government is divided government - if there is a Democratic president like Clinton - it was great that there was a Republican congress to keep him honest (so to speak:) and now with a Republican president, we would all be better served with a Democratically controlled Congress.

What is the frum 'Poverty Level'?

2005-11-22T20:49:00.000-05:00

How much family income do we need to generate to support a normal frum lifestyle? No luxuries, just pay tuitions, make Shabbos have company over, go on a simple vacation, pay medical bills, mortgage, etc. etc. Oh, and save to marry off your kids and support them through Kollel, medical school (or if you are lucky, both!:) What does it take?The number that I have heard bounded about, in our Northeast neighborhood is $150,000 a year for a family married for - say five years - with 2 or 3 kids. I have no clue what is needed with a family with high school aged kids.What is the number that you think is right?

Missing the forest for trees - hats and jackets

2005-07-14T22:09:00.000-04:00

It is interesting to watch how people dress in the summer for davening. For me it is (unfortunately) simple. I don't have the proper respect for davening so I wear casual clothes to minyan. Cotton Dockers, cotton shirts, etc. Since my work is 24 X 7 casual, and I don't want to change from formal to casual before going to work, I end up davening in clothes that are not appropriate for standing in front of Hashem. But for others it is more interesting. The halacha says that you need to wear a hat and jacket for davening. Period. End of Story. So no matter what else you are wearing, in addition you must add a hat and jacket. It does not matter if the hat or jacket are worn out or stained. It does not matter that they don't match. It does not matter that no one in their right mind would wear a suit jacket with a pair of khakis and sneakers - since the halacha says you must wear a hat and jacket, on they go. This is a good example of how (well meaning) Jews sometimes lose the forest for the trees. True the halacha says to wear a hat and jacket, but it is not a 'Chok' written in the Torah which we follow blindly. It is not an 'objective' halacha (like Tzizis) but is 'subjective'. It is in application of the concept of 'Hachon Likros Elokecha Yisroel' and/or 'Hakreiv Na Lepchasecha' (pardon the wrong pronunciation.) That you should prepare yourself properly before coming before the Almighty as you would before an Earthly king. When this halacha was written, the proper dignified dress was in a hat and jacket ... that matched the dress pants and shoes as well. But now it is treated by many as a 'chok'. You must wear the jacket and hat in and of itself - regardless of what else you are wearing. So it is much better to dress casual from head to toe then to 'mix and match' in a manner that you would never do if you where meeting someone important.

2005-05-22T00:02:00.000-04:00

With some trepidation I tender my first posting. I see that this name was used before with the last posting occurring in 2003. The author signed off apologetically - as there where many demands on his time and he could not keep up the blog. How will I do? Only time will tell.

I live in the Northeast in a thriving young frum community who shall go nameless. It is a diverse Orthodox community - yeshivish, MO, 'shtark-YU' types, Zionists, non-zionists, Brooklyn-wanabees, Baalei Tshuva. We have a handful of schools, about twenty shuls, not a lot of restaurants but a lot of very friendly, frum and spiritual people.

The challenges facing our community are well representative of the challenges facing the Orthodox world at the dawn of the 21st century. How do we educate our children? How can we afford the lifestyle that we have become accustomed to in a real-estate world gone mad? Can we truly live achdus with those with which we differ? We have great respect for our Gedolim but we sometimes feel as if we are not on the same page (e.g. Indian Sheitels, Torah and Science, secular education, etc.)

These are the topics I hope to cover. I hope to avoid all personal attacks. I do hope to ruffle feathers. The motto of this blog is from Emerson: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesman and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do." If you can predict what I am going to say based on other opinions of mine, that means that I have stopped thinking.