Abie Rotenberg has hit it out of the park.
His new novel about a Jewish Yankee baseball star, who is faced with a dilemma of whether to embrace his religion or his passion for baseball, is spiritually uplifting and entertaining at the same time. The quotes from the late great Peter Lawrence Berra (aka Yogi) that begin the chapters are classics and quite apropos. I recommend it for teenagers, as it exposes them to heavy questions about the Jewish religion, answered in simplistic terms. At the same time, one will enjoy Abie's command of the game, in all its technical nuances.
Abie has tantalized his fans for decades, with his haunting melodies and stimulating lyrics on his Journeys and Dvaykus albums.
His song about Yankel was made into a motion picture, with very positive reviews.
Perfect timing, as this is the season for pennants and penance.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
"Pepsi" Portrays Penitent Player - The Season of Pepsi Meyers by Abie Rotenberg
Friday, September 11, 2015
Dean Decries Dibarnu Dofi
The most recent edition of Jewish Action has several tributes to Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein z"l.
One interesting tidbit brought is the fact that RAL was fluent in Shas, and would often times quote the correct Daf from memory.
As part of his humility, RAL mentioned that this "sin", perhaps of haughtiness in quoting the Daf, was already inluded in Viduy, as we say...Dibarnu Dofi.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Lipa Loves Ladies Locks Long
I hear Lipa's point, as the Gemara says in Baba Basra 109B:
אמרה ליה ילתא לרב נחמן מכדי כל דאסר לן רחמנא שרא לן כוותיה אסר לן דמא שרא לן כבדא נדה דם טוהר חלב בהמה חלב חיה חזיר מוחא דשיבוטא גירותא לישנא דכוורא אשת איש גרושה בחיי בעלה אשת אח יבמה כותית יפת תאר בעינן למיכל בשרא בחלבאYet when you are part of a group, one must adhere to the dictates of that group. The only problem being that if the dictates are too draconian, people leave.
Perhaps he would be taken more seriously if he changed his shirt?