Massive Markup Manifests. Many Magnificent Men, Mental Marvels Maximized. Moral Majority Mission. More Masters Multiply.
R Elya Brudny
R Hillel David
R Aharon Feldman
R Yitzchok Feigelstock
R Yosef Chaim Frankel (Vyelipol [he] Rebbe)
R Aharon Dovid Goldberg
R Yaakov Horowitz (Rosh Yeshivas Beis Meir)
R Shmuel Kamenetsky
R Aryeh Malkiel Kotler
R Shlomo Eliyahu Miller
R Yerucham Olshin
R Yosef Harari Raful
R Aaron Schechter
R Yitzchok Sorotzkin
R Shimon Yehuda Svei
ווי די קריסטן טאָן, דאָס טאָן די יידן
This time we beat them to it. They are talking about packing the court, but we got the jump on them this time.
While the press seems to be lauding David Dinkins as the first and only black mayor of NYC, those who remember the riots/pogrom of 1991 when Dinkins let the natives "vent" for a few days, destroying life and property in Crown Heights, have no such praise.
Thankfully, Mayor Rudolf Giuliani unseated him shortly thereafter.
A new beautiful sound. Following up on his debut album, Joey has released a new album full of hartzigeh niggunim. Down to earth - yet flying high in the shamayim!
People are very Machmir about bugs. So why not wear a mask, which will prevent bugs from being accidentally swallowed while walking, running or bicycle riding?
If everyone wears a mask for 2 weeks, this virus will be gone.
Go ahead and be Machmir!
On August 9th, President Trump was hosted by the Deal community for a fundraiser.
Deal native and singer Yaakov Shwekey was supposed to sing a song for the president, but apparently it got scrapped due to timing contraints.
Yisroel Besser updated the lyrics of Shwekey's hit We are a Miracle and retitled it We are America.
Below are lyrics for the before and after, along with a video of the song meant for Trump being sung in a camp.
New Lyrics
A nation so diverse,
Yet united at its core,
Freedom opportunity
Allowing us to soar,
Its been four great years
Four GREAT years
And you know don’t you really know
You’ve been heaven-sent, Mr President
To stand strong,
The glory of our history,
Our flag its flying high,
The promise of our future,
We raise our voices high
Its been four great years
Four GREAT years
And you know don’t you really know
You’ve been heaven-sent, Mr President
To stand strong,
We love America
We love America
May Gd, hear our prayer, sing it loud and clear
Cause we love America,
–
It doesn’t matter where,
and it doesn’t matter when,
You’ve got this country in your heart
To make it great again,
Give us four more years
Four MORE years
Cause you know don’t you really know
You’ve been heaven-sent, Mr President
To stand strong,
–
We love America
We love America
May Gd, hear our prayer, sing it loud and clear
Cause we love America,
Every day you fight a battle,
On the news they try to hide,
Your victories, your accomplishments,
The way you lead with pride
But truth is always stronger, so join us as we sing our song…
We love America
Old Lyrics
A nation in the desert
We started out as slaves
Made it to the motherland,
And then came the Crusades
It's been so many years
Crying so many tears
Don't you know, don't you really know?
We are pushed to the ground
Through our faith we are found
Standing strong
The Spanish inquisition ...wanted us to bow But our backs aint gonna bend
Never then, and never now
It's been so many years
Crying so many tears
Don't you know, don't you really know?
We are pushed to the ground
Through our faith we are found
Standing strong
We are a miracle
We are a miracle
We were chosen with love
And embraced from above
We are a miracle
Extermination was the plan
When the devil was a man Ohhh ohhh
But the few who carried on
Live for millions who are gone
It's been so many years crying so…
This past week, I went to my first Shalom Zachor and first Kiddush in months.
Thereafter, I realized that there is one good aspect of the Corona Virus. Namely, our eating has become normalized.
For 3 months we did not overeat on Chulent and Cishke, Candy and Coke. All those Craved Calories, that in the past would have increased out girth, were missing in action.
Seems like they are done with Corona in Brooklyn, and the Governor has allowed the parks to open but the Mayor still refuses to let the children play. Some fine vigilantes along with public officials have cut the locks and opened various parks in Boro Park and Flatbush.
Hopefully, this will end the hypocrisy allowing thousands to demonstrate racial equality, but keep kids locked up with nothing to do in the summer.
I am not sure what to make of this. OTOH, we should not be teaching children to flout the rules, but OTOH, when the rules become draconian, one must take a stand.
Dr. Professor Marc Shapiro has published a most interesting book. It is comprised primarily of Shaalot and Teshuvot, yet unlike all other Shaalot and Teshuvot which feature a posek responding to many various individuals, this one has questions by one man (Prof Shapiro) asked to many different poskim.
Since the author and many of the poskim are contemporary, this makes for some very fascinating reading. Additionally, Prof Shapiro is currently giving lectures with many insights into the background of the questions; and due to Covid-19, these podcasts can be downloaded free from the TIM website.
In 1982, Professor William Helmreich released his sociological study of the Yeshiva World, entitled The World of the Yeshiva. The highlight of this work, were the many interviews he conducted with many of the great Roshei Yeshiva of the era (R Schneur Kotler, R Yaakov Perlow, R Yaakov Weinberg, R Elya Svei, R Aharon Schechter, R Osher Kalmanovitz, R Shmuel Berenbaum, R Yaakov Kamenetzky, R Yitzchak Hutner, R Moshe Feinstein, R Gedaliah Schorr, R Mordechai Gifter and R Henoch Leibowitz). Unfortunately those recordings were lost, but the transcripts are available on Hebrewbooks.org. A very worthwhile read.
Professor Helmreich passed away due to Covid-19 complications on March 28 of this year.
The age old question of whether to participate in elections for the World Zionist Organization has once again surfaced.
As this is a very delicate topic, the Moetzes has not issued any opinion one way or the other, as there is disagreement as to which course of action to follow. Should we vote and then have a voice, or do we stay away because we don't want to associate with irreligious organizations?
Both sided have legitimate reason as to why they are correct.
It has been reported that R' Chaim Kanievsky supports voting. This is surprising, considering his past vehement opposition to any Zionist controlled entity.
There are not that many events that warrant posting on this somewhat defunct blog. I was tempted to emerge out of semi-retirement to comment on the recent Siyum HaShas, but that will wait for another day.
I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see that Dialogue Magazine has been resurrected with the recent publishing of Volume 8.
I haven't had time to completely review it yet, but highlights include an article by R' Aharon Feldman positing that Yo'atzot Halacha is not a positive enterprise, and a review by R' Herschel Grossman of Dr. Marc Shapiro's Limits of Orthodox Theology. It is also nice to see that they have included an article by a female writer.
Perhaps I will have more to write about this once I read the entire periodical.
Yo'atzot Halacha - Are They Good for Jews? Hamashkif - R' Aharon Feldman
The Nebech Apikores by R' Dovid Jaffee
Review of Marc Shapiro's The Limits of Orthodox Theology - R' Herschel Grossman
The Debate over Emunah Education - R' Dovid Sapirman
The Conceptual Journey of a Ba'al Teshuva - Nesanel Yoel Safran
The Doorway to Wisdom - R' Aharon Feldman Hakafos, Pi and Yichud Hashem - Eli Katz
Suffering, Sin and the Ways of God - R' Yitzchok Oratz
Privacy, Confidentiality and Classified Information - R' Moshe Walter
How to Choose a Kosher Book - Nechama First
Bringing Mesivta High Schools to a Higher Level - R' Yerachmiel Garfield
Letters to the Editor
For some reason, the new volume is not listed on their website (www.dialoguemagazine.org).
The address is listed as 85-22 122nd Street, Kew Gardens, NY 11415
Telephone: 909.353.3509
Disclaimer: I am not associated in any way with this magazine.
