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I think there are a bunch of problems nowadays. The standards have gotten more and more strict in recent years. Many chumros are now presented as basic halachah. When you set the bar too high, it’s obvious that you won’t be happy with the result.
Another issue is the way tznius is taught. Girls in Beis Yaakov are being taught with a fire and brimstone method, instead of being taught the proper reasoning. These girls are taught to be tznius because they have to be, instead of wanting to be. I was once by my brother-in-law for Yom Tov, and was talking with my niece. She was about 7 years old at the time. She told me that she thinks tznius is the hardest mitzvah to keep. Is that how we want our children to view it?
When principals go around with tznius rulers, and stores have checklists in the dressing rooms, it means things have gone too far. Let’s teach our children about tznius properly, so that they’ll want to follow the guidelines. Let’s teach them what’s required, and what is a chumrah.
oomis: If it’s allowed, why would you not do it? Assuring something for yourself which is allowed is actually not permitted!
rationalfrummie: While I’m sure you thought your first line was funny (about being a YU musmach), it was actually insulting. Making jokes that imply YU musmachim look for kulos is just not funny at all.
Imagine the following scenario: You’re at work, and comment to a non-Jewish co-worker, “I bought a new computer yesterday. It was on sale, and I got a great price!” What if the co-worker responded, “That’s how the Jews are, always being cheap… just kidding!” Would you think it was funny, or would you be insulted?
The fact is that many posters here have posted hateful comments against YU people, accusing them of always looking for kulos, which simply isn’t true. Making jokes which refer to that falsehood is insulting, and is no different than the example I wrote above.
Accapella isn’t appropriate either. Many Rabbonim (including R’ Chaim Kanievsky, R’ Elyashiv zt”l, and R’ Belsky) have said you should not listen to them during sefirah.
We have a relative who’s a single mother, whose kids were not with her today. She was feeling sad about mother’s day. We drove 2 hours to take her out and cheer her up!
The difference is that you’re willing to acknowledge that other opinions can be valid, even if they’re not the opinions which you follow.
DY: No, I don’t hold that. I was speaking specifically about HaKatan. You and I disagree about plenty of things, yet I don’t think you’re brainwashed.
For bottles, we found that Dr. Brown were the best. Our kids were very gassy until we switched to them.
If you want a real jogging stroller, I’d recommend the Bob. My wife and I got the Bob double jogger as a gift (we had twins) and it was fantastic. It is on the heavy side and is large (it’s a double… what do you expect?) but it is high quality and is very rugged. It’s also expensive.
Honestly, nothing can really prepare you for having your first child. You’ll reach extremes of fatigue that you never knew existed. But it’s a huge brachah! B’sha’a tovah!
HaKatan: You asked, “Let us be clear: for someone who was brainwashed, to hate something, as part of their very identity, would you expect them to have any sort of good feelings towards any of that?”
That’s actually really funny, coming from you!
Getzel: In the USA (I can’t speak for other countries), you don’t get welfare so easily. You need to show that you’re trying to earn money. If you’re unemployed, you need to be trying to find work. If someone said, “I don’t want to work, I just want the government to take care of me!” they wouldn’t get anything. Their children would, but not the adults. Yes, there are people who lie and take advantage of the system. But the rules are that you should be trying.
In Israel, many chareidim are open about the fact that they don’t want to even try and earn a living for themselves. Why should the government pay for someone who isn’t willing to help him/herself?
Thank you!
HaKatan, on a day when we celebrate the open miracles that Hashem performed, I will daven especially for you (and no, not by V’lamalshinim. I will daven for you to do teshuva.
I honestly believe that when you eventually get judged by the beis din shel ma’alah, you will be held accountable for all the motzei shem ra you’ve said against millions of Jews. I have a lot of pity for you, for the punishment you will surely face.
I daven you that will see the error of your ways, and do teshuva – which includes asking for forgiveness from every person you’ve said lashon hara or motzei shem ra about.
Sam2: Regarding your last paragraph, I must offer one correction. R’ Ovadia Yosef zt”l was fine with people saying Hallel – he said it himself! He just held it should be without a bracha (you’re correct about 6:41).
I would correct the statement to say, “he was certainly not happy about those who say Hallel with a bracha.”
Froggie, one last thing: where in the Israeli Declaration of Independence does it say “we will be like all the nations, we will fight with our might”? Or were you referring to a different declaration?
DY: Let me clarify what I meant. When I said Yom Tov, I meant a chag, like the Shalosh Regalim, Purim, or Chanukah. Days which are either in the Torah or in Shas. Days which Froggie was referring to.
When I said holiday, I meant a holiday as celebrated around the world today. In the USA we have July 4th as a holiday (along with plenty of others.)
Please note that I am NOT saying Yom Ha’atzmaut is on the same level as July 4th. I purposely am not making a statement either way on that topic, as it will just dissolve into name-calling and other insults, against both posters here and major Rabbonim.
Froggie: you were trying to start an argument? How nice. During sefirah, when we should be working on ahavas Yisrael, you want to start an argument. I’m sure Hashem is very happy with you right now.
My mother always told me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all!”
DY: Oh no, I’m not getting into that now. There’s been more than enough arguing about Yom Ha’atzmaut, and I don’t want to bring it up again. Let each person do as their Rav says, and respect the rights of other to do the same, without any insults in either direction.
“Best” shiurim is all relative. It depends on the person and what kind of shiurim they need. If someone is a baal teshuva looking for inspiration, they wouldn’t gain much from a shiur by R’ Wachtfogel. A yeshiva guy might not enjoy a shiur by R’ Wallerstein.
For yeshiva guys looking for a yeshiva, there are 2 names I’ve heard from many people as far as giving the “best” shiur:
R’ Elya Ber Wachtfogel (South Fallsburg)
R’ Berel Shachar (Edison)
I know people who went to those yeshivos specifically to have them as a maggid shiur.
Personally, when I was in Darchei Torah, I loved R’ Wachsman’s shiur (although it was just for first year Beis Medrash). I’m told that R’ Altusky also gives a very good shiur, although I was never in his shiur, and can’t attest to it personally.
Froggie, you’re the only one who compared it to a Yom Tov. The fact is that it’s an Israeli holiday, and Hebrew terms are used for it. What would you like the Israelis to say? Should they use English?
Ki MiTzion teitzei Torah!
Mods, no problem. You’re right, I probably should not have put that one in.
I have relatives who were in a DP camp somewhere in Germany. I don’t know if it was Munich.
My aunt was actually born in that DP camp in 1949. My grandparents came to the US a few months later, when she was a baby. My grandparents are no longer living, but my aunt is doing fine!
In Skver, I thought there only is one shul. If you daven somewhere else (an old age home, maybe?) you may be putting yourself at risk!
It’s completely assur! It might lead to owning a pet dog!
gefen:
No! It’s 60 degrees!
It will melt so very fast
It just won’t last
There’s no way it can freeze!
I think the biggest issue is that Neturei Karta align themselves with the enemies of the Jews, like Iran. I don’t think anyone looks at other anti-Zionists (like Satmar) the same way they look at NK. For someone to openly show the world that you oppose other Jews and align with their enemies is terrible. That’s why I am so against them.
The Mishnah Brurah says that talking during chazaras hashatz causes shuls to be destroyed. I don’t know where it’s brought down about diseases being caused by it, but the story from R’ Miller does make sense. If there is talking in the shul, the tefillos won’t be as good. Tefillos from a tzibbur are amplified by the tzibbur. If there is talking, it makes sense that the opposite might occur.
First seder I was a guest at someone’s house, and we finished around 12:00. The second night I was home, and finished about 1:30.
I had some matzah brei for lunch today. Delicious!
HaKatan: You’re slipping!! You didn’t mention Zionism at all! Are you feeling ok?
You talk about the “questionable” piece from R’ Broyde. R’ Broyde stresses in the article that he’s attempting to be melamed zchus for the women who don’t cover their hair. However, in the piece, he stresses that it should NOT be relied upon, nor used as a heter. He stresses that married women should cover their hair! I don’t see anything questionable about that!
MO does NOT attempt to justify what they are doing. Perhaps a few people do, but I’ve never heard a MO Rav try to justify why a married woman can uncover her hair in public. You’re making things up and attacking a large group of people. You should ask for mechilah.
benignuman: Agreed about the pants. My Rosh Yeshiva, R’ Yaakov Bender, once told me that the first women to wear pants transgressed lo yilbash. But now that pants are made specifically for women, it is no longer lo yilbash for a woman to wear pants. Instead, it’s a question of tznius – pants tend to accentuate certain parts of the body, and that is not allowed.
Another Rebbe told me that wearing very loose pants (such as culottes) might actually be allowed. They are definitely more tznius than a tight skirt.
Modern Orthodox does not allow women to wear pants, or married women to go with their hair uncovered. I highly doubt you’ll find a MO Rav anywhere who would say it’s ok.
Are there people who do it? Yes, there are. Just as there are Jews of all types who speak lashon hara and motzei shem ra (such as the OP claiming that MO allows these things), Jews who steal from people, Jews who molest children… need I go on? Just because some people do it doesn’t mean the official stance is that it’s allowed.
nishtdayngesheft: I’m not sure. I heard it from a few different Rabbonim who I trust, and I’m relying on them that it is true.
A friend of mine from Darchei Torah wrote to R’ Chaim and asked him about the story with the Beis Hamikdash. He got an envelope back. On the envelope it was written, “Shamati shezeh min hagoyim” (or something very similar to that. I clearly remember the words “min hagoyim”.)
The only person I know of who held that refraining from gebrokts was a shtus was the Vilna Gaon. He said that if you don’t eat gebrokts, you’re not fulfilling your obligation of simchas Yom Tov.
The agreement itself will usually give more protection for the landlord. Local laws, however, often protect the tenants, and are only binding when there is a lease document signed. If there’s no lease, you may not legally be considered a tenant. It pays to have a lease so that you have the protection of the city/town you live in.
While it doesn’t really matter at this point, I want to confirm the story about R’ Elya Svei zt”l. I learned in Yeshiva Darchei Torah. While speaking in Darchei, R’ Elya said, “Mashiach will come in two zero zero nine!”
Did you mean your “post”? What you write is not a blog. It’s a post on a message board. There’s a difference.
DaasYochid: I never said that was their motivation. I just recognize that it is a byproduct of the chareidim refusing to serve. It’s also the biggest sore point to non-frum Jews in Israel – why should my son put his life in danger for you, but your son refuses to do the same for me? But I don’t think that’s the motivation for the chareidim.
Feif Un posted a couple of times about the Rashi about right/left. Here’s what he posted once:
The Riva says the left/right mentioned in the pasuk refers to Rabbonim telling us not to do a mitzvah such as Shofar on Shabbos, or Arba Minim on Shabbos. It only refers to a mitzvah that they are telling us NOT to do.
The Yerushalmi says in Horios that the pasuk means only if they say right is right and left is left. If they say otherwise, you do not listen.
There are many shitos against Rashi. Indeed, both Rambam and Ramban do not pasken like Rashi in this regard. There is a Sifre which Rashi bases it on, but again, many question the Sifre, and there are Gemoros in both bavli and Yerushalmi that say otherwise. R’ Ovadia Yosef reconciles the two views as I mentioned above – you have to confront the Rav if you think he erred. Until you confront him, you do not listen. The Yad HaMelech states that if you listen when you think he erred just because you think you have to listen, you are required to bring a korbon chatas. Only after confronting the Rav with the opposing view, and he stands by what he said, are you required to listen.
pba: and what of the JP article? If you’re just going by what is the absolute truth, was it so bad?
The fact is that the atzeres was about the draft bill. The chareidim don’t want to serve in the army – so is it a lie to say “so only other Jews die in war”?
The truth is that some things are better off unsaid, or said very delicately – even if they’re 100% true. If the JP wanted to write about the atzeres, it should have been phrased very differently. The same thing with the YWN article about the study.
HaKatan: Isn’t the law that you can’t work if you didn’t serve in the IDF only until the age of 28? A study found that 65% of the … chareidi men between the ages of 35 and 54 are unemployed. If they’re allowed to work at that age, why are 65% of men not doing so?