mentsch1

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  • in reply to: How come all frum Jews today aren’t Chassidic? #1291111
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Is life about feelings?
    I have had plenty of people tell me they feel alive and have had “religious” experiences at non -jewish concerts
    I’m not connecting chassidus with goyish music
    I’m questioning the premise of the question

    in reply to: What’s the point in “real” jewelry? #1290096
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Joseph
    Next time your wife wants something I would like to suggest the following
    “Honey, I know it’s our 25th Anniversary, but intellectually there is nothing different about today vs yesterday. So I bought you a vacuum”
    Let me know how it goes
    I guarantee results.

    in reply to: What’s the point in “real” jewelry? #1290041
    mentsch1
    Participant

    RY23
    Listen
    I’m not arguing the point
    As a guy, I find these things baffling. But don’t you find most things about women baffling? And I’m sure they feel the same way.

    in reply to: What’s the point in “real” jewelry? #1289984
    mentsch1
    Participant

    As for the OP
    I’m reasonably sure this will split among male/female lines
    Few women want or treasure a “fake” diamond (unless they are worried about conflict diamonds, hence Hollywood actresses pushing stones like Moissanite which are supposedly even more pretty than real diamonds)
    When I tried to convince my (very low maintenance) wife to get Moissanite instead of real, it didn’t fly.
    So the answer to the question is
    “because it makes your wife happy!”

    in reply to: What’s the point in “real” jewelry? #1289977
    mentsch1
    Participant

    RY23
    The RAMBAN by the choshen in shemos has a long piece that goes through the stones in the choshen and ascribes “powers” to them
    For example, the ruby is reuvens stone and connects to the story of reuven bringing his mother mandrakes, which apparently have fertility powers (and that is why he was bringing them to Laya) so the ruby stone apparently has fertility powers.
    Hence the extremely popular minhag for pregnant women to wear rubies.
    Our religion also ascribes “powers” to zodiac signs. You can argue as to whether it still applies. But the concept is well documented

    in reply to: I Hope Trump Gets Impeached πŸŽΊπŸ‘ #1286308
    mentsch1
    Participant

    allow me to get more philosophical
    I used to have a passion for politics, as if caring mattered. As if my passion sways what happens at bureaucratic level. An analogy might be a fans passion for sports.
    But it doesn’t matter
    we aren’t in control of who gets elected
    we aren’t in control of policy
    so why be passionate and waste energy or anger on the subject?

    in reply to: I Hope Trump Gets Impeached πŸŽΊπŸ‘ #1286296
    mentsch1
    Participant

    joseph
    between the presidents daily speech and the clearly biased media, is there a detectable shred of truth to be found? my ears can not handle all the sheker.

    in reply to: I Hope Trump Gets Impeached πŸŽΊπŸ‘ #1286248
    mentsch1
    Participant

    I actually appreciate President Trump and I owe him hakoras hatov
    This election cycle has cured me from the tayva of listening to and watching the news
    There is a certain freedom I feel from no longer caring

    in reply to: calling a gadol hador with a shaila β˜ŽοΈβ” #1284439
    mentsch1
    Participant

    I believe that it is more than “chutzpah” to shop shaylos around. My understanding is that once you ask a competent posek a shayla, the answer is binding on you.
    Unless you phrase the question at the outset by saying something like “I’m not asking the Rav a shayla, just a theoretical question”
    Otherwise a person can ask multiple people until he gets the answer he wants.
    I’m basically saying that at this point it is against the halacha for you to ask someone else. And if you do, you must phrase the question as ” I asked Rabbi Forst and got this answer can I still ask the Rav….”
    I bet if you call a gadol and told him you already have a psak from Rabbi Forst (A very competent halachic authority), they will hang up on you.
    But in general, you can reach many gedolim fairly easily, but why tie up their valuable time? There are many capable local authorities, find out who they are and use them. After all this is the system that Yisro suggested to Moshe, not every question needs to go to the top.

    mentsch1
    Participant

    Actually very apropos to my life right now
    Thanks for the chizuk!

    in reply to: Age differences in shidduchim πŸ‘΅πŸ‘¨ #1278907
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Plenty of chassidik communities marry the girls at age 16/17. It seems to work for them.

    in reply to: Burka Photo πŸ–ΌοΈπŸ‘οΈ #1277804
    mentsch1
    Participant

    In that same piece of gemarrah it states that you are chayiv for hotzah if a woman takes out enough makeup to cover one eye. Since the nashim tzanuim only exposed one eye, that amount is considered significant. Seems pretty clear to me.

    in reply to: Frum Jews in Meron for Lag B’Omer #1276633
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Notice I said Litvish
    It’s been a long time since I’ve been in EY for lag baomer, but I don’t believe that it has caught on with the litvaks.
    And my RY was a big litvak. And his statement is classic litvak.
    I personally agree with my Rosh, but I understand that there is more than 1 right derech to serve Hashem.

    in reply to: Frum Jews in Meron for Lag B’Omer #1275995
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Many Litvish Roshei Yeshiva advise against going for various reasons.
    In the new Rav Gustman book he is quoted as saying “surely Rav Shimon runs away from his kever on that day so why go?”.
    The book does not elaborate but my rosh yeshiva in EY (who was against it) always commented on the irony. After all Rav Shimons most famous story in the gemarah is about his intolerance of bitul torah. My rosh yeshiva used to say “if you want to honor rav shimon, learn a little more”.

    in reply to: Should I Bother Taking My Wife To A Beis Din #1273720
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Larry
    I agree with the recommendation to read Garden of Peace
    There is a chapter on divorce.
    Since I read the book, and since I am divorced and remarried. I truly believe that the only way to stay married (assuming that is what you want) is to follow the guidelines in that book.
    Basically, once a woman decides she doesn’t want a guy, you can’t force her to be in a relationship. Usually holding on tight will just make her run harder.
    Read the chapter, and live the book. I did and I have had nothing but good in my life since I adopted the philosophy.

    mentsch1
    Participant

    Joseph
    This doesn’t happen much in the coffee room.
    But, I hear by bow to your superior wisdom and retract my posts on this matter.
    I’m not saying we pasken every case like the Noda. However, what I wrote in his name is wrong.
    And I thank you for sending me to the bais medresh on a motzei shabbos!

    mentsch1
    Participant

    Joseph
    If you are discussing treif you would be correct. But we are discussing a completely different halacha. In this Halacha ,awareness, creates the issur for the husband.
    There is a famous tshuva on this by the noda b’yehudah. In it he lays out this concept and when to tell the husband. The exact case he is discussing is quite juicy and involves …
    (Sorry , the moderator said to be vague). Ask someone knowledgable to fill you in on the details or point out the tshuva. It’s an interesting read.
    Gotta go get ready. Have a good shabbos.
    And moderator. It’s torah. I would like to think that I occasionally raise the level of conversation in the coffee room. But if you feel otherwise, I accept the tochacha.

    mentsch1
    Participant

    Joseph
    There are distinctions here.
    In the case under discussion the woman is doing the averah.
    The husband is only considered to be doing an averah if he is aware.
    Thus it may not be advisable to tell him. Certainly you shouldn’t tell him if you are afraid he may not grant her a divorce. Which brings us back to the last disagreement I had with you. Namely better shogeg then mazid. Here he wouldn’t even be shogeg he would have a din ones since he is unaware.

    in reply to: Looking for nusach for sign regarding a Bris #1244238
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Its been a couple of years, but you just write ;
    “we would like to inform you of the bris of our son, which will IYH take place ……….”
    There is an inyan to not use the word “invite” rather you are just informing people

    in reply to: Wisdom teeth eruption #1216379
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Health

    Regular dentists are capable of doing regular extractions. except it was already stated that the tooth is impacted.

    Allow me to shed some light on the situation.

    There is no such thing as certification to remove wisdom teeth, any dentist can remove any tooth he feels capable of removing.

    Most dentists wont remove wisdom teeth for several reasons

    1) impacted teeth are complicated

    thus, unless you do it on a regular basis it takes a lot of time and therefore not worth the insurance reimbursement of a few dollars

    2) it carries more risk then a regular tooth extraction

    there are nerves that can be severed and dentists (and all doctors) want to minimize law suits

    3) special scanning is often necessary

    in order to minimize the risk of nerve involvement, 3D scanning is often used, these scanners are expensive and usually only oral surgeons have them

    So if you have an impacted wisdom tooth, it’s best done at a surgeon. Can a regular dentist do it? sure, if he knows what hes doing and if he can isolate the tooth on regular xrays and be certain it’s not near the nerve

    in reply to: What do you tell your kids? #1215552
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Example of non-frum job;

    Veterinarian

    Neutering is assur

    Had a friend in High School who really wanted to be vet, but Rebbe dissuaded him. He was practical. How can you join a profession where a significant part of your responsibilities are assur?

    mentsch1
    Participant

    Allow me to present a different way of looking at it. Yerushalyim is a holy city.It should remain that way. We should guard it’s sanctity.

    Do we really need to invite more goyim to live in yerushalyim? Embassies have large support staffs, all of whom expect goyish type pass-times, none of which should be engaged in, in a holy city.

    in reply to: Question about secular studies #1183699
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Ronald

    Building on what Akuperma wrote.

    Anyone who has stepped foot in a liberal arts college understands the danger. A christian co worker of mine has her daughter in a local community college. The daughter thought she was safe taking some core courses. Her english professor turned out to be LGBT and rather than reading Shakespeare, every book that was required reading was written from someone in that community. The pitfalls and dangers of what is viewed as learning in the goyish velt, is obvious.

    If colleges were strictly profession related, it would not be as despised by he charedim. Aren’t there many trade schools attended by charedim? Rather the charedim understand the severe spiritual decline in spending time with those who make secular studies their religion.

    in reply to: learning Zohar Kabbala #1180317
    mentsch1
    Participant

    MA

    The second perek of chagiga discusses Kabbalah in the form of maaseh bereshis and maaseh mercova.

    If you learn it you will note that some Tanayim are told by their Rebbe that they aren’t ready to learn Kabbalah yet

    I find it interesting that so many people these days feel a desire to learn something that clearly only has meaning to a select few.

    I have often wondered if this is the work of the yetzer hora. Perhaps the yetzer hora, when he sees someone with a desire to learn, attempts to channel that desire into something that has less meaning for the person.

    On a personal note, whenever I have a desire to learn Kabbalah I remind myself that I don’t want to die an am ha’aretz and open a mishna brura.

    in reply to: The Hishtadlus of Voting #1179766
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Themiddle

    As to whether I agree with voting for who you think is best;

    As I said already I believe a person should vote within the framework of proper hashkafa.

    The interesting question now is, does it matter anymore?

    Rav Miller’s psak was before every candidate fell into the LGBT camp. Now that every candidate no longer has values that I can believe in, what is the right derech?

    You can argue many things, maybe now we have to vote for the candidate that is more pro-Israel or less loved by the LGBT.

    But I do believe that the answer is more fluid now than it was just a few years ago.

    Personally, I believe the proper answer is to not vote for sheker. Do a protest vote and maybe, just maybe, future candidates will get the hint that we still care (a little ) for personal integrity.

    in reply to: The Hishtadlus of Voting #1179765
    mentsch1
    Participant

    The middle

    I personally don’t ask my LO Rabbi who to vote for, nor do I believe that in chutz l’aretz there is any logic in even asking that question to a Rav.

    for several reasons

    1) I don’t know how old you are, but when I started voting in the eighties, almost every LO rabbi (including in the Chasidic communities) voted democrat. I held like Rav Miller, and never voted democrat for president because I was worried about the supreme court and various social issues that recently became the law of the land. How these other Rabbunim came up with their view, still eludes me

    2)As someone else pointed out, almost all candidates these days are the worse of two evils, so how can a Rav pasken to tell you to vote for someone with values that we don’t hold of? I don’t believe any Rav should give an opinion on presidential candidates when you have poor candidates. On second thought why should a Rav have any opinion on politics ever in chutz l’aretz? it’s all sheker

    in reply to: The Hishtadlus of Voting #1179756
    mentsch1
    Participant

    TheMiddle

    My original point was that (I believe) there is nothing any of us can do to make sure any candidate will win.

    Decisions of this magnitude are outside of our hishtadlus. Your ballot does not count, The winner has already been decided by the R’BSHO.

    If that is the case, shouldn’t we vote hashkafically and not vote for either candidate?

    in reply to: The Hishtadlus of Voting #1179753
    mentsch1
    Participant

    MA

    I disagree

    when two candidates are the antithesis of emes, shouldn’t we vote for neither?

    I would suggest the proper hashkafic thing to do in this election is either not to vote. Or, if you want to make a case that we need to vote because it’s important hishtadlus for the frum to be seen as a voting block, then vote for a third candidate.

    Perhaps, write in your vote for Mashiach?

    in reply to: Kumzitz on the Hudson – 2016 – Kosher or Disgusting? #1177182
    mentsch1
    Participant

    yichusdik

    It’s a question that I ask myself all the time

    What is appropriate fundraising? I am also on the fence

    I read an article a year ago about the top 10 worst (non jewish) charities. All had commissions/expenses of 95%, meaning only 5% of each dollar went to the advertised charity.

    when the ceo of one of the charities was asked to justify his fundraising tactics, he responded “what can i do, it’s what we need to do to stay competitive and I see the good the money does”

    But here is the thing

    I have found that almost every “famous” charity out there has an equal that uses the money in a similar manner with far less expenses. Mostly because they are staffed by volunteers.

    As a charity becomes “successful” it’s budget, paid staff grows, which feeds the need for expensive advertising and fundraisers (often becoming a family or community business).

    Ideally every charity should close its doors after a decade or two only to be restarted by well meaning volunteers

    in reply to: Kumzitz on the Hudson – 2016 – Kosher or Disgusting? #1177180
    mentsch1
    Participant

    yichusdik

    why is it ok when done as a fund raiser?

    Two weeks ago there where tzedakah organizations that held fundraisers during the nine days that were not just siyumim but siyumim with wine tasting and cigar sampling. Was that ok? Did they kosher up the event because there was a siyum (despite the obvious inappropiateness of holding such events during the nine days)?

    Personally I hold tzedukah organizations liable for their fund raising tactics. I don’t donate to organizations who have a promoter taking a huge chunk of my tzedakah money, or to organizations that throw gluttonous fundraisers

    in reply to: organic chemistry and or a and p #1198259
    mentsch1
    Participant

    ubiquitin

    If that was the emes they wouldn’t require it in med school, but biochem and the krebs cycle is something you need to redo in med school and on the boards

    What they really mean is “we had to do it, so you do to”

    which is unfortunate, and a huge waste of time. Time that can be spent learning things that actually have relevance to the profession

    in reply to: organic chemistry and or a and p #1198257
    mentsch1
    Participant

    It’s been a long time since I took these courses, but out of all the premed courses I found orgo to be the worst by far. I agree that if you don’t need it don’t take it. Orgo 2 was the worst because it is simply memorizing organic formulas, almost like being forced to memorize the cookbook that you will always have available, so what’s the point? Pretty much how I felt about a lot of courses. Can someone explain to me why every bio and bio chem course requires memorizing the Krebs cycle? What’s the point ?!

    in reply to: "frum" boys who smoke #1179059
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Sparkly

    I need to second the notion that calling smoking worse than watching TV is absurd.

    I will grant you that its not as bad for women as men. But as any man who has seriously tried to work on his neshama can attest, its the antithesis of ruchnios.

    I grew up MO, with a TV in my house, and I’ve been trying to scrub myself clean from this for years.

    in reply to: "frum" boys who smoke #1179058
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Health

    In case you forgot, i will paste one of your comments from page 1

    YY -“just because someone smokes doesnt mean they are otd!”

    Sure they are! As a matter of fact, some Yeshivas will throw out a smoker!

    Now

    If you are telling me that you are retracting your position, or didn’t mean what you wrote, then I am Ok with that

    that said

    you didn’t answer my question

    do you watch TV?

    and if you do, how do you not see the hypocrisy between calling smokers OTD but not TV watchers?

    In case you are curious

    As I have posted before, I am a health care professional, not a yeshiva bachur. (The Israel trip was vacation). I do not smoke. I happen to have a TV in my waiting room and since I occasionally watch I do feel bad about myself in light of the poskim who deem that pritzus. I didn’t call you a parutz, they did.

    If you and Sparkly want, In light of the upcoming yomim noraim, I am willing to quit TV with you guys.

    When people quit smoking they often find it easier to do with a buddy. So buddy up with me on quitting TV

    At the very least it might give us all a little more empathy with what smokers go through when they try to quit (and that sounds like something that is achdus-dik for the nine days and certainly more productive then calling almost half the frum velt in Israel OTD)

    in reply to: "frum" boys who smoke #1179027
    mentsch1
    Participant

    I’m simply pointing out the ridiculousness of your assertion. You like Sparkly want to pasul (call OTD) those that smoke. My guess is you watch TV, like Sparkly. The gedolim call that assur. Does that make you and Sparkly OTD?

    No where in rabbinic literature have I seen a definition of OTD that revolves around smoking. But I have seen a definition revolving around TV. In regards to the issur of yichud a parutz does not count in terms of negating the issur yichud. There are those that hold that watching TV qualifies you as a parutz.

    I was just in Israel. Spent time learning at the Mir. It seemed like half the yeshiva smokes. Disgusting, a little. But I’m betting they have much more yiras shemayim then those on this site casting aspersions on their frumkeit.

    in reply to: "frum" boys who smoke #1179025
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Sparkly

    I’m just curious. Don’t you think Hashem would rather a person destroy their body rather than their neshama? Isn’t the point of yiddiskeit to return your neshama as close to pure as when you got it? Isn’t that the point of chanukah that the chashmonyim would rather die then sully themselves with the greek culture?

    That said, I truly don’t understand your position. You believe TV, movies etc are permitted under our religion? That they don’t cause spiritual harm.

    Health

    Don’t you think the list of gedolim who ban TV etc vastly outweighs the list you put up?

    and Neville

    I love the name

    just sayin

    in reply to: Condemnation of Jerusalem Parade #1164425
    mentsch1
    Participant

    JF02

    Just out of curiosity, would you be as vocal with the antivax crowd for the same reasons?

    in reply to: Condemnation of Jerusalem Parade #1164420
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Though zahavasdad is certainly incorrect, I am not sure ben levi is 100% correct either (where do you see that its the “same boat”?).

    At issue here is the averah of chanifa (often translated as flattery) which coincidentally, has its source in this weeks parsha.

    A classic example is the gemarah where chachamim told king agripas not to be sad (when he read the part in the torah that prohibited him from being king) and they responded “dont worry , you are our brother”. the gemarah says they were chayiv bnofsho.

    Bottom line, chanifa is the implication to an ovrey averah that his actions are supported by you, or ok with the torah. It is an averah that some hold is yaharog v’al yavor (see rabeinu yona sharei tshuva) but even though we don’t pasken like that, rav moshe calls it a form of kefira (igros moshe orech chaim 2 #51)

    so going to a gay parade or bar to be supportive of gays post orlando (as the OO did) is at the very least an aveirah and considered a form of kfeira

    in reply to: Condemnation of Jerusalem Parade #1164336
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Jewishfeminist

    I did not reference conversion therapy

    I mentioned articles from people who formerly identified as LGBT and then switched

    These articles are out there, and many talk about the abuse they suffer at the hands of their former friends for having the audacity to say that it is possible to go straight.

    I am in the health care field, and I have been reading science articles critically since school. I always keep my mind open to both sides. But if you think that there is no agenda here, and that agenda’s don’t drive science, then you are fooling yourself. Much of the medicine I practice is based on theory’s that are tentative at best, and often driven by agenda’s. (The biggest agenda is the desire to not be sued, which influences the way we practice. I wish I could say that all are actions are based strictly on whats good for the patient, but alas that is not the case)

    in reply to: Condemnation of Jerusalem Parade #1164329
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Ben Levi

    I read that issue and found it fascinating. Since then I am attuned to the politics that drive the “science” behind this argument.

    There are numerous articles put out by former LGBT attesting that they changed themselves. You just need to search for these articles. Because, as has been written about numerous times, there is tremendous pressure to remove these articles from the internet by those who are more interested in the agenda, then in helping people.

    in reply to: Condemnation of Jerusalem Parade #1164318
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Sam2

    Support of such a “Parade” would obviously be conditional on everyone in that parade recognizing the fact that it is assur to engage in homosexual activity. And then the parade would be nothing more than an assifa to work on the issue of how to mmake sure these people can best be helped. Because if they arent willing to recognize the issur, then you would be supporting the agenda which is obviously assur.

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119195
    mentsch1
    Participant

    zahavasdad

    Alexander was not welcomed by chazal because they were happy to have a greek rule over them. Nor did they want to embrace greek culture.

    They made a choice that was very shas hadchak

    Go look up the story

    Alexander wanted to put up a statue of himself in the BM, This was chazal’s way of preventing that

    (“why put up a statue that is temporary, we will name our kids after you and that will be a remembrance forever”-I’m paraphrasing. And since the words of chazal are forever, so there are still alexanders.)

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119193
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Gavrah + Sam2

    I am aware that the main reason the battle took place was to kick out the greeks and abolish their edicts.

    That said, the main hashkafic reason we have a holiday of chanukah is to commemorate our victory over greek culture. Chanukah is not a celebration of a military victory.

    The mefarshim ask the question of how goyim can be metamei the pach shemen and the answer given is that it was tamei because of the hellinistic jews. This was a war against an influx of foreign culture and that it still what it is.

    Unfortunately the way it should be practiced is the opposite of the way we practice it. Instead of vacations from school and lots of family parties, it should be a time of more intensive learning and an attempt by all of us to remove as much foreign culture as possible from within us (michtov mayeliyahu main source)

    I admit to not being a talmud chachum and i certainly do not know shas bal peh.

    I would be glad for anyone to prove me wrong. But it would shock me. Nothing I have ever seen has ever even implied a tolerance of chazal of imitating or integrating any foreign culture.

    Those familiar with the controversy over moreh nevuchim know that one of the main sources of contention by other reshonim was the RAMBAM’s respect for greek philosophy. And thats just thought, certainly no one tolerates practice.

    Which brings us back to my main point, what I believe is the failure of MO to excise goyish culture, rather there is an acceptance and even a raising it to the level of mitzvah through torah im derech eretz

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119187
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Gavrah

    I believe you are mixed up on the definition of straw man

    You raised a valid point about the writing of Greek in the BM

    However, I pointed out that you cant extrapolate from that. Because you will only find a narrow allowance of greek language allowed (because of yaft elokim layefes). And you can not extrapolate from there an allowance of greek culture.Nor can you extrapolate to any other culture or language other than Greek. (I just did the gemorrah that mentions one reason for acher going of the derech is because he sang greek songs). Chazal has no tolerance for embracing goyish culture.

    Thats not a straw man, It’s me telling you your source is incorrect so go look it up.

    On the other hand

    The OP raised the concern that MO is allowing a lot of cultural mixing (perhaps based on torah im derech eretz).

    So all the references to problems in other branches of yiddishkeit, well that is the definition of a straw man.

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119147
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Zahavasdad

    That is some mental leap

    It would seem that you are implying that because we drive cars then we can also do cultural things like listen to goyish music

    If I am understanding you correctly than you are proving my point about rationalization

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119144
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Sorry Gavra

    the burden of proof is on you

    There is no Hashkafic evidence that embracing a foreign culture is a good thing, all statements of chazal say the opposite. Feel free to bring some proof.

    Yaft elokim is an interesting statement that does require explanation. But the explanation is always a narrow interpretation such as language.

    Another narrow interpretation (believe its the rambam, but could be mistaken)is that it simply means that greek philosophy was a better alternative for the goyim than what they had previously (avodah zora).

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119137
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Gavra

    All you have proved is that yaft elokim layefes applies to the greek language

    which is the truth

    which is why there is an opinion that a sefer torah can be written in greek.

    It does not apply to any other cultural aspect. The fact that culture always seeps into our religion is something to be lamented, not embraced

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119130
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Luna

    I read your post and I see everything that caused me to leave the MO world I grew up in.

    Now granted, everything I am about to say can apply to every Jew no matter what level he is at.

    That said, rationalization seems to be more of a disease in the MO world than black hat.

    In the yeshivish velt watching TV is something to be kept hidden because we recognize the inherent evil. So even when we are nichshal, we at least recognize the inherent wrong. My MO friends see it as having positive secular culture aspects.

    When discussing meticulousness of halachos, those halachos they don’t want to keep are “chumros”

    You even said “most halachos”! there is no such thing in orthodox Judaism as keeping “most halachos”! Its all or you arent orthodox!

    Torah IM derech Eretz was never about going to theaters and culture. Thats hellinisim

    As for a source (gavrah at work) try pachad yitzchok, maharal etc

    The same goes for yaft elokim lyefes

    There is no concept in Judaism for embracing goyish culture

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119119
    mentsch1
    Participant

    AviK

    as far as I’m concerned, Torah IM derech eretz means nothing more than being a shtark baal habus. Ner Yisroel allowed me to become a professional while learning. But the philosophy was not tolerant of becoming “cultural”, it was a yeshivish atmosphere. The dorms looked like any other yeshiva.

    Rebyid

    Do you really think that the Maccabees were fighting only jews who worshiped zeus? Thats ridiculous. It was a fight against a blending of cultures. And If your honest, you would agree that many in the MO world are trying to do just that.

    Sam2 I’m talking about the dorms, There was more than one dorm at the time (this goes back 20 years). Yes there was a more yeshivish dorm but the people I knew where not in that one. And the posters on the wall showed a lot more than elbows.

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #1119098
    mentsch1
    Participant

    Luna

    I grew up in the same YI as one of the more controversial figures in OO.

    So my MO origin credentials are solid. Based on that I emphatically state that you can not argue that MO is as makpid on “regular” halochos as the charedi community.

    The women did not cover their hair, the girls were not tzinius. During the summer the counselors in the mixed day camp had no problem mingling in swimsuits. My friends were not shomer negia (or worse). The women kept starting clandestine simchat torah minyanim so they could dance with the torah etc. I could go on all day long.The final straw was my interview at YU when I visited my friends brothers already there. The walls were bedecked with inappropriate posters. For them a religious experience was strumming a guitar to some goyish nigun while smoking something illegal (at the time). I went straight to Ner Yisroel (which is not MO)

    To me the over riding philosophy of many was “religion on my terms”. Sure there were good men, graduates of YU who were shtark, but it felt like a losing battle against those always trying to push the boundaries.

    The OP is not wrong in his assessment (just his tone). MO is devolving into a hellinistic culture. Blending secular with religion.

    Even your screen name is borrowed from secular culture.

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