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Joseph is correct. (Ouch!! that hurt to say) Pennsylvania “Dutch” Is “Deutsche”. A dialect of German called Mittel Hoch Deutche which, incidentally, is the root language of Yiddish.
“What’s in your head is more important than what’s on you head.” that goes for hair as well as hats and kipos.
Cholent is apparently put off by someone who actually speaks (and writes) English. Okay, for you we’ll confine ourselves to words of two or less syllables (That means “small words” for you, Cholent)
Classical music has never gone out of style although it is evolving. The funny thing is that people today sometimes don’t realize that what we call “classical music” was the pop music of it’s time. Ever hear of Lisztomania? It was the 18th Century version of Beatlemania. Franz Liszt and other composers and performers were the rock stars of their time. When I went to yeshiva, back in the Late Bronze Age,my RY said that all melodies were kosher except for those that were identifiable as liturgy (e.g. Silent Night).
I get the impression that the people who are having difficulty with the question have never been married. I cannot imagine a married man who doesn’t feel that his wife has made him a better person, both religiously and personally. Mrs. Redleg has certainly helped make me so. This is what Eizer Kenegdo means.
Neville, the issue is about identifiable Jews acting poorly. Anonymous Jews don’t pose the same problem.
Also, how could could any udentifiable Chasid make a real Jew feel inadequate?Re Kiddush Levana on Mars: Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos. Both are much smaller than Earth’s moon .but closer. Phobos ‘s orbital period is about 7.6 hours and Deimos, being further away, has a period of a little more that 30 hrs, (our moon has an orbital period of 29 days) Which one would be used to calculate the month? Mars’ own year is 637 days and a Mars day is just a few minutes longer than ours. so do the math. Mars year is about 15,300 hours divided by 30 hrs (using Deimos) = 510 months in a Martian year. That should keep you busy.
Rowling’s ex parte description of Dumbledore’s predilection brings up an interesting machlokes in the theory of Literary Criticism referred to in those circles as “the Death of the Author”. The question is whether the characters and story exist in the author’s mind, in which case it is perfectly understandable that the author can offer perush and explanation of his or her work or, say, describe what his or her characters do after the end of the published work, or do the characters and story only exist on the printed page. Any activity or character development outside of the text is unknown and unknowable because the author is (figuratively) dead. In the latter case, if it is not mentioned in the text it doesn’t exist.
CTL, OK call it an unitended Ponzi scheme. In the original 1934 (?) version, SS was, indeed, intended to pay out from funds derived from interest on investments in obligations. The problem arose when the obligations in which the SS fund was invested was mostly T Bills which meant that the government was using SS contributions as general funds, I.E. borrowing from itself. Once SS started having to pay benefits from later contributions, it became a pyramid scheme. Like all such multi layer schemes, as long as the base of the pyramid keep s growing, everything is cool. The problem that SS is facing is that the number of younger contributors is shrinking while the number of folks receiving benefits is growing. If the SS fund was a real fund as it was sold as, that would be a lesser problem. The fact is, though, that the benefits being paid come directly from the contribution of those working and paying. That’s the very definition of a pyramid scheme, intentional or not.
CTL, Your description is a distinction without a difference. The key isn’t taxpayers or investors, it is the characteristic of both schemes, Ponzi or SS, is that, rather than paying out benefits to the contributors/investors from the profits supposedly accruing to the fund’s activities, they use the payments from later participants to fund the benefits paid to the earlier participants.
“He made statements about the “rotation” of the Sun and the moon relative to the earth and the size of the moon relative to the sun and earth which were not accurate by today’ standards.”
His statements were not accurate, period. As was noted, the RAMBAM was simply repeating the prevalent understanding in his time.
Referring to “today’s standard” implies that, perhaps sometime in the future, it may be discovered that the universe really is geocentric which, of course, would be nonsense.The moon or mars
Yes
Koffee, he (she?) didn’t ask you for a psak. He/she asked for a discussion of the issues involved. Are there any other concerns besides the mixed seating? Does the conservative movement deny Torah min HaShamaim? that would make all of the “mispalellim” (for Joseph, note the quotation marks) kofrim which would be a good reason to avoid any association. Any other issues you can think of?
Edited for civility
I don’t understand what is accomplished by dulling the cutting blade. If the issue with the shaver is tarr, than all you have is a dull tarr, Maye nafke mina? For that matter, what is the specific issur of tarr? Is it the blade against the skin? Is it the closeness of the shave? If the latter, why was samm (depilitory powder) ok? How about a razor cut haircut? The razor is just used to trim the hair, not shave the head. The blade never touches the scalp. In fact, the action of the razor against the comb is not unlike the action of an electric shaver. How about a trimmer (Note 2) with a guard. A #2 would give you that stubble look I mentioned above.
It seems to me that all psak, especially psak that dealing with technology, needs a detailed explanation . Just saying “assur” is insufficient.
Note 1: If the specific issur is removal of the beard, then all of the questions above about shaving are moot.
Note 2: A trimmer works exactly like a scissors, blade against blade.CTL, you were doing fine until you compared Trump to Hitler YM'”S. Stick to stuff you know something about like law. Leave running the Country to wiser heads. P.S. I did not vote for Trump and I may not in 2020. That is if the Democrats can find a candidate with ah IQ higher than his/her shoe size.
Why would any self respecting YU bachur, or any yeshiva bachur for that matter, want to marry your daughter if it meant getting you for a mother-in-law. frankly, your concerns expressed above are trivial to the point of silliness. It is for cases such as this that Chazal tell us that a potential Chasan/Kallah need not follow their parents desires.
Relying on “heavy hitters” to make up the shortfall runs into the main difficulty inherent in all redistribution schemes. To quote Margaret Thatcher, “Sooner or later you run out of Other People’s Money”.
IMO, the main problem is that each school is a separate fiefdom to itself and is often run as a business that relies on tuition and donations to pay its expenses and provide livelihoods for their owners. There is no central Board of Ed that runs all the local schools a public enterprise. An example of this organization is, l’havdil, the Catholic school system where all the schools in the Diocese are run by Diocesan board and supported by general funds.
What needs to happen is:
1. Consolidation: Instead of 5 schools with 150 enrollment, why not one school with 600 enrollment? Yeah, I know that there may be differences in hashkofah but so what! Torah is the same for everyone and as are secular studies.
2. Centralization: All schools the area should be under one administration. Which receives funds and distributes them. (N.B. This already works in homogeneous communities like KJ and New Square. The problem is to get folks to disregard a little of their personal hashkofos for the greater good.)
3. Funding: While, as CTL so cogently points out, government money comes with a lot of baggage, there is no reason that schools should not accept Jewish money. That means that the schools need to just bite the bullet and join Federation.Meno, exactly what are you disagreeing with?
Of course ADHD is real. the problem is that it is vastly over diagnosed, very often by teachers and menahalim who have no medical training at all. They use ADHD as a crutch to deal with troublesome students, most of whom are simply bored and act out. It’s so much simpler to medicate a bright, active child into submission than to actually work with them.
Your issue clearly illustrates the “boy who cried wolf” problem. It’s not that the constant false alarms are annoying, it’s that when the wolf does come, no one believes it.The Talmidei Ha’Gra are not a good example. They were quite few in number (less than 100), they attempted to be self-supporting by farming and other labor and they relied on funds from abroad to purchase land.
The idea of an independent Chareidi state is risible. With a net minus economy, no means of defense and the impossibility of creating and sustaining a coherent government, such a state would collapse under its own weight in two years.Up until WW1, wrist watches were only worn by women. Men used pocket watches. Soldiers in the trenches found that wearing your watch on your wrist was much ,more convenient than fishing it out of your pocket while lying on your stomach. Watchmakers started making men’s wrist watches after the war. Also, the reason that many old-timers wear an “up” hat or homberg is that the common snap brim fedora was also exclusively worn by women.
Not really sure of the context. The only frum on-line business that I know of is B&H and their customer service is almost universally known as routinely excellent. I can’t imagine anyone downgrading their references to them. Is Bezos of Amazon Jewish?
Firstly, it should be noted that the clean shaven European bachurim in the photos were using samm (depilatory powder), not electric shavers, which raises another issue:
Are those poskim who asser the use of electric shavers doing so because they are under the impression that the shaver blade touches the skin of the face and is, in effect, a sort of mini-tarr, or is the issue that the shaver shaves so close that it LOOKS like the individual shaved with a tarr. If the former, than the clean shaven look of the bachurim in the photos was, you should pardon the expression, completely kosher. On the other hand, if the issue is the latter…
Another thought: Stubble is sort of fashionable these days and men are using shavers and trimmers to achieve and maintain that “two day shadow” look. Would that be muttar according the poskim cited?
Personally, the custom of my familythat the tsurah of a married Jew is bearded and I started growing one when I became engaged and have been bearded ever since (except for two brief periods when clean shaven-ness was required for safety reasons).For Ploni Doe, samm which I mentioned is the depilatory powder used for shaving that your grandfather used. It was widely used, mostly in Lite and in U.S. Yeshivas back in the fifties when I was in yeshiva. You mixed with water into a green paste and smeared in on your face, let it set for a few minutes and then scraped it and the hair off with a wooden or rubber spatula. It smelled awful but it worked.
I don’t get it. Virtually all of the photos European bachurim from the 20’s and 30’s from the yeshivas of the Gedolim noted in previous posts show that most were clean shaven. Given that so many of the aforementioned Gedolim were on record as opposing shaving, even with samm, how does one account for the photographic evidence that shaving was customary and wide spread?
The brisket methodology I prefer is slow cooked BBQ style. On the other hand, Brisker methodology is not as you describe. The Brisker method seeks to find underlying principles that unify the various decisions of Chazal. In some respects it resembles Scientific Method which arose contemporaneously. The saying is that in pilpul yeshivos, bucharim can find seven terutzim for one kushia. In Brisk, they find one teretz for seven kushios
Yes, in my view.
The “shrill scream to which you refer has a name. In English, it’s called ululation and it is common for festivities in Arab and other Middle Eastern cultures.
Joey, whether or not the First Amendment is a “Jewish Value”, it is the law of the land in which we find ourselves. Frankly, the First amendment is a good idea in general as the same law that permits hateful speech protects us, our speech and religious practice. Joey should be especially grateful for the First Amendment as it also protects foolish and pointless speech.
Joseph should know
Age doesn’t necessarily convey wisdom nor does youth imply lack of judgement. Shlomo haMelech was twenty (according to the RAMBAN) when he ascended to the the throne of Israel. I think he did a pretty good job, don’t you?
Yeah! be sure to check out the coal mine that’s been on fire since 1962 in nearby Centralia PA.
Bigotry, name-calling or any other expressions of hatred, even simple rudeness, are never okay and should be remonstrated against whenever they are encountered (use common sense). I do, however, have a problem with criminalizing thought. A person should be free to think whatever they want. They can hate Jews, Blacks, Muslims, left-handed people, etc as much as they want. So-called “hate speech”, as long as it’s a general statement and not specifically inciting (I.E. “Let’s string ’em up!”) is actually protected speech under the First Amendment, however loathsome it may be, but a specific insult or act of bigotry directed at an individual or group is an assault that needs to be countered by whatever means at their disposal.
CT, I agree that well-done is not a good thing to do to a steak in the Olam haGashmi. In fact, most restaurant kitchens use the ends and poorer cuts for “save for well-done”, I.E. for when a customer orders well-done.
The OP, however, is speaking of the spiritual quality of foods in which case I maintain that no spritiual aliya accrues to to meat according to it’s well-doneness.Dachtzach mir, this conversation, and others similar, are precisely what funnybone wants to take a vacation from (note that a preposition is something you shouldn’t end a sentence with). Also, the idea of Joseph giving mussar to anyone would be risible if it wasn’t so pathetic.
Just for the sake of playing along with OP, I can think of a reason that any elevation that bread may have over it’s ingredients would not apply to steak or anything similar. in the case of bread, a mixture of simple ingredients, is transformed into a new, vital entity. a teak remains a steak whether it’s rare or well done. No transformation occurs.
Joseph, while the Gerrer Rebbe and the CC were early supporters of Sarah Schneirer’s efforts, neither of those two Gedolim can be said to have started the BY movement. The innovator, originator and driving force of Beis Yaakov was Madam Schneirer herself. It is also noteworthy that, with the exception of the two aforementioned Gedolim, virtually the entire “frum” world (people like you, Joseph) were strongly opposed to her innovation.
We always sang it in Yiddish. My zeide, My father, me and now my son. at our respective Sedorim
In the ultimate scheme of things, The character of the person in the suit is what’s important, not the color. If you’re more comfortable wearing the “uniform”, by all means wear that. If not, wear something else. The Eibishter knows who and what you are no matter what your wearing.
Meno,, Seriously?
You know, Avrohom Avienu didn’t check what kind of sweatshirts the three Arabs were wearing when they showed up at his tent. Nor did he give them a questionnaire to fill out. Hachnosas Orchim is an important mitzva and a great zchus. Don’t trivialize it.
T22T, Ray Aharon Feldman, Shlit”a is not a posek either.
What is the definition of “ruach hakodesh (henceforth RH)”? It is impossible to discuss any inyan without precise definition. If RH is defined as “Divine inspiration” then it is clear that anyone, even non-Jews, can experience it.
If RH is sort of semi-nevuah, I would say that any Jew with the proper Kavanahs and preparations could experience it.The Rebono Shel Olam can speak to all of his people, not just the “elites”
Um.. RB, Your description of “natural” disease prevention is basically a description of vaccination. – controlled exposure to pathogens to stimulate the immune system to create antibodies that provide resistance to said pathogen.
You know, I’m in Israel this week and it strikes me that the proper way for Jews to conduct themselves today is how it’s done here. In Israel, Nittel”, unless it falls on Friday, is just an ordinary evening. Folks just go about their business, whatever their business is, as always. The yeshivos are open for night seder, Batei Medrashim are,in service. The following day is, also, just an ordinary day (unless it happens to be Shabbos). Those who celebrate the day do so as they wish. Basically non-Jewish holidays are dealt with the way Jewish holidays are dealt with in the U.S.
I see no reason to alter one’s normal routine in learning, business or family time for “Nittel”You mean, ” Would I vote to re-elect Trump.” The answer is that it depends. There is no doubt that Trump is something of a mixed bag as POTUS. He started out strong but lately his ego and his arrogance are getting in the way of good governance. Also, bear in mind that he didn’t so much win the election in 2016 but that Hillary blew it. The up side of that was that Hillary was not only even more ego driven and arrogant than Trump, she was also dumb as a brick.
back to the OP’s question, Would I vote for Trump in 2020, The answer is a conditional “yes” unless:
1. Trump does something so egregiously stupid that I decide he cannot be allowed another term
2. The Democrats run a candidate who is not a radical Socialist, Progressive anti-Semite, America hater
but who espouses reasonable policies at least some of which I support. ( Highly unlikely but possible)
3. There is a primary fight in the GOP and Trump loses in which case I will probably support the
Republican candidate unless he’s a complete duffus and the Dems select option 2. (N.B. can’t vote for
Trump if he isn’t the candidate)I have mixed feelings about the whole post-HS Seminary-in-Israel meme. First, full disclosure. I have, so far, sent three daughters and one grand daughter to Seminary in Israel with rather mixed results. My two oldest daughters had negative experiences in Sem, one of which actually closed down in mid year. My youngest daughter and my grand daughter, on the other hand, had wonderful experiences and both grew in Torah knowledge, yiras shamayim, and maturity. As well as getting college credits for their continued education if the so desired.
It seems to me that if your daughter is, as you describe here , neither academically inclined nor particularly open to new experiences, I wonder why you’re willing to spend $30-40K on a program from which your daughter’s net gain will be small. There are fine seminaries here in the U.S. that would be better suited to her needs and desires and that cost two thirds less. The seminary in Cleveland (forgot the name) would be a good fit hashkafically as well as giving her a bit of the out-of-town experience.Just a note on the Dred Scott decision: The Supreme court did not reverse the decision. It was the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution that rendered the decision moot.
Ordinarily, this would be a simple protocol issue with no particular political significance but these days, everything seems to have political significance including what tooth paste CT uses. Frankly CT, my guess is probably better than yours and I’d guess that protocol will be followed, if only because the President will be too busy with “affairs of State” to concern himself with it.
Ah, the benefits of a Yeshiva education! It’s “meticulous”!