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Thank you yet again, Joseph. And of course R’ Miller ZT”L!

Momentarily going back to the topic of eating meat…

I appreciate all of the detailed references quoted here. I never understood how a Frum Yid could be a vegetarian, when the Torah specifically permits it, and even commands it when the meat is Kodshim from Korbannos. Furthermore, Chazzal urge that it be eaten on Shabbos and Yom Tov, as in “Ain Simcha Elah B’Bossor”, or “Bossor V’Dagim Vchol Mattamim,” etc… Now as I understand it, it is an optional degree of abstinance. (Note – that explanation may be plausible, but is still not in line with some of the quotes I have seen that strongly imply or say outright that eating meat is ‘cruel’ and ‘wrong’.)

There is also the nagging question on my mind of what these people will say when Moshiach comes and we once again have a Korban Pesach…

One ‘minor’ detail that might have been changed, is whether this ever actually occurred, or if this is just an ‘Op Ed’ attempt at trolling.

It works on comment boards, and it works for newspapers too.

I don’t doubt for a second that it COULD have happened. I have heard many horror stories of parents pressuring or attempting – in those instances where the Hanhola resisted and did the right thing – to get schools to do things that were not right.

Mashgichim often have to ‘work’ on Shabbos and Yom Tov. This of course does not refer to doing any actual ‘Work’ that is a melacha, but merely to supervise.

Specifically, there are areas of kashrus that require the presence of a Jewish mashgiach by every shift, such as milking cows on a dairy farm, and the delivery/pressing of grapes in a winery (up until the point where it is pasteurized and becomes mevushal.)

Even in other areas where the mashgiach must be ‘Yotzi Venechnas’, he must have the possibility to enter for a surprise inspection at any time. Therefore they sometimes stay in a nearby hotel and pop in for a visit on Shabbos too.

You are sometimes better off buying from US sellers.

When buying button batteries, you can get some from US-based sellers for just a few cents more, and get it within a few days instead of a few weeks.

Some items like memory cards have a very high rate of non-working or less usable space than claimed when bought from china.

Chips or other accessories for which compatibility is tricky and critical.

Anything that you want sooner than 5 weeks!

I just reread the original question, and while I already commented on what I think was meant , the way it is worded sounds like the question is:

“Are you allowed to charge less than everyone else, in order to come in first in a sort by lowest price?”
The answer to that would be YES, of course! As Chazal say – Tavo Alav Beracha!

I understand what you are asking, and I admit, I have done this myself once or twice. I do not recall ever seeing anything explicitly forbidding it in eBay rules. I had an item that just wasn’t selling at the price I listed it at, for many weeks. Instead of cancelling it and listing it cheaper, I created another identical listing with a lower selling price. Interesting to note – the first item included free shipping, but the second cheaper price did not. The second item sold very soon thereafter, even though the total cost with shipping was higher!!

Technically it is not affecting or manipulating the search results. The search remains unaffected. What it is affecting is the buyer’s perception that one item is cheaper than all of the rest, so it must be a bargain. OTOH, if you would just list the cheaper price, they would not be paying anything more or less anyway. Many of the chinese sellers have multiple listings for the same items, varying the price by just one cent (look at button batteries for example). Their intention here is not price manipulation, but merely to get more ‘shelf space’ in the search results. It is like a cereal company having 40 flavors instead of two, just to hog more retail shelf space.

It is notable that most of eBay’s policies are primarily intended to protect their profits, not the sellers or buyers. So this practice would be very low on their priority to prevent, as long as they are getting their selling fees. In fact, the people doing it are often high-volume sellers, which are eBay’s best customers.

I don’t know anything about Yogurt and it’s manufacturing process, nor do I know what a home yogurt maker would consist of. I assume that the main ingredient of yogurt – milk or some derivative (milk-fat, cream, etc…) is possibly essential to the process, and trying to substitute something else might be one reason for your non-success in the past.

What I do know is that my wife sometimes works for Norman’s Dairy marketing their Greek Yogurts. They are some of the nicest people I know. I have spoken to their food scientists in the past when my wife had questions about the ingredients or manufacturing process. I suggest you reach out to them either through their website contact form, or their facebook page. Helping you with some tips is not really going to hurt their business, so they might be willing to help.

No guarantees but it can’t hurt.

If all you need is a cheerleader, then by all means – “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Of course the double ‘Try, Try’ seems to indicate that another failure might be expected in between…

So what’s the bottom line on this? Do we get an update? Did DaasYochid keep his promise and move to Canada?

From the term ‘moving to Canada’ it sounded like he didn’t already live there. Plus if he did, what big difference would it make to him who is president of the USA?

I can currently imagine two possible (though currently only science fiction) methods for Teleportation, loosely defined as near-instantaneous relocation of matter from one place to another.

Method 1 – shortening the distance between the two places through some method such as a ‘wormhole’ or ‘sub-space doorway’ etc, and then stepping through this doorway. While no such technology exists, I think this is totally within the realm of Torah and belief in Hashem. For simplicity, and to hint at why I think it is compatible with Judaism, we can call this “Kevitzus Haderech”. Sound familiar??

Method 2 – Converting all matter on site A into purely digital or other ‘transmittable’ signals, waves, or particles, then transmitting them to site B and reconstructing them into their original form. I believe that this method is impossible according to Judaism and it’s tenets. Since a human consists of more than just physical particles, but also contains a Neshama (and maybe a Ruach too depending on how you define these terms,) once it is deconstructed, it is dead. It cannot be ‘reconstructed’ by a machine. Also, if that were possible, we would be able to save the electronic ‘digital image’ of the deconstructed person and then replicate it by reconstructing it more than once. We would be able to create people using something like a 3D printer, and call it ‘alive’! Of course, it would still be missing the Ruach and Neshama, so it can’t be alive. That was Frankenstein’s dilemma. You can call this one ‘Yesh MeAyin’!

See lightbrite? someone did think about this!

There is no correlation. The baseball games are syndicated and make money by selling the rights to broadcast it. When they say prohibited, they don’t mean by the FCC, but by copyright laws.

Jroot does not need to prohibit people from re-broadcasting because their goals are to provide free Jewish content to the public. They are not being hurt financially when you get their broadcast through other means besides their website or phone app.

Ignore Ferd’s stupidity. JROOT is not a pirate radio station, nor was it on or off the air. Jroot is a website – Jrootradio.com. It is available on the Web, from their phone app, and through other Jewish Streaming apps such as Jstream. The broadcast does not ever mention any radio station.

Sometime in the past they were also broadcasting on a radio station, and did advertise it as such (hence the origin of their website address), but that was stopped by the FCC. (Not that I CHAS VESHOLOM mean in any way to agree with or confirm anything FERD said.)

Some anonymous person unrelated to Jrootradio.com has been receiving the free stream over the internet, just like everyone else, and then using their own personal equipment to re-broadcast it over the radio waves as a favor to the local community in flatbush (Brooklyn, NY.) No, this has nothing to do with the Rabbonim. There is no reason at all for any Rabbonim to exclude their content from being shared with Klal Yisroel.

Whether this is legal or not has no bearing on Jroot. The same person (or anyone else) could choose to broadcast any other content in a similar fashion.

As to why this is beneficial – there are still some frum people in this world who do not have smart phones and internet-connected computers in their homes, or at least in their kitchens when they are cooking for shabbos. But they do have radios. Once upon a time radios were very cheap and easy to obtain, and if they have a stereo system CD player, or Tape player, it probably has a radio too. Even simple MP3 players (Sansa clip for example) have radios. So with the broadcast they can listen to shiurim or Jewish music in their homes.

I am just trying to explain the facts, defend the Jrootradio people and distance them from any suspicion of wrongdoing. It is not my intention to take sides on the legality of the broadcast.

Did we forget that in today’s day and age we have photos and videos?

Leben is thinner than yogurt, especially Greek yogurt. I tasted it only once, and it tasted to me like spoiled milk (which is probably not far from the truth.) Nevertheless, my kids love it. They poke a straw right through the foil top and slurp it away in seconds. I don’t think you can drink yogurt with a straw.

I assume it is based on yogurt but just more diluted (possibly with milk).

I don’t think it’s more diluted, just less yogurtized

Google yielded a few varied results in books:

From a book titled Sefer Yetzireh by Rav Aryeh Kaplan: The seven Sciences – Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy. Footnote for source not available for free.

From Encyclopedia of Jewish Medical Ethics: A Compilation of Jewish Medical Law … By Avraham Steinberg: The medieval scientists listed seven branches of knowledge – Logic, Mathematics, Measurements, Natural Science, Astronomy, Music, and Theology. The footnote claims this is from Rabbenu Bachya on Avos, end of Perek 3, and Maharal Nesivos Olam, Netiv Hatorah, Perek 14.

Nothing has changed, it is all still applicable.

Consider it a mussar lesson for Loshon Horah – the damage will still continue by being discussed years later.

I actually was on a tour of the Postive factory a few years agi with Rabbi Wickler of Kashrus Magazine. We were also treated to classes on bug checking and infestations.

After that, it is a no-brainer. I ONLY use Postiv (or a few other rare Greenhouse products.) I don’t use those other brands at all, based on what I learned.

Without saying any LH about what is wrong with other products, I can tell you that Postive has some major advantages:

– They are grown in a sealed greenhouse completely isolated from the ground soil, so bugs cannot get in. Even in the greenhouse, they spot check the produce while it is still growing.

– They check every batch once it arrives at the factory BEFORE washing it

– They wash it in a process that is VASTLY superior to most other companies for certain reasons that they might not want divulged

– They check EVERY SINGLE ounce of product before bagging it. Yes, that is correct – they don’t just spot check! They have a method wherby they check everything.

There are some bugs (mites) that are so small that once they infest lettuce, they are difficult to spot even using a lightbox. Non-greenhouse lettuce just cannot be guaranteed clean, even with all of the ‘washing’ and spot checks that other companies do.

No, frum people still have the same attitude. That is, some have them, and some don’t. Some are vehemently against them. And some just like to argue about it.

The only new thing is that now we discuss it on message boards instead of in the mikvah…

Ridiculous. Nowhere did it say who the speech was being given too. I am assuming that it was to no one important. Nice speech, but not going to have any affect. Those that can change it don’t want to, and those that agree with Rechnitz are not in any position to change it. If he weren’t so rich, maybe they would put him in cheirim, if anything at all.

One thing that supports my opinion – I was amused, annoyed, and amazed when at one moment in middle of the speech suddenly everyone clapped. I didn’t understand what they were clapping about, as he had not gotten to any important points yet. I backed up to listen again, and it turns out that it was when he said “I give money to support Lakewood Mosdos.” So it wasn’t his message that they were agreeing with, it was his money.

“V’Ain Atah Ben Chorin L’Hebatail Meemenah” – meaning we are all not free because we have to learn.

OTOH – “Ain Ben Chorin Elah Mi SheAsuk BaTorah” – only if you learn are you free.

Was this well-respected posek paskening l’halacha that it belonged to him? Isn’t he a Nogeia Badavar?

He might have made a Chazaka, but as every not-so-well known posek knows, Kol Chazaka Sheain Imo Teineh, Aino Chazaka. He would first have to had purchased the parking spot from the city or township, and then made his improvement.

He could however claim ownership to all of the hefker snow that he moved, with a kinyan hagbaha. Of course, he might not want to admit that, because he might be a mazik if he piled it up in front of someone else’s parking spot or driveway.

Changing slightly to a very related topic, I have been very anxious to discuss but never had the right opportunity. This bumped thread is perfect.

I have seen a few cars (mainly in Kensington, but that was just because I worked there and that’s where I was during the daytime,) displaying a book on their dashboard with the symbol of the NYPD. The book 100% saved them from getting parking tickets. So much so, that they took advantage of it by parking on the wrong side by alternate-side parking, and parking all day in metered spots without ever buying a single muni-meter receipt. I don’t know if it would also allow them to commit worse crimes, like parking at a hydrant, no standing, or bus-stop.

As far as I can tell, these soft-covered books are training manuals for the traffic cops, who are not really Police Officers. (Unlike policemen that go through Police Academy for a long time, the Traffic Cops are civilians that just take a short course and immediately are authorized to issue tickets. Although they drive cars that look like police cars, and wear similar uniforms, they are what used to be called “Brownies” and basically just there to give parking tickets and nothing else.)

I don’t know how to get these books, but it looks like a simple thing to fake. It is just a plain white paper book, 8-1/2 X 11, with the symbol of the NYPD and a title. I have seen the symbol in both color and black-and-white, on both spiral-bound and glued books.

I pictures of some them, though I don’t know where they are right now. One of the drivers once came out of a store and saw me looking at his book (through the windshield, without touching his car) while he was parked illegally, and got really angry at me. With that attitude, I figure he must be related to a cop, if not one himself!

IMHO – there are many factors that may sway the advised halacha or haskafa in each specific situation.

Yes, I can clearly see that there are situations where a smartphone/ipad/e-reader might be much better than a regular siddur. Some examples that have been suggested above:

– someone with poor eyesight that can use the app to greatly enarge the text

– when you need to say a special tefilla and don’t have access to a printed text, or even regular davening,

– a newly frum person that does not have instructions on what to say when, can use certain apps that automatically insert or delete appropriately on special days.

– maybe even in the dark

That having been said, I strongly believe that whenever possible a person should NOT substitute a smartphone for a siddur. Besides that the Mishna Berurah discusses the preference for a siddur that is printed by Yerei Shomaim over one made by goyim, there is a much more practical issue – I have witnessed with great disgust numerous occasions where people using smartphones in shul instead of siddurim did things that no frum person should ever do. It comes from holding the yetzer hora right in your hands during davening:

– I hope that no frum person would pull out a newspaper and start reading it in shiul, just because he finished shemone esrei earler than everyone else. Yet I have seen too many people on phones do exactly that by looking at the news. Even if they are only looking at YWN, it is not any better in this context.

– No normal person would set up a desktop or laptop computer on the table in plain view of everyone in shul, and start browsing dell.com to shop for the latest computers. Yet I have seen a person do precisely that in middle of davening.

– It is inappropriate anytime, anywhere in shul to look at youtube videos, yet I have seen people looking and even showing their neighbors videos, whether in middle of davening, laining, or not.

– Some (rare) siddur apps block incoming texts and phone calls. But most don’t. I don’t think that I have to explain how I have seen people reading and responding to texts, and answering phone calls IN MIDDLE OF SHEMONE ESREI!!!! I am not even referring to those idiots that don’t have their sound turned off.

– I have seen people play games on phones in shul, in middle of davening, speeches, or just in shul at all.

All of these show an extreme lack of even the smallest iota of yiras shomayim and kovod for the tefila and bais hakneses. Boruch Hashem I still feel that it bothers me. To too many people, this has become so common that they no longer even see what is wrong with it. This is affecting the younger generation ever worse. Once the older people tolerate it, the younger people take it for granted that it is ok.

To put it very simply – an interview with the King of All Kings, Supreme Ruler of the entire world, is not a trivial thing. It requires preparation, respect, and your full attention. Your phone is a big distraction at best, and a should be turned off and put away. Show Hashem that you care enough to give him a few minutes of your time and attention!!

I don’t mean anyone specifically in this thread, and I don’t know if it qualifies as being a Jerk specifically, but I see it all the time and it bothers me. People come consistenly late to shul, spend precious few minutes actually davening, and then rush out before it is anywhere near over.

There is someone at my minyan that comes at the same time every day, 7:05 to a 6:45 AM shachris, and he is gone by 7:20. It probably takes him the whole 15 minutes only because he is learning daf yomi while he is davening.

Meanwhile I come early and have to struggle to have enough time to say everything (with at least minimal Kavanah) along with the minyan. I usually stay long after the minyan ends sat 7:30. And yes, I work for a living and have a family.

I get the most upset when I see people flaunting the Kovod of the tzibbur and minyan publically. Just this past Shemini Atzeres, our minyan started davening (Brochos) at 8:00. Someone walked in the shul at 8:55 carrying a coffee in one hand and his tallis under his arm. Even though we were already past Borchu, He proceeded to talk to people right in middle of the shul. At 9:25, as we were saying Hallel, he was still standing there wearing his Streimel, not yet even putting on the tallis. He showed no interest in what was going on around him.

Interestingly, this same person, when he davens by the Amud, takes three times longer than any normal person can stand, streching out every word unnecessarily and singing ling songs between each sentence. Maybe he has a different sense of time.