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gudath Israel of America's voice in kind of informed discussion and debate the halls of courts and the corri­ that leads to concrete action. dors of Congress - indeed every­ A But the convention is also a major where it exercises its shtadlonus on yardstick by which Agudath Israel's behalf of the Kial - is heard more loudly strength as a movement is measured. and clearly when there is widespread recognition of the vast numbers of peo­ So make this the year you ple who support the organization and attend an Agm:fah conventicm. share its ideals. Resente today An Agudah convention provides a forum Because your presence sends a for benefiting from the insights and powerfo! - and ultimately for choice aa:ommodotions hadracha of our leaders and fosters the empowering - message. call 111-m-nao is pleased to announce the release of the newest volume of the TlHllE RJENNlERT JED>JITJION ~7~r> lEN<ClY<ClUO>lPElOl l[}\ ~ ·.:~.~HDS. 1CA\J~YA<Gr M(][1CZ\V<Q . .:. : ;······~.·····················.-~:·:····.)·\.~~····· ~s of thousands we~ed.(>lig~!~d~ith the best-selling mi:i:m niw:.r c .THE :r~~··q<:>Jy(MANDMENTS, the inaugural volume of theEntzfl(lj)('dia (Mitzvoth 25-38). Now join us aswestartfromthebeginning. The En~yclop~dia provides yau with • , • A panciramicviewofthe entire Torah .Laws, cust9ms and details about each Mitzvah The pririlafy reasons and insights for each Mitzvah. tteas.. ury.· of Mid. ra. shim and stories from Cha. zal... and m.uc.h.. n\ ''"'''''' The Encyclopedia of the Taryag Mitzvoth The Taryag Legacy Foundation is a family treasure that is guaranteed to wishes to thank enrich, inspire, and elevate every Jewish home. MORRIS & DEVORA SMITH LAWRENCE, NY whose generosity and vision made the publication of this volume possible. for those who Because they care about Jewish children. About their future, their bond to Torah and the Jewish people, and the homes and families they will build. All Cucumber profits support Oorah's effort to give unaffiliated Jewish children a yeshiva education. And when you use Cucumber, it becomes your effort too. r-=- THE .· • h. -1 ! :e.. )WJS,. ' ' --- ) .. - ' ' .ftSEltVE.R THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 JS l'lllll.ISHUJ MONTH!.\, EXlTPT JULY & AllGUST IN THIS ISSUE AND A COM!llNED ISSUE FOH JANUAlfflf1"1RUARY, llYTllE AGUDATH ISHAEL OF AMERICA. 42 BHOADWAY, NEW YOllK. NY 10004. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID IN NEW 6 FAITH OF CHAOS, YORK, N)'. SU8SCHJPTION S25.00/YEAR; Our Rabbi Mashe Young 2 YEARS. S48.00; 3 YEARS. S69.00. Ot;TSIDF OFT!lF I iNITED 5TA11·:S (!JS 10 THE 5ATMAR REBBE, Rm MOSHE TEITLEBAUM f·lJNl)S DRAWN ON A US BANK ONLY) ';>··~1 S15.oo S!IRCflAll:(;E PEil: ''EAi<. S!NGLIO COP)' 53.50; 0\JTSJDE NY AREA $3.95: - WE LOST A MANHIG YISROEL, FOlfEIGN S4.50. POSTMASTER: Rabbi Chaim Moshe Stauber SEND ADDIH:ss Cl!ANGF:S TO: THE JEWISH OBSERVE I! 42 BROADWAY. NY, NY 10004 TEI. 212-797-9000, FAX 646·254-1600 PR!NTFD IN TllE USA ONE PERSON CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE RAMJI NtSSON WoU'IN, Editor Fditoriaf Bonni 16 THE KIRUV PUZZLE, Mrs. Chana Nestlebaum RABBI JOSEl'll EUAS, Chairman RAIHl! A!HlA 8RUDNY JOSEl'll hlll':l)f'NSON 20 SAYING "YEs" TO YE.S.," Plonis Almonis RABBI YlSROEI. MEIR K!HZNEH RAtHu NossoN S(;HU~MAN J'HOL AAIU)N TWERSKI 23 K1RUV: PHASE II, Yoe/ C Goldberg Founders DH. ERN.sT L Bo1n:N1-1EIMER Z"l. 29 A FLOWER THAT BLOOMED IN BROOKLYN, RABJH MosHic SHEREH Z"L Mrmugcmcnt !loard Mrs. Marsha Smagley NAFTO!.I M!llSCH. JSAAC KIRZNER. RABBI SH LO MO LESIN, Mns. LEAi-i ZAGEi.BAUM. Adtwli.ling Mrmaycr 33 OAF HAYOMI, a poem by Yossi Hutt/er J'UIH,ISl!Et) IJY AGUD<\'fH bRAEl. OF AMERICA 34 A LESSON FROM HAKAFOS, Eliyahu Mayer lJ.S. TRADE DISTllllHJTOR 36 THE (HAZON /SH, THE MAN AND H1s VISION, FU.DHEIM PllBUSllEns 208 Airport facrnlirc !brh Nnmwl. NY 10954 PART II, Rabbi Shlomo Lorincz, prepared for BRITISH R1·:Pf{ESENTATIVE M.1: BtHU.MAN publication by Yonoson Rosenblum Gmsrmor \\brhs Mo11111 !'fcasonl //ii/ London /;j yNJ:: Fii/Gi.A/VD FRENC!I HEPRESENTATIVI·: R,\IJB! BA.M!H'.RGEH 42 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 21 /3011/rvard l'aixhans 57000 Metz. FRANC!- lS/V\U.! !H-:l'llESENTATlVI' INTNL. MEDIA i'LACICMENT /'Oil 7195 I .'JI )f!f/0 Road )crusofcm .94J40. IJRAU STATEMENT OF POLICY THE JEWISH 01JSERVER ll"i..S Dl-:VOT!'O ,\ G!~EAT DEAi. or· SPACE 10 BELGIAN Rr-:PRESt:NTATJVE MR. J·:. APTER IllE PERILS OF ntE INTEHNET AND TO THE NU-:o FOR EVERYONE ro l.onqr Kicvit.1/r. 2.9 HE F.XTl~F.M!.'.l.Y VIGJLAN'f IN ITS USE. W1·: flAVE ECHOED THE PLEAS 21118 A11t1i'Clp. WIG/UM OF OU!~ GJ·'.DOl.IM TllA.T IT SHOULD NOT IJE IN usr-:. tJNl.ESS JT IS AN ----- =--i --- ~ RABBI MOSHE YOUNG I PATTERNS IN LIFE - UNDER It was not so long ago that the our lives, are bound to react by searching CONSTANT CHANGE destruction of the World Trade Center for understanding of all this. in New York changed the world. Fear There have been occasions, however, e are so used to admiring stalks the streets of the USA, and many when we were forced by others to con­ beautiful trees and their countries wait with nervous apprehen­ sider our own omissions. "fhis would W changing foliage through­ sion, wondering where the next enemy be induced by a gezeiras shmad (forced out the year, and we anticipate with so attack will happen. The Arab world conversion). Through cruel and harsh much joy the birth of a child after nine portrays a new menacing image which decrees that host nations have issued months of waiting that we find it dif­ will remain with us for a very long against Jews within their realms, Jews ficult to believe that such phenomena time, if not indefinitely, until Moshiach have been obliged to recognize the lack were not the intention of Hashem when comes. of depth of their Torah observance, He created the world. It was only after More recently, natural calamities, which either they had not understood the sin of Man, however, that many trees floods, earthquakes, landslides and hur­ or reflected an air of indifference that lost their ability to produce fruit and to ricanes, out of all proportion to previ­ has permeated Jewish society. remain leafy throughout the year, and ous norms, and with short intervals of Rabbi Dessler 7··~1 speaks about the it was only then that the formation of a respite in between, have begun to haunt direction that non-Jewish despotic child became a protracted and uncom­ the human race. rulers have taken in issuing decrees fortable experience. It is not by human design that such forbidding Torah observance (Michtav There are numerous aspects of our events befall society. Even where evil MeEliyahu 2). Heads of state are only lives to which we have become accus­ intent and activities cause harm to too well aware of the essentials of tomed, and we tend to forget that it is others, and responsibility for the conse­ Jewish existence. They know how to only as a result of disturbances that new quences lies squarely with the predators, hit hard at Jewish religious sensitivi­ patterns emerge. Changes happen over it is not through their initiative that it ties. They know about Shabbos and long periods of time, so that a whole actually takes place. It is pre-ordained, bris milla. So many times have they generation, and even many generations, but the dynamic is" Megalgelim chov al succeeded - and yet other times have accepts situations and forms of conduct yedei chayav. Bad things happen through failed - to halt shechita. They still per­ as if they have always been there. bad people." severe today in many countries. The ' The lives of millions of people have indomitable spirit of Kial Yisroel has RABBI YOUNG, WHO LIVES IN LAKEWOOD, NJ. IS A MP.CHANE/CH, AND A CONTRHIUTOR TO JEWISH been changed by events, and we Jews) constantly resisted these moves, with INTERNATIONAL JOl;RNALS. HE JS ALlTHOR OF especially those of us who breathe the Jews resorting to endless mesiras nefesh I! LAPPi.ES FROM__________________________________________________________ THE TREE (IS RAEL BoOK SHOP). breath of1brah and mitzvos every day of at all levels. _________, T H E JEWISH 0BSJ-:!{\1Ef{ WHY THE THREATS TO channels for our avoda. He says that the them, but the result has been an increase TORAH LIFE? gentile world in which we live in our of channels in reaching for Hashem. exile fro1n Eretz Yisroel has a share in Haman planned to destroy the Jews, o there are two questions to ask the preservation of Torah, for Hashem, so the festival of Purim opened up a here. Firstly, what is the deeper Who has established the thrones of kings dimension of ecstatic joy in the service Sreason that our enen1ies persist in an1ong thcn1, ordained those leaders of Hashen1. There was a tin1e when the issuing edicts on crucial issues? Secondly, precisely for the purpose of furthering reading of the weekly Sidra was for­ what do Jews gain by bearing the brunt the avoda of Kial Yisroel. "Bi'melachim bidden or curtailed, so the chachamim of such decrees? Rabbi Dessler explains yimloch - It is to project His Will that instituted the reading of the Haftorah. that when Hashern allows a gezeiras they are able to reign:' This is their share The words of the prophets, so apt sh1nad to be enacted, it is Hashen1's way in pron1oting Torah.
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  • Introduction

    Introduction

    Introduction Jessica Lang The term “Off the Derech” has a complex meaning and history. Derech, Hebrew for “path” or “way,” bears a religious connotation: those on the path, those who follow the derech, ascribe to a rabbinic authority, both ancient and modern, which determines a way of com- munal and private life that leaves the individual with relatively little autonomy. The Hebrew word halacha, which means Jewish law, is derived from root halach, “to go.” Taken together, committing to the legal and moral system put forward by Jewish halacha, Jewish law, as interpreted by certain scholars and rabbis, means that one lives by a specific code, one follows the ways (derech) and customs that are not only deemed necessary for belonging within certain communities but also understood as carrying with them the ultimate authority of what it means to lead a good and morally upstanding life. The term off-the-derech originated from within ultra-Orthodox communities as a way of describing members of these communities who determined to leave it. It is a word, then, with subversive origins that carries with it a sense of stigma and difference. But, as is the case with a number of pejorative words and phrases, in an act of transgression that in some ways mirrors their original departures, many of those who self-identify as OTD, or off-the-derech, effectively re-claim it as a term that is less derisive and marginalizing and more descriptive, offering—as it does—a specific orientation. Then again, there are those who reject the label, viewing it as unnecessarily critical and derogatory.