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fill;Mi}JNING DISTINCTJVEI,Y JEWISH THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by 4 The Jewish Home Under Siege the Agudath Israel of America, 84 William Street, Rabbi Shimon Schwab New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N.Y. 8 Fighting Assimilation-From Within Subscription $22.00 per year; two years, $36.00; RabbiYissocharF'rand three years, $48.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $10.00 12 The Majesty of Tzenius- surcharge per year. Single copy $3.00; foreign Where Spirituality and Nobility Meet $4.00. Send address changes to The Jewish Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner Observer, 84 William Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Tel: (212) 797-9000. 15 P.S. Some Thoughts on "Selling" Tzenius Printed in the U.S.A. 19 RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR Technological Aids to Limud HaTorah-Data or Text?
EDITORIAL BOARD Yaakov Rosenes DR. ERNST L BODENHEIMER Chairman 23 RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS Labor Acts Out its Internal Contradictions JOSEPH FRIEDENSON Yonason Rosenblum RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN
MANAGEMENT BOARO NAFTOLI HIRSCH ISAAC KIRZNEA New Works on Halacha-Books in Review RABBI SHLOMO LESIN ThE HAf.AcHar OF TI!E BEN IsH HAI/THE SHABBOS KrrcHEN/THE NACHUM STEIN NEW PRACTICAL GUIDE TO KAsttRlITH/MEAT AND DAIRY/SETTING RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING As!DE ThuMar AND MA'ASRar/MOURNING IN HAf.AcHA(nME OF Business Manager DEATI! IN JEWISH LAw /SANCITIY AND SCIENCE/IN TI!E MARKETPLACE Published by Agudath Israel of America 30 RABBI MOSHE SHERER Second Looks at the Jewish Scene PRESIOENT TORAH LEADERSHIP: A NATIONAL REsoURCE OR Pusuc PROPERTY? THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not assume responsibility for the Kashrus Shia Markowitz of any product, publication, or service advertised in its pages Letters to the Editor © Copyright 1992 43 Poetry: Invisible Ledgers, Libby Lazewnik FEBRUARY 1992 VOLUME XXV I NO. 1 44 Index to Volume XXIV: SUBJECTS AND AUTHORS Rabbi Shimon Schwab
The Jewish Home Under Siege Fighting Off The Forces ofCultural Assimilation
AN IUSTORICAL PERSPECTIVE propagated the slogan: "We have no are also aware that Soviet oppressors share in the G-d oflsrael" r·n. with full included quite a few Misyavnim-the nvaslve influences threaten the cooperation of the Greeks. so-called Yevesektsia, who out-did sancti1y of our community. We Ultimately, of course, the oppres their non-Jewish Communist com I may take comfort In that, as a sion of Malchus Yavan harsha'a col rades in their merciless suppression community, we number some six mil lapsed together with its Hellenist col of religion and belief. And we also are lion Jews in the United States. Less laborators, and the Jews were treated Witness. in our day, to the total bank than 7% of them, however, consider to a glorious display of Divine ruptcy of the system that they initi themselves Orthodox. As such, then, miracles. which spelled a decisive vic ated. At the same time, we see how we Torah Jews are a group under tory oflight over darkness-a victory the grandchildren of those Misyavnim siege, with the vast majori1y of our without which KlaI Yisroel would no of seven1y years ago are coming back brethren estranged from our heri longer exist rn. in droves to the chadorim. to the beis tage, undergoing a spiritual Holo hamidrash. in keeping with the caust of catastrophic proportions. A CONTEMPORARY prophecy: "And the sons will return Let us bear in mind that this is not COUNTERPART to their boundaries." However. let us happening under some atheistic dic beware of a gross mistake. The athe tatorship, but right here in the United e have, in our time, experi istic power structure of Communism States, Within the framework of a be enced seventy years of a has not collapsed. Only in the former nign democracy with full religious W similar, almost-fatal gezei USSR can one behold the miracle of freedom for all. Nothing should play ras hashmadin the former USSR. We yispordu kol po'alei aven-the dlsin-
heavier on our minds than the con r····------·------···------···------·------·--~·------·----- 1 cern over how to save our lost broth 1 The Greeks were not always characterized as evil. In 1he time of Alexander 1he 'I ers and sisters from oblivion, and I Great when Shimon Ha:JZaddikwas 1he leader of1he Jews in Israel, Greece was living . bring them back into the fold. i upto1heberachabestowedbyNoachonitsprogenltor,Yefes:"Yajl:Elokimlayefes... May \ ! G-d extend Yefes' (boundaries] but He will dwell in 1he tents of Sheim" (Berelshis9.27). I The classical case of thoroughly as Hashem i During this glortous era, granted 1he Greeks special wisdom, imbuing 1hem 1 similated Jews are the Misyavnim of .. wl1h a keen sense of beauty and es1hetics, openlng 1heirminds, as it were, to acquire \ the time of the Chanuka miracle-the Scientific insights into nature. The ancient Greeks developed important discoveries in Hellinists, who worked hand in hand 1 ma1hematics, astronomy. medicine, and government. and Ghazal considered it befit· '\ With Yavan (ancient Greece). helping I ting 1hat 1he beauty of1he Greek language dwell in 1he "Tents ofSheim" -a reterence to them carry out their evil designs. 1 I 1he Makom Hamikdash. But 1hen came a transition pertod when 1he glortous Greek ·1 I empire gradually turned into Malchus Yavan harsha'a. as 1heir preoccupation wl1h Jewish collaborators were highly in ' 1he pursuit of this-world's pleasures eventually brought 1hem to 1he worship of.1he i fluential, politically and socially. and anlmal aspects of 1he human body. The long-term result was a cultural atmosphere I I 1hat fostered artistic projections of fantasies of 1he yettzer hara-a fascination wl1h 1 The above article i.s based on excerpts from an ad I physical lust in all its various aberrations. TI:lls was followed, histortcally, by 1he cruel , dress by Rabbi Shimon Schwab,N"vW, Rav of I persecution of1he kedusha (sanctity) of1he Jewish way of life, beginning wl1h 1he pro-1 K'hal Adath Jeshurun of Washington Heights, ! hibition of Shabbos observance, Rosh Chodeshand mi/a. subsequently developing into N.Y .. delivered at the 69th National Convention of I a gezeiras hashmad--aimed at totally alienating 1he Jews from Torah and mitzOOs. . Ag'udath Israel of America. '~~~-~--~~--~~~-~~-~--~~~--~~~~~~ 4 The Jewish Observer. February 1992 tegration of the perpetra again, the dead horses of tors of evil. But tn China. Reform and Conserva for instance, with its tism, let us take a close, population of one billion candid look at ourselves. souls, Communism is still This must also take prece very much alive. The dence over our protesta malchus harsha'a there is tions against the outra still tn full control. 2 geous proclamations of Hakadosh Baruch Hu the more militant "cen endows us with the ability trist" leaders, who in any to thtnk. and so we come case seem to be deaf to to recognize that just as our cries of protest. we are witnesstng the total The halacha states that defeat of the former an avuka-a torch, which Misyavnim in Russia, the is a combtnation of many same will happen eventually to wicks, like the candle we the Misyavntm in whose midst we use for havadala---is unfit are now livtng. We are only mispaUel for the pre-Pesach search with our entire heart that the down for chametz: a sing! e fall ofour Misyavntmshall come mer flame, coming from one cifully, peacefully, without any evil wick, is more suitable for befalltng them; rather, we hope for a a close search. Similarly, our own complete reversal of their stance, ini spiritual inventory to determine tiated by our modern-day chaltu If we but whether we are truly worthy of the zim-- the steadily developtng army of nisstm and yeshu' os for which we are baalei teshuva-who are findtng their courage, the commitment mispaUe!callsfor a private self-exami way back to the Ribbono Shel QI.am to emes and love of Torah, nation. by pin-point illumination, before our very eyes. quite apart from the public, fiery re So here we are, drowning tn almost to follow the Torah leader sponses to the constant public attacks a bottomless swamp of assimilation. against kavod haTorah and basic The vast majority of our people are ship of our generation, we emunatn Misyavnimnewspapers and fast lostng their identity as Jews, and can merit an overwhelm journals. Let us first make a bedikas they are aided and abetted by our too chametz, so to speak, in our own modern-day Misyavnim, self-ap ing victory over the forces homes, so as to sweep out any traces pointed spokesmen and spokes of assimilation from our own private women who hasten the process of of darkness in our time. corners. Otherwise, we may r·n not radical spiritual extinction ':>"1. 3 We merit the enormous siyata are all aware that "tn those times, tn diShmaya--Divine assistance-which these days," the victory was won not we need so desperately to withstand ,------·------~ 2 by human strength and ingenuity, the onslaught of the two-fold dangers \ WhyisChlnaflourishingwhllethe USSR has disintegrated? For us Torah but by mesiras nefesh and kiddush that threaten our physical and spiri II Jews there is one simple answer: In Hashem borabbtm which made our tual existence. Perhaps it is because contrast to the USSR. China never in forefathers worthy of extraordinary we unknowingly harbor the germs of ' terfered With the observance of Torah Divtne tntervention, providtng us with assimilation within ourselves, that we ( and mitzvos. In China, they never a light, which still guides our steps. have not been too successful tn con , closed yeshivas and chadortm. In If China, they never prohibited shechita, we but have the courage. the com vtnctng others to change their wrong mila. mikva, and so forth. The I'eason, mitment to ernes and love of Torah, ways and attitudes. ofcourse, is simple; there were no Jews to follow the Torah leadership of our therefortheChineseto persecute. Cer generation, we too can merit an over tainly, one day, China's downfall Will whelming victory over the forces of I 3 Justtwoexrunples:Themajorityof come,-m Hashem's own tlme ... wben darkness tn our time. ' all Jewish marriages are mixed, bring' the Malchus Shomayimwlll be revealed ! ing together Jews and gentiles, per· in the world .. Butin Russia, which had ! fanned jointly by Jewish and Gentile unleashed a spirttual war to.the finish SELF-EXAMINATION, I galochim Furthennore (please forgive against millions of Jews, there ls today TO MERIT "YESHUOS" 'i· my lack of deUcacy), gay and lesbian a state of political chaos bordering on , synagogues and clergy people are be· anarchy, and the once powerful lead e would like to be worthy of : ing legitimized, and given full recognl ers of this accursed country are now such yeshuos, but this 'i iion in the Misyavnim Temples and by begging for financial handouts from calls for some painful self theMi.syrumimmedia. All thlsisshad· · capitalistic European and American W owed by the almost totalllldifferenceof governments for their hungry citizens. exarnination. Instead ofreturning to I the Jewish establishment. our practice of whipping, again and The Jewish Obseruer, February 1992 5 A DECLARATION OF WAR try into the Jewish home, and drive We must face the out the kedusha For instance, Jew t is my conviction that the most ish "children" curtous to witness a subversive influence is the pres incontrovertible fact: Catholic Mass on December 25 in a ence of television sets in our cathedral, need but turn a knob, I ! television is a dangerous homes. Unfortunately, a great many and-presto!-indelibly imprinted of otherwise Torah observant Jews. object of the first magnitude. onto their young, impressionable whose children are enrolled in When the set is turned on, minds is a form of foreign worship, in yeshivas and Bais Yaakov schools. which they participate as enraptured are regularly kove' a itlim le television, the Jewish home, which is onlookers. But not every child is go night after night, and they do not see ing to sit through the seasonal pag anything wrong with it. We must face supposed to be a mikdash eantry. So one just turns the knob a the incontrovertible fact: television is me'af-a miniature bit more, and is treated to a potpourrt a dangerous object of the first magni of murder, torture, sadistic violence, tude. When the set is turned on. the sanctuary-loses this distinc spilled blood-the whole ugliness of Jewish home. which is supposed to tion, because the Shechina is crtme, with all horrid details graphi be a mikdash me'at-a miniature cally displayed .... And then one turns sanctuary-loses this distinction. no longer present from that the knob a little further. This time, we because the Shechina is no longer moment onward. are exposed to an explosion of pritzus present from that moment onward. and znoose (promiscuity and licen-
Some decades ago, when television other media, when our critical facul tiousness), normal and abnormal. was in its infancy, some people consid ties are in full function. the whole arsenal of the yeitzer hara. ered it harmless because no hint of in full realistic color.... Fascination filth or smut was allowed on the A WIDE-OPEN WINDOW just might give way to revulsion. so screen. Actually, programming was TO IMMORALITY we'll turn the knob again, and now we not so hannless even then, primarily may see a harmless advertisement for because it was a cause for widespread ll this was already true years a new product. But watching the bitul Torah for men; in addition, it was ago. Buttoday, howblindcan commercial, one is again subjected to a medium for slowly and gradually iri A one be not to realize that tele- a lethal dose of pritzus, which pen troducing non-Jewish concepts. for vision is a wide-open etrates deeply into the core of a sen eign ideologies, as well as non-Torah window, letting in to sitive Jewish nesharna. Gone is the modes of behavior into the minds and our homes the foul sense of shame, gone is the sense of hearts of the viewers-men, women odor of the immoral busha-our precious legacy from our and children alike. and amoral atmo forebears. Nobody blushes anymore. Television leaves a much deeper sphere that pre No wonder the newest fashions, impression than reading a newspaper vails outside? which violate basic considerations of or a book does. Sitting in front of the The full range modesty, gain entry into our homes screen, you no longer think for your of avoda zara. without too much resistance! self; thethinkingisdoneforyou. You gilui arayus By the same token, the mind be simply absorb, uncritically, whatever & shefichas comes poisoned ever so slowly by an your eyes see and damim have emphasis on power, wealth, and the your ears hear. free en- relentless pursuit of gratification of The assimila the senses. Slowly, even seeds of tory influence doubt in the veracity of emuna of television is peshutamay be creeping into us, cre thus much ating a blase' attitude towards the more insidious sanctity of Hashem and His Torah. than that of The excuses are well known, and 6 ----··· .. The Jewish Observer. February 1992 worn out: without the sights and sounds of a Some programs are very educa The excuses are well decaying civilization in their homes, tional, others only deal with science, and will continue to grow in the spirtt or politics, or sports, or finances, and known, and worn out: of ma'alin bekodesh ve'lo maridin so forth. But we all know that the Some programs are very one must endeavor to grow in sanc same information is available on the tity rather than backslide. radio or in the newspapers, without educational, others only We may be few in number, we may exposure to the filth that is projected deal with science, or politics, be weak in influence and power. But on the screen. In brtef, a television set in the world of nisstm, political, mili is just as harmless as having a loaded or sports, or finances, and tary. financial and economic gun in the house. Sometimes it may soforth. But we all know that strength does not count. Purtty and not go off, but the rtsk is one of llfe devotion to Torah do. These past few threatening proportions. How else the same information is decades, Agudath Israel of Amertca can we explain the paradox of jrum, has made such impressive progress faithful, Jewish wives and mothers, available on the radio or in that it borders on the incredible with modest covertngs on their heads, the newspapers, without due to its commitment to Torah val sporting the latest fashions, which ues, not because of numerical or fi were created by famous designers to exposure to the filth that is nancial strength. But to belong to arouse the yeilzer hara? The nobility projected on the screen. the few calls for courage. There's a of Jewish daughters is likened to natural tendency within all of us,
Bnos Melachtm, and the concept of mikdash me'at. resulting from the even in Orthodox circles, to want to tzenius in clothing was not only darkening of the TV screens in the be part of the mainstream. People meant to protect females from em Jewish homes! would rather follow the rule: "Look barrassment, but also to protect and think as the others do." Nobody males from hirhwim ra'im (indecent NEEDED: PATIENCE, wants to be pointed out as an excep thoughts). DIPWMACY, AND COURAGE tion or an extremist or to be labeled The outrage of television is closely a fanatic. Far from fanaticism, our related to pornographic cassettes, e must admit that it will re prtde stems from the fact that we do easily available in video stores. These quire an abundance of pa not deviate from G-d's Torah; we are stores have been aptly descrtbed as W tience, a strong dose of Torah Jews, living in consonance "Pis'cha shel Gehinnom-the Gate good taste, and a good measure of with the Shulchan Aruch. We are way to Gehinnom." Enough said .... consistency to overcome potential guided by daas Torah, the p'sak What are we men and women going hurdles which might emerge by con halacha of our Gedolei Torah, who to answer when we will have to give siderations of Shalom Bayis. One are themselves the faithful talmidim an accounting of our lives and our must proceed with respectful cau of the Gedolei Torah of yesterday, actions one day before the beis din tion rather than take a sledge ham and so on, upward, generation to shel ma'ala-the HeavenlyTrtbunal? mer and smash the box into previous generation. back to Sinai. Let us identify Agudath Israel of smithereens. The first step is to just We may be a minortty, but we take Amertca with the banishing of televi turn the set off. Should somebody deep pride in that ours is a very sion from thejiwncommunity! Imag insists on turning it back on, leave forceful and very idealistic minortty, ine how many hours of ltmud haTorah the room. All that counts is the firm inspired with mesiras nefesh for will be gained for us! How many resolve not to watch under any cir emes, and driven by compelling hours of kiruv rechoktm, how many cumstances. Eventually it will fade dedication to harbotzas haTorah, hours of askanus be'lzorchei lzibbur, out ofyour life by itself. But our com with a keen sense of love and how many hours of ahavas chessed munity must go on record that we achrayus for Klal Yisroel. Being that this will gain for us! And imagine for have declared a war against televi kind of minority. we live with the a moment the newly found light of sion, that we are extending encour bitachon that Hashem will let us ul kedusha that will illuminate the agement to all those who will do timately be victortous. •
1he Jewish Obseroer. February 1992 7 Rabbi Yissochar Fra.na
My children are MITZVA OBSERVANCE AND EVIL receiving a vastly porary situation: CONDUCT: NOT MUTUALLY Without a doubt, my children are EXCLUSIVE superior education to receiving a vastly superior education to that which I received in a day he theme of combatting the that which I received in a school, what with the proliferation of forces of assimilation carries intensive yeshivas ketanos and Bais T the implication of "us versus day school, a generation Yaakov schools. One might add. them." Perhaps it would be more ac however, that the America that I grew curate to characterize the conflict as ago, but the America up in was safer than the America our "us versus us." This insight was pith children are growing up in. There ily summarized in a comment I once that I grew up in was was a survey done in the l 940's in re heard from my late Rosh Hayeshiva gard to the discipline problems plagu "":it, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok safer than the America ing America's schools. They were Ruderman: Rashicites Yaakov Avinu noted in descending order: Number as saying: "Im Lavan garti, v'tmyag our children are growing one: talking; #2: chewing gum; #3: mitzvos shamarti v'lo lomadeti up m. making noise; #4: getting out of tum mi'maasav hara'im-I lived with in line; #5: wearing Improper cloth Lavan, I kept the 613 mitzvos, and I ing; #6: not putting paper In the didn't learn from his evil deeds." The waste baskets. The same study done Rosh Hayeshiva noted that the as in the 1980's, elicited the following list The above article is based on a speech delivered at the 69th National Convention of Ag'udath Israel of surance that he learned no evil was of problems: Drug abuse, alcohol Amertca. Rabbi Yiuochar Frand says a shiur in not a superfluous statement; appar abuse, pregnancy, suicide, robbery. Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore, as well as a weekly ently one can be a shomer Torah and assault. That should be a fair in shJur in the Agudath Israel of Baltimore (see JO u'mitzvos, and nonetheless learn dication of what has happened to February '87). Rabbi Frand's article, MWhere There's a Rabbinic Will, There's a Halachic Way: from Lavan's evil ways. Let us see America in the last forty years. The Fact or Fiction?~ was featured in JO, Oct .. '90. how this might describe our contem- problem underlying all these
8 The Jewish Observer. February 1992 changes. a leading sociologist wrote, which comes in its absence. The al is that America has lost its sense of ternative? Azus-brazenness. And shame, and people are no longer Rabbi Yehuda ben Taima says: "Az ashamed of what they do. If one had panim l'Gehinnom-the brazen one is any doubts regarding this, then the destined for Gehinnorri' (Avos 5,24). Thomas Supreme Court hearings The famed mussar personality of should have dispelled them. If foul the previous generation, Rabbi Elya mouth confessionals can be uttered Lopian ?"llT, highlighted the extra risk in our Senate, for men and women involved in being an az panim. He and children across the entire coun asked, "How can a character trait try to hear, is there any vestige of sentence someone to Gehinnom? shame left in the national psyche? Can't he recognize his failings and re Many years ago, when Rabbi pent?" To which he answered: "It's Yaakov Kamenetzky 7""llT was in Balti not that the az panim cannot do more, visiting his children for the teshuva. He won't do teshuva. In his Succos holiday, a friend invited him view, he's always right." to tour Washington D. C. It was a mis In a society where people lack erably hot and humid day, and Reb busha. there is a tremendous amount Yaakov took off his kapotte. When of azus. And when busha is replaced they came to the gallery of the U.S. by azus, a person feels I can do what Senate, however, Reb Yaakov put his A society without a sense ever I want, I can wear whatever I kapotte back on. He explained that want, I can transgress any laws I the Senate represents "shpitz of shame, says the don't agree with Anything-and ev malchus-the epitome of sover erything-goes. Indeed, the Maharal eignty-of America, and we must re Maharal, is an immoral says that a society without a sense of spect the dignity of America's shame is perforce an tmmoral society. sovereignty." ... ! wonder: after the society. Its members must Its members must sin, because when Thomas hearings. would Reb Yaakov there are no inhibitions and people still have put on his kapotte to enter sin, because when there are indtfferent to society's standards the Senate? are no inhibitions and of decency, a person can act on any impulse. Does "a society that can ut LOST: people are indifferent to ter anything, write anything, sing AN INNATE SENSE OF SHAME anything, wear anything" sound fa society's standards of miliar? That is a telling descrtption nfortunately, we are learning of Western culture at the end of the from the ways of Lavan. and decency, a person can 20th Century. Uwe, members of Klal YISroet Even the non-Jewish world has are losing our sense of busha. This act on any impulse. found the situation catastrophic. To loss should not be underestimated. quote the Chaplain of the U.S. Sen The Gemora (Yevamos 69b) identifies ate: the three character traits of Klal Yisroel as rachmanim, bayshanim, ture G-d before me at all times." "We demandfreedom witlwut re v"gomlei chassadim-they are com From that point of awareness, contin straint, rights witlwut responsibility, passionate, they are kind. and they ues the R'ma, one can embark on clwice witlwut consequence. pleasure have an innate sense of shame. The one's avoda, one's Divine senrice, witlwut pain, in our narcissistic, hedo Maharal of Prague explains that we "with awe before G-d, and a constant nistic. masochistic, valueless preoccu have each of these traits as a legacy sense of busha." Not only must we be pations. We are becoming a people from the Avos: Avrohom imbued us on guard to protect our innate busha. dominated by lusts, avarice, and greed." with his selfless chessed. We are we must be wary of the alternative. rachmanim thanks to Yaakov. It was Yitzchok, who represents yira-awe before G-d-who gave us busha. be Considering a move cause the prelude to yiras Slwmayim toMOJVSEY? is busha-the capacity to know and to feel one's utter insignificance in the presence of a Greater Being. And For careful attention to your what is the prerequisite of busha? individual needs, call us today! The first R'ma in Shulchan Aruch tells us that one must feel a sense of (914) 354-8445 "ShivisiHashem l'negdisa.mid-[ pic- TheJewish Observer, February 1992 9 ffiTTINGHOME influence of the market place, yet Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivas, and children do pick up this attitude of Admorim Periodically, the Rabbonim he problem of busha leading azus-because they often do not have mount the bima and give us mussar, way to azus is cropping up in the opportunity to see us acting with but we don't listen. Do our children T our sheltered community. derech eretz. In earlier, less mobile hear us say: "We can't do this be There is a crisis in many of our times. grandparents lived close by. cause the Rav told us that we schools, a lack of derech eretz. Chil There was a built-in limud-a vital shouldn't"? In many minyanim the dren are insolent, disrespectful, and object lesson-when a forty-year-old baale battim say, "We don't need a cynical-mevatlim In some classes, father listened to the Zaide and the Rav. I can look up the halacha my everyone wants to be the comedian, children witnessed that inspiring, in self, thank you." But we do need a the "star" that has the one-liner to tell structive lesson in respect for elders. Rav If only to enable us to tell a the Rebbe in front of the class. Today the Zaides are distant and our child-"The Rav says we must do Schools like these become a moshav children do not see us listening to our this ... The Rav forbids that" ... ifonly to leitzim rather than a makom Torah. parents. teach our children derech eretz by ex We try to shut out the ubiquitous Nor do they see us listening to our ample. A gross manifestation of this loss of busha (as Rav Schwab men tioned) is that we are suffering in our middas hatzenius. The lack of tzenius in women's fashion is not only the fault of the women. If a husband expresses disfavor over improper clothing, his wife will probably not want to displease him, and she will not pursue the latest brazen fashion. With gratitude to •:i Dayan Dunner of London tells of a group that had approached Reb for the 1t•nw, Mnll"D we have been granted thus far Moshe regarding a particular mode of "TIYJ.,n;i ,IHYJ Hn::i•nYJ dress. When Reb Moshe answered that it was unequivocally forbidden, ll"l!l''7UI /"l!IUl7'7HA "::111!1 :J"T,"1 /IHA,"1 nlll'UJI:J they asked, 'Why don't you write it in is pleased to announce the opening ofregistration a Kol Koreh (public proclamation)?" Reb Moshe answered, "Vos zei for the coming school year, l"IWn - ::1"1wn zogen in Paris iz shtarker fw> mein for the 9th and 10th grades. psak-Edicts from Paris carry more • • • • • weight than my halachlc decision." It The Mn:>"n" B Aaru ,,D focusing on the specific il:J1'1i1 appropriate to is time to stand up and be counted: has seen a each H1D•n11 level who will determine our dress? Reb tremendous BA comprehensivew"lj'J .,,,,... ,curriculum including ilni1 Moshe Feinstein, or lehavdil some ,wn1n.n1x·~ and m•1wn nn'7ll!n decadent designer in Paris? II Fully accredited English department, with a serious with its environment of study and accomplishment GROPING FOR commitment II A warm 0111n Dli'ft with sensitivity to the development A SENSE OF KEDUSHA to the of each .,..,..,n following 11 TheHn:::i·nn adheres to a strict policy of accepting those a.,n:a who will meet its high expectations and stan ne ramification of our lack of educational busha is that we are in dan goals: dards in the areas of r,x ,,, and nc1t2 n1,n, as well as learning 0 ger of becoming a Kial Yisroel without a sense of kedusha-a desire • • • • • for sanctity. If we cease to be the Am The •n~·n• is truly fortunate to have as its Ninth Grade Rebbe and Menahd, Kadosh, prishus (abstenUon from ex Rabbi Dovid Finkelman M"ll''w cess indulgence) will become a lost art. The message of "Kedoshim tihiyu" Fur farther infurmation is: Abstain. The late MashgiachofNer or applicati
This comment of the Chafetz YOUR NEW BABY CAN SAVE AN ENTIRE WORLD Chaim may offer us an insight into the reason that we might suffer tzaros when there is no apparent reason for Send sponsorship to Keren Ellyahu Baby Fund of Yad Eliezer us to be so afflicted. We do not have a Mr. & Mrs. Zolly Trapper Rabbi & Mrs. Yaakov Weisel navi or kohetn (prophet or priest) to 1102 East 26th Street Kiryat Sanz explain the causes for our suffering. Brooklyn, NY 11210 Jerusalem, Israel Yet G-d states clearly that He does not 718-258-1580 02-384-094 want to walk or remain within Kial Yisroel when it lacks busha and a for more information or sense of tzenius. for sponsorship of a baby So what can we do? Should we Call 718-258-2580 throw up our hands and conclude that the situation is hopeless? l sug gest perhaps a two point counter attack. Firstly, let us - as Rabbi Mattisyahu Solomon pointed it out take an indelible Image from the Gulf
The Jewish Observer. Febnwry 1992 11 Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner
The Majesty of Tzenius Where Spirituality and Nobility Meet
CWTHING: MORE THAN A we also find that the concept of ceive his physical presence as an ex PROTECTIVE BARRIER tzenius is expressed as a general way pression of his identity-no longer of life, even when we are involved in merely a garment for the soul. It was e concept of tzenius assumes activities such as Torah study and at this point that Man became major place in Jewish life. the performance of mitzvos, when one clotheless and requtred some kind of The first mention of tzenius in is certainly less subject to falling vic covering, to make certain that his the Torah is in the account of how tim to negative inclinations. Indeed, physical presence not be dominant. originally Adam and Chava were not the Prophet exhorts Kla[ Yisroel, Man's clothing, then, redirected his wearing clothes, without any sense of "What does G-d demand from you focus back to his neshama his spiri shame. Rashiexphilns that they had other than to do justice, love kind tual essence, as his core identity. not yet partaken of the forbidden fruit ness, and hatzne'a leches--<;onduct We find a parallel to this concept in of the Tree of Knowledge, and there yourself with G-d in modesty" (Micha how prophecy-a Divine contact be fore did not possess within them 6,8). Moreover, Chazal (the rabbis of tween Hashem and Man-was selves any negative inclinations. Be the Talmud) underscore tzenius as an achieved. The prophet had need to cause of this, they had nothing to be inherently positive value, aside from "shed his physical garments" before ashamed of. It would seem from this its function as a barrter against nega being able to receive G-d's message. interpretation that tzenius (in the way tive tendencies. In what way is (See Shmuel I 19,24.) That is, the of clothing) is a response to the emer tzenius a value unto itself? prophet related to his physical being gence of negativity in Man, and Man's According to the Malbim Adam as one does to a garment, and not as need to protect himself from encoun and Chava's lack of a sense of shame to an essential part of his true iden ters that would arouse within him prior to thetr eating from the Tree of tity. His flesh, so to speak, was the any element that might taint or con Knowledge, was a result of lhetr clear garment of his soul. fuse an otherwise pure perspective. perception of Man's soul as his true While this is truly a concern and identity. while his physical existence SEPARATION OF BODY AND SOUL: an important dimension of tzenius, was seen as a garment that clothed MAN'S INTRUSIVE INNOVATION within it his. true being. Hence Adam This essay is based on a speech given by Rabbi Yitzchok Kirmer at a gathertng sponsored by the and Chava at their pristine, ideal he Malbirrls interpretation can Beth Jacob Teachers· Seminary of Amelica. He state were truly garmented-their lead us to a deeper under serve.s as Director of the Citywide Outreach Edu physical dimension, their bodies, T standing of tzenius. When G-d cational Program of the Jewish Renaissance Cen served as their clothing. It was only created Man, this creation took place ter, in New York. and Rav of Congregation Kol after partaking of the forbidden fruit on both physical and spiritual levels. Yehuda in Brooklyn. His artiele, "Parents to Child: Conveying Values, Attitudes, and Understand that a subtle shift occurred whereby However, it was not G-d's intention to ings," was featured in JO. Oct. '89. man began (at least in part) to per- create two distinct realms of exist-
12 111e Jewish Obseroer. Februmy 1992 ence, each with its own natural soul. It was only afterwards that his "crown" of sorts. 111is would suggest laws ... with Man scrambling to and fro physical presence began stealing the that just as a crown serves to high between them. When G-d created limelight. so to speak, assumtng for light the uniqueness of a king as a Man's body. it was in the form of "a itself some degree ofidenti ty in Man's solitary ruler. so too does adhertng to garment tailored" for his spiritual be self-perception. It was then that the guidelines of tzenius proclaim ing. Hashem is one, and in essence, tzenius became required: a covertng, G-d's rule over us. That is. through the world He created is meant to pos so that Man might not lose the focus tzenius, we proclaim that every sinew sess this charactelistic of oneness. It of his identity and then begin to build of our being is meant to serve G-d is for this reason that our great teach a two-realm perspective 1n life. alone. This can be compared to the ers speak of transgression as the mis coronation-the very crowning-of use of the physical, with Man-not G-d as our King. G-d-<:reating two reshuyos-treat The concept of tzenius is Ramchal teaches us that the ulti ing his physical needs and pleasures expressed as a general way mate goal of Man is to comprehend as though they constituted a realm this oneness of G-d and to live a life unto itself. TIJ.is reshus, this physi of life, even when we are attached to Him alone. Little wonder. cal sphere of concerns and activities. then, that the guidelines of tzenius excluded G-d, as though to isolate a involved in activities such as are the source of holiness of our block of time. space, and energy from people. for through its laws we return Him. to use only for Man's indul Torah study and the perfor G-d's world to an integrated oneness gence. mance of mitzvos, when one that bonds all things to Him. Man in his ideal state views all It is also important to note that physical resources as a means of is certainly less subject to tzenius does not denigrate the physi serving G-d, and to the extent that cal body. as is often misconstrued. they serve holiness. they become falling victim to negative The greatest beauty that exists in a sanctified and, in a sense, unite with person's physical dimension is his the spirtt to which they are subservi inclinations. Obviously, capacity-his willingness-to use it in ent. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto tzenius must be an inher service of G-d. By contrast. isolating (hereafter. Ramchal) explains that the one's physical aspect from serving the plincipal method of generating holi ently positive value and not soul is its greatest denigration. Sim ness 1n this physical world is by dis ply stated, tzenius is Man's effort to avowing this dangerous illusion: the merely a barrier against find G-d's royalty. and by doing so. attitude that there are "de-spilitual negative tendencies. discover his own majesty. as well. ized zones"-activities and concerns not touched by spirituality. a "recess" THE SAVING GRACE OF TZENIUS of sorts from serving G-d. By con THE CROWNING trast, through rejectlng the two-realm DISTINCTIVENESS OF MODES1Y e can now understand notion. Man can fill the single realm. more fully a comment by encompassing body and soul, with we proceed in our discussion W Reb Meir Simcha ofDvinsk Hasherris holiness and presence. of tzenius. it may help to refer in his Meshech Chachma, that Before Adam sinned, it was abso A to the Chofetz Chaim's sefer tzentus always played a central role in lutely dear to him that Man's physi Ceder Olam. wherein he refers to the course ofJewish history. He dem cal being was but a garment of the modesty 1n demeanor and dress as a onstrates this polnt by observing that
TheJewishObseroer. February 1992 13 some of the greatest persecutions of ' Interestingly, the Meshech Kial Yisroel took place only after we Tzenius does not Chachma alludes to a Midrash that had sought to eliminate those aspects indicates that Hashem had in of Jewish life that identified us to the structed the Prosecuting Angels to outside world in a discernibly Jewish denigrate the physical rather punish Job who was a rtgh way. When theJewtrtestoavoidpro teous person, but did not observe the jecting a Jewish identity. the veiy ex body, as is often ordinances and protective "fences" in istence of Kial Yisroel becomes threat the areas of tzenius. We are certainly ened. G-d then enlists various other misconstrued. The familiar with the great salvation that nations to remind us that we will for Kial Yisroel experienced, on the one ever be seen as Jews, regardless of greatest beauty that hand, and the great suffering that how we may attempt to deny our dis Job endured, on the other. This tinctive identity.... Then, there is the exists in one's physical study in contrasts underscores the other side of the coin: We Jews mer great dangers in which we place our ited redemption from Egypt even dimension is one's selves and Kial Yisroel when we com though we had been guilty of idol promise the distinctive mode of dress worship, because we had retained that projects our Judaism. Tzenius our own distinctive language and capacity-one's always was and will forever remain names, and our unique way of dress. the way that G-d will see the awesome On the surface, it seems difficult to willingness-to use it differences that divide Klal Yisroel comprehend how such seemingly from the rest of the world. simple aspects of daily life could ac in service of G-d. The Meshech Chachma explains tually help us merit surviving Egypt. that this is the deeper meaning of More puzzling, one wonders how G-d's instruction to us on the night of these trtvial factors saved us when Pesach: "Do not leave your homes the Angels of Prosecution had argued, environmental influences, not be until morning" (Shemos 12, 22). at the Splitting of the Sea, that we did cause of any deep, essential drive. By Hashem is imploring us to hold on to not deserve to be protected from the contrast, distinctiveness in dress and our laws of tzenius (exemplified by the pursuing Egyptians, because In es other seeming externals actually tes Jewish home) until the morning of sence, we were no different from them tified to an incorrigible uniqueness redemption has arrived. At that time, in that both had worshipped idols. and internal nobility of the Jews. the singular realm and sovereignty of However, Hashem who is the ulti More specillcally, their clothing re G-d will be clear to all the world, and mate Judge, recognizes those ele flected tzenius, which projected Am it will fmally be proclaimed, "You are ments that constitute a true threat to Yisroets capacity to strtve for an inte one, Your Name is one, and Who is Kial Yisroel's eternity, and those that grated life, where soul-values of like Your People Yisroel, One nation are only superficial. The fact that the kedushainform the flesh and pulsate upon Earth!" --exemplifying a one Jews had worshipped idols was not through the blood-Kial YisroeC s true ness that reflects the supreme One an indictment; they did so because of purpose and its ultimate Yeshu'a. ness of G-d. 8
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14 The Jewish Obseroer. February 1992 TZENIUS
ne must, at times, object vo want to quote them alongside ciferously to kefira--heresy. Rav Schwab's article," he of 0 There may be a place for fered. shouting "Shabbos!" at a deliberate The enclosures were un violator of the Sabbath in chareidi doubtedly powerful argu Jerusalem neighborhoods. And one ments against indiscriminate might well publicly denounce a pur radio-listentng, and even own veyor of traifefood under a kosher la ing 1V sets-to those who have bel. But how does one respond to them. Maybe the rough lan pritzus---brazen violation of basic de guage they included have a cency? Is it effective to loudly berate place in shaking up unin the violaters and scream "Tzenius!"? formed or indifferent parents, Is it tzenius'dik-in keeping with the and alerttng them to what their guidelines of modesty-to do so? children hear and see. But This question comes to mind as verbatim quotations-espe one encounters incident after inci cially on these pages-would dent of people reacting as individuals surely prove offensive to the and as spokesmen for institutions, unsullied eye or unpolluted decrying the lack of decency in the ear. To give the reader a very media-both entertainment and in general idea of their content: formational. Yet crying out "foul!", On the US News and World with elaborate documentation, is not Report editorial page (May always in full keeping with decency tn 20, 1985), columnist David expression. Gergen calls parents to arms The principal of a respected against "X-Rated Records": mesivta high school in the New York "Wejust listen to the beat, area contacted The Jewish Observer never the words. " ... insisted after he had heard Rabbi Shimon /my 14 and 11 year old Schwab's speech, condemning the kidsf. My wife andI backed pernicious influence of television on offfor 24 hours and then the Jewish neshama, at the recent snuck up from behind: convention of Agudath Israel of "Have you ever heard of the song America. He assumed (correctly---see ·__ '?" we asked sweetly. Sponta calls "Pornographic Rock," and re pages 4-7 in this issue) that JO would neously, they both broke into the m1I11- ports: publish the speech and he offered ber performed by Frankte Goes to Hol some corroborative material: reprints lywood, a group that advocates ... /de ... My 13-year-old, rock-cmzed son of various articles decrying the im viant behaviorf. muttered. as he inadvertently tuned moral influence of TV and other Some sociologists say the music /the car radio/ to {a/ ... loud and crude popular entertainment. This princi doesn't make an impression on teen song. "I hate this song." My own Mr. pal has mailed copies of these articles agers. Others think nothing can be Cool was visibly embarrassed. Em to parents of students that own 1V done. Nonsense. barrassed? I almost drove off the sets. to spell out clearly, candidly, ex ••• road. plicitly, the situations, words, and at In Newsweek's "My Turn" column I corifess to being something of a titudes that their children are ex (Aug 6, '85), Kandy Stroud quotes rock.freak... since the 50's ....But innu posed to on a daily basis. ''You may generously from the lyrics ofwhat she endo has given way to the overt. And
The Jewish Observer, February 1992 15 vulgar lyrics supported by uncomfort America is taking its cues from Eu ably provocative sowui effects result rope, where attitudes are much more in musical pornography. "l!beral." "As advertisers push the boundaries to find risks," Elliot says, Enough said. Or perhaps too "some in the industry fear, they risk much. polluting the entire advertising envi nother angle: The New York ronment." Times featured an article in its Indeed, nowadays, evening, prime A Sunday Business Section time commercial spots are far more (Dec. 6, '91), where Stuart Elliot re shocking than after-eleven, "adult" ports on trends in 'IV and print ad programs were fifteen years ago. vertising, which are progressing from If folks think that they can be more what he terms "naughty" to the relaxed about the content of family "shocking," demonstrating that shows, or popular film fare, they
Catering under Hashgocho of .Gr_ound flOor Transpor~ation roOins--Ovailable b_y-(or, onh;i 1 .hr. 15 - olSo joinirt9 min·~ from Bora Pork rooms Bus ·every 1/2 hr. speq~1 oJets (24'hrs. doily) A*ollobli> from.Port AUthbrity rustJ,Jfr. _even} ·10- min. Tznius is a very fragile NJ-Trans.it or'Suburbon) commodity should subscribe to the National Coa .2 BJOdri from:YeshlV_q_ l!tion on Television Violence's NCIV News. 'IV shows, movies, perform ers, songs, and videos are described and evaluated for unwholesome (a MikVOh' very mild term!) content. In many s-:a1ocks from n¢Orbl/' cases, the mere descriptions deserve lake Corosaljo an "X' rating. he cautionary note being sounded here, then, is delib T erately focused exclusively on SIU frci'm Bo:rb Park descriptions of the offensive material. ShUI on' (49th SL_ along Ave.) No direct quotations of the offensive prem1'"'~ •ve!V 9:1Dam&5:10pm material are offered here. We wish others would follow the same prac tice. In its full-page ad on the last page of the Finance Section of The We Ca!\ arrange N.Y. Times (Jan. 7, '92), the Wall door fo _d99f Street Journal touted its compara :trar\sportction/ Volunteer olso tively high standards of decency by befOre and ofter reprinting an editorial from the pre ~:-~·;';;? . -Yorn Tov Kimball Ho~pltal nearby vious December, decrying the sorry state of journalism, exempltfied by a front page Newsday report on the ?~'I ,,~ CJ ~ ·:::-~;,;;;'< All prices ore based on double occupancv William Smith case, which had fea and do not include 7% N.J. Soles Tax tured verbatim quotes from the trial 16 The Jewish Observer. February 1992 transcript. Samples from the Newsdny story were quoted, to dem onstrate the Wall Street Journals vir tue and discretion ... all on the back page of my N. Y. Times (no paragon of discretion either, for that matter). Nothing like screaming expletives to restore a little peace, quite and de cency to the print media. Perhaps we should not expect too much restraint from secular sources. But what are we to make of a popular Modem Orthodox rabbi who . .~~9~~.~~<>n~y;~lll>8cril>el' decided that the best way to cam .· .. ~() .'l'h~ ~~~!Jll. ~b!Jeryel'and .. paign for a life of kedusha among · · s~~'ll~.ct()~7~ ofl ~~esbigle' Jewish singles and adherence to Taharas Hamishpacha in Jewish t?Pt ~.i,i~ ~a ·~vbtl(S ~'~I' families Is by appearing in a dialogue ··$~0.).>Th~ long~r)'():!!, ~ub, with "Dr. Ruth" on a public forum? scribe fOr~ ~Ile lfi()~ )"()ti S!{ye. And this introductory oflerisfuHyguaran~.·'fou have but lo ask an~ you \"ill recei~e Titillation can fill the a promptxerpnd on artyuttdeli~ered is~uessh!JUld you decide to.caticel at ahy ji111e; bleachers, but it leaves lot any reascm. •· .. • > • .•. ·.• . . • •••.. · •. > .Each tnQl)th,.Thto J¢\vl~t)l)~r ;vJI.lbedeliveted dl.rectly t6.Yoj1f doot,fill~d the soul empty. · \".it.h t~e views iii l(l;jct.ing :To!ah, !~ill~~ .op co'.refil.. )s.s.ues, . :corn1Mllfj; btithe strengthJ; .artd·. (~ilile.s ~ilhin. the Jewish t()tnmunity ...analysis ?f t The Jewish Obseroer, February 1992 17 Adoptions are meeting the challenge ADOPTIONS MEET THE CHALLENGE OF SECURING A TORAH FUTURE FOR THE HOLY LAND ••• Ramie Ranana Rosh Haayin Yahud Yavneh HAIFA REGION ••• BY INJECTING SPECIAL Chadera resources into 39 selected Haifa (Hatikvah) JERUSALEM schools of the Chinuch A tzmai Ha1la (Shaare Torah) To PJACE RFsE.RVATJONS & Jot1RNAJ. Ans ~''.i:V,A~i ToRAn S IT BEGAN WITH SONCINO ders If the stones on the Kohein How fortunate-what a magnificent Gadors breastplate were engraved by act of the Hashgacha-it was to pro e invention of prtnting was a a printing process, and the Marits vide Kial Ylsroel with the means for unique event in the histmy of Chayas surmises that the secret of consulting the great leaders of the TiKial Yisroel. A fundamental the Bar Kamtzafamily, which allowed earlier epoch through their writings, change in Information technology, them to write all the letters of G-d's thanks to the printing press, during which happened outside the Jewish name simultaneously (Yoma38), was the new Era of the Acharonim (Later world, had a profound effect on the the discoveiy of printing! Commentators), whose great leaders study ofTorah, The Responsa of suc One can take a longer, historical were of comparatively diminished ceeding generations are filled with look at the introduction of the print stature. The thoughts of the towering questions concerning kashrus of ing press as well as other technologi leaders of earlier times were still ac printed gittin and S!fi-ei Torah, the cal advances in written communica cessible to the people of the 16th, printing of G-d's name, s{frei kodesh tion. Interestingly. the first Hebrew l 7th ... and 20th centuries. printed by non-Jews, the need to put book, a Chumash with Rashi, was A traumatic break with the past of printed pages in a geniza and more. printed in Rome about 1470, only 14 even greater proportions came in the The general enthusiasm which the years after Gutenberg printed his wake ofWorld War II. Entire commu gedolim of those generations showed Bible. Within a decade, Hebrew prtnt nities, outstandingTorahleaders and for printing was almost universal. ing had spread from Spain to scholars, thriving Institutions-a vi The printing press was likened to the Constantinople, with the press of tal link With the past and a prtmaiy Altar. Many Acharonim tried to find a Gershon and Yehoshua Shlomo at means of reaching the future-were precedent for It In the Torah and Sonclno near Cremona being the eliminated ... vanlshed. Even the writ divrei ChazaL The Get Pashut won- most productive. With the scattering ten legacy-entire libraries and store of Spanish Jewty across Europe and houses of seforlm-was gone. Setting Rabbi Yaakov Rosene•. formerly of Ottawa, Canada. is the director of the Judaica Archival to various countries around the Medi type anew to reprint the missing Project 1n Jerusalem. The Judaica Archival Project terranean Sea In 1492, Kia! Yisroel seforiJn, to enable budding scholars was founded in 1987 in conjunction With the To suffered a traumatic break In the to study. would have been a task of rah Microfiche Ltbnuy under the sponsorship of smooth flow of the Mesorahfrom gen impossible proportions. At this vital the late Mr.JosephRudman ?"t of Far Rockaway, eration to generation. effectively clos juncture, the photo-offset process N.Y. It ts designed both as a preservation program and a working reference system for talmtdet ing the Era of the Rishonim (Early was invented, which makes it eco chachamim, rabbis and educators. Commentators and Authorities), nomically feasible to reprtnt hun- The Jewish Observer, February 1992 19 The computer has DON'T DELAY! been put to work for the service of limud Now is the time to ioin the Ha Torah in several '?_K110' .m1lK 'i.l!l J.11' ''n:Jll :11J.IJ projects which have for . ;Agudist Benevolent Society, Inc. a the most part originated in • Full Butrol Bene/,11 fur rhe Fomrly ((h Agudist htMIVOa.nt Socl•ty greater or lesser extent by the Torah World. 84 William Street N- l'ork, NY 10031 dreds upon hundreds of different unfortunately in short supply these Uncle Moishy, seforim in limited quantities, replen days. Mordechai Ben David, ishing our personal and communal The computer generally converts and other Top-Of-The-Line libraries. all information into data, which is Today, technological innovations then searchable, but which is no Jewish Entertainers for the storage, processing and dis longer a faithful representation of the are available semination of information has cre original document format. As in to visit ated as radical a change in society as dexes to texts and responsa, these the printing press did 500 years ago, programs do very powerful things. Yet Seriously Ill and the photo-offset process 50years they were primatily intended as aids Children ago. Tilis new means of storing and to learning and not a substitute for accessing Information must have learning itself. When the search for thanks to mn nnr.iv some implications in the Torah per information becomes motivated more spective. However, the proliferation of by a desire to see ''what the computer ll•1?Nl '.li'Y' ,, ru rnn these innovations has not necessar can do" than by a sincere desire to A New Ches.sec! Project Run Bv ily been greeted with enthusiasm answer a question, then the machine Agudath hnel of America In coniunction with among Jewish educators (See J.O., becomes the center of attention and Suki &. Ding Productiom Feb. ,'83). It is interesting to examine the learning process becomes sec To set up an appomOTtcnt, call· (212) 797-9000 ext. #5?, M-F, 9-5 why this is the case. ondruy. In fact, many thinkers and social AND NOW, THE COMPUTER critics have suggested that over-in DIGEST OF MEFORSHIM volvement in technology can under he computer has been put to mine the learning process. A Time 't:'1p? ,.n:i 'i'1p? work for the service of limud Magazine article on the topic, quoted ?":!T "\ll1'7K ?Klr.ll!l l"n"\:"ll:l T HaTorah in several projects in the Feb. '83 JO article cited above, Available at which have for the most part origi asks: "Does the computer really nated in university environments, stimulate the brain's activity or, by LEKUTEI and which were later adopted to a doing so much of its work, permit it c/o Yitzchok Rosenberg greater or lesser extent by the Torah to go slack?" These reservations 10 West 47th Street, Room 503 World. These programs, which work would recommend a different focus New York, NY 10036 (or will work) on a home computer, on the use of computers for limudei (212) 719-1717 can find phrases, words and juxtapo kodesh. Less powerful but more "To 20 Volumes on Torah, Perek, sitions of words with blinding speed. rah-friendly" aids such as micro Medrash, Megilos and Tulmud. When used correctly, these search graphics and digital image processing Proceeds of sales distributed programs can find the source for any (computerized pictures of text), rather among Yeshivas and used for statement of Chazal as though one than standard (ASCJO computer stor reprinting of volumes out-of-print had a tremendous talmid chachamat age and retrteval may be more suit one's side. Vast bekius (encyclopedic able equipment for the talmid PRICE: $8.00 PER VOLUME knowledge of Talmud and Codes) is chacham of the future. 20 The Jewish Obseroer, February 1992 AMORE couraged to check references and "TORAH-FRIENDLY" quotations much more frequently. MEDIUM However, the learning process re mains the same. Books appear on word of explanation is in order, the screen and are used just as regu then, to explain to the reader lar books are, only the compactness A how Micrographic and Digital and low cost of such a library makes Image Processing are indeed more it a super-library, which is in reach "Torah - friendly" than the standard of an average Torah student or low and more powerful computer tech budget collector. nologies available. Here non-con ventional (i.e. non-paper) means, A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH such as microfiche film cards and OF THE CONTENT digitalized images of text on computer screens, at least present text in its or a specific group of material, migin al form (tzuras hada.fl in a way microfilming is not only a mat where large quantities or difficult-to F ter of availability, but a matter obtain information can be placed at of "life and death." Thousands of the students' fingertips. Rabbi seforim and Torah journals are in Yochanan says (Yernshalmi Brachos danger of being lost to Kial Yisroel be 5, 1) that a covenant is made With cause of paper acidification. Since anyone studying Aggada from the the mid-nineteenth century, printers text itself, that he will not quickly for started using papers composed of get. Since originally Torah She B'al wood pulp instead of the more expen Peh was only written to prevent it sive rag based papers, over a period from being forgotten, the Sefer of a few decades the natural resins in Charedim explains that Rabbi wood plus the acids used to break it Yochanan had learned his halacha from Torah She B'al Peh Just as the image of the letters of the Torah should become engraved in one's memory, similarly today, Turah She B'al Peh should be learned "from in side the sefer." Later authorities This book can strengthened this principle. The Migdal Oz (on the Rambam: lshus 4,9) was the first one to coin the phrase "Letters make Wise (Osios help people machkimos)." The Ridvaz (quoted in the S'de Chemed) points out that He brew letters have a kedusha and power of their own, apart from the cope, content of their message. (Similarly, we would contend that the choice of • Hebrew typography in a particular sefer becomes an integral part of the grow, grieve, content of that sefer.) And in our gen eration, the Pachad Yll:zchak (Rabbi Yltzchak Hutner l"xz) often admon ishes his readers to specifically look laugh and hope. inside the original source of his cita tions, and not to rely on his quotation of a passage. Micrographics has already put thousands of volumes of both rare and reference texts on the scholar's desk, he so he can "look inside" faster and more easily. Also, by not haVing to interrupt his train of thought in or der to find a sefer, the reader is en- The Jewish Observer, February 1992 21 down into pulp cause these papers to SAVING TORAH JOURNALS turn brown and brittle. Many impor For a specific group of tant works from the last generation material, microfilming is not urprisingly, there is no body are no longer usable; they have sim which is collecting and pre ply dlsintegrated into piles of brown only a matter of availability, S servin.g printed divrei Torah in flakes. but a matter of "life and an organized fashion. Divrei Torah Similarly. a great deal of Divrei To are generally considered by most li rah is being lost because of ignorance death." Thousands of brarians to be permanent if they are and lack of care. Yesterday's yeshiva in books, and to be unimportant if journals contain articles written by seforim and Torah journals they are in Yeshiva or Kolle! journals. students who are today's Gedolei To· are in danger of being lost Unfortunately, neither is the case. rah. Today's journals contain Torah Seforim printed after I850 have a of tomorrow's leaders, but there is no to Kial Yisroel because of shelf-life of60-150 years, and only a central archive or library that consis paper acidification. portion of divrei Torah is judged com tently gathers these journals and pre mercially worthy of being periodlcally serves them. Many of the pre-war reprinted. As for Torah journals, we journals were printed on the poorest crofilm, including many Orthodox have found articles printed in ex kind of paper and survive in very lim dailies. These are systematically tremely rare, low cireulation publica ited numbers. filmed because newsprint quickly be tions from the 1920's-30's by such The Orthodox Jewish Archives of comes fragile and disintegrates. As young "unknown avreichim" as the Agudath Israel, in Manhattan, has opposed to newspapers and other Chazon Ish and n·?:i• Rav Shlomo collected print-runs of several of the "mass medla," the Institute for Micro Zalman Auerbach! well-known Orthodox newspapers filmed Manuscripts at J.N.U.L. in The Judaica Archival PrClject, op printed in Europe and the U.S., and Jerusalem microfilms manuscripts erating a rnlcrofllming unit at the Na has obtained others on microfilm. In (which are necessarily unlque items) tional Library in Jerusalem, has Israel, the Hebrew University Library from Judaica collections all over the started filming some of these small (J .N.U.L.) has extensive collections of world, and makes the copies available format chiddushei Torah journals. pre- and post-war newspapers on mi- to the public. The first Torah periodical in this project (which was the first Torah pe riodical ever printed) is the Pri Ets Chaim of the Ets Chaim Bet Midrash in Amsterdam. It is now being micro filmed, with the assistance of a grant A Book for Eveiy Jewish Businessman from the Diena Family Foundation. Of the 953 issues (all of which were responsa) appearing between 1691- 1808), several have been entirely lost and others can only be found in a single copy anywhere in the world. Responders include Rav Yaakov Sas portas, Rav David Mildola, and Rav Yitzchak Aboab. The first teshuvos (halachic responsa) sent to the New World are in this collection and many unique questions of commerce, fam ily law and mlnhag are discussed by the chachamim of the leading Seph ardic Yeshiva in the West. Twelve of IN THE MARKETPLACE the thirteen volumes of PriEts Chaim have been out of print for 300 years! Jewish Business Ethics Just as computers can aid the learning process by providing indices by Meir Tamari to entire bodies of tnformation, Tex A renowned economist and scholar examines a host of important tual Storage Technology prornlses to economic issues in light of Jewish law. Absorbing and timely reading. add new breadth and depth, by mak ing new research resources readily A TARGUM PRESS BOOK Distributed by FELDHEIM PUBLISHERS, 200 Airport Executive Park, Spring Valley. NY 10977Tel. (914) 356-2282/ available. In the future, the combina Out-of-state call toll-free (800) 237- 7149Nisa & MasterCard accepted tion of both technologies may create a whole new dimension in resources for Torah study. • 22 The Jewish Observer. Febn.uny 1992 YonasonRosenb m Labor Acts Out ...... Its Conbadictions THE IDEOWGICAL FLIP-FLOP Yet just a month later, another Israel today. party convention was convened for On the most superficial level, y a vote or 390 to 302, del the express purpose of rescinding the Labor's flip-flop reflects the tension in egates to the November con earlier resolution. In its place was a any political party between the quest B vention oflsrael's Labor Party new resolution, which made no men for ideological purity, on the one passed a resolution accuslng repre tion of a separation of State and reli hand, and the desire to win over un sentatives of religious institutions of gion or of religious pluralism. As a committed voters, on the other. The "abusing the values of Labor Party, which democracy" and de ruled the State uninter manding "religious Labor's Hip-Hop reflects the tension in any ruptedly for its first 29 pluralism and toler years and whose sup ance, ensured by a political party between the quest for ideologi porters view themselves constitution based on as the ideological heirs principles of equality cal purity, on the one hand, and the desire to of the founders of the and freedom of choice." mainstream Zionist The resolution was win over uncommitted voters, on the other. movement. is becoming widely described in the increasingly marginal in press as calling for the Israeli politics. A poll in separation of state mid-November showed and religion. And indeed the call for face-saving gesture, so that Labor it commanding the allegiance of only religious pluralism and equal access would not be perceived as having 22% of Israeli voters. Ironically, the to religious services seemed impos gone "soft" on religion, the new reso electoral doldrums in which the party sible to reconcile with a continuation lution still included a call for the re currently finds itself has only inten of the Chief Rabbinate's monopoly moval of religion from politics and-a sified the push for greater ideological over marriage and divorce. thinly veiled attack on the much re purity. With the party's prospects viled religious parties. The conven currently so poor, its members feel Rabbi Rosenblum, a member ofa Kollel in Jerusa tion also urged the drafting ofyeshiva freer to follow the path of ideological lem, is a frequent contributor to these pages, most students, thus reopening the poten purity than they otherwise might. At recently With "KulturkampfJn the Holyland." in the tially most volatile issue dividing the the November convention, for in Oct. '91 Issue. He also serves as an edltor for the chareidi and secular communities in stance, there was for the first time a ArtScroll Mishnah Series. The Jewish Observer. February 1992 23 large faction in the party ready to ac Shimon Peres, who knows that he Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik, of Brisk: cept in principle the creation ofan in has, at most, one more tum around "They do not destroy religion in order dependent Palestinian state and to the electoral track. Fearing the pos to build a state; they build a state in carry out peace negotiations with that sible loss of traditional Sephardic vot order to destroy religion." Early Zion goal in mind. ers and an even further reduction of ist wrtters were obsessed with the de Labor's chances of ever enticing reli graded state of the Jew in Europe. 1 THE LIFEBLOOD OF gious parties into a coalition govern Writers such as Brenner, Frishman, POLITICIANS: POWER ment with itself at the hehn. Peres im Berdyczewski characterized their mediately vowed to secure the rescis contemporary Jews as "dogs." "spiri ut the lifeblood of politicians is sion of the November resolution. He tual slaves." and "non-men." And power and it is almost impos even went so far as to invite represen this degradation was largely associ B sible to give up the quest, no tatives of the religious press to meet ated in their minds with the ancient matter how quixotic it may appear. with him. At that meeting, he spoke religion. With the slogan "Yavneh and That is all the moreso true for such proudly of his role in securing the Jerusalem are enemies," Berdy an old war horse as Labor leader original draft deferment for yeshiva czewski expressed the fundamental students and government filnding for antagonism between the Jewish reli AGUDATH ISRAEL OF Chinuch Atzmai. He stressed his gion and the new nationalism. view that only religious faith could ex Marcus Ehrenpreis claimed that the CLEVELAND plain the survival trtumph of Zion of the Jewish ism lay precisely LECTURE SERIES people and his be The lifeblood of politicians in the destruc ON TAPE lief that a Jewish tion of Judaism: state without reli is power and it is almost We have liber Serles #1: HA LACH A L'.MAASEH gion is no more ated ourselves lndividually-$6.00; ~ impossible to give up the 5 ormore-$5.00 each . • . ·· · ~ · imaginable than a from the shack body without a quest, no matter how les of a sickly, soul. Money cur arui .·. ·.··.·.·.·. rotten dying By,:b~joru(:':Jfeld~ rently being spent quixotic it may appear. tradition! A tra on settlements, he dition that can- O 1. Shiur K'day Achilas. Pras said, should be rwt live arui does D 2; .Tzuras Hapesach spent on Jewish education instead. not want to die: a tradition that D 3. Mayim Aeharoliim Secular editorialists had good fun manacled our hands, blinded our D 4 .. l.Jsing Kel•Oim for l~surim when the religious papers carrted the eyes, arui confounded our hearts, that O 5. Methods in .Talmud Torah stoiy. One typical editorial was titled: darkened our heavens arui banished 0 &; Kosheringthe Kitchen "R'Shimon HaTzaddik," and began: light arui beauty arui tenderness arui (l>~sac~~ndal\ year) "A hidden tzaddik stands at the head pleasantness from our lives, that D. 7. The Seder ·• · .• c • (What to ten your child) of the Labor Party-and we didn't turned our youth into old men arui our D 8. B'Oikas Chcimetz know it. For these past 43 years the elders into shadows. We have liber O 9. Hand vs. Machine Matzah love of the religion of Israel has ated ourselves from the excessive 0.10. MinMgim burned within Shimon Peres-and spirituality ofthe Exile.... We have lib D 1.1. Korbarr Pesach .B'Zman Hazeh we didn't hear of it.... " erated ourselves from the rabbinic cul· D .12. · Klddush The passage and rescission of the ture, which confined us in a cage of Q13, Mussa! Labor resolution in such rapid-fire laws arui restrictions. D .14. CensusTaking.in Israel succession, however, reflects more But however hostile to religion Zi D 15i Mezzuzah than a politician's dilemma between onist ideologues were, they neverthe O 16; Hilchos Ro.sh Hashana securing hard-core supporters and less claimed to be leading a move 0 17. The Avod.ah on Yom Kipper attracting m!ddle-of-the road voters. ment of Jewish national revival. To O 18. Tircha D'Tzibura At the heart of Zionist ideology there do so, they were confronted with a O 19. When O.ne May Say a Lie has always existed an internal con problem: How to reject Judaism and 0 20. Jewis.h Names tradiction between antipathy for the yet at the same time stake a claim to 0 21. Chanukah Jewish religion and the need to por continuity with Jewish national his D 22 • .Steep tray the movement as part of the con toiy, Inasmuch as the vast majority O 23. G'zeira Sherna'YMvireno tinuity of Jewish histoiy. of Jews had throughout histoiy de- O 24, Touring & Living in Egypt O 25. Orie or Two Day Yom Tov THE PAST: 1 The following quotations are from an article en CHECK BOXl:SOF.TAPES ORDERED CONTINUITY VS. CONTEMPT titled: "Trembling with Fear: How Secular Israelis Send payment to: A9udath lsfael of See the Ultra-Orthodox and Why,~ by Noah J. Cleveland, P.O:Box 504, Wickliffe .Ohio ere is much in the writings of Efron, in the October issue of Tikkun. Prof. Efron argues, lnter alta, that current portrayals of 44092 •. Postage anti Handling included. arly Zionist ideologue to sup chareidi Jews in Israel's secular press owe much Tiport the famous dictum of to traditional ZioniSt stereotypes. 24 The Jewish Obseroer. February 1992 fined themselves as a nation on the ery issue in life is merely a matter of of G-d. it must be true and binding in basis of the covenant entered into at taste to which everyone is entitled to its entirety, not according to one's Sinai, any absolute break with Jew his own opinion. The Reform and convenience or taste. The concepts of ish religion also entailed a radical Conservative movements are typi truth and falsity still exist in Israel: break with all of Jewish history and cally American in proclaiming that Israelis have traditionally shown little called into question the "Jewish" halacha is merely a set of suggestions attraction to movements which at character of Zionism. from which one may pick and choose tempt to finesse the question of truth That same tension pervades Israel at will. Until recently, Israelis have by recourse to a standard of indi today. As chareidi politicians and re proven generally immune to this view vidual choice. Thus the Labor Party ligious leaders have learned over the ofJudaism as some sort of individual resolution. predicated as it is on the years, the fastest way to stir a tempest concoction. While the majority of Is primacy of tolerance, may portend in a teapot in Israel today is to chal raelis are not religious, they have un the beginning ofa potentially danger lenge the Jewish legitimacy of the derstood that if the Torah is the word ous new trend in Israel. • State or its underlying Zionist ideol ogy by asking what intrinsically Jew ish values inform the lives of the vast Announcing ... majority oflsrael's citizenry. Once the original Labor Party resolution was SHALACH MANOS EXPRESS* described as urging the severance of This Purim, let us prepare, pack and ship Shalach Manos to religion from the State, it had to be your friends and relatives anywhere in the United States. revoked, for its continued existence Your choice of assortments: made it too easy to point out that the $11.50, $15.50 and S23.00 emperor has no clothes, that there is Orders accepted until February 27th. nothing particularly Jewish about the For more information or to place an order, call Zionist national revival. Most Israe SWEETS N' TREATS lis are still not willing to confront that 1(800)484-1145 starkly the implication of the State's after message dial 2683 ideological underpinnings. IMPLICATIONS OF PLURALISM efore consigning the Labor Party resolution to its rightful WHO IS MIRI? B place in the dustbins of his tory, one other distressing aspect, which has serious implications for the future, deserves to be noted. The origi nal resolution did not in fact call for severing all traces ofJudaism from the State. Rather, by couching the reso lution in terms of "tolerance and reli gious pluralism," its sponsors sought to use the State to make a positive statement about Judaism: that there are no objective standards to deter mine the content of Judaism. and therefore all "streams"-Reform, Con A Novel for Adults by servative, Orthodox-are equally le LIBBY LAZEWNIK gitimate. (I1le resolution's chief spon sor, Avraham Burg, son of long-time THE SEARCH FOR MIRI National Religious Par1y minister Dr. Josef Burg, shrewdly noted that had Acclaimed children's author LIBBY LAZEWNIK offers a poignant the resolution simply called for a com and compelling tale of Miri, a young woman striving to rebuild her plete separation of State from religion, Ille after the Holocaust. Join this remarkable heroine as she only the NRP, whose ideology invests searches tor an answer in this beautifully written, absorbing story. the State with religious significance, would have been incensed by the prin A TARGUM PRESS BOOK Distributed by FELDHEIM PUBLISHERS, ciple of the proposal.) 200 Airport Executive Park, Spring Valley, NY 10977 Tel. (914) 356-2282/ Americans are raised on an ethos Out-of-state call toll-free (800) 237-7149/Visa & MasterCard accepted of tolerance which proclaims that ev- The Jewish Observer. February 1992 25 RABBI ELIEZER LEVIN OF Here's a story that will DETROIT, DEAN OF AMERICAN take you up ORTHODOX RABBIS, NIFTAR We go to press grtef-strlcken with ... up ... the loss of Horav HaGaon Rabbi Eliezer Levin '?"lit. Rabbi Leizer Levin, beloved rabbi, and away! Torah scholar, and leader of Detroit Jewry for more than half a century, Join the Miller family as passed awayonJanuary 19/ 14Shevat they make aliyah. in Detroit. President of the Vaad HoRabbonim (Council of Orthodox And the way young Rabbis) of Greater Detroit and chair Shaindy Miller tells it; it's a man of the Vaad HaChlnuch ofYeshlva time of adventure, sur Beth Yehuda, he was a dean of the Or thodox rabbinate in this country and prises, excitement and fun. an early pillar of the Agudath Israel For young readers- movement in America. Rabbi Levin was the last known lt's a meaningful and living student of the Chafetz Chaim memorable, high-flying from the pre-World War I era, subse reading experience. quently learning at the Yeshiva of H.C. $10.95 P.B. $8.95 Kelm, and later serving as rabbi of Va!skai, Lithuania. Available at all Jewish bookstores or direct from: He came to the United States in 6 FELDHEIM PUBLISHERS Visa & MasterCard accepted 1936, and arrived in Detroit in 1938. 200 Airport Executive Park, Spring Valley, N.Y. 10977 Send for your free copy A Rabbi who was active in every facet Hi Tel. (914) 356-2282/Toli free' 800·237-7149 of our 1992 catalog. of Jewish community life, he played a leadership role in almost every Or thodox charitable, communal, and ~~SARA SCHENIKEK~ educational institution in the city. Besides serving his own congrega TEACHERS SEMINARY tion, Beth Tefilo Emanuel Tikvah, he Brooklyn, New York was, as president of the Vaad Invites graduates of High Schools and those returning from Seminaries in Eretz Yisroel to join HoRabbonim, consulted on every us for the coming school year. matter of Jewish practice and policy Our vast experience in Chinuch HaBanos and in Teacher Training enables us to help our in the city. students add meaning to and realize self-actualization in their lives as Bnos Yisroel, while Rabbi Levin was one of the build enriching their families and the communities they will possibly setve. ers of Agudath Israel of America, and This is done with feeling, with expertise, and with consideration for the individual. participated prominently at its na . , . Our first class was enrolled in 1967 . , . Durtng the next 25 years, we successfully graduated many hundreds of students tional conventions for many years. Today's enrollment Ls welcoming students to our 26th consecutive class- He was president of Agudath Israel of the class of 5753 (1992-93). We often the Midwest, and also served on the Vaad HaPoel HaO!ami of the World INTENSIVE SEl'lll'IARY • full-day - 1 year program Agudah. HALf-DAY SEl'lll'IARY • 2 year program Rabbi Levin served as an inspiring example of the remarkable breadth Rt:SIDENCE HALL - DORl'llTORY and depth of knowledge and excep The beautiful Residence Hall. entering its 20th year, is open tional middos (character develop to all applicants, and offers full room and board for a vety nominal fee. ment) that was the hallmark of the European yeshivas and rabbonus. Those entering our second yrar are offered a program He brought these achievements in adjusted to their previous studies. scholarship and personality to the American scene, where they had pro Rt/JtTZIN MALKA PARtTZKY RAil/JI 11/CltOtLJ. Mt/StLS Menaheles Dean found impact without suffering loss Please call or write: through compromise or indulgence. Sara Schenirer Seminary While his inspiration lives on, he will 1 4622 ~14th Avenue • Brooklyn, NY 11219 n1i101 il 00 be sorely missed- A full-length article TEL. (718) 633-8557 • FAX (718) 435-0115 on Rabbi Levin 7"l1Twill follow. • 26 TheJewishObserver. February 1992 e have had frequent oppor chometz on Pesach. This new edition tunity to welcome excel also deals at length with the laws of W lent English editions of Shmittah, and with the rules of classic halachic works, such as, for Berachos; In connection with the lat example, the first volume of The ter, the author included not only a Halachot of the Ben lsh Hai, by general list but specific charts for Hacham Yosef Hayim. (J.O., Mar. soups and mixed foodstuffs. The pre '90). of which the second volume, sentation is necessarily very concise, covertng Va-yikra through D'varim and that may be responsible for the has now appeared (dist. by Feldheim fact that a few points are not touched Pub! .. Jerusalem, 1991. $15.95. (e.g. microwave ovens and self-clean h.c.); this volume continues ing ovens). and that on a few the clear and precise presenta matters. the rules given seem tion of basic halacha, accord rather stringent (e.g. does one ing to Sephardic traditions. really have to wait six hours and contains an Index of top for all "processed cheese"? ics treated in both this volume However, the author quotes and the preceding one. his sources on every point for Books in Review t the same time. there ls an are obviously differences of opinion further reference for the teacher. This ever-increasing number of between the poskim on many points; is truly an unexcelled text on the sub halachic wrttings specifically the author follows basically the ject ofKashruth. composed In English, for our time- Mishnah Bernrah, but is careful to e Rabbi Wagschal set out usually dealtng with one major topic, deal with divergent opinions in the cover the entire range of presenting both the basic halachos elaborate scholarly footnotes. A de Kashruth laws. Meat and and their applications under today's tailed Index enables the reader quickly Dairy. an illustrated guide for the Ko conditions. and providing Hebrew or to locate any particular halacha, sher Kitchen, by Rabbi Ehud English footnotes that list sources and he Jewish kitchen, In general, Rosenberg, translated by David clarify details and differences of opin is the theme of The New Prac Landesman (Mesorah Pub! .. Brook ion. Rabbi Shimon Eider's sertes of T tical Guide to Kashruth. a lyn, 1991, $15.95, h.c.. $12.95, p.b.), publications may be considered the completely revised and greatly en limits itself to the subject of meat and pioneer In this field, which has mean larged edition of Rabbi S. Wagschals dairy products, the obligation to keep while grown immensely. We previ earlier guide to Kashruth (Feldheim, them separate, and the conse ously reviewed Rabbi Simcha Bunim Jerusalem-New York, 1991, $14.95, quences of any contact between Cohen's books on the positive com h.c.J. Based on lessons given in the them. This is a very difficult subject mandments concerning the Shabbos, Gateshead Seminaiy. this volume but it is here presented In all its com and on the use of the services of a non covers the entire range of Kashruth plexity in a way that can be grasped Jew and of automatic appliances on issues that a housewife must be fa by anybody: point after point is intro Shabbos. Now an additional volume miliar with; it discusses which prod duced in a clear manner and is Visu in this fine series, The Shabbos ucts can only be bought if they have ally presented by diagrams, drawings Kitchen (Mesorah Publications, a hechsher, kashertng meat, foods and charts. At the end of each sec Brooklyn, 1991, $15.95, h.c .. $12.95, prepared by a non-Jew or left in his tion is a schematic summary and p.b.), presents the dinim concerning care, examinationforworms, toveling questions to "test yourself." It is a real the preparation of meals, the serving and kashering. as well as the mani pleasure to have such a teaching tool, of the food, and the clean-up after the fold issues that arise In the routine which is halachically impeccable and meal; thevartous topics are presented preparation of food. Special rules that pedagogically a masterpiece. The In systematic sequence, and are each may apply to children or in case of methods used deserve imitation in followed by a concise summaiy. There sickness are discussed. as well as the teaching of any area of halach!l- The Jewish Obseruer. February 1992 27 he Procedure for Setting tions of each phrase. Finally, there is last of the English essays was written Aside Trumot and Ma'asrot, a selection of laws pertaining to in response to the recent statement of T edited by Rabbi Shaul trumot and ma'asrot. This pamphlet the RCA on the question of brain Reichenberg, translated by Aharon will be most useful to anybody en death-with Rabbi Bleich pointing Angstreich (Feldheim, Jerusalem/ countering produce from Eretz out, in his introduction, that halachic New York, 1991, $2.95, p.b.). This Yisroel: in particular it will serve as a decision making should not be in.flu - pamphlet, prepared by the Institute guide to the tourist in how to comply enced by polemics, but be deter for the Study of the Mitzvoth Depen with the dinim involved-even if he mined strictly on the basis of its own dent on Eretz Ytsroel, is not a simple will shy away from contending with sources and dialectic. Approaching outline on how to set aside tnnnot and them by himself, he will at least real the subject in this manner, Rabbi ma'asro~ but an exposition in depth ize the importance of only eating Bleich unequivocally concludes that of the mitzvos involved. A chart is in where these laws are strictly ob "brain death" is not halachically ac cluded which shows the differences served. ceptable, and the patient in this state between what had to be done in ourning in Halachah, must be considered as living and no Temple times and what is required (Mesorah Pub!., Brooklyn, organs may be removed from him (on today. Detailed directions are given M1991, $34.95, h.c., $29.95, the other hand, the author shows on how the "setting aside" is to be p.b.), presenting the laws and cus persuasively, that this does not mili done, and the text to be recited is ac toms of the year of mourning, is an tate against the acceptance of a companied by illustrated explana- enlarged edition (translated by Rabbi transplant of a heart improperly re S. Fox-Ashrei and edited by Rabbi M. moved from a patient by doctors). NOTICE Zlotowitz) of the monumental work This is indeed the position enunci The following is the text of article VI P'nei Baruch by Rabbi Chaim ated by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman of the Beth Medrash Govoha, Lake wood, N.J. by-laws, which are cur Binyamin Goldberg. lts 45 chapters Auerbach and Rabbi Yosef Sholom rently in full force and effect, and are range from "Visiting the Sick" to Elyashiv in their recent responsa. carried out in practice. "Yahrzeit" and "Reinterment" and anctity and Science, Insights ARTICLE VI cover all the relevant laws and cus into the Practice of Milah and Beth Medrash Govoha Shall maintain toms. The author based his rulings S Metzttzah, translated and ed a nondiscriminatory admissions policy on the practice ofYerushalay!m: how ited by Rabbi Avrohom Marmorstein and shall at all times be in compliance Rabbi with applicable federal, state and local ever, the English version takes into from the Hebrew work of regulations in regard to admissions, account the customs of the diaspora. Yonason Binyomin Goldberger accommodations, educational oppor In any case, the voluminous foot (Feldheim, N.Y. 1991, $13.95, h.c., tunity, student aid policies and employment. notes-in English-draw on the en $10.95, p.b.). In writing this work, the Qualified men of the Jewish faith are tire rabbinic literature, and quote dis author sought to convey the sanctity admitted to Beth Medrash Govoha and senting opinions found in it. The com of the Covenant of Abraham and urge are uniformly accorded all rights, prehensive index demonstrates that the performance of milahin its tradi privileges and benefits, without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin. this work really touches on all the tional halachic form-including oral Beth Medrash Govoha shall maintain common-and some not so com metzitzah, despite the fears voiced by a policy of Equal Opportunity in Em~ mon---questions that arise at a time some that it could lead to transmis ployment. of death and bereavement. An ap sion of AIDS. pendix is devoted to the prayers re Rabbi Goldberger movingly de cited on the cemetery. The various scribes how Jews through all genera versions of the Kaddish can usually be tions have clung to the faithful per found in a Siddur: but this volume also formance of this mitzva, and shows MON.-WED. 4-6 P.M. includes the Viduy and other prayers that oral suction of the blood is an ab TUES.-THURS. 7-9 P.M. said by and for a dying person, which solutely crucial component of the are not readily found. Until the time mitzva However, his attack on the (hopefully soon) that "death will be abolition of oral metzitzah by reform AGUDATH ISRAEL swallowed up forever," this work will ers, with the use of a sponge in its be sure to serve as an indispensable place, or the use of a glass tube, may HALACHA INQUIRY guide and reference work. well give the reader the impression TELEPHONE LINE imeofDeathinJewishLaw that the use of a glass tube is as for (212) 363-8133 (Berman Pub!. Co., New York, bidden as the abolition of metzitzahor T 1991, $16.95, h.c.) is a collec the reliance on a cotton sponge. Yet tion of Hebrew and English essays this is not so. While there was oppo SPONSORED BY THE CONFERENCE OF AGUDATH ISRAEL BRANCH RABBONIM and responsa by Rabbi J. David sition to the tube, too, many great Bleich on a topic of consuming prac rabbinic authorities considered oral FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE AGUDATH ISRAEL DEPARTMENT tical importance. Presented in the suction via such a glass tube as ful OF TORAH PROJECTS chronological order of their original filling the requirements of oral (212) 797-9000 appearance, the articles set out to metzitzah Indeed, the fact, quoted by elucidate the halachic position: the Rabbi Goldberger, that Rabbi 28 The Jewish Obseroer, February 1992 Yitzchok Elchonon Spektor and secular values, such as the amasstng thor reminds us that it is our task to Rabbi S.R. Hirsch approved of the use of wealth and the promotion of one's act in the marketplace according to of a tube when the government made own matertal tnterests at the expense the ve'Y specific values and spilitual difficulties about suction by mouth, of others. In reality, however, the au- goals taught to us by the Torah. • tndicates that they considered it ba sically an acceptable way of doing metzitzah-though they, of course, preferred to have it done tn the way it was always traditionally done. by mouth. If they had not held that way, they would have ruled that the mohel should rather not do the bris at all. This is not a theoretical question. Baruch Hashem, our Torah society has been protected from the ravages ofAIDS, and, with the help ofG-d, will continue tn this way; but the spread of this plague in secular Jewish soci ety is bound to compel mohalim to face the question of whether they can continue to perform their task in all circles. The odds which Rabbi Goldberger quotes against the danger of infection may not remain as favor able, chas vesholom, and the use of a glass tube may then be the only way of not excludtng innumerable Jewish children from Abraham's Covenant. Thus there is danger in equating use of a tube with suction by sponge or no suction at all. n the Marketplace, Jewish Busi ness Ethics, by Meir Tamari I (Targum/Feldheim, Southfield, Mich., 1991, $12.95, h.c.) is not stlictly a halachic work-it does not present legal rules about how a Jew has to act in the world ofbusiness. But it examines many of the salient fea tures of today's economy and shows from Talmudic and later rabbinic sources how the Torah wants us to re late to them. The author analyzes such concepts as property and wealth, fraud and theft, competition and ad vertistng; he shows how modem soci ety treats them, and how halacha deals with them-concluding each chapter with a selection of halachic texts that relate to the issues dis cussed tn the chapter. The reader will not derive from this book a knowledge of Choshen Mishpat-but he will be sensitized to the problems posed by modem business life from the vantage polnt of Torah, and he will learn how the Torah Views them and what it con siders a proper response to them. Liv ing in our world, we are tempted to deal with secular issues according to TheJewishObserver, February 1992 29 Shia Markowitz I SECOND LOOKS ) \_ TORAH LEADERSIDP: A NATIONAL RESOURCE OR PUBUC PROPER1Yt s I looked up at the dais at the Their physical and intellectual ener At home, the Roshei Yeshiva and recent Agudath Israel conven gies are taxed to the limit and beyond Rabbonim are often given even less tion, I could not help noticing by their obvious determination not to consideration. People think nothing the tired, haggard faces of the Roshei disappoint any of their talmidlm or of calling a Rav late at night with Yeshiva and Rabbonim sitting there. baa1e battim, wherever and whenever she'eilos that are really not that ur And then as I watched how a human they may feel they need them. gent, or that could, in fact, be asked tidal wave descended upon them af But we do not seem to realize that to a local Rav. ter each session, it struck me that we merely to smile and give a personal In many neighborhoods, it seems are doing them an enormous disser SholomAleichem to each of the thou that one cannot call a parlor meeting vice. sand-plus people at a convention ses for a prominent tzeddaka without Before all else, we must acknowl sion, can add up to an enormously guaranteeing the presence of a edge that the Gedolei Torah are, as a tiring experience for an overworked "name-brand" Rosh Yeshiva or Ravas rule, of advancing years (w1w). De Rav. And yet many individuals go guest speaker. Despite the fact that spite their age and its accompanying even further, insisting on asking we all know in advance how impor infirmities, they put in a workday she'eilos, even in a crowded lobby or tant the cause is, we feel we cannot seven days a week-far beyond what hallway, with no consideration for the part with our money without having most of us regard as reasonable. Rav's personal need for a quiet mo "star entertainment" as a prerequlslte Shla Markowitz lives in Monsey, N.Y. This is his ment or to spend time with members of giving. first appearance in the JO. of his family. Furthermore, it seems today that 30 The Jewish Observer, February 1992 a simcha-whether a chasQ!lQ, bris, IV'1t>- ::L llV IS,.,.AEL sholom zochor, or whatever-is not considered complete unless the ap propriate Roshei Yeshiva are present. ~WMTl~T,r 34 The Jewish Obseroer. February 1992 If MISSING IN JO: THE a subject until she reads the JO. perform well at the Shabbos table? you do wish to carry that mantle, PRESCRIBED RESPONSE TO Was the father the "GrandFarherer''? what happened here? Whey did daas "CROWN HEIGHTS" Did the parents ciiticize teachers in Turah lose out to ADL-type rhetoiicl? front of David? Do the parents live As a parent and mechanech, I see their Y'!ddishkeit or do they introduce To the Editor: daily how Important it is to teach chil every mundane act as a religious ex Your recently published an article dren a sense ofresponsibility, and to ercise? Does the father lack kavana decrying the anti-semitic reaction to teach them that they can't go through the tragedy in Crown Heights (Oct. ltfe blaming others for their problems. '91). !tis quite unfortunate that you We must realize that this is true when left the issue there. We already have it comes to anti-semitism as well. We many organizations that have ac must view it as a message from cepted upon themselves the mantle of Hashem and respond to it and deal anti-anti-semitism, theADLandAJC With it as such. We may not allow our at the forefront. What is the JO do perspective to be clouded and twisted ing for us, if it is only repeating the and blinded by the anti-anti charges and complaints that are gen semitism establishment. erally put forward by these groups? CHAYIM LANDO TAPES OF What perspective should the JO be Los Angeles, California offering us at such times? MOTZOEISHABBOS A look at the Rambam in Hikhos DEALING WITH TROUBLED NAVI SHIORIM Ta' anis will call for a different re ADOLESCENTS: THE BUCK sponse! The Rambam begins by tell STOPS AT HOME By ing us that it is a mitzva to cry out to RABBI YISROELREISMAN Hashem whenever there is a tzora (crisis) in the community. He ex To the Editor: .. . ·~.. · .... l":OB 111£nR·S· T plains that this is expected as part of The article by Dr. Wlkler in your ~ TlMEAVAllABl.E BYTHETOP1C the mitzva of leshuva. and tf there is November issue of the JO on troubled a proper response on our part, the adolescents is another important ar T -l-Covering Hafr: The Halachos tzora will be removed. If the commu ticle which yet again opens the doors T•2-Managing Young Children nity does not bother to do leshuva. of family problems in the community T-3-Shaul's Suicide but rather feels that this is just one which have remained closed for such T·4-Moods:. Getting A Hold Of of those things that happens, it is a a longtime. Yourself cruelty on their part and the prob Dr. Wikler in the case of the T ·5'"-'Sotne Thoughts On Sleep lems will only tncrease. He continues "Schwartz" family cites a series of dis T ·6-Yemos HaMashiach: to describe the communal fasts and turbing incidents which exacerbated Wiir Pork Become Kosher? days of tejill!l which are the appropri David's condition. It appears that ex Z'man. HaGolus: · Weathering The Storm ate response. He says that the lead cept for the lack of parental harmony T7,8-Yerushalayim: ers of the community should spend in their approach to their son, "Mr. Origins df th!? Old. City the morning tn the shuls investigat and Mrs. Schwartz" featured little in (2 Tapes and a set of mai>s) ing the community's behavior and the causes of David's dtfficulties. The Of Special lnter(!$f: correcting any errors that are found. concept of "Re'ugtdulim she-gidalto," '.f!I, IO-Tisha B'Av: Knosl An They must warn and investigate that the buck stops with the parents, Intr<>c:ltlcfion To Individual those who are not being honest in does not come over as clearly as it Kinos (2 Tapes) their business dealings, and properly should. Environmental influence is castigate the haughty, and any simi very powerful, but outside tnfluences $ sue you quote a prominent for long peiiods with a baby-sitter? Divlslon bf Agudath lsrll~! of Am('!rica mechaneches as saying that she Did the mother feel guilty tf she did doesn't know what daas Torah is on work? Did the father expect David to The Jewish Observer, February 1992 35 in the Amidah by turning to his son not touch on several aspects of this acting-out adolescents in the Torah with an angry look for not having problem. After growing up in an en community does not exceed that of kavana in the Amidah? Are there vironment with a number of troubled the larger societies is not a means of double standards? Do the parents adolescents, I can say the following justification. Even Bilam Harasha show affection to each other and to without fear of contradiction: could only say "Hein am levadad the children? Is the home a relaxed 1. Those schools that put the ma yishkon"-it is not our place to com place? jor emphasis on "knowing the mate pare ourselves to the larger societies.) There are many questions to be Iial" and "getting good grades" invari 2. The author stated that "By sit asked, and the reason why I ask them ably turn out a higher percentage of ting down at the bargaining table and here is because parents who identify troubled adolescents than those that drawing up a behavioral contract, with the problems raised in Dr. put the main emphasis on mid.dos parents stand the greatest chance of Wikler's article need to analyze pri and on following proper Torah reaching a working compromise with vately their own home scenario and hashkafa. As the Messilas Yesharim their children." True-but careful look as objectively as possible at their says: "Is it possible that our intellect now. Compromising is only a means own lifestyles to see if something exert itself and work on investigations to an end. Expertence has proven needs rectifying. These are not the which we are not obligated in, in fruit time and again that troubled adoles only questions to be asked, but from less arguments, and dintm which do cents are likely to make an eventual my experience, these are the basic not pertain to us, and that which we comeback mainly in cases where the problems to be addressed, and whilst are greatly obligated to our Creator parents show some resentment even schools can contribute to religious we abandon to routine and leave to while negotiating with their adoles problems in adolescence, the home habit?!... And middos likewise need cent, rather than acting as if they usually triggers off the pattern which, correction and perfection. Who will "condone" a half-way measure. Fur if not corrected at source, will pro perfect or correct them, if we don't thermore, by negotiating with reluc duce only second-rate solutions. pay attention to them and subject the tance, parents would likewise dis RABBI M. I. YOUNG matter to careful scrutiny?" courage other brothers and sisters PRINCIPAL: JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS (Hakdama) from chas veshalom following suit. AND MESIVTA DARCHEI NOAM FOR BOYS Salford, England Likewise the Vilna Gaon wrttes: 3. "There are times when good "Man's main purpose in life is to cor Judgment dictates that it is preferable rect (lit. "break") his middos. And if MORE TO "TROUBLED to ignore a minor in.fraction ofthe rules not-what is he living for?" (Evven rather than make a federal case out of ADOLESCENTS" THAN REPORTED Sheleiina 1:2) it." This statement is worthy of rep One need only review the articles etition. It can apply not only with re To the Editor: "Reaching the Bottom 3/3's of the gard to adolescents that are out The author of the article "Parenting Class" and "Return of the Drop-outs" wardly rebellious, but also to those a Troubled Adolescent in a Torah in the Nissan, 5 7 42, "Report Card" is that are inwardly "bothered." One Home" brought up some interesting sue of The Jewish Observer to get must realize that many "troubled" points in dealing with our "troubled" some idea of what I'm referrtng to. adolescents have the patience not to youth. 1believe, however, that he did [The contention that the number of "fly off the handle" so easily. Detect ing the "early warning signs" may prevent an actual rebellion from tak ing place at all. 1<5TH AVENUE JUDAICA • • • And nowfor prevention; "A person 4312 15th Avenue • Brooklyn, New York 1121 9 must look after his children very care fully to make certain that they go in (FOllMEHtv KNOWN AS Bl'Ell llASUOBIM) G-d's ways" (Evven Sheleima 6: 1): There are those adolescents who have is pleased to announce that we are ready to had unfortunate expeliences in their younger days, when they were pun serve you wherever you may be! ished too harshly for minor infrac tions, causing them to look for solace • We are located in the heart of Boro Park with the "wrong" friends. On the • We offer substantial discounts on ALL seforim and books. other hand, many rebellious teenag • We provide the best personal and courteous service ers grew up in homes where the par ents never disciplined them at all in • In N.Y. call: (718) 435-7700 their younger years. •OUT OF N.Y. STATE CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-466-4312 "One should not stlike his child • FAX: (718) 435-0529 many times at once, only a little at a time as required. Should the parent perceive that he is very angry, he 36 The Jewish Observer. Febrnmy 1992 should not hit his child until he calms Surely, there was much that Mr. ~ ::f'~::f'~ down" (Evven Sheleima 6:4). and Mrs. Schwartz needed to rectify. 'The wicked man knows that his But blaming them totally would not way is evil and bitter, yet it is difficult only be unfair, it would also be inac for him to part from it. Therefore the curate, because outside influences prime objective is to train a person in were very powerful in this case. his youth, the green shell of a nut is Again, let us examine the record. ~ AUTHORS & ~RTISTS ~ easy to remove" (ibid 6:5). David's fourth grade Rebbe was so NAME WITIIHELD l3Y REQUEST unacceptable that he was not rehired Jerusalem, Israel the following year. The first therapist authors and artists to submit the family was assigned to left the manuscripts and artwork for DR. WIKl.ER RESPONDS: agency before the Schwartzes -.:, evaluation. We seek manu· t scripts in all areas of Judaica rJ. I appreciate Rabbi Young's frustra achieved any results from counsel ing. The psychiatrist who treated TJ publishing with originality, ' tion with the brevity of the "David creativity and high literary Schwartz" case history. It should be David offered the parents "little guid ance." The principal of David's ye standard. Our editors develop noted that many details in the case and highlight the lndMduallty history were omitted because of space shiva gave his parents the impression that if he knew of David's psychiatric of the author and our graphics considerations. department gives each book The case history as it did appear, treatment. "it would be held against ~ its own identity. however, cited more parental causes him." In short, David's parents not only contributed to his difficulties We welcome the opportu- Ii for David's difficulties than merely nity to work with you. "the lack of parental harmony." I do they were also victimtzed by a com'. welcome this opportunity to highlight plex series of unfortunate circum some of the other contributing factors stances which were well beyond their e for which the parents were respon control sible. As discussed previously ("The Home and the Yeshiva: Shifted or When he was in the third grade, NnvYont·Londm·~ II> David was tested and some "mild Shared Responsibility?" J.O., Nov., learning deficits" were found. Al '79, pp. 17 - 20), both parents and 180 Puk Avenue• Lakewood NJ 08701 ' yeshivos may find solace in blaming though "retesting was advised in 2-3 In UK. 0180~3723 years," no further evaluation was ever each other for the tragedies of our .,: In Israel 02·538-935 conducted. Here the parents were troubled youth. But real solutions • clearly remiss in not following will only be found if parents and ~ ;;:,;:~,;: ~ through. mechanchimfuIBll their respective re In the fifth grade, "Both his Rebbe sponsibilities, accept their limita and English teacher complained that tions, avoid mutual recriminations, NOW David was not completing his home and recognize that they share the work." Once again, the parents were identical goal of producing bnei and AVAILA.BI..E at fault for missing this flashing bnosTorah.. warning sign. Name Withheld has also "brought At the beginning of the following up some interesting points," only TO AGUDATH ISRAEL some of which I will address here, due year, "Mrs. Schwartz thought David MEMBERS should get counseling, but Mr. to space limitations. Schwartz felt it a waste of money." A distinction was made between Besides the obvious parental dishar "schools that put the major empha COMPREHENSIVE mony this revealed, Mr. Schwartz also sis on knowing the material" and demonstrated an attitude shared by "those that put the main emphasis on MAJOR MEDICAL many in the frum community that middos." Of the Torah schools with counseling, especially for school-aged which I am familiar, none would iden HEALTH INSURANCE children, is useless and Ineffective. tify themselves as belongmg fully to Had Mr. Schwartz allowed David to either category: they aim for a balance PROGRAM receive professional help earlier than between the two. Moreover, the writer he finally did, perhaps it could have gives us no clue as to what crtterta he Available to New York State residents only been more effective than it was. uses to detennine which schools be- For Information Call: Finally, "Mr. Schwartz would lose 1ong in the minor-emphasis-on his temper more often than his wife." middos group. All of this ambiguity, 212-797-7388 Undoubtedly, either parent's loss of therefore, casts further doubt on the control fanned the fires of David's statistic that the nameless schools in Between alienation and rebellion. the former category "turn out a higher percentage of troubled adolescents 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM The Jewish Observer, February 1992 37 that those" in the minor-emphasis ents never disciplined them at all." So "the spiritually corrosive atmosphere" on-knowledge schools. once again, we see that complex and of the outside business world, I'm A fmal word on middos. All would vexing problems, such as the tragedy afraid that I could not think of many certainly agree that "middos need of rebellious youth. cannot be dis alternatives. Chinuch, my own even correction and perfection." This ap tilled to any single causal factor. We tual choice, is not a universal one. plies to adults and children, as well must resist the seductive impulse to While organizations such as Agu as to adolescents. There is disagree point the finger of blame in any one dath Israel were offering successful ment, however, even amongst Gedolei direction. In the desperate and, at business courses in a Jrum atmo Yisroel (great Torah personalities) re times, frantic search for a solution, sphere, these too were often dertded garding what the most productive therefore, we must recognize the need as simply another step "out the door." strategy for achieving perfection of to combine varied forces, approaches We may cry out for the loss of tzenius middosis. and resources in order to steer rebel in our Bnos YisroeL but the inspira The fact that the proportion of act lious youth back onto the derech tion of being part of the Torah world ing-out adolescents in the Torah hayashar(the right path). seems to have been encouraging community is smaller than that of the DR. MEIR WIKLER them in that direction for years. larger society was not cited "to justify" A point, too, about our Bnei Yis anything. It was cited to inform, as THE CORROSIVE ATMOSPHERE roel, in regard to those "unwanted was the purpose of the article. IN THE WORKPLACE: THE discussions" from the men (and grow The writer adds, "It is not our place WIDESPREAD VULNERABILITY ing number of women) who supervise to compare ourselves to the larger so at work. Are our husbands, fathers cieties." That may be so. Buti tis our and sons any less at risk from the ca place to contrast ourselves with soci To the Editor: maraderie of the men and women ety at large. In doing so we emulate Your article, "In the Wake of the they work with, and the anti-Torah our Creator. After all, do His tefiUin Thomas Hearings" (Nov. '91), showed values they express? There are values not contain the verse, "Mi k'amcha that we can-and should-find a To that, as any wife knows, are brought Yisroel, goy echad ba'aretz (''Who is rah perspective on world and national home too often with the portfolios and like Your people, Israel, a singular events. May I point out several angles attache cases. nation in the world")? Meseches I believe you overlooked: The problem will not be solved by Berachos 6a. When we contrast our I certainly recall that "a decade pretending it does not exist. It would selves with the sorry state of the ago," Torah leaders began to lament certainly be helpful if the yeshivas larger society, we highlight our the movement of Bais Yaakov girls would become involved and prepare unique privilege, purpose and posi from the Seminary to the office. A de our young men for a world many of tion in the world. cade ago my fuends and I were those them will face. Finally, I would agree that while girls, deciding how best to balance a MRS. FRANCES BERGSTEIN some acting out adolescents were life of Kolle! with the need to support Brooklyn, N. Y. "punished too harshly for minor a family. While I heard (and often infractions, ... many rebellious teenag agreed with) the complaints from MORE ON "KIDS UP FOR GRABS" ers grew up in homes where the par- principals and Roshei Yeshiva about To the Editor: I want to thank you for publishing my article, "Jewish Kids Up For Grabs," in the December issue of The INSURANCE BROKERS & CONSULTANTS Jewish Obseroer, descnbing the work Commercial Industrial, Residential, Life & Health of the Jewish Children's Adoption Network. It is crucial that the Jewish community becomes involved in fighting for the right of Jewtsh chil dren to be placed in Jewish homes. Two points needed clarification, as 60 I 0 · 15th Avenue/Brooklyn, /'/. Y. 11219 well as an additional point that was omitted: • PROFESSIOl'IAL SERVICE • 1. The third paragraph should • QUALITY 11'/SURANCE CARRIERS • have read, "It was at that point that • COMPETITIVE PREMIUMS • the JCAN, which had already been asked to find a Jewish one for NeU~ was informed about her proposed BARBARA GOLOORABEN/HESHY SCHWEBEL placement." In fact, we were asked to find a home for her on March 1, and had already suggested several, when the non-Jewish couple was intro- 38 The Jewish Obseroer, February 1992 duced to Nelli. The Jewish home victims of child abuse and neglect. FIGHTING INTERMARRIAGE-BY If the parents of these children are where she now is placed was one of ACTION INSTEAD OF KRECHTZ those. and is by all criteria a more ap concerned that they be placed in a propriate placement for Nelli. Jewish home. New York law. pursu To the Editor: 2. The North American Council on ant to a federal court stipulation. Taking my cue from the stirring re Adoptable Children (NACAC)'s an guarantees them the right to request marks ofHagaon Rav Shimon Schwab. nual training conference will take placement with Ohel Children's at the recent Agudath Israel Conven place this August in Ottawa. We Home and Family Services----the only tion, I feel that I must comment on your would love to see many Jewish social agency in the nation specifically des story regarding Intermarriage (Second workers and adoptive families come ignated to serve the needs of those Looks at Intermarriage: "If You Can't and make thetr presence and opin who destre an Orthodox Jewish envi Beat Them ... ," JO, Nov. '91). ions known! ronment. But if no parent makes this Rav Schwab mentioned the very 3. Anyone seeking information request or if the family is not from real crisis of Misyavnim rabbis doing about the NACAC conference, inter New York. no such guarantees are in Misyavnim conversions in their ested in adopting a child, wanting us place and it is a long and hard effort Misyavnim temples. and the severe to help find a Jewish home for a child to influence the authorities accord erosion ofhalachic values in the cen in need, or interested in helping the ingly. It is even harder to seek to as trist community. but moved on to Jewish Children's Adoption Network sign a child who has already been suggest that perhaps a far better use (all donations are tax-deductible) can placed in a non-Jewish home be of the limited time available at the reach us at (303)573-8113 or at P.O. cause we are then infringing on the Box 16544. Denver. C080216-0544. role of other licensed agencies who (MRS.) VICKI KRAUSZ have custody. These agencies can Denver. CO. easily determine from thetr perspec CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST tive that the best interests of the child DR.BENZION HELP FOR FAMILIES OF lie with his remaining in his current CHILDREN IN NEED OF HOME placement. especially when a good SOROTZKIN PLACEMENT adjustment has been made. N.Y. STATE LICENSED It is therefore important that all ADULTS concerned Jews are as helpful and AND To the Editor: supportive to families in these cir CHILDREN Yasher Kooch to Vicki Krausz and cumstances as possible and inter (718) 219-3867 The Jewish Obseruer for their help in vene early to encourage them to insist (Please note new number) publicizing the plight of Jewish chil on a Jewish placement. As a licensed dren not fortunate enough to be able agency. Ohel cannot officially act as to grow up in a Jewish home. As our advocate, but we can and are con FOR BURIAL PWTS community Baruch Hashem grows. stant and knowledgeable advisors to IN ERETZ YISROEL we must also realize that there are in those who are. CONTACT creasing numbers of children who Of course, once the child is suc will be born with disabling condi cessfully placed with Ohel, we provide CHEV RA tions. When this occurs. many par total and comprehensive services to ents are in a state of shock and often, the child and the family. including all OSEHCHESED upon the advice of those they know necessary medical and dental care. of Agudath Israel and trust. are encouraged to place social work services and psychologi their children to assure a more "nor cal counseling, yeshiva or special 84 William Street mal" existence for the rest of the fam education. and recreation, in addition New York, NY 10038 ily. The tragedy of this decision is that to a warm and caring home to live in. Phone (212) 797-9000 Ext. 37 itis usually made without a complete Because of the ever increasing understanding of the disabling con numbers, more foster and adoptive dition, help and treatments available, homes are desperately needed. espe and. above all, the potential for the cially for disabled children. We can family's life to be enriched by the spe not save a Jewish child unless there cial child's neshama. Notwithstand is a family ready to step forward and ing this, there are many parents who undertake this special mitzva. More because of their special situations information about being certified as cannot legitimately care for their chil a foster or adoptive parent and sup dren and need our help. To these ports available can be obtained by numbers are. added those Jewish calling Ohel at 718-851-6300. children who. due to chaotic and dis LESTER R. KAUFMAN, ACSW turbed family ctrcumstances. cannot EXECUTIVE DIRECIDR, 0HEL CHILDREN'S HOME & FAMILY SERVICES remain at home. Some are even the Brooklyn. N. Y. The Jewish Obseruer. February 1992 39 convention would be to deliver some creating serious breaches in yic/ws in nif!ar in Florida, in a city that is far much needed reproof to our own their misguided quest to stem assimi both physically and spiritually from chareidi community to fulfill Chazal's lation by validating intermarriages. Miami. There was no one locally that admonitlon of" k'shot atzmecho." You are correct in that all they are ac was able to perform the tahara ac In your well-articulated article, you complishing is a mutilation of the cording to halacha. On Thursday take the Reform movement to task for 3,500year old, almost pristine yichus rnght. at 11 :30, Mr. L. of Miami. re environment of the Jewish People. ceived a telephone call requesting hls I would thus expect your fine pub assistance in arranging the tahara. lication to marshal your readers to do He worked on the problem for a while something concrete about the prob and when all other solutions proved lem. But, of course, the problem's impossible, he sald, "Give us a few been that there was no way to reach minutes to find a babysitter and 1'll the millions of Jews who are intermar drive my wife up to you so she can do rying at the rate of 53 out of every 100. the tahara." Theyarrtvedat5:00a.m. I'm sure it will come as news to Mrs. L. led two local woman (who had 4916 1·3th Ave., B'klyn, N.Y. 11219 , most of your readers that over the past never participated before in a tahara) (718) 854-2911 · four years the Aish HaTorah "Discov for an hour and a half through the ery Seminar" has demonstrated that steps of the tahara. Whenitwascom we can speak to our Jewish brothers plete, they refused to accept any and sisters, unapologetically and in money for the trip, got back into their telligently, about the presence of the car and drove the 4 1/2 hours back to BIG Ribbono shet Olam and the absolute Miami. They even followed up with a truth of Torah-and they will listen. call right before Shabbos to make APPLE They listen so well, in fact, that after sure that the funeral had gone okay COPY & PRINTING attending a single one- or three-day (and to invite us over for Shabbos the CENTER seminar, well over 90% (and we're next time we were in Miami!). talking about completely unaffiliated Ordinary Jews. There was a mitzva 87 NASSAU ST. NEW YORK, NY 10038 Jews here) said that they now under to be done so they did it. To Mr. and (212) 962-4282 stood "Judaism to be most Mrs. L. there was no question of "will (212) 267-9478 important .. .in choosing a spouse." we?" or "won't we?". Their only con i Aish HaTorah's Discovery program cern was "How will we get this done?" now attracts 10,000 non-:frumJews a It is a concern we would all do well year in 85 seminars across the coun to adopt. try. In addition. Aish HaTorah spon MINDY MANDEL Passaic, N.J, ,.., MALOHN sors once a week learrling programs boasting 4.000 registered participants l=IJ MIFAL who are not frum. OF WASTE AND SHElMOS VISITING NEW YORKn The point of this is to make an im Beautiful rooms, with kitchen passioned plea to all observant Jews: To the Editor facilities, in heart of Boro Park refer your non0frum friends, neigh The subjects of this letter are by day or week. Near Shuls, bors and business associates to Dis sheimos (papers containing the Name take-out foods, etc Profits to covery and programs like it. which of of Hashem, whlch require burial for Mifal Torah Vodaas. fer not a promise of a brighter tomor proper disposal) and baal tash'chis row. but an immediate hatzolas (wasting money). Call (7'18) 85'1•2969 nejoshos of the highest order. For several months 1 have been NOT.V.'s YERACHMIEL MILSTEIN worklng for a Jewish funeral parlor DIRECTOR, DiE NA'IlONAL DISCOVF..RY (name and address withheld). Fre PROGRAM-AlSH HATORAH sheimos New York City quently. we received boxes of for burial, which we do gratis even The choice is up to You though burial plots are expensive and WHAT "ORDINARY JEWS" ARE "In the one wishes their use for sheimos represents a po way CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING to go, he is led" tential financial loss. Out of curiosity we inspected some For more info: To the Editor: boxes and found that the contents Box 82, Staten Island, N.Y. 10309 I recently met a couple of ordinary could be categorized into three classes 718-948-0961 Jews (as opposed to Jews who require of papers: (a) garbage not containing an adjective before the word "Jew"), Hasherris name; (b) photocopies of Dial a Torah Message Perhaps your readers would like to sifrei kodesh and dilapidated sifrei 718-948-2548 I 984-4738 meet them, too. kodesh; (c) usable s<;forim. often in ex Last month, my aunt, il"V, was cellent condition, and, in several in- 40 The Jewish Obseroer, February 1992 stances, thirty or more copies of one to bungle through the separation, the appointments, all aspects of child or more s!frei kodesh, such as would anger at the parents who put them rearing, bill-paying: and now compli have been used to supply and entire through this. the complication of re cate this by children acting out. While class at a yeshiva! I diverted these marrtage on one or both sides with you yourself are trying to deal with be seforim to a new yeshiva specializing step-siblings and new grandparents. ing single. This child cutting school. in Iranians and Russians. and possible additions from the new that son running around with a pack Obviously, it should not be too marrtage. anger frequently left over of mends like himself (boys and girls), much to ask for people to dispose of from unresolved issues in the old this prtncipal call1ng you for another their own garbage. Obviously, sifrei marriage, and the shame of facing report of what this child's done now, kodesh, where otherwise unusable or frtends with this new status of di and he's hanging on to his place in this irreparable, must be buried. The pho vorced parents. yeshiva by a hair. One false move and tocopying proliferation is another prob Picture a boy sometimes having to it's "ois yeshiva." How much good lem which I will leave to someone else go to shul and sitting alone while his parenting is left in this mother who to deal with. It is on the issue of boxes frtends sit with their fathers. Then has to juggle such a load? of usable seforim that I am writing. there's the mother trying to "Jere And finally, to add insult to injury, A. I would recommend that com tiscli' until her boys hit Bar Mitzva munal groups. such as Agudath Is age and they assume the position Rabbi Aryeh Schechter rael. start book repositortes to which their father is supposed to be holding anyone can mail their "excess" (which he does. on alternate seforim. The organization can then Shabbosos). Imagine your children SOFER S"TAM separate rare publications. and dis not brtnging home Shabbos guests trtbute the others to groups tn need, for one of two reasons: either he is 1558 41st St. B. The biggest shanda(shame) is the ashamed, or other parents don't allow Brooklyn, NY 11218 biz.ayon (disgrace) to the seforim and it because there is no intact family at e make "housecalls." the boa! tnsh'chis represerited by the the table. Your child, however, is fre (718) 972-4003 burtal of perfectly usable seforim. The quently welcome at other tables be world is tn a "Schverre Matsiv,"weJews cause he "nebacli' does not have a IP. :i-·-,~- especially. Perhaps this punishment home. Message to child? I am differ / • - -,b::i!t>- comes as a result of the profligatewast ent. and that is exacerbated by your tng of resources. Even after we give tntact family at your Shabbos table. maaseros and tsaddaka, we still are Feelings of sadness and anger fre forbidden to squander resources. as it quently overwhelm the child, resulting for YO.UR is wrttten tn Chaggai HaNavi (2, 8): in the acting-out behavior so accu FUNORAISIN.G or "'For Mine is the silver. Mine is the rately descrtbed by your author. Now PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN Gold,' saieth The L-rd of Hosts." the problem becomes more compli CONSIDER a NAME WrrnHELD BY REQUEST cated. Acting out child is given feeling CUSTOM .OESIG;NEO that he is tainted and spoiled goods. LLIACH or t:>IARY LETTER FROM A MOTHER OF Even Rabbi Bender, who did the lost (7J8) 851-1314 "KIDS ON THE FRINGE" children an ultimate chessed ofbrtng ing problems to the forefront. (JO. May To The Editor: '91) still could not tackle this more Thank you. thank you and yasher pervasive problem beyond "the boy EMERGENCY koach to both The Jewish Obseroer who has even slightly strayed off the and your anonymous author and well-defined 'derech,' the boy with the Please help us meet the daily needs of an old European Jew in educator for having the courage to fi so-called 'bummy appearance'. .. whom his 80's who has recently come to nally address this most painful but most high schools will not touch." this country all alone to be able pervasive problem in our community Imagine being the parent of the boy to live among Jews. A man who has survived the Nazis, remained the ("Kids on the Fringe," May. '91). I whom most high schools "won't only Jew in his town for fifty wrtte. unfortunately. from first-hand touch."Think how you want to protect years and continued putting on expertence as a single mother and your children from "the wrong ele Tefillin each day. As he awaits a custodial parent of my children (all ment" and then think again what it hearing with the inmigration authority, money is needed for boys). Needless to say. my teenagers would be like for your child to be "the rent and basic necessities. fell prey to exactly the lifestyle you wrong element." Do you know what it's descrtbe. and possibly for many of the like to work a full day (because a slngle He has been hl..lllbled; let us not hl.ll'ble him beyond what is hunanely same reasons. And the pain of this parent. no matter how generous the possible. situation is multiplied many times ex-spouse, can't support a family on PLEASE HELP! beyond the pain of the so-called good "child support" alone). come home to Make tax deductible checks payable child rejected on the basis of his scho to Tzedakah V'Chesed a house full of children, with no one to c/o Rabbi Yaakov Mandel, lastic prowess. Here, there is the shoulder any of the burden? Not the 489 E. 2 St, Bklyn, NY 11218 failed marrtage. the children having housework. not the shopping, doctor The Jewish Obseroer. Febmary 1992 41 there is the community, which sees son's "history," accepting the child in CLARIFICATIONS ON THE your child in these "bummy" clothes, his yeshiva anyway and working hard ARTICLE ON RABBI DOVID with his "bummy" friends. They no with him to give him that chance. An LEIBOWITZ, '?"lit tice that maybe you couldn't even get older bachur who has kept a strong IN THE DECEMBER, 1991 ISSUE them off to shu! Friday night because kesher with the son and his harried OF THE JEWISH OBSERVER: their rebellion extends this far. They mother to try to keep the boy straight. have rachmonus but somehow sense The Rav and Rebbitzenfrom my shuL Rabbi Moshe Rosen, Chvaidaner that you have really failed. Or the ex who open their hearts and home Rav and author of Nezer HaKodesh, spouse has failed. Even the very com whenever they can, if accomplishing was the Rosh Yeshiva of the Beis passionate author of this article very nothing more that giving the chizuk Midrash level of Torah Vodaath from mildly points a finger at these par this stressed-out single mother some September 1926toJune 1928. Upon ents, even while bending over back times needs to go on another day. his departure, the Beis Midrash wards to temper that blame: " ... But Finally I'd like to mention people talmidim also left. Rabbi Dovid even when problems appear to derive I've met along the way who have Leibowitz joined the faculty of Torah from human failure, marital or opened programs for these "throw Vodaath in June, 1927, and when the parenting.... " So imagine now you are away" children. RabbiAvi Davidowitz Beis Midrash was reorganized in that parent, and you feel, on top of all heads Torah Academy of Brooklyn. 1929, became the Rosh Yeshiva. this, that you have overwhelmingly With minimal space and even less ••• failed. How many children emerging funding he tries hard to accept every The source for the Chofetz Chaim's from this situation feel anything more boy who has failed in the main view on the use of mechanical shavers than "on the fringe"? stream. The boys are constantly that existed in his day, cited in the article, Does Klal Have a Role? guests in his home and the homes of is found in his sefer Lilrutei Halochos, The author is most correct in say his staff. He takes them on trips, he in a note to Makkos, Perek 3. ing that the responsibility should be and his Rebbitzen have them for His words: shared by the Kial Perhaps the first Slwbbos and Yorn Tov, he is on the thing a community imbued with phone with them day and night. He o:i 1'1!'.:lunv i1\!t1nn YPl.,VNr.:in t"!:l'7 nln1 ... chessed needs to do is not to treat has reached the point where he has yin7lr.:>V (7~ '~n ll/"J) '71;i 1'11PV nn D'.,11) these children as if they have some to often say no to Rebbeim who ask Then she pats her depleted wallet, remembering The youngest boy says his bracha There are losses, too. Clear and proud In her mind's eye she sees And does not dispute his mother's "no." The balloons next week Sagging, airless skins, sticks broken in half The sighs shrivel and die While the children cry for new toys. Pain turns to wonder The shoes that gleam so bravely today A mother stops counting the minutes. Will be scuffed later, and frayed In an invisible ledger she tallies instead Bursting at the seams, ready for the trash-heap Each nugget of hard-won wisdom Demanding further outlays Each treasured shred of nachas Of cold, hard cash. And her soul, radiant balloon Gently expands She is tired, so tired With her knowledge, her ioy: Of adding up shaping up Thieves may pick her pockets keeping up. And the years steal her strength Riding through the dusk But they cannot take even the tiniest part The years hang heavy on her Of what she has And the losses. This moment In this room. She ushers the children home She smiles. Still and sad in a twilight hush Though her wallet be thin Watching them admire the new shoes, Her coffers are full. Caper with balloons. And sitting there, she begins Ubby Lazewnik, a published poet and author of stories for youth, lives in the Har Nof section of Jerusalem. Her poem, "A Private Waterloo,~ was featured in To notice things. 11le Jewish Observer, September, '91. The Jewish Obseroer. February 1992 43 Index To Articles The Jewish Observer Vol. XXl\T, Nos. 1-10 SUBJECTS Mesorah I Rabbi Zechariah Fendel, March caust in History I Michael R Morris, Nov. '91; Moreshet Tzvi, March '91; Don Yosef '91; To Become One I Rabbi Ezrtel Tauber, Nasi AvishaJ Stockhammer, March '91; Adolescents Kids on the Fringe/Anon, June, I Dec. '91; 1 Shall Not Want/ Rabbi Ezriel '91; Parenting A Troubled Adolescent In a Hebrew Manuscripts: A '!reasured Legacy Tauber, Dec. '91; Choose Life I Rabbi Ezrtel Torah Home /Dr. MeirWikler, Nov. '91 I BerJiamin Rtchler, May '91: Smoking and Tauber, Dec. '9l;Hey.Taxl! /HanochTeller. Adoption Jewish Kids Up For Grabs / Vicki Damage to Health in the Halachah / Rabbi Dec. '91: The Best of Storylines / Hanoch Mordechai Slae, May '91: The Lebovltz Sys Krausz, Dec. '91 Teller, Dec. '91: Nodah Biyehuda /Rabbi R tem, The Revolutionary Breakthrough for Weingarten, Jan. '92; Rabbeinu Yisrael Agudath Israel Re-Union: Moscow Joins the Smokers I RabbiYehudah Lebovlts and Dr. Abuchatzira/ AY. Harel.Jan. '92;TheGaon Jewish World Again I N!sson Wolpin, April B.Z Lebovlts. May '91: Classic Kosher Cook of Posen / Jacob H. Sinason, Jan. '92; A '91; Impressions Upon Visiting Jewish Mos ing SaraFinkel, May'9 l: The infinite Chain Chronicle of Hardships and Hope / Rabbi cow I Rabbi Moshe Sherer with Rabbi I Nlsson Wolpin, April '91 I Rabbi Nathan T. Lopes Cardozo. May '91: A Y. Finkel, Jan. '92; Rabbi Esriel Allya The SovietAliya: Responding to the Chal The Oral Law I H. Chalm Schimmel. May Hildesheimer and the Creation of a Modern lenge I Abraham Biderman, Feb. '91; '91; The Unity ofTorah I Rabbi Yehoshua Orthodoxy I David Ellenson, Jan. '92; Edge Honigwaches, May '91: Bedibur Echod / Kultwkampfin the Holy Land I Yonason of Darkness I Avraham Tzurt. Jan. '92: And Rosenblum, Oct. '91: Kiita/ Absorption of Asher Ben-Zion Buchman, May '91; Taste RachelWasHisWife,Jan. '92 and Know I Rabbi Moishe Sternbuch, May Camping Summertime: An Opportunity for Immigrants, 1991-in PhJlosophy and Ac '91; Prisms Michael Schoen, May '91; An Contemplation of the Wonders of Creation tion I Rabbi Shlomo Coder, Oct. '91; There I is a Miracle in Our Hands/ Abraham cient Mountains, Tuneless Hills / Rabbi I Rabbi Yosef Dovid Epstein, May '91: Biderman. Sept. '91 Nesanel Kasnett, May '91; Torah Guide for Shoroshlm Means Starting At the Roots / the BusinesSman I Rabbi Wagschal June Shulamls Halpern, Oct. '91 AJC ''. .. ~(withandwithoutcomment) I Nissan Wolpin, Sept. '91 '91; Jewtsh Outreach, HalakhicPerspecl:ives Camps PS: Summertime: An Opportunity For Anti-Semitism Worms, York, Damascus, I Rabbi M. Wetnberger,June '91: Faith and Growth I Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum, June '91 Padolia. Kishinev ... And Now, Crown Folly I Rabbi Yaakov Hillel, June '91; Chassidus Burning Book (poem)/ Chaim HeJghts(S.L.) I Nisson Wolpin. Oct. '91: Dis Conem for the LI.ving I Chaim Press, June Feinberg, Jan. '92: Rabbi Pinchas DOvld '91: Ktzot HaShabbat /Rabbi Michael Horowitz ?"~ The First Bostoner Rebbe / cordant Notes: An Essay on Golus and Chizkia, June '9 l; The Laws of Meat and Levi Reisman, Jan. '92 Egalitarianism I Dr. Aaron 1Werski, Jan. '92 Milk I Dr. Yehoshua Cohen, June '91; A Prescribed Performance-Just What Avos Approaching the Avos-11rrough Up Chessed Reach or Drag-Down? {S.L.) I Nissan Parent's Guide to Teaching Children Mitzvot the Doctor Ordered (S.L.) I Nlsson Wolpin, I Rabbi Shmuel Singer, June '91: Pathways Dec. '91; An Open Letter to My Question.Ing Wolpin, March '91; From the Archives/ Rabbi Aaron Kotler?"Olt, March '91 to Teshuva, Sept. '91 I The New Rosh Friend From That Mother of the Boy on Hashana Anthology I Rabbi Aaron Levine. Crutches /Anonymous, Jan. '92 Archives From the Archives / Rabbi Aaron Kotler, March '91; From the Archives / Sept. '91: ... And Nothing But the Truth/ Children Jewish Kids Up For Grabs / Vicki Rabbi Ephraim Oratz, Sept. '91: A Touch of Krausz. Dec. '91; seeChinuch Rabbi ZR Bengls. May'91 Wisdom, a Touch of Wit / Shmuel Blbllcall'eisonallties ApproachingtheAoos- Chlnuch (Torah Education) The SOvletAllya: Himelstein, Sept. '91; Golden Apples, Through Up-Reach or Drag-Down? (S.L) / Responding to the Challenge I Abraham ParablesoftheBenlshChaJ/Yaak 44 The Jewish Obseroer, February 1992 Allies or Adversaries?/Dr. Meir Wilder, Apr. The "Hod"Thatls Israel, The 'Yofi"That Was Kirov When Oksana and Anatoly Are on Your '91: Illness, Denial, and Acceptance I Rabbi Greece I A Shelnman, Dec. '91; Discordant Guest Llst / Eliezer Gillig, Feb. '91: "Dear Myer Schecter, Sept. '91; Parenting a Notes: An Essay on Golus and Egalitarian Ophra... " Summer Comes to Yurmala I Troubled Adolescent/Dr. Meir Wikler, ism/ Dr.Aaron'l\verski,Jan. '92;AStraight Ophra Chamas, May '91; Reminiscences of Nov.'91 Path I Avrohom Elisha Ayson, Jan. '92; a "Shaltach" to the Soviet Unton I Mendel Crown Heights Worms, York, Damascus, Thinking About 'frees: The Jew as Creator Goldberg, June '91; There is A Miracle in our Padolia, Kishinev ... And Now, Crown / Dovid Freund, Jan. '92 Hands I Abraham Biderman, Sept. '91: Heights {S.L.) I Nisson Wolpin, Oct. '91 Hatzola (Rescue) Renee Reichmann n"l> and Shoroshim Means Starling At the Roots I Ethiopian Jews The New Ethiopian Aliya / the Tang1er Rescue Connection / Dr. David Shulamis Halpern, Oct. '91: Report From Yonason Rosenblum, June '91 Kranzler, Feb. '91 Moscow/ Rabbi PinchosGoldschmidtJan. Fashion When Fashion is Eloquent, What Does Health CareAMatterofl..ifeand Death/ Chaim '92; Report From the Ukraine / Rabbi It Say? {S.L.), April '91 David Zwiebel, June '91 YaakovBleich,Jan. '92 Falashas See Ethiopian Jews History Re-Union: Moscow Joins the Jewish Klita There is A Miracle in our Hands I Famllles Dear Mom {poem) / Bracha Druss World Again/ Nisson Wolpin, April '91; Abraham Bidennan, Sept. '91 Goelz, June '91 Seeds ofTeshuva / Yaakov Astor, June '91; I.aw A Matter of Life and Death I Ch-Dovid Festivals and Fast The Jewish Observer, February 1992 45 of Creation I Rabbi Yosef Dovtd Epstein, What Does It Say? (S.L.), April '91; In the Goetz, Bracha Druss Dear Mom (poem). June May '91; Scientific QuestB: A Road to Ap WakeoftheThornasHearings(S.L.)/Nisson '91 preciation of the Infinite (Letters to the Edi Wolpln, Nov. '91 Goldberg, Rabbi HIDel "Hashem Always Take tor), Sept. '91; Modern Science and Emuna World War Il Renee Reichmann il''JJ and the the Side ofthe Persecuted," March '91; Alone I Dr. Alvin Radkowsky. Dec. ·91 Tangier Rescue Connection I Dr. David Among the Multitudes-InJerusalem. Sept. Scripture Seeds ofTeshuva / Yaakov Astor, Kranzler, Feb, '91 '91 June'91 YeshlvosYeshivos-OnlyfortheChosenofOur Goldberg, Mendel Reminiscences of a Senior Citizens Hello There, Erma (poem) I People?/ Rabbi Yaakov Bender, May '91; "Shaliach" to the Soviet Union, June'9 l Bliml Friedman, Aprll '91 WhenChildren'sLearningHandicapsAreof Goldschmidt, Rabbi Plnchos Report From Social Comment 'The Russians Are Comlng. Our Own Making I Yltz.chak Kasnett, May Moscow, Jan. '92 The Russians Are Comming." "Let's Go '91; A Plea For Exercise in YeshivaPrograms Greber, Ezra The Nearly Missing Child, April Hide." I Bernard Fryshman. Feb. '91; I Dr. S. Schulman, Dr. R Schulman, May '91 Rabbonim and Psychotherapists: Allies or '91; Readers Resp::ind to "Yeshivas-Only Gross, Michele Losing At Sports, Winning in Adversaries? / Dr. Meir Wilder, April '91; For the Chosen of Our People?" I Letters to Llfe Expertence, April '91 When Fashion is Eloquent. What Does It the Editor. Sept '91: Pitfalls In Early Place Halpern, Shulamis "Shoroshirn" Means Start Say? (S.L.), April '91; Yeshivos--Only for the mentfor Blight Children (Letters to the Edi· ing at the Roots, Oct. '91 Chosen of Our People?/ Rabbi Yaakov tor), Oct. '91; Torah, "Slobodka," and Kasnett, Yitzchak When Children's Learning Bender, May '91; Enhancing the Di@:lity of HarbotzasTorah: 'The Vison of Rabbi Dovid Handicaps Are of Our Own Making, May '91 Happy Occasions I Letters to the Editor, Leibowitz. ?"'11 I Yit7.chok Brandrlss, Dec. '91 Kotler,Rabb!Amon FromtheArchives,March May '91; Kids on the Fringe / Anonymous, Zionism Rabbi Kokis: "Om Gedohm" -Or '91 June '91; PS: Summertime: An Opportunity Everybody's Gedolim? I Letter to the Editor, Kranzler, Dr. David Renee Reichmannn~:v and For Growth I Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum, June April '91 the Tangier Rescue Connection, Feb. '91 ·91; Dear Mom {poem) / Bracha Druss Krausz, Vicki Jewish Kids Up For Grabs. Dec. Goetz, June '91; Readers Respond To AUTHORS '91 'Yesln\ros-- Only For the Chosen of Our Lasdun, Yosef Master of Precision {poem). People?" I Letters to the Editor, Sept '91; March '91 Worms. York, Damascus, Padolia, Anonymous Remembering Rabbi Binyornin Lavon, YaakovThe Insomniac's Minyan, Sept. Kishinev... And Now, Crown Heights (S.L.) I Steinberg i1":V,/March '91; Kids on the '91; OneDayonaHill, Nov. '91 Nisson Wolpin, Oct. '91; Variations on the Fringe, June '91; An Open Letter to My Lazewnlk, Libby A Private Waterloo (poem), Theme of Making Fashion Statements (Let Questioning Friend From That Mother ofthe Sept '91 ter to the Editor), Oct. '91; Parenting a Boy on Crutches, Jan. '92 Parker,Fayge AftertheWar,April '91 Troubled Adolescent in a Torah Home /Dr. Axelbamn, Dov Why I've Got to Stay in Tel Aviv, Radkowsky, Dr. Alvin Modem Science and Meir Wilder. Nov. '91; "If You Can't Beat March'91 Emuna, Dec. '91 Them ... " (S.L.)/ Nisson Wolpin, Nov. '91; In Ayson, Avrohom Elisha A Straight Path, Reisman, Levi Amertcan Know-How For Ex the Wake of the Thomas Hearings (S.L.)/ Jan.'92 PJrl--ConservativeConbibutlon (S.L.), Dec. Nisson Wolpln, Nov. '91; An Open Letter to Bender, Rabbi Yaakov Yeshivos--Only for the '91; Rabbi Pinchas Dovtd Horowitz7'1lt, The My Questioning Friend, From That Mother Chosen of Our People?, May '91: Letters, First Bostoner Rebbe, Jan. '92 of the Boy on Crutches I Anonymous, Jan. Sept. '91 Rosenblum, Yonason Jerusalem War Diary. '92 Bengis, Rabbi Zelig Reuven From the Ar March '91; The New Ethiopian Aliya, June Special Children The Nearly Missing Child I chives, May. '91 '91; Rabbi YISroel Gustman .,..,,,, Sept '91; Ezra Greher, April '91; Something Special, Biderman, Abraham The Soviet Aliya: Re Kulturlrampf In the Holy Land. Oct. '91; Re April '91; Losing At Sports, Winning in Llfe sponding to the Challenge, Feb. '91; There flections on a Failed Coup, Nov. '91 Expertence I Michele Gross, Aprll '91 is a Miracle in our Hands, Sept. '91 Schach,RabblElazarM. AThneofThreat, But Speech A Private Waterloo {poem} I Libby Bleich, Rabbi Yaakov Report From the No Time For Fear, March '91 Lazewnik, Sept. '91 Ukraine, Jan. '92 Schecter, Rabbi Myer Illness. Denial, and Ac Tefilla(Prayer)The Worm I Michoel Weinstein, Brandriss, Yitzchok Torah, 'Slobodka," and ceptance, Sept '91 March '91; Saying Goodbye to Raphael HarbotzasTorah: The Vision ofRabbi Dovid Schennan, Rabbi Nosson On War and Mobil!· Yehuda... I Nissan Wolpin, April '91; Alone Leibowitz,""'· Dec. '91 ration, On Peace and Diplomacy, On ln1tial Among the Multitudes -in Jerusalem I Cbamas, Opbra "Dear Ophra... "-Summer Causes and Long-term Effects, March '91 Hillel Goldberg Sept. '91; The lnsomniac's Cornes to Yunnala, May '91 Schulman, Drs. R & S A Plea For Exercise in Minyan I Yaakov Lavon; Tefilla: A Singular Epstein, Rabbi YosefDovld Summertime: An Yeshiva Programs, May'91 Experience or a Group Endeavor? (Letter to 0pp'.)rtunity for Contemplation of the Won Shapiro, Chaim Horav Z£llg Reuven Bengis the Editor), Nov. '91 ders of Creation, May'91 ?"Y!, May '91 Felnbetg. Chalm Nightwalk (poem). April '91; Shapiro. Sara The Opposite of Nighttime Teshuva Reminiscences of a "Shaliach" to the Burning Book (poem), Jan. '92; Autumn (poem), Feb. '91; Purim Under Cloudy Skies, Sov1et Union I Mendel Goldberg, June '91 Leaf(poem), Jan. '92 April '91; A Belated Thank You Note (poem), Time of Death A Matter of Llfe and Death I Finkelman. Rabbi Shimon Rabbi Elchonon Nov. '92 Chaim Dovtd Zwiebel, June '91; Illness, De Wasserman?''Yr, Nov. 91 Sheinman, A. Pesach: A Trilogy of Shira, nial, and Acceptance/ Rabbi Myer Schecter, Freund, Dovld Thinking About Trees: The Jew March '91; The Remembrance of Rosh Sept. '91; "A Matter ofLlfe and Death" -Re as Creator, Jan. '92 Hashana, Sept. '91; The "Hod"Thatlslsrael, visited I (Letters to the Editor), Oct. '91 Friedman, Blhnle Hello There. Erma (poem), The "Yofi" 1hat Was Greece, Dec. '91 Torah Study Legacy of a Tel Aviv Grocer I Dr. Apr1l'91 Teitelbaum, Rabbi Ell PS: Summertime: An Aaron Twerski, Feb. '91; Rabbi Yisroel F'lyslurum, Bernard 'Tue Russians Are Com· Opportunity For Growth, June '91 Gustman ?'1n / Yonasan Rosenblum, Sept. Ing. The Russtans Are Corning." "Lefs Go Twemkl. Dr. Amon Legacy ofa Tel Aviv Grocer, '91; One Day on a Hill / Yaakov Lavon. Nov. Hide.", Feb. '91 Feb. '91; Discordant Notes: An Essay on '91 Gitter, Rabbi Mordechal On War and Mobil!· Golus and Egalitarianism, Jan. '92 Translation and Adaptation A Tune ofThreal, zation, On Peace and Diplomacy, On Initial Weinbach, Shelndel The Empty Seat (poem), But No Time For Fear / Rabbi Elazar M. Causes and Long-term Effects, March '91 April '91 Schach, March '91; From the Arch1ves I Gillig, Ellezer When Oksana and Anatoly Are Weinstein. Mlchoel The Worm, March '91 Rabbi Aaron Kotler. March '91; A Time For on Your Guest List. Feb. '91 Wlkler, Dr. Meir Rabbonlm and Psychothera Gratitude I Rabbi Pinchas MenachemAlter Goder, Rabbi Shlomo Klita/ Absorption oflm pists: Allies or Adversaries?. April '91; I translated N. Wolpln, April '91 rrtigrants, 1991-in Philosophy and Action, Parenttng a Troubled Adolescent in a Torah Tzenlus (Modesty) When Fashion Is Eloquent, Oct. '91 Home, Nov. '91 46 The Jewish Observer. February 1992 Wolpin, Nisson Approaching the Avos REVIEW YOUR STUDY OF Through Up·Reach or Drag·Down? (S.L.), PERSONAL March '91; A Tune For Gratitude I Rabbi "DAF YOMI" Pinchas Menachem Alter, Aplil '91; Saying PROBLEMS? Goodbye to Raphae!Yehuda... ,Aplil '91; Re· Union: Moscow Joins the Jewish World SUBSCRIBE• TO THE Again. Aplil '91; Impressions Upcn Visiting Call the Jewish Moscow /RabbiMosheSherer.April DAF YOMI REVIEW '91; "... "(with and without comment), Sept. Vitti Liebel Help-Line '91: Worms, York, Damascus, Padolia, Write for free sample: Kishinev ... And Now, Crown Heights (S.L). Oct. '91; Rabbinical Cooperation - Toward Yeshiva Fund - D.Y.R. (718) HELP-NOW What End? - By What Criteria? (S.L). Oct. I POB 82, Staten Island, NY 10309 '91; "lfYou Can"! Beat Them ... " (S.L), Nov. . ~------~ '91; In the Wake of the Thomas Hearings 1 {S.L.). Nov. '91; Prescribed Perlormance Just What the Doctor Ordered (S.L), Dec. '91 Yelenik, Joanne Jackson Socks (poem), Oct. "MY CLIENTS ARE AMAZED '91 AT THE SERVICE ANO Zwiebel, Chaim David A Matter of Life and Death, June '91 SAVINGS ON THEIR INSURANCE-BUSINESS For reprints or back issues, write to INSURANCE TheJewish Observer. OR PERSONAL" One Blue HUI Plaza. Sufte 1024 84 William Street, N.Y.C. 10038, Peor1 River. NY 10965 orcall (212) 797·9000. /RV/NS SAFRIN Tet (914) 62(}1800 S.l.= Second Looks ' P.S.=PostScrlpt . w.w.C.=" .. .''Cwith&withoutcomment) I PINCHAS MANDEL Over 40 Years Experience in Kvura in Eretz Yisrael •Dedicated to Kavod Haniftar with personal responsibility throughout service •Highly recommended by Gedolai Hador • -Here and infretz Yisrael- 1569 - 471h Street, Brooklyn, New York 11219 . Day & Night Phone (718) 851-8925 Honesty - Integrity - Reliability . 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