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After mommy, we are usually the next ones to know ... At our main office in A girl, almost 26 years old couldn't find her Shidduch. After Jerusalem we are b€1,~~t~~.ab~~tthe tremendous power of Purim, she decided to constantly receiving sUl:\Jf:~ft~,bra,~eh of "Yeshivas Mordechai Hatzadik". Just a
"good news" p~one couple:0.·.. •..· ..•·.l···· ,>"_'/-;/-:"", ..·.•.•,•.·,·.· .... m...... · ...·... ·.··.··.o ...·.·.·.· .. n,..·.... ·· .. t.lis...... · .... ·.·.... 1 .•...ater, she called to inform us that she had become a~~l,J
or mail your supµ:irt to: Ca.II now For special inquiries Awt lhinim 212 202 2 341 contact Rabbi Naftali Falk: FDB 163 Monsey, NY. 10952 . • • • Tax deductable +972-57-3112613 and don't forget to call us when you have good news (after your mother, of course ...)! This coming Purim you too can have the power of 60,000 childrens Torah working for you, to bring your "Mazel'fov" this year! Supporting 10,000 children= only $100 (le per child)! Under the auspices of Harav Yosef Rosenblum Shlita Rosh Yeshiva Sharei Yosher
,,ni?ti D'~" ''nnn :ii'il Rabbi Mati~yahu C. Salom~~101 ,K,,,i"''; rn~) :imn ~'J 'lrin r'lWT.' r 131':>11 a'"'''-l'!tlti!li:i 1"0J ' 637 Sixth Street IAkftrood, "NJ , ,.,.,..... """~'""' ~,,,,, ""I"" , Dear Friend, • • ge to lend my ·~ t honor and pnVl1 e . . . .. It is my grea tonos Le'evyonim campa1gn, support to the annual M~ . red leadership of Harav which is guided by the 1nsFp1 ver fifteen years, this bl Shlita or o y Yosef Rosen um. .b ught relief andjoy to man important campa1gn has ro \ hundreds of families. . . th gamut of severe h fam1hes run e t l The nisyonos oft ese d sudden une.mployroen . \ illness, genuine poverl[ :en fo~arded in a way that fte the money mus . d O n 'ththefamily'spn e. wou1dn'ttamperW1 . ·gn distributes all \ Le' vyonim campa1 . \ The Matonos e . n families or Israe1 1 · dav to America i funds on Punm • 'd'nginAmerica. fami1iestemporarilyres1 1 "th Your generous hare this great mitzv?h :'1 ·ouy,.to manY broken S · bringing J · · \ donation will go far : to have a truly festive Purim hearts. It will allow t em and then, in turn, so cans~=~rely, ,_,~ ~·.n ~,.,, ~ Please bring or mail your Matanos L'evyonim to the following Gedolei Yisroel Shlita
: I• I •',1!t. I l!J ' ' ' ' Harav Yosef Harav Matisyahu Harav Feivel Rosneblum Shlita Salomon Shlita Schustal Shlita
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Rabbi Efraim Wachsman Rabbi Yitzchok Rabinowitz R' Mattis Dinkels R' Nachum Schorr 28 Carlton Road 75 Wilson Street 7001 Rosewood Ave. 3502 Shelburne Road Monsey, NY 10952 Brooklyn, NY 11211 Los Angeles, CA 90036 Baltimore, MD 21208
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THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 !S l'UBUSHf:O 16 REBBETZIN NEKRITZ'S VOLUNTARY TRIP TO SIBERIA, MON'l"H!X. EXCEl'f JIJLY & AUGUST •\NO A COMIUNf·:O ISSUE FOR Rabbi Hillel Goldberg JANUARYIFEEHHIARY. BY 'fHfC AGliOATH JS RAEL OF AMEIUCA, 42 BROADWAY, Nf:W YORK, NY !0004. PE!UOOICAl.S l'OSTA.GF.P-1.!D !N NEW YORK, NY. SuBSCIUPTION S2s.oo/YEAR: PURIM REFLECTIONS 2 YEARS, S46.00: 3 YEAR.S, S69.00. 0UTSIOI:: OF Tl-IE UN!Tf.D STATES (US FUNDS DRAWN ON A US BANK ONLY) 20 WIPING Our AMALEIK ... WITH TONGUE IN CHEEK, S15.oo SURCHARGE PER YEAR. SINGLE COPY S:;.50: OUTSIDE NY AREA S:;.95; Rabbi Yisrael Rutman FO!lEIGN S4.50,
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Founders DR. ERNST L BOIH-:NHE!MEll Z"L RABBI MosHr·: SHERER Z"L 31 A FISHY TALE: IDENTIFYING THE TALMUDIC 5HIBUTA, Managemmt &Jard Rabbi Ari Zivatofsky and Zahar Amar NAFl'OL! HIRSCH, ISAAC KIHZNEH, RAHIJI Siii.OMO l.ESIN. REDEMPTION IS !N THE DAVID SINGER. NACHllM STEIN 36 AIR, a review article
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!Jf.!.GIAN l~l·:PRESENTAT!VE RABBI YAAKOV RUDERMAN 7"~. IS DISPLAYED IN CON~ MR. f., APTER JUNCTION WITH THE PURIM THEME. FOLLOWING IN /.angc Kievilstr. 29 2018 A11twe1p. BELGIUM THE FOOTSTEPS OF MORDECHAI HATZADDJK, HE WAS
SOUTH AFl~ICAN IH:PRESENTATIVE THF. JEWISH OBSERVER OOES NOT ASSUME NOT ONLY A SHTADLAN (COMMUNITY ACTIVIST) PAR MR. \I. TAfl,\CK RESPONSIBll.ITY FOR THE KASl-IRIJS OF ANY PRODUCT, PO &ix 51532. EXCELLENCE, HE WAS A KEY FIGURE IN THE PHYSICAL Rardcnr.Joham!l'sbary PUl~UCA"f!ON, OR SERVICE ADVERTISED IN ITS PAGES I AND SPJIHTUAL RESCUE OF THOUSANDS OF JEWISH \ AlJSlRAllAN ,::Jl:R~~l:f~flA:::: © COPYRIGHT 2006 YOUTH OF fRAN, THE COUNTRY WHERE THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF PERSIA HAD FLOURISHED UNDER KING I Di~7AB11~1~~7rr~ad MARCH 2006 VOLUME XXXIX lcvur H11! NS\1 202; AU~TR41 IA NO 2 '°""""'""'" '""' """ '"""' "'" .. J l ------"For the sa~~uon is delaved~oo long-~or us,~~~ there .is no end t~ the davs of evil ..~~ (MA'oz TZUR). '
Rabbi Shimon Schwab ?·on once told when American Yiddishkeit was sorely to countless people who turned to him a father who had lost a young child wanting. His very birthday (17 Tammuz) for help and advice. By so doing, Rabbi shortly before Tisha B'Av, "Cry your bespoke galus. Yet, Rabbi Neuberger Neuberger joined the select ranks of heart out on Tisha B'Av for your son, regarded the problems of Kial Yisroel those in our history who have risen for all Yiddishe tzaros have their ultimate in exile that had spiritually crushed above their brethren to shepherd their source in Ga/us." so many others as challenges that he generation through the travails of exile, Rabbi Naftoli Halevi Neuberger ':>"on was personally called upon to remedy helping to bring them one step closer was one whose very life circumstances ddressed the needs of Kial Yisroel, locally to the end of a "salvation delayed too were shaped and whose life mission in Baltimore, nationally, and globally, but long." In the process, he became an was forged in the crucible of galus. As also of the individual, serving as a ba'a/ acknowledged giant among men. a young refugee from Europe, he was chessed, ba'al.ei ' separated from his family, as an immigrant to America
. (Obvio .· .. A' ~:01 ~:sach, we werevisiti,;g with Ra~bi Neuberger luui no interest in suth iiiif~ffl, an illdividfuii~otedfor his ~bbi and Mrs. Neuberger. A trea endeavors.) Upon hearing of these offers, extraordinary deeds (Kuldushin 33b). sured scene, it afforded a special window the Rosh Hayeshiva, Rabbi Ruderman, The Ran wonders how Mar Shmuel into the rarified lives of two great people was skeptical whether Rabbi Neuberger knew that someone of his exalted who worked as a team. Mrs. Neuberger, would have been as successfal in the corpo· status was permitted, and indeed a brilliant and wise woman in her own rate world, notwithstanding his world-class required, to waive his personal dig right, took great pleasure in her husband's abilities, noting that his success came from nity and demonstrate such reverence devotion to the klal. She would tell us that a a special siyata diShmaya (special help for a ba'al ma'asim. The Ran explains number of the highest corporate executives from Heaven), to which he may not have that he knew it from the verse "You whom Rabbi Neuberger solicited on behalf been zocheh were it not for his tota~ self should honor the presence of a sage" ofthe yeshiva had recognized his brilliance, less dedication to laboring solely on behalf (Vayikra 19,32). Indeed, we show acumen and judgment, and offered him top ofKlal Yisroel. honor for a Torah scholar because Although Mar Shmuel was the his sagacity leads him to perform RABBI DRUCKER, A TALMID Of NER YISROEL, WAS A MEMBER OF ITS KOU.EL FOR TWELVE YEARS. HE gadol hador - the greatest Torah the deeds that Hakadosh Baruch Hu SERVES AS RAV OF AGIJDATH JSRAEL OF EDISON personality in his generation - he desires. Therefore, included in the very - HIG!ILAND PARK, NEW JERSEY. would stand in honorofRav Yechezkel mandate to honor a Torah scholar is
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the requirement to pay homage to could also live in a house. His immedi- i the deeds that flow from his wisdom. ate reaction was, "All the rebbe'im live in Evidently, deeds performed by a Torah n a discussion with one of his talmi apartments, and I should live in a house? personality deserve acknowledgment dim (Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, currently How could I have more than those who and recognition, even by the gadol I executive vice president of Agudath teach Torah?" He felt that kevod haTorah hador. Israel of America), the Rosh Hayeshiva dictated that the Rosh Hayeshiva live in a Although our tradition does not pre of Ner Yisroel, Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok presentable dwelling, but a plain yeshiva cisely define the parameters of a ba'al Ruderman 7"'1! (whom we will here apartment was perfectly acceptable for his ma'asim, Rabbi Naftoli Halevi Neuberger after refer to by his sefer Avodas Levi), family. During the shiva, one could see the ~··'1! surely met all the criteria - in his explained that da'as Torah - advice and small, worn, and dented breakfront that personal life, in his dealings with others, decisions formed through the prism contained a few well-used bechers behind and in his efforts and accomplishments of Torah wisdom and outlook - is Rabbi and Mrs. Neuberger's dining room on behalf of the Jewish people. An end not limited to great roshei yeshiva, and table in their Yeshiva Lane apartment. It less stream of people came to his door he gave Rabbi Neuberger as a prime bore testimony to their total disinterest in and called him by phone, each receiving example. One can only acquire da' as material pursuits. his warmth, dignity, caring, and wise Torah by achieving a level of selfless Rabbi Yaakov Kulefsky 7"llt (see JO, Jan. counsel. He served as a one-man phy ness that allows for full objectivity and '01) used to quote a Chassidic interpreta sician referral service, an arbitrator of impartial application of Torah principles. tion regarding the statement of Chaza~ disputes, a career counselor, an advisor to This selflessness is most often obtained "Whoever repeats a remark in the na1ne roshei yeshiva around the world, a busi (although not automatically) by many of the one who said it, brings redemp ness consultant, an address for agunos, a years of full immersion in Torah study. tion to the world:' When the ultimate supportive friend to anyone who needed The Avodas Levi, however, was of the Redemption comes, it will come because to pour out his or her grief, and much opinion that it can be developed in an Hashem has so willed it, and He clearly more. The sheer volume of individuals extraordinary ba' al chessed, an individual does not want any mortal to take personal he assisted, tightly sandwiched between who is solely focused on the needs of credit for it. So, whom should He choose the primary foci of his life (see sidebar) others, when coupled with the requisite to catalyze such an event, if not someone for ahnost seven decades, unquestion level of Torah scholarship and exposure who regularly avoids taking personal ably entitle him to the appellation," ba'al to great talmidei chachamim. credit for things, even 1nere words that he ma'as1n1." heard from others. Perhaps it was Rabbi Anyone attempting to have a brief Neuberger's self-effacing nature that gave word with Rabbi Neuberger during the PERVASIVE HUMILITY him the tremendous siyata diShmaya to day in his office would have his conver bring about major Torah accomplish sation interrupted many times by phone bbi Neuberger's humble nature ments. calls coming from around the world made self-disclosure a chore for - often about obviously weighty issues. im. As much as he understood With the utmost dignity, Rabbi Neuberger the necessity for a Torah institution to THE EARLY YEARS fielded each call with a combination of choose an honoree for its annual fund caring and incisiveness, and returned to raising dinner, and as 1nuch as he would anyaspectsofRabbiNeuberger's his visitor's conversation without missing extend himself to help other yeshivos, he personal history are still not a beat. In the '70s, he would use the backs could never allow himself to be honored. M known by members of his own of IBM punch cards to record informa What others identified as his accomplish family. He was born in 1918 in the small tion pertinent to each phone call. On ments, Rabbi Neuberger saw as siyata Bavarian town of Hassfurt, some thirty his desktop there was typically a stack diShmaya. In his later years, he would miles northeast of Wurzburg, where his between a half an inch to an inch of such always say that he was so thankful to the family ultimately moved for chinuch rea "open files:' Each caller became another Ribbono shel Olam for allowing him to sons. At approximately 18, Naftoli was personal concern, and he would often call be one of His agents. In fact, no one ever encouraged by Rabbi Samson Rafael them back in a day or two to follow up heard him refer to his prodigious acumen Weiss to study in the Mirrer Yeshiva in and offer to be of further help. or talents. Poland, a radical departure from the path The article that follows is an attempt, While the infrastructure was being of his peers in Germany. He followed the albeit feeble, to rise in honor of the Rabbi prepared for the Avodas Levi's house on rav's suggestion and immersed himself Neuberger we loved and who justifiably Yeshiva Lane (on the campus of Yeshivas in the Polish citadel of Torah, where earned our respect as the quintessential Ner Yisroel), it was suggested to Rabbi he was taught and mentored by some ba'al ma'asim, for his acts flowed from Neuberger that they lay the pipes and outstanding Lithuanian gedolim. It has the Torah that was embedded in his large drains for a second house at the saine time been suggested that Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda i heart. so that Rabbi Neuberger and his family Finkel 7"llt became Rabbi Neuberger's role I
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model for devotion and responsibility to source of curiosity to fellow bachurim. It Epstein, and Rabbi Baruch Horowitz.4 the klal soon became revealed, however, that Reb Thus, the bond between rebbi and talmid The students from Germany who Naftali was using his spare time to help developed a secondary strength through attended the Mirrer Yeshiva were pro arrange immigration papers and affi their relationship as brothers-in-law, vided special guidance by a young talmid davits for others still caught in the jaws albeit that the Rosh Hayeshiva was some chacham, Rabbi Dovid Kronglas ?··"1. Reb of Nazi Europe, a practice he continued twenty years Rabbi Neuberger's senior. Dovid would later be brought to Ner for many years thereafter. His career in For more than 45 years, Rabbi Yisroel as mashgiach and maggid shiur by askanus had been launched and began Neuberger carried the entire burden of the Avodas Lev~ upon the recommenda its meteoric rise. fund-raising for the Avodas Le~ allowing tion of Rabbi Neuberger.' Indeed, Reb Two years later, in 1940, he began him to develop hundreds of talmidim Dovid's rare combination of mussar,2 assuming the administrative responsibili in the yeshiva and continue his pursuit lomdus, and p'sak halacha made a pro ties of the yeshiva. His first major project of Torah study at the highest levels.' found imprint on the yeshiva, as Rabbi was to build a permanent h ome for While other yeshivas began burgeon Neuberger had predicted. the yeshiva, at 44 J J Garrison Boulevard. ing throughout this period, virtually no Newly introduced to the English lan other rash hayeshiva was provided for guage, identifiable by a German accent with a Zevulun executive director of such FATEFUL MEETING which was not stylish in the U.S. during magnitude. For just those years, followed WWII, and handicapped by the shortage by close to 20 years of support to his suc ix months before Kristallnacht, the of building materials because of the war cessors, Rabbi Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg twenty-year-old Mirrer Yeshiva effort,3 Rabbi Neuberger nonetheless ? .. "1, Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky ? .. :>n, Sbachurreceived immigration papers raised the money for the new yeshiva and?.. ~, Rabbi Aharon Feldman,.... '-"""', from an Ainerican relative, arrived in building and orchestrated the Chanukas Rabbi Neuberger certainly earned the New York, and headed to Baltimore to Habayis in J 943, in just two years! title of ba'al 1na' asiln. visit family. The second day after Reb Naftoli's arrival on these shores, he spoke with the Avodas Levi to explore attending YISSACHAR·ZEVULUN THE BEREN CAMPUS his yeshiva, Ner Yisroel, which had been PARTNERSHIP founded only five years earlier in the sthedemographicsof theGarrison Tiferres Yisroel Shu!. What might have ile the Garrison Boulevard Boulevard neighborhood began been a perfunctory meeting extended uilding was in the process Ato change and become inhospi many hours into the evening. Although W f being erected, Rebbetzin table to the yeshiva community, Rabbi the substance of what transpired is Ruderman rrv suggested to her husband Neuberger identified and purchased a unknown, one thing is certain. The that Reb Naftali would be a fine match fifty-acre parcel of land in Pikesville, young European refugee was extremely for her youngest sister, Yehudis (Judith), quite distant from the Jewish commu impressed with the Avodas Levi, and daughter of Rabbi Shefte! and Devora nity of 1964. Over the years, he annexed the Avodas Levi must have been equally (nee Frank) Kramer. Rebbetzin Devora another forty acres ofland to preserve the impressed with the German youth. Reb was the youngest daughter of Rabbi pristine atmosphere of the campus and Naftoli enrolled in Ner Yisroel, and with Shraga Feivel Frank, who numbered built a serene Torah village, composed in three months was granted the privilege among his other sons-in-law Rabbi Isser of many clusters of apartment buildings of having the key to the yeshiva's office, a Zalman Meltzer, Rabbi Moshe Mordechai and town houses, domiciling close to J 00 families. The crown jewel of the campus ~~~~~ is the Beis Hamidrash Building, which has FRUM Lit-I:. L-Uf\.L-H been enlarged over the years to accom modate the large influx of students. Coaching clients as they actualize their life goals The dormitories, dining rooms, and classroom buildings support the Torah Mrs. Malka Schulman, cTAcc study of over 860 students and kollel 4See·1labbi Chaim ShapirO;;-~'Torah Pioneers" Conc/1 • Catalyst • Jj;cturer - JO, June '74 5 The Avodas Levi was known as an illuy (genius) Helping newlyweds and married couples enhance their marriage in Europe and spoke extensively in learning with n1any gedoliln as a young man. The D'var (416) 782-1462 [email protected] (416) 781-9116 Avraham (the Kovna Rav) (1:21) refers to him in a footnote as one of the great personalities in the kollel, and author of Avodas Levi, before he cites the Avodas Levi's penetrating question. ~>-s-io_n_s _____f_a_c_e_t_o_fac_e ______w_o_r_k_s_h_o_p_s_ ...--~------~····---·-·---- ==-i THE JEWISH OBSERVER --- ·- .. ------I
yungeleit. The well-maintained buildings as bachurim in Ner Yisroel, their close for himself. This gave him credence and i
and grounds project the kevod haTorah association blossomed in the early I 970s. entree to the highest political leaders. II and kevod Shamayim, so emblematic of Their concern for any possible damage In Rabbi Neuberger s own words (in Rabbi Neuberger. that could besmirch kevod haTorah moti his hespeid for Rabbi Sherer): "Because vated them and several roshei yeshivas to Rabbi Sherer knew certain people, like found a yeshiva-accrediting organization Dr. Samuel Halperin, he was able to get HIS WORK ETHIC known by its acronym AARTS. By par access to the people at the highest levels ticipating, Litvish and Chassidic yeshivas of secular education in Atnerica. Because bbi Neuberger's watchword was would be eligible for government fund of AARTS, between $10 and $15 million achrayus" - responsibility to the ing and would be protected from any dollars goes to yeshiva students. Without K lal. Whenever he would speak, allegations of abuse or corruption. Many the initial work of Rabbi Sherer, literally whenever he would advise, he would political figures had told Rabbi Neuberger hundreds of millions of dollars would always slip in the term - a term he per that Rabbi Sherer never asked anything not have gone to the yeshivos:' At the sonally lived by. Occasionally, he would complain that there were not enough hours in the day. Often, Rabbi Neuberger would paraphrase the Gemara that there will be plenty of time to sleep after 120 years. One Matza' ei Yorn Kippur, during the upheaval in Iran, Rabbi Neuberger left Ma'ariv and headed straight for his office. At eleven p.m. that evening, he was spotted on the phone, still wearing his kittel, because he had been so immersed in phone calls to save Iranian Jews that he had not found time to remove it. Indeed, that image of Rabbi Neuberger cloaked in his kittel as he toiled at his desk to meet the urgent needs of Kial Yisroel THEVORT • The menu for the seuda is could serve as the defining portrait of his limited to 3 courses followed by a lifetime of avodas hakodesh. • The Vort celebration is to be On a local level, Rabbi Neuberger's discontinued. The L'chaim (held at regular dessert. sense of yashrus (justice) dictated that the time that the engagement is • No Viennese table and no bar. the rebbe'im in the yeshiva always be announced) should also not turn paid on time. He would never consider into a Vort. THE MUSIC "borrowing" from the rebbe'im if the THE WEDDING • A band may consist of a maximum yeshiva's funds were lacking. Once, when •For typical families, only 400 invit" of 5 musicians (one of the musicians the yeshiva was forced to borrow many may act as a vocalist) or four musi hundreds of thousands of dollars from a ed guests may be seated at the chas cians and one additional vocalist. bank at prime interest to meet a shortfall, suna seuda. (The Guidelines make Rabbi Neuberger's face looked pained for provision for exceptional circum" • A one-man band is recom some time as he repeatedly mentioned stances - see full text.) mended. that memmon hekdeish (the yeshiva's •The kabbolas panim smorgasbord FLOWERS Br. CHUPA DECOR holy money) needed to be wasted for should be limited to basic cakes, debt service. fruit platters, a modest buffet, and • The total cost of these items for Integrity and honesty were not words the caterer's standard chicken or the entire wedding should not he would often use, but they were ideals meat hot dishes. exceed $1,800. that permeated his essence. Indeed) the fact that he and Rabhi Moshe Sherer FOR THE FULL VERSION OF THE SIMCHA GUIDELINES 7"~l shared these values, along with WITH ITS RABBINICAL SIGNATORIES AND THE an overwhelming sense of mission for addressing klal needs, brought them ACCOMPANYING KOL KOREH, please email into a partnership of sorts over the years. [email protected] or call 212-612-2300 While their friendship began in their days
9 ..______------~-- M A R C H 2 0 0 6 r=-i same time, Rabbi Neuberger was highly Rabbi Sherer was close to Congressman it. Anticipating potential problems, he effective in reaching out to the yeshivos Stephen Solarz, Chairman of the House pre-empted them by working behind and organizing them for their participa Subcomittee on European affairs, who the scenes. Not everybody always agreed tion in AARTS. was able to prevail on the Turkish gov with him, but remarkably, he had no Rabbi Neuberger seemed to have a ernment to accept Iranian refugees into detractors in almost seventy years of keen sensitivity for both incipient trouble the country. efforts on behalf of klal, most likely due areas and opportunities for growth and Similarly, when the Senate passed a to the sincerity he evinced, enlivened by expansion. As a matter of routine, when bill to eliminate the draft exemption for the twinkle in his eye when he shared a such occasions arose, he would tele clergy students, and the bill was coming word of humor. phone Rabbi Sherer, who invariably knew to the House, Rabbi Neuberger turned key people in the specific field. Thus, to Rabbi Sherer. In his words: "In those in that same tribute, Rabbi Neuberger years, our influence would not have been THE PHILADELPHIA FIRE recalled that when the Iran crisis arose, enough. Frum Jews did not have the in 1980, a thicket of diplomatic difficul power and influence we have today. It abbi Neuberger felt an intense ties and political pitfalls stood in the was important to enlist the non-Jewish sense of responsibility for all way of getting Jewish youths out of Iran. clergy, as well. Through his friends in R1'eshivos, not just Ner Yisroel. In the archdiocese, Rabbi Sherer was able late November 1988, the Philadelphia Eretz Yisroel's to convince the Catholic Conference to Yeshiva dormitory sustained a five-alarm Most Reliable Shomer Shabbos become the headquarters of the lobbying fire, and the mshei yeshiva called an emer and English Speaking Car Service effort to exempt divinity students. We gency meeting of a small, select group of decided that the yeshivos had to take askanim. Although Rabbi Neuberger's Visiting Israel? Need Transport? a back role and the Catholics and the presence was not requested, he attended -CHOOSE- Methodists and the Baptists should take nevertheless. Menashe Sopher's the forefront." The strategy worked. It became clear that the Philadelphia Airport &: Limousine Service Regular contact between the two was Yeshiva needed a government contact routine, almost daily, aud continued to who could cut through all the bureau Celebrating 12 years of unbeatable service! bear fruit throughout the years. cratic red tape which might impede the OUR EFFICIENT ENGLISH-SPEAKING OFFICE STAFF, FULLY-LICENSED, INSURED & AIR-CONDITIONED VANS, Rabbi Neuberger's work ethic included construction of a replacement dormi DRIVEN BY JEWISH, POLITE DRIVERS, the principle of gadol hashalom- work tory ueeded by the following Ellul, only ARE TAILOR-MADE FOR ALL OCCASIONS ing in peace with fellow Jews - and he 8 months later. That afternoon, Rabbi 1.718.360.5083 or 972.2.533.3425 a·':-·\·----. , , . -:. was admired by the Baltimore Jewish Neuberger, accompanied by his devoted sales@msoP,herajrport.com community for it. Through his efforts, assistant Jerry Kadden, gained entree www .msophera1rport.com a diverse community has functioned in to the mayor of Philadelphia, Wilson In Israel: 02-533-3425 harmony throughout the years, despite Goode, to marshal his cooperation. At many issues that could have divided that meeting, Rabbi Neuberger displayed his political finesse, flaming the matter so that a politician would respond positively. Upon securing the mayor's support, Eldan Rent-a-Car in Israel Rabbi Neuberger then detailed the exact steps necessary for building approval and occupancy, and asked the mayor to call each specific department head in his Duty Free presence and explaiu the urgency of the matter. They were thus informed directly by the mayor that this project was his top priority, and that any problems should Special be referred to him. The next day, Rabbi Neuberger went to a construction firm that specializes in fast-track construction to prepare plans Offer for the new dormitory. Although the firm, Whiting-Turner, deals exclusively 1-800-938-5000 I 718-998-5500 I www.eldan.co.il with large construction projects on the *Subject to special offer regulations 'L.S only *The discount does not apply to monthly price order of stadiums and hospitals, the owner, Willard Hackerman, a long-time 10 I ·-··----"''"'___ ----- ..··-- ... --·------···-~ r-········----- T H E JF.WISH OnsEr~VER 1 ---- ,.-.,------~------·-- ______,_
friend of Rabbi Neuberger's, accepted the a warn1 mazal tov letter together with on the seventh morning of shiva. Rabbi I project as a courtesy. The new dormitory a small gift. When possible, he would Neuberger stayed on until the shiva was completed on schedule and at full "find time" to attend, no n1atter how room cleared, and helped him that occupancy that Ellul. distant the simcha. morning with the legalities and paper And in times of sadness or grief, work necessary for his mother's finan cial welfare .... In another instance, THE FATHER after being apprised by a ta/mid that his best friend had just been the victim Although he lost his own father just of a terrorist attack in Bretz Yisroel, four weeks after his Bar Mitzva, Rabbi Rabbi Neuberger sat and cried with Neuberger intuitively understood how him for ten minutes. Upon discovering to be a father when he grew to maturity. that the talmid's parents wanted the And a beloved father he was, not only burial to take place in the U.S. rather to his own sons, but to the talmidim than Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Neuberger of the yeshiva, the kollel yungeleit and arranged to meet them. He negotiated their families, as well. His levaya this a compromise: a funeral service would past Chol Hamoed Sukkos was attended take place in the yeshiva in Baltimore, by thousands who felt the double grief but the burial would be in Eretz Yisroel. of losing a father and a precious asset of As a meaningful consolation to the the klal.... Where they would turn for parents, Rabbi Neuberger arranged for the fatherly advice he would unstint the state police to escort their car along ingly offer? the Beltway after the service. The role of a father exceeds what would be expected from the most caring outsider. For example, Rabbi PATRON OF IRANIAN JEWRY Neuberger made over ten trips to New York to n1entor a young rash yeshiva ounded 2500 years ago by emi who felt daunted by the task of fund gres from Eretz Yisroel, before raising. Rabbi Neuberger spent full Fthe destruction of the First Beis evenings 1naking solicitations with Hamikdash, the Jewish community in him for his new yeshiva .... In another Iran had maintained its emuna through case, he took the initiative to contact out the centuries. Thirty years ago, the wealthy uncle of a kollel yungerman however, Rabbi Neuberger personally who was experiencing financial hard assessed the spiritual well-being of the ship, and arranged for the uncle to send Persian community before the deposi the yungennan a monthly stipend .... tion of the Shah, and concluded that Rabbi Neuberger arranged with a food Torah life in Iran would disintegrate if distributor to drop off a case of frozen there were not sufficient Persian b' nei food weekly to needy families .... Once, Torah capable of positions in chinuch a member of the kollel, who was in and rabbanus. Initially, he planned to the midst of difficult negotiations bring promising students to the yeshiva, about the terms of his first position, develop them, and send them back called from New York for advice. Rabbi to Iran to fortify their community. Neuberger took the next plane to New With the Islamic Revolution in '79, York to join in the contract negotia however, the Iranian Jews were placed tions. The many hours of effort were in physical peril, as well. As a result, unsuccessful, and Rabbi Neuberger Rabbi Neuberger shifted gears to help spent the return flight consoling the Iranian Jewry escape to the U.S. and young rabbi .... When called with the Eretz Yisroel. news that an alumnus had risen in his He lavished personal care on the 800 job or taken a better position, he would Iranians who passed through the yeshiva communicate a joy that only a father over the past 23 years. When informed could register .... Those who sent Rabbi Rabbi Neuberger was there for his that a new group had arrived in the Neuberger an invitation to their son's talmid. A yungcrman who had lost his middle of the night, Rabbi Neuberger 1 Litzva or a chassuna would receive father was visited by Rabbi Neuberger took out his personal checkbook and
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wrote a generous check so that they The Ultimate Shtadlan could go shopping without delay and "Yoseif came to them [the butler and the baker in prison] in the morning, and get outfitted for yeshiva life. he looked at them and they were depressed. And he asked Pharaoh's stewards The Avodas Levi was insistent that the who were with him in prison ... 'Why do you appear downcast today?"' (Bereishis Iranians maintain their minhagim and 40, 6-7) encouraged them to make a separate The Sforno (ibid. 37:2) comments that the incidents that took place in Yaakov Avinu's Shabbos minyan according to Minhag life after he returned to Bretz Yisroel portended what would occur to the Jewish people Paras. As a Levi, Rabbi Neuberger would during the era of the Second Temple, its destruction, the diaspora, and the events that attend this minyan after they concluded will take place at the time of our ultimate redemption. Yoseif's question to his non-Jewish kriyas Ha Torah to wash the hands of the prison-mates became the turning point that led to Yoseif's meteoric rise to power and Persian Kohanim who would duchan the subsequent deliverance of his family from the famine. Does the following account during Mussaf(as per Sefardic practice). recapitulate a ge'ulaforeshadowed by Yoseif's question? Rabbi Neuberger would then stay for Birkas Kohanim, and give the Iranian In the mid- J970s, it became clear to Rabbi Naftoli Neuberger that the climate in Iran had bachurim words of chizuk after daven become inimical to Jewish education. In these years prior to the deposition of the Shah, he ing. No wonder that the members of recognized that the very continuity oflranian Jewry was in jeopardy. As a result, he worked this community would refer to him as indefatigably not only to rescue individuals, but also to effectuate the salvation of what "Abba." The former rabbi of the Shiraz would tum out to be an entire f'ida (community) in Klal YisraeL Although many events community in Iran, Rabbi Yitzchak which took place behind the scenes in Washington and Teheran to orchestrate the liberation Baal Hanes, credits Rabbi Neuberger for of the Iranian community still remain obscure, there is a personal incident recounted by preserving Yiddishkeit among Iranian Rabbi YosefTendler, menahel of the Mechina in Yeshiva Ner Yisroel, which sheds some light Jews in all of America. His assistance on the process, as well as on Rabbi Neuberger himself. to their institutions was continual and Rabbi Neuberger had assigned Rabbi Tendler the responsibility to apply for visas for knew no bounds. the young Iranian men and women who wanted to leave their country. Halted in his tracks by governmental bureaucracy and resistance to aiding immigration, Rabbi Tendler reported back to Rabbi Neuberger that he had been totally unsuccessful. Instantly, Rabbi IN THE POLITICAL ARENA Neuberger dialed a government contact in Washington and explained the problem. His contact stated that he lacked the power to assist him personally, but gave Rabbi Neuberger uring Chanuka last year, I sat the name and number of a colleague, a high-ranking bureaucrat 'vho was in a position together with Rabbi Neuberger to expedite the visas. Rabbis Neuberger and Tendler quickly arranged an appoiutment to D at a 16-seat table in the old petition him in person, but to their chagrin, this pivotal official was totally indifferent and Rayburn House Office Building in could not be induced to involve himself in the plight of Iranian Jewry. The case seemed Washington, D.C., awaiting the arrival hopeless. Then, there was an unexpected knock on the door of his office, and the official of President George W. Bush, who was that Rabbi Neuberger had originally phoned for help was ceremoniously ushered into the still basking in the glow of his four-mil· room. He immediately hugged Rabbi Neuberger and expressed his warm and genuine lion-vote plurality. In recognition of the appreciation for the rabbi. Witnessing this, the second bureaucrat did a total about-fuce. Orthodox Jewish community's support From that moment until approximately four years later, the second government contact for his re-election bid, President Bush opened the floodgates of Iranian emigration, allowing thousands of Jewish youths to invited fifteen members of the Jewish come to these shores. community for a seventy-five- minute Curious about what had transpired, Rabbi Ten di er inquired as to why the first contact, conference, followed by a Chanuka a non-Jew, was so motivated to help Rabbi Neuberger that he orchestrated such a dramatic party and photo op for five hundred scene in order to influence his colleague to fulfill Rabbi Neuberger's request. The explanation supporters. Well aware of the many that he received was that some thirty years earlier, Rabbi Neuberger (at that time in his late elected officials who gravitated to Rabbi 20s) had struck up a conversation witl1 this non-Jew while attending a conference. Jn his Neuberger and of the many govern· typical caring manner, he became acquainted with the fellow and discovered that he was ment contacts that he had developed suffering from a severe medical condition. After ascertaining the details, Rabbi Neuberger over the course of six decades, I asked did some research and referred him to an accomplished physician who ultimately cured Rabbi Neuberger how many presidents him. Rabbi Neuberger's altruistic interveotion made a lasting impression on his beoeficiary, he had met during his career. I was to the extent that when he ascended in the ranks of government in Washington, DC, he astonished to learn that this meeting always put himself at Rabbi Neuberger's disposal to """Press his gratitude. with President Bush would be the very In the final analysis, a single, sincere expression of Rabbi Neuberger's characteristic first! I was taken aback that the person concern for the welfare ofhis fellow man ("Why do you appear downcast today?") put into who would pursue and exhaust every motion the yeshua for the entire Iranian Jewish community! governmental channel to rescue, save, or help another Jew could be meeting
12 .... -~------··--·--·········------!-=-··· T H E
Mv Years With Rabbi Nattoli Neuberger ,, .. ~T From a tribute bv Howard Tzvi Friedman
Rabbi Naftoli Neuberger'>"~ was more than a men Just think about it. This was the leader of a major tor to me. He was a second father, a close friend and a Torah mosad, 75 years old, one of the most respected role model all in one. Most of all, he showed me what rabbis in the world, and he was so bothered by a news it means to care for every Jew. item about an irreligious Jew that he took time out of Rabbi Neuberger .had no personal needs. He would his busy day to respond to it. Later that day, I asked buy a new piece of clothing only after one of his chil him over the phone what had happeued at the funeral dren told him he absolutely had to. I remember the home. He told me that he thought he had made some ripped couch in the living room of his small apartment impact. The family was considering his request and had on Yeshiva Lane. He would never have changed it, but told him, "Rabbi, don't think that if we decide to go finally someone just gave him a new couch. While he ahead and not cremate him that you will get a funeral guarded the yeshiva's money zealously, it was his grand out of it." Woe unto them that they did not recognize vision that built Ner Yisroel into the major institution Rabbi Neuberger's gadlus and had so little appreciation it is today. for what motivates a great Jew. I recall the first time we took a train trip together to Washington, DC. I always took the Metroliner, which then cost $26.00, and asked Rabbi Neuberger if we would take the Metroliner. His instant response was, "I can get A few years ago when Senator Barbara Mikulski of the MARC local train with a senior citizen discount for Maryland addressed a Yeshiva Ner Israel dinner. She $3.SO:' I tried to reason with him that the Metroliner began by telling us of a dilemma that had arisen a took only 30 minutes, while the local train took a full month earlier, when she was going through her invita hour. But he was adamant that he could not justify tions and noted that two of them were for events on the spending the Yeshiva's money on the more expensive same evening. One was from President Clinton, for the train. That gave me the idea of offering to pay for his White House holiday party, while the other was from Metroliner ticket, which he accepted. Now he was able Rabbi Neuberger, for the Ner Israel dinner. At first, she to save an hour on the round trip, and could use the could not decide whether she should choose to have a extra time back in the Yeshiva at no cost to the Yeshiva. photo op with President Clinton or to chat with Rabbi That was the best money I ever spent. Besides the obvi Neuberger. Then, she said, she came to the conclusion ous fact of making things easier for Rabbi Neuberger, that presidents come and go, but Rabbi Neuberger will it taught me a valuable lesson. be here forever. So she came to Ner Israel. Today, Rabbi Neuberger is no longer with us, but the Yeshiva he built and the legacy he left will be here forever. I was sitting in his office when he got a phone call and told me that he had to run. "Where are you going?" I asked. I was driving home from New York. After I finished He told me, "There is a famous composer who has a 30 minute phone conversation, my wife asked me to just died, and I am going up the block to Levinson's whom I had been talking. I said, "Rabbi Neuberger." funeral home to convince the family not to cremate him.,, She said, "Oh! It sounded like you were talking to a friend:' Perhaps I felt like his friend, but he was a giant I had seen the article on the front page of the news m1d I will never be anywhere close to his level. But he paper abont this man's death and the plans to cremate had a special way that made me feel that he was truly a him, and I said to Rabbi Neuberger, "I didn't realize friend, not only to me bnt to my entire family. you knew him:' He replied, "I didn't know him. But how can I allow MR.. FRIEDMAN, A TALMIDOFYESHIVA NER YISROf:l., rs ACTIVE IN JE\VISH .. ------·-·~--··"--"'-·-··- ·····-----.. ··---.. ------·------MA n CH 2006 ---·---- ··---·----·------======------·------
an American president for the first time at age 86. But I felt foolish when I realized the simplicity of the expla nation-Rabbi Neuberger obviously never needed a president's assistance in any of his myriad projects. He only made contact with those people who would serve the needs of his people. .ni:i:i ,, illtl Had he ever needed the intercession :J.?S-7' of a president, I have no doubt that he would have secured it. His interest Now AVAILABLE IN SEFORIM STORES in politics was purely pragmatic and ON THE FOLLOWING nln)OIJ: utilitarian, not for appearance, not to ,x!Jp x:i:i ,pv111p ,pu11 ,n:iv ,ni:ii:i ,Jl7in impress. Rabbi Neuberger's stance can be piiillll ,nlln:iv ,0111i ,Xll'Y!J x:i:i gleaned from a state1nent he once Each packed with rn:1119rn rn'7Nl9 that 1nade to a confidant who was asked to accompany him to a political event. review the N'lOI N'7j719 of the NlrJl in When his companion inquired if there accordance with n190tn and 1"191 would be kosher food at the gathering, written in Hebrew. Rabbi Neuberger responded, "When you attend these affairs, you don't even drink a glass of water. If you anticipate Recommended and used by O'Jln1Ji1 1'7m you will be thirsty once you arrive, as well as c111n'm and c•n:i 1'7y:i for over 20 years. drink water before you get there." His attendance was purely selfless and focused on tachlis. During the '70s, Congressman ATTN: ATTORNEYS &CPAs Get C.L.E. Credits WHILE LEARNING CHOSHEN MISHPAT Pirchei Shoshanim in conjunction with the Shulchan Aruch Project of Yerushalayim has recently received permission to give a program in Choshen Mishpat where one can earn up to 34 credits in legal Ethics to be in compliance with their Continuing Legal Education requirement. What better combination learning Torah while getting your C.L.E. credits. One can take portions of the program or the entire progtamwithmorearea's in the planning stage. Just sign up and receive the lessons and hear theaudk1 all from the comfort of your own office. ·
For information please coll in the U.S 732-370-3344 /or Tollfree800-747-2434, Or write: [email protected] www.shemoyisroel.com
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Ar THE LEAD wo times a year, Rabbi ! Neuberger would lead the T yeshiva in davening. One was for the final kinna (dirge) that is recited aloud on Tisha B'Av - "Eli Tziyon," which bewails the decline of G-d's glory in the world since the Temple's destruction, and the pain and suffering of the Jews since. With this annual recitation, it was as Clarence D. Long from Maryland G-d for the opportunity to live under if he publicly proclaimed his com- (Ph.D. from Princeton and eleven such salutary conditions. 1nitment to focus his energies on term Member of the House) served as Although Rabbi Neuberger did not addressing these tzaros (troubles) Chairman of the House Appropriations make explicit reference to the fact that and take personal responsibility for Co1n1nittee, and becan1e one of the Hashem had granted him, the erstwhile their resolution or amelioration. The most influential lawmakers on Capitol immigrant, more than sixty years of re1nainder of his year was dedicated Hill. Despite the relative insignificance shtadlanus to "work" the Ainerican to this single purpose. The second of Maryland's Orthodox Jewish vote, system of government, I could not help ti1ne he ascended the an1ud was on Congressman Long was convinced but conjecture that the tears he shed the evening of Rosh Hashana. It was that his biannual re-election to the represented his acknowledgment of the obvious to all that there was no one House was in large part due to Rabbi special Hashgacha he was granted to more qualified to arouse the mercy of Neuberger, and constantly sought his provide for his people's welfare through Heaven on the Day of Judgment than advice and blessing. As the Hashgacha governmental intervention. Rabbi the quintessential ba'al ma'asim. unfolded, the congressman's loyalty Neuberger, therefore, accepted this Rabbi Naftali Halevi Neuberger played an essential role in the rescue invitation to nleet with the President was a giant in our ti1nes in building of many Iranian Jews, as he pcrn1it out of profound appreciation. He had and protecting Torah, and easing the ted Rabbi Neuberger the use of his no reason, however, to attend the plight of Kial Yisroel over the last diplomatic pouch to transfer papers Chanuka party following the meeting six-and-one-half decades of galus. in and out of Iran at a ti1ne when the or accept the opportunity to have his May his example inspire us to follow Iranian government would no longer picture taken with the President, and in his footsteps of chessed, askanus, allow con1rnunication with the United therefore he returned to Baltimore to and achrayus for the klal, in what we States. continue toiling for the yeshiva and pray will prove to be the final phase Given his dispassion for politics, the tzibbw-. of our galus. 11' why, then, did Rabbi Neuberger attend the Chanuka meeting with the President? I believe the answer HIGH SCHOOL MENAHAL/ MENAHALES was revealed in his uncharacteristi POSITION AVAILABLE cally halting and teary-eyed com ment to the Commander-In-Chief. Bnos Y1sroel ofBaltimore is a school are looking for a MenahaV Menahales Rabbi Neuberger was the first to for OrthodoxjeWish girls that aims with high school experience speak after the President opened up the session to the participants. He to instill in its students a love and exemplary leadership skills. recalled the condition of the Jews in of Yiddishkeit in a fashion that The Menahel/Menahales Will be pre-War Germany - how all access to enhances the confidence and self responsible for the daily operations, the government was denied them as esteem needed for the growth of curriculum and will monitor the they lived in deplorable conditions B'nos Torah. With an elementary progress of the school. We are - land contrasted that dire situation school enrollment of over 260 girls, offering a comprehensive benefits with our current status in America, as we lY"H look forward to opening a package and salary commensurate typified by the fact that fifteen Jews did not plead for such a meeting, but high schoolin September, 2007. We v.ith experience. were invited by the President for a discussion of issues facing American Please fax resumes to 410-358-9671 and world Jewry. He stirringly thanked NOT To BE LEFT BEHIND Menucha Etel's parents, Rabbi and "SHE SURVIVED" - SIMPLE Rebbetzin Avraham jofen, escaped and PHRASE, MOUNTAINS OF o it was that Jews were sent to reached the U.S. as early as 1941, but COURAGE Siberia in 1940. It was the times. their daughter was married; the route SIt happened. Among the victims to japan was closed to her and her hat simple phrase, "she sur was Rabbi Yehuda Leib Nekritz. But to husband. vived," conceals mountains of volunteer to go to Siberia? That seemed Rabbi Nekritz was a Polish citizen Tcourage and sacrifice. irrational. Truly "nuts," in the vernacu who had fled from Bialystock, Poland, to She and her husband lived in a hut, lar. But Rabbi Nekritz's wife Menucha a small town near Vilna, which fell under I 0 x 15, with their two girls - together Etel did just that. To boot, she had two Russian rule just before the Germans with a peasant, his wife, their two chil small girls, four and one, respectively. attacked Russia. The Russians consigned dren, and several animals. They slept She wanted to entrust them to the Rabbi Nekritz to Siberia, along with on the floor. The temperature in the uncertain fates of the Siberian cold. many other Jewish men who had refused winter was fairly constant - about She would have it no other way. In to accept Russian citizenship. 40 degrees below zero. There was pre fact, she fought for the right to go. She Their wives wept and hoped to be cious little food to be had altogether, saved her life; those who regarded her reunited with their husbands - the let alone kosher food. Nevertheless, as "nuts" lost their lives. Here's what Russians said that the men would go neither Rabbi Nekritz nor his wife ate happened: first, the women later. But then the Nazis non-kosher food all the years they were In the chaos and snap decisions at overran Poland and killed these wives there. What they survived on - an the onset of the Nazi Holocaust, certain and their children. occasional potato? scraps of bread? rabbis and Torah students secured pas When Rabbi Nekritz's wife heard of - is a mystery. sage out of the Nazi inferno to Japan. her husband's destination, she put on They sustained not only themselves. But if they had married children, these one royal scene before the communist Roughly a minyan of yeshiva students, children were not eligible. For example, officer. She simply wouldn't leave her unmarried, had been shipped to Siberia
RABBI GOLDBERG !S EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF DENVER'S husband. Her friends deemed her daft. with them. While Mrs. Nekritz was INTERMOUNTAIN Jr.·wrsH NEWS. HE HAS AUTHORED She eventually convinced the commu cooking scraps for them, he was teach SEVERAL BOOKS ON THE MuSSAR MOVEMENT, nist officer, whose father was a pious ing them Torah and mussar, bolstering INCLUDING THE FIRE WtTl-flN: THE LIVING HERITAGE Jew, to let her and her two little girls their spirits. This was all after hours, of OF THE MUSSAR MOVEMENT; ILLUMINATING THE accompany their husband and father GENERA110NS (BOTH ARTSCROLL); AND /SRA1''L course. Slave labor was the men's daily SALANTER: TEXT, STRUCTURE, /VEA (KTAV). HE IS A to Siberia. She survived, her friends lot. Still, his nightly sessions of study FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO THESE PAGES. perished. with his students constantly made him
16 T1:1E JEWISH OriSERVEH
suspect in the eyes of the authorities. PINCHAS ~DEL They took him away at night for Over 50 years experience in Kvura in Eretz Yisrael questioning countless ti1nes. Would Serving tfie North Amencan Public and Funeral Industry he return? Menucha Etel Nekritz never 7N11'1' )'1N )'N ;rn::ir )1N Vi71i7 knew. But she never asked him to play Personal responsibilitJ throughout service - NOT JUST "PAPERWORK" it safe and cease his Torah teaching. ORIGINATOR OF THE PRESENT RABBINICALLY APPROVED METHOD Quite the contrary. She encouraged Highly recommended by Gedolai Hador- Here and in Eretz Yisrael him, despite the potential risk to her 1628-42ml Street, Brooklyn, NY 11204 and her girls. It was not just his inforn1al yeshiva Day & Night phone: (718) 851-8925 that endangered them. It was their ]))t>'l:lN1~1.lNj7 ))l»j7 - J'1::l 1Nl 1111.l::i)J '1l~ dedication to Shabbos. They simply Kavod Haniftar with Mesiras Nefesh and compassion for the bereaved family. would not work on Shabbos, a com TAHARAS ffANIFTAR SHOULD NEVER BE COMMERCIALIZED mitment that entailed countless sub terfuges and deals, which, however, were not always successful. So they were endangered on that score, too. Constant sessions with the llussian authorities, confrontational questions - was he a spy? - were Rabbi Nekritz's lot.
THE SMALLEST ITEM COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
ust as the con11nunist officer had 1nade an exception for Menucha Etel Nekritz by letting her go to Icria, he also n1ade an exception to the normal, extre1ne limits on baggage. Instead of seven kilos, she could take all she could carry. The poverty in Siberia was so extren1e that the sn1allest ite1n - to Passover is by far the most expensive holiday season. be used for sale or barter - could Matzoh, wine, food, clothing and other Pesach expenses force many who can barely manage during the year to make the difference between life and apply for assistance. death. A piece of paper, for example. Our thirty-two all-volunteer staffed branches across A needle. A bar of soap. These could Israel are swamped with requests for Gemach interest-free spell life. Siberia had no commodi loans for Pesach. We cannot possibly answer all of them. ties. On one occasion, Menucha Etel 0-Nj,yYQ,IJcC,A-N~IT,~Jl,~\ traded a precious, beautiful tablecloth SEND Youii Mosr GENEROUS 'DONATION TooAY! that she had embroidered for six pota Your Yom Tov Simcha will be multiplied by having made their Pesach possible. toes. Shortly afterward, the woman When repaid, your gift will be recycled, becoming a returned and wanted her potatoes erpetually revolving Gmach loan, a"1ding the struggling and back. (The tablecloth is now a family e crisis-stricken in so many ways, every day of the year. heirloom.) The items that Menucha Etel brought to Siberia helped her survive at the beginning. In about 1942, pack ages began arriving from A1nerica. How did her parents find out where she was? Rabbi Nekritz had sent telegrams to his father-in-law, Rabbi Jofen, in
Loklyn,~-~: thought.~1e- - 17 I M A R c H 2 0 0 6 -~ operator never sent them. Months message from Mars. Then, packages and his wife Chaya. Her fabled grand later, Rabbi Nekritz managed to send started to arrive - half stolen on the father, a Lithuanian baal mussar!rosh a postcard from a different Siberian way - but still, something. Enough yeshiva died in 1919, while her grand I town. Miraculously, it reached America to keep them alive. mother lived until 1935. i seven months later. Imagine trying to (Parenthetically, Rabbi Nekritz He founded scores of yeshivos in make contact with family, not know continued sending food packages to Russia and Poland. His daughter, ing whether you're successful, in the friends and former students in Russia Rebbetzin Sarah Jofen, was deeply meantime living at 40 below, utterly into the 1980s.) involved in all his endeavors. (See removed from any normal routine. As In Siberia, Menucha Etel Nekritz "And Sarah Was Listening ... ," by soon as the postcard reached America, had two memorable dreams. To relate Shoshana Perr, JO, Summer '84.) the Nekritzes received a telegram, one of them, it is necessary to fill in a But it was her daughter, Menucha which made them instant celebrities, bit about her background. Etel, who cared for her grandmother, because getting a message in Siberia Born in 1914, she was the grand the Bubba Chaya, in her old age. in those days was equal to getting a daughter of the Alter of Novarodok Laundry. Nursing. Feeding. Spoonful by spoonful. Whatever it took. The bond between the generations grew into the proverbial "threefold bond, ~11ER ~TIQRV unbreakable."
BUBBA CHAYA'S VISIT .•. ~p l{IEITC~ IN A DREAM ive years after the Bubba Chaya's death, her granddaughter found in G'letz Q}is'loe/ /o'l 93ais Q}aakov Fherself in Siberia, with her first child named after her grandmother. !}{igh Schoof Students (Little Chaya is now the rebbetzin of Rabbi Naftali Kaplan, noted mashgiach in Eretz Yisroel.) Menucha Etel's first dream took place when her younger July 2 - Jlugust 8, 2006 daughter, Shoshana, became quite ill. The hospitals were simply rooms. • 1:1ste of Sen1inary Studies & Ti;ulim for Girls entering Grades 11 and 12 There were no doctors, no medications. People stole from each other. There was • Hear Shiurim from Rahbonin1 an I month at the age of91 in Far Rockaway, "What did you do before you came voice, and the songs of faith (emuaa) New York. For the past 20 years, she was to Nizhne and Machavaya [the name of and trust ( bitachon) that she learned in cared for by her daughter, Rebbetzin a Siberia collective]." her parents' and grandmother's home. Shoshana Perr, the same Shoshana of the "I was a rebbi [a teacher and spiritual Her children thought that they had dream in Siberia, where her distraught mentor], and I will always be a rebbi:' learned all the songs their mother mother saw her daughter rescued by "Why were you exiled to Siberia?" knew, only to discover that as recently Heavenly intervention, signaled by a "So that you would see that there as a few years ago, she was teaching still post-mortal message from her grand- is a G-d in the world, and so that we, more songs to their own children, her 1nother. too, vvould see that there is a G-d in grandchildren. Just as Menucha Etel cared personally the world!" Rebbetzin N ekritz had what might for her grandmother, Shoshana Perr He lived thus in Siberia and Kafkaz, be termed an inner sense of hadar, with her husband, Rabbi Yechiel Perr, and after the war in Lodz, in France, splendor. She kept this up as she nursed the rosh yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Far in Canada, and, finally, as a long tin1e her grandmother in her youth, then Rockaway, sustained Menucha Etel in "rebbi" (as he would put it) in the cen in the wastes of Siberia and later in their home until the very end. tral Beth Joseph Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Brooklyn. first assisting his father-in-law, Rabbi In the shed, her residence in Siberia, Jofen, then in partnership with his late she had lived with animals - but THE SURVIVORS REMEMBER brother-in-law, Rabbi Yaakov Jofen. retained her sense of inner beauty. He lived "hishtav'us," a Novarodok And she demanded it, in a quiet and nly five people are still alive mussar term connoting a stable rela unspoken sort of way, fron1 the yeshiva from that small group of stu tionship with Hashem and with people, students she cooked for in Siberia, and 0 dents who studied Torah with unaffected by one's circumstances. His later from her six children and her Rabbi Nekritzin Siberia.Joel Oren! once hishtav'us and Menucha Etel's Tehillim grandchildren. wrote about them that their cohesive helped them remain hopeful and It was a certain inner voice and sense ness astonished the local villagers and alive. of self. Who else would think of taking aroused their curiosity. They asked And she lived with song. on a communist officer and demanding Rabbi Nekritz: Her children remember her beautiful a trip to Siberia? fl!) Through a unique partnership \\ith Young Israel Educational Programs, To register or for more information Inc., Bellevue University accepts bachelor's degrees fro1n any regionally on Master's Programs, call: accredited or Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools 212-929-1525, ext. 115 accredited or affiliated institution. Earn your M:L-;ter's Degree through a con1bination of online courses accessible or email: any·Nhcre and in-class courses at a [email protected] i\.vailable location convenient to you. Register through YeshivaNet, nou' for sununer 2006: ilfaster's without direct internet progranis in Education, Leadership, access. Endorsed hy leading Rabbis. and Business Ad1ninistration. Financial aid is available. Real learning for Real life. Bellevue, Nebraska Bel!eVue Univcr'>lly ls icc'redi!&d by The llighutear'ntng Coinmlssion 'Ofll1e Nor!li tt!ntrt!I A%ociatiM of colleges and School~, 30 North LaSalle Street, Sui!e 2400, C11ic11go, l!hnois (>0(,()2,2504. I I ---- ~--- -·---~ ·-- ____d r=:=-...-. --_····_···_···_··------===;;;P;;;U;;;R;;;IM=R;;;;E;;;;F;;:L;;;E;;;;~;;:·~;;:IO;;;;··~;;:··;;;;~~;;;;····;;;;··;;:· = I YISRAEL RUTMAN you shall stand there to meet him ..." Moshe to him: "Is there such a thing as (Shemos?,15). The Midrash Rabba (9:8) a god that goes to the men's room?" tells us that Pharaoh had set himself up Thus, our enemies are not only as a god, and as such, it would not have defeated, but forever humiliated. ABSURD TO THE POINT been in keeping with his divine person to Indeed, it's a mitzva to ridicule them. OF SELF-RIDICULE be subject to the same bodily functions As it says in the Torah, "That you as everybody else. So he would make an should relate in the ears of your chil "All ridicule is forbidden except the early morning visit to the Nile, away from dren and your children's children how I ridicule of idol worship" (Megilla 25b ). the prying eyes of mere mortals, thereby mocked the Egyptians" (Shemos 10,2). haraoh, as a self-proclaimed deity, maintaining the pretense of being above The mitzva finds fulfillment in the glee is a favorite target of Chazal'.1 such things. ful chanting of Jewish children grow Pmockery. When Moshe Rabbeinu The Midrash ( Yalkut Shimoni, ing up in Bretz Yisroel today, "Pharaoh is instructed by Hashem to make an Tehillim 646) relates that Moshe caught bepajamas be'emtza halaila!" ("Pharaoh appointment with Pharaoh, he is told, Pharaoh at just the vulnerable moment. in pajamas in the middle of the night!") "Go unto Pharaoh in the 1norning, he "Let me go [to the men's room over here For after all the imperious refusals to goes out to the water [of the Nile], and first], and we can talk afterwards:' Said let the people go free, Pharaoh was Wiping Out Amaleik ...111. the terms''~ .4,p. ead with Moshe to is no accide1lt. Onf()ctunately, he power leave .• ,. slaying of the first-born them are famous for more than ~t the spark of (Be'erYoseij). fifteen minutes of fame allotted to every oliness should not drown in the sea Sometimes, the idolatry is so absurd one in the future by a "culture hero" of of materialism and heresy. That is what as to be self-satirizing- Ba'al Pe' or, for a generation ago (whose career would Chazal mean when they say, 'All ridicule example, in which defecation in front make any parody superfluous). is forbidden except the ridicule of idol of the idol was the preferred form of worship"' (Megilla 25b). worship. In our times, too, the use of The gods of Western society - the COPING WITH EVIL material power and the glittering plea YISRAEL RUTMAN, WHO TEACHES GEMARA IN sures - are an overwhelming force that YESHIVAS OHR ZICHRON YAAKOV (IN ZICHRON YAAKOV), IS A FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO THESE ut the arsenal of leitzanus (ridicule) threaten to sweep everything before PAGES, MOST RECENTLY WITH "THE WINK OF THE can be directed at evil in whatever them. How can we withstand the ideo Bits manifestation. As Rabbi Dessler logical onslaught of the juggernaut of T 1-1 E J E \V I S II () B S E R \! E R the present exile? that "son1e benefit may co1ne from it; Egypt, we represented the awe of an all Nothing is n1orc effective, 1nore with that they may understand that even powerful G-d who intervenes directly ering, than ridicule. Nothing unseats the nowadays there are various things that and iniraculously in the arena of his high and mighty of the earth more than many people hold [to be true which are tory. The world was offered the stirring to show that the en1peror has no clothes. actually] foolish and empty... just as many example of a people delivered from the That his victories are empty; his pleasures generations, inillions of people, erred in moral squalor of the house of bondage unsatisfying and bitter; his ideas, which foolish and empty ideas, while only the to the dignity of freedom. Amaleik was ever pron1ise a better life, prove instead Jewish people, though small in number, compelled to attack, for his very nature to be absurd and ruinous. understood the truth as it was transn1it is to tear down whatever noble ideals Rabbi Baruch Neventsal N"1"'7el of ted at Sinai .. :' (Igros Moshe, Yoreh Dei'a of spirituality, of human dignity, exist Yeshivas Knesses Yitzchak (Chadera) tells Vol. 2, Siman 53). in the world. Amaleik is the leitz, the the following parable: scoffer who denies with his laughter When the first railway was brought the light of the nations. And when the to the city of Chelm, the not-so-wise THE LEITZANUS OF AMALEIK world does not laugh with him, when men could not believe that the train's ten the seriousness of G-d's purpose for carriages could be powered by some new, Every Puri1n is a turnabout; an humanity survives his leitzanus, he as-yet-unheard-of, mechanical means. annual celebration of the triumph resorts to violence. They insisted that only powerful beasts of good over evil that exists in The era of Moshiach signifies the of burden, such as horses, could move potential at every stage of history. The rectification of the world, the restoration the carriages, and they must be hid- villains of the story are mercilessly lam- of human dignity in the light of Torah. den somewhere inside. Their search pooned every year. The haughty and Amaleik is perforce excluded because his in, around, and under the train for beautiful Vashti is made ludicrous by nihilistic essence is opposed to tikkun. hidden horsepower proved fruitless. the appearance of a tail. The cruel Do not rebuke the scoffer. All rebuke by Nevertheless, they 1vere undaunted. Haman beco1nes the hapless target of definition calls for rectifying what has After a long interval of confabulation, his own villainous plotting, and must gone wrong. The scoffer, the Zeitz, is by they announced that they had 90% of give Mordechai the honor he coveted definition impervious to rebuke. The the solution! Behold! The last carriage for himself - to be led in royal regalia was drawn by the ninth, the ninth by on the king's own horse; and who hangs the eighth, the eighth by the seventh, with his progeny from the very gallows Purim is the time and so on. It only remained to discover he built for Mordechai. In the Megilla, the Jews renewed their what made the first one go! G-d Himself wrote the script and was in acc:eptance of TOrah & Mitzvos. It is just so. Despite all the talk of a ultimatecontrolofthcevents,orchestrat- Thus It is a perfect time to "big bang;' scientists are at a loss when ing the salvation of Israel at the expense read & learn it comes to addressing the question of of the overblown dignity- and the very the origin of the material that went into lives - of their ene1nies. (or came out of) the "big bang:' Most In Pachad Yitzchak (Chanuka, Inyan 111111 111 evade the issue. Some choose G-d. The I) Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner 7""1 explains .....lo o rctellirca.. 1 1: lililll:..9• proposition that a superior race from that at the end of days, all the nations will a faraway star seeded our planet with come to honor Hashem and His people, 1-800-237-7149 life (credited to Nobel Prize winner Sir Israel. Only the nation of Amaleik is or [email protected] Francis Crick) is just too silly for one to slated for absolute destruction; only they keep a straight face. will permanently forfeit their member- In coping with a society that is drift- ship in the family of nations. Why is CHEVRA OSEH CHESED ing away from traditional morality at a that they are fated for oblivion, when OF AGUDATH ISRAEL frightening pace, it is helpful to have in all the rest, who also denied the truth mind what Rabbi Moshe Feinstein 7""1 and also persecuted the Jewish people, BURIAL PLOTS had to say about the gods of past societ- are allowed to share in the glory of ies. In a responsu1n regarding teaching Moshiach? IN ERETZ YISROEL about the idolatry of Greece and Rome in Rabbi Hutner cites the passuk, Intennent in a Shomer Shabhos state-run schools, Reb Moshe ruled that "Reis his goyin1 Amaleik, ve'achariso Beis Olam near Beis Shemesh a Jewish teacher may do so, on condition adei oveid." Please phone or write to: that he makes clear to the students at Amaleik is the first of the nations Chevra Oseh Chesed of~ Israel every opportunity the morally repellent to have challenged Kial Yisroel, and 42 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 and ludicrous nature of idol worship. therein lies the seed of its demise. For (212) 797-9000 Lb:oshe also. expressedhishope-whe:e emerge~from t~e slaver~of--·-····----··-·----~ j M A n c H 2 0 0 6 __····=-i ! tikkun ha'olam bemalchus Shakkai nee· essarily excludes Amaleik, the standard· ertape bearer of leitzanus, of anti-tikkun. • Each Daf is read, translated, and explained AMALEIK YET THRIVES We make "housecalls" slowly and clearly in just 20 minutes (718) 972-4003 ut we are not there yet. Amaleik • S4 per tape( plus S&H) yet thrives. That the Am • Subscription rate: $3 per tape :i-~.,~ (plus S&H) BHashem should be viewed as .,b:>!v an impediment to the development of enlightened society is the greatest Specializing in small batim for a perfect fit. leitzanus imaginable. Yet, thus does Amaleik villify and taunt the faithful servants of Hashem. Our love of Bretz Yisroel and will to survive is called a roadblock to peace in the Mideast; our tenacious belief in the Creator is said to undermine the theory of evolution and the whole foundation of science and material progress; our refusal to co1npro1nise on religious principles puts their social agenda in jeopardy. What will become of the fruits of moral relativism···of the right to live like an animal and "die with dignity"? It is no accident that the phrase in "Aleinu" - tikkun olam - should have gained such currency in recent years. In its contemporary usage, we encounter some of the most egregious distortions of the Jewish hope for the future of mankind. Tikkun olam has become the rubric for everything fro1n careerisn1 and ecumenicism to environ1nental protec tion, abortion on demand and same-sex marriage. This, too, is leitzanus. But the show is almost over. As Reb This Purim, when you send Moshe concluded his teshuva: "... and your little ones out to deliver Mishloach Manos, send the whole world laughed at us and alongsomethingspecial-Haolarn Cheese. Cheese, you're giving wholesome gocx:lness despised us; and now all the nations Haolam Cheeses add variety ~nature's finest gifts for this special holiday. know that the truth was with us ... they to "Shalach Manos" -a wheel ofHaolam So this Purim, don't give stale cake, will come to understand that it is the Gouda or Muenster, our popular Smoked loose popcorn, or crumbling cookies. Cheese Sticks, or your favorite triangles. Give the gift that's good for you ... and same today ...." And when you give a bottle the little ones, too! In the end, nahafoch hu - the tnrn· of wine, a nice piece of fruit, and Haolam This year, smile, give cheese, and say ... about will be complete. Haman/ Amaleik, HAPPY PURIM! the archetypal Zeitz, will take the ultimate pratfall. He will become the eternal laughingstock, dragged by the Divine hook off the stage of history, once and THE l'IOST TRUSTED l'IAI'IE 11'1 CHOLOVYISROEL CHEESE for all.• ll'l l-··--1ns11ow busines·s~tradition, the ~n·successful comedian is unceremoniously removed fron1 the 1 ---stage bv a hook.ofonc kmd O< ~10~ r-=-======-=-_:=~_"ll~~~~===------=------=------=--···=-i 1 """'"" '"""'"' Goodbve ! to v t r ask, Hello toMv Adar Sharing in the Mask Jov 01 Return s Purim approaches, I cannot married for almost twenty years, and that it was not enough merely to be help but reflect upon this past have a fourteen-year-old son and an inspired by Hashem's words; I needed AOctober 31 - Halloween. It was eight-year-old daughter. to observe His commandments. a treasured holiday in our secular Jewish I was not raised with Torah; instead, There was so much to learn. community. I was raised "culturally" Jewish. My par Gradually, I became observant and All the parents in our neighborhood ents instilled good values and a Jewish helped to guide my family toward Torah. share their children's love of Halloween. identity, but there was little observance This was accomplished with patience, Until recently, I counted myself one in my childhood home. I began studying perseverance, and tren1endous help of them. Children wear costumes to Torah almost seven years ago, when a from Heaven. their school Halloween parties, and friend asked me to accompany her to a Three years ago, my husband and I cannot wait to go "trick-or-treating" Torah class. I agreed, but entirely with took our children out of public school after school to collect buckets of candy. out intention of making any changes in and enrolled them in an Orthodox day There are more "trick-or-treaters" on my life. Hashem had other plans. school. My son was entering sixth grade our street than on any other street in From the first words of Torah that at the time; my daughter was entering the neighborhood. I heard, I felt a passion to learn more first grade. Our home and our lives We are the only Torah-observant and a thirst to draw closer to G-d. It now are permeated with Torah, which family in our community. I have been was prophesied (in Amos S:l l), "Behold feels like having gone from darkness ------the days are coming ... when I [ Elokim I to light. MARSHA SMAGLEY RESIDES !N HIGHLAND PARK, will send a hunger into the land, not a This past Halloween, as I observed Ju .!NOlS wrn1 HER HUSBAND AND TWO CHILDREN. SHE HAS DEVOTEPTHE LAST SEVEN YEARS TO ST\JDY hunger for bread nor a thirst for water, the children coming to our door for ING lORAJJ, BECOMING OBSERVAN-1, GU!DlNG flER but to hear the words of [the L-rd]:' candy, I perceived with true clarity the FAMILY IN TORAH l.tFE. AND RECENTLY. WRITING Although I had never studied Torah profound life changes that my family ARTICLES TflAT CONVEY HER HEARTFELT JOURNEY before, these words resonated deeply and I have made. I realized that I could TO TORA!!. L ______------___ w_•_th-mmysoul_.E_'ventua-1-ly_, -I-realized . -v1_·e-w-th-c war-Id- through_o_n_e_o~ READ ME! Something you have never seen the likes of! .I A MINISCULE INVESTMENT - A COLOSSAL RETURN FOR ONLY $600 YOU WILL RECEIVE ... A share in our ongoing millions of hours of true Ameilus Ba Torah generated by the Keren NerTomid Torah Development Programs of Jerusalem. The zechus of the entire Shas B'Mishnayos learned in the merit of yourself or of someone you love. A 64- volume pocket-sized set of Shas B'Mishnayos is given in your name to a bochur or Kolle!Yungerman who will learn it in its entirety for the merit of the name you, the donor, have submitted. That name is inserted on a computerized sticker on the inside cover of each of the 64 volumes. last names, as well as personal rea sons, are omitted from these stickers. • Cash • Check A highly developed, intricate, and effective follow-up system follows the learner's progress until his com • Credit Card {Visa, Mastercard, American Express) pletion of the entire Shas B'Mishnayos l"';>::i...... This wonderful program is quite affordable Bonus: If your financial account with us is settled by Shushan Purim, Mar. 15,'06, you will receive a free copy even for those of modest means: of the renowned book Chinuch in Turbulent Times by Rabbi Dov Brezak, published by Artscrol!. 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Sha<:h l"l"" Rabbi Y. Meir R,1bbi M. Klein Rabbi M. W<>lf•on ... Also <·ndorsecl by th<' Rahbi /\. l'ihz Rahhi B. S. Schncrrson YJ!t Rabbi M. Koller foll<>wlng R,1hbonim sh1;13· R,1bbi Y. Shcincr l'l\hcbin) Rahhl A. C. tcvin Rabh1 L Bakst ""1 Prcsidcn!: R,1bbi C. P_ RnhhJ E- Shmcrlc, Rabbi M A. s1ern '""' Rahhi Y. T. Nc•man llolmvcr Rchbc ""1 0 Rahbi y, Tzodkoh ;.-.,, S M,,JN Orr1ct: lO Panim Mcirot St., ~erusalcm, Israel• Tel: 02.537.6503 •Fax; 02.537.2168 •USA# in Israel 718.210.3606 •USA Fax# in Israel 603.309.3055 L111<1.wooli:~~~31~~k~ \.!~~ rc1h~fc~~ ~~~f!~,L~L~~!'!~ I alternate «masks," a Halloween mask or looked new, enveloped in light. Each day didn't wear it on Fridays deliberately .... a Purim mask. has become a miraculous opportunity, It must have been a Divine test. One dons a Halloween mask and cos filled with purpose. If I try, I can tran tume to hide, or disguise, his or her true scend the limited, physical world to see identity. The mask displays a projected, Hashem' s hand in every aspect of my SAYING GOOD-BYE TO outer self, while one's penimiyus, or inner life. I can see what is internal; I can see HALLOWEEN essence, is concealed. Most of my life, I through to my soul. saw the world through my Halloween alloween began to seem hollow. mask, and perceived my calling as a Jew I remembered having served as through the eyes of the secular world. I SEEING THROUGH MY H "room mom" in my daughter's saw what a secular Jew would see: nature HALLOWEEN MASK kindergarten class. I was asked to help seemed to run on "auto pilot," and the the children write on their drawings external, physical world determined used to love Halloween. Although I the names of the characters that they "reality:' Everything, including Torah, hated the skeletons and the bloody were going to dress up as for Halloween. looked finite through this mask, and it I "scream" masks, I really liked the Almost all of the five-year-old girls in seemed entirely normal for Jewish chil pumpkins. I loved watching my chil the class, most of whom were Jewish, dren to participate in western culture's dren's delight in wearing costumes and wished to dress up as a teen rock star. I celebration of Halloween. in going trick-or-treating. I admit that was so glad that my daughter wanted to As a result of my Torah study, I began I actually wore a pumpkin-themed vest be a firefighter. In this world in which to see the world through Purim masks and turtleneck. G-d is hidden, their aspirations seemed that portray Mordechai or Esther. A Later, I gave my Halloween turtleneck quite normal. It made me very sad. Purim mask does just the opposite of a to our housekeeper. She kept wearing I thought of Queen Esther, whose Fialloween mask; it reveals one's inner it on Fridays, of all days! Not wanting modesty and courage set an impeccable self, exposing the soul. Suddenly, because to see images of Halloween as I cooked example for Jewish women. Women are, my dawning understanding caused me to for Shabbos, I eventually asked her not by nature, "inner focused"; yet, western relate to the world differently, everything to wear it in our home. Of course, she culture trumpets their "external" aspects. I was beginning to learn about modesty in Judaism, and felt that Queen Esther was a far better role model, one that I wished to emulate for my daughter's sake as well as for my own. ·.• Hamidbar Wilderness Program will be running ·· PURIM TEACHES Us TO SEE . this year's THROUGH THE VEIL OF • summer program NATURE for Junior High I High School Yeshiva boys hy call the mask that mani July 5 • August 16 fests the light of Torah my W ('Puri1n mask"? The answer lies in the eternal message of Purim, MAVE l"Mlt which, I have discovered, is the very Ai!)V~NTufie essence of what it means to be a Jew. Purim teaches us to penetrate the bi;A~F' r_".,,,<_.c- ___: m.·····.·.'t.·?.'. .•..• ~lili'_·.a_··· ~.·.······ THAT NO OTHER veil of this world. On Purim, we read CAl(1P CAN OFFER! Megillas Esther, which literally means, "to reveal what is hidden." Recognizing • Learn & connect with dynamic Rebbeirn • Hiking, Jeeping, Wilderness Survival that Hashem's presence is masked by • Martial Arts, Rappeling, Leadership Training • Kumsitz. BBQ's, Kivrei Tzadikim, Ko seemingly natural events, the Jews of Shushan acted in unison to do His will. • Masada, Ein Geidi, Dead Sea, Eilat & more. They fasted and prayed, accepting the Program Director For further information contact Rabbi Yaacov Orimland DAVID STERN Torah with love, and miraculously were 011·972-4-692·4894 or 718·360·8275 (local call to Israel) Former U.S. Marine Corps delivered from the King of Persia's fatal [email protected] Combat Instructor decree. The festival of Purim, which • Early Registration Discount by February 15. commemorates this Divine interven- ~. ··----·~----- ····---·····-~--.. THE JE\VISH ()l~St':ftVER ,--1 ········-·-- ______,,.. ___ ,.. ______--~---... ------.. "·------ tion, is 111ore than a celebration. It the day without talking to Him, without tomes and candy, they are actually the instructs us that seemingly devastating reciting blessings, without thanking G-d antithesis of each other. Purim's joyous events are instances of G-d's prodding for all that He has given me. My soul was festivities are imbued with purpose, and us, from behind the scenes, to return to starving, and I had no idea! Purim's eternal message embodies our Hin1. When all seems lost, the situation Torah teaches us that after Adam and very calling as Jews. can be reversed in the blink of an eye, if Chava ate from the Tree of Knowledge Megillas Esther (8:16) proclaims, only one transcends the world of nature of Good and Evil and tried to hide from "The Jews had light and gladness, and to find G-d. Hashem, He responded by conceal joy and honor:' Purim conferred upon ing His face behind a mask of nature. the Jewish people the ability to recognize Of course) nature itself is miraculous, G-d's providence, even when it is greatly FINDING MY PURIM MASK authored by G-d and continuously concealed. We inherited the potential to renewed. see the world through our Purim masks. y Purim mask makes vis Before Torah illuminated my world, I If more Jews were aware of this festival's ible the absolute truth of \.Vas engaged, unwittingly, in a realm of pure light and joy, perhaps they, too, M Torah, despite the illusion illusion. The Hebrew word for "world" would reach for their Purim masks. presented by the natural world. Torah is alam, from the word he' eleim, which It is my sincere hope that my chil has penetrated the depths of my heart; n1eans "hidden." The very word signals dren internalize the lesson of Purim, n1y soul has found its Purim mask. to us our mission, as Jews, to uncover that they become mentschen (virtuous The journey of Purin1 mirrors n1y very the divine. people), and that they develop a loving journey to Torah. My soul has gone from relationship with G-d. I pray that they "wandering" to "wondering;' and finally live in a world in which Hashen1 is seen has found its V\1ay back to its Creator, to CHOOSING How TO rather than hidden. experience the pure joy and revelation SEE THE WORLD May we all merit to personally expe of return. rience the lesson of Purim, and to find Before I found my Purim mask, I am so grateful to have discovered Hashem in the darkness of our long and was n1issing a rich and profound Jewish that there is more than one mask bitter galus. May we serve Him with pas heritage, and the opportunity to pursue I through which to view the world. sionate Jewish hearts and cause Him to a personal relationship with G-d. I can While Halloween and Purim may appear reveal His light. And may we merit the not imagine how I used to go through sin1ilar to outsiders, with their cos- pure ge'ula (redemption) of Purim llil Sweeten Shalach Manos with Schmerling Taste the creamy richness of Schmerling' s /~ ·--KL... - - - - Choco Blanc, or the subtle delicacy of pareve ·~~',I .fl" Noblesse Semi-Sweet. You'll wanllo try every variety of ,,;/': . r" Schmerling's quality Swiss chocolates. Our milk chocolates ,,:;;."' _. . · / · are Cholov Yisrael and our dark chocolates are truly pareve. · All Schmerling's products maintain the highest standards of Kashruth and quality. Sduturli!9 ".' DISTR!BUHDBYTMM TOVfOODPRODUCTS, BROOKLYN.Ny 1!2ZJ MAl~CH 2 0 0 6 -=-i Postscript I I I The previous issue of The Jewish Jewesses, whether they be religious or it. Bretz Yisroel can contribute to this. Observer featured an article "It's 3:00 secular. Temptations arc much more Before embarking upon any trip, we P.M ...... 10 P.M. in Yerushalayim. appealing. must realize why we are taking the trip; Do You Know Where Your Children Parents should know that night what are our motivations, what are the Are?" by Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg, time cafes easily become hangouts for purpose and the goal that we seek. which focused on the importance of the bachurim. What they do there, whom Simply because everyone else is doing year or two years that boys and girls in they meet, and where they go afterwards it, it becomes expected and even required their late teens and early 20s spend in should concern everyone. Checking for - but that is not sufficient reason to war yeshivos and seminaries in Eretz Yisroel, e-mail, aside from the predictable expo rant a year or nvo in Bretz Yisroel. Our along with the hazards and pitfalls that sure to electronic pornography, runs presence in Bretz Yisroel is a mitzva, and can be part of the experience there. The another risk: purchase of both over- and therefore requires as much proper inten article inspired much discussion, includ under-the-counter pornography. tion, lishma - especially on the part of ing the following response by Rabbi Another example: We should know the parents-as any other mitzva. If not, Shlomo Furst, Mashgiach Ruchani of that a seemingly innocent trip to the the results could be disastrous. Kolle! Ruach Chaim, which is affiliated Kosel is also a chance to meet old friends Tosafos (Chagiga !Sa) list many with Yeshiva Torah Ore in Jerusalem. - and even make new ones. Word has causes for the heretical demise of it that there are mixed gatherings not Acheir (Rabbi Elisha ben Avuvhu). too far from this Holy Site. One is that Acheir's father was so No GUARANTEES Missionaries also haunt the Kosel, impressed with the glory and honor as well as other locations. More than bestowed on those who learn Torah, ter reading Rabbi Aryeh Z. ten years ago, a bachur admitted that that at the time of Acheir's bris milla, Ginzberg's insightful and telling while on a trip to the Dead Sea, he he decided that his son should become }Jrticle, several points should be was approached by missionaries. As an a ben Torah, This decision, however, mentioned. First, just to reinforce the enticement for continuing their conver did not stem from pure motivations. It message, kedushas Ha'aretz provides no sation, the bachur was given directions was shelo lishma. Therefore, although guarantee of aliya or protection from to a "clothesless" beach. These are just the consequences were not apparent yerida. Therefore, parents must take several examples of how the yeitzer hara for many years, the hope that Acheir responsibility to safeguard their children's can lead us astray. The rule is, as Ghazal would be a ben Torah was not realized. future in the best way possible. teach us in the Gemara (Shabbos 104a): In the end, Acheir turned far from the Second, concerning the question of One who comes to defile himself will true path, resulting in spiritual ruin. the ability of the yeshivos and semi encounter no resistance. Bretz Yisroel It is incumbent on us to help our naries to do more, the correct answer cannot protect us against ourselves. children far before their departure to should be Yes rather than No. Third and Bretz Yisroel. Many of those who come last, Rabbi Ginzberg's article presents to Bretz Yisroel do succeed, but we can just the tip of the iceberg. The spiritual THE FIRST STEP: MOTIVATION not be na'ive. Everyone is at risk. Our dangers are both much more subtle and children s success starts with us; our much more grave than Rabbi Ginzberg's hazal also teach us:" [When] one motivations are vital. Realizing this, we article depicts. comes to purify himself, he will can take practical steps to ensure that For example: according to one Cbe helped." If we make an extra our children will be as protected and bachur, simply walking down the street effort to succeed in life, we can achieve productive as possible. is much more challenging here in Bretz spiritual greatness. To receive siyata First, we must know our sons and Yisroel than in chutz la' aretz. There is diShmaya, we must make an effort, daughters. Putting all of our hopes and Lmatic affinity to fellow Jews and for that is the proof that we truly want dreams aside, we must carefully evaluate I T H E JEWISl-I OBSERVER ·····-···----, I ...... --··-··-· ·. --- - I I what type of yeshiva or seminary is best guide the talmid through the difficulties dren ho1ne to join a fan1ily or friend's for then1. V\lhat are their goals? What arc of advanced learning - and also steer simcha. Bringing them home before the I their drea1ns? Many ti1nes, we must ask him through the challenges of life. z'man ends also ruins the ruac/1 of the their teachers and friends, for they may We must foresee every possible dan· beis rnidrash and encourages others to I know more about our children than ger. The nisyonos begin even before the follow suit. If we value Torah, we should \Ve do. We 1nust know our children's movies start to play during the air flight. be careful not to cause bittul Torah. strengths and weaknesses, for they will Mini vacation stopovers in European soon be on their own and away fron1 cities are an increasingly popular way our direct supervision. to get the most from the travel dollar. "OFF SHABBOS," "FREE Even when children live at home, We must advise our sons and daughters SHABBOS," OR "OUT SHABBos"? today's world makes it almost impossible on avoiding such tcn1ptations. to shelter the1n fron1 negative influences. Moreover, \.Ve have to realize the irre n selecting a yeshiva or seminary, Once they are in Eretz Yisroel, it is even versible dan1age that occurs to shteiging we should be sensitive to how harder. Away from home, the ycitzer hara, \.vhen mid-z'n1an, we summon our chil- I the talmidim are allowed and which is very active in young adults, will exert a great influence. Second, we 1nust actively research which yeshiva or se1ninary will best It hurts suit our children's needs, especially in regard to supervision. Although Rabbi . 10 c Ginzberg's article states that educa~ tors in Bretz Yisroel maintain that they cannot do 1norc than what is currently being done, there is a different view: that if parents would wholeheartedly support yeshiva policies of discipline, inuch 1nore could be done. • "Shen1ira, she111ira, and then 1nore she1nira" is excellent and necessary advice. But for yeshivos and sen1inar ics to be successful, \Ve need parental participation both before and after their children co1ne to Eretz Yisroel. It hurts WHEN PARENTS BACK THE SCHOOLS hird, parents must back the staffs in their efforts to keep watch over T their children. Parents should not It feels better just to talk about it. That's supply their children with cell.phones, why we're here. Our staff is made up of iPods, pal ms - anything that will give caring and sensitive individuals. Together, we can help you explore your options. We our young adults access to unwanted can refer you to recognized professionals influences. Also, too much money is for counseling, legal advice or help in a negative factor. Credit cards and finding a safe environment. We can also put you in touch with some very special monthly budgets of more than $100 Rabbis. But in order for us to reach out to are an inivtation to trouble. Alcohol is you, you must first reach out to us. not the only addictive substance freely available here in Erctz Yisrael. Confidential Hotline 1.888.883.2323 (Toll Free) If our sons and daughters are com ing to Eretz Yisroel for an aliya, let the1n 718.337.3700 (NYC Area) leave the technology and excess money Do it for yourself. I back home. Funds are much better spent Do it for your children. Shalom T;isk ForcE' '>a 501(()(3) charitable organizat1on:J Cring an experience:tor to:elp 29 ·------·------·------M A R C H 2 0 0 6 encouraged to spend their non-sched must be investigated. Are there orga with a friendly, "Shalom Akhh=i uled time. Bein hasedarim (between nized trips, and are they safe? Driving in How are you and my son doing in ! classes), erev Shabbos, and Shabbosos Bretz Yisroel can be very dangerous. Are yeshiva?" indicates our concern. If are dangerous times. Expressions such talmidim allowed to tour by themselves? we take an honest interest, we can get as "off Shabbos/free Shabbos" are Will they be going to hotels, movies, honest answers. Do not be content indicative of a lax attitude; there is or worse? with past reports and performance. no taking off or getting free from our During the z'man, we must speak The yeitzer hara can change everything responsibility to put all of our time frequently with those who know our overnight. and energies to the best use possible. children. If the roshei yeshiva and Even if a yeshiva has a curfew and a Using the phrase "out Shabbos" subtly rebbe'im, and especially our children, bed-check at midnight, this does not but effectively transmits this message. know we want to shep nachas, every preclude the possibility of "getting We may be going somewhere else, one will put in extra efforts to give out" for a few hours between one and but we are taking our responsibilities us the good news we want to hear. three a.m., returning, sleeping and get with us. Also, we should try to get to know our ting to davening by seven-thirty. The Also, the school's involvement in children's roommates and chavrusos. roommates and chavrusos will know if bein hazemanim (intercession) activities A semi-regular phone call, beginning someone is sleeping at night or during seder. If the rebbi happens to notice Unde Moishy, Dedi that someone is sleeping during shuir) Digest of Meforshim most likely there is a negative reason Avrohom Fried, for it. Roommates and chavrusos may <>v1p? in:i <>v1p? and other leading know the truth. ':>"YT 1V1'':>N ':>N1l:l1!1 l •. i"1To1l:l Jewish entertainers Ideally, a dormitory should have Availnblc at are available counselors who are experienced, LEKUTEI to visit understanding and accessible; people c/o Yitzchok Rosenberg who are good role models, particularly 1445 54th Street seriously ill in the derech eretz of how to get along Brooklyn, NY 11219-4228 children with people, how to keep a room and 718-854-6701 personal belongings clean and neat. 20 Volumes on Torah, Perek, Medrash, silticHAS CHAVA ;·.,$]. '-'!. Surprisingly, but true, kno\ving that T11:1Vl 1:n7 \~· . ' '"1i i Megilos, Talmud, and Tehilim. n·v :li'JY' ., ro nm ~ ~.. ~··~::'-_" there is a "big brother" who is a good Proceeds of sales distributed among AChessed projec1 nm hy friend waiting back at the dorm makes Yeshivos and used for reprinting of vol Agudath Israel of J\merica it so much easier to return from "off u1nes out-of-print in con)mKtion with Suki & Ding Productions {• campus" diversions on time. It also PRICE: $8.00 PER VOLUME To set up an ·appoiniment call· , ·. (212) 797-9000 Ext.235 niakes it easier not to go out at all! If we hope that our children will change for the better in Bretz Yisroel, Why did the Chofetz TO SAVE then we must prepare them for a real Chaim & R'Chaim TALMIDEI change. Let them leave all the useless Ozer Grodzinsky CHOCHOMIM distractions behind so that they can FROM THE PAIN AND devote themselves entirely to their start Ezras Torah? SHAME OF POVERTY. studies, to growth in yir'a, ahava, In an ideal world, those who deYote Jn Eretz Yisroe! today, Ezras Torah Make a life of Torah devotion and middos, avoda and chessed. We have their lives to Torah would be pnl\'ides Housi11g. Emergency commitment an everl~isting edifice to ask ourselves if we really want all recogniJ,ed :t' tl1e spiritual heroes ,1/ediat! Fundr;. !Feddi11g that will bring us the Rahbonim, these vitally important virtues for our that they arc. Support Ezras Torah's Assistance, Jinn 70r S1ipend1·, Dayonirn and Leaders of tomorrow! Zedakah Programs and make that S'i!nchas and Sj;ecial /Veed's c·rants children. If we do, we must prepare ideal a reality. and J;ians. STAND UP FOR TORAH! them and pray for their success. Help Ezras Torah's committed scholars and families stand strong! Prayers are answered if they are : I I honest. Can we truly pray for our VeS f I would like to help Ezras Torah! Enclosed is I children to be spared spiritual demise 11 •my tax-deductible contribution for: .. \llllRESS I I if we personally focus on the tempta oS18o$36oS100oS250oS360o $500oSLOOOo$-~ cm snrE ZIP I tions of this world? When our children ;\1ethod of payment: OCheck D\'isa Oi\VC O/VE PHll:\E I visit the Kosel, will they prepare to i , Acc.# ___ ------.. ·--·------Exp. Q_?t~~ IEZ&\S TORAtll nw !111111m1 sideof70rah Pbifm1/hropy : meet Hashen1, or will they prepare to [ '] Please contact me regarding establishing an Ezr I ARI z. ZIVOTOFSKY AND ZOHAR AMAR I AFishvTale ldentitving the Talmudic Shibuta va ate it for his Shabbos meal. literature is the shibuta, which is cited in the brain of the shibuta [a fish whose tis the most widely mentioned a host of different contexts as a popular brain tastes like pork);' Based on this R:ish in the Talmud. And yet, for and tasty fish. Given the multitude of categorical observation, she requested over a thousand years, there has been occurrences in the Talmud, it is under the taste of meat cooked with milk. In uncertainty and confusion about the standable that attempts have been made response, her husband ordered up some identity of the shibuta. to identify it, and given the variety of broiled udder. The shibuta was thus The Jews of the biblical and talmudic clues) it is somewhat surprising that the recognized for its "special" taste. periods were very 1nuch in touch with suggestions have been so divergent and We know that Yalta was not describing nature and knew a great deal about the seemingly erroneous. a rare treat because there is evidence that plant and animal kingdoms. The Tanach Perhaps the most famous context the shibuta was widely eaten in Bavel. records nan1es of numerous plants, ani in which the shibuta appears is in the The Gemara (Shabbos l l9a, Kiddushin mals, and birds, but never identifies a delightful story regarding kosher and 4la) illustrates various methods hy particular species of fish.' For example, permitted equivalents of non-kosher which the An1ora'inz would involve when listing the kosher and non-kosher foods and prohibited actions.2 The themselves in Shabbos preparations, species, the 1brah names all of the Gemara (Chullin l09b)3 records that and as one example, states that l{ava kosher land animals and four exan1ples Yalta, the wife of Rav Nachman, noted would personally salt the shibuta for the of non-kosher animals, and it lists all that every item that G-d prohibited has Shabbos meal. From the fact that Rava of the non-kosher birds and the kosher a permitted counterpart. For exa1nple, prepared it regularly for Shabbos it is grasshoppers by name. But with regard He prohibited blood, but He permitted clear that it was a popular fish which to fish, there are no names, neither liver which is halachically regarded I 4·- Thclt·-;nefood c·;n tni.Jnic ,}!lotheJ:; and even kosher nor non-kosher. Rabbinic litera as made of blood]; He prohibited the that a fish can taste like pork is not unheard of. ture does list fish names, but only rarely, cheilev (specific fats) of domesticated There is a fish found in the Amazon known as with a total of only five names appearing animals [beheima], but permitted it in the tan1bagui (Colossoma niacropo11111n1) that is in the Mishna and a few dozen in the non-domesticated ones [chaya); He pro supposedly a delicious fish with a light, inild pork taste. And it is kosher. Sec http://vvwv·.r.acutean Talmud. Because Babylonian life was hibited the flesh of swine, but permitted gling.co1n/Pcacock/Morethan.htn1 where it states: centered on the Tigris and Euphrates "The ta111baqui is the best tasting fish I have ever rivers, it is reasonable to assume that 2()!1-th;J"CS-i~;bilii-Y~f cra·v·ing sUCh cqtii~1 ale11i~ eaten, bar none. It is typically grilled, its large for the Amora'im of the Babylonian see Ari Z. Zivotofsky, "Baco Bits and Non-Kosher ribs 1naking generous individual servings. With Taste: Halacha and 1-Iashkajii;' The Journal of its finn, fleshy meat and a taste like light, tni!d Talmud, fish was an i1nportant ite1n F-laladw and COntcmpormy Society, Sukkos 5766 pork, it is a wonderful treat. Even if you aren't on their menu. Of these, probably the I Fall 2005, 50>89-109. lucky enough to con1e across one on a fishing trip most pron1inent fish named in rabbinic 3 Parallel versions of this account exist in vari and enjoy it fresh fron1 the river, a!l of the better ous other Midrashim, n1ost dated later than the restaurants in Manaus will offer very, very good J~fbe ol1!y poS~~·ible eXCeptiOO is tli-e liv};;iSan, Talmud. For exan1plc: Vayikra Rabba (Vilna), ta1nbaqui dinners. This is a n1eal you shouldn't created by G~d on the fifth day of creation. See parasha 22; Tt1nch111na (Buber), She111i11i 12; iniss." Of course the ta1nbaqui, being a South Pnrrlcis Yoscij; Vayikra 11 :9 and Ba'al Haturiin, Tanchu111a (Warsaw) She1ni11i, 8; Midrash Aggada American fish, is clearly not the Ta!inudic shibuta. Vayikra 11 :9 regarding fish not having nan1es. (Buber, p. 30) Vayikra 11; Yalkut Shinwni, Shernini That different foods could be ahnost identical RABBI ZIVOTOFSKY IJVFS IN Hur SHEMESll, FROM 536; Yalkut Shin1011i, Tehilliin, 888. The variations in taste is not unco1n1non. See, for exa1nple, the let WHEHE !IE WRITES WtOEl.Y ON Ji-;wtSll TOPICS. His betvveen the texts are mostly 1ninor. For exan1plc, terto the editor, Science News J 56: 19 (July 10, 1999) LAST APPEARANCE !N THESE !'AGES WAS "TAX I'll.ING the addition of shatnezltzitzis, spleen in the place that the barndoor skate tastes so n1uch like scallop SEASON - As Rr,:QUIRED HY 1-IAL.ACJIA" (APR. 'os). of liver, and the tongue of the shi/Juta in place that unscrupulous rcstauranteurs arc known to of its brain. have "punched" "scallops" out of skate fins. 31 ---·-·-·-··-··-····-···--·-~-···-··--·-···-··-·-··-··-··-~--··-·-··--·--···----' MARCH 2 0 0 6 enjoyed a status that qualified it to be west is known as al-shabut. He does not Talmud, including, of course, the shibuta. served by an Amara on Shabbos. use the word shibuta, but seeing that Ludwig Lewysohn (1819-1901) 10 was a The shibuta was also thought to Rav Hai Gaon and the Ramban1 are rabbi in Germany and Stockholm, had a impact, both positively and negative discussing the same fish, it is likely that doctorate from the University of Halle, ly, on one's health. A salted shibuta al-shabut is Ram barn's term for shibuta. and was called a chacham by Rabbi was recommended as a treatment for Rav YosefKapuch in his commentary on David Zvi Hoffman (Melameid Leho'i~ yarkuna (jaundice?) (Shabbos l!Ob), the Rambam's commentary (p. 405, note YD:21). Lewysohn identified the shibuta and a shibuta in the month of Nissan 7) identifies the fish. He writes that it is as Acipenser (sturgeon - which is not was considered inauspicious because a small fish that is found in rivers year kosher!). Interestingly, he (p. 270) identi it can lead to tzara'as (Pesachim l 12b). round; it has a small head and a wide fies the chamra deyama ("sea donkey"; cf. In several contexts, the Talmud dis body covered with fins along the entire AZ 39a) as the shibut and belonging to cusses the laws restricting plowing with length of the body. In English it is called the genus Gadus, which includes many different species of animals. In an inter Sole, and in German, schollen. In modern types of codfish. esting twist, it (Babba Kamma 55a,S Hebrew, it is called" dag Moshe Rabbeinu Yisrael Aharoni (Aharonovitz) ( 1882- Sanhedrin 59b )"queries about plowing ~ the fish of Moses."9 Furthermore, it is 1946) was born in Vidgy, learned in Telz witb a fish and a goat yoked together. not, as some who do not have a tradition Yeshiva, and moved to Israel in 1901, The fish that is cited as capable of plow suggest, the Spanish mackerel (scomber where he became a pioneer of research ing is the shibuta, indicating that it is a colias). Rav Kapuch is implying that of fauna of Bretz Yisroel and neighboring relatively large fish. unlike those other people, he does have countries. He established the Zoological a tradition as to the fish's identity, and Museum at the Hebrew University, it is sole. Interestingly, he suspects that where he was a lecturer on zoology. He POST TALMUDIC DISCUSSIONS Rambarn never saw the fish, because identified shibuta as Sco111ber sco111ber he comments that Rambam's descrip (mackerel). 11 ferences to the shibuta did not tion of a "very thin skin" is based on a Menachem Dor (Hachai Bimei anish with the closing of the Mishna (Shabbos 22:2). If the Rambam Hamikra Hamishna Vehatalmud, 1997, lliahnud. Rav Hai Gaon n1entions it was actually familiar with the fish, why page 174), for many years a zoologist in his co1n1nentary to Taharos.7 He identi the need to base a physical description at Tel Aviv University, identified it as fies the kulis ha'ispanon mentioned in the on a Mishna? Merlucius rafinesquc (codfish). He cites Mishna in Shabbos 22:2 and Machshirin The Aruch (Kohat ed., vol. 8 p.11 s.v. Lewysohn's identification of Acipenser, 6:3 as kufia in rabbinic language, and in shibut) identifies it as a large fish that is but rejects it out of hand because, he the yeshivos, he says, this is understood found in "AspaniO:' and equates the alsha says, sturgeon is not found in waters to be the shibuta. The kufia mentioned by boot (Arabic) with the shibuta (Hebrew) near Israel. [Furthermore, sturgeon is Rav Hai Gaon is mentioned in Pesachin1 and the kufya (rabbinic Hebrew). The not kosher.-N.W.] 39a as having an extremely bitter taste, and Aruch (Kabat edition, vol. I, page 189- Dr. Fred Rosner (The American Journal is suggested and then rejected as a possible 190, s.v. spanin) also suggests that the fish of Clinical Nutrition, 25, 1972: 628), in source for n1arror. Rabbeinu Chananel, in called ispania in certain places is called discussing treat1nent for jaundice, cites commenting on that Gemara, says that in Hebrew (see Shu"t Mishne Halachos the Talmudic suggestion ( Shabbos I !Ob) the kufia is the shibuta, which is the kulis 13:147 that it may be Aramaic) shibuta. of boiling the head of a salted shibuta ha'ispanon, and its gall bladder is very He further cites an additional tradition in beer and drinking it. Regarding the bitter tasting.s that identified it with the tunina (tuna; shibuta, he notes that it is the "name The Rambam likewise commented thunnus). The Rosh (Shu"t HaRosh, 2:16) of a fish, probably mullet." He provides on the Mishnaic term kulis ha'ispanon. notes that the shibuta was eaten in France, no source for this identification, but it He identifies the kulis ha'ispanon as a as well. is likely that he took it from Marcus fish with a very thin skin that in the Jastrow's dictionary of Aramaic. Jastrow (p. 1556) translated shibuta as: "name SBJSt:(fon this Ge1nara, JGSafos to AZ 39a, s.v~ MODERN IDENTIFICATIONS of fish, probably mullet (cephalus)." Ve'simancha, identifies the shibuta with the az Mugil cephalus is the Latin name for shel ya1n (iza d'ya1na, lit., goat of the sea). It is described in Babba Basra 74a as a massive In the last 150 years, a variety of the Flathead mullet (family: Mugilidae.) n1ythical fish measuring 300 parsaos in length attempts have been made to identify It is an important commercial fish in y..rith inscribed horns. the 1nany animals and plants of the 10 Author ~Q{"the well-respected IJiCZOologie 6 Also cited in Yalkut Shimoni, Bcreishis remez des Taln1uds. Eine umfassende Darstcllung der 15 9 The bin~ffi.ial name is So/ea quCmel,and in rabbinischen Zoologie, unter steter Vergleic/u1ng 7 J.N. Epstein, The Gaonic Con11ne11tary on modern Hebrew it is also known as sulit. Dor der fOrschungen iilterer und neucrer Schriftstcller. [ the order 1t1haros attributed to Rav Hai Gaon, (Hachai Birnei flamikra Hamishna Vehatalinud, Frankfurt A. M., Baer, 1858. i 5742, P· 130 1997, p. 178) identifies the sole as the Tabnudic l l Zichronot Zoolog Ivri, 2, Tel Aviv, 5706, p. I 8 I thank Rabbi Dovid Cohen for this source. (Eruvin 28a) putai(a 253 i 32 -- .. _· ______J THE JEWISH OBSERVER many parts of the world and is found easier to look in Europe than Bavel, back of trucks. in the Mediterranean, although not in and thus missed the obvious answer In a discussion of ancient the waters off of Iraq. Jastrow provides that was known to all who simply Babylonian cuisine, the book entitled as his source Payne Smith, Thesaurus looked in the right place. Delights Fram the Garden of Eden: A Syriacus, first volume, 4029. The true identity of the large, Cookbook and a History of the Iraqi As noted above, Rav Kapuch identi Babylonian shibuta is really no secret. Cuisine16 states: "Fish from the river fied the al-shabut as the Sole. Others A novel finding for one person may Tigris was highly valued by the medi have suggested that the shibuta is the be obvious to another. And that is eval Baghdadis because they believed turbot (steinbuut). 12 the case here. For Jews in Europe that the best fish came from running and the Mediterranean region, the cold water sources, with stony river identification of the shibuta was an beds. Euphrates followed in excel SUGGESTED IDENTIFICATION enig1na, but as will be seen, for Je\VS lence. Top quality fishes were shabout (and non-Jews) in Iraq, it was not (carp), bunni and zajar (now called final, important clue as to even a question. dhakar), fishes with which we are still the identity of the shibuta Ken Ovitz," a NY-based chef who familiar. ... Fish tongues were a treat. A is that the Talmud indicates is currently writing a cookbook, came Hundreds of them would be cooked that in their era it was not available across a recipe that speaks of a fish to make a dish fit for a caliph .... Of in the Land of Israel. The Yerushalmi in ancient Iraq called Shaboot, that the commercially important fishes ( Ta'anis chap. 4) u states that numer is a variety of carp. And an Iraqi that are still swimming in the two ous kosher animals, birds, and fish taxi driver in Tel Aviv told me (AZZ) rivers, the medieval favorites still were exiled with the Jews to Bavel and about the paradise that he remembers hold their ground, especially the returned with them. The only excep of the Baghdad of his youth. One of shabout (carp). The British called it tion was the shibuta, which did not the items he described was the large 'the salmon of the Tigris' for, appar return. It seems clear that according shaboot fish sold in sections from the ently, besides their delicious flavor, to sources originating in the Land 1-s--Ke~1 is owed a large debt o·rgratitude--fu~ being 16 Nawal Nasralfah, publiSh-ed in 2003 by of Israel, the shibuta was unavailable the in1petus behind this research. Authorhouse to them, while the previously cited Babylonian sources portray it as a popular fish in Bavel. Thus, in search ing for the shibuta, what should be looked for is a species that exists in the region of modern Iraq, but not in the Mediterranean or Kinneret, and certainly not in inland Europe. 14 It by Rabbi A. Portal appears that most of the European researchers were acting as the pro The SEFER everyone has been waiting for! verbial man searching for lost money It is the key to mastering the Daf Hayomi easily and efficiently. under a street lamp who explained to Chazoras Hashas is now complete in eight beautiful volumes a bewildered passerby that he had lost covering the entire 39 Masechtos of Shas! the money on the other side of the street, but it was dark there and so he was looking instead under the light. BENEFITS YOU CAN GET FROM THIS SEFER ? 1. To be well prepared for the Shiur So, too, the Europeans found it much 2. To be ready to review intensively after the Shiur 12.. ,.... L~inz in hE~.... co1n1neiltS"·t~) TvuoS''Haaretz, p: 3. To be able to test yourself 380; Krauss in Kadrnoniyos 11atalmud (Te! Aviv, 4. Have Chazoras Hashas serve you as your Chavrusa 5689) p. 217 13 There are parallel passages in: Eicha Ra/Jba, In honor of the publication of the entire Sefer Hachadash Pesichtri 34 (Buber, p. 39) and Psikta d'Rav L'Chazoras Hashas, we offer incredible savings - Kahana, parslia 13 (Mandelbatun, p. 234) $130.00 instead of $145.00 14 A puzzle that also must be dealt with is that PLUS a bonus of three pocket size masechtos: the Talmud seen1s to be describing a large fish Brachos, Shabbos and Niddoh, valued at $24.00 capable of plowing, while Rav Kapuch claimed to have a tradition identifying it as a small fish. Free S&H! Total savings: $39,00 An attempted resolution is offered by Rav Yehosef 1 Schvartz in his 19th century 'fevuos Ha'arctz (p. (718) 544-6544 1 380), who suggests that there are two fish called shibuta, or al-shabut in Arabic. E Mail: [email protected]; Subject: Chazaras Ha~has 33 ---~"·----·-.. '---·------··------~·------r-=-······ MA!tCH 2 o o G I both swim against the current." 17 fish." 1-" The fish is still known by the I solved this riddle. First of all, The Iraq war of 2004 has partially same name and is still popular! If one when we crossed the Euphrates reopened Iraq to the West. On July merely knows the local Babylonian cui at Biredjik, and had taken up our 12, 2004, CNN correspondent Michael sine, the identity is no mystery. quarters in a very dirty khan, a Holn1es reported: "On the Tigris River, Nonetheless, its identity perplexed man brought us a large fish, some brothers Ali and Mohammed (ph) ply more than just Talmudic scholars. In thing like a salmon. Something an ancient trade, ignoring the sounds of an 1896 letter from Ourfa (Edessa) reminded me of Aristides, and I their country's unfinished war, seeking (Armenia), it states:" said, 'VVhat is its name?' He said, the local shabut and other species of "And now I think I will conclude 'Shebyta' .... I was visiting, under this little letter with something of guard of a Turkish soldier, the most 17~-Son1e refer to the closely relatecrl1ar/n1s quite a different character, some beautiful part of Edessa, the fish f$OCi1111s as the "Tigris saln1on" or "Euphrates thing interesting to me, and per pond .... The pool is full of fish, sahnon." The closely related Barbus kosswigi is also found in the Tigris River basin and is known haps not altogether uninteresting which it is prohibited under severe locally as shcbhe sf1irbot. to you. If you will look in Helen penalty to kill, and which every one Harris's translation of the Apology feeds with bread and pennyworths of Aristides, you will find that in of parched corn. Such a rush when the account of the superstitions you throw it in! They tumble over of the Egyptians, amongst other one another, and jump half out of things, they are charged with wor the water. Obviously, the protec shipping a sacred fish, whose name tion and support which the fish is Shebyta. This fish has been a enjoy comes from a time when they For a copy of the most great perplexity to the editors of were considered sacred. So I asked Aristides .... I must tell you how my soldier what was the name of Comprehensive Pesach Guide the fish, and his answer was, 'In to Medications I Cosmetics ~O~vn!Oaded.-ffon1 -Ii'ttp)/fi;nscripts.cnn. Arabic, they are called shabut."' co1n/TRANSCRIPTS/0407/l 2/lol.02.ht1nl on So here was my fish again, and the by Rav Gershon Bess Jan 9, 2006 19 Downloaded fron1 http://annenianhouse.org/ explanation of the whole riddle. The Please write to: harris/armenia/lettcrl J .ht1nl on Jan 9, 2006 translation of Aristides was made in Edessa, on the borders of the sacred KOLLEL LOS ANGELES pool, and when the translator came 223 5. Formosa Avenue KARKA IN IRETZ YISROEL to the passage dealing with Egyptian Los Angeles, CA 90036 Ca!! Rabbi GavrieJ Beer for information on obtaining cemetery plots in Beth Shemesh fish-worship, he substituted the Syrian Phone: (323) 933-7193 and other locations in Israel. sacred fish for what he found in his (Unless you are already on our list) 011-972-2-656-9427 Greek text. This identification of the Talmudic shibuta with the Arabic Shabout seems You can! Just call to be relying on a non -Jewish tradition The Yitti Leibe.I to identify the fish. What does halacha "Iwish I could He.Ip.line. say about reliance on a non-Jewish HOURS: mesora? The Radbaz (Shu"t haRadbaz Monday-Friday ...... Sam -12pm 6:2206) used a non-Jewish tradition, speak to a Monday-Thursday ...... 8pm -11 pin i.e., an Arabic place name, as part of Sunday ...... 9ain -12pn1, 9pm -I !pm his effort to establish one of the bor ~~ 718-HELP-NOW ders of the Land of Israel by identify frum therapist ·,~~i (718) 435-7669 ing the biblical Nachal Mitzrayim with Chicago •...... •...... (800) HELP-023 Wadi El Arish. Lakewood ...... (732) 363-1010 But it is not only non-Jewish Iraqis on the phone Cleveland ...... (888) 209-8079 who have preserved this tradition. The Baltimoce ...... (410) 578-1111 famous Rav Yosef Chaim of Baghdad Detrnit ...... (877) 435-7611 also listed the shaboot as a kosher without giving San Diego ...... (866) 385-0348 Tornnto ...... (416) 784-1271 fish that was commonly consumed in The Rebbetzin Phyllis Weinberg Branch of the Yitti Leibel Helpline Baghdad. And he commented that it 0'T tJ1::rl''1'::r,11 "]llJ ::.~mi.:· 'l nJ t{lVrT ;i·in ntit:'l 11'.:r!•1::r (;"l'7to•r: 1"~ I'' :"T"'t-O:lll is the Talmudic shibuta.20 my name." >rv lit-n:i "T1"T 34 r--- T 1-1 E J E '\V I S H On.sEttVEtt 1 ------··----- .. ·------ \ -1 shaboot in Arabic? Various fish lists meat cooked with Barbus grypus.'4 Nun2s reports that during the inter-\.var and articles identify a freshwater Iraqi The species Barb us grypus does not period, when the British occupied both fish with the con1mon na1ne of shab currently live in Israel, but closely Israel and Iraq, there was an attempt to I bout and the scientific nan1e Barbus related species do. Two such spe import Barbus grypus to Israel. grypus. For example, an FAQ (Food cies are Barbus longiceps, a fish that The Mid rash ( Yalkut Shimoni, l and Agriculture Organization of the grows to about 70 cm and is found Yinneyahu 281) observes that although United Nations) website" that offers exclusively in the Kinneret and its the shibuta failed to return to the Land a fishing profile on each country lists tributaries, and Barbus canis, a fish of Israel with the return of the exiles under the important fish in Iraq the found in many parts of Europe and from Bavel, all species including the Barbus grypus, which is known as Asia including the Jordan River. Mendel shibuta will return with the future the shabbout. It further states that 24-i3T~isa ap1~·e;rs in-()iher cori·t'exts, aS-We!!. Jn ingathering of the exiles. May it be the n1ost in1portant Iraqi indigenous Babba Basrn I 33b, it was fed to a postpartu1n speedily in our day. llO fishes belong to the genus Barbus. wo1nan and in Gittin 69b it is ascribed n1edicinal 25 J-i(l';layai7ia'Jvri fiakadu1li, 5764·:-p~ 162~-- "fhere are two other species of that value when roasted. genus con1mon in Iraq, Barbus xan thopterus (kattan) and Barbus luteus (himri). The fishbase website22 notes that Barbus grypus is in the Family Cyprinidae (Minnows and carps), and Order Cypriniformes (carps), and that it is found in the Tigris-Euphrates basin. BOYS-AGES 14-18 There is little question that the true identity of the Talmudic shibuta is the DATES OF CAMP: JULY 26, 2006 - Iraqi shabout, a type of carp known AUGUST 25, 2006 today by the binomial designation Barbus grypus. It is also found in Iran in the Khuzestan Province in the Gulf To request a brochure and and Hormuz basins, where it is known application, please contact: as shirbot, shilbot or shaboot in Farsi. Rabbi Avi Rubin It reaches a reputed maximal length 718-407-4105 Tms YEAR WE'VE ADDED POLAND TO or of 2 meters and 60 Kg. A sample is OUR EXCITING ITINERARY! 02-537-2158 shown below: CAMPING - accommodations are newly renovated "hotel like" e-mail address: An interesting halachic ran1ifica [email protected] tion may exist. The Talmud (Pesachim rooms situated on 55 acres of rolling hills and natural forests. • 76b) gives a warning not to eat binisa Major sports facilities •Jeeping, horseback riding, rafting, paintball that was cooked witb meat because of shooting, hikes, and campfires • Camping in the Carpathian health risks. Many authorities assume Mountains • learning program and shiurim binisa is any type of fish, and thus TOURING -Visit the towns of Crakow, Lublin, Warsaw, Berdichev, prohibit consuming meat and (any) Uman, Medzhibozh, and more. Be moved and inspired as we hear fish that were cooked together. Others the history, and daven by the Kivrei Tzaddikim of: The Ramah,.,,"~-• limit it to the specific fish, binisa. Bach, The Baal Shem Tov, Reb Nachman M'Breslev, and more. The Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ( Yabia Omer I, YD, Auschwitz/Birkenau and Majdanek concentration camps and 7:8) cites a teshuva that cites Rashi" the Babi-Yar memorial are also scheduled in that binisa is shibuta, and thus the our itinerary. prohibition would be limited to eating Camp Orach Chaim is under the leadership 2i-htt•p :/I w~~~' .fao. ;rg, fi/ fCP7en/ ycl117 i rq/ i;ro: of Rabbi Yaakov D. Bleich, Chief Rabbi of the file.htm downloaded Jan 9, 2006. I thank A1ny Ukraine, and is endorsed by Gedolei Hador McCune who pointed this cite out to Prof Joe Shlita. Regenstein who then directed me to the site. Both of them are at Cornell University. 22 http://www.fishbase.org/Sun11nary/ SpeciesSu1nn1ary.cftn ?id=54808 downloaded Jan 9, 2006. 23 The current editions do not have this in Rashi. 35 .____ ·------·------·------·------M A R C H 2 0 0 6 RABBI MOSHE EISEMANN BOOKS IN~ REVliW Rede••il is in ··1:6ilt~llfl~ 3 As uarthe,Chofeli~C'filrM1pfl'~' form of photography simple faith of childhood. Childhood - that is, as a means in the Torah is not a barren way sta of recording what they tion to adulthood, but a milestone had seen - but rather, as against which later life is to be an attempt to penetrate measured, a challenge to the weary to the inner meaning, cynicism which often accompanies mostly in a religious the passage of years. sense, of what was tak ing place around them. For example, paiuters THE WORLD ON A WORD .•. would often render the OR MORE The Word-Wise Adventures ofYisrael sky in gold, not because that is how they and Meir, by Gadi Pollak (Mesorah actually saw it, but because they wanted hich brings us to lashon Publications, Brooklyn, NY in conjunc to convey the feeling of awe which per hara and The Word-Wise tion with The Chofetz Chaim Heritage meated them when they contemplated W Adventures of Yisrael and Foundation $24.99) the heavens, seat of the Ribbono shel Meir- a projected trilogy of which the Olam, as they understood Him. first volume, Going Global, has just come And so, in essence if not in form, out. I have always maintained and it is CHILDHOOD - A MILESTONE children were perceived as adults who now confirmed once again that there is JN GROWTH had not yet quite made it. Rather than a special beracha that attaches to every sensing that children have a wisdom thing that the Chafetz Chaim Heritage hen art was still in its infan.cy, of their own, that they occupy a world Foundation touches. Why would it be it was customary to paint that boasts of its own perfection, they otherwise? With the Chofetz Chaim ?··~r W children as small adults. Of saw childhood as being defined by defi and Rabbi Yehudah Segal?"~!, the late course, nobody can really know what ciency, a state of becoming rather than Manchester Rosh Hayeshiva, smiling went on in the artist's mind, and why he one of being. down upon them from their place near ignored what seems obvious to all of us. Ghazal taught us differently. It is the Kisei Hakavod, they cannot but suc From the little reading that I have done not for nothing that they tell us that ceed in their determined efforts to make on the subject, it appears to me that the keruvim (cherubs) on the Ark had all of us a little nicer, a little cleaner, a these people saw painting not as some the faces of children, nor that our little more holy. This time, using the mother Sarah's glory lay in the fact amazing graphic presentation of Ben RABBI EISEMANN, A RJ;,'8Bf IN YESHIVA NER ISRAEI. that, at the end of her life, although Gasner Studios and teamed up with OF BALTIMORE, IS AUTHOR OF THE TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY OF THE ARTSCROLLMESORAll she was a sage and a prophetess in Mesorah Publications, there is every YECHEZKEL, DIVREf HAYAMfM, AND /YO\!, AS WELL AS her own right, she still harbored the reason to anticipate that these books OTHER BOOKS UNDER PRIVATE LABEi., INCLUDING THE seven-year-old girl that she had been, accomplish the lofty goals for which all MACHZORCOMPAN/ON AND /,/GHT/NG UP THE NIGHT. within her personality. She had not the participants are rooting. HE IS A FREQUENT CONTRIBUl"OR ro fllESE PAGES. lost the freshness, the enthusiasm, the The series is, of course, directed at 36 ..---~- ---··--··--·------··--··--···-·-·--···--·--·--···----···--·--··---- THE JEWIS!-1 0BSJ':RVER our precious children. It is my feeling, to the second and third volumes of appeared to be a little too busy. I have however, that we parents are as 1nuch the trilogy. been assured by the editors, however, beneficiaries as are they. We cannot place All these, of course, are simply that, on the contrary, experts in child such an instructive, growth-oriented trimmings, designed to generate the education criticized an earlier version book into their trusting hands unless interest of the young readers, even of the book, which contained only we are ourselves able and determined to when the halachos - the meat and the lash on hara 1naterial) and insisted live up to its exacting standards. Without potatoes of this colorful and tasty reading a word of the book, we will still banquet - begin to drag a little upon turn into better Yidden. How is that for their attention span. This reviewer, a bonus? abetted by his wife, even thought that It is quite dear that a great deal of all these goodies might detract a little •1'it~. thought went into planning this book. from the value of the book, simply Experienced Shadchan The plot around which it spins its because of an overload of informa· for all age groups 1nagic was dreamed up by artist and tion and a page which, at first sight, 718.338, 1765 • Pager 917 ,486.5655 educator Gadi Pollak. Yisrael, studying the Chafetz Chaim, finds out that it is uncontrolled, wagging tongues that keep us in our exile. He shares this awful piece of news with his younger brother, Meir, who immediately suggests that they not just talk about it, but do what needs to be done to rescue Yidden from their distress. The boys leap into a world map and immediately find themselves on a journey that takes them to a variety of places. Each of the globe-circling voyages brings its own adventures for the boys. Each adventure shows them another aspect of the shemiras halashon that is demanded of us. The book, attractively illustrated in full color by Ruth Beifus, combines the analysis of the halachos with all kinds of general knowledge tidbits, appropriate to the countries in which the boys land. Each page provides a map so that the readers can have an idea of where they are being transported. On each stop, Yisrael and Meir collect souvenirs which, in one way or another, tie into the sensitivities that the book is attempting to instill. The brothers each keeps a journal of their travels, which allow their fellow travelers to savor the tastes and smells and sights of the foreign places that make up the background to the tale. Jn addition, these journals allow the readers to become acquainted with YisraeJ and Meir, and it is reasonable to hope that this acquaintanceship will eventually flower into friend ship and even identification. Such a relationship will stand the young readers in good stead when they get 37 '----··-··--··----·--··-··--·-····-··--·------···--·--··------~==;;;M=·A;;;;·;;;·-~;;;~·;;;-C;;;____;;; __;;;H;;;··~~~·~~0~~0~~~6~~=;;------· -·-·· --~~~--=-i that for the book to be really effec loon-like sequences, which tell the tions of text which really constitute I tive, a little lighter fare would have story of the boys' adventures. This what the book is all about. The first ''I to be offered. I am happy to accept first volume of the trilogy concen of these is headed either "Positive the judgment of the experts. trates upon the do's ( mitzvos asei) Con1mand #x" or '(Negative Command and don't's (mitzvos lo sa'aseh) that #x," and simply states what that com may be transgressed through careless mand demands. The second section THE Do's AND DoN'1"s OF speech. Each adventure involves one is headed, "Understanding the Rule;' DISCIPLINED SPEECH of these commandments, and these and does precisely what this heading youngsters, who initially set out to indicates. It expands upon the first he main body of the work, reform the world, learn gently but section up to the point at which the carefully written by Yitzchak seriously, that they themselves still entire range of the implications is TKornblau under the general have a long way to go. made clear. Then we have "Measuring guidance of Rabbi Moshe Mordechai The illustrated adventures are Up," which explains in vivid language Lowy, consists of pictures and car- always accompanied by four sec- the circumstance and state of mind iu which one might be tempted to transgress this particular command, and attempts to persuade the young reader that adherence to the Torah's norms makes the most sense. Finally, we have "Reaping its Riches;' which argues that we can all gain immeasur ably by accepting the Torah's discipline in this 1natter. The combination of the gripping adventure, together with the lessons that are to be learned and inter· nalized, allows for a wide range in the ages of the readership. Younger children will love the stories and the illustrations, and their older siblings will relish the understanding that they gradually acquire through the four sections described above. I find something profoundly mov ing in both the thinking that provided the stimulus for the undertaking of this vast project, and in the lov ing and fastidious execution that is evident on every page. A great many intelligent and highly talented people clearly cared very deeply that our Yiddishe kinderlach should learn the secrets of non-lethal speech. The publishers of this important book have helped all of us take a giant step towards redemption. After all, it was Hillel who taught us that the entire Torah is no more than a com mentary to the principle that we are not to engage in behavior towards others that we would consider hateful if it were directed towards ourselves. To paraphrase Hillel, we should all say to our children, "Tsay ulemad!" - Go and learn this wonderful book! !J;J 38 ______J ------THf JrwlSH OliSfRV[R------1 ------ RABBI SHIMON FINKELMAN BOOKS INi-----f ! Rav Pam on Chumash and Rav Pam Pam's famous shmuess of Parashas Chayei on Festivals by Rabbi Sholom Smith REVI Sara on the topic of shidduchim: (published by Mesorah Publications, It is important to remember that Brooklyn, NY). after the chasuna, the courtship must continue. A husband must treat his wife with the utmost courtesy and t has been said that the respect. The most common cause Chofetz Chaim's shm for the breakdown of shalom bayis I uessen (ethical discours is a lack of proper speech. Words es) were unique in that they can work wonders and words can could be understood on dif work horrors. ferent levels and therefore During the dating process, both resonated with every type sides invest great care and of listener, from the accom forethought into what they plished talmid chacham to say and how they say it. the simple laborer. In a After the date, they review si1nilar way, the shn1uessen in their minds the conver of Rabbi Avraham Yaakov sations that took place and Hakohein Pam attracted a make a careful analysis: very disparate audience, "What did she mean when including rabbanin1, ntag she said that?,, or "What did gidei sltiur, business1nen he have in mind with that and young beis n1idrash remark?" One realizes that bachurin1. a poor impression made by During Rabbi Yaakov a wrong word or inference Kamenetsky's tenure as Rosh might negatively affect the Hayeshiva of Mesivta Torah outcome of the shidduch. Vodaath, he told someone, Yet, unfortunately, this "If I was not afraid that it would make service by zehirus bedibbur (care in Rav Pam uncomfortable, I myself would publishing speech) does not continue attend his sh1nuessen." a selection after the wedding. Speaking The first half of his shmuess would of English without thinking causes focus on a halachic discussion related adapta great breaches in shalom to the weekly parasha, while the second tionsof the bayis (p. 39). half dwelled on parasha-related lessons in middos-hashkafapart of Rav Pam's shm Rabbi Pam dealt with hashkafa topics character development and other themes uessen. The Pleasant Way on Chumash, as well, in a practical, down-to-earth way. of hashkafa. Each shmuess was a master published more than three years ago, The revelation of Yoseif to his brothers piece; carefully constructed, clear and was very well received. Rabbi Smith's demonstrated that there is no stopping the unco1nplicated, inspiring and instruc more recent publications, Rav Pan1 on Divine will from being executed; Hashem tive. Their effect was powerful, and in Chumash and Rav Pam on the Festivals had willed that Yoseif should be a ruler, later years, Rabbi Pam would take great are outstanding renditions of his rebbi's and his brothers' selling him into slavery pride that the image of Torah Vodaath teachings. actually set that plan into motion. taln1idim was one of noam han1iddos Rabbi Pam applied this to the follow- -- pleasant in de1neanor. ing situation: RabbiSholomSmith,amemberofthe THE COMPLETE BEN TORAH An elderly parent becomes seri- Torah Vodaath kollel and a close talmid • • • • • • • • • · • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ously ill and the children consult of Ra_bbi Pam, has_cl_o~a great publi~ In his discourses, Rabbi Pam placed with specialists to determine the RABBI F1NKELMAN. A ul:'nf311N YiosttivA DARc11E1 heavy e1nphasis on how talmidi1n best course of treatment .... After ToRAll, FA1~ RocKAWAY. NY. is A FREQUENT coN- should relate to others: to parents, careful consultation and delibera- rRrnuToR To THESE PAGF.s, MOST RECENTLY wrrn peers and, eventually, to one's wife and tion, they decide on one method of "THEDAFYOM/AND]TSFOtlNl)El('(FEB.'os).H!CIS h'ld l h b 'ful niF: AnTt1o1-1 oF sEvERA1. BIOGRAPniEs 1>uB1.1stti:n 1 1 c ren. T 1ese t e1nes are eautI l y treatment. Sadly, the treatment fails R1ScRoti MF:so1~A 11 ruBi1< AiinNs presented in Rav Pam on Chiunash. Of and the parent dies. The children , particular note in this regard is Rabbi are overcome with feelings of :duilt. 39 L------r-==-·······- M A R c H 2 0 0 6 HAT PLUS "We should have gone with the other What is the significance of kiddush method ... :' Or "We should have hachodesh (the sanctification of the new used that doctor or that hospital:' month) being the first mitzva presented and so on .... to the Jewish people as they prepared to Your#l Stop While such a response is under leave Egypt as a nation liberated from for standable1 it is nevertheless incor their oppressors? Quality Hats rect. As difficult as it is for the Kiddush Hachodesh is the manner family members to accept, they must by which Jews measure the passage WE ALSO DRY CLEAN LARGEST SELECTION realize that they cannot overturn the of time .... A slave has no time to & RESHAPE HATS OF CHOSONIM TIES IN (All wnrk done rm premises) BROOKLYN plan of Hashem. It was destined that call his own. His days and nights are this path of treatment be taken. The controlled by his master. Freedom 1368 Coney Island Avenue family did the best they could and means the ability to use time as one (71 S) 377-5050 there is no reason for the family to wishes ... Major credit cards accepted • We ship UPS feel guilty (p. 61). When a person has a sizeable amount of money to invest, he does not simply accept the first offer that Do you comes his way. He will seek the advice of expert investment bankers to guide him .... Yet, while most people under know of a stand that investing money requires careful forethought, very few peo quality ple realize that even more careful forethought, advice and planning is ' J 1' ( job opening? required in investing time - a com _:'(3'1"~!:)~-'~1::,,_,.,\ SERIES 92-B modity infintely more valuable than money (pp. 80-81). 0 1. M. Zanitzky Ci 2. Rabbi M. Zanitzky D 3. Rabbi M. Zanitzky SEEKING MERIT D 4. Rabbi Y. Blum n his works on forbidden speech, the [J 5. Rabbi Y. Blum Chofetz Chaim makes abundantly [J 6. Rabbi D. Friedman I dear that the workings of Heaven are [J 7. Rabbi Y. Margareten a reflection of our interactions on this [J 8. Rabbi B. Hirschfeld world. When Jews seek to find merit for LJ 9. Rabbi B. Hirschfeld \\The highest form one another on this world, the Satan is D 10. Rabbi R. Gerson silenced; but when Jews speak ill of one another, the opposite occurs. D 11. Rabbi D. Lebowics of tzedakah, Rabbi Pam was unusually careful not D 12. Rabbis Weinberger I is finding somebody to speak ill of his fellow Jews, and he N. Scherman always sought to find merit for others. M. Eisemann IF. Schachter a parnasah/' In Rabbi Smith•s work, Rabbi Pam offers D 13. Rabbi D. Gottlieb -Rambam a remarkable insight on the particular D 14. Rabbi D. Gottlieb obligation of bnei Torah to seek merit for ACCOUNTING • COMPUTERS • MANAGEMENT D 15. Rabbi D. Gottlieb MARKETING • REAL ESTATE • SALES • ETC. Kial Yisroel: [J 16. Rabbi Y. Feitman A ben Torah is trained to look for PROFESSIONAL CAREER the merit in an incomprehensible Cost: $6.00 per tape SERVICES - PCS $80.00 entire series statement or halachic opinion found (save $16.00) A DIVISION OF AGUDATH in Shas or Shulchan Aruch. He will ($86.00 entire series with album) ISRAEL OF AMERICA spend hours trying to resolve a contra diction found in the words of the Sages NEW YORK: (718) 436-1900 Send payment to: or to defend Rashi from the seemingly [email protected] irrefutable challenges of Tosafos. He TCN Tapes NEW JERSEY: (732) 905-9700 will exert great mental effort to justify Box 504, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092 [email protected] the two sides in a halachic dispute ---····---- r----=- ---:-~ ··-·-···------~~-- _:~_"_'_' _____ ,_:~·-="=' -_'_~--~_--:==o- __- __s--_·~=·--~"----~---··_ .. ~-----"=---"··_·- _-_ -__ ~--==---.-..... ------·==--_-_... _--.. --==------"··---··_--_~_--- between Shach or Taz, or to refute the to control yourself for such a long other absorbs more; he sees the soul Raavad's critique of the Rambam period of time on Rosh Hashana?" of the sefer, the hashkafa behind the A hen Torah is taught not to lessons, the common threads of a judge a matter on its surface but penimiyus-based view of the world. to delve deeply into the reasoning USE YOUR SEFARIM WISELY He sees a meaningful way of life. behind a particularly puzzling state He sees his rebbi. ment or opinion .... He is trained to t would be advisable to read and For those who were Rabbi Avraham focus on the wider picture and not absorb Rabbi Yisroel Reisman's mag Pam's talmidim and for those who aspire automatically accept as fact that I nificent Forward to Rav Pam on the to be, Rabbi Sholom Smith's sefarim are which appears to be correct at first Festivals before reading either volume. our tools to live more meaningful and glance .... Shouldn't this Talmudic He concludes with the following: happy lives. training be equally applied to Two people can learn from the For this, we owe Rabbi Smith a debt everyday situations in life when the same sefer. One catches the wonder of gratitude, mipenimiyus haleiv, from questionable actions of a person or ful sweetness of the divrei Torah. The the innermost heart. ~ community can be seen in different ways and yet judged favorably? One should always try to find merit for one's fellow Jews. This will evoke the gratitude of Hashem and bring blessing and success on the person and his nation. PRACTICAL FESTIVAL LESSONS n Rav Pam on the Festivals, the mes sages are, as in the previous volumes, I down-to-earth and practical. There is a "message" in the fact that we experience the long Mussaf of Rosh f ubscribe1 or give ,a gift at these reduced Hashana without any talking at all (so as prices: as much as 40% off the newsstand price; the longer your subscription, the not to cause a hefseik between the berachos greater your savings. You and your family will benefit from the on the mitzva of shofar and the teki'os). many articles of information and inspira Each month, The Jewish Observer will Rabbi Pam cites the Mishna in tion that they ca-nnotget anywhere else. Avos arrive at-)'OUr door, filled with the views of (4:3) which states that one should not leading Torah thinkers on current Of course, this offer is unconditionaf/y be scornful of any individual, for there is issues...analyses of Jewish events, focus on guaranteed; you may cancel at any time no person without his ''hour;' his special bUrhing issue~ inside reporting, interpretive and receive a full refu'nd for afl u'ndeliv commentary, uplifting biographies, infuri ered copies, no questions asked. moment when his hidden qualities come ating letters and illuminating responses - to the fore. TheAlterofNovarodok would aff within the covers of one magazine, SO order today, and the very next issue will paraphrase this idea by saying that every The Jewish Observer. be on its way to you as soon- as possible. Jew has his "hour of special achievment" -a ------•••-••------•••••••--•-•••-•••••••••--•••-•-•••••-~•-' in avodas Hashem, which may stand as an indictment against him in the Next World. For he may be asked, "You accomplished O~~RVER SubscriPlion Oiscoum Cerlificale so much in that hour - why couldn't you 42 Broadway I New York. NY 10004 •Phone 212-797-7394 •Fax 646-254-16o0 do the same at other times?" MONF.Y HACK GUMW\'TEE Please enter :J my subscr!ptim1 ::J my gift Iffair m(r 11X1S(J11 nt m•)' fime,i·o11 11ro ""' .wll:ificd. y ing davening. They will have no "FIJ!Vf8" p1i«' n:fle<:ts $15 extm per _nwr lo &fr,1y air s/Jtf'{Jilll! roi!/s_ Pomgn /Jt(mwnl mmt fw 11wde i11 1:.s dollars. eil/Jl'I' kr response to the following charge: "If tbi~:k drmrll on t1/Ja11t111 lbe l'.. U. or ~r ~·l'>:·I or ,J/(ls/<'lf.(11·d fhe J THE MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE Afirst n the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park, New York, only one third Person I of the space is devoted to document - ing the persecution and destruction of Perspective European Jewry. The rest of tl1e museum showcases the dual subjects of pre-War onrwo European Jewry and the post-War renewal of Jewish life in the United States and Holocaust Israel. With the dear purpose of being inclu Museums sive, the "Jewish" part of "Jewish life" from a includes social, cultural and secular aspects of the pre- and post-War periods. Religious Jewish components, or what we think of when we hear the phrase "Jewish life;' are also Observer included, but only as a sideshow-not as the main event. As a result, for example, scant references are made to the fundamentally central role of yeshivas, chadarim and Bais Yaakov schools in the lives of pre- and Witness post-War Jewry. Most of the videotaped testin1onies of survivors describing their pre-War Jewish experiences seemed too cut off from the present. The survivors described Shabbos and Yorn Tov scenes with the nostalgia "ZECHOR (REMEMBER)!" reserved for something from one's past to which one has lost all connection in he above word stands out in bold the present. It was as if the survivors were relief on top of the fifty foot obe intimating, "I do not keep Shabbos today, Tlisk which towers above the open but I remember fondly how we kept it so plaza between the Central Bus Station beautifully in Europe when I was a child:' ~-Jid Binyanei Ha'uma at the entrance to For this Jewish observer, the most mem Yerushalayim. Built in the early SO's, it orable experience in the museum was the 0 \was one of the first memorials dedicated brief film footage of a Chassidishe Rebbe to Churban Europa, or the Holocaust. tearfully exhorting his pre-War audience in Exactly what are we supposed to Yiddish not to abandon shemiras Shabbos. remember? Which aspects of that cata It seemed as if he were trying 10 reach out clysmic period are most essential to across time and space to remind us now to preserve for future generations? And put 1orah learning and observance at the what ultimate purpose is achieved by very top of our personal and communal our remembering? agendas. The obelisk in Yerushalayim was built at a time when such questions could not even be asked. In the last half YADVASHEM century, however, these questions have been debated, discussed and dissected ad Vashem in Yerushalayim has DR. Wr-KLlrit~ --A"-PsYcHo'l'i-i£RAP1sT iNn FAMILl' by countless historians, scholars, and always been the gold standard by COUNSEl:OR IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, UVES IN mechanchim. 1 which all other Holocaust muse- BROOKLYN, NY. HE IS A FREQUENT CONTRIBU Y I urns have been measured. The massive TOR TO THESE PAGES, MOST RECENTLY WITH, '/\N 1 See, for example, the ·-speCTalissue, ''The I ENCOUNTF.R WITll RABBI 51-ILOMO WOLBE," JO, Lessons of Churban Europa and How to Teach complex of libraries, archives, memorial I SEPT. '05. Them," JO, May. '05. groves and museums are visit~ 42 ---···· ··----·--··---- ····-- -··------~-.. THE JEWISH OBSERVER ·---···------·------~"'-'--"'· ... ·------···---..... ·----"'----·--·------·----·------·------··----- ·------... ------.... ally thousands of Jewish and non-Jewish the completely false impression that their appointed guides may lead tours. tourists and students every single day. while many Orthodox and Chassidic Practically all of the almost three million Jews perished, hardly any survived. yearly visitors to Israel have been to Yad 2. The heroic and tireless rescue efforts THE POWER OF PROTEST Vashem at least once. As a result of its of the Rabbis and volunteers of the prominence, Yad Vashem has an enor Vaad Hahatzolah were also com few years ago, an essay appeared mous impact on the world's impression pletely omitted. While a brief pass n these pages encouraging readers of the Jewish people in general, and the ing reference was made to Rabbi o actively protest whenever they Holocaust, in particular. Michel Dov Weismandle 7"":II, among ration from that article) this author wrote new building would document every others, was entirely overlooked. to the director of Yad Vashem, calling aspect of the Holocaust, from the roots 3. The countless acts of spiritual hero attention to the omissions and distortions of anti-Semitism through persecution and ism throughout World War II were outlined above. annihilation. Artifacts, photos, film clips also ignored. I am referring here to Two replies have been received so far, and videotaped testimonies of survivors the clandestine chadarim and yeshi one from the American office of Yad were creatively arranged, both chronologi vas, the communal soup kitchens and Vashem and one from the main office cally and thematically, so the visitor both chessed projects in the ghettos and the in Yerushalayim. Although I requested it literally and figuratively walks through superhuman examples of steadfastly from both responders, I did not receive this most devastating period of recent maintaining emuna, bitachon and permission to reprint either of their letters Jewish history. mitzva observance in hiding) in catt1e in this article. The gist of their comments, What especially impressed this Jewish cars, and even in the concentration however was as follows. observer was the painfully graphic detail camps. We did the best we could. We in which the deportations to the ghettos If the mission of Yad Vas hem is to tell couldn't include everything to please are portrayed. The crushing reality of this the complete story of the Holocaust, then everyone. Some of the survivors aspect of the Holocaust is driven home by this museum must be given a failing grade who gave videotape testimonies the extensive film footage of this ordeal. for purging their presentation of critical were religious, "though not neces Actual films of young and old carrying, religious content. sarily Hasidic or ultra-Orthodox:' dragging or pushing meager possessions Worse yet, as of this past summer) Thanks for writing. into what was to be only a temporary should a Torah-oriented group - a tour, On behalf of the six million korbanos stopover on their journey to extermina or yeshiva or Bais Yaakov classes - choose of Churban Europa, should we accept tion are most unforgettable. to visit Yad Vashem with its own guide, the that response? When we meet these After leaving this new wing, however, I administration will not permit it. Only 2 "Protest Pays," by Eliyahu Mayer, JO, Jan!98 felt that something significant was miss ing. It was so unsettling that I returned Most of us have several areas that com- the very next day to retrace my steps ,. e a ance pete for our time and attention. W11en more slowly in case it was I, and not the L ~ B l these areas are in harmony, you will ffi• experience a W!J)il nnur.i - peace of museum curators, who had been negli A Life-Coach mind - making you a more effective, happier person. gent.My second visit, however, confirmed can help you In 2-3 months, using weekly private phone sessions you can learn to my initial impression that the following develop and effectively take control of your life. critical components of Holocaust history maintain a HOW MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE AND ENHANCED were not being told, inadvertently or by wholesrnne WOULD YOUR LIFE BE WITH BE1TER LIFE BALANCE? b la WHY COACHING? In1proving one's life means making change; and design. a nee people need support and structure to keep distractions and obstacles from I. Orthodox survivors were grossly between the ::.-wamping their dreams and goals. Coaching provides that solid framework under-represented among the video important of support and structure. taped testimonies screened through areas of f have over thirty years experience in helping people fulfill their dreams, 11',e have authored books, articles and produced cassette programs out the exhibit. Only one of the Your 1b"• • on this subject, and have taken special Ufe-Coach courses. dozens of men speaking wore a FREE OFFER - I would be happy to give you a free telephone session. Please yarmulke. And none of the women call USA 845-352-1175 for an appointment. Thank you. - MR. AV! SHULMAN survivors, presumably married or Live a Life of Design, Not Defa ult widowed, wore head coverings of any kind. Chassidic survivors were not represented at all. This gave ------··------··--·------victims achar mei'a ve'esrim, will we be in hand to write to Yad Vashem, we make a few simple but critical additions able to defend our not protesting this could create a tsuna1ni of protest and that could correct the historical record injustice by saying, ( * Letters can be 1nailcd to: Mr. Avner Shalev, For careful attention to your Chairman of the Directorate, Yad Vashem, P. 0. B. 3477, 91034 ISRAEL, or faxed to (02) 644-3443. individual needs, call us today! (845) 354-8445 G EFEN » ..-t1. FI1tAo~~AL~· Reg;""'d Mmtgoge Becke« ..... NYS Dept. of Banking •• (O>fl<'.""!e Hea ~ _.... Total Communication s.olutions l•8.66·T/lLK·~·SAVE (l·.866•~25·~672) ··. e'.Jlloil: [email protected] Customer service now ovolloble from 9:00 n.m. -12:00 midnight, lsr.nel time! "Celkom Certified Afients To ,-,g;ster, 718.258.2622 • 718.258.2256 please calf • . , Toun'ffic Travel at toutrdictravel@)optonbne.net r11i:; JE\\/JSU 0BSEHVEll RESTRUCTURING THE SEMINARY their mothers with Pesach prepara· YEAR IN JERUSALEM tions' ( ... not to mention the airfare savings.) To the Editor: This suggestion should also lower the As son1eone who has had sev overall, exorbitant costs of the seminar eral sons and daughters study in ies, which put a tren1endous strain on Israeli yeshivos and sen1inaries, I most of us. wish to comment on Rabbi Aryeh Z. My feeling is that many of the semi· Ciinzberg's article regarding the send naries will resist, but I believe, and I'm ing of post-high school boys and girls ject them to these weeks of nisyonos? sure you do, too, that our children's to study in Israel. (Jan.-Fcb. '06) The seminaries n1ight consider pre-sen1 well-being takes precedence over every· 1'here is something concrete that curricula for the girls to busy themselves thing else. can be done to help alleviate the with on the days before they come. ARYEH GOLDBERG problen1s of inappropriate fraterniza I can hear the screams: "But they Rockland, NY tion bet\veen boys and girls that we will 111iss the Eretz Yisroel-Yon1 Tov kno\v exists in so nlany places. experience!" INSPIRATION FOR My suggestion will be strongly I submit that the gamble of them RABBI WOLBE'S MOVE TO MIR denounced by many, but I have spo· getting the wrong "experience" is too ken vvith a nu1nber of roshei yeshivas, risky to take. In addition, shouldn't To the Editor: 111echanchi111 and 111echanchos, and these girls be with their mothers I just completed reading and they all agree with me. They just say, for Rosh Hashana and Yorn Kippur, reviewing your wonderful articles "It'll never happen!" possibly the last ones of their single about the great baa[ mussar whose My suggestion: lives? life had an impact on three genera· Girls' sc111inarics should start And what would be so bad if they tions, the Mashgiach, Rav Shlomo AFTER Sukkos and end BEFORE would take their final exams in the Wolbe 7··~1 (JO Sept. '05). These Pesach 1 USA after Pesach, allowing them essays are a strong n1otivating force Many of the problems begin at the to come home for Pesach and help for the reader to learn with depth airport and on the airplanes, as the boys and girls leave to their respective schools. Furthern1ore, the first fe'"' OUR STAND weeks are loaded with time off due to ---·-·-···- all the Yan1in11(Jvin1, allowing young NOW YOU CAN boys and girls free ti1ne in a country 6,000 miles away from parental guid· PUT THE SPARK BACK ance and supervision. IN YOUR INSURANCE. Additionally, many of the schools request that their students fend for Call me today to hear about these new themselves in finding places to eat for optional features: New Car Replacement. Shabbos and Yon1 Tov, thro\¥ing them Accident Forgiveness and Deductible Rewards. into a tizzy that they have never expe rienced. Many of the girls who do not (718) 268-1700 have easy access to fan1ily in Israel find themselves brokenhearted. And all this for only $15,000 tuition, or so. Then comes the hejkeirus of Chol Han1o'cid excursions and concerts all Martin Levy over the country. These are serious 103-20 METROPOLITAN AVENUE issues that should not be ignored. FOREST HILLS The actual learning days that would [email protected] be missed are few, and the boys will be Allstate, You're in good hands. • nlore able to in1111erse their heads into Call or stop by for a free quote their learning, rather than into social ization. I've heard fro1n n1any \vho say Feature is optional and suh)ect to terms and conditions. Av 45 --· ---- -· ·---·-·-··-·- ·····---·-·---····----" ···········;;;:·····;;;:;··======;;;;;-- MAl~CH 2006 his magnificent sefarim, of which to be menacheim aveil. The Mashgiach many excerpts are mentioned in the told the Rebbetzin and the children, articles. "If not for your father, I would not I do want to add one point of infor· be where I am today. Your father mat.ion concerning the beginnings of came back from Slobodka during bein the Mashgiach's development, influ· hazemanim, spoke to the Ezra groups Child Development Specialists encing him to leave Berlin and join (similar to today's Pirchei groups) Helping Infants & Toddlers Yeshivas Mir in Eastern Europe. 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