••• One of the best Astl wines tasted in a long while. AtllrurScb\VIJl'IZ NEW YORK DAILYN£WS •.• By larthe best was Bartenura Asti Spumante •• , In !act, it received the highest rating of any wine •.• s1 ..ley A. ll:det THE WASHINGTON POST .•• Outstanding from Italy is Bartenura's Asti Spumante, iu a delicate yet full· flavored mode •.. Nathan Chroman LOS ANGELES TIMES ... Bartenura Asti Spumante is among the best Asti Wines on the market. Rolwrt M. Porker, fr. THE WINE ADVOCATE
I THEIEWISH . OBSERVER
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FEBRUARY 1993 VOLUME XXVI I NO. 1 I. THE CRITERIA FOR SELF-JUDGMENT "I s our community fullfilling its '''T'hei She,im Shamayim obligation to cause the Name of Heaven to be more loved through our actions?" 1bis is not a question that one can answer with a simple ''yes" or "no," for Misahei'Y al Yadeuha'' the question relates to the entire To rah community as it exists today howwe live, how we educate our chil dren. what the hopes and dreams of parents and children are. and what means Jews employ to attain their goals in life. Moreover, the question is phrased Inspiring Love in a way that leaves the impression that we are not meeting the challenge. To accept that implication. and then For Hashem to be forced to explain how and why we are not meeting the challenge. is a most unfair assessment of our pre Through Our cious Torah community. And I might also add. that the annual conventions of Agudath Israel-gatherings to hear Actions divrei Torah and divrei mussar, where several thousand people seek to be admonished and uplifted and in spired to higher Torah challenges are in themselves a public kiddush Sheim Shamayim that reflect a yearn· Based on an address by ing for higher values. and a quest for direction in how to achieve and main the Novominsker tain higher standards in Yiddishkeit, how to rectify our shortcomings. how Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov to polish our rough edges, and how to Perlow N "17'7v. at the improve our lives. But the directive t'hei Sheim recent national Shamayim misaheiv al yadecha in volves much more. Everyone is familiar convention ofAgudath with Rashfs commentary on the verse Vahavta l'reCacha kamocha (Vayikra Israel ofAmerica 19.18). drawn from Taras Kahanim (chapter 45), "R Akiva says. This is a klal gadolbTomh. a fundamental rule in the Torah's worldview." But, later in the same passage in Taras Kohanim, Ben Azzai states that the verse ''7..eh sefer toldos Adam'' (Bereishis 5.1) reflects an even more fundamental rule. The com
The Novominsker Rebbe. a men1ber of thf' Moetzes Gedolef HaTomh {Council ()[Torah Sages) ofAf;udath Jsn1el of America as well as ofits Nesin">.. (Presidium). is Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivas Novominsk-Kol Yehuda. in Brooklyn. This essay was prepared for publication by Rabbi Zvi Boruch Hollander. Executive Vic:e-President of Agudath Israel oflllinois. His article, .. Checking the Creden tials of Tzeddaka Solicitors ... was featured in JO. Sept.'92.
4 TheJewishObserver. Februmy 1993 mentaries explain the words of Ben of Ben Azzai: the story of one's life this manner, ivhat will people say Azzai as refening to the end of the verse. m11st be a sefer Torah. about him? ~Fortunate is his father, "b'yomb'roE/okimAdambidmusE/okim This, then, is the question that ev wlw taught him Torah! F'ortlmate is his rabbi, who taught. him 1brah! Woe to in asa oso"-that G-d made man His ery individual must ask himself, ifhe those who do not learn Torah! He wlw image. and it is this that Ben Au.ai ar· is to properly analyze whether "the learned Torah, how pleasant are his gues takes precedence as the basic idea Name of Heaven is being more loved ways, how r~fined are his actions!" in Torah thought. the "kJal gadoL ·· through his actions": What kind of a About him the Navi says, {Yishayahu Actually. the concept that man is seferTorah am I writing with my life? 49.3) "And He said to me, You are my created in the Divine in1age is set out For when one leaves this world, the servant, Yisroel, iii whom I am glorified" /Yoma 86a). in a variety of verses that appear ear Gemora tells us (Avoda Zara l 7b) lier in the Torah, such as: "Na'ase/1 "gevilin nisrafim-the parchment is n assessing our image as a Torah Adam b'tzalmeinu kidemuseinu--let burned, [but still] osios porchos community, I would suggest that us make man in 011r image" b'avir-the letters remain to arise I we see a mixed, imperfect picture; (Bereishis 1,26); or: "Vayivra Elokim skyward." These letters represent the a picture with a great deal oflight but es ha'Adam b'tzalmo-and G-d eternity of our neshamos. our souls. also containing dark shadows. made man in His image" (Bereishis All the letters and words and verses First, it is a healthy sign of a ma 1,27). Why then would Ben Azzai, in in our own sefer Torah, which, as ture person and a mature community referring to this cbncept, cite a verse Ramban teaches us, are all combina to engage in self-criticism. But before four chapters later? tions of the names of Hashem all we criticize, we must first appreciate Perhaps the explanation of Ben these Divine Names should permeate the background that puts that criti· Au.ai's statement in Taras cism into proper context. Kohanim refers to a dtffer · If, indeed, we would not ent concept. Rather than Every individual must ask himself, if he is have grown into a com referring to the end of the munity that is so involved verse, Ben Azzai indeed is to properly analyze whether "the Name in Torah study and service referring lo the words at of Torah scholars, we the beginning of the of Heaven is being more loved through his could not engage in intro verse, "Zeh sefer toldos spection, assessing our Adam" According to the actions": What kind of a sefer Torah am I selves whether we have explanation of the perhaps not fulfilled our Ramban, the word "Sf!fer'' writing with my life? obligations regarding t'hei refers to the sefer Torah. Sheim Shamayim To Ben Azzai, the verse is misaheiv al yadecha. In· telling us that it is in the deed, the crttique would Torah that we can find toldos Adam the atmosphere, illuminating not be that much deeper, that much the reflection of human existence in only our life, but society's status as worse, that much more serious. all its complexity. well .... The klal gadol of Ben Azzai is Rather, it is specifically because of But Ben Azzai also saw in these nothing other than the recognition our growth that our responsibility is words an implicit obligation: just as that all people, all space, and all hu· that much greater. It is a result of our the Torah reflects our life, so must we manity is meant to give testimony to success as a Torah community that live a ltfe that reflects the Torah. A the truth of the eternal oneness of we can demand from ourselves that Torah consists of parchment with let G·d as proclaimed by His unique the Name of Heaven should be all the ters; the days and years of our lives people, Israel. To the extent that our more deeply and profoundly loved form the parchment of our sefer To lives are an example of kavod throughout the world by our actions. rah, while the mitzvos and the Shamayim, to that extent have we Thus, we must first appreciate the ac ma'asim tovim that we do, each ac passed the test of "t'hei Sheim complishments of our community, cording to his own capabilities, are Shnmayim misaheiv al yadecha" and in so doing, we must offer thanks the letters and words written on the and praise to the Almighty, tf we are parchment of our lives. II. TAKING STOCK OF OUR to criticize ourselves and identify our When one lives an entire life, he STRENGTHS shortcomings. has completed his "sejer Torah." The Second, we may not overlook the story of his ltfe, his "toldosAdam" is We learned in a Braissa: 'Vahavta fact that, indeed, our community has, either a kosher sejer Torah. or G-d es Hashem Elokecha-And you shall in the last twenty or thirty years, defi forbid, one unfit for use. Ifhe has ful love Hashem your G-d" (Devarim 6,5): nitely succeeded in promoting the (Inis implies/ that the Name ofHeaven filled mitzvos and ma'asim tovim, he should be more loved through your ac idea that the Name of Heaven be more has written kosher letters with all the tions. You should study and serve beloved. One need only consider the laws of hiddur, of scribal beauty; but talmidei chacharnim, your business many projects of tzeddaka and out· if he lived a life far from Torah, it is as dealings should be peiformed with hon· reach, largely ignored before, and not if he has erased some of the Divine esty, your speech should be in a pleas~ practiced today in similar measure by names in his Torah. This is the "klal' ant lone. And if one conducts himse~f in any other segment of the Jewish
The Jewish Observer, February 1993 5 population. ls there any group. any who are in the trenches, who are on phrase the Genwra, in extolling the where in American Jewish society to the frontiers of Torah Yiddkishkeit in integrity, the honesty, and the virtues day, that is involved in bikur cholim in the "out-of-town" con1n1t1nities, have of the American Agudah. The debt of the way that ot1r devoted women are? succeeded over the years in reshap- thanks that we all owe is boundless.
Is there any other group in Arnerican ! ing the lives of thousands of Jews, Jewish society that cares ------ill. IMPERFECT for its needy with the de- We may not overlook the fact that, MEMBERS OF AN gree of sensitivity as do IMPERFECT WORLD the countless indeed, our community has, in the last charity or- his still is, however. an !wenty or thirty years, definitely imperfect world. And T we, too, are an imper succeeded in promoting the idea fect community. First, we must know that that the Name of Heaven be more implicit in the obligation to ca11se the Name of f-Ieaven to beloved. One need be more loved througf1 our ganiza only consider the actions is the obligation not tions for to have the Nan1e of Heaven hachnosas many projects of desecrated through those kalla, medical actions. In that connection, I needs, and the tzeddaka and outreach, deem it imperative that I needs of orphans and wid herewith register a strong ows that exist in our largely ignored before, mecha'a (protest) against an midst? Is there any other English-language weekly group in America today and not practiced today in similar newspaper, which reaches a that operates communal measure by any other segment of the vast number of homes. In re emergency resct1e services cent weeks, this paper had a with the same intensity of Jewish population. hand in steering through Al self-sacrifice as do the bany a so-called "Gel Law:· members of the Hatzolah ostensibly crafted for the aid emergency organizations? Is there hundreds upon hundreds of Jewish of agunos, women who are any other group that cares for the i families. Is this not t'hei Sheim halachically prohibited from remarry spiritual and the physical welfare of Shamayim misaheiv al yadecha? ing by recalcitrant husbands. The Russian Jews, here and in Russia, as And finally, we are gathered as gedolei haposkim(leading authorities mt1ch as our 1~orah community? rr1embers of an organization that is in halacha) in Eretz YL,roel have ruled Have other Jewish groups founded a the hon1e for 1'orah, 10r n1itzvos, and that any get given under the duress single day-school, secondary or even for holiness, an organization that car of this Get Law has a suspicion of be elementary school, for Russian Jew ries the holy name, Agudath Israel. ing invalid as a "get rne'u.5a," a !Creed ish children? It's simply not known Anyone familiar with the work of get. This paper has been carrying on that the several thousand Rt1ssian Agudath Israel, anyone in the halls of a slander can1paign against the daas Jewish children who are being edu governn1ent, anyone who really Torah of these gedolei Eretz Yisroel in cated in the six or seven institutions knows the degree of successful a most ugly manner. going so far as in the New York City area are being shtadfonusAgudath Israel has devel to ridicule their psak. A grave halacha cared for almost exclusively by our oped in the last 40 years-not only in she'eila is tht1s cavalierly being de community's lay leaders, over-worked terms of the benefits that we have cided by this newspaper' Blind sup and over-burdened as they are. reaped, as individuals and institu port of this bill treats this-an issue In kiruv rechokim in outreach, it is tions, as Torah Je\.vs, but for the ad of utmost severity, dealing with the the products of our yeshivas and our miration and respect and reverence holiness of the marital relationship, Kollelim our rabbonim. our laymen. that the Agudath Israel representa the holiness of the nation-in a most who have succeeded in bringing back tives have gained in the gentile improper and imprudent manner. thousands to the derech Hashem, world-anyone aware of all of this We must recognize that the chillul with warmth. concern and goodness. cannot help but marvel at the Hashem here is tremendous. First of The teachers and educators of our kiddush Sheim Shamayim these efC all-in the words of Rabbi Shlomo day, the most under-appreciated forts have achieved. Those of us who Zalman Auerbach, N""V"n>-this law is group in our community, who have are familiar with these ongoing efforts not a takana (remedy), it is a sakana sacrificed their lives and tOrsworn any and results have seen the non-Jew (danger). Second of all, it is a case of degree of affluence only for the sake ish community in Washington sing a "megelah panim b'Torah shelo of perpetuating Torah and the tradi continuous song, "Baruch Hashem k'halacha," defying Torah law in a tion of our forefathers-these people, Elokei Shimon ben Shetach." to para- brazen manner, virtually trampling
6 The Jewish Obseruei: February 1993 on the Torah. Third, this shame in Koheles (12, 10): "kasuv yosherdivrei Orthodox Jews and some Orthodox flicted on the Torah, this ridicule of emes-words of truth written with lawyiers to defame and vilify the sa Rabbanan-these towering figures straightness, with righteousness." cred institution of batei din b'YisroeL from Eretz Yisroel--is so severe, that As it is with a sic;fer Torah, whose ofJewish ecclesiastic courts. Not only it calls for a vehement protest from words of emes must be written with do people refuse to respond to a sum each and every one of us. straightness, so loo, the words of our mons from such co11rts, not only do In yet another issue, the travesty sej€r Torah, the actions of our lives, people refuse to obey the decisions of ofjustice in the Lemrick Nelson case must he endowed with a straight these courts. but they resort to secu has aroused us all to indignation, ness, \Vi.th a righteousness, and not lar courts, before and after a din To pain, and protest. But that indigna be "krum," crooked. Our acts "for rah, in the process destroying the tion is most dangerous if it is allowed Heaven's sake" need also be endowed credibility and prestige of the Jewish to go unchecked. If the language used with righteousness and purity, with legal system. in protesting against the behavior of truth and uprightness. We dare not The following quotation from a government officials, whether con see Jewish names or names of Jew brief submitted by an Orthodox law cerning the situation in Crown ish institt1tions associated with false yer on behalf of his client, seeking to Heights or the loan guarantees for Is hood, thievery, or fraud, nor with upset a p'sak din of a duly-consti rael, is abusive and inflammatory chillul Hashem How shameful it is to tuted beis din of talmidei chachamim such as branding government offi hear from others-whether they be says more than 1ny descriptive cials as murderers. racists or anti Jewsofnon-Jews-"Howcorruptare phrases: "I am now no longer under semites, or generally vilifying them the deeds of so-and-so who studied the thumb of a biased, corrupt, un such remarks are the opposite of t'hei Torah, how revolting are his actions!" fair, and fraudulent beth din." It is Sheim Shamayim misaheiv al Our community's greatest challenge well-known that secular judges are yadecha. and can even put our com is to guard ourselves from this type of shocked at the extent to which Ortho- munity al great risk. chillul Hashem ! doxJews will go to undermine the de IfJewish leaders, spokesmen, and cision of a bets din, up to and includ the popular media purport to repre IV, CONCERN OVER MISUSE OF ing poison pen letters against sent the feelings of our community, OUR LEGAL SYSTEM rabbonim. This is a tremendous they must draw the line between pro chillul Hashem test and hysteria, between indigna deem it extremely important to In a somewhat different situation, tion and dangerous speech. They raise an issue that requires our a husband suing tOr a civil divorce re must comport themselves with dig I serious attention and that bears fused togivehiswifeaget. This man's nity and discretion, with a clear directly on the challenge before us at lawyer, an Orthodox Jew, testified mind-and they must seek upon examination by the Torah guidance. And our To court that, "not all Orthodox rah community must let If Jewish leaders, spokesmen, and the rabbis require a get to be them know, one way or the given before a woman re other, that it will not tolerate popular media purport to represent the n1arries, and there have statements that incite non been Orthodox rabbis who Jews. There are Torah guide feelings of our community, perform such marriages, lines for such situations. and even intermarriages .... " we have been witness to they must draw This from an Orthodox statements and actions that the line between lawyer, mind you. He even are an affront to our tradition submitted a statement and worldview. protest and by a Reform rabbi, In the laws concerning the with three aca- writing of the sefer Torah_ the hysteria, between halachastates that one is not allowed to write any letter, no indignation and matter how well-formed and beautifuUy inscribed, without dangerous speech. They first making a guideline in the parchment, a sirtut to facili must comport themselves with dignity tate the smooth writing of the and discretion, with a clear mind-and entire line. Only after etching the line, can one begin to they must seek Torah guidance. name, assert write a sefer Torah_ This law ing that" ... in ac requiring a previous guideline cordance with the Talmudic is a halacha l'Moshe m'Sina~ a stat all times, "t'hei Sheim Shamayim principle of dina d'malchusadina the ute presented to Moshe at Sinai, and misaheiv al yadecha." In recent years, civil divorce is recognized not only civ our sages cite a supporting verse from it has become the practice of some illy but also religiously, and each party
The Jewish Observer, February 1993 7 Is free to remarry civilly and reli seive the community with the honor of the villages for taking advantage of giously.... " Rachmana l'tzelan. and respect that din Torah requires. the non-Jewish peasants in their busi The corruption of unscrupulous Such a respected beis din will pro ness dealings. He was seeking a people, unfortunately shomrei mote fulfillment of the verse, means to negate this accusation, and mltzva, has resulted in the desecra "Tzeddek, tzeddek tirdof-Pursue the wood peddler's vocal praise of the tion of the Almighty, the desecration only justice" (Devarim 14,20), as our Jews performed that task. of the honor of the Torah, and the sages have explained it: "hnlochachar In keeping with the Baal Shem desecration of the honor of the Jew beis din yafa-search after a worthy Tov's teachings, that when one men ish People before the legal profession, court." It would be fearless, just, and tions criticisms of Klal Yisroel one before the secular world. dignified; it would win the allegiance should immediately mention their Admittedly, the subject of batei of the entire Torah community. More merits, as well, I offer an incident re dinim today Is a double-edged sword. over, it would help reinstate kavod garding one of the finest bnei Torah I People have complaints about differ Torah, emes, din, and shalom in our know. When this young man is late ent rabbonim, dayanim, borerim, and midst. And it would certainly help us for work, he often takes a taxicab. He to' anim (functionartes in the beis din). all fulfill "that the Name of Heaven be has made it his practice to leave the This Is not the place to explore this made beloved through you." cab one block before his destination, sensitive Issue. ButJ would like to re at a subway station, to allow the cab call forpubllcconsul:nption how more bie to easily pick up another fare. Not than twenty years ago, Rabbi Moshe Whenever an Orthodox long ago, another young Jew stepped Feinstein, ?·:n, remarked in my pres into the cab as the first one left. As he ence that in these times it is Jew interacts with the gentile entered, the Hispanic driver said, In preferrable to go to a standing beis world-in business, in the utter amazement at the kindness din of three, in contrast to resorting shown to him, "Now I understand to borerus (where each party to the professions, or in society at why G-d chose the Jewish people!" dispute selects one judge, and the two large-he represents Torah This story challenges us to realize judges appoint a third)-a beis din of the truth-that the opportunity of zabla'a. Such courts, while well Judaism as a whole, and he kiddush Shem Shamayim is present grounded in halacha, are subject to at all times. It also reminds us about many pressures and pitfalls, whereas is judged accordingly in the a vital fact of which we should never a totally neutral beis din, where none eyes of man and in the eyes lose sight: that whenever an Ortho of the individual members of the dox Jew interacts with the gentile court Is chosen by either of the dis ofG-d. world-in business, in the profes putants, is more likely to function sions, or In society at-large-he rep smoothly, and to anive at judgments V. AN EVER-PRESENT resents Torah Judaism as a whole, in line with Torah principle. OPPORTUNITY and he is judged accordingly In the Years ago, I had the mertt to sit on eyes of man and In the eyes of G-d. a beis din with Rav Breuer, ?·:n and e Shivchei HaBesht relates of We thus must aspire constantly, by yibodel l'chaim tovim, Rav Schwab, n incident when the Baal our lives, by our daily conduct, to 1<"1'""1> in K'hnl Adath Jeshurun. The · T: hem Tov was standing at the conform to the description of the aimas hadtn, respect for the Law, the amud. leading the seIVices. Suddenly Gemora of one whose business deal mora Shamayim, the fear of Heaven, he left the amud and went out of the ings are honest, whose speech is the trembling before the realization of shul to the market, where he pur pleasing and respectful; that it be hamishpat l'Elokim hu (Devarim chased a wagonload of firewood from said of us-"Fortunate is his father 1, 17), that judgment is ultimately the a non-Jewish peddler. After the man who taught him Torah, fortunate is exclusive realm of the Almighty, delivered the wood to shul, the Baal his rabbi who taught him Torah." which prevailed in that beis din, was Shem Tov paid him for the merchan May I conclude on this positive simply overpowering. One could truly dise, adding a few coins for the deliv note: with all of our shortcomings, sense the presence of G-d as Jews ery, and then gave him a drink of we are nonetheless a holy people came for a din Torah in that court. whisky. Overwhelmed by the Besht's who wish nothing more than to im Understandably, that beis din com generosity, the peddler shouted, prove In all areas of holiness, "to find manded the respect and the obedi "Blessed is the G-d of the Jews! Had favor In the eyes of man and G-d." ence of the litigants. a non-Jew pruchased the wood, he May the Almighty only see our posi I would suggest that the time has wouldn't have given me anything ex tive traits and ignore our fail!ngs come for the leadership of the Torah tra for the delivery!" for it Is the evil Inclination that is the world, along with Agudath Israel, to Later, the talmidim of the Besht cause of all our errors. Our only de establish a high-level beis din asked him why he had interrupted his sire is to do Hasherris will. May He tzeddek. Made up of individuals with davenlng for this foray into the mar help us fulfill this wish, so that the the hlghtest credentials, talmidei ket. He explained in response that he verse can truly refer to all of us In chachamim, both young and old, had sensed that there was an indict- saying: "You are my seivant, Ylsroel, these dayanim will alternate and i ment in the Heavens against the Jews In whom I am glorified." •
8 The Jewish Observer, February 1993 [======~::===-::JoFAMERICNS AGUDATH=~GNEW~~~_'! STATEMENT RE hip Agud£1thisraeloJ~N~~rkS~'GetLaW: ith itS rabbinie tea£1ers ~ing the recently e e upon consulta~~urrent controversy surro
'Sveral months ago, in response to a ter, as well as all other irresponsible tactics that he'aila (halachlc queiy) presented by are not directed at resolving the problem con '.Agudath Israel ofAmerica, the foremost structively. senior paskim (haladlic decisors) of today - "In particular, we are perturbed by efforts to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, shlita and disparage the leading halachic authorities of Rabbi Yosef Sholom Elyashiv, shllta- issued our time. Insinuations that these authorities Written teshuvos (responsa) stating that New acted improperly in ruling on the issue because York's new 1992 "get law" presents serious of their lack of understanding of the English halachlc concerns, and should not be permit language are not only incorrect; they are pro ted to stand as enacted. foundly offensive. Public accusations, such as "From the moment it became clear that the the charge that these universally respected new get law did not enjoy a broad halachlc con poskim improperly changed their viewpoint in sensus, and in fact had generated considerable response to pressure exerted by opponents of halachic opposition, Agudath Israel of America the law, are not only false; they atiack the in has endeavored to pursue a constructive reso tegrity of our greatest scholars. For the sake lution of the veiy serious problems it raises. of the honor of Torah and its sages, these types Those endeavors are ongoing, and appear to be of insinuations and accusations must stop. moving forward in a positive direction. We con 'We call upon all segments ofthe community tinue to be hopeful that an acceptable resolu to cease and desist from issumg inflammatory tion will be reached that will enjoy the broadest statements that can only further exacerbate possible base of authoritative halachic support. tensions over this issue, and make it more diffi "It must be recognized that the issue here cult to resolve the problem constructively." concerns not the specific case of a particular individual, but a law that affects the entire re ligious Jewish community. Any such law Editor's Note: must gain across-the-board support from re In order to clarify the issues and circum spected poskim of all circles. This indeed was stances surrounding the controversial new New the approach that was followed before the in York "Get law", troduction of the original New York get law - The Jewish Observer intends in a which was enacted in 1983 and is totally un forthcomintog edition to publish a full analy related to the new 1992 law. It Is the ap sis of the new law, including a review of the proach to which all responsible parties who teshuvos of the gedolei haposkim in truly seek to help alleviate the tragic plight of Yerushalayim and the role played by Agudath agunos should be committed with respect to Israel of America under the leadership of its any legislation in this highly sensitive and Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. However, such an complex area of halacha. analysis Will await the outcome of the ex "Agudath Israel deplores the numerous mis tremely sensitive, currently ongoing efforts to statements of all kinds that have appeared in resolve the problem cooperatively and con the press and elsewhere concerning this mat- structively. Yonason Rosenblwn
Electioneering in the Holy Land
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I. better than they are. and have greatly enjoyed the spectacle of rabbis run e campaign for the position of ning for office-If the widespread me Chief Rabbi (Ashkenazl) ofls dia coverage of the elections Is any In Tiael Is now winding up. with hurled back and forth by the rival dication. But they know In their heart the elections scheduled for the end of parties. Finally, the head of the elec of hearts that voting, especially by an February. For the first time since the tion board had to call on the two lead electorate largely innocent of any creation of the State. the National Re ing candidates to conduct a cam knowledge of halachaor mitzvaobser ligious Party (Mlzrachi), which had al paign benefittlng the office they seek. vance, is not the way rabbis ought to ways been pretty much able to pick As a result of the rough and rowdy be selected. When they read In the the Chief Rabbi, Is not a member of campaign. whoever emerges victori paper of political maneuvering of the the government coalition. and the re ous will find himself In a job that has various partles-e.g., one newspaper sult has been the most open cam lost even more of its lustre. The sta reported that the Labor Party electors paign ever for the position.' tus of the Chief Rabbinate has suf would support the NRP's preferred Unfortunately, the openness of the fered Immensely In the eyes of the candidates for Chief Rabbi In return campaign has not been a factor In In general public after successive re for NRP support for their candidate for troducing honest debate to the pro ports by the State Comptroller Gen President-they wonder what this has cess. Instead. charges and counter eral making clear that anyone who to do with choosing a Chief Rabbi. charges concerning dirty tricks and relies on the kashrus supervision of With one major exception. news anonymous leaks to the press of the Chief Rabbinate does so at his 1 There are 150 electors who select the Chief Rab defamatory Information-some of own risk. and the admission by the bis. Seventy of these are drawn from the ranks of which would not have been out of Secretary General of the Religions leading municipal officials and are almost all non place In the most recent American Ministry that many kashrus Inspec religious. Another seventy are rabbis, and ten ad presidential campaign-have been tors are "third- or fourth-rate" and the ditional electors are selected by the Minister of Re ligions. Because the Minister of Religions was al only qualification of some is a beard ways from the NRP and because the Ministry con Yonason Rosenblum. a regular contributor to and a kfppah. The current election trolled all the local rellgious councils from which these pages, is currently working on a full-length campaign can only expedite that pro the seventy rabbis were largely drawn, it controlled biography of Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky. ?~YT, and cess of delegitlmlzatlon. the process. Labor Minister Uzl Baram (Marach) is completing an English-language adaptation of v.ras the Minister ofRellgions at the start of the elec Avi Hayeshiva, a biography of Rabbi Chaim Secular Israelis relish news stories tion process, and the Ministry is now headed by a Volozhin, both to be published by ArtScroll. that "prove" that the religious are no Deputy Minister from Shas.
10 The Jewish Obseroer. Februmy 1993 stories about the candidates have II. pounder of the Torah, were inherent concentrated more on their army ser from the beginning. From Its incep vice and that of their children than on e current campaign points to tion, the Chief Rabbinate was meant their halachlc expertise. The glaring ne of the inherent problems to serve a variety of potentially con exception has been former Chief T:with the Chief Rabbinate: the flicting interests. For religious Zion Rabbi Shlomo Goren telling any re selection of religious authorities by a ists, who Imbued the Jew!sh state porter Within earshot for the last secular electoral body. The major with pre-Messianic significance, the three months that all the present hazard of this procedure-aside from absence of a religious component to candidates for the office are "from the the affront of the procedure per se the state apparatus was an obvious minor leagues," and have been cho ts that the Chief Rabbi, as a function Impossibility. And for secular Zion sen "for their talents in public rela aiy of the State, maycometovlewhis ists, the Chief Rabbinate was de tions" rather than psak halacha. The role as finding ways to be helpful to signed to provide a patina of Chief Rabbis, he says, must be the State when the halachals seen by Ytddishkeit that would endow their among the outstanding halachic au Important segments ofsociety as pos enterprise with legitimacy by placing thorities of the time, authorities ing a "nuisance." This pitfall should It within the continuity ofJewish his whose opinions Will be accepted be obvious, for elections are the toiy. At the same time, they recog throughout the world and who stand means by which the secular society nized that the Chief Rabbis could not on an equal footing with any author controls the Chief Rabbis. Candi always be counted upon to do the bid ity the chareidi world has to offer. It dates for the post of Chief Rabbi, If ding of the secular state and sought Is certainly Ironic to note that the veiy they wish to be elected or reelected, ways to circumscribe their power so man who once taunted the roshei ye are encouraged to present them that the price of their religious shiva and gedolei haposkim of Eretz selves as "halachic problem-solvers," shtempe!would not be too high. Elec Yisroel and abroad by asking, ''Who and the election process brings home tions were their chosen means. elected youT when he was criticized to them the message that they are not The inherent unacceptability of the by them when he occupied the Chief being chosen for their objective ex veiy concept ofthe ChiefRabbinate led Rabbinate, ls now calling for the elec pertise in ha1acha. Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld to pro tions to be called off If they will result The internal tensions in the idea of claim a day of national mourning and merely in the selection of a talented a Chief Rabbi, who is at once an fasting on the day of the selecting of media personality! elected state functionaiy and an ex- the first Chief Rabbi. "If some ofus to-
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The Jewish Observer, Febromy 1993 11 day fail to see the danger of a secular the modern state of Israel are force controlling a rabbinical body," coterminous, begged the bill's spon Agudath Israel Rabbi Sonnenfeld warned, with grim sors to withdraw it pending the up of Cleveland foreboding and prophetic Insight. "tn coming elections for the Chief Rab the years to come all will agree." binate, which, she assured them, LE~ StstbES By the time ofWs selection as first would obviate the need for legislation. Chief Rabbi even Rabbi Avraham The secularists could be assured of a ON TAPE Yitzchak HaKohein Kook, who new occupant for the office, by virtue openly identified with the Zionist of newly enacted term- and age-lim Movement, had come to recognize its that were passed to make certain the Inevitable tension In his new po that the then-current Chief Rabbi, sition. The day after Ws election, he who was not sufficiently compliant, declared, "It is becoming clear that would be safely out of office. ~1 those whom we expected to help us Rabbi Shlomo Goren, meanwWle, ; .•... •·. $i1i1~~~it•.> In establishing the Rabbinate wish to In a series of speeches and Interviews, ·A~.11o~Lf1:~(11,~liy gain control of it. We have seen their sought to prove to the selectors that 1Jabb.ll491ffeichaJ .Gfftjr ambition to become the determining he was the man for the job for finding factor, a situation which is certainly the halacWc way. "The government Night
12 The Jewish Observer. February 1993 had then been married in a civil cer emony to a koheln and who lived on ~ ~ anon-religious kibbutz, would be rec ognized as a Jew under the Law of Invite Rabbi Nachman Bulman Return. Rabbi Goren saved the day by personally conv~rting her, despite to join you at home the fact that she had repeatedly stressed that she saw no reason for and in your car an Orthodox conversion and had no intention of keeping mitzvos. "In the By special arrangement, one of world Jewry's field of conversion, there Is a tremen leading Torah thinkers and teachers recorded dous range of flexibility in halacha," he assured the public. a series of sixteen superlative lectures on It was thus with considerable jus tice that supporters of amending the Major Themes in Tehillim law governing the selection of the Chief Rabbis to grant Rabbi Goren a D Providence D Heart and Soul D Thanksgiving third five-year term protested the D Livelihood D Yearning D Torah D Dedication Knesset's failure to recognize how D Golus D Alone with Hashem faithfully he had kept his part of the bargain. "How could you be so un- Understand Tehillim. Feel Tehillim. Live Tehillim - through the mind and heart of Rabbi Nachman Bulman ... and the election ORDER INDIVIDIUAL TAPES ($10 EACH) process brings home to OR THE ENTIRE SET IN AN ATTRACTIVE ALBUM ($100) them the message that #33 Providence I (Psalm 34) #34 Providence fl (Psalm 34) they are not being #35 The Soul's Secret (Psalm 39) #36 Giving Thanks (Psalm 107) chosen for their #37 Out of Anguish I (Psalm 118) objective expertise in #38 Out of Anguish fl (Psalm 118) #39 Livelihood I (Psalm 145) halacha. #40 Livelihood fl (Psalm 145) #41 The Heavens Tell (Psalm 19) #42 Hashem's Love (Psalm 24) grateful and permit him to be de #43 Dedication of Homes (Psalm 30) posed from office when he did so #44 Providence for Righteous (Psalm 33) much for your cause by releasing the #45 David with Hashem (Psalm 23) Langer brother and sister from their #46 Where to Live (Psalm 27) stigma as mamzeirim?" one member #47 Yeaming in Golus (Psalm 42) of the Chief Rabbinate Council com #48 For a Pure Heart (Psalm 51) plained to a Liberal Party MK. Also Available: The ChiefRabbi as halachic A VOICE OF PROFUNDITY - 32 lectures by Rabbi_ Bulman problem-solver on Chumash, Neviim, Megillos, Jewish History, Modern Trends, Goals and Aspirations. In two attractive albums $200 he theme of Chief Rabbi as halachic problem-solver con ------·Order Form-•------T tinues to run through the Make checks payable to Ner Avrohom Chaim Trust current campaign as well. Various 541718 Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 candidates have attempted to appeal Please send ______to certain segments of the electorate with clearly-coded hints. To their dis I enclose------($10 per tape; cost of albums as listed) may, however, they have discovered that in this era of rapid communica Name'------ tions It is Impossible to tell one audi Address'------.---- ence something without another con City·------State, ______Zip'------stituency, less favorably disposed to All proceeds are dedicated to Rabbi Bu/man's education projects.
The Jewish Obseroer. February 1993 13 that message, also hearing. Thus. for instance, one candidate told an ob scure kibbutz movement journal, Attention! BEIS YA'AKOV /SEMINARY GRADUATES that as a theoretical matter, civil mar Are you interested in: riage would avoid certain problems of husbands who refuse to grant glttin • "Chizuk Ma'aminim?" * "Kiruv Recbokim?" because no get would be required to • "Improving your middoS!" * "A serious learning program!" dissolve such a marriage. But when the interview was widely reported == S~ SEM l"lWJl elsewhere, he had to issue a steady Three weeks in Eretz Yisroel stream of"clariflcations" denylng that he favored civil marriage. For the serious seminary graduate, aged 18 - 23 Considerable interest was gener Under the auspices of Rebbetzin Denah Weinberg. ated this year by the presence of a A unique summer experience of intensive woman on the board of electors for learning, touring, and applying Torah hashkofa. the first time. When she was asked Limited places available. whether her inclusion might present any halachlc problems, she answered Call for applications: N.Y. (212) 643-8802 plausibly that she could not see why L.A.: (310) 278-8672 St. Louis: (314) 862-2474 "since the selection process has noth Miami: (305) 945-2155 Toronto: (416) 636-7530 ing to do with the halacha but only In Eretz Yisroel contact: EYAHT, c/o Summer Sem J"JWJ1 with the laws of the State." More sig 22 Rehov Imrei Binah, Jerusalem, or call (02) 382-522, (02) 387-403 nificantly, she gave a clear insight into the philosophy of"Where there is a rabbinic will there is a halachic way" that governs the choices of secu lar selectors (and many of the reli FINISH SHAS IN 7112 YEARS •.• gious ones as well). She described her commitment to choosing the candi NO MATTER WHEN YOU START! dates who will find the "solutions In the framework of halacha suitable to C'i1.l n:;o~ BEGINS 26 SHVAT, 5753/ FEB. 17, 1993 modern life," and listed a series of is sues concerning the status of women she would be presenting the candi dates with an eye to hearing "what halachlc solutions they have to offer." DIAL-A-OAF It is certainly painful to find in the THE WORLD'S LARGEST DAF YOMI SHIUR selection of Chief Rabbi for the Holy Land, echoes of the political consid OVER YOUR NEAREST PHONE • 24 HOURS A DAY erations of U.S. Senators who con firm the selection of a Justice for the • Available in Yiddish or English Sh Supreme Court on the basis of his • Begins Every Hour on the Hour z·~f,~!"Jthrh'mMm~asurabte opinion on specific issues rather than H e •tzvah Of • Expert Maggidei Shiur arbotzas Torah on his standing as a respected legal F ~ponsor A Shiur i"r; A scholar! • $8 per month and a riend Or In Honor Of A $36 registration charge Occassion n IV. ------TheCostfsOnfv.$120. '- Please complete form and mail to: o matter how problematic the Torah Communications Network selection process of the Chief 1618 43rd St., Brooklyn, NY 11204 •(718) 436-4999 Rabbi and no matter how low Your Name: Tel.. ______N the public esteem of the Chief Rab Addre~'------binate in the eyes of the Israeli pub City & State Zip lic, the office nevertheless is a power Please enroll me in: o Dial-a-Daf(English) o Dial-a-Daf(Yiddish) ful one and one with much potential for appreciable accomplishment. CJ Enclosed is $24 for the first 3 months and $36 for the registration fee Rabbis of considerable stature and o Enclosed is $192 for the first 24 months and the $36 registration fee is waived unquestioned fealty to Torah obser ChargetomyMasterCardorVisa, ______o vance, such as Rabbi Kook. his im Acct.No. Exp. Date ____.Sig. mediate successor Rabbi Isaac
14 The Jewish Observer, February 1993 Herzog, and a number ofothers, have vance or by explicitly forgoing the held the position In the past, and It Is halachic requirement that converts ~ ~f~~f~ not impossible that such a person must make an unequivocal commit might do so again, even this year. ment to kabolas mitzvos. Only the bright glare of publicity prevented And even if the Chief Rabbi Is not this plan from being Implemented. among the most eminent poskim of the generation.If he Is nevertheless an • The Chief Rabbinate maintains lists ~ AUTHORS & t\RTISTS ~ articulate voice for Torah to the secu of rabbis around the world whose lar population, exemplru:y In his per conversions are recognized as valid. sonal life, committed to upgrading re That power can have far-reaching authors and artists to submit ligious standards In areas like consequences and allow for the eva manuscripts and artwork for kashrus supervision, marriage and sion of local batei din most familiar evaluation. We seek manu· dlvorce, personal Identity and con With the case. In one notorious scripts in all areas of Judaica version, and to ascertaining the case, a wealthy, non-observant publishing with originality, SouthAfrlcanJewwanted to many halacha with respect to the many creativity and high literary a non-Jewish former beauty queen. standard. Our editors develop crucial Issues he will be called upon The South African beis din rejected to decide, without allowing himself to her conversion application. But the and highlight the individuality manufacture piskei halacha on de couple did not give up. She trav of the author and our graphics mand, he could do considerable good. elled to Europe where she suc- department gives each book Indeed, It is of- ceeded In short ' its own identity. ten Insufficiently order In obtain f4 We welcome the opportu- 16, understood how ing a certificate nity to work with you. The internal tensions in of conversion much influence ~1;) the Chief Rabbi from a former the idea of a Chief Chief Rabbi of has even on those the Israel De living outside of Rabbi, who is at once an fense Forces. Israel. as the fol The Chief Rab -Y/Jrl: · r..o.Jat. ~ •• lowing recent ex elected state functionary binate then is ~ amples lndlcate. sued a certificate 180 Park Avenue • Lakiew<.iod NJ 0870 l and an expounder of the that the rabbi In UK 01809'3723 • Former Prime who had per .,: ln Israel 02 53S.93S Minister Torah, were inherent formed the con • Shamtr In coali version was rec ~,.~,;: ~ tion negotia from the beginning. ognized as quali tions preceding fied, With clear the formation of knowledge that his govermnent that certificate In 1987 committed himself to pas was to be used In South Africa to sage of the so-called "Who is a Jew challenge the refusal of the South Law." The government, however, African rabbinate to accept the was unprepared forthe outraged re woman as a convert. sponse of Reform and Conservative Jews abroad to defining a Jew for • The Chief Rabbinate must also cer purposes of the Israeli Law of Return tify any kosher products imported In ha!achic terms. Ashkenazi Chief Into Israel. Improperly used, that Rabbi Avraham Shapiro. acting In power can undercut high-quality conjunction With the Rabbinical kashrus supervision abroad. The Council of America and Rabbis rabbi mentioned In the preceding Norman Lamm and Louis Bernstein case was subsequently forced to re of Yeshiva University, undertook to sign from the European Conference solve the government's problem. of Rabbis as a consequence of his Their proposed solution was to set conversion procedures. Neverthe up a joint conversion panel in less, he continues to maintain a America which would have Reform, large kashrus supervision organiza Conservative, and Orthodox repre tion in Europe. Despite the Chief sentatives, and which would recom Rabbinate's knowledge of his forced mend "appropriate" candidates for resignation from the European Con conversion to an Orthodox bets din. ference of Rabbis, it has refused to Despite various disclaimers, that as Withdraw recognition of his hechsher surance could obviously be kept In or even Investigate the quality of his practice only by eschewing any supervision. The effect has been to genuine Inquiry Into the candidates' undermine legitimate kashrus su present or Intended mitzva obser- pervision In Europe.
TI1e Jewish Obseroer. February 1993 15 • The repercussions of some of Rabbi Chief Rabbi's considerable power: its application, making It Wghly un Goren's most tnteresttng halachic tn Whatever the credibility of the CWef likely that It would be relied upon bY novations continue to be felt today, Rabbinate in the eyes of the those following their psak. But for more than ten years after he left of halachically knowledgeable world, Israeli doctors wishtng to perform fice. One of these was the unprec the CWefRabbi oflsrael will tnevita organ transplants and the pro edented concept of a conversion "on blybeviewed as the ultimate author nouncements of the RCA, only the condition"-the famous Paula Cohen ity by the secular courts abroad. hetterwas ever noted. Case. While tn office, Rabbi Goren converted a woman living on a non • Finally, the CWefRabbis of!srael are recognlzed by the Rabbinical Coun Although these examples are of religious kibbutz "on condition that the adverse usage of the powers of she continue to live tn Eretz Y!sroeL" cil of Amertca, perhaps the world's the Chief Rabbi, they nevertheless She subsequently moved to England largest Orthodox rabbinical organi and man1ed a koheintn a Reform cer zation, as leadtng halacWc authori indicate how important the selection emony. When the London Bets Din ties. This status is not merely theo of a qualified candidate Is for all of refused to recognlz.e her conversion or retical. In the recent debate over use world Jewry. Even with the best of permit her children to be admitted to of "bratn death" as a halacWc crtte the candidates emerging as Chief a Jewish school, she sued the London rton for determlntng death, the optn Rabbi, however, a dark cloud will for lon of the Chief Rabbis relying on Bets Din in civil court, relying on ever cast Its shadow on the office be tWs "crtterton" was widely cited by Rabbi Goren's conversion. Even cause of the process bywWch the of though Rabbi Goren himself revoked the RCA. What was widely Ignored was that the CWef Rabbis' decision fice holder Is selected. Not only be the conversion due to Mrs. Cohen's cause he will, in one measure or an violation of Ws "condition," the secre was the sort of compromise fre other, be beholden to the secular el taiy to the current CWef Rabbi wrote quently forced upon them by the to the civil court that tnasmuch as need to demonstrate the ability of ements that put him In h1s position; Paula Cohen's conversion had never halacha to answer modern prob but because the procedure Is such been revoked bY the CWefRabbtnate, lems, without at the same time ap that, eventually, the Ch1efRabbinate it was stlll valid, failing to mention peartng to countenance its outright could be occupied by a Conservative that the original conversion had no abrogation. Thus they theoretically rabbi. At that point, essays will not halacWc validity. approved use of "bratn death" as a have to be written to explain why crtterton for organ transplants, on The above-mentioned Paula Cohen the one hand, and at the same time Rabbi Sonnenfeld fasted seventy case Wghlights another aspect of the imposed a long list of restrictions on years ago. •
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16 The Jewish Observer. February 1993 Rabbi Nachman Bulman
SOME QUESTIONS
bbi Hirsch is celebrated for his valiant battle against Re R arm, his heroic refusal to join in a united Kehillawith anti-Torah el ements, his Torah lm Derech Eretz ideology, and his prolific writings. From the distance of over a century. however, these achievements seem to overshadow the more conventional facets of his leadership. Thus, doubts about Rabbi Hirsch's credentials as a Rav have been articulated as ques tions. questions that ShemeshMarpei puts to rest. The questions: • What was Rabbi Hirsch's stand ing as a lamdan and genui11e A Moreh Horaah? • • Was he a Torah-thinker with revtew unique formulations of Torah truths, or an apologist and po essay on lemicist? Shemesh • As a "separatist," was he guilty of £=.====~-.. breaking Jewish unity? Marpei, • Were his Chumash and Tanach commentaries works of scholar by and about ship or sennonics? • Did he intend his TurahlmDerech Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch 7":::n Eretz ideology as a temporary emergency measure or as an ap proaeh of enduring validity? • How deep was his love for Eretz Yisroe1? • Did European Emancipation of the Jew dilute his longing for Di vine Redemption? A HEALING SUN To appreciate how Shemesh Marpei resolves these questions. let s there anything left to be said on Recognition should be given to the us examine this work through its four sections: Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch? patron of Shemesh Marpe~ the ven I The work before us answers in a erable Rabbi Shimon Schwab ofK'hal J. 120 teshuvos (Responsa), hith ringing positive. It emerges from Adath Jeshurun in the Washington erto unpublished, on the four Shemesh Marpei that despite the Heights section of New York City, parts of Shu1chan Aruch; wealth of printed material by and where Rabbi Schwab is the fourth 2. Chiddushei haShas (novel exposi about Rabbi Hirsch, much of what rabbinic guardian of the Hirschian tions on Talmudic themes), culled was generally known on the subject legacy. largely from the Hirsch Chumash; was superficial and distorted. It Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Klugman, a di 3. Letters and communications; should be noted that ShemeshMwpei rect descendent of Rabbi Hirsch, pre 4. An extensive biographical review is not an apologetic work. It is an in pared this sefer for publication, con of Rabbi Hirsch's life and work, tellectual study, for all the passion of tributing much original work of schol and an in-depth treatment of the its convictions; it attempts to teacl1, arship, primaiily in the book"s fourth major issues he confronted in not to persuade. section. his life. Rabbi Bulman, noted thinker, author. and lec The publishers of Shemesh turer. servt."s as Rav of Kilyat Nachliel of Migdal Marpei, Mesorah-ArtScroll, have to Comprehensive indices, source HaEn1l"k, in Upper Galilee. and as Menahel their credit a technically and aestheti references and a bibliography are Ruchani in Yeshiva Ohr Somayach, Jerusalen1. cally superb achievement. provided at the work's close.
TheJewishObserver, Februwy 1993 17 1. ms HAI.Acme WORKS: many of the leading Torah figures of in the classic Rabbinic mode, but THE '.lESHUVOS his time, such as the Dayan of were not prepared by Rabbi Hirsch Nlkolsburg, R. Moshe Leib Katz; R. for general publication, and should he two halachic sections of Yaakov Ettllnger of Altona (the A111Ch not be relied upon without further re Shemesh Marpei contain LaNer, R. Hirsch's teacher); the Rav of search. What emerges clearly and in T some 600 references to the Sighet, Hungary; the Gaon, R. disputably, however, ls the broad eru two Talmudim, Rambam, Shulchan Avraham Bing of Wurtzburg (Rabbi dition and decisive scholarship of Aruch and classic She'eilos Hirsch was 22 years old at the time); their author, as well as the wide es u'Teshuvos. The sheer range of eru and the Gaon R. Yehuda Asad of teem in wWch Rabbi Hirsch was held, dition that they reflect in the whole Semnitz, Hungary. in Ws time. as a respected rabbinic range of halachic scholarsWp, is a Most of the teshuvos published in authority. (See, for example, the relatively unknown aspect of Rabbi Shemesh Marpei-a fraction of the words of the Ksav Sofer, quoted In Hirsch. many he wrote-were addressed to Rabbi Klugman's chapter on Rabbi The list ofRabbonimwlth whom he Rabbonim of Kehtllos. Written origi Hirsch's term as Chief Rabbi at corresponds in the teshuvos includes nally in Hebrew. they were composed Nlkolsburg-pg. 289.) At tWs point, a question emerges: How did Rabbi Hirsch become a mas ter of Torah learning? His life story reveals little to explain how he at tained the level of scholarsWp exhib ited in Ws teshuvos. At the age of 22, he was appointed
What emerges clearly from these halachic Responsa is the broad erudition and decisive scholarship of their author, ...
to the Rabbinate of Oldenburg. where he spent eleven lonely. but fruitful. years. Following his years in Oldenburg, the demands and endless struggles of the Rabbinates of Em den. Nlkolsburg, and finally Frank furt. drained Ws physical and emo tional energies. far beyond normal human endurance. After having ac • Highest standards of Kashrus STURBRIDGE quired a remarkable command ofTo • No Cebrokts-Shmurah rah scholarship under his great Matzoh, Cholov Yisroel Exclusively Chacham • Private Sedorim Available teachers. the Yitzchok B Daily Oaf Yomi Bernays and Rabbi Yaakov Ettllnger. • Seforim Stocked Bais Medrash Always Open he most likely developed in every area B Oversized & Adjoining Rooms Available ofTorah learning during Ws years in • I 50 Acre Lake Oldenburg. Quotations from Ws dia • Beautiful indoor pool. separate swimming only HOST ries, cited in the biography section of • Sauna, Jacuzzi and health club • the work, seem to bear out tWs as B All sports, tennis. boating, racquetball HOTEL AND sessment. • Professional day camp & night patrol CONFERENCE At Ws funeral in 5649/1888, the • Entertainment consistent with Yorn Tov Ruach CENTER pupils of Ws school carried copies of Hashgocha: Rabbi Avrohom Juravel Sturbridge, Mass. the sixteen Torah works that he had authored. The first of them was writ THE NEWHOUSE FAMILY 718-435-3200 ten in Oldenburg. Most were written in Ws later rabbinates.
18 The Jewish Obseroer. February 1993 The Bases qfHalachic Authority When Rabbi Hirsch was called to feared the loss of major revenue from Frankfurt, all of the city's Jews--in hundreds of families, and announced ere is yet another unique as eluding the religious ones-were re a plan designed to outflank the ect to these teshuvos. Of quired by law to pay taxes to the Re newly-found freedom of choice for Tiourse-as teshuvos should form-controlled Kehilla of Frankfurt, Orthodox Jews: The Reform con they reflect striving for objectivity, the only legally recognized kehilla. trolled kehilla was prepared to apply rather than the effect of social pres These funds were used for all com such membership taxes toward Or sures. Of course, they faced the tra munal needs, including the mainte thodox needs, thereby-it hoped vails of the age with the sovereign nance of Reform institutions. making secession from the general mandate of Torah to govern Jewish In 5636/ 1876, a law was passed comm1,1nity unnecessary. In fact, it life. Of course, they deal with precise permitting individuals to withdraw supported an Orthodox congregation, detail in all spheres of holacha. from the recognized communities for its rav, and eventually funded a ye But one category of teshuvos in reasons of conscience, and to form shiva. Rabbi Hirsch emphasized that Shemesh Marpei has special distinc alternative community organizations. Jews whose Judaism was based on tion-those that deal with changes in At that point, the Reform leadership the principle of Torah Min HaSha- halacha advocated by Reform, in which he shows legal bases for the concept that holachais not subject to human reform. Three such teshuvos are notewor thy in their scope, and brilliance of analysis and exposition .
... as well as the wide esteem in which Rabbi Hirsch was held, in his time, as a respected rabbinic authority.
I. Omch Chayim, Teshuva 2 (p.2): In response to the Rav of Worms : The issues: the permissibility of deleting vartous passages from the Siddw; innovating prayers and read ings in German, permitting organ music in shuL Some ninety sources are cited from Shas and Poskim, and are masterfully brought together in an organic whole, with Rabbi Hirsch's conclusion an unqualified negative. 2. and3. YorehDe'ah, Teshuvos46 (p.51), 52 (p.64): On distancing ourselves from de nial ofTorah-{i.e. on the prohibition of membership in a Reform commu nity that also provides for Orthodox needs): 199 Route 59 Wa!dPavi.lion The latter two teshuvos relate to a Monsey, N.Y. tragic and crucial episode in Rabbi . J9_14) _426-0!124._ Hirsch's life-work. Many of the fasci nating details appear in an excerpt of Moreinu Yaakov Rosenheim's mem oirs quoted in Chapter 7 of Rabbi Klugman's biography.
The Jewish Observer. February 1993 19 mayim could not In conscience ac sonal and social wounds that would 389 rabbis who prohibited member knowledge the legitimacy of a Jewish likely result. All except 100 families ship In a Reform community (In the community that embraced the rejec maintained their membership In the Instance of Vienna). In the case of tion of that principle. His opponents regular Kehilla. Only an Influx of reli Frankfurt, however, he held that the glossed over this objection and re gious families into Frankfurt gave willingness of the Reform community garded it as Inconsequential-or Rabbi Hirsch's Kehilla its eventual to accommodate Orthodox needs was worse yet, Intolerable fanaticism. majority. Unexpectedly, the anti-se sufficient to free Its leadership from When Rabbi Hil;sch issued a psak cessionists received sanction for their the status of deliberate heretics, en halacha prohibiting Orthodox mem viewpoint from one of the leading rab dowing it, Instead, with a status of bership in kehillos that Included a binic figures of the German Orthodox "captive children" (cit.) (that Is, those Reform component In Its makeup, a community-the sainted Rav of who from childhood were raised and majority of the Hirsch Kehilla felt tom Wurtzburg, Rabbi Yitzchok Dov educated In heresy). over the implications of secession, (Seligman Ber) Bamberger. Rabbi Rabbi Hirsch felt crushed by the contemplating with dismay the per- Bamberger had himself been one of devastating blow, coming as it did from one whom he had deeply ad mired. Broken-hearted, he fought like a lion for his truth. Among others, THE BEAUTY OF OIL IN A LONG-LASTING CANDLE Rabbi Ezriel Hlldesheimer of Berlin and Maharam Schick sided with Rabbi Hirsch. (The reader is referred ~ to the chapter on this topic, in the NERONlm fourth section of this sefer, for a de- Dripless Shabbos Candles Rabbi Hirsch was not Safe • Windproof • Pleasant only Rav and teacher. He was the central spokesman for "old" Judaism in the "new'' Western world ....
tailed account of this dispute.) The halachic issues dealt with are: 1. The status of heresy, and the status of"captive children." 2. Whether a Rav from another community could negate a prohibi tion of the local Rav, on the presump
during tion of greater halachic scholarship. NeRON1D1 3. The halachic obligation, both • Designed To Fit All Candelabras individual and communal, to dis • Last 4-5 hours tance oneself from heresy. • Will Not Blow Out The distinguishing mark of these • Do Not Fall Or Drip teshuvos is that the Issues are de • Simulate Oil fined and attacked halachically • No Cleaning rather than from the hashkaja view • Replace Aluminum Candle Holders point usually associated with Rabbi Hirsch. Neronim, the new complement to your Shabbostyom Tov table. Today, there are few self-contained Just light the candle and quickly the candle melts into an oil-like liquid which will burn for 4+ hours. local kehillos, so that some of the pas sion of this controversy has abated. o cleaning. No can.die holders. No dripping. No kidding. It is commonly accepted that if some sk for them at your local grocery or Hebrew book store. degree of Orthodoxy suIVived in the 20 The Jewish Obseroer. Februmy 1993 II world, the remnants of Wurtzburg the process, many will acquire a as a marvelous introductory vehicle, joined Frankfurt, not the other way. deeper understanding of the life prin especially since Rabbi Klugman "in This phenomenon came to the fore ciple of Torah Judaism: that the Oral verted" the Master's design: Instead of when a broad aray of Rabbonim and Law is not a historic evolution from attaching Talmud to pasuk, he has Roshei Yeshiva joined in issuing the the Written Torah, but that it is the arranged his progenitor's halachic historic psak against Orthodox par objective, G-d-given explication of the expositions of the Chuma.shin the or ticipation in the "interdenomina Written Torah, rooted in the precise der of the Mesechtos (tractates) of tional" Synagogue Council of wording of the text. And Rabbi Hirsch Shas. America, 37 years ago. is appreciated, not only as a baal The "bottom line" that emerges machshava, but as an expositor of from the halachic section of Shemesh II. ms CHIDDVSl:IIM: CHVMASH the lomdus of Chumash. Mrupeiis that Rabbi Hirsch was both AS A PORTAL TO SHAS For Bnei Torah unfamiliar with Rav in the classic sense, and Rosh Rabbi Hirsch's classic work on Yeshiva to an adult, lay society bereft en Rabbi Hirsch came to Chumash. ShemeshMrupeican serve of yeshiva learning in its youth. rankfurt. it was a commu ruty with no yeshivas. While he had succeded in establishing the Realschule for primary and interme diate levels, it was left to his son-in Catering under Hashgocho of law to remedy that deficiency. Rabbi @DVaad Hakashruth of Lakewood, N.J. Hirsch had endeavored to inspire and .. Ground floor rooms avail. Transportation - by car, only 1 edify adults through teaching the - also joining rooms from Verrazano Bridge Bus from Port Authority • Private family rooms every 1/2 hr. (24 hrs. daily) for D' i-ru available rush hr. every 10 min. ... This is evident in the (NJ Transit or Suburban) • Shul on premises, Daily third section of O'))))'J & D'l)~PW We can arrange door to door transportation before and after Yom Tov Shemesh Marpei, "In • Baby sitting service avail. The Battle-lines Of The BUS SCHEDULE •No Gebroks From Boro Pork Living G-d." 47th corner 14th Ave • Mikvah nearby Mon·IJ"l' JiY Fti·i'"'ll'.llY >12:30, Sun-IJ"PJ1).I 1:15pm ideas and faith principles ofJudaism, • 24 hr.Tea Room orally and in writing. On the testi mony even of his detractors, his elo Thurs. Chol Hamoed quence and inspirational effect were • 2 Blocks 49th St. all Aves. peerless. But Rabbi Hirsch wanted to from Yeshiva 12:00 & 8:00 pm teach Torah from a text, not simply to preach and lecture, and his major in • 5 Blocks from From Lakewood strument for such learning was Lake Carosaljo to Baro Park ))\!./Nl \Jirp 'IN,~)0 Chumash. Indeed, the second of the two halachic sections of Shemesh !1JIV 'N~)>J 1 Marpei draws primarily from the • Special Diets )1lnN \J' P 'IN,~)0 9:00pm halachic sections of his Chumash Available commentary. His mastery of the requisite refer • Free Transportation Chol Hamoed ences in Shas and Rishonim to the to Shopping Malls Thurs: lOam & 6pm halachic provisions contained in the Fri: lOam Sun - l'.J"1' JlY: lOam Chumashis breathtaking. Indeed, he • 20 minutes from succeeded in teaching the Shas foun Great Adventure dations of the range of mitzvos CHOLHAMOED through the vehicle of teaching SPECIAL Chumash. Thus, Shemesh Marpei • Medical - Hatzoloh Volunteer Bus to Sesame Place · will make a major contribution to also Kimball Hospital nearby or Philadelphia Zoo ).:.:z wards enhancing appreciation of the Hirsch Chumash, particularly the All prices are based on double occupancy ..· , , > .. ,,.,;' and do not include 6°/o N.J. Sales Tax ,_-_--'.ti:>->-:>::::,,{:;--/ , halachic exposition of the mitzvos. In llP''~·-~~ri~ ' The Jewish Observer. February 1993 21 m. DISPATCHES FROM THE tism camouflages its true position, latter's views. In major degree, Rabbi BA'ITLE-LINES and wants both to "have its cake and Hirsch's apprehensions that the eat it." Chibas Tziyon movement would be bbl Hirsch was not only Rav Letter 10: On combatting decrees captured by forces that would wish to and teacher. He was also the against shechita without compromis secularlze the character of Kial Ylsroel entral spokesman for the ing halachic requirements. in Eretz Yisroel, have sadly come true. "old" Judaism in the "new" Western Letter 12: A statement addressed (For more on this topic, see Rabbi world. This ls evident in the third sec to Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kalisher of Klugman's article in JO, Feb. 90.) tion ofShemeshMcupei. "In The Battle Thom. Letters 13 and 14-to Rabbi Ezrtel lines OfThe L!v!ng G-d." The title ls fit Rabbi Kal!sher stood in the fore Hildesheimer: Concerning secular ting. for every letter and treatise ls writ front of the then-nascent "Chovevei studies in Yerushalay!m, Rabbi Hirsch ten in fire. The limits of a review-essay Tzion" movement, which advocated affirmed: "I think that just as only in allow for mention of only a few. the upbu!lding of Eretz Yisroel Berlin is it possible to arrive at a fixed Letter 1: A defense of bris mila and through human, "natural" effort, as view as to what is good for Berlin, and an advocacy of excluding from the a precursor of Divine Redemption. He just as only in Frankfurt is it known community those who reject this repeatedly urged Rabbi Hirsch to give what is good for Frankfurt, likewise [is mitzva. him major support. it true that] only our brothers who dwell Letter 2: A major treatise-in re Rabbi Hirsch dissented. He in in the Holy Land, and their rabbonim, sponse to the convening of a Reform stead rooted his messianic faith in can know what is suitable ... and could Rabbinical conference in "the approach of his forebears" who bring them blessing." Braunschwelg-5604/1844. Reform held that self-correction and growth In Letter 14 Rabbi Hirsch urged pretense to authenticity and learning towards spirttual perfection are alone greater respect for the position of the ls demolished, while its ass!milatmy the proper contribution of Kial Yisroel Sages of the Holy City than that ac motives are clearly exposed. towards Divine Redemption. He held corded to individuals like Heinrich Letter 6: On the Jewish illegitimacy that while Jewish energies should be Graetz-the Conservative historian of the "Alliance Israelite Universelle," directed to ease the hardships of "who had degraded the honor of a forerunner of later attempts to set those who lived in Eretz Yisroel, there Chazal," and who now was defaming up world-wide community organiza was no room for messianic factors in the Torah community in tions not based on Torah principles. such activities. Yerushalay!m. Letter 8: On appointing Conserva Nevertheless, Rabbi Hirsch as In further letters, Rabbi Hirsch ex tive Rabbis to serve Orthodox sured Rabbi Kal!sher that he would pressed dismay over the violations of kehillos. An expose of how Conserva- never speak out publicly against the Shabbos and kashrus, to which Sweeten Shalach Manos with Schmerling Taste the creamy richness of Schmerling's Choco Blanc, or the s.µbtle delicacy oi pareve , Noblesse Semi-Sweet. You'll wan.t to try every variety of ~ -/·;'O Schmerling's quality Swiss chocolates. Our milk chocolates • /· .-·c· areCho!ov Yisrael and our dark c~0colates are truly pareve. ·'' /"~ Cc All Schmerling's products maintain the highest """" · standards of Kashruth and quality. .,-;~~.", ....;S· ¢·· ... , ~ -...:.<, Sdutur1IM--~ J)l',fRJBUTEO BY TAAM TOV f(XlO PR00t:( T\ BR 22 The Jewish Obseroer. February 1993 would-be settlers In Eretz Yisroelwere being led. Nevertheless, he Issued an TAV ~ Torah and .. Vocational Institute of Montreal enthusiastic call for financial support 4904 Carlton Montreal, Ca.nada H3W I.Gs for the new Yishuv. His final public Ave., letters, Issued In the last days of his ·• • Jl!is \lfiiquevoc;itional·seminary is now accepting applicatiCJll$ for its life (Teves 1889), were for contlibu tlti~dyt)lll" \<'\(hich i~ beginning September I Q93. TA V offers a stimulating tlons to help farmers In Eretz Yisroel Ha!l'likafa-jJlled f intutlei Ko ties~ program in the morning an.ti a computer observe Slunitta. progran1 fn the afternoon leading to a certificate. in micro-computer applica~ort~for business and ¢ducation. TAV is fully accredited and under the Letters ofAdmonition auspices of a committee of ~bbonim . and Guidance ...... · •. TAVbas donnltory facilities and a rich'. e>:fra curricular program. "fl)is··. Yi:Jal''ilstudentbody·.includes ·29 heiJ1lishe girlsfrom ftutn· schools Rabbi Hirsch's letters reveal a t!Wugl)outthe world. Girls interested in this exciting program should contact strong yet warm touch: Ji.eb/Jetr.in S. Feltlbrantl (514-2(4-0812). · · Letter 23: To a young rabbi on how to function-in relation to his duties, In upholdingTorah Ideals, in enhanc ing the personal ,!ind social well-being F.EST.n:rAL .KC>S8E\R TOURS of his community, In self-growth, In ~_e£~ri.ts>_~e-_lJt1:irna:te- fu Pas_sover Kosher Tours: Torah learning. Rabbi Klugman sees ~:- $:>_$tal'.':, f:tesott__ -H'Q'.fel * ..0'."'." .... -- -Tc? --.1H.·.om .. •.--_-,a. u.t.. •n a- Olffer•nt, C. ountry - MEtxlcof this letter as his ancestor's personal .*' ,Staf:-K ~-• On Kehilla Matters s the master builder of the pro totype kehilla. Rabbi Hirsch, A In his writings, provided a blueprint for such a structure: Letter 36: A discussion of the ver The ultimate summer camping touring experience In Israel, nacular as a language of Instruction at the exclusive Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim, In the synagogue, as opposed to its D'vora Zelman Director use as a language for prayer. -' T . 623 Cortelyou Rd., Brooklyn, N.Y.1121~ l!! ouring (718) 282-6350 Letter 45 to the independent _, s . . .r-... . q. KehiUa of Strasbourg is a study in l!! w1mm1ng ~'I'~ tt~ ''·':':· contrasts. Rabbi Hirsch advises rr/ Boating l~t~~ew ~ against declaring the shechita of the rr/ Flying and~ee ~ur ~ ~ general kehilla as treif. yet suggests rr/ learning ~ '"''"'~S...l.lgr. Internal building of the independent A Summer of fun and excitement disco ering Eretz Yisroel, our people, institutions so as to be able to deal the si hts and the irit with namic ecial educator D'vora Zelman from a position of strength. TheJewishObserver, February 1993 23 On Saving Russian Jewry IV. "VA '1'El:ll Bll'ESHURUN Discussion on-(Jnd learning MELECH(AND THERE WAS A n extensive correspondence with d-Shemesh Marpei will fill KING IN ISRAEL)" the Rav of Kovno, Rabbi Yltzchok I Elchonon Spektor (much of It many hearts with the beracha: he crowning effort of Rabbi written In cryptic code as a protection Blessed is Hashem Yisborach that Klugman's work Is his biogra against "evil eyes"), Rabbi Hirsch Is T phy of Rabbi Hirsch: Ws for heavily Involved In efforts to alleviate He sent us such as Rabbi mative years; the rabbinates In wWch the persecution of Russian Jewry Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, he served, and Ws Wstoric acWeve (Letters 46, 49, 50, 58). ments in them; the educational Insti In 4 7 and 48, we find an an zecher tzaddik livracha, to tutions he built, and their seminal nouncement of"A Day of Fasting and impact on Torah education; Ws Torah Prayer" for Russian Jewry. (See a let illuminate our paths in His world! works (e.g., The Nineteen Letters, the ter by the sainted Alter of Kelm, Reb Chorev on mitzvos, the Chumash Simcha Zlssel, on the impact of the from the Massar school (Reb Itzel Commentary, the Tehillim Commen fast day, in "Rav S. R. Hirsch, Peterburger) to the Rebbe of Bobov, tary, The Collected Writings), which Mislmaso Veshitaso," published by from the Maggid of Vilna to the restored the honor of Torah Judaism the Ezra youth orga,j1ization, p. 183.) sainted Rabbi ofYerushalayim, Rabbi In Western Europe; his ideology of He even petitioned the German Em Shmuel Salant-all the colorations of Torah Im Derech Eretz, which re peror to Intercede with the Russian Torah Judaism are represented In mains to tWs day the crux of many of Czar (Ws uncle) on behalf of Russian Rabbi Hirsch's correspondence. the currents and counter-currents In Jewry (Letter 51). The reverence and affection with Orthodox life. Furthermore, the aura wWch they address Rabbi Hirsch are of austerity one often associates with Correspondence with the Gedollm most eloquent testimony to the rare German rabbonim Is significantly ofhis Generation esteem In which he was held by the softened by the touching picture leaders of our people. Equally impres Rabbi Klugman projects of Rabbi ere are letters between Rabbi sive Is the self-effacing humility and Hirsch the educator, fiiend of youth, Hirsch and a full panorama of burning love of Torah and Am Y'isroel and beloved father and grandfather. Tiorah leaders of the time- that mark Rabbi Hirsch's letters. Because of the vast panorama pre sented In Va 'yehiBiyeshurun Melech. all of Its chapters deserve extensive review. Two of the 15 chapters, how ever, are particularly noteworthy: Many brands of combination or synthesis of "Torah and ... " have raised the banner of Torah Im Derech Eretz, or sought to wrap themselves Rabbi Yaakov Klass, of The Jewish Press, and his brother Arthur Klass will again In its tallis. (A careful perusal of the recreate the Ultimate Passover Experience at the Pocono's nicest intimate hotel. .. presentation of Rabbi Hirsch's Torah Im Derech Eretz brings to mind a THE POCMONT pithy remark attributed to the Brisker SPA & RESORT, BUSHKILL, PA Rav ~-lit: "I don't mind them saying my Torah In their names. But when HaRav Meshulem Halevl Jungrels and his Rabbetzen Esther Jungrels will provide religious and cultural leadership including daily Dal Yomi. Cuisine is Glatt Kosher they start saying their Torah in my under Hechsher and personal supervision of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Posner with 3 name .... ") non-Gebrokts meals daily and 24-hr. Tea room. Rabbi Klugman demonstrates We will enjoy a truly "Yom-Tov-Dik" atmosphere with the luxury of a fine resort with chapter and verses that: with all facilities including Indoor Pool (separate swimming only) & Health 1. To Rabbi Hirsch, TorahimDerech llllD~~Club, Tennis Courts, luxury accommodations, but modest rates. Eretzwas not a hara'as sha'ah a ,.,. SPECIAL FAMILY CIRCLE & GROUP RATES AVAILABLE. temporary concession to the Call today for Free Brochure and Information: times. It posited the total subju gation of every area of life to the PRESIDENTIAL rule and molding power of Torah. KOSHER HOLIDAYS 2. Torah Im Derech Eretz Involved the primacy of Torah over Derech 3163 CONEY ISLAND AVE., Eretz, with the latter serving as an BROOKLYN, N.Y. 11235 essential auxilliary resource. It (7181 332·3900 or *(8001 950· 1240 was not meant as a synthesis of ('EXCEPT IN NEW YORK STATE! two co-equal components. 24 The Jewish Observer. February 1993 3. Rabbi Hirsch never sanctioned unrestricted study ofworks based on minus and apilrorsus (heresy and denial ofTorah). ~ "" 4. The relative proportions of time FINE MEN'S CLOTHING and emphasis given to Torah Where each customer is treated f'ackage to fuur l,oved One.'1 studies and secular studies In as our only customer! 10,000 llllometers Away? Frankfurt were a result of gov ernment coercion in Germany. SALE RACKS Ir;.; ;f;tf1 Ii• Elsewhere and in different condi Su;ts $89.00-$145.00 IS YOUR ANSWER ! tions, Rabbi Hirsch's personal We can <'UTI•flHe the mo"I S;ngle Breasted Blazers $35.00-55.00 e:>;q11isih~ preference was quite different. ()ift Package ddiveu:d to friends, W;nter Coats $80.00-$225.00 family and b1min<.>..ss as..'!<>dale:'I 5. Even though Rabbi Hirsch viewed Throughout ISR/\EI. ! t Torah Im Derech Eretz as a fulfill ALSO 201-866-7667 ment of the injunction L'sakein • Slacks • Rainwear 1-800-685-9218 olam bemalchus Shakaf-to per fect the world with the Almighty's 1769 51 St., Brooklyn, NY sovereignity-he did not actively (718) 854-1196 Daily 1 l :00 AM-9:00 P.M. promote the ideology for world Fri. & Motzoei Shobbos by oppt. wide export. He deferred to the Rabboniinofeachlocaletojudge Silbiger Suits You Best which forms of education were suitable for them-as indicated above. NOTICE OF It, of course, can be debated whether Rabbi Hlrsch would have ap NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY plied his teachings to a derech erera AS TO STUDENTS a social system like ours - in which The Rab_bi Naftali Alff Yeshiva, Inc. admits stu.dents of any race, color, national immorality, corruption, and hedonism and ethnic origin to all the right~. privileges, programs, and activities generally so pervade the atmosphere. accorded or made available to _students at -the school. __ 1t does- not discriminate on A second noteworthy contribution the basis olrace, color, nation.al _and ethnic ori9in in admin_istration of its educational of this biography Is the tenth chapter, policies, admission_• policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other in which Rabbi Klugman exposes us school administered programs. to his progenitor's view of das The Rabbi Naflall Riff Yeshiva 3207 s. High Street • South Send, IN 46614 • 219-291'4239 Wissenschaft des Judentums, also . know as Chochmas Yisroel. This pseudo-scientific approach to Juda ism endowed the early Reform movement's deviance from Torah Ju The administration of Tomche Shabbos of daism with an "Intellectual" basis. Boro Park and l"latbush wishes to thank The real ideological basis of this school was a blatant anti-rabbinic, AGUDATH ISRAEL AMERICA anti-talmudic stance. Rabbi Hirsch or conducted a full-scale expose of the for extending much needed assistance scholarly shallowness of their work and pointed out the pre-conceived to the poor of our communities nature of their "conclusions." Thanks to Agudah efforts, over Rabbi Klugman points out a little 's known fact: Rabbi Hirsch opposed ef $900,000 forts to deal with this type of scholar ship even on an Orthodox basis. worth of emergency food has been donated to Discussion on-and learning of Tomche Shabbos over the past several years: Shemesh Marpei will fill many hearts May Hashem bless the staff and administration of with the beracha: Blessed Is Hashem Agudath Israel of America for becoming the Yisborach that He sent us such as Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, biggest single contributor to Tomche Shabbos. zecher tzaddik livracha, to illuminate our paths in His world! • Committee - Tomcbe Sbabbos Roro Park/flatbusb The Jewish Observer. February 1993 25 ADVERTISEMENT EisRatzon t's not yet four o'clock In the morn "'On Pwlm. Hashem shows a great Purim comes around, it is the most ing, and the shut has some 20 amount of mercy ...prayers can go all opportune time to utilize every peoplesaylngTehillim. Thatnum the way ... wlthout scruttntzlng who's minute of the day, which will defi I sending them.• (Nidvas Pip.BJ bertncreasessteadllyandby5:30,over "The mitzva of giving tzeddaka In nitely bring results. Stories of suc 300 people. ranging In age from seven discriminately on Purim ts scrupulously cess resulting from tejlllos on Purim to seventy, are In shul with Tehillim In kept by Hashem, and He dispenses are in great abundance. hand and a heart full ofyearning Ev tzeddaka to anyone that asks, andfor Once on Purim, Rabbi Najtol~ the whatever they ask for.• (Pr! Tzaddik eryone is davening to Hashem. "Smichas Chachomim ," received a Yorn Kippur! Right? Almost Not p.94) messagefrom his governor, asking him ..We read In the Megillah, 'These Yorn Kippurlm but Purim itself. With to pray for him concerning Important days are remembered andjuljUled' re matters which threatened the whole an increasing awareness of the power membered by Hashem, so that all re that our tejlllos on Purim carry, no town. Reb Nc!ftolt conducted the Purim quests arejulfllled-" IToras Emesp.731 meal wtth special ecstasy as befits "On Purim each year Hashem sends one wants io miss a once-in-a-year Purim and his tefilla was answered to us tfte same help as He sent with the opportunity. the governor's satisfaction. The as mtracleofPurim. Whatever prayers are We all know about tzeddaka on tounded governor confronted Reb sent to Hashem by !{']al Ylsroel are ac Purim. According to the laws of Nef!Dlt with gratitude and coefuston, cepted.• (D!vreJ Yechezkel p.31) tzeddaka a recipient of tzeddaka asking him to explain his actions. Reb One Purim Reb Mordechal of Najtoliexplalned: "Weare commanded monies should be checked for worthi Lechovttch announced, '7oday, every to be as happy as we can on Purim. if ness except on Purim which, ac=rd outstretched hand ts ftl.le 26 The Jewish Observei: February 1993 Lynn M. Berkowitz Sarah. (The name of Leeser derives from the grandfather Eliezer.) Isaac's mother passed away when he was six years old, and Uri Leeser then moved with his three small children into the home of his parents. Isaac fondly re membered his grandmother, Gitla, "a sage among women,'' pious, intelli gent. modest, and loved by all who knew her. Isaac and his younger brother Jacob attended cheder in Dulmen, taught by Rabbi Benjamin Jacob Cohen, and later on Isaac studied with Rabbi Abraham Sutro, Chief Rabbi of Munster, a fierce oppo nent of the new Reform ideology that was just then beginning lo spread among German Jewry. Isaac ab sorbed his teacher's fiery zeal for tra· ditional Torah Judaism from which he never swerved. He completed the study of several volumes of Shas un der the instruction of Rabbi Sutro, and also studied for a short time in a secular gymnasium., but did not go on to attend university. FAREWELL TO DULMEN th the death of Uri Leeser, followed a short time later by W:grandfather Eliezer and grandmother Gitla, the three young Leeser children, Leah, Isaac and Jacob, were left destitute. For a time, family members in Dulmen supported the orphaned Leeser children until they received an invitation to join their uncle, Solomon Isaac Cohen, the brother of their mother, Sarah. Cohen had emigrated to America in 1789 and was a suc YOUTH ON THE RHINE "German period" of American Jewry cessful merchant in Richmond, Vir (1830-1880), a leader of such dy ginia. In America, he had changed his here is a po. pular misconcep namic energy, enormous talent, un name to Zalma Rehine (pronounced tion among many American shakable devotion to Torah, extraor Rhine), after the town of his birth, and T Orthodox Jews that Torah-ob dinary yiras Shamayimand diligence was married to Rachel Judah, a servance was virtually unknown in of character that he has been called Sephardic Jewess with family con this country prior to the great mass the most outstanding American Jew nections to the well-known Seixas migration from Eastern Europe that of the Nineteenth Century. He was a family. When Isaac and his younger began in the 1880's, and that even teacher, a preacher. a writer, a news brother Jacob arrived in America those few who remained strictly ob paper editor, an outspoken champion their older sister, Leah, remained be servant were not acknowledged or re of Jewish rights and a firm and faith hind-Zalma Rehine enrolled them in spected by their contemporaries or by ful believer of Torah min haSha· a (non-Jewish) private grammar the outside, non-Jewish world. Yet mayim: Isaac Leeser. school. At age eighteen, Isaac Leeser there arose, during the so-called Isaac Leeser was born on Decem became a clerk in his uncle's store, ber 12, 1806 (5566), in the town of but he continued to study both Torah Mrs. Berkowitz. of Southfield, Michigan, is work Diilmen on the Rhine, near Neuen and secular subjects on his own. ing on a novel about Jews and the Civil War. Her atiide. "The Rabbi of the Potomac.· was featured kirchen, Westphalia, the son of Uri Zalma Rehine took his two Ger - in JO. Nov. '92. ben Eliezer, a butcher, and his wife man nephews to Richmond's Sephar- Tiw Jewish Observer, February 1993 27 die congregation Beth Shalome, received semicha. Shortly after appeared in the London Quarterly Re where his brother-in-Jaw Isaac B. Isaac's arrival In Richmond, view and reprinted in a New York pe Seixas was chazzan. Young Isaac Kursheedt moved to New York, where Iiodical. He submitted this article to Leeser assisted him in teaching he helped to found that city's first John Pleasants, editor of the Rich young children, and from time to time Ashkenazi synagogue, congregation mond Whig, who published the re officiated as readerduring services. B'naiJeshurun. sponse. Thus was launched the jour He adopted the Sephardic minhag nalistic career of Isaac Leeser. and cantillation. While in Richmond, WITH PEN IN HAND This fervent defense of traditional Isaac also made the acquaintance of Judaism, appearing in a major secu Israel Ber Kursheedt, the son-in-Jaw ithin a few years, Isaac lar publication over the byline "A Na of the venerated Rev. Gershom Leeser had so completely tive of Germany," attracted the atten Mendes Seixas. Kursheedt had stud Wmastered the English lan tion of Jews and gentiles alike. The ied in the yeshiva of Frankfurt-on guage, that he was able to wlite a pas Sephardic congregationMikvehisrael the-Main, and was recognized as the sionate and eloquent defense of the of Philadelphia learned the Identity of most accomplished Talmudic scholar Jewish people in response to a fero "A Native ofGermany" and invited the in Amelica, although he had never ciously Anti-Semitic article that had young man to serve the Jewish com munity as a chazzan. Isaac was at first reluctant to accept such a pres tigious position, but as he later ex plained, "Knowing my own want of Can you answer these questions? proper qualification, I would never have consented to serve, if others more fitting in point of standing, in Whal do you think is the most How can a parent help build a formation or other qualities had been appropriate type of discipline child's self-confidence? here; but this not being the case (as for children? 1 3 Is proved by there being yet two other congregations at least in this country Whal does a parent do when How do yeu answer when without a regular chazzan) I con a child hasn't cleaned his your child says: "You love sented to serve." 1 2 room for the fifth time? 4 him more than me?" RAISING THE STANDARD OF If you had to thank more than a few moments to answer these questions, JUDAISM IN PIDLADELPHIA then you can benefit from the new parenting group being formed in Ffatbush. The group meets weekly tor eight weeks. eeser became, by default, the Shira Frank. C.S. W. virtual marad'asraoftheJew {718} 793-3183 L lsh community of Philadelphia. BesidesteachingHebrewtoprivatepu pils, heofficiatedatweddingsandatfu nerals. convened a beis din to admit converts, and rendered decisions on The Yeshiva of New Haven matters of halacha as far as his knowl is pleased to announce edge permitted. In more complicated halachic matters, he referred she'eilos a competition for its to Israel Ber Kursheedt or to Chief Rabbi Solomon Hlrschell ofEngland. In addition. he may have referred she'eilos to the only other rabbis lnAmertca dur SUMMER MASMIDIM ing that early peliod: the itinerant meshulachimwho came from the Holy BOYS AGES 13-15 Land to raise fimds for the poor Jews of Eretz YisroeL Torah learning out of town for a small, Leeser continued his literruy activ select group wffh good yeshiva backgrounds ity, in 1833 publishing his first major Shiurim and chavrusas with an emphasis on skill development Gemara, Tanach, Halacha. ,Jewish History work. Jews and the Mosaic Law, an Experience in leading davening and layning.. Outstanding rabbeim expansion of his oliginal defense of . Close personal attention to the needs of each talmid Judaism in tile Richmond Whig. He . Beautiful campus and playing field .. Field Trips .. Olympic size pool recognized the need to educate Ameri TITA QF NEW HAVEN One. or Two Sessions: 7·29·93 · 8·5·93 and 6·20·93 . rn.93 YESHl Vt1. Opooml Additional Week can Jews in their own religion using Funded by a grant from the furak Zelmsky llefl!Jrial Fund, Inc. 1 Letter from Isaac Leeser to Chief Rabbi Solomon Hirschell of England, 1834. 28 1he Jewish Obseroer. February 1993 the language of the country, and to was the King James version. Rebecca tures "sermons"), in 1838 a Hebrew strengthen Jewish obseivance gener Gratz and her staff of young women primer in both Sephardic and ally. To further this objective, he intro teachers used glue pots and scraps of Ashkenazic versions, and a year later duced what was considered a radical paper to paste over non-Jewish con his Catechism for Jewish Children. innovation at the time: the delivery, in cepts, while Leeser began working on This unpretentious little book, dedi English, of lectures and discourses an English translation of the Tanach cated to Rebecca Gratz, presented the during the Sabbath morning seivice. according to the traditional authori basic concepts, obligations, customs In 1834, tragedy struck. A small ties, a project that would take him al and practices of Torah Judaism in a pox epidemic swept Philadelphia, and most two decades to complete. simple, question-and-answer format Isaac became infected by the deadly In the meantime, he realized that that could be used by educators even disease. Jacob Leeser, coming up American Jews were desperately in today. In 1850, he published Descrip from Richmond to nurse his brother, need of other inspirational and in tive Geography and Brief Historical was also taken ill and passed away. structional material in English. In Sketch ofPalestine, an English trans Isaac eventually recovered, but was I837 he published a collection of his lation of the work by the Jerusalem left nearly blind and facially disfig addresses and discourses (he re gaon Rabhi Joseph Schwarz. Leeser ured by the disease. The young frained from calling his English lee- saw the urgent need for a publication woman he had been courting broke off their engagement, and after this heartbreak Isaac Leeser remained a ))'J.i 'J.11:> lifelong bachelor. 2 He threw himself back into his work of furthering Jewish education. '1?n J.11 pn~' In 1837, together with Rebecca Gratz, )j)J.~i')))'.) -·-----~~ It was Leeser's original Announcing publication of KISVEI RABBE/NU YITZCHAK DOV HALEVI based on newly discovered Kisvei Yad of Rav Seligman Biir intention to organize a Bamberger (1807-1878), the "Wiinburger Rav'"'"lll. Jewish all-day school, but This large-format sefer (576 pages) contains an expanded edition of Nachalei Devash, the Wiirzburger Rav's illustrious work on chalitza; Yad as not enough students Moshe, chiddushim on Seder Moed and Berochos; and Nesi Haleviim, a could be enrolled for such scholarly biography of the Wiirzburger Rav. Also included is Lekutei Halevi, on Wiirzbutg Minhogim and Zichron an ambitious venture, Avrohom, chiddushim on Shulchan Oruch by Rav Avraham Bing '"lll, the Leeser settled for a Sunday Wiirzburger Rav's rebbe. Available at seforim stores or from School. Zvi Bamberger, 109 W. Penn St., Long Beach, NY 11561 (516) 889-2827 of Ivanhoe fame, Leeser established the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia. It was Leeser's original intention to organize a Jewish all-day school. but as not enough students could be enrolled for such an ambi tious venture, Leeser settled for a Sunday School. At first, the only Bible Now avaHable-3 Seforim by: Rabbi Shaul Shafer available for instructing English speaking American Jewish children 1) THE DIVINE DWELLING Everything you need to know about the Bais Hamikdash, the priestly garments, the utensils, the courts, gates and walls. Easy to read for adults and children; in English. 2 Whiteman, Maxwell. ~The Legacy of Isaac Leeser," Jewish Life In Philadelphia 1830-1940, 2) ):>\!Inn '>?:> ?:::>A hand painted booket with 32 colorful pages of the Mishkan and Philadelphia: Ishl Publications, 1983. It is not its utensils. Also, a 7 volume set. in Hebrew, on the Bais Hamikdash. Includes 22 known whether she broke the engagement be maps and diagrams and over 186 descriptive pictures. cause of Leeser's disfigurement, or because her father, a wealthy Sephardic arlStocrat, objected 3 THE TARYAG MITZVOS This Sefer lists the textual source for each of the 613 to his daughter's marriage to a lowly "Tedesco" Mitzvas. Hand painted pictures, an excellent guide for studying Mitzvas. (Ashkenazi). She remained a spinster, teaching at the Hebrew Education Society under the di Ava/lab/a at all Seforlm stores or by calllng T. SHAFER (718) 438-8928. rectlon of Rebecca Gratz, and writing books for School discounts available. Jewtsh children. The Jewish Observer, February 1993 29 society that could publish quality one published duling the 19th Cen Jewish literature in English for both tmy to remain consistently Joyal to Leaser did not shrink adults and children. He established a the standards of Torah and halacha Jewish publishing house in 1845 that throughout its entire publication. from controversy, and produced a number of works, but the The Occident went to subsclibers warehouseburneddownin 1851 and throughout the Western hemisphere very early on made it virtually all production was halted. and Europe. Jewish emigrants in re mote outposts on the frontier were clear that The Occident LAUNCIDNG THE OCCIDENT delighted with a journal that encour stood on the side of aged them in their religion, though n 1843, Leeser embarked on what they may have neglected their obser traditional Torah is considered by many to be his vance for years. Wrote an enthusias Judaism, and in I major contrtbution to Amertcan tic reader in Belton, Texas: Jewish life: anEnglishjournalofJew " .. .I am sony to say that I am a opposition to Reform, ish thought. called The Occident and Poor Scholar I cane not express my American Jewish Advocate. This feeling with the Pen-when I acci· which was just monthly magazine, which he contin dently came in Posession of such ued to edit throughout his life, was valuable inphomation as containing beginning to sprout in the first Anglo-Jewish paper to be in Yourvaluble Occident. .•. ! am sorry to say that I was ignorent... .I am in published in America, and the only the New World. this contiry 15 Years. But nearly all Dey Doa't Waal Cllarlty, that Time was spent hear & in mexico & California. I am happy wery happy • THE WORKING POOR • KoLLEL FAMILIES • RECENT OLIM Indeed to See that our True riligion has a Publick advocate. I cane not • THE UNEMPLO'IED • LARGE FAMILIES • THE ELDERLY findwords to express my feelings ... All are walking an economic tightrope in recession-plagued belive me to be a True Jew & a Friend to our Caus. "3 Israel. Yet, thousands of poor, but proud Jews will not accept This Jew, isolated on the Texas outright Tzdokoh. frontier, asked to subscribe to The Oc cident and also ordered Leeser's En Ba(. Be.lore Pesacll, glish Tanach translation and a machzor. Other readers wrote to Easily ,the most expensive time of the year. Matzo, wine, food, Leeser for advice in finding work that clothing; the outlay is seemingly endless, causing financial crisis. would allow them to observe ShnbbaL Leeser himself frequently trav Dey'll Fall'e JI Loan elled around the country and visited A Gemach interest-free loan preserves dignity and self-pride. most of the Jewish communities Ozer Dalim's ten volunteer staffed branches issue loans year East of the Mississippi River, report ing his visits in The Occident. On one round. But now, we are besieged for pre-Pesach loans. trtp to his "home town" of Richmond, in 1859, he was pleased to write: Mail Your Tax-Deductihle Donation TODAY! "Rev. Mr. Bermann, of the Polish The Gemach is revolving. Your loan will help Pesach and forever! Kahal Kenesseth Israel, has estab lished a mikvah, which has long !Jlorav Cliaim P. Scliein6er9 (?ft11klrmy Pre.flihrt/ since been a desideratum in Rich :Horav Afordchai OZERDALIM 3 Letter to Isaac Leeserfrom Isaac Jalonick., Belton, ZZO West Nineteenth St• New York, N.Y. 10011 Bell Co. Texas, May 28, 1853. Document on file in (Zl Z) 9Z4-00Z3 American Jewish Archives. OzerDalim 4 The Occident May, 1859, voLXVII. 30 The Jewish Observer. Februmy 1993 more. 5 Book reviews, historical sketches, poetry, news Items and an occasional piece for children fllled out PINCHAS MANDEL the pages. Although the magazine was In English, occasional letters ap Over 40 Years Experience in Kvura in Eretz Yisrael peared In German, written for the • Dedicated to Kavod Haniftar with personal benefit of recent immigrants, and responsibility throughout service some scholarly, rabbinic articles and • Highly recommended by Gedolai Hador poetry were printed In Hebrew. As - Here and in Eretz Yisrael - The Occident became popular, an ad 1569 - 47th St., Brooklyn, NY 11219 • Day & Night Phone (718) 851-8925 vertising section was included. In Honesty - Integrity - Reliability 1859, Leeser turned his magazine Into a weekly newspaper, but the out CHESED SHEL EMES as understood and practiced by one active in the industry break of the Civil War and the loss of more than half a century with mesiras nefesh. his Southern readership as a result Taharas Haniftar Should Never Be Commercialized. of the Union blockade put an end to this experiment and The Occident re sumed Its monthly format. CONTROVERSY, ADVOCACY, AND LITERARY SHOWCASE CAMPAGUDAH e pages of The Occfdent are a reasure-chest of American TiJewish life in the mid-19th Century, filtered through the eyes of a TORONTO commltted, traditional Jew. In the very · first issue, Leeser solicited congrega ,.. Staff members from the finest tional histories from his readers, so Yeshivos and seminaries the journal Is a valuable document of ,.. Excellent learning program early American Jewish history. _.. Middos Tovos, Derech Eretz and Tefillos stressed Aware of the use of his journal as .. Mishnayos Baal Peh and a learning tool, especially for women Bifnim Contests and girls. he encouraged talented .,.. Stimulating Masmidim women to submit articles, stories and program poetry for publication. In this man ..- Modern, spacious and ner, he acquainted the public with the air-conditioned facilities works of Grace Aguilar, Celia Moss, ,.. Our sprawling sports facilities and Rebekah Hyneman. include: Leeser did not shrink from contro 4 baseball fields, indoor and versy. and very early on made it clear outdoor hockey arenas, that The Occident stood on the side of 2 volley ball courts, football and traditional Torah Judaism. and in soccer fields, indoor and outdoor opposition to Reform. which was just basketball courts beginning to sprout In the New World. ... Amazing aquatic activities at Most of the polemics In The Occident our 700 foot private beach and are directed against Reform leaders waterfront. including: who had claimed some Orthodox cre • Canoeing and Rowboating dentials for themselves. Even as early • Motor-Boating as 1843, there were other Reform • Pedal Boating clergymen In Europe who had already • Water-skiing gone the full gamut of radicalism. • New! Banana Boating even to the extreme of the present .. White Water Rafting down day. by advocating Interfaith mar the Madawaska Rapids riage and the abolition of circumci •Niagara Falls-Marineland sion. Such men were virtually out of .. Overnight hikes to Algonquin the fold of Judaism. and Leeser felt Provincial park that there was little to be gained from And of course; • The Unparallelled Agudah Toronto Ruach 5 SeeTheJewishObseroer,Jan.. 1975 The Jewish Obseroer. February 1993 31 any controversy with them. This was mented a European visitor to Cincin not the case with such men as Isaac nati In 1859: "Perhaps they were Leeser recommended Mayer Wise, Max Lilienthal. and afraid that G-d was awake on those Gustavus Posnanski, who demanded days and they might be the worse for that mashgichim be recognition from the Orthodox com It in G-d's judgement. "6 munity and introduced thetr reforms In those days, the Trojan horse appointed to supervise into what were strtctly Orthodox con used to transform an Orthodox syna gregations. The Cincinnati temple gogue into a Reform temple was the the production of oil, where Isaac M. Wise functioned as organ. Many German emigrants who minister contained a mechitza until clamored for organ music and a chotr and to place their seal on 1866, and the men prayed wearing of mixed voices to enhance the service tallis and with covered heads. Even did not understand the reason for the each bottle of olive oil: after the adoption of the Reform prohibition of instrumental music. or "Minhag America" prayer book for ko1 isha, and even the most sincere the first kashrus labeling. Sabbath and weekday services, Orthodox opponents were unable to Wise's congregation continued to use articulate the halacha. Leeser, in The the Orthodox Roedelheim machzoron 6 Benjamin, IsraelJ .. Three Years inAmerica, 1859- Occident, attempted to clarify the Is RoshHashanaand YomKippur. Com- 1862, Jewish Publication Society, 1956, v, 1, p.310. sue, and solicited the opinion of Rabbi Abraham Rice, who was then TtllJRM BROS.• WORLDCH[f:SI'.: CO., INC, NEWYORll. N. Y the only ordained Orthodox Rabbi in North Amertca. The Reform craze for organ music and soprano voices caught on, and spread like wildfire. Other innovations quickly followed. In the words of one histortan: "Reform, for the sake of Reform, was totally unrabbinic, but it created an excitement; its innovations held a feeling of modernism and convinced many (Orthodox Jews} that deviation was permitted and progressive .... Congregations learned that they could get the answer they desired to their inquiries by asking the right per son; in common law this is called 'fo~ rum shopping'; in Jewish life this is called hejkerus (a-free-for-all]."' Leeser would allow the advocates of Reform to state thetrposltlon in ar ticles for The Occident, and then he, or other readers, would controvert their views. But under no circum stances would he permit personal at tacks or name calling. When Max Lilienthal, angry because his at tempts to introduce Reform Judaism This Purim, when you send and secular education into the your little ones out to deliver yeshivas of Russia had been thwarted Mishloach Manos, send by the firm opposition of the Tzemach along something special-Haolam (,fieese. Cheese, you're giving wholesome goodness Tzeddek and his Chassidim, referred Haolam Cheeses add variety -nature's finest gifts for this special holiday. to the Lubavitcher Rebbe and his fol to "Sha!ach Manos" -a wheel ofHaolam So this Purim, don't give stale cake, lowers as "fanatics," Leeser chided 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 him: "... we do not approve altogether And when you give a bottle the little ones, too! of the tone with which Dr. Lllienthal of wine, a nice piece of fruit, and Haolam This year, smile, give cheese, and say ... expresses himself of the Russian rabbis... one can have no cause to ac HAPPY PURIM cuse the other of fanaticism, any more than he ought to be charged 7 Sharfman, I. Harold, The FYrst Rabbi. Malibu: THE l'IOST TRUSTED l'!AlllE ll'!CHOWVYISROELCHEESE Pangloss Press, 1988. p.393; used with pennis~ sion. 32 The Jewish Observer. Februmy 1993 with too much liberality. It is unfor tunately this want of toleration ... i"O.:l which works so much mischief Q. What do Boston, Bogota, Budapest, calgaq'. Lakewood, Monticello, among our people. "8 Passaic, Pittsburgh, and Yardley PA, all ha"" in common'? A. They.are Jusuome of the plaees now aendlng studentll to Tlkvah High EXPANDING THE School for Girls. ORTHODOX AGENDA ggg Tikvah Higll Schoolfor Girls eeser bemoaned the lack of gg g The high schoolyou've always hoped for; Jewish education as the pri ...... L mary cause of confusion and INew Haven, Connectirut•203-717·2200 nebbettiii sarah Greer, _-Ptirtcipal non-observance. No yeshivos existed In the Western hemisphere. and the few day schools that had been estab lished In the larger cities were sparsely attended. Most of the formal Instruc tion was conducted In congregational RADIMA I.EARNING CENTER Sunday schools. He was seconded In FOR SPECW. EDUCATION AT this by Reverend Samuel Myer Isaacs, the nl!nister of B'naiJeshwunln New YESHIVA OF SPRING VAUEY York, and by MajorMordechai Manuel Noah, who was the first to urge, Special education programs through thepagesofTheOccident the establishment of a "Hebrew College," and therapies in a main where Jewish young men could re ceive a classical education without be' stream setting. The program Ing forced to submit to Christian prac tices, then required at other colleges is open to the entire Monsey and universities. The need for acad community and neighboring emies for girls and young women was another urgent priority. The establish communities. ment of an American yeshiva was a goal that Leeser struggled for all his life. Kashrus was another problem fac FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CAll 914-425·5626 ing American Jews In the mid 1800's. Apart from flour and oil, few products that required special supervision were manufactured commercially. Major Noah was the first to Inform the readers of The Occident that a scien ~·· tific method had been devised to test the purity of olive oil, which unscru pulous importers were mixing with The GOiden lard and selling to Jewish consumers. Leeser recommended that mash SoUAds.of the gichim be appointed to supeIVise the production of oil, and to place their Ori-11-al Pirchei seal on each bottle: the first kashrus andJEP records labeling In America. 9 The urgency ofestablishing a local ·tmve•beea. re~te1eased .011 source for ritual objects such as ko qua1lty cassette tapes! sher esrogtm led to a lively discussion In TheOccidentas to the validity of the Now avaf1able. at altJftlish West Indian citron for use in arba book aml record stores minim To enhance his slipping repu illdividualty or ill reduced tation as a halachic authority, Dr. price, 9 volume set. a The Occident. 1843, vol. I, p.142. ;:c i 9The0cdd.ent, October 1844, vol.II, p.347-349. The Jewish Obseroer, February 1993 33 Max Lilienthal was machmir in this (Truth], thought that Leeser should cuss!on of such minutiae was essen one instance: he paskened that the dedicate The Occident to nothing else tial to the proper observance ofJuda West Indian esrogwas pasulfor ritual but discussions of halach!c topics. ism in America: "if the public were not use, on the grounds that these cit Isaac M. Wise, recently arrived from constantly educated and made aware rons were grafted from lemon stock. Bohemia and already flexing his Re of the importance of these mitzvot by Leeser solicited the op!n!on of Rabbi form muscle, thought such hairsplit concentrating on the details of their Abraham Rice, whose authority he ting a waste oftime: "(Emeth] ... wishes observance, not only the entire festi revered, and the Baltimore sage ruled a journal ofth!s enlightened age shall val of Succos but eventually all the that the West Indian esrog was ko fill up its pages with discussions rituals, all the Yomirn Tovim would be sher for arba minim. Other readers of about esrogim murkavim and lard neglected and forgotten." The Occident joined in the esrog con oil! ... Are we Chabotnic (Lubavitcher] troversy, each one expressing his Chass!dim?"10 CONCERNS AT HOME learned opinion. One enthusiastic To Leeser and his audience, dis AND ABROAD subscriber, signing his letter Emeth rnsharfman, opdt, p. 225. ivil l!bertles were important topics in The Occident. While C human rights were taken for WHY THIS HAGGADAH? 649 REASON$ granted in America, there was a great concern for the plight of Jews in other 1~:::1 1~Ntv" "= ni:1:i parts of the world, particularly in i!li it'!: t'ii"!l'I T"1:'1N '!l?Y t'ii'!l tJY Russia and Poland. In 1858, when l'l'fi!'l:i ti,.,,!!= '"='1:111, 11,'7tt1r> tntt= 1:11:1= .,11,, Edgar Mortara, a 6-year-old Italian 1 Jewish boy, was taken away from his n,•u:il'I ::,.,= ,.,:m17il n,::,17ill'll'I, n, 11t17il:'lb it::,.,, 1t::1., bl'l17il parents after being secretly baptized ,iiy; •;:111n1 ,cn,,i:Nn bn•l•:1 l:l'llil'lit:'ll 1:1•~lllllt'll'I '"ll l'lltlllil!)tll'I by his Cathol!c nurse, the Jewish :p:i :i~1?1V'iii ,N:"i"n:"li ,i~n .N:i~:n ,;·,:i:~:i, -.O"t:ll :it»Y~:i'I ,., "t'Y~:i'I ,'KJ:l:'i~itfl'I world erupted in protest. At a mass flilt'!Y tll'l?ld:i .,,.,,,n ;y::i; t:i"i'l~ID ,.,,, tl'1l:n ,!l"":ll:.l:"l? "ltl~, ...,bN:'li ,b""!l'm:'l'I ;N:"'il:f! oip'>'nl,b•ib .-m:~1 ,cni:N? ibnni .ni.,.cn is1Nni ,nb•lJn niin ?y:n? ibNl!I 'Iii: meeting in New York, Samuel Myer t1:-r:i "J'il"'Y'» .ri~"lll'1 D:ri:i ·ny};) l'' 'liYr.>t» Isaacs called for the formation of an l'!'l::l't'':"I •IDX"l'I c•2::i"l:i ';'l'Tl l"l~:;,Cl:"l:l organization to protect the religious ?;iy11 :vY' :i;i '"li' liberty of the Jews !n America and :'11'2.n'I C''>i'ID 1"!'11'1:1CI!: ;, 'i::i'T "llDC'I y-i:onc ':j1» c;wMo abroad, a call which was seconded by Leeser in The Occident. A year later, Available at your local Seforim Store the Board of Delegates of American Distributed by z.. Berman (718) 871-5316 Israelites was establ!shed, with or Contact Rabbi Y. Wehl (718) 851-9199 Leeser as !ts vice-president. In addition to protesting the Mortara kidnapping and the Ameri can treaty with Switzerland, which upheld a Swiss law that banned Jews from living in certain Swiss cantons, the Board of Delegates also worked LY!! forJew!shrightsinAmerlca, in 1861 Ar las! you can enjoy rhe greaf faste of selecting a Rabbi, Dr. Arnold Fischel, real mayonnaise without the guilt, to serve as advillanchaplainforJew because now you can choose light and ish soldiers in the Union Army. (See Cholesterol free mayonnaise with the JO, Nov. '92.) koshrus standards of Haddar. So give up those extra calories and cholesterol THE BATTLES CONTINUE without giving up real mayonnaise taste. You've watt..! long enough! ack in Philadelphia, trouble was brewing between Leeser B and Congregation Mikveh Is rael He was at times difficult to get along with, and his sermons were long-winded and tedious. In 1850, matters came to a head. A vicious ca nard, anonymously circulated, cast aspersions upon Leeser's mode ofllv ing alone in a boarding house owned by a Christian woman. Although no 34 The Jewish Observer. February 1993 one implied that Leeser ate non-ko tion of knowledge of the Torah too sume it themselves. An article revil sher food or violated the Sabbath, he onerous a task, and even laymen who in.:g Orthodoxy and its defenders was was required by the board of trustees for some reason or other sought these sure to be so rewarded. "11 positions rather than follow the voca Wise had called for the establish to sign a document promising that he tions they were trained to or take up would conduct himself"in strict accor ment of a Rabbinical Conference, to a peddler's pack as did or had done be held in Cleveland in 1855, which dance with Jewish law" as a condition most of their co-religionists. These for renewing his contract. Leeser, feel gentlemen quickly assumed the title Leeser and Illowy at first applauded. ing that his integrity had been wrong of Reverend and ere long the Reverend Illowy soon realized Wise's true inten tions, and withdrew his support for fully impugned, refu~ed to sign. That Doctor. Wise-with his geniality, gen erous disposition and eagerness to the function, and warned Leeser not Rosh Hashana, after conducting the make friends, adherents, followers, service with great devotion, he stepped to attend. Leeser argued that he was for his cause- was very liberal in be required to attend as a journalist. down from the pulpit and never re stowing the degree of Doctor (which turned to Mikvehlsrael was not specified] upon the few who 11 Illoway, Henry, Sefer MUchamot Elokim, Berlin: He threw himself into his work for were too modest or too timid to as- Poppelaur, 1914, p.5-6. The Occident and his publishing ac tivities. Six years later, a group of his friends founded the Congregation BethEl-Emeth, $d invited him to be ISRAEL'S come its minister. He accepted, and fLDAN No, served this congregation faithfully RENT-A-CAR J until the end of his life. During this time, the polemic war TYPE OF CAR fare against the forces of assimilation continued in the pages of The Occi dent. Isaac Mayer Wise established A RAT UNO STING B PEUGEOT 205 AC his own journal, dedicated to the dis C PEUGEOT 309 1.4 semination of progress, enlighten c·' APPLAUSE 1.6 ment, and reform, and to dispel the c· 2 PEUGEOT 4051.6 "forces of darkness" represented by M MINIBUS FORD 455 his arch enemies, the "hyper-Ortho .. dox," led by Leeser, Rice, Raphall and D CHARADE 1.3 231 Illowy. He assembled unto himself a ___.!=_ ~.!1.!1..!:.~USE _!,.~ 294 F APPLAUSE 1.6 P.S 322 crowd of followers, empty men, who -~· -----~---+----- were, according to the son of Rabbi G SIERRA 1.8 420 L SUBARU SW 420 Illowy: USA A CANADA K GMC SAFARI PS 525 "Hazanim, ex-shochatim, teach ers, young men who had looked in 800·938·5000 upon a yeshiva but found the acquisi- XL VOLV0740 IN NY: .21.2·6.29·6090 School jpt'OHe .· ·. . . H wtll. The Jewish Observer. February 1993 35 Perhaps to pacify his Orthodox oppo young Jewish men as teachers. nent, Wise proposed the first and sec He had a vision for chazanim, shochtim, and mohelim, in ond plank of the Cleveland platform: addition to providing a full curricu that the Bible which was received at American Jewry as lum of secular studies. An institution Sinai is the revealed word of G-d, and dedicated exclusively to the study of that the Talmud contains the logical forming another Golden Torah Zishmowas not on the agenda and legal developments of the Holy American Jewry had far to go to reach Scriptures, and that its decision must Age, as Spanish Jewry such a rarifted atmosphere. guide Jews in all matters of practice Worn out physically, but not spiri and duty. had once represented: a tually, Leeser never lived to see the Satisfied that the Conference was flourishing of his dream. Soon after under control. and that the Reform synthesis of Sephardic the establishment of Maimonides tendencies of Wise were not as radi College, he succumbed to throat can cal as he had feared, Leeser returned and Ashkenazic, Polish cer and passed away at the age of62. to Philadelphia. As soon as he was The final act of his life was to prepare out of sight, the Conference got down and German culture- the next Issue of The Occident and to to business: a vote was taken to abol provide a guide for Its final year of ish chalitza; mez:Uza. tzitzis and uniquely American, and publication. Two loyal disciples, tejlllin were likewise sacrificed to the yet still utterly loyal to the Moses Dropsle and Mayer Sulz Moloch of assimilation. Leeser, out bacher, edited The Occident for one raged at this treachery, rebuked Wise standards of the Torah, year after Leeser's death, and then and his cohorts: the magazine ceased publication. "Reformers! Why did you deceive enjoying justice and Without Leeser's genius to guide it, us when we wanted to be one again the Maimonides College soon closed with you? ... to please us or to deceive Its doors, and Congregation Beth El us, you adopted our platform, but in prosperity. your hearts you sneer at it. You do not Emeth also disbanded. believe in ceremonies .... Yes, the ris ing generation, young America Is be the way of their material success. For CLEARING THE WILD PRAIRIE fore you. We confess that you will many new arrivals. the lavish. mag SO OTHERS MIGHT PLANT have plenty offollowers. We have seen nificent temple, with its trained choir, something similar. Eighteen centu~ English-language services. "family" eeser's life may seem like a fail ries ago there was one Nazarene to one thousand Israelites, and now it is seating and rigidly enforced rules of ure, since none of the institu the reverse .... "12 decorum. represented the very Ltions that he guided during Ws epitome of upward mobility. Leeser lifetime survived long after his death. AN AMERICAN VISION advocated enforcing similar decorum But what he accomplished during his in Orthodox congregations-the dis life was to clear and plow the wild ven more than the treachery of orderly behavior, talking during prairie, so that others might plant the Reformers, Isaac Leeser davening. arriving late and leaving and reap the fruit. The Occident was E deplored the constant quar early, that prevailed in many syna tomanyJewsap!llaroffirein the wil reling and disunion that prevailed gogues appalled and dismayed him as derness of the New World, guiding among the Orthodox congregations. disrespectful in the extreme. There them in the steps of their ancestors, The tendency of emigrants to segre were three remedies to correct the Ills and his English translations provided gate themselves into minuscule con thataftlictedAmericanJewishsociety: many with Jewish books that they gregations in even the tiniest commu education, education, and education. could read in no other language. nities was to him a weakness. He had In the last year of his life, Leeser Leeser's grave is in the cemetery of a vision for American Jewry as form saw the fulfillment of his fondest Beth El-Emeth on Market Street at ing another Golden Age. as Spanish dream: the establishment of Maimon 55th in West Philadelphia. His con Jewry had once represented: a syn ides College in Philadelphia, an acad gregation erected a lavish monument, thesis of Sephardic and Ashkenazic, emy dedicated to the training of a bit too grand perhaps, for a man Polish and German culture uniquely American. and yet still ut Considering move terly loyal to the standards of the To a rah, enjoyingjustice and prosperity. toMOIYSEY? Instead. disorder and Indifference prevailed. The reform movement gained adherents by default as new for careful attention to your immlgrants found that observance of individual needs, call us today! the Sabbath and dietary laws stood in (914) 354-8445 12 Sharfman, op cit, p.324-325. 36 The Jewish Observer. February 1993 known in We for his modest ways. The white marble obelisk contains four insctiptions, two in Hebrew and two in English. The main English inscrtp tion reads: Subscribe now to THE REVEREND ISAAC LEES ER The Jewish Obsener FIRST MINISTEROFTHE KAHAL KADOSH BETH EL EM ETH FOR FORTY YEARS A PREACH ER OF and$AVE THE WORD OF G-D BORN AT NEUENKJRCHEN PRUSSIA Become a monthly subscriber DECEMBER 12TH 1805" to The Jewish Observer and DIED AT PHILADELPHIA save up to 47% off the single. FEBRUARY 1ST 1868 copy price (a savings of over MAY HIS SOUL REST JN PEACE $40.). The longer you sub scribe for, the more you save. -."And this introductory offer is fully guaranteed. You have but to ask and you will receive a prompt refund on any undelivered issues should you decide to cancel at any time, for any reason. 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Please enter my subscription for: USA •ouTSIDE The Gemorarelates in Yoma: When ONLY USA the poor man, the wealthy man, and 0 3 years-at 47"/o off the cover price $48 0 S84 the wicked man appear before the D 2 years-at 40% off the cover price $36 0 S60 Heavenly Court, they are each asked 0 1 year- at 27% off the cover price $22 0 $34 why they did not occupy themselves "'Price reflects $12 extra per year to defray air shipping costs. Foreign in Torah. If they use their personal payment must be made in U.S. dollars, either by check drawn on a bank status as an excuse, they will be chal in the U.S.A. or by Visa or MasterCard. lenged by three tzaddikim-Hillel, Rabbi Ben Harsum and Yoseif-re NAME {Please print)'------ spectively. Yet another person with an ADDRESS ------excuse too frequently heard, is the CITY, STATE ______ZIP _____ immigrant to America: "I came to a foreign country, not speaking the lan 0 Enclosed: $ 0 Charge my 0 MasterCard 0 VISA guage. There were no yeshivas, no Acct.\ Torah teachers, no jobs to be had No. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I without working on the Sabbath. I was a victim of circumstances." Expiration date: ITJ (month) ITJ (year) Isaac Leeser will come forward to Signature'------challenge the Arnetican immigrant. • The Jewish Dmervei is published mon!hfy e~cept July and August. Ple~se allow 4-6 weeli.s for delivefY. 13111e date on the monument is incorrect. Leeser was born in l 806. ------· The Jewish Observer, February 1993 37 l!lill!lilliill!lill!lilliill!lill!lilliill!lill!lilllilliill!lill!lill!lill!lilliil-l!lill!lill!lilliill!lilliill!lill!lilliilllllillllil!lllilllli-l!lilllllillllilllli-llllil LARGE SELECTION OF MILLER MACHZORIM AND HAGGADAH'S I Make the Seder more lll\ill meaningful with any of Artscrolls classic Haggadahs. 15% off list price of any Artscroll Haggadah I ORDER ALL YOUR YOM TOV SEFORIM .1 4514 NEW UTRECHT AVE. • B'KLYN, NY 11219 ANO ENGLISH JUDA/CA EARLY (718) 438-5200 to assure prompt a"ival II Stop looking at that old AMPLE PARKING LARGE SELECTION OF yellow tallis, treat him to Matzah covers, seder a beautiful new 100% plates, lucite matzah wool or silk tallis. Many boxes, afikoman bags, styles & designs to choose from. yarmulkahs, tzitzis r- Clip and Mail Today ------_,. ------...... __ I I I [jJ Agudafh , ..,,, 1 AGuDATH ISRAEL o, AMERICA 84 wil.UAM s'!Rm 1 rsrae 1 of America 1 N•wYoRI<, NY 10038 I ""'""'°"'"""'mm< 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038 -(212) 797-9000 I 212-797-9000 I : MEMBERSHIP DUES I c~< 5753 Individual Membership Dues I $36.00 I ~Family Membe;;;hlp I i:m 11r.l'l"ll'1 5753 I ONE 5753 Family Membership Dues* I $54.00 ! Family membership in- ~ -::t"n?Jrl j ludes membership cards ::j oreverymemberofyour f:; Check No. ____ I munediare family living at ~= Amount·. ~ $ I home.Pleaselistnameson u 36 I NAME I separate sheet of paper. 0 $54 I ADDRESS I AlsoAvailable: : CJ $100 I CITY,STATE,ZIP •VIPMembership-$100 I CJ $500 I •Life Membeiship- $500 I Date Sent I Please return this part with your remittance Save this part for your records L------~ 38 The Jewish Obseroer. Februmy 1993 And now my second crtticlsm. The theme of Rabbi Kokis's article Is that ••••••••••• 'We have tremendous untapped re ••••••••••• sources for kinw within the yeshivas and Kollelim of our communities." Rabbi Haber, too, concludes his ar ticle by Imagining what the world would look like If half of all ta1midet Letterst~eEditor chachamim become involved In kiruv. What they have neglected to imag ine, though, Is the Impact that this would have on the yeshivas, KoUelim. and aforementioned talmidei THE PRICE OF A BAAL TESHUVA: home for Shabbos has spent his life THE KEDVSHAOF A HOME steeped In the poison of the decadent chachamim. For while Rabbi •. .ANDA CHICKEN American culture, which Rabbi Buchwald Is correct In claiming that Buchwald so vividly portrays. Rabbi living In Telz. Ohio, or New Square, Shenker, descrtbing his expertence and drtnking Cholnv Ylsroel does not To the Editor: with Irreligious children. says that inure one from being affected by A long time enthusiast of The Jew "Just about every conversation is pre American culture. toiling In Torah ish Obseroer. 1 was upset by some of occupied with lewdness and Immo does! 1 know many people In Lake the statements In your kinw sympo rality. Any alternate topic quickly wood who are completely unaware of sium ('The Arnertcan Jewish Expert leads back to this same subject." We "the Board of Education's Innovative ence," Dec. '92). may speak to them divrei Torah, but approach to solving the spread of Rabbi Buchwald writes that "for they will Inevitably discuss what Is on AIDS," and the other topics your writ the prtce of a chicken you can make their minds. (I am talking from expe ers referred to. a baa1 teshuva." This Is a dangerous rtencel) The final cost of this possible Obviously, those devoted people over-simplification. The Irreligious baa1 teshuva Is the kedusha of one's who are bringing Jews back to person you are brtnglng Into your home-and one piece of chicken! Yiddishkeit are doing them a great vrw rn171n i17N Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner, 7"~ His Legacy Lives On ... Tapes that inform, enlighten, inspire Through carefully reasoned lectures that reached thou as well as a key Kiruvpersonality. This is your opportunity sands of Neshomos with their depth, clarity, and compas to have his words ignite the spark in your Neshomo as they 11 sion, Rabbi Yitzchok Kirzner, z / was a key figure in giving did in so many others. Select a tape that speaks to you from committed Jews a profound appreciation of their heritage, a library of over a 1000 cassettes. Sample listings below. $5.00 plus $.75 postage, per tape. To request a free catalog or to order tapes, please call Mr. Feinstein -(516) 4186-17641 or Mrs. Kirzner -(718) 234- 9370, evenings C'''··.\ ~r$ttlis,.~llvQit11oot.~l .f~'·f'ii:·~~~~~~t Paralt..Spirlt~!H?mUlty al'l~ P\trity \.~'".~!~~~\·' V~///ufilA~ ~pproac~.!<1JUdai~ ··'y"&:t~~~~~~'-l~~Jhe··· Em?tfona,1 Dl,stlplil!e,. K.ey to.Moralit\i · 1-1i.t~t:l.~Ii ?(41e!ris> '\Vlly~ttelltn00tlit$11~fet"("t•pes) • Tire l!Ofocailst '. c&esut:1r1~~:~£'~<1se. : The Pl\lftiS!lphital/ll~ot!OiJal Search fora . :cf' 1Wr(;•~~.op¥~as~ · Me;tnlng to Suff~ring The Jewish Observer, February 1993 39 chessed and Kial Y1Sroel a service. We work with ba'alei teshuva All of us, elude a depth in emuna, Yiras need even more kiruv activists. But I'm sure, draw on the same resource. Shomayim and binyan ha'adam, more so, we desperately need more In a sense, kiruv suffers from an then I would humbly suggest that the Torah and talmidei chachamim In Image problem; we too often associ definition of the term "talmid Amert ca. ate outreach with back-slapping, chachani' has been sorely reduced. One more point. Our yeshivos are plzza-fests, and picnics. While there A sertous look at the wrttlngs of Reb not exactly "untapped resources." certamly is a need for breaking the Yerucham Levovlts, Rav Eliyahu Here In Lakewood, for example, nu ice, and making a non-.frumJew feel Eliezer Dessler, or Rav Yltzchok merous Yeshiva'leit are being "culturally comfortable," the real Hutner, ?"::11 (for example), would be mekarev and learning with scores of work is one of substantive grappling strongly recommended. people, from Twin Rivers to Margate with serious issues. We must com Let there be no mistake about it: I to Princeton, N.J. BoruchHashemfor municate effectively the Torah's vi also agree that a yeshiva or kollel ls them. But Baruch Hashem also for sion of man and his purpose, and not a training ground for a "career" In the precious Yeshiva'leit who are In how only a life of shmiras Turah and kiruv (nor, for that matter, In being a volved exclusively In limud haTurah mitzvos fulfills that goal. There Is no Rosh Yeshiva). The sole definition of RABBI AHRON NOilS "how-to" manual to accomplish this a yeshiva is a place that Is designed Lakewood. N.J. in ten easy steps; an Intelligent, for the aliya baTorah In the fullest thinking individual will be skeptical of possible sense, of its talmidim. But Rabbi Kokis responds: canned answers that are merely while this defines the yeshiva as an parroted from a "kiruv manual." Institution, the process of growth of I appreciate the opportunity to pro Who, then, but a talmid chacham Individual talmidim leads gradually vide a little more clartty to the vital Is knowledgeable In hashkofas haTorah toward Kial YISroel As Chazal tell US, sues that Rabbi Notis raised In his let is equipped to deal with such Issues? It is charactertstic that at some point ter. One statement In my article has There could be factors that may a ta!mid chacham benefits most by certamly been confirmed: that "a call cause a ben Torah to hesitate getting sharing the divrei Torah which he has to action to get Involved In kiruv" is Involved In learning with non-reli absorbed - "u'mitalmidai yoser likely to be misunderstood.... gious Jews. But it is a national trag mikulam." The condition of Klal I certamly did not mean to suggest edy and a diminishing of kavod Yisroel will be immeasurably en that Individuals be snatched from the HaTorah If the fear (or reality ... ) ofnot rtched If among those talmidim who Beis Hamidrash and sent to the "front having what to say Is one of them. will help their rebbeim grow, will be lines" of outreach. But If the growth the many thousands whose lives of a talmid chacham will Include a "Untapped resources" in the have not yet been exposed to Torah. breadth of emuna, yiras Shamayim yeshiva world RABBI BEN Tz!ON KOKIS and chochmas chaim, the emerging divrei Torah that he teaches will shed My comment about "untapped re light upon Issues that plague our gen sources" was not referring to any eration. And those who by virtue of mosad of Torah, as an Institution. I talent and personality will choose at am well aware of the wonderful suc some point to become Involved in cess of the Lakewood-based outreach n~1j!~.. ~?~~ kiruv will have powerful tools for In efforts. The resources to which I al fluencing their fellow Jews: divrei To luded were the Individuals, not the MISllN~¥0Ml'l' rah and chochma through which they buildings. If the scope of aliya and themselves have grown. gadlus that are strtved for within the ~ea'tft.ineJ.l~hfld ~ofh_tt From personal expertence, I be walls of the Beis Hamidrash don't In- lieve that-without a doubt-the and join.the tn!Jl:tY.fprth:e single most valuable and effective re SIYUMMISHNAYOS~ source that I draw on in guiding talmidim is the wealth of divrei Torah that the MashgiachRuchaniofYeshi re~illsmf(J~t~r vas Be'erYaakov, RavWolbe, N~. LI1tf~hfor:M.if~tlfl.~11{i. taught us. But his shmuessen and vaadimwere directed toward our own Haktcha·YomitllREE!;,:_::,;<-':-' growth: nurturing the desire to strtve for greatness In Torah, and develop Write ot call:··· ing an understanding for the chal mnr~J.#sKAtu> .. !88{)~1tlrstteet. lenges that we ourselves must deal llfooklyn, NY H~04 with In order to achieve that growth. 118'8Sl--011 40 The Jewish Observer, February 1993 NO EXEMPTIONS FROM THE Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, and on our agenda!), and forgetting about Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ~"Yr as well as the rest of Kial YisroeL None of them CALL TO KIRUV from M"':r.:1' Rabbi Avraham Pam and ever waxed defeatist or said that any Rabbi Shimon Schwab N~. None of us is exempt from efforts at out To the Editor: of them was content with only mak reach. We lay people as well as active Permit me to expand on some of ing more talmideichachamim(still top members of the yeshiva community the reactions to the terrible toll that can be involved in table-talk kiruv at assimilation is taking on our commu no personal loss in time or kedusha. nity. as per the JO symposium on the and with the benefit of immeasurable topic (Dec.'92). First of all, a visitor personal gain. All it takes Is a few from a worldly background who minutes on Shabbos or Sunday to spends a few hours on a Shabbos in show someone the beauty of Torah. a Torah home will be struck by the Of course, you have to believe it your warm family environment. where self before you can be mashpia on communication and concern cross another person. generational barriers, in stark con 491615thAvc.ll'klyn,NY 11219 And it does work. NOCHUMDICK trast to family relationships in gen (718) 8'54-2911 eral society. (When is the last time Brooklyn, N. Y. their family sat around the table two or three times in a twenty-four hour i TAPESPllOM -~~ ,. .,,, peiiod. sang and talked together, and i RABllIAVIGDORMIW!R enjoyed each other's company?) The Anyone Wiohbif To Bay i11.l?\!I i1N1~1? ??~nn:11 111.J?? N) guest discovers Olam Hazeh along Tapes-Ou Tape Or 1?>n iYJ with Olam Habba. In such an envi Many Can Older Ptom S.Y.ll ronment, people are especially open P.O.B. 190797 to Torah thought and a life of mitzvos. Brooklyn, N.V. 11219 A simple vort, an ethical implication Al $2c60 Per tape from the Sidra, an ingenious Please Make Check Payable gematrya-we would call them toS.V.K Ifyou wish to obtain a list of parpara'os, just tiimming&-any and the tapes please send a self all of these reveal the wisdom and addressed envelope to the beauty of Torah to the uninitiated. above address. Add histoiical insights and anecdotes of Gedolei Torah, and these erstwhile outsiders become intiigued. Who but POSITION AVAILABLE a talmid chacham is best equipped to ·"="" MALOHN deal with such people? Could one in Major Jewish organization is l:aJ MIFAL all honesty shunt them off to the folks seeking a vibrant, talented Ben VISITING NEW YORK?? who discuss football scores, the lat Torah, innovative and experienced est news, and the theater at their in Torah chinuch to assume the Beautifuf rooms. with kitchen facilities, in heart of Soro Park Shabbos table? Who is more capable position of Menahel of its youth by day or week. Near Shuls, of making Chumash or Pirkei Avos department take-out foods, etc. Profits to relevant to today's world? Who could Write: Jewish Observer, Box C ' Mital Torah Vodaas. better generate the enthusiasm for 84 William Street genuine Yiddishkeit and convey the New York, NY 10038 'Call f7t8J 8St·Z969 truth of "Dracheha darkei noam- _NOT,V,'s [Torah'sl ways are pleasant," than one who is personally caught up in this enthusiasm? Rabbi Aryeh Schechter 1"t1J As for the possible pollution effects CLINICAL P~YCHOLOGIST of worldly people at one's table. I sug SOFER S"TAM DR.BENZION gest that the host can-and should SOROTZKIN set the tone for discussions at the 1558 415tSt. N.Y. STA'I'E LICENSED meals, and where possible, screen Brooklyn, NY 11218 guests in advance. ADULTS e l!•k_e 0 houseulls." The number ofwould-, could-, and AND already-did intermariieds is enor CHILDREN l/L,,.• (7· 1·8·) .97. 1·4003 mous. It's impossible to shrug off the •.P. :i-·.,~-· (718) 633-3248 responsibility for them to "kiruvwork (718) 219-3867 ers." I've heard calls to action by / - "'lb:::>IP- The Jewish Observer. February 1993 41 A PRODUCT OF LAKEWOOD ~ow &W10b% you get a "' .. KOLLEL"S KlRUVEFFORTS SPEAKS OUT To the Editor: Satisfaction Rate? As a baal teshuva who was active ?, .~ .,..Quality lear11ingprogra1n in kiruv durtng my undergraduate HOw m• Professional Rebbeiln years at Princeton University, I was "•Sti1nulating learning contests pleased to see that you devoted much of your December '92 issue to • the problem of assimilation in Masmidim Unparalleled, structured, action-packed progran1 of activities & special events in a tn1e Torah at111osp/Jere. Amertca. The articles were timely ~futdet- ftle : •.•..•.••.•2 •... • •..•. ..,,.,.:.:..:.o.= and provocative, and I hope that they direcUeadersbip or 111 •Fully equippedfacilitie Most importantly... will spark greater numbers of people Rav ·• Afodern gym, Go-carts A dynamic Ad111inistration, in the jrum community to get more Chlinitw llerzbetg ·•Air-conditioned Shu/ and a hand-picked involved in outreach efforts. How ·•Pool, Scenic lake B'nei Torah staff ayallable ro.. boys 1 • Numerous fields ever, two elements were missing 13& abo'Ve. that cares for & courts for all 3 each & every from the discussion. outdoor sports 4 It individual camper. is crucial to recognize the fact that the college campuses ofAmertca are where assimilation and intermar WHERE? rtage are especially raging out of con trol. Most Amertcan Jewish youths arrive at college with a shallow under standing of Judaism. and when they are confronted with the depth of Ivy League secular scholarship. they rap For Video idly assimilate. '" '''""'"" ( 7 1 8 ) 2 5 8 - 4 2 1 4 Presentation At Princeton, Jewish students The Camp for Bnei Torah thot is fun-filled, were involved in everything from productive and affordable Bahai meditation to the Anglican --~------~ Church to the Gay and Lesbian orga nization. Two of the heads of the Princeton Evangelical Fellowship, a ARE YOU MOVING? Christian missionary group. were Jewish students who converted dur IS YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PRINTED ing college. It is on the campus in INCORRECTLY ON THE JO MAILING LABEL? particular that we are losing so many We need your help to ensure proper delivery of the 10 to your home. Please thousands of Jewish youth every attach current mailing label in the space below, or print clearly your address year, and it is on the campuses that more outreach must be done. and computer processing numbers that are printed above your name on the When I was at Princeton, young address label. men from the Lakewood Yeshiva ADDRESS CHANGE FORM would come to campus every week to (Affix label here) learn one-on-one with interested stu dents. This provided many people with the opportunity to learn Torah regularly and intensively for the first time in their lives. and it dramatically affected those involved. It would be admirable if more yeshivos and Name ______kollels would undertake similar pro Address ______grams of outreach. Secondly. none of the articles on City, State, Zip------ kiruv and assimilation mentioned the role that Israel programs have Date Effective------played and can play in bringing Please allovv 6-8 weeks for all changes to be reflected on your mailing label. WE WILL NOT BE people closer to Judaism. I know of RESPONSIBLE FOR BACK ISSUES MISSED unless you notify us 8 weeks prior to your move. many people who are now religious 42 The Jewish Observer. February 1993 Jews, myself included, for one very Again, ahgroisen yeyasher ko' achJ published seferTamim Tiheye, by the simple reason: a trip to Israel. No RABBI JOSEPH KAM!NETSKY Gann Rav Yaacov Hillel. HaRav Hillel one leaves Israel unmoved, and es (The author ofthis letter wasfowid is Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hevrat ing National Director of Torah AhavatShalom, Yerushalayim, one of pecially not young, impressionable Umesorah) Jews. We must put pressure on or P.S. This makes me recall the time the largest Sephardic institutions of ganizations such as UJA to expand that Rabbi Moshe Sherer and I advanced Torah study in the world and broaden the range of Israel pro shared a room at some kind of con and a recognized autholity in Taras grams which are available. I urge ference. I showed him a great picture nigleh and nister. This sefer has been your readers to get more involved in I had of Reb Elchonon. And since I published 1n English under the title Faith and FoUy, which was reviewed kiruv efforts. The Jewish community had never met him and Moshe did, I is rapidly losing many blight and tal gave him the picture. in your publication. My lines are thus ented young Jews. Only a concerted a postsclipt of sorts to your review. and determined effort on the part of Yet it is very much within our tra the frum community can help to re POSTSCRIPT TO REVIEW OF dition to seek the blessings of the verse the tide. "FAITH AND FOLLY" chnchamim. But how is one to know MICHAEL FREUND who is an authentic chncham, and New York Ctiy who is a charlatan? HaRav Hillel To the Editor: brings the words of the Meshech REMEMBERING RABBI SIMCHA Walking through the streets of New Chnchma at the start of Parshas Bo, WASSERMAN, ?"lit York, one can see evidence of the cul which state that a person of out tural diversity of the City-including standing wisdom and virtues is first notices, advertising establishments noticed and appreciated by the To the Editor: that proffer advice based upon the chnchamim of his generation. Only Kudos to you on your fine presen reading of palms, crystal balls and after this recognition does he become tation of some moVing articles on Reb Tarot cards, or the casting of horo known to the masses. However, per Simcha Wasserman, ?"lit (Dec. '92). It scopes, and so forth. In neighbor sons of questionable character are was a great honor and plivilege to hoods where frum Jews are in the first noticed by the masses, and only have had Reb Simcha's fliendship, majolity, such establishments are after such recognition do they be guidance and inspiration in those conspicuously absent. Or are they? come known to the chnchamim. Their early days at Torah Umesorah. And I Recently thefrum community has counsel has always been: if a bless couldn't help being moved by his de been deluged by people garbed in the ing is wanted, seek it from a ta1mid votion to his great father "T"'i"l-as well manner of talmidei chnchamim of our chncham recognized by the Gedolei as by his determination to see the life time, self-proclaimed holy men in Hadar, not from any person claiming and work of Reb Elchonon put lnto possession of special knowledge and special powers or abilities, especially book form and to found a yeshiva in powers that enable them to foretell one who conditions his blessings on his memory. the future and affect a person's des the payment of money. I wish that I would find the time to tiny. These visits are well announced RABBI MOSHE JOSEPH record some instances when he over in advance through advertisements Brooklyn, New York came obstacle after obstacle to real 1n the Anglo-Jewish press and plac ize the dreams that motivated him ards in the streets, which proclaim year after year-and day after day. I that these holy men are available to IMPORTANT NOTICE was moved and lnspired by his deter the public with their stock of kame'as mination to get things done. (amulets), bottled waters, and valious TO OUR CANADIAN It all came to me in a flash when methods of divination. What the ad AND OVERSEAS he insisted, back in 1945-46, that l vertisements do not state, however, is SUBSCRIBERS! take him to the depot somewhere the plice, which can run to the thou in East Flatbush, from where the sands of dollars, and in a case known CBB3 seforim saved from Himmler were to the writer, could have involved The simple!St way to pay for distributed. Torah Umesorah was hundreds of thousands of dollars. your subscription is through given the task of distributing the Leading halachic autholities of our VISA or Mastercard. They seforim to the yeshivas-by a generation, covering the entire spec group called "Tekuma Letarbus trum of the religious community, change your payment Into USA YisroeZ--Jewish Cultural Recon have condemned these practitioners currency without any stir· struction." Almost the first sefer he for their use of means and methods charge. We cannot accept iorc opened contained the name of his that have been banned by the eign checks (even Canadian great and martyred father "T">n. Re Gedolim throughout the last several ally remarkable! hundred years, means and methods checks In $U.S,), only checks Someone will someday Wlite the which may involve issureid'Oraisa. A drawn on a bank In the U.S.A. story of his great life. May his soul be compendium of their views can be blessed I found in approbations to the recently 771e Jewish Observer, February 1993 43 1.azewnik, Feb. '92; The Traveler and the April '92; Survival-Israel and Mankind, Index To Articles Princess (Poetry)/Ubby I.arewnlk. May '92; May'92; DaysAreComing, May'92; Proph BookslnReview(P.S.), Nov.1l2 ecy and Providence, May'92;Torah and Sci The Jewish Observer Beis DinBateiDin vs. Secular Courts:/Chalm ence, May '92; Collected Writings of Rabbi Dovid Zwelbel, Jan. '93 Samson Raphael Hirsch, Sept. '92; BooksWho'sTellingStoriestoYourKids(S.L)/ Masierplan, Sept '92; In His Image, Sept Vol. XXV, Nos. 1-10 Rabbi Nissan Wolpln, Sept "92; Statement '92; Uving Wi1h Dilllcult People (Including re: Song ofAscent 'Nov. '92; Letter /Nov. '92; yourself), Sept '92; A Student's Obligation, SUBJECTS Letters/Dec, '92 Advice From the Rebbe of the Warsaw Books In Review The Halachot of 1he Ben !sh Ghetto, Sept. '92; The Ben Torah and His Activism Letters/Feb. '92; Elimelecb Gavrtel Hai, Feb. '92; TheShabbos Kitchen, Feb. '92; World, Sept '92; Sparing 1he Rod, A Torah Tress ?":it-A Hero in our Tune/Dr. Gershon The New Practical Guide to Kashru1h, Feb. Perspective on Reward and Punishment in Kranzler, May'92 '92;MeatandDaily,Feb. '92;TheProcedure Education, Sept '92; Guide to Mldo1h Im Adolescents Letters/Feb. '92 for SettingAside1iumot and Ma'asrot, Feb. provement, Sept '92; What's Wrong Wi1h Advocacy Spokesman in the Halls of Govern '92; Moumingln Halacha, Feb. '92; Sanctity Being Human?, Sept '92; Pathways to a ment/Rabbi Nosson Scherman, May '92; and Science, Feb. '92; In 1he Marketplace, Peaceful Home, Sept '92; To Vanquish The The Reversal of a Tragedy In Upnik/Rabbi Feb. '92; The Secret of1he Leaves, 'Aprll '92; Dragon, Oct '92; Akeres Habayis, Oct. 1l2; Chaskel Besser, Jtme '92 The Wonder Worm, Aprll '92; Noah's NOisy All Things Considered, Oct '92; No Greater Agudath Israel Thinking Aloud/Rabbi Moshe Ari<, Aprll '92; Nicanor Knew1heSecret April 1Teasure, Oct. 1l2; Eishes Chayil, Oct. 92; Sherer, May '92; IX.ms Toroh Tapping the '92; Flying wiih Daniel, Aprll '92; Dov Dov ToBeAJewishWoman,Oct. '92;0urUves, Source of Eternal Wisdom/Rabbi Yaakov and 1he Treasure Box, Aprll '92; The Dia Oct. '92 Feltman, May '92; Elimelecb Gavrtel Tress mond Bird, Aprll '92;The Very Good Flsher cemeteries The Reversal of a Thagedy in man, Aprll '92; Fanner Greenlleld's Big City Lipnlk/Rabbl Chaskel Besser, June '92; 7~::n-A Hero in our Time/Dr. Gershon Kral17Jer, May 1l2; The Reversal of a Trag Adventure, Aprll '92; The Thirty Nine Avo1h When Jews Fail To Grasp What Even Bilaam Knew (S.L.)/Rabbi Nissan Wolpln, edy In Upnik/Rabbl Chaskel Besser. June Melacha of Shabbath, April '92; Avos '92; After the Elections in Israel/Yonason Ubonim,Aprll '92; WeAreOneFamily,Aprll Nov. '92; Grid!DCk at 1he Interchange (S.L.)/ Rnsenblum, Sept '92; 70 Years ofAguda1h '92; Do You Know What rm Going To Be, Rabbi Nissan Wolpln, Jan, '93 Israel In Amertc.a/Rabbl Shimon Schwab, Aprll 1l2; What Ahout Me, Aprll '92; Where Chassidus The Late Gerer Rebbe, Rabbi Jan. '93 Are You, Hashem?, Aprll '92; Gemarakup SimchaBunimAlter• .,.,,,-.AnAppredatioo, Sept'92 Antl-semitlsm Letters/Feb. '92 Super Sleuth, April '92; The Friendly Baal Teslwvalnvisible Ledgers (Poetry)/Ubby Persuader, Aprll '92; Last Wagon Out April Chessed An Open Letter to 1he Neighbor of a '92; A Chasid's Journey, April '92; A Uving BaalNtsayan/Anonymous, Oct. '92 Nightmare, Aprll '92; The B.Y. 1lmes, Aprll Children Disciple-Discipline/Rabbi Noach '92; Candles In My Window, April '92; The Orlowek, Aprll '92; Foundation For Growth: Art of Jewish Prayer, Aprll '92; The Com Self-Esteem/RabbiMordecbai Blumenfeld, mentators' Haggadah, Aprll '92; Majesty of Aprll, '92; Reviews of Chilclren'sllooks, April Man, Torah Insights Into Human Nature, '92 Aprll '92; Dep1hofJudgmentAprll '92; Beis Chinuch fI'orah Education) Letters/Feb. '92; Halevi, Shemos, Aprll 1l2; Eiemal Heritage, Letters/March '92; Disctple-Disctpline/ April '92; Uving Each Week, April '92; In Rabbi Noach Orlowek,Aprll '92; Foundation sights In 1heTorah, Aprll '92; The Call ofTo For Growih: Self-Esteem/Rabbi Mordechai rah: Vayikra, April '92; The Metsudah Blumenfeld, April, '92; On Chinuch/Reb Chumash/Rash!, April '92; Bereishls of1he Simcha Wasserman ?M:it/Rabbi Noach Unear Chumash, April '92; The Complete Orlowek (translator), Dec, '92 for YOUR 1lsha B'Av Service, April '92; Mishnah Se Community controls Checking The Creder> FUNDRA/SING or rles: (Arachln&Mikvaos),Aprll '92; Master tials Of Tzeddaka Solicitors/Rabbi Zvi PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN A-Misikhta: (Pesa 44 'The Jewish Obseroer. Februmy 1993 COnservattveJudalsm".. AndNeverthe1\vain Feb. '92; Rememberlng Yerushalayim/ Media The Jewish Home Under Siege/Rabbi Should Meet" /Ellyahu Grossman, Oct. '92; YehudaMendelson,June'92;AftertheElec Shlmon Schwab, Feb. '92; Some Thoughts Hearken to the Voice of Your tions ln Israel/Yonason Rosenblum. Sept. on "Selling'" 'IZenlus (P.S.), Feb. '92; Tuning Youth... (W.W.C.)/Rabbi Nisson Wolpln, Oct. '92; After the Elections: Not Against In Late (Poetiy)/Bracha Goetz, Nov. '92 '92 ShulamitAlone Do We Protest (P.S.)/Rabbl Modem Orthodoxy An Urgent Plea To The Daas Turah Daas Torah: Tapping the Source Nissan Wolpln, Nov. '92 Members Of The Rabbinical Council Of of Eternal Wlsdom/Rabbl Yaakov Feltman, Israel-Religion Generation Gap, Israeli-Slyle/ America, Apl11 '92; ".. And Never the 1\vain May '92; Letters/Sept '92 RabbiYonasonRosenblum, April '92; When Should Meet" /Ellyahu Grossman, Oct '92 Death Taking Leave as a Jew (S.L.)/Rabbl Jews Fail To Grasp What Even BllaamKnew Mussar (Ethics) Rabbi Eliezer Levin ?"'1! Nisson Wolpln, ApI1l '92; Between Ufe and (S.L) /Rabbi Nisson Wolpln, Nov. '92; After Mussar Personified/Rabbi Berel Wein, Death: Closing the Gap? /Dr. Irving the Elections: Not Against Shulamit Alone March'92 Lebovlcs. April '92 Do We Protest (P.S.)/Rabbl Nisson Wolpln, Narrative "Kavod HaTorah" /Meir Zev Mark, Festivals and Fast Days The Straw Provision Nov. '92; Grtdlock at the Interchange (S.L.)/ Apl11 '92 (Pesach)/Rabbl Nesanel Kasnett. Ap111, '92; Rabbi Nisson Wolpln, Jan. '93 Personal Growth Beyond the Arena ofAction/ The Dance ofthe Waters:TheJoyofSuccos/ Jews For J 'We Have Mashiach Now' (P.S.)/ Rabbi Yltzcllok Klrzner, Nov. '92; An FFB's Ben Hillel, Oct. '92; Of Celebrations and Un Rabb!Y!tzcilak Feigenbaum, Jan. '93 Return/MenuchaLev, Nov. '92; Of Celebra realized Goals (Slmchas Torah)/Rabbl Jo Jews In Europe European Shechita ln Jeop tions and Unrealized Goals {Simchas To sephEllas, Nov. '92;TheShlrnmeringF1ame ardy /Joe Lobeosteln, MBE, Sept '92 rah)/Rabbi Joseph Elias, Nov. '92;ThePain of Humility (Chanuka)/Rabbl Yaakov Jews In USA The Jewish Home Under Siege/ of the Single or Childless Woman/M1r1am Feltman, Dec. '92; A Tune For Prayer (Tu Rabbi Shimon Schwab, Feb. '92; Flghting Adahan,Jan. '93 B'Shevat)/Rabbi Nesanel Kasnett, Jan. '93 Asslmllation From Wlthln/Rabbl Y!ssochar Personalities Rabbi Eliezcr Levln .,..,.,-Mussar Geula Three Steps to Unlly-A Perspective on Frand, Feb. '92; Ellmelech Gavrlel Tress Personified/Rabbi Berel Wein, March '92; Kibbutz Goliyos/Rabbi Ze'ev Leff, June '92 7":11'-A Hero in our Time/Dr. Gershon Elimelech Gavrlel Tress ?"Yr-A Hero in our Golus Three Steps to Unlly-A Perspective on Kranzler, May '92; The Rabbi Of The Tune/Dr. Gershon Kranzler, May '92; The Kibbutz Goliyos/RabblZe'ev Leff, June '92 Potomac/~ M. Berkowitz, Nov. '92; The Late Gerer Rebbe, RabbiS!mchaBunimAl Government AIJalrs Spokesman ln the Halls Pollisher Shtiebel/Llpa Brenner, Nov. '92; ter, ':>'~-An Appreciation/Rabbi Shlomo of Government/Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Glimpses of an American Tzaddeikes/ Ashkenazy and Rabbi Avrohom Chaim May'92 Yaakov Siegel, Nov. '92; What Makes An Carmell, Oct '92; RabbiY. Klrzner, Nov. '92; Halacha (Torah Law) Books on Halacha ln American Jewtsh Community? /Levi Glimpses of an American Tzaddeikes Review, Feb. '92; Batei Din vs. Secular Reisman, Nov. '92; The State of American (Necha Goldlng)/Yaakov Siegel, Nov. '92; Courts:/Chaim David Zwelbel, Jan. '93 Klruv /Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald, Dec. Remembertng Reh Simcha ?"Yr (Rabbi Hashkqfa (Torah Phllooophy) The Majesly of '92; ReachingOut. Reachlngln&Reachlng/ Elawr S!mcha Wasserman)/Rabbi Shlomo Tuenius-Where Spirituality and Nobilily Rabbi Ben Tulon Kokts, Dec. '92; Abduction Lorlncz, Dec. '92; My Rebbe, Reb Slmcha Meet/Rabbi Y!tzcilokK!rzner.,..,.,, Feb. '92; of a People/Rabbi Eli Gewirtz, Dec. '92; Wasserman.?·~ /Dr. David Fox, Dec. '92 Implications Of A Year Of Earth-Shaking Things are Worse/Can Be BetterThan You Poetry Invisible Ledgers/I.Ibby Lazewnik Feb. Events/Rabbi Elya Sve1 """"""· March '92; Thlnk/Rabbi David Shenker, Dec. '92; An '92: The Traveler and the Princess/Llbby Cataclysmic Events As A Message For Our Optimist's view on K1ruv/Yerachmtel Lazewnik May'92; For Rabbi Klrzner /Israel Time/Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg N"V~. Milstein, Dec. '92 Kashkin. Nov. '92: "Reverse Charge" /M. March '92; "TumhUmadda"-TheBookand Jews In Israel Generation Gap. Israeli-Slyle/ Neuhaus, Nov. '92; Tuning ln Late/Bracha its Ideology/Rabbi Yonason Rosenblum, Rabbi Yonason Rosenblum, April '92; Tak Goetz, Nov. '92; A Time For Prayer/Rabbi March '92; The Straw Provision (Pesach)/ ing Leave as a Jew (S.L.)/Rabbi Nisson Nesanel Kasnett, Jan. '93: The Mezzuzas/ Rabbi Nesanel Kasnett, April, "92; Daas To Wolpln, April '92;Are We LosingThe War For Mlna Frtedler, Jan. '93 rah Tapping the Source ofEternal Wlsdom/ The Soviet Jews? (Yonason Rosenblum, RCA An Urgent Plea Tu The Merobers Of The RabbiYaakovFeltman,May'92;ThreeSteps June '92; The Late Gerer Rebbe, Rabbi Rabbinical Council OfAmerica, April '92 to Unlly-APerspectlveon Kibbutz Goliyos( Simcha Bunim Alter, ?"Yr-An Apprecia Refonn Judaism Reform Judaism Comes to Rabbi Ze'ev Leff, June '92; Remembering tion/Rabbi Shlomo Ashkenazy and Rabbi Moscow (W.W.C.)/Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, Yerushalayim/Yehuda Mendelson, June Avrohom Chaim Carmell, Oct. '92 Sept '92 '92; Averting Tragedy /Mordechai Kuber, Jews In CIS (Former USSR) Discovering Jews Self-Esteem Foundation For Growth: Self-Es June '92; The Seven Faces of Evil/Rabbi and Judaism in the Fonner Soviet Repub teem/Rabbi Mordechai Blumenfeld. Ap111, Y!tzcllokAdlersteln, Sept '92; Growth From Ucs/Meshullam Klarberg, March '92; A '92 Disorder-And the Jewish Experience/Av! Letter .. And An Essay/Goldy Rosenberg, Shechita European ShechitalnJeopardy/Joe Shafran, Oct. '92; The Dance of the Waters: May'92; RefonnJudaism Comes to Moscow Lobensteln, MBE, Sept. '92 The Joy of Succos/Ben Hillel, Oct. '92; (W.W.C.)/Rabbl Ntsson Wolpln, Sept. '92 Singles The Pain of the Single or Childless ChooosHalevavos: Beyond the Arena ofAc· Kashrus Who's Mlndlng The Store?I Abbott Woman/MlrlamAdahan,Jan. '93 tion/Rabbl Yltzchok Klrzner. Nov. '92; Of Katz, June '92 Soclal Comment The Jewish Home Under Celebrations and Unrealized Goals/Rabbi Kinw Are We Losing The War For The Soviet Siege/Rabbi Shimon Schwab, Feb. '92: Joseph Elias, Nov. '92; The Shtmmerlng Jews?;Yonason Rosenblum, June '92; An Flghtlng Assimilation From Wlthln/Rabbl F1ameofHumilily(Chanuka)/RabbiYaakov FFB's Return/Menucha Lev, Nov. '92; The Yissochar Frand, Feb. '92: Torah Leader Feltman, Dec. '92; 70 Years of Agudath Is State of American Kiruv/Rabbl Ephraim Z. ship: A National Resource or Public Prop rael in America/Rabbi Shimon Schwab, Buchwald, Dec. '92; Kin.w-An Ovenriew erty?/Shia Markowitz, Feb. '92; Generation Jan. '93; The Pam of the Single or Childless From Down Under/Rabbi Yaacov Haber, Gap, Israeli-Style/Rabbi Yonason Woman/MlrlamAdahan,Jan. ·93 Dec. '92; Reaching Out. Reaching In & Rosenblum, April '92; Taking Leave as a Jew Hatzola Elimelech GavrteI Tress .,.,.,_A Hero Reaching/Rabbi Ben Tulon Kokts, Dec. '92; {S.L.)/Rabbi Nisson Wolpin, April '92; 1n our Time/Dr. Gershon Kranzler, May'92 Abduction of a People/Rabbi Eli Gewirtz, "Kavod HaTorah" /Meir Zev Mark, April '92 Hlstoty Spain-Its Jewish Greatness/Rabbi Dec. '92; Things are Worse/Can Be Better Spain Spain-Its Jewish Greatness/Rabbi Berel Wein, Sept. '92; The Rabbi Of The Than You Thlnk/Rabbl David Shenker, Berel Wein, Sept. '92 Potomac/Lynn M. Berkowitz, Nov. '92 Dec. '92; An Optimist's view on Kiruv/ Speclal Children Between Ufeand Death: Clos JntennarrlageAn Urgent Plea Tu The Merobers Yerachmiel Milstein, Dec. '92; "We Have ing the Gap? /Dr. hvlngLebovlcs, April '92 OflheRabbinical Council OfAmerica, April Mashlach Now" (P.S.)/Rabbl Yltzchak Suft'ering Averting Tragedy /Mordechai Kuber, '92; The State of American Kirnv/Rabbi Feigenbaum, Jan. '93; Letters/Jan. '93 June '92; An Open Letter to the Neighbor of Ephraim Buchwald, Dec. '92 Labor Zionism Labor Acts Out...Its Internal a BaalNisayon(Anonymous, Oct. '92; Let ~lltlcs Labor Acts Out.. .Its Internal Contradictions/ Rabbi Yonason ters/Jan. ·93 Contradlctions/RabblYonason Rosenblum. Rosenblum, Feb. '92 Technology Technological Aids to Limud The Jewish Observer, February 1993 45 HaTorah Data or Text? /Rabbi Yaakov realized Goals (Simchas Torah), Nov. '92 Rosenberg, Goldy A Letter... And An Essay, Rosenes, Feb. '92 Feigenbaum, Rabbi Yitzchak "We Have May'92 Technology Booting Up to Torah (S.L.)(I'zv! Mashiach Now" (P.S.J, Jan. '93 Rosenblum, Rabbi Yonason Labor Acts Schindler, Jan. '93 Feltman, Rabbi Yaakov Daas Tumh: Tapping Out..lts Internal Contradictions, Feb. '92; TeflDa (Prayer) Three Steps to Unity-A Per the Source ofEternal Wisdom, May '92; The 'Torah Umadda." March '92; Generation spective on KlbbutzGoliyos/Rabbi?.e'ev Leif, ShlnunertngFlameOfHumility, Dec. '92 Gap, Israeli Style, April '92; Are We Losing June '92: Averting Tragedy /Rabbi Fox, Dr. David My Rebbe, Reb Simcha The War For The Soviet Jews?, June '92; Af Mordechai Kuber. June 92; "Reverse Wasserman ?'Oit, Dec. '92 ter the Elections in Israel, Sept '92 Charge"/M. Neuhaus, Nov. '92 Frand, Rabbi YlssocharF!ghtingAsslmllatton Rosenes, YaakovTechnolog!cal Aids to Umud Thne of Death Letters/June '92 From Within, Feb. '92 HdI'orah DataorText?, Feb. '92 Torah Umadda "Turah Umaddd'-The Book Friedler, Mina The Me?.zusas (Poetry): Jan. Scherman, Rabbi Nosson Spokesman in the and its Ideology /Rabbi Yonason 1993 Halls ofGovernment, May '92 Rosenbhun, March '92 Gewi.rtz, Rabbi Eli Abduction of a People, Dec. Schindler, Tzvl Booting Up to Torah, Jan. '93 Torah Study Technological Aids to Ltmud '92 Schwab,RabbiShhnonTheJewishHomeUn HaTorah; Data or Text? /Rabbi Yaakov Goetz,BraehaTunlnglnLate(Poetry), Nov. '92 derSiege. Feb. '92; 70Years ofAgudath Is Rosenes, Feb. '92; The Poilisher Shtiebel, Greenwald, Rabbi Chananya Walking Un rael inAmertca, Jan. '93 Lipa Brenner, Nov. '92; Remembertng Reb afraid in the Valley of Death, in Vron1sh, Shaftan, Rabbi Avl Growth From Dlsortler Simcha (Rabbi Elazar Simcha Wasserman, June'92 And the Jewish Expertence, Oct. '92 ?"l1!)/Rabbl Shlomo Lorincz, Dec. '92; My Grossman, Rabbi Eliyahu ".. .And Never the Shenker, Rabbi Dovld Things are Worse/Can Rebbe, Reb Simcha Wasserman, 7""7 /Dr. 1WainShouldMeet,"Oct. '92 Be BetierThan You Think, Dec. '92 Dovid Fox, Dec. '92; Booting Up to Torah Haber, Rabbi Yaacov Kiruv: An Ove!Vlew From Sherer, Rabbi Moshe ThinkingAloud, May '92 (S.L)/TZvi Schindler, Jan. '93 Down Under, Dec. '92 Siegel, Yaakov Glimpses of an American Torah Leadership Torah Leadership: A Na Herman, Usa Reviews of Children's Books, Tzaddeikes, Nov. '92 tional Resource or Public Property? (S.L.)/ April '92 Svei, Rabbi Elya Implications Of A Year Of Shia Markowitz, Feb. '92; Daas Tumh: Tap Hlllel, Ben The Dance ofthe Waters: The Joy of Earth-Shaking Events, March '92 ping the Source ofEtemal Wisdom/Rabb! Succos, Oct '92 Wasserman. Rabbi Slmcha On Chinuch. Dec. YaakovFeltman, May'92; Letters/Sept. '92 Hollander, Rabbi Zvl Boruch Checking The '92 Translations and.Adaptations Implications Of Credentials OfTueddakaSolicitors, Sept '92 Wein, Rabbi Berel Spain - Its Jewish Great AYearOfEarlh-ShakingEvents/RabbiElya Ksshldn, J.srael For Rabbi Kirzner(Poetry), Nov. ness, Sept. '92; Rabbi Ellezer Levin 7""' - Svei N""""'1, March '92; Wby Was "Golus '92 Mussar Personified, March '92 Sephorad' Destroyed?/Chassld Yaavetz, Kasnett, Rabbi Nesanel The Straw Provision Weinberg, Rabbi Yaakov Cataclysmic Events Sept. '92; On Chinuch/Reb Simcha (Pesach), April '92: A 1lme For Prayer (Po As A Message ForOurThne, March '92 Wasserman ?~::tr/Rabbi Noach Orlowek etry), Jan. '93 Wolpin, Nlsson Taking Leave as a Jew (S.L.), (translator), Dec. '92 Katz, Abbott Who's Minding The Store?, June April '92; Wbo's Telling Stories to Your Kids? Tzeddaka Checking The Credentials Of '92 (S.L), Sept '92; Reform Judaism Comes to TheddakaSolicitors/Rabbl Zvi Baruch Hol Kirzner, Rabbi Yitzchok The Majesty of Moscow(W.W.C.), Sept '92;Hearkentothe lander, Sept '92 TZenius-Wbere Spirttuallty and Nobility Voice ofYourYouth ... {W.W.C.). Oct. ·92; '.IZenlusThe Majesty of ~Wbere Spiri Meet Feb. '92; Chovos Halevavos: Beyond WbenJews Fail to Grasp What Even Bilaam tuality and Nobility Meet/Rabbi Yltzchok theArenaofAction, Nov. '92 Knew (S.L.), New. '92;Afterthe Elections: Not Kirzner 7~, Feb. '92; Some Thoughts on Klarl>erg, Meshullam Discovertng Jews and AgalnstShulamitA!one do We Protest (P.S.). "Selltng'' Tzenius (P.S.), Feb. '92 Judaism in the Former Soviet Republics, Nov. '92; Gttdlock at the interchange (S.L), Urban Crisis Wbat Makes An Amertcan Jew March '92 Jan. '93 ish Community?/Levi Reisman, Nov. '92 Kokls, Rabbl.BenTzionReachingOut Reach Zwiebel, ChalmDovld, Eoq. BatelDinvs. Secu Women Books in Review, Oct. '92 ing In, & Reaching Dec '92 lar Courts. Jan. '93 Kranzler, Gershon Elimelech Gavrtel Tress AlITHORS ?"::tr-A Hero in ourTime, May '92 S.L.=Second Looks Kuber, Rabbi Mordechal Averting Tragedy, P.S.=Pos!Scrtpt June'92 W.W.C.=" ... "(with & .without comment) Adahan, Miriam The Pain of The Single or Lazewnlk. Libby Invisible Ledgers (Poetry), Feb. For reprints or back issues, Vlli.te to Childless Woman, Jan. '93 '92; The Traveler and the Princess (Poetry), The Jewish Observer, Adlersteln, Rabbi Yltzchok The Seven Faces May'92 84 William Street, N.Y.C. 10038, ofEvil, Sept '92 Lebov:lcs, Dr. Irving Between Life and Death: orcall(212)797-9000 Anonymous An Open Letter to the Neighbor of Closing the Gap?, April '92 a BoolNisayon, Oct. '92 Left; Rabbi Ze'evThree Steps to Untty-APer Ashkenazy, Rabbi Shlomo The Late Gerer spective on Kibbutz Goliyos, June '92 Rebbe, Rabbi SimchaBunimA!ter?"l1!, Oct. Lev, MenuchaAn FFB'S Return, Nov. '92 W• ... pl<>...\IO-to '92 Lobensteln, Joe EtrrOjJCfill Shechita in Jeop an.,...... lttio 46 The Jewish Observer, February 1993 New for g.IJrt 1ove~s. ()ye yogurt, you're in for a treat wit "' Morning Select Yogurt. -;')!! e$hness, smoothness, richness, lter than the. leading national ... when it comes to yogurt, 'orning Select will win you Cholov Yisroel Dairy products for better daily living. 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