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ZEALOUS REPRESENTATION WITHIN HALACHIC PARAMETERS Timely Advice to Torah Jews in the Legal Profession .··· sTRIVINh mR Z·I·b·NAt ' ' ·Should Our T.acics G~~nge? · ~--~ ·: ... \ ...... ::::··:.. In 1988, under the direction of Hagaon Rav Avrohom How can we, in America, help Chinuch Atzmat save Pam. Shlita and the endorsement of leading these precious neshomos? What assistance will we Gedolim, the Adoption program was born. This bold provide to the monumental and historic responsibility new plan, now encompassing 34 towns and villages facing Chinuch Atzmai: teaching Torah to 47,000 throughout lsraet has already made major inroads children in 308 schools and kindergartens, with a in Torah education. Concerned, dedicated committees faculty of over 3,000? How can we pool our resources "adopt" individual areas and provide the local and determination to write a portion of the history of Chinuch AtzmaiTorah Schools with the resources they Eretz Yisroel? Adoption is the answer! need for expansion and development. Join us for the National Adoption Dinner of Chinuch Now as never before, thousands of Russian Atzmai on Sunday.January 20, 1991. By associating immigrants and others are flooding into Eretz Yisroel. yourself with this vital project. you will be reshaping Their children, in addition to native Israelis, are the minds and lives of thousands ofTinokos Shel Bais desperately turning to Chinuch Atzmai for their Torah Rabon-the future of Kial Yisroel. education. Unfortunately, many are being turned Remember... history is not frequently up for away due to lack of funding for facilities and adoption! personnel. ~at1onat adoption d1nneQ Guest Of Honor Ervin Landau N)wn \J'.l\9 'i1 SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 1991 RECEPTION 5:00 PM• DINNER 6:00 PM LE CHATEAU 431 AVENUE P BROOKLYN, NEW YORK ERVIN LANDAU, GUEST OF HONOR REUVEN OESSLER, DINNER CHAIRMAN CAMPAIGN CHAIRMEN YEHOSHUA MEHLMAN •YAAKOV SAFIERm SHALOM SELENGUT• SHIMON SOLO FF DINNER CHAIRMAN REUVEN DESSLER JOURNAL CHAIRMEN CHAIM HOROWITZ • ABRAHAM C. NUSSBAUM CHARTERED IN 1989: CHADERA • DIMONA •GANE! TIKVAH • PARDES CHANA •YAHUD NEW CHARTER PRESENTATIONS : BEER SHEVA • BET SHEMESH • CHATZOR • CHOlON • HERZLIYA • LEVANDA, TEL-AVIV NETIVOT •OHR AKIVA • RANANA • YAVNEH #'~~ I ffi ~ TORAH SCHOOLS FOR ISRAEL TO PLACE RESERVATIONS & JOURNAL ADS CHINUCHATZMAI \Le..\~ PLEASE CALL: 212-248-6200• FAX 212-248-6202 40 Exchange Place Room 1403, New York, NY 10005 CHINUCH ATZIAAJ I I 1--~~·---J 4 THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 Zealous Representation Within Halachic Parameters, is published monthly except July and August by based on an address by Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg the Agudath Israel of America, 84 Wilham Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N.Y. 8 Subscription $22.00 per year; two years, $36.00; Striving for Zion, three years, $48.00. Outside of the United States Rabbi Ben Tzion Kokis (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $10.00 surcharge per year. Single copy $3.00; foreign $4.00. Send address changes to The Jewish 18 Observer, 84 Wtlliam Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Rabbi Moshe Zvi Aryeh Bick, 7"~T - An Appreciation, Tel: (212) 797-9000. Shmuel Kessner Printed in the U.S.A. RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, eorroR 29 EDITORIAL BOA.RO When Feminists Demand, Can Judaism Deliver'? DR. ERNST BODENHEIMER Rabbi Yisroel Miller Chairman RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FRIEDENSON 34 RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN Forget-Me-Not MUSINGS ON FAME AND IMMORrALI1Y. MANAGEMENT BOA.RO NAFTOLI HIRSCH Rabbi Matis Blum ISAAC KIRZNER RABBI SHLOMO LESIN ACHUMSTEIN 40 Book Reviews: Juvenile Literature BBi YOSEF C. GOLDING Business Manager FINS. FEET, WINGS. AND OTHER ANIMAL THINGS/ KING DAVID AND THE FROG/ BUT THEN I REMEMBERED/ ME AND MY BUBBY. MY ZEIDY AND I/ Published by A PURIM STORY/ DOV DOV AND THE MONEY-TREE/ A SPECIAL SOME Agudath Israel of America THING/ CHAGAINU/ HEIR TO THE THRONE/ ON -iwo FRONTS/ THE LEGACY OF GOLD/ THE STORY OF THE PNEI YEHOSHUA/ TALES FROM RABBI MOSHE SHERER PRESIDENT OLD JERUSALEM/ ESCAPE/ PROMISE ME TOMORROW/ RASH!/ DEEP IN THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not THE RUSSIAN NIGHT/ ALL BECAUSE OF RAJ2Y / THE SECRET FILES OF LISA assume responsibility for the Kashrus of WEISS/ THE PILLAR OF CHESSED/ MY BROTI!ER'S KEEPER. any product, publication, or service advertised in its pages 44 Letters to the Editor © Copyright 1991 47 Poetry JANUARY 1991 An Ever-green Nation-A Tu B'Shvat Poem, L. Oppenheimer VOLUME XXll! f N0.10 First Candle-Lighting, Sarah Shapiro Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg Timely Advice to Torah Jews in the Legal Profession Based on the keynote address by Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, N"V>W Rosh Hayeshiva of Ner Israel, Baltimore, at a conference of Orthodox awyers essentially operate in a she'eila of a reliable poseik a non-moral setting- that is a lawyers on 'The Legal Profession whenever a problem arises, so as to L given. It is their task to assist Today: A Torah Perspective," be consistant with halacha in one's their clients to obtain the best pos practice. For instance, is it hala sible treatment that the provisions chically acceptable to badger a wit or the loopholes- of the Jaw permit. ness to the point that he or she loses Yet, as Jews, we cannot countenance Sponsored by the Torah Projects credibility? May one withhold cru - the concept of advocacy or the theory Divisions of Agudath Israel of cial information to protect a client's America, in conjunction with the interests? Is it proper to coach a ofadversartal presentations, guiding Conference of Rabbonim of clients in how to win, whether justi Agudath Israel Branches. witness in advance of testifying? fied or not. (I say "as Jews" without To be aware that a question has qualifying the reference further. as artsen, an attorney must familiartze "Torah Jews" or "halachic Jews," for himself thoroughly with the basic all Jews share a tradition of respect Workingasattorneyswithinsuch halachos that deal with the specific for tmth and honesty, and a high a system imposes two obligations aspects of his professional life. That regardforjustice.) Indeed, one would upon all who are so involved. First: calls for devoting an appreciable characterize a system where the ap it is essential that one become amount of time to Torah study. One proach is not one of seeking out the knowledgeable, understanding, and of the most difficult problems that truth and justice, but simply of car even expert in the halachos that deal attorneys face is finding the time to rying out the Jaw, as non-moral; with one's particular area of prac learn sufficiently to become familiar perhaps even immoral. tice. This means that one must ask with relevant halachos. And one 4 The Jewish Observer, January 1991 One of the most difficult problems that attorneys face is finding the time to learn sufficiently to become familiar with relevant halachos. And one must find the time, even if one must lose billings as a result. must find the time, even if one must rect teachings. Whatever the finan society. !tis a chessed to those who lose billings as a result. cial cost. loss of time, energy, and require it-perhaps not quite of the Secondly, perhaps even more saclifice of advancement in career rank of physicians' care, when they compellingly, as a halachicJew one whatever the cost as attorneys, it is provide direct and immediate must recognize that we operate on a essential that one find the time to medical help to their patients, but basic premise- that "Adam nifal lejl immerse oneself in Torah study. it is not far distant. The client has pe'ulosav- a person is influenced One cannot really survive as a Jew an enormous need for self confi by his activities." What we become without that. dence, for a feeling that "lam able to in outlook, in sentiment. in reac achieve my goals in life, and to tions, in feelings, is determined by A LAW OFFICE? protect that which 1 have achieved; the activities we engage in. Ifwe are OR A SHOE STORE? that 1 am able to face the very diffi involved in an endeavor or an enter cult legal problems that may arise, prise that is essentially amoral or his conference features four through help that l can count on, immoral, it is inevitable that our intensive workshops, each the advice and the direction that personal outlook and approach, our T exploring the halachic guide will be given to me by a trustworthy reactions and our feelings, will be lines for practicing law in a very attorney." come tainted by this absence of specific area.* Someone com moral underpinnings. Ultimately, we mented, half in jest, that "in view of OF RESTRICTIONS AND wi11 lose our essential connection to the halachic restrictions that you GUIDELINES the inherent feelings of a believing encounter in a day's work, you've Jew- our commitmenttojustice and got to stop and ask yourself: 'Should ust as it is our obligation as a truth- because we become involved 1 stick with it, or would I be better off halachic community to pro in advocacy, and tend to lose sight opening up a shoe store?"' J vide physicians- and shoe of the human dimension of a situa No, you should not open up a stores and groceries- it is absolutely tion. shoe store. A shoe store is wonder necessary that we provide attorneys As I hope to explain, it is in keep ful thing, but so is being an attorney. who can give the professional guid ing with the plan of the Creator that A shoe store is a wonderful because ance and advice, which is essential there be Torah Jews serving as at it helps people: people do need shoes torneys, involved in the American and they must be properly fitted.