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The A Cohens Children's of Tzefat Treasury of The Yorn Kippur Sephardic War is raging and Lieutenant Yoel Stories Cohen, a gravely From the rich lode wounded tank of of Sephardic history, ficer lies in a field hospital, his life ebbing away. courage, and wisdom, come these four richly illustrated Generations of his ancestors flash through his mind, in a tales. Jerusalem, Yemen, Bagdad, and Spain are the panorama of fictional events that trace Tzefat's history. locales. The fifteenth, eighteenth, and twentieth are the • Pinchas and his pet lion save the life of the future centuries. Torah, prayer, faith, kindness, and miracles Roman General Savius. The Jew and Roman become are the themes. friends - and meet years later when Tzefat faces These beautiful stories and their marvelous full-color destruction ... illustrations are welcome additions to any library for • Guido the Demon Boy and Dominique the Monk are youngsters - whether at home or in school. They are a captured by pirates and are forced to join the contest fine answer to the request of parents and teachers for for plunder. They take sharply different paths, but are reading material that is interesting, entertaining, reunited in Tzefat ... instructive, and inspiring. • Chana Leah's paintings win the admiration of Ibrahim Especially important is the fact that these true stories Muttala and )email ibn-Basha, who want to take her come from the communities that have given the Jewish to Istanbul and fame. Then disaster hits Tzefat ... people an infinite wealth of spiritual treasure. The Exciting experiences continue to march through Yoel glories of Sephardic Jewry are being reborn in Israel, Cohen's delirium - and on the way he discovers his America, and Europe. This book reveals some of the Torah heritage that survived Tzefat's history of siege, roots of that renaissance. earthquake, privation, and triumph. Delightfully and skillfully put together by Nehama With this historical novel, ArtScroll proudly intro Consuela Nahmoud, Zvia Ehrlich-Klein, and Channa duces a wonderful new story-teller, Miriam Stark Galitzer, and published in the Hebrew version by Zakon. The translator of Tz'enah Ur'enah, Mrs. Zakon Mashabim, this book is sure to be a hit - and now emerges as a novelist of warmth and sensitivity. deservedly so! hard cover $9.95 paperback $6.95 hard cover $9.95 paperback $6.95 Available at better Hebrew bookstores or direct from publisher: ~ cfiub&ations; fi!..., 1969 Coney Island Avenue/Brooklyn, NY 11223 Direct Mail: Please include $1.95 postage & handling per order; NYS residents add sales tax. In Israel: J. Grossman-Mesorah Mafitzim/ Rechov Harav Uziel 117/Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem - '
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THE STEIPLER GAON RABBI NISSON WOLPIN Editor RABBI Y AAKOV YISROEL KANIEVSKY Editorial Board 7 Perspectives on Greatness, Rabbi Nasson Scherman DR. ERNST BODENHEIMER Chainnan 9 Dimensions of a Torah Personality, RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Klugman JOSEPH FRIEDENSON RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN 21 An Open Letter to My Friend Behind the Wheel RABBI MOSHE SHERER 25 Of "Religious Liberty" and Government Aid to Sectarian Mana~f'rnent Board NAFTOLI HIRSCH Schools: Where Do Our Secular Jewish Brethren Stand? ISAAC KIRZNER Chaim Dovid Zwiebel RABBI SHLOMO LESIN NACHUM STEIN 30 Books in Review Business Manager In Search of the Jewish Woman t RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING The Modern Jewish Woman I Man and Woman - The Torah Perspective Happiness in Marriage I The Spice of Torah - Gematria '
35 A Mirage of Controversy, Shmuel M. Spiegel, M.D- THE JEWISH OBSERVER docs not assun1e rcsonsibility for the Second Looks on the Jewish Scene Kashrus of any product or service 40 Cracow: Who Owns Its Memories? ad\'ertised in its pages. r:. Copyright 1985 45 The Mayor. the Mormons, and the Battle for Mount Scopus 49 Postscripts The Ethiopian Aliya
KISLEV, 5746 NOV.. l 985, VOL. XV1IL NO. l 0 53 Ode to a Grudge, a poem by Yaffa Leba Gottlieb 54 He Looks Like All the Rest, a poem by Faige Krupenia i 55 With and without comment 4 JO: Always Harping 57 Letters to the Editor
by Rabbi Nasson Scherman
. The Steipler Gaon • Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky Perspectives on Greatness
In all generations there are people ofsupreme holiness upon whom Divine In spiration (roach hakodesh) rests, as the Sages say, "The world has not less than thirty-siX tzaddikim who accept the Divine Presence {Shechina) every .day" 1 (Succa 45). This means to say that they cling to Him, Blessed be His Name, so that His Presence. rests upon them. Thus we have sensed clearly that in all generations, even in the generations not long before ours, there have been holy andpure.people who have merited Divine Inspirationsuch as theGaonReb Ye hoshua Leib Diskin of the Holy City, Jerusalem. There were many others, but it is impossible to specifi.J any lest it be takenas a slight against other righteous and holy.people who were omitted. All this ts partofthe kindness ofH ad anyone suggested to I~abbi Yaakov Yisroel MOCKING HIS OWN GREATNESS Kanievsky. ' 11 ~l , the Steipler Gaon, that the above H paragraph was an apt description of himself. he hich man alive took his own greatness less seri would have reacted with annoyance and derision, as he did ously? In his own eyes. he was always a student. a J several years ago, \Vhen an American rash yeshiva consulted W disciple of the Alter of Novaradok - Rabbi Yoseif hin1 concerning a matter of vital importance to his yeshiva. Horowitz. Rabbi Avraham Yaffcn, and finally. the Chazon The Steipler protested that he was unqualified to respond. Ish, his brother-in-law, mentor. and the beacon he followed The rash yeshiva pointed to the line in his letter of inquiry from the time he arrived in Bnei Brak in 1934 until his own that said. "We have no one to whom to turn except for nJ~n passing forty-one years latc-r. In his introduction to Kehilas 11'li1!1 11:i:t, his Torah eminence." Yaakov, the brilliant series of works on most of the 1'almud. The Steipler laughed and repeated mockingly. "His Torah he wrote - and rneant it - that he is hopeful that students eminence, his Torah eminence, his 1~orah eminence! Have I may find an occasional provocative idea in his volumes. and not told you I am not qualified?'' if so. their publication was worthwhile. He once walked Nevertheless, he did respond. because notwithstanding his through the street with a hammer to repair his son's bookcase far less than exalted opinion of himself. he could not free him because, as he put it. "My Chaim is a great taln1idchacham self of the duty of helping people who sincerely felt that they and it would be bitul Torah for him to make the repair." ... 1'o had nowhere to turn but the humble fiat on Rechov Rash a teen-ager who wrote him bemoaning his lack of success in ban1. where there sat a man so totally immersed in the study 'forah study. the Steipler was not above writing a warm let of1\)rah and the service of G-d, that all the world looked upon ter filled with verbal caresses, encouragen1ent and sound. him as the living embodiment of the Sages' diet um. ·'Israel. practical advice on how best to realize his potential. When he the Torah and the Holy One Blessed-Be-1-Ic are one." noticed a window that was stuck in the "Lederman Shul" \vhere he prayed regularly, he brought a can of oil and lubri cated it himself. Rabbi Scherman is editor of ArtScroll·Mesorah. editor of O!on1einu. It was always a source ofwondern1ent to him that people and a 1nen1ber of,JO's editorial board. wanted to buy his books. I-le attributed their popularity to the The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 7 fact that Reb Mordcche'le, the Horon-Steipler Rebbe, had faith in the word ofG-d infinitely preferable to heroic treat blessed Reb Chaim Peretz Kanievsky that he would have a ment to repair the spiritual maladies brought on by doubt. son whose Torah would illuminate the world. Said the Stei Torah study and Torah knowledge are the prime lifelong pler. "If people want to buy seforim because of their contents. privileges and responsibilities of every Jew. The Steipler's then they would not buy my seforim because they contain only love was the Torah and it was a love that he pursued end nothing of interest. But since the Horan- Steipler Tzaddik lessly. tirelessly for twenty and thirty hours without eating gave n1y father a blessing - who can argue with a blessing?" or sleeping. He could not countenance claims that someone And because he attributed a major part of his success in To had not been successful in his studies and therefore should rah to the Rebbe's blessing. the Steiplercould never display close his Gemora: Someday the Heavenly Court will ask enou,gh gratitude to the Rebbe's descendants. everyone what he has learned and how much he tried. Ulti Indeed, no one can doubt - despite his derisive and vocifer n1ately, his success will be measured not by his peers but by ous protests - that he was one of the select holy and right his Maker. If so. why despair? The goal is to do one's own best eous people upon whom the Shechina rested daily ... espe - and to do it constantly. He counseled study and review, not cially in recent years when knowledge of his awesome an infatuation with chiddushim - novcllae. Let one study greatness reached the far corners of the world. The modern and review tractatc after tractate, and the chiddushim will ear is jarred by the term "miracle worker," and the rational not only be a natural outgro\vth of great knowledge, they will mind keeps distance from mofsim. But how else can one ex be true. plain the Steipler's unerring eye. when reviewing the hundreds of kvftlach - slips of paper with a Hebrew name l'orah is the source of all knowledge and cosmic power. The and a petition on it - that were brought to him daily, request human being who makes himself one with the Torah simul ing help. refuah, advice, prompting his immediate responses: taneously gains knowledge and understanding of breathtak "The doctors' diagnosis is wrong" ... "They already asked me ing scope. Small wonder, therefore. that theSteipler, like the last year. They'll have a child; they just shouldn't pester Chazon Ish before him, could advise on every manner of me.·· ... And sometimes no response, which had its own impli question. In his incredible modesty he denied any special cations. There could be no doubt that he possessed Divine In powers. and he was right. It was not the human being named spiration. In a sense. this in itself was supremely inspiring, Kanievsky who was superior. it \Vas the 1'orah that he had for it illustrates how high a human being can rise through made one with himself. pure faith. total immersion in Torah study, and unquestion He was totally unselfish. Whether in showing gratitude to ing devotion to every jot and tittle of the Shulchan Aruch. the offspring oft he Rebbe who blessed him or responding to human needs, he was a servant not only of the lofty and im CAN WE LEARN FROM MIRACLE WORKERS? personal concept of Klal Yisroel. but of insignificant. ordinary Jev.,rs. Once. during his last few years. he had been bed-ridden all ut in another sense. there is a problem here. For al day. Not until nearly midnight was he able to begin seeing the though we revere and marvel at miracle workers and people urho had been waiting several hours to seek his advice possessors of ruach hakodesh. there is little \Ve can B and blessing. After about half an hour, the Steiplerburst out learn from them. If we read the Steipler's life as page after in anguish. "All day I could not learn. Even now, people come page of miracles. blessings, and insights far beyond our abil and keep me from my learning.·' The pain of a man torn from ity to comprehend. much less emulate, then we deprive our his Gemora v.ras palpable and agonizing. The waiting visitors selves of the lessons of his life, for we are so far from Divine felt uncomfortable and began to disperse. But the Steipler Inspiration that we do not even dream of aspiring to possess it. would not let them. 1'hey had \Vaited for him and he must see To speak of the Steipler primarily in those terms is to miss them. the point, for his life has much to teach us, every one of us. As a teen-ager he had sacrificed his health and risked his in most practical terms. Instead of looking for miracles. we life to build Novaradok yeshivos in Communist Russia and should look for the Jew behind the miracle. and the values as a venerable sage he devoted himself to his people in other that made him what he was. We find them in the stories, in \vays. All his life he balanced his love for Torah with his duty his writings, and in the themes he stressed over and over and to its people. Because he did both with utter devotion to the over again in his advice and counsel. will ofG·d, he succeeded in both. Faith in G-d and in the complete. unalterable truth of the 1'he Steipler\vill remain with us if we permit his teachings Torah - to the Steipler this was the basis of everything. He and example to live on. Some of us can learn from the books urged constantly that all Jews eschew speculations and de of his 1'orah heritage: all of us can learn from the book of his velop their faith in G-d and knowledge of Torah. He recog life. ''The righteous are greater in death than in life,·· because nized. of course. that people could have problems of emuna the shock of their loss awakens us to what they had to tell us. and would have to seek answers in such classics as the writ Let us. therefore. glean his teachings and incorporate them ings of Rav Saadia Gaon. Rambam, Kuzari, and Samson into our lives and those of our children. Raphael Hirsch. or in discussions with contemporary If we do, then in the words of the Horon-Steipler Tzaddik's thinkers. But he saw this as akin to treatment for a disease. blessing, the son ofReb Chaim Peretz and Bracha Kanievsky Good health is preferable to open-heart surgery. So is firm \Vill continue to illuminate the world with his Torah.Ill 8 TheJewtsh Observer/November. 1985 Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Klugman The Steipler Gaon Dimensions of a Torah Personality he true essence of the Steiplcr - the great gaon and lzaddik of T our generation - is beyond our Rabbi Meir said: Whoever engages in Torah studyfor its own sake grasp.1'he best a v..rriter can do is pres merits many things;furthermore, [the creatton oj] the entire world ent so1nc anecdotes. sayings, and inci is worthwhilefor his sake alone. He is called, ''Friend, Beloved. ·'He dents fron1 his life. and shO\\I hO\V they illus! rate a few of the dimensions that loves the Omnipresent. he loves[His] creatures, he gladdens the Om Rabbi Meir. in Avos 6. 1. attributes to nipresent, he gladdens [His] creatures. [The Torah] clothes him in hirn \Vho learns Torah /ishrno (for its humility andfear [ofG-d]; it makes him.fit to be righteous, devout, O\vn sake). fair and faithful. It moves him awayfrom sin and draws him near f-{eb Yaakov Yisrocl was born on 9 to merit. From him people enjoy counsel and wisdom, I am under Tamn1uz 5659 (1899} in the town of I·ioron-Steipcl. Russia. to Rc-b Chaim standing, mine is strength. [The Torah] gives him kingship and Peretz Kanievsky. a Chernobelcr chas dominion and analyticaljudgment: the secrets of the Torah are rev sid. and his \VifC Bracha. I.Zeb Chai1n ealed to him: he becomes like a steadily strengtheningfountain and Peretz died when Yaakov Yisrocl \Vas like an unceasing river. He becomes modest. patient. andforgiving but 7 years old. Food \Vas scarce in their of insult to himself. [The Torah] makes him great and exalts him home-. so v.rhen students of the Novara dok Yeshiva \Vere scouting for talmi above all things. dirn. his 1nother sent him \vith thcn1 Rabbi Klugman studies in 1he Kolic! ol"thc Mirrer Yeshiva in Jcrusalctn. The Jewish Obseroer/November. 1985 9 Rabbi Meir said, "Whoever studies Torah for its own sake merits many things." he Steipler·s remarkable dedi cation to Torah study was evi T dent in his hasmada. his un· ceasing toil in Torah. which was the hallmark of his personality from early youth until his passing. His mitzvos. kedusha.prishus - his personal piety - all found their roots in his 1'orah lishmo. Those who studied under him ' in Novaradok recall that he would not eat in people's houses as \Vould the other students because of the precious time lost from leaming\vhile walking t.o their houses. Instead, the meals were brought to him in the beis rnidrash. If his meal didn •t arrive he would study in hunger. as he would not take the time to find a meal. In his youth. he \\'as known for regularly going amazingly long stretches \Vithout sleep. and even in his old age he would never sleep morC' than three hours a night. A public figure once wanted to dis· cuss some comrnunity matters with him in privacy. He was told to come in the middle of the night. When he en tered the room, the Steipler was en grossed in learning. Not wishing to dis turb him. the visitor sat and waited. It \vas close to two hours before the Stei In his younger years. pler realized that somC'onc was in the room. so involved was he in his studies. saying. "Let him go and learn ... and roe! \Vas eminently suited as a husband Indeed. the picture in the rnind'seye he'll have food to cat as \vell." for his sister Miriam. Many years later of tens of thousands of people \vho I-ic celebrated his bar rnitzva in the thcC~hazon Ish told someone. "When came from all over the world to consult yeshiva - alone; he received a pair of rny faculties \vcrc sharp I \Vas able to \Vi1h him \Vill ah.vays be that of the fig tqfillin. said a Torah discourse and read chiddushei Torah and deduce the ure hunched over asejer in that smalL returned to his studies. When he \Vas level of the author's yira..c; Shon1ayim seforin1-lined room on Rechov Rash 18. the Alter of No\'aradok sent him to ~his fear ofFfeaven. It \Vas on this ba barn 10. learning yet a bit 1nore before head the yeshiva in R.ogatshov. A short sis that I selected the Rosh Yeshiva (as receiving the next visitor - even time later he was drafted into the Red he ahvays referred to the Steipler) to be snatching tnoments of Torah study be Arn1y. After his discharge. he joined his my brother- in-!a\v ... After his \vcdding t \Veen questions from the same person. Novaradok comrades in trying to found he became a n1aggid shiur in the f·Ie once had difficulty understanding veshivos undt:'r tht:' Com1nunists. but Novaradok Yeshiva in Pinsk. a Mishna in Mikvaos and as a result did \vhen that became impossible. he In 1934. at the urging of the Chazon not eat a meal for three days. Only crossed over to Poland and studied in lsh. he nloved to Eretz Yisroel. and as \Vhen he finally understood the difficult the main Novaradok Yeshiva in Bi suined the position of Rosh Yeshiva of sugya (topic) did he partake of food. He alystok. There. in 1925. he published the Novaradok Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. learned Torah in his every \Vaking mo his first s~fer. Shaarei ~revuna. In his Arter a nu1nbcr of years the Yeshiva ment - and al\.vays. ah.vays. in dire pocket he kept haskamos (approba closed and he went to learn every day in poverty. often owning but onf' suit of tions) fro1n Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grod Kolle! Chazon !sh - a post- graduate clothes. zensky of Vilna. Rabbi Menache1n levcl yeshiva. He assisted the Chazon The Rambam in 1-Iilchos TalIYiud Ziemba and the Ostrovtzer: he did not !sh in heading the kollel and assumed 1'orah that he quotes in his Birkas include them in the sejer because he its leadership after the Chazon !sh JJeretz perhaps describes him best: lacked money to cover the additional passed av.ray. He said shiurim regu "The \Vords of 1'orah do not endure printing costs. larly. but. \vith advancing years. their \Vi th one \Vho is feeble in his efforts nor The s~fer came into thf' hands of frequency decreased until he said a \Vi1h those who learn in comfo1i and in theChazon Ish in Vilna. \vho upon shiur but once a year. on the Yahrtzeit dulge themselves \~rith food and drink. reading it decided that Reb Yaakov Yis- of the Chazon Ish. They endure only \Vi th one \\rho gives 10 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 his life for them ji.e .. words of Torah] and C'Ontinually makes his body suffer, docs not give sleep to his eyes .... " The Steiplerexplains inter alia. "Each and every pain and difficulty that a person ' suffers for 'rorah, every effort expended in learning l'orah does not go to waste. As a result one will be rewarded with • the acquisition of Torah and its under J standing. in one area or another ... Therefore he who studies Torah in an guish and pain will merit that his Torah will endure ... as related by Yaakov K. to the writer " ... lishmo - for its own sake..... ' n a letter to a bachur he writes, "The Ben Torah will not. be suc Bnei Brak, Winter 5743 (1983) I cessful unless his entire aspiration come from Jerusalem and arrive at the Steiplcr's house on Rcchov is the Torah alone, Le .. to gro\vinTorah Rash barn l 0 at 11:25 P.M. A fire had recently destroyed my house and and yiras Shon1ayim. If there are addi I I came to ask (as thousands did) \Vhat the Hand of Providence \Vas point tional reasons for learning. even ing to. At 12 midnight about twenty pcoplf' remain in the courtyard also though they seem to be subordinate to waiting to see him. l'he Steipler's daughter notifies us that there will be no your main ambition ofbeeoming profi more audiences tonight. The others le.ave. At 12:30 A.M. she tells n1e that eient in 'forah, it \Vill be impossible to she must close the out.er door. I ask her if she knows of a place to sleep, and 1:5c truly successful .... she suggests Lcderman's (the Steipler's shul. further down Rashbam) - people learning there would take 1ne home, she said. So I go to Lederman " ... he loves the Omn ipresen l. .. " to spend the night. At l :30 A.M. the door opens and the Steipler. \Valking laboriously and v.rith n1uch difficulty. enters and \Valksover to inc. ''Come.'' he says. ''my daugh is love ofG-d was rr1anifested in ter mistakenly thought there was a question of yichud. We will bring a bed his fastidious devotion to His into my aparhnent." H commands. the n1itzvos. and He refuses to let me assist him as he \val ks quickly (for him), eac-h breath the joy \Vith which he performed them. exceedingly difficult. He collapses onto the last bench before his house and U .S.S.R. 1920: In the Russian Army. tells me to sit down next to him. After five minutes he stands up and \Ve H.eb Yaakov Yisroel refused to violate climg the stairs to his house. When he enters. his daughter says to him. "I the Shabbos. After one such incident, didn't want you to go." his comn1ander punished him by n1ak He replies. ''I didn't allow her to go as it is not proper for a \voman to walk ing him run the gauntlet between two with a man in the street so late at night." ro\VS of soldiers beating hi1n as he ran She tells me. "I \~ranted to a\vaken the boy \Vho sleeps with hiin but he through. No one would have ever didn't allow me to. He just put on his hat and went." lie then sitsdo\vn and kno\vn the story if he- hadn ·t mentioned takes deep ragged breaths for a few minutes. I apologize for putting him to it years later to his Rebbetzin. ''Never.'' so n1uch trouble. to\vhich he replies. "I didn'tdo anything. People think that he told her, "never did I experience when one gets older one is free of obligations." such pleasure as \Vhcn I was get.ting In the meantime his daughter sets up a bed in the small room where he beat.en for keeping Shabbos." learns and receives visitors and he brings me water for negel vasser. I ask A friend of this writer. a grandson of if I can use the alann clock. He replies. ''Of course ... and ~ets it for me. I the Kochav M'Yaakov {father of the At 2: 10 A.M. I ask the daughter what time her father goes to sleep. She re Tshebincr I~av). once visited the Stci plies. "Sometimes in a little \Vhile, sometin1es not at all." ' pler. He returned a fr.·\v weeks later and After talking \Vi th me for a few minutes over a glass of \Varn1 tea he returns again mentioned that he \Vas a grand to his Ge1nora. "I have deficits (in learning] to make up ... son of the Kochav M'Yaakov. 'l'hc Stci At 5:30 A.M. I awake and find him already up. When I return frorn daven plcr said, "Wait. Perhaps you know ing he is sitting and learning. lle insists that I eat breakfast - in the room other grandchildren of his in Jerusa where he learns. In the middle, someone comes to speak to hirn. He says to Je1n. One of them V.'as here a fe\v weeks me. ''Sometimes people don't like others to hear \Vhcn they discuss private ago~ he left something here.·· matters with n1e. so I will go to the other roon1. ·· I-Ic \vent to the other room and I protest. "Let n1e go to the other room! .. returned with a bag upon which he had ''No . ., he says. "you stay here and eat. I will go to the other roon1.·· written. ''Left here by a grandson of the Another person enters and the same scenario repeats itself. As a parting Kochav M'Yaakov." My friend opened pr~scnt he insists that I accept some money and some se_forim ... :r,vo days the bag and realized il was his 0\~1n beJore the Steiplcr had refused to serve as sandek at a bris because the steps scarf which he had unwittingly left into the house \Vere too difficult to maneuver. there a fr'\\' \Vee ks before. and said so to The Jewish Obseroer/November. 1985 11 the Steipler. The Steipler thereupon lach on the table. The Steipler told him. took the bag from him and recited. "I ''Don't look at them. You won't be able am hereby prepared to fulfill the to stand it. People have so many trou mttzva of hashovas aveida. returning bles, one has to be made of steel to be a lost article. as is \Vritten in Your To able to listen to all the suffering people rah ... " and proceeded to say all the rele tell me." vant verses in the Torah. Then with a He would often tell people who came broad smile and a hearty yasher to him with their worries. "You 're com koach, he returned the bag to its owner. plaining about difficulties? One may A young man in Bnei Brak used to not take this world to heart. You should type the handwritten manuscripts of kno\v, I had a difficult life. There were Kehilos Yaakov to be submitted to the times when there was simply no food in printer. Late one winter night the typ the house. We would make Shabbos on ist heard a knock on his door, and found black bread. In the Novaradok Yeshiva the Steipler standing there. The young in Bnei Brak I had everything. Torah. man was taken aback- did he make mussar, yiras Shomayim. The some grievous typing error?· 'I came to Yeshiva gave me everything. except for pay you for today's work,'' said the Stei one - salary. pler. "You left the papers at my house "I had much pain in raising chil· when I wasn't home, so I came now ... dren. *I had a son-in-law, a jewel (Reb "But I specifically told you when I ac Shaul Burzan): he \Vas taken from me. cepted the job that it is not necessary With his son. and in addition. it was my task to sup for you to pay me right away." port them all. From the age of seven I "True." said the Steipler. "you For many years he was Chasan To was orphaned. Believe me. I had so wanted to be sure that I wouldn't trans rah in Lederman's Shul on Simchas many reasons to take Olam Hazeh to gress the prohibition against delaying Torah, and he would give a kiddush in heart and to remain a complete am payment to a worker even overnight: his house after davening. Every year ha 'aretz- ignorant of Torah. But but what about the positive command when Simchas Torah was over. he Hakadosh Baruch Hu had pity on me ment I have of 'beyomo' - paying a would take off his kapote, don an apron and helped me not to take this world too worker on the very same day?'' and spend the next few hours washing seriously. Please. please, don •t take this every dish and cleaning every table un world to heart." " ... loves His creatures ... and til the house was spotless. "Just be He often borrowed money on his own gladdens them ... · · cause I make a simcha doesn't mean responsibility to give to people sorely in that the household has to suffer."' He need. incurring many debts of this na n Birkas Peretz the Steipler ex would then study through the night to ture. He would send money in ingen· plains that Yaakov Avinu retained compensate for time lost from learning. ious and untraceable ways to people I I the name Yaakov even though he This he did after every Simchas Torah v• .rho would be embarrassed to accept was subsequently called Yisroel, be until thelastfewyearsofhislife. when their barest necessities from others. cause each name represents different it became physically impossible. aspects of Klal Yisroel - each is of His was the broad shoulder upon equal importance. These two dimen which thousands would cry. He \vould ·· ... The Torah clothes him in sions aptly describe the two com console and con1fort people from all humility... " plementary facets of the Steipler's per \Valks of life. most of whom he did not sonality. He was YaakovYisroel: on the even know. He took each supplicant's ··whydopeoplecometome?I one hand, Yisroel who "struggled with problem personally, and seemed to ex don't know. I guess it's be Elokirn" - whose entire life was in perience it with them. cause they know I'm an old volvement in the Divine. And he was Every night before he went to sleep man and I'm always home. so why not? Yaakov, in its meaning of eikev - the he would say a few chapters of Tehillim Someone else might not be home.·· heel of a person, a person of simplicity and daven for the sufferings and trou with earthly dimensions (see Nefesh bles of his people. and especially for all Hachayim on Yaakov chevel those who had requested that he daven *Today each is outstanding in his own right. nachalaso), living with people as a per for them. Family members would find His son Hagaon Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky is son - possessing an unparalleled in him late at night crying bitterly and widely recognized for his many seforim in praying brokenheartedly for those in cluding the very popular Shoneh Halachos sight into the human condition, not and. recentlv, Derech Emunah. a Mishna hesitating to get involved in a person's need. Ben1rah tyPe of work on laws of Zeraim. lowliest and most earthly problems (see One of the people close to him once where he codifies and explains the halachos his various letters). moved about sorne of the scores of kvit- relating to the Laws of the Land. 12 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 He never permitted anyone to serve him: "You probably learned halachos at some point in your life. One may not allow himself to be served by a baal halacha ... One Erev Rosh Hashana he told his family, "On Rosh 1-Iashana every per son looks for some merit or good deed (, with \Vhich he can face his Creator. What can I say? I have accomplished nothing. l must find something. Ton1orrow I will let them take me to Lederman 's. When people will see an old man davening - admittedly, not as loudly as is proper: still. when they see a broken old man who comes to daven even though according to the din he is exempt from coming to shul, it is an inspiration. When I was small and saw anoldmandavening, itmade a powerful impression on me. At least then I will have something with which to face liashem.'' " ... andfearofG-d... " isfearofG-d was evident in his yiras cheit - fear of sin - H which was legendary. He was once about to drink a glass of tea, when someone sitting next to him mentioned that there was a fly in the drink. He couldn't sleep the entire night, he said, because he realized that if that person khadn't been there to tell him. he could have ingested a forbidden insect. Those who knew him from his days in Bialystok tell of the time there was a loud discussion in the beis midrash. Picking up his head from the Gemora. he was told that some thought that jacket linings might. possibly contain shaatnez (forbidden mixture of wool and linen). Without another word he tore the lining out. of his jacket and re sumed learning as if nothing had happened. One Shabbos in his later years he was walking home from shul when it started to pour. He sat down on a bench on Rechov H.ashbam and called over a child and requested him to help him re move his shoes and socks. He then put on the shoes and continued home. He had a hole in his shoes and was afraid that by walking he would squeeze out water from his socks, which is forbidden. He dozed off in the middle of his first encounter with his future wife, Miriam. sister of the Chazon Ish. The latter, who had arranged the match. was nat urally upset and asked him why this happened. Rcb Yaakov Yisroel ex plained that his current routine was to The Jewish Obseroer!November, 1985 13 learn for thirty hours at a stretch and bar mitzva boy later explained that \Vas not aware of the se.fer's value. So I then to sleep for six. Since he wascon1- several vears earlier, the Steipler had \vent back to find him but he wasn't ing by1 train (a six- hour trip} \vhere it seen hiffi \Valk into Lederman on Yorn there anymore, so I've never used it. .. \VOtdcl any\vay be di!Ticult to learn. he Kippur with a large sefer in his hand. ' decided to study the thirty hours befOre He had gone over to him and said." Yin ·· ... it draws him awayfrom the trip and sleep for the six-hour train gel. today we daven. not learn." The sin ... ·· ride. When he boarded the train. ho\v boy replied that it \vas not a Gemora ever. and sa\v the upholstcrt>d scats, he bu.t rather a large-size machzor. The he Steipler only accepted \\'as afraid that they might contain Sleiplerhad then made it his business money from a select few. One of sh<1at11cz. so he stood for the dura to find out when the boy would be bar T this group once received a sub ' tion of the trip. and thus had not slept n1Uzva, because as a minor he could stantial sum for the Steipler from some ' ror the previous 36 hours. not grant rnechila - forgiveness. He one v..1ho was himself penniless. This re found out \Vhen and \vhere the bar cipient surmised that the source of the n1itzva 'A'as being celebrated so he money \Vas a relative of the donor. a could ask for his forgiveness at the first notorious apikores. The money was possible opportunity. put together \Vith other sums and There \Vere times \vhen he smoked. brought to the Steipler before Yorn Tov but never during the Shmitta Sabbati with no comment as to Hs source. After cal vcar. \Vhen there were halachic Yorn Tov the Steipler·s daughter queStions about using Israeli tobacco. returned a portion of the money: "My Someone once asked him. "Doesn't it father says he doesn't need it." The bother vou not to smoke during amount returned corresponded to the shrnitta?" penny with the a1nount received fron1 ''Shrnitta to me.·· he replied. "is like the questionable source. Shabbos. I simply don't need it. .. When in the Russian Army. he once " ... From him people enjoy dre\v guard duty in the sub-zero Rus counsel and wisdom... ·· ' sian \Vinter. 1'he Army provided a spe cial greatcoat for those on outside duty, but Reb Yaakov Yisroel 'A'as not sure housands of people knocked at that the collar did not contain shaat his door for advice on every The Chazon !sh. nez. While it is forbidden to wear shaat T question imaginable: the nez. not to \Vear the coat in such frigid yeshiva bachur for a derech halimud. He considered mussar vital to his \veather \Vas pikuach nefesh. a matter the businessman \Vith a financial ques spiritual \Veil-being. and learned it ev of life or death. which overrules the pro tion. the communal askan on a klal is erv dav of his life. When he satshiva for hibition of shaatnez. He concluded sue. the rash yeshiva regarding a policy n10ther. he asked theChazon !sh if hi~ that if he did not put on the coat for the matter in his institution, the rebbi with he \Vas permitted to learn n-iussardur first ten minutes his life would not be in a chinuch query. the layman V..'ith a inf; the shiva even though it is Torah. danger. After that ... he then said to him· medical question. and all for a bracha \Vhich is normally forbidden. The self. "I \Von 't die from another ten or a tefilla for success in their en Chazon !sh replied in the affirmative. minutes.·· and so he passed the entire deavors. Each person \vent away with night "just ten minutes more" until he the feeling that he had consulted this ·· ... and it makes himfit to be 'A'as relieved fron1 guard duty. As a re generation's Urim V'tumim (the Ko righteous, devout.fair and sult. however. his inner ear was ir hein Gadol's breast-plate. which fur faithful. .. ·· reparably damaged. and he became nished answers to queries posed by progressively more hard of hearing as Klal Yisroel). Often noanswer\vasalso he Stcipler once appeared at a he grew older. an ans\ver .... Whether or not one fully bar mitzva uninvited. lie Someone once quoted a thought understood the reasoning behind the T \Valked up to the bar mitzva fro1n theKochavMiYaakovtohim. He counsel proferred. one did not question boy. sat dov,rn next to him and spoke to commented. ''I havethcsefer. I bought its value. I him for a minute. The family and it many years ago from a man selling 1'here are countless stories of a reply guPsts \Vere astounded. He hadn ·t been old seforim on Rechov Allenby in Tel or a remark by the Steipler that seemed invited and hardly kne\v the family. - Aviv. When I came home I realized that to be at variance with popular thinking And \vhat did he say to the boy? 'fhe he had undercharged me: he probably or not in consonance with the peti- 14 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 'I j 4 • q I Rav Horowitz and Rav Chaim Kanievsky were among the listeners at a special shiur given by theSteipler(l.)each year at the Kollel Chazon !sh on the Chazon !sh 's Yahrzeit. tioncr·s kno\vlcgc of the situation un a Bnci Brak resident in Tammuz A \Vhile later the husband reported to derqucslion. But l'>Nl)'J D1Vi1 TlV- "the 5739/1979, his \Vido\v found among his the Steipler that his v..rifc \Vas suffering 1 secrets of Hashem and of His universe papers a note that read: "Be sure to say fron1 various pains. "Baruch arc \Vith those who truly fear Him. UJ Yonl Kippur Kattan - the special Hasheni," the Steipler said. "shc·s I ti1nately his C'ounsel proved correct. penitential prayers.·· Upon seeing this, expecting.·· From \Vhere comes the ability of one the \Vido\v became very agitated, and "But it's impossible for me to have individual to give advice and counsel asked her son \Vhat he kne\v about the children and the pains have no connec on the vast variety or problems the note. She added that on Rosh Chodesh tion to pregnancy ... protested the hus world has to offer? And ho\v does one Tarnmuz evening. her husband had band. '· l3aruch lia..:;hem. she ·s expect explain the fact that when he said omitted Yaaleh Veyavo fro1n the ing:· the Steipler persisted. so1ncthing that appeared to be in con bentching. She had stopped hiln in the The v.1ifc underwent tests. which tradiction with the facts he \Vas invari n1iddlc and reminded hi1n that it \vas proved negative. "What do they ably correct? F~osh Chodesh. He blanched and for a kno\v." said the Steipler. "Baruch The Sages teach that an unborn in fpw 1no1nents was unable to continue. I-la..:;hern. she's with child ... fant is taught the entire 1'orah and has When his wife asked him what \Vas the 1'he follo\ving \Veek she under\vcnt the spiritual po\ver to "see'' from one matter, he replied that he had forgotten another examination and the results end of the universe to the other. Before to recite Yon1 Kippur Kattan that clay. V·.rer(' positiVE'. birth. this Torah knowldegc is taken She \Vas puzzled. "It's an optional 1'he llashes of insight he evinced from him. Why only the 1'oi-ah knowl prayer - it's not like forgetting to \\'hen perusing a kvittel \Vere often as edge? Why is he not also deprived of his daven or to bentch." sht' said. tounding."' other spiritual gift. the ability to be all The husband did not reply ... That On a number of occasions he was kno\ving? The ansv.,1er is simple: all month he passed a\vay. given a kvittel \Vith a request to pray spiritual accomplishment derives from The son explained that a number of that someone be blessed with children. the Torah. Takca\vaytheembryo·s 1'o years before. t\vo brothers of the de This writer is a\vare of cases where he rah and all other kno,vlcdgc disappears ceased had died at a young age. l·Ie had refused to bless specific names on the with it. On the other hand. the person sent his son to the Steipler to ask v..rhat list. ··1--1e doesn't keep family purity; I who imbibes 'I'orah. absorbs Torah. to do so that no harm befall him. 'l'he \von't give him a bracha" - and he and becomes unified \Vith Torah. be Steipler advised him to say Yorn Kip \Vas invariably right. One such person comes remarkably kno\vledgeable of pur Kattan every month. For many \Vho had sent a kvittel with a neighbor the world. With the regaining (to some years the husband 1nade sure to say it extent) of the prenatal status of vast To regularly: this \Vas the first time he had • Rabbi Elchonon Wassern1an. '.J":::lt. ren1arkcd that the Chafetz Chaim someho\.v rah \Visdom eoines the accompanying forgotten .... knev.; \.Vhatever he needed to kno\v ahou1 each ability to "see .. all that the universe en He once proposed a match to a nian person who came to see him. The Brisker Rav compasses.* \Vho \Vas divorced because he v..ras in explained that 1he Chofetz Chaim devotf'd his ... "Eitza" - refers to counsel in non capable of having children. 1'he entire life to be mezakeh es harabirn - in siritual matters. After the passing of \Von1an. however. cOuld bearchildreri.' spire others to righteousness - which 111erits 1'he prospective husband protested access to the requisite4tnowledgc for the task. In his old age it was no longer possible for him I it *Based on an explanation given by the late that \Vas not fair to her. ··1)on;lf to gather all necessary information for each Sat111arH.ebbc to Rabbi Leib Mallin and Rabbi v..rorry." the Stciplcrrcplicd. ··you \v.ilr pf'rson. s0Hashe1n provided him with the re Moshe Shisgal. n:nJ.'.J o'.J'::i )YlJi . have children." · quired information to continue his work. The Jewish Observer/November. 1985 15 would tell many bachurim. "You're hardly gets anything accomplished." depressed, and I'll tell you why: be He would also tell people lo study mus cause you learn to gain recognition. sarfor ten minutes each day with their You have to learn for one reason only: children. This world is like a marketplace of 60, 70 years duration. Afterwards you will " ... wisdom ... " come to a world where nothing, noth ing at all has value. Not money, not granddaughter came of age honors. not your standing in society, and he asked someone to find not friends, not family nor lineage. Only A her a shidduch. When asked blatt Gemora and hours (spent learn what he should look for in a bachur, the ing) have value there. It is as if you Steipler replied, "Look for a seichel come to a country where all of your hayashar (roughly, a rational mind), cash is worthless. You could have been hasmada, and good character." wealthy in your hometown. but over "What do you mean good charac there all your riches are useless. The ter?" that person queried. "Doesn·t only currency is blatt and hours learning Torah make one into a from the U.S. was so shaken by the [learned]." mentsch?'' Steipler's awareness of this from He would be asked for advice on the "A person who learns diligently," the merely looking at his name that he be entire gamut of problems that troubled Steipler replied, "has as his best friend came a baal teshuva. Bnei T'orah. In a letter he writes: his sh tender- his desk. with which he A student at a well-known Jerusalem ·'The main remedy ... is to toil at To sits day and night. The shtender is al yeshiva went to the Steipler for ables.<; rah study even \Vhenonehasnodesire ways healthy, never asks him to throw ing a few days before his upcoming (to learn) and when worried. Also to out the garbage. never needs a kind nuptials. Upon reading the kvittel. the pray to Hashem that He should protect word; so why shouldn't he be nice to it? Steipler asked him. "Who will be you from any transgression. Every But you don't necessarily learn good officiating at your wedding - your thing you wrote about your depression midos from this." mesader kedushin?'' will disappear completely if you learn ··sut doesn't the Torah refine a "My Rosh Yeshiva." the boy replied. diligently for five years without paying person?" "Please tell him that I must sec him any attention, even if it seems as if you Replied the Steipler, "[fa person is immediately.'' are not as happy as your friends. (In unrestrained in his behavior and then When the Rosh Yeshiva came, the truth , every person has his own prob settles down to study Torah. the Torah Steipler asked him. "How do you per lems, even if they are not apparent to will modify his conduct, but learning mit a Jewish girl to marry a non-Jewish others.) Problems such as yours are Torah will notforceone to be good. For boy?" The Rosh Yeshiva thought that common among Bnei Torah. They dis that one has to work on oneself and perhaps he had not heard heard him appear completely when one becomes study mussar." correctly. The Steipler repeated the outstanding in Torah. The main thing l-le did not hide his impatience with question. 1~hereupon he investigated is to take no notice at all of matters of older bachelors who were pursuing a the matter and it turned out that the prestige; ultimately you will receive fantasy - the perfectly suited mate, boy's mother had converted to Juda recognition. You are always thinking of with good looks, brains, weaith, family, ism many years before, when the boy yourself. Your entire letter is filled with idealism .... was an infant. Her conversion was not 'I, I. I,' and this is your problem. You "Many times," the Steipler com valid for the son. so he had remained a must toil like an ox at his yoke and not mented, "young men in their mid non-Jew. think that all of life should be as you twenties and older, cry tome, 'Where's There are many more similar stories. please. The present will be as it will be my pre-destined shidduch?' I tell them, 'f An explanation? We have none ... other and the future - your standing will be 'Youmetheralreadyfiveyearsago, but than the few paragraphs from Chayei assured if you will learn with hasmada passed her by in your search for the per ~ Olam that were quoted in the introduc and daven about what bothers you." fect wife. She has since married some· tory section. (See Chayei Olam. Section II. Chapters one else.'" I 11and12forotheradvice re: success in He would stress time and again to learning.) yeshiva bachurim: "A yeshiva ~ " ... toshiya-spiritual counsel..." He would often tell people to learn as bachur must be aware that Hashem ' much Mishnayos and Mid rash as pos gave us a gift called life. Each day in life eshiva bachurim and kollel sible with their children. "Learn it sim has 24 hours and these hours are the yungeleil would often ask for ply without any big questions, and it currency with which one can buy Y advice on how to succeed in will entertheir heads easily. As one gets greatness - in Torah, mitzvos and in their studies or for guidance when they older, learning becomes more diffi. mussar. Eight hours is the average that felt their learning was not up to par. He cult. .. with so rnany questions, one one must sleep. It need not be in one 16 The Jewish Obseroer!November. 1985 I f stretch. Six at night and two in the day, or seven and one is also fine, each per son according to his needs. Two hours a day are to be spent at davening, an other two hours for eating and taking care of other bodily needs - all to gether twelve hours. So one is left with twelve undisturbed hours net. With these twelve hours one can finish the mesechta every z 'man and in five or six years finish Mo'ed, Nashim. and Nezikin, and then become knowledge able in Kadoshim, Taharos and Zer a 'im. In this way one can become a gadol b 'Torah and be proficient in the entire Shas. The trouble is that some learn only eight hours. The Talmudic adage. 'If you leave me {Torah] forone day I shall leave you for two.' means that if you waste four hours - then the eight that you have studied are can celled out. You spend your entire life in income and expense. ~rhe income of eight hours is spent through the toll of the four wasted hours and your entire life you will earn nothing.,. He would advise married men. "You must help your wife. If you help her as much as possible and in the kollel you truly spend your time at study. she will " ... The Torah gives him Several years ago a halachic question be understanding. and Hashern will kingship and dominion ... ·· arose as to whether one was permitted spare you unnecessary distractions." to cooperate with the census takers in e \Vas the undisputed leader for Israel - is ii included in the prohibition "and strength... " a large segment of the Torah against counting Jews? Rabbi Yoseif H community in Eretz Yisroel. Shalom Eliashuv, N"\J')W. one of the Because so many religious issues are leading halachic authorities of Eretz e devoted his days to people intertwined with community facts of Yisroel. ruled in the affirmative. but who came to be comforted and life in Israel, both religious leaders and \Vhen he heard that the Steiplerforbade H strengthened. He would often political figures sought his counsel on it, he reversed himself in favor of the tell them. ··1 envy you your suffering. It countless matters. Stcipler·s opinion. is an asset that one should not sell for all 1'he Steipler n1ade it clear on nurncr the money in the world." His words ous occasions that he viewed Agudath constantly encouraged the depressed Israel as the sole political vehicle for ac "The secrets of the Torah are and the downtrodden. complishing 'l'orah goals. In a letter revealed to him, and he becomes like a steadily strengthening A maggid-shiur (lecturer} in a responding to a query several years fountain ... " yeshiva once came to him with a stu ago. he wrote: dent \Vho had spent five years in the ··one n1ust vote for Agudath Israel. yeshiva apparently without success. Aside from the call of our great contem he Stcipler \Vas and is literally ·'Perhaps,'· said the Rosh Yeshiva. "it porary rabbis to do so. we have the the tcaC'her of tens oft housands is time for him to go to work:· The directive of1'orah giants of the previous T of people \Vho study his seforirn. Steipler turned to the boy and asked generations. such as f{abbi Aaron Ko ThcvolumcsofKehilas Yaakov. \vhich him gently. "When you entered tler and 1he Ga on ofTchebin. nJ1JJ D)11J~ arc studied the \Vorld over by the most yeshiva were you able to learn Mis whose viev.,1s arc still binding, lOr the sit· cn1incnt Rosh Yeshiva as \veil as the hnayos on your own?'' uation has not changed since then .... ln simple beginner. arc among the very "'No:· replied the boy. addition to strengthening religion. a fe\v seforin1 ever \Vritten on topics in ··were you able to learn Kitzur Shul vote for Agudath Israel represents a Shas to achieve v.ridc-sprcad accep j chan Aruch when you came to the po\verful Kiddush ffashe1n. for it is a tance during the author·s lifetin1e. It yeshiva?·· public declaration that the voter is a brings to mind the Pri Megadirn's as ''No.'' loval servant ofG-d. 1'o endeavor to in sertion that if a sefer is very \Videly ac J ''And now?'' c;case the vote for Row GiTnmel cepted it is conclusive evidence that its I "'Yes, I can," was the answer. (Agudath Israel) is certainly a precious author has learned Torah lishmo (for The Sleiplcr said firmly lo the Rosh rniizua and a great source of merit." its o\vn sake]. Yeshiva. ''For shame! Is this called lack His dominion was not only over the He selected what to publish with of success in learning? Let him stay in rank and file of Torah Jewry, but even painstaking care. He would review yeshiva and he will be successful." over its undisputed halachic decisors. each chapter six or seven times before The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 17 I 1 publishing, removing almost half the manuscript, in making certain to pub lish only what he felt was correct be yond any doubt. He would often re • move more chapters in a second edition. His seforim were never sold in stores f - only in his house. Nor would he sell complete sets to individuals. ''Why do you need a set - to fill the bookcase?'' ' And yet there is scarcely a yeshiva ' bachur the world over who does not own and use one or more of his seforim. The Sefer Shiurim Shel Torah dis cusses the measurements pertaining to ' various mitzvos. He studied the entire subject in one bein haz'manim (inter session) after which he wrote the entire sejer. There are hundreds of gen1atrios in t the last section of his Birkas Peretz on I Chumash. These demonstrate how a saying of Chazal on a given pasuk very At the levaya. often contains the exact numerical • equivalent of a corresponding phrase in Steipler for his approval. he replied, "l the end of each notebook. The last en the Torah. The Steipler once remarked can't advise you to proceed. Surgery is try in the last notebook of chiddushei that these come to him effortlessly dur dangerous, and the doctor's medical Torah reads as follows: "20 Tammuz: ing the Torah reading on Shabbos. evidence is speculative .... Ask Rav I do not owe anyone anything. Praise Shach. flis muskal rishon - first G-d:' During the following week he would nnn '' 1 11 o:i thought - on any matter is Daas To check them for accuracy. .1l'7Y 'J-N'J n:iw ,i1)'.),N)'.) V'N' l"n ')'N The Sleipler. when he had the rah. Do you think that when he talks to (as related by M.G .. a member of the }Omfly) strength. would accept any request to you he is not thinking in learning? Approximately 200.000 people came act as sandek, holding the child at his Whatever he tells you is, in effect. the in the sweltering Bnei Brak heat to the bris. Asked why the R'MA 'sstatement Torah that is talking... most massive funeral in Eretz Yisroel that being sandek brings one wealth They went to H.abbi Shach and told since the Churban. 1'hey were all there. did not hold true in his case. he an him the entire story. Rabbi Shach re The yeshiva bachur. the manual la swered that the R'MA refers to what plied, "According to Torah law you borer, the Rosh Yeshiva, the profes ever is important to the individual. ''For should undergo the operation - but sional. the Chassidic Rebbe. his fol me. it means my seforim." with one condition. Reb Yaakov Kanievsky must give you his blessing. lowers, the Bais Yaakov In that case the operation will surely student ... businessman and kollel fel ~ " ... He becomes modest, patient low, housewife and cheder yingel. and forgiving of insult. .. " succeed." With Rabbi Shach's Torah judgment Sefardi and Ashkenazi, male and fe bolstered by the Steipler's warm bless male, young and old - they all came lo r is humility was legend. As pub ings. the surgery was successful. There honor and take leave of their father. I lic a person as he was, his true are countless similar stories. teacher and leader, to take leave of the H tzidkus will never be known. man the Tshebiner Rav called the tzad From the little he inadvertently did re dik of their generation. veal we can appreciate how much of his ''The Torah elevates him and How. one wonders, did the Steipler ! essence can never even be glimpsed. exalts him above all things·· ... a - great as he was - become so univer During the lifetime of the Chazon human being like us, yet so far sally respected? One might suggest the !sh. theSteipler kept himself totally ob beyond our perception. This is following: The Steipler·s hearing was t the sum total and sole scured from the public eye and subor severely impaired for the last thirty-five dinated himself to his illustrious description of such a life. years of his life - and he was effectively t brother-in-law on every matter, public sheltered from banalities, slander and or private. More recently, the mutual n Friday night. the 23rd day of obscenities. His itinerary of travel was respect. admiration and cooperation Av, after a month-long illness contained within Bnei Brak and was between the Steipler and the Ponevezh O he returned his pure and right limited to places of study, worship and Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Elazar Shach. eous soul to his Creator at the age of86. mitzva-related activity. So many years N11 n?:P, was most remarkable In each of the notebooks-upon of total immersion in sanctity shielded When signing a public proclamation notebooks of chiddushei Torah written him from life's corrosive elements. and together with Rav Shach. N"D''JV, he over the last forty years. he always re brought him closer to pure objectivity would insist that the latter sign first. served the last page for keeping a rec than otherwise imaginable. Free of A woman in Bnei Brak suffering ex ord of all his debts and loans ... "I compromising entanglements. he was treme pain was advised by her doctor to owe: ... 50 to Ma'aser, 200 to so-and beholden to no one. and thus belonged undergo surgery. When she asked the so,. .. owes me 30,. .. etc." - a full page at to everyone. i1&tl 18 The Jewish Observer/November. 1985 ----- FOUR NEW TITLES FROM FELDHEIM••• JUST IN TIME FOR CHANUKAH! Strive for Truth! VOL. II Inspiring& The Contemporary Heartwarming Hashkofo Classic reading••• Michtav My Soul Me-Eliyahu Thirsts Still Here, at last, is Rarely has an English volume two in the work of Torah literature translation of Rabbi attained the popularity of MY SOUL THIRSTS. 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Not quite fairy tale, not And the reader, all the while, cannot help but share in their feelings and adventures as they all search for a solution to the perplexing quite true, this charming tale has a happy ending problem-called CHAVIE. based on the age-old Jewish maxim. 1 'Who is wealthy; the one who is content with his portion." It will Here is a constructive, encouraging, and well written book for pre-teens and teens alike; which will provide-not only worth delight the kindergarten crowd. By Yaffa Ganz. Fully while reading, but hours of precious afterthought as v11ell. ' illustrated in color by Harvey Klineman. Ages 3-6. Available at Jewish bookstores or order from: Send for a FREE Copy of our Catalogue. 6 FELDHEIM PUBLISHERS When in Jerusalem visit our bookstore at ~ 200 Airport Executive Park, Spring Valley, NY 10977 20 Strauss St. Tel. (02) 233-544. f-..l 914-356-2282 • Visa & Master Card accepted \_,V i\\\':> ~ r-"~ ~~ \\r-" v~"' "~i'l r-.\\ -:,!" ~9~\) AN URGENT CALL \)~ i0~ ~~"'~0 TO OUR JEWISH BRETHREN AND YESHIVA TALMIDIM ; '{0\) \\r-"~ At this awesome time, as we are all stunned by the great spiritual void that has befallen I our world with the passing of the giant and saint Hagaon Harav Yaakov Yisroel Kanevsky, of Steiple Zecher Tzadik Livrocho it is our utmost imperative and obligation to attempt to fill somewhat this void by re dedicating ourselves to the diligent study of Tor ah and to the fervent observance of Mitz vohs. Each individual must strive to increase and enhance his Torah commitment in a deep and significant way. By the agreement and advice of our elder sages, the great Roshei Yeshiva of our day, it is also deemed most appropriate and necessary to contribute "KOFER NEFESH" (redemption tax) towards the cause of Torah education and Torah study in the Holy Land, to strengthen the needy Torah institutions that face an acute crisis at this time. The "Kofer Nefesh" funds will be sent directly to the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponivez, Hagaon Harav Elazar Shach, shlita, to be distributed at his discretion to the Torah institutions, and the Torah Schools of Chinuch Atzmai for their specific critical needs. This appeal is being issued in consultation with and by the direct suggestion of the Ponivez Rosh Yeshiva. Each family is to contribute ' a minimum of seventy-two dollars. l Individuals should also contribute to the best of their ability and with an inspired heart. l May the Almighty accept our Tzedaka and prayers as a z'chus against any further I anguish and pain, and may we merit a year of geulah and salvation for Kial Yisroel. ' I The Special Committee I Horabbonim Leib Bakst Mordechai Giller Binyomin Paler Shmuel Berenbaum Shmuel Kamenetsky Avrohom Pam Simcha Bunim Ehrenfeld Aryeh Malkiel Kotler Yaakov Perlow Shmuel Avigdor Faivelson Levi Krupenia Elya Svei Yosef Yitzchok Feigelstock Avrohom Chaim Levin Mordechai Weinberg David Feinstein Yaakov Weinberg Make checks payable to EMERGENCY ISRAELI EDUCATION FUND and send to treasurer of special committee Horav Avrohom Pam 582 East 7th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11218 An Open Letter to My Friend Behind the Wheel ear Friend, What am I upset about? Let me what was going on than it was forme I've wanted to speak to you cite one example. to ignore the bus driver's remark: D for a while, but haven't been The other day I was on a bus that "He's just like the rest of those.... " able to muster up the nerve, Then I was smoothly making its way down With thesewords,asickeningfeel saw a letter inJ.O. entitled "An Open the avenue,* when suddenly the ing overcame me-one that I've Letter to My Neighbor in Shu!," and driver slammed on the brakes. There known before. Another incident decided that this would be an excel you were nosing out of a side comes to mind, and then, too, it was lent means of communication. street-that is, you already were way you at center stage (or behind the Although I refer to you as "my past the stop sign, your car halfway curtain, as I'll explain). friend behind the wheel," I certainly into the intersection, leaving the on don't expect you to be there while coming traffic no choice but to stop t was Erev Shabbos, and again I you're reading this, although know to let you through. (Critical, as I am, I was on the city bus. (Fridays, I ~ ing your driving habits, it would not must commend you for your bravery. I find I can get further faster with really surprise me. Rather, it's be· After all, you took the risk of meeting my car in thedriveway.)The bus was cause I'm often upset byyour actions up with a hot-headed driver who forced to stop behind your car, which J behind the wheel, but nevertheless, might have ... But you don't get the you double-parked opposite a res j consider you a friend. prize for blind driving. I once saw taurant where you were purchasing You're probably wondering why someone else pull a similar stunt. take-out food for Shabbos. The driv I've chosen J.O,, a magazine dedi but this fellow had children in the er's honks seemed to fall on deaf l, cated to spreading Torah values and back seat. Someone rolled down his ears. (You could not have heard the viewpoints, as the vehicle for criti· window and yelled, "So you don't angry mutterings of the bus driver cizing your driving habits. However, care about yourself-but what about and passengers, but I unfortunately l this is precisely my point. In my your kids?!") did.) humble opinion, driving, which af I happened to be standing near The driver did not have the option I fects so many others-Jew and non the front of the bus at the time and of using the opposite lane during a Jew alike-carries with it enormous watched you as you stared straight break in the oncoming trdffic to go responsibility, as mandated by the ahead, apparently oblivious to the around your car. for there was ano Torah. honks that your action provoked. ther double-parked car across the I am not referring to the obligation Well, it was undoubtedly easier for street! When after two or three min to safeguard one's own life and the you to close your ears and mind to utes that other car moved, the bus lives of others. which should be self finally proceeded. understood (though, sadly. too often "'The "avenue" may be identified by a number or Believe me, my friend, I try to judge letter, or a nice WAS.Py name like "Euclid." is forgotten). My point is an alto· "Devon" or "Fatrfax"; you'll recognize it by what others favorably. In the first incident gether different one. happens on it. never mind its name. cited you were possibly on your way The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 21 Ridiculous, isn't it? leave your car home, but I am sug Well. there are physical tragedies gesting that it Is preferable to park and spiritual ones-one of the sev· several blocks away from your desti· erest being chillul Hashem.And I'm nation and walk the remaining dis· afraid that this is what you are risk· tance, rather than bring home ing every time you flagrantly ignore Shabbosfood that is tainted by chil· rules of driving, parking and traffic lulHashem at the expense of others. • • • I wouldn't be writing to you if I Then there's the guy who parks in didn't think you were someone to the middle of a traffic lane-'Tmjust whom the words "chillul Hashem" stopping for a second to drop off a mean a great deal. I've seen you passenger"-says goodbye for five cringe when reading of a scandal minutes, and ties up traffic for involving a religious Jew, and I've blocks. Squandered space is only witnessed your anguish upon hear to perform a chessed or some mitz· half the problem. The other is ing of open strife between religious va/1' in the second, it was Erev Shab· sound-the noise pollution of the groups. But isn't it also a chillul bos, an extremely busy, hectic day impatient horn-honkers.... And let's without counterpart in any other Hashem when someone's actions not forget the man with the fastest culture-who but Jews understand cause gentiles and non-religious honk In the East, who tolerates no the expression "a short Friday"? And Jews to fume at "that inconsiderate more than a four-second delay before I am aware that finding a parking Orthodox guy"? his hands hits the horn. space in our neighborhood is ex· And even if we are dealing with a neighborhood thatisexclusivelyOr ow, before anyone sitting tremely difficult Still, there is no question but that thodox (a rarity indeed), doesn't smugly in his armchair con· your actions were way off base in simple Menschlichkeit preclude N gratulates himself on being innocent of the above-mentioned in· terms of Torah ethics. such behavior? Is there any justifi· Let me offer one final case, a rather cation to cause another person dis fractions, realize that the same prin· extreme one, to better illustrate my tress and frustration by-for exam· clple can be applied to dozens of point pie-blocking off his driveway for other situations that occur daily. •' lack of another option? Like that fellow who was standing friendofminewasstanding The following may seem a bit before a computerized teller ma· on a street comer approxi sharp. but I honestly feel that a seu· chine, filling out four deposit slips A mately one half-hour before das Shabbos consisting of foods while the line in back of him grew. candle-lighting time. Suddenly, a car purchased the way you did that Fri· Despite the protests of those behind swerved around the comer, Indy· day, is in the category of a mitzva him, he refused to move aside to 500 style, and barely missed hitting habba ba'aveim-agood deed root· complete his forms, because that a young boy. My friend shouted at ed in a destructive one. In a similar would have meant going to the back the driver to slow down, to which the vein, the Chofetz Chaim once com· of the line. He was in a rush-it was man replied, "But it's almost Shab· mented on those who desecrate Erev Pesach-but so what? bos!" Hashem's name by quarreling in Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, Now. my friend, I certainly don't public for the sake of a "holy" cause: """''"' was about to take his place put you in the same class as that "Even when they observe mitzvos, it at the end Qf a long line waiting to well, imbecile. Any man who can is as if they are thrown into a basket board a bus, when a religious Jew make the statement he did, after with no bottom." in the front of the line called out experiencing such a narrow escape "Rebbe, come here, infront Qf me!" from tragedy, has a problem that 'msureyouseemypointbynow. Replied Reb Yaakov, "I'm not goes far deeper than reckless driving However, you may feel-as did permitted to. It's stealing." habits. I the fellow who zoomed 'round "I'm mochel-I don't mind." However, let us examine his line of the comer-that there simply is no "But what about everybody else reasoning. This fellow felt (or at least option. After all, you must make behind you?" said the Rosh Ye· claimed he felt) that regardless of these purchases. and what can you shiva. "I'm stealing their time and the risks, he must get himself and do if there are no parking spaces choice ofseat by moving them back his car home as quickly as he could, available? one. Who says they're mochel ?" in order to avoid any possible en· Well. my friend, I just can't accept And he took his place at the end J' counter with Chillul Shabbos. (In that There are other means of Qfthe line. an emergency. couldn't he have transportation besides driving. In As Rabbi Ylsroel Salanter re· parked his car and walked?) In his ancient times, people practiced a marked, "If people would only ob· blindness. he ignored the risks of very healthy exercise-it was called serve Choshen Mishpot-Jewish tragedy for the sake of a mitzva. walking. I'm not suggesting that you civil law, which deals with monetary 22 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 and property rights-90% of their inter-personal problems would be avoided."-And a lot of Chillul Announcing Hashem. as well, one might add. A major new work Some infractions are more subtle than others, but that should not STUDENT EDITION make a difference if we are really concerned with bettering ourselves, OFHALACHOS and not taking unfair advantage of OFTEFILLIN others. I recall, for example, the com plaints of a car-service driver who in English (224 pages) poured out his heart to me. In his S'T'UD'E"i}.T 'EDl'TJO:'{of by Rabbi Shimon Eider struggle to earn a living, he had JfA L:KHOS of Comprehensive • Authoritatlue encountered people-among them T'E'Jll[J'\(_ . some of our own-who seemed to Deals wlth .. practlcal ·halacha feel that because he was hired by In modem circumstances them, he was not entitled to the same consideration as other human • Complet~ ln ten chapters • The perfect Bar Mitzvah .Sift beings. • Close to 50 .photogril.phs and illusttations • Excell~tnt fot a fa'ther to teat::h ·HilChos • What to look Jor when l)u:rchasing T elillin Tefiflln tO hls son When the wagon-driuerfor Rabbi • A stet>·by-ste.p guide :for putthi~ on ·an.d • The. ideal gift for Syn·agogues 'tci pr~sent to Meir Shapiro heard that the great removing TefiU!n the Bat Mitzvah ·boy·. Rav of Lublin had died. he ex • ComprehenSive Table of ctuitents and 11 Geared to Si?rve as.a text for Ye~hl•ios claimed, "Woe is me! I would readi 'indexes artd daY s·chools ly giue my own life that the Rav should liue instead!" From this $11.95 (hard coo") $9. 95 {softcouer) statement we can be certain that Rabbi Meir Shapiro showed the Special Pre-Publication Offer· u~til Decembe.r 9, 1985 (5 l(islev 5746) man the same respect and concern $9. 95 (hard cover) that he did his beloued talmidim. Available in Hebrew·.Book Stores or from: n closing, I'd like my "friends" to HALACHA PUBLICATIONS know that I don't consider myself 418 Twelfth Street, Lake~ood, N.J. 08701 I above the criticisms I listed. I (201)363-3980 know better than anyone that my own actions are in need of improve ..... - ...... - .... '"'!'-~ ...... ______Ordeffor'rh.•------·-·••-·------:--• ment. I write only because 1 feel it is an 111wy';r nY. a time when one must act. The need for Hashem 's mercy is great. and as Pirkei Avos states: ,DD'n nn1) !11'"1'.li"I n11\!J JJ .1'n'n nn1J 01pnn nr1 c.,... ------S1a1l!'&Zip·~...:..--...-:....------"If one's fellow is pleased with him, then the spirit of the Omnipresent is pleased with him." (3,13). PLEASE SEND "One's fellows" (briyos-literally, ... Copies STUDENT EDITION OF HAL.ACHOS OF l'E.Fl.LLIN creatures) refers to those of all reli !Hatd Cover) at $9. %' gions and creeds. They must find our ways pleasant so that we, in . Copies STUDENT ltDITION OF HALACHOS Of' TEf'ILLIN !S<>ft Cover) at $6. % • tum, can live to see the day when all the world will be governed by the ·.Pte0$4!. :add 80 CentS ·per ..uolume 'tor .. postage·.·Ond handling,· Canada dtid foreign, p'/et::se Torah, of which it says: add $1.40 terit.!i per uolume. Ol';r'tl 1)!11:l'J1) 'J:>l OYJ ''.:>11 ''J11 "Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace" (Mishlei Sp•d•I r.atn for bulk .orders. Prepaid order• •teepted only, 3,17). 1 am ·e'f1c.IOsiriil a CheC·k or mOnev· O~d~r f0r tatoi of s· -"'---~-.-··{U}S; CUrrencY.J, 4' Sincerely, your friend ' NAME WITHHELD UPON REQUEST The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 23 Announcing a major new study aid for every student of the Talmud young or old ''!1!1 'Tl~ ;n!1\!I '1lNip~;i ;:> The sefer includes 4 parts: 1. Every single pasuk quoted anywhere in Shas, with clear vowels and trop. 2. A simple, clear explanation of all difficult words or phrases. 3. A complete index, telling where every The Fischel & Alta Tennenbaum pasuk is discussed in the Gernara, Rashi Memorial Foundation and Tosafos. 2621 Avenue M 4. Over 10,000 citations ofpesukim that are Brooklyn,NY11210 not given by Misores HaShas, by Harav Enclosed please find my contribution of HaGaon Yehoshua Rubin, N"IJ>?~. ___ ($113 for each sefer) Can you imagine how many hours such a which entitles me to copies of sefer would save you every year? And how 'J::t::t 11n'.7n::il!.I nil'npnn '.7::> much it would enrich your learning Name______experience? Address ______This sefer is published as a public service City ______State__ _ by the FISCHEL &ALTA TENNENBAUM MEMORIAL FOUNDATION, which Zip------ supports Gernach and Hachnosses Kallah Please make checks payable to Fischel & funds and the publication of Torah words. Alta Tennenbaum Memorial Foundation ...... ,.,,.., __ ---, Chaim David Zwiebel Where Do Our Secular Jewish Brethren Stand? arlier this year. at a $500-a meaning of, or between the provi plate dinner at the Park Ave sions of, the First Amendment's two E nue Synagogue on New York's proscriptions regarding govern· Upper East Side, the American Jew mental involvement in religion: the ish Congress launched a major new "Establishment Clause" was de· initiative to raise $I million over signed to ensure thatAmerica would three years to expand its existing not establish Christianity or any legal staff from three attorneys to other denomination as its official five. According to a report in The religion: the "Free Exercise Clause" NewYorkTimes,AJCongress'newly to ensure that Americans of all created "Fund for Religious Liberty" creeds could practice their religious is designed to counter "the rise of faith without governmental inter the religious right." One of the tar ference. The Establishment and Free gets specifically singled out for vigor Exercise Clauses thus complement ous challenge is "public financing of ed one another and together formed parochial education." a unified guarantor of religious But "religious liberty," like beauty. freedom. is in the eyes of the beholder. To the In recent years, however, tension American Jewish Congress and has replaced tranquility, as both those that share its predominantly proponents and opponents of gov secular perspective, religious liberty ernmental aid to religious institu Is enhanced when those who choose tions have pointed to the First religious schooling are by virtue of Amendment in support of their res that choice disqualified from receiv pective legal positions. As govern ing the benefits of governmental aid ment's role in collecting public to education. To Agudath Israel of monies through the tax system and America and other groups on the redistributing them through aid "religious right," however, such dis programs has grown e.xponentially. qualification haslongbeen regarded and as the Amertcan judiciary has as the very antithesis of religious THE FIRST AMENDMENT assumed an increasingly activist role liberty. vs. in "interpreting" the Constitution to The legal battleground on which THE FIRST AMENDMENT conform with the judges' own views this fundamental clash is being of proper public policy, the First waged is the First Amendment to the nder the First Amendment, Amendment's two religion clauses United States Constitution. government may neither "es have been pitted against one another tablish" a religion nor pro with increasing frequency-and Mr. Zwiebel. an attorney. is Dirertor of U hibit the "free exercise" of religion. Agudatll Israel ofAn1erica·s Office ofGovcrn- with varying results. 1nent Affairs. His "Fighting City I-lair· was-fea Until the middle of this century, Understanding the nature of the !ured in JO of March. '85 there was little conflict as to the inherent conflict between the First TheJewi.sh Obseroer/November, 1985 25 as i • Amendment's ban against govern was unconstitutional. But the Court, moment of unusual candor, the Su mental establishment of religion and invoking the Free Exercise Clause, preme Court itself confessed that it its concomitant guarantee of free did escape that conclusion: "can only dimly perceive the lines of exercise of religion is essential to an "On the other hand, other language of demarcation in this extraordinarily understanding of the legal battles the [First! Amendment commands that sensitive area ofconstitutional law," that continue to rage over "religious New Jersey cannot hamper its citizens in Lemon v. Kurtzman ( 1971 ); and that freedom" and that have such a pro the free exercise of their own religion. its decisions have been marked by found impact upon the Torah com Consequently. it cannot exclude indi "considerable internal inconsisten munity in the United States. Let us vidual Catholics, Lutherans. Moham cy" as it has "struggled to find a neu consider the case of Everson v. Board medans, Baptists. Jews, Methodists, tral course between the two Religion of Education ( 1947), perhaps the Non-believers. Presbyterians, or the Clauses, both of which are cast in first major U.S. Supreme Court deci members of any other faith, because of absolute terms, and either of which, sion squarely to face the conflicting their faith or lack of it, from receiving the if expanded to a logical extreme, strains within the FirstAmendment benefits of public welfare legislation .... would tend to clash with the other." Measured by these standards. we cannot itself. say that the First Amendment prohibits Walz v. Tax Commission (1970). New Jersey from spending tax-raised A CONSTITUTIONAL GAP EXECUTIVE ORDER 50 funds to pay the bus fares of parochial AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT -BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BUS? school pupils as a part of a general pro t issue in Everson was the gram under which it pays the fares of pupils attending public and other gudath Israel's successful constitutionality of a New schools." legal challenge against Exe A Jersey lawproviding free bus A cutive Order 50 is a more transportation for all schoolchildren, As a result of the precarious bal recent illustration of the tension including those who attended paro ance struck by the Supreme Court inherent within the First Amend chial schools. Those challenging the in the Everson case, government ment. New York City's executive transportation statute argued that does not run afoul of the Constitu branch sought to condition its award by diverting public funds for the tion if it allocates tax dollars to of social service contracts to Agu benefit of children at religious transport little Shloimie and Shain dath Israel upon a pledge of non schools, New Jersey was "establish dy to and from Yeshiva and Bais discrimination in employment ing religion," in violation of the First Yaakov. Employing similar analysis, against homosexuals. Among its I Amendment. the Court has also upheld laws grant other contentions, Agudath Israel The Supreme Court agreed that ing parochial school students or argued in court that the First , the Establishment Clause prohibited their parents the right to benefit Amendment's Free Exercise Clause not only the designation of Chris from government-loaned textbooks, protected its right to enter into gov I tianity or any other faith as an offi government-sponsored mandated ernment contracts without having cial state religion; but also "laws services, tuition tax relief, and sev to abandon its religious principles. which aid one religion, aid all reli eral other forms of governmental The City responded that if Agudath ~ gions, or prefer one religion over assistance. Yet other decisions of the Israel insisted upon remaining loyal another ... No tax in any amount, Supreme Court, however, have come to its religion in performing the large or small, can be levied to sup down on the other side of the bal social service contracts, then the t port any religious activities or insti ance, prohibiting religious schools First Amendment's Establishment , tutions." Accordingly, reasoned the from participating in such govern Clause prohibited government from Court, "New Jersey cannot consist ment aid programs as teacher salary financing those contracts. ently with the 'establishment of reli supplements, publicly financed on In its decision striking down the gion' clause of the First Amendment premises remedial education, and Executive Order, the New York Court contribute tax-raised funds to the reimbursement for costs of teacher of Appeals found it unnecessaiy to support of an institution which prepared examinations. reach the First Amendment issue, teaches the tenets and faith of any If the reader has difficulty under ruling instead that the repeated re church." standing why certain forms of aid fusal of the Federal, State and City That being the case, the conclu fall on the prohibited side of the con legislatures to enact "gay rights" sion would seem inescapable that stitutional line while others do not, bills precluded the executive branch the New Jersey transportation law the reader is in good company. In a from imposing the disputed anti- 26 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 I ' c.-::.-::.-::_-_-_-_-_-_-_J"', ~'.~~~'._,_-~------~ I :;! · Th.e ''Free E)1erci:se Clouse·· (jU(HUJite1·::; 1na1 discrimination provision upon City rect or indirect. to religious institu who choose religious education for contractors. What the Court's ruling tions-would be "heaven,'' "perfec their children are racists, and that means, of course, is that if gay rights tion": government ought not subsidize legislation does get enacted (a real "Those defending the strict separa racism: possibility as of the date of this writ· tionist interpretation of the FirstArnend ing), and if the City at that time still "1'oo often parents are taking their ment's Establishment Clause recognize children out of public schools or initially fit deems to insist that religious that the absolute separation of church sending them to religious schools not so organizations like Agudath Israel and state is not possible, but what does much that they fear G·d but that they leave their religious principles at the that prove? Does the reality that no per fear blacks even more . ... Resorting to door when they come to do business son is immortal mean that the inedical religion as a means of maintaining racial with the City, thepartiesmaywellbe and pharmaceutical profession should segregation is hardly new. ... Of all eth back in court debating the First be abolished? Realistic separationists nic groups, blacks suffer most from gov Amendment. Stated otherwise, the recognize that the absolute separation of ernment funding of parochial schools." church and state cannot be achieved, IPgs. 16. 17. 431 right of religious entities to operate else what's a secularist heaven for? Never government financed programs in a theless, that is the direction they would Even taken at face value, Pfeffer's manner that conforms with their have constitutional law relating to the religious principles may yet ulti argument suffers from a host of Religion C:lause take, fully awdre that serious flaws. One could make a mately hinge on the balance struck perfection will never be reached." {Intro between the Establishment and Free duction, pg. xil strong case for the proposition that Exercise Clauses. of all ethnic groups, blacks and other After one of its executive boards The inevitable corollary of Pfeffer's "minorities" suffer the most from invited representatives of Agudath absolutist vision is that conflicts Ffeffer's strict separationist stand. Israel and New York City to present between the constitutional princi For one thing, it is hardly the case their respective positions on the ples of non-establishment and free that parochial schools in the United controversy, the American Jewish exercise must always be resolved States are lily-white; nearly 20% of all Congress decided to take no formal adversely to the claim of free exer students enrolled in Catholic position in the Executive Order 50 cise. Pfeffer would automatically schools, which comprise the large case. In the context of governmental penalize a parent for choosing reli· bulk of religious schools in this aid to nonpublic schools, however, gious schooling for his child-a country, are "minorities." AJCongress traditionally has raised choice that clearly embodies free Moreover, when government aid is its voice in loud opposition. Indeed, exercise of religion-by rendering reserved exclusively for public edu ifthere is any one person in the Uni the parent and child ineligible for cation, those at the bottom rung of ted States who has stood out as the the same secular benefits made avail the economic ladder-often minori most articulate and forceful oppo able by government to those who ties-are denied any real choice in nent of aid to nonpublic schools, it choose non-religious schooling. In the matter of where to educate their has been Leo Pfeffer, Special Coun Pfeffer's "secularist heaven," there children. It is only by increasing aid sel to the American Jewish Congress fore, there is a clear hierarchy among to nonpublic schools, and thereby and professor of political science at the First Amendment's two religion making those schools more accessi Long Island University. clauses: the Establishment Clause ble to society's less fortunate. that on lop, surrounded by the Angels of government can begin to address Atheism: the Free Exercise Clause the "white flight" problem with PFEFFER'S ASSAULT on bottom, in the company of the which Pfeffer is concerned. Downtrodden Devoted. Even more fundamental than the rofessor Pfeffer's most recent logical holes in Pfeffer's analysis are book, Religion, State and the NOT EVERYTHING IS the faulty, and highly offensive, P Burger Court (Prometheus BLACK AND WHITE pren1ises under which he operates. Books 1984), sheds some revealing "The scope of this book,'' says Ffeffer, insight on the philosophy of this hy is Professor Pfeffer so "extends only to the constitutional "strict separationisl.'' In Pfeffer's adamantly opposed to gov ity and public policy of utilizing tax view, absolute separation between W ernmental aid to religious raised funds to support the exodus government and religion-Le., no fi. schools? One theme that emerges of while pupils in search of a haven nancial assistance in any form. di- from his book is that many parents in religious schools" [pg. l 7J-as if The Jewish Obseroer/November, 1985 27 I 1 since it could mitigate the interracial At first blush, this aspect of Pfef and interreligious conflicts that plague a fer's argument does have some ap pluralistic society." {Pg. 62] peal. Clearly, if the price a religious school must pay in order to receive Pfeffer views assimilation as so governmental support is relinquish lofty a goal, and religious parochial ment of its religious principles, the ism as so abhorrent an evil, that no students attend religious schools price is too steep. If, for example, government should adopt policies receipt ofgovernmental funds would for religious education! ls Pfeffer that strengthen the former at the suggesting that Reb Shraga Falvel require a yeshiva to refrain from expense of the latter. Children ought "discriminating" on the basis of Mendlowitz '""and the other Torah not be permitted to suffer on account pioneers in this country set up an gender-i.e., to have mixed classes of of their parents' misguided religious boys and girls-the yeshiva's accep elaborate Yeshiva system to avoid convictions, Pfeffer urges. Religious mingling with blacks? Or that Torah tance of governmental dollars would schools, by their very nature, foster compromise its very raison d'etre. education in the United States owes cultural exclusivity. If one regards its continued existence and consist To spare the yeshiva from the temp such exclusivity as inherently evil, tation of entering into such com ent expansion to racial prejudice as Pfeffer apparently does, it is in rather than religious commitment? promises, Pfeffer would preclude government's interest to undermine government from offering any assist religious schools, not support them. GWRIFYING THE ance to religious institutions. PUBLIC SCHOOLS One can only wonder how Pfeffer A most recent instance where the would react to the resolution recent religious autonomy argument was ly adopted by the Union of American forcefully advanced by those oppos f parents who choose religious Hebrew Congregation (the central education for their children are ing government aid to religious Reform Jewish body in the United schools was the litigation that cul I not racists, Pfeffer intimates, States) supporting "the concept of minated earlier this year in a ruling they are at least fools, and cruel ones autonomous. self-supporting Re at that: by the United States Supreme Court form Jewish day schools as a valid striking down a New York City pro "One of the great benefits of public educational option." At its biennial gram of sending public school teach education lies in the fact that it brings convention in early November 1985, ers onto religious school premises to together pupils of all faiths. races, and the Reform Union decided that auto provide secular remedial education economic stat.us. . . Pierce v. Society qf nomous Reform day schools were for disadvantaged students. In an Sisters la 1925 Supreme Court decision necessary for children who other upholding a parent's right to choose amicus curiae (friend of the court) wise might be placed (Heaven for brief submitted to the Supreme religious schooling for his child] guaran fend!) in Orthodox or Conservative tees the right of parents to withhold this Court by four secular groups (in day schools. Perhaps even Pfeffer cluding the American Jewish Con benefit from their children but it does would endorse the concept of Reform not require that the state subsidize the gress) opposing this "Title I" pro exercise of that right." !Pg. 37] day schools; such schools no doubt gram, which brought some $4 mil will work to instill in students an lion of remedial education services Indeed, Pfeffer advances the argu appreciation of diverse races and into New York City Yeshivos annu ment that, in order to protect chil cultures-so long as it's not authen ally,' the secular groups had this to dren from parents who are so foolish tic Judaism, thank you-and there say: and cruel as to withhold from them fore provide students with the same the benefits of an assimilationist assimilationist benefits Pfeffer finds "Even if the substitution of public educational melting pot, government in the public schools. school teachers for parochial school should compel public school attend teachers mitigates the danger of reli ance: gious influence on the secular program. I SAVING RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS the cure is far worse than the disease, FROM SECULAR TEMPTATIONS "A reasonable argument can be made because, by stationing public school I that the . .. concept of public policy. and a teachers in a religious school. New York I recognition of the government's power to rofessor pfeffer hints at yet City's program threatens the autonomy ~ exercise a parental duty when-even for another reason for disqualify of the religious institutions themselves. religious reasons~the natural parents P ing religious schools from any ... The fact that some religious institu refuse to do so. can justify laws compell form ofgovernmental subsidization: tions are, apparently. prepared to risk ing not merely school but public school religious autonomy. The draftsmen their autonomy in order to receive a I attendance. Only in a public school can a financial benefit does not mitigate the of the First Amendment, Pfeffer as danger. History teaches that religious child be assured of an opportunity to serts, "did not want tax-raised funds learn to live some part of the day with autonomy is at least as vulnerable to the I persons of all religions. races. and social to be used for religious instruction, financial carrot as it is to the stick." and econo nic classes. as he will have to nor did they want the government to ' do throughout his adult life. The state intrude into the religious domain In essence, those who attack pub (that is. the community at large) also and pass judgment on how churches lic funding of religious schools on benefits from this compulsory mixing, spend their own money." !Pg. 291 grounds of protecting relil(ious 28 The Jewish Observer/November. 1985 lars it makes available to religious court of the State of Washington institutions. held that Witters could not use the The religious autonomy argument funds in that manner: for the State exposes the hypocrisy of those who to pay the costs of his theological advance it as justification for deny training would amount to an un ing religious schools the light to constitutional establishment of autonomy claim to do so not because participate in government benefit religion. they hate such schools but because programs. Whetheror not the strings In what can only be described as a they love them. "This may hurt but attached to any particular form of stunning-and most encouraging it's for your own good," say the governmental assistance would re development, the Amelican Jewish secularists, "and in the long run quire a religious entity to comprom Congress has asked the Supreme you'll thank us for it." ise its religion is a decision the Court to reverse the Washington entity itself should make-not gov court's decision and permit Witters WHOSE INTERESTS ernment. and certainly not the sec to use the State dollars for ministe DO THE SECULARISTS REALLY HAVE AT HEART? ularists. Yet the secularists purport Iial training. In its blief,AJCongress to be so concerned that religious acknowledged its own histolical role t might be easier to accept the entities will trade in their religion as a staunch opponent of aid to reli secularists' assertion that their for a pot of government lentils that gious schools, but expressly dis I attack against governmental the secularists insist on deciding avowed the type of absolutist ap support of religious schools is bene the issue on their own. It is blatant proach advocated by Leo Pfeffer: volently motivated if they would paternalism at best, and outrageous "The principle o( non-establishment. couple that attack with a massive cynicism at worst, for the Leo ?feffers enshrined in the First Amendment. is an program of plivate support for Jew of society to assert that only they indispensable element of religious lib ish education. But Leo ?feffer and know how to advance the cause of erty. Hence. AJCongress has repeatedly those who espouse his "separation religion in this country and that urged that the Establishment Clause be ist" views have hardly been in the religious schools cannot be trusted given a generous construction. It has appeared repeatedlfy before this Court vanguard of philanthropic efforts to to make the right decisions them selves. urging the invalidation of statutes in support Torah education through tended to provide subsidies for religious plivate donations. The pathetic rec A CHANGE IN THE WIND education. But the Establishment ord of secular support for Jewish AT AJCONGRESS? Clause, more so perhaps than other education speaks volumes louder constitutional principles, must not be than all of the noble sounding rhe iven the views of Professor expanded indefinitely.for to do so in toric about religious autonomy. Pfeffer, it is hardly surpris evitably leads to clashes with that other The rhetoric is shot through with G ing that the organization for guarantee qf religious liberty, the Free logical holes as well. Governmental which he has served as principal Exercise clause." !Emphasis added] aid need not come with the type of legal spokesman has targeted gov Needless to say, Professor ?feffer's unacceptable strtngs attached to it ernment aid to religious schools as name appears nowhere on the brief. that would require a religious school an area to be addressed by the "Fund Is its legal blief in the Witters case to compromise its principles in order for Religious Liberty." But let us not merely a temporary"aberration" ora to receive the aid. Returning to the be so swift to pass judgment on the harbinger of new attitudes at the question of gender discrimination, American Jewish Congress. Recent American Jewish Congress? Will for example, Congress has specifi developments suggest a possible AJCongress reconsider its opposi callyexempted religious schools from shift in the wind. tion to such innovative measures as the requirement that they mtx the The strongest evidence that AJ education vouchers to be used by sexes in order to receive federal sup Congress may be retreating from the parents at any school of their choos port. The Executive Order 50 case, absolutist positions of Pfeffer and ing, including religious schools? Has for another example, established that his followers is an amicus curiae a new young generation, less com Agudath Israel's receipt of New York (friend of the court) brief submitted mitted to the assimilationist battles City dollars does not automatically by the organization to the United waged by AJCongress in the past, I require Agudath Israel to adopt the States Supreme Court in June of and whose ideas of "heaven" and 4 same set of anti-discrimination laws this year. The case before the Sup "perfection" are closer to ours than that govern the City itself. The solu reme Court involves a Washington to Leo ?feffer's, assumed ascendancy tion to the threat of governmental State statute providing government in the organization? Or will the new incursion upon religious autonomy, funds to blind people "so that they lawyers hired out of AJCongress' thus, is not to insist that govern can be trained to engage in gainful "Fund for Religious Liberty" urge ment withhold support from reli· employment and become self-sup support for government programs gious institutions, as the secularists porting." Larry Witters, a blind man, that benefit blind ministerial stu would have it, but to insist that applied for funds under this statute dents but not for those that benefit government detach the religiously to pay for ministelial training at a seeing Yeshiva students? objectionable strings from the do!- seminary of theology. The highest Only time will tell.llli The Jewish Obseroer/November. 1985 29 sidism as the expression of Jewish per fection, and adherence to it as the BOOKS necessary key to our redemption: they do not take away from the value of this volume for those who do not share this conviction. and grow in the- discharge of her mis sion as guardian of the family's MAN AND WOMAN, The equilibrium and \Vell-being. But he Torah Perspective, by Leo Levi does not pn:·ach - he- \Vrites lucidly, (Jerusalem. 1979. distributed by practically. and \Vith a fine sense of hu Feldheim, $2.95) mor. Indeed. a rnust volume for the Jewish v...'oman! his pamphlet, written in the author's customary clear style T and systematic manner, is a brief presentation of the roles of man and woman in Judaism. their relation ship to each other, their respective places in the family. the initiation and dissolution of marriage, and the halachic status of women in such areas as property laws. public functions. and IN SEARCH OF THE JEW n1itzva observance. While the treat ISH WOMAN, by Yisroel Miller ment is summary, and one could have (New York. 1984. Feldheim Publ.. \Vished for more elaboration on many of $8.85 hardcover. $6.95 softcover} the topics, the author provides throughout references to the sources. as \\tell as a coherent interpretation of his en1inently readablf' and en the significance of the halachic provi· joyable volume belongs to \Vhat sions in the different areas. as reflecting T may be callf'd the "second THE MODERN JEWISH the Torah's teachings on the nature of generation .. of books on the Jewish WOMAN, A Unique Perspective \Vomen and their distinctive role in the woman. The first generation \vorks (A Lubavitch Women ·s Publication. \VOrld. \Vere essentially defensive in character: Brooklyn. 1981. $10. 95 hardcover. in a society \Vhere the equality of the sexes \Vas considered a sine qua non $7.95 softcover and Judaism \V::lsconceived as denying this fundan1ental principle, it was ven a cursory glance at this vol necessary to sho\v that the Je\vish ume will impress the reader on \\'Oman might have a role differing from E three counts -- the quality of that of man but that her role \Vas. in its the photographs \vhich (even \Vithout way. as important. valuf'd and. yes. the accompanying text) speak volumes satisfying as that of man. 1'irnes have about the beauty and splendor of Jew changed somt:>what. A nurnber of ish living: the wide-ranging scope of the writers have eloquently presented the 30 essays which make up the content of Torah vie\v of the respeC'tive 1asks of this book: and the fact that they arc al men and \VOmcn - and. on the otheT most all \Vritten bv \Vome-n. The writers hand. therf' appPars to e-xist a nc\v do not shirkany,.;fthe issues that could a'vareness in the \Vider world that be of concern to the reader - our ap equality does not mean identity. and proach to love, romance and dating. to that the interests of \Vomen arc not marriage and singlen('ss. to family HAPPINESS IN MAR served by denying them their distinc planning and large families. careers tive nature and funltion, and casting and fulfillment in the house. taharas RIAGE, in Words and Let then1 as imitation men. Rabbi Miller is han1ishpocha and the meaning of ters, by Mattityahu Glazerman not concf'rned with defending the To turna. the historic role of Jewish (Jerusalem. 1983. Feldheim. $4.95 rah vie\V of a woman·s role - he see-ks \l...'Omen and their special function in paperback} to sho\v ho\v it can be lived rnore fully preserving the spiri1ual essence of our and satisfyingly. I-iis book deals v...•ith people. Many of the essays are particu his pamphlet is devoted to To the key elements of a woman's life - larly poignant bf'causf' they beautifully rah insights into the different marriage and childrearing. housekeep reflect the feelings and experiences of T facets of marriage. Its unique ing, career and community obligations. these authors - no dry and labored ex character derives from the fact that the 1'he author is concerned with the per positions h('re. but \:vords that flow author grounds these insights in the spectives and attitudes that are nf'edcd fron1 the heart. It is only natural that letters and words of the Hebrew lan to make a woman's life meaningful, several passages in the book reflect the guage. in the manner of his earlier writ and the ways in \Vhich she can develop authors· perception of Chabad Chas- ings, notably 'Sparks of the Holy 30 The Jewish Obseroer/November, 1985 ' Tongue." "The letters [of the Aleph having the same numerical equivalent. Beis] impart wisdom," and the author Moreover, he will often have to give at seeks to show that attention to key tention to the context in which words words, and their spelling, opens doors occur, and to the phrases of which they to a deeper perception of the Torah's are part (for this purpose he will have to values and approaches to maniage and look them up in the Chun1ash,and it is family, Of course our Sages already therefore a pity that the author only in pointed out the significant relationship dicates the first place where a word oc between the words ish and ishah. curs in the Chumash rather than all Rabbi Glazerman proceeds to offer in· places). terprctations of such words as ni.ssu 'in As the author points out in his in {marriage). as related to nasa - to troduction, this volume may also be carry aloft. He makes liberal use of used as a quick reference Hebrew-to gematria as a key to new facets of the English dictionary: to find the transla 1'orah. All in all. an interesting work tion of a given Hebrew word, look it up that offers many insights to the reader. tool for all who want to pursue this ap under its numerical equivalent! The ob proaeh to the language of the Torah. It vious advantage is that one does not lists all the words of the Torah with have to know its root in order to find its their numerical equivalent. in the order meaning. THE SPICE OF TORAH - of their numerical magnitude from 3 to For instance. Rabbi Immanuel GEMATRIA, by Gutman G. 1500. Obviously, this undertaking will Schochet provides a comprehensive in Locks (New York, 1985, Judaica make working with gematriyos much troduction explaining the role and Press, $14.95, hardcover} easier, even though it by no means ob different aspects of numerical interpre viates the need for the student of tation in the Torah. His systematic f, as we know. the numerical mean gematriyos to work creatively at un presentation, definition of methods, ings of letters. words and phrases. covering the hidden meanings of the and references to sources add particu I open wider vistas for understand Torah text. He has to perceive the inner lar value to this attractively produced ing Torah , this volume is a valuable connection between different words volume. Kosher Calories The Kosher Way to Weight Control When you see this book, you'll say, "How come no one thought of this ages ago?" It lists 10,000 kosher foods (did you dream there were that many?) - with their calorie count, kashruth certification, and carbohydrate content. From appetizer to desert, it's all here. There is nothing else like it. It's a first - a one and only. Whether or not you're a dieter, this is information you need all the time. 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Now our sparkling new gift box makes the best even better, Sparkling Bartenura Asti Spumante, the great Italian Import. for Chanukah and any day you wish to celebrate, I Kedem Gift Box featuring an international selection of kosher wines from four of the world's most famous wine ' prOOucing regions. It's a unique, f delicious gift that will ' win you complimenl~ J for good taste. r, Alfasi Kosher Cream Sherry, .. the gift from Spain for the holidays, Enrich the holidays with the full-bodied creamy smooth taste only ' a great Sherry can bring. Now our festive gift box makes it even more pleasurable to give or receive, I' KEDEMIROYAL WINE CORP., NEWYORK,. N.Y. Shmuel M. Spiegel, M.D. A MIRAGE OF CONTROVERSY A: Understand the Gemora. Although the Gemora may seem to make a statement regarding the total characteristics of an object or pro· cess, it may reallyreferto its predominant attributes. The Gemora in Nidda (3la) describes the contributions of the parents to the formation of the embryo. The father's contribution is the bone, sinews (ligaments), nails, brain and the white of the eye (sclera). The mother contributes skin, flesh (muscle), hair, blood and the black of the eye (pupil). Although it would seem that each parent con tributes all of the characteristics of the above-mentioned organs, in fact this is not so. There is no question of the father's genetic influence on the blood group of his child. Similarly the color of the hair is genetically determined by both parents. The statement can be understood as descrsibing the inheritance ofone or more characteristics of the above-mentioned organs. Congenital myotonic dystrophy is a disease of muscle which leads to weakness of all the muscles, noted in early childhood. Unlike myotonic dystrophy, which starts in adult life and can be inherited as an autosomal dominant disease {only one gene is required) from either parent, congenital myotonic dystrophy is inherited only from the mother1• Thus. there is at least one characteristic of muscle that is inherited only from the mother. It maybe that the Gemora in Nldda is describing those character istics, which if deficient or abnormal, lead to disease in childhood. Support for this idea can also be found in Hunting ton's disease. Huntington's chorea is an hereditary dis ease of the brain that causes highly complex, jerky movements that are involuntary (chorea), and mental deterioration ending in dementia. Although the adult ne of the challenges facing a Jew with a profes onset form can be inherited from either parent in an sion in the sciences is the apparent contradiction autosomally dominant fashion, those patients who dev Oof facts and theories as found in the Gemora and elop symptoms before the age of 10, inherit the disease those accepted by modern science. Of all the sciences, only from their fathers'. In both Huntington's chorea medicine is the most heavily represented in the Gemora. and myotonic dystrophy, the parent who transmits the Thus, the problem of reconciling data from two different disease is also affected by the disease. sources will be most acutely felt by the practicing physi Thus we have examples of diseases that start in child cian. While it is true that some aspects of human ana hood and are inherited from only one parent. This may be tomy and physiology have changed, there are many other a partial explanation of the statement in the Gemora. It apparent discrepancies, which can be explained on a should be noted that this mode of inheritance from one different basis. The following approach might be helpful. parent to both sexes of children, was not described before 1 1975 , and in fact is not explainable by our present Dr. Spiegel is a radiologist wi!h L:ni\Trsil.Y Jlospi1al in London. 01i1ario understanding of genetics. The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 35 • •' B: Understand the Medical Science based on cadaveric dissection. only three bones about the knee are recognized. These are the lower end of the Involved. femur (thigh bone). the patella (knee cap). and the upper end of the tibia (the large bone of the leg). There are two pitfalls to be avoided. One must be careful The discrepancy is the result of two different systems to distinguish between fact and theory, even a well of anatomical classification. The femur ends as two accepted theory. As in the examples cited in the previous rounded knobs called condyles. with a space between section. commonly accepted genetic theory would have them. The top of the tibia has two flat spaces. called the had no explanation for the Gemora passage cited. Thus. tibial plateaus. with some small bony projections be before the article published in 1975, one would have tween the plateaus. The femoral condyles sit on the tibial concluded that the genetic theory was incomplete. with· plateaus. Functionally. each condyle and its associate out knowing the precise details. plateau act as a separate joint. In degenerative arthritis, A second problem is one of definition of terms. The for example. the joint space representing cartilage be technical language used by doctors represents the ac tween the medical (inner) femoral condyle and tibial pla cumulation of terms in medical practice. with well· teau narrows more severe than the lateral (outer) joint defined meanings. This highly arbitrary set of "code space. Fractures of one condyle or one tibial plateau are words" allows any two English speaking doctors to com not uncommon. From a functional and surgical point of municate in an unambiguous fashion. When using these view, therefore. there are five bones about the knee; terms. one has to be cognizant of the system into which namely. the medial (inner) femoral condyle. the later 3 they fit. In the Mishna • five bones are said to make up (outer) femoral condyle. the medial tibial plateau. the the knee. In the system of anatomy commonly used. lateral tibial plateau and the patella (knee cap). MARRIAGE MINDED? THE UNION OF ORTHODOX JEWISH CONGREGATIONS OF AMERICA IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE A National Commission On Family and Marriage OUR GOAL: To introduce seriously marriage-minded Orthodox individuals. THE PROCEDURE: All interviews will be held with Rabbi Daniel Fingerer, Ph.D. They will be private and confidential. Careful thought and serious study has been put into the creation of a program that will be of special interest to those that seek discretion and understanding. Appointments will be arranged at mutually convenient hours. You may apply through your Rabbi or by writing or calling: I Rabbi Daniel Fingerer, Director I Marriage Commission The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America 45 West 36th Street New York, N.Y. 10018 {212) 563-4000 Stdner Kwe1tet, Prffldent Aabbl Pinch•• Stolper, Executive Ylce-Prelklenl Mon• I. FeltMIMln, National Chalnnen 36 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 C: Realize that there have been Avigdor Miller understands this to refer to the secreta tion of adrenalin, which gives emotional stimulus to changes in anatomy and physiology action6 • Anatomically, the adrenal glands lie outside of since the time of the Gemora. the kidneys and in fact are not physically connected with them. It is apparent that the Gemora's "kidney" includes When well established facts ofanatomy or physiology are a larger region than the anatomical kidney. An under noted to differ from the Gemora's description, it is standing of the pertinent anatomy is essential. It is worth obvious that changes have taken place. The Gemora' noting that the anatomy of the retroperitoneum, the describes a double male urethra, with one urinary chan region in which the kidney lies, was not well understood nel and one seminal channel. Modem anatomists recog until 1972. nize a single male urethra as being normal. However, a In his articles and book'. Meyers describes three com double male urethra occurs as a rare "abnormality." partments of the retroperitoneum. The partition between Once such case is well described in an article published the anterior and the middle compartment is the anterior in 1971 5• The patient came to attention only because of renal fascia. Similarly between the middle and the poste an infection involving the reproductive channel. The rior compartment lies the posterior renal fascia. The patient had fathered five children. The authors propose renal fascia is a dense, collagenous, connective tissue two possible changes in normal embryological develop sheath that envelops the kidney and the fat around the ment to account for this "anomaly." These variations of kidney, called the perirenal fat. This fascia actually embryological development are actually quite minor. One represents a condensation of fibrous and fatty tissue to might similarly expect in other cases where anatomic 8 orphysiologic changes have occurred, to find a few rare form a sheath • The adrenal glands lie in the perirenal fat cases which do not demonstrate these changes. and are connected to the anterior renal fascia, also called Gerota's fascia. The anatomy of the retroperitoneum of he following is an illustration of these principles both man and mammals is almost identical. in practice: In Chullin (93a), two coverings of the With this background information, it becomes clear T kidney are described, the outer covering being that the Gemora uses the term "kidneys" to mean the composed offat whereas the inner one is not (see Ras hi). renal fascia and its contents. Thus the outer covering of The term kidney, as understood by anatomists. has only the kidneys described by the Gemora represents the a single capsule which is fibrous and not fatty. In Bera renal fascia, which contains fat. The adrenal glands lie chos (6la), it is stated that "the kidneys counsel." Rabbi within the renal fascia, and thus are part of the "kidney." TO ASPIRING Silbiger's TORAH ACHIEVERS! A way to bridge the gap Selections between the inspirational and practical aspects of Torah is to Large selection of quality men's domestic read Rabbi Reuven Biala' s and imported suits--all at unbelievable TORAH ACTION NEWSLETTER I prices. Portly and ex-shorts available. All-wool English winter coats Brand name and listen to his cassette tapes. I rainwear Sport jackets, slacks, Fall coats. A complimentary newsletter Over 25 yrs experience and a complete list of tapes is available to you upon request. SILBIGER CLarHES Write to: I 17C9 51st St. Rabbi R. Biala Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 l 718-854-11 % 1 Sunrise Daily 4:00 P.M.--9:00 P.M. Sun all-day Monsey, N.Y. 10952 Mention this ad and get 10(Yo off Please enclose 50<: to cover postage "Silbiger suits you best" & mailing costs. The Jewish Obseroer/November, 1985 37 The inner covering of the kidney would represent the REFERENCES renal capsule which is fibrous and contains no fat. This concept of the renal fascia and its contents being 1. Harper PS .. Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy in Britain; Arch one unit has surgical relevance. When performing a radi Dis Child. 1975:50:514. cal nephrectomy, a complete removal of the kidney, for 2. Went LN. et al., "Parental Transmission in Huntington's Dis- cancer, the surgeon will attempt to remove the renal ease," The Lancet 1984; May 19: page 1100. fascia and its contents, disturbing the renal fascia as 3. Mishna Ohalos. 1 :8. little as possible. Thus, to the surgeon, the "kidney" 4. Bechoros 44b. includes the renal fascia and its contents. 5. Schmidt Joseph D., Congenital Urethral Duplication, Properly understood and used, medical science can J. Neurol 1971: 105:397. 6. Rabbi Avigdor Miller, Sing You Righteous. Page 16, para 20. provide valuable background information to be used in 7. Meyers, Morton A, Dynamic Radiology qf the Abdomen. understanding the Gemora. Insofar as the Torah is abso Springer-Verlag, 1976, 1982. pages 106-110, 141, 143. lute truth and science represents only the accumulated 8. Williams. Peter L.. Gray'sAnatomy. WB. Saunders Co .. Phila experience of human beings, those statements which delphia, 1980. page 139. cannot be understood by today's medicine might be understood 10 or 20 years from now. Given an apparent ACKNOWLEDGEMENT conflict between the Gemora and modern medical science, one may have to wait a while for the doctors to The author wishes to thank Dr. John Noseworthy of the discover the truth.Ill Department of Neurology for the first two references. S. R. "EZRA" Maza/ Tou to our dear friends, INFANT AID FUND DOVID & CYNA SINGER This is an URGENT APPEAL to aid mothers in upon the engagement of their daughter Eretz Yisroel who are in dire need to furnish I their new born infants with layettes, blankets, ' AV/GAIL sweaters, etc. to ELY, Jn merit of this great mitzvah may the Al-mighty bless you son of Mr. & Mrs. Shmuel Kahn. in aU walks of life May the young couple Endorsed By: perpetuate the noble traditions Rebetzin Rashel Krawiec Mrs. Dora Weiss Rebetzin Dobe Levovitz--Rebetzin Esther Shain of Torah & Chessed of their parents. Mrs. Bessie Safrin-Rebitzin Baila Suzholz Chaim & Chani Kofman We also furnish linens to needy kal!as Makt' Clwd;s Pu}:thle lo· Mendy & Toby Shayouich CONG. 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An Educational Project of Far further information please call Torah Communications Network (718) 979-7400 1618-43rd Street. Brooklyn, New York 11204 NEW FLEXIBLE PRICE STRUCTURE call (718) 436-4999 38 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 Do You Know That Thousands of Jewish Women Have a Jewish Woman's Outlook? Thousands of Jewish f ~<"ADVERTISERS: ~i • women from all parts YES Jewish consumers worldwide of the world have a Jewish publication that it is today - the will get to know you, your woman's outlook. They are only full-color magazine catering products or your services reading thought-provoking Divrei for the Jewish woman as a wife, a through the pages of the Torah, discussing controversial mother and a homemaker. Jewish Woman's Outlook. Jewish topics, finding out about Without a doubt every issue of Our advertising department their Jewish sisters and brothers J.W.O. that you read and re-read is able to serve you with - the great and the humble, in will give you endless hours of original creative design and history and in the news, in their pleasure and you, too, can join the layout for highly effective own b.ack yard and in the four thousands who already have their display advertisement in both corners of the world. They are own Jewish Woman's Outlook. black and white and full color. learning how to raise their children Subscribe now to six or twelve For more information and are enjoying creative Jewish issues of the Jewish Woman's call (201) 367-1164 or write to J.W.O. Advertising, 690 Eighth St, fiction and humor. 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I NAM[~--·--·--···--·--···--··---·· I It is now five years since the I I Jewish Woman's Outlook first I ADDf(Ess--·-.. ----···-----····---..... --.... ----·------··- I I I made its impact in the homes of I ·-·----·····-·-····-----·---- I many Jewish women throughout I I the world. J.W.O. has expanded 1 u:ry-----·------·~,------·- z1p 1 and grown into the stimulating ~------Second Looks at the Jewish Scene shul of the famed R 'MA. Rabbi Moshe Isserles, 16th century codifier of halacha for all non-Sephardic Jewry. CRACOW (Incidentally, The New York Times identified the synagogue as "the Remu Shul," transliterated with a commend WHO OWNS ITS MEMORIES? able fidelity to the Galician rendering of his name.) As should have been predicted. all objection broke loose, protesting the desecration of an ancient landmark by the officiating of a "rabbi" who represents a defiance of all that the R 'MA stood for - how often the Refonn ideologists have said: "lsserles is no longer relevant" - as well as a mock ery of the memories of the teeming To rah life that pre-War Cracow represented. The Rabbinical Council of America. Agudath Israel of America, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of U.S. and Canada, were unanimous in their objection. In apparent response to these pressures. the venue of the bar mitzva was changed to the so-called Tempel Synagogue. For the most part. the celebration ran its touching, expected course unevent fullyo Rabbi Nachman Elbaum, an American businessman of Polish ex traction, led the services; Eric was called to the Torah, all the while ob The R'MA shul In Cracow. served from the balcony by the women "We only have funerals in ford. Connecticut. His great of Cracow and other bar mitzva Cracow. No weddings. No grandparents. who had perished in a celebrants, including Emily Korzenick. bar mitzvas. No brissim. concentration camp, were from Po· After the davening. however, Ms. No births." Such was the lament of Mrs. land. so there was a nice "home Korzenick descended from the balcony Jakubowics, widow of Cracow's late coming·· touch added to Eric's choice. to address the crowd. When Rabbi El I Rosh HaKahal (head of the Jewish But Eric's entourage included, in addi baum withdrew the tallis that had been Community Council). to visiting tion to his parents, his rabbi and proffered to her, she found another one, I Americans on a mission with the New teacher. Emily Korzenick - a point and ascended the bima to preach. Ac York City Federation of Jewish Philan· much heralded by the press. cording to the newspapers, she was in thropies. "Coulctn•t you send us a bar terrupted by cries of protest by Rabbi mitzva?'' The tourists took the plea to Elbaum: "Women do not preach in the ALL OBJECTION BREAKS LOOSE heart. Cracow got its bar mitzva and shuls of Cracow." the secular community a cause celebre - based on Reform chutzpah and the he selection of a boy trained by AND THEN THE OUTRAGE press 's misrepresentation of the facts. a Reconstructionist rabbi - As the story unfolded in the press T bypassing thousands of chil (from The New York Times through the dren of Polish descent enrolled in his entire incident proved wor JTA news syndicate and its scores of yeshivas and Day Schools - accompa thy of a front-page story in The subscribing newspapers), the Ameri· nied by the lady rabbi herself. to rekin T Sunday New York Times, pho cans brought the message back to the dle the memories of Cracow's lost tograph and all. (Even though the press Federation office, which found a suita· youth for the benefit of its old survivors and 1'V, invited by Ms. Korzenick, were ble youngster to celebrate his bar seemed inarguably inappropriate, es barred from entering the Tempel by mitzva in Cracow: Eric Strom, ofStarn· pecially for a ceremony planned for the Rabbi Elbaum. a camera was appar- 40 The Jewish Observer/November. 1985 --- -~ THE JEWISH 1.-l~ltt;l~I~ VOL. LXU N0.18·R.OOIESTER, N.Y. OCT. 24, 19115 CHESHVAN '.I, 5746 ON SATURDAY, THE RABBI PULLED OFF HER TALLIS By IRVING GREENBERG understood only one thing. One of the saddest The great synagogue of the moments of recent Jewish Rema (Rabbi MO!:!es lsserles. corrununal life oo::curred in Cracow on Sept. 7, 1985. Ra\>. bi Emily Kor;:enick rose to great Eric Strom on the OCCB· sion of his Bar Mitzvah - the Outburst at Bar Mitzvah first Bar Mitzvah in a decimated and aging Jewish community of Crscow in 30 years. As she strode onto the Bimah, one Rabbi Nachum Elbaum, who had come from America purportedly to repre sent Orthodox intuests, Pull· ed her ta1H11 off - to prevent what he COQsidered a de!iecra tion of that holy place. The Bar Mitzvah"sgrand father Kave her. another tallis and slie began to speak. Soviet Union in 1976 for three Elbaum said 98Vi!ral times, weeks. As we visited ently smuggled in.) An uproar resulted. with Reform spokesmen - joined by some Orthodox critics who did not even bother to investigate the incident be yond reading some newspaper ac counts - decrying the divisiveness that the "uninvited non reprcsentative" Orthodox visitor "pro voked." (Surprisingly, even the Young Israel Viewpoint printed an unin fOrmed and totally unfounded tirade.) In a letter to The New York Times, Philip Hiat, Assistant to the President.. Union of American Hebrew (Reform) Rabbi Nacbom Elbaum watches as Eric Strom "'8ds from lbe Torah during Congregations, wrote: bis Bar Mitnab in Cracow. " ... [we] deplore the effort by an Or· thodox rabbi from the United States to convert the joyous event of a bar who marred the beauty and sanctity" Cracow community's feelings. They mitzva in Cracow, Poland (news story, of the bar mitzva in Cracow ... express telexed the information - including Sept. 8) into a power struggle requiring ing the sense of outrage of Reform the fact of a woman Rabbi. The Cracow a rewriting of history to deny the pres Judaism over the "despicable be Jews are for the most part not Ortho ence of Reform Judaism in Pola.rid. And havior" of the New York Orthodox dox: they follow that practice mostly that is why it. is important to set the rec rabbi ''who insisted that the bar mitzva out of respect for their past tradition." ord straight .... be moved to another synagogue and Typically, Greenberg does not recog ''Like the American Jewish commu who, during the ceremony, tore the nize historic truths nor did he research nity. Polish Jews embraced a wide va prayer shawl from an American the facts of what really took place in riety of religious and secular move· woman rabbi who had trained the boy Cracow. He simply read the papers, ments - including Reform, whose for his bar mitzva.' · took the reports at face value, and beginnings in Poland date back more Not. to be left out. Rabbi Irving Green capped his column, which is syndi than a century. Indeed, the Temple berg. a maverick Orthodox Rabbi cated from Boston through Columbus Synagogue in Cracow, where the bar (mem berof good standing in the RCA) to California, with the sensational mitzva was eventually held, was dedi - the only Orthodox rabbi to join a headline: "On Saturday, the Rabbi cated as a Reform synagogue in 1844. group of Reform and secular organiza Pulled Off Her Tallis''! Greenberg con Its most prominent spiritual leader was tions in calling for religious pluralism in cluded the column with: "The conclu Dr. Osias Thon (1870·1936), a Reform Israel -faulted "Elbaum's pathetic ina sion is clear. Unless serious dialogue - rabbi who was also a member of the bility to offer a credible rationale for his halachic. philosophical. communal - Polish senate, and a key figure in the Zi objection." By contrast. he did find the is stepped up soon. the creation of two onist movement in Galicia .... capacity to forgive the "bar mitzva separate worlds of discourse and emo "There is not now. nor has there been sponsors who were Reform Jews .... A tion proceeds apace." Rabbi Greenberg for more than l 00 years. an Orthodox generation ago. Reform Jews had Or is founder of the National Jewish Cen monopoly on Jewish life in Poland.'' thodox parents or grandparents and ter for Learning and Leadership. which j In a statement of his own, Rabbi they frequently felt guilty or apologetic he heads with one Conservative and Alexander M. Schindler, president of for Reform practices. Now, this group one Reconstructionist rabbi - an or the Union of American Hebrew Congre felt no apology was needed for a woman ganization that promotes inter· gations assailed' 'Orthodox extremists Rabbi. They were sensitive to the denominational dialogue. The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 41 THE TRUE OUTRAGE AT . !:!aria Jnkubowicz CRACOW .30-529 Krak6w o fully appreciate the outrage at ul.J6zefiDska 2e. Cracow. one must bear in mind \l.1iel.ce Sza.nowrte. l'enl nebbi Xorzenik J T the city's history, a stronghold of Orthodoxy, which was led by Rabbi Serdec~nie-dzi~kuj~ ~a list, -kt6ry dopiero dzisiej jeAt Shimon Sofer, son of the revered Gaon, v: moim posiada.'liu i .nstyehmiest odjJisuj._.. the Chasam Sofer, who was a valiant Ot6Z rot1irn pre.gnieniem by:t:b -by -aby tak poOkrutnych poZoga.ch . battler against Reform. In an as-yet un 0 Juden Vernichtung" powat:'!Jl zrt6w Zyd~i w- ltrakowie tu published letter to The New York V.' eynagodte Wielkiego Ca:lyka -leserlciaa ... Remuh" -. Times, Rabbi Simon Komitzer sets the iia temat ten :iozme.wie;l'.am i'e.kty¢itnie -lt-_;r6Znymi turyatnmi record straight: mi~tlzy 1nnym1 tz: panem -Gladeteibem jak r6wnieZ z panem "As the son of the last Chief Rabbi of ;,;-ot:rieem lhrr)jerl?m $11m.ieazke.J:y w :Brbokiyn, N.Y,.. 1121) Cracow (Poland) - the city which re 6JG f.mpire Boulevard, kt6J'.':·, tu c'zQ'tito :przyjeZdZa. - jest cently has been in the headlines - I to czilowiek Rabine s~ HalberBtrunma nnobove -rawn, 'kt6ry je'st must take strong exception to the letter nnG~ym-outorytetem. MQj pomys~ podoba~ sic. .. of Rabbi Philip Hiat ... in which he avows that Reform Judaism had taken Bnrdzo jeatem- wdZif'CBllfl Rebl:ii Korzeri.ik za _do;:!:oZ'enie 'nt$.l 42 The Jewish Obseroer!November. 1985 patched to Cracow by rabbinical leaders in America, and was welcomed by the Jews of Cracow, where he is well known as a frequent visitor to Poland. In a personal interview with Joseph Friedenson, editor of Dos Yiddishe Vort. Rabbi Elbaum described the con troversial details of the incident: The Eirst]ewish Since Eric did not read the Haftorah at the customary time, Rabbi Elbaum invited him to recite it aloud after the Children,s Rfcord with a davening. People were already prepar ing the shul for the Kiddush, and some women had descended from the bal Money Back Guarantee* cony, including Ms. Korzenick. In Rabbi Elba urn's words: 36JEWISH "She asked one of the American CIUUJREN'S guests for a tallis. I took the tatlis from his hand and turned to her and in SONGS .. formed her that here no woman wears a tallis. and that her place is in the bal cony. She did not move. Another guest handed her a tallis, which she at tempted to put on. I protested more loudly, and she put it aside, and said a few words .... It was after services. and both men and women were already on the sanctuary's main floor in anticipa tion of the Kiddu.sh, so I let matters ride. After all, we had prevented a potential desecration of the R 'MA shul and we did preserve the sanctity of the services." Featuring: Yanky St1-ud/e and h"' A LOVELY GESTURE, IN THE Ko.~·her· Rocket WRONG HANDS Other Suki ci? Ding Children Release.~ n retrospect, bringing memories of Cracow's spiritually rich past to its I old survivors was a lovely gesture, and it was picked up by a well- meaning family, but unfortunately it ended up in the wrong hands. Not only did the Re form elements involved attempt to use the occasion to showcase their latest in novations for the world media, they later turned around and blan1ed the Or thodox community for disrupting the 4 touching affair. And then. there are those Orthodox figures. such as Rabbi TORAH ISi.AND Irving Greenberg. who - rather than I investigate an event of this sort - much prefer to accept the defamation of the Orthodox by the Reform so as to have yet another opportunity to peddle *If you are not satisfied with this new and fun loving record, their particular brand of dialoguing - Suki and Ding will refund your purchase. "for the sake of unity." For more information please call (212) 724-9351 ' In our view. the main disruption took G place in the press, not in Cracow. The R 'MA Shul was quiet one Shabbos last Suki and Ding would like to take this opportunity September - the tumult took place down the block - and I'd venture to to wish all of Kial Yisroel a very say that Rabbi Moshe Isserles was not Happy Chanukah! displeased. i\I The Jewish Obseroer/November, 1985 43 Are You Interested ... in uneanhing the diamond mines of your soul' ... of Analyzes. 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Thoughts and ancedotes about Cbinuch and the ~ I II Jewish home, and related topics. With 100 illustrations that I THEelSH Ill make the text alive. Veiy useful for teachers and parents. BSERVER Properly used, it has a great potential for promoting spiritual II II improvement and change of character. Of compelling interest 1 s Beekman Street/New York, N.Y./10038/ II to one and all. $5 including p & h. 1111 I Guidance for Those Contemplating Marriage. A hand· I SenJ magatine to: book for young people on the threshold of marriage, filled I with insights and advice from earlier generations, designed to I Name II make the transition into married life smooth and successfuL A • Address replacen1ent for peer consultation-a road fraught with I hazards. $3 including p & h. In Hebrew: Ohel Yoseif $2 I City State Zip II including r & h. O Endo,. gift card 0 Master card 0 Visa I ONE< The Essence of the Jewish Home (English transJa. I I lion of 13a.vis Ne'eman) by Chuna Hertzman and Shmuel Account No. lilchonon Borg; New York, 1978; 126 pages; $5.00 in book I 0000000000000000 I stores; $6.00 postpaid from Rabbi S. Brog at 1474 E. 10th St., I Expiration date 00 (month) 00 (year) I Brooklyn, N.Y. 11230. • Signature I; f""or orders or 111ore information trrile to Rabbi E. Y. Hertz1nan/ 61 ...... Harrison Al'l'., Apt. '51)/Brooklyn, lV. }'. 11211 Second Looks at the THE WILLING ACCOMPLICE he chief supporter of the Mor mon ColossusofMountScopus Jewish Scene T is. as mentioned, Mayor Kollek. Some attribute his odd support for this project lo the million-dollar grant the Mormons made to the Mayor's Jerusa lem Fund. One docs not have to look for any positive factors in the Mayor's mo tives. r:Ie has long betrayed a vicious at The Mayor, the Mormons, titude toward the Torah community, calling Me'ah She'arim - his code word for lhe Torah community - "a and the Battle cancer to our nation." He has vetoed shuls and religious schools in dati suburbs, such asGilo. Moreover, he has for Mount Scopus consistently been pushing projects that either by design or circumstance men sa city that is holy for so many As reported in the Monnon press and as ace the religious fabric of Jerusalem - religions and host to their noted in 1'heJewish Week in Septem ranging from the Ramot Road. infa· A places of study and \vorship. ber '85. thc Mormons have developed a mous for its Sabbath-desecrating traf the prospect of Jerusalem becoming training manual forJe\vish prosclytiza fic. which effectively puts a lid on fur home to yet one more religious institu tion entitled "Missionary Training for ther growth of the completely religious tion should hardly cause a ripple. More Use in the Jewish Proselvtization Pro northern tier. to periodic plans for gran over. the sponsoring group - the Mor gram.'' While there is no~record of any diose stadia. which threaten to choke mon Church. which is constructing a st udcnt ever engaging in proselytiza the Shabbos atmosphere in Shuafot to Brigham Young University Student tion when enrolled in the existing the north, or the Bethlehem Road to the c:entcr on Mount Scopus. overlooking Brigham Young Center in the Jerusa south. with sports fans and their the city - is not exactly one of the in lem suburb of Ramat Rochel. there is effluvia. sidious, freaked-out cults that are prey no doubt that this must be high on the Kollek has been compared favorably ing on Jewish youth. They are a white post-graduate agenda of every such \Vith Ne\v York City's voluble Mayor Ed collar group of clean-cut image that student. 'I'he Mormons. for their part, Koch, but the expanding catalogue of seen1s to exude wholesome American were assured by the Mayor that any ob Kollek's indiscretions includes a few values. And the Mormon students in jections \vould dissipate with time. And shockers that could never have a coun· the Jerusalem campus do sign a pledge one can scarcely ignore the site chosen terpart. in - say. Mayor Koch's more not to engage in any proselytizing. Yet for the Center. which will share the acerbic off-the-cuff put-downs and Orthodox communities around the summit of Mount Scopus with Hebrew shoot-from-the-lip indiscretions. One world have been objecting fiercely to University, where young people with cannot imagine Mayor Koch dining in this impending project in a number of spiritual thirst have little on-campus re an Italian restaurant in Boro Park on ways. including massive demonstra course as far as Jewish refreshment is Tisha B'Av, as did Mayor Kollek in tions at the Kosel. concerned. Can anyone blame Jerusalem .... In lieu of an apology. Jerusalem's n1ayor. Teddy Kollek, numbers-conscious Orthodox Jews - Kollek simply said. "I had forgotten it has been eminently identified with having lost so many millions to J-litler was Tisha B'Av. '' helping the Mormons in this undertak 40 years ago. and tragically have been So we need not search too hard to ing. and as a result has becon1e the tar losing so many more to assimilation find why the Mayor is turning his back get in this controversy. True enough, and intermarriage in the years since - on Orthodox sensitivities and ·is deliber Mr. Kollck can be credited with holding for our nervous anger at the prospect of ately and without second thoughts together a city that until eighteen years a Mormon "academic center" next ushering in a Mormon menace to ago \Vas divided into two warring fac door to l1ebre\v U.? Jerusalem. t ions. and still has the ingredients of a po\vder keg. And accomn1odating the needs of the city's multi-ethnic popula tion is undoubtedly a key factor in CORRECTIONS: Kollek"s design for keeping peace. But The article on Succos (page 19, Oct. '85), was "based on the writings supporting - or even tolerating - a of Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin.~· correctly identified a.s "the late Lutzker proselytizing group is quite another Rav, ;·11 ~l.1 ' n1attcr. And this is \vhy the Mormons· Mount Scopus carnpus becomes so Also: The review of Artscroll's Macltzor, Ztchron Reuven (p. 29 .in offensive. the same issue) meant to suggest that "there should bean indication The Mormon Church - an Ameri can pheno1nenon - has 29.000 n1is (both here and in the Artscroll S!ddur) that not everyone reads '1,ll sionarics engaging in an aggressive in the morning prayers (p.192)." search for converts on five continents. . The Jewish Observer/November. 1985 45 EVEN-HANDED IN UTAH? Uze people. Mormons without diaevent· that will die down. The pro proselytizing is not Mormonism ... testersfear Mormon students will try Meanwhile. on these shores. softer to convert Israelis to Mormonism. s the protests against the BYU approaches were explored, including a .. 'Israel welcomes the Mormons,· he site were mounting in Israel. visit by Rabbi Moshe Sherer, president assured the governor, saying officials A the government responded. of Agudath Israel of America, with there consider the center's construc The Knesset Internal Affairs Commit Jead~rs of the Mormon Church in Salt tion as 'no problem at all.... · Mr. Even tee sent to the full Parliament a non Lake City. These efforts were deftly said. 'We have a lot ofrespectfor the binding resolution urging the govern sabotaged by Jacob Even, Israel'scon Mormon community· and that he is ment to block construction of Brigham sul general for Western U.S., in a con 'sure [the controversy] will settle down Young University's Jerusalem campus versation with Utah's governor, as on Mount Scopus. reported in a front page story in the Salt It was not until six weeks after the Committee members who joined in Lake City Tribune on August 9. We Even interview, when the matter hit the 7-4 vote for the resolution said they quote: the Israeli press and Foreign Minister had no faith in promises made by the Shamir expressed his alarm. that. the university's president, Jeffrey I-lolland. "On an issue engaging Utah, Mr. Consul General saw fit to write a letter not to use the Jerusalem campus to Even told Gov. Norrn Bangerter Thurs to the newspaper claiming that his convert Jews to the Mormons· faith. day that protest by conservative ortho statements were "quoted out of con Said committee chairman. Dov dox Jeu1s to Brighan1 Young Univer text.'' their meaning ''misconstrued.·· Shilansky: "I believe the aim of the sity's Near East studies center in and that a Mormon Center on Mount Mormons in their ideology is to prosely- Jerusalem is 'a lot of noise' anda 'me- Scopus would, indeed, be objec tionable. (It seems that hardly a week passes without a new revelation in this ongo ing controversy. The latest has been Choose a school the discovery in late October of archeo logical maps that designate the BYU building site as an ancient cemetery. as if your future which calls for constant monitoring during construction to make certain that hum a~ remains are not disturbed depends on it from their rest. This has even given BYU's president pause. Finally, it seems - with the notable It does exception of Jerusalem's Mayor - we are getting our act together. But wait: the Bnai Brith ADL has investigated the O .A.t the leading edge of computer training since the beginnings of the 'Computer revolution'. matter and "applauded the 'openness COPE ha" been training professional computer programmers since 1977. O Our personalized and sensitivity to Jewish concerns' ap· programming course runs 20 weekc,-;--600 heurs. wit.h each student receivini:i; hands-on parent in the Mormon response pub I training on IBM personal computers and CRT tennina!s accessing an !13M state-of-the-art mainframe computer. O Classes are small, texts are constantly updated. and instnictors are licly pledging that the university, experienced professionals with both teaching and prdctical business backgrounds. D You faculty, students and the facility itself learn COBOL the most commonly used computer language-as we-11 as l'.\TRO BASIC , BAL would not be used for proselytizing & JCL. 0 You create a true programming portfolio forjoh interviews. 0 You re-ceive proven Jews. placement assistance-the kind that has placed COPE ~raduates with blue-chip computer ·· ADL Chairman Kenneth J. Bialkin companies. hanks, and hospitals. O Various types of student financial aid. including loans (who also serves as chairman of the and grants. are availahle. 0 Day and evening programs to fit vour schedule. 0 Conference of Presidents of Major Jew ish Organizations. which includes a New Classes Begin January 6, 1986 number of Orthodox groups). was quoted as saying: 'For Israel. there are always risks to such openness. But For Information and Enrollment Procedures Call Jews and Judaism will be better served by adhering to the prophetic mandate ·\crn:dill'd hy th•· - ''tobe a light unto the nations.··'·· - :\.. <;.~vciatinn of quoted in 1'he Jewish Week, August Independent 29. 1985. Co!leJJ;l'"S & Schools. COPE Perhaps. just perhaps. we would be l..1c~nsed h~ INSTITUJE the ;-.iew York able to handle the threat of the Mor The Computer Programming Training Stall' Educational mons· plan to build in ~Jerusalem - Center to Business And Industry !kpartmen!. were it not for the multitude of fellow I 4419 !ii.th Avenur Brooklyn. !l.'Y 1!2(14 :\ Division nf Jews who are in desperate fear of not :\J;?udath lsrad being loved by all. including those \vho (718) 436-1700 of :\merica would destroy us. and as a result persist in sending the wrong signals to all concerned.9: 46 The Jewish Obseroer!November. 1985 light up your lwme with two new records from Suki ~Ding UNCLE MOISHY and the M11ZVAH MEN ~~?Y VolumeW FEATURING: FEATURING: Hashem's The Lefs Be World Friends Torah Torah Sharing Torah New Stolliner Nigun L.W>:.~"'-"--'------' For more information please call (212) 724-9351 Suki and Ding would like to take this opportunity to wish all ofKlal Yrsroel a very Happy Chanukah! ~ot{¥r-ache······.··.····.··.·.··.·.·at~ J 1on... c. 1·.... ·~>·.. ·· ..·.·.·.e ...·· .. ·.·.. ;;,F' 'l Haolam, the most trusted name in Cholov Ytsroel Kosher Cheese. A reputation earned through 25 years of scrupulous devotion to quality and kashruth.With 12 delicious varieties.Under the strict Rabbinical supervision of K'hal Adas Jeshurun, N. Y. ~ H&ilam. atradition you'I~::~::: I Iao TH~ MQ:. .WORLDCHl:.ESECO., lNC ,NEW YORK.Ny_ ~_...... """ The Jewish Obseroer/November, 1985 47 ·. .. . , , , :- , •• •• The Staff of Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. Wishes our friends a very happy &Joyful Chanukah We thank the community for its continued patronage of our branches. It is always a pleasure to serve you. ..~a.., CHASE C 1985 The Chase Manhanan Bank, N.A./Member FDIC . . (the immersion ceremony) by a rabbi who agrees to do so. or alternatively. why they should not have their own marriage registrar. According to an article in The Jerusalem Post, the is.sue threatened to force a show-do\vn between the country's civil and rabbinical courts. A spokesn1an for the Chief R.abbinate said in response that the council had no intention of answering the High Court's order. 'l'he writer is reminded that the founders of the State met \Vith representatives of Agudath Israel in 1947. and had agreed lhal matters of religious status should be exclusively in the hands of the rabbinate. 'fhis has been under constant challenge and THE ETHIOPIAN ALIYA defiance in such areas as common law marriage, conversions. and religious One Compromise Too Many identity. and this episode appears to be one more chapter in this ongoing con he detailed report on The Ethio ments of conversion: acceptance of frontation. pian Aliya (JO. April '85) con· Judaism and tevilla: they had dropped Prime Minister Shimon Peres had T eluded with: the insistence on a symbolic cir promised the demonstrating Ethio ··we are dealing with the very grave cumcision. pians - thought to be mostly youths and imminent possibility of the floodg· The public protests of olim un\villing who had grown up in urban centers ates of intermarriage being opened in to undergo conversion, reported then, \vhcre they had been subject to Marxist Israel, permitting - even fostering - had since escalated to the point where infuence - that he would see to it that the marriage of Jews with thousands of hundreds of immigrants from all over the rabbis would accommodate them. others who are found by ahnost all the country engaged in a month-long At first the rabbis held their own. but halachic authorities to be in need of sitdown strike in the park opposite then. lillle by little. they retreated. (The conversion, with the official im ricichal Shlomo, which houses the rabbis' position was weakened \Vhen primatur of the State, affecting future Chief Rabbinate. the former Rishon Letziyon. Rabbi generations for all time to come." The High Court of Justice issued an Ovadia Yosef, supported by the former At that time. both Chief Rabbis of ls· order to the Chief Rabbinical Council to Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren. rael had concurred that the Ethiopian show cause as to \Vhy the Ethiopians altered his previous position on the sub olim should undergo the basic require- would not be married without tevilla ject after the mass immigration of last Hebrewk.odemtofOeveland pub lishes over 50 Edu<:otionol llemll for Hebrew Doy Schools. INSURANCE BROKERS & CONSULTANTS r===111 Commercial, Industrial, Residential, Life & Health Ill, Jl'J::JJl r ' 11~/J? !i il lrJ? J nSv 1 1 n1J:::i:i.·-,.,~0·1::in-~mn:::i) ''l;:t.11 I" n !"'' ::l ,..~,. ~ iS:i ·S;; • PROFESSIONAL SERVICE • • QUALITY INSURANCE CARRIERS • • COMPETITIVE PREMIUMS • Corolog senr upon request. Send $1.00 for handling tO: HEBREW ACADEMY BARBARA GOLDGRABEN/HESHY SCHWEBEL/EZRA HES PUBLICATIONS DEPT. 1660 5ourtl Taylor l\d. 0-1ond Helgh!S, Ohio 4411 a The Jewish Obseroer/November. 1985 49 year, and both accepted the Ethiopian tinued to sit in the park, where they that he considers it proven that they olim as Jews without any ritual or pro were honored by a visit from Prime are. in their majority. Agau tribes cedural requirements.) Rather than re Minister Peres. Finally, on Chol Ha \Vhich were converted toa Biblical pre quire immediate conversion, the Chief Moed Succos, the demonstrators went Rabbinic Judaism [sic] by Jews who Rabbinate offered to defer the matter to home. They achieved their purpose, ac reached them via Egypt. He considers each officiating rabbi, to deal with in cepting what they believed to be an oral them a prime example of the expansion dividual Ethiopians at time of their understanding \Vith the Chief Rabbis of the Jewish people by absorbing large marriage. Those \vhose lineage was un that the special Din to deal with the numbers of non-Jews; and he blames questioned would. of course. be mar Ethiopian Jews in regard to marriage their isolation on their failure to bring ried without any requirement of tevilla. and divorce include rabbis known to their Judaism in line with that of the The demonstrators recognized this consider them full-fledged Jews with rest of the world. We do not agree with proposal as a postponement. not a reso out need of even levilla. The Chief Rab Kessler's evolutionary interpretation of lution of the problem, and they sum binate, on the other hand, claims that Judaism; but we should certainly be marily rejected it. it only agreed toa deferment of the de able to expect him and other scholars cision. and that it made no actual con who hold such views to appreciate and YOM KIPPUR HIGHPOINT cession in the halachic requirements of support the halachic demand for for giyur. mal conversion. After all, according to The protests reached their shrillest It is interesting to note that in a recent these scholars the "Falashas.. repre \Vhen some400 youths convened at the work by David Kessler, ]'he Falashas, sent in their majority a group that was Kosel Maaravion Erev Yorn Kippur the Forgotten Jews cifEthiopia. the au never initiated into Torah Judaism. and chanted ''The rabbis are racists!'' thor pleads for the recognition of the Failure to insist on such a conversion Throughout Yorn Kippur they con- Falashas as Je\VS at the very same time clearly makes a travesty of the halachic process and a frightening breach in the New from the world famous typewriter company. protecting walls around the sacred line age of Klal Yisroel; and the perceived surrender of the Chief Rabbis on the is sue of giyur can be interpreted as a fur ther compron1ise oft.he integrity of the Office of the Chief Rabbinate. Switch and go from Hebrew to English in seconds! That's all you have to do with the new Brother CE-651 memory correction. automatic underlmmg and relo· There·s never been an electronic compac1 office type- cation. decimal tabulation, line and paragraph mden A CALL FOR INTEGRITY writer like it. From the amazingly light touch of the talion. automatic centering and decimal con1rol. The keyboard. designed to eliminate finger fatigue. to a Brother CE-65 brings the best in electrornc typewriters whole range of sophisticated features - automatic and at just half the weight The Ponevoezher Rosh Haycshiva, Rabbi Elazar, Schach N"\J'>?~. issued a ha!Ufe$ • One touch 1nterchan9P.alll~ "n'"i'!IUlp'; n'll,"P"N n:i,n:> nll:>u ... staten1ent in response to this latest de cassen~ · 1ype daisy wheel • inlercMngeat>le cassetlP "bbor- lb'N'.,!IU b'lll~':l bll ,'Ti'llU., n'll'll.,·:lil velopment in the ongoing struggle for • AutomaHc pare< ,,,11,ng the integrity of halacha as opposed to • Repeal typing for ail keyo The ultimate • Super and sut s~npt Hebrew/English accommodating political pressure. We • Automatic underlm'ng • Express backspace typewriter. present here a free translation of his • Automa11c carrim ·etur~ Hebrew one • Aulomali<: re•ocal 50 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 11Just a little note to say thanks to all of our customers, old and new, for putting your trust in our neighborhood way of banking:' fiAhtJ~ t~eSident >< >.i>;·;~················.·· •. ·.·.···.·•.··•. ··.··.·.><•········· 3· ...... ·><''!•."•'•,"·'··'·'·' ···•"'"'."";.·.~.~ •.. ,'.:-~<·.r·"~'·~···~·'·'·~··•··-- · · :: ,,,,,..,:,.,,,,,:~;,.~."'''' ,.. :;.~l\,"!!!l!<.~;.-,: .. < ,;,. ""'"' ,,,,,,,,·h.,·•,., ... The American Institute of Jewish Education announces the release of "The Kosher Soro Park, B'klyn. East Side, N.Y.C. Preparation of 4717 13th Avenue 51 Canal St. Vegetables" Lowest Prices! Big Savings! 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(02) 821 -509 If you llve out of New York and would llke to arrange a showing In your city, or for add/Ilona/ Information, please contact: The American Institute of Jewish Education 514 Ninth Street, Lakewood, N.J. 08701 (201) 367-3149 Ode to a Grudge famous Yaffa I.eba Gottlieb the dairy restaurant 222 West 72nd Street In my heart there lives a grudge It's lasted many years (212) 595-8487 It has a glorious history Cholov Yisrael - Shomer Shabbos Of heartbreak, pain, and tears. Under the Supervision of K'hal Adath Jeshurun Open for Breakfast, Luncheon and Dinner Catering - Parties - Meetings Oh, it began as a disaster A mountain, in which we climbed. It grew to strength, it grew to hope, Mikveh Attendant It grew to better times. (couple preferred) for established, recently built Mikveh in religious community in NYC. And as it grew, it dwindled Good compensation and living ~onditions. Ad To a small and pearly shell, ditional employment available for husband as A lodged-in-heart momento Shamash or in other institutional area. Too precious to dispel ... Interested persons should reply with resume to Box #5 c/o Jewish Observer, 5 Beekman St., My Grudge! NYC 10038. Dark nights I bent to nurse you, With friends gone, you were there, And faithfully you welcomed me In loneliness and despair. MERCAZ n2JUml Until one day I saw BETH JACOB n'~ That even we must part, IN ~i'll~ Leave, dear Grudge, ever gently, That corner of my heart. ERETZ YISROEL ""oo&:l~ tl'~YI,.,, !li'V' 1''!1 l!>.,~ Thus my faithful grudge departed (02) 244-455 55 JNl\!J' >JJY.l :11n1 Tho it would not shut the door, Once gone, it changed to happiness 1::t)")) ?1)r.:> :tin )r.:>1::i>? 1n>y~" ::i1n And lives with me once more. Yaffa l. Gottlieb is a Brooklyn resident. This is her first appearance in JO. 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'N \J'.::in O'iYlDi1 )}ll i1!lJ1i1 Jy $8.00 . . . i1!lN '!}l'O !!:ltJ (2 1 heofflceofTheJewishOb :i pJn D'iYlnn Jy1 n11nn Jy Of course, the JO editorial office $5.00 . . D'!YV Nl:lD 1!:10 (3 server often receives mall has answers. but sometimes others Jv 1111' rY U'J1 nvon n11nn nJ:Jp 110 1:11 crttical of certain themes express them so much more clearly llN':ll r1nJnn '''J n~pl N"!lnl \J"VYln that appear in the maga and succinctly than we do-for in O')')Y nn:::i 1lYl nv11) ;n1:nnv n1rnn Jy 1~p T n11n 'tn1JJ O'~lrun zine's pages with regulartty:"Whydo stance, Rabbi Jack Stem. newly you keep harping about the latest in elected president of the Central Con how Reform and Conservative rab ference of American (Reform) Rab WE PUBLISH bis are leading their flocks astray? bis. as quoted in an interview with Comentary of Do you really think that JO readers The Jewish Week: Rabbi Elaz.ar of Worms are in constant danger of joining "Stem blames the low image of on the tora and the Five Megillos their neighborhood temple? Or do Reform Judaism partly on what he For the first time since they \Vere you actually believe that Reform Jews calls an aggressive anti-Reform composed nearly 800 years ago, the read JO and take its criticisms to stance taken by some elements of complete commentaries to the Five heart?" Orthodox Judaism. But, he says, the Megillos of the Rokeach, R'Elazar And then: "I appreciate the way JO perception of Reform Judaism Is Rokeach of Worms are becoming calls our attention to when some getting better. available. thing goes wrong in Orthodox com "The veiy existence of dialogue Transcribed from the manuscript. munal life, and boundaries between between the main branches ofJuda edik!d, and annotated by the Orthodoxy and the deviationists are ism and the existence of the Syn reno\vned gaon Rabbi Chaim blurred. It keeps us informed and agogue Council of America and the Kanievsky X"D~7w of Bnei Brak. alert to avoid repeat offenses. But boards of rabbis make a statement 'NDpn rn nNn n1'.::i'lD vnn ?y np11n 'ti!'!! why do you insist on dragging in the about mutual recognition, says NPll'J!lD !tYJN l)'Jl Orthodox pariicipation in the Syn Stern." The Jewish Week. $20.00 D'J'iJ 1:J {4 September 6, 1985 agogue Council ofAmerica, and other (nJnp ,n::i'N) 'N 71:i (.'.J interdenominational groups as (0'l'llli1 1'V ,!'111 ,!ntJN) 'J Tl=> though it were the cause of all evil?" Thank you, Rabbi Stem. n11nn Jy np11n pl!'!:! $10.00 ..... {:i p?nl Nlp'l nln\!.I cs J1ll\J!:li1 ,0'!J1 ,!:liJ::lJ (6 MAZELTOV DO YOO LOVE $10.00 .('l v';:in) to Please add $1.50 per book for CHILDREN? postage and handling. Chaim Gedalya Please send me seforim Would you like to care for 010203040506 and Rus (Goldfein) a child on a part-time Name ...... Veshnefsky Street ...... basis? JBFCS/Mishkon City, State, Zip ...... of Lakewood, has families who need Payment enclosed ...... New Jersey help with their "frum" Julius Klugmann, O.P.C. upon their marriage mildly retarded children. 461 Ft. Washington Ave. New York, N.Y. 10033 "Tizku Livnos Hours to suit your General Distributor for the Five Bais Ne'emon B'Yisroel" schedule-stipend given. Megillos: , Mr. and Mrs. For more information call: z. Berman Books ' Mrs. Jacob at Mishkon 4520-!7th Ave .. Brooklyn. N.Y. Ari Goldstein Tel. 718-871-5316 (718) 851-7100 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 55 • Next Time You FlicktheSwitch Thinkof Us ... The New York Power Authority. Our facilities supply over one-third of New York State's electricity. And that's important because about 75 % of our electricity comes from falling water-a clean, cheap and renewable resource. But we do more than provide power. At our facilities, a world of recreational opportunities awaits you. You can swim, camp and picnic in our parks. Explore islands we've preserved, and hook a fish while sailing in our lakes. And at our free visitors' centers, enjoy hands-on exhibits, multi-media shows and striking displays that offer a look at electricity like you've never seen it before. So next time you flick the switch, think of us. The New York Power Authority. We provide power NewVorkPower and recreation throughout New = York State. Authority -- Letters Announcing One to the Editor Blanket Policy That 1. Counting the Years (which starts 6 p.m. Sunday, and Covers It All - which thus would be Sunday 11 To the Editor: p.m.) 204 Chalakim (=11 min. 20 sec.) This Malad designates the be Homeowners In The Jewish ObserverI April 85, ginning of Year l of Creation, mean mention is made {page 31) that the ing a moment about 1 year before Second Temple was destroyed in the Creation and is therefore a chrono Auto year 3828. Since this destruction logical fiction, since only its last 5 took place in 70CE, which was 1915 days and 14 hours fall after the years ago, (1985 minus 70), our pre beginning of Creation. There Is, sent year should then be 3828 plus therefore, only a difference of num Umbrella 1915, which would place us in the bers as far as the designation of year 5743 and not 5745. This dis years is concerned between our crepancy stems from the fact that Calendar and that of the SO, since Jewelry the figure 3828 Is the year that the they start from different points in Seder Olam assigns to the destruc time, the difference being 2 years. tion. The Seder Olam. however, uses The year of Destruction of the Sec a different Malad as the basis for & Silver Floaters ond Temple according to our reck designation of years, from the one oning should therefore be desig our own calendar uses. The SO's nated as the year 3830. counting is based on the Malad c: The late Edgar Frank wrote a very For the most V'.Yi1i1 :l::>"l, meaning day 3 (Tuesday) Interesting, almost-exciting little 22 hours after Monday6 p.m. (which book on the above subject. in which competitive e:id is Tuesday 4 p.m.), 876 Chalakim all details to above remarks can be ( =48 min., 40 sec.). This was the day found. It contains only 80 pages, but comprehensive policy on which Adam l year old and was is packed with facts of real value to this is the basis for the SO's desig every student of Talmudic Litera nation of subsequent years. ture. Its title: Talmudic and Rab We, however, base this past year binical Chronology. It was published 5745 on a different Malad namely on by Phillip Feldheim in 1956, and it CALL THE the so-called Malad Tahu, whose would be very worthwhile if it could technical designation is 1"1il:i (see be republished. Rambam Hilch. Kid. Hach. VI, 8), PROFESSIONALS meaning day 2 (Monday), 5 hours HERMAN L. ADLER after the beginning of Monday Ki11Jat Telz Stone, Israel THE WORLD FAMOUS DIGEST OF MEFORSffiM •tpij:l':' i.li:l •toij:l':' WRITER, EDITOR Avail8ble at and LEKUTEI INC., c/o I. Rosenberg TRANSLATOg 10 West 47th Street, Room 702 NYC 10036/(212) 719-1717 20 Volumes on Torah, (from lleb. and Yid.) 1505 Coney Island Avenue , Perek, Tehillim, with Brooklyn, New York 11230 Med.rash, Megilos &. Talmud. prof. exp. Proceeds of sales distributed among Y.1>avidSh1tlman (718) 252-2800 Yeshivas and used for reprinting of volumes out.of"Pfitl.t (914)425-6889 PRICE $8.00 PER VOLUME The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 57 Maza[ Tovto MENDEL & RIVKA SCHECHTER upon the recent marriage of their daughter FLOUNDER 0 SOLE ° COD LEAHLE to EFRA/M RAINBOW TROUT FRUCHTHANDLER ---CANNED-- son of Mr. & Mrs. Avrohom Fruchthandler SAIMON ° TUNA and to the grandparents HOMESTYLE GEFILTE FISH Mr. & Mrs. Judah Falik Made Exclusively From Fresh Fish May you be zocheh to have nachas Breaded & Raw Portions from them In An Assortment Of Shapes & Sizes and all your children We Also Carry A Full Line Of Dietetic Products and have hatzlocha in your endeavors Institutional & Retail Pack in behalf of Torah & Chessed. Att: Hotels, Camps, Nursing Homes, Restaurants, Yeshivas MENDY & TOBY SHA YOVICH & FAMILY ---- All Inquiries:---- DAGIM TAHORIM CO. INC. 1644 52nd Street Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 718-851-1006 THE FIFIH ANNUAL WINTER YARCHEI KALIAll SPONSORED BY BETH MEDRASH GOVOHA WILL LEARN • ?11l ??:> p1!:i - n:::i 'll n:>o>J J'l)jl'{'))J \)II') )'JY From December 22, 1985-]anuary 3, 1986 Brooklyn Union Gas J'l:J\J :::i 11 :> - J'l:J\J:J nl'llY 9:30 A.M.-6:00 P.M. Shiurim will be given by: Wzshes our friends Rav Shimon Schwab N"\J'?'ll Rav Don Ungarisher N"\J'?'ll a very happy Rav Psachya Fried N"\J'?'ll &Joyful For More Information: Chanukah Call Moshe Fulda (212) 928-4538 Aaronjacobs (914) 425-6866/(914) 368-1100 Out of State 1-(800) 772-1717 Free Transportation Provided OTLIN TO JERUSALEM NEWS FROM In time of illness, surgery or crisis, special prayers will be recited at the Western Wall and AGUDATH ISRAEL at our Yeshiva in Jerusalem. CALL 24 HOURS (718) 871·4111 A FREE PUBLIC SERVICE OF The American Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charity KOLEL AMERICA Religious Organizations Face Anti the California chapter of Agudath Israel's Discrimination Threat in California: A Commission on Legislation and Civic Ac· K.1\IDIDI~J:I, lion, Agudath Israel took the Fair Employ heated controversy is brewing in California Mishnayoth, Yizkor & Yortzeit over the right of religious organizations to ment and Housing Commission to task for observed with a minyon in our adopt employment policies that conform to its infringement upon religious autonomy: Yeshiva Heichal Rabbi Meir their religious principles rather than to the "When an agency of government arrogates Baal Haness in Jerusalem. State's secular notions of "equality." it was to itself the unfettered authority to conduct CALL reported by a spokesman for Agudath Isarel an independent review of a body that is char of California, Rabbi Chaim Schnur, Director tered as a religious organization to deter (718) 871-4111 of Agudath Israel's California office. mine whether the body ls 'really religious·. or to determine whether an employment de ' . 132 Nassau St.• N.Y., N.Y. 10038 In a \vrittcn statement authored by David cision which the body claims was made on Zwiebel. Esq .. Director of Agudath Israel of the basis of religious principle was in fact re America's Office of Government Aflfiirs. in ligiously motivated. the agency grossly over collaboration with a prominent Los Angeles steps the line that separates church and labor attorney. Robert Millman. a member of state.·· SHABBOS AFI'ERNOON BNOSGROUPS FOR Vizhnitzer Rebbe Visits U.S. and Canada: Rabbi Moshe Hager. Vizhnitzer "SPECIAL Rcbbc. ofBn('i Brak. Israel. spiritual leader CHILDREN'' of thousands of Chassidin1 the \vorld over, is scheduled to arrive in Ne\v York City on Sun BEING FORMED day. Novc1nber 17. fora l\VO\vcck visit lo the United States and Canada, with Shabbosos IN in Baro Park and Montreal. FIATBUSH On Motzaei Shabbos. Noven1bcr 23, the Hebbe \Viii address the annual 1\ilelave l\!lalkn on behalf of the Vizhnitz Institutions of Israel CALL (212) 791-1800 \\'here close to 5,000studentsare enrolled in over 30 schools and institutions •with an an nual budget of over $3 n1illion. The Rebbc is a men1b(-rofthe Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah I The Vizhnitzer Rebbe. of Aguctath Israel of lsrael. l\()L Ct-14..,,-IM mctl~§Tl!A Come To Formerly Kosher King ~ 301 358-4037 j 764-8576 I Whitehead Hall, Brooklyn College @ glatt Supervised BALTIMORE MARYLAND \le Jewish Obseroer/November. 1985 59 which mobilized a broad spectrum of groups DATELINE: in support of their passage. A law that obligates employers to make SACRAMENTO "reasonable accommodation" for the reli gious observance of employees. and another Two Major Laws for Sabbath Observers that bans penalization of university students Signed by caiifornia Governor:Two more who cannot take exams on the Sabbath or BIG APPLE major advances on behalf of observant Jews religious holidays. were both signed by the in California have been realized with Gover Governor in recent days. Their final approval COl'>Y & PRINTING C~N"rER nor George Deukmejian"ssignature into law marks the successful completion of the three 87 NAS$AU ST, of two new statutes protecting the rights of major campaigns on the agenda of the local Ntw Yoni<. NY 10038 Sabbath observers. Both measures were Agudah Commission for the past year, with 1212) 962:-42S2 drafted at the behest of the California chap a bill combattingfraud in the kosher food in f212J 2:67-9479 ter of the Commision on Legislation and dustry having been signed by the Governor Civic Action of Agudath Israel of America, earlier this summer. HOME ATTENDANTS needed for HOUSEKEEPING AND • Would you like to bring joy to poverty PERSONAL CARE stricken brides and grooms through the mitzvah of Hachnossas Kai/ah? for the • Would you like to publish seforim and books that bring Torah knowledge to DISABLED AND those who seek it? HOMEBOUND • Would you like to make free loans that can save your neighbor's home or good pay and benefits Boro Park. Bensonhurst and business? Flatbush Area The Fischel and Alta Tennenbaum full-time live in positions only Memorial Foundation does all those things - and more. It does them without Project OHR Inc. any overhead or salaries. Every cent goes where it can do the most good. (Office tor Homecare Referral) Your tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation makes you a 1308-40th Street partner in all these activities for good. Brooklyn, NY 11218 And to show you our appreciation for your help, we will send you the 853-2700 magnificent new soft cover ArtScroll Pocket-Size Slddur as a gift for each contribution of $18 or more. So don't delay. Help the needy and benefit yourself. Go with the Best ••• The Fischel and Atta Tennenbaum Memorial Foundation 2621 Avenue M I Brooklyn, N.Y. 11210 Enclosed, please find my contribution of Or for a minimum contribution of $25 $ , which entitles me to __ each, please send me __ ArtScroll Artscroll pocket-size soft-cover siddur(im) pocket-size hard-cover siddur(im) SIMCHA'" VIDEO __ Sefard I __ Ashkenaz __ Sefard I __ Ashkenaz PLUS Name------~ • Broadcast Video Address ------• Candid Photos CitY------State ___ Zip ___ Please make checks payable to (718) 438-6010 Fischel and Atta Tennenbaum Memorial Foundation 60 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 PINCUS MANDEL for residents of the New York area. Fresh I DATELINE: COPE Start is a training program for widowed. Cemetery Consultant separated and divorced women who find Agudath Israel Opens New Training Pro Over 30 Ycars of Dedicated themselves thrust into the job market for the Service to the Orthodox Jewish gram in Conjunction with Adult Learn first time. ing Week: The Adult Education Program of Community Project COPE. the career guidance and em Karka available on ployment services agency of Agudath Israel DATELINE: all cemeteries in of America. announced the opening of new tuition-free classes in conjunction with New ELIZABETH Eretz Yisrael controlled and York Governor Mario Cuomo's proclamation Orthodox Leader Appointed Advisor to maintained by the designating November 17 - 23 as Adult NJ Medical Examiner: Rabbi Yaakov M. Chevra Kadisha Learning Week. Dom bro ff. Director of Agudath Israel ofNe\v of each community, Dr. Irwin Goldstein, director of the Project Jersey and Legislative Chairman of the Rab COPE program. \Vho stated that the classes Jerusalem, Tiberias, Tzfas, binical Council of New Jersey. has been ap have been made possible through a grant Miron, Holon, etc. pointed Advisor to Robert Goode, M.D., the from the New York State Education Depart Medical Examiner of the State. in matters Recommended by ment. added: "The new courses include ba relating to autopsies and Orthodox Jewish Gedolai Hador- sic literacy and math and English As A Sec practice. here and in Eretz Yisrael ond Language (E.S.L.) for foreign born." The appointment comes as a result of a for honesty-integrity New Agudath Israel Program for Dis-. Jong-standing relationship developed be and responsibility place Homemakers: Two Agudath Israel tween the Medical Examiner's office and N() compromises in kovod han1Jtar community agencies, the Fre..c;h Start Train representatives of the Nc\v Jersey chapter of as evaluated by a ing Program for Displaced Homemakers and the Commission on Legislation and Civic Ac· cemetery expert. the Adult Education Department of Project tion of Agudath Israel of America. who to A service from the beart COPE (Career Opportunities and Prepara gether with the state's Orthodox rabbinate wltb a heart tion for Employment). have announced that have succeeded in reversing a situation in 1 '569 4 7th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. l l 219 they will unite their resources for a new so which Jews here could not prevent autop Day and Night Phonc-(718) 855-5121 cial service program to begin this November sies on their kin without special court order. c:.211ATANA QALLE~ 4906 18th Ave. Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 851-4448 JewL•if1 hooks, Judaira, Taleisirn 1\1cz,11z,o.<>, personalized Tali.'> ha"9s, Tclfilin hag;, Yarrn11lkn.<>nrul Chalah cover.<;, records and tapes, l11citr, silver, scrr1i-pn•ciousstonc.<; and gold jCJvel1y. great une I ALLAT SUPERDISCOUNf PRICES! AnENTION PUBLISHERS Of NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, CIRCULARS, ETC •. WEEKLY, MONTHLY, Bl MONTHLY, ETC. For Expert Distribution Contact: (718) 387.0164 The Jewish Observer/November, 1985 61 portunities, calling upon all fliends of Torah DATELINE: to join with them in support of this historic national enterprise. The net increase in en VISITING JERUSALEM rollment in the Torah Schools at a time of drastic reductions in subsidies by the BALTIMORE? Chinuch Atzmai shows 12·year enroll government, has added $3 milion to the def ment growth of over 32%: A 32.5% icit of the network"s budget. growth in enrollment over 12 years was reported by the Chinuch Atzmai-Torah DATELINE: A furnished apt. avail. Schools network in Israel, demonstrating free of charge conve· the opportunity for growth when the neces WASHINGTON, D.C. sary resources are made available. The nient for medical center, American Section of the Board of Governors Remember Tuition Tax Relief. Agudath etc. dose to shuls, Kosher of the organization. taking note of the sue Israel Tells White House: Agudath Israel cessful results from the allocations for of America voiced its concern to the Reagan shopping. Comfortable, warded from America. undertook to increase Administration at a White House briefing in private, quiet. these allocations by 30% to allo\v for ex October regarding the omission of a tuition panded opportunities for further develop tax relief provision in the President's con1- For info, call eve: ment. The reIXJrt from Jerusalem covered prchensive tax reform package. government-recognized elementary schools. The session had been called by White Rabbi/Mrs. Mordechai and did not cover kindergartens. junior high House officials and Treasury Department Kuper301-350-5726 day: schools. or unrecognized schools. However. representatives to brief leaders of the non the figures reported form the backbone of the public school community from across the lilyaKuber301-765-8520. independent system of Torah education in nalion on the Reagan tax plan and the im All inquiries confi Israel, reflecting trends of the past and pact it \Vould have on non-profit institutions projections for the future. In the 5735 school and families whose children attend non dential. year, the enrollment was 22,187: for this public schools. The issue of tying tuition tax 5746school year. the enrollment is 29.401. relief to the President's comprehensive pro The Board of Governors assumed the posal was raised at the White House briefing responsibility to increase its allocations by session by David Zv.'iebel, Esq .. Director of 30°,b to allow for further development of op- Government Affairs of Agudath Israel of America. EV7.J750 NOTICE IDATELINE:VIENNA I ~""-"-;O -,l.'.t~ The following is the text of Article Vt of the Beth -Medrash Govoha, Lakewood, N.J. New Torah Educator to Join Vienna j~•tU?'"l'C 1.,~ 'C;~•Wt'"l9:'~t.:~· by..lawt,- which are currently in full force Refugee Project: The international project and effect, and are carried out in practice. for young refugees from persecution four1dcd here by the Agudath Israel World Article VI Organization welcomed a new Torah educa 8eth Madr:ash Govoha that! Maintain a tor to its staff: Emanuel Goldful. a senior stu nonditcriminatory admissions policy and dent at YeshivaN er Israel of Baltimore. The . shall at all times be in compliance with ATTENTION! appllcabJe federal, sta_te and local regula· project combines a special kosher kitchen lions In regard to admissions, accommo~ serving hot meals daily with a carefully dations, educational opportunJty, student designed youth Torah study progran1. aid policies and employment. Quallfed men of the Jewfsh faith are ad~ mlHed to Beth Medrash Govoha and are uniformly accorded all rights, privileges Grocers, variety and benefits, without regard to race, color, IM1J~llll'ili~lii shops, supermarkets national or ethnic origin. From Factory Rep Beth Medrath Govoha shall maintain a SAVE 111 in policy of Equal Opportunities In Employ· ment. the N. Y. Vicinity Call (718) 851-1314 If you're interested in earning extra$$$ at no risk by selling the Jewish Observer in your store call Mr. Markowitz (718) 387-0164 4916 13th Ave .. B"klyn, N.Y. 11219 (718) 854·29! 1 62 The Jewish Observer/November. 1985 the hat rack 5416 16th Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 871-2278 ~- /~ ([STETSON®~ • ~ • HABIG ;-,,L KANGOL •LONDON FOG •CAPS• TIES Yes! You can dance /~$./1<6 I<' /~P /~N at two weddings! ! .nljl.nn •II.? f.11< While you're celebrating here, you can do one more thing to make your wedding the most beautiful, as well as meaningful day of your life! Help Yad Eliczcr make a wedding in Israel for a Choson and Kallah who are unable to get married without your generosity! $500. 00 makes the wedding! What a great guarantee that all your anniversaries be golden ones! ENDORSED BY GEDOLEI HADOR WORLDWIDE! Help YAD ELIEZER make the difference between surrender and SU1"\ival!!! COORDINATORS Rabbi and l\frs. ):T aakov \Veiscl Kiryat Sanz, ,Jen1salen1 Tel. 812060 Mr. and Mrs. ZollyTroppcr Rabbi and Mrs. Ycbudah Rupp 1102E. 26th St (718)85:3-5111 Brooklyn, N.Y. 11210 MordcchaiGelbcr (718)258-1580 (718)46a-6780 212):371-6220 Pak! for by a supporter of)Tad Eliczcr by Harav Moshe Feinstein"""''"' 6 volumes 6" x 9" ... $65.00 Responsa by an outstanding contemporary Halachic ·Authority. It includes res ponsa involving all facets of modernJewish life. JUST OUT the latest volume of IGROTH MOSHE volume 7, 9" x 12" 360 pages --$25.00 Available at all Jewish book dealers Exclusive U.S. Distributors: ISRAEL BOOK SHOP, INC , 410 Harvard Street, Brookline, Mass. 02146 · Tel. (617) 5667113, 7114 S. GOJDMAN-OTZAR HaSEFARIM, INC 33 Canal St., New York, N.Y 10002 Telephone: (212) 674·1707 by David Zaritsky translated by Charles Wengrov David Zaritsky, a talmid of the hallowed Chofetz Chaim, of blessed memory, was known for decades among the readers of Hebrew in the world of observant Jewry, both in pre-World War II Europe, and later in Israel, as the leading figure in creative Jewish writing. The author of dozens of books and thousands of articles, BEYOND THE SUN is his first and most famous novel to appear in English. From the chapters of this book there emerge luminous portraits of his fellow-talmidim of the Yeshiva of Radin whose extraordinary dedication to Torah and piety became one dramatic chronicle of Kiddush ha-Shem, sanctification of G-d's name in the world. BEYOND IBE SUN Available at all Jewish book dealers Exclusive distributors: 320 pages, 6" x 9" ISRAEL BOOK SHOP, INC. 410 Harvard Street Brookline, Mass. 02146 $12.95 TeL (617) 566-7113