MYSTERY OF THE MISSING YEARS ew hardships are as tough to handle as a breadwinner's unemployment. But few hardships are as quickly resolved. FAll it takes is one job to turn a family's worry and strain into peace and security. With unemployment at a rate unprecedented in recent times, many frum families are suffering. ''Sometimes We are using this opportunity to urge everyone to comb his or her own resources for any and all job openings. Ask the person nel director at your job. Ask friends and relatives, especially those who own businesses. with very If you know of openings, call (718) 436-1900. With very little effort on your part, you can relieve a family of its heaviest burden. little effort Please takf!il 't1jt>met¢Jo'~.this l~t. /Igou know ofa11 ~{~, ()fg
THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by the Agudath Israel of America, 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N. Y. Subscription $22 .00 per year; two years, $36.00; three years, $48.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $12.00 surcharge per year. 4 Singlecopy$3.00; foreign $4.00. Send address The Mandate To Promote Kiddush Sheim Shamayim changes to: The Jewish Observer, 84 William BASED ON AN ADDRESS BY RABBI ELVA SVEJ, N"1""1!J Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Tel: (212) 797-9000. Printed in the U.S.A. 9 RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR The Clash Between Modernity and Eternity EDITORIAL SOARD BASED ON AN ADDRESS BY THE NoVOMINSKER REBBE, DR. ERNST L. BODENHEIMER Chairman RABBI YAAKOV PERLOW, N"1''71!1
RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FRIEOENSON 16 RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN Mystery of the Missing Years MANAGEMENT SOARD Rabbi Yisroel Reisman AVI FISHOF NAFTOLI HIRSCH ISAAC KIRZNER 20 RABBI SHLOMO LESIN Acts Of The Unfaithful NACHUM STEIN Fyvel Shuster RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING Business Manag1>r 24 Published by A Tribute to Rebbetzin Feige Wasserman, '1")) Agudath Israel of America Dr. Sara E. Freifeld RABBI MOSHE SHERER PRESIDENT SECOND LooKs ON THE JEWISH SCENE
SOLE U.S. TRADE OlSIBIBUTOR EUROPEAN REPRESENTATIVE Feldhelm Publishers M.T. Bibelman 30 Lost Jewry's Spiritual Quest 200 Airport Executive Park Grosvenor Works Spring Valley. N.Y. 10977 Mount Pleasant Hill London ES 9NE. ENGLAND 33 New Times, New Perspectives ISRAELI DISTRIBUTOR AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR Rabbi Menachem Zupnlk NechemJa Rosenberg Gold's Book & Gitt Co. Kiryat Te!she Stone, 108A 36 William Street O.N. Harei Yehuda, ISRAEL Balaclava 3183, Vic .. AUSTRALIA 35 Letters to the Editor THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not assume responsibility for the Kashrus of any product, publication, or service 39 advertised in its pages Dateline: 84 William Street ©Copyright 1994
JANUARY 1994 VOLUME XXVI I NO. 10 The ManOare to Promoffi filOOush ~heim ~hamapm
Based on an address by Rabbi Elya Svei, N"t'~ Rosh Hayeshiva ofthe Yeshiva ofPhiladelphia.
I. OF OVER-CONFIDENCE integrity on the morrow. On the mor AND SETBACKS row your daughter will be violated." This may seem difficult. After all, vety unusual. seemingly inex as long as Yaakovwas in La.van's em plicable occurrence that ploy, his devotion and integrity were E befalls Klal Yisroel, Chazal so exemplary that Yaakov emerged as say, must have some sort of initial the paradigm of Emes, to be eternally cause, with a lesson to teach us. identified with this attribute. Yet Thus, the violation of Dena by Yaakov was still faulted. His self-as Shechem (see Bereishis,Chap. 24), so surance somehow implied a relaxing contrary to the values and conduct of of his guard against a lack of adher Yaakov Avinu's family, must have ence to principle. As a result, his fam come from some earlier weakness. i]y ultimately suffered a major breach Indeed, the Midrash points out that in its integrity. the misfortune befell Yaakov because he had transgressed the principle: Like Passengers Aboard a inr.l 01'7 ?7nnn ?N-"Do not be sure of Sinking Ship yourself in regard to the morrow" (Mishlei27,l). is past year we have endured When Yaakov had arranged the a Chillul Hashem of major terms for his tending Lavan's sheep, T:proportions that reflects unfa he set up a number of safeguards to vorably on our Torah institutions. protect Lavan's property from em Unfortunately, we cannot proudly de bezzlement, adding, "My integrity will clare: "My integrity will answer for answer for me on the morrow" me" on this morrow. (Bereishis 30,33). According to Rabbi Reading the Report of the Nunn Yehuda ben Rav Shimon, G-d re Commission on the misappropriation sponded: "You are so assured of your of government funds by certain edu-
4 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 cational institutions', we cannot rah institutions. But take note of a its impact on whatever is near, so too shrug off the smear against us by letter from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, must Torah transform whoever is ex saying, "It was thattnstitution... their ?"ll!, wrttten 17 years ago: posed to it: he learns wisdom, humil actions." The Chi11u1Hashemmust be We must be grateful to G-d that af ity, modesty, good deeds, appropriate borne by all of us, for the status of all ter the Churban [of World War II], He conduct. Torah students has fallen. This af brought us to a benevolent country When a person studies Torah, it that supports students in their stud fects us all. ies, and helps bnei Torah maintain should be apparent tn his conduct, in As Targum Yonasan ben Uziel says their courses of Torah study. We his very betng. Thus every Torah Jew in regard to the command, "Do not must be grateful [to this nation] and must realize that he carries the steal": "Do not be mends or partners pray for its welfare and for the well Ribbono Shel Olam's Torah with him with thieves, lest your children grow being of its leaders. At the same time, in all his endeavors-tu his business up to be thieves." It is thus the re we must be aware that G-d in His To transactions as well as in his social rah commands us to take heed not to sponsibility of the entire Kial Yisroel take more than the officially pre interactions. that there be no thieves amongst us. scribed amounts, even if loopholes When the Jews reached Mara on Histortcally, our shtadlonim, those exist for evading the rules .... And their way to Sinai, Moshe Rabbeinu who advocated and lobbied with offi quite apart from thievery, such acts taught them chok umishpat-stat utes and ordinances. The Ramban cials on behalf of the Jewish People, are forbidden as deception, misrepre sentation and-worst of all-Chillul spells out Moshe's lessons. Having were tnvariably Gedolei Torah (such left Egypt together en masse, in such as Reb Itzel Volozhtn tn his time, the Hashem. In addition, they constitute a bizayon which besmirches Torah close quarters to each other, the Jews Chofetz Chaim and Reb Meir Shapiro and its scholars. There is no way in must maintain certain levels of con tn their times). By contrast, today the duct: You must love one another. oth situation is such that any young up erwise you will never survive. You must accept the counsel of the sages. start who has some kind of connec Every Torah Jew must You must establish safeguards of tion tn the nation's capital will employ modesty, especially in view of your unacceptable tactics, and we are pre realize that he carries the crowded living conditions. You will pared to become his partners. inevitably encounter bands of non The Chazafs parable for this situ Ribbono Shel Ofam's Torah Jews who will be selling you their ation is well known. wares; deal with them with integrity.... A passenger aboard a ship drills a with him in all his This code of conduct was issued to hole in the floor ofhis compartment, and the Jews before the Torah was given all the other passengers are in uproar: endeavors-in his business at Sinai. We certainly carry a charge to "You're endangering our lives!" promote Kiddush Sheim Shamayim! "Mind your own business, " he re transactions as well as in Perhaps such effort on our part will torts. "I paid my way. The hole is in my contrtbute to a mitigation of the ter compartment." his social interactions. rible ChaLul Sheim Shamayim cur But the seas are stormy, and rently plaguing us. everyone's ship wm sink. the world in which this can be permit Even with our current public Image Our present-day situation is no dif ted. Just as G-d despises a korban problem, however, our successes are ferent. We are betng tossed about in olah brought from stolen funds, so undeniably the envy of the secular too does He despise Torah support world. One need only note the contrast stormy seas, and a problem tn one that comes from illicit sources. compartment can sink the entire ship. between our dedicated young men tn Some may rationalize that the pro The letter is clear and needs no pursuit of Torah knowledge, guidtng ceeds are marked for support of To- elaboration. their lives by Torah values, and their When Shimi ben Geira cursed secular counterparts, adrift at sea without a moral compass, subject to 1Editor's Note: Habbi Svei is referring to the hear Dovid Hamelech, Dovid said. 'The ings held on October 27 - 28, 1993, before the US curse does not come from Shirni. it the capricious trends of society. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investiga comes from G-d." We, too, must view difference is hard for others to swal tions, chaired by Senator Sam Nunn of Georgia. at the critique of our community as not low, and tnspires all sorts ofcontorted which testimony was presented detailing allega views ofour community. For example, tions of various abuses of the federal Pell Grant emanating from the Nunn Commis program of a~sistance to higher education. The al sion, but from Hashem Himself for sociologist Samuel Heilman, who is an legations ofabuse were directed at a number of en our falltng short of our calltng as To "expert" on Chareidisociety, is cited tn tities referred to by the Nunn Committee staff as rah Jews: to sanctify the Sheim a cover story of the New York Jewish "relatively small institutions· that offer courses in Week (Dec. 3, '93) on the current Pell ·Judaic Studies" and "Immigrant Culture", which Shamayim through our actions. "should not be confused with rabbinical semi.flar Grant problems: les." The allegations raise issues ofvarying degrees Torah Traruiforms Those To Samuel Heilman, the scholar of of severity, some of which are being contested by WhoAreNear Orthodox Jewry, one thing about the the institutions under investigation. schools' pattern in Pell Grant exploita JO plans to publish in a forthcoming issue a tion is most infommtive.... It virtually ex further discussion of this topic ba~ed on a sympo orahisdescribedasAishDos sium at the recent national convention ofAgudath Fiery Law-according to the ploded in the last three years qfter many Israel of Amertca. T:S!fra because just as fire leaves years at a fairly constant level. The Jewish Observer. January 1994 5 If we were not as wary of the violations of integrity II. THE OUTWARD GLANCE as we should have been, we certainly are now ccording to ChazaL Dena's violation by Shechem was the sufficiently alarmed to correct such lapses. At the A esult of yet another frailty: "And Dena went out to see Bnos same time, however, we should not be derelict in our Ha'aretz-the daughters of the land"(Bereishis34, 1). Inourpresent well-earned pride in our noble youth who continue day situation we need not "go out" to to advance in Torah study with ultimate devotion. see "the daughters of the land." They and their value system have free en try into our homes and our educa It was three years ago, he obseroed, Yeshiva could never have taken root tional facilities. ... [that a particularlfamily, one of the by virtue of funds gained illicitly . A sub-denomination of Judaism major contributors to ultra-Orthodox in How, then, is Torah propagated in has been created that is dedicated to stitutions, went bankrupt amidst a our times? Intellectually gifted, tal incorporating the value system of hardhitting general recession that struck ented Yungeleit (young men), who bnos Haaretz into Orthodoxy, calling the community hard. could have their choice ofwell-paying itself Centrism. One can reduce our With little support from the estab careers in professions and the busi differences with this group to several lished Jewish community, and no base ness world, have renounced such op primary points. of support in their own hard pressed portunities in the favor of devoting + We labor under the awareness community, Uncle Sam must have themselves to Torah study, which that the chain of generations be seemed the only help at hand, he said. they love so intensely, finding it "more comes progressively weaker. We can lf the federal government now does precious than pearls." They seek not reverse this trend, but at the very withdraws its funds, said Heilman, closeness to G-d, for which they are least, we subjugate ourselves to the 'The students will go out and work. And willing to endure any hardships.... wisdom of the sages of the previous that means they will have to make com Young women enter into partnership generation. In this way we can receive promises, as happens when you work. with their husbands, devoting all the Mesora. the sacred tradition, and 'The insulation they have built up over their energy, working to help their maintain it to the best of our abilities. the last 25 years ... will end. 'They're on husbands in their quest for growth in The Centrists deny this steady dimi a precipice, and they know it." Torah. Parents and in-laws share in nution. They promote a Torah I would strongly recommend that the support of their children, to en Umadda ideology, whereby Torah is both the writer of the above-quoted able them to advance in their studies. enhanced by the added factor of article and the expert cited therein And generous nedivei am (philan Madda. Thus, in their view, as gen visit Bais Medrash Govoha in Lake thropists] extend themselves in sup erations advance and the Maddafac wood, which is the largest Torah in port of these scholars and the insti tor increases with added scientific in stitution of its kind in the world. tutions that house them. sights, so too does the resultant hy They would then see for themselves 'The Meshech Chochma comments brid, Torah Umadda. benefit. This how Torah study actually flourishes. on the classic partnership ofYissachar, flies in the face of our Mesora. Madda The Vilna Gaon declared that To the dweller of the tents of Torah study, was not present when the Torah was rah cannot thrive on the basis of and his brother Zevulun, who sponsored given at Sinai, nor was it ever a com fraudulently gained funds. He refers him through his commercial ventures: ponent in the Torah taught in subse to the well-known incident of how Rabbi Chiya saved Torah from being "And Leah called him 'Zevulun' to say ... quent generations (including that of forgotten by personally instructing now my husband (yizbeleiniJ will make Reb Chaim of Brisk). children (Babba Metzia 85b). The ac his permanent home with me." Not surprisingly, then, Modem Or count begins with Rabbi Chiya plant (Bereish!s 30, 20) .... Yissacharcouldnot thodoxy tends to glamorize innovation ing flax to harvest linen for the pur have had a house of study without in both halacha and hashkafa2, and pose of fashioning nets: these he used Zevulun"s active support. Zevulun is a even members of such groups as the to trap deer, whose hides he cured for parchment. on which he wrote Torah key contributor to Yissachar's fanction Orthodox Roundtable, who were once scrolls. Rabbi Chiya personally ex as a scholar. threatened with expulsion from the ecuted all of these preparatory labors, Ifwe were not as wary of the viola Rabbinical Council ofAmerica for their to ensure that no ill-begotten funds be tions of integrity as we should have radical departures from halachic used for teaching Torah to children. been, we certainly are now suffi norms, today are touted as respected The Gaon goes on to say that if ciently alarmed to correct such speakers at Centrist conclaves. seforim (sacred books) are printed lapses. At the same time, however, we with funds borrowed on ribbis 2 For example, in the next paragraph, a statement (usury). which is forbidden, the chil should not be derelict in our well earned pride in our noble youth who from Blu Greenberg is cited. She is the wife of Rabbi dren are destined to forget the Torah Yitzchak Greenberg, who also touts his own vision they will learn from these books .... continue to advance in Torah study of Kial YisroeL in the form of ClAL, which includes Torah on the scale of the Lakewood with ultimate devotion. Conservative, Reform, and ReconstructloniSt com-
6 The Jewish Observer, January I 994 + Centrtsts have a different view in regard to the woman's role in Ju Some women from less daism. They have moved in the direc tion of the general worldview that dis traditional circles seem tinctions between men and women should be obliterated. What are the to be seeking new mitzva results? A widely publicized article by an "Orthodox feminist'' published in expressions, such as Moment Magazine (Dec. '93) ex wearing or presses anguish that Orthodoxy lags tefillin, behind the Conservative and Reform, dancing with a Sefer which ordain women. while the Or thodox do not. After all. she claims. Torah on Simchas Torah. women also study Talmud nowadays. and they are familiar with the As if they lack mitzvos of halacha-to at least the same degree of mastery as their male counter significance! parts. Orthodoxy should also ordain women. she proposes. True, they are not counted in a minyan. but that hara (evil inclination). and women Through preserving our hurdle will be overcome in time, she have been granted tzenius for this posits .... One cannot help but fear purpose. Public speaking before a own heritage of tzenius, that, should the modernists within miXed audience is in total violation of Orthodoxy continue on their current this attrtbute of tzenius. kedusha and tahara, we course. her prediction will come true. This deterioration within modem Women: Their Agenda, can fulfill our destiny of ranks is the result of two forces at Their M"JSSion work among them: They do not seg being a Mamleches regate boys and girls in their educa ome women from less tradi tional institutions, and their stan tional circles seem to be seek Kohanim veGoy dards for tzenius (personal modescy) S ing new mitzva expressions, in their homes has declined. Unfor such as wearing tefillin or dancing Kadosh. What, by tunately. their achievements are suf with a SeferTorahon Simchas Torah fering erosion because of these weak As if they lack mitzvos of significance! contrast, can Bnos nesses. This search for the new is truly point We. for our part. must avoid the less. for women are already charged Haaretzteach us? trap of "do not be sure of yourself in with specific mitzvos that are crucial regard to the morrow." In our ranks, to the formation of our people: as well, tzenius has suffered deterio + Sforno explains that the mitzva pair of the world, could come about ration. Recently. in Orthodox circles. of challa was introduced to Klal Yis only through future generations. But for example, women have been deliv roel immediately after the Sin of the they would have to be generations of ering addresses at celebrations of Meraglim (the Twelve Spies). The kedusha (sancticy) and tahara (pu their simchas, against their inherent People had forfeited their high level of rily). The Jewish woman as custodian nature as women: The Midrash re bitachon (trust in G-d) when they of the laws of family purilypasses on lates that when G-d created Chava. balked at entering Eretz Yisroel be this tahara through her offspring to He tapped her on every limb. com cause of the Meraglim's negative re future generations. manding. "Be tzenu'a (modest)." port about the Land. When women + Adam's splritualicy suffered a Tzenius is the very foundation of a were commanded to separate the terrible decline through his initial sin. Jewish home. Men have been given challa portion from their dough. they This could be restored only through Torah as the antidote to their yeitzer were given the opportunicy to express the Shabbos. By ushering in the
ponents. What can Kial Yisroelgatn from theinclu~ renewed bitachon-
The Jewish Observer. January 1994 7 children's Torah educations." The One dare not underestimate the Jewish woman guards the transmis power of those precious tears! Tears III. OUR CONCERN sion of our values and our loyalty to cleanse the heart and open up the FOR SECURITY Torah for future generations! portals of kedusha and tahara What, The decline from previous genera by contrast, can Bnos Haaretz teach e Zohar relates a dialogue be tions to ours is precipitous to the ex us? Only the revelation of all sorts of tween the Sar (guardian angel) treme. One wonders why. Perhaps hidden drives and desires, and a fo T:fYishmael and G-d. The Sar one can suggest that women hesitate cus on the need for-and the per demanded that Yishmael, as bearing to cry, to pour out their tears, as ceived entitlement to-immediate a bris mila {circumcision), was en Yiddishe Mammehs once did, when gratification. titled to the same closeness to G-d as they beseech G-d on behalf of their Through preserving our own Yitzchak enjoyed. children, that they grow up to be heritage of tzenius, kedusha and Not so, answered G-d. Yitzchak's talmidei chachamim and ba'alei tahara, we can fulfill our destiny of mila was complete; he was circum middos tovos-at tefilla and when being a Mamleches Kohanim veGoy cised on his eighth day, with pri'ah they bentch Ucht Kadosh. {an additional incision}. whereas Yishmael was not circumcised until 13 years of age, and lacked pri'ah. As long as Yitzchak is complete in his kedusha, Yishmael has no claims to his legacy in Eretz YisroeL Nn:r>n~ But should Yitzchak, or his descen dants, fall short in infusing Eretz 11n7nn11R)J Yisroel with kedusha, then With gratitude to ·;i Yishmael's children wlll indeed have claim to Eretz YisroeL for the H"nw, HnU"D we have been granted While ordinarily one may find it ,'"""" ,,Mn Mn:i• nn difficult to conceive of Eretz Yisroel N"l!l'-,UJ /"l!IUJ"1-,Nl "::111!1 ::1,:7 /IN1:7 ntN'Ull:J as "lacking" in kedusha, the govern ment that is currently in power has ;i:i•w• WM, M"~'"W ,,'llM, ,WM :1, made it its goal to rid the State, its is pleased to announce the opening of registration official pronouncements, and even for the completion of its full high school program its school system of mention of for the the coming school year, ;i"1wn - , .. 1wn G-d'sname. for 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grades. The Ponevezher Rosh Yeshiva (Rabbi Schach) is in anguish because • • • • • Rechovos elected a left-wing mayor • A 11•u .,,., focusing on the specific i1::J'1'1i1 The 11n:i•n" on his platform of preventing the clos has seen a appropriate to each Hn:a·nn level ing of theaters on Shabbos. This tri tremendous • A comprehensive W"'fi' •.,,,..., curriculum including i1::J"J., ,wn1n ,n1H'i':::l and m·1wn umph of an anti-Shabbos spirit, the :in.,ll!M • Fully accredited English deportment, with o judicial decision to permit the import with its serious environment of study and accomplishment of non-kosher meat to Israel for the commitn1ent to • A worm n"'ltn a1;:m with sensitivity to the development first time in 45 years, among other the of each ,.,...,n trends, all setve to create a vacuum following • The xn::rnn adheres to o strict policy of accepting in the kedusha of the Land. And as a educational those a--un:a who will meet its high expectations result, the Arabs are on the thresh goals: and standards in the areas of t',H ,-n and old of controlling territories that they n1:::11a n1,,., as well as learning previously did not hold. We can pre vail over the Arabs in their struggle to • • • • • gain control over our land, if only The •n:·n• is fortunate la have as its o":i truly outstanding""'"", kedushareigns in the Holy Land. Rabbi Dovid Finkelman H"il''W, 9th grade""'" n• The struggle for kedushais a key Rabbi Mordechai Karfiol H"il''W, 10th grade i1u•w ,.,. aspect of our battle to maintain To rah values in spite of the attractions Rabbi Dovid Oelbaum H"il''W, 11th grade i1u•w ,.,. of foreign value systems and calls For further information or applications please contact the Yeshiva at: for change. Through perseverance, 1774 58th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11204 or call: 718/331-4212 we can flourish as a Torah people, promote Kiddush Sheim Shamayim in all our activities, and bring secu rity to our beleaguered brethren in Eretz YisroeL 11
8 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 The Clash Between Moaernify ana Eternify
Based on an address by Rabbi Yaakov Perlow,~' Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh H ayeshiva ofYeshivas Novominsk-Kol Yehuda, in Brooklyn, New York
scends limitations of modernity. Toras non-Jews in the world's great urban I. MODERNITY: TO BE HaAvos, the sacred legacy of our Avos, centers is unto itself a great spilitual EMBRACED OR AVOIDED? the Blessings of Moshe-all of these hazard. The toweling Torah leaders of have validity unW the end of days. earlier times foresaw this when the ne might well question why, By the same token, the norms of ghetto walls crumbled and Jews en from a Torah perspective, Torah are timeless. and are applicable tered the mainstream societies. Such O there must be a clash be to every situation imposed upon us by movement is fraught with Iisk, as ex tween modernity and eternity. After the temporal world. Its plinciples pro pressed by Chnzal (Eiruvin 21 b). all. Torah's truths address all circum vide a derech Hachaim for all of life's Rava expounds: What is the meanmg stances in all times, in whichever social variations: for the primitive of the passage: "Come, my Beloved, let Golus we Jews find ourselves-be it towns of Medieval Europe and for the us go out to the field, let us lodge in the Babylon. Spain. Poland, or Amelica. affluent communities of Modern villages. Let us arise early to the vine Before Moshe Rabbeinu's petira Amelica. One may therefore call into yards, let us see ifthe vine has.flowered (passing), the Torah tells us, "G-d question the very premise of this dis the grape blossom has opened. the showed him the entire land, from cussion. Must there really be a clash pomegranates are in bloom; there I will Gilad to Dan, all of Naftoli, and the between Modernity and Eternity? give my love to you (Shir Hashirim lands of Ephraim and Menashe, and nd yet. we assume it is a 7:12.13)." all the lands ofYehuda, all the way to given-we feel it in our bones, Rava explains the verses, phrase by Yam Ha'acharon-the last sea." To A we observe it in the atmo phrase: "Come, my Beloved, let us go which Rashi says, "Not the 'last sea,' sphere of our carefully guarded lives: out to the field": The Congregation ofIs but 'YomHa'acharon-the final day' Modernism is not consonant with the rael spoke before the Holy One, Blessed all the events that will befall Jewry un sacred spirit of our ancestors. We is He, "Master of the universe, do not til the Resurrection of the Dead." must indeed recognize that if we do judge me Wee the residents of cities in Moshe Rabbeinu saw Klal Ytsroelin all see a clash between modernity and which there is theft. immorality, vain its shades and colorations until the Jewish eternity, it is because moder oaths and false oaths." Rather, "Let us corning of Moshinch That is, Moshe nity today wears non-Jewish garb. go out to the field." "Come and I will Rabbeintis generous gaze, his bless "The Jews moved amongst the na show You scholars who study the Torah ings to Klal Yisroel-all of these endow tions and learned from their actions." in poverty." '1.-et us lodge in the vil Klal Yisroel with an eternity that tran- The mere fact that Jews live amongst lages"-do not read this as it is written
The Jewish Observer. January 1994 9 Knesses Yisroel show its true glory, the beauty ofits sons and daughters.
All this may seem to us a dream world; it's just not l'ma'aseh any more. We live in cities, we are part of society. and we do enjoy the advances of science. We are convinced that we could not live today without electrtc ity, the telephone. and all sorts of other technological marvels. This Gemora has a profound lesson for us regarding our thlnking, about our en tire state of affairs as dwellers oflarge cities. We must recognize the great bidi'eved-the after-the-fact accep tance-ofourway ofllfe, the spiritual bakfortm (in the villages) but rather read pitfalls all around us, the mortal dan this as if it were written bakofiim gers that come in the wake of civiliza The mere fact that Jews (among the disbelievers). "Come and I tion and technology. While certainly will show you those upon whom You a blessing to the body-and we must live amongst non-Jews in have bestowed prosperity, and yet they thank the Ribbono Shel Olam for all have denied YotL" these blessings and comforts-they the world's great urban "Let us arise early to the vine can often be, and often are, a plague yards "-this refers to the synagogues to the nesharna And we all know that centers is unto itself a great and study halls; '1et us see if the vine so well. spiritual hazard. The has flowered" -this refers to the stu dents ofthe Mishna; "the pomegranates OfGifts andPlifalls towering Torah leaders of are in bloom"-this refers to the students ofthe Gemora. "There I will give my love erious Jews are surely aware earlier times foresaw this to You"-I will show You my gl.ory and that we must be alert to differ when the ghetto walls my greatness, the praise ofmy sons and Sentiate between the gifts G-d my daughters. has bestowed upon us with moder crumbled and Jews Rashi explains that large cities are nity, and the high risks and chal places of markets, large population lenges inherent in this very same entered the mainstream masses, where merchants and peddlers modem life. Technology has made life frequent promoting theft and promiscu immeasurably more convenient for societies. Such movement ity-a society that breeds corruption us. Our contemporaries can scarcely and immorality-and as we see today, imagine how people managed in ear is fraught with risk. decadence, hedonism and every man lier times! How did the Rishonirn live ner ofprohibited activity. during the Crusades? How were they In its pristine integrity, Knesses Yis able to write their commentaries on force to our spirttual status, and to roel is not satisfied with all this. It longs scrolls of parchment, amidst hunger, our efforts to raise our children. The for a different image of the real world; pogroms and plagues? Yet they pro television conveys the very worst of that I would re tum to the simplicity oflife duced an entire Torah civilization our civilization, day in. day out, hour in the fields; as Rashi explains: "They from which we are still being nur after hour. This aspect of modernity will labor in the fields, and study Torah tured ... a thousand years of Europe! is a curse that should never gain en in poverty," unmodernized, perhaps We must clarify for ourselves. With try into our communities. primitive. yet pure, virtuous, unblem every step we take. which aspects of To be sure, modernity represented ished by the ink of modem civilization, modernity we flee, as though from by a whole body ofTorah literature in but at the same time producing talmidei destructive flames, and which are English, which reaches out to the chachamim delving into T'orah, an blessings that we use for spiritual en hearts of our brethren and brings chored in an entirely different standard rtchment. The cassette player from them closer to our Father in Heaven, ofliving-guided by an entirely different which we learn DafHayomi, the com is invaluable. But modernity in terms definitionoflife.Andas theGemora con puter scanner that checks the of the media and popular literature, cludes, ''There, I tvill reveal My great Kashrus of a mezuza-these are which are replete with disgusting dis ness, the praise of my sons and daugh heavenly blessings that enhance our cussions and narrations, should be ters." Specifically in this kind of exist lives. But the 'IV set, which moder avoided for the spiritual poisons that ence, precisely because it is unmarred nity has planted into our homes. is an they entail. These are obvious truths; by so-called progress and urbanity, can unmitigated curse-a destructive nothing new. But, then again,
10 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 Mesillas Yeslwrim tells us that simple t'sheim Shamayim (zealotry sincerely Humanistic Liberalism vs. Emes truths must be constantly reviewed, meant), when directed against for "To the degree that these facts are Acheinu Bnei Yisroel, especially ving said this, one cannot widely acknowledged. to that extent against slwmrei hadas who need and help but shudder when con do we become oblivious to them and deserve to be criticized, and in whom H emplating the degree to tend to forget them." we may recognize certain hashkafos which modernity has crept into the that are not acceptable to our Orthodox world. Would you ever have II. DEALING WITH RELIGIOUS chachamim, and we feel compelled to imagined that a woman would read MODERNITY speak out in pain and protest. But if the Megillaon behalf of the entire con this militancy is not mixed with a gregation in an Orthodox shul? The ere is yet another problematic sense of tzaar and anguish, and rabbi of this shul, who sanctioned spect of modernity that has coupled with feelings of the need for this practice, is a respected member Timvaded our world. In vartous outreach-outreach out of sheer of the Modern Orthodox world! ways, a new philosophy of Religious ahavas Yisroel-towards Yidden Did our ancestors ever imagine Modernity has emerged, focusing on ma'aminim bnei ma'arninim, then this that institutions of Talmudic studies contemporary culture and how the kana'us is, in my opinion. seriously would be established to enable Torah should conform to its stan flawed. And that extra element within women to delve into Gemora with dards and values. This philosophy, it is the ba'aldavarhimself. Tosejos, as part of "equality of which has become a powerful force in The pasuk states: "Your words are lights"? (As one woman put it, "I can't Modern Orthodoxy. has come to ar a lamp unto my feet. a light for my walk around and be the equivalent of ticulate approaches that are dia path" (Tehillim 119,105). In this case. a card-carrying member of the club metrically opposed to our sacred as always, the lamp unto our feet and without knowing the by-laws of the ways of life-both in halacha and the light for our path should be the organiwtionl") hashkafa, blurring the demarcations guidance of ChazaL The Gernora en In many of the Hebrew Day that separate Torah wisdom from joins us: "One should always draw Schools across the country, should a secular knowledge. Before I pursue near with the light hand while reject ben Torah object to such practice, he this point further, however, I must ing with the left, not as Elisha did with would be labeled as "fanatic," a express-from the depths of my heart Gechazi and Rabbi Yehoshua ben "black-hatter," "not in touch with the and with deep-felt anguish-some Prachya did with one of his talmidim" spirit of the times." Indeed, as Rav strong resenrations. (Earth-shaking details regarding the Pinchas ben Ya'ir said, "In Ikvesa I think that our world, our latter incident are documented in d'Meshicha (the era preceding the ad Yeshivishe/Chassidishe/heimishe "Omissions From Shas. '1 Even an an vent of Moshiach). chutzpa yasgeh world, has become all too comfortable gry "rejecting left" can be balanced and (will prevail)" (Sota 47a). In these last at times, and sometimes a little too ea accompanied by a sensitive "drawing throes of golus. we certainly do see a ger, to denigrate and even vilify those near light." Then. and only then. will breakdown of respect for tradition circles of slwmreiTorah u'milzvoswith our vigilance and kana'us be effective and authority. Thus chutzpa yasgeh whom we sometimes have ideological and bring about the kavod Shamayim has become the hallmark among the differences. One can justify a kana'us we sincerely seek. disciples of modernity.
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The Jewish Observer, January I 994 11 + Unfortunately, 1 must mention AGUDATII ISRAEL OF AMERICA - another painful example: The Mesoras Hahalacha(the halachic tra 71st NATIONAL CONVENTION dition) need not be lectured about 11-14 Kislev, 5754/November 25- 28, 1993 takonas agunos. Yet the winds of feminism have made inroads even in Convention Tapes Order Form our own sheitel society, and have used the plight of agwws as a whip #TAPES PRICE QTY TOTAL DESCRIPTION with which to bash and insult rabbis l'LENAilY Sl~SSl()NS who are expert in laws of divorce. THURSDAY EVENING SESSION: Let me read to you the first and last THE CLASH BE1WEEN MODERNITY & ETERNTIY paragraphs of an article entitled, 'We Rabbi Yaakov Perlow (Novominsker Rebbe), Rabbi Yissocher Frand, Have The Right To Question Author Prof. Aaron Twerski, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky; David Beren, Rabbi Moshe Faskowitz, Chairmen 2 $12.00 _ $ __ ity," written by one of the leading ac tivist rabbis of Modern Orthodoxy, MOTZOEI SHABBOS - KEYNOTE SESSION: Rabbi David Olevsky, Rabbi Elya Svei, a Russian child, Rabbi Moshe Sherer, Rabbi Menachem M. Mendelsohn, Rabbi Chaim Dov Keller; We must clarify for Rivi Schwebel, Rabbi Edwin Katzenstein, Chairmen 2 $12.QO _ $ __
SUNDAY MORNING SYMPOSIUM: ourselves, with every VISIONS OF ZION REVISITED: Secular Zionism/Religious Zionism/Love of Zion step we take, which Rabbi Nachman Bulman, Rabbi Benzion Kokis, Rabbi Yonasan Rosenblum, Rabbi Zev Leff; Rabbi Chaskel Besser, Chairman 2 $12.00 $ __ aspects of modernity we ENTIRE SET OF PLENARY SESSIONS 6 $30.00 $ __ flee, as though from
CONCllHRENT SYMPOSIA destructive flames, and SIIMITfA FOR THE AMERICAN JEW which are blessings that Rabbi Avrohom C. Feuer, Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann; Dr. Yitzchok Perle, Chairman I $7. 50 _ $ __ ------· we use for spiritual TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN THE SERVICE OF TORAH Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Harold Gans, Rabbi David L. Greenfield, enrichment. Dr. Avrom Pollak, Dr. Chaim Ziegler; Eliezer Bruckstein, Chairman $750 - $ __
ORTHODOXY'S PUBLIC IMAGE: Why Are They Saying Those Things About Us here and in Israel: Rabbi Nosson Scherman, Rabbi Yitzchok Isbee, Rabbi Yisroel Reisman; One of the thorniest problems facing Mordechai Mandelbaum, Chairman 1 $7.50 _ $ __ anyone who taJces religion sincerely and hwrumistic liberalism seriously: adher BAYIS NEEMAN B'YISROEL: Preparing OUr Children for Marriage ence to tradition means adherence to the Rabbi Paysach Krohn, Rabbi Peretz Steinberg, Rabbi Ezriel Tauber; Yosef Davis, Chairman 2 $12.00 $ __ authority ofthe carriers ofthat tradition, but what about individual conscience ENTIRE SET OF CONCURRENT SYMPOSIA 5 $30.00 $ __ and the right ofdissent? Can one respect authority without becoming authoritar ENTIRE SET OF PLENAHY SESSIONS & $ __ ian? Are we to bow down to previous CONCURRENT SYMPOSIA TAPES 11 $55.00 generations without any questions at Tape order form for Friday Roundtable Forums is available upon request all, piously relying on the homily that "since we don't even come up to their Shipping and handling (per order) $ 3.00 shoelaces," who are we to second-guess the greats, or are we allowed-and even TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED (All orders must be prepaid) $ __ expected-to thinkfor ourselves and cre atively interpret the sources in accor dance with our contemporary wider standing?... ADDRESS ______A person must have two pockets. lfhe simply doesn't krww, he must listen to CITY ______STATE ____ ZIP ----- the authorities, "... even if they teU you The tapes may be purchased m Brooklyn from: M 12 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 self-R' Y.P.] But the other pocket gives only by loyalty to the pure emes of and Torah. To our dear brethren who one the right, even the obligation, to Torah, untampered with, undiluted, live and work in contemporary soci learn. to question. and eventually to be uncompromised by alien creeds. Tills ety and grapple with its problems, we come an authority. And then, if one is condition for siyattn diSh'mayais at say: Seek not the values of humanis absolutely convinced that the Sages are tested to by the hundreds of effective tic liberalism nor the lifestyle of mo mistaken, one must only listen when kiruv workers coming out of our d!ITTlity as your guidelines in life. "Ask "they say right is right and left is left." yeshivos-who present Judaism in your rather and he will tell you, your [What he obviously means is that you terms of Torah and mitzvos, and elders and they will inform you." Keep are the authority that prevails over the nothing else, to be rnekarev people to not the religious company of Reform Sages in such a case. -R' Y.P.J the Ribbono Shel Olam This is proven and Conservative kofrim. We in The author of this spurious ideol by the many hundreds and perhaps Agudath Israel will never tire of re ogy revealed the source of ms confu thousands of ba'alei teshuva eager to minding the Orthodox Union and the sion. 1n ms dismay over the perceived embrace Yiddishkett 1n all its details Rabbinical Council of America that contradiction between "adherence to and restrictions, not searching for membersmp in the Synagogue Coun tradition" and "humanistic liberal watered-down versions of Yahadus cil of America and mixed Boards of ism." If you understand this phrase "humanistic liberalism" in all its ramifications, as it addresses our present-day way oflife, then you have your finger on the idolatry of moder FINAllY... nity from a Torah perspective; it means the full brunt of the influence The magnificent second home you've been ofcontemporary Western culture and its corrosive effect on the Yiddishe waiting for-in a development designed neshama. This is the heart of our present-day challenge: how to protect exclusively for our thoughts, our lives, our children, our standards of personal modesty, B'NAITORAH. our entire way of life from the influ au ret ence of these values. L + One more example to be given: The primary spokesman for the ntUllll.llfmiLeage mixture known as Torah Umadda has the following to say in ms book of the same name: Torah.faith, religious learning on one Jlittas side, and Madda, science, worldly Situated on a knowledge on the other, together offer us lovely expanse a more overarching and truer vision than adjacent to either set alone. Each set gives one view Yeshiva South of the Creator as well as His creation, Fallsburg, New and the other adYferent perspective that York, chosen may not at all agree with the first .... especially to Each alone is true, but only partially enhance the true; both together present the possibil yeshivishe ity ofa iarger truth. ambience of Tills is neither the time nor the IAUREL LEDGE VILLAS. place to discuss the falsehood and the Featuring 4,5,6 & 7 bedroom, one and two-story homes, this luxury insidious implications of such a phi development offers you two separate pools, tennis, basketball and losophy. Tills has been done already handball courts, day camp and a spacious shu!,.bais medrash. Your home by others. What I would like to say, will be air-conditioned and winterized, furnished with all floor coverings however, and I address this directly to and appliances and include year-round security and maintenance. the rabbis and laymen in the Modem Orthodox world, many of whom have LAlJREL LEDGE VILLAS will be designed under the accomplished been performing great and produc supervision of builder Nachman Kanovsky, renowned for Vacation Village, tive service on behalf of Torah and Woodlake Village, Luxor Estates, and Elm Shade Estates II. IAUREL Yahadus in this country: LEDGE VILLAS will only have 50 units, some possibly available for the Your success in your holy endeav upcoming season, so callElchonon at 718-692-4846 and we'll be happy to ors calls for siyattadiSh'maya(DMne answer your questions about the brand new IAUREL LEDGE VILLAS. assistance), and this can be merited The Jewish Observer. January 1994 13 Rabbis is a travesty upon kedushas ha'emuna vehamesora, and an ongo ing Chillu1 Hashem If you understand this phrase "humanistic Dear brothers: Your place is not liberalism" in all its ramifications, as it addresses our with them. Your place is with us in the machaneh of Yirei Hashem and present-day way of life, then you have your finger on Shomrei Mishmeres, regardless of whether you belong to or agree with the idolatry of modernity from a Torah perspective; it Agudath Israel or not. Orthodox Jews living in theAmert means the full brunt of the inAuence of contemporary can mainstream need the chizuk and the inspiration coming from the To Western culture and its corrosive effect on the rah world, its Rabbe'im, its talmidim, its dedicated laymen. So we are Yiddishe neshama. mispallet to Hashem that all the so- called moderns as wen will Join our society-Lehiskadesh Sheim Shamayimalyedeilrulonu., thatG-d's Name be sanctified through our com If you are bined efforts. interested ID. INTRUSIONS OF MODERNITY in a school ... ON THE TORAH WORLD nce we discuss the problems • where Limudei Kodesh will be taught to your daughter on her academic we encounter in our interface level (not by age or grade) and by Torah-true Mechanchim/chos O with the so-called modern world, we must examine ourselves, as • that offers an excellent Limudei Chol curriculum including a superb well. Has modernism affected only computer training program others? After all, modernity not only • where your daughter can develop her talents through extracurricular addresses one's philosophy; it touches on lifestyle-how one con activities ducts one's prtvate life, how one en • where she will receive individual attention, fostering personal and gages in business, how one spends academic growth one's leisure time, and how we sup • which is housed in a beautiful facility situated in a thriving Torah port our communal institutions. The modern world in this malchus shel community chessed-this benevolent country, ... then your daughter may be a candidate for the United States of Amertca-has opened up to us new means for sup porting Torah Yiddishkeit: govern BETH JACOB HIGH SCHOOL OF DENVER ment funds, through programs. Our Bais Yaakov/Denver will consider a limited number of ninth and tenth faces burn with shame as newspa pers proclaim that government offi grade applicants from the New York area for the 1994-95 school year. cials testify that they have uncovered Interested parties please mail/fax requests providing background fraud and deceit among Jewish edu information including student academic and personal history to: cational institutions, unjustly black ening the reputation of the entire ye ~)\'>\\l(~~Lo".1 Rabbi Myer J. Schwab, Dean shiva world. These are our sins of mo , @~.i' Beth Jacob High School of Denver dernity. When I even ·obliquely re ~ . \1993l~ 5100Westl4thAvenue ferred to such sins in the past, I in if;.~ -~5't::: ,/~~.... Denver, Colorado 80204 curred the crtticism of some people, "/,·,~~-- but since then, the Chatu1 Hashem /;If • .'I~ 'i '\'.><- Fax No.: 303-573-4932 1 1 has grown to awesome proportions. Personal interviews wilt be conducted during February People respond with indifference and in the New York area. equanimity. "Such is the nature of the game," they say. 14 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 But it is not a matter of insignifi 'Rebbe, it is obvious that you can actu have the capacity for raising our cance. Do we have any comprehen ally see anything and everything. Please sights towards loftier goals, instead of sion of the magnitude of such a tell me, then. why do you iook at lowly, focusing on "stolen horses." We Chillul Hashem? We must have tre insign[licant things, such as how thieves should involve ourselves with our mendous merit to be spared from the steal and where horses eat? Why don't treasures--our glorious youth and Heavenly indictment that can be pro you fix your gaze on loftier things?" our wonderful children-thus voked by such Chillul Hashem! Tiie story goes on to relate how the spreading k'vod Shamayim and el If we convene public gatherings to Baal Shem Tau addressed the question, evating k'vod YisroeL May G-d grant arouse people in regard to their obli expoanding on the topic with divrei To us the wisdom to extricate ourselves gations for tzenius, don't we have rah untilMincha, without concluding his from the quagmire in which we are similar need to send out alarms re presentation. sinking, and together join forces to garcling dishonesty and swindle? We While the story itself needs com become closer to D'l'.lw.11!11l'JX and the certainly need Heavenly zechusim, men~ary. one message is clear: We eternal truths ofTorah. • and we pray that He take into ac count our community's vast accom plishments in the areas of Chessed, Torah study, and philanthropy (of which we may be justly proud), to outweigh the grievous liability of Chillul Hashem! Do You Need... ? • Ahome aide to teach and assist you in self-care, healthcare; and housekeeping skills would like to conclude with a story: • An experienced case manager to identify, obtain, :urd coordinate services for you A person had a wagon-load I of merchandise stolen from him, • ·Medical care, speech, occupathmal or physical therapy, lllld psychological services and dispatched a messenger to enlist • Day treatment, recreation, and education programs the help of the Baal Shem Tov to re • Govemmentfinancialentitlements . cover his loss. The Baal Shem Tov • Home modifications fur easyaecess (e.g., ram~, widened doorways, gtab-bars, etc.) was about to leave for another com munity to celebrate a bris when the • Adaptive devices to aid commullication messenger arrived. He took him OR along, together with Reb Hersch • Residential placement.in a small gt'Oup home Sofer, to the bris. Upon arriving at his destination. the Baal Shem Tov recog nized the wagon with the stolen Bais Ezra can respond to your needs goods, which he traced to a man Jfyou wa/lffl!lly member hafJ.e.a DBfl!WPMENTAL DISAB1LtJYand are lfnrollt!!l staying at a nearby inn. .In the Mtt/icahl progrtun; ca.11.JJsther Mandelbaum at (718) 435-5533. Tiie Baal Shem Tov sent Reb Hersch to summon the man to him, but Reb Hersch retumed without the fellow: YOUR "When I came there, he was in the middle of davening. I couldn't disturb CAR IN him" fLDAN RENT-A-CAR "Go back and get him anyway," the I SR A EL Baal Shem said. LS HS TYPE OF CAR 2618193· 25112193- Again, Reb Hersch returned alone: 24/12193 511194 "He was eating brealifast, delicately, with dignity. I didn't want to interrupt A FIAT UNO STING 126 231 him" B ~E-~E_OT_ 205 AC 147 252 c ~~U?_EgT 3_09 1.4 168 "Go back and tell him that I know 273 c·• APPLAUSE 1.6 231 329 how he traveled with the stolen goods ------c' PEUGEOT 405 1.6 252 343 NO IXTIA CHAIOI through a forest for three days. He M MINIBUS FORD 455 560 FOi THEn rested here.fed his horse there, slept • over at such-Wld-such a place.... " D CHARADE: 1.3 182 287 PIOnt:noN & AA.I Reb Hersch left, and came back with E APPLAUSE 1.6 252 343 CEl.LULAR PHONEAVAILABL.E the culprit. Tiie thiefreturned the wagon F APPLAUSE 1.6 P.S 287 392 with the stolen goods with great contri G SIERRA 1.8 336 441 RllS/IRVATION & tion. He joined the paLJPerS' table at the L SUBARU SW 392 497 PRllPAYMllNT USA & CANADA bris, and ate humble bread. In the K GMC SAFARI PS 504 609 x PEUGEOT 405 1.9 / PONTIAC 392 497 middle ofthe seuda, however, he posed ------800-938-5000 XL VOLVO 7401940 469 574 one question before the Baal Shem Tov: IN NY: .21.2·6.29-6090 The Jewish Observer, January I 994 15 Rabbi Yisroe[ Reisman This year, 5754on the Hebrew calendar, is being observed as the Shmittah year in Eretz Yisroel. As an issue ofpractical halacha, there is no doubt that this is indeed the Shmittah year. But on closer inspection, the simple mathematics ofthis recurring THE CALCUIATION Sabbatical cycle provide us 3b). This brings us to 3338. This was followed by a 70 year exile, which cul alculating the Slunittah year with an intriguing mystery. minated in the building of the Second seems simple enough. The The mathematics simply Beis Hamikdash (Divrei Hayomim C Gemora (Taanis 29a) teaches do not work out. Beis 36:21) in the year 3408. The that the Second Beis Hamikdash Churban Bayis Sheini took place 420 was destroyed on a post-Shmittah years later (Eiruchin 12b). This calcu year. Thus, we need only calculate lates to the year 3828. Since the the precise date of that last verified Ch.urban took place during a post Slunittah and add to it a recurring Slunittah year, we may conclude that seven year cycle. the year 3827 was Slunittah. To ascertain an accurate date, we Having determined that 3827 was should start at the very beginning a Shmittah year, simple arithmetic from the beginning of time-and cal should allow us to calculate all sub culate forward. Fortunately, the To born in the Hebrew year 1948. sequent Shmittos. The first Post rah provides us with information we This calculation is verified by Churban Shmittah took place in need to be able to do so. Ras hi (Avoda Zara 9a), who identifies 3834: the next occurred seven years During Ma'aseh Bereishis, the first 1948 as the year of Avraham's birth. later, in 3841, and so on. manandwomanwerecreated.Twenty Ras hi continues the chronology: If we follow this formulation, and generations later, Avraham Avinu was Yitzchak was born when Avraham add 275 cycles of Slunittah (or 1925 born. The Torah provides a precise ac was 100 years old. This sets his birth years). we will come to the year 5752 counting of these twenty generations. at 2048. Rashi then demonstrates as the most recent Shmittah year! The chronology of the first ten genera that the Jews left Egypt 400 years af This information would certainly be tions (culminating in the birth ofNoach) ter Yitzchak's birth. This places the distressing to the thousands of farm appears at the end of Parshas year of the Exodus at 2448. ers who are observing Shmittah this Bereishis. A similar listing of the next The next piece of the punle is pro year. Are they two years late? ten generations (culminating in vided by a verse in Melac him I (6, 1) Avram's birth) appears at the end of which tells us that the first Beis A PARTIAL RESOLUTION, Parshas Noach. By adding these fig Hamikdash was completed in the BUT PROBLEMS REMAIN ures, we learn thatAvrahamAvinuwas month of Iyar, 480 years after the Jews left Egypt. This brings us to the hi and Tosefos (Avoda Zara Rabbi Reisman, Rav of Agudath Israel of Madison (a community in Brooklyn, N.Y.), is a popular lec year2928. a) disagree on the precise turer, whose weekly sertes on topics in Tanachat The first Bels Hamikdash was de year of the second Churban tracts an audience of over 600 people. Several of stroyed on TishaB"av, 410 years af Rashi maintains that the second Beis his articles have been featured in these pages. ter it was built (Rashi, Bava Basra Hamikdashwas destroyed 420 years 16 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 after it was built. Tosefos argue that writes, "If so, the whole calculation SOLVING THE MYSTERY the BeisHamikdashstood for 420 full [being used today) is in error. for if so. years and was destroyed on Tisha Shmittah should have taken place in uring the sixteenth century. B'Av of the 42lst year. Thus. while the year 5263 and 5270...... Jews began to return to Eretz Rashi places the Churban at 3828. lfwe accept that this is indeed the D Yisroel and farm the land. Tosejos add a year and maintain that Shmittah year. we are faced with two The Shmittah calculation had some the Beis Hamikdashwas destroyed in possible resolutions of our puzzle. Ei how fallen into disuse and a disagree 3829. According to Tosejos. the year ther we must conclude that the cal- ment erupted as to the proper year to 3828 was a Slunit- be observed. Four tah year. This different opinions would mean that TIME LINE were offered as to the the most recent 1948-3828 precise year of Shmittahwas 5743. Shmittah! (A bit closer, but Churban was on Motzei Shmittah - TAANIS 29a To resolve the still not consistent problem. an inqutry with our practice.) was dispatched to TheTur(Choshen Rav Levi Ben Chaviv Years Years'°" Years"" Mishpat 67) writes (who was !mown by that regarding "the the acronym Maral calculation of the bach) requesting a Sabbatical year. definitive ruling. His there is a difference response, printed in 1948 2448 2928 3338 3828 of opinion. accord AVROHOM LEAVE FIRST FIRST SECOND Teshuvos Maralbach ing to Ri (i.e. BORN MITZRAYIM BAY/$ CHURBAN CHURBAN # 143. deals with Tosejos) it was in 2048 3408 many facets of the the year [50188. ac YITZCHOK SECOND Shmittah calcula cording to Rashl in BORN BAYIS tion. In part. he ob the year [50)87." serves that different The T\.u's calcu 3827 - SHMITTAH communities in Eu lations mirror those +1925 -(275 x 7) rope had conflicting presented above. designations of the 5752 = SHMITTAH ??? They result in the year on their calen determination that dars. "This year, Shmittah took place which is 5066 ac- most recently in 5753 (according to culations of the Rishonim. listed cording to our understanding, is R~ or 5752 (according to Ras~. Here, above. are off by a year. or, if they are 5065 according to the Eastern com at least. we find that this problem is accurate. we must conclude that this munities." He explains the basis for noted by Rav Moshe Isserlis. In his is not actually 5754. Neither resolu each opinion. as follows: notes to the Tur (DarkeiMoshe 3). he tion seems appealing. Adam was created on Rosh Not just a cheese, a tradition... -: HaoJam, the most trusted name in Cholov Yisroel Kosher Cheese. A reputation earned through 25 years of scrupulous devotion to quality and kashruth. With 12 delicious varieties. Haolam. a tradition you'll enjoy keeping. AU Hao!am Cheese products are made in the u.SA under the strict rabbinical supervision of: Tiie Rabbinate of K'hal Adath .k&llumn Cholov Yisroel Wasldn'"'~n llelahts. /Yf THURMBROS.WORLD CHEESE CO. INC Haolam BROOKLYN, NY 11232 • The Jewish Observer, January 1994 17 Hashana, the first day of Tishrel The of Creation. Thus, one could argue ter in resolving the question of Rav calculations offered above count time that Adam was created at the begin Moshe Isserlis regarding our calcula as beginning with Adam. This is the ning of Year Two. This adds a year to tion. The Turand Beis Yosefbased their calculation accepted by virtually all all our calculations. For example, the Shmittah projections on Cheshbon Rishonim (including Rashi, Tosefos calculation of twenty generations lead Adam Like most other Rishonim they and the 1Urmentioned above); this is ing toAvraham's birth (which adds up would consider this year to be 5753. We, who count the years according to the custom of the "cities of the west," During the sixteenth century, Jews began to return to count from Cheshbon Tohu, and con sider this to be 5754. Eitherway, we are Eretz Yisroel and farm the land. The Shmittah precisely 1924 from the Churban [ac cording to the accepted opinion of calculation had somehow fallen into disuse and four Tosefos, cited above). different opinions were offered as to the precise year RESOLVING THE PROBLEM of Shmittah! our calendars place this year as 5754. The calendars also called Cheshbon Adam the calcula to 1948) would bring us to the year gree that this is a Slunittah tion (which begins from] Adam. 1949. All the other calculations would year. This means that we are now One can argue, however, that this also be advanced by a year. This would 1924 years after the Churban (or 1925 is not accurate. Since the creation of lead us to conclude that the Churban years after the last pre-Churban man took place on the sixth day of cre Bayis Sheini took place in the year Slunittah). Our calendars, therefore, ation, the first five days of creation ac 3830. This places Slunittah at 5754! assume that the Churban took place tually fell during Elut of the previous This is known as "Cheshbon Tohu-- in the 3830 (5754 minus 1924 ; year! The Talmud [Rosh Hashana 2b) calculations !which begin from) emp 3830). We are following the custom of teaches that "levenl one day of a year tiness," i.e., from the days prior to the communities of Western Europe is reckoned as a year." These five days Adam's creation. (quoted by Mamlbach), who calculated would thus be counted as the first year Drisha (to C.M. 67) quotes this let- the calendar based on Cheshbon RABBI YISSOCHER FRAND, Maggid Shiur, Ner Israel Yeshiva TURN YOUR COMMUTE TIME INTO LEARNING TIME. 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IS THIS MAFTIR YONAH MINE? 0 268 80 - THE CONSEQUENCE OF 0 273 TITZVEH -TAANIS ESTHER AND THE DROPPING TEFILLIN OR A SEFER PERSONAL PURIM TORAH 0 27 4 Kl SISA - SAYING TEHILIM AT NIGHT 0 269 8'SHALACH - LECHEM MISHNAH 0 275 VAYAKHEILIPIKUDEI - ELECTRICITY IN 0 270 YISRO - PARENTAL WISHES VS HALACHA STAYING IN ISRAEL TO ORDER, send $7 per tape (includes shipping and handling), OR send $60 for the entire ShmosSeries VI. A catalogue listing of all of Rabbi NAME Frand's tapes will be included with each order. Make check payable to Yad Yechiel Institute, P.O. Box 511, Owings Mills, MD 21117·0511. ADDRESS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tel. ( 410) 358-0416 U.S. funds only. Overseas orders will be billed for additional shipping charges. CTI'Y/STATE/ZIP 18 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 Tahu As we have seen, this calcula must be dated accurately. Although ably accurate.3 tion places the Churban at 3830. a post-dated kesuba is valid, it In short: 'This year (whichever it is) takes effect only from the date in e Gemorahas an expression, is indeed the Shmittoh year. However, scribed on the kesuba. The day, Y'n, which is an acronym for it is not clear that this is truly 5754! month and year must therefore be Tishbi (i.e. Eliyahu Hanavi) Most Rishonimseem to concurwith the filled in properly. will answer unresolved problems," calculation of Cheshbon Adam Ac The standard form of the kesuba which will occur when Eliyahu will cording to them. this is actually 5753.1 contains the following language: "On proclaim the advent of Moshiach. the _ day of the month _ in the Among the questions to be an 5753 OR 5754? year _ according to the count that swered then will be the exact count we calculate here in the city of_ of that year. • oes it really matter if this year etc." This language is puzzling. It 3 See Rabbi Shimon Schwab, Collected Writings, is 5753 or 5754? If we would would seem simple enough to fill in a Intro pg. XXX. D agree that we are presently date. Why add the explanation, "ac .. 1924 years after the Churban., does cording to the count that we calculate f the labeling of the year have any here .... "? It is almost as if we are ac Does your child find halachic significance? knowledging that our calculations READING HEBREW Maralbach (in the response cited may be incorrect! difficuft'? · above) suggests that there is no And indeed they may be. As we I Order the new READi=ORM halachic difference how a year is la have seen, many Rishonimwould not help dlagntrse the problem.• beled. It is for this reason that he tol agree that this is the year 5754. We to Send just five DATING AKESVBA Arrowsmith-Cohan Learning en a couple is manied, the (718)745-1607 husband gives his wife a You are invited to attend an Information Night on W:kesuba, a contract, which 1 The common reference to the year of Avraham's Tuesday January 11, 1993 at B:OOpm, sharp birth as 1943 is based on Cheshbon Adwn Thus, Parents and Professionals Welcome a teacher who uses this {accepted) date, and at the No Registration Required - Free Admission same time refers to this year as 5754. is being in~ 8701-A Shore Road, Brooklyn, Basement Suite consistent1 (Corner of 87th Street & Shore Road) 2 Baal !Jamaor (Arxxfa Zara 9a) alludes to differtng 13th Avenue Bl6 Bus stops across the street Shomer customs as early as the Gaonic Period. Sbabbos The Jewish Observer, January 1994 19 Fyvel Shuster Acts of the Unfaithful A Revi.ew Article of the Latest Novel Bashing Orthodox Jews THE MOST POWERFUL PROPAGANDA MEDIUM Popular fiction has been a powerful weapon in the O recent issues of Tile Jewish battle against the Torah community since the days of bseroerfeatured articles deal TImg with damaging distortions the Yiddish newspapers and magazines in Eastern of Orthodox Jewry-Rabbi Moshe Sherer's discussion of negative ste Europe, contributing to a collective image of Torah reotyping of Orthodox Jews in the news media (Sept '93), and Yonason observant Jews as an anachronistic, superstitious Rosenblum's review of Piety and Power (Oct '93), a dertsive study of people crippled by "blind faith." Israel's Chareidi community, by a well-known Israeli journalist. Although the journalists they de ChaJm Potok have all contrtbuted to Encyclopedia Talmudis), titillate by scribe have harmed the public image a collective image ofTorah observant weaving stortes of dysfunctional fami of the Orthodox community, another Jews as an anachronistic, supersti lies and communal cruelty in branch of the media has spread simi tious people crippled by "blind faith." Jerusalem's Chassidic neighbor lar negative message to more people, [The confusion is compounded when hoods. Fiction frees the authors from and with greater impact. two of the above three have been the constraints of reality, while allow Popular fiction has been a power granted honorary degrees by Yeshiva ing them to create powerful images, ful weapon in the battle against the University.] which an ignorant readership adopts Torah community since the days of Recently, a wave of novels set in the as their frame of reference. the Yiddish newspapers and maga Chassidic communities of Israel and zines in Eastern Europe, Fiddler on Amertca have been propelled to the top WHO ARE THE the Roof and the novels of Chaim of bestseller lists by thousands of ea RESOURCE PEOPLE? Grade, Isaac Bathshevis Singer, and ger readers. Titles such as Jephte's Rabbi Shuster, a musmach of Mesivta Rabbi Danghter and Sotah. by Naomi Ragen ts ofFalih, the novel reviewed Chaim Berlin, is a Rebbe in Bet Hamidrash (who appears on the bookjacket wear ere, contains the following LeTorah High School in Skokie, illinois. ing a tiche~ standing in front ofa set of cknowledgements by its au- 20 The Jewtsh Observer, January 1994 thor, Eric Segal (famous for his wildly "Jewish" novels, the story centers on of his father, yet rejects him after he popular Love Story, of the '70s): the family of a Chassidic Rebbe. His attends a combined yeshiva-unlver Rabbi Hugo Gryn and his former as daughter, always uncomfortable with sity program, where a psychology sociate, Rabbi Larry Tabick, read the woman's role in Judaism, falls in professor easily tempts him into a re through the drafts to ferret out doctrinal love with an Irish "Shabbos Goy" and lationship with a non-Jewish woman, lapses. I was reassured on certain is sent away to a family in Me'a and general abandonment of his be points by Rabbi Doctor Louis Jacobs .... I She'arim for correction. The family, liefs and practices. The event that dis am also grateful to ... Ms. Irma Rabino unhappy, bitter, dishonest and cruel, illusions him most Is his father's par and Rabbi Rhonda Nebel of the Jewish abuse her until she escapes to a ticipation in the exorcism of a Theological Seminary (where I myself Hashomer HaJzair kibbutz where she dybbuk, which reveals his father as a was briefly a student in the early 1950s} finds warm Jews with exemplary slave of superstition. When he tells and Dr. Philip Miller and Ms. Sylvia middos, who welcome her with open his father that he refuses to "get Posner ofHebrew Union College. arms. While there, she is visited by the smicha" and become the next Rebbe, Amazing! A portrayal of Chassidic Shabbos Goy, now a Catholic seminar his father declares that he will sit Jews constructed by a non-observant ian, who leaves her with their child, shiva for him as if he were dead (not Jew with the assistance of HUC and who is lovingly adopted by the kibbutz. forabandon1ngTorah, butfordiscon JTS. What better way for them to dis Events take her back to America tinuing the dynasty). Aller afewyears seminate their views to a vast public where she meets a Reform rabbi and as a successful stockbroker, he takes that rarely, ifever, attends their houses his wife (also a rabbi) who are won over his sister's position as rabbi in of worship, or reads the local Jewish derful, committed Jews who help her New England, and eventually ends up papers? (It's not as if Chassidic Jews discover her destiny by encouraging manying an Orthodox girl, and be are an extinct breed, when there are her to emoll in Hebrew Unlon College coming the next Rebbe (without any surely Chassidic communities within a and become a rabbi. Aller a pertod of clear renunciation ofhis Reform lean short commute ofSegal's home!) rabbinical work in New England, she ings) after his uncle, who had suc is drawn back to the kibbutz, where ceeded his father, is shot by another A REFORM MORAUTYPLAY she becomes their teacher ofJudaism Chassid for refusing to build a ye and is reunited with the Shabbos shiva on the West Bank! (Eric Segal's e plot of Acts ofFaith manages Goy, who leaves his post as a Catho Chassidimare both rabidly anti-Zion o fill five hundred and forty lic cardinal to join her. ist, and Gush Emunlm-style territo T:one pages. As in many of these The Rebbe's son grows up in awe rial hawks!) • office It school furniture • parllflons •bookcases •chairs • accounting supplies • file cabinets • rubber stamps • computer furniture • copier, laser, fax papers • toners • typewriter It printer ribbons • filing systems • computer supplies LET US HELP YOU MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE ArrRACTIVE AS WELL AS EFFICIENT • Fax Us Your Order • Corporate Accounts Welcome• Free Delivery COMPLETE OFFICE PRODUCTS 793 MCDONALD AVE, (nearD1tmasAve.) B'klyn, NY 11218 OPEN MON.-THURS. 9-6, FRI. 9-1\vo Hours Before Sundown ~ The Jewish Observer, January 1994 21 The typical reader leaves the book - On. the Jews of Me' a She'alim: with an image of Reform movement The typical reader It had been a shock to see Leah and the kibbutzim as the saints and Shiffman up close. What had seemed saviors ofJudaism, and of Chassidim leaves the book with an from ajar like a middle-aged woman who are, at best, ignorant and super was infact a tired-looking girl in her stitious, and at worst, evil, uncaring, image of Reform twenties with lifeless eyes and a pallid hate-filled creatures. face. (p. 94) movement and the CHOICE QUOTES = On donations to yeshivos: kibbutzim as the saints There was a generous, kindhearted egal's book is laced with inac Philadelphia couple.... Shiffman had curate descriptions and false and saviors of Judaism, somehow wangled five hW1dred thou S references. Here are some sand dollars out of them over lunch at which demonstrate the power of the and of Chassidim who the King David. Their contribution was "poison pen." intended to befor a much-needed domii = On Bais Yaakov education: are, at best, ignorant tory. Somehow, the money found its Deborah was enroli'ed in a traditional way to an accoW1t in Zurich. (p. 338) Bais Y aakov school whose sole purpose and superstitious, and at was to prepare Jewish girls to be Jewish worst, evil, uncaring, = On women's prayer at the Kosel wives .... Their teacher Mrs. Brermer con (after Deborah starts davening out stantly reminded the girls that they were hate-filled creatures. loud and other women join her): privileged to help their husbands falfill The women were so caught up in G-d' s ir!iW1ction to "be .fruitfal and multi Deborah's zeal that they sang their ply.... Is that all we are, Deborah thought prayers even more loudly .... Suddenly, to herself, baby machines?" (p. 13) been born a woman. (p. 14) a wooden chair was hurled over the bar As she grew up she was obliged to [For good measure, the author rier, striking a grandmotherly woman face the painfalfact that she could never then takes a few swipes at the laws of and knocking her to the groW1d .... As serve G-d to thejUllest because she had taharas harnishpacha. I more missiles began to fly over the bar rier, the womenfollowed Deborah's lead and threw them back. (After the police remove the women): Though Deborah was in shock, the ;;;,;;,,-'~.)~11~•;.1.i~~~·····.····· 1---1-T-=:::.....'"t''t?j irony was not lost on her. They had been banished to the Dung Gate... whfthjor 01)•% •. ···~;:l---'-r--L.r-1-'. <.I thousands of years had been used to expelthe garbage. (p. 123-124) = On yeshivas and their methods of study: Al:Pili:sltfsiA-Ri;~flifr:fiisfr:iililNINGt· Unlike some of the ultraorthodox seminaries that act as if Jewish schol .... ~~c:'.~~p~rt~niti~~~~Z~~~;~~~~~~c~[··· arship has scarcely evolved since the ; YoUJ;" daught~rentering HigflSchool js()ne ()f t,h,,~rii~ ... · Babylonian Talmud .. .(p. 126) 'lhe opening of $hruirel Torah o~ Richn'lond is an()tqer.··· =On Reform: '1 think what I'm looking for is a bet AsJ;n.·am11;.'t':~i's11liarei. To!~bof:Rockian~·\~~~~m~Cl\'1xii\. ~~li}~~filva>, ter relationship with G-d" '"That's what -w~ .n.ot ·~pii\~Yi!fe.a.>rigp!Ol/"•·progtam elnp~~sizing·• e)('cell~n~)i!" .. ;f,,in)udei our movement's all about, "Esther spoke KO 22 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 EXTINGUJSIUNG THE SPARK We must switch from a reactive mode, where we e booming sales of boo! cs like Acts of Faith represent both a protest negative stereotyping after it has occurred, to Udanger and a challenge to the Torah community. Thousands of non-observant Jews are curious a preemptive mode, where through our personal about the mysterious world of the Orthodox. The "Jewish spark" within contacts and our cultural creations, we encourage them leads them to Jewish novels. Unfortunately, the most popular of the innate Jewish desire to meet a community of these novels paint such a distasteful picture of the Torah world, that living Kiddush Hashem. many of those thousands will recoil from the idea of actually visiting, much Jess supporting, a yeshiva, or arts-creations that can stir the emo tides, book reviews, and fiction that a Bais Yaakov. l'ourists at the Kosel tions and spirit ofthe neutral or irul.!ffer will only be read by our community, who might have accepted an invita ent." -Hadassah Magazine, June '93 we are surrendering the global tion to a Shabbos meal that would We must realize that these tools battlefield to our enemies. We must change their lives, wlll turn their will greatly increase the influence of switch from a reactive mode, where backs. It is impossible to estimate the Greenbergs and others. we protest negative stereotyping af the damage Eric Segal has caused by Somehow, the Torah community ter it has occurred, to a preemptive bringing the biases of his advisors at must find in its midst talented indi mode, where through our personal HUC and JTS to life in the minds of viduals who will be able to "stir the contacts and our cultural creations, many gullible Jews. emotions and spirit" of the rapidly we encourage the innate Jewish de Outreach workers, and every Jew shrinking Jewish population with sire to meet a community of living who comes in contact with non-ob images of kedusha If we write ar- KiddushHashem • servant colleagues, relatives, and neighbors, must be aware of this phe nomenon. On the coffee tables and Considering a move the library shelves of America, the toMOIVSEY? new Jewish novelists are motzi sheim ra (libelous) about us, fanning the fires of anti-Orthodox sentiment, and for careful attention to your undermining productive relation individual needs, call us today! ships before they can begin. (914) 354-8445 THE CHALLENGE e battle has already begun. As American Jewry disperses, ~~you.l~e>IH~g(or•an.anr The Jewish Observer, January 1994 23 Sara E. Freifeld A TR I B UTE TO or anyone who knew her, the came "off the Wall"' were greeted with human potential for growth than the first response to the name wannth and affection. No one was too stoiy of Lech Lecha. Indeed, this po F "Rebbetzin Wasserman" is "She strange not to be welcomed and nour tential, known as the koach of was a lady!"' For all of us who spent ished at the Rebbetzin's Shabbos teshuva, is the central force of our time tn her home and tn her company, table. There was a place waiting for ev spiritual existence. It is the pull that Rebbetzin Wasserman was also a eiyone. It had taken us a long time to awakens in us the desire to reduce hero. Together with her husband. the find her home, but she had always the distance between ourselves and late Reb Simcha Wasserman, .,.. ~,, been there. With her Shabbos table. the Divtng Source of all being. she was tnstrumental tn welcomtng withherShabboslights, ithadall been No one who entered the Wasser back into Yiddishkeit hundreds of prepared for us from time immemo man home could refrain from a great young people. Like Sarah and rtal. It was we who had tarried. Meet desire to reconnect to their spiritual Avraham Avinu, the Wassermans ing her for the first time. one had a roots. One came there by chance, by stood at the gateway ready to greet us. sense of dl;ja vu We had known her hashgacha or out of curiosity, but one We poured tnto the Rebbetzin"s home somewhere else. She had nourtshed left with a desire for teshuva. When from the entire world. We each came and cared for us before. It had all hap one saw how the Wassermans lived in from a different direction; each of us pened tn a dream-like past. We had this world, one became aware of one's needed our own gate, and that gate stepped out of time tnto the realm of distance from all that is pure and was prepared for us tn Panim Meiros eternity. We were finally arriving to a true. The desire for teshuva was 15. apartment 10. long-awaited rendezvous. kindled in that home in anyone who I sat in the Wassermans' home was ready to undertake the journey. many times and watched hippies. othtng is more appropriate to The Rebbetzin was an entiy into the yuppies, preppies, New Agers, and the Rebbetztn's memoiy than world of the spirit. just simple, lost folk appear at their N to speak of her tn conjunction The origin of the need for teshuva Shabbos table. The young people who with our mother Sarah, for Rebbetzin resides in the feelings of imperfection Wasserman was a modern personifi and unrealtzed potential that we all "SeeJ.0., Dec. '92 cation of Sarah lmeinu experience. Rebbetzin Wasserman Dr. SaraE. Freifeld, a memberoftheSh'arYashuv The essence of Torah taught by recognized this potential and dor community in Far Rockaway, N.Y .. is dean of the Abraham and Sarah is that a person mant desire in her guests. She knew Women's Division ofTouro College, in New York is able to change the direction of her that there is no one who has not re City. life. Torah has no greater image of the gretted lost opportunities, lost time. 24 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 Wassermans weave their magic ways experience in Eretz Yisroel was the What an adventure into the hearts and souls of these Wassermans' Shabbos table. The children. Rebbetzin and Reb Simcha showed played itself before our us~ Ylddishkeitfull of sweetness and e Wassermans had no natu joy, ofserenltyandbeauty, ofwarmth eyes. We were in the al children. But they adopted and human caring. Simcha and the birthroom of neshamos, Tiach one of us and cared for us. warmth of true shalom bayis was We, of this lost generation, would their trademark, the signature of watching the Wassermans want to return to their home again their avoda to their Creator. and again. Their home was not just From them we learned how to have weave their magic ways for the ba'alei teshuva. Even the ye a loving, Torah-inspired marriage. shiva and Bais Yaakov students grew Their deep and loyal partnership is an into the hearts and souls of from their interaction with the elegy to married life. Theirs is a tale of these children. Rebbetzin. Many a seminary girl has oneness that reaches the highest said that the highlight of her Shabbos heavens above. In this tradition, the mistaken priorities. She understood the world from which her guests came. She knew also how difficult it was to disengage from the iron grip of that reality. Her belief that the desire for renewal and growth exists in ev 11~· ery Jew made Rebbetzin Wasser man's work possible without her ever • \~~s~S~ being disheartened or discouraged. She recognized the potential in her guests and this filled her with energy \1~'/~~ and excitement. ike Sarah Imeinu, Rebbetzin \p~ \~- Wasserman lived in a per L petual state of Shabbos. Her \ creative Approaches To Motivate Learning \ - entire life revolved around Shabbos Ja~-1 Mrs. Miriam Tova tsresslerl Leff -·' \- and its guests. She knew that its spe a ment For The Younger Grades - cial koochcan change a Jew's life and Jan. Classroom Man ge d. sals v.aakov D'Rav Meir _\, bring him home to his spiritual roots. 11 \ Mrs.srocnaDlamon I - Shabbos was not just the food and candles. It was the purpose of her en I\ Involving Your Students In Your Lesson !' I - il- tire life, the goal of her avoda The J~~- Mrs. Miriam Tova 1sressier1 Leff Rebbetzin awaited her guests with yom Tov and MldOS Pro~ects Aro!~~T=:,:ear the enthusiasm of a young girl wait ;~· Mrs srocha Diamond -saJS vaakoV ing for a party. Who will come? Who will be touched? What is their story? . coals and Teaching Towards Them Feb. Identifying P clpal snos Leah H.s. How can I befriend them and send 8 Mrs Zlata Press - Asst. r1 n them on to become Jews? They are · W'th1 Language Deficit Children sending me six boys today; tomorrow Mainstreaming: Coping I'Uhave sevengirls. I wonder who else F~~- In The upper Grades f special services snos Leah H~.s_.-- will come? I Rabbi Eliezer Stern . Director o ~ Every Friday night the house was ·ng Parents'' " "1.s"' ~, •Are 0,~m!l Rep Iac1 · '1 'Pt[• ~ filled with excitement as we waited for . ~<'~~7,\ F~~- Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky"""'""' Ui.~- the young people to walk from the Kotel to Mattersdorf. Finally the ,.;~~ \ .- M.,V~.,~ - knock at the door. She would rush to ALL WORKSHOPS AT: • ____L..o'.·~f. ~.,,~ open it wide, not allowing any of us \ Bais vaakov D'Rav Meir ~g~ the excitement of having the first 1 85 parkville Avenue ~fQ~r\~~rf~-~ glimpse at her company. "Good Shab . , Brooklyn, NY 11 Ull ill___Lg- bos. good Shabbos!" she would ex "<@} , 8:00·9:30 PM I FOr more information cal ) _ Admission claim. What an adventure played it 719 853 5111 self before our eyes. We were in the \ Rabbi vehudah RUPP 1 ,,.. birthroom of neshamos, watching the I, The Jewish Observer. January 1994 25 Rebbetzin left this world to jotn Reb him the center stage. However, he Simcha, having just completed her had to perform to the Rebbetzin's I sat in the Wassermans' last chessed for him: that of sitting high standards. Ifhe spoke too low so shiva. "A man like that," she said, that the guests could not hear, she home many times and "should not be left without someone would call this to his attention. "Du to sit shiva for him." So he went first redst tzwn bord" (You're speaking to watched hippies, and she followed as soon as her final your beard), she would tell him tn her act of lovlngktndness had been per unfailtng sense of humor. She man yuppies, preppies, New formed for him tn this world. aged him with consummate skill, for No one who watched the relation they were partners in their work for Agers, and just simple, ship between Rebbetzin Wasserman Kial Y1SroeL He was not allowed to for and Reb Simcha can ever forget the feit even one sentence of Torah by lost folk appear at their great pleasure they took in each speaking unclearly. Ever watchful, other's company and tn each other's she noticed when the guests did not Shabbos table. No one abilities. She was ever ready to leave seem to follow his teachings. Then was too strange not to be welcomed and nourished at the Rebbetzin's Shabbos table. she would tell him to explain an idea again. She knew all his Torah, and she wanted to make sure that his teachings were presented tn all their beauty and purity. The food and the home were all tn· struments of connection to Hashem How beautifully she managed her table. She had none of the miscon ceptions of the modem woman, that to serve the needs of the body is less We're so confident you will enjoy these cassettes important than to serve the needs of the neshama. A human betng is one that we're offering you a sample tape FREE! and needs both. She was the great impresario of Torah, prepartng and Choose one of these outstanding personalities! Indicate your choice, cover watching so that on each Shabbos only our shipping costs and we will send you your sample immediately! and Yorn Tov, new tnsights and rev elations of Torah were brought to life. Please send me a FREE sample tape by: Mer all, it was her portion of Torah that was taught at the table. O Rabbi Shlomo Twerski, Denver Rav, of Blessed Memory - Cassettes touch upon family life, business ethics, Teffilah, integrating Torah, etc. She was never afraid to interject her ideas, to clarify a potnt, to remtnd O Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D., Prolific Author- Cassettes cover the entire her husband of a good way in which sefer Messilas Yesharim by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. to present a topic. The synchronicity O Rabbi Aaron Twerski, Professor of Law - Cassettes on wide variety of top of these two people was a miracle of ics, from Teffilah to the Holocaust, Torah perspective on anti-Semitism, etc. oneness. An even greater miracle was O Rabbi Michel Twerski of Milwaukee - Cassettes on all Yomim Tovim, Ten to watch how it was all transformed Commandments, Jewish faith, and speeches on various relevant issues. tnto Torah. All was Torah: their home, their marriage, their love and respect O Rebbitzen Feige Twerski of Milwaukee - Cassettes on role of women, jug for each other, their sense of humor, gling life challenges, coping with stress, peace and harmony, etc. their service to the KlaL Please choose one free tape only. Send your request with $2.50 postage and hand/Ing to: Congregation Beth Jehudah, 2700 North 54th Street. Milwaukee, WI 53210. bbetzin Wasserman was a To receive our FREE catalog. please call 1-800-878-5000. diminutive figure with distlnc For additional samples. please include $3.95 per tape. plus $2.50 postage & handling. ve and royal bearing. She had a quick wit and unlimited charm. But her greatest quality was her 26 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 that we were all ready to quickly lay us. She believed that people could The Rebbetzin believed aside the old-the familiar-and to grow and develop self-awareness no embrace a new name and a new iden matter how far they had fallen into in the potential of the tity, just as Hashem changed Sarah the modem culture. No one was too Imeinu's name when she begins a distant. She was never put off by the human being to change, new chapter tn her life and she gives clothing, the earrings, or the extrava birth to Isaac. In the service of gant hair that many of her guests to go beyond the self Hashem there was no ego, no hesita wore to her Shabbos table. It did not tion. Rebbetzin Wasserman gave us matter. We were all her children, even and lay that self aside in all the benefit of her own perspective if we were dressed in the garb ofgolus. the service of a greater and we tried to live up to her image of The Rebbetzin saw beyond the . . . goal. She was the first to tai-alt······ call the girls by their ·· .Attil'llil>i :sjJ•1 Jewish names. There Bais··M~dr~Sl'lifil1'~J$·~~~~:l~'~l. ha~·~p~editJ.~~~iap The Jewish Observer, January 1994 27 She was never put off by the clothing, the earrings, ~ AUlltORS & ~RTISTS ~ or the extravagant hair that many of her guests authors and artists to submit wore to her Shabbos table. It did not matter. We manuscripts and artwork for •, evaluation. We seek manu- were all her children, even if we were dressed in the t scripts in all areas of Judalca 'l garb of go/us. fJ publishing with originality, ' creativity and high literary standard. Our editors develop posturing. She was not afraid of her who had seen nothing. The accom and highlight the individuality young guests. They wanted to ex plishments of their Slwbbos table can of the author and our graphics press their liberation from middle only be measured in Shamayim. f I department gives each book rJ class values. That was fine for her. There is no human barometer for the ' its own identity. ' Never was she afraid of their cyni impact of such avoda. ~ We welcome the opportu- I• cism. Their college sophistication was It seems approprtate that both Reb nity to work wtth you. only a veneer; it did not stop her from Simcha and the Rebbetzin were n!ftar interacting or approaching them. She shortly after Sucros. This is the Yorn e had no qualms about asking them Tov that is known as Z'man personal questions concerning their Simchaseinu. Simchais the product of backgrounds, their families, their kedusha, of our nearness to kedusha, lives. They were at her table and that Only after Yorn Kippur, when we Nnvlf1".. LimJa. •jmw1mL •• implied a desire for connection. She cleanse ourselves from imputity and ~ 180 Perk Avenue • Lakewood, NJ 08701 understood that unspoken message sin are we able to achieve the nearness and played it to the utmost. to Hashem that typifies Sucros. In UK 01-809--3723 She won them over. not because During Succos, we step out of our .,.:• In Istael 02 538-935 she engaged in philosophical de routine to live a great sptritual adven bates, but because she represented a ture; the life of Torah that awaits us. ~,.~,;:: ~ life superior to any experienced by the Under the elements of nature, we young people; they loved to be in her come into contact with the essence of presence. She spoke to both the boys our neshamos. We discover a t.n:ter and the girls. Her warmth was the self. It was this self in us that main instrument: it was her weapon Rebbetzin Wasserman always ad the review for daf yomi of assault into the neshamos of these dressed. She believed in us and in our perfect urbane children who had come out of potential for kedusha.. There can be curiosity or out of a need to explore no better testimony to her memory the mysterious world of their forefa than our continuing to grow and de· Cnazar lne oaf in Wminules on thers. They came from hiking velop as Jews-that we exhibit the through all of Europe. They were the same love and tolerance for our fellow refugees and the displaced persons of Jews as she did, that we serve rour war lo ' ' ' anrwnere! our cultural collapse. No story was Hashem with the same selflessness too unusual for her-she had heard and simcha that characterized her Each tape consists of approximately 5 Blatt them all. But most of all, she never avoda. her home and her life. • for only $3.00 (plus S&H). turned in self-righteous indignation away from them. They did not scare Tapes Now Available Are ... (6)!1':nil1 (23)l1!.l1l'1::l her, and neither did their attitudes TEA.CHER • Pre 1.!l • and pretensions to enlightenment (7):-fi'm (t3)0'i1J and urbanity. Creative and nutturifig (6)]0ji 1ml.) (ll)i'TJ Morah-for dynarnicgroWID.g (S);Jl'ln (10);'1010 bbetzin Wasserman and Reb boys Yeshiva Retana irt the mcha were among the first (25)l111:l:J' (19)'f'O'l metro area. Accessible from ]'tllITji ople in America who "went anywhere.· Excellentwork into kiruv." Kin.tu wa~ not a profes irtg conditions. Outstanding New Tapes Are Produced Constantly! sion, with the conventions and how 1-800-213-6626 to manuals of today's outreach pro opportunity. In Israel, 03-579-4067 fessionals. Theirs was a response Send ffSUMe to: born of a need and a responsibility to Box #1 • 79·0.4 150.th St. fl] all impart Torah to a new generation of Flushirig, NYl 1367 "the latest addition to your library" Ameticans who knew nothing and 28 The Jewish Obseroer. January 1994 . . his fiu11il~ .~WJ.Aot In~~~ ~o;aie \~d Iii~. prb~~c~iwill ..9!! . t11"!1 ~.~ i,Br~tz ~d accqrdipg t~ halacli11. istbel ~~s .'f:~•·:•t. He. ~i~! n?t .•..•. . . , • l)i. 1 , .. · an#ft~ts~om~~.~~~~t i ~f rapi~y ~tpan~)nf)Wf . y:ar:~a~ ·~~f~ves 1•t~~:.hl~ ··•· ortUni~es~ ~~~farmer~ essrs· ~ur~f•l~e paJt.6eill11~ar~ 1ue to~l ~~e ni~kih£~f~ .~· sacrifi~.. ~ obse~I g 11 SJMlJ:!flit>bserv~r.iowever,lie fr ~; ~\mli}ith. 11~~y~e,'. ~ilpr9ft~!coin-a~~~~~ :; ab i~ar. l{~~~t~ks tp the ·J~entJb~~fl~;fto• it4t~u~~;theye~;:l\ ofKenij~asliviis, tlie~I ';j~~co~e a;p~~eJ ..... \· f ~liifli•co~~.s. Obs~~~~%i•fcar~ers,·; ~ou~d onl~once ~;;~ye~1 &'!v~r.tlie ~~l • ;iv;e a year. " •Of:.tlie Ieac!Vig • <•.. good~'tpis Gedfil~H~li >{ p:, ADDRESS:------ (;rrYISrAn:!ZtP: ------SECOND I Schindler seems to have it all wrong. There's no need to LOOKS recruit outsiders to replenish diminishing ranks. Reform Jews would prefer to stay Jewish-if only Judaism's Challenges spiritual dimensions were opened up to them. Refonn Jews Begin Struggle For ing a bit to expect that all 4,000 Re New Sense Of Spirituality form Jews who were present at the and By Debra Nussbawn Cohen San Francisco conclave are now wak SAN FRANCISCO (JTA)-Reform ing up with "ModehAni' on their lips. Jews are thirsting for G·d. Unfortunately, much of this quest for The quest now is to develop a lan· spirituality ends up going askew. For Searches, gunge for spirituality and a R<;form way example, an article in the Northern to grapple with the existential questions CaiiforniaJewishBuUetin(July9, '93) ofJewish life. reported about former baby-boomers "Reform has made explicit the univer who are mixing Jewish symbols with Dead Ends salism in Judaism. but now we must aspects of alien religions in their make more explicit the resources for a search for spirituality: persona! relationship with G-d in our lra· Many, according to the survey'sfind dition," said Rabbi Samuel Karff of ings, attended synagogue... as children and Houston's Congregation Beth Israel. before leaving their faith behind. Now ... In most Reform temples, there was they are incorporating elements of their little energy devoted to Judaism in upbringing into a homegrown spiritual Answers purely religious terms. ism, such as one Jewish family whose But all that L5 changing. Mill Vaitey home included both a Tools for incorporation of spirituality mezzuzah and tiny Buddha statues, as into Jewish life are being borrowed.from weU as other sacred objects. many streams of Jewish thought and ... "The synagogue has failed to acer Lost Jewry's behavior. tain degree, but it's not afailure of Ju At the workshop on "Consecrating daism," says Alan Lew, a Conservative Spiritual Quest the Ordinary," Rabbi Peter Knobel of rabbi in San Francisco. "It's afailure of Beth Emel/The Free Synagogue, in American Jews to observe Judaism" Evanston, Ill., advised the overflow, ... Rabbi Judy Shanks of Temple Reform Jewry seems to be standing-room-only crowd to reclaim Isaiah in Lafayette says congregations liding over the brink to mitzvot, or commandments, in their tra have to work harder to incorporate Ju AJ blivion, Rabbi Alexander ditional forms as a way of integrating daism in the day-to-day lives ofJews. "I Schindler is frantically trying to see to spiritual practice into life. think we have to create our own pro it that they will prevail-at least nu He spoke ofreciting the 'Mod eh Ani, " grams ofmitzvot that will give us aJew merically. (See Levi Reisman's Second the prayer traditionally recited in the ish daily context in which to live in the Looks comment on the topic in Dec. morning upon waking that thanks G·d modem world." JO.) As it worked out, his proposal to for restoring life; of reciting Shacharit, Echoes of cries of "Hallelukah!" engage in proselytizing amongst the the morning service; and of saying the from the bottom of the dry well do not unchurched, which was made before "Shema" as he goes to sleep each night. emanate only from California. The L.I. the 4,000 delegates to the UAHC con Knobel. .. advocated integrating Jewish World, for example, ran a pro vention in November, dominated the blessings into each dally activity, to el file on "the Jewish renewal movement columns of the Anglo.Jewish press evate and consecrate even the most and its attractiveness to lots of for a time. But it was not the last word mundane acts of life, much as the most people" on the Eastern Seaboard to come out of that convention. In observant Jews do. (Sept. 2,'93). John Weingart-an as fact, according to a JTA release just He also suggesting double-dating sistant State Commissioner of Envi two days after the conversion story, correspondence, even to non-Jews. with ronmental Affairs, of Seargentsville, Schindler seems to have it all wrong. both the English and Hebrew dates at N.J.-is quoted as saying, There's no need to recruit outsiders to the top ofthe page. '1 eryoy the questfor spiritual meaning replenish diminishing ranks. Reform This interest in spirituality does and.finding a group ofpeople with whom Jews would prefer to stay Jewish-if offer some cause for hope. But first, to do that. I also like what Susie says and only Judaism's spiritual dimensions let's put things into perspective. the environment she creates with dim were opened up to them. We quote: Obviously, it would be overreach- lights, barefeet, lotsofmusicandsilence." 30 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 "Susie" refers to Susie Schnur, a Reconstructionist Rabbi who "has a devoted circle for whom her eclectic approach to tradition-such as a Passover seder with bits of Bud Subscribe now to dhism, Native American religion and blue-collar union songs-is a tonic." (ibid) After announcing her "open ap The Jewish Observer proach to worship in the local news- Yarmulkes, bare-foot and$AVE chanting in the sand, Become a monthly subscriber to The Jewish Observer and incense and mezuzos .... save up to 47% off the single. At least the 1990s will copy price (a savings of over $40.). The longer you sub not hear a repeat of the scribe for, the more you save. '70s gropings for And this introductory offer is fully guaranteed. You have but to ask and you will receive spirituality followed by a prompt refund on any undelivered issues should you decide to cancel at any time, out-of-hand rejection of for any reason. Each month, The Jewish Observer will be delivered dirP.ct!y to your door, filled everything associated with the views of leading Torah thinkers on current issues ... comments on the :>trengths and foibles within the Jewish community ... analysis of .contemporary with Judaism Jewish events .. inside reporting, interpretive commentary, inspiring biographies, infuriating letters and illuminating responses-all within the covers of one magazine, paper, several hundred people The Jewish Observer. showed up for the Rosh Hashana ser So don't delay. Check the money-saving terms below and send in your order right vices she led in 1992. away. We'll try to get your order filled in time for our very next issue. Yarmulkes, bare-foot chanting in the sand, incense and mezuzos.... At least the 1990s will not hear a repeat :------· SUBSCRIPTION SAVINGS CERTIFICATE : of the '70s' gropings for spirituality followed by out-of-hand rejection of : 'DIE~.2!_ Suite 1200 • 84 William Street : I 065J::R\7ER New York, N.Y. 10038 everything associated with Judaism. 1 I I Asacaseinpointofthe old situation: D YES! Please enter my subscription for: USA 'OUTSIDE 1 in a presentation at the national con ONLY USA I vention of Agudath Israel of America 0 3 years-at 47% off the cover price $48 D ss4 I in 1980, Rabbi David Gottlieb-then 0 2 years-at 40°/o off the cover price $36 D S60 I of Baltimore. now associated with Ye 0 l year- at 27''/o off the cover price $22 D n< shiva Ohr Samayach in Jerusalem *Price reflects $12 extra per year to defray air shipping costs. Foreign related the following incident: payment must be made in U.S. dollars, either by check drawn on a bank in the U.S.A. or by Visa or MasterCard. A boy who hodjoined the Indian cult HariKrish.na came into our home about a NAME (Please print)1 ______year ago. He was born. raised and edu ADDRESS ______cated In Baltimore. He said to me, ''My fa ther is Jewish and I want him to become CITY, STATE ______ZIP ____ interested In spiritual things. He can't ac 0 Enclosed: $ cept my cult, so I want to see whether 0 Charge my 0 MasterCard 0 VISA there is anything worthwhile in Judaism Acct. j No. for him Tell me, does Judaism believe in llllllllllllllTI a soul? Do you believe tn an qfter-l!fe?" "Of course." I answered. "How could Expiration date: OJ (month) OJ (year) you not know that?" Signature'------"Well, in our Reform Temple they Thl" Jewish Observeri~ published monlhlyeK<:l"pt!uly ;md Augu~t Pll"ase allow 4-6 wet.>ks fordl"livery. never told us about that. " (Jewish Ob server, June '81) ------· The Jewish Observer, January 1994 31 1his sense that the soul resides else where is no longer the case. Even Reform So who will answer this quest for spirituality? We JewsknowthatweJewssay"ModehAnl' thanking G-d for restoring us our have no choice but to face up to the facts: This neshamos! The bottom line is that Jews out there-Reform, Reconstructionist, phenomenon throws a challenge in our direction. unaffiliated-are searching. The seekers will not be satisfied with the makeshift Conseroative Yearnings spirituality or the theological dodging proffered by onservative Je\.VS are no less others. Only we have the soothing waters that can beset with an irrepressible C "nagging sense ofinner vapid slake their spiritual thirst. ity and ideological confusion," ac cording to Rabbi Neil Gillman in his book, Conseroative Judaism: the New past two or three years," Gillman Meeting the Needs Century, and traditlonally, the Con said. "The rabbis don't quite know ofOur Brothers servative rabbinate has done little in what to do about it." response. (Gillman is associate pro In response, JTS is trying to sensi o who will answer this quest for fessor of philosophy at the Jewish tize its students to dealing with this spirituality? We have no choice Theological Seminary of America phenomenon. But if you think that S but to face up to the facts: This (JTS), and former dean of its Rabbini Spirituality From Sinai, or some other phenomenon throws a challenge in cal School.) In his own words, "Kiroas Elokim li to1J-Closeness to our direction. The seekers will not be Once, on Rosh Hashanah and Yam G-d is the essence of goodness" will satisfied with the makeshift spiritual Kippur, I was serving as a rabbifor ever emanate from the Conservative ity or the theological dodging prof 3, 000 people in front ofme. I said to my· Movement, you are destined to be dis fered by others. Only we have the self, "I know everything about this holi appointed. In a discussion about soothing waters that can slake their day. I know where it comes.from I knotv which mitzvot "should" be observed spiritual thirst. Yes, we, with the its halachot (laws). Th.e one thing I don't and what "has to" be changed, in line black outfits, long sleeves, wigs and know about this holiday is 'What does it with Conservative doctrine, Gillman ticheL5; for we are not as foreboding to all mean?' How are people supposed to commented, them as we might think. (Even some be transfonned by this day?" "Classically, Jews have said that the of their rabbis wear yarmulkes!) And He finds that today, lay people are ultimate source ofobligation is 0-d. 0-d only we can recapture the Sinai expe more vocal in their desire for spiritu spoke at Sina~ and that's where all the rience by transmitting the Mesora as ality. "I have never in all my life seen 'shoulds' camefrom" we received it-in its pristine purity. the kind of hunger-theological, reli As an individual. and not a spokes We truly cannot walk away from this gious, spiritual-in the ordinary lay man for all Conservative Jetvs on this situation with a shrug of the shoulders, community that I have seen in the issue, Gillman stated, "It is hard.for me 'They aren't interested, anyway." Every to believe that G·d spoke... 0-d doesn't encounter with a non-religious Jew speak. Human beings speak. 'Speak no matter how casual the meeting-is ing,' for 0-d, is a metaphor. I think the an enviable opportunity. Our phJsical 'should' comes.from my community .... " presence broadcasts any number of (AIL QUOTATIONS FROM AN AimCIE BY messages, and we must do our utmost MARSH4. B. COHEN INWE BROWARD to keep the content and the format of JEWISH WORW, Nov. 18, '93.) these messages positive, warm, and encouraging. Whether through structured out PINCHAS MANDEL reach sessions or chance business Over 40 Years Experience In Kvura In Eretz Ylsrael meetings, we bear the responsibility Personal Responsibility Throughout Service-NO AFFILIATES to tell them that Torah Judaism is an ORIGINATOR OF THE PRESENT METHOD inviting spiritual haven. It's a nice Highly Recommended by Gedolai Hadar - Here and in Eretz Yisrael place to visit, and great place to come 1569-47th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11219 home to. • Day & Night Phone: (718) 851-8925 C.al.l)·SOO·KIRUV-.84 pn::i•r.>x-rnr.>xp lll"P - T'1::l ixl mr.>~Y '1l!J (1•80Q·547-8884) Chased Shel EMES with Mesiras Nefesh. .. as understood and practiced by Tti cl)ntacl Agudath Israel of America's one active in the industry for more than half a century. lnfornfation Hot Line - Taharas Hanlftar Should Never Be Commerclalized - 32 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 Rabbi MenachemZupnik that has been plaguing religiously mo tivated demonstrators for decades. Sharing Some Thoughts S shift on the part oferstwhile aunch supporters of the TItate has given us much food New Times, for thought. We would like to address some of these thoughts to those dis senters: You have suddenly decided New Perspectives that the "prime mitzva" of using con ventional channels for supporting Is rael is no longer applicable; you may actually have more important and ey have heen called "Peace Ne Council of America, as a result of the pressing causes in Israel that deserve otiations," but judging by the Israeli government's policies, some your direct funding. You may be de Tiexplosive response they've trig congregants in synagogues affiliated lighted to learn that the Chareidi gered-ranging from Hamas (1!1"') to with the RCA are totally shifting their world has been pursuing its own in- the settlers (7>;:in7)-the talks are money away from traditional chan ushering in anything but peace. nels, such as the United Jewish Ap Much of the media's focus has peal and Israel Bonds, and are begin been on the defiant pronouncements ning to donate to private foundations and violent demonstrations on behalf that funnel money to favored causes. of the settlers, in face of threatened (JTA, Nov. 11, '93) changes in the status of the settle In addition, former Chief Rabbi Men's Suits & Coats ments. A surprising element in these Shlomo Goren has questioned the 1769 51st Street• (718) 854-1196 anti-government hnfganotis the par propriety of saying the tejilla. for the ticipation of Religious Zionists-a Medina, now that the current govern 'Fine Jv{en's Cfotfi.ing radical shift on their part from un ment is in effect dismantling the coun questioning support of the govern try. And do I hear some Religious Zi "Avenue Merchandise ment. come what may. Moreover, onists urging others not to serve in the At Basement Pric¢s!" their defiance has gone beyond ges Israeli army? (Rabbi Goren, by the Personal {\ttention Our fpority tures to actually withholding support way, has directed Israeli soldiers to from the Medina. For example, some defy military orders to forcibly move •suns·~ congregations in America, openly settlers, should st1ch orders ever be •WOOL COATS identified with Zionism, dropped the issued.) Finaliy, the news of the day long-standing tradition of sponsoring tells of Israeli police having brutally • SPORT COATS • SLACKS Israeli Bond drives on Yorn Kippur beaten an innocent young boy with a For You( Convenience this year. According to Rabbi Moshe kippa sruga--at an "illegal demonstra Hours: Daily ll:OOam-9:00 pm Gorelik, president of the Rabbinical tion" called by Gush Emunim against & the Peace Proposals. Unfortunately, it Motzie Shabbos Fridays By Appt Rabbi Zupnik, RavofBeis Torah U'telilla. in Passaic Park, N.J., is active in outreach in Princeton Uni sometimes takes a bludgeon to the versity a_<; well a<; other campuses in the region. head to make one recognize a problem . DR.ALAN TAJERSTEIN Podia'tric Medicine & • BORSALINO SurgeryFoot Specialist •BILTMORE •STETSON • BUNIONS· • CIRCULATION TESTING •PAN!ZZA • HAMMERTOES • ULCERATIONS •AAFFAELLI • INGROWN TOENAILS • X-RAY ON ~ ALSO DRY CLEAN PREMISES • SPORTs MEDICINE AND Bl.OCX HATS • PHYSICAL THERAPY l~W- WOF<~ OCi'l'.' ON ""~MIS£SJ """,..,,.-----' •Custom Made Orthotics forA/l Types of SHIRTS • TIES • ACCESSORIES Shoe Gear• Most Insurance Plans Accepted Daily 11:30. 7 463 E. 911 Street Sun. 10:30 - S -olT_V_) 5421 - 14th Avenue, Brooklyn, Tues. 2:30 - 7 ~18)"6H4!0 New York 11219 • 718-972-5000 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 33 dependent course in helping the commercial flights on Saturday, not institutions, not only tn funding out Yishuv for some years now. Ifs nice a shadow of halachic integrity to a reach efforts and chessed programs, sharing the turf with you. Mihu Yehudilawwith man-sized loop but even tn our day-to-day generos You are inspired by the burning holes ... and the list goes on. And it ity to hachnosas kalla emissaries, idealism of the settlers in their defi has been going on since the begin who afford us a share in thetr build ance of government policy; these set ning of the State. ing of Chareidi neighborhoods tlers justify their stand because they Yes, we've even been earmarking throughout Jerusalem. don't want to give away one inch of much of our funds for the specific In short, we have always recognized sacred soil. Our community, too, has causes of our choice*. We chose to do that no Israeli government-not this been fired by an idealism for decades, our utmost to create a vibrant Juda one nor any previous one-will ever be proclaiming: "Don't give an inch!" ism in Eretz Yisroel and undeniably. the guarantor of our sacred Jewish not an inch of the Yaldei Teheran's we are succeeding. Not only in the way of life. Tilis realization has called Judaism, not an inch of kavod building of yeshivas and other Torah for vigilance-and, occasionally, hameis to unauthorized autopsies, militance--along with some creative not an iota of the chastity of our ,...Ihis is really not too different from what the San independence to protect the spiritual daughters to military conscription, Francisco Federation was until recently doing for identity, inch by inch, of Am several years, routing funds around the WA. to Hashochein beTzion-the Nation That not a nuance of Kedushas Shabbosto help the alternative, left-w1Ilg New Israel Fund, in open cinemas on Friday nlght and objection to Llkud rule. Dwells in Zion. We must say, we missed you during those long and NOW lonely years. You were standing on the DIGEST OF MEFORSHIM sidelines, criticizing our "lack of loy ,t,,pr, ,n::i '"ip', AVAILABLE alty." But now things will be different. TO AGUDATH ISRAEL ?"YT i:vt:1?1< ?1<1r.iw l"ninr.i Is Anyone Taking Note? Awiilable ar MEMBERS LEKUTEI COMPREHENSIVE ne thing though. Two years ago, 171eNewYorkTimescar clo Yitzchok Rosenberg MAJOR MEDICAL ried a small item, on a back 10 West 47th Street, Room 503 0 New York. NY 10036 HEALTH INSURANCE page somewhere, recognizing the wis (212) :'19-1717 dom, in retrospect, of the Israeli 20 Volumes on Torah, Perek, PROGRAM bombing of the Iraqi reactor. As you probably recall, when Saddam Medrash, Megllos and Tulmud. Av~ilable to New York S1ate residents only Hussein started his military offensive Proceeds of sales distributed For Information Call: against Kuwait tn summer, 1990, Is among Yeshivos and used for 212-797-7388 rael was redeemed from the harsh reprinting of volumes out-of-print condemnation it had suffered tn 1982 PRICE: $8.00 PER VOWME Between for having destroyed Iraq's nuclear Pirkei A vos available 9:30 AM and 12:30 PM power plant. Maybe, somehow, some where, a similar note will be found in the back of one of your publications. Maybe someone who is intellectually [Y°fo~ATERERS~ honest will say: Perhaps we shouldn't makes your Catered Affair AFFORDABLE! have been criticizing the Chareidi Gedolim all these years. You do have Because we offer so many ftne locations throughout the to stand up and fight to preserve true metropolitan area, we are able to tailor our prices to the Judaism, even when it puts you at . :~ . .. · . style, size and location you choose. Our three decades of . ,,.J# :z experience is your guarantee of a lavish and spectacular odds with official policy of the Israeli ·'l.' -~ ' "3 Glatt Kosher Affair. Here's a partial listing of locations government.... -~ available to you! More important, however, as long as we both agree on the concept that Many Other Choice Locations In NASSAU COUNTY Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, CREST HOLLOW a Jewish State, to be true to its name, Westchester, New Jersey COUNTRY CLUB must operate with fidelity to Jewish 'RIVERDALE TEMPLE & Connecticut. EMBASSY EAST LAMER VILLA BARONE OFF PREMISES principles-and we certainly share QUEl!NS STATEN ISLAND CATERING LEONARD'S OF GREAT NECK the conviction that those principles SEPHARDIC SHALIMAR AT THE LOCATION OF RYE TOWNSHIP FAR ROCKAWAY RYE TOWN JEWISH CENTER YOUR CHOICE INCLUDING HILTON must have their source in Torah CFKEWCAfll'.)WS CONG. tlAtlCHA'f NOAM MARRIOTT YOUR HOME. TEMPLE, UNIONDALE SUFIOLX COUNTY CLUB OR OFFICE. NEW JERSEY then we do have much in common. As WHITESTONE HUNTINGTON JEWISH CENTER CONG, BETH SHOLOM !l!LTON SOMERSET TOWNHOUSE LONG BEACH for the details, let us leave them for ONE CONVENIENT HILTON MEAOOWlAND LITTLENECK: ALLLEADJNG TELEPHONE NUMBER CONNECTICUT another discussion. For the mean JEWISH CENTER HILT00i'ARS1PANV N.Y.C. HOTELS CONG. AGUDAS UTOPIA SH!8MON CE~TWl'ISl~I MARRIOTr GLENPOINTE time, welcome aboard. But please, Wld.DllllF~fRR!lllYATII (?lS) SHOLOM JEWISH CENTER ~E"l-S!Vl'lllllYHllTilll 859-8817 STAMFORD TEANECK friends, stay for the entire ride. • 34 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 Letters to the Editor 4916 l.'lth Avc.,.B'kly!l, N.Y. 11219 (718} 854-2911 shortly before Rosh Hashana. To SWEDISH JEWRY'S ROLE IN gether with a small group offriends. I RESCUING JEWS IN WWII Uncle Moishy, met the ship in the port, and helped the yeshiva students find places to Mordechai Ben David, To the Editor: stay, but also importantly, a place to and other top-of-the-line Binyamin Jolkovsky's review ar daven during Yamim Noraim before Jewish entertainers ticle on Segev's The Seventh Million they continued their journey home to (Oct. '93) touched upon the rescue the States. Members of that group to are available work performed by Orthodox Jewry day occupy posts as rabbis or Roshei to visit during World War II. !tis important to Yeshivas in this country. seriously ill record these historic facts, some of In March, 1940, the then-Lubav which live on only through the memo itcher Rebbe arrived in Stockholm children ries of individuals. from Poland. I was among the group thanks to In the many written accounts, that accomparned him to the railroad mn nnr.i'I!' n1:J'Pl-ot7 scant attention is paid to Sweden's station on his way to Gothenburg, ~l 1i?N:l :li'l'' '1 re illM important role in saving lives. As a live from where he sailed to New York. I AChesscd project run by witness of those activities, I can offer wili never forget his penetrating eyes Agudath Israel of America • • Jn conjunction with )·., . : • the following: as he looked out of the window of his Suki & Ding Productions •· .' • Sweden was miraculously spared rail-car compartment. To set up an appointment, cal!: , i ', ; : German invasion while all her neigh Providentially, a great personality (212)797-9{)00 Ext.75 • M-F, 9·5 bors had been heavily affected by war. lived in Stockholm at that time: Rabbi Finland went first, when the Rus Shlomo Wolbe. My late father had sians invaded her in November, 1939. brought him to Stockholm, after he Several Jews were able to escape from had been deported as a German by there through the Ice Sea port of the Poles, following the Krlstallnacht Petsamo .... Hundreds of Norwegian excesses against Poles in Germany. Jews reached safe haven in Sweden He stayed with us as our private after the April 8, 1940 invasion .... teacher from 1938 till 1946. Denmark's Jews were left in peace It was he who urged me to leave until October. 1943, when the Danes' Sweden for New York to attend ye historic rescue operation saved them. shiva over here, since the Polish At that point, Swedish OrthodoxJews yeshivas where my brothers had SECLUDED played an important role in offering studied were no longer in existence. not only shelter, but also an active OCEANFRONT VILLA Orthodox shut the Jeshurun Syna American Unk to Stockholm ON TROPICAL ISLAND gogue which my late father, Hans Lehmann, had brought over intact When I arrived in this country in • Private pool from Hamburg, after Krlstallnacht, at May, 1940 (after travelling alone • 200 ft. private oceanfront the request of his close friend Chief through Germany at the height of the • 7 rooms/l '12 acres RabbiJosefCarlebach, "!""1, the great War), I met Rabbi Avraham • Stocked pantry with Kosher martyr of the Holocaust. Kalmanowitz-an encounter that led Actually, Orthodox Swedish Jews to years of close cooperation in rescue groceries began playing an important rescue work. There were regular meetings at • Staff of 3 including cook role days immediately after the out the offices of Zeirei Agudath Israel, break of the War, on September I, where rescue operations were con Weekly rentals $1,500 1939. Hundreds ofAmerican yeshiva stantly discussed and set into mo Call for free brochure students were evacuated from Poland tion. This group, which evolved into (718) 376-5400 and reached Stockholm by boat the Vaad Hatmla, consisted mainly of TheJewishObserver,January 1994 35 Rabbi Kalmanowitz, Rabbi Eliezer Sil It was my task to call my father in my father until four years later, when ver, Rabbi Yechiel Michel Gordon of Stockholm to discuss ways and he came to New York. Lomza, Rabbi Schulman ofSlobodka, means of securing visas for the bnei Rabbi Wolbe assisted my father in and Elimelech "Mike" Tress of the yeshiva, to get them through Russia his work. My father knew a number of Agudah. These great rabbis would and Japan to these shores. On occa Latin American diplomats, especially spend countless hours analyzing the sion, I visited the Swedish Embassy the Mexican and Ecuadorian Ambas telegrams from Europe as if they were in Washington with requests for offi sadors. who offered their cooperation. learning a difficult sugyain Gemora cial Swedish support for our efforts. I have met Jews in Holland who told When Moreinu Jakob Rosenheim The telephone connections at that me that they were saved by getting arrived by naval convoy from En time were of course very poor and I South American passports through gland, he, too, took a very active part often had to scream at the top of my the help of "a Swedish Jew"-referring, in the Vaad Hatzala work. I was sum voice to make myself heard. The tele of course, to my father. moned very often to be the contact to phone link with Sweden lasted until My father undertook another diffi the only existing link to the stranded December 8, 1941. when Germany cult mission: shortly before VE Day in Mirrer and other yeshivas in Kaidan declared war on the USA. That day I May, 1945, he travelled to Moscow, as and other places of refuge. carried out my last conversation with the very first Western Jew to be ad mitted to that war-torn country. He 100 managed to call together leading rab bis and community leaders, headed by the late Rabbi Sorotzkin, and gave f~ A~'!n,~';:;~1!!f'of~!p:~!!:;;·,or ~~r them the comfort and courage to look i;,:J!}a select group of frum girls a9'~s fO-fB "!!-"°'~~~ forward to early resumption of con 6 Weeks of 22 Exciting Tours, Orama, Music, <,; tact with their Jewish brethren Dane~~- ~ around the world. Arts & Crafts, Conversational Hebrew & Daily Shiurim. ·· · ~ When thousands of survivors, es On Campus: Waterpark, Large Pools, Water Slides, p. ~ 11 pecially women survivors from Dairy Farm, Petting Zoo, Sports Field & More! ~ ~\1 Ravensbrueck concentration camp, Supervised activities for older teens. *Oie p 36 The Jewish Observer, January 1994 enthusiastic and totally dedicated as As great as I think the JO is, I never a shtadlan, as when he gave a shrur. I dreamed that the ;i':>ln:J '71!1 i"O'W' was remember vividly the several occa the source for the articles published n~>v mo!li> ''!ll'lrtil 11~" Nl sions when Mr. Mendlowitz had in therein. 'T''ll 1'l!l vited him to Mesivta Torah Vodaath CHANA YUDKOWSKY to give shiurim Brooklyn, NY Among those who had been saved nn?VJ ?N1V>' O"n through these rescue efforts was Response: Rabbi Aharon Kotler. I don't think Rabbi Aharon Kotler, '::>":it, met Reb there ever were as many Jewish Shraga in the summer of 1962, and, '") ,, Tl1'VJ )l people in New York City's Pennsylva deeply impressed with him, shared nia Station as when Reb Aharon ar with his son, Reb Shneur, '::>":it, his rived by train from the West Coast. hope to enlist his talents for Chinuch The whole yeshiva world of America Atzmai. In 1967, when Reb Shneur came to greet him in person. accompanied Rabbi Yaakov Kamen When my father arrived in New etzky and Rabbi Yitzchok Ruderman, Call 1-800-KIRUV-84 York in October, 1945, he gave a full ;i:ro';>tlll'l:Jt, on a mission to Eretz Yis (1-800-547-8884) report to Reb Ahron and his associ roel on behalf of Chinuch Atzmai, he To contact Agudath Israel of America's ates in the Vaad Hatzala. A great told them of his father's hopes, and Information Hot line Swedish patriot, he gave a glowing the three acted on them. Our source tribute to the Swedish King and those (this time) is Rabbi Henach Cohen, officials who had helped Jews. (That, executive director of the Amertcan of course, did not include the Reform Office ofChinuchAtzmai since 1955. Rabbi Dr. Marcus Ehrenpreis who, together with heads of the Reform CORRECTION: congregation, had only obstructed In the introduction to the article on the admission of Jewish refugees in the Daj Hayomi (Oct. '93), inadvert to Sweden.) ently a few small errors were made: It should be noted that the great the biography of Rav Meir Shapiro, and dedicated men of the Vaad '::>":it, was translated from the unpub Hatzala made no distinction as to lished Yiddish manuscript by Rabbi whether they worked for the rescue of Charles Wengrov; Martin H. Stern a Chassidic Rebbe or a Lithuanian served as General Editor. It was origi Rosh Yeshiva_ They had burning zeal nally planned to appear in late No to save every single Jew. (I remember vember, but publication has been de specifically how they pored over a layed, so that it can undergo the care telegram that spoke of the location of ful technical editing that a book of the Bobover Rebbe, and discussed this importance deserves. And the ways to help him escape.) tentative title is A Blaze in the Dark History will long remember the ening Gloom unmatched dedication and mesiras nefesh of these giants ofour people. Editor's Note: The inspiration that every genera Letters to the editor must be signed will tion can derive from them be ev to be considered for publication. Names erlasting. can then be Withheld upon request. DR. MANFRED R. LEHMANN Miami Beach. FYorida .· . ; ;, > ·'. ; ; •;( The Jewish Obseroer. JwlUary 1994 37 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 11!lWil 1'i!lV Di nf.)j?l ~j?l You dress me in the morning, And see me off to school. Terrorists recently murdered a young 32 year When I come home, you greet me, old "atrreichu, leaving a young wife with a You're the first one· as a rule. You take me to the park, newborn baby (month old}, 8 orphans the oldest And let me run around. You tell me when it's dark. ofwhom is only 11. Help them! You keep me safe and sound. Send your.donation, made oufto: Cong .. Gvul '(aabetz (tax exempt), You help me get undressed, but indicate" For Terror's Orphans", And tuck me in at night. Care of: Dr. Chaim Weiss,1272 E. 9th St., Brooklyn, NY 11230 You help me say my "Shema," And then shut off the light. Rabbi.Avraham Friedman, 6735 N, Francisco, Chicago,. IL 60645 Oh my Polish Lady, Rabbi. Nachum S~uer, 428 N. Detroit St., Los Angeles, CA 90036 You are so good to me. In Israel: With a guardian such as you, Keren Le Mishpachas Hakadosh R'Meir Mendlowitz, i"'l"I For what do I need Mommy? 13ankleurni; Ahlezer· Branch (856) rn 660889/1 To the Editor: Bank Mizrahi; Rabi Tarfun Branch (430) rn 17711 I worked as a counselor in a hotel. What I saw shocked me. There were three children who were always seen with a Poilsh lady. It took several days Rabbi Aryeh Schechter until I found out who their mother was. Let me ask you: Who is their real mother? SOfERS'7AM LIBASEBROW Forest Huls, NY 1S5841stSt. llroOldyit, NY 11218 ••mue•~ilhcaHL" PERFECT TRAVEL ~~~~---1 .•..· ..... (.1.1·8 .. )~.11·4003 l I ... M•'"'I~.. I . - -,t:):>*J.1 announces that You CAN partake In celebrations Although you're not In Israel ! NEVER HAVE WINTER FARES ON I ~1 tf;tt1 Ii• EL'7.JfAL'7N.r Arranges the most exquisite GIFI' PACKAGES and delivers it . Throughout ISKAEL I STARTINGBEEN SO LOW, FROM ONLY: Special Otcasslons · HoHdays • Thank You $649 Ctuldren Studying In Israel • Get Well Wishes . .. For experience and CALL 24 HOURS' (201) 866·7667 value, call: 1 ·800·685·9218 Perfec _,,,,.. 212-682-6600 800-222-1676 ravel FAX 212-986-5262 206 EAST 38th STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016 38 The Jewish Observer. January 1994 1111-=====J"U::JT_C! Lll? I J;;,.LJ(I (J"'iC ft,;., The 84 Wi!!iamStreellNYCNational Headquarters 10038~:::::======of Agudath Israel of America November3, 1993 Mr. Marvin Lender, Chairman Ms. Shoshana S. Cardin, Vice Chairman Commission on Jewish Identity and Continuity 730 Broadway New York, NY 10003-9596 Dear Mr. Lender and Ms. Cardin: I write in response to your letter of October 11, inviting me to serve as a member of the North Arnertcan Commission on Jewish Identity and Continuity. Please forgive me for not responding before today; your invitation raised important and sensitive questions, for which I needed to consult with the rabbinic leadership of theAgudath Israel movement, and that took some time. You and the other persons involved in this new venture are to be commended for recognizing the urgent need to address the alarming loss ofJewish identity through the plagues of assimilation, ignorance and intermarriage that have taken such a heavy toll on the contemporary American Jewish community. I sincerely wish you well. With regret, how ever, I must decline your tnvitation to become a member of the Commission. In our view, the problems imperiling Jewish continuity cannot seriously be attacked by pretendtng that "virtually every segment of the Jewish community" can come together under one banner to develop a common approach to these problems. When there is such a fundamental divergence of perspective regardtng the source of the problems, there is simply no way that a meaningful consensus can be developed regarding the necessary solutions. Your letter of October 11 says that the Commission "has been created with the full support of the key continental organizations of both the federated system and major religious movements." I do not know which "key continental orga nization" of the Orthodox movement was involved tn the creation of this Commission. Certainly Agudath Israel's first tntroduction to the Commission came only when you sent me your letter of October 11. In fact, I must ·confess that I wonder how any of the major Orthodox organizations could go along with the creation of an Orthodox-Conservative Reform-Reconstructionist-Secular Jewish body to combat the plagues of assimilation, ignorance and tntermarriage. My firm conviction that there can be no mutually agreed upon consensus approach among "virtually every segment of the Jewish community" to the problems that beset us may seem pessimistic, but it is patnfully realistic. Consider the developments at the recent Reform conclave, at which Rabbi Alexander Schtndler called for a major proselytiZing effort dtrected at non.,Jews, as a means ofbuildtng up Jewish numbers. By embractng an approach that is profoundly anti halachic, and that can only lead to further erosion of any legitimate sense of Jewish peoplehood, Rabbi Schtndler and the Reform movement have made it even more preposterous to think about developtng a common approach among all Jews toward ensurtngJewish survival. I have used this characterization tn the past, and I have been criticized for it, but I believe it to be absolutely apt: When a fire is raging, one does not tum to the arsonist who set the fire for solutions on how to put it out. Within the Orthodox community there are numerous examples of outstanding outreach programs that have reached many thousands of Jewish souls. 111is type of outreach, which proudly portrays Judaism in all its unadulterated glory, provides the only valid approach to the problems your Commission will seek to address. Anything less than classical Judaism can not and will not stem the hemorrhagtng that our people are suffertng. Sadly, but clearly, any body consisting of representatives from all elements of the Jewish community would not be prepared to accept these "extreme" views. Were I to join your Commission, 1 am afraid that mtne would be a lonely voice in the wilderness-an uncomfortably confrontational one at that-whose tnput tnto your deliberations would have little if any impact. In clostng, let me state that I very much appreciated receiving your tnvitation. Your effort to reach out to us reflects your commendable recognition that the constituency represented by Agudath Israel deserves at least a seat at the table when issues ofJewish continuity are betng discussed. However, as I have tndicated tn this letter, it is impossible for us to come to the table when many of the persons with whom we are betng asked to formulate a response to the tragedies of our time, themselves bear heavy responsibility for those very tragedies, and regrettably are so blind to the destructive nature of their entire approach to Judaism. As always, the two of you have my kind regards and every best wish. Sincerely, Rabbi Moshe Sherer President The Jewish Observer, January 1994 39 "Pick up this book.•• you won't put it down!" Join up.~~~L .. JIWYBKBOOUJAVM. .in an inspirjpg, panoramic, Jase. inating life.·.•. ' ' ... ,,-.