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JANUARY 1995 VOLUME XXVI\ I NO. 10 A CONTRAST IN LEGACIES unhappiness and violence we are ex­ of the ideals of Karl Marx? ls there any periencing despite achieving personal way of estimating how many lives everal mesechtos (tractates of liberation as a result of shedding of have been shattered and families de­ the Talmud) conclude with the inhibitions, which, according to stroyed as a direct result of-as well S statement that talmidei Freud, should have ushered In an era as broad fallout from-Freud's teach­ chachamim increase peace in the of happiness and fulfillment. There is ings? Nor have we as yet seen the end world, citing the pasuk, "And all your an increasing sense that just as we of this process. children will be students of Hashem, have witnessed the demise of Marx Even if, for the moment, we put and abundant will be the peace of and Marxism, so are we seeing the aside the teachings of the philosophi­ your children" (Y'ishayahu 54, 13). Do death of Freud's understanding of the cal, political and social theoreticians, not read "banayich--your children," human personality. and consider the exact sciences, pur­ the Gemora says, but "bonayich­ How different is the legacy of sued for the sake of expanding man's your builders." Gedolei Torah which is forever trans­ understanding of the physical world; More than a clever play on words, forming people for the better. How one cannot deny that while new hort­ these lines convey a profound mes­ much concern for others, goodness, zons in knowledge were opened, at sage, which becomes more meaning­ personal and communal harmony the same time, these discoveries ex­ ful when we compare the impact of and spirttual enrtchment are still be­ panded man's destructiveness expo­ Torah scholars on future generations ing generated because the Ba'al nentially. Einstein's theortes, for ex­ with that of masters of other disci­ Shem Tov, the Vilna Gaon and the ample, made possible the creation of plines. This was especially evident Chafetz Chaim once trod this earth nuclear weapons. Aside from the ac­ when I came across an article synop­ and spread their teachings! Such a tual lives lost through atomic bombs sizing the continuing spate of litera­ wealth ofTorah, avodaand chessed! and radiation, how much terror was ture debunking much of Freudian How many lives have been touched, unleashed by the mere threat of psychology. For years now research­ inspired and made whole by the nuclear destruction durtng the cold ers have been questioning Sigmund legacy of any of those whom Kial war. How much danger still lurks for Freud's fundamental theortes, the re­ Y'isroel has recognized as its Gedolim, mankind with the continuous prolif­ vised neo-Freudian psychology, as In any generation! eration of atomic weaponry in devel­ well as the validity and objectivity of By contrast, the legacy of the secu­ oping nations! Freud's ortginal research. In addition, lar geniuses-many of whom were Innovations were launched in the many authors point to the increasing Jews who could have used their W­ name of objective scientific research, ents in Torah-directed endeavors­ humanistic concern, and technologi­ Rabbi Aaron Brafman is Menahel of Yeshiva was destruction, churbanl cal advancement. Visionary theories, Derech Ayson, Far Rockaway, N.Y. His "1be PuT~ suit of Happiness. Social Decay ... and the Jew, n was Is there a count of how how mil­ and the movements they spawned, featured in JO, November, '89. lions of people were killed in the name were designed to create a better

4 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 world. to mold a better human being. What a far cry from the lives of has dominated modern thinking for Yet they all turned out to be illusory Gedoliml Thousands of stories testify sometime. pursuits. to their saintliness, selflessness, con­ In an article in Commentary, Au­ How could the efforts of well· cern for others, and meticulous con­ gust 1992, entitled "The Future of intentioned trailblazers, in stark con­ cern about misusing even a penny American Jewry," Irving Kristo! de­ trast to those of Torah leaders, go so that was not theirs. Is there any won­ scribes the catastrophic effects of wrong? der about the divergence between the Secular Humanism on the moral legacies they left behind? quality oflife. Even he, a secular Jew, WHEN THE LESSON AND THE TEACHER ARE ONE Is there any way of estimating how many lives ne of the fundamental differ­ ences between Torah person­ have been shattered and families destroyed as a O alities and secular authori­ ties lies in their personal conduct. No direct result of-as well as broad fallout from­ one has ever achieved or earned the respect of Kla1 Yrsroet or has entered Freud's teachings? Nor have we as yet seen the the annals of Jewish history as a Gadot unless, in addition to his be­ end of this process. ing learned in all areas of Torah. he was also a tzaddik-a person of saintly character. In Jewish leader­ THE TEST OF TIME is appalled, as he wlites: ship, one cannot divorce intellectual What specifically were (and arn} the teachings q.f this new philosophical, accomplishment from personal righ­ very theory or movement put forth over the past several sptritualimpulse?Theycanbeswnmed teousness and moral behavior. The up in on.e phrase: Man makes himself, ... centuries has had some merit hallmark of a Gadol has always been E Merely because it incorporates the that the more one scrutinizes his pri­ and has held out some promise for word "secular" in its self-identification vate life and mundane, daily activi­ betterment, yet ultimately each col­ does not mean that it cannot be seri­ ties, the more one stands in awe of lapsed, for falsehood cannot stand. ously viewed as a competitive reli­ him. The closer one is to the Gadot The problem is that it may take sev­ gion-though tts adherents resent and enty years or more for that collapse to resist any such description. Such re­ the more one is able to see his piety, sentment and resistance are, ofcourse, his selflessness and his kindness. take place, and in· the intelim, entire a natural consequence of seeing the Secular leadership is quite a differ­ generations are destroyed. A human­ human world through "secularist" spec­ ent matter. We are not merely refer­ ity tossing about on stormy seas of tacles. Because secular humanism has, ring to political leaders, about whom ideas has no litmus test to validate an .from the very beginning, incorporated we have learned so much in recent idea. But we Jews, who have the To­ the modem scientific view of the uni­ verse, it has always felt itself-and to· years-too much, one might say; we rah and the prescience of Gedolei Yisroet can and should spare our­ day still feels itse!f-"liberated" from are referring to the intellectual lead­ any kind of reUgious perspective. But ership of the modern Western world. selves the heartache of a floundering Secular Humanism is more than sci· In a recent book, Intellectuals, Brit­ world. ence, because it proceeds to make aU ish historian Paul Johnson examines Perhaps we can view the fallen kinds of inferences about the human the lives of the great thinkers who ideological "idols" of the past with a condition and hwnan possibilities that have shaped the thought and values degree of objectivity, but it is much are not in any sense scientffic. 7hose more difficult to deal with newer inferences Ule metaphysical and in the ofWestern Society for the past several end. theological centuries. (Among them are Rous­ forms of idolatry. I would like to call attention to what may be a leading seau, Marx. Tolstoy, Russell and "PE'OR"--AMODELFOR candidate for that position-a phe­ Satre.) He documents how they led TODAY'S EXCESSES lives that were morally bankrupt and nomenon that is slowly encroaching degenerate. They were corrupt in on mankind: technology. he societal changes and up­ their personal relations. used and heavals of the 60s and 70s TECHNOLOGY-IDOUZATION abused the people closest to them. were brilliantly defined by the AND DEHUMANIZATION OF MAN T were vain glory-seekers. and were late Mirrer Rosh Hayeshiva, Rabbi reckless. if not downright criminal, Chaim Shmulevitz, ':>"lll, in one of his e are at a new stage in the when it came to other people's published shmuessen. In his discus­ idolization of man, which money. Johnson questions the sense sion on Parshas Pinchas, he charac­ has been in progress for of such people promulgating theories W terizes those trends as a form of wor­ several centuries. At this point, the supposedly based on their objective ship akin to that ofPe'or. As Rashiex­ stress on technology has become so search for the truth. Yet they emerged plains, BaclPe'orwas worshipped in ascendant that it is replacing even the as the prophets and leaders of the a strange manner. The devotees secular humanist view of man, which modern age. would defecate on the idol. a seem-

The Jewish Observer, January I 995 5 ingly senseless, base act. But Reb munication at New York University. Chaim explains that the underlying The book sounds an alarm, warning l'echnopoly-the title of concept of this idolatry was the wor­ the United States not to tum into a ship of man himself to the extreme, technopoly-in which technology is a recent book-traces in essence saying, "I am the greatest, man's tyrannical master. and everything and anything I do is Postman traces the historical de­ the historical splendid," or "Do your own thing, velopment of technology from being a whatever it is, and it's just grand," support system ofculture's tradition, development of defying all conventional standards of to competing with that tradition, and behavior. Reb Chaim applied this finally to creating a totalitarian order technology from being a analysis to the radical behavior of with no use for tradition at all. He ex­ that period, when every form of con­ amines the ways in which technology support system of duct, whether noble or obscene, per­ tyrannizes everything from medical verted or violent, was given validity practice to law, and even religion. culture's tradition, to and acceptance. While the ability to retrieveinforma­ We are now entering, I would sug­ tion today is truly remarkable, it nev­ competing with that gest, an era that is reaching another ertheless diminishes human abilities, level in the idolatry of man. In the memory and expe'rience. tradition, and finally to past, man was worshipped and spe­ Life and death decisions in medi­ cial status was given to him as a hu­ cine, law and military situations are creating a totalitarian man being, although the focus was as increasingly being made by comput­ order with no use for much on the animalistic aspect of ers, ignoring the human factor, which man as on his more exalted dimen­ contributes compassion, empathy tradition at all. sion. and other crucial moral dimensions Now, however, as we worship tech­ to an issue. nology, man is being reduced to a earthly being, his name derives from "thing." For technology has risen from TWO DIMENSIONS OF ADAM adruna--earth-from which he was being a tool of man to becoming his fashioned and to which he will return. master, turning human beings into Torah Jews, there are two as This choice of focuses determines mere binary functions. And In the ects to man, both ofwhich are a fundamental perspective, which af­ process, we have devalued man to nferred from the very name fects everything man does, and im­ something from which to harvest c;N, Adam (based on the Sh'la pacts on his relationship to other hu­ body parts. Hakadosh, Voll, ToldosAdam, pg.3). man beings and to the physical/ani­ Technopoly-the title of a recent If man lives spiritually connected to mal world in which he lives. book-is the name given to this new G-d, the name Adam derives from In a 1976 article I wrote for The stage of development by the book's "Admna t'Elyon.-1 endeavor to be like Jewish Obseroeron the subject of eu­ author, Professor Neil Postman, G-d." If, however, man severs his thanasia ("mercy killing"), which I ChairmanoftheDepartmentofCom- spiritual ties and lives merely as an had based on the literature and stud­ ies available at that time, I pointed out that society was going beyond acceptance of brain-death as a crite­ rion for pulling the plug, toward as­ suming severe illness and even old age as sufficient reason for the termi­ nation of human life. At the time, the ~cretarial and Bookkeeping!!! article was labeled alarmist and un­ :.:.. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.::.:;::·:· .. ,.,.... ,.,... ,.,,.iii""'im"'' ,.,.,.,., ...... ,.,,,,......

6 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 prolong life forces us to become in­ sponded by asking, "Vu loift men?­ progress.) volved in ending it! Thus we are living Where are they rusrnng?" Computers, which were meant to in a society that can snuff out life at We have reached the terminal­ facilitate man's work and make both ends of the cycle-at one tennl­ the end point of all the rusrnng, and things easier for him, have become nus, as a matter of a woman's right the question still begs for an answer. tools of enslavement. People are "to choose," at the other, to relieve so­ The speed with which computers can forced into longer hours, to work un- ciety of an untenable burden. To be sure, this phenomenon reflects a gen­ eral loss of reverence for human life­ Technology has risen from being a tool of man to easily evidenced, as well, in the in­ creasing violence in today's society. becoming his master, turning human beings into For as technology teaches us to quan­ tify all experiences, we cease to value mere binary functions. And in the process, we have and sanctify life as a G-d-given trea­ sure, and we move on from desecrat­ devalued man to something from which to harvest ing the dead to desecrating the living. body parts. THE POINT OF DIMINISHING RETURN work is beyond the need of most situ­ der greater pressure than ever be­ hen the first railroad ations. (And if we produce TV with fore. The discrete domains of day reached a town near Kotzk, 500 channels, it will be impossible for and night are no longer honored. W the story goes, the Kotzker anyone to view anything with mean­ And as for leaving the office behind, Rebbewas taken to see the train. The ing. As is, our hapless neighbors are there is no escape, for-as we are enthusiastic guides were describing contemplating viewing four or six pro­ never permitted to forget: "We are all the speed of travel and how quickly grams on a split screen, following connected." people would be able to go from here none, descending into recreational There was a time when one to there. To which the Rebbe re- schizophrenia... all as a matter of thought that technology was a cure-

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Rabbi Kenny &andef: (407) 394-5732 Rabbi Hnhy Epetel~: (803) 782-1831 •+;;;;;_...,_ Not/ihg mduJ-...... ii..mr.Ablt ··-\nu.-,,- --"""""JAHUARY15... ,.. FEBRUARY12 Rattli .llNmleh Wol'Abe!g: (516) 37& 19118 Aish HaTorah/Disoovely• 1388 Coney Island Avenue· Broddyn, NY 11230 • {718) sn-ae19 _Ral:tJIEi~:(718)377-31119 ~=i:t:937-5400 -· 'lhe Jewish Observer. January 1995 7 all for whatever ails us, but it is now evident that it was a false hope. Tech­ We must do what we can to insulate ourselves from nology cannot cure or change the ba­ sic human condition. It cannot con­ the insanity-yes, the insanity!-that has overtaken fer meaning where there is none. While it can create more games and society at large, and realize that, with all their speed, "fun" expertences, it cannot create happiness. While it solves problems, they are rushing nowhere. The ultimate journey is ·the it creates new ones. In many ways. the quality oflife in one inside oneself. our new cynergenic era has deterto­ rated. The senseless violence re­ ported on the news is stunning in its brutality and pervasiveness. Poverty what has happened to the purity of large, the drive for technological and homelessness are a blight and our air, water and food supplies in the progress builds on the underlying stain to the two basic economic reli­ wake of the inexorable march of heresy of "It is my strength and my gions-{;apitalism and Socialism. progress. might that has created all this wealth The magnitude of drug and alcohol for me" (DevarimS.17). And while we abuse is ample evidence of the emp­ WHAT DO WE DO? certainly may use our G-d-given in­ tiness of the soul, despite amazing telligence to improve the conditions of technological progress. one of us wants to reject the our lives, we must remember that The entertainment industry. fruits of progress, yet we do "G-d gave you the strength to accom­ which should be geared to soothe the N not want to enjoy them plish your wealth" (ibid, 18). Thus, all restless soul of modern man, has be­ through striking a Faustian deal. We of man's accomplishments are meant come part of the problem, as a source want to keep our feet firmly on the to lead to awareness of Hashem and of agitation, contributing to the vio­ ground, with our heads over the serving His wishes. rather than In the lence and moral decline of society. clouds of smog. As a first step, we opposite direction. This list can go on, as we examine must internalize the idea that by and Secondiy. we must, at every oppor­ tunity, internalize-within ourselves, our families and talmidim-an appre­ ciation of the fact that only those qualities and values that are eternal truly matter. We must do what we can to insulate ourselves from the insan­ ity-yes. the insanity!-that has over­ We have received an urgent call from the Gaon Harav Shmuel Auerbach, taken society at large, and realize that, with all their speed, they are Shlita. of Jerusalem imploring us to help. rushing nowhere. The ultimate jour­ The facts speak for themselves: ney is the one inside oneself. And in Two children are born with a very rare disease - but with constant treatment the words said at a Siyum Mesechta, and loving care, they can become functional, productive adults. "We run and they run; we run to the But their family is dysfunctional. Their parents' marriage was doomed, a dismal failure. life of the World-to-Come, while they Baruch Hashem, wise, concerned people rescued them and placed them in a loving run to the abyss of destruction." home and a unique yeshiva. Slowly and affectionately, the scars are being healed. They are creating destruction­ These children are being saved! here. and in the future-while we who learn Torah are constantly building The future is bright - provided we can raise $80,000 to cover the world-here, and in the World-to­ past costs and assure future care. Come. There are no parents to help. No family. Only us, Their fellow Jews. "Light is sown for the righteous, Therefore, we turn to you with this plea.Please contribute and for the straight of heari there is mercifully to this cause, which cries out for our utmost generosity. joy" (Tehillim 97, l l). This is true for Harav Avrohom Yaakov Pam both this world and the next. Those Rosh Yeshivas Torah Vodaath who were fortunate enough to have known genuine tzaddikim and Tax-deductible checks should be made out to: Gedolim recognize the truth of these Hod Jerusalem words. May we continue to sow light and mailed: for ourselves and for our children, and in so doing. produce the real builders c/o Rabbi Nasson Scherman• 1653 54th Street• BrillJklyrr, NY 11204 of the world, until we merit the day when we will "Reap with joy." •

8 The Jewish Observer; January 1995 We have the keys to your home m Israel.

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CARD NUMBER EXP. DATE SIGNATURE i'o~:~~,,~$~;:~~,,. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 11 I I I I ~-~ - PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION CLEARLY - Chaim Shapiro

Rabbi Moshe Rosenstain, ;i:,-i:i? j7'>1~ ,:::>,......

very yeshiva puts its own im­ misingly logical ("straight') thinking. exr:eUence. Yet eveiy morning, includ­ plint on its talmidim-usually Whoever learned in Lomza Yeshiva ing Shabbos and Yorn Tov, he pre­ E the product of a combination will never forget the way the pared himself for davening by going of factors: the Roshei Yeshiva, the Mashgiach walked the aisle between to the mikva. According to those who Mashgiach, the background of the the shtenders for hours on end. The were present, he dipped himself in talmidim, even the community where Lomza Yeshiva probably had the long­ the waters no less than one hundred it is located. Thus the Lomza Yeshiva, est beis midrash of all yeshivos in Eu­ times. He would walk the great dis­ founded in 1883 by Reb Lazar rope, stretching scores of meters from tance from the mikva with his hat Shulavitz1, was unique for many rea­ the entrance door at the rear to the practically over his eyes, looking only sons, among them-in its later "Mizrach wall." The Mashgiach would to the ground, avoiding eye contact years-the unusual tzidkus and pace that aisle back and forth, for with man or beast. yashrus (saintliness and lntegrity) of miles-literally-eveiy day. He once Rabbi Shimon Morduchowitz ':>"~ the Mashgiach, Rabbi Moshe explained, "It takes many hours of writes: "We tabnidim knew that be­ Rosenstain '1'l1l. His seforim, containing thinking to come up with one pure fore us stood a holy man of the high­ transcriptions of his mussar thought." Among the products of his est madreiga (level), whose mind shmuessen (ethical discourses), of pure intellectual searching was his ln­ never entertained a machshava course convey his thinking in detailed tense love for HakadoshBaruchHu. beteiUa (idle thought). In spite of his exposition, 2 but theveiytitle ofhis third Everyone ln the Yeshiva was con­ effort to hide his tzidkus, we were sefer" says itinjust two words: Ahavas vinced that durtng his daily, unend­ keenly aware of his ge'onus (genius) Meishorim. expressing his love for ing stroll, the Mashgiach was totally in mussar and kedusha. We were Hashemasa productofhis uncompro- detached from his surroundings, certain that he had overcome any fully engaged in heavenly matters, yet tendency to material, earthly de­ Rabbi Shapiro, currently of Baltimore, is a fre­ a talmid once announced within his sires, for he was totally immersed in quent contributor to these pages, most recently earshot: "With this Tosafos we can spirituality and G-dliness." with: ""The Litvakkes.~ in May '93. His personal take care of Reb Akiva Eiger' s kush­ Durmg the week, he slept in a dor­ memoir, Go, My Son, was published by Feldheim. For this article, the author expresses a debt ofgrati­ ya," smacking of a dismissing tone mitory room next to the Beis tude to Rabbi Yaakov Baker {formerly from the toward Rabbi Akiva Eiger. In his next Hamussar-a room in the Yeshiva Bronx, currently in Telshe-Stone, Israel, who spent shmuess, the Mashgiach expressed where a person could retreat to de­ his entire yeshiva years in Lonua). In addition, he shock about the talmidim's lack of vote himself to thinking behis­ acknowledges Reb Moshe Mordchai Kryger {of Ocean Pkwy., Brooklyn), a talmidofthe Mashgiach, awe for a Torah giant of the stature of bodedus (in solitude). He would go as well as the writings of Rabbi Shimon Rabbi Akiva Eiger. home for Shabbos, but walk back to MorduchOWitz, 7~. ofthe Bronx. who was a talmid In the view of the talmidim, the the Yeshiva to deliver a mussar mi.whok of the Mashgiach for five years. Mashgiach personified the Litvak par shmuess (the third shmuess of the

The Jewish Observer, January 1995 11 Bereishis, G-d's act of Creation. Unlike the common practice of shokelen (swaying) during davening, he would stand motionless during the entire davening. One Friday, after Shemoneh Esrel he broke out weep­ ing, whispering, "We've lost him!" Four hours later, a telegram arrived that the Chafetz Chaim was niftnr. Reb Moshe's ability to "read" faces was legendary. Once a professor of psychology asked him how one can recognize the face of a murderer. Sometimes his facial features and ex­ pressions are so delicate, you would never think that the man is capable of brutality. Reb Moshe replied, 'To a murderer, killing a person is like slic­ ing a challeh, like killing a fly. Yet, at Rabbi Morduchowitz 7"~ writes: 'We talmidim some point in his life, he is struck with a spark of remorse, a moment of knew that before us stood a holy man of the highest teshuva, and then there is a change in his face. That is the sensitivity you madreiga {level}, whose mind never entertained a discern." One of the bachurim, Aaron machshava beteilla (idle thought}. In spite of his effort Gildin-a happy fellow whose face was always graced with a smile----en­ to hide his tzidkus, we were keenly aware of his tered the Mashgiach's room to ask him if he would like to send a tele­ ge'onus (genius} in mussarand kedusha. gram to a talmid in honor of his chasuna. After he wrote the text for a week). He fasted every day, for thirty document under her head in the message, the Mashgiach dismissed years. In the evening, after Maariv, a kever! 4 the boy, and then asked his son-in­ talmid would bring him some food law, Reb Leib Pruskin (son of Rabbi from the Yeshiva kitchen. AROUND THE CLOCK Pesach Pruskin--see JO June '78), When his wife complained about WITH REB MOSHE who was present, if he had noticed him, he promised her one half of his anything unusual about Gildin's face. Gan Eiden and Olam Habba. Upon e city of Lomza was located on Reb Leib replied in the negative: "He her request, he wrote up a contract hilltop, at the foot of which seems as happy as ever." committing himself to his promise. uns the Narev River. Every The next day. Friday, Gildin had Before she died, she asked Reb morning, Reb Moshe would stand at terrible pains. A doctor was sum­ Yisrol'ke Zembrover (Rabinowitz), his window, watching the sun rise moned, and he could not determine the oldest talmid-and the greatest across the river, to appreciate the the cause. On Shabbos, the boy re­ tzaddik-in the Yeshiva, to place the glory of the renewal of Ma'aseh quested to see the Rosh Yeshiva and the Mashgiach. The Rosh Yeshiva, Reb YeshuaZeligRuch, came at once. (Reb Yechiel Mordchai Gordon was PINCHAS MANDEL then in America). The boys hesitated Over 40 Years Experience In Kvura In Eretz Ylsrael disturbing the Mashgiach, but Reb Personal Responsibility Throughout Service-NO AFFILIATES Leib Pruskin, recalling his father-in­ ORIGINATOR OF THE PRESENT METHOD law's remark the day before, called Highly Recommended by Gedolai Hader - Here and in Eretz Yisrael the Mashgiach at once. 1569-47th Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. 11219 The Mashgiach asked everyone to Day & Night Phone: (718) 851-8925 leave the room, and then talked to Gilden for several hours. The patient TllO'l:)Ni!:ll:)Ni' lll"i' - 1•1:::i ixl nil:)'ill 'il!:l then turned his head to the wall, and Chesed Shel EMES with Mesiras Nefesh. .. as understood and practiced by returned his neshama to heaven, one active in the industry for more than half a century. leaving this life in teshuva. - Taharas Hanlftar Should Never Be Commercialized - • • • One day, as Reb Moshe was walk-

12 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 ing the Yeshiva aisle, he suddenly stopped and announced, 'This week Said Reb Yisroel Salanler, I no one should go swimming!" (Dur­ r-----·Learn Nach ing the summer, the boys would go I ''Your heart is a reshus I swimming in the rtver, especially on I I and Jewish Fridays). One boy did not hear the hayachid, a privale I statement, or chose to ignore it, and I History LJke went swimming-and drowned. domain, and in lhatcorner I I I I Never FACE VALUE you can be as lerrified as I I I Before! abbi Lazer Shulavitz, the you wish. But your face is a I founder of the Lomza Ye i The acclaimed Moshe and Esther shiva, would tell an episode reshus horabbim, public I Brandman Memorial Tape Library R 1 presents two new series: Naelr. from his Rebbi Reh Yisroel Salanter; I b'Machashava and Men of tlu its message set the tone for the Ye­ domain. 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Please send Reb Yanke! replied, "Nothing hap­ amongst the nations-believe it!' But your name, address, this form, and pened, but tomorrow is the Yam payment to The Frumi Noble Nicht they use it to fulfill their natural de­ Kollel, Yeshivas Beia HaMidraah Hadin, and I'm worrted, frightened!" sires. If. however, they tell you, There La.Torah, 7135 N Carpenter Ave, Said Reh Yisroel Salanter, "Your is Torah amongst the nations-do not Skokie, IL, 60077. For more heart is a reslu.t.s hayachid, a private believe it.' Torah is a medium for information please call (312) 764-6035. domain, and in that comer you can be guiding the human being to overcome A catalog of our over 400 tapes, including ongoing series in History, as terrified as you wish. But your face his inclinations, to strive for spiritu­ Halacha and Hashkafa will be sent is a reslu.t.s horabbim, public domain. ality; and to elevate his actions. This with all orders. Currently available You have no rtght to alarm people like they do not have." Nach b'Maelsashafla and Men of the that. The rule requiring everyone to In 1934 a terrible pogrom took Mrshna tapes include: welcome others besaiver panim place in the town of Przytik. College By Rabbi Yosef Gavriel Jk.chhofer ycifos-with a pleasant counte­ students joined the mob ln clubbing DN81. Chap. 1: Failing to Conquer nance-even applies to Yorn Kippur." Jews on the head. (Jewish boys ONB2. Chap. 2: The Period Reb Moshe would underscore the fought back with guns, killing some DNB3. Chap. 3: Ehud and Eglon above message with a pasuk in Shir of the hooligans.) Said Reh Moshe in DNB4. Chap. 4: Yavin, Sisra, Yael DNBS. Chap. 5: Shiras Devora pt 1 H ashirim, "1"0 C'l')l' '??-=>n-chaklili his shmuess that week, "They call DNB6. Chaps. 5-6: Shiras Devora pt 2 einayim, shiny eyes (,happy eyes, are themselves 'University students.' and Gidon pt 1 better] rruyayin than a glass of wine. They attach grandiose names to their DNB7. Chaps. 6-7: Gidon pl 2 Ul'ven shinayim, white teeth (a smiling cultural attainment through higher DNB8. Chaps. 7-8: Gidon pl 3 I DNB9. Chaps. 8-9: Yeruba'al and face, is betterj mechalav, than milk." education. In reality, those institu­ Avimelech pt 1 Reh Moshe was indisputedly a tzaddik tions of so-called learning are cor­ DNB10. Oiap. 9: Avimelech pt 2 who was constantly aware ofbelng in rupt: they produce hooligans and I I the presence of the Shamayim, yet he murderers! That's what the Zahar I By Rabbi A vra.ham Kivelevitz I practiced this prtnciple, his face al­ means when it comments in regard to DIJ96. Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi DIJ97. Writing the Oral Law ways wreathed with joy. the pasuk, The days of Sarah were a I 01198. The Netziv's Perspective I hundred year (shana), twenty year I DIJ99. Fluidity, Form, Freedom I TORAH AND CHARACTER (shana), and seven years (shanirn)' I DIJlOO. R. Sa'adya Gaon's History I DIJ101. R. Sherira Ga.on to the Rescue (Bereishis 23, I). Referring to the I I DIJ102. The Six Hundred Sedarim e newspapers reported that a I DIJ103. R. Meir and R. Nosson: Russian scientist had suc­ I Gall 1-800-KIRUV-84 I Plot and Project eeded in transplanting the I DIJ104. Rabbi David Tzvi Hoffman T: I (1·800-547-8884) 011105. Piecing Pirkei Avos Together head of one animal onto the body of I another one. Asked Reh Moshe, To contact llqudath Israel of America's I -'""""'il-~··--.,.ot.b I -~ ... "'~°"'"'· "Suppose they succeed in grafting Information Hot Line I Bismark's head onto a horse's body. L------~

The Jewish Observer, January 1995 13 larger numbers. the Torah uses the kedusha (sanctity) right here! Your word 'shana'-the singular form for hergesh of Kedushas Shabbos, Yorn The would year, while with the small number Tov, Yorn Kippur and Eretz Yisroell" Mashgiach (seven). it says 'shanim'-plural. Thus pace that aisle back and the Zohar concludes: 'Whatever WHEN REB MOSHE AND AARON seems great is actually little, and LED THE WAY forth, for miles­ whatever seems little is actually great!' n August 1920, Poland declared literally-every day. He 'Their bloated titles are nothing war against the Soviet Union. but a cover-up to conceal their defi­ I Backed by Western powers---prt­ once explained, "It takes ciencies in character, while they marily France and England-Poland graduate hooligans and murderers. was intent on stopping the spread of many hours of thinking We employ modest names like Communism beyond Russia's bor­ 'cheder.' 'Talmud Torah,' 'yeshiva,' ders. A general mobilization was put to come up with one and look what we produce!" into effect, and while Christian divin­ •Everyone quotes the Chazal that ity seminaries were granted defer­ pure thought." "even a reykon (empty person) can be ments, the anti-Semitic Polish Gov­ as full of mitzvos as a pomegranate [is ernment refused to defer students of full of seeds]," to give value to even the the Lomza Yeshiva, the only such ye­ an offering to Hashem," Foreign ele­ most ordinary fellow. As a Baal shiva in all Poland. ments-neither sour nor sweet-can Mussar, Reb Moshe added his obser­ The Rosh Yeshiva. Rabbi Yechiel never be mixed before Hashem The vation that "a person can be full of Mordechai Gordon,6 went to Warsaw message was obvious, but Reb mitzvos and still be a reykon, 'empty,' to intervene. He approached the dean Yechiel Mordechai would not rely on ifhe does not have control of himself." of the Jewish members of the Sejm a dream to close a yeshiva. The war •It was the custom of the city's Rav (the Polish parliament). Dr. Noach made communicating with the to deliver a mussar shmuess to the Prilucki, an old maskil. Prilucki Chofetz Chaim or Reb Chaim Ozer Yeshiva during Asseres Y'mei would only offer deferment to the ye­ Grodzenski of Vilna impossible, so Teshuva. Reb Archik Baksht5 deliv­ shiva students if the yeshiva would Reb Yechiel Mordechai returned to ered a shmuess quoting the passage incorporate some secular studies in Lomza to seek the advice of the from Tehillim, "As far as the east is the curriculum. Mashgiach. from the west, so far had He removed "A decision such as this,'' replied After much consideration, the our transgressions from us" (Tehillim Reb Yechiel Mordechai. "I cannot take Mashgiach said, "It is clear that 103. 12). upon myself. I must seek advice." Hakadosh Baruch Hu requires The next day, the Mashgiach cried "Even though in the meantime mesiras nefeshfrom us forTorah. We in his shmuess, "But what can we do your boys are being drafted and sent are not obligated to display rnesiras if the sins are lying in our laps?" After to the battlefield?" asked Dr. Prtluck:i. nefesh for secular studies, however. expounding on a teshuva theme, he "Yes, even at that price," replied the We cannot mix the two; kodesh and concluded with a plea, "If you want to Rosh Yeshiva. chol-the sacred and the profane­ feel the taam (taste) of your Olam Back in his hotel room, he fell cannot dwell together." Habba. open yourself up to the asleep and dreamed of the pasuk ''.AU "But boys are being drafted," pro­ hergesh (feeling, awareness) of leaven or honey you shall not burn as tested the Rosh Yeshiva. Not just a cheese, a tradition... ,,. Haolam, the most trusted name in ChoJov 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.

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14 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 The Mashginch was a firm believer for the rest of their lives. Reb Moshe In the Vllna Gaon's "GoireL" a lottei:y described his first encounter with that Indicated a decision through se­ Reb Yerucham: "I knew very little lection of a pasuk. The quotation se- about Mussar. In that initial conver­ 1ected-a Divine command to sation I asked Reb Yerucham: 'How Moshe-read: "From twentyyears old do you explain that Bnei Yisroel who and upward, all that are able to go had witnessed so many nissim, none­ forth to war In Israel: you shall num­ theless committed such terrible ber them by their hosts, you and sins?"' Aaron" (Bamidbar 1, 3). He had expected the young people, who know not My ways" (91, His own name was Moshe, so with chassan to respond with a deep philo­ 10) .... "That response," said Reb a student by the name of Aaron sophical explanation. Instead, Reb Moshe, "conveyed more to me than (Zlotowitz'), he set out to solve their Yerucham burst out crying, shedding an abundance of words. It opened my dilemma, in accordance with the many tears. In a mussar nigun he eyes to a Mussarpersonality!" command In the pasuk. They estab­ quoted the verses from Tehillim: "And then there was that day at lished contact with the chatrman of m:i 1'li>N mv cw.ii~ "Foriy years I was the end of a summer," recalled Reb the local draft board-for American angi:y with that generation, and said Moshe. "We were sitting In his room dollars (he refused to accept the Pol­ that they are an errant-hearted with an open Gemora, discussing a ish Zloty) he would free all bnei Torah It was illegal to possess dollars, but these were his terms. The Mashginch justified this "ille­ gal" approach, for bnei Torah should have been deferred as were Christian divinlty students, except for the Pole's anti-Semitism that denied them their p Rabbi Yisroel Reisman legal rights. If Poland was anti-Semitic, the ariny was tenfold worse. Honoring Shnbbos and Kashrus was practically impossible. Hence, bnei Torah from all yeshivas threatened by militai:y conscription arrived In Lomza finding a place to learn, with room and board, thus establishing residency there. With the necessai:y funds in Ameri­ can currency, they were safe. For the next twenty years-as long as Poland was independent-Lomza served as a haven for such bnei Torah

EARLY YEARS

eb Moshe was born in the Lithuanian town ofUzvent in R I 881. In ms teens, he went to Telshe, becoming a talmid of Rabbi Sillman Shkop. His mother made a shidduch between the girl next door and the then-unknown Reb Yerucham Levovits, who later became the famous mashginch of Mir". When 19, Reb Moshe came home for Pesach, and encountered for the first timeaBaalMussar, the chassan, Reb Yerucham. The two found a strong affinity for each other. Reb Moshe would call Reb Yerucham "my RebbC' while Reb Yerucham would refer to him as "my chavef'-titles they used

The Jewish Observer. January 1995 15 Torah topic. His mother-in-law ap­ Rabbi Murdochowitz's home town, is Moshe Rosenstain on Erev Pesach peared at the door of an adjacent near Mir]. 5701/1940, attheageof59. • room and glowered at me. She went It was in Kelm that Reb Moshe away, and then returned to repeat gained the title, "Ish HaEmmeS"-the i See Chaim Shapiro's MLomza: A Yeshiva Grew in her performance several times. Nei­ man of Truth," a strange appellation Poland,~ JO March '78. 2 ther she nor he said a word about for a tzaddik-which tzaddik is not YesodeiHadaas, vol. 1, 2 3 Published by Rabbi Shimon Morduchowitz, 1:r::if what was troubling her, so we contin­ an Ish HaEmmes? In Lomza, how­ 4 The Germans entered Lomza on Rosh Hashana ued our discussion of the Gemora for ever, his identification with truth was night. Reb Yisroel was sitting at his regular place, some time, until I went home. The so evident, that one felt pressed to re­ where he had sat for so many years, learning all by next day I learned that his wife was fer to hlm that way. His influence on himself. A German officer walked into the Yeshiva, and was so impressed by the one man sitting and bnei Torah giving birth to his first son! And-as the of Lomza was such, singing to himself, that he politely asked Reb if nothing were happening-he con­ that all understood that one must be Yisroel to come to the door. The Zembrover did not tinued our discussion! That's a man Emrneswith Shamayim, Emrneswith pay the Nazi any heed, and continued learning. The of mussar! After that, whenever the others, Emmes with oneself-even German apologized and left! opportunity arose, we walked and Emmes with the yeit7,er hara, or else He was the last one to leave the Yeshiva build­ ing. He locked the doors and took along the keys, talked for hours on Torah and one will never defeat it. And as every with the Yeshiva's financial ac;sets, 1500 Zloty. He mussar topics. yeshiva contains a certain unique­ then left for Russia together With some other "I had hoped that he would take ness that remains with the talmid for talmidim When he was crossing the border, a me with him to Kelm, to immerse my­ the rest of his life, for the Lomzerite, guard opened fire. Witnesses claimed to have seen Reh YiSroel falling to the ground, preswnably dead. selfin mussar. But it was not till three Emmes was second nature. After saying Kaddish for him for three months, he years later, when I was 23 and a half, was discovered to be aUve and well! While in Rus­ that he took me to Kehn." "Before the terrible times sia, he marrted, and eventually came to America, Rabbi Morduchowitz recalled that was the Tzaddik recalled" where he established a fme family of Bnei Torah. when he left Poland for Eretz Yisroel (YIShayahu 57, !). Similarly, He published a two volume sefer. Kol Bo 1-fechodosh. and he took leave of the Mashgiach, before the Chw-ban of World War JI, 5 JO Oct. '72 the latter said to him, "Surely you'll Heaven gathered up a number of 6 JO,Jan. 76 stop over in Mir. Please tell Reb tzaddikim, allwithinafewmonths: Reb 7 Rabbi Aaron Zlotowitz, 7HYT, later settled in Yerucham that I have a complaint Chaim Oz.er Grodzenski, Reb Shimon Amertca where he was active in Rabbonus and in Agudath Harabbonim, and raised a family with ex­ against him. Why did he wait three Shkop, Reb Baruch Ber Leibowitz, emplary bnei Torah. long years to take me to Kehn?" (Seliv, n::n::t? orn:ir, were niftar... and Reb 8 JO,June'77.

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16 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 Rabbi Yosef Gavriel Bechlwfer

was declared at Sinai. machlokes haposkim (see She'arim THE HALAcmc PROBLEM MetzuyanimBa'halacha 11 :3). Rabbi Does that mean that one Moshe Feinstein 7"YT (Igros Moshe o you have a door that ibid., 181) held that in completely en­ leads out to your balcony approach here is right closed balconies and yards the D or backyard? If you do, you mezuza should be fixed on the right probably have faced (or will face) the and the other wrong? side of the doorway as you exit to your following question: Do you fix the yard. The Chazon Ish (Yoreh De'ah mezuza on the right side of the door 168:7) held the opposite-the mezuza as you come in from the balcony or situation? How does He, and how do should be fixed on theright side of the backyard into the house, or do you fix we, regard others who follow other doorway as you enter your house. it on the right side of the door as you approaches than our own when it go onto that balcony or backyard? comes to a machlokes in practical THE MACHASHAVAISSUE You are not alone. Gedolei halachct? haposkim for generations have dealt s said, refer to your Rav for with this common question. The pur­ THE HALACfilC DISPUTE practical guidelines in haiacha pose ofthis essay is not to proVide you A l'ma'aseh. Let us instead with a practical halachic psakfor this e halacha problem is that if tackle the machashava issues that issue. You should approach your lo­ ou fix a mezuza on the wrong underlie this halachic problem: The cal Rav for that. I am using this case Tiide of your doorway, you do disputants, for their part, are intent as a point of departure to explore the not fulfIII the mitzva (Yoreh De' ah on determining just what was de­ complex issues that lurk behind this 289:2). You cannot put up two clared at Sinai. Does that mean that seemingly innocuous question: How mezuzos, on both sides of the door­ one approach here is right and the do we figure out or understand what way, just to be sure, because many other wrong? If we follow the ap­ Hashem would like us to do in this poskim (see Igros Moshe Yoreh De'ah proach that is, by some objective 1:176) prohibit such practice. There standards (that Eliyahu HaNavi may Rabbi Bechhofer, Rosh Kollel of the Noble Kolle! is no way to '1ust be machmirl" You reveal-see Chiddushei HaGriz al ofYeshivas Beis HaMidrash LaTorah in Skokie, IL, must pick one side or the other. HaTorah 122). wrong, have we fallen is the author of Blgdei Shesh al Masseches Bava Which side of the doorway to your short in our kiyum hamltzvos? Have Basra. and Eruvin in Modem Metropolitan Areas. His article on the latter subject was featured in JO, balcony or backyard you should fix we then not fulfilled the Ratzon May'94. the mezuza upon is a longstanding Hashem--the will of G-d-in this or

The Jewish Observer, January 1995 17 any other similar area of halachic is also a yet deeper perspective. He What is the cause, and what is the contention? does not tell us what that deeper per­ effect? The cause is not reality, which spective might be. Perhaps we can demands the effect offiguring out rel­ THE MACHASHAVA OF HAIACHA find it in later sources. evant halachos. On the contrary, the cause is halacha, and the effect is the f course, in all such thorny is­ TORAH SHAPES THE WORLD reality of the world'. sues we look to Rabboseinu Let us note Reb Elya Meir's caveat; 0 HaRishonim and Gedolei eb Tzaddok HaKohein of in effect: If it is in line with the logic Ha'Acharonim (the great commenta­ Lublin ., .. :n writes (Tzidkas and secrets of the Torah . . . . Reb tors of earlier and more recent times) R HaTzaddik 90; see also Bnei Tzaddok elsewhere (ibid., 115) makes for guidance. We begin our pursuit of Yissas'char. ChodeshNissan4): "TIJ.e a similar remark: "When one is understanding, however, at the Torah is the map of the world ... and mechadesh [innovative in an source, the Gemora: so is Yisroel (since they and the Torah explantion of] a matter in Torah, one Rabbi Abba said in the name o..f are one). Thisisbecauseweknowthat must not do so with any negi'a [vested Shmue~ Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel the illumination ofJewish souls is the personal interest] in his heart, i.e., that arguedforthreeyears, each side claim· illumination of the Torah, as itis said, he wants themattertotumoutso, for ing the halacha was as they main­ Yisroel Yesh Shishim the sake of his pride, or to argue tained. A bas kol then came forth and is an acrostic: stated: Eilu va'eilu divrei Elokim chaim Riboh Osios LaTorah [there are six (These and those are the living words hundred thousand letters to the To­ ofHashemJ, but the halacha is accord· rah!). The Jews in each generation, ''The Jews in each ing to Beis Hillel... therefore, comprise the current map generation comprise the (Eruvin 13b) of the world. New phenomena in the The Ritva there explains: Jewish nation in any generation will The FrenchRabbonim asked how it current map of the is possible thot these and those are the create corresponding new phenom­ living words ofHashem when thesefor­ ena in the structure of the world." world. New phenomena bid and those all.ow. They answered: This idea is not solely a Chassidic When Moshe went up to receive the To­ one. The late Telshe Rosh Hayeshiva, in the Jewish nation in rah, hewasshowninevery issueforty­ Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch ""YT nine manners in which to forbid and (Shiurei Da'as, "Darka Shel Torah," any generation will forty-nine ways in which to permit. chap. 5) writes: "When the Torah was Moshe asked Hashem about this. create corresponding Hashem told him that the Chachmei given to Yisroet the characteristics of Yisroel in every generation were to de­ its nature were imparted to the Torah new phenomena in the cide which approach to follow in their Sages. They, through their thought, specific times and places . .. .(See also deterrntne the characteristics of na­ structure of the world." Chagiga 3b; Avos 5: 17, and the ture, which conforms to the logic and Maharal in the Derech Chaim there.) secrets of their Torah. They decide the -Tzidkas HaTzaddik The Ritva goes on to say that al- reality of Torah, and the reality of the though this approach is correct, there Creation linked to the Torah." against another, etc. One's chiddush 1"0:1 must stem solely from one's yearning EVERY GIRL'S DREAM... to know the truth. If a person follows f-;;;i~,~··. these guidelines, then even if he l'., Asummer in Israel of camping and touring for .,~t' T makes a mistake his words are words 0 ~~· a select group of frum girls a~~s f0-f8 :'t-~'\"c-"°' ofTorah and divrei Elokim chaim" Not every person under every cir· 6 Weeks of 22 Exciting To_urs, Drama, Musi~ Dan~~~~'<; cumstance can claim to generate Arts & Crafts, Conversational Hebrew & Daily Sh1unm. · ~ Featur;ng: divrei Elokim chaim. Only people The Only On Campus: Waterpark, Large Pools, Water Slides, \-\ p. ~ "Kosher" whose thoughts and conclusions Dairy Farm, Petting Zoo, Sports Field & Morel :\'ll\1 Waterpark meet these criteria of total commit­ Supervised activities for older teens. 9..~ ·. CLAIMED.BY EliutAlORS, PARENTS in the world ment to truth as revealed at Sinai, NO CAMrrns FROM TttE U.S.A .. Comparably priced to over-night kc,; EUROPE, SO,¥Jlf AtRltA Atm ISRAEL without a trace of negi'a-only such camps in the mountains. ~cs people are qualified to create divrei Elokim chaim. If these criteria are Under the dynamic direction ~~ L met, however, even a mistake (in Tal­ of special educator ~ i ·--·-~·!!i!t mudic terms, a hava amina) can be O'vora Zelman. ::!iil!i!!i::::i::::l!~ ~~-~ - r')~ considered divrei Elokim chaiml On the Grounds of Beautiful Kibbutz Chafetz Chaim -·-·-·· 1 Chazal note that the Sanhedrin determines the reality of the world when they declare a leap year, CAMP BNOS CHOFETZ CHAIM see Yerushalmi Kesuuos 1:2, and Encyclopedia 623 Cortelyou Rd., Brooklyn, NY• Phone 718·282-6350, 718-941-5500 Talmudisvol. I pp. 201-202,

18 The Jewish Obseroer, January 1995 WHY? Hashem's Master Plan specifically re­ riety and differences. The variations quired a world ofdiversity. Am Ylsroel in halacha correspond to the varia­ e here, however, are not is a nation of many different and di­ tions among human beings. (A dealing with theoretical verse people. Each member of our Kabbalistic explanation of these W mistakes. We are discuss­ nation is created for his or her specific variations along the lines of chessed ing practical halacha opinions-that and unique purpose. and gevura is cited in the Hakdama happen to conflict. How do we under­ That is why most of the Torah is to Tanya) stand why Hashem allows two (actu­ Be'alPeh(Gittin60b). TorahShe'bik· The inhabitants of the town of ally, 49+49=98!) contradictory prac­ savcorresponds to the entirety of Am Rabbi Eliezer who cut down trees on tical approaches to coexist? Why is Yisroel-and it is therefore static and Shabbos to make coals to forge knives the legitimacy of machlokes in uniform, as is the eternal kedusha of to perform a bris mila that day (ac­ lw.lachn. l'ma'aseh (practical halacha) the Klal of Am Yisroel. Torah cording to his opinion in Shabbos so inherent in Yahadus? She'be'a!Peh, however, corresponds !30a that mnchshireimilaare docheh Again, let us tum to Reb Tzaddok. to the particular individuals within Shabbos) were therefore fulfilling a (SichasMalacheiHashareis5a. Rabbi the nation. Therefore, just as there mitzva and ratzon Hashem. Their Ylsroel Salanter ';"~ expresses a siini­ are many variations among the indi­ Mara D'Asra (authority), whom lar idea in Ohr Yisroel 28. See also vidual members of Am YisroeL there Hashem had provided them as a rofeh Michtnv Me'EUyahu vol. 3 p. 353.) In are many variations in Torah hanefesh, had made such a determi­ every halachic matter there may be She'be'a!Peh- nation. Inhabitants ofany other local­ conflicting approaches ofequal valid­ Reb Tzaddok draws an analogy to ity who would engage in the same ac­ ity. This phenomenon is rooted in the medicines. Different patients suffering tivity, however, would be liable to fact that there are distinctions be­ dissimilar illnesses at distinct times capital punishment'! tween souls and personalities. Reb require different-often opposite­ 2 It is debatable whether the classic concept of Mara Tzaddok bases this idea on the refu'as hagufbodily medications. D'Asra still exists. Once, however. local psak did Gemora:s explanation of the beracha Similarly, different members of Am determine local reality. Rabbi Yechiel Michel Gor~ made upon seeing an assembly of Yisroel in dissimilar places at distinct don ?":it of Lomza related that an individual in 600,000 Jews: Baruch Chacham times in history require different--{)f­ Volozhin had suffered from a certain form of lung disease. The person intended to leave the city and HaRazim (Berachos 58a), and the de­ ten opposite-re.JU'as hanefesh, spiri­ move to a place with better air. The individual's fa­ scription of distinctions between in­ tual medications. ther appeared to him in a dream and told htm that dividuals in Sanhedrin 37a and 38a. Hashem created a world full ofva- his specific form of lung dtsease was the subject of

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The Jewish Observer. January 1995 19 Nneteen years ago, a number of the gedolim of the generation issued an impassioned call to schools, shuls, and individual Jews, to commit themselves to the learning of Shmiras Haloshon. Simply put, they stated, that Shmiras Haloshon is not "extra credit", it is at the heart of being a Jew. With awareness of this • crucial mitzvah growing, right now ls the time to heed the words of these gedo lim. Shmiras Haloshon Yomi is a program - established by the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva zt"l - which divides the Chafetz Chaim's "Sefer Chafetz Chaim" into daily five-minute learning segments.

Today, Jews worldwide are undertaking this daily learning program as a serious, manageable way to make real progress in controlling their speech. You can join them by ordering this beautiful new edition of the "Seier Chafetz Chaim," Hebrew only. English version due out Fall '95. This is a specially­ designed volume segmented according to the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva's calendar for daily learning. $14.95 plus $2.90 shipping and handiing. Unfortunately, the neglect in the field of loshon hora and To further this aim, we hereby prodaim: rechilus has reached stlch proportions that many do not treatthese issurim asrea1 issurim but the}' think that it is ·just a !liiddas I) Everyone should See to arrange a time to learn the sefotim chasidus, pious behavior, to observe them. "Chafetz Chaim" and "Shmiras Haloshon," either in public, in shuls, Jt is as though these issutim do not exist at all This is in spite of the yeshivos and kollelim, or in ptivate. Every rabbi and leader of a oon­ fact that Chazal in Bavli and gregation should sttive to schedule Yerushalmi, Midrash and Zohar, l such shiutim in his place. Rishonim and Achar6nim treat this :-r r,,., :-r .K.,.., i' N"V•'1\!J 11111 '11ND1 •71110 matter as one of the worst aveiros. 2) All roshei yeshivas and principals Rambam, Hilchos Teshuvah 3:6 states of yeshivah high schools, and the asfOllows: "ThefoilO\Ving have no Share higher grades in the elementary in. the World to come; instead, they are schools and girls' schools should cutdf and perislifor eternity because of include the study of "Chafetz n''>" ,,..,,,,, ">)n '"'''" 1"""'' '>'1 D•MD" """''" n-,.1>.,·1 "D"n •on·»;" 1'D') 11 their great Wickedness: minim and fl>"'" ""n '"' )IOD" ,.•• ,, ,,.,.,. l> '"'Jn '1nu >1n <>·~••'" ll'''O)> t1·1,_l D" •<>II> Chaim or "lkrei Dinim," {an apikornim, those who do not believe in J•'"'''"'"'''?·'''"""'""" abridgement. of "Chafetz Chaim"] r>ll>,."I 'l>lJ 1!l>' I" .,..,,,, tWDl''I 'D"n •on' ''Ot> W>)) >Dl Vl)p) '''" '"" » I"' the Torah, in the resurrection of the and "Shmiras Haloshon" as compul­ dead, in the ooming of the Mt!s.>iah ... sory subjects in their curriculum, to and those who habitually spealdoshon be studied in depth, in order to incul­ 11 ....., .. ,,,,.,, n•1P•v.1 "'''"" ., P"D ...... ,.,,..,,,, ",,, ,,,, """ fttU ""'"' lD>ll hora. il<'"V "">»PD .11) 'lrn1,1 l<'o1 .\IV».1 cate the students With the awarer>ess "''"' '"""'' >'0 VJ\ ... ;»nln itll ·""'°' ""YI> """''' l>';'•P I ·''"" "" ·""' ,,.,.,,,, To be realistic, we must realize that >'hMishnah Berurah rechilus is . to learn the seforlm, 343:3, "The main reason for treating ·~~');;> •:nic "Chofe!Z Chaim" and "Shlliiras "''-'-''" O'J,;1•_:,·_1~~,_'l:;'C''ll lightly the issurim of speech is the 1l!ll\!J N"' Please, no checks drawn on out-of-country banks. January 12th, 1995 Please make check payable to: Onm CHAIM HrnrrAGE FOUNDATION, 620 Coney Island Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11218 To Order Call Please send my sefer to:

Address 1-800-867-2482 Phone# ______In New York Call, 718-871-6700 Rabbeim and Rabbonim: Take advantage of our special group discount and add an OFFICE HOURS: 9:30 AM-5:30 PM.• VISA & MASTERCARD ACCEl'fED invaluable five minutes to your shiurim. L------~ DEALING WITH THE DIFFERENCES There are wide variations in derech whom, when (Yuma 26a). Rabbi among poskim of our generation, as Yochanan (Chagiga 15b) identified O questions arise: 1) We un­ well. Most of us are not qualified to their qualification. He explains the erstand that different centers analyze these derachim and render pasuk in Malacht "For the lips of a TIf Torah learning throughout judgments as to their comparative va­ Kohein guard wisdom and they will the generations produced various lidity. How, then, do we find out who seek Torah from his mouth, because darkei avodaand limud (approaches is qualified to state an opinion that he is a malachof Hashem Tzevakos." in Divine service and methodologies may be considered divrei Elokim Said Rabbi Yochanan: "Only if a Rav ofTorah study), and, therefore, differ­ chairrt? 2) IfRabbi Eliezer's opinion (or is like a malach of Hashem Tzevakos ences in psak halacha. The Hungar­ any other similar opinion) was valid, may one seek Torah from his mouth." ian derech differs from the Polish why can one no longer choose to fol­ A malach is an agent (a shaliach) of derech, which in turn differ from low such a psak'? Hashem. An individual who views Lithuanian and Sefardic derachim himself only as an agent of Hashem (seeMichtavMe'Eliyahuvol. 4p. 129). WHO? and focuses on the fulfillment of that agency, is qualified to generate divrei a machlokes between the Rema and the Sha'agas bviously, prowess in lomdus Elokim chaim. The Gemara (Yuma Aryeh. The Rema held that if this particular form and halacha methodology is ibid.) explains the description of oflung disease occurs in a cow, then the animal is DavidHamelechas "Hashemimo, "to treif. as it is incapable of living for another year. The Oa precondition for acceptance Sha'agas Aryeh, however, had paskened that an as a poseik. Sometimes semicha rec­ mean that halacha always followed animal with this disease was nonetheless kosher. ognizes that prowess. More often, his opinion. Reb Tzaddok under­ (The fascinating history of the psak of wnma haskamos or verbal recognition of stands that this is not just a state­ haserucha ladojen im makka badofenis well docu­ ment of fact. "Hashem imo" was the mented. See, for instance, Makor Baruch chap. 17 universally accepted gedolei hara'a section 2.} The father therefore warned his son to validate the positions of aspiring reason that halacha was always like remain in Volozhin. His rationale was that in poskim. Dovid. He fulfilled "Shivisi Hashem Volozhin, the Sha'agas Aryeh's town. the psak­ Reb Tzaddok (ibid.), however, ad­ l'negdi tamid-I always envision G-d and therefore the ratzonHashem-followed the rul­ dresses an additional qualification. before me," and therefore met the cri­ ing of the Sha'agas Aryeh. The disease would not terion of agency that allowed him to threaten this person's life as long as he remained Once upon a time, Shevet Y'JSsachar there. Were he, however. to leave Volozhin, he (who were characterized as "yod'ei be a malachHashem Tzevakos. would fall under the ruling of the Rema and would bina l'ittim" (Divrei Hayamim 1: 12), Only devoted talmidei chachamim be at mortal rtsk. (I am indebted to RabbiAvraham they understood which halacha be­ who are without negi'os, and focused Kivelevitz for finding the source of this ma'aseh in on determining ratzon Hashem, can Rabbi Menachem M. Yashar, "")tfs essay in the havior was suitable for each genera­ divrei Elokim chaim'. As She'ei/Ds UTeshuvos Sha'agas Aryeh Mahadums tion) and Shevet Levi decided which generate we Machon ChasamSofer, note 2.) halacha approach was suitable for will see, this approach is one under­ standing of the concept of learning Torah Ushma. It is imperative that we note a ca­ veat. I was once asked in a Kiruv class why the opinion of the Conservative 9Tfo ~ATERERS~ "Rabbinate" that permitted driving to shul on Shabbos is not considered an makes your Catered Affair AFFORDABLE! acceptable alternative as divrei Because we offer so many fine locations throughout the Elokim chaim. There are, of course, metropolitan area, we are able to tailor our prices to the many answers to this question, in­ . ,~ . ..;:,, style, size and location you choose. Our three decades of cluding the simple fact that their ,. ~ •'v z experience is your guarantee of a la vish and spectacular halacha decisors do not meet the ·~ -~ "3. Glatt Kosher Affair. Here's a partial listing of locations above criteria. 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NEW JERSEY WHITESTONE LONG BEACH HUNTINGTON HILTON SOMERSET notes a variety of indMduals. The quality of ma1ach JEWISH CENTER TOWN HOUSE ONE CONVENIENT HILTON MEADOWLAND Hashem allows the Rav to understand the proper LITTLE NECK ALL LEADING TELEPHONE NUMBER CONNECTICUT JEWISH CENTER HILTON PAASIPANY refe'as hanejesh for each different individual. {In N.Y.C. HOTELS CONG. AGUDAS S!IERAHlll CfMTREl'llSTAI DivrefHaYamim2,36andShabbosl19b, talmid.ei UTOPIA WAlOl)llflf'lERRU!IYAnl SHOLOM MARRIOTI GLENPOINTE JEWISH CENTER !'EMTMIOOSEVHllMY "lll(HO (7lS) 849-8817 STAMFORD TEANECK chachamim are called ~Malachef filakim, ~ Reb Tzaddok understands that description in light of the term Elohim in Parashas Mishpatim. which means judges.)

22 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 tween us and them. Even where their which the original machlokes occurred. 11 methodology is erroneous, the fact Torah Sages, ihrough Reb Elya Meir (ibid., chap. 7) ex­ that they do not fulfill halacha is not plains that this is what Chazalmeant what makes them Non-Orthodox (i.e., !heir ihought, determine when they said (Shabbos !Oa): "Eveiy Apikorsim, even if Tinokos She'nish­ dayan that judges truly and truth­ bu). That would only make them !he characteristics of fully is considered by Sclipture as a Avaryanim, i.e. less or non-obser­ partner with Hashem in the act of cre­ vant. It is their denial of Torah min nature, which conforms ation." The poskim decide not only HaShamayim, and several other of halachic reality, but also the struc­ the Yud Gimme! Ikkarim (Thirteen to !he logic and secrets of tural reality of the world. Plinciples of Faith) that separates !heir Torah. They decide As long as the psak is not conclu­ themand their ideology from true Ju­ sively decided by the poskim of Am daism. A movement that denies the the reality of Torah, and Yisroet conflicting opinions may each plinciples of Judaism is unaccept­ represent legitimate avenues of prac­ able in a way that transcends halacha !he reality of the Creation tical avodas Hashem Once, however, methodologies or specific questions of the psak has been decided, the re­ expertise or observance. linked to the Torah." - jected opinion is still Torah, and theo­ Once a poseikis recognized to have retical divreiElokimchaim, but it is no attained the clitelia that qualify the Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch longer a legitimate avenue of practi­ poseik as a malach of Hashem, a lay­ cal avodas Hashem Under the new man is not obliged to ascertain the yachid v'rabbtm halacha k'rabbim­ circumstances of reality, following the validity of that poseiks halachameth­ the opinion of the many prevails over rejected opinion might be an aveira. odology. Hashem helps poskim to that of an individual, etc.), that psak It is easier to make out how vali­ reach legitimate conclusions that are shapes the reality of Creation. When ous darkei avoda and ltmud corre­ divrei Elokim chaim, and suitable for subsequent generations approacq. spond on macro-levels than to deter­ the Avodas Hashem of the relevant their responsibility in this world, they mine this relationship on the micro­ people, places and times. face a different set of circumstances level. For example, many sources The greatest poskim succeeded in than those faced by the generation in point out that Beis Shammai's trend becoming one with the Torah itself, and their capacity to pasken tran­ Considering move scended even the halacha process it­ a self. Once the Chasam Sofer's ':>"YT toMOIVSEY? son, the Ksav Sofer':>"YT, felt that his father's proofs in a certain teshuva (responsum) were questionable. He For careful attention to your asked his father, therefore, about the individual needs, call us today! validity of the resultant psak. The Chasam Sofer responded that in his (914) 354-8445 piskei halacha, the plimary deter­ mining factor was his sense of what the psak should be. Specific proofs, while absolutely essential, were sec­ ondary in importance. (NefeshHaRav p. 42. See Eitz Chaim p. 430 for a similar statement by HaGaon HaRav Chaim ofVolozhin ':>"YT).

PSAKHAIACHA

e now turn now to the sec FOR ond question: Why may we THE FINEST Wo longer follow opinions that, like Rabbi Eliezer's, have been rejected? IN The answer lies in the idea we ex­ PHOTOGRAPHY plored previously, that Torah deter­ AND VIDEO mines the reality ofCreation. WhenAm Yisroet through the medium of its psokim and its minhagim, detennines USA/ISRAEL specific issues according to the guide­ lines that decide psak halacha (i.e.,

The Jewish Observer. January 1995 23 to chwnra (stringency) corresponded On a more serious plane, eilu we must ensure that our lives are to middas hadin (the attrtbute of un­ va'eilu teaches us to tolerate others' divreiElokim chaim. That means that diluted justice) while Beis Hillel's minhagim and derachirn and to real­ we must lead our lives Zishma-fo­ trend to kula (leniency) corresponded ize that those derachim may also be cused on discovering and fulfilling to middas harochamim (mercy). It is legitimate avenues of avodas ratzonHashem more difficult, if not impossible, (at Hashem In areas that are the subject The Kotzker Rebbe, ?"::IT, (Emes least for us) to identify such parallels oflegitimate halachlc debate, there is v'Emuna p. 26) notes that lishma be­ on micro-levels such as our example no one emes, and no justification for gins in the way we learn. Torah regarding the proper placement of personal machlokes, much less, chas lishma. said the Kotzker, is the same that mezuza. In terms of halachic ve'shalom sinas chinam as Torah kishma: we learn Torah to conduct in this area, however, we There is, however, another, more fulfill the meaning of its name. Torah have, hopefully, achieved some de­ important mussar haskel (ethical in­ means "Teaching," and our Torah is gree of clartfication. No final decision ference) for us to gain from this dis­ Taras Chaim. the Teaching of Llfe. If has been rendered in the machlokes cussion. we learn Torah with the intent that it over where to place the mezuza We Reb Tzaddok (Yisroe! Kedoshim elevate and refine our lives, our Torah may, therefore, rest assured that 66b) notes that every member of Am is lishma. and divrei Elokim chaim whatever our Rabbanim pasken for Yisroel is rooted in Torah She'be'al Then, of course, our ma'aseh. our us is a legitimate avenue of kiyum Peh and possesses the unique quali­ active lives, must be divrei Elokim mitzvos and avodas Hashem (al­ ties that it imparts. Although we don't chaim I recently met a Reform "rabbi" though you might like to keep this es­ always realize it, each of us contrib­ who had previously been a police of­ say handy to explain why!). utes a unique quality to the ongoing ficer in Yerushalayint He claimed the weave of the rich tapestry of Am catalyst for his subsequent career A BROADER PERSPECTIVE Yisroel Therefore, in a broader sense, choice was his perception that the each of us is involved in the ongoing Chareidim in Yerushalayim were no mplicit in the discussion of eilu creation of Torah She'be'al Peh Al­ better in their middos and personal va'eilu is, obviously, is an en­ though most of us are not great schol­ lifestyles than their Ghiloni counter­ I dorsement of Ahavas Yisroel. ars and will not produce great works parts. He concluded that kiyum When Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer';"'Yl, of Torah. with our Torah and mitzvos mitzvos did not refine the Chareidim became Rav in Slutzk, an argument we all manipulate and shape the Cre­ in any significant way. If so, he rea­ broke out in shu! whether to say "Av ation (Reb Chaim Volozhiner explains soned, why bother? HaRachamirri' on Shabbos Mevarchim this process in the first section of I don't think it is relevant whether Av. The arguing parties asked Reb Nefesh HaChaim). his assertion is true or not. We can­ Isser Zalman to clarify the proper This quality that Hashem granted not permit situatiDns that provide op­ minhag. He said: "This is the minhag: us is not just a gifi. It is also a formi­ portunities to even say such things some say 'Av HaRachamim' some do dable responsibility. As participants about us to occur/We must lead lives not, and both sides quarrel about it!" in the creation ofTorahShe'be'alPeh, that are such Kiddush Hashem that no one would dream that we might ------•YOUR. ever engage in unrefined, much less base, behavior. We may apply this ~LOAN CAR.IN yardstick to the recent spate of nega­ tive articles in the American press #;l ISR.AEL concerning behavior of segments of t-----'===-=====::;=::;;::==;'--,:::---LS TYPE OF CAR 25/8/94· our society. Whether the allegations 19/12/94 are true or not is irrelevant. If our

A FIAT UNO STING 120 lives were divrei Elokim chaim and •.. PEUGEOT 106 161 "v'ra'u kol Amei Ha'Aretz ki shem B PEUGEOT 205 AC 175 Hashem nikra alecha-and all the c CITROEN ZX 1.4 224 people of the earth will see that the c" MAZDA323 245 c" PEUGEOT 4051.6 280 FREE CELLULAR PHONE Name of G-d is upon you," no one M MINIBUS FORD 476 could ever have made such allega­ N BABY BUS 7 SEATS 322 IN EVERY CAR* •E)(CTYPEA tions. It is said that Reb Naftali • PAYMENT FOR USE ONLY AT THE ENO OF THE RENTAL PERIOD D SUZUKY 231 Amsterdam, 7"YT. one of Reb Yisroel E MAZDA323 294 Salanter's prime disciples, set a goal F '"NISSAN SUNNY 322 USA A CANADA to become such a pure tzaddik that G *SUBARU LEGACY 1.8 420 ·•-VAnON. -•AYMMa'.r everyone he met would want to be a K "GMC SAFARI PS 595 x *PEUGEOT 4051.8 476 B00·93B•SOOO religious Jew (Reb Yaakov p. 29). If XL *TOYOTA CARINA 560 IN NY: .2J.2•1/J.29·11J090 we measure our lives by this stan­ SX *VOLVO 940 {SIMILAR 630 dard, our words and our deeds will 'POWER STEERING &ELECTRIC WIN DOWS truly be divrei Elokim chaim-living words of Hashem •

24 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 Aaron 1Werski

This marvel­ philosophy on the State oflsrael was ous hiography apparently very close to that of tells the story of Satmar. Yet, when David Ben Gurton one of the most re- came to America, he attended the markable Torah per­ fund-raising banquet at wlllch heap­ sonalities in the llls­ peared, and marvelled at how Jews tory of the American stood in line to give money for Israeli yeshiva movement. bonds. His tefillawas with great-tn­ nus book is beautifully deed, extraordtnary-deveikus, and written. It is riveting, yet when he heard that the child of llls heartwarming and inspir­ talmid was undergoing surgery he ing. But it is much more. It rushed to the hospital while wearing is refreshingly honest. llls tefillin- He feared that the few min­ It is the story of a gadol utes that it would take lllm to remove b'Yisroe~ an ish kadosh. But his tefillin would leave his fragile it also gives a full glimpse of talmid without the moral support A the man and llls seeming con- necessary in a time of great trouble. tradictions. The author wisely (I can add to the author's narration of Book Review leaves it to the reader to figure tllls event. A friend who showed up out the puzzle. So Reb Mendel is shortly after Reb Mendel came, y memortes of Reb Mendel portrayed as an incredible masmid brought danish and a thermos of hot Kaplan date back some 42 who could shut off the entire world coffee for the father. When he opened M years when I came to Bais when he was learning and decrted the bag and Reb Mendel saw what he Medrash L Torah in Chicago's West one moment of bitul Torah as the had brought, Reb Mendel exclaimed, Side (not Skokie, Illinois) shortly after most grtevous of sins. Yet, he was a "Geton ve ah chochom." [You have my Bar Mitzva. Reb Mendel ?·1 was mechanic who would fix llls own car acted wisely.] Then he added dert­ already a legend at that time. For a and the operator of a winery to help sively, "A friend who showed up ear­ short time I had the zechus of sitting support llls family. His own personal lier brought a Tehillim. ") in llls shiur before moving on to Ner Israel. Clllcago's West Side was a dan­ gerous neighborhood and after I suf­ fered a beating by some hooligans, my parents decided that a safer envi­ ronment was in order. Even so, the indelible impression ofReb Mendel is deeply etched in my mind. He was truly unforgettable. Iiforyou!! Reb Mendel And His Wisdom, by Yisroel Greenwald (ArtScroll/ • Nl!W1·1ower &.!>Pet dlvislonS (13-17) Mesorah, 1994, h.c. $16.95, p.b. •. lnahdv...,.,.. nyulim&fun Undertht!dlrtlcJtono/ MJ'$,N,.~ Dr. Twemki is a professor of Jaw in Brooklyn Law • DlreclOdand~l>ytnnov>!ive School and serves as chairman of Agudath Israel ' ~,at'Bals:YaakOV'CfBaltirit6te and Mt$. S>Garlenb:'f~ of America's Commission on Legislation and Civic ••Jns~Shiwimbft6J>Medtincblm Cw.pa~ Action. A frequent contributor to these pages, Dr. •• Nl!Clousfildllty at011 ~1t0o11 TWerski was last represented by "Standing Up For •• w-. fiieodly OOt-d°""Wr\~ l!altlrhote,'MI> 2ri1s Torah Principles: Battles on the Personal Front,~ • ~by Pel>luary.1;1995 r.t 1!1!>4j>rlie (May'94). 41°'164,1'157 Orl~'i!J6j l!ltt..42$2

The Jewish Observer. January 1995 25 posed to secular education. And it This book tells the story was no secret that he viewed ad­ CHEVRA OSEH CHESED vanced secular education in college in OF AGUDATH ISRAEL of a gadol b'Yisroel, an the most negative terms. Yet he could hold his shiur spellbound with his BURIAL PLOTS IN ish kadosh. But it also analysis of current events. And he ERETZ YISROEL had as his dearest talmidim distin­ Interment in a Shomer Shabbos Beis gives a full glimpse of the guished professionals whom he re­ Olam near Beis Shemesh vered as tzaddikim. man and his seeming Reb Mendel shied the limelight. Please phone or write to: He did not speak at forums or con­ Chevra Oseh Chesed of Agudath Israel contradictions. The 84 William Street, New York, NY 10038 ventions. He was rarely mesader (212) 797-9000 kiddushin at a wedding. His humil­ author wisely leaves it to ity was awe-inspiring. His chessed was beyond comprehension. Yet the reader to figure out when you put this book down you HAT PLUS the puzzle. will head straight for a Genwra or to do a mitzva. For presented to you is large Sele<:tion of: the life and wisdom of a flesh-and­ •BORSALINO blood human being who was not •BILTMORE •STETSON b Mendel's selfless devotion afraid of himself. He feared only •PANIZZA ,.,.,, o others deprived his family of Hakadosh Baruch Hu He inspired • RAFFAELLI --­ Riather and husband. But his thousand of t.almiclim to seek and WE ALSO ORV CLEAN LARGE SELEcnON caring and sensitivity to them are achieve greatness. He was the em­ AND awac HATS OF (AU. WOFU1 OOfE ON PREMISES! '--'Wff=fT£::...;.;ll=£SC_._J. portrayed in terms that bring one to bodiment of "Anshei kodesh tihiyu SHIRTS • TIES • ACCESSORIES tears. His devotion to Torah and the Lee"-You shall be holy people for Me , mesorah that he brought from his (menschlich heilig). Dally 11:30 • 7 _413 ...E. 911__ so.et Sun. 10:30 • 6 holy rebbe. Reb Elchonon Wasser­ This book is a work of artistry. !tis Tu•. 2:30. 7 ~1~ 469-7420 man. , ..,,.,, led him to the decision that a Rembrandt. At your moral peril you his young children should not be ex- fail to read it. •

-"-_ -, ''X/ . .·.·,, _,,,,. ... :'-·.'_':,'·t::;·: . •·:1 .. n,··11. l"iri:'rimr.J/.an.:.:ex,~~··.. lJ~W ,. experience ln Et~t~ Ylsr~el, yeshi":'· ~a)'s·Gtades ~-ltt&\' ·lifetime! Live 6 weeks ~f y,

26 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 '------;I sl~8f: 1----Elc_han_an_B_iu_me_n~thal lsraelism versus Judaism A Response to an article in the Jerusalem Post, which sheds light on an unfortunately not-uncommon phenomenon

The Link Between Zhirinovsky and divested themselves of the Ca­ University has shown that "an atten­ and Yael Dayan tholicism to which they had been tive, unprejudiced reading of forcibly converted, they subsequently [Spinoza's] philosophical writings ne need not be shocked at the engaged in philosophical pursuits, [shows that] he explicitly adopted the vulgar anti-Semitism of finding a redeeming outlet in deism Christian faith." Spinoza, Leavitt ar­ 0 Zhirinovsky, alias Wolf and skepticism. This dichotomy, the gues, "was not a secular Jew but a Edelstein, who "doth protest too vacillation between religious thirst Christian philosopher, who... cannot much" against the documentary evi­ be acknowledged as representing any dence of his Jewish ancestry. After kind of Judaism" (Le'ela, March all, the list of Jewish renegades is re­ One need not be 1994). gretfully quite· Jong, beginning with Bruno Kreisky. too, was com­ the infamous apostates of the Middle shocked at the vulgar pletely estranged from authentic Jew­ Ages as exemplified by Johannes ish values. Unable to deny his Jew­ Pfefferkorn, Torquemada and anti-Semitism of ish extraction, he constantly reiter­ Ferdinand, the converso prince of ated that he was an agnostic, who Aragon. later the "Catholic Monarch" Zhirinovsky, alias Wolf had found acceptance and lebens­ who, together with his wife Isabella, raum in his Austrian fatherland. expelled the Jews from Spain. And Edelstein, who "doth Small wonder, then, that he struck the list goes on, from Benedict protest too much" up a deep friendship with PLO chair­ Spinoza-who not only hated Jews man Arafat, supporting terrorist at­ but also denigrated and vilified their against the documentary tacks against Israel and eschewing religion-through Karl Marx, scion of any positive association with the Jew­ rabbis, who despised the Jewish mer­ evidence of his Jewish ish people. chant, right up to Zhirinovsky, who would like to become Hitler's heir. ancestry. After all, the list The "Kreisky Syndrome" However, there is a frightening link between the value world of Vladimir of Jewish renegades is ow this hostile attitude of Zhirinovsky and that ofYael Dayan as renegade ethnic Jews, which expressed in her article, "Sense and regretfully quite long. N I call the "Kreisky syndrome," Sensibility." (Jerusalem Post March is generally accomplished by a break U, 1994). To analyze the psychologi­ cal motivation that leads so many and disbelief, burst out in the restless ethnic Jews to besmirch their own Spinoza as open rebellion, in the nest, even actively to attack their course of which he abandoned not former brethren, let us take, as typi­ only Judaism but also the Jewish f!l1",M~r&tN cal examples, Spinoza and the con­ people. For him, Holland was mea VJSftlNGJ\IEWYORK??. temporary figure of Bruno Kreisky. pabin., my fatherland, and, like every aeatJliful fOOtnS, W)th ~itc~en The historian Carl Gebhard, in his assimilationist, he meant this quite facilities .. in heart of Bdro Pat'!< important studies of the Marranos, literally. The Jewish language and b,Y day or weeR: Near St:iuls/ refers to their split personality. Hav­ customs belonged to a people toward take-out Jooos, et?, .f?rofits. to• ing suffered under the Inquisition whom he felt himself to be an outsider Mifal Torah Vodaas, (in particular when he envisaged the Rabbi Dr. H. E. Blumenthal, formerly head of the batei din in communities on several continents, restoration ofa Jewish state). Profes­ ca11•,(~'1WJ•Ufi.lf·9· currently lives in Jerusalem, sor Frank J. Leavitt of Ben Gurion Ndt.v:'s

the Jewish Observer, January 1995 27 with Jewish historical continuity. It Arab sensibilities: may, in fact, be attributed to anyone Dayan walked on tiptoe, opposed for whom our national history begins the settlements in Hebron and Kilyat with Herzl and secular Zionism. In­ Arba.... When the original autonomy deed, the advent of secular Zionism plan (Camp David) was put on hold, created a new option: Jewish nation­ he left Begin's government and made alism as a surrogate for "being Jew­ unilateral autonomy for the Palestin­ ish." Today I would call this opposi­ ians his somewhat isolated cause. tion "Israelism versus Judaism." Now Moshe Dayan, undoubtedly Yael Dayan, in her article, which an outstanding military commander, expresses the view of her father's was an individualist, a man of his national message, citing his reser­ own ideas. The fact that those ideas vations about the establishment of failed to gain acceptance speaks for a synagogue in the Machpela Cave itself, indicating that, fortunately, and his respect (deference?) for many secular Zionists still retain some small-however fragile-link with Jewish history. What was Dayan's background? SUBSCRIBE NOW TO He belonged to the second genera­ tion of the Jews who had fled Rus­ sian persecution and come to this THE,EWISH part of the world to find their own "patria" and build a socialist society. OBSERVER In their perception, the continuity of the Jewish people in its ancestral homeland was superfluous. On that AND$AVE basis, quite logically, Dayan (as quoted by his daughter) refers to the Become a monthly subscriber to the Jewish Obseiver and save up Machpela Cave as "the Mosque of to 43% off the single copy price (a savings of $45.). The longer you Ibrahim," which, his nomenclature subscribe for, the more you save. intimates, should remain in Pales­ And this introductory offer is fully guaranteed. You have but to tinian hands as it has been for the ask and you will receive a prompt refund on any undelivered issues last 1,300 years. This is tantamount should you decide to cancel at any time, for any reason. to ignoring historical evidence for the Each month, the Jewish Obseiver will be delivered directly to Jews' persistent adherence to the your door, filled with the views of leading Tor.ill tltinkers on current Cave which, according to biblical issues ... comments on die strengths and foibles within the Jewish record, the Patriarch Abraham community... analysis of contemporary Jewish events .. .inside bought as a burial place for his wife. reporting, interpretive commentary, inspiring biographies, Indeed, historians and religious writ­ infuriating letters and illuminating responses - all within the covers ers of all nations attest to our of one magazine, The Jewish Observer. people's continued attachment to So don 'I delay. Check the money-saving tenns below and send in Eretz Yisroel even after the destruc­ your order right away. We'll try to get your order filled in time for tion of the Second Temple. our very next issue. Yael Dayan's views imply a belief in the discontinuity of Jewish pres­ ence in this land. If that were true, we should have no right to dispos­ Name (Please print) ------sess the Palestinians from any part Address------of what she claims is really their Suite 1200 • 84 William Street, New York, N. Y. I 0038 homeland and birthright. Wars ------City, ______surely cannot supply a moral justi­ 0 YES! Please enter my subscription for: State ______Zip ______fication for our struggle to possess USA 'OLTTSJDE ONLY llSA the land. =a------~~~~ 0 Enclosed:$ 3 years - at 43% off the cover pnce $60 $96 In the final analysis, it is precisely 0 2years-at37%offthecoverprice $44 $68 0 Charge my: 0 MasterCard 0 VISA the "Kreisky syndrome" that creates 0 I year-at31%offthecoverprice $24 $36 Acct No.------the chasm between Yael Dayan and *Price reflects $12 extra per year to defray air shipping cosis Expiration date: (month/year) ------others who share her views, on the Foreign payment must be made in U.S. dollars. either by check one hand, and those who consider drawn on a bank in the ll.S.A. or by Visa or MasterCard. Signature ------Jewish historic continuity and faith The Jewish Observer is published monthly except July and August. ffease allow 4 - 6 weeks for delivery as supreme values in Judaism. •

28 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 Sarah Cohen

Shmittah-the Sabbatical Year ofRest From Agricultural Activity in Eretz Yisroel-officially came to a close with Rosh Hashana 57551 September 5, 1994. For thousands ofyeshiva boys, it was still Shmittah for another month and a half, until the day of. ..

,,,\ l The International Contest on Mastery of the laws of Shmittah

ctober 19, 1994, in Tel Aviv: Dlnei Shviis Around the Globe and the Diaspora, tens of thousands ambulances. policemen, and of talmidtm signed up that summer O news reporters rush to the ver the decades, Dinei Shviis for the exams to be given by Degel site of the terrorist bombing of a local (the Laws of Shmittah) have Yerushalayim. city bus on Dizengoff Street, in the 0 been learned by bnei Torah 65,000 Hebrew-language booklets heart of the city-the third act ofter­ everywhere. These past few years. on DineiShviis Hasholemwere circu­ rorist aggression in Israel within two however. a concentrated effort was lated all over Eretz YisroeL Another weeks. made to intensify halachainstruction 3,000 were published in English, In spite of the volatile situation, to yeshiva boys of upper elementary 2,000inYlddish. 2,500inRussian, to Ben Gurlon Airport is graced with grades. Degel Yerushalayim, a divi­ be distributed in cities around the scores of young yeshiva students ar­ sion ofAgudath Israel ofEretz YisroeL globe. To accompany them, Mishnas riving from five continents, speaking undertook the monumental task of DineiShviiswas published with study a host of different languages. These organizing a worldwide contest and questions and answers. A series of boys were chosen to represent their gathering on Dinei Shviis. The sum­ nine tapes reviewing the sejer on respective cities as semi-finalists in mer before Shmittah, the Hanhala Dinei Shviis also became avallable. the world-wide contest on the Laws of Ruchanis ofDegel Yerushalayim pre­ Even a computer disk for a Shmittah­ Shmittah, to take place in Tel Aviv's pared a booklet on Dinei Shviis, which "Monopoly" game made its appear­ Yad Eliyahu Stadium. was reviewed by Rabbi Shlomo ance. Thus thousands of young Mrs. Cohen, who lives in Jerusalem. has taught Zalman Auerbach N"'P'?w and Rabbi talmidim were engaged in intensive Limudei Kodesh at the high school and seminary Sholom YosefEliashiv, N"1"?w, before study of Dinei Shviis, on five different level for a number of years. Her report on the being published. With the encourage­ continents! Shmiras Halashon Rallies in Jerusalem was fea­ ment of Gedolei Yisroelin Eretz Yisroel All through the spring and sum- tured in JO, Sept. '94.

The Jewish Observer, January 1995 29 mer of Shmittah, preliminary exams would largely determine the boys' fi­ Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, Rabbi were held in cities along the length nal scores and eligibility for winning. Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, Rabbi Dov and breadth of Eretz YzsroeL with re­ At the stadium, each boy would be Schwartzman, the Admor from gional exams held later in Brooklyn, tested with only a single question, as Sadigura, and the AdmorofModzitz, Antwerp, Amsterdam, London, and the large crowd was not expected to N""'71?>. In addition, letters of beracha Moscow. The Sports Center in Petach sit through a longer testing session. from the Ponevezher Rosh Yeshiva, Tikva, Binyanei Hauma in Jerusa­ The boys finished their exam, vis­ Rabbi Elazar Schach, N"P•'n>, and lem, and other public arenas were the ited the gravesite of the Chazon !sh on Rabbi Avrohom Pam, N"1"?\!I, were scenes of semi-finalist competitions, the eve of his 40th Yahrzeit, and then sent to be read publicly. followed by yet another exam in Bnei traveled to Tel Aviv. Among the Rabbi Menachem Porush, Chair­ Brak to determine the national win­ crowds lined up to enter Yad Eliyahu man of Degel Yerushalayim, opened ners, who would compete in the inter­ Stadium were twelve thousand young by referring to the recent acts ofter­ national event. yeshiva talmidim who arrived with ror in Eretz YzsroeL He quoted Rabbi their Rabbeim from all parts of Eretz Chaim Ozer Grod7.enski's Hakdama "Your Sons From Afar Will Come" Yisroel: Haifa. Yerushalayim, Bnei to his Sefer Achiezer. Brak, Ashdod, Tifrach and Tzfas. The In the wake of the calamities of nd now, on 15 Cheshvan, dais of Gedolim and Admorim in­ World War I and the Bolshevik up­ thousands of boys convened cluded Rabbi Shlomo Zalman heaval in Russia, Reb Chaim Ozer had been approached with the question: A in the lobby of the Vizhnitz Auerbach, Rabbi Nissim Karelitz "Is this the time to publish Hotel in Bnei Brak for the written (nephew of the Chazon !sh), Rabbi seforim?"-to which he answered: exam on Slunittah Laws. This exam Kolitz (Chief Rabbi ofYerushalayim), "This is the strength of our people, that even in times of crisis they con­ tinue to toil in Torah without regard Before You Buy That Orange ,~ ;;:-:) to the difficult circumstances." /:.7\ Forty thousand listeners filled the ~'fy Ch e c k I t 0 u t ! ~1;, ('.: w;:. bleachers, while the rabbinical digni­ taries shared the stage with the · It May Have K..e~ushas $hviis! ~ thirty-five finalists. As each contes­ Fruit grown in EretzYisroel during the Shmitah year (575411994-5) tant was introduced, his school and city were announced. Zurtch ... Sao has kedusha, creating a number of restrictions on its use. Paulo ... Melbourne ... Brooklyn ... Keren HaShviis of Agudath Israel publishes a booklet listing the cut-off dates Yerushalayim... Moscow ... Amster- dam ... Toronto ... Antwerp ... Lon- for this kedusha for each of a large variety of produce. don... Leningrad... Cleveland ... Lake- Citrus fruits have an especially long kedusha schedule. wood ... Bnei Brak ... Bucharest... For your own copy, write to: Kiev ... Tzfas ... Ra'anana... Ashdod .. . Keren HaShviis • 84 William Street • 12th Floor • NewYork, NY I 0038 Kiryat Malaachi. .. Mexico City .. . orcall:(212) 797-9000 Marseilles ... Tifrach... Manchester. "Lift up your eyes round about and see, they all are gathered together and come to You, Your sons come from RESPONSE TO ].O. ARTICLE OVERWHELMING afar.... " (Yeshiyahu60;4). Only four years ago, the Commu­ We, the Lev Malka Organization, received overwhelming response to the article, nist regime in the Soviet Union for­ "The Many Forms of Chessed" in the September issue of bade any religious activity or learning The Jewish Observer, in which our organization was featured. on any level. And now, this past year, Lev Malka: helps meet the critical demand for blood in Israel by organizing some two thousand booklets on Dinei Slwiiswere disbibuted to young Rus­ blood drives; Loans medical equipment to destitute patients; Provides monetary sian talmidim living in Eretz Yisroel assistance for chemotherapy, operations, travel expenses, and assistance and in Russia, who responded to to patient's families; Aid to the elderly; Parties for hospitalized children; their mechanchim's efforts to teach them on the same level as their coun­ First-aid courses; and a Shabbos·YomTov clinic. terparts all over the globe. In For those who desire to give a tax deductible donation to this Bucharest, dedicated mechanchim worthy cause please address them to: translated the booklets into Ruma­ nian to enable their charges to par­ Lev Malka urganization ticipate. Special seforim were pre­ 4718 - 18th Avenue, #149 •Brooklyn, NY 11204. sented at the close of the evening to Or contact their U.S. of/ice (917) 796-0451, the Soviet-Rumanian contingent. Oavid Schlesinger, Executive Director; or in Jerusalem 02-376-666 I 02-375-204, A young oleh from Yemen ad­ Ha Rav Aharan Oberman, Oireclor; or Harav Hagaon Rav Moshe Halberslam. dressed the audience in traditional

30 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 ------·--.--·------Inset: The Vizhnitzer Rebbe greets the semi-finalists in Bnei Brak

Yemenite garb. As he spoke of his ex­ perience as a new immigrant to Eretz Hakodesh, the sincerity gleamed in his dark eyes. Extensive media cov­ erage in Israel and abroad had re­ cently focused on the absorption of 50,000YemeniteJews by Israel in the 1950's, which in fact was a massive campaign to alienate those olim from Torah. This live, first-hand talk by a young. religious immigrant reflected the genuine religious aspirations of all those olim who were led astray.

Shmittah Revival: Fallow Fields and Financial Aidfor Farmers

very speaker tied this event to the fortieth Yahrzeit of the E Chazon !sh. ?-yr. on 15 Cheshvan. The revival of Shmittah kehalacha was clearly in the merit of the Chazon lsh's untiring efforts. Four years before the advent of ten exam was administered, the Yerushalm4 and Chazon Ish on the Shmitlnh5698/l938. RabbiAvraham judges met with a group of boys for an Rambam Yeshayahu Karelitz. the Chazon Ish, additional round of questions. as all Leaders of Degel Yerushalayim arrived in Eretz YtSroelfrom Vilna. Al­ of their written exams were perfect! In lifted all thirty-five contestants on most from that day on. he devoted the stadium. another round of testing their shoulders and danced in a semi­ himself to restoring observance of followed. Finally. the long-awaited circle to the music of -od Yishama." Eretz Yisroel-bound mitzvos. espe­ words were heard: -we have a for atlast the "Chassan· had arrived. cially Shmittah, to their intended sta­ chassan olami (world-wide winner].·· That night. the culmination of tus and splendor. He impressed upon .. Yisroel Kaufman from Ashdod, .. many months· untiring effort had the people that .. Shmittah observance began the Master of Ceremonies, as been realized. In this massive out­ would serve as a powerful stimulus to a great wave of cheering resounded in pouring dedicated to Shmittah, observance of the entire Torah .. Hon­ the stadium, drowning out the re­ Hashem's sovereignty over the entire oring this mitzva is an expression of mainder of his sentence. The young earth was proudly reaffirmed-with supreme faith. and the kedushaofthe winner advanced to the microphone effects that will linger through the seventh year perpetuates itself to receive a set of Shas Bavl4 Shas years to come. B through the six years that follow. Under his guidance. private contri­ butions were collected to assist the farmers financially. He was person­ ally involved in seeking new avenues of livelihood for the farming commu­ JOIN WIZARD CLUB nity. In 1937. on the eve of Shmittah the first volume of Sefer Chazon Ish was published with DineiShviis. With every fiber of his being he planned, encouraged. advised and toiled for continued observance of this mitzva in all Shmittah years to come. His vi­ sion is being realized.

"And The Wmner Is... "

e judges on the va'adofDegel Yerushalayim reported their T:gratification over the contes­ tants' level of accuracy and bekiyus in Hikhos Shviis. In fact. after the writ- -NEW JERSEY: 201-816 8157 CANADA H.ll.C: 1-800-526-5343 U.S.A: 1-800-t38 4016 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 31 JW1e Prochko

Signals for Help from Accomplished Ba'alei Teshuva More Than Meets The fye: "WAY did you want to make lions to our son. I real;;;'~~';;;~'J1ad·>:: Shabbosmeals. We can't spend those life harder for yourselves?" little to give. times with our families because our aftumman had asked us in So I began to learn and my hus- familiesdonotobservethemaswedo. the beginning years. band began to learn. And slowly. We have had to create the atmo- I had thought he was poking fun slowly, as one by one the halachos sphere of these days in our home at us for the ba'alei teshuva eruber­ unraveled for us, we made changes in from nothing. We have had to learn ance and naivet we then wore on our our lives. Every step of the way was how to do everything on our own. shoulders. Now, five years later, I've taken thoughtfully and deliberately There is no Zeyde, no Bubbie. no come to realize that he honestly had including the decision to move our Savta, no Sabba, not even a Tante to no conception of who we were and familyfromthetowninwhichwehad show us the way. We have no why we had chosen to become.frum lived for over ten years. minhagim to fall back on in any issue. We were not a couple with back­ And out of this labor oflove has come packs and long hair hitchhiking e now live in an Orthodox our Shabbos. around the world seeking to find our­ community. On the surface We love Shabbos. We live for selves. Orthodoxy was not a fad we W you probably cannot tell us Shabbos because it is the spiritual were trying out because it felt good, apart from the other frum couples essence of what we found lacking In and if stopped feeling good, we would walking home from shul on any given the secular world. It is a time for us discard it for something else. We were Shabbos or Yam Tov morning. But we when everything we do, including eat­ not a couple who had a lot of prob­ are different. On these days our ba'al ing, is elevated to the spiritual realm. lems ;md sought .frumkeit as an es­ teshuva difference is profound. We come to the Shabbos table, cape from them. We don't have family to go home to. therefore, expecting much more than We were happily married, in our who will invite us for Seders or a meal. We want to discuss the thirties, with one child, and a four­ bedroom colonial on a quarter-acre in DIGEST OF MEFORSHIM Uncle Moishy, suburbia. My husband had a good Mordechai Ben David, career in computers. Our parents in:i were proud of us for by their stan­ 't:np? ''-'ip? and other top-of-the-line dards we had made it. Life was good. ?·YT iv"?x ?1<1lltu l"ninll Jewish entertainers And now the question again. Why A ~'ailable at did we want to make life harder? We LEKUTEI are available didn't. We wanted to make it better. . to visit There was something missing that all do Yitzchok Rosenberg 10 West 47th Street, Rodm 503 seriously ill the redecorating, boating, cocktail New \l>rk, NY 10036 parties and vacationing did not sat­ (212) 719-1717 children isfy. Our Jewish neshamos crted out thanks to :io Volumes on Torah, for spiritual well-being. Perek, ;nn nnr.:ni1 Medrash, Megilos and 'llllmud. MIWl'"Cl'? And there was our son. When my ll'°fml :ii'V' 'i ro. ;nn grandparents passed away and it was Proceeds of sales distributed AChessed project run by left to us to transmit Jewish tradi- among YeshivOS and Used for· Agudath Israel of Ameri'8 reprinting volumes out-of-print in conjunction with or Suki & Ding Produttions Mrs. Prochko, a part-time student at the Jewish PRICE: $8.00 PER VOWME To set up an appointment, ca!!: Renaissance Center in Manhattan, lives with her {212)797-9000 Ext.75 • M·F, 9-5 family in Teaneck. N.J. . Pirkei A vos available .

32 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 wonderful. But once people are sensitized to the fact that there are Once people are brought back, what happens to those who don't have family for the them? They are launched into a new holidays and miss It very much. Ask if brought back, what life where they have no moorings, no a family is going to be alone for Yorn rninhagim, no family and no fiiends. Tovar Shabbos. Invite them for a meal. happens to them? They They no longer need beginners' rnin­ One meal can make a difference. yanim or beginners' classes. They To make ba'alei teshuva part of the are launched into a new need role models. .frurncommunity. families have got to They need families from whom make them feel welcome. But they life where they have no they can learn the myriad of details it have to be families who are not afraid. takes to be.frum Yidden Families who Not wary of the ba"alei teshuva be­ moorings, no minhagim, respect and admire the challenges cause of their past nor wary of them the ba'alei teshuva have underiaken because of their current search for no family and no friends. and are willing to guide them. truth. It means welcoming the ba'alei The simplest things .frum people teshuva as catalysts for spiritual They no longer need take for granted become issues to the growth. • ba'alei teshuva The list is endless. beginners' minyanim or From how to dress a young girl to the beginners' classes. They proper way to spend leisure time. Frum people have to be willing to take need role models. the time and patiently answer ques­ tions from the ba"alei teshuva with­ out it being a burden to them. From whom else can they learn how to live Parshas Hashavua and we want to a true Torah life? sing Zerniros. In order to bring a To­ rah thought to the table, my husband here are things that ba'alei will read Rashilate into the night, and teshuva do that are wrong. in order to sing Zemiros, he has had T They want to be corrected. Ask to listen to tapes over and over again. if they are familiar with a particular Is it no wonder then that we are in­ "'inyan ·· They"ll be glad to learn about tense? For what did we become it, even ifthey don"t make that change ba'alei teshuvd? What should be the until they are ready. A recent revela­ pay-off for all our hard work? Just tion to us was that women should not another social gathering where the wear red. Red is a popular color in the discussion revolves around the mun­ secular world. How was I to know it dane? Just a day for a good meal and was no longer appropriate for me if a good nap? someone didn't tell me? Are you concerned about intrud­ cently, a young man who is ing? Don't be. If a person tells you he Jrurn from birth asked our is a ba'al teshuva that"s a signal to pinion about the ba'alas you that he wants you to know that teshuva he is dating. He said that be­ he still feels like a newcomer and he cause she is so worried about doing needs your help. A phone call to that everything right all the time, she person every now and then to find out made mm nervous. When they went how he is doing would make mm feel out to dinner, she labored over the accepted. correct beracha. "I would have said The ba'al teshuva needs to be In­ 'Shehakor and been done with it," he vited for Shabbos and Yorn Tovmeals said. "Why can't she just relax and so that they are not alone. We told enjoy herself?" And I asked him, someone last Pesach that we were go­ 49)(j 13th Av~-· B'kl)'ll, N.Y. 11219. "What are you afraid of?" ing to be alone for the Sedorim. He (718} 854-2\U I_ Was he afraid to examine ms ob­ said, '"You are lucky. I wish I didn"t servances and find them lacking? have to be with the same family group Was he afraid perhaps that he would year after year." Call 1-800-KIRUV-84 have to make changes in what had Hemaynotappreciatewhathehas, been mechanical for years? but ba'alei teshuvastill hurt for many (1 ·800-547-8884) There is a lot of Jewish outreach years from the loss of family and To contact Agudath Israel ol America"s going on around the country to bring friends they left beillnd. People who ln!onnation Hot Line Jews back to Y"rddishkeit and that is are surrounded by family have to be

The Jewish Observer. January 1995 33 davening. Anyone attending a ses­ sion of Congress or even a ci1y coun­ • • • • • • • •• • • ••••••••••• cil meeting will remain silent, even if -----~------they do not understand the language spoken. Does the house of the King deserve less? Boredom is not a ratio­ nalization at all. Even someone who Letters tt>e Editor has already davened but happens to be in shul for other reasons, such as waiting for family or friends, is under the same obligations as those NOT GIVING SCHMOOZING A for the wonderful suggestions that we davening to remain silent and refrain PRAYER'S CHANCE learn more about the meaning of our from doing anything which would tef'lllos. The article was copied and show disrespect for the davening and distributed in our shul before Yorn G-d. The Talmud forbids even walk­ To the Editor: Kippur. We are grateful for your kind ing past a shul during davening time The Jewish word for praying is permission. I would like to point out (tn certatn circumstances) stnce it ap­ "davening." We will not solve the some difficulties I had with the article. pears as if you are not tnterested tn problem of the "Schmoozers" (JO, The editor enlarged and promi­ davening. Shmoozing is disrespectful Sept. '94) until they realize that nently displayed the opening line that whether we claim to be respectful or davening is not something different "People do not talk tn shul out of dis­ not. In reality. respect and disrespect from praying. When one learns to respect for G-d or their fellow is determtned according to the rules pray, and to experience prayer-a mispallelim. Why do they talk? Be­ of Hashem, and the Shulchan Aruch meditative process (Orach Chaim cause they are bored." This broad clearly defines for us what respect is. IO I. Shaarei Teshuva 6)-he will not declaration seems to imply that al­ In surrunation, as much as we would schmooze. The contradiction would though it is forbidden, it is not disre­ like Mr. Friedman to be our defender, be too outrageous. spectful to talk in shul if you are we must admit that tn the Heavenly (RABBI) SHELOMOH E. DANZIGER bored. You may answer that you were Court this line of defense will not be Lakewood, NJ only referring to the reasoning behtnd acceptable. We will be accused ofdis­ shmooztng and not the actual aveira. respect. If we would begtn to believe MORE TO DECORUM IN SHUL If so, the entire statement was super­ this, we would find it hard to THAN UNDERSTANDING fluous. No one in his right mind shmooze, no matter how little we en­ TEFILLOS would claim or even think that people joy davening. who talk do so because they want to The second potnt is that obviously show disrespect. it is quite meritorious and proper to To the F..ditor: The truth is that if we had re­ learn more of the meaning of the 1 commend you and Mr. Friedman spect-or more respect-for G-d, we words of our prayers; however, there for the timely article on davening. and would not dare to speak during are many people who can fluently translate and explain the prayers but n:n.:J nllic & c"}wii' are still poor daveners and are very Just Imagine ... Onfi s,700 .'Miles! bored. Understanding tefilla is not a cure for boredom. A Fantastic Camp In Eretz Yisrael! Moreover, there is a danger tn (al­ most) excustng the boredom of igno­ & • Camping Touring in a warm Bais Yaakov type atmosphere. rant daveners tn that the implication • Select group of Wonderful, 9th - 10th - 11th grade Girls. is that one cannot truly daven with­ • Magnificent Campus, Olympic sized Pool, Gym & much more! out understandtng. This is a fallacy. • Exciting Trips & Torah Touring throughout Eretz Yisrael! How many Yiddishe mammas and • Daily Shiurim from Prominent Rabbonim & Mechanchos. simple Yidden cried their eyes and • Delicious, American style meals-Hechsher Badatz & Rav Landau. hearts out over Tehillim and did not begtn to know simple translation. Only $2,799 including Round Trip Airfare! Peirush hamilos is not obligatory except for the first pasuk of Sh 'ma • Safety & Security are our Top Priority. and the first beracha of Shemoneh • Six Inspiring weeks, only Minutes from EsreL Knowing and understanding '-t=~d.:.~a= Yerushalayirn, on the Beautiful campus that we are speaking to our Creator of Yad Benyamin, central Eretz Yisrael. as we daven is obligatory (according to Reb Chaim Brisker, '::>"llr). The key Persona ly ilirected by Rabbi Sholom and Mrs. Chaya Ginzberg to davening from a halachic and prac­ (718) 377-0ZZZ 1066 E.23 St. Brooklyn, NY 11210 tical perspective is the knowledge and

34 The Jewish Observer. January 1995 feeling of the closeness to Hashem come aware of the Divine Presence, Therefore, it makes no difference that is connected with davening to tremble, be in awe ... " (see Mishna whether or not one feels bored in shul; Him. One who works on his emunain Berurah46: 1). !tis also clear from the for one must first come to realize that positive ways, to reinforce his belief sources available, that only words of shul is the Almighty's kind gift to all that Hashem is watching and guiding tejilla. Torah, ordetailsofmitzvamat­ Jews in exile, in place of the Beis him, will find his davening improving ters may be spoken in shul, Various Hamikdash of yore. (The Targum accordingly. This eitza (counsel) was other restrictions also apply in the translates MikdashMe'atas the "Sec­ given by Rabbi Yehuda Segal, ?""Yr. Beis Haknesses. Hence the key to a ond Mikdasli'; see Yechezkeil 11,16.) RABBI YOEL CHONON WENGER, RAV, talk-free environment in shul and Shul is not one"s private home. It is BEIS HAMIDRASH Errz CHAIM during tefilla is to become aware of the King's Palace (seeMishnaBerurah Montreal, P.Q. the Divine Presence in shul. Rabbi 151), and it is mandatory to act with Yisroel Salanter ';•yt is known to have utmost respect there. This simple be­ RECOGNIZING WHERE ONE IS said that the best way to gain rever­ lief (emuna peshuta), which our fore­ SHMOOZING DURING DAVENING ence for a particular mitzva is to fathers possessed, is what is missing. study carefully its relevant halachos. Kavod and morahfor the Divine Pres-

To the Editor: The shmoozen by Mr. Friedman and Mr. Rostker about improving our davening were truly inspiring. The suggestions to make davening a more pleasant, meaningful and uplifting experience have much merit, but the authors failed to discuss why these transgressions take place in shu!-in itself a terrible violation of the sacred. Chazal tell us that, ever since the beginning ofour golus, the shulsym­ bolizes the Beis Hamikdash Conse­ quently many parallels can be found between the halachos governing these two sacred places. (See Orach Chayiml50:2, 152:1, BayisChadash 90, Mishna Sukka 5:4, Berachos 6a, Yereim 324 & 386, Ramo 664:2, etc.) After the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash when the Jews were exiled among the nations, Hashem consoled them through the Navi (Prophet) Yechezkeil, saying, "Though 1have scattered them throughout the You CAN'T CHOOSE countries, 1 shall be for them a A BETTER MitK! Mikdash Me'at (Minor Sanctuary) in the lands they have arrived in." In other words, even though they are far from the Beis Hamikdash in Yerushalayim, Hashem's Presence will repose in the shuls throughout their dispersal. !Direct translation of MetzudasDavidto Yechezkeil 11,16.] The tefillos are in place of korbanos, and various halachos (e.g. a fixed place for tefllla) stem from this. Thus before learning the meaning of the words of tejilla. and before even entering shul, we should endeavor to be aware of the Shechinds presence The now completed N E w S Q u A R E state-of-the-art in our MikdashMe'at As the Shaarei production facility is your assurance of fresh quality milk you can trust. Teshuva advises us, "Prior to enter­ ing the shul one should pause, be-

The Jewish Observer. January 1995 35 ence in shuL especially during tefilla, shuL Granted, when they are small is elementary (see the Sefer Yere'imon they may not be able to keep still for haimishin shul because our relation­ the mitzvaof"Umikdoshaitirau"). too long: then they should be left ship to G-d is more akin to the rela­ YAAf{OV HOFMAN home. (At least one person tn the fam­ tionship between parent and child Brooklyn, NY ily should be able to daven undis­ than between king and subject. The turbed. Mothers will be disturbed no in terrorem approach of 'Thou shalt not shmooze" has been tried tn many OTHERANTI-SHMOOZE matter where or when, so it should be shulswith only margtnal success. My STRATEGIES the fathers who should be able to daven thus at any time of the year, thesis is that by stresstng 'Thou shalt but especially at the YamimNora'im.) daven," we may be more successful. To the Editor: Once children get used to play, or Learning during davening is fa­ The points mentioned in Mr. whatever else they may be doing cially not disrespectful to G-d, yet the Friedman's article, "Let's Schmooze when in shul too young, it will always leamer-daveneris not davening, nor about Davening," may all be very leave them with the impression that adding to the ruach ha'tefilla, It is only valid. I'd like to add a few. that is what shuland davening are all when everyone joins tn the davening First and foremost, every minyan about. And when they grow up, it that we can truly expect to have a needs a Rav, a manhig who will, goes on from there. And what about shmooze-free davening. among other things, demand and get the other mispallelim who come to Of course, one can daven without decorum during tefu.la. I know of a shul with the expectation of being understanding. Yet the Shloh's son minyan where decorum improved able to daven undisturbed? considered it the "mere chattering of 1000% after a Rav was installed and Last but not least, the shaliach birds." Understanding davening in­ did just that (There are other reasons tzibbur, the representative of the con­ evitably leads to a better davening. JACOB l. FRIEDMAN why every minyan needs a Rav but gregation, should be just that. If the that is another discussion). None of chazzan davens with heart, the us is greater than Rabbi Yehoshua congregants will usually respond in "DEFENSE" OF MOSHE who came with his satchel to Rabbi kind. And if he davens so fast that RABBEllVl>-VERBAL TERRORISM Gamliel (tn accordance with the rul­ they cannot keep up, he's lost them ing of the latter, who was the Nas4 at the start. when they disagreed as to which day MRS. M. MEYER To the Editor: Yorn Kippurwas. Brooklyn It was distressing to read Rabbi Eli Teitelbaum's fulminations, (Letters, Secondly, shul or Beis Haknesses JO, Nov. '94) directed at Rabbi is not a playground. Children should The Author Responds: be taught at an early age to behave in Shlomo Riskin's piece entitled "Moshe Rabbi Wenger and Mr. Hoffman Rabbeinu: Great Prophet, Lousy Poli­ correctly state that shmoozing tn shul tician." I would have no objection if The Yitti Leibel is disrespectful. Being bored by Rabbi Teitelbaum had directed his HELPLINE· davening is not a defense, it is an of­ barbs of outrage solely at Rabbi Riskin's remarks. By terming them No Problem:ts Too Big:, fense. However, experience had No Problem Is Joo·SmalL.. taught that telling people they are be­ "blasphemous" and not citing his ·o fs thete some terribie thifig l1it.j)pening in your ing disrespectful does not eradicate sources for this serious accusation, family that you are afraid or 'adtamed to. telf shmoozing. Attempting to under­ he weakens his arguments. The one at1yone1 instance when Rabbi Teitelbaum at­ 0 Are You a teenage .or . young: adult :~~g stand why they shmooze may lead to problems that are too. difficult fof you io· constructive behavioral changes. tempts to use an halachic source. billidle?? Why do generally respectful people when he says that, "To reduce Moshe 0 ··Art( .Yoo·.·single or~rnarrkd,.·'. !lnCi- :experiencing shmooze during davening? There is a Rabbeinu-whose standing as ~nru ·~r inttr-p!ltSOnal con.flicls'?? prevailing attitude that one feels prophet, teacher and leader are inte- .b }\re yl)u .simply C6i1fronted wjth a si.tuatiOn tha'l requires ·you to find ·an. objective listener? Some of-the iorab oommurtity;s hlihly·skilled therapists are ·avaihtble. to ·talk tb you .on the phone,;with total.-artonym.ity. nr.i?v mo!li? '7!lnn71 11r.i'7 NJ H*O"U*R* Vin 1)1::1 Monday-Friday (Day) 8:00 AM-12:00 Noon Monday-Thursday (Eve.) 8:00 PM-11:00 PM 155841stSt. Sunday 9:00 AM-12:00 Noon 9:00 PM-11:00 PM Brooklyn, NY 11218 nn?w ?N1'll' O"n DIAL (718) HELP,NOW (43Sc7669) (718) 972-4003 In Chicago call 1-800-HELP-023 '"l '' ni''ll )l lnNew Jersey, Call 1-!JOS..363-1010 :i-~.,N.. 1'hls project has .been approved .,~:;)!v by leacting TOl'llh ~

36 The Jewish Observer, January 1995 gral to Rambam's Thirteen Principles Moshe Rabbeinu as the leader of Bnei when Moshe Rabbeintis honor was of Faith ... ," he errs in including the Yisroel and how he served as their vilified in such a disgraceful, ridicu­ attribute of leader which of course leader for forty years. Never does G-d lous manner! Rambam did not in the aforemen­ express regret for singling him out as The Gemora(Shabbos 119) tells us tioned principle. Rabbi Riskin only prophet, Rebbe, or leader. that Yerushalayim was destroyed on addressed Moses' failures as a politi­ The fate of those who dared dis­ account of those who shamed cal leader, while emphasizing his credit Moshe Rabbeinu or challenge talmidei chachamim Moreover, the greatness as a prophet and teacher. his leadership in his time is vividly re­ Gemora defines an apikores (blas­ By stating that calling Moses a counted in Parshios Korach and phemer, if you will) as someone who failed politician is an act of sacrtlege Chukas; there is no need to repeat degrades a tabnid chachwn (Sanhed­ (politics has now been elevated to a these well-known episodes from rin 99b). How much worse the viola­ status of holiness) which "says more Chwnash Why Rabbi Riskin (unwit­ tion is when one dares offer even the about the writer than about his sub­ tingly, I assume) chooses to go tn their slightest criticism or chas veshalom ject," Rabbi Teitelbaum again fails to footsteps is beyond comprehension. publicly vilify none other than Moshe address the points made in the piece Mr. Ehrman demands that I pro­ Rabbeinu, the greatest prophet, and goes after the author and lowers duce sources. The shoe is on the Rabbi, manhig, and teacher our the level of his argument. The Talmud other foot. Rabbi Riskin's harsh and people has ever possessed! as well as later commentaries are re­ unremitting critique of Moshe is revi­ While I can appreciate the letter­ plete with the sort of analysis that sionist histmy. His tirade is not found writer's attempts at defense of the was the basis of Rabbi Riskin's piece. in Chumash not in ChazaL nor in Rav of Efrat, halacha rules that My major problem with Rabbi any of the classic commentators. A "B'makom sheyesh ChiUul Hashem Teitelbaum's letter is that it degener­ look into the Rambam's Pirush ein cholkin kavod l'rav," and the po­ ates into an ad hominem attack. We HaMishna to Sanhedrin (Ye sod 7) will lemic under question unfortunately live in an age of violence, as can be give one a small glimpse into the does qualify as Chillul Hashem seen on our streets, in the media, and greatness of Moshe Rabbeinu. No­ RABBI Eu TEITELBAUM in terrorist acts in the Middle East. where in all of those basic texts is Verbal terrorism is not our way. A there even a hint of the failures as­ scholar should cite proof texts and cribed to him by Rabbi Riskin. then give the object of his criticism an The fact that this attack was penned opportunity to respond. by a leader of Rabbi Riskin's stature 1£$T~~ The second Temple was destroyed only compounds the pain and in­ the perfect review for daf yomi because of the lack of respect among creases the damage. How can one not scholars. Let us tum down the rheto­ fear and tremble from making even the ric and stick to the substance. slightest derogatory remark about the F'RED EHRMAN "lsh Ho'Elokim"-"Bechol baysi Prepare or review a100 blalt New York ne'eman hu"-G-d's chosen leader to bring the Jews out of Egypt, to give Rabbi Teitelbaum Responds: them the Torah, and to lead them mesecnta in less4hanai11onthl through thewildernessforfortyyears? Mr. Ehrman's response reveals a Portraying my indignant protest as Perfect for Shloshim or a Yahrtzeit •• failure to properly comprehend the "verbal terrorism" and describing it as This is not just a summary. gravity of Rabbi Riskin's offensive ar­ "fulminations" is a transparent tactic, Each tape consists of approximately 5 Blatt ticle. Whether one simply reads the to divert attention from the real issue. in their entirety for only $3.00 (plus S&H)! text of the Torah or studies it in depth, I am appalled that Mr. Ehrman (ll)i'TJ (6)l'1':Wli one clearly sees in the latter four wrote to defend the honor of Rabbi (I0 )iitl'IO Chwnashim how Hashem appotnted Riskin, but remained totally passive (8Ji17'l7J ------·-·---- (19JT'D'l (6)~,l1'17J REWA'RDING SUMMER KIRUV i"1'J (18)7''iV1i'p (S)iil'ln OPPORTUNITY FOR CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST (24)Ni'Jj7 IO:J (25)li'17J:J' POST-SEMINARY GIRLS DR.BENZION (25)l'tl7'::1:7J ":J (13)C:l'i,J Sleep away camp for SOROTZKIN l'tili:J IO:J (23)li1:J1li::l nan-religious American girls. N.Y. STATE LICENSED Enroll Now To Receive Well organized ond successful. ADULTS New Tapes In Time For Daf Yomi! 8th season - June 29-July 25 AND 1-800-213-6626 and July 25-August 8, 1995. 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Various approaches to ptesstitgj~s~~~

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