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ArtScroll knows "fifteen" fifteen works to grace your Pesach table Every Haggadah contains the full text with English translation and instructions. ANAH DODI HAGGADAH HAGGADAH VAYAGED MOSHE The renowned Rosh Yeshiva and Posek, Rabbi Oa\lid Feinstein is also one of this The Complete Haggadah with translation and instructions; accompanied by a generation's outstanding commentators. Now his scintillating comments become new commentary adapted from the writings and teachings of the Gaon and the treasure of the entire nation. This is a Haggadah of unusual insights and rele­ Tzaddik Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. A must for anyone with an appreciation for vance; adapted by Pinchos Osher Rohr. Torah greatness. HAGGADAS SIMCHAS YAABETZ THE KOl DODI HAGGADAH Rabbi David Cohen's Haggadah commentary is but one example of a great Rav By Rabbi David Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem. The and Posek's originality, comprehensiveness, and incisive approach to classic texts. Haggadah with a thorough and clear halachic exposition of the entire Seder, includ­ Now, this masterpiece has been adapted for the benefit of the English reader; ing practical decisions by one of the leading halachic authorities of our day, and translated by Rabbi Zev Meisels. many practices of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. THE VllNA GAON HAGGADAH HAGGADAH: LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT No words are sufficient to describe the greatness, the breadth and the depth of the ,'K' tl1':l n?•? Vilna Gaon's commentary. Here, his thoughts on the Haggadah, culled from his An outstanding thinker and teacher examines and sheds light on the major topics many works, and the works of his son, R' Avraham, are presented with clarity and of the Haggadah and the story of the Exodus, especially as they relate to the mod­ readability for all; by Yisrael Jsser Zvi Herczeg. ern world. By Rabbi Moshe Eisemann. THE HAGGADAH TREASURY THE ABARBANEl HAGGADAH The Haggadah with a new translation, along with a collection of gems culled from This commentary, adapted from the famous work written by the brilliant fifteenth a rich lode of inspiration, exegesis, and parable. The comments give each partic­ century scholar, Abarbane!, in stimulating question and answer form. Abarbanef ipant an opportunity to add spice and meaning to the family Seder; by Rabbi combines the classic teachings of the Sages with his own penetrating insights, dri­ Nosson Scherman. ving home the relevance of the Haggadah for his day - and ours .. THE MUSSAR HAGGADAH The Mussar masters had incisive, profound comments on every area of life and !earning. This anthology combs the wealth of Mussar/ethical literature to create an unusually stimulating commentary, which accompanies the complete Haggadah text and ArtScroll Translation. HAGGADAH OF THE CHASSIDIC MASTERS A treasure house of chassidic literature and tradition, this is an anthology of writ­ ings, teachings and anecdotes of scores of famous and lesser-known rebbes. A commentary that can be savored at any time of the year. Available at your local Hebrew bookstore or call: 1-800-MESORAH I In NYS: (718) 921-9000 I FAX: (718) 680-1875 il711pi1 fi.K ':lil71' 1J'n.K? i1l.K11 i1J:JO 'lJ' tl'lJ'i1 '1Jn1 111y? .KJ1 .KJ .1nx1 1nx ?:J:i ,, owi1 ov?1 ilX"li' .tl1' ?:J:i ti'?'i1l1 l1i'JJ.K:i n'W l1:Jw?1 tl'lJW Y:J ,':J ,l"lJ 'i1lJTlJ 11'.l':l":l i1J1? '1.Kii111J1 iltup~i i1p1:Y1 i1?:Jn1 i1:i1wn1 .l1'inw n?:Jn 1nx? .i1i'Tli1 Y1i l1.K Pi':lYlJ ~:le; 1"jwn iix t"o :l"i1i.K:l i1i1nil '~11l nYJ11t.l ~ilj?il (A free translation) ''These are times of great danger and concern for our brethren in the land of Israel, and for the Jewish people throughout AN the world. We implore our fellow Jews to invoke URGENT Heavenly mercy, to pour out their hearts in prayer through the recitation of Tehillim PLEA every day. It would be especially appropriate to recite publicly Tehillim chapters 43, 80 and 83 at the conclusion of Shachris. JO ALL And Teshuva (repentance), and Tefila (prayer), and Tzedaka (charity) are JEWS effective in preventing misfortune.,, MonZEs Gmoi.AJ HArORAH OF AMEllK:A 16 ADAR 5754 Please post this Kol Koreh in an appropriate place for the benefit of the Tzibbur and Baalei Tefilla. For mwe information, please contact: The Torah Projects Department of Agudath Israel of America 84 William Street, New York, NY 10038 • 212-797-9000 WISH moBSERVER THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by the Agudath Israel of America, 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N. Y. Subscription $22.00 per year; two years, $36.00; three years, $48.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $12.00 surcharge per year. Wm Do THEY SAY THosE TH1Ncs Asour Us?-A SYMPOSIUM Single copy$3.00; foreign $4.00. Send address 6 An Examination of Causes, changes to: The Jewish Observer, 84 William Street, N.Y., N.Y. 10038. Tel: (212) 797-9000. and Some Responses-an Overview Printed in the U.S.A. Rabbi Nosson &herman. RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR 13 The (In)Visible American Orthodox Jew Rabbi Yitzchok Isbee EDITORIAL BOARD DR. ERNST L. BODENHEIMER Chairman 15 Our Mandate to Create Kiddush Sheim Shamayim RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FRIEDENSON Rabbi Ytsroel Reisman RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN 21 In Challenge, Opportunity MANAGEMENT BOARD Rabbi Avi Shafran AVIFISHOF NAFTOLI HIRSCH ISAAC KIRZNER RABBI SHLOMO LESIN PESACH SUPPLEMENT NACHUM STEIN 25 Freedom RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING Rabbi Noach Orlowek BuslnllSS Manager Published by 31 Thank You, Hashem, For The Four Sons Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yaakov Reisman RABBI MOSHE SHERER PRESIDENT 37 The Seder Anna Gottlieb SOLE U.S. TRADE IDSTRIBUTOR EUROPEAN REPRESENTATIVE 39 SECOND LoOKS ON THE JEWISH SCENE Feldbelm Publishers M.T. Blbelman 200 Airport Executive Park Grosvenor Works The New Vatican-Israel Relationship: A Step Towards What? Spring Valley, N.Y. 10977 Mount Pleasant Hill London ES 9NE, ENGLAND 41 The Next Challenge - Part II, A. Customer ISRAELI DISTRIBUTOR AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR Nechemla Rosenberg Gold's Book I Gift Co. Khyat Telshe Stone, 108A 36 W!ll!am Street 42 One Hundred and Twenty Reasons, MaUca Millman O.N. Hare! Yehuda, !SRAEL Balaclava 3183. Vic., AUSTRALIA 45 BOOKS IN REVIEW THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not The Yearning Soul: Essays For the Thinking Jew assume responsibility for the Kashrus reviewed by Yisroel Yehuda Pollack of any product, publication, or service advertised in its pages 46 The Pinkus, Rabbi Nachum Klein ©Copyright 1994 48 LE'ITERS TO THE EDITOR 1994 VOLUME XXVll I NO. 2 51 PoEmv: An Erev Shabbos Bath, Gavriella Bachrach port required to make an insurance are overloaded to the breaking point, comes acceptable, not deviant. It is claim. But no one has a thought of and society is numbed almost to the not criminal, it is normal. investigating the crime, because au­ point of acceptance? The same thing When you live in a society that de­ tomobile theft and simple burglary you do if most of your high-school fines deviancy down, and you listen have become so routine, that they are students cannot read on twelfth­ to that society's news, and you read considered mere annoyances. Such grade level: You take what used to be its magazines and newspapers, and ordinary crimes do not matter any the tenth-grade level and label it you do business with it, and you more. Marijuana does not matter any twelfth grade. And then a few years walk its streets, then you end up de­ more. Most narcotics crimes do not later, you do what is done in every fining deviancy down. And you say, matter any more. These things used large school district in this country: "The money is hejker, it is there for to be "deviancy," and were classified you take the eighth-grade level and the taking!" as criminal behavior. They used to be call that the twelfth-grade level. In my yeshiva-principal days, I intolerable. But what do you do ifthey "Defining Deviancy Down" means would often give mussar to students are so common that police depart­ that behavior that was unacceptable about their sometimes rambunctious ments cannot cope with them, courts is now defined as the norm. It be- behavior in the afternoon. They would respond, "But the teachers say that they love to come here after pub­ lic school, because here they don't have to worry about somebody pull­ ing agun or a knife." 1 answered, "Do you realize what you're saying? You're telling me that our code of conduct is not based on what the Torah says, or the Shulchan Aruch says. Our code of conduct is based on what goes on in the worst public schools of the worst neighborhoods of this city.