Avi K

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  • in reply to: Following Halacha #1794790
    Avi K
    Participant

    Joseph. the Halacha’s zeman. I have seen minyanim davening Shacharit ten minutes before the time for Mincha.

    Eliezer, I think that people were antsy so they hung it on a pasuk. Rambam says that it means that a person should serve Hashem with his entire being. As for Rav Moshe, he was told by an NKVD interrogator not to move a muscle or else. Rav Soloveichik also stood at attention. Rambam says that one should stand still with one’s hands folded on one’s chest. Apparently jn his time and place this was the posture of supplication.

    in reply to: Following Halacha #1794653
    Avi K
    Participant

    Just,
    1. did you read that Aruch haShulchan? Moreover, the MIshna Berura says explicitly that it only applied to his time and place.
    2. Regarding Rambam, he only talks about chachamim, not ordinary Jews. Moreover, a kippa is a head covering.
    3. While we are on the subject, what about shuckling? One would definitely not behave that way in front of a king. One certainly would not shake his fist at him as I have seen some people do.
    4. What about not davening according to the zeman? I have seen whole minyanim do this.

    in reply to: Following Halacha #1794033
    Avi K
    Participant

    Eliezer, proper attire depends on the time and place. For that matter, in Western countries one removes one’s hat as a sign of respect. See Aruch haShulchan OC 91:2:

    אמר רב אשי: חזינא ליה לרב כהנא כי איכא צערא בעלמא – שדי גלימיה. כלומר: השליך אדרתו מעליו, שלא יראה כחשוב (רש”י). כי איכא שלמא בעלמא – לביש ומתכסי ומתעטף ומצלי. אמר: “הכון לקראת אלהיך ישראל”. ובשעת הצער השליך אדרתו, וחובק ידיו באצבעותיו כאדם המצטער מאימת רבו (שם). [Shabbat 10a]
    ולכן יש שמדקדקים עתה דאיכא צערא בעלמא, לבלי להתפלל מנחה ומעריב בחול בבגד עליון. ובשבת ויום טוב מתפללין בבגד עליון, דאין להזכיר צער בשבת ויום טוב. והשליח ציבור גם בחול לובש בגד עליון, או שלובש הטלית. וכן המנהג הפשוט במדינות אלו. וגם בעלייה לתורה לובשים בגד עליון מפני כבוד התורה, וכן בהגבהת התורה.

    See also seif 6:
    ולענין בגדים: כללו של דבר שצריך להתפלל בבגדים שיוצא בהם לרחוב.

    in reply to: Chazanus and the Bronx #1794034
    Avi K
    Participant

    Dor, I lived on 168th St off the Concourse. The Adath Israel was Conservative and later became the Conservative Synagogue of Riverdale. BTW, Yossele Rosenblatt refused a $1,000 ($17K in today’s money) per night offer by the Chicago Opera because of kol isha.

    in reply to: Following Halacha #1793836
    Avi K
    Participant

    Just.

    Who says that one must wear a hat and jacket while davening? The Mishna Berura and Aruch haShulchan say that a hat is necessary because in their time and place a man would not walk in the street without a hat. Today that ius not the case. Rav Mordechai Elaihu says the same about a jacket based on the Ben Ish Hai (and it is not a machloket between the Mechaber and the Rema).

    As for pizza, it depends on how it is made and whether it is considered a snack or a meal in one’s place. RavMoshe says that in America one slice is mezonot but two are hamotzi. Some, but not all, Israeli poskim say that even one is hamotzi.

    I do not know what is meant by “dipping foods”? Do you put them in a mikva?

    Avi K
    Participant

    If they don’t eat bread you should. However, b’diavad they would be OK with saying “mezonot” as the pasta nourishes.

    in reply to: B’ito, or Achishena? #1789801
    Avi K
    Participant

    Some people want to tell Hashem how to bring about the Geula.

    in reply to: Eida Charedis Against Participating in Knesses Elections #1787662
    Avi K
    Participant

    Sometimes I wonder if there are leftist secret agents whose job is to discredit Torah Jews.

    in reply to: Eida Charedis Against Participating in Knesses Elections #1787323
    Avi K
    Participant

    HaKatan,
    1. Yosef ben Mattiahu also thought that. So did the Judenrats. Calling in other nations to decide an internal dispute led to the Churban.
    2. Nonsense. In fact, defending EY is a war of Torah. Rav Ovadia said that without the IDF there would be no yeshivot. Rav Shlomo Zalman said that when he wanted to visit kivrei tzadkim he went to the military cemetery on Har Herzl.
    3. More nonsense. That is a site of supporters of Iran.
    4. Just out of curiosity, what do your gedolim say about Internet use? In Jerusalem they have signs saying that life is happy without it.

    in reply to: Eida Charedis Against Participating in Knesses Elections #1786473
    Avi K
    Participant

    1. Appealing to international bodies against Israel is a violation of several serious prohibitions.

    2. If their young men have such great fighting spirit they should be in combat units.

    3. Rav Menahem Kasher refuted the SR’s arguments in “HaTekufa HaGedola”. If they do not believe in the state their citizenships should be revoked. If their kids get caught with drugs in foreign airports they should not run crying to the embassy.

    in reply to: Internet: The biggest source of brocha in the last generations. #1785387
    Avi K
    Participant

    ZD. I think that most converted to escape physical harm.

    in reply to: Internet: The biggest source of brocha in the last generations. #1785000
    Avi K
    Participant

    Akuperma, people also got along without cars, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. Are you suggesting that we become Amish

    in reply to: Is it going to be Bibi or Tibi? #1780444
    Avi K
    Participant

    Anything can happen. Netanyahu gave Feiglin a very tempting offer to drop out. If he does his votes will most likely go to Yamina. Otzma Yehudit can either get a protest vote that will put it over the election threshold or lose followers of Marzel and Gopstein, which will give Yamina another mandate as it will have a higher percentage of the total votes cast.

    in reply to: Apostates in Trump’s orbit #1779158
    Avi K
    Participant

    With all of the antisemites in the DP you’re worried about two or three (I have found no info on Root’s roots) guys who were taken in by missionaries? What about Orthodox Jews Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump? What about conservative activist Nachama Soloveichik (granddaughter of Rav Aharon)? What about all of the Orthodox Jews in the Republic Jewish Caucus and the Federalist Society?

    in reply to: Trump bumper stickers in Hebrew. #1778525
    Avi K
    Participant

    Usefulcoin, are you thinking of writing a gett for him? If you use ף you are pronouncing his name “Trumf”.

    in reply to: Political loyalty is bad. #1778524
    Avi K
    Participant

    Charlie, for once I agree with Joseph. JFK was a Catholic. That is much more avoda zara than Presbyterianism. JFK also pressured RFK into dropping the investigation of Sherman Adams. This was obstruction of justice, which is an impeachable offense.

    in reply to: Democrats/Libs #1776739
    Avi K
    Participant

    First of all, I think that guns should be like another dangerous weapon – a car. Require licensing after learning how to use it safely (and passing a background and psychological check). Secondly, the real issue, as with narcotics, is mental health. In every generation there have been mass killers. The fact that Prohibition-era gangsters (mainly) only killed other gangsters does not change the fact that they had mental health issues. This is apparent in their bios. Some were even nicknamed variants of “Bugsy” and “Mad Dog”.

    in reply to: Democrats/Libs #1776282
    Avi K
    Participant

    CTL, do you really believe that gun control will stop criminals and domestic terrorists from obtaining weapons? How about instead of gun control having an armed citizenry as per the Second Amendment? How about education – in particular bringing Gd and the Ten Commandments back into the classroom?

    in reply to: Is Aish too Zionistic to be Effective? #1776092
    Avi K
    Participant

    Nobody “recruits” for kiruv. A person must want to become closer. This goes for OTDs as much as for those who grew up up in secular or traditional homes. This is the first principle in helping someone change in any sphere. A person has to want to change.

    in reply to: An amendment to protect hunters #1776093
    Avi K
    Participant

    The Noda b’Yehuda points out that the only hunters mentioned in Tanach are Nimrod and Eisav. Baring arms is, of course, immodest. Anyway, many hunters give up when they see a road sign “Bear Left”.

    in reply to: Child Victims Act now in effect in NYS #1775714
    Avi K
    Participant

    AnonymousJew, the reason why they are suing in a secular court is that neither holds by any bet din other than his own. BTW, once to Chassidim came to a secular civil court. They got a frum judge who rebuked them and told them to go to a bet din.

    in reply to: GGWG Militia #1771969
    Avi K
    Participant

    They are called security guards.

    in reply to: $15 an Hour Minimum Wage #1770873
    Avi K
    Participant

    Ubiquitin,
    The fact that unemployment did not go down when the minimum wage goes up means nothing. It might have gone up or gone up more if not for the minimum wage going up. In fact, when NYC raised its minimum wage restaurant owners looked to both cut staff and raise prices (the other result of minimum wage increases). See online em>Restaurateurs Are Scrambling to Cut Service and Raise Prices After Minimum Wage Hike. See also (online) No, Krueger Didn’t ‘Prov[e] that Raising the Minimum Wage Doesn’t Increase Unemployment’ by Thomas Firey/

    in reply to: Why do some Americans not eat the OU hechsher in E”Y? #1770598
    Avi K
    Participant

    Neville, FYI the OU does not rely on the heter mechira as Rav Soloveichik opposed it. BTW, both Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach and Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg said that it like any other heter. I do not though understand your reaction to my comment. Perhaps you are one of those chassidim shottim.

    in reply to: Why do some Americans not eat the OU hechsher in E”Y? #1770419
    Avi K
    Participant

    I was told by someone in the business that the only difference between mehadrin hechshers is the wrapper.Someone else claimed that there are specific chumrot that some groups have. However, anyone who will not eat in someone else’s house, especially parents, because of this is a chassid shotteh. This is typical of some people. They violate Torah mitzvot ben adam l’chaveiro for some chumra. Avraham Avinu, on the other hand, accepted gifts from Avimelech so that he could pay his debts to the hoteliers

    in reply to: What’s The Difference bw Agudah & The OU? #1769547
    Avi K
    Participant

    The discussion about Shabbat observance is in fact the different between the OU and Young Israel. The latter requires that all officers be shomrei Shabbat. Rabbi Prof. Dov Fischer wrote an article about this called Why Orthodoxy needs both — OU congregations and Young Israel shuls for Arutz Sheva’s english site.

    in reply to: Why Give Garlic Cloves at a Pidyon HaBen? #1769118
    Avi K
    Participant

    Dor. many things that “give people a sense of optimism that their actions will result in a segulah” are prohibited as darchei Emori (superstitions).

    in reply to: “Kiddush Hashem” Does Not Mean Looking Good by the Goyim #1769078
    Avi K
    Participant

    Kiddush Hashem (and the opposite) can even be in front of non-observant Jews. Rav Aharon Soloveichik said that it involves acting ethically even where the Halacha does not technically require it. See on this Be’er haGola Choshen Mishpat 388:5),

    in reply to: Why Give Garlic Cloves at a Pidyon HaBen? #1768883
    Avi K
    Participant

    Garlic keeps the vampires away.

    in reply to: Admission Cards #1768026
    Avi K
    Participant

    So what should be done about deadbeats? I heard about one guy who claimed not to have any money. It all went for two cars, three vacations per year, etc.

    in reply to: DO WE REALLY HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE TO LIVE IN CHUTZ LA'ARETZ? #1767620
    Avi K
    Participant

    Klugeryid, Achav was much worse but he was considered to be a king (Sanhedrin 20b Tosofot d”h melech mutar).

    Lieberman is not the state. Even Louis XIV would agree. In any case, I do not believe that he is really anti-religious. In fact, he and Deri were buddy buddy. In 2003 he was part of the National Union. He is a cynical politician. He knows that that his base of older olim from the former Soviet Union is aging and he needs a new card. This is why he only received only five seats in the last election, down from fifteen in 2009.

    As for the other problems you mentioned, nobody said that it is perfect. However, there is improvement. If you want to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem make aliya.

    Avi K
    Participant

    Hamish and Amish. Recently a group was taken on a walking tour of Crown Heights. When Rabbi Beryl Epstein greeted them with “Zei Gezunt” they immediately understood.

    in reply to: Why is Yad Soledes Bo so Cold? #1765951
    Avi K
    Participant

    Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach determined 45 degrees Celsius. He reasoned that if the blood does not prohibit the knife it must not be yad soledet. The kosher creature with the highest body temperature is a bird whose body temperature is slightly lower.

    in reply to: Is Social Security a Ponzi scheme? #1764975
    Avi K
    Participant

    CTL what about rising life expectancy lower and lower birth rates and the adding of benefits (e.g. disability)?

    in reply to: Is Social Security a Ponzi scheme? #1764595
    Avi K
    Participant

    CTL, are you saying that if there is a law requiring me to buy a certain number of shares in a certain company I would not be an investor?

    in reply to: DO WE REALLY HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE TO LIVE IN CHUTZ LA'ARETZ? #1763397
    Avi K
    Participant

    I just checked. Crawley has no Jewish institutions except for a Reform “community” that only has a post office box. Very interesting.

    in reply to: DO WE REALLY HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE TO LIVE IN CHUTZ LA'ARETZ? #1763396
    Avi K
    Participant

    All public institutions in Israel are kosher and shomer Shabbat (except of course for pikuach nefesh). Jewish holidays are legal holidays (government offices even close on Chol haMoed). Jewish law and the Jewish calendar have official status. Israel is the Jewish state.

    in reply to: Stories of Gedolim and the Moon Launch #1762404
    Avi K
    Participant

    ZD, the big question is what to do about Kiddush Levana on the Moon. When is Shabbat?

    BTW, when Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach’s son-in-law came back from the US RSZ excitedly asked if he had been in a skyscraper. He had a theory that if one twin was born on the ground floor and another on the top floor around sunset the one born first might be bar mitzva second.

    in reply to: What’ is a “Person of Color”? #1762403
    Avi K
    Participant

    1. Neither white nor black is a color. the former is the presence of all colors and the latter is the absence of all color.

    2. Jews are neither black nor white but in between (Mishna, Nega’im 2:1).

    3. I have known several colorful people both Jewish and non-Jewish,

    in reply to: Jewish music with english words=Goyish. #1760350
    Avi K
    Participant

    What about words in Creole German?

    in reply to: Anti-Zionism as Anti-Semitism: Legal Implications under U.S. Law #1760349
    Avi K
    Participant

    Dor, I do not believe that he said that. Is it OK for a Jew to be antisemitic?

    Avi K
    Participant

    CTL, “Palestine” was where they belonged. Interestingly then the antisemites said “Jews to Palestine”. Now they say “Jews out of Palestine”. In any case, I object to .reductio ad Hitlerum/ argumentum ad Hitlerum/ad Nazium (pick the term you like the most). It is trivializing the Holocaust and thus empowering deniers.

    in reply to: Does Israel need a 3 State Solution #1758114
    Avi K
    Participant

    Takahmamash, they could move to Fort Surrender, NY.

    Avi K
    Participant

    CTL, you are trivializing the Holocaust and empowering deniers. To paraphrase Patrick M. Lencioni , if everything is the Holocaust nothing is. If you want a comparison then compare Trump to FDR (who along with fellow liberal icon Earl Warren imprisoned Japanese-Americans without charges for several years). However, the migrants at the border are seeking to better their economic situations although they have no marketable skills and do not know any English. the Jews FDR turned away were professionals and business people. Most at least had a basic knowledge of English.

    in reply to: Does Israel need a 3 State Solution #1757864
    Avi K
    Participant

    1.The talmidim of the Gra came to pave the way for Mashiach. This was before the Haskala.
    2. It is a Torah obligation to serve in the IDF (Rambam Hilchot Melachim 5:1 and Ramban Halachot that Rambam “Forgot” 4).
    3. I feel sorry for those who are still in denial after over seventy years of the Geula marching forward.

    in reply to: Is Israel a Democratic country with a good economy? #1753537
    Avi K
    Participant

    Akuperma,
    1. The Palestinians can be citizens of Jordan. That is their state. Similarly, Europeans, both Jews and non-Jews, who came during the Ottoman period had extraterritorial European citizenships. This was also true in China. Actually according to all polls most are willing to admit that they want to leave (80% in Gaza). The PA is a brutal kleptocracy. An international resettlement fund should be established to help them emigrate to countries that need immigrants. Canada, for example, needs 350K new immigrant workers. Plus their families that would take care of most of them.
    2. As for the Jews living on the periphery, how is that different than Americans who live outside the east and west coast megalopolises or in small enclaves in those areas? Why does every Jew have to live in TA? FYI, these areas have industrial parks and hi-tech parks. With the Internet and telecommuting they could even eventually work for companies in the TA area.
    3. Israel does not require anyone to modify his religious observance (unless you consider it to be a mitzvah to schnor). You are motzi shem ra on the whole country.

    in reply to: Is Israel part of galus? #1753527
    Avi K
    Participant

    CA, we do not pasken from a maaseh rav. You do not know why they left. Rambam gives four heterim (HIlchot Melachim 4:9). As for the gedolim who never lived here, they have a different cheshbon. because of their communal duties.

    Uknowwhatimsayin, you are correct but a person must also ask if he really needs to maintain a high life-style. I heard of someone who went back (decades ago) because at the time Israel did not have cream cheese! In addition one must take into consideration the lower costs here, particularly in education.

    in reply to: Is Israel part of galus? #1753311
    Avi K
    Participant

    Uknowwhatimsayin, you apparently are new here so I will repost my proof the the Three Oaths are a halachic non-starter.

    1. The pasukim cited refer the the kelei hamikdash, not the people.
    2. They are aggadata. Aggadata cannot be understood literally (Rambam, Intro. to Perek Chelek).
    3. They are not brought down in any of the codes.
    4. According to Rav Chaim Vital they were only for 1,000 years (Intro. to Sefer Etz Chaim 8).
    5. According to Rav Meir Simcha the San Remo conference repealed them as the other nations agreed to establish a Jewish state in what was called the province of Palestine (which, BTW, included what is now Jordan).
    6. According to Rav Soloveitchik (Kol Dodi Dofek) Hashem has called.
    7. The other nations violated their oath not to persecute us too much on several occasions (Crusades, Chmelnitsky massacres, pogroms, Petlura massacres, Holocaust). Thus, the deal is off (Sotah 10a with Rashi d”h huchal shevuato shel Avimelech and Shulchan Aruch YD 236,6).

    in reply to: Is Israel part of galus? #1752915
    Avi K
    Participant

    CA, my beef is with people who say that the glass is half or even mostly empty. If one is supposed to judge one’s fellow favorably (and the Sefat Emmet interprets “כל האדם” as opposed to “כל אדם” as meaning that one should look at everything about the person) how much more so the nation-state of the Jewish people.

    in reply to: Should Chareidim Form a Government with the Left? #1752916
    Avi K
    Participant

    The left includes Yair Lapid. If B&W splits parts would join a Likud coalition so the question does not start. Besides, there are there issues such as restoring the balance between the Knesset and the Supreme Court (which created the mess by striking down the old law).

Viewing 50 posts - 451 through 500 (of 3,463 total)