Avram in MD

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Viewing 50 posts - 1,051 through 1,100 (of 2,528 total)
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  • in reply to: Hey New Yorkers! #1408362
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    I don’t ever wear sandals, but up north I think it’s a fashion faux pas to wear them between Labor Day and Memorial Day anyway.

    My personal way to dress for cold (assuming no rain/snow falling, which would lower the criteria):

    60s – no extra layers unless it’s very windy (it’s warm in the sun, but may feel chilly in the shade in the low 60s with wind, so I’d bring a light jacket)
    50s – light jacket
    40s – light jacket if outside for short time, hat and coat if outside for a longer time (e.g., walking to shul on Shabbos), add gloves and earmuffs if windy.
    30s – coat if outside for short time, add hat, gloves, earmuffs if outside for a long time or windy.
    20s – coat, hat, gloves, scarf, maybe warm boots
    10s – same, definitely warm boots, also add thermal pants if outside for a long time and windy
    Single digits – same, add thermal shirt if windy, try to cover my face with my scarf
    Below 0 – Extremely rare in my area, not safe to have exposed skin outside for long, especially if windy. Would wrap scarf around my face, or get a face mask. Possibly wear a second thin layer of gloves under my normal gloves.

    in reply to: Does “Chasidish” refer to both Satmar and Lubavitch? #1408072
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    770Chabad,

    Because you still can write a letter stick in in the iggris koidesh

    Who do you believe reads the letter after it is placed?

    or go to the ohel

    Do you daven to Hashem there, or speak to the Rebbe?

    in reply to: Does “Chasidish” refer to both Satmar and Lubavitch? #1408071
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    From a Chabad standpoint, is it proper to write “the Rebbe [Menachem Mendel Schneerson] ZT”L”?

    in reply to: Does “Chasidish” refer to both Satmar and Lubavitch? #1408070
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    DaasYochid,

    When I asked a Lubavicher chossid whether the benches in his beis medrash/shul were occupied with people learning at night, his answer was, “that’s not our focus”.

    Did he happen to mention what their focus was?

    in reply to: Saying Mashiv HaRuach in the Southern Hemisphere #1403320
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    What does the southern hemisphere have to do with anything? Florida, for example, has a pronounced rainy season that runs from late May through late October/early November, as do many northern hemisphere locations with a monsoon climatology. Israel has a Mediterranean climate that is somewhat similar to California, relying on the southerly winter storm track to transport moisture. I thought mashiv haruach umorid hageshem was tied specifically to the rainy season in eretz Yisroel.

    in reply to: Natural-Hair Sheitels Are Assur #1401289
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    DaasYochid,

    Go easy on Syag Lchochma , she has to wear tichels because all hubby buys for her are Paula Young wigs. All of these dancingmom posts are her attempt to justify his behavior and cover for the fact that he’s a cheapskate. That might end soon, however. First, he says that she’s not his friend, and then one evening last week before bed she saw his briefcase knocked over. Underneath the Rav Miller tapes were a bunch of milky way bars, small sized like Halloween candy. He claimed that he had a cold and a Rav told him it was ok, but she wondered why he had asked that Rav all the way across town instead of their own Rav.

    in reply to: The Room Temperature Food Mystery #1397716
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    DaasYochid,

    So if the temperature in the room were precisely the same as your body temperature, there would still be a cooling effect?

    Yes due to the evaporation. And if the air was that hot and also saturated, the only question would be whether the heat stroke or superstorm gets you first.

    in reply to: The Room Temperature Food Mystery #1397629
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    DaasYochid,

    Now answer this: why does a fan make us feel cooler if it’s the same temperature air circulating?

    1. Evaporation is a cooling process (changing water from liquid to vapor takes heat energy), so our sweat is designed to help cool us off. Moving the air over the sweat increases the rate of evaporation.
    2. The moving air generates forced convection that transfers heat away from our bodies.

    in reply to: The Room Temperature Food Mystery #1397589
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Lightbrite,

    Does room temperature food feel cold when you eat it because it’s cooler than the inside of your mouth, which is usually somewhere around 98.5 degrees?

    Room temperature is certainly colder than the inside of your mouth, but I think our conceptions of “hot” and “cold” food are driven more by expectation. Consider room temperature water – most people don’t consider that to be “cold” when drinking it.

    And if it does feel cold because it’s cooler than our mouths, how come we cannot just breathe on our food to heat it?

    You can warm cold food by breathing on it, just like you can warm your hands in the winter by breathing on them.

    in reply to: Should your spouse eat the last cookie? #1395464
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    “Let’s split it!”

    in reply to: Should your spouse eat the last cookie? #1395441
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    always runs with scissors fast,

    In fact, though, I think he may have a serious sleep disorder because some mornings he claims he wasn’t aware that he ate or drank. He just goes through like a whole honey cake with his paws, it mamish looks like a bear has been through it, leaving a heavy trail of crumbs all over

    There is such a thing as nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NS-RED), where someone can prepare food or eat while not fully conscious. Maybe a doctor’s visit would be more productive than hiding food, since he’s saying he’s not aware of the nighttime eating.

    in reply to: Should your spouse eat the last cookie? #1395428
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Someone who values a cookie over the happiness of his spouse is a slave to his stomach.

    in reply to: Dating a girl in the pizza shop #1395421
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    apushatayid,

    If the questioner was my son, I would say it depends where they are in the relationship.

    Is it ok to take my wife to the pizza shop?

    in reply to: Dating a girl in the pizza shop #1395372
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    slominer,

    Is it okay to take a girl to a pizza shop on a date (during one of the first few dates)?

    Ask her!

    in reply to: Baltimore vs monsey #1394832
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    One difference: Freddyfish capitalizes Baltimore, but does not capitalize monsey.

    in reply to: Lakewood vs. Flatbush #1394831
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    A man comes to mincha at a shul in some place away from the Northeast. Seeing an unfamiliar face, the gabbai approaches, greets him in a friendly manner, and asks if he’s from out of town.

    A Lakewoodite responds: Yes, I’m visiting from Lakewood.

    A Flatbusher responds: No, YOU’RE from out of town!

    in reply to: Telemarketers Should ASSUR Due to Something #1393924
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Telemarketers or scammers spoofed my wife’s number, and she got a call back from a stranger wondering why she had called them… But she never had.

    in reply to: What does CRF stand for? #1392466
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Coffee Room Fund

    in reply to: Wearing tefillin all day #1392213
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Mussaf can be said all day.

    ר’ הודה אומר עד ז׳ שעות

    in reply to: Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? #1392204
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Do you sing “Yedid Nefesh” on Shabbos at Shalosh seudos? Does it bother you that we call Hashem our friend, among numerous other parental terms of endearment?

    in reply to: Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? #1392200
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Any response to my speculation above as for why “friend” has become a marital term of endearment?

    in reply to: Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? #1391810
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Tom Dick n Harry,

    Thank you for taking the time to clarify your point – I found it extremely helpful.

    Marriage is a union with a purpose. The essential purpose is to give the person his completeness.

    I agree, but would add that the purpose is to also to expand oneself through devotion to his/her spouse, and to emulate Hashem, who cares for us, by caring for our spouse. The desire for completeness drives a man to seek a wife.

    As they function this way together, they need to be true friends. They need to make sure their other half is content and well in every sense possible. If they don’t so then they are shooting their own selves in the foot, so to speak. As they function as a union, united in purpose, and complete loyalty and with this true friendship, they will tremendously enjoy working together. Working together with that type of unity and friendship is pleasurable beyond anything else.

    I agree with everything you wrote here.

    But they are not together in recreation, (except to the extent that that’s what they believe is needed to help achieve the goals) but together in purpose. That is true togetherness.

    I don’t fully agree with this. While it’s true that spouses don’t need to share their superficial interests, I think it’s important for spouses to spend “recreational” time together too, and to find mutual recreational interests. Husband loves to play chess. Wife does not play, and has no interest in the game. Fine. Husband can go play chess with Shlomo each week, and Wife is delighted that her husband gets to do something he enjoys. But they should find other ways to spend time together; it’s just another way to show commitment to each other.

    Whereas togetherness in recreation is not really togetherness, because basically everyone is only thinking about his or her own good time.

    That’s a rather dim view of recreation. If that were really the case, I’d say that all recreation should be avoided.

    So while they don’t share recreational interests, since they share goals, that’s where the friendship kicks in, and they will enjoy each others company far more that simply by sharing the same taste in fun activities.

    That’s fine, but I also think the couple should try to find recreational activities they both enjoy.

    As a side point, my understanding is that Joseph is asking because he wants to know what to look for in a shidduch.

    I seriously doubt that, so don’t be worried on his behalf.

    I think it’s unfair to him, and potentially damaging, to give the impression that it’s about finding a buddy for recreation, or even partly about that. That’s not a good message for a person looking for a shidduch and also not for married person. In a shidduch they should be looking for a fine person with whom they would have a common goal and with whom they could have a caring and growing relationship.

    In terms of finding a shidduch, I agree. Similar interests does not necessarily mean compatibility, and vice versa. But once married, build some mutual interests together!

    in reply to: Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? #1391765
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Just as you probably wouldn’t describe her as your roommate, I would think that describing her as your wife is more appropriate than describing her as your friend.

    I agree with you 100%, without a doubt. I think the reason “my wife is my best friend” has become a term of endearment is due to the surrounding culture, which presents a toxic view of marriage. Wives called the old ball and chain, or the nag. The ridiculous non-Jewish custom to have one last “fun” party before the wedding, implying that the “fun” stops after marriage. The pervasive message that husbands and wives don’t enjoy each other is terrible, and I personally don’t mind any attempt to counteract that. When someone asks, “who is your best friend?”, they are asking who is liked the most, and I think it’s totally appropriate to put one’s spouse there, even if “friend” is not a comprehensive term to describe the marital relationship.

    in reply to: Struggling with Cholov Yisrael.. #1391746
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Lilmod Ulelamaid,

    Since I have a high opinion of your intelligence, I assumed that you hadn’t read my posts carefully, and that if you had done so, you would not have misunderstood.

    If someone who I believe is highly intelligent misunderstands something I wrote and also states that he read it carefully, I would assume that what I wrote must not have clearly conveyed what I was intending it to convey. Even if I thought I stated it well, at the end of the day I’m not writing for myself, I’m writing to communicate. So my next step would be to attempt to clarify or rephrase what I’m trying to communicate, using the misunderstanding as a guide. Questioning the intelligence or honesty of the audience, however, is counterproductive.

    in reply to: Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? #1391733
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    What does it mean to describe a spouse as a friend?

    The basic definition of friendship is a relationship based on mutual affection – two people who like each other. I would think that this is extremely important in a marriage. When someone says his spouse is his best friend, it is a way of expressing affection for her.

    in reply to: Should Your Spouse Be Your Best Friend? #1391726
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Tom Dick n Harry,

    I can explain this but it’s rather lengthy and technical

    Please do, because I have no idea what you are trying to say.

    in reply to: Love At First Sight #1390919
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    lesschumras,

    Joseph, another reason I don’t follow Rabbi Miller. The first time I saw my wife to be it was love at first sight.

    1. I don’t think Rav Miller (and I am assuming that we’re reading a faithful reproduction of his words – I cannot independently verify it to be the case) stated that a man would not have love at first sight upon finding his wife. I would imagine that most men do. The message is that love at first sight is not necessarily an indicator of compatibility for marriage.

    2. Ever hear of survivor bias?

    Unlike Rav Miller’s stereotypes, she did not paint her eyes, face or nails.

    I think this was just a colorful way to address physical beauty vs. inner beauty.

    Besides her beauty, what really shone through was her chesed, character and sweetness. We’ve been married 46 wonderful years

    That’s wonderful! Did you really see her chesed, character, and sweetness the very first instant you saw her? Or did those middos shine through as you got to know her?

    in reply to: Struggling with Cholov Yisrael.. #1390918
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    out of town yid,

    If there is a Chabad shul anywhere in the vicinity, they are likely getting large orders of cholov Yisroel products shipped to them. You can contact them and ask if they can add some products for you onto their order.

    in reply to: What is skim milk? #1390565
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Define reasonable. And safe.

    in reply to: What is skim milk? #1390104
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    In Monsey you can buy raw, non-pasteurized, Cholov Yisroel milk.

    Mmmmm, I love E-Coli in my morning coffee.

    in reply to: What is skim milk? #1390099
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Lightbrite,

    How do you define “skim milk”?

    Opaque water. If it ain’t whole milk, it ain’t milk.

    #RealMilkHasARedLid

    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Is the need for multiple alarms in the morning because you sleep through the first few perhaps related to the loud music?

    in reply to: Did I get ripped off by my elementary school? #1389871
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Don’t worry, submerged continents don’t count, so your original seven are safe.

    in reply to: What is skim milk? #1389806
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Anyways, other than Baltimore (which I think uses the same color codes for milk), where are there other U.S. brands of Cholov Yisroel milk?

    I’ve seen a brand called Tevye Farms in Florida.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1389170
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    zahavasdad,

    Not every problem has a solution

    Cluck cluck cluck cluck bwaaaaaaaak! I’m referring to a hypothetical where there is a solution. Which would you choose?

    in reply to: Shocking Study of Modern Orthodox OTD Rate #1389097
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    DaasYochid,

    There’s got to be a better way for you to feel good about yourself than putting down the MO.

    Well, there’s always putting down women. And Zionists. And liberals. And OOT communities.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1389075
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    zahavasdad,

    The Language is part of the boredom and the translation is really useless (Try reading it and see if it makes sense)

    I actually perceive much of the Artscroll English translations to be very well done and powerful, and there are commentaries on the bottom of the pages of the English/Hebrew siddur that provide further explanations.

    Of course where there is a will, there is a way, but mussor really wont solve the problem here (I have no solutions..Only pointing out where the problem is) For whatever reason it tends to fall on deaf ears

    So if you could magically fix the problem, which route would you choose? Would you replace the Hebrew/Aramaic tefillos with some good, entertaining English stuff, or would you open people’s hearts to the traditional tefillos?

    I have heard from Rabbanim that speeding up the davening does cut down on the talking so OP has backing when he posts that.

    Sure, less talking can be accomplished in 2 hours than 3, and faster davening yields fewer talking opportunities for those who are actually trying to say all of the tefillos.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1389072
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Joseph,

    Christians and Conservative/Reform go to their Church or Temple once a week, if even that. Jews go three times a day. So to compare, is to miss the mark.

    That may be, but I think it has more to do with the structure and purpose of the respective services. Christian and Reform services are akin to performances – there is instrumental music, theatrical sermons, etc. and the congregants are largely a passive audience. The central aspect of Orthodox Jewish services, on the other hand, is tefilla, which is personal, and congregants must be active to fulfill their obligations.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1388890
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    zahavasdad,

    Most people talk in shul because they are bored. For whatever they are bored in shul. Have you ever seen someone stop to talk when they are doing something they find exciting

    You may be partly right about this; however, is the problem with the davening itself, or with the bored people? Your initial post seemed to point a finger at the davening due to a language barrier, but, as nishtdayngesheft pointed out, one can use a translation, or work to improve their skills. One can also add his own thoughts and personal tefillos to the davening to make it more personal and less rote. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

    But all of that is really beside the point. One can be bored and yet still realize that davening is important and that it is assur to talk and disturb others. So really, talking in shul goes beyond boredom and reflects a lack of respect.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1388902
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    BoysWork,

    In some of the more modern shuls that I davened in, the mispalelim are much more respectful during davening and laining. For the past couple of years, I have been davening in a small minyan in someone’s home (out of convenience). This minyan has attracted many chasidish young married men, who seem to think that the minyan is a social club.

    That was a totally unnecessary juxtaposition. You could have contrasted long shul davening with no talking vs. quick davening in someone’s home with talking and made your point just fine, without disparaging other Jews.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1388891
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    awarenessvaad,

    Um…. what?

    in reply to: divorce prevention tips! #1388912
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    gotrump,

    has anyone, that went through a DIVORCE tell me major mistakes on his/her end.

    Somehow I don’t see a host of volunteers lining up for that.

    If your true goal is to learn skills that are important for a healthy and happy marriage, why don’t you ask people blessed with healthy and happy marriages what they do?

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1388885
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    lesschumras,

    Nisht, believe what you want and use any euphemism that makes you happy but it’s Hebrew.

    By kaddish, berich shmei demarei alema, and yekum purkan on Shabbos I disagree. But for most everything else, yes, Hebrew 🙂

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1388366
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    DaasYochid,

    Just imagine how bad the talking problem would be if they shlepped!

    Maybe they’d form a kiddush club and leave.

    in reply to: Stop the SHLEPPING In Shul! 🛑🐢🐌🕍 #1388340
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    EinOdMilvado,

    On Shabbos I daven at a hashkoma minyan that lasts about an hour and a half to an hour and 45 minutes with a kiddush afterwards, and there is still a problem with talking. And it’s the same people every week. As much as we want to be nice and blame circumstances for the talking, I feel that, unfortunately, the problem is due to a lack of respect on the part of the talkers. Lack of respect for the minyan, for the other mispallelim, and for Hashem. Yom Kippur davening lasts all day, and there is no talking problem. I think that’s because on Yom Kippur, everyone is aware that we are going to shul to daven.

    in reply to: “Ask Your Local Orthodox Rabbi” #1387117
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    JJ2020,

    Just be a rabbi has “dealt ” with an issue doesn’t make him trained or qualified to give good advice.

    So find a rav who you trust.

    I’ve had plenty of really bad teachers who have been really bad for 20 years.

    A child cannot pick her or her teachers, but an adult does choose his rav. Choose well. It’s part of our responsibilities as Jews.

    But thinking your Rabbi who is a human not a navi and probably doesn’t have ruach hakoshesh can some how know more than anyone else in their area of expertise is just foolish.

    Who are you arguing with? I haven’t seen that stated anywhere in this thread. Another straw man.

    Good Rabbi will admit when he doesn’t know something and send you to people who do know. Be wary of someone who claims be an expert at everything.

    See above. You have a responsibility to make for yourself a rav – choose well.

    in reply to: “Ask Your Local Orthodox Rabbi” #1387112
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Gadolhadorah,

    The prescriptive “should” applies equally to adhering the advice of my rav when opining on matters of halacha and adhering to the advice of a respected physician on matters of medical care etc….

    Fine – so why didn’t you write it that way from the get go?

    the point is obvious.

    Those darn Jews who don’t get the point.

    I don’t ask my doctor to paskan on arba minim nor do I ask my rav to paskin on my EKG.

    Straw man. Nobody’s going to his or her rav to get an EKG evaluated (unless the rav happens to be a cardiologist). Jews do go to the rav for shailos surrounding a diagnosis. And maybe a bracha for health or a refua.

    in reply to: “Ask Your Local Orthodox Rabbi” #1387079
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    JJ2020,

    So if someone wants to learn about taxes he should get Simcha? Ugh wants to invest in real-estate he should become Rabbi? After all they know best forget me school learn basar vchalav and heal the sick.

    Are you attempting a response to me? If so, I have no idea what it is you are responding to, or what it is you are trying to say.

    There are frum experts in all these areas to seek guidance from. Pal who learned in kollel for years too.

    So?

    in reply to: Tempered Glass… Goes *BOOM* #1386986
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Gamanit,

    I took care not to have drastic temperature changes or uneven temperature (one part of the shelf in hot water with the other end sticking out.

    Those are good tricks. I believe it was the thermal expansion from running hot water on it right after removing it from the fridge that did my shelf in. Too bad the shelving isn’t made of pyrex.

    in reply to: “Ask Your Local Orthodox Rabbi” #1386975
    Avram in MD
    Participant

    Gadolhadorah,

    That was my point…

    The point was well hidden I guess…

    However, over time and with maturity, we learn to do our own due diligence and can bypass the Rav and seek guidance directly from subject matter experts.

    Why would we want to “bypass” our rav? I don’t see that as a good thing. Note that I don’t mean one should impose excessively on the rav’s time or discuss the same things repeatedly. But the goal of Judaism is not to somehow “graduate” from needing a rav so you can do whatever looks good in your own eyes.

    Obviously, some issues with have some aspect of halacha which might usefully involve a parallel consultation with your LRP.

    I am curious as to why when discussing going to a rav, you see a need to throw in a number of hedging words: may, might, etc., but when discussing seeing other professionals you exhibit much more certainty: [their advice] should be replied upon.

Viewing 50 posts - 1,051 through 1,100 (of 2,528 total)