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My rav paskened that if I am davening from the amud I *always* follow the nusach of the shul no matter what my own personal nusach is.
Because IQ tests tend to be normed on rather small samples, it is questionable whether there is any difference between an IQ of 145 and an IQ of 160. Also, IQ tests get re-normed about every two decades so a IQ score given today is not comparable to an IQ score from decades ago. This is known as the “Flynn effect”. One researcher has concluded that if the average American IQ today is 100, it would have been only 80 about 80 years ago. (Yes, people are getting smarter.)
http://www.bronxsynagogues.org has documentation of hundreds of former shuls that aren’t there any more. Most have been turned into churches including a few former YI congregations. It is very sad.
“In case the knife is used for fish, meat, or other such products then it is certainly not permissible.”
I don’t understand why not. For all such cutting the knife would be cold and clean.
“Who is enforcing?? I was told that it is not eve trustworthy in England “
As already mentioned, the London Beit Din certifies many non-CY products, so I guess they are the ones doing the “enforcing”.
“As a rov in the USA R’ Moshe was careful to only pasken for the USA.”
One more example of the greatness of R’Moshe.
” i would only enter a public library under a limited set of circumstances.”
Both my parents were directors of public libraries. One of the things my father was most proud of was getting the funding to get libraries to open on Sunday and not just weekdays and Saturdays.
“Unmarried girls going to the Mikva (better that way than not, but still bad)”
Not according to the Kitzer Shulchan Aruch, who paskens that girls and boys should all go to the mikveh Erev Yom Kippur starting at age nine.
But overall your point is well taken; it is important it is important to distinguish between the many kulot that have halachic support, and kulot that are made up.
DY,
I am disturbed by YOUR advocacy of illegal activity, even in the face of evidence that a frum Jew is being harmed by it.
My wife’s rav told her the next morning.
“the rock’s yichus is that Hashem made it”
And by learning all the different ways HaShem has made rocks you get an even greater appreciation for HaShem!
“Its a machlokes whether it is possible to make a kiddush HaShem by doing something nice for a goy.”
Shimon ben Shetach returned the diamond to the Arab. As a result, the Arab praised the God of Shimon ben Shetach. That proves unequivocably that it is possible to make a kiddush HaShem by doing something nice for a goy.
The Center for Jewish History had an exhibit of decorated manuscripts a while back, including beautiful haggadot, megillot, and ketubot. All were kosher. (Interestingly, the oldest illustrated megillah in existence was enscribed by a woman. The megillah is an exception to the general halachah that STAM must be written by a man.)
About 90 years ago the gedolim considered the question of womens’ participation in democracies. Basically, it was Rav Kook z’tz’l who said that women shouldn’t even vote, vs. Rav Uziel z’tz’l who said that l’chatchila women can hold and hold any office in a democracy — and Rav Uziel’s opinion was unanimously accepted by klal Yisrael. The opinions have been translated into English and can be found with an internet search.
So we hate the Zionists so much that we support anti-Semites instead, all because we are so addicted to alcohol that we can’t give up a shot of whiskey?
“I remain mystified as to how some people believe they have the right to violate both the laws of the city and state of New York as well as halacha.”
Regarding tashlich, I would suggest that some community leaders approach the owner and ask permission to use the lot for that purpose.
The Bronx Zoo keeps one of their pedestrian entrances open on the first day of Rosh Hashanah so that the Jews of the Bronx can walk to the Bronx River for tashlich. They probably figure that it is a good business practice; on Yom Tov afternoons many frum Jews can be found in the Zoo.
I tried it. It immediately gave me diarrhea. I dropped it right away.
“Is it crazy to start school at my age?”
Absolutely not! I was 37 when I completed my PhD and my wife was 40 when she completed her MD. Older students can make up in maturity any study skills that may have gotten rusty.
“who do the religious zionists in Israel follow”
Mostly the students of Rav Kook and his son.
g73 is correct regarding Rav Lichtenstein; he is a Gedol with many students but there are far more followers of Rav Kook in Eretz Yisrael.
‘Who is the 19 yo to “not allow” her sister to get married??’
I was wondering the same thing!
“we know that thee Avos maintained the Torah, even though they lived before it was given.”
We actually don’t “know” that; there are many opinions as to what they kept, some of which were offered by HaLeivi above. The gemara in Sanhedrin uses the actions of the Avot to derive laws for Noachides, not Jews. For example, a Noachide may marry a paternal half-sister and Avraham Avinu’s marriage to Sarah Imeinu is used to prove that.
Mazel tov!!!
To those who object to this article (which I have not seen):
Would you remove masechte Yevamot from the beit midrash? From your personal shelves?
“HaGaon Rav Yosef Shlita was insistent (IIRC) in allowing Yibbum for Sephardim”
But has there been an actual case of yibum in recent decades?
Here in America, there was only one “The Rav”. It was a testimony to his stature. I don’t know about elsewhere; I know that the Religious Zionists in Israel follow neither his halachic rulings nor his hashkafah unless they learned in America.
“Many Sefardim still accept Yibum today”
has there been an actual case in the past century?
“In New York State the wife can be 14.”
With consent of all parents and a judge. The age is 16 with consent of parents; 18 otherwise.
“At the youngest, the wife has to be at least 3 y.o.”
Today a wife has to be at least bat mitzvah age. And under secular law in the US, a wife has to be older in almost all states, even with parental consent.
The point of the OP is well taken. Not only did Rav Chaim’s son teach at RIETS, while still in Europe he taught at a Mizrachi school. But I still see the Modern Orthodox world acknowledging the Torah of the Charedi world; just last week I heard Rabbi Dov Linzer cite a halachic position of Rav Elyashiv in a shiur.
Back when ranges had pilot lights, this was not an issue, as you could turn off the burner itself as long as the pilot light was still lit.
“Taken out of context.”
Not out of context at all! We don’t get to pick and choose halachah.
“Back to the hat, Rav Soloveitchik ZT”L from YU as well as the current Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Schachter, both wore hats as well.”
Many of the other great Roshei Yeshivot at YU wear black hats in including Rabbis Willig and Tendler.
Rov Soloveitchik z’tz’l didn’t always wear a black hat; there are many photographs of him in a straw hat. He would be the first to agree that ones’ insides were more important than ones’ outsides, and many of his students didn’t wear a hat at all.
“this is a Modern Orthodox institution we’re talking about”
A lot of Modern Orthodox rabbis wear black hats.
“Is it permissible? Even afer Rosh Chodesh?”
Is this serious? Is it ever permissible NOT to learn?
“”In your community some women also participate in the rabbinate.”
Yes, in my community women learn Hilchot Shabat, Hilchot Kashrut, Hilchot Taharat Hamishpachah, and Hilchot Aveilut — all halachot for which they are chayev — and can get acknowledged for that learning. Some then teach and answer questions from other women. There is nothing wrong with this! You’d rather have women who are ignorant of these mitzvot?
“unmarried girls would gather to serve refreshments, giving eligible bachelors an opportunity to acquaint themselves with prospective shidduchim”
And they never heard of a shidduch crisis.
“If it gives anatomical details it’s not appropriate. Anyone disagree?”
By not giving details we stay in denial about what is really going on.
In my community, many women participate in all night learning.
Lactaid milk is great! I drink it in huge amounts of it. It also lasts a long time unopened. If you want to drink it on Pesach you have to buy it BEFORE Pesach so you can bitul the very small amount of chametz in it.
“BTW, do you have any authoritative citation that you can show us that he was ever an Agudist?”
Do I need a source to show us that the sky is blue? A quick Google search will find dozens of examples.
“This statement I agree with, but most celebrating Yom Yerushalyim are celebrating the Medina and not Hashem!”
I can only speak for myself. I recite Hallel on those days as a thanks to the One who made it all possible.
“just because Hashem is doing and has done Nissim, doesn’t mean the Geula has started (Ischalta D’geula)”
My rav told me that Rav Soloveitchik z’tz’l did not like “reshit semichat geulateinu”.
“Every single Godol who belonged to the Agudah”
Another false statement from the Anti-Zionists. Rav Soloveitchik z’tz’l was the a member of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudath Israel of America. And he was a Zionist, as was his father.
The viciousness expressed here would not be accepted by the gedolim of the past. Rav Kook z’tz’l had great relations with the charedi rabbis of his time, and ditto Rav Soloveitchik z’tz’l. And the respect went both ways — my rav told me that Rav Soloveitchik would defer to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach on some halachic issues.
‘As mentioned, the same people that “got it back” are the ones that caused its loss in the first place.’
The people responsible for the Kamza/Bar Kamza incident got it back? Gee, I didn’t know that!
“The Arabs never were sovereign is Erets Yisrael.”
Not true; Arabs ruled Eretz Yisrael from the 7th to the 11th centuries. We can thank them, too, for kicking out the anti-Semitic Byzantines.
” I specialize in Indian food and when I have the chance to make that for Yom Tov is it very special to me (and very much enjoyed by the family).”
We do Indian food at least once a week. For last Friday night, I cooked Pancha Dal (five different kinds of lentils in one pot), a Jewish-Indian fish curry, and lemon rice. We also had a Jewish-Indian tomato salad. For at least one of the Shavuot meals my wife is cooking masala dosa. 🙂
‘The people who consider it (mbp) “an arcane uncivilized practice” skewed the results of the studies.’
Wrong. MBP is associated with neonatal herpes; at least one child suffered brain damage as a result. The largest group of orthodox rabbis in America have urged that it no longer be done.
If people like you continue to put out false information, we will lose this one.
Health,
You are wrong about the AAP. Here is what they actually say:
If people like you continue to put out falsehoods, we will lose this one.
shlishi,
Here is the article that sjs cited:
http://mensstudies.metapress.com/content/b64n267w47m333x0/?p=e5780c86e6824fb7a9959c83fde10a0d&pi=5