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Got to love little froggy’s inside joke:“As the Gemara says… Somewhere I’m sure…“.That Gemara was yesterday’s daf!
Whatsak- Didn’t you just repeat exactly what I said in the final paragraph of my post?
Most of the participants at my daf yomi shiur prepare beforehand with a Hebrew or English Art scroll, and use it during the shiur. Accordingly, as part of my preparation, I will look at the art scroll’s footnotes to look for questions they raise but don’t answer(which is quite common)and then try to address those questions during the shiur , perhaps s by learning a tosfos inside or by explaining consensus the rishonim or achronim”s approach to the issue. .Overall, I believe their use of the art scroll in advance has increased their understanding exponentially.
Since my preparation time is limited to a few hours Most of the ‘reid” that I speak out is coming from the “oitzer meforshim ” in back of the Mesifta gemora and its footnotes. In my “free time” I try to learn a sugya a week… with my starting point being the ” oitzer inyanim”thusfar in the last 3 weeks Tmurah, iv’e gone through , lav shain bo maasa, lav hanitik l’asai, and iy avid mahani..( I’m kind of surprised no one has been debating the merits of the Mesifta gemora here.)
Nevertheless, I fully recognize that none of this is a substitute for real yegia. Systematically going through a sugya from rasih to tosfos, rishonim achronim , and limitless effort is what makes a bnai torah. It scares me when I see someone whe”did the daf” by reading through the art scroll for 45 minuets and really believe that they have done all that is required of them.
As a practical matter I believe the litvish oilom do not intend to include chabad when they refer to chasidim. The reason is that nowadays misnagdim and chasidim ( i.e. satmar, Ger, Skvere, Belz , etc.) have a very similar approach to yiddishkite which transcends any differences in dress or women driving cars.
Countless non –Chasidim daven in chassidish shtbuls (e.g. satmar minyan in Lakewood) and learn pretty much the same derech and learningthe same rishonim and achronim.(much of the Mesifta gemoras were written by hundreds of chassidishe yinglite in Eretz Yisroel).
.Lubavich , on the other hand. has deliberately chosen to remain different. Without judging,and recognizing the wonderful work they have done, it is beyond dispute that their yeshivos have an entirely different curriculum and agenda than other frum yeshivas .They never accepted daf yomi and for the most part, do not learn sugyas the way the rest of the frum word does. Nor do they participate in events coordinated by litvish and chassidish leaders.
I try do my part to close this chasm by learning 4x a week with a Lubacicher who is always imprressed when hearing a nice pshat in a sUgya from e.g. the Brisker Rov, or R’ Borech Ber .Fakeman, the mishna brura makes it clear that a tallia sheila is actually given to the wearer and he is koneh it. So, I don’t see your point.
Those who wear tchailes because they are convinced that it is the real thing may face a serious halachic issue. The Rosh in a tshuva deals with the following question: how are we allowed to wear a four cornered begged in order to wear tzitzis, when by doing so we are also actively being m’vatel the mitzvah of t’cheiles?! The Rosh answers that since we don’t know what t’chailes is nowadays it is not considered being m’vatel the mitzvah of t’chailes.
Now if a tcailes wearer is called up to be the shliach tzibur and has to use the shul’s talis it would seem that he would not be permitted to do so , since , based on his view that today we know what tchailes is, the Rosh’s heter would not be available to him.
.Joseph- do you believe it is lfney ivar or some other issur? Is it shnai tzidai d’n’hara even if every kosher wine store sells it? That was the thrust of my question.
The scotch is aged in sherry( i.e. wine) casks specifically for their flavor, it is therefore, like a davar hamamed which is never batal. I heard from a Rosh yeshiva that both Rav Dovid and Rav Ruvain Feinstien hold this way even though hR’Moshe was reported to have drunk such scotch., The head of the OU was on headlines a few months ago and he stated that there are many bases to be maikel (e.g. the scotch may be from the tenth “pouring” when there is zero flavor left) but that the OU does not rely on bital ever, as a matter of principle.
Related question: I personally don’t drink scotch made in sherry casks. Occasionally someone will give me a sherry cask bottle as a gift. Is it wrong for me to give the bottle to those who do drink this scotch, or to serve it to them, in my home?
So there was once a prospective ger who had been studying for his gairus for three years. Finally the big day arrives. His friend meets him on the street the following Shabbos. ‘ So, how was it finally davening in shul as a Yid”, he asks. ‘Can’t really say” says the ger “Every time I sat down to daven someone threw me out of the seat”.
Today is Rosh Chodesh Ellul. That should send a shudder through each of us : How are we going to do tshuva for our own avairos. It is hardly the time to speculate the nature of tshuva others need to do.
When my daughter had a second girl a Rosh Yeshiva made the following comment to me, in jest. We pasken that ‘simanim lav d’oraisa” unless it is a siman muvak. However we also pasken that two ordinary simanim are the equivalent of a siman muvak. So, he said, now your daughter really satisfied bas t’chila siman yafa l’,banim. Naturally her next two children were boys.
I merely quoted the Bais Halavi. I am sure he was not shortsighted.
Absent a retraction and apology I second the vote that Joseph be banned from this site for continuing to espouse views which are outside the parameters of any frum ideology as well as hateful and hurtful. Mods-Joseph’s first post was “inappropriate”, to say the least , but his follow up remarks mocking all those who point out how horrible his remarks were , deserves nothing less than cherem ( at least from this site).
Would I be misquoting R’ Moshe if I said that he held that a rebbe may not even use a stick to threaten a child- much less use it? The Stipler’s psak is well known and accurate.. I never said that all poskim agree it is never permitted to hit a child under any circumstances.( I recall giving my own children a light potch on very few and a occasions.
however in my first statement cited two examples of a rebbe beating up a little child with a cane and a wood hanger for minor infractions and you cheered them on. I care nothing for societal preferences. Please enlighten us as to the extent of the shittos of those you claim ” fully observe” the mitzvah of hitting children. Show me one Pose kthat would permit the brutality I described in my first post. Are lead pipes ok? How’s about knives?
With each post you embarrass yourself further. Your desire to appear as a great kanoi only reveals your sinas yisroalThere is a famous Bais Halavi which explains the Rasha’s question in the Haggadah of “mah haavodah hazos lochem” as reflecting the view of the conservative movement who seek explanations for halachos and then abandon the halocha if the reason seemingly no longer applies. Thus the rasha says: I understand why our ancestors brought a korban pesach thousands of years ago- to show the destruction of the Egyptian god ,but, says the rasha, no one has believed in sheep as gods for thousands of years- so why bother continuing with the korban pesach?
However, says the Bais Halavi, the opposite is true. we don’t eat matzo or bring the korban pesach because of the events that transpired in Mitzraim, ; to the contrary, klall yisroel was zoche to yitzias mitzraim and to perpetual charus BECAUSE WE KEEP THE MITZVOS OF PESACH! If this were not so, why would we find that Avraham Avinu ate matzos on Pesach? The yidden had not gone into, much less left Mitzraim?
The answer is that the ultimate purposes of the mitzvos are not known to us. Of course the Torah says we eat matzo because of the chipozon with which we left mitzraim. But that is only one of countless unfathomable reasons for the mitzvah, or any other mitzvah.
It is for this reason that we answer the rasha ” bavur zeh asah Hashem li” ” it is BECAUSE of this mitzvah that we are and were zoche to geulah and chairus, not the other way around. Thus we are not merely pushing off the rasha but responding directly to his wrongheaded question which he sought to use to excuse his failure to perform those mitzvos he deems obsolete. The korbon pesach was part of the blueprint of the world and is eternal.
Having said that, the RAMBAM makes it clear that we are nevertheless encouraged to seek out the purposes of each mitzvah. However, we must bear in mind that the ultimate purpose of mitzvos are beyond our comprehension ( aish shachor al aish lavan). We keep the Torah because it is what Hashem commanded us to do- and recognize that each mitzvah will bring benefit beyond our comprehension to the one who performs the mitzvah, to klall yisroel and the entire world.Joseph- I’d add ” pathological liar” to your resume. Anyone who reads your initial post can see that you were saying that the brutal beatings I suffered were sanctioned … not that an occasional potch might be allowed..
Let me share something else with you: I can distinctly recall ( with great shame) that as a 9 year old after days and weeks of physical and mental abuse ,davening that my rebbe die.
The Stiepler lists the exceptionally rare occasions when any child may be hit.( If he hits others or puts himself in danger). By rejecting our gedolim’s edicts and substituting your own understanding of “t’nach and the M’chaber” as the halacha as it applies today you step dangerously close to branding yourself as a kofer as well.Joseph- apparently you were hit on the head a bit too hard as a kid. Or just a sadist . I was a 3rd grader whispering and I got beat to a pulp. You think that’s normal? I made it clear that the only reason I turned out sane was the affection shown by my high school and bais medresh rabbaim.
it was a litvish yeshiva. Not a lavish yeshiva:) Recess was punch ball , “sewer to sewer”
This is obviously a very serious topic. I’d like to talk about a related topic. About 40 years ago I attended a regular lavish yeshiva ketana in boro park. I remember the 3rd grade rebbe beating me with a cane so badly that my entire leg was bruised and swollen for days. ( and by the way I was a good kid, and had done nothing more than perhaps whisper to a friend). Again in seventh grade we had a old European reebbe who walked around with a wood hanger and used it on anyone who didn’t “have the place”. I clearly remember the CRACK once as he hit a kid’s elbow bone.( the kid never returned to class) We had no recourse. Verbal abuse was a daily occurrence with many of the rebbaim . Amazingly, almost all of us turned out more or less ok. The odd thing is ,I don’t recall any bullying amongst kids. I suppose the horrors our rebbaim imposed on us gave us a common enemy. when Istarted high school I thought I was in gan eden . the rabbaim actually cared about us and every day was a pleasure. We learned to love learning.The memories and all the details of rebbe abuse are surely repressed somewhere in my subconscious.
Scottsdale- If drinking beer was inherently “goyish” I doubt that R’ Pappa would have become wealthy making the stuff. Perhaps your chushiv rov was speaking of one who drinks ale straight from a 24 oz. can rather than one who takes a few sips at a sholom zachor.
Moses Mendelsohn wrote the “Biur” a commentary on Chumash. When a copy was handed to the Chasam Sofer, he immedietly threw it to the ground.
I wear the pants that which have a waist size a few inches wider than I would prefer cause my wife wears the pants when it comes to deciding how many different desserts our guests need ( as well as everything else).
My wife will not touch herring, but whenever we have company she feels compelled to buy a half a dozen types of herring for shalosh sudos.. Ditto with all other delicious/unhealthy/high calorie food. I’m not complaining,but what chance do I have at trying to lose 10 pounds? None.
A pointless albeit timely question. Today’s daf discusses why the Torah refers to those shevatim facing Har Aival as “the half” rather than just “half”.
Surprised “The Wolf” didn’t weigh in.
After all that has been written here we are still faced with the original question: how could Rav Shmuel have made such comments? We are talking about someone who is not only likely the gadol hador (in America) , but someone who many would consider the best person for a good aitza on any subject ( my son called him this week)and has a profound concern for klal yisroel. How then could he make comments which seem almost silly to most?
I believe the only possible answer lies in “sod Hashem l’yiraiov”. By this I don’t mean people shouldn’t get vaccinations. To the contrary I believe 99% of people won’t take Rav Shmuel’s advice and he knows that. But , somehow, I firmly believe,his comments will work out for the best for Klal Yisroel.
And, for the record, I’m a calte litvak.
Sam- I think you misunderstood. I knew the halacha was l’kulah and I immediately confirmed that. However, I used the dream to play a “mind game” on myself . I had been trying to stop for many years and this trick worked. I guess I should have put the word “assumed” in quotes to indicate I basically pretended ( without any new kabbah) that my dream created a neder.
I actually discussed this issue during my daf yomi shiur on daf ches because it had a personal effect on me.
The Rashba does require hatarah for a neder b’chalom( and also requires charatah!). The Nemukai Yosef also holds this way and states that l’chatchila one should be matir before 10 but b’dieved 3 hedyotim is ok.
The Chasam Sofer states that these shitas only apply to where the dream was to accept a chumra. However, in “Shiuray R’ Shmuel” he disagrees and says its possible that the dream was a message from heaven that he should be mekabel the neder( similar to the malach and Shimshon’s mother) and applies to all dreams.
In any event ,as noted by others above, the halacha does not follow these shitas.
My personal story is this: 17 years ago( June 7) I made a neder during a dream that I would stop smoking. (Hardly surprising since I had been coughing a whole night before falling asleep.) When I awoke, I was about to check the halacha ( which I was pretty sure of) but decided that I would assume the halacha was l’chumra. I went out and bought niccorette gum, and the rest is history.
I used my 30 seconds with Rav Shtienman to ask him for a brocha for this.
I was at an aufruf a while back which easily cost $40k. I really wouldn’t be concerned with the elaborate waste except that the person making the aufruf had borrowed from me just about that amount a year earlier(“for business”) and has recently told me that he doesn’t have the money to pay me back. Simply not normal.
I really believed that speaking reasonably with people who spoke in shul was the solution. It is not. No matter what I said or how I said it I was almost always ignored at best or mocked at worst. Even those who thanked me for pointing out the obvious to them inevitably went back to talking. So, I left that shul and now daven with a yeshiva minyan. Best idea I ever had.
Tosfes in Kesubos make it clear that even in their days a chosson getting married without any assets was an everyday occurrence, both “tolerated” and “accepted”.
PAA, was not responding to you- just trying to tone down the negativity .
Btw, with respect to the “pro techeiles crowd” I recently heard an interesting point from a R’ M. Joffen : The heter we rely upon to wear tzitis, even though by wearing a four cornered begged we are being mevatal the mitzvas asai of techailes, is based on rishonim who say that since we don’t know what techailes is , it is not called being mevatel an asai. However, those who believe that they know what techailes is ,would apparently have no heter to go up to the amud to daven with the shul’s non- techailes tallis!
North Miami Beach has a very nice frum neighborhood, a Kollel, a chasiddishe shtibble and Chofetz Chaim Yeshiva. I find it to be a great place for vacation ( you can rent a nice kosher house w a pool quite reasonably).I would consider living there during the winter,after retirement.
For a number of years I had a bunch of Philly boys come to my house for the seuda. Ever one of them drank quite a bit of wine . Yet every year each one of them would say over beautiful divrai torah ( clearly and coherently), sing and dance with a simcha only found on purim , and , needless to say, behaved perfectly. It was beautiful. I continue to maintain my seuda in this fashion. I drink quite a bit ; say over as many pachad yitzchoks as I can recall, and try to be mesamach all those who come in during the seuda. I’ll stop drinking 2 hrs before maariv so that I can daven properly.
And yes, I usually reach a point during the seuda where I can’t tell the difference between the white bottles and the blue bottles.
My point is that while I realize that the excesses , particularly of bochrim, have led to necessary takanos( I won’t ever serve alcohol to boys collecting)there can be no doubt that for those who know they are able to drink at the purim seudah and retain the proper kovod for purim , they should do so and try to reach the madreigos chazal intended on purim.
Anyone who remembers Rav Hutner on Purim will know exactly what I am talking about.
Does anybody not?
It is interesting to note that there is actually a machlokes between the RAMBAM AND RAMBAN as to whether there is a mitzvah of kibbud av if one’s father is a “rasha”.(I strongly doubt that this is relevant in the case being discussed.)
I went to Miami (about 30 years ago) and while walking in the street on Shabbos met someone from my shul and his wife. since we were both “out of towners” we struck up a conversation. When I got back to new York they called me with a shidduch. Of course the story had a happy ending and I still thank them after each grandchild. So yes Miami is a great place to go.
Nowadays, the best bet for bochirim is North Miami beach. You can rent a private(kosher) house and pool there, which will accommodate 6-8 boys for about $450 a night. There are 5 shuls and a kollel in the neighborhood.
Sam- agree with both your points. Was just sayin.
I am surprised no one mentioned that the Rambam, in Hilchos Yom Hakipurim, completely omits any mention of the mitzvah to eat on erev Yom Kippur. However, in Hilchos Nedorim, the Rambam discusses the halochos of a neder not to eat on Yom Tov, Chanukah, and Erev Yom Kippur! There is a fascinating Aruch Hashulchan (in hilchos Yom Kippur) that addresses this stira in the Rambam, and concludes that the Rambam in fact holds that there is not even a mitzvah d’rabonon to eat erev Yom Kippur.
it is not clear to me that Versace ties , which feature a face of Medusa, (which also includes a full face of the sun sun)may be worn. Certainly I’m not paskening, but it may be a haklachic issue issue worth inquiring about.
My son’s chavrusah is doing that after 6 years in kollel. His program required 2 years of sciences( he was still able to go to first seder during that time) and then 4 years dental school. Note, however, that during a depressed economy many people have cut back on going to the dentist as a luxury.
Yiddishefroy- As a young boy I lived on 55th street, the Kapishnizer’s block. (My zaida was the weekday gabbai). We davened there Friday nights. I recall him coming out of the private room in which he davened and I believe that is the closest I will get to seeing a Maalach. Everyone went to say good Shabbos and I can recall the huge smile he gave me as he said gut shabbbos to me and shook my hand as he would to an adult rather than a 6 year old.
I also recall once collecting with my pushka on thirteenth ave. on a Friday afternoon. I saw his son, Rav Zisha zt’l, walking down the block with carrying boxes that literally reached his head. I stepped aside as I didn’t want to bother him. He would have none of that. He spied me and put down his boxes one by one and with a huge smile gave me a QUARTER, when a penny or nickel was the norm.
Many years later I was walking in the bais hakvoros in Teverya and was shocked to see the matzaiva of the rebbe, (since most of the kvorim are quite old);then I looked down and saw a fresh grave without a matzaiva…the handwritten marker indicated it was Rav Zisha’s grave. I broke down crying as all the aforementioned thoughts came racing back to me.
I guess then that PBA goes to the country to relax from staying home. I hear.
WHOA! lop, wolf and SL, please chill. The country is a fun place for some people to go to , and a fun place for others to talk about. I ,for one, was totally kidding around( though whatever I said was true) Please don’t get all hotheaded about a trivial matter. Specially today, erev Shabbos parshas chukas, which the Mogen Avraham brings down as a fast day. Everybody enjoy their Shabbos in the beautiful country or in their nice air conditioned homes in the city!
DY -I neglected to mention that each Shabbos we go up one my kids also come with their kids. So, my wife spends 2 days in Pomegranate and 2 days cooking for everybody .Just unpacking the food is a 3 hr. production. Don’t worry though,three out of four generations have a blast!
No one can point a finger at me. I go up for a few shabbosim to my in law’s bungalow so that I can empathize with the other yidden who have tzoros:)
The same thing happened to my wife about 3 years ago. There was apparently a sign limiting the speed limit on the ramp to the Verrazano to 25 mph due to construction ,(though there was no construction). My wife was clocked at 55 mph. I called a friend to find out who the best lawyer for Staten Island tickets was and was given the name of an attorney. He asked for $1,000 up front, and his paralegal raved about the great results he got. Then all he did was postpone the hearing 3 times in the hopes that the cop wouldn’t show. On the final hearing date ( which we were never even told about) he and the cop agreed to say my wife was 25 miles over the limit and would get 6 points. His paralegal called to tell me the “good news”. Fortunately, I spent about 5 years as counsel to an insurance company providing attorney malpractice and had represented dozens of attorneys. I called the attorney and asked him how many times he had spoken with my wife to discuss the merits of the case or when the hearings would be. he conceded that he never spoke with her, but in his defense said ” you don’t know Staten island judges it is impossible to do any thing” and ” most people don’t want to be bothered going to court”. Of course, he then could not justify his $1,000 retainer. To make a long story short, he asked me what I wanted. I told him that I would accept the full thousand dollars back… and the offer ended that week. He agreed to those terms.