DaMoshe

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  • in reply to: New Brooklyn Eruv: Time to Accept? #2188593
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, I wouldn’t say “most”. I would say “some”. I think there are far more chassidim that carry than MO.
    There are Rabbonim who hold it is ok, but I don’t think any of them are on the level to argue with R’ Moshe. One who may have been, R’ Tuvia Goldstein zt”l, actually held you could make an eruv, but did not pasken that way in public, out of respect to R’ Moshe.

    in reply to: New Brooklyn Eruv: Time to Accept? #2188558
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Neville, why would you say only non-MO follows the psak? In general, MO do not use eruvin in Brooklyn or Manhattan. R’ Schachter shlita paskens not to use it, with only one exception that I know of (which I’ll get back to).
    The ones who don’t follow R’ Moshe on this issue are mostly chassidim. They’re the ones who are behind this new attempt, and also backed some of the earlier attempts.

    As for the exception R’ Schachter gave, I only know of one. By Mt. Sinai hospital, there is an eruv around one side of it, allowing people to walk from one building to another. One street is bordered by Central Park, and there is a dead-end a bit further down on the main street the hospital is on, I believe.
    I spoke to a friend who was a student of R’ Schachter’s about it, and asked him why he’d allow it, when R’ Moshe was opposed. He told me he’d asked R’ Schachter that himself. The response was, “People are dealing with a difficult enough situation when a loved one is in the hospital, especially over Shabbos. So I looked to see if there was a way to be lenient in this situation. In the end, I found that the situation around the hospital is actually not the same as the rest of the areas R’ Moshe paskened about, and I felt that R’ Moshe himself may have been lenient in this case too.”
    My friend also told me that he heard from another close student that R’ Schachter left out one piece when he responded. He was so scared to go against a psak of R’ Moshe, even when he felt that he wasn’t really contradicting it, that he fasted before issuing the psak.

    in reply to: Let's make YCT teshuvas, by popa #2188374
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I know who Rebdoniel is. He was not a straight convert, it was a giyur l’chumrah. He actually doesn’t really follow OO anymore. He became a serious learner, and is now a Rabbi. I believe he specializes in things related to Chevra Kadisha.

    in reply to: What Happened To the Forum I Loved so Well? #2188258
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Neville, Mentsch brought back the forum you know and love – the bashing of MO for no reason, with little to no truth in it.

    in reply to: New Brooklyn Eruv: Time to Accept? #2188107
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I was told that R’ Moshe’s reason for allowing Eruvin in Queens but not in Brooklyn is because of the way the boroughs are viewed. If you mail a letter to someone in Brooklyn, you address it to “Brooklyn, NY”, no matter which area in Brooklyn it is. Nobody writes “Boro Park”, “Midwood”, etc.
    In Queens, the common practice is to write the name of the area – it will be addressed to “Kew Gardens”, “Kew Garden Hills”, etc.
    So R’ Moshe allowed eruvin in Queens, but each section has its own, and they also have to make eruvin to allow for crossing from one area to another. That is indeed how it’s done in Queens.

    in reply to: A Chief Rabbi Attends the Coronation in a Church? #2187948
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    This whole discussion is really sickening. Our resident haters, Joseph and Aveirah, are once again looking for reasons to insult someone who they don’t agree with. Why do you need to know the exact name of the Rav who gave the psak? Does it impact you at all? Is anybody asking you to do something similar, or asking you to accept R’ Mirvis as your posek? No, so why do you care?
    The way that you look for reasons to insult other Jews is disgusting. True sinas chinam.

    in reply to: A Chief Rabbi Attends the Coronation in a Church? #2187894
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    R’ Mirvis stated that he consulted with other Rabbonim, and did not make the decision to attend on his own. The reason for the heter was eivah. He also noted that when the invitation begins with “His Majesty commands”, it allows for more leniency due to eivah, as opposed to the word “requests”.

    in reply to: New Brooklyn Eruv: Time to Accept? #2187478
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, look up what meforshim say that means.

    The Riva says the left/right mentioned in the pasuk refers to Rabbonim telling us not to do a mitzvah such as Shofar on Shabbos, or Arba Minim on Shabbos. It only refers to a mitzvah that they are telling us NOT to do.

    The Yerushalmi says in Horios that the pasuk means only if they say right is right and left is left. If they say otherwise, you do not listen.

    There are many shitos against Rashi. Indeed, both Rambam and Ramban do not pasken like Rashi in this regard. There is a Sifre which Rashi bases it on, but again, many question the Sifre, and there are Gemoros in both Bavli and Yerushalmi that say otherwise. R’ Ovadia Yosef reconciles the two views as I mentioned above – you have to confront the Rav if you think he erred. Until you confront him, you do not listen. The Yad HaMelech states that if you listen when you think he erred just because you think you have to listen, you are required to bring a korbon chatas. Only after confronting the Rav with the opposing view, and he stands by what he said, are you required to listen.

    in reply to: Time to demolish orthopraxy #2187200
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Avram, I tried to find it, and I realized I was mistaken. It wasn’t R’ Tendler, it was R’ Rakefet, who also was in BMG during its early days. Here is the exact quote:
    “When I learned in Lakewood, the only one who wore a black hat was Reb Aharon Kotler. Even the old mashgiach, Reb Nosson Wachtfogel, wouldn’t dare wear a black hat. No one wore black pants and white shirts. It was unheard of. Everyone dressed different and stylish.”

    in reply to: Time to demolish orthopraxy #2186871
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    AAQ: You make a great point.
    There was an interview years ago with R’ Yosef Tendler zt”l, who was one of the early students of R’ Ahron Kotler in Lakewood. He was asked if the talmidim at that time wore black hats. He said that no, only the Rosh Yeshiva and Mashgiach did, and it would have been considered disrespectful for the boys to wear them. It would appear that they held themselves on the same level.
    How times have changed…

    in reply to: Early Shabbos minyan Brooklyn #2185942
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    N0mesorah, the Mishnah Berurah disagrees with you, and says we do worry about tarti d’sasri.
    וי”א דבצבור יש להקל להתפלל מעריב מבע”י אף אם התפלל מנחה אחר פלג המנחה ונ”ל שאין לסמוך על זה רק כשהוא מתפלל מעריב עכ”פ בבין השמשות ובשעת הדחק

    in reply to: Early Shabbos minyan Brooklyn #2185162
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    There’s a big issue with the 7:00 early Shabbos minyanim. If you’re going to daven Kabbalas Shabbos before shkiah, you need to daven Mincha before plag. Plag today in Brooklyn is 6:22, so Mincha starting at 6:10 or so should work.

    in reply to: Shabbos dips #2184810
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Jalapeno dip
    Roasted garlic dip

    in reply to: Is every Rav now a Gaon as well? #2181628
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, as far as Lo Sassur and Rashi’s comment on left/right:
    The Riva says the left/right mentioned in the pasuk refers to Rabbonim telling us not to do a mitzvah such as Shofar on Shabbos, or Arba Minim on Shabbos. It only refers to a mitzvah that they are telling us NOT to do.

    The Yerushalmi says in Horios that the pasuk means only if they say right is right and left is left. If they say otherwise, you do not listen.

    There are many shitos against Rashi. Indeed, both Rambam and Ramban do not pasken like Rashi in this regard. There is a Sifre which Rashi bases it on, but again, many question the Sifre, and there are Gemoros in both bavli and Yerushalmi that say otherwise. R’ Ovadia Yosef reconciles the two views as I mentioned above – you have to confront the Rav if you think he erred. Until you confront him, you do not listen. The Yad HaMelech states that if you listen when you think he erred just because you think you have to listen, you are required to bring a korbon chatas. Only after confronting the Rav with the opposing view, and he stands by what he said, are you required to listen.

    in reply to: Why did the Brisker Rav zt”l call giving brachos “shtusim”? #2176221
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Brachos are definitely not a “magic pill”. It doesn’t accomplish much, unless the Rav actually davens or does something as a zchus for the individual.
    I have a relative who is a real kabbalist. He doesn’t advertise himself, doesn’t accept money to meet with people, or anything like that. He just sits and learns all day. I was once at his house visiting, when someone came in to see him, who was having a difficult time. She explained her situation to him. He sat there, with his eyes closed, for a minute, without saying anything. Then he opened his eyes, and said to her, “IY”H Hashem will help.” She left the house. My relative turned to us and asked to be excused for a few moments.
    His son said to me, “You know why he sat there? A brachah on its own doesn’t do anything. He was thinking what he could take on as a zchus for this person. But he has so many others he’s doing things for, that he needs to figure out what he can do, and when. Now he excused himself because he’s going to his study daven and cry for half an hour or so for this person.”

    That is what matters – actions, and tefillah. Just saying something nice doesn’t do much.

    in reply to: Hand Matzos vs Machine Matzos #2175744
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Midwest, I heard a different reason for Shatzer closing.

    in reply to: Looking for a song #2174494
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    It’s not from Ruach Revival, it’s from Ruach – they’re not the same.
    You can get it on the Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archive, although you’ll need to register an account first.

    in reply to: How to do teshuva for breaking shabbos? #2174087
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I actually agree with Aveirah for once. Anxiety can be crippling for some, and it’s hard to understand what they go through.
    That said, I disagree about it being something in modern times. If anything, in modern times, we have medications to treat it, so you may only see someone’s anxiety being an issue when it breaks through the medication. I’d think that 100 years ago, people with bad anxiety were just considered to be crazy, because with no treatment, they always seemed “weird”.

    in reply to: How to do teshuva for breaking shabbos? #2174044
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to use the phone on Shabbos. I’ve even had to drive on Shabbos. When you have a family member with health problems, this is the reality.
    Doing this does not require teshuva, as you did nothing wrong. In fact, if you push things off until after Shabbos, that would probably require teshuva, because you prioritized Shabbos over a person’s life.
    After one of the first times I had to go with someone to the hospital on Shabbos, I was discussing with my Rav about how I did things. I old him that I didn’t know if I did everything properly, minimizing the melachah as much as possible.
    He responded to me that it’s easier when you know something will happen – for example, if your wife is due to give birth, and there’s a good chance it will happen on Shabbos, you can pre-arrange for a car, explaining that payment will be given after Shabbos, ask for them to open doors, etc.
    When it’s an unplanned emergency, you just react, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In a case of pikuach nefesh, you do what you think is best to help the person. You’re in the ER and need a nurse, and you don’t see one at the desk? You can ring the call bell. His words were, “Don’t overthink things.” Trying to minimize melachah can cause the level of care to be less.

    in reply to: What was your Purim like? #2172599
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Joseph, I didn’t “consummate” any wine.
    I had about half a cup of Moscato. I know about how much alcohol one can consume and legally be allowed to drive. I drink less than that amount to be extra careful. I also drink it early in the meal, so that by the time I’m ready to drive, there is no doubt that I’m fine.

    in reply to: What was your Purim like? #2172564
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I had a very nice Purim. I happened to be in Far Rockaway for part of the day, and was able to go see my Rebbe, R’ Bender. I had the seudah with a family member. I drank a small amount of wine so that I’d be able to drive home after. My wife and daughter enjoyed it as well.

    in reply to: Rabbeim- ditch the drink #2169984
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Shimon, looking for the exact source led me to an OU article, which lists a few sources for only drinking wine: Hitorerut Teshuva O.C. 3:491, Nitei Gavriel p.83, Rambam Megilla 2:15

    The Rambam also notes that the drinking is part of the seudah, not independent of it.
    כֵּיצַד חוֹבַת סְעֻדָּה זוֹ. שֶׁיֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר וִיתַקֵּן סְעֻדָּה נָאָה כְּפִי אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדוֹ. וְשׁוֹתֶה יַיִן עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּכֵּר וְיֵרָדֵם בְּשִׁכְרוּתוֹ.

    Additionally, the Orchos Chaim says, “To be thoroughly drunk is completely forbidden. There is no greater sin than this, for it leads to adultery, bloodshed, and many other sins besides. Rather, you should drink a little more than you are accustomed to.”

    in reply to: Neo-Chassidus #2169756
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    It’s a great example of “Feel Good Judaism”, where people believe that anything which gives you a warm fuzzy feeling is bringing you closer to Hashem.

    in reply to: Medinah #2169012
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, the third was against the other nations, that they should not subjugate the Jews excessively.
    IIRC (it’s been a long time since I learned Kesuvos), there was another opinion that there were 6 Oaths, the additional 3 being not to hasten the geulah, not to push it away, and not to share the secrets with the other nations.

    Regarding the quotes from R Meir Simcha and from R’ Kluger, they are brought down in the sefer HaTekufah HaGedolah.

    Aveirah, I hate to say it, but you are committing the same sin as the miraglim.

    in reply to: Rabbeim- ditch the drink #2168968
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Even if there is a chiyuv to get drunk, the way it is done is very often incorrect.
    The mitzvah is to drink wine. Not whiskey, beer, or anything else. Just wine.
    The mitzvah only applies during the Purim seudah. It definitely doesn’t apply Purim night after Megillah reading. Additionally, one must be able to recite Birchas Hamazon after the seudah, and also daven Maariv. If either of those will be affected by the drinking, it is better not to drink at all (see Biur Halacha 695).

    Many yeshivos hold a mesibah on Purim night, after Megillah reading. I’ve seen boys get completely drunk. Every year, hundreds of boys are taken to hospitals because of alcohol poisoning. A friend of mine who was a Hatzalah member told me that Purim is their busiest day of the year. This is definitely 100% wrong – drinking should never become life threatening!
    If Rabbeim want to model proper drinking, then they should invite the boys over for the seudah, and show them how it is. I once was at my Rebbe’s house (not R’ Bender, another Rebbe from Darchei) just after he finished his seudah. His wife mentioned that she needed something from the store, and he apologized to her. “I drank just enough to feel a bit dizzy, so I can’t drive. I’m so sorry! Are you able to get it yourself?” That is how a Rebbe shows a talmud the proper way to act.

    in reply to: Medinah #2168961
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, R’ Shlomo Kluger wrote about it in Maasei Yedei Yotzer.
    Regarding R’ Meir Simcha, he actually says specifically that he is referring to the oath not to rebel against the nations, not about mass migration to Eretz Yisrael. None of the Oaths specifically refer to creating a Jewish country. The 2 Oaths that pertain to the Jews are not to rebel against the nations, and not to have a mass, forced migration to Eretz Yisrael. R’ Meir Simcha wrote that after the Balfour Declaration, there was no issue of rebelling against the nations. I’d say that after the UN vote, that opinion is even stronger, as the vote had more weight than just the declaration.

    in reply to: Medinah #2168706
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, you didn’t respond to my points about the Oaths.

    in reply to: Medinah #2168020
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Regarding the 3 Oaths, there were many major Rabbonim who held they didn’t apply:
    R’ Meir Simcha of Dvinsk held that the Balfour Declaration ended them, as they couldn’t be considered to be rebelling anymore. The Tzitz Eliezer went a step further – he held that since the UN voted to establish a Jewish Homeland, it would be rebelling to ignore them, and therefore they were obligated to form the State.
    R’ Shlomo Kluger held that since Jews were severely persecuted by the other nations, the Oaths were no longer binding – he relied on the Shulchan Aruch which says it needs both sides to maintain an agreement.
    A huge group of Rabbonim also held that the only migration that was forbidden was when it was forced. Since nobody forced the immigration to happen, it didn’t violate the Oath.

    There are definitely issues with the State of Israel, but I don’t think the Oaths are one (or three?) of them. i see both potential for good and potential for bad in the State (along with good and bad outcomes), and choose to focus on the good. Everything in the world comes from Hashem, and everything has the potential for both good and bad. Israel is no different.

    in reply to: “Karen” #2166281
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    You should ask to speak to a manager to clarify the difference.

    in reply to: MODERN ORTHODOXY: The Fundamental problems #2164742
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Wow… just wow.
    Joseph, one thread was closed due to all the hate being spewed, so you bring up a thread that hasn’t been touched in over 7 years, to spew more hatred – on a point that wasn’t even mentioned in the thread!
    What a Rasha you are. You sicken me.

    in reply to: Different Tracks of Modern Orthodoxy #2164357
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    First, I’d like to say that numerous points made by Joseph, Aveirah, and others are completely false. They really enjoy making things up, or twisting other things to suit their own purposes.

    I think we really need to make a differentiation between LWMO and the rest of it. LWMO I’ll define as Avi Weiss and his ilk. I agree that they have major issues, and they should not be considered Orthodox. It’s not only my opinion – the RCA said a number of years ago that they left Orthodoxy. So they could call themselves whatever they want, it doesn’t change what they are. Lumping them together with good, frum MO people is a mistake.

    Does MO have some issues? Of course, every sect does. That doesn’t mean it’s all wrong.

    You also can’t compare the Modern Orthodoxy of 50+ years ago to what exists today. Torah observance in the US has grown tremendously, and MO as a whole has grown as well.

    I disagree about the characterization of tefillah in a MO shul being filled with talking and smartphone use. It’s not true. In fact, I will say that the worst shul I’ve ever been to as far as decorum is concerned is a chassidish shul in Brooklyn, with a Rav who is regarding as a big adam gadol, who is widely respected. But after seeing the lack of decorum multiple times, I refuse to daven there anymore.

    In truth, I should point out that I’ve seen people talking on the phone in shul, on Shabbos. I’ve used the phone on Shabbos myself. I even used it on Rosh Hashanah, and I believe once on Pesach, during the seder. I have adult family members who don’t fast on Yom Kippur, and still consider themselves frum. Is this because I’m MO? No, I’m sure you guessed that it was all for medical reasons. You know what else I’ve seen? A family member who learned in kollel, who was a chassid shoteh. His wife went into labor on Shabbos afternoon. He decided, “She likely won’t give birth too quickly, and it’s only a few hours until Shabbos ends. I’ll be maikel and use the earliest zman, and then take her to the hospital!” He even left her alone to go to shul to daven Maariv! Baruch Hashem, the baby was born about 10 seconds after they got into the hospital – shomer p’sayim Hashem.
    This is what yeshivish has become.
    NoMesorah pointed out the leadership vacuum. When did Chareidim become like chassidim, and need a Rebbe in charge? Each time a Gadol Hador passes away, everyone goes crazy trying to figure out who gets the title next! Why does it matter? You have your Rav, listen to him! This is exactly one of the things the Gra feared with his opposition to Chassidus – the elevation of the Rebbe to a position above that of a person.
    It fits for Joseph to quote Rabbonim from 60-70 years ago when he wants to, what about the Gra? Joseph, do you oppose chassidus? After all, it had no mesorah at all, and was opposed by the Gadol Hador at the time! Does this not fit your narrative?

    This entire thread is truly sickening. The sinas chinam showed here is terrifying. Aveirah, I fully agree with those who said that you should not be in a classroom. I pray that one day you are found out for the hateful person you are, and you get blacklisted.

    This has turned into a rant, because I’m just so sickened by this. These hateful people should be begging for forgiveness from the thousands of people they are insulting.

    in reply to: Different Tracks of Modern Orthodoxy #2163599
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    This entire topic is hilarious. People making up facts all over the place. Between Joseph, Aveirah, and Lakewhut, I don’t know who made up more stuff.

    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Can we pause for a moment to recognize Joseph’s hero, Levi Aron? After all, he might have been nervous about walking between 2 women in Boro Park. He was “massered” on by the wife of a frum Brooklyn politician. How dare she do such a thing!

    (Before I get jumped on, this post is sarcastic, aimed purely at Joseph for trying to defend people touching kids who aren’t their own, and attacking a mother for protecting her child.)

    in reply to: Stop the trend of post going to Brisk and its proxies #2160576
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, I don’t think I ever heard that Rebbe talk about R’ Yoshe Ber, so I can’t really answer your question. I definitely remember him saying some very negative things about RAY.
    I also remember hearing that RAY used to daven Mincha b’yichidus somewhat often, instead of davening with the yeshiva. Someone told me he heard another Rav say “If RAY would daven b’rabim and say lashon hara b’yichidus, instead of the other way around, he’d be much better off!”

    in reply to: Stop the trend of post going to Brisk and its proxies #2160195
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Why is there a ranking of different yeshivos? It should be about which one is the best fit for each person. They’re not one size fits all.

    I had heard also that RAY was considered “better” than R’ Dovid. A friend told me he was going to R’ Dovid’s yeshiva, and I jokingly said, “You couldn’t get into RAY?” He replied, “Why should I learn by a grandson of the Brisker Rav when I can learn by his son?”
    One of my Rabbeim from Darchei had an extremely low opinion of RAY. He used to refer to him as AJ. Someone once asked him what the issue was, and he replied, “My mother taught me, if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” The boy asked, “Rebbe, there’s nothing good to say?” The Rebbe replied, “His father was a big talmud chacham.”

    There was a story told when I was in yeshiva about RAY. Supposedly he strongly disagreed with a psak that R’ Moshe Feinstein had given, and wasn’t shy about saying so. Once, in shiur, he was talking about it, and he yelled out, “ah Feinstein hut gemacht a churban in America!”
    R’ Elya Svei’s son (I believe that’s who it was) was in the shiur. He stood up and yelled back, “I heard it was a Soloveitchik!” Then he walked out of the room.

    in reply to: Different Tracks of Modern Orthodoxy #2159534
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Lakewhut, I’m not sure why you view that as a good thing. The fact that they take over local boards, in order to benefit the Jewish community, often creates a huge Chillul Hashem. Look at Ramapo, and all the games they played there – it was disgusting.
    We are in galus. We are supposed to keep our heads down and do what need to do in order to get by. Being in public positions, taking over local governments – this is not the way to do things.

    in reply to: Aryeh Deri #2159446
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    If the state is illegitimate, and its laws are not binding on anyone, then why do you care if Deri is part of it or not? Are you trying to grant it legitimacy by having him be part of it?

    Deri wasn’t only convicted for tax violations. Years earlier, he was also convicted for accepting bribes, which is an issur d’Oraysa.

    in reply to: Different Tracks of Modern Orthodoxy #2158158
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I don’t know where you get your ideas from. Plenty of Rabbonim who are YU musmachim have no problem calling out the liberal elements – my Rav does so all the time! The vast majority of my community is very frum – many men have daily sedorim to learn, and the women dress tzniusly. No, most of us don’t dress yeshivish – you’ll see colored shirts, and few black hats, but that doesn’t mean we’re not frum!

    in reply to: expensive foods #2158042
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    There is a huge difference between eating onions and going on cruises or hotel programs for Pesach.
    Also try to remember that you are supposed to have better foods for Shabbos and Yom Tov.
    So how do we do this? I don’t go out to fancy restaurants unless it’s a special occasion – my anniversary, or maybe my wife’s birthday. While I do eat chicken during the week, I do make an effort to have foods that are special for Shabbos. (One thing I’m a big fan of is dried salami/sausages, and I save them for Shabbos when I do get them.)
    For Yom Tov it’s a bit easier – I’ll buy a roast. I almost never have it on regular Shabbosim. The only time is if I’m having a large amount of guests and I know some of them really enjoy it. In fact, I had that recently. I mentioned to a friend that I had prepared a brisket for Shabbos, and he gave me an incredulous look, and said, “It’s not Yom Tov!”
    So we can have good foods, and I don’t think it’s a problem. But there is a line where it just becomes wasteful.

    in reply to: Ethical Orthodoxy #2156910
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Wow, who needs Hamas, neo-Nazis, and other antisemitic groups, when we have AviraDeArah?

    in reply to: When should bochurim start dating? #2153395
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I don’t think there’s one age that fits everyone.
    There should be more education on what having your own home is like. How to be financially responsible, how to maintain a home, etc. That’s something which isn’t really taught in yeshivos, and I personally know many individuals who struggled with it right after getting married.
    Start teaching those items, and then maybe boys will be ready for marriage earlier.

    in reply to: Should all Yidden know Hebrew? #2151050
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, you mentioned R’ Levi Yitzchak earlier in this topic. One thing I do know, is that he always looked for the good in people.
    If he were around today, and heard someone using inappropriate words in Ivrit, his comment would likely be, “Hashem, look how amazing your children are! Even those who struggle, still use your holy language, because they feel connected to you! Forgive the misuse of the language, and deepen the relationship!”

    in reply to: Chasidus Without Context #2147744
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Avira. the Besht taught that improper thoughts should not be avoided. The reason is that he believed that since the entire world is a manifestation of Hashem’s will, and Hashem is purely good, therefore everything in the world is good. This is the basis of the whole idea of klipos, hiding kernels of holiness within them.
    The Besht said that if one was in middle of davening, and began having improper thoughts, one should NOT try to remove them from his mind. Instead, he should concentrate on the images, and appreciate the beauty within them. Try to acknowledge that it all comes from Hashem. Since lust is connected with love, if one recognizes that the lust comes from Hashem, concentrating on it will lead to Ahavas Hashem.
    Indeed, one of his students, Leib Melamed from Brody, wrote a commentary on the Tur, and he commented that it’s praiseworthy to try and picture inappropriate images while davening, in order to elevate your love of Hashem.

    Obviously, the misnagdim strongly opposed this idea. R’ Dovid of Makow, one of the misnagdim, explained something which the Gra said – the Gra came out publicly against chassidim exclaiming “Yakar!” while davening. R’ Dovid said the Gra picked this issue because Yakar has the same letters as Keri. He wouldn’t use the term straight out due to tznius, but he was alluding to the improper ideas they had during davening.

    in reply to: Chasidus Without Context #2147631
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Yabia, the idea of the supremacy of D’veykus with Hashem was a radical innovation of the Besht, and was opposed by most of the leading Rabbonim of the time.
    Chassidus today has almost NOTHING in common with the chassidus started by the Besht. They just hold onto a few items because of the warm fuzzy feeling.
    I’ve studied the arguments between the early chassidim and the misnagdim. Some of the things the Besht taught make no sense at all, and would never be accepted today.

    in reply to: Chasidus Without Context #2147243
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    mentsch, my point was that it doesn’t necessarily inject ruchniyos. A warm fuzzy feeling doesn’t mean you’re getting closer to Hashem.

    in reply to: Chasidus Without Context #2147192
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Many people like to celebrate these Chassidish events because they’re enjoyable. It’s a shame that they try to disguise it as a religious observance. It’s just another piece of what I like to call “Feel-good Judaism”, where people just pick parts of various Mesorahs, whatever gives them a warm fuzzy feeling.
    In most cases, people don’t really have any religious context for it.
    Here is another example:
    In my community, a number of people switched from davening on Shabbos morning at a minyan which is at a usual time, in order to go to a late minyan (not starting until 10). When I asked a friend “what about the halachos of zman Krias Shema and zman tefillah?” his response was that Chassidus has minhagim of different zmanim, so it’s ok. This person is not a chassid – he doesn’t keep any other chassidish minhagim. He just picks this because it’s easy for him.

    Judaism isn’t about feeling good. Yes, doing mitzvos should make you happy, but it doesn’t always. It’s about doing what Hashem wants from us, however it makes us feel.

    in reply to: Is a Kashrus Agency the Moral Police? #2146232
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    I was told by the head of a very respected hechsher in Brooklyn that kashrus is about 85% politics and 15% hilchos kashrus. So I guess I agree that the 50% figure put out a little while back is incorrect.

    in reply to: Taking a Kulah from Across the Aisle #2145678
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, it can be an issue of Yuhara to search out chumros. I did a Google search to find an exact source, and actually it turned up an old thread from the Coffee Room (and my old friend Feif Un): https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/taking-on-chumros

    Also look up what R’ Shlomo Wolbe said about proper Avodas Hashem vs serving your own ego and desires to be more “frum”, without considering what it actually means.

    in reply to: Taking a Kulah from Across the Aisle #2145537
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Aveirah, if someone is purposely seeking out chumros because they are concerned about doing the right thing, then they should probably see a therapist. They may have anxiety issues.
    Recognize what a chumrah is – it’s a stringency, not halachah. In fact, it is actually assur to search out extra chumros to take on for yourself.

    in reply to: Mekubal/Tzaddik #2145536
    DaMoshe
    Participant

    Yes, I do know of one real mekubal who is 100% legit. Does he have real open Ruach haKodesh? I don’t think anyone does in modern times.
    But he doesn’t want it publicized. People who know him appreciate this, and don’t spread his information around.

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