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There are many chassidish hashgachos that provide supervision outside of the larger concentrations of frum yidden, to the extent a local establishment wants to be able to offer the assurance of high standards of kashruth to its clientele.
Its very difficult to “call up” a local vaad or hashgacha agency and “ask them” about their reliability….what are they going to tell you.. “Of course, our mashgichim are big talmeidei chachamim and yirei shamayim and are able to stay awake most of the time to assure that no treifus walks through the door…”. Your best bet is to find some local chassideshe hashgacha, if one if available, and either patronize their establishments or ask them to opine on any others. Some will disagree, but in the large percentage of cases, you can’t go wrong with chassideshe hashgacha.
Joseph Says
“This new age idea that men should keep out of women issues, popularized in political culture in debates about abortion and other contemporary liberal thought, is entirely and completely a goyishe train of thought.:
No Joe…its NOT “new age”…your constant effort to denigrate women in the name of Halacha is fairly transparent but most of the time, ignored…nor is misogyny a goiyeshe concept. More and more bnos yisroel are getting an education, becoming more informed of their rights and responsibilities under both halacha and civil law and and no, its not apikorsus to disagree with those who would keep women in some dark virtual cave and allowed to come out only when their husbands or fathers gave them permission. You paint a very sad picture of any women in your life by your commentaryTo Meno…
And what other “chiddush” (aside from the nexus between the mitzvah being all about tzinius) do you wish Rav Moshe had been aware of??..”which poskim bigger than Chacham Ovadiah disagreed with”…
We should have some sort of rule that if you are going say Gadol X is “bigger” than Gadol Y or that the holding of Posek A ” trumps” Posek B (except for Ungarashe yidden living in Bnai Brak)…etc. you have to also post your Gadolim ranking or Posek “top 10” listing….this A is bigger than B stuff is both silly and not especially informative since no one has a clue as to the criteria you are using and generally, different groups have different perceptions as to who is the gadol hador (not that I would know). That’s why we have our own local rav or posek to hold by, and generally we take their guidance. However, one of the great gifts of the YWN CR is that if you carefully scroll through the archives, you can always find some attribution to some gadol or posek who will hold the exact position you are hoping to legitimize.
A. There is always somewhere that yidden need rain/wind/dew or other meteorological interventions (and there is even a ski area on the Hermon whose parnassah requires ample snowfall)
B. Given the reality of global warming, its not clear that any of this matters anyway…we hold by the shita of R’ Al Gore but not all do.I’m sure you can find both frum men and women wearing just about ANY color (although various shades of black have been the “in” color at the fall and spring runway shows for men for the past several hundred years). Yes, you will find some niche chassidus wearing white bekeshes and knee sox but those seem to be an exception….in some other cases, the standard chassidishe lvush prescribes that only the rebbe is wearing white (or white stripes) but the masses are still dressed in standard penguin garb…
Joseph!!
Yashyer koach on your mathematics and analytical skills…..impressive
After 100+ postings, no one has yet made a convincing case that a marrid frum woman should not wear a sheitel if that is the guidance she receives from her rav/posek. While thre are certainly many rabbonim an poskim who prefer a tichel, and they are entitled to respect, seeking to marginalize or denigrate those who chooe otherwise would likely result in alienation from yiddeshkeit rather than raising the madregah of observance. The “assur everything” crowd obviously will disagree but they seem at times to be clueless as to the real world and the effects of their words and actions on those who are struggling wih their hashkafah.
If you go down the “gematria” route, you can probably prove that yosef=???? we could have an entire thread devoted to the numerology of what nouns and adjectives would work with the yud,…..etc.
A mesorah can change over time…..one metric of that change is how a large segment of the Tzibur evolves in their observance, as informed by their own rebbeim and poskim. This is not the exclusive form of change, and we could have a one-time edict from all gadoyley yisroel that a change in mesorah is required. However, the inyan of ervah/tzinius with respect to a sheitel vs. snood vs. tichel etc. is materially different from debating whether our mesorah includes eating chicken A versus chicken B.
Forget about the Hikinds….they are “done”….not clear he will even run again for assembly given the cloud hanging over him….he should hang up his Fedora while many still have some positive memories of him from his earlier council days where he was good on constituent services and before he developed an obcessoin with jumping in front of every camera in sight and holding self-aggrandizing news conferences to opine on issues unrelated to his elected office.
Perhaps there should be serious consideration to hold one final “mega-asifa” focused on the theme of assuring all future asifas since they result in an incredible amount of bitul torah if one accounts for the time spent traveling to and from the event as well as the event itself. Further, consider their efficacy given that several recent surveys show continued growth in the use of smartphones computers and other internet connected devices among the frum tzibur as well as a rapid growth in the some of website clearly affiliated with frum mosdos or advertising focused on the frum customers
Perhaps its because so many YWN readers have O’d on “Asifas: dealing with the internet….time fo a new round of “assur this, assur that”.. so we can have some new and original asifah subjects.
In all my years on YWN, I don’t believe I can recall anyone dismissively characterizing the views of R’ Elyashiv, Z”TL as “daas yachid” (aka an outlying opinion) that should be ignored in favor of a more prevalent view among other rabbonim. Nor have I heard R’ Belsky characterized as a second tier posek in comparison to someone else. In any event, we hold by our own LRP and its up to him to advise us as to which of the gadolim he relies upon for the guidance he provides to us.
Just like we have a chavrusah for learning, in some cases it makes sense to have a similar chavrussah for fitness and exercise. Not only will it provide really important incentives to exercise on a regular basis, running or biking with your friends may give you needed chizuk to pursue your fitness goals and share ideas/suggestions on how you might exercise more efficiently. Several of you might also be able to afford (as a group) to hire a trainer one day a week or something like that. Exercising by yourself is good for some men and women but “group” efforts are more likely to keep you committed to your “exercise chevrah” for a longer term.
To Joseph:
“Yeger had initially started running against Chaim Deutch…..In addition [he was] attempting to take away a Yid’s job, which isn’t halachicly permissible….”Generally, there is a kernel of substance in your trolls but your comment above is really inane. If a politican has done a lousy job for his constituents, yidden or otherwise, a yid should feel obligated to run against him and replace him and do a better job for the tzibur. Are all the religious party politicians in EY who seek to displace the secular politicans violaitng halacha?? Are all the gadolim (real ones) who endorse their candidacies also indirectly engaged in violating halacha. Oh. but a talmid chacham like you would argue that maybe its ok in a parlimentary system where you don’t directly run against another candidate but insteadi ar te trying to maximize votes for your slate of candidates…
My point was simple and I think you know it (especially if you live in BP, Willy or any other major urban area….the way women dress on the street may not be much different than the gym….perhaps your one of the ehrliche yiddne who are like those big tzadikim that YWN ran the story about who wear some sort of bag over their heads when flying on commercial airlines. If you believe that the women at your local gym are dressing especially provactively, than I agree with you 100 percent but a my gym, most of the women are wearing oversized sweats and loose baggy tops that do not challenge the yetzer hora.
Not sure why a “men only” gym is a real issue. In today’s world, you will not see a woman dressed much differently in a gym than you probably see multiple times a day on the street or in the park on a warm summer day (in fact, possibly worse on the street than in the gym). Keeping yourself healthy is more important than possibly someone on the treadmill not being dressed tziniudik. There are plenty of exercise videos on line with men only…we cannot post web links here but just google “men’s fitness” videos and you will get plenty of options. Much hatzlacha with your fitness efforts.
Only if says “i Voted [for the frum guy from BP who lives in daddy’s basement who has zero knowledge of NYC public policy issues]….in the latter case, it is a per se acknowledgement of substance abuse or someone in need of intervention
If all the collective energy and passion that the MEN here in the CR devote to women’s sheitels and other issues concerning women and ervah, tzinius, were focused instead on self-introspection and inward directed musar, there is a very high likelihood we would have seen z’man moisiach by now. Its a lot easier to vent about a woman’s sheitel or a perceived decline in tzinus on 13th Avenue than to really look inside oneself and undertake truly transformative changes in one’s lifestyle and own hashkafah.
To Joseph:
Perhaps Monsey, Lakewood, BP and Willy can all go on Icelandic time so those coming to the late maariv minyanim can stay over and daven vasikim shachris….but I guess that might not work because the maariv will also move back a few hours or is that forward…
CT Lawyer correctly describes the status of a senior LA/Paralegal in a small number of firms….the large percentile of LAs in many large New york and Magic Circle firms spend long-hours in mind-numbing work in document review, due dilligence etc. In this new age where most lawyers do their own document drafting (aka typing) and many of the younger lawyers do their own legal research as well, the lines between the old legal secretaries (many of whom took “dicatation”), legal assistants and law clerks have blurred. Some large firms now have a 5:1 or 6:1 ratio of lawyers to secretaries and LAs are pooled across practice areas.
It can be good work if your working for CTLawyer but I fear the large percentage of opportunities are not nearly as exciting, rewarding or challengingIf an unatrractive married women with unattractive hair goes out and buys a really machmir-type fake hair sheitel that satisfies even Joe’s farblungete psak (or that of the Shtieblach Rebbe he seems to rely upon for his psaks) and suddently this plain looking baas yisrel looks like a princess,, is that really what anyone believes chazal had in mind with their concerns over the inyan of ervah in a married woman? Just when I think he is making some semblance of sense, he takes another twist and turn in tto the rabbit hole
With respect to NY milk regulations, perhaps an innovative marketer could sell one gallon containers of a mix of 50% cholov yisroel and 50% cholov stam and label it with a catchy name, something like “Half and Half”…this might help bring down the cost and further confuse the situation. Also, think of how many new threads Joseph could start as to why any Rav who gives it a hashgacha is probably some nitwit “shtieblach rebbe”.
We learn from the admonition of “aseh l’cha rav” to rely upon our local rav/posek to NOT “cherry pick” a psak from among multiple rabbonim that best fits our own inclinations but to identify our “own” rav and follow his guidance, even when inconvenient. Joseph tells us to ignore the guidance of what he disparagingly refers to as our local “corner shteeble rov” and instead follow a bona fide gedolei posek? Well, given that we don’t have a website listing Joseph’s approved “gedolim” (and even if he did, I probably wouldn’t get honorable mention), many of us will continue to follow our LRPs (who we assume are aware of what some “gadolim” may have said in some kol koreh) in matters of Halacha arising in our daily lives.
Much better to go for a date on Thursday nights when many kosher places have their unlimited chulent specials. Both you and your prospective beschert will have fond memories of that date through at least motzi Shabbos and maybe longer.
Is there a good location for a dairy farm in Willy or BP?
Outside of NYC which has some really quriky regulations on all milk sales, the priciing varies considerably between smaller “heimeshe” markets and larger, modern kosher “supermarkets”. The latter have increasingly been using really low prices on chalav yisroel (competitive with chalav stam in some cases) as a “loss leader”, to attract shoppers to the market. The heimeshe markets simply cannot afford to match those prices because they purchase and sell in much smaller volumes, are less efficient in their storage and cooling facilities etc.
Flipping houses in Baltimore?? Now thats what I consider a low risk investment for a Bubby. Perhaps she should also consider investing in one of the new Chopsie’s Chulent franchise locations
I understand the question but was curious as to how or why the issue would arise in modern times when wearing tfillin all day is not common even among most gadolim…threads on eruv tavshllin are a bit more relevant to poishete yidden since they deal with it several time a year. Was not meant to be critical or negative….
There are muni bonds with high ratings with minimal default risk….also cettain high grade corporate bonds and preferred shares depending on your risk tolerance….these may get you up to a 3-4 percent return: anything more than that probably has more risk than you should be taking.
To Meno: I just have to ask….what made you think about starting a thread on this somewhat arcane question that is relevant maybe 10 times a year (given the typically a few days rosh chodesh may be on Shabbos)
For many, the most frequent “adjustment’ is that the shel rosh doesn’t “fit correctly” for those whose physical dimensions have grown substantially from their bar mitzvah. I agree entirely with the insanity of paying seveal hundred dollars for a Calabrian esrog, an equally large sum for an “Egyptian Talis” (which in all likelihood may come from one of several countries where shatnes continues to be a problem) but still “KARGING” for a few dollar discount on an already “low-end” set of tfillin.
Obviously depends on several factors. First and most obvious, a big difference if you daven with tallis/tfillin daily (x/Shabbos/yom tov), replacement will be more frequent than someone who is less frum. For YWN readers, who most likely are the “daily” users, a second factor is simply your own personal habits in putting on talis/tfillin. The reality is some of us are simply “harder” users and put stress on the materials than others in the ways we put on/take off. Third, climate and storage make a big difference (dar/dry cool versus sunlight and UV/ high humidity/high temperature). Finally, the quality of the materials and workmanship in the original tallis/tfillin is a big factor. Even though “kosher”, there is a big difference in the range of products that are sold.
To Joe…
Good question…if you select one of the “slower” delivery options, DHL and FedExp can be quite competitive with many of these smaller shippers and considerably more reliable. Much depends on the value of the seforim being shipped and how quickly they are needed. If you are shipping a small library of “commodity” seforim (i.e. readily available seforim at any Judaica store on online) than perhaps some of these local shippers are fine. If these seforim have any rarity value, have special significance (limited editions, written notes from an author, etc). than I would spend a few dollars more for the peace of mind of a major shipper with real time tracking (which many smaller shippers lack).In virtually every shul today, a Rav is hired under a contract for a prescribed period and can be renewed by mutual agreement. A Rav who has shown a lack of ability to communicate with the tzibur, has engaged in appropriate behavior etc. will NOT be rehired no matter how many citations he can bring down from chazal. Same for a chazan whose son is tone deaf.
There are religions whose core beliefs include the notion that certain individuals are “born” into a divine leadership role (not necessarily tied to intellect)…Buddhist monks spend years searching for a child among millions of children who is somehow determined to be a reincarnation of the prior spiritual leader….fortunately, we don’t have that masorah although some chassidus follow the father-to-son line of succession model rather than a meritocracy model. Not sure how to characterize the model where 100+ galachim get locked into a room at the Vatican and send smoke signals once they cut a deal that seems more political than spiritual….our gadolim and multiple gadolei hador are a unique model
You guys can spout your views of halacha with a gazillion cites to maseches gitten as to the prescribed outcomes. In the real world, where at least some of us live, a couple will consult with the rav and other professionals and pursue the path that works for them. Hopefully, they will find a way of staying together, but as the majority of posters have noted, sometimes a point is reached where the marriage must end. Generally, a beis din will find a way in those cases for a get to be issued so that both can move on in their lives and the children are not living in a combat zone. Where that is not possible, there are sadly a growing number of cases where couples simply move apart and live single lives w/o a get and in some cases, simply rely upon civil divorce understanding the consequences from a halachic perspective.
To GoTrumpkopf
We marry hoping to thrive with one another and to have the yichus of a bais neaman b’yisroel. Not everyone has that mazel and unless you are deliberately trolling, you will recognize that there are circumstances where a couple, in consultation with their rav and counselors conclude it must be ended. If you want to sit there and make these mindless generalizations, don’t expect an intelligent response…
P.S. All caps are disrespectful to the CR participants
JJ2020
Easier said than done…..how many times have you heard a candidate for elective office whose spiel went something like “who could ever have dreamed that some poishete yid from such a poor family with so little yichus would end up as the 3rd vice president of this legendary shtieblach…”There was a great Willie Nelson song (or was it Lipa) whose title was something along the lines of “Mothers, don’t let your son grow up to be a gadol”…
From personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that my parents had zero expectations as to where I (or my siblings) would end up beyond “being a mentech”, having a love of torah and yiddeshkeit and never losing your sense of humor. I’m not sure that formula needs much tinkering and the rest will work out as it willWhen I grew up, the boys generally wore various kinds of caps (like the ones all the goyim wore in the movies from the 1930s and 40s) outside of yeshiva. Today, its either yamulkes or baseball hats. Back then I recall there was considerably greater concern about “standing out” whereas b’h today’s yeshiva and day school kids (not black hatters) wear their yarmulkes with no concern
If he doesn’t want to invest the time in being the baal koreh, you might consider having him appointed the gabbai shlishi who stands on the bimah and does the me sh’berachs during the kriah….its known to be difficult to do a me sh’berach (including getting the Hebrew names straight from those with aliyos) while in the horizontal position and/or vertical but snoring
Read the brief kol koreh issued earlier today about these Peleg demonstrations and posted in the YWN nes section and then carefully read the list of gadoley yisroel who signed it.
Lets not make this a debate over the legitimacy of the Israeli government (aka “the medina”)….there are probably several dozen threads on that issue. Assuming both sides have to liver together and accept the others’ existence in the context of a democratic state with authority determined through elections while preserving individual rights to express disagreement on policy issues such as the draft, than there has to be some lines drawn or there is anarchy….for those who assert the words of a daas yachid on one side trump the rights of the other side and they must simply “submit”, the answer will be a strong, forceful and unequivocal “NO, we will not” and the State will beat the anarchists (figuratively and hopefully not literally) into submission.
There are several beis dins around the U.S (I’m not familiar with those in EY) that “consult” with frum lawyers on the civil/criminal law consequences of their din torahs as ONE factor among many that they take into consideration. Thousands of frum mosdos in the United States have retained secular lawyers to handle their most routine matters (leases, employment contacts, tax status, insurance, etc) but ALSO adversarial matters that require resort to civil court litigation since a beis din is not a practical option. In the non-frum world, the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options, arbitration, mediation etc. are widespread and numerically outnumber the cases that actually end up in court. However, even such heilege rabbonim as the Satmar brothers have led the way in demonstrating that there is a time and need for frum lawyers and civilian courts when, “a beis din simply will not do”.
Joe’s trolling on the halacha governing gitten indirectly provide an inyan of mussar that warrants repetition: No person, man or woman, ever wants to feel “powerless’ in any relationship. We can intellectually understand the spiritual concepts that the Ebeshter created men and women with different strengths and roles which in turn have been translated by chazal into different “rights” and “obligations”. However, as real people, we also have our own perceived need for personal empowerment and respect. When one partner in a marriage asserts “dominance” over the other through flaunting of their “rights” under halacha, that is toxic for a relationship, even if accurate from the perspective of someone who can readily quote daf/amud from maseches gitten.
Without debating the merits of going into a church, it is my experience that goyim generally tend to be considerably more respectful (in terms of not engaging in any chatter) during their services….there have even been postings here about conservative/reform not speaking so much but again, that will drag us into a debate if that’s the same (or worse) than going into a church.