Joseph

Sam: He writes that making small talk “on a daily basis” borders on giluy arayos which, as you know, is yehareg ve’al ya’avor. There are plenty of admonishments throughout Chazal (al tarbeh sichah im haishah, etc.) and the poskim regarding the severity of talking to women. Are you really unfamiliar with them?

The point about avoiding conversations in the hallway or elevator he clearly listed as a “helpful suggestion”. The Shulchan Aruch says to “stay far far away from women”. As you know this is an area that one must take great precautions with.

What do you think the Mechaber meant when he paskened to stay far far away from women? In the Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah number 188, it states there that it is assur for men and women to talk to each other. Libo Gas Bo also applies to a man and a woman who are very friendly with each other, such as those who work together in an office. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (cited in Nishmas Avraham 3:94-95) and Dvar Halacha (7:17), state that Libo Gas Bo applies even if the man and woman have only had minimal interaction such as a woman who has visited a doctor a number of times or a man and woman who had some business dealings together. It is an issur d’oraysah. Rav Moshe, in the Igros Moshe, states that Lo Sikrevu means you can’t talk to women. Rav Moshe is quoting a statment of Chazal in Avos D’Reb Nosson and rulings of the Ran and others. Avos: “Al tarbeh sichah im haishah” – Do not talk more than necessary with women. The Mishnah continues: “Whoever does talk more than necessary with women causes bad for himself . . . and in the end will end up in Gehinnom!”

No.

Common sense. The private school community is paying millions and millions in property taxes for public schools and not utilizing them. It is obvious, without needing to be an Einstein, that the private school community is paying much more in taxes than receiving in aid.

Here is 599,999 and 600,001:

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/mazel-tov-ywn-cr-reaches-400000-comments

The government is getting the money from the people; it isn’t the government’s money, it is the taxpayer’s money.

It is forbidden to make small talk about matters unrelated to business. Men and women working together should not discuss politics, current events, recent tragedies or gossip, even if they do not do so regularly. Discussing these matters on a daily basis, is a violation of halachos that border on giluy arayos, which requires one to sacrifice his life rather than transgress. (p. 9)

When conversing with female employees or co-workers, one must be careful not to us the word “we,” so that the man and woman are not referred to as one unit. For example, one should not say, “We must talk with the editor,” or “We must purchase that software program.” Rather, he should say, “The editor must be consulted,” or “Please purchase that program.” (pp. 10-11)

It is a custom amongst yirei shomayim not to call a woman other than one’s wife or immediate family member by her first name, thus keeping a respectful distance between the two parties. Referring to a woman by her first name brings inappropriate familiarity into the relationship. Similarly, a woman should refrain from addressing a man other than her husband or immediate family member by his first name. (p. 20)

A Helpful Suggestion:

It is appropriate for male and female employees [to] refrain from all conversation when they meet anywhere outside of the office. This includes not discussing even job-related matters when meeting in the hallway or elevator at work.

“It cannot be stressed enough that the term prutzim also refers to people who are otherwise shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, but are not careful in matters relating to kraivah l’arayos. They may be regularly exposed to immodesty through the media, or may often be in the presence of immoral individuals through their everyday social interactions….(p.39) meaning that they are exposed to immodesty through television, movies, in publications and the like. An individual involved in such activities is labeled a parutz. This is not limited to visual images; someone who is exposed to any form of indecent activity, such as chat rooms on the Internet, is considered a parutz. Such forms of recreation are a breach of morality.” (p. 34)

I don’t think couples who have been married longer should either be engaging in this type of socializing and/or joint meals.

The APP reported within the past hour that the Lakewood State monitor looks like he’s going to back down and agree to keep courtesy bussing for substantially less from the township after voters smartly rejected a recurring $6.5M annual tax increase.

WIC is a bad program, Avi?

And New Jersey’s courts have previously ruled that under NJ law, if public school children receive courtesy bussing then private school children are required to be afforded the same service.

What are the competitive alternatives to AWS and how do they compare on price and service?

The RJC is clueless about Orthodox voting. Even the MO vote majority Republican in presidential elections. The Teaneck and Riverdale numbers you cite is a figleaf and incorrect as it includes a substantial number of non-Jewish and/or non-Orthodox voters in those figures. The Brooklyn Orthodox figures are more representative as those neighborhoods are often overwhelmingly Orthodox.

Any currently in the U.S. recommending it?

Ask around. How many currently in the U.S. are opposed to it? How many have a public position (either way) on it? Does Rav Miller count in your book? Isn’t the new position just announced by the Litvish gedolim suggest there is movement in this direction?

Have the maid do the laundry. (Posted on behalf of CTLAWYER.)

zsdad: In New York it is possible to legally get married at age 14.

Because we’ve become spoiled and it takes time to unspoil a generation. But Rav Avigdor Miller zt’l advised: “A Beis Yaakov girl should be wed soon after or before graduation. Every day after she leaves the Beis Yaakov marks another step away from idealism, for the street and the office and the secular school have an unfailing effect which increases from day to day.” (Awake My Glory) And Rav Miller lived, and advised, our very own dor so one cannot shrug off the aforementioned Chazal as being for a different era.

Shucks.

Bingo!

Employment is never ending. How do you make it go away!

All Yidden are brothers. Perhaps they’re Hungarian or Asian Yidden where the family name goes before the personal name.