Menachem Shmei

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 50 posts - 651 through 700 (of 729 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • in reply to: how do u accept compliments? #2110054
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Avram,

    1) I’ve seen this practice in Young Israels and other MO shuls.

    2) Why were you at a conservative or reform service?

    3) Do they actually sing “bib bam”!? I always thought it was a children’s song!

    in reply to: Talmeidei Chachamim with kids not like them #2109968
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Reb Eliezer, isn’t it ironic? This thread is about Talmidei Chachomim’s children being less involved in Torah, and you are telling a story of a poshete yid whose son is a great talmid chochom! 😊

    The Lubavitcher Rebbe wrote in Hayom Yom (25 Shevat):
    Saying Tehillim every day crucially affects the one saying it, his children, and his grandchildren.

    24 Shevat:
    The Tzemach Tzedek once said: If you would know the power of Tehillim and its effect in the highest heavens, you would recite it constantly. The kapitelach of Tehillim break through all barriers and ascend higher and higher.

    The Frierdiker Lubavitcher Rebbe (Rayatz) writes that the world stands on the poshute Yidden who say Tehillim despite not understanding the words. (Likkutei Diburim)

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Talmeidei Chachamim with kids not like them #2109770
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    One of the main innovations of the Baal Shem Tov was the approach to the “poshute Yid.”

    In his time many Talmidei Chachomim looked down at poshuteh Yidden who couldn’t receive a proper education and they were considered a lower class that didn’t deserve any of the privileges of the Talmidei Chachomim.

    The Baal Shem Tov changed this by putting great emphasis on the holiness and purity of the poshute Yid, how sometimes his sincere words of Tehillim are more dear to Hashem than all the Torah learning of a great scholar.

    The Baal Shem Tov embraced and welcomed the poshute Yidden, and inspired them with Ein Yaakov and stories of tzaddikim, and many of his opponents couldn’t handle this and continued to degrade them.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2109602
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Always,

    Obviously, the aforementioned belief is not NEEDED to be shomer shabbos, as I clarified in my last post.

    To the best of my knowledge, the Torah doesn’t say that we rest in Shmita because Hashem rested on the seventh day. [Although this may be explained in other places, it is not the explicit reason given in Torah]. Whereas regarding weekly Shabbos this reason is stated explicitly in Torah.

    [Maybe this is actually proof that ששת ימי בראשית are 24-hour days. If not, the Torah could have said regarding Shmita, “work for six years and rest in the seventh, because Hashem created the world in six years and rested in the seventh.”
    After all, days, months, and years are just תקופות and shouldn’t be taken literally.
    (This is obviously not a strong proof because we can’t dictate what the Torah “should have said,” but I’m just turning it back on you.)]

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Monkeypox — The new AIDS #2109582
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @ujm,

    “These are mostly nochrim” – and therefore you should pray for their destruction instead of their teshuva?

    Maybe you’re a bad faster, but next Yom Kippur, try to follow along in Maftir Yonah.

    besalel, indeed there are gedolim who disagree with Rabbi Miller’s approach, but that’s no excuse for bashing such a gadol.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2109579
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    ubiquitin, I’m happy that you liked the story!

    You’re right, even if the 7 days of creation wouldn’t be literal, we would still have to keep Shabbos every seven days (nice example you gave from sukkah!).
    There is definitely no worry of people actually not keeping Shabbos because of this (the story was just for comical relief. Although I could imagine someone coming up with this סברה just to excuse himself, but that doesn’t make a difference).

    The point I was trying to make (as I have seen written by gedolim) was that just as we take the 7 days of work literally, there is no reason not to take the 7 days of creation literally, unless we would have a true Torah’dike reason to think so.

    The fact that currently there are scientific theories that “prove” otherwise shouldn’t make us learn apologetic interpretations in the simple pshat of the Torah, Midrash, Gemara, Rashi, etc.
    (especially according to the Malbim (and many others) which Reb Eliezer brought)

    However, your point is true that there are times when Torah tells us that something is a משל, and I wouldn’t say that believing this regarding ששת ימי בראשית is כפירה.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Monkeypox — The new AIDS #2109425
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @ujm

    Correction:

    Hopefully, just as it was by the first golus that just when they were holding the lowest level of tumaah (שער המ”ט) Hashem took them out of מצרים, so may it be with our final golus:

    Society has sunken to such lows, let’s daven that these people do teshuvah and stop this abomination, and we will also do teshuva for all of the aveiros that we do, and we will immediately be zoche to the גאולה נצחית שאין אחרי’ גלות when all pain, suffering and illness will be removed from the world, and we will joyfully serve Hashem properly. Amen!

    [Why daven for punishment when you can daven for teshuva!?!?]

    (מקורות:
    מ”ט שערי טומאה: ז”ח ר”פ יתרו
    סוף ישראל לעשות תשובה בסוף גלותן ומיד הן נגאלין: הלכות תשובה פ”ז ה”ה
    גאולה נצחית שאין אחרי’ גלות: תוד”ה ה”ג ונאמר – פסחים קטז, ב
    יתמו חטאים ולא חוטאים: ברכות י, א)

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2109361
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    This 24 hour argument is out of context.

    The discussion is not how Adam Harishon built his clock/sundial (if he divided the day into 24 parts or 12 parts or 2 parts), the discussion is if ששת ימי בראשית were 100 billion years (ר”ל) or six days.

    Apologetics vs. Literal understanding of chumash, midrash, gemara, rashi, etc.

    I still wonder: Do the apologists celebrate Shabbos with their families every 7 billion years?

    I once met a staunch מאמין in science who didn’t keep Shabbos ר”ל. When I asked him why, he said that of course he keeps Shabbos! But according to the orthodox Jews he spoke to, the six days of creation cannot be taken literally, so they must have been billions of years.
    “Don’t worry,” he said, “today is still Sunday for me. In 6 billion years I’ll start preparing for Shabbos!”
    When I tried explaining him that Shabbos is definitely literal, he argued:
    “Don’t lie to me! I know the 10 commandments: Work for six days and rest on the seventh, BECAUSE G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Whatever 7 days means in creation is what it means with regards to Shabbos!”
    [מעשה שהי’ יכול להיות]

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Monkeypox — The new AIDS #2109244
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    yungermanS, maybe you should go into fortune telling!
    Please tell me, what divine punishment is in store for me?

    Maybe you can tell me which specific aveira I did to get my finger chopped off when I was a little boy?

    [Don’t be afraid to plead the fifth. It’s called שתוק כך עלה במחשבה לפני” (מנחות כט, ב)”]

    in reply to: JINO #2109185
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    “I differentiate between the Yidden and the Goyim who think they’re Jewish.”
    That is indeed very important. As the Lubavitcher Rebbe says, when a goy is told by a “rabbi” that he is a Yid, not only does it bring a terrible churban for the Jewish people, but also for the goy himself (e.g., a goy who keeps Shabbos is חייב מיתה).

    Last week, I met someone on the street who excitedly told me that he is Jewish and he wants to learn more about his heritage.
    Before putting on Tefillin with him, I asked him to clarify his roots. It came out he was genetically %59 “Jewish” from his father’s side.
    I politely explained him that Judaism does not consider him Jewish, and that he must serve G-d as a righteous gentile (sheva mitzvos).
    He walked away quite dejected, but much safer than if he wouldn’t have known, חס ושלום.

    Boruch Hashem, it is usually easy to be מברר if someone is halachically Jewish or not (aside from when it comes to marriage when we are more מחמיר to be %100 sure).

    in reply to: JINO #2109148
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @coffee addict,

    Yes, my name is based on the Gemara (ירושלמי ברכות פ”ב ה”ד) that says that Moshiach’s name is Menachem.
    (וכ”ה באיכ”ר פ”א, נא. משא”כ בסנהדרין צח, ב דשם גרסינן מנחם בן חזקיה)

    I chose this profile name for two reasons:
    1) Since my name is actually Menachem (get it? מנחם שמו?)
    2) It’s nice to remind myself about Moshiach when I’m online (every word makes a difference – “צריך כל אדם שיראה עצמו כל השנה כלה כאלו חציו זכאי וחציו חיב. וכן כל העולם חציו זכאי וחציו חיב . . עשה מצוה אחת הרי הכריע “את עצמו ואת כל העולם כלו לכף זכות וגרם לו ולהם תשועה והצלה see Rambam Hilchos Teshuva 3:4)

    “henceforth it is proof that the rebbe can be moshiach?”
    Maybe I’m trying to prove that I can be Moshiach…
    [Regarding the names of Moshiach listed in Sanhedrin, the Rebbe’s father Reb Levi Yitzchok writes that all the opinions are true – כל הדעות אמת הם ואלו ואלו דא”ח (לקוטי לוי”צ על מארז”ל ע’ קו)]


    @ujm

    “I do not have my own opinion”
    If you look at what I wrote, I continued that you should ask your rov, which you replied that you did.

    “I very much deal with…”
    Nu, I guess we have a מחלוקת במציאות.
    My heart goes out to those holy Yidden who you “very much deal with”. May Hashem bless them and protect them.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: JINO #2109067
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @ujm

    I wrote:
    “Are you ready to (theoretically) let a fellow Yid die (חס ושלום) because you chose (on your own) to follow a certain opinion?”
    You wrote:
    “accusing Reb Moshe, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, and the numerous gedolei poskim of “theoretically let a fellow Yid die (חס ושלום) because Reb Moshe, the Kitzur, etc. chose (on their own) to have their opinion””

    The difference is obvious: THEY are entitled to their own opinion. YOU are NOT entitled to your own opinion.
    I don’t know who you are, but I assume that you are not a posek like the aforementioned.

    “Yes, absolutely I have clarified with my Rov and Posek … they do not have the din of תינוק שנשבה.”
    I wonder what qualifications the rov gave you to know if the person is a תינוק שנשבה… Unless maybe he holds that the very idea doesn’t apply anymore, after all, it was only in the days of the Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, and the Chazon Ish that there were plenty of Jews who never received an education about what Shabbos is. Nowadays, every Jewish child learns all about Shabbos, and chooses to violate it anyway. (!?)
    Or maybe תינוק שנשבה only applies to close relatives?

    “The halacha is absolutely clear”
    No it is not. For example, I brought several halachic giants who disagree (Mishna Berura, Chazon Ish, Lubavitcher Rebbe). And there are many more. I would say רובם ככולם of poskim hold that today’s estranged Yidden are a very unique case that must be treated very differently than the classic דינים of מומר and מחלל שבת בפרהסיה.

    “if you were alone … would you save him?”
    No. (in the hypothetical case that I would be completely certain that it wouldn’t become known)

    “A very significant portion (very possibly a majority) of non-Orthodox “Jews” (secular, Reform, Conservative) that self-identify as Jewish, are in fact non-Jewish.”
    Again, this is a lie. The vast majority of “non-Orthodox” Jews are halachically Jewish. As I mentioned before, I deal very much with these types of Jews (presumably more than you), and most of them can point to a definitely Jewish maternal bubby or elter bubby, etc. (who is often just as frum as your own bubby. Assuming yours was frum).
    You are using your ignorance to cast a libel on millions of holy Jews.

    “Or the false conversions in Israel of Russians and Ethiopians”
    Any conversions by a non-halachic entity are a terrible tragedy.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2109048
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    If the six days of creation weren’t literal 24 hour days, then maybe also Shabbos isn’t literally every seven 24-hour days? Maybe we should rest every 7 thousand years? Or every 7 million years? Or billion?

    ששת ימים תעבוד . .ויום השביעי שבת . . כי ששת ימים עשה ה’ . . וינח ביום השביעי

    (ראה פרקי דרבי אליעזר פ”ג ואילך; מדרש רבה בראשית; סנהדרין לח, ב. ובכמה מקומות)

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108930
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Always, question out of ignorance: Which Rashi? Which rishonim?

    in reply to: school memories #2108929
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Always, talking about Shlomo Hamelech and educating one’s son with the rod, let’s not forget what Shlomo’s son Rechavam said about the rod:

    “אבי יסר אתכם בשוטים ואני איסר אתכם בעקרבים”
    If you have any memory of what you learned in school, you remember how well that worked out.
    Balance is always important.

    [I just noticed that the source is: מלכים יב יד.
    Ironically, the source for ירק ירק is: במדבר יב יד]

    in reply to: school memories #2108922
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Rabbi YY Jacobson chazzered a beautiful vort of the Belzer Rebbe:

    A famous educator in Eretz Yisroel asked the Belzer Rebbe why the style of education changed in this generation, what was wrong with the simple פאטש from previous generations?

    The Belzer Rebbe opened up a chumash, and showed him the possuk (במדבר יב יד):
    “ואביה ירוק ירק – her father SPITS at her”

    In Targum, which was written a thousand years later, it says:
    “אלו אבוהה מנזף נזיף בה – if her father would CHASTISE her”

    In Rashi, which was written a thousand years later, it says:
    “אם אביה הראה לה פנים זועפות – if her father SHOWED AN ANGRY FACE to her”

    Nowadays, a thousand years later, concluded the Belzer Rebbe, we must even be careful with our facial expressions when dealing with children.

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108886
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @ujm,

    “EVEN IF…”
    You are absolutely right.

    “Science can be, and often is, overturned.”
    As it was, with the theory of relativity, flat earth, etc.

    At the same time, it is even more ridiculous when the people who try to reinterpret the Torah to fit with the science are עמי הארץ in science as well.

    Hashem helped the scientists discover new theories that support the Torah, and if we take notice of this, it can give us tremendous chizzuk that also in other areas where current science seems to contradict Torah (e.g., age of the universe, etc.) – we shouldn’t be ashamed to believe in the Torah’s view.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: שנאת חינם #2108884
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    “If we don’t realize that we are in galus and do something about it, we will be kept there.”

    Hence the need to open up our eyes. This is a big and important avoda

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108801
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Avram in Md,

    Nu nu, point remains the same.

    The ikar is that we try to stay away from פירושים דחוקים in Torah and apologetics, especially when אין מקרא יוצא מידי פשוטו is not a contradiction to modern science.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Lakewood #2108806
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    YungermanS, OP seems to be looking for a place to stay in the city of Lakewood. Brooklyn is in NY, quite a distance from the city of Lakewood. OP did not write “עיר הקודש”.

    If you want to discuss the holiness of Lakewood, I would suggest that you go back to this thread:

    WWRAS-What would R’ Aharon zt”l say?

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Humor in Torah #2108699
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    yid38,

    hmm… that’s more of a silly pun, not so much of a Torah’dike מילתא דבדיחותא.
    (unless you heard it from epess a great rabbi?)

    Let’s try to stay on track

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108689
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Avram, I have very little comprehension of science, so I couldn’t exactly understand or come up with any specific proofs.

    What I meant was that if scientists claimed that the earth DEFINITELY rotates around the sun, then there might be room for some ספיקות in our belief in what the Torah says, and there might be a need for apologetics and taking the Torah out of its literal meaning (as Reb Eliezer did before).

    However, since according to my simple research (as I said before, google: “pressconnects earth revolves around sun”. ועוד), as well as according to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s letters which I mentioned before (google: “Rebbe sun earth”) –
    scientists themselves acknowledge that it is impossible for them to prove one way or the other (according to Einstein’s theory of relativity) – I no longer have an issue with taking the Torah’s view literally.

    This is one of the many examples of things which in previous generations Torah seemed to contradict science, yet modern science supports the Torah beautifully.

    in reply to: שנאת חינם #2108663
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Avi K,

    This is similar to what the Lubavitcher Rebbe said countless times, “Moshiach is already here, we just have to open up our eyes”

    Let us open up our eyes, see the ניצוץ משיח in every Yid, and if we are ready to accept and greet the Moshiach in every Yid – we will be ready to accept the משיח הכללי without sending him away חס ושלום.

    [ניצוץ משיח: ראה מאור עינים ס”פ פינחס. ועפ”ז מתווך כ”ק אדמו”ר מליובאוויטש ב’ דרשות בפסוק “דרך כוכב מיעקב” בירושלמי תענית (פ”ד ה”ה) וירושלמי מעשר שני (ספ”ד). – עיין קונטרס בית רבינו שבבל תשנ”ב, תורת מנחם חל”ד ע’ 102, ועוד]

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: how do u accept compliments? #2108657
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Reb Eliezer שליט”א

    Thanks for the inspirational vort of the Kli Yakar, you have made my day!

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Inflation Bonanza~! #2108539
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @yuda

    Now that סימני עקבתא דמשיחא are being fulfilled, way we be zoche to the coming of Moshiach בפועל!

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108516
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Always, beautiful vort!

    Either way, “simple” is completely relative (no pun intended!):

    It’s easy to say, “Let Hashem create the world in the simple way” – but what is actually simple?

    In our case: If you open up the Tanach, Gemara, Rambam, etc. – it is much more simple to say that the sun goes around the earth.

    If you walk outside and look at the sky – it is much more simple to say that the sun goes around the earth.

    If you ask any scientist from before the times of Copernicus in the 1500s – they’ll tell you simply that the sun goes around the earth.

    If you ask Copernicus and the scientists until the 1900s – they’ll tell you simply that the earth goes around the sun.

    If you ask Einstein or any scientist since the 1900s – they’ll tell you that neither way is simple, and both models are very complicated due to the theory of relativity. However, when making a “Science made simple” video, or a simple astronomical diagram – it is more simple to portray the sun going around the earth.

    The only eternal truth that can tell us what lays beyond our simple knowledge is the Torah.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108462
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Correction: Rabbi Feivel Rimmler is not deceased

    in reply to: how do u accept compliments? #2108461
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    Don’t let criticism get to your heart and don’t let compliments go to your head.

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108456
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Always,
    1) I hope so. Perhaps someone can reach out to relatives of Rabbi Rimmler (who is deceased) to learn the background of the correspondents.
    2) From Wikipedia: “In the Soviet Union (mostly in the 1920s), philosophical criticism was expressed on the basis of dialectic materialism. The theory of relativity was rejected as anti-materialistic and speculative, and a mechanistic worldview based on “common sense” was required as an alternative … (On the other hand, other philosophers considered relativity as being compatible with Marxism.)”


    @Gadolhadorah
    ,
    You seem to have misunderstood the quote, and you most definitely didn’t open up the chabad.org link that I attached.
    In short: A Brighton Beach doctor was told by his local shliach (Rabbi Rimmler) that the sun rotates around the earth. The doctor was shocked, and wrote to the shliach that the Rebbe definitely doesn’t agree with such views, for the reasons quoted above. This letter was forwarded to the Rebbe, and he explained the Torah view, and how it is compatible with science.
    Check out the link.


    @Reb
    Eliezer,
    The reason why scientists generally use the Copernicus model is because it is easier to use in diagrams and machinery.
    This has nothing to do with how it actually is.
    Why would Hashem make it like this? What a silly question! Why did Hashem make quantum physics so complicated? Why did Hashem make Gemara so complicated? Why can’t everything be simple and straightforward?

    And how do you know that this way is indeed the simplest? Maybe that’s only how it is for today’s scientists, and at another time the science will change (like much of science throughout history).
    To quote the PressConnects article that I mentioned above:
    “The universe doesn’t change its behavior whether we think the sun revolves around the earth or vice versa”.

    Boruch Hashem, we have the Torah that enlightens us on the truth of the universe, and there is no reason to argue, especially when it is fully compatible with modern science.

    מנחם שמו

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108410
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Reb Eliezer, RE Torah’s approach, in addition to the Rambam’s position that the sun revolves around the earth, see ספר התכונה of Reb Chaim Vital (prime student of the Arizal) where he has an entire section proving that Copernicus’s opinion that the earth revolves the sun is complete מינות ואפיקורסות.

    https://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=22193&st=&pgnum=116

    Now, if there would be definite scientific proof that the earth revolves around the sun, we might have a problem. However, any modern day scientist agrees that there is no way to prove which is the correct way.
    The reason why the Copernicus model is so widely accepted is because it makes the entire system much simpler to explain.
    (for example, google: pressconnects earth revolves around sun)

    Why must we be דוחק to say that the Torah wasn’t literal when it fits perfectly with the science?

    See also the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s 2 letters to a “secular” Jew who was in shock and disbelief to hear that the Rebbe held that the sun revolves around the earth:
    no outside links
    (if the link doesn’t go through, google: Rebbe sun revolves around earth)

    (Excerpt from his letter to the Rebbe: “It is however, more than obvious to me that the Rebbe will not, in any way make such a ridiculous statement, because: (a) he does not wish to be labeled as a fool. (b) he himself is not as foolish as some of his ardent but hypnotized followers.”)

    in reply to: Rav Shmuel #2108372
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Always, cute story! Maybe she learned mishnayos Rosh Hashana that you must find out when Rosh Chodesh is every month from the Beis Din

    in reply to: Summer and Winter #2108370
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    “According to Albert Einstein, the sun revolves around the earth.”

    And Rabbi Moses Maimonides as well.

    in reply to: JINO #2107768
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @ujm, you are quoting a machlokes between Reb Moshe and the Chazon Ish. Between the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch and the Mishna Berura.

    Are you ready to (theoretically) let a fellow Yid die (חס ושלום) because you chose (on your own) to follow a certain opinion?

    Did you ask a rov which posek you should follow? Please confirm with your rov which opinion to follow, and even if he rules like the Kitzur and Reb Moshe – you must have him clarify how to confirm if someone is considered a תינוק שנשבה or not.

    Until then, I implore that you lean לחומרא for the mitzva of פיקוח נפשות and לא תעמוד על דם רעך and save and protect every single Yid.

    Even if they do not have the din of תינוק שנשבה, we are not permitted to degrade them and slander them חס ושלום.

    Eliyahu Hanovi and Yeshayohu Hanovi were punished for speaking disparagingly about Jewish IDOL WORSHIPERS (the real kind) – because “אין הקב”ה רוצה במי שאומר דילטורייא על ישראל”.
    (שהש”ר פ”א, ו (א). רש”י ישעי’ ו, ו. ועוד)

    The Rambam writes that if such great tzaddikim were punished, how much more so a קל מקלי העולם who dares to condemn so many Yidden as פושעים ורשעים וגויים ופסולי עדות וכופרים בה’ אלהי ישראל.
    (אגרת השמד פ”ב)

    In these last moments of golus, let’s focus on the positive and holy parts of every Yid.
    Regarding the Yidden who are ר”ל temporarily “distant” from Yiddishkeit –
    “ראוי להחזירן בתשובה ולמשכם בדברי שלום עד שיחזרו לאיתן התורה”
    – thus instantly heralding the coming of Moshiach.
    (רמב”ם הלכות ממרים פ”ג ה”ג. ראה הלכות תשובה פ”ז ה”ה, סנהדין צז,ב)

    in reply to: רחמנות on a mass murderer #2107763
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Reb Eliezer, no one is trying to EXCUSE it, we are trying to UNDERSTAND it. Understanding it could better help us prevent it (as opposed to just protesting for technical regulations, such as gun-control/anti-gun-control).

    in reply to: JINO #2107726
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @akuperma:

    “Most secular “Jews” are probably not Jews any[way]”
    This is a blatant lie, most “secular” Jews can track their ancestry (maternally) to regular frum Bubbes and Zaides just as easily as me and (I assume) you.
    I know this from daily experience with not-yet-frum Yidden and much research into their Jewishness. And I am not (only) talking about Yidden from very traditional backgrounds. There are countless Yidden who grew up completely “alienated” from any semblance of Yiddishkeit, yet they can go back 3-4 generations to a Bobbe who was just as frum as yours.
    You owe an apology to Hashem for being מוציא שם רע on millions of His beloved children.

    “Engage in avodah zarah”
    If by avodah zarah you mean pagan gods or Christianity – you got your facts wrong. If you mean worshiping politicians/celebrities/money – should we start pointing fingers at people in the frum world? It won’t be pretty.

    “long lost cousins”
    Wrong, we are their loving brothers with one Father in Heaven.

    “they act shocked that we reject the social and cultural values that are the norm in the non-frum communities”
    What’s your point? That they were brought up in a environment that has a different culture then us?
    That is exactly my point – they are tinok shenishba, we should have rachmonus on our poor brothers who didn’t get a proper Jewish education.


    @ujm
    :

    “You can’t be Mechallel Shabbos to save the life of a Mechallel Shabbos.”
    Mishna Berurah (או”ח סי’ שכט ס”ט) disagrees with you. Some people are extra מחמיר in ahavas yisroel, others are extra מחמיר in the opposite, רחמנא ליצלן.

    “The vast majority of non-frum Jews are NOT תינוקות שנשבו.”
    You OBVIOUSLY did not open the sources which I cited above.

    If you disagree with the Mishna Berura, the Chazon Ish, the Frierdiker Lubavitcher Rebbe (Rayatz), and many more great poskim and rabbanim – then which sect do you belong to? Reform? Lev Tahor?

    in reply to: JINO #2107647
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @akuperma: Your statement is shocking. How can you compare someone who is JEWISH (i.e. Jewish MOTHER, not necessarily father) to someone who has “Jewish ancestors going back to ancient times” or “has a Jewish surname”!?

    “Just because someone is halachically Jewish . . it is silly to consider . . to be Jewish”
    How dare you call people who halacha (thus also Torah and Hashem) considers Jewish to not be Jewish?

    You are obligated be מחלל שבת to save the life of such a Jew (unless he is ישראל מומר להכעיס which is very uncommon).

    Every halachic Jew is infinitely dear to Hashem, and even more than the Torah itself (see: תנא דבי אליהו פי”ד. קהלת רבה א, ד. בראשית רבה א, ד. ועוד).

    Even a מומר לעבודה זרה ר”ל is considered one of Hashem’s children (see שו”ת הרשב”א ח”א סקצ”ד). How much more so regular פושעי ישראל, which are מלאין מצוות כרימון (see חגיגה כז,א. עירובין יט,א).

    How much more so most non-frum people of today who are תינוקות שנשבו whose lack of Yiddishkeit is completely אונס (if someone is too sick to put on tefillin, would you consider him non-Jewish!?) – רמב”ם הלכות ממרים פ”ג ה”ג.
    The דין of תינוק שנשבה seems to apply even to someone who grew up with a Jewish education, yet it wasn’t strong enough to keep him in the fold due to the various challenges nowadays which didn’t exist in the past (see Rebbe Rayatz אגרות קודש ח”ב ע’ תקכו. Chazon Ish יו”ד ח”ב טז).

    P.S. This obviously does not mean that their behavior or opinions are correct WHATSOEVER. Therefore, there is no reason to elect someone just because he is Jewish. We don’t elect people because they are holy, rather if they will do a good job.

    in reply to: Libraries, What are they good for? #2107413
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @ujm (“For every of the greatest Rabbonim…”):
    Take it easy! Benephraim didn’t try to prove that anyone who doesn’t spend time in the public library is a goy. He just pointed out an interesting memory that he had.

    in reply to: רחמנות on a mass murderer #2107411
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Coffee addict

    “כל המרחם”
    When I wrote רחמנות – I was talking more in our personal feelings. Obviously, the court of law has no right to take such things into account when it comes to delivering punishment. Forgiving crime is Hashem’s job, not ours.

    “I think instilling in them fear of G-D and authority would prevent it too”

    I agree, this is the root of the issue. If we recognize that most violence stems from confusion and pain, we understand that we can counter it by educating the youth to have a true value system and moral guide to help them overcome these feelings.
    This is only possible through the recognition that there is a Higher Power that watches every act that we do and cares for us to behave properly. This is the truest form of accountability.

    in reply to: Ywn is it really “yeshiva” world news #2107051
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    moish26: I hear your explanation, I apologize if I quoted you out of context.

    I can’t understand why you insist on writing in a way that is so hard to understand. I am not advocating for learning grammar and limudei chol (after all, I went to a Lubavitcher cheder so I never studied English formally), yet the simple rules of punctuation and paragraphs can be learned from seforim as well.

    I’ll give you a very short & general shiur:

    When you finish a point and move on to the next point (sentence) place a period (dot). That makes it clear to the readers that they must pause before moving on.

    When you move on to write something which is ממש a separate ענין, make a new paragraph (like a new סעיף). This can be done by pressing Enter (right side of the keyboard).

    Examples:
    After “I don’t go to bmg” put a period.
    After addressing each individual poster, you can put a period and new paragraph (בסגנון אחר: Before addressing “@ca” and “@Reb Eliezer” – press the enter key).

    It does not take much effort to follow these simple rules, and it will make it a lot easier for those whom you are trying to influence to understand your intent.

    I hope this was of help. הצלחה רבה

    in reply to: Ywn is it really “yeshiva” world news #2106910
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Moish26:
    To quote you: “if ur so shtark in bmg and bmg is great what are u doing on yeshiva world news??!!”
    כל הפוסל במומו פוסל

    in reply to: I got a tesla (model Y) #2106906
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Balabus, PragerU and other platforms have scientists who explain that much of this Global Warming idea is garbage. They also prove that electric cars end up giving just as much carbon emissions as gas cars (google: pragerU are electric cars really green).

    They may be wrong. It might just be promoting conservative propaganda. But who is to say that the Global Warming scientists are not just promoting liberal propaganda?

    Is there a way to find a real unbiased approach?

    in reply to: Humor in Torah #2106855
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    BubbieTex, there is another interpretation of Tehillim 115:8:

    When the Reb Dovber of Lubavitch (the Mitteler Rebbe) was about six years old, he saw that two chassidim of his father (the Baal HaTanya) were downcast. They explained that they were going through financial troubles.

    Reb Dovber told them, “Your sadness is mentioned clearly in Tehillim:
    עצביהם (literally: their idols. but it also means) – their sadness – כסף וזהב – is because they worry about gold and silver.
    This is because עינים להם ולא יראו – Hashem gives them eyes to see all the brochos that take place in their lives, yet they don’t take notice, instead they become depressed.”

    in reply to: Ywn is it really “yeshiva” world news #2106850
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    No frum Yid NEEDS to know the news at all. None of the news is really vital for survival. This platform is made for Yidden like us who have a hard time overcoming our temptation to see the news.

    Unfortunately, if they would only have very Jewish and frum stuff, many of us would still be tempted to look at the non-Jewish news platforms to know what’s happening in the world. Therefore, they have worldly news as well (albeit in a kosher fashion) to help us overcome this temptation.

    A person on the caliber of OP should definitly not be using this news site, and probably shouldn’t be using the internet at all. It will not harm you whatsoever to stay in Yeshiva/Kolel/Shul and spend your time learning Torah without checking out the news – frum or worldly.

    A big shoutout and thank you to REB ELIEZER שליט”א for all your help and dedication to making the CR a holier and more Torah’dike place for all of us!

    in reply to: שנאת חינם #2106501
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @Always: nu, I guess sholom bayis advice is never one-size-fits-all!

    in reply to: Gun Control #2106495
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @doomsday, you sure take your profile name seriously, lol!

    If you are seriously worried about all Jews being murdered by the government (חס ושלום, הי’ לא תהי’, לא תקום פעמים צרה, אל תפתח פה לשטן, וכו’ וכו) – give up your gun and start praying. G-d is the only one who can protect you, no weapon will protect you from the US military (על דרך הטבע).

    Nu, start davening for Moshiach!

    in reply to: Humor in Torah #2106494
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @common, I’m happy to see that you still have a sense of (cynical?) humor!

    in reply to: Humor in Torah #2106399
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    I see that the comment that I mentioned earlier wasn’t approved yet. This is the idea:

    A fast day has two parts: The external part which is sad and mourning, and the deeper aspect that it is a יום רצון להשם. In golus the deeper aspect of a fast day is concealed, so we must fast. When Moshiach comes, all sadness will disappear, and the great joy of the fast days will be revealed, which is why they will be the most joyous festivals – הם עתידים להיות ימים טובים וימי ששון ושמחה!
    (see: זכרי’ ח, יט. רמב”ם טור ושולחן ערוך סוף הלכות תעני(ו)ת)

    Even in golus, when the fast falls out on Shabbos, we get to experience a taste of Yemos Hamoshiach: The sadness and mourning gets pushed off to Sunday, but the joyous festival aspect of the fast remains on Shabbos (why would Shabbos push off a happy thing?).

    This is especially true regarding the fast of 17 Tammuz – 17 gematria טוב – alluding to the inner good that is hidden in a fast.

    When we eat and drink and enjoy סעודת שבת this week – we are in essence enjoying a Moshiach-like celebration!
    And then on מוצאי שבת, when we eat Melaveh Malka – סעודתא דדוד מלכא משיחא – what can be greater? On a fast day itself, we are eating a seuda that is connected to Melech Hamoshiach!

    Interestingly, Parshas Bolok brings out the same idea (ראה של”ה ר”פ וישב): Bilaam, the novi who tries to use his powers to destroy Am Yisroel, ends up being the very one to bless Am Yisroel and to prophesy the coming of Moshiach (רש”י, רמב”ן, רמב”ם הל’ מלכים רפי”א, ועוד)!
    This symbolizes how from the negativity itself (e.g. fast days) comes the greatest גאולה.

    May we merit that since the fast is pushed off anyway, may it be pushed off entirely (הואיל ונדחה ידחה – מגילה ה, רע”ב) with the coming of Moshiach now!

    (ע”פ שיחת כ”ק אדמו”ר מליובאוויטש ש”פ בלק תנש”א. ועוד)

    in reply to: Humor in Torah #2106356
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    @common saychel: Please, the 3 weeks didn’t even start yet! Some people are machmir to start preperations for Adar שלושים יום קודם החג and others are machmir to start preparing for the 3 weeks. I prefer the former.

    Yiddishkeit demands we be happy. Using Torah to bring some cheer into are lives can never do any harm. אדרבה, davka in the 3 weeks let us be more involved in פקודי השם ישרים משמחי לב (after all, עבדו את ה’ בשמחה applies even in chodesh Av)!

    There is the famous vort on “משנכנס אב ממעטין – בשמחה”:
    משנכנס אב ממעטין – we must start to decrease in certain things (showers, music, meat, etc.) – but in what manner? “בשמחה”! Even the decrease must be in a joyous way!

    This is especially this year when the fast falls out on Shabbos, thus emphasizing the joyous Yomtov’dike aspect of the 3 weeks.
    (see my comment on this article: https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/2106305/the-17th-of-tammuz-and-the-3-weeks.html#comment-2090766)

    P.S. I am obviously not chas v’shalom implying any leniencies in the מנהגי אבילות during these serious days.

    in reply to: שנאת חינם #2106279
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    I heard a vort from Rabbi YY Jacobson:

    A man was celebrating his 50th aniversarry, he was asked how he has such good shalom bayis.
    He explained that while on their honeymoon, he and his wife rode through the Grand Canyon on mules. His wife’s mule slipped, and she yelled out “Strike one!” Soon it slipped again and she screamed “Strike two!” The third time she yelled, “Strike three!” pulled out a handgun, and shot the mule dead.
    The husband turned to his wife in horror, and cried, “What are you doing!?”
    She yelled at him, “Strike one!”
    “And,” concludes the husband, “I’ve been quiet ever since!”

    The vort is that true peace doesn’t mean that people are afraid to voice their opposing opinions so they keep silent and go with the flow. True peace is when you have a diverse group with disagreements, yet people are not afraid to voice their opinions and still remain friendly and peaceful with those who have the other opinion.

    in reply to: שנאת חינם #2106277
    Menachem Shmei
    Participant

    “Mashiach is waiting on a tower”

    Not necessarily is he waiting so far away.
    The possuk says: “הנה זה עומד אחר כתלנו, משגיח מן החלונות מציץ מן החרכים”

    The Frierdiker Lubavitcher Rebbe (the Rayatz) explains this regarding Moshiach: He is already here with us, just on the other side of the wall. The wall already has cracks, and he watches us, waiting, “When will they finish their last avodah so I can come?”

    Hopefully, the holy gaze of Moshiach should be enough to affect us and propel us forward into the last preparations for his arrival.

Viewing 50 posts - 651 through 700 (of 729 total)