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Tznius, according to many Talmudic definitions, is defined by notions of habituation and social context more than any concrete shiurim or anything like that. There is also the need to set gedarim/building a syag around areas like this.
1) Netilas Yadayim: Immediately after alos amud ha-shachar, one should relieve himself and then wash his hands, followed by Al netilas yadayim and Asher yatzar. In this case, all poskim agree that washing is required and a blessing is recited.
2)Birchos haTorah: The Mishnah Berurah says one should listen – with intent to be yotzei – as another person, who did sleep, recites the blessing. This should be followed by each person reciting yevorechecha and eilu devarim, so that the blessings are followed immediately by some Torah learning.
3)Many poskim say that one who didn’t sleep can still say Elokei Neshama and HaMa’avir Sheinah, although the M”B prefers you hear these blessings from another person who slept.
4)All poskim agree that the other sixteen morning blessings may be recited by one who did not sleep at all during the night.
He had a 2.6 GPA from the Columbia General Studies division, which has a less rigorous standard of admission than the normal route.
There is nothing respectable or admirable about Barack Hussein Obama. The conspiracy that propelled this menuval into the oval office is unbelievable, only surpassed by the stupidity of the American people.
The psaq here should be that one should avoid any negiah with a niece of nephew of the opposite gender. Even if something may be ok mikar hadin, it’s still “es past nisht.”
Good things about Obama?
I can think of only one- America, B”H, has not been attacked by terrorists.
Other than that, I can’t think of much. A below-mediocre student with a sketchy ethnic and national background is vetted by convicted Marxist-Leninist terrorists, and has ties with anti-semites, Islamists, and other radicals, becomes president, uses charisma to get ahead (reminds me of Y”S), and socializes the country, while condemning Israel all along. Gevaldig.
Maybe, but still, es past nisht. When I have kids, I wouldn’t want them to be touched too much by aunts or uncles.
Being mechallel shabbos is the least of these kids’ problems. Mmany of them are hedonists and truly damaged and aching neshamos, drowning themselves in the evils of alcoholism, drug abuse, and rampant promiscuity. Just ask R’ Herbst or any other rabbonim who work with these kids. It is heartbreaking, but the truth is that one can be non-observant but moral. These kids are simply immoral, as they engage in illegal and self-injurious behaviors which make a huge chillul hashem and are a shanda fun der goyim. The community on the whole needs to stop coddling and lauding thieves, crooks, swindlers, menuvals, and pedophiles, whose heinous acts are largely to blame for the OTD phenomenon in the first place.
I say havdalah over a piece of newspaper. May not be the most mehudar, but it keeps the tablecloth clean.
I am distressed when I hear of MO kids and day school kids getting involved with NCSY and kiruv groups because these groups should exist to mekarev those not keeping mitzvos, not to indoctrinate the Modern Orthodox into Haredism. The goal of kiruv should be to get the non-observant to keep shabbos, kashrus, and to learn and daven, not to push an ideological agenda, which is what they do these days.
Shoveling snow is a real halakhic concern, since not shoveling endangers others. Some poskim even say you’re allowed to plow snow on shabbos when it’s an issue of public safety.
The Sefer haNoten Sheleg brings down that gedolim such as Reb Chaim Volozhiner and the Chofetz Chaim didn’t feel shoveling snow was beneath their kavod.
I think that most people who are insistent on buying milk davka labeled “Halav Yisrael” do so out of mystical considerations, as opposed to concrete halakha. The Rambam, Ma’achalos Asuros 3:13, links the prohibition of non-Jewish milk specifically to the risk of non-kosher milk being mixed in; when there is no suspicion of treif milk according to the halacha here, there would be no prohibition. The Rivash and Rashbash, likewise, learn the gemara (Avodah Zarah 35b) as not instituting an across-the-board gezera; they permitted the milk of non-Jews without a Jew present at the milking when it was known in a particular region
that non-kosher animals were not being milked. The Radbaz and Pri Chadash felt the same, and the latter paskens that when it is presumed that the milk being sold by the non-Jews is from kosher animals, based on the fact that non-kosher animals were not
being commercially milked in that region and, in any event, if some non-kosher milk was around it was more expensive than kosher milk (as is normally the case when non-kosher animals are not commercially milked), one may partake of such milk and rely on the presumption that the non-Jews would not conduct in an
forbidden). The Talmud permitted the muryas of non- Jews when wine was more expensive than fish oil.
Even the Hazon Ish holds like Reb Moshe and all the rishonim I quoted above. I don’t see any compelling halakhic reason for “halav yisrael.”
If the Rambam goes to the extent of saying that Hammechabbek ‘achat min ha’arayot she’ein libbo shella’adam nokefo ‘aleihen, ‘o shennishak ‘achat –mehen-kegon ‘achoto haggedolah, va’achot ‘immo, vechaiyotze –bahen-‘af ‘al pi she’ein sham ta’avah velo hana’ah kelal, harei zeh megunneh beyoter. vedavar zeh ‘asur hu, uma’aseh tippeshim –hu-she’ein kerevin le’ervah kelal, bein gedolah bein ketannah chutz meha’em livnah, veha’av levitto, how much more would it be distasteful and assur to have negiah with a niece. (Issurei Biah 21:6)
I’m 22, and I would suggest that the best possible thing you can do is to not be too preoccupied. Focus now on your career, growing b’ruchnius, helping your parents, doing chesed, and when you feel ready to enter the commitment of marriage and caring for another person and children, bli ayin hara, than focus on finding your zivug. My recommendation would be also to not shy away from sites like Saw You at Sinai and Frumster/JWed, and to also not to be closed from gerim or baalei teshuva- they are often greatest in religious commitment (see Rabbenu Avraham’s shita in Tosfos, Yevamos 47b, on R’ Chelbo’s sapachas comment).
I would say the above definitions are fairly accurate. I would not recommend people live in Bensonhurst- it is too small of a community, with very judgmental attitudes, not friendly towards outsiders/BT’s/gerim, and for American non-Haredim, it is a wasteland. The community is centered around the yeshiva.
Kensington I consider part of Boro Park, even though geographically, I am probably wrong. The community there is wonderful, and even the Conservative shul there has a mechitza during the week.
I use a nice woven candle (Ner Mitzvah), besomim with ezov, out of the bottle, and I use grape juice. I don’t have a havdalah set, although when, please G-d, I get married, a havdalah set is something I’d like to have (my parents just feel that it isn’t necessary).
R’ Hamburger identifies 4 different pronunciations of the cholam.
1) Poland and Hungarians pronounce komatz chirik (as in toy)
2)Litvaks and Russians pronounce segol chirik (as in pay)
3)Dutch Jews pronounce patach shuruk (as in how)
4) Western Europeans and Americans pronounce komatz shuruk (as in go)
It seems that the yeshivishe nowadays all pronounce according to the Polish way, in an attempt to ape their peers and appear as “frum” as possible.
Dating for any longer than a few dates to know whether you want to get married or not is a bad idea. A long distance engagement has pros and cons. It may force you to marry sooner, but it may complicate the chasuna planning process. It is a bad idea, and I wouldn’t recommend it, bichlal.
So Heimish is someone who davens Nusach Sefard, holds on to some Chassidishe hanhagos, and levush, without being fully Chassidish?
zeena.kasta,
Ask the moderators for my email. I know someone who might be a good shidduch for your friend.
zeena.kasta,
Ask the moderators for my email. I know someone who might be a good shidduch for your friend.
The advice that was given to me after the breakup was from Tehillim, perek lamed. Without darkness there cannot be light, and without galus there can’t be geulah.
Mods: The same thing that happened to elmos world’s friend happened to me. Please forward me his information. I would like to be in touch and provide chizuk.
The girl I was also unofficially engaged to broke it off after 6 months. She claimed it didn’t feel right, either, which is a completely subjective answer. There were no objective answers provided (i.e./ not in a career yet, different religious levels, family, etc.)
And her answer came less than an hour after she met with a high school teacher of hers (whom is incidentally a JOFA board member). There are just so many similarities here.
My advice would be to do what I am doing. In the face of this heartbreaking experience, I am using it as an opportunity to make concrete achievements in my life- get settled into a career that pays well (CPA), learn for a year, at least, and make connections with rabbonim, community leaders, etc., while engaging in chesed opportunities, in addition to losing weight. The idea is to make myself as marketable as possible to a girl who identifies as Modern Orthodox and is preferably either a bt or giyoret.
I think that labels muddle the discussion. In my experience, MO Liberal, MO Machmir, Modern Yeshivish, etc. cause confusion. I would say that specific issues need to be addressed. For instance, I am Tzioni, but don’t say Hallel on Yom haAtzmaut or Yom Yerushalayim with a bracha. I wash mayim achronim, don’t clap on Shabbos, tuck my tzitzit in, wear a black suede yarmulke, but don’t use contemporary eruvei chatzeirot, yet hold by Triangle K and Ner Tamid K. I don’t watch much TV, but have an interest in academic Jewish studies. My point is that it is easy to label, but I would suggest finding out where each person holds individually. We would find more that unites than divides.
Never forget. Always remember.
I essentially believe that they are creating a serious problem with get me’usa. But I am very anti-RCA for a different reason. They are supposed to be a Modern Orthodox organization, but are not, in actuality, Modern Orthodox. They capitulated to the horrific shita of Rav Amar and Avraham Sherman and rejected halacha to create the monster known as “GPS Geirus Policies.” My rebbi, Rabbi Angel, himself a former RCA president, has written extensively on this.
Of course it is reliable, except I believe it fails on two fronts. Rabbi Hershel Schachter advocates 2 positions I believe are anti-halakhic. First, get meusa. The ORA crowd coerces gittin. This is no good. Second issue is geirus. The mekoros are pretty clear that conversion is not to be handled by mega batei din, but by any beis din of three shomrei shabbos men. They impose too many standards external of what is actuallly required m’ikar hadin. They turn away sincere people and are guilty of innui hager.
I have the utmost respect for the talmidei chachamim and gedolim mentioned. I am familiar with their signing a document against Orthodox involvement in the Synagogue Council of America. However, Rav Soloveitchik, zt”l, and other Modern Orthodox leaders were matir such involvement.
I will continue to use the internet for what I have always used it for: learning. I live on YUTorah, UTJ Viewpoints, Daf Yomi websites, Gush’s website, etc.
JaneDoe 18,
The article you cited is a highly inflammatory piece which is light on the mekoros and heavy on the slander.
The idea held by the Agur, Rema, and Shach in this case is Minhag Brecht a Din. Minhag does not override gemara. When the popular practice of the people overrides what is authorized by Torah she ba’al peh, than we are making the claim that the people know better than HaShem, ch”v, who gave Torah she ba’al peh. This is dangerous thinking and is precisely the ideology that the kofrim Mordecai Kaplan and Solomon Schechter came up with; Catholic Israel shifts the locus of samchut from the Gemara onto the people, which is why his movement has done so many things contra Talmudically-binding halacha.