SJSinNYC

Actually, there are many subjects that are really important for talmidei chachamim to understand in order to delve deeply into the gemara. Math skills are important, basic anatomy….even astronomy!

Aside from that, some of these subjects are needed for basic life skills (going to the grocery store and knowing your bill is approximately right)…

dovid_yehuda, thank you for the clarification. I misunderstood the intent of your previous post. As for the time spent watching TV: there are many things that fall into that category that are not specific to TV (the internet is a great example). We will be held accountable for ALL out choices, and I think people single out television. I am not saying TV is great for everyone or all the time, but there are good uses for television as well.

As for television:

For most people, watching TV is a bad, time wasting thing, but not for everyone. For me, I learnt a lot about how Hashem runs the world, which helped give me a strong foundation of emunah.

I asked my husband (who went to Darchei for BM) about the Darchei conflict and this was his explanation:

Darchei is yeshivish. They also have a really strong secular education for the members of the community that want it, and to ensure that their kids can go out and do well if need be. The secular education counterbalances the yeshivish leanings of the school.

In Beis Medrash, without the secular studies, only the Yeshivish philosophy is left. They push hard to keep you learning.

So to sum up: the high school is yeshivish and you get top notch Jewish and secular education.

Xmas is also used by Christians. X is the greek letter Chi which is used sometimes as an abbreviation for Christos/Christ. Its more a convenience factor than anything.

In addition, in the last 20 years or so, Christmas has become much more of a secular holiday. I know athiests/agnostics who celebrate Christmas because its a nice time to celebrate and they have taken the Christian factor out. So no mass or anything religious, just a tree with presents and a nice family meal.

I honestly dont know about the lights. When I was a kid, my mother used to drive us around looking at the cool decorations in Saddle River NY/NJ. People there went overboard and did really cool stuff! It was kind of like being in Disney World.

Intellegent, you can get one of those keychain digital picture frames. They are usually around $15-$20 at CVS (probably cheaper other places) and then upload pictures of the two of you. This way, he will always be reminded of you no matter where he goes (and when the baby comes, he can post pictures of those too!)

DELETED – You know why!! If I let that comment get through, I would lose my moderators license. YW Moderator-72

How are you feeling BTW?

Welcome! I hope you have as much fun as most of us!

I recommend a flight to Australia! They have really cool animals there! I was able to hold a koala at a zoo in Kuranda (right near Cairns which is by the Great Barrier Reef). We also got to interact with kangaroos and wallabies and other cool animals. Its well worth the visit!

Oomis, I agree with your post. My point about him missing the halachic boat was that no, he is not keeping kosher according to halacha. Not that he is a bad person for it.

I personally think Hashem is giving him schar for that but I don’t make that judgement. I leave that up to Hashem.

I was just wondering if notpashut put MO in that category of “You are trying, but outside the bounds of halacha.”

Now to add about the R’ Miller comment.

I really think this has to be an opinion rather than fact because otherwise it brings up a lot of problems.

When he says anyone who has a TV does he mean that it is the act of owning the TV thats the issue? So If my neighbor lends me one, watching is not the problem? Is renting one a problem? Is it the possesion on my property?

What if I buy a nice TV to use like a digital picture frame? This way it can hang up and show large sizes of nice, family pictures or other photographs. No TV is being watched, just pictures being displayed?

What qualifies as a TV? Does a computer, which can play streaming TV shows, videos etc count? What about a video mp3 player that can play videos? You can download TV shows to them. Does owning one of those qualify? What if the only thing you download is kosher Jewish music?

What about portable DVD players? Are those considered TV? You can play TV shows, movies etc on them.

What if you need to keep up with the news or stocks for work? Can you not watch the stock ticker? The internet is allowed for work, so why not a television?

The questions on his statement could fill up a whole volume of a sefer! These are just the few that popped into my head at this moment. Is there any sort of speech he made that has the quotation in context?

notpashut, thank you for the compliment! You are wrong though – I do have an agenda (I’ve been pretty clear about that) and its to try to get others to understand that just because someone is to the left or right of you, their halachic psak is still valid (assuming its within the box of halacha).

Now, I have another question for you. You said “I am not saying & never said that everyone has to listen to chareidi Gedolim. I happen to believe that anyone who doesn’t is mistaken, but that is just my opinion – everyone else can do whatever they want.”

Yesterday, I went out with my department for a holiday lunch. There are two other Jewish people in my department. One doesnt really keep anything (he lights Chanukah candles, thats about it – doesnt even take off for Yom Kippur). The other is moderately practicing. He keeps a kosher home, but outside the home he just doesnt eat shellfish, ham, meat and milk together etc. He travels on shabbos, but does celebrate shabbos in some manner. He takes off for holidays, but last year Shavuos time he had to work (it was pretty crazy here around then). Anyway, I was talking to the second guy who asked why I didnt bring any food so I said I ate beforehand. He told me he was proud of me for keeping fully kosher, and that he tries the best he can.

I look at him and think “You are a wonderful person, I realize you are trying, but you are missing the proverbial halachic boat.”

Do you look at me (and other modern orthodox people) the same way? Please give me an honest answer.

My sister got a “heter” from the Lakewood rabbanim because she is deaf and its her primary form of communication with family and friends.

I question this only because if the internet is that bad, why would this be acceptable? Technically, she can use a TTY/VCO system which is annoying, but if the internet “has no place in a Jewish home” how can this be allowed?

I’m not complaining because it makes communicating with my sister much easier, but just curious why this is allowed.

Anon, let me know how you like them. I love spreading brussel sprout love! I think they get a bad rap for no reason!!!!

Oomis, I was the kid who came home and BEGGED my mother to make brussel sprouts all the time LOL. She did 🙂 Now I serve them to my 10 month old and he loves them too! I’m indoctrinating him early.

Anon, the two ways I generally make it are:

1) Roasted with the chicken. You just put them in the bottom of a pan, add the chicken and then spice the chicken. Its not the healthiest because you get the chicken gravy all over it but its so yummy!

2) I steam them and then serve them with a mayonnaise/lemon juice/dill sauce.

Either way they fly off the table!!

Oh and I use bodek brussel sprouts because its impossible to check them! You can also buy them fresh and freeze them I think, but because I never took the time to learn the details, I just buy bodek.

YW Moderator – I don’t remember what thread. If I come across it again, I’ll let you know.

Thank you

notpashut, please specify which Tendler. There are many and many of them are Rabbis AND Doctors. I assume you are talking about Rabbi Moshe Dovid Tendler?

Joseph, notice those phrases do not have anything to do with wo/man hating wo/man.

Latkes! I prefer savory to sweet usually. Plus, you can add all sorts of yummy things to make exotic ones (like zucchini or scallions). If you are on a diet you can actually bake the latkes (but I prefer deep fried).

Shouldnt this be a latke/jelly donut debate?

Brooklyn, what is the proper term for someone from Brooklyn?

Last night, I got off the bus around 8:30 and walked the 3 blocks home. It was snowing and everything was blanketed in a beautiful layer of snow.

I also liked that it melted by this morning so there was no shoveling needed. Getting up at 5 am is hard enough – no need to make it earlier!

brooklyn, thats ok! I am sorry for jumping on you. It was a stressful day yesterday and I probably read it a little harsher than I normally would.

Oomis – I love the expression “love the sinner, hate the sin.” Its what I was trying convey (somewhat unsuccessfully until I went into long winded explanations). I think I will stick to that phrase from now on.

my husband loves Opera. It has a bunch of cool features! Check it out at Opera.com

myshadow, its a lot of fun in the winter too! But if you are city girls…how about ice skating? I like to go in central park or Rockefeller Center. Afterwards, you can go out to Cafe K or whatever is near where you are going and get nice hot chocolates to warm you up!

how about they play “The Incredible Dreidel of Feitel Von Zeidel”? I loved that when I was a kid!

This thread made me laugh very hard, but it also makes me sad at how true this is. Unfortunately, when times are realtively easy for us, we fight among ourselves. When times are tough, we form a much stronger bond.

kiruvwife, that is wonderful! There can never be enough tefila and compassion is great across the board.

After all, think of hallel and pesach.