squeak

With somewhat more delay than usual in moderating, I’m thinking that this is the thread to be in- gives everyone a chance to keep thinking about the riddle without seeing anyone else’s answers for a while.

1. Which English language word is most frequently spelled wrong?

2. What has one horn and gives milk?

3. What starts with “T”, ends with “T”, and is full of “T”?

4. What word becomes shorter by adding letters to it?

5. What 3 letter English word has an odd start, and even finish, and an infinitely long middle?

6. What falls but never breaks? Breaks but never falls?

7. Forward it is heavy, but backward it is not. What is it?

And finally….

Finish the pattern:

1=3

2=3

3=5

4=4

5=4

6=3

7=5

8=5

9=4

10=3

11=?

12=?

Wolf-

In a case where a murderer does not meet all the halachic requirements for receiving the death penalty (e.g. only one witness, or a minor flaw in the hasro’oh) beis din would toss him in the brig and throw away the key. Not acquit.

“la vida loca”- is that really what you think of her choices? That lumps you with the fire and brimstone crowd.

Re: The wagon- I was in an area that I thought might contain our Doc (think of a Venn diagram). I stumbled across something that was unusual (at least, to me it was) and I thought he might be able to find it based on my vagueries.

Of course, frum women are safe from this because the Odyssey has a rear window wiper. Refuah koidem l’maka!

I would disagree with the circumstances being unchanged when applying the words of the tshuva (as far as pusuing professional avenues in order to “get rich”. These days, with all the costs of being frum, even “getting comfortable” is a stretch for most).

But at the crux, R’ Moshe is condemning making investments in ones’ career. He says that those who invest time, money, and effort into developing professional skills is not a ben torah. But is an apprenticed tailor or cobbler any more of a ben torah? One is no less invested in the career, it is only a distinction of delayed vs instant gratification. Rather, he is distinguishing between professional Rebbeim and other professionals- and he is allowing for professional Rebbeim to still be considered bnei torah.

If that is the case, then being a ben torah is not meant to be a universal goal for all frum men. A ben torah must be a reserved term, perhaps the modern equivalent of “chaver” from the gemara?

What if you are davening at the earliest possible minyan (i.e. at sunrise)? What you are saying would not apply. The fact is, that the halacha for a person who is yoitze laderech is different than for a batlan.

In the winter, sunrise is often not early enough for people who work a full day. I know of a minyan that davens before sunrise during the winter specifically to meet that need (as opposed to many shuls that constantly change the time of the first minyan so that it is never before hanetz hachama). Normative halacha permits a yoitze ladreceh to daven before sunrise b’yechidus- k”v with a minyan.

Wolf, I’ve got your back on this one.

I personally know many non-Orthodox Jews, including Conservative, Reform, and unaffiliated. Many are married to non-Jews. None were raised in Orthodox homes. As far as I can tell, they are continuing to practice the same brand of Judaism that they were raised in.

Are they shomer Torah u’mitzvos? Not a one. And with the exception of the Conservatives, they know it. One of the Reform jews I know introduced us once to a non jewish person and said, “We’re both Jewish, but ‘squeak’ is a real jew”. (Note: not that I agree with the implications of the words “real jew”; he’s as real and as jewish as I am, but what he meant was obvious to both of us.) The unaffiliated ones are comfortable with knowing (and asking) about any and everything, and doing nothing. Because that is how they were raised.

OTOH, when I’m speaking to the Conservative, he speaks with the sense of being on the same plane, religiously, with me. Whether it’s about a Succah, Torah reading, Bar Mitzva, wedding (chupa)- his perspective is that our ceremonies may be different but not our level of observance. Again, this is no doubt how he was raised.

If I were trying to bridge the gap, or at least keep the chasm from widening, I would not be focusing on the lack of observance of the people I am dealing with. Instead, I would focus on the inner strength they all show by stubbornly clinging to the beliefs and practices that were instilled in them by those they trusted most. Just as Orthodox jews stubbornly cling to theirs.

You missed me though.

Nope, still there.

and how many standard deviations from the mean would winning 3 times be?

Lest I be misunderstood, I will clarify that I am playing the devil’s advocate. To those who believe that the gedolim can and do make halachik decisions in a vacuum, relying on some mystical powers to achieve an immutable position: Let this answer be a proof that gedolim DO require input from this world.

I’ll try this. You posted about a plane which lies almost directly between two cupolas and a ferry. I assumed that you are in a position to see the plane.

ETA: Not a “plane” in the mathematical sense.

RSRH:

Based on your handle, I am assuming that you have had an upbringing that most people cannot fully understand. How many of those who read the writings of your leader truly understand his meanings? (I think that in today’s age, fewer and fewer of the original group even try to study it, and most just continue to uphold the status quo. OTOH, I have a newfound respect for a growing number of yiddin from “other” group of “followers”, many of whom are really coming to grips with the true understanding of the philosophies and it shows in their clean break from the mainstream ways of their institution.)

You are following the path of the right and true, according to all you have been taught. Don’t let the moral judgement of those with differing philosophies to sway you. They are similarly pursuing the right and true according to what they have been taught.

The kollel lifestyle is a separate issue from the philosophies.

I don’t think I’m allowed to- site rules.

Let’s just say that I made an assumption about your location based on some of your posts, and I happened to find something very interesting today about that area. I thought that if my assumption was correct you would chap instantly.

Ben Turah: The fact that you consider that “discussion” is telling.

Well, I thought the North building was a landmark name you were familiar with.

As for the triangulation (based on 3 points of interest that you have mentioned here), the angle is extremely obtuse, as the points almost form a straight line. One of the points is directly across the street from the North building, too.

So it’s OK on “frumteens” but not on “yeshivaworld”?

Who gets to decide if it’s OK? I would assume the site owners. Unless you think that the name of the site gives you and everybody the right to censor its content, in which case I don’t see a reason to distinguish between the two names for content censoring.

Not that I agree or disagree with your point.

Dr. Pepper-

The wagon is across from the North building again

Like I always say, If I marry someone half the person my father is I’ll be very lucky

Chances are that when he got married your father was only half the man he now is.

As the “groom” said in his speech at his 50th anniversary party, “I am twice the man she married”, and turning sideways so we could see his profile added, “thanks to my wife’s delicious cooking”!

That is rarely the end of a discussion- frequently the beginning of one. So our preferences are not mutually exclusive; rather quite in sync.

OK sorry

Whatever Joseph is serving

(i think i can start a thread on how annoying Medicaid is and how many things they messed up)

Please do. I’d love to see the direction that takes.

Maybe we should start an Allan Sherman Appreciation thread

Again, please do. But be prepared – not everyone is a fan.

popa bar abba it has the endorsement of many rabbanim-check it out

So does Kupat Hair and Vaad Harabbanim. It doesn’t mean you get what you’re promised. But what you are doing is still a nice thing.

I never heard the Gabay song, but I could see why fans of his music would want to make a fan website.

Told them to switch horses. The winner is actually the loser, since it is his brother’s horse that finished first.