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maybe you would’ve had the power to persuade Chava not to eat from eitz hadaas. Then we could’ve avoided all the forthcoming issues…
Well, if you did that, then you would very likely not exist.
Likewise, if you found a way to prevent the Holocaust, you would (especially if you have ancestors who came from Europe around then or afterwards) likely put yourself out of existence as well.
The Wolf
I’d go back in time and tell my teenage self not to give my parents such a hard time.
Yes, it’s selfish. Yes, it’s not the “Jewish” answer that you were probably looking for. Nonetheless, that’s it for me.
The Wolf
Sorry, Wolf I misunderstood. You were clear.
No problem. Heaven knows that I’ve done that quite often. If I had a dollar for every sentence I misread, I’d be a very rich wolf indeed. 🙂
The Wolf
Wolf, why did she want to keep her maiden name?
No. Either you misunderstood or I was not clear.
She did not want to and in the end did not. But had she wanted to, it would have been fine with me – and I would not have required any explanation or reason.
The Wolf
A man will not have anything to do with a woman having another man’s surname as long we apply the prefix Mrs.
That’s not true. I know quite a few men whose wives did not take their last name. In fact, when I married Eeees, we discussed the matter and I told her that I would not mind if she wanted to keep her maiden name. She did not, but had she done so, that would have been fine with me.
The Wolf
No, because each will be talking about his own concerns.
And if they’re all discussing the same topic?
The Wolf
Look at the Zohar Parshes Terumoh, unity creates sanctity. Hashem rests where there is sanctity. If someone talks in shul, he breaks up the unity and drives out Hashem.
Not that I’m defending people who talk in shul (that’s one my pet peeves), but if *everyone* talks in shul, then aren’t they still in a state of unity?
The Wolf
A tzadik, by connecting himself to the power of Hashem, is not limited by nature, and can do the impossible.
Can a tzaddik make a triangle with four sides?
The Wolf
Sigh.
I’m just utterly amazed at the arguing over whether or not wearing a colored shirt makes you a better Jew, a ben Torah or anything else.
My yiras HaShem, my avodas HaShem, my Shmiras HaMitzvos and my emunah are not affected by the color of my shirt. My emunah does not grow when I wear one of my white shirts. It does not shrink when I wear one of my blue shirts. The mitzvos I observe does not change whether I’m wearing white, blue, teal, maroon or purple (and yes, I own and wear button down shirts in all those colors). I don’t learn any more or less Torah based on the color and the quality of my learning does not change. My connection to HKBH is the same regardless of what shirt I’m wearing.
If you want to think less of me because I wear colored shirts (or more of me if you see me wearing a white shirt), that’s your problem, not mine — and it’s really a silly thing to judge a person’s worth upon.
The Wolf
Like 75 dollar fruits?
So, don’t eat them.
Seriously.
There is no chiyuv to eat fruits on Tu B’Shvat.
And even if you have a very strong minhag to do so, you can very easily find dates and grapes at *much* lower prices.
The Wolf
Shoes come off my feet pretty much the minute I get home.
The Wolf
I myself was asked in Antwerp to sign a kesuboh with my name plony ben plony and add my surname.
I was a witness for tenaim recently at a wedding in Brooklyn. I was specifically instructed to sign the sh’tar tenaim with my surname.
The Wolf
So we see that a Jewish woman, upon marriage, her name changes from that of her father’s to that of her new husband’s.
Except that it doesn’t, of course. She’s still referred to as “Bas [father’s name]” for anything that needs doing.
The Wolf
The whole last name concept, from A to Z, is goyish. Yidden, both him and her, traditionally never had a last name in the first place.
No one’s stopping you from changing your last name to “Ben Moshe” (or whatever your father’s name is).
The Wolf
iac & Wolf: What is your rate?
I don’t have one. They are free to give me whatever they want. And if it’s 0, that’s fine too.
The Wolf
Are you kidding? How could anyone afford a Bar Mitzvah teacher after all those expenses?
I’m willing to bet that, with a little work (assuming you are in a large enough community), you can find someone to teach the Haftorah (and maybe even the laining) on a reduced-fee (or even free) basis.
The Wolf (who, in almost thirty years of teaching has never turned away a student for lack of money — but do you really want an apikorus like me teaching your twelve year old?)
Do blind people have dreams? if yes, then do they dream about being able to see, only to wake up in a cold sweat and realize that it was just a dream? what about someone who is blind from birth and thus, does not know what it means to be able to see? are their dreams visual or only auditory?
Yes, blind people dream. As to what they dream and what they can or cannot see in their dreams, that may vary from person to person depending on their degree of blindness, when they became blind and other factors. A simple Google search will give you the answer.
They say that if you hear absolute silence for a couple days, then you will go insane. How then do deaf people survive? do they hear somewhat?
Who is “they?” Are you sure that the premise of your question is correct?
Could a publisher publish his own book?
Why not? Many people self-publish.
could a judge sue a defendant from a previous case he ruled? how a bot vice versa? it would be quite ironic…
Of course they can. Why should they not be allowed to (especially if it’s unrelated to the case)?
The Wolf
WolfishMusings, it is logically impossible for me to fly,
No it’s not. It’s *physically* impossible, but not logically impossible.
but Hashem can make me fly. That’s why I called it perfection. Also, when I was explained these concepts in a shuir given at aish, he called it perfection.
Perfection does not rely on doing the impossible. We don’t say that a perfect circle is imperfect because it doesn’t have corners and a perfect triangle is imperfect because it doesn’t have four sides. Perfection does not rely on the ability to do the logically impossible.
The Wolf
Can He add to infinity?
Yes, He can – simply because some infinities are larger than others. The set of whole numbers is larger than the set of even numbers, even though both are infinite.
The Wolf
Is it unrefined for a Ben Torah to walk in the street from the pizza shop to his home holding a box with a pie of pizza?
Why is it any more unrefined than carrying home a bag of groceries? Or a box of apples? Or a tray of fish?
The Wolf
Shopping613 – perfection is just a concept that exists in our minds. Hashem is not limited by concepts.
He is limited by logic. He cannot do that which is logically impossible.
He cannot create a triangle with four sides since, by definition, such a shape is not a triangle. He cannot create a rock that He cannot lift because such a rock can no more exist than a four sided triangle.
The Wolf
Old Testament
Just as a point of note, it’s probably best not to use the term “Old Testament” in reference to the Tanach, as the term implies a “New Testament” which we, as Jews, don’t accept.
A far better term to use would be “Tanach” or, when speaking with those who would not be familiar with that term, the “Hebrew Bible” or “Jewish Bible.”
The Wolf
And the Halachas tell us to exclude them.
Where does halacha say to exclude a shliach tzibbur who is unmarried? Even for the Yomim Noraim, it’s only a preference, not an absolute requirement.
The Wolf
It is brought down that, for the Yomim Noraim, the Shliach Tzibur should be married. It is not an absolute requirement, but highly preferable.
For the rest of the year, there is no such restriction.
The Wolf
Anyone would be lucky to get your blessing, Wolf.
If you wish to be wrong, so be it.
The Wolf
Any Yid can bless anyone else.
True. But I feel sorry for anyone who values my blessing.
The Wolf
Ah! Onions! What would this world be without onions?! Without onions, what is the world?! It’s not a world!
I suppose the same could be said about passenger pigeons, dodos, Tasmanian tigers and aurochs.
The Wolf
for those people who believe gedolei torah should be consulted on all questions, even non-Torah ones, or who else believe that basically every question is a Torah question
Nobody believes this.
The Wolf
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
True. But neither is it an argument in favor of existence.
The Wolf
Would you use Dropbox to store your private and vital records and/or family documents?
I probably wouldn’t put a scan of my driver’s license and social security card on there, but for stuff that’s not super-secret sensitive, probably.
I do have some genealogical stuff in my cloud account, but it’s the type of stuff (pictures, scans of census pages, etc.) that would likely be publicly available to anyone who searched hard enough anyway.
The Wolf
Yes, I do. Pictures take up a lot of space.
I’m using Dropbox.
The Wolf
Who is considered to be greater between the Baal Shem Tov and the Vilna Gaon?
Is this really necessary? Are we *really* going to get into “my gadol is bigger than your gadol?”
The Wolf
Sorry for misunderstanding. My comments were not directed at you,
No problem. My apologies for the misunderstanding.
(As an aside, this is why I always either quote what I am responding to or address the person I’m responding to by name.)
The Wolf
mosherose
No, not him.
The Wolf
Why don’t you try not talking out of both sides of your mouth for once.
In what way do you believe that I’ve been talking out of both sides of my mouth? Have I said something that is self-contradictory?
Lubavitcher chassidim believe The Rebbe is Moshiach because The Rebbe teaches that The Rebbe is Moshiach. Period and of sentence full stop.
Has the Lubatvicher Rebbe, of blessed memory, actually made a clear, unequivocal statement that he is Moshiach?
And, of course, even if he has, he still has not fulfilled the requirements of Moshiach as laid down in the Rambam.
Stop obscuring The Rebbe’s torah by pretending like you don’t understand simple logic and that chassidim made up that The Rebbe is moshiach because chassidim are supposed to feel that about their rebbe etc.
So much to cover here.
Firstly, I make it a personal point to never ascribe to malice that which can be ascribed to ignorance. How about if, instead of accusing me of faking ignorance, be dan l’kaf z’chus and assume that the questions I ask are asked at face value. I promise you, that’s how they’re meant.
“Made up?” Are you implying that the their belief is fictional? Obviously that’s not right and either you’re not being clear or I am misunderstanding. Can you please clarify what you mean by “chassidim made up that the Rebbe is Moshiach?”
In any event, Is that really true that chassidim are supposed to feel that way about their rebbe? Do Belz chassidim believe that their rebbi is Moshiach? Do Satmar chassidim believe that their rebbe is Moshiach? Certainly the Breslov chassidim don’t. In fact, I’ve never heard any chossid, aside from a Chabad chossid, proclaim their rebbe as Moshiach. So you certainly can’t say that it’s universal that chassidim are supposed to believe that their rebbe is Moshiach.
The Rebbe said clearly that the Nasi Hador is Moshiach, and very clearly referred to himself as such.
First of all, it must be pointed out that Moshiach is NOT the Nasi HaDor — Moshiach is a king, plain and simple. But that’s really beside the point. Simply because the Lubavitcher Rebbe proclaimed something to be so does not mean that it is so — certainly for those of us who do not believe that everything the Rebbe, of blessed memory, says automatically defines reality. If you’re talking to people who aren’t Chassidei Chabad, you can’t just assume that they will accept that what the Rebbe says is.
The Wolf
FWIW, I have an English name that I use for work and a Jewish name that I use for everything else.
Yes, by all means, tell me that I’m preventing the geulah by doing so (lo shinu at sh’mum…). You won’t be the first one.
The Wolf
Vulcans’ have blue blood!
Actually, they have green blood.
(Also, as an aside, never use an apostrophe to denote a plural.)
The Wolf
To all those who have been bashing me mercilessly these past few days:
Do you really think my questions to you are “bashing” and “merciless?”
I didnt realize that you guys would make mountains out of mole hills out of that explanation I gave u guys.
Asking questions regarding your points is not “making mountains out of molehills.”
I was simply trying to explain to you close minded folk, that the concept of the rebbe being moshiach is a lot more complicated than you think
The fact that I asked you questions (rather than simply dismissed what you said) shows that I am not close minded at all. I’m willing to hear your explainations, but if you expect me to just accept it without thinking about it critically at all – *that* would be close-minded.
Your comments just go to show that opposition against Chabad has never ceased.
I have no opposition to Chabad. I just don’t believe the Rebbe is Moshiach. Asking you to defend your belief that he is Moshiach is not “opposition to Chabad” (unless, of course, you believe that any disagreement with your beliefs is opposition; but I don’t believe that to be so.)
So, again, I ask you to address my questions, without accusing me of being “close minded” and “in opposition to you.” Neither of those assertions is true.
The Wolf
Thanksgiving was the last chance for a family gathering before January 1.
I have no problems with people who celebrate Thanksgiving. The fact that we don’t do anything special “bo bayom” should not be construed as an objection to other people celebrating.
The Wolf
C”V! As you know, for years I’ve been calling him a tzaddik nistar. I often speak to him with the bakovedik title of Reb (and only because of his shunning being called Rabbi) despite he in his great anivus and tzidkus trying to discourage any honorifics.
Either I was unclear or you misunderstood me.
My point was that you often make the point that it’s a mitzvah (I believe you quote the Chofetz Chaim on this, but I could be mistaken) to hate a rasha. I did not mean to extend what you said beyond that. The rest (regarding the identity of the person I hate) was my commentary and not meant to be attributed to you at all.
My apologies if that was not clear.
The Wolf
Chochom,
Thank you for starting this thread. If I may, I have some questions about your comments:
The Rebbe did not have any children and therefore, there was no one to fill his place as Nosi Hador. Therefore, even after his death, he is still the Nosi Hador
I would argue with the idea that the Rebbe is or was the Nasi HaDor, for several reasons:
1. There is no actual position of Nasi HaDor.
2. But even if you just colloqueally mean that he was recognized as the leader of his generation, I would still disagree. While it is true that he was “a” leader in his generation, there are many Jews (both in the Orthodox world and without) who would not have recognized him as the pre-eminent leader of world Jewry.
3. From where do you draw this idea that if the Nasi HaDor has no selected successor that he retains the post eternally. This would not be the rule for an actual, literal king, so why should it be the rule for the Nasi HaDor? And, if applied universally, eventually most if not all movements would be leaderless, as eventually leaders do die without selected successors.and we believe that he is Moshiach. It is stated in Rambam somewhere – I’m not sure exactly where, but you could ask anyone – that it is the obligation of every Jew to fervently believe that their teacher is Moshiach.
With all due respect, I’m believe that you are mistaken on this. If such a text exists, I am certain that it probably says something along the lines of that you must treat your teacher as such, or should view him as such, but you cannot be commanded to believe that he is Moshiach. What if I know my teacher is a good man who can teach me things, but clearly does not have the knowledge or temperament to be Moshiach?
Of course, an even better question to ask is, what if my teacher is a Kohen? He cannot be Moshiach. Must I believe him to be so anyway in spite of the fact that he cannot be so.
Being that the Rebbe is our teacher we believe that he is Moshiach even though he past away 23 years ago. There are meforshim that say Moshiach can come from the dead,
There is a gemara that says that, but that does not mean that that gemara is unversally accepted.
therefore it is possible that the Rebbe passed away AND he is Moshiach, which automatically makes Chabad’s claim – that the Rebbe is Moshiach – less ridiculous.
The problem with the claim is not that he is dead, but that he did not fulfill the requirements as laid out.
It is a well known fact that the Rebbe is higher than nature. There are countless stories of him curing speech impaired, or deaf, or blind children, childless couples, and much more. Maybe I will post some miraculous stories below later, but the main point is that the Rebbe was an other – worldy person who was higher than nature. Therefore, discussions whether he passed away or not, are not for us to talk about because really, we don’t know. The Rebbe was a holy person whose death is something unknown to us and we cant decide what really happened.
Firstly, I do not believe it is well known that this is true, but let’s put that aside for a moment. Even if the above is true, curing the sick and helping the childless conceive are NOT the requirements of Moshiach. Those are well laid out in the Rambam and the Rebbe, of blessed memory, did not fulfill them.
I hope I have helped you guys to gain some clarity on this controversial topic. Thank you, for anyone who reads this article and lets all prepare to great Moshiach – whoever he is – with acts of goodness and kindness and that will help hasten his arrival, hopefully speedily in our days, Amen.
Amen!
The Wolf
I celebrate Thanksgiving, but not in the way you think.
We don’t have a feast or turkey or anything on Thursday night (I don’t like turkey anyway). However, since I have off from work that day and the next and I enjoy cooking, I spend two days cooking and making big meals for family and guests to come for the seudos of Shabbos.
So, if you view Thanksgiving positively, you could say that I’m putting the day off to good use. If you view Thanksgiving negatively, you can say that I’m polluting my Shabbos Kodesh with it. I’ll let you decide which one is appropriate.
The Wolf
Who?
If it’s all the same to you, I am not going to identify him. He knows who he is and he knows exactly why I hate him. And no, there is no real chance at changing this. He is a horrible person who is a rasha and (as Joseph often likes to point out), it is a mitzvah to hate him.
The Wolf
Not that there should be machlokes, but the two are not mutually exclusive. You could have arguments over both (or neither).
The Wolf
Any metziahs this year?
I don’t know. I don’t shop on Black Friday. I spend it (every year) cooking for Shabbos.
The Wolf
Yes. There is a Jew that I hate, so, I suppose, I am an antisemite.
The Wolf
That title is reserved solely for the oldest surviving son of the sovereign.
I need to clarify this statement — The title of Duke of Cornwall is reserved for the oldest surviving son of the sovereign who is the heir apparent. If Charles pre-deceases Elizabeth, the title does not go to William (who is not Elizabeth’s son) or to Andrew (who is the eldest surviving son, but not the heir apparent.
The Wolf
Why aren’t you asking your dentist these questions?
The Wolf