36 Responses

1. In Mir Yeruhalayim there are no coffee rooms, or any coffee to be found for that matter.
   Someone who wishes to have a coffee has to buy it from one of the nearby stores.
   How’s that for your bang for your buck?

2. The math works out if you count a year 365 days, which includes Yom Tov Bein Hazmanim Yom Kippur etc..
   and every talmud drinks coffee.

3. Less than 1/2 of the people there ever drink a coffee. So those that do drink, get up a lot of times from their chair to go make a coffee. There is no doubt that once these Yungerleit will go to work, they will not be so busy with coffee.

4. I wonder if they tip?

5. They have available vending machines. Everyone can pay for his cup. Also a donor can if he feels it’s necessary can donate coffee.

   It shouldn’t cost more than 35 cents a cup.

6. A few points for the haters

   The cups are small 8oz.

   BMG is opened for coffee every day – all Talmidim may not be there every day but neighbors visitors are always welcome – including you!

   There are 3 sedorim a day if you get a coffee before each Seder and once during the 3+ hr. Seder (remember they are small cups) we are actually short many cups of coffee.

7. The comments here are really funny! What about those who drink Coca Cola instead? Do we have statistics on that? Come on guys, get back to learning!

8. Askan,

   I think the skeptics are making a good point. Your number don’t work even with small cups.

   Not every single guy drinks coffee,

   The vast majority are not there 3 sedorim a day

   The BM may be open but the actual zman is for 9.5 months a year

   We have never heard of the the figure before of 8,500 enrollment

   This still comes out thousands of guys of men getting up to drink at least 3 cups per day.

9. If coffee enhances and improves learning, I’m all for it. I have never been in any BMG building, but I would assume they are not providing Keurig/pods/fresh ground coffee, just a giant hot water urn, instant coffee, sweeteners and the milk probably comes in free on some program or other.

10. Maybe they don’t get up to drink it, rather they drink it right before Seder

11. if the NY TIMES printed such a headline , we would scream anti semitism..its a nasty headline that has undertones of ridicule … did u also cheshbon how many gallons are used in the bathroom, its irrelevant and its not a fraction of the cost

12. To Meir G you are correct.

13. Ah yid
    You are correct

14. The hours of learning with mesiras nefesh is in the millions. Take into account 200 words a minute times 60 ,times millions, and each word is worth more than all the 613 mitzvos together and the fact that these heilige people are keeping the world excistant. And that is without taking into account “tov 1 betzaar m100 shlo betzaar”
    How DARE you critisize our lomdei torah!!!
    Without them you wouldn’t exist!!!

15. I must admit that the best comment that I saw on the internet is
    American Yeshivish
    Thank you

16. Just like the libs will always be investigating trump,

    The haters will always find a reason to hate Beni Torah

17. Love Yosef and the comments on this piece (and how he says ‘if you do 8500 and times it by the thing’ but doesn’t mean multiply etc)

18. Hey Ader, I’m a former Yungerman from BMG that is working now. I’m way busier with coffee now in my corporate job than I ever was in Kollel. I need to pass the time now while looking like I’m working hard. My coworkers go to the coffee room in pairs throughout the day. Stop with the hating. A good Kollel guy with kids is more tired than a white collar worker in a corporate setting.

19. Every situation and tragedy has a wake up call message directly from Hashem that you’re not going to find in any sefer in the world or read in any newspaper from a Gadol Hador or speaker saying about the tragedy and neither is it from me a internet writer businessman. So the only one truth left who it can be from is actually DIRECTLY FROM HASHEM above us in heaven.

    THE SHOCKING MESSAGE DIRECTLY FROM HASHEM RELATING TO COFFEE and the real truth about it.

    Do YOU drink coffee, I’m just asking? See that’s your corrupted human psychological mind (יצר הרע) fooling you and convincing you huh I had my morning coffee, now I feel strong and ready to go to work/learn. What would be if your spouse or parent woke you up one morning and asked you, how are you feeling today? now that you slept longer than usual? You would reply I’m feeling much better and more ready for my day. And then a minute later the person yells back at you, no it’s a mistake that was 2 nights ago, don’t you remember last night we had a late night wedding and didn’t return home until after 2:00am? What would happen to you as soon as you heard that? Your entire body would weaken now that your corrupted human psychological mind told you that you slept the same many hours as usual. Showing you that it’s all in your corrupted human psychological mind (יצר הרע) and the way how a person thinks. What’s A Pill/Vitamin? 100 crumbs put together to make it into a pill but nobody in the world can heal anyone besides Hashem Directly and all strength comes DIRECTLY FROM HASHEM as we say in davening every morning Boruch Hanosein layoeif Coach-Blessed is Hashem for giving us strength. Sure we still have to do our part hishtadlus and eat, drink, sleep etc…. But in truth it all comes directly from Hashem. Who do YOU think has a bigger chance of their tefillos being answered directly from Hashem? Go to a Gadol Hador for a Bracha for Children or a Shidduch etc … or go to the corner of your house and call out directly to Hashem? Your right He’s a big Gadol Hador and there’s a famous line called “צדיק גוזר ה מקיים” but the pro of YOU going directly to Hashem is WAY more powerful. What’s the message? Stop depending on Rebbe’s, segulahs, doctor’s & Lawyers and turn directly to Hashem for help as we say in bentching from Tehillim “ודורשי ה לא יחסרו כל טוב” i.e. for one who seeks out Hashem directly lacks nothing that is good.

20. Everyone should please chill. No one here hates anyone here. We are just Hocking.

21. 3.6 MILLION COFFEES means approx 3.6 MILLION BROCHOS of Shehakol Nihyeh (or Nihyah) Bidvoro! GEVALDIG!!!

    ANd then there are 3.6 MILLION Brochos of Borei Nefoshos. GEVALDIG!!!

    And guess what? Then, as the coffees go through the bodily system, there are maybe another 3.6 MILLION Asher Yotzar’s. The ketanim produced by the gedolim. GEVALDIG!!!

22. Sam, the Torah has many instances of Tzaddikim giving brochos, whether it is the AVos giving brochos to their offspring, or Moshe praying for Yehoshua, and blessing Klal Yosroel when they built the mishkan and also before his passing. Indeed, the Torah even gives a mitzva for KOhanim to bless Bnei Yisroel.

    At no point does anyone suggest, “Hey Avos/Moshe?Kohen, what do I need your punny little brocha when I get get it directly from the source of the bochos by asking Hashem?”

    When Rivka wanted so badly for Yaakov to get the brochos, it never dawned on Rivka or Yaakov that there is no need for these brochos, because, after all, Sam says it is better to get them straight from the source and cut out the middle-man.

    Yaakov should have told Eisov, “Don’t be upset that Tatty gave me the brochos, because you can get the brochos directly from Hashem, just ask Him!”

    I wonder why the Avos didn’t follow your advice?

    I wonder why Moshe didn’t just tell Bnei Yisroel, “Guys, there is no need for my brocha because you are empowered to get it yourself from Hashem”?

    If fact, I wonder why Hashem Himself doesn’t follow your brilliant assertion and instead delegates the brocha through Kohanim. It would be more efficient (or as you say, more powerful) to just give the brocha direct to bnei yisroel?

    You are so convincing that we must conclude that the Avos, Moshe/Ahron, Hashem…are all mistaken, because Sam Klien knows better.

23. Further to Sam Klein’s misguided comments, פוּק חָזִי מַאי עַמָא דָבַר, go and see the conduct of klal Yisroel, that seek brochos from gedolim and visit kivrei tzaddikim (as Kolev did when he needed extra zchusim).

    That what Yidden do!

    When Sam argues against it, he is going against מנהג ישראל.

24. Dear Rebbitzen Goldenpickanicerscreenname, please chill. R’ Sam Klein did not say not to go to Tzadikim for Brachos, he just reminded us that it’s even more important to ALSO daven yourself. His words were to not DEPEND on anyone but Hashem. Just like it’s obvious that when he said not to depend on Doctors, he did not mean not to go to Doctors.
    It’s an open Chazal [בבא בתרא קטז]
    מי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו ילך אצל חכם.
    But it’s also an open Chazal [רש”י בראשית כא יז]
    שיפה תפלת החולה מתפלת אחרים עליו.

25. K M, You write as if there are two views in Chazal:
    “It’s an open Chazal [בבא בתרא קטז]
    מי שיש לו חולה בתוך ביתו ילך אצל חכם.
    But it’s also an open Chazal [רש”י בראשית כא יז]
    שיפה תפלת החולה מתפלת אחרים עליו ”

    There is no contradiction between these two Chazal!

    The case of רש”י בראשית כא יז speaks about Yishmoel, that Hashem listened to Yishmoel’s crying – that Hashem listened to Yishmoel’s tefilah instead of Hagar’s tefilah.

    Is that a proof that a person’s own tefilah is better than a Tzaddik/Godol’s teffilah? The Zohar explains, why didn’t Hashem listen to Hagar’s tefilah for her son? Because she returned to serving avodah zara! (R’ Hirsh explains differently – because Hagar acted cruelly (selfishly) towards Yishmoel by casting him off).

    Indeed, a Yishmoel (Goy) should better pray for himself, rather than go to our Gedolim for brochos. But a Yid should go to the chochom (Godol) for a brocha and tefilah!

    See further עירובין דף כט in חדושי אגדות מהרש”א :
    ואין בקשתו על עצמו מועלת כבקשת אחרים עליו כדאמרינן אין חבוש מתיר עצמו
    מבית האסורין
    [ – that praying for oneself is NOT as helpful as the prayers of others because a prisoner cannot release himself].

    Indeed, meforshim of Rashi ank the question of אין חבוש מתיר עצמו and offer various other explanations, such as –

    Marshal: Under normal circumstances, it is best to daven direct to Hashem, but when there is a gezeira against the person r”l, then he required the power of a Tzaddik צדיק גוזר והקב”ה מקיים, which can only be accomplished through a Tzaddik! (Similar to explanation of Maskil L’Dovid).

    But this narrative, of knocking Yidden that seek brochos from a tzaddik or go to kivrei tzaddikim, is all part of an anti-chassidic narrative, with a goal of causing divisiveness (machlokes and sinas chinom) in Klal Yisroel, by using misleading quotes from Torah and Chazal (all done in the SAME fashion as missionaries try to mislead with “quotes” from scriptures).

    Which is why I won’t “chill”!!!

26. I wrote: “a Yishmoel (Goy) should better pray for himself, rather than go to our Gedolim for brochos”, based on the words of Chasam Sofer, that a Yid has Arvus, therefore the tefilah of others assist, but this does not apply by a Goy:
    חתם סופר (בספר הזכרון ובעוד כמה מקומות עיין גם בכתב סופר שהביא דברי אביו והוסיף לתרץ עוד בעצמו) שאין חבוש מתיר עצמו מבית האסורין נאמר רק לגבי ישראל ששייך בהם דין ערבות וממילא מועילה תפילתו של האדם על האחר כי הם אותו אחד ועדיפה תפילת האחר מתפילת האדם על עצמו כיוון שהחולה עקב חוליו קשה לו לכוין ולסדר תפילתו כראוי , אך בבני נח לא שייך שאדם יתפלל על חבירו , וגם לא יועיל מדין ערבות , שלא שייך אצלם ערבות

27. Further, to demonstrate that the tefolos of others are sometimes MORE helpful than one’s own tefilah – stated explicitly in מהרש”א חידושי אגדות מסכת ברכות דף לד עמוד ב :
    וכי הוא גדול ממך כו’. דלפעמים תפלת אחרים לאדם מועיל לו יותר מתפלת עצמו

28. Really?! I write as if there are two views in Chazal?! Did you forget the rest of my previous comment so fast?!

    The Zohar and R’ Hirsh and you based on the Chasam Sofer are clearly saying different pshatim than the Medrash of Rashi. Which are probably not different views. There are several reasons that can all be true. אלו ואלו דברי אלקים חיים.

    You answered the question from אין חבוש pretty well, it only applies when someone is too sick to concentrate on davening.

    Also, the main reason we are supposed to daven is not so that we get answered. It’s to attach ourselves to Hashem. [ Chinuch 433, Rambam MN 3;44]

    Please do not attempt to reply to me. No one needs your knocking, missionary, misleading, comments.

29. KM: “the main reason we are supposed to daven is not so that we get answered. It’s to attach ourselves to Hashem”

    בברכות כ’ ע”ב reason that women must daven: מ”ט משום דרחמי נינהו (because they need Hashem’s mercy). indeed, the main purpose of Tefilah is בקשת צרכיו של אדם (therefore some poskim hold that Tefila min haTorah is only when a person required needs from Hashem).

    So is the “main reason” for tefilah is to attach ourselves to Hashem (as you claim) or בקשת צרכיו?

    The Gaon, Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik z”l ponders ths question in the context of Birkos Shevach of the Amidah, and if they are omitted, does it disqualify the tefilah? He concludes, with proof from the Rambam (in Yad Hachazaka), that the main reason of tefilah is בקשת צרכיו – a conclusion contrar to what you quote from Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim!

    (ספר והאיש משה, (ד”ה ובכדי שיהי’ הדברים בא”ד דהנה הר”מ
    ,(להג”ר משה סולוביציק זצ”ל מציריך)
    מסתפק בהנ”ל אם שבח הודאה הוא מה”ת ואם הוא מעכב קיום מצות תפילה מה”ת ומדייק מלשון הרמב”ם דאפילו אם הוא מה”ת מ”מ אינו מעיקר
    התפילה ואינו מעכב, דעיקר התפלה הוא בקשת צרכיו.

    These are not “my” knocking, missionary, misleading, comments.

    The entire debate here is to knock chassidim and sefardim that place great weight on brochos of Gedolim/Tzadikim and prayers at Kivrei Tzaddikim – something that the Litvish have issues with and try to diminish the value of such conduct by twisting themselves into pretzels to overcome the overwhelming words of Chazal and conduct of Avos, Moshe/Ahron, Kohanim, Kolev ben Yefuna etc etc. that proves the correctness of going to a Tzaddik for a brocha and praying at Kivrei Tzaddikim.

30. So you think you disproved the Rambam and the Chinuch?! You are really acting like a missionary!
    I was saying that the main REASON WHY we are supposed to be mevakesh tzrachav, is to attach ourselves to Hashem. The way to do that is to be mevakesh rachamim. And I never said that it’s the only reason. Genug Shoyn!

31. Sam Klein also claims: turn directly to Hashem for help as we say in bentching from Tehillim “ודורשי ה לא יחסרו כל טוב”

    This is again a misguided fallacy!

    Harav Shach z’l was asked how is it that indeed we see many דורשי ה had severe מחסור ליראיו and were רשו ורעבו, as happened with רבי חנינא בן דוסא, רבי שמעון בן חלפתא, רבי אלעזר בן פדת and others?

    Rav Shach answered (in name of Chofetz Chaim) that p’shat in possuk is NOT שיראיו לא יחסרו, rather, the fact that they were suffering and poor was not caused by them being יראיו, They didn’t suffer as a result of being יראיו, because they dedicated their lives to learning and serving Hashem, but rather, they suffered because Heaven decreed so upon them.

    So once again Sam Klein misuses a possuk to misdirect with a FALSE claim that if you daven to Hashem you will be דורשי ה’ אשר לא יחסרו כל טוב. Shame on spreading misinformation!

32. KM: “I was saying that the main REASON WHY we are supposed to be mevakesh tzrachav, is to attach ourselves to Hashem.”

    Well, that is actually the “Main Reason WHY” we do EVERY mitzva – to attach ourselves to Hashem. We learn Torah – to attach ourselves to Hashem, we give tzedaka to attach ourselves to Hashem. (The word “mitzva” actually comes from word “tzavsa v’chibur” – connection).

    BUt in the purpose of individual mitzvos and their context, Tefilla’s purpose is בקשת צרכיו של אדם and the Gemara בברכות כ’ ע”בsays that the reason why women are a chiyuv to daven is BECAUSE they too need rachamim משום דרחמי נינהו, NOT because they, just as men, need to connect to Hashem.

    The Rambam in MORAH NEVUCHIM and the Chinuch add a philosophical dimension to the mitzva of Tefila, but the Rambam in Yad Hachazaka (a sefer of Halacha) implies clearly that the inyan of Tefilah is בקשת צרכיו של אדם.

    You mislead by suddenly claiming that the main purpose of Tefila is to connect to Hashem, but that applies to EVERY single mitzvah!

33. You mislead by suddenly claiming that the main purpose of Tefila is to connect to Hashem, when that applies to EVERY single mitzvah! You say “genug shoyn”, Why? Because you want to remain stuck in a hole of deception and falsehood!

34. I don’t think I should answer you anymore. You seem to need to get the last word, no matter how stupid or irrelevant your last word is. Hatzlacha.

35. A חכם is מודה על האמת וחלופיהן בגולם – something that you refuse to do, which classifies you in the חלופיהן בגולם category.

    It is YOU that keeps insisting to get in the last word of name-calling and telling me to remain quiet. Why? Because you realize that you are wrong and are too ashamed to admit it!

    My replies have תוכן and ראיות, yours don’t!

    And I am being cheered by my Lakewood women’s chat group.

36. נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד

    הלכות תלמוד תורה (ד, א):
    …אין מלמדים דברי תורה אלא לתלמיד הגון, נאה במעשיו
    אמרו חכמים: כל השונה לתלמיד שאינו הגון, כאלו זרק אבן למרקוליס,
    שנאמר: ‘כִּצְרוֹר אֶבֶן בְּמַרְגֵּמָה כֵּן נוֹתֵן לִכְסִיל כָּבוֹד’ [מש’ כו, ח];
    ואין ‘כבוד’ אלא תורה, שנאמר: ‘כָּבוֹד חֲכָמִים יִנְחָלוּ’ [שם ג, לה]