When one sees such a sight, a frum yid walking in a supermarket in Bnei Brak in some sort of a shopping cart/cage, one can only wonder what’s up.
When this person was asked to explain, he said that he built the contraption to avoid walking between two women while shopping – adding this was the solution he came up with – quite unique to say the least.
He does not explain how exactly this solves the problem, but here is the video.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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64 Responses
Hooray! YWN found a new thing to malign k’dushas Am Yisrael with! Surely this was posted to show how beautiful Am Yisrael is. Surely it wasn’t posted so as to enable people to post their venomous comments.
Easy, and admirably original.
The contraption is a separate r’shus that is 10 t’fachim high and the bars make a l’vud so that they constitute a halachic solid wall, such as in a sukkah. This way he has his own r’shus hayachid and can avoid all issurim.
The fact that he can still see what is around him is definitely a problem.
As an expert in vision, I suggest a virtual reality camera that photographs the field and actually speaks to the wearer, telling him what objects are in his immediate surroundings. This way he can close his eyes and still not bump into objects. It’s expensive, but one must spend all his money to avoid violating the halachah. This is R’tzon Hashem.
And, ladies and gentlemen, this is what we have become.
Let’s begin analyzing the guy who took the video without his consent, that’s gnevas daas!
Two options: 1. He wants to try out the new department for these issues in Maaynei Hayeshua Hospital, or 2. He knows he will soon be required to sign up for the army, knows he is going to refuse, suspects he is going to be sent to jail and wants to get used to things. The real answer is what self-respecting frum Yid shops in a store that does not have separate hours? When was this taken, on Purim?
He does not explain how exactly this solves the problem? The horizontal bars on his cart are less than 3 tfachim apart – has a din lavud so he’s surrounded by kosher mechitzot. Genius!
Do you have a confirmed source for your information? Who asked him and how do you know that’s what he said? Rumors here in Israel are that he’s handicapped in some way and the contraption is related to that. Yediot (the source of the video clip) is notoriously anti-religious.
when people take chumras to the extreme life can get crazy….
This is great and funny. I really don’t understand why people are offended by this.
Ywn also posted an article about an israeli girl going nuts. Some things are meant to stay private. When your next door neighbors have an ultimate fighting match, you dont whip out your phone and send a video to ywn.
Thats not what we do.
He needs psychiatric intervention, not chimeras, in his life
He is not doing it for tznius reasons. The kitzur in 3:8 writes:
יש ליזהר שלא ילך איש בין שתי נשים, ולא בין שני כלבים או שני חזירים, וכן לא יניחו האנשים שתלך ביניהם אשה או כלב או חזיר.
In other words, he is avoiding walking between them because they are tamei. This is another reason the kitzur shouldn’t be taught to children or those who don’t have the capability of rejecting the psolet and keeping the grain.
I saw them on amazon
He is pushing a stroller, not a walker; a stroller is not designed to hold weight like a walker.. And he is walking with a shuffling gait because his leg movements are limited by the cage.
It also seems he has used a plastic zip tie instead of a string or a latch. I guess that makes the wall more permanent.
I wonder what is in the box that has the picture of Big Ben on it…..
he was sick and tired of having to hold his beard while shopping….hameyvin yavin
See, while it’s funny to see this, the issue of walking between two women is not something there is much room to be meikel in in halacha. Yes, the normal thing to do is figure out a def way to walk, but it’s funny you guys are calling ti a chumra. It’s just a nut keeping halacha.
Looks like he is handicap. Nebech he might need that to help him walk. I feel bad for the terrible Motze Shem Ra going on here
There really should be separate shopping times for men and women. That would solve the problem.
This is not fair! i protest. This man is our brother. Stop making fun and leave him be. Please. This never should have been on Social media. We live in galus and are trying to be the best yid we can be, and so is this beautiful holy jew. You don’t like it, don’t do it, but don’t mock him.
He was joking and you take him seriously?
He’s trying to get out of the army by claiming the IDF equivalent of a Section 8.
Nothing points out or indicates his intentions..
For the ones bashing the very concept; “Walking Between Women” is NOT a “chumrah” its a Chazal and halacha!
There are several ways to go around it if in a situation…, I recall holding on to your Tztizis or any ‘Cheftze shel Kedusha..
If this is really true, what is happening,g in this world
You have my sympathy. I don’t think you should admit that publicly.
I responded too quickly a minute ago. I’m not upset about what he’s doing. I’m upset about YWN posting it as a mockery. i can’t imagine that there’s any hetter to do such a thing. I think I learned about not making fun of people when I was in nursery and consistently thereafter
Boomerang
instead of mocking most are empathizing or appreciating
credit to the preponderance of commentors
There are 2 suggestions for this man to prevent shopping between women.
1) Shop at night or very early when there are hardly or no woman in stores.
Many Israeli stores have men hours.
2) Shop only in stores where there are plenty of men.
3) If none of the above are options for
There are 2 suggestions for this man to prevent shopping between women.
1) Shop at night or very early when there are hardly or no woman in stores.
Many Israeli stores have men hours.
2) Shop only in stores where there are plenty of men.
3) If none of the above are options for you. Then check yourself into a mental home.
But prevent your wife from being embarrassed by your crooked brains.
He might be handicapped
I WANDER IS THIS AHAVAS YISROEL OR SINAS CHINOM
This is not a chumra, it’s the opposite. He made a loophole for himself.
bsalel, are you really calling a din in gemora and shulchon oruch “garbage”?! Please explain how that is not outright apikorsus.
The din of not passing between two women, dogs, pigs, or trees has nothing to do with tznius *or* tum’ah. It’s a matter of zugos. That’s why it only applies when there are two women, trees, etc., and not to three or more. Just as one should not walk between two trees standing together but there’s no problem walking in a forest where one is surrounded by trees, there should be no problem walking through a group of women. But if a man sees two women who are walking or standing together, then he should not pass between them. And of course the same applies to a woman passing between two men who are walking or standing together, but not to a woman passing through a group of men.
milhouse: while it would be wrong to compare this practice outright to zugos or tuma (although zugos is probably a better call than tuma as it is brought down in pesachim as follows: “ת”ר שלשה אין ממצעין ולא מתמצעין ואלו הן הכלב והדקל והאשה וי”א אף החזיר) i subscribe to the meiri’s view on zugos as recited in 109b of psachim which deals extensively with zugos and who (i think) would agree with my adjective of this practice. If i am an apikores like the meiri, ill be ok. Also, this statement does not appear in the shulchan aruch (or rambam or tur). Also, in contradiction to both of us, the Darkei Halacha comments on the kitzur cited, “Ikkar Hataam Benashim Mishum Tzeniut” but I have not been zoche to understand R’ Mordechai’s pshat in the least.
@besalel: “In other words, he is avoiding walking between them because they are tamei. This is another reason the kitzur shouldn’t be taught to children or those who don’t have the capability of rejecting the psolet and keeping the grain.”
To refer to anything the Ungvar Rav, HaRav Shlomo Gansfried ztzvk”l, the author of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Keses Sofer, and others, as requiring rejection as pesoles, is heretical at best. The fact he is quoting a Gemora, does not make your case any stronger.
The fact you attribute tumah to all women shows you didn’t read what either the Kitzur or the Gemora says. Regarding women, the issue is primarily kishuf not tumah.
@Milhouse – Great points, although I thought the issue was kishuf not zugos. Either way, to refer toba Gemora and the words of one of the Gedolei haPoskim as pesoles is outrageous. Thank you for answering the call of mi LaShem eilai!
We have multiply reality shows on cable TV with short videos of Dumb Stunts, America’s Funniest Animals etc. so now we have a yiddeshe version of Outrageous Chumrahs or the Uber-Tzadikim of Bnai Brak.
Shuali: i don’t think the kitzur is that great of a halachik resource at all. It probably only gained popularity because the Hebrew was simple.
@besalel –
1) He was from the Gedolei HaPoskim in his time.
2) One of today’s better known poskim, when asked he learns KSh”A with his oilam seeing as the Mishnah Berurah does not always agree with him, answered, “if we will do everything the KSh” A says to do we will be Bnei Olam HaBa.
3) The halachah in question is a clear Gemora, as mentioned above in several posts.
4) Many Beis Yaakov’s and Yeshivos teach this halachah.
5) Many, perhaps, most of the R”Y and Rabbonim I have seen, are careful with this halachah.
And people wonder what I mean when I say Ashkenazic Meshugas….
How awesome would it be if everyone adopted this? Imagine a new norm where everyone is walking around like him. Every health department in Israel and America would rightfully lock up every member of the community.
I feel very blessed to be part of a society where when one has issues, it’s channeled into a creative tznius hanhaga as opposed to picking up an assualt rifle and slautering as many innocents as possible
besalel, where do you get the idea that the Kitzur is less authoritative than the Mishneh Brurah? Where they differ, who says which way to pasken?
And I do not believe the Meiri says anything in the gemara is garbage.
Imagine a new norm where everyone is walking around like him. Every health department in Israel and America would rightfully lock up every member of the community.
Rightfully?! By what right?
They’d lock us up for bris mila too but we keep the Torah no matter what people think
Shuali: you misunderstood today’s better known poskim so I’ll explain it to you.
There is a famous braisa that says
תָּנָא דְּבֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ: כָּל הַשּׁוֹנֶה הֲלָכוֹת בְּכָל יוֹם, מֻבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֲלִיכוֹת עוֹלָם לוֹ, אֶל תִּקְרֵי הֲלִיכוֹת, אֶלָּא הֲלָכוֹת
You might think that learning kitzur doesn’t count because he brings down non halachik statement of the Gemara like the one at issue here so well known gadol of today says “don’t worry even learning kitzur makes you a ben olam habba”
But better to learn something else.
WE HAVE GONE MAD!
I’m impressed he’s actually doing the grocery shop. That’s woman’s work. What a tzaddik.
@besalel – “You might think that learning kitzur doesn’t count because he brings down non halachik statement of the Gemara like the one at issue here so well known gadol of today says “don’t worry even learning kitzur makes you a ben olam habba”
Perhaps, except, he said (I was there) “if we would DO everything it says in the KSh”A. . .” not learning what he says is a mitzvah deserving of s’char in olam ha’ba.
I am, however, comforted to read that you no longer consider what the KSh”A writes as pisoles, seeing as you say it is considered shoneh halachos b’chol yom and capable of making us into Bnei olam ha’ba. I am certain your teshuvah has benn fully accepted.
@besalel – “But better to learn something else.”
Could you please tell me which Masechta is “better to learn?” Or which Rishonon or Nosei Kelli?
B,
“i don’t think the kitzur is that great of a halachik resource at all. It probably only gained popularity because the Hebrew was simple.”
Sorry, but I think you should refrain from commenting on subjects you are total not familiar with.
The Kitzur – Hagon Rav Shlomo Ganzfried ZTL is the author of the following very important seform:
לחם ושמלה – הלכות נידה, טבילה ומקוואות
אהלי שם – על שמות אנשים ונשים
קסת סופר – דיני כתיבת סת”ם
לשכת הסופר ”
תורת זבח – על הלכות שחיטה וטריפות
Each of the above are essential on the above subjects and intensively used by EVERY halacha authority, sofer, etc through out the Halacha world and beyond.
He also authored:
פני שלמה – על הש”ס
אפריון
שם שלמה
(and many others that he didn’t manage to print.)
All are master pieces.
He is known for the Kitzur as it was written for all..
Gaon,
I was speaking only of the Kitzur.
(A similar analogy would be Rav Chaim Palagi’s 36 writings. Some are marvelous halachik resources and some are much less valuable).
B
@besalel – “some are much less valuable”
Are we big enough to say what Torah is more or less valuable? Whose Torah is not valuable. Whose is not priceless?
I think he just needs help walking and came up with a new type of walker:)
Bes,
No comparison to Rav Chaim Palagi’s seforim – the seforim you are referring (assuming) are not intended as Halacha leMaiash, they are various Minhagim, Inyanim and all sorts etc.
The Kitzur (being a major Posek) was intended as Halacha leMeisah, and is quoted by all poskim as an authoritative halacha sefer, same as Chai Adom etc. Unless you have a source noting diff.
@Gaon – You are 100% correct. Versions of the KSh”A which had mar’ei m’komos printed on the bottom are testimony to the author’s great knowledge and bekiyus. And although it is true he often writes “ask your LOR” that does not for pesoles make.
Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky ztzvk”l is quoted as having said that every Bar Mitzvah bochur should learn and be tested on KSh”A for his Bar Mitzvah! After all, at that age – 13 – he is obligated is the entire Torah, and needs to know what is required of him.
milhouse and shuali: when it comes to wheat plants, the pesolet is the husk; i.e., something that goes into whole wheat and you need a more mature stomach to handle.
Gaon, the difference I see is that R’ Chaim wrote halacha in one sefer and benefits of urine lattes in a separate one while the kitzur has both sorts of lessons in one easy to read volume.
Look, i am not saying it has no value (i own at least three different versions that i can think of off the top of my head) but when children are taught these things in elementary school they grow up to be like animals walking around supermarkets in cages. But children are taught the kitzur because it is easy to read. its a shame. and how do you think any normal girl (or boy for that matter) – who does not have the maturity to discern between halacha pesuka and sheidim-related hanhagos – will respond to something that reads “we dont serve jews, pigs or dogs?”
The existence of the Misgeres is enough to show that the Kitzur is a basic halachic source. People don’t bother writing commetaries on trivial seforim.
We are not concerned for Qi’shuf be’ze’man ha-zeh, especially among frum Jewish women; it just doesn’t apply…Even go’yim be’ze’man ha-zeh do not know the art of Qi’shuf…
@besalel –
Rav Yaakov apparently didn’t agree with you regarding whether it should be taught to young students.
Rav Gansfried apparently didn’t agree with you the sheidim and kishuf related halachos don’t apply today.
W3,
Kishuf is not the reason nowadays there is another gemara that states:
הוריות (י”ג ב) :
עשרה דברים קשים ללימוד וכו’ והעובר בין שתי נשים והאשה העוברת בין שני אנשים. “‘
ופירש”י ד”ה קשים ללמוד:שהעושה אותן יהא קשה לשמוע
Shaul;
I will quote:
בספר טעמי המנהגים ומקורי הדינים (בדברים שונים) עמ’ תפח שכתב וז”ל:
הא דאין מתמצעין בין שתי נשים וכו’, והנה לפעמים קשה מאוד לקיים זה, ובפרט בעיירות גדולות דדחקי רבים, כתב בספר זכרון טוב בשם הגאון הקדוש מוהר”ר יעקב אריה רב מקאוולר זצוק”ל, דאי נקיט מידי בידיה כגון מקל וכדומה, לית לן בה, דחשיב חוצץ. ואי לא, ליקוף בידיה אפילו שנוף טאביק . ואי לא אתרמי, יאחז בידו את פאת ראשו, עכ”ל.
Note – I recall a sefer is enough as well..
בספר “גם אני אודך” (ח”ב) תשובות מהגר”ח קניבסקי שליט”א
וז”ל: שאלה: בגמרא פסחים (דף קיא ע”א) איתא שלשה אין ממצעין ולא מתמצעין ואלו הן כלב והדקל והאשה וי”א אף החזיר וי”א אף הנחש, ע”כ.
ושאלתי האם יש להקפיד היום על כולם, או רק שלא לעבור בין שתי נשים?
תשובה: היום מקפידים רק על נשים משום שכחה
besalel
“while the kitzur has both sorts of lessons in one easy to read volume.”
BTW – Rav Plag’i constantly brings up various diff minhagim, segulos, even in halacha etc. (see Kol Hakasuv leChaim, Chaim leRosh etc) , whereas the Kitzur sticks to basic Halcha; Rambam, Shu”A Chazal.
The above is a Chazal – you claim to disagree on its relevance nowadays, he obviously disagrees.
You can argue, that after all the above is not mentioned in Rambam and Shu”A and the rest of the Halacha based seforim.
The same will apply to other Chazal’s. e.g:
The Aruch Hashulchan quotes chazl (Nidah) regarding eating garlic, eggs and onions that have been left peeled overnight.
Is everyone makpid on that? I don’t think so. Not if you use garlic powder, eat commercial eggs that bakeries use etc.
@Gaon – Yiyasher kochacha and tizku l’mitzvos. I have actually been looking for mekoros for holding onto something or to a cheftzah shel mitzvah. A Rav I learn with was also looking as he never saw thise who are makpid to use this aitzah. There seems to be another tzad l’hakeil if the two women don’t know each other. But that only helps for the taam of kishuf.
Regarding peeled eggs, onions and garlic; I have heard that the OU’s policy is to be makpid on fresh eggs, garlic, and onions, prepared for “immediate” use such as in a restaurant or by a caterer. Commercially produced items such as garlic and onion powder, there is Rav Moshe’s heter. But that is specific to commercially produced items meant to remain on the shelf for long periods of time. He does not matir using fresh items that were left overnight.
Shauli
Another thing you see from the above ספר זכרון טוב is that Shopping Cart is good enough, thus that Chassid Shoteh shopping who is trying be frummer is really showing his ignorance as well.
My point with the Garlic etc is that it is either not mentioned in the classic Halacha mechabrim like Rambam, Shu”A etc, even though its a Chazl, though it is mentioned in Aruch haShulchan YD
besalel,
Just for the record, I noticed the Aruch Hashulchan quotes it as well. OC 2:6
עוד איתא שם: עשרה דברים קשים ללימוד (להבין מה שלומד): העובר תחת אפסר הגמל, וכל שכן תחת גמל עצמו; והעובר בין שני גמלים; *והעובר בין שתי נשים;* ואשה העוברת בין שני אנשים