The Far Side...

…is going to take advantage of the fact that this week is Shabbos HaGadol to skip the parshat hashavuah (I tell ya, Sefer Vayikrah is rough for this kind of thing), and instead post a thought on the coming Passover holiday.

Many fine things have been said about Pesach, the Haggadah and Yetziat Metzrayim in general over the years…the following is a family favorite:

Picture the scene.
Makkas Bechoros (death of the first born sons) is taking place in all its fury…Pharaoh tells Moshe that enough is enough, that the Hebrews (always LOVED that term, no idea why) are free to go and should do so post haste.
We all know what happened next…Moshe rounds up the Bnei Yisroel and they beat it out the front gates of Egypt that morning. In fact, they are in such a hurry (and really, who can blame them) that they do not even have enough time to prepare food for the way.

:::Screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech::
::beep-beep-beep::

Hold on a second, can we back the Exodus truck up for a few seconds.

Now I don’t know about you, but I have gone on a few G-Family trips in my day. In addition, I have traveled back and forth to Israel a few times and seen many other people from the Tribe of Yaakov in full blown travel mode. If there is one thing that jews make damn sure of when it comes to traveling…IT'S THE FOOD! This is far from the last thing that gets planned for and taken care of. Forget the keys, sure – Leave a light on, absolutely – Not call to cancel the newspaper, all the time. Not make sure that there are adequate sandwiches, drinks, snacks, cookies, candies, condiments, spices…NO – WAY.

So how is it possible that the Bnei Yisroel were not prepared food-wise for their impending departure? Didn’t Moshe tell them what was going to happen? Should they not have been sitting at their bloody doorways (see what i did there) all packed and ready to go?

So what happened?

Let’s re-examine that scene we were talking about just a tad. Imagine what went down by Makkas Dam; Moshe tells everybody that God is going to perform a miracle and lead them out of bondage. Maybe they believe him and maybe they don’t. Moshe goes to speak with Pharaoh…hijinx ensue…and behold, all the water in Egypt turns the color of a USC Trojan home-jersey. Well, one would imagine that at this point any naysayers are on board. Gotta think that everybody is convinced this is it, time’s up, everybody out of the pool, it’s time to leave. So one and all most probably go to their homes and tell family and friend to start packing up…that Moshe dude was actually telling the truth and God is about to lead them to the promised land.

Only it didn’t happen…Pharaoh remains unmoved and life in slavery continues. Everyone goes home to tell family and friend it’s not happening and to unpack.

Dateline Makkas Frogs; same lead up to the event as with Dam only this time Pharaoh caves and tells Moshe that if God ends the plague the Hebrews can indeed leave. Jubilation spreads across the land. Okay, so it took two plagues for Pharaoh to take the hint…but now they are definitely getting out of there.

Only, once again, it didn’t happen. Pharaoh plays his little yes/no game and the beat goes on.

This continues for SEVEN more plagues. Moshe tells the people that God is going to punish Egypt and lead them out…the plague indeed takes place…the people get all excited that it’s time to hit the road…Pharaoh either doesn’t care or goes back on his word…AND NOTHING CHANGES, life continues on the same as before.

Kinda puts Makkas Bechoros into a new light doesn’t it? Figure by this time, when Moshe tells Bnei Yisroel that God is going to punish the Egyptians and lead them out of slavery, the reaction was just a liiiiiiiiiiiitle more lukewarm than it was when all this started. I’m thinking that at best the majority of people had taken on a “we’ll see” attitude, and no doubt there were some who had gone into “yeah, sure” mode.

Which all explains very well why nobody was ready when it was time to actually leave. They were not ready because they were not expecting it to happen, because they had given up hope of it ever becoming a reality. They had resigned themselves to the fact that it just wasn’t gonna happen.

Okay, so that clears up a slight historical curiosity as to the non-preparedness.

Now I hear some of you in the back…”that’s it, no message?”.
Well, the truth is that there really does not need to be one, I just like the way that this view of events makes things flow better and allows for a clearer understanding of what went down during the Yetziah.

HOWEVAH!! For those who wish a culminating thought…there is an important lesson to be learned from this cycle of events, and that is the following:

We currently stand almost two thousand years into the most recent Galus. Think about that for a moment…TWO THOUSAND years. That is unprecedented in out history. It would be easy, and even somewhat understandable, for one to think that this is just the way that things are going to be. That life will always be this way and God, for whatever reason, has chosen not lead us toward His promised land in His promised way.

Yet, the events of Yetzias Metzrayim show us the flaw in this way of thinking. It shows us that, to use an old cliché, things are always darkest just before the dawn. That when things look to be at their worst, when it seems that nothing can possibly be done, when all hope is lost…at that moment and under those circumstances…THAT…that is when the true Yeshua comes.

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what of the legal request you ask...we stand on tenterhooks awaiting a reply from the great one.
In the mean time...

Mazel Tov!

A huge mazel tov to our good friends FFW & FFD on the birth of a baby girl this morning!!!

Bein Hazmanim Awareness...

...with apologies to the original creaters of the term.(I was going to title this post Chumming The Waters...)

It seems this time of year means different things to different people. As the "scene" in some realms of the greater jewish community takes on a, how shall we say, Beatles appearing for the first time on The Ed Sullivan Show feel(?).

Here is a post outlining the hysteria.

One commenter suggested a song was in order, another put forth the idea of a musical...let it never be said that I do not give the people what they want.

--The following is intended strictly for the private use of our audience. Any reproduction or re-use in any form or by any means without the express written consent of the NCAA is strictly prohibited.--

Link to original

Guess who just got back today?
Them white-shirted boys that had been away
Haven't changed, still shteiging away
But man, they gonna be datin' like crazy

They were asking which girls were around
How pretty they are, and how much Dad's puttin' down
Told them you were lookin' for a learner
That Lakewood's your idea of heaven

The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
I said
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time

You know that girl you used to see a lot
Every day doing something else, well that’s all gonna stop
Man I tell you she dropped it all like it was red hot
I mean she started dating

Manhattan @ 7:30 is the time and place
One time this chick got up and she slapped “Johnny”'s face
Man forgot which girl he was out with
If that chick aint shomer negiah, forget her

The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
I said
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time

Make sure you're seen around
Start dressing up, not down

Get your name spread around

Shabbos at Shul the girls will dress to kill
At night, restaurants and lounges will fill
The Diet Coke will flow ‘till he calls for the bill
And if the boys don’t tip, you'd better dump them

The Shadchanim in the corners do their dance & song
The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long
Won't be long till the weddings come
Now that the boys are here again

The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
The boys are back in town
It's Bein Hazmanim time
Spread the word around
The boys are back in town
The boys are back in town

The bochurim are back, the bochurim are back

Take A Kid To Shul

R' Horowitz had discussed and I've linked this issue many times, but it never hurts to get a reminder:

I’ve lost track of the times in the eleven years since Project Y.E.S. was founded that I was approached by single mothers who requested that I help make arrangements for someone to take their son(s) to shul. Countless others have asked me for an eitzah regarding the appropriate response to their son who categorically refuses to go to shul alone.

When I was in Israel, I would go last days of Yom Tov to my cousin in Neve Yaakov. She was trying to work, take care of her seven kids ages 2 to 16, and in the process of getting divorced (and the second year I was around, received her get). There was a huge difference in the sons' demeanors when they would daven with someone next to them (a neighbor, me) and when they'd be on their own. The difference in happiness when they'd go on someone's shoulders for Simchas Torah instead of just standing on the side was immeasurable; the, for lack of a better word, blah look when they would sit there alone was deadening. It doesn't take much to go over to a kid and invite them to sit with you; while for me it was easy, since it was family, there were a couple of other men in the shul who walked over and had my cousins join them and/or their kids.

Little things can have huge impacts. Don't underestimate your own ability to do them.

Snowglobes

I really enjoyed this post by CornerPoint.

Cubicle King: Thoughts on the Merkaz Harav Shloshim

The following is a moving guest post by the Cubicle King.

Thoughts on the Shloshim of the 8 Mercaz Harav Kedoshim

I needed to take some time out from my busy schedule to write a few words on the shloshim (30-day mark) of the Mercaz Harav massacre. I have been going over in my mind why this event affected me so much and I keep coming back to the same conclusion. You see, to me, Mercaz Harav represented the finest in the Torah World. They were able to toe the line between limud Torah and service to Eretz Yisroel greater than anyone else. Instead of castigating the state as a "Treif Medina", they decided to embrace it and Mikadesh [sanctify] it.

This is so profound to me. The army was too much of a spiritual challenge so they fostered a movement that eventually led to the creation of Hesder units at other Yeshivot. Instead of just making it forbidden, they changed it so that it could be permissible. They did not shirk their responsibility in defending the land. They went out of their way to make that responsibility a religious obligation.

The students at Mercaz Harav Kook not only were the top soldiers on the front lines of the battlefield they also were the top Bochrim on the front lines of the Beis Medrash. We are still hearing stories of these beautiful neshomos who were learning in the library at the time of the attack, in order so they could maximize the utmost amount of time for their limud Torah.

Rabbi Gottlieb (of Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore) said something so profound Thursday night about the blood that was spilled on those sifrei Kedusha. It takes the blood of those bochrim to wash over us so that we don't divide ourselves over our petty differences. That unfortunately it took those pools of spilled blood to wash over us and bring us all together.

I think this is one lesson I can take away from this horrific incident. We need not look at the insignificant things which make us different, but the blood that runs through our veins that makes us all one and the same. It is in this holiday of Pesach when we celebrate Zman Charusaynu, when we celebrate our exodus from Egypt. Let us remember that when Am Yisroel crossed the red sea they did not cross it based on their head covering, or where they went to Yeshiva. They crossed as one Nation pressing forward to a brighter future.

The Sweetest Thing

There's comedy that hurts, and comedy that helps. This is just plain awesome. (Same people who did the Frozen Grand Central and the Food Court Musical.)



via Erachet, who has her own pair of excellent posts here. The first is a short video she put together that's excellent; the other is a great critique of YU and its student body's standards, and why it should be held to a higher one.

Have you ever wondered just how we all fit in this world?

Courtesy of Apple.

Not Guilty

A great post by RaggedyMom on feeling guilty for not making Pesach.

Perspective Is Everything...

...one's view on just about anything is influenced, if not flat out dictated, by their point of reference.

Posted originally on Life In Israel
Guest-Posted again on The Dove Bar

My response, as it were, can be found in the comments of both postings.

I was chatting with my chavrusa the other day. We were talking about Kollel life and the topic of mesirus nefesh to learn Torah came up (my chavrusa is a Rosh Kollel. He is very organized, very serious and runs his kollel in a very organized way).

Kollel guys are moser nefesh - they give up everything, to learn in kollel. To learn Torah. And that is wonderful.

Typically when we hear the phrase "moser nefesh to learn Torah" we think of money. These avreichim are giving up a life of (possible) comfort, earning a decent living, all to learn Torah while living on, often, nothing more than the basics and the minimum.

Aside from the money aspect of their mesirus nefesh, there is an aspect even greater. And this is what I had never heard described before. The whole lifestyle is mesirus nefesh on a psychological level.

Avreichim, living in an area where there are plenty of kollels and plenty of avreichim, live a life of obscurity. many of these guys (the more serious ones), could easily have been successful in the business world; as professionals such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, financial pros, etc., computers, whatever. They would have been noticed, their work would be appreciated, and they would feel good about what they do because they are noticed (to a certain extent).

However, as an avreich in a neighborhood where kollels and avreichim are "a dime a dozen" so to speak, these guys are all bundled into one package. They are not noticed because there are so many. An exception is one who is unusually exceptional - he gets noticed as a real star, but he will often take a job fairly quickly in the Rabbinate, or in a yeshiva, etc. But just for good serious guys who are learning, successfully, there is tremendous mesirus nefesh in living such a lifestyle. These are, often, guys who could be doing other things, yet they chose to learn because of its importance to them.

He went on to explain that this is why, he thinks, he sees many frustrated avreichim at about age 29-32, who start looking for things to do - starting local shiurim in shuls even for just 2 or 3 people, for example. They do that because they have begun to get frustrated that they have learned, and learned well, for a number of years, but they are not noticed at all.

Yes, it is nice to be altruistic and say that people should do what they love and not be concerned whether they are being noticed or not. Especially when learning Torah. But everybody likes, and wants, to be appreciated, and recognized, for their accomplishments and for their success. So even if for a number of years they go by and learn quietly, eventually it catches up with them, with most of them, and they start to feel it at a certain point.

That is a tremendous mesirus nefesh. To learn in kollel, seriously, knowing that nobody is recognizing you for your accomplishments, for your achievements, for your contributions. And add to that, when you could have been doing something else that would have gotten you noticed, even if only on a small scale. And it is harder for a kollel guy who is in an area where kollel is more accepted, and even the standard perhaps, than it is for a guy who goes to learn in an "out of town" kollel" where it is not the norm and they are appreciated by the local baalebatim, and they get involved, etc.

If you are working at a job and you accomplish something successfully, likely you will have your peers commend you, your boss will notice, etc. Your efforts will get noticed and you will get complimented. You will be appreciated.

If you are in kollel, and you are learning seriously, your efforts will almost never get noticed. You figured out pshat in a difficult tosafos or Ritva! Wow! You are so excited. You tell the guys learning at the other table, and they could care less. They were not bothered by your question and just want you to leave them alone so they can work out their own difficult piece.

That weighs down on a person, even somebody who is supposed to be learning L'shma will often be affected by this eventually. These guys are human and want to be noticed for their accomplishments just like the rest of us.

That is mesirus nefesh in a way that you probably have not considered.

The Far Side...

...is on vacation (in a manner of speaking).

In its place we will once again dip into the wellspring of Torak knowledge that is Rabbi Y. Frand:

The end of parshas Tazria deals with Tza'ra'as (the spiritual blemish often (mis)translated as leprosy, which causes various types of discoloration of skin, clothing or house walls) that appears on clothing. The pasuk [verse] says, "The kohen will see the garment after it was washed, v'henay lo hofach hanega es ayno [and he sees that the blemish has not changed], the garment is unclean, you should burn it in fire."

The pasuk uses interesting language: "v'henay lo hofach hanega es ayno," which means that the appearance of the nega [blemish] has not changed. This is actually an idiomatic expression. The word "ayno" literally means "eye," and the expression literally means "the blemish has not changed its eye."

I saw a beautiful insight, quoted in the name of the Chidushai HaRim. The Gemara in Meseches Ayrachin says that there are a number of avayros [sins] which can cause tza'aras. The most commonly known avayrah is loshon horah [evil tongue; slander]. However, the Talmud in Meseches Ayrachin also says that the punishment of tza'aras afflicts a person "al tzoras ho'ayin." Tzoras ho'ayin [literally - narrowness of eye] does not only refer to a person who is tight-fisted or cheap. A tzar ayin is a person who never sees the good side of anything and always sees evil. It is the opposite of a generosity of spirit. It is stinginess, not only regarding money, but regarding viewing life, in general. A tzar ayin is a person who does not like to see other people's success. The only success that he is interested in is his own success.

If tzoras ho'ayin is a sin that causes tza'ra'as, then the tikun [correction] that causes the tza'ra'as to go away is doing teshuva [repenting] and switching from being a tzar ayin to a tov ayin. That means that one who is like a student of Bilom HaRoshoh, who Chazal tell us had this trait of tzoras ho'ayin, of stinginess of spirit, must change and become like the students of Avrohom Avinu - to become a tov ayin [one with a good eye]. If the tza'ra'as stays the same and does not get better, the garment is unclean and the person does not have a tikun for his avayrah.

The Chidushai HaRim explains that there is a double meaning when the pasuk says, "vhenay lo hofach hanega es ayno" ["and behold, the tza'ra'as did not change its appearance"]. "Lo hofach hanega es ayno" - His ayin [eye] did not change. In order to do teshuva, his ayin must change. He must change from being a tzar ayin to being a tov ayin. The pasuk is hinting to us, "Vhenay lo hofach hanega es ayno." His ayin did not change. He has the same stinginess, the same unwillingness to share and be generous.

The meaning of "Ayno," here, is not merely that the appearance did not change, but the ayin did not change. The tzoras ayin, the avayrah that brought on this terrible punishment is still in place.
The Chidushai HaRim continues with a classic chasidishe vort: The word "nega" is really the same word as the word "oneg" [pleasure]. What is the entire difference [in the Hebrew lettering] between the word "oneg" and the word nega?

The only difference is the placement of the [letter] "ayin." The "nun" and the "gimel" are in the same place. The only difference is whether the "ayin" is at the beginning or at the end. What is the difference between "nega" and "oneg?" What is the difference between a person having tza'ra'as and a person having pleasure? It all depends on the placement of the "ayin." That is this person's problem. The problem is with the "ayin." His problem is with his perspective and his approach to life. His problem is with his ayin, so his tikun must be "hofach hanega es ayno." He must change his "ayin." He must take the "ayin" from the word "nega" and make it into "oneg."
However, if someone is so stingy of spirit that he can not be gracious or see the good side of life, then he remains a metzorah. "Henay lo hofach hanega es ayno" - the nega remains and he must burn the garment because he is incapable of changing his "ayin." He is incapable of changing his perspective.
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--in the matter of the "The Far Side..." v. "The Far Side", we are awaiting response from theCreator to our request for permission of use of "the gift" in this location.

What Is Your Plan?

A great article by R' Horowitz about having a plan, leading to some very interesting discussion and points in the comments about the issue. A number of commenters have argued that much of the problem lies in Rabbeim and Roshei Yeshiva who discourage students from having a plan, by discouraging things like college, emphasizing trusting that if they learn, God will provide, etc. I've mentioned one of my own similar experiences in the past:

I still recall a conversation I had with a Rebbe in a certain yeshiva I was in for a few months. ...

As we started to walk up the hill toward his home, he asked me a few basic questions, including what my plans were for the coming year. I responded that I was likely going to be going to Lander College. He questioned why I was going to college, to which I looked at him, slightly confused, as I really didn't understand what he was asking. After a couple of seconds I responded that I needed to get a degree so I can make a living. He immediately spoke up and said simply

"That's a copout."

I was taken completely aback, but I recovered enough after a few seconds to mumble something along the lines of "You don't know me, you don't know my family, we don't have any money..." or something along those lines. He responded that it's still a copout and I was just looking for a way out of staying in yeshiva.

But, while I think the commenters at his site are making valid points, I also feel that it can't only be the Rabbeim who are at fault, or even necessarily primarily at fault. Parents should have been emphasizing with their kids throughout their lives that they need to have a plan, that they can't rely on other people for things like money, that it's not okay to have 'how much will the in-laws give' as a prerequisite for dating.

Of course, there are many parents who do do this, only to be undermined to an extent by the Rabbeim, teachers, and other influences in their children's lives. And of course, it is tricky to start telling one's children to not respect their Rabbeim, particularly when they're younger; hopefully, they've instilled the right balance of listening to and respecting Rabbeim while thinking for themselves what makes sense and what does not - what is right and what is not.

Have a wonderful Shabbos, and enjoy G's The Far Side, coming in a few minutes.

Food Court Musical

I just saw this at Jack's (actually, he got it from here). It's awsome. I always wondered why in real life we can't spontaneously break into a song like in the movies. Hmmmm....If anyone is interested, I'm going to be at the Sherman Oaks food court tomorrow at 1:00 PM.

Boxer, Rabbi?

(Hat tip: Mom) This story is very interesting:

Four days before his first North American Boxing Federation title defense, Yuri Foreman sat in the basement of a Brooklyn brownstone studying Shulchan Aruch, the code of Jewish law. By early afternoon, he would be at Gleason’s Gym to train for his approaching bout with Saul Román, a power puncher from Mexico with 24 knockouts in 28 fights.

The Times article discusses the possible halachic issues with boxing (trying to injure another), which is also interesting to see.

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, said Jewish principles would seem to put Foreman’s professional career at odds with his religious education. It is forbidden, the rabbi said, to injure yourself or another person. Rabbinic law also asks individuals to avoid situations of potential danger.

“He has to recognize there are certain issues he has to confront,” Potasnik said. “Doing what he’s doing is problematic, but all of life is problematic. That’s something he has to resolve, and I respect him for his commitment.”

But Rabbi Benjamin Blech, an assistant professor of the Talmud at Yeshiva University, said Foreman could help fight the belief that Jews were weak or could be bullied. When asked how he would react to the notion of a world champion boxing rabbi, Blech said, “I would be proud.”

Finally, I like how the article ends:

Rabbi Pinson said that if Foreman had approached him as a young man, he would not have suggested a boxing career. Because Foreman was already accomplished in the sport, however, he said he would not dissuade him.

Foreman attempts to restrict his fights to weekdays.

If a bout lands on a Saturday, as was the case in June, he observes the Sabbath by remaining within walking distance of the arena. Wilson, his manager, said the sun had yet to set when HBO officials called for Foreman to make his way to the ring. He refused to do so.

“He pulled me into the corner,” Wilson recalled, “and said, ‘Please, let’s pray for five minutes.’ ”

Firstly, I think that the point from R' Pinson is often missed today: Advising people on what's best for them, not on what is typically done or expected. Unfortunately, it seems that this is not always the case today. And of course, the young man's actions are a nice Kiddush Hashem.

Sheitel Sale in Queens

After forgetting to announce the one last night, I'll try and make up for it tonight...

Sheitel sale $290-$575 Wed, April 2.
Michal Wigs: Custom Wigs at Unaccustomed Prices.
Pesach is coming, don't miss this chance to get a beautiful new wig at an amazing low price!
Multi directional, no knotting, 6 month guarantee!
Hat falls $290, falls $365-$415, sheitels $475-$575.
Wed, 4/2/08, from 730-930pm, 17920 Tudor Road, Jamaica Estates.

Not sure if Serach will be there with her tichels.

My life...Enjoy!

While discussing how busy my life has been recently I realized that all the things I’m involved with on a day-to-day basis fit nice and neatly into little boxes. I also believe cheshbon hanefesh is a big deal and it’s something I’ve been doing in my own way for about 10 months now. However Ezzie and I have come to the conclusion that I’m no longer capable of managing all the different areas of my life, and in attempt to step the whole chesbon hanefesh thing up a notch (or 7 or 36) I’m going to put it all out there for the readership to monitor. Call it “The Mordy Show” or the “Mordy Experiment” or “Project Mordy” or me just having no busha, but basically I’ve compiled a list of everything currently going on in my life that needs to get done. I tried to refrain from putting on things that I merely want to do, and put on things that I actually have to do for some reason or another. I’m not quite sure what the actual parameters are of this test or experiment or whatever it is just yet, but I’m open to anything and if anyone has any questions on any of the listed “tasks” and their specific importance I’ll definitely give further explanation. Basically, what I think is going to happen is that I’m going to post this list again in two weeks and we’ll see which ones I’ve crossed off as completed, which ones I’m working on and what new stuff needs to be added, etc.
So this is what’s currently going on in my life summed up into 7 categories and 36 needs, listed in some sort of order of importance, without getting too specific…

Yiddishkeit:
1. Stop cursing
2. Going to shachris with a minyan
3. Learning b’chavrusa
4. Say no to my yetzer horas

School:
1. 6 Discussion board posts and related readings for His I
2. 7 Discussion board posts and related readings for His II
3. Get 2 books and write paper for His I
4. Make up His I mid-term
5. Make up His II mid-term
6. Get 2 books and write His II mid-term
7. Write 2 Lit II papers

Work:
1. Finish catching up
2. Stay caught up
3. Try not to go insane
4. Get pay check
5. Find better job

Firehouse:
1. Find someone to cover cleanup next Thursday night
2. Fill ice coolers
3. Stop wasting time
4. Check out a set of pocket tools

Climbing:
1. Finish all blacks and whites (V3’s)
2. Project purples and limes (V4’s)
3. Attempt yellows and teals (V5’s)
4. Finish lead test
5. Check out new shoes

Dating:
1. Make some calls
2. Go on some dates
3. Find the right girl
4. Marry her

Life:
1. Take defensive driving class
2. Finish off ticket/license stuff
3. Fix laptop
4. Pay off debt
5. Help out around the house
6. Clean my room
7. Clean my car

See ya in two weeks!

A Kosher Use of the Internet

Being that we just bought a new house, we are trying to figure out how many mezuzahs* we need. Every dollar that we are spending on this house is accounted for—both projected and actual—and these mezuzahs don't have a chance of escaping their designated cells within my Excel-based budget.

Since it's the middle of the night, I can't exactly call up our local sofer to find out how much I should anticipate spending on mezuzahs. And I don't want to wait until tomorrow to fill in this information within my spreadsheet. I figured that I might as well do a Google search and see what comes up, and you can imagine my surprise when I realized that I could actually buy mezuzahs on Amazon.com. Kosher ones, too.

How's that for a "kosher" use of the Internet???

*In this case, I'm talking about mezuzah scrolls and not mezuzah cases (even though I need a bunch of those as well).

Jewno

Not April Fools...

...this is an actual comment from a post on YWN, that's right -- Yeshiva World News.

Perhaps all is not as lost as it seems:
(the associated post was about a certain ad in the Jewish Press, but that is beside the point. The greater message is the important part)

Oy. Is this what we have come to? We spend years in Yeshiva and Beis Medresh educating ourselves as to what is appropriate for us and what is not and yet we have to run to seek the guidance of Daas Torah on what newspaper advertisments we look at? Yidden!! It is time to look at what Hashpo’oh you can have on the world instead of constantly obsessing over what influence it has on you! Do you have so little confidence in your upbringing and your Jewish education, in your community and your conscience that you fear the influence a half-noticed ad will have on you? How are you going to be mekarev a woman who doesn’t happen to be dressed to your impossibly high standards of modesty? How are you going to fulfill your responsibility to your fellow Jew, who might benefit from your knowledge, your committment, your connection with thousands of years of Torah tradition?

One of the previous posters mentioned burkas. The problem is not that Frimme Yidden want to be dressed modestly. That’s their positive choice. No. The problem is frimme yidden want the entire world outside their community to disappear. Jews, Non Jews, Good, Bad, it doesn’t matter. if its not in my arba amos, I’M NOT INTERESTED.

Do you think that the gift of Torah and Mitzvos is a treasure for you to hoard like Gold in a safe bechedrei chadorim? DO you think that you are fulfilling your responsibility as a Jew by cloistering yourself and patting yourself on the back for keeping out the wig ads from your home? That kind of self righteousness is just another form of koichi v’otzem yodi.

For myself, I don’t read the Jewish Press because it is in general poorly written and sensationalistic. I can’t live in the real world, paying for my children’s Jewish education and our frum lifestlye, interacting with other Jews and other good people, without encountering, unfortunately, everything in that ad and more. The challenge is not to look away - that goes without saying, and is the easy part. The challenge is to have some emunah, have respect for what your parents spent their lives and their hard earned dollars teaching you about yiddishkeit, with the expectation, I hope,
that you wouldn’t treat it all like buried treasure.

Comment by
yichusdik — March 18, 2008 @ 1:16 pm

Knesset Resolution: National Waffle Week!

A Guest Waffle Post, by Jameel the Waffle King.

Knesset Resolution Passed:
Waffle Week Starts Today!

After months of painstaking legislative lobbying, Prof. Ben-Chorin's hard work has finally paid off; in a landmark Knesset vote today, National Waffle Week has been declared in Israel, STARTING TODAY!

Though Shas MKs were against the law (and voted against it because they favored their own bill, "National Pancake Day"), the Knesset came through and voted 72-19 in favor of Waffle Week!

Instead of the silly customs that are associated with Israeli Independence Day, i.e., plastic whistle hammers, spraying white foam over innocent passerbyers, etc., Waffle day involves 100% Waffles!

Send your waffle blog posts, pictures or videos of yourself wearing waffle apparel, eating waffles, or being seen at an official Waffle House, and we'll post it here. Write a creative waffle posting, involving waffles and Israel, and you COULD be a winner!

Winning entires may be eligible for a waffle breakfasts, AT THE MUQATA! (Fine Print: Unless of course, you spell your first name with a "q" in it).

Examples of fine apparel include:





















In an attempt to keep this appreciation week entertaining, this celebration is EVEN open to registered members (in good standing) of the National Waffle Association! So go out, write a post about waffles, go find some waffle apparel, eat some nutritious and sumptuous waffles, and let us know! Celebrate Israel @ 60 in style; and shows us your spirit of Eretz Yisrael with or without the syrup.












Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד