The Far Side...

…realizes that it has been punking out lately when it comes to this weekly posting. It realizes that anybody can go find a thought or article from some famed individual and put it up or, to be even lazier, simply link to it. It understands that this was really supposed to be something a little bit different, something that it may not always be typing up to. In this vane it apologizes and will try to return to the original, if irreverent, style that was the original objective.
//Howevah(!), it would also like it to be known that Sefer Vayikra does not exactly contain some of the easiest stuff to borrow from when it comes to a novice such as myself.
Finally, it is making a solemn vow that from this time forward it will never again type in the second person (it is using the second person, right?).//

יז וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר.יח אַל-תַּכְרִיתוּ, אֶת-שֵׁבֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי, מִתּוֹךְ, הַלְוִיִּם.יט וְזֹאת עֲשׂוּ לָהֶם, וְחָיוּ וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ, בְּגִשְׁתָּם, אֶת-קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים: אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, יָבֹאוּ, וְשָׂמוּ אוֹתָם אִישׁ אִישׁ עַל-עֲבֹדָתוֹ, וְאֶל-מַשָּׂאוֹ.

(chapter 4)
17 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:18 'Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;19 but thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden;

The above pesukim warn Moshe & Aaron, and by extension Klal Yisroel for all time, that they should not allow the families of Kehath to be wiped out.

Oooookay, and why exactly should we be concerned that such a fate should befall this particular family? Also, what is so important about them that we should take extra special care to ensure their survival? Surely we should try and prevent any family line from within Bnei Yisroel from being wiped out.
I for one would shudder to think what the future of our great people would look like if certain families, who for reasons unknown are not specified in the Torah, would become lost from our illustrious family tree. What, for instance, would we do if the branch inscribed with the name of Goldish was to be broken off? To even bring myself to imagine such a time is to risk a state of melancholy not know to this world since a young man with a toothy grin and an orange 7 on his back reached into the collective chests of the inhabitants of a city on the shores of Lake Erie, ripped away their still beating hearts, held them aloft to some unknown deity to whom he had traded his soul for success in this world...

I digress, back to the Kehathites…the family of Kehath had the distinctive job of carrying the kelim (vessels) of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) which included such items as the Shulchan (table) , Menorah and Aron (the Ark) (…dun, du-dun, dun, dun, du-dun…dun, du-dun, dun, dun, du-dun, dun, dun…dun, du-DUN, dun, du-DUN, dun, du-DUN, DUN, DUN!…So, Dr. Jones, we meet again...be careful not to look directly at the Ark of The Covenant—it’ll melt your face off).

Shoot, I did it again, once again I digress…the Bnei Kehath were aware that there was great merit in carrying the kelim of the Mishkan. However, arguments arose over who would carry the Aron HaKodesh, for there was supreme merit in “carrying” the Aron (nobody really carried the Aron, we are taught that it more carried itself and people merely walk beneath the poles as a show of respect and that so to speak the Ark carried them...so , in a way...wait for it, wait for it... they were the original Riders of the Lost Ark...get it...oh come on, that's damn funny!...okay, maybe not).

There is a medrash that relates how it became very unseemly amongst the Kehathites, there was so much infighting, to the point that it lead to kalos rosh (an unseriousness of mind) while performing their avodah. Due to being in this state while in such close contact with items of such a holy nature, people began dying on the job – one cannot act in such a manner before the Aron.
In response to this state of affairs Aaron and his sons have to come and intercede, to set up some type of system, of who will carry what and when, to eliminate the fighting. They had to do this to ensure, quite bluntly, that everybody did not end up dead.

So now we know why we needed to worry (say that ten x’s fast) about the families of Kehath, why they were predisposed to being wiped out. And yet, it goes a little farther (further?) than that.

There is a greater idea in play here, one that is detailed quite clearly in Mesilas Yesharim (Path of the Just), chapter 20.
[That’s right. I went there, Mesilas Yesharim baby! Bet nobody ever thought they would see a mussar sefer trotted out in this spot. Well, don’t get too excited...I’m cherry picking a particular part that may not exactly be the favorite of the people at large in today’s religious climate.]
The title of that chapter is במשקל החסידות or Concerning the Weighing of Saintliness. It talks about weighing your chasidus (piety/saintliness), and making sure that you do not commit aveiros (sins) in your zeal to perform mitzvohs (commandments/good deeds). I highly recommend taking a few minutes to read through it, the whole thing is a handful of paragraphs.

We see, then, that one who would be a true Saint must weigh all of his deeds in relation to their results and in relation to all of the circumstances surrounding their performance - time, social environment, situation and place. And if he finds that not doing will go farther towards sanctifying the Name of Heaven and giving pleasure to God than doing, he must refrain from doing. Or, if one action appears good, but is bad in its results or in its complements, and another appears bad, but is good in its results, he must decide on the basis of the conclusion and the result, the true fruit of the action. This decision is left to an understanding heart and an honest intelligence, for, in view of their innumerability, it is impossible to consider particular instances. "God gives wisdom; from His mouth stems knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6).

An example of this behavior is the actions of the families of Kehath. So as we asked above: Why is it so important that they not act in this manner, why are they perhaps more important than other families within Klal Yisroel?
They are Leviim!…Kohanim! There is a responsibility that comes along with that. Even more, Kehath specifically carries the most prized of our possessions. Outside of the Kohen Gadol, who comes in closer contact with Shechinah than them?!
Yes, they-are-special! They must be preserved, must be made to act in the correct manner, in order to set an example for the rest of Bnei Yisroel. To teach the nation that there is more than simply WHAT you do…there is HOW you do it.

That if one thinks that they can lead a life of doing either one correctly without the other…well…the outcome can be deadly.

Ten Lessons

MiI has an excellent post that I think everyone should check out: Ten Lessons for Our Daughters.

And This Is Why...

...we shouldn't allow overtired Stern students on summer break to oversleep in our apartment while we go to work.

OCD Winkie Addict

(there is no point to this post, look somewhere else for deep meaningful inspiration)

On our (lately frequent) trips to NY, i always try to pick up a few sacred food items that we can't get here (not that we get much here).... Rice cakes, Klik (specifically Krem Chalav) bars, and Winkies.

Despite the choking 'dust' particles that get inhaled too quickly, or the burning feeling that requires a drink of something stronger than water, i just can't stop eating Winkies. Of course, until i finish the bag and then I have to wait for another trip to NY. (And then it's very exciting to find a last hidden roll inside a sweatshirt or a purse)

I've realized that I eat the Winkies in a specific manner... I eat the 'bad' flavors first, and save the best for last. (Purple, Yellow, and Orange are 'bad'). I also eat two at a time, and wait for the to get melty in my mouth until the edges fall off. As if i don't get made fun of enough for being a tad "OCD".

Of course, this requires a new gchat status: "OCD Winkie Addict".... Which led me to a pretty darn funny quote by TheApple... (sorry TA!)

theapple: does that mean that you organize the winkies by color before you eat them? and that you leave over one winkie in each color so that you have a rainbow?
stam: it means i eat two at a time, worst colors first
theapple: what's the worst color? they all taste the same - sugary chalk
stam: purple, orange, yellow
theapple: i think green is the worst
stam: u just said they all taste the same :)
theapple: i did. hmm...

Ezzie's Blog Roundup, 5/28

As the slew of [real-life] guests and visitors dies down for a while, and SerandEz have some important stuff to take care of, this blog has been and is being sadly neglected in terms of 'real' content. Thankfully, there are plenty of other wonderful blogs out there with quality content to fill your fix, and this is just some of the stuff I found really interesting the past day or so:

• LOR pointed to the reopening of the very interesting and entertaining Pravda blog, mostly focused on pointing out the foibles and issues in the Charedi world, particularly what is printed in the Yated.
  
• SoccerDad and Trep both discussed ex-President Jimmy Carter's revelation in public about Israel's nuclear weapons. This is hugely problematic for many reasons, as they note.
• Shoshana notes an interesting piece in the NYT about the collision of science and the humanities. I actually think it's an issue for different reasons than most might, namely what we will do as science continues finding that different races and groups are more or less skilled in certain areas, and how that will affect how people are treated.
• Via JDJ, FrumPunk has a hilarious listing of things you won't hear on a shidduch date.
• ProfK (from Scraps) links to an interesting piece about saving vs. debt with some real numbers:

  Add another five years to the same patterns, and the results are even more dramatic. After 10 years, the person who saved $10 a day would have $46,585 in the bank, whereas the person whop spent the $10 he didn't have would be $167,470 in debt, resulting in a net worth difference of over $210,000.

• Thought-provoking quote on ASJ.
• Noyam has an interesting argument about same-sex marriage.
• R' Gil discusses giving proper attribution in Jewish publications.
• BeyondBT with an interesting post about following chumras.
  

Enjoy!

This seems like a nice thing to have.

Hat tip: Pobody's Nerfect



I don't mind the penguin look, but I'm open to other types as well.

Ya know.

Like a budgie.

Well Waddaya Know XII

Last week's question and answer:

Which part of the brain is not involved in speech?

Parietal Lobe	9 (32%)
Temporal Lobe	5 (17%)
Frontal Lobe	4 (14%)
Occipital Lobe	17 (60%)

Votes so far: 28

The answer is the occipital lobe. Broca's area, found in the frontal lobe, is responsible for the motor skills involved in speech. Wernicke's area found in the temporal lobe, is respomsible for assigning meaning to words. In the parietal lobe is an area which is responsible for grammar.

This week's question is up to the left. Enjoy!

Interesting Stuff

• Moshe passed along this really fascinating piece (despite its length) by Emily Gould, a former member of Gawker about blogging, blogging personal information, and the like. Worth the 15 minutes.
• R' Horowitz is speaking tonight in Brooklyn for all who are interested about The Talk.

  With everything that is going on nowadays, many parents have been asking me if, how, and when to have "The Talk" with their children -- speaking to them about privacy matters and abuse prevention in a manner that is consistent with our values of tzniyus -- before the summer.

  I will be addressing this topic this evening, and the issue of supervision of teen children, in light of all that transpired in the Catskills last summer, when I speak in Brooklyn on "Meeting Summer’s Unique Chinuch Challenges" for the Ha'Or Beacon School.

  The lecture is open to the public and will begin at 8:00 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 at the Young Israel of Midwood, 1694 Ocean Avenue. The admission is free; there will be separate seating, and light refreshments. A question and answer session will follow my presentation.

• JBM interviewed Frum Satire. It's interesting how Heshy differentiates the public blog life from the private one.
  

Self-Evaluation

I think it's actually easier to do these in life than at work. Today, however, I have to do it at work, in addition to setting my goals for the upcoming year. I couldn't help but laugh at the immediate comments I got when I said that's what I'm about to do:

• RN: "I did my job. Now give me a raise."
• Special Ed: Self-evaluation: When you try to convince people you thought about it before you said you're doing a great job.

Writing vs. Editing

In writing, as in life, it is often far easier to find the faults in others than to see them in ourselves. In life, we almost always see the faults in others, along with knowing exactly what they need to do to "fix" the fault and just how it negatively affects them in their daily life. Meanwhile, we are either unaware of the same fault in ourselves, or choose to say "well, that's just me, deal with it."

G has so kindly referred to me as something along the lines of "Master Editor" of this blog. The truth is, I've always enjoyed editing far more than writing - I would glance at friends' papers in high school and immediately see a number of ways to improve, spruce up, or spice up even rather decent essays. In college, I did the same with papers and theses, sometimes getting paid for doing something that I actually enjoyed doing. Now, I'll take a look at posts or papers or books for people, and I'll still note which parts are unclear, which are too complicated, and which are simply boring.

And yet... my own writing is just not all that great. It's generally easy to read, and that's worth something, but it's not particularly deep, rarely written particularly well, and outside of slightly rewriting a sentence I'm in middle of, almost never gets edited. In fact, unless I was made to, I never had a "draft" in school - I just churned out the essay or paper and handed it in. Rewrite? Look for mistakes? Care to change from what I wrote the first time? These ideas always were foreign to me... best to just write it once, well, and that was it. If anything, I took my extra care in advance: While some may call this procrastination, I would generally spend time sitting with an open but empty Word document while I surfed the internet, reading, writing, checking my fantasy baseball team, and the like, while thinking about how I am going to format my essay - what it will be about, what parts I should leave out or insert, what points I wish to drive home - and then I'd start writing at about 12:30 (or 1, or 2...) in the morning and finish a little while later.

But editing... editing I can almost always do. There's something fun and interesting about editing. Perhaps it's the lack of pressure involved: If you miss something, it's not your "mistake". Perhaps it's the efficiency aspect: With very little work, a person can take something that's okay, or even decent, and turn it into something far better. Perhaps it's the ability to read or learn something new or interesting or important and take part in its getting out there for others to read. Perhaps it's a combination of all of these, really. Whatever it is, there's just something about editing that's fun and interesting that I enjoy even more than the writing itself.

Thanking Those Who've Made it a Holidy Weekend

As we're all enjoying our Holiday Weekend Jameel has taken a minute to help us recognize the sacrifice made by the members of our Armed Forces.

"The beauty and serenity of Virginia’s rolling hills and awe inspiring views of Washington D.C. clash with today’s reality of national loss, where grief is raw and in your face. You step over grass sods still taking root over freshly dug graves. You watch a mother kiss her son’s tombstone. Two soldiers put flowers and a cold beer next to the grave of a fallen buddy. A young son left a hand-written note for his dad. “I hope you like Heven, hope you liked Virginia very much hope you like the Holidays. I also see you every Sunday. Please write back!”

The rest is just as powerful.


I just want to take a minute to thank the guys I know, and everybody else for their sacrifice and devotion on our behalf.

Stuff From Shabbos

And the award for most memorable line(s) goes to... Erachet! For making a complete and utter fool of herself on more than one occasion. Best of the best:

• "Why is the Talmud Bavli wearing tights?!"
• "Is that a keyboard [on the couch]?" Pobody's Nerfect: "Yes." Er: "Who plays the keyboard!?" PN: "Not THAT kind of keyboard!" Er: [pause] "Oh!" Ezzie: "Wow, you seriously need to sleep."
  
• "Sniffer!"
• While being talked to at table Friday night, 98% asleep: "So how do you know Serach & Ezzie?" 'Huh? [blank stare] Um, we're friends.' "Do you go to Stern?" 'Huh? [blank stare] Yes.' {goes back to sleeping with eyes open}
• "It might be go!?" 'Um, that says 90.' "...oh."

What Students Have

I wasn't much of a school person, though I always enjoyed campus life and having friends around. But I must admit that there's at least one aspect of it that I miss tremendously: The End of the Year. Forgetting all the parties and fun and hanging out "one last time" for about a month and a half; there was that last little bit of time, where everyone's packing up, and you start thinking back over the last year and all that has happened - everything you've learned, everything you've gained, all that has changed... it's really something. In the working world, there really isn't any 'good time' to do this - every week, every month, flows one into the next, and you never get that feeling like "here's a stopping point, let me sit back and just think for a bit".

I'm sure some people will point to holidays, vacations, Yomim Tovim, and the like as opportunities, but they're really not - if you're working full-time, and especially if you have other responsibilities, you simply don't have the time to let your mind slow down like that. (Not to mention that you have no vacation days thanks to the Yomim Tovim.) You're rushing to make Yom Tov, then you're rushing to make up work from it, and you're traveling to see all the family you never really get to see, and you're catching up quickly with friends who you don't really have time to talk to... it's never ending. It makes you miss those school days with their 3-month summers and clear-cut semesters and goals and guidelines and assignments, if only to have that ending to just stop and reflect.

On that note, I particularly appreciated this beautiful post by my good friend Moshe about the lessons he's learned this past year, and on a similar note, these posts by Erachet, the Apple, and Chana. Check them all out.

UPDATE: And SJ, just after I posted this. :)

The Far Side...

...is going linky this week.

--Culled from the Hirhurim round-up--

Please see the following worthwhile pieces from Rabbi Breitowitz and also one from Rabbi Frand...

What??...I'm shouting?!...Hold on, let me turn the music down...

Sorry about that, where were we?

Rav Frand's piece is fairly topical given the current state of affairs in Eretz Yisroel. However, you will notice that it was written in 2003 so please do not take it to represent any sort of stance. It is what it is, his customary "big picture" approach to Klal Yisroel and Judaism.

In the spirit of Lag Baomer Rabbi Breitowitz's two pieces tackle an old argument in a well written, thought out and clear headed manner.

And yet, as a commented at Hirhurim...
With all due respect to Rabbi Breitowitz (and I mean that, these two links give a good representation), his two articles are a crystallization of much of what is missing in today's orthodox education.

His two articles are well written and contain clear, level-headed thinking...hence the danger, because there is a glaring omission.

Where is article No. 3!? The logical third piece should lay out "Entering the Torah-only World: Pros and Cons", just as the second does so well for the professional world.

Alas, I see no link 3.

Ezzie Posted the "Angriest Drivers", Here are the Dumbest

The Nation's Dumbest Drivers

Jersey is #1, with MA, MD, and DC somewhere in the rest.

Where does YOUR state fall?

(update: Link worked for me on two different computers... maybe it IS just you)

No Jew Scotsman...

...(see what I did there?) would actually wear this Tartan as it lacks one of the two colors that truly define Judaism: The black of "Black&White" (and the white is only included as part of the Blue&White of the Isreali flag so...yeah...you know what, I think I'm gonna leave that one alone).

However, you have to give this person points for creativity and originality.

Ach, it's na' a skirt I tell ya'...it's a Kilt! It takes a real man to be able t...oh, who am I kidding.

Two Sides of a Coin

(Hat tip: Shoshana) This post by Gila is profound, excellent, and extremely thought-provoking. Excerpts:

Life is not fair but we desperately wish to think it is. We are not all equally blessed…but who on Earth can comfortably stomach the concept that he has been shortchanged by G-d? This is why we spend so much time justifying reality. That is why we put forth so much effort inventing and then trotting out our "this is really a good thing, this is for the best" mantras. I am no different from anyone else. In respect to the bombing, if not in respect to various other aspects of my life, I have my own collection of mantras. I was blessed. What happened to me was for the best. I am a better person for what happened. If G-d were to come to me today with an offer to repeat this period of my life, but without the bombing, I would turn Him down. Usually, these mantras satisfy my craving for blessings. Nonetheless, every so often, I find myself questioning the fairness of it all. ...

I was discussing with a friend the health of a third woman we are both friends with. This woman underwent difficult fertility treatments in order to have her first child. In the course of checkups to prepare for a new round of IVF, it was discovered that she had cancer. She spent the next year in treatments; as of that time she had been given a clean bill of health though it was not clear if she would be able to bear any more children. My friend's take on all this was similar, though not identical, to that of Michael's friends: if it were not for the fact that our friend had fertility problems, and that doctors insist on such a careful check before starting fertility treatment, the cancer never would have been caught so early and her cure would not have been nearly as assured. Ergo, our friend was lucky. I took the part of Michael. I found this type of logic ridiculous. Our friend had to suffer through fertility problems and cancer. She should not have had to go through either, much less both, and certainly not both by the age of 30. How can you possibly define this as luck? This should not be.

On a separate note, R' Horowitz's son is engaged - mazel tov!

Yeshivat Rambam Auction

In one of our favorite cities of Baltimore, MD, there is a wonderful Jewish day school called Yeshivat Rambam (with kids from Early Childhood through 12th grade). My sister has worked there for 6 years, has 2 kids enrolled, another starting next year, and really loves it - both for herself, but more importantly, her kids.

This year, on June 15th, from 6:00-9:00pm, they are holding their first auction in an effort to raise funds for the school, in addition to a very nice blood drive earlier in the day. They'll be having an auction for adults in the evening and a kids' centered auction (for little kids and teens) in the afternoon, which will also feature a magic show for the kids. This is the first time in Baltimore that they had an auction geared just for kids with prizes that they are interested in winning and are very low cost tickets ($2, $4, $6, $8, $10). The larger, regular auction also has low price tickets with the tickets ranging from $5 - $30 a ticket. It will be at the Park Heights JCC with great food in the evening: Sushi bar, potato bar and smoothies to name just a few.

If you're not in Baltimore, you can go online and order easily at www.bayitauction.org. The prizes are really impressive, with a lot of support from the Baltimore community in making this auction possible and open to people from everywhere to take part in and help support the school. One great supporter even started a Facebook page about it. The support and appreciation people have for the school is wonderful, and they now need more support to continue to grow and bring the school to an even higher level.

Here's more information about Yeshivat Rambam; and here is all the ordering info for tickets, including the discounts available the earlier you buy tickets online. And of course, here is a list of the frequently asked questions. If you're still looking for more information, you can contact Rambam directly:

Via Phone: 410-358-6091 x206
Via Email: questions@bayitauction.org

Finally, here's the link with all the info. Please support this very worthy institution, and have fun!

Questions about questions

I have a question. Well, I guess it's not really a question but...okay, a question. So I've been blogging for a little over a year now and there have been times where I've written or read posts with these deep philosophical questions. It's always kind of fun to discuss them, but even more than fun, it's really frustrating. I guess what I'm wondering is...from the opinion of those who have been blogging far longer than I have, what is the value of asking questions with no answers? What is the value in discussing them? Doesn't it just create further frustration? I find myself sometimes unable to sleep at night because all these philosophical things are bothering me so much. And the more I discuss them, the more they're on my mind. And I guess I like having them on my mind, but it's so frustrating to work and work and work at them and never go anywhere but in circles. Where do these questions lead? What becomes of them? What is their value? What is the good in talking about them if we can get nowhere? How can we find answers that will satisfy us enough to move on? Or are we not supposed to move on? Are we supposed to try to find answers, or are the discussions themselves worth enough?

And the weird thing is, I keep thinking that if, somehow, we did find answers, they would be completely unsatisfying - almost anticlimactic to the intense discussions that surround the questions. So do we really want answers, or do we want discussions? But discussions that lead nowhere? Or do they really lead somewhere?

I'm not even quite sure what I'm asking. It's just been bothering me.

California, Gay Marriage, and Law

A few worthwhile posts on the issue:

• LWY is focused more on how this will play in the national elections;
• Noyam is more intent on the Defense of Marriage Act;
• and BrightLightSearch has a rather excellent essay on the subject in general, focusing on this case in specific only to start. It's a great read (whether you agree or not).
  

Enjoy.