Volume 12 Number 70
Produced: Thu Apr 21 8:18:11 1994
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Be Not Overly Righteous
[Bennett J Ruda]
Boston and Montreal
[Howard Joseph]
DC hot dog vendor
[Sherman Marcus]
Electronic hotel door locks
[Joshua Goldmeier]
Ethical Issues
[Warren Burstein]
Free Empire kosher chicken
[Shimon Schwartz]
Montreal Kashruth
[Norma and Howard Joseph]
New York City and embalming
[Victor Miller]
Oats
[Ari Kurtz]
Other Frum Jewish Paper in NY
[Charles Tropper]
Shelo Asani Berachot
[Ari Kurtz]
Sorting Rice
[Lon Eisenberg]
Video Camera on Shabbos
[Shmuel Weidberg]
Yom Hashoa Vehageboura
[Steve Wildstrom]
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From: <bruda@...> (Bennett J Ruda)
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 21:42:54 -0400
Subject: Be Not Overly Righteous
In regards to Hayim Hendeles' reference:
To make an extremely complex issue more complicated, one should not
forget a critical Chazal (found in the Talmud): "One who shows
compassion on the cruel, will ultimately show cruelty on the
compassionate." The proof is from King Saul. He did not kill the single
remaining member of the Amaleki people when he had the opportunity. We
are still paying for his mistake today.
which was made in reference to whether peace can be made in the current
situation, the quote as I remember is from Kohelet Rabbah on the pasuk
"Al tihah Tzaddik harbeh, v'al tirshah harbeh" -- Do not be overly
righteous, and do not be too great a rashah. The midrash then connects this
to the fact that similar wording to HaShem's command to destroy Amalek is
used to describe the slaughter of Kohanie Nov (compare 15:3 and 22:19). From
this the midrash comments "He who is compassionate when he should be cruel,
will be cruel when he should be compassionate."
I only mention this because according to this rendering, the midrash is not
commenting on whom one should be cruel, but when. The lesson could very well
be that the Peace is right, and those who oppose it showing cruelty, are
destined to show cruelty when sympathy is called for. A lesson that perhaps
we can already see taking place.
It's not that I am in favor of the current talks, rather that my Navi
students would never forgive if I didn't put in my two cents on this one.
Bennett J. Ruda || "The World exists only because of
SAR Academy || the innocent breath of schoolchildren"
Riverdale, NY || From the Talmud
<bruda@...> || Masechet Shabbat 119b
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From: Howard Joseph <NOJO@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 16:42:21 -0400
Subject: Re: Boston and Montreal
I hope that my postings re kashrut in Montreal did not impugn the
rabbinate of Boston but only one particular rabbi with whom I will
speak. My main purpose in writing was to assure mj readrs that if they
are planning a trip to Montreal they will have plenty of reliable kosher
food to eat. Bostonians can Check with Rabbi Halbfinger at the Vaad for
further information
Howard Joseph
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From: Sherman Marcus <mernav@...>
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 00:26:19 +0300
Subject: DC hot dog vendor
Michael Mayer, my former neighbor and minyan partner from our
days in Silver Spring, MD., is now here in Israel sitting shiva after his
father A"H. He's the fellow who runs the glatt kosher hot dog stand near
the White House in Washington, and about whom there was some discussion
last summer in mail-jewish. He was concerned that some m-j readers might
be concerned about his sudden disappearance from the area, so be assured,
he should be back at his spot on April 28th IY"H.
He informs me that he is situated at 15th Street and Hamilton Place,
NW, near the Treasury Building. In addition to hot dogs, he sells knishes
and felafel. He had tried to set his stand up near the Holocaust Museum,
but no matter how early he would arrive, the three allotted spots there
would already be occupied by the same vendors who evidently camped out there
all night.
Sherman Marcus
<mernav@...>
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From: Joshua Goldmeier <ujgoldme@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 11:51:08 -0400
Subject: Re: Electronic hotel door locks
I recently had to deal with this SHAYLA and was given this
answer by my LOR. He said under no conditions am I allowed to use the
electronic key card and it is MUKTSA. He said the only advice I can
offer is either not go, or jam the lock, not in a vandal method, e.g.
put tape over the lock before SHABBOS. I told him that the family had
arranged that we could go to the front desk and tell them that "we need
to get into our room" thereby inadvertantly telling them to open the
door. The Hotel had refused to turn off the electronic system for us.
The family had not consulted with any Rabbi before doing so. My Rabbi
said under no conditions is this method permissible and it would be no
different than asking a non-jew to turn on the light because it was dark
in the room!!!
In fact, I put a small piece of paper in the door lock and
during the day kept the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. We had no
problems and no-one could tell the door was unlocked.
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From: <warren@...> (Warren Burstein)
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994 12:33:54 GMT
Subject: Re: Ethical Issues
David Charlap writes:
>But if someone threatens you for a future date (say, a threatening
>letter), you couldn't then go out and hire someone to find and kill
>the sender of the letter. The difference is that, at the time of the
>hiring, your life's not in danger. You're effectively contracting for
>murder, and not defense.
I don't think the recipient of the letter is allowed to kill the
sender, either. If what one contracts for is murder, so is what one
does oneself. If someone would convince me however that a threatening
letter could justify killing the sender, I don't see why a third party
couldn't do so as well.
Besides, I talked about hiring a bodyguard, not an assassin.
|warren@ bein hashmashot, in which state are the survivors
/ nysernet.org buried?
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From: <schwartz@...> (Shimon Schwartz)
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 16:40:11 EDT
Subject: Free Empire kosher chicken
A rather improbable note appeared on Usenet, misc.consumers, to the effect
that Empire will give you a free kosher chicken if your tax return for
1993 or 1994 has been audited. I just telephoned Empire's customer
service dept. in Mifflintown PA. The offer is valid. The Usenet posting
directs you to send a copy of the audit notice to:
> H&R Chicken,
> c/o Empire Kosher Poultry
> P.O. Box 165
> Mifflintown, Pa. 17059
The best that I can figure is that if you have to
send the IRS a korban asham...
Shimon Schwartz
<schwartz@...>
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From: Norma and Howard Joseph <NOJO@...>
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 21:58:07 -0400
Subject: Re: Montreal Kashruth
I do not wish to enter into a debate on montreal Kashrut with anyone.
Firstly, I wish to assure any visitors to our city that the Hashgaha is
reliable. Secondly, I believe the Rabbi in question was ill advised to
make such a comment to the son of an Orthodox Montreal Rabbi who now
lives in Boston. If the rabbi indeed has some knowledge of a particular
problem that can improve a serious fault in the system he has the
responsibility to communicate with us. Otherwise he is accusing the
Jewish community here which includes to quote Rambam- gedolim vehakkamim
mimenu- many greater scholars- of violating kashrut each day and by
keeping quiet and not asdvising of any legitimate concer he is aiding in
our transgression. There is only one supervision here- a rarity for
such a large community- and despite temptations to breakdown the unity
it has been maintained for many years this way. If he advises his
members not to eat here then he is really being motzi shem ra... as was
mentioned.
Howard Joseph
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From: Victor Miller <victor@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 09:31:42 -0400
Subject: New York City and embalming
This past Sunday I went on a tour of Ellis Island. While I was there,
the tour guide mentioned that because of the danger of AIDS, that NYC
was requiring ALL bodies buried in the city to be embalmed. Supposedly
they were worried about polluting the ground with tainted blood. This
sounds a bit far-fetched to me. Has anybody else heard anything like
this? This certainly has profound implications. If the law of the land
requires embalming what are we to do?
Victor Miller
CCR
Princeton, NJ 08540
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From: Ari Kurtz <s1553072@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 15:53:25 +0300
Subject: Oats
I while ago I wrote a letter to answer why there is doubt if oat are
considered one of the five speices . On this I recieved a letter from
Mr. Burton on that what I wrote was utter nonsense . I must admit here
that he is completely right and what I wrote in the name of Dr.Y Felixs
has no basis at all . My apoligies to all concerned . (From now on I
must remember to point out when I'm recalling something from memory)
As far as the reasons why Dr. Y. Felixs brings Hordeum distichum , two
rowed barely as shibolet and not oats is based on two sources
from Chazal : one source compares shibolet to barely in regards to kelayim
the second source brings a desription of shibolet which is totaly
unlike oats but is appropiate for two rowed barely .
Shalom Aliechem
Ari Kurtz
P.S. Thanks to Mr. Burton for pointing out my error .
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From: Charles Tropper <chm@...>
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 00:53:23 -0400
Subject: Re: Other Frum Jewish Paper in NY
Regarding Lois Rayman's Request for a replacement for the JP in the
NY area. The Yated Ne'eman fills some of those criteria it certainly is
"Frum" in fact I think "Frum" would be an understatment. It does not
"Scream headlines of doom" and is not painful to read. As for seperating
news from opinion it really depends on your perspective. It is certainly
better than the JP in that respect. We stopped getting the JP a couple
of years ago. Instead we get Yated and The Jerusalem Post. I find that
these papers complement each other and provide a pretty good picture of
what is going on.
Chaim Tropper
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From: Ari Kurtz <s1553072@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 16:25:45 +0300
Subject: Shelo Asani Berachot
Shalom Alichem
After all the letters on shilo asani isha theres one answer I've read
somewhere but haven't come across it here yet . I haven't mentioned
anything before since I don't exactly remember the whole article
but what I do remember is that it started pointing out that this
bracha is the only bracha in the list that isn't based on a posuk from
the tanach . The conclusion of the article was that the word here lo with
an aleph should be understood as lo with a vav meaning that Hashem made
the children of Israel as a wife to hashem . If anyone has come across
a similar passage I would apreciate the full article .
Ari Kurtz
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From: eisenbrg%<milcse@...> (Lon Eisenberg)
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994 09:28:50 -0400
Subject: Re: Sorting Rice
The reason rice must be sorted is to search for bugs (not for hamez).
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From: Shmuel Weidberg <shmuel@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 11:17:12 -0400
Subject: Video Camera on Shabbos
I believe that there is no problem walking under a video camera on Shabbos.
Is it because of Psik Reisha Dlo Nicha Leih (which I believe is ossur
Mid'rabbanan) Melacha Sheaina Tzricha Legufo, or why?
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From: Steve Wildstrom <swild@...>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 94 09:24:40 EST
Subject: Re: Yom Hashoa Vehageboura
In MJ 12:65, <JMOSSERI@...> (Joey Mosseri) writes:
Just wondering where did the day of the 27th of Nisan come to be Yom
Hashoa Vehageboura? Who established it and when? And especially why
such a sad day in the month of Nisan which is all happiness and we say
no vidouyim or tahanounim?
I believe Yom HaShoah originated as the observance of the Warsaw
Ghetto uprising, which either began or ended--I forget which--on 27
Nissan. As the event broaden into a commermoration of mthe Shoah, and
acquired more of a religious character, the date was simply retained.
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End of Volume 12 Issue 70