Volume 8 Number 83
Produced: Wed Aug 18 19:55:48 1993
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Correction--KOA
[Shimon Schwartz]
Katnut HaDorot
[Steve Ehrlich]
Kosher in Dublin, Ireland
[Najman Kahana]
Kosher in Ontario
[Rivkah Isseroff]
Kosher Mezuzah and Disaster
[Malcolm Isaacs]
Looking for Kosher food and Sabbath accomodations in Scotland
[Yaacov Fenster]
Loshon Hara
[Robert A. Book]
Mail Order Glatt butcher
[Hillel Markowitz]
Reb Zusha
[Andrew Tannenbaum]
Spiritual Heights
[Yechezkal-Shimon Gutfreund]
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From: <schwartz@...> (Shimon Schwartz)
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 16:03:40 -0400
Subject: Correction--KOA
There is a second "KOA", whose hechsher is indeed a US map with a KOA
inside. I have the following (possibly obsolete) contact info:
A Subsidiary of Orthodox Association
for the Observance of Kashruth
R' Solomon Isaacson (executive director)
11006 Audubon Ave
Philadelphia PA 19116
215-698-1180
Shimon Schwartz
<schwartz@...>
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From: <stevee@...> (Steve Ehrlich)
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 13:37 CDT
Subject: Katnut HaDorot
Concerning the issue of Yeridat Hadorot--The claim that each generation
is on a "lower level" then the previous: One needs to make a distinction
between the scholars of a generation and the masses of that generation.
Even if the Chatam Sofer's Tsuevahs are more comprehensive then anything
our generation has produced (is this *really* true?), the fact is the
Jewish masses in his time were not very educated. Today, almost anyone
who wants to can send their child to a day school or yeshiva or
seminary. In their time, in Europe, only the cream of each village ever
made it into a decent Torah institution, something beyond the local
ineffective cheder. And this was true only for the boys; the girls
received no Torah education at all. Look at what happened to all these
people when they left the shtetl: their observance disappeared.
So lets quit beating up on ourselves: The fact is we have much to proud
of, we are doing a *much* better job at keeping Torah alive within our
community then the Europeans ever dreamed of. Outside the community is a
different story, largely because we are still cleaning up after *their*
educational mess.
Steve Ehrlich
<stevee@...>
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From: Najman Kahana <NAJMAN%<HADASSAH@...>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 10:10 JST
Subject: Kosher in Dublin, Ireland
After failing to find any information in the usual places, may I
trouble the community ?
I have to be in Dublin, Ireland. Does anyone know of any kosher
places there to either stay, or eat ?
Thanks
Najman Kahana
<Najman@...>
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From: Rivkah Isseroff <rrisseroff@...>
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 17:55:25 -0400
Subject: Kosher in Ontario
>From: Gurion Hyman <Avi_J._Hyman@...>
>Here is something that my American cousins might find useful (to lobby
>for). It is a provincial (state) law that anything implying (Kosher
>stamp, Jewish symbols, etc) that a product MAY be kosher must be
>certified by the Vaad Harabbonim (Orthodox) [Rabbinical Council - Ed.]
>of the province. In other words, if you falsely call some product
>kosher and it's not, you're not only breaking Jewish law, but breaking
>state law
To my recollection, there was a recent New Jersey case that tested the
legality of just such a law. A NJ establishment advertised itself as
"Kosher", however, when the state-appointed compliance monitor, in this
case an Orthodox mashgiach, Rabbi Mendy Dombroff, inspected, he found
that the establishment was relying on Conservative standards of Kashrut,
rather than Orthodox ones. The Kashrut certification of the
establishment was subsequently pulled by the state, and the owner of the
establishment sued, and WON. The arguement was that, while the state
COULD monitor establishments to determine that they are not advertising
falsely, and that when they advertise as "Kosher" they are, in fact,
adhering to standards that define Kashrut, it COULD NOT define those
standards (ie to be the Orthodox or Conservative halachic kashrut
interpretations) since that would have a governmental institution making
religious law and presumably an infringement on the "church-state"
separation.
As I read about this some time ago, the details may be blurry. Those
seeking further information should contact Rabbi Dombroff directly.
Rivkah Isseroff University of California Davis
<rriseroff@...>
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From: <M.Isaacs@...> (Malcolm Isaacs)
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 10:50:57 -0400
Subject: Kosher Mezuzah and Disaster
I recall an incident a few years ago, in which a school in
Israel (Haifa?) lost a number of children in what I think was a
terrorist attack. The mezuzah of that classroom was checked (at
the instigation of the Lubavitcher Rebbe?) and found to be
passul. Does anyone have the details of this incident?
Malcolm
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From: Yaacov Fenster <fenster@...>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 13:26:11 MET DST
Subject: Looking for Kosher food and Sabbath accomodations in Scotland
Does anyone have information with regard to the availability of Kosher
food, and/or places to stay for sabbath (near a shul, etc.) in the
Edinburgh area ?
Thanx in advance
Yaacov
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From: <rbook@...> (Robert A. Book)
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 93 18:33:20 CDT
Subject: Loshon Hara
On another Jewish mailing list, someone raised the question, "What in
your opinion are the two or three most important topics for a rabbi to
speak about on the High Holidays? Why?" The following is my (very
slightly edited) response, which I thought might be of interest to
readers of Mail-Jewish as well.
Rabbi Joseph Telushkin (author of _Jewish_Literacy_, co-author of _The
_Nine_Questions_People_Ask_About_Judaism), once made the following
interesting (to me) point:
We generally expect all Jews, even those who are generally
non-observant, to observe Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, at least to the
extent of attending services on both and fasting on Yom Kippur. The
reasoning is that whatever the person does, he/she will "do something
Jewish" at least once a year.
When people ask how they can become more observant, we generally
suggest starting by observing the Shabbat. The Shabbat, of course, is
very important, and it provides a Jewish experience one day every
week. This is frequent enough to get someone involved, but not so
frequent as to be a great burden.
Rabbi Telushkin, however, suggests something different. If we suggest
that someone start by observing the commandment of loshon hara (i.e.,
refraining from speaking ill of others, even if the statements are
true, literally, "evil tongue"), then we really have a chance to
effect a profound change in a person's life -- since this is something
that to observe, a person must be conscious of continuously, every
day, every moment.
Think of the benefits if loshon hara, instead of synagogue attendance,
became the major thrust of efforts to increase the level of Jewish
participation. Think of how much more pleasant life would be if even
half, or even 10%, of those attending your synagogue completely
abstained from loshon hara. (Think of how this would impact synagogue
politics!) Think of how much more pleasant life in general would be
if 10% of *reporters* abstained from loshon hara in their news
reporting!
We usually think of encouraging synagogue attendance in the hope that
it will lead to more ritual observance. In this case, I think
encouraging observance of Loshon Hara would make a profound ethical
statement that could lead many modern and intelligent but unobservant
Jews to take Judaism as a whole, including both ethical and ritual
observance, more seriously.
--Robert Book
<rbook@...>
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From: <hem@...> (Hillel Markowitz)
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 11:02 EDT
Subject: Mail Order Glatt butcher
The Baltimore Vaad Hakashrus (star K) now gives a hashgacha to a mail
order provider of kosher meat. This sounds as if it could be of
interest to those people living in communities where it is difficult to
get to a kosher butcher. The butcher is - AMARA MEATS - and claims to
provide glatt kosher meat from a catalog. The toll free line is (800)
64 AMARA [(800) 642-6272].
I do not know anything about them other than the notice printed in the
Baltimore Vaad Hakashrus newsletter Kashrus Kurrents.
Hillel Markowitz <H_Markowitz@...>
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From: <trb@...> (Andrew Tannenbaum)
Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 21:13:19 -0400
Subject: Reb Zusha
There are about 40-50 items about Reb Meshullam Zusya of Hanipol in
Martin Buber's collection "Tales of the Hasidim - Early Masters." Reb
Zusya's stories are certainly my favorite in this whole collection.
Reb Zusya died in 1800 and was a follower of Reb Dov Baer, the Great
Maggid of of Mezritch, who was a follower of the Baal Shem Tov.
I understand that Buber would not be the most popular fellow in this
forum, but this collection of Chassidic tales is very compelling
reading. The original English translation was in two volumes (Early
and Later Masters), but it is now in print as one.
Andrew Tannenbaum Brookline, MA USA
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From: sg04%<kesser@...> (Yechezkal-Shimon Gutfreund)
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 16:45:30 -0400
Subject: Re: Spiritual Heights
In Vol. 8 #79, Yosef Bechhofer discusses the Yeridos HaDores
(dimunization in stature of successive generations). He states that
"Lubavitch denies this phenomenon". He gives no sources for this
impression, and I would say that he is quite mistaken.
Yeridos HaDores refers to the diminuation in stature (in particular
Torah knowledge) of successive generations. This means, that the
INDIVIDUALS that comprise a particular generation, have a diminished
comprehension and depth of knowledge of Torah than individuals in
previous generations. I have heard of no one who argues that we do not
have anyone of the stature of Chasam Sofer, Chafetz Chaim, let alone
Achronim or Rishonim.
However, this generation as a whole does have a special quality. While
the individuals may have a "shorter" stature, "we stand on the backs of
giants", and thus the generation as a whole can in some ways reach
greater heights, due to the endowment that has been left to us.
The "official Lubavitch" viewpoint, of course, is from the published
and edited talks by the Rebbe:
From Sefer HaMamarim, 5710, p 237:
Moshe Rabbeinu saw the entire course of Adam HaRishon's life. He beheld
the course of each generation, it's wisdom, and it's livelihood.
(Sanhedrin 38:2, VaYikrah Rabbah 26:7). And he saw the generation of
the "heels of Moshiach". And the grasp of G-dlyness of that generation
could not even be considered hasaga (grasp) at all. And simililarily
their service to HaShem, in the mind and heart, would not be considered
avodah (service) at all. But their fufillment of Torah and mitzvot
b'poal mamash (in actuality) was with true mesirath nefesh
(self-sacrifice). And Moshe saw the tremendous satisfaction that this
avodah (service) caused above.
As an outcome of this vision Moshe became very humble. As it states
(B'haloscha 12:3) "And the man Moshe was very humble, more than anyone
else on the face of the Earth".
Yechezkal-Shimon Gutfreund <sgutfreund@...>
GTE Laboratories, Waltham MA harvard!bunny!sgutfreund
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End of Volume 8 Issue 83
