This article by Rabbi Lamm was just reprinted in Jewish Action, the OU's magazine.
http://www.ou.org/pdf/ja/5771/winter71/26-29.pdf
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
29th of November - Not Just a Street Name in Katamon
Following in the footsteps of the Israel Committee with their meaningful presentation this morning about the 29th of November and the U.N. Partition Vote, I wanted to share with you all this video, which includes the thoughts and reflections on the significance of the U.N. vote by different Israelis and Americans who lived in Israel when all this took place in 1947.
Especially after Thanksgiving, it's important to take the time to appreciate how much we have to be thankful about with regard to having our own Jewish state. November 29th 1947 represents the day where we finally gained permission after 2000 years to create a state of our own. Enjoy!
Especially after Thanksgiving, it's important to take the time to appreciate how much we have to be thankful about with regard to having our own Jewish state. November 29th 1947 represents the day where we finally gained permission after 2000 years to create a state of our own. Enjoy!
Mishna Berura Yomi Begins NOW!
For those of you that may not be aware, the new cycle of Mishna Berura Yomi just began on Fri. Nov. 26. Those following the Mishna Berura Yomi cycle learn an amud of Mishna Berura a day (or a daf for those who are slightly more ambitious) and will finish the learning the entire Shulchan Aruch and Rema on Orech Chayim along with the entire Mishna Berura in under five years. This should take only about 15-20 minutes a day! What’s nice about following the Mishna Berura Yomi cycle is that whenever there is a chag the Shulchan Aruch on that chag is incorporated into the cycle. So for example, over Channuka and Pesach those topics are studied.
If you go to www.mishnaberurayomi.org you will find a website dedicated to Mishna Berura Yomi, complete with calendars, audio and written shiurim on the daily amud. Even if you are a few days behind, tomorrow, 11/29, they begin Hilchot Channuka and if you follow their schedule you will learn the first two Simanim in Hilchot Channuka by the end of Channuka!
If you go to www.mishnaberurayomi.org you will find a website dedicated to Mishna Berura Yomi, complete with calendars, audio and written shiurim on the daily amud. Even if you are a few days behind, tomorrow, 11/29, they begin Hilchot Channuka and if you follow their schedule you will learn the first two Simanim in Hilchot Channuka by the end of Channuka!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
More Thoughts on Thanksgiving
In addition to Mrs. Cohen's words and the article by Rabbi Broyde that she quotes, Rabbi Gil Student discusses the notion of Hakarat Hatov, and Rabbi Marc Angel explains why he thinks we should all be celebrating. Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope to see you tomorrow at 10:00 am at the Novetskys for Black Friday Shiur (אנו משכימין והם משכימין!).
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Interesting Article About...Something
The New York Times has an ironically long and interesting article about how technology is changing the brains of this next generation. Just about everything in it rings true to me, but you know better. Are they overreacting?
Monday, November 22, 2010
What are you doing on Thanksgiving?
I got on my email this week to be reminded by a couple of notices that Thanksgiving weekend is approaching, something I was otherwise completely unaware of. Here in Yerushalayim my kids have their regular 6-day school week and won’t even be aware that their friends in America are going to be on vacation. We won’t sit down to a turkey dinner on Thursday, but this reminded me that perhaps I should celebrate Thanksgiving today. And tomorrow. And the next day, and the next…
The irony of days such as Thanksgiving and Mother’s and Father’s Days is that we need an official day for giving thanks and appreciation to remind us that this is something that we should be doing every day, not just once a year.
Unlike Mother’s and Father’s Day, Thanksgiving brings with it the question of whether it is a secular or a religious holiday, with much discussion among poskim about whether one is allowed to celebrate it or not. Click here to see an interesting article by Rabbi Michael Broyde about the different opinions regarding celebrating Thanksgiving.
The question we should all ask ourselves, if we choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, is whether we are commemorating the true meaning of the day, or whether we get lost somewhere after the capital “T” and celebrate Turkey day instead. Thanksgiving affords us two days off from school, the famous Macy’s parade, and extra vacation time to just chill with friends. And then of course Thanksgiving dinner, a chance to get together with family and eat our free turkeys and lots of other delicious food. All very enjoyable things to do. But do we remember in the midst of all the fun to think about the reason we are enjoying? It isn’t just about Turkey, but about realizing what we have and Giving Thanks for it.
Whether one celebrates Thanksgiving officially or not, it is appropriate to take some time to think about the opportunities that one has and thank HKB”H for what He has given us. Even those who choose not to celebrate it because of its secular nature should still take pause and be thankful to HKB”H that America has accepted us and given us the opportunity to practice our religion freely and without persecution. This reflection and hakarat hatov for everything Hashem has granted us in life should really be done every day, not just once a year.
The article mentions that Rav Soloveitchik zt”l would reschedule his shiur on Thanksgiving to begin and end earlier in order to accommodate those who wished to get home to their Thanksgiving celebrations. Rabbi Broyde emphasizes that we should take note that the Rav did not cancel his shiur to accommodate Thanksgiving, but rather he shifted its hours, so that regular Torah learning would still take place, just like every other day.
So, grab a plate of turkey and your favorite sefer and carve a few minutes out of your Thanksgiving day to learn some Torah and thank HKB”H for the opportunities he has afforded you with. And then try to repeat it again the next day, and the next… but you can leave out the turkey, if you wish.
The irony of days such as Thanksgiving and Mother’s and Father’s Days is that we need an official day for giving thanks and appreciation to remind us that this is something that we should be doing every day, not just once a year.
Unlike Mother’s and Father’s Day, Thanksgiving brings with it the question of whether it is a secular or a religious holiday, with much discussion among poskim about whether one is allowed to celebrate it or not. Click here to see an interesting article by Rabbi Michael Broyde about the different opinions regarding celebrating Thanksgiving.
The question we should all ask ourselves, if we choose to celebrate Thanksgiving, is whether we are commemorating the true meaning of the day, or whether we get lost somewhere after the capital “T” and celebrate Turkey day instead. Thanksgiving affords us two days off from school, the famous Macy’s parade, and extra vacation time to just chill with friends. And then of course Thanksgiving dinner, a chance to get together with family and eat our free turkeys and lots of other delicious food. All very enjoyable things to do. But do we remember in the midst of all the fun to think about the reason we are enjoying? It isn’t just about Turkey, but about realizing what we have and Giving Thanks for it.
Whether one celebrates Thanksgiving officially or not, it is appropriate to take some time to think about the opportunities that one has and thank HKB”H for what He has given us. Even those who choose not to celebrate it because of its secular nature should still take pause and be thankful to HKB”H that America has accepted us and given us the opportunity to practice our religion freely and without persecution. This reflection and hakarat hatov for everything Hashem has granted us in life should really be done every day, not just once a year.
The article mentions that Rav Soloveitchik zt”l would reschedule his shiur on Thanksgiving to begin and end earlier in order to accommodate those who wished to get home to their Thanksgiving celebrations. Rabbi Broyde emphasizes that we should take note that the Rav did not cancel his shiur to accommodate Thanksgiving, but rather he shifted its hours, so that regular Torah learning would still take place, just like every other day.
So, grab a plate of turkey and your favorite sefer and carve a few minutes out of your Thanksgiving day to learn some Torah and thank HKB”H for the opportunities he has afforded you with. And then try to repeat it again the next day, and the next… but you can leave out the turkey, if you wish.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Duda-what?
Yasher koach to Allison on what I heard was a phenomenally successful Parsha Club about the story of the dudaim (you're hired!). This was originally going to be a debate between the two of us offering competing explanations of the story. When we decided against that, I was still hoping to go and hear it, but got stuck in a meeting and couldn't make it - if anyone wants to send in a summary I would be appreciative personally to see what I missed, and post it here for the Olam to enjoy.
My take on it is very simple: It is the story of two sisters who are so caught up in what they lack (and the other has) that they lose all appreciation for what they have. Leah is immediately blessed with four children, and names them all after her imperfect relationship with her husband. Rachel has a loving and devoted husband, but confronts him, demanding a child "ואם אין מתה אנכי" - and if not I am (as if) dead. "What about me?" we can imagine Yaakov thinking in response.
Then comes the story of the dudaim, found by Reuven (who is not really a character). Many מפרשים explain that they were a fertility drug. When Rachel sees Leah receive exactly what she needs, it's too much for her to bear, and she demands (or asks for) them. Leah replies, you already have Yaakov, now you also want me to give you the dudaim - children, leaving me with nothing to draw Yaakov to me. Rachel basically says, what good is Yaakov - take my husband, I want the children. And that is the deal that they strike.
Interestingly, we find that both sisters are punished for their role in the episode. When Dina is abducted, it calls her בת לאה and Rashi connects it to the story of the dudaim. Apparently, Hashem responded that if Leah was not going to appreciate her children, then He would not protect her children either. (Rashi also quotes that the episode was a punishment for Yaakov. How to understand Dina getting punished for her parents sins is beyond the scope of this post - IY"H we'll talk about it at Parsha Club this week.) Yet, as we will see below, she gets what she ultimately wanted - and is buried in מערת המכפילה as Yaakov's only wife.
Rashi quotes that because she trivialized her relationship with Yaakov, Rachel was not buried with him. However, we find that she is buried in בית לחם, where she later comes to the defense of all of בני ישראל on their way into galut - (רחל מבכה על בניה) - so while she loses eternity with her husband who she didn't sufficiently value, she gets to serve as the אם when no one else can, the role that she wanted so badly all her life.
My take on it is very simple: It is the story of two sisters who are so caught up in what they lack (and the other has) that they lose all appreciation for what they have. Leah is immediately blessed with four children, and names them all after her imperfect relationship with her husband. Rachel has a loving and devoted husband, but confronts him, demanding a child "ואם אין מתה אנכי" - and if not I am (as if) dead. "What about me?" we can imagine Yaakov thinking in response.
Then comes the story of the dudaim, found by Reuven (who is not really a character). Many מפרשים explain that they were a fertility drug. When Rachel sees Leah receive exactly what she needs, it's too much for her to bear, and she demands (or asks for) them. Leah replies, you already have Yaakov, now you also want me to give you the dudaim - children, leaving me with nothing to draw Yaakov to me. Rachel basically says, what good is Yaakov - take my husband, I want the children. And that is the deal that they strike.
Interestingly, we find that both sisters are punished for their role in the episode. When Dina is abducted, it calls her בת לאה and Rashi connects it to the story of the dudaim. Apparently, Hashem responded that if Leah was not going to appreciate her children, then He would not protect her children either. (Rashi also quotes that the episode was a punishment for Yaakov. How to understand Dina getting punished for her parents sins is beyond the scope of this post - IY"H we'll talk about it at Parsha Club this week.) Yet, as we will see below, she gets what she ultimately wanted - and is buried in מערת המכפילה as Yaakov's only wife.
Rashi quotes that because she trivialized her relationship with Yaakov, Rachel was not buried with him. However, we find that she is buried in בית לחם, where she later comes to the defense of all of בני ישראל on their way into galut - (רחל מבכה על בניה) - so while she loses eternity with her husband who she didn't sufficiently value, she gets to serve as the אם when no one else can, the role that she wanted so badly all her life.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Speaking of Priorities...
Tali Spier submits the following thought:
Ever wonder what would happen if we treated Torah as we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it as if we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...just where is my Torah today?
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about Torah being
disconnected because its calls never fail.
Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities? And no dropped calls!
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