In an article about challa baking, one woman who was interviewed said she started making challa when her son was sick. She wanted to bake challa as a zechus for his refuah shleima. Sadly, her son passed away but she felt that the mitzvah of challa had to be taught and she began giving classes.
Later in the article, in a sidebar, it describes gemachs for challa. They are variations on the idea of women being given names to daven for when they make challa. The woman I referred to above is quoted as saying that when her son was sick, women gathered in groups of 40 to take challa as a zechus. She has set up a hotline to continue this idea, in which women call for names to daven for.
It struck me, and the article makes no mention of this, that being asked to daven for a sick person while taking challa, by someone who did just that for her son, and her son died, is not very inspirational. I thought better of writing this to the publication since it's tragic and I don't want to hurt anyone.
I know that we don't always see the results that we wanted, and that the Gemara talks about giving tzedaka "so that my son lives" and that it doesn't always result in good news. But somehow this strikes me differently. Maybe because it's not brought in the Gemara. Some other reason?
related posts: here
Apr 30, 2015
Apr 29, 2015
Just Say No
Overheard today:
A mother says to her little boy, about 4 years old, "Your behavior was unacceptable ... right?"
Sigh.
It's like the parent who says, "Come inside for supper, okay?"
You want the child's approval? agreement?
Then I came across this, b
"It happened in a seforim store. A prominent cheder menahel was browsing the aisles when a young man timidly approached.
"Rabbi K," he ventured. "Would it be possible to ask you a question.
"Certainly," Rabbi K replied.
A mother says to her little boy, about 4 years old, "Your behavior was unacceptable ... right?"
Sigh.
It's like the parent who says, "Come inside for supper, okay?"
You want the child's approval? agreement?
Then I came across this, b
"It happened in a seforim store. A prominent cheder menahel was browsing the aisles when a young man timidly approached.
"Rabbi K," he ventured. "Would it be possible to ask you a question.
"Certainly," Rabbi K replied.
“My five-year-old son over there wants me to buy him a pair of those fake tefillin,” said the man. “I am not sure if having ‘play tefillin’ sends a good chinuch message. Somehow, I feel that to a child, tefillin should be a hallowed mitzvah that he will merit to fulfill when he becomes bar mitzvah and not used as a toy.”
Rabbi K. thought about it and agreed with the father.
“Okay. Thanks so much!” the father said, promptly returning to his son.
A few minutes later, Rabbi K. again heard someone behind him.
“Rabbi K., can I ask you another question?”
It was the same father.
“Sure,” Rabbi K. answered.
“My son really wants the tefillin. What should I tell him?” asked the father.
Rabbi K., looking directly at the father, said, “Tell him, ‘No.’”
The father looked at Rabbi K. startled. Then, as if a light bulb had gone off in his head, he responded, “Ohhh.” And he walked away."
Apr 26, 2015
Natural Disasters and Our Response
In 1923, Japan experienced a devastating earthquake. In addition, or as a result of the earthquake, there were a typhoon, landslides and a tsunami. Altogether, the earthquake and typhoon killed an estimated 99,300 people, and another 43,500 were missing.
Japanese commentators interpreted the disaster as an act of divine punishment to admonish the Japanese people for their self-centered, immoral, and extravagant lifestyles.
R' Chatzkel Levenstein recalled the Chofetz Chaim’s comments at the time of an earthquake in Japan, which resulted in thousands of deaths. “I remember that he said it had happened because there were no Torah scholars in Japan.” (Or Yechezkel, Middos)
Two years later, when a powerful earthquake hit Russia, destroying entire cities and causing many fatalities, the Chofetz Chaim wrote a powerful letter about it.
"Several weeks ago I publicized an essay concerning the great earthquake that happened in our land. In that essay I encouraged Klal Yisrael to do teshuva and that the earthquake was a warning to the entire world that they should repent of their evil ways and believe in Hashem Who controls all. Not for naught did all these terrifying and frightening things of this year come upon us. And now, we hear new and terrifying information about the great flood that took place in our land and the great earthquake that took place in Russia in which were killed and injured thousands of men, women and children and many livestock; many of them were buried alive. Even in our land we experienced some tremors of this earthquake. Certainly any thinking person should be gripped by fear and trembling as to what Hashem has done to us. The One who is good and does good to all and is merciful on all of His creations, and does not even desire the death of the wicked, as it says 'By My life, says Hashem, I do not desire the death of the wicked one, but rather that he repent and live'(Yechezkel 33).The understanding person will realize that Hashem is urging us to do teshuva and is showing us all that He has the power to as He pleases, and none of His creations of above or below can tell Him what to do. And it is clear to me that if we had prophets sent from Hashem, they would without doubt be standing guard to urge Jews to do teshuva to our Father in heaven. Because, with our evil deeds we have no prophets or divine messengers in our times, He is urging us through other messengers to do teshuva, as it says 'He makes winds-his messengers; burning fire-his servants."'
Japanese commentators interpreted the disaster as an act of divine punishment to admonish the Japanese people for their self-centered, immoral, and extravagant lifestyles.
R' Chatzkel Levenstein recalled the Chofetz Chaim’s comments at the time of an earthquake in Japan, which resulted in thousands of deaths. “I remember that he said it had happened because there were no Torah scholars in Japan.” (Or Yechezkel, Middos)
Two years later, when a powerful earthquake hit Russia, destroying entire cities and causing many fatalities, the Chofetz Chaim wrote a powerful letter about it.
"Several weeks ago I publicized an essay concerning the great earthquake that happened in our land. In that essay I encouraged Klal Yisrael to do teshuva and that the earthquake was a warning to the entire world that they should repent of their evil ways and believe in Hashem Who controls all. Not for naught did all these terrifying and frightening things of this year come upon us. And now, we hear new and terrifying information about the great flood that took place in our land and the great earthquake that took place in Russia in which were killed and injured thousands of men, women and children and many livestock; many of them were buried alive. Even in our land we experienced some tremors of this earthquake. Certainly any thinking person should be gripped by fear and trembling as to what Hashem has done to us. The One who is good and does good to all and is merciful on all of His creations, and does not even desire the death of the wicked, as it says 'By My life, says Hashem, I do not desire the death of the wicked one, but rather that he repent and live'(Yechezkel 33).The understanding person will realize that Hashem is urging us to do teshuva and is showing us all that He has the power to as He pleases, and none of His creations of above or below can tell Him what to do. And it is clear to me that if we had prophets sent from Hashem, they would without doubt be standing guard to urge Jews to do teshuva to our Father in heaven. Because, with our evil deeds we have no prophets or divine messengers in our times, He is urging us through other messengers to do teshuva, as it says 'He makes winds-his messengers; burning fire-his servants."'
Apr 24, 2015
Shabbos versus Theft
I heard a lecture in which Yossi Mizrachi asks why Madoff became a headline for fraud when stealing, in the halachic hierarchy, is a far lesser sin than chilul Shabbos. For chilul Shabbos you are chayav missa (deserve the death penalty)!
Well, of course, as far as secular headlines go, secular media are not interested in chilul Shabbos. Not to steal, on the other hand, is one of the Seven Noahide Laws which everyone is obligated to observe.
There is also the fact that chilul Shabbos doesn't hurt others while stealing does.
Nevertheless, it was intriguing to hear R' Mizrachi pose the question. We recoil when someone Jewish is caught stealing but we don't recoil when we hear of Jews who don't keep Shabbos, even when they are our own relatives or neighbors.
Theft is also a most serious sin since, as it says in many machzorim before the Neila prayer, if a person has stolen anything he had better resolve to take care of it immediately after Yom Kippur. It does not say shemiras Shabbos or kashrus or Talmud Torah, but gezel.
And of course, not stealing is in the category of mishpatim, rational mitzvos that any just society upholds, while the myriad laws of Shabbos are not obviously logical.
Well, of course, as far as secular headlines go, secular media are not interested in chilul Shabbos. Not to steal, on the other hand, is one of the Seven Noahide Laws which everyone is obligated to observe.
There is also the fact that chilul Shabbos doesn't hurt others while stealing does.
Nevertheless, it was intriguing to hear R' Mizrachi pose the question. We recoil when someone Jewish is caught stealing but we don't recoil when we hear of Jews who don't keep Shabbos, even when they are our own relatives or neighbors.
Theft is also a most serious sin since, as it says in many machzorim before the Neila prayer, if a person has stolen anything he had better resolve to take care of it immediately after Yom Kippur. It does not say shemiras Shabbos or kashrus or Talmud Torah, but gezel.
And of course, not stealing is in the category of mishpatim, rational mitzvos that any just society upholds, while the myriad laws of Shabbos are not obviously logical.
Apr 22, 2015
Anniversary of Previous Shul Attack
On April 11, 1956, Rosh Chodesh Iyar, fedayeen terrorists entered a shul in Kfar Chabad during maariv and started shooting. Five children and one teacher were murdered, another ten injured.
I don't recall reading any mention of it after the Har Nof shul massacre. Articles following the recent shul slaughter made it sound like the terrorist attack in the Har Nof shul was a new outrage, in that people praying in a house of worship had been attacked, when it had been done before. Here is a link to the tragedy of 1956: here
I don't recall reading any mention of it after the Har Nof shul massacre. Articles following the recent shul slaughter made it sound like the terrorist attack in the Har Nof shul was a new outrage, in that people praying in a house of worship had been attacked, when it had been done before. Here is a link to the tragedy of 1956: here
Apr 14, 2015
Sad Subway Scene
There was a chubby, frum lady lady on the subway with a chubby child, maybe 15 months old, in a stroller. The child was eating potato chips while mommy was busy with her phone. Some time later, the child's greasy hands were grasping a small chocolate bar.
Oy.
Food was used to occupy the child, keep her quiet, uncomplaining, not bothering anyone including mommy. Sad.
Sad because the mother doesn't know how to regard food properly and sad because she is teaching her baby bad habits that will stick with the child forever, most likely. It's sad to watch it happening.
Oy.
Food was used to occupy the child, keep her quiet, uncomplaining, not bothering anyone including mommy. Sad.
Sad because the mother doesn't know how to regard food properly and sad because she is teaching her baby bad habits that will stick with the child forever, most likely. It's sad to watch it happening.
Apr 5, 2015
Attitude Toward Chol Ha'Moed
Rabbi Bergstein (a Bobover Chassid who lectures for Aish HaTorah, Discovery, Gateway and other organizations) points out:
If the Chol Ha'Moed trip is more exciting than the Pesach seder or sitting in the succa, it's a problem!
Speaking of chol ha'mo'ed and trips, many people are unaware that chol ha'moed must be treated as the holy time it is. Yes, we can use the phone, our computers, and cars, but bigdei Yom Tov are a must. If you can't wear bigdei Yom Tov while playing paintball, then ... paintball is not a chol ha'moed activity. If you can't wear bigdei Yom Tov while riding the roller coaster or boating or skating, then those aren't chol ha'moed activities.
Apr 1, 2015
Auspicious Times for Tefilla
There are various times during the Seder that are auspicious for tefilla:
1) Right before the Ma Nishtana, it says in the Haggada, "v'kan ha'ben sho'el" - and here, the child asks. Or read it, "At this moment, the child - you, asks - requests.
2) After reciting how terrible it was in servitude to the Egyptians, the Haggada says, "Va'nitz'ak el Hashem ..." - and we cried out to Hashem.
3) "Shefoch chamascha el ha'goyim ... " - Pour Your wrath on the nations ...
The Chida says that when we open the door it's an auspicious moment which reenacts the scene of Yaakov receiving the blessings from Yitzchok. It's a time when we can receive blessings too.
4) The Chasam Sofer says, "Each person will see, after reciting the Haggada, how his speech will become clear, and he can request in his prayers whatever he desires.
1) Right before the Ma Nishtana, it says in the Haggada, "v'kan ha'ben sho'el" - and here, the child asks. Or read it, "At this moment, the child - you, asks - requests.
2) After reciting how terrible it was in servitude to the Egyptians, the Haggada says, "Va'nitz'ak el Hashem ..." - and we cried out to Hashem.
3) "Shefoch chamascha el ha'goyim ... " - Pour Your wrath on the nations ...
The Chida says that when we open the door it's an auspicious moment which reenacts the scene of Yaakov receiving the blessings from Yitzchok. It's a time when we can receive blessings too.
4) The Chasam Sofer says, "Each person will see, after reciting the Haggada, how his speech will become clear, and he can request in his prayers whatever he desires.