Is the funeral mechitza necessary?

A Guest Post By Rafi G

I am not sure what to think of this story - a woman is suing the chevra kadisha of Netanya, for 32,000 NIS, for "forcing" her and other women to stand separate from the men at the funeral of a friend.

Ynetnews has the story:

A resident of Netanya recently filed a suit for NIS 32,000 (roughly $9,000) against Chevra Kadisha after she was asked to stand separate from men in a funeral she attended. "This is discriminatory and is against our world view," she claimed.


Susan Ayad said that last January she attended the funeral of a close friend in a Netanya cemetery. As they gathered in the eulogy square the mourners were shocked discover that large planters dividing the floor into two parts.


"The rabbi holding the service on behalf of Chevra Kadisha asked the men to stand on one side of the partition and the women to stand on the other side," the claim stated.


"Despite the objection of many of the mourners we avoided causing a stir in light of the sensitivity of the event and reluctantly adhered the rabbi's instruction. I was also forced to move to the women's side and was separated from my acquaintances."


Insult and rage
Ayad claims the forced separation sparked feelings of humiliation, rage and insult. "I don't understand how in a public place such as a cemetery someone can order me where to stand just because I'm a woman."


She consequently filed a suit with the Netanya Small Claims Curt against Chevra Kadisha with the help of the Progressive Judaism Movement's legal aid services.


The claim states that the segregation does not only hurt women but all those present at cemeteries seeking to spend time with loved ones.


Ayad referred the court to Israel's anti-discrimination law which was the basis for a claim against bus segregation. She motioned the court to order Chevra Kadisha to pay NIS 31,900 in compensation.


Elements at the Progressive Judaism's pluralism center called on anyone who experienced a similar act of discrimination to approach them, suggesting there may be a more extensive campaign on the issue.

While a funeral is not really a prayer service, though kaddish is said, it is common to at least stand separately during the eulogies, though often that is without barriers placed demarcating the separation. It is also fairly common that there is no formal separation. It seems to generally be up to the discretion of the chevra kadisha and/or the family.

The article also does not say the family was or was not religious, nor does it say if the family wanted it or not. the only comment seems to be of a friend. I wonder if the family had wanted the separation, would she sue the family for forcing segregation upon her?

So, I don't know what to think. Is it right or wrong to have such a separation at a funeral? It is common, but must it be so? Is it cause for a lawsuit?

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Good Ideas With No Foresight

A Guest Post by Rafi G
(originally posted on the Life in Israel blog)

One of the common customs of Lag B'Omer is the chalaka, the first haircut for a 3 year old boy. It really does not have much to do with lag B'Omer - no matter when the boy's birthday is, the parents will delay the first haircut until the 3rd birthday. This custom, based on the Zohar, used to be common mainly among sefardim and chassidim, and today many Litvshe do it as well. However, many try to delay it until Lag B'Omer, especially if the 3rd birthday is around Lag B"Omer time, and then they throw the hair from the haircut into the fire.

The rabbonim of the Tzohar organization came up with a nice idea. A way to capitalize on the minhag of cutting the long hair of these children and actually do some good with it at the same time. They have decided to encourage those who perform this custom to collect the hair and donate it to organizations, such as Zichron Menachem, that make wigs for people with cancer.

It is a great idea, and is one that can help, at no cost to the donor, others in need. Unfortunately, the idea was only publicized today, as far as I know. At least, I only saw it today in the Arutz 7 website. Announcing such a program on "the day of" is a little pointless. Few people would see such an announcement, or have the patience at the last minute to deal with making the proper arrangements.

It is almost like the Chief Rabbinate starting a push to have Lag B'Omer bonfire pushed off to Sunday just 2 weeks prior to Lag B'Omer. How can anybody make proper arrangements under such short notice? Sure, a bonfire can be pushed off a couple of hours, but can school schedules be rearranged, can tests be rescheduled, under such short notice? of course not. And it is not like Lag B'Omer's arrivals surprised anybody. It happens every year on the same date. It is published in the regular calendars in Israel.

With just a little foresight these people would be able to get their great ideas actually implemented.

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Why I Don't Eat Kitniyot On Pesach

A Guest Post by Rafi G

Why don't I eat kitniyot on Pesach?

Good question.

The truth is that the logic employed by Rav Davvid Bar-Hayyim (or however he spells it) makes sense to me. Jews have come back to Eretz Yisrael, and we should be adopting the minagim of Eretz Yisrael, which were always predominantly sephardic in origin, except for a small period of time where some communities have imported the customs from the students of the GRA.

It has always bothered me why, for the most part, our minhagim are stuck in Poland/Germany/Morocco/Iraq/Yemen/Hungary of 100 and 200 years ago. Why does the Jewish community of New York not have its own minhagim that when people moved there they should have adopted into a uniform minhag? Why only in the communities of Europe did everyone keep 1 uniform minhag?

Kitniyot
mmm, can't live a week without it!

I know the answers of mobility, and that the people in Europe stayed put for hundreds of years, often in little towns, while cities in the western world were suddenly populated by Jews from all over, etc. None of them are very satisfactory. A city like New York (one example, but applies to all cities) should have had a local minhag, and anyone joining the community should have adopted the local minhagim (communal minhagim at least, if not personal as well).

So, in essence, I am open to the concept of people moving to Eretz Yisrael and adopting the local minhag. The problem with it is that it is only in concept. in practice it is not done, and there is no longer any uniform local minhag. For anything. Every community has sub-communities, where each keeps its own minhag from way back when, and in each sub-community there is plenty of diversity as well.

So it is kind of difficult to say that we suddenly adopt the local minhag by kitniyot, when we do not do so for just about anything else. I mean, those who eat kitniyot, do they daven nusach sefard (some daven "nusach eretz yisrael" which Rav Bar Hayyim has reprinted)? Do they put on tefillin like safrdim? do they do anything else like sefardim? It seems to me that to just pick kitniyot as the issue that you will use to adopt local customs with is disingenuous.

That being said, I have no problem with Rav Bar Hayyim paskening that way, or with his talmidim following his psak. It seems to me to be wrong that suddenly many people choose to follow a rav they follow on nothing else, and probably have no idea about anything else he says. But that is their choice, and I say that for me to adopt such a custom, to eat kitniyot against my minhag, against the original takana that was accepted among those from where my minhagim originate, would be wrong.

And to me, I see no reason to go against the takanas chachomim for one week of eating rice and chumus. I can refrain for a week.

To take the discussion a bit further, I have said I have no problem with Rav Bar Hayyim (or other rabbonim who have followed suit recently) and his students coming to this conclusion and eating kitniyot. Everyone can do what is good for them.

What does irk me, a bit, is that instead of publishing his psak in halachic and Torah journals, where he would generate discussion among rabbonim and communities, he publishes his psak in newspapers such as Yediot Acharonot and Haaretz.

So, instead of having the world of rabbinics and halacha debate the issue, he publishes his psak in secular newspapers where people who don't know much, who don't keep much (and some who do), will like what they read from him because it is getting rid of an old restriction and follow suit, even though they barely keep anything else, and definitely have no idea who he is or what else he talks about. He is encouraging people who have no ability to debate the merits of his case to go against their commonly held custom. At least those who don't eat matza on pesach keep it to themselves and don't promote it among the general public.

Furthermore, he so holds he is right that he even invalidates rabbonim from being able to pasken otherwise by saying their appointment as community rav is invalid. So anybody who argues with him can be ignored, because they have no right to pasken otherwise.

Again, I have no problem with him paskening to eat kitniyot, and I have no problem with those who follow him eating kitniyot. The logic makes sense to me, but there are too many conflicting issues that make me personally uncomfortable with it. And I see no reason to go against the takana with all that on the plate. My problem is with the way he encourages other people to go against their psak, or to adopt a new (for them) minhag they know nothing about.

Maybe one day he will generate debate among halachic scholars, and a consensus will be arrived at that says the original takana is no longer relevant, either due to our presence in Eretz Yisrael, or for other reasons, and then I will eat kitniyot as well. Until then, I see no need.

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A plethora of Purim posts

First mention: Purim
In which I discuss the very first time the New York Times reported on Purim

Some Purim Torah (intended seriously, I'm afraid) 
An absurd drash someone thinks is legitimate. A commentary on the attitudes of the ultra-religious.

Why I like Purim less 
Once I thought Purim the most magnificent of holidays. Now, not so much. 

 When it Comes to Mishloach Manot.
..most are either lunatics or a lazybones. Which are you?

Why do we masquerade on Purim?

In which the real reason for this custom is provided.

The original Purim Parody

A summary of a great Torah article by R. Menachem Leibtag.

Al ha'mar v'hamatok 
A 2006 review of the Purim foodstuff I received

Best Purim Costume Ever

I dare you to try and top it

The Curse of the Purim Weather

Rafi G. on what the lousy Purim weather might mean (besides nothing)

Things about Purim that bother me

Grouchity grouch grouch but I DO make some good points.

More Flaws in the Purim story

A long list of all the presumed historical errors in the Book of Esther

The way in which Mordichai was a blogger

A midrash on Esther 3:3

More Purim Lore

Where the humantachen came from

What Robbie said about costumes
Sorry. You'll have to click on the link to find out.

Plot holes in Esther

There are at least 9

Purimfest 1946!!

Do you know the famous story about Striecher and his last words? Its presented here, along with some other relevant facts.

Hava Narisha
A not so traditional way to sing a traditional song.

The Magnificent Magilla Meme

 Some of the thoughts that danced through my sugar and caffine deprived mind one Purim night.

Why do we rattle noisemakers at the mention of Haman's name?Some irresponsible speculation 

The GOP Jew's Megillah 

An unauthorized adaption of The Politically Correct Megilla by Eric Sommer, which, if you haven't seen it, was tasteless and unfunny. My rebuttal is much worse, I am sure, but at least the politics represented here are somewhat more appealing.

Discriminating Against Christians

A Guest Post By Rafi G

The New York Post is reporting on a lawsuit in which a Roman Catholic former employee of an Orthodox owned jewelry store is suing for gender and religious discrimination.

It was her cross not to bare -- a Roman Catholic woman says she was banned from wearing her crucifix while working for Orthodox Jews at a Manhattan frame and watch wholesaler.

Jamie Errico said she was told not wear crosses to work at Concepts in Time near Herald Square - and on one occasion when she did, store owner Saul Jemal pulled her aside and told her to "remove it or tuck it under her shirt, and never wear it again," Errico charged in a discrimination suit against the store.

Jemal, the suit added, also "refused to allow plaintiff to make or sell watches with any kind of non-Jewish religious symbols."

The Manhattan Supreme Court suit accuses the store of having a double standard, noting that Jemal and the other Orthodox men all wore yarmulkes, while the women were allowed to wear Star of David necklaces.

Errico, 41, also complained that while Jewish employees were allowed to leave early on the eve of important religious holidays, she had her pay docked when she didn't work on Christmas Eve , which isn't actually a holiday.

Errico, who was fired from her sales VP job last December, is now suing the company for unspecified money damages for the alleged gender and religious discrimination.

Her lawyer, Matthew Blit, said, "Freedom of religion is a fundamental right in this country. It is illegal for an employer to discriminate on the basis of religion or deny a person a religious accommodation because they believe in a different religion."

I see the allegation of religious discrimination, but I don't see any allegation of gender discrimination. Even the religious discrimination, it does not say how long she worked there and allegedly suffered from the discrimination, not that it makes a difference.

A Modern Day Akeida

A Guest Post by Rafi G

An incident happened the other day in Kfar Saba that is very similar to an ancient story we are all familiar with.

A 44 year old man was acting strangely with his 10 year old son, his roommate noticed, and eventually took the boy to the second story window and planned to toss him out. The roommate intervened and prevented the boy from coming to any harm.

When the police came, the father told them that he did it because God came to him and told him to throw his son out the window. (source: ynet)

This story reminds me of the Akeidat Yitzchak. Avraham received a visit from God telling him to sacrifice his son. He planned on doing so when an angel intervened (upon God's command).

Is this a modern day version of Abraham and the Akeida? is there room for such an occurrence nowadays? Why is it ok to have happened 4000 years ago but not today? Or is the guy just crazy? (I dont really doubt the answer, just am amused by the similarity)

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Attention all Jews: THE BRAZILIAN DYBBUK WAS A HOAX

Last year, I ignored the story of the guy from Brazil who fooled the famous Rav Batzri, and tricked him into attempting an exorcism because I knew it was a hoax. Dybbuks aren't real. However, as I learned from the comments on other blogs, there were lots and lots of Jews too stupid to recognize this.

Therefore, with special delight, I give you Rafi. G's report:

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The Mir And The Eida Team Up To Change The Mesora

A Guest Post by Rafi G

The administration of the Mir Yeshiva in Meah Shearim (Beis Yisroel) has been working recently with the Eida Hachareidis people on a new project. This idea would be to shut down all the food establishments (it is probably a bit of a stretch to call them restaurants) in the area of "The Mir" every night at 11pm.

Bechadrei reports that according to a source in the Eida, the initiator of the idea was "The Mir". In addition to that, there has been an increasing number of complaints from local residents about the late night noise.

They are preparing to send a joint letter to all the local food establishments telling them they must close nightly at 11pm. There is a delay while they debate what to do with Thursday nights - make it an exception and allow them to remain open until midnight, or to make them close Thursday night as well at 11pm.

The source in the Eida said that any establishment that refuses to comply with the new rules will be shut down. Either by people not going in to the restaurant (i.e. a ban on the place), or using "other methods". "Every possibility is being considered."

Thursday night in Mea Shearim without the 2am cholent? This will be a churban of the yeshiva system and is a clear change in the mesora. I am not sure who gave them a hetter to make such a serious change in the holy mesora of the yeshiva system and bring in new hanhagos, such as no food after 11pm which might encourage the young men to even go to sleep early!

Without access to the local late night hamburger or pizza, will these young men venture out, chas v'shalom, to pastures farther out, like - gasp! -  Ben-Yehuda and Jaffa Road?

Implementing such a plan can be a very dangerous proposition. I hope they consider all the ramifications of such a decision.

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Breaking the non-kosher cellphone rule

A Guest Post by Rafi G

When I first read this story, I had decided not to write about it. I didn't see it as much of a story.

The story is that various news media reported this week that 9 girls from Bais Yaakov Yashan (BJJ as it is known in English, but BJJ is really an American girls program. This incident happened in the Israeli Bais Yaakov Yashan) were caught using non-kosher cellphones. They were expelled form school as a result.

They were caught because one of the girls received an SMS during class that her friend had gotten engaged. She told her other friends, and the teacher figured out that she got the message via a non-kosher cell phone. After her phone was confiscated, the principal figured out, by going through her contact list on her phone, which other girls had non-kosher cell phones. he then threw them all out of school.

So, I wasn't going to write about it, but then Jameel wrote about it (and he's got a cute pashkevil at the end of his post), and his post made me think about it some more and I decided to write something.

I think the rules in the haredi community that are for the purpose of controlling people, be they the kosher cellphone, he forced internet filters or webchaver or no internet, or any of the other ones (read a school takanon to find some more), are all stupid.

I have no problem with an individual doing any of these things, if he chooses to do so - I dislike the community imposing it on the people. People should be treated as adults, and they should be able to choose what to do and what not to do, they should know their own weaknesses and be educated enough to find solutions to protect themselves. Society imposing it on everybody because they trust nobody to think for themselves is stupid and demeaning, in my mind.

That being said, the school has a rule, and the kids studying in that school have to follow it. If the school threw the kids out because they found the parents had non-kosher cellphones, that would be completely wrong. To throw the kids out because they themselves broke the rules is not so bad.

Throwing a kid out for breaking one rule is pretty harsh. Perhaps the phones should have been confiscated, kids suspended for a day, parents spoken to, etc. To throw them out for one infraction seems overly harsh. However, maybe they were kids who regularly break the rules, or have already been warned about this or other things. I do not support throwing them out for this, but perhaps in some universe it was warranted, for reasons we are not aware of. if this was the only infraction, it seems too harsh to me.

Jameel made a point to me, in the comments of his post, that the principal violated their privacy by searching through the contact list. I agree, but principals regularly do that if they suspect violations of rules that they consider bad. It might not be right, but I dont think the violation of their privacy changes the issue.

I tell my kids all the time, even if the issue at hand is a rule I disagree with, that as long as they are in the school they are in they have to follow the rules. While on a societal level I think the non-kosher cellphone ban is stupid, these kids broke a school rule and should be punished in some way, albeit expulsion is probably too harsh.

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To Donate or Not To DOnate..

A Guest Post by Rafi G

Toibe Brisal is a 60 year old 7 year Cystic Fibrosis patient. Last week, after a period of serious deterioration in her situation, she was the recipient of a new lung, and her life was saved upon transplant.

During recovery Brisal interviewed with Ynet about the transplant.

Some of what Brisal said in the interview, when asked if she has or would sign an "ADI donor card" to be a potential future organ donor: Until I needed the lung transplant, I didn't even know this organization existed..but I haven't signed on the donor card I I don't think we will sign...In general our rabbonim do not permit organ donation, unless it is the organ of a gentile which is allowed. In my specific case I was allowed to receive the organ because of the danger my life was in...It is difficult for me to answer whether one should or should not donate organs, as it is a halachic question. It does not seem to me that we will sign on ADI cards.

While it seems strange that someone who goes through this - the trauma, the sickness, the deterioration, the kindness of a donor, the transplant - would not immediately want to bestow the same kindness, if possible, and save someone else's life in the same way, that is really a personal decision. I can respect that. Even though some rabbonim support signing on the ADI card as a donor, if this person's rabbi says it cannot be done, I can respect her choosing to act in accordance.

She should probably just keep her mouth shut though and not be so direct in rejecting being a future donor. She comes off as sounding hypocritical and selfish.

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A Zechus for the Yomim Noraim

A Guest Post by Rafi G

I saw something tonight in shul and was thinking about it. The truth is that it is a fairly common occurrence - the same thing happens probably every night, maybe even two or three times a night, and at other times of day as well.

A young fellow walked into the shul. He walked around flipping open a folder with a letter, seemingly a letter of approbation attesting to his need to collect tzedaka and the worthiness of the cause.

I watched him walk around the beis medrash, approaching every single person learning there - a total of about 30 people or so. Every person gave him something - 1 shekel, 2 shekel, maybe a tiny bit more. The guy made, in 5 minutes of "work", maybe 30 or 40 shekels. And not a single person actually looked at his piece of paper. Nobody knew why he was collecting or was interested in seeing who confirmed his status of being needy.

Am Yisrael gives tzedaka. Yes there are frauds out there, but that doesn't deter us. We trust most of the people who approach us. He must be needy if he is degrading himself to ask. We are willing to take the chance, for a small amount of money, that he might be a fraud, because if he is real the mitzva is so great.

May it be a zechus for klal yisrael in the upcoming days..

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A Miracle, Sort Of...

A Guest Post By Rafi G

I guess it is a miracle, but...

Last night I saw reported on the Haredim WAP site that a miracle happened as someone drove up to the shtieblech to daven. he parked his car on the side and ran out to go to the shtiebele. As he was davening, a cement block fell on his car from a wall above.

It was declared a miracle, as it could have killed him, sort of I guess, had he been there and not inside davening.

But, while it damaged the top of the car (I saw the picture), it didnt go through, so it would not have hit him in the head and killed him, even had he still been in the car. And second, had he not gone to daven there he would not have been placed under the falling rock, so just like it fell while he wasnt there because he was inside davening, it would have fallen while he wasnt there but was two blocks away learning in his kollel in the Mir Yeshiva. But I guess it is close to home, as it hit his car, so it is his miracle..

Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov!

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Reform can't rent. yes they can.

A Guest Post by Rafi G


Many people are frequently trying to find ways to "prove" that Barak Obama is a Muslim. I am not sure what the point is - he already won the election for the presidency, and the revelation that he is a Muslim is no longer relevant. And it is not illegal for a Muslim to be president of the USA.

Yet for some reason people think that just because "I" don't like somebody, for whatever reason - who he is, what or who he represents - he deserves no rights in society.

A Reform Synagogue has rented a community center, a.k.a. Matnas, in Holon for High Holiday Services.

This has upset the local Torani community "garin" who have rented that community center for their services in recent years. Perhaps the amdinistrator of the Center should have told the Torani admin that there are others looking to rent and offered them first priority. But he did not. And now the Torani people are upset that the Reform have rented a place that has been already in use the past few years. Perhaps they did so to trick people who might come for services in the Torani shul, not realizing it is a Reform minyan.

No matter how much we dislike and do not approve of Reform Judaism, they are people and have social rights like anybody else. It is sad that that statement even needs to be said. I would not daven in a Reform shul, but they have the right to run their minyan as they see fit, and to rent suitable premises.

I might not have any particular affinity for mosques and Muslims, but they have a right to rent or buy any private piece of property they want. They can use it as they see fit, within the limitations of the zoning laws.

The country operates on a free market, and the Reform have the right to rent a community center just like anybody else does. Maybe next year the Torani people should wake up a little bit earlier and take care of arranging the rental before others do.

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Can Tzaddikim give a brocha and get immediate results?

A GUEST POST BY RAFI. G

...with some healthy and honest skepticism provided at the end by DovBear

I posted the following story on my blog, Life in Israel. Somebody tweeted a link to the story, and a discussion ensued. I will post the tweets of the discussion at the end of the story.

The Mishpacha newspaper from this past week reported on a miraculous story of solving an agunah.

The story takes place in New Square, USA. Where all the Skverer Hassidim live. They opened up their camp, "Camp Malka" to people from Lakewood and other communities in New York. The girls, 16 year olds, were taken on a trip to New Square to tour the town, daven at the graves of previous rebbes and to go in, as a group, to the Admor and receive words of inspiration and bracha.

A counselor noticed one of the girls who was very disturbed and emotional. She approached the girl and suggested that she write a kvittel for the rebbe, if she has a personal issue. The girl, not being a Skverer Hassid, refused. The counselor suggested that after they go in as a group, perhaps she will feel differently, and if she should change her mind and want a word with the rebbe, she would try to help her.

While they were by the rebbe, she started to tell her story in tears. Her sister, it turns out, has been happily married and her husband is one of the best guys in Lakewood (aren't they all???). Shortly before the birth of their third child, the husband became exposed to some bad things (the way it is written sounds like he suddenly found the internet and fell into some bad ways) and gave in to his Yetzer Ha'Ra. His descent was sharp and quick.

Eventually this husband picked himself up and left her. he just disappeared. Abandoned his wife and kids, abandoned religion, and disappeared.

The first couple of years they tried to stay in contact, and they tried to influence him in all sorts of ways to give her a get. He refused every time. Now he has been gone for 3 years, and in the last year he has completely disappeared leaving no trace of his whereabouts. He moved around a lot and is gone - they cannot find him.

The wife sits home and cries, and she has decided to ask the rebbe for a bracha for her sister.

The counselor took her in to the gabbai's room and she wrote a kvittel with her sister's name on it, and the husband's name as well.

After the group spoke with the rebbe, she gave him her kvittel and told him the story.

Instead of asking for more details and showing interest and finding out the details, as he usually does, he simply waved it off and said there is nothing to worry about, everything would be good and he gave a bracha.

A few hours later, the following morning the husband calls home, to his wife in lakewood, and says that he has reconsidered and has decided to give her a get right away and get closure. She said she can't fly to where he was located, as she has the little kids, so he said he could come to Lakewood and she should make all the arrangements in beis din for the next day.

He came, he divorced, and he left.

After the divorce, the younger sister told the family about the bracha she had just gotten the day before from the Skverer Rebbe, and the family then took a trip to thank the rebbe for the yeshua.

THE TWEETS

DovBear started off asking: @JBN where are the tweets about the times he gave a brocha and no get was ever forthcoming? and @JBN you have to tell us his batting avg. does every brocha produce a get? 50%? 10%?

RG: @DovBear why would that be newsworthy - that he gave a bracha and nothing happened? big deal. it is newsworthy when it works

RG: @DovBear he linked to a post on LII. and I wrote it but took it from Mishpacha newspper. dont know statistics on it though @JBN

DB: @gldmeier a) how do you know it worked? I see no cause and effect. b) Its a classic con man trick to announce successes only

DB: @gldmeier the purpose of the story is to establish him as a miracle worker. If his success rate is 1% more likely this was a coincidence

DB: @gldmeier If 1000 ppl per day came 2 me for brochot Id get some hits too. So did he magically help with get or was it coincidence of timing?

DB: @gldmeier no not at all. It could still be a coincidence that she happened to get the get on day she went. Again, whats his hit rate?

RG: @DovBear since story specifically says he didnt ask for details, it is clear that its the timing that indicates his brocha did it

DB: Why is miracle working rabbi the only profession that doesnt publish a success rate?

DB: @gldmeier maybe it was the bagel she ate for breakfast that did it? Anyone/thing can take credit.

RG: @DovBear doesnt bother me if you prefer to believe it was her bagel breakfast that did the job...

RG: @DovBear does tzaddik not have any such ability? is there no such thing? (not specifically in this story)

DB: @gldmeier Not the point. Even if tzadik has such power (which I deny) there are no grounds to believe this part. case was a miracle.

RG: @DovBear is it possible some cases are more "prone" to intervention of tzaddik and some less?

DB: @HilzFuld i cld tell you stories and stories about cases that are 1000 percent scams. They may be rabbis but they use gypsy methods

RG: @HilzFuld lol.. I think "tzaddik" is in the eye of the guy asking for the bracha. @DovBear

DB: @HilzFuld rt now theres case in 5 towns where some scamster is promissing refuah but cash up front pls, and the marks are making collection

RG: @DovBear in Judaism we dont believe in coincidence

DB: @gldmeier yes we do. see the rishonim (and even so, no raya it was the brocha and not some other merit that helped)

DB: @JYuter how awesome wld that be if the rebbe cards listed their hit rate! @hilzfuld @gldmeier

DB: @hilzfuld fact that they boast about hits and not hit rate is telling (and damning.) @JYuter @gldmeier

RG: @DovBear tru. it was the family who felt that it was the rebbes bracha, went 2 thank him & publicized the story. they cn blve wht they wnt

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I tried to reconstruct the tweets into some sort of order that made sense..

So, what do you think? Is there such a thing as a tzaddik that can give a brocha and solve a problem, like snapping the fingers? Was it just coincidence? Do we need to know success rates of any specific tzaddik before deciding whether the result was because of him or despite him?

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Rav Eliyahu zt"l and the beis din of mekubalim

A Guest Post by Rafi G

Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt"l was by all accounts a very special rav and beloved by all factions, sectors and groups.

I read an interview, a couple of weeks ago, with his son Rav Shmuel Eliyah, the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat. He said that since the death stories of his greatness have been pouring in non-stop. Some stories related miracles the rav had been involved in performing for people. Some had been stories that showed his sensitivity, caring and empathy to every person from the simplest to the greatest of people. Rav Shmuel Eliyahu said they were compiling stories into a book.

An interesting story was printed in this book that was just published. I have not seen the book, but Ynet has reported on it.

I am not going to translate it completely, but will review it briefly.

It came to light after his death that Rav Modechai Eliyahu had been a judge on a special, secret, beis din that had been formed of mekubalim. His participation was meant to be kept secret, and only after his death did the other mekubalim feel it appropriate to tell his family about it.

This beis din met once a year and debated whether or not the jewish people were "ready" for the geulah. Has the time of geulah come yet, or not.

The beis din debated it and paskened that the time for geulah has come.

I would venture to suggest that the purpose of this is a concept we have that when beis din down here in this world paskens a certain way, the beis din above in heaven follows suit and paskens the same way. If that is correct, this would have been a way to "force God's hand", kevayachol, and bring the geulah.

As part of the beis din, they kept detailed ledgers of the arguments and logics presented, along with the final decision issued by the beis din. In a very unusual move, Rav Eliyahu was buried with the folder of documentation of the proceedings of the beis din. The purpose was for Rav Eliyahu to take the folder to the beis din above and show them how they debated the issue, the logic presented, how they came to their decision, and the decision that it is time for the geulah.

This, too, would be a step in "forcing God's hand".

This was all revealed to the family right after the death, as the mekubalim had to tell them about it so that they could bury the rav with the folder.

Let us hope that Rav Eliyahu's powers of persuasion are good enough to work wonders up there!

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My post about the survey

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Are the Haredim Really the Ones Benefitting From Inequality?

A Guest Post by Rafi G

They make it sound like the haredim have the highest level of quality of living and economic wealth in the country, and it is all through taking advantage of government funding.

The Supreme Court has ruled that the way the supplementary "Havtachat Hachnasa" is structured in the budget is discriminatory and illegal and must be canceled (beginning with the 2011 budget). Since then people, articles, opinion pieces, editorials, are talking non-stop about how important this is. As if this measly little part of the budget is so important and everything in the country that has been going wrong has been because of that, and now everything will be ok.

I get that equality is important, but some proportion is in order.. The welfare payment was a measly welfare payment. nobody was getting rich off it and almost nobody clamors for welfare payments unless they are absolutely desperate. This is not the big savior of Israeli society nor of creating equality. It is a measly welfare payment. it might have been necessary, under the banner of equality, to cancel or restructure, but let's not make it out to more than what it actually is.

Beyond that, now that the rabidly anti-haredi are so happy that this Havtachat Hachnasa has been canceled and our society is now nearly perfect, we can move on to resolving the final remnants of inequality in society. Sure enough, the haredim are squeezing the rest of the country again with disproportionate budgets that they take advantage of and don't allow anyone else to benefit from. And we have to resolve that inequality immediately.

Now being suggested is that the Haredim benefit by learning in kollel because they do not have to pay for their higher education - they even get paid a stipend for it - while college students have to pay for their higher education!

The shame! Kollel students are not paying the tuitions of college students. What inequality! How unfair. We must either force the kollels to start charging people to learn, and then we'll see how many of those haredim would really be so inclined, or we should cancel the tuition charged in university and have the government provide all the funding.

Yes, that will finalize the equality in Israeli society - start charging tuition to kollel men, or cancel university tuition. Everybody, no matter what they are doing and no matter how different they are, should either have to pay for it, the same amount I assume, or nobody should have to pay for it.

In the meantime, the State refuses to recognize kollel and yeshiva study as higher education and recognize it in the form of granting a degree, akin to a BSc of Judaic Studies or something similar, while someon ein college who studies ancient Chinese languages, or any other topic that has little or no practical use, is just as unqualified for any practical job yet he holds a recognized degree.

So you refuse to recognize his studies at a university level, but you want to compare him to university students and start charging similar tuition?

The kollels are largely not funded by the government. Stipends are provided and some of the general funding is provided by the government, but the bulk of the kollel budget is made up by the Rosh Kolel, or someone else, traveling the world a few ties a year and raising money to run his kollel. The university is funded far more by the government than a kollel is. Also, look at the universities and see their campuses and buildings. Then look at the mostly run down batei medrash in caravans in which kollels learn and still tell me with a straight face that it is comparable to the university, and it is the haredim who benefit form the inequality.

Read the annual comptroller reports, whether national or local cities, and you will see how the inequality is almost always against the haredim. Their education system is funded using numbers far lower per student than the general educational system. The money given for religious services (there is no separation of shul and state in Israel, and until there will be this will remain an issue) is a pittance compared to the money given to the arts and cultural activities.

And it is the Haredim who are benefiting form all this inequality?

I would recommend that the haredi politicians get together some people who are good with numbers, along with some good lawyers, and file a suit in the Supreme Court to demand equality. Let the cat out of the bag. Take it to the public and show that it is almost always the haredim that suffer from the losing side of unequal funding, and if the courts and public insist on equality, it works both ways.

Let's keep it in proportion. People have been making this court decision out to be the salvation of equality in Israeli society. At the end of the day, all it is is a measly little welfare payment.

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Another reason to not celebrate Yom HaShoah

A Guest Post by Rafi G

Dov Bear earlier showed a common point of opposition to Yom HaShoah, that being it is sourced in "secular" form of a memorial rather than a "Jewish" source.

I would like to describe another form of opposition and ask for your thoughts.

Putting aside the issues of is it Jewish, should it be in Nissan, moment of silence, the Zionists could have done more, etc. Putting all that aside, here is another idea.

My rav spoke on Shabbos about why we ignore Yom HaShoah. His reasoning was thus (any inaccuracies are mine - I might not be transmitting what he said completely accurately):

Yom HaShoah was created as a memorial for the victims of the Holocaust. But it was not focused on the victims - it was more focused on being a memorial for the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. That is why the date was chosen for 27 Nissan - because it is within the month of the uprising, and that is why the day is called Yom HaShoah V'HaGvurah - the Day of the Holocaust and of Heroism.

To be brief, and because I don't remember all the details of how it developed, the idea of the day was to commemorate the Holocaust through the ghetto uprising - as if the correct response to the Holocaust is to rise up. While the uprising itself might have been fine, after the fact it is wrong to commemorate that as the main focus of the holocaust. We have to, after the fact, accept Hashem's judgment and ruling, and that is that 6 million had to die for whatever reason. To focus on the uprising is to negate that as if to say we could have done better and averted it by being more courageous like them. Whether that sentiment is right or wrong, after the fact we have to accept hashem's judgement.

Establishing the day the way it was established is calling into question our acceptance of what happened, our acceptance of hashem's judgment.

And that is why, according to my rav, we oppose the day.

I had some questions, such as while that might be a reason to not create the day to start with, or to create it differently, but after the fact, now that it has been created and is part of our calendar, why not take advantage of it and teach our kids about the holocaust properly - since we dont really focus on it any other day... The answer given is that you should pick another day, 9 Av perhaps, and teach your kids about it, but not on Yom HaShoah.

I shoul;d add that he also made it clear that no chillul hashem should be made. if in public, one must stand with everyone else. This is only referring to general, private commemoration. The day, in general, should be ignored.

So, what do you think about this argument?

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You cannot buy chamtez from a chiloni after Pesach

A Guest Post by Rafi G

Rav Elyashiv is being quoted by his confidante, Rav Efrati, as having issued a psak that one should not buy chametz after Pesach from a chiloni Jew, even when he sold his chametz.

The reasoning for this issur is that the chiloni has no interest in selling his chametz - he is simply doing it to fulfill a religious requirement being imposed on him. Because he has no actual intention to really sell the chametz, the sale is a farce and does not take affect. If the sale is invalidated, that means any chametz he owns is retroactively considered chametz that was owned by a Jew on Pesach, which is not allowed to be purchased.

The kashrus organizations that dealt with the selling of the chametz actually considered this problem and say they had resolved it by using a different text in the sale. The altered text gave this sale a much more powerful legal status to the sale, thus ensuring that the seller of the chametz actually had a level of intent to really sell the chametz.

Despite this, Rav Efrati says in the name of Rav Elyashiv that the problem remains and one should not buy chametz from a chiloni Jew. (source: Ynet)

What I find particularly strange about this is how it compares to shmitta. During the shmitta year, the main argument, or one of them at least, against the hetter mechira, in any form, was that no land owner actually wants to sell his land. They don't want the non-Jew to actually process and complete the purchase of the land. Therefore, with the intention to not really sell the land, the sale cannot be valid.

Fine. However, when the inevitable comparison to mechiras chametz always came up, and the question was raised why it worked for chametz but not for land, the answer given was that anybody would be happy to sell his chametz, if the non-Jew would want to complete the transaction. Land, not. The difference means that the sale of chametz works, because they are happy to sell, while the sale of land doesn't work, because the owner is hoping ti doesn't actually happen.

So now Rav Efrati, in the name of Rav Elyashiv, is really saying that this difference is not even true. Really chametz and the sale of the land are exactly the same.

And, why does he think that the seller is not interested in selling his chametz? Wouldn't any store owner be happy if the non-Jew came in and said he wanted to take all the chametz items and pay the full price for them? I would think any store owner would be ecstatic about that happening.

The rabbonim of Tzohar have countered with a psak arguing and saying it is allowed...

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A few of the better Pesach posts

Here's the short list; perhaps half aren't included here

A Story
December 9, 2004
The town had one matzah factory and two communities, one devoutly Hasidic, the other Misnagdic to the core. Each year, the two communities sent representatives to the town matzah factory to bake matzohs. The two groups never mixed, and never talked. Every man stayed on his own side of the factory.

How did they sit at the first korbon pesach?
January 11, 2005
The Torah tells us that, at Passover, each family took its own lamb "from the sheep or from the goats," slaughtered it, and ate the meat together. But how did the families sit?

On Baseball in General, and Pesach in Particular
Apr 22, 2005
For those, like me, who believe the Exodus occured preciesly as the Bibles says it did, though no evidence supports the account, Pesach holds a special charm. When we sit at the seder, and repeat the maggid we celebrate..

Pesach moments to remember
Apr 26, 2005
My second most favorite pesach moment came at about 3 pm on sunday afternoon when I showed my father and brother-in-law that the rama and the mishna brurah both rule against saying

This is not a complaint about my wife
Apr 28, 2005
This is not a complaint about my wife. My wife is outstanding at planning and logistics. Really outstanding. She has a gift I can only describe as second sight, and she's an excellent shopper, with the unfailing ability to get the very ...

Passover purchases
Apr 18, 2006
Live out the plague of the frogs with these small life like rubber frogs, have fun with your kids as you describe to them the plague of the frogs, with actaully almost real life frogs

A pesach message from a friend
Apr 18, 2006
In a deliberate parody of the haggadah, a friend from elsewhere writes: "what is the meaning of the seder to you? isn't is all one lie, one lesson of falsehoods? there's no mention of any of the exodus in any of the contemporary sources ..

Was the first matzo kosher l'pesach?
Apr 23, 2008
Was the first matzo kosher l'pesach? think about it: according to the account in exodus the fleeing hebrews were making bread. that means their mixed water and flour also contained a leavening agent like sourdough (se'or) and that it ...

The four sons
Apr 07, 2008
[aside: if this is a spanish haggadah, why is the yishtabach at the end of halel written according to the ashkenazic rite?] and what about in the yet to be written blogosphere haggadah? Sure, traditionalists will want Gil for wise son, ...

This week, are we keeping one holiday or two?
Apr 18, 2008
According to Sarna, we can see that pesach and matzoh predate the exodus because in the bible neither term is glossed; the author (ie god) seems to assume his audience knows what both words mean. sarna also tells us that mazoh's ...

Chaval Siddur Pesach (The Seder Symposium post)
Mar 30, 2007
I'm not in the mood to write the post I had planned about the Seder and its origins, but the main takeaway point is as follows: The rituals and forms of the Seder are very similar to the forms of the symposia, .

Seder Symposium Follow up
Apr 11, 2007
The following comment, written by "lurker," my new best friend, adresses some of the terribly mean and off-the-mark objections i received to my post titled chaval siddur pesach. in particular, lurker uses impeccable torah sources to ...

Last word on the Afikomin
Apr 16, 2007
Here's how Herbert Danby translates it: "After the Passover meal they should not disperse to join in revelry." His note reads: Heb Epikoman [Something (the word Afikomin?) in Greek] Cf. Is 30. The joy of the Passover

Go get some g'broks
Apr 11, 2006
If you eat matzah brie, you eat g'broks, and as noted above that's perfectly ok. some people, however, think that judaism is just too darn easy so, as noted above, they invented the stringancy of "not eating g'broks. ...

In defense of the second day
Apr 17, 2006
Last week you urged us, with all the authority an anonymous blogger can muster, to eat matzo balls on pesach. yet, today you write in support of the diaspora's second day of yom tov. aren't both customs equally foolish?

The real reason for lamb, herbs and matzah at Pesach. (maybe)
Jan 24, 2007
DB on the P: The Paschal Feast. Why do we eat lamb, herbs and matzah at Pesach? I've heard dozens of explanations and every year at Pesach time, I come across more, but the one I like best remains the one I heard a few years back from ...

Long live the macaroon
Apr 11, 2008
sweet matzo brie is vile) and here is an nyt article about a posh manhatten club for waspy rich people, and its desperate search for a bakery that can provide it with macaroons. yes, macaroons.

The DovBear holiday menu
Apr 11, 2008
Cooking notes: The steak should be high quality. Put a little salt and pepper on it, and throw it in a cast iron pan with some wine. (Remember: You can cook on Yom Tov) For variety, you can skip the salt and pepper on the second night. ...

Eating matzah on erev pesach
Apr 18, 2008
The yerushalmi pesachim 68b says: האוכל מצה בערב הפסח כבא על ארוסתו בבית חמיווהבא (one who eats matzah on the eve of passover is like one who has intimate relations with his bride-to-be in his [future] father-in-law's home. ) ...

Pesach and Wasting Food (Mother In Israel)
Apr 12, 2009
Other than an occasional jar of cooked rice and a few slices bread for my father to burn in the backyard erev Pesach, I don't recall her throwing out food. I think that is the authentic Jewish tradition. But I see and read about huge .

Ideas of special chumros for pesach (rafi G.)
Mar 26, 2009
Cleaning for pesach the way we do is a big enough chumra; machmir on bein adam l'chaveiro and treating others respectfully in tense times. we are (at least i am) makpid to not measure our matzos and maror, so that our mitvos are not ...

Pesach gripes
Mar 23, 2009
With birchat ha'chodesh this past shabbat, the imminent arrival of pesach becomes that much more real. in the spirit of the coming chag, i'd like to share a couple things that bug me each and every pesach: ...

Faking it on Shabbos Erev Pesach
Apr 16, 2008
Others point out, that the third meal belongs to the afternoon, and on erev pesach beginning this afternoon meal with bread is simply impossible. Yom Kippur creates the same difficulty: We're forbidden to eat, so when it falls on ...

Miriam's Cup (HSaboMilner)
Feb 24, 2010
A twitter buddy of mine was clicking through Eichlers.com and came across this – a cup for the Passover Seder that initially looks like Elijah's cup, but on further inspection it is actually a “Miriam's Cup”. The site has one Elijah's ...

 My approach to Kitniyot (Rabba bar bar Chana)
Mar 25, 2010
When I was younger, especially after I became a vegetarian at the age of 21, I railed against the utter nonsense of the Ashkenazi prohibition of eating kitniyot on Pesach. It seemed like unnecessary torture, especially today when the ...

I Want a Time Machine (E_Fink)
Mar 17, 2010
Last night we made our kitchen Kosher for Pesach* and I announced that I want to travel back in time to see what our great-great-grandparents did to prepare for Pesach. What was it like without aluminum foil and duct tape, ...

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