22 Mar SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

Please note that the author of Speak Your Vues is in no way affliated with the
publisher of this paper. The author of this column is an independent third party
contributor. The views and opinions expressed by this author may not refect the
views and opinions of the publishers. If one has any issues with any of the views,
please write a letter to the Vues Master.

R’ CHAIM KANIEVSKY ZT”L
Dear Vues Master:
Offcially there are close to seven million Jews in
Israel. Nearly one million of them poured into Bnei
Brak to attend the funeral of Rav Chaim Kanievsky,
and most of the rest probably feel some measure of
guilt that they didn’t. Think about that. It’s staggering. There is not a single rock star, movie star,
professional athlete, or other celebrity on the planet
whose loss would be felt by such a high percentage
of ordinary people. They have tens of millions of
“followers” who idolize them, but that’s the thing –
they are idols, not the real deal. Idols are a dime a
dozen and are easily replaced when they fade from
glory or pass from this world. Even during their
lifetimes, they have a short period of greatness during their prime years, after which they coast on the
fame they achieved. If they pass away in their nineties, very few people outside of historians will be
moved by their death. After all, it will have been
many decades since they were relevant. The longer
a secular celebrity lives, the fewer people will care
when he dies. His true death occurs when a younger
star eclipses him, and his physical passing is a mere
technicality. Rav Chaim Kanievsky was 94 years
old. He was not eclipsed by younger rabbis. If a Jew
studies in his entire life what Rav Kanievsky studied
in a single year, he will be considered a great scholar. Torah scholars do not retire after a few years of
greatness and then rest on their laurels. They continue to learn and grow, making the most of every precious moment until their very last. Even if physical
frailty prevents them from public activities – even if
they can barely speak – they remain relevant just as
they were decades earlier in their physical primes.
Probably more. This is why a million Jews went to
the funeral of an elderly sage. They understand that
a Torah sage cannot be replaced. They understand
that Rav Kanievksy achieved a level of Torah greatness that is simply unfathomable to ordinary people.
They understand that everything there is to know
about everything is contained in the Torah, and Rav
Kanievsky absorbed about as much of this divine
wisdom as is humanly possible in our time. However much or little Torah the average Jew knows,
they understand that this is what it’s all about. That’s
why Israel stopped. Despite the viciously anti-Torah
ruling class, the ongoing assaults against authentic
Judaism, the sanctity of the Jewish family, and God
as our King, Israel stopped for an elderly Torah sage
like it would stop for no one else. Can you imagine a million people out of seven million attending
the funeral of any military or political leader, past or
present? They are fortunate if so many people aren’t
glad to be rid of them, let alone mourn their passing.
They are fortunate if people care at all. No world
leader will ever know honor like this. In some countries they force people to attend funerals and pretend
to mourn. That isn’t honor; it’s the biggest disgrace.
These “mighty rulers” are pathetic. An old man with
no offcial position, who lived in a simple apartment, had no worldly pursuits, and devoted his life
to Torah study earned the respect of the masses. No
guns required. A moment like this is a rare teaching
opportunity for the world. Most people spend their
lives chasing money, fame, power, material rewards.
They dream of greatness, but they don’t know what
greatness really is. They want to be rich and famous,
but rich and famous people are almost universally
miserable. The more they stuff themselves, the more
empty they feel, the more they need just to feel momentary satisfaction. Celebrities have many fans
and followers, but the masses loathe them even as
they envy them. When a celebrity has a downfall,
as they so often do, the masses cannot kick them
fast enough. It isn’t the person they love – it is the
money and fame. Shallow people idolizing other
shallow people who have more shallow things. The
passing of Rav Kanievsky is a reminder to the world
what real greatness is. Greatness isn’t found on big
screens, big stages, or social media. It doesn’t conform to the latest trends or concern itself with the
faux morality of the day. It doesn’t seek attention
or approval. Greatness is studying Torah, teaching Torah, living a life that is guided by the Torah.
Greatness is seeing every moment as an opportunity
to get closer to God, impart wisdom, blessings, and
assistance to others, and hasten the redemption. We
can’t all live an ascetic lifestyle completely devoted
to Torah study. But we can recognize that true greatness is there, aspire to it, and do a little better.
CW
Vues Master’s Note: We all feel the loss of this great
Gadol!

R’ CHAIM KANIEVSKY ZT”L
Dear Vues Master:
Imagine a person who dedicated 94 years
to, well, anything. An artist who painted
for 94 years. An athlete who trained for
94 years. A professor who studied for
94 years. We are talking about a man
who lived in materialistic poverty but
was a spiritual billionaire. He was a Torah scholar of unparalleled proportions.
The man completed a cycle every year
in which he fnished the 5 books of the
Torah, the entire Talmud, the entire Kabbalah (Zohar), and endless commentary
on all of those books. He basically learned
the entire Torah every year. It takes people
a lifetime to do that and most don’t even
succeed. Every. Single. Year. The man
studied the Torah 24/7 besides the time he
spent giving people brachos. Hundreds of
thousands of people went to meet Rabbi
Chaim Kanievsky and get a blessing, even
if it was one word. There was nothing
about the Torah this man didn’t know. It
was almost supernatural. I never met him.
I now wish I did. Even if you’re not religious in the traditional sense of the word,
I’m sure you can appreciate that level of
dedication. I’m sure you can appreciate
that level of righteousness. I’ve already
heard so many stories about this giant
that we lost. I’m sure we’ll hear more as
time passes. I heard a thought about Rav
Kaniefsky from Sivan Rahav. One of the
many things that were unique about him
is that he was not charismatic, he was
not a political leader, and he had no formal offcial position or title. And despite
that, he had millions of people who were
impacted by him and his Torah. The man
was pure humility, pure dedication, pure
righteousness, and just a fountain of Torah knowledge. One story I heard, and I’m
paraphrasing. There was another big rabbi
who was extremely learned. He famously said that there are 12 (I think it was
12) things that Maimonides said and he
couldn’t fnd a source for them. He didn’t
know what Maimonides was basing them
on. He went to see R’ Chaim and without
hesitating or finching, R’ Chaim named
the source for all 12. Now mind you, these
were not sources that were easily accessible. Otherwise the other rabbi would
have found them. These were things that
were hidden deep down in the depths of
the Torah and R’ Chaim was able to name
them all in a split second. You don’t have
to be ultra orthodox to understand what
we lost on Friday, we lost a true giant.
This man was more angel than he was human and for me, my takeaway is that I can
be a little bit better. I’ll never be him but
I don’t think I’m supposed to be. I’m supposed to be the best me and a man like R’
Chaim just shows me how much potential
we have as human beings. BDE.
HF
Vues Master’s Note:I am lucky to have met
him. He was the nicest person. He had a
great sense of humor! Notwithstanding all
other accolades!
ELECTRIC VEHICLE
Dear Vues Master:
I just read this Electric Vehicle Fact Sheet
this past week. It said that 61% of electricity was generated from fossil fuels in
2021. China is among the largest producers of lithium for EV batteries. $60,000
avg price of an electrical vehicle. In other
words, we are benefting China alot by
purchasing electric cars. Does this make
sense to you?
YB
Vues Master’s Note: Look the squad is pro
Arabs who are the worst offenders when it
comes to women’s rights! Does that make
sense to you?
BLM
Dear Vues Master:
There has been a nationwide manhunt
for those who stormed the US Capitol.
My question is this, why is there no nationwide manhunt for the people who
burned and looted Seattle and Portland for
over 150 days. Why no manhunt for the
people who burn down federal buildings?
Why no manhunt for people who burned
churches? Why no manhunt for people
who threw Molotov cocktails, chemical
irritants and explosives at police offcers?
Why no manhunt for people who toppled
statues? Why no manhunt for people who
looted and burned private businesses?
Why no manhunt for people who brutally
attacked elderly people merely for trying
to defend their livelihood?
SG
Vues Master’s Note: Because they did not
threaten the cowards living in the Capital.
Pelosi is a hypocrite who is scared of anything that will usurp her power!
PURIM
Dear Vues Master:
I had a really nice Purim and my family
really was very happy! It was just so hard
to hear about Rav Chaim zt”l on Shushan
Purim. It ruined my whole weekend. How
does one go from one extreme emotionally to the next?
FH
Vues Master’s Note: It is the same Ribbono Shel Olam who wants us to be happy,
as who does things to remind us that our
generation was not zocheh yet to have
Moshiach come!
WEIGHT
Dear Vues Master:
People who suffer from atypical anorexia
can be at any weight, even what some
people might categorize as obese or fat.
Diet culture tells them that they have to
lose weight. Others compliment them
when they lose weight. It is a serious eating disorder, a form of anorexia. Yes, you
can be fat and anorexic. Pursuing weight
loss cannot support recovery. A plus sized
sufferer of atypical anorexia was recently
cyberbullied after sharing her diagnosis. Not only does this gatekeeping harm
her, it reinforces the anti-fat-bias in the
minds of all eating disorder sufferers.
Your “classic” anorexic, the emaciated
white teenage girl, hears this and becomes
even more fearful of gaining weight and
becoming fat. If you don’t want people to
starve themselves, stop sending them the
message that weight is inversely correlated with worth.
BP
Vues Master’s Note: I always say I am in
shape! Round is a shape! I like fat as there
is more to love!
AL HANISSIM
Dear Vues Master:
On Purim last week my family was enjoying their seudah when a neighbor knocked
on the door & asked if we could come
by in a few minutes to make a minyan
for Maariv. They were 7 and we were 5
people. We didn’t have dessert yet, so we
did not bentch but had in mind that when
we came back we would fnish our meal
& bentch. During Maariv I realized that
we do not say Al Hanisim anymore and
I didnt know whether to say Al Hanisim
when I bentched after Maariv. I remembered that the Jewish Vues once ran an article with this question with Rabbi Moshe
Elefant. I asked a Rav at the minyan and
he at frst was not sure. He thought that
we should NOT say Al Hanissim after
maariv when bentching at the seudah. He
looked it up in the Mishnah Berurah & the
Shulchan Aruch and changed his mind &
said that we should say Al Hanisim when
we bentch. I just thought that your readers
would be interested in hearing this. Keep
up the good work. We love the Jewish
Vues!!
AH
Vues Master’s Note: Just remember that
davening Maariv does not escort the new
day unless it is Friday night!
REB CHAIM KANIEVSKY ZT”L
Dear Vues Master:
What a loss! There is a story of four Israeli paratroopers approaching the Kotel in
Yerushalayim immediately after the Israeli
army had liberated and United Jerusalem
in 1967. Three of the paratroopers were
Torah observant, one was not. Overcome
with emotion of the moment, the four soldiers began weeping. One of the Torah observant soldiers turned to his friend who
wasn’t Torah observant, “I know why
we’re crying; the Kotel means a great deal
to us because of our Torah lifestyle, why
are you crying?” His friend responded,
“I’m crying because I don’t know what to
cry about.” I have a sense many Jews don’t
understand why millions of Jews around
the world are mourning the death of one
Rabbi in Bnei Brak. Only great people
should eulogize a scholar as great as Rav
Kanievsky and I’m not a great person but
as an educator, I feel I have a responsibility to inform people of the great man the
Jewish people just lost. People unfamiliar
with Religious leaders, especially Jewish
religious leaders from the Charedi world,
sometimes assume there’s something untoward or cultish about Haredi Rabbis
with followers in the millions. Fear is usually borne out of ignorance and unfamiliarity; with a little background into how
Haredi leaders become leaders, everyone
can appreciate the value of these special
Rabbis. Rav Kanievsky wasn’t a leader or
infuencer in the classic sense of a politician, a war hero, movie star or athlete.
He wasn’t elected by the Jewish people
or a council of scholars to lead them. He
didn’t have super powers or claim to be
a miracle worker. He didn’t have a special connection to God, or prophecy. What
made Rav Chaim Kanievsky great was
that he was the greatest Torah scholar of
his generation. To become the greatest
scholar requires a supreme intellect and
great teachers. Rav Kanievsky had both.
But many people have those qualities.
To become the greatest scholar requires
an intense level of study unparalleled
by scholars in other felds. This level of
study involves 18-20 hours a day, six and
a half days a week. Sleeping, eating and
socializing is kept to a bare minimum and
wasting time is considered sinful. Rav
Kanievsky was best known for his Torah study schedule; he completed more
works in one year than 95% of Torah students complete in their lifetimes. Just one
subject of his studies, Talmud, takes the
average person studying one page a day,
having someone teach them, 7 ½ years to
complete. Rav Kanievsky completed the
Talmud every year. The Torah world will
miss Rav Kanievsky and his scholarship.
Besides being a brilliant halachic decider,
his door was open to people seeking his
decisions, advice and blessings. I pray that
G-d grants the Jewish people scholars to
fll his void.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: I would like to point
out that we need to appreciate these Gedolim when they are alive and not just realize the loss when they are no longer alive!
NON CHANGING OF THE
CLOCK
Dear Vues Master:
The U.S. Senate, a body known in recent
years for decisive inaction and knee jerk
partisan division, somehow managed a
unanimous vote last week on a measure
making daylight saving time year-round.
The Sunshine Protection Act, if enacted
into law, would mean that the semiannual
chore of changing clock hour hands would
be called off in 2023. Legislation doing
away with the clock-changes has been
a regular feature in the Florida Legislature going back some 14 years. Always
popular at session time when the days are
growing longer. And it’s been something
of a seasonal hobbyhorse for the U.S.
Sen. Marco Rubio who sponsored the bill.
While in recent years various states have
passed pieces of legislation that would extend daylight saving time hours, this vote
by the US Senate is the biggest move yet.
If the legislation proceeds to the House
and then the president, Americans will no
longer have to change their clocks twice
a year. (It’s not currently clear that the
House will take on the legislation at all.)
The benefts of extending daylight saving time to year-round — or just keeping
standard time all year — are more widespread than avoiding the hassle of resetting
clocks (even if many timepieces these days
do this automatically). As a frum jew I’m
worried. This will mess up my davening
schedule. People that daven early in the
morning before going to work are going to
have a major problem. They won’t be able
to daven parts of the year until 9am or later.
Shabbos isn’t going to be over until 9pm
for a good part of the year as well. What
can be done?
JG
Vues Master’s Note: Have you ever noticed
that stores in Boro Park open late and stay
open late? Well that is what will happen to
all Jewish workers that will not roll into
the offce until 10:30 AM.
SINGLES
Dear Vues Master:
Greetings,
I enjoy your publication immensely,and
fnd it a positive and respectful medium.
As a mother of a son and aunt of two
women in their late forties,I think an article about this forgotten age group would
be timely appropriate.Much is written
about the 20 plus age group shidduchim.
It is well known that there are over fve
hundred older persons of both genders in
the shidduch parsha.There are many forty
years plus yeshiva working singles with
proper hashkafos and equally women who
desire to establish a torah oriented home.
Are we writing off these persons of both
genders?Many of them are children of Holocaust survivors. Many of their operating
systems functioned with the hope of seeing
future Doros. Many, including myself, lost
their parents in crematoria. Let us reach
out to older singles. Let us give them a
smile ,and invite them for the Purim Seuda
& Pesach seder. May HASHEM help all
those in need!
Thank you,
Mrs.Grossman
Vues Master’s Note:You are right. Sometimes though it could feel like we are singling them out! There needs to be a happy
balance!
REB CHAIM ZT”L
Dear Vues Master:
There was a certain daf in Bava Basra
where every Daf Yomi Maggid Shiur told
a story that happened with Maran, Rav
Chaim ztl. He was once awakened after
anesthesia,and the doctor gave him a blank
paper to sign his name to see if he was
fully awake & alert. HaRav Chaim, the Sar
Hatorah, wrote down instead on the blank
piece of paper the number of a certain Daf
in Bava Basra, where the Gemara speaks
about not signing your name on a blank
page, since someone else can use it as an I
owe You! They then knew that Rav Chaim
was fully awake and alert! Zchuso Yagen
Aleinu on Ganst Klal Yisroel. Yehi Zichro
Baruch! He should be a Melitz Yosher for
all of us!
R’ Moshe Leib Halevy
Vues Master’s Note: It is amazing what it
means that a person “ligt” (literally lays)
in learning. Even in his grogginess he
thinks in learning. Wow!
ORDER
Dear Vues Master:
An Am Haaretz asked his friend: “Moshe
Rabbeinu was born on the seventh of Adar.
That means that his Bbris was on the fourteenth, which is Purim. I was wondering
what the order was. Did they frst read the
Megillah or did they frst have the Bris?”
After thinking about it for a few moments,
his friend responded: “The city of Goshen
was surrounded by a wall from before the
days of Yehoshua Bin Nun and therefore
the Megillah was read on the ffteenth of
Adar and not on the fourteenth and so there
is no basis for the question.”
MB
Vues Master’s Note: Purim Torah is always
great! Just wish I had heard it last week so
I could have used it!
SUPERMARKET
Dear Vues Master:
There’s a certain supermarket/grocery store
in a Jewish neighborhood that is engaging
in unfair business practices. They built an
extension in front of their store that takes
up most of the sidewalk together with their
three trailers. The sidewalk traffc is a nuisance. In addition, their employees, mostly
men, block the little space there is, causing
women to have to walk through a crowd of
men. Unfortunately, some of their employees behave in a way that is not so refned.
I also noticed that some of the prices in
the store are mislabeled, so, for instance, I
picked up an item that was marked $1.50,
but I was charged $1.80 at the register. I
didn’t complain because I was in too much
of a hurry, but for those who are less privileged and have to count every penny, this
is more than an inconvenience. (I am actually fairly certain that this practice is illegal, but I choose to believe it was an honest
mistake. Still, the store needs to be vigilant
in ensuring that this mistake does not happen in the future). The employees (I’m not
sure whether or not this is with permission
from the store management) also often
throw away discarded produce in the storm
drains. This is not only an eyesore, it is a
source of a terribly unpleasant odor that
can be detected from several feet away.
JS
Vues Master’s Note:I hope what you are
saying is an isolated happening. If it isn’t,
we should not patronize them!
COVER
Dear Vues Master:
What an appropriate timely front page
Cover with Rav Chaim being niftar on
Erev Shabbos Shushan Purim! It’s as if
Rav Chaim himself is telling you to still
have a Freilichen Purim & Shushan Purim!
Menucha V’Simcha Ohr L’ Yom HaShabbos! I know but it still gives us Chizuk!
It’s now the cover photo of my phone!
It is such a nice memory! Thanks, it was
Menachem me. (Better than another paper
that had Hillary Clinton on the Front page
cover!)
RMS
Vues Master’s Note: I guess that’s why the
paper is called the Jewish Vues. We will
miss Reb Chaim!
SHVIGGER
Dear Vues Master:
What do you do when you miss your mother in law? Reload and shoot again
BM
Vues Master’s Note:You better hope you
have the opportunity to re-load. She might
shoot you frst! Oy if looks can kill!
REB CHAIM ZT”L
Dear Vues Master:
Avi Avi……Maran Harav Chaim ZT”L! I
heard the shocking devastating news that
Rav Chaim was niftar and it felt just like
when I had heard the news that Rav Moshe
was niftar around this time of the year. I
felt so alone today as if my Father, Mother,
Zeida, passed away. How can I be happy
on Shushan Purim when the Godol Hador
is no longer with us? Who is going to daven for us? Who is going to hear about our
tzoros and give us brochos? We all feel like
Yesomim Aveilim-Yesomim Hayinu V’Ein
Av! We have Avinu Sh’Bashamayim. We
can’t daven or learn like Rav Chaim,
but at least we can still cry-Shaarei Dimaos Lo Ninalu-our tears go up to the
Kiseh Hakovod. My Rav in Monsey says
that Hashem comes down lower than 10
tefachim to aveilim. After the Rebbetzen
was niftar, Rav Chaim was the Father and
Mother of Klal Yisroel. Perhaps his heart
couldn’t take any more the Tzoros of Klal
Yisroel; Meron, Stolin, Ukraine etc. Like
Rav Moshe’s last words; Ich Hub Nisht
Mer Kein Koach! Rav Moshe’s levaya was
on Shushan Purim in Eretz Yisroel. Rav
Chaim will now join his father the Steipler
Goan learning Bchavrusa in Shomayim.
They both together with Rav Moshe and
Rav Yaakov who were niftar in Adar zman
of Marbeh B’simcha will still be Melitz
yosher for all of us. My Rav says that the
more bitochon you have the more you can
be marbeh b”Simcha. Please listen to My
Rav in Monsey Purim night cry his eyes
and heart out for Klal Yisroel on Kol Haloshon [718 906 6400 press 3,1,1,1]. He
says that I’m Al Tachrishu Tachrishu, that
if you’re silent now then in the next world
they will silence you and you won’t have
any defense why you were silent in this
world and crying out for the tzoros of Klal
Yisroel. I never had the zechus to meet Rav
Chaim, but I felt like I knew him my entire
life. All the Tzeddaka letters and brochures
that came in the mail would have his picture on them. I also read the Artscroll book
written by my friend Naftali Weinberger
on the Rebbeitzen Kanievsky that became
a bestseller. I had a cute story with his father, the Steipler Gaon. I went to him on
Sunday night and wrote that I’m leaving
Eretz Yisroel back to the States on Yom
Shlishi. He said that azz du forst morgen
ich daf der bagleiten. I yelled into his ear
that I’m not leaving tomorrow but Tuesday Yom Shlishi. He said yea Morgen! I
thought to myself that they’re not letting
me on the plane morgen but Dinstig. But of
course he was right, since it was Sun night
after shkiah so it was yom sheni and I’m
leaving MORGEN! My 9th grade rebbe
in MLB, said to me B’derech Tzachos,
that perhaps the Steipler wanted to make
sure that I left! My brother just texted me
that Rav Chaim must have fnished this
year Kol Hatorah Kulo, since there was
an extra month of Adar Sheini. Moshiach
has to come today Not Morgen! With the
war going on [Gog Umagog?] and Rav
Chaim gone, why can’t he come NOW?
The Chofetz Chaim in Shaar Hischazkus
in sefer Shem Olam, the last 3 perakim
speak about Ikvasa D’mishicha-the tzaros
are Chevlei Ledas Moshiach and Al Tisyayesh! Asmachta Geula L’Geula. Imo
Anochi B’tazrah. Ein Lanu Lhishaen Ela
Al Avinu Sh’Bashamayim. Who is going
to learn Rav Chaim’s Hischayvus? Rav
Galinsky used to say that people should
come to him for brachos, since he would
give Rav Chaim a bracha every year
that he should fnish Kol Hatorah Kulo
each and every year and it would be mekuyem. L’shana Haba Beyurushalyim
im Mo9shiach Tzidkeinu B’binyan Beis
Hamikdash B’Mehera B’Yameinu. Please
ask Eliyahu Hanavi by Shfoch Chamascha El Hagoyim; What’s Taking So Long?
“Hamokom Yinachem Osanu B’soch
Shaar Avelei Tzion V’Yerushalayim-Bsuros Tovos-Simchos”!
Rabbi Moshe Shochet
Vues Master’s Note:We cry for our loss not
for the fact the Tzaddik was niftar! We are
at a loss!
BROTHER
Dear Vues Master:
As Adam HaRishon was walking in Gan
Eden with his sons, he noticed that Hevel
was going Begiluy Rosh (head uncovered.) He asked Kayin to place his hand
on Hevel’s head. Kayin responded: “Am I
my brother’s kippa?”
MK
Vues Master’s Note: Sounds like a coverup to me!
CRY
Dear Vues Master
Mottel went to the cemetery and saw a
man crying bitterly over a grave and saying “Why did you have to die? Why did
you have to die?” Curious, he asked him
who the deceased was. “My wife’s frst
husband,” the man responded.
KL
Vues Master Note: I think there is a song
like that why did dai why didi dai!