13 Jul SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER
Please note that the author of Speak Your Vues is in no way affiliated 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 reflect 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.
TICKETS
Dear Vues Master:
This summer it seems like the local enforcement
is trying to rake in the money! There
are traffic enforcement officers everywhere
giving tickets! Last Thursday, I parked my
car right next to Hakol Besefer in Woodbourne
to go daven at the Woodbourne shul.
I came out & I had a ticket on my windshield.
I’m staring at the spot for two minutes trying
to figure out what I did wrong. Why did I
deserve a ticket? I saw one of the traffic enforcers
& I asked him nicely to explain to
me why I received a ticket. He told me that
I was blocking a driveway. I asked him what
driveway? He said there is an opening in the
parking lot that is a driveway. I asked him if
there was a sign anywhere or if there were
painted lines on the ground & he said no. I
was so upset. I left and came back an hour
later & another person was in the same spot
with a ticket on their windshield. This has
got to stop! What they are doing is wrong!
How can we stop the insanity???
JE
Vues Master’s Note: We need to comply with
the law!
RICHIE TAYLOR
Dear Vues Master:
We all admire Inspector Richie Taylor. He’s
a walking Kiddush Hashem and inspires so
many (this is what we need more of). My
question is: how is he at so many different
events all the time? It’s like he can be at 3
different places at once. My statement is: kudos
to the Jewish Vues for publicizing the
great work that he and the NYPD does.
BN
Vues Master’s Note: To answer your question,
we heard a rumor that there’s 3 of him.
To respond to your statement, as Inspector
Richie Taylor says, it’s all teamwork. I say if
you want to get something done give it to the
busiest guy!!
SUFFERING
Dear Vues Master:
Rabbi Gross was recovering from surgery
at a Catholic hospital. One afternoon, a
nurse walked into his room and noticed that
the cross had been removed from the wall.
“What happened to the cross?” she asked the
Rabbi. “I figured one suffering Jew in this
room is enough,” answered the Rabbi.
MB
Vues Master’s Note: This letter nailed it!
TICKETS
Dear Vues Master:
Last week I noticed more policemen giving
out tickets upstate than I ever saw before.
Why are they targeting the summer visitors
so much?
DJ
Vues Master’s Note: Look at it from the locals
perspective they can’t drive through
the streets because of traffic. We are used
to traffic but they are not. Remember to do
things in a legal way and you won’t pay
any money!
RABBI STUDENT
Dear Vues Master:
Rabbi Gil Student always writes well. Though he may have been quoting from Rabbi Sacks this past week’s article was very misleading. Whether it is considered murder or not depends on who is doing the aborting. Thank you.
Shmuel J
Vues Master’s Note: Well in either case it is a dead issue as NY and NJ will keep abortion legal!
SKATERS WORLD
Dear Vues Master:
The other day I was driving in Ferndale & I noticed that Skaters World was destroyed. I had so many memories in that place. I used to go there all the time with my day camp. It will be missed.
GK
Vues Master’s Note: I guess things roll on!
SHOOTINGS
Dear Vues Master:
Another week, another crazy man out there shooting people. How do we get this to stop? You would think that the government would do something already!!!
CS
Vues Master’s Note: All the Government is doing is helping the criminals as they don’t listen to rules. The law abiding citizens that try to defend themselves are hindered!
SPEED CAM
Dear Vues Master:
This past weekend, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city’s speed cameras will be operating 24 hours a day starting August 1. New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a state law last week that now allows the camera to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The city’s 2,000 automated speed cameras were previously authorized by the state to operate only on weekdays, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.. I’m not sure I agree with this. To drive 20 miles an hour at 2am on the block of a school seems a little excessive.
ST
Vues Master’s Note: We all know it is a money grab, nothing to do with safety otherwise they would raise the limit at night.
AMARE
Dear Vues Master:
Last week, former NBA Rookie of the Year and 6 time All Star Basketball Player, Amar’e Stoudemire got a grand tour of BMG. The Rosh Yeshiva of BMG, R’ Malkiel Kotler came out and greeted him. Why did Rav Kotler come out to greet Amare and he didn’t come out to greet me last time I went to BMG? Just curious.
BT
Vues Master’s Note: I guess you are not as tall or as rich as him!
ISRAEL
Dear Vues Master:
Two police officers come upon two men in a rough fight and a crowd cheering the fight. The first man is beaten up pretty badly and getting beaten up even worse, the second man only has a bloody nose. The two police officers rush over and pull the second man off the first man and separate them. Who should the police arrest? Most people would say the second man. What if the first man caused the fight, and everyone in the crowd thought the first man would win? They were cheering the first man on because they hated the second man and thought he would lose. The second man knew how to defend himself and began to win the fight. Knowing this information, who would you have the police arrest? Blaming the second man for winning the fight ignores who started the fight – which is really the only metric of judging guilt. Blaming the second man is wrong. After Israel successfully rescued the hostages at Entebbe, members of the United Nations condemned Israel for its wanton act of aggression against host country Uganda. Incredible, right? Hardly, the world has condemned Israel for winning every fight its fought. Whether it’s the United Nations, NGO’s or know-nothing ice cream companies, they are all guilty of the same ignorance when they blame Israel. They blame Israel for winning, instead of Israel’s enemies for starting the fight. From its declaration of Independence until today, all Israel has wanted from its neighbors is peace. It has sought peace and been willing to bend over backwards to compromise – all to the answers of wars, rockets and terrorism. As we mark the 46th anniversary of Israel’s daring rescue at Entebbe, let’s remember, it’s not who won the war, not the one with more land, and not the one with more success that is to blame, but the one who started the fight.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note:We know that Har Sinai is called that way because it is the mountain that brought down Sinah enmity to and Anti semitism!
ELECTIONS
Dear Vues Master:
Many Israelis are despondent over the fifth election in just three years, but I choose to focus on the positive. As a Zionist educator, I prefer to see the successes reflected in Israeli current events. As an American citizen, I can’t help but compare America and Israel. When it comes to elections, American law might not allow elections more than once every four years, but when it comes to peaceful transfers of power, Israel is way ahead of America. In fact, Israel had three heads of states in less than three years – all without accusations of fraud or violence. Former Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was asked whether it angers her that none of the current Democratic candidates invoke her on the campaign trail while Trump’s rally crowds still break out into “lock her up” chants. “No, it doesn’t kill me because he knows he’s an illegitimate president,” she said. “I believe he understands that the many varying tactics they used, from voter suppression and voter purging to hacking to the false stories — he knows that — there were just a bunch of different reasons why the election turned out like it did.” In June, former president Jimmy Carter used similar language to diminish Trump’s presidency. Carter said that in his view Trump lost the 2016 election and was put in office by the Russians. Asked if he considered Trump to be illegitimate, Carter said, “Based on what I just said, which I can’t retract.” Former American President Donald Trump has claimed and continues to claim the American 2020 Presidential election was fraudulent and he should be president, “Why is it that the Unselect Committee of totally partisan political hacks, whose judgment has long ago been made, (sic) not discussing the rigged Presidential Election of 2020?” the former president said in a Jan. 6 statement, which spokesperson Liz Harrington tweeted. “It’s because they don’t have the answers or justifications for what happened. They got away with something, and it is leading to our Country’s destruction.” His comments led to violent protests on Capitol Hill, his second impeachment and possible criminal charges. Whether Clinton, Carter, or Trump were all correct, all incorrect, or partially correct, it is undeniable that America’s faith in its elections and ability to have peaceful transfers of power has been irreparably damaged. While I would never celebrate a weakened America, I can’t help but look at Israeli elections and even though they’re frustrating, breathe a sigh of relief when comparing them to America.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: Kind of feels like they play a game of politics in Israel.
DEAD
Dear Vues Master:
Two hillbillies were out in the woods hunting. Suddenly, Matt collapsed and didn’t seem to be breathing. Tom took out his cellphone, made a call to an ambulance service and shouted “I need help. My friend collapsed and I think he’s dead. What should I do?” The voice on the other end tried to calm him down and said: “I’ll try to help you, but first let’s confirm that he’s really dead.” After a short silence, the ambulance service operator heard the sound of a gunshot. Then, Tom got back on the phone and said “OK. Now what?”
BM
Vues Master’s Note: Shoots! That’s a terrible story!
BRACHA
Dear Vues Master:
Here’s a synopsis of “Going Off My Derech” by Rabbi Ari Wasserman: With regard to berochos that are said once a year, you left out the berocha on Luluv that is said only the first time it is used.
Best regards,
O A
Vues Master’s Note: I am not sure what you are referring to. The first bracha on Lulav is said all six days of Yom Tov besides for Shabbos. Shehechyanu is said all the time!
DIVORCE
Dear Vues Master
Why is a divorce called a Get? Because the Roshei Teivos are Gmar Tov.
NB
Vues Master’s Note: Pretty Morbid if you ask me!
SMART
Dear Vues Master:
Numbers 16:7, Rashi says, – Korach was a pi’ka’ach (clever) person, what is it that he saw which led him to this folly (l’shtos Words In Lashon Hakodesh and Mishnaic Hebrew have specific meanings which are not always understood or get lost in translation. I would like to suggest a practical definition of two words in Rashi, pi’ka’ach and l’shtos. Using the twelfth rule of the Britasa of Rabbi Yishmael, “A matter deduced from a subsequent expression.” and a mishnah The mishnah in Yevamos 110a contrasts two individuals, a pi’ka’ach and a cheresh so knowing the definition of the latter I can know the former. A cheresh is described as a deaf mute so the opposite of this is someone who hears and speaks. So, Rashi is preempting the following thought which is to give Korach the benefit of the doubt, he made a mistake and didn’t know better. However, Rashi tells us not to judge him as a “deaf mute” but just the opposite. He saw that Shmuel Hanavi would come from him so heard what he wanted to and didn’t want to hear what Moshe had to say. Besides not listening he spoke foolishly to Moshe, the Torah. The lesson learnt is stay away from people who don’t hear what you have to say and they don’t answer your questions. The other word, shotah, which is the noun form of l’shtos, means stupid. This Mishnaic Hebrew word could have been borrowed from a similar sounding word in the Torah, sotah. A sotah (Numbers 5:12-28) is someone who doesn’t benefit themselves or others; the sota water will cost the woman of her life and the life of her adulterer. So the definition of a shotah, stupid person, is someone who has no regard for their own welfare and the welfare of others. Another example of a shotah is someone who throws money away, that they don’t give it to others; if they did give it to others that wouldn’t label them as stupid but as helpless.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: I Guess it was not smart of him!
SON
Dear Vues Master
I didn’t lose my son, I know where he is and who took him (with words); however, he doesn’t know where he is and much less where he came from. Korach had a glib to take people with his words. I suffer much from people like Korach so I’m extra vigilant not to do that to others or let others do that to my family. I like to demonstrate my position. Unfortunately my son is temperalily senseless and incapacitated and I will protect him from anyone who will want to take advantage of him. I tried to appeal to my son’s better senses by even paying him to see Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky with me but he declined because he doesn’t have time. I don’t understand, he doesn’t have time to make a buck or learn from a gadol? I asked his Rosh Yeshiva if he would go with me to see Rav Kominsky and he declined. I even offered to go local to Rav Dovid Cohen but he declined. I thought maybe he’s too busy to bother with such pettiness so I offer a sizable donation to his yeshiva, which he speaks so dearly about, to take my son for the day to see Rav Kominesky and he says he doesn’t tell him what to do. By the way, he keeps telling me what to do, go figure : ) This real life experience helps explain how 250 people could follow Korach when it wasn’t in their best interest. I think it is summed up in Psalms 115:5-8 “They have a mouth, but do not speak…They have ears, but do not hear…[They have] feet, but they do not walk. They make no sound with their throats. Like them let their makers be, [and] all who trust in them.” Because of this, I have no choice but to write openly about my son’s situation. Certain people, from my son’s yeshiva, may not appreciate the existence of this material but they need to understand that it is their actions that have forced me into it. Ultimately the existence of my writings is a direct result of their arrogance and misguided belief that they are invincible, allowing them to destroy other human beings without consequence. They have acted, I am reacting.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: You have been writing letters and it did not work. Maybe it is time to try something else?