04 Oct 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.
STUDENT SAYING MECHILA FOR
CHEATING
Dear Vues Master:
Someone I know just posted this online
& I thought your readers would appreciate
it. Many students cheat, but most don’t
take the time to send an email apologizing
for it, especially after so many years. This
email reminds me that there are so many
dumb things that I did many years ago that
I haven’t bothered to apologize or do teshuva
for. I’m committing to pay this email
forward by reaching out to apologize to at
least one person that I wronged many years
ago. Professor S, I hope this email finds you
and your family all doing well. I am a former
student of yours from years ago, and while
preferably remaining anonymous, wanted
to reach out with a long overdue ask. Many
years ago for reasons still unbeknownst to
me I cheated on an exam in your class. To
this day, thinking about it fills me in sheer
embarrassment and regret. I genuinely have
no idea what was going through my mind at
the time, and there is zero excuse for that behavior
– although the way we treated you and
many teachers in general was pretty inexcusable.
I have thought about sending this email
many times, and always failed to. But now
as I have children of my own and my goal is
to raise decent and respectful kids, my own
shortcomings often pop into my head. This
ranks high among them. So for that mistake,
I wanted to reach out and ask mechilah.
Gmar chatimah tova Former Student
GH
Vues Master’s Note: I thought cheaters never
prosper?
KAPAROS WITH CHICKENS
Dear Vues Master:
This past Sunday I went with my family to
do Kaporos in the pouring rain. My family
always enjoys this mitzvah. There was a
lady there yelling at us how we can’t do what
we are doing to a chicken. Everything was
being done in a kavodicka way. I really dont
understand how frum people could be vegetarians.
If one reads our tefillot everything
revolves around karbonos.When moshiach
comes, and it should come very soon, when
we have the third Beis Hamikdash, what do
people think we are going to be doing all the
time? We are going to be shechting animals
& bringing karbonos to Hashem. What are
Peta people & vegetarians going to say then?
Hashem created these animals so we can eat
them.
HK
Vues Master’s Note: We NEED Moshiach
now!
MOROCCAN ESROGIM
Dear Vues Master:
For the first time I purchased this year a Moroccan
esrog because of Shmittah. My family
usually purchases esrogim from Eretz
Yisrael. Even though it was very green, it
was probably one of the nicest esrogim I
ever had. I’m thinking of getting Moroccan
esrogim from now on. Is that wrong?
RGS
Vues Master’s Note: I personally like esrogim
from Eretz Yisrael but you do whatever
you want! I think it’s better to support
Eretz Yisrael.
FLORIDA FOR SUKKOS THIS YEAR
Dear Vues Master:
I guess after all the rain Orlando got last week from the Hurricane, very few people are planning to go Orlando this year for Sukkos. I’m feeling really bad for the people at Disney. I have a feeling (if the weather is nice) a lot more people are going to go the Catskills this Sukkos.
EL
Vues Master’s Note: If the weather is nice, I have a feeling the Catskills is going to be very busy this year.
CHOL HAMOED
CONCERTS IN
BROOKLYN
Dear Vues Master:
Are there any Jewish concerts in New York this Chol Hamoed Sukkos? I heard of two in New Jersey but nothing in New York. I wonder why. It used to be that Brooklyn & Queens College always had Chol Hamoed concerts. This year it seems that all the Jewish singers went to Eretz Yisrael for Sukkos.
EG
Vues Master’s Note: If you had the choice of putting on a concert in Brooklyn or Eretz Yisrael, which would you do? It is all about supply and demand!
WORLD WAR III
Dear Vues Master:
Is it just me or does it seem like we are on the verge of having World War III? It’s starting to get scary with Russia & China. I hope things calm down a little very soon.
KL
Vues Master’s Note: Did I hear you say gog umagog ?
THE MONARCHY
Dear Vues Master:
I don’t understand how the King & Queen in England work. Do they really do anything? I know they have a Prime Minister in Britain that’s elected & acts like the President does in America, but what does the monarchy really do in England? I’m serious. I don’t understand.
QE
Vues Master’s Note: Beats me! NAs far as I see it, they are nothing except hog money and don’t pay taxes!
FORGETTING TO MAKE A PRUZBUL
Dear Vues Master:
Regarding the one who forgot to make a pruzbul, there is still a way to get the money back. He, or others, can ask the borrower to give him the money as a gift. See Choshen Mishpat Siman 67, se’if 36. And as elaborated in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 180, se’if 14, the lender can do all kinds of hishtadlus to ask the borrower to give him the funds as a gift. See there Artscroll note 30 how the lender can even make the borrower feel uncomfortable about holding onto the money.
Yechiel Mechel Sochet
Vues Master’s Note: Still not lechatchila. Thanks for sharing!
DOING TASHLICH
AFTER ROSH
HASHANA
Dear Vues Master:
For some reason every year I do tashlich on Chol Hamoed. I don’t remember the last time I did tashlich on Rosh Hashana. I always do kaparos on time & go to the mikvah on time. Why did chazal give us until Hoshana Raba to do tashlich? If they just told us we had to do it on Rosh Hashana I would have done it then.
KP
Vues Master’s Note: Zerizim Makdimin L’mitzvos!!
MIAMI BOYS CHOIR GOING VIRAL ONLINE
Dear Vues Master:
Founded by Yerachmiel Begun 1977, the Miami Boys Choir has been an Orthodox Jewish music staple for decades, especially among children and teenagers. Now, the group’s music clips have gone viral across social media platforms, particularly TikTok, with tens of thousands of non-Jewish people chiming in on the group’s performances. The Miami Boys Choir launched a TikTok account about 3 months ago, posting small clips of the group from various periods and gaining a small following on the platform. The account is run by Chananya Begun, the son of Yerachmiel and the founder of the Young Talent Initiative in Lakewood. But then it posted a clip of 4 well known soloists – Yoshi Bender, Chaim Abramowitz, David Hershkowitz, and Binyomin Abramowitz – singing MBC’s famous “Yerushalayim” during a 2007 performance. After languishing in TikTok’s algorithm for a bit, the clip suddenly went mega-viral, with millions of Americans viewers being regaled by the lyrical performance of Orthodox Jewish teens. I happen to be a very big fan of the Miami Boys Choir but do you think they should be putting these clips on Tik Tok? I think most people that are not part of the tribe that are listening to this are just listening to make fun at yidden. What do you think?
SD
Vues Master’s Note: Maybe there are people that never heard Jewish music before & are now enjoying it.
SPORTS IS THE BEST BATAALAH
Dear Vues Master:
I had a Rebbe who used to say that “Sports is the best Battallah”. I don’t know if he meant playing sports or following sports? I say now that it’s a waste of time and a huge distraction. I grew up following the NY Yankees and NY Knicks and would enjoy listening on radio to the excitement of the great Playoffs Championships between the Knicks and the Celtics or Lakers. I would love to go to the ball games at Yankee stadium, in order to get autographs, even though we would sometimes lose the games. I once pointed to my yarmulke and got an autograph from a Jewish ballplayer. But what did I gain in life? Did I get wealthier? Or even receive a World Series ring? Did it make me a better person? NO! I gained ZERO! Not even a trophy when the team I follow- America’s team
-the Dallas Cowboys would
win the Super bowl. What
if I would have spent my
time instead learning Dirshu
Kinyan Halacha? Or Shisha
Sidrei Mishnah? I would have
been a Talmid Chochom today.
Instead I am a sports fan
who learns the Daf [with my
Artscroll gemara of coursecan’t
leave home without the
travelling edition]! Harav
Sheinberg ZT”L once told
a Siyum Mishnayos Pirchei
crowd that it still hurts when
the Yankees lose, since he also
grew up in America. A young
boy went over to the Rosh
Hayeshiva and innocently
told him not to feel bad, since
the Yankees won! True there
are so many distractions today
especially with the technology,
but just keep in mind
“Hayom Katzer V Hamelacha
Meruba” So it may be true
what my Rebbe growing up
told us that “Sports may be
the Bester Batallah”, but remember
that it’s still Battallah-
Bitul TORAH! “Ki Heim
Chayeinu Vorech Yameinu
U’vahem Nehgeh Yomam
Vlayalah”!
Rabbi Moshe Shochet
Vues Master’s Note: Are video
games better? I think that
it’s ok to watch sports, but
you need to know where your
priorities are. First focus on
learning & when you need
to relax a little watch some
sports. Just don’t make sports
the center of your life.
A HARD DAY
Dear Vues Master:
This past Sunday was one
of the hardest days I can remember.
I have found myself
crying at random points, but
especially in prayer. Please
share in my pain and read my
words. The 7th of Tishrei was
the day four years ago we lost
Ari Fuld הי״ד†and it is the day
today we lost Rabbi Shalom
Miller ז”ל†. These are two men
who dedicated their lives to
the Jewish people and whose
lives were cut short in their
40’s. Rebbe Akiva was one
of the greatest scholars of the
Jewish people. Two thousand
years ago the Romans executed
Rebbe Akiva by torturing
him through ripping his flesh
from his body. The Talmud
tells a fictional story of Moshe
encountering Rebbe Akiva:
After watching a lesson of
Rebbe Akiva’s Moshe said to
G-d, “Master of the Universe,
You have a person such as
Rebbe Akiva and You are giving
the Torah through me?!”
G-d responded, “Quiet! Such
is the thought that arises before
me.” Moshe said to G-d,
“You have shown me Rebbe
Akiva’s Torah, show me his
reward.” G-d said, “Look
behind you.” Moshe saw the
Romans weighing Rebbe Akiva’s
flesh in the meat market.
He objected to G-d, “Master
of the Universe, Zu Torah
V’Zu Scharah?!? – This is Torah
and this is its reward?!?”
God responded to Moshe,
“Quiet! Such is the thought
that arises before me.” Like
Rebbe Akiva, Rabbi Miller
and Ari Fuld were taken from
the Jewish people in the midst
of the most influential point
of their lives – just when they
were spreading G-d’s Torah
at their primes. Rabbi Miller
was delivering a Torah lesson
when he was struck by a heart
attack! Is there a more appropriate
time to turn to G-d
and object, “This is Torah and
this is its reward?!?” People
might be critical of those objecting
about God’s decrees
and His taking of Rebbe
Akiva, Ari, and Rabbi Miller,
but they’re wrong. Faith in
G-d isn’t blindly accepting
His decrees. Faith in G-d is
wrestling with G-d’s judgment.
It is facing our doubts
and confusion head on, and
like Moshe, turning to God
and screaming, “WHY?!!!
HOW?!!!” Like Moshe when
he asked G-d about His decrees,
we will not receive an
answer to our question. We
will not understand why G-d
took our teachers from us in
their prime. Faith in Go-d is
questioning, even objecting,
but ultimately declaring that
G-d is the “True Judge” and
the “The King of Justice.”
We accept that our limitations
don’t allow us to understand
everything G-d decrees, but
that G-d’s decrees are just.
The Talmud instructed man
with one of the hardest challenges
we can face, “Teach
yourself to say, ‘I don’t
know.’” We spend our lives
trying to understand G-d, but
at times like these, we must
recognize we will not understand.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: Hashem
should avenge their blood!