13 Feb SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER
BRACHA
Dear Vues Master:
Is there a bracha someone should say when they
hear the good news about the 2 hostages being
rescued? When can one say the bracha? If one
didn’t say a bracha & he just read this now, can he
still say the bracha on the good news?
BS
Vues Master’s Note: Yeah Just say Baruch Hashem!
Anytime you want!
BIDEN
Dear Vues Master:
How can Biden run for president again? He is
clearly secenile. Even a bigger question is how can
so many people vote for him?
CS
Vues Master’s Note: Nothing changed in the last
four years!
DOG TAGS
Dear Vues Master:
Should men be wearing the dog tag necklaces for
the hostages? I have no problem with the women
wearing them but should men in America be
wearing them?
AC
Vues Master’s Note: Last I checked I did not see
any Rav or Rosh Yeshiva wearing them!
PINTELE YID
Dear Vues Master:
MASHAL:The Yid Hakadosh of P’shischa zt”l
once said: “When I was a little boy, my aleph-
beis teacher taught me a very important lesson.
He showed me a little symbol and told me it was
called a yud. The letter yud. From then on. I knew
that the word Yud meant a Jew. “Sometime later,
we came across two yudin written next to each
other, in one word. I asked my teacher for an
explanation, and he said, ‘That is Hashem’s name.’
“Still later, I saw the symbol marking the end of a
posuk, which looked to me like two yudin, one on
top of the other. I asked my teacher if this, too, was
Hashem’s name? He replied with something that
changed my life forever. He explained that when
the yudin are next to one another, on the same
level, that is Shem Hashem, but if one is above the
other, then it cannot be Hashem’s Name. “I learned
from this that only when Yidden treat each other
as equals – not putting oneself above others – can
Hashem dwell amongst them. If a Jew cheats or
undermines his friend, Hashem removes himself
from amongst them and they are left on their own
to fend for themselves!” NIMSHAL: Parshas
Mishpatim is all about the laws of Bein Adam
L’chavero, the laws about how one man must treat
another. Chazal say (Avos 2:7), “The more charity,
the more peace.” R’ Yisroel Belsky zt”l explained
this Mishna as follows: When a person gives in
to the claims of another and treats it as if he is
giving charity, he is spreading peace in the world.
In that merit, Hashem dwells amongst us and all
the blessings of the world that follow are because
of him. If we can only realize this when faced with
a quarrel with another, we can be sure our reward
is infinitely huge in the World to Come.
EF
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for sharing!
INSULTING ISRAEL
Dear Vues Master:
The claim by Secretary of State Antony Blinken
that Israel is “dehumanizing” the residents of Gaza
is false and insulting. But it’s par for the course at
Foggy Bottom. It may not be much consolation
to the Israelis, but U.S. secretaries of state have
been leveling unfair accusations against Israel,
and sometimes against the Jewish people, for
more than 75 years, regardless of whether Israel’s
government leaned left or right. In 1948, Secretary
of State George Marshall vigorously opposed
the creation of Israel, implemented
the U.S. embargo on weapons to the
Jewish forces, and urged President
Harry Truman not to recognize the new
state. Marshall also promoted a plan
to drastically reduce the size of Israel
by tearing away the Negev. President
Dwight D. Eisenhower’s secretary
of state, John Foster Dulles, testified
to a Senate committee in 1953 that
Israel should stop seeking arms and
start putting its trust “in the United
Nations.” He also criticized the Israelis
for striking at Arab terrorists in Gaza.
At another point in his testimony,
Secretary Dulles claimed that Israel’s
fears of being destroyed were baseless.
When asked if America’s strategic
plans for the Mideast were adequate
to prevent Israel’s annihilation,
he replied that the U.S. could not
“underwrite” such a promise. Dulles
reiterated that the U.S. would not sell
weapons to Israel, while defending the
administration’s decision to send 18
tanks to Saudi Arabia. He also justified
the U.S. surrender to the Saudi leaders’
demand that no Jewish soldiers be
permitted to serve on American bases
in Saudi Arabia. In a Mideast policy
speech later that year, Secretary Dulles
declared that Jerusalem should be ruled
by “the world religious community,”
instead of serving as Israel’s capital.
He also challenged Israel’s identity,
asserting that Israel “should become a
part of the Near East community and
cease to look upon itself…as alien to
this community.” President Richard
M. Nixon’s secretary of state, Henry
Kissinger, had a disturbing agenda of
his own. Kissinger advised Nixon in
1973 that the persecution of Soviet
Jewry was “not an American concern,”
even “if they put Jews into gas
chambers in the Soviet Union.” When
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin hesitated
to make concessions that Egypt was
demanding in 1975, Kissinger accused
him of “bringing the world to the edge
of war.” Kissinger also claimed that
Rabin was “fomenting antisemitism,”
and he denounced Rabin and other
Israeli officials as “fools” and “common
thugs.” According to Prof. Gil Troy’s
book, Moynihan’s Moment, Kissinger
once described Rabin with a vulgarity,
a term similar to the obscenities that
some U.S. officials reportedly have
used concerning other Israeli leaders.
Another secretary of state with a
fondness for curse words—at least
when Israel and Jews were the subject—
was James Baker, who served under
George H.W. Bush. When Housing
Secretary Jack Kemp noted Jewish
concerns about Baker’s pressure on
Israel, the secretary of state infamously
replied, “F— the Jews, they don’t
vote for us anyway.” Kemp leaked the
quote to former New York City mayor
Ed Koch, who publicized it in his
syndicated column. Other Baker gems
reported in the press included mocking
pro-Israel members of Congress as
“the little Knesset,” and remarking,
“Jews remember the Holocaust, but
they forget insults as soon as they
smell cash.” The pattern of secretaries
of state taking shots at Israel crosses
party lines. Cyrus Vance, secretary of
state in a Democratic administration,
criticized Israel’s use of U.S. fighter
planes to strike terrorists in Lebanon
in 1979. Alexander Haig, secretary of
state in a Republican administration,
lambasted Israel for bombing the Iraqi
nuclear reactor in 1981. In 2003,
Colin Powell, secretary of state under
president George W. Bush, publicly
accused Israel of inflicting “daily
humiliations” on the Palestinian Arabs.
His successor, Condoleeza Rice,
said the Palestinian Arab war against
Israel was similar to the African-
American civil rights movement. She
also compared the Holocaust-denying
Palestinian Authority chairman,
Mahmoud Abbas, to the Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Bill Clinton’s
secretary of state, Madeleine Albright,
was still chastising Israel long after she
left office. Albright asserted on CNN in
2014 that Israel had lost all its “moral
authority” because it was “overdoing
it” by carrying out “disproportionate”
strikes on terrorists in Gaza. (That was
the same Albright who said on “Sixty
Minutes” in 1996 that even if sanctions
against Iraq caused the deaths of half
a million Iraqi children, responded,
“We think the price is worth it.”) John
Kerry, who served as secretary of
state under Barack Obama, took his
share of shots at Israel. In 2014, he
publicly claimed that Israel was at risk
of becoming “an apartheid state.” In
2016, he indulged in disturbing moral
equivalence by listing “settlement
expansion” alongside “violence,
terrorism, [and] incitement” as the
reasons for the absence of Mideast
peace. Ironically, the unfriendly
remarks made about Israel by various
secretaries of state do not seem to have
impressed Palestinian Arab leaders. The
official PA newspapers Al-Hayat Al-
Jadida and Al-Ayyam have referred to
Kissinger as “Henry the Jew”; derided
Albright as “vulgar,” “insolent,” and
“a snake”; denounced Powell as “a
neo-Nazi agent”; and labeled Rice “the
black widow” and “the black raven,”
among other insults. One wonders what
epithets they have in store for Blinken.
The lesson for Israel? Blinken’s insult
about “Israel dehumanizing Gazans”
is consistent with what we have come
to expect from the State Department.
Many secretaries of state seem to have
believed that coldness to Israel is part
of the job description. But Israel has
outlasted them all.
RM
Vues Master’s Note: Self hating Jews!
MASHGIACH
Dear Vues Master:
A big yasher koach for all the recent
beautiful articles about the Mashgiach,
Rav Matisyahu Solomon zt”l. I would
like to bring to your readers’ attention
something that the Mashgiach gave me
permission to say in his name. I had
showed him the Feldheim book for
children by Mrs. Genendel Krohn titled
“Honorable Mentschen” and asked for
his opinion. He said, “It is written in a
very down-to-earth manner. There is a
lot that children can get from it.” May
I suggest as a zechus l’ilui neshoma
Rav Matisyahu Chaim zt”l to purchase
and read this book together with your
children. Tizku l’mitzvos,
RDF
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for the
recommendation!
STYLE
Dear Vues Master:
A man’s life is less stressful than a
woman’s. For instance, he knows that
whatever he is wearing will remain in
style for the rest of his life.
AK
Vues Master’s Note: But still women
live longer?
SHOWING OFF
Dear Vues Master:
Can people stop putting their fancy
vacations on social media? There is
a war going on in Israel & people are
dying every day. I’m not saying people
shouldn’t go on with their lives but
why flaunt it when Klal Yisrael is going
through a horrible time right now.
ML
Vues Master’s Note: What does it have
to do with Israel? Even when times are
good people should not show off on
social media. There are those who can’t
afford it!
WWIII
Dear Vues Master:
Ya know, I was thinking about it over
the weekend… So much talk about
a potential world war erupting, but,
if you actually think about it, we’re
in one. Think about all the countries/
entities involved in this war in one way
or another.
– Israel
– Iran
– The United States
– Gaza
– Judea and Samaria (what people call
the West Bank)
– Russia
– China
– Yemen
– Jordan
– Egypt
– South Africa
– Syria
– Lebanon
– UK
– Germany
– Ireland
– Qatar
– Saudi Arabia
– Canada
Did I forget someone? Of course, not
all of these are involved militarily, but
all of the above countries are involved
in this war in one way or another. That
looks like a world war to me. Tell me
why I’m wrong.
Hillel Fuld
Vues Master’s Note: We are living in
scary times!
PRAYERS AND DISHES
Dear Vues Master:
A group of women came to visit Mrs.
Silverstein, who was sick at home.
When they got up to leave, they said:
“We will pray for you.” She replied:
“Thank you, but I can pray for myself.
I’d prefer if you go to my kitchen and
do the dishes.”
TW
Vues Master’s Note: Practical!
SUPER BOWL
Dear Vues Master:
A man had 50 yard line tickets for
the Super Bowl. As he sat down, he
noticed that the seat next to him was
empty. He asked the man on the other
side of the empty seat whether anyone
was sitting there. “No,” the man
replied, “The seat is empty.” “That’s
incredible,” said the first man. “Who in
their right mind would have a seat like
this for the Super Bowl, the biggest
sporting event in the world and not use
it?” The second man replied, “Well,
actually, the seat belongs to me. I was
supposed to come with my wife, but
she passed away. This will be the first
Super bowl we haven’t been together
since we got married in 1967.” “Oh,
I’m sorry to hear that. That’s terrible.
But couldn’t you find someone else —
a friend or relative, or even a neighbor
to take the seat?” The man shook his
head. “No, they’re all at the funeral.”
DH
Vues Master’s Note: It is a true story!
Ask the blind man he saw it too!
BRACHA IN CHUTZ
LA’ARETZ
Dear Vues Master:
Did you know that the beracha of
אשר קדשנו בקדושתו של
recited be can אהרן וצונו לאכול תרומה
In? חוץ לארץ in only בזמן הזה
Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 322:5 it says
ל“חו חלת since it is דרבנן, a kohen
who went to the mikvah may eat it.
The א“רמ adds that when he eats it he
is required to make 2 ברכות a) המוציא
מזונות or
וצונו לאכול תרומה (b
MF
Vues Master’s Note: Cool trivia!
JOKES
Dear Vues Master:
At the end of a job interview, the
personnel officer asked a young
engineer fresh out of school, “And
what starting salary are you looking
for?” The young man replied: “In the
neighborhood of $150,000 a year,
depending on the benefits package.”
The interviewer said: “Well, what
would you say to a package of 5
weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays,
full medical and dental, company
matching retirement fund of up to 50%
of salary, and a company car leased
every two years?” The young man sat
up straight and said: “Wow! Are you
kidding?” And the interviewer replied:
“Yeah, but you started it.”
MB
Vues Master’s Note: I guess that is
why I get paid so much!
HANDLE
Dear Vues Master:
A Yemenite was asked why he was
eating with his hands. “התימנים
“.מסורת היא בידינו” ,said he” ,אנחנו
BR
Vues Master’s Note: Sounds fishy to
me! That is why Chassidim eat fish
with their hands!
FOOLS BRACHA
Dear Vues Master:
A chosid went to his rebbie and asked
that he give him a bracha for health.
The rebbie said: “May you be a
שוטה all of your life.” Surprised and
offended, the Chosid asked why the
rebbie would wish such a thing on
him. The rebbie said: “Our chachamim
Not” .שוטה אינו מרגיש said have
understanding what the Rebbie
meant, the chassid asked the gabbai to
explain. The gabbai asked him: “Do
you feel your liver?” The chassid of
course answered no. He then asked:
“Do you feel your spleen?” Of course,
the answer was no. The gabbai then
said: “You see, as long as you don’t
feel them, you’re in good health. It’s
like chazal say:
“.שוטה אינו מרגיש
WN
Vues Master’s Note: It’s a bracha in
disguise!
FRIENDS
Dear Vues Master:
A very wealthy man had serious
financial reverses, went bankrupt and
lost everything, including all of his
“friends.” He said: “This is a ראיה that
.איוב לא היה ולא נברא אלא משל היה
Because how is it possible
that a person who lost all of his wealth,
still remained with three friends?”
JM
Vues Master’s Note: With friends like
these who need enemies?
NOT FUNNY
Dear Vues Master:
The joke about Ben-Shapiro is
horrendous. The song should not be
promoted near Mordy Shapiro who is
ultra-orthodox. Furthermore, I don’t
think this song should be mentioned at
all since the lyrics are sort of x-rated
with lots of curses.
LS
Vues Master’s Note: I did not see the
joke. Must have missed it!
RICH
Dear Vues Master:
The Torah says
.ואברם כבד מאד במקנה בכסף ובזהב
Why did he need all that wealth? The
answer is that the תורה says in the
very next two verses that he went on
.ויקרא שם אברם בשם ה journeys his
The עולם של רבונו knew that for the
words of אברם to be accepted, he first
had to be wealthy.
LU
Vues Master’s Note: I guess the rich
get richer and the poor have children!
PAYBACK TIME
Dear Vues Master:
Mrs. Borger borrowed a dozen eggs
from her neighbor. Mrs.Borger may
not repay her a dozen eggs. Mrs.
Borger borrowed a dozen eggs and
found a blood spot in one of the eggs
she is not required to pay back for
the egg with the bloodspot. Since
she is not required to pay for it if she
עובר על איסור *רבית. be will she does
Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat
232:19 “If someone sells eggs to his
friend and it was found to be spoiled
and inedible, It is considered a טעות
מקח,)mistaken sale) and the money
must be returned. Today we don’t
rule like this. And a Minhag is מבטל
(nullifies) a Halacha” (The buyer is
stuck with the spoiled eggs) Rav Y.S.
Elyashiv & Rav S. Wosner zt”l both
hold that this Minhag/Halacha is not
applicable when a person borrows the
eggs. Therefore there is no need to
repay for the spoiled eggs. R. Wosner
(Shevet Halevi 10:133) writes that
since there is no need to repay the
eggs you may not repay it otherwise
it’s רבית*
MF
Vues Master’s Note: Sounds like he
was left with egg on his face!
TALKING TO ME?
Dear Vues Master:
a ,רבי חיים צדק מרומשישקי When
מגיד, came to a certain town, he gave
a harsh דרשה on the evils of lending
money with interest. The following
day, he was told that the town’s גביר,
who charged interest on loans he
made, was upset because he thought
that חיים רבי had directed his remarks
to him. The מגיד replied: “I’m like
a hatmaker. The hatmaker doesn’t
make them to order. He makes them
as he sees fit and then brings the hats
to market. It is only then, when the
buyer selects the one that fits him, that
it turns out to have been prepared for
“.מלכתחילה him
RD
Vues Master’s Note: I guess you could
say “ein Adam roeh Nigei atzmo!”