04 Mar SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

THANK YOU CHAVERIM
Dear Vues Master,
I just wanted to extend a huge thank you to Flatbush
Chaverim for their unwavering dedication and service to
the community! This past Motzei Shabbos, March 1st,

your annual Member Appreciation Event was a wonder-
ful way to recognize the hard work of your 90+ volunteers

who selflessly respond to thousands of emergency calls
throughout the year.
Your commitment to assisting with car troubles, lockouts,

and providing emergency equipment loans is truly remark-
able. Over the past year alone, responding to 15,000 calls

and lending out over 1,000 pieces of equipment has made
a real difference in so many families’ lives. The recent
expansion of your team and facilities demonstrates how
deeply you care about meeting the growing needs of the
community.

Thank you again for all that you do—your efforts are genu-
inely appreciated! PS

Vues Master’s Note: A big yasher koach!!

THE POWER OF A BRACHA
Dear Vues Master,

There was great excitement at Yeshivas Mir in Yerusha-
layim this past week following the birth of a granddaughter

to HaMashgiach HaTzaddik Rav Binyamin Finkel. This is
the first child born to his son, HaRav Yosef Finkel, after 10
years of marriage.

There is a special story behind the birth. Last Pesach, Ha-
Rav Binyamin and his son, Rav Yosef, went to visit the

Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky. The
Rosh Yeshiva promised Rav Yosef that he would have a
baby within the year.
LT

Vues Master’s Note: Stories like this remind us of the in-
credible power of a bracha from a tzaddik. Mazel Tov!

EATING MILCHIGS AT THE PURIM SEUDAH
Dear Vues Master,
Purim this year falls on a Friday, and to make matters

worse, my dear wife has suggested serving milchigs in-
stead of fleishigs for our Purim meal. Honestly, I’m beyond

frustrated. I get it — you’re supposed to have a ta’ava for

Shabbos, but let’s get one thing straight: a seudah is sup-
posed to include meat, not dairy! The whole point of the

meal is to celebrate with something hearty and satisfying,
and milchigs just don’t cut it for me.
RAL
Vues Master’s Note: Shalom Bayis is more important.
Don’t complain.You’ll eat what your wife serves. You can
eat fleishigs on Friday night.

TZEDAKA
Dear Vues Master:

Last Purim, after morning Megillah reading, I found hun-
dreds of dollars—yes, hundreds—of tzedakah money on

the floor of the Bais Medrash where I daven. It wasn’t just
in one spot, but in three different locations. I hung a sign
until Pesach, but received no response. That money is in
halachic limbo. The donor assumes the money was given
for tzedakah, the collector who is responsible has no idea

it was lost, and in any case, it’s yi’ush she’lo mi’daas (de-
spair without the knowledge of the owner), so I can’t keep

it. To all collectors, young and old: be responsible!
JH
Vues Master’s Note: What a story!

MEAT BOARDS
Dear Vues Master,
Ugh, don’t even get me started on the price of those meat
boards for mishloach manos! Every year, they seem to get

more and more expensive. You end up paying a small for-
tune for just a bunch of deli meats thrown together on a

wooden board, and it’s honestly outrageous. It feels like

they expect people to just open their wallets without a sec-
ond thought, all because it’s Purim. The price inflation is

hard to believe, especially when it’s just a few slices of
meat, some pickles, and maybe a couple of olives. It really
feels like they’re taking advantage of the situation. BO

Vues Master’s Note: It’s called supply and demand. If peo-
ple are willing to pay, they’ll keep selling it.

 

DRINKING ON PURIM
Dear Vues Master,

I can’t believe I am writing this, but the issue of exces-
sive drinking on Purim, and the ramifications it causes

both spiritually and physically, is plaguing our commu-
nity—and has personally affected my family. My son is

a top bochur at a well-known, established yeshiva in Flat-
bush. He excels in learning and maintains excellent grades

in English as well. However, last year, during an unsu-

pervised Purim mesiba at a bochur’s house,
he was pressured to drink, as he would have
been one of the few bochurim who did not.
He was essentially forced into it. In previous
years, he would have just had one cup of wine
and gone to bed, fulfilling the mitzvah as the
Rama instructs.
Last Purim, my son got drunk with the other

bochurim, and after the mesiba, he was roam-
ing the streets. I received a call from my

neighbor, who told me that my son had almost
been hit by a car. I had to drive around the

streets until I found him at 1:45 in the morn-
ing, lying on someone’s front lawn, covered

in vomit, with his clothes permanently ru-
ined. He had a terrible headache, missed the

morning Megillah reading and mishloach ma-
nos, and only got up in time for the seuda. It

was traumatizing for our entire family. After
speaking to other parents, I learned that many
had similar stories about their sons, and some

even had similar experiences with their hus-
bands.

There are numerous ramifications of exces-
sive drinking:

1- V’nishmartem me’od le’nafshoseichem –
You are endangering your life. Getting hit by
cars, falling, and sustaining injuries are just
some of the risks. Excessive drinking can also
affect your heart, kidneys, and liver.
2- Baal Tashchis – By ruining your clothing

with vomit and breaking things while intoxi-
cated, you are wasting money and resources.

3- Chilul Hashem (Lo Sichalilu es Shem Kod-
she) – Chilul Hashem is caused when gentiles

witness wild driving, loud behavior, and
drunkenness. This behavior causes non-Jews
to look down on us. They may view the drunk
bochurim as no better than public school kids.
As Jews, we are held to a higher standard. The

chilul Hashem among Jews comes from in-
appropriate behavior that is unbecoming of a

Ben Torah.
4- Pirikos O’yl – The Chachamim intended

for us to drink on Purim to enhance our spiri-
tual connection—to daven better and perform

mitzvos with more love and joy—not for the
sake of fun or as a license to indulge in other

vices like smoking cigars, cigarettes, or vap-
ing.

5- Ki Kadosh Ani Hashem Elokeichem – Ex-
cessive drinking often causes people to act

aggressively. They may no longer behave as
the kind, sweet, and refined bochurim they
once were. Instead, they may push, shove, get
into arguments with fellow bochurim, or use

inappropriate language, all of which are unbe-
coming of a Ben Torah.

6- Dina D’malchusa Dina – It is illegal to
serve alcohol to minors under 21, and it’s

wrong to help them get drunk. There is no re-
ligious exemption to serve alcohol to minors.

While some may choose not to drink and re-
main in line with Torah values, we need to re-
member that the authorities could intervene if

they chose to do so, despite the community’s
generally good behavior.
7- Lack of Kavod – “Rav shemochel kevodo,
kevodo machul lo.” Distinguished bochurim,
kollel yungeleit, and rabbanim should not be
acting in a drunken, foolish manner by falling
on the floor and throwing up.
I have personally spoken to many women,
and they are not happy when their husbands
get drunk in front of the family, leaving them
to take on the role of the “man of the house.”
They are also upset when their sons get overly
drunk.

To sum up, I understand that there is a mitz-
vah on Purim to drink. In our generation,

more people should follow the Rama’s guid-
ance or drink just enough to get a bit high to

enhance their joy on Yom Tov and recognize
the miracles of Purim. I want my husband
and sons to enjoy Purim in a safe, meaningful
way. Let’s aim for a freilichen and safe Purim.
A concerned mother in Flatbush
Vues Master’s Note: It’s a serious issue that
must be addressed by our rabbonim.

EDUCATION
Dear Vues Master,

Rabbi Avraham Gurwicz, head of the Beis
Yosef Yeshiva in Gateshead, England, and
one of the senior Roshei Yeshiva in Europe,
recently sent a letter to the Jewish residents

of London in response to the looming educa-
tion decree in the country. The government

is demanding the inclusion of secular studies
and other subjects that contradict the Torah in
the curriculum of boys’ and girls’ educational
institutions of all ages.
The law, which is primarily targeted at the
Orthodox Jewish community, has already
passed its first and second readings in the

British Parliament. It stipulates that all edu-
cational institutions must include secular

studies, some of which directly contradict the
sacred Torah. The new law includes criminal
sanctions that could be personally imposed on
yeshiva students. It may also interfere with
Orthodox educational frameworks that have
so far operated under the definition of “home
schooling,” posing a significant threat to the
existence of yeshivos in the United Kingdom.

A private bill on this matter, which has al-
ready passed its first and second readings, is

expected to be brought to a third vote in the
London Parliament in the coming weeks. If,
Heaven forbid, the law is approved, it will
then be presented to the House of Lords for
a final decision.
In light of this, the Rosh Yeshiva writes that
if the law passes its third vote, those who fear
Hashem will have no choice but to migrate
to a place where they can serve Hashem and
educate their children in the traditional way
passed down through generations.
LIW

Vues Master’s Note: They just don’t under-
stand—we will not give up our chinuch!

NOTHING FREE
Dear Vues Master,
A man opened a zoo and set the entrance fee
at $300, but no one visited. He lowered the
price to $200, but still no one came. He then
reduced the fee to $10, yet no one showed up.

Finally, he made the entrance free, and soon,
the zoo was packed with people. At that point,
he quietly locked the gate, released the lions,
and set the exit fee at $500. Everyone paid!
As you go through life, beware of cheap or

free offers—they can be dangerous. No busi-
ness is truly free, my friends!

RSY
Vues Master’s Note: There’s a sucker born
every minute!

DAF YOMI
Dear Vues Master,
Many young people – and even some older
individuals – eagerly anticipate the holiday
when one can be so drunk (or sleepy) that
they might not distinguish between “Blessed

is Mordechai” and “Cursed is Haman.” Be-
fore reaching that point, let’s take the oppor-
tunity to reflect on some observations about

wine discussed in the Talmud, found on two
pages that are studied worldwide just before
Purim begins. These discussions touch on
very intentional decisions involving wine (see
Sanhedrin 70 and 72).
Page 72 notes that “the sleep and wine of the
wicked is beneficial to them and beneficial to
the world.” This suggests that, beyond merely
being enjoyable for the wicked, it prevents
them from engaging in harmful actions that
could negatively impact the world, rather than
just local or national societies.

Additionally, as stated on page 70, wine al-
lows evildoers to be “rewarded” in this world

for their limited good deeds, but they receive
no rewards in the world to come.
[The next paragraph is not essential and can
be deleted for brevity or other reasons.] More
specifically, Rav Hanan (page 70) explains

that wine was created in the world to com-
fort mourners and to reward the wicked (as

discussed above) (see also Eruvin 65). Rav

Hanan justifies his comment by citing Prov-
erbs 31:6: “Give strong drink to him that is

ready to perish (the wicked), and wine to the
bitter of soul (mourners).”

In contrast, good people refrain from doing
bad things, even when intoxicated, and will
be rewarded in the world to come.
To support this contrast, excessive sleep and
drinking wine (according to the Talmud on
page 72) by the righteous – presumably by
individuals who are otherwise righteous but
who indulge in such excesses – is harmful
both to them and to the world, as it prevents
them from performing good deeds. (Purim,

of course, allows for a variation of such be-
havior for the righteous, but only for one day

and in a limited way.)
The Talmud also discusses the requirements

for designating a “rebellious son” (Deuter-
onomy 21:18–21). This designation is not

only based on resisting parental discipline
but also on rejecting discipline regarding
eating and drinking. Before anyone feels
this is getting too close to home, it should be
noted that Jewish tradition includes so many
prerequisites for this designation that it is
said no son in history has ever actually been
defined or punished in this way.
Returning to the topic of rebellious sons,

even the type, quality, and age of wine con-
sumed could exempt a person from being

designated as such, even if the wine was

drunk at a seudat mitzvah (a meal associ-
ated with a mitzvah), like the Purim seudah,

which can help avoid this designation.
Now, for the promised Purim puns in the daf:
Rav Kahana (page 70) cites Jeremiah 31:12:
“They shall come and sing joyously on the
height of Zion, they will stream to God’s
bounty, upon grain, upon wine, and upon
oil…” The word for wine is written “tirash”
(without the letter vav) but is read as “tirosh”
(with the letter vav). This can be explained

as follows: if one drinks moderately (deserv-
ing), he becomes a leader (rosh, as in rosh

kollel or rosh hamemshalah, l’havdil). But if
one does not merit (drinks excessively), he
becomes poor (a
different kind of
rosh).
The Talmud is
overflowing with
puns related to
wine. Rava (page
70) refers to one

of the most fa-
mous and beloved

statements about
wine: “And wine
that gladdens the
heart of man”
(Psalms 104:15).
The word could

be read as “me-
shamach” (which

means “makes a person crazy” or “deso-
late”), but we read it as “mesamach” (glad-
dens the heart). Again, drinking in modera-
tion gladdens the heart (and may have other

health benefits), but excessive drinking leads

to craziness or desolation. As noted else-
where on the same page, it can even lead to

bloodshed – wine being the color of blood,

and intoxicated people often becoming vio-
lent.

Unfortunately, there is already enough vio-
lence in the world without the addition of

drunkenness. A very contemporary form of
violence is embodied in Hamas. Let us pray
that by the time Purim arrives, the Moshiach
will have come, or at the very least, that

Hamas will no longer pose a threat as Ha-
man once did.

The writer is not a connoisseur of fine wines,
but toasts (posthumously) the protagonists
of books he has authored, edited, and/or
supplemented, most notably Harry Fischel,

Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein, and Chief Rab-
bi Shear Yashuv Cohen. The latter was the

son of the Nazir of Jerusalem, who chose
not to become a Nazir but still refrained
from drinking wine.
Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq.
Vues Master’s Note: Hey, I’ll drink to that!

BASEBALL
Dear Vues Master,
Two men who grew up together and played

in a baseball league over the years prom-
ised each other that whoever passed away

first would return to let the other know what
it’s like on the other side. After the first man
passed away, he came back to his friend in
a dream and said, “I’ve got good news and
bad news. Which would you like to hear
first?”
“I’ll take the good news,” his friend replied.
“Well,” the man began, “the good news is

that we’re playing baseball here all the time,
and I get to play with all the greats: Babe
Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle.”
“So, what could be bad?” his friend asked.
“You’re up next,” the man replied.
BM
Vues Master’s Note: I heard he’s pitching
tomorrow!

BEKETCHE
Dear Vues Master,
Why is it that many Chasidic Rebbes wear
fancy colored Bekeshes, Shtreimels, and
fur-lined coats, while the Roshei Yeshiva
wear plain Fraks (long coats) and simple
hats?
This question was once asked of the Netziv,
and he explained that this Minhag (custom)
goes back a long time in history.
The Jewish people once had two leaders:
one in Torah and one in Avodah (service).

We don’t find Moshe Rabbeinu, who repre-
sents Torah, wearing any special clothing.

On the other hand, Aharon and his sons, the
Kohanim, who represent Avodah, had to
wear special garments of the Kohen.
Vues Master’s Note: Time to put on a Frock!

GIFTS
Dear Vues Master,
One year, Michael was unsure what to buy
for his mother-in-law’s birthday. Feeling
generous, he decided to purchase a plot in
the cemetery for her. The following year,
as her birthday approached, Michael’s wife

asked him what he had gotten for her moth-
er.

“Nothing, dear,” he replied. “She still hasn’t
used the gift I gave her last year.” JH
Vues Master’s Note: That was just a dead
issue!

LIFE
Dear Vues Master,
A man saw his friend struggling while
carrying two heavy watermelons. “Why
are you straining yourself with those
two heavy melons?” he asked. “Isn’t one
enough?”

The friend replied, “I heard my mother-
in-law say that she’d give

half her life for a good mel-
on, so I immediately went

out and bought two.”
Best, DS
Vues Master’s Note: I’ve
never heard this joke before!

ISRAEL
Dear Vues Master,
An elderly Jew traveled to

Eretz Yisrael to spend his remaining years
there and to be buried in its soil. However,
not many years passed before his money

was gone, and he returned with empty pock-
ets to where he had come from. In response

to this, חריף אייזל רבי remarked to the old
יש לך אדם שממונו ,says gemara The “:man
מגופו עליו חביב. This concept—that there are
people who value their wealth more than
their own bodies—is hard to grasp. But it
seems that the גמרא was referring to people
like you. You traveled to ישראל ארץ to have
your body buried in its soil, but instead, you
buried your money there and returned with
your body here. Therefore, it turns out that
you value your wealth more than your
body.”
GS
Vues Master’s Note: What an out-of-body
experience!

FRIEND
Dear Vues Master:
There was a shochet in town who was

known for being an absolute imbecile. Rab-
bi Aizel Charef commented: “Every time he

slaughters an animal, he violates the prohi-
bition of ‘Lo Ta’amod Al Dam Re’echa’ (Do

not stand by the blood of your neighbor).”
Vues Master’s Note: With friends like these,
who needs enemies?

CHECKS
Dear Vues Master:
Please exercise caution when mailing
checks. Recently, there have been increasing
incidents of checks being stolen from USPS
mailboxes. The thief chemically washes and

alters the payee’s name and the amount be-
fore cashing the checks.

Before placing envelopes in the mailbox,
ensure there is no sticky substance in the
slot that could trap your mail or hold in
place a plastic bag inserted by the thief to
catch your mail. Make sure your envelope
goes all the way down into the mailbox. Be
cautious and alert.
LO
Vues Master’s Note: Try to keep your
checks and balances!