13 Jul Speak Your Vues

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.

WE MUST MAKE A MACHAAH,

WE MUST!!

Dear Vues Master:

In last week’s Country Vues there was an

ad for a certain store which shall go unnamed.

The ad depicted a couple of chairs

with this store’s bags on them, arranged in

a circle with the captions “what’s gossip

without a side of this store?”. I am sure it

doesn’t take much brains or extensive Torah

knowledge to understand the obvious

issue with this ad. I and many others (mind

you, I’m not just assuming so, I spoke to

multiple other people just to be 100% certain

I wasn’t overreacting) were shocked

and outraged at this blatant dismissal of the

issur of lashon Hara. And not only is this a

blatant dismissal of the issur, but this store

goes as far as to advise it! And suggest we

buy their food to further the pleasure in our

being oiver SEVENTEEN lavvin in one fell

swoop!! We as Jews live by the Torah and

it’s 613 commandments, we look to it for

guidance and it is our very purpose in life

on this earth. The Chofetz Chaim zt”l dedicated

his life to bringing about awareness

to this egregious sin, and this store seeks

to destroy his life’s work, just to bring in

some extra online orders!! Had this been

from one of our well known heimishe eateries,

who have been servicing our upstate

community for many years with a very Yiddishe

feel, perhaps I would have contacted

their management directly, but suffice it to

say I’ve heard this store already attracts

an ‘unsavory’ crowd, and is known to be a

place for whom any Ben Torah/Bas Torah

who values his/her values, as not the location

to spend their summer vacation. I even

wonder if pursuing a cherem against their

establishment would only serve to further

their enmity and appeal to these ‘unsavory’

crowds! Therefore, with no-one else to turn

to to right this wrong, I ask you Vues master,

how can we as parents who try our very

hardest to shelter our children from the influences

of the outside world, continue to

raise our children with the same innocence

and purity as our parents raised us and their

parents them all throughout history, when

in our own Torahdike publications there

exist such blatant contradictions to the very

values we raise our children on?! It’s outrageous!!

Therefore I call on you (and not

only you, this is not a blame game, and to

my stunned disbelief many other publications

published the same ad) to discontinue

this ad before any real harm can be done.

Though I fear it is too late and at this point,

this is more damage control than prevention.

PG

Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for bringing it

to our attention.

TRUST

Dear Vues Master:

“The most expensive thing in the world is

TRUST,it takes years to earn and a matter

of seconds to lose”

MP

Vues Master’s Note: Whenever someone

tells me to trust them, I make sure not to

trust him. BTW when a person tells me to

be honest with you, I know the person is

lying.

STABBING

Dear Vues Master:

The attempted stabbing murder of Rabbi

Shlomo Noginski in Boston, on July 1,

is a stark reminder of the danger of the

times we live in, and the challenge all Jews

must face now. Jew-haters have become

more emboldened, not just across America,

but throughout the Diaspora / Exile

and are committing violent attacks with

truly alarming frequency. This attack

came during the national Jewish mourning

period between the fast of Shiva Asar

B’Tammuz (this year June 27) and Tisha

B’Av (this year July 18) when we traditionally

lament the ancient destruction of

Jerusalem and the corresponding loss of

Jewish sovereignty. That this attack came

now, at this time of year, is a clear sign that

we must make caring for one another, and

our mutual security, a much higher priority.

There is a custom to eat a hard-boiled egg

at shiva. Thank G-d the Noginski family

did not have to observe shiva and we pray for his speedy recovery. A more well known custom involving eggs is to place an egg on the Seder plate, and another custom is to eat an egg before Tisha B’Av. This all seems to be very strange. On Passover, we place the egg on the Seder plate to symbolize the korban chagigah (the festival sacrifice) that was offered in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. And on Tisha B’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, we remember the destruction of both the first and the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem, as well as other, lesser tragedies. The Ramah, in his late Middle Ages commentary on Shulchan Aruch, offers another, deeper connection, and links the custom of placing an egg on the Seder plate to the egg eaten before the commemoration of Tisha B’Av. The link between Passover and Tisha B’Av is that Tisha B’Av falls on the same day of the week as the first night of Passover. Since the egg is associated with mourning, it directs attention to the mourning of the Jewish people on the day of Tisha B’Av — the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av. The symbolism of the egg on Passover is to associate the historical mourning of Jews on the ninth day of the month of Av with the celebration of freedom on the first night of Passover. However, this juxtaposition is puzzling. A joyous celebration of freedom is linked with the horrendous remembrance of pogroms, persecution, and the Exile of our people and related destruction of Tisha B’Av. One answer is that Jews left Egypt early, at 210 years not the original 400 years that the Torah mentions. But because the Jews were about to completely assimilate and lose their identity, they were freed earlier. There was a spiritual debt of the remaining years that were “owed” as it were. This was a debt that was paid on Tisha B’Av. But that explanation is a hard egg to swallow. Jewish people have endured so much as a people, both the celebrations and the sorrows. As a result of centuries of living and adapting to different environments, Jews have developed into many distinct groups. Today it is even more complicated. Due to technology, media, and the rapid intermixing of culture and tradition, Jews celebrate their Jewishness in many different ways. We have become a large and extended family. This family however, has taken on different streams, colors, and traditions. Whether you will agree with these other streams or not, the fact remains, that they do exist, and do form a distinct part of the fabric of our Jewish people. Another symbolism of the egg, is that it is a food item that gets harder not softer the more you cook it, symbolizing the strength of the Jewish people. But the thing that makes us stronger also makes us more intolerant, and, at times, uncaring and less welcoming of others. That is the sad state of affairs we are in as the Exile continues. Our goal on Tisha B’Av, is to hear and practice the message of tolerance and love of fellow Jews, before pride and prejudice. Tisha B’Av offers the opportunity to soften the egg of Exile, allowing us to truly unite as one people and take more responsibility for each other’s security. The attempted murder of Rabbi Noginski should cause all Jews to be more concerned about the protection of synagogues and other Jewish institutions. Make a pledge to strive for Jewish unity and Jewish security and share it on social media. Take an active role in helping improve security at synagogues and Jewish schools. The time is now.

JG

Vues Master’s Note: May we be redeemed and not have to suffer anymore.

WILL

Dear Vues Master:

An old man was sick. His sons went to the בר†and asked him to visit their father and in the course of speaking to him to drop hints about having a will. The בר†did as they asked, comforting the הלוח†and concluding: “It’s like we say every day,

ונייח†המ†¨ונחנא†המ.” The old man understood what was going on and responded: “My sons complete that sentiment and say Æהמ†¨ונירשא†ונתשורי†הפי†המו†ונקלח†בוט”

MB

Vues Master’s Note: You know what they say. “Where there is a will there are relatives.”

SMOKING

Dear Vues Master:

Smoking a form of suicide and prohibited under Halacha. DO NOT SMOKE, IF YOU SMOKE STOP!

H T

Master’s Note: What about marijuana? I don’t see anyone railing against that?

HONESTY

Dear Vues Master:

–לארשימו†’המ†םייקנ†םתייהו†According to the Chasam Sofer, the most difficult command in the Torah is, “לארשימ†≠†םייקנ†םתייהו”. It’s next to impossible to fulfill this command. The Chasam Sofer (Shut 6 : 59) writes. “There are two obligations 1) To come clean from Hashem 2) from Bnei Yisroel. It is much easier to fulfill the first obligation than the second one. The punishment on the second obligation is also much greater. (Chillul Hashem). You can have a person doing something which is Halachicly correct, but isn’t careful and some “רכש†יתוש” (beer drinkers) mistakenly accuse him of wrongdoing, such a person has not fulfilled his obligation of לארשימםייקנ†םתייהו. It is almost impossible to fulfill this obligation. It is very likely ךלמה†המלש†had this in mind when he wrote

ץראב†קידצ†ןיא†We find the Bnei דג†etc. followed Moishe Rabbeinu’s advice and fought along with the other םיטבש†for 14 years. They were punished to be sent to תולג†before the rest of לארשי†ללכ†, because they haven’t fulfilled 100% the obligation of םייקנ†םתייהו†.”

MF

Vues Master’s Note: Scary. We need to make a Kiddush Hashem not a chillul Hashem!

FASTING

Dear Vues Master:

The ארמג†says

יעשופמ†הב†ןיאש†תינעת†לכ.

תינעת†הניא†לארשי†Rav הל׳היעשי†of Prague was asked: “But what of those לארשי†יעשופ†who do eat on רופיכ†םוי?” The בר†responded: “That is why the Torah says that one who eats and drinks on

רופיכ†ברע, the ninth of the month, it is as if he fasted on the ninth and the tenth and there is a הקזח†that the לארשי†יעשופ†won’t forgo eating on Æרופיכ†ברע”

BM

Vues Master’s Note: I always say that these fast days go by real slow.

FISH LIST

Dear Vues Master:

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF SOME COMMON FISH• THAT HAVE/DON’T HAVE A CONCERN OF ANISAKIS WORMS.• THE FOLLOWING FISH• THE FOLLOWING FISH• (FRESH/FROZEN/SMOKED/CANNED)• (FRESH/FROZEN/SMOKED/CANNED)• ARE FREE OF CONCERN:• ARE OF CONCERN:• Baby Salmon• Butterfish• Bangus• Canned Salmon (Wild, which it usually is, unless marked• Barramundi• ‘farm raised’)• Bronzini (Farm Raised)• Codl• Brook Trout (Farm Raised)• Flounder- All other types• Carp• (Including: Dabs, Turbot, Yellow Fin Sole, Yellow Tail)• Flounder—only the following:• Haddock• Fluke (only northern; southern fluke is sometimes infested), Georgia Banks, and Channel• Hake2• Gilthead Sea Bream (Dorade) (Farm Raised)• Halibut3• Lemon Sole• Mackere14• LOX (Farm raised, which it usually is, unless marked ‘wild’)• Ocean Perch (Icelandic)• Mullet• Pollock5• Nile Perch (from Lake Victoria-Africa)• Red Perch (Icelandic)• Noble (Silver Carp)• Red Snapper (Pacific)• Ocean Perch (Canadian)• Sable (is often made from Sea Bass — see Sea Bass) Salmon (wild)6• Red Perch (Canadian)• Sardines (with skin & bones) – from Portugal, Scotland &• Red Snapper (except Pacific)• Norway• Sable (only when marked: ‘Farm Raised Black Cod’)• Sea Bass (Australian, Chilean7)• Salmon (Farm Raised) 5• (Atlantic, British Columbia, Chilean, New Zealand, Norwegian)• Sole• Sardines (with skin & bones) – from Morocco & Philippines• Turbot• Sardines (Skinless & Boneless or filleted) – all countries• Yellow Perch• Sea Bass – Blue Nose (New Zealand), Grouper (Mexican), Striped Bass• Tilapia• Trout (Farm raised)• Tuna• Whitefish (Great Lakes/Michigan)

FL

Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for sharing. This list sounds fishy to me and I hope that we don’t bug out tring to eat this in the nine days!

COLLECTION

Dear Vues Master:

A boy once asked his father why it is that before חספ†special collections are made for the poor, including םיטח†תועמ†and אחספד†אחמק, but there are no special collections for םיינע†before תוכוס? His father answered: “The הרות†commands in reference to חספ†that

תוצמ†ולכאת†םימי†תעבש. But in reference to תוכוס†it merely says

םימי†תעבש†ובשת†תוכוסב, making no mention of הליכא.”

NB

Vues Master’s Note: I don’t know but a guy came to me for help with his shul building a Mikvah so I brought him a cup of water and told him here is your first donation.

ATTIRE

Dear Vues Master:

An Arab lost in the desert was desperate for water. Suddenly, far off in the distance, he saw what looked like a human figure. As he dragged himself closer, he saw an old Jewish man sitting in a hut, selling neckties. “Do you have water,” the Arab asked. “Sorry,” the Jew replied. “I don’t have water, but I have neckties for sale. They’re only $25.” The Arab went nuts, cursing the Jew and screaming that he didn’t need a tie. He needed water. “OK,” the Jew replied, “If you don’t want a tie, don’t buy it. If you continue over that hill to the east for about 2 miles, you will find a lovely restaurant. It has all the water you need. Shalom.” Muttering, the Arab staggered away over the hill. Several hours later he staggered back, near collapse. “Your brother won’t let me in without a tie.”

BN

Vues Master’s Note: I guess this guy got tied up. He was hung out to dry!

EXACT

Dear Vues Master:

We see in the הליגמ†that ןמה†made the ץע†for the gallows fifty המא. Why fifty? One jester surmised that it was because of ערה†ןיע. Since he and his ten sons would be on display together, he tried to distance it from the eye. But this raises the following question: If it was because of ערה†ןיע, twenty המא†would have been sufficient. הכוס†תכסמ†states that we don’t make the הכוס†higher than twenty המא†because the eye doesn’t notice things above that height. Therefore, it appears that ןמה†made the ץע†fifty המא†because he was תוכלמל†ץעוי†and we learned in הצעל†םישימח†ןב†¨תובא†יקרפ. Finally, this also resolves the question of why ותשא†שרז†wasn’t also hung on the ץע. The answer is that it was to avoid being רבוע†on

ףיסות†לב, because then the number would have been fifty and תרז.

ND

Vues Master’s Note: I guess Haman made a career of hanging around the Palace.He must’ve had terrible cell phone service that is why they hung up on him all the time!

BEWARE

Dear Vues Master:

PSA: When I was walking along 18th Avenue, near Gravesend park, I was shocked to see a restaurant where a Bagels ‘n Greens location used to be with a sign that read “Orchidea’s Pork.” I had long been a fan of the Orchidea restaurant, so I found it disturbing that someone would open a treif restaurant with the same name. It turns out that this restaurant location is kosher and milchig. Why it appears to carry the name “Orchidea’s Pork” is still a mystery to me. Perhaps the sign printers made a mistake. But customers should be aware that they are kosher and do not chas v’shalom serve pork.

YF

Vues Master’s Note: This sounds like a sign on the fritz! They should fix it immediately!

SUGAR

Dear Vues Master:

I cannot eat sugar for health reasons, and I would like to eat sugar free chocolate ice cream. Why does it not exist? It’s 2021 and the technology is here. We have sucralose, xylitol, erythritol and more. In fact, they managed to make a cholov yisroel with no sugar added vanilla ice cream, which is sweet and creamy but oh so bland. Recent polling has shown that Americans now prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla. So why is it that most ice cream novelty products are mostly vanilla based and specialty ice cream products, such as the sugar free version that is the only one I can eat for health reasons, are all vanilla flavored? I did some informal polling of my own, and while I differ from the majority in disliking vanilla ice cream, many others strongly dislike any vanilla ice cream other than high quality custard based recipes with real vanilla. This means strawberry or butter pecan, which are tied for third, may be better options.

FD

Vues Master’s Note: I scream we all scream Ice cream. Bottom line you made me hungry and now I need to go and pick up some frozen yogurt!

SALE

Dear Vues Master:

George C. Parker was an American con man best known for conducting illegal sales of property he did not own, most famously the Brooklyn Bridge. Several of his victims were removed from the bridge by police after attempting to put in toll booths. In 1908, he was arrested but escaped the courthouse by putting on a sheriff’s hat and coat and calmly walking away. He spent the last eight years of his life in prison, but even there, he was popular with the guards and other inmates and was said to be enjoying himself. Similarly, the Democrats have a bridge to sell you, but they will always get away with it, even when they’re caught and convicted.

PC

Vues Master’s Note: I always tell my kids we will cross the bridge when we get there. Democrats are full of it but they ain’t fooling me they are the party of anti Semitism!

GROW

Dear Vues Master:

Growing In Ruchnius (Also)

I’m 6’9,

It feels normal for me cause I got used to it,

The weather is great,

My mother fed me spinach,

I fit in my bed but not in camps,

I’m the tallest in my family,

Sometimes I have to bend my head when going through a door,

Yea in the shower also,

I could dunk but only with jumping,

I could touch the ceiling but not always,

I look down at people,

I wear custom made clothing,

I don’t want to marry your 4’5 friend,

I could see over crowds,

My hands are bigger than yours,

I’m not og melech habashon,

My parents are tallish,

My shoe size is 15,

I fit in most cars,

I have to fly business class,

I never took steroids,

You should make me a shirt that says on it ‘I’m 6’9’,

I can’t lend you some height,

Everyone wants me on their team,

I would be a beast if I worked out,

One step for me is two steps for you,

Yea I get it a lot, don’t worry.

SR

Vues Master’s Note: I am also growing my waist line keeps on growing. They say round is a shape. I am well rounded.

VACCINE

Dear Vues Master:

For those who are worried about the safety effects of the COVID-19 and other vaccines, there is a trick you should know. Detoxing the injection site immediately after the vaccine removes the harmful toxins while allowing you to have a vaccination card or immunization record. If they don’t test titers, which is currently not done involuntarily, they will never find out. There are three main methods of detoxification. They should ideally be done within thirty minutes of vaccination, before the puncture site heals fully, but they can be done any time within 24 hours. The first method is very simple. Slice off the top of a potato and place it on the injection site. The potato will draw out the toxins on its own, turning black or brown as it does, just like it does with the toxins in the air (this is why you should cook potatoes immediately after slicing or grating them). The second method is similar: take an organic tea bag with chamomile and/or other herbs. Place it on the injection site. The healing energy will flow in and displace the toxins, while the toxins enter the teabag. Be sure to discard the teabag. The third method is to take a bath with eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree essential oils heavily diluted in jojoba oil. Massage around the injection site in a circular motion. If these were normal times and bodily autonomy were respected, there would be no need for these tricks. But since your rights won’t be respected, it’s worth taking a needle prick to convince the authorities that you were “vaccinated.”

VB

Vues Master’s Note: I lost you. Do you need some medication to make you lucid?

WOMEN

Dear Vues Master:

According to Harav Hagaon R.Shlomo Miller Shlita, Women who don’t usually Daven בירעמ†should preferably make an exception when באב†העשת†falls on תבש†יאצומ†and Daven בירעמ. When there is no סוכב†הלדבה. (on ק”שצומ) you should have at least הליפתב†הלדבה.

FM

Vues Master’s Note: Or maybe just say Hamavdil bein kodesh lechol.

WORDS

Dear Vues Master:

The הלוספ†הכוס†becomes a

הרישכ†הכוס†just by verbalizing a few words ? A הכוס, higher than 20 תומא†is לוספ. If you place straw etc. on the floor of the הכוס†and thereby reducing the height, it is kosher, only if you are הפב†לטבמ†the straw to the floor. You must verbalize & say, that you plan to keep the straw there for seven days Rashi

העבשל†ויפב†≠†ולטיבו†ןבת

MH

Vues Master’s Note: It is all from the mouth!

GRAB A SEAT

Dear Vues Master:

Donald Trump had a dream. He died and went up to Heaven, appearing before the םלוע†לש†ונובר†together with other statesmen. The

םלוע†לש†ונובר†rose from his

דובכה†אסכ†to greet the others, but remained seated when greeting Trump. Insulted, Trump said: “May I respectfully ask why You stood for the others but not for me?” The םלוע†לש†ונובר†responded: “I wish to honor you just like the others, but I was afraid that if I got up, you would grab my seat.”

DT

Vues Master’s Note: What is this? Musical Chairs?

THINK

Dear Vues Master:

According to Harav Hagaon R.Shlomo Miller Shlita, It is very important not to beתעד†חיסמ†of the תיבה†ןברוח†during the

ב”ת†וב†לחש†עובש†The

א”כ†ק”ס†א”נקת†הרורב†הנשמ†explains the reason for not doing laundry is because it looks like he is תעד†חיסמ†. If it just looks like being תעד†חיסמ†is wrong to do so רמוחו†לקhow much more so when one is actually being תעד†חיסמ≠”

Vues Master’s Note: I keep thinking of how timely this letter is!