The Jewish Vues | Speak Your Vues

19 Oct Speak Your Vues

Posted at 22:04h in by vueseditor

0 Likes

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.

REMEMBERING R’ CHAIM

FORTGANG Z”L

Dear Vues Master:

Chaim Fortgang was a person who was a

tremendous inspiration to all those around

him. My name is Donny Simcha Guttman.

I’m 18-years-old. I knew Chaim as we

went to the same bungalow colony, and he

was my Zeide’s close friend. I didn’t know

Chaim as well as my Zeide, but I was exposed

to the type of person he was. I stayed

in his bungalow some Shabbosim where I

saw his devotion to Talmud Torah and his

Shuirim he gave. Many summers we ate

barbeque meals together where his unique

perspectives on different topics were always

a treat. Chaim was more than a friend

to our family; he was part of the family. Despite

only knowing him for under 20 years,

I saw that Chaim was always devoted to

family, friends, neighbors, and his fellow

Jews. His love for his kids and wife was an

inspiration for many. Though I wish I got

to know him more, his essence was being

a true Eved Hashem, Mentch, and an Ohev

Yisrael. May his Neshama have an Aliyah,

Donny Simcha Guttman

Vues Master’s Note: Yehei Zichro Boruch!

LEARNED RABBI

Dear Vues Master:

A resolution was presented to the Board of

a בית†כנסת†to give the רב†a raise. Everyone

was in favor, except one old man who said

he doesn’t deserve it. When asked why, he

said: “He’s a good Rabbi, but he deceived

us. It’s a מקח†טעות†. When we appointed

him רב†, it was because he represented that

he was a בקי†בכל†התורה†כולה†. Yet, I’ve

seen that he still is learning every day.”

Vues Master’s Note: Tell him the same

problem applies to lawyers and doctors

they always tell me they are practicing you

think they will ever get it?

WORTH IT

Dear Vues Master:

An עם†הארץ†sat down to learn

מסכת†ביצה†and was stumped by a difficult

question. The גמרא†says

ביצה†שנולדה†ביום†טוב¨†בית†שמאי

אומרים†תאכל¨†ובית†הלל

.אומרים†לא†תאכל

How is it possible that these giants of Torah

should argue over an egg that’s worth just

a few cents? The question troubled him all

week. As he was sitting in the בית†כנסת

that שבת†listening to the reading of

פרשת†ויחי†, he heard the בעל†קורא†read אחים

שמעון†ולוי†. He looked into רש״י†and saw he

says בעצה†אחת†. He slapped his head and

said: “Now I got it. It was concerning this

בעצה†that בית†הלל†and

בית†שמאי†disagreed.”

Vues Master’s Note: Why can’t we get

along?

LANDLORD

Dear Vues Master:

There is a myth that all landlords have infinite

cash and only collect rent because they

enjoy extortion. This is why the government

is anti-landlord.

Vues Master’s Note: It is Socialism!

Straight up Socialism!

IMITATION A FORM OF FLATTERY

Dear Vues Master:

I noticed last week that another weekly

publication in Brooklyn copied your front

cover & has been trying to take a lot of

your popular columnists i.e.Rabbi Rosner

& Rabbi Goldberg. I also noticed that they

started copying the JV by putting in weekly

memes. I just want you know that you are

doing a fantastic job & are the best weekly

publication in the area. Wherever my family

goes they are talking about something in

the Jewish Vues . Keep up the good work

& don’t worry about other papers copying

you.

Master’s Note: Do you mean the publication

that has a bunch of canned Artscroll

articles? I would say that we don’t need to

comment on that as Coke does not comment

on Pepsi!

MEMES

Dear Vues Master:

I am disappointed by one of your memes in the fun section last week. While my family and I usually enjoy this section and the chuckles it gives us, I felt appalled by the meme about the kamikaze pilot named chicken chow mein. Not only was it not funny, it was in poor taste. In a time where racial and cultural tensions are so high, I would think as Jews we would be more sensitive and respectful to other groups. Not to mention that we have Jews of Asian descent ( and other cultural backgrounds) in our community. Your newspaper is distributed in our neighborhoods to Jewish and nonJewish households. I shudder to think what an outsider would think with this sort of humor. Can you please refrain from racist and bigoted humor in your publication? Jewish Views, you can do better. Thank you,

A S

Vues Master’s Note: You are right but yet aren’t we all being too politically correct? We used to be able to joke about things. We are all different but we are the same. Everyone enjoys a joke!

KARIE COURIC WAS NOT THE FIRST

Dear Vues Master:

Controversy has erupted over the admission by journalist Katie Couric that she doctored her 2016 interview with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in order to “protect” Ginsburg from criticism of her opposition to athletes kneeling during the national anthem. Couric joins a growing list of authors who have altered the unflattering words of individuals whom they admire, in order to shield them from embarrassment. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman have been among the prime beneficiaries of such unilateral revising of history. One instance involving Roosevelt concerns remarks he made in a private meeting on January 22, 1938, with Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, the foremost American Jewish leader of that era. The only source for what they discussed is a memorandum that Wise dictated shortly afterwards, for his private records. According to historians Richard Breitman and Allan J. Lichtman, in their 2013 book, FDR and the Jews, the topic of the conversation was Palestine. Roosevelt believed the country was incapable of absorbing many more Jewish immigrants, so he urged Wise to look for “some large areas [elsewhere in the world] as a second choice for the Jews.” Wise disagreed and “parried” with FDR about Palestine, Breitman and Lichtman wrote, citing Wise’s memorandum. But Breitman and Lichtman omitted another part of the conversation, in which the president blamed Poland’s Jews for the rising antisemitism in that country. According to the full text of the Wise memo, FDR claimed that “the Jewish grain dealer and the Jewish shoe dealer and the Jewish shopkeeper” had been undercutting Polish Christian merchants, and it was this alleged Jewish financial subterfuge that was provoking Christian shopkeepers to demand that “the Jew should go.” According to the memo, Wise protested, “But, Chief, this is pure Fascist talk”—a surprisingly blunt remark, considering that Wise was a passionate supporter of President Roosevelt and his administration. But Wise’s plea had no impact on the president. He wrote that Roosevelt’s remarks were “very painful” and “like a blow in the face.” Readers of the Breitman-Lichtman book, like readers of Katie Couric’s interview with Justice Ginsburg, had no way of knowing what had been omitted. President Roosevelt’s image has also benefited from another troubling omission, this one courtesy of the State Department. At the Yalta Conference, in February 1945, Roosevelt mentioned to Josef Stalin that he would soon be seeing Saudi Arabia’s king, Ibn Saud. Stalin asked if FDR intended to make any concessions to Saud. According to the transcript, “The President replied that there was only one concession he thought he might offer and that was to give him the six million Jews in the United States.” But when the State Department published the transcript in 1955, Roosevelt’s unpleasant remark about Jews was omitted. More than fifty years later, a researcher discovered that then-Assistant Secretary of State Walter Bedell Smith had crossed out the comment about Jews prior to publication, and had written in the margin: “Delete this–it is not pertinent history.” Censors have also lent a helping hand to FDR’s successor. In a 1945 memo, President Harry S. Truman wrote: “The Jews claim God Almighty picked ‘em out for special privilege. Well I’m sure he had better judgement. Fact is I never thought God picked any favorites. It is my studied opinion that any race, creed or color can be God’s favorites if they act the part–and very few of ‘em do that.” The most unflattering words in that passage ended up on the cutting-room floor. Journalist William Hillman was hired to assist Truman in preparing his memoirs and other papers for publication. The first volume, Mr. President appeared in 1953. It included the 1945 memorandum, but the wording was changed to read: “I never thought God picked any favorites. It is my studied opinion that any race, creed or color can be God’s favorites if they act the part–and very few of ‘em do that.” The reference to Jews was omitted, presumably to protect the former president’s reputation. Hillman never revealed whether it was his idea, or Truman’s, to rewrite the historical record. Katie Couric, to her credit, has belatedly admitted what she did. Unfortunately, others who have done likewise have not been forthcoming about their own historical malpractice.

Vues Master’s Note: She won’t be the last either.

MONEY

Dear Vues Master:

When learning the היגוס†of

בוט†םויב†הדלונ†אלש†הציב, and the תקולחמ†concerning something that had not yet come into existence, םייח†׳ר†of זנאס†asked one of his םידיסח†what he would do if he found a wallet with money. “I would return it to the owner,” he answered. “You’re a הטוש,” the יבר†said. He then asked another דיסח†the same question. “What am I, a fool?” he answered. “I would keep it.” The יבר†angrily pronounced him to be a עשר. A third דיסח†was asked the question and he responded: “When I find it, we’ll talk.” םייח†׳ר†said: “You’re a םכח. Why speculate about money that you don’t have?”

Vues Master’s Note: I tried that with my Rebbe and he smacked me and said you need to answer now. Why were you not paying attention? I told him I don’t pay attention, I need to be given attention!

SICK

Dear Vues Master:

This Bracha is given to a sick person only one day in the entire year. According to one ץורית†in תופסות*, (Shabbos 12b) The only day one can bless a הלוח†and say to him, איה†תבש”

“אבל†הבורק†האופרו†,קועזלמ

is on the תבש†between ה”ר†and (הבוש†תבש®†≠†כ”וי

Vues Master’s Note: I found this to be a sick question!

AM HAARETZ

Dear Vues Master:

The father of a הלכ†wanted to test how learned the ןתח†actually was. “What do the

ש״ב†תובית†ישאר†and ה״ב†stand for?” he asked, expecting the ןתח†to answer ללה†תיב†and

יאמש†תיב. Instead, the boy answered: “ומש†ךורב†אוה†ךורב.” Surprised at the response, the father asked: “If so, why doesn’t the ארמג†reverse the order and say ה״ב†and then ש״ב? The

SPEAK YOUR VUES

(CONTINUED)

ץראה†םע†responded: “That’s exactly what the ארמג†asks – “ש״בד†המעט†יאמ

ה״בד†המעט†יאמו.”

Vues Master’s Note: The questioning and answering was out of order that is not normal!

WHEN IS RACHEL”S YARTZEIT?

Dear Vues Master:

1) According to the

יתבר†אתקיספ, the לחר†עמאמ†died between Pesach & Shavuos when the ground was dry (see Rashi Breishis 48:7 who agrees with the Pesikta)

2) The ינועמש†טוקלי†writes, she died on the 11th of Cheshvan.

3) In one of the dead sea scrolls,* it is written that she died on the 10th of Teves.

Vues Master’s Note:In my Shul they don’t say tachnun on any of these days because of sfeika deyoma.

THE YEAR

Dear Vues Master:

In בקע†תשרפ, the הרות†states

≠הנשה†תישארמ

הנש†תירחא†דע. Why does it first state הנשה, with the

העידיה†ה, but ends with merely הנש? One explanation is that at the beginning of a year people have grand plans and think that this will be הנשה, The Year. At the end of the year, however, they see that things didn’t turn out quite as they planned. Therefore, the קוספ†merely says הנש.

Vues Master’s Note: This vort seems to renew itself every year!

TRAGEDIES

Dear Vues Master:

About a hundred years ago, when Agudas Yisroel was first being formed as an organization, many of the Gedolim of the time chose to join. Included in this group was none other than the Gadol Hador, the Chofetz Chaim. Along with the Chofetz Chaim were many other Gedolim who recognized what Klal Yisroel could accomplish if we would put all our forces together in a unified, cohesive fashion. However, one gadol of note who opted not to join was HaRav Chaim Halevi Soloveitchik zt”l, fondly known to most of us as Rav Chaim Brisker. Why did he choose not to join such a unique, rare, and positive force? Here is what he said: There’s no question that when we put our forces together, we can accomplish tremendous amounts. However, there is an inherent danger of formally establishing an organization or institution. Once something is institutionalized, it becomes an entity of its own. Any entity, by definition, needs to do things to maintain its existence. This very notion of the need to embark on a process to self-persevere may one day take on a life of its own, which may at one point deviate from the Torah. Thus, while the efforts of such an organization may be quite noble, altruism alone will not suffice to guarantee that said entity cannot become corrupted and veer from its core beliefs, which is the Torah itself. Rav Chaim said this a hundred years ago, and in his sheer brilliance and astuteness was able to see things that many others could not.- Nesanel Ginsberg Avraham’s name, when he started, was Avram which is Av Rahm (an Exalted Father). A father’s sole interest is to make their children independent and productive. One day a father will have to kick the son from the nest; however, an institution depends on servitude and obedience.

Vues Master’s Note: How brilliant are the Chachamim!

FREEDOM

Dear Vues Master:

Do the ads in the Vues have freedom of speech? Because I want to run a hate campaign against the person who blocked my driveway.* His name rhymes with Fraim Greedman, he’s 6’1, and he drives a black Honda. He’s ruining my life. If I were a better person, I’d not hate him enough to spend the money on a full page ad expressing this hatred. But since the Vues Master is pro freedom of speech in ads, I thought maybe he could influence the publication to adopt this policy, despite not being in any way affiliated with it. 😉 So is it worth hiring the designer for the ad now? *This is a joke. I don’t have a driveway or an enemy.

JTF

Vues Master’s Note: I found this letter to be a nightmare. It is not a joke, it is not funny. There you have it I have the freedom of speech to express how not funny your letter is!

POLITICS

Dear Vues Master:

“Crime is at a level that we have not seen in 30 years and that comes with the proliferation of hate crimes, perpetrated against Jews and many others. There is a clear reason for that. I have been warning the de Blasio administration about the dangers of their policies for six straight years – and when things were really spiraling out of control the response was to cut the budget of the NYPD and its sister agencies by a billion dollars! What did they think was going to happen then? New Yorkers are fed up, rightfully so, with the lack of proactive policing that has catapulted crime, handcuffed the cops and plunged the streets of NYC into chaos. Our next Mayor will inherit the perfect storm of failed education policies, failed law enforcement policies and failed mental health policies that the de Blasio administration set in motion.”

ST in The name of Simcha Felder

Vues Master’s Note: I don’t think it is hard to be a Monday morning quarterback! Wait till Adams comes into office he will be ten times worse than Deblasio!

KEVER RACHEL

Dear Vues Master:

Where is לחר†רבק? Is Kever Rochel in Bais Lechem, south of Yerushalayim or in Ramat Shlomo (north Yerushalayim)? According to the some Rishonim, (יחיו†תשרפ†ן”במר™†¨ינוקזח†¨ג”בלר) Kever Rochel is not in Bais Lechem (south of Yerushalayim) but in המר†(north of Yerushalayim – Ramat Shlomo-Shuafat area) According to these םינושאר, three difficulties are solved.

1) In ‘א†לאומש’: ב∫’י†it says

“ןמינב†לובגב†לחר†תרבק” – Seems the Kever is in Binyamin, Bais Lechem is in Yehuda, not Binyamin**.

2) Rashi in Parshas יחיו†quotes the יתבר†אתקיספ, “ Yakov toldYosef he buried Rochel on the road רובידה†פ”ע†so she will help her children when ןדראזובנ†will forcefully take them from Yerushalayim to Bavel. When they will pass by Kever Rochel, she will come out from her Kever and cry –

‘וכו†הינב†לע†הכבמ†לחר— If Kever Rochel is in Bais Lechem (south of Yerushalayim) they would not be passing her Kever on the way to Bavel which is north of Yerushalayim?

3) In ירפס†(ב”נש†אקספ†¨

הכרבה†תאזו†תשרפ®†it says ,

התמ†הנב†לש†וקלחב†רמוא†ריאמ†’ר†Rochel died in her sons קלח†(Binyamin & not Yehudah) The ינוקזח†explains it is a דובכ†to be buried in her children’s קלח†(family plot).

Vues Master’s Note:My tour guide taught me that there are two kvarim for Shmuel. Shmuel alef and Shmuel bais. Did not know that Rachel had a Rachel alef and Rachel bais. You learn something new every day.

RESPONSE TO DEVORAH LEITNER

Dear Vues

ץראה†םע†responded: “That’s exactly what the ארמג†asks – “ש״בד†המעט†יאמ

ה״בד†המעט†יאמו.”

Vues Master’s Note: The questioning and answering was out of order that is not normal!

WHEN IS RACHEL”S YARTZEIT?

Dear Vues Master:

1) According to the

יתבר†אתקיספ, the לחר†עמאמ†died between Pesach & Shavuos when the ground was dry (see Rashi Breishis 48:7 who agrees with the Pesikta)

2) The ינועמש†טוקלי†writes, she died on the 11th of Cheshvan.

3) In one of the dead sea scrolls,* it is written that she died on the 10th of Teves.

Vues Master’s Note:In my Shul they don’t say tachnun on any of these days because of sfeika deyoma.

THE YEAR

Dear Vues Master:

In בקע†תשרפ, the הרות†states

≠הנשה†תישארמ

הנש†תירחא†דע. Why does it first state הנשה, with the

Vues Master’s Note: This vort seems to renew itself every year!

TRAGEDIES

Dear Vues Master:

Vues Master’s Note: How brilliant are the Chachamim!

FREEDOM

Dear Vues Master:

JTF

Vues Master’s Note: I found this letter to be a nightmare. It is not a joke, it is not funny. There you have it I have the freedom of speech to express how not funny your letter is!

POLITICS

Dear Vues Master:

ST in The name of Simcha Felder

Vues Master’s Note: I don’t think it is hard to be a Monday morning quarterback! Wait till Adams comes into office he will be ten times worse than Deblasio!

KEVER RACHEL

Dear Vues Master:

1) In ‘א†לאומש’: ב∫’י†it says

“ןמינב†לובגב†לחר†תרבק” – Seems the Kever is in Binyamin, Bais Lechem is in Yehuda, not Binyamin**.

‘וכו†הינב†לע†הכבמ†לחר— If Kever Rochel is in Bais Lechem (south of Yerushalayim) they would not be passing her Kever on the way to Bavel which is north of Yerushalayim?

3) In ירפס†(ב”נש†אקספ†¨

הכרבה†תאזו†תשרפ®†it says ,

RESPONSE TO DEVORAH LEITNER

Dear Vues Master:

Sorry, I can’t give them a dvar Torah or Divrei chizuk, since they’re not dressed modestly! I’m sure it was Rebbitzen Grossman that was mekarev the girls, and Rav Dovid the boys. Now, as far as the ice cream goes in your home, I would love to come by if you can give me one (chocolate please). I’ll wait outside for mine (sugar cone double scoop with hot fudge & cookie crunch), or you can give one for me to you sons, & I’ll meet them in Shul!

RMS

Vues Master’s Note: Oy we need some kiruv kroivim maybe you and Mrs Leitner should meet and hash it out.

Have Questions or Comments?

19 Oct Speak Your Vues