05 Apr 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.
KABBALAH
Dear Vues Master:
A little over a year ago, Jewish music superstar Mordechai
ben David (MBD) was in Eretz Yisrael in the shul of Ha-
Rav Rabinowitz, when someone approached him. He told
him that there is a Jew here in attendance without children,
and he needs a yeshua. MBD went over to the childless
man, named Avi and told him, “Accept a kabbalah to do
something that’s really hard for you, and then Hakadosh
Baruch Hu will also give it to you.” He asked MBD what
to take on, and MBD responded not to speak during davening.
He told MBD that that’s hard for him with his friends
around. And so MBD told him, “Davka because it’s hard
for you, take it on, and you’ll see your yeshua.” Avi started
attending a different shul without his friends so he wouldn’t
slip up. This past Monday, MBD was honored to attend the
bris of his first born son! After 20 years of waiting, MBD
wished him a huge MAZEL TOV!
JL
Vues Master’s Note: Wow! No words! Inspirational!
PESACH
Dear Vues Master:
c It’s amazing how many Kosher L’Pesach items are out
there. I have a hard time believing that this is the way we
are supposed to be celebrating the Yom Tov of Pesach.
There is very little that you can’t get these days.
MS
Vues Master’s Note: One thing is missing, the Geulah Sheleima!
KUDOS TO THE WOMEN
Dear Vues Master:
I just want to publicly say THANK YOU to all the wives
out there that are working very hard this month getting
ready for Pesach. Every Shabbos it’s hard work in itself,
but Pesach is REALLY hard. Between cleaning & cooking
especially for the people that stay home it’s exhausting. Kol
Hakavod!!!
BH
Vues Master’s Note: And please do not forget the men who
get up from the couch so their wives can clean behind it
without having to shlep both the husband and the couch!
ATTACKS
Dear Vues Master:
This past weekend was another attack on yiddin in Williamsburg.
Anti Semitism in New York is rampant. Everyone
should be on guard. It’s getting really scary out there.
We all appreciate Shomrim & the NYPD, but these thugs
seem not to be scared. They really need to be punished severely.
If they aren’t punished in a way that scares them
they will continue to do what they are doing. To quote
Country Yossi- “Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a
Jew”. We can’t let them step on us.
CH
Vues Master’s Note: Memo to all of us Don’t get too comfortable
we are still in Galus!
AMALEK
Dear Vues Master:
I just heard this story & I thought that your readers
would appreciate it very much. An Orthodox Jew from
New Jersey was involved in a car accident and accidently
killed an old non-Jewish man. Although the courts
found the Jewish man not guilty, he could not carry the
pains of the guilt that he killed an old man. It gave him
no peace and it caused him to lose his appetite and was
unable to sleep for weeks. He decided to seek counsel
from the revered sage, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky a”h of
Bnei Brak, and wrote him a letter asking the Rav what
tikun can he do because he accidently killed a non-Jew.
The Rav wrote him an answer that included one word,
“Amalek”. The Jew did not understand this answer and
continued suffering with sleepless nights. At some point
he decided to move away from his town to begin a new
life. He began searching for a new house and found a
house that appealed to him. The owners of the apartment
told him that they are eager to get rid of this house because
they inherited it from their dead father that was
killed in a car accident. After a short investigation, it
turns out the apartment belonged to the non-Jew who
was accidentally killed by the Jew. In the basement of
the house, the Orthodox Jew found materials belonging
to the old non-Jew man. He was shocked to find a picture
of the old man during his youth proudly wearing an
SS uniform, standing next to Hitler, yimach shemo. It
turned out that this old man was an SS officer in the Nazi
army and after the war, he came to the United States and
hid his past. The SS Nazi Officer also hid other documents,
including all the names of the Jews he personally
murdered. When he read the names of the Jewish
people that were murdered, he found both of his parent’s
name on this list. HaShem avenged their blood. It was
then that he understood Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky a”h’s
answer that contained one word, “AMALEK”.
HY
Vues Master’s Note: This story is a killer! I will remember it!
KIBBUD AV V’EIM
Dear Vues Master:
Besides Rav Chaim’s gadlus in Torah, he
was known for his greatness in Maasim
Tovim and Middos Tovos. One example of
his zehirus in mitzvos was a story about his
zehirus in Kibbud Av Vaem. Once one of
his cousins, whose name was Chaim, had
an ache in his back and when the Steipler
heard that he assumed this was referring
to his son. The Steipler quickly went to
Rav Chaim and told him to lie down on
the couch. Rav Chaim didn’t ask any questions
and laid down on the couch, just like
his father asked. Somehow, the Steipler
realized his mistake, and told Rav Chaim
he could get up. Without asking anything
more, he got up and continued whatever
he was doing (Rabbi Moshe Boylan). I
would point out that his Kibbud Av Vaem
isn’t an example of his Maasim Tovim and
Middos Tovos but the reason he had good
deeds and good character.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: Well it was the
Steipler we are talking about so he had
a double mitzvah of kibbud av and kibbud
Rabbo and not the least of all Kibbud
Gadol Hador!
CALL HOME
Dear Vues Master:
When the Torah tells us that Eisav brought
food to his father Yitzchok so that he
should be blessed, the Torah writes, “Vayavo
l’aviv” … He brought it to his father
(Bereishis 27:31). Rav Chaim noticed that
the words are a palindrome, they can be
read forwards and backwards! The lesson
is incredible, “The way you treat your
parents is the way your children will treat
you.” After Rav Chaim’s mother passed
away, he stopped coming every morning.
A while later when his father, the Steipler,
saw him in the street he said, “I too used to
enjoy your coming.” Rav Chaim suddenly
understood that even though his father carried
the burden of thousands, he enjoyed
the close family ties of his son. From the
next morning on, Rav Chaim visited his
father every single morning for the next
twelve years until his father passed away.
(Rabbi Paysach Krohn). When I read that
Rabbi Bender tells his students to call
home every day I thought he was talking
to his students who are in school but not to
adults. When I heard about Rav Chaim and
his parents I thought he did this because
this was part of his schedule. It wasn’t until
Rabbi Yitzchok Fingerer emphatically
told his class to make sure to call home
every day that I did it. The conversations
with my mom are more meaningful than
the minute greeting before Shabbos.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: Great letter! We
should all call our parents while we still
can!
CHASDEI LEV
Dear Vues Master:
WOW! I had such a great time this past
Sunday. I can’t thank Chasdei Lev enough!
I blasted the music and danced with the
volunteers, and while they packed my car
with all the items that my wife ordered, I
sang, danced, & and clapped while thanking
them profusely. I felt like I was at a
concert like the old times when I used to
dance in the aisles! It was very organized
and professionally done. My wife and I
are so appreciative of everything. Thanks.
[I even took a photo of my Chasdei Lev
volunteers and sent it to the Jewish Vues.
Chag Kosher V’sameach. {PS- I want to
give a shout out to Yitzy Fuchs for that ice
cold cappuccino drink that I gulped- guzzled
down after I finished unpacking the
car (store!) RMS-RLL-Rabbi Leib Louis-
Rabbi Moshe Leib!
Vues Master’s Note: Question when will
Chasdei Lev recognize the women who
work in chinuch! They serve an integral
part of teaching our daughters!!
THE JOY OF GOING TO A
HACHNASAS SEFER TORAH!
Dear Vues Master:
The Torah has a beginning but will never
have an end. The Torah with its infinite
knowledge within its every letter, word,
and sentence. The Torah “never to have
another letter added to it or ever to be diminished!”
Thanks to Akiva Solkowitz
for inviting me to his “Welcoming the new
Torah for the Breslov-Kerestirer Shul.” I
was honored to honor his new Torah for
our Shul. Hundreds of people attended
the writing of its last Hebrew letters on its
Holy parchment at his home and marched
all around East 32nd St. to 1909 NYA to
the Breslov Shul’s Holy Ark for its new
home. I do not recall the last time I attended
such a Holy event. We were singing
numerous Hebrew songs as we escorted
the Torah with a Torah truck leading the
way with its many wonderful songs on
loud speakers. I was awed with the many
children, parents and numerous adults
along with Rabbis at this event. Our “Kiki”
torches were lit honoring our Torah not
like some non-Jews chanting in the past,
“Jews won’t replace us!” Although I
was going to wear my Shabbos suit, I decided
to wear my sweat suit as the Torah
from Hashem is opened to ALL! From the
Tzaddik to the assimilated one. From the
Rabbi to its many congregants. Indeed,
the Torah was given in a desert to show “it
is equal for all!” We were not physically
at Mt. Sinai which was a lowly mountain
but will always be elevated in the “eyes
of Hashem,” but rather on the streets of
Brooklyn, NY in 5782-2022. After the
moving ceremony with continued singing
in the Breslov Shul, davening Mincha too,
we proceeded to a nice Seudah by Rabbi
Horowitz’s Shul across the street. I told
Rabbi Aaron Berlin, leader of the Breslov
Shul, “how thankful I personally was to
Hashem allowing me to live to see and join
in such a joyful event with another Torah
entering the Shul.” How clearly I remember
“the many struggles, many years ago,
to keep this Shul open?” Now, thanks to
HaKodesh Boruch Hu, my many prayers
were answered in regard to saving this
Shul. Hashem allowed others and myself
to renovate the entire interior of the Shul
and thankfully, there are so many people
attending its services, the Shul needs additional
space. I have never felt such sincere
inner joy in many, many years! Singing,
dancing like “King David,” joining the
hundreds of people that attended the event.
This was the best day I personally experienced
after experiencing the complexities
of Covid-19 during the last 2 years, the ongoing
Ukranian war from the new Haman
called, “Putin,” and, the terror attacks in
Israel along with antisemitic attacks right
here in Brooklyn, NY. If this joy I
experienced today is a processor (which I
“actually” felt today) for “what will transpire
with the arrival of Moshiach,” may
Hashem answer my many daily prayers to
HIM to reveal “who is Moshiach, restore
HIS Holy Temple and most importantly,
return ALL of our loved thru the resurrection
process. Not tomorrow, but right now
in HIS time and at this season of our Exodus
from the evil from outside and from
within. I will ALWAYS love Hashem! I
will do better as I know better now with
age. As it is written, “Action speaks louder
than words!”
Elisha/Benjilini
Vues Master’s Note: Kiymu Vekiblu!
IN-LAW
Dear Vues Master:
A man was throwing darts at a picture of
his mother in law and kept missing. She
called him on the phone and asked him
what he was doing. He answered: “I’m
missing you.”
BM
Vues Master’s Note:I guess Outlaws are
wanted!
GOV HOCHUL
Dear Vues Master:
Why does Gov. Kathy Hochul want to give
a $850 million handout for a new Buffalo
Bills stadium? This is really insane. This
will be the most public money ever spent
on building a US stadium. The New York
State Assembly will consider in the next
few weeks whether to approve the $600
million from the state as part of the 2022
budget. Erie County is providing the other
$250 million. Why should tax dollars go
toward building a new stadium in Buffalo
and making the owner of the team that
much richer? Why should any state give
money to a rich billionaire? If he wants to
spend his own money that’s fine, but public
tax payers money? What is wrong with
these politicians?
GB
Vues Master’s Note: Politicians are like a
diaper. They are full of tzoah and need to
be changed very often!
MONEY
Dear Vues Master:
It all sounds great! Money going to help
the people in the Ukraine. Money going to
help with Covid. Money to help the Buffalo
Bills football stadium. I’m just wondering
where all this money is coming from?
GH
Vues Master’s Note: It is called the deficit!
We will all be paying for all this. Remember
there is no free lunch even if liberals
tell you otherwise!
SHORTAGES
Dear Vues Master:
Your front cover last week seems to be very
true. All the stores have a limited amount
of chicken. The Pesach programs are going
into local supermarkets and are buying
out everything. The local restaurants are
complaining about how much chicken &
eggs there are. It’s crazy that this is all going
on just in time for Pesach.
JH
Vues Master’s Note: I smell collusion and
a way to hike up prices!
EXPENSES
Dear Vues Master:
It is absolutely insane. I went through
the Jewish Vues very carefully last week
& went with my wife shopping this past
weekend in three different local supermarkets.
The price of kosher food is insane.
It is definitely up more than 20% than last
year. How does a family of 8 survive? BH
there are organizations out there that are
helping out, but still this is crazy.
FR
Vues Master’s Note: What about gas?
SHOES
Dear Vues Master:
A couple of years ago, my wife needed to buy
some new shoes. She went to all the frum
stores looking for shoes that were rounded at
the toe, but they only had pointy and square
shoes. She asked one of the store employees
whether they had any left. He said “Sorry,
I’ll look in the back, but round toes aren’t in
style this season. Is this a tznius thing?” She
responded, “I still have last season’s feet.”
ED
Vues Master’s Note: She defeated the purpose!
ADHD
Dear Vues Master:
In my expert opinion, ADHD is not a
disorder. The people with ADHD are the
normal people. Everyone else has a neurological
condition that causes their brain
to mature prematurely, ultimately causing
them to have less time in the immature
state, leading to a lower level of development.
The reason ADHD people often do
poorly in school is that school is actually
not designed for human beings. It’s based
on some dumb conventions that were made
up by idiots. So are many conventions of
the modern workplace. In fact, the vast
majority of people with “ADHD” are perfectly
functional in an environment that
is either natural or designed for humans.
Diagnosing someone with ADHD for not
functioning in an unnatural environment
is like diagnosing someone with “Submersion
Asthma” for not being able to breathe
underwater. The people who are “functioning”
are the outliers. (As demonstrated by
the huge increase in mental health conditions
associated with these unnatural environments,
the neurotypicals aren’t doing so
great either.)
PN
Vues Master’s Note: Normal is relative to
you and you only! What is normal for you
may not be normal for me. Normally speaking
we need to normalize these things!
PRICE GOUGING
Dear Vues Master:
New York Attorney General Letitia James
this past weekend issued a consumer alert
urging New Yorkers to be mindful of potential
discriminatory pricing practices
at car washes in the days leading up to
Pesach. In previous years, there have been
reports of car wash businesses in predominantly
Orthodox Jewish communities in
New York City raising prices by as much
as 50 percent for Jewish customers seeking
cleaning services close to Passover. In advance
of Passover, many Jews clean their
homes, cars, and other spaces to remove
“chametz,” or leavened products, from
these spaces because they are not eaten
for the duration of the holiday. According
to reports provided to the Office of Attorney
General (OAG) from Assemblymember
Simcha Eichenstein, some companies
have advertised “specials” for car washing
services related to Passover, but instead,
charged higher prices to Jewish customers.
Attorney General James also sent letters
to two organizations representing car
wash owners in New York to remind their
members that any such business practice
is illegal and should be reported to OAG.
“It’s shameful that we even have to warn
Jewish communities about the possibility
that companies would take advantage of
them during the holidays,” said Attorney
General James. “If we learn of any businesses
engaging in such disgusting and
antisemitic practices, we will not hesitate
to take swift and serious legal action. No
New Yorker should ever be forced to pay
more for a service because of their religion,
race, gender, or sexual orientation,
and I urge anyone who has been a victim
of this discriminatory behavior to report it
to my office immediately.” “The Pesach
season is expensive enough and unfortunately
many local families struggle to
make ends meet at this time of year,” said
Assemblymember Simcha Eichenstein.
“Given the Jewish tradition of cleaning
our homes, our cars, and our possessions
before the Passover holiday, car washes
provide an essential service during the
pre-Passover season. In the past I have received
multiple reports of car wash establishments
in my district and beyond that
have raised their prices up to 50 percent
during the pre-Passover weeks for the exact
same service that they offer all year
round. Shameless overcharging before the
holiday is clearly religious discrimination
and totally unacceptable in this industry
or any industry. I thank Attorney General
James for giving this issue the attention
it deserves and issuing this pre-season
warning to car wash establishments, ensuring
that this discriminatory practice
does not continue this year.” “Scammers
try new methods to trick you all the time,
even during religious holidays,” said Assemblymember
Nily Rozic. “As the Jewish
community prepares for Passover, it’s
crucial consumers are mindful to look
out for opportunistic price gouging. I’m
thankful to Attorney General James for
her continued efforts to crack down on
discriminatory practices.” “New Yorkers
should not have to tolerate exploitative
business practices, especially ones that
target individuals based on religion, gender,
or race,” said Assemblymember Daniel
Rosenthal. “That message was made
loud and clear today by Attorney General
James, who is taking a proactive stand
against discriminatory and predatory
practices. On behalf of the Jewish community
and all New Yorkers, I thank her
for her vigilant advocacy and leadership.”
If you believe you were charged more for
services because of your religion, race, or
background, or know of businesses using
these discriminatory practices, please file
a complaint with OAG.
SE
Vues Master’s Note: It won’t help! The AG
is in cahoots with all these businesses! She
gets her funding from them!
EL AL
Dear Vues Master:
I recently saw this on yeshivaworld.com
& I wanted to bring this to the attention
of Jewish Vues readers. Recently, El Al
was purchased by a member of the frum
community. Everyone was thrilled. But
I have no idea what changes were made
since this airline changed hands, but it’s
utter insanity what is going on now, and
I’ve personally had enough. For those of
you unaware, every single day flight that
is scheduled to land in Newark Airport is
being changed to JFK Airport. This was
done without any prior notice. People
who have their cars parked in Newark
are now over an hour away from their
cars when they land. Thousands, upon
thousands of Yeshiva Bochrim, seminary
girls, and families coming back to the
United States for Pesach – many of whom
had their tickets booked and confirmed
WEEKS ago – are suddenly having their
airport destination changed. This is a major
inconvenience to people from Lakewood,
Baltimore, and even NYC. Making
matters even WORSE is that El Al
shut their call center when COVID hit,
and they have not put it back into service
yet. This means that no one can even call
to see if their flight is on schedule, etc.
Instead, they give you a WhatsApp option,
which is a total failure. What major
airline doesn’t have a call center?! When
you send a WhatsApp to them, you get
this automated response:
נציג†וירטואלי†שירות†לקוחות†אל†על
Dear Customers,
We are doing our best to provide a quick
and efficient customer service, Unfortunately,
due to high demand to fly ELAL,
our WhatsApp service will be limited. You
can reach our Customer Service at +972
39771111 Our Call center service is available
Sunday-Thursday between 08:30-
16:00, Friday between 08:00-13:00 and
Saturday evening 19:00-23:00. We will
continue to improve and do our best to provide
the best service to our customers.
Does anyone have a calculator? Can you
figure out the times when someone from
NY can possibly even attempt to reach this
call center? Ill do the math for all of you.
It’s 1:00AM to 9:00AM Eastern Time. I
actually got up at 6:00am and called. And
after being on hold for TWO HOURS, I
hung up. I have spoken to nearly a dozen
travel agents, and they are all frustrated
and dumbfounded. They have no one to
talk to and not receiving any answers.
There are many other crazy stories. How
about the family of 10 that had a flight to
Israel leaving at around 11AM (booked
MONTHS ago), and were suddenly told
“sorry, the flight is cancelled”, and the
family put on a different flight severely
impacting their travel and Yom Tov plans.
What’s adding salt to the wound, is the lack
of basic courtesy which is standard in the
airline industry. Normally, when an airline
cancels a flight, any airline, the standard
policy is the passenger is entitled to rebook
on any flight of their choice as long as the
same cabin is available. This is done with
no price increase and fare is not a consideration.
El Al is ignoring this basic courtesy,
and bullying their customers to accept
this airport change. Hundreds of cancelled
Newark day flight passengers in both directions
who request to be rebooked on the
Newark night flight (which is still operating),
are being told sorry, you have to keep
the JFK one now even though the Newark
evening one still has seats left in the same
cabin. This is a huge inconvenience to people
from Baltimore, Lakewood and Philadelphia
who can not access JFK easily at
all. Something needs to be done to remedy
this. One travel agent I spoke with was so
frustrated, he forwarded me an email that
was sent to El Al by a longtime businessclass
customer. I am all for supporting a
Jewish-owned business. But we are demanding
answers or people should think
twice about which airline they book with.
Name withheld upon request
Vues Master’s Note: What’s the saying? Go
fly a kite!
MOTHER-IN-LAW
Dear Vues Master:
Two friends are talking and one says “My
mother-in-law is an angel.” “You’re lucky,”
the other responds. “Mine is still alive.”
MB
Vues Master’s Note: Oy, I think I have
enough with Daf Yomi no need for more
mother-in-law jokes!
MESSAGE FROM A HATZOLAH
MEMBER
Dear Vues Master
I just took a 15 year old boy to the hospital
who has major head trauma after getting
hit on his scooter. NO helmet. He is in
serious but stable condition. Had he been
wearing a helmet he 100% would have
been in better shape. These things are extremely
dangerous. You have to be careful
and we need to make sure if we allow our
kids AND ADULTS to ride one, they don’t
go without a helmet. I beg you. On another
note, the driver of the vehicle was an 18
year old young girl. For all that have new
drivers out there you need to stress that
cars are weapons. No phones, no loud music,
just focus on the road. When we first
get our licenses we’re excited, we run out
to do any opportunity we can. It’s great but
we have to be alert and very careful!!
Vues Master’s Note: You are so right! This
is a very serious matter. Thank you Hatzolah
members for everything you do!