28 Feb SPEAK YOUR VUES
MARCH MADNESS
Dear Editor:
It was just announced that the
Yeshiva University Men’s Basketball
Team (aka the “Maccabees”) has
qualified for the NCAA Division
III Championship Tournament (aka
mini-March Madness). Should we
be kvelling about the fact that these
bnai torah have been so successful
while pursuing an already challenging
schedule of limudei kodesh and secular
studies or is this just another one of
those pursuits that is what Joseph always
hocks about that R Miller refers
to as “derech h’goyim. So which is it…
kiddush hashem or yungerleit dribbling
rather than shteiging.
BTW, for those wondering
about women pursuing
a professional career, it may
not be in the WBA…the
YU Women’s basketball
team (a.k.a. the “Cholentmachers”)
ended the season with a
4-20 record, losing to Staten Island
Community College 108-62)
Eitan G
Editor’s Note: What a great title! It
is definitely madness that we follow the
goyim and their sports minhagim.
NOT SO NICE AND NOT
SO FUNNY
Dear Editor:I’ve noticed that lately,
many people think it’s funny to make
insulting jokes. Not that a joke can’t
be funny despite being insulting to
some people, but it seems to me that
something shouldn’t be viewed as humorous
because of hurting someone’s
feelings. I think it’s mean to make fun
of people, and it’s usually assur. What
is your opinion on this matter?
Sincerely,
RebYidd2
Editor’s Note: My opinion is concurrent
with the Torah’s opinion; one may
not be mischabed b’kloin chaveiro – one
may not make himself greater by demeaning
someone else. Funny or not, it
is assur.
EATING FOR TZEDAKA
Dear Editor:
What do you feel about thus new
contest to help an organization to eat
and gain weight? Is the fact that you
are supporting tzedaka outweigh this
gluttony activity?
Feivish Faivushevitz
Editor’s Note: I think you should put
things in perspective. It is Purim after
all! We’re luck they didn’t make a drink
fest out of this! It wouldn’t be fest.
AMALEK
Dear Editor:
Do you think the Nazis were descendants
of Amalek? During the Nuremberg
trials there were eleven people on trial.
One committed suicide and the other
ten were hung similar to Haman’s sons. It
sounds eerily similar.
Boruch Tyberg
Editor’s Note: I don’t know if this is true,
but it definitely sounds plausible. Let us hope
that Hashem will destroy all of our enemies
like he destroyed the ten sons of Haman. May
Klal Yisroel be redeemed!
FEMALE JUDGES
Dear Editor:
Are Chareidi woman judges the wave
of the future? Chavi Toker, daughter of
Rav Schach’s right hand man and daughter-
in-law of the late rosh yeshiva of
Chevron, has been appointed to the Jerusalem
District Court, which has original
jurisdiction in felony cases and large civil
suits as well as appellate jurisdiction. She
is now one up on Rachel
Freier who serves on the Brooklyn Criminal
Court, which only tries lesser crimes.
Can we expect Chareidi women to fill the
judiciaries in both countries? What about
other countries with significant Chareidi
populations?
Shani L
Editor’s Note: According to halacha, and
according to R’ Moshe’s teshuva, a woman
should not have a leadership position because
it lacks tzniyus.
CONCERTS
Dear Editor:
I wanted to share with you an opinion
of Rabbi Miller regarding concerts.
Q: Is it proper for a boy to perform in
a concert?
A: It depends what kind of concert. If
it’s a concert that’s held, let’s say, in the yeshiva
for yeshiva men, so on certain occassions,
yes, it’s proper. On Purim certainly;
on some other occasions as well. But as
far as a concert that is done for the public,
I’m going to reserve my opinion. Because
sometimes the atmosphere at these so
called Orthodox concerts is not
what it should be. There is a lot of mixing,
and leitzanus, and it looks a good deal like
a rock and roll gathering. And therefore,
it’s not in the spirit of the Torah to come
together just to hear singing, just to hear
singing alone.
I wouldn’t say it’s forbidden; I’m not
going to disapprove of it, but it’s not the
derech of the Am Hashem to come together
to hear singing. When people are
performing mitzvos and they sing while
doing the mitzvos that’s a different story
– it’s avodas Hashem. They sing shabbos
zemiros, they sing at the simchas beis
hashoeiva, or simchas yom tov – that’s a
different thing. But to come together in
a hall specially for singing, that’s not the
Jewish method of doing things. It’s an
imitation of the umos ha’olam and therefore
I’m not so enthusiastic about it.
Yankel Weiss
Editor’s Note: R’ Moshe Feinstein held
one should not make concerts and have live
music since the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed,
unless it is Chol Hamoed or at a
siyum. I wonder how many of these concerts
have siyumim taking place on location.