19 Sep Speak Your Vues

WELFARE SYSTEM

Dear Editor:

Wouldn’t the best welfare system be where all people received just enough to survive; a small apartment, just enough food to survive and basic medical care for free – unless they got a job that is able to pay for more than that?

If we had a system like that there would be no problem of people not working, since they wouldn’t want to live without even the smallest luxury.

Shani Shapiro

Editor’s Note: I guess you are not familiar with the Liberal point of view of entitlement: you are entitled to health insurance, social security and such because the government cannot trust the citizens to take care of themselves. You sound like you align yourself with the Conservative way of thinking. The only way to bring about change is to vote different people into office.

KAPAROS

Dear Editor:
Since we are using chickens for kaparos seems to be creating a Chilul Hashem, why don’t we just switch to using money? Maybe there is a reason why using chickens is better than money? I’m not trying to advocate not using chickens, I am just wondering whether there is a halachic equavilent for kaparos that would not cause a Chilul Hashem.

Yaakov Green

Editor’s Note: I don not believe using chickens for kaparos is a Chilul Hashem. The Torah teaches us that all animals were created for the use of man. Of course, if you can care for the chickens in a more humane matter, that would be preferred; however, there is not Chilul Hashem in slaughtering chickens.

AMALEK IN OUR DAY

Dear Editor:

I have noticed a trend of heimish people driving Mercedes and BMW cars. I am wondering how they could patronize those companies when the rabbonim felt that Nazis were the Amalek and the gemara tells us that Germany is Edom. Why would someone drive these vehicles? Is it that the Holocaust was so long ago and people have become less sensitive, or perhaps certain people are just overall more sensitive than others? Maybe in another 10 years nobody will think twice about buying a German car! 

Zalmy Hershman

Editor’s Note: If a German working for us serves a purpose, there is no issur, There is no issur in having hana’a, even from an Amaleki. If your BMW or Bosch mixer makes your life easier, you may use it. If it doesn’t, you can always use the excuse that you don’t use it because it is made by a German.

OBESITY RATES SHOW INTERESTING TREND

Dear Editor:

I would like to point out an interesting fact.  Seven states have obesity rates over 35%. In order, they are West Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Iowa, Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas. In those states, Trump got 68.5%, 57.9%, 65.3%, 51.1%, 62.1%, 58.1%, and 60.6% of the popular vote respectively. The state with the highest rate of obesity had the highest rate of voting for Trump.

What do you think?

Sora Francis

Editor’s Note: I am not sure if these two facts have anything connecting one to another. If this is fact, then it seems that these obese people are on the right path politically.

MISINTERPRETATION OF ROSH HASHANA

Dear Editor:

There was a video posted on YouTube of Jews celebrating in Uman. The comments were so anti-Semitic that you would think these people are from Nazi Germany. It is scary to think that anti-Semitism is alive and strong in our USA.

We need Moshiach fast.

Shloimie Jacobs

 Editor’s Note: There is only one time that Rashi brings down a halacha. He says, it is a halacha that Eisav hates Yaakov. Anti-Semitism will always rear its ugly head until Moshiach comes. It’s there to remind us not to get too comfortable in Golus.

MUNI-METER PROBLEMS

I recently noticed in some places in Borough Park that even though the muni-meter states that the charge is 25 cents for 15 minutes, I am only getting 12 minutes for every quarter. Are other areas in NYC experiencing the same thing?

Shaindy Zirkowitz

Editor’s Note: Come to think of it, the price of meters has not gone up in a long time. Perhaps that is their way of increasing the city’s income!

SELICHOS AND SONG

Recently there was a protest against selichos that was being said with a chior and music. In Selichos we say “Lechu Neranenu lashem” that we sing the selichos in song. Is it so bad that people are nisorer with some music?

Berel Gold

Editor’s Note: My opinion is, everyone should go to the Selichos that works best for them. For some, singing and music inspires them. For others, it shows lack of seriousness. Each to their own.