23 Oct Speak Your Vues

GUN CONTROL REVISITED

Dear Editor:

To what extent does the government’s ability to enforce gun controls, as in the current law, actually reduce crime?

Wondering

Editor’s Note: This question needs to be asked of a police officer. I would venture to guess that things would be a lot worse if there would be no gun control.

DATING

Dear Editor:

How does the dating system in Eretz Yisroel favorably compare to the American dating system? In Eretz Yisroel the guy and gal meet at a mutually agreed location whereas in America they follow the practice adopted from the goyim of the guy coming to pickup the girl.

Which is better?

Shaina Becher

Editor’s Note: How about accepting the fact that was is normal here may not be normal in Eretz Yisroel and what is normal in Eretz Yisroel may not be normal here. Whatever setup helps the continuation of Klal Yisroel is the way to go. Different locations call for different sets of rules and customs.

ANIMOSITY EXPLAINED

Dear Editor:

I wanted to share with you why there is so much fighting between Jews and Muslims. When brothers fight they fight harder than anyone ( heard from the mouth of R.Shimshon Pincus ZT”L)

Yanky Perlman

Editor’s Note: With brothers like these, who needs enemies?

GENETIC TESTING

Dear Editor:

Can a genetic test tell you if you’re Sephardic, Ashkenazi, etc?

Recently, two people told me that they took a DNA ancestry test. The test told them that they are a percentage of this (e.g. Irish) and percentage that (e.g. Melanesian). BUT… even if a test tells you that your genetic ancestry is from Egypt, or Germany, E-MAIL: editor@jewishvues.com

you can still be an Ashkenazi Egyptian Jew or a Sephardi German Jew. Also… the genetics cannot tell you whether the line is maternal or paternal (I think)… so my guess is that a genetic test cannot verify if you’re Sephardi or Ashkenazi.

I am wondering if anyone reading this has gotten a DNA ancestry test. What’s your opinion on being tested and/or interpreting your results?

Thank you.

Bracha Davidson

Editor’s Note: What difference does the test make? You already know that you go according to your father’s minhagim and lineage. It may be a curiosity thing, but it has no bearing on anything substantial.

YESHIVA TORAH VODAATH HIRES NEW ROSH YESHIVA

Dear Editor:

Are all the Roshei Yeshivos at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath considered to be an equal to each other, insofar as their position as RY is concerned?

I was slightly surprised that the new Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yitzchok Lichtenstein shlita, gave his inaugural shiur kloli in a fluent Yiddish given his familial background. Does anyone know if Rav Yitzchok maintains similar shittos/hashkafas as his esteemed father zt’l or his esteemed grandfather zt’l, as YTV in general differs from many positions of RIETS, where they were leaders.

A YTV alumnus

Editor’s Note: Who are we to judge Roshei Yeshiva? I am sure Rabbi Lichtenstein will do a great job.

LOTTERY

Dear Editor:

I believe that playing the Lotto is a lack of bitachon. If Hashem wanted you to lose two dollars he could make it happen without you playing lotto.

Yoily K.

Editor’s Note: Maybe this is part of your hishtadlus!

CELL PHONES

Dear Editor:

Regular cell phones make calls better than smart phones. Even if you want a pocket computer, you still might want a cell phone in your other pocket.

Chani Gewirtz

Editor’s Note: Would you buy a car without air conditioning?

Speak Your Vues

Letters do not represent the views and opinions of the editor. All letters must be typed and emailed. Letter writers authorize the Vues and its publisher to edit letters due to space constraints, rabbinic direction, or subject matter.