21 May Speak Your Vues
SEFIRAT HAOMER
Dear Editor:
I have noticed lately that many people do not take the observance of
Sefirat Haomer as seriously as years past. It has come to my attention
that several celebrations occur way before Lag Baomer. Such as
Chinese Auctions, Journal Dinner , Shidduch Gatherings, and even
Jewish Festivals with music playing? Where is the respect for this
mourning period, no matter what one’s custom is to start and end it?
Also people look for so many loop poles to get around the mourning
rituals, singing without music, etc. Don’t people realize the
seriousness of this time of year. We are remembering the tragedy of
the Rabbi Akivah’s students and recently the Shoah. Sefirat Haomer is
just as serious as the The Three Weeks in the summer. But no one seems
to care. One can see from all the celebrations mentioned in
publications these days.
Also just because Peasch Sheni came out this year on Sunday this is
not a loop hole to have celebrations take place. Peasch Sheni is a
day to remember that Hashem answered a plea in the time of the Midbah
for the Yiddim to have a chance to bring the Peasch Karbon this time
when they were ritually unclean to do so. Since we have no temple, we
remember this day by eating matzoh and reading parts of the Haggadah
like we did at the seder. Where it is written that Peasch Sheni this
year is a quasi Lag Baomer because it came out on Yom Harishon?!
I do hope that some pious Rav has an answer to my Sheliah here.
Thanks for reading this:
Signed:
Perplexed in Flatbush
Editor’s Note: I am not sure why you write this is recent it has been
for a while. Chinese Auctions are not celebrations. Dinners are not
celebrations, but rather tzedaka fund raising events where there is no
music.
SAFETY FIRST
Dear Editor:
With Lag Baomer upon us, I would like to remind people that fire
safety is of utmost importance. Please stay safe.
Sadie Feinblatt
Editors Note: Thank you for the reminder.
DO TESHUVA
Dear Editor:
It seems like the summer and tragedies came early this year. In the
past couple of weeks there were many young kids who were niftar. I
think it is time for us to do teshuva and hope that the rest of the
summer goes by without any tragedies. Now during the time of sefira it
is imperative upon us to mend our ways bein adam lechaveiro. In this
zechus Hashem will protect his nation.
Shaul G
Editors Note: Amen
DAIRY ON SHAVUOS
Dear Editor:
There is a minhag to eat a milchig meal on Shavuos.
To what extent?
1. Is it a full meal (one of the Yom Tov seudos) and if so, which seuda/seudos?
2. Must it specifically include cheese (or is milk enough)?
3, Is one dish of milchig enough or does the entire seuda consist of
only milchig?
4. Does anyone serve pizza or is it considered not yom tov’dik?
5. Does anyone use milk to make kiddush for this meal?
I am not looking for the most lenient or any lenient opinions!
Sruly H
Editors Note: It depends who you ask and to whom you are asking.
SCHOOL PROJECT
Dear Editor:
School projects are a pain. It’s not so bad for my children since they
don’t do the project. The pain is for me since I am the one to do
them. I feel like every year I get drafted back into school to make my
children’s project. I am so tired now from all this extra work.
Ruchi K
Editors Note: How about trying to take a step back and just let your
kid do the project. Don’t help him or her. If worse comes to worst he
or she won’t get a 100 (gasp). Let him/her become independent.
CHESED PROJECTS
Dear Editor:
Recently I read an NCSY magazine and came across an article about a
Jewish High School boy who goes to the Columbus Torah Academy
(Columbus, Ohio). He started a non-profit called Achdus and the goal
is to distribute clothing to homeless individuals. Using his network
of friends in NCSY, Achdus has spread to many other schools across the
USA and countless teenagers are getting involved.
Does anyone else know any other inspiring chesed projects that your
classmates have done? Please share.
Shuli D
Editors note: We invite people to write to us about special school
projects and send us pictures.
SPECIAL ELECTION
Dear Editor:
We just had a special election, which Farah Louis won with the help of
the Jews. She will step into office on June 6. The council was very
upset that Jumane William’s lackey did not win the election so they
decided to hold the primaries when the Jews will be away on vacation.
I feel that the summer time is not a time for primaries. People have
their children home from school and schedule their vacations at that
time. It is a crime to schedule an election during that time. I call
on the City Council to push off this primary until September when
everyone is back from vacation.
Moshe M
Editors Note: Good catch there. If what you are saying is true that
would be like the city council pulling a fast one.
KIDDUSH HASHEM
Dear Editor:
I found the following on YeshivaWorld and feel that we should
acknowledge this young man.
Mordi Harush, a formerly Chareidi from a family in the Sanhedria area
of Jerusalem, has become a professional bodybuilder who regularly
enters competitions.
Despite this, he has announced via his Facebook page that he is
withdrawing from a competition, which he describes as “my dream” in
order not to be Mechalel Shavuos. He wrote: As one who is Shomer
Shabbos, I felt my conscience and if I compete on Shabbos and Shavuos,
the time of Matan Torah, as I planned to compete in the competition on
Shabbos.” In his post he writes: Father in Heaven, I am doing this for
you. With difficulty, I am withdrawing on my dream and pulling out of
the competition in Spain. The reason for this is the competition will
take place on Shabbos, which is connected to Shavuos, on that Motzei
Shabbos.
Harush said, “I started to find all kinds of reasons for myself. I
planned to take a hotel close to the competition so I would not have
to travel by car on Shabbos, and basically I was not supposed to
violate Shabbos physically, while competing in the competition is
Chilul Shabbos. But the honor and glory of this competition woke me
up…”
“What stopped me is Shavuos. I will not stand on the stage, during
Matan Torah, while the people of Israel received the Torah. Thank you
very much Father in Heaven as you opened my eyes…”
He stressed: “I know for sure that my salary in the sky will be huge
because I gave up something I wanted so much to realize, after many
years of hard work.”
The owner of the Power Gym Gymnasium in Jerusalem, where Harush
trains, wrote on Facebook: “Mordi Harush is part of our charming team,
but he is also our hero. A huge hero of the entire Jewish people! ”
Wow!
Boruch L
Editor’s Note: Yesh koneh olamo beshaa achas!
ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACKS
Dear Editor:
There has been an increase in Anti-Semitic attacks. What can we do about it?
Musky F
Editors Note: Daven for the geula sheleima.
ISRAEL IN DEFENDING OUR LAND
Dear Editor:
I saw this on Matzav and had to share it.
In Ukraine on Monday they inaugurated comedian and political newcomer
Volodymyr Zelensky as its new president a month after he scored a
landslide electoral victory that dealt a stunning rebuke to the
country’s political establishment.
Zelensky, 41, was sworn-in to office in a ceremony held at Ukraine’s
parliament in Kiev becoming the country’s youngest post-Soviet
president.
Taking the oath of office, Zelensky, who is Jewish, pledged to
“protect the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine” evoking the
defensive prowess of Israel.
“We must become Icelanders in soccer, Israelis in defending our land,
Japanese in technology,” he was quoted by the BBC as saying.
Is this good or bad will it cause more anti semitism or less?
Yivgeny
Editor’s Note: Anti semitism does not need excuses. It is there and
will not go away so fast.
PLEASE VACCINATE
Dear Editor:
What business does DeBlasio have to run for President. He is one of
the worst Mayors we ever had. How will he run this country?
Yaakov L
Editors Note: Don’t worry he will run the country the same way he runs
the city – by coming late and not doing anything but taking credit and
no blame, a typical progressive Politician.