07 Jun 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.
SHIDDUCHIM
Dear Vues Master:
Over the last month I have found that three of my friends’
kids and two relatives got engaged after going out with
the first person they ever went out with. Not only that, it
was the first time the other side went out with someone
else as well. Is that a little crazy? I know that people do
a lot of research these days before going out on shidduchim,
but don’t you think people should go out with a
few people before making a commitment like marriage?
GH
Vues Master’s Note: Look, whatever works. Sometimes
it is good that they get engaged when they are young
and stupid and grow together. Obviously it is all from
Hashem!
FRUIT SOUP
Dear Vues Master:
This past Shavuos a little debate happened at my table
about the bracha made on fruit soup. My wife served
fruit soup as an appetizer and my two boys were arguing
whether they needed to make a separate bracha after
they washed and made hamotzei. I believe one makes
a separate bracha when eating a fruit for dessert, even
after one had washed in the beginning of the meal. What
do you think?
LB
Vues Master’s Note: Dessert is correct but since it
serves as an appetizer that would be considered part
of the meal thereby becoming exempt with the Hamotzi
made on the bread. I would check with your local Orthodox
Rabbi.
PEER PRESSURE
Dear Vues Master:
One of a parent’s biggest challenges is to ingrain in their
children the value of not worrying about what other people
think of them and to do the right thing. Children feel
peer pressure more than adults and when children face
the judgment of other people it isn’t easy for them to do
the right thing. A child must be courageous to stand up
to their friends’ pressure to do the wrong thing. Standing
up to this pressure as an adult is much easier, but it still
presents a challenge. Nations also face pressures from
other nations and their leaders must withstand that pressure
and judgment to do the right thing. Like children
facing social consequences for standing up to the bullies
in their classroom, nations face economic and military
consequences for standing against international pressure.
Moral nations with moral fortitude stand up to pressure
from the global community and make the right policy
decisions. Israel isn’t immune to international pressures,
and it seems to be overly sensitive to those pressures.
Israelis and their advocates constantly worry about the
opinions of American college students. Jonathan Greenblatt,
the head of the Anti-Defamation League recently
said, “What we’re seeing on campuses across the country
is a kind of virulent anti-Zionism that purports to
be about Palestinian rights, but in reality, results in the
marginalization and the demonization of all Jewish students.”
These same people are worried about a perceived
drop in support for Israel among American adults and
are constantly worried about American support for Israel
in the United States Congress. Israeli concern for
American’s opinions about Israel is a curious phenomenon.
One never reads about Americans concerned over
Israelis’ opinions on America and its policies. President
Obama’s approval ratings in Israel where dismal, yet his
low ratings didn’t seem to factor into his decisions about
American policy in general and especially not towards
Israel. Not only does America rarely consider Israeli
opinion, but it also rarely takes world opinion into consideration
when making policy decisions. What can explain
Israeli and Israel advocates’ obsession with American
opinion of Israel? The obvious answer to why Israel
and its advocates put so much emphasis on American
opinion is because of the significant amount of American
diplomatic and military aid Israel receives from the
United States. The fear is that if American support dips
below some imaginary line Israel will lose American
aid. The fear over college student opinion is that today’s
American college students are tomorrow’s American
leaders and if they don’t appreciate the U.S.-Israel relationship
as college students, they won’t support it as
America’s elected leaders when they “grow-up.” The
United States gives military and diplomatic aid to Israel
not because they like Israel (or because of Jewish money
as Congresswoman Ilhan Omar tweeted) but because it’s
in America’s best interest for America to have a strong
alliance with Israel. Many people become cynical when
discussing the U.S.-Israel relationship and assume Congresspeople
don’t really put America’s interests first, but
especially when it comes to American foreign policy
Congress prioritizes America’s interests when deciding
on supporting allies. A strong U.S.-Israel relationship has and will always be in America’s best interests. Israel has become a dominant world player on many global stages. Its military innovation is world famous, with innovations that can bring down hundreds of enemy rockets and hunt terrorist masterminds hidden in labyrinths of tunnels. Israel is also a technological hive, the “Start-Up” nation second only to America’s Silicon Valley. Israel is a strategic ally that many consider America’s best friend and its guiding light in a dark neighborhood of tyranny, dictatorships and oppression. Israel also shares values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness with America. It is a moral country known as having the “most moral army in the world.” Americans are well known for coming to Israel and leaving thinking that Israelis are just like them. They appreciate Israel’s role as the only true Democracy in the Middle East. American support of Israel is guaranteed because of Israel’s role as an American strategic partner and the values the two nations share. While Israel has little to fear from a drop in American support, the obsession over American support detracts and weakens Israel’s sovereignty. Strong nations do what is in their best interests and don’t fear other nations’ concerns. American aid is important to Israel, but Israel is no longer the weak and small country dependent on American aid. It would take Israel years to recover from a loss of American aid – which as we said isn’t a concern – Israel is a developed and strong country that doesn’t need to hold back from adopting policies in its best interests out of fear of American public opinion. No sensible advocate of Israeli strength would argue for ignoring America’s leaders, but a healthy balance between caring and obsession must be found when it comes to Israeli concern over American support. Israel must take actions and policies it thinks is right and not be concerned with American or other people’s perceptions. Israel has reached a point in its history and destiny when it can take policy steps it feared in its past. Israelis and their advocates should no longer fret over what opinion polls seem to rate Israeli support on American college campuses and instead focus on progress on the ground in Israel.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: There will always be those people who need to be PC despite the fact that they are wrong. We are living in times where Religion is wrong and the people who sin are glorified! Yes! We need to teach our kids that they should not fall to Peer pressure!
YOM TOV
Dear Vues Master:
I just want to say a big Thank You to the Abeshter for such a beautiful Shavuos. BH the weather was great & the learning was even better. There is a beautiful saying that Rav Hutner used to say in yiddish. He said instead of saying “Another Yom Tov went by ‘’, You should say “Another Yom Tov went IN. It’s important for Klal Yisrael to take in what we learned over Yom Tov and keep it going throughout the year.
RMF
Vues Master’s Note: I think this message should be put in the paper every week! Great letter!
PRICES
Dear Vues Master:
I was so surprised at how expensive cheesecake was this year. I bought some from a local bakery & it was over $65. Last year I paid $50 in the same bakery. I will tell you it was delicious.
RS
Vues Master’s Note: Thank President Biden for inflation!
SUMMER
Dear Vues Master:
Only two weeks until I go upstate for the summer. I can not wait. I’m hoping that this summer is the first summer in 3 years that I don’t have to wear a mask wherever I go. It’s also a long summer this year because Rosh Hashana is not until the end of September.
GH
Vues Master’s Note: I guess Purim will be gone this summer!
CHINUCH
Dear Vues Master:
My son stayed up all of Shavuous night & then slept for 12 hours straight when he came home. Is that the purpose of Shavuos? Stay up all night & sleep all day. I couldn’t even get him to come to the table for lunch.
BH
Vues Master’s Note: As Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l used to say if you are worried that he will do this as an adult then tell him something if not then don’t bother as it is a phase that will come to pass!Let me guess the gender of the librarian? Or maybe not!
DAIRY
Dear Vues Master:
Is it just me or are there people out there like me? I can’t stand eating milchigs. My wife made this past Shavuos 4 milchig meals. Baked Ziti, Penne ala vodka, eggplant parmesan, cheesecake and many other dairy dishes. I do not like cheese. I do not like pasta. I appreciate all the hard work my wife did to prepare for Yom Tov, but I wish she made more fleishigs. One thing is for sure, I am very happy that we dont eat milchigs on a regular Shabbos.
SD
Vues Master’s Note: I tried coming up with a good answer but all I could come up with was a pareve answer!
PROUD
Dear Vues Master:
This year was the first year I made it through the entire night. My son & I learned together bchevrusa for three hours & we listened to a few shiurim the other three hours. I was a proud Tatty. I hope I can continue to learn with my son for many more years.
AD
Vues Master’s Note: May you continue to have a lot of Nachas!
ISRAEL
Dear Vues Master:
In the middle of the night on June 24th, 2021 the Champlain Tower came crashing down in Surfside, Florida. While chaos ruled for days, eventually 98 people would be found dead and four people would be rescued from the rubble. Two days later the Israeli Defense Forces sent a search and rescue team to aid the Florida team on the ground. This wasn’t the first time the IDF had been sent at its own expense to aid non-Israelis around the world. In countless situations the IDF has been sent to aid countries suffering from disasters. No other country Israel’s size helps others as Israel does. Israel’s value of helping others reflects the Israeli people’s character and their role as a moral light onto the nations. The Israeli people are a good people, deserving of accolades and praise for their “Hadar,” their refined dignity. It is the Israeli values of helping others, acting with humility and including the needy in larger society. These values are thousands of years old and began with the Jewish people’s forefather Abraham in the land of Israel. Abraham had four openings to his tent, one opening facing each direction. Through his multiple entrances, Abraham was able to see if travelers were passing by and he could reach out and invite them into his tent to refresh and have something to eat. Helping others was the moral value system Abraham passed to Isaac, who passed it to Jacob and it has carried on until today. Israel’s system of helping the needy isn’t limited to Jews, it extends to its non-Jewish citizens as well. Israeli Arabs are given equal rights to Israeli Jews. Arabs in Israel have reached the highest offices of Israeli society. Arab Israelis are Ministers in the government, Supreme Court justices, mayors, doctors and lawyers. This latest coalition features Israeli Arabs sitting in the government for the first time in Israel’s history. Arab placement in the government after 70 years speaks to Israeli determination to repair societal ills and become increasingly more inclusive. Israel doesn’t only aim to include and help Israeli Arab citizens, but has helped Palestinian Arabs more than all other Arab countries combined. After 19 years of neglect by Jordan, Palestinian Arabs came under Israeli rule in 1967. At the time few Palestinians had electricity in their homes and only four cities had running water. Palestinians were using cisterns from Roman times. Palestinian quality of life was horrific but in line with the rest of the Arab world. No world body attempted to help them. Since 1967 and Israeli control of Judea and Samaria, Palestinian Arabs have seen their lives drastically improve in three areas. Palestinian quality of life has improved, life expectancy has improved and Palestinian population numbers have risen. Palestinian cities and villages have seen development beyond their wildest dreams and they enjoy every modern convenience. While it might seem obvious that every town should have electricity and running water, Palestinians living in other Arab countries do not enjoy the same quality of life. Israel is constantly holding itself to higher standards. Israel’s justice system is independent and holds criminals responsible for their nefarious actions. Unlike its stronger and older ally America, Israel has convicted and imprisoned a Prime Minister, President and Chief Rabbi. It has a penal system that holds criminals, irrespective of place in society, guilty for their crimes. Israel’s commitment to justice ensures that its society is run by the rule of law, not the elite in society getting away with crime while the poorer of society languish in jails. Israel is a good country full of good people. This doesn’t mean Israel is a perfect society. While the overwhelming number of Israelis are kind, law abiding citizens who look to help those around them, Israel also has jails full of inmates who have not led their lives by traditional Jewish values. Israel is also plagued by extremists who paint Israel dark and sully Israel’s name around the world. These people feature front and center of the world’s headlines making it seem at times as if Israel is a basketful of bad apples. Israel’s bad apples are a small, even tiny, percentage of its overall population. Any honest look at the Israeli people will show them to be the best of the best in the world. Every Zionist should be proud to call the Israeli people their people and should spread the message of Israel’s kindness, inclusiveness and desire to help the needy in Israel and around the world.
LM
Vues Master’s Note:Wait, that is not the narrative for BLM and the Squad. Don’t mix us up with facts, we have our minds made up! Yimach Shemam!
ADVICE
Dear Vues Master:
Here is something worth cutting out and putting on your refrigerator:
Cipolla’s five fundamental laws of stupidity: Always and inevitably, everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation. The probability that a certain person (will) be stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular, non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places, and under any circumstances, to deal and/or associate with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person. Corollary: a stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.
(Wikipedia)
DG
Vues Master’s Note: Is this a Stupid letter?
RULES OF STUPIDITY
Dear Vues Master:
David’s examination of the five fundamental laws of stupidity: Like a virus it affects the religious as well. Doctors and leaders are not immune, if not more susceptible. A major symptom is adult children biting the hand of their parents. Therefore, the Torah lists only four sons: Chacham – Intelligent, Rasha – Bandit, Simple and Ignorant – Helpless. However, the Torah excised the Fifth son – The Stupid one because he’s too dangerous. Corollary: If the Fifth son is being controlled by a Bandit, he is Helpless and not Stupid.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for sharing. But I thought sharing is caring?
CAMERAS
Dear Vues Master:
Thousands of Hatzalah volunteers in New York received good news. Both houses of the New York State Assembly last Wednesday passed identical bills to assume that emergency response vehicles that are captured by traffic cameras committing violations were on the way to an emergency incident. The bills were introduced in the Assembly by Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein after taking note of the numerous emergency medical responders who have been slapped with violations on their way to calls. The bill is a tremendous win for Hatzolah and other emergency service members, who routinely deal with fighting red light and speeding camera tickets that they legally passed en-route to emergency incidents. Just wanted to say thank you to Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein for getting this bill passed. It’s about time!!!
CS
Vues Master’s Note: Now if we can abolish those cameras or raise the speed limit to a normal 35 then we would be much safer!
WEAPON
Dear Vues Master:
“Every single one of us is grateful to the members of Hatzalah for their selfless, lifesaving work. They are heroes! 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without a break, nothing stops them from rushing to help in an emergency. Who would have thought that with all they sacrifice, one of the biggest challenges they face here in New York City is the rising number of camera tickets generating piles of violations on a daily basis? I am so gratified that, together with my colleagues in Albany, today my bill was passed to help the Hatzalah volunteers who help us every day,” Senator Felder said. Senator Felder’s Hatzalah bill (S8031A) was passed unanimously in the NYS Senate today. The bill protects operators and owners of first-response emergency vehicles from liability for the monetary penalties of certain traffic infractions that occur while responding to a medical emergency.
ST
Vues Master’s Note:Yes! Thank you!
GUN LAWS
Dear Vues Master
What better way to honor the victims of a mass shooting than to accuse anyone who wants to prevent it from happening again of “politicizing” the tragedy, thereby ensuring that more children die?
CU
Vues Master’s Note: Or maybe these laws won’t do anything as a murderer does not follow the law and will just buy the gun illegally!
PC
Dear Vues Master:
I’m sorry, does “political correctness” hurt your feelings? Does it make you cry when people don’t react positively to everything you say?
PA
Vues Master’s Note: No! But it sure gets you guys upset if we say something against sinners!
CAMP
Dear Vues Master:
All this talk about a CTV is very exciting and brings back a flood of memories. I went to Camp Torah Vodaath as a young camper for a number of years including the year that I was a CIT. I even got to put on my own night activity as a CIT and produced my own serious play. I remember coming back to visit CTV and my friend told everyone that I was the then famous basketball player, R’ Gershon Kramer. I remember the great basketball team; Heshy Seeman, Joe Halpert, [Itchie] R’ Yitzchak Landerer, [Dave] R’ Dovid Beren, Moish Halpert, R’ Shea Markowitz etc. Who can forget the great color war songs that were on the JEP records composed by the Finkelman brothers; R’ Muttie, R’ Shimon & R’ Dovid. I still remember our grand sing being led by Moish or Chaim Schmell. The great Grand Sing songs [Jep album vol 1 & 2] especially the emotional Alma Mata written by R’ Dovid Finkelman after the fire in camp where b”H no one got hurt Maaseh Nissim. “The flames of the fire-ignited a spark in our hearts-a feeling of achdus-that will never part”. I miss the stories by R’ Yitzy Erps and the comical acting of the Boss played by R’ Hirsch Chinn. The great color war breakouts; Parachutes landing on the baseball field or the generals arriving by helicopter. R’ Heshy Arem tearing up the color war booklets pretending there will not be color war. We all fell for it. It felt like Aseres Ymei Teshuva! Fake Out Break Out! “Campers, counselors have no fear there will be color war this year” b”H “We love the Boss and Nussie Newman too.” [I had to get you into my article] The banner dispute where the judges ruled against a most colorful banner a binocular scene presented in four different parts but lost since it didn’t have a pasuk written on it “Mah Rabu Maasecha Hashem”. It was Yom Hadin [lehavdil]. Remember the Judges entrance with Nicky Gordon, R’ Moshe Neuman z”l, R’ Yaakov Landesman, R’ Heshy Arem, R’ Moish Francis, Chanina Katz etc. I still see a flashback of Rabbi Shmuel Dishon shlita speaking to us campers as the staff broke their fast Motzei Tisha B’av. Mr. Neuhouse z”l used to say after each color war; This is the best color war we ever had on this side of the mountains!” Are we going to have that great kokosh cake or Mr. Goldfinger hot rolls? Campers used to sell their ties or disguise themselves in order to get doubles. Will Yizie Erps sell his colorful banners or treat us to a story? Will Nuttie G. raffle off his gorgeous painting –the binocular scene house on a lake? I’m still laughing my sides off from that great comedy Boro Park play in yiddish. “Kah Aleh, Kesser” Will Hersch Chinn be the badchan? “Torah Vodaas-Torah Vodass- Torah Vodass, Torah Vodass, Torah Vodaas”! I can still hear Rabbi Shmuel D. announcing; “Attention all campers and counselors, learning never ends, but learning groups are now over.” Who can forget the drama when by a bris in camp, the Mohel dropped the BABY [doll- whew!] and broke out Color war! [Mazel Tov!] I now remember the halacha skit when two good friends help each other cheat throughout medical school, and the play ends when one of the friends who was helping him all along to get by and pass his exams now turns out to be his Dr. when he has a heart attack, and he sees his friend who he had helped get by is now his Dr! [Uh Oh]. I can never forget the CIT Michael Hilsenrath, the baseball Home run hitter, or the great soloist Avramy Flam, R’ Berel Leiner in those gorgeous choirs. Hertzy & Ephraim Hassenfield brothers playing accordion and saxophone. Nussy Gluck on the clarinet, Michael Cohen and Sender Gluck on the trumpet. R’ Yisroel Meir Stern and Yaakov Salomon on the guitars. The Simchatone singers Yaakov Salomon, Yonah Weinreb & Bency Schachter. Sheya Mendlowitz leading the choirs and Shloime Dachs the grand sing. The memories go on and on, remembering Rav Yitzchak Isbee z”l -the great Grand Sing Leaders Chaim Schmell and his brother Moish Schmell… There were the great Head Counselors and their assistants; Rav Moshe Francis, Chanina Katz, Rav Moshe Neuman,. The great Color war Song writers Rabbis; Mutty, Shimon and Dovid Finkelman brothers, R’ Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Yanky Arem. The All Star Basketball Team; Dave (Dovid) Beren, Sheya Markowitz, Heshy Sieman, Itchy Landerer, Joe Halpert. I long for those walks on the camp road Fri. nights after the meal with our counselor and JC. I still remember as if it were yesterday, Rav Sholom Kamenetsky shlita coming to our bunk to tell us a maaseh. Oh! how I miss those Camp days. Visiting Day, waiting for our parents to come up from the city and spending the day with the family. The cheers and chants in the dining room and the beautiful zemiros on Shabbos. I will always remain a CTV camper at heart as long as I live. Those were the days……[Shimon Lefkowitz; “The Russians are coming”!]
CTV We Miss You!
RMS
Vues Master’s Note: We all miss our youth! Don’t we all wish we were young again?
ID
Dear Vues Master:
The Gabbai asked a newcomer, “Are you a Kohen or Levi?” “No, “ he replied. “I’m a Shishi!”
BM
Vues Master’s Note: I heard that the Gabbai told him that by us, we give Shishi to dogs!
SHALOM BAYIS
Dear Vues Master:
Late one Shabbos afternoon, as the sun was setting, a woman completely lost control and was hurling insults and curses at her abused husband. After suffering through this silently, he said “It looks like Shabbos is over. I’m going to smoke a cigarette.” “Rasha,” she screamed. “Don’t you see that Shabbos isn’t over yet.” “Really?” he said. “Based upon Shabbos 118, I figured that Shabbos was over since I saw Gehnom was already here.”
MB
Vues Master’s Note: Pretty sad! Hope they reconcile their differences fast!