16 Jul SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

VISITING DAY
Dear Vues Master
This past Sunday was the first major visiting day of
summer 2024. I went upstate to visit my children in two
different camps & I was amazed at how many yidden are
upstate during the summer. I saw the Country Vues & I
was amazed that there were over 35 restaurants upstate
this summer. Everywhere I went it was busy.
Vues Master’s Note: Now you know why it’s so empty in
the city.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL
Dear Vues Master
The weather this summer has been brutal. It is extremely
hot out there. I just want to remind everyone that they
should not leave their children in a car unattended even
for a minute. Unfortunately this summer many infants
have been left unattended and have gone into cardiac
arrest. By the time Hatzolah reached the scene, the
infants were no longer alive. This is a very serious
matter.
Vues Master’s Note: Thank you for the reminder!

PTSD
Dear Vues Master:
I was saddened, but not surprised, to read Rabbi
Goldberg’s article about his young IDF friend who is
suffering from PTSD, and shocked to read that one
study showed that as many as 520,000 people could
develop PTSD as a result of October 7th. Even the lower
estimate of 30,000 is a tragic number. I applaud Rabbi
Goldberg for his compassion for those suffering mental
as well as physical anguish, and for urging us to “work
to eliminate the stigma of mental and emotional illness.”
But I would ask the Rabbi, and his readers, to take a
further step with their compassion. If 30,000 or more
Israelis may be suffering from post-traumatic stress,
how many Palestinians are suffering equally or more?
Or perhaps a more apt question would be: how many
Palestinians are NOT? Any at all? The Torah espouses
compassion for all creatures.
GR
Vues Master’s Note: Well the Palestinians are just a
bunch of murderers!

IN LAWS
Dear Vues Master:
In last week’s Parsha, Parshas Chukas, we learned about
the Mei Meriva. The lack of water was even more an
issue because it happened by the placed called Kodesh.
“Va’yeishev Ha’om Be’Kodesh”. Imagine coming to a
kiddush and there is nothing to drink. Some say that the
Celah was a metaphor for cell phones. You shouldn’t
talk to them so much and should whack them. This week
President Biden released a lot of oil from the petroleum
reserves in order to lower the price of oil temporarily
for the summer travelers. The remez in the parsha is
by the Pora Aduma where it says “loi ulah ulahu oil”. A
question asked is that during the time when the snakes
were killing the Yidden, Moshe made a copper snake and
put it on the Neis. Those who looked at the copper snake
lived. But there is a saying “ein soimchin al haneis”; so
how could he have depended on it? The answer might
be simple. It doesn’t say he was soimech; it says he
“sim” – he just placed it – and he didn’t rely on it. I heard
from a tour guide in Israel, the makoir of why we stop at
red lights. It says in this Parsha, “va’yoimer Edom, loi
sa’over bee” – when it’s red don’t cross. Also, derech
Hamelech of Edom was the original Kings Highway of
Brooklyn. There was one Guy be’sdei Moiav; here in
Brooklyn, we have Three Guys. There was a little land
by the Benei Amoin called Oz. Bilam might have lived
there a while where he was called the Wizard of Oz. We
learned that the umois had Bilaam who also had powers
so that they shouldn’t have an excuse. We see that from
the posuk om Ka’moish – they had someone like Moishe.
Sichoin the King of Emori was an accountant by trade
– he did everything with a Cheshboin. However, they
cooked his books and he met an untimely end since
it says “ki aish yutzu mei’cheshbon”. That fire could
still be causing our hot weather. Coming to the land of
Yazer, Moishe employed another set of spies. If you
don’t succeed once, try again. These did succeed and
actually conquered the land themselves. In their honor,
we say on Shabbos before leining “Va’yazer Va’yugoin,
ve’hoishu”.
Dov Fishman
Vues Master’s Note: Difference between in laws and
outlaws well outlaws are wanted!

NEIGHBOR
Dear Vues Master:
An am haaretz had a printed copy of the
megillah in his hands and was cutting
out every mention of Haman. When
asked what he was doing, the am haaretz
explained that he was carrying out the
מחה תמחה את זכר of requirement explicit
Amalek. A fellow am haaretz responded
that may be okay as far as the name of
Haman is concerned, but you’re also
cutting out the holy words on the back of
each page. What sin did they commit? The
am haaretz responded: “It’s as chazal said:
“.אוי לרשע ואוי לשכנו
GT
Vues Master’s Note: What a waste!

STORY
Dear Vues Master
Rav Boruch Brull writes a story. Louis
Herman was a young Jew who lived
in Canada during World War II. After
hearing about the terrible things that
were happening to the Jews in Europe,
he decided to enlist in the army to fight
against the Germans. When he finished
his training, young Louis was transferred
to Italy. As a sergeant in the army, he was
assigned to the front, in the midst of heavy
fighting. Throughout the difficult months
of the war, Louis kept as many Mitzvos
as he possibly could. On the day of his
mother’s Yahrtzeit, despite being many
miles away from any Shul, Louis wanted to
say Kaddish for her. This prayer, however,
would require a Minyan, and finding
ten Jews in the middle of a battlefield
in Italy was not going to be easy. Louis
knew of only five other Jewish soldiers
in his unit. Louis approached the army
chaplain, who was a priest, and explained
his predicament. Louis asked the chaplain
if he knew of any other Jewish soldiers in
the area. To Louis’s surprise, the chaplain
not only knew where he could find other
Jewish soldiers, but he also understood
the meaning of a Minyan. “See that area
over there?” The chaplain pointed to a
tall observation tower. “That is where
our soldiers guard our unit and watch for
advancing German soldiers. When they
see any activity, they radio the information
back to the artillery unit to help us aim our
bombs more precisely. There are four Jews
who occupy positions in the observation
tower. If you’d like, I can put in a call
to them and ask that they come over to

our area for your Minyan.” Louis was
overjoyed. He would have exactly the ten
men required to make up a Minyan! And to
his great relief, the soldiers were happy to
oblige. Louis was able to say Kaddish on
his mother’s Yartzeit with a Minyan. After
they finished Davening. Louis thanked
everyone for joining him and enabling
him to fulfill this meaningful personal
obligation. As the four soldiers turned
to walk back to the observation tower,
they suddenly heard a loud explosion
and saw a most startling sight. The entire
observation tower and its contents had
just been blown up! Only the four Jewish
soldiers, who had just ‘happened’ to be
busy doing a very important Mitzvah, had
escaped certain death! Rav Brull adds,
“The Gemara teaches us (Pesachim 8b)
that messengers who go to do a Mitzvah
are saved from harm. Not only do acts of
Chesed help others, but those very acts
can also save us!” TUT
Vues Master’s Note: Great story. Thanks
for sharing!

SELF WORTH
A man once came to a Rav with terrible
shalom bayis problems. He described
his actions and duties in his home, and
it seemed that he was a very devoted
husband and father. However, his own
lack of self-worth negatively impacted
his shalom bayis. He explained to the Rav
that he very much envied his neighbor. He
went on to explain that there was a young
almanah with several yesoimim in their
neighborhood. His neighbor took on these
yesomim and helped them financially as
well. He acted as a father to them in every
way he could. This man was so envious
of his neighbor’s ability that it affected
his own shalom bayis. The Rav however,
who was very sharp, explained to him
that his perspective was more than a little
off. “Let me ask you something, is your
neighbor doing anything more for those
orphans than you do for your own wife
and children? Don’t you also support your
children, and do homework and take them
to school? If a person takes care of his wife
and children is he not also a baal chessed?
Chazal tell us that the greatest chessed one
can do is help those close to us. And when
one must choose between doing chesed
for a nonrelative and doing chesed for
family, family comes first. Be impressed
with yourself for being a devoted father

and husband, mother and wife. Learn with
your children, do homework with them,
take care of your family, and realize that
these are tremendous acts of chesed.
LSK
Vues Master’s Note: Great & important
lesson.

REPUBLICANS
Dear Vues Master:
Pro-Israel and anti-Israel activists within
the Democratic Party are fighting over
the language to be included in this year’s
platform. There was a similar struggle
eighty years ago—and a man named
Netanyahu was in the middle of that
debate, too. As the presidential election
of 1944 approached, most Republican
Party leaders thought there was no point
in trying to woo Jewish voters, since they
had voted overwhelmingly for Franklin D.
Roosevelt in the three previous elections.
Benzion Netanyahu thought otherwise.
The historian and Zionist activist—
and father of Israel’s current prime
minister—traveled to the GOP convention
in Chicago that summer to press for
adoption of a pro-Zionist plank. Neither
party had ever previously included such
a plank in their platform. Netanyahu
had already developed relationships with
former president Herbert Hoover, the
dynamic Congresswoman Clare Booth
Luce, and other important Republican
figures. American Zionist leader Abba
Hillel Silver, who delivered the invocation
at that year’s convention, was close to
Sen. Robert Taft, chair of the resolutions
committee. Lobbying by Netanyahu
and Silver convinced the Republicans
to include an unprecedented plank
urging “refuge for millions of distressed
Jewish men, women, and children driven
from their homes by tyranny,” and the
establishment of a “free and democratic”
Jewish state in Palestine. The GOP’s
platform not only endorsed Jewish
statehood, but also criticized President
Roosevelt. It declared: “We condemn the
failure of the President to insist that the
[British authorities in] Palestine carry out
the provisions of the Balfour Declaration
and of the mandate, while he pretends to
support them.” The Republican plank
alarmed Rabbi Stephen Wise, the era’s
most prominent American Jewish leader.
Wise was deeply loyal to President
Roosevelt and the Democratic Party; in

his private correspondence, he referred to
the president as “the All Highest” and “the
Great Man.” Rabbi Wise had not been
planning to attend that year’s Democratic
Party convention, but the Republicans’
plank threatened to undermine Jewish
electoral support for the president. “I now
think I shall go there,” he told a colleague,
“in order to be certain that the Resolution
on Palestine which must now be adopted
shall more than neutralize the damage
done by the [Republican platform].” In
his conversations with delegates at the
convention, Wise warned that without a
pro-Zionist plank, hundreds of thousands
of Jews in New York might vote for GOP
nominee Thomas Dewey, who was the
state’s popular governor. That could swing
New York, with its 47 electoral votes—the
most of any state—to the Republicans.
Congressman Emanuel Celler, Democrat
of Brooklyn, warned White House aides
that “the Jews in New York and other
areas like Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston,
San Francisco [and] Cleveland are
greatly exercised over the failure of our
Administration” regarding Palestine and
Jewish refugees. If the Democrats did not
support Zionism, then “as far as the race
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is concerned
[Dewey] would steal the show right from
under our noses…” Rabbi Wise had no
trouble securing permission to address the
Democrats’ committee on resolutions–
only to discover, to his dismay, that Rabbi
Morris Lazaron, leader of the anti-Zionist
American Council for Judaism, would
also testify. The Council was the 1940s
equivalent of Jewish Voice for Peace—few
in number, but loud and amply covered by
sympathetic newspapers. Ultimately,
Wise’s position prevailed—mostly. The
Democrats’ plank did not mention the
plight of European Jewry, but it did call
for “unrestricted Jewish immigration
and colonization” of Palestine and
“the establishment there of a free and
democratic Jewish commonwealth.” For
Netanyahu and Silver, this bipartisan
endorsement of Jewish statehood was
a significant achievement. It enshrined
support for Zionism, and later for Israel,
as part of American political culture for
decades to follow. Today, however, there
are elements within the Democratic Party
who would like to reverse that tradition.
They want the platform to call on Israel
to cease firing at Hamas; they also want

it to oppose U.S. weapons for Israel,
beyond the shipments that the Biden
administration recently suspended. As
they did in 1944, the Republicans today
have thrown down the gauntlet. This year’s
GOP platform states, “We will stand with
Israel, and seek peace in the Middle East.”
It also condemns antisemitism, pledges to
“hold accountable those who perpetrate
violence against Jewish people,” and
promises to deport foreigners in the
United States who support “terrorism and
jihadism.” Can the Democrats match
that, given the sentiment toward Israel
among some segments of their party?
On the other hand, can they afford not

to? With significant numbers of pro-
Israel voters in swing states such as

Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and
Arizona, this year’s platforms could be
more important than ever before.
Rafael Medoff
Vues Master’s Note: Amazing how the
roles of Politics have changed.

ANTI SEMITE
Dear Vues Master:
When Balak asked Bilam to curse the
Bnei Yisrael, he said לי *ארה,” curse
me*”. Harav Hagaon R.Shlomo.Miller
shlita said, In Parshas לך לך, Hashem
will I ואברכה מברכיך ומקללך אאר “,said
bless those who bless you and those who
curse you I will curse”. Balak knew of
this yet he insisted on having the Bnei
Yisrael cursed. even though as a result
of this, בלק himself will be cursed. The
ישראל שונאי attempt to harm the Yidden
even when they know they will lose out
by doing so. The Nazis ym”s at the end
of the war, instead of using their trains
for the war effort to save their military,
used the trains to transport the Hungarian
Jews to Auschwitz. בלעם even though
he blessed the ישראל בני, wasn’t entitled
to be blessed because it wasn’t he who
blessed the ישראל בני It was Hashem’s
ברכה coming out from Bilam’s mouth.
MF
Vues Master’s Note: Let us hope these
Anti-Semites get wiped out!

HAD TO HAVE HAT
Dear Vues Master:
A priest once asked a rabbi, “Why do you
wear a hat and a skullcap underneath it?
Isn’t the hat sufficient? Our cardinals and

bishops wear a head covering as a symbol
of a roof over their heads. But they
don’t wear one head covering on top of
another.” The rabbi responded: “A cow or
a horse in a barn or stable has a roof over
its head. We Jews want not only the roof
under which even a cow or horse dwells,
but a symbol of civilization as well – a
ceiling!”
MB
Vues Master’s Note: He was all Capped
out!

SUPPORT
Dear Vues Master:
Jim Inhofe, the former long-serving US
Senator from Oklahoma, passed away
on July 9. Inhofe was a former Mayor
of Tulsa, U.S. Army vet, committed
family man, and strong supporter of
Israel. Inhofe’s commitment to the Iron
Dome and other vitally important Senate
initiatives that strengthened Israel have
been completely absent from the many
articles celebrating his career of service
and marking his passing. In this small
space, an attempt will be made to rectify
that. Displaying hakaras hatov (the
debt of gratitude that people just show
for someone who did a good thing for
them first), is a behavior that is not just
praised and encouraged but demanded
in ancient Jewish wisdom. Jim Inhofe
did many good things for Israel that
should never be forgotten. Senator James
Inhofe seemed to innately know that any
American who denies the eternal truth of
Jewish ownership of the Land of Israel
and Jerusalem ignores history and also
denies that the Bible (Torah) is the Divine
word of G-d. Belief that Jerusalem is
and should remain the undivided capital
of Israel is historically, religiously, and
politically correct. During his time in
the Senate, Inhofe served as chair of the
Armed Services Committee and showed
unwavering support for Israel in that
powerful committee. Here’s a brief (and
incomplete) list of Inhofe’s Senate work
to support Israel from just part of his
last term in office: In 2021 Inhofe was
one of 44 senators who signed a letter to
President Biden stating “…we also urge
you to unequivocally support Israel’s
right to defend itself against any and all
terrorist attacks.” Also in 2021, Inhofe
and Senator Bill Hagerty introduced an

amendment to the COVID-19 Budget
Resolution designed to ensure that
the U.S. Embassy to Israel remains in
Jerusalem. 97 senators voted to pass
Inhofe’s pro-Jerusalem amendment.
On October 30, 2021 Inhofe tweeted
“@SenatorHagerty and I secured an
amendment earlier this year to prevent a
change in policy. We just introduced the
Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy
Law of 2021 to protect the law and
ultimately ensure Jerusalem remains the
capital of Israel permanently.” In 2020,
Inhofe cosponsored legislation that
called on the U.S. State Department to
designate the Muslim Brotherhood as
a terrorist group. Here are some other
important examples from earlier in
Senator Inhofe’s career. In 2009 Inhofe’s
work to remove the waiver in Jerusalem
Embassy law was widely praised with the
Orthodox Union stating that it “wishes
to thank the original co-sponsors of this
important piece of legislation including,
Senators Cornyn, Inhofe and Kyl.” In
2012 Inhofe introduced an amendment
to cut assistance to the Palestinians by
50% as well U.S. payments to the UN if
the then effort by the Palestinians to gain
recognition as a non-member observer
state succeeded in the General Assembly.
In 2018 Inhofe co-introduced a letter, later
signed by all 100 senators, insisting that
the Department of Homeland Security
fast track Israel’s full membership in
the Global Entry program. Along with
his stance on the embassy in Jerusalem
the other crucial role Inhofe played in
strengthening the US-Israel alliance
was his championing of the Iron Dome.
A letter he co-wrote to colleagues in
December 2012 is just one example. “As
witnessed by the recent attacks on Israel
from Gaza, the continued joint efforts of
the United States and Israel in missile
defense systems is critical to protecting
this close U.S. ally and American interests
in that region,” Inhofe wrote. That 2012
letter was related to a bill that authorized
the then new funding for Iron Dome as
well as for other defense programs for
Israel. Can one imagine the additional
devastation that Israel would have faced
after October 7th if the Iron Dome was
not part of its defense arsenal? Who will
take up Israel’s cause in future Senates?
No doubt some current senators may

come to your mind — and they all well
deserve praise — but it is imperative that
all Americans who love Israel make sure
that more senators like them, and like
Inhofe, join their ranks.
MP
Vues Master’s Note: We need all the
shtadlunus!

RICH
Dear Vues Master:
A wealthy man who lived in a large city
was told by a friend that if he wants
to live forever, he should move to a
neighboring small and impoverished
town. “Are you telling me that the מלאך
המוות doesn’t have שליטה in your town?”
he asked. His friend replied: “The מלאך
המוות has שליטה everywhere,” his friend
responded. “But I have a קבלה from
ימי בראשית from that אבותי ואבות אבותי
until today the town has been so poor that
no rich man ever died there.”
DW
Vues Master’s Note: I am dying of
laughter!?

CHARITY
Dear Vues Master:
A terrible rumor went through a town. An
אברך, the son in law of a wealthy man,
had been caught trying to steal money
from the tzedakah box in Shul. The gvir
couldn’t have been more embarrassed.
That very day, he took his son in law to
Beis Din and had him give his daughter
a גט. To everyone’s surprise, the אברך
left the Beis Din with a big smile on
his face. Explaining, he said that he of
course never intended to steal, but this
was merely a ploy to get the gvir to let
him out of a miserable marriage. “The
צדקה קופת saved me from a woman who
is worse than death,” he said. “This is a
“.צדקה תציל ממוות of case
FD
Vues Master’s Note: Charity begins at
home!