26 Nov SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER
EL AL PRICE & PROFITS SOAR
Dear Vues Master
El Al, reported an all-time high in profits for the July-to-Sep-
tember period, generating $1 billion in revenue. This surge was
largely due to reduced competition, as many of the foreign air-
lines have suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv amidst the
Gaza conflict and related threats from Iran and Hezbollah in
Lebanon.
During the third quarter, El Al achieved a net profit of $187
million, marking a dramatic increase of nearly 260% compared
to $52 million in the same period last year, which preceded the
war that began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack.
Revenues rose significantly, with a 43% increase to $1 billion,
compared to $696 million the previous summer. The airline
also reported an impressive 94% seat occupancy rate, up from
88% the year before.
I really want to visit my kids in Eretz Yisrael this year but the
EL AL prices are insane. I need to go on a direct flight because
my time off from work is limited & I can’t take 20 plus hours
to get back & forth. Why can’t EL AL lower their prices?
PD
Vues Master’s Note: It’s called supply & demand. They are a
business. If you wait for Moshiach, you can go for free!
I LOVE CHABAD
Dear Vues Master I didn’t know Rabbi Kogan Z”L, but they
say a person’s eyes are the window to his soul, and this man,
just from looking at those kind eyes, clearly had a special ne-
shama. But it’s not just Rabbi Kogan. You see, if the Jewish
people are a light unto the nations, that light shines brightest
with Chabad. If you’re not familiar, Chabad, a sect of Hasidic
Judaism, sets up shop in basically every city around the world
with two goals in mind. 1- To educate Jews around the world
and show them the beautiful side of our religion. 2- To make
sure that any Jew in the area, visiting or living, has a Jewish
home if they need one. Chabad is a beautiful organization that
has scaled charity and good deeds to a global level. So far,
I haven’t told you anything you didn’t already know. But sit
down because I want to tell you a little more about this incred-
ible organization. 46 years ago, when my mom was pregnant
with me, it was the holiday of Sukkot.
As per the Torah commandment, my family was sitting out-
side in the Sukkah (Hut) and eating, when all of a sudden, my
parents smelled fire. My dad went inside to check that every-
thing was ok. He saw nothing. So he went upstairs, and the fire
was so intense, it blew him down a whole flight of stairs!! He
ran out, got everyone to safety, and watched how their house
burned down with no remains whatsoever. Everything. Gone.
The community took them in and made sure they were taken
care of, but among the ashes, there was something that was
strangely unaffected by the fire. It was in a drawer of a dresser
that was burned, and it was somehow not destroyed. It was
a dollar from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It survived, unharmed.
You see, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who was the head of Chabad,
used to hand every person who came to see him a dollar for
that person to give to charity. It was a very famous thing and
people came from around the world to see the rebbe and get the
dollar. My parents got one too and it miraculously survived the
fire. But that’s not my only incredible experience with Chabad.
Many years ago, we were on a flight to LA, and the plane had
to make an emergency landing. Where? In Billings, Montana.
The staff at the airport took out their phones as we were land-
ing to take a photo of the plane, because no plane that big had
ever landed at this tiny airport. There we were, hundreds of
people, stuck in an airport the size of a living room. There was
no customs to let us out and we just sat there for many many
hours waiting to be able to take off. It goes without saying,
there is no kosher food in Billings, Montana. Well, we were
fine. Hungry and eager to get out, but fine.
You know who wasn’t fine? Chabad. They drove many hours
each way to make sure we had kosher food. I’ll never forget the
sheer kindness we experienced that day. We met Rabbi Chaim
and Chavie Bruk that day. True angels. That, too, was not my
only Chabad experience. Every time I travel to Silicon Valley,
where there is basically no kosher food, Chabad greets me with
food, but not just any food. They see on my social media that
I like steak and they see that I like my steak medium rare. On
at least two occasions, they had a medium rare steak waiting
for me when I arrived. I kid you not. Chabad travels the world
showing everyone the light of Judaism and how at the core
of our religion is kindness and the glorification of life. You
can’t meet a Chabad messenger (The rebbe sent many of his
students and followers to cities around the world to spread the
light.) and not love him. These people are pure goodness and
the fact that Rabbi Kogan was taken from us the way he was
just proves again what we already knew. Our enemies are try-
ing to extinguish our light, but what they don’t realize is that
our light cannot be extinguished. Mark my words. There will
be endless Torah scrolls, synagogues, and organizations built
and donated in the name of this holy man. They tried again to
take our light from us, but again, they will fail. Our light is
just too strong. It’s a hard day, but we have grown accustomed
to hard days. We will get through this and Rabbi Kogan will
remind us in his death that Am Yisrael is very
much Chai! He will be missed by many and we
hope and pray, along with the consolation of his
family, that Hashem will avenge his death soon.
The Chabad family and the entire Jewish nation
mourns the loss of a giant. Hillel Fuld
Vues Master’s Note: Hashem Yikom Damo.
IMMIGRANTS
Dear Vues Master:
If President Trump throws out all the illegal im-
migrants, how will people have cleaning ladies,
nannies and gardeners? KL
Vues Master’s Note: Get some legal workers!
EGGS
Dear Vues Master:
When will the price of eggs go down already?
I went into a store last week and it was $6.99
a dozen. What should I have for breakfast? RT
Vues Master’s Note: When there is too much sup-
ply or less demand!
KOL HANEARIM
Dear Vues Master:
I just got this emailed to me from Rabbi Eise-
man. Thought I would share it.
As the bidding for Kol HaNearim began, Yeche-
zkel Rosenberg* sat nervously in his seat. His
thoughts were centered around one question:
‘Would he be able to purchase Kol HaNearim?’
His mind drifted back to a vanished world. He
was back in Hungary, sitting beside his father on
Simchas Torah. It was 1944, and Yechezkel and
his father were in Budapest under the threat of
death. Somehow, their Shul was still function-
ing, and fifteen men risked their lives to come.
As they reached Kol HaNearim, all eyes turned
to Yechezkel. At twelve, he was the only under-
bar Mitzvah boy present. Yechezkel felt uncom-
fortable being the only boy to go up for Kol
HaNearim. As his father wrapped him under his
Talis, he whispered, “Chezky, I know you feel
uncomfortable going to Kol HaNearim alone.
However, you must understand that this Aliyah
is precious. I want to give you a Brocha that in
the Zechus of your allowing the Kehilla to fulfill
Kol HaNearim, you should always be privileged
to be the one to purchase Kol Ha-
Nearim when this horrible war ends!”
Yechezkel obeyed his father, and to-
gether they approached the Torah with
trepidation. His father covered him
with his Talis, and they recited the Bro-
chus in unison. The entire Shul sang
HaMalach HaGoel, their Yom Tov
Simcha mixed with their tears and sob-
bing, which filled the near-empty cav-
ernous Shul. As they returned to their
seats, his father grabbed his son’s hand
and said, Yasher Koach. His father then
added with tears in his eyes, “I should
be Zocheh to give you a Yasher Ko-
ach for this Aliyah again!” That was
the last day Yechezkel and his father
would be together in a Shul. Five days
later, on October 15, the hated Arrow
Cross took power, and by the time Soviet troops
liberated Budapest in 1945, Yechezel’s mother
and father were among the Kedoshim killed Al
Kiddush Hashem. Yechezkel arrived in America
in 1947. He worked in the garment district and
saved every penny he could. He moved into a
cold-water flat in Brownsville on Hopkinson
Avenue.
When he had time, he would snatch a few min-
utes of learning at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim
Berlin, which had acquired the seven-story for-
mer Municipal Bank Building at Pitkin and Stone
Avenues. In 1949, at seventeen, he purchased
Kol HeNearim in a small Shul in Brownsville for
$4 to fulfill his father’s hope and promise. This
would be the first of his decades-long mission
to make his father’s Brocha a reality. Yechezkel
eventually married Hindi, also a survivor, and
after saving money, he opened a successful hab-
erdashery on Pitkin Ave. Yechezkel always hired
workers who were Shomer Shabbos and could
not find employment. They eventually moved to
Flatbush, raising four children in their parents’
Mesorah. They were privileged to walk each one
down to the Chupah and see much Yiddishe Na-
chas from them. Yet, one thing never changed,
whether they were in Brownsville or Flatbush,
Yechezkel would set aside money every year to
fulfill his father’s Brocha and purchase Kol Ha-
Nearim. That was until this year.
This year would be the 75th straight year that
Yechezkel was planning on purchasing Kol
HaNearim. Yet, at his wife’s insistence, he had
agreed to leave his Shteibel in Flatbush and
spend the last days of Yom Tov with his married
grandchildren in their upscale suburban neigh-
borhood. Would he still be able to purchase his
coveted Aliyah? The bidding was beginning.
Yechezkel was aroused from his memories as
the gabbai announced $1000 for Kol Hanearim.
Yechezkel offered his bid; however, in seconds,
the bidding soared to levels unheard of in his
Flatbush Shteibel.
As he observed the bidding reaching what
seemed like stratospheric money, Yechezkel
sadly resigned himself for the first time in many
decades to being an observer and not the re-
cipient of the Aliyah. How could this be? This
would have been the seventy-fifth consecutive
year; however, what was he to do? His bid was
thousands of dollars below the winning dona-
tion. He attempted to console himself with the
thought that the Shul would receive much more
needed funds than he could ever offer. Suddenly,
his grandson said, “Zaidy, listen!” The gabbai
thundered again, “Yaa’mod R’ Yechezkel ben
R’ Shlomo L’Kol HaNearim!” Yechezkel was
shocked and confused, and as he did in 1944,
he approached the Torah with trepidation and
shock. How was he called up for Kol HaNearim?
As the Aliyah concluded, Yechezekl inquired of
the gabbai as to who had purchased the Aliyah
for him. He assumed his grandchildren or son-
in-law had purchased the Aliyah; however, the
gabbai pointed to a man neither Yechezkel nor
his family recognized.
As he walked down from the Aliyah, Yechez-
kel paused to thank the man who purchased the
Kibud. He was curious and puzzled as to the
identity of this man. Yet, before he could ask,
“Why?” the young man quietly said, “R’ Yeche-
zkel, In 1958, you hired my grandfather to work
in your clothing store in Brownsville. It was the
only job he could get. He always spoke about
that kindness. Before he passed, he told me he
always wanted to buy you Kol HaNearim to
show his gratitude, yet you always outbid him.
Today, Hashem allowed me to pay back my Za-
die’s debt. Thank you and Yasher Koach!” Ye-
chezkel was speechless. He recalled the last time
he went up for Kol HaNearim without buying it.
That was eighty years ago in Budapest when he
went up alone. Yet, he could not ponder the past
for too long, as he was soon surrounded by his
children and grandchildren, joined by all the men
of the Shul, all requesting a Brocha from the man
who loved Kol HaNearim. Yet, as meaningful as
all the dozens of people gathered around him
and attempted to shake his hand and say Yasher
Koach, none came close to the most cherished
Yasher Koach to reach his ears. As
R’ Yechezkel ben R’ Shlomo HY”D
reached his seat, he suddenly felt
his father’s hand holding him. He
then heard his father’s faint yet
clear voice echoing in his ears from
decades ago. He had waited eighty
years to hear these words. “Yasher
Koach.”
Ron Yitzchok Eisenman Rav Con-
gregation Ahavas Israel Passaic, NJ
GT
Vues Master’s Note: Wow! What a
story!
STORY
Dear Vues Master:
Rav Dovid Sutton shared a story
that was relayed by the Mekubal,
Rav Ovadiah Hadayah, zt”l. In the
times of the Chida, Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid
Azulai, zt”l, there lived a Talmid Chachom who
suffered from terrible illness and pain. In de-
spair, he decided to visit the Chida and ask for a
Brachah. When he entered the Chida’s Bais Me-
drash, he found the great Tzadik giving a Shiur
on a certain topic in the Gemara. Not wanting to
disturb, he sat quietly in the back of the room,
waiting until the Chida finished. His journey to
the Chida had been a long and tiring one, and
in the warmth of the Bais Medrash, this Talmid
Chachom fell into a deep sleep. Suddenly, he
felt like he was dead. He was surrounded by his
family and friends who were escorting him to
his final resting place. They eulogized him, they
asked his forgiveness, and then they turned back
to their homes, and he was left alone. The quiet
of the grave was soon broken as a Malach came
to escort him to the Heavenly Court for judg-
ment. It’s a long way from this world to the next,
and the Talmid Chachom found it exhausting as
he walked with the Malach. When the Malach
said it would take two days of walking to reach
where they had to get to, the Talmid Chachom
was shocked. He exclaimed, “Two days? I’m
exhausted! I can’t walk much farther.” As they
were speaking, he heard the sound of a carriage
approaching. He looked up hopefully, but saw
it was sagging beneath the weight of its heavy
load, which was a huge trunk. The Talmid Cha-
chom asked the driver, “Could I possibly get a
ride with you?” The driver laughed, “Do you
have any idea what is in this trunk? It’s filled
with your Aveiros! Tell me, do you really want to
ride with the Aveiros that will incriminate you?”
The Talmid Chachom stared in horrified disbe-
lief. Could this really contain his Aveiros? Im-
possible! He hadn’t committed so many Aveiros
in his lifetime! Again, the driver laughed, “And
all this? This is nothing! There wasn’t enough
room in my carriage for all of your Aveiros.
There are dozens more coming after me!” The
Talmid Chachom saw that, indeed, more car-
riages were following on the road. As each of
them passed he asked the driver what load he
was carrying, and with a sinking heart, he heard
the same answer. They were each carrying his
Aveiros. Finally, the dismal procession of wag-
ons came to an end. Only one more coach drove
up. It was a small one which carried a very small
trunk. Almost in despair, the Talmid Chachom
asked the driver what he was carrying. The re-
sponse was, “Oh, this small trunk? It contains
your Mitzvos.” They made it to the trial, and the
verdict seemed to be a foregone conclusion. On
one side, stacked so high you couldn’t even see
the top, were the boxes of his Aveiros, and on the
other side, was the pitifully small box that held
the Mitzvos. A voice called out, “He shall be
brought to Gehinom!” Two Malachim immedi-
ately appeared at this man’s side to bring him to
where he would carry out his dreaded sentence.
But before they could move, a Malach dressed
in gleaming white appeared and demanded,
“Where are you taking him?” The Malachim
replied, “To Gehinom.” The Malach turned to
the judges of the Heavenly Tribunal and said,
“Have you taken into consideration the terrible
suffering this man went through in the physi-
cal world?” The judges began to leaf through
the book of the man’s life. Seeing the suffering
he had undergone, they ordered that half of the
crates that were filled with Aveiros be discard-
ed. “And what about the illnesses? Have you
considered them?” Again, the judges looked
through the book, and again, they reduced the
number of Aveirah crates. “And what about the
problems with his family?” More crates disap-
peared. “And his financial troubles?” By this
time the scale was almost equal. But the Aveiros
still weighed heavy. The Malach looked at
the scale and asked the judge. “Is there more
Yisurim, suffering, that perhaps this man can
go through?” The man watched in disbelief.
He could no longer control himself. “More suf-
fering!” he screamed, “More suffering! Can’t
I have just a little more suffering?” And then
he awoke. He wasn’t dead. He wasn’t in the
grave. He wasn’t facing the Heavenly Court.
He was in the Bais Medrash of the Chida, who
was just finishing up his Shiur. The Chida saw
the stranger and courteously asked him what he
could do to help him. The Talmid Chachom told
him with enthusiasm, “Baruch Hashem, I don’t
need any help. I have everything I need, and I
accept it all with love!” TUT
Vues Master’s Note: Interesting!
WOW
Dear Vues Master:
A couple, in northern Eretz Yisrael was
childless for seven years. The husband’s
mother received a “Torah Wellsprings”
(the Hebrew version) which discussed the
virtue of remaining silent when someone
humiliates you, and when you are silent,
you have the power to give brachos and
say tefillos that will be effective. Just a
few days later, she encountered two
women arguing.
One of them began to harass and embar-
rass the other woman, who wisely re-
mained silent. The mother/mother-in-law
quickly went over to this woman and
begged her to bless her son and daughter-
in-law with children. Ten months later,
they had their first child, a daughter. The
following story happened just recently,
when a group of chassidim traveled to
Meron for Shabbos (called a שבת
התאחדות, when friends spend a Shabbos
together). There was one yungerman who
was noticeably happy throughout the trip.
He felt privileged to travel with this spe-
cial group of ה עובדי‘, to spend a Shabbos
together with them in the holy city Mer-
on.
However, his joy vanished when they ar-
rived in Meron and he discovered that he
forgot to pack his beketche! He envisioned
himself being very embarrassed onShabbos.
He’d be the only person dressed in weekday
clothing. And it wasn’t a good suit, it was what
people call a yeshiva chalat, made of thin,
cheap fabric. A friend came over and said, “I
have an older son. We are struggling for a long
time trying to find him a shidduch, but nothing
is moving. Please, let me wear your weekday
clothes, and you can wear my Shabbos
beketche. I’ll dedicate my shame and the mitz-
vah of chesed for my son’s merit that he should
soon find his bashert.”
A week later, his son was engaged. Although
we are discovering the benefits of receiving
shame, one certainly shouldn’t act in ways that
will cause people to embarrass and humiliate
him, because then he will be causing those peo-
ple to sin. Our point is that when we go through
embarrassments and humiliation, we shouldn’t
answer back. We should realize that this is a
very special moment to attain atonement for our
sins. Another important note: One shouldn’t
make th
e crooked decision to purposely insult others,
so they could have a salvation. If the person
needs shame for his atonement, Heaven will
send it to him (and if he is wise, he will accept
it silently, and gain atonement for his sins). You
definitely don’t need to be the provider.
REB
Vues Master’s Note: It’s a shame I wasn’t there.
ELECTIONS
Dear Vues Master:
I’m happy that Trump won the Presidential
election. Despite his many shortcomings, he’s
the best candidate to support Israel as well as
the rights of Jews in the USA. Additionally, I’m
glad that we won’t have an Obama V4 Presi-
dency. MJ
Vues Master’s Note: Time will tell. Al Tivtechu-
BiNedivim!
DROWNING
Dear Vues Master:
Sadie and Sam were on a ship, when it broke
apart and they found themselves in the middle
of the ocean, hanging onto a raft for dear life.
Suddenly, Sadie, seeing a sailboat on the ho-
rizon, shouted excitedly, “Sam, a sail, a sail.”
Sam shouted back “We’re drowning and you
want to go shopping.”
LO
Vues Master’s Note: How much money did she
save or spend!
CONTRASTING SIDES
Dear Vues Master:
I don’t think enough people understand the lack
of parallel between the two sides of this war. –
One side wants to protect its citizens and mini-
mize innocent deaths on both sides. The other
side wants to kill as many innocent people as
they can, on both sides. – One side will win
this war when everyone is safe. The other side
would win this war when everyone is dead. –
One side longs for peace and security. The other
side longs for mass murder and genocide. – One
side uses weapons to protect its people. The
other side uses its people to protect its weapons.
– One side spends billions to protect civilians
using missiles. The other side spends billions
to kill civilians using missiles. – One side could
put down their weapons and instantly end the
war. The other side could put down their weap-
ons and instantly be wiped off the earth. – One
side spent decades and billions of dollars build-
ing an aerial defense system so its citizens can
live. The other side spent decades and billions
of dollars building a terror tunnel system so its
leaders can live even if the citizens die. – One
side educates the next generation to glorify life.
The other side educates the next generation to
glorify death. Here’s the bottom line. If Hamas
could wipe Israel off the map and kill every
single Jew in the world, if it had the military
strength Israel has, they would do exactly that.
If Israel wanted to flatten Gaza, it could. Hamas
can’t, so they don’t. Israel can, but they won’t.
Wars, historically speaking, had two sides with
the same goal, like taking a piece of land. This
war has one side that wants to live in peace and
another side that doesn’t care about living in
peace. All it wants is to make sure the other side
doesn’t have a second of peace. If Hamas/Hez-
bollah continues to terrorize Israel, they win. If
Israel gets Hamas/Hezbollah to stop terrorizing
it, they win. The two sides are not the same and
any attempt to draw an equal sign is dishonest,
dangerous, and morally bankrupt.
Hillel Fuld
Vues Master’s Note: Eisav soneh Yaakov.
SICK
Dear Vues Master:
A woman accompanied her husband to the
doctor’s office. After his checkup, the doctor
called the wife into his office alone. He said,
“Your husband is suffering from a very severe
stress disorder. If you don’t do the following,
your husband will surely deteriorate and die.”
“Each morning,” instructed the doctor, “fix him
a healthy breakfast. Be pleasant at all times. For
lunch, make him a nutritious meal. For dinner,
prepare an especially nice hot meal for him, and
have it waiting for him when he comes home
from work. Don’t burden him with chores.
Don’t discuss your problems with him; it will
only exacerbate his stress. No nagging is al-
lowed. You also must compliment him at least
five or six times a day, telling him how brilliant
and talented he is. And most importantly, never
disagree with him. If you can do this for the
next 10 months to a year,” the doctor said, “I
think your husband will regain his health com-
pletely.” On the way home, the husband asked
his wife, “What did the doctor say?” “He said
you’re going to die,” she replied. JN
Vues Master’s Note: Poor guy!
PAYING MORE UNDER TRUMP
Dear Vues Master
President-elect Donald Trump on Monday
promised the US will charge a 25% tax on all
goods from Canada and Mexico starting on the
first day of his administration. Similarly, Trump
said that China will face higher tariffs on its
goods — by 10% above any existing tariffs —
until it prevents the flow of illegal drugs into the
US. The policy change, if enacted, could wreak
havoc on America’s supply chains and indus-
tries reliant on goods from the country’s closest
trading partners. Although Trump has repeated-
ly said targeted foreign countries pay the tariffs,
they are in fact paid by companies that purchase
the imported goods — and those costs are typi-
cally passed onto American consumers. Most
mainstream economists believe tariffs will be
inflationary and could cost the typical US
household over $2,600 a year. The prices of ev-
erything these days are so high. We need help
from Trump to pay less. Not more. KP
Vues Master’s Note: I’m hoping grocery prices
go down a little to offset that. Grocery prices
have gone up tremendously over the last two
years under Biden.