20 May 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.

BLUFF
Dear Vues Master,

I am writing to express my outrage and deep sense of be-
trayal upon learning the full extent of President Biden’s

aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis—especially in light
of mounting evidence that it may have been hidden from
the American people for years. If experts are correct and
this was diagnosable as far back as 2021, this isn’t just a
health concern—it’s a major political scandal.
The Biden administration, his doctors, and the media
clearly misled the public. When Biden said in 2022, “I—
and so many people I grew up with—have cancer,” we
were told it was a slip of the tongue. Now it appears more
like a calculated deception. This isn’t a private matter—
it’s a matter of national security and public trust.
Running for re-election while concealing a potentially
terminal illness is not just unethical—it’s dangerous.
Americans deserve honesty, not spin. The silence from
the Democratic Party is both deafening and disgraceful.
This may go down as one of the most serious breaches of

public trust in modern political history. We need account-
ability—no matter how high it goes.

– LP
Vues Master’s Note: And next you’ll tell me the 2020
election was fair?

ISRAELI POLITICS
Dear Vues Master,

I’m furious. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to al-
low humanitarian aid into Gaza—under U.S. pressure—

is a betrayal of the Israeli people, especially the families
of hostages still trapped by Hamas.
Hamas has shown no mercy—no food, no medicine, no
proof of life. And yet we’re sending aid trucks? This isn’t
compassion—it’s insanity. Netanyahu claims it’s part of
a military strategy. That’s a lie.
Aid only strengthens Hamas and puts Israeli lives at
greater risk.
Every aid truck weakens Israel’s deterrence. No more
food. No more fuel. No more aid—until every hostage
comes home.
Lead, Bibi. Or step aside for someone who will.
– HT

Vues Master’s Note: Some things never change… espe-
cially in Israeli politics.

PARADE
Dear Vues Master,
The Israel Day Parade this past Sunday was absolutely

fantastic. The energy, unity, and pride were truly inspir-
ing.

One of the highlights was seeing yeshivas from across the
spectrum—Modern Orthodox, Yeshivish, and more—all

marching together. It was a beautiful expression of Jew-
ish unity.

The weather was perfect, the atmosphere electric, and
the NYPD did a phenomenal job keeping everyone safe.

Thank you to all the organizers for a day we’ll never for-
get.

– RW
Vues Master’s Note: May we merit to one day celebrate
in the Holy Temple courtyard!

RABBI SHAI GRAUCHER
Dear Vues Master,
I was deeply moved by last week’s article about Rabbi
Shai Graucher. He’s like the Jewish version of Santa
Claus (lehavdil)—showing up with gifts, care packages,

and compassion for wounded soldiers and released hos-
tages.

One moment that touched me especially was when hos-
tage Agam Berger and her mother visited Shulamith

School. The love and support they received brought tears
to my eyes. Rabbi Graucher is giving people hope and
dignity in the face of unimaginable pain.
Thank you for highlighting a true hero.
– PJ
Vues Master’s Note: Just don’t ask Rabbi Dov Landau!

POSEK HADOR
Dear Vues Master,
It is with great admiration that I write about Rav Yitzchok
Zilberstein shlit”a, the Rav of Ramat Elchonon. He is one

of the foremost halachic authorities of our generation, of-
fering wisdom and clarity in the most complex matters.

His recent words of encouragement to those struggling
with speech difficulties were incredibly moving. That he
shared his own childhood struggles with stuttering shows
his deep empathy and humility.

Through initiatives like He’emanti Va’adabeir, Rav Zil-
berstein has shown concern for all of Klal Yisrael. He

is not just a posek—he is the voice of our
generation.
– YW

Vues Master’s Note: And his smile is unfor-
gettable!

TRUMP
Dear Vues Master,
It’s disappointing that President Trump and
Vice President Vance have not prioritized
visiting Israel after winning the election. For
a campaign that emphasized a strong U.S.–
Israel relationship, this silence is telling.

Israel isn’t just an ally—it’s a strategic part-
ner. Ignoring it sends the wrong message.

If this administration truly supports Israel,
it should prove it through actions—not just
words.
– MW

Vues Master’s Note: As long as he helps Is-
rael, we’ll be okay.

MINHAGEI TOCHACHA
Dear Vues Master,
There is a minhag not to stand directly in
front of the Baal Koreh during the reading
of the Tochacha (rebuke section).
Another minhag is for the person who gets
the aliyah before the Tochacha to leave the

bimah immediately after his portion—be-
fore the next aliyah begins.

In some communities, the gabbai doesn’t

call up the baal koreh by name for the Toch-
acha aliyah—he simply gestures, since the

reader is already standing there. That’s why
it’s common for the baal koreh to receive
this aliyah.
There was even a practice of including in the
shul’s contract that the shamash must accept
the Tochacha aliyah.

The Rema writes that the gabbai should an-
nounce, “Whoever is willing,” rather than

calling someone by name.

In some communities, a special Mi Sheber-
ach was recited, asking that all the curses be

transformed into brachas for the person who
received the aliyah.
The Mekor Chaim writes that the one who
volunteers is often compensated with an
aliyah on the first day of Shavuos or Rosh
Hashanah.

– MF
Vues Master’s Note: Some people can’t be
proven wrong!

I SEE
Dear Vues Master,
The Chozeh of Lublin once faced a critic
who told him to resign as Rebbe. The critic
said, “Tell your chassidim you don’t know
how to learn, and they’ll stop coming.”

“Great idea,” said the Chozeh. That Shab-
bos, he told his followers, “I’m not a schol-
ar. I don’t know why people come to me.”

The chassidim, touched by his humility,
came in even greater numbers.
“You see?” the Chozeh told the critic. “I said

I can’t learn, and now more people are com-
ing.”

“Then tell them you can learn,” the critic
suggested, “and they’ll stop coming.”
“I can’t lie,” replied the Chozeh.
– JH
Vues Master’s Note: Save this one for a
Melave Malka story!

EATING CROW
Dear Vues Master,
Two yeshiva students were living in an
apartment near the Mir Yeshiva. One
brought home a rooster for Kapparos before
Yom Kippur. The other insisted, “That’s a
hen!”
They agreed to keep it overnight and wait
for morning. If it crowed, it was a rooster.
Sure enough, they were awakened by a loud
crow.
“Did you hear that?” said the first student.
“Yes,” the second replied. “And if I hadn’t

heard it with my own ears, I wouldn’t be-
lieve a hen could crow!”

– LK
Vues Master’s Note: Some people can’t be
proven wrong!

SHAVUOS
Dear Vues Master,
Women often feel left out of the traditional
Shavuos night learning, as the custom to
stay up all night is more prevalent among

men. But women recite Birchas HaTorah ev-
ery day because they are obligated to learn

many areas of halacha essential to daily life.

There is an enormous amount for women to
study—Shabbos, Yom Tov, kashrus, laws of
speech, business ethics, and more.
Torah learning on Shavuos is for everyone.
–SG
Vues Master’s Note: The Torah was given
to all of Klal Yisrael—men, women, and
children.

LAG BAOMER
Dear Vues Master,
The Lag BaOmer event hosted by Chabad
of Marine Park last Thursday was absolutely
beautiful. Under Rabbi Hendel’s leadership,

it was organized with great care and profes-
sionalism.

The weather was perfect, the atmosphere

was joyful, and the sense of unity was pal-
pable. Families of all backgrounds came

together to celebrate with music, food, and
friendship.
The event truly embodied the teachings of
the Lubavitcher Rebbe—reaching every
Jew with love and pride in our heritage.
We’re already looking forward to next year!
– YJ

Vues Master’s Note: Next year in Yerusha-
layim!

JOURNEY
Dear Vues Master,
One morning after Shemoneh Esrei, a man
approached a few others and greeted them,
“Shalom Aleichem, Shalom Aleichem.”

Seeing their puzzled expressions, he ex-
plained:

“Why are you surprised? I couldn’t help but
notice how distracted you looked while you
were standing during Shemoneh Esrei. You
seemed to be in another world. Now that

you’ve returned from your journey, I want-
ed to welcome you back with a greeting of

peace.”
– MB
Vues Master’s Note: As Rav Sholom
Schwadron once said: Non-Jews travel with
chariots and horses—but we Jews simply
say the Amidah!

SHIVAH
Dear Vues Master,
When the Rabbi came to visit the avel sitting
shivah, the avel’s wife
approached him and
said, “This has been a

real learning experi-
ence for me.”

“How so?” the Rabbi
asked.

“I learned that Shacha-
ris doesn’t actually

take 15 minutes—and
Maariv doesn’t take

two hours!” she re-
plied.

KO
Vues Master’s Note: That’s exactly why
Yaakov Avinu established Maariv. Can you
imagine putting twelve boys to bed? You’d
drag it out as long as possible too!

TZEDAKAH
Dear Vues Master,

I am writing with sincere concern regarding-
ing a school initiative that requires students

to raise $550 for a particular organization
in order to be exempt from a final exam (a
“Free Pass”).

As someone who deeply values proper chi-
nuch and Torah ideals, I find this policy

very troubling. While encouraging students
to support meaningful causes is certainly
praiseworthy, tying the mitzvah of tzedakah
to an academic reward undermines both the
educational integrity and the ruchniyus we
aim to instill.
Tzedakah is a cornerstone of Torah life, but

it should be done lishmah—out of compas-
sion, obligation, and a sense of responsibil-
ity toward Am Yisrael. Teaching children

that raising a set amount of money—$550—
can earn them a pass from a final exam risks
reducing a mitzvah to a transactional act. It

sends a harmful message: that financial abil-
ity or fundraising skills can substitute for ef-
fort and accountability.

Even more concerning is the mindset this
may foster—one where students believe
there are shortcuts around hard work and
learning. This is not only poor chinuch, but

it also runs contrary to the Torah’s empha-
sis on amal and yegiah—the value of toiling

in both limudei kodesh and limudei chol. It
devalues the subjects being taught and the
efforts of both students and teachers.
Equally important is the emotional impact.
A student unable to raise or contribute
the full amount may feel embarrassed or
ashamed in front of peers who do receive
the exemption. A Torah school should uplift
every child with dignity—not create public
distinctions based on financial means. Such
policies can have lasting emotional effects
and promote inequality in an environment
that should be built on chesed, tzedek, and
achdus.

This approach also creates an unfair dispar-
ity. Not every family can comfortably raise

or donate $550. What message are we send-
ing to those children? That their academic

burden remains because their families have
fewer resources? This contradicts the core
Torah values we strive to uphold.
Our role as mechanchim is to instill values
of effort, honesty, and meaningful growth.
Academic assessments should reflect what a
student has learned—not what they or their

families can contribute financially.

I respectfully urge the administration to re-
consider this policy. There are many ways

to inspire students toward chesed and com-
munity involvement without compromising

the values of chinuch al pi derech haTorah
or creating a sense of inequality.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
May we be zocheh to raise a generation of
bnei and bnos Torah who live lives of emes,
yashrus, and sincere avodas Hashem.
With respect, A Concerned Parent
Vues Master’s Note: I know guys who got a
pass on most of their Regents during Covid!

LEADERSHIP VERSES OPTICS
Dear Vues Master

If you’re still trying to figure out the differ-
ence between leadership and performance

art, just compare President Trump’s first 100
days in 2025 to Joe Biden’s first 100 days in

2021. One was a masterclass in deal-mak-
ing, border control, and global positioning.

The other was a soft reboot of Weekend at
Bernie’s — just with more executive orders
and fewer coherent sentences.
Let’s start with Trump. In just three months,
he secured over $3.8 trillion in international
investment. Qatar pledged $1.2 trillion,
Saudi Arabia tossed in $600 billion, and
the UAE brought $2 trillion to the table like

they were buying Manhattan. These weren’t
symbolic gestures — these were hard deals:

AI data centers, Boeing orders, defense con-
tracts, and energy infrastructure. All made

in America. All bringing jobs to America.

Meanwhile, President Biden’s 100-day re-
port card? He rejoined the Paris Climate Ac-
cord, killed the Keystone XL pipeline, and

helped gas prices skyrocket. He claimed to
“create” 1.38 million jobs — which is rich,

considering those were just people return-
ing to work after the lockdowns his party

pushed. That’s not job creation — that’s hit-
ting undo and calling yourself an innovator.

Trump tackled the border like a wartime
general — deploying the military, declaring
cartels terrorist organizations, and driving
illegal crossings to historic lows. Biden?
He reversed Remain in Mexico, halted wall
construction, and handed out hotel rooms
like raffle prizes. You can practically see the
cartels mailing him thank-you notes.

And while Trump was hammering out gen-
erational deals in the Middle East, what

were the Democrats doing? They were busy

arguing over whether a photo was AI-gen-
erated or trying to save a gangbanger from

El Salvador who somehow made the asylum
list.
Their only real reaction to the Middle East
tour? Melting
down over a
$400 million jet
that Qatar gifted
Trump — a jet
that, by the way,
belongs to the

U.S. Govern-
ment. He’s not

taking it for him-
self, and sudden-
ly that’s the scan-
dal. But when

Hunter Biden

was getting mil-
lions in Ukraine

for zero qualifi-
cations besides

knowing how to
get Dad on the
phone, nobody

blinked. No hear-
ings. No outrage.

No breathless
editorials.
Why? Because

Democrats genu-
inely have no

clue what just
happened in the
Middle East.

We’re talking about multi-trillion-dollar

trade corridors, joint AI-defense infrastruc-
ture, and a full strategic realignment of

global power — and they’re still stuck ask-
ing where Gaza is on a map. The magnitude

of the deals is completely beyond them. So

instead of addressing the substance, they de-
fault to their favorite pastime: performative

outrage. A $400 million plane? That, they
can process — because it fits neatly into a

scandal headline and requires zero under-
standing of economics or diplomacy.

They don’t have anything to say because

they don’t know what to say. They sit qui-
etly until CNN hands them the day’s script,

then parrot it like nervous interns reading
cue cards. And even then, most of them
can’t tell the difference between Qatar and
a salad dressing.
Here’s the truth: Trump leads like a CEO
who understands leverage, risk, and how
to close a deal before the appetizers arrive.

Biden, on the other hand, led like a guy au-
ditioning for a LinkedIn endorsement — all

soft slogans, awkward grins, and desperate
attempts to be liked by people who think
capitalism is a hate crime.
And the party that follows him? They’re not
governing — they’re shuffling around D.C.
like confused interns on their first day, iced
coffee in one hand, equity handbook in the

other, unsure whether they’re late for a cli-
mate panel or just still trying to figure out

which bathroom to use. When real policy

walks into the room, they panic, check Twit-
ter, and wait for CNN to tell them how to

feel.
You don’t have to like Trump’s tone — but

the scoreboard doesn’t care about your feel-
ings. The first 100 days of 2025 were about

dominance, deals, and delivering for Amer-
ica. The first 100 days of 2021? They were

about hashtags, hollow virtue signals, and
hoping Biden didn’t fall off a stage or blurt
out something like “trunalimunumaprzure”
on live TV while everyone just nodded and
pretended it made sense.
With Eyes Wide Open,
Cheski Baum
Vues Master’s Note: Trump is
a results-driven leader, while

Biden serves more as a figure-
head focused on optics. The

Democratic approach emphasiz-
es performance over substance.

CHINUCH
Dear Vues Master, My son just
informed me that he wants to
stay in Eretz Yisrael to learn for a
third year. I’m having a very hard
time with that. I want him to go

to college & get a degree & move on with

his life. I don’t think he wants to go into chi-
nuch & I’m pretty sure he’s not learning in

the Beis Medrash full time. What should I
do? JN
Vues Master’s Note: Nothing! He probably
won’t listen to you. So let him figure it out!

CHEESECAKE
Dear Vues Master, My biggest yetzer hara
when it comes to nosh is cheesecake! All
year long, I try my best to stay away from

it—but on Shavuos, I just can’t control my-
self! What should I do?

Vues Master’s Note: Enjoy yourself—it’s
Yom Tov! Worry about the calories after
Yom Tov!

SHALOM BAYIS
Dear Vues Master, A Jewish husband and
wife had been married for 64 years. They

never kept secrets from each other—ex-
cept for one: the wife had a tin box in her

closet that she had asked her husband never
to open. For all those years, he honored her
request and never thought much about the
box.
One day, however, she became very ill, and
the doctor said she might not recover. While

trying to put their affairs in order, the hus-
band took the tin box and brought it to his

wife’s bedside. She agreed that it was time
he finally knew what was inside.
When he opened it, he found two crocheted
dolls and a stack of money totaling $60,000.
He asked her to explain.
“When we got engaged,” she said, “my
grandmother told me that the secret to a
happy marriage was to never argue. She
advised me that whenever I got angry with
you, I should keep quiet and crochet a doll.”
The old man was deeply moved. Two dolls?
That meant she had only been angry with
him twice in all those years! With tears in
his eyes, he said, “Sweetheart, that explains
the dolls—but what about all this money?”
“Oh,” she replied, “that’s the money I made
from selling the dolls.”
KP
Vues Master’s Note: I was wondering where
my wife got all that cash!