25 Sep 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.
SIMANIM
Dear Vues Master,
As we just finished Rosh Hashana, I find myself reflecting
on how much the Yom Tov traditions have changed over
the years, especially when it comes to the simanim, the
symbolic foods eaten at the festive meal.
When I was a child, the custom was simple and meaning-
ful: we dipped the apple in honey, had a piece of carrot or
leek, maybe some dates, and of course, the fish head at
the table. That was it. A few heartfelt yehi ratzons, and we
moved on to the meal.
Today, it feels like there are 100 simanim on the table—
and the list grows every year! Pomegranates, black-eyed
peas, string beans, gourds, beets, raisins on celery (“raise
in salary”), and even gummy fish or lettuce with half a
raisin and celery (to “let us have a raise in salary”)! Ev-
ery fruit, vegetable, or pun-worthy snack seems to be fair
game now. I’ve even seen people bring printed sheets
with twenty or thirty different yehi ratzons.
While I appreciate the creativity and the desire to start the
year with good intentions, part of me misses the simplic-
ity. There was something sweet and focused about those
few simanim. Now, the simanim can take longer than the
meal itself!
I hope we don’t lose sight of the core tradition amid all
the additions.
RSW
Vues Master’s Note: Why the hate? Do whatever you
want, but don’t be so concerned about someone else!
GMAR TOV
Dear Vues Master
I wanted to take this time to wish all your readers a Happy
New year!
L’CHAIM AIRLINES announces boarding for flight 5786
Your luggage should contain only the best memories of
5785
The bad or sad moments should be deposited in the near-
est dustbin..
The duration of this flight will be 12 months. So adjust
your seatbelt comfortably and the next refuelling will be
shortly at the weighing scales of Yom Kippur with Love,
Joy, Kindness, Humility, Patience
Self Mastery, Harmony, Wellness, Peace and Spiritual
Study with Faith and Hope.
During the flight the Captain offers you the following
menu:
*A cocktail of abundant health.
*An appetizer of prosperity.
*A bowl of excellent news.
*A salad of Success,
*A main course of peace.
*A cake of Happiness,
*and most importantly desserts from
“Emuna” and “Faith”
All accompanied by bursts of smiles…
Upon starting your journey please allow yourself to thank
the people who made your 5785 beautiful and your Cap-
tain, HASHEM for lovingly directing your flight.
Wishing you and your family a Happy Journey aboard
Flight 5786
As I reflect upon the continued opportunities and growth
of this past year, which would have been impossible were
it not for the assistance, kind words and camaraderie of
my clients, colleagues and friends, I would like to person-
ally thank you and let you know I truly appreciate our
friendship.
May it be this year, that the great pilot of your journey be
HASHEM who will with great love and faith, pilot your
flight safely. Shana Tova Wishing you and your family a
year overflowing with blessings of happiness wealth suc-
cess joy and love
Happy 5786
גמר טוב
RBT
Vues Master’s Note: Cute. Gmar Chasima Tova!
TASHLICH
Dear Vues Master,
Over the past few years, I’ve found myself increasingly
uncomfortable with the way Tashlich is observed in my
area on Rosh Hashanah. What is meant to be a solemn,
introspective ritual has, in many places, become more of
a social gathering than a spiritual experience.
For that reason, I’ve made the personal decision to delay
Tashlich until after Yom Tov. The purpose of Tashlich is
to symbolically cast off our sins into a body of water, a
powerful act of personal reflection and tes-
huvah. Yet in practice, it often takes place in
crowded parks or at Brooklyn College, filled
with people chatting and catching up. The
quiet contemplation that should accompany
this moment is replaced by noise, distrac-
tion, and the pressure to be seen.
By doing Tashlich during the Aseret Yemei
Teshuva, still within the proper halachic time
frame, I’ve found that the ritual regains its
intended meaning. I can approach the water
alone or with just my family, without the so-
cial buzz. I can reflect on my past year hon-
estly and thoughtfully, without feeling like
I’m part of a public performance.
This isn’t a criticism of any specific person
or community, but rather a gentle call to re-
consider how we hold sacred space.
BT
Vues Master’s Note: Well, this letter sounds
like it’s from someone who shuns civility!
There’s a difference between being social
and being a hermit. A Gut Yontif is always
in order!
DOING TASHLICH AFTER ROSH
HASHANA
Dear Vues Master, For some reason, every
year I do tashlich on Chol Hamoed. I don’t
remember the last time I did tashlich on Rosh
Hashanah. I always do kaparos on time and
go to the mikvah on time. Why did Chazal
give us until Hoshana Raba to do tashlich?
If they had told us we had to do it on Rosh
Hashanah, I would have done it then. KP
Vues Master’s Note: Zerizim Makdimin
L’mitzvos!!
SEMINARIES
Dear Vues Master,
The travesty that girls’ seminaries commit-
ted 30 years ago, when my own daughters
went to seminary, and which I
had hoped would be corrected
by the time my granddaughter
entered seminary last month,
seems to still be alive and well!
I’m referring to the fact that
seminaries begin only a few
weeks before the Yomim No-
raim, before the girls even have
time to settle in or make con-
nections. Yet, they are expected
to make arrangements for Suk-
kos entirely on their own! They
are literally thrown out of their
dorms. One girl told my grand-
daughter that she had never felt
homeless before—but now she
does, simply because she has
nowhere to go for Yom Tov.
The dorms are closed for the
entire holiday, so the girls don’t
even have the option to stay in and have the
seminary provide meals. If the seminary
wants the girls to arrive before the Yomim
Noraim, they should take full responsibil-
ity for them during that period. Otherwise,
the school year should start after the Yomim
Tovim.
And all this for the mere cost of over
$30,000! This forces some parents to come
for Yom Tov, adding even more to the al-
ready high costs of the seminary year. Given
the way Yom Kippur falls this year, it re-
quires parents to come for two and a half
weeks, something many working parents
simply cannot do.
When will seminaries stop this unaccept-
able practice? And when will parents finally
unite and refuse to send their daughters un-
der these conditions, forcing them to fend
for themselves and making the transition to
seminary life that much harder?
Enough is enough!
Name Withheld
Vues Master’s Note: Add that to the long list
of reasons why I never sent my daughters to
seminary in Israel!
OBESITY
Dear Vues Master,
As a concerned member of the community, I
feel compelled to highlight a troubling trend
affecting our children, particularly within the
Jewish community, that mirrors a growing
global health crisis. According to a recent
UNICEF report, more school-age children
and adolescents are now obese than under-
weight, with 188 million young people af-
fected worldwide. Shockingly, obesity now
exceeds underweight in every region except
sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Jewish children are, unfortunately, not im-
mune to this crisis. Increasingly, we see
children in our communities becoming over-
weight or obese. A significant part of the
issue lies in how much of life in the frum
Jewish world revolves around food. Shabbos
and Yom Tov meals, kiddushim, siyumim,
brissim, simchas—all center around eat-
ing. During Yom Tov, for example, children
are often encouraged or even pressured to
overeat. These holiday meals, while deeply
meaningful, frequently involve large por-
tions, multiple courses, and a heavy reliance
on processed and sugary foods. Even the
well-meaning “candyman” in shul—a staple
of many children’s Shabbos experience,
contributes to the normalization of excessive
sugar consumption from a young age.
The high intake of processed foods, rich in
sugar, fat, and salt, only worsens the prob-
lem, putting children at greater risk for se-
rious health issues. According to the World
Health Organization, childhood obesity can
lead to insulin resistance, high blood pres-
sure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
and even cancer.
We must begin rethinking our relationship
with food, especially during times of cel-
ebration. Let’s teach our children that cel-
ebrating doesn’t have to mean overeating.
Moderation, healthier choices, and increased
awareness can go a long way in protecting
their health, both physically and spiritually.
FY
Vues Master’s Note: I think there’s a fat
chance this crisis will be addressed anytime
soon!
BEARDS IN THE ARMY
Dear Vues Master
I am writing to express concern about De-
fense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent direc-
tive tightening the military’s grooming stan-
dards, particularly the provision
that service members needing
shaving exemptions beyond one
year will be separated from ser-
vice.
This policy presents serious is-
sues for frum service members,
especially observant Jewish
troops who maintain beards in
accordance with halachic law.
For years, such individuals
have received religious accom-
modations, allowing them to
serve with integrity to both their
country and their faith. The new
policy fails to clarify whether
these accommodations will still
be honored, placing religious
service members in an uncertain
and difficult position.
Equally troubling is the im-
pact on service members with pseudofol-
liculitis barbae (PFB), a painful condition
that disproportionately affects Black men.
The directive requires pairing waivers with
treatment plans, but it does not specify what
treatments will be provided, who will bear
the cost, or whether those treatments will be
effective within the one-year timeframe.
The policy is also silent on existing exemp-
tions previously granted to certain operation-
al units or those serving in extreme environ-
ments where shaving may pose health risks.
Clear guidance and a commitment to fair-
ness are essential. Service members should
not have to choose between medical necessi-
ty or religious observance and their military
careers. I urge the Department of Defense to
reconsider this policy or, at the very least,
provide detailed clarification on how it will
be implemented fairly and equitably.
DP
Vues Master’s Note: You’re allowed to have
a beard in the IDF. Maybe serve in Eretz Yis-
rael instead.
ANOTHER ATTACK ON OUR
YESHIVAS
Dear Vues Master
Columbia’s Michael Rebell’s recent law-
suit attacking yeshiva education is not only
ignorant, it is an outright smear campaign
cloaked in academic arrogance. His deeply
offensive statements about the Orthodox
Jewish community are beneath the dignity of
any serious legal scholar, let alone one affili-
ated with Columbia University.
Rebell asserts that yeshiva graduates “speak
little or no English,” “lack marketable
skills,” and “rely upon public assistance.”
Has he ever stepped foot in a Jewish com-
munity? Has he met the doctors, lawyers,
accountants, software engineers, business
owners, and educators—yeshiva graduates
all—who contribute to every sector of New
York’s economy?
The accusation that we vote despite hav-
ing “total lack of knowledge” of civics and
public policy is not just offensive—it’s anti-
democratic. Apparently, in Professor Re-
bell’s elitist worldview, only those who share
his ideological leanings deserve the right to
vote.
This lawsuit is not about education. It’s
about erasing a way of life. It’s an attempt
to delegitimize an entire community’s values
and choices. The claim that he speaks for
“100,000 students” while representing just
three unnamed individuals shows not just
arrogance but a fundamental misunderstand-
ing of the community he seeks to undermine.
We stand proudly with PEARLS and Torah
Umesorah, who have tirelessly defended our
religious rights and educational integrity. We
will not be silenced. We will not be erased.
And yes, we will continue to vote.
LY
Vues Master’s Note: It’s time to close Co-
lumbia University!
POOL
Dear Vues Master,
As we approach Rosh Hashanah, I’ve no-
ticed a growing trend in some Brooklyn
neighborhoods, particularly within the Syr-
ian community—that raises both halachic
and ethical concerns.
I’m referring to the use of makeshift kiddie
pools filled with goldfish as a means of per-
forming Tashlich. These setups often appear
in public spaces, and while I appreciate the
communal spirit behind them, I can’t help
but wonder: Is this practice truly kosher,
both according to halacha and in spirit?
From my understanding, Tashlich is a sym-
bolic act of casting off one’s sins, tradition-
ally performed near a natural body of wa-
ter—often one that contains fish—but not
necessarily involving live fish as part of the
ritual. Using goldfish in kiddie pools seems
more like a modern spectacle than a practice
rooted in tradition.
What’s more concerning is that I’ve person-
ally seen many of these fish lifeless before
Yom Tov has even ended. This raises seri-
ous tza’ar ba’alei chayim concerns. If the
fish are suffering or dying prematurely, how
does this align with the values we strive to
uphold during the Yamim Nora’im?
Is the mitzvah truly being enhanced or per-
haps diminished?
I’m writing not to criticize, but to seek guid-
ance. Can a Rav or community leader clarify
the halachic standing of this practice? Is
there a more respectful and traditional way
we can perform Tashlich, one that honors
both our mesorah and the creatures we share
this world with?
Thank you for shedding light on this impor-
tant issue.
S.Y.
Vues Master’s Note: Are you a PETA per-
son? You should probably ask your rav this
question, but bringing goldfish in kiddie
pools for Tashlich isn’t rooted in our mesora
and raises serious concerns of tza’ar ba’alei
chayim. I think it’s better to do Tashlich by
natural water, or even without fish, with ka-
vod and yirat Shamayim. However, I still
believe you should consult your local rav
about this.
CHESED
Dear Vues Master,
I saw this letter on Matzav and enjoyed it, so
I am sharing it!
There are moments in life when words fail
to capture the depth of gratitude one feels.
I recently experienced such a moment, and
I feel compelled to share it not because my
story is unique, but because it is yet another
testament to the boundless chesed of Klal
Yisroel.
Several weeks ago, my family and I faced a
crisis that shook us to our core. My teenage
son was suddenly rushed to the hospital with
a medical emergency. It was late at night, my
husband was out of town, and I found myself
overwhelmed, sitting alone in the emergen-
cy room with fear gripping my heart.
And then Klal Yisroel stepped in.
It began with one simple phone call to a
neighbor, just to let someone know what
was happening. Within minutes, a cascade
of kindness poured forth. A woman I barely
knew showed up at my house to stay with
my younger children so I could focus on my
son. A father from our block drove across
town in the middle of the night to bring me
food and drinks in the ER, saying quietly,
“You won’t have the strength to care for him
if you don’t take care of yourself.”
By the next morning, word had spread. Hot
meals appeared at my doorstep, each one
packaged with love. Friends coordinated
rides for my children to and from school.
Someone slipped an envelope under my door
to help cover hospital parking and expenses.
Others texted me daily—not just with offers,
but with concrete suggestions: “I’ll pick up
your laundry today,” or “I’m taking your
kids for Shabbos so you can rest.” Each offer
was specific, thoughtful, and practical.
Perhaps the most moving moment came on
Shabbos, when my son was still in the hos-
pital. I was torn between staying with him
and being home with the rest of my fam-
ily. Without my asking, a rotation of people
volunteered to sit by his side over Shabbos.
They sang zemiros, learned with him, and
simply made sure he didn’t feel alone. When
I walked into the hospital room on Motzei
Shabbos and saw my son smiling for the first
time in days, surrounded by young men who
had given up their own comfort, I couldn’t
hold back my tears.
This, I realized, is the heartbeat of Klal Yis-
roel. In times of joy and in times of hardship,
no Jew is ever truly alone. We are bound to-
gether not just by shared faith, but by shared
responsibility.
I write this letter not only to say thank you to
the malachim who carried us through those
difficult days, but also to remind myself and
others: every act of chesed, no matter how
small it may seem, creates ripples far greater
than we can imagine. The meals, the rides,
the visits—they were not just gestures. They
were lifelines.
May we always merit to be on the giving
end of such chesed, and may we never for-
get that in lifting up another Yid, we elevate
ourselves and all of Klal Yisroel.
Der greste zach in der gantzeh velt iz tzu ton
a tovah far a Yid.
With endless gratitude,
A Grateful Mother
Vues Master’s Note: Wow! Great letter!
Thanks for sharing! A wonderful defense for
the yemei ha-din!
BRACHOS
Dear Vues Master,
I would like to raise an important topic, one
that perhaps Klal Yisrael as a whole can re-
consider, for the sake of bringing yeshuos to
so many who are still waiting.
For generations, it has been a minhag in
Klal Yisrael to wish one another mazel tov
at simchas. These words are not just polite
formalities, they are true brachos. When the
recipient answers amen, it draws bracha and
mazel into their life. At a wedding, when
people would wish mazel tov to the chas-
san or kallah, the proper response was for
the chassan or kallah to give a bracha back
in return. Someone making a simcha has a
unique koach at that time, and their heartfelt
brachos can bring yeshuos to others.
Chazal teach us that when we give some-
one a bracha, the words themselves rise to
Shamayim, and when answered with a sin-
cere amen, they have the power to bring bra-
cha down to this world.
About twenty years ago, when the “shid-
duch crisis” became more pronounced, some
older singles felt hurt by certain phrases that
were being said, comments that didn’t al-
ways come across as sincere, or words like
“IY”H by you” said without enough sensi-
tivity. Out of respect for their pain, many in
Klal Yisrael pulled back from this beautiful
minhag, not wanting to cause discomfort.
But as an older single myself, I want to give
voice to what many of us who are still wait-
ing feel but rarely say: we want your bra-
chos. We need your tefillos. When they are
offered with sincerity and energy, they mean
more to us than you can imagine. Please
don’t hold back from davening for us, from
telling us you are davening, from giving us
brachos, and from allowing us the privilege
of answering amen.
Let us bring back this old minhag, with sin-
cerity, with warmth, and with the knowledge
that every bracha, every amen, has the pow-
er to open gates of yeshuos.
Signed,
S.J.
Vues Master’s Note:
It is sad but true that some older singles get
offended. May we have the seichel to speak
when we need to, but more importantly, the
wisdom to be quiet when we must.
AL CHET BY AI
Dear Vues Master,
For the sin we have committed by allow-
ing addiction to social media to control our
lives. For the sin we have committed by
broadcasting personal conflicts publicly. For
the sin we have committed by cyberbullying
and harassment. For the sin we have com-
mitted by disseminating fake news and mis-
information. For the sin we have committed
by excessive self-promotion and narcissism.
For the sin we have committed by fostering
online hate and hostility. For the sin we have
committed by giving in to the allure of click-
bait. For the sin we have committed by har-
boring envy and jealousy from comparison.
For the sin we have committed by ignoring
privacy and sharing sensitive information.
For the sin we have committed by joining
online echo chambers. For the sin we have
committed by keeping a constant, unhealthy
online presence. For the sin we have com-
mitted by liking, sharing, or endorsing harm-
ful content. For the sin we have committed
by misrepresenting ourselves online. For the
sin we have committed by neglecting real-
life relationships for virtual ones. For the sin
we have committed by oversharing personal
details. For the sin we have committed by
posting hurtful or offensive comments. For
the sin we have committed by quoting out
of context or cherry-picking information.
For the sin we have committed by retaliat-
ing against online criticism with hostility.
For the sin we have committed by spread-
ing rumors and gossip. For the sin we have
committed by trolling and provoking others
intentionally. For the sin we have commit-
ted by using social media as a platform for
bragging. For the sin we have committed by
violating copyright and intellectual prop-
erty rights. For the sin we have committed
by wasting excessive time on social media.
For the sin we have committed by making
xenophobic or prejudiced remarks online.
For the sin we have committed by yielding
to the pressure of seeking validation. For the
sin we have committed by zealously defend-
ing one’s online persona, even at the cost of
authenticity.
CBT
Vues Master’s Note: Oy! What is this world
coming to?