06 Jan 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.

HOW TO RESPOND TO ANTI-SEMITISM
Dear Vues Master:

I am writing to you regarding the Wednesday, December 24 edi-
tion of The Jewish Vues. On more than one occasion, I have felt it

important to relay the following message. I never ended up doing
so, but your latest front page crossed every red line.
It is important for you to understand that a newspaper reaches the
masses and can have very negative effects. Jews and non-Jews
alike see what you display on the front page. There is currently
an unprecedented wave of antisemitism, and Jews worldwide feel
increasingly insecure. We hear stories daily that leave us with no
doubt about the world’s opinion of us.
The last thing we need right now is to incite further hatred against
us. History has taught us that we must keep a low profile; doing
otherwise invites danger. Your latest front page does exactly the
opposite, flaunting the Israeli Prime Minister while attempting to
mock the incoming mayor. Where is the logic in that?
I feel unsafe walking the streets with your paper circulating. Are
you blind to the reality that we are a hated minority? Are you
oblivious to the current situation? Please think twice about our
security before publishing whatever first comes to mind.

And just as an aside: if Mamdani had been considering overlook-
ing the Prime Minister’s arrival, thanks to you, that is no longer

possible.
Thank you,
A Flatbush Neighbor
Vues Master’s Note: You are 100% right. There is currently an
unprecedented wave of antisemitism, and Jews worldwide feel
insecure. However, I choose to see the current situation from a
different perspective. If history has taught us anything, it is that

we will be hated no matter what we do. If we keep a “low pro-
file,” we are odd and elitist. If we blend in, we are just “pretend-
ing” to be like them. If we become lawyers, doctors, and educa-
tors, then we are accused of trying to rule the world.

One of the only ways to stay safe is to be loud and outspoken
about our Jewish pride. Mamdani’s past statements are openly
hostile to Israel and the Jewish community. Staying small and
trying to hide will not change what he thinks of us. But being

proud of our Jewish identity, being outspoken about antisemi-
tism, and- most importantly- having faith in Hashem strengthens

us as a Jewish people and sends a clear message to the Mamdanis
of the world: we, the Jewish people, are strong.
And the State of Israel is strong. If the State of Israel had existed
in the 1930s–1940s the way it does today, as a safe haven for all
Jews, the devastating murder of millions of Jews might have been
altered. We need Israel today to keep Jews in the diaspora safe.
Without Israel, the current surge in global antisemitism makes

the possibility of another Holocaust a frightening and sobering
concern. With this in mind, I believe it is my duty to show honor
to the Prime Minister of the State of Israel- the only country that
will truly protect our people.
We should not fool ourselves: Mamdani does not care what you
or I think about him. Being quiet and submissive will not keep
us safe; it only makes us an easier target. Remember how Jews
during the Holocaust were described as sheep being led to the
slaughter? I prefer to be a lion, not a sheep.

MADURO IN PAJAMAS
Dear Vues Master:
Good news is good news, whomever the messenger might be.
This past week, we saw how a ruthless dictator allegedly involved
in illicit drug trade was turned into a prisoner in pajamas in our
own backyard. Nicolas Maduro, once the President of Venezuela
is now sitting in a cell in New York City. We see how he went
from a leader bedecked in royal garments to an inmate housed
with common criminals. Contrast this with the Jewish people

who, as we read in Sefer Shemos, remained royal despite be-
ing enslaved. When the Jewish people debase our status as G-d’s

chosen people by changing our names, dress and customs then
we are truly slaves. However, “V’eileh Shemos b’nei Yisroel:”
we maintained our holy lifestyle and thus merited to be saved.
One dictator in history, Alexander the Great could not fathom
how the human eye far outweighed all the wealth he had amassed.
As Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman said in a presentation given by

Vayimaen, an organization dedicated to shmiras einayim, the hu-
man eye is insatiable. The eye that keeps its desires in and does

not act on them is superb; all of Alexander the Great’s wealth

paled in comparison to the weight of an eye that controls its natu-
ral tendencies. As the Midrash explains, the Rabbis told Alexan-
der that if he would stop attempting to conquer more countries

and instead focus on the welfare of his people then he would live
a long life. Otherwise, he would die.
Maduro claimed to be one of the people, yet he amassed great
oil wealth as his people starved. Venezuelans believed in national
pride yet they were made to be “meshubad” to Iranian interests
through cooperation with that country. People throughout the

world were made to be slaves to drug addiction thanks to the pro-
lific drug trade operating out of Venezuela. Today, Venezuela’s

Pharoh, whose insatiable eye filled his bottom line but hurt his
people, has been dethroned.

Jews in Caracas can breathe easier this week. Israel’s arch en-
emy, Iran, lost an ally on the western hemisphere. Victims of drug

addiction have won a battle against drug distribution. Whatever
one might think about Trump or his operation to extradite the

Venezuelan dictator to the United States, the world is a better

place for it. Of course, we must thank Hashem for
this. And if we appreciate Hashem, then we can
better appreciate the need to remain holy. Kavod
Shamayim is paramount.

I myself, driven by elation, passed by the Met-
ropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn this past

Sunday where Maduro was being held. As pro-
Palestinian protestors (funded by foreign inter-
ests) cried over American money being used to

extradite a foreign dictator to the U.S. I sang shira
to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. Ironically, New York

City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s NYPD is guard-
ing the prison to ward off friend and foe alike. (I

believe President Trump chose New York as Mad-
uro’s prison destination to send a message to the

Mayor: foreign affairs are not your concern; don’t
welcome enemies or eject friends). We ourselves
can internalize this message: be careful who you
associate with; be the guardians of your own eyes.
In these six weeks of Shovavim, it is important to
maintain Jewish purity. Learn the halachos, guard
your eyes and don’t fall to outside influences.
Don’t give in to your desires; use your G-d given
talents to improve your life and the lives of those
around you. Hashem also wants us to have kavod
habriyos. Be happy with what you have and think
of those who have not. This is royalty. And this is
how will we merit to be redeemed not through a
messenger, but by G-d alone.
Chaim Yehuda Meyer Brooklyn, New York
Vues Master’s Note: Yet the Democ”Rats” are
kvetching and complaining!

DAF YOMI & VENEZUELA, SIMILAR
CRISES, DIFFERENT RESULTS
Dear Vues Master:
What would the daf yomi be without making us
think of Venezuela and the recent dramatic capture

of its discredited until-then-de-facto leader, Nico-
las Maduro, from his well-protected residence?

Actually, those of us who study the daf yomi and
who are not oblivious to current events are more
inclined, in this context, to think of the previous
incident involving Venezuelans that is still being
investigated, analyzed, and judged – the famous
“double tap” when American military forces made
a second strike on the two apparent survivors of a
drug boat shortly after the drug-laden boat they

were on had been struck by the American mili-
tary. This article/letter will not opine on whether

the first strike was legal, or whether the second
strike was lethal – or should have been — but it
will lead us to focus on a situation discussed in
the daf yomi of Zevachim 113, since that page in

the Talmud also discusses two living souls cling-
ing onto a boat for dear life, according to the Tal-
mud and midrashic sources, none other than the

boat of Noach in the book of Bereishit! The reima
was described in the Talmud as an animal so large
that it was of mythic dimensions, and even a cub
was described as too large to fit onto Noach’s
ark, but it survived the flood by clinging onto the
boat, according to Rabbi Yochanan, with only its
head within the boat. The Talmud discusses that
even its head was too large to fit onto the boat,
so according to this interpretation an arrangement
was made to keep its nostrils above water while
it remained outside the boat, though the Talmud
doesn’t go into detail as to how it was able to eat,
while mostly underwater, although in describing

how the animal would not break loose, the Tal-
mud discusses, per Raish Lakish, tying its horns

to the ark, which would explain how a miracle
would not necessarily be needed to keep it from
falling asleep, because if it would be tied to the
boat, it would be able to sleep without becoming
detached. The Talmud does not explain, however,
how the animal could have fully developed horns
if it was only a cub, or how it could be tied so
strongly that it would not slip out at some point
until the flood would end and the waters would
recede, nor does the Talmud deal with the fact that
all the other animals were rescued in pairs, and a
female would be unlikely to have horns. But see
below. The Talmud also discussed the giant, Og,
who is believed to have also clung to the boat and
made a deal with Noach, promising Noach to be
a slave to Noach and his descendants forever in
exchange for food to allow him to survive, though
there is no discussion as to what allowed him to
continue to cling to the boat without sleeping or
being tied to it since there is no evidence that he
had horns, fully developed or otherwise. Nor Is
there a discussion as to how Noach could enforce

such a deal over a giant who wasn’t necessar-
ily a tsaddik, or where the extra food came from

for these two likely ravenous creatures. But how
could the reima and Og have survived being in the
water that was described as boiling hot? For that
matter, how could Noach’s boat survive the flood
and not disintegrate as a consequence of boiling
temperatures that would normally have melted the
pitch that kept the boat together? The Talmud has
an answer for that – the water immediately around
the ark was kept miraculously cool, enabling the
reima, Og, and the boat to survive. Presumably,
despite the rational explanations described in the
Talmud and referred to above, some further
miracles were needed to keep the two giant
clinging creatures alive. Fast forward to the
recent events involving the Venezuelans. The
Talmud and Midrashic sources do not have a
prediction or an answer – or a miracle — for
the last two Venezuelans who were fated, one
way or another, to die on the seas on high (the
high seas) since they could not have counted
on miracles. In fact, it there was anything close
to a miracle involved, it was that even though
they were prevented from completing their
mission, they did not have to face a long and

painful death. Ironically, had they been allowed
to stay clinging to their burning boat, they would
have suffered a more painful death, but the second
explosion instantly relieved them of their misery.

We pray that fewer people will provoke compa-
rable preventive measures in the future, and that

fewer people will suffer from comparable misery.
The writer is thankful to G-d for never having had
to rely on any of the miracles described above, but
who is quite satisfied with and appreciative of the
miracles G-d renders every day for all of us.
Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, Esq.
Vues Master’s Note: Awesome!

WHAT TYPE OF FREE
Dear Vues Master:

New Yorkers woke up Sunday to yet another re-
minder that living in this city keeps getting harder.

With the MTA’s latest fare hike, a subway ride
now costs an even $3. It may only be a dime more
than before, but for people who rely on public
transit every day, that increase adds up quickly,
and it feels like one burden too many.
We’re often told that rising costs are balanced
out by higher wages. Yes, the minimum wage has
gone up, but my expenses have gone up far more.
Rent, groceries, utilities, insurance, and childcare

continue to climb at a pace that completely out-
strips any modest bump in pay. Whatever extra

money workers gain is immediately eaten away
by the cost of basic necessities. Now, transit fares
are higher too.
And it doesn’t stop there. Local tolls have also
gone up, squeezing drivers and commuters from
another direction. Whether you take the subway,
the bus, or a car to get to work, it feels like there’s
no escaping higher transportation costs. Getting
around the city is becoming more expensive no
matter which option you choose.
Public transportation is not a luxury for most
New Yorkers—it’s essential. The MTA’s financial
challenges should not be solved by repeatedly
charging riders more, especially at a time when so
many households are already stretched thin.
This is the wrong moment for fare increases. New
Yorkers don’t need higher fares and tolls; we need

relief, fairness, and a serious commitment to af-
fordability.

BT
Vues Master’s Note: Get used to it—if you are
making a living, Mamdani will spend more of
your money!

PERSONALITY TEST
Dear Vues Master:
The article by Rabbi Goldberg regarding what
pushing in your chair reflects about you is very

true. However, what about people who block hy-
drants, block crosswalks, double-park (on both

sides of the street), or don’t return seforim they
“learned from” to the shelf?
There seems to be a major disconnect between
people’s interpersonal behavior and religion.
Mendi S.
Vues Master’s Note: Good question! Time will
tell!

FIXED VERSION AI
Dear Vues Master:

Every few years, the same cycle repeats itself. A
new technology emerges, warnings are issued,
and dire predictions fill the air. The names and
details change, but the reaction remains the same.

Today, artificial intelligence has become the new-
est object of fear.

We are told AI is uniquely dangerous, spiritually

corrosive, and incompatible with authentic Yid-
dishkeit. Flyers are distributed, speeches grow

louder, and panic spreads faster than understand-
ing. What’s missing from this discussion is per-
spective.

AI is not a supernatural force of tumah. It is a

tool—no more and no less. A powerful one, cer-
tainly, but still a tool. We have heard these same

arguments before. When smartphones appeared,

they were said to destroy kedusha. When the in-
ternet became widespread, it was labeled an open

sewer. Texting was supposed to end meaningful
human communication. And yet, Klal Yisroel
adapted. Filters were created. Boundaries were
established. Life went on.
It’s also worth noting that many frum people
participated in the past year’s massive growth in

AI-related companies, including Nvidia. Count-
less frum investors, retirement accounts, and

family portfolios benefited from the same tech-
nology now being declared untouchable. Appar-
ently, when the gains show up on a statement, the

technology feels a lot less threatening.
Yes, there are real risks. No one denies that. But
danger does not automatically equal prohibition,
and fear is not wisdom. If “it can be misused”
were the standard, we would need to ban phones,
cars, credit cards, microphones, and pens.
The problem is not the ילכ. The problem is how
it’s used.

What we need is responsible guidance, not hyste-
ria. Thoughtful boundaries, not blanket condem-
nations. Calm leadership, not yelling.

A little perspective would go a long way.
MT
Vues Master’s Note: I think this letter was written
with ChatGPT!

OBESE
Dear Vues Master:

The recent research expanding the medical defini-
tion of obesity beyond body mass index should

be a wake-up call. If more than 75% of Ameri-
can adults meet obesity criteria when we consider

waist measurements and health indicators—not
just BMI—then the issue is far larger and more
complex than we have been willing to admit.
BMI alone was never designed to capture the full
picture of metabolic health. As the study’s authors

explain, adipose tissue affects hormones, inflam-
mation, and organ function in ways that a simple

height-to-weight ratio cannot reflect. Incorporat-
ing measures such as waist circumference and

waist-to-hip ratio brings us closer to understand-
ing real health risk, not just a number on a chart.

What makes this moment especially important is
that we finally have more effective medical tools

than ever before. With FDA-approved medica-
tions such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, weight loss

and metabolic improvement are more achievable

for many patients when used appropriately under
medical care. These treatments acknowledge what

science has long shown: obesity is a chronic dis-
ease, not a personal failure.

Redefining obesity without simultaneously ex-
panding access to evidence-based treatment

would be a mistake. If millions more Americans

are now recognized as having a medical condi-
tion, our healthcare system must be prepared to

respond—with trained clinicians, insurance cov-
erage, and reduced stigma.

This new framework should not be about label-
ing more people as “obese.” It should be about

recognizing risk earlier, treating obesity with the
seriousness it deserves, and using modern tools to
improve long-term health outcomes. NT

Vues Master’s Note: I’m in trouble—obese is un-
derestimating me!

VACCINE?
Dear Vues Master:
Although I usually find your magazine enjoyable
and informative, I was shocked by your answer
last week to the reader who wrote to warn about
the highly virulent flu virus this year.
Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion,
but I feel it is dangerous and irresponsible to make
a negative blanket statement about vaccines in a
widely published paper without any solid proof to
support it.
By the way, I grew up in Eastern Europe, where I
was vaccinated with the same vaccines as anyone
in the USA. Maybe this is a global conspiracy???
Sincerely,
YU
Vues Master’s Note: Vaccines that eradicate a

virus—I am all for them. But flu and COVID vac-
cines are the biggest hoax; they do not eradicate or

heal. It is pharma making cash!

UNIFIED & CORRECTED VERSION
Dear Vues Master,
When organizations as diverse and respected as
the UJA-Federation of New York, JCRC-NY,
ADL New York/New Jersey, AJC New York, the
New York Board of Rabbis, Agudath Israel of
America, and the Orthodox Union speak with one
voice, New Yorkers should pay close attention.
These groups often disagree on major issues; the
fact that they agree now should set off alarm bells.
Their January 2 statement raises serious concerns

about Mayor Mamdani’s early actions, most no-
tably the reversal of New York City’s adoption of

the IHRA definition of antisemitism and the roll-
back of protections against the BDS movement.

These policies were not symbolic—they were
practical tools that helped Jewish New Yorkers
feel protected, included, and confident that City

Hall understood how modern antisemitism oper-
ates.

Statements of inclusion cannot compensate for
policies that single out Israel and, by extension,
large segments of the Jewish community. When
Israel is uniquely targeted for sanctions, many
Jews reasonably perceive a message of exclusion
rather than inclusion.
If every major mainstream Jewish organization

in New York warns that these changes undermine
safety and communal unity, the implication is
clear: the Jewish community faces real risk under

this direction of leadership. Combating antisemi-
tism requires clarity, consistency, and moral seri-
ousness, not mixed signals.

New York’s strength has always been its ability to
bring communities together. Ignoring the unified
concerns of the city’s Jewish leadership puts that
legacy at risk. NR
Vues Master’s Note: We should learn to agree
more often!

FAULT
Dear Vues Master,
Once again, when a crisis erupts, some leaders
reach for the oldest and easiest scapegoat: Israel
and the Jews. Acting Venezuelan President Delcy

Rodríguez’s claim that the arrest of Nicolás Mad-
uro was a “Zionist attack” is not only baseless but

part of a long and troubling pattern that deserves
to be called out clearly.

No evidence was offered because none exists. In-
stead, vague references to “Zionists” were used

as a catch-all villain, a rhetorical shortcut that
avoids confronting the real causes of Venezuela’s
collapse: corruption, authoritarianism, economic
mismanagement, and the systematic dismantling
of democratic institutions. Blaming Israel does
nothing to explain why millions of Venezuelans

have fled their country or why international pres-
sure mounted against the Maduro regime in the

first place.

This kind of language is not harmless. When lead-
ers single out “the Jews” or “Zionists” as shadowy

puppet masters, they recycle narratives that have
fueled prejudice and violence for generations. It
shifts responsibility away from those in power
and directs public anger toward an external enemy
that has little to do with the facts on the ground.

Criticism of foreign policy is legitimate; con-
spiracy theories are not. If Venezuelan officials

want to be taken seriously on the world stage,

they should present evidence, accept accountabil-
ity, and engage with reality rather than leaning on

tired tropes.

History shows that societies do not heal by blam-
ing imagined enemies—they heal by telling the

truth.
NJ Vues Master’s Note: Some things never
change! The Jew is always the scapegoat!

SCAPEGOAT II
Dear Vues Master,
As a Jewish American, I read recent reports about
President Donald Trump’s health with a mix of
concern and reflection. Public discussion of a

president’s medical decisions—including his as-
pirin regimen and recent imaging exams—natu-
rally draws attention because the

office he holds carries enormous
global influence. What worries
me most is not partisan politics,

but the broader question of stabil-
ity in a world already strained by

conflict and rising antisemitism.

History has taught Jewish com-
munities that periods of uncertainty often lead to

scapegoating. When leadership appears fragile or

contested, conspiracy theories flourish, and mi-
norities are too often blamed for forces beyond

their control. We have seen antisemitic rhetoric
spike across the political spectrum in recent years,

both in the United States and abroad. In that con-
text, any disruption—real or perceived—in Amer-
ican leadership can have ripple effects far beyond

our borders.
I am not arguing that any one individual is the sole
protector of Jewish people worldwide. Rather, I
am expressing a fear grounded in experience:

when global politics feel unstable, Jewish com-
munities frequently pay a price in threats, vandal-
ism, or worse. That is why transparency about a

president’s health, calm public discourse, and re-
sponsible media coverage matter so much.

SK

Vues Master’s Note: We need to make a mi she-
berach every Shabbos for our Great President!

MITZVAH
Dear Vues Master,
The letter last week by Cheski Baum about how
the Haredi attitude towards the IDF requires

change was well-written. I was pleasantly sur-
prised to see it published, even though it went

against the “house view.” It took guts to publish
a piece that doesn’t sit well with the publication’s
mainstream audience. Giving the opposition a
voice on such a platform takes courage on the part
of the editorial board.
However, I must admit I was upset about the

“master view” response. It was technically inac-
curate and completely missed the point of the let-
ter. (Milchemet Mitzvah doesn’t have to be de-
clared—it exists based on the surrounding facts

and circumstances.) The letter presented strong
arguments in a clear manner that deserve careful

thought; dismissing them in such a brush-off man-
ner is unbefitting of the editorial board willing to

entertain them in the first place.
In my not-so-humble opinion,
Raymond Mizrahi
Vues Master’s Note: Still stand by my response
that a secular government cannot dictate mitzvot,
as they themselves stand against mitzvot—look at
the Supreme Court of Israel!

ROBBER
Dear Vues Master,

I am writing to share a recent incident that oc-
curred in the Flatbush community, with the hope

of raising awareness and helping others avoid a
similar experience. While this took place locally,
it could happen anywhere.
Two weeks ago, on a snowy Shabbos morning,
attendance at a local shul was very light. Only

four women were pres-
ent. During davening,

an unfamiliar woman
entered, sat quietly in
the back of the shul for
close to an hour, and
then left.
After Shabbos, when

the women went to retrieve their coats, one wom-
an discovered that her fur coat was missing. Upon

reviewing security footage, it became clear that
the coat had been taken by the woman who had
entered earlier.

This letter is not meant to alarm but rather to en-
courage vigilance—especially during times when

attendance is sparse. Coats and other valuables
left in unsupervised hallways can be vulnerable. A
simple precaution, such as keeping items behind
one’s chair, may help prevent loss.
Our community is built on trust and care for one
another, and with a bit of awareness, we can help
ensure it remains that way.
RB Vues Master’s Note: Never trust anyone!
Kabdehu Vechashdehu! Just wait—she may come
back to return your coat; maybe she took it by
mistake! LOL!

AGE
Dear Vues Master,
A man who was constantly harassing others said

to a boy who had turned 18, “Have you forgot-
ten what we learned in Pirkei Avos—that ןב הנומש

הרשע הפוחל ?Where is your wife?” The young man
responded in kind: “Have you forgotten what we
learned in that same mishna, namely ןב םיעברא
הניבל ?Where is your הניב “?LP
Vues Master’s Note: I love this joke!
MEMORIAL
Dear Vues Master,
I’m dreading the 25th anniversary of 9/11, fearing
that our terrorist-embracing mayor will use the
occasion to preach to the families of the victims
that they—and their fallen loved ones—aren’t the
real victims, but that Muslim communities were
the “real victims” because of “Islamophobia.”
Something in my gut tells me he’ll try to pull off
that stunt.
Whatever happened to “Never forget 9/11”?
LL
Vues Master’s Note: After Mamdani, we will
have more to remember!

PARNASSA
Dear Vues Master:
Leon was grazed by a car while crossing the
street. Although he was able to get up on his own,
an ambulance was called so he could be properly
examined. After entering the ambulance, he was

told to lie down and was asked if he was comfort-
able.

“Well,” he replied, “I make a decent living.”
JH
Vues Master’s Note: I have a tzedakah that needs
money! LOL!

WASH
Dear Vues Master:

Especially at this time of year, when alos ha-
shachar is so late (in NYC, approximately 5:50

a.m., or 6:08 according to some) for the next sev-
eral weeks, let us be mindful of the p’sak of the

Rema (O.C. 4:14): if one washes negel vasser be-
fore alos, one must wash again after alos, without

a bracha.
DY
Vues Master’s Note: It sounds like a wash to me!