02 Aug 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.

 

R GERSHON EDELSTEIN

Dear Vues Master:

A letter from HaGaon

HaRav Gershon Edelstein was published this past Tuesday

ahead of Bein Hazemanim that I thought your readers would

appreciate. A letter like this, only comes from someone that

is a leader, a gadol b’ Yisrael. There are very few leaders

in this day and age. “To my dear brothers and friends, be

blessed. As the day of Bein HaZemanim approach, it’s

necessary to again remind you of matters already known

– that the days of Bein Hazemanim are not days of exemption

from Torah, chas v’chalilah – but are days intended

to provide a space between ‘parsha and parsha.’ Therefore

we must ensure that we shouldn’t become lax in Torah and

avodas Hashem during these days but they should be days

of rest l’sheim Shamayim as necessary for the fulfillment of

Torah and mitvos and not from the casting off of the yoke

of Torah, chas v’chalilah.” “Therefore, it’s necessary for

everyone – and not necessarily bnei Torah – to have fixed

sedarim for Torah, tefillah, and mussar. And the best way to

be mechazeik in Torah during Bein Hazemanim is through

a person arranging for himself sidrei limmud at a set time

in a set place and a specific topic of learning. And it’s also

beneficial that the limud be with a chavrusa, or at the very

least, during part of the day, and through this each person

will continue his dveikus b’Torah even during Bein Hazemanin

– each person according to his capability.” “And one

should be very careful not to go on tiyulim (except as part

of the yeshivah or family) because they pose a danger to the

body and soul and there have already been many tragedies

due to tiyulim, r’l. There is a need to rest but not by casting

off the yoke of Torah because that is a very serious thing.”

“And since we are not always in the atmosphere of Torah

during these days, it is appropriate that each person be careful

of his behavior so that there will be a kiddush Shem

Shemayim and to behave as is befitting bnei melachim. And

Yehi Ratzon that everyone who is mechazeik in Torah during

Bein Hazemanim will be zocheh to siyata dishmaya the

entire year.”

RMB

Vues Master’s Note:What great chizuk!

REBBETZIN ROSNER

Dear Vues Master:

Just writing my thoughts down as I leave the funeral of

my Rabbi’s mother. Saranne Rosner (Chana Sara bat Harav

Michal) was her name. Rabbi Rosner, his siblings,

and extended family buried their Ima today. Some of the

words and phrases used to describe Mrs. Rosner include:

– A strong woman in every way – Bright and sharp – Intelligent

and eloquent – Educated and worldly – Loving to

all – Distinguished and regal in her own modest way She

dedicated everything beyond imagination to her family. She

was the rock of support to Dr Fred Rosner, Rabbi Rosner’s

father, a world renowned medical and Halacha authority

who lectured, traveled everywhere, and published dozens

of volumes. I only knew Mrs. Rosner from watching her

attend her son’s Torah lessons. Hundreds of people come

to hear Rabbi Rosner speak every year when he gives his

special Torah speech on the Shabbat before Passover and

before Yom Kippur. But one thing always struck me. He

always, without exception, started his talks by thanking his

Ima and Abba for coming to hear him. I always thought to

myself how special it must be for his elderly parents to see

all those people coming to hear their son, their youngest

son, their baby, teach Torah. But my second thought was

just how amazing it is that Rabbi Rosner never took it for

granted, not even for a second. He never started a speech

any other way. Always with “With respect to my parents

who I am so fortunate to have here with me…” I arrived

at the funeral early knowing how crazy the parking situation

would be. After all, Rabbi Rosner is a very popular

rabbi who teaches online Torah lessons to many thousands

of people around the world. I came early thinking I’d be

one of the first. Not even close. I wasn’t the only one who

had that thought. Tens of people came early to pay respects

to our rabbi’s ima. When Rabbi Rosner, generally a very

composed and put together individual, walked in, watching

him break down and hug his family members one by

one, while wailing and bawling really hit me hard. The love

and admiration he and his siblings felt. But it didn’t end

there. His children all wept, young and old. Rabbi Rosner

hugged every one of his kids, each for an extended period.

He whispered words of comfort in their ears. He was comforting

his children. He spoke and began his words by telling

his other children who are at camp in the states that they

are here in spirit, that they were all together. At his ima’s

funeral, he, first and foremost, looked out for his kids. It

was beyond. He learned that from her. She never missed

a single baseball game, school event, army ceremony, or

anything else pertaining to her children and grandchildren.

Her legacy is not only very much alive, it was even present

at her own funeral. I had to leave early so I watched his talk

from the car. I watched and cried. Like I said, I barely knew

her. But somehow I couldn’t stop crying. Enough has been

said about Rabbi Rosner’s parents. They were giants, true

giants. But today, they were just ima and abba, saba and

savta. Listen; I hate funerals. We all hate funerals. But I

REALLY hate funerals. Each speech pierced my heart. But

when Rabbi Rosner‘s father spoke about his late wife, that

was just something else. He talked about the Shabbos table

without her. She passed away on Friday. He talked about

the tunes they sang at the table, which they sang for 63

years together, and how it felt to sing them without her. He

talked about the support she provided since he had a stroke and a heart attack a few decades ago. He is an elderly man, but he spoke with the clarity one would expect from a teenager. It was truly extraordinary. I really don’t know where I’m going with this, or why I feel the way I feel right now and at funerals, in general. Perhaps it’s the feeling that no matter what I do, I cannot measure up to the giant we just lost. Perhaps it’s me feeling that the love I give my family is inadequate, compared to the tremendous love the family of the deceased is feeling at that moment. I don’t know what it is that makes me break down every single time. Maybe it’s seeing this person who generally represents one thing, in this case Rabbi Rosner being a rock of a person, break down to his core as a human being. At that moment, he was not a learned righteous rabbi with his suit and hat. He was a child who lost his mommy. I don’t know. But funerals affect me like nothing else. I barely knew her, that’s true, but not seeing her at Rabbi Rosner’s next Torah lesson will have a profound effect on me. It already is. The thought of her not being there. I don’t know. She passed away before Shabbat and her final words on this planet, the final message she left her family, were two words. “Shabbos table.” That’s what was on her mind. She will be missed by many. Her husband who should live for many years. Her four children. Her many grandchildren. Her great grandchildren. And in a strange and unexplainable way, I’ll miss her too.

Hillel Fuld

Vues Master’s Note: A Tribute that is very befitting!

DO NOT FORGET

Dear Vues Master:

For 2,600 years, since the destruction of Yerushalayim by the Babylonians, we have been proclaiming “Im Eshkachaich Yerushalayim, tishkach yemini…im lo aaleh et Yerushalayim al rosh simchati”, If I forget Yerushalayim, let my right hand forget its cunning…if I don’t raise Yerushalayim above my chiefest joy. Rav Yehudah Halevi put it so beautifully “Libi b’mizrach vaani b’sof hamaarav” My heart is in the east but I am at the farthest in the west. I was dismayed when I saw the following ad on p. 28 of the 7/27-8/2 (beginning of the 9 days) edition “When you’re in America….You don’t face east,..you face wherever camp (I deleted the camp’s name)) is.”

AT

Vues Master’s Note: Especially now in the Nine days this letter is very poignant!

SAFE

Dear Vues Master:

A friend of mine that works for Hatzolah in the Catskills told me that there are a crazy amount of car accidents upstate this summer. People, please be careful when you drive. Try not to speed & text while driving.

SF

Vues Master’s Note: We need to slow down! Better to get there late then not get there at all!

TRAFFIC

Dear Vues Master:

Traffic cameras in New York City will now be on 24/7 as part of the city’s efforts to lower traffic fatalities. Until now, the cameras were only between 6 am and 10 pm on weekdays, which caused the cameras to miss 59% of fatal MVAs, according to city statistics. A law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last month allowed city officials to turn the cameras on full-time, which they decided to do beginning August 1st. 2,000 speed cameras are now running 24 hours a day, including on weekends and holidays. If caught by a camera, drivers will receive a $50 fine in the mail, which experts say is more than enough to deter drivers from speeding again, despite the fines not resulting in points on a driver’s license. This is crazy!! I’m all for driving safely, but to drive 20mph at 2am when no one is on the streets is a little overboard in my opinion. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov believes that it will not deter the speeding of those with blank plates and those who routinely ignore speeding tickets. There’s much we can do to make our roads safer but this is not the way.

RG

Vues Master’s Note: That is not including out of State plates!

BILL RUSSEL

Dear Vues Master:

Bill Russel was definitely the GOAT in the game of basketball. No one ever won more championships in any sport than Bill Russel. He was better than Michael, Lebron or Kobie. I actually remember when Bill Russel used to come to the Catskills & play at Kutsher’s hotel.

NJ

Vues Master’s Note: Wow! That was a long long time ago!

TUITION

Dear Vues Master:

I can’t believe that Y.U. is charging over $60k a year now to go to college! I would rather send my son to Touro for half the price & save the money to help him go into a business after college.

KM

Vues Master’s Note: I would rather my son sit in Kollel!

TZNIUS

Dear Vues Master:

The other day I was walking in Woodbourne & a girls camp unloaded from a bus. I couldn’t believe what these girls were wearing! I was trying not to look, but their clothing was definitely not clothing that a bas torah should wear.

MJ

Vues Master’s Note: Well it starts from the parents!

FIGHTING CRIME

Dear Vues Master:

Mayor Eric Adams was questioned this past Monday by veteran Hamodia reporter Reuvain Borchardt over soaring crime in New York City, noting that the mayor’s campaign platform placed an overarching focus on combating the Big Apple’s crime crisis. “When can we expect crime to drop?” Borchardt asked. “You have been in office for seven months, you ran on a platform of lowering crime. When can we expect to see those decreases in crime?” “When we get all our partners on board,” Adams responded, insisting that “we’re doing our job.” “The NYPD is taking thousands of guns off the streets. We are making arrests – a high level of arrests for violent crimes… What is in our control we are doing the maximum,” he asserted. “What we need to do: judges, lawmakers, prosecutors. The criminal justice system has several pieces to it; every piece must work,” he said. I agree with what the mayor said. I just wonder if we can ever get everyone together to actually stop all the crime & shootings in New York.

EC

Vues Master’s Note: EXCUSES!

TISHA BE’AV

Dear Vues Master:

It’s really amazing how one can listen to hundreds of different shiurim on Tisha B’av from one’s own house. When I was growing up, we had to go to the local shul & listen to 5 different shiurim just to get one shiur that I enjoyed. Now between all the torah websites, I can listen to hundreds of shiurim by any rebbie I wasnt from around the world.

LS

Vues Master’s Note: Isn’t Tisha Be’Av a time to mourn and not to enjoy?!

LOTTERY

Dear Vues Master:

I am so happy I didn’t win the lottery this past weekend. I really didn’t want to have so much money. If I had a billion dollars, I’m sure I can give a lot of tzedakah but it would take up so much of my time that I wouldn’t be able to learn anymore.

NM

Vues Master’s Note: As the Chafetz Chaim said I can handle any nisayon but the nisayon of Ashirus!

SIYUMIM

Dear Vues Master:

I went to two siyumim this week given by two people I didn’t even know just so that I could eat fleishigs. I’m feeling a little guilty. I know everyone does it, but I didn’t even understand what the person that was making the siyum was saying. What do you think?

HS

Vues Master’s Note: You missed the boat as we know you need to be a close friend of the person making a siyum!

REFORM

Dear Vues Master:

A Reform Jew asked Rabbi Simcha Wasserman: “There are all kinds of Jews – Lithuanians, Sephardim, and many sects of Chasidim – why do we need so many branches of Judaism?” R Wasserman answered: “We’re like an army with different Divisions, each having a different function but striving with the same purpose.” “So where do these of us who are Reform fit in?” the questioner asked. “You,” the Rov answered, “are the deserters; you’re AWOL.”

MB

Vues Master’s Note: How true but they are shlepping more and more people to go AWOL!

ROE VS WADE

Dear Vues Master:

Recently, due to the Supreme Court overturning the Roe vs Wade decision, there have been a lot of protests including violent ones. I don’t understand what the big controversy is about. Whenever I come to a river or lake, if the water is deep I Roe across; otherwise I Wade across. If you can’t do one of those options, then just abort your trip and go back.

D F

Vues Master’s Note: This joke was not funny the first time and not the second time! Maybe some people may find it funny! Thanks for sharing!

BUSINESS

Dear Vues Master:

Running a business is really hard. What they don’t tell you is that it can cause severe stress and anxiety, and drains you mentally to the point of depression in even the most laid-back people. People will talk about you, compare you to others, use you, they will view you as a service and not a person anymore. Friends and Mishpacha will expect discounts and people will value you and your hard work less than a big chain store. You have to worry about if you forget to email/message someone back, are they going to think it was on purpose? Did you disappoint them? Will they hold that against you? When in reality you just can’t get to everyone’s messages and emails. Starting up and running a successful business puts incredible strain on personal lives and relationships, many of which fail because there is just often no work life balance. You need to be the director, the worker, the admin, the marketing team, the accountant, the cleaner….. All whilst being a parent, a husband or a wife, family support, friend… There’s a reason you don’t see many people succeed in small businesses after 5-10 years. If they are successful they are overwhelmed. It takes a toll. It’s exhausting. Especially the past couple of years when so much has been out of our control. Here’s a small reminder that we are just normal people with hectic lives. Say Baruch Hashem for everything you have. Be kind, be patient, support small businesses…….and hopefully more of us will stick around!

JR

Vues Master’s Note: Hey! All this was none of my business! Just kidding! Thanks for the chizuk so I can make Chozek!