05 Jul SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

PSA ANNOUNCEMENT
Dear Vues Master:
I was having a coffee in Dunkin Donuts upstate
when a frum woman standing behind me was
discussing which donut her daughter wanted.

At this location they are selling complete non-
kosher products.. including chicken and cheese

wraps… When I mentioned to her that the donuts

here are not kosher, she was upset and said, re-
ally?? It was as if I was interfering with her

daughter’s wishes to have a donut there. Point
is.. coming from Flatbush where Dunkin Donuts
is Kosher (not cholov yisroel) people are used to
eating the donuts/muffns and are not aware that
the locations need to have a hechsher to purchase
the donuts. Thanks so much, perhaps you can
alert the ‘country crowd’ in your next issue and
remind them to be vigilant with DD. Thanks!
A. Teichman
Vues Master’s Note: Shtunken Donuts!

BUSINESS
Dear Vues Master:
I could not believe my eyes last Friday. Mountain
Food just built this big beautiful grocery store in
the heart of Monticello with parking for over 150
cars. Not only was the parking lot full but the
street on the side of the store was completely full
as well all day Friday. It’s amazing how much
business is upstate over the summer. B”H.
CL

Vues Master’s Note: Over a half a million peo-
ple come upstate over the summer. They have to

shop somewhere!

FLYING HIGH
Dear Vues Master:

El Al Israel Air Lines and Delta Air Lines an-
nounced a “strategic partnership” the companies

say will make traveling easier for passengers fy-
ing between Israel and the United States. This is

big news for people who fy alot to Israel. Under

the partnership, the airlines will recognize re-
ciprocal frequent-fier miles and passengers can

check their luggage through to their fnal desti-
nation. “Working closely with El Al will further

strengthen Delta’s connection to Israel,” stated
Matteo Curcio, Delta’s senior vice president for
Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. “This
partnership marks another important milestone

in our long-term strategy and offers our custom-
ers unparalleled service,” added Shlomi Zafrany,

El Al vice president for commercial and industry
affairs.
KL
Vues Master’s Note: Now will Delta provide
minyanim too?

LOOTING
Dear Vues Master:
What is this world coming to? Shoplifters are

wreaking havoc in New York City to such an ex-
tent that high-end ice cream containers are now

equipped with special locked lids to deter heart-
less thieves. The NY Post reported last Friday

that Fairway supermarket located on the Upper
West Side has taken measures to safeguard $6
cartons of Häagen-Dazs by securing them with

bolted plastic tops that can only be opened us-
ing a device at the checkout. Other stores have

resorted to padlocking their freezers containing
these delectable treats. A sign at Fairway informs
customers of the reason behind the barriers on
the beloved summertime desserts. It states, “To

help maintain the lowest possible cost, a protec-
tive lock has been placed on some units of ice

cream. This lock will be removed at checkout by

a store associate. We apologize for any inconve-
nience.”

VM
Vues Master’s Note: I scream, we all scream….
Ice cream locked up!

DRAMA IN MONTICELLO
Dear Vues Master

Drama unfolded at Monticello’s new-
ly opened ‘Mountain Mall’ when the

owners announced plans to construct
an outdoor food market and seating
area. The intention was to provide
visitors with an opportunity to order
food from various establishments and
enjoy a meal with their families in an

open-air setting. However, this devel-
opment has faced opposition, lead-
ing to a disruptive incident that took

place this past Monday. According to
eyewitnesses, a group of individuals
took matters into their own hands and

arrived at the Mountain Mall to ex-
press their discontent. In a disruptive

act, they proceeded to overturn tables

and chairs in front of the popular eat-
ery, “Upstate Burger.” The incident

immediately caught the attention of
the Monticello Police Department,
who promptly responded to the scene.
The Catskill Scoop reported that the
mall’s owners have invested millions
of dollars in the facility, successfully
attracting a variety of stores that now
operate year-round. The new outdoor

food market was seen as an enhance-
ment to the overall mall experience,

offering patrons an opportunity to en-
joy food from different vendors while

taking advantage of the pleasant out-
door setting. There are many other

establishments located just a mere
20 seconds away from the Mountain
Mall, which already offer outdoor
seating options without experiencing
any similar issues. This observation
raises questions about the motivations
behind the opposition to the mall’s

outdoor food market. The manage-
ment of the Mountain Mall and local

authorities are now working together
to address the incident and ensure the
safety and well-being of both visitors
and business owners.
Vues Master’s Note: It seems that
there are always issues opening up
businesses upstate!

LOST
Dear Vues Master:
Max had everything going for him.

He married late, after making a for-
tune, and had a beautiful young wife.

One day, he asked her “If I lost every-
thing, the business, the mansion, the

Rolls, would you still love me?” “Yes
dear,” she replied. “And I’d miss you
too.”
FW
Vues Master’s Note: There you see
what she really loved!

INVITING
Dear Vues Master:
The Zohar says that Hashem removes
deceased parents from Gan Eden and
bring them with him to participate in

the simcha (wedding) of their chil-
dren. It seems from the Zohar that

no invitation is necessary for them to
attend. (Trust in Hashem to take care
of it) There is no source anywhere
about inviting deceased parents to the
wedding. Placing printed invitations
(some with return cards) seems even
silly. Many Chasidim do have this
minhag of inviting parents & even
others to the wedding. It was started

by Rebbes who were able to com-
municate with the neshamos. Only

those with Chasidic background need
to follow this minhag. For all others,
there is no such minhag of inviting.
MF
Vues Master’s Note: I think you got to
put an invite down so the dead will
know when the smorgasbord is!

EQUALITY
Dear Vues Master:
Demand for fairness in any context

raises awareness of an alleged un-
equal reality. Irrespective of the au-
thenticity of the allegation, one party

in the situation feels unjust treatment.

In such a situation, it raises a ques-
tion: should feeling defne reality?

The consequences of answering that

question are quite signifcant. How-
ever, while one deals with that di-
lemma, one should consider another

angle. Someone feeling unjust treat-
ment feels defensive and most of the

time, the immediate response will be
foolish and wrong. Such a response
to “unjust” situations comes from
a place to “get back” at the other
party. Of course, though, rational

people agree that “getting back” in
the heat of a moment is foolish. The
“getting back” mindset IN the heat
of a moment is obviously wrong; it
defnitely is wrong and foolish when
done AFTER the heat of the moment.
The Supreme Court last week ruled

that the decades-old practice of af-
frmative action is unconstitutional.

Affrmative action was a practice,
specifcally in universities, where
institutions would factor a person’s
race into qualifcations for acceptance
into university. The rationale behind
the policy was as a result of slavery,
the educational level of blacks was
inferior. Therefore, considering the
unjust treatment that they were dealt

with, their victimized race should re-
ceive equal results in return. Morally

from a standpoint of emotions, the

policy was understandable. Practical-
ly though, the practice did not make

sense. Setting exterior racial quotas
for any institution that requires actual
qualifcations, defeats the purpose of
the qualifcations! A university that
instills education, knowledge, and

a way to process and apply logic re-
quires students who not only desire

education but also are qualifed for
the institution. If a person does not ft
in a place because of his unnurtured

and low-quality academic levels, ir-
respective of the reason, does not be-
long in that institution. Putting people

in environments that go beyond the
respectable desire of “challenging” is
wrong and self-defeating. Did putting
black Americans in top colleges like

Harvard and Yale, lead to better re-
sults for them? A 67% rate of single-
parent homes, a 52% murder-crime

rate, and a 42% college graduation
rate would all beg to differ. Would not
putting low-tiered academic students
in a college that is on their level, or

is even somewhat “challenging” pro-
duce better results? Instead, black

Americans have been taught to feel
entitled. The once lofty goal
of treating people equally has now

turned into an expectation of receiv-
ing equal outcomes. Blacks receiv-
ing favored results in college, jobs,

income, housing, etc., are all exam-
ples of racism. Racism against white

Americans is as much racist as it is

against blacks or any other race. Ap-
pointing people in positions of power

because of race or any other external
factor is simply going to the other

extreme. The past of widespread rac-
ism against blacks should never lead

to the current racist society against
whites. Making the assumption that
every person with light melanin has

something called “privilege” or label-
ing people white supremacists, while

supporting black supremacists is
hateful and racist. Racism is bad
no matter who it is. The automatic

assumption of unequal results in dif-
ferent areas as proof of “systematic

racism” is false and hateful. Giving
extra money to black farmers, as Joe

Biden’s administration did, is system-
atic racism against whites. Idolizing a

criminal like George Floyd because of

his dark melanin, while ignoring non-
criminals, unarmed and unidolized

white Americans being shot is racist.
Though we aren’t living in the Jim
Crow era, we are living in the George
Floyd era of racism against whites.
A color-blind society is the only way
forward toward a more equal future
because society’s existence depends
on it.
Sincerely, DSG
Vues Master’s Note: When will the
liberals learn? There is no such thing
as equality!

RIGHT
Dear Vues Master:
All it takes to make a wife happy is
to tell her the three little words that
all women long to hear: “You were
right.”
MN
Vues Master’s Note: I think my wife
wrote this letter so therefore I will say
Yes dear you are right!

GENERATION
Dear Vues Master:
Rav Pam writes that the Mishnah
in Eduyos (2:9) says, ‘‘A father

endows a son with a handsome ap-
pearance, strength, wealth, wisdom,

years (longevity), and with the

number of generations before him.’’

The frst fve traits are easy to un-
derstand. Certain physical features

and characteristics run in families,
so it is logical to assume that if a
father is handsome, strong, wise,
and/or blessed with long life, his
son will be the same. Wealth, while
not hereditary, is usually passed

down from father to son. Addition-
ally, a father can have the zechuyos

(spiritual merits) to be worthy that
his son have some or all of these
special characteristics or be blessed
with wisdom (see Tiferes Yisrael

§67). Rav Yaakov Moshe, grand-
son of the Gra, explains part of the

Mishnah as follows, ‘‘And with the
number of generations before him.’’
It is not only a father, he says, who

bequeaths wisdom and other char-
acteristics to his son. It may be a

grandfather, great-grandfather, or
earlier ancestor who does so, or
in whose merit the descendant is
granted these attributes. This is why
the Mishnah uses the words, a father
endows a son, to show that it is not
only the father himself who passes
on these characteristics. Even an
ancestor of previous generations
can have a profound effect on the
physical and spiritual makeup of

his descendants. Rav Moshe contin-
ues and says that this explains how

a righteous person, through no fault
of his own, can have a son who is
terribly wicked and conversely a
wicked person can merit a son who
becomes a great tzaddik. Rav Pam
concludes that a father must never
underestimate how far his infuence
will be felt and how his behavior
and zechuyos (spiritual merits) will
impact the lives of his descendants
for generations to come. This is

relevant in a generation where chil-
dren see themselves as students and

not sons. They think having a rela-
tionship with their rabbi is greater

than having a relationship with their
father. They assume their children
are going to follow their rabbi and
continue his legacy. What happens
is the son ends up with no father

or rabbi and the son is completely

lost. This is the reason G-d has in-
troduced artifcial intelligence now

to show that knowledge, the rabbi,
is disposable but not your father. If
this generation doesn’t wake up it
will be the L- generation, the lost
generation.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: Once again you
have a one track mind! I feel for you
as you are getting nowhere!

MOM
Dear Vues Master:
Rav Eliyahu Boruch Finkel asks
that Aishes (wife of) Ohn Ben Peles
should have told her husband about
the fact that Moshe Rabbeinu (our

master) is the Adon HaNeviim (pre-
mier prophet) and one is not allowed

to go against him. Why instead did
she discuss things like who would

be in charge? Rav Elya Boruch an-
swers that if she would discuss this,

then Ohn Ben Peles would argue that
in fact Moshe Rabbeinu was not the

Adon HaNeviim and we aren’t obli-
gated to listen to him. She understood

that due to the negiah (vested interest)

of kinah (jealousy) and kavod (hon-
or), Korach and his eidah (assembly)

were biased to feel that Moshe Rab-
beinu was not right etc. Therefore,

the way to deal with this issue was

not to talk about the ideological is-
sues, but rather to discuss the negios

(vested interests) that were causing
Korach and his eidah to make their
mistakes. Aishes Ohn Ben Peles felt
that Ohn Ben Peles must hear that
even according to the argument of
the yetzer hora that Moshe Rabbeinu
was wrong, Ohn Ben Peles still had
nothing to gain from this machlokes
(argument). Once Ohn Ben Peles
would hear this, he would see clearly
that Moshe Rabbeinu was right and
Korach was wrong. Adas (assembly
of) Korach only made their mistake
due to their negios. Once the negios

of Ohn Ben Peles would be invali-
dated, he would immediately see that

the arguments of Korach were wrong
and Moshe Rabbeinu was right. It

was the chachmas nashim (wisdom
of women) of aishes Ohn Ben Peles

that saved her husband from destruc-
tion. Life and death are in the hands

of the wife, the mother. I had a guest

over for Shabbos and she hasn’t spo-
ken to her father since she was six. I

asked why and she said she couldn’t

talk about it. I told her about paren-
tal alienation and that 90 percent of

the alienation is perpetuated by the
mother. When the mother supports
the father then the father endows his
son with good qualities.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: A mother will
include the father if the Father is a

mentch to her not if the father is di-
vorced and just fighting for the sake

of fighting!

BLACK MARKET
Dear Vues Master:
A Chiloni Jew visiting Israel went to
Meah Shearim to buy tefllin for his
grandson. The storekeeper showed

him a pair of tefllin, but the cus-
tomer said that his family is modern

and asked if he could get the בתים in
color. Perhaps gold or silver, he said.
The storekeeper said he was sorry,

but it’s impossible. “We have a kab-
balah that it all has to be black.” The

visitor said: “OK. Then let’s at least
get colorful straps.” The storekeeper
again explained that it couldn’t be
done. “As I told you,
customer The” .הכל חייב להיות שחור
then asked for the price, took out his
wallet, paid for the תפילין and asked
for a receipt. The storekeeper said:
“We don’t give receipts. As I told
you, our קבלה is that בשחור הכל.“
FS
Vues Master’s Note: I highly doubt

you can get tefllin on the black mar-
ket, maybe in the grey market!

VISION
Dear Vues Master:
Sam came home very late one Sunday

night after a long day of golf, drink-
ing and hanging out with his buddies.

When he walked into his house, he
was confronted by his angry wife,

who went into a rage and barraged
him for nearly two hours with a tirade
beftting his actions. But he refused
to apologize. Finally, she screamed:
“How would you like it if you didn’t

see me for two or three days?” He re-
plied: “That would be fne with me.”

Monday went by and he didn’t see his
wife. Tuesday and Wednesday came
and went with the same results. But
on Thursday, the swelling went down
just enough where he could see her a
little out of the corner of his left eye.
JK
Vues Master’s Note: I can just see
this story happening!

FOREVER
Dear Vues Master:

Woody Allen once said: “I was pon-
dering whether to take a vacation or

get a divorce. I decided that a vaca-
tion is over in a week but a

divorce is something I can enjoy for-
ever.”

WA

Vues Master’s Note: I thought dia-
monds are forever?

SPEECHLESS
Dear Vues Master:
One night a man walked into a bar
looking sad. The bartender asked the
man what he wanted. The man says
“Oh just a beer.” The bartender asked:
“Whats wrong, why are you so down
today?” The man said “My wife and
I got into a fght, and she said she
wouldn’t talk to me for a month.”
The bartender said “So what’s wrong
with that”? The man said “Well the
month is up tonight.”
SW
Vues Master’s Note: I guess talk is
cheap!