24 Jul SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

KOSHER MEAT PRICE SKYROCKETS
Dear Vues Master
As of this past Monday prices on kosher meat
products have skyrocketed due to a “drastic” price
hike by a large wholesaler. In a message sent to
stores last week, Springfield Wholesale Meat

Distributor wrote: “Regretably, we have been in-
formed by Solomon’s of a drastic price increase

on domestic beef that will be implemented begin-
ning this week.” Can someone please help me

understand why we are all sitting back and just
accepting that with little to no valid explanation,

our meat bills will just go up 80%? Someone sug-
gested to me that for the next 3 or 4 weeks, people

should freeze meat, and under no circumstances
buy any for 3 weeks. The stores, distributors, etc.,
will very quickly get the message – after they lose
hundreds of thousands of dollars, that we will not
just sit back and accept this absolute insanity. We
must act now!!!
DT

Vues Master’s Note: I have one word. BOY-
COTT!!

BREADBERRY’S RESPONSE TO THE MEAT
PRICE SURGE
Dear Vues Master
Breadberry just sent this out a little while ago & I think
your readers would appreciate it. Upcoming Changes to
Our Meat Department Everyone has been talking about the
price increase on American beef this past week. Those in the
industry have been discussing this for months. There is a lot
of misinformation out there. I am not going to speculate as
to why the price is going up; I only know that it is, and it’s
for the long term. The opinions and strategies presented in
this letter are composed of both my own and those of my
team, based on our daily experience purchasing American

beef. Before diving in, I believe it’s crucial to distinguish be-
tween imported and American beef. Imported beef in the US

usually comes from Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay. There
are different producers for each category, and even within

specific regions, there are vast differences in quality. His-
torically, imported kosher beef has been lower quality than

its American counterparts. The quality differences are due to
many factors: the breeds being used, how the cows are fed

and finished, how they are slaughtered, aged, butchered, pro-
cessed, packaged, and shipped. The discerning kosher beef

eaters have always chosen American beef. That being said,
not all American beef is equal either. However, American
beef as a whole is of superior quality to the imported that is
currently available to the average consumer. Like all things,
quality is relative. Not everyone loves a richly marbled piece
of grain-fed rib steak; some people prefer a leaner, grass-fed

beef. Over the past few years, I have witnessed a tremendous
increase in the quality of imported beef. The price difference
as a whole isn’t that dramatic between the current price of

American beef (as of July 20th, 2023) and the price of im-
ported beef, which has slowly been making its way closer to

American beef prices over the years. Additionally, as of this
week, I’ve been informed that there are no price increases for
imported beef. However, due to its newfound demand owing
to its now attractive pricing, the costs may go up because
of supply issues. There are already regular shortages of the
more premium imported cuts. As far as increasing pricing,

not every meat vendor has increased their prices for Ameri-
can beef yet, but the upcoming hikes are poised to impact the

industry in the weeks to come. At Breadberry, we adjust our
pricing in line with cost changes. We always strive to avoid

premature price increases; particularly given the current eco-
nomic challenges many kosher-observing families are fac-
ing. Nevertheless, price increases are inevitable. To mitigate

the effects of these higher prices for American beef, we will
begin offering an alternative to American Beef: premium

beef from South America. This beef is available at more af-
fordable rates. Up until now, we’ve used American beef for

approximately 95% of our sales. However, I anticipate this
ratio shifting closer to 50/50. Unlike five years ago, there are

now numerous high-quality beef options available from out-
side the U.S. It’s important to note that these options are not

all on par with one another, and consumers should certainly
further educate themselves on this matter. At Breadberry,
we are committed to transparency and label our meat when
it’s imported. We will continue this practice, enabling our

well-informed customers to make their own decisions. Con-
sumers should demand that their butchers do the same. Hon-
esty in labeling. As a butcher, it’s challenging to steer away

from beef (pun intended). There simply isn’t a substitute for
a good steak. With the coming changes, though, a quality
steak may become more of a celebratory meal rather than a

casual midday dinner with friends. Regardless of the cur-
rent situation, since the onset of COVID, our deli has shifted

towards a more poultry-centric menu. For the past two years
we’ve been using more affordable cuts of beef and elevating
their appeal with modern cooking techniques and processes.
This isn’t the first crisis the kosher food industry has faced.
As we do every day, we will face the challenges as they are

presented and will do our best to overcome them while con-
tinuously offering a great product at a fair price.

Isaac Bernstein
Culinary Partner
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for sending! Very well said!

SHALOM BAYIS
Dear Vues Master
As I drive upstate I always notice how couples

walk together on the side of the highway. In the-
ory it’s probably very nice for couples to spend

time with each other for shalom bayis, especially
while exercising. Unfortunately I’ve also been
noticing lately how at least one of the people
walking is talking on their cell phone. Besides it
being unsafe, what happened to the private time
the couples have? Most couples dont see each
other the entire week, because the men go back
to the city to work. How does this help shalom
bayis? I think people should try to spend time
with their spouse focusing on what their spouse is
saying & not talking to someone else!
EG

Vues Master’s Note: I couldn’t agree more! As the
saying goes “a happy wife is a happy life”.

NACHAMU CONCERTS
Dear Vues Master
This Motzei Shabbos is Shabbos Nachamu & it’s
interesting how there are no big concerts again

this year upstate. A lot of colonies bring in enter-
tainment but there are no big concerts. The last

two years people have said that there were no
concerts because of covid. That is no longer an
excuse. I remember the good old days when they
had Avraham Fried & MBD at the racetrack. No
more!
YZ
Vues Master’s Note: I miss those concerts also!
They were great.Unfortunately there aren’t too
many venues upstate that are big enough for
concert promoters to make money. Bethel Woods
is large but very expensive & most places don’t
want to start a concert at 11pm. Shabbos ends
so late that 11pm is probably the earliest a large
concert can start.

THANK YOU
Dear Vues Master
I just want to thank Hatzolah, Shomrim &

Chaverim for all the great work they’ve been do-
ing this summer. Unfortunately there have been a

lot of accidents this summer & each of these vol-
unteer organizations have been fantastic! Tizku

L’mitzvos & THANK YOU!!!
MR
Vues Master’s Note: There is a reason why modim

is the only bracha every one has to say by them-
selves & they can’t be yotzei by hearing someone

else. It’s important for people to be thankful for
people that help the tzibur. Hatzolah, Shomrim &
Chaverim are all excellent organizations & we
should all say Thank you to them on a regular
basis.

HERO OF YISSURIM: RAPHI
STRAUSS Z”L
Dear Vues Master
This past erev Shabbos was the passing

of a good friend of mine Raphael Yaa-
kov Yisroel (Raphi) Strauss z”l. He was

37. I met him many years ago at Camp
Simcha. In the realm of extraordinary
individuals, Raphi was at the top of

the list. Raphi was graced with a heart-
warming smile despite being born with

the rare condition of xeroderma pig-
mentosum (XP). This hereditary ailment

rendered him profoundly sensitive to the

sun’s harmful rays, making his day-to-
day life a delicate dance with extreme

sun sensitivity. Amidst the trials and
tribulations that life bestowed upon him,
Raphi – who lived in Teaneck, Monsey,
and Bnei Brak – displayed unparalleled
resilience and embraced his challenges

with unwavering faith and equanim-
ity. Throughout almost four decades, he

courageously faced hundreds of proce-
dures, each one a testament to his un-
wavering spirit. Raphi’s journey began

the day he was born in a Haifa hospital.
He was a preemie. By the time he was
11 months old, doctors realized that he
was suffering from a rare skin condition
that was exacerbated by sunlight. Later,

a specialist at Beilinson Hospital identi-
fied the condition as xeroderma pigmen-
tosum, a rare genetic illness in which

the slightest exposure to the sun’s UV
rays could cause the rapid development
of cancerous growths on the skin. With
all the things that he had to deal with on
a day to day basis throughout his life he
always had a simchas hachayim. He will
be missed by many people. I will never
forget him.
ER
Vues Master’s Note: Yehi zichro boruch.

SIYUM DURING THE NINE
DAYS
Dear Vues Master

It is perfectly permissible to make a si-
yum during the nine days of mourning

over the two Beis Hamikdash that were
destroyed. It’s permissible to make the
siyum in order to eat meat, and although
discouraged by many poskim, it’s even
permissible to plan, hasten, or delay
one’s regular learning schedule to make
a siyum during the nine days. While it’s

permissible to make a siyum to eat meat
during the nine days, I’m not in favor of
the practice. The mourning process that

begins with the three weeks, and pro-
gresses through the nine days, the week

of Tisha B’av, and finally to Tisha B’av
itself, is designed to stir feelings of loss
and use those feelings of loss to inspire
introspection and repentance. This time
of the year is designed to focus on the
loss of the specific Divine Providence
that protects the Jewish people. It is only
through repentance that we can hope to
return to the national existence we once

enjoyed. Planning siyumim, while per-
missible, isn’t where we should ideally

be putting our thoughts and efforts. We
should be taking advantage of the nine
days to focus on areas we can improve
on in our own lives.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: There are many
restaurants that have siyumim every
night of the nine days & it really defeats
the reason why we have this period of
mourning.

IMMIGRANTS IN NEW YORK
Dear Vues Master

New York City, facing an overwhelm-
ing influx of migrants, has announced

plans to distribute fliers at the south-
ern border to caution potential arrivals

that there is “no guarantee” they will
receive sufficient help if they come to
the city. Mayor Eric Adams emphasized
that the city’s capacity to accommodate

migrants has reached its limit after tak-
ing in approximately 90,000 migrants

since April of the previous year. Mayor
Adams, a Democrat who previously
declared NYC a sanctuary city, stated,

“We have no more room,” underscor-
ing the challenges that America’s largest

city is grappling with due to the ongo-
ing surge in migrant arrivals. He pointed

out that Republican-led states have been
transporting migrants to Democratic-run
areas as a form of protest against border
policies. The fliers, in both English and

Spanish, urge migrants to consider set-
tling in another city within the United

States. They highlight the high cost of

living in New York City, including ex-
penses related to food, transportation,

and other necessities. The fliers also ex-
plicitly state that the city cannot guar-
antee housing and other social services

for new arrivals. With its population of
8.3 million people, New York City has
reached its capacity to accommodate
additional migrants. This is going to
put New York in debt for decades. The
mayor must be more vigilant in getting
immigrants out of New York!! should
PL
Vues Master’s Note: New York taxpayers
will be paying for these immigrants for
decades. It’s just another reason why we
should be leaving New York & going to
Florida.

KULAHS DURING THE NINE
DAYS
Dear Vues Master

Having siyumim, playing acapella mu-
sic & having instructional swim in my

opinion is a cop out. They all defeat the
reason why we have the nine days of
mourning.
Vues Master’s Note: There are many
rabbanim that allow these kulahs. If you
don’t feel comfortable with them, don’t
do them & speak to your own rabbi.

COUNTRY VUES FANS
Dear Vues Master
I just want to tell you how much my family

loves the Country Vues. We live in Lake-
wood & do not get the Jewish Vues all year

round. We wish that it was delivered there.
The Country Vues is by far the best Jewish
weekly publication out there!! We love the
interviews, the columnists, the jokes, the
fun questions & the ads! Please keep up
the good work!!
AP

Vues Master’s Note: Thank you!! We al-
ways love compliments. If there is any way

for us to make the paper better, please let
us know. We appreciate feedback.

CHUTZPAH
Dear Vues Master
I see many times how people come into
a store and make their demands without
waiting in line or saying good morning

or excuse me or thank you. It is not po-
lite and you’re making a bad name for

us. I once saw a young kid tell the shoe
store worker to put in the shoe laces for
him since that’s what you’re being paid

for! Or a kid who told me that I’m sit-
ting in his makom kavuah even though

I was a guest. His father agreed with his

son that it was his son’s makom kavuah-
what Chinuch! I guess we’re helping

to bring Moshiach- Chuzpa Yaasgeh-
Mishna Sota

RMS

Vues Master’s Note: Derech Eretz Kad-
ma L’Torah! My pre-1A rebbie taught

me that.

APPRECIATING TIME
Dear Vues Master
Hillel Fuld (Ari Fulds brother) posted
this online a few months ago & I think
that your readership would love it. A
man came home from work late, tired
and irritated, to find his 5-year old son

waiting for him at the door. SON: ‘Dad-
dy, may I ask you a question?’ DAD:

‘Yeah sure, what it is?’ replied the man.
SON: ‘Daddy, how much do you make
an hour?’ DAD: ‘That’s none of your
business. Why do you ask such a thing?’
the man said angrily. SON: ‘I just want
to know. Please tell me, how much do
you make an hour?’ DAD: ‘If you must
know, I make $50 an hour.’ SON: ‘Oh,’
the little boy replied, with his head

down. SON: ‘Daddy, may I please bor-
row $25?’ The father was furious, ‘If the

only reason you asked that is so you can
borrow some money to buy a silly toy
or some other nonsense, then you march
yourself straight to your room and go to
bed. Think about why you are being so
selfish. I don’t work hard everyday for
such childish frivolities.’ The little boy
quietly went to his room and shut the
door. The man sat down and started to
get even angrier about the little boy’s

questions. How dare he ask such ques-
tions only to get some money? After

about an hour or so, the man had calmed
down, and started to think: Maybe there
was something he really needed to buy
with that $25.00 and he really didn’t ask
for money very often. The man went
to the door of the little boy’s room and
opened the door. ‘Are you asleep, son?’

He asked. ‘No daddy, I’m awake,’ re-
plied the boy. ‘I’ve been thinking, may-
be I was too hard on you earlier’ said the

man. ‘It’s been a long day and I took out
my aggravation on you. Here’s the $25
you asked for.’ The little boy sat straight

up, smiling. ‘Oh, thank you daddy!’ he
yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow
he pulled out some crumpled up bills.
The man saw that the boy already had
money, and started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his
money, and then looked up at his father.
‘Why do you want more money if you

already have some?’ the father grum-
bled. ‘Because I didn’t have enough, but

now I do,’ the little boy replied. ‘Daddy,
I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of
your time? Please come home early
tomorrow. I would like to have dinner
with you.’ The father was crushed. He
put his arms around his little son, and
he begged for his forgiveness. It’s just
a short reminder to all of you working
so hard in life. We should not let time
slip through our fingers without having
spent some time with those who really
matter to us, those close to our hearts.
Do remember to share that worth of
your time with someone you love. If
we die tomorrow, the company that we
are working for could easily replace us
in a matter of hours… But the family &
friends we leave behind will feel the
loss for the rest of their lives.
DH
Vues Master’s Note: Very well said!

WHAT NYC SAID ABOUT YE-
SHIVA EDUCATION

Dear Vues Master

This past Monday YWN obtained cop-
ies of letters about yeshiva education

that the Adams Administration did not

want us yidden to see. The letters re-
vealed that in many instances the City

gave yeshivas poor grades despite the

fact that they covered the required ma-
terial. In several cases, yeshivas were

penalized because the City wants to re-
place its values for those of the yeshiva.

For example, several yeshivas were
given a failing grade even though their
English Language Arts classes taught
their students how to read and write.
What was the City’s problem? The City
complained that “the instruction did not
include a range of fiction and nonfiction
texts that would create opportunities for

children to engage with a variety of top-
ics and texts.” In other words, teaching

our children how to read is not enough.

The City insists that they be taught us-
ing books that it chooses. Of course,

frum parents do not want the City or the

State or any outsider choosing the ma-
terial that our children are exposed to.

Other yeshivas failed because they did
not have a “scope and sequence.” If you
do not know why that means yeshiva
kids are not learning, you’re not alone.
One yeshiva was given a failing grade in
science even though the City conceded
that the “seventh-grade physical science

class on parallel circuits covered grade-
appropriate topics using an effective ex-
periment . . . students made independent

observations and used the circuit boards

to demonstrate that energy can be trans-
ferred by electric currents.” What was

the problem? A fourth grade teacher
was not as dynamic as his colleague.
And of course, this school also lacked a
“scope and sequence.” City bureaucrats
also worked hard to find fault with the
hard-working teachers in our yeshivas.
Their criticisms often had nothing to do

with what went on in the classroom. In-
stead, the City focused on hiring and re-
cruitment policies. In one case, a school

failed even though the classroom in-
struction was good and even though the

school had appropriate policies. What
was the City’s concern? The yeshiva
supposedly didn’t maintain applications
and resumes to prove that the teachers it
hired satisfied those policies. This is a
bureaucracy run amok. City bureaucrats
who have never been inside a classroom
are torturing and abusing our schools
and our community. We implore Mayor

Adams to put a stop to this madness be-
fore it is too late.

BT
Vues Masters Note: Thank you Yeshiva
World News for exposing this!

MILK
Dear Vues Master:
A man once came to the Beis HaLevi to

ask a halachic question. “Is one permit-
ted to use milk for the arba kosos (four

cups) on Pesach instead of wine?” R’
Soloveitchik asked if there was some
medical reason the man could not drink
wine. As he questioned the man, it came
out that he could not afford wine. The
Rov told him, “No, one may not use
milk instead of wine,” and gave him a
“loan” of twenty rubles for wine. The

Beis HaLevi’s family questioned him
after the fellow left. “Wine doesn’t cost
so much money. Why did you give him
twenty rubles?! “Didn’t you hear what
he said?” asked the Rav. “He asked if
he could use milk. Since we don’t mix
meat and milk, that means he couldn’t

afford meat for the Seder either! I mere-
ly gave him enough money for his true

needs.”
BH
Vues Master’s Note: It is a good thing

the guy did not want to use Ben and Jer-
ry’s Ice cream for the Seder as he would

have to boycott it!!

LACE CAP SHAITELS
Dear Vues Master:

I am not understanding what the contro-
versy with these sheitels are? Can you

shed some light? Before I shed some
hair trying to decide what wig to buy? Is
this a cover-up of a big problem? I think

if you can answer this I would recom-
mend you as a person who can extricate

someone from hairy situations.
KO
Vues Master’s Note: All kidding aside
this is a question you should ask your
Rabbi. Is it a lack of tznius for a woman
to show off something that may look like
her scalp etc. I believe every woman

should be in touch with her rav for guid-
ance.

SMOKING
Dear Vues Master:

Smoking is a form of suicide and pro-
hibited under Halacha. Do not smoke.

IF YOU SMOKE, STOP!
H T
Master’s Note: What about marijuana?
I don’t see anyone railing against that?

EVIL EYE
Dear Vues Master

The sefer of Devorim reviews the differ-
ent events that occurred to the Yidden in

the Midbar. One of those is their battle

with Oig. His life was a long and inter-
esting one. Some say that he along with

Seechoin were born before the Mabul
and survived the Mabul by hanging on
to the outside of the Teiva. Oig was the
Polit who warned Avrohom Avinu that
Loit was captured by Amrufel of the
Maluchim. He was called by some the

first Polit-ician. The famous question
is if he was such a bad guy why did he
help Avrohom Avinu by giving him this
intelligence? Some say that he wanted
Avrohom Avinu to try and rescue him

and be killed cv”s so that he could mar-
ry Sura. Some give a different answer.

There were two Oigen; they were twins.
The one who tried to save Loit; he was
the Ayin Toiv. The one who was allied
with Bilaam was the Ayin Ra. The first

remez is at the end of Parshas Bere-
ishis where it say that Noach mutza

chein be’einei Hashem with the plural
of Oigen since Noach spelt backwards
is Chein – forwards and backwards.
SeeChein was able to see the chein in
the Ayin Toiv since at that time he still
had the right Cheshbon; that’s why he
was saved. Only later did he become
corrupted by Bilaam. In Pirkei Avos
the second Perek mentions that Rebbi
Eliezer says that one should follow the
way of Ayin Toiva and stay away from

the Ayin Ra. In the fifth Perek it fur-
ther elaborates that Ayin Toiv was from

the Talmidim of Avrohom while Ayin
Ra was from the talmidim of Bilaam
which aligns to what was said before.
So Oig Ra was killed by Moshe in the

battle. What does Bilaam say in Par-
shas Balok, “va’kisu es Ein ha’artez” –

Moshe killed the Oig Ra. The killing
of Oig had a damaging effect on Bilaam
himself. He became a Sha’soom Ayin
– blind in one Oig. He lost part of his
powers and could only bless the Yidden.
What happened to the Oig Toiv? It could
be that he took over afterwards and led
a peaceful life. Before that, he was an
ophthalmologist, as it says in Parshas
Devarim – “va’Oig Melech ha’bushon
huyu me’yeser ha’Refuim” – the last of
the great eye doctors.
DF
Vues Masters Note: Interesting Voirt!